out, however, I felt so hungry that I was compelled to light
a fire and cook one of the birds. I could not have proceeded on my
journey without it, though anxious to get back as soon as possible to
Natty. Thus thoroughly recruited, I again set off, looking about, as I
went along, in the hope of finding some other animal to shoot for food.
Though I saw many at a distance, I could not get sufficiently near one
to have a fair shot.

It was late in the day before I got back, and when I shouted to Natty,
as I drew near the hut, he answered me in a stronger voice than before.
I soon had the bottle of water to his lips, a fire alight, and a
partridge cooking. Enough of the day remained to allow me to search
about for wild fruits and roots which might assist our meal. I could
now leave him without fear; invariably, however, closing the hut when I
went out. I was successful in finding some fruits such as I have before
described, and returned well satisfied to the hut. Natty declared that
he felt able to sit outside by the fire to take his supper. He crawled
without my assistance to the entrance. After he had taken his seat, as
I happened to look inside, I saw the leaves on which he had been lying
moving slowly. Presently the hideous, black, swollen-looking head of a
snake emerged from under the leaves, its bright eyes glaring at us. In
another instant I believed that it would spring at Natty or me. Without
speaking, greatly to his alarm, I threw him on one side, and then,
seizing a heavy stick which lay at hand, I rushed at the creature and
struck it a blow with all my force on the head. It had the effect of
knocking it over; and before it could recover itself, I dealt it another
blow on the tail. Poor Natty, not seeing what I was doing, thought I
had gone mad, I believe. I repeated my blows, till I felt sure that the
creature was dead. I now dragged it out by the tail, prepared, should
it give signs of life, to renew my attack. As I brought it into the
light, I saw that it was a black variety of the puff adder, which is
among the most poisonous serpents of Africa. It is said that if a
person is bitten by it, death ensues within an hour. To make sure, I
threw the body into the fire. Not till then did Natty sufficiently
recover the effects of his fall and alarm to see what had occurred, and
to be aware of the fearful danger in which we had both been placed; for
had the creature come out while we were sitting to