178 EVERYDAY LIFE ON A 



say that I have myself such perfect faith in this 

 cure, that were I bitten by a snake on this 

 Estate, I don't think I should even feel 

 frightened. It is a great pity for the sake of 

 humanity that some scientific man does not 

 investigate the subject. It is quite conceivable 

 and reasonable to suppose that living for 

 generations in close proximity to venomous 

 serpents, as natives of India have done, the 

 accumulated wisdom of ages may have dis- 

 covered an antidote in some substance, veget- 

 able or otherwise, unknown or untested by 

 Europeans. One thing I may mention is that 

 the natives do not believe in the use of a 

 ligature* or anything that impedes free circu- 

 lation, and if one has already been put, they at 

 once remove it. Also the remedy must be 

 applied at once, otherwise it cannot be expected 

 to have the desired effect. 



October 5th. — At this season of the year 

 there is little doing on the Estate, excepting the 

 usual routine of weeding — attending to stock — 

 clearing out drains preparatory to the burst of 

 the N.E. monsoon — holeing for supplies, and 

 this year, cutting off many dead branches, and 

 even dead trees, the result of the long drought 

 from which we have been suffering. Happily 



* In the case of a snake-charmer that I saw bitten and 

 cured a ligature was used for a few moments, perhaps this is 

 done when the curative agent is a snakestone. 



