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Its bite is mortal, if the remedy be not applied 

 immediately, but Providence has provided againft: 

 this misfortune. In all places where this dangerous 

 reptile is found, there grows an herb, called the 

 rattle- fnake plant, Her be a ferpent a fonettes, the 

 root of which is a never- failing antidote againft the 

 venom of this animal. You have only to bray or 

 chew it, and to apply it in the nature of a plaifter 

 upon the wound. This plant is beautiful and eafily 

 known. Its item is round, and fomewhat thicker 

 • than a goofe quill, rifes to the height of three or 

 four feet, and terminates in a yellow flower of the 

 figure and fize of a fmgle daify ; this flower has a 

 very fweet fcent, the leaves of the plant are oval, 

 narrow, fuftained, five and five, in form of a turkey 

 cock's foot, by a pedicle, or foot-ftalk an inch 

 long. 



The rattle -fnake rarely attacks any pafifenger who 

 gives him no provocation. I had one juft at my 

 foot, which was certainly more afraid than I was, 

 for I did not perceive him till he was flying. But 

 fhould you tread on him you are fure to be bitten, 

 and if you purfue him, if he has ever fo little time 

 - to recover himfelf, he folds himfelf up in a circle 

 with his head in the middle, and darts himfelf with 

 great force againft his enemy. The Indians, how- 

 ever, give chace to him, and efteem his flefh ex- 

 cellent. 1 have even heard Frenchmen, who had 

 eaten of it, fay, that it was no bad eating but 

 they were travellers, a fort of cattle who hold every 

 thing excellent, being often expofed to be extreme 

 hungry. It is, however, for certain, abundantly 

 innocent food. 



I don't 



