Ch. V. SOUTH AMERICA. 397 

 as fuddenly ruihes into them. But what is moft fur- 

 prizing here, is, that the creature thus killed, and 

 its coagulated blood, are eaten without any incon- 

 veniency. The moft powerful antidote to this ve- 

 nom is, immediately to ea£ fugar : but this fpecific,, 

 though often falutary, is not infallible, as feveral me- 

 lanchaly inftances have demonftrated. 



The borders and parts adjacent to this famous ri- 

 ver, as well as thofe contiguous to the others which 

 difcharge their waters into it^ abound with large and 

 k)fty trees, the wood of which is of different colours ; 

 fome white, others of a dark brown ; fome red, or 

 veined with variety of colours. Some of another 

 fpecies diftil balfams of an exquifite fragrancy, or 

 rare and medicinal gums j others are noted for their 

 delicious and falubrious fruits. Among thefe the 

 wild cacao, by the mere goodnefs of the foil, v/ithout 

 any culture, grows in the greateft plenty, and yields 

 fruit of a goodnefs equal to that in the jurifdidion of 

 Jean and Quixos. Here alfo are gathered great 

 quantities of farfaparilla, vanillas, and a bark called 

 declavo or cloves : for though it refembles cinnamon- 

 in appearance, except its colour which is fomething 

 darker, its tafle and fmell are very different, being 

 nearly the fame with that of the Eafl: India clove. 



As to quadrupeds, birds, reptiles, and infeds, they 

 are nearly the fame, and in as great numbers as thofe 

 already mentioned in the defcription of other hot 

 countries. One reptile of a very extraordinary na- 

 ture, and known only here and in the provinces of 

 New Spain, I fhall, as a conclufion of my account of 

 the Maranon, add a defcription of. 



In the countries watered by that vaft river, is bred 

 a ferpent of a frightful magnitude, and moft de- 

 leterious nature. Some, in order to give an idea of its 

 largenefs, affirm that it will fwallow any beaft whole 5 

 and that this has been the miferable end of many a 

 man. But what feems ftill a greater wonder, is the- 



attradtive: 



