The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1921-09-01
THE HORN SNAKE
IN SOUTH CAROLINA
THE QUESTION is, DOES THIS
REPTILE EXIST HERE-EDI-
TOR HOITT SAYS 1T DOES

Sentinel published one recently about
the horn snake that was killed in
Pickens county and among the other
State papers that either copied or
commented on the SentinePs story.
was the Columbia State, which ridi-
cuIed the idea of horn or hoop snake
having been seen in South Carolina.
Rather than be made "goat" Of the
Sentinel editor produces some inter-
esting data on the subject from the
early history of upper South Carolina,
which clearly indicates that there was
such a snake in the State then and
says further that "Most everybody
has heard of the horn (or hoop) snake,
but few have actually seen them. The
belief that there is such a snake is so
general and tales of it so numerous
that there is bound to be some foun-
dation for it. However, in this at
tempt to prove that there is a horn
snake, The Sentinel is using no hear
say evidence at all, but all statements
made can be proven by some OF our
most reputable and hovorable citizens.
"The snake referred to in the re-
cent news item was killed in Rocky
Bottom by Messrs. Frank Stewart,
Charlie and Homer Gravley. We
have seen one of the Messrs. Gravley
and he tells US the snake was nearly
nine feet long and as large as mans
thigh. The snakes head was in the
wagon track of the road when first
seen and was shot. When shot it
violently brought its tail over its back
and struck it into the ground. An
examination of the snake proved that
two or three inches of its tail was a
hard, horny substance which tapered
to a sharp point and in the end Of
this point was a pin-like "stirger." +"
1t is supposed that the snake puts out
its poison with this singer.
"For the past several years many
cattle in the Rocky Bottom section
have been found dead and no cause
for death could be found. It is now
thought by the people up there that
the large horn snake recently killed
in that section was the cause of the
death of the cattle. There is no proof
of this, but it is likely supposi;ion. !"
Logan's History of Upper South
Carolina, in speaking of the snakes OF
this section, says:
"Betram met with a reptile which
he calls the horn snake in his travels
in Carolina, and spesks of it as fol-
lows:
The pine OF bull-snake is very
large and inoffensive, with respect to
mankind, but devours squirrels, birds,
rabbits and every other creature it can
take as food. They are the largest
snake yet known in North America,
except the rattle snake, and perhaps
exceeds him in length; they are pied
black and white. They utter terri
BILE loud, kissing noise, sounding very
hollow, and like distant thunder, when
irritated, or at the time Of incubation,
when the males contend with one
another for the desired female.
These serpents are also called horn
snakes, from their tail terminating
with a hard, horny spur, which they
vibrate very quickly when disturbed,
but they never attempt to strike with
it. They have dens in the earth,
whittier they retreat precipitately,
when apprehensive of danger
Lawson, who traversed the same
region about seventy years earlier
than the botanist (Bertrarn), describes
another under the name of the horn-
snake serpent, of totally different
character. OF the horn-snake,' he
says, 4 never saw but two that 1 re-
member. They are like the rattle
snake in color, but rather lighter.
They hiss exactly like a goose when
anything approaches them. They
strike at their enemy with their tail,
and kill whatsoever they wound with
it, which is armed at the end with a
horny substance like a cocks spur.
This is their weapon. I have heard it
creditably reported, by those who said
they were eye witnesses, that small
locust tree, about the thickness OF a
mans arm, being struck by one OF
these snakes at ten o'clock in the
morning, then verdant and flourish
ing, at four in the afternoon was Dead
and the leaves red and withering.
Doubtless, be it how it will, they are
very venomous. think, the Indians
do not pretend to cure their wound.