Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1857-09-03
Thrilling Rattlesnake Stories.

these VenODlOuS requires tndb ethS GiOdlCl
part Of his slaves deserted him, and sought
refuge in the vast forest that covered the
island. The only slaves that remained
we're few that were in irons at the time
of the flight of their companions, and
were awaiting punishment for. some mis-
demeanor, and those slaves who hoped to
escape punishment by promising to de-
vote themselves to the determination of
the snakes. Among the negroes in cap
tivity was one named Pegu, who was con
demned to receive three hundred strokes
Of the rattan. The hour for his punish
mentarriyed. His master came forth to
witness the bloody scene. Pegu was
standing near the whipping block, await
inc the moment when his head and feet
should be fastened to it, when he per-
ceived a rattlesnake gliding toward him
through the grass. He did not STIR.
The rapid death following the serpent's
bite was preferable to the lingering one
which he felt awaiting him under the
overseer's cane. The serpent coiled it.
self ready to strike, when at this moment
| the planter caught the peculiar sound Of
the rattle, and leaped, terror-stricken, on
one side. The snake, attracted by the
motion, changed his intention. and fancy
ing that the planter was about to attack
him, glided rapidly toward the unhappy
man, who, paralyzed with fear, remained
rooted to the ground. Pegu, seeing his
masters peril, leaped forward. and catch
! ing the snakes tail with one hand, cought
him by the neck with the other, and, az.
terra quarter of an hours compression.
succeeded in choking him. An hour af-
terward -Pega received his three hundred
lasIses, and died that night under the.pun-
shment. Such is gratitude in Martini
que!
1 A most affecting incident happened in
this same island while Twas staying there.
passing most of my time in the forests, or
with that wild race of cattlehunters
| known as Buccaneers. A fine, athletic
NEGRO, named Colo, belonging to rich
planter who lived thirty miles from St.
Pierre, was desperately enanored of a
pretty mulatto lass name Juanta, living
on the next plantation. But Juamta was
"a coquette and cluel, as coquettes gener
ally are. Having a slight tinge of white
fblood in her, she looked down from all
exalted hight upon poor Colo, who was
as. black--blacker in fact, than the ink
with which | ain writing. She treated
him shalnefully, giving him an ounce Of
hope and ton Of bad treatment. Still
Colo did not despair, but pressed his sui
on every opportunity.
/ at last Juanita, finding her lover SC
pertinacious that he must either be final
ly rejected or accepted, told him one day
that She had a passion for rattlesnakes
tails; that she valued them in proportion
to their length; but that as yet she hac
been unable to get tail which contained
twelve rings. Now, if lie brought her {
tail of twelve rings she would be his
: Golo's heart sank, but still he determined
to undertake his dangerous task. Wha
!, was there he would not peril to gain Jna
4 nita2 lax al tier sdag. Colo. with burn
forests listening to the omn0us rattline
, OF the snakes. In point of numbers hls
success was prodlgous, for there is nc
better method of killing the rattlesnake
than the one Colo adopted thrusting the
burning torch in his face, and, as he de
tests fire, he is easily decaptated in the
moment of his confusion.
/ Nevertheless, Colo could not find a
single tail with twelve rings on it. Fl
nAd some with eight, nine, and even one
which had eleven; but when he laid his
asst before Juanta, she was still inexora,
be, and declared that even eleven and a
MALT would not content her. At last one
day. when almost despairing of success,
az Colo was crossing an open space, his
ear was caught by particular loud and
sonorous rattle. He stopped, and per
celved an enormous rattlesnake gLidlno
toward him. It's eyes were glowing with
an Intense ire-its bifureated tongue was
agitated with an inconceivable rapidity
OF motion. The gray and yellow scales
en its head and back glstened with a
changeful lnstre, like some silken surface
on which light was playing. Colo felt
that his hour was come when he should
either win Juanita or perish.
The size and whole appearance of the
snake convinced him that he had twelve
or more rings on his tail, aud he awaited
his approach with beating heart. The
srake. came gliding gu, and when within
three feet coiled himself for a spring.
colo now seized the opportunity, and |
dashing lis torch into the animals Jaws
severed the head from the body at d sin.
gle blow. 1t wal with throb of delight
that he discovered STOPPING down to ex-
anime his prize thirteen rings in his
snakes tail. While he was separating
them from the carcass, be felt a Slight I
pricking sensation in his heel. Turning
quickly round, he discovered to his hor
ror that he had placed his foot on the
snakes severed head, in which The. mus
cular action still continued, and that, all
likeness as it was, it had bitten him!
Colo now knew that he was dead
man. and his soul object was to see Juan
tia before he expired. Catching NJ his
prize, which he had purchased with his
life, he rushed across the fields with the
speed Of despair. Every moment he felt
he poison working more fatally in his
seins, until at last, swollen, breathless,
md fronting at the lips he rushed intoI
presence. He could no longer
lrticulate, but holding out to her the
thirteen rattles in his swollen hand. andls
ixed on Ter one last. look. of devotion. he
oiled on the floor at her feet, and LATTER
! few gasps, breathed his last. 7'rooels in /
Vest Indies. /
BsAL Lemons are recommended for drop. /.
y in Russian medical journal, and are
aid to bn benaficial in tha r,osti l,osol.