The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1895-01-03


transfer was not, however, quicker
than the snake, for It bit the stick in
its 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
its head to bite him. Having the prey
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 OReillv's horror
to discover that the coil was not one
snake but two; and the second and
larger reptile, now for the first time
showing its head, was hurriedly
getting ready to strike.
Strike it did, and it was only the
multitude of the weedstallss in which
it lay that saved the naturalist's hand
from the deadly venom In his long
training as n snake hunter quickness
of thought and action grows to be
second nature with Mr. O'Reilly. A
leap backward carried him out of
range. The next thing was to capture,
if possible. the second snake, for the
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
powerful copperhead. 1t easily glided
from beneath the stick, biting at it
savagely, and made straight for it's
prosecutor. 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 its head. At the sight of his
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 fat head of the
| enemy twist up from another opening
between the rocks and slowly near his
face.
| Once, twice. and a third time the
savage reptile struck at his face, and
the last time Mr.. O'Reilly thought
that he felt 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 60 the snake would be
upon him before he could get to his
feet. His position was not only pain
full, but very firing, 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 a con.
siderable distance away. The hunter,
now a captive himself, shouted to him
again, and after what seemed long
time the young man burst through the
bushes and ran to the PROSTATE
OReilly, only to leap back with a cry
of terror. He had all but touched the
copperhead in the naturalist's left
hand.
whats that you've got there?" he
cried.
So great was OReilly's relief that he
grew facetious
"That's an African rhinoceros," he
replied, land that thing in my other
hand is polar bear. Can't you see for
yourself? If you're through asking
questions of great scientific interest
perhaps you'll open that bag and help
me cage my menagerie."
The young man got the first-caught
copperhead into the bag. after which
he hattened his gun barrel down over
the other snakes head. Fearing, how.
ever. that this would kill or injure the
snake, the scientist told him to raise
the gun. At this the reptile turned
back on its own length and made fol
the hand that held it. Lucky it wal
for O'Reilly that it had not made thi.
move before. Upon seeing its head
coming he let 60 his hold on the tai
and took up his stick to be ready. On
came the snake right out of the hole
and commenced to coil for spring
directly in the open within shadow OF
the rock. But O'Reilly's snake sticl
forestalled it. and slid in over its neck
just behind the head. Then it wa.
dropped into the bag with It's compan
ion.
That ended the snake hunting fol
the day. The two specimens are now
in Mr.. O'Reilly's collection in this city
Even without them for mementoes hi
will not be likely soon to forget how
he was caught between two copper
heads and for short space held cap
tive with death only q short inch from
his face.-N. Y. Sun
| Was Supplying the Deficiency.