A hunter's life. 315 



bird was dead. I suppose that, when I struck the snake, 

 the blow caused its poisoned teeth to enter into the bird's 

 flesh, which occasioned its death."* 



I have never seen a snake swallow either a rabbit or a 

 squirrel ; but I have taken them out of their bodies, and 

 therefore say they do prey upon them. I have killed thou- 

 sands, and seen them under nearly all circumstances ; and 

 although, as before remarked, I have never seen the rattle- 

 snake swallowing his larger prey, I will state one instance, 

 which occurred in my own neighborhood, and was related 

 to me by Mr. James Barnard, and other eye-witnesses, for 

 whose credibility I can vouch. 



Mr. Barnard states that himself and other hands, when 

 mowing in his father's meadow, discovered a large rattle- 

 snake, which had a ground-hog in its mouth, and partly 

 down its throat. The hog was about half grown, or pos- 

 sibly a little more, and the body was fully as large as that 

 of a rabbit. The young men saw the reptile striving hard 

 to swallow its prey, and waited to witness the result ; 

 but being unable to spare any more time, they were com- 

 pelled to leave it until evening. 



Visiting the place late in the evening, and finding the 

 snake had done but little more towards swallowing the 

 hog, they concluded to leave it for a morning visit. 



In the morning, finding the ground-hog a little farther 

 down, they left the snake undisturbed, and visited it alter- 

 nately three times each day, for seven days, before the 



* I am aware that, among the incredulous portion of the com- 

 munity, some of my statements may, and probably will be, rejected 

 as fabrications. I can excuse such, for the reason that, had I been 

 brought up in a city, I suppose I should, like them, be an unbe- 

 liever ; but I can assure all that I have not written one word that is 

 not as strictly true as if I had been under oath ; and in this country 

 these accounts are not only not disputed, but they are confirmed by 

 many -'d settlers. 



