Through the Brazilian Wilderness | Page 9

determine if there are
species of mongoose immune to both cobra and viper poison.
Hedgehogs, as determined by actual experiments, pay no heed at all to
viper poison even when bitten on such tender places as the tongue and
lips and eat the snake as if it were a radish. Even among animals which
are not immune to the poison different species are very differently
affected by the different kinds of snake poisons. Not only are some

species more resistant than others to all poisons, but there is a wide
variation in the amount of immunity each displays to any given venom.
One species will be quickly killed by the poison from one species of
snake, and be fairly resistant to the poison of another; whereas in
another species the conditions may be directly reversed.
The mussurama which Doctor Brazil handed me was a fine specimen,
perhaps four and a half feet long. I lifted the smooth, lithe bulk in my
hands, and then let it twist its coils so that it rested at ease in my arms;
it glided to and fro, on its own length, with the sinuous grace of its kind,
and showed not the slightest trace of either nervousness or bad temper.
Meanwhile the doctor bade his attendant put on the table a big jararaca,
or fer-de-lance, which was accordingly done. The jararaca was about
three feet and a half, or perhaps nearly four feet long--that is, it was
about nine inches shorter than the mussurama. The latter, which I
continued to hold in my arms, behaved with friendly and impassive
indifference, moving easily to and fro through my hands, and once or
twice hiding its head between the sleeve and the body of my coat. The
doctor was not quite sure how the mussurama would behave, for it had
recently eaten a small snake, and unless hungry it pays no attention
whatever to venomous snakes, even when they attack and bite it.
However, it fortunately proved still to have a good appetite.
The jararaca was alert and vicious. It partly coiled itself on the table,
threatening the bystanders. I put the big black serpent down on the
table four or five feet from the enemy and headed in its direction. As
soon as I let go with my hands it glided toward where the threatening,
formidable-looking lance-head lay stretched in a half coil. The
mussurama displayed not the slightest sign of excitement. Apparently it
trusted little to its eyes, for it began to run its head along the body of
the jararaca, darting out its flickering tongue to feel just where it was,
as it nosed its way up toward the head of its antagonist. So placid were
its actions that I did not at first suppose that it meant to attack, for there
was not the slightest exhibition of anger or excitement.
It was the jararaca that began the fight. It showed no fear whatever of
its foe, but its irritable temper was aroused by the proximity and actions
of the other, and like a flash it drew back its head and struck, burying
its fangs in the forward part of the mussurama's body. Immediately the
latter struck in return, and the counter-attack was so instantaneous that

it was difficult to see just what had happened. There was tremendous
writhing and struggling on the part of the jararaca; and then, leaning
over the knot into which the two serpents were twisted, I saw that the
mussurama had seized the jararaca by the lower jaw, putting its own
head completely into the wide-gaping mouth of the poisonous snake.
The long fangs were just above the top of the mussurama's head; and it
appeared, as well as I could see, that they were once again driven into
the mussurama; but without the slightest effect. Then the fangs were
curved back in the jaw, a fact which I particularly noted, and all effort
at the offensive was abandoned by the poisonous snake.
Meanwhile the mussurama was chewing hard, and gradually shifted its
grip, little by little, until it got the top of the head of the jararaca in its
mouth, the lower jaw of the jararaca being spread out to one side. The
venomous serpent was helpless; the fearsome master of the wild life of
the forest, the deadly foe of humankind, was itself held in the grip of
death. Its cold, baleful serpent's eyes shone, as evil as ever. But it was
dying. In vain it writhed and struggled. Nothing availed it.
Once or twice the mussurama took a turn round the middle of the body
of its opponent, but it did not seem to press hard, and apparently used
its coils chiefly in order to get a better grip so as to crush the head of its