St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1892-04-02

HOUSE 8NAke&
ne Qusse Rst.cseeAers rAss Are -
pssgeA ~ nsaslDssss.
In certain p9Ets q BraziL where th
climate d intensely hot and wher
rata are great 1uisance. the common
eat does not thrivs. but is replaced b,
domestic rat-catcher whose preeene,
causes . decidedly unpleasant sensation
to visitors from the north. when the,
Arst come IN epntaet with this creatura
An AnsfioaA Who recently visited Bra
zil upon . business tour, and VIII
spent . short tine 6t tho estate Of ,
well 70 do Brazilian on the San Fran
cisco river: writes this account Of hi
observatioa Of the Brazilian rat
catcher: ..r
'On the morning after my arrival
On descending the staircase from MI
room TO 20 down 70 breal<fast I va
frightened almost half 70 death st zee.
Ing IN enormous snake curled up OF
tie hoor exactly st The foot Of TN
stairs.
Tho serpent was apparently asleep
but was not at al sure that he might
not be preparing to strike At me-. So
ran back up the stairs with al the
speed I could manage. and then pro
eseded to shout for help
'In two minutes the hall was full ol
servants al gazing 1t me in astonish-
ment; and my host rushed out Of hia
own apartment a
"'What II the mstterT he asked, in
his BEST English.
"'Why. said I, look thsrel Look 1t
that sualker
II pointed at the coiled-up monster
at the foot OF the staircase. who now
had lifted up his head . little. and was
sleepily looking about him
"The servants held their hands -
their mouths. and my host laughed out
right
Why said he. that's only Pedro;
that's our giboia-'
"Oh.' said I. gasping. Il thought Il
was great snake
b perfectly harmless. except 10 rata
You will not flnd house in this part
Of BRAZIL without one. They keep the
premises clear Of rata Pedro won't
hurt you'
"'But how am going 70 get down
stairBT l asked. uneasilv. f'
"Oh, You can step right over him.
II declined however: 70 make this
attempt; whereupon . servant came
and. seizing the snake sbout
the neck with both hands, dragged him
out into the ysrl.
II saw that the creature. - he was
was not lcss than four yards
long. and - thick - the arm Of the
negro who dragged him out
before ! left the place found out .
great deal about giboiaA They are .
species Of small boa constructor, and
lrs employed very generally in Brazil
10 catch rats They are ino6ensive,
mot at sll venomouA and In
their domesticatea condition. perfectly
tame.
''In his habits Pedro was . good exam
pie Of his race. though he was Of con-
larger size than, the average.
'.All day long he slept somewhere in
The house. generally 1t the foot Of the
stairA But when evening approached
be began TO wake up and after night
fall he glided swiftly shout the prom
|ses. looking for rata al
HE even hal holes which enabled
him 70 get between the hoors and CELL
ings and into tho space within the parti.
lions.
''Wheuever he found . rat be pouucod
apon him. wrapped him in his folds and
earrisd him oat Of the house. leaving
him deed The servants told ne that
he backbone Of every rat be caught
Was broken IN at least . dozen places.
'.As for me. preferred the rats 70 The
make and took good care that my
.hsmber door WAS shut at night and
hat there wers no holes left open in
The ceiling or thu floor from whioh Pc.
1ro might emerge into my apartment
He never seemed TO eat TIE rats; In.
Iced, / never saw him eat anything q
III. The negroes said he killed the
ats for the fun OF II
81 afterward saw giboias for sale In
he markets Of Pernambuco and Bahia
'or prices ranging from . dollar 70 two
lollar& was told that they easily BE-
:ame domesticated to such an extent
hat if they were removed from one
,ouss 70 another they invariably re-
;urnsd to the house from which they
nd been taken.
'.Ia the con ,try, therefore, the rat
make goes with the house. and II you
ave occasion 70 purchase OF hire res
dence the propr ietor viii brag about
he virtues end slgill Of the Giboia. -
Youths Companion.