The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-08
CANACUCHi AND MANUTA.
South American Tropical Snakes tina

South American Tropical Snakes that
! Carry Deadly. Quick-acting Venom.
| "a rattlesnake in rage is a sight
| that some folks can't gaze upon with
| out having their sleep disturbed for
! long time, but if any such person, after
/ seeing an angry rattlesnake at its
worst, should see an angry canacuchi-
| the venomous Central and South Amer
can snake more Familiarity known as
the bushmaster'-he would feel as If
he might take the rattlesnale TO his
bosom and make a pet of 1t, said the
naturalist Fortunately for the ma
| tives where this deadly reptile is found,
it is by no means numerous in its alb
1 itat, or the record Of deaths from its
bite would be comparatively as many
as those that befall the natives of India
from the fangs of the venomous snakes
of that country. BY the unqualified
statements of people in Guiana, III the
rank undergrowths of which country
the bushna sterS are most numerous, |
was assured, before | had seen one of
these reptiles, that they are the equal
/ in swift deadliness of venom to the
dreaded cobra of India, and after | saw
what the bushmaster was capable of |
had not the slightest doubt of any tale
that had been told me about it.
My first sight of cauacuchi was a
startling one. In company with a ma
tive | was in canoe on small arti-
fetal lake which supplied water for ir
rigating surrounding plantations. fish
ing for jalapos fish peculiar 10 that
region. This fish resembles in shape
our yellow perch, but it is of a silverv
white. with two brilliant red spots Just
back of the gill covers. The strange
thing about this fish is It's ability TO
travel overland for long distances in
search of other waters when the pond
in which it has been domiciled dries np,
as these ponds have way of doing
down there. To enable it to make good
Roadway on these land trips the fish
has two movable bony hooks on its
belly by which it pulls itself over the
ground ! was intent on my fishing
when | was startled by a cry from the
native, and looking up saw an express
sion OF great terror on his face. He
was pointing toward the shore, which
was only three or four yards distant.
- 'Canacuchi. Canacuchi. he screamed.
81 turned nay head in that direction
and saw most horrible looking SER
pent. 1t was about five feet long and
as big around as my arm. 1t had a
head enormously out of proportion to
its body. Two prominent eyes that
shone like Goals of fire, were set well
I'D 81 10 hs
snake was in a tremendous rage. It's
great mouth was open, showing two
long, curved fangs on each side Of the
upper jaw. As it moved 10 and fro,
with its formidable head constantly
turned toward us. its brilliant marie-
in2s glittered in the sun. was told
afterwards that if the water had not
been between the boat and the snake
it would have rushed upon MS without
a seconds delay. "a the tactics of the
bushmaster are always offensive but il
viii not enter the water
AS soon as my native regained some
thing of his composure he seized the
paddle, and was for fleeing from the
sight of the demonstrating reptile bat
] restrained him, and put two pistol
balls in the snakes head and ended Us
furious maneuverIngs II was with the
greatest difficulty that / could induce
the native 20 paddle the canoe ashoe.
SO that could make a closer exanina-
tion of the snake. 80 intense was his
dread Of the bushmaster. even when it
was dead He landed me on the shore.
finally. but as soon As stepped out Of
the boat be padded away several Yards