New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-06-22
TWO, Thrilling Rattlesnake Stories.

The West India Island of Martinique is infested
with rattlesnakes once knew planter living in
the interior of the island, whose lands over
run with those venomous reptiles that the greater
part of his slaves deserted him. and sought refuge in
the vast forests that cover the island. The only
slaves that remained were few that were in irons at
the time of the flight Of their companions, and were
awaiting punishment for some misdemeanor, and
those slaves who hoped to escape punishment by pro-
msing to devote themselves to the determination Of
the snakes. Among the negroes in captivity was
one named Pegu, who was condemned to receive
three hundred strokes of the rattan. The hour for
his punishment arrived. His master came forth to
witness the bloody scene. Pegu was standing near
the whipping block, awaiting.the moment when his
hands and feet should be fastened to it, when he per-
ceived rattlesnake gliding towards him through the
grass. He did not stir.
The rapid death following the serpent's bite was
preferable to the lingering which he felt awaited
itselfready to strike, when at this moment the
planter caught the peculiar sound of the rattle, and
Ieaped terror-strcken on one side. The snake. at
tracted by the motion, changed his intention, and
aneying that the planter was about to attack him,
glided rapidly towards the unhappy man, who, par
alyzed with fear, remained rooted to the ground.
Pegu, seeing his masters peril, leaped forward, and
catching the snakes tail with one hand, caught him
by the neck with the other and after quarter OF
hours compression, succeeded in choking him. An
hour afterward Pegu received his three hundred
lashes, and died that night under the punishment.
Such is gratitude in Martinique
a most a0eCClnS lncluenG happened Ill tHiS SaIle
island while Twas staying there, passing most of my
time in the forests, or with that wild race of cattle
hunters known as Buccaneers. A fine, athletic negro
named Colo, belonging to o rich planter who lived
thirty miles fromSt Pierre, was desperately enamored
of pretty mulatto lass named Juanta, living the
next plantation. But Juanita was coquette and
cruel, as coquettes generally are. Having slight
tnge Of white blood in her she looked down from an
exalted height upon poor Colo who was as black
ing. She treated him shamefnlly. giving him an
ounce of hope and tun of bad treatment Still Colo
did not despair but pressed his suit on every oppor
tunity.
at last Juanita, finding her lover so pertnacous
that he must either be finally rejected or accepted
told him one day that she had passion for rattle
snakes tails. That she vaued them in proportion to
their length but that as yet she had not been able
to get tail which contained twelve rings. Now if
he brought her tail of twelve rings, she would be
his. Golos heart sank, but still he determined to
dertake his dangerous task. What was there he would
not peril to gain Juanita Day after day Colo, with
burning brand of pine wood in one hand and a
short sabre in the other tayeresed the forests listen
ing for the ominous rafting OF the snakes In point
of numbers his success was prodgious; for there is
better method Of killing the rattesnake than the
one Colo adopted-thrusting the burning torch in
his face and as he detests fire. easily decaptated
| in the moment OF his confusion. ~
Nevertheless, Colo could not find single tail with
twelve rings on it. He had some with eight, nine,
| and even one which had eleven but when he laid
declared that even eleven and and half would not
content her. At last one day, when almost despair
ing of success, Colo was crossing an open space,
his ear caught by particularly sonorous rattle.
He stopped and perceived an enormous rattlesnake
gliding towards him. Its eyes glowing with
intense fre--ts bifurcated tongue was agtated with
an uncomfortable rapdity of notion The gray and
yellow scales on its head and back gstened with
changeful luster like some silken surface which
light was playing Colo felt that the hocr come
when he should either win Juanita or perish
| The size and whole appearance of the snake con-
WINGED him that he had twelve or more rings in his
tail, and he awaited his approach with beating
heart The snake came gliding on, and when within
three feet coiled himself for spring. Colo now
seized the opportunity and dashng his torch into the
animals jaws, severed the head from the body at a
single blow.
It was with throb of delight that he discovered,
on STOPPING down to examine his prize thirteen rings
in his snakes tail. While he was separating them
from the carcass, he felt slight pricking sensation
in his heel Turning quickly round, he discovered to
his horror that he had placed his foot the snakes
tinued and that all lifeess it was, it had bitten
him!
Colo now knew that he was dead man. and his
sole object was to see Juanta before he expired.
Catching up his prize, which he had purchased with
his lie he rushed across the field with the speed of
despair. Every moment he felt the poison working
fatally in his veins, until at last swollen breath
less, speeches., and rothng at the lips, he rushed
into Juanitas presence He could longer articuate
but holding out to her the thirteen rattles in his
swollen hand, and fixing on her one last look of de
votion he rolled on the floor at her feet and after
few gasps breathed his last.