140 THE EASTERN HUNTEES. 



though dead, still retained Mackenzie's leg in its 

 folds, he said, " I was walking quietly along, think- 

 ing how jolly a swim would be, when suddenly I 

 felt something writhe under my foot, and in a second 

 the brute had twisted itself round my leg. My first 

 impulse was to lift my foot, and I believe I actually 

 did so for a single second, but, luckily, saw that its 

 head was fixed. I had trodden on the snake just 

 about an inch or two behind the head, so that it 

 could not get at me to strike. Of course, I pressed 

 my foot down harder still, and brought my right 

 heel as hard as I could on its head, and crushed it 

 as you see." 



" Lucky, indeed, old fellow, you had presence of 

 mind to do so," said Norman, heartily. " You could 

 hardly have raised your foot. If you had done so, 

 you must have been bitten." 



" I am sure I should have thought of nothing but 

 kicking out, or running off," Hawkes observed. " I 

 funk snakes and mad dogs more than any other 

 earthly creatures, and should most assuredly have 

 acted on my first impulse to bolt." 



" Those ponderous limbs and heavy shooting-shoes 

 did you good service, Mac," Norman said. " Even 

 supposing I had been free from Hawkes' desire to 

 cut away, which I much doubt, the brute would 

 probably have writhed itself away from beneath 



