206 OUR NATIONAL PARKS 



beauty of color and dress patterns. Only the 

 rattlesnake is venomous, and lie carefully keeps 

 his venom to himself as far as man is concerned, 

 unless his life is threatened. 



Before I learned to respect rattlesnakes I 

 killed two, the first on the San Joaquin plain. 

 He was coiled comfortably around a tuft of 

 bunch-grass, and I discovered him when he was 

 between my feet as I was stepping over him. 

 He held his head down and did not attempt to 

 strike, although in danger of being trampled. 

 At that time, thirty years ago, I imagined that 

 rattlesnakes should be killed wherever found. I 

 had no weapon of any sort, and on the smooth 

 plain there was not a stick or a stone within 

 miles ; so I crushed him by jumping on him, as 

 the deer are said to do. Looking me in the 

 face he saw I meant mischief, and quickly cast 

 himself into a coil, ready to strike in defense. 

 I knew he could not strike when traveling, 

 therefore I threw handfuls of dirt and grass 

 sods at him, to tease him out of coil. He held 

 his ground a few minutes, threatening and strik- 

 ing, and then started off to get rid of me. I 

 ran forward and jumped on him ; but he drew 

 back his head so quickly my heel missed, and 

 he also missed his stroke at me. Persecuted, 

 tormented, again and again he tried to get away, 

 bravely striking out to protect himself ; but at 

 last my heel came squarely down, sorely wound- 



