The Forrest City times., 1894-12-07

iI oIruch the naturalist even then that from what he could see of the coil there was an extraordinary lot of it. O'Reilly pressed the thick growth of creepers over to either side and then shot his stick in right above the reptiles nose. The catlike eyes glittered as they moved in following the motion of the | stick, and the forked tongue shot out, l its yellow points trembling nervously like the antennB of an insect Other wise the snake never moved at all, | though the man could see it was all ready to strike. O'Reilly stood within yard of the reptile in position snf- hclently dangerous to make him eau tlous, for the thiclxet in which he was entangled grew so exceedingly dense that he could not move with celerity | in any direction. Although the snakes head was in the middle of the coil-a very awkward position for catching the hunter nevertheless brought down the stick over it's neck, intending to gently but firmly press it to the ground. The thickness of the coils was greater than that of the neck, so the copperhead was able to shoot out it's head beneath the stick fully six inches beyond the coil, as if coming right toward the hunter Quickly taking advantage of this by jerk OReilly transferred the stick to the new and better position in which the head was now placed. The dexterous transfer was not, however, quicker than the snake, for it bit the stick in it's passage. Nevertheless, the stick lay now on the snakes neck, and as with his right hand and knee the hunter held it there firmly, he quickly reached in with his left hand and took his snakeship round the throat with the top of his thumb beneath the un- der jaw sufficiently far down to escape the clasp of the fangs, and yet not so low that the snake could possibly turn now securely the hunter drew it forth from the coil, which had never moved in the slightest. But on drawing out the snake what was OReiliy's horror to discover that the coil was not one snake bat two; and the second and larger reptile, now for the first time showing it's head, was hurriedly ! getting ready to strike.
 1 Strike it did, and it was only the multitude of the weedstallzs in which 1 it lay that saved the naturalist's hand l from the deadly venom In his long
 training as a snake hunter quickness
 of thought and action grows to be second nature with Mr. O'Re lilly. A leap backward carried him out of range. The next thing was to capture, l if possible, the second snake, for the i hunter had no thought of letting any
 chances escape him. Holding his
 writhing captive in his left hand, and
 gripping his stick firmly with the
 right, he pressed it over the neck of
 the second reptile. But this was a
 powerful copperhead. It easily glided
 from beneath the stick, biting at it
 savagely, and made straight for it's
 persecutor. Then changing it's mind,
 it swerved and glided away in the un-
 derbrush. More than ever determined
 not to lose this specimen, O'Reilly fol
 lowed, tramping down the weeds and
 calling at the top of his voice:
 "Lasher! Lasher. Help. Copper
 heads! Come in here quick"'
 A crash in the underbrush told the scientist that help was coming, but it
 would be too late for the capture of
 the copperhead. A few yards off was refuge for the snake. A large rock
 rested partly over another and smaller
 one, leaning against it at an angle of
 forty-five degrees to the ground, thus
 leaving an opening behind the smaller
 rock. Into this opening the snake darted it's head. At the sight of his l quarry thus escaping, the pursuer grew reckless. Dropping his stick he threw
 himself down upon the ground, reached
 forward with his unoccupied hand and grabbed the fugitive by the tail. But he had not calculated on the shape of the rock crevice and in moment, to
 his dismay, he saw the flat head of the enemy twist up from another opening
 between the rocks and slowly near his face.
 l Once, twice, and third time the savage reptile struck at his face. and the last time Mr. O'Reilly thought i that he felt a drop of venom flung from the fangs to his cheek But the snake couldn't reach any further. Still, it was an alarming position. If O'Reilly let go the snake would be upon him before he could get to his feet. His position was not only pain full, but very tiring, and he felt that he could not hold out long. The cap tive in his left hand was writhing and winding about his arm. and, worst of all, Lasher had evidently missed his direction, as. to judge by the sounds. he was crashing underbrush con- l.. l.