The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-07-17
HUNTING RATTLESNAKES.
ODD EXPERIENCE THAT MAY BE
HAD IN PENNSTLVINIA.
Nineteen Of the Reptiles Captured by One
Expedition The Customs Of Experienced
kportsmen ms Observed by nm Amateur.

JACKSONVILLE, Lehigh Co., Pa, July H.
rhe party was to start from the cabin Of Jake
Smith, whose home Is four miles from Snlpe
creek, on spur OF the Blue Ridge that juts out
from the northwest boundary OF Lshigh county.
Three miles from his place IA barren tract
known as Rattlesnake Ledge. Smith had three
friends, Henry Larkins, Budd Hemple and HI
ram Endy, OF whom he Is the acknowledged
leader. He Is a tall, raw -boned six-footer with
q face covered with short black whiskers. The
three others are rough woodsmen, yet full OF
fun and fond OF adventure. They seemed to be
elsted at having a stranger In the party.
"Just come along" said Smith; "you won't
be getting into any harm. Put on heavy pair
OF boots, and keep your eyes open and your wits
about YOU"
The party started early yesterday. The Ledge
reached. pipes were smoked until srn-up.
an never forget my nrst hack at snake In
these parts" said Smith; ait was Just across
yonder, about q hundred yards. 1t was a red
hot day In August. 1 went across, and just
ahead OF me l saw six-footer stretched out
asleep. / went for him, out missed my mark,
an in second the rattle tangled. He made
spring, and grabbed me by the arm aud held
fast. Before could think Of what was doing
this dog here grabbed the snake. ana shook the
Henry, dead two years now. put his mouth TO
my bare arm and drew every DIT OF the poison
out Tsey 9, oi %S Ra' leaf two
smith went away. and after he had been gone
half hour he called up from the rocks. and we
wsnt to bin. He stood smiling aud exclaimed,
Here's an early bird out for an airing" On
the rock. and pinned to " by forkod stiok.
Jake told Endy to hold the prong down. TAX
iDg out small vial from a vcst pocket hs
saturated bit OF black wsdding with ;ne liquor
1t contained. lie placed the waddng on sick,
and then put |. into the setpents mouth. IL
operated like magic. 1he snakes body dro ped
nat m he rock
-.".That'll DO" SAID Jake. Take the prong OF.
He's dOsed Ike "A charm"
Jake tnen held the snake by the tail. and
said that tue stun would keep II unconscious
for ten minutes. The reptile had six fully
minutes had scarcely elapsed before tue snake
revived. HIS throat commenced swelling, his
ratties were gone. He tried TO shake again, and
then sank mis- fangs deep into bis body again
and again, frothed at tue mouth and aied
pparently In agony.
ri just did that to let you know how mad a
rattler gets when hs Is clipped said JAKE.
You see how blue the inside OF his mouth IS
" ell. that's the way they all get. That pronged
tongue Of his Il no, DANGEROUS Behind that
| long tooth Is small bag that will show you
after while. 1t IA a kind OF sack a0olt half
As big as pea In that Is the poison. When
rAttler gets mad, aud Just before he strikes,
ho'il give MS teeth a bath OF poison and then
drive iu the faugs. The teeth are hollow ON
the ends. and no matter II they 90 through
mans clothes, the poison wont wipe cr, out /:
will drop when the teeth touch blood"
| The sun was very hot and the barren ledge, ex-
posed to the full rays, was getting scorching.
| Each man was provided with q stout hickory
stick, with prong at the lower end Each put
ON his feet rubber bottoms made out OF cast.
| on shoes, In order to get over the rocks without
making noise. Eacn TOOK adj inerent di!eo.ion.
| With the undereandnz that they should meet
you come with me. said Jake, whlstling for
the og. and the hunters separated. They were
provided with snrili Whistles and t was specially
| understood that they should at no time DO sep
arAtsd among the rocks at q distance beyond
1 bearing. go that whenever one misht want help
| the other could come to bis assistance without
I'VE generally and 'em laying stretched on
the rocks. they're naturally lazy; and thsy take
| 10 the sun like ducks to water They don't d.
much but sleep. On these hot rocks they be-
come full OF poison. Look there at that dog
"Msj" stood on a ledge OF yellow rock about
| atty yards from where were. HIS body was
| silent as n statue. anu his tall waxeed with tue
| regularity Of pendulum. We approached si.
lently. and when we were within nyo feet OF
the rock the dog left his post snd got be
there lay n rattesnAke seven feet In length
| sleeping In the sun. 1t lay stretched out Ths
| hunter walked up carefully, placed tho pole
| In position, and In a atwinkling II descended on
| the neck Of the reptile making II prisoner. IL
took all the strength OF that orawny man AT nrst
| to keep the snake fast on the rock. Rattle
snakes do not curl as other snakes do, When
| the rock with their bodie,
stand back" said Jake; "let him lam that
| stone until he gets tired"
| rhe horny chain on the snakes tail ratified.
| but the prong was too small for him to slip his
head or body through IL pinched Just enough
| TO madden him. In three minutes he seemed
tagged out, when Jake was enabled TO dose him
aud lay him out. The body was beautiful Ia
| gold. dark brown aud black. Tho belly had
| grtyish white with black sttipes. On tue back
there we're black spots Jake took out tho po-
| sen sack, which looked very much ike water
| bl ister on human nssh.
-, That stun in he veins Of twenty men would
| XIII every one Of en-" said Jake. "Some people
would say this fellow was eleven years old. &C
| cording to his rattles. dOn't believe II. bs-
when they are young. When they're old it nty
| be different. This skin amt worth much, out
| we'll take 1t along any way
| Suddenly was heard the shtill whistle OF one
! OF the uen aoout two hundred ysrus over the
rocks. The dog pitched mead foremost IN his
| breath, and said, Come on, but be careful"
| A thrilling sight was Endy in a bath Of persplra-
| ton. holding down a snake that seemed as large
again AZ the one we had Just captured. Thed
II want this FELLOW alive" said Endy. and
Jake, take hold Of this until run up TO the Dig
| hickory an3 get that oox."
In short time Endy returned with soap box
made OF heavy wire. He set the boz down, and
then took hold Of the prong. Tne snake was
itwls under its influence It was easily thrown
into the box, and the iid fastened with staples
| Inc snake measured nine feet in length.
| Another start was made, aud In about an hour
and a hiif Ave falr-sized snakes were killed, All
Of the party were on time at the appointed place
| Of meeting. Nineteen snakes had been captured.
| Jake was asked what he had In that vial
That's the best thng IN tue world to put any
| man or beast To sleep you ever heard oil. We
| get It by stewing up Indian turnip hazel nut,
| dock, and one or two other things that the wo-
| men folks gather ON the hills. Old Granny Lip
| pArd first gave II to the people In these parts.
| There was fine horse got his leg broke for
| Gen. Bridge, and they had an idea they could
set II II the horse could be nut to sleep and out
| OF pain. Ola Granny stewed EN- up some, and
| they eiye II TO the horse, and II put hln to
| sleep. We tried the stun Oh dogs, goats, sheep,
| and on fsh, and toward the last We got II on the
| snakes and IL works like chatm. ! wouldn't
like TO give II ~ u human being for fear II might
| put him so sound to sleep that he'd never get
| over II.
| Tho men cut OF the heads Of the reptiles, ex-
| tracted the poison sacs, and put them In one
| box. In reply to a question IA To what that
| poison was good for one said In the nrst
| place IL Is not dangerous II you keep II away
| from your blood. The women folks use It very
sparingly though. Sometimes tney mix II wit h
camphor % smell OF for headacne. little,
boiled with dock leaves and wild laurel is agood
wash for rheumatism. Stin joints are limoered
| up prstty well when a sac Is thrown IN o warm
water with salt aud a little mustard The klns
dried ure SAID 70 cure headache, earache,
rheumatism, wiidhie, or ringwOrm II worn
around the arms. -
Last year these four men killed 397 snakes In
three months, and they intend TO exceed that
number TINS Vear.
4" these SNAKES we got here" said Endy, are
the worst KIND OF Tattlers. They live on mice
and birds. There ID no such tninR In my mind
| as charming a bird My opinion IL that the
| snake comes on to the bird 30 suddenly that II
| gets scared 10 death. | don't believe half the
snake stories hear nowadays. But this can