Year: 1860

When I first went into the country, near
the Fay of Natal, things were very different
! to what they are now; there were not nearly
SO many Catfres in the country and there were
no white men except our own party. Game
was plenty; and Elany monster which has
now sought more secure retreat, was then to
be seen in the neghborhood of the bay.
built myself beehive shaped hut, like
one of the Caffres, on the open ground, near
the Umbilo, and cultivated a little piece of
ground near it. 1 had lived about three weeks
in this place when Hottentot, Plache, came
to me one day in great fright, and told me
he had seen the "bigest snake that ever was" !"
that it had crossed the Umbilo river, and en-
tered some long reeds about half q nile from
my hut. He said that the snakes head was
on the land on one side whilst the tail was on
the other side of the Umbilo. Now, this riv


er is not very broad, but if what the man told
me was true, the snake must have-been over
thirty feet in length. l knew that species
of boa-cnrstrictor was to be found here, for
had shot one sixteen feet long, as l was COM
ing from the old colony to the bay.


did not trouble myself to look after the
snake, for there was a large swamp with long
reeds extending for more than mile along
the banks of this river, with cover enough to
conceal FIVE hundred snakes. About month
after Plache's interview with the boa, there
fell vast quantity of rain, and the river rose
and flooded the whole of this swamp. The
nearest piece of dry land to the river, was the
little rising ground on which my hut stood
One evening during the time that the food
was out, came back fiom shooting just as the
sun was setting. l had shot buck, which 1
had found out in the open ground, behind the
Berea Bush Plache was with me, and left
him and Caffre to bring in the buck, whilst
l returned home, alone, to prepare fire, and
get ready the cooking pots. - >


/ noticed that the water was very high, and
had rot left more than hundred yards clear
round my hut which was, however, still ten or
twelve feet above the level of the flood. 1
placed my gun outside, against tie hut, and
crawled into the doorway of the kraai. You
must know that the only light that enters
these buildings is by the doorway, so when l
blocked up this. the only aperture, the interior
was rather dark. knew that my flint and
steel-box were stuck up in the thatch of the
roof, and these could use to obtain ligit.
in case the embers were not smouldering in
the centre of the hut, where 1 usually kept
fire. @ , ~ = e-tti --.3 & Z


I could not see a sign of spark amongst
the ashes, when 1 first entered the hut; and
as the evening was closing in, I thought
mi t-hazn difficulty in making fre-as the
dew was so heavy that all the wood became
damp, even inside the hut; so | lay down and
blew amongst the white wood ashes, to try and
raise . fame. ass


Whilst was thus occupied. 1 fancied that
I heard something move amongst the blankets
tha: 10y by the side of the hut. I looked at
the spot, and there to my astonishment, saw
gigantic snake, which appeared nearly as large
round as my body. The animal was coiled up
amongst my bedding, but had about three feet
head and neck, stretched out and pointed at
me-its forked tongue now and again shoot
ing out some inch or two from its mouth
The instant that saw the monster, jumped
to my feet and looked round for weapon, but
there was not one at hand. My gun had
placed outside; my large knife had left with
Plache, to enable him to cut up the buck, and
in fact [ was unarmed. cold shudder came
over me when / realized tie state of affairs;
the door of the hut was only two feet high,
and to escape therefore, 1 must crawl out, and
I felt certain that if /. stopped down, TIE snake
would instantly dart at me- ..z.. -


I was not at all aware what power the boa
constructor might possess; / believed that a.
monster like this would make short work of
me. I might Eight and struggle, hut unarmed
what could do. How long stood looking
at the snake do not know, but it could not
have been seconds, altllc ugh the time appear
ed minutes; suddenly repembered that my
Caffre had, few days before, asked me to al
low him toplace an assagai in my hut, because
the night dew caused tho blade to rust when
the weapon was exposed. Here then was a
hope for me, for I knew that the man had not
taken away the assagai with him.