NOTE-BOOK OF A NATUEALIST. 369 



took out her little porringer daily to share her breakfast 

 with a friendly snake, that came from its hiding-place to 

 her call ; and when the guest intruded beyond the due 

 limits, she would give it a tap on the head with her 

 spoon, and the admonition, ' Eat on your own side, 

 I say.' 



A lad whom I knew kept a common snake in London, 

 which he had rendered so tame that it was quite at ease 

 with him, and very fond of its master. When taken out 

 of its box, it would creep up his sleeve, come out at the 

 top, wind itself caressingly about his neck and face, and 

 when tired retire to sleep in his bosom. 



Carver, in his travels, relates an instance of docility, 

 which, if true, surpasses any story of the kind I ever 

 heard. 



An Indian belonging to the Menomonie, having taken a rattle- 

 snake, found means to tame it ; and when he had done this treated 

 it as a deity, calling it his great father, and carrying it with him in 

 a box wherever he went. This he had done for several summers, 

 when Mons. Pinnisance accidentally met with him at this carrying 

 place, just as he was setting off for a winter's hunt. The French 

 gentleman was suq^rised one day to see the Indian place the box 

 which contained his god on the ground, and opening the door give 

 him his liberty'; telling him, whilst he did it, to be sure and return 

 by the time he himself should come back, which was to be in the 

 month of May following. As this was but October, Monsieur told 

 the Indian, whose simplicity astonished him, that he fancied he 

 might wait long enough, when May arrived, for the arrival of his 

 great father. The Indian was so confident of his creature's obe- 

 dience, that he offered to lay the Frenchman a wager of two 

 gallons of rum, that at the time appointed he v^ould come and 

 crawl into his box." This was agreed on, and the second week in 

 May following fixed for the determination of the wager. At that 

 period they both met there again, when the Indian set down his 

 box, and called for his great father. The snake heard him not ; 

 and the time being now expired, he acknowledged that he had 

 lost. However, without seeming to be discouraged, he offered to 

 double the bet if his father came not within two days more. This 

 was farther agreed on ; when, behold, on the second day, about 

 one o'clock, the snake arrived, and of his own accord crawled into 



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