Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1896-05-06
TWO SNAKE STORIES.
TOLD EY a GENTLEMAN WHO IS AWAY
UP lH esRPlnToLocv.

TOLD EY A GENTLEMAN WHO IS AWAY
UP ln ssRPcnToLocv.
! srnkcs T;.at Should Not BE KBled-Hovs
the B:aci: Snake Hunts and Captures Its
Fccd-Hsscu.ng n Ship From Python
who Fad Calmly Taken Possession.
.sSit down and sharpen your pencil,
while overhaul my mental shelves, "
remarked Mr. Thompson, curator Of the
geological collection in TIE park, in an
swer TO request for some snake stories
Before giving you some of my expert
..aces l want to enter a protest against
the indiscrininate slaughter Of cur COM
.ion harmless snakes, such as the black
snake, garter snake and the like. Every
farmer should protect them, for they arc
beneficial, instead Of being harmful, as
ia generally supposed IL large major
ity OF humanity. Any naturalist will
tell you that the food Of the black snake
consists largely Of rats, mice. etc, while
tina. of the garter snake is principally
insects, such as erasshoppers, caterpil-
lars, etc.
"Now for some CT my experiences. In
my younger days Twas crossing Ashby' S
gap, over the Blue Ridge, Virginia, in
company with an uncle Of the famous
Black Horse Cavalry Asllby. We were
making a portion Of the ascent through
quito deep cut, when our attention
was attracted by g toad, which rolled
instead CT hoped down the side slope.
Ashby pulled up the horse and said,
There's black snake after that fellow.
An instant after the snake thrust his
head through the fence, and on observ-
ing us drew back In the meanwhile the
toad had gathered himself together, and
was hopping at a lively gait mp the road.
Ashby remarked, Now Twill show you
something, and sprang out Of the buggy
aud caught the toad, which he carried q
short distance ard released. Returning,
he turned the buggy and drove back
down the road some 30 steps, when we
alighted and tied the horse. Climbing
over The fence on the opposite side Of the
road to that on which the snake bad
made his appearance we stealthily work
ed our way up until we came il s;Sft Of
tho point where he was first seen. Lying
down il the long grass and peering
through the rails, We did not have 70
wait long before the snake reappeaued.
lie locked abcct fer a few seconds,
and then descended the slope down
which the toad had rolled, ard followed
his trail up the road. On coming to the
spot where it had been picked UP, he
began to circle, precisely as a deg would
act on losing the scent He gradually IL
creased the size Of his circles until lie
struck the epot where the toad he'd been
put down, whcn he made boo lire
after it, We loaped iuto the road and
hurried after his snakesh;p, who rs soon
as he discovered that he was being fol
lowed tarncd up the slope and squirmed
cut of sight through the fence. Asl.by
said. I am sue you are satisfied now
that black snake hunts by scent.
"Ncyy shall have to take you out to
South Africa. 1 lived i'll Durham, Natal,
which IS about l, 600 miles around the
Cape Of Coed Hope, Up toward Nads-
Sascar. O.ie morning 1 received :. note
frcm the port captain, asking Inc to
come down TO the harbor with ali poesi-
bic dispatch. as python lad taken Pcs
session CT Il German brig ard l N-;s
wanted TO capture ii. Taking enc Of ray
keepers with NE. hurried down. and
found quite crowd en- the jetty, among
which was the crew Of the brig. On in
quiTy / learned that there had been a
shower during the night, and III the
morning the mate had ordered cne Of
the men 70 50 aloft and shake out the
sails, IN order to dry thcI.a. He started
UP, and on reaching tho maintop turned
and came down on the clean rTin- The
tar was instantly ordered to hades
and numerous Other places, while the
valiant rnaCc started aloft to attend to
matters On his own hoot. No sooner did
his lead get on level with tie top than
he carc down Mt gait which far ex-
celled that Of the disobedient sailor. BE
instantly raised the alarm, and the en-
tire crew lost no time IL getting on
shore and spreading the report that the
rigging wGs fall CT the biggest Lind of
snakes.
with the assistance of TIE port cap
tain's binoculars / had no difficulty in
making critical examination of tie
entire upper works OF tie vessel, which
was anchored about leo yards from the
shore. The rcsultwas one large python,
ooiled around The laps OF the main All
topmast. Borrowing sack, l manage,
after much persuasion, to get two CT the
crew to pull myself ard keeper Off to the
brig. where they left Us and turned
back to the ictty. 1 unrovc the flag hal
yards, made Moose i'll one end Of them
and hunted around until found stout
piecc Of reed some SIX or eight feet in
length. Climbing up the shrouds, I
make my attack through the lubber' hole
by punching his slakeship with the
reed, to the end Of which had tied the
pccse. He put his head down through
the hole for the purpose Of fighting me,
when he was instantly nocsed around
the neck ani the halyeris made fast to
the ratlines. In his violent efforts to ef-
feet release he drew back with such
force as rapidly to choke himself into
insensibili.y. Calling to- the keeper TO
hold the mouth of the sack open, /
watched until l thought he WAS nearly
at his last gasp, when / squirmed up
on the top, loosened his coils around the
masts, lowered him into the sack, when
the keeper Immediately cut the moose
By the time that I reached the deck he
had nearly recovered from his severe
wind stoppage. I gently opened the
mouth Of the sack to have good look
at him and discovered from his bloated
hot 1n 1,o6 N a