ch it could
not have done, seeing that it was a likeness of himself, irritated me so
much that I proceeded to take it off with the full intention of throwing
it into the spring.

As I was in the act of doing this, from a clump of reeds mixed with
bushes, quite close to me, there came a sound of hissing, and suddenly
above them appeared the head of a great black _immamba_, perhaps the
deadliest of all our African snakes, and the only one I know which will
attack man without provocation.

Leaving go of the image, I sprang back in a great hurry towards where my
gun lay. Then the snake vanished and making sure that it had departed to
its hole, which was probably at a distance, I returned to the pool, and
once more began to take off the talisman in order to consign it to the
bottom of the pool.

After all, I reflected, it was a hideous and probably a blood-stained
thing which I did not in the least wish to wear about my neck like a
lady's love-token.

Just as it was coming over my head, suddenly from the other side of
the bush that infernal snake popped up again, this time, it was
clear, really intent on business. It began to move towards me in the
lightning-like way _immambas_ have, hissing and flicking its tongue.

I was too quick for my friend, however, for snatching up the gun that I
had lain down beside me, I let it have a charge of buckshot in the
neck which nearly cut it in two, so that it fell down and expired with
hideous convulsive writhings.

Hearing the shot Hans came running from the waggon to see what was the
matter. Hans, I should say, was that same Hottentot who had been the
companion of most of my journeyings since my father's day. He was with
me when as a young fellow I accompanied Retief to Dingaan's kraal,
and like myself, escaped the massacre.[*] Also we shared many other
adventures, including the great one in the Land of the Ivory Child where
he slew the huge elephant-god, Jana, and himself was slain. But of this
journey we did not dream in those days.

[*] See the book called "Marie."--Editor.

For the rest Hans was a most entirely unprincipled person, but as the
Boers say, "as clever as a waggonload of monkeys." Also he drank when he
got the chance. One good quality he had, however; no man was ever more
faithful, and perhaps it would be true to say that neither man nor woman
ever loved me, unworthy, quite so well.

In appearance he rather resembled an antique and dilapidated baboon;
his fa