The northern tribune. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1847-1855, 1848-01-08
VOL. III. = NO. 81

1 the Dlte OF TINS species Is poisonous. We
were in q pasture in company with eight or
ten other persons. and as the gentleman was
/ passing bunch Of hazlenut bushes, alone, the
ring snake leaped from them, and Selling him
just above the knee, coiled about his leg. The
gentleman, having no weapon about him,
seized the snake With his hand, and, tearing
i him from his leg. threw him to the ground
i As he turned to run, the snake leaped upon
him again, seized him upon the thigh, and
coiled about his leg. The gentleman tore him
from his leg, and threw him on the ground q
! second time. The snake coiled himself for
another leap, but our friend, instead of turn
ing to run, looked his snakeship in the eye,
and called for help. The snake did not at
tempt to leap upon him again-perhaps from
fear of the human eye-and when we came
up with our clubs, laid his head upon the
ground, and by his evident cowardice, proved
an easy prey. He, measured eight feet in
length. The gentleman began to all short
time afterwards, and upon examination. little
green spots were discovered upon the parts
bitten by the snake. These spots became in
creasing circles, like the ring worm, and con-
| tinued spreading towards the more vital parts
Of the body, and were not arrested in their
progress. but by the most eminent medical
skill, and not till our friend had been reduced
arise for many months, and then with a broken
constitution. qsNei .e9 1an1
The rattle snake still inhabits the forests
and hedges in the interior of this State. They
crawl from their dens about the first of June;
and the first Thursday of that month, the day
on which the annual election takes place,is
set apart by the inhabitants of that part of
Concord called Horse Hill, in the northwest
part of the town, for the express purpose Of
killing rattle snakes. That section of the
town is rocky, billy, and covered with, its
primeval growth of forest trees, and its lodges
are the home of the rattle snake.
They are dumpish.' as it is termed, when
they first come from theirdens. and are hunt.
ed, without danger. for the sake of their oili
an old settler producing three or four ounces
of oil, which sells, frequently, for two, and
three dollars an ounce. So that an 'old safs
pent' is something of prize, and numbers Of
them are annually killed on that day. A.
On that day in 1929, party of gentleman
of our acquaintance, attempted to ascend the
Pinnacle, so called, in Hookset--an elevation
which may be said to be composed of stopes
and rocks, piled upon each other but they
were arrested in their ascent by myriads of
rattle snakes basking in their path under the
reviving rays of a June sum- They cut their
way through one or two hundred of them,
but seeing no prospect of an end to their
Herculean labors, they desisted, and beat
retreat down the Pinnacle, leaving their
snakeshps in undoubted possession.
1t is curious fact perhaps not generally
known to those unacquainted with this rep
tile that it has great aversion to the white ash
tree. Strike it with twig of this tree, and
the rattle snake becomes convulsed; and
with such a wand in his hand, person may
travel through the habitations OF this venom
Gus reptile without fear of molestation.-
The Indian, aware of the virtues of this tree,
strews his couch and his wigwam with its
leaves, and the hunter fills his pockets and
boots with them. A gentleman, who formerly
was in the habit of hunting in the Pequaket
country, not long since gave us the following
illustration of the effect of the white ash upon
the rattle snake. On returning from their
traps one day, one of the party caught a
rattle snake, and brought it alive, into the
camp. 1t was Immediately proposed to ex-
pertinent with him. Accordingly winrow
of leaves was gathered together in the form
of a crcle-a segment of the circle heing COM
posed entirely of the leaves Of the white ash,
the remainder part, of the leaves OF the maple.
The rattle snake was placed within the circle,
which was Is or 20 feet in diameter; but he.
in great fear and trembling retreated towards
the maple leaves. Here the experimenters
met him with their ash twigs, and he was
glad 10 stop his course, and laid his head
down in quiet submission. After this man.
ner had been essayed for some time, the seq
ment of maple leaves was set on fire, and the
hunters retired to watch the effect The rat
tie snake raised his head, moved about in a
small circle, turned his head towards the
burning leaves, coiled himself for a throw,
gave shrll rattle, and, plunging into the
fame, escaped from the circle.-MasS. paper.