( Jli ) 
Mouths. This is a Thing fo weli attefted, that they 
hink there is no reafon to queftion their belief of it. 
Mr. j Read, an eminent Merchant in the CJity of 
London , had a Rattle-Snake fent him alive in a 
Box with fome Gravel from Firghia> which he 
did me the Favour to give me. It had lived three 
Months before without an y Suftenance,and had in that 
time parted with its outer Coat or Exuvia, which 
was found amongfl: the Gravel. Mr. Ranby , a very 
ingenious Surgeon and Anatomifl-, undertook the 
lodging it: And Captain Hall , a very underftanding 
and obfervant Perfon, who had lived many Years in 
that Country in great Repute, ventured to take the 
Snake out of the Box ; notwithftanding that the Poi- 
fon from the Bite thereof is almoft prefent Death : 
For he gave us an Inftance of a Perfon bitten, who 
was found dead at the Return of a MefTenger going 
to the next Houfe to fetch a Remedy or Antidote, 
though he was not gone above half an Hour. Nay, 
fo certain are the mortal Effects of this Poifon, that 
fometimcs the waiting 'till an Iron can be heated, in 
order to burn the Wound, is faid to have proved fatal. 
This Gentleman told me he thought the fecureft Way 
was immediately to cut out the Pa,rt where the 
Wound was made j for he had feen fevernl, who 
carried thefe hollow Scars about them, as Marks of the 
narrow Efcape they had had, and never felt any In* 
convenience afterwards. 
Though Providence hath produced a Creature fo 
terrible to other Animals, yet it feems to have 
provided it with the Rattle at its Tail, that the Noife 
thereof might give warning to them to get out of its 
way. 
I de* 
c 
