The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-05-15

he would go down as straight as a plum
met to the bottom, there to turn upward
and come as straight up out and over the
mouth of the jar. Caught and dropped in
second time he always remained, and
his struggles were over very quickly.
don't know how many of these reptiles
our natural historian accumulated during
our stay at this place. but the number
must have been considerable.
so great was the annoyance from CEN
tipedes at this camp that have seen an
old-timer take his blankets and go out
on the open prairie to pass the night in
pouring rain, with two inches of water
on the ground, rather than stay in the
tent. This state of things lasted for the
two or three weeks we were at this place;
there has been no counterpart to it in all
my experience. Yet although centipedes
In several instances crawled upon the
bodies and even the faces of sleeping men
no one was bitten by them.
THE rattlesnake, owing to the danger
signal which he sounds at the approach
of man, is less dreaded in the southwest
than the tarantula or centipede. But
when sleeping, particularly in the night
he may be trodden on before he springs
his rattle, and then he strikes instantly,
without warning. In cool nights he some
times seeks the warmth of a campers
blankets, as a friend of mine found one
night in the Lower ella valley. Waking
one night from his sleep in the open air,
he thought his blankets felt very heavy
upon him, and, rising, with them still
rolled about him, he shook to the ground
two large rattlesnakes that had been rest
ing comfortably above his body and legs.
AS they struck the ground they coiled at
once and set up a rafting that was more
effective than any alarm clock could have
been to rouse the sleepers in the camp.
+ The blankets about him saved my friend $
legs and feet from their fangs and the
two snakes were killed where they were
with a surveyors staff.
"A more grewsome and startling expe-
rience was that of another man knew,
and it occurred in the same valley Sleep
ing on the ground, he dreamed that he
was in the coils of a boa constructor and
that his only chance for life was to keep
the reptiles head away from him. He
woke to find himself with his right hand
clutching q huge rattlesnake by the head
and neck. while the reptile was writhing
and twisting powerfully to get free. AS
he held him the snake could not bite, and
Mortified as he was, my friend had the
presence of mind to hold his grip, while
he sprang to his feet and lifted the snake
clear of the ground. A snake cannot
strike except when part of it's body rests
upon support, so the man was safe from
this snake so long as he could hold it at
arms length above the ground. His hunt
ing knife was hanging from the fork of a
low tree close by. He went to the tree.
fished the knife out from its sheath with
his left hand, and cut the snakes neck
off just below the hand that held IL, AS
the body dropped to the ground he flung
the head as far from him as he could and
went back to his blankets and sat down.
had canteen half full OF whisky
a level quart, he said in telling the story
afterward. I didn't go TO sleep again that
night but sat up and drank it. The morn
ing star was in the sky when got to the
bottom OF the canteen, and I was as sober
as when 1 begun It. It was Just enough
TO steady my nerves.
MANY men I'm the southwest whose bus
mess keeps them out OF doors have had
close calls from rattlesnakes, though few
have experienced anything so startling as
this. The rattlesnake Is a sluggish crea-
ture except when excited 20 anger, and
would much rather be left alone than fight.
IL may sometimes be actually brushed
against without it's offering to strike. on
the desert dry COW dung is almost the sole
dependence for fuel. Many a camper-out
collecting cow-chips for his FIRE on a frog-
~ morning has come within an ace of
picking up rattlesnake coiled, gray, and
motionless, on the ground, with lis head
resting low In the center Of It's coli, and
more than one at such a time has actually
lifted the snake with impunity before dis-
covering his mistake.
There Is great diversity OF opinion as
10 the poisonous nature OF the big lizard
known as the ella monster. II Is an ugly
looking creature, with a serpentlne head
and neck and a body with markings sim
liar TO those OF the rattlesnake. II has
sharp teeth, which Il can use effectualIv
for attack or defence. but I have never
known an instance In which les bite proved
poisonous TO an extent that would Justify
calling this lizard venomous. n keene
away from man, and will NEEDLE with no
one unless meddled with. Il Is my opinion
that Its evil name Is due wholly to its ugly
appearance, and that the creature IL m
reality harmless 10 man."