Sunday Washington globe., 1902-04-06
[written God the suNpAY eLonE.l

Written for the SUNDAY GLOBE.
When Toe Orderbuk, the drummer, had
laid his grips aside for the day he was re.
minded Of the following alleged adventure
OF his, which he began to relate with an un-
warranted air of assumption that it would
be believed by his attentive auditors:
Not long since was casting about for
some desirable way to kill a few hours
time at a railroad station in Florida not far
from the great Okefenokee swamp, when it
occurred TO me that il would be a novel ex-
perience to put on my leather leggings and
take gun and explore the outskirts of the
swamp, in hopes of getting a few shots at
alligators, as those saurians are known to
+ be numerous there.
y Among the other articles of my equip
nient was a flask of rice brandy, a rather
common product of distillatiou in certain
parts of the country, and considered less
dangerous as a beverage than the surface
water on the borders of the great Okefen-
okee. there being no artesian we'll in the
immediate vicinity though such wells may
be had most anywhere in Florida for the
digging.
After firing at alligators until weary, ap.
parently without any unpleasant results 10
the gators, as they shed bullets like
natural rustic seat formed by the curiously
curved and twisted roots Of a cypress tree,
and began to assuage my growing thirst
with the rice brandy. It has a sweetish
taste and in the drinking no one would sup
pose that it had much potency in it. Its
charms however are deceptive. as any one
may readily judge for himself by giving the
liquid half a chance.
For a considerable length of time |
amused myself by idly watching the move
ments of an old gator swimming about in
the lagoon among some cypress and juni-
per trees that had their roots concealed
somewhere in its depths He was brave
enough about displaying his proportions
when at a distance, but when close by he
contented himself by sw ming along with
one eye only projecting from the corner of
his head above water
This little diversion and the shaking of
the frequently recurring thirst with which
was favored, seemed to fulfill all the re-
quirements of that lazy afternoon in the
sub tropics and there were no vain regrets
on account of the lack of more worthy pur-
suits This serene and placid state of af-
fairs was disturbed however, after a time
by a somewhat startling event A huge SER
peantinei form glided up out of the water so
close to me that single glance sufficed to
show that it was a diamond back rattler
apparently about eleven feet in length, and
with twenty one rattles and button, as I
was afterwards enabled to count at my
leisure when he coiled himself up in an
uncoucerned sort Of way about twenty feet
from me with his tail stuck up out of the
center of the coil.
We regarded each other for some time in
silence, as If each were trying to divine the
thoughts of the other. He was the first to
break the silence by rattling his tail in
dtful languid sort of a way not at all sug-
gestive of hostile intent, but rather by way
of making overtures. Imagine my sur
prise when after a few moments occupied
in the preiiminaries before mentioned he
said in very good English and with de-
cided Southern accent; Sab, would you
mind letting me have a drop of what you
have in the bottleS"
was not disposed to refuse a request
preferred in so polite a tone, especially
when made by gentleman who was per-
haps better prepared to enforce a demand
than was to resist it. having neglected to
reload my gun when I ceased firing at the
alligators. So airily tossed the bottle over
onto bunch Of scrub palmettos close by
him. He drew the cork with grace and
ease that seemed professional, and tossed
off the contents OF the bottle without stop
ping to offer a formal toast / was just as
we'll pleased that he drank all the liquor,
though needing il badly myself, for should
have had a delicacy in drinking out of the
bottle again for fear of his leaving poison
on the nozzle, though they say the internal
application of rattlesnake poison is in
nocuOus.
Whether it was the effects of the rice
brandy or not, the tacituruity he at first
displayed soon gave way to loquacity. Says
he AS long as have been accustomed to
the Okefenokee, I never like It except to
swim in" He made other observations
which showed that we had many tastes in
common, and the natural feeling of alarm
with which l viewed his hrst approach gave
way to a sense of security. II suppose you
have visited the museums of Florida
curiosities at Jacksonville and Saint Angus
time" says he and have seen rattle snakes
in captivity, alive, stuffed hayed spitted,
and every way. II amuses me to hear the
tales they tell about US in the museums.
can give you more correct information
about our guild in a moment than you will
ever hear from the freak mougers My
faugs and poison are chiefly for the purpose
dignihed way I lay in wait for game and
when It comes close simply strike and my
dinner is ready, so that it is not necessary
10 scramble around with undigni6ed haste
after my prey like turkey chasing grass
hopper My enemies are warned TO keep at
a distance by means of the rattles on my
tail so that though I never use my arma-
ment except for subsistence or defense yet
am perhaps the most reviled and villifed
snake ia America to-day.
My fangs are hollow so as to conduct the
poison from its reservoir at the root of each
fang. TO the arterial circulation of the prey
! strike. there being little opening al the
point aud forward as if sliced out with some
sharp instrument. II you come over here
and examine my teeth, the whole thing will
appear as plain to you as the demonstra.
tiou OF a ct" thanked him kindly and
said was perfectly satisfied 10 take his IN.
supported word for It. He seemed greatly
pleased at this mark of MY confidence in
him
AT this point addressed the remark to