The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1892-06-10
RA77LeR3 on rLua TOP.
a Farmer Who Catches Tsem and t.eers
Them Ia Hollow Logs.


The Susquehanna river rises in cen
trail New York. and flowing southwark
enters the northwestern corner of Penn
sylvan.a near Great Bend, Susque-
hanna county. and taking westerly
course follows closely the boundary
line of the two states. Ranges of hills
Tising almost to the dignity of mount
aims, skirt its banks ON either side and
present rough, ragged and rocky sur
face. so that cultivation is almost out
of the question; but wild and hilly and
barren as it was in many parts, the
pioneers of the country, intent on Sc.
curing homes and farms and a living
somewhere in that region, found here
and there valley and running
stream and fiat place where they
could plant house and clear up few
acres of land for farming.
Among those streams is one named
Snake creek, which, rising in beauti
full lake near Montrose, meanders
through valley and finds its way into
the Susquehanna about twelve miles
from the lake in which it rises This
creek was SO named by the early settlers
because of the fact that, while bears
and wolves and other ferocious beasts
were very Numerous in all that region,
snakes were conspicuously more numer-
GUS. One of the highest hills. whose
head rises we'll up into the sky, was
named Blue Top, because the large and
luscious blue whortleberries were found
on it in large quantities. The large
rattlesnake was found there, as he is
today, nearly as plentiful as the berries,
and in the season of ripe berries he is
exceedingly FESTIVE and hostile to all
intruderS.
On Snake creek. few miles above
its mouth, an old man of the name OF
Chalker lives all alone, who is so familiar
with the snakes that by common con
sent he is called Snake Chalker. His
large farm lies along the creek, extend.
ing up either side to the very top of the
hills. On one occasion, while passing
that way. the writer hitched his horse
at his gate and went in to see him.
Hanging up all around the old fash
toned fireplace | observed what ap
peared to be dressed cells preparing fol
the table. They were exceptionally
large of the kind and | asked where he
caught such large cells.
''Eels2" said he. Those are my rat
tlesnakes
And what are you going to do witt
themg'
Eat them. They are much fine
than cells"
| Passing toward his back door h'
said .f
the yard
In the yard were snakes by the scor,
all kinds, but blacksnakes and rat
tlesnakes in great numbers. How h,
caught them, how he put them wher
they were, he explained rs follows;
You see these tubs, as call them
In which keep theme These are hol
low logs sawed off about ten feet
burned out and made smooth inside, 81
the snakes can't get out. lplace one enc
of the log or tub about five feet in tn,
ground. | then put the snakes down
about twenty or thirty in each tub, anC
keep them, feeding them every day unit
want to use them. Snakes, you know
come out of their dens on warm, pleas
ant days and lie on the rocks to SUI
themselves | cut a small stick with
short crotch at one end. | approach
them quietly, and placing the crotcl
on the snakes neck hold it firmly dow
until put a stout pin through his lips
Then twisting it about SO he can't opei
: his mouth or bite fill my pockets 0
basket and take them home and re
plenish my tubs When want snali
to eat or sell slip a moose over hi
, head and bring him up."-New Yor
Sun.