ZOOLOGT. 



157 



few violent wreathings, it became nearly motionless^ but 

 nearly an hour elapsed before it expired. 



The Animal it had killed was an Antelope of large size^ 

 bat so altered in shape, that had it not been for the horns 

 and hoofs, we should have been unable to ascertain what it 

 was ; the body had been compressed, and so completely 

 flattened, that it was more than seven feet in length, and the 

 legs were hardly distinguishable; the whole carcass was 

 smeared over with a thick slime, which, we could not be 

 certain if occasioned by the licking of the tongue, or whether 

 it might not be an exudation from between the scales of the 

 Snake. 



On examining the Snake, its extraordinary bulk, and 

 great beauty of colours, induced us to forego our intended 

 journey, conceiving that its skin might prove a valuable ac- 

 quisition to the cabinet of some European friend, we there- 

 fore resolved on flaying it, though we were very deficient of 

 instruments proper for the purpose. The Natives, v/ho but 

 a short time before were so cowardly, might now be seen 

 sitting on the dead body, and we had some trouble in pre- 

 venting their cutting it to pieces. 



To flay it was a task of considerable difiicuUy, froci its 

 great length and bulk ; as it measured twenty-seven feet 

 nine inches in length, and three feet four inches in girtii, at 

 four feet distance from the head. We first made an incis- 

 sion along the throat, and separated the head wliere it wa§ 

 first wounded, stripping down the skin ; this was a mo^k 



