NARROW ESCAPE FROM A DEATH ADDER A dairyman, named Daniel Farrell, living below Sebastopol, had a very narrow escape a few days since from being bitten by a death adder. It appears that Mr. Farrell, whilst felling a tree, felt something as if pulling at the bottom of his trousers. At first, believing it preceded from a branch of underwood, he took no notice of it, but on finding this pulling repeated he turned round and to his horror, perceived this deadly viper biting at his heel. With a cry of terror, he swung round the axe and knocked him off but it was to the circumstances of his having on strong trousers and a strong pair of boots, his escape from a frightful death was mainly due. The bite of these reptiles is as swift and fatal in its effects as that of the cobra de capello, and it is lucky for us that they are not numerous in this part of the Colony and are so sluggish by nature that they seldom bite unless attacked or trodden on. Farrell took the reptile home, having secured it in a forked stick and it is to be hoped it will find its way to the Burke Museum. It is described as being 20 inches long but that is a very unusual length for these noxious animals ... Anne Hanson No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.9.14/884 - Release Date: 2/07/2007 3:35 PM

Funny to think about it now, but it could well have been a Blue Tongue Lizard! All such creatures were regarded as "noxious animals" by newcomers. The OMA was not averse to doing a bit of a "beat-up" on these sensational stories either, were they? At least it demonstrated the value of "strong trousers and a strong pair of boots" for fellers in 1863. More value even than a shed. I hope the Burke Museum fed the poor thing at least? Peter ----- Original Message ----- From: "Anne Hanson" <ahanson8@bigpond.com> To: "AUS-VIC-NE-L" <AUS-VIC-NE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, July 03, 2007 5:55 PM Subject: [AVNE] Daniel FARRELL & the Death Adder - From the Ovens & MurrayAdvertiser July 23 1863 > NARROW ESCAPE FROM A DEATH ADDER > > A dairyman, named Daniel Farrell, living below Sebastopol, had a very > narrow > escape a few days since from being bitten by a death adder. It appears > that > Mr. Farrell, whilst felling a tree, felt something as if pulling at the > bottom of his trousers. At first, believing it preceded from a branch of > underwood, he took no notice of it, but on finding this pulling repeated > he > turned round and to his horror, perceived this deadly viper biting at his > heel. With a cry of terror, he swung round the axe and knocked him off > but > it was to the circumstances of his having on strong trousers and a strong > pair of boots, his escape from a frightful death was mainly due. The bite > of > these reptiles is as swift and fatal in its effects as that of the cobra > de > capello, and it is lucky for us that they are not numerous in this part of > the Colony and are so sluggish by nature that they seldom bite unless > attacked or trodden on. Farrell took the reptile home, having secured it > in > a forked stick and it is to be hoped it will find its way to the Burke > Museum. It is described as being 20 inches long but that is a very unusual > length for these noxious animals ... > > > Anne Hanson > > > > No virus found in this outgoing message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.9.14/884 - Release Date: 2/07/2007 > 3:35 PM > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > AUS-VIC-NE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message -- I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users. It has removed 107 spam emails to date. Paying users do not have this message in their emails. Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len

Yes, Peter I too wonder if it really was a death adder - whatever that maybe! Anne -----Original Message----- From: aus-vic-ne-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:aus-vic-ne-bounces@rootsweb.com]On Behalf Of Peter Ross Sent: Tuesday, 3 July 2007 8:17 PM To: aus-vic-ne@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [AVNE] Daniel FARRELL & the Death Adder - From the Ovens &MurrayAdvertiser July 23 1863 Funny to think about it now, but it could well have been a Blue Tongue Lizard! All such creatures were regarded as "noxious animals" by newcomers. The OMA was not averse to doing a bit of a "beat-up" on these sensational stories either, were they? At least it demonstrated the value of "strong trousers and a strong pair of boots" for fellers in 1863. More value even than a shed. I hope the Burke Museum fed the poor thing at least? Peter ----- Original Message ----- From: "Anne Hanson" <ahanson8@bigpond.com> To: "AUS-VIC-NE-L" <AUS-VIC-NE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, July 03, 2007 5:55 PM Subject: [AVNE] Daniel FARRELL & the Death Adder - From the Ovens & MurrayAdvertiser July 23 1863 > NARROW ESCAPE FROM A DEATH ADDER > > A dairyman, named Daniel Farrell, living below Sebastopol, had a very > narrow > escape a few days since from being bitten by a death adder. It appears > that > Mr. Farrell, whilst felling a tree, felt something as if pulling at the > bottom of his trousers. At first, believing it preceded from a branch of > underwood, he took no notice of it, but on finding this pulling repeated > he > turned round and to his horror, perceived this deadly viper biting at his > heel. With a cry of terror, he swung round the axe and knocked him off > but > it was to the circumstances of his having on strong trousers and a strong > pair of boots, his escape from a frightful death was mainly due. The bite > of > these reptiles is as swift and fatal in its effects as that of the cobra > de > capello, and it is lucky for us that they are not numerous in this part of > the Colony and are so sluggish by nature that they seldom bite unless > attacked or trodden on. Farrell took the reptile home, having secured it > in > a forked stick and it is to be hoped it will find its way to the Burke > Museum. It is described as being 20 inches long but that is a very unusual > length for these noxious animals ... > > > Anne Hanson > > > > No virus found in this outgoing message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.9.14/884 - Release Date: 2/07/2007 > 3:35 PM > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > AUS-VIC-NE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message -- I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users. It has removed 107 spam emails to date. Paying users do not have this message in their emails. Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to AUS-VIC-NE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.9.14/884 - Release Date: 2/07/2007 3:35 PM No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.9.14/884 - Release Date: 2/07/2007 3:35 PM