The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-07-07
AN EXCITING FIGHT.
YARMOUTH ROCK BOOSTERS THRASH
EIGHT MONSTER SNAKES.

~,
a Man of Honor vouchcs For tho Truth
of tho Story.
Daniel F. Meslsil, while in Newburg,
~. Y, few days ago, told what he
Souched for as true story. He is a
promlnont resident of Highland Falls,
and his word would be taken there ns
quickly as would his bond
My poultry yard is near the edge of
what Is known rs Stewart s wootlE," he
said. Having lost over 100 chicks dur
ang the past month, was on the look
out for proving cats aud had my shot
gun loaded to give them warm recep-
aion. Monday afternoon I heard COM
Fnotion in the barnyard, and rushing
out, expecting to find cat after the
chicks, was much surprised to find a
large black snake apparently five feet
dong chasing tue little ones around the
yard.
Il was about to fire Mt the snake when
ono OF my Plymouth Rock ROSTERS came
80 the assistance OF the chicks and fierce
~ attacked tho reptile. The battle wax
ed heroely for several minutes, the roost-
or seemingly having tho best of the
siSht, wien the snake uttered peculiar
noise. II WIS answered from tho rear Of
she barn by g similar noise. You can
3uuSe OF the nstunisllment that seized
sne when l saw another snake about tho
size on the first one come rushing rs fast
as he could to the assistance of his mate.
TWO snakes, | saw, were too much for
one rooster, aud 1 was about to fire
when Dode Vought, q neighbour, hap.
5ened along. He took in the situation
at once and shouted to me to open the
gate and let ont another rooster. acted
on the suggestion at once and let out
sny large Plymouth Rock rooster Billy
AlcGlory. He went ut the second snake
with vengeance.
The two snakes were getting badly
dono up when No. uttered the same
CRY That ho had used to summon ro-en-
torccments before. 1t brought "a third
snake.
Mr. Vought hallooed, Let out anoth-
er rooster! l did so by turning in my
prize game cock Andrew Jackson.
S@ulcEer than lightning he pitched into
snake No and walloped him all
around tho barnyard. The snakes were
getting rather grosgv, aud again No.
uttered the peculiar Shrek. Two snakes
responded this time
Let ont two moro roostcrsn shout
ed Nought. did rs he suggested. They
Jumped at snakes Nos. and 8 in great
style
The battle Mt this point became in
feresting. Five snakes and five ROSTERS
ihr1Shing ono another around barn
gard Is sight one does not sec every
day. 1t Wa evident that unless some
thing unusual happened the snakes
would get badly licked.
Finally opened the gate and let in
three moro ROSTERS. all that | had left.
The snakes saw them coming, and snake
NO. uttered threc cries in quick sue
cession More ro-enforoomcnts, said.
and there We're. Three moro N,akos
came on tho dead run and pitched into
tho last three ROSTERS that had turned
ont.
Tho fight waxed 30 hotly ut this
point and the fighters were so badly
;niNcd that it was difficult to tell which
were snakes or which were ROSTERS.
Evidently snake No saw that my sup
ply OF ROSTERS was exhausted and called
sor more endorsements.
1t was Immediately answered by a
fierce looking snake much larger than
hny of the Others
Shoot him. hallooed Vought IF
he gets into that fight. the ROSTERS are
gone.
81 saw at glance that what he said
was true so took aim and killed snake
NO. 9. The firing of the gun seemed to
dIsconcert the other snakes, and they
started to retreat from the barnyard into
the woods, but the roostcrs pressed them
60 hard that the snakes got mixed up in
their flight. The roos;ors took prompt
advantage Of tie confusion and attacked
them SO fiercely that they killed the
whole crowd in three minutes
several Of the ROSTERS were badly
used M, and one has such swollen
head that his lifo is despaircd of. After
the battle l measured the dead snakes
and found that their combined length
was 3S feet Z inches, the longest being
9 feet inches and the shortest feet
So inches.
Snake experts who have examined
chem declare that they belong to the
Game family, being father, mother aud
Beven SONS and daughters
During the past month have lost