Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-02-16
4 DUEL TO THE DEATH.
Two Sackcs Meet and Fight in
Deadly Earnest.
The Tremendous Crushing Power of the
Biac1saake Gives 1t the Supremacy
Over the Venomous- But
Weaker Rather.

A thrilling fight between a black
snake and rattlesnake was witnessed
on the Cummings orange grove by a
party of gentlemen from Daytona, says
the Florida Times Mon. For several
weeks past q blacl1snalle about ten feet
long has made its headquarters under
an old crib on the grove. appearing oc-
casiOnally. but never allowing himself
to be killed. He was as large around
as ones wrist and as fierce d looking
fellow as one would want to encounter
The gentlemen were seated under a
large palmetto tree enjoying the pleas
ant afternoon when they noticed rat
t.esnake creep slowly and cautiously
out from a brush heap and coil himself
with head in the air and eyes turned
toward the party as if to say: Here I
am" One gentleman seized club, but
the others persuaded him to delay his
attack and watch the reptile for awhile
and see what it would do They had a
chance to size up the stranger, who was
about six feet long and of a grayish
striped color. In few minutes the
blacksnake was seen to appear from
under the crib fifty feet distant and
move slowly toward the rattlesnake.
Now for a fight" said Mr. Bert
Walker. and the party drew back to
give the reptiles full show. Noise
iessly came the big black fellow. carry
ing his head high in the air and oeca-
siOnally dropping it, apparently study
ing the ground around which he was to
make the attack. it was plainly evil
dent that the blacksnal1e wanted to
fight. When within twenty feet of the
other creature he stopped. raised his
head and the rattlesnaSe saw him for
the first time. The ground between
them was clear, not a stick or a. stone
being noticed for many yards.
The rattlcsralle raised his head and
threw out his tongue and seemed to be
prepared for an encounter. They
really reminded one of couple of des-
perate men just entering the arena for
a fight to the death. Presently the
black champion started ON a circle
around his prey, getting nearer to the
RATHER every minute. The RATHER
never took his eye from his approaching
enemy and his head going round re-
of corkscrew. When within six feet
Of the RATHER the black fellow flew
around so fast that you could hardly
tell what it was. 1t was like taking a
a string tied to stick and twirling it
with all ones might. Suddenly the
two came together and Immediately
became entwined abou ut each other, roll
ing over and over in the dust. This
lasted fully five minutes. Then there
was a lull and the blacksnake was seen
to have his adversary by the throat
with his mouth. His body was twisted
about the rattler's body, and every few
seconds he would give d squeeze that
sent the RATHER so much further toward
his end.
In ten minutes the black hero dropped
the body OF his, victim, blew himself
up, took one last look and then slowly
wound off into the brush
1t was a rare and remarkable scene
and thoroughly enjoyed by all the
party. One OF the gentlemen raised up
the dead RATHER on a stick and found
that he was terribly gashed and
Hiangled. Like the demonstrators. the
blacksnalze does not bite but brushes
out the life of its victim