Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1894-02-07
UGLY BEDFELLOWS.
Thirteen Tarantulas In the Couch 81
Prospector in Nevada.


mining man of Nevada, has passed
through many startling experiences
during a residence of twenty-eight
years in the far west but is, perhaps,
the only man who can boast of having
a round bakers dozen of deadly taran,
tulas for bedfellows and surviving the
terrible experience without material in.
| jury. 1t happened number of years
ago, but even now it causes cold shivers
to chase up Mr. Grandelmyers spinal
| Column when his mind reverts to that
| particular event. However, he was in.
| duced to relate the incident.
''ln 1864 | came to San Francisco"
said the gentleman, land with the
hopefulness of youth determined to
make nay fortune. | had a little money
saved up, but was a raw tenderfoot, and
whatever put my money into failed to
pan out. Finally concluded to strike
out for Nevada. 1t was new section
of country then, that had been explored
to a very limited extent, and when |
made known my intention many and
urgent were the requests for me to re-
frain from being so foolish as to en-
counter dangers in such wild and al
most unknown country. Nothing
daunted, however, and not allowing
myself to be dissuaded from my pur-
pose, one day in the summer of 1864,
after inducing three acquaintance to
join me, set out for the land of sage
brush. My particular object in going
was to better my fortune by any method
could. Two of the party were pros
pectors and the fourth, DIR. Heath,
went along to spy out a good location
for a hog ranch"
swell, it would be wearisOme to ex-
plain all the incidents connected with
the trip, including the streams we
forded, the mountains we climbed and
the many obstacles we surmounted but
after crossing the Sierra at Walkers
Pass we found ourselves in Owens val
ley, which is now in Invo county. Dusk
was approaching, and when, after rid
ing distance in the teeth of cold
wind, we found ourselves at deserted
adobe hut by the roadside, we halted.
unpacked and unsaddled our animals.
and prepared to camp for the night
There was feed for the horses in album
dance, and while one staked them out
the others began preparations for sup
per and made the beds ready. Ny
friends preferred sleeping under large
oak tree near, but [ chose a spot ad-
joining the old adobe house, where ]
spread my blankets close to the wall,
where the wind would not reach me-
After hasty meal we all retired to our
respective beds on the ground, and
readily dropped off to sleep.
81 presume it was within an hour OF
daybreak when 1 awoke with a sudden
start. A peculiarly dreadful feeling,
worse than any nightmare, took pos.
session of me. | felt paralyzed, and was
afraid to stir. There was something
moving over my face. It was not large
object, but as it moved about the trail
left seemed to scorch my face I felt
the thing traverse my face from the left
eye down over my nose and mouth.
Then it crossed to the other side and ex-
plored in the region of my ear. Then it
was gone.
81 knew it was not a snake gliding
over my face, but some animal much
smaller, though what it was l was ut
terly able to conjecture. | was wide
awake, Of course, but such an uncom-
Portable horror held me fast that I was
unable to move a muscle, and gaze0
helplessly up at the stars that twinkled
so merrily in the dark vault above as if
in moc6ery at my situation. Once I
tried to call out to my companions, but
not sound could | master. Law there
rigid as a log, maybe for one minute,
maybe for five, when again knew that
the same thing or something like it was
on my hand, which rested outside the
blanket, and a cold chill ran up nv arm
and through nv whole body. Still I
was absolutely powerless to move a
limb, and involuntarily closed my eyes,
almost expecting to feel them closed in
death, SO dreadful and indescribable
was the sensation. Next I knew it was
climbing up over my throat, then to my
chin and about my nose. An irresisti-
BILE impulse caused me to open my right
eye, and [ saw by the dim light the fiery
eyes Of a big tarantula looking into
mine, with his hairy body resting on
my face, not two inches away.
knowing that death, or at least pain
full injury, might result if I moved my
body, [ Immediately dropped the eyelid
and had the satisfaction of feeling the
crawling spider crawl over that eve to
my forehead and il to my hair, where it
prepared nest and finally settled down,
no doubt as snugly and comfortably as
a bug in a rug. You may think you
can imagine my feelings, but you can
not. For full half hour, / should
Judge, endured all the suspense and
torments that come to most mortals in
a lifetime, and allowed another spider
to crawl up my leg, not knowing at
what time [ would feel those black
fangs sink into my flesh.
'+But, thank God that did not hap
pen, or l should probably not now be
alive. Ages after that so it seemed.
DR.. Heath arose, and, after dressing,
came to see if / was awake. l whis-
pered to him the particulars of my
plight and in my hair, which had been
standing on end for [ don't know how
long, he discovered and at once killed
one of the tarantulas. an immense fell
low, fully three inches long. Carefully
turning back the blankets and examin-
ing me he found twelve others that had
undoubtedly sought my quarters for
warmth. These he quickly but quietly
dispatched in manner not to alarm
the others. When the strain was over
tainted and was de1iriO11S with brain