I had got close to the lagune, and was watching a bird which, with fluttering wings, was hovering in the air a short distance from me, when our guide forcibly drew me back, whispering, with a look of terror, “Did you not see the Yacumaman? Would you venture within the mighty coils of the Mother of Waters?”
At first I did not know what he could mean, till, creeping back, I saw what I had at first taken for the root of a tree, but which I now perceived to be an enormous serpent. Its body was wound in several huge coils round the stem of a decayed tree, while it bathed its tail in the waters of the lagune. Its head was now thrust forward, as with glittering eyes it watched an opening in the forest. Presently a slight rustling was heard, and a beautiful stag came to quench its thirst after the heat of the day. It came up fearlessly, and dipped its head to drink. Again it lifted it up, and looked around. On a sudden it caught sight of those beautiful eyes. Instantly its limbs began to tremble. It seemed to have no power to fly, but stood looking with mute wonder at the object which fascinated it. The monster uncoiled itself, and glided from the tree. Still the stag did not attempt to fly, yet in fleetness it could have outstripped the wind. There it stood, a willing victim. In another moment the serpent had sprung upon it, and encircled it in its monstrous folds. As we could not rescue the stag, and had no wish to interfere with the serpent, we hurried from the spot. We were already later than it was wise to remain from the village, but we could not help stopping to listen to the delicious notes of a cinnamon-brown bird, with head and neck of dark olive, which was perched on a bough overhanging our path. Never from a feathered songster had I heard notes more sweet or harmonious.
“It is the organista,” said our guide. “Hurry on, Señores, hurry on, his note forebodes a coming storm; and, from the glimpses I have caught of the sky between the trees, I fear that we shall have one before we reach the village.”
We took the Indian’s advice, for a storm in that wooded region was an event to be avoided, and walked as fast as we could over the soft ground towards home. We had not got far, when a cry from Pedro, who was a little in our rear, made us stop. As we hurried back to him, we saw that he was limping along as if in great pain, and trying to overtake us; and at the same time I observed a snake winding its way along among the trees at a rapid rate from us. It was about two feet long, and covered with the most brilliant stripes of deep red, yellow, and black. The Indian caught sight of the reptile at the same time.
“Ah! mercy, Heaven, mercy!” cried poor Pedro. “I have been bitten by that deadly snake, and in a few minutes must die. Farewell, my friends, farewell!”
“Courage, Señor, courage!” exclaimed the Indian; “I have some huaco cake with me. Eat, eat, and you may yet live.”
Saying this, he produced from his pocket some cake of the huaco leaves, a piece of which he put into Pedro’s mouth, and spreading some more on the wound, pressed it with all his force.—A litter was soon formed, on which we placed him and carried him along, for the pain was too great to allow him to walk. After a time, however, he declared that the pain was gone, but that he felt as if his leg was made of lead. We hurried on, for we had no time to lose. Thunder was heard rolling through the sky; and distant flashes, seen through the trees, showed that the storm was approaching. Suddenly a tremendous crash was heard close to us; and, looking back, a tall tree, one of the giants of the forest, appeared riven from the crown to its roots, and a vast branch lay across the path we had just passed. Nothing now was required to expedite our steps. The wind roared, the mighty trees rocked to and fro as if they had been reeds, the thunder rattled in deafening peals, and the lightning, in zigzag form, rushed down the stems of the trees, running like serpents along the ground, and flashed vividly in every direction. The storm I had witnessed in the Cordilleras was grander, but it was scarcely so terrific in its effects. We got under shelter in the cottage before the tempest had reached its height. Pedro was instantly placed in bed, when, after a time, a profuse perspiration came on. Some cooling drink was given to her, and a pumpkin poultice was applied to the wound.
The huaco plant grows in the woods. The leaves am half an inch long and half an inch broad, of a solid texture, the upper surface being of a dark-green, with purple veins running through it. The stem is slender, hard, ribbed, and of a bluish colour; and the leaves grow singly, two being placed opposite to each other. It is said that the natives discovered its qualities by observing that a bird called the huaco, which feeds on snakes, whenever it was bitten flew off and ate some of this plant. I have heard that the harmless snakes are great enemies to the poisonous ones, and will attack those much larger than themselves.
It took two or three days before Pedro had completely recovered from the effects of the bite.