A CAUTION FOR SNAKES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1129, 2 August 1883, Page 1

A CAUTION FOR SNAKES.

Manitoba and the greet North West have during the last few years been the subject of much interest and of much literature. The latest deliverance upon the subject is contained in a massive volume by Professor Macoun, the Dominion Government explorer, whose book is likely to be the standard work of reference for some time to come. Speaking of garter snakes, lie says: —‘At Stoney Mountain, 10 miles from Winnipeg, they are seen in myriads in early spring and in September. During these periods they lie in tiie sun, and coil into terrible looking objects, but they are perfectly harm less. Last autumn they were gathering for their winter sleep when I was ai Livingstone (Swan River Barracks), and as they were said to bo numerous I went to see them. They were congregated in and around three basin-shaped ho lows, which were partly filled with very large boulders, and hordeed by a few clumps of bushes. The grass for rods around was filled with them, and the stones completely covered. As we approached, a hiss that caused a sudder to pass through me, greeted us on all sides. A few hurried s'eps and Inspector Griesbach, of the Mounted Police and I stood on a great boulder in the centre of the hollow, from which the snakes slid as we took, possession. As soon as my excited nerves allowed me to look intelligently around, I saw a sight never to be forgotten. Coiled on every bush, and forming cabh-s from the size of a hawser up to writhing masses three feet in diameter, were snakes from one to five feet in length. Around the hollows, but more particularly on the sunny side, they lay in in great heaps, so closely packed together that nothing but heads could bo seen. It was terrible to look upon the glittering eyes that were fixed upon us by thousands, and see the forked tongues thrust out and withdrawn as the perpetual hiss unceasingly fell upon our ears. After a few minutes we became more accustomed to each other’s society, anl now instead of being disgusted by the writhing masses, we saw beauty on every fold. The rays of the western sun falling on their bodies at every angle caused a mingling of color that nona bub a master pen could depict.’

A LIFETIME PAUPER. There has just died in the Wolverhampton workhouse, in England, a man who.

for the whole of his lifetime, extending over thirty-seven years, has been a source of trouble to the Union officials in the district and the central authorities in London. Picked up originally by the roadside when an infant a few days old, his parents unknown, he was christened by a guardian under the name of Bythoway. He grew up in the workhouse until old enough to bo sent out as an apprentice. During the next seven years he tired out the patience of his master, as he had tired out the patience of the officers of the Union, and when his apprenticeship expired he went back to the workhouse as to his own home. Thus he remained up to the time of his death, either an indoor or outdoor pauper. He wrote so many letters to the local Government Board, complaining of almost every official connected with the house, that the central authority at length ordered an inquiry into his mental state. The inquiry, however, did not establish lunacy, and Blytheway remained about Wolverhamton, and continued his troublesome proeeeding, appearing from time to time with real or imaginary grievances before the magistrates or County Court Juduo. ■He was baptised in the Church of England, and after professing various religious creeds during life, he ended his checkered career by dying in the Roman Catholic faith.

COM PETITIY E EX AMIN ATIONS. It is asserted that the following answers were given by the pupils of school, drring the examination by the master :

Where is Turin?—Turin is the capital of Chiner ; the people there live on birds’ nests, and has long tales. What do you know of the patriarch Abraham? He was the father of Lot, and hitd tew wives. One was called His male and t'other Haygur. He kept one at home, and ha hurried the t’other into the desert, where she became a pillow of salt in the daytime and a pillow of fire at nite.

Who was Moses?—He was an Egypsian. He lived in a bark made of bullrushers, and he kept a golden carf and worsliipt braizen snakes, and het nothin’ but kwales and ninnnei for forty years He was kort by of his ’ed whi.e riding under a bow of a tree, and was kill’d’by his son Absolon as he was bangin’ from the bow. His end was pease.

‘ Hough on Rats.’—Clears out rata, mice, roaches, fl'es, ants, bed-bugs, beetles, insects, skunks, j mk-rabbits, giphers. 7?rd. Druggists. Moses, Moss and Co., Sydney, General Agents.