« 
NORTH AMERICA* £5$ 
poffible. My old friend turned about to carry my 
anfwer to the Indians. I prefently heard them ap- 
proaching and calling for Puc-Puggy. Starting up 
to efcape from their fight by a back door, a par- 
ty confifting of three young fellows, richly drefifed 
and ornamented, ftepped in, and with a countenance 
and a&ion of noble fimplicity, amity and complai- 
fance, requeued me to accompany them to their 
encampment. I defired them to excufe me at this 
time ; they pleaded and entreated me to go with 
them, in order to free them from a great rattle 
fnake which had entered their camp ; that none of 
them had freedom or courage to expel him ; and 
tinderftanding that it was my pleafure to colled all 
their animals and other natural productions of their 
land, defired that I would come with them and take 
him away, that I was welcome to him. I at length 
confented, and attended on them to their encamp- 
ment, where I beheld the Indians greatly difturbed 
indeed; the men with flicks and tomahawks* and 
the women and children colleded together at a 
diftance in affright and trepidation, whilft the dread- 
ed and revered ferpent leifurely travelled their 
camp, vifiting the fire-places from one to another*, 
picking up fragments of their provifions, and licking 
their platters. The men gathered around me, ex- 
citing me to remove him being armed with a 
lightwood knot, I approached the reptile, who in- 
flantly collected himfelf in a vaft coil (their attitude 
of defence) I caff my miffile weapon at him, which 
luckily taking his head, difpatched him irtfbmt- 
!y, and laid him trembling at my feet. I took out 
my knife, fevered his head from his body, then turn- 
ing about, the Indians complimented me with every 
demonftration of fatisfa6lion and approbation for 
my heroifm, and friendfhip for them. I carried off 
S 2 the 
