ADVENTURE WITH A SERPENT. 279 



washed away by the freshes that rush impetuously from 

 the mountains, at certain times, and overflow the banks. 

 Pythons, or Boa-Constrictors as they are commonly called, 

 of an enormous size, are reported to have been seen in 

 the interior by the Dyaks. On one occasion, a large 

 dark-coloured snake was observed by the natives swim- 

 ming down the river, when they gave chase. They soon 

 overtook the reptile, and killed it by repeated blows on 

 the head with their paddles. This serpent, which was 

 presented to me, measured seven feet long, was innocuous, 

 and had a compressed form and a dorsal crest, extending 

 the whole length of the body. I pursued a similar serpent, 

 that surprised us when bathing, but did not succeed in 

 capturing him. A curious circumstance occurred at 

 Siniavin, showing the dread entertained by the Malays 

 against the serpent race. Taking a stroll before breakfast, 

 behind the village, I perceived a very prettily-marked 

 snake, at the bottom of a small, shallow pool of water, 

 and stooping quietly down, impaled the reptile between 

 my finger and thumb, and thus succeeded in making him 

 my prisoner. On my return, after showing my prize to 

 the party, in order to elicit proper admiration of its black 

 and red mottled skin, I proceeded to the river's brink, for 

 the purpose of securing the animal in an empty stoppered 

 bottle, which, according to custom, I had brought with 

 me for zoological contingencies, like the present. The 

 serpent being safely lodged in " durance vile," I was rather 

 surprised, some little time afterwards, at seeing a great 

 commotion among the " Tambang-boys," and my curio- 

 sity prompting me to investigate the cause of their leaping 

 precipitately into the water, and evincing other signs of 



