176 AUGUST 



"Here," he said, "is a piece." 



Quite near me Klinker had deposited it, and 

 now seized it again. I turned it over with my 

 foot. 



"I think it is a damon, a rat snake," I said. 

 " If we could only find the head." 



The door-keeper thought it was a cobra, and 

 showed me where the rest of the body lay, in two 

 long pieces, some distance off, but without the 

 head. Nous now came running up to us on three 

 legs, holding up one paw in the air for us to look 

 at. I examined it but could see nothing, but blood 

 was on his neck. 



I said, " He must have been bitten." 



" No," said the door-keeper, " that is the snake's 

 blood," so, as I thought still that it was a damon, 

 I merely said : 



" Tell the sweeper to wash him," and went back 

 to my planting. 



"He is away at his dinner," said the door- 

 keeper. 



Klinker now came and lay down on a soft part 

 of earth, close to me, as if he were resting after his 

 exertions. They always did so after killing a 



