DUCK-SHOOTING SNAKES IN THE SWAMPS. 147 



ague. Perhaps a rather too copious indulgence in 

 blackl)erries, which abounded here, may have somewhat 

 contributed to this resuh. Be the cause ^^hat it may, 

 the attacks were repeated, and so severely that I was 

 confined to the house, when S., his brother-in-law, and' 

 Uhl rode away for a buffalo hunt. I jjassed two tedious 

 days in bed, but on the third, feeling better, I took my 

 rifle, and lounged along the banks of the river, to try and 

 pick up a couple of young wild ducks, which were just 

 in season. In the course of half an hour I had killed 

 three, and was on my way home, feeling much fatigued, 

 when immediately before me, almost under my feet, I 

 perceived a mocassin snake, ready to attack me, with 

 its head drawn back, and its tongue darting out. These 

 snakes are very venomous; so jumping back, by no 

 means leisurely, I seized a long stick, and belabored 

 him with it till he could do no harm. This deep moist 

 ground is full of venomous snakes ; but it is very rarely 

 that any person is bitten, because they are shy, and 

 always try to escape when any one approaches. 



On my return I found a fresh bear's trail very near 

 the house. Bruin had crossed the river since I had 

 passed, but the buffalo hunters had taken all the dogs ; 

 and I was too Aveak to follow him alone. They re- 

 turned in the evening without having seen any buffa- 

 loes, thouglythey had crossed their trail. Uhl had shot 

 a deer or two, which was all their booty. 



On the 2nd July we rode off to a farm belonging to 

 a Mr. Dunn, about eleven miles off, to drive home some 

 cattle that S. had bought. We did not arrive till dusk, 

 and found Mr. Dunn at home ; he was a fat man with 

 a copper-colored nose, that seemed to do no dishonor 



