Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-05-24
attisfellateul1s geadimg.
THE DEADLY FER-DE-LANCE

A Frightful Danger That Is Likely
to Greet Rescuers In Martinique.
Former residents of Martinique say
that the perils of any expedition MAX
ing exploration or bringing succor to
the country about st. Pierre will be
doubtless gravely increased by the
presence of the fer-de-lance, says the
New York Sun.
This serpent, which Is the curse OF
the island, is said to be the deadliest
of snakes outside of India, and the in
habitants of the regions infested by 1t
say that not even the terrible hooded
cobra inf1icts death more swiftly or
surely. Says one gentleman who lived
for some years on the island:
UNLESS all the fer-de-lance in the
region of st. Pierre were destroyed by
the eruption there is likely to be con-
siderable mortality from snake bite
for the next few weeks. The gulches
around the city fairly swarm with the
venomous reptiles. 1t is principally
because of their presence that ascents
of Mont Pelee, otherwise not particu-
larly difficult or hazardous, have been
so infrequent.
$50 far as we now know the water
courses of the locality have been
choked. The vipers all require mois-
ture, and the fer-de-lance is very par
tial to water. Undoubtedly, then.
there has been an exodus from the
slopes and gullies down to the water
front
1T Is curious fact that in cases of
seismic disturbance snakes make for
the low land. I have heard that when
Mont Pelee was disturbed in the mid
die of the last century the fer-de-lance
overran the streets Of the town, al
though they are naturally grassland
snake and a number Of people were
killed by them.
Suppose, now, that the shore beyond
the district where all life has been
blotted out has become the refuge of
these creatures. What will happen to
the men who land there. particularly
if they are ignorant Of the danger?
1t is not pleasant to think of. The fer
defiance does not wait to be attack
ed. He is born murderer. When he
has once set his venomous mind on Il
man he will follow until one or the
other is slain. Add to this natural
leaning the fear and fury of the snakes
at being driven forth from their own
places and I think one can appreciate
that their presence will not be the
least Of the dangers following the
catastrophe"
island of Martinique is a peculiar one.
1t is sa. d that originally this island
was entirely free from poisonous
snakes, as Cuba is now. 1t was, how
ever, overrun with a particularly ac.
tive and voracious species of rats.
Some enterprising inhabitant. hearing
that the fer-de-lance was extremely
rough on rats, sent to Trinidad and had
some imported. The visitors did their
work It a few years it was said in
Martinique that the only surviving
rats were those that had learned to
climb trees and turned into flying
squirrels. However that may be, the
community soon found itself confront
ed by the Massachusetts cutworm and
English sparrow propositions; but in a
far more serious form, the remedial
agents proved to be worse than the
original pest. So many persons were
bitten that work in the fields came to
standstill. Road-making ceased. 1t
was said that no bitten person recov-
cred except in the case of woop chop
pers. Having their axes handy they
would, if the bite were on the arm or
| leg, chop off the member instantly and
thus save their lives. 1t became a sort
of castle-mark for the woodsmen to
have only three out of his four origi-
nal limbs.
Then the French government got up
statistics and discovered that in pro-
portion to the population the death
rate from snake bite was the highest
in the world, worse even than in the
center of India. A bounty was offered.
Bands of snake hunters went forth to
hunt Some few Of them came back.
At this time there was living in st.
Pierre a former South African. He had
seen the great snake eating secretary
bird of that continent. and at a very
considerable expense had several pairs
of the birds sent to him. His neigh
bors said he was crazy. They prophe-
sled that the quickest witted of the
birds would be flying southeast Is sec
onds after they had first seen fer
defiance. The secretary birds We're
turned loose in the infested districts.
Within a month they had grown al
most too fat to work. There was a
lrorrpSDonding diminutiOn of yiperine