162 
CREATURES OP MYSTERY 
the appearance that he.so planned and timed his attack as to 
completely confuse and frighten the entire party. Taking full 
advantage .of such confusion, he was able to make good his 
escape before they could plan and execute any counter move 
designed to offset his. He never slackened his pace until he 
was safe in the underbrush of the river swamp. It cannot be 
truthfully said that he made any attack upon any of them— 
they were simply in his way, and he was serving notice on all 
and sundry that he was coming through, come Hitler, or high 
water, and that some dreadful “accident” might befall any 
member of the party electing to challenge his right of thor¬ 
oughfare. 
One of the most interesting bits of information the writer 
ever gathered since he took it upon himself to pry into the 
private life of the diamond-back, came to us through Uncle 
Dave. It happened within the circle of his own close personal 
friends, and he is perfectly willing to vouch for their testimony. 
It differs from all others in that a human being was hypnotized 
into a state of insensibility, later to be revived and relate the 
whole experience in detail. Unfortunately, where dumb ani¬ 
mals are the victims, what they experience and suffer is lost 
to the world. 
The victim of this terrifying experience was a lady. She 
had accompanied her husband to the field to assist in some light 
farm work. In the fencerow bordering the cultivated plot of 
ground they found a diamond-back. The creature instantly 
coiled and offered fight to anyone who might challenge. Being 
without any form of weapon, and the distance back to his home 
not being great, he left his wife to prevent the escape of the 
reptile while he hastened off for his gun. Little thinking what 
great dangers might grow out of his hasty instructions, he 
cautioned her not to take her eyes off him for one minute. 
Now, if the rattler could have had his one wish then it would 
have been just that. Other circumstances being what they were, 
this prepared him for the accomplishment of his fiendish task 
—the lady was soon to be delivered, consequently was not 
strong, either physically or mentally. The point has already 
been made that they are at their best when dealing with 
