West Texas Historical and Scientific Society publication number twelve Page: 17 of 29
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practice burning off the thorns, the cattle browse on its more
tender joints for roughage. Occasionally the tender joints are
sought for human consumption. They may be, eaten raw, or
made into salads and more often into candy or jellies. The stocks
of the cholla or cane cactus varieties are sometimes made into
canes, napkin rings, lamp stands and various ornaments. The
fruit of the petaya or strawberry cactus is edible. This fleshy
mass contains many small seeds and has a tart flavor. When
served with cream and sugar the taste is similar to that of the
strawberry. The peyote (mescal button or devil's root) was
used by certain Indians for its narcotic and delirium-producing
qualities. The effects on the user are said to be similar to those
produced by opium. According to legend the narcotic effects of
the peyote protected the user against witches and evil spirits.
The animal life of the Big Bend is also interesting. The black
bear is present in small numbers and panther are increasing.
Several members of the small cat-like carnivorous animals are
more numerous. Coyotes and fox are common. Two kinds of deer,
are present. The mule deer, locally called "blacktail", ommon
in the lowlands. A smaller variety, the fantail, is numerous in
the Chisos Mountains. The javelina roams the flats. Beaver are
present along the Rio Grande, and mountain sheep, although
now exterminated, were present in the early days. The area was
recently re-stocked with antelope. Three varieties of rattlesnakes
are common: the diamondback, on the flats; the green
rattler, in the intermediate altitudes (less common in the higher
mountains); and the pink rattler, in the Chisos Mountains. A
few copperheads have been collected, and many non-poisonous
snakes are present.
Only a few of the interesting facts of the Big Bend have been
mentioned. It is land with pleasing semi-arid scenery, one of
the last frontier areas, and a land where the early Spanish
influence has left a tradition that is characteristic of no other
area in the United States. In conclusion, the writer wishes to
include the following quotation from William Ferguson's writing
in the San Antonio Express in 1896, that gives his impressions
of the Big Bend of half a century ago:
"Nowhere else have I found such a wildly weird country. The
very silence is oppressive. A man grows watchful for his own
safety and becomes awe-struck by nature in her lofty moods.
Emotions are stirred by the grandeur and beauty of the scenery
and the ever-changeful play of light and shadows. Never have
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West Texas Historical and Scientific Society. West Texas Historical and Scientific Society publication number twelve, book, June 1, 1948; Alpine, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth5838/m1/17/: accessed May 1, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .