The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-09-23
rocks by the person who had discovered

rocks by the person who had discovered
its victim.
"Still, had my doubts that any of
these venomous reptiles habitually lay In
wait there for thirsty roamers, and one
Sunday resolved to 90 to the spring to
investigate. | strolled In the direction Of
the Sierra del Diablo, whose cleaning
peaks and rocky front we're apparently
not more than q rife shot distant, 50 clean
cut did they stand out against the clear,
blue sky; but they were a good ten miles
from camp. went alone on my journey,
for the sufficient reason that no one would
90 with me.
~ found the spring. II was four miles
from the foothills, In rocky basin, and
the water came up from the white sand
In cool and tempting volume. | saw no
sign of the presence of rattleBnakes. al
though the surroundings looked snak y
enough, and no mistake. / was hot and
thirsty, and after close and careful
scrutiny of all the rocks and scrubby
bushes around the spring was satisfied
that II that water was under the guar
dianship of rattlesnakes they must have
gone of duty for that day Yet II
hadn't been so TERRIBLY thirsty, believe
| should have come away without
trying the water, all the same but as
IL was tramp of six miles back over the
hot and barren plain that lay between me
and camp, return without quenchinR my
thirst was not to be thought Of, and [
prepared TO lie down on the rock at one
side of the spring, just where they had
found the dead and swollen ranchman,
suppose. had brought my face so close
10 the water that l could see myself and
everything about me reflected In the
crystal depths as distinctly as II / had
been gazing upon French plate mirror.
ut Is well for me that these reflections
we're 50 intense and vivid, for / paused a
moment TO gaze into the spring at the re-
markable mirroring. Suddenly some
thing that first thought was the reiec-
ton OF a nodding twig or tendril, agithted
by the brisk breeze that was blowing,
shot back aud forth, thrown into deep
outline by the snowy bottom OF the
spring. But as / gazed my heat turned
10 cold and my thirst was forgotten. The
swift-movinR quiyering reflection had
thought was twig or teudril was the
mirrored image OF the long and forked
tongue OF snake, as II shot back and
forth from beneath a shelving rock,
which, seen from above, hid the lurking
danger from view Coiled in crevice
beneath that sheltering rock, not two
feet from one side of my head, and with
part Of It's own frlghtful front visible by
reflection, was an enormous rattlesnake
ready 10 strike.
For an instant / seemed paralyzed,
but knowing that another instant's delay
would probably mean death 10 me, /
ducked my head clear TO my shoulders
beneath the water, the position | was In
making II impossible for me 20 rise quick
enough 10 escape the danger AS ducked
felt the snakes strike. / wore a heavy
wide-collared flannel shirt. The snakes
fangs struck the shirt near the lower
edge OF the collar, not an inch away from
my jugular The instant felt the strike
! sprang 10 my feet, The hooked fangs
Of the reptile were fast ia the texture OF
the collar, and IS got to my feet / raised
the RATHER with me It's long body