The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-18
Split ROCK MOUNTAINS nATTLERs.
they Are Abundant and Persistent. ana Keep
. Quiet Community AlMnya on the Alert.

They Arc Abundant aud Persistent. ana Keep
. Quiet Community Always on the Alert.
"In rural communities. said an Essex county
citizen. ait is not ordinarily tho habit Of the
jewellers therein to keep tho woods or other rank
growths along tho byways and highways and In
yards and about outbuildings cut close 10 the
ground; consequently the person coming for the
first time into tho country lying between West
port and Essex village, and especially that part
Of IL contiguous TO tho western base OF Split
Rock Mountain. naturally might be surprised to
SEQ with what scrupulous care tho farmers and
others keep such growths about their premises
constantly trimmed. Crediting this to
an aesthetic taste wholly unexpected ir
such n locality. the visitor will undoubtedly
be pleased. He will be corrcspondingly disap.
that It isn't from any Consideration Of good
taste or n desire to, improve the appearance OF
the surroundings that the people therea5pS bout
s ses%i IT." Of 'r rattiesnS Sp%s T ThR same n reason viii
during tho snake season the dwcllers. in this re.
gion always stamp their feet on the front stoop
case may be. when they go out Of their
houses, and always make Ak oa some kind OF
sheds OF other outfbsuiidings Without first pound.
ing on the door or the side of the building. They
| keep. the weeds cut down so that rattlesnakes
may have no convenient place to hide: and they
stamp and make the noises mentioned 10 Brighten
away any RATHER that may be lurking in danger
THE cause Of this prevalence Of rattlesnakes
| tain. This mountain rises perpendicularly from
the west Of Lake Champlain. and at its head a
Government lighthouse warns the craft that ply
on the Lake to keep at a good distance from that
dangerous point. From it's beginning north of
ROWING i%Sa% nj nsI 'front.' !r,ti to TING the lake aRe al Rf that distance tam s"f1 L
ing them in SOME places from base to sum.
nit. The rocks on the western side Of
t DOWN moq sRs rest sste of G 3Rsy R RsE' 10 Of t the S %ss
being a gradual slope. ON which there are heavy
growths Of timber and cultivated farms. The
between the lighthouse and Westport are the
homes OF untold numbers OF rattlcsnnkcs. and
their dens and spread themselves about the ad:
iseent country; particularly IN the towns OF
dance that keep the farmers and their families
constantly on their guard against unpleasant
s%n!P E ! sr rrona the rs ysnomoHs tdE ss is s1si, Roc.
town Of Essex. The traditions o. this den were
and 1t has deied the raids Of three generations
of settlers to depopulate il Of its denizens. The
the s aiS Of Essex county having taken
the matter In hand. and placed q price on the
a ssin 30 q d ,hs 5n,!ls g Sesn,y q et s iS ea hssf i M ssss
one killed. +. g. Lyon OF Essex owns a farm.
pnrt of which Is Oh the mountain close to
the great den. The ~rattlers were n serious OBJ.
stacie to the proper tilling of the farm, for they
invaded the hay fields in haying time, brighten.
ing away the mowers. thronged in the pastures.
and yentured even into the farmhouse. Lyon
resolved to let all other farm, work rest for
a while. and set his farm hand, Andrew Barnes.
and others in his employ to the determination
Of the snakes Of, Split Rock Den; 1t, was in the
spring. just as the snakes were leaving the den
for their seasons f%oraging. The men killed over
800 rattlesnakes. and farming in that locality was
not interfercd with to any great extent by rat.
tiers that year. although a good many were
killed during the season. But the next year the
big den was alive with rattlesnakes again. and
this year it is said the rocks at Split Rock Point
are turning out more %rattlers than ever were
known before.
Notwithstanding this extraordinary abun.
dance of rattlesnakes in the Split Rock Noun.
tain country no one remembers OF a case of any
person having been bitten by a RATHER any
where in the region. 1t Is a singular fact. also,
that no mathematics have ever been found north
OF a small brook that runs eastwardly through
the town of Essex. not far from Essex village.
and emptics into the lake. Rattlers are killed
frequently on the lower side Of the brook. but
none has ever been known on the upper SIDE"