Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1841-11-06

Translated from The Spanish for tie Cincinnati
Republican.
Tho Yellow scrpent.- Discovery Of the Gu.
eco Plant.
orc hundred and fifty years since, mulaitc
slave followed the current Of the Orinoco, in the
vicinity of Guyana, and no, far from the place
where that river empties into the Atlantic ocean.
Wandering by chance many days in those no,
regions, the slave travelled with the uneasiness and
caution Of a man who, in the mids, of savannahs
sbounjng in poisonous reptiles, believes he might
rest his foot when least expected on The scaIy body
Vf serpent. He examined with much care ey y
tree each thcket Of brambles app, arej to hun
30 many shelters for wild beasts, where eneuhs >,
the color of which might bc confourded with lie
ioElgc lay in ambush. ..,.v;.,
Suddenly he paused he cast himself uron 10
efouna and pressed the Garth evcn 10 the ,ints of
his limbs Without motion relying on an Indian
fs ree the only defence he awaited the result of
what hc saw. Without the convulsivo treiabling
which egi.a,ed his body, any one would have be
l.erej that he was dead.
He had jus, seen the most terrible Of all the SER
lrnts whose is yet found in those regions. II
c"losSa! reptiles which, when sleeping Ihe banks
oi a iivcr or in the dense woods, presents to the
ta,cer the aspect Of he trunk OF u Tree, thrown to
tie ground by tempest
Neither did it possefs the gigantic prop tticns
which the European people so much admire when
they contemplate the skins stuffed with straw some
oi The kings of Ohio.
twas the Yellow Serpent
Whoever has seen its litteness, and examined its
thin body. could not believe tha, so weak reptile
could kill partridge, although its bite will kill
man in such a manner, that the wound being made
death ensues in less than three minutes.
The slave knew it and lrembed.
His mmobili,y was complete. For the whole
American empire he would not have dared TO raise
his eyes. lie would have given ten years Of bis
life to have found himself far from such friehtfu
cnemy. Neither did the serpent move. Ras,d up
in his coil he overlooked the grass Of the savannah
with his head dotted with spots OF the colr Of ocre
OF GLOW and ange; his eyes like velvet, and blue
the clouds of that region, sparklcd and appeared
u emit sparkes of fire like brilliant stone lie
hreathcd the air with youptousnoss, and Offered lit,
tic by little, every part OF his body to the burning
rays of the sun.
Fox man ignorant of the danger to stop in the
proximity OF This reptile, i, would be real pleasure
to contemplate its delicaleness, the expression Of
its eyes, and the grace ofits movements. The ser
pent did not delay long in beginning to leap, draw
ing in the air rapid circles, producing weak sound
n. -, ;,I N
scmbl,l more and more when he heard a strange
noise which he believed came from the grass, which
shook with force. His Imagination presented an
entire family ofserpents, ready to cast themselves
upon him. Fear obliged him to enlarge his sight,
What was his astonshment on seeing that the
p'nt sustained a terrible contest with a bird He
then knew that his life was not threatened, and
blessed heaven in the sequel disposing him TO fee ;
wien, seeing that the reptile had lost the greater
part of is vigor he wished to he present a, the end
of that strange combat.
His post was not now dangerous, and curiosity
detained him.
Tke combat continued with ferocity. The brd
kept in constan, motion his sharp talons, and woun
d'd the serpent deeply with hi. pointed bcaE.
The serpent being much exasperated, dragged il
self through the grass md divided the cir in oil G-
rectiors, spTcliing to its whole force and cunning
throwing himself towards the river to avoid the
blows of his enemy. But the bird followed him iu
the air wi'hou, stopping between the grass, to the
brink of tee river, aud attacked him with each time
with renewed rOge.
Ony now and then the bird granted the serpent,
kind of truce. II left the place of fcombat covered
with blood and few with rapidly to a shrub near
ty. lie picked some of the leaves, and swallowed
with haste some pieces of the bark of the same
tree, aud reiuInsl 10 the attack with the greatest
courage.
The slave observed all and could not conceive
how it was that the serpent almost dead, and
the bird tuil Of e III spite of having his body cJv-
cred with wounds. lie asked himself what species
of bird was venomous enough 10 kill the yellow sei-
rcnt; he was Lost in conjecture, aad believed him.
self to be in a dream.
No doubt remained; the serpent lay without mo-
tiun, being dead The bird also was cast down hi
wings hung down, and his respiration painful
he made an effort, few towards the shrub eat some
Of tbs leaves with singular voracity, shook hi,
wings and returned to the field Of battle he rese,
shoit time on the dead body of the serpent, clean
ing his bloody beak on his plumes, and, causing tn
air to rcsound with shout Of jy, directed hi