The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-06-14
OUR DEAoLiEST SNAKE.
Afe fichu-Cuate. Found In the South
western States

other area in the union. In the burn
ing deserts, in the inhabited but arid
eXpanses of New Mexico and Arizona.
the rattlesnalle abounds and in seve-
raj varieties. including the strange and
deadly 'sidewinder crotolas cerastes
ne so-called tarantula-really only a
| gigantic bush spider, but none the less
dangerous because of the misnomer-is
oecldedly common. Scorpions are none
Zoo rare in the southern portion of the
territories. and in all parts centipedes
OF seven to eight inches long are fire.
quent and neighborly. But the chief
distinction of the region in this respect
| IS the presence of the pichu-cuate, the
deadllest snake in North America.
The pichu-cuate matches the worst
serpent of India. Not only the most
| mighty venemous, but the tiniest and
most treacherOuS. 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-coatI. an Aztec word
which was brought up to our territory
by the Spanish conquerers.
My first meeting with one was in Va
county, n. NJ, in June, 1890 on
9sstse Sandy TANKS of the Cerro del Aire.
4 Il was out hunting iackrabbits, in com
" panTwith some Indian friends. and had
/ dismounted to stalk, leading my pet
II horse by the bride. My eyes were on
n a small chapparo bush ahead. when
! suddenly Alazan snorted and reared
backward so violently as to almost I'M
hinge my arm. | looked about in sur
| prise. for Alazan was too good horse
to mind trities. As there was nothing
to be seen. started to pull him for
ward. Again he protested and with
! evident terror, and, CHANGING to look
| at my feet. | understood his fear. and
| felt very grateful that his senses were
better than mine, for in another step !
should have walked upon my death
| The only thing visible was a tiny OBJ
| Ject, not nearly so large as good stag
beetle, merely head, and perhaps an
I inch of neck. But it was the most
frightful object in its kind that | had
ever seen. The head. certainly neither
so broad nor so long as my thumbnail,
had shape and an air of condensed
malignity impossible to describe. It
seemed the very essence of wickedness
and hate, fairly bullying with deadly
I, spite, and growing upon one until it
Hooked several times its actual size. The
ugly triangle (Which is the distinguish
ing mark of all venomous snakes. being
formed by the poison gland back of each
eye) told me at once that AlaZan was
keeping up his reputa tion-never did he
shy at harmless snake-and the tiny
horns, which added peculiar and gro
teSque hldeousness, left no doubt that
this was pichu-cuate. He had buried
himself almost to the head in the gray
sand, against which his upper skin was
barely distinguishable and thus in am
bush was waiting for something to
turn up.
Turning Alazan loose, llnelt at the
safe distance of yard to study the little
creature, which fairly swelled with
snurderous rage. 1t not only struck
madly at the chapparo switch | thrust
out to it, but at last. evidently discern
ing that the blame lay back of the
switch. actually 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 enter
that fiat head. Sometimes he would lie
and puff out with impotent rage throw
ing his mouth so wide open that it
seemed the venom must start. and some
times he glided 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 ordi-
nary lead pencil; a cold leaden gray on
the back, but underneath rosy as the
mouth of conch shell. The fangs were
tiny not much more than an eighth of
an inch long, and as delicate as the
tiniest needle. A wondrous mechanism,
this mouth, with its two automatic
needles. so infnitesimal, yet so perfect
ly competent. | opened the ugly little
jaws wide, pressing upon the sides of
the head; and when the recurring fangs
of the mouth and stood tense. a stream
so inconceivably fine that the eye could
barely note it spurted from each, and
in the space of two or three inches
melted into invisible spray. Yet that
Jet, finer than cobweb strand, was
enough to give swift death to the largest
and strongest animal that walks.
When the hunt was over | told my
Indian chums of the pichu-cuate, and
asked them many questions. They all
knew of the snake though several had
never seen one, and all agreed that it
is extremely rare. The crotalus ranks
among the Pueblo divinities, and their
charmers have no difficulty with that
and respectable reptile.
But even among these people with
whom the cult of the rattlesnake has
such astounding features, and where
until recent years every Pueblo kept
sacred rattlesnake in sacred room
with special priests to attend him, the
villainous little sand viper is accursed.
Even those who have the power of the
snakes" can do nothing with him; he
scorns to be tanned even by the dropping
upon his head of the mystic pollen of
the corn blossom.-C. +. Lummis. in n.
Y. Sun.
Had Studied His Tastes.