The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1910-07-29
A DEADLY Reptile
The er-de-lance the Most Ven
omouS OF All Serpents.
ITS STING A DEATH WARRANT
Little Chance For a Victim of the
Fanes Of This Terror Of the Island
OF Martinique--The Cat and the Mon
goose Its Most Formidable Enemies.

that there exists large number OF
venomous serpents-we have many OF
them right here in the United States;
the rather, for example-but probably
no other spot in the known world has
such death dealing reptile as has the
French island of Martinique, nesting
I'm the limpid blue waters of the Cartb-
bean sea. 1t is the fer-de-lance. sci.
entihcally known as Trigoncephalua
lancelatus. that can beyond the sbad.
ow OF doubt lay claim to being the
most deadly serpent of the earth. Its
sting means almost certain death.
There are eight distinct varieties.
the most common being dark gray
and black speckled. which coloring
enables 1t to conceal itself easily
among roots and stumps of trees. An
other variety is clear. bright yellow,
and when hidden In the freshly cut
cane 1t can hardly be distinguished
from the stalks. Ii may also be dark
yellow or coal black with yellow
belly.
1t Is not n large snake, rarely ex-
ceeding five feet in length and in cir
cumference approximately the size Of
child's arm. 10 repeat, the sting
means almost certain death. and
should not the service of "a physician,
or ''panseur," as the natives call him,
be obtained within very short time
the venom does its deadly work-the
flesh grows cold, softens, becomes
pulpy, changes In color. quickly be-
gins to spot. and a great chilliness
creeps through the blood. This lasts
only few minutes-possibly half an
hour-then death.
IL the victim is fortunate enough to
get a physician upon the scene post
haste and no, artery or vein has been
pierced there is hope-just a faint
hope-but even If life is saved the dan
ger is not entirely removed, for in
many cases necrosis of the tissues fol-
lows. The flesh corrupts and falls from
the bones and the body molders as
does a tree.
There is. however. heroic method
of treatment often brought into use
| by the Martiniqunns. 1t Is the i'm
mediate amputation of the leg or arm
II the sting happens TO be in either.
Even this has TO he done at once and
before tre venom circulates through
the system. There are TO be seen
today upon the island many natives
with limbs missing. aud in the ma
jority OF cases II Is the result of hav
ing the machete. or cane knife. up
piled after an experience with a fer-de-
lance.
The fer-de-lance is a tighter-and MI
mistake about it-aggressive and pug
nacious, and domestic animals. with
the cat as the one exception, stand a
very poor show In battle. Pussy, In
about nine cases out of ten. will come
out of the scrap with colors flying be-
cause of the fact that 1t Is apparently
quite as quick in movement and at the
same time uses what may be termed
ring generalship.
There is but one animal other than
the cat that successfully wages war
upon the fer-de-lanc 1t is the mon
goose dchneumon), imported from In.
dia number of years ago for the
sole purpose of getting rid of the
snakes.
or the weasel family and looking
very much like 1t, this little animal is
absolutely fearless so far as snakes
are concerned and will just as readily
tackle one 1--WE feet In length as one
foot long. From the mongoose the
fer-de-lance will fee, but II cOrnered
will put up a great fight, using ev-
cry trick at its commando useless
sort of contest. however. for within
short time 1t will be stretched out
lifeless.
A battle between these two natural
enemies is well worth witnessing. II
Is never a limited" fight, but to q
finish always. and probably the snakes
by this time have come to understand
that when they enter such combat
1t is with the odds greatly against
them.
The mongoose is quite as clever q
ring general as the cat and uses that
gift to advantage. Strategy more than
strength is Its asset
When theY meet. and II the snake
sees no avenue Of escape. 1t prepares
for battle, as does the mongoose. but
In more leisurely manner. 1t takes
about one minute for them to get fully
prepared. There is no shaking hands
so TO speak. as by prize6ghters.
The mongoose circles about the rep
tile. always at safe distance ant
drawing fire." inviting 1t by moving
closer and closer to dart out Its heat
and then quickly jumping out Of
harms way. II torments In every
possible manner causing the snake tc
change position time and time again
firing It by forcing strike again ant
again without ever reaching the OBJ
jective point. At last. seeing its op
ponent at some particular disadvan
tage. the mongoose springs forward
quick as boit of lightning. catches
II firmly With the teeth behind thu
triangular head-a shake. possibly two
no more-and in less time than 1t take'
TO tell 1t the fer-de-lance Is dead, IT.