LEAVE CANTON. 117 



senseless. Before this, he described the pain as 

 ascending rapidly up the body. It appears 

 that when first bitten, he thought his assailant 

 was a rat, and, kicking the reptile, he was re- 

 bitten ; and, altogether, was wounded three 

 times : he expired a little before four a. m. 

 This snake is said to be used by the Chinese as a 

 medicine, being dried, pulverized, and adminis- 

 tered as an internal remedy. During floods, 

 these reptiles are very commonly seen about the 

 houses, coming from the creeks up the drains 

 into the kitchens : they very probably inhabit 

 marshy places, and are often brought down dur- 

 ing the freshes of the river, among the weeds, 

 rushes, &c., and at that time may be descried 

 sporting and swimming about the multitude of 

 boats in the river. They are killed in numbers 

 by the boatmen. During the late floods which 

 prevailed at Canton, a number of these venomous 

 reptiles were destroyed.* 



I availed myself of the kind offer of Mr. Davis, 

 and left Canton with him at daylight of the 28th 



* In September 1833, the floods of the river were so 

 great, as to cause a considei-able loss of lives and property. 

 All business at Canton was transacted in boats, and the poorer 

 class of people suffered much distress through a great part of 

 China in consequence. 



