The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-06-18
DRAGON IN COLORADO.
The srnuue story Of n Traveller 10 the
Great A american Desert.
From tie DentO Meas

LAS AN1MAs June o. -1ast evening, lust
At dark, | was travelling horseback along a
stretch OF country which, for a loag distance,
Desert. AS far as the eve could reach not a
living thing or object created by the hand Of
man could be seen. On every side the horizon
onlv bounded the view. and not even where The
sky kissed the plain did aueht but the scanty
prairie grass, already burned to brown under
dotted here and there 10y innumerabte cacti,
from mother earth. Save the quickly recover
lug thud Of my horses hoofs as he Hoped over
the prairie, not sound was to be heard, and the
stiffness was profound
Hut the silence aud the solitude were not for
long. As was about to seek place to build n
fire and UiVVuac for the night, suddenly a long
trailing form started from the earth. and queer
rum bling cry was borne to my ears upon the
western wind Hardly had the sound died upon
tho air when an intense trembling seized
my horse, ADD, with expanded nostrils and
to find way of escape. And now the same
straneo cry was repeated. and my terrified sight
perceived an enormous reptile, half serpent. half
quadruped. that was now running. now creep
ing along the earth. with incredible rapidity. Al
tnoukh my ilmbs almost refused 10 perform their
tmce Tor terror had turned mechanically to leap
on nay horse, notwithstanding that knew that
the pace at which the monster was coming
WAS far faster than that OF horse at full galop,
but the beast had broken away from whore
had tod him, aud was quickly devOuring the
earth with rapid feet. Not, however. away
from the coming dangcrl Although dcstruc.
tiun stared mo in the face. almost lost com
sciousness 81 my peril IN viewing the strange
thing perceived that the horse was able to run
at Il rate that compelled All incOnvenient de-
gree Of speed to catch up with hin, he sud
denly stopped In his career. ana for moment
remained silent and motionlcss, and the only
sound 10 be heard was that made by the retreat
Ing horse, winch WIS growing fainter and
fainter Immediately, ere II had become quite
lost to the ear, the cause Of the brute's night
began to utter sOnOrOus roaring that one mo-
ment sounded like some british mother calling
her young. and another weird Imitation Of the
! cooling Of a dove Hardly had the sound been
D al. ~ "a "a II
/ lost to SIGHT IN the RAPIDLY growing dtrkness.
/ stopped. Presently he turned around aud bo-
gan with fastening steps to return. The noise
/ still continued. and even to my human hearing
/ seemed to have "A pleading, inviting note In It.
The Brobdingnagan beast. too, had assumed the
shape at once OF cat ready 60 play with her
/ Kittens. ana Oi u serpent when trying TO charm
Its prey iuto its folds.
! other saurans, II had the body OF a lizard, up-
! lifted on, near a. | could judge, eight feet,
seemed to exist cbieny In It's tail, when
s;reamed behind the body at least hundred
feet. The trunk OF the monster must nave been
thirty feet long by about half that figure in
width, aud at least from eight To ten feet
through. The feet seemed little more than pad
dies with which TO push this huge body along
and apparently had little supporting power. the
creatures belly touching the ground except
/ when its rapid motion forced IL forward IN the
air. The head was htttened At the TOP, and
| lowered high up over the body on n mock greater
, In diameter than barrel, and fully ten feet N
I length. Tho eyes, MS large "a saucers. were
| anout yard and a half apart, aud cleaned like
lanterns On either side Of carriage. Thus far,
the outn was only partly opeu, to emit the
] sound above noted so that In the cOmparAtiv,
/ darkness could not see 1t distinctly. lhe colul
was dark purple such as Is sometimes used In
! churches 81 Lauteu time, mottled with black.
By this time the horse had come within tho
embrace Of the seducer. aud the charming ali
/ at once ceased. Another movement, and the
! terrible mouth, which | could now was a.
large as barn door, opened. and a fOrked
I tongue dafted out anu pulled my poor beast
/ within Then came the tsound Of the teeth
ctunchlng ana TIE breaking VI bones mingled
with the stited death cry OF as faithful a brute
as ever mau bestrOde. Then all Was SIN, and
T the frightiu creature lay mOttuness, as II al
gesting It's nea. Presently IL stirred, sud gtvin.
myself up for lost. made up my mind to he II,
I next victim, wnen, turning, II rapidly rolleo
away ~ the direci ion from which " came, with.
Ou- As much As looking at the. More dead than
Z alive with terror, made the best OF my way ~
this place, where arrived this morning.