Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1872-06-15

| rNAhS 'HASS Va Aoul VI Us itulnhln
that little excursion might be bene
fetal after having spent year in bus
iness) determined to leave for Arkan
sas on fishing tour.
We soon found ourselves "heyon
the bound of civilization" We mad
our headquarters in an Irish hove
built by the side of the railroad an,
at night we were entertained until nea
midnight by our congenial and clevc
host with backwoods stories, the event
of which had taken place quite re
Gently in that immediate locality. TIL,
party soon retired, and wandered ou
to a cancbrake close by to get some re
freshing spring water. Scarcely had
reached the spring, when 1 perceived
that was surrounded by from five
hundred to ono thousand cottonmouth,
whose eyes glistcned in triumphant
cxultation at the rich repast befor,
them, when suddenly great whirrins
and rafting sound was heard which re
sounded for miles down the sluggish
bayou, and in my terrible position
looked around hoping and praying thai
the noise might come from friends who
sought my relief. But what was m,
disappointment on beholding on ever,
side an array of rattlesnakes innumer.
able approaching. This would have
increased my terrible distress had ]
not on seeing this new danger become
aware that my position was hopeless
and thcreupon concluded to compose
myself and become resigned to the
impending fate. As the rattlesnakes
advanced, which they did at first rap.
idly until they came within gun shot OF
the brake, when their march was slow.
er and finally came to dead halt, as
If for consultation or to prepare for
the deadly conflict with their more
deadly rivals. There seemed to be ten
thousand horrid forked tongues shoot
ing forth. Their rattling was dcafcn-
ing, while the fire flashing from their
eyes resembled more than anything
else an incessant flash of lightning
and for the moment | almost felt il
strange that there was no thunder in
response. My position was every min
ute becoming more and more alarming.
They paused and from the noise they
made seemed to be holding hot and
fiery debate or else defying and chal-
longing their rival enemies. The cot
tonmouths, however, laid still and
with a determined aspect, like soldiers
behind trenches with instructions
mot to fire until you caasee the whites
of their eyes" The ratt!ers seemed
to be maddencd to desperation that
their enemies, fewer in numbers than
themselves had the audacity to com
pete with them for such noble game
and had been successful in snatching
is from their very grasp almost. A
struggle seemed imminent and for a
moment fresh hope strengthened me
as | thought / might escape during
the fight, when Immediately, as if di-
vining my thoughts, my captors des-
patched a squad of half dozen of
the most active of their legion, who
took position Immediately around me.
with instructions to strike if | moved
a muscle. This was too much for me
every hope seemed to have been blot
ted out, my fate sealed an every prop
rudely torn away. They had not had
the magnanimity even to give me the
slightest chance for my life. ] was
overcome and now gave up in horrible
despair and must have become uncon-
scious, for when | recovered the scene
was changed. Peace had been made
md all seemed to be preparing to make
simultaneous attack. The two tribes
seemed to have made compromise by
which one was allowed portion
whilst the other could enjoy the de-
ightful viands of the other parts of
ny body. There had evidently been
40 battle for there were no slain. |
vas in agony and rolled and tumbled
md tossed and writhed but to no pur-
pose except tomakc matters worse and
my foes. The despair had
'un me crazy. | commenced singing
Old Hundred, when to my great re-
icf | saw both armies casting looks in
very direction. They seemed terri.
led at the strange, unnatural scruech
,wl (for such they seemed to think il
yas-I judge so from the fact that they
ooked mp into the trces). After
while, becoming satiatcd with this
east of song, one by one they retired
lntil all were gone, and not fearing
ongcr to toss and tumble and feeling
ore | sought relief in so doing until
ny oxcrtions a second time brought /
N unconsciousncss, aud in few mo-
nents was dead as | thought. What |
vas therefore my surprise after some
ime to become aware of returning
Consciousness and of some one walk
ng about and making a noise, woke |
nd turned over and for n moment |
ould not realize where | was. Whon .
he whole thing flashed upon my mind I
t was day, aud the horrid nightmare
osc before me in all of its horrors. j
Dokcd about to find the cause of such
vision. Aftcra search Developments
'crc rcachcl as left me no longer any
oubt. discovered countless mul-
itudc of dull and lazy mosquitoes,
nd on examining the bed was not
Jng in finding more of a curious spec
mon of a bug than any vet rcichc |