The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-09-06
Spiders on the March.

In almost every part of Texas there
is large burrowing spider commonly
known as the tarantula, though some
naturalists consider such a classical
tion as incorrect. However that may
be, the giant spider of Texas has
body equal in size to an ordinary hui
man thumb, and spread of legs cover
ing an area of about four inches,
while thick growth Of thich black
or brown hair gives it a general ap-
pearance anything but pleasing: The
creature, without being aggressive, is
slow to take alarm, and is one repre-.
sentative of the lower animal
kingdom which seems to have ne fear
Of man.
"Several years ago. says gentle
man who has large landed interests in
Western Texas, II was taking trip
by ambulance through the eastern
portion of Williamson county in COM
pany with two companions.
eve had just entered upon wide
level expanse,. then almost devoid OF
vegetation, when | saw several tarano
tulas crossing the road just ahead OF
us. Borrowing the drivers whip, !
sprang out and dispatched three OF
them, when cry Of warning from the
ambulance caused me to examine my
surroundings. I Immediately became
aware that heavier contract confront
ed me than I was prepared to carry
out; for few yards away the earth
swarmed with big spiders, moving slow
ly in the same direction as those thatl
had first seen.
"I hurricdly resumed my seat in
the vehicle, and our party had moved
forward for some distance without
cncountertng more tarantulas, when
suddenly we came upon what might
be called the main body of the grand
army, marching due West. There
could be no question as to the course
pursued, as we were moving directly
towards them, and it was then almost
sundown. AS our route lay South
ward, We had come upon the column
at right angle, and on either hand,
as far as the range Of vision extended,
there was no apparent diminution in
the spider force, which moved with
the uniformity Of a trained army. In
this vast concourse about one square
foot seemed the individual marching
space allowed.
"Our driver glanced uneasily about
and said something about turning
back, but by this time the spiders
had covered the ground in our rear,
so that retreat was quite as hazardous
as an advance. The horses were urged
rapidly forward.
II suppose some commotion was
created among the tarantulas imme-
diately in the road, but those on
either side seemed totally oblivious
of our presence. We felt some un-
easiness about the horses, but they
came through without being bitten.
Amid surroundings so dis;racting l
took little note Of the distance tray.
eled, but we must have gone fully half
mile before leaving the spiders behind
us.
"Whence came so grand an army
and whittier it was tending, | am un-
able to say, but there is li3tle doubt
that the spiders, by some mysterious
understanding, had assembled from a
considerable territory, and we're mov-
ing by common consent to some more
derirable region" !"
The gentleman adds that, fearful Of
being called a Munchausen, he for a
long time said nothing abou5 this ad-
venture, but that he has recently
found an experience similar to his
| own chronicled in the oficia: report OF
some United States surveyors, who,
while working in the West, saw vast
numbers Of huge, hairy spiders NOV
ing in a body with the regularity
of the we'll disciplined soldiers. Ed.
| chdnQe.