THE BOA SECURED. 
43 
but slightly wounded, he sent up such a cloud of 
dust and dirt as I never saw but in a whirlwind, and 
made us once more suddenly retreat to our canoe ; 
where now, being heartily tired of the exploit, I gave 
orders to row towards the barge : but David, still en- 
treating me to permit him to kill the animal, I was, 
by his persuasions, induced to make a third and last 
attempt in company with him. Then, having once 
more discovered the snake, we discharged both our 
pieces at once, and with this good effect, that he was 
now by one of us shot through the head/ 
5* Captain Stedman, with the help of his servants, 
now secured the snake, by passing a rope with a 
running noose upon it over his head. This was 
effected with some difficulty, as the animal, notwith- 
standing his being mortally wounded, still continued 
to writhe and twist about in such a manner as to ren- 
der it dangerous for any person to approach him. In 
this state he was dragged to the shore, and the end of 
the rope made fast to the canoe in order to tow him 
to the vessel. According to~ Stedman’s account, he 
continued swimming like an eel until they arrived on 
board ; where, upon due consideration, it was agreed 
to convey this immense snake once more on shore, 
and have him skinned for the sake of the oil. In 
order to effect this purpose, the negro David, having 
climbed a tree with the end of the rope, let it 
down over a strong forked bough, and the other 
negros hoisted up the snake, and suspended him from 
the tree. This done, David, with a sharp knife be- 
tween his teeth, now left the tree and clung fast upon 
