Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-04-26

tween the dangling animal and its car
riers q distance of at least six feet.
Still they appeared to me to be uncom-
Portable, and rs soon as ! approached
in nv ignorance and eagerness--some-
what close,fto the reptile, they both
burst out with: '.Por Dios, senior,
cuidado!' Qor Gods sake. sir, take
careD ''"
There being an empty grain-room
about the place, lodged the saurian in
1t. attached to a raw-hide rope fastened
to an iron picket pin, giving him about
four feet play-room. This did with
the help of my two Mexican friends,
armed with long blacksmith's tongs,
while they continually cautioned me to
look out for my fingers and keep out OF
reach OF the animals spittle. After
paying the men, sent for something
from the sutler to compose their nerves,
in order to ascertain from them the
cause of their abject fear. Their stories
mainly conceded with those OF the
other Mexicans and Indians whom /
have Intercepted upon the subject
since, and though but hearsay evidence,
/ would state that these reports may be
accepted rs facts, the narrators being
men OF unquestionable veracity. and my
later experiments bearing them out in
their assertions.
A wood-cutter who had laid down in
complete health to sleep, wrapped up in
his blanket, failed to arise in the morn
| Lob
Upon uncovering him they found him
stone dead, and near his body ella
| Monster, which, in the hustle and con-
fusion of the moment, made good his
escape. The body Of the man bore no
mark of q bite or other wound.
Near Magdalena, Sonora, man was
hunting rabbits with dog. The latter
inserted his snout into rabbit hole but
Immediately reiterated. uttering fearful
bowls while he was trying to shake of
a ella Monster which had fastened its
teeth into the dogs nose. and although
snarling and splitting without Interrupt
ton could not be made to let go its
hold till 1t was killed, and oven then
| its Jaws had to be forced apart with an
iron rod. The dog, upon being released,
began to act very strangely. and showed
something like the same symptoms as a
horse does when suffering from the
blind staggers;" but soon began turning
around itself in circle with the head
for it's center, and in about twenty min
utes fell down dead. The same actions
before death were observed in mule,
only this animal was bitten in hind
leg and lived for several days. 80.
A young miner while prospecting was
bitten Just above the shoe. Although
previously in the best health, he at
once began to lose flesh, became melan-
choly, and died after q few months in
the manner OF those who succumb to
what in Germany is called the galloping
consumption.
If space allowed, l could enumerate
many similar cases, more or less au-
thenticated; but suffice it to say, that
among the natives the universal belief
is that the spittle or saliva, and even
the mere breath and exhalation, of the
animal in an excited state is deadly
poison. l have been told by many
Mexicans that the Yaqui Indians hunt
the ella Monster for the sake OF its
flesh, which is indeed appetising enough
to look at; but several Yaq uis to whom
l spoke about the matter have denied
the assertion.
After this depression, let us return to
my prisoner in the grain-room. The
reader may imagine that, after the re-
peated cautions had received from its
captors, personally gave the animal a
wide berth, although l tried to induce
q pointer, which we kept for hunting
quail, to investigate the nature Of the
newcomers temper. When the dog
perceived the big lizard he stood per-
fectly still and trembled with fear, then
turned about and fed. One Of the men
now brought q very brave and even
vicious rat-terrier, who entered boldly
enough and walked, smiling cautiously,
towards the ella Monster, which, in its
turn, came forward to the length OF the
rome. The two animals we're now only
q few feet apart; the dog began to whine
and bark alternately, advancing few
inches and retreaIing again, showing
plainly that he would like to go in and
shake his adversary, who by this time
had Strengthened his legs and was spit
ting furiously. shooting out his forked
black tongue, while his little black eyes
exhibited the ''uncanny'' fire OF an
angry snake. The dog could not be
induced to 60 any nearer, and the fight
was abandoned. The lizard was then
given the corner of wooden blanket;
into this it bit furiously, holding on
with such tenacity that We had to pro-
cure q crowbar to pry its jaws open.
Cats placed in the same room-which
had no door-with the suarian would,
upon perceiving the animal, .bristle up
ike the ''fretful porcupine" and make
very speedy exit. / placed some