xiv SNAKES 14$ 



black and white snake suddenly sprang out of the 

 grass bordering the track and bit one of my men in 

 the hip. As my man was of more importance to me 

 than elephants, I immediately gave up the pursuit 

 and, opening up his wound with a sharp pen-knife to 

 let the blood flow, injected permanganate of potash 

 all around the bite with a hypodermic syringe that I 

 always carry on my person for such occasions. 

 Though incapacitated for some days, the man 

 completely recovered from the effects of the poison. 

 This snake is called, by the Angoni, uwanjah, and 

 by the Mwera, cheringulabunda. It is a small, 

 hooded snake, varying in length from eighteen 

 inches to two feet, and is extremely venomous, the 

 natives saying that, unless the bite is treated, death 

 occurs within an hour or so. 



There is a species of African snake, about 

 eighteen inches in length and of the thickness of a 

 man's middle finger, which somewhat resembles a 

 puff-adder in appearance and is called iperi tonga. 

 It is most venomous, and if you come upon it by 

 chance in the path, it will not attempt to escape, like 

 the ordinary snake, but will show fight. The puff- 

 adder, on the other hand, is not aggressive unless 

 disturbed or accidentally trodden upon, and often 

 gives warning of its presence by a hissing sound not 

 unlike that made by a gander. 



In addition to the above-mentioned snakes, I 



