A Sportsman 365 



look up to the top of this bluff, and thought I saw a 

 flashing gleam of sunlight reflected from a metallic 

 substance and called attention to it. We all then saw 

 flitting for a moment the forms of two or three Indians 

 concealing themselves behind some projecting rocks 

 at the top, and a gleaming rifle barrel apparently 

 pointed directly at us. The appearance we then 

 exhibited is more ludicrous at this moment, in con- 

 templation, than it was then. Our horses, mine being 

 already picketed, were abandoned. Our guide and 

 two others of the party, with their rifles, got behind 

 the only three small trees adjacent, and Captain 

 Slawson, a mining expert I had taken along who 

 was afterwards killed by Indians upon another ex- 

 cursion we made, further south more experienced 

 with Indians than any one of us, excepting our guide, 

 endeavored to get behind his mustang, which par- 

 took of the excitement we felt, and insisted upon 

 getting on the wrong side. My own gun, being near 

 my picketed horse, I had no time to regain, and 

 seeing near a prospecting mining shaft about fifteen 

 feet deep, with a log down it with steps cut for de- 

 scending, and feeling that I had no moments to spare, 

 I rushed down it for temporary relief; but not to 

 the bottom, for I heard an ominous sound altogether 

 too familar to my ears, which arrested my further 

 progress, and looking down at the bottom saw what 

 at first sight I thought a curled ram's horn, but 

 immediately saw was an enormous rattlesnake coiled 

 for action, with vibratory tail. It is needless to say 

 I stood at rest, safe for the moment from both enemies. 

 Rattlesnakes are very plentiful in some parts of 

 New Mexico, more so than I have ever seen else- 



