The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-08-19
DEATH STRUGGLE WITH A SNAKE.
A Young Man Attacks a RattIesnak
Both are Killed I'm q Fight.

: A Young Man Attacks a RattIesnak
r Both are Killed I'm . Fight.
A correspondent of a Southern newspa
per writes:
3 ''Last Saturday morning 1 was the wit
ness of such a scene as pray God / ma,
never see again. | baheld combat be
tween young Z an and a rattlesnake, il
, which the former was bitten, and died il
ten minutes thereafter. The particulars o
the terrible affair are as follows:
, ''On Friday last young man named
Graynor asked me to spend the night witt
him and go coon hunting With him the
next morning, to which request readily
assented. We started out about threo
O'Clock a. m, and near day the dogs open
ed on 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 bogs and tangled brush and
vines in the direction of the dogs, until we
came to small space of firm ground.
which was covered with low growth OF
oak bushes Here we halted moment to
listen for the dogs.
1--WE had barely paused, when we W ere
startled by loud, strange, rafting sound
issuing from beneath low, thick bush,
within few feet of us. Though I had
never heard the peculiar noise before, l
knew instinctively that it was rattlesnake;
and sprung back in terror, remarking,
'Graynor, let's leave here
"'What, s. said he, are you
afraid p
"'Yes,' said I, 4 am afraid
"'Well, s., he coolly remarked, 4
am going to kill the snake; it would be
pity to leave such fine fellow here. So,
here goes
while Graynor was speaking, caught
a glimpse of the snake, which, as nearly as
l 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 circle, with his head drawn back
in terribly graceful curve, his small eyes
sparkling, his slender forked tongue
darting swiftly bnck and forth, and his
brown neck swollen with fatal wrath,
while ever and anon he twirled the warming
rattles In the air with harsh, blood
curdling sound. --
"'For Gods sake, let's go, said ], shud-
dering at the torrible sight.
Don't get scared, said Grsynor; Just
climb tree, and he won't bite you. 1t
amt every day that fellow meets With
such fine large snake as this, and it
WOulOn 90 10 lose MIN.
He had picked up small stick about
yard long, and while speaking was draw
ing 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 in such manner that the
monster was fairly exposed to view; but |
just as he did so, and before he had time
to strike, the snake made sudden spring |
at him, and turned away my face in hor- |
ror. The next instant Graynor exclaimed, |
I've got him, by Georger
81 turned to look, and with his right |
hand he was grasping the snake by the |
neck In such manner that he could not /
bite, while the monster was gnashing his /
teeth most furiously, and twisting and /
writhing in huge folds around Graynor's |
arms. All of sudden, in some unac-
countable manner, the snake freed his
head, and quick as lightning plunged his
deadly fangs into Graynor's right cheek;
when, dropping on the ground, he glided |
few PAGES and again coiled himself up, /
keeping his head erect and ringing his |
fearful rattles. Graynor turned deadly |
pale, paused moment, and then with
little stick advanced toward the snake. AS |
he did so the snake made a spring at him, /
but Graynor struck him with the stick and /
knocked him back.
ga second time the snake sprang at HIM,
and he again knocked him off with stick;
but before he could strike third blow, the
snake had made another wound in Gray
nor's arm. This time Graynor again man
aged 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
Graynor, still grasping the snake, whose
huge folds tapped and writhed around him
turned towards me, staggered and fell l
rushed up to him and asked him:
What in the name Of God, can 1 do
for your baf .atc-ai ..-.Gag- cd.
, 90 Nothing, said he calmly. 4 am dy-
ing. Tell them, good - and his features
became frightfully contorted, his eyes roll I
ed over as if 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
deep, piercing groan; shiyer passed over
his frame, and then all was still. / was
alone With the dead. g .siz-J1t DIa /
Marking the place As well ss 1 COULD ]
fastened to a house we had passed on the
road, some half mile distant from the
talal Tragedy RUNNERS vert Sent tHIOuSu
the neighborhoOd, and in theeourse oftwo
hours, some twenty of the .neighbors had
gathered We proceeded. to the place, /
where found no difficulty in pointing out
the body. s.@I 2-i i'i a.0.-i'" -7-
''Good heavens what a sight met our
view. The face and bsdy had turned to
deep purple, and were swollen to three
times the natural Size, presenting the most /
horrible appearance I had ever witnessed.
The snake Ia! where he had been thrown
and was still Writhing. e..,j.-lsfdjr= .f..
"a litter of boughs was hastily construct
ed and, with heavy hearts, we took our way
to the residence OF his parents. L will not
attempt to describe the heheartrending scene
when they saw the body Grief like theirs
cannot be portrayed" -. -