Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-12-05
POISON FOR ARROWS.
HOW THE DEADLY STUFF is MADE
BY THE INDIANS.

Heads of Rattlesnalzes and AbdOmens Of
Thrilling Method of Testing-A Secret
Carefully Guarded.
1 had been cattle ranchman on the
plains of southeastern Arizona for some
two years before 1 could find out how
the Apaches poison their arrow tips
The Indians inherit from their ances-
tors an intense secretiveness as to the
manner of their preparation of venom
for hunting or warlike purposes A trib-
al chief years ago would as soon think
of cutting off his own head as to let an
other chief know some method peculiar
to the tribe for preparing a powerful
poison. Now that the savages use fire.
arms almost to the exclusion of their
primitive weapons the older warriors
will not, if they can, allow information
concerning their tribal manufacture of
venom to become known among the
palefaces. had in my employ bright
young Indian buck, who gave me full
information concerning the way the
plains Indians have for many genera
tions made the poisonous fluids for their
arrows. One day he went so far as to
get permission for me to go over to the
mountains to see tribe of Yavapais
get their weapons in proper poisonous
condition.
Rattlesnakes afford most of the Apa-
che and Piute Indians venomous COM
pounds To see the savages prepare the
poisons and try their efficacy on them
selves is enough to distress even from
tiersman's dreams. The bloated rattle-
snake of the hot alkali deserts of Ari-
zona or the panhandle of Texas makes
the most powerful poison. There is no
more hideous and deadly serpent in
America than the bloated rattler. 1t is
a terror even to an Apache Indian, and
if there is one thing that is worse than
a rattlesnake in the opinion Of plains
men and settlers in eastern Texas and
southern Arizona it is an Apache Indi-
an. The Piutes, although more cow
ardly gang than the Apaches, hold this
rattlesnake in less horror, but they give
it plenty of room. The Piutes draw on
the snake for their poison after it is
dead. The Apaches, in spite of their
fear of the snake, make it contribute its
venom to them while it is alive.
The rattlesnake of the Arizona desert
grows to length of 6 feet and attains
a girth of inches at the thickest part.
They have tremendous sets of rattles.
This snake has fangs an inch long and
is frequently fitted with two sets. The
poison sacs at the base of these fangs
are as big as hazelnut. The snake is a
bright yellow in color.
The desert rattlesnake is a dreadful
enough customer any day in the year,
but during August takes on the fullness
of its frightfulness, both in appearance
and conduct. About the middle of Au-
gust, when the weather is insufferably
hot, 6his snake becomes bloated from
some cause until it is third larger than
its normal size. Its appearance is as if
the snake had been blown up like a
bladder or charged with gas like bal
loon. This rattler is always sluggish
and slow in it's movements, and like all
of its kind usually makes an effort to
get out of the way of it's intruders, but
in August it simply lies still in bloated'
responsiveness and will not move for any
thing, being ready at all times to strike
at everything that comes near it. AS
near as you can get at it, this rattle
snake at that time of the year is simply
a swollen reservoir of venom.
A Piute Indian who wishes to lay in
stock of poison for his arrows kills, at
this time of year, enough of these rat
tlesnakes for his purpose. BE cuts off.