Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-09-19
A Snake Story.

was staying at the time on the shore of Salt
Lake. and every morning after breakfast used
to take stroll with my pipe through the sage
brush that stretched from my door to the foot of
the hills about a quarter of mile off. gener-
ally had my bOtanizing tin on my back, my in
sect forceps in my pocket. and short alpen-
stock, fitted with geological hammer, in my
hand Thus equipped. was sauntering ng
one day. when heard a soft rafting at my feet.
and looking down, saw that 1 had brushed
against plant which bore bunch of dry pods
filed with ripe seeds. l stopped and picked it,
and as went along kept rafting the pods in
an idle way. All the time too. was birdnesting
tor the sage-brush abounded in the nests of
three species of birds. which from the eggs
knew to be of the linnet, pipit and blackbird
kinds used to find some every day, for not
only have been an expert from my youth up at
birdnesting under any circumstances. but the
ground here was particularly favorable. Your
footsteps, as they fell upon the carpet of last
years sage leaves, were muffied while the bird
sitting on its nest could not see you. owing to
the density of the sage bushes, until you were
close upon it. Sometimes, indeed, the hen bird
would fly startled off her nest as was actually
stepping over the bush where her treasures
were. So, as 1 went along. was examining
the roots of the sage brush, and cropping about
with my hands among the leaves, picking up an
insect here or a flower there, aud, as have
said. rafting the seed pods in my hand from
time to time.
suddenly I heard responsive rattle. and
looking down found that I was walking
through quite cluster of the same plants. l
picked a handful, thinking they would amuse
my hosts children and soon after turned to
saunter hOmeward. had taken only step or
two when again heard the same sound, and, in
stinctiyely looking down. was just in time to see
the last few inches of dark -colored snake slip
ping under a tuft of sare-brush
turned back the tuft with my alpenstock
and as did so the OminOus rattle of the dam
gerous reptile sounded It's warning. and there,
curled up at the root of the bush was the first
rattlesnake had ever seen, and the largest I
have ever seen alive.
My experience of snakes Of all kinds In Asia
and Africa had long ago cured me Of any SUI
perstitious dread Of them, SO l proceeded to
gave it my alpenstock to strike at. The second
time did SO it struck with such viciousness
that one tooth pierced the wood. and lifted
the snake nearly off the ground by it's imbed-
ded fang. The tooth broke off, however q
cut out the tiny point afterward with my
knife), and the rattlesnake recOiled itself and
again sprang its rattle. In reply / ratified the
seed-pOds, ana the snake responded immedi-
ately, attempting after each rattle to make its
escape. But jerked it back again, and con-
tinued my experiments. offering it my alpenstock
to strike at. 1t struck at 1t seven times in sue
cessiOn, and then, exhausted, refused to be irr-
tated into retaliation any more. During all the
time the rattle was kept sounding without any
intermissiOn. though sometimes in a lower and
laZier tone than at others, SO that there seemed
/ to be almost regular cadence. q rise and fall
| in the sound But at last the snake grew weary
| of even rafting and hopeless of escape. and lay
Obstinately knOtted up, with its head flat on the
ground, peering up from under it's coils
| had half a mind to let the creature 90 with
Its life, such is my aversion to needless killing,
| but remembering how favOrlte spot this was
| for pleasure seekers from Salt Lake City, and
what numbers of children are brought out on
| holidays to wander about among the sage
| brush picking flowers, killed the incautious
| reptile. and carried off the rattIe-"twelve rat
| ties and a button"-as reminder for the
future that all that rattles is not seedpods.
How often, wonder during my walks had
innOcently heard the snake at my feet and
Thought it was the plant? During my stay /
| Killed thirteen rattlesnakes, and all near the
same spot; so the chances are that made the
mistake more than once.
But, after all, the rattlesnake, from the yerv
facts OF its rattle must be considered one of the
least dangerous of the venomOus REPTILES. How
| many thousands OLIVES would be ANNUALLY saved
| In India If the cobra had a rattle at the end of
| Its tail! How UNNECESSARILY the terrors of the
| of Its presence!
In the case Of the rattlesnake there must be
| stupidity or deafness as factor in eyery acct
dent. for it is hardly possible to disregard "a
OlstlncC eOnnd. While on the subject OF
snakes, 1t is worth saying, perhaps, that one OF
the most universally accepted superstitions in
the world is that of the jumping snake. Wher-
| ever you go you are assured. even by so-called
eye-witnesses, that snakes can leave the ground
and leap up at the victims face In America
believe the error to be very widespread, fol-
wherever conversation has turned upon the sub
ject. and the company begins exchanging snake
| stories, the snake that "sprang from the
ground" Is sure to come to the front Now,
as matter of fact, no snake can leave the
ground to strike; indeed, it can only raise one
third of its total length of the ground at a
time A six-foot snake, therefore, has strik-
Ing radius OF only two feet At any point
within that circle Is probable death, but one
men beyond that circle Is complete security A
six-foot snake of any venomous species ia. how
ever, rarity. and though had been often as
sured by those who thought they had seen them
that six-foot cobras and ten-foot rattlesnakes
exist, believe In them no more than do In
that other persistent fiction, the ten-foot tiger
The largest rattiesnake l killed myself-and its
rattles proved to be an old one-was barely
three feet In length. The largest cobra (and
have killed q considerable number) was four
and half, and none Of my venomous acquaint-
ances, whether cobra, korait, or rattlesnake
daboia. black-snake, whip-snake, coral-snake
or viper. has ever committed the colubrine i'm.
possibility OF springing of the ground at me-
although abundantly provoked to every species
Of irregulsrity BY teasing before execution. /.