The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-11-18
A Chnnter on Rattlesnakes.

excepting Just alter anu Just pelore its
winter.sleep, never bites excepting in
self.defence, and does not go ont OF its
way to attack anyone, Unless moIested,
there is very little to fear from this
snake; but the misfortune is, that you
cannot tell when you are goingto moleSs
it, as, in coming down bluff, or pick
ing your way in gulIey, you may, with
the best intentions in the world, put
your foot on rattlesnake. And then
the terrific swiftness Of his dart !! Not
even the cobra, which / had always con
sidered rivaled tho very lightning Units
movements - movements which ] will
defy almost any eye to follows quicker
than the rattlesnake in that one deadly
act. Yet, to strike, Il must bel close
coil, its head and neck being erect It
throws itself out about three-tonrths OF
It's length, supporting its weight entire
ly on the tail.part. have however,
known two persons who have trodden
on nttlesnakes, aud have escaped u
third was still moro remarkably tortu.
nate, One, n 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 hiei
the other was not so quick, and the
reptile struck him three times with cleo
trio quickness, but his trousers and long
boots saved him. This disposes of n
iallacy very generally held, TINT venom
GUS serpents will not bite twice in sue.
cession. There were the three pair 81
fang.marks quite plainly to be seen in
his white trowsers. One young man
who was bathing in the river Platte had
more extraordinary escape still, for, on
emerging from the water, he sat down,
being, OF course, completely naked, on
rattlesnake which was baSking in the
grass. Whether he sat upon tue reptiles
head, or whether the creature was too
astonished by his sudden descent, can
never DO known, but certain it is that
the affrighted bnther leapel up with
shrek, and escaped unhurt.
It is told that this particular serpent
has very offensive odor when irritated,
and that DR.. Hamilton Roe owed his
life to n knowledge of that fact. The
physician having opened box directed
to the Superintendent Of the Geological
Gardens, London, put his hand-most
rasllly, II seems to me-under the dry
moss which appeared, to sec what was
there. He touched something alive,
aud the smell told him it was ratio.
snake. Had he Withdrawn Ills hand
rapidly, he would have been bitten to
certainly but he had the presence OF
mind to stroke the reptile, which allow.
cd him to take his hand gently away.
This is well-known story l only refer
to It to add that this odor is 20 powerful
and permanent that whom q snake is
irritated and made to bite the rake or
hoe with which It is intended TO kill him
and, rs may be supposed, this is very
often done-the implement will retain
the same unpleasant smell for months.
Once known, it is always recognizable.
As much cannot be said Of the sound
Of the rattle. ] have been on tue prairie
when opinions have been divided as to
whether certain ominous clicking arose
from tho grasshoppers, which were there
in great numbers, or = rattlesnake. II
Is not pleasant, ut twilight, to have any
doubt on this subject. The chief thing
against the nttlesnake theory was, that
these reptiles seldom move or leave their
holes after shutdown. But I would warn
The reader net to depend too much on
this, as some snakes are certainly OF
irrnruIar habits. and have been known to
crawl into tents, and into beds within
the tents. This was for tho sake Of
warmth. Very often the reptiles will
content themselves with coming inside {;
and 80 true is it that use doth breed a
habit in man, that have known men
to sleep quietly all through the night
when they were perfectly aware that n
rattlesnake was within the walls Of their
tent. They rolled themselves tight in
the blanket, knowing that the creature
would not touch any one II it wcrO not
first attacked, and that, when light came,
II would go AWAY. In one instance, n
man was bitten ut night. lie was on the
prlirie, and sleeping near his horse,
which was fastened by long rope to n
log or stone. The horse broke away,
and the man feeling after the rope in
the grass, disturbed nttlesnakc, which
bit him on the back OF his hand. He
was cured by remedy which l think ]
have seen recommended in England. A
friend cut with a penknife the skin
round the puncture, so MS to enlarge the
wound and made it bleed then he put a
small heap OF gunpowdGr on the spot,
ignited it-no pain attending this-And
tue man was cured. would inst add
here, that the stranger must not depend
on always hearing the rattle when the
snake moves is only violently shaken
when the animal is alarmed, or is about
to attack, and then tho warning and the
assault are too close together for the
victim to escape.
The rattle Inns been too often described
to need much to be said about il here ;
ii is known to consist Of n number Of
bones, looking like knuckle bones,
securely fastened together, yetso loosely
that they make clicking noise whom
shaken. These grow on the tail Of the
reptile and the popular belief Is, that
the first joint, which is always OF n
darker color than the others, takes two
years to grow, whilo aiterward the snake
has m additional joint each year. Some
observers contest this, and argue that
the reptile forms its rattle much faster
than at this rate. The wearing Of this
rattle in the hat or bonnet is said to be
IN infallible specific against tho head
ache, and is frequently worn on that
account.
SINGULAR DISCOVERY. - Among the
interesting scientific discoveries Of late
Is one showing Tint certnin noises hive