Year: 1873

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sluggish Of all the serpent tribe, for
even the puff adder Of the Cape, which
has that reputation in general, is very |
active when enraged; but the rattle
snake, excepting just after and just |
before it's winter sleep, never bites
except in self-defense, and does not
20 out of it's way to attack any one.
Unless molcsted, there is very liz Ve
to fear from this snake; but the mrs
fortune is that you can not tell when
you are going to molest it, as in COM
ing down a bluff, or picking your way
in gully, you may, with the best in
tentidns in the world, put your foot
on a rattlesnake. And then the ter
rife swiftness Of a'dart! Not even the
cobra, which had always considered
rivaled the very lightning in its move
ments-movements which 1 will defy
any European eye to follows quick
er than the rattlesnake in that one
deadly act! Yet, to strike, it must
be in close coil, its head and neck
being erect it throws itself out about
three -fourths Of its lenghth, support
ing its weight entirely ON its tail
part. / have, however, known two
persons who have trodden on rattle
snakes and have escaped a third, as
will be seen, was still more remarka-
bly, fortunate. One, gentleman who
has killed more than fifty Of them,
recognized what his foot touched with
out stopping to look, and jumped
higher than he had probably ever done
before in his life; the other was not
SO quick, and the reptile struck him
three times with electric-quickness,
but his trowsers and long boots saved
him. This disposes of a fallacy very
generally held that venomous SER
pents will not bite twice in succession;
there were the tllreepair of fang marks
quite plainly to be seen on his white
trowsers. One young man who was
bathing in the river Platte had more
extraordinary escape still, for, on
emerging from the water, he sat down
being, Of course, completely naked.
on rattlesnake which was basking in
the grass. Whether he sat on the rep
tiles head, or whether the creature
was too astonisl,ed by his sudden de-
scent, can never be known, but Ger
tain.it is that that the affrighted bather
le;.ped up with Il shrek, and escaped
unhurt.


1t is told that this particular SER
pent has Il very offensive odor when
irritatetl, and that DR.. Hamilton Roe
owed his life to knowledge of that
fact. The physician having opened q
box directed to the superintendent OF
the Geological Gardens London, put
his hand-most rashly, it seems to me
under the dry moss which appeared !,
to see what was there. He touched
something alive, and the smell told
him it was u rattlesnake. Had he
withdrawn his hand rapidly, he would


have been bitten. to u certainty; but


he had the presence Of mind to stroke
the reptile, which allowed him to take
his hand gently away. This is a well


known story; only refer to it to add


that this odor is SO powerful and per-


manent that when snake irritated,


ard made to bite the rake or hoe with


which it is intended to kill him-and


rs may be supposed, this is very often


done-the implement will retain tht


same unpleasant smell for months


Once known, it is always recogniza'


ble.


As much can not he said of the sounC


of the rattle. l have been Oh the


prairie when opinions have been di


vided as to whether q certain Ominou!


clicking arose from the grasshoppers


which were there in great numbers


or a rattlesna&e. 1t is not pleasant


at twilight, to have any doubt on thi!


subject. The chief thing against th'


rattlesnake theory was that these rep


tiles seldom move or leave their hole


after sundown. But I would war;


the reader not to depend too much OF


this, as some snakes are certainly o


irregular habits, and have been know


to crawl into tents, and into bed


within the tents. This was for tn


sake of warmth. Very often the rep


tiles will content themselves witt
coming inside and so true is it tina


use doth breed habit in Il man tina


have known men sleep quietly al


through the night when they wer
perfectly aware that a rattlesnake wa
within the walls of their tent. The.
rolled themselves tight in the blanket
knowing that the creature would no
touch any one if it were not first at
tackled, and that, when the light came
it would go away. In one instanc
. man was bitten at night. He wa
, on the prairie, and sleeping near hi
horse, which was fastened by Ion
, rope to log Or stone. The iors
! broke away, and the man feeling ate
the rope in the grass, disturbed a rat
tlesnake, which bit him on the bac
Of the hand. He was cured by q rem
= edy which think have seen recon
r mended elsewhere. A friend cut wit
. q penknife the skin around the pune
! ture, SO as to enlarge the wound an
3 make it bleed; then he put Oh sma
: heap Of gunl'owder on the spot, ignite


it-no pain attending this-and ii
r man was cured. l would just ad
q here that the stranger must not d.