The sun., 1895-04-14
FEATS IN KILLING SNAKES.
A HUNTER,s sExPERIENcE Es IN sEEE-
ING LARGE SPECIMENS.
s5kiM or q Rey Stone Throwsr Whe Killed
Tive 5nakes with One Missiio-A Battle
with q Uattier or Cnususi Size and Age.

Tive Snakes with One Missiio-A Battle
with . Rattier or Unususi Size sns Age.
II is q fair assumption that nine out OF every
ten persons never look upon a snake without
q shuddsr and desire to kill IT, Tho univer-
sal endorsement OF tho declaration that the
woman's heel shall bruise the serpcnts head
has doubtless much to do with keeping down
tho increase of snakes. one ambition has
moved tho writer during his crusade against
sorpents. OF which he has slain scores-that
10 to sec the biggest possible specimen be-
fore killing IL. Through swamps, thickets,
and forest. along streams, morasscs. and prai-
rie. he has sought for the monster serpent, and
is convinced that he found him twlce-the hrst
time personally and the second by proxy.
John Ellis years ago lived in Schohsrio
county where he raised family OF nine boys
and three girls. A curious fact was that, al
though small man himself, eight OF his chill
drsn attained a weight OF over two hundred
pounds, and all were sturdy strong, and so
rugged in health that the youngest was more
than thirty years old before q death oc-
Cured in the family. one Of the boys
was noted when very young for a marvellous
skill in throwing stones. His accuracy was
phenomenal. Many time he has stood under
q tree and picked of tiny bird from tho top
most bough at tho first trial, and, when chai-
'lenged by his playmates, has set tho weather
yans ON tho top of barn or other building
spinning by striking the tail Of tho fish or
rooster. or whatever It happened tot with
stone, and repeating It again and again. Not
only that, but he often brought down bird onN
the wing.
One sultry afternoon In August this boy and
two Of his brothers, one Of whom was the
father OF tho writer. were sauntsrinr along the
highway. when they crossed a small brook,
where tho thrower gathered up n half dozen
broad. fiat stones of the pattern which he was
fond of using He hurled these. ono after tho
other. at such targets as presented themselves,
and when he reached bridge spanning n
small creek. he had only one stone left, tho
choicest of the lot. He held this back with the
hope that something animate might present it
self for target. The boys stopped when near
the middle of the bridge and looked about in
the water. In the middle Of the creek was
small rock. the top OF which was only few
inches in circumference.
Look. Harry" said one Of tho lads, there's
q turtle swimming for the rock"
Only the small black head was visible above
the surface OF the muddy stream, but q second
look of the youths convinced them that 1t was
the head of q water snake which was steadily
moving toward the rock.
III try for him when he reaches the stone"
remarked Harry. keeping his eye on the dark
speck.
"IIello! There's another!" called the other
brother. pointing to the water on the further
side OF the rock.
Sure enough q second snake was swimming
toward the same point. The position and prog
ress of the two indicated that they would reach
the spot at the Same moment unless something
interfered. aud nothing did interfere. Nearer
and nearer they.drew and at tho same instant,
the heads, followed by the cleaning, wet bodies,
began gliding up on the tiinty surface. 1t looked
MS if there was to be fight between them, but
without any hesitation on the part Of either. ono
snake began sliding over the neck OF the other.
as IL he meant to continue his way straight
across the creek. At the moment their necks
crossed Harry Ellie let fly with the stone he held
in his right hand.
As the broad, fiat missile left his grasp II
SKINNED through the air, but gradually tipped
until 1t was vertical, and, curving in beau
tiful parabola, dipped down, when directly over
tho rock. and cut Off the heads of both snakes
clean and slick as If done by keen edged hatch
ct: The feat seems incrsdb bic, and yet tho two
as described. They insisted that the throw was
amillion efforts, aud probably such it was, but
Harry Ellis was equally persistent In declaring
did their mock.
intended TO do that would not have waited"
One summer afternoon two brothers and their
sIy.ys eaileS i hias hia and u" vhoop Sss son o. S .hs
parents were absent at a funeral. so that the
four Youngsters. one being the writer. were the
OF tho elder brother to, hide himself he began
stealing across the clearing toward large
n ws h. took TO
around the stump. He paused a, moment, and
Tn n ia IN thnr
top the head OF a snake rose to view as II watch
ing his movements The snake had wound It
Ing upon it, as If summing itself.
The yonng man had Investigated all hs
back to the house with the terrifying news that
snoas e oG Gns tho
which they gazed at tho fearsome sight. The
inch or two now and then, az IL to keep track Of
its surroundings The wish OF the children was
that It would hold its place until the return of
IIslf an hour later the mother came home
utes behind her. He had stopped to .ay some
thing to neighbor and a was only short dis;
called to him. He heard and started for home.
arriving within the following ten minutes, but
brief as ;,, was the the interval. the snake had un-
doing So it clided oyer bare spot made by the
burning OF n brush heap some time before. An
uea Ol lls Size may DC RulIeu WueN IL - btaLcu
that ITS head entered the bush and passed from
sight on one side OF this bare spot before tho
tai came into view from the other side
II had hardly disappeared when the father
entered the house, anxious to learn the cause OF
the sIcitsment. Being told. he took down, his
rifle from the drer's antlers over tho fireplace
and started after 1t. 1t was impossible to trail
the reptile through the woods. but 1t WAS so
near that he heard 1t moving. and cautiously
followed until he could gain shot 1t made for
a low tree which curved out over q small
stream, The trunk was almost horizontal. and
he caught sight OF the snake as 1t glided up
ward from the ground nnd began sliding out
toward the limbs Of the tree, which was prob.
ably hollow. At this moment tho man fired
and blew the head to smithereens. The body
cropped llke = pig loose rope into tho water and
fOated away. Thus there WAS no means of as
csrtaining It's length, but 1t certainly must have
been dozen feet, and the reptile was among the
largest Of its species ever seen In this county.
Some time ago the writer WAS in the smoking
car of a train on the Iron Mountain Hallway.
We were gliding through the Arkansas low
lands .nd crossing small, muddy bayou. when
the sight Of wrthing reptile, on a half sunken
log, started the talk upon snakes. Many singu-
lar experiences we're exchanged. The man seated
beside the writer was named Hall. He was well
advanced In life, cultured and modest, and lis
tened to the stories with much interest, but took
M at ipa llv Ia, La.