THE SERPENT KIND. 



731 



ed seventy-four young ones ; those that were 

 contained in one of the eggs escaped at the 

 place where the female was killed, by the 

 bursting of the egg, and their getting among 

 the bushes. 



The last distinction that I shall mention, 

 but the most material among serpents, is, that 

 some are venomous, and some inoffensive. If 

 we consider the poison of serpents as it relates 

 to man, there is no doubt but that it is a 

 scourge and an affliction. The various ca- 

 lamities that the poison of serpents is capa- 

 ble of producing, are not only inflicted by the 

 animal itself, but by men, more mischievous 

 than even serpents, who prepare their vnom 

 to destroy each other. VVith this the savages 

 poison their arms, and also prepare their re- 

 vengeful potions. The ancients were known 

 to preserve it for the purposes of suicide ; and 

 even among semi-barbarous countries at this 

 day, the venom of snakes is used as a philter. 



But, though the poison be justly terrible to 

 us, it has been given to very good purposes 

 for the animal's own proper support and de- 

 fence. Without this, serpents, of all other ani- 

 mals, would be the most exposed and defence- 

 less : without feet for escaping a pursuit; 

 without teeth capable of inflicting a dangerous 

 wound, or without strength for resistance ; in- 

 capable, from their size, of finding security in 

 very soiall retreats, like the earth-worm, and 

 disgusting all from their deformity, nothing 

 was left for them but a speedy extirpation. 

 But furnished as they are with powerful poi- 

 son, every rank of animals approach them with 

 dread, and never seize them but at an advan- 

 tage. Nor is this all the advantage they de- 

 rive from it. The malignity of a few serves 

 for the protection of all. Though not above 

 a tenth of their number are actually venomous, 

 yet the similitude they all bear to each other 

 excites a general terror of the whole tribe ; 

 and the uncertainty of their enemies in which 

 the poison chiefly resides, makes even the 

 most harmless formidable. Thus Providence 

 seems to have acted with double precaution ; 

 it has given some of them poison for the gene- 

 ral defence of a tribe naturally feeble ; but it 

 has thinned the numbers of those which are 

 venomous, lest they should become too power- 

 ful for the rest of Animated Nuture. 



From these noxious qualities in the serpent 

 kind, it is no wonder that not only man, but 



NO. 61 & 62. 



beasts and birds, carry on an unceasing war 

 against them. The ichneumon of the Indians, 

 and the peccary of America, destroy them in 

 great numbers. These animals have the art 

 of seizing them near the head ; and it is said 

 that they can skin them with great dexterity. 

 The vulture and the eagle also prey upon them 

 in great abundance ; and often sousing down 

 from the clouds, drop upon a long serpent, 

 which they snatch up struggling and writhing 

 in the air. Dogs also are bred up to oppose 

 them. Father Feuillee tells us, that being in 

 the woods of Martiriico, he was attacked by a 

 large serpent, which he could not easily avoid, 

 when his dog immediately came to his relief, 

 and seized the assailant with great courage. 

 The serpent entwined him, and pressed him 

 so violently, that the blood came out of his 

 mouth, and yet the dog never ceased till he 

 had tore it to pieces. The dog was not sensi- 

 ble of his wounds during the fight ; but soon 

 after his head swelled prodigiously, and he Jay 

 on the ground as dead. But his master having 

 found hard by a banana tree, he applied its 

 juice, mixed with treacle to the wounds, which 

 recovered the dog, and quickly healed his 

 sores. 



But it is in man that these venomous creatures 

 find the most dangerous enemy. The Psylli 

 of old were famous for charming and destroy- 

 ing serpents. Some moderns pretend to the 

 same art. Cassaubon says, that he knew a 

 man who could at any time summon a hun 

 dred serpents together, and draw them into 

 the fire. Upon a certain occasion, when one 

 of them bigger than the rest would not be 

 brought in, lie only repeated his charm, and 

 it came forward, like the rest, to submit to the 

 flames. Philostratus describes particularly 

 how the Indians charm serpents. " They 

 take a scarlet robe, embroidered with golden 

 letters, and spread it before a serpent's hole. 

 The golden letters have a fascinating power; 

 and by looking steadfastly, the serpent's eyes 

 are overcome and laid asleep." These, and 

 many other feats, have been often practised 

 upon these animals by artful men, who had 

 first prepared the serpents for their exercise, 

 and then exhibited them as adventitiously 

 assembled at their call. In India there is no- 

 thing so common as dancing serpents, which 

 are carried about in a broad flat vessel, some- 

 what resembling a sieve. These erect and put 



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