The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-01-31
SELDOM PURSUE.
MOST OF THEM n On If THEY CAN,
FIGHT If THEY n n

provocation, often nttnck and even follow peo-
pie. I have for years devoted my life TO observ-
ing the ways OF snakes. and have chased and
caught them in many countries, bas mover other
In North or South America have ! had q snake
modest or follow me without great provocation.
We often read stories Of persons being at
tackled or pursued by the common black
racer. From my experience. and that Of
others whom l know to be absolutely
fearless and cool observers. ! must say
that the black snake certainly never under any
circumstances. pursues, and never attacks un-
less no IL cornered. And as for his winding
himself around peoples legs. I can safely assert
that no black racer would or could think of
doing such q thing. unless the person contin ued
TO hold him down with the foot on his neck or
back. In suoh q case any snake would use every
endsavor by both biting aud twIning. to free
himself. and there would DO nothing strange In
his doing so.
have found IL to be the universal rule In all
parts OF the world. that when q snake thinks he
10 unobservsd no will lie quiet. and will run
or prepare for action only whom approached.
In this country no snake attacks people by
winding around them; nor. In fact. In any
country do snakes use such q means OF offence.
except toward their prey; and even then only
those by nature constrictors use this method.
All others arc absolutely ignorant Of such n
powers; and among them must certainly DO
numbered tho blacksnake. tho rattlesnake. and
the coppcrhead. For n blacksnakc. RATHER. or
oopporhead to attack by construction would
DO Just as unnatural - for q bull to try
to tear . man to pieces with his teeth. or. a.
for q lion to stand up on his hind legs and hug
like a bear. Every blaoksnAks will mako away
tho moment he 1nds himself in danger. IL no
o,.nps n, ..can. n. lar, Mir, h. vii Mo. "a
ssenne OF escape 90 'e't MN no VII, o'to' ana
dillon to hi. being absolutely innocent. Of
yonom. hIs ,Ipv tss,h ara ,uoh poor v.snon.
that they cannot cause even a re.pectsbl.
scratch. and are less to be dreaded than the
claws Of a li,t.n or Tho tss,h Of \ s,issrown
e"ooi - as'-s'o"h
mouse. Ana even In bis best biting humor the
black snake will turn and make OF at the
slightest chance of escape; 1t l: nearly the
same Win the eopperhead. though no has more
confidence IN his power of lighting and less in
" Ho.''y .oset away
Ono day last June came upon q oopperhssd
- n.,S. - -. -. 80
ing nttie AFTER sunset Even Win an opera
Of nfty or .I.tr yara. so much s'% WA. so o, ,in,ss
n. -. - 49," - : "o 49,
dried leaves and stone. ..r.wn in tho ]yioihi,y'
u = M ' s.... .na Nun a. eopDernese
aim speeu. -
Seelng me spproaon, ne ~ once coiled himselt
ct him and watched him In his posture Of De,
enou.b To- ;,b,,spnn Kim , m c snosi1 ' VI. S ca
Ike syes clisionsd with Il" esei,sd wa,shfauIness;
Ike the an,onn@ q an insect, while his tHil ";
my d,,tahce anu wslkei around him. but he
turned h's head aud kept ever facing me. Two
msnt AL the time increasing. 80,
VII lease MN i tnougns; 70 see what ne VII
S 9s,, 10 i, , pm pu. by s,1ox out sS geh h,3r !er s; am lie
putlt 70 MN abruptly. whereupon he prompt
y struck ~ ana ieit inc venom In glistening
hhllm ana danced 5 soon, tnrsssen,nSly 6sfosc
MN. hslu,d SO ne contlnued 70 strike at the
'' Vow; i lie was near @sr the SS' sd. iGse .. the .'& road, where
tnese wAs p,enty o, grass anu weeds ior him TO
Al 10, o9. ne seemed to BE- 90 occupied Nth
meas 70 oe uttetIy regaraless OF cvcrythlne
else, \ hlaeRsnase would not have stayed nve
seconds IN sueh a pos,tion without making
my too close attentions, prevented rim from
for abont ,.n ~ Hff,e.n xnrd., ! ~ wsn' resws.a
e e2r aoet 10 t iooS Sr a btsseh Ann ya'ai Ia 20 q ff, raw s n,m : S,1 ss
~ inc direction OF inc weeds; of Sour,s:
a!reauV haI' IN the wseas, ana. iesiinx that his
escape was secured. he t2 hight no
Although l stiil possa him With my :,lsl. -
c,, amius hn ~ nro r,esr ,n hs ~ ne IiHnu nEns IRON
snS'f is il eq T.a ,Gg% 20 w rits ne eli 10s .ss sssd s = nso' ;sa.:
..lIAl --Il
; Ti,S sS; !. ;S.p g SSn .s,G; JS:,I Ssa;:s: |: sSs:
,,tus sI ,onnonee 70 eensider ngnsinR heoesssfy
~ y w ~nesner u oe tnnt my oeIlove
psuvsa. onsnSo " tne ocst kino OF oetenos.
XII anA' .ner h'nn'y hsrvous tempersment
.mnus she~ " sss,tsninn wnen seriously
n'.n,ouS jill ,no op'nion tnat tais ietter
u = III sneoun.ersa msny snasoa
,pna o y ~ tyuo".nk mes tatncr eoming
nst ~. mS i's..e wAy.a -
soma,uu, uok aoes, WIZ fusnes out I.1m tne
sn.o VIZ ho,sy p,sssao oniy 70 20 auIetiy 70
nv bn ~ = ny 1sr,e hs.sort me ssrsnssa mas
Ran...v 1rTo1Iru osSVnu shS.osuLc.
xulNS ,n.cars IN sna' Akn'' sneS on'S
~ - uue., II.
,,SnaAusot u y ~" slpor Inv sct nv ui9
snos Vppv. i"sns ioresss Nenssuo'A
oueo sSuho upon Us oonstI'etor 2vlte inso-
no, on ~. ,h,us So,sss. p,oosoiy s.esp.
1872 =. Ss'n youut vsLms 10y
nns ssua liz - IN M Mne w .oo. knVSShncS
u,Sct Ih.fna ~. susse' WIN
~. IVY ~ .esses ~ tokoss
"a Th pmDosux stns Som,.IHsII
S ~ .rd 49, co,".sd la. ss."S0a Usa
vmon vItn IL hssS ia nunS s' asstha .Kon as,
,nvu, ~ a. - ..,v..dss ~ u suspu1u
h;s"s VII ~ IL upvsn,oes.u, "a y ~ nuisSH ~ ~
h.ost"s - y most sstcn.su.nt.y
NV. " ~ - y SuonnSy enslne'
I,o.i rv 'n"s nA L posn,I,s ep.o-
nsnS ~ Nj, 1890 y ,.I,y, ~
sv~va' ~ ~ sIsms. - ,n..sssc ,Mhe
,, vo. .an. 1870 ~ sLnN vowm.S .iv, h.s
ihpctuS, bVthopS. . h'hn toF w = itkio,