The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-10-15
Rough Riders Discuss Entomology o
the Island in Corky Steve's Tent.
THE TARANTULA AND SCORPION.
Are the Most Dangerous, but thcLand
Crab and the Signal Bug Are by No
Means Pleasant Tent Compan-
ions-Liyely Experiences.
CAMP wIKoFF. MoYrAUK POINT.

iul and easy motion Oh the soap box
which served as table. escretoire, chif-
fonicr, waslstand. and general furniture
IN Corky Steve's tent, what do you
fellows think was the toughest PROPOSE
tion OF the whole ware
The convention OF rough riders winch
had met Informally 10 hold a rejoicing
over mJsterinG-Out prospects scratched
its collective head.
The Great Hunger said Ramrod
Jones.
leave that out"
The cusssd hot transforms. suggested
"a Tim the Dude. absentmindedly pulling
al the towel which served MIN Tor
neckclOth.
"Hayln til snoopin' Cubeeus stooff
themselves thot fun on yer rashins while
ye was nghtin' FER EN- that they cudn't
svon ycll Cooler Leeber." said Mulva-
ney. with an oath.
MY votes for the bone-break fever"
observed Corky steve. Il believe you
could take me apart and put me together
again Ike one Of those section puzzles.
well when | hang my discharge pa
pers on the wall and cuss at EN-. as I'm
going TO every night before ! go 10 sleep
said Charley Horse, Il m going 10 put In
a few extra blue streaks for the bugs.
Is a land crab boog?' asked Null
vanoy
Land crabs are included" said the 9TH
er.
And vultures put in Tim the Dude;
Il insist on vuituros
no, nothing but things that crawl
Scorpions and tarantulas and Tie crabs
and those fan-talled little devils with red
hot stings that stand up on their hind
legs and wigwag at you"
signal corps bugs. We called EN-.
said Ramrod Jones. but | heard one OF
the colored troopers say they were mule
killers
Charley Horse is alive yet" observed
the Dude. Must be you kept out OF
their way. dorsey
BLOODED STOCK SAFE.
They don't tackle olooded stock like
me" was the reply. but / tell you what
does and that's the tarantula. I'm posi-
lively convinced that IL 1 went TO sleep in
"A SPOT with the nearest tarantuia five
miles away. before morning that cussed
spider would be trying 10 make nest In
my ear
Amy Of EN- spike yez?"
only three. Two on the leg and one
on the arm. It's bad enough. but II isn't
as bad az most people think. The worst
bite / got dlIn lay me nap for more IMAM
Two days. WHAT ! object 10 mostly ls the
feeling Of having one Of the hairy beasts
on YOU"
.0ut IN the Grin' lnc." said NIulvancy.
EVAN day. mind 10 was July "a. Yer that
WAS the day ! got Two meals 10 keep mp
with the date. sorra the luck that they
as ! was sdyu when somebody interrupt
cd me- which ! think 10 was myself. that
f4r Wa was ehoutiu' uloftN lively when
f. Troop man began lettin off with six
shooter le'd picked mp sOmewheres right
into the mound in front of the trench.
Al0ng came an officer swcarin blue
what are ycz dom there. ye fool?' ne
says Do yeZ want 20 shoot pcephOics
fer 10 sec the Spaniards Trough
."I got him. Lieutenant SAYS the
troop man: i got him. He had his onto
me an was comm my way in q series
OF ferOciOus leps he says. but ] nailed
him On the last shot and turn me hlue
av De didn't point out "a big tardntaler
kickin his last wiz bullet troo his mid
die"
'One OF 'em nearly gave me pneumo-
mia, observed the Dude.
Dragged tho blankets of YOU. ! sup
pose. 10 line his nest with, said Ramrod
1ardonically
1--WE seen 'em big enough for that"
retorted The Dude. but this one didn't.
He inst roasted on the inside Of the tent
over my cot.
''waitin' Ter to drop down on yer slum-
BERN form put in Mulyancy such is
their oJtragis h7buts"
\ HOSPITAL LUNG.
Didn't get the chance this time. II
was one OF those blazing white moonlight
nights when the lcht sirts right through
the tent. Ny bunkie happened to wake
up and saw back blotch crawling mp
the canvas. He utin't say a word. but
just reached down for his gun. got a
good. long sight. and sent that tarantula
flying through the tent on a free trip 10
the planet Mars. which WAS pretty prev
alent over Cuba about theu. / was too
sleepy TO DO more than curse once at the
noise but ! made up for the lack after
ward for I'm an hour there came up A
rainstOrm with the storm centre coming
down In Niagara through that hole.
didn't 30 a thing hut get up In the morn
ing with hospital lung that never was
quite Strengthened out"
Did YOU ever see one Of those big
ight-brown tarantulas jump queried
Charley Horse.
II never seen wan that cud jump as far
as me av / seen MIN first remarked
"You must De in line for a champion
ship. then said Charley. I've seen
biz buckspider that | threw a boot AT
after Ia got out OF my tent take nip at
the boot and then leap the whole length
OF the tent and land three feet up on the
canvas and stick there. with his eyes
biazip-.
you used 10 fly the coop. them" OBJ
served Corkv. well. I'm glad to hear
that. I've always been afraid 10 admit
that I'd let a spider turn me out OF house
and home for fear of the fellows giving
me the laugh. but / never could stand
The c0nlpaui0uabiG habits OF the rep
Tiles They always want 10 nestle"
I'D like 10 see the chap that would
stay In his tent wnen one Of 'em had TAX
en- up his abode there" said the Dude,
II know ! always got ont and danced on
the greensward as soon as heard tar
auula rafting around in my tinware.
Funny how they always take 10 your tin
ware. and then come around and crawl
into your blankets, Isn't itF'
II the scorpion had the same habit OF
announcing himself ned be easier 70 get
along with" said Ramrod. The trouble
Is with him YOU never know when ne
there"
wavs there. You cane miss him
where do them scarpeens live when
they do be at homer inquired Mulvaney.
SELECT BOARDING. HOUSES.
I'm my boots. said Corky. positively.
Il kept two select boarding houses for
scorpions all the time 1 was in Cuba, one
every morning, after I'd get stung
couple OF times and some deaths. too.
when | was quick enough. II takes
lively man 10 catch an able-bOdied scor-
pion.'
you ought 10 put salt in your boots"
advised the Dude. "Thatll keep EN- out,
SO Troop lis bug-hunter says"
Somebody told tina. 10 Metropolitan
Bin. my bunkie.' said Corky, land as
he didn't have any salt to spare. he got
some sugar somewhere and tried that.
Said a scorpion wouldn't know the differ
ence. Result was that all the ants IN
Cuba came ana ate holes IN Bits boots"
THAT bOOg nuntcr's a broth av lad,
Qu0th Mulvaney He'd have his tent fuil
OF butterflies m moths all the time, that
he'd catch with his hat. While We were
s~b.frf an the linz. wan day L red. white