174 OPHIDIA. — BOAD^. 



easily made our way through them, partly assisted 

 by the track vvliich the Serpent had evidently 

 made. 



" We had penetrated, I should suppose, about 

 thirty yards, when the fellow who was in advance 

 gave the alarm that we were close upon the ani- 

 mal. Mr. H. ordered him behind, and advancing 

 along with me, we saw through the reeds part of 

 the body of the monster coiled up, and part of it 

 stretched out ; but owing to their thickness, its 

 head was invisible. Disturbed, and apparently 

 irritated by our approach, it appeared, from its 

 movements, about to turn and assail us. We had 

 our guns ready, and just as we caught a glimpse 

 of its head we fired, both of us almost at the same 

 moment. From the obstruction of the reeds, all 

 our shot could not have taken effect ; but what 

 did take effect seemed to be sufficient ; for it fell 

 hissing and rolling itself into a variety of contor- 

 tions. Even yet it was dangerous to approach it. 

 But Caesar, who seemed to possess a great deal of 

 coolness and audacity, motioning his master and me 

 not to fire again in the direction of the animal, 

 forced a way through the reeds at one side, and 

 making a kind of circuit, came in before it, and 

 succeeded in hitting it a violent blow, which com- 

 pletely stunned it ; and a few repetitions of this 

 gave us the victory. We could now examine the 

 creature with safety. On measuring it, we found 

 it to be nearly forty feet in length, and of pro- 

 portional thickness. Mr. H. informed me that 

 it was the largest he had seen killed, although he 

 had often seen others under circumstances which 

 convinced him that they must have been of a far 

 greater size." 



