6 6 RATTLESNAKES. 



sary to unharness and drag each mule out 

 separately : in fact, more than common exer- 

 tion is sometimes required to prevent these 

 dumpish animals from drowning in their fright 

 and struggles though the water, though the 



he hut shallow at the place. Hence 



it is that oxen are much safer for fording 

 streams than mules. As for ourselves, we 

 forded the river without serious difficulty. 



Rattlesnakes are proverbially abundant up- 

 on all these prairies, and as there is seldom to 

 be fotmd either stick or stone with which to 

 kiU them, one hears almost a constant popping 

 of rifles or pistols among the vanguard, to 

 clear the route of these disagreeable occu- 

 pants, lest they should bite our animals. As 

 we were toiling up through the sandy hil- 

 locks which border the southern banks of the 

 Arkansas, the day being exceedingly warm, 

 we came upon a perfect den of these reptiles. 

 I will not say ' thousands,' though this perhaps 

 were nearer the truth — hut huncheds at least 

 were coiled or crawhng in every direction. 

 They were no sooner discovered than we 

 were upon them with guns and pistols, de- 

 termined to let none of them escape. 



In the midst of this amusing scramble 

 among the snakes, a wild mustang colt, which 

 had, somehow or other, become separated 

 from its dam, came bolting among our relay 

 of loose stock to add to the confusion. One 

 of our mules, evidently impressed with the 

 impertinence of the intruder, sprang forward 

 and attacked it, with the apparent intention 



