80 
CREATURES OF MYSTERY 
fangs and resorts to his magic art, then they are gently lulled 
to sleep, and when they awaken—if ever they do—they find 
themselves in cold storage. 
Just what the attraction is, or what the power they wield, 
has never been determined or explained, either by scientific 
men, w r ho deny it as a reality, or by the layman—the latter are 
frank to admit that they do not know. Some contend that the 
constant quiver of the rattles provides the necessary magic to 
throw the subject into a hypnotic sleep, or state of suspended 
animation, while others who have observed his Satanic eyes 
while at bay, just as sincerely believe this organ to be the source 
of his uncanny power. 
On one of our many thrilling hunts we had carelessly per¬ 
mitted a large rattler to evade our vigilance and get to the 
bottom of the hole, or den, so that we were having to dig deep 
for him. We had taken our turn at the spade, while the old 
gentleman was taking time out for rest. Pausing for an in¬ 
stant, we asked: “Uncle Dave, I was reading an article in a 
magazine very recently by a herpetologist, or snake expert, if 
you prefer. He wrote as one who had gone to college and 
learned all there was to know about rattlers, or perhaps had 
studied them down at the zoo behind bullet-proof glass. It 
was his contention that a rattler would, under no circumstances, 
charge a human being. Do you agree with him?” He gave 
this very apt reply: “Huh! They’ll attack ye like a Spanish 
bull if ye jes make ’em mad enough. Wunst I knowed a feller 
—knowed him personal—who come dang nigh gittin’ bit jes 
bekase he didn’t know how to handle one when he was being 
attackted. He, fool like, hit at ’im straight up an’ down, an’ 
him a’comin’ fer ’im head on. He jest about clean missed ’im— 
jes’ breshed ’im down one side. He drapped his pole jes’ in 
the nick o’ time.” With no show whatever of superior learn¬ 
ing, but with an air of finality, he concluded: “What he ort 
to o’done wuz to stoop low an’ swing at ’im jes’ like he wuz 
reapin’ oats with a cradle—ye kin mow ’em down that a-way.” 
Several cases are known to me where men have been pursued 
by them, but not all of them have b.een made a matter of 
record herein. 
