A SNAKE STORY.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2550, 9 March 1877, Page 3

A SNAKE STORY.

A correspondent writes :—A short time since a little boy named Ciss, residing with his parents near Mount Blovvhard, was sent to drive houro: some cows which were pasturing oh the road-side a distance from the house. The lad being absent somewhat longer than usual, his father went in search of him, and was surprised at finding the cows still feeding but no signs of the boy. Thinking the youngster had lain down in the.shade of one of the. many wheat cocks distributed . about tUo adjoining field, the father shouted lustily, and after a short interval heard a faint cry .in the direction named. Fearing he knew not what, the father hastened in the direction of the smothered sound lie. had heard, and on approaching one of the cocks was horrified at seeing his child, a stout little fellow about nine years of age, struggling on the ground in the embrace of a large snake. For a brief period the parent was almost petrified by fear, but his child's fearful position quickly nerved him to action, and observing that the brave little fellow—although literally encased in the folds of the reptile-^had the snake tightly grasped with both hands near its i head holding its venomous fangs at arm's length, he drew forth his pocket knife— which fortunately-happened to be both stout and sharp—and seizing the snake close up to where the boy's bands clasped it hacked the fearful things head off. This was not done a moment too soon, for the child, weakened by the struggle and excitement, fainted just as his" father was using the knife. To rid the boy of the slimy folds of the snake—a monster of about six feet in length and five inches in circumference—was the work of a few moments, and the little fellow soon reregained consciousness. He allayed his j father's fears by asserting that he had not been bitten, and this, happily proved to be correct; as the boy showed no symptoms of poisoning. The little fellow told how he had gone across the field for a short cut, and noticing the enticing shade of a wheat-cock he sat down to rest. Just as he was about to rise from the spot he saw the snake close to him, with his head raised almost touching his face. He had seized it around the neck with both hands, and then he found it winding itsel! around him. He had | screamed till he couldn't scream any longer, and was beginning to feel quite sleepy when he heard his fat her calling him. The rest is known. The father's timely arrival on the scene saved his child from a certain, horrible death.—Ballarat Post.