In Afric’s Forest and Jungle 
a tangled growth higher than my head, an ante¬ 
lope as large as a cow, sprang up into full view 
about ten steps away. I discharged the entire 
load into its side and it seemed to be wounded, 
but I could not find my prey. It had slunk 
along underneath the vines and bushes and hid 
in some impenetrable recess. 
These rocks are a favorite place of abode for 
pythons, and I did not care for this reason to 
pursue the search too far. One of the very larg¬ 
est specimens of these reptiles lived in a large 
cleft boulder just inside the walls near the mis¬ 
sion house. The people of the city treated this 
as they did the one living in the great central 
rock and frequently left offerings to it as one of 
their tutelary deities. My curiosity got the better 
of me one day and, holding a strong, sharp knife 
in one hand, I passed through the central cleft 
looking into the hollows on each side, but I did 
not see his godship. I think now that my con¬ 
duct on this occasion was rather foolhardy, but I 
did not think so at the time. In this connection, 
I will say that the greatest snake story I ever 
heard anywhere was told to me in Abeokuta by 
a native who seemed to be entirely in earnest, 
but I do not wish to be held responsible for the 
truth of his statements. The man declared that 
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