Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1891-08-28
African Serpents.

horrible, whether il transforms the
serpent into a dragon or a deadly
worm.
A. Mounteuey Jepson, who accom-
panied Stanley in equatorial Africa,
has had many adventures with veno
nous serpents. Africa, he says, is not
infested with as many venomous ser
penis as is India, for while in the
latter country the death rate is very
large from poisonous bites, the ma
tives OF the former continent are sell
dom molested. or course there are
districts in Africa where the reptiles
are exceedingly common, but that is
not generally the case, "a in India.
The characteristics Of the venomous
serpents are the thick, stubby tail
and the diamond head. and in Africa
some OF these varieties are capable ot
extraordinary exploits, such as spit
ting poison into peoples eyes from
quite distance; oileaping backward
into the air the length OF the body TO
bite the person who is at the tail; OF
throwing the body sidewise at vie
tim; OF existing on air for years at IA
time; in fact, OF IA quantity OF other eN-
traordinary things. Take the horned
cerastes, for instance, which Is known
commonly as the horned viper This
hideous creature grows to the length
of two or three feet, and is beautiful
ly marked, although possessed OF
most demoniacal head. Two horns
stand out above the eyes Of this viper,
which, together with the wicked
CLEAN OF the eyes themselves give II
the look of q devil It lives, general
". half buried in the sand, and can
leap upon II person passing, sidewisc,
10 the extent of three and four feet
in fact, twice its own length. They
are possessed OF great vitality, aud
there is n case on record of n horned
viper existing two years In large
glass jar without food.
One OF the most repulsive of Afri-
can snakes il the hideous pun adder
which never runs away from danger.
but on the contrary pursues It's enemy.
The name has been bestowed be
cause OF the habit this reptile has OF
pulling out its body when enraged.
Ii grows to n length Of several feet
and Is very large in girth, especially
in the middle. So powerful sits body
that, when lying along the ground, n
puff adder can throw itself backward
into the air its full length and savage
beast. These pun adders were "a
great annoyance during our journey
through Equatoria, for they would
lie in odd places waiting for us To pass.
Sometimes, "a the natives were cut
ting the pathway through the dark
forest, the puiT adders would he dang
ling down like hanging creepsrs
The stubby tails would encircle n
bough above, while about two-thirds
OF the body swung down like pendu
lum. TO and fro. Then, M the un-
wary native cut away the creepers
TO make the tunnel through which
our line was to creep, the pun adder
would bite his naked arm savagely.
No one can realize the enormous
strength OF the boa family until he
has seen python gracefully throw
ing his coil about tree or gliding
swiftly from ground 10 tree. A py
thon, in pursuing it's prey, burls its
head like II whip against the within,
grasping it with the teeth aud casting
a. swiftly coil after coil about II, 20
that the mere weight Of the serpent'r
body H. crushing In it's effect.
While ] was at Dufile Station, the
settlement on the Nile In which Emin
Pasha was residing, had curious
adventure. One day had been sit
ting with Emin In his house, listen
Ing TO his tales Of Gordon. Emin's
little daughter was looking at the
chickens at the lower end Of the com
pound. Suddenly we heard frighteD-
ed screams and In another moment
saw the child running as fast ns her
small legs could carry her toward us.
Emin Is as blind as bat. and jump
ing up hastily | rushed toward the
little one TO see what was the matter.
Fancy my horror TO see huge puH
adder wriggling after her rapidly-in
fact, 70 quickly that In another min
ute he would have caught up with
her. Like fash blew the serpents
head to bits with a shot from my re-
volver aud carried the trembling child
TO the house. / confess that j shnd-
dered myself over the hiJeou.ness Of
the situation.
The African cobra IL known NJ the
"spitting snake" on account Of it,
power 20 throw it, venom qnite dis
tance into the eyes Of its enemy. IL
il a lazy reptile. save when stirred TO
anger. when il cannot be eqnaled for
swiftness and accuracy In splitting or
biting its victim. The splitting j. nc
complished by eIpelling the breath
sharply through the mouth. 30 that
the soapy venom flies straight a. n
pea thrown from a pipe into the vic
TINS eyes This cobra attaiDs the
length Of six feet, and is large and
powerful 1t Is doubly formidable
from the fact that it can swim In the
rivers very swiftly, and has no fear.
In swimming the cobra moves along
rapidly with it's snout and beady eyes
just above the waters surface.
III You think you're going TO col