e cried out, seizing the very
end of the tail. He threw himself out so as to stretch out the animal.
Oliver and I, who had been waiting our opportunity, rushed in, and dealt
it several severe blows with our hatchets. Potto pulled away at the
same time. "No fear now," he cried out; "one more cut and he die!"
Once more we rushed in with our hatchets. No sooner did we deal the
blows than the creature lay stretched out apparently quite dead.

"We have settled him," said Mr Sedgwick. "And now let us measure his
length."

He paced along the body, which lay stretched out on the ground, and we
found it to be fully twenty-five feet long.

"An unpleasant creature to encounter in a morning's ramble," observed
Mr Hooker. "But how have you managed to escape these reptiles,
Sedgwick?" he asked.

"Simply, I suppose, because they prefer pork to man," he answered; "and
as we have the same taste, we may as well get piggy out of his maw."

To do so was impossible without cutting off the serpent's head. This we
accomplished with our hatchets. However, the appearance of the pig when
we got it out was far from tempting, and as we had a supply of food in
the fort, we agreed to let it remain where it was. We had been so
interested in this encounter that we had almost forgotten the position
in which we were placed. A shout from Mr Thudicumb, however, quickly
recalled us, and we hurried up to the fort. Tanda had just arrived.

"He is in a state of great agitation, sir," said Mr Thudicumb, as Mr
Sedgwick appeared, "but what he says I cannot make out."

Tanda and his master exchanged a few words.

"Friends," said Mr Sedgwick, "the pirates are approaching. They have
found their way up the river road, and will be here in a short time.
Once more I must urge you to fight to the last. I know them well.
Should we yield, a fearful death or painful captivity would be our lot."

"We are all aware of that, sir," said Mr Thudicumb; "and I can answer
for all hands that none will fail in their duty."

The bank round the more gentle slope of the hill had been raised
sufficiently to protect our bodies, so that by keeping close to it, no
shot--should the enemy have fire-arms--could hit us. All the muskets
were laid carefully loaded against the bank, and the Frau and the girls,
who had been practising loading for some time, took their places in
hollows which had been formed on purpose, where they might load without
risk, as soon as the gun