The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-02-17
TARANTULAs FOR BBDFBLLows.
Crawling Over Bis Face and Hands
and Finding a Bed in His Hair.

Crawling Over Bis Face and Hands
and Finding a Bed in His Hair.
From the San Francisco Chronicle.
Joseph Grandelmyer, a we'll known min
ing man Of Nevada, has passed through
many startling experiences during resi-
dence OF twenty-eigbt years in the far west
but is, perhaps, the only man who can boast
of having had a round bakers dozen Of
deadly tarantulas for bedfellows and sur
viving the terrible experience without ma
terial injury. 1t happened number of
years ago, but even now it causes cold shiv-
ers to chase up Mr.. Grandemyers spinal
column when his mind reverts to that par
ticular event. However. surrounded by a
circle CT friends at the Palace hotel few
! evenings since. he was induced to relate the
incident.
I'm 1864 I came to San Francisco said
the gentleman, land with the hopefulness
of youth, determir cd to make my fortune.
had little money saved up, but was a
raw tenderfoot, and whatever | put my
money into failed to pan out. Finally l
concluded to strike out for Nevada 1t was
new section of country then, that had
been explored to a very limited extent,
and when l 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, one day in the summer of 1884.
after inducing three acquaintance TO join
me, set out for the land Of sage brush.
My particular object in going was to better
my fortune by any method | could. Two Of
the party were prospectors, and the fourth,
DIR. Heath, went along to spy a good loca-
| ton for hog ranch.
well, after crossing the Sierra at Walk
er's Pass. we found ourselves in Owens val
ley, which is now In lnyo county. Dusk
was approaching, and when, after riding
distance in the teeth OF cold wind. we
found ourselves at deserted adobe hut by
the roadside we halted, unpacked and un-
saddled our animals and prepared TO camp
for the night. There was feed for
the horses In abundance, and
while one staked them out the others began
preparations for supper and made the beds
ready. My friends preferred sleeping under
large oak tree near, but l chose spot adj
Joining the old adobe house, where spread
my blankets close to the wall where the
wind would not reach me. After hasty
meal we all retired to our respective beds
on the ground, and readily dropped of to
sleep.
81 presume it was within an hour of day.
break when awoke with a sudden start
A peculiarly dreadful feeling, worse than
any nightmare, took possession of me. felt
paralyzed and was afraid to STIR There was
something moving over my face. II was not
large object, but as 1t moved about the
trail left seemed to scorch my face. felt
the thing traverse my face from the left eye
down over my nose Eand mouth. Then it
crossed to the other side and explored In the
region Of my ear. Then it was gone.
II knew that it was not a snake gliding
over my face, but some animal much small
Ter, though what 1t was l was utterly un-
able to conjecture. / was wide awake, of
course, but such an uncomfortable horror
held me fast that was unable to move q
muscle and Razed helplessy up at the stars.
Once tried to call out to my companio ms,
but not sound could muster. lay there
rigid as log, maybe for one minuta. may
be for five. when l again knew that the
same thing or something like il was on my
hand, which rested outside the
blanket, and cold chill ran up
my arm and through my whole body. Still
was absolutely powerless to move a limb.
and involIntarily closed my eyes. almost
expecting to feel them close in death, SO
dreadful and INDISPENSABLE was the sensa~
ton. 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 big tarantula look