The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-01-21
that once a man he.

| sue. and has most unpleasant habit OF dart
10 com iete the catalogue OF the poisonodt
| esto be found in this part OF the world
| which can we'll claim TO be the headquatterl
| Of deadly species. / should mention the SCI
| snakes. These reptiles are sometimes OK
eeedingly numerous, in the Bay Of bengal
| only last year a number OF them came swim
ming up the nooghly River all the way to Cal
| cutta which is at least eighty miles from the
| and are even said to have made their way into
| the city water pipes which derive their supply
recon- e rye T the Gasssd can aEa'n
| with which they steer their way through
thhe waves waves, They argear 70 be inyaris.
them well and tell most hlood.curdling
stories about their deadliness. one u the best
known INSTANCES OF their bite occurred to a sea
captain who was bathing in the Moulmein har.
hor The immediate result was to raise his
lie is said to have declared that lie felt n glow
otherwise. but he died all the same in seventy
OF the place said that Il was T on Tia use q
stimulants which kept him alive 50 long
die each year in India from the bites OF the
various snakes have mentioned, and II Il n 0
eXaRgeration to say hat some sixty OF Queen
Yesterday are to-day being burnt or buried
out here as the sequel to these accidents The
same will happen p-morrow and the next day.
and at least one death from similar causes
may be expected 20 occur every halt hour be.
s SIN nS" p spl Sb us bSs vne tssdeys pI
tally OF this magnitude is a terrible thing.
though the fact must be remembered that It
as large as that OF the United states aud thus
passes to a great extent unnoticed.
The casualties are connued almost entirely
habitually go about with bare feet. For. al.
though creatures like the hamadryas and tile
ochi ;o are occasionally o,,IS spoIng for light as
be trodden upon than man Is TO tread upon
L. The consequence is that people who wear
IA rfa hu ava IA l.
much because VI the protection Of the leather
as on account OF the noise made by boot
upon the ground, which warns the snake 10
get out OF the way, The ordinary native In
bare feet makes hardly any sound as he
WALKS sr along and is fionsSguentlT very liable
man on the other hand in good pair Of creaky
boots. Is so safe that 1t Is most exceptions to
Another reason which tends very largely to
increase the mortality among natives is the
way these poor people have. Of resigning
They thus too often waste the first precious
moments which the white man would employ
In cutting out tho bitten place with his pocket
knife. For. although really severe bite from
q bad species Is almost certain to prove fatal
only half inflicted. in which case Immediate
action may result in saving life. AZ a general
that death is written upon his forehead, death
comes surely enough: but an amusing in
stance occurred only the other night where
arrived IN the valley of tho Doom. and were In
the middle Of dinner when the head servant
announced that ono OF the punkah pullers had
been bitten by a snake. Hurrying out we
found the man lying already a most uncon-
scious A dozen willing hands seized him, and
In less time than 1t takes to tell he was under
a lamp and being examined by the station doc
tor. who luckily happened to be upon the spot.
reused the unfortunate man could only point
feebly to one Of his feet and mutter ,samp
Nothing could at st be- sieed The mo nss
careful examination failed to discover the
lessly. strong dose Of whiskey and water
was given to the patient, who was supported
two stalwart chuprassies- messengers to try
and prevent his becoming quite insensihle
himself. and it seemed most likely that his
case would terminate fatally. The relatives
began to lament The local snake, charmer
out by the doctor In charge and told to do his
magic outside. In the mean time tho sufferer
goatskin OF particularly cold water had been
brought to pour over hint was somewhat
turning animation. From this point onward
he began TO mend and eventually it
sraIsetsd that the BEEN whole thing
a dark path when he trod upon what was in
All probability perfectly harmless snake.
his bare leg, and in his terrified Imagination
be thought that IL struck at him, immedi-
bitten by a poisonous snake. The shock TO
his nerves was so great that he very nearly
died OF 1t; Death through tho imaG nation
known. and tho fact is less surprising whom 1t |
Is remembered how small are the chances Of
recovery after man has really been bitten.
The British Government does what It can TO |
get rid Of poisonous snakes. Large rewards |
are annually paid for their heads and in this |
n ay great nlm bers are destroyed. Attempts |
ire constantly being made to clear away the |
rubbish which accumulates around village |
hDWakpF
my appreciab!e effect has been produced. |
ear after year the tale OF deaths remains un-
heir predecessors are killed on For long
ime tho supposition was widely entertained
arly bred the creatures for the sake Of the re-
ward, but as scientific mon have quite failed ia
multiply in confinement tho belief seems
scarcely reasonable
II the people Themselves would only co.
perate vigorously with tho authorities in
.illing snakes, the task Of dealing with the
'roblsm would be greatly cilitated. Strange
y enough however snakes in general. and
he deadly cooIas in particular are popularity
egardod in India with a superstitious raver-
nee AKIN almost TO WORSHIP. tomparatiyely
Z the reward, VIII Kill a snake willingly. On
he contrary, II is no uncommon, thing for
ouses by ieeding them with milk and eggs.
n this way villages are TO be found where
upsrstltion is said to prevail IN some locall-
es 20 the effect that an innocent maiden is
OF Hhblo 10 Do bitten, anu when death |
ccuTs from the bite OF some snake which has |
cen encouraged in the house. 1t is said to be
le little daughter Of the family who is most
itsn selected for the dangerous task % driV-
w II tenderly away. Even when this is not |
10 case he greatest care is usually tax en- that
o harm shall happen to tho snake.
familiar figure in connection with Indian |
makes rs the charmer who goes bout the land |
NhIhlting both poisonous and harmless
Jeeles II Is mistake to suppose that he in
lriHbly removes tho poison fangs from his |
Angerous pets Even IL no did SO II would |
ut by any means be n complete safeguard. Ii
easy enough to break on a SNAKES fanEs |
ut as n general rule fTesh ones soon grow
ga 20, aud even without this the poison glands |
jntinue To pour their deadly secretion into |
le crraturo'e mouth. whore II il ready 10 he
oculated into the scratches which snake is
lite able 10 inlet by means OF the numer-
IS minute teeth which II possesses in |
iditi1n 70 It's poison ianEs, The claims spme-
mes put forward bY snake chaTmeTs. 20 have
'ndered themselves safe from harm by grad
al inuculstion with snake POISON do not
ZEN to have been quite satisfactorily dis
royed, but are not likely TO have any founia-
On In Tact. snake chArmeTs arc always care
II not tOallpw themselves to Ls really bitten, |
AZ at tho same time IL Is remarkable how
'ldom they meet with fatal accident.
Among the natural enemies with which
NR