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THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



A PYTHON BEING MADE TO DISGORGE ITS DINNER — A FULL-GROWN PIG 



"Pythons are very common in the Congo. Some of them are as much as twenty-five 

 feet in length and can swallow a whole goat, or, as in the case depicted, a pig. No instance, 

 however, has come to my knowledge of a child having been killed by them. When a snake 

 has been killed by the natives, they make it disgorge its prey, and eat the snake food as well 

 as the snake." 



of Africa my steamer was scheduled to 

 depart at 5 in the morning. I was awak- 

 ened at dawn by a considerable stir on 

 the quay. The people of the surrounding 

 villages had come to see me off. When 

 my luggage was put on board, every one 

 fought for the privilege of rendering me 

 this last service. Then the leave-taking 

 took place. I had to shake many black 

 hands, pat children on the heads, and give 

 a solemn promise to return in the near 

 future. 



I went on board and looked from the 

 bridge down on the huge crowd, among 

 whom was none who was not my friend. 

 A curious mixture of feelings came over 



me. I was unhappy at the thought of 

 leaving this land, and, on the other hand, 

 I could not but feel proud to see the re- 

 gret at my departure. 



While preparations were being made 

 for pushing off, a native cried out, "Let 

 us sing Deke's (my name among the 

 blacks) favorite song," and the whole as- 

 semblage broke into voice. 



The steamer whistled thrice, the cap- 

 tain rang the engine-room telegraph, and 

 off we went, while there stood my dear 

 black friends waving their hands, cloth, 

 branches, anything that came to hand, 

 and shouting in the native tongue, 

 "Good-by, Deke ; don't forget us." 



