Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-08-21
THE PRIZE SNAKE STORY,
1t Is Told About King Snake Named
Bobo. Which Proved Valu-
able Messenger and Saved
a Mans Life.
The Reader Of This Story Need Not Be
In Fear Of Future Punishment
If He Fails to Believe 1t.

OF the Texas State Rangers, | was ordered
up into Preside county with SQUAD of
men to follow Victories murderous band
of Apaches. After the death of that ia
nous chieftian in the Candelera Mountains.
chihuahua, Mex, the remnant of the
band recrossed the Rio Grande, and my
command trailed them into Sierra Diablo,
just across the line of New Mexico, killed
several, and brought three prisoners back
to Fort Davis, the seat of Preside county.
1t was feared that the scattering hostiles
would unite again and make another raid
into Texas, and to be prepared for an in
vasion of that sort was ordered to 90 into
permanent camp at Mooskie's Ranch.
which is about eight miles from the
post.
Before we had been established at the
Old ranch week our camp was overrun
with salaman0er rats, a small rodent re-
sembling the common field mole, but a
trife larger. The pests created great
havoc among our forage, and as corn was
high priced and hard to get we seriously
considered abandoning our camp. as it IS
almost impossible to get rid of salaman-
ders once they establish themselves in a
place. One of OR Mexican herders suggested
a way out of the difficulty He assured us
that the king snake or prairie runner was
death to salamanders, and few of these
reptiles turned loose in camp would soon
rid Us OF the corn-eating rats.
On the big Prison Plain beyond Mitre
Peak, at point where the Southern Pa
clhc Railroad now crosses, was known tC
be favorlte haunt of the snakes, and q
scout Of men was ordered out to capture q
few. The boys were gone two days. and
returned with a score or more of reptiles
The squirming lot were released in the old
rancho. and in two days time they had
dispatched the last salamander After
their food had become exhausted the
snakes disappeared, and, as they can travel
like race horse, probably made their way
back to their old haunts on the Prison
Plain. One big fellow had been trampled
upon by a Ranger and SO badly wounded
that it was left behind when its fellows
migrated, and speedily became a great
pet. 1t ultimately recovered, but evinced
no inclination to leave. We christened
his snakeship Bobo, and it soon became as
tame as a kitten. Bobo was very fond of
milk and, as we had an abundant supply
"a neighboring ranchman giving us all
that we could carry away, the snake was
always given bowl of its f4vorite bever-
age every night.
Bobo had the freedom of the camp. and
every man in the command was his friend
In the morning, when the horses and pack
mules were sent out under guard to Craze,
Bobo would accompany the herders, coil
ing up like lariat about the horn of one
of the men S saddles.
i Sometimes the snake would make TRIP
to Fort Davis with ranger, but it never
would stay away from the camp ovel
night. As soon as the sun set it woult
scuttle away, and, being able to travel as
fast as the average horse, would reach thu
camp in time for its evening ration O
milk
There was an abundance of game, deer
antelope and elk in the vicinity of oul
camp, and one day big horn or ROCKY
Mountain sheep was started up in the Dav
is Mountain, but it escaped before sho
could be had at it. | was particular,
fond of hunting and anxious to bag a biz
horn. Without saying anything of m.
purpose, | left camp early one morning
with the determination of bringing in thu
horns of the big sheep, if [ stayed away
week.
Reaching the foothills of the Davi:
range, | entered one Of the numerous ca
mons which traverse it, and, trottine
along, kept sharp lookout for big horn
sign. The canon in which | was riding
had ages before been the bed of mighty
river, and | was obliged to watch sharply
for natural wells, hundreds of which pierre
ed the old bed of the stream. Night over
took me, and had not yet seen the faint
est sign of the quarry. | began to look
about for suitable camping place, where
there was grass and water. and, as twi-
light is very brief in that latitude, urged
my horse into brisk canter Darkness
came on very quickly, and was soon sur
rounded by an inky gloom. Suddenly my
horse pulled up so sharply that | threw my
self far back in the saddle to keep from
being pitched from my seat, and then
found myself falling, with the horse be.
meath me.
There was shock and for a moment |
was stunned. When | recovered con-
seriousness found that my horse had tum-
bled down a natural well, thirty feet in
depth, and had been instantly killed
was considerably shocked, but fortunately
no bones broken 1t did not take me long
to realize the seriously uncomfortable ma
ture Of my position, for plainsmen think
quickly.
The well into which I had fallen was
perfectly round. Its sides were as smooth
as glass, and it was too far from side tx
side for me to climb out by the use of ell
bows and knees.
Twas in stone prison, a dungeon from
| which there was no escape without help
from the outside, and as | realized this q
drop of rain splashed in my face and
heard the distant rumble of thunder. A
storm was coming on, and IN minutes
time, if there was heavy fall of rain,
my trail would be obliterated. | tried to
calculate how long could hold out before
a search party would come after me, and
give it up when | considered how unlikely
it was that any but the merest accident
! would ring the searchers to this particu
lar place. | was in tight hole in more
ways than one, and the thoughts that
| came to me in the next two or three
| minutes were decidedly solemn ones. Sud
, denly a cold, clammy body touch
ed my hand and / heard Bobo's familiar
! hiss. | spoke to the reptile, and it climb
ed up my body to my shoulder. Where 1t
had managed to secret itself all this time
could not at first imagine, until remem-
bered that on the morning previous had
found his snakeship in one of my saddle
pockets, to which he had crept for shelter
from the cold night air.
Poor Bobo,' said aloud. eve are
COMPANIONS in misery, and if | am rot
mistaken our bones will eventually lie to-
gether here, mixed up with those of my
horse Any way, l IL take smoke.
/ filed my pipe and struck match. The
bright light annoyed Bobo, and, raising
his head, it reached out toward the side of
the well. Before the match went out it
l. Ill 4bo er,,ro@l or nd