822 
NOTES ON SNAKES IN EAST AFRICA 
my pillow I jabbed a jack-knife into it, and it glided into the 
wall without attempting to bite.’ He and another corporal 
had made themselves a bivouac by fixing two ground-sheets 
against the loose-built wall. Nearest the wall this improvised 
tent was not more than four feet from the ground, and to 
enter one had to go on hands and knees. Riding into camp 
about 11 a.m. the writer was hailed by the other corporal who 
was lying reading, but called out casually 4 The snake is here 
lying on the blankets now if you want it,’ and he rolled back 
to continue his reading. 
Picking up a short stick the writer asked him to vacate 
so that he might come in. On hands and knees he waited on 
the one bed, whilst the pillow was overturned revealing 
nothing. With his face to the ground he was able to see the 
coils of a pink cobra in the interstices of the wall. Cautioning 
the others as to the snake’s propensities for spitting, he pinned 
the nearest visible piece of snake down with a stick, placing 
his foot on the other end of the stick, and at the same time 
rising to a stooping posture. 
Almost simultaneously both ends of the snake appeared, 
the anterior end chawing at his ammunition boots in a very 
thorough manner. Seeing it was so occupied, he seized the 
tail which was coiling and squirming, and releasing the stick 
pulled the cobra off his boot, tossed it out into the open, 
and before it had recovered from its surprise, pinned it down 
by the neck. With a thread of cotton wound round its jaws 
it sailed about the horse-lines, swaying to and fro with spread 
hood to the interest of all observers. 
A specimen alive at the present time was caught three 
months ago within ten feet of the writer’s tent. It was wriggling 
along in the ditch at the time, and owing to the hardness 
of the ground, when pinned by the neck, it turned over and 
spat at its would-be captor. Fortunately he turned his cheek 
to the enemy at the critical moment and received the charge 
of venom on his neck and arm from wrist to shoulder. 
Unless the venom chances to enter a cut or abrasion, such 
as anyone might have after shaving, there is no danger. The 
exception to this of course is the eyes, and it is always at the 
eyes the cobra ejects its venom, with remarkable precision. 
