The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-07-04
HUNDREDS OF SNAKES.
SOME STORIES OF THE BLUE RIDGE.

A CORRESPONDENT of the Philadelphia !
Times. writing from winchester, va,
under date of June 21st, says
Snakes stories of wonderful proportions
ORC told here in the valley. They are youch-
ed for. too which makes them all the more
interesting The hills for miles around are
inst full of the reptiles. To the east OF TINS
historic old town stretch tne Piue h;.e nrfe H,1f
Maintain. a spur of the jagged Aileghentes,
toyver above its neighbOrS. RatteSnakeS,
moccasins and copperheads aoouhd. 1hey
crawl out from under every rock. !neS nc
oathvav-readY for spring Ihey I'VE
singlv. in pairs in whole droves, ana, IN
fact. in every way that snake ought 70 hEt.
They are venomous set, always Iea,lH 10, Ioi
business IT is true that they very Seluom
come down from the mountain, but II any
one is at all desirous of starting upon snake
bunt all that is necessary Is 10 sbep OH tioIll ~
one of the numerous pixies that centre mere
aud climb ND among the hills. Inc nuiit
viii he . singularly one-sided one. In facti
no won't have to hunt at all, Tor tiie SNAKES
will huut for him and take matters INTO thelr
own hands They are pretty likely 10 nave
/ it all their own way, too, and there ish
! mnch onestiOn as to which side will retreat
/ frct If * over towards LeeSburg where the
/ snakes are the thiclIeSt. There Is where tile
bip fellows grow. Occasionally Iady VIII
/ wake M and find rattleSnake hidden away
] uOdpr her bed, Dut Inen ptoplt SCt uoCN ~
/ that sort of thing after awhile, and such
{ stories cease to be interesting. 1t Is the sto-
I rios told nv the distillers up the mountains
that people talk about
FISHING FOR \ SNAKE.
There are lots of whisky distiliers around
the mountains. "MOonshinerS, the men
! who distiI in a small way and eyade taxation
are yerv scarce in this district. The Deputy
Collector keeps sharp lookout, Is thorough
Iy familiar with all the signs and quick TO
/ follow them up, and il takes moonshner
( of the sharpeSt stamp to elude his search.
The distillers tell some marvellous tales, an
are ready to back them up with afildaYlts al
any time "Talkin' about snakes, said one
of them, who inhabits the Blue Ridge, near
Leesburg, the other day: 'Ialkin about
cabin door and pointed to the walls. They
were fairly covered with the skins of mon
sters of the reptile kind. There were stuffed
rattlesnakes looking down at you from over
the door RattleSnakeS hung by their tails
from the corners, and one big fellow cOiled
mn on a box seemed ready to spring. Touch
! one of them and the peculiar sound OF the
dry rattles would send chill all person.
i'Aren't YOU afraid of them ?''
"Afraid of what, snakes - and the distil
Ter laughed cOntemptuOusy. 81 fo'ght witt
General Early in the Valley, faced the an
kee cannon and didn't run Do yo' s'poSI
I'd get scared at a snake We don't kear(
for 'em. / kill a dozen or two every mornln
lust to keep my hand in. How? Why
knock 'em over with sticks and shoot 'em
NOthin' easier. Sometimes | fish for 'em
That's fun, but yo' have to work harder {
do it, Perhaps you would like to see
done - and, receiving nod of affirmative
the distiller led the way in front of his ca
bin.
Standing up against the door was lon
, pole with a moose at the end The diStille
. took it down, shook it for moment in hi
hands and looked around. I've keaugh
lots of snakes with this thing" he said. Il
you look around right sharp you'll find on
. somewhere"
About forty feet away the sharp eyes q
4. the distiller caught sight of a shining skin
The snake was a big one and was sunnin
e. himself by the side of a log. MOtiOning 5
lence the dstiller crept up to within pole
n length and danged the moose under tn
snakes nose. His Snakcship stirred uneaS
", raised his head and, seeing the cord, h,
gan striking at it. Pretty soon his hea
. went through the moose. The fSheTma
had bite and he pulled. In a moment til
huge snake was dangling in the air and
blow or two against tree finished him.