Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1900-07-07
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
WEST INDIAN SNAKES.


land of Tobago.I came upun the mon
ster suddenly in a ciuap of bamboo
Just as he was about to swallow an Z
animal about the size of rabbit. Z
fired just in time to save the little I
creature. My aim was good, and /
after a brief but terrific commotion I
in the underground. caused by its
dying struggles, the boa lay limp
and still 1t was fourteen feet IN
length, or more than twice the I
height of the ordinary man. l have /
heard of boa constructors of the
length of thirty feet, but this was
the largest L saw in these islands,
l afterward learned that this boa
is called the 'Jumbo-Jocko" by the
negroes, and that he has preference
for the bamboo clumps, where he
entwines himself around the drooP-
ing canes, sometimes gorged and
asleep, but more often very wide
awake and on the lookout for prey.
The island people are afraid OF him
and tell strange ). ries about his
snakeship. They never trust them
selves near his lair after sunset, and
take particular care that little child
rem shall not wander into the region
where Jumbo-Jo cko reigns- He has
been found over 16 feet in length,
often with large fowls in his NAV,
and one was known to have killed
and swallowed a fierce peccary,
which is one of the widest, wariest
animals in the woods.
The most venomous and at the
same time most vengeful serpent
ever encountered was in the island
of Martinique, French West Indies
1t is there called the FER de lance"
or the snake with the iron-lance
head. The psychologists tell us that
it belongs to the crotaldae, or rattle
eXasperating name of craspedoce-
Phalouslanceopatus. Call it by
whatever name we may, it is certain
ly the most dreaded, best hated rep
tile of the tropical islands which it
inhabits, and the mention of its
name is sufficient to throw any ma
tive community into spasms of fear
That the inhabitants of the region
it infests have good reason to fear
this dread ophidian may be inferred
from the fact that, unlike the other
species of the family to which it be-
longs, it is actively and persiStently
aggressive. The rattlesnake or moe
casin, for instance, will generally
await attack unless suddenly sur
prised, but the Iron lance" on the
contrary, is said to seek out and
spring upon Gnsuspecting persons.
Neither is it so sluggish as its con-
geners, being as active and alert as
it is venomous. Even when quiet it
is always coiled up in an attitude of
defense.
! Its average length is about five
feet, being less than that of the
northern rattlesnake although speci-
mems have been shown over seven
feet in length 1t is, however, very
thick through the body, while it's
head is broad and triangular, great
ly resembling the head of a lance or
spear, to which the natives have apt
ly hkened it. In the island of Saint
Lucia, just south of Martinique, the
natives call this serpent the RAT
TAIL" because of the attenuated tail,
resembling somewhat that of the ro-
dent mentioned and which termin-
ates in spine claw. In color it
is generally some shade of dirty yell
low, but sometimes brown or black
ish, probably assimilative to its sur
roundings, in order to escape obser-
walton.
Like all members of its family, the
lance head" is very prolific, and it
is so abundant that every portion of
Martinique is infested by it, No Sec
ton is exempt, not even the popu-
lous towns like Saint Pierre, with it's
/ lighted streets and stores its large
buildings. 1t not only infests the
botanical gardens in the suburbs OF
Saint Pierre, but 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, as ii
conceals itself beneath the dry
''trash," cane leaves and grass, and
springs upon the laborerS when
j they come to cultivate or cut the
cane. This is why hundreds die an
nually of its bite, and the natives
regard it with universal horror. The
wounds from its fangs must be at
tended to without delay, as the
venom is almost instantly fatal, es-
punctured. If the wound be deer
no remedy is known that will avail
but if slight and a Hgature can be
applied between the wound and the
heart treatment may possibly save
the patient. This treatment con
sists of laying open the fang-puncture
and rubbing with a mixture of lime
juice, rum and salt; while if intoxi
cation or stupor can be broughf
. about, by administering rum punch
with large proportion of Hmejuics
in it, the bitten one sometimes re
covers. Before the application of tn,
rum, Gmejuice and salt the WOUND
} should be sucked or cupped to ex
tract the virus But it usually hap
!, pens that the victims of the lane,
!, head" are beyond effecuaI treatment
and probaoIy nine-tenths of then
perish from the effects of the venom
/ myself have hunted for months
, in the islands of Dominica and Sain
Vincent, the first only twenty mile
north of Martinique and the secont