OF SERPENTS. 39 



fodyteSy who are Africans ^ not far from the Arabian Gulph^ lead- 

 ing a paftoral Life, Hved by hunting — and fed on Serpents, -f* 



Among the Andefian Mountains in America^ is a Serpent 

 Called Juatma^ big as a Rabbit, has a fpotted Skin, four Feet, and 

 is never obferved to have any Voice, is much eaten by the Inha- 

 bitants, and counted better Meat than Rabbits, as it is prepared by 

 the Barbarians *. 



The Kanina Serpent that feeds upon Birds, is eaten by the In- 

 habitants, the Bra/ilians, and their Negi'o-Labourers^ after they 

 cut off the Head and Tail. Ibid. The Di/tcbj Porttiguefe, and 

 others in that Country, fted upon the IJbcya Serpent; 'tis of a 

 prodigious, large Bulk, and defcribed in another Place. Ibid. In 

 old Mexico^ we read how the Indians took a certain Serpent that 

 carried thirty Young's, which were each a Finger long, and crept 

 about immediately j and the old one being above 20 Foot long, 

 ferved the Natives for Venifon -f-. 



AMERICUS VefpiijiuSy (a Floretitine^ who was the firfl:, after 

 Columbus^ that difcovtr'dv^;i^<:'r/V^, and wrote the Hiftory of his 

 four Years Voyages) fays, he faw fome Serpents in America^ 

 v/hich the Inhabitants commonly fed upon: They were of diverfe 

 Colours, and as big as Kids. In the Hiftory of that Country, we 

 find the Natives of the Land fed upon Adders, Serpents, Toads, 

 • without any Scruple of Mind, or Injury to their Health, 



The Natives of ^oiiqiiin^ a large Kingdom of India beyond 

 the Ganges^ in treating their Friends, give them Arrack^ a rich 

 Cordial, in which Snakes and Scorpions have been infus'd^ and is 

 efteem'd an Antidote againfl all Foifons. 



IND I A breeds Serpents in abundance of all Sizes, and Va- 

 riety of mofl: charming Colours: The People of Siam catch pro- 

 digious Numbers of them in the Woods, and expofe them to 

 Sale in the Markets, as Eels in England, for animal Food J. 



ExPER iMENTs havc been made upon Animals, as Pigeons,, 

 Chicker.s — that were bit by Serpents, which have been eaten 

 without any manner of Hurt, or painful Senfation ; yea. Ser- 

 pents that were flain have been given to Dogs, who fed upon them 

 without Danger, or any Uneafinefs |). 



The 



t Strahoj lib. 16. B/os voyLccliHoq Cluveru IntroduB. 



* R^js p. 329, AtL Geograph. America, p. 129. f Ath Geograph. {ox Amerkay^ 

 from, haet, p. 628. ^ Le Comte's Memoirs, p. 504. !l Sr. Eedii p. ijS*- 



