The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-11-15
WORSE THAN A RATHER
An African Snake That Shoots
It's Deadly Poison.
other vsnomou= Reptiles Which Are
Greatly Dreaded by the Natives
Snake Killing a Lucrative Oc-
cupation.

The rattlesnake of America is looked
upon as one of the most venomous of
! reptiles, but on account OF its rattle
, its intended victim can often escape.
! Not so, however, with some of the
| deadly poisonous snakes of southern
! Africa, SAYS the st. Louis Post-Dis-
patch. In the thick bush and under
! growth OF the lower countries on the
east coast, probably the most treach-
crous of African reptiles has its haunts.
! The ''renggaizslang, or ''poison-spit-
ter" is an ugly looking black snake,
with light green rings around its body,
and is about five feet long when full
grown. Its method of catching prey is
to coil itself up under low bush, and
when a hare or bush rabbit, or small
buck, called "dyjken," comes along,
it will fasten it's eyes upon its victim,
and without moving from its coils will
suddenly spit forth its poison, which,
striking the animal in the eyes, COM
plctely blinds it and enables the snake
to dash forward and fasten it's fangs in
its neck While its prey is still warm
the poison-spitter will pull the skin
and hair off in huge pieces, and then,
crunching the body in its folds, will
swallow it whole. This snake will
often lie in an old road or path, and
has been known to completely blind
almost at the same instant a pair of
mules that were being driven along
the road attached to a wagon. They
can eject this poison and hit their OBJ
iect at a distance of thirty feet.
Another terror to the natives and
travellers is the ''boomslang," or tree
snake" 1t is about nine feet in length
ard from three and half to four inch
cs thick in its middle. When in search
Of prey it coils its tail end around the
bough of short, thick bush or tree,
and when a small "bleshok" or other
small antelope passes under the tree it
will drop on it, coiling itself around
and around it's body and, getting pow
erful leverage with its tail end around
the tree, will crush the animal into
jelly. After the buck is dead the snake
will roll it over and over on the
ground. This has the effect of taking
the hair off, and after covering the an
imal all over with IA thick slime the
snake devours it in mouthfuls. Unlike |
most reptiles of its kind it does not |
swallow its food in one piece, but will |
eat it all pin separate pieces. Then it
goes to sleep for three or four months |
The Kafiirs dread this reptile more
81 -, ~ 4,
like the hough of the tree upon which
it hangs. Many poor native has fallen
a victim to it while travelling through
the BUSH
The well-known "puff-adder," also
found in India, abounds in southern
Africa. 1t likes to be near water, and
is found chiefly near deep pools of mud
dy water, where it lies in wait for
frogs and water rats, upon which it
mostly feeds. Its average length is
four feet, and it has yellow body with
black rings. 1t is the most venomous
Of all African snakes, but not the most
dangerous. With it's smaller fry it
darts out with lightning rapidity and
eats Immediately whatever it catches,
but with larger animals that come in
its way, or to attack person, the rep
tile will stand on its tail and throw it.
self backward, burying it's fangs as
soon as it strikes. When disturbed it
will give chase. In such event it is
very difficult to get away from it, as
the snake throws itself backward on it's
tail. The natives Of Natal and Pondo-
land catch the puff-adders and, after
cutting out their fangs, release them
around the kraals to kill the field
mice and other small troublesome an.
imals.
Killing snakes in Africa has come to
be quite lucrative occupation, as the
colonial and Boer governments offer big
rewards for all snake skins brought in.
One well-known Himpopo river ex-
plorer, John Burke, killed over seven
thousand snakes in one year for which |
he received u sum of money equal to |
fifteen thousand dollars.