SOUTH AMERICA. 
193 
found I was not heavy enough. He did so, and third 
the additional weight was of great service. I had ° URNE 
now got firm hold of his tail; and after a violent 
struggle or two, he gave in, finding himself over¬ 
powered. This was the moment to secure him. 
So, while the first negro continued to hold the lance 
firm to the ground, and the other was helping me, 
I contrived to unloose my braces, and with them 
tied up the snake’s mouth. 
The snake now finding himself in an unpleasant 
situation, tried to better himself, and set resolutely 
to work, but we overpowered him. We contrived 
to make him twist himself round the shaft of the 
lance, and then prepared to convey him out of the 
forest. I stood at his head, and held it firm under 
my arm, one negro supported the belly, and the 
other the tail. In this order we began to move 
slowly towards home, and reached it after resting 
ten times; for the snake was too heavy for us to 
support him without stopping to recruit our strength. 
As we proceeded onwards with him, he fought hard 
for freedom, but it was all in vain. The day was 
now too far spent to think of dissecting him. Had 
I killed him, a partial putrefaction would have taken 
place before morning. I had brought with me up 
into the forest a strong bag, large enough to contain 
any animal that I should want to dissect. I con¬ 
sidered this the best mode of keeping live wild 
animals when I was pressed for daylight; for the 
bag yielding in every direction to their efforts, they 
would have nothing solid or fixed to w T ork on, and 
o 
