150 



SNAKES. 



prosperity of our voyage, in which their 

 emulation in striving who should name the 

 greatest number of saints, whether canon- 

 ized by the church, or by themselves, was 

 highly diverting. The river continued very 

 difficult, and we made little progress, al- 

 though the men worked well. We saw 

 several snakes hanging on the boughs of 

 the trees, whither they seem to retire to 

 sleep, being secure from their enemies; at 

 one of them a boga struck with his pole, 

 and knocked it into the fire-place of our 

 champan. The patron, who was sitting in 

 the stern, and knew the reptile to be of 

 the most venomous kind, under the impulse 

 of terror leaped on the toldo, whilst the 

 reptile, finding its quarters much too warm, 

 made a spring which carried it into the 

 water, and relieved us from our apprehen- 

 sions. We slept this night alongside the 

 river, but enjoyed little rest, from the mul- 

 titudes of musquitoes which assailed us. 



