The Rhode Island American, And General Advertiser

RICHMOND (Vir.) July 2.

CURIOUS INCIDENT.

A gentleman of great respectability, informs us of a very singular event which happened a few days since in Hanover county—on the plantation of a Mrs. Hawes, within a few miles of this city. A negro woman left her sucking child asleep in her cabin to bring water from a spring. On returning to the door of her humble dwelling, what were her astonishment and horror at seeing a black snake, coiled around the neck of her Infant, with its mouth applied to and apparently introduced into that of the child! Words are too faint to give an adequate idea of the feelings of the mother. With the wild shriek of horror, she rushed from the cabin, crying aloud for assistance, and flew into the presence of her mistress. There was not a man near them. They returned with the utmost precipitation to the cabin, whence they saw the snake departing, who, gliding through the weeds, effected his escape. On examining the poor infant, it was found dead. It is known that black snakes are fond of milk, and that to satiate their appetite, they will sometimes twine themselves around the legs of the cow, in order to suck its teats. It is supposed, that allured by the smell of milk in the mouth of the child, the snake coiled around its neck, and applied its own mouth to that of the infant. Its gripe is known to be very strong—and by this, as well as by introducing its head into the mouth, completely strangled the baby. It had no marks of a bite about it.—Few modes of death can be conceived more horrible than this.