The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1889-07-04
THOUSANDS OF SNAKES.
A Venerable Kentuclzian Tells the Biggest
Story of the Season.


Story of the Season.
Thaddeus Drummond, who resides
near Blue Lick, Ind, while at the old
settlers meeting at Charleston, related
a snake story which he claims to be
true. On account Of his known repu-
tation for veracity the story is credited
by many of Drummond's friends.
Near Drummond' s house is small
cavern extending back into hill sew
eral feet and bounded on all sides by
rock. 1t faces to the south, and on ac-
count of the hill protecting it from the
north winds it is considerably warmer
upon the inside of the opening than
upon the outside. Among the other
earthly possessions of Drummond was
a wolf crossed dog, sent him by friend
in Kansas. The animal was very saw
age and until last Monday was never
known to show fear to any living crea-
ture. On the day mentioned Drum
mond started to a woods near by for
the purpose of gathering wild grapes.
The dog went with him, and while pass
ing through brier field scared up
rabbit. A hot chase followed, which
ended in the little animal darting in
the cavern, followed by the dog. The
latter came out in less than minute,
shivering with fright, and after going
round in a circle for short time took
a course due west as fast as he could
possibly run and has never been heard
of since, Drummond being under the
impression that he never stopped until
he reached his former home in Kansas.
Drummond by this time had reached
point near the opening Of the hole,
and strange noise, similar to the buzz
zing of a swarm of bees, accompanied
by peuliar rattling, fell on his ears,
coming from the hole the rabbit had
gone into. Peering into the recess a
sight met his eyes which almost froze
the blood in his veins. Kissing and
squirming, knotted into q ball about
the size of flour barrel, was one great
mass of snakes of all sorts and sizes
that habitate that part of the country.
In the embrace of the cOnglomeration
was the lifeless body of the little rab-
bit. The animal to escape one death
had run into another more horrible.
The intrusion of the dog and rabbit had
put the reptiles upon their mettle, and
the noise they made was what Drum
mond heard.
The sight had strange fascination
for Drummond, and he was held SPELL
bound viewing their movements. He
says that there must have been a thou
sand of the reptiles, and they all seemed
to be governed by one little green fell
low, who crawled around the ball hiss
ing and switching his tail as if giving
orders. In a few minutes the COM
mander had restored order, and every
thing was perfectly quiet
Another old settler spoke up and said
that he had seen nearly the same sight
at the same place few years pbefore-
and that the presence of the snakes
was no unusual thing, as they came
there every season to winter. As soon
rs the first frosts begin to fall, said he,
they commence descending from the
knobs to get out of the chilly atmos-
phere. As they begin to collect they
entwine themselves together, and as
they increase in numbers the ball in
creases in size until the last snake in
the vicinity has reached its winter
quarters. When the whether gets cold
they become dormant and remain in
that state until the sun warns them up
in the spring, when they again make
for the bushes on the knobs, where they
are found in large numbers during the
summer months Louisville Courier
Journal.