The sun., 1904-06-12
OUT on 4 RAT7LBSNAKB HUNT
A GOOD DAY FOR SNAKES UP ON
SCHAGHTIOOKE MOUNTAIN.

3OSkeo TNko0 Auv0-R2tuesv Jubt
Ako Humans In Some Respects.
NEW MILFORD, Conn, June l1.--.It ought
TO be Q good day for snakes" remarked
George Coggswell, one Of the few remain
Ing Indians on the Schaghtiooke reser-
walton. as the party Of snake hunters gath
cred under the cherry tree In his door
yard Preparatory to starting on the annual
hunt OF the Sohaghticoke Rattiesnake
Club.
The Sohaghtiooke reservation lies along
the west bank Of the Housatonio River In
the town Of Kent in the western part Of
Connecticut, Close to the New York State
line. Sloping up to the westward runs
the Sohaghticoke mountain, and half
way up the mountain, directly back Of jim
Harris's cabin, is the rattlssnake den.
The den u not over half an acre In area.
but that half acre Is 20 Jagged and rough
that 1t Is difficult to travel or hunt through
It. The ledges are broken In places. and
the formation Of the rocks has left innu-
naersble little shelves on which the rattlers
c,me out to lie In the warm sun.
This year spring was backward, and
whap ordinarily the snakes arc out and
lively by the middle Of May, 1t was not until
last week that they really began to thaw
out and got active and at tho Same time
vicious Nd fighting angry II disturbed.
The rattlers winter In this ledge, and though
they Gre hunted each year their number
does not seem TO decrease.
George Coggswell, who is the best wing
shot and trspper along the Schaghticooke
ridge, always pilots the hunt. Sunday
is always set for the rattlesnake hunt.
for the reason that Oh weekdays the hunters
are busy on the farms about the reserva-
ton. There were half q dozen on the hunt
last Sunday Coggswell, John Munroe.
Perry Niokerson. Alb Hyde, Dad Barber
and the writer
Putting on rubber boots, leather leggings
or high topped shoes as q safeguard against
the fangs Of the venemous reptiles, the
hunters started. Each of them carried
a rattlesnake fork, a stick OF ash about
eight feet long with the two branches cut
at the top so as to form a crotch. These
forks are used to pin the snakes body to
the ground and hold him there till he Ia
killed or captured alive, as may be pre-
ferred.
Perry Nickerson carried along o small
oblong box with q wire netting stretched
on one side and a sliding lid over that In
which to confne such snakes as were wanted
alive.
Hall mile up the trail from Coggswell's,
the party stopped at Jim Harris's cabin
to see II Jim wanted to join In the hunt. Jim
is the last remaining full blood Of the
Schaghticooke Indians, and carries the
mail from the town Of Kent through the
reservation to Bulls Bridge.
He was out in the grass playing with his
children. Near him, In q rope swing, sat
his eldest daughter, Jessie, girl Of sixteen.
with hair and eyes as black as night and
teeth as white as chalk and a. even az the
pickets on \ fence.
want to 60 ON the hunt, Jim1' asked
Coggswell.
sNo; feel sore in the legs. Hard climbin'
up them rocks. Guess won't 60 to-day
answered Indian Harris.
Amt you afraid Dash II get bitp' asked
Jessie, for Coggswell's long haired shep-
herd dog was one Of the hunting party.
sHim get bit!' exclaimed the owner in
derision. Guess y6 don't know thet dog.
He. ass kalsd a,l more rsstle'nakes than ys ever
Up the aide Of tho mountain the little
party climbed, along Q road that had been
used by the charcoal men when they went
back and forth to their coal pits whom
the mountain was ooaled Oh score Of years
liSne halt was taken to get breath, for
the leaves under foot had become dry and
were like ioe to step on.
Go quiet, said Coggswell, as Alb Hyde
fell over an old beech log which had fallen
across the trail years ago and was rotting
in the dust.
If you step on snake stand STILL, ad-
vised Munroe, "for II you jump you'll let
the varmint loose an he might strike ye...
The hunters separated now as the snake
the rocks as quietly as possible and being
careful not to take step until he had care
fully sorutinized every inch Of ground
before the step ahead was made: But
for the occasional rustling Of dry leaves
or the cracking OF stick LEX under foot there
wrens and the blue jays that circled about
overhead.
1t was Munroe, who was hunting to the
extreme right Of the den. There was a
ture, for it takes more than one hunter to |
capture a rattler alive with anything like
safety, though the veteran rattler hunters
do manage II alone at times.
The tail could be heard rafting before
Hes a Big one. said coggswell 'can
tell by the tune Of his rattle"
aBet he's a big one, said Munroe He's
a yaller back. Git that box ready. We
want him alive
Munroe had the rattler, a four footer,
pinned under his snake stick about midway
Of the body. The rattle was held high in |
the air and kept up its inoessant song,
and the snakes head was waving back
and forth. striking angrily at everything
that moved.
sCatch him about six inches behind the
head, Cogg,s said Munroe, and then we'n
drop the moose over his head
While Cogeswell hold the snake Munroe |
tied piece of twine to . short stick and on
the free end made moose. This he dropped |
down upon the rattler.
The snakes neck arched a. he drew
his head back, and. like an arrow from
the bow, the head shot forward, and the |
open mouth, the pink lips moist With venom,
caught the twine and held it tight.
.He's devill" said Coggswen.
quired to make the snake let 20 Of the twine.
Then Munrce fixed the moose again and
tried to drop II over his head. But again |
the fat head darted forward and the moose |
was held fast again.
Three times the rattler succeeded in |
catching the nooee in his jaws. but the |
moose was drawn tight around the snakes
neck, just behind the head. and he was
held up ut full length.