The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-05-27
HE VAS a
And He Had Had Some Thrilling Expert
ences With Snakes.

ences With Snakes
Edward Matthewson has had some start
ling experiences with poisonous snakes dur
ing his life, says a Naldosta, Ga. correspond
ent. He is entirely responsible, does not
like notoriety and seldom talks of his ad-
ventures with reptiles, because he fears the
recital of them would not be believed, and
he does not care to figure as a Munchausen
among snake story-tellers.
Some time ago no was attracted by the
laughing of a child. who was at play in the
front yard. Looking through the window
he discovered to his horror that the child
was playing with n great, live rattlesnake,
which sprang it's warning rattle Just as the
child was rescued from what would nave
been certain death.
At another time recently, while walking
in a creek, he stepped on a large water moe
casln, and narrowly escaped being bitten,
as he had crushed the body of the reptile
and aroused its wrath. 1t did show fight,
however. chasing him to dry land.
SON still another nccasinn," SAYS this
hero of many battles with snakes. II had
cause to tramp all day with some compan-
ions in a swamp, and it was during snake
time of the year. During that day l had
the misfortune to step on as many as three
live and ~wriggling moccasins at different
times, but had the good luck as usual to
get off without having their poisonous
fangs stuck INTO my flesh. No other
one of the party had any such close calls.
1t fell to my lot. At another time, while |
was pushing my way through a thick and
boggy swamp, one ofIny feet broke through
the Undiscovered mud, and i: threw me for
ward. | caught at a tussoch Just at me and
threw my hand on a large moccasin. 1t
tiinchcd, but did not move. | was stuck
in the mud. It's forked tongue flashed in
my face. | could not get up without a
struggle, and | was afraid to make the
effort, fearing that a movement on my part
would bring q strike in the face. | held nv
breath while my hand went to my belt and
| drew therefrom a pistol. in an instant
got in the first blow and the snakes head
went off. A friend stood on a tussock five
feet ava watching the tragedy in one act.
Recently | was hunting cows in the
woods. rode a mule. | was going at a
slow lope. Suddenly the beast tnrew it's
head down with a snort and plowed the
earth with both fore hoofs. | went over
the horn of the saddle and astride of the
mules neck, and would have pitched over
my head on the spot had | not seized the
animals ears, one in each hand, as | strup-
gled wildly to prevent a fall. My head and
chest went over is head, but my grip on
the long ears and nv feet locked round it,
neck saved me for the time. Thus
poised, in 4 ridiculous attitude,
my beast regained its footing
and then began backing, and slamminp mt
against brush and sapplinQ until | rolled of
on the ground. When / gained nv feet
discovered a large rnttlesnake in coil undo,
a palmetto brush, Just in front of the snot
where the mule made the desperate effort tc
stop, and if | had gon over the animal
head | would have fallen head foremost
upon the deadly reptile. More wonderful
to relate, q little fodder who was burdenet
with my name caIno across a RATHER on,
day and picked 1t up and went runniut
around playing with it until an olde
brother discovered the child's peril unt
jerked it away from the snake"