A remarkable circumstance, which happened in this island some time ago, deserves to be noticed in this place. A negro retiring from work one day at noon, instead of going home to get his dinner, fell asleep under a shady tree; and being missing at the time the other negroes assembled together to finish their daily task, it caused a suspicion that some accident had befallen him; they accordingly went in search of him, and found him asleep, with one of his legs, up to the thick part of his thigh, in the jaws of a large snake. Awakened by their noise, he was in the greatest terror, and struggling to get disengaged, was severely bit by the animal; to prevent this as much as possible, wedges were placed between its jaws, whilst they cut it to pieces; by which means only he could be released. This operation took up some time, which together with the length of time, his leg and thigh had already been in the belly and jaws of the snake, reduced them almost to a state of digestion; and it was not till a considerable while after, that he recovered the intire use of them. The fat of these snakes is esteemed an excellent remedy for the rheumatism, or for sprains, by rubbing it mixed with strong rum. Their flesh is eaten by many, particularly by the French, some of whom are very fond of it; but it is reckoned unwholesome, and to occasion the leprosy. The skins of the tête du chien snakes are excellent for covering sword-sheaths, or other instrument cases, for which purpose they are in general used; but some surgeons make use of them in medicine. Lizards are very numerous in this island, and are of several kinds; some of a green, others of a yellow, and some beautifully spotted with both colours. They are very harmless, feed on flies, worms, and other small insects, which render them very serviceable on the plantations. The ground lizard, one of the largest of that species, and of a black colour, has lately been discovered to be an excellent remedy for the leprosy, when made into broth. The wood-slave is a species of the lizard kind, but of a more hideous figure, and is reckoned to be venomous. Its head is shaped like a dog’s, its body is scaled and spotted like a toad’s, it has four legs, which are claw-footed, and on each toe a sharp, crooked nail, like a bird’s; it lashes with its tail, which drops from its body on the slightest touch; and its whole appearance is very disgusting.