ADVENTURES ON LINKS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18990, 11 October 1923, Page 10

ADVENTURES ON LINKS.

GOLFER TREADS ON SNAKE. A REMARKABLE ESCAPE. Very unpleasant experiences befel two prominent city men on the Killara links (says a Sydney paper). Mr M’Corquodale, of the milling firm of M’Corquodale Bros., and Mr J. Thompson, solicitor, of Pitt street, ■went to the links for a quiet game. They had only been playing about a quarter of mu hour, when their adventure started. Air Thompson, who was slightly ahead of his companion, was getting into position for a line drive along the fairway. lie was so engrossed in the game that he did not notice a black snake, some 3ft or 4ft in length, that was basking in the sun in a little sand patch. He trod on the snake, and his foot, pressed the reptile into the soft sand. The reptile’s head protruded from under his foot in such a position that it could not bite him. He was blissfully unaware of his danger all tho time, and only remembered afterwards that ho felt a sensation of walking on to something “soft.” His mind was till then entirely on his game, and he was oblivious of anything else till his companion camo up. Mr M'Corqnodale was horror-stricken; and bo was Mr Thompson, when he grasped the situation. The snake wriggled and quivered. 41 r Thompson quivered also, but put every ounce of weight into the downward pressure, while, grasping Mr M’Corquodale’s extended arm, he prepared for a spring. It was, ho said, "some spring” lie did! The snake, thus released, made off. Mr il’C'orqiiodalo went in pursuit, and despatched it with his mashie. Both wore just recovering their breaths when a smaller snake glided past, and was also killed. By this time tho two gentlemen had had enough excitement for the day, but their adventures had not finished. They were leturiiing to the clubhouse, when a child’s cries for help attracted their attention, and they hurried off in the direction of a gully. Mr M’Corquodalo tripped and fell heavily, and was badly bruised. It was found that tho cries proceeded from a little boy named Cromack, who had I jeon thrown from a pony and father severely hurt. A motor car was requisitioned, and die child sent to the hospital, where Mr M’C'orquorlale, limping back to the clubhouse, and Mr Thompson, suffering from tho effects of his own hair-raising experience, felt that they ought themselves to be treated.