Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-03-12
NEWS FOR NIMRODS.
A Hunters Thrilling Adventures With
Three Be Serpents

hunters 1Er1ll1ng Adventures with
Three Big Serpents.
John F. Simpson. who lives a mile or
two from here, on Flatheao creek, relates
the best snake story Of the season.
Simpson is a great hunter and spends,
most of his time in the woods. His house
is situated not far from the creeks bank
and On the edge of a thick hummock
One day recently John started on his
usual tramp. but somehow or other had
very little luck during the morning. About
noon he stopped Oh the edge Of little
lake, and kindling fire bro led some
birds that he had shot and lay down for
an after dinner siesta.
All at once he was awakened by feeling
a cold, clammy mass moving over MS
breast underneath his coat Raising his
head slightly, not understanding the
situation, he was brought to the startling
consciousness of his peril by hearing a
a buzzing under his coat, and second
later a big black head jumped up almost
into his face with wide-open mouth, while
its forked tongue played back and forth
with lightning swiftness and its beady
eyes snapped fire. It was d rottler of the
largest dimensions and John was paraized
with fear at the imminent danger he was
placed in.
His head sank back and he hardly dared
TO breathe, so an X lCus was he to calm tn
angry reptile. The snake kept W his head
In 2 threatening attitude for several Sec
onds, or hours, as it seemed to John, and,
as If satisfied, slowly lowered it; but John
could feel the coils stretching over his
breast as it lay down. A few seconds later,
a low, rustlIng noise at one side of him,
made him still more anxious, and, to add
to that, anothar suspicious sound was
heard on the opposite side, which appear
ed to his strained hearing as If a score of
reptiles were crawling around him.
The RATHER, too. heard the sound, and
deadly warming. The sounds on each side
of him increased, and although he could
not see, he Judged that one or more rep
tiles were racing around him. The rat
thing grew more and more angry, and the
deadly rattles became louder and louder,
and It's evil head was raised high, its long
red tongue playing between its lips like
lightning flashes. Johns position was
anything but an enviable one, his blood
became stagnant in the position he was
forced to assume and he was almost crazy
with fright.
Suddenly a streak of black flashed
through the air, and a big black snake
hurled itself upon the deadly RATHER, and
in an instant the two were wrapped in a
fierce embrace. Another line of black
from on the opposite side and big king
snake, even larger than the black one
lunged himself upon the two fighting
snakes on his chest set John crazy, aud,
with yell, he suddenly leaped to his feet,
throwing off his coat and by good fortune
dislodged the snakes, so that they fell to
his feet, while with another leap, he was a
dozen feet away.
The RATHER struck at John as he jumped
up, but missed and hit the blac&snake in
stead; this further enraged this pugna-
cious reptile, and the fight waxed warm
and deadly. The two snakes sought to
wrap the RATHER i'll their long, strong folds,
but the latter objected most seriously
Raising himself from bis coil he darted
again and again at his antagonists, but
each time they eluded him.
Swiftly the two closed about the RATHER
as it lay in coil; so fast, indeed, that
John, who was standing about a couple of
rods away, said that he could only see a
streak of black with the rather red eyes
in the center All at once one of the 9th
ers sprang for the RATHER. nvaded his
deadly strike and wrapped his folds quick
ly around his body, stretching it out full
The other one came TO his rescue, and in
less time than it takes to tell, the two
snakes were firmly bound around the rat
tier and had him stretched out at full
length on the ground. Their powerful
folds frightened on the RATHER, and his
open mouth and strong, but Intellectual
struggles, showed that he was being stran-
gled to death.
The folds frightened each moment, and
in very short time not culver could be
seen in the rattlesnakes form. The two
snakes retained their position for several
after the RATHER had ceased to
move, and then slowly released them
selves, stopping every now and then as if
suspicious that the RATHER was sham
ming.
After disentangling themselves they lay
alongside the RATHER for several minutes,
and then, as if fully satisfied that their foe
was dead. both turned off into the forest,
doubtless feeling we'll satisfied with their
work. John was we'll content to let
them GO in peace as they mad doubtless
saved his life. He examined the RATHER
after they had gone, and found that it was
compressed and stretched out like a piece
of rubber. He was a big one and meas
ured over seven feet, carrying ten rattles
and button.
John says this is the first experience of
the kind that he had ever had with rat
t. :, and he hopes it will be the last.