44 
SCENES IN INDIA. 
the monster, which was still twisting, and began his 
operation by ripping it up and stripping down the 
skin as he descended. 
f Though I perceived/ continues Stedman, f that 
the animal was no longer able to do him any injury, 
I confess I could not without emotion see a man stark 
naked, black and bloody, clinging with arms and 
legs round the slimy and yet living monster. This 
labour, however, was not without its use, since he 
not only dexterously finished the operation, but pro- 
vided me, besides the skin, with above four gallons of 
fine clarified fat, or rather oil, though there was 
wasted perhaps as much more/ 
The adventure was finally concluded by the 
negroes, who cut the flesh of the snake into pieces 
on purpose to dress it : from which they were deterred 
by the captain, who would not allow them to eat 
such disgusting food, notwithstanding their declaration 
that it was exceedingly good and wholesome. 
" This monstrous snake,” continues Mr. Wood, 
“ when he has fasted for any length of time, becomes 
most actively voracious, and springs with inconceiva- 
ble rapidity upon the unfortunate animal who comes 
within his reach. However large the animal may 
be, his doom is fixed, and the power of flight denied 
him. He is confined within the folds of the snake’s 
enormous tail : who, contracting the muscles of his 
body in proportion to the resistance to be overcome, 
crushes the wretched victim in pieces, and then, 
covering the carcass with saliva, sucks it by degrees 
into his stomach. In this manner one of the largest 
of the species has been said to manage a buffalo ; and 
