JUNGLES OF INDIA. 199 



us during our march through a country haunted by such 

 terrible reptiles. I did not need the advice ; for I now 

 entertained a greater dread of these serpents than of any 

 monster I had ever encountered. I would sooner have 

 faced a lion and a tiger at the same moment, than have 

 put myself within the lightning dart of a boa. 



The Parsees concluded the skinning operation in about 

 a quarter of an hour, and returned, with the beautiful 

 prize, wrapped in a cloth. Mr. Barrill said it could be 

 prepared for preservation at the next town. Proceeding 

 on our route, we passed through the less luxuriant jungles, 

 near the sandy shore of the gulf, and early in the after- 

 noon, reached the small town of Elaw, situated on the 

 northern side of a shallow creek. Here the heat 

 of the sun was oppressive. But we secured the best 

 lodgings the town coulcl afford a bamboo shelter, alive 

 with pestering insects stretched and cleansed the boa skin, 

 and alarmed the gaping Hindoos with a terrific recital of 

 our adventure. In their turn they opened our eyes, by 

 assuring us that tigers, lions, and other large animals 

 abounded in the jungles between Elaw and Baroche a 

 city on the Nerbudda river. They expressed their amaze- 

 ment, when we stated that we were anxious to encounter 

 the most ferocious animals of their country, and particu- 

 larly intimated that we were wofully ignorant of the tiger's 

 daringand activity. But when we told them of some of our 



