Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1871-04-28


Our scientific corps, consisting of three
surgeons, the hosipal steward, and two
loblolly boys, Immediately abandoned the
interesting work they had been engaged
in that morning, and hurried on deck,
where nearly all the hands were already
viewing the wonderful and unusual scene.
may add, that they had been trying to
poison an old monkey of peculiar
species, whose skin they wished to pre-
serve in good order. AS often as the yes
sci, containing arsenic, was handed to the
old brute, she would drink the contents
down and hand it back for more. Finally,
after swallowing enough to have killed fifty
men, without being affected by it, she was
drowned in tub Of water.
But let us return to the snakes Every
possible means was devised to capture
s,me of them, scoop nets, harpo ms, buck
cts towing astern, slip nooses trailing from
yard-arms and jib-boom, but all in vain
they were too active and agile. If caught
in bucket or net, they sprang out before
reaching the deck some were cut in two
by the harpoons, and they all seemed to
have as much horror Of the moose as would
a condemned murderer At last somebody
suggested trying hook and line, and soon
a dozen or more were towing overheard
from every available part of the ship.
These efforts were not Immediately
crowned with success, and the surgeon ap-
piled for boat in order that be might try
his scoop.nets at close quarters, but this
the old commodore peremptorily refused,
for the snakes were supposed to be poison
Gus, and two or three Of them jumping
about in a boat full Of men, might produce
fatal consequences.
Finding that salt meat for bait, was use
less, for the snakes frequently came up
and smelled of it without biting, chick
en- was killed and one hook supplied with
a morsel. Scarcely had it touched the
water when there was rush, splash Of
many cleaned light, and in a few seconds
the first victim was landed on deck Here
he jumped around furiously: but did not
seem to possess the power of locomotion
that his land -brethren have. The next
proceeding was to test the question of poi
son. The armorer, furnished with large
pair Of backsmith's tongs, caught the
snake firmly just back of his head, and
with pair of pincers pulled out the hook.
A chicken was then brought and held SO
that the snake could close his jaws upon
him just under the wing. A quick bite
was given, though the snakes neck was
still firmly held in the tongs.
The surgeon had more success with this
unfortunate fowl than he had been favored
with in the case of the monkey, for in less
than four minutes it was lying dead on
deck. More hooks were now baited, and
soon dozen snakes were secured, the
largest one being five feet nine inches
long, and fourteen inches in grth around
the body. The others were of different
lengths, but the average was about four
feet.
When brought aboard, the armorer's
tongs and sharp knife being brought in,
to requistion, they were ssoon rendered
harmless, and their bodies placed in spir
it's for future scientific observation. These
snakes all bore a general resemblance to
the common fresh-water eel in every thing
excepting color, which was as variable as
that Of the dying dolphin.
Old sailors sometimes spin yarns about
these snakes getting aboard of ships at
anchor, by worming their way up along
the cables and entering the hawse-hoes,
but such yarns may be classed with those
concerning" the great American sea-ser-
pent," and the manufactured monster of
Silver Lake.-Applet0ns' Journal.