GREAT SNAKES

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 142, 12 March 1938, Page 3 (Supplement)

GREAT SNAKES

Thrilling Adventure On African Coast REVENGEFUL REPTILE A good number of years ago I was in charge of a big rubber and coconut plantation at Malindi—a small place then, with a very few scattered planters—right on the East African coast, on the Indian Ocean, says “J.B" in an overseas exchange. The place abounded with that highly-sensed tropical beauty of tree, beach and water only to be found on the African coast, and, far from being filled with nostalgia after an absence of two years from my native heath, I revelled in all things African. One day the sun shone from overhead like a glaring golden ball, set in a deep blue sky, and positively baked my shamba beneath. The very air seemed to be shimmering in the blaze. It was a quiet afternoon and every sound of the insect world was plainly audible. Suddenly something broke in on my tranquil reverie. What did that rustling of leaves in front of me signify? After two years of life in Africa I had become suspicious of the least unusual movement around me. I kept very still and fixed my eyes on the spot whence the rustling had come. Soon a red, evil head appeared. I recognised it immediately as that of a red reptile which bad been seen in the vicinity for many days. Slowly and charmingly the snake uncoiled its long body, at the same time fixing its hypnotising, beady eyes upon me. I had, however, seen such sights before, and was not paralysed by its graceful undulations. I drew my revolver. After a loud report, which sent a thousand echoes reverberating through the still, breathless air, the long body writhed and fell. That was the end of one enemy, but there was yet another to encounter. The boys who had been working round about came running up to see what had occurred. They were tremendously excited to find that my victim was the much-dreaded serpent of the neighbourhood. They covered. it with leaves, lifted it (so that the ants could not devour it) and proudly exhibited it to the neighbouring “boys” previous to its being skinned. Not much time elapsed before shouts in the distance roused my dormant senses to life once more. Presently I saw a group of people coming towards my humble abode, which consisted of three bandas used as bedrooms, one used as a bathroom, a larger sitting-room-cum-lounge, and another which was a kitchen. (Bandas are made of long pieces of grass, twigs, and other material joined together in a similar manner to the thatched cottages of this isle. They are the airiest homes possible, and can be made very habitable and comfortable.) A Guest Arrives. The central figure I recognised as the District Commissioner. The boys soon had one of the bandas prepared for the guest, and, what was more important, a large meal. Before allowing my guest to enter, I very proudly showed him my snakevictim. The D.C. idly kicked it with his shoe and remarked, “What a beauty!” I could not help feeling a little disappointed. He never even said, “Well done, old chap!” but merely praised the snake’s charm. Over supper we discussed interesting items of news from home, labour troubles with the native workers, a murder which had recently been committed in a'near-by shamba, and altogether spent a lively evening. Still feeling a little resentful towards the D.C., I idly began to notice how much food he stored away. “You’ll never sleep to-night, my man,” was my thought. My prophecy came true—but not in the expected manner. Supper over, we retired for the night. The D.C. was lying in quite a luxurious bed (for that far-flung corner of the globe) and idly pondering how I could afford to furnish his apartment so well, he fell into a fitful doze. A few minutes later, something awoke him with a start. He had a feeling of something being in the room with him—a ghostly eerie sensation! Suddenly his glance fell on a red, twisting body by his bedside. It was the mate of the now skinned snake, which he had seen and touched with his boot in the garden, come to wreak her vengeance ! The D.C. was not an easily frightened man, but his somnolent senses .were simply gripped and hypnotised by those little, green eyes. A few moments before the snake was about to spring, he heard a shaky voice, quite unlike his own shout for help. Whilst this was going on, I was in the other bauda occupied with my own thoughts. Things seem to be magnified iu one’s head ten times more by night than by day, I was brooding over the snake incident. So distorted were my thoughts that I had come to believe that I had killed the snake to save the D.C.’s life. Instead of being grateful, he had turned round and scolded me for killing such a beautiful creature. So much did this idea appeal to me that I commenced to go over it again in my mind. I had just got to the part where the D.C. was supposed to shout for help, when—he did! Dream Come True. I could hardly believe my eyes at first, but instinct prevailed, and, hastily snatching up my revolver, I dashed into the D.C.’s banda. There again, my dream seemed to be true, for what did I see but a snake about to spring at the occupant of the bed. One shot and all was over. The reptile lay as lifeless as its mate had done, on the floor. I am not an ordinarily boastful man, but never did I feel so proud as at that moment. The snake was carried out and set by the skin of its mate, but this time the D.C. kept well away from the corpse. He still seemed a little shaky and was not inclined to admire that ruddy skin! I, feeling very sang friod, said, “Shall I send you the two skins for wall decorations?” But he did not seem to care for this valuable gift. The climax of my happiness was reached when the D.C. extended his hand to me (mine hurt for days after) and said, “I owe my life to you. I shall not forget it,” and turned abruptly away.