EXPEDITION TO SURINAM. 195 



fo much as heaving a figh in her prefence which lall c H A P, 

 ihe fpoke with a fmile, next embraced her infant, then XXIV, 

 turned fuddenly round, and wept moft bitterly. — At this 

 moment I was called to Mr, de la Mare's, who was juft 

 dead, where my melancholy having furpaffed all defcrip- 

 tion, I at laft determined to weather one or two painful 

 years in her abfence ; and in the afternoon went to diili- 

 pate m^y mind at a Mr. Roux's cabinet of Indian curioli- 

 ties ; where, as my eye chanced to fall on a rattle-fnake, 

 I will before I leave the colony defcribe this dangerous 

 reptile. 



The rattle -Jnake of Surinam is fometimes eight or 

 nine feet long, and very thick about the middle, tapering 

 towards the neck and tail. The head is dreadfully de- 

 formed, being flat and broad, with two large noftrils 

 near the fnout, and a large fcale or knob like the alligator 

 above his eyes, which are jet-black and fparkling ; at the 

 extremity of the tail are feveral thin horny fliells joined 

 together, which are very dry, and which, v/hen irritated, 

 the animal fhakes, founding much like a rattle, from 

 which it derives its name, Thefe fliells augment, it is 

 Jaid, in the proportion of one every year, by which it is 

 fuppofed its age may be afcertained. This whole fnake 

 is covered over with fcales, which on the ridge of the 

 back it ere6l&. The colour is a dirty orange mixed with 

 'dark-brown and black fpots, which laft are aifo on its 

 head, appearing like velvet, and marked in a very confpi- 

 ;£uous manner ; the belly is afli-coloured,, v/ith tranfverfe 



C c s ^ ■ fcales:. 



