American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-06-08
From the Apalachicola Advertiser
SELLING SNAKES,


short time since, as one of our steamboats,
vending her way to the head of naviga-
she brought up at an intermediate port
Ween this place and the junction of the
lttahoochee and Flint rivers, for the pur-
L of 'woodng' or landing freight. AS soon
she had touched the bank, bow line made
and plank out, she was boarded by one of
sc not very rare specimens of humanity, a
grown live 'hoOsier, bearing all the out
xtd marks and brands which designate the
Zen horn genus. Only waiting till the
Sc made by blowing off steam had ceased
h his hat drawn down on his eyes and his
2 rs firmly buried to the elbows in his 'trow-
loons' pockets, he marched resolutely up to
4 clerk of the boat, and in loud, uncultiva-
tone inquired "It' he didn't want to buy a
Ping rattle snake" The clerk, like most of
be boys" on our steamboats,, being partlcu-
. y fond of joke, and "knowing his man. -
Nmediately conceived plan by which some
might be had in these dull and low prices.
Stunning an air Gas serious as a Judge" he
{ppounded to the snake man many questions
10 the size, age, color and order OF his rep
ID, gravely remarking, after all his nterroga-
ms had been answered satisfactorily, that
j e was not Just then in the snake market
&nself, but there was q commercial house in
alachicola who were loading ship for Lii
tpool, and that part Of the cargo was to con-
4 of rare collection of wild beasts, birds,
Il reptiles; that every thing curious was in
pat demand, and snakes, if they were the
4 pizen, would readily bring from fifteen to
Eenty dollars head" The "hooser," Ella
II with the thought of what handsome sum
could make, thanked the clerk profoundly
n his information, and Immediately set out
n home, where he ordered all hands to drop
fiery thing else and go to catching snakes.
ply the time the next boat passed that way
|iund for this port, he had succeeded in ca p.
Bring, alive and unframed, a barrel of the
k)st poisonous serpents, embracing every va
kty and hue that crawled in his "diggins''-
|le ader, the moccasn, the rattle snake, &c
|f., of all ages and sizes. Having them placed
board the boat, regularly "shipped in gooC
|Sder and we'll conditioned, marked and num-
fred as in the margin, and to be delivered a
3e port Of Apalachicola, to Messrs, B. & Fl.
|aE per direction of the clerk aforesaid, hi
Bid his passage and took them in his owl
ere, to make their delivery doubly certain
- soon as he had arrived here, his first inqui
h was fol the location of the above firm, hav
|4g found which, he presented himself with al
De dignity of man engaged in Legitimate
Ehde, stated the information he had receives
.bm the steamboat clerk, and desired that hi
pakes should be put at once upon the market
n Understanding the hoax at once, and deter
lining not to spoil the fun, Messrs. H. & B
hgretted that they had Just filled their last or
Ibr for snakes, but had no doubt they woul,
aeet with ready sale, as there were severa
buses in the trade, and he was directed to on
II these. By this time the news became gen
,tal, and every body knew that there was
bake vender in town, and all had disposition
p "humor the joke" Reading the signs alon
4 he went, our snake friend soon presente
smself at another counter and demanded "i
hey didn't want to buy some snake" Her
he was Intercepted with business like gravity
y to the age, size and species, to which he re
elied that "they were of all sizes-little, mldlr
lnd big; old, young, and middle aged; spreadr
Iidders, copper bellied, highland, and waite
Enocasins; striped and yaller rattle snakes; bu
hey were all the real genuine pizen, warrante
b bite if they could, and to kill if they bit"
These were Just the kind they had wanted
ind they were extremely sorry he had not a
tved day or two earlier, as it was probabl
shey might have purchased the "@hole lot;
however, there was firm few doors belo
who were in the snake market, and would n
zloubt be glad of SO good an opportunity
furnishing their friends in Liverpool with sac
variety of poisonous serpents;" and to tn
house he was directed. In this way the poo
|insuspecting, unsophisticated snake catch'
4 vas driven from house to house, from numb,
number, until at last the day began to wal
ind the prospects of a sale to grow dim,
presented himself, with flushed cheek and pc
bpjrng forehead, to the captain of one of O.
fessels, who, he had been told, would probab
! AXE the whole lot at fair price, and asked
despalrng and almost suppliant tone, "DO,
5ou want 10 buy my snair" The captain W
prepared for the question as the Joke had reac
BID the climax-and an unaffected, rresistib
oar of laughter broke from the crowd who hi
B objected 10 hear his last appeal. The snal