The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-07-14
A SNAKE HUNT.
The Novel Pastime Enjoyed In
South Carolina

SOutu Is d WcA-oIk dnlZcd snake nuuI-
The low, swampy rice fields of the Car.
olinas provide an abundance and va
riety of game for the sportsman, and
on a hot summers day he can bag as
many reptiles as he feels inclined to-
A party of rice planters organ.
lied hunt at Inglesides, a
deserted South Carolina planta-
ton which had once been the
pride of southern family, but the war
had exterminated the male members
At any rate the place has been turned
over to the negroes and is in the last
stages of dilapidation.
Greatland was reached and short
ride beneath an avenue of live oaks
brought the party to what had once
been a great. fine country house.
"Shall we have to go far?" asked the
stranger.
mol" exclaimed some one to the
right, as he made spring at something
in the dried grass.
At first he could not make out what
it was, but suddenly a long yellow
snake, with great black links on its
back glided between his legs.
Catch himl Catch himp' shouted
several voices.
Like flash the reptile glided through
the grass with four men in pursuit.
Suddenly some one quickly doubled up
and then threw himself on the ground.
1--WE got him, he exclaimed, and for
the next few minutes there was strug-
gle among the dried leaves that was
highly exciting. The snake, which was
about six feet in length and as large
round as a mans wrist, twisted,
wriggled and fought, but its captor
knew how to handle the deceptive folds,
and in spite of Kisses and fangs strong
hand was slowly passed forward until a
mans powerful fingers clutched the
angry reptiles neck close to the spotted
head. Triumphantly the captor arose
from the ground with the loathsome
body of the snake wrapped about his
arm.
BAH" said another, contemptuously,
''a chicken snake! No more fight in
one of them than there is in kitten"
His remark proved true, for, after the
creature was stroked for few minutes,
it seemed contented, and when placed
on the ground made no effort to escape,
but eagerly dipped its forked tongue in
some milk that was brought for another
purpose.
Some one suggested that the trophies
be hung on the dropping limbs of a live
oak. and stout leather thong quickly,
encircled the end of the first victims
tail and secured it to the limb, where
it hung head downward, slowly swing
ing back and forth.
The path then taken led along bank
some twelve feet in width. Majestic
magnofias and mammoth azaleas lined
it on either side, and the still water
was hidden by tangled mass of cup
shaped lotus leaves which fioated on
it's surface. The road was bad, and as
the men mbled on prolonged hiss
brought them to dead halt. And none
too soon, for there in the path lay fine
specimen of the deadly copperhead. 1t
is now an ornament of the Charleston
museum.
Stretched across the road, the four
feet of beautiful, copper-colored scales
glistened in the sun. The ugly, fiat
head drew back; lazily the bulky body,
which was as large around as a mans
arm, formed itself into double circle.
1t was in fighting position. Its head
was raised foot from the ground,
and the neck became horribly atten-
uated. No one was very anxious this
time to be the first to attempt the
capture of a reptile whose bite meant
almost certain death. Slowly a stick
was thrust forward. The snake arched
its neck until it was seen above the
head, which was suddenly drawn back,
and then, with ightning-like rapiaity,
it shot forward. The serpent's jaws
were widely distended as it struck the
wood with its fangs- A greenish liquid
squirted fout upon the ground several
feet ahead, and everybody retired a
few feet with dispatch. A man in front
arise the loathsome reptile was prepar-
ing to strike at him. Quickly he rolled
over towards the side of the bank, and
with angry Kisses the Infatuated snake
followed. The man sprang up, but
his foot slipped in the treacherous
mud, and, with splash, he fell into the
canal. The matted vines bore him up,
however.
The others soon placed the prong of
a stick behind the reptiles head, but
with sudden twisting of its body it
freed itself again and slipped into the
water The man tangled in the vines
yelled and was badly frightened as the
triangular head cut through the water
in his direction. His eyes closed and his
pale face sank lower among the vines.
Then an aged college professor who
had insisted upon accompanying the
party sprang forward, and Selling the
overhanging bough of a young bay
tree lowered himself until he could
touch the water, then put out thin
but muscular hand and seized the snake
just behind the head not an instant too
soon.
The next captive was a pretty milk
snake, about three feet in length. It
came wriggling through the grass, and
the professor seized it by the body.
The agile little creature squirmed and
Missed. but without much difficulty it
was strung up with the others. Two
pretty golden chains ran down each
side of the delicate gray back, which
seemed to change color and briLiancy
with every movement