The wide extent of the savannas1 composing this cattle farm, and the dispersion of the herds2 throughout them, compelled us to remove our quarters to a more central point, from whence we could sally forth4 in their pursuit. Orders were issued accordingly for the men to be in readiness, and the next morning we quitted with regret our comfortable quarters at the majordomo’s mansion5 and started for Mata-Gorda, one of those delightful6 primeval groves7 which dot the prairies here and there.
Some idea of the extent of this huge farm may be gathered from the fact that one may start at a gallop9 early in the morning from one end of the savannas and not reach the other until late at night of the same day. Its area would measure at least eighty square leagues, or about one hundred and fifty thousand acres of the richest land, but which under the present backward and revolutionary state of the country is comparatively valueless to its owner. The number of{203} cattle dispersed11 throughout the length and breadth of this wide extent of prairie land was computed12 to be about a hundred thousand heads, and, at one time, ten thousand horses; but what with the peste, revolutionary exactions, and skin hunters, comparatively very few of the former and none of the latter have been left.
Our first occupation on arriving at the Mata was to set up a hasty ranch13 for the protection of our accoutrements and baggage, a structure which required little labor14 or expense, the graceful15 palms affording the best kind of thatch16 for the roof, and the surrounding woods sufficient posts and rafters for the framework. A convenient apartment was provided in it for the hammocks of our Leader and worthy17 Surgeon, while the rest of us were compelled to seek accommodations among the trunks and branches of the trees.
These arrangements completed, the necessary timber was next cut for the corrals to be erected18 for enclosing the coming herds, a work to which the hunters devoted19 themselves, while I found greater attractions in my daily explorations through the tangled20 forest. The beautiful palms there claimed my most particular attention. Apart from the splendor21 of their growth and other peculiarities23 to which I have already alluded24 in a former chapter, they are sufficient in themselves to supply many of the domestic and economic wants of man in a primitive25 state.
I also observed here many useful species of the extensive family of leguminous plants, such as the ca?afistula, (Cathartocarpus,) of which there were several varieties, all of them beautiful timber trees,{204} whose pods, two feet long, were filled with a black gummy substance possessing very medicinal properties. In a natural form it affords one of the mildest and most agreeable cathartics. Belonging to the same family, the caro, masaguaro, and saman acacias can scarcely be rivalled in durability26 by any other production of the vegetable world. Their pods also contain a large proportion of a similar gummy substance which cattle devour27 greedily, and which fattens28 them better than any other kind of fodder29.
The malagueta pepper, or donkey-bean, (Uvaria febrifuga,) an excellent febrifuge and antispasmodic, also grows here in the greatest abundance. Its aromatic30 seeds are carefully preserved in the tobacco bladder of every Llanero, along with the tubers of the snake root, (Aristolochia bulbosa,) a plant possessing the same virtues32, and withal the best antidote33 against the bite of serpents.
Several other medicinal plants, such as the stately mora, the wild sour-sop, and the mapurite, are also met with here; the last owes its name to the peculiar22 odor, not unlike that of the skunk34, which pervades35 the whole plant, rendering36 it any thing but acceptable in the neighborhood of an encampment.
Of wild fruits there was also a fine array, and among them the most delicious of all, in my opinion, is the manirito, (Anona muricata,) a fruit scarcely known to horticulture, and still less to the listless inhabitant of the country where it grows in wild luxuriance; as no one there has yet thought of bringing it under cultivation37. This plant, which belongs to the same family as do several of the most celebrated38{205} fruit trees of the tropics—the various kinds of custard apples and the delicious cherimoyer—attains39 a height of ten feet, and at the season of maturity40, actually bends to the ground beneath its sweet load. Unfortunately it all ripens41 at once, so that in a few days the whole crop disappears. This fruit, like its congener the sour-sop, is covered with soft prickles. The inside, a sweet and highly aromatic pulp42, is filled with small seeds, which, when the fruit is eaten in large quantities, as is generally the case, are apt to produce dangerous strictures. The whole plant is exceedingly fragrant43; and by rubbing the leaves between the hands, they emit a delightful aroma31, not unlike that of new mown hay.
Another pleasant fruit, that I here met also for the first time, was the wild madro?a of the size of a lemon, which it also resembles in shape and color. It is filled with a most agreeable sub-acid pulp; this envelops44 three or four large nuts, not unlike cacao-beans, and tastes very much like strawberries. The tree producing this delicious fruit attains a height of twenty feet. The foliage45 is very dense46, with coriaceous leaves ten inches long, of a brilliant green. A thick yellow resin47, resembling gamboge, exudes48 from every part of the tree when wounded; but whether it has been found useful for any particular purpose, I was unable to ascertain49.
Somewhat similar to the latter, although growing upon a plant of an entirely50 different nature, is the cacaita, or monkey cacao-bean, a soft and rather insipid51 fruit, the production of a vine, which monkeys devour greedily.{206}
By far the largest proportion of the trees were several species of guamos (Inga lucida) and others of the same order of leguminous plants, bearing pods eight or ten inches long; these are filled with a row of black beans, enveloped52 in a snowy white and sweetish pulp, most agreeable to the taste. The ripening53 season of this mild and wholesome54 fruit was just commencing, and every day we gathered and consumed quantities of it.
Another pod-bearing tree of great utility proper to that region is the algarrobo, (Hymenea curbaril,) the locust55 tree of the New World, which bears a thick ligneous56 pod containing several hard, brown, and rounded beans. These are surrounded by a sweet farinaceous substance, possessing great alimentary57 properties. A fragrant resin exudes from the pericarp of the pods, which, on being burned, yields a perfume similar to the odor of frankincense combined with that of balsam of Tolú.
I had almost forgotten to mention, among the agreeable fruits of these parts, several kinds of wild guavas, from the tiny Arrayan, scarcely distinguishable among the tufts of grass by which it is surrounded, to the beautiful paujil shrub58, bearing in great profusion59 quantities of brilliant scarlet60, highly perfumed and acidulous61 fruits. The berry of the former exactly resembles Jamaica allspice in shape; is quite sweet, and possesses in a high degree the exquisite62 flavor and aroma of the myrtle tribe, to which indeed all these plants belong.
Great care was necessary in selecting spits for roasting the beef, on account of a most poisonous{207} shrub, the deadly guachamacá, abounding64 there. It belongs to the extensive family of Apocine? or Dogbanes, whose poisonous qualities are known all over the world. So virulent65 is this poison, that meat roasted on spits made from the guachamacá, absorbs sufficient poison to destroy all who partake of it. The lazy Indians make use of it to kill without trouble the cranes and herons on the borders of lagoons66. For this they procure67 a number of sardines68, besmear them with the juice of the plant, and spread them along the places frequented by those birds. The moment one of them seizes the fish, and before it is fairly swallowed, the bird drops dead; then the indolent hunter, issuing from his hiding-place, cuts off the parts affected69 by the poison, usually the head and neck, and feels no scruple70 in eating the remainder.
A dreadful case of poisoning by means of this plant had just occurred at Nutrias, soon after our arrival on the Apure, which created for a time great excitement even amidst that scattered72 population. A woman who lived with a man in the vicinity of that town became jealous of the attentions he bestowed73 upon a charming neighbor of theirs, and determined74 to avenge75 herself, but in some manner that would not excite suspicion. In those remote regions where coroners and chemists are unknown, it is impossible to detect murder except where marks of external violence are visible. Accordingly, she prepared for her lover a bowl of masato, a favorite beverage76 of the country, made of Indian corn boiled, mashed77 in water, and fermented78; in this she soaked chips of the poisonous plant and offered it to him with smiling grace.{208} Delighted at sight of the tempting79 bowl, the unsuspecting lover invited several of his neighbors—among them the hated rival—to share it with him. The woman, not intending to destroy any but her perfidious80 lover, during his absence prepared another bowl, omitting this time the poison. Llanero politeness obliged the host, however, to mix his portion with the others, which having done, he invited the company to dip their calabash cups into the bowl. Out of eleven persons there assembled, among them several children, not one escaped except the wicked perpetrator of this wholesale81 murder; nor even the donkeys and fowl82 of the household, as their attentive83 master had thrown them the remains84 of the deadly mixture.
Such is the dread71 in which the Llaneros hold this plant, that I was not even permitted to preserve the specimens85 of fruit and flowers I had collected, with the object of ascertaining86, on my return to the Valleys, the botanical characters of the species. They almost threatened to desert, if I insisted upon carrying the leaves among the baggage.
The propagation of this plant throughout the Apure appears to be of recent origin, none of the oldest inhabitants recollecting87 to have met with it until within comparatively a short period.
The men had no small trouble in clearing our camp of many noxious88 reptiles89; and it became our regular afternoon business to hunt for snakes. We succeeded in killing91 a great number in the vicinity of the ranch, some very poisonous, while others were{209} quite harmless; of the latter class I found two species of coral snakes, against which an unjust prejudice exists, that they are among the most poisonous. Of the former, the matacaballo is the most to be feared. Although scarcely larger than a good-sized earthworm, his bite is nevertheless almost instantaneously fatal to man and beast. Unlike his other sluggish92 and torpid93 congeners, this little snake is the more dangerous because always on the alert. The tramp of a horse, especially, never fails in rousing them, against which noble animal they evince an inveterate94 rancor95. I was once occupied in sketching96 one of these snakes, which I had permitted to live for the purpose, and I observed that whenever a horse approached us, the snake rapidly turned his head in the direction of the sound, seeming as if anxious to strike the animal with his fangs97; but as I had fortunately taken the precaution of disabling him by partially99 breaking his spine100, he could make but little progress toward the object of his dislike.
The tendinous part between the hoof101 and ankle-joint of the horse being nearest the ground, is consequently most exposed to the bite of the matacaballo; and although the distance from the ankle to the heart is very great, it not unfrequently happens that the animal drops as if touched by the electric spark, from which fact I infer that this poison acts on the nervous system as well as on the blood. Horned cattle and pigs are fortunately shielded by the thickness of their skin from the fangs of this destroyer, which cannot penetrate102 it. Hence this snake has been termed, par10 excellence103, matacaballo, literally104 horse-killer.{210}
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It was at one time extremely dangerous to drive horses across the banks of these savannas where snakes are always most abundant; their numbers, however, have been considerably105 diminished since the immense multiplication106 of pigs in those regions.
Horses have there also another dangerous enemy—a great hairy spider or species of the tarantula; this inflicts107 a very poisonous and painful sting just above the hoof, which in time drops off, although it is never followed by death.
But among all these evil creatures, there is none so disgusting or so dangerous as the rattlesnake. The virulence109 of its poison, and the great size attained110 by some, renders them the terror of every man and beast where they abound63. Fortunately for mankind, they have been provided by an ever-watchful Providence111 with what is termed a rattle108; this is composed of a number of horny rings placed at the end of the tail,{211} which, on being shaken, produce a peculiar sound, and serve as warning. It is said that Nature every year adds one of these rings, thus marking the age of the reptile90. From its loathsome112 body is exhaled113 a strong odor, somewhat resembling musk114, in itself sufficient to warn the most careless, as it is perceptible at the distance of a hundred feet. The head is peculiarly flat and broad, and the eyes sparkle in the darkness like specks115 of fire. The mouth is a ghastly aperture116, whence issues a black and forked tongue, which the reptile moves incessantly117 when irritated. Two long fangs, curved inwardly, project in front of the upper jaw118, and through them the fatal venom119 is discharged. The poison is secreted120 from two glands121 in the form of small bags at the root of the fangs, admirably adapted for the purpose, being hollow inside throughout their whole length, and by their pressure against the glands produced by the act of biting, the liquid is ejected into the wound. Fortunately, this snake is the slowest in its motions, and the most torpid of its kind, otherwise the mischief122 done by them would be much greater, they being very abundant also in the Llanos. Their favorite haunts are the hollow trunks of decayed trees and deep fissures123 in the ground. Occasionally they are found coiled among thick clumps124 of grass, which shelter them from the glaring sun; but they are always ready to strike any intruder. At night they issue forth in quest of game, returning again to their hiding-places before sunrise.
In addition to the foregoing, there are several other kinds in the Apure; among the harmless ones{212} the sabanera is very abundant in the savannas, from which it is named. Some of these are ten feet long and occasionally even more. They glide125 over the ground with astonishing rapidity, making all varieties of contortions126 with their bodies, the forward part of which they keep all the while raised in a vertical127 position. These snakes are very useful, as they destroy all the poisonous kinds they encounter.
The beautiful coral snake, with alternate rings of red, black, and white, is occasionally seen in the vicinity of ant-holes. Most persons attribute to it very poisonous qualities; but I have examined its mouth carefully and found there no fangs, nor any of the characteristics of poisonous snakes.
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{213}
In the same category is placed another inoffensive reptile, a cecilia, emphatically styled culebra de dos cabezas, or two-headed snake—so named on account of having both ends of its body of equal thickness, while the eyes are almost invisible. It seems the connecting link between snakes and earthworms, partaking of the nature of both, is about a foot long, and rather disproportionately thick for its length, while its body is covered with minute scales. As this snake has the power of moving backward or forward with equal facility, it is supposed by many to be actually possessed128 of two heads. There is abundant nourishment129 for it in the ant nests which it frequents, but it feeds also on earthworms, and the larv? of insects, pursuing them with unrelenting perseverance130 through the ground. The double motion of this reptile, its great muscular powers and flexibility131 enable it to penetrate the deepest recesses132 of a colony of ants, and to pierce the earth with wonderful expedition in search of prey133.
ANTIDOTES134.
Several antidotes are recommended for the venomous bite of snakes; some of them possess real alexipharmic virtues, as the raiz de mato, to which I have already alluded under the name of Aristolochia bulbosa, and the guaco, (Mikania Guaco,) a composite plant which the learned Mutis has rendered so celebrated through the instrumentality of Humboldt; the others, however, are nothing more than superstitious135 imaginings, which see in the tooth of a crocodile extracted on Good Friday, or in some unmeaning{214} orison whispered in the sufferer’s ear, greater powers than in all the resources of medical science. Yet such is the leaning of the benighted136 children of Nature in these regions toward the supernatural, that they always give the preference to whatever savors137 most of the miraculous138. Somewhat of this has doubtless arisen from the mistaken idea that all snakes are poisonous. Thus if it so happen that the incantation is whispered over a person who recovers, having been bitten by a harmless snake, his cure is of course attributed to magic, which is accordingly proclaimed a sovereign remedy for all similar cases in future. Saint Paul, as I have already mentioned, possesses not only the power of arresting the fatal spring of a snake, if invoked139 in time, but can also neutralize140 the poison, even when it is circulating through the veins141. Notwithstanding my want of faith in the intervention142 of the saint in question, I confess myself to have been on an occasion extremely puzzled by one of these cherished superstitions143, the famous Oracion de San Pablo, and up to this period have not been able to account for it in a manner satisfactory to my common sense. As we were one afternoon driving home a herd3 of cattle, the majordomo’s horse was bitten by a matacaballo, when at a short distance from the ranch. The rider observed his sudden start, and at once mentioned the cause thereof. The ground, overgrown with grass, was diligently144 searched, and the snake discovered and killed on the very spot pointed145 out by the majordomo, who in the mean time had hastened forward with his horse to the ranch, knowing that the strength of the poor animal would soon give way.{215} Scarcely had he alighted when his horse, covered with a cold sweat, dropped to the ground. A curandero or snake doctor immediately presented himself and commenced a series of incantations over the prostrate147 animal, which it was supposed would soon counteract148 the poison. I was anxious to administer spirits of hartshorn, a well-authenticated149 remedy for such cases, but the Llaneros opposed this resolutely150, on the ground that it would interfere151 with their own. The Oracion was accordingly whispered in the horse’s ear and the patient then removed to a convenient pasture, where he could find abundant feed if fate ever restored his appetite. Here he was left, rolling upon the ground and moaning piteously, while I was positively152 assured by the men that in the course of two hours, at most, he would be completely restored, and my scepticism confounded. Singularly enough, the remedy acted in this case like a real charm; at the appointed time the horse started to his feet and commenced browsing153 the grass around him with as much gusto as if he had experienced no ailment154 whatsoever155. Whether the venom of the snake was not, in this instance, strong enough to kill the horse; or, what is more probable, the reptile’s fang98 might not have penetrated156 deep enough, are questions which cannot be decided157, but shortly afterward158 the same horse, a beautiful but wild and vicious young stallion, came very near kicking to death the curandero who restored him to health.
The Llaneros are not, however, the only people in the country who have faith in these miraculous cures. It is more or less entertained throughout the country{216} by persons more enlightened in other respects than they. It is asserted of a famous curandero in the Valleys of Aragua, that in extreme cases, if prevented from going in person to the patient, it was only necessary to send his hat! By placing this talisman159 on the injured man’s head, it would not only afford immediate146 relief, but arrest the progress of the venom until the owner could come himself to perfect the cure.
Another singular practice obtains among Llaneros; it is that of inoculation160 with the juice of certain plants possessing alexipharmic virtues, after which the most poisonous snakes may be handled with impunity161. It is asserted, moreover, that cerrados—as individuals thus inoculated162 are termed—are not only proof against the bite of these reptiles, but can attract them around their persons by merely clapping of hands or whistling for them in fields where they abound. Having never witnessed any of these experiments, I will neither undertake to uphold the truth of this assertion, nor will I question its veracity163; but there are hundreds of reliable persons in the country who will unhesitatingly swear to its efficacy; among them, is the testimony164 of Dr. Benites, a professional gentleman who has published the result of his experiments in a small book on the Materia Medica of the country. With the view of ascertaining the alleged165 properties of the guaco he devoted a great portion of his time while at La Victoria in experimenting with various kinds of snakes; from him I quote the following passage: “The guaco possesses in a high degree the{217} faculty166 of preserving man and animals in general from the terrible and fatal effects of the bites of serpents. This valuable secret, discovered in Bogota by the celebrated naturalist167, Don Celestino Mútis, in 1788, remains still as such among some curanderos of our own country, who, under certain mysterious forms, and availing themselves of the fangs of serpents, puncture168 several slight incisions169 in certain parts of the body, which they fill with the powdered leaves of the guaco previously170 made dry, and administer the same internally mixed in common rum. This property of the guaco is so reliable, inoculation by means of the juice such as was practised by Mútis himself so well authenticated, and the facts concerning it so well attested171, that there cannot longer exist the least doubt in regard to its efficacy. I wished to convince myself by actual experiment, and can testify that in a thousand trials of inoculation practised by myself in different ways on patients whom I allowed to be bitten by various kinds of snakes, I never knew one to fail. Suffice it to say that the principal amusement of children in this place is to catch, carry about and play with snakes, and that even young ladies keep them in their bosoms172 or coil them around their necks.”
It appears, nevertheless, absolutely necessary to renew the inoculation at different epochs of a man’s life, as in the case of vaccination174 it loses its power after a time. It was no doubt owing to his neglect of the rule, that a gentleman in the town of Ocumare some years ago fell a victim to his blind confidence in this sort of inoculation. Don N. Ugarte had kept{218} a rattlesnake in a drawer during four years; with it he occasionally amused himself, no more harm resulting therefrom than if it had been a kitten. One day on returning home from his rounds in the plantation175, he felt in the humor of playing a little with his old pet, and accordingly took him out of his berth176 and placed him upon the writing desk before him. One of the children who had also been inoculated happening to be near, the father suggested that he should kiss the reptile; to this, the child objected very decidedly; the foolish parent, however, insisting, the mother interfered177 and begged that her child should not be compelled to touch the loathsome creature; whereupon the father exclaimed: “How foolish you are! I will show you how it kisses me. Now, then, pet, give me a kiss;” and so saying, he leaned forward toward the snake; true to its instincts, the reptile sprang to his lips and implanted such a kiss that its master never recovered from the effects. Both fangs of the snake went quite through his upper lip, and he at once felt himself to be mortally wounded. A physician was sent for without delay, but he expired before assistance could reach him.
The guaco is employed, moreover, in various other disorders178 of the system with great success. In chronic179 rheumatism180 it is an invaluable181 remedy both in the form of poultices made of the fresh leaves, or by simply rubbing the part affected with a decoction of the plant in spirits, and taking internally one or two ounces of the expressed juice, morning and evening. Administered in the latter form it is an efficacious remedy against hydrophobia, if given immediately{219} after the person has been bitten by a mad dog. General Paez was thus saved, when a youth, from this dreadful scourge182 of tropical countries; he has nevertheless retained in after life some evil effects of the virus still in his system manifesting itself in a tendency to severe spasmodic affections, especially at sight of a snake, which invariably induces violent convulsions.
Image unavailable: ARISTOLOCHIA APURENSIS.—Natural Size.
ARISTOLOCHIA APURENSIS.—Natural Size.
Next to the guaco in importance as an alexipharmic, may be classed the raiz de mato including several varieties of Aristolochias, the roots of which are intensely bitter. As its name implies, it is said to afford the mato—a large species of lizard—a prompt antidote against the bite of his old antagonist183, the snake. There would seem to exist some ancient grudge184 between these two reptiles, many persons asserting that whenever they{220} come in sight of one another, they instantly rush to the attack, the mato never failing to overcome his rival by his superior botanical knowledge; this, or his instinct, prompts him to seek the plant, and swallowing some of the leaves, returns recuperated185 to the fight.[28]
To the facts adduced above, I now have the pleasure of adding the testimony of such an authority as Gosse, who has devoted an entire chapter of his truly romantic book[29] to the consideration of a subject “well worthy of minute investigation186 by able and unprejudiced men of science, willing to receive unscientific information and suggestions, in various parts of the world, particularly in the intertropical regions of both hemispheres.” Among the many well-authenticated incidents recorded by him, I select the following as bearing a striking similarity to the one just mentioned: “Some animals, especially those which prey upon serpents, seem to be proof against their bites. The ichneumons, or mangoustes of Africa and Asia, have long been celebrated for their immunity187, and veritable stories have been narrated188 of their having recourse to some herb, when bitten, after which they successfully renewed the attack. Percival, in his account of Ceylon,{221} relates that a mangouste placed in a close room where a venomous serpent was, instead of darting189 at it, as he would ordinarily have done, ran peeping about, anxiously seeking some way of escape; but finding none, it returned to its master, crept into his bosom173, and could by no means be persuaded to face the snake. When, however, both were removed out of the house into the open field, the mangouste instantly flew at the serpent, and soon destroyed it. After the combat the little quadruped suddenly disappeared for a few minutes, and again returned. Percival concludes, not unreasonably190, that during its absence it had found the antidotal191 herb, and eaten of it. The natives state that the mangouste resorts on such occasions to the Ophiorhiza mungos, whose root is reputed a specific for serpent-bites. This is a cinchonaceous plant, so intensely bitter that it is called by the Malays by a name which signifies earth-gall8.”
How wonderful the provisions of bountiful Nature are; and still more singular the readiness of the human intellect, whether in a rude or a cultivated state, to make them subservient192 to its wants! The most extraordinary antidote against the bite of serpents yet within my knowledge, is the one employed on the coast of Cartagena, not the “earth-gall,” which they possess of the bitterest kind in Aristolochia unguicida, but the gall of the reptile itself, an alcoholic193 solution of which, administered to the patient in small doses, rubbing the wound with the same, or with spirits of ammonia, being sufficient to counteract the virus of the most deadly serpents of that region.
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savannas
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| n.（美国东南部的）无树平原( savanna的名词复数 )；（亚）热带的稀树大草原 | |
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herds
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| 兽群( herd的名词复数 )； 牧群； 人群； 群众 | |
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herd
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| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
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4
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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6
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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groves
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| 树丛，小树林( grove的名词复数 ) | |
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gall
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| v.使烦恼，使焦躁，难堪；n.磨难 | |
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gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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par
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| n.标准，票面价值，平均数量；adj.票面的，平常的，标准的 | |
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dispersed
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| adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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computed
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| adj.[医]计算的，使用计算机的v.计算，估算( compute的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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ranch
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| n.大牧场，大农场 | |
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labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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thatch
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| vt.用茅草覆盖…的顶部；n.茅草(屋) | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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tangled
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| adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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splendor
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| n.光彩；壮丽，华丽；显赫，辉煌 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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peculiarities
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| n. 特质, 特性, 怪癖, 古怪 | |
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alluded
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| 提及，暗指( allude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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primitive
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| adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物 | |
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durability
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| n.经久性，耐用性 | |
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27
devour
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| v.吞没；贪婪地注视或谛听，贪读；使着迷 | |
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28
fattens
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| v.喂肥( fatten的第三人称单数 )；养肥（牲畜）；使（钱）增多；使（公司）升值 | |
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29
fodder
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| n.草料；炮灰 | |
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30
aromatic
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| adj.芳香的，有香味的 | |
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31
aroma
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| n.香气，芬芳，芳香 | |
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32
virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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33
antidote
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| n.解毒药，解毒剂 | |
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34
skunk
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| n.臭鼬，黄鼠狼；v.使惨败，使得零分；烂醉如泥 | |
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35
pervades
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| v.遍及，弥漫( pervade的第三人称单数 ) | |
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36
rendering
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| n.表现，描写 | |
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37
cultivation
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| n.耕作，培养，栽培（法），养成 | |
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38
celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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39
attains
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的第三人称单数 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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40
maturity
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| n.成熟；完成；(支票、债券等)到期 | |
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41
ripens
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| v.成熟，使熟( ripen的第三人称单数 ) | |
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42
pulp
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| n.果肉，纸浆；v.化成纸浆，除去...果肉，制成纸浆 | |
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43
fragrant
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| adj.芬香的，馥郁的，愉快的 | |
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44
envelops
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的第三人称单数 ) | |
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45
foliage
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| n.叶子，树叶，簇叶 | |
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46
dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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47
resin
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| n.树脂，松香，树脂制品；vt.涂树脂 | |
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48
exudes
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| v.缓慢流出，渗出，分泌出( exude的第三人称单数 )；流露出对（某物）的神态或感情 | |
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49
ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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50
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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51
insipid
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| adj.无味的，枯燥乏味的，单调的 | |
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52
enveloped
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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53
ripening
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| v.成熟，使熟( ripen的现在分词 )；熟化；熟成 | |
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54
wholesome
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| adj.适合；卫生的；有益健康的；显示身心健康的 | |
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55
locust
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| n.蝗虫；洋槐，刺槐 | |
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56
ligneous
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| adj.木质的，木头的 | |
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57
alimentary
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| adj.饮食的，营养的 | |
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58
shrub
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| n.灌木，灌木丛 | |
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59
profusion
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| n.挥霍；丰富 | |
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60
scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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61
acidulous
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| adj.微酸的；苛薄的 | |
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62
exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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63
abound
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| vi.大量存在；(in，with)充满，富于 | |
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64
abounding
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| adj.丰富的，大量的v.大量存在，充满，富于( abound的现在分词 ) | |
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65
virulent
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| adj.有毒的，有恶意的，充满敌意的 | |
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66
lagoons
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| n.污水池( lagoon的名词复数 )；潟湖；（大湖或江河附近的）小而浅的淡水湖；温泉形成的池塘 | |
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67
procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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68
sardines
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| n. 沙丁鱼 | |
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69
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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70
scruple
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| n./v.顾忌，迟疑 | |
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71
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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72
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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73
bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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74
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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75
avenge
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| v.为...复仇，为...报仇 | |
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76
beverage
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| n.(水，酒等之外的)饮料 | |
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77
mashed
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| a.捣烂的 | |
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78
fermented
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| v.（使）发酵( ferment的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）激动；骚动；骚扰 | |
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79
tempting
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| a.诱人的, 吸引人的 | |
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80
perfidious
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| adj.不忠的，背信弃义的 | |
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81
wholesale
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| n.批发；adv.以批发方式；vt.批发，成批出售 | |
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82
fowl
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| n.家禽，鸡，禽肉 | |
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83
attentive
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| adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的 | |
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84
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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85
specimens
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| n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人 | |
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86
ascertaining
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的现在分词 ) | |
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87
recollecting
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| v.记起，想起( recollect的现在分词 ) | |
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88
noxious
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|
| adj.有害的，有毒的；使道德败坏的，讨厌的 | |
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89
reptiles
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| n.爬行动物，爬虫( reptile的名词复数 ) | |
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90
reptile
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| n.爬行动物；两栖动物 | |
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91
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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92
sluggish
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|
| adj.懒惰的，迟钝的，无精打采的 | |
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93
torpid
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| adj.麻痹的，麻木的，迟钝的 | |
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94
inveterate
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| adj.积习已深的，根深蒂固的 | |
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95
rancor
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| n.深仇，积怨 | |
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96
sketching
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| n.草图 | |
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97
fangs
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| n.（尤指狗和狼的）长而尖的牙( fang的名词复数 )；（蛇的）毒牙；罐座 | |
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98
fang
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| n.尖牙，犬牙 | |
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99
partially
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| adv.部分地，从某些方面讲 | |
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100
spine
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| n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊 | |
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101
hoof
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| n.(马，牛等的)蹄 | |
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102
penetrate
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| v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解 | |
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103
excellence
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| n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德 | |
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104
literally
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| adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实 | |
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105
considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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106
multiplication
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| n.增加，增多，倍增；增殖，繁殖；乘法 | |
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107
inflicts
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的第三人称单数 ) | |
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108
rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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109
virulence
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| n.毒力，毒性；病毒性；致病力 | |
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110
attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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111
providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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112
loathsome
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| adj.讨厌的，令人厌恶的 | |
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113
exhaled
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| v.呼出，发散出( exhale的过去式和过去分词 )；吐出（肺中的空气、烟等），呼气 | |
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114
musk
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| n.麝香, 能发出麝香的各种各样的植物，香猫 | |
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115
specks
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| n.眼镜；斑点，微粒，污点( speck的名词复数 ) | |
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116
aperture
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| n.孔，隙，窄的缺口 | |
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117
incessantly
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| ad.不停地 | |
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118
jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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119
venom
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| n.毒液，恶毒，痛恨 | |
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120
secreted
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| v.（尤指动物或植物器官）分泌( secrete的过去式和过去分词 )；隐匿，隐藏 | |
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121
glands
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| n.腺( gland的名词复数 ) | |
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122
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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123
fissures
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| n.狭长裂缝或裂隙( fissure的名词复数 )；裂伤；分歧；分裂v.裂开( fissure的第三人称单数 ) | |
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124
clumps
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| n.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的名词复数 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声v.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的第三人称单数 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声 | |
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125
glide
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| n./v.溜，滑行；(时间)消逝 | |
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126
contortions
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| n.扭歪，弯曲；扭曲，弄歪，歪曲( contortion的名词复数 ) | |
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127
vertical
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| adj.垂直的，顶点的，纵向的；n.垂直物，垂直的位置 | |
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128
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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129
nourishment
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| n.食物，营养品；营养情况 | |
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130
perseverance
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| n.坚持不懈，不屈不挠 | |
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131
flexibility
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| n.柔韧性，弹性，（光的）折射性，灵活性 | |
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132
recesses
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| n.壁凹( recess的名词复数 )；（工作或业务活动的）中止或暂停期间；学校的课间休息；某物内部的凹形空间v.把某物放在墙壁的凹处( recess的第三人称单数 )；将（墙）做成凹形，在（墙）上做壁龛；休息，休会，休庭 | |
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133
prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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134
antidotes
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| 解药( antidote的名词复数 )； 解毒剂； 对抗手段； 除害物 | |
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135
superstitious
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| adj.迷信的 | |
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136
benighted
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| adj.蒙昧的 | |
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137
savors
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| v.意味，带有…的性质( savor的第三人称单数 )；给…加调味品；使有风味；品尝 | |
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138
miraculous
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|
| adj.像奇迹一样的，不可思议的 | |
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139
invoked
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| v.援引( invoke的过去式和过去分词 )；行使（权利等）；祈求救助；恳求 | |
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140
neutralize
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| v.使失效、抵消，使中和 | |
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141
veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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142
intervention
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| n.介入，干涉，干预 | |
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143
superstitions
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| 迷信，迷信行为( superstition的名词复数 ) | |
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144
diligently
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| ad.industriously;carefully | |
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145
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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146
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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147
prostrate
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| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 | |
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148
counteract
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| vt.对…起反作用，对抗，抵消 | |
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149
authenticated
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| v.证明是真实的、可靠的或有效的( authenticate的过去式和过去分词 )；鉴定，使生效 | |
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150
resolutely
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| adj.坚决地，果断地 | |
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151
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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152
positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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153
browsing
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| v.吃草( browse的现在分词 )；随意翻阅；（在商店里）随便看看；（在计算机上）浏览信息 | |
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154
ailment
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| n.疾病，小病 | |
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155
whatsoever
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| adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么 | |
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156
penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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159
talisman
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| n.避邪物，护身符 | |
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inoculation
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| n.接芽；预防接种 | |
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161
impunity
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| n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除 | |
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inoculated
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| v.给…做预防注射( inoculate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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163
veracity
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| n.诚实 | |
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164
testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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165
alleged
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| a.被指控的，嫌疑的 | |
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166
faculty
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| n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员 | |
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167
naturalist
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| n.博物学家(尤指直接观察动植物者) | |
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168
puncture
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| n.刺孔，穿孔；v.刺穿，刺破 | |
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169
incisions
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| n.切开，切口( incision的名词复数 ) | |
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170
previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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attested
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| adj.经检验证明无病的，经检验证明无菌的v.证明( attest的过去式和过去分词 )；证实；声称…属实；使宣誓 | |
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172
bosoms
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| 胸部( bosom的名词复数 )； 胸怀； 女衣胸部（或胸襟）； 和爱护自己的人在一起的情形 | |
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173
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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vaccination
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| n.接种疫苗，种痘 | |
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plantation
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| n.种植园，大农场 | |
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176
berth
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| n.卧铺，停泊地，锚位；v.使停泊 | |
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177
interfered
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| v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉 | |
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disorders
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| n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 )；凌乱；骚乱；（身心、机能）失调 | |
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179
chronic
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| adj.(疾病)长期未愈的，慢性的；极坏的 | |
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180
rheumatism
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| n.风湿病 | |
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181
invaluable
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| adj.无价的，非常宝贵的，极为贵重的 | |
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182
scourge
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| n.灾难，祸害；v.蹂躏 | |
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183
antagonist
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| n.敌人，对抗者，对手 | |
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184
grudge
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| n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做 | |
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185
recuperated
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| v.恢复（健康、体力等），复原( recuperate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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186
investigation
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| n.调查，调查研究 | |
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187
immunity
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| n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权 | |
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188
narrated
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| v.故事( narrate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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189
darting
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的现在分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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190
unreasonably
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| adv. 不合理地 | |
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191
antidotal
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| 解毒的 | |
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192
subservient
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| adj.卑屈的，阿谀的 | |
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193
alcoholic
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| adj.（含）酒精的，由酒精引起的；n.酗酒者 | |
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