The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1893-04-28
TAPPED A DEN OF SNAKES.
There Were I II Of them in O Ball in
the Bottom Of the Old Well.

the Bottom Of the Old Well.
NORWICH, Conn. Henry Dolbeare,
with Frank Bakcr Of Montville, in the
country, six miles south OF the city, went
to the extreme end of Henry's house lot
10 the morning to clean ON old we'll there,
and after ten minutes work in the well
tapped the most extraordinary subterrau-
can snake reservoir noted in the annals
OF eastern Connecticut. The we'll was
deep, dry one, and for years Dolbearc
aud his family aud other people had flung
all sorts of rubbish into it. There were
stones and rails, and sticks, old boots,
hoopskirts, and tin pans in it, but pobody
Suspected that away down in the bowels
OF it was scething colony Of serpents.
With their coats of, crowbar in hand,
the two mon stepped into the rubbish
heap, which reached almost to the mouth
oil the shaft, and with vigorous thrusts
loosened the pieces Of debris and fllpped
them out on the ground. Alter ten min
utes they were almost Mt the bottcm of
The WILL, tw nty f,ct below the surface
OF the house lot. Then they removed
couple of br. nd boards. an OF sudden
the bottom of tn, WILL rose up, heaving
aud billowing b. ne ith their feet.
The phenomenon had come so sudden
ly and my mystcriously that their eyes bulg.
cd with awe and terror, and they hoppe d
about with trembling legs on their ser.
pentine perch. They saw at once that
they had struck sort of solid stratum
OF well snakes, deep, CO .volutcd, and in
braided, & cat round ball, as big as q
tchool globe, of alternating reptiles.
Worse still. tho spheres of slim snake
strands, which had been wound into
hard mass, like bali OF wrap ping twine
in ciiss cross fash;on during the winter,
had instantly burst into multitudinous
and nimblc consciousness and actlv ty
under the tread Of the farmers cowhide
boots; then it began to unravel itself,
and scores of serpent tails and red forke
jaws detached themselves from The mass
and shot upward, twining themselves
about the mems legs an slapping them
viciously. In moment the whole ball
was dissolved into its component parts.
which first Strengthened themselves, fo m.
ing palpitatin; and heaviny batter of
scrpcnts two feet thick or more, aud then
the wra hull reptiles, bi.sing aud ceiling
themselves iuto swift loops, turned upon
the fe.I full intruders in their den. /.
Those scared p rsons, now fairly wal.
lowing in snakes, had been stepping
lively in order to maintain their unstable
foot ng, and tho instant tho serpen's at.
tackled them they werc seized with a
panic of fright aud loathing and made
break to get out of the we'll; but their
feet slipped on the undulating we'll bot.
tom, and losing their hold on their lad
der, which had been set up against the
side of the shaft, and which both essayed
to climb at the same time, thew foil back
into the pit and resumed the business of
treading serpents again ct the same old
stand. Then spasm OF desperate cour-
age took possession of them, and with
their short iron pinch bars they sailed
into the attacking army of vipers with a
vengeance, regardless Of style and form.
The combat was brief aud decisive as it
was extraordinary.
For eight minutes the old we'll seemed
to be full of flying snakes, arms and legs,
and gesticultatiDg pinch bars, and the
whole undergrouuds business went ON
amid steady rhythmic purring or swish
ing uproar, and an accompaniment of
intermittent but regular dull thuds. The
well buzzed like a hive of swarming
bees. The farmers were spry and muscu.
lar, however, and they fiaally got the
best of the battle. Then they fought
more leisurely. The enemy had weaken
ed. The attacking column of serpents,
the first onset of which was like the roar
of mad river advancing from sub
terranean regions, had dribbied away to
q mere rivulet Of reptiles. and the men
as speedily disposed of the rivulet.
The well was now knee deep in dead
snakes. Not serpent got away. Then
the farmers, who were tired out with
their exertions and bathed with perspira-
ton, took short rest, after which they
climbed out of the shaft. At Mr.. Dol.
beare's home they procured couple of
stable forks and basket. Then return.
ed to the we'll, and drew all the dead
out of it. There were just ia
Of them. and the men placed them in q
row in the tunnel at the mouth OF the
pit. ALI of them were full grown black
snakes. except three venomoua, fat headed
adders, and tho blacks ave aged five feet
in length. Some of the largest ones were
seven feet long aud as thick as mans
fortarm 1t was the most remarkable
single private exhibit of snakes, pro-
baby, in the record Of the State. So
Mr.. Dolbcare kept them in line at the
well until most Of the farmers in Mont
vii cams and saw them. Some farmers
drove eight mites to see the show. One
of the biggest blacks Mr.. Dolbears
broug to this city and displayed II in
the Office Of the Norwich Evening Re.
cord, csying:
"Now, this amt no fish story I'm Civ
ing you, and, il any one still doubts my
word, I'll engage TO take him in my team
and show him the well and the hull
snake collecticnn
The sides Of the we'll, said Mr.. Dol
beare, 10 the neighb rh9od OF the snake
nest. were reiterated with deep, round
tunnels The serpcnts had bored, aud into
which tn y might retreat Ia case they
wcre attacked and did not feel like fight.
ing lin wints I, ", when serpents in
Connecticut ere ina comatose state.
Mr.. Dolbcare resumed work III tho we'll
purposinQ 10 deepen IL until he reaches
water, but, said nc, "I'm going slow
q