Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1901-06-15
A PAYING INDUS
TRY. BUT NOT AN
INVITING ONE. -

haze floats above the swamp and II lies
like a silyery sea- Within II, the pines
are ghosts whose long boards sweep
the pools. diamond-back rattlers rear
their ugly heads, racers, moccasins,
and strange, pink water snakes glide
noiselessly, and alligators keep up
their loud. uncanny believing. the
air is heavy with the musky odor OF
serpents.
In daylight the snake hunter Is
mounted on a mule usually and clad
In an armor of heavy brown duck.
high top boots, and stout flexible
gloves. His weapons are a bamboo
stick with a running moose OF fine cop
per wire at the end. and second cane
furnished with wire net. He always
carries revolver. too. IL he is wise.
Across the mules neck is balanced
short cane stick, and from each end of
the stick dangle1 good-sized cotton
bag. These bags are for the snakes.
The mule sagacinusly picks his way
through the swamp along deer paths
which wind I'm and out, where a single
misstep would tumble him and his
rider into pool swarming with alliga-
tors and water snakes.
How Snakes Are Ragged.
A snake stalker. of course. attempts
10 take only the more valuable and
strange specimens OF serpents. When
he catches the CLEAN Of the right sort
OF a coat through the rushes, or spies
fine moccasin dangling from limb
over his head. he halts and goes into
! action with his copper-wire moose and
bamboo stick. II he can he slips the
moose over his snakeship's head and
/ draws IL taut. Then he gets the putting.
thrashing. splitting reptile 'twixt thumb
and fore-inger around the neck and
drops him into the cotton bag. He
| gives the bag quick whirl so that
the fang that darts forth instantly LIS
embedded In thick fold OF cloth. In
yariably In crisis the hunter throws
away copper wire and seizes snake
with his hands. grasping him well to-
ward the head. so that he cannot twist
around and thrust his fangs into his
hands.
A rattlesnake is fairly easy 10 cap
ture because he Is consummately brave,
never runs from an enemy, and his
warning rattle is unmistakabie. Skirt
the borders OF a palmetto thieket any
day and watch the wayering shadows
Of the foliage on the ground. Present.
~ these shadows II you watch sharply
secm 10 dart ahead In a straight line.
Gith bFassy whirr coming from some
where around. The darling hne is a
diamond-backed RATHER whose curious
~ marked skin Is In exact imitation
of the palmetto shade. The diamond
back LIS the most deadly OF his tribe
In the west the varieties OF rattlers
there found inhabit barren rocky
places and the tall grasses of the prai.
ries. Just now the rattiesnake Ia
hunted mercilessly. for he is valuable
TO the medical man for his toxines and
to the naturalist because out Of the
eleven varieties In the United States
the habits and looks OF not more thar
Eve are we'll known.
In spite OF their deadly poison. this
hunting OF venomous snakes is not an,
more dangerous than the hunting ot
bears or tigers or lions In India. Tn,
reason IL that noe snake except tn,
! coral snake. is likely 10 attack without
: proyocation. The danger TO students
OF snakes is all In the familiarity bres
i by close acquaintance.