Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-07-13
SNAKES IN THE shy.
Trees, Houses, and Railroad Track .
swsrming with the Reptiles.

ana artist, VINO spent TWO Gays roam
in through the Sny bottoms in skifi.
can relate many incidents OF the "big
water" that are novel and interesting.
some of them OF a rather sensational
and thrilling nature
AS wo rowed across toward the hills
we passed floating hay-stacks and sub
merged houses. 10 the pile of
drift-wood chung thousands of insects
that had been distur bed in their assault
upon the potatoes. corn, and spring
wheat The potato bug, with his yell
low stripes and meek appearance. was
there by the thousands. The chinch-
bug. cut-worms. and swarms of other
and contented as though browsing up
on their favorite vegetation. While
we were examining these objects n
farmer pulled up in skiff and greeted
us:
Keep yer eyes peeled for snakes
the bushes is full ov 'em."
Thinking nothing of what the farmer
said about snakes. but intent on inves-
tigating further, we soon shot away
from the drftwood across stretch OF
open water and into the deep shadow
of the timber. where the current gain
ed some impetus from channel that
wound its way under the foliage and
darted out and across the plain be-
yond. The boughs hung low. many
dabbling their leaves in the water
Suddenly the bow of the boat came in
contact with a small tree and in an in
slant the air. the water. and the boat
were alive with snakes. Not the little.
puny, angleworm kind. but big. lusty
follows that stood on their dignity and
disputed our right 10 thus wantonly in
trude upon the secluslon of their re-
treat while they were enjoying de-
lightful sun bath in the softly swing
Ing boughs of the little maple.
Quick action and aggressive move.
ments soon won the battle. and nine
snakes paid the penalty with their lives
for the bold stand they made against
our combined assault with eight-pound
ash oars; not, however. until vicious
specimen of the moccasin family had
set II $ fangs deep into the correspon-
dent rubber boot and an exceedingly
agile blue.racer made an attempt to
conceal himself in the ample trousers
leg OF the artist.
The battle over. the first thought
was TO back the skiff out. for glance
at the bushes and trees in front of us
showed that a whole battalion of the
serpentine army were stirring the
leaves in n threatening manner. rs
they coied and uncoiled their repulsive
bodies about the branches Although
we had won the preliminary skirmish
we did not care to follow up the victory.
and the old chestnut about discretion
being the better part of valor was
adopted. and we cautiously pulled out
into the open water and rowed around
the little neck of timber. Ii seemed
as if every place that could hold a
snake was taken possession of. Some
Of the serpents were coiled and looked
ike large rubber balls or very big birds
nests among the leaves; others lay
stretched out at full length upon the
limbs. while others hung down and
swayed to and fro like piece of rope
hanging TO limb Occas ionally one
more daring than the rest could be
seen tax nc morning ablution in the
cooling waters. Blue-racers and moe
casins with a few little garter-snakes
made up the assortment, but as to
the numbers we did n OF fee like taking
the time to count nor dir our curlosi-
ty urge Us strongly enough TO pene-
trate again into the snake stronghold.
The farmer. whom we soon over
hauled again, explained the presence
Of so many snakes in this particular
spot by relating the fact that the piece
Of timber was on pretty high ground.
and that when the water first came
rushing into the bottoms the snakes
fled TO the elevation. but when the
ground they took TO the bushes and
trees.
Come" said the farmer; "l'll take
you where snakes roost tn cker'n flies
in summer kitchen.
Acting on this suggestion we soon
pulled up near submerged dwelling.
with the caves at the back just few
inches above the water. We were
hardly prepared for the scene that met
our gaze at this point. Over the roof.
stretched out at full length, were
snakes OF various kinds and sizes We
counted two hundred silken- backed
moccasins and large number Of
blacksnakes. garter-snakes. aud blue.
racers. These were on the roof. while
coiled about the tin leader and hang
ing over the window-sll on the sunny
side of the house were hundreds more.
As we pulled away from the snake
roost past other deserted houses the
same scenes were repeated. Hay
stacks, floating driftwood, roofs Of
barns and other buildings that had
withstVod the Hood were alive with
sleeping. crawling. and wrigglng SER
penis. Even the surface of the water
between houses and haystacks was
alive with SHAKES. evidently searching
Tor food.
About 2 Z. NJ. we reached the Chi
cngo, Burlington and Quincy tracks
opposite Louisiana and found con-
venient break in the dump with cur
rent sufficiently turbulent to send our
boat through with speed that sug-
gested n sudden descent down a to-