The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-02-08
A DUEL TO THE DEATH.
Two Snakes Meet and Fight in
Deadly Earnest.
The Tremendous Crushing Power of the
Blacksnzke Gives 1t the Supremacy
Over the Yenomors But
Weaker Rather.

A thrilling fight between a black
snake and a rattlesnake was witnessed
on the Cummings orange grove by
party Of gentlemen from Daytona, says
the Florida Times Union. For several
weeks past a blacbsnake 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 a looking
fellow as one would want to encounter
The gentlemen were seated under
large palmetto tree enjoying the pleas
ant afternoon when they noticed rat
Uesnake creep slowly and cautiously
out from a brush heap and coil himself
with head in the air and eyes turned
toward the party as II 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 Go. They had q
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 fight" said Mr. Bert
Walker, and the party drew back to
give the reptiles a full show. Noise
lessly 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. 1t was plainly evil
dent that the blacksnake wanted to
fight. When within twenty feet Of the
other creature he stopped, raised his
head and the rattlesnake saw him for
The first time. The ground between
them was clear, not 4 stick or a stone
being noticed for many yards.
The rattlesnake raised his head and
prepared for an encounter. They
really reminded one of couple of des-
perate men just entering the arena for
fight to the death. Presently the
black champion started on a circle
around his prey, getting nearer to the
RATHER every minute. The rattler
never took his eye from his approaching
enemy and his head going round re-
minded the lOOker-on of the movements
of corkscrew. When within six feet
of the rattler the black fellow few
around SO fast that you could hardly
tell what it was. 1t was like taking a
string tied to stick and twirling it
with all ones might. Suddenly the
two came together and Immediately
became entwined abou 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 a squeeze that
sent the rattler 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 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
mangled. Like the boa-constrictor, the
blacksnal1e does not bite but brushes
out the life of its victim.