The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-08
THE PROFESSOR HAD SAND.
AN INCIDENT OF a PROSPECTING
"TRIP IN ARIZONA.

t Furnthhaa Snpport to the Theory That Rat.
tiepnnkes Always Travel In PnirA-Two
Exhibitions or Nerve Given by = Man or
science-A Cooh's Revenge and the sequel.
ave had a good deal OF fun with tho little
professor on our prospecting trip to Malaversa
Canon" said Estes Muir1cld, q mining man,
formerly Of Arizona. "a prospector had como
into Tombstone from that section with such a
show OF gold and silver specimens that the
Shurtlef Mining Development Company asked
me to make M a party to 60 out and explore
the canon thorouahly and report whether 1t
would be worth while 10 buy tho mans claims
and begin operations there. Our party, when We
got together, was made up Of I've besides my.
self-a cook, n packer, two minors, and tho
professor. We had TO pack our tools, blankets,
and provisions on the backs OF burros. and
when ! saw the outfit that Prot. Won Hauf-
mann was preparing TO take along I Groancd In
spirit and rose up 10 protest. There was enough
In the way OF rotorts, crucibles, and blowpipos
TO set three ordinary mlnc-cnmp assayors up in
business, AMI. "a II this wero not enough, he had
books for pressing plants and flowers and two
Jars OF alcohol for preserving bugs and reptiles.
"'1tll take a string OF burros reaching from
here to Malavcrsa to carry all that truck I told
the company's agent. But tho agent iollied me,
and said no was sure ! could find some way to
take the stuff a%lonR-that the professor was q
mighty knowing man about minerals and anal
yses. and the company wanted the specimens
tested on tho spot so that fair averages could be
obtained. l gave In at last, hired extra burros,
and we made our start. 1t was a six days
journey. over the toughest kind OF mountain
country. to Malaversa. and on the first night out
we came near shipwreck through Pete, the cook,
getting hold OF one of the professors alcohol
jars and starting In for a royal drunk,
with the other boys standing ready to
min him pot ~ vrn Fran, kip, L.
time. and the professor and I passed tho rest OF
the night on guard over the stun, turn and turn
about, with q shotgun across our knees. In the
morning ] set the BOYS to hunting, and in an
hour there were centipedes and spiiers and
scorpions enough In tho alcohol Jars to destroy
the taste for the liquor. even in Pete. But It
ranked in the cooks mind that neat spirits
should DO ruined In this way. and he laid It up
against the professor until the time when he
thought he saw his chance to get even with
him.
This chance came about two weeks aftor our
arrival in Malaversa, on the day we moved
camp from the lower to the upper cafon. The
professor by this time had got to DO fairly pop
ular with the boys. He was a round faced. Ger
man.looking little man. who was busy In every
hour OF daylight. annlyzing. botanizing. collect.
ing animal and mineral specimens. and looking
for Indian antiq uities. In the evening he would
thik, III we uTReu hlH, III n way mighty interest
ing 10 us. for min, RS, you know, never miss a
chance to inform themselves In scientific mat.
tiers connected with their calling. As for his
sand we had had no chance to test it; but for a
tenderfoot Just come TO the West he stool hard
chips well. never Sinking or gambling. At the
close OF this day. as we sat at supper around the
cloth spread on the ground, In the open air,
Pete. who was serving us. stopped beside the
professor under p~retence Of taking up a dish to
h. ~ a -,,- tatA. ~ a. l- Ill
loui aud sudden that It made me spill the coffee
l was Jus, liitinS to my lips: dow. ,,,u.r
shouted. 'Thar's a RATHER coiled right at yer
ei5oT;, ,,,, b., ,,,nr,, =, ,n,,,n, u, ..
cook made his %outcry. but the thing was bad
enough, for one oil, the party. al least, AS il was.
BY the professors, side. go near him that by
large rattlesnake lay toiled. Its head resting
upon the colts in the attitude q waiting. The
on lhe other side Of The sn ke. who . god away
%Kse ' p]sr'sS.iy still / He won, strike If you
a e3e %er mere head Mo o, IN y tsI ,hal hi so oi% DO 10 'h TSs
b bullet might glance in ths gro md an hit AK
dead first pop. It's all day with tho proiessor!'
was said by one man or another.
was looking Sown at tho snake MAKE carefully Ms% through ime iSi,
ne spertauies. Sli,l keeping ms eyes on the rep,
coffee, within q foot of the snakes jaws. raised
i to his lips and drank calmly. Then as We
looked on astopnded at this Performance he
lifted bis cup above the snake spiliins n little
Don't let this incident disturb your supper,
gentlemen. he SAID politely. The reptile was
Pete, who lad been holding in his merriment
his chance 10 laugh. The rest OF us saw tho Joke
and where II had landed. and for the rest OF the
men that ever served about n grub rile. He
was glad enough when the last mln had rolled
hin selma I9 IN n his X. blankets aanG to 20 of ,b t. sleep nSs5 on G1
not close his eyes until he had given tho cook a
"'Say. Pete. you'd better sling that snake clear
OF the camp. ,Rattlers are apt 10 travel In pairs,
you know, and II this ones matecomcs roInd in
the night looking for him. some OF US, may run
up against a iivesnake game moro risky than a
hall fs ssicsp "9' SoarG al Sin prov RTS,%' the sI sna Ia!; 'SS oGgg
of into tho brush. Then he tumblet into his
from him that some time toward morning
brought all OF US 10 our feet. every man grab.
Was as a 81 scsry sight 'G that our ' eyes rSst cS" on When
we, found out the trouble. In the bright moon.
light the cook, clad only in shirt and
image. with his blankets fallen about his
fe.t Rohnd his neck Was oiled something tn 1t
and long. and thick-snd We saw that the thing
that swung 70 the LEFT and right, re ching some:
back directly In front Of the mans white face.
wa: 4: heavy triangular head Of an enormous
Iutt'cNIiNht, uncertain W W Stay NuoT6l IL
was or glide of and fall to the ground.
Keep still, Pete. Don't move Tor your life,'
was al we coal say to b NJ. and this was un.
necessary. for tho IN n. after his first cutlery,
SCENE paralyEeh with fear. The danger WAS
deadly and imminent. for tho snake. startled at
the sight OF the persons, standing around, was
brconing active and restless. tightening its coil
and extern ling It's head threnteningly toward
one or the OH r Of us. The m ms agony was
terrible; VIC could almost feel his shnddorlnR
whore we Atoo l., yet there seemed nothing that
we could do for his rescue. Any move OF ours
tn Il, should anger the snake would he sure 10
result IN The reptiles set ting his fangs into Pete.
the ono living OH ct within its reach.
Then, "a tho snrk" extended its head toward
me. reaching sihcwiso from Pctc's shoulder.
some one on the opposite side stepped quickly 10
the trembling man, something moved above his
shoulder quicker thnn my eye could follow. and
the %reptiic's jaws. opened now to their full
Width, rieA vainly to turn upon the hand OF
Prot. Won Kaufman. clutched like an iron band
around It's neck.
"'Quick, With your knivesl' called tho pro.
fessor, holding on like grim death. There was
need that we move quickly. for tho snake had
frightened In a strangling coil round Pete's neck