The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1898-04-02
CHARMED BY A RArrLEBNAKE
The Naturalist tent TO Sleep vita the
5erpent on Him.

Serpent on Him.
Prof. Charles Rich, the botanist. had
a thrilling experience with a monster
rattlesnake one day last week, and it
was only his GOODNESS and presence of
mind that saved him from death, says
the Calaveras Chronicle. Prof. Rich
and DR.. lyman, the ~bugologist, were
up in the higher attitudes of the Sier-
ras in search of specimens and were
camped at a place called Moore Creek.
They had a small tent with them,
which they had pitched neal a stream
Of water that was fed by a spring high
or up on the side of the mountain. Fri
Jay evening of last week the professor
and his companion, who were COM
pletely worn vi with their days tramp
In search of rare flowers and bugs,
rolled themselves up in their blankets
and were soon in dreamland. Just as
daylight was breaking the professor
was awakened from his slumbers by
feeling a soft and clammy substance
crawling over his face and down onto
his chest and, on raising his head a
little, to his horror he discovered it.
was a monster rattlesnake. The rep
tile had coiled itself, with it's head
raised about a foot and ready at the
least movement to strike. Cold drops
OF perspiration oozed from every pore
OF the professors body, while his
muscles became as rigid as bars of iron
and his eyes became liked with a stony
glare as he gazed at the head of the
monster, which was about six or seven
inches from his face and swinging
from one side to the other with the
regularity of a clock pendulum. The
suspense was becoming unbearable, but
well he knew that the least move that
he made meant death in the most hor-
rible form. How long he remained in
this terrible position he does not know,
but it seemed ages, when suddenly he
felt his muscles relax, his vision grew
dim, everything around him became
dark, n in a few seconds he was OBJ
livious to everything around him. The
doctor was quietly sleeping a few feet
away, unconscious of the terrible dan
ger Of his companion. When he awoke
IL gun wac pllSAlIy OIL OoLiihS ihSo
the tent and as he rolled over in his
blankets toward his companion his
blood seemed to chill in his veins at
the sight presented to his view. His
companion was stretched at full length
upon the ground, with his eyes closed
and his face as white as a piece OF
marble, while coiled upon his breast
urac n h,,oa ratf1ocno 1Yo onpornntlV
asleep. He quietly seized a shotgun
that was standing near by and, cock
ing both barrels, raised it to his Shout
der and was about to fire, when he
first realized if he did he would prob
ably injure his companion. Just at
this moment his companion moved a
little, when the snake gave a rattle
and again raised his head. The doctor,
seeing his chance, fired, and at the re-
port of the Jul his companion gave a
yell and jumped to his feet, throwing
the reptile some three or four feet
away from him in it's death struggle.
The doctors aim was true, for the
reptiles head was blown completely
off. On being measured it was found
to be four feet nine and one-half inches
in length and had seventeen rattles
and a button. The professors nerves
were so shattered by his terrible expe-
rience that he was hardly able to walk,
and the following day, in company with
his companion, he returned to this
place, where he is at present recuper-
ating under the doctors care.