Camping and woodcraft - Scoutmastercg.com

258 CAMPING AND WOODCRAFTexude, hold firmly in place for several minutes,and, if the scorpion was a large one, you have agood excuse for drinking all the whiskey you want.Ordinarily a quid of moist tobacco locally appliedeases the pain and reduces the swelling. Tobaccojuice, by the way, is fatal to scorpions, tarantulas,and centipedes, and will set a snake crazy.An uncommonly severe bite should be treatedlike snake-bite (see Volume II).Tarantulas.— I first witnessed the leapingpowers of a tarantula one night when I was alonein a deserted log cabin in southern Missouri. Thecabin had noi; been occupied for fifteen years, andthere was no furniture in it. I had scarcely mademy bed on the board floor when a tornado struckthe forest. It was a grand sight, but scared mestiff. Weli, the electric plant w^as working finely;just then, the lightning being almost a continuousglare. A tarantula that spread as broad as myhand jumped out of the straw that I was lying onand — it was hard to tell which was quicker, he orthe lightning. He seemed disturbed about something.Not being able lo fight the tornado, I tooLafterthe big spider with an old stumpy biroom thathappened to be in the cabin. When the broomwould land at one side of the room, the tarantulawould be on the other side. I was afraid he wouldspring for my face, but presently he popped intoa hole somewhere, and vanished.The cabin somehowstuck to terra firma, and I returned to mypallet.The tarantula's habits are similar to the scorpion's.The fangs are in its mouth. The bJte 13very severe, but not fatal to an adult. Cases ofmen being injured by either of these venomousarachnids are extremely rare, considering \'-i*.eabundance of the pests in som.e countries, and theirhabit of secreting themselves in clothes and bedding.If you want to see a battle royal, drop ascorD'pn and a tarantula into the same box. They