90 IN LOWER FLORIDA WILDS 



We had turned from the trail to enter a little 

 hammock in our search for plants and snails. I 

 was leading with Soar following when I heard a 

 slight disturbance behind; turning around I saw 

 him in the act of cutting off the head of a good 

 sized diamond rattlesnake with his machete. He 

 said I had stepped with my left foot close to its 

 head and neck, then directly over its body, first 

 with the right and then with the left foot. He had 

 had the rare presence of mind not to cry out, for 

 had he done so it is probable that I would have 

 confusedly stopped and been bitten. Within ten 

 feet he encountered another rattlesnake which was 

 much larger, and killed it. 



Returning from the cape soon after, we visited 

 a small hammock near the scene of our morning's 

 adventure. Our dog began barking furiously near 

 by and then a snake rattled clear and strong. I 

 called the two other men and began a search for 

 the reptile, but the dog, on which we relied for 

 help, became frightened and departed yelping. 

 The hammock just there had lately been burned 

 off and had grown up very thickly with rank 

 weeds. After beating about for awhile without 

 success we concluded further search in a dense 



