The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1892-03-29
HORRID BEDFELLOWS
TARANTULAS CRAWL ALL OVER A
SLEEPING TRAVELLER.

Ing to Feel n Poisonous Reptile Ex-
piorine His Anatomy. While Another
Made "A Bed of the Mans Upright Hair.
Joseph Grandelmyer, a well known.
mining man of Nevada, has passed
through many startling experiences dur
ing II residence of twenty-eight years in
the far west, but is perhaps the only
man who can boast of having had a
round bakers dozen of deadly ta~rantulas
for bedfelloWs and surviving the terri
BILE experience without material injury.
It happened a number of years ago, but
even now it causes cold shivers to chase
mp Mr.. Grandelmyer's spinal column
when his mind reverts to that particular
event. However, surrounded by a cir
Gle Of friends at the Palace hotel a few
evenings since, he was induced to relate
the incident.
In 1864 | came to San Francisco"
said the gentleman, and with the hope
fulness Of youth determined to make my
fortune. | had a little money saved up,
but was a raw tenderfoot. and whatever
| put my money into failed to pan out.
Finally | concluded to strike out for Ne
Vada. 1t was a new section Of country
then, that had been explored to a very
limited extent. and when | made known
my intention many and urgent were the
requests for me to refrain from being so
foolish as to encounter dangers in such
a wild and almost unknown country.
Nothing daunted, however, and not
allowing myself to be dissuaded from
my purpose, n day in the summer of
1854, after inducing three acquaintance
to join me | set out for the land Of sage
brush, Ny particular object in going
was 10 better my fortune by any method
I could. Two of the party were pros
p~ectors, and the fourth, a DR.. Heath.
went along to spy out a good location
FOR Il hog ranch.
well, after crossing the Sierras at
Walkers pass. we found ourselves in
Ovens valley. which is now in lnyo
county. Dusk was approaching, and
when, after riding a distance in the
teeth of a cold wind, we found ourselves
at a deserted adobe hut by tho roadside
we halted, unpacked and %unsaddled our
animals. and prepared to camp for the
night.
A ERRIBL AWAKENING.
There was feed for the horses in abun-
dance, and while one staked them out
,he others began preparations for supper
and made the beds ready. My friends
preferred sleeping undera large oak tree
a but | chose a spot adjoining the
old adobe house. where | spread my
blankets close to the wall where the
wind would not reach me. After a hasty
meal we all retired to our respective beds
on the ground and readily dropped off to
sleep.
Il presume it was within an hour of
daybreak when | awoke with a sudden
start. A peculiarly dreadful feeling.
worse than any nightmare, took posses
sion of me. ! felt paralyzed and was
afraid to stir. There was something
moving on my face. 1t vas not a large
object, but as it moved about the trail
left seemed to scOrch my face. | felt
the thing traverse my face from the left
eye down Over my nose and mouth.
Then it crossed to the other side and ex-
plored in the region Of my ear. Then it
was gone.
II knew it was not a snake gliding
over my face, but some animal much
smaller, though what it was | was utter
ly unable to conjecture. | was wide
awake, of course, but such an uncom-
Portable horror held me fast that | was
unable to move a muscle and gazed help.
lessly up at the stars. Once | tried to
call out to my companions, but not a
sound could | muster. | lay there rigid
as a log, maybe for n minute, maybe
for five, when | again knew that the
same thing, or something like it, was on
my hand, which rested outside the bIan-
kct, and a cold chill ran up my arm aud
through my whole body. Still | was
absolutely powerless to move a limb. and
in~voluntarily closed my eyes, almost ex-
pecting to feel them closed in death, so
dreadful and indescribable was the SEN
satiOn.
A SUSPENSE.
Next | knew it was climbing up
over my throat, then to my chin and
about my nose. An irresistible impulse
caused me to open my right eye, and |
saw by the dim light the fiery eyes of a
big tarantula looking into mine. with
its hairy body on ny face, not two inches