Final answer:
The provided text does not specifically mention the American's reaction to seeing snake bait on the verandah. Numerous passages discuss encounters with snakes, portraying a compound human reaction of fear and fascination.
Step-by-step explanation:
The American mentioned in the passages seems to react differently when encountering snakes. In several instances, snakes are observed with a blend of fascination and fear. For example, Bess remarks on the tameness of a snake they discover in a ravine, noting its prettiness and lack of fear. However, the specific reaction of the American to seeing snake bait on the verandah is not explicitly mentioned in the provided text. Several of the passages reflect characters' interactions with or observations of snakes, suggesting a thematic pattern of how people engage with nature, with creatures like snakes often eliciting a complex mix of emotions and responses.