The Excellence of Misfortune 



snake. There was not a plate of its armor 

 that did not shine, and as I drew near, it raised 

 a threatening front. What, indeed, was I, to 

 obstruct its path! But I did obstruct it. It 

 essayed to pass me, but I checked its progress 

 with my cane and sent it spinning through the 

 air. It approached again, but cautiously, and I 

 made ready with my cane to catch it once more. 

 Not so. It saw my "made-ready" attitude and 

 studied it cleverly. It made a feint to pass me 

 on the left, and when off my guard, for an in- 

 stant, darted by on my right. 



Our Indians, so it is said, credited black- 

 snakes with greater intelligence or cunning than 

 the other species found about here, and I am 

 ready to believe it. I ask no better evidence 

 of the creature's mentality than this snake of- 

 fered; but the point I here raise is, that my 

 rough usage was not looked upon as disastrous 

 or even discouraging. It was merely an inti- 

 mation to try a new method with eyes more 

 widely opened, and the newer method led to 

 success, 



I have seen pike leap over the cork-line of a 

 net, and once saw one burrow under the lead- 

 line. To turn back, in either case, would have 



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