Winchester gazette. [volume] (Winchester, Va.) 18??-1826, 1822-09-14
CURIOUS SPECTACLE,
From the Richmond Encuirer

iOh' VIC
The exhibition of Mr. Meals rattle snakes
al the Eagle is too great curiosity to b.
passed over. 1t is one of the most singular
sights which we have ever witnessed.
Mr.. Neal IS Frenchman; while in North
Carolina, he attempted to procure some rat.
ue-analles, for the purpose of making out q
COLLECTION But some of the observations &
experiments he made, induced him to be
lieve The possibility of tanning this poisonous
reptile he finally made the trial, and sue.
ceeded in manner which is calculated to
astonish every behoider. What is the pro.
cess he employed, is unknown to u,-hs pro
badly availed himself of the power, which
control over The appetite of The animal gives
him-he dwells very much, TOO, on the
charms OF music while infamed by hunger,
and Irrita'ed by the application of hot iron
the creature 6 ioothed AID softened by slow
and plainiiVe strain.
Mr.. N. has two rattle. snakes-the male.
which IS q feet Sinches long, has eight rat.
t!e' 10 his tail, thus proving him to be 9
years old he has had this snake 4 years
The female is much smaller, and has 5 rattIes
-she has been with him SO months. So
great is their dociity, that he wi Il take them
up, after speaking sort of jargon TO them
aud siroking down their backs, as If they
were so many sirings-he will make them
crawl around his neck, and while one oftSem
IS thus hanging around him, he will take 10
and exhibit the other. The perfect harmless
ness of the reptile, and even attachment to
it's keeper, lie astonishing. Meanwhile, Mr..
n. is himself thoroughly at ease-completely
seif'Possessed, diVertipg the spectator with
the exhibition of his snakes, or instructiop
them by his explanations. He says, he has
no fesrs him,eIf: for, Independently of his
command over the animal, ne il sati.fed ne
can cure the bite of it-of the remedy he
mskes no secret. Wash your mouth first
with warm sweet oil aud then suck the
wound--next. drink most copously of the
decoction ofthe snake root, until il operates
as strong emetic. This is the rezimen ne
recommeDds-aDd which he believes 10 bs
infalible.
THERE'S no deception prac;ised upon you.
He opens the mouth of The snake, and show $
You his fangs. They are in the upper Jaw a.
ione-two on each side, and havs the faculy
OF renewing Themselves, in case they are
drawn out by violent blow; the fang is
within the mouth, bent, sharpene6, aud shea
thsd, like the claw Of cat, and turned to-
wards the throat; the orifice, tbro' which the
poison is elected, il a small groove on The no.
per side OF the fang, between its point and
upper curve; the poison bags lie at The roots
of the fang'. But to remove all doubts of
the poisonous qualities Of these snakes, being
uninlnred, Nh. n. proposes TO have a public
exhibition This week, when the snake will
kill young hare, by q slight stroke, and
then Immediately devOpr bin.
Perhaps M one has had so good an oppor.
t0nitS of studying the habits of the animal -
His remarks will Of course form q valuable
addition to natural history, He is On int ell
ligent man, and memoir may be expected
from him when he arrives in Europe The
male snake has just cast hi, skin, g. the new
one is most beautiful. The tail has fine
glossy black. He says they renew their skins
every two months, three times in the year;
perhaps from October TO April, they remsin
torpid oDd this function i, suspended. Most
probably 1t varies in different sosl<es with the
quantity Of food they can obtain. Mr. N
generally feeds mis- once week
They have also rattle every year after
the fret. They scarcely ever sbske it but
when they are strongly excited. or to strike
the attention of their prey. lie contends that
the use of their TaiIlss is to draw upon them
selves the eyes sc their victim, which gener.
oily consists of the neetest animals. as birds.
squirrels, &c. As soon ss the ewes meet. he
says the process Of charming commcnces.--
lie believes in this faculty, for he has seen it
exempliGsd in garden by biz own snakes
The victim will hop from bougb TO bcUgh.
ADD rock TO rock, overcome With apprehen
sion, un.il, approaching each other. tbs ,uske
;eizcs bin. IL denies altogether, that soma