THE YOUTH’S CABINET.

negro stopped, and pointed to a fallen
tree. All was still and silent. I told the
negroes not to stir from the spot where
they were, and keep the little dog in, and
I would go and reconnoitre. I advanced
up to the place slowly and cautiously.
The snake was well concealed, but at last
I made him out. It was not poisonous,
but large enough to have crushed any of
us to death. On measuring him after-
ward, he was something more than four-
teen feet long. This species of snake is
very rare, and much thicker, in proportion
to his length, than any other snake in the
forest. After skinning this animal, I
could easily get my head into its mouth,
as the singular formation of the jaws ad-
mits of wonderful extension.

“On ascertaining the size of the game
we had to encounter, I retired slowly the
way I came, and promised four dollars to
the negro who had shown it to me, and
one to the other who had joined us.
Aware that the day was on the decline,
and that the approach of night would be
inconvenient for the dissection, a thought
struck me that I could take him alive.
I imagined, if I could strike him with the
lance behind the head, and pin him to
the ground, I might succeed in capturing
him. When I told this to the negroes,
they begged and entreated me to let them
go for a gun, and bring more force, as
they were sure the shake would kill some
of us; but I had been in search of a large
serpent for years, and now having come
up with one, it did not become me to turn
soft. So, taking a cutlass from one of the
negroes, and then ranging both the sable
slaves behind me, I told them to follow
me. I smiled as I said this; but they
shook their heads in silence, and seemed
to have but a bad heart of it. When we

335

came to the place, the serpent had not
stirred; but I could see nothing of his
head, and I judged by the folds of Ins
body that it must be at the farthest side
of his den. A species of woodbine had
formed a complete mantle over the
branches of the fallen tree, almost imper-
vious to the rain or the rays of the sun.
Probably he had resorted to this seques-
tered place for a length of time, as it bore
the marks of an ancient settlement. I
now took my knife, determinipg to cut
away the woodbine, and break the twigs
in the gentlest manner possible, till I could
get a view of his head. One negro stood
guard close behind me with the lance,
and near him the other with a cutlass.
The cutlass which I had taken from the
first negro was on the ground close by
me, in case of need. After working in
dead silence for a quarter of an hour,
with one knee all the time on the ground,
I had cleared away enough to see his
head. It appeared coming out between
the first and second coils of his body, and
was flat on the ground. This was the
very position I wished it to be in. I rose
in silence, and retreated very slowly, mak-
ing a sign to the negroes to do the same.
We were at this time about twenty yards
from the snake’s den. I now ranged them
behind me, and told him who stood next
to me to lay hold of the lance the mo-
ment I struck the snake, and that the
other must attend my movements. It

‘now only remained to take their cutlasses

from them ; for I was sure if I did not do
this, they would be tempted to strike the
snake in time of danger, and thus forever
spoil his skin. My heart, in spite of all T
could do, beat quicker than usual; and I
felt those sensations which one has on
board a merchant vessel in war time,