FORTY DRUNKEN SNAKES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2492, 30 June 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

FORTY DRUNKEN SNAKES.

Colonel Irvine, who lives just on the outskirts of Richmond, Kentucky, had three barrels of Anderson county whisky 14 years old in his cellar, says a Lexington paper. He left the bungholes open to age it faster and make it mellow. Judge of his surprise when he wont to show it to some visiting friends, one morning to find that it was nearly all gone, and in one of the barrels only about two gallons were left. In this barrel over 40 large black snakes were discovered, all in a beastly state of intoxication, while in the dark corners of the eel lara groups of rattlesnakes were coiled some sobering up while others were in various stages of intoxication. They had frone in through a hole in the basement iloor, and as Colonel Irwino was away with Iris family for about three months, it is supposed the snakes, not being disturbed, stayed with the whisky, and did not draw a sober breath during all that time. Pattriuk Cunningham waa called in, and he succeeded in killing 3000 snakes in that place within two weebs, receiving for his services £2 per 1000. Cunningham is rather a Bmall man, of very dark complexion, with a thick mat of dark hair. He has keen, piercing eyes, and talks with wonderful rapidity. He was born in India, near Calcutta. His parents were Irish, and were sent out by the English Government for department work in that province. It was in tlia jungles of India that Cunningham discovered from the natives the formula for making the deadly lotion so fatal to poisonous reptiles. The natives all anoint themselves with it, and are thus rendered snake-proof. Cunningham says he will keep on killing and driving out,the snakes until there is not one in the State of Kentucky if the people will pay him for it.