ANOTHER SNAKE STORY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2416, 25 October 1892, Page 3

ANOTHER SNAKE STORY.

The New York Herald of the 4th of August, 1R92, says:— Some young people in Havana city persist in telling of a frightful experience they had last Sunday afternoon while rowing on Thomson's lake, not far from this city. As they were passing through the flooded district, which is thickly grown up with underbush, one of the young men, they state, pointed a revolver at what was supposed to be a log lying half submerged in the slimy water and asked his companions to note how accurately he would hit the centre of the fallen tree. At the report of the weapon the supposed log began to move about in an extremely lively manner and soon the waters were white with foam. To the horror of the young folks, an immense and hideous head reared out of the water. The shape of the head they declare was like that attributed to the sea serpent. The head was covered with a scaly hood, and the body with enormous scales. The reptile had small eyes, which glittered fiendishly, and from the hideous mouth long fangs shot forth with rapidity. So frightened were the occupants of the boat that they did not linger long to take observations, but rowed for clear water as fast as they could. The young ladies kept up a continuous screaming. The serpent followed the boat some distance making the most hideous noises, while the atmosphere was filled with a fetid odor. _ A farmer residing in the Spoon River bottoms says he is satisfied this snake has been for some time in the bottoms, as he has always wondered at the wide swash made in the grass, and could never account for it. Other people claim to have seen this snake, and some farmers report the loss of young stock and poultry. It is currently reported that the reptile is the same that escaped from a river menagerie some two years ago.