ENORMOUS SNAKES. 



333 



lope of tliis region. We now crossed over to the 

 Celebes side to a village of four or five buts, to be 

 sheltered from the heavy rains that have drenched 

 us eveiy night but one since we left Kema. A few 

 natives have moved here ffom Kema because they 

 take many fish off this part of the coast, and there is 

 a small stream emptying into the sea in the vicin- 

 ity. They live almost wholly by fishing, and have 

 cleai'ed only a email place near their houses for a gar- 

 den of Indian com. This evening they have shown 

 me one of the monsters of these forests. It was an 

 enormous python. Its head has been taken off, but by 

 carefiil measurement I find it must liave been at least 

 fifteen feet long. It was killed here the day before 

 yesterday by one of the natives living in the house 

 where we are now sheltered from the rain. Missing 

 his dog, he chanced to go to the brook where they 

 get water, and there he found this monstrous reptile 

 trying to swallow his favorite. As quietly as pos- 

 sible he stole back to the village and gave the alarm, 

 and at once all went out and suc^^eeded in cutting off 

 its head before it could disgorge its prey and attack 

 them. The natives are now taking off the skin to 

 make rude moccasins, which they frequently use 

 when hunting in the woods, or more especially when 

 travelling through the tall, sharp-edged prairie-grass. 

 They all agree that this tough, scaly skin is much 

 more durable for such a purpose than the best kind 

 of leather. Our old boatman tells me that he once 

 killed one of those great reptiles on Limbi, while it 

 was trying to swallow a wild pig. All the natives 

 . assert that this monster sometimes attacks the wild ox, 



