66 Fascination of the Snake. 
FASCINATION OF THE SNAKE. 
(From a letter signed Caroliniensis, in the New York Columbian.) 
A friend in South Carolina, to whom I was on a visit, invited 
me to a morning walk round kis plantation, and recommended 
our fowling-pieces as companions. The day proved to be very 
sultry ; and while my friend proceeded to give some directions —| 
to a gang of his Negroes at a distance, he advised me to take_ 
the beneht of a shade formed by a wood adjoining the field in 
which we then were. I took the hint; and while leaning on © 
the fence, (which was constructed on a bank between two dry 7 
ditches,) I was alarmed by the rattle of a snake very near me. 
I instantly sprung on the top rail of the fence, and the next | 
noment discovered the monster in one of the ditches within ten © 
feet of the spot where I was seated. As I levelled my gun at 
his head, and was in the act of pulling the trigger, his tali ceased 
to vibrate. Conscious, from his position, that I was not the | 
object of bis regard, and that } was in no danger from him, 
and confident that I could destroy him at any moment I pleased, 
1 sat still to observe his further movements. As his eyes seemed 
to be riveted to a particular spot, I followed their direction, | 
and discovered 2 wood-rat. At the moment of my first seeing 
this little animal, he was rising from a crouching posture, and7) 
endeavouring to retire by a retrograde movement. This attempt 
was immediately followed by a second tremendous exercise 
the rattle, and the rat again sunk to the ground, I witnesse¢ 
several repetitions of this operation ; and the result was, that, 
at length, the rat appeared perfectly exhausted 5 the snake ad 
vanced towards his prey, and was in the act of taking it into his 
mouth, when I discharged my two barrels at his head, an¢ 
killed him on the spot. Whether any of my pellets struck the? 
rat, Lamunable to say; but, after the closest search, we coul 
detect no mark of violence about his body, and he was dea 
when I took him up. 
Some years after the foregoing circumstance had taken place 
as | was accompanying a lady to church in a gig, we wet 
alarmed by the rattle of a snake on the road side. After I had 
tranquillized the horse, and prevailed on the lady to hold th 
reins, I returned to the spot from whence the noise seemed t 
issue, and soon discovered the subject of our alarm. The mo 
ster was lying in a coil, ready to strike, but manifested no con 
cern at my approach. Having armed myself with a long fene 
rail, I was in the act of crushing his head, when I saw a rab 
in the very same posture and condition which the rat had e 
hibited. —The fall of my weapon disabled the snake, and [ soc 
