The Greenville enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1870-1873, 1870-08-17
!. cerrespondssos Of the Noble R.pebliean.
A Snake story-Fsafful Fight and
Horrible Death. !.

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A Snake Story--Fsafful Fight and
Horrible Death.
On Friday last, a young man,
named Graynor, asked me to spend
the night with him aud go coon
hunting the next morning, to which
request / readily assented. We
started ont about 3 o'clock A. M,
and near day the dogs opened on
a trail In the swampin Bear creek.
just after sunrise, the deep baying
oftthe dogs informed us thar the
game had taken a tree. We pro.
ceeded to make orr way through
the bogs and tangled brash and
vines in the direction Of the dogs,
until We came to a small space Of
firm ground, which was covered
with q low growth of oak bushes.
Here we listened moment for
the dogs.
We bad barely paused when we
were startled by a loud, strange, rat
tling sound issuing from beneath a
low, thick bush, within a few feet
Of ne. Though ] had never heard
that peculiar noise before, knew
instinctively that it was a rattle,
snake, and sprang back in terror,
remarkihg, "Graynor, let's leave
here.n ., ...... .
sswhat, s.. }" said he, are
you airaid2" =.
"" Yes," said /, CT am afraid.n
Well, s." he coolly re.
marked, 81 am going to kill the
snake; it would be a pity to leave
such a fine fellow here. So here
goes" Z
While Graynor was speaking /
caught glimpse of the snake,
which, as nearly as could Judge,
appeared to be abont eight feet in
length, and three inches in diane
ter in his larger part. He was
lying coiled mp in perfect circles,
with his head drawn back in terri.
bic graceful curve; his small black
eyes sparkling, his slender forked
tongue darting swiftly back and
forth, and lis brown neck swollen,
with fatal wrath, while ever and
anon he. twirled the warning rat
ties in the air, with a harsh, blood
curdling sound.
For Gods sake, let's CO." said
/, shuddering at the terrible sight.
"Don't get scared" said g.;
"just climb a tree and lie WON'T
bite you. 1t amt every day that
a fellow meets with such a fine,
large snake as this, and it wouldn't
do to lose him"
He had picked mp 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 tramped them down in such q
manner that the monster was fair
ly exposed to view; but just as he
did so, and before he had time to
strike, the snake made a sudden
spring at him, and / turned away
my face in horror. The next in
stant, Graynor exclaimed "I've
got him, by George"
l turned to look, and with his
right hand he was grasping the
snake by the neck in such man.
ner that he could not bite, while
the monster was gnashing his teeth
most tnriously, and twisting and
writhing in huge folds around G.'s
arms. All OF a sudden, in some
unaccountable manner, @ snake
freed bis head, and quick as light.
ming plunged his deadly tangs into
G.'s right cheek; when, dropping
on the ground, he glided o few
PAGES and again coiled himself up,
keeping his head erect and ring.
ing his fearful rattles. G.. turned
deadly pale, paused a moment,
and then, with little stick, ad.
vanced toward the snake. As he
did SO, the snake made spring at
him, bnt q. struck him with a
stick and knocked him back.
A second time the snake sprang
at him, and he again knocked
him off with a stick, but before he
conld strikea third blow, the snake
had made another spring, and in.
fiicted another wound on 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 it with his teeth,
and then deliberately cut off the
snakes head. Blood spurted from
the trunk, and g. still grasping the
snake, whose huge folds tapped
and writhed around him, turned
toward me, staggered and fell. I
rushed up to him and asked him,
"what in the name Of GoJ can |
do for you 90.
Nothing" said he calmly, az
am dying. Tell them GOO"