Fowle's New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

The following curious account of a RATTLE SNAKE is an abstract from Capt. Carver's Travels through the interior parts of North-America. It is of so peculiar a nature as, we flatter ourselves, will render it worthy the attention of our readers.—The author relates it in the following manner.

M. PINNISANCE, a French trader, told me a remarkable story concerning one of these reptiles, of which, he said, he was an eye-witness. An Indian belonging to the Menomonie nation, having taken one of them found means to tame it; and when he had done this, treated it as a Deity, calling it Great Father, and carrying it with him in a box wherever he went. This the Indian had done for several summers, when M. Pinnisauce accidentally met with him at this carrying place, just as he was setting off for a winter's hunt. The French gentleman was surprised one day to see the Indian place the box, which contained his God, on the ground, and opening the door, give him his liberty; telling him, whilst he did it, to be sure and return by the time he himself should come back, which was to be in the month of May following. As this was but October, M. told the Indian, whose simplicity astonished him, that he fancied he might wait long enough, when May arrived, for the arrival of his Great Father.—The Indian was so confident of his creature's obedience, that he offered to lay the Frenchman a wager of two gallons of rum, that at the time appointed he would come and crawl into his box.—This was agreed on, and the second week in May following fixed for the determination of the wager. At that period they both met there again, when the Indian set down his box, and called for his Great Father. The snake heard him not; and the time being now expired, he acknowledged that he had lost. However, without seeming to be discouraged, he offered to double the bet, if his Great Father came not within two days more. This was further agreed on; when behold on the second day, about one o'clock, the snake arrived, and of his own accord crawled into the box, which was placed ready for him. The French gentleman vouched for the truth of this story, and from the accounts I have often received of the docility of those creatures, I see no reason to doubt his veracity.