Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-04-03
Snakes in Columbia.

On returning home through a large chocolate
plantation, the slave pointed out to us snake
coiled up and apparently asleep. told the
doctor, | should like to have a shot at him,
which did with my left barrel, in which | had
swan-shot, and only wounded him in the tall
The moment fired, he sprang up, and looked
round and espied us on which he came direct
ly towards us, sweeping along, his head erect,
and about three feet from the ground. We all
now began to be alarmed, and the doctor order
ed us to retire few yards behind large tree,
while he advanced to give him the contents of
two more barrels, which movement was immedi-
ateY executed; and when the snake was dis
tant ten yards the doctor and myself fired, and
cut him nearly in two, each barrel being loaded
with seven or eight small sIugs. We then
shouted victory and Mr.. Cade, and the rest of
our party who had retreated, being unarmed,
came up to us. We examined our fallen enemy.
and it proved to be snake called the aques
from having black cross, like an X, all along
its back This snake is considered by the Gre
oes one of the boldest and most yenomous in
South America. He measured about six feet
and half in length, and was as thick as my
wrist Had been aware that this had been so
bold and venomous a snake, certainly should
not have ventured to disturb his siesta the doc
tor stated that several persons in the province
had lost their lives from the bite of the aques,
and that he had often seen them considerably
larger.
In conversation l had with Colonel Mos
quera respecting the province of Buenaventura,
of which he was governor, he said, that there
was great many venomous snakes in the wood
and savannahs, and one particularly bold and
dreaded by the inhabitants, called the guascaina,
which frequently attains the length Of nine or
ten feet, and nine inches in diameter, The
gnascalna has the power of raising itself upright
by the aid of two fangs which he has below the
head, and in this position he waits for prey
near the roads and paths, darting with great We
locity ON anything that passes. A negro who
was Just married, and had been dancing the
whole night at his wedding, went early in the
morning short distance nto the wood, when
suddenly the people in the house were alarmed
by hearing him shrek dleadfully On going
to the spot, they found large guascaina had
seized him by the neck, They attacked the
snake with their manchettes and killed him ::
but the poor negro died of his wounds. Anoth.
er negro of that province had displayed conside r
able strength and courage when attacked by one
of these snakes. He seized him round the neck
with both hands, and prevented the monster from
biting him, roaring loudly for assistance to some
of his companions, who were at no great dis
tance cutting wood. Some of Of them ran with
their long knives, and soon ended the contest,
and the negro, by his wonderful presence Of
mind escaped being bitten.
These anecdotes were related to me by Col
Mosquera, who added, that IN travelling over the
mountains from the port Of Buenaven;ura tc
CALI, by road that is seldom traversed owing
to its dangerous passes, they killed twenty ser
! pents OF different species and sizes, and two OF
three of the black hunting snake, two of the
aques, and three of the coral, or orange and
black spotted snake. DIR. Rodriguez showed
me the skin of a large snake, which had pursu-
ed a negro-boy in the province of Choco, for q
considerable time and the boy, finding the
snake gaining upon him, leaPed into the river
and dived under water A negro who was al
work near the spot, heard the boys cries, and
ran to the river, when he saw the snake raising
himself up in the bushes, looking about for the
yonng negro he instantly attacked him with
his long knife, and killed him. This snake was
of the boa constructor kind. There is snake
in the valley of Cauca, which early in the morn
ing cackes like hen.
Soon after this, MS we were going to cross a
stream, we observed large snake swimming
towards lis and when he arrived near the bank
he stopped, apparently to watch our motions,
with his head and part of his body out of water
| then observed the black cross on his neck
and knew it was the snake called the aques. A