The Arizona sentinel. [volume] (Arizona City [Yuma], Yuma County, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1872-1911, 1890-04-26

SOlllG OI lESin went or anu SOt
lot Of dry leaves; each snake hav
ing bunch Of dry leaves rolled
up his tail raped around them
in this way they hauled them alOns
to the piles Of wood and spread
them over the two piles they hat
made. 1t was getting to be toward.
night and near sun down, Wher
about a dozen of the snakes backed
up to each pile and thrusting theil
tails in among the dry leaves, be
gan such violent and rapid shak-
ing Of their rattIes, that in less
than ten minutes the leaves took
fire, and the snakes then crawled
up close together between the
piles Of wood and camped for the
night. [ was 50 interested in watch
ing the move of these snakes that
it was well on to midnight before
[ came to my senses. The fire hac
gone down somewhat and I was
afraid to venture move lest |
might meet a venomous reptile
and leave my cid hulk among the
nils, a feast for the hyena. But
.he strangeat thing Of all was my
light with those same snakes.
When the sun was up, there was q
stir among the varmints, though.
[ would kiIlo one Of them and take ii
with me to the ship if [ ever lived to
get them; sol got a club and went
after one Of them which had gone
off to prospect by himself Talk
about fights with varmints; that
light beat 'em all. The snake hur-
cied, I after him and just as got Vi
30 him, he turned on me for battle.
[ threw my club on him, but miss
ed him, when he seized it in hi.
mouth and made for me-It was
any turn to run; but as he had the
club to tote, [ got ahead, and pick
.ng up a stone, I threw it on him
md hit the club in his maw, anC
rather Jared his teeth l guess fol
ae dropped the club and began tc
move OF. As soon as I could got
he club and went for him. Agair
ne turned ON me, and [ waited fol
aim to come up. When he cam
part way, he suddenlystopped; and
coiled himseld up in a circle. After
shaking his rattles at me for
minute or two shiyer my timbers
if he did not put his tail into his
mouth and began to swallow him
self and in less then i've minutes
re had swallowed his whole body.
lead rattIes and all. [ looked fol
aim at the place where he had
S yalloWed himself, but all was
gone frcm sight; but I could some
how feel him near and watching
me. | a few minutes [ heard the |
: und Of voices, and some one
hailing, and who should I see COM |
ing but Harry and some natives
hunting for me. When they come
up [ told them of my adventure
and we went to see the place, and /
there was the smouldering embers
Of the fire still smoking and the
snakes all gone but half dozen.
These we pursued, and when close
to them, they each stopped and
coiled up and in five minutes each |
had swallowed himself up out of
sight, you ought to have seen them
get out Of that place. They
,old US, that these same snakes
we're liable any time to get back
Turing a total eclipse Of the sun at
On our way to ship, we
ran across another Of the kind we
lad seen, and as he began to
swallow himself; Harry shot him,
and as he had only partly swallow
ed himself, we saved as half
swallowed the rest of him and put
him in alcohol; and shipped him
to Dqaa Of the New York SIN, wny
has it in his museum Of snake
ology, Where if you don't believe
me, you can see it any time you
call on DGno of the Sun. We had
a fine run home, and a full cargo;
but [ never want another adventure
With such monsters, as swallow
themselves up when cornered
closely.