CATCHING COBRAS 53 



had nearly walked. On arriving Nous took one 

 look, and like a flash, darted in and brought out a 

 black writhing snake. It was only by following 

 him up as fast as possible that I could know what 

 kind it was, for he always gallops off with it in his 

 mouth to the opposite end of the garden ; the 

 other dogs after him, eager to assist; and they 

 have a tug of war with it ; literally tearing it to 

 pieces. Their panting excitement over a snake is 

 terrible. No one can ever stop them if they once 

 catch sight of one. On each of these occasions I 

 found the spectacles clearly defined on the expand- 

 ing hood, and the cobra is the only snake in the 

 world that possesses that mark. 



There was a third most exciting episode : when 

 the four dogs all together caught a very large one 

 in the pathway, close to the double wall. There 

 was some tennis going on a little way off, and I 

 was rather distracted by the constant barking of 

 the dogs, at a particular spot in the gravel walk, 

 and went across to stop them. One of them 

 bounded to meet me, and excitedly escorted me to 

 the place as much as to say, " Do come quickly ! " 



I found Nous scratching like mad at one side 



