144 IN THE LAND OF THE BORA. 



for some days. One morning when I was absent 

 a small common snake tried to come up the 

 steps, and after a combat, which from the de- 

 scription furnished me must have been little 

 less than Homeric, was pluckily slain by our 

 chatelaine. On my return I took a stick and 

 walked round the fort, killing four more in a 

 quarter of an hour, but even this did not prevent 

 two others, one of which was ensconced in a 

 loophole, from sharing a like fate the next day. 



For this reason the tent was temporarily 

 abandoned. Now, tents, like sweethearts, must 

 not be neglected. It so happened that at this 

 time there was a very high sciroeco wind, which 

 lasted for nearly a week. This wind, as far as 

 frequent occurrence goes, here replaces the bora 

 of Northern Dalmatia, but, from its hot, damp, 

 and relaxing character, is to my mind infinitely 

 more objectionable. It always made me feel 

 absolutely good for nothing, and I shall probably 

 make its nature clear to a good many of my 

 readers when I say it was exactly like a Gibraltar 

 " levanter." Now, if we had been living in the 

 tent, the pegs, etc., would naturally have been 

 overhauled daily. As it was, the centre rope was 

 slack and the pegs loosened, with the result that 

 when I got up one morning I found the weather 

 side of the tent more concave than convex. I 

 guessed at once what had happened : two of the 



