St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-10-24
MUIR's SNAKE STORY.
AS Friend of the Rather He Sets
Naught Down i'll Malice.

AS a Friend of the Rather He Sets
Naught Down iii Malice.
San Francisco Examiner.
II have before stated that I was a
friend to the snake. and especially the
rattlesnake," said John Muir, the noted
scientist and the discoyerer of the great
Muir glaciers in Alaska. ''This may
sound strange to you, as 1t apparently
has to others that have told it to, but
cannot help that if l would, and, can
dldly, don't think l ought if l could.
1.-The fact is, the rattleSnake is much
maligned animal. Most people think he
is lying around all the time on the
watch TO see whom he can bite. 1t isn't
80. A rattler wont bother anybody if
he Is let alone. and he will always get
away if he can.
81 had striking Illustration of this
one time in the Yosemite valley when |
was doing some engineering work. 1t
was Ill midsummer, and the pretty val
ley was all abloom with yari-colored
flowers. The grass was knee high.
There were bluebells and yellow ane-
mones, buttercups. daisies, pansies in
Vulnerable and many more.
1.-The scent of the pines was In the
alr. A gentle breeze was blowing, and
patches of shadow dotted here and
there the sunlit, flower adorned valley.
L was walking along, muSing on the
beauty OF the scene, and with the sound
OF the Yosemite and Vernal tails in my
ears. -
Looking over the verdure toward tile
base of Ell Captain. | saw peculiar
black mark, sticking straight up against
the horizon. At first sight it looked like
stake, but L knew there were no sur
yeying stakes there. So said to my
self: This surely is a snake, and i'll all
probability a rather"
Il stood AID looked at him. He was
just as erect and still as though he were
a stake driven in the ground. | con-
tInued to stand and look, and pretty
soon L saw him move his head about
slightly as he examined into the situa-
ton. Then l knew it was snake. He
didn't know but [ would go for him, and
was studying me at safe point of
vantage.
Il remained and watched him. 1t
was interesting. The snake displayed
all the intelligence of man. He grew
more confident of his position. Pretty
soon walked over toward him. Then
he jerked down into the grass. and |
couldn't see him. All right L said,
anu L kept OH Walking. before got TO
where he was l stopped and waited.
He didn't show up Immediately, but
stayed below some time.
''At length | saw the merest object.
like the end of stick above the grass.
1t didn't move, aud for moment was
l.alf inclined to think it had always been
there, and that till now [ had over
looked it. As l stood and watched,
however, it heightened out, and be-
hold my old friend the snake was be-
fore me.
IL could see now that he was large,
handsome fellow, beautifully notified.
In colored flowers and green grass he
was exquisite. l walked toward him
again, and then there was a peculiar
winding, wavy motion of the grass, as
OF the wind playing in it. My friend
was crawling away. L bad a stick in my
hand. and could have overtaken and
slain him, but | wouldn't do it.
Il have had many experiences with
rattlers in the high SIerraS while on the
United States geological survey, and
nave Unexpectedly come across hun
dreds of them. There was always a
scurrying to get out of sight. No; this
experience with the Yosemite great
snake taught me valuable lesson. He
is inQuiSitive ard curious, but that is
all. He won't fight if you let him go
his way"