Did the Spanish ever put rattlesnakes in a treasure cave?............

[Kelley (Texas)]

Has anyone ever heard of the Spanish placing rattlesnakes at the entrance of a cave?? If someone did find a cave, but the entrance was loaded with rattlesnakes, how would you get rid of the rattlesnakes?? Kelley (Texas)

 

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[ericwt]

I believe the Mexicans might have. If you are worried wait till winer when they hibernate.

ericwt

 

[gldhntr]

short barrelled 10 gauge pump shotgun and a large box of # 8 shot should help....

 

[tammahawk]

Has anyone ever heard of the Spanish placing rattlesnakes at the entrance of a cave?? If someone did find a cave, but the entrance was loaded with rattlesnakes, how would you get rid of the rattlesnakes?? Kelley (Texas)

Too funny even if they did , they wouldnt stay long they have to eat too and warm there cold blooded butts up in the sun,

 

[red]

Well them Spanish Rattlers are probably long dead of old age or gldhntr's 10gage is not going to even help on that big 200+ year old snake.
But being from Texas myself you know as well as I do that any hole a snake can fit in and any cave especially is just a snake motel for a herd of good old Rattlers.
The Spanish liked to put a dead man in with there hidden treasure so his spirit will guard the treasure.
I think I'd be more cautious of the Rattlers myself,since I carry a left monkeys paw under my hat to ward off the evil spirits.
I'm just East of Austin and the good thing is last year I did away with 2 Rattlers that were just over 5ft long but summer be for last I did away with 2, 6ft Rattlers , so they must be getting smaller every year.

HH and wear them snake boots if your south of me,since y all have more of them critters then us.

 

[cptbil]

To anyone interested:
The Spanish would PLANT vegetation in front of their caches!
AND! NOT! Just any kind vegetation, but!
? ?? ? NASTY STUFF!? ? ? ? ? ?
LIke Cactus,? ?:P? or other "Thorny" types!? ?:-
So! If you see a heavy patch of mesquite &/or cactus and it's up a against a cliff/hillside/ or rockface..
You might check it out...
? ?? Rather , than as a couple of friends did!?
AND!
Walk past it!
Much to their?later? ? !

(And! This was/is a/the classic example!) Beautiful !

 

[sgtfda]

Lets say snakes were placed in a cave 200 years ago. Would they still be there? Is there food and water? Years ago Rose wrote a story about a lost Spanish Mine cache he found. Bag after bag of silver bars. The mine was infested with snakes, thousands of them. They had to beat back the snakes with burning gas. They rigged up a spray outfit and would force back the snakes so they could grab the bags of bars. The bars were 50% lead and they just broke even on the whole deal after expenses.

 

[JACKOJohn Stanwix]

Cptbill--- Thanks, I'll keep that in mind the next time I get out. Nasty stuff is right. I ahve to wear cahps or snakes gaiters so I don't get full of holes at this one place.


Jacko

 

[cptbil]

I am heading out? ?? to a couple of sites, this year! that are pretty close to this spot!
If I can remember,? ?? I'll take a photo of the path that was cut thru? ?:P? the "prickly pear" to get to the rock face!? ?
I was informed, later,? by an "Expert TH'er", (CVM!) that this area, and the canyon going past this spot, may be,? ? (it fits the description) leading to a much larger cache/mission site!
I just never followed up? ?? on this !
Although, I do remember, that there are, two "crosses" carved ? into the mntsside.
One "cross" is about 6-8' tall, with a very small "cross", carved into the left side, right next to the larger!
The larger cross is visible from a distance, from the trail,? that comes up to the U.S. from the Mexican side!? ?
The smaller cross is/was visible,? only? ?8)? when you got close up to the large one!
Now! If some one doesn't believe ? this or anything else, that I might say,
I have made a "Standing Offer" made way, way, back!?
That! All you have to do is to come along on one of these trips and see? ?? ?for yourself!? ?
ANYONE ? ?

 

[JACKOJohn Stanwix]

Not only did they, have rattlers, but had scorpions. I read some where they'd put scorpions in caves and other areas.
I don't know if scorpions are normally found in the mountains or not. but I have a cave area, that was back filled. As I was moving the dirt and rocks I noticed something move and it was a dark brown scorpion, like I'd seen on tv's snake show. I didn't have long sleeves on nor pants tucked in, so I left and will return. But with pants in and long sleeved shirt, gloves as these things can be nasty.
Anyone know if scorpions are normally in the higher mountains

Jacko

 

[cptbil]

Jacko:
Out here in the So. WEST!
They are normally found, and the they prefer,? ?? to be in cool, damp places!
Regradless of altitude, I have been camped at, between 5000 and 6000 feet!
AND! I have found them in and around the campsite(s) and above this!
You must remember, that out here, even at 5-6000 feet, we are still in the Desert Regions!?
Where it is Bone Dry!? ?
But! I doubt that the Spanish are going to go to the trouble, to round up a thousand or so, and place them into a cache site!
The environment has to suit them!? ? Food, moisture, the right temp. etc!
Some of the Spanish Caches here, date back to,? :P? the late 1600's!? ?? ?
You're talking, about THREE HUNDRED YEARS!
SO!
Why?? Would they and/or rattlesnakes, want to stay in a place not suited for them!? ?:P

 

[JACKOJohn Stanwix]

CaptBill--- How true, and the cave and lose dirt make a perfect home for them. So, I'll duck tape my clothing and gloves, so they can't get into trouble. hehe

Jacko

 

[cptbil]

JACKO:
In ALL! of the years that I have lived and camped in the desert/mnts!
I have been stung by ONE Scorpion !
I have been threaten by two very large? centipedes!?
And! Rattled ? at*, by about 6 -10 rattlesnakes!? 8)
*That avgs out @ about ONCE! every 8 yrs, Plus/minus a few, yrs!
Don't think? ? that I am out there for every long or often
One year, I was camping out in the desert/mnts for ? 10 MONTHS! ?? :P? STRAIGHT!
Except for a few days of "R&R"? ? every now and then!
AND!
These natural hazards are easy to avoid, if you just keep your eyes and ears open!
How many Indians were killed? ? ?by Rattlesnakes and such?
Many. many more Indians were KILLED ?? by the TWO Legged ONES!?

 

[JACKOJohn Stanwix]

Capt BUll--- I have been detecting for nuggets for 3 yrs. now and have only see a couple of scorpions and a few rattlers. As long as I am carfefull like you said look and listen, no problem.

I have one question for everybody-- the Mayan's came here before the Spanish, is this correct Also, Is there a book that shows the signs and symbols of the Mayan, so I can compare with the Spaniards. I have a lot of signs and symbols that aren't listed. I went to Mexico yesterday and and there were some stone faces that looked very similar to what most of the symbols, I am working on. I asked one of the old timers there and he said the faces were of Mayan type?? Maybe he was BS ing me, don't know.

Jacko

 

[AzSports]

LOL. All this about snakes , scorpions, and treasure traps! I don't mean to take it lightly, but here in S. Arizona nothin needs to be planted nowhere!

In the past couple days I've seen a half dozen scorpions, two of which are the pretty nasty "bark" models. I visited a nice snake den that was empty as its getting pretty warm. In the winter you can step on a dozen full grown rattlers with two shoes. No kidding. I picked up some rusted tin last w/e to find a 4 1/2 footer under it. Started using the hoe after that one! Headphones don't help detect the snakes!

BTW Red, I hear of a standing reward of a million bucks ( a dude in TX)for a live six foot western Diamondback. Have I heard wrong? That a damn big western rattler. Largest I ever scun out stretched eight feet long and nearly two wide, looked nice mounted, but was only 5 feet 4 inches wriggling.

The reason I post is we found a cave, in an area I have passed by many, many times.? It stood out because of a newly enlarged opening from the rains. Near the (original?) opening, it seemed to have a slash mark, a zig-zag,? scratched into the rock on the side. Looks like a snake to me. A warning? Who would bother?? Well, I got the boots and chaps on, so we go in.
The opening is indeed thorny, but thats not so out of place. There is a bit of water weeping out of the opening, and that is WAY out of place. Some large rocks have plainly been moved inside it, so it has some interest. Some critter has moved some pretty good size sticks into it. Cool.

The snake den is a quarter mile from there, but it wasn't snakes that turned us back.? BEES!? ? "Your weapons are useless against them!"? They were everywhere in a hurry. Why weren't there BEE pictures out in front!? Damn.
I can see it goes back pretty good. MAYBE SOMEBODY USED BEES TO GUARD THE TREASURE!? How old can they get?! snik

It'll be a couple weeks before I can hit this darn place again.

Now I got ready the boots, the chaps, duct tape on all the right places, a bee hat and mask, a heavy CO2 container(its a hump up a hill) and a smoker. A half hour before dawn I'm planning on being outa there, but I am going in prepared just the same.


A couple more things.
You can get some dandy leathers sleves at a weld shop, or much cheaper thru Harbor Freight.
A bit of gasoline will get snakes to grow wings and fly away. Put a bit in a den and they all come out. Careful - there may be a whole bunch of em!

 

[Larry KS]

If that "zig-zag" slash mark looks like a lightning bolt, keep the hell out of the cave. That mark is a death trap sign.

 

[JACKOJohn Stanwix]

Jonster--- If your around Tucson, then maybe you saw the article in the paper about a man who was out (they think) treasure hunting and enter a cave and was killed. That zig zag is no joke !!!!!


Jacko

 

[AzSports]

I live in Tucson. Didnt see that about the cave but not a big surprise. Don't smoke and spelunk!

Thanks for the 'danger sign tips'. I just went back and read the posts about Spanish treasure warnings and all. The one link goes to some pretty spooky stuff. Never knew of it, but now I am completely hooked!

The cave we were in last week does indeed have what could be a lightning bolt. I went bout six - eight feet in only before the bees started up. Like any time going anywhere, ya got to look around and look for natural traps. This area looks as solid as can be (but it did just wash out pretty good). I would guess ten feet of the original opening is gone, and I'm counting on any trap gone with it.

Was planning on hitting it in the dark to avoid the bees. Sounds kinda creepy now!

Thanks again -not that I needed more to worry over.

 

[dano91]

Ive seen tons of rattlers denning up up in caves during the hot months, nobody has to place them it's natural.
A weed sprayer w/ gasolene or another flamable liquid is a snakes worst enemy and possibly yours to very dangerous!!!
When just a drop of gas hits a snake it will vault out of its hidding place like a spring. This is how I used to catch them when I was a kid.

 

[txtreasurehunter]

If there is any gold or silver in a cave this will heat up from the suns rays and will attract rodents and this will bring snakes into the cave I know this for a fact treasurehunter