The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-03-23
War Experiences.


THAT SNAKE, AND OTHER sNAKEs-sUPER
sTITIoN.
Encountering that snake In my tent, as a
first welcome home to the regiment,direct'
ed my thoughts into a new channel of re-
lection. Its recollection has also tempora,
rily 30 diverted the course OF my narrative
as TO anticipate the order Of recital and re-
fer In connection to some facts of later ex.
perience, into which superstition enters
somewhat as factor.
The grotesque and horrible creatures
which occupy with man Identical regions
the wilderness and the desert where
also exist miasmas, fatal to the unacclima-
ted, were said by wise observer of olden
time to be not only the types, but the
mockeries and travesties which represent
the evil spirits In his nature. And to de-
gree this lie exemplified In individual cases
in regions of highest civilization and inn
provement. 1t Is a patent fact read by all
who truly observe, that there is everywhere
a we'll defined correspondence In this
Where Is the higher mental and moral
culture, all representatives of the animal
creations, which In various forms, are ev.
erywhere associated with man, are the
most improved, Intelligent, tractable and
serviceable; are affectionste and faithful,
even those among the widest are shown
TO be tanned and subdued by mild and gen
tie Influences. The fact Is variOusly exem,
plified In the domestication of the buffalo,
the deer, and other wild" animals. This
correspondence is specially noticeable, In
the dogs and other animals and ornitholog.
ical pets, as we'll as the improved "stock,"
with which refined and cultured gentle
man surrounds himself II is said, "a gentle.
mans dog Ia just like him" And no one
but recognizes that disreputable, vicious
mongrel of Sykes as In keeping with the
brute his master was--even good traits In
both. Like forever assimilates to like.
Beauty is ever complemented by power, or
the forces are disproportionated " Beauty
rides on her lion" Correspondence and
compensations everywhere proceed with
equal step.
No sooner were we In Dixie" than a
change In many forms of animated nature
appeared. Domestic animals generally, In,
ferior; mules,th best; but the mule exhib.
Its only last expiring effort of nature
" this Is but the loveliness of DEATH" No
improved stock" COWS a "run-out breed"
-" Jersey" In Size, not quality. The beef
and milk had disgusting beefy" taste
and smell.
Game animals must have been scarce.
heard of "possums.' Some of 'the boys"
spoke of having enjoyed that luxury. |
failed In testing II. Well south, we saw
and heard the far off scream of "the high
sailing buzzard.' Marching through deep
forests at night, sometimes we disturbed
well.stocked colonies of owls, which loud.
ly and answeringly demanded, Whoop
" WhOo!' we were intruding upon those
domains dedicated to their special occu.
pancy-with the bats. And there were
hawks and other Inferior, predatory birds.
Nowhere the eagle; nowhere the singing
birds, though some of very beautiful plum
age, like the peculiar, indigenous Mock.
ing bird, and the Tennessee Red bird"
Snakes plenty, and in large variety
done in fancy colors, like the one which
welcomed me, as described; In special ca
SEES, ambitiously ornamental, doing much
credit to the artists. And some we're rath-
er numerously encircled with rings of diff
ferent colors, to the arbitrary line where
might be said was the junction of body
and tail, instead of one, as my special visi.
tant had. And there were black snakes,
"blue racers" and blow snaks; adders and
copperheads. Snakes not only "ring.
streaked and speckled," but some spotted
and mottled.
There were huge rsttlers On one
hurried march 10 that slaughter pen at
Jackson, Miss, July 1858. briefly hauling
one midday, on level opening, near
little grove, In which some cavalry had the
night before bivouacked, "the boys" dis.
covered one which had been shot through
the head and left where he had "fallen;"
only despoiled of his rattles; Of which, so
large was he, there must have been many.
He was hung up at full length to low
limb, that all might see him to advantage
1 think he was fully six feet long, and as
large around In his thicker part as the calf
OF the leg of large and muscular man!
superstitious person could but think that
orotd1ns horrfdus a large sized omen of
evil; and woeful Ills did befall us on that