the Fascination of Serpents. 169 



viewed, falls entirely to the ground. It is not the timid little 

 bird or rabbit alone which are thus overcome, but the larger 

 animals also, and even man in some instances. An occurrence 

 of this kind is related of a Negro, belonging to Mr John Henley, 

 who, in the swamp of Pomeroon, fell in with a serpent of great 

 magnitude, as the Negroes asserted, and was so dreadfully ter- 

 rified that he fainted away, and was picked up for dead by his 

 companion. The serpent was said to be a camudi (Boa Scytale), 

 and might have made an easy prey of the man, but was over- 

 gorged. They rarely, however, attack man, unless much pro- 

 voked. 



Providence has so mercifully ordered it, that serpents of mor- 

 tal venom are very slow to bite ; they must first be much irri- 

 tated. It is a rare occurrence that an Indian is bitten by the 

 bush-master or rattlesnake ; when this happens, however, they 

 seldom attempt a cure, as they consider it absolutely impossible, 

 and the unfortunate patient dies in a short time. 



Some of the inland tribes, however, have a method of obvia- 

 ting the fatal effects of their bite, by scarifying the wound, imme- 

 diately applying the mouth, and diligently sucking it, squeezing 

 the bitten part from the bottom, so that both the force of suction 

 and pressure are exerted at the same time. Some use withal, 

 salt, honey, juice of the aristolochias, &c. ; however, without the 

 scarifying and suction, nothing would avail in these cases. 



There is also a spinose species of solanum, called Burabara, 

 which is reputed at Demerara, and among the Indians living 

 near, to be an antidote ; as also the root of the arum, called 

 Labaria Plant *, the stem of which is spotted like the snake of 

 that name, and there are many other reputed remedies of this 

 sort. 



I was informed at Angostura, that the bark of the Cliapara 

 Mantvca (Malp/ghia crass'ifblia), the bark of which is very tiiick 

 and astringent, is among the best or most certain remedies as an 

 antidote, bruised and applied to the wound, and the decoction 

 or infusion taken inwardly. M. Machan said the cascabel or 

 rattlesnake was very numerous on his estate, to the southward 

 of the Orinoko, and very frajuenti)' bit and killed animals, and 



• This iijipcars to be the Dtaconlium inlyphyllum of Ijiiiii. 



