The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-11-07
DEADLY COMBAT
BETWEEN SNAKES.

From the Atlanta Journal.
While scouting the banks Of East Lake
I'm search OF a breakfast this morning a
big king snake ran plump into a rattle
snake four feet long, whose dimensions
should have forced Il retreat. according to
al recognized rules of warfare, but Whose
fat proportions promptly suggested q gor-
geous feast to the hungry ruler OF reptiles.
Mike McDermott, q farmer's lad. from a
cltifp OF berry bushes near by, saw tho
chance meeting Of the two snakes and OBJ
served the fierce prize fght which followed.
He had been picking berries on the banks
or the AXE and looked up just as the scaly
fellows raised their heads to make the rus
tonlary polite bow preliminary to the en-
Gagenent. hey Were in 4 first-rate prizs
ring formed by q sandy clear spot among
the bushes.
Mike says the king snake looked surprised
WHEN he saw the RATHER preparing for de-
Tense. slowly and with extreme caution
the rattler raised his head until half its
body. was In the air. Then it stood rigid.
as If expecting an attack but determined
10 ward it off; The king, three feet long.
circ!cd around The RATHER several times.
drawing nearer with each round.
When the king had narrowed the circle
raised his head and body in the air and
stood facing HIS adversary. For several
seconds they glared ut each other IN this
Then the RATHER picked his tongue out at
the king, an ind!gnity beyond the limits of
princely endurance. The king very prompt
~ itSt'tsi liis llSuiI bE CdrIlnS Forward
like a fash and hooking his neck around
the neck OF the %!ulpudent RATHER. Then
the battle was on In earnest. The ra;tler
was lighting for mis- life; the king for his
They fell from their lofty attitude and
Iol'ed In the sand. They made no sound as
squeezed. Now the -attler was making
fierce pecks at the kin with his fangs;
then the king had the RATHER by the back
OF the neck. but lost, the strange hold as
TIA GTnIt 1iu r1nlf.IaN En,n; a-J
sGuirmed; all the while the lower parts u
both bodies are twined like strands of Yari-
colored rope
Sand flew UP In little clouds az they
fought, Mike McDermott says. At times tho
snakes were lost 60 view as they tattled In
the hollows made by their contortions.
to run away. The folds Of the hing snake
were wound too tightly about him. how
ever. and he was held to the battle-ground.
After that the kirg had the fighting all his
way and made the going according to his
own Idea.
Finally, She %rattler gave up; He lay
sand, the king twined about him will, up
lifted head directly over the head Of the
vanquished. Mike saw the coils OF tho
king tighten about the body of the other,
tiers frame as the bones in the diamond
hack bent and snapped. The fight, which
had lasted half an hour, was over,
The boy in the bushes saw the king
snake lean forward and touch the tip of the
rattieT's nose with his nose. Then the red
mouth of tina king opened wide in exrlta-
ton and satisfied anticipation of the feast
perhaps. In another minute the king was
engaged In eating his late adversary. II.
keeping with a time-honored habit OF his
race.
When the RATHER had half disappeared
into the face Of the king, Nike McDermott
spralg OUT Of the bushes and captured the
victor with q forked stick. Chucking him
with his partly swallowed breakfast in a
bucket. Mike carried the snakes home
There he transferred the unique natural
history subjects to IL pasteboard box and
hurried to the Journal Office. following the
dictates OF an instinct that may yet trans
form him into a newspaper reporter.
On the way the king nearly finished his
feast, but Mike. with an eye to business.
pulled the dead RATHER back and the kim,
had TO begin all over again. This happened
several times before the snakes were rjaced
before Il camera.
The king didn't seemed to mind WORKING
overtime on his breakfast, but went at bts
meal with renewed energy each time he
was deprived Of 1t, taking a long pull and
a strong pull. IS |! he was under CONTRACT
to finish the job in spite Of all interference
The plaudits Of spectators did not phase
him In tie least.
1t seemed almost impossible that the
smaller snake could swallow the larger. but
half q dozen men saw the process. The kin
would draw his body up In a series OF
cures. leaving only his neck In a straight
position. Then nc apparently eXerted all the
strength in his body to push his head and
nick over the -attler until all the curves
seie gone and his body was straight again.