ANTIPATHY OF MULES TO SNAKES. 201 



and beautifully-browned barrels of Pape's shot-gun, I 

 could not observe that he had left any trace of poison on 

 the metal not even the dampness of breath. I then 

 put the gun to my shoulder and shot him in two, both 

 pieces flying yards into the air, and eliciting an ex 

 pression of approbation as to the hard shooting of the 

 gun from some of the men. Mr Canterall then, by my 

 direction, cut off the rattle, and the line of march again 

 proceeded. 



In all the opportunities I had for conversation with the 

 natives, I of course picked up some strange tales in regard 

 to rattlesnakes, and among them I was assured that, 

 at times, immense numbers of these reptiles had been en 

 countered on the plains, apparently in the act of collected 

 migration through the grass ; that mules had been known 

 to detect the presence of rattlesnakes thus congregated, 

 and that in one instance, in an Indian camp, a number of 

 snakes in the act of migrating had come in upon the horses 

 and had bitten and killed some (to the tribe) valuable ani 

 mals; but, again, in no one instance could I hear that cows, 

 oxen, or bisons had been known to die of the reptile venom. 

 The day continuing intensely hot, and as our start had 

 been an early one, and there was yet a long way to go, I 

 halted the waggons at noon at 112 Creek, to give my men 

 their dinner at their favourite hour, to refresh my mules, 

 and, while this was going on, to amuse myself with 

 Brutus in wandering along the wild banks of the almost 

 stagnant water in the creek in search of sylvan adventure. 

 There was no game, however, to be found ; as to wild 

 turkeys and deer, said to haunt all the creeks on the route, 

 their tracks, slots, or usings were not to be detected, so I 

 ceased to expect them, for any man skilled in woodcraft 

 never need see animal nor bird to be aware of their vici- 



