The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-05-13

CHARMED BYASNAKE
THE FEARFUL EXPERIENCE or A MAN
- UNDER ITS SPELL.

OA41AASuAA1O ~ / IA NAV hA1
THE FEARFUL EXPERIENCE or A MAN
UNDER ITS SPELL.
How II Feels t. Ds Fascinated ~
the Hypnotic InAuencs of a ser-
pent-Faeing Certain Death and Yet
ynabRs to Move . Limb.
Ihats snakes with . holy hatred; but,
not being afflicted with "nerves" in any
great measure, am not afraid Of them un-
der ordinary circumstances, and even in
the somewhat ont Of the way position in
which found myself on Saturday, tho
18th Of April, 1897, ! can hardly say now
whether 1t Ia to fear or fascination, al en-
tirely distinct from terror, that my feel
ings on that particular occasion are to be
ascribed.
Accompanied by my friend, Mr.. Lind
say Turner, went to spend the holidays
on shooting trip In the Blue mountains,
New South Wales.
On that memorable Saturday We had
done some hard climbing amid beautiful
scenery and around great gap when
we came out on high level which ran
back the way we had come. We decided
to return, Turner keeping to the higher
level and by the route we had traversed,
but with the understanding that we were
not to lose sight Of one another.
On the return I had very little difficulty
In regaining the former level, for the gap
ran many yards back, and had only to
follow 1t, holding by the projections Of the
ledge, until q firmly rooted shrub assisted
me.
had negotiated tho narrow, broken
lodges and was about to enter comparative
safety when, without any warning, my
friend, the snake, came slipping leisurely
along through the ferns and scrub within
few feet of whore stood at the extreme
end Of the terrace, upon four inch ledge,
holding on with the fingers of both hands
stuck in shoulder high erevice. Both
the reptile and came to . sudden halt
upon seeing each other, the snakes black,
forked tongue Pickering In and out a. ii
raised its head threateningly.
l wondered what on earth the brute
could be doing In that spot, but supposed
it had got out Of its course when making
for the low ground and presumed that,
after the nature Of its kind, 1T would scut-
tie back again as I advanced was on
the point Of moving forward when, to my
utter horror, instead of retreating, 1t be.
gan TO sway its head gently to and fro
horizontally, at the same time coming
toward me by imperceptlble degrees until
1t lay with it's round nose within striking
distance Of my leggings.
cannot account for the feelings which
took possession Of me- tried to retreat
had only to go back pace or two, and
would be in absolute security-but for the
life Of me could not do 80. Let 1t not
be thought that at this time l had the
slightest fear, notwithstanding the fact
that a bite from the snake meant certain
death, My only sensation was that Of
wonder both OF the serpent's behavior and
the consciousness of my inability to move
After remaining thus for some time the
reptile threw it's length by slow degrees
into coil, the transverse belly scales max
ing gritty, Kissing rustic as they drag
god over the rock. Then it gradually
raised its head foot above the center
coil, and have an indistinct recollection
that tried to cry to Mr.. Turner to ''look
ut the black snake" while cold sweat
broke out in the palms Of my hands.
The beauty of the snake excited an over
towering sense Of admiration in me-its
polished, jet black skin, It's diamond eyes,
the lovely tints Of it's belly, that flushed
and glowed from bright crimson to rosy
pink, and above all the eternal licking
and Pickering Of the long forked tongue
quivcring back and forth. After a time
my attention was fixed on the tongue
alone, and as watched its incessant
movement felt SO utterly helpless, yet SO
conscious Of that helplessness, without,
maintain, the slightest approach Of fear,
that wondered how 1t was l continued
to keep my hold.
The head swayed more rapidly now, and
low humming murmur throbbed
through my brain, drumming, drumming
in my ears and keeping time to tho sway,
till the eyes and tongue seemed a flashing,
glittering band Of light across my sight
Suddenly the movement ceased. My
senses returned instantly with great
contraction of the heart, like one who Is
suddenly awakened to terrible danger.
l trembled in every limb; the sweat
was pouring down my temples and along
my spine, for my danger was imminent;
the snakes neck was drawn back in o
curve sideways ready to strike; it shot
forward. l felt the slight blow as 1t
struck my Logging, and with shrek Of
desperate terror leaped backward off the
cliff. Down. down, down WENT struck
something-and came to myself again, to
find Mr.. Turner holding my head on his
knee and bathing it with Icy cold water.
My escape was almost miraculous, for
though was bruised from head to foot
and my shirt reduced to rags not bone
was fractured, not limb wrenched, only
my temple and shoulder were rather &C.
verely scratched OF course l am hardly
in position to give the details Of my
aerial flight, but my companions &C.
count, as he related 1t, when recovered
from my dazed condition and after search
ing carefully to make sure that the snakes
fangs had not penetrated my gaiter and
the thick breeches beneath, is as follows:
Seeing me regain the terrace after safely
passing along the broken lodges, he had
picked up the camera, with the object Of
snap shooting me, and was moving about
to get clear view through the trees when
called to him to "look at the snake"
For fully five minutes stood perfectly
still, at intervals calling out "Snake,
snake'' until suddenly sprang back
ward off the cliff. For 80 feet fell sheer,
and, my spring having carried me clear
of the rock, landed in sitting posture
upon the top Of tall mountain ash tree,
crashed through the small branches aud
so reached the ground.
After resting and smoking for half an
hour felt entirely recovered and deter.
mined to revisit the terrace, in the hope
Of finding the snake and paying off old
scores.
Arriving at the rocky platform, armed
myself with stout stick and had barely
covered half the terrace when l caught
sight Of my black acquaintance summing
himself at full length on the very verge Of
the precipice.
He came straight at me, with head
erect, swollen neck and Kissing like a
flend That sort of thing could under
stand, so cut him down, gave him one
across the back that broke his spine and
then administered dose of his own nedi-
cine by inserting the end Of my stick
among the writhing coils and tossing him
over the cliff .--San Francisco Examiner.