and lay apparently

Without a moment's reflection, I seized it a little below the head, hauled it beneath the shelter of the tree, and very coolly began to examine the mouth for the poison fangs of which naturalists speak so much. While in the act of forcing open the mouth with a stalk, I felt the head sliding through my hand, and to my astonishment, became aware that I had now to contend with the most deadly of reptiles in its full strength and vigour. Indeed, I was in a moment convinced of this; for as I tightened my hold of the throat, its body became wreathed round my neck and

arms.

lifeless. idea struck me, that were it in my power to transfix the mouth with some sharp instrument, it would prevent the reptile from using his fangs should it escape my hold. My gun lay at my feet. The ramrod appeared to be the very thing I required, which with some difficulty I succeeded in drawing out, having only one hand disengaged. My right hand was trembling with over - exertion, and my hold became less firm, when I happily succeeded in passing the rod through its upper jaw to its centre. It was not without considerable hesitation that I let go my hold of the throat; and seizing the rod with both hands at the same time, brought them over my head with a sudden jerk, and disengaged the

me to the earth, where it continued to twist itself into a thousand contortions of rage and agony. To run to a neighbouring stream, to bathe my neck, hands, and face in its cooling waters, was my first act after despatching my formidable enemy.'

'If the reader is aware of the universal dread in which the cobra de capello is held through-fold from my neck, which had out India, and the almost in- been almost tight enough to death which invariably produce strangulation. There follows its bite, he will in some was then but little difficulty in degree be able to imagine what freeing my right arm, and ultimy feelings were at that mo-mately throwing the reptile from ment; a faint kind of disgusting sickness pervaded my whole frame, as I felt the clammy fold of the reptile tightening round my neck. I still held the throat, but to hold it much longer would be impossible. Immediately under my grasp there was an inward working and creeping of the skin, which seemed to be assisted by the tightness with which I held itmy hand was gloved. Finding, in defiance of my efforts, that my hand each moment was forced closer to my face, an

BATTLE BETWEEN TWO SNAKES.

'As I was one day sitting solitary and pensive in my arbour, my attention was engaged by a strange sort of rustling noise at some paces distant. I looked

ing its tail twice round a stelk of hemp, and seizing its adversary by the throat, not by means of its jaws, but by twisting its own neck twice round that of the water-snake, it pulled the latter back from the ditch. Το prevent a defeat, the water-snake took hold likewise of a stalk on the bank, and by the acquisition of that point of resistance, became a match for its fierce antagonist. Strange was this to behold. Two great snakes, strongly adhering to the ground, fastened together by means of the writhings which lashed them to each other, and stretched at their full length, they pulled, but pulled in vain; and in the moments of greatest exertion, that part of their bodies which was entwined seemed extremely small, while the rest appeared

all around without distinguishing anything, until I climbed one of my great hemp stalks, when, to my astonishment, I beheld two snakes of considerable length, the one pursuing the other through a hemp stubblefield. The aggressor was of the black kind, six feet long; the fugitive was a water-snake, nearly of equal dimensions. They soon met, and in the fury of their first encounter, they appeared in an instant firmly twisted together; and whilst their united tails beat the ground, they tried with open jaws to lacerate each other. What a fell aspect did they present! Their heads were compressed to a very small size; their eyes flashed fire. After the conflict had lasted about five minutes, the second found means to disen-inflated, and now and then congage itself from the first, and hurried toward the ditch. Its antagonist instantly assumed a new posture, and half creeping and half erect, with a majestic mien, overtook and attacked the other again, which placed itself in the same attitude, and prepared to resist. The scene was uncommon and beautiful; for, thus opposed, they fought with their jaws, biting each other with the utmost rage; but notwithstanding this appearance of mutual courage and fury, the water-snake seemed still desirous of retreating toward the ditch, its natural element. This was no sooner perceived by the keen-eyed black one, than, twist

vulsed with strong undulations, rapidly following each other. Their eyes seemed on fire, and ready to start out of their heads. At one time the conflict seemed decided; the water-snake bent itself into two great folds, and by that operation rendered the other more than commonly outstretched; the next minute the fresh struggles of the black one gained an unexpected superiority. It acquired two great folds likewise, which necessarily extended the body of its adversary in proportion as it had contracted its own. These efforts were alternate: victory seemed doubtful, inclining sometimes to the one side and some

times to the other, until at last the stalk to which the black snake was fastened suddenly gave way, and in consequence of this accident they both plunged into the ditch. The water did not extinguish their vindictive rage; for by their agitations, I could trace, though not distinguish, their mutual attacks. They soon reappeared on the surface, twisted together, as in their first

onset; but the black snake seemed to retain its wonted superiority, for its head was exactly fixed above that of the other, which he incessantly pressed down under the water, until it was stifled and sunk. The victor no sooner perceived its enemy incapable of further resistance, than, abandoning it to the current, it returned on shore and disappeared.'

CHAPTER III.

CROCODILE-SHOOTING IN CEYLON-HOW ABBE DOMENECK
CAUGHT HIS CROCODILE.

'MINNERIA LAKE, like all others | water. The horny tail of a large
in Ceylon, swarms with croco- crocodile was suddenly seen
diles of a very large size. Early
in the morning and late in the
evening they may be seen lying
upon the banks like logs of
trees. I have frequently re-
marked that a buffalo shot with-
in a few yards of the lake has
invariably disappeared during
the night, leaving an undoubted
track where he has been dragged
to the water by the crocodiles.
These brutes frequently attack
the natives when fishing or bath-
ing, but I have never heard of
their pursuing any person upon
dry land.

"I remember an accident having occurred at Madampi, on the west coast of Ceylon, about seven years ago, the day before I passed through the village. A number of women were employed in cutting rushes for mat-making, and were about mid-deep in the

above the water among the group of women, and in another instant one of them was seized by the thigh and dragged towards the deeper part of the stream. In vain the terrified creature shrieked for assistance; the horror-stricken group had rushed to the shore, and a crowd of spectators on the bank offered no aid beyond their cries. It was some distance before the water deepened, and the unfortunate creature was dragged for many yards, sometimes beneath the water, sometimes above the surface, rending the air with her screams, until at length the deep water hid her from their view. She was never again seen.

'Some of these vermin grow to a very large size, attaining the length of twenty feet, and eight feet in girth; but the common

heads of different crocodiles, and presently one moved towards the half-consumed buffalo. | killed him stone dead. He

His long head and shoulders projected from the water as he attempted to fix his fore-claws into the putrid flesh; this, how-gradually sank, till at length I ever, rolled over towards him, and prevented him from getting a hold; but the gaping jaws nevertheless made a wide breach in the buffalo's flank. I was now within thirty yards of them, and being observed, they all dived immediately to the bot