The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-08-18
ENCOUNTERS wIru rtIE SNAKE.
Ny. Cheeseman's Experience shoot
ing at the Esestiie-A Saaste
HUNT.



Delaware City has another sensation,
and this time it is one that is positively
/ startling If the story told is trne. There
can lie no doubt however, of its correct
ness inasmuch as IL is vouched for by
James Cheesemau, said to be "a gentle
man beyond reproach and Of unimpeach-
| able character That gentleman states
! that while driving leisurely along thu
road from Delaware City 10 ST. Georges
on Tuesday morning last, he was sudden
! ~ startled, when on the st. George :
cause way, near Dragon creek, by the APP
| pearance of n large reptile coming down
the road directly toward him at a rapid
! pace As the IN 3ving ass approached he
| discovered il was n huge black snake, at
least twenty feet long aud about foot in
diameter, "a near as could be judged by
the hurried glance he gave the "varinint.
! Before the loathsome creature reached
him he gave his horse q cut with whip
! lust ms the snake made jump for the
animal. The horses sprang to one side
aud started on dead run, apparently
terribly frightened. The snake missed
| it's aim, but struck the front wheel Of the
carriage a stunning blow, breaking cut
nearly every spoke and making the
vehicle trsmble aud cant dangerously on
enc ST lie. Mr. Cheeseman did not succeed
Z -
about = mile, when he looked hack but
saw nothing of the horrible reptile. which
he describes as being covered with large
scales.
| Charles Brown and his wife, while
/ black berrying in the same vicinity last
week. were chased by the same immense
creature, bat by dint OF hard running
they succeeded in gaining place OF
/ shelter.
IL t-. - all
/ known, and gentleman who ioes not
care, from modesty, TO have his name ap
| penr, very reluctantly gives an expert
ence he passed through about Ten days
ago. lie started out black berryinE Ia
/ the marshes along the banks OF Dragon
/ creek, carrying with him also shoi gun
Feeling tired about noon he concluded to
rest awhile, and began 10 make ms wa.
/ to an old log, as he thought, about twenty
/ feet distant. 10 take seat OPoh np
preaching TO what he believed fallen
tree the object moved Slightly, "hen ne
! discovered il was not log but an I'M
mense snake, on which were raftles about
the size of soup plates, lnstinetiVely he
fed ms rapidly as the nature OF the ground
would permit leaving his gun behind.
Finding be was not pursued he glanced
back aud saw his snaksship moyeing
slowly away, aud although he believes lac
saw the middle Of the creature hrst. i.
was fully Eve minutes before the tail
passed through the bushes.
/ A cracking noise followed in the
wake Of the snsxe, aud Small trees shook
as the creatures toll swayed from side 10
eide. Gaining courage, the Gazette in
formant secured his gun and started af-
ter the snake, which had disappeared in
! the woods. After travelling about a mile,
/ The hunter came in sight OF the trunk OF
/ an old hollow oak, about nifty feet high
and two feet in diameter, from the top of
/ which protrnded the head and almost ten
I feet OF The awfulest thing | ever saw,
us our Informant remarked. It's head
was about the size OF n nail keg, and OF n
/ glossy .hlack color, its forked tongue
/ shooting out enormously fully n foot, ae-
+ eorapaEied By n kissing sound resembling
escaping steam from locomotive. The
/ hunter took aim and fred, the load OF
/ shot striking the snake, the shooter
thinks, two feet from the head. The lead
/ failed TO make any impression, but drop
ped TO he ground hattened cut. A shot
; rem the second barrel resulted the
same way. Tie last report, however,
seemed 10 anger the snake, and il Started
out Of the top Of The tree, its 6re-like eyes
cleaning in The sunlight. The man at
once LETT, looking around when some dis
&
ture slowly letting itself down by the
tail TO the ground, while around The top
of the tree appeared The heads of numer-
Gus small snakcs-perhaps a hundred
evidently the young OF the monster.
The now thoroughly frightened berry
gatherer fed precipitately, and not until
Mr.. Cheeseman' experience beesme
known did he tell OF Lis adventure, which
of course will have 10 be taken cum grano
sails.
The existence Of huge snake in the
vicinity mentioned has been known for
some years and IL is on record that Hem
ry and William Carson, sons of John Car
son, were at one time chased home while
| out berrying. At that time party WAS
organized, snd armed with guns, pistols,
haichets, pitchforks, etc., occurred the
vicinity for two day s, but without success.
Another party is to be formed in few
days aud grand snake hunt organised