Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-08-17

A FEARFUL SCENE IN ALABAMA-DEATH OF
THE HUMAN CoNBATANT.

THE HUMAN CONBATANT.
Last Saturday morning | was the wit
ness of such scene as pray God l may
never see again. | beheld combat be-
/ tween a Young man and rattlesnake, IN
which the former was bitten and died IL
ten minutes thereafter. The particulars
of the terrible affair are as follows:
On Friday last young man named
! Graynor asked me to spend the night with
! HIM and 90 coon hunting the next morn
ing, to which request | readily assented
/ We started out about O'Clock AM. and
near day the dogs opened on trail in the
swamp Of Bear Greek. just after sunrise.
the deep baying of the dogs informed Us
that the game had taken tree. We pro-
ceeded 70 make our way through the oogs
and tangled brush and vines in the direc-
tion of the dogs, until we came to small
/ space of firm ground, which was covered
with low growth Of oak bushes. Herr
we halted a moment TO listen for the dogs.
We had barely paused, when we Wert
startled by loud, strange, rafting SOUND
issuing from beneath low, thick bush,
within a few feet of us. Though had
never heard the peculiar noise before,
knew instinctively that it was rattle
snake; and [ sprang back in terror, re-
marking. .Graynor, let's leave here
What, s. said he, are you
afraid p
Yes said l, Il am afraid
Well, s. he cooIly remarked. ]
am going to kill the snake, it would be a
pity to leave such fine fellow here. So
here goes.
While Graynor was speaking, eaugh1
a glimpse of the snake, which, as nearl,
as aanld jndgeS appeared TO be abou
t eight f. ct IN lengrh, and three inches j
: diameter at its larger part. He was ylni
corled up in perfect circles, with his hea'
drawn back in terribly graceful curve
small eyes sparkling. his slender forke'
: tongue darting swiftly back and forth, ant
his brown neck swollen with fatal wrath
while ever and anon he twirled the warn
ING rattles in the air with harsh, blood
E curdling sound.
5 For Gods sake, let's 60 said /, shud
I dering at the terrible sight
: Don't be scared, SAID Graynor; jus
/ climb a tree and he won't bite you !
I amt every day that fellow meets wit
such a fine, large snake as this, and
Y wouldn't do to lose him.
d He had picked up small stick about
n ward long, and while speaking, was draw
= ing aside the bushes from above the snaS
Il: 50 as to get sight of him. He threw n
d foot around over the bushes and tramplt
= them down in such manner that Il
% monster was fairly exposed to view b.
Is INST as he did so, and before he had tin
,e 10 strike, the snake made sudden sprlI
1t at him, and 1 turned away my face
n horror. The next instant GTaynor e
g ella med, I've got him by George"
s | turned to look, and with his rig
e. hand he was grasping the snake by {
O. neck in such a manner that he could
ne bite while the monster was gnashing
III teeth most furiously, and twisting a
of writhing in huge folds around Grayno
of arms. Ali of a sudden, in some una
countable manner. the snake freed
head, and quick as lightning plunged
deadly fanes into G's right cheek /; VIII,
dropping on the ground, he glided
paces and again coiled himself up, ket
m. ING his head erect and ringing his fear
ds rattles. G. turned deathly pale, paus
i a moment, and then with q little ST
nt advanced toward the snake. As he
nd so the snake made spring at him,
orl q struck him with the stick and knock
"A him hack. A second time the sns
NO snrane at him, and he again knock
ms him off With a stick but before
he couId strike a third blow the snake
Nv made another spring and inflicted anotl
mr.. wound in Graynof's arm. Ihls u
TO Graynor again managed to seize the M
der ster by the neck and, dropping the sti
The he drew forth his knife with one ma
MT opened it with his teeth, and then dellt
the ately cut off the snakes head BIZ
,3s snprted from the trunk, and g., $
mr.. grasping the snake, whose huge folds d
cir ned and writhed around him, turned I
rbe ards me, staggered and fell. L rushed
to to him and asked him:
her What in the name of God can do
was you?
Tere Nothing said he, calmly. i am dy
,d,s Tell them good and his features
bill. came frighttully contorted, his eyes 70
,ok. over as if starting from their sockets,
the his black swollen tongue protruded
en- his mouth. Then be fixed his red,
,rht staring eyes upon me, and heaved Q
was piercing groan; q shiver passed ovf q
reat frame, and then all was still. Iw as
him. with the dead
her Marking the place as weh as cou
,ase. FASTENED to house we had passed On
aant, road, some hall mile o lstant from q
de a tai tragedy. Runner . were sent tn
, wo- the neighborhood, nd in the course
hours, some twer Nv of the neighbori
wife, gathered. Wer .,roceeded to the place,
that l found no .rficulty in pointing out.
alizedl Good ne .avens. what sight me