West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-08-21

Rattesnakcs are not as dangerous as
most persons imagine, for they are very
sluggish in their movements, and. as a
rule, give timely warning of their pres
cncc 10y their rattle. Furthermore. they
must coil themselves up like a watch
spring before striking, and can then
only spring for distance about their
own length.
remember well my apprchcnsions,
when about TO visit the great Western
prairies, at hearing that rattlcsnakes
were very numerous there: and that il
was not an unusual thing for "A traveller
on waking up in the morning to find
one coiled up in hi, blanket. In fact,
my blood ran cold at the idca; and. be
fore starting out TO rough it, | pro-
vidcd myself with huge pair of top
boots, and with loo, ely braided hair
rope, over which it is said a snake will
not pass, 10 put round my bed az night.
Finding that the old plainSmcn were
not generally in the habit of taking the
latter prccaution, / used the rope but
once; though / did not cease To con
gratulatc myself upon having bought
the top-boots, for in some sections rat
tlcsnakcs wcre very numerous.
Many times have alighted from my
brOitohO, and killed one with little
curt Ga riding whip made of raw -hidc),
though ! remember an old plainsman
telling me my bravery was born OF igno-
rance, and that. if had seen rs much
Of the reptiles as he had, | would cNcr-
else little more caution.
The flesh OF these snakes is very
white; and it is said that Canadians
sometimes eat it, The Canadians have
to be cautions, however, in killing one
for food, for if the first blow fails to kill.
or only partially stun5 the snake. the
latter instantly bites himself i'm several
parts of the body, which is thus rem
dcrcd poisonous, and would prove fatal
to any one vino should eat OF it, DIR.
Fordyce states that he knew a negro
servant of an Indian merchant, i'm Az
rica, who was fond of rattlcsnake-soup.
IN which he always boiled the head with
the rest Of without regard TO
the poison. This seems alu incrcd-
ible, although it is well known that some
polsOn5 can be taken internally with pcr-
irct impunity, a single drop of which.
introduced directly into the blood, would
prove fatal.
Horses, sheep and dogs do not. as a
rule, die from the effects Of "a rattle
snakes bite, though the part bitten
often swells 90 a great size Pigs are
said to be entirely exempt from the
effects of the poison, and will kill and
cat tho snakes whenever an opportunity
presents itself
There are several antidotcs for the
poison The leaf of the rattlcsnakc-
root is considered. by some, the most
cIllcacious remedy: and Yirginian snake
root, Chewed, makes an excellent poul-
ticc for the wound. The fat of the
snake itself, rubbed into the wound. is
also said TO be healing, although these
three remedies are. / think, generally
allowed 10 be of doubtful virtue when
compared with what may be called the
two sovereign remedies, alcohol and
ammonia. The former is, without doubt.
the most powerful kown antidOtc for
the poison and ] have heard Of large
quantities OF brandy. taken internally,
e. icct'ng cure without the least intOXi-
cation. Ammonia, if instantly applied
10 the wound will at least prevent death
Tho popular belief that the aye of q
snake is indicated bv the number of
rattlcs ON his tail is erroneous. for rat
tics urc frequently lost accidentally.
and as many as four have been known
90 iorm i'm q single year
] remember well q fright 7 received
in the summer Of '7G while stopping mt
West la Animas, n little town I'm
southern Colorado. at what was then
Che terminus of the Arkansas Valley
Railway. ] had just arrived from the
East and was seated with q friend ON
tho piazza OF the Iandver Hotel watch
inc % long line of huge New Mexican
freight wagons wind slowly into town,
when I heard 70 noise directly under my
chair that sounded like dry peas shakon
iu pod.
"Lo.k outr' shouted nv friend;
there's rottlcsnakcn' and the light
ming rapidtv with which ] spraug from
my char To- the piazza, and from there
to tbC ground has, / may believe
rarely bc 70 cqualed.
The snake was not i'm sight. but by
removing one Of the pianks Of the little
VaIla % very easy task we soon
found him. Hc was coilcd up ready To-
pring with an iridcs-cnt balcful glit
ter boo bis littie nvcr W beu DscillafInO
rapidly tu'aa 10. and his forked and
vcnomous tongue protruding. lie was
soon dispatched, however, despite his
malignant appearance; and his raltlos
three IN number ] still keep
a iuu- grown rattlcsuake rarely meas
ures more than three feet in length
though boz snake stories they arc free
qurntly mentioned as being much
longer
N Good ssory ie told IN Coi,r,l, ,f