The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1855-07-13
From the Knckerboeker for June.
SLEEPING WITH A RATTLESNAKE.

writes friend from whom we have received
the following, Ssto tell you about The incident OF
my sleeping with rattesnake. But until now,
! have not found time to give it 10 you; and
even now, ! am not in the condition or humor
for writing. Bot you have the facts Take
them in hand yourself, and dress them up but
dou't publish them as they are for they are not
in condition 70 see the light" Wen see
about that at any rate, 'swe take the response
bility p
at was, I think, for have not my memo
ra6dnm book ofthe day before me, in the month
of August, 1896, that found myself wandering
through the great Inland seas that begIrt our
Western conutry-tif not Western now, it used
10 be- some time or other, and that too, since the
great rain storm in Noah's tinel until brought
up at Fort Crawford, Green Bay.
'sAt this point, Captain f. B. Birdsall, Of the
Third United States Infantry, (pooF fellow, he
has ''iought his last battle" and now slumbprs
with the dead of thousand years ago. Procur-
ed Mackinaw boats, asuiicent number to acco-
nodate the whole detachment, which consisted
of about one hundred and fifty United States
Dragons, on their way TO Fort Des Moines, on
the Mississippi river-each boat accomnoda-
ting some twelve or fifteen soldiers, with the
necessary camp equipage, provisions, ect.
s.rhus provided and fully froyisioned for the
Journey the oars were let fall, and we threaded
opF way way up the Fox river, portion of the
way quite a rapid stream, and with many for
midable rapids, with grand and lesser chuteS 10
! pass over, until we arrived at Fort Winnebago,
a post at that time considered beyond the reach
LIBERALIZATION. A portage Of bali a mile from
the Fox to the Onsconsrn river, and our boats
Were again launched, and we pursued our way
down the last named river until we struck the
Mississippi, some few miles below Prairie du
CHEN.
| 81 should, perhaps, have stated ere this, that
/ it was our invariable custom 10 sleep beneath
our tent on shore every night. soon after strlk-
/ ing the Mississippi, our tents were pitched one
night, as usual. 1t was not long before the
camp fires gave, token that the evening meal
was in preparation. In due time, the guards
We're set, silence rpigned in thr little array, and
naught was TO be heard save the regular tread
Of the night-watch, as he paced his silent
round.
ssI had no IDEA when I sturned in'' that
SALT, that was to be uaceltnonio'lsy turned
out before morning. But | was mistaken. Du-
ring the night, our camp was visited bv furi-
ons rain-Siorm. The wafer descended in tor
rents, and disturbed in his lurking place an
enormous RattleSnake, who, II would seem, took
up his line OF march with, presume, no very
correct idea ofhiS destination, bat with a COM
menda5le desire, doubt not, to provide himself
with shelter from the pttilcss storm, that was
raging about, and invading his dominions, the
broad forest, OF which he had probably been an
undsiurbed occupant for many years.
Il cannot for one moment imagine that his
snakeship had any penchani for nay quarters, but
| ii so happened, that about one O'Clock at night,
or rather morning, be brought up at my tent,
and acting upon the old proyerb, only saying
-oi ''any port in a storm" he pitched in, with
out as much as saying, '.Ry yonr leave, Sir,"
and the first inin.ation Afforded me that | was
TO be honored with his distinguished presence.
was the fact that he was nsinnating hs cold,
wet and horrid carcass directly across my legs,
! just above my knee joints. Having obtruded
himself thus far into good society, he seerned to
be entirely satisfied with himself, with me, and,
T for ought | krow, with the rest OF mankind,
and The comfortable quarters into which he had
thrust himsrlfunbidden for am very certain,
/ had been permitted 10 make choice of a com
/ panion for the night, my tendencies would not
/ have been in that direction. But here he was;
warm, quiet, and free from the storm, and
/ cover, to tarry for while. But by this time
/ | began fully TO realize my own position. ]
/ had assumed, in the first place. as all the indica-
( tionS were that way, that it was snake, and my
/ Imagination in the second place led me 10 sup
/ pose it was rattesnake. OF course ! had no po-
1 Silive knowledge on the subject, Tor his entrance
| had been unannounced but ] thought | had
| right to make that assumption, and to govern
myself accordingly.
| ''But the thought of such companion was
horrible A sleeping partner, too-a snake,
50 forbidding in every possible aspect, that,
even at this time, although nearly nineteen
wears have rolled over the incident, il makes
me shuddpr in ever limb TO think OF it But
that was not the question uppermost in my
mind at that time. The question was "How
can get rid Of him? ?" And it was nice ques-
ton, too-one more easily conceived than exc
cuted | knew the Tx ] was in: | was fully
aware of my position for my presence OF mlnd
had not for one moment deserted m"
"Although an intruder--ahough he had
/ presumed 20 poach upon my manor without
/ licenSc-siIl was aware that this king OF his
I species was to be treated with great respect and
consideration, until had goi, al least. beyond
the reach Of his murderous iangs. ! oonmen-
ctd, therefore, the process OF sliding my legs ou
/ from under hin--not, TO be spr", at pace OF
two-iorty-but initiating more th" speed OF The
snail, and almost holding my breath during the
operation | was fully aware that my only
safety lay in this. Perhaps | might have got
rid of him in a more summary way, but IN dong
il perhaps 7 might have placed him IN a posi-
ton unsuited to bis dignity, and contrary to his
ideas of propriety, and most probably retaliation
would have followed on his part, and should