Ch. V. SOUTH AMERICA. 599 



cidents to inVeftigate the caufe, in order to come at 

 the knowledge of its properties^ which it is difficult to 

 afcertain, unlefs fupported by undoubted experiments. 

 Not that I would offer my opinion as a decifive rule ; 

 I defire that the judgement of others may declare for 

 that which appears moft conformable to truth. I 

 would alfo further acquaint the reader, that I only 

 fpeak from the teftimony of thofe who have feen this 

 famous ferpent, having never myfelf had an opportu- 

 nity of examining it with my own eyes. 



First, it is faid, that this ferpent, in the length and 

 thicknefs of its body, very much refembles the trunk 

 of an old tree, whofe roots have for fome time ceafed 

 to convey the ufual nouriiliment ; and that on every 

 part of it grows a kind of mofs like that feen on the 

 bark of wild trees. This is accounted for by the duft 

 and mud adhering to it; and alternately moiftened 

 and dried by the water and fun. This forms a flight 

 cruft over the thick fcales ; and this cruft is increafed 

 by the fluggifhnefs and flow motion of the ferpent; 

 which, unleis when forced by hunger to go in queft 

 of food, continues motionlefs in one place for feveral 

 days together ; and even then its motion is atmoft 

 imperceptible, leaving a track like that of a log ot 

 timber drawn along the ground. 



Its breath is afferted to be of fuch a nature as to caufe 

 a kind of drunkennefs or flupidity in man or beaft, 

 which has the misfortune of being within the bounds 

 of its adivity *, and thus caufes the animal involun- 

 tarily to move till it unhappily comes within the reach 

 of the ferpent, which immediately fwallows it. This 

 is the vulgar report; and it is added, that the only 

 method of averting the danger, is on firfl feeling the 

 breath to cut it, that is, to flop it by the interpofition 

 of another body, which haftily intervening, cuts the 

 current of the blaft and diffipates it. Thus the per- 

 fon, who was moving on to certain deftru6tion, is en- 

 abled to take another path, and avoid the fatal ca- 



^aftrophe. 



