Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1856-04-25
INHABITANTS OF FLORIDA.

OF thai name; are very uuhtEOuS CNClf
mud hole, swamp, pond or river, is IN
tested with them. The animal is too
well known to require minute descrip-
ton; they vary from two and half to
ten feet in length. One of medium size,
say five feet, has a mouth ten or twelve
inches wide, and sixteen or eighteen long,
shaped like a shovel; its eye when an
gry is very terrible, and has the most
horrid expression of fury / ever witnessed
in any animal; such an one as no de-
scription reminds me OF, unless it be that
awful Ieer which beamed from the eye of
the Arch Enemy, at that moment of pc
culiar excitement which Milton define
ate8 with such mastery power, when he
rallies his dispirited hosts under his infer
nal banner and marches them up in gilt
tering array against the army of the liv-
ing God.
The tail which is nearly equal in
length to the body, has serrated ap-
pearance, and when enraged he thrashes
it with great violence, single blow be-
ING sufficient to break both of mans
legs at once; they are amphibious, and
when on the ground move sluggishly on
four legs. The general appearance of
the animal is disgusting although they
are so abundant and possessed of great
power, I have never heard of but two in
dividuals being attacked by them, and
they have frequent opportunities if so
disposed. I have frequently been a
swimming when l knew many were
about. The extent of their mischief is
confined to now and then Selling a IA
vorite dog.
As for frogs and bull-paddocks, whew
they are without beginning or end! All
sorts and kinds of soil produce them in
quantities which no man can number
An intelligent traveller not long since es-
timated them at forty bushels to the acre.
I never measured one, but think his esti-
mate too low! Of a summers day or
night, they make such racket as almost
to craze one: this reminds me of story
of Lieut.. Chubb's "about frogs" He
said, Some years since an invalid came
to St. Augustine, and started for ITALIA
hassee on horseback; the man wasn't
one of the strongest of nerves, and he
had hardly got out of town before he
asked his guide, what made such racket
He told him frogs" " Frogsr' says
the man, then let US ride on, and gel
out of this vicinity, for they viii turn
my brain"
"'Tis no use to ride, sir-so all the
way" said the fellow.
The man didn't dizactly believe that
so on he rode; by'me by, the guide said
his eyes began to glare, and he starec
wildly round for a moment, and theI
clapping spurs to high spirited horse h,
was on, galloped off at full speed, tht
guide after him; but twa'nt no use, h
couldn't catch him; giving up the chas,
he logged along, and about four o'clock
came up, and there was the horse, deac
in the road, and the man settin' on hin
pounding away with great stick, spur
ring, and making all the motions of on,
riding for his life. The noise of the tar
nal frogs had added his brains, and h
; carried him back to St. Augustine, per
/ feet maniac"
There are two kinds of rattle-snakes
? the large, and small or ground rattle, til
bite of bothis venomous, and that of tn
large will produce sudden death when
strikes an artery-an ordinary fees
wound may be cured by immediate an
proper application. The usual mode /
TO bandage the limb above the wound
l and apply part Of the snakes or a chick
2 ems body, to the place, which extract
/ the poison; sucking the wound is ais
/, resorted to, and when it is to be had Al
internal and external application G
t hartshorn is made.
The bite produces the most excrucia
ting pain, a violent inflammation an
swelling Immediately takes place, the fles
around the bite rots, and unless relief !
speedily obtained the patient becomes
swollen, blackened, and loathsome CORPSE
l The wound inflicted by the moccasf
IS but little less poisonous; both specie
= are natural pacific and seldom strike ex
cept IN the month of August, unles
: trodden upon or irritated. tits said tha
during the intense heat of the abov
named month, the action of the poiso
= on their systems is so great as to bin
them, and they glide through the hum
mocks, without knowing whittier, forcin
: their poisonous fangs into everythin
which impedes their progress.
The large rattle snake when living
/, one of the most brilliant reptiles I hay