The weekly Panola star. [volume] (Panola, Miss.) 1857-1881, 1870-08-06

On Friday last a young man named
Graynor asked me to spend the night
with him and go oon hunting the next
morning, to which request | readily as
sented. We started out about 3 o'clock
a. M, and near day the dogs opened on a
trail In the swamp of Bear Creek. Just
after sunrise the deep baying of the dogs
informed us that the game had taken a
tree. We proceeded to make our way
through the boys and tangled brush and
vines in the direction of the dogs, until
we came to q small space of firm ground,
which was covered with a low growth of
oak bushes. Here we halted for a moment
to listen for the dogs.
We had barely paused when we were
startled by a loud, strange, rafting sound,
issuing from beneath a low, thick bush,
within a few feet of us. Though | had
never heard that peculiar noise before, |
knew instinctively that it was q rattle.
snake, and sprang back in terror, remark
ing, "Graynor, let's leave here"
What, s." said he, "are you
afraid ?"
Eyes" said |, III am afraid"
"Well, S." he coolly remarked, " |
am going to kill the snake it would be a
pity to leave such a fine fellow here. SO
here goes"
While Graynor was speaking, | caught
a glimpse of the snake, which, as nearly
as | could judge, appeared to be about
eight feet in length, and three inches in
diameter in his larger part. He was lying
coiled up in perfect circles, with his head
drawn back IN a terribly graceful curve,
his small, black eyes sparkling, his slen-
der, forked tongue darting swiftly back
and forth, and his brown neck swollen
with fatal wrath, while ever and anon he
twirled the warning rattles in the all
with a harsh, blood. curdling sound.
"For Gods sake, let's go" said /, shud-
dering at the terrible sight.
Don't get scared" said g., "just
climb a tree, and he won't bite you. II
amt every day that a fellow meets with
such a fine, large snake as this, and ii
wouldn't do to lose him"
He had picked up a small stick about a
yard long, and, while speaking, was
drawing back the bushes from above the
snake, so as to get a sight of him. He
threw his foot around over the bushes,
and trampled them down in such a man
ner that the monster was fairly exposed
to view but just as he did 30, and before
he had time TO strike, the snake made a
sudden spring at him, and turned away
my face in horror. The next instant
Graynor exclaimed, 1--WE got him, by
Georgep
l turned to look, and with his right
hand he was grasping the snake by the
neck in such a n that he could not
bite, while the monster was crashing his
teeth most %furiously, and twisting and
writhing in huge folds around Cts arms.
All of a sudden, in some unaccountable
manner, the snake freed his head, and
quick as lightning plunged his deadly
iangs into G.'s right cheek, when, drop
ping on the ground, he glided a few PAGES
and again coiled himself up, keeping his
head erect and ringing his fearful rattles.
G. turned deadly pale, paused a moment,
and then with a little stick advanced to-
ward the snake. AS he did 80 the snake
made a spring at him, but G. struck him
with the stick and knocked him back.
A second time the snake sprang at him,
and he again knocked him off with the
stick, but before he could strike a third
blow, the snake had made another spring,
and inflicted another wound in Graynor's
arm. This time Graynor again managed
to seize the monster by the neck, and,
dropping the stick, he drew forth his
knife with one hand, opened II with his
teeth, and then deliberately cut nff the
snakes head. Blood spurted from the
trunk, and Graynor, still grssplng the
snake, whose huge folds tapped and
writhsd around him, turned toward me,
staggered, aid fell. | rushed up to him
and asked him, "What, in the name of
God, can l do for your
"Nothing," said he, calmly. aIam dy.
ing. Tell them good" and his fea.
lures became frightfully c~ontorted, Lia
eyes rolled over as il starting from their
sockets, and his black, swollen tongue
protruded from his mouth. Then he
fixed his red, wild, staring eyes upon me,
and heaved a deep, piercing groan a
shiyer passed over his frame, and then all
was stiff. / was alone with the dead.
Marking the place as well as could, ]
fastened to a house we had passed OF the
road, some hall a mile distant from the ia.
tai tragedy. Runners were sent through
the neighborhood, and In the course Of
two hours some twenty Of the neighborf
had gathered. We proceeded TO the place,
which ] found no difficulty In pointing
out.
Good heavens! what q sight met our
view. The face and body had turned 10 a
deep purple, and were swollen TO three
times the natural size, presenting the most
horrible appearance l had ever witnessed.
The snake lay where he had been thrown,
and was still writing. Uopton, Ala
Cor. EyfIa Mtcs.