398 
ITawaki Chased by a Bush-Master. 
such a Maggiibiii'ugua dies, Iii« spirit A\aiuleis aiouud for ever in an 
uuinliabited abandoned and infertile district, but tliat of tlie CJagguburu- 
gua lives in the air above its former village and quarters. 
1,001. I was interested in noticing that the Arawaks prepare a salt 
from the Weyra ( difftn-ent species of Fodostemcae) . They boil this 
water-plant in water with the result that a crystalline salty brown 
sediment is deposited, Avhich they use as a substitute for the real article. 
l,00ll. Here again somewhere about a mile from the settlement a 
sandy flat with low isolated bush extended in between the mighty forest. 
The flora corresponded entirely with that of the (Sandhills, upon Avhich 
the glorious BiirUngtonia Candida^ but on the small creeks in the en- 
virons of Golden Hill the pretty Himtleya sessiJiflora Batem. were pres- 
ent in considerable quantity. On ray first excursion with an Indian 
companion Ave Avere following a small pad in the forest when all of a 
sudden right in front of us a nuirsupial {IJidcJ phys) , the YaAvari of the 
Arawaks, crossed it as hard as it could go, closely folloAved l)y a big 
snake Avhich I at once recognised as the terrible bush-master (Lachesi^ 
rhomheata) . The whole scene took me so by surprise that I forgot all 
alK)ut discharging my Aveapon at the <S to 10 feet long reptile. As the for- 
est was free from all undergrowth, Ave had an unobstructed vIcaa' of the 
pursuit. Exhausted, scared to death, and probably already chased for 
some considerable time, the yawari climbed up an old stump Avhere it 
remained squatting as if bcAvitched and stared at its ]>ursner tliat had 
caught up Avith it : the snake I'olled itself in a s])iral out <»f Avhich it rais- 
ed its head higher and higher and, as if conscious of the impossibility of 
its prey escaping, slowly prepared foi- ;i deadly spring. Had T met both 
the animals in this situation. T shouhl have belieA'cd in the inarvellous 
fascination Avhich poisonous snakes arc alleged to exei-cise upon their 
victims. The poor marsupial had Avon my complete sympathy, and in 
spite of the entreaties and AAarning of the Indian, Avho when he saAv I 
proposed making the attempt, took to his heels, I sneaked u]> to Avithin 
twenty paces of the two animals, and gaA'e the snake tlie contents of both 
barrels. As the smoke cleared, my eyes sought the yaAvari in vain, for 
the stump was clear : the snake, hoAvever, taking some short circular 
turns, Avas squirming so convulsively amidst the falk'n foliage that 
leaves and sticks flew high into the air and, as it had not been mortally 
shot, made its escape. While about to reload my gun it occurred to 'me 
for the first time that my Indian Avho had just cleared out had the 
hunting pouch and ammunition with him. After shouting a long while 
he finally answered me from the far distance, and so a considerable 
time elapsed before he was again at my side. I could not prevail upon 
him to help me search for the wonuded brute, the tracks of AA'hich Avere 
noAv lost, and it Avas too dangerous for me to look for it by myself, hoAV- 
ever keen I might have l»een to secure such an unusually large specimen 
for my collection. 
1,003. The environs of Golden Hill Avere generally fairly rich in 
snakes: I found three species of the genus Dipsas alone, D. leucocephala 
Sehl, which is considered esjiecially poisonous. D.WeigeUi Fitz. and 
Z>. pavonina Cuy. 
