Year: 1860

scarcely dared to take my eyes OH the
snake lest the brute should dart at me; but
giving glance round the upper part Of the
hut, | saw the handle of the assagai protru-
ding from the thatch, and nearly within reach
of me- I knew that the instant / moved the
snake would spring at me. however, raised
my hand and arm very slowly towards the as
sagai, and at length, by bending over little,
managed to grasp the handle. As did so
the snake, which had gradually uncoiled du,
ring my movements, dartcd towards me, L
jumped aside and pulled out the broad-bladed
assagai, which had been sharpened very keen,
but the snake moved like lightning, and altho'
he had missed me in his first dart, he recovered
himself instantly and sprung at me again
Before l could make cut at him, his teeth
caught in my leather trowsers. and he thus
obtained strong hold and With a pull as sud-
den as his lunge, he dragged my feet from
under me to the ground; big fold Of his body
rolled over his head, and fell upon my legs,
while it weighed me to the ground as if a load
ed wagon were on them. He managed all
this in very short time; but was not idle,
for knew that if he could once manage to
press down my chest, or my arms, he might
kill me.


Now, the feeling that first came upon me
was certainly not a pleasant one, because was
without weapon; but as soon as l Srasped
the assagai, knew that was safe; conse-
quently when he really attacked me, felt as
though it was piece of impudence on his
part, for l never expected the affair would
have been as dangerous to me as 1t proved to
be. These things take some time to tell, but
they do not take long to happen, and strug-
gle for life and death is frequently decided in
half minute. So it was with me. The in
slant the snakes body came over my legs, l
twisted around, and sliced it with the assagai.
7 l. ~
releasing the hold of my feathers, sprang at
my face. raised my arm instinctively to
protect myself, which saved me from being
bitten; but was Knocked down fiat, and the
brute was again on me ; but this time caught
him by the neck with my left hand, and in an
instant had nearly severed his head with the
assagai 1 scrambled away from the monster,
which was writhing about in its agony, and
escaped from the hut Then began to ex-
anime how had Jared in the fight. To my
surprise, ] found that a few deep scratches
near the ankle and bite near the wrist,
neither of which was of great Importance,
were all the wounds which had sustained
For some days afterwards. however, suffered
a great deal of pain. in the legs, where the
snake had pressed me.


do not think that should have escaped
to tell the tale, if had not found the assag gai,
as the boa, although unwilling to attack you
when he is in the open country, is pugnacio us
enough when shut up within circular h ut
about eight feet in diameter. We sol n haul
ed the snake from the hut, when my Hotten-
tot arrived, and found it measured twenty
eight feet in length, and nearly foot in di=
ameter in the thickcst part. The Hottentot
thought it must be that which he had
seen, as its markings appeared the same
1t is evideut that the flood had driven the
snake from its usual concealment among the
reeds, and the animal finding warm hut, in
which were blankets and remains OF. fire,
lad taken up his position without ceremony,
and had been probably much irritated at my
intrusion upon him. L never wish to have an
other such battle, for, although should not be
afraid of the result, still the thoughts which
come upon US afterwards are not pleasant
Man has an instructive horror OF serpents, and
when 1 dreamed, for many night afterwards,
it was usually about snake, or some other
horrid reptile which had hold Of mc,.-A Ran
0ers life an Africa