CEYLON is an Emblem of Man, to whom Pleasure is as a delightful Situation; but in it dwells a Serpent, called Pain. Pleasure is the principal Intendment of Nature, and the great Object of our Inclination, without which Life would be no Blessing, but a Mortification: Yea, ’tis Pleasure reconciles us to Pain; for who would submit to nauseous Medicines, and Tortures of the Surgeon’s Knife, but for hope of the Pleasure of Ease that succeeds it.
No Serpent so terrible as Pain, which is a strange domineering Perception, that keeps off Ease when wanted, and destroys Ease when we are in possession of it.
LXI. The Malcarabeta of Ceylon is a Serpent painted by Nature in a Garb blue and white; the last of these two Colours shew best by Candle-light. This leads us to the Excommunication by Inch of Candle; that is, while a little Candle continues burning, the Sinner is allow’d to come to Repentance; but after it burns out, he remains excommunicated to all Intents and Purposes.
LXII. The Ethetulla is a Ceylonick Serpent; of a little slender Body, and sharp-pointed Head. This is a kind of Ranger, delights in Groves and Forests, and may be known by a white and green Vesture, in which it rambles among the Trees.
LXIII. MALPOLON is another Serpent of that celebrated Island, and of a vermilion Hue, imbroider’d with curious fine red Spots, which shine like so many Stars.
LXIV. SERPENS Putorius, so denominated, probably because of its filthy Smell; by which it resembles the Putorius, a little Animal call’d Fitchet, that smells ill, especially when enraged[[236]]. Jonstonus and Gesner make it to be the Druinus, which has been already describ’d.
[236]. A putorio, quia valdè fœtet.
LXV. The Anacandia, a Ceylonick Serpent, of monstrous Corpulence, being in longitude about 25 Foot. D. Cleyerus, who accounts for this gigantick Serpent, says, he saw one of them open’d, in whose Belly was found a whole Stag, with all his integral Parts: In another they found a wild Goat; and in a third, a Porcupine arm’d with all its Darts and Prickles[[237]]. Serpents of this nature have often fallen in our way, by which we may imagine, that there is a vast spread of them over the Earth. Mr. Ray from Cleyerus gives this account of the Monster——Tho’ the Throat seems narrow, yet ’tis very extensible, and the Facts have been confirm’d by Experience. When the Prey is catch’d, he wraps himself about it, takes it by the Nose, sucks the Blood, and soon reduces it to a Hodge-podge; after he has broken the Bones in pieces, that emit a Sound like a Gun, ibid. And in doing all this he spends two days.
[237]. De octavo genere merentur legi, quæ D. Cleyerus in Ephemer. German. Anno 12. Observ. 7. cui titulas, De Serpente magno Indiæ Orientalis. Urobubalum deglutiente Narrat. Raii Synopsis Animalium,—p. 333, 334.
LXVI. The Ghalghulawa is another Ceylonite, that goes by the Name of Serpens Indicus Saxatilis, describ’d by whitish Lines, that run across one another: Whether the Poet refers to this, as a Serpent affecting stony and gravelly Situations, or to a certain Fish, I determine not[[238]].