320 BANDED RATTLE-SNAKE. 



Cept in what they prey upon ; for unless they arc 

 disturbed they will not bite, and when provoked 

 they give warning by shaking their rattles. These 

 are commonly believed to be the most deadly ser- 

 pent of any in these parts of America. I believe 

 they are so, as being generally the largest, and 

 making a deeper wound, and injecting a greater 

 quantity of poison. The most successful remedy 

 the Indians seem to have, is to suck the wound, 

 which in a slight bite has sometimes a good 

 effect ; though the recovered person never fails 

 of having annual pains * at the time they were 

 bit. They have likewise some roots which they 

 pretend will effect a cure, particularly a kind of 

 Asarum, commonly called Heart-Snake-Root, a 

 kind of Chrysanthemum y called St, Anthony sCross^ 

 and some others ; but that which they rely on the 

 most, and which most of the Virginian and Caro- 

 lina Indians carry dry in their pockets, is a small 

 tuberous root, which they procure from the re- 

 mote parts of the country. This they chew, and 

 swallow the juice, applying some to the wound. 

 Having, by travelling much with the Indians, 

 had frequent opportunities of seeing the direful 

 effects of the bites of these snakes, it always seemed 

 and was apparent to me, that the good effect usu- 

 ally attributed to these their remedies, is owing 

 more to the force of Nature, or the slightness of 

 the bite of a small snake in a muscular part, &c. 



* This may perhaps be considered as doubtful, or may depend 

 Oji other circumstances than the bite of the Rattle-Snake. 



