Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1894-08-02
Saint Maru's Beacon



the burning deserts, in the inhabit-
ed but arid expanses of New Next
co and Arizona, the rattlesnake
abounds, and in several varieties,
including the strange and deadly
"sidewinder, crotalus cerastes.
The SO called enthusiastically only
a 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,
apd in all parts centipeds Of z to 8
inches long are frequent and neigh
borly. But the chief distinction
OF the region in this respect is the
presence OF the pichu-cuate, the
deadliest snake in North America.
The pichu-cuate matches the
worst serpent of India. Not only
the most highly venomous, but the
tiniest and the most treacherous,
he would be also the most danger
ous-but luckily, he is the rarest.
He is the only true asp on this con-
tinent, and in the United States is
never found outside of New Mexi-
CO 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. NJ, in June
1890, on the sandy TANKS of the
Cerro del Aire. l was out hunting
jack rabbits, in company with some
Indian friends, and had dismounted
TO stalk, leading my pet horse by
the bride. My eyes were on a
small chapparo bush ahead, when
suddenly Alazan snorted and rear
ed backward so violently as almost
to unhinge my arm. l looked
about in surprise, for Alazan was
too good horse to mind trifes.
AS there was nothing to be seen, l
started to pull him forward. Again
he protested and with evident ter
ror, and CHANGING to look at my
very feet / understood his fear and
felt very grateful that his senses
were better than mine, for in anoth-
er step l should have walked upon
my death.
The only thing visible was a tiny
object, not nearly so large as a good
stag beetle-merely a head and per-
haps an inch of neck. But it was
the most frightful object in its kind
that l had ever seen. The head,
certainly neither so broad nor so
long as my tumb nail, had a shape
and an air of condensed malignity
impossible to describe. 1t seemed
the very essence of wickedness and
hate, fairly bullying with deadly
spite, and growing upon one until
it looked several times its actual
size. The ugly triangle (which is
the distinguishing mark of all ven-
omous snakes, being formed by the
poison gland back of each eye) told
me at once that Alazan was keeping
up his reputation--never did he shy
at harmless snake-and the tiny
horns, which added a peculiar and
grotesque hideousness, left no doubt
that this was a pichu-cuate. lie
had buried himself most to the head
in the gray sand, against which his
upper skin was barely distinguish
able, and thus in ambush was wait
ing for something to turn up.
Turning Alazan loose, knelt at
the safe distance of a yard to study
the little creature, which fairly
swelled with murderous rage. 1t
not only struck madly at the chap
paro switch / thrust to it, but at
last evidently discerning that the
blame lay back of the switch, actu-
ally followed it up and with such
agility that | had to jump up and
back without loss of time. The
idea of retreat never seemed to en-
ter that fat head. Sometimes he
would lie and puff out with impo-
tent rage, throwing his mouth so
wide open that it seemed the venom
must start, and sometimes he Gid
cd toward me, his head an inch
above the ground, with an attitude
which seemed to say, "Stand still
there, and we'll see who laughs. {"
At last / killed him. He was
neither larger round nor longer
than an ordinary lead pencil; a
cold, leaden gray on the back, but
underneath rosy as the mouth of a