t. Having a sharp axe in my belt, while
the doctor stood ready to fire should it raise its head, I rushed
forward and severed the tail about six feet from the end. In an instant
its movements ceased, and its coils gradually relaxed.

"Bravo, Barry! The piece you've cut off would make a good-sized serpent
of itself," shouted the doctor, holding it up. "If we could skin it, we
might carry it home."

While we were speaking, Jumbo, who had been at a distance, came jumping
up, and barked furiously at the dead serpent. I rather suspect that,
having seen the creature, he had bolted--not unwisely, for it would have
swallowed him at a gulp. I hinted this to the doctor, who at first
repudiated the idea, but acknowledged that Jumbo was more experienced
with regard to alligators than anacondas.

Our shots, and shouts had been heard by Gerald and Tim, who now
appeared, and congratulated the doctor on his escape.

"I owe it to my friend Barry's coolness and courage," he answered. "I
shall ever be grateful to him;" and he described how I had shot the
anaconda.

The doctor seemed so anxious to have the skin that we all set to work
and cut it off, together with the head. To me it was a disagreeable
operation, as I was unaccustomed to it; but the rest of the party took
it as a matter of course. Having scraped it as clean as we could, we
bore it in triumph to where we had left the horses. They snorted as
they saw it, and the animal on whose back we fastened it did not seem
much to like its burden. Our negro servant gazed on it with horror and
astonishment, declaring that he had never seen so large a serpent.

We agreed that, as there might be others in the neighbourhood, it would
be wise not to remain among the reeds, especially as Gerald and Tim had
shot as many wild-fowl as we required for supper. We accordingly
proceeded on towards a forest which bordered the bank of a stream
running into the lake; and here we intended to encamp for the night.

CHAPTER FIVE.

CAMP AT NIGHT--SHOOT TWO TAPIRS--THE DOCTOR'S LECTURE--VISIT PADRE
PACHECO'S HOUSE--HE HAS DISAPPEARED--A NIGHT AT A HUNTER'S HUT--RETURN
HOME--GAB ACCUSED OF TREACHERY--HUMMING-BIRDS--KANIMAPO APPEARS--WARNS
ME OF AN INTENDED ATTACK ON OUR HOUSE--WE COLLECT MEN, AND GO TO CASTLE
CONCANNAN--PREPARE FOR ITS DEFENCE--WE SEE OUR HOUSE BURNING--AQUALONGA
AND HIS BANDITTI APPEAR--COMMENCE THE ATTACK--WE DRIVE THEM BACK WITH
ONE OF OUR GUNS--THEY ASSAULT THE BAC