September.] EGG SWALLOWED BY A SERPENT. 
331 
catechetical meeting in his own house, when 
twelve or fourteen persons were present. The 
population is so thinly scattered over this desert 
part of the country, that many cannot be ex- 
pected to attend at Beaufort; but the Mis- 
sionaries' chief work will be to travel over the 
district, and to visit the farmers in their own 
houses. 
Mr. Taylor mentioned to me the following sin- 
gular circumstance respecting a serpent, which 
he received from a respectable person, who had 
been an eye-witness to the fact : — The serpent 
was only about twelve inches long, and not 
thicker than a man's little finger. Having 
found a hen's egg, the little reptile gradually 
distended its mouth so as to swallow it whole. 
When the egg had reached the stomach, the 
serpent, by twisting himself round, broke the 
egg, threw up the shell, but retained its con- 
tents- 
The Hottentots returning with the seven oxen 
from Mr. Smit's on the Uth, we left Beaufort 
at six p. M. For several days we met with fre- 
quent detentions, in consequence of some of the 
loose oxen, which were driven by Muliaily, the 
Matchappee from Lattakoo, having strayed. At 
one time, when the number, on their being counted, 
was found short by one ox, he said in excuse 
