The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1894-04-25
ONE MANS SNAKE RECORD.
True History OF a Georgian Who Does
Not Wish to Pose as a

True History OF a Georgian Who Does
Not Wish to Pose as a HIunchausen.
There is a citizen Of Voldosta who has
had some startling experiences with
poisonous snakes during his life. He is
entirely responsible, does not Ike 40
tOriety and seldom talks of his advent.
ures with reptiles, because he fears his
recital Ct them would not be believed,
and be does not care to figure rs a Mum
chausen among snake story ~tellers.
Some time ago he was attracted by the
laughing Of d child who was at play in
the front. yard. Looking through the
window he discovered to his horror that
the child was playing with a great live
rattlesnake, which snrang its warning
rattle just rs the child was rescued from
what would have been certain death.
At another time recently, while wad-
ing in q branch, he stepped on a large
water T1occasin, and narrowly escaped
being bitten, as he had crushed the body
Of the reptile and aroused its wrath. It
did show fight, however, chasing him
to dry land.
'On still another occasion" says this
hero Of many battles with snakes, HAD
to tramp al day with some com
paniOn5 in q swamp. and it was during
snake time Of the year. During that
day | had the misfortune to step Oh as
many IS three live and wriggling moe
casinS at different times, but had the
good luck, as usual, to get CT without
having their poisonous fangs struck into
my flesh. No other one OF the party had
any such dose calls. 1t all fell to my
lot.
AT another time, while | was push
ing my way through q thick and Doggy
swamp, ono Of my feet broke through
the O. covered mud, and it threw me
forward. [ caught at q tusscck Just by
me, and threw my hand On a large moe
caSin. It finched, but did not move. l
was stuck 10 the mud. It's fOrlzed tongue
flashed in my face! | could not get up
without a struggle, and l was afraid to
make the effort, fearing that a move.
ment On ny part would bring a strike
IN the face. held my breath, while my
hand went 10 my belt, and | drew there
from a pistol. In an instant [ got in the
first blow, and the snakes head went off.
A friend stood on a tussock five feet
away watching the tragedS>in one act.
"RecentlT l was hunting COWS in the
pine woods. | rode a mule. was going
at a slow lCpe. S~uddenlythe beast threw
its head down with a snort, and plowed
the earth with both fore hOOfs in a dee-
perate effort to take up. went over
the horn of the saddle and astride of the
mules neck, and would have pitched
Over my head or the spot had seized
the animals ears, one in each hand, as
struggled wildly to prevent o fall. My
head and chest went full over it's head,
but my grip on the long ears ard myfeet
locked around its neck saved me for the
line.
'Thus poised in a ridiculous attitude,
my beast regained its footing, and then
began backing and slamming me about
against brush and sapling, until | rolled
oT on the ground. When l gained my
feet | discovered q large rat:lesna1e in
coil under I, palmetto bush, just in front
Of the spot where the mule made the des-
perate effort to stop, and if 1 had gone
over the animals head l would have
fallen head foremost upon tho deadly
reptile.
More wonderful to relate, q little
fodder who was burdened with my name
came across q RATHER 4 day and picked
It up, and went around playing with it
anti an older brother discovered the
child's peril and jcrked it away from the
snake. "-Atlanta Constitution.