The sun., 1901-05-26
RATTLEsNAKrs COMING CUT.
And Hunters Busy Now collecting Handsome
Belts for women.

This IL the time Of the year when the rat
tiers in this region come out OF the dens IN
which they have spent the winter ana make
for the water II Is also the time OF the year
when the snake hunters get out their inple-
uents and set forth for their annual harvest
They get al work as early az they can, be-
canse the skins Of the snakes are more bril-
limit now than they will be three months
hence and therefore bring a higher price IN
the market Later in the year the snakes VIII
he fotter and there will be more oil In their
bodies TO reward the hunters, but that IA
factor which il not Of so much importance
IN the hunters as the skins which have been
Increasing in value ever since II was learned
that they had commercial worth as the
material for belts
Women don't like the snakes when they are
oliye. but there is no handsomer belt in the
world than the hide of one Of the big diamond
backs when 1t has been tanned In such
way that all the markings are preserved
and its scales are returned in their places.
snake skin IL a delicate one to handle and
tnore are not many men who know how TO
take il of It's owner tan it and keep It in shape
for use in a belt. The skin is used for other
PURPOSES. but most Of the good ones are
ahead of the demand.
opIv once in awhile is one of these belts
made no for man. The vast majority of
thon are worn by women and most Of them
are made up to order, usually beng the pres
pnt OF some young man VINO does not hesI-
tate to tell a story ui the capture o. ~
sake that will make the WeareT lhlhk thHI
he is one Of the bravest snahe hunters that
As a matter Of fact there Is nothing par
ticularly dangerous ia the pnr-nlt ana klihhg
Of a RATHER. The snakes are iimld ana alWays
trv 10 run # there l. any chance Tor them 10
get AWAY. Usually there Is such a ChahVe
lint the snake makes the attempt 10 escape,
md when il does its capture l. assured, unless
tho hunter ia clumsy or the ground very
broken. No man experienced IN NE hlhllns
of snakes ever places himself IN posltl9sn. o Io
b, stung by the quarry, ana IN the case o w WE
hunt of the rattler the prey always gives
notice of It's presence before it strikes;
MANY Of tie hunters OF ratteShakeS are
chnrmerS Of snakes in n way. tne ol theIhk
CharleS Mason, who for wears made part OF
his living bv The sale Of snake skins ana oA 70
Visitors In the Berkshire His, was able 20
handle any one Of the many snakes ne cauRht
alive without apparent effort or danger 70
himself Long experience had accustomed
him 10 the society Of serpent-, dup ne h hi'N
all their habits 80 we'll that he was prepared
The favorite spot for snake is on the
sunny side Of a rocky ledge, where " can
lie and get warmed throuEh. ne sp9 ths
hunters approaching them from behinu.
catch them with n elip-noose OF piano wire
N the end Of a small but rlgli pole. creep
Ing M behind the snakcs the hunter SIPS
the moose over the head Of the snake that
he ha- selected until II Is just behind we
triangular head Then with. quick ]erk
no draws the snake into the air sometimes
the force Of the Jerk i enough 10 break thr
mock Of the snake. but 10 make sure mat
Il j. killed the hunter strikes II a smart niGW
on the head with n switch A very hRht
blow will break the neck " the snake ana
then the BODY NAV be laid aside untli tho
muscular contraction hls stopped ana his
suakcship j. rcadv 70 be skinned ana the OIL
tried ont Of tho body ,
In the country there used - he Croat faith
in tho properties Of ra'tlc.n7Re oil os a cure
for rhcumaiiSm and similar diseases, and
there was always q ready sale for II once
in awhile q man would turn up with belief
that the poison from the glands ot the snake
was good for the di~cas" from which ne
was suffering. no matter what II was The
poison is not harmful If II Is taken into the
stomach. unlo-, there i an abrasion Of the
membranes through which the poison cnn
enter tho blood NNson used 70 drink the
poison once In awhile lust 10 show That II
was not harmrVl and he told those that saw
him 10 il that tho stun tnstod good No ono
ever wanted 10 make an experiment 10 md
out what 'he flavor was, and Mason word
was taken
The supply Of snakes IL running low ~
late wears for The war made on them by
the ftrmors and tho owners Of the big places
in tho country l. beginning 10 tell