--the chief of whom we called Dango;
and several of the villagers volunteered to accompany us and show us the
haunts of the rogue. All arrangements were soon made--we were to start
by dawn the next morning.

Delighted with the prospect before us, I was about to lie down on a sofa
prepared as my bed, when I saw a snake fully four feet long glide in at
the door of the room, and coil itself away under my pillow. I had no
fancy for such a companion, and not knowing whether or not it was
venomous, I shouted to Dango, whom I saw in the court, to come and help
me to kill it. Nowell, who had left the room, heard me call, and came
at the same time. Dango fearlessly put in his hand, and turning out the
snake, said that it was only a rat-snake kept tame about the house for
the purpose of killing rats, and that it was perfectly harmless. Still
I could not bring myself to lie down on the couch with the expectation
of such a visitor. Nowell very good-naturedly said that I might take
his sofa, and that he would sleep on mine. I placed myself, therefore,
on three cane chairs at the table, on which a lamp was burning. I fell
asleep, but was awoke before long by hearing a rattling and scampering
noise about the room, when, opening my eyes, I saw a dozen or more rats
making free with our boots and eatables, and a number of other articles.
Just then from under Nowell's pillow out glided the rat-snake; quick as
thought he seized one rat, then another, and then another, by which time
the rats had scampered off. He glided away in pursuit, and I conclude
returned and carried away the rest, if he did not eat them on the spot,
for they were gone when I awoke.

After hurriedly discussing some coffee and biscuit, we started on our
expedition. Mr Fordyce and Nowell had each two rifles. I had only
one. Dango was told to keep near me. Poor Solon was very unhappy at
again being left behind, but he was so very likely to get killed if he
flew at an elephant that it was but prudent not to take him with us.
Torches were lighted to show us the way and scare off wild beasts, as we
sallied forth from our tapestried chambers. There was a slight crescent
moon, and the stars were shining with the most wonderful brilliancy in
the dark blue sky on the calm waters of a lake or ruined reservoir,
along which our course for some little distance lay. There we had to
border round a piece of country which had some years before been subject
to the process