Original - North Central Michigan College Library

antialong the ground in visible good humor. Itslength was between four and five feet. Havingremained outstretched for some time, at lastit moved slowly away, the Indians following itand still addressing it by the title of grandfather,beseeching it to take care of theirfamilies during their absence, and to be pleasedto open the heart of Sir William Johnson sothat he might show them charity and fill theircanoe with rum.One of the chiefs added a petition that thesnake would take no notice of the insult whichhad been offered him by the Englishman, whowould even have put him to death but for theinterference of the Indians, to whom it washoped he would impute no part of theoffense. They further requested that he wouldremain and inhabit their country, and notreturn among the English; that is, go eastward.After the rattlesnake was gone, I learnedthat this was the first time that an individualof the species had been seen so far to the northwardand westward of the River Des Francais,a circumstance, moreover, from which mycompanions were disposed to infer that thismanito had come, or been sent, on purpose tomeet them; that his errand had been no otherthan to stop them on their way; and that consequentlyit would be most advisable to returnto the point of departure. I was so fortunate,however, as to prevail with them to embark,169