The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1908-11-27
A TERRIBLE BATTLE
With MONSTER SNAKE.
Hunters Detail a narrowing Ex'
rrience of a Duel with
Hugh Reptile.

SOAhoCt VI NS4udhAs
Arrived nc the point selected. some
five miles distant from tue '.ownship,
the party separated. For some little
time Mr.. Cocklin pursued mis- way
without incident; then ne suddenly
espied geinea fowl, which ne brought
down with a wel,-aimed shot
Hurrying over tie vcldt 10 secure
his prize, he was juGt descending d
little fall in the ground when, TO his
horror be suddenly discovered that ne
was almost on top OF al arge python,
which lay cooled UP in front OF MIN.
Catching sight Of the startled sports
man ne great snake moved. Its tail
caught Mr.. Cocklin between 'rh
legs tripping him up and be
fore ne could save himself ne
was flung headlong into he
deadly, irresistible cole, which imme-
diate,y closed around his body in a
vise-Ike grip. Desperately the hunter
tried to extri cate himself, but all in
vain; the python had him fast in sue
away that mis- arm holding mis- gun
was pinned to his side.
With tie cold perspiration breaking
out upon his flesh, Cocklin threw NM
self this way and thau n a frenzy OF
desperation, for lie realized on-y TOO
well the horrible nature Of the death
trap into which he mad walked.
He essayed 10 shout hoping % make
his friends near and bring them to his
rescue but no answer Game 20 his
calls; no human being appeared in
sight. And al the time man ana sndk
lay there on the sunny veid,, the rep
tiles mighty, coils growing always a
little tighter as it endeavored to les
sen IT'S victims Struggles.
Presently, finding tie pressure upon
his body becoming uncomfortable MIR.
Cocklln gripped the snake by tie throat
striving wi IDLY 10 free himself. Over
and over, this way and that the pair
rolled, the py hon seeking ali the time
to free lbs hideous head or tighten II
coils sufficiently TO put an end to
Cockhn's struggles.
For perhaps ten TO fifteen minutes
minutes that seemed like hours OF tor
ture-this unequal terrifying figat
went on, and still neither had gained
any decided advantage; the man still
lived, though fast in the coils Of the
snake, which. in turn, though 1t held
its captive securely, was unable to
crush him outright or to release his
hold upon its throat, which prevent
ed it throwing coil roung his neck
and strangling him.
Now, python is 80 constructed mat
it can exert dts crushing power to
the full only wien IL Is able to get IA
leverage upon come fixed object-siy
by taking turn with its tail around
a tree. Presently-apparently realiz-
ing that some thing Of this kind was
required to enable it to finish off it's
prisoner--the great snake altered its
tractics and commenced to drag Mr..
Cocklin over the ground toward a
large hardwood tree which stood some
distance away.
The man saw and understood-the
battle was about TO enter on its last
and most dreadful phase! Desperately
he fought against the snake, trying
to get at his knife which was in
his right-hand caoT-rocked WI n the id
of cutting the creauee's throat; but
his horror. he found that the reptiles
coils passed over tile place where tie
weapon lay.
Finding | could not gel my knife"
said Mr.. Cocklin, in a letter wnicn
he wrote TO the Cape Times subsequent
ly, "ahd thinking that my claIices oi
surviving were not very bright, ! de-
termined that ! would not die aDne.
| saw that the barrel OF my gun pro-
jected just about aninch through be-
tween my arm and body where the
arm was pined 20 the side, and luckily
managed 10 reach tie trigger WI ID III
left hand. Gripping the python firmly
by the throat aud holding its head
we'll away, pulled The Trigger, and
the bullet, fortunately for me, caught
the snake through the back. IL then
relaxed its grip and / got rid of its
coils as fast as could.
when got upon my feet / put
my gun down and looked for a big
stone TO finish the brute with. Not
finding one. was about TO put my
foot on its head. and cut its throat,
when the ssnake made enother attack
upon me. getting hold OF my coat slew
and again pulling me to the ground.
Once more II attempted TO get its coils
around me but escaped them. 1t still.
retained It's bite on my sleeve, nowev-
err. / managedt TO get my foot on its
throat, which made 1t open it's mouth
Then got my Farm. free and called
for my friends sgaini One of them