The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1870-08-11
CLOUD. MINNESOTA THURSDAY, AUGUST 1870 *1"~
Dfiia lgeeIrs 11tH Assslkr.

Bfi11E ''s1RgQaIr aH1ta A3saAKI
A 1e..is llan Att.eks.a Raitaissn.k.
Both are Killed i'm . Fight.
A correspondent Of a Southern news
paper writes z32zE 10 ;.,:xs{;-
"Last Saturday morning I was the
witness of such scene as I pray God
may never see again. I beheld a
combat between young man and a
rattlesnake, in which the former was
bitten, and died ia ten minutes there
after. The particulars Of the terrible
affair are as follows:
"On Friday last young man named
Grayncr asked me to spend the night
with him and go coon hunting with
him the next morning, to which request
readily assented. We started out
about three o'clock A. NJ, and near day
the dogs opened on a trail IN the
swamp Of Bear Creek. Just after sun
rise the deep baying Of the dogs in
formed US that the game had taken. a
tree. We proceeded to make our way
thr ,ugh the bogs and tangled brush
aud vines in the direction of the dogs,
until We came to small space Of firm
groupd,, which was covered with a
low growth Of oak bushes. Here we
halted moment to listen for the dogs.
eve had barely paused, when VIC
were startled by a loud, strange, rattl-
ing sound issuing from beneath allow;
thick bush, within few feet of u.s.
Thoug gh I had never heard the peculiar
noise before, I knew iustiuctivsly that
it was q rattlesnake and I sprang back
10 terror, remarking, 'Graynor, let's
leave here.
-, j" .Wh.t, S., said he, ARE you
aftnd?' =
"sYes,' said I, Il am afraid !.
"'Well, s. he coolly remarked,
4 an going to kill the snake; it would
BE- . pitt. to leave such fine fellow here
So here goes.'
"Whi]e: Gnynor v.s speaking,
caught = glimpse Of the snake, whlcb,
- nearly a. I could Judge, appeared to
be about eight feet in length and three
inches in diameter in his larger part
he vas lying ooiled up in perfect
circle, with his head drawn back in a
terribly graceful curve, his small eyes
sparkling, bis slender forked tongue
dartiug swiftly back aud forth, aud bis
brown neck swollen with fatal wrath,
while ever and anon he twirled the
warning rattles in the air with . harsh,
blood: :curdling sound. -
."'Eor Gods sake, let's co. said I,
shpddsring At tho terrible sight. 49,.
"'Don't get scared, said .Graynor
just el,mb = tree, and he won't bite YOU
It. amt every. day that . fellow
Frnssts With sneh 4 fine large snake q
this,a and it, wouldn't do to lose him.
r"He had picked up small stick
about a yard long, and while speaking
was drawing back the bushes from
above the snake so as to get sight Of
him. He threw his foot around over
the bushes, and tramped them down 10
such q manner that the monster was
fairly exposed to view; but just as he
did 50, and before he had time to
strike, the snake make a sudden spring
at him, and 1 turned away my face in
horror. The next instant Grayncr
exclaimed, I've got him, by George |!
81 turned to look, and with his rig hit
hand he was grasping the snake by the
neck in such manner that he could
not bite, while the monster was gnash.
ing his teeth most furious)y, and twist
ing and writbipg in huge folds around
Graynor'sarms. Allot asudden, in some
unaccountatble manner, the snake freed
his head quick and as lightning plupg:
ed his deadly faugs into Grayncr's right
cheek; when, dropping on the ground,
he glided a few PAGES and again coiled
himself up, keeping his head erect aud
ringing his fearful rattles. Grayno,
turned deadly pale, paused a moment
and then with a little stick advanced
toward the snake. As he did so the
snake made 4 spring at him, but Gray
nor struck him with the stick and
knocked him back. /.
"A second time the snake spraog d
him, and he, again knocked him Of
with . stick but before be could strike
. third blow, tho snake had made an
othsr wound in GnJnofs arm. Thi,
time Gr.ynor again managed to seiz'
the monster BY the neck and dropping
the stick hs drew forth his knife viii
ooe hand, opened it with his teeth, aoi
then: deliberately cut off the snake,
head. Blood spurted, from tho truck,
and Gnynor, still gr.sping the snake
whose huge folds tapped and writbet
around him, tarncd towards mo, stag
gered and fell. I rushed up to hin
aud asked him:
'What, in the name of God, can
do for you?' .~
?" :Nothing,' said he calmly. 4 an
dying. Tell them, good and hi
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