The record-union., 1895-02-07
RATTLEsNAKEs AND SCORPIONS
A Good Place to Find Both Was In the
Beaver River Ridge in Utah.

TLAl 1uIDNAhDO AMI DOOhElONO.
A Good Place to Find Both Was In the
Beaver River Ridge in Utah.
"Many years ago. while stationed at a
post on the Beaver River in Utah. SAID
an army officer the other day, II had an
experience with rattlesnakes and scor-
pions, two things dreaded so much by
man, that was 80 thrilling that it will
be difficult to make people accept it as
true. ct 1t is true, and as l look back
upon the incidents of those few weeks
IN camp l can not understand how either
my men or myself had the courage To
remain in the place. Within two miles
of the post was mountain, over which
it was necessary to have road built, in
order to facilitate travel between our
own post and town some miles dis
tant. When such work was required l
was always given charge of it.
so received orders to command
detachment of sixty men who were de-
tailed to build this road along the mount
ain side. We had heard many wild
stories about the deadly scorpions and
rattlesnakes that infested the region in
which we were to work, but had put
them down as exaggerated snake
storleS.' But when we arrived on the
scene we found that the tallest snake
story was outdone by the facts. We
found that the entire mountain side
seemed To be one large rattesnake nest,
and Tor variety thousands of scorpions
were thrown in. We selected the posi-
tion for our camp in the most desirable
situation, and hoped that the presence
of so many men and horses would soon
drive the deadly things into the wilds
OF the mountains. But they did not
seem to be disturbed by our presence
and made nightly visits to US. Were we
afraid? Veil. there was some fear among
the men, especially after three Of the
priyates had died from effects of bites.
but after this incident was erased from
their memories they took things as a mat
ter OF course, and went about their work
killing any scorpion or rattlesnake that
might make its appearance, but other
wise not being much put out by their
presence. l experienced the greatest fear
after night. My sleep was interrupted at
regular intervals by strange sounds, the
cause of which 1 readily discovered. The
canvas of my tent seemed to amplifv
sound, SO that the scorpions crawling
upon the walls of my tent made noise
which, II not loud, was startling enough
to awaken me. | always slept with a
lighted candle and an army fork OH the
table by the side of my bunk. You will
agree with me that the only scorpion in
my tent which was not to be feared was a
dead scorpion. l found that the easiest
way to kill them was to jab them with a
fork, then toast them over the candle
flame. The least mum Der of times | was
awakened during my detail there by
crawling scorpions was four Or five
times during the night. | became an ex-
pert at killing scorpions, and as l always
fastened the victim to the wall of my tent
with pin, l soon had it very uniquely
decorated.
"Rattlesnakes were Just as plentiful as
scorpions. To find two or three sporting
about your tent at night was no amuse-
ment, as you may judge. / had one man
in my company by the name of Cassidy.
he was devll-may- care sort OF fellow,
feared nothing, and was never happy out
OF adventure. he amused himself about
camp by catching rattlesnakes in clever
manner back OF the head, then extracting
their fangs and letting them go.
"A professor of an Eastern college
visited the camp, and, hearing of rattle
snakes being SO numerous, be asked me
if | could not get one OF my men to get
him two or three young ones. as he
wanted to use them fOr some scientific
purpose. l knew OF no one better fitted
than Cassidy, and, as be seemed to take a
delight in it, | told him TO find two or
three young snakes for the professor, who
was stopping at the post. L thought moth
ing more OF the matter. Several nights
after this was lying in my bunk asleep,
when L was suddenly aroused from nv
dreams by an unearthY rattle and some
thing heavy being thrown upon me. l
opened my eyes to find three rattlesnakes
making all sorts of evolutions over my
blanket, and saw the flaps tall as voice
said: Here, Captain, are your snakes |
didn't wait TO take a extra snooze, but,
jumping out of bed, made after the fellow.
who was Cassidy, and if l had caught
him l am sure he would have nursed
some broken bones or bruises. But he
escaped, and, alter thinking over the
incident, my anger left me. l knew
Cassidy thought no more OF rattlesnake
than L would of an angle-worm. He had
taken the fangs from those he had
thrown upon my bunk when he cap
tured them, and, without thinking of the
fright he would cause. had pitched them
in to me in what was to him perfectly
natural manner. He came around in the
morning to explain and apologize, but it
was weeks before my nerves regained
their normal repose. ."-Pittsburg Dis
patch.