THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 139 



leader's perufal. What we have now only to note, is the 

 fidelity of Jerome Lobo, fo ftrongly vouched in the words I 

 have jufl cited, in the article of bafilifks, or ferpents, which 

 Dr Johnfon has chofen as one of the inilances of his au- 

 thor's adhering to fac% contrary to the cuftom of other wri- 

 ters on fuch fubjects. 



" £n croiling a defert, which was two days journey over, 



" I was in great danger of my life ; for, as I lay on the 



" ground, I perceived myfelf feized with a pain which for- 



" ced me to rife, and fa w, about four yards from me, one of 



" thofe ferpents that dart their potfon from a diftance. Although 



" I rofe before he came very near me, I yet felt the effects of 



" his poifonous breath ; and, if I had lain a little longer, 



" had certainly died. I had recourfe to bezoar, a fovereigo. 



" remedy againil thofe poifons, which I always carried 



" about me. Thefe ferpents are not long, but have a body 



" fliort and thick, their bellies fpeckled with brown, black, 



" and yellow. They have a wide mouth, with which they 



" draw in a great quantity of air, and, having retained it 



" fome time, ejecl it with fuch force, that they kill at four 



" yards diftance. I only efcaped by being fomewhat farther 



" from him." (Chap. xii. p. 124) 



Now, as this is warranted, by one of fuch authority as 

 Dr johnfon, to be neither imagination nor falfehood, we 

 muft think it a new fyitem of natural philofophy, and con- 

 fider it as fuch ; and, in the firft place, I would wifh to knew 

 from the author, who feems perfectly informed, what fpe- 

 cies of ferpent it is that he has quoted as darting their poi- 

 fon at a diftance. Again, what fpecies it is that, at the 

 diftance of 12 feet, kills a man by breathing on his back; 



v. iii. S 2 alio, 



