The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1894-06-22
AN ASP AND DEADLY.
AMERICAS MOST DEADLY SNAKE rs
THE PlcHu-cuATE.

IL Ia Found In the Southwest Even Snake
Chariners are AFRAID of "A Tiny Thing,
but 1t kills Very Quickly A Writer reiis
Of Bis First Meeting with one.
Tho southwest is more literally sup
piled with venomous things than any
other area in tho Union. In tho burn
ing deserts, in the inhabited but arid
expanses Of New Mexico and Arizona,
the rattlesnake abounds, and in several
varieties, including the strange and
deadly 'sidswinder, . Crotolus eerastes
The so called tarantula---really only
gigantic bush spider, but none the less
dangerous because Of the misnomer---is
decidedly common. Scorpions are none
too rare in the southern portions Of the
territories, and in oil parts eentipeds
Of 2 to inches long arO frequent and
neighborly, But the chief distinction
of the region in this respect is the pres
ence Of the pichu-euate, the deadliest
snake in North America
The pichu-cuate matches tho worst
serpent of India. Not only the most
highly venomous, but the tiniest and
most treaeherous, he would be also the
most dangerous--but, luckily, he is the
rarest He Is the only true asp ON this
continent, and in the United States Is
never found outside Of New Mexico and
Arizona. That he was also known to
the ancient Mexicans is apparent from
his name piChu-coatl, an Aztec word,
which was brought up to our territory
by the Spanish conquerors,
My first meeting with one was IN
Valencia county, N, M, in June, 1890,
on tho sandy TANKS of the Cerro del
Aire was out hunting jack rabbits, in
company with some Indian friends, and
had dismounted to stalk, leading my
pet horse by tho bride, My eyes We're
on a small Ghapparo bush ahead, when
suddenly Alazan snorted and reared
backward so Violently aa almost to un-
hinge my arm looked about in sur-
prise, for Alazan was too good horse
to mind tTifles. As there was nothing to
be seen, | started to pull him forward
Again he protested and with evident
terror, and CHANGING to look at my very
feet ! understood his fear aud felt
very grateful that his senses were better
than mine, for in another step should
have walked upon my death,
Tho only thing visible was o tiny OBJ
ject, not nearly 30 large as a good stag
beetle-merely a head and perhaps an
inch of neck, But it was tho most
frightful object in its kind that l had
evor seen. Tho head, certainly neither
SO broad nor SO long as my thumb nail,
had shape and IN air Of condensed
malignity impossible to describe, IL
seemed tho very essence Of wiCkedness
and hate, fairly bullying with deadly
spite, and growing upon one until II
looked several times its actual size
Tho ugly triangle (which is the distin,
gushing mark of all yenomous snakes,
being formed by the poison gland back
of each eyoj told me at once that Ala
gan was keeping up his reputatien--
mover did no shy ut q harmless snake
and the tiny horns, which added q Pc
Guliar and grotesque hideousness, left
no doubt that this Was q pichu-puate
Ho had buried himself most to the head
in the gray sand, against which his up.
pOr skin was barely distinguishahle aud
thus in ambush was waiting for some.
thing to turn up.
Turning AlazNu loose, kIolt at the
safe distance of yard to study the lit
tie creature, which fairly swelled with
murdTous rage, 1t not only struck
madly ut the ohapparo switch thrust
to II, but at last, evidently DISCERNING
that the blame lay back Of tho switch,
actually followed it up and with such
agility that had to jump up aud back
without loss Of time The idea of ro-
! treat never seemed to enter that fiat
head Sometimes he would lie and puff
cut with impotent rage, throwing his
mouth SO wide open that 1t seemed the
venom must start, and sometimes he
glided toward me, his head an inch
above the ground, with an attitude
which seemed to say, 'Stand still there,
aud Wen see who laughs, "
AT last killed him. Ho was neither
larger round nor longer than an ordi'
nary lead pencili q cold, loaden gray
on the back, but underneath rosy Us the
mouth of q oonoh she'll, The fangs were
tiny, not mach more than an eighth pi
an inch long, and as delicate as the tint
est needle, A wondrous mechanism, thi'
month, with its two automatic needles
SO infinitesimal, yet SO perfectly eompo
tent, lopenad tho ugly little jaws wide
pressing upon the sides Of the head, ant
when the reourVing fangs had risel
from their grooves IN the roof Of th'
mouth aud stood tense q stream SO in
oonoeiyably fine that the eye could bare
ly note II spurtod from each, aud in thC
space of two or three inches melted init
Invisible spray, Yet that Jet, finer thar
q GnbWeb strand was enough 70 giyl
swift death to the largest and strqngas
animal that walks,
Whpn the hunt was over, | told M
Indian phuna Of tho pichn-cuate ant
asked them many questions, They al
knew % tho snake, though several has
never sapn one, ana all agreed that II I
extremely Iare Tho cgotalus rank
among tho Pueblo aiYinities aud thei
eharmeTs have no Difficulty with tina
steady going and respectable reptile
But even among these people, will
! whan the cult Of the Tattlesnake ha
such astounding features and whore aIl
I'll recent years every Pueblo kept q 50
cred rattlesnaka I'd 4 sacred ROOM witl
.spepial priests to attend him, the vi
LANNON'S little sand viper Is aeenrsed
Even those who haFn The power II th
spake'' can do nothing with him =
RnoFns 70 be talna evan BY iha drop
ping npQn his head III me mfslia pallei
7 81 the corn BLOSSOM 20 Il Lnng1is II
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