XIV 
SNAKES 
* 4 i> 
black and white snake suddenly sprang out of the 
grass bordering the track and bit one of my men in 
the hip. As my man was of more importance to me 
than elephants, I immediately gave up the pursuit 
and, opening up his wound with a sharp pen-knife to 
let the blood flow, injected permanganate of potash 
all around the bite with a hypodermic syringe that I 
always carry on my person for such occasions. 
Though incapacitated for some days, the man 
completely recovered from the effects of the poison. 
This snake is called, by the Angoni, uwanjah, and 
by the Mwera, cheringulabunda. It is a small, 
hooded snake, varying in length from eighteen 
inches to two feet, and is extremely venomous, the 
natives saying that, unless the bite is treated, death 
occurs within an hour or so. 
There is a species of African snake, about 
eighteen inches in length and of the thickness of a 
man’s middle finger, which somewhat resembles a 
puff-adder in appearance and is called iperi tonga. 
It is most venomous, and if you come upon it by 
chance in the path, it will not attempt to escape, like 
the ordinary snake, but will show fight. The puff- 
adder, on the other hand, is not aggressive unless 
disturbed or accidentally trodden upon, and often 
gives warning of its presence by a hissing sound not 
unlike that made by a gander. 
I n addition to the above-mentioned snakes, I 
