The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-05-24
SNAKES ARE HER CARGO.
The Bark AtIantico, serpent Laden, Ar
rived from Brazilian Waters.

The Bark Atlantico, serpent Laden, AR
rived from BraziIisn Waters.
(From the New Orleans Times-Demo-
crat
In the eray Of yesterday morning
little Portuguese bark came numbering
slowly up the river and made fast at the
wharf at the head of Washington street.
The diminutive vessel was the Atlantico,
hailing from Para, Brazil, and while or
dinarily such craft would attract no
special attention, her advent has been the
subject Of anxious discussion on the part
Of the entire inspection corps Of the New
Orleans Custom House.
The reason for such unusual solicitude
was the fact that the cnrgo of the ATTAIN
tico is composed almost entirely of
snakes. According to the manifest she
carried 4l6 assorted ssrpents, ranging in
size from small tropical garter snakes
to large adult boa constructors. all being
the property of one Joze Rsnhi and
Nine. Marie Renhi, his wife. professional
reptile charmsrs, late of Paris.
This surprising information reached
the city shortly after the first Of tbs
month, when the Atlantico arrived of
Quarantine. According to vague and
horrifying story which subsequently
drifted up through official channels. one
Of the Quarantine corps had clambered
leisurely over the side OF the bark and
WAS proceeding aft when six or seven fest
of boa constructor rose suddenly out Of an
open crate and protrudsd u tongue that
looked like red toasting fork. The
Quarantine agent emitted shrek that
was audible as far as the Jump, and
was out ION the ladder In exactly two
bounds. The report that he leaped over
board and signed the pledge Immediately
after reaching the station has since been
denied. but he withdrew very abruptly,
and at once spread the news that q shi.,
full of snakes was lying in the channel.
The master of the bark was swarthy
Spaniard named Adolpho Palao. and with
considerable difficulty he Informed the in
spectors that Renhi and his wife had pre-
ceded the vessel to tho city by rail,
Meanwhile the couple had found their
way to the Custom House, where they
wsre seen by a reporter and their story
obtained.
Remit is a dark skinned, excitable little
man, and his wife Is small. sturdy
woman of the South American type Ac-
cordipg to their narrative they have been
snakes for exhibition purposes
for the last twenty years, and have per-
formed with them on the .stage all over
Europe. The reptiles on board the At
lantico were caught in the forests Of
Brazil, and include almost every variety
known to the tropics. The largest of the
lot is boa CONSTRUCTOR, which Renhi de-
clares Is as large around az his waist and
ten metres long. AS metre ia little
under 80 1-e inches, the monster would
measure about 33 feet. This WAS the
beast that startled the officer at the Quar-
antiae station.
1--WE sailed from Para on April g." said
Renhi, land had a quiet voyage I have
only looked at few Of the snakes on the
way to New Orleans, and no doubt some
Of them are dead. The big boa was out
and is all right, and | think
most of them have stood the trip very
well. They were fed just before we start
ed and have had nothing to eat since, but
that won't hurt them, Snakes don't re-
1uire food more than once every few
months.
How do catch thema" continued the
little spellbinder. why / know their
in the forest where they live. The small
er snakes l pin to the ground by the neck
with forked stick and then seize them
by the neck and thrust them, quick in u
sack. 1t Is not difficult when one knows
how. Sometimes / catch one that Is too
strong for me and gets few coils around
my body or my arm. In that case take
no chances, but stab 1t in the neck with
q dagger that always carry where can
reach 1t. The big boa took three men to
handle 1t. We caught 1t in net, but 1t
was 70 powerful 1t broke the meshes and
nearly got away. The snakes l use for
exhibition tame and teach to obey me.
The best for the purpose are the brazilian
python and gray tree snaks that grows
about six feet long. They are very intel
ligent and are not hard to teach after
they find out who is master. intend to
stay In New Orleans 3or month or two,
and shall then go to New York, and from
there TO Paris, where l HAYS an engage
ment for the Expssition.
When the reporter asked Mime. Renhi
WHISTLER she was afraid of snakes she
laughed vivaciously.
Afraid" she exclaimed, land whyT
There is no harm when you know how
to handle them. play with the pyth ons
and boas like kittens, and have IN uch
sport with them. l have been helping
my husband ever since he began this
business, and / go with him in the woods
when he hunts for new stock. l have
caught many snakes in my hands, All
that is necessary ia to be quick and avoid
the coil, otherwise one may get broken
arm or rib. The boas are very strong,
but they are slow and 1t is easy to eyade