28 
An odd 
Story of a 
Serpent- 
catcher, 
dier belonging to the Garifon (common- 
ly known by the Name of the Serpent- 
Catcher^ being lent for by Mr. yimhony 
Pavilion Governor of Coromandel^ to 
take a certain Cy^re Capel^ that was in his 
Lodging-room \ he came accordingly, 
and with his Hat only before hisFace,laid 
hold with his other hand of the Serpent, 
without receiving the leafl: harm ^ he did 
handle the Creature afterwards in our 
Prefence, and not only carried it away 
in his Snapfack, but alfo ufed to fleep 
near it. I fufpeding fome Witchcraft 
in the matter, talk'd to him ferioufiy a- 
bout it i but he allured me, that nothing 
was done but by natural means, and that 
he always carried the Head and Heart of 
a Serpent about him : wherewith i was 
forced to reftfatisfy'd, he being not wil- 
ling to difcover the whole Myllery. 
Among the Inhabitants of the Coafl; of 
Coromandd, and the Cingalefes and Mala- 
hars^ are certain Fellows, who have an 
Art of making the Serpents Hand up- 
right and dance before them, which they 
perform by certain enchanting Songs. 
T'hofe that are to take an Oath in thofe 
parts, put one of their Hands into an 
Earthern Veflel, wherein is a Serpent : 
if they efcape without being wounded, 
they are fuppofed to fwear true j but if 
not, on the contrary. 
Remedies Upon this Occafion I can't forget to 
*j^<z/n/??fe mention fome Remedys ufed againftthe 
stings of 5jj„g5 gerpeuts. Firft of all it is re. 
quilue to bind the affeded Part above 
and below the Wound, to prevent the 
Poifon from being communicated to the 
Mafs of Blood, and afterwards hold it 
over or as near to the Flame as it is pof- 
fible. 1 would have every body that 
goes to the Eafi- Indies^ to provide him- 
felf v/ith fome Orvietan^ Jheriac^ Mithri- 
date^ Confedion of Alkermes^ Balfam of 
Peru^ Rue,^ Scordium^ Scorzomra^ jingeUc^ 
and Contrahierva Roots, thefe being 
great Cordials and Antidotes. 
They muft keep to a cooling Diet, and 
avoid purging and bleeding, but inftead 
thereof make ufeof bathing to open the 
Pores of the Body. The Peel of Lem- 
ons or Citrons taken frefii from the Tree, 
is accounted an excellent Remedy, and 
fading Spittle applied to the Wound, 
If you can take the Serpent that has giv- 
en the Wound, bruife the Head, and ap- 
ply it to the affeded part. However the 
Jdderfione furpafresall the reft, but is of- 
ten adulterated. The right one raifes no 
Bubbles upon the Water, and fticks clofe 
to the Lips, if put to the Mouth. 
The Serpents of Ceylon are not altoge- 
SerpentSo 
ther fo large as thofe of Java and Banda\'. 
at Batavia there was once taken a Ser- 
pent, which had fwallowed an entire 
Stag of a large Size j and one taken at 
Banda hcid done the fame v. itha Negro 
Woman, 
Belides thefe Serpents, Ceylon produ- 
ces feveral forts of other crawling Crea- 
tures, as Tbouf and Feet ^ caWed MiUepie by 
the Portuguefes^ which are fometimes 7 
Inches long ^ Scorpions, Spiders of a pro- 
digious Bignefs, Frogs, Tortoifes, Toads, 
&i: Ceylon alfo affords divers precious Prec'ms 
Stones, as Saphirs^ Rubies, Topaz.es, Gra- Stones. 
natSy &c. Some fay it alfo produces 
Gold, Silver, Iron, and other Metals, 
but that their Kings will not allow thefe 
Mines to be dug. This feems not impro- 
bable, it being certain that Iron has been 
bought out of the Country. It affords 
alfo Ghryftal in abundance. The Com- ^-"""T-f " 
modities chiefly vented here by the For- /j^J" 
tugmfes^ were colour'd Stuffs of all forts, 
Velvets, Silks, Red Caps, Porcelain Spi- 
ces, Amfira ox Opium, China Koot, Cam- 
phyr. Musk, Sandel wood, Lead, Cop- 
per, Tin, Saltpeter, Brimftone, gilt 
Looking- GlafFes, glafs Bottles, painted 
Callicoes of Suratte and Coromandel, all 
which are ftill in vogue here, 
Thelfleof Ceylon has befides Fifhj fe- 
veral Products of the Sea. Of the 
Pearls and Pearl-fifhery we have fpoken 
before, in the Defcription of Tutecoryn. 
Ambergreefe is found here fometimes near Amb^r- 
the Sea-lhore, in good large pieces and gfeefr, 
of the beft kind : they call it Panaham- 
bar in the Maldive Iflands. This preci- 
ous Drug was altogether unknown to 
Hippocrates, Diofcorides and Galen, and to 
this day its true Origin is a Riddle to us j 
tho fome will have it to be the Seed of the its Origin. 
Whales, others a certain fine Earth, o- 
thers a certain Pitch or Rofm, grow- 
ing at the bottom of the Sea, and for- 
ced thence to the Shore by Terapefts. 
Certain it is, that it is generally found 
after ftormy Weather. Mr. John Huy- 
gan njan Linfchoten mentions a piece of 
Ambergreefe, taken up near the C^J'j'e Co - 
moryn, 1555, which weighed 30 Quin- 
tals. It's faid, that the Birds are very 
fond of the Scent of it, and the Prints of 
the Bills of Birds have fometimes been 
perceived in the Amber, and is accounted 
a certain Sign of its Goodnefs. 
Mr. Rocheford in his Natural Hiftory of 
the American I/lands, fays, that the 
ber there, when firft taken, has fo naufeous 
a Scent, that the Birds are drawn to- 
wards it 83 by the Smell of a Carrion : 
He fays, it fmells like rank Bacon. 
* The 
