A COBRA. 113 



death, if I except a slight swelling about the eyes. 

 The whole affair was so sudden that I was really 

 startled ; as I think people generally are when they 

 witness such a result without knowing the cause. 

 However, I consoled myself with the knowledge 

 that, of all the pack, this victim could best be 

 spared. 



The cause of the greyhound's death was soon 

 explained. In the morning one of the boys went 

 to the vicinity of where the offal had been deposited, 

 to procure some firewood. While pounding away 

 with his hatchet on a log, he thought he smelt a 

 snake, and immediately afterwards a large cobra 

 (Naia haje, Smith) came forth, which he instantly 

 killed. On inspection its poison sacs were fairly 

 bursting with venom. 



From the time the dog was bitten till it died 

 not over seven or eight minutes can have passed. 

 With a human being the result would, doubtless, 

 have been the same ; not a very long time to con- 

 sider to whom you are to leave your personal 

 effects. 



