New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-04-29
PART III.
EIGHT PAGES.
SOME WEST INDIAN SNAKES
TIE IRON LANCE HEAD THE WORST
OF ALL.
BY frederick A. oRFR.


make with the iron lance head The ophi-
alosists tell that IT belongs to the Crotalidae
~ rattlesnake family. and have given il the ex-
operating name of Craspedocephalous lanceo-
iatus- Call It by whatever name we may, It is
certainly the most dreaded, best hated reptile
u the tropical Islands which it inhabits and
the mere mention Of its name is sufficient to
throw any native community into spasms of
fear. That the inhabitants of the region 1t in
tests have good reason 10 fear this dread ophid-
ian may he judged from the fact that unlike
the other species Of the family TO which it be-
longs, this one is actively and persistently ag
cressive! The rattlesnake or moccasin. for in
stance, viii generally await attack, unless sud
denly surprised, before inf1icting its bite: but
the iron lance, on the contrary, is said to seek
out and spring upon inoffensive persons in
whatever section IL may he abundant. Neither
Is It so sluggish as it's congeners being as &C
tive and alert as it is venomous and even when
quiet II is always coiled up in an attitude of de-
fence.
lis average length IS five feet being less than
that Of the northern rattlesnale. although speci-
mems have been shown over seven feet in
length. II is however, very thick through the
body. while its head is broad and triangular.
greatly resembling the head of lance or spear,
70 which the natives have sptly likened it. In
The island Of ST. Lucia. just south of Mar
Unique the natives call this serpent the rat
tail" because Of the attenuated tail, resembling
somewhat that of the rodent mentioned and
terminating in a spine or claw. In color it is
generally some shade of dirty yellow but some
times brown blackish, probably assimilative
% its surroundings in order to escape obser-
walton.
FOUND EVEN IN CITIES.
Like all members of its family. the lance head
IS very prolific from fifty to sixty young having
been found in females taken in Martinique
where II is so abundant that every portion of
that beautiful island is infested by it. No sec
ton IS exempt not even the populous towns
Ike ST. Pierre, with its lighted streets and
stores. its large hotels, churches and Govern
ment buildings It has bitten people in their
beds. living in the settlements on the shore. and
9 has caused the death of explorers on the
summit Of Aorne Pelee, 1000 feet above the
sea, far in the interior. It not only infests the
botanical gardens in the suburbs Of St. Pierre,
hut enters courts and houses while the sugar
plantations literally swarm with this terrible
serpent which finds there its chief food-rats
and lizards.
The serpent is far more dangerous in the
fields than IN the towns. it oonceals itself be-
meath the dry trash, cane leaves and grass, and
springs upon the 1aborers when they come TO
cultivate or cut the cane. This is why hundreds
Gle annually Of fits bite, and the natives regard
il with universal horror and dread. The wounds
from its fangs must be attended TO without de-
lay, as the venom is almost instantly fatal, es-
peciaIly if large blood vessel be punctured.
II the wound IS deep, no remedy is known that
viii avail; but If slight and Igature can be
applied between the wound and the heart, treat
ment may possibly save the patient. This treat
ment consists OF laying open the fang puncture
and rubbing with mixture of lime juice. rum
and salt; while If intoxication and stupor can
be brought about by administering rum punch,
with a large proportion Of lime Juice in it, the
bitten one sometimes RECEIVERS. Before the ap-
plication Of the rum, lime juice and salt the
wound should be sucked or cupped, to extract
the virus. But II usually happens that the VIC
tins Of the lance head are unable get effectuaI
treatment, and probably nine-tenths of them
perish from the effects Of the venom. The fore
going. however. was prescribed with generally
good results in the case Of British soldiers Bit
ten in St Lucia, where the serpents are quite
as numerous in Martinique
MoNCOosE POwERLEss AGAINST IT.
Many attempts have been made though with
out avail, TO extirpate this pest. Even the ter
rible rnongoose which has been introduced into
Jamaica with the result that nearly every liv-
ing reptile was externinated, as well as all the
rats and other vermin. Except itself-even the
mongoose was unable to cope with this prolific
ard almost omnipresent scourge One Of the
strangest facts about the distribution of this
serpent is that while native Of Guiana, in
the northern part Of South America, it should
have become SO entirely at home in these two
Islands have mentioned Another. vet stran-
ger. Is that while these two-Martinique and |
ST. Lucia-are infested with IT, there Is no rec
ord OF single specimen having been taken in
the islands to the north and to the south of
them.
I myself have hunted for months in the ISL |
ands Of Dominica and St Vincent the hrgt |
only twenty miles to the north OF Martinique |
and The second about the same distance south Of |
81 Lucia, and have never seen a trace of the |
lance head in either. Indeed, the natives Of |
Dominica have tradition that when in the last |
century, the white settlers were at war with |
the fierce Carfbs CAST vestiges OF the csnnibals |
discovered here by Columbus the rancorous IN
Glars went over to the other islands and brought
back numbers Of The serpents, which they let
loose Cor the purpose Of poisoning their enemies
Eut even these must have found the soil and
climate uncongenial, for they all per4shed; at
least none survived the wars.
1 used to run across rather large snakes in
Dominica, but they were comparatively harm
less such rs the ''tete CHEN" or the dog-head
snake, which was small boa not over ten or
twslve Feet IN length. and which always orswisd
away nom me IL direction fast as ] ran in
another. whenever we CHANGED TO meet This
was probably the serpent with a jewel in its
head, II which the Indians had tradition. per-
haps derived IN a roundabout way from the old
iegsnd Of tie basllisk
However. there they are. those venomous
lance heads, ranging the forests and mountains OF
The Two most beautiful isles in the Caribbees,
Snd there they are quite likely 10 remain, !