Part 28 (1/2)

”Have you ever seen it tried?”

”Yes, I have tried it myself When I was in Italy I becaave two or three of us, ere living together, a srains ofmule to make the experiment upon; an incision was made in its shoulder, and the poison inserted under the skin I think in about six or seven minutes the animal was dead Mr W said that the effects would have been instantaneous, if the virtue of the poison had not so”

”The wourali poison only acts upon the nerves, I believe?” said the Major

”Only upon the nerves; and although so fatal, if immediate means are resorted to, a person who is apparently dead froain by the same process as is usual in the recovery of drowned or suffocated people A donkey upon which the poison had acted was restored in this manner, and for the remainder of his days permitted to run in Sir Joseph Banks's park But the poison of snakes acts upon the blood, and therefore occasions death without remedy”

”But there are remedies, I believe, for even the most fatal poisons?”

”Yes, in His provident mercy God has been pleased to furnish remedies at hand, and where the snake exists the remedy is to be found The rattlesnake root is a cure, if taken and applied immediately; and it is well known that the ichneumon when bitten by the cobra capella, in his attack upon it, will hasten to a particular herb and eat it immediately, to prevent the fatal effect of the animal's bite”

”I once saw a native of India,” said the Major, ”who for a small sum would allow himself to be bitten by a cobra capella He ell provided with the same plant used by the ichneumon, which he sed plentifully, and also rubbed on the wound It is ie, there was no deception”

”I think it very possible; if the plant will cure the ichneumon, why not a man? I have no doubt but that there are e Some few, and perhaps soe of the vegetable kingdoht; and perhaps many which were formerly known have, since the introduction ofbefore chemistry had made any advances, we do hear in old ron virtues,” said Alexander, laughing

”Which, I may observe, is almost a proof that they did in reality exist; and the e of these sovereign remedies was chiefly in the hands of the Jews, the oldest nation upon the earth; and from their constant communication with each other, eneration to generation”

”We have also reason to believe that not only they had peculiar _remedies_ in their times, but also--if we are to credit what has been handed down to us--that the art of _poisoning_ was much better understood,” said the Major

”At all events, they had not the knowledge of chemistry which now leads to its immediate detection,” replied Swinton ”But, Alexander, there are three hippopota asleep on the side of the river Have you a mind to try your skill?”

”No, not particularly,” replied Alexander; ”I have had enough of hippopotami By the by, the river is ht to travel no more to the ard after to-day We must now cut across to the Yellow or Val River We shall certainly be two days without water or pasturage for the cattle, but they are in such good condition that they will not much feel it There is a river which we shall cross near its head, but the chance of water is very small; indeed, I believe we shall find it nowhere, except in these great arteries, if Iso myself, Swinton, as I looked at the on,” said the Major; ”so then to-morrow for a little variety; that is, a desert”

”Which it will most certainly be,” replied Swinton; ”for, except on the banks of the large rivers, there are no hopes of vegetation in this country at this season of the year; but in another month we may expect heavy falls of rain”

”The Bushmen have left us, I perceive,” said Alexander

”Yes, they have probably remained behind to eat the lion”

”What, will they eat it now that it has been poisoned?”

”That makes no difference to them; they merely cut out the parts wounded, and invariably eat all the carcasses of the animals which they kill, and apparently without any injury There is nothing which a Bushreat feast to hiine them to be very palatable food”

”I have never tasted them,” replied Swinton; ”but I should think not

They do not, however, eat thes, and dry their bodies; they then beat them into a powder”