90 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Anecdote by an American writer. 



that moment appeared senseless of every thing 

 around him, even the caresses of his brutal mas^ 

 ter had now no effect, and in less than half an 

 hour both the animals were found dead. 



A rattle-snake, which had been highly irritated 

 by an Indian dog, that had both cunning and 

 agility enough always to keep out of his reach, 

 was observed at the time to contract the muscles 

 that moved his scales, in such a manner as to 

 make his body appear extremely bright; but 

 immediately after he had bitten himself all his 

 splendor was gone/ 



An American writer of respectability asserts, 

 that a farmer was one clay mowing with his 

 negroes, when he by chance trod on a rattle 

 snake, that immediately turned upon him, and 

 bit his boot. At night, when he went to bed, he 

 was attacked with a sickness ; he swelled, and 

 before a physician could be called in, he died. 

 All his neighbours were surprised at this sudden 

 death, but the corps was interred without exami- 

 nation. A few days after one of the sons put on 

 his father's boots, and at night when he pulled 

 them off he was seized with the same symptoms, 

 and died on the following morning. The doctor 

 arrived, but, unable to divine the cause of so 

 singular a disorder, seriously pronounced both 

 the father and the son to have been bewitched. 

 At the sale of effects a neighbour purchased the 

 boots, and on putting them on experienced the 

 like dreadful symptoms with the father and son ; 



