The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-06-11
ONE MANS SNAKE RECORD.

NOT WISH TO rose as hunchausen.
There is citizen of Voldosta who has
had some startling experiences with
poisonous snakes during his life. He is
entirely responsible, does not like no.
toriety and seldom talks of his advent
ures with reptiles, because he fears his
recital of them would not be believed.
and he does not care to figure as Mum
chausen among snal- story tellers.
Some time ago he was attracted by the
laughing of child who was at play in
the front yard. Looking through the
window he discovered to his horror that
the child was playing with great live
rattlesnake, which sprang its warning
rattle just as the child was rescued from
what would have been certain death.
At another time recently, while wad-
ing in branch, he stepped on a large
water moccasin, and narrowly escaped
being bitten, as he had crushed the body
of the reptile and aroused its wrath. II
did show fight, however, chasing him
to dry land. a-.5 g..
son still another OCCASION" says this
hero of many battles with snakes, Ihad
cause to tramp all day with some com
panlolS III a swamp, and it was during
snake time of the year. During that
day | had the misfortune to step OH as
many as three live and wriggling moe.
casins at different times, but had the
good luck, as usual, to get off without
having their poisonous fangs struck into
my flesh. No other one of the party had
any such close calls. 1t all fell to my
lot. .goe
Eat another time, while was push
ing my way through thick and Doggy
swamp, one of my feet broke through
the moss covered mud, and it threw me
forward. caught at a tussock Just by
me, and threw my hand Oh a large moe
casin. 1t ficched, bat did not move.
was stuck in the mud. Its forked tongue
flashed in my facet | could not get up
without struggle, and was afraid to
make the effort, fearing that a move
ment on my part would bring q strike
in the face. held my breath, while my
hand went to my belt, and drew there
from pistol. In an instant got in the
first blow, and the snakes head went off.
A friend stood on tussock five feet
away watching the tragedy-in one act.
Recently was hunting COWS in the
pine woods. rode mule. was going
at slow lope. Suddenly the beast threw
its head down with snort, and plowed
the earth with both fore hoofs in DIES
a n tll |
the horn of the saddle and astride of yhe
mules neck, and would have pitched
over my head on the spot had mot seized
the animals ears, one in each hand, as
struggled wildly to prevent fall. My
head and chest went full over its head,
but my grip on the long ears and my feet
locked around its neck saved me for the
time.
"Ihus poised in ridiculous attitude,
my beast regained its footing, and then
began backing and slamming me about
against brush and sapling, until rolled
of on the ground. When gained my
feet discovered large rattlesnake in
coil under palmetto bush, just in front
of the spot where the mule made the des.
perate effort to stop, and If | had gone
over the animals head ! would have
fallen head foremost upon the deadly
reptile.
"More wonderful to relate, a little
fodder who was burdened with my name
came across a RATHER one day and picked
it up, and went around playing with it
until an older brother discovered the
child's peril and jerked it away from the
snake. Atlanta Constitution.