The record-union., 1893-11-09

1t is scarcely the amusement the average
sportsman would select as a popular pas
time. And yet there are many men who
make it business. The skin of the rep
tile and it's oil, as well as the rattles them
selves, all have market value, and where
money is to be made there will you al
ways find someone ready to risk life and
health in its pursuit, says a correspondent
of the Cleveland Leader.
Perhaps no place in the United States
has more insects, reptiles and serpents
than Greer County, Texas, and it was in
this land that I once witnessed and took
q hand in grand rattlesnake hunt.
''Rattlesnake Ned' is a well-known
character in the West. Huge rattlers are
fastened all around his hat-band and fall
down around his face like big, fantastic
tassels. They jingle in terrifying man
ner as he walks along. Around his waist
is belt OF snakes hide, and his mecca
sins are of the same material, while al
most constantly can be seen the flat head
and wicked eyes Of a pet rattler as Ii
nestles in his breast pocket and sticks It's
head out for observation or for air.
During the spring of 1880 the writer,
together with Ned and couple OF friends.
took part in hunt for snakes. our guide
led US TO a wild, rocky gulch, filled with
loose boulders, rank grass, and perme-
aGed with peculiar Odor. 1t is needless
to say that being reptile-fearing man, |
did not altogether enjoy the sensation of
seeing huge rattler cOiled up at my feet,
with It's head reared back in a graceful
arch preparatory to striking.
However, Ned was at my side and by a
lucky stroke of long forked stick he
stretched his angry snakeship writing in
the death agony on the ground. Before
he could make his capture a certainty nu-
merous whirring sounds from crevices of
rocks and in the rank grass made it
known that the snake army was there in
force, ready and prepared to fight.
Before going on with this article it
would be well to state that all Of our party
wore heavy buckskin suits and over our
legs as high as the hips were drawn
leather leggins and boots. For a snake
to sink its tangS through all of this was
almost impossible, and still to feel the
blow against ones limbs, even when so
well protected, Is by no means pleasant
Hardly had the first rattler been dis
patched when l felt q slight shock against
my left leg. [ was Mortified to see the
baleful eyes of a snake that had just
struck and was at my feet. With an in
stinctlVe desire to get even, l ground my
neck and killed it. For hours thereafter
l was sick with fear and apprehension
lest some Of the poison had penetrated
even beyond the protecting leather.
''Rattlesnake Ned" however, was in
his element. The ground was literally
alive with wriggling, kissing, squirning,
odor-emltting game. At one time he
would crack a snake over the head with q
club and at another he would pinion a
death-dealing terror to the earth with his
forked stick, catching it just back of the
head and holding it helpless. Then,
reaching cautiously down, he would
grasp the captive back of the flat head
and hold it up, laughing gleefully at its
frantic efforts to escape or strike.
1t was at this time that | witnessed a
peculiar spectacle and one which should
teach moral. Ned was an inveterate
chewer of dog leg' leaf tobacco,
stronger than snake poison evidently
He caught big rattler. and squeezed its
neck until the mouth flew open as though
on hinges. Then he deliberately and
very impolitely emptied large mouth
ful of tobacco juice into the gaping Jaws
Casting the maddened reptile to the
ground Ned stepped back out of reach
with a laugh, and watched the show
Like coils OF shining-satin rope, and with
lightning rapidity, the snake coiled and
uncOiIed, all the time emitting a noise
like escaping steam, the rattles playing
lively tattoo by way of accompaniment
Gradually the struggle became less
furious. Slowly the deadly coils lost
their indamed color, and took on a gray
iSh cast. At the end of five minutes the
battle against fate was ended, and the
most Venomous serpent known on this
continent was dead, killed by a mouthtul
of tobacco juice.
Those who may be inclined to doubt
the authenticity OF this statement have
only to catch garter snake and try the
experiment upon it. Tobacco Will surely
kill them, and in much quicker time
than their poison will end human life.
a rattlesnake cannot and viii not strike
unless in coil. This popularity makes it
q subject of great sport for those people
who know its habits and fear it not. One
of their pastimes is to take a riding whip,
lash the snake out Of coil and then, after
allowing it to coil again, ready for busi-
ness. whip it once more, until sometimes
in sheer anger and desperation, it will
sink its fangs into its own body, it's poi
son being as sure death to itself as to a
person,
Another thing not generally understood
is the fact that no snake cad jump its full
length. How often do you see pictures of
rattIesnakes jumping clear of the ground?
They don't, in reality, jump at ali, but
SlllpAy SlAA6Il Ouls AtdNlIlB Il lew luCD6S OF
tail on the ground as sort of a rest for
the body.
After four hours of ceaselesS hammer
ing of snakes, the hunt was declared a
success, and brought TO an end. Ned,
with his gloved hands, drew the dead rep
tiles into a heap, and viewed our prizes
with much satisfaction. 1t had been q
great day to him financially, and he was
happy, for rattlesnake oil is an expensive
In ha hoI
dumped down into heap what sight it
was. Although the reptiles were dead,
or at least ought to have been, for all had
sustained broken backs, dislocated necks
and crushed heads, yet they Wriggled and
waggled the tails, which, by popular su-
perstition, never dies until sundown, un-
til the air was filled with the awe-inspir-
ing whirr of their rattles.
- had a narrow squeeze for my life"
remarked Rattlesnake Ned, as he hauled
the skin over the head OF q at-headed
monster, 'aud Pll tell you what it was.
Il was hunting these snakes alone on
the South Canadian River, and had killed
quite lot Of them before | concluded to
stop and draw them up together as these
are.
81 had counted eighteen of them and
was reaching down for another one when
'whi-r-r-r' went an angry rattle. Be-
fore l could spring out of harm's way a
colled serpent sank its fangS into my
cheek. OF course L killed it, but the mis-
chief had been DONE
This snake had crawled up to the heap
of dead while L was away and had coiled
beside the wriggling mass, probably
waiting tor an opportunity to get even
for the slaughter OF its kindred
well, l jumped on my horse and
started for Caddo, drinking lots of whisky
op la