The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-06-04
WORSE THAN THE RATTLESNfKE
Skunks WhicI, Attack Sleeping Campers
Their Bite Causes Hydrophob!a.

Skunks Which Attack Sleeping Campers
Their Bite Causes Hydrophob!a.
1t is not the rattesnako or tarantula whose
bite is most dreaded by campers-out on tho
far Western plains The hunters and cowboys
are far more afraid OF the skunk. and that for
reason that might astonish a great many
people who DO not know the plains country"
The land surveyor from New Mexico was
talking. Sun reporter. who was one Of the
Erour sitting with hin, ut n IA hl in tho Muir
ray Hill cafe. at first Thought no was "uueer-
ing the party. but the surveyor went on In
Like tho prairie dog and badger. tho skunk
Of tn? plains makes its hole in the open prairie.
means OF defence and oro1ce 1t closely re-
sem!lcs it's relatives in the East. Like them
for small birds and mice and insects. aud.
when occasion serves Is an inveterate robber
@way rom s hole tho sKuHG Goesn waste
Its energies In trying to run away but impo-
iitcly, turns its tace. from the intruder and
will he tempted to approach too near. 1t is Its
fear essness of man that makes this, wretched
ter a tent or come anywhere that persons are
asleep on tho . ground; and il It lnds
at the hand. face. or any other part OF a sleep
er's person that chances to be exposed. This
lures weasel teeth are sharp as knives. an \
man may find himself badly iacerated when he
terns . hoSror St the bite
the fact that it almost Invariably results IN
hydrophohia to tho victim. why this should
bs can't pretend to exrlain. and probably no.
body else can tell: but every plainsman knows
1t. and the cownoys dread the beast worse than
THE period shown by the army records in
which the greatest number Of people died
; q the ans the
persons wero bitten. most OF them fata lly:
Col. X; J. Dodge OF tho regular army. who died
every one G. which proved fatal. Ono army
doctor. Assistant surgeon ;,anew9y. stationed
of which the patient died Of hynrophoba It
was in those years that the 9uilao practically
outfits OF helpers. living upon the open prairie
and slocping in the open mir were peculiarly
exposed to tho attacks Of these vicious night
providers. For four years the plains country
WAS noisome with the "arcasses OF buifilo
killed for their skins ana GnsTs, and eit on
hat unwontcd feasting IN this vast slaughter
yard. and that CIRCUMSTANCE may have had
something to do with tho fact that many OF
those boasts ran mad. sometimes dashing into
settlements and ,cncampme1ts. attacking
havoc OF human as well rs hrutc life. As to
whether skunEs run mad. which some plains.
men hold to bo the cause OF Their frequent
venom OF their bite. has never been fully dc.
termined. But the expectation OF finding
trouble 70 themselves. which condition existed
twenty years ago wherever n buffalo hunter
had been shooting. might naturally have
made than unusually fearless. and made
ihenl unwilling to hunt for their natural food
would be offered by sleeping man.
"stll. every year nunbers OF persons arc
bitten hy skunks on the plains east Of the
Rocky Mountains and west 81 tho 9th merid-
ian, and some cases prove fatal but am in
clnod to think that there are fewer deaths
from sk unk bites now than thsre used to be-
Since the country has practically been turned
into one vast cattle range: the poisonous little
may have made them shyer. Perhaps. also.
their bite Is loss vunomous than In the days
OF indiscrininate buffalo slaughter.
1T snow about twenty yenrs since the cow
boy OF tho Texas Panhandle made his famous
ride for II 70. He was rit.en by skunk while
sleeping by his camp fire. and realized all his
danger. Some OF his 20 m panions rem en- bered
to have heard that 800 miles away. in a town
Of eastern kansas there lived the owner Of q
power OF drawing the poison from wounds
made by snakes or rabid animals. Night anil
dpy the cowboy rode at full speed for this town
and safety. At every ranch where no halted
he found willing exchange OF n fresh horse
for his tired animal, and his journey was tire
less IL was a race for life. and he won. He
reached his destination on the third day. the
after adhering for DAYS. at last fell off aud would
stick no longer. and tho owner OF the stone pro-
nounced him cured. Whether through this
treatment or from natural causes. the wound
healed with no further trouble and he re-
turned 70 his herding In the Panhandle with
hrm. faith In the maidstone and the thenkfuI-
ness OF ono who has escaped horrible death.