The Rattlesnake Hunter.

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 21, 6 April 1870, Page 7

The Rattlesnake Hunter.

AH AMERICAN STORY.

During a delightful excursion in the

icinity of the Green Mountains, some ears since, I had the good fortune to. meet singular character, known in many parts f Vermont as the Rattlesnake ilunter.

; a warm, clear day of sunshine, in itmiddle of June, I saw him for the first me, while engaged in a raineralogical amble among the hills. His head was ild, and his forehead was furrowed with jc deep lines of care and age. His form us wasted and meagre ; but for the fiery igour of his eye, he might have been suposed incapacitated by age and infirmities ir even a slight exertion. Yet he hurried, ver the huge ledges of rock with a quick nti almost youthful tread, and seemed arnestly searching among the crevices, nd loose crags, and stunted bushes around dm. All at once he started suddenly, Irew himself back with a sort of shudderng recoil, and then smote fiercely with lis staff upon the rock before him, Anolier and another blow, and ha lifted the ifeless form of a large rattlesnake upon the nd of his rod.

The old man’s eyes glistened, but his lip retnbled as he looked steadfastly upon his et writhing victim. “ Another of the ccursed race !” he muttered, between his ilenched teeth, apparently unconscious of ny presence.

I was now satisfied that the person be-

fore me was none other than the famous rattlesnake hunter. He was known in ihe neighbourhood as an outcast and a

wanderer, obtaining a miserable subsistence xom the casual charities of the people iround him. His time was usually spent imong the rocks and rude hills, where his inly object seemed to he the hunting out rad destroying of the rattlesnake. I immediately determined to satisfy my curiosity, which had been strongly excited by the very remarkable appearance of the stranger j and for this purpose I approached him.

“ Are there many of these reptiles in this vicinity ?” I inquired, pointing to the crushed serpent. “They are getting to be scarce,” said the old man, lifting his slouched hat, and wiping his bald brow. “I have known the time when you could hardly stir ten rods from your own door in this part of tbs State without hearing their low, quick rattle at your side, or seeing their manycoloured bodies coiled up in your path. But, as I said, they are getting scarce; the horrid race will be extinct in a few years, and, thank heaven, I have myself boen a considerable cause of their extirmination.”

“You must, of course, know the nature of these creatures perfectly well,” said J, 11 Ho you believe in their power of fascination or charming V The old man’s countenance fell, There *as a visible struggle of feeling within him. His lip quivered, and he dashed his brown hand suddenly across his eves, as if to conceal a tear ; but, quickly recovering himself, he answered in the- low, deep roice of one that was about to reveal some horrible secret, “I believe in the rattlesnake’s power of fascination as firmly as X be lie vc in my own existence.” “ Surely,” said I, “ you do not believe that they have power over human beings?” “I do—l know it to be so 1” And’the old man trembled as he spoke. “ You are ft stranger to me,” he said, slowly, after scrutinising my features for a moment; “ hnt if you will go with me to the foot of this rook, in the shade there,” —and he pointed to a group of leaning oaks that hung over the declivity—“ I will tell you a strange and sad story of my own experience.”

It may be supposed that T readily assented to this proposal. Bestowing one more blow upon the rattlesnake, as if to be certain of its death, the old man descended the rocks with a rapidity that would have endangered the neck of a less practised hunter. After reaching the place which he pointed out, the rattlesnake hunter commenced his story, in a manner which confirmed what I had previously heard of his education and intellectual strength.

“ I was among the earliest settlers in this part of the country. I had just completed my education at Harvard, when I was induced by the flattering representations of some of the earliest pioneers into the wild lands beyond the Connecticut, to seek my fortune in the new settlement. Mj wife ” —the old man’s eye glistened for fin instant, and then a tear crossed his brown cheek—“ my wife accompanied me, young and delicate and beautiful as she was, to this wild and rude country. 1 never shall forgive myself for bringing her hither—never ! Young man,” continued H “you look like one who could pity. You shall see the image of the girl who followed me to the new country.” He unbound as he spoke a ribbon from his neck, with a small miniature attached to it.

It was the portrait of a beautiful female; but there was an almost childish expression in her countenance—a softness, a jkfejjcy, and a sweetness of smile which I hax j seldom seen in the features of those who have tasted even slightly the hitter waters of existence. The old man watched

my countenance intently as I surveyed tlio imago of his early love. “ She must have been very beautiful,” I said, as I returned the picture. u Beautiful !” he repeated ; u you may well say so. But this avails nothing. I have a fearful story to tell—would to heaven I had not attempted it. But I will go on. My heart has been too often stretched on the rack of memory to suffer any new pang. “ We had resided in the new country nearly a year. Our settlement had increased rapidly, and the comforts and delicacies of life were beginning to be felt after the weary privations and severe trials to which we had been subjected. The red men were few and feeble, and did not molest us. The beasts of the forest and mountain wore ferocious, but we suffered little from them. The only immediate danger to which we were exposed resulted from the rattlesnakes which infested our neighborhood. Three or four of our settlers were bitten by them, and died in terrible agonies. The Indians often told us frightful stories of the snake and its powers of fascination ; and although they were generally believed, yet, for myself, I confess I was rather amused than convinced by their marvellous legends. “I n °ne of my hunting excursions, on a fine morning—it was just at this time of the year—l was accompanied by my wife. ’Twas a beautiful morning. The sunshine was warm, but the atmosphere was perfectly clear; and a fine breeze from the north-west shook the bright green leaves which clothed to profusion the wreathing branches over ns. I had left my companion for a short time in pursuit of game, and in climbing a rugged ledge of rocks, interspersed with shrubs and dwarfish trees, I was startled by a quick, grating rattle. I looked forward. On the edge of a loosened rock lay a large rattlesnake, coiling himself as if for the deadly spring. He was within a few feet of me, and I paused for an instant to survey him. 1 know not why, but I stood still, and looked at the deadly serpent with a strange ffeeling of curiosity. Suddenly he unwound his cod, as if relenting from his purpose of hostility, and raising his head, he fixed his bright, fiery eye directly on my own. A chilling and indescribable sensation, totally different from anything I had before experienced, followed this movement of the serpent; but I stood still and gazed steadily and earnestly, for at that moment there was a visible change in the reptile. His form seemed to grow larger and his colors brighter; his body moved with a slow, almost imperceptible motion towards me ; and a low hum of music came from him, or at least it sounded in my ear like a strange, sweet melody, faint as that which melts from the throat of the humming bird. Then the tints glowed, like the changes of a beautiful kaleidoscope: grern, purple, and gold—until I lost sight of the serpent altogether, and saw only a wild and curiously-woven circle of strange colo-s, quivering around me, lice an atmosphere of rainbows. I seeme I in the centre of a great prism—a world qf mysterious colors, in tints varied and darkened and lighted up again around me ; and the low music went on without ceasing, until my brain reeled, and fear, for the first time, came over me. The new sensation gained upon me, and I could feel the cold perspiration gushing from my brow. I had no certainty of danger in my mind, no definite ideas of peril—all was vague and clouded, like the unaccountable terrors of a dream ; and yet my limbs shook, and [ fancied I could feel the blood stiffening as it passed along my veins. I would have given worlds to have been able to tear myself from the spot. I even attempted to do so, but the body obeyed not the impulse of the mind—not a muscle stirred, and I stood still, as if my feet had grown to the solid rock, with the infernal music of the tempter in my ear, and the baleful colorings of his enchantment before me. “ Suddenly a new sound came on my ear. It was a human voice, but it seemed strange and awful. Again and again, hut [ stirred not; and then a white form rushed before me and grasped my arm. The horrible spell was at once broken. The strange colors passed from before my vision. The rattlesnake was coiling at my feet, with glowing eyes and uplifted fangs ; and my wife was clinging in terror upon me. The next instant the serpent threw himself upon us. My wife was the victim ! The fangs pierced deeply into her hands ; and her scream of agony as she staggered backwards from me told me the dreadful truth,

“ Then it was that a feeling of madness came upon me, and when I saw the foul serpent stealing away from his work, reckless of danger, I sprang forward and crushed him under my feet, grinding him upon the rugged rock. The groans of my poor wife now recalled me to her side, and to the dreadful reality of her situation. There was a dark livid spot on her hand, and it deepened as I led her away. We were at a considerable distance from any dwelling ; and after wandering for a short time the pain of her wound became unendurable to my wife, and she fainted away in my arms. Weak and exhausted as i was, I yet had strength enough left to carry her to the nearest rivulet, and bathe her brow in the cool water. She partially recovered, and sat down npon the bank, while I anp-

ported her head upon my bosom. Hour after hour passed, and uoi\e came near us ; and there, alone in the great wilderness, I watched over her, and prayed with her, and she died i”

The old man groaned audibly us he utr tered these words, and as he closed his long bony hands over his eyes, I could see the tears falling thickly through his gaunt fingers. After a momentary struggle with his feelings, he lifted his head once more, and there was a tierce light in his eyes as he spoke:— * “ Bat I hj ave had my revenge. From that fatal moment I have felt myselt fitted and set apart, by the terrible ordeal of affliction, to rid the place of my abode of its foulest curse. And I have well-nigh succeeded. The fascinating demons are already few and powerless.” Years have passed since my interview with the rattlesnake hunter ; the place of his abode has changed—a beautiful villagerises near the spot of conference, and the grass of the churchyard is green over the grave of the old hunter. But his story is fixed upon my mind, and Time, like enu mel, only burns deeper the first impression. It comes up before me like a vividlyremembered dream, whose features are too terrible for reality.