204 May 1 7 49. 



This is the fwifteft of all the makes 

 which are to be found here, for it moves fo 

 quick, that a dog can hardly catch it. It 

 is therefore almoft imporTible for a man to 

 efcape it if purfued : but happily its bite is 

 neither poifonous nor any way dangerous ; 

 many people have been bit by it in the woods, 

 and have fcarce felt any more inconvenience 

 than if they had been wounded by a knife ; 

 the wounded place only remains painful for 

 fome time. The Black Snakes feldom do 

 any harm, except in fpring, when they 

 copulate -, but if any body comes in their 

 way at that time, they are fo much vexed, 

 as to purfue him as faft as they can. If 

 they meet with a perfon who is afraid of 

 them, he is in great diftrefs. I am ac- 

 quainted with feveral people, who have on 

 fuch an occafion run fo hard as to be quite 

 out of breath, in endeavouring to efcape the 

 fnake, which moved with the fwiftnefs of 

 an arrow after them. If a perfon thus pur- 

 fued can mufter up courage enough to op- 

 pofe the fnake with a ftick or any thing elfe, 

 when it is either pafled by him, or when 

 he Heps afide to avoid it, it will turn back 

 again, and feek a refuge in its fwiftnefs. It 

 is, however, fometimes bold enough to run 

 flireclly upon a man, and not to depart be- 

 fore 



