The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1878-10-24
SOME SNAKE STORIES.

- wv AiANl bttA NltllhANN N-\lNIllIS bG- |
tween the black snake and the rat
tlesnake, two instances have come
under my notice, in each Of which |
the rattlesnake proved an arrant
coward, making II great noise, while |
the black snake did all the fighting;
it was rather a strangling and Il
squeezing. My attention was aroused |
to it by the rattlesnakc passing close
to me, paying no attention to my
presence, but apparently endeavor-
ing to get away from something in
pursuit, his rattles springing to their
loudest note. | was in the act of
throwing the gun to stop him. when
the black snake passed like a flash,
going five yards to the rattlesnalle's
one, and the way he seized that rat
tlesnake by the back of the neck and
went round him was something
wonderful.
My experience with the king
snake and the moccasin snake runs
through Il course of thirteen years,
and in that time | have seen the
king snake get outside of the moe
casin many times. When the king
first Seizes his prey he coils around
it until they are almost like q ball,
turning occasionally and biting the
coils of the mOCcaSin After being
some time in the coil he will open
out, and if the mOccasin shows signs
OF life it receives another embrace.
When life is extinct the king snake
stretches out its victim and begins
at the head. 1t takes some time to
gorge, especially if the one going in
side is about as large as the one
crawling outside.-Forest and Stream.
One dark night recently three
men who dwell near Caseyville, on
the Kentucky side of the Ohio, all
started to go over the river in Il
skitf that had been lying against the
bank for some days. The oarsman
pulled vigorously for the other bank.
When about sixty yards from the
shore the man in the bow heard the
hiss Of a rattlesnake in the boat. In
a flash the oars were stopped and
all sat listening, and not Il sound
was heard. The skitf was pulled
across to Caseyville, and there the
man at the stern sprang into the
water, afraid to 90 through the boat.
Procuring lantern at the hotel, all
went down to examine the boat, and
found q rattlcsnake with eleven rat
ties, coiled under the Oarsman's seat.
-Hardn Gazette.
On Tuesday, James L. Dubois,
who has built nearly half OF Mari.
borough village, \. Y, paid visit
TO his brother, Isaac, on the Latin
town road. Returning home to.
ward nighttall by way OF Graves
dye works, and as he was passing
the upper pond large spotted snake
sprang up from behind clump of
bushes, and bit him under the right
eve. Mr.. Dubois grasped the rep
tile by the neck. and hurled it from
him, but as he grasped it the snake
fastened its tangs in Mr.. Dubois I'M
der the ear On hi, reaching home
remedies were applied, and by mid
night the swelling on his face and
neck had been reduced. He suffered
severely for time from the effects
OF the bites.-hutySto4 Courier.
Ed. SQuires informs Us that there
is a snake Of tremendous size in our
neighborhood supposed to have es-
capped from some mcnagerie. 1t has
been seen by number of persons,
and it is said to be about ten feet 10
length, and as large around rs the
thigh OF man. Farmers will not
work in underground for fear of be-
Ing attacked by this monster.-Co-
luD'5ia Spectator.
Miss Lydia Rusk, Jefferson City.
Mo, wa, bitten by 4 snake of the
cottonmouth species on the 22nd. |
While picking up some wood the
kitchen fire, she felt a scratch on the
torefnger Of her right hand. Dur
in the morning she very frequently
bathed the wounded finger, and ap-
piled some simple household rene
dies for such pains. Two hours at.
terward another member of the fam
lily went for moIe wood, and discov.
cred n serpent lurking there. On
more particular examination it wa,
tnuuI that scratgb.. ~. ,.r,o