The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-08-22
OH, THE HORROR OF It!
The Calm Recital Of the Awful
Scene Makes Ones Flesh
Creep.
A Guides Siokening Fate, Killed
and Eaten by Monster
Tarantulaa.
battling for Hours Against tho Creeping,
Crawling, venomous Things--They
Came in Myriads.

battling for Hours Against the Creeping,
Crawling, venomous Things--They
Came In Myriads.
To the Editor Of the San Francisco Ex-
aminer-S1R: have just returned from
an expedition into the interior of Yucatan
and Campeche, during which met with an
adventure SO awful and unusual that l
think my friends in San Francisco will be
much interested in account Of it.
In the latter part of May last came to
Central America from San Francisco at the
request of the Munich Society for Prehis-
toric Research, Of which am member,
to investigate the ancient ruins which cover
this country. with view of obtaining, if
possible, some clew to the period to which
they belong. ! got the clew sought for
from some hieroglyphics among the Con-
questador ruins, which, according to my
theory, are about 5000 years old, but, Of
course, absolute proof in not available. l
had as guide most intelligent half
Manuel Besero, and he informed me that,
according to to the traditions of his Indian
progenitors there were some ruins of still
greater antiquity some ITO miles to the
northward, near the Rio SEGA. Indeed, he
said that this dry basin was once the bed of
a river that had been turned from its course
by the inhabitants of these same ruins.
Thinking that I might possibly find some
corroboration for my theory among these
earlier relics of the lost race, started to
find them, accompanied by my faithful
guide. It was very hard travelling through
the jungles, and we made hardly fifteen
miles day. The difficulties were multi
piled by the enormous number of snakes
and poisonous insects that infest this sec
ton. We lost one Of our pack-mules
through bite OF sting Of some sort on the
third day.
On the afternoon Of the fourth day we
camped in q little opening, clear except for
grass. This we soon burned off.
We had just finished supper, and was
sitting at the base of tree smoking my
Of the grass into the cleared circle. He was
positively the largest specimen had ever
seen, and as the slanting rays of the sun
caught him, noticed q curious, dull, in
definite, reddish line down his back. re-
GREETED that had not the means to pre-
crushing it with billet Of wood. It had
hardly ceased moving when another and
equally large one appeared at the other end
of the burned patch. did not fear them
much, as / wore heavy leather leggings
I'VE have made 4 bad camp, Manuel
said; there seems to be many tarantulas
Zone place is about as another" he an
sweres, in spanisA; "they usually go by
He Appealed more troubled, however,
ALo,, III tn mi "a
and wnifC killed the second unwelcome
visitor he began to poke around in the grass
with q long branch. He uncovered several
more Of the great spiders and killed them;
when he turned around there were fully
half dozen Of them in tho clear space.
seemed to suck their blood.
1--WE must get ont Of this" screamed the
Indian.
At this moment our remaining mule be-
gan to struggle and kick. He soon broke
his picket rope and disappeared: Then
grass. More tarantulas came out.
cried my guide. ut is the DEVILS army.
They cay that the people who lived in the
dead cities were killed by them and that no
ono can live there nov; IN. Insy .S come by
nothing alive whore they pass. thought it
It waa squaw story. We must fight them
with the fire"
he soixed flaming brand from the camp
1iro ana yelled TO me to do likewise. He
tried to Are tho grass on all sides of US, but
vhsre the trees grew IL was too rank and
vet ma the fires ws started would not go.
Meanv While tho spiteful spiders became
moro md more numerous. l crushed one
at leask 81 them ut every step took. Many
Of them bit q and srnf
.sv.SLs.~. ~ 4. renknlaa hut thew seemed to