The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-04


BANGOR, Me-, June 2-The three mastcd
schooner william +. Campbell Of ChrrryfeG
had a lively time down in the West Indies
little while ago. AS the laxative and thrifty
cook tells it, the story is good enough for a
place in great snake literature. The cook
gazcd refectively into the mouth Of a stone
lar that sat the galley floor as he re-
called an exciting half hour on hoard
the Campbell while she WAS at Kingston.
Jamaica. this spring, and as he concluded the
story he gave the jar Il contemptuous kick.
saying: But that's only little teller: small
est snake OF the lot"
As the king OF The galley tells it. the Camp
bell was lying head on to he pier at Kingston
discharGing hard pine. when one hot alter
noon what should come climbing in over the
starhoard cah,ad but a snake that looked to
bo about fifty Teet long lhe men howled in
fright and lied 10 the rigging. while the snake
said nothing. but Kept on coming. l there
seemed to be a good deal OF him. tor he kept
sort, oil pouring IN over the t"rgaliant lore
near the windIass. like u stream of cold mo-
lasses., When finally the whole OF him had
around and seemed actually to grin as he be-
, held all hands. barring the cook. hustlnR up
~" Can snakes climb? ?" yelled one Of the sail
ors to the mate. and the mate replied:
"Oi course they can. you lubber.-cIlmb like
pom the receipt Of this encouraging infor-
maton a., hands raced to tine n%stn "pd Won
them across the sprlngs!ay.
| The cook WASN'T up aiolt however, He was
avnS ane nround pc Sa
been shipnates with snake, before, and he
wasn't lii ratified at the sight Of thus eighteen
| loot mOccasln. with his RlllterInR eyes and dia
| mould marked back He hustled Tor the alter
house, and. diving down below. came up pres-
| E.dglng up to the snake, who had by this time
| made procession OF himself IN the waist. the
| cook deity threw the towel over the reptiles
head and then got out of tho way lively.
| The touch of the towel ur the odor OF the
! chtorotorm startled the snake Perhaps he was
an escapei circus snake and had smeli"d dope
| drugs before. Anyway. he mad" one graceful
| and lightning like spring and sailed over the
Of the way Of the stsvedores Nothing in the
circus could match that lump. 1t was like the
ana brilliant performance. with positively no
| side OF the boom he darted ait ike nash. but
| he must have been blinded with rage, Tor he
| didn't see where ne WIS gotn.. and gave his
pretty head a bump against the hatch co ming.
appear. the reptile went forward again and iaid
his head down plump on the choroformed
| towel.
In few seconds it was all over with the
| big moccasin. he gave one or two wavy sort
Of qnlyers ana then stretched out as imp as az
old hawSeT. Tho crew came down from aloit
and poked the reptile vii h capstan bars and
things. and seeing that there were no more
I snakes around. ventured the opinion That this
| one was not 30 hot-that maybe he "ouldnt
! bite, anyway.
| The cook laughed scornfuy said something
| about hustling aoft from tOuthess snake
and then suggested. You lust look at his
| singer
But there was no curiosity on that point Just
then. The cook took tho snake. without opno-
sluon, and poured him int" hg SI"n" Jar, tail
first, Uillng tn" jar uI thea Wtn Jamaica rum.
! Later the cook went ashur" nnd captured hr-
teen other mucchsins, varying IN length rom
fourteen inches TO seven lcrt, All ul VII rl lie
| preserved in Jars ot jamaica rum. When the
Campbell arrived in Bangor the cook set IN "a
snake store. He sold the hig one 10 Boston
man tor S2'j, and the others to various co!lec
/ tors for various prices down to IL,
Tho Bangor SteNCloreS declared that II was a
shame to spoil so mach good Jamaica rum by
! soaking snakes Ia IL. Ii twas snakes the cook
was after. h" could get ali he wanted IN the
native rum sold here, with tue chlQrO oim elect
4 thrown in.