Evansville weekly journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 184?-18??, 1848-03-09
From the New York Times.
RATTLESNAKE ON A STEAMBOAT.
LEAF FROM THE LIFE OF LOUISIANA SWAMP DocTo1

A LEAF FROM THE LIFE OF LOUISIANA SWAMP DOCTOR.
Shortly before the usual time for vending my way
north to the medical lectures, an opportunity Of
fered me by an ingenious negro, who had caught the
reptile asleep, OF exchanging well-worn blanket
and two Dimes principally in cash, for fine
specimen of the Rattlesnake delighted the eye
or ear of naturast-nine inches acrossthe small OF
the back six feet ghths of inch in length
eyes like globular lightning, colors gaudy as an
Arkansas girls apron, twenty-thIee raties, and
grea, propensity make them heard were the strong
points OF my purchase
Designing him propitiatory offering to one of
the professorsmy TO furnish him with
fitting habitaton. Nothing better presenting itself,
made him one out of pine box, originally designed
Tor shoes, by mailing stats transversey neither
to exclude air nor vision, but sufficiently close,
thought, to prevent him from escaping The day tol
my departure arrived and had his snakeship led
board the boat destined to bear me to yicksburg,
where would take an Ohio steamer.
Unfortunately for the quetude OF my pet, on the
Yazoo boat was young Cockney lady, who, hear
ing that there was live ratlesnake on board, al
lowell her curiosity to overcome her maiden diffidence
sufficiently to prefer request, that the young doctor
would make the hanima olIer!"-a process which
OF the mammal, was accomplishing rapidly, withou
any intervention my part. Poteness wouldn't
allow me to refuse; and, as il was considerable Off
novelty to the passengers, his snakeship was kept
constantly stirred up, and his rattes had very little
| rest that trip.
he steamer at length swung alongside of the
wharf-boat at v, and, transferring my bag
gage, / ounged about until the arrival OF boat
/ would give me an opportunity ofproceedng. The
contents of the box quickly discovered and the
snake had 10 undergo the same infections as the
day previous, until thoroughly veAed, l made them
desst, and resolved thencefJrth l would conceal
| his presence and allow him to travel as common
baggage.
The shades of night falling FAST the
steamer Congress came booming along, and, after
stay OF few minutes Tor passengers proceeded on her
| way-obtainng none, however but myself. The
snakebox was placed with the 9th baggage on the
cabin deck, in front OF the social hail. Jam up.
luck would nave it, against one OF the chmneys,
King the location unp.easantly warm.
IL was bright, luminous nj sht i'll the autumn The
clear croupy cough oil the steamer echoed back
in prolonged astnmatc strains from the dark woods
lining the liver, like army of cowleL gigantic
monks, come from their cells TO see steamboat
supper was over, and the beauty of the night had
enced the majority OF the passengers from the cabin
to the open decks.
| A guodly number, myself among the rest, were
seated in the social hall, smoking cigars
and swapping yarns OF all chimes, sizes, nations,
colors
| Sitting few yards from me, the most prominent
parsonage the group, smoking his regalia, and
calling crowd with the manner which he choked
u cobra de CJpea' TO death, that crawled into his
hammock in India, old Engli~h Sailor, who
from, his had sailed all the world,
through some parts oft.
| Weighing the words down with heavy ballast OF
oaths, he said he wasn't afrail of anything in the
snake line, from the sea serpent down to the oIgn-
al snake that tempted Eve. Iasked him it he had
ever met with the rattlesnake since he had been in
America, thinking would put his courage the test
on the morrow
''.5een rattesnake Yes, enough to sink a sew
enty- fou Went to Georgia ON purpose to kill them!
Pshaw! To think a man that had killed a boa con-
stlictor fair fight, should be afraid OF little noisy
fir of snake, that grew bigger round than a
marnspke!'
| At this moment, the boat running bend near
in shore, and the glare of huge fire at wood yard
was thrown directly under the chair OF the braggart
when, to my utter amazement, there snugy
cooled up the huge proportions oil my snake!
| was SO horlIi.d anu astUnished, l could neither
speak nor move. Ihad left him securely fastened in
his cage-and yet there he al liberty, his dead
ly coil, his eyes cleaning like living Goals. The
light was intercepted an the foot OF the sailor NOV
ing closer to the REPTILE tic commenced its warning
rattle, but slowly ana irregularly showing it no
fully aroused.
WHATS thatl" exclaimed dozen voices
The foot being Withdrawn, the rafting ceased he
fore its nature source could be clearly traced.
Twas the steam escaping" said one.
"A goose hissin'," sail another.
The wind"
"A trick to scare the sailor" thought good
many; but / knew it was rattIesnake in hi
deadly coil
The horror of that moment 1 shall attempt te
describes every second ex ectei to hear the shrek
the sailor as the deadly fangs would penetrate hi
flesh; and knew, If vein stricken, power
on earth could avail him, and was poweress to warn
Y him OF his danger
st sounded monstrous like a rattlesnake,'' OBJ
served passenger "but there is no doctors or foo
students board, and nobody but like thes
1 would be taking snakes bout. l was gwne up tht
Mississippi wunst when rattleSnake, belonging Il
: medical student on board, got out and bit one o
the passengers. The poor cIitter didn't live ten min
utes, and the sawbones prentice not much longer,
Il reckon"
My hair stood on end, for there earnestnes
d about the man that toll me he was not jesting.
II ''You didn't kill him. surey!" asked some one.
s oh no we didn't zackly kill him. SIGH as cuitin
e hIs throat, putin lead in his holler cimblin 70
that would have takin' the law inter our hands, bu
e we guy him five hundred lashes treated him to Goa
i OF tar and feathers, made clean crop of one ear am
a swaller-fork slit under-bit and half crop OF th
other, and put him out on little island, u2 to hi
/ mouth in water, and the river rsn slam foot al
/ hour.''
+ Not knowing but similar fate nigh soon be mine
u in agony, with the cold sweat streaming me,
listened this internal recital of an Instance of tn
l summary punishment termed Lynch Law" whicI
the unavailaby OF the proper law often drove tn
early settlers to, AMI watch unfortunately is not en-
:. tirely abolished.
The sailor must again hive moved his foot closer