Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-05-22
FR|GHTFUL MONSTER
ENCOUNTERED IN
PON|L CANYON
Terrible S~kulwanger Which
Bites Their Heads RIGHT OF
and Fats Them Alive Mel by
Hunters,

encountered by some hunters in Ponil
Canyon near C.marron a few days
ago. a creature that would mako the
Raggle and the Wog and the Cantilu-
mar Dog and the Snuff Wallopus and
the %Snolllgoster look like house cats
The terrible experience of the hunt
crs IS thus old in the Cimmaron Cttl-
zen.
one OF the most dread and harrow
ing experiences that could ever nave
happened to mankind Is reported as
happening among the mountain wllus
ut the head Of Ponil Canyon above
Cimarron. The story runs like one
OF the legends of old or like of
Grimm's fairy tales, but being vouched
for by Mcsrs. l.. NJ. kidder ana Nat
U. II. Faykor, considered by all VINO
know them to be men whose words
are as good as their bonds, the eN-
pericnce is without equal and is well
worth noting.
The two men were looking Tor stray
horses in the upper Ponil region anu
were riding along a deep and narroN
canyon about sunset. As they advanced
they noticed a most peculiar ana OF
fenalve odor. which grew stronger az
they advanced. Their horses became
uneasy and al last almost nan
able. showing every sign OF great Tear
AT last the trembling horses reiuseu
to go any further n the two men
preceded on foot determined to sec
what was ahead of them. In speaking
OF the matter Mr.. Kidder said: we
took our guns with us and went along
with great care to make as little noise
as possible. The smell grew stronger
and moro powerful. II was the ktnd
Of smell that makes you sick at your
stomach; thai kin Of pcrmeating
smell that comes from everywhere at
once. soon we heard n noise that was
= sort of half below and half moan
ending off with a shrill scream like a
hurt baby. When the below began
il rumbled and shook like heavy thun-
der. when we turned the corner of
n cliff, we saw n sight that nearly
Knocked us over in q faint, 1t was
4 great beast Of somo sort feeding on
the top of the quaking p We were
too scared to move and just stoou
there watching. The thing was cyl
IDENTITY in a rage at something from
the way II acted. It's front legs were
Eshorter than its hind legs, and its body
spcmrd TO be covered with greenish
scales which looked shiny and hard.
It's feet were sort Of hands with great
claws on them, and every now ana
then II would stop feeding long
enough to below again and tear M
The rocks and dirt like a mad bull. IL
thrashod around with its long tail,
and at every lick il would snap OIL
the sappllngs like so much grass
stems. Along its back bone from the
TOP Of its head to the tip OF its tan
was a ridge of something that looked
like Il cross between spines, lair ana
feathers. and when IT slapped around
and beloved. this ridge stood up On
end about four feet high. But lta
head. Say, | want to tell you mat II
was awful. II was set on n long,
slim neck. like q snakes, all Shiny
and green scales that g%listened In the
late sun rays. on top OF its head
were two short horns, and Its eyes
we're fiery red and a glittering green,
according to the light. It's mouth must
have had a stretch of three feet, n
ii was lined with great fangs as long
as a mans fingers. We tried to keep
as quiet as possible and TO back out
without the creature seeing us, but
Faykor slipped on n stone and made
a big noise. The beast let out one
roar and stood up ON its nind legs to
look around. We saw we were discot-
cred and started to run out OF there.
Then we heard the BEAST coming for
as, blowing It's way through cracking
breaking asps as easily as you would
run through an oat field. When II
stood up, It was fully fifteen feet
high. and at every jump IL made
about twenty feet TO our one.
lodged up a cleft IN the cliff and yell
ed to Faykor to follow. and We lust
got in tho cleft in time. The spht
was SO narrow that the thing could mt
get i'm to rs. but It was mad clear
through ana began tearing the rocka
apart with It's grent claws. We kept
backing up and climbing higher lnd
the beast kent on coming, tearing ou'
the rocks and believing like thunder.
| had hung onto my gun and when
could do nothing else / pumped a lot
of lead into the beast. Each time il
was hit, IL seemed to make II mad inr.
but that IS about an the damage IL did
dc. Onc or two shots got In under ia,
acnies of It's body ana l., blcd n sort
Of yellowish red Shiny blood hat
made the smell all the worse. At last
We got so far back in the cleft and
so high up that it was beyond even the
lawful power and strength OF this crca-
ture To reach us. And there we stay
ed an that night and the next day,
with that thing on guard. At last a
stray bull came down the canyon.
with two jumps the thing was on 1t.
From it's great mouth and teeth. we
Thought that It would Kill the bull by
biting IL. but II just held with its
claws and hammered h bun to "a
pulp. striking il with It's head and hit
Ting with lts blunt nose with the force
of a pile driver. just then we dug out
of there and made for nome. What
was the name Of it, Well, search me.
A scientific Hunger up our way wrote
IL down. Yes, here IL Is. Skulwanger.
Most modern member Of genus plexio-
saurus. Now extinct This fellow with
the specs said that the thing VIC saw
ANSWERS the description Of what Is
, popularity called among scientists, he
skuiwangcr. because that Is what 1t
does most Of the time. and that II has
lbecn extinct for thousands Of years.