Chamberss Edinburgh Journal, No. 422 | Page 8

old
'possum: so, dropping from our perch, we soon overtook and captured
the whole family. The old one, on first seeing us approach, rolled
herself into a round clump, so that neither her head nor legs could be
seen, and in this attitude feigned to be quite dead. Several of the
youngsters who were outside, immediately detached themselves, and
imitated the example of their mother--so that the family now presented
the appearance of a large ball of whitish wool, with several smaller
"clews" lying around it!' The family Crusoes, however, were not to be
cheated: they took the whole prisoners, intending to carry them home;
and making the mother fast to one of the saplings, returned to their tree.
Soon the persecuted orioles began to scream and scold as before. Their
enemy this time was a huge moccason, one of the most venomous of
serpents. 'It was one of the largest of its species; and its great flat head,

protruding sockets, and sparkling eyes, added to the hideousness of its
appearance. Every now and then, as it advanced, it threw out its forked
tongue, which, moist with poisonous saliva, flashed under the sunbeam
like jets of fire. It was crawling directly for the tree on which hung the
nest.' The birds seemed to think he meant to climb to their nest, and
descended in rage and terror to the lower branches. 'The snake, seeing
them approach almost within range of his hideous maw, gathered
himself into a coil, and prepared to strike. His eyes scintillated like
sparks of fire, and seemed to fascinate the birds; for instead of retiring,
they each moment drew nearer and nearer, now alighting on the ground,
then flapping back to the branches, and anon darting to the ground
again--as though they were under some spell from those fiery eyes, and
were unable to take themselves away. Their motions appeared to grow
less energetic, their chirping became almost inaudible, and their wings
seemed hardly to expand as they flew, or rather fluttered, around the
head of the serpent. One of them at length dropped down upon the
ground within reach of the snake, and stood with open bill, as if
exhausted, and unable to move farther. We were expecting to see the
snake suddenly launch forth upon his feathered victim; when all at once
his coils flew out, his body was thrown at full length, and he
commenced retreating from the tree!' The object that caused this
diversion was soon visible. 'It was an animal about the size of a wolf,
and of a dark-gray or blackish colour. Its body was compact,
round-shaped, and covered, not with hair, but with shaggy bristles, that
along the ridge of its back were nearly six inches in length, and gave it
the appearance of having a mane. It had very short ears, no tail
whatever, or only a knob; and we could see that its feet were hoofed,
not clawed as in beasts of prey. But whether beast of prey or not, its
long mouth, with two white tusks protruding over the jaws, gave it a
very formidable appearance. Its head and nose resembled those of the
hog more than any other animal; and in fact it was nothing else than the
peccary--the wild hog of Mexico.'
The moccason did not wait to parley with his enemy, but skulked away
through the long grass, every now and then raising his head to glare
behind him. But the peccary tracked him by the smell, and on coming
up to him, uttered a shrill grunt. 'The snake, finding that he was

overtaken, threw himself into a coil, and prepared to give battle; while
his antagonist, now looking more like a great porcupine than a pig,
drew back, as if to take the advantage of a run; and then halted. Both
for a moment eyed each other--the peccary evidently calculating its
distance--while the great snake seemed cowed and quivering with
affright. Its appearance was entirely different from the bright
semblance it had exhibited but a moment before when engaged with the
birds. Its eyes were less fiery, and its whole body seemed more ashy
and wrinkled. We had not many moments to observe it, for the peccary
was now seen to rush forward, spring high into the air, and pounce
down with all her feet held together upon the coils of the serpent! She
immediately bounded back again; and, quick as thought, once more
rose above her victim. The snake was now uncoiled, and writhing over
the ground. Another rush from the peccary, another spring, and the
sharp hoofs of the animal came down upon the neck of the serpent,
crushing it upon the hard turf. The body of the reptile, distended to its
full length, quivered for a moment, and then lay motionless