Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-10-23
Kattiesuakes In AFfzo=a.

htttiesnakes arc plenty in Arizona
ih"y re"h their greateet ago here, and
are more savage than elsewhere. The
Arizona rattlesnake Is ripe for a fight as
soon hs ie erpies anything in the shane
OF man. Not rattling and then sneak
ing on, like his namesake In some Of the
colder latitudcs. but with head erect and
eyes blazing fury and defiance, he coils
and springs nt his enemy. These Ari-
zOna snakes are especially fierce when
met in the road, never yielding the right
Of way until they are killed. They
vary in color. One sort il almost black.
with yellow spots from head 10 tail:
another Is tawny yellow; and still an
otEer u the color Of the country rock.
from June To September the thermome-
yer on th" plains averages from 10 10
10 degrees through the day, and often
as nigh ~ llj 1T night. Snakes do not
move much through the day in these
months. preicrring TO ensconcc them
serves under TIA" friendly shade Of n pro-
l'cung rock or an occasional bit Of sage
bTuSli, and await tie going down Of the
sun. lhcn they come out and stretch
th'inscig.s m the cool dust of the high
~ayt. lhis j. Il very dangerous country
for travellers at night. Horses are fire.
qucnty bitten on the legs, and die In
agony. Their lives are sometimes saved.
but not often
A few weeks ago, writes New York
sun correspondent, ] saw Mexican Of
uiirty years residence in Arizona Nv
notice WAS attracted to him by a large
lump or bag Of nesh hanging from his
face. Inquired about IT, he had been
captured by a lot OF Apache Indians
when child. They fanciod him for his
beauty and his vel. knit frame, and dc
sired TO keep Him in the tribe. having
previously put it out OF his power 10 re-
turn home by massacring his parents
and burning the house; so they took
him into the mountains, where there
was no danger Of pursuit. There they
caused ratiicsnake 70 bite him on the
Jeff check. They permitted the poison
To take effect 10 Il certain extent; then
they applied an antidotc and saved his
lie. But he has ever since carried about
tins unsight!y reminder Of his strange
experience.
Nowadays the Apache- are safely cor
raied on government reservations, and
the raiiicsnako j. left 10 his own playful
fancic-. They generally know If any one
j. around. and make their own presence
known. In some partE of the Territory
they are 50 fierce that they will attack
n man on horseback If he comes within
striking distance. Tom Ewing. Of San
Francisco. who erected several quartz
mills in Arizona, was driving along one
day when his progress was barred at an
abrupt turn hy monster rattlcsnake
His horse became panic stricken. and a.
be was unarmod he was forced 70 turn
around and seek assistance nj the nearest
station. Several men came out with
rhOiguus, and alter fight, which came
near proving fatal 20 one OF them. the
vcnomons reptile was killed. Itstretchcd
clear across the road. a distance Of four
teen feet three inches. Judging from
the number ui rattlcs, his age could not
have been les than iorty-two years.
do not vouclI for this story. hut there are
men in Arizona who claim TO have seen
The snake after hc was killed. 1t is one
Of the traditions Of the Territory.
Snakes from five TO eight feet In length
arc not nj all uncommon. / was riding
along through Salt river valley al the
close Of a terrible bot day in July. when
] came upon an oasis in the wilderness.
the home of a settler named Marks. 1t
had been so hot ali day that no work
could be done out of LooTs, and IL was
only few minutes before my appear
aBcc that an Indian hoy in Marks en-
pioy had gone Ia the upper end Of n
small vegetable garden TO do some neces-
Sary chores. lie had been there but a
moment when be cried out in alarm in
the Indian tongue. :" 4 snake n snaker'
and jumped upon "A shelving rock hard
by. Marks grabbed his shotgun and ian
through the garden just in time TO see
an immense rattlcsnake preparing 10
strike the boy. lie jumped TO one side
and fired, blowing the snakes head off
and saving the boys life. This snake
measured nine fee; abd one inch. and
was n big as mans leg.