The Portland daily press., 1900-12-01
SNAKES IN IRELAND.

London, November 27.-St. Patrick g
decree and the experience of hundreds OF
years to the contrary, snakes have been
found in Ireland. Two specimens Of the
ring snake have been found at Bray.
They immediately paid the penalty OF
death, and the skins are kept as great
curiosities. The Irish press maintains
the reptiles were imported from England.
Twice in this century, the alarm has
been raised that snakes had reappeared
in the Isle Of Saints,
In the year 1881 an Irish gentleman
named James Cleland determined upon
an experiment. he wished TO ascertain
whether the climate and soil of Ireland
were In themselves destructive TO the ser
pent species. He therefore purchased
half dozen of the common harmless
English snakes in Covent Garden Mar
kat, London. These he turned loose In his
garden at bath-Gael, In the county oil
Down. A week later one OF them whi
killed at Mileoross, about three miles dis.
tant.
The persons who killed 1t had no idea
of its nature. but fancied 1t to be curl
GUS sort of eel. DIR. j. l.. Dr ummond, q
famous Irish naturalist, was consulted.
AS soon as he saw the body he decla-ed
IL was o snake.
line lQoa tnat Eaie AlN0 Bal pAub huA
been killed within a short distance OF
the very burial place OF st. Patrick raised
an extraordinary sensation among the
peasantry. The most absurd ruulors were
circulated. and credited alike by the
country clergy and laity.
One priest declared that the appearances
| of the snake rorboded the approach OF the
millennium, Another saw In 1t type oil
| the approach OF cholera morbus. A third
warned his flock that the snake fore
Swallowed 1.-THE beginning OF the end"
More practical minded persons sub.
soribed q sum OF money to be paid out n
rewards for any other snakes that might
be destroyed in the district: three osne,
reptiles were In fact killed soon after
ward within few miles OF the garden,
where they had been liberated. The re-
manning two were never clearly ACCOUNT
| ed for, but no doubt they also fell vic
| tims to their hunters.
Again In the year 1890 snakes were re-
| ported to have been found In Ireland
| Three years previous an American show
man named Wilson had arrived ther'
With q menageris Of living animals
| Among them were lot OF snakes.
! One night Mr.. Wilson got drunk at tbs
village Of Armaugh, in Tipperary, an6
| In asspirit OF mischief let looseshis entir'
show. For q week there was an uproal
| in the neighborhood. Wild beasts OF al
sorts were continuously caught or slain
| But nothing WAS seen OF the den o
SNAKES. Meanwhile MIR. Wilson went q
prison for two years.
suddenly reports began to rise OF TN
strange Disappearance OF poultry ant
pigs Many suspicious characters We're
arrested, but the depredations still con
| tinued. At last one day fsrmers La
| reported that he had seen the devil In tn'
shape OF a serpent making away with I
| pig across Held.
Similar stories followed thick and fast
The people Of Armaugh began TO beiiev'
that the neighborhood had been given ri
TO the powers OF evil. Prayers and exor
cisms were tried without avail. III
bishop was appealed to in ayin. At las
MIR. Wilson's drunken exploit was re
called TO memory by writer In the Free
mans Journal.
The mystery was cleared up. Band
| for the determination OF the monster
were organized by the peasantry. Cobras
boas and other reptiles we're discovered
pursued and killed. But 1t took man
| years before that portions Of Ireland wa
RESTORED TO the virgin condition In whic
| Sc. Patrick had left IL.