The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-07-10
HUNDREDS OF SNfKES.


HUNDREDS OF SNAKES.
Marvolous TaIos That tho People of tho
Vallcy of fVirginia Toll--An Old Distlllor' g
I Iarn--The King of tho Rattlesnakes--A
Woman's Exploit--Somo Stories of tho
Blue Ridge.
| Winchester <ya.) Letter In Philadelphia Times.
Snake stories Of wonderful propor-
tions arc told here in the valley. They
are vouched for, too, which makes
them all the more interesting. The
hills for miles around arc just full of
reptiles. TO the east of this historic
old town stretch the Blue Ridge Noun
tains. TO tho west tho big North
Mountain, q spur of the jagged Al
lcghanies, towers above its ncighbors.
Rattlesnakcs, moccasins and copper
heads abound. They crawl out from
under every rock. They lie in the
pathway-if there happens to be a
pathway-rcady. for a spring. They
live singly, in pairs, in whole droves,
and, in fact, in every way that snake
ought to live. They are q renomous
set, always ready for business. 1t is
true that they very seldom come down
from the mountain, but if any one is
at all dcsirous of starting upon a snake
hunt all that is necessary is to step off
from one Of tho numerous pixies that
center here and climb up among the
hills.
FISHING FOR A SNAKE.
There are lots Of whiskcy distillcrs
around the mountains. "Moonshin-
crs," the men who distill in n small
way and cyadc taxation, are very
scarce in this district. Tho deputy
collector keeps q sharp lookout, is
thoroughly familiar with all the signs
and quick to follow them up, and it
takes a moonslHncr Of the sharpcst
stamp to cludc his careful search. The
distillers toll some marvellous tales,
and are ready to back them up with
aflidavits at any time. "Talkin' about
snakes" said one Of them, who in
habits the Blue Ridge, near Leesburg,
the othcrday: "talkin' about snakes,
why, look ycre," "and he opened his cabin
door and pointed to the walls. They
werc fairly covered with the skins Of
monsters Of the reptile kind. There
were stuffed rattlesnakes looking down
at you from over the door. Rattle
snakes hung by their tails from tho
cornets, and one big fellow coilcd up
on box seemed all ready to spring.
Touch one of them and the peculiar
sound of the dry rattlcs would send
chill all over person.
"Aren't you afraid of them?"
"Atraid OF what? Snakcs?" and the
distillcr laughed contcmptuously. 81
fo'ght with Gen. Early in the Valley,
faced the Yankee cannon and didn't
run. Do yo' s'pose I'd get scared at q
snake? We don't keare for 'cm. I.
kill Il dozen or two every mornin', lust
to keep my hand in. How? Why
knock 'cm over with sticks and shoot
'cm. Nothin' easier. Sometimes I
fish for 'cm. That's fun, but yo' have
to work harder to do it. Per-
haps you would like to sec it done? ?"
and, receiving a nod in the affirmative,
the distiller led the way in front of his
cabin.
Standing up against the door was a
long pole with moose at the end. The
dlstillcr. took it down, shook it for a
moment in his hands and looked
around. "Ive kcaught lots of snakes
with this thing" he said. eff YOU
look around right sharp you'll find one
somewhere"
About forty feet away the sharp
eyes of the distiller caught sight Of a
shining skin. The snake was q big
one and was summing himself by the
side Of a log. NIotioning silence, tho
distiller crept up to within polc's
length and dangled the moose under
the snakes nose. His snakeship
stirred uneasily, raised his head and,
seeing the cord, began striking at it.
Pretty soon his head went through the
moose. The fisherman had bite and
he pulled. In moment tho AGE
snake was dangling in tho air and
blow or two against a tree finished
him.
PRETTY BIG YARN.
The distiller smiled as he replaced
the pole against the cabin. "Thar's no
use in gcttin' scared," he said. "I|
don't mind 'cm. l kcaught big fel-
low last summer in just that way. Al
medical student from Pennsylyany
was up we're and wanted one to take
home with him. kcaught one, stuff.
ca him and kcoilcd him up in q cheese
box, and he was the most beautiful
snake yo' ever saw. They don't both
CT me much. Sometimes one or two
of 'cm go to bed with mo and roll
then selves up III tho blankets, but
that's nothin'. There's only one snake
i'll these ycrc mountains that I've got
a spite against" and the distiilcr
looked solemn. "That snake has got
to die or | have. I've sworn it," and
the man rubbed tear from his eye
with the sleeve of his coarse flannel
shirt and shook his head thoughttully.
"Ihat snake killed my dog"
There was pause of moment or
two, and then the old distillcr, bright
cnlng up, went on with his story.