The Dog Stared, As If He Was Frightned
Out Of His Senses; Nor Indeed, Could I Imagine What It Was,
Having Never Heard One Of Them Before.
Immediately again
I had another Lesson; and so a third.
Being at that time
amongst none but Savages, I began to suspect, they were working
some Piece of Conjuration under my House, to get away my Goods;
not but that, at another time, I have as little Faith in their,
or any others working Miracles, by diabolical Means, as any Person living.
At last, my Man came in, to whom when I had told the Story, he laugh'd at me,
and presently undeceiv'd me, by telling me what it was that made that Noise.
These Allegators lay Eggs, as the Ducks do; only they are longer shap'd,
larger, and a thicker Shell, than they have. How long they are in hatching,
I cannot tell; but, as the Indians say, it is most part of the Summer,
they always lay by a Spring-Side, the young living in and about the same,
as soon as hatch'd. Their Eggs are laid in Nests made in the Marshes,
and contain twenty or thirty Eggs. Some of these Creatures afford
a great deal of Musk. Their Tail, when cut of, looks very fair and white,
seemingly like the best of Veal. Some People have eaten thereof, and say,
it is delicate Meat, when they happen not to be musky. Their Flesh
is accounted proper for such as are troubled with the lame Distemper,
(a sort of Rhumatism) so is the Fat very prevailing to remove Aches and Pains,
by Unction. The Teeth of this Creature, when dead, are taken out,
to make Chargers for Guns, being of several Sizes, fit for all Loads.
They are white, and would make pretty Snuff-Boxes, if wrought by an Artist.
After the Tail of the Allegator is separated from the Body,
it will move very freely for four days.
{Rattle-Snake.}
The Rattle-Snakes are found on all the Main of America, that I ever had
any Account of; being so call'd from the Rattle at the end of their Tails,
which is a Connexion of jointed Coverings, of an excrementitious Matter,
betwixt the Substance of a Nail, and a Horn, though each Tegmen
is very thin. Nature seems to have design'd these, on purpose to give Warning
of such an approaching Danger, as the venomous Bite of these Snakes is.
Some of them grow to a very great Bigness, as six Foot in Length,
their Middle being the Thickness of the Small of a lusty Man's Leg.
We have an Account of much larger Serpents of this Kind;
but I never met them yet, although I have seen and kill'd abundance
in my time. They are of an Orange, tawny, and blackish Colour, on the Back;
differing (as all Snakes do) in Colour, on the Belly; being of an Ash-Colour,
inclining to Lead. The Male is easily distinguish'd from the Female,
by a black Velvet-Spot on his Head; and besides, his Head is smaller shaped,
and long. Their Bite is venomous, if not speedily remedied;
especially, if the Wound be in a Vein, Nerve, Tendon, or Sinew;
when it is very difficult to cure. The Indians are the best Physicians
for the Bite of these and all other venomous Creatures of this Country.
There are four sorts of Snake-Roots already discover'd, which Knowledge
came from the Indians, who have perform'd several great Cures.
The Rattle-Snakes are accounted the peaceablest in the World;
for they never attack any one, or injure them, unless they are trod upon,
or molested. The most Danger of being bit by these Snakes, is for those
that survey Land in Carolina; yet I never heard of any Surveyor
that was kill'd, or hurt by them. I have myself gone over
several of this Sort, and others; yet it pleased God, I never came
to any harm. They have the Power, or Art (I know not which to call it)
to charm Squirrels, Hares, Partridges, or any such thing,
in such a manner, that they run directly into their Mouths.
This I have seen by a Squirrel and one of these Rattle-Snakes;
and other Snakes have, in some measure, the same Power. The Rattle-Snakes
have many small Teeth, of which I cannot see they make any use;
for they swallow every thing whole; but the Teeth which poison, are only four;
two on each side of their Upper-Jaws. These are bent like a Sickle,
and hang loose as if by a Joint. Towards the setting on of these,
there is, in each Tooth, a little Hole, wherein you may just get in
the Point of a small Needle. And here it is, that the Poison comes out,
(which is as green as Grass) and follows the Wound,
made by the Point of their Teeth. They are much more venomous
in the Months of June and July, than they are in March,
April or September. The hotter the Weather, the more poisonous.
Neither may we suppose, that they can renew their Poison as oft as they will;
for we have had a Person bit by one of these, who never rightly recover'd it,
and very hardly escaped with Life; a second Person bit in the same Place
by the same Snake, and receiv'd no more Harm, that if bitten with a Rat.
They cast their Skins every Year, and commonly abide near the Place
where the old Skin lies. These cast Skins are used in Physick,
and the Rattles are reckon'd good to expedite the Birth.
The Gall is made up into Pills, with Clay, and kept for Use;
being given in Pestilential Fevers and the Small-Pox. It is accounted
a noble Remedy, known to few, and held as a great Arcanum.
This Snake has two Nostrils on each side of his Nose. Their Venom,
I have Reason to believe, effects no Harm, any otherwise than when
darted into the Wound by the Serpents Teeth.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 52 of 106
Words from 53011 to 54026
of 110081
