Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-10-21
DAILY DEMOCRAT
THE BIG SNAKE OF DANNH.
VILE, TENN.
a Wonderful story.

The Barnuvilie Tenn Enterprise Of
Sept Il, gives the following particulars Of
q visit Of enc Of its reporters to The territory
occupied by the "big sbaAe.' about two
miles north Of that place. and OF what re
saw
"on last Saturday. after thc storm, snc
whsu the sun broke through the clouds
warm AID shihing, determined to pay
visit to The habitat of,he snake 10 see II
could get sight Of it kncw TINT, alter
q thunder stoI D, il the sun shons bot aud
bright, the large snakes invariably come
out to sun themselves. So armed Win :
revolver and lsrge hickory club. started
down the railroad and crossed over 70 the
summit Of the hill, just above Mr. Co.'s
residsncs. Walking along the line fence
between Mrs. Kinks and Ars. Jones farms.
which seems to be the pivotal point about
which the perambulstiens Of the snake are
performed. Up o.ssdsd west until ! came
to Mr.. Woodlands tobacco field. Here !
observed two panels Of the fence crushed
down 10 abou. three rails high, and across
the broken fleece lay what took to BE-
blsck log, about the size Of an ordinary tier
pole. went on few PAGES further. whom
the sun flashed out and the whole length
OF the supposed log that was 10 sight,
shons brightly in its warm rays. halted,
when not over twenty feet from the black
object, and stood still. was satisfisd 1t
was the thing sought for. graspsd my
club with . 6rner hold and remained
motionless for perhaps Ave minutes, when
the head Of the snake shot up above the top
Of the tobacco plants only three rows from
~ Inns and
xix inches wide, aud Ofs brownish color.
The eyes we're large, or appeared to 10,
and 40 black ~ charcoal. They were
surrounded BY . white ring - large a.
silver five cent piece, and gave . hidsous
glare 70 the side Of the head.
ITO run WAS useless, and to attack the
snake, considering its predigious size, vas
too fearful an undertaking to bs thought
Of, ADD, ~ was dressed in black clothing,
l believed the animal would take me to DO
. stump. SO determined to remain still
and note events. Directly the head Of the
serpent began to rotate first to the west
and then towards Us, but ~ his snskeship
kept his mouth shut, felt sure that he did
not recognize me - man. In little time
the head bent forward aud commenced to
move along the tobacco row at right angles
with the fsnce. When the head had got
perhaps fifty yards distance. l looked for
the black log across the fence, but il was
gone. By this time the head was At least
hundred yards from me, and resolved TO
make an effort TO see the entire body II
possible. made circuit through . corn
field, and came out close TO large stump
in sight Of the snakes head, . little south
Of me. On my way had found . couple
ofclapbosrds. went On the opposite side
Of tho stump from the snake, placed ono Of
the clspboards on the ground. and gave it
. half dozen strokes with the other. Al the
unusual noise the snake thrust ito head and
body up fully six feet above The tobacco,
shot out ito toogus with chuckling, hiss
ing sound, and then darsed away obliqusly
toward the fsnes. Az the serpent had 70.
treated in such haste, grew bold and
dashed down through the tobacco, and
when came in sight Of tho fence. the
snake had just reached it. II poised
its head on the seventh raj! and
slowly glidsd over the fence
The time consumed in passing across the
fence enabled me to Judge very accurately
of the size Of the reptile. The full length
Of the body, At the lowest estimate, vas
thirty feet, and its average diamer six inch
es. The track made by it in the soft sobsc
co ground was, At some points, two inches
deep, and the radius Of deviation from .
direct line, made by the bendidgs Of the
track, wrs slightly over two feet, where its
motions were unobstructed. The bottom
surface Of the track Was rough with the
marks Of tho scales Of lecomotiop.
Surprising that sufficient time had been
taken up, while was making my obssrva.
tons and measurements. for the serpent to
become quiet. slipped over the fence and
cautiously approached the ledge Of rock.
where report located its den. The upper
part Of the rock is smooth and level. So.
creeping to it's edge and looking over,
saw the monster snake eoiled into . lump
at the den. Tho mass ~ it was coilsd up,
WAS as high and ~ large around ~ the
largest sized wash tub, with it's head pro-
jccted from the centre. Casting my eyes
upward tc . small rock about three feet
ahovo the larger snake, saw another aud
smaller one, coilsd up in repose like the
first.
g felt ineeeure in SO close proximity to
two such mammoths OF the serpent class,
aud so departed, leaving them to the en-
joymsnt Of the sunshine and their home
among the rocks.