The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1895-01-09
WEDNESDAY. JAN. 8, 1895.
HELD UP BY SNAKES.
ANARMY ENGINEERS EXCITING NIGHT
IN THE NORTHWEST.

tles-ROosting on BowIder and Sur
rounded by wolves-A Buzzing Noise
That Is Far From Musical.
1--WE reached the Wolf mountain, in
the Big Horn country, one day in Sep
tember," said H. P. futile, formerly an
hrmy engineer, while to the south were
himly visible the outlines of the Rattle
snake mountains. These names were
given to these mountains by both the
Grow and Sioux Indians, who regarded
them with horror. Late on the afternoon
of our first day in these mountains
sent all of my party to camp, about two
miles to the southwest Going forward
with my transit to where had sent my
head hagman, Iplaced it in position and
told him he could return to camp, as l
had to remain in order to make an as
Economical observation early in the even
ing.
Taking off his belt, which held
huge revolver and sheath knife about
d foot in length, he handed it to me,
saying that might need it after dark,
as he had just seen small pack of
wolves ahead. After he had gone look
ed over the ground about me and saw
that / was on fiat topped hill covered
with large powders and small stones,
but entirely destitute of vegetation.
Seating myself beside big bowlder, 1
took out my notebook and began writing
up my notes for the day, when darkness
suddenly reminded me that it was about
time to make my astronomical obserya-
tions. This was soon over, and l started
off at brisk walk toward our camp.
81 had not gone over hundred yards
when I saw, a few feet ahead of me, a
long, black object lying directly in my
path. wanted a walking stick badly,
and was stopping down to pick it up
when I noticed the end of it farthest
from me was white. Taking a match
from my pocket and tearing leaf from
the back Of my notebook, soon had
the desired light, and what was my hor-
ror to SEQ that tho supposed stick was
nothing but one of the deadly green rat
tlesnakes, completely paralyzed by the
chilly night air.
Another light showed that the white
object was the snakes rattles. So old
WAS he that his rattles had turned white.
Holding my revolver within foot of
his head, fired and blew it entirely off.
But now came another surprise, which
for moment made mo tremble. The re-
port of my revolver had awakened doz-
ems of rattlers who had sought shelter
under the loose rocks before sunset The
sounds came from all directions, and
some seemed close to my feet.
ITO ono who has been in tho forest
and heard the noise made by hundreds
of locusts he can readily realize my stu
alton, for the buzz of a rattlesnake is
exactly like the buzz of locust. The
only thing now for me to do was to stand
in my tracks all night or make my way
back to the bowlder from which start
ed, but there was difficulty, for in the
excitement had forgotten the direction.
But where there is a will there is a
way, and by STOPPING low down and
scanning the horizon | soon detected the
outline of my transit against the sky,
and cutting off tho rattles was soon be-
side the bowlder and filled with excite
ment enough for ono night.
hOAOtlLS NiOhii AAiO WV bihtS
up my mind TO pass tho night at that
spot and was soon sleeping as soundly
as one can in tho open air, with only a
canvas coat and the mercury below freez-
ing About midnight was suddenly
aroused by something trying to pull off
the shoe from my left foot. In an instant
caught the glaring eyes and outline of
wolf, He had given up his grip as no
saw mo move, and mechanically seized
my revolver, which l had left lying in
my lap, and fired as best could with
my half frozen hand.
"a loud yell showed that he had been
struck, and Immediately q dozen or
more wolves who had been close by set
up bowling, which in the still night
air could have been heard for miles
around. For an hour or two all was
quiet, when q solitary howl few yards
from mo was answered by dozen 9th
ers not 100 yards away. 1t was too dark
to see an animal of the size of wolf
more than 90 feet away; but, trusting to
luck, took tho direction of the pack as
near as possible and sent three shots at
them as rapidly as l could fire.
"a couple of yells showed two had
been hit, most probably by glancing bull
let's Soon after this the bowling of the
wolves ceased, and for awhile all was
quiet again.
"As soon as it was light enough
picked up the string of rattles which
had secured tho night before and found
there were 10, and as the button was
l,f, box |, caxyn,,a1
A few rods from my transit lay the
clearly picked bones of wolf which one
of my random shots had killed during
the night, and ON which the coyotes had
made substantial meal, but, not salts
fed with this, they had devoured the
big RATHER I had killed, head and all.
Returning to camp, ordered one OF
my men to cut ten small poles, not less
than eight feet in length, and to wake
me up at 10 o'clock. At that hour we
all started for the place whore / had
passed the night. Here we found, as
had expected, the warm rays of the sun
had brought out the snakes from their
hiding places to bask in the sunhsine.
"We were greeted with defiance not
unlike that of q thousand July locusts,
and the work of destruction began III
real earnest. In one hour and ten min
utes our bag contained 213 rattlers,
varying from one foot to over three feet
in length, and of a dark green color.
Only two were found whose rattles had
turned gray. We could have destroyed
hundreds moro had our time not boen toe
valuable to waste in such sport. We saw
but few rattlers after leaving this point,
but the wolves made night hideous until
we reached the Little Missouri river, a
month later. kansas City Journal
Equal to the Occasion.