Year: 1868

Monster Thirty Feet Long and SIX


InGhes Thiek-He Chases, Hen and


Boys "a visit ito KsIs lDen-O bse-Ya.


tions and Measurement-FulI De-


scriptIon of the Reptile.


During the past year very large
snake has been seen frequently on the
farm of Mrs. Joanna Kirk, in this town-
ship, about two miles from GAINESVILLE.
Mr.. James Woodland. who is farming
the lands on which this serpent dwells
and sports, has had several adventures
with It. Once in corn planting he was
pursued by it, and was compelled for a
few days to abandon his occupation for
fear of its attack" At another time he
was cutting his oats, when he heard a
rustling sound just before him in the
standing grain. On looking up and
ahead he saw the oats were pressed out
to the right andIlett from a common
center, and bending toward him, FORM
ing an opening about twenty feet long
and three feet wide. ..sa II afF7sr


Presently the head of the snake came
in view nearly on level with the top of
the oats, and moving directly toward
him. He also had a glimpse of the
snakes body, partly elevated against
the yielding stocks and partly zigzagg-
ging. on the ground; and he is of the
opinion that the length of the body
could not be less than thirty feet, and
fully ten inches across. It is certain
that Mr.. Woodland dropped his cradle
and "cut dirt closely followed by the
snake, until he was out of the field.
The monster then quietly coiled himself
about the shade of an elder bush to en-
joy repose, or to rejoice at the fright
Of the Lvanquished trespasser on the
sanctity of its home. 0 And so it re-
mainedruntil the long shadow of coming
night warned it to depart for its rocky
lstle. ..ii e-l


In raspberry time, a little colored boy,
son of Albert Mabra, was in search of
this fruit. Not thinking of the snake
he commenced to cross the oats field of
Mr.. Woodland. When about two-thir6 s
through the field he happened to look
back and saw, projecting fully five feet
above the oats heads, what looked like
black pole, and moving right at him.
ALI the stories of the snake flashed on
his mind, and away fled the boy through
the oats, with the snake close at his
heels. The boy, so badly scared, out
ran, tho snales ard escaped out of the
field, when it gave up the pursuit.


Nobody, however, had thoroughly
investigated the subject until last Sat-
urday, when we dispatched reporter
to the scene. He succeeded in learning
all about the snake, and relates his ad-
ventures as follows: .-..--


On last Saturday, after the storm, and
when the sun broke through the clouds
warm and shining, 1 determined to pay
visit to the habitat of the snake, to
see if 1 could get sight of it. l knew
that after. thunder storm, if the sun
shone hot and bright, that the larger
snakes invariably come out TO sun them
selves. So, armed with a revolver and
large hickory club, l started down the
railroad and crossed over to the summit
of the hill, just above Mr.. Cox's resi-
dence. Walking along the line fence
between Mrs. Kinks and Mrs. Jones'
farms, which seems to be the pivotal
point about which the perambula-
tions of the snake are performed, pro-
ceeded west until l came to Mr.. Wood


lands tobacco field. Here 1 observed
two pannels of the fence crushed down
to about three rails high, and across the
broken fence lay what 1 took to be a
black log, about the size of an ordinary
tier pole. i-'-'


went on few PAGES further, when
the sun flashed out and the whole length
of the supposed log that was in sight,
shone brightly in its warm rays. i
halted, when not over twenty feet from
the black object, and stood still. I was
satisfied it was the thing sought for. 1
grasped my club with frmer hold and
remained motionless, for perhaps five
minutes, when the head of the snake
shot up above the top of the tobacco
plants only three rows from me. The
head was about foot long and six in
ches wide, and of dark -brownish color
The eyes were large or appeared to be,
and as black as charcoal. They were
surrounded by white ring as large as
a silver five cent piece, and gave hid
e1us glare to the side of the head. ..


To run was useless, and to attack the
snake, considering its prodigious size,
was too fearful an undertaking to be
thought of, and as was dressed in black
clothing, 1 believed the reptile would
take me to be stump. $50 determined
to remain still and note events. Direct
ly the head of the serpent beganIto To-
tate first to the west and then toward
me, but as his snakeship kept his mouth
shut, l felt sure that he did not recog-
nize me as man. In little time the
head bent forward and commenced to
move along the tobacco row at right an
giles, with the fence. When the head had
got perhaps fifty yards distant, looked
for the black log across the fence, but it
was gone. By this time the head was
at least hundred yards from me, and l
resolved to make an effort to see the en-
tire body if possible. Imade a circuit
through corn field adjoining the tobac-
co field, and came out close to a large
stump in sight of the snakes head, a
little south of me. On my way had
found couple of clapboards.


went on the opposite side of the
stump from the snake, placed one of the
clapboards on the ground, and gave it a
half dozen strokes with the other. At
the unusual noise the snake thrust its
head and body up fully six feet above
the tobacco, shot out its tongue with a
clpcking, kissing sound, and then darted
away obliquely toward the fence. As
the serpent had retreated in such haste,
l grew bold and dashed down through
the tobacco, and when I came in sight of
the fence the snake had just reached it.
1t poised its head on the seventh rail
and slowly glided over the fence. The
tim nonsnnad in nassinn anrnrs- tha