Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-03-16
AFRICAN SNAKES.
"Reminiscences Of Unsought :or In.roductions
to Reptiles.
"A sNAkE'S FANG-PUFF ADDER
BLACK 'MAMBA.

to Reptiles.
SNAKES FANG-PUFF ADDER-A
BLACK 'MANIBA.
\ story is told of an up country
Boer who died from the ctiects of 4
snake bite inflicted through his
''veldtschoen' (shoe of homemade
leather). His eldest son, succeeding
to the property. literally stepped into
his fathers shoes: but owing to the
snakes fang having been broken off
and left imbedded in the veldt -schoen,
he fell victim to the poison still re-
manning on the broken fang. The
younger brother, endtating his pre-.
decessor, essayed to wear the parent
al shoes, but paid the penalty, dying
from the effects of the poison. Only
then was the deadly offending fang
discovered. This story, which is
firmly believed in by the Beers. is
very possibly true, but is one l can
not vouch for as reliable.
During my first trip "up coast"
obtained personal introduction to
the great family of snakes with which
in after years was to become SO well
acquainted. Returning, with a com
panlon as new to the colony as | was
myself, through the bush" and feel
ing not and tired, we welcomed a
cool, shady nook, and prepared to
enjoy rest. Seeing the branch of a
tree comfortably low, was just tax
ing possession, when my friend
shouted, Look ont" did look out.
and then downright into the eyes
OF a puff adder (Clotho uietuns)
quietly watching my movements: one
step more and my foot would have
been within his coils. As bounded
back | suddenly became aware that
the marrow Of ones bones could be-
come a freezing mixture. Without
consultation my friend and eyinced
an earnest desire to leave the vicinity
without loss of time. This puff-adder,
ibululu. as the natives call it, is very
dangerous, and the moro so from its
sluggish nature. On a pathway or
III the short grass alongside it will
remain for hours unless forcibly dis
turbed; but woe to the disturber;
like a flash of lightning it uncoils,
and the jaws close with an angry
snap on the disturbing foot or leg; it
then glides away, leaving its deadly
venom in the wound. The poison is
fatal to life, but with speedy ap-
pllcatlon of remedies the deadly eff
fects may be counteracted. Indeed.
1t is SO with all snake poisonings ex-
ceptinS that from the ehlouhlo. and
possibly the black 'mamba. Chap
man, in his South African Travels"
tells how he lost favorite dog from
the bite of puff-adder. The dog
had seized the snake by the tail and
shook it; when released, the snake in
turn fastened ON to the dogs cheek,
hanging there until it was killed; the
dog only survived ten minutes.
have killed many of these snakes,
hut rarely came across one over three
feet in length. The body is generally
the thickness of a mans arm between
the elbow and wrist, but, when ex-
cited. it causes the body to swell out
considerably; hence the popular
name 1t is said that the Hottentots
frequently kill this snake by splitting
tobacco juice i'll its face; but l would
not care to make the experiment in
the way suggested. l know, how
ever, that small snakes are easily
killed by causing them to swallow
tobacco juice.
During later years l had many ex-
periences with snakes, but only once
was | really frightened 1t happened
in this wise: One Sunday afternoon
l took Il stroll in some coffee fields,
and from thence scrambled through
the bush along the bank of small
stream. The day was intensely hot.
and the cool shade of the bush was
most agreeable. and as l leisurely
worked away amidst the creepcrs of
many kinds, prominent among which
were the strong monkey ropes
hanging from the tall trees, the ir-
ritating and cruel ''vacht enbcetie'
wait alittlel or the Beers. or, as the
Caffres call it, mana gauge" lstand-
et-me kiss you). and the beautiful
feathery creeper, the standby for all
decorations. Coming to semi clear
space, l was enabled to stand up
straight and look around. Some few
yards off saw the dark coils of a
huge snake snugly enconsed amidst
the roots of an old tree, with his
head tucked away out of sight. Hav-
ing only little stick in my hand, l
dared not attack him, but, without
thinking, picked up some stones and
began dropping them into his coils.
Suddenly he awoke, instinctivcly di-
recting his cold CLASSY eyes upon the
offending mortal. Another irritating
stone, and his eyes were bright with
passion, his forked tongue darting in
and out, to the accompaniment of an
occasional hiss. l had sufficient
common sense left to step back Il few
PAGES ere again insulting his snake
ship; and well it was 1 did So, as.
like the lash Of whip when vigor-
ously used, the fellow uncoiled and
Threw nlnSelf at me. AT glance L
saw that the ire of black 'mamba
(Hortulia natalensis) had been raised. 1
Nine feet of live snakefesh tearing
after one relieves the mind from all
hesitancy. l turned, bent my head,
and with arms advanced to protect
the face, charged the bush. A hasty
glance back spurred me on; another
glance showed a hotpursuit. Reach
ing an open space from when dan
ger could be seen approaching, sank
down feeling rather limp, and there
concluded that perhaps it was not
right to walk on Sunday afternoons
in the bush l think l had the
pleasure of shooting my enemy some
days after.
Happiness is inborn. 1t is not an
outward trait II iS oonerafa1 in tho