NORTH AMERICA, 
£,67 
fions round about the fort ; and one morning, 
being the day the treaty commenced, I attended 
him on a botanical excurfion. Some time after we 
had been rambling in a fwamp about a quarter of 
a mile from the camp, I being a-head a few paces* 
my father bid me obferve the rattle fnake before 
and juft at my feet. I flopped and faw the monfter 
formed in a high lpiral coil, not half his length from 
my feet : another ftep forward would have put my 
life in his power, as I muft have touched if not 
ftumbled over him. The fright and perturbation of 
my fpirits at once excited refentment ; at that time 
1 was entirely infenfible to gratitude or mercy. I 
inftantly cut off* a little fapling and foon difpatched 
him : this ferpent was about ftx feet in length, and 
as thick as an ordinary man's leg. The rencoun- 
ter deterred us from proceeding on our refearches 
for that day. So I cut off a long tough withe or 
vine, which faftening round the neck of the flain 
ferpent, I dragged him after me, his fcaly body 
founding over the ground, and entering the camp 
with him in triumph, was foon furrounded by the 
amazed multitude, both Indians and my country- 
men. The adventure foon reached the ears of the 
commander, who fent an officer to requeft that, 
if the fnake had not bit himfelf, he might have 
him ferved up for his dinner. I readily delivered 
up the body of the fnake to the cooks, and being 
that day invited to dine at the governor’s table, faw 
the fnake ferved up in feveral diffies ; governor 
Grant being fond of the fleffi of the rattle fnake, 
I tafted of it but could not fwallow it. I, however, 
was forry after killing the ferpent, when cooly re- 
collecting every circumftance. He certainly had it 
in his power to kill me almoft inftantly, and I make 
no doubt but that he was confcious of it e I pro- 
mifed 
