ng me approach
the creatures have instantly produced a quivering movement of their
tails, which made the joints of the rattle shake against each other. I
cannot find expressions to describe the sound, but having once heard it
I never failed to approach with caution, or to keep out of the
creatures' way.

"We will now have a look at the blue or black snake, or, as it is called
here, `the Racer,'" observed the Dominie, "and a `racer' it is rightly
called, for it moves along, as we saw this one do through the grass, at
the speed of lightning. When I first saw one I fancied from the noise
that it made rushing through the dried grass, that it was a rattle-snake
and shot the creature before I discovered that it was of a non-venomous
species. It can, however, bite very severely with its sharp teeth, and
I once saw a poor man almost frightened to death, believing that he had
been bitten by a rattle-snake. You see that the head is supplied with a
formidable array of teeth, but its tail is much longer and finer than
that of the rattle-snake. It can, however, open its jaws wide enough to
gulp down a good-sized bird. It gains its name of the blue or black
snake from the colour of its back, which is, as you see, blue-black;
while the underside is of an ashen slate hue. The tints vary slightly,
and hence the two names. Its tail is fine in the extreme, and enables
it to steer its rapid course through the herbage."

We let our Dominie run on, though we were well acquainted with the black
snake, for several had at different times come to the farm in search of
rats, of which they kill a vast number. My father gave orders that they
should not be molested; after remaining, however, for some time, they
invariably took their departure, for, as it may be supposed, it is
impossible to detain them against their will, as they can climb over
high palings or walls and insinuate their bodies into very small holes.

The battle and the lecture occupied some time, when we had to hurry in
order to get our camp ready for the night. Our first care was to cut a
sufficient supply of fire-wood to keep up a good blaze during the night,
and as the air in that low situation was somewhat damp, Mr Tidey
advised that we should build a hut, which would serve the double purpose
of sheltering us from the heavy mist, as well as afford a protection
from any wild beasts which might be prowling about. We had killed a
couple of turkeys, and as soon as we had