Cap. XI 11. The Caribby-Iflanck 



For they relate, that in Great Tartary there are mountains 

 where may be feen Serpents of a prodigious bulk., but not ve- 

 nemous at all, nay they are good meat : And that in the 

 Kingdom of Syr fome of thefe Creatures have been feen 

 playing with children, who fed them with bread. It is faid 

 alfo, that in the Provinces of the Antes, in the Kingdom of 

 Peru, there are dreadful Snakes between 25 and 30 foot in 

 length, which never hurt any body. 



As to the Iflands of Martinico and S. Aloufia ft rs other- 

 wife 3 for there fome are not dangerous at alJ, others arc vf * \ 

 much fo : Thofe which are not, are bigger and longer then 

 the others 3 whence it comes, that thofe who know them 

 not are more afraid of them, then of fuch as fliould really 

 be feared : Yet do they not any harm 3 nay aflbon as they 

 perceive any body, they make all the hafre they can away j 

 which hath occafion'd their being call'd the fugitive Snakes, 

 They are alfo eafily diftinguiuYd from the others by the 

 black and white fpots on their backs. 



Of the dangerous Snakes there are two kinds : Some are 

 grey on the back, and to the feeling like velvet 5 others are 

 all yellow or red, and dreadful to look upon by reafon of that 

 colour, though they be not more dangerous, nay haply fefe 

 then the former. Both kinds are great lovers of rats, as 

 well as thofe without venome $ and when a Cott is much pe- 

 fter'd with rats, 'tis ftrange if there be not alfo Snakes a- 

 bout it. They are of different bignefs and length, and it is 

 conceiv'd the ftiorteft are moft to be feared: Their heads are 

 flat and broad, their jaws extrearnly wide, and arm'd with 

 eight teeth, and fometimes ten, whereof fome are forked like 

 a Crefcent, and fo (harp, that it is impoffible to imagine any 

 thing more: And thefe being all hollow, it is by that fmali 

 channel that they difperfe their poyfon, which lies in little 

 purfes on both fides of their throat, juft at the very roots of 

 their teeth : They never chew any thing they eat, but fwallow 

 it down whole after they have cruuYd and made it flat. Some 

 affirm, that if they did chew their food they would poyfon 

 themfelves, and that to prevent that they cover their teeth 

 with their gums when they take their nouriftiment. 



Thefe creatures are fo venemous in thofe two Iflands, that 

 when they have ftung any one, if there be not a prefent re- 

 medy immediately apply'd, the wound within two hours will 

 be incurable. All the commendation can be given them is 

 this, that they never fting any one if he do not touch either 

 them, or fomething on which they repofe themfelves. 



L 



LIZARDS. 



