The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1854-03-31
The Whip Snake.

As the wind veeripg about rather capri
cOusly, | was casting my eye anxious!y along
the warp, to see how it bore the strain, when, to
my surprise, 1t appeared 20 my eye to thlcken at
the end next the tree, and presenting something
like a screw, about foot long, that occasionally
shOne like glass in the moonlight, began TO move
along The taut line with a spiral motion. All this
time one OF the boys was fast asleep, resting on
his folded arms on the gunwae, his head having
dropped down the stern Of the boat. But one
of the Spanish boarmen in the canoe that was
anchored close TO US, seeing me gazing at some.
thing had cast his eyes in the same direction.
The instant he caught the object, he thumped
his palms on the side Of the canoe, excaming in
loud, alarmed tone "Culebru! cuLeJr0 % "A
snake snake I''-on which the reptile made a
sudden and rapid slide down The line towards the
bow of the boat, where the poor lad was resting
his head, and Immediately afterwards dropped
into the sea.
Tie sailor rose and walked aft, if nothing
had happened, amongst his messmales, who had
been alarmed by the cries of the Spanish canoe
man and was thinking little Of the matter, when
heard some anxious whispering amongst them.
" Fred" said one Of the men, d" what is wrong
that you breathe so hard - Why, boy, what
alIs, YOU? said another "Something has stung
me- at length said the poor little fellow, speak
ing thick, if he had Iabored under throat.
The truth flashed on candle was lit, and
on looking at hun, he appeared stunned, COM
planned of cold, and suddenly assumed a wild,
startled look. He cvinced great anxiety and
reslessness, accompanied by a sudden and severe
prosIration Of strength, still continuing TO com.
plain Of great and increasing cold and chilliness,
but he did not shvcr. AS yet part of his
body was swollen except very slightly about the
wound however, there was rapidly increasing
rigidity of the muscles of the neck and throat,
and within half an hour after he was bit he was
utterly unable to swallow even liquids.
The small whip snake, the most deadly asp in
the whole list Of noxious reptiles peculiar to South
America, was not above fourteen inches long, it
made four small punctures with its fangs right
The left ugular vein, about an inch below the
chm. There was no blood oozing from them ; but
a circle aboYt the size Of crown piece, Of dark
red, surrounded them, which gradually melted
into blue at the outer rim, which again became
fainter, until it disappeared in the natural color Of
the skin. By the advice of the Spanish boatman,
applied an embrOcation of the leaves of palma
christi, castor oil nut, as hot as the lad could
bear it but had neither oil nor hot milk to
give internally, both of which they informed US
oi:en proved specifics.
Rather than lie at anchor until morning under
these melancholy circumstances, showed out into
the rough water; but we made little Of it, and
when the day broke, saw that the poor fellows
fate was sealed. His voice had become inarticu-
late the cOldaess had increased; all motion in
the extremIties had ceased; the legs and arms he
came quite stiff, the respiration slow and difficult
as if the blood had coagulaied and could no longer
circulate through the heart; If from some
unaccountable effect Of the poison the nerves
the action Of the former had been impeded. Still
The poor little fellow perfectly sensible, and
his eye bright and restless. His breathing became
still more interrupted. He could no longer be
said to brea he but pasped and in half an hour
like the steam engine when The fire is withdrawn,
The strnkes OF contraction and expansion of his
heart became slower and slower, until they ceased
altogether. From the very moment Of his death
the body began rapidly to SWELL and became dis
coored. The face and neck, especially,
nearly as black ink within naIf an hour of it,
when blood began TO flow from the mouth, and
other symptoms of rapid decomposition succeeded
each other so fast, that by Fine in the morning
had to sew him up in boat-sail, with a large
store, and launch the body into the sea.
Professor Wilson.