Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-06-21
AN ASP AND DEADLY.
AMERICAS MOST DEADLY SNAKE is
THE PIcHU-cUATE.

1t Is Found In the sOuthwest-Even Snake
Charmers Are Afraid of It-A Tiny Thing,
but 1t Kills Very QuIckly-A Writer Tells
of His First Meeting With One.
The southwest is more literally sup
piled with venomous things than any
other area in the Union. In the 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 "sidewinder, " Crotolus cerastes.
The so called tarantula-really 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, and in all parts centipeds
of to inches long are frequent and
neighborly. But the chief distinction
of the region in this respect is the pres
ence Of tie 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
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-coatl, an Aztec word,
which was 'rought up to our territory
by the Spanish conquerors.
My first meeting with one was in
Valencia county, N. M, in June, 1890,
on the sandy flanks 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 the bride. My eyes were
on small chapparo bush ahead, when
suddenly Alazan snorted and reared
backward so violently as almost to un-
hinge my arm. looked about in sur
prise, for Alazan was too good horse
to mind trif1es. As there was nothing tc
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 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 tiny OBJ
ject, not nearly so large as good stag
beetle-merely q head and perhaps an
inch Of neck. But it was the most
frightful object in its kind that I had
ever seen. The head, certainly neither
so broad nor so long as my thumb nail,
had shape and an air Of condensed
malignity impossible to describe. II
seemed the very essence of wickedness
and hate, fairly bulging with deadly
spite, and growing upon one until il
looked several times its actual size
The ugly triangle (which is the distin
gushing mark of all venomous snakes
being formed by the poison gland bacl
of each eye) told me at once that Ala
zan Was keeping up his reputation
never did he shy at harmless. shake
and the tiny horns, which added a pc
culiar and grotesque hideousness, lef
no doubt that this was a pichu-cuate
He had buried himself most to the heat
in the gray sand, against which his up
per skin was barely distinguishable, az:
thus in ambush was waiting for some
thing to turn up.
Turning Alazan loose, knelt at tn
safe distance Of yard to study the lit
tie creature, which fairly swelled witt
murderous rage. 1t not only strucl
madly at the chapparo switch thrus
to it, but at last, evidently discernin
that the blame lay back of the switch
actually followed it up, and with sue
c=ill:=..- t.. Led to ir.c,o ID end bac