The Sierra citizen., 1854-07-29
a Rattlesnake on a Steamboat.

u haLCleSnaKe on q steamboat.
LEAF FROM THE LIFE OF A LOUISIANA wAMr
| DOCTOR.
Shortly before the usual time for wend-
ing my way north to the medical lectures
an opportunity was offered me by an inge
NOUS negro who had caught the reptile
asleep, of exchanging well worn blanket
coat and two dimes, principally in cash
for as fine specimen Of a rattlesnake as
ever delighted the "eye or ear of a natu.
alist' t''-nine inches in circumference six
feet seven-eights of an inch in length
eyes like globular Lightning, colors
as gaudy as an Arkansas girls apron
twenty-three rattles, and great prcpensi.
ty to making them be heard, were the
strong points Of my purchase.
Designing him as a propitiary offering
to one Of the professors, my next care was
to furnish him with q fitting habitation-
Nothing better presenting itself, I made
him one of a pine box, originally designed
for shoes, by mailing thin Stats trayersely
so as neither to exclude air or vision, but
sufficiently close, | thought, to proven,
him from escaping. The day for my de-
parture arrived, and had his snakeship
carried on board the boat destined to bear
me to Vicksburg, where / would take the
Ohio steamer.
{ Unfortunately for the quietude of my
pet, on the Yazoo boat was young
Cockney lady, who hearing that there was
a live rattlesnake on board. allowed her
curiosity to overcome her maiden diff
dence sufficiently to prefer request that
the young doctor "would make the hani
! NAL 'oller pa process which the proyer
bal abstemiousness, when in confinement
OF the "hanimal' was accomplished rap
idly, without Intervention on my part
Politeness wouldn't allow me to refuse;
and as it was considerable of novelty to
the passengers, his snakeship was kept
constantly stirred up, and his rattles had
very little rest that trip.
The steamer at length swung alongside
of the wharfboat at V -, and trans
ferring my baggage, Ilounged about until
the arrival ofa boat would give me an
opportunity Of proceeding. The contents
Of the box were quickly discovered, and
the snake had to undergo the same inHic-
tions as the day previous, until thorough
4 ly vexed, / made them desist, and resolved
|, thenceforth I would conceal his presence,
and allow him to travel as common bag
gage.
J "The shades Of night were falling fast, !"
as the steamer Congress came booming
along, and after stay Of a few minutes
for passengers, proceeded on her way-ob-
tanning none, however, but myself. The
snake box was placed with the other bag
/ gage, on the cabin deck in front of the
j
social hall, jam Up, as luck would have
it, against one Of the chimneys, making
the location unpleasantly warm.
4 1t was a bright, luminous night in the, th1,,
autumn. The clear croupy cough Of the
steamer was echoed back in prolonged
astEmetic strains from the dark woods
lining tie river like an army army Of coWled
| gigantic monks, come from the cells to
see steamboat. Supper was over, and
the beauty Of the night had enticed the
majority Of the passengers from the cabin
to the open decks,
i A goodly number, myself among the
rest, wereseated in front Of the social hall.
smoking our cigars, and swapping yarns ,riii Of
all climes, sizes, nations and colors. 81.
I Sitting few yards from me, the most
!, prominent Parsonage Of the group, smok.
| ing his regalia and regaling the crowd with
the manner in which he choked a cobra
| de Copella to death that crawled into
T his hammock in India, was an old English
fsailor, who from his own account had