The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-08-13
A DEADLY REPTILE
The Fer-de.lance the Most Ven.
omous OF All Serpents.
"a STING A DEATH WARRANT
LIttts Chance For q Victim of tte
Fanss OF This Terror of tho Island
Of Martinique-ThsC Cat and the Mon
goose lts Most Formidable Enemies

VI "aTttutQu9-InoS no Sat ana the mon.
goose lts Most Formidable Enemies
Every one is perfectly we'll aware
that there exists a large number of
venomous serpents-we have many OF
them right here in the United States;
the rattler, for example-but probably
no other spot in the known world has
such q death dealing reptile as has the
French island Of Martinique, Nesting
In the limpid blue waters of the Carib-
bean sea. 1t is the fer-de-lance, SCI
entifcally known as Trigoncephalus
lancelatus, that can beyond the shad.
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 a 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. 1t may also be dark
yellow or coal black with a yellow
belly.
1t is not large snake, rarely ex.
ceeding Eve feet in length and In cir.
cumference approximately the size Of
a child's arm. To 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 q very short time
the venom does its deadly work-the
1esh grows cold. softens, becomes
pulpy, changes In color. quickly be-
gins to spot, and a great chilliness
creeps through the blood. This lasts
only a few minutes-possibly half an
hour-then death.
| If the victim is fortunate enough to
get physician upon the scene post
haste and no artery or vein has been
pierced there Is hOpe-just a faint
hope-but even II life is saved the dan
ger is not entirely removed, tor in
many cases necrosis Of the tissues fol.
lows. The flesh corrupts and falls from
the bones. and the body molders as
does tree.
| There Is. however, heroic method
OF treatment often brought into use
by the Martiniquans. 1t is the i'm
mediate amputation of the leg or arm
II the sting happens to be in either.
Even this has to be done at once and
before the venom circulates through
the system. There are to be seen
today upon the island many natives
with limbs missing. and in the ma
jority Of cases it is the result of hav-
ing the machete, or cane knife, ap-
piled after an experience with fer-de-
lance.
The fer-Se-lance is a fighter-and no
mistake about it-aggressive and pug
| nacious, and domestic animals. with
the cat as the one exception, stand
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 it 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-lance. 1t Is the mon
goose (ichneumOn), imported from In
dia number Of years ago for the
sole purpose Of getting rid Of the
snakes.
OF the weasel family and looking
very much like it, this little animal is
| absolutely fearless so far as snakes
are concerned and will just as readily
tackle one FIVE feet In length as one
foot long. From the mongoose the
fer-de-lance will fee, but If cornered
will put up great fight, using ev-
cry trick at it's commando useless
sort Of contest, however, for within
short time it viii be stretched out
lifeless.
A battle between these two natural
enemies is we'll worth witnessing. 1t
is never limited" fight. but to a
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 a
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. it prepares
for battle, as does the mOngoose, but
In q more leisurely manner 1t takes
about one minute for them to get fully
prepared. There is no shaking hands,
30 to speak, as by prizefghters.
The mongoose circles about the rep
tile. always at a safe distance and
drawing fire." inviting it by moving
closer and closer to dart out it's head
and then quickly jumping out Of