The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-09

tumble him and his rider into poo swarming with afligators and twenty five sorts of water snakes.
 They Resist Capture.
 A snake stalker, of course, only at- tempts to take the more valuable and strange specimens of serpents. When he catches the gleam of the right sort of a coat through the rushes or spiSs a fine moccasin dangling from a limb over his head he halts and goes into action with his copper wire moose and bamboo stick. If he can he slips the moose over his snakeship's neck and draws it taut. Then he gets the puff fling, thrashing, splitting reptile twixt thumb and forefinger around the neck and drops him into the cotton bag. He gives the bag quick swirl so that the fang that darts forth instantly is embedded in a thick fold of cloth. h. variably in a crisis a hunter throws away copper wires and seizes a snake with his hands, grasping him well to- ward the head, so that he cannot twist it around and thrust his fang into the hands.
 It is not uncommon for a snake seeker. to bag a dozen moccasiolS around a single pool. A few weeks ago Mr Ditmars, in company with his as- sistant, MT. Snyder, and guide, was trekking in the swamp near Roberts vile. The guide had only consented to lead the party on the snake hunt in consideration of double pay and enor- nous potations of free whiskey.
 In the middle afternoon they were proceeding slowly, single file, when Ditmars loitered a moment in search of possible catches.
 "Go ahead; I'll overtake Vou." he called to the others. He began prSn- ding the bog with his bamboo stick and found it alive with moccasins. Some he captured with the wire moose. One eluded him and slipped into the water. Ditmars followed the snake down to his boot tops in the slimy pool and dragged the moccasin forth. After two hours the hunter found himself exhausted, sweating at every pore, but happy in the possession of eleven cottonmouth snakes.
 All that remained of daylight was a faint red glow across the rushes. Now, to stay in a South Carolina swamp over night means death. If the mos ouitoes and snakes do not kill a man the foul miasma smites him. Ditmars felt sorry that he had told Snyder and the guide to move on. They had per haps lost track of him. He set the bag of snakes down and drew his revolver. He fired at intervals. thinking that this was more likely to attract atten- tion than shots in rapid succession. Long after all the chambers were ems ty Snyder and the guide hove into sight.
 Well, I bagged eleven snakes, boasted Ditmars, as they set off.
 Hit mout not of tuck 'leveh snakes to see yo' finish befo, da'k, boss" res marked the woolly- y-headed guide over his shoulder.
 Between a negro and snake there is no affinity, and to the darky a man who hunts snakes Is in league with the powers of darkness. MT. Ditmars lately captured a hognosed snake in cotton field. The negroes call these serpents "spreadin' adders," and consider them terribly dangerous. although the bite is about as bad as the pinch of Jer- sey skeeter. A hog-nosed snake, like the possum, is an actor and his favorite role is playing dead. As soon as the naturalist lay hold of the tail of this terrible "spreadin' adder" it gave one despairing flicker and apparently yield ed up the ghost.
 Its trafficking with Old Nick, but I've got to bring that snake back to life; I need him in my laboratory" re-