The Princeton union., 1881-08-04
A VETERAN ON SNAKES.

TEIEKAN UN SNAkES.
How the Bites of the Poisonous Copperhead
and Rattlesnake C~n be Readily Cured
Stories from the Delaware Water Gap.
Correspondence of the Philadelphia Times
"oh, yes, there's plenty Of snakes round
here vet, and there's bound to be, with so
many rocks and trees about"
It was the old man who keeps rustic
lemonade stand at Winona Cliff yonder
who spoke, in answer to question put to
him this morning as l sat under the pa
vilion, slowly quafing one of his concoctions
through straw. He has lived in this vi
cinity for nearly half a century and could
tell me every point in that grand landscape,
fifty miles in extent, which was spread out
before me. He had begun the converse
by telling me something respecting the fish
ing in the Delaware, rolling placidly along
four hundred feet below us, and from there
we had mounted the cliff, in our talk, until
the subject of reptiles was broached by me.
Yes, the old man went on to say,
there's heaps of 'em, but mostly of three
kinds-black, copperheads and rattles No
body takes any count of black snakes 'cest
the women. They never hurt anyone and
always run when they see you. There's
good many on 'em, though, and they git
down close to the hotels often. Why, some
chap shot one over six feet long down near
Kittattinny House yesterday. He's goin' to
have it stuffed and take it back to Philadel
phia with him. It's the copperhead that's
the meanest of critters He never lets YOU
know he's around, but just lies still and
braces up for you. His bite is nasty one,
too, although it's not quite so deep as the
ratttesnake's and he don't throw the pizen
quite so far. Late last year there was lit
tie chap here from New York who was
chasinga rabbit over Mount Minse with q
dog. The rabbit went into a hole under
a big stone, and the chap thought he'd lift
at the rabbit. He stuck his hand under
the stone and quicker'n lightnin' somethin'
grabbed him by the thumb. He hauled
his hand out, and out with it came a 'tarnal
big copperhe cad. It had an ALFRED grip
'on his thumb and wouldn't let 20. The
chap whirled his hand round and 'roun
over his head until the serpent was revol-
vim like wagon wheel. The speed pretty
soon was too much for tho reptile and it
2hew away about twenty feet, and, strikin'
. rock cracked right in two. Well, that
chap had a tough time enough with his
thumb. He knew enough to catch it by
the knnckle and squeezeit for all he was
worth, SO as to stop the circulation; but it
got tlack up to his wrist and they slit his
thumb open and had to get him drunk
several times with whisky before he was
considered safe As it was, he carried his
hand in sling for good while.
The rattlesnake's too much of GENTLE
man to bite without given you notice, but
when he does fasten his fangs onto you it's
= Job you've got on your hands. Still, if
you only know the way to do, and do it at
once; the pizen very seldom puts you in
the ice-box. There's different ways of
'treatin the bite and folks round here some
ttirNes uses one and sometimes another. I
always try the old Indian plan and I've
never seen it fail. My boys are forever
tacklin' rattles and so have chance to
try the cure pretty often. Just as soon as
possible after they are bitten take 'em o
q wet spot-and there's plenty of such spots
in the woods-and af or they are stripped
stick 'em right down in the mud. If the
bite is somewhere on the legs I slide the
boys in feet foremost up to their waists,
SO as to make the thing sure. If the bite
is on the arm or hand will make m lie
down fiat In the mud and push their arms
into the mud up to the arm pits, keep
pourin' water on from time to time, so that
the clay can't get dry. Generally leave
the boys in the mud half day and then
take 'em home and give EN- tea made
from roots. There's two of these roots,
Lions heart and pilot-root, which are pref
ty sure to knock snake bites all to pieces.
Some folks never do anythin' else for the
pizen but feed the person bitten with these
roots. I don't think it stops the swelling
as soon as mud.
''The cure most generally followed in
these parts, however, is by bleedin' the
wound and givin' the person piles of whis-
ky. Even the parsons do it. Let mo tell
you. Last year the Methodist parson from
the village down here had friend, chap
from the city, visitin' him, and they did
tremendous amount of trampin' around the
woods. Up there by Cadena Falls the var
mints are thicker than anywhere else, and
those as knows keeps sharp lookout for
'em. This city chap didn't know and I
'spose the palson didn't think to tell him.
One day he was tryin' to climb up a pretty
steep rock beyond the falls, and placed his
hands on q ledge above him, SO as to draw
himself up. Right on top of that ledge and
just where he put his left hand big rattle
was lynn coiled up In heap. The chaps
hand came up SO quick as to sorter fnghten
the reptile, and it forgot to give its usual
cry, but reachin' over the ledge ran its fangs
into the chaps wrist. He let go mighty
quick and when he saw what had happened
was frightened white. The parson took hold
hold Of him., however. First he tied
handkerchief around the arm, a few inches
above the wrist, to stop the circulation. and
then he cut cash around the bite and let
the blood flow. After that he started home
with TIE chap, and when they got down to
the tavern by the depot the parson went in
and got quart of whisky. He made his
friend drink nearly half of it right down
and when he got HIM to his home he gave
him the rest. The chap got stone blind
drunk and the parson kept him that way till
the next day. With the exception of
swelled arm, and, like enough, a swelled
head, for week, the fellow came through
all right. There's nothin' like KNOWN
these remedies. for all the people are liable
to get in the way Of a copperhead or rattle
at any time"
The old man is one of the attractions at
the Gap. HIS little shanty, built with
good deal of taste, is within fewsyards of
Winona Cliff and the pavilion, and nearly
every one passing by stops to add to the
old mans funds and listen to one of his
anecdotes. He seems to have all the stories
of the region at his fingers ends and vouch-
es for their accuracy with good deal of We
hemence.