The record-union., 1892-12-16
GILAR'G SNAKES.
They Discounted the Missouri Mans
Trained Reptiles,
Some Of the Eel River Species That
Old Man Chamberlin Told OF
to Mr.. Squink.

An old and talented but reliable friend
of mine. who was particularly fond of
natural history, used up a good deal of
my time relating to me strange things
which had come under his notice. He
used to go out into the mountains and
load himself up with anecdotes in the
summer, and in the winter he would
come to town and swap them for drinks.
he would hang around all winter, with
no definite or visible business except this,
and if any one related little story of any
kind my friend would get into the arena
and either distinguish himself or get
drunk.
One day 1 picked up paper which had
this item, and in careless moment l
read it to old Chamberlin:
A man in Missouri has twenty-seven pet
Tatuesnakes. which come when he calls them.
thought this was a good many snakes
for one man to have, even in Missouri,
but my old friend Chamberln, the nat
uralist and bughnder, without preface or
introduction said:
That amt nOthin'. Why, there's
SIlar, over on the Cow Horn in Hum
boldt County, has more'n thet many rat
tiers. am he's got other kinds. Silar
knows all about snakes. He don't care
much about ennythiug else. Some folks
thinks he eats snakes fur he don't raise
nothin' else on his ranch. He's got log
cabin, an some of the logs is rotten, and
he has 'em full of snakes. Them logs
which amt rotten he has 'em bored full
% holes, and keeps snakes in all of 'em.
Thar's snakes an snakes thar, an he
raises 'em, an matches 'em, am some
comes down the mountain to his camp.
He's got some kind of a hoodoo on 'em,
an none Of 'em bites him.
Hes got more'n twenty-seven, an
they know more'n any snakes could ac-
quire i'll MissOury. His snakes come
without calm, an stays-he don't have
to call 'em. He's got 'em all trained, an
they know their names an which hole in
the logs they belong into. Silar'll call
'em out for ennybody, am never charges
nothln'. He'll give ye gunnysack full
of 'em if you want 'em. Snakes amt no
object to him, only them as is trained
"One of en-, which is yalIer kind of a
pizen-lookin' rattler, is about as thick as
big yam, an Gums out when Silar says fur
him to. His names Big Cassiney. Big
Cassiney has more'n ten spots onto him,
but all the names Silar knows is what's
on pack o. keards. Well, this yer Big
Cassiney Gums out an squirms. He's the
all-firedest squirmiest snake I ever see.
He can just lay still an crawl all round
through himself, an cum back an never
git tied into knot that he can't unite
agin. Then he's got Little Cassiney; he's
yaller kind Of wriggley rattler as
plays tunes on 'em.
Then he's got Big Pedro, which is
big, black-loOkin' rattler with the pink
eye an hump in hisself. This Big Pede
he plays with Silar, an Silar chol1es him
an uses him fur rope to tie up his dog
with, an the dog he never cats him nor
nothin'.
Then he's got Little Pedro, which is a
purity big rattler now, as Silar named
hlln when he was small, an he's growed
till he's bigger'n Big Pede. He don't
know much. an is a sulky kind of
sneakin' snake.
Then thar's High, Low an Jack.
Jack he's the biggest an pizenist kind of
mountin' rattler, an allus comes out a
twlstin' an swirmin' am rattlin': he's
got rusty-loOkin' yaller spots with picturs
on 'em, what Silar had some feller to
paint. This here Jack reptil he plays
onto harmonica, an Hi an Low they
dance round an try to look pleasant an
harmonious, but it amt no use for 'em.
Then there's four or five as Silar has
bells onto their tails, an he's got one that
chews tobacker, but allus swallers it
onless Silar ties a string round him
sumWher'S mighty tight. Then he's got
Joker. Joker comes out am just dwadles
'round. lie won't do nothin' only smoke
SeSdrs, ali ne makes me SICK. never
heerd of any snake as is a rattler, as
could smoke segar am keep on such
sickly kind OF a smile as Joker kin. It's
real eXcitin' when they all get out an
hev music an try to dance, but they're
allus crawlin' an squirmy, am some fell
1ers is fear'd of 'em.
''Silar has more snakes am more kinds
of snakes than anybody l ever heard Of
King snakes, bull snakes, an black
snakes, gopher snakes an blue and green
snakes with red bellies; an then he's cot
some of the snakiest snakes ever see,
besides lot of'em that don't come out
of the logs, but just stick their heads out
Fan whistle, or eat out of spoon.
Then he's got some other snakes
Silar an me got full o. RhonerviHe
whisky onct, an | went over to his camp
with him an -"
The rest OF Mr.. Chamberlin's story was
too full OF snakes for publication, and
about that time got away and ever after
ward avoided him. SQUINK.