She saw him first

 The Wise Woman saw a garter snake, Thamnophis cyrtopsis, along the banks of the San Antonio River the other day, not far from Mission Concepción.

She was pleased that she saw him first. I told her that her trail eyes are getting better. Ever the teacher, the Wise Woman lectured me on the importance of keeping the Enormous Dog out of the tall grass. It’s snake season. If the Enormous Dog is bitten, my name will be stricken from the Lamb’s Book of Life.

On Sunday, on Zarzarmora Creek, the Wise Woman saw a young woman fishing along the north bank. The young woman was wading carefully through the tall grass and dewberry canes, trying to get to a good spot to cast. “Enjoy yourself, but watch your step,” the Wise Woman called to her. “There are snakes around here.”

The young woman thanked the Wise Woman, and we went on.

Three hundred yards up the trail — the Wise Woman was again the first to see it — was another snake, sunning itself on a log on the bank.

“What was it?” the Wise Woman asked.

I usually tell her that it’s harmless and reassure her that there’s nothing to worry about. But this was a diamondback, Cotralus atrox. He was not big — 6 feet is the usual standard for a “big” rattler — but he was big enough. I’d say just short of 4-and-a-half. 

Diamondbacks don’t love water, but they can swim. This one saw the dog, recognized an ancient predator and hit the water. He swam for a long way, a foot below the surface, before he disappeared.