The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-05-28

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| Madisonan.
From the Boston Mercantile Journal
THE RATTLESNAKE.
| This snake is peculiar, we believe, to North Amer
| lea, and was formerly found in great abundance in
New England but since the country has become set
tied, and an extermnatng war declared against these
noxious reptiles, their numbers have rapidly de-
creased, and now they are seldom seen. They are
still to be found, however, occasionally, we believe,
in certain parts of every New England State, but
generally confne themselves to rocky lodges in
cultivated tracts of the country In Chester, N. H.,
there is hill which, from the great number of these
reptiles which formerly made it their abiding place,
is called Rattlesnake hill few still remain, and
they sometimes killed in the adjoining towns,
| where they wander in search OF water.
| number of years have passed away since an
currence took place in the neighborhood Of Chester,
which caused considerable excitement in the neigh
boring families at the time, and which is still worth
relating. Some men were employed in moving
meadow, which was at distance from any dwelling
or road and as the weather sultry and many
parts of the meadow covered with water one Of
them, Mr. R., thought proper to divest himself of
nearly all his garments, and lead the van OF the now
ers culote 1t is well known that at this season,
when drought generally prevails, rattle snakes
very apt to come down from the high lands in quest
of water; and as Mr.. r. got at the end Of his swarth
and stepped the dry land he placed his foot almost
in contact with huge rattlesnake which raised its
TAIL gave it few quick and sharp shakes and sprang
at the poor fellow Just as he turned to flee, half
frightened to death, from the venomous reptile His
crooked poisonous fangs entered the lower part of
| the only garment which MIR. r. wore at the time,
the texture of which particularly strong, and
they could not be easily disengaged. MIR. r. gave
scream and started off the full run, the snake
| sticking to him closer than brother. He passed
woods bushes fields and pastureshe crossed fences,
bitches, brooks, and bogs-he jumped, hallooed,
galloped, and screamed for aid-yanly trying to rid
himself of his ugly-looking associate. At length,
crazy with fear and fatigue, he reached the public
road, and passed along it on the way to his dwelling
| house at rate which would have astonished the
most desperate pedestrian, looking behind him at in
| tervals and screaming whenever he beheld the hor-
rid appendage to his homespun linen garment. He
passed several persons in the road, who thun-
derstruck at the sight of the unfortunate man cut
ting up such ancs using such violent exercise, and
exhibiting himself in dishabe, without regard to
propriety or decency. Mr.. R. at lengte reached his
own dwelling, distance of three miles from the
meadow, the door of which stood invitingly open
through which he rushed to the CONSERVATION of the
women folks having still attached to him the grim
looking reptile. BY this time he was completely
overcome with terror heat, and fatigue, and fell
fainting on the floor The poor rattlesnake, howev-
er, had got the worst of it, and had been threshed
about at such unmerciful rate that his life as well
as large portion OF his tail, had departed long be-
fore he reached the goal
In the wild hills and trap lodges of Manchester,
Saugus and Linn, in this State this reptile is still
seen and sometimes killed. of size measuring five or
six feet in length. 1t is also found among the hills
in portions of the interior especially on Mount
Tom and Mount Hoyoke, on the banks of the Con-
nectcut.
In some parts of the western country the rattle
snakes abound and grow to the size of six or seven
feet Hunters or persons who have occasion to
> l,ln hoy rla AND otol
eggns made of deer-skins, to protect their legs
against the bite OF this ANIMAL they sell
dom strike their enemy at point higher than the calf
, of the leg When party of hunters or travellers
find necessary to encamp at night they select suit
able spot examine it thoroughly, that there are
holes or rocks about it, which may abiding
2 places to vcnomous reptiles and then draw around
them at proper distance stout rope manufactured of
horse hair, thus describing sort of magic circle, in
which the members of the party enter, throw them
selves on the ground, and repose without any fear
of intruders in the shape of snakes-as it is sim
gular fact that these creatures will crawl
a rope made of horse hair! 1t is not uncommon to
find, on awaking from their slumbers in the morning
, several Of these unwelcome vsiters, handsomely
coiled up at the distance Of few yards from the
circle
In the wild and mountainous region which sepa-
rates Virginia from Kentucky, rattlesnakes found
in immense numbers-indeed, great precautions are
necessary travelling among these lodges, lest the
traveller receives fatal wound In the latter part
Of September they may be seen crawling up by hum
dreds from the low lands search Of winter quarters
! and congregatng by thousands in various spots
where they may be by whoever wishes to
indulge in such curiosity, summing themselves on
the precipces. This tract is also the favore abode
of the catamount the panther of North America.
Rattlesnakes also found in great abundance to
the westward of the Rocky Mountains Cox in his
adventures on Columbia river, says, ct ese venomous
reptiles numerous the Grand Rapid that
they are seen IN immense numbers basking in the
! sun, and crawling among the rocks. At one time
half dozen of the party fired at bunch lying under
one rock and killed and wounded thirty -seven.n
In the western part of Michigan, and in the Wis
consin Territory, species of rattesnake abounds,
which is smaller than the ordinary yellow rattlesnake
and of a blue almost approaching to black They
are very venomous In some places on the banks of
} the Wisconsin, the numbers of these reptiles have
decreased astonishngly since hogs have been intro
duced by the settlers. Swine declare war against
them, never ending war, and hunt them for the sake
of their carcasses, which they consider great del
cacy. And what is singular, the bite of the snake
seems to have no injurious effect the hog-who
never hestates about attacking Of the largest
size. He seiZes the reptile by the middle with his
teeth, and maugre all his writings, and Kisses, and
bites, tears him to pieces, and devours him with
all the apparent relish Of an epicure
The largest rattesnake of which we have any au-
thentic intelligence, killed years since
on the shores of Apalachicola Bay, in Florida which
measured nine feet six inches in length, and had
twenty-one rattes He real old bruiser with
long and crooked fangs like mans finger. wound