Australian Tales - Setis

and has not attempted to flee, while I kept my eyes upon it, but the
instant I have turned for the purpose of picking up a stick, it has
attempted to escape at its utmost speed.
I have seen a bold bushman go close up to a snake, and strike its head
with the hammer head of his riding whip, but that was certainly running
an unnecessary risk, and I have always preferred a tolerably long stick as
my weapon in such encounters. Snakes are easily disabled, one or two
smart blows are sufficient, but they are as tenacious of life as silver eels,
and bushmen have a tradition, that “snakes never die till sundown.”
It is best to approach them in front, as they are apt to spring backwards
upon an assailant, though they cannot spring forward, and in general they
cannot creep so fast but even a lazy man might easily get out of their
way. I have heard of snakes attacking persons, but I never saw one do so,
and those that I have seen, have seemed glad to get away from me.
Vicious animals in general have a fear of man which deters them from
assailing him, unless they are incited to it by provocation or in selfdefence,
and the most noxious species of reptiles have generally some
distinguishing characteristics by which their hurtful properties may be
known, and counteracted. In that we see a mark of God's providential
care for us.
I repeat my declaration. I have not seen one hundred live snakes during
over a quarter of a century; and I have not known of one fatal case of
snake poisoning, within my own circle of friends and acquaintances.
That may be rather surprising to those persons who fancy our fine
continent is dangerously overrun with those loathsome reptiles.
But there is, alas! a black snake, terribly prevalent, which is caressed
by thousands of persons in this land; though many of them know from
personal or family experience that it is far more dangerous than the deaf
adder. I mean the “dram bottle.” That is the snake which has desolated
hundreds of homes, and sent thousands of poor souls to ruin; that has
done infinitely more mischief in this fine country than all the snakes in
the bush.
I have seen the serpent — intemperance — writhe its treacherous way
into many happy households, and first fascinate, then crush within its
powerful folds the most promising members of the family. I have seen
the hope of a respectable house — a fine, broad browed youth — his
father's pride, and his mother's idol; upon whose education the fond old
pair had lavished their hardly earned little hoard; I have seen that beloved
boy's fine intellect vitiated, his once athletic frame palsied and wasted,
and with sorrow I add, that I have stood upon the graves of the suicide
son and his broken-hearted parents.
I have seen a sunny-hearted little child grow up to girl-hood, and fall a
victim to the fascinating influence of intemperance. With aching heart I
have marked her rapid decline from the paths of innocence and virtue, to