Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-08-15
A THRILLING ENCOUNTER.
What William Bowersmith Got for In-
truding at Private Snake Fight.
MI, Vernon (O.l Banner

at
Mt Vernon (o.) Banner.
Mr.. VIM. Bowersmith, farm hand,
while working in q field near where
Owl Greek empties into the Mohican,
met with an encounter few days ago
that seldom falls to the lot of man.
Mr.. Bowersmith had taken an axe in
his hand to repair some fences border
ing on the streams above referred to.
Passing over a little bayou formed by
the back water in recent freshet, and
over which large sycamore had fallen,
he came to a little unused piece of
ground, deeply shaded by buckeyes and
the common larch, and grown over by
tall grass and iron-weeds. Mr.. B. re-
paired some breaks in the renee and
was turning to go away, when his at
tention was attracted by most peculiar
sounds, described as something like the
kissing of geese, mingled with dull
thuds, like striking on an old boot. Mr..
Bowersmith turned his eyes in the di-
recton Of the sounds and saw the grass
and weeds were in violent motion and
leveled to the earth as though smitten
with club. He approached the spot
cautiously, and by climbing upon a
stump close by his eyes met sight
never to be forgotten. Almost beneath
his feet, locked in deadly conflict. lay
two immense serpents, kissing, writhing,
and twisting, while their crimson
mouths exuded blood and froth. Their
eyes cleaned like rockets and protrud-
ed from their heads like beads. They
would Irvine around one another and
lash the ground with their tails and
fastening their fangs into each others
necks would shake with the ferocity Of
bulldogs. 1t soon became apparent
that one of the serpents was about ex-
hausted and while making desperate
charge upon its opponent the other
seized it near the under part OF the
throat and settled down upon the
ground, where they lay writhing for
became quiet, and Mr.. Bowersmith
crept from his position, and, raising his
axe. advanced to dispatch the victor.
He had scarcely reached the spot when,
with the rapidity OF lightning, the re-
naming serpent sprang upon him, and
in an instant had so entwined itself
about his person that resistance was
impossible, and at each respiration the
snake drew his deadly coil closer and
closer. Mr.. b. sank upon the ground,
his face pierced in several places by the
sharp fangs of the reptile. How long
he remained in this position he knows
not, ard in all probability would not
have been alive to-day had not neigh
bor-who, with common grain sickle
in his hand, and who desired to see Mr..
Bowersmith upon some unimportant
matter-followed him to the spot and
found him as above narrated. 1t was
but the work of moment for the
neighbor to cut the body of the serpent
in twain with the sickle and release the
unfortunate man, who was restored to
consciousness by the abundant applica-
ton of little water and the imbibing
of little spirits, which the neighhor
had III his possession. The serpents
proved to be two large reptiles of the
species known rs the black snake.
After Strengthening them out the smaller
one measured six feet four inches from
tip to tip, and the other eight feet two
inches, and was thought to be some
three inches in diameter. Mr.. Bower
smith has now nearly recovered, al
though his face is still swollen from the
poisonous effects of the serpents fangs,
and the shock to his nervous system
would have proved fatal to less robust
man.