The Savannah morning news., 1903-07-12


came with his fork and got a shorter
hold, and in a couple of minutes the
snake was dead. He had four rattles.
For a beginner that was considered
highly satisfactory.
For an hour there was considerable
hot scrambling over the rough ledge
and slippery gray rocks after rattlers.
Eleven of the reptiles was the score
in that time, and then a test was
taken, when a photograph of the rat
tlesnake hunters was taken in the
heart of the snake den.
After a ten-minute rest the hunt
through the toughest part of the den
was begun.
Now, be careful, said the veteran
'Cogg, and don't take hold of any
of the shelves of rocks above you till
you have looked to see what may be
laying up there. You might put your
hand right on the back of a fat rat
tier, and they amt like dogs. They
don't like to have their backs stroked.'
1T was unnecessary to caution me.
I would not have placed my hand on
the opposite side of a standing tree
that was a foot in diameter for fear
there was a RATHER in some way con-
cealed on the other side.
by this time the doctor had cir
cled around and was we'll up toward
and carefully making his way down.
when suddenly he started a loose
bowlder down the hillside. Fortunate
ly, none of the other hunters was in
its path, but there was an old rat
tier who was in the way, and If ever
a snake ran that old chocolate-back
did when the bowlder pinched his tail.
Down over the rocks he came, his rat
tie whirring a song of defiance and
rage.
AFTER him. yelled 'Cogg'; he won't
hold up. Well catch him. He's the
daddy of them all by his looks!'
cover the rocks, part of the time
on all tours, the snake hunters scram-
bled. Ten yards down the ledge the
old fellow was surrounded and knew
he was corpered. Up into a coil he
rolled himself. He was a game snake
and ready for the deal, but against the
lone hand he was playing there was
hand of stacked cards. His flat head
was poised above the fat coil his mot
tied, sunburned body made. His lit
tie black eyes glistened defiance and
hate, and the spiteful dart of his pink,
forked tongue. as it flashed out and
in, was an assured guarantee of his
eagerness to sink his fangs into his
tormentors.
"a rattlesnake at bay is a sight
never to be forgotten, especially if he
is a game snake, for there are rattlers
who are CUTTERS No one along the
Schaghticoke range knows rattlesnakes
nature better than George Goggswell.
He saw the opportunity to show a rat
tlesnake at his worst.
Now watch him close said 'Cogg,'
and then he proceeded in a manner,
born of long experience, to tease the
snake.
" They're a good bit like human be-
ms, remarked the old snake hunter,
as he rubbed the fork over the, rat
tiers head. Keep tormentin' a rat
tier and he'll commit suicide, just like
some folks when they get in trouble
and despair
1.-The RATHER would seize the fork in
his mouth, and then, when some other
fork prodded him in the back he would
loosen his fangs, only to dart them
at the last tormentor.
Keep your eye peeled now. He's
a-gettin desperate. Watch him kill
himself! I've seen the devils do it
many time said 'Cogg,' as he con-
tinued his torment of the RATHER.
Then suddenly the RATHER ceased
his exertions.
'Now!' exclaimed 'Cogg'
The snake quivered from his fiat
head to his now silent rattle 1t was
convulsive little culver. The scaly
skin drew over the glistening, bead
like eyes, the neck arched itself into
a graceful curve, and then, like a
flash, the diamond shaped head shot
like dart at the body and in a sec
ond the fangs of the RATHER had dealt
the blow that killed him.
And the tail of the rattler did not
wiggle when the body was touched,
like the tails OF the snakes we had
killed.
No, they never do explained
'Coggs. When they kill themselves
they are dead all over, and their tails
don't wait till the sun sets back O.
the ridge before they die
While the party of snake hunters
sat down for a rest 'Cogg' related a
little rattlesnake lore.
I've seen them kill themselves
when they'd get in fights with other
snakes, too he said.
One day. back about twenty years
ago, when | was working along this
side of the range, / saw a rattler-just
about the size of this one-and n black
snake fightin' a duel. They were right
down at the foot of a rock and /
climbed up on top of the rock to watch
them. They were so busy that they
didn't see me, and for ten or fifteen
minutes I watched them. The rattler
was coiled up and seemed to be trying
to get a chance to strike the black
snake. Every once in a while the
black fellow would run right across the
RATHER, and / guess ne must have bit
him in the neck when he did this. for
after while the rattler's neck drop
ped just as If it was broke. When the
blacksnake saw this he gave the rat
tier a good bite right through the
head and finished him.
Seldom do we find any rattlers on
the east side OF the Housatonic river
You see, they amt water snakes and
won't cross the river. If you throw
a RATHER in the water, of course, he'll
swim the best he can, but he won't go
in the water himself. / have often
noticed them going through the grass
when it is wet. They always hold their
tails high. as high up as seven or eight
inches. They do that so they won't
get the rattler wet If they got it wet
it wouldn't rattle any more than shot
in boys bladder that has been wet
would rattle.
We've had this club for eight
years now, but there was more snakes
when we first organized.
TO be initiated member has to
take hold of a little rattlesnake back
of his head and hold him while the
"sagway' is sprinkled on him and the
oath is administered. This is the fun
part of our hunts and many a man
balks on joining when it comes to TAX
ing hold Of the RATHER.
" The third year after we organized
Richard Lee, Grant Kilson, and my
self went into the den and we caught
forty-six live ones. They weighed sew