Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-12-18
RATTLESNAKES.

RATTLEsNAKES.
| The rattlesnake is supposed, by those who
are likeliest to know to be extending its area;
| all writers have hitherto concurred in saying
| that they were never met with at an eleva-
| tion or more than six thousand feet above
| the sea level; but several recent explorers
| unite in saying that they are now found
| much higher. The gentleman just cited as
| stroyed hundreds of rattlesnakes last au-
| tumn, killed forty or fifty at an elevation of
| about eight thousand feet. Formerly, they
declare, they never used to find them so high.
| The mountain snakes are more vivid in their
| colors than their brethren of the prairies,
| and, OF the two, are more dreaded on account
| of their supposed ferocity.
| Although, as just said, the rattlesnake is
| spread almost generally over the North
more plentiful in some parts than in others,
and Texas probably holds an infinitely
large Larger proportion OF reptiles than any other
| tween the Rio Grande and Neuces-two
| streams which flow in the same direction at
| distance OF some sixty or seventy miles-is
desert, barren region, literally swarming
| with serpents In summer, you may ride for
| miles through this district, and not go fifty
| yards without seeing rattlesnakes. In other
parts OF Texas, the mOccasin is the preya lent
| snake; while centipedes, scorpions, taran-
| tulas, and the alligator infest various locali-
ties, and are each terrible scourge.
The rattleSnake Is perhaps the most slug
| gish of all the serpent tribe, for even the
| puff: adder of the Cape, which has that repu-
| tation in general, is very active when en-
| ragged; but the rattlesnake, excepting Just
after and just before its winter sleep, never
| bites excepting in selfdefense, and does not
go out of It's way to attack any one. Unless
| molested there is very little to fear from this
snake; but the misfortune is, you don't
| know when you are going To modest 1t, as, in
| coming down a bluff. or picking your way in
a gully, you may, with the best intention in
the world, put your foot on a rattlesuake.
| And then the terrible swiftness of his dart |!
Not even the cobra, which had always con-
y-ot OIL ~ laul,t,,
ents-movements which will defy
almost any eye to follow-is quicker tnan
| the adder in that one deadly act. Yet, to
strike, II must be in q close coil, its head
| and neck being erect; IL throws itself out
about three-fourths of its lenth, sup
porting its weight entirely on the
persons who have trodden on rattlesna kes
and have escaped; a third, as will be seen
was still more remarkably fortunate. One,
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 before done in his
life The other was not SO quick, and the
reptile struck him three times with electric
quickness, but his trousers and long boots
saved him. This dispOses of q fallacy very
generally held, that venOmous serpentS will
not bite twice in succession. There were
the three pair OF fang marks quite plainly to
be seen on his white trousers. One young
man who was bathing in the river Plat had
more extraordinary escape still. for, on
emerging from the water, he sat down be-
ing, of course, completely naked, on a rat
tleSDake which was basking in the gr3S .
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 that the afrightei bather leaped
up with shrek. and escaped unhurt.
IL is told that this particular serpent has
very offensive OdOr when irritated, and In If
Or. Hamilton Rowe owed his life to knowI
edge of that fact. The physician having
opened box directed to the Superintendent
OF the geological Gardens, London, put his
hand-most rashly, 1t seems to me-under
the dry moss which appeared, to see what
was there. He touched something alive, and
the smell told him 1t was a rattlesnake. Had
he Withdrawn his hand rapidly, he would
nave been bitten to certainty; but he had
The presence of mind to stroke the reptile
which allowed him to take his hand gently
away. This is well known story; ! only
refer TO 1t to add that this odOr is SO powerful
and permanent that when a snake is irrita-
ted and made to bite the rake or hoe with
which IL is intended to kill him-and, as may
pe supposed, this is very often dOne-the i'm
plement will retain the same unpleasant
smell ior months. Once known, it is always
AS much cannot be said of the sound of the
rattle. have been on the prairie when
opinions have been divided as to whether
certain ominous clicking arose from the
numbers, or rattlesnake. 1t is not pleas
ant at twilight to have any doubt on this
SUBJECT The chief thing against the rattle
snake theory was. that these reptiles seldom
move or leave their holes after sundown.
But would warn the reader not to depend
100 much on this, as some snakes are GER
tEa nny OF irregnlar habits, and have been
known TO crawl into tents, and into beds
within the tents. This was for the sake of
warmth. Very often the reptiles will con-
tent themselves with coming inside; and SO
true is 1T that use doth breed a habit in a
man, that have known man to sleep quietly
an through the night when they were per-
t t aware mat rationale was within
the walls OF their tent. They rolled them
selves tight in the blanket, Knowing that
the creature would not touch any one if
~ were not hrst attacked, and that, when
tie light came 1t would go away. In one in
stance, a man was bitten at night. He was
on the prairie, and sleeping near his horse
when was fastened by long rope to a log
or stone The horse broke away, aud the
man feeling after the rope in the grass. dis
turbed rattlesnake, which Bit MIN on the
PACK OF bis hand. He was cured by a RENE
Qy Wnich think have seen recommended
IN England. A friend cut with a penknffe
The skin around the puncture, SO as to en-
large he wound and make it bleed; then he
lgnlted lt-nO pain attending this-and the
man was cured. would just add here that
the stranger must not depend on always
nearing the rattle when the snake moves: III
is only violently shaken when the animal is
alarmed, or is about to attack, and then the
waning ana the assault are too close to-
getner Tor the victim to escape.
The rattle has been too often described To
need much to be said about it here; IL is
inn M to consist OF number Of bones, look
tened together, yet SO losely that they make
cncking noise when shaken. These grow
on the tail of the reptile; and the popular he
nei is that the first joint, which is always of
CAREER color than the others, takes two
years TO grow, while afterward the snake has
an additlonai Joint each year; some observers
its rattle much faster than at this rata The
wearing OF this rattle in the hat or bonnet is
SAID 70 De an infallible specific against the
neadacae, and is frequently worn On that
There are several kind OF ratflesnake In
america. and they are known by various
names. Will at present only refer to two
s sany mentoned.the mountain rattle
snak re and the prairie or field ratt,espake
Ihere Is q curious difference between these
Two, which prevents one being mistaken for
the other; On the planes the snakes have
snelI Iatties nat, or broadwise towards the
ground. imagine that SO curious q fact
VII be useful TO support or oppose some.
lied on. "s oe To
Not long ago, great anxiety was most natp-
Ialiy exhibited in India to ind a cure for SER
Pent bites, for there, should fancy, a hun
ored lives are yearly lost for each one in
ar ~ Fr<v,, -,