312 EXPEDITION INTO [Chap. XXXV. 



dangerous serpents that infest the desert. In 

 seizing and extracting the poison from beneath the 

 fangs of the fatal puff-adder, or the cobra-di-capello, 

 the despised African displays the most wonderful 

 dexterity and boldness ; simply placing his naked 

 foot on the neck of the writhing reptile, and not 

 unfrequently closing the exhibition of his intrepidity 

 by fearlessly swallowing the contents of the bag 

 he has extracted, as a supposed antidote, or rather 

 as an effectual charm, against the deleterious con- 

 sequence of the venom, should it ever be acciden- 

 tally brought into contact with his blood. Being 

 of itself too thin and volatile to retain its powers 

 long vmimpaired, this animal poison is skilfully 

 concocted into a black glutinous substance, by the 

 due admixture of powerful vegetable and mineral 

 poisons ; the former being generally obtained from 

 tlie root of a species of amaryllis, called by the 

 colonists ihegift-bol*, whilst the latter is an unctuous 

 oi' bituminous substance, which is said to exude 

 from certain rocks and caverns that exist in par- 

 ticular parts of the Bushman country. 



Late in the afternoon, as we were journeying, 

 several imp-like figures of human form were ob- 

 served through a telescope, making with all dispatch 

 for a neighbouring hill, the summit of which was 

 crowded with them. Anxious to obtain information 

 regarding our position, we halted the caravan, and 

 made friendly signs to induce the wild beings to 

 approach. After warily reconnoitring us from their 

 * Poison Bulb. 



