OF LA PEROUSE. 34^ 



\vhich its leaves are provided at their bafe, ab- 

 forbed in a great iTiCafure the deleterious miaf- 

 inata as they rofc from the mire, to change them, 

 as is well known, into refpirable air, with the 

 help of the rays of the fun ; and this tranfmu- 

 tation is principally owing to the piijia ; for 

 experience has fnewn, that it fo powerfully 

 counteracts the decompoiition of ftagnant 

 waters, that fiflies kept in a fmall quantity of 

 water, where they would perifli at the expira- 

 tion of a few days. Jive therein a long time, if 

 its furf^ice be covered with tins lingular plant, 

 each of wiiich occupies a fpace of nearly a de- 

 cimeter fquare, 



Thefc marfnes fcrve as a haunt to enorm.ous 

 ferpenrs cf the fpecies called hoa conflriLior. 

 There came one pretty regularly every four or 

 five days, and carried oft' fome poultry from the 

 fovvl-houfe of a pulilicaa in the nc'ghbour- 

 hood of Fort Ankce, at whofc houfe we had 

 bec;i allowed to make our meals. This -pub- 

 lican was an extremely rough-tempered man. 

 When he mlflcd a fovcl, he immedi'itely taxed 

 v-ith dillionefly an old Have, to whom the care 

 of his towl-houfe was entrufted ; and without 

 feeliiig any pit:\- for this unfortunate creature, 

 he ordered \\\a\ fiftv Irrokes with a rattan every 

 time that a h,en difappcared : but one day the 

 thief was difcovered ; it was a boa conjlridoy 



fnake 



