WHOLE VOL. THE WEST INDIES VAZQUEZ DE ESPINOSA 673 



toward it, it makes it come down from where it is, fluttering and 

 squawking, until it comes to the snake's mouth ; thus it satisfies its 

 hunger or at least ministers to its necessities. 



1770. The same thing happens when game passes within its pur- 

 view or perception ; with its breath it makes it approach, stumbling 

 like a drunken person and uttering loud cries, until it gets to the 

 snake's mouth and is mauled and gobbled up, however large it may- 

 be ; such is the power of attraction which Nature gave it. When 

 other sources fail and it feels the need, it goes to the nests of the 

 ostriches, which are innumerable in that country, and swallows lO or 12 

 eggs or as many as it needs. Since these are so large and the shell so 

 hard, it cannot crush them in swallowing and so it climbs up into 

 a tree, out on one of the lowest and thickest branches, and lets itself 

 drop belly down on the ground ; the shock of landing brea^ks the eggs, 

 and thus it satisfies its hunger and fulfills the instinct Nature pro- 

 vided it with ; so our Creator should be glorified in all things. 



There is another variety of snake which is long and slender, and 

 very harmful and noxious. This has a bone or prong at the end of 

 its tail like a spear head ; they live in the trees and when a person 

 passes underneath they spring on him and try to throw two or three 

 coils around his body, squeezing and incapacitating him, and immedi- 

 ately try to pierce his groin with the tip of their tail, which is very 

 strong and sharp, so as to burst his intestines. The usual safeguard 

 against this is to carry a knife and when the snake coils about one, 

 to cut it in pieces and thus escape from the danger. God sees to 

 it that they are found in only a few places, and in those, people live 

 on their guard against them and travelers are warned about them. 

 I did not see them myself but I was assured of all this by persons who 

 have seen them. 



Chapter XXXVI [26I 



Of the City of Santiago del Estero, and of Other Things in Its 

 District. 



1771. Eighty-five. Eighty (sic) leagues E. of the city of Esteco, 

 at 29° S., lies the city of Santiago del Estero ; the whole way is level, 

 forming horizons like those at sea over the great pampas or plains 

 which they have in that country; most of the way is dotted with 

 cattle ranches ; there are great numbers of cattle, not only domesticated 

 but escaped (cimarron) or wild, as far as Paraguay and Buenos 

 Ayres ; there are countless ostriches, herds of deer numbering 1,000 

 or more in places, partridges small and large so stupid and unso- 



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