402 



SNAKES. 



ning up a bank as I passed along. One after- 

 noon I had a visit with which I could have well 

 dispensed. I happened to look up whilst sitting 

 in my hammock, and saw one of these reptiles, 

 lying quite still upon the top of the wall of the 

 room, in the opening which is formed by the 

 supporters of the roof that rest upon it. I 

 seized a pike, and ran it into the snake, thus 

 rivetting it to one of the beams of the roof, 

 whilst I called to some person to assist me in 

 killing it ; but its writhing was so violent, that 

 it soon liberated itself, and fell from the wall on 

 the outside, where several persons waited for it. 

 The people who were present did not know 

 whether it was of the caninana or papa ovo (egg- 

 eater) species, as these are much like to each 

 other. The former is accounted venomous, and 

 the latter is by many persons supposed to be 

 harmless. Both are of a gray colour above, and 

 yellow underneath. The snake which we killed 

 was about four feet in length. 



The caninana is likewise sometimes called the 

 flying-snake, as it has the power of springing to 

 a considerable distance. It usually lies entwin- 

 ing the branch of a tree, and from thence 

 darts down upon those who may molest it. The 

 cobra d'agua, or water-snake, was often to be 

 seen in the rivulet which runs just below the 

 dwelling-house of Jaguaribe ; it is sometimes 

 eight or ten feet in length, and of the thickness 



