The sun., 1894-05-13
AN ASP AND VERY DEADLY.
kHERICps nOsr TsvOHoOs sNkER
IS THE PICHU-CUATE

EI, F-usdE ~ ssu,twe-t. s.s Evrs -
siaa sake Cssr-er- FssS it-tt y nsT
satu Kiu- vsry otiskr.
The Southwest 10 more literally supplied
with vehomous things than any other ares IN
the Union In the burning deserts. in the in-
hsbtted but arid sNpanses of Nsv Mexico snd
Arizona. the rattlssnake abounds and In sew
erai varieties. including the sitan Ge and dead
~ "sidew. .nder." 5o.oius cs~ds'es. The so-
called tsrantgli-rsilly only q gigantic bush
spider bu, none the less DANGEROUS because
OF the misnomer-is decidedly common seor-
pions are none too rare in the southern por-
tions OF the Territories and in all parts cent?
pedes OF seven to eight inches long are frs-
quent and neigh borly But the chief distinc-
ton Of the region 10 this respect is the pres
encs ot the pIchu-cuate. the desdliest snaks
in North America
The uiehu.euats matches the worst serpent
Of India. Not only the most highly vensmou..
but the tiniest and N ost trsaeherous. be would
be also the most dangerous-but. luckily. he
Is the rarsst lie 10 the only true asp on this
continent: and in the United states is never
found outside OF New Mexico aud Arizona
That he was also known to the ancient Mex
leans is apparent from his name -p.rh1- adt.
an Aztec word. which was brought up to our
territory By the spanish conauerors
Ny hEst meeting with one was in yaleuciS
county. y. n. 10 June. 1SO. on the sandy
tanks OF the Cerro del Aire. | was out hunt
ing IacErabbits. In CON pauy with some Indian
friends. and had dismounted to stalk. leading
mJ pet horse By the bride. Ny eJss we're on
q small ehapparo bush ahead. when suddenly
Alazan snorted. and reared backward 90 vio-
lentlJ as almost to unhtnRs mT arm looked
about in surprise. for Alazan was too good .
horse to mind tribes. As there was nothing
10 be seen. started to pull him forward
Again he protested and With evident terror.
and. chaneing to look at my very feet. un-
der stood his fear and felt very grateful that
his senses we're better than N inc. for in anotlrsr
step should have walked upon my death
The only thing VISIBLE va. t,ny OBJECT noe
bead: and psThsps Ti1s,s' an inch Of neg But is
ss os.sd nor & 80 IoaE as my thgmLnah had
essence Of. viekednrss snd hate. fairly buie-
ing with deadly spite. and growing upon one
The ugly risngls which 10 the disttnGuishin9
marx OF all yenomo1s snakss. being formed
At once that AlaIsn was keeping up his repu-
% %Auophhns,er d,d ne shy A. harmIe.s snake
and sfotssIae hidsousnes.. Lett no douft that
tnts was psehgisuaSe. de had buriet him
sst amos; % the head in the gray ssnd.
ttnguishaGle. ani thus in ambush Was waI:-
ing for .omsthing to turq pp
tanee Of yard to study the Il;tIe creature.
which fair swell ei with n urderous rage. IL
thrust out 70 it, bat a. Last. dentlT discern
ing that the blame lay back OF the switch. ac-
had 70 Jump up and back Wit Hithcut t i5ss ssof OF
time The idea OF retreat never seen Ell TO en-
pun out with inSotsnt rage. throwing his
mouth so wide oper that II ssem ed the venom
n his % head I an ises Above the Hsa FSoGnG % VITA
an attitude which seemed to say: stand stu
there ara ys'll Sc who IAushs"
round nor longer than an ord nary !eAd pencil:
a co l. leaden g,ay on the back. but undet-
The fangs were tIry, not much more tnan an o.
eighth " an inch long. and as delicate as the
mouth. with It's two automatic needles. so in
hniteslmaI yet so Perfectly competent 1
] upon the Sides @ .! the % head " snd we SSen the re-.
curv!ng tanzs had risen from their grooves in
stream ms so II aeonSeivASiy fHs let that tie eye could
barely note IL spurtat fESEl each. and Ia tbs
rt,sr srscsr o. two or ;hrss !nene. msI.si into in
web strand. was enough TO give sEi't death to
the largest ari strongest ANNA that walks.
ehuus Of the piehu-eua'e, aud asked them
many questions. They ell knew OF the snake,
agreed tha: il Is extremely rare. The croialus
ranks among the Pueblo diyiniti-s aud their
eoInE a nd fesre tail ie reptile Bu, even among
these people with whom the cult o. the rattle
where until rTeen, years eyery Pueblo ispt a
sacred EattIssnAks In . sacred room. With
it;Ie sahd Sipsr G sesafs. hin {es Ses ,boss
have the power OF the snakes" eau 30 noth-
ing with him. he se9rns 70 be tanned even ey
the dgopptng upon his head Of the mYstie pol-
len o. the corn blossom
And he was more dangerous than the rattle
than ch's.ra.ri.dehi No one ever 60 wei! i?
the pichI-cuats bit him. sVen a medicine
va. EToot, ae1.n,t srakes, 6roueh: rieha-
euats q his blanket 10 the tueblo 20 tame IL
But when be let 4 out urOn th- fOorart sang
The wrist. sEd he fell down ami died in the
loo. the fate Of Crgz Abeita q TOurG man who
hai gone out to the lIAno to herd cattle
.!ea,!y. bs had seen = rabbit run down iis
witch. ior waen they foUri him hs vas IylnR
here, tsrEtS!T .woIier and black. with his arn
.ushsi P!cha-eGsis, Hidden in the sand is
az after the rabbi and 10th mad died to-
;ether. They had heard o. ether cases an iso
ave o. ne 1fe u the American asp. aad
No! Eut there was man aEh he 10 the
'aa,s wi,hoat IyinS" said FrASelsco. ind
ls VAS NoIui that | kreW tie 10 OF tho
.ancs. 80 he has the rover % the snaESS. ~,
: was not Tor this that ne eseared: and though
70 lives he caa no longer weave hs who Sss
He shiRssi = 10 coming one day from
est pat hrs a hand let sSi fa is.t hms-i as sirae
n the EIueElrs. Tn nElng IL 20 be rsttle-
'hen hs saw. Il was D.ehu-eu4te. against
H''n . 80, ms L,r,j., Evnhs
Tag and ehopIei OF his right hand at
he wEist. A'terWAEd killing the snake And
or many weeEs We looked tor him 20 die.
trce then he ra1 no longer charm even the
attssnAEes for Ehsh hs sees Any snAss hs
cart dies IA hin. and the snake b-hodlng
bat he 10 AFRAID WL. NOT obey h.m. tut 4!EAys
ghts, Ny such j. The TlchG-euate LEsRA
lsr's that y1n Ter one pFick-t ysu not"
And heartily A-gssd With F.aHcisco.