Year: 1863

beauty and dazzling splendor opened their buds
to display their delicious treasure TO me alone.


Il was Suddenly awakened from this blissiul
state OF enchautmeut 10 q consciousness Of the
horrible reality. Again the inuermost recesses
OF the cavern rang with the echo of that omi-
nous rattle The near approach OF my mus
tangs to the entrance of the cave, aud their
snorts of terror as they quickly dashed away.
had drawn the attention of the serpent from
me to his own safety and l was once more
free-not from the den, bat free from the
fascinating gaze Of the arch demon, for l now
knew what it was that had given him such q
power over me; and l was determined that it
should not again be obtained. l closed ny
eyes. and tried to think of or form some feasi-
bic plan Of escape. None. however, presented
itself with sufficient force to induce me to risk
throwing of my blanket-now my only safe
guard-to adopt it. I could see no way Of
escape Death seemed inevitable. l kept
forming plan after plaa, only to reject them as
soon as formed. l was Just in the act Of
throwing off my blanket and dashing out of the
cave, although l knew that l must tread over
a hundred or more of the reptiles before l could
reach the entrance to it, when the thought Of
my match safe, which always carried in the
pocket of my hunting shirt, flashed upon me.
Hope, which had almost given place to despair
returned, yet trembled lest, after all, should
fail. II could only succeed in getting the
matches in my hand, without again arousing
the snakes, l would set FIRE TO the dry leaves
close around me, stand the heat to the last
possible moment, and then scatter it as much
as I could, and break for the mouth OF the
cavern. Acting under this impulse, l moved
my hand rather incautiOusly, and again the
cavern rang with that cutting, sickening whizz;
and l lay in breathess suspense, expecting
each moment to feel a dozen sharp fangs fasten-
ed upon me at once. The rattling ceased in
short time, however, and again I attempted to
obtain the matches. Moving with greater eau
ton, succeeded better and at length had the


nexpressible satisfaction of holding them in my
hand In another moment had struck match
and was slowly but steadily burning a hole
through the blanket down to the dry leaves
which happily caught FIRE even sooner than
had expected. The flames rapidly communi
Gated TO the dry leaves, and had less fear Of
moving than before, for of all things most
dreaded by the snake species, fire is the first.
But the heat and smoke was now becoming
intolorabe, the fire was spreading over the
cave OF q rapid rate; and being determined
not to perish without struggle, l resolved to
make an effort to reach the pure air once more.
Gathering up my robe and blanket, which was
still on FIRE, made sudden dash through the
fire and smoke toward the entrance, and was
about to congratulate myself on my fortunate
escape, when, 0, horror there lay the two
largest of the serpents on the very spot where
had first seen them, and where it was impos-
sible for me to get out without passing directly
over them. Ny situation was perious in the
extreme. heard the warning rattle close be-
hind me, for the fire was driving the reptiles
toward the outside, and delay was therefore
certain death ; and before me lay the two ser
pents, to pass which would be equally danger
Gus. Starting forward under the impulse of
suddenly formed resolve, I walked slowly and
cautiously up to within six or seven feet of
where the snakes lay, now close together, and
opening my bufalo-rObe, threw it from me,
retaining hold Of the corners next me until it
had extended to its full size, and then letting
go altogether, it fell directly upon the snakes,
and before they had time to move single
bound placed me upon them, and By another
cleared the accursed den, and stood once more
under the blue heavens only, and, with the ex
ception of a few slight bruises, unharmed.


After short search, l found ny mustangs,
they were grazing few hundred yards of, and
was returning for the harness and wagon, when
a terrific explosion in the direction of my late
prison caused me to hasten back to ascertain
the cause of it. On arriving at the place,
scene met my view far different from that
which l had left so shortly before. Not a
sign of the cavern remained. In its place lay
huge piles of broken rocks and the cedars,
that not an hour before had stood over the
cavern, and dropped their branches over the
entrance to it, were torn up by the roots and
hurled several yards from the place where they
had formerly stood. The enormous rocks were
shattered to fragments; and here aud there
among the ruins lay some of my late sentinels,
writhing in the agonies Of death, l made all
haste to leave the place, for although had no
longer anything to fear from the snakes, yet
there seemed to be deep, dark mystery brood
ing over the place that conld not fathom.


at was late in the evening when l again
found myself e, route for the Pecos, which
reached the following morning, after travelling
all night. Here found my men considerably
alarmed by my absence, bat safe from the eff
facts Of the storm which had Dassed over be-