New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1842-06-15
SERPENT HUNTING;
An ADVENTURE ~ SOUTH AMERICA.


The Yves, India Islands, that land OF magnihccnce
and discomfort aud from all tina, had beard
there and more particularly from what came under
ms own observation, can truly affirm that to- Eu-
ropeans In general ills land rcple'e with novelty
and interest. aud to writers both OF hcticn and
truth, field IN which they rnny reap an abundant
harvest of reputation. | at length found myself al
Barbados, without an, fixed resolution either to
return or proceed farther on in my wand"rlngs.-
In such wavering aud unsettled state OF mind
liule matter will sometimes turn the scale. | had
carried a letter toa gentleman OF the island with
whom formed most agreeable acquaintance
ship; and in consequence ot the description he
gave me OF the coast OF South America wa, IN
duced 10 form the resolution Of whiting at least a
pat Of that country before should think of bend
ing my course homcwards. Being furnished by
him with letter. to individuals who
might be OF service to me, took passage in
ship bound to Den-rara and after Il voyage in no
degree remarkable for shormess or novelty, land
ed there IN safety. viii not stop here 10 de-
scribe all saw Suffice IL 10 say, that having
viewed all considered worthy Of being noticed
set off across the country deliver of the let
tiers carried with me to a gentleman from whose
attention and knowledge | had been assured
should obtain much information. After a Journey
of some days. | reached the place. and consider
was received with a degree of warmth aud kisd-
ness | could scarcely have anticipated The es
tate or rather plantation, on which had been so
kindly invited to take up my residence ior some
time and where | had resolved 10 spend few
weeks in examining the local scenery and curosis
ties, lay upon the banks of river thal comes
down from the mountains OF Guiana. Mr. Helm
vault (thc proprietary although the supcrntend
cncc OF his estate occupied . great part of hi,
time contrived to devote no inconsidcruhe por-
ton of it to my amusement. Accompanied by u
couple Of servants, aud C.v.ar, shrcwd aud
tive negro whs held the post Of hunter Ia TER
sonagc not only useful but even nccessar, To those
who reside on colonial estates distant from any
town, many oi the delcacies oi the table are
furnished by him. we made frequent excursion.
up the country, and committed occasionally sad
havoc among the quadrupcds and fealhercd tribes
with which that region abOund,. At other times
we manned couple Of canoes, and descending The
river employed ourselves in fishing excursions.
or in taking "a shot nj such birds as uuiortunatCy
for themselves came within range Of pieces.
Those who acquainted with the general APP
pearance and topography of the northern coast at
South America, know well that from the flatncs>
Of the country As it approaches The sea. many nv
crs Of considerable magidtuic divide themselves
into numerous streams canals, before ming ling
their waters with those Of the ocean. The dcas
or islands formed by these streams are sometime,
of or, at extent, consisting, like most of that coast.
Of marshy savannah land. partly bare, and part
Nv Ovcrrun by tall reeds AMI canes, other aquatic
plants. In the thick and almost impcrvious reccs-
ses Of these reptile. of varou, kind. often find
retreat. from which they occasionally emerge in
search Of their prey The ,team> are in many
places ircqucn,cd by aquatic birds Of The most va.
riegated aud beautiful pumagc, aud the water. of-
ford several kinds Of fish. which from their dclicu-
cy and flavor, amply repay the labor employed in
taking them.
had been informed, both by Mr. Hcinyaut and
Cusar, that .erpents of great size had been irc-
qucn,ly seen by them crossing the agoons from one
island to another, and that by gtcat cNerton, and
not without difficulty. they had succeeded in de-
stroying few. | confess | had been for
time anxious ,o discover one of these reptiles not
that wished a close connection with it--far from
il. The little had seen cf them had given me
aversion To them and this feeling much hight
encd bv the numerous stories | bad heard of their
fearful powers of destruction aud deslutirion. ]
had no objections however. To view one NJ dis
t,ncc, " dragging its slow trembling length along.
Bat in all our excursion, nothing of this Kind vas
to Ice seen, and had begun to conceive some Ia
tent suspicious that Mr. licinynult and Cesar had
little exaggerated the number aud sire of the
reptiles the, had sccu and destroyed But an adj
venture soon after this beiel me. which made me
entirely change my opinion OF their Neraciiy, and
convinced me that thcr account rather fell >hor'
of th,n cxceeded the truth. Occasionally when
pressing business detained Mr.. licinyauli AT hi,
plantation. or called him to a distance, and when
found time hang heavy upon nv hands. Cesar
was AWAY. willing to mlunlcer his services IL my
guide and assistant in any rambes which wished
to undertake; and clever and active fellow | in.
deed tonad him. lie was capital shot, an1 me-
qua!ied IN the success with which he co.trycd 10
hook his hsh when not oac would look AZ the bait
belonging to another
onc day, about two or three wool. orcr NV. ,r
rival, Mr.. lieinNaul, informed me tina, bs 49,, mn,
de, the necessity of going To plnn,a,,o, a, .,,,
abou; ten miles. and a the way laS partlv ,h,,,i
the woods. ard tracklc>s ssyannahs he w,s ,iI;a.l
10 take Cesar with him. he being he only an. 49,,
the estate who had thorough knowledge of m.
way, and who, from his dex;crn and ad1rcs.
proved useful and agreeable attendant. lie adj.
dcd, tina, he should ~ hack carl, in the after.
noon. and tina, il wished to take stroll. or ~
an tic water. any of the rest Of hi> people should
be a, my disposal Alter NJ. llcinvau't bad rode
away. stroled about the plantation an hour oi
tw' looking at every thin. t, ama.r myself; bu,
sct'ins terribly wcaried with doiu. uo;hinc told
one ot the people to get the lines ready, for il
was my intention To 90 out a-.shins for some time
the Gay being rather warm and sultr, Cor criay.
Ing shooting excursion. These being soon
rcady, | likewise sent for NY gun. and dtclinin.
the offer he made To sttca- me- pushed oui
into the stream, and dropped slowly down the
river. The current being very slow. WAS
while in reaching the place where the river
branches on into number of streams guided
my canoe into one of those in which had for.
merly been along with Cesar, and where our sport