214 OF SERPENTS. 



ness. We are assured by travellers, that these animals are 

 often found with the body of a stag in their gullet, while the 

 horns, which they are unable to swallow, keep sticking out at 

 their mouths. 



But it is happy for mankind that the rapacity of these 

 frightful creatures is often their punishment ; for whenever 

 any of the serpent kind have gorged themselves in this man- 

 ner, whenever their body is seen particularly distended with 

 food, they then become torpid, and may be approached and 

 destroyed with safety. Patient of hunger to a surprising de- 

 gree, whenever they seize and swallow their prey, they seem, 

 like surfeited gluttons, unwieldy, stupid, helpless, and sleepy : 

 they at that time seek some retreat, where they may lurk for 

 several days together, and digest their meal in safety : the 

 smallest effort at that time is capable of destroying them ; 

 they can scarcely make any resistance ; and they are equally 

 unqualified for flight or opposition : that is the happy oppor- 

 tunity of attacking them with success : at that time the naked 

 Indian himself does not fear to assail them. But it is other- 

 wise when this sleepy interval of indigestion is over ; they 

 then issue, with famished appetites, from their retreats, and 

 with accumulated terrors, while every animal of the forest 

 flies before them. 



Carli describes the Long Serpent of Congo, making its track 

 through the tall grass, like mowers in a summer's day. He 

 could not without terror behold whole lines of grass lying 

 levelled under the sweep of its tail. In this manner it moved 

 forward with great rapidity, until it found a proper situation 

 frequented by its prey ; there it continued to lurk, in patient 

 expectation, and would have remained for weeks together, 

 had it not been disturbed by the natives. 



Other creatures have a choice in their provision ; but the 

 serpent indiscriminately preys upon all, the buffalo, the tiger, 

 and the gazelle. One would think that the porcupine's 

 quills might be sufficient to protect it ; but whatever has life, 

 serves to appease the hunger of these devouring creatures : 

 porcupines, with all their quills, have frequently been found 



