loS ANIMAL LIFE IN AFRICA 



Another time fortune was less kind. I had brought 

 down my wagon to a point on the Crocodile River 

 about eight miles from Komati Poort, and, the oxen 

 having been outspanned and watered, I rode into the 

 village, meaning to spend the night there. After dark a 

 messenger followed me in, to say that two of the oxen 

 had been killed by a mamba. I went out and found 

 the best leader in the span dead, and one of the after 

 oxen in a very bad way. The former had lived about 

 two hours after being bitten, while the latter survived 

 until the morning in a partially unconscious condition. It 

 seemed that shortly before sunset the beasts had grazed 

 into a patch of long grass, where they disturbed a mamba. 

 The snake immediately charged through the herd, as 

 usual, striking right and left as it went. One ox was 

 struck high up in the hind leg and the other in the 

 shoulder. 



A little fox terrier of mine ran in at a mamba which 

 I had disabled, but which was not yet dead. The snake 

 had just strength left to bite the dog in the thigh, and 

 expired immediately afterwards. In view of the former's 

 weak state, I hoped for the best, and picking up the dog 

 in my arms ran for the station, only 200 yards distant. 

 Before I got there he was sick, in a few minutes more 

 quite limp, and, in ten minutes from the time he was 

 bitten, stone dead ! This gives an idea of the rapid 

 action of the poison on a nervous animal. 



Many years ago the colonel of a British infantry 

 regiment was killed by a mamba in Zululand. He had 

 walked up to a deserted native village always a likely 

 spot for one of these snakes to look for a suitable 

 camping ground for his men, when he was bitten in 

 the thigh. Telling the adjutant, who alone had ac- 

 companied him, to run back quickly for medical help, 



