The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1870-03-24

OF me, and leaving everything of the road
to my mustang, it seemed as if, suddenly,
heaven and earth had come together, and
had been crushed between. The thought
was instantaneous, though | had but a
second to think it in, that | had ridden
into hole-one of those ancient, deserted
mines, of which Barnes had warned me
several times, and Of which we had been
speaking only that morning. There were
several of these holes within circuit of
a few miles, and the tradition of the In
dians called them by that name, though
there are no indications about them, or
in that country, that gold has ever been
mined or found there
cannot tell whether l was insensibIe for
any length of time, but when | regained
my consciousness | found myself lying
upon my back in hole fifteen feet deep,
with an area of about ten feet diameter
at the bottom, straight upon all sides but
one, and that sloping at such an angle
that it seemed impossible to me to get out,
let alone liberate my poor mustang.
All this | took in at a glance, but still
made no effort to rise, for the fall had
made me faint and sick, and ] presume
had the same effect on my horse, for he
lay perfectly still. had little time to
think of his or my condition, for in mo-
ment l was Mortified to see, within a few
feet of me, an immense reptile, with head
upraised, taking survey of the situation,
which l knew in an instant for a rattle
snake.
Forgetting all my hurts and faintness,
sprang to my feet, and over my horse, in
tending to put him as barrier, at least,
between myself and my foe. 1t was a
vain hope, for no sooner had done so,
than l saw that the hole was perfect den
of these reptiles. had always had pc
culiar horror of snakes, even of harmless
ones, and it can easily be imagined what
my terror was when saw my situation.
am confident that but for that l should
have resigned myself to my fate, and con-
tented myself with shouting, in hope that
Barnes would hear me, as | was sure he
would attempt TO hunt me up, when he
found | did not return in a seasonabIe
timo to the place of starting but che ter
rcr with which l was inspired gave me
wild dash made for the side Of the hole
where it was slightly angular.
How l ever went up it, heaven only
knows, but did. buried my fingers like
claws into the earth, and dug nay toes into
it with fierceness worthy of man fighting
for dozen lives, and almost as quickly
as tell it was crawling out upon the grass
at the top, where l lay several minutes
before l could recover breath or strength
to rise.
The first feeling that actuated me after
knowing that l was safe, was revenge !;
the second, pity for my horse and desire
to save him. l heard struggle below,
and crawled to the edge of the hole to look
over, and there saw sight shall never
forget The poor animal was desperately
making an attempt to get upon his feet,
and as he did saw that his off fore leg
was broken, for scarcely would he rise
when down he would go again.
And during all this struggle he was at
tracked on every side by scores of these
fearful reptiles, and bitten in every part
was powerless to help him, and knew he
was doomed to certain death. There was
a terrible fascination in the sight, and ,ay
there and gazed upon it until the animal
was still and, as supposed, dead. Then
l bethought myself of the valuable saddle
he wore, the pair of revolvers and the
hunting-knife, all priceless property in
that region, were they could not be re-
placed, and began to contrive for some
means of recovering them. There was
no way but by getting The animals body
out of the hole, and why L went to work
to do this by myself, instead of starting
of in search of aid, is more than can
tell, but did.
About my waist / had stout lariat,
wound, hunter fashion, around and
around. This ! uncoiled, and making a
slip moose of one, end, l finished with it,
until got it over his head, and pulled 1t
on to his neck. Then took turn about
stout sapling few yards from the hole,
and, with all my strength, began to pull.
l am not weak man, and my desperate
force applied to this, brought the animal
once more to his feet, in dying struggle.
l did not cease my effort, and, to my as
Constituent, found the horse was assist
ing me, by gradually following my ex-
ample, aud struggling up the slight slope
which lay upon the side l was pulling:
l strained fiercely to nay task, and almost
in two minutes the poor fellow came
tumbling out, his eyes starting from bis
head, his body swollen, and his tongue
hanging from his mouth tumbled out
only to fall and die, almost before could
get the lariat unfastened from his throat.
Then 1 did think, as l watched the
dying animal. that never would rest
until l had exterminated every snake that
made that hole his home. There was
abundance of dry brush about, and dead
wood. 1t required but few minutes to
throw any quantity of this into the hole,
and though it would destroy fine rife