The Weekly register., 1843-08-26

snake would be angry and bite me-
look" Indeed, scarcely did Isaac stop
and lean towards the cage, before the
animal began to move briskly and sound
the rattle.
lsaac Immediately got up, began a.
gain his soothing caresses, and the ami
NAL fell calm, He then asked for, a
strong sheet; BY. degrees accustomed the
snake to the view Of this object, and
then passed one. end ,ofthe edges out Bc-
tween his arm and the animals body
continuing his ,wheedling and walking
about all the time. As soon as he was
certain that he could in moment, en-
velop the aninal in. the sheet, he rapid
ly threw it around him, and thus was
the snake mastered. All that remained
now 10 be done was to reinstate him in a
cage; of which the door was very small
comparatively with the mass which
formed the animal so wrapped up
Isaac displayed the same dexterity in
unrolling the sheet that he had done
before in all his interesting maneuvres.
He succeeded by a series Of quick and
skilliu! movements, in getting him back
TO his old quarters, without receiving
the slightest injury, shut the cage, and
thus my friends unpleasant affair termi-
mated. 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 in this manner deceived
him.
These facts are Of urdoubted authenti-
city, 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 attrbu-
ted to the snake. To be able to estab-
ilsh the fact necessary to found any Sc
rious discussion on this subject, it would
be necessary 10 try the same nIaneu-
sres employed by the negro, - -ehsassa
:heir effects, and afterwards attempt an
explanation ofthem. This is hazard
which certainly DO not choose to risk.
There is an attribute peculiar to the
hog, in relation to the rattlesnake, the
mention of which, will not, trust, prove
entirely uninteresting to the reader. On
his approach, the latter seems terrified
and tries TO escape. But the grunter
pursues, seizes and. devours him with
the most absolute Indifference of his rat
tie aud his fangs. Ifit be q SOW, ac-
compauied by litter Of young ones,
she even divides the prey amongst the
little squeakers. Ii is also usual in GER
tain localities where those reptiles "a
bound to drive forward hog fastened
TO leash to remove them from the places
10 be visited. The doctor questioned
the negro if Re had something about him
belonging to this animal, or other sub
stance equally eticaclous in intimldatlng
or appeasing the snake. Isaac directly
replied that he did lot employ any 9TH
er means than the caresses which he
had witnessed. -.
| will close these remarks with the
relation Of another adventure, which
threatened in It's effects, perhaps, to pc
still more terrible. A hunter of my ac-
quainiance, used to amuse himself when
ever he met with some fine specimens OF
the rattlesnake with endeavoring to
catch him. This he was enabled to do
by means Of q long stick cleft at the end;
with which he was accustomed to seize
him at the back of the head.
One day, as he was posted at some
distance from his friends, watching for
his game, (deer) he perceived one of
these reptiles; he seized him in the a
aforementioned manner, and then, after
having firmly placed his fingers behind
its head, he diverted himself by opsning
his mouth, in order 10 examine his teeth
and fangs. In the mean time, the snake
quite unobserved by my friend, who was
entirely absorbed in his inspection OF
the creatures head, had twisted his bo-
yin numerous folds round his ARM
Little by little he was conscious of a
slight pressure, accompanied by an