The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1897-08-28
THE DEADLY FER DE LANCE.
Found by DIR. Calmette to Be the Most
Venomous of American Snakes.

Lie tApSrlIueutS Win sIdho fcIIOik
made by DR.. Calmette Of Paris have dem
onstrated that the venom of the West
Indian fer de lance places that reptile at
the head of the list Of North and South
American deadly snakes. This reptile
thrives in the greatest numbers on the
island Of Martinique, where it attains a
length of eight feet and is much dreaded
by the many persons exposed TO its fanSs
o. the sugar plantations.
This serpent is scientifically known
under the rather startling namo Of
Craspedoecph&lus lanccolatus. 1t be-
longs &c the yiperine group which cCIn-
prises tic North American ~rattlesnale,
moccasin and copperhead. Iii fact, the
c0ppcrhead is an exact counterpart Of
its West Indian relative ii every partic-
ular excepting color. The snakes eff this
group possess lcng, ~ercctilc poison fanGs,
which when not in use are pressed
against the roof of the mouth, but when
the mouth is opened to bite the fang;
springs forward ready for action. These
fangs are really hollow teeth opening
i'll a small hole at the tip and each con
Meeting with q gland behind the eye
containing a deadly fluid. Nature has
given the fer de lance this fluid TO kill
its prey, and for its poison man as
yet has found no infaIlible antidote.
The fer de lance, or mapepire balsayn,
as it is called By the creoles, frequeNts
the damp tropical forests Of tho islands
Of st. Lucia, Martinique and Trinidad,
feeding upon birds, frogs and rats. 1t
goes to the sugar plantations to obtain
rats, and thus is, i'll ono way at least.
Of some benefit to the sugar planter.
When alarmed, this creature throws
its body into Il coil, and initiating itself
with air glares at the object Of its anger.
At this time it vibrates its tail rapidly.
as do most Of the venomous snakes Ct
this group, 4 habit probably due 70 its
close relation to the rattlcsGake. If still
further annoyed, it draws back the head
and strikes with widely distended jaws,
AID the tanGs, standing upright on the
upper Jaw, stab its tCrmentor if the
blow is true, at the same time inoculat-
ing the victim with their venom. This
operation is performed in the fraction Of
q second, too quickly for the eye to fol-
low it, and the victim into whose body
the fluid has been injected staggers
blirdly forward and falls sasping to the
ground, overcome BY an inability to
breathe, IS tie yencm acts upcn n set OF
nerves controlling the muscles Of respira-
ticn. In the course of a few moments all
life has left his body. the system being
| permeated by the venom.
Not long ago the nlongoose was
brought from India to exterminate the
fer de lance. The mongoose resembles
i'll shape and size a ferret and was said
TO prey largely upon snakes. But the
mongoose, finding itself in a strange
country and not wishing to wander
from the hands Of those who had treated
it SO tenderly during its trip, confined
its attacks upon the chicken yards of the
towns, and the m%apepire still rules the
interior Of the islands. The
became merely another pest of the is
landers, who must endure, besides the
presence of reaches three inches long,
gigantic spiders, scorpions and cent?.
peds, not to mention the smaller crea-
lures which swarm in tropical regions.
History records this occurrence in Mar.
Unique:
A wealthy resident near the coast, be-
ing visited by some foreign guests, de.
cided TO give a banquet in their honor.
His spacious grounds were illuminated
for the occasion with many fancy lam
terms. The guests assembled for the oc-
casion, and soon their conversation and
laughter, mingling with the music Of a
string orchestra, changed the silent
grounds into d scene Of festivity. But
among the branches Of the trees and in
the thick foliage Of the palms other
| guests were surveying the scene with
menacing eyes. These guests were not
clad in broadcloth or fine silks, but in
coats OF velvety green scales, and their
catlike eyes watched every movement Of
the merry party.
When the musicians announced the
beginning Of the banquet, the men and
women went indoors, and the unlimited
guests took sole possession Of the gar
dens. They were soon gliding slowly
up and down the leafy paths and coil
ing their scaly bodies upon the rustic
benches. When the men and women re-
turned for a stroll in the cool night air,
they found on all sides the dreaded fer
de lance, and before sufficient warming
could be given II had been stabbed with
the fangG Of these dreaded creatures
r. IL. DitmaTs III New York Sun.
Queer ard Shocking.
Recent advertisements in tha dale