ORDER III. OPHIDIA. —SERPENTS. 129 
happened, levelled at the Serpent’s head, and, by a lucky aim, shot it dead ; 
however, he continued his fire until he was assured that the animal was 
killed ; and then, going up to rescue his companion, who was fallen motion- 
less by its side, he, to his astonishment, found him dead likewise, being 
killed by the fright. 
Upon his return to the fort, and telling what had happened, Mr. Went- 
worth ordered the animal to be brought up, when it was measured, and 
found to be thirty-six feet long. 
In the East Indies they grow also to an enormous size, particularly in 
the Island of Java, where we are assured that one of them will degtroy and 
devour a buffalo. In a letter printed in the German Ephemerides, we have 
an account of a combat between an enormous Serpent and a buffalo, by a 
person who affirms that he was himself a spectator. The Serpent had, 
for some time, been-waiting near the brink of a pool in expectation of its 
prey, when a buffalo was the first that offered. Having darted upon the 
affrighted animal, it instantly began to wrap it round with its voluminous 
twistings ; and at every twist the bones of the buffalo were heard to crack 
almost as loud as the report of a cannon. It was in vain that the poor ani- 
mal struggled and bellowed; its enormous enemy entwined too closely to 
get free; till at length, all its bones being mashed to picces, like those of a 
malefactor on the wheel, and the whole body reduced to one uniform mass, 
the Serpent untwined its folds to swallow its prey at leisure. To prepare 
for this, and, in order to make the body slip down the throat more readily, 
it was seen to lick the whole body over, and thus cover it with its mucus. 
It then began to swallow it at that end that offered least resistance, while 
its length of body was dilated to receive its prey, and thus took in at once 
a morsel that was three times its own thickness. We are assured by tray- 
ellers, 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 manner, and their body is seen particularly distended with 
food, they become torpid, and may be approached and destroyed with safety. 
Other creatures have a choice in their provision; but the Serpent indis- 
criminately preys upon all—the buffalo, the tiger, and the gazelle. One 
would think that the poreupine’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 in their stom- 
achs when killed and opened; nay, they most frequently are seen to devour 
each other. 
