Encounter With Snake

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 302, 22 December 1939, Page 2

Encounter With Snake

i ; MAN FALLS IN WELL 1 SYDNEY, Dec. 13. A resident of Moss Vale, about 60 . miles south of Sydney, Mr. J. E. 2 Magrin, had an unenviable experience , after falling into a well. He had a 3 venomous black snake for a companion. Alone on his property, Mr. Magrin 3 was drawing water from the well when . he saw the snake swimming in the e water. With a bucket, he tried to kill 2 the snake by jamming it against the i side of the well. He was standing on a t plank across the well mouth, and the . plank snapped. > M. Magrin fell headlong 20ft. into . sft. of water. Stunned, he saw the snake swimming towards him. He . brushed it aside. He clung to a polo s up the side of the well. The snake struck at him several times. He kicked it away to the other side of the well. Mr. Magrin began to haul himself up hand over hand. The climb to the top took half an hour. He collapsed after reaching the ground and lay unconscious for an hour. When ho recovered he sought medical attention for an injured shoulder. The snake was apparently none tho ! worse for the encounter. It was still in ! the well, several days after Mr. Magrin had his tussle with it, and so far as the man is concerned, it can stay there for ever. He had made no ’ further attempt to kill it.