The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1863-04-17
yHE KfNe skAKEzf

monty called, in tbe Sonih ihssa States,
the king snake, perhaps 1becauss be
is the most fermidabie enemy Of tbe
rattle snake. 1t seems 10 be the
tchief OF jsct Of Ills existence 10 seek,
to pursue and destroy rhe iatter,
wbtse retreat and presence a dis-
coverable by the emission OF h Pc
culiar smell, resembling that Of a
cucumber vine. The king snake, to
almost all other reptiles, isthe most
gentle and harmless Of crestures;--
you may strike him, he shows no
resentment, lie bisses not, he turns
not, nor does he exhibit any terror
or sluggisbness. Drawn by the
smell o. the cucumber, be frequently
enters gardens; but his appearance
excites no alarm in any human be-
ing that knows he is the king snake,
on the cohtrsry, women and chill.
dren will approach him. turn him
about with stick, and playfulIy y
annoy him with iInpunity, he is on
" relentless enemy Of the rattle.
snake, whose strength and venom
will avail nothing against the sctiv-
ity and mode OF attack OF the king
snake, who is always victor in eve
~ combat.
Yet the rattle snake is a terrible
reptile. There is pecullariiy truly
appalling 10 the sound of bis rat'les,
being unlike the noise Of any other
creature, and when you hear it the
first time, the truc instinct OF nature
impresses on your qusiing heart
that danger and death are noar. -
Never shall forget one horriJ event
Of my life. ,....-
lwas fishing in a southern lako
one summer day, when an unusual
disposition to sleep affected me. /
stuck one end oi my fishing rod in'
to the bank of tho lake, and sought
a beautiful place Of shade to enjoy
repose. laih myself on tho grass
between two trees scarcely six feet
apart from each other, my head res.
ting against one, and my feet the
other. | slept. When [ awoke, I
turned to one side, and perceived at
some distance from me, two brilliant
orbs--and instantly tremulous,
mingled sensation of an indefinable
nature came upon my faculties. An
instructive dictate or impulse coun.
selled me to aver, my looks; but
then there was such an absorbing,
wishful delight in gazing into eyes
that intenlly and me!tingly gaxed in.
to mine, that even the tremulors
pulsation OF fear fixed my frame,
and | remained 80 fascinated that I
fancied that | could sec nothing but
the moSt beautiful colers. In short
| was lost, go completely bswilder.
ed with commingled emotions, that
| could not withdraw my gaz,, nor
even move. a.AaI' 'A..'
The melting eyeballs glared with
sparks Of tire-there was move.
mcnt; was aroused from a dreary
state, | saw a huge rattle snake It's
gaze was disturbed, aud when I
heard the hateful rattle sounds tho
tull danger Of my situation aroused
; me, and through all my frame | felt
the extremity Of terror, and just ss
| was OR the point Of ebeying fren.
zied impulse to rise and fly, God OF
heaven! telt thu desdly reptile, a.
, | thought; coiling around my neck:
saw part of his body, | felt the sli'
y my skin upon his neck and the sh:v.
er Of horror went through every
joint and member OF my frame. -
: Such q ieeli1g Of agony: my eye
e balls were filled with scorching fire,
first red, xt yellowish green. Oh,
there are moments OF existence which
involve the sensa,ion OF years, and
when the whole detail Of feelings
scarcely occupy the brief space OF q
J. leisure thought. Nature could en-
dure no more. and | lost al sense.
! At length | had the painful ting
j ling sensation OF r turning Il e thro
p my veins, and when in 'ull con
: sciousness | arose from tho earth.
a saw near me tranquility and quietly
}. lying. a king snake, and farther of
y tho lif lss, length Of a tremendou'
rattle snake. sat upon log and
reflected, and | am now satisfies
J. that the king snake had crePt owe
o my neck to my rescue, there beini
e a large log on one side, and the lax
r on the other, so that HE nearest ap
@ prosch to the enemy was over TN
i body. But although my lite wa
e providentially preserved, yet the 81
iects oil that scene are the exhaustion
T. OF great portion Of my excitability
l. and tue Introduction OF grey hair
to and premature debility in oil tn
u powers OF my mind nd
te A TouCHIyG GIFr. In bale {