GAUAEONGA, THE GREAT CHIEF 181 



and all night, and none of us ever stirred without the 

 matter being instantly reported to the Resident. The 

 Fort was within sight, and only a few yards away, 

 so help, if required, could have been easily obtained ; 

 but all the same we took care to sleep with our loaded 

 revolvers beneath our pillows. 



In the eveninofs our table and chairs were moved 

 from beneath the shelter to the free air of heaven. 

 Nothing could be more delightful than those first 

 cool hours after sundown, when we sat idly exchang- 

 ing our experiences of the day, with glasses and lime- 

 juice beside us. One night we were sitting thus as 

 usual. The lamp was on the table, the one bright 

 spot in the compound, when Mr Talbot sprang to 

 his feet and shouted, "Run away." I obeyed with 

 promptitude, and as I did so my eye lit on something 

 moving. A dull grey cobra, ^ about five feet long, 

 crawled from beneath the table. It brushed past Mr 

 Talbot's foot, but fortunately did not strike him. No 

 weapon was at hand, so he called for his gun. The 

 boy delayed, and the reptile, moving rapidly, made 

 straight towards the hut where his wife was dressing 

 for dinner. There was no time to lose ; Mr Talbot 

 seized a tent-pole and struck the snake, but an unpli- 

 able stick is a dangerous implement. The cobra reared 

 up and spat venom straight into his eyes. The pole 

 came down on it once more and broke its back, 

 but already Mr Talbot was in intolerable agony. The 

 pain was as of something burning right into the 

 very brain itself We bathed his eye with salad oil 

 and boric acid, but otherwise there was nothing to 

 be done. 



^ Naia iiigricollis. 



