THE “ SPLIT SNAKE.” 183

“There is among them a short serpent, found in
the neighbourhood of Tranquebar, and called by
us the Splut Snake. Itis black, with a white streak
down its back, dividing the body longitudinally.
Its bite is extremely venomous; and being slender,
it can insinuate itself into a very small hole or
cranny, and will enter rooms and closets in search
of food. There was a door in a dark part of my
workroom, with a large clumsy lock to it. One
evening as I was attempting to open it, having to
pass that way, I felt a sudden prick in my finger,
and at the same time a violent electrical shock, as
if were riven asunder. Not thinking of a serpent,
I at first imagined that my Malabar boys had, in
their play, wound some wire about the handle, by
which I had been hurt, and asked them sharply
what mischief they had done to the door. They
denied having meddled with it, and I made a second
attempt, when I was attacked still more violently,
and perceived the blood trickling down my finger.
I then returned into my room, sucking the wound
till I could draw no more blood, I applied some
spirits of turpentine to it, put on a bandage, and
being much hurried that evening with business
made no further investigation into it. However, in
the night it swelled, and was very painful. In the
morning I went again into the workroom, when I
thought I perceived an unpleasant musky smell. ©