Nash, Thomas (1984) A Zoo Without Bars: Life in the East African Bush, 1927-1932, Wayte Binding, p. 44

"Abdullah, my father, killed the snake and saw its cock's comb. Truly he was a brave man, my father. Often he would tell the tale of how he passed along the path frequented by this terrible snake, with a bowl of steaming porridge on his head: how the snake had suddenly shot its great head out of its hole, high up in a dead tree, and had struck at his head: how the jaws plunged into the scalding porridge and the snake dropped onto the path, writhing and twisting in its last death agony."

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Anon. "A Sea Monster: Remarkable Serpent Fish About Thirty Feet in Length Seen in San Diego Bay," The San Diego Union (22 October 1873)

A party consisting of Messrs. E.A. Veazie, J.M. Spencer and Dr. Squills went out sailing on the yacht Cygnet (formerly Pilot boat No. 2), Captain George Charlesworth yesterday morning and returned about one o'clock P.M. From them our reporter has obtained the following particulars of a remarkable sea monster which was seen by Capt. Charlesworth in a cove on the Peninsula almost opposite this city. After sailing up to the end of the Peninsula and back as far as this cove, the yacht was brought to an anchor and the parting, taking their three shot guns, when off to the sore in the skiff. It was agreed upon that Messrs. Veazie and Spencer should remain concealed at that point until Capt. Charlesworth and Dr. Spills should go up and around the cove in search of curlews. These birds, which are considered very choice game, have been shot in considerable quantities at this place, and by keeping them flying back and forth across the cove the party expected to bag several messes. At the upp...
Read more

Baptista de Moura, Ignacio (1910) De Belém a S. João do Araguaya: Valle do Rio Tocantins, H. Garnier, p. 136

Besides the cobra grande , there are yet more fabulous animals in the Amazon, such as ... the Janaú or Janahúy, an animal which walks in groups through the forest, like a pack of dogs or small wolves, very dangerous and carnivorous, intoxicating its victims with a strong stench, allowing it to sate its verocity; the Tapira-yauara, meaning tapir-dog in Tupi, a gigantic animal which has the shape of a jaguar with the hooved paws of a tapir, with which it digs into the earth to fell the trees whose branches provide refuge for its enemies, who must flee. Note : The name janaú is used for procyonids such as the kinkajou and olingo.
Read more

Fauroux, Emmanuel "Les Tsingy du Bemaraha," Revue Historique Talily, Vol. 7–9 (1998–2000)

Several testimonies, absolutely reliable (in particular that of the American Father of the Catholic Mission of Antsalova) mention the existence of an animal of a sort of mauve – or pink – colour, which moves quickly in the trees and which, if one believes the testimonies, could be a vasira (a sort of ferret), perhaps larger than normal. Less reliable, but insistent, testimonies speak of unicorns (?), hairy men hiding in trees (which could be giant lemurs still surviving?) ... As elsewhere in western Madagascar, many say they have seen – or know people who have seen – the famous songomby. It is reportedly a sort of big ass, with a strong jaw and a frightening cry, very aggressive, able, by swirling its tail, to project its very corrosive urine onto its victim, who may try to take refuge up a tree.
Read more