Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1890-10-31
The GiIa Monster.

of the far Southwest There are very
few of these creatures in existence,
and they are found in but one locali-
ty, the bottom lands of the Gila river
in southwestern Arizona. Once in
while specimen is encountered furth-
er East, but as a rule, they are small
er than ordinary, the largest of the
species living and thriving in the To-
cality mentioned. There are but few
more deadly poisonous things than a
bloated yellow rattlesnake, but Mex
leans, Indians, scouts, and others who
know, declare that OF all living crea-
lures the ella monster is by far the
most absolutely poisonous thing that
lives. Scientists have bestowed upon
him the Latin name OF Helodemd sus-
pectunl, and give various descriptions
of his personal appearance, and yet
not one in a thousand Of these learned
gentlemen have ever seen a specimen,
dead or alive.
The Arizona monster belongs 10 the
lizard family, and is not often less
than ten inches nor more than twen-
ty-five inches in length. 1t was lny
good fortune TO encounter sixteen
inch fellow not long since, and as II
was the first of the kind | had ever
seen il was little wonder that | did
not at once recognize him. There
was a Mexican and Moqui Indian
with me, and we had just steppedfoo
on a beaver dam TO cross a small,
stagnant stream, when the Indian,
who was in front, uttered snort OF
fear, leaped about five feet in the air,
and landed up to his waist in the
green, Shiny water OF the beaver la
COON. The Mexican crowded back
against me, and then | saw lying Hat
out on the dam summing himself what
| thought to be an immense barking
lizard
The Indian made all haste TO place
a long distance between his red skin
and the creature, while the Mexican
beat hasty retreat, leaving me stand
alone and facing the monster, for II
was a Gila monster and no mistake.
'Terrors Of terrors,' calculated the
Mexican, in fear and trembling. Let
us depart, Signor; let us go quick"
In few words the Aztec explained
the nature Of the reptile. Notwith-
standing all the evil that has been
said Of him, the creature as he lay
there in the sun was most beautiful
object to look at. He was covered
with beads, or rather with scales. The
scales were arranged in rows, not fiat
on the body like the scales OF fish,
but raised in ridges and colored in
mottled spots, either deep black or
a bright salmon orange. The tail was
thick and clumsy, and the legs. pre-
ciselv like those of barking lizard,
were black as ebony. He clung fiat
to the bark Of rotten log, and when
he knew that some strange creature
was standing near and surveying him
he raised his body quickly on his legs,
dug his sharp nails into the limb,
whipped his head quickly around,
and, while his glittering eyes sparkled
dangerously, he darted back and forth
the most venomous-looking forked
tongue one can imagine, at the same
time nttering wheezy, blowing
sound. very much like that emitted
by a puff adder when angered.
He began TO crawl slowly along the
log, his ugly dual tongue slowly dart
ing in and out, and | saw that unless
something was done at once TO pre-
vent it he would make his escape.
Selling long knotted stick, | made
a whack at him, but only crushed the
end Of his blunt tail. Like "A flash he
wheeled clear around and made "A
Jump at me, covering about three feet
in the clear. Startled out OF my
senses, Ileared back also and brought
the stick down again, this time break
ing his back aud stretching him out
dead on the log.
The Indian and Mexican both re-
turned, but although / wanted them
to help preserve the specimen, neither
would touch or handle his carcass in
any way. Not having any alcohol, /
placed the monster i'm jar Of whisky
to preserve him, but unfortunately,
before / reached a place where alco-
hol could be procured, the whiskey
had spoiled him.
Indians and ignorant Mexicans OF
the locality positively declare that
the breath OF the Gila monster j. "a
deadly as his bite. These assertions
are untrue. ella monsters have
grooved teeth and poison gland like
a rattlesnake, and are quite II not
more poisonous than the CrotdIus h0r-
ridus. or diamond back rattlesnake.
The best antidote Tor their bite IL
strong tobacco saliva, and soft quid
of tobacco applied to the wound. Tn
like rattlesnake's venom, whisky or
alcohol has no opposing influences;
on the contrary, man addicted 10
alcoholic beverages, If bitten by this
reptile, is almost sure to die. Ammo
MIA taken internally is an excellent
remedy.
A cattleman Of the Southwest, while
riding over the range searching for
stray steers, came near being unseat-
ed by his horse suddenly making a
tremendous side leap 10 the right.
He reined up and went back to see
what was the cause Of his horses ac-
ton. There on the ground lay tre-
mendous Gila monster, whipping his
n