New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-06-16
Rast,esnakes. +.

ing the particular ways OF these terrible reptues,
kept In cage, and succeeded in furnishing hlni-
self with four of them, of various sizes. For
fear Of some accident on account of the ncgii-
gence OF his negroes, he had placed The cage
which enclosed them N a spacious room, winch
he made his bed-chamber a negro was selected
to feed and attend to them. it was my friends
custom, on his return home, to take glance. at
his animals, to assure himself of their being pro-
perly fed, and their cage door being well shut
One nipht, having come home very late and tired,
he neglected this precaution and went TO bed
The weather was very hot, and, Notwithstanding
his state of fatigue, several hours glided away
without his obtaining any sleep lie suddenly
heard light sliding noise on the floor along the
wal, os tile apartment, which left Off very soon,
and he ceased TO give any more attention 10 the
circumstance. After some moments, the same
noise revived, and he then cautiously locked out
OF bed 10 ascertain what might be the cause OF It,
The moonlight shining full INTO The room, he OBJ
served .te LARGEST Of the snakes he had il rat
: 1Ies] roaming free along the floor. leave the
reader TO imagine what were his impressions at
This unexpected sight What was he to do III
this case? A loaded gun was hanging at the
extremity Of the room. How to reach 1t wasthe
question, Farther was this animal the only one
out of the cage, or were all the others, too, at
liberty The whole Of the servants were asleep.
He resolved TO wait for the morning, but first
took the precaution of slowly and carefully draw
ing up his musqmto curtains around the bed !;
afterwards he sat down and patiently watched the
issue. The animal continued to make some I'M
du!atory movements through the room; after
which the Doctor heard him approach the bed,
and at last all became silent
At daylight, he heard the steps Of a servant
who was coming according to his custom TO per
form his morning duty. The Doctor cried out to
him not to open the door, but TO go for an old
African negro named Isaac, who was known to
approach these reptiles without fear. The latter
arrived, entered confidently, and saw the snake
rolled up under the bed. The three others had
remained in the cage, although the door was
open-his first care was TO shut it. My friend
insisted on his shooting the snake Isaac rct,l-
sed and declared himself able TO seize the animal,
without the least fear of being bitten by him. In
effect, he advanced to the bed, whistllng softly
with his lips, pronouncng some wordsln English
IN caressing tone, and then, after some minutes,
he yentured to pass his hand over the back Of the
snake, all the time trying to sooth him. Alter
wards, lifting him gently by the head, while he
continued to whistle talk and soothe him, he IN
duced the animal to place himself on his arm and
body. The snake let the negro carry him thus
through the chamber, without betruying either
fright, or any offensive emotion. The Doctor
asked Isaac to replace the reptile in bis cage
tempt it, the snake would be angry and bite me
lookeo Indeed, scarcely did Isaac stop and lean
towards the cage, before the animal began TO
move brisk]y and sound the rattle.
Isaac Immediately got up began again his
soothing caressss, and the animal fell calm. nc
then asked for strong sheet; by degrees accus
toned the snake to the view of this object and
then passed one end of the edges out between lns
arm and the animals body, continuing his whccd-
ling and walking about all the hmc. As soon as
he was certain that he could in moment, cnvelop
the animal in the sheet, he rapidly threw it around
him, and thus was the snake mastered. All that
remained now TO be done was TO reinstate hun IN
cage; of which the door was very small com
parativcly with the mass which formed the animal
so wrapped up. Isaac displayed the same dex-
terity in unrolling the sheet chat he had done be-
fore in all his interesting man9uvres. lie Sue
ceeded, by series of quick and skllul move
ments in getting him back to his old quarters,
without receiving the slightest injury, shut the
cage and thus my friends unpleasant affair ter
minated. The negro, however, said, if a similar
affair happened again with the same snake, he
could never venture to approach him for fear of
being bitten, because he had i'll this manner de-
ceiyed him.
These facts are of undoubted authenticity. since
had them from the mouth of my friend But
confess that do not know how to comprehend
the perfect security of the old African and still less
perhaps the sagacity which he attributed TO the
snake. To be able to establish the fact necessary
to found any serious discussion on tins subject,
it would be necessary to try the same man1uvrcs
employed by the negro, to observe their effects.
and afterwards attempt AN explanation of them.
This is hazard which certainly do not choose
to risk.
There is an attribute peculiar to the hog, IN re-
lation to the rattlesnakc, the mention of which
will not, trust, prove entirely undressing to
terrified and tries to escape. But the grunter pur-
sues, seizes and devours him with the most ALSO
lutte indifference of his rattle and his tangs. If
it be sow, accompanied by litter OF young
ones, she even divides the prey amongst the little
squeakers. 1t is also usual in certain localities
where those reptiles abound, to drive forward a
hog fastened TO u leash to remove them from the
places to be visited. The doctor questioned the
negro if he had something about hun belonging
to this animal, or other substance eGnally etica-
cious i'll intuldatlng or appeasng the snake.
Isaac directly replied that he did not employ any
other means than the caresses which he had wit
messed
will close these remarks with the relation OF
another adventure, which threatened III its effects,
perhaps, To be still more terrible. ~ hunter of my
acquaintance, used to amuse himself whenever
he met some fine specimen of the rattlesnake
with endeayoring to catch HIM. This he was en-
abled to do by means OF a long sick cleft at the
end, with which ne was accustomed TO seize hiin
by the back of the head.
One day, as he was posted al some distance
from his friends, watching for his game, deer
he perceived one OF these reptiles; he seized him
in the aforementioned manner, and then, after