THE RATTLESNAKE HUNTER. HE following is the story of a man known "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 were ferocious, but we suffered little from them. The only immediate danger to which we were exposed resulted from the rattlesnakes, which infested our neighbourhood. Three or four of our settlers were bitten by them, and died in terrible agonies. The Indians often told us frightful stories of this 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. 66 larger and his colours brighter. His body moved with a slow, almost imperceptible motion towards me, and a low hum of music came from him, strange sweet melody, faint as that which melts from the throat of a hummingbird. Then the tints of his body began to deepen, and changed and glowed, like the changes of a beautiful kaleidoscope-green, purple, and gold, until I lost sight of the serpent entirely and saw only a wild and curiously Woven circle of strange colours, quivering around me like an atmosphere of rainbows. I seemed in the centre of a great prism, a world of mysterious colours, and 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 rapidly, and I could feel the cold sweat 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 I fancied I could feel the blood stiffening with cold as it passed along my veins. I would have given worlds to have been able to tear my. self 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 colourings of his enchantment before me. 66 Suddenly a new sound came on my ear. It was a human voice, but it seemed strange and awful. Again, again, but I stirred not; and then a white form plunged before me, and grasped my arm. The horrible spell was at once broken. The strange colours passed from before my vision. The rattlesnake was coiling at my very 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 hand; and her scream of agony, as she staggered backwards from me, told me the dreadful truth. In one of my hunting excursions abroad, on a fine morning-it was just at this time of the year-I was accompanied by my wife. 'Twas a beautiful morning. "Then it was that a feeling of madness came upon me; The sunshine was warm, but the atmosphere was perfectly and when I saw the foul serpent stealing away from his clear; and a fine breeze from the north-west shook the work, reckless of danger, I sprang forward and crushed bright green leaves which clothed to profusion the wreath him under my feet, grinding him upon the ragged rock. ing branches over us. I had left my companion for a The groans of my wife now recalled me to her side and to short time in the pursuit of game; and in climbing a the horrible reality of her situation. There was a dark rugged ledge of rocks, interspersed with shrubs and dwarf- livid spot on her hand, and it deepened into blackness as fish trees, I was startled by a quick, grating rattle. II led her away. We were at a considerable distance from 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. I know not why, but I stood still, and looked at the deadly serpent with a strange feeling of curiosity. Suddenly he unwound his coil, 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 ever 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 he reptile. His form seemed to grow any dwelling; and after wandering for a short time, the pain of the wound became insupportable to my wife, and she swooned 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 cold water. She partially recovered, and sat down upon the bank. while I supported her head upon my bosom. Hour after hour passed away, and none came near us, and there, alone in the great wilderness, I watched over her, and prayed with her, and she died!" The old man groaned audibly as he uttered these words, and, as he closed his long bony hands over his eyes, I could see the tears falling thickly through his gaunt K K fingers. After a momentary struggle with his feelings, he lifted his head once more, and there was a fierce light in his eyes as he spoke : "But I have had my revenge. From that fatal moment I have felt myself fitted and set apart, by the terrible ordeal of affliction, to rid the place 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 village rises 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 enamel, only burns deeper the first impression. It comes up before me like a vividly-remembered dream, whose features are too horrible for reality. spearmen valour. Stealthy and silent they marched, and around them the hush of the darkness Stood in the cloudless heaven the white moon, pale as a spirit. So through the cool, clear night the feet of the sandalled marchers Moved up the pass, and on either side great crags overhanging Rose like the grim-carved idols that frowned in the fanes of the heathen, Senseless, horrid, and dark. Till afar on the looming horizon Shot up the streamers of day, and the crimson arrows of sunrise Shook the palled throne of Night, and the world smiled out to the morning. renewal There, round the leaguered city, prepared for the battle's Fluttered the five dark banners that told where the foemen had gathered. As when the kestrel, poised on hovering wing in the heaven, Sees on the hillside covert the fight of some clamorous sparrows, Drops on the startled pair and smites them ere they are parted, Quivering in blue mid-air he hangs, and then, like a meteor, So from the glimmering pass the band of the Hebrews emerging, Halted one moment, and then swept down in a headlong torrent Rider and steed, and behind them the far-bent bows of the archers Raining their fatal shower on the wakening camp in the valley. Cheer on cheer went up, as the dust rolled down in a tempest; Cheer on cheer went up, as the shafts rattled fast on the hillside; Cheer on cheer went up, as the foe fled baffled and broken. So from the empty tents, and the white-walled city we drove them, Up from the gorge, and along the bare-backed ridge of Bethhoron; Vainly they strove to stand with boulder or bush for a covert, But long ere the conflict was ended, Low on the red-rimmed hills sank down the sun in his glory, Sank, and with him fell the hopes of the panting, relentless pursuers, Fearful lest darkness should fall and conceal the steps of the flying, Shielding the fugitive host with her broad, black wings. And appealing Straight to his God, as he rode, with his sword extended to heaven, Joshua came, and they heard him shout as he dashed down the hill-side, "Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon! thou moon shine down o'er the valley!" Soon as the words rang out, by the hand of its Maker arrested, Halted the chariot of day, and between the cleft ridge of the mountains, Streamed from the tarrying wheels a glory of crimson and amber Flooding the wide, white hills. And the moon, restrained in her rising, Lit with a paler splendour the fair green Ajalon valley. Wondering still at the sight, swept on with the terrible warcry, "God is mighty in battle, the Lord is His name!" and the echoes Caught up the cry, till the hollows were full of mystical voices Speaking the ominous words; and the hearts of the Amorite melted, Stumbling on down the rocks now strewn with the dead and the dying. Till, from her haunts on the hill-slope, the fleet gazelle, as she bounded Far up the hill from the reach of the terrible spear, looked backward, raven Scared by the din, and the black glossy wings of the wandering kings. And or ever the long day was ended, Ere that tired sun went down, and the twilight had shrouded the valley, Stealing down from the hills, the wolf, as he watched the pursuers Pass out of sight, came back, and, lured by the scent of the carnage, Started and stared at the five grim corses heavily swaying Under the branching trees. So fell the pride of the heathen! Weary and stained with the dust and the blood of the terrible conflict, N the days of the Emperor Diocletian the Christians at to worship idols were condemned to death. and Constantine were seven young men of noble birth. They Maximian, Malchus, Marcian, Dionysius, John, Serapion, said they would never deny their Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. The Emperor gave them a few days to consider their course, telling them that they would certainly be executed unless they obeyed him. They fled to a cave in Mount Celion, where they fell asleep. Diocletian hunted for them everywhere, but they could not be found. He blocked up with great stones the mouth of the hidden in its recesses they would die of hunger. very cavern in which they were, thinking that if they were More than two centuries passed away. Then, according to tradition, an Ephesiau building a stable on the side of Mount Celion took a fancy to the big stones in the cave's mouth. He carried them away, daylight poured in, the sounds of the outside world penetrated the silence, and the Seven Sleepers rubbed their eyes, awoke, and felt hungry. It was to them as though they had slept but one day. Malchus went into the city to buy some food. Everything was strange to him. Everywhere, on houses and temples, he saw the sign of the cross. He heard men using Christ's name. When he went into a baker's shop to buy a lʊaf, and offered in payment a coin more than two hundred years old, the people stared, and the baker, who happened to be a coin collector, wanted to know where he had discovered so great a treasureAnd Malchus, bewildered and confused, was taken before the Governor and the Bishop, and to them he told simply how he and his friends had gone to hide from danger, and how they had fallen asleep, and had just awakened. Then he led the great men and the crowd to the place where his six companions were impatiently waiting for him to return. There they were, young, beaut ful, and blooming. But they were in a world which they did not know, and which did not know them, so the beautiful story says that God kindly took them to Himself before long in the sweet sleep which has no waking on earth. being followed in the present, and that the soldier is learning from his generals to-day, lessons of patient forbearance and restraint. My readers will remind me of the behaviour of His fondness for all things military, and his interest in battles and sieges were very keen, but his parents had designed him for the law. It was the expressed wish of his beloved mother before her death in 1811, that Henry should study for the Bar, and, accordingly, at the age of eighteen he was entered at the Middle Temple. An unfortunate disagreement, however, with his father forced him to relinquish his studies about a year afterwards, and to seek for some immediate source of income. His yearning for a and to soldier's life now Havelock's Birthplace. our troops in the recent war, will tell me how nobly property was respected, and how safe were the little fellah children in the midst of stalwart Highlanders and fiery Life Guards. Yes, but the grandest monument of moderation in the hour of vengeance, of patience under conditions the most painful, and of Christian meekness in the hour of triumph, is bequeathed to us by Havelock and his devoted troops. The story of the Indian Mutiny, of Havelock and his "saints," of Lucknow and Cawnpore, has been often told, but the greatness of its heroes has never been exaggerated. Kings they were of thought and action, knights as chivalrous as those who served King Arthur. Foremost of all was Havelock, the pattern of a Christian paladin: a man who was every inch a soldier, every inch a Christian, every inch a king. Who, and what he was, let us briefly remind our readers. Five years before this century commenced Henry Havelock was born at Ford Hall, Bishop's Wearmouth. His father was a shipbuilder of considerable fortune, his mother the daughter of a solicitor, and a woman of peculiar piety and excellence. Havelock's debt to his mother was great indeed, and from her he learnt those lessons of purity and reverence which, in later life, exercised so glorious an influence upon his character and career. What England owes to Havelock she owes to his mother, a debt she acknowledges, but cannot pay. We pass briefly over his early school days, which were marked by courage and sturdy love of truth. His studies were pursued with diligence, while his force and consistency of character were admitted by all. Glimmerings of that kingly power of leading, or of subordinating men's wills to his, as Carlyle puts it, and which, in later life, he exhibited in so marked a way, were beginning to be seen; and he was early influencing and moulding his schoolfellows by his example and advice. returned in full strength, and he was successful in obtaining a lieutenancy in the Rifle Brigade. We do not wonder at his choice. His three brothers were soldiers, and the age was one of tumult and bloodshed, of stirring excitement, and martial ardour. England, it is true, had broken the power of Napoleon, and the echoes of Waterloo were beginning to be stilled. The storm of war had ceased but for a season, to burst out once more with a crash and violence that shook the power of England to its centre. But we are anticipating. Havelock now had a congenial occupation, and he applied himself with all diligence to the study of languages and war. His religion for a while was cold and lifeless, and his principles changing and restless, but never had he forgotten that to be a gentleman he must be pure, and to be kingly he must be upright. What he had lost amidst the frivolous associations of military life was the feeling of joy and sunshine in God's favour, the enthusiasm of loving and being loved by Him. This cloud soon passed away, never to return, and Havelock became a faithful and humble soldier of the Great King. This humility and faithfulness were the foundation stones of his fame, and in bowing most reverently to God's will, he rose to the "fullness of the stature of the perfect man." In 1823, Havelock sailed for India, and in a few months' time was called upon for active service. The trumpet-call found him ready. He had spent the interval, not in gambling and dissipation, but as a man who knew the danger of his position, and who understood the responsibility thereof. A declared disciple of Jesus Christ, as well as an accomplished soldier of the Crown, he was unfailing in his efforts to teach and train his equals and subordinates in purity, sobriety, and faithfulness to the claims of their professson. His influence over his men began. to be the subject of common remark, and the readiness of "Havelock's Saints" to go anywhere, and do anything, was a source of curiosity and admiration |
