A Formidable Monster. 
165 
the Indians: they even spied out a snake lying coiled up upon one of the 
branches, which I only discovered after a hard try. A shot from my 
gun brought it down from its height fast enough, but not as fast into the 
corial, for none of my people would agree to drag it into the boat, al- 
though it was quite a harmless Herpetodryas lincatus Schleg. I accord- 
ingly had to do the job myself, but when I stuck the spoil in the cask 
tilled with spirits, their compassionate laughter never wanted to cease. 
A small flotilla of corials that we met during the afternoon spread 
unusual liveliness over the stream. It was Warraus who had come here 
to catch Morocotu or Osibu ( Myletvs ) a very tasty tish that is invariably 
caught in great numbers on its way up to spawn at the Falls of the 
Barium where it regularly betakes itself during the rainy season. For 
a bait that the fish can hardly withstand the Indians use the crushed-up 
seeds of Carapa guianensis which they pack into lumps wound round 
with thin bush-rope and, tied to a string, throw into the water. Numbers 
of tish soon collect round these packages, and now is the time for the 
sharp-sighted spear-thrower to pick out the best amongst them for his 
never-erring aim. The Warraus, as well as ourselves, bartered a large 
quantity of the catch they had won, an acquisition on which we congratu- 
lated ourselves all the more in tlm evening when, on arrival at dementi’s 
place, we found the occupants left behind completely out of provisions. 
Though our needs were checked for the time with the tish our anxieties 
were nevertheless further increased by the prospect presented in the 
course of the following day, when Caberalli assured us that his place 
would be the first settlement we should touch at. 
570. Mr. King and I already anticipated the cursing and swearing 
in which the Negroes would indulge when they found their usual travel- 
ling rations diminishing, perhaps at last altogether disappearing, and 
accordingly prepared ourselves for many a. hard struggle that without 
doubt we would have to share. With prospects thus clouded, we said 
good-bye next morning to the oft-times cursed chatterbox dementi, 
bought up the whole of the provisions available, and resumed our journey 
in the hope that our supplies would perhaps be replenished by fish or 
game. During the course of the afternoon when my corial was somewhat 
behind, I noticed the paddlers in front suddenly point to a spot on the 
riverside and, gesticulating wildly, pull out into the middle of the 
stream as fast as they could. Impelled by curiosity, I ordered my men 
to pull harder, and soon learning the cause of the commotion through a 
cry of “Snake,” had all my work cut out to prevent them making off 
at top speed. The huge brute lay coiled like an anclior-rope upon a thick 
branch of a tree projecting over the water where it was sunning itself. 
I had already seen many a large Boa murina ( Eunectcs murinus Wagl.), 
the Comudi of the Colonists, but never yet a specimen of such size. I 
struggled long within myself, being undecided whether I should take it 
or pass by and leave it. All the awful pictures that had been painted 
for my benefit concerning the mighty strength of these snakes, and that 
had made me tremble as a boy, were now called to miml, and the repre- 
sentations of the Indians that if not mortally wounded at the first shot, 
this reptile would without doubt seize and easily upset the corial in its 
