134 NARRATIVE OF AN 



CHAP. In lefs than a minute the man's leg began to fwell, when 

 _ - ' t he was feized with excruciating pains, and foon fell into 

 convulfions. One of his companions, having killed the 

 fnake, made the patient drink its gall, mixed with half a 

 glafs of fpirits, which I gave him. He feemed now (per- 

 haps from imagination) to bear his misfortune better ; 

 but the fits foon returned with increaling violence, and 

 he was inftantly fent to his matter's plantation, where he 

 expired. That the gall of adders, externally applied, 

 is efficacious, I have often heard. In the Grand Maga- 

 zine for April 1758, may be feen a letter, figned J. H. 

 and dated 24th March, which treats fyftematically of the 

 application of gall. But thefe inveftigations I muft leave 

 to the learned of the medical profeffion ; and only ob- 

 ferve, in general, that the fmaller the fnake, at leaft in 

 Guiana, the more fatal the poifon ; as is juflly and beau- 

 tifully obferved by Thomfon : 



«f ■ But ftill more direful he 



The fmall, clofe -lurking minifter of fate, 

 " Whofe high concofted venom through the veins 

 " A rapid lightning darts, arrefting fwift 

 " The vital current." 



In this graffy wildernefs one of the rangers alfo killed 

 a fnake, called the whip-fnake, from its refemblance to 

 that inftrument ; it was about five feet long, and not very 

 much thicker than a fwan's quill; the belly white, and 

 the back a lead colour : concerning its bite, I can fay 



nothing. 



