West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-10-11
An American Miner In Australia

We had dug our shaft at the base of "A
ten-toOt hill at McAllister' S store. and had
driven tunnel right through into the hill.
following ledge that yielded some rich
washing The drive was very narrow be-
ing only large enough 10 give admission To-
one man. | descended the shaft one morn
ing and entered the tunnel Just as was
about to drive in my pick mOnslrous snake
rose up in front of me; nc had descended
the shaft during the night, and worked his
way into the end Of the drive By the
light of my candle / saw il was "A black
snake, ono of the most vcnomOus of Aus
tralian reptiles. / saw he was about 10
strike, and SO | drew back, but i'm the net
struck my head against the roof ofthc drive.
hitting myself such a severe blow that for n
moment lost my senses, and falling. /
overturned the light and felt myself i'm total
darkness. Something seemed 10 whZ over
me as half stupidity | tried to raise myself
10 sitting posture. | almost shrckcd with
terror, but the instinct of self representation
kept inc silent. ! lay for some time listen
ing, and feeling certain that had not been
Oltten, l became possessed of an irresistible
longing to get out of the hole | crawlcd
to the mouth of the drift and there. at the
bottom OF the shaft, | saw his snakcship
squlrming and twisting himself about. lie
mad struck for me, but on my falling back
had missed me and went over me: then
probably being somewhat frightened him
self, he had sought the mouth OF the drift
TO make his escape. But he could not climb
the shaft, although he was making every
effort to do so. at once saw that could
not get out of the hole without bringing ON
conflict between the snake and myself |
shouted up 20 Bill to be ready 10 hoist when
gave him the signal, explaining as well
ms could the dangerous prcdicament was
IN below. To my shouting | received no
reply, and concluded that Bill had lett the
mouth OF the chaft, probably TO exchange
morning salutations with the men i'm the adj
Joining claim, or TO indulge in "a friendly
pipo with them, not supposing would re-
qulre MS assistance so quickly. | saw that
Inc only course open 20 me was TO disable
the snake II possible, and then Ia make my
escape from the shaft in tho best way that
could. Having made this resolve emery
cd from the drift pick in hand, and made
n strike for the snake before he had time TO
spring.
That was fortunate stroke. The pick
entered his back and broke his spine. He
was powerless to reach me- | seized the
rope and in few minutes got out of the
hole My first impulse was to throw nv
self on my knees and offer a PRAYER of
thanks for my marvellous escape. Then |
called Bill. He descended the shaft and
succeeded in passing switch beneath the
belly of the snake at the point where the
spine was broken; then he tied tn. two
ends of the switch together, and we hoistcd
the reptile to the surface. He measured
nine feet four inches. He had given such
terrible scare that resolved to be rcvenp-
cd upon him, and was for cutting off his
head at once but aparty of miners who had
gathered around us begged that he might
be laid across an anI-hill. told them they
might dispose of him as they pleased. They
carried him TO an adjoining ant hill and laid
him across 1t; the spine being broken, he
OF course, could not escape. Then ensued
fight The ants attacked him in force.
and he slaughtered them by thousands. but
they hurled legion after legion upon him,
and In less than two hours all that remain
cd of the snake was beautifully polished
skeleton, which lay across tho ant-hill
cleaning in the sunshine