Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1841-11-10
Translates from the Spanish.l
The Yellow Serpent---DiscOVery of
the Ounce Plant.

the vicinity of Guyana, and not far from the
place where that river emplies into the Allan
tic Ocean.
Wandering by chance many days in those
hot regions, the slave travelled with the uneaSl-
ness aud caution of man who, in the midst OF
savannahs aboundlng in poisonous reptiles, be-
Iieres he might rest his foot, when least ex-
pecled. on the scaly body OF a serpent He ex-
ainined with much care every tree; each thick
ct of bramhies appeared to him as many shell
ters for wild beasts, where enemies, the color
of which might be confounded with the foliage,
lay in ambush
Suddenly he paused: he cast himself upon
The ground, and pressed the earth even TO the
Joints of his limbs Without motion, relying on
the Indian fg-lree as the only defence, he
awaited the result of what he saw Without
the convuIsive trembling which agitated his
body, any one would have believed that he was
dead
He had Just seen the most terrible Of all the
serpents, whose race is yet found in those re-
sions. 1t was not certainly monsrous animal
-one of those colossal reptiles which, when
sleeping on the banks of river, or in the dense
woods, presents 10 the traveller the aspect Of the
trunk of tree, thrown 10 the ground by tem-
pest.
Neither did it possess the gigantic proper
lions which the European people so much ad-
mire when they contemplate the skins stuffed
with straw of some Of the kings Of Ohio.
1t was The Yellow Serpent
Whoever has seen It's litteness, and exam
ined its thin body, could not believe that so
weak reptile could kill a partridge, although
lis bite will kill man in such manner that,
the wound being made, death ensues in less
than three minutes.
The slave knew II and trembled.
His immobiIy was complete. For the whole
American empire he would not have dared TO
raise his ewes He would have given ten
years Of his life to have found himself far from
such frightful enemy. Neither did the SER
pent move. Raised up in his coil he overlook
ed the grass Of the savannah with his head
dotted with spots Of the color of ochre, Of yell
low and orange his eyes, like velvet and blue
as the clouds Of that region, sparkled and ap-
peared to emit sparkles of fire like brilliant
stone He breathed the air with volupluous-
ness, and offered, little by little, every part Of
his body TO the bnrnng rays OF the sun.
For man ignorant of The danger 10 stop in
the proximity Of this reptile, it would be a real
pleasure TO contemplate its delicateness, the
expression of its eyes, and the grace of its
movements. The serpent did not delay long
in beginning to leap, drawing in the air rapid
circles, producing weak sound like silk COM
ing in contact with d wall The slave irem-
bled more and more, when he heard a strange
noise which he believed came from the grass,
which shook with force. His Imagination pre-
scented an entire family of serpents, ready 10
cast themselves upon him. Fear obliged him
to enlarge his sight. What was his asonish
ment on seeing that the serpent sustained a ter
GbIe contest with bird! He then knew that
his life was not threatened, and blessed Heav-
en-, in the sequel dispOslng him TO flee when,
seeing that the reptile had lost the greater part
of lis vjgor, he wished TO be present at the end
of that strange combat.
His post was not now dangerous, and curl
OsIly detained him.
The combat continued with ferocity. The
bird kept in constant motion his sharp talons,
and wounded The serpent deeply with his point
ed beak
The serpent, being much exasperated, drag
ged itself through The grass, and divided the air
in all directions, appealing 10 lis whole force
and cunning, throwing himself toward the river
TO avoid the blows of his enemy. But the bird
followed him in the air without stopping between
the grass, TO the brink Of The river, and attack
ed him each time with renewed rage.
Only now and then the bird granted the SER
pent kind of truce. 1t left the place of com
bat covered with blood, and flew with rapidity
to shrub near by. He picked some Of the
leaves, and swallowed with haste some pieces
of bark of the same tree, and returned To the
attack with the greatest courage
The slave observed ak, and could not con
ceive how i: was that the serpent was almost
dead, and the bird full of life in spite of having
his body covered with wounds. He asked him- /
self what species of bird was venomous enough
10 kill the yellow serpent: he was lost in con-
lecture, and believed himself to be in dream. |
No doubt remained: the serpent lay without
notion being dead. The bird also was cast
lown-his wings hung down, and his respira-
ion was painful; he made an effort, flew toward
he shrub, eat some of the leaves with singular |
voracily, shook his wings and returned TO the !
field of battle; he rested short lime on the