70 Animal Lite 
the objects amongst which it moves—grass-grown banks of rivers, creeks and lagoons 
so nearly similar to the reptiles body in general hue as to give mse to feelings 
of astonishment that dwellers in the bush are not more frequently victims of its 
poison-glands. 
On one occasion, while quietly writing in my tent, a brown snake actually coiled 
up beside my feet. It seems inexplicable what power induced me to glance in the 
direction of the reptile, for my thoughts were lost in realms far distant from the 
haunts of snakes. A sudden movement on my part resulted in the speedy departure 
of the intruder to the outside of the tent, where I utilised a charge of shot with 
telling effect. 
On another occasion, in leaping from a log I alighted right on the body of a 
full-grown brown snake, the incident for the moment so unnerving me that I permitted 
the injured creature to escape down a crab-hole. 
I could relate various other “close calls” if space would allow, such as bathing 
while for some time quite unconscious of the fact that my nearest neighbour was a 
finely-striped tiger-snake coiled in watchful attitude upon the bank, two or three 
yards from my divested garments. Also ... . but I will make reference to a few 
notes dotted down when the circumstances of which I am thinking transpired, for I 
truly think—so far as a horrible fear and the nearness of a dreaded death are 
concerned—_that they rank first among the many and often dangerous incidents which 
have helped to make my life in the far-stretching expanses of the bush and forest 
country of Victoria of a somewhat adventurous nature :— 
By my side, upon a bunk composed of Australian “feathers” (young gum-boughs), 
my companion les—a young fellow eighteen years of age—quietly sleeping, with a big 
retriever at his feet. : 
Day after day we have pushed further back into the mountains, bent upon securing 
typical photographs of the 
bush and its imbabitants. 
Tired out with many a hard 
day's tramping, we flung 
ourselves down in this hut 
upon some dry ferns, and 
soon reclined in the kindly 
arms of sleep. The sensa- 
tions of awakening I recollect 
fullwell. Something seemed 
to rest heavily on my mind ; 
what it was I could not tell. 
Neither could I, for quite a 
minute, decide whether in 
reality I was awake or 
sleeping. “Iwas actually 
hard mental labour to 
struggle with my thoughts 
and attempt to form a 
correct conclusion of any 
kind, although I recollect 
being extremely anxious to 
do so. These sensations 
of uneasiness gradually 
awakened me, and I slowly 
