Daily Republican., 1882-08-22


their heads standing up in there cliffs,
Of enormous proportions, Again, and
again, have those stories been told by
travellers and although they earnestly
vouched for the truths of their ascer.
tio1s their stories were generally dis
credited. Not that there were not large
snakes there, but they could not believe
that they were of such size as Chris. and
the travellers described them to be. A
few days ago, o gentleman who had
come long distance to view the beau
ties of the scenery on the Brandywine,
started out on An exploring expedition
on foot, to trace the stream from this
city (Wilmington) to the battle ground
at Chadds Ford.
After passing the pleasant village of
Rockland some half mile, lie stopped
to take view of the massive piles of
rocks on the easterly side of the road
Whilst looking at their lofty SUBMITS
he decided to ascend the rugged cliffs,
and view the surrounding country.
Whilst climbing up the rugged ascent
he stopped suddenly several times on
hearing rumbling aud kissing sounds
coming from tho crevices, over which
he stepped in climbing up the rocks.
When he had almost reached the top of
the highest cliff, he beheld something
rising up out of one of the great Gre.
vices therein, that looked like the
trunk OF great tree with enormous
scales thereon, with two apparently
large round pieces of brilliant glass
theI Elm, within some eight or ten inches
OF the upper part thereof. In mo-
ment he realized the fact that what he
at first supposed was the trunk of
tree was a portion Of the body of an
enormous snake, as the monster opened
its Jaws apparently two feet in width,
and showed enormous teeth, bright as
ivory three or four inches in length,
with a forked tongue pro.ruding from
its mouth several inches in length, of
great thickness, and emitting kissing
sound like escaping steam from steam
engine. He was utterly paralyzed with
fear as the monster was within fifty
feet of him, and fully half that distance
erect above the rocks. He noticed,
however, that his snakeship had not
yet observed him, as he was looking in
q different direction. To crouch be-
hind towering boulder was but the
work of an instauy, and looking over
the top of the boulder he saw large
calf, which looked as though it might
be year old, within few feet of the
monstrous snake apparently charmed
thereby, as it was slowly approaching
toward the ponderous jaws of the mon
ster, which we're wide open to receive
its innocent prey, Seeing that he was
unobserved by the snake, he rose up TO
get a full view of the snakes attack
upon the calf. In less than minute
the calf was within ten feet OF the
snake, who was closely watching his
victim with his forked tongue, darting
back and forth out of his mouth with
lightning rapidity. One moment mora
and the huge monster drops his head
and seizes the calf within its ponderous
Jaws, crushing its bones with terrific
force and with apparent ease. In
another moment all Of the calf,
save its two hind legs and tail, was
crushed into a mummy and swallow.
ed by the snake; the reptile then lower :
ed itself on the ground, and soen had
the entire calf within its mouth, it
then closed it's eyes, which looked like
great glass saucers, aud proceeded to
masticate its dainty meal, thinking
that this would be good chance for
him to escape, he crOuChed down and
rapidly proceeded in an opposite direc.
tion from the head of the snake some 80
or 60 feet, he started again to reach the
summit, which was some six or eight
feet above where he stood, that he might
make his escape from this terrible mon
ster, but he was again Mortified to find
that there was some five or six feet of
the tail of the snake fully as thick as
stove pipe, at that great distance from
its head. Getting upon huge boulder
he took long jump over the tail OF the
reptile, on alighting he heard kissing
sounds, he cast glance around and
espied some or 8 others OF the same
species, evidently young ones, some 10
or u feet in length and as thick as his
arm, lying in a gulley or run only q
short distance below where he stood, he
says he had seen enough and didn't
want any more prospective views from
the high rocks on the Brandyuine.
Leaping from the rock on which he
stood, dripping with perspiration at
every pore, he rapidly reached the table
land ,and ga 70 the hillside wide berth,
and almost exhausted, he reached the
Rockland Road near Mount Lebanon
church, where he sat down to rest; be-
ing somewhat refreshed he kept on in
the middle OF the road, until he reached
DUPONT station, where he took
the cars and returned to Wilmington.
He says he has no inclination to furth.
er explore the Brandywine rocks, and
that he now has full faith in "Chris
statements about the big snakes he had
seon," and no person will ever convince
him but what the big suake he saw
above Rockland, was over 30 feet long
and fully feet around the body 20 feet
Fsoyo % haah