22 THE START [chap, i 



raca, or fer-de-lance, which was accordingly done. The 

 jararaca was about three feet and a half or perhaps 

 nearly four feet long — that is, it was about nine inches 

 shorter than the mussurama. The latter, which I con- 

 tinued to hold in my arms, behaved with friendly and 

 impassive indifference, moving easily to and fro through 

 my hands, and once or twice hiding its head between 

 the sleeve and the body of my coat. The doctor was 

 not quite sure how the mussurama would behave, for it 

 had recently featen a small snake, and unless hungry it 

 pays no attention whatever to venomous snakes, even 

 when they attack and bite it. However, it fortunately 

 proved still to have a good appetite. 



The jararaca was alert and vicious. It partly coiled 

 itself on the table, threatening the bystanders. I put 

 the big black sei-pent down on the table four or five 

 feet from the enemy and headed in its direction. As 

 soon as I let go with my hands it glided toward 

 where the threatening, formidable-looking lance-head 

 lay stretched in a half-coil. The mussurama displayed 

 not the slightest sign of excitement. Apparently it 

 trusted little to its eyes, for it began to run its head 

 along the body of the jararaca, darting out its flickering 

 tongue to feel just where it was, as it nosed its way up 

 toward the head of its antagonist. So placid were its 

 actions that I did not at first suppose that it meant to 

 attack, for there was not the slightest exhibition of 

 anger or excitement. 



It was the jararaca that began the fight. It showed 

 no fear whatever of its foe, but its irritable temper was 

 aroused by the proximity and actions of the other, and 

 like a flash it drew back its head and struck, burying 

 its fangs in the forward part of the mussurama's body. 

 Immediately the latter struck in return, and the counter- 



