268 
CREATURES OF MYSTERY 
song of birds are free to all with the eyes to see and the ears 
to hear. But there is another part of the show to which only 
special guests may come. 
They are the naturalists, either professional or instinctive, 
whose sympathy and understanding give them admission to the 
secret life of the fields and forests and swamps, the barren 
plains and the country streams and rocky mountain sides where 
Nature’s humble citizenry go about the exciting business of 
living. Among these are none so humble as the snake—the 
lowly snake who, nevertheless, was singled out for the thunder 
of a Biblical curse. Doomed to crawl and suffer the enmity of 
Man, as if conscious of the immemorial stigma, the snake leads 
a life apart. Rarely does his kind seek out human habitations 
or dispute the way with the Lords of Creation—for man has 
not forgotten the curse, and through countless generations has 
relentlessly crushed the head of the serpent under his heel. 
In the Book of Revelations the question is asked: “Who 
can make war with him?” If this query might be applied 
to the diamond-back, then we have a ready answer: to the pres¬ 
ent time none have been found throughout the whole wide 
world able to dethrone him, consequently he remains to this 
good day America’s Uncrowned King. Uncle Dave believes 
that he has the answer, but he will tell the reader as candidly 
as he has told me that it is not a one-man job. 
The story of this intrepid old gentleman’s lifelong warfare 
cannot be concluded without a final summary of the achieve¬ 
ment which distinguishes him from any individual in America. 
The author has set forth in this volume a series of his thrilling 
encounters, each story illustrating some additional knowledge 
of the reptile’s life and daily habits. He has honestly endeav¬ 
ored to acquaint his readers with the motives that underlie this 
one-man battle. The repeated attacks on members of his own 
family, and his friends, brought home to him, as nothing else 
could do, the need for action. Such unprovoked attacks finally 
kindled within him that flame of indomitable determination to 
destroy this treacherous enemy. From his firsthand knowledge 
of events, the author has gone further than a description of 
his hero’s exploits, for he has shown what one resolute and 
