2o8 



TJic Country Gentleman's JMagazinc 



of them as I pushed through the bushes. 

 I was completely surrounded — the cynosure 

 of all eyes — the object of universal atten- 

 tion. It was like a horrid nightmare. I iiad 

 found my way into Pandemonium, antl stood 

 like Satan with all the evil spirits sitting around 

 me in the shape of serpents. For an instant 

 I felt chained to the spot ; my heart stood 

 still. But one thinks quick in sucli emer- 

 gencies. I had escaped in my way in, and I 

 thought my best chance of escape Avould be 

 by following the same route out. Gently, 

 gingerly, and slowly I backed m)- way out of 

 the" thick of them, until the bushes were niore 

 free from them, when I changed my tactics, 

 took fairly to my heels, and in a series of 

 bounds, more cervine than human, I found my 

 self out of the conventicle." 



Our friend may thus say that he has been 

 present at a public meeting or parliament of 

 the Jararacas. From its constitution one 



might rather describe them as members of the 

 loiver ho7ise, but the silence, decorum, attention 

 to the business in hand (basking in the sun), 

 and the look of quiet but dignified surprise 

 ^\•ith AN'hich they effectually repressed the in- 

 trusion of a stranger, must have morereminded 

 him of our Upper House. The shortness of 

 his sta\-, and tlie promptitude of his retreat, 

 l-iowe\-er, prevented him from obtaining in- 

 formation on some points which excited his 

 curiosity, ^^'here did they all come from, and 

 where would they have all gone to when the 

 meeting broke up and the sun went down ? 

 Although the creature is not unfrequently met 

 with in the neighbourhood of Rio, it is gene- 

 rally solitary. It shews what multitudes there 

 must be of tliem in some localities, and how 

 until favourable circumstances call them forth 

 and reveal their numbers, we may form most 

 erroneous impressions as to the relative num- 

 bers of the animals coniDOsing a Faun.a. 



