and this they do, that no one may by chance tread upon it, as they
assert that the poison of the fangs is as potent as ever, not only for
weeks but months afterward."

"That certainly is a corroboration of the story that you told us of the
rattlesnake's fang in the boot."

"It is so; but although there are so many venomous snakes in this
country, it is remarkable how very few accidents or deaths occur from
them. I made an inquiry at the Moravian Mission, where these venomous
snakes are very plentiful, how many people they had lost by their bites,
and the missionaries told me, that out of 800 Hottentots belonging to
the Mission, they had only lost two men by the bites of snakes during a
space of seven years; and in other places where I made the same inquiry,
the casualties were much less in proportion to the numbers."

"Is the boa constrictor found in this part of Africa?"

"Not so far south as we now are, but it is a few degrees more to the
northward. I have never seen it, but I believe there is no doubt of its
existence."

"The South American Indians have a very subtle poison with which they
kill their game. Are you aware, Swinton, of its nature? Is it like the
Bushmen's poison?"

"I know the poison well; it was brought over by Mr. Waterton, whose
amusing works you may have read. It is called the wourali poison, and is
said to be extracted from a sort of creeping vine, which grows in the
country. The natives, however, add the poison of snakes to the extract;
and the preparation is certainly very fatal, as I can bear witness to."

"Have you ever seen it tried?"

"Yes, I have tried it myself. When I was in Italy I became acquainted
with Mr. W., and he gave two or three of us, who were living together, a
small quantity, not much more than two grains of mustard-seed in size.
We purchased a young mule to make the experiment upon; an incision was
made in its shoulder, and the poison inserted under the skin. I think in
about six or seven minutes the animal was dead. Mr. W. said that the
effects would have been instantaneous, if the virtue of the poison had
not somewhat deteriorated from its having been kept so long."

"The wourali poison only acts upon the nerves, I believe?" said the
Major.

"Only upon the nerves; and although so fatal, if immediate means are
resorted to, a person who is apparently dead from it may be brought to
life again by the same process as is usual in the recovery of drowned or
suffocated