St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-10
HIS HAIR TURNING WHITE.
Eight Hours With a Coral Snak
Under His Heel.

Eight Hours With a Coral Snake
Under His Heel.
The coral snake is the most beautiful
reptile that crawls, its bite is most
deadly. Along the Floresta, that mag
niticent driveway that runs in and out
among the Tijuca mountains, back of
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. these ornamental
pests can be seen every day, their many.
cOlOred scales showing in the sunlight
while they move through the foliage,
after looking like elongated flowers as
they rest for moment upon some green
plant.
At high noon the snakes can be seen
lying i'll the middle of the road enjoying
a sun barb, and often two or three are
huddled close together, tied in knot,as
1t were, until one can hardly tell where
one reptile begins or another ends. No
body has been known to recover from
the coral snakes bite: at least, the ma
tives say so. But the pretty little rep
tiles are not dreaded as much in that
country as are larger ones, for
they never attack unless an
gered. Indeed visitors to Brazil count
among one of the sights glimpse of
the coral snakes that line the Floresta,
and often persons can be seen standing
within few feet of bunch of these
many-hued reptiles. watching them as
they lie in their nOOntide stupOr. But
tread upon one or punch it with stick
and the foot and a half of tinted scales
jumps forward. Just one tuch of the
fOrked tongue on the teg or arm and
within few hours the person bitten
dies in terrible parOXysmS.
Lieut.. Metcaife knew this as he StrOlled
along the FiOresta one afternoon during
the month of September, 1885. Three
vessels of the South Atlantic squadr on
United States navy, were lying in Rios
beautiful bay at that time, and several
officers on few days leave were visit
ing at Whites hotel, that charming
little resort up III the Tijuca mountains.
The lieutenant had been for long walk
and was returning to the hotel He
was alone, the day was excessively
warm, and he Strolled slowly, glancing
right and left at the wOndrous vegeta
ton that, nursed by the many rains and
intense heat, is far beyond what any
dollhouse can mature.
Suddenly he stopped stock still. He
had felt something move beneath his
foot, and instinct told him to halt. A
glance down showed him coral snake.
lie had stepped upon it, and a portion
of the body was under the sole of his
projected about an inch, on the other
side the tail curied up until it beat
against his leg.
That night Lieut.. Metcafe did not
appear at the table d'hote dinner at
Whites. His fellow officers were much
surprised, and when at 10 o'clock he
had not shown up, they decided to look
| for him. Naturally they walked along the
Floresta. but it was midnight before
their calls were answered by faint re-
ply. fastening up, they saw him
| standing in the middle of the road, but
lie was swaying to and fro. In a few
| trembling words he urged his cOmpan-
ions to dispatch the little death-dealing
reptile. A knife was produced, and
with one slash the coral's head was
lying away from its body. Then the
! lieutenant fell in a faint. AS his cap
rolled off it was seen that his hair,
which the day before had been dark
brown, was white as snow, 1t was the
next day before he could tell of his ter
rible experience.
my first thought" said he, was to do
what you finally did-cut the snake
head off. felt in my pocket. but my
knife was gone. Then | tried to grind
the snake under my foot, but The road
bed was so soft that the reptile was
| partly buried. 1t was impossible to shift
it under my heel. for once under the
arch of the foot and it would have had
full sway. You see the head was ON
the outside of my left foot. and l
couldn't use the right to any advantage
for fear of falling over. Then again, |
didn't dare shift the position. for that
forked tongue was within half an inch
of my ankle, and, having on iow-cut
shoes, little more would have resulted
in my death.
although vexatious. the matter did
not seem very alarming to me during
the first hour. Every moment / eX.
pected to see some one. But, as you
know, the day was excessively not, and
not a soul was out. Finally night set in
and L began to grow nervous. My leg
grew stiff and | feared cramps would
come. | lowered my suspender buckle
and carefully stopped down, intent OF
saving off the little demons head with
the sharp edge. But as / bent over the
tongue flashed out and / knew that
couldn't reach the body without being
bitten in the hand, so l stood upright
again.
about 10 o'clock heard voices, and
| uttered prayer of thanks. Two meT
and two women were coming up the
Floresta; | could hear the sweet
laughter of the latter. Like fool.
postponed calling until they might come
nearer. Then l noticed that their voices
were less distinct, and realized tha
they had turned into one of the drive
ways that lead to the haciendas. Ny
heart sank within me. l called. but il
was too late. The girls We're singing
ard soon their voices died away.
"a little later native passed me
He had been to the village drinking
paratee and was half-seaS over called
to him. He stood stock still, looked a
me for moment, then passed on, nut
tering something about loco English
man. L suppose l did sway like &
drunken man. and am certain my voice
trembled. In despair yelled cobra, ,
the only word | knew that might at
tract his attention. But the wore
snake caused him to run as if mad, auC
/ caught myself Notwithstanding in
my agony. Then revulsion of feeling
came over me. thought it would be
sweet to die. and that it would be well
to lift my foot and let the reptile that
occasionally squirmed finish me. In.
deed, was abOutto do it when a pict-
ure of that little home in New Hamp-
shire came before my eyes and | held
on,
Sat last | heard your voices. Vel
come? Indeed, more welcome music
never greeted me than Bob's view hal
lool L remember saving something to
you, then felt Bob's arm around me as
he bent over with his knife. From that