The north Iowa times. [volume] (M'Gregor [i.e. McGregor], Iowa) 1856-1857, 1856-11-14
MGREGOR, FRIDAY, NOV II, 1856.

Y. ID, 1856.
AN ADVENTURE WITH RATTLE
oNAK1e.
A correspondent of the Boston Cour
ier tells the following extraordinary ''snakt
story" which, for = sober narrative
seems to US the greatest Munchansenisn
we have ever met with. He says the in
cidsnt occurred on the Taukannuc noun
tains, SOME twenty-five or thirty yeari
ago; and wc hope no one will have the
hardihood to doubt his statement ;-"At
the time to which l refer, formed one ol
. party of young men who made AZ e1cur.
sion to the summit of those mountains, to
hunt partridges, &c. There are. or were
at that time, places there 50 infested with
rsttlesnakcs that it was dangerous to ap.
proach them. To avoid these abodes, We
relied on the acquaintance of one of our
party with their locality. After chasing
over the hills six or eight hours. we were
tired enough to think of retiring to our
homes. We were proceeding along in an
Indian fle.' through defle some four
rods wide, one side of which was noun
tain. the other some forty feet high, COM
posed Of loose lodges that were overgrown
with ivies, when sharp rattle was heard
that sent q chill to our hearts. The fore.
most of our line saw the reptile just ahead
of him, and without thought raised his
gun and fred |! AS the report of the gun
echoed along the crags, most hideous
rattle and Kissing arose on all sides.
I'VE were in the midst of the den. -
Each rock and bush seemed populous with
rattlesnakes. and we could see them de-
scending from the higher crags. We
stood still, not knowing what to do. To
60 back would be as dangerous a. to ad-
vance, and to remain where We were AZ
perilous as either, for several were moving
to the bushes near US. The slightest
touch of fang was certain death, as we
were too far from any habitation to enable
us to reach it before the deadly virus
would have taken effect. We feared to
stir, lest we should attract their attention
sooner than if we remained quiet. What
passed in the minds Of my companions
know not, but / remember that my own
thoughts were Of no very agreeable na-
ture.
cat this juncture, one of us perceived
a large flat rock, some three rods from us,
and proposed in whisper that we should
make for it. Having ascertained that none
of our assailants were between us and it,
we made a rush for it, and gained it un-
scathed. Our last movements notified
our creeping foes of our whereabouts, az
well as to irritate them more, and they
made for our positions.
"Our weapons of defence were four
guns, two pistols and an axe. We were
then SO situated as to be able to defend
ourselves, in some measure. We cut a
couple of very slender sprouts that grew
close by the rock, stationed ourselves in
the centre, and IS the snakes came on the
edge of our citadel we killed them. Only
five or six made the attempt, and We
pitched their mangled carcasses back to
their comrades. It was evident that %
long as we remained on the rock we were
safe, but how to escape was more than we
could predict. If we could have killed
all the reptiles on one side with our guns
and cudgels, We should have encountered
more in scaling the ledge.
"We remained quietly on the rock, and.
in short time, the rattlesnakes ceased
their attacks, but on our making any move
ment, they commenced Kissing again
These snakes emit disagreeable odor
when disturbed, and the air was filed with
1T. We had noticed tall tree growing
close by us, and one of our party propos.
ed to cut it, so az to cause it to fall against
the top of the ledge. and thereby form. il
it did not break, way BY which we might
extricate ourselves. We instantly com.
nenced cutting it. keeping sharp look.
out for the spotted rascals, who were now
doubly enragsd by the resounding
blows.
''The tree fell with the top against the
summit of the ledge, and we ascended its
trunk and escaped. Before We left. we
just took farewell glance at our baffled
belligerents, who had then taken possess
ion Of our rock, and were engaged in snap
ping handkerchief dropped by one Of
US. We formed line and shot at them,
and then left"
BorreN OF THE HArIAHrIc.-Thes stAam.