326 AMERICAN SNAKES. 



hours at a time. The neio-hbours beo^an to wonder at 

 this extraordinary conduct, and suggested to the father 

 that it would be well if a watch were set upon her 

 movements. This was accordingly done. On a P^riday 

 morning the child went out and sat in her usual place 

 by the creek till nearly noon, when she returned to 

 the house and asked for food, upon which a large 

 slice of bread and butter was given her, and she 

 returned to the waterside. 



In the meantime the father had stealthilv followed 

 his child, and ensconced himself behind some bushes. 

 To his intense horror, he saw a huge black snake slowly 

 lift its head into the child's lap, and receive the food 

 from her hand, exhibiting the utmost greediness, and 

 showing signs of anger whenever the child attempted 

 to taste the food ; the poor girl trembling like an aspen 

 leaf all the while. The father uttered a loud groan 

 as he beheld the influence which the monster had 

 gained over the mind of his child. But some slight 

 noise he made alarmed the snake, which glided away 

 into the creek, and was lost to sight. He questioned 

 the child as to why she gave her food to the snake, but 

 she would not, or could not, give any answer. 



After a consultation with some friends, it was deter- 

 mined that the girl should not be hindered from going 

 to the creek the following day, and that if the saake 

 made its appearance it should be killed. The child 

 took her food to the creek the next morning as usual, 



