The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1844-05-30
JOS. JONES.
-RATTLE-SNAKE STORY.

After a hasty repast | proceeded toward
that range and encountered nothing remark
able, if excepted the immense quantity Of
quailsl met in the vaAeys, thirteen of which
| killed in three shots. | also saw, for the
first time this season, several f~aftle-snakes
summing themselves on the south side of
stony banks. On hearing nay dog bark as if
at an object lie burst not spring upon, and
at the same lime hearing aquick and irritat-
ed rattle, | passed.to the direction of the
noise and found the dogrunning at and from
a ra~ttle-snake, whose head stood erect about
four feet from a coil of several folds, and
whose tail, moving with rapid vibration, was
~disengaged from the coil to emit a warning
or sound. The dog refusedto be called of,
and in proportion as he barked and run in and
of, the snake increased in agitation and fu-
r at times feigniEg 20 strike, and 81 otheTs
casting Of wind Of coil, awaiting a grand
opportunity of shrinking in reality. He
emitted his crimson tongue with great velo-
city, his eyes glared fire, his head swelled
to a violent degree, and his throat shone in
great variety of beautiful and vivid colors.-
He had arrived at the achme of his cholor:
he was even posing himself with the deter
mination to give the fatal blow, when attach
ment to my dog sinking all considerations of
personal safety, [ rushed on and dragged him
off. The poor Mandanean took the same
Leventful instant 10 strike the snake with a
sng stick he had prepared for the purpose.
The first blow brought him down, but with
uniinpaired vigor, stillh he fastened on the
stick with the intention of wreaking on it the
whole of his wrath and vengeance. So
much was he occupied by this determined
spirit, and engaged on the stick, that Cuff,
on giving him a blow or two more, run in
and struck his bead off with the axe. The
last act produced a horrid effect, the body,
preserving all the principles ofliie, describ-
ed a sphere from the ground under which a
man could pass; it then assumed as many
undulations as its length and volume would
allow, and finally rolled along the earth till
it came in ontac with a tree round which
it beat It's extremities with q violence that
soon destroyed the power Of action and re-
sistance, and left the creature with unfold
ed inyolutions eXanimate found the root OF
the tree. The head remained attached so
firmly to the stick as not 10 be shaken of,
nor was / disposed 10 make any efforts for
that purpose. Cuff was tempted very strong
Iy to carry away a piece of the snake,which
he asserted to bv a very delicious meat, and
far superior to the birds he carried in his
bag. To this | could not listen, but direct
ed him cautiously TO separate the rattle from
the body and lay it carefully up. | also ex-
tended the whole animal, though he was far
from being dead, and found his length to be,
allowing for rattle and head, twelve feet and
his circumference over the shoulders fifteen
inches. The rattle was composed of eleven
joints. The head was so inflated and ex-
p~ressive ofso much horror and poisonous
malignity, that | had not courage TO give it
an investigation. l pursued my journey,
and confess to you, without any desire of
meeting a Quixolic adventure. On the ON
trary, | had to walk several hours before I
could shake oTthe influence Of terror and
the gloom Of apprehension.
AShe's T}dUels IN the U. s. 1906.
$3.50