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TiMEHRI. 



tioned ; the number of snakes in the valleys and on the 

 river-banks was all the greater. Rattle snakes from 4 to 

 6 feet in length were brought to me. On one of our 

 botanical excursions I myself came into conta6l with a 

 huge Coulacanara (Boa constri6lor), an encounter which 

 might have led to most unpleasant consequences for 

 myself but for the quick eye of my voung companion, 

 the Macusi MisSEGARAl, who noticed the animal before 

 my touching it, as it lay entwined in a dense thicket of 

 ferns (Mertensia) which enclosed the outskirts of a 

 woody oasis, along which we were walking. The noise 

 of our steps may have roused its attention, for with its 

 head lifted above the thicket, it had very likely stared at 

 us already for some minutes before MiSSEGARAl noticed 

 it and called my attention. Had I seen the obje6l 

 before, I should very likely have taken it for the end 

 of an outstretching thin branch, We were without any 

 weapons, and our village was too far away to enable us 

 to fetch them from thence before sunset. In spite of 

 MlSSEGARAi'S fright and representations, as well as of 

 the repulsion evidenced by our dog, I quickly made 

 up my mind to at least make an attempt to kill the 

 animal. A heavy club was soon found with which to 

 begin the attack. MiSSEGARAl seeing that no praying 

 of his could detain me from the attempt withdrew 

 from the supposed scene of combat. His dog followed 

 him, his tail between his legs, and, sitting down 

 beside him, he followed all my movements with the same 

 intense watchfulness as that of his master. As yet the 

 serpent kept its head immovable above the thicket. I 

 cautiously drew near in order to reach it with my weapon 

 and to disable it with one well aimed blow; but in the 



