NOTE-BOOK OF A NATURALIST. 385 



at first, and the mongoose, apparently vanquished, retreats 

 as far from his enemy as possible, but, on devouring some 

 wild herb, revives, returns to the attack, and conquers. 

 In short, he corroborates the accounts given by former 

 travellers and observers, of these duels between the 

 quadruped and the reptile. 



The same author records that, in the kingdom of 

 Dahomey, the killing by accident, or otherwise, of a 

 fetish snake, was formerly punished by death ; but that 

 the penalty is now mitigated to running the gauntlet 

 through the fetish priests, who belabour the criminal 

 without mercy; nor is he free till he reaches water, to 

 wash out his sin. The captain states that the lions of 

 Whydah are the snake fetish house and the market. 

 The former is a temple built round a huge cotton-tree, in 

 which are, at all times, ' many snakes of the boa species' 

 (python). These are allowed to roam about at pleasure ; 

 but, if found in a house, or at a distance, a fetish man or 

 woman is sought, whose duty it is to induce the reptile 

 to return, and to reconduct it to its sacred abode, while 

 all that meet it must bow down and kiss the dust. 

 Morning and evening, many are to be seen prostrated 

 before the door, whether worshipping the snakes directly, 

 or an invisible god, which is known under the name of 

 ' Seh,' through these representatives, the gallant captain 

 confesses that he is not learned enough to determine. 



The fascination of serpents has been stoutly maintained 

 by some, and as strongly denied by others. Acrell notices 

 this phenomenon as being confirmed by the evidence of 

 several of his countrymen, who had been a long while 

 resident at Philadelphia. They related that the Ame- 

 rican rattlesnake, which they described as the most 

 indolent of serpents, unquestionably possessed this power. 

 They declared that, as the snake lies under the shade of 

 a tree, opening his jaws a little, he fixes his brightly- 

 glittering eyes upon any bird, or squirrel, which is in it. 



s 



