Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1882-06-12
A Monster Snake.


lngpatchcs in the neighhorhood of Mine Hill
Gap have been i'll 4 fever of excitement ov-
cr monster snake that lives in the aban-
doned workings ofthe old NIayilowerc colliery.
Il few miles from this place On Thursday
evening the Rev. Alfred r. Rossitcr drove
wildly up tothc Mansion House and declar-
ed that while passing Carey's patch, north
of the Cap he sawa snake between thirty
and 10 feet long and as thick as the body of
an ordinary man winding its way down the
mountain side, followed by Il wrigglng
stream of small reptiles. The monstermov-
ed very lcsurcly and stopped every few
minutes td raise its head several feet above
The ground and utter 4 peculiar whirrinn
sound. The snakes disappeared in the
black mouth Of the Maytlowcr tunnel, and
the lStonlshcd witness drove with all speed
to tell his remarkable story His hearers
were inclined to be skeptical Mt first but his
manner was SO earnest that an armed party
went to Carcys patch in search of evidence
corroborative OF Mr.. Rossiter's statement. All
their doubts vanished when they crossed the
ravlne below Carey's patch and in the mud
found the trail Of the huge reptile. The
trail waS tritlc over thirteen inches wide
and the impress in the mud an inch deep.
The hunters followed the trail of the serpent
up to the mouth of the tunnel, where they
held caucus and decided to return to Min
ersvlllc and send to Shenandoah for RAT
tlesnake Tom, an old man who had for
Years earned Il living by killing snakes for
their oil.
That night nothing was talked of but the
nlS snake. On Friday morning David Will
liam Williams, Il miner. saw the scrpcnt
come out of Il ''carc-in'' above the mouth of
the Mayilowcr tunnel and coil itself on a
little plateau near by. He says it is about
thirty five feet long, nearly two feet thick
and covered with black, red and green
scales. each of which is as large as the palm
Of Il mans hand. Its head is adorned with
i yellow crest and its eyes arc large and
fiery.
y few minutes after the bi. snake made
IFS appearance Il perfect ball of rattlcsnakcs
came rolling out ofthc tunnel This strange
ball was composed of thirty OF forty iutterS,
each measuring from three to five feet in
length, and so twisted and twned and
locked together were they that it appeared
as though they would never be able to sep
lratc themselves. They got apart, however.
with remarkable celebrity and quickly ranged
themselves in Il twenty foot circle, in the
centre of which, with head erect, glaring
eyes and rising crest, was coiled the king
snake, as people here call it. The perfect
silence which lasted moment or two after
the circle was formed was broken BY Il rat
tie chorus, in which every tail was used
vigorously. This strange music had Won
dcrtul effect Oh the king snake It's eyes
became frightfilly enlarged, the yellow crest
swelled to double its former size, while its
head and that portion Of the body that was
upright swayed to and fro in perfect time
with the attling The most remarkable
thing was that every snake stopped rattling
at the same instant.
Three of the largest rattcrs then left the
circle and approached the king, rattling as
they went. Reaching his body, their tails
became silent, and the king, Kissing loudly,
moved down the hill to the platforms below
the breaker. The rattlcrs followed in his
track, but made no noise Reaching the
platforms the king snake stationed himself
on the south side, which is open and much
fallen into decay. The small snakes went
under the platforms and buildings from the
north side. "A minute or two after all the
snakes, except the big one, had disappeared
Il terrific rattling began under the building
This was evidently Il signal, as the king
snake raised his head and glared at the
opening before him. An instant later out
darted Il rat to be picked up and bolted
alive and kicking by the waiting monster.
Half Il dozen rats driven from their nests by
the rattlesnakes came darting out and were
snatched up by the serpent, much in the
same way that chicken picks up corn.
When thirty odd rats had been dcvoured the
rattlcrs made their appearance and, after re-
pcating the circle performance referred to
above. they wriggled otfn single file down
the valley, making procession fully two
hundred feet long.
The Shenandoah snakc-hunter reached
Carcy's Patch OH Friday afternoon, and at
once set dcadtall, baitcd with a chicken,
in front of the entrance to the cavcrnous
haunts of the great reptile. This failed of
its purpose.
While the hunters were examining the
trap OH Saturday morning one of the party
looked up and was horified to see the big
snake coming down the mountain at racing
speed. When discovered the snake was two
hundred yards away. and the men without
waiting to get closer view, fled for their
lives. The snake. however, stopped before
the mouth of the tunnel was reached and
disappeared though one of the sink-holes.
The professional snake-hunter and eleven volun-
teers, all miners, armed themselves and on Satur-
day afternoon started to explore the old mine
and, if possible, killed the much feared serpent.
Owing to the foul air they were obliged to moved
cautiously but they were resolute lot and
pushed on sturdily, through shallow lakes and
inky water, over heaps of fallen slate, rock and
earth, until they were mile from the entrance
Then the damp became so bad that they were una
bic to 20 further and began retracting their steps,
exploring the breasts they went. Suddenly
one of'the party clutched his nearest comrade by
the arm, and, pointing up into an old chamber,
whispered in tones that chilled his hearers
There it is"