514 ULLOa's voyage to south AMERICA. 



cinnamon in appearance, except its colour, which is fomething darker, its tafte and 

 fmell are very different, being nearly the fame with that of the Eaft India clove. 



As to quadrupeds, birds, reptiles, and infefts, they are nearly the fame, and in as 

 great numbers as thofe already mentioned in the defcription of other hot countries. 

 One reptile of a very extraordinary nature, and known only here and in the provinces 

 of New Spain, I lliall, as a conclufion of my account of the Maranon, add a defcrip- 

 tion of. 



In the countries watered by that vaft river, is bred a ferpent of a frightful magnitude, 

 and moft deleterious nature. Some, in order to give an idea of its largenefs, affirm, 

 that it will fwallow any beaft whole ; and that this has been the miferable end of many 

 a man. But what feems ftill a greater wonder, is the attradive quality attributed to 

 its breath, which irrefiftibly draws any creature to it, which happens to be within the 

 fphere of its attraction : but this, I muft own, feems to furpafs all belief. The Indians 

 call it jacumama, i. e. mother of water : for as it delights in lakes and marlhy places, 

 it may, in fome fenfe, be confidered as amphibious. I have taken a great deal of pains 

 to inquire into this particular j and all I can fay is, that the reptile's magnitude is really 

 furprifing. Some perfons, whofe veracity is not to be queftioned, and who have feen 

 it in the provinces of New Spain, agreed in their account of the enormous corpulency 

 of this ferpent ; but, with regard to its attradlive quality, could fay nothing decifive.* 



Sufpending, therefore, for the prefent, all pofitive judgment, without giving entire 

 credit to all the qualities vulgarly attributed to this animal, efpecially the more fufpe6t- 

 cd, as not improbably flowing from aftonifhment, which frequently adopts abfurdities, 

 it being impolfible, in fo great a perturbation, to confult reafon ; let me be indulged, 

 with fome variation of the accidents, to inveftigate the caufe; in order to come at the 

 knowledge of its properties, which it is difficult to afcertain, unlefs ("upported by un- 

 doubted experiments. Not that I would offer my opinion as a decifive rule : I defire 

 that the judgment of others may declare for that which appears moft conformable to 

 truth. I would alfo further acquaint the reader, that I only fpeak from the teftimony 

 of thofe who have feen this famous ferpent, having never myfelf had an opportunity of 

 examining it with my own eyes. 



Firft, it is faid, that this ferpent, in the length and thicknefs of its body, very much 

 refembles the trunk of an old tree, whofe roots have for fome time ceafed to convey 

 the ufual nou! ifhment ; and that on every part of it grows a kind of mofs, like that feen^ 

 on the bark of wild trees. This is accounted for by the duft and mud adhering to it ;, 

 and alternately moiftened and dried by the water and fun. This forms a flight cruft 

 over the thick fcales ; and this cruft is increafed by the fluggiflinefs and flow motion of 

 the ferpent j which, unlefs when forced by hunger to go in queft of food, continues 



* I have feen three of thefe ferpents killed ; out of the body of one of them was taken a hog about 

 ten ftone in weight. The largeft was about eleven feet long, and twenty-three inches in circumference; 

 the fmallcft about nine feet long, and nineteeu in circumference. They generally lie coiled up, and wait 

 till their prey pafles near enough to be feized. As they are not eafily diltinguifhed from the large rotten 

 wood (which lies about in plenty in thefe parts), they have opportunities. enough to feize their prey and- 

 fatiate the ir hunger. The Indians watch this opportunity, and when they have half gorged their prey, 

 kill them without danger. As I was walking in the woods one day, attended by two Indians and a Ne- 

 gro boy, we were within ten yards of one of thefe ferpents, when the Negro cried out, Cobra, Senhor !' 

 Cobra, Senhor! on which it made away into a neighbouring thicket, which concealed from our fight the 

 moft hideous creature I at that time had ever feen. In its motion, which was flow and peculiar to that 

 ferpent, it appeared like a ferpentine log, with two bright gems for eyes, placed within three or four 

 JQches from thue end which was fartheft from u«, from which rays of azure light feemed to dart. A. 



motionlefg 



