168 Miscellaneous Facts and Obserniationt. 



< At my request, Pemaholend related the tradition^ 

 and in the following words. " Our forefathers have 

 told us, that at a small lake, or large pond, not a 

 great distance from where, as is believed, now the 

 great city ^equendhu (Philadelphia) is built, there 

 dwelt a Rattle-Snake, whose length and thickness ex- 

 ceeded that of the thickest and longest tree in the 

 woods. This snake was very destructive, not only 

 in destroying so much game, but in devouring so 

 many Indians : for when he was hungry, he only 

 looked round, and whatever he saw, whether Indian, 

 deer, turkey, or even geese flying, he only held his 

 head that way, opening his mouth wide, and drawing 

 breath in the manner we do, and nothing could pre- 

 vent such living creature entering his jaws. It is 

 even said, that a whole flock of geese, flying at 

 a great distance, have been drawn into his mouth, at 

 one time* ; and it was well known among the Indi- 

 ans, that of all the hunters or travellers, who passed 

 that way, very few escaped him. 



" The Indians well knew when he was hungry, for 

 then he grew angry, and blew with his mouth, which 

 sounded like thunder : for his breath was so power- 

 ful, that all the trees, however large, would bend, 



* It is curious, at least, to compare this part of the Indian tra- 

 dition with what Metrodorus, as cited by Pliny, relates of certain 

 Asiatic serpents. These, he says, by means of their breath, at- 

 tracted birds, however high they were, or however quick their 

 ai;^ht. " Metrodorus, circa Rhyndactim aninem in Ponto, ut 

 supervolantcs quamvis alle pemiciterque, aiites haustii raptas ab- 

 sorbeanl." Plin. Hist. Xat. lib. viii. cap. 14. 



