I was correct. Tora’Sor did talk to Captain Hegherg about allowing Krista’Mil to capture one of the poisonous snakes to study. Apparently, the captain bases his reluctance more on his knowledge of what the snake can do to a person than a lack of desire to keep anyone from learning its secrets. He is an experienced seaman though, so I’d guess he’s seen several people killed by the snakes during his many voyages. His only demand on the issue was that a stake be driven through the snake’s mouth so it can’t bite anyone.
Captain Hegherg even dropped anchor yesterday, and sent us to shore. He claimed we needed to stretch our legs after being cooped up on the ship for so long, but we knew he was just giving us a chance to catch a snake so the issue would quiet down. I’m somewhat curious though. Would he really expect a group of unskilled passengers to mutiny and commandeer a ship while in strange waters? Has such a thing ever happened before?
I spent most of yesterday walking along the shore, enjoying the warm breeze, the nearby forest, and the pleasant sounds of the local birds. I did see some interesting seashells, but I did not collect them. If I am to trek across all of Etnyben as planned, I cannot be carrying a large number of collected trinkets, no matter how interesting they might be. The one thing I did bring back with me was a large crab I caught in a tide pool. We cooked it over a campfire last night and ate well.
Early this morning, Krista’Mil captured her snake, and instead of a stake, she put a brass ring through its mouth. It can open and close its mouth, but not by much. The snake is about twice as long as my arm, and is a dark green color with yellow speckles scattered along its back. She spent the rest of the day making a cage for it from a piece of hollowed log and some sticks. A chain connects the brass ring to the cage to keep the snake from escaping.
We’re now back aboard the ship and once again on our way south. We should reach this side of the entrance to the Bay of Ivil within the next two weeks.