540 TRAVELS IN THE EAST INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO. 



Tkrowing off my hat, that I might go into the di'ead- 

 ful struggle unimpeded, I shouted out for a long 

 knife, knowing well that what I must try to do was 

 to cut him in two, and that he would attempt to 

 catch my hand in his jaws, and, if he should succeed 

 in doing that, he would mnd himself around me as 

 quick as a man could wind the lash of a long whip 

 around a fixed stick, and certainly he was large 

 enough and strong enough to crush the largest horse. 

 The cook handed me a sharp knife, more than a foot 

 long, and, holding the board down with my feet, I 

 thrust the blade through the crack, and, wrenching 

 with all my might, tried to break the great reptile's 

 back-bone, and thus render all that part of the body 

 behind the fi'acture helpless. Despite my utmost 

 efforts, he pulled away the knife, and escaj)ed two or 

 three feet forward, where there was more room imder 

 the deck. By this time there was the greatest con- 

 fusion. The captain, evidently believing that dis- 

 cretion is the better part of valor, ran below the mo- 

 ment he was satisfied that I had indeed discovered 

 the monster, seized a brace of revolvers, and, perching 

 himself upon the monkey-rail, leaned his back against 

 the mizzen-rigging, and held one in each hand, ready 

 to fire into the boat at the slightest alarm. The sail- 

 ors all gathered round the boat, and stood perfectly 

 still, apparently half- stupified, and not knowing 

 whether it would be safest for them to stand still, 

 climb up in the rigging, or jump overboard. The 

 first mate armed himself with a revolver, and 

 climl)ed on to the stern of the boat. Indeed, every 

 moment I expected to hear a re])ort, and find 



