National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1872-11-15
A Chapter on Rattlcsnakes.

that reputation in general, isvery aeti
when enraged; but the rattlesnak
excepting lust after and Just before /
winter.slcep, never bites excepting
sclf.defence, and does not go ont of |
way TO attack anyone. Unless Modesto,
there is very little to fear from til
snake but the misfortune is, that 20
cannot tell when you are going to mole'
il, as, in coming down bluff, or picl
ing your way in gulley, You may, wit
the best intentions in the world, pu
>, your foot on rattlcsnakc, And the
the terrific swiftness of his dart No
even the cobra, which had always con
sidered riyaled the very lightning init
movements - movements which ] vii
defy almost any eve to follows quicke
than the ratilcsnake in that one deadl,
act. Yet, to strike, t must be in clos,
coil, its head and neck being erect i
throws itself ont about three.fourths o
its length, supporting its weight entire
ly on the tail.part ! have. however,
known two persons who have trodder
on rattlesnakcs, and have cscaped n
third was still more remarkably FORTH
nate. One, a gentleman who has killed
more than fifty of them, recognized
what his foot touched without stopping
to look, and jumped higher than he had
probably ever done before in his life !;
the other was not 30 quick, and the
reptile struck him three times with cleo
trio quickness, but his trousers and long
boots saved him. This dsposes of
fallacy very generally held, that venom
ous serpents will not bite twice in sue
cesson. There were the three pair of
fang-marks quite plainly to DO seen In
his white trowsers. One young man
who was bathing in the river Platte had
amore extraordinary escape still. for, on
emerging from the water, he sat down,
being, of course, completely naked, on
rattlesnake which was basking in the
grasr. Whether he sat upon the reptiles
head or whether the creature was too
astonished by his sudden descent, can
never be known, but certain il is chat
the aflrighted bather leaped up with
a shrek, and escaped unhurt.
1t is told that this particular serpent
has very offensive odor when irritatcd,
and that DIR. Hamilton Roe owed his
life to a knowledge of that fact. The
physician having opened box directed
to the Superintendent Of the geological |
Gardens, London, put his hand--most
rashly, it seems to me-under the dry
moss which appeared, to see what was
there. He touched something alive, |
and the smell told him it was rattle.
snake. Had he withdrawn his hand .
rapidly, he would have been bitten to n
certainty but he had the presence of
mind to stroke the reptile, which allow.
ID him to take his hand gently away.
This is a well-known story only refer
o 1t to add that this odor is so powerful
md permanent that when snake i.
rritated and made to bite the rake or
zoe with which it is intended to kill him
and, as may be supposed, this is very
'ften done-the implement will retain
he same unpleasant smell for months.
)nce known, it is always recognizable.
As much cannot be said of the soundt n
i the rattle. | have been on the prairfo1
7hen opinions have been divided as tI1!
'hether certain ominous clicking aroseS;
rom the grasshoppers, which were there I;
great numbers, or n rattlesnake. IT. II
not pleasant, at twilight, to have any u
oubt on this subject. The chief thing
5ainst the rattlesnake theory was, that
lese reptiles seldom move or leave their
oles after shutdown. But l would warn !,
he reader not to depend too much on !
MS, us some snakes are certainly of |,
regular habits, and have been known to !.
'awl INTO tents, and into beds within .
he tents. This was for the sake of =
armth. Very often the reptiles will Il
intent themselves with coming inside a
nd so true is it that use doth breed It
'bit in man, that l have known men o
sleep quietly all through the night "
hen they were perfectly aware that o.
ttlesnake was within the walls of their II II
Mt. They rolled themselves tight in !.
e blanket, knowing that the creature a.
ould not touch any one if it were not y y
st attacked, and that, when light came, y
would go away. In one instance. a .
an was bitten at night. He was on the 8
airie, and sleeping near his horde. z
lich was fastened by long rope tol y
J, or stone. The horse broke aws6;th
d the man feeling after No rope b. =
g grass, disturbed rsttjs6uAkoy senich !.
him on the bach 0i ~ hand. Hel,i Z
s cured bya remedy. which 7 think ] Il,
w go yeaommendasd II Eagland. A o. .,
- 6at With 4 peu)Enile the skin o. o.
advs puncture, ~ a. " enlarge the o.
oge and madeit hleeH; sn Id pets y, "
- heap Of gunpowds1Na NE So !. y
ntoed it-no pal. ttoo11n1 this--1 \
y man was cured. EdVuGHfZe q
ere. that the stranger must - ~ n
always hearing the rattle when Ne
lake moves; it is only violently shake n.{S'
hen the animal is alarmed, or is aboaS}
attack, and then the warming and the =
sanlt are too close together for the l
ctim to escape. Il
The rattle has been too often described
need much to be said about it here II
Is known to consist of number of IL
mes, looking like knuckle bones. c.
,urely fastened together, yet so loosely "
at they make clicking noise when &c
aiken. These grow on the tail of the al
'tile and the popular belief is, tina al
. first JOINT, which is always of a u
rker color than the Others, takes two ca
irs to grow, whilo afterward the snake IN
an additional joint each year. Some en-
servers contest this, and argue that ls'
reptile forms its rattle much faster SC
n at this rate. The wearing of this WI
tie in the hat or bonnet is said to be wa
infallible specific against the head on
lie, and is frequently worn on that OF
cunt. lot
-------------------- a
SINGULAR Discovery. - Among the te,
aresting scientific discoveries of late SCI
ne showing that certain noises have he
power to cause the explosion Of GER Ju
1 substances. In the course of the M,
'eriments on this subject, bags of co,