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signs of a human being; but I knew too well the enemy by whom I had been
captured, not to be aware, that if he intended to recapture me, he would
lie concealed for many days, watching for a chance of surprising me. My
intention was to support life until a ship came to Natal, for I
concluded that when the schooner which had escaped, reached Table Bay,
and informed the authorities there that the Zulus had overrun Natal,
some steps would be taken to obtain at least information as to what had
since occurred. Thus I lived in daily hopes of seeing a sail, and once
more joining with white men.

One night I had retired to my hut, and had slept till the dawn began to
show, when I woke with a strange feeling of oppression and weight on my
chest. My gun was close beside me, and my knife within reach of my
hand. For a moment I was not aware what was the cause of the singular
feeling I experienced, and I opened my eyes without otherwise moving.
In the dim light I saw that which, for an instant, caused my heart to
cease beating. Over my chest was the coil of the body of a rock-snake,
this coil being bigger round than my thigh. I could see that the tail
of the snake was outside my small hut, and in consequence of my lying on
the ground the huge reptile had not been able to coil completely round
me. I knew I was in imminent danger, and I also at once decided on the
safest and most probable means of escape. Moving my arm slowly, I
grasped my knife, and then raising my head, saw the snake's eyes within
two feet of mine. His head was on the ground, and so close that I could
lift my hand above it. I carried out this movement very slowly, the
snake remaining motionless. Then with a sudden stab I drove my long
knife through the snake, just where his head joined his neck, and pinned
him to the ground. With a struggle I slipped from under his body, and
now the fight began. So tenacious of life are these reptiles that,
although I had separated his head from his body as regards the
vertebrae, yet he twisted and rolled the great coils of his body so
rapidly and powerfully that several times he had surrounded my legs with
a loop, and it was only by a quick movement on my part that I escaped
the danger of being enclosed in a vice-like embrace. I succeeded,
however, in avoiding its coils, and suddenly scrambled out of the hut,
leaving the snake in possession.

I knew that the reptile was mortally wounded, and that if I let him
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