174 



WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA. 



cutlass from one of the negroes, and then ranging both 

 the sahle slaves behind me, I told them to follow 

 and that I would cut them down if they offered to fly. 

 I smiled as I said this, but they shook their heads in 

 silence, and seemed to have but a bad heart of it. 



When we got up to the place, the serpent had not 

 stirred, but I could see nothing of his head ; and I 

 judged by the folds [of his body that it must be at the 

 farthest side of his den. A species of woodbine had 

 formed a complete mantle over the branches of the 

 fallen tree, almost impervious to the rain or the rays of 

 the sun. Probably he had resorted to this sequestered 

 place for a length of time, as it bore marks of an 

 ancient settlement. 



I now took my knife, determining to cut away the 

 woodbine, and break the twigs in the gentlest manner 

 possible, till I could get a view of his head. 



Prepares to 



grapple with One negro stood guard close behind me with 



the Snake. ° , 



the lance; and near him the other with a 

 cutlass. The cutlass which I had taken from the first 

 negro was on the ground close by me in case of need. 



After working in dead silence for a quarter of an 

 hour, with one knee all the time on the ground, I had 

 cleared away enough to see his head. It appeared 

 coming out betwixt the first and second coil of the 

 body, and was fiat on the ground. This was the very 

 position I wished it to be in. 



I rose in silence and retreated very slowly, making 

 a sign to the negroes to do the same. The dog was 

 sitting at a distance in mute observance. I could now 

 read in the face of the negroes that they considered 

 this as a very unpleasant affair : and they made another 

 attempt to persuade me to let them go for a gun. I 



