O THE “SNAKES OF SOULE -APERICA: 
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He brings along Puff Adders, Cobras, Ringhals, Night Adders, 
and in fact every kind of snake obtainable in Port Elizabeth 
district. As often as not he has his pockets stuffed full of live 
snakes, which are prevented from escaping by the lapels being 
pinned down. If pins are not available, he utilizes the sharp 
thorns of the Mimosa tree. 
Long ago I carefully instructed him what to do in case of 
being bitten. He instantly sucks the wound if there be no abra- 
sions of skin in his mouth. Meanwhile, he is feeling for his pen- 
knife, with which he scarifies the flesh over the punctures, rubs 
them full of permanganate crystals and immediately applies a 
ligature at a convenient place between the wound and the heart. 
He then encourages the wound to bleed by manipulating the 
surrounding flesh with his fingers, and if the snake be a very 
venomous one, such for instance as a Ringhals, Cape Cobra, or 
Puff Adder, he severs two or three of the veins in the ligatured 
leg or arm as the case may be and thus lets out some of the 
poisoned blood before taking off the ligature. Then the ligature 
is momentarily loosened at intervals, until, after an hour or so, it 
is discarded. 
When assisting with experiments and artificially feeding our 
captive snakes, he has been bitten three or four times ; but, owing 
to prompt treatment, he got off with only slight constitutional 
disturbance in each case. I have not yet had occasion to resort 
to the injection of anti-venine serum. True, he needed it badly 
when he was bitten three years ago by a Boomslang, but unfortu- 
nately none was at hand. 
BENT ON COLLECTING. 
Williams sets out, armed with a forked stick about five feet 
in length, and a rather large linen bag similar to an ordinary 
pillow case, and tramps the country for a score of miles, visiting 
all the favourite haunts of snakes. A serpent once sighted has 
little chance of ultimate escape. Even the swift Boomslang is no 
match for him. Knowing its habit of darting into the thick 
foliage and vanishing in an instant, he cautiously stalks it as it 
lies basking in the sunshine out in the open upon the ground. 
With a swift rush he is upon it. Before the bewildered snake can 
