Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-01-05
An Adventure with Serpent.
New York Sun.

New York sun.l
Mr.. Rodney Harlem, gentlemen liv.
ing near Springfield, Ohio, relates the
following story, which would be almost
incred BILE were 1t not from perfectly
trustworty source, and well authenti-
Gated In every particular: Last Friday,
in company with his father-in law, Mr..
James Crumbaugh, and a neighbor, Mr..
Stickuey, Mr.. Harlem went on nntting
aud hunting expedition to Clifton, a ro-
mantle and rocky spot near the head.
waters of the Miami. At one point the
rocks rise TO q height of one hundred
feet or more along the stream, and con-
tain many assures and small caves. As
the hunting party were winding around
these rocks by narrow path one Of
them slipped, and in falling his feet
scraped the side of the rock below the
path until he finally goE a foothold on q
ledge few feet below. He Immediately
recovered himself, and on looking at the
place where he had slid down the rock
he was surprised to see that his feet in
slipping had laid bare hole In the side
OF the rock by brushing aside some un.
dergrowth which had concealed 1t. lie
Immediately called the others, and soon
all were standing on the narrow ledge
below the path, looking Mt the opening
in the rocks. After the remaining un.
derbrush had been removed, the hole
was found to be 3x4 feet in size. A
damp wind was blowing with consider.
able draught from the mouth of the
opening. The party made cursory ex-
animation one by one with bit of
lighted candle, winch showed nothing
but narrow, tortuous passage about
twenty feet in length, turning abruptly
to the right. The floor was strewn with
the bones OF birds and small animals.
Believing that it was only one of the
many caves with which the region
abonnds, the party, with the exception
Of Mr.. Harlem, who was much interested
In the cave, abandoned the exploration.
They cautioned him to be on his guard
against concealed clefts, and told him TO
fire his gun II he needed help.
Harlem, after lighting candle and
getting his shotgun ready for action, en-.
tered the opening on hands and knees.
The bottom Of the passage was dry but
the air blowing through Il was damp and
sickening. causing the candle TO burn
dim and blue. Cropping cautiously for
about twenty feet, the adventurer came
to the turn which led into larger cham
bcr of the cave. just as he turned the
corner he stumbled, and in steadying
himself put his hand on the floor of the
cave, where he was shocked to feel some.
thing round aud smooth. Starting back
with terror, he raised the candle high
above his head, and looked down. There
lay the coils OF huge serpent. In his
terror MIR. Harlem let fall the candle,
and remained motionless with fcar on his
knees. As luck would have It, the can.
die did not go out, but remained stick
ing in the sand on the floor Of tho cave,
and throwing dim light over the scene.
Like a flash the hideous head of the
serpent dartod up from the floor, and
the coils began to move.
Mr.. Harlem said he could have fed
had not something seemed to chain him
TO the spot. II seemed rs ii enormous
weights were hung on every member Of
his body, absolutely prohibiting flight.
The serpents eyes appeared to give
forth blue phosphorescent light, as
they flashed in the gloom. Slowly the
creature began to move its head Ia cir.
cles rs II to produce the same effect as
the mesmerist, who puts his subject to
sleep by passes with his hands. Gradu.
ally the coils drew nearer to their vic.
tim. Mr.. Harlem says he knew ali the
time that the head was approaching by
degrees aud that the circles were gradu.
ally narrowing. lie knew that he was
nv iav mi Int "a al tl,n g.,
tion Of serpents, but found 1t impossible
to break the spell. His nerves seemed
completely powerless, and his pulse
seemed to stop and his skin was moist
with cold Precipitation. Nevertheless,
his mind was reasonably clear, and the
events Of his life ran in quick succession
before his mental vision. With anguish
he thought Of the home which he had
left but a few hours before. The feeling
of helplessness seemed to increase. lie
dared not remove his eyes from the
snake long enough to look for the gun
which he had dropped on the floor iu
his excitement, because he felt that the
moment he turned away from the
creature it would be upon him. lie
CROPPED on the floor with his right hand,
and at last found the gun and raised it
to his side. The snake was too near for
him to raise the gun to his shoulder, and
he simply held 1t at his side and reached
back until he felt the trigger.
At the deafening report he fell back
unconscious. and knew no more until he
found his friends bathing his face in
vinegar and water. 1t seems that his
companions, as soon as they heard the
report Of the gun, crawled into the cave
and found him lying unconscious. Their
first thought was that he had shot him
self, but few drops of water revived
him.
Mr.. Harlem was removed to a neigh
boring farm house, where he soon res
covered sufficiently to be taken home.
He is only just recovering from his nerv.
our prostration.
From the neighbors il was learned
that a travelling show which hai had an
exhibition near there some time ago had
lost boa constructor, and it is believed
that this was the snake in the cave. 1t
was, Mr.. Harlem says, about fourteen
feet in length, and us thick as mans
thigh. Residents in the vicinity complain
of having lost poultry and turkeys in a
mysterious manner.
No further trace OF the snake had been
discovered, and it is thought it was
killed by Mr.. Harlem's shot. No one.
however, cares to enter the cave and see