BOAS. 



183 



quite comme il faut. The story is this : A few 

 years ago the captain of a country ship, while 

 passing the Sunderbunds, sent a boat into one of 

 the creeks to obtain some fresh fruits, which are 

 cultivated by the few miserable inhabitants of 

 that inhospitable region. Having reached the 

 shore, the crew moored the boat under a bank 

 and left one of their party to take care of her. 

 During their absence, the Lascar who remained 

 in charge of it, overcome by heat, lay down under 





SERPENT ATTACKING A LASCAR. 



the seats, and fell asleep. Whilst he was in this 

 state of unconsciousness an enormous Boa constric- 

 tor, (or PytJwn) emerged from the jungle, reached 

 the boat, had already coiled its huge body round 



