The Red Cloud chief., 1878-03-14
Adventure with Rattlesnakcs.

49, ''s
the following letter from her friend
who is at boarding school. giving "A
thrilling account Of her adventure with
a huge rattlesnake
Three weeks ago yesterday afternoon
two young ladies' beside myself. who
had gone out In u walking party with
one Of the teachers nj the school ia this
place, sirolled of from the rest Of the
party, and, losing our way. were una.
BILE for some time To- tell where W. were,
~ the woods and underwood were so
thick that the further we penetrated
into IL the more difficult our passage
became. We wandered tn and fro n fro
long time until almost overcome with
fatigue. when we sat down on q huge
boulder tn cover our lost strength.
Looking 1T our watches we found that
We had been on the mountain nearly
six hours. and felt hungry, distressed.
and tired. II was about five o'clock in
the afternoon. and Twilight was fast APP
preaching. oh. but for something to
eat my companion said. 'and then We
could struggle and try to find the school
again She appeared to be the picture
Of despair. We were sitting some feet
above the ground alongside Of n huge
oak tree. and presently l felt something
moving ON my neck. placed my hand
tn my neck to remove IL, when, horrible
to relate. l grasped something round
and soft which Missed like an adder. |
tried to pull it from mt. but II wriggled
and squirmed. and my companion.
seeing the monster ON my body. shrieked
and screamed and almost tainted. just
at that moment the head made n dart
at my breast, with mouth wide open
and tongue elongated. and kissing \
deathlike and horrible sound. MY left
hand was about six inches from its
head. and. in order to prevent being
bitten. | grasped it right behind the
eyes with my right hand. Holding il
in this way for several seconds, my
companion shricked to me TO throw the
snake from me. tried to do so. but
was powerless. being, rs II seemed to
me, transfiNed or charmed to the spot
by the horrid eyes Of the monster. |
tried to talk. but my jaws would not
open, and my tongue appeared stiff.
felt the cold sweat trickling down my
back, and large drops OF pcrspiration
stood on my forehead. My face was as
white rs the driven snow. and ! could
neither love nor talk. but seemed to be
as stiff rs a post. 1t makes me shud-
der rs l write, to think Of the stare Of
the reptiles Annie, my companion.
seeing my dangerous situation. scream
ell for help. She seems tn have been be-
rcft Ut reason, for instead Of coming
IN my assistance she started to run
away. Trying to turn my head 10 see
whether she had gone. the eye, Of
the snake were also directed in the di-
r%ection in which Annie was screaming,
From that moment the snakes spell on
me was broken, and with all my might
l hurled II from me. No sooner had
the snake landed on the ground than l
ran with the Heetness Of a deer. fearing
that II would overtake me. Judge of
my feelings when. almost out Of breath
and ready TO sink down to the earth
from sheer exhaustion, l turned around
and found q snake with three others,
several PAGES from me in hot pursuit.
l remembered hat snakes were afraid
Of anything red. Fortunately having
on u red shirt, / immediately exposed
1t to the reptiles view, and they nj once
stopped the pursuit ] advanced to-
ward them, shaking my red shirt and
they retreated. gathered w stones
and threw at them. and killed the larg.
est one, and the others escaped through
the rocks. Just ut this moment = dep
utation from the school. who had been
In search Of Us. came up, The largo
snake that had coiled itself around my
neck was found by the escort, and It
measured nine feet and four inches."-
Readin0 Ea0k.