Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1851-09-20
A BATTLE WITH SNAKES.

| ICId'llg w SeTpeHIS seems 10 nave acquired
additional interest. Many facts regarding
the nature and habits of the various species
have been published, afording much in-
formation and still greater as,onishment
Wateron, in his "Wanderngs in South
America and the Antilles, in 1Sl2-24," re-
Iates some stories Of so marvellous Il charac-
ter that coming from less authentic source
their truth might reasonably be doubted.
While in the region of the Mibri Hill
Mr.. Wacrton long sought in vain for a SER
pent of large size, and finally offered re-
ward TO the negroes if they would find him
one. few days afterwards one of the ma
tives, followed by his little dog, came TO
him with information that snake of respec-
table dimensi sions had been discovered "A
short distance up the hill and armed with
all eight feet lance, and accompanied by
two negroes with culasses and The dog, he
at once started 10 take a look at it. Mr.
Wateron states that he was barefoot with
aud old hat, check shirt and irowsers on,
aud pair of braces to keep them up. His
roots of IA large tree which had been torn mp
by whirlwiud. But the remainder of the
story shall be given in the travellers own
words
advanced up to the place slow and eau
tious. The snake was well concealed, bul
at last made him out it was coulacuna-
ra, not poisonous, bnt large enough to have
crushed any one Of us TO death. On mcasu.
ring him afterwards, he was something more
than fourteen feet long. This species of
snake is very rare, and much thicker in
proportion TO his length, than any other
snake in The forest. a coulacanala Of ii
! feet in length is as thick as common boa
of "a feet. After sklnnng this snake,
could easily get my head into his mouth, as
the singular formation of the Jaws admits of
wonderful exienlon.
On ascertaning the size of the serpent,
retired slowly the way | came, and promised
| four dollars 10 the negro who had shown it
| TO me, and one dollar 10 the other who had
joined us Aware that the day was on the
decline, and that the approach OF night
would be detrimental to the dissection,
thought struck me that could take him
alive. imagined that if ! could strike him
with the lance behind the head, and pin
| him 10 the ground, migh succeed in captu-
ring him. When | told this to the negroes
they begged and entreated me 10 let them
90 for gun and bring more force, as they
were sure the snake would Kill some of us.
Taking, however, a cullass from one of
the negroes, and then ranging both of the
sable slaves behind me, | told them TO fol-
low me, and that | wonld cut them down
if they offered 10 fly. When we had got up
to the place, the serpent had not stirred !;
but could see nothing of his head, and judi
ged by the olds of his body that it must be
at the tarhest side OF his den. a species Of
woodbine formed complete mantle over
the branches Of the fallen tree, almost in-
pervious to the rain or the rays OF the sun
place for length of time, as it bore marks
of an ancient settlement.
| now took my knife, determined 10 cut
away the woodbine, and break the twigs in
the gentIest manner possible, till | could get
view of his head One negro stood guaId
close behind me with a cutlass. The cut
lass which had taken from the first negro
was on the ground close by me in case of
need After working in dead silence for
quarter Of an hour, with one knee all the
time on the ground, | had cleared away
enough to see his head. 1t appeared coming
out be,wixt the first aud second coil of his
body aud was fat ON the ground, This was
the very position wished it TO be in.
rose in silence and retrealcd very slowly,
making a sign 10 the negroes 10 do the same.
The dog was sitting al distance in mute
observance. could now read in the face of
the negroes that they considered Tins very
unpleasant affair and they made another
vain attempt TO pursuade me to let them 90
for Il gun. | smiled in a good nalured man
ner, and made feint TO cut them down
with weapon had in my hand. This
was all the answer made 10 their request,
and they looked very uneasy
II must be observed that we were about
Twenty yards from the snakes den. now
ranged the negroes behind me, and told him
who stood next 10 me TO lay hold of the
lance the moment struck the snake, and
that the other must attend my movements.
1t now only remained 10 take their culasses
from them for was snre if | did not dis
arm them, they would be tempted 10 strike
the snake in time Of danger, and thus for
ever spoil his skin On taking The cu,asses
from them, if might judge from their ply
siognomy, they seemed 10 consider ii a
most in,olerable act of tyranny Probably
nothing kept them from boiling but The con-
ISOLATION that was TO be betwixt them aud
the snake. Indeed, my own heart, in spite
of all | could do, beat quicker than usual.
We went slowly on in silence, without
moving our arms or heads, in order 10 pre-
vent all alarm as much as possible, lesi
the snake should glide off, or attack us in
self-defence. carried the lance perpendic-