HOW THE SERPENT WAS CAPTURED.
Here a new danger awaited us. He thrashed around at a lively rate, and it was necessary for us to be very vigilant to avoid being hit by his tail, which struck tremendous blows. In fact, Jack was knocked down by one of them, but he was up with the quickness of lightning and out of the way of the snake's coil. Now and then he would hit against a tree, tighten a fold or two about it, and that, of course, would set us to pulling again. While he was thus clinging to a tree we bent his head around another tree, and then the after-rider pushed a knife into his throat and started a furious stream of blood.
"I think that will settle him," said Jack; "he'll bleed to death in a little while, and then you'll have his skin safe and sound, with the exception of the little hole at the neck."
"It will take all day for him to become quiet," I replied; "I have seen this sort of animal before, and he has a wonderful hold upon life. He won't be through squirming until sundown."
Knowing that he could not possibly loosen the cords about his neck, and that his death was only a question of time, we sent the fore-looper back to camp to bring some of the Kafirs to watch the place, and, when the snake was sufficiently quiet, to remove his skin. One of our men was an adept at such work, and I particularly cautioned the fore-looper to put the matter in his hands. Then we rode on to our destination.
We were received in front of the kraal by the manager, whom I have already mentioned, and also by numerous Kafirs and dogs. The manager disappeared to announce our arrival, and we dismounted and gave our horses in charge of the Kafirs. Presently the manager returned, and invited us inside to the tent where I was received at my first visit.
The ladies were ready for us, and greeted us most cordially. They were clad after the manner of civilization, their dresses being of the tailor-made pattern, and of good, though not expensive, material. The garments were evidently made for use rather than show, and had been kept for just such occasions as this. Their clothing made a sharp contrast with ours, but I do not think any of us bothered his head about that. We chatted on general topics, told about our hunting-experiences since we last met, and then Jack gave a picturesque account of our interview with the snake, to which Harry and I made occasional additions. Altogether I do not think the story lost anything in the telling; neither did the size of the snake. Miss Boland said she hoped that kind of game was not abundant in Africa—she had a decided antipathy to snakes, whether large or small; and Mrs. Roberts promptly acknowledged the same feeling.
We were still on the serpentine subject when Mrs. Roberts left the tent for a moment, and came back with the announcement that luncheon was on the table. We followed her lead into another and larger tent, which served as the banqueting-hall. It was more sumptuous than the lunching-place at our camp, as it was a real tent, while ours was a temporary affair, improvised out of a wagon-cover.