Year: 1873




BAY-THE MOST vENoMoUs REP
TILE KNOWN.


We have now been three days in the
harbor of Bombay, and in that time had
made several excursions to points of in
tefest in the vicinity. Among these we
paid visit to a small island about six
miles from the Mahratta shore, on which
there stood the huge. figure Of an ele-
phant cut out of black rock. The fig
ure when we saw il was much decayed,
and, have since learned, has fallen
the island thus losing one of its chief
monuments. 1t was from this image
that the island received its name-Ele-
phanta-from the Portuguese, who, when
landing in the days of Albuquerque,
we're astounded at this great image, the
product of Hindoo skill and fanaticism.
1t happened while we were prowling
around the image that the boatswain
bade US listen, and LAID his hand on the
lock of his musket. We listened and
and initiated his movement. After the
lapse of a minute we heard shrill whis-
tie, and, looking whence it came, saw
large green lizard basking on a rock
within few feet of the image. The
boatswain saw it first, and raised his
musket; and before he fred, Tanka
man, who was with us, tried to frighten
the animal by striking it with switch
he carried. Itwas sorry blow for him.
The creature turned, and running over
his feet, which were bare, hit him in the
calf of the right leg, at the same instant
the boatswain's piece was discharged,
the ball striking the spot lately occupied
by the animal, which escaped into the
jungle. The poor man who was bitten
no sooner felt the fangs of the creature
pierce his flesh, than he uttered cry of
anguish and Immediately fell to the
ground in convulsions. We at once hur-
ried to his aid and did all we could to
allay his suffering, but the poison had
entered his blood, and he died in less
than twenty-five minutes after he had
been bitten. We were astonished at the
extraordinary virulence of the poison,
which even exceeded the most venomous
serpents; but our surprise ended when
we learned that the creature which it pro-
ceeded was the Gecko, so well known in
Egypt as deadly reptile, we were con-
versing about it over the corpse of the
Tonka man, when again an ominous cry
warned us of its presence. We started,
seized our frelocks, and looked about
for the enemy. Presently it was seen is
suing from the jungle and looking upon
US with eyes of fearful manevolence.
We shuddered, for the remembrance of
its fatal nature was fresh in our minds;
but the boatswain called for rally. We
gave it with will. Eighteen muskets
opened on the reptile, which rolled over
on its side, riddled with shower of bull
lets. Its struggles were short; after
few gapes it lay stark dead. We then
went up and took look at the creature.
1t was about thirteen inches in length
shaped like a salamander; its skin of
sea-green color, dotted with spots of deep
crimson. Its head was. like that of
tortoise; the mouth straight; the eyes
large, and even in death strangely brill
liant, whence l believe that it possesses
power of charming not only animals,
but man himself. Its teeth are very
sharp, and SO hard that they might al
most make an impression on steel. One
of our men did indeed show certain
marks on the point of his cutlass, which
the reptile had seized in his death throes,
the man closing to stab it after the fusi-
lade. Its legs we're armed with claws,
said to be poisonous; in fact, the whole
system of this hideous reptile is rife with
venom, and the Indians told us that
wherever it passed it left track of
death. 1t haunts ruins and the stems of
of old trees lives chiefly on ants, and is
most active after rain. 1t then utters a
cry like gecko, from which it has derived
its name. Its bite is fatal, unless the
wound be burnt with red-hot iron or
cut out, a proceeding which we neglect
ed in the case of the Tonka man, if in
deed it would have done him any good.
The reptile is very fond of salt, and our
boatswain told us in Grand Cairo where
the creatures common, he knew of
whole household being killed from eat
ing few grains of salt on which the
gecko had shed its venom. Even its
blood is poisonous the. Javanese using
it to tincture their arrow-heads, the mere
touch Of which produces a wound which,
if uncauterized, results in death. Such
is brief description of this terrible rep
tile, whose venomous attributes have no
equal among the various creatures of
the earth.