course out of the way into some thicket or concealed place. The greatest
danger is, when we inadvertently trample upon him as he lies coiled among
the long grass or thick bushes. On each side of his upper jaw he has two
long fangs, which are hollow, and through which he injects the poison
into the wound they make. When he penetrates a vein or nerve sudden death
ensues, unless some effectual remedy be instantly applied. The usual
symptoms of being bit by him are, acute pains from the wound,
inflammatory swellings round it, sickness at the stomach, and convulsive
vomitings. In all countries, however, where venomous creatures exist, the
hand of nature hath kindly planted some antidote against their poison,
which it is the business of rational creatures to investigate and apply.
Even the rude and ignorant Indians were not strangers to the method of
curing the wounds of this dreadful reptile; as quickly as possible, after
being bit, they swallowed a strong doze of the decoction of snake-root,
which they found every where growing in the woods, which caused them to
vomit plentifully; at the same time, having sucked the poison out of the
wound, they chewed a little snake-root, and applied it externally to it.
This remedy, when timely applied, sometimes proved efficacious, which
induced the early settlers of Carolina to follow their example. Besides
the rattle-snake, the black and brown vipers have fangs, and are also
venomous. The horn-snake is also found here, which takes his name from a
horn in his tail, with which he defends himself, and strikes it with
great force into every aggressor. This reptile is also deemed very
venomous, and the Indians, when wounded by him, usually cut out the part
wounded as quickly as possible, to prevent the infection spreading
through the body. There are, besides these, a variety of other snakes
found here, such as the green, the chicken, the copperbelly, the wampum,
the coach-whip and corn snakes; all of which are esteemed harmless
creatures.