pwards of
eighty different species, from the size of a common worm, to sixteen
and twenty feet long; of crabs, upwards of ninety; and of spiders, more
than forty. Whether I went into the woods, on the beach, by land, or by
sea, I was accustomed to look about, and examine every object I saw,
and acquired great facility in catching some of the most dangerous
animals, without harm to myself. Far from being afraid of serpents, I
went out purposely to discover their haunts, in the jungle or among the
rocks, defending my legs with a pair of strong boots; and if I could
prevent their slipping off into their holes, and irritate them so as to
make them attempt to strike me, my work was done. For a serpent thus
situated, will coil himself up, and instantaneously darting forward his
head, strike and bite whatever comes in his way. I then presented my
hat, which the animal violently seized with his fangs; when, instantly
snatching it away, I seldom failed to extract them by the sudden jerk;
for, being curved, they cannot be readily withdrawn, and sitting but
loosely in the gums, are easily disengaged. Being thus rendered in a
great degree harmless, I pinned their heads down, and tied them up.
Great care, however, is required, not to suffer yourself to be
lacerated by their teeth, or in any other way, while preparing their
heads, and refixing the fangs; for if a wound is thus inflicted, even
long after their death, the consequences are dreadful, and often fatal,
of which I might relate many singular instances, which came immediately
under my observation.

There is among them a short serpent, found in the neighbourhood of
Tranquebar, and called by us, the _Split-snake_, (_die Spalt-schlange_).
It is black, with a white streak down its back, dividing the body
longitudinally. Its bite is extremely venomous; and being slender, it
can insinuate itself into a very small hole or cranny, and will enter
rooms and closets, in quest of food. There was a door in a dark part of
my work-room, with a large clumsy lock to it; and one evening, as I was
attempting to open it, having to pass that way, I felt a sudden prick
in my finger, and at the same time a violent electrical shock, as if I
were split asunder. Not thinking of a serpent, I first imagined, that
my Malabar boys had, in their play, wound some wire about the handle,
by which I had been hurt, and asked them sharply, what mischief they
had done to the door. They denied, that they had meddl