Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1908-06-06


from its mouth, you will see small
tributary marked Insult River, which
has its source in the N'Kankhla
Mountains, Zululand. This river fol-
| lows a very tortuous course as 1t
rushes to join the Tugela, and is fed
| by numerous streams which dash
down the mountain sides in water
falls and cascades, cutting down
through the rocks and forming long
spurs with gorges hundreds OF feet
deep between.
Some years ago was running a
Kafflr store, which was situated on
the slope of one of the long spurs
aforementioned, overlooking the
N'Kuzana stream. At the time OF
which l am speaking there were a
good many prospectors in the valley,
and a syndicate was working claims
up the NKuzana stream. Besides
trading with the natives did fairly
good business with these plucky pio-
neers of civilization.
Game was pretty plentiful, and also
snakes; more salubrious region for
these creatures l was never in.
had an instructive feeling of repug-
nance for snakes, and never passed
one without at least trying to kill it.
One evening, after telling the UNI
fam (native lad to close the store,
L was sitting outside my wattle-and-
daub hut enjoying a smoke, when
suddenly the boy came rushing up,
shouting, "Baas, baas, inyoka UNI
1ulu, kakulu!" (Master, a big-a
very big-snakeD Springing to my
feet, asked him where it had gone
and what kind of snake it was. He
replied that it was too dark to see,
but it was very large; he had seen 1t
go into the store just as he was about
to close the door.
"All right" l said, Ego and shut
the store up now"
But the lad remained where he
was, shaking with fright, and it was
obvious that he dare not go near the
place while that snake remained in
side.
My other boys" had been sent
away on errands in the morning, and
had not returned. At first l thought
would leave the snake until the
morning, but remembering that had
just received fresh supply of goods
which were lying about the store and
would give the creature plenty OF
hiding places, l thought it better to
have it out with the brute there and
then, otherwise 1t would mean turn
ing the store inside out next morning
to look for it. From the boys de-
scription took it to be young py-
thon, able to inflict severe bite, but
not venomous.
Selecting a good stick and taking
lighted candle with me, / went to
the store, slipped quietly in, and
closed the door behind me. Placing
the candle on the counter, looked
around in the dim light. Hearing q
slight noise at the end of the store
crept towards it. and presently saw
the head of a snake appear just above
bale of blankets, its body being or
the other side. l struck at him, but
as he lodged the blow l saw that Il
was not python. Jumping back
tripped ard fell with a crash among
the tin-billies and KafIir-pots. In
falling / saw a kissing streak o.
black, which struck at me as 1
flashed past and made for the door
Any doubts l had as to the kind O
snake 1t was were now dispelled, y fol-
by the sickly smell of musk / knew
the creature was black mamba, apt
the largest of its kind had ever seen
Heartily l cursed myself for m!
folly in not bringing my shotgun viii
me, for now / was fairy trapped, tn
brute being between me and tn
door. The black mamba, may men
ton, is one of the most dangerous O
deadly snakes, for, besides the viru
lence of its venom, it is very Zero
cious, and when at bay will attack
human being with incredible fury.
The extraordinary quickness Of IT
movements makes it still more to b
dreaded; 1t will dodge blow from
stick and strike back before its op
ponent has time to recover. AM
here was 1, shut up, through my owl
stupidity, with a serpent of this de
scription, which appeared to me to b
about twelve feet in length.
Meanwhile the brute, finding It
retreat cut off, turned toward m
again; / could see its evil looking
eyes scintillating in the dim light o
the candle. caught up som
weights and hurled them at it, in tn
hope of injuring it sufficiently to sto
It from springing, but this only ha,
the effect of still further incensin
the manila, and it gathered itself to
gether to attack me. Promptly
jumped up to get on the other side o
the counter. In my hurry, keepin
my eyes all the time on the snake,
upset the candle and sent It flying
leaving myself in total darkness!
My feelings at that moment wer
not exactly enviable. Searching has
tily in my pocket for match found
to my dismay, that must have lef
them by the chair where had bee
smoking outside, ard the stock o
matches In the store was at the othe
end, with the snake barring the road