ADVENTURE WITH A SNAKE 135 



had found its path obstructed by some boxes, etc., that 

 were in front of the tent opening, and had suddenly 

 changed its route, not noticing me, as I stood there im- 

 movable. It thus formed a right angle about me scarcely 

 twenty-five centimetres distant. At first glance its shape 

 suggested the redoubtable king cobra, but two very 

 conspicuous yellow parallel bands running obliquely 

 against each other across the flat, unusually broad head, 

 indicated another species, though probably of the same 

 family. 



The formidable head on its narrow neck moved rapidly 

 from side to side; I felt as if surrounded, and although the 

 reptile evidently had no hostile intentions and appeared 

 as much surprised as I was, still, even to a nature lover, 

 our proximity was too close to be entirely agreeable, so 

 I stepped back over the snake. In doing so my foot 

 encountered the kettle that contained my bathing water, 

 and the noise probably alarmed the serpent, which 

 rapidly glided down the little embankment, where it soon 

 reached the grass next to the river and disappeared. 

 It was a magnificent sight to watch the reptile, about two 

 and a half metres in length, jet black and perfectly formed, 

 moving swiftly among the trees. The Malays call this 

 snake, whose venom is deadly, ular hanjalivan, and ac- 

 cording to the Murungs a full-grown man dies within half 

 an hour from its bite. This species appears to be fairly 

 numerous here. 



At times the natives here showed no disinclination to 

 being photographed, but they wanted wang (money) for 

 posing. Usually I had to pay one florin to each, or fifty 



