The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1870-08-05

TTro7n the Bufalo lAio.l NeWs'I
A resrs,I Fight and a Horrible
a Death.

named Graynor asked me to spend
the night with him and 90 coon hunt
ing the next morning, to which re-
quest readily assented. We start
ed out about o'clock A. NJ, and
near day the dogs opened on a trail
in the swamp of Bear creek. just
after sunrise the Laying of the dogs
informed us that the game had ia
ken a tree. We proceeded to make
our way through The bogs aud tangl
ed brush and vines in the direction
of the dogs, until we came to a small
space Of firm ground, which was
covered with a low growth Of oak
bushes. Here we halted a moment
to listen for the dogs.
We had barely paused when we
were startled by loud, strange, rattl-
ing sound issuing from beneath a
low, thick bush, within a few feet of
us. Though 1 had never heard
that peculiar noise before, l knew
instinctively that it was rattlesnake
and sprang back in terror, remarking,
"Graynor, let's leave here"
"What, s. said he, are you
afraid?'
eyes," said I, 81 am afraid"
"Well, s." he cody remarked,
II 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 l
caught a glimpse of the snake, which,
as nearly as I could Judge, appeared
to be about eight feet in length, and
three inches 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 slender forked tongue darting
swiftly. back and forth, and his brown
neck swollen with fatal wrath, while
ever and anon he twirled the warn
ing rattles in the air, with a harsh,
blood curdling sound.
"For Gods sake, let's go" said I,
shuddering at the terrible sight.
Don't get scared,'' said G., "just
climb a tree and he won't bite you.
It'ain't 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 up small stick
about a yard long, and, while speak
ing, 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 In such a manner taat
the monster was fairly exposed to
view; but just as he did so, and be-
fore he had time to strike, the snake
made a sudden spring at him, and
turned away my face in horror
The next instant, Graynor, exclaim-
ed, 'pve got him, by Georger'
Iturned to look, and with his right
hand he was grasping the snake by
the neck in such a manner that he
could not bite, while the monster
was gnashing his teeth most furious
ly, and twisting and writhing in huge
folds around G.'s arms. All Of
sudden, in some unaccountable
manner, the snake freed his head
and quick as lightning plunged his
deadly fangs into G.'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. G.
turned deadly pale, paused a moment
and then with little stick advanced
toward the snake. As he did so the
snake made a spring at him, but G.
struck him with 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 it
With his teeth, and then deliberately
cut off the snakes head. Blood
squirted from trunk, and G., still
grasping the snake, whose huge folds
tapped and writhed around him.
turned toward me, staggered and fell.
1 rushed up to him and asked him,
''What in the name of God can I do
for youE"
"Nothing," said he calmly, 81 am
dying. Tell them good" and
his features became frightfully con-
torted, his eyes rolled over as if start
ing 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; a shiver passed
over his frame,an then all was still.
was alone with the dead.
Marking the place as well as !
could, | FASTENED to a house we had
passed on the road, some half a mile
distant from the fatal tragedy. Run
ners were sent through the neighbor-
hood, and in the course of two hours
some twenty Of the neighbors had
gathered. We proceeded to the
place, which I found no difficulty in
pointing out.
Good heavens! what a sight met
our view. The face and body had
turned to a deep purple, and were
swollen to three times the natural
size, presenting the most horrible
appearance I had ever witnessed.
The snake lay where he had been
thrown, and was still writhing.
A litter of boughs was hastily con
structed, and with heavy hearts we
took our way to the residence of his
parents. I will not attempt to des-
cribe the heart-rcnding scene when
they saw the body. Grief like theirs
cannot be portrayed.
This was my first encounter with
a rattlesnake, and Ipray God it may
be my last.
CLoProH, ALA, 1870. L. A. S.