CHAPTER X 



I TAKE A SWIM IN A CRYSTAL POOL — DRIVEN OUT 

 BY A HUGE SNAKE — I KILL THE SNAKE — CAMP- 

 FIRE TALK— HOW TO HUNT — IMPORTANCE OF 

 SILENCE AND NOISELESS MOVEMENTS 



AFTER the departure of the women and children 

 my hunters busied themselves in making traps to 

 catch animals. I discovered not far from our camp a 

 beautiful rivulet of clear water, which had a little water- 

 fall, below which was a deep pool and a very good 

 place for a swim. On my return to the camp I told 

 Rogala of my discovery. He replied : " Oguizi, look 

 out for snakes when you bathe, for there are several 

 kinds of snakes that are very fond of being in the water. 

 Some of these are very poisonous." 



" I will look out sharply for them, Rogala. They 

 can be easily seen, as the water is so clear,*' I replied. 



Then I took a shot-gun with me, with a few bullets for 

 emergency, in case of a large animal making its appear- 

 ance suddenly, and left the camp for a swim, Rogala 

 recommending me once more to look out for snakes. 



When I came to the stream, I hung my clothes on 

 the branch of a tree, put my gun near the water so that 



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