WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA. 251 



folds of his body that it must be at the farthest side of his 

 den. A species of woodbine had formed a complete mantle 

 over the branches of the fallen tree, almost impervious to 

 the rain, or the rays of the sun. Probably he had resorted 

 to this sequestered place for a length of time, as it bore 

 marks of an ancient settlement. 



I now took my knife, determining to cut away the wood- 

 bine, and break the twigs in the gentlest manner possible, 

 till I could get a view of his head. One negro stood guard 

 close behind me with the lance ; and near him the other 

 with a cutlass. The cutlass which I had taken from the 

 first negro was on the ground close by me in case of need. 



After working in dead silence for a quarter of an hour, 

 with one knee all the time 011 the ground, I had cleared 

 away enough to see his head. It appeared coming out 

 betwixt the first and second coil of his body, and was flat 

 on the ground. This was the very position I wished it to 

 be in. 



I rose in silence and retreated very slowly, making a 

 sign to the negroes to do the same. The dog was sitting at 

 a distance in mute observance. I could now read in the 

 face of the negroes, that they considered this a very un- 

 pleasant affair ; and they made another attempt to persuade 

 me to let them go for a gun. I smiled in a good-natured 

 manner, and made a feint to cut them down with the 

 weapon I had in my hand. This was all the answer I 

 made to their request, and they looked very uneasy. 



It must be observed, we were now about twenty yards 

 from the snake's den. I now ranged the negroes behind 

 me, and told him who stood next to me to lay hold of the 

 lance the moment I struck the snake, and that the other 

 must attend my movements. It now only remained to 

 take their cutlasses from them, for I was sure, if I did not 

 disarm them, they would be tempted to strike the snake in 



