Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1892-11-04
DUCKlNG FOR HIS LIFE.
A TEXANS THRILLING ADvEN-
TURE AT A NOTED SPRING.

About to Drink, He Sees the Refiec-
tion of a Coiled Rattlesnake in the
Water-A Close Shave.
<f" EEMS to. me, if was going
to make a curious and varied
y collection of snakes, venom
ous and non-venomous,
wouldn't lose any time in getting down
into Texas" said ]. T. Barnett, of Ell
Paso County, to New York sun man.
"When / see the rattlesnake they brag
about up North here I am amazed, for
the biggest one I've seen yet seems
dwarfish and lamblike compared with
the interesting Texan rattler, especially
the bloated rattler of the Staked Plains.
I made my first acquaintance with the
ordinary rattlesnake of Texas at the time
the route of the Texas Pacific Railroad
was being located through Ell Paso
County. was along with the engineer
corps, and one Sunday strolled out in
the direction of the Sierra del Diablo,
whose gleamy peaks and rocky front
were. apparently not more than rifle
shot distant, so clean cut did they stand
out against the sky, but they were ten
miles from camp. But the hills were
not the attraction of my tramp. Some
where between the foothills of the Sierra
del Diablo aud camp was famous
spring, called Rattlesnake Spring, at
which, according to the tradition of the
Indians, two big rattlesnakes were con-
stantly ON guard. The water of the
spring was alleged to have great medi-
cinal properties, but it was death to any
one who attempted to drink at the spring
unless he first killed the two rattle
snakes, for the instant he stopped to
quaff the waters one or both of the
deadly serpents would strike him and
sink their poison fangs into him, thus
putting him out of the way of all future
trials, tribulation and trouble. That a
rancher had once been found lying dead
with his face at the surface of the spring,
where he had lain down with the evil
dent purpose of quenching his thirst,
two purple incisions in his temple and
his bloated body showing beyond a
question that he had been struck by a
rattlesnake while lying IN that position,
was we'll authenticated story in that
part OF Texas, and the snake that had
doubtless bitten him was killed in the
rocks at the edge of the spring by the
person who discovered its victim. Still
/ had my doubts that any of these ven-
omous reptiles habitually lay in wait
there for thirsty roamers, and the pur-
pose of my trip that Sunday was to in
vestieate the matter. | went alone, be-
cause no one would go with me. /
found the spring. 1t was four miles
from the foothills in a rocky basin, and
it came up from the white sand in cool
and tempting volume. l saw no sign Of
the presence of rattlesnakes, although
the surroundings looked snaky enough,
and no mistake. / was hot and thirsty,
and after close and careful scrutiny
of all the rocks and scrubby bushes
about the spring l was satisfied that if
that water was under the guardianship
of rattlesnakes they must have gone off
duty for that day at least. Still, if l
hadn't been so terribly thirsty, believe
l would have come away without risk
ing drink, all the same; but as it was
tramp Of six miles back over the bar
rem rlain that lay between me and camp
without quenching nay burning thirst
was not to be thought Of, and prepared
to lie down on the rock at one side of
the spring, just where they had found
the dead and swollen ranchman, l sup
pose, and quench my thirst. had bent
my face so close to the water that l
could see myself and everything about
me reflected in the crystal depths as
distinctly as in French plate mirror.
1t is, beyond question, well for me that
these reflections were so intense and
vivid, for paused moment to gaze in
to the water at the remarkable mirror
ing. Suddenly something that at first
thought was the reflection of a nodding
twig or vine tendril, quickly moved by
the brisk breeze that was blowing, shot
back aud forth midway between the
CLASSY surface and white bottom of the
spring; but as gazed my heat turned to
cold and my thirst was forgotten. The
swlft-moving. quivering reflection had
thought was that of twig or tendril
was the mirrored image of the long and
forked tongue of snake, as it shot back
and forth from beneath shelving rock,
which, seen from above, had hidden the
lurking danger from view. Coiled in a
crevice beneath that sheltering rock, not
two feet from one side of my head,
and with part of its own fearful head
visible even by reflection, was an enor-
nous rattlesnake ready to strike. For
an instant seemed paralyzed, but know
ing that another instant's delay would
probably be death, ducked my head
clear to my shoulders beneath the water,
the position was in making it impossi-
Bile for me to rise quick enough out of
danger. As ducked felt the snake
strike. wore heavy, wide-collared
flannel shirt. The snakes fangs struck
the shirt near the lower edge of the col
lar, not an inch away from my jugular.
The instant felt the strike / sp-sng to
my feet. The rattlesnake's fangs were
fast in the collar, and Its long body
squirmed and contorted along my side
and clear to my feet. drew my revol-
yer as quickly as l could, and placing
the muzzle against the rattlers jaw,
blew his head to pieces. The snake fell
to the ground, and so did l. There was
no more life left in me than there is in
a dishrag. 1t was a good while before
/ got strength and nerve enough to get
IN NV font oo,ir and If fharo /, acvona