VIII 
FUNGI 
117 
penetrates ; under damp ferns and mosses are others 
of a most deadly-looking blue colour, or flaunting in 
scarlet spotted with yellow, and with purple gills. 
Again, there are delicate parasol-shaped, green ones 
with the thinnest stems, big brown monstrosities, and 
huge puff-balls, some filled with yellow dust and others 
soft, pulpy, and black, all looking equally poisonous. 
I was glad to get away from them into a beaten track, 
and, through the long grass, home. 
On the way we came face to face with an ugly- 
looking cow, who wished to dispute our right to 
trespass on her territory, so we quickly retreated and 
wisely left her in possession. Here the cattle are 
really wild, and though they say that if the herds close 
round you or follow you, there is no reason to feel 
afraid, as it only means curiosity, I call it prolonged 
agony. Snakes of various kinds abound here, carpet 
ones occasionally make a home in the rafters above, so 
they say, and a cat brought a small and venomous one 
in the other evening and played with it under the 
table, while we, in delightful ignorance, ate our dinner ; 
but these are trifles that are in a moment forgotten. 
