The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1898-12-07
SNAKES AND NOTHING ELSE.
THE SOLE PRODUCT OF AN ORE
CON TOWN.
LinkvlIe the Haunting Retreat of Ser
penis. Roam About the Streets and
Creep Over the POrches of
Houses.

"LinkyIlle," or klamath Falls" is
situated in an obscure corner over the
California border line in Oregon, and
may be reached In twenty-four hours
travel from San Francisco. You have
only to take the northern bound train
for Ager, thence stage line of about
twenty-five miles conducts you to your
destination.
1t is impossible to associate 'snakes"
with the beautiful and varying scenery
through which you pass as far as
klamath Hot Springs. Trees and
all the glorles Of mountain scenery
greet you on every hand. You drive
through luxurious growth of ever
greens and shrubbery; you cross and
recross numerous streams; you breathe
the soft air of Shasta and SiskivOu.
But when you have left Klamath Hot
Springs a few miles behind there Is
an appreciable difference in the land
scape. Sparsity of vegetation is the
first observable change. At every
turn of the road the aspect becomes
more fOrlOrn, and more desOlate. FL
nalIy, you seek in VAN for tree or a
shrub, and at last, dusk-COVered and
weary, you pull up at dry, Withered
village that produces nothing on its
hard, rocky soil but revolving snakes.
You have reached L1nkville, the
haunting retreat of serpents.
There Is bridge in Linkville that
spans klamath river. From this
bridge, which is vantage point, as
far as view is concerned, most extra
ordinary sight meets the eyes. Along
the river banks at irregular intervals
of few yards, are seen dark balls
ranging from foot to three feet ia
diameter. They are stationary and
passive as boulder, which they re-
semble in color. But If a stone is hurl,
ed at any Of these strange spheres to
your horror snakes will crawl off in all
directions, and the ball will melt away
as lard in frying pan. The repulsive
creatures that have thus been coiled up
in perfect sphere glide away under
rocks and one minute later nOta snake
Is to be seen in that particular spot.
But the other balls of snakes in the vi
entity are little disturbed by the stone
A close inspection will reveal only a |
moving head or tWitChing tail in the
mass that before looked like an immov-
able boulder. Those that were scatter
ed, however, may later seek the nei gh-
boring spheres or in few minutes
stink out of their hiding places and re-
assemble themselves in balls.
As has been said, Linkville is very
barren district Nothing whatever
grows upon the rocky soil, not even a
sage brush, And SO the river banks
which are mass of driftwood and
rocks seem beftting place for snakes.
But it is surprising that they should
develop in such great numbers.
When not rolled in balls they may be
seen slipping in and out among the
rusblsh, and the ground for yards will
be a squirming mass.
These snakes are perfectly harmless
Indeed, if il were not for this fact
Linkville would be uninhabitabIe, for,
while the immediate neighborhood of
the river Is their fayOrite haunt, they
roam for many hundreds of yards
away, and may be seen along the road
ways and around the houses and creep.
ing over the porches, They possess
marked degree of tameness. You may
pick them up with impunity, and chill
dren play with them on the doorsteps.
The Linkyille snakes are dark in col
or with two yellOwish stripes on their
backs. The average size is about an
inch and q half in diameter and a yard
IN length, though many are some at
tam much greater proportions .-Sa
Francisco Chronicle.
~~~-
Typhoid fever aud all kindred ailments