136 OiV THE UPPER ST. JOHN'S. 



Whether it was an optical illusion I cannot 

 say, but it seemed to me that the creature 

 lay entirely above the surface, as if it had 

 been an inflated skin rather than a live 

 snake. We passed close by it, but it made 

 no offer to move, only darting out its tongue 

 as the boat slipped past. I spoke to the 

 boy, who at once ceased rowing. 



"I think I must go back and kill that 

 fellow," he said. 



" Why so? " I asked, with surprise, for I 

 had looked upon it simply as a curiosity. 



" Oh, I don't like to see it live. It 's the 

 poisonousest snake there is." 



As he spoke he turned the boat : but the 

 snake saved him further trouble, for just 

 then it uncoiled and swam directly toward 

 us, as if it meant to come aboard. " Oh, 

 you 're coming this way, are you ? " said the 

 boy sarcastically. " Well, come on ! " The 

 snake came on, and when it got well within 

 range he took up his fishing-rod (with hooks 

 at the end for drawing game out of the 

 reeds and bonnets), and the next moment 

 the snake lay dead upon the water. He 

 slipped the end of the pole under it and 

 slung it ashore. " There ! how do you like 



