TRAVELS IN 
258 
in the leaft intimidated by his threats of deflroying 
him with thunder and lightning, neither was he 
difpofed in any manner to difpleafe the Siminoles, 
and fhould certainly comply with his requifitions, 
as far as he could proceed without the advice and 
diredtions of the company ; and finally agreed to 
iupply him and his followers with fuch things as they 
flood moil in need of, fuch as lhirts, blankets, and 
fome paints, one half to be paid for difedtly, and 
the remainder to Hand on credit until their return 
from the expedition. This determination entirely 
fatisfied the Indians. We broke up the confer- 
ence in perfedt amity and good humour, and they 
returned to their camp, and in the evening, ratified 
it with feafling and dancing, which continued all 
next day with tolerable decorum. An occurrence 
happened this day, by which I had an opportunity' 
of obferving their extraordinary veneration or dread 
of the rattle fnake. I was in the forenoon bufy in 
my apartment in the council-houfe, drawing fome 
curious flowers ; when, on a fudden, my attention 
was taken off by a tumult without, at the Indian 
camp. I (lepped to the door opening to the piazza, 
where I met my friend the old interpreter, who 
informed me that there was a very large rattle 
fnake in the Indian camp, which had taken poffeffion 
of it, having driven the men, women and children 
out, and he heard them faying that they would fend 
Tor Puc-Puggy (for that was the name which they 
had given me, fignifying the Flower Hunter) to 
kill him or take him out of their camp. I anfwer- 
ed, that I defired to have nothing to do with him, 
apprehending fome difagreeable confequences $ and 
defired that the Indians might be acquainted that I 
was engaged in bufinefs that required application 
and quiet, and was determined to avoid it if 
6 poflible. 
