r of the cave lay the
huge reptile stone dead and already much swollen. I don't know how long
it was, for part of its body was twisted into coils, so I will only say
that it was by far the most enormous snake that I have ever seen. It is
true that I have heard of such reptiles in different parts of
Africa, but hitherto I had always put them down as fabulous creatures
transformed into and worshipped as local gods. Also this particular
specimen was, I presume, of a new variety, since, according to Ragnall,
it both struck like the cobra or the adder, and crushed like the
boa-constrictor. It is possible, however, that he was mistaken on this
point; I do not know, since I had no time, or indeed inclination, to
examine its head for the poison fangs, and when next I passed that way
it was gone.

I shall never forget the stench of that cave. It was horrible, which is
not to be wondered at seeing that probably this creature had dwelt there
for centuries, since these large snakes are said to be as long lived as
tortoises, and, being sacred, of course it had never lacked for food.
Everywhere lay piles of cast bones, amongst one of which I noticed
fragments of a human skull, perhaps that of poor Savage. Also the
projecting rocks in the place were covered with great pieces of snake
skin, doubtless rubbed off by the reptile when once a year it changed
its coat.

For a while we gazed at the loathsome and still glittering creature,
then pushed on fearful lest we should stumble upon more of its kind.
I suppose that it must have been solitary, a kind of serpent rogue,
as Jana was an elephant rogue, for we met none and, if the information
which I obtained afterwards may be believed, there was no species at
all resembling it in the country. What its origin may have been I never
learned. All the Kendah could or would say about it was that it had
lived in this hole from the beginning and that Black Kendah prisoners,
or malefactors, were sometimes given to it to kill, as White Kendah
prisoners were given to Jana.

The cave itself proved to be not very long, perhaps one hundred and
fifty feet, no more. It was not an artificial but a natural hollow in
the lava rock, which I suppose had once been blown through it by an
outburst of steam. Towards the farther end it narrowed so much that I
began to fear there might be no exit. In this I was mistaken, however,
for at its termination we found a hole just large enough for a man to
walk in upright