quickly
uncoiled itself from the body of its intended victim, glad to let the
latter escape, and only thinking of getting free itself by scuttling off
into the thickest of the underwood, where it disappeared evidently
writhing in pain.

Too anxious about the condition of their comrade, neither Captain
Redwood nor Saloo thought of pursuing it, but stooped down over the
released body of the Irishman, who had fallen prostrate to the earth.

On due examination it proved that there was not much harm done beyond a
terrible fright; and after some congratulations, he was induced to get
once more upon his feet and accompany them to the camp. But for Saloo
and his kris, beyond doubt he would never have returned to it alive.

For the python in the Old World is quite as formidable as the boa in the
New. Perhaps it is even more to be dreaded; for, notwithstanding its
great length--twenty-five to thirty feet--it is exceedingly nimble and
its muscular strength is immense. There are numerous authentic stories
on record of its having crushed the buffalo and the tiger in its huge
constricting folds. The _python reticulatus_ is probably the largest
species.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

CHICKS QUICK TO TAKE WING.

Two more days passed without any occurrence of an unusual nature, though
the castaways made several short excursions and explorations into the
forest, and also up and down the shore, keeping, however, close to the
edge of the timber. These ended without any important discovery being
made, but confirmed them in their conjecture that the coast on which
they had been cast was uninhabited, at least for a considerable distance
on each side of the place where they had landed.

The most disappointing thing about these exploratory trips was their
fruitlessness in obtaining food, the chief object for which they had
been made. Excepting some stray roots and berries of an esculent
nature, they had nothing to eat after the maleos' eggs were consumed;
and these had lasted them only into the second day. It is true the
durion stood near, and its fruit would for a time keep them from
starving. Still it would do little for the restoration of their
strength; and upon such diet it would be a long time before they could
undertake the arduous journey contemplated with any fair prospect of
being able to finish it. No more Singapore oysters could be found, no
fish caught; and such birds and beasts of the forest as Captain Redwood
had acci