Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1855-07-11
mD oR RArr1EsHAKM.

A correspondent Of the st. Democrat, at PaoIk
Kansas Territory, serves up the following 4dish
of horrors"
"Ou last Sunday evening the air was so be-
.witchingly balmY, and The sky 60 softly vsied
by shadowy clouds, that / was seduced into
heightened stroll along the bluffs, which proud
" aspire 10 overlook the umbrageons woodlands
on the one side, and the sun-Ht plains upon the
other, until reached an elevated pinnacle 30
tall as to command a pagoramic view, whose
picturesque and varied beauties ravished all my
senses and lost me in most dreamy reyerisse*;;
"Ireclined upon the. summit of the irockNRh
my head upon my hand, until presently it rolled
away upon the cushion of springy me5s which
grew there like an enerah diadem, and Fwas
locked in that strange. .slumber which leaves YOU
semi.conscious, and yet restrains .yolition. I
had lain thus several mintues, with my left arm
stretched to its extent, when at the extremities
of the 6Dgers:of that hand there was q ssnsay
ton new and peruliar that sent q thrill of pleas
ure 10 the mind and heart; it ,was soothing,
drawing and agreeably titillating, as IL the fin@
gers were dissolying, away il a delightful self
absorption. ~ ts;;ff.ss s;;ff. (, b..
aJpst then, from this sort ofblfs.iIal abaodon.
was startled by the report of gunsho
few PAGES Of me, I:sprang 10 my feet, and Will,
astonishment saw my friend Mitchell standing
pear and guzing at me with a. fixed look Of
CHASTITY horror. Before could inquire what hs
meant, my attention was caught by sthe sound
of the most shrill, kecn ringing fattle Tint eyer
penetrated human ear; nnd on, looking down.,
discovered huge rattlesnake, with CORY head,
quvering and writhing in, the,agnnies Of death,
and sending forth Yfom.his erect tail the terrible
tocsin that heard.
aFrom his fearful propinquity, began,to rs.
alizc my position, but not until heard an ex.
PLANTATION from NJ. could L fully understand and
appreciate its horrors.
aHetold me that my resiing.place was the
top of rattesnake den, and pointed out the
oriices through which they passed; that lie was
in the habit of coming thereon Sunday evening.
to shoot 'rattlesnakes; /; that whe1;he approached
that evening and saw me lying upon the den, he
supposed Ihad been bitten and was dead Tint
he crept nearer and saw my respiration, and :.
knew | was alive, but discovered monster
snake licking my hand and covering it with Z.
Shiny coating, preparatory to deglutition; that
he made slight, involuntary shuddering, ,excla-
nation of MY God !" which drew the snakes
attention, and caused him to turn his head, when
he discharged load or buckshot into bis face
and neck; mangling and. tearing them to pieces,
and thus saved my life. ~.
"He had scarcely told me this, which took
but moment, when .rattles all around brought
us to recollection that We were not yet free
from. danger. We saw ten or fifteen large rat-
tlesnakes approaching us from every guar.
ter, with eyes glaring rcvengefully; .barbed
tongues thrusting threateningly, and 'rattles
sounding alarmingly. They are. baveiand can
not be intimidated, and will die over the dead
body of their companion sooner than. descrt it.
We: knew the indomitable character Of our enc.
my, and Mitchell and with his double:barreied
gun, nd,my sticks and stones, fought our way
out as best we could. You may imagine that
my nerves were slightly agitated that evenings
and that l dreamed of snake. that night
Mitchell has killed one hundred and seven Of
them, the largest Of which had twenty. six rattIes
He says the Indians who have been ii the habit
of hunting them for many years, have killed
much older ones, and have slajp thousands"