The diamond drill., 1894-09-15
THE GILA MONSTER.
Tragic Experiences with the
Strange Animal In Arizona
ITS Bite Always FRtal-How y Young Man
Who Went Into Abandoned
Mine to Escape tho Law
Met His Death.

More deadly than the rattlesnake,
more dreaded than the mountain lion,
Hthe Gila monster has at least this merit
v-he never seeks man out, and is quito
content 20 keep within his own lair,
but when this Is intruded on none
knows better than he how TO resent In
vasion, and In manner that usually
leaves no tongue to repeat the story.
The very appearance of this strange
creature inspires horror which the
most vcnomous serpent is incapable OF
nrousing, and 10 stand and gaze into
the lidless, unblinking eyes, cven when
iron bars interpose, Is TO experience an
uncomfortable sensation along the re-
gion OF ones backbone, and set one
wondering il il was not just such
creature that originated with the an
clients the belief in an animal whose
very gaze was death. The Mexioans
and Indians OF Arizona will tell you
that the monster kills by its breath
everything approaching near enough
TO inhalc the siclSening efilnvium, this
belief arising from the horror with
which they regard IL, and from the fact
that IL Is usually found only Mt the bot
tom OF some old mine shaft or noun
tain cavern, where the heavy, mephitic
ali. serves To overcome the lucliess be-
ing who ventures in, and who falls the
reader victim To the monsters bite.
IL is popular fallacy that this crea-
ture is of the lizard family, al over
grown chameleon, but its small, snake
like head, its Shiny body of hideous
bpownish gray, with n smooth white
belly, suggests rather the serpent, but
the tail Is short and stumpy
Ny first introduction TO the ella mon
ster was tragic one. was spending
some months in Phoenix, A. t., and
had in my employ a young Mexican
named Leander, who served me as
body servant, groom and cook in the
modest mcnage had set up. prefer
ring 10 dictate my own table fare to
eating the peppery messes which are
the sole diet OF the Mexican popula-
tion, and which are gradually adopted
by Americans dwelling any length OF
time in this climate. To such an ex'
treme Is this love OF red-hot pepper
carried by the foreign element that II
Is said with truth that even the car
rion eaters of the region will not touch
n dead Mexican.
This boy Leandcr was timid, affcc
tionate lad, whose only vice seemed tc
be that OF gambling. At this he spent
all his spare time and his entire wages
often playing all night, though per
forming his duties next day as usual
l reasoned with him in vain. and h'
would promise me again and again
that he would cease the uneasy life
his propcnsities caused him To lead
but he had always an evil angel ut hi
side in the shape OF n big poclr-market
half-breed named Francesca. This
man, taking advantage of the boy
weakness, was always at hand e
tempt him 10 the small gambling hel
freouentcd by men OF his class anC
though ! forbade him hanging abou
my premises, he would waylay Lean
der and WORK on his love OF sport un
tl the boy would fall again.
From inquiries / made, ! Learned
that Francesca made Il practice o
regularly cheating him out OF hi
wages. but Leander could not b
brought TO see this, but played on
hoping TO regain some of his losses
But one night he saw an unmistas
able false play on the part OF his en-
emy. and with the quick fury OF hi
race. had leaped across the table AM
had driven his knife into the breas
Of francesca The big half-bree'
dropped like log and thinking hin
dead, the boy broke out OF the shnnt
and ran for the mountains. Mex
morning was told OF the occurrence
Ind while l deprecated what he ma
done, I could not but think the DO
had some excuse for his anger, an
after ascertaininR from the surgeo
Francisco's wound would not prov
serious. resolved 10 protect Leande
from the law. This was easily don
fn those early days, and fearing les
the boy would perish in tho mountain
OF hunger and exposure, engage
small party 20 go with me In scare
Of him.
After some trouble we learned froI
a herdslnan that Leander prevailed o
him TO promise that he would brin
him food every day TO the mouth OF
shaft which had been the entrance
au old silver mine. Here Leander pr
posed 70 hide himself until the cons
auences OF his decd had blown owe
The hcrdsman had kept his promis'
and the day after meeting the boy
his way 10 this place of concealmer
had carried some provisions TO IN
shaft and had called 20 the fugitiyi
Rut ne had heard nothing In repi.
and 80 had gone away, thinking th'
af,er ali Leander had abandoned 10
plan. I proceeded at once to the sp'
poInted out by the Mexican. aud VIII