The Kiss of a Serpent

Augustin Lambasse (Lombas) and his son BiBi of Canary Island descent both died of a rattlesnake bite on the same day. The following account was taken from an article originally posted in the Houma Courier.

A correspondent in Lafourche Parish guarantees the truth of the following details:

Near the "Cut-off," Mr. Lambasse and his son both fell a victim to snake bite, under the following circumstances:

Lambasse and his son Bibi were serpent charmers, who cared as little for rattlesnakes as they would for turtle doves. They were constantly surrounded by their venomous pets, serpents of the most deadly species with which they played fearlessly.

Last Sunday Bibi, who had a magnificent rattlesnake, tried to sell it to one of his Friends. For this purpose he took it out of ta barrel where it was kept, and in order to show his skill, tired to make the reptile "kiss him." The serpent, unwilling to grant the caress desired, ended by becoming so enraged that he bit his charmer's tongue and also his left arm. Immediately afterward, Bibi's father took the serpent in his hands and tried to show those present that his son had acted clumsily, or was a charmer of a much inferior character to himself. So, saying, he put the head of the hideous creature in his mouth. The serpent bit him also. Father and son were both attacked with frightful pains soon after, and their bodies became horribly swollen. They died in excruciating tortures.