The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1890-11-29

A warmer who Catches Thorn and Keep
Them In Hollow Logs

The Susqucanna River rises In Central
New York aud. flowing southwark.
enters the northwestern corner Of
Pennsylyania, near Great Bend. Scs
ouehanna county, and taking u west
erly course, follows closely the bound.
ary line OF the two States. Ranges OF
hills. rising almost to the dignity Of
mountains. skirt its banks on either
side aud present rough. ragged. and
rocky surface, so that cultivation Is
is almost out OF the question; but wild
and billy and barren rs 1t was In many
parts, the pioneers OF the country. in
tent on securing homes and farms and
a living somewhere In that region,
found here and there n valley aud
running stream and flat place whore
they could plant house and clear up
few acres Of land for farming. Among
those streams is one named Snake
Greek. which rising in beautiful lake
near Montrose meanders through
valley and finds its way into tho Sus-
quehanna about twelve miles from the
lake in which 1t rises. This creek was
so named by the early settlers because
of the fact that, while bears and wolves
and other ferocious beasts wero very
numerous in all that region, snakes
were conspicuously more numerous.
One of the highest hills. whose head
rises well up into the blue, was named
Blue Top. because of the large and
luscious blue whortleberries were found
on it in large quantities. The large
rattlesnake was found there. rs be is
to-day. nearly as plentiful as the ber-
ries. and in the season OF ripe berries
he is exceedingly FESTIVE and hostile to
all intruders.
A few days since. as large party
was ascending the mountain, one OF
their number called attention to an
object ahead of them stretched across
the road. As they approached nearer
it turned out to be n monstrous rattle
snake summing himself. The men got
clubs ana made an attack. For somc
time he fought, striking at them fur
iously and flashing his snnky eyes and
darling his forked toward them. but he
finally was killed. 1t was ascertained
that he had twenty-five rattles, and
measured 6 feet ? inches.
On Snake Greek, few miles above
its mouth, an old man of the name OF
Chalker lives all alone who is so
familiartwith the snakes that by COM
mon consent he is called Snake Chalker.
His large farm lies along the creek. ex-
tending up on either side to the very
top of the hills. On one occasion.
while passing that way. the writer
hitched his horse ut his gate aud went
in to see him. Hanging up all around
the old-fashioned fireplace observed
what appeared to be dressed cells, pre-
pairing for the table. They were ex-
ccptionally large of their kind. and l
asked where he caught such large cells.
''Eels?" said he. Those are my
rattlesnakes."
And what are you going to do with
them?"
Eat them. They are much finer
than cells"
Passing toward his back door, he
said:
Come out and see what l have in
the yard"
You see these tubs, MS 1 call them,
in which keep them. These are
hollow logs sawed off about ten feet
long, burned out and made smooth in
side, so the snakes can't get out.
place one end of the log, or tub. about
live feet in the ground. then put the
snakes down-about twenty or thirty
in each tub, and keep them. feeding
them every day until want to use
them. Snakes, you know, come out of
their dens on warm, pleasant days and
lie on the rocks to sun themselves. l
cut a small stick with short crotch ut
one end. approach them quietly,
and placing the crotch on the snakes
neck hold it firmly down until / put a
stout pin through his lips. Then.
twisting it about so he can't open his
mouth or bite, l fill my pockets, or a
basket. and take them home and re-
plenish my tubs. When want snake
to eat or sell slip moose over his
head and bring him up."-N. Y. San.