I 



400 A V 0 Y A G E t O Book VL 



taftrophe. Thcfe particulars, if thoroughly confi- 

 dered, feem mere fables : as indeed the learned M. 

 de la Condamine intimates and the very circum- 

 flances with which they are decorated, increafe their 

 improbability. 



But, in my opinion, with a little alteration in the 

 circumftances, what feems to fhock credibility, will 

 appear natural and founded on truth, 

 . That its breath is of fuch a quality as to pro- 

 duce a kind of inebriation in thole whom it reaches, is 

 far from being impoffible; the urine of the fox is 

 well known to have the fame effe6l ; and the breath 

 of the whale is frequently attended with fuch an in- 

 fupportable foeror as to bring on a diforder in the 

 brain. 1 therefore fee no manner of difficulty in ad- 

 mitting that the breath of this ferpent may be of that 

 intoxicating quality attributed to it ; and may be con^ 

 fider-ed as an expedient for catching its prey, as other- 

 ivife the creature, from the flow movement of its 

 body, would be utterly incapable of providing itfelf 

 with food ; whereas, by this deleterious fm.ell, the 

 animal may be thrown into fuch horror and perplexity, 

 as to be unable to move, but remain fixed like a 

 ftatue, or faint av/ay, whilft the fnake gradually ap- 

 proaches and feizes it. As to what is related of cut- 

 ting the breath, and that the danger is limited to the 

 diredtion in which the ferpent breathes ; thefe are 

 tales, which to believe, would imply an utter ignorance 

 of the origin and progrefs of odours. In fhort, the 

 vulgar errors, propagated by thefe rude nations, have 

 gained credit among the Spaniards, merely becaufe 

 none has had the curiofity or refolution to put them 

 to the tell of experience* 



CHAP- 



