The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1880-07-08
THE KING OF SNAKES.
An Annual Convention Held in For
=, rest County by VenOmOus Rept1les---
Acres of Serpents Seen by Pioneer
Tionesta CORRESPONDENCE Oil City Derrick.

Tonesta Correspondence Oil City Derrick.
AS this is about the time of year that
snakes make their appearance in large
numbers and snake stories are fashion
able, will endeavor to give you the
substance of an account lately received
from one of our most reliable and
trustworthy citizens. Residing in an
adjoining township, less than half
days drive from this pleasant town,
lives an honest old German farmer
whom we will call Uncle Ben. Having
been we'll acquainted with Uncle Ben
for several years, we can vouch for his
truth and veracity in all other things,
and of course we are we'll satisfied that
his account of this thrilling adventure
among the serpents is also true, and
not overdrawn. Uncle Ben says that
one hot day in June, not many years
ago, he started out to hunt his cattle
that had strayed. away from home.
During the course of his long walk
through the woods and barrens Of his
township, which is sparsely settled, he
came to q wild section of country near
a stream which empties into Tionesta
Creek few miles above this place.
There was a hundred acres or more OF
wild, broken ground strewn with small
rocks and huge powders, while among
the rocks grew tangled brushes, briars
and an occasional large tree. On the
whole it was among the widest and
most picturesque section it was our
Uncle Ben's good or i'll fortune to ex-
plore. Upon entering the glen he no.
ticed a peculiar odor on the air, which
he at first attributed to the bloom of
the laurel bushes which grew in great
abundance through the glen, mixed
with the odors Of other wild flowers
which blossomed in great abundance
wherever the scanty soil gave their
roots a chance for nourishment. Pro-
ceeding on his course, he had hardly
entered the glen when he discovered
several snakes summing themselves upon
the rocks and flat stones. AS he, in
common with most farmers, was in the
habit Of always killing any snakes he
came across, he cut hickory club and
killed all those who did not glide under
the rocks or dart out Of his reach.
Continuing on his course through the
rocky hollow or glen, he -fT1hE, y" as he
progressed, that the horrld reptiles
grew more numerous, and his club was
in constant use. Great yellow and
black rattlesnakes sprung their warning
rattles and coiled themselves in spiral
heaps, prepared to bury their deadly
fangs in an enemy who dared to come
within their reach. Huge copperheads,
those deadly reptiles who strike without
any warning, and whose bite is almost
sure death, barred his progress, while
garter snakes, both great and small, and
milk snakes and the little green snakes,
with an occasional black racer,
were indiscriminately mixed togeth-
er, apparently in the greatest harmony.
Uncle Ben piled his stick with all his
might and main, killing principally the
racers, and copperheads and rattlers;
the other varieties being harmless, he
did not exert himself to kill Owing to
the rank and poisonous smell arising
from the rattlesnakes at various times,
he got deadly faint, and feared his life
would pay the penalty of his rashness
in penetrating this sea of serpents; but
resting himself for few minutes, and
using his hat for fan, he would partly
recover his wonted strength, and ceter-
mined to fight his way out of the horrid
mass of writhing, kissing serpents, he
pressed onward to the attack. Inch by
inch and foot by foot, he had to club
pathway through the horrid sea of
crawling, kissing reptiles. In this way
he estimated he travelled about a quar-
ter of a mile, and he says in good faith,
with all the air of truth and veracity
for which he is noted, that he must have
killed at least six or seven hundred diff
ferent snakes. How wide was the army
of snakes Uncle Ben does not know, as
on emerging from the main body of
them he was so exhausted by his super
human exertions and overcome with
poison which he had inhaled in forcing
his way through the snakes that he did
not remain to investigate. Thinking
himself lucky in escaping with his life,
he did not stop to investigate the Won
derful collection, but fastened home at
the fastest gait he could command. In
relating this memorable adventure,
Uncle Ben remembers of seeing mon
ster snake, which he thinks was the
king of the whole assemblage. He says
snakeship's body was as large as mans
thigh, and his length in proportion.
Uncle Ben is of the opinion the snakes
had but lately come out of their dens
among the rocks, and the immense
humber in so small an area of ground,
which he estimated at about twenty
acres. was owing to a general consulta-
ton or gathering before their annual
spreading out over the land. He thinks
there were many thousands of the
snakes, about one-fourth being rattle
snakes and copperheads We have Of
ten heard of several rattlesnake dens,
where at certain seasons of the wear