An awkward Encounter.

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partly through fear and partly to try and roll the beast off him. In all probability the snake was in a tree, and as the boy passed he must have either hurt or alarmed the snake by bending back the branches, and then it attacked him as he went under; but I do not think that any snake will of its own accord attack a man, or even turn upon him, unless either trodden upon or cut off from its hole. The puff-adder is perhaps the most destructive snake in South Africa. It varies in length from two to four feet, is of a dirty brown colour, and very thick round the body. Its bite is very deadly, but it is more dangerous from its sluggish nature than anything else, for it will not like other snakes move away when it hears footsteps, but just remains where it is to be trodden on, and then, roused from its torpor, springs backwards and inflicts its bite. To give an idea of the beast's strength of body, I sawa Dutchman with his foot on the head of one, using the butt-end of his gun to job down on its back, but with so little effect, that after two or three minutes, when he removed his foot, the beast made a spring at him, and then before the Dutchman recovered from his jump back to avoid it, the snake crawled off between two rocks, and disappeared.

There is not a bad story told of a new arrival who went to dine with a friend living in the reputed neighbourhood of an Inchloukgla. They had enjoyed an excellent dinner, and had numerous bibulous farewells before he at last made up his mind that it was time to say good-night and leave. Going to the stable he undid his horse, and tied the rope of the halter round his steed's neck, and after a last stirrup

cup set off on his road home. It was a fine moonlight night, and he rode leisurely along, enjoying his pipe and thinking over the wonderful stories of the mythical snake narrated to him at his friend's table. Suddenly he was nearly thrown from his saddle, as his horse stopped dead short with a jerk, and then sprang forward. Looking round, what was his horror and dismay to see rising up from the ground behind him the long undulating body of what could be nothing else but the awful reptile whose existence he had been poohpoohing only a few short hours ago. Plunging in his spurs, he dashed forward, not daring to look round till he had proceeded some distance at the utmost speed of his horse; but a sickening feeling of mortal dread almost deprived him of power to keep his seat in the saddle, as he beheld the pursuer still level with his girths. On he sped, the horse seeming to share his master's terror, until at last, with a loud hiss, the snake shot past him and wound his coils round his steed's head. His fears overpowered him, and he fell senseless to the ground. When at last he recovered his reason, the horse had disappeared, and he only hoped the Inchloukgla had gone off with it. Every moment expecting the monster to return for him, he hurried home, fear lending him wings, and when at last safe at home he sank down on his bed perfectly overcome with suspense and fatigue. Early in the morning the stable-boy tapped at his door, and came in, saying, "Me come to find out if Boss had come home. Me frightened that Boss had been thrown off." The boy then proceeded to say that on going to the stable he had found the

door open, and the horse inside his stall with saddle and bridle on, but the rope of the halter broken in two and one end of it lost.

Wondering that the horse was still alive after an encounter with a beast whose breath even was supposed to cause instant death, he went out with the boy. To all appearances the horse was unhurt; not

sign of a bite could they detect, and the only thing injured was the rope of his halter, snapped asunder in the middle.

To this day the hero remains perfectly convinced of the narrow escape he had from a frightful death; but sceptical persons affirm that our friend having taken more than was good for him before starting, had only loosely tied the rope of his halter round the horse's neck. This coming untied as he rode had trailed down to its hind legs. The horse catching the end of the rope under his hoof had stumbled, and dashed forward startled, and our friend looking down, his imagination, excited by wine and snake yarns, mistook the rope for the Inchloukgla. In his headlong gallop the horse again caught the rope and snapped it, the end fastened to the halter had sprung forward with the suddenly relaxed tension, and had coiled round the horse's head, and was the only snake he had that night come across.

CHAPTER XI.

Coranne-Grunveldt's Farmstead-The District School and Schoolmaster-Spring-bôk Hunting with a Boer-Horse's Instinct-An Evening at home in a Boer's House-Whist-A Grass Fire-Leuw Kop-The Lion's Ride-Wool FarmingAfrican Turkeys-A Basuto Massacre.

Friday, 26th.-When I awoke and took my first look out from the waggon, about 100 yards off I saw two birds resembling very large guinea-fowl; not troubling about any clothes I seized my gun, always loaded close to my side, and creeping out of the waggon proceeded to crawl along towards them unperceived, by keeping a large ant-heap between us; but the birds were too wary, and before I was within shot they were off with loud harsh cries of "Coranne-coranne," from which cry they take their name. They are the best worth shooting of all South African birds; as, besides exercising all a sportsman's art to bring them to bag, they are an excellent addition to the menu. They were the first we had seen, although we had often heard them calling in the distance, and our mouths had often watered at the description of their edible virtues.

The whole party were now aroused, and the other two started off after the birds, which we had marked down on a rise ahead of us; but they had a long walk in vain, as the birds seemed to know as well about

the range of a gun as they did, and led them a chase for several miles over a deep, boggy country, always rising just before they could come within range; but on their way back A. killed a couple of wild ducks, so was saved the mortification of returning emptyhanded.

At eight o'clock we arrived at Grunveldt's farm; but after his description of a fine farm-yard, comfortable dwelling-house, and well-stocked marketgarden, we could hardly believe we had not made a mistake, until a young fellow came out and told us we were at our destination, and that he was one of the sons. The dwelling-house consisted of a low, round, cone-shaped hut, about 15 feet in diameter, built of turf, and the foundations of rough stones. This was divided by a partition of boards run through the centre from wall to wall, one partition serving as the sleeping-room of the family, and the other for the day-time. The roof was thatched with reeds. A sort of box, built with the same dried sods, formed a kitchen behind the house. The walls and roof inside were hung over with onions, mealies, dried meat, skins, and a varied collection of garden implements, whips, rifles, and tools. Close by was the district school-house-a still smaller, oblong hut, about 12 feet long by 6 feet broad, built of loose stones, and a reed roof. In neither the farmer's home nor the academic establishment was there a window of any description, and the only light inside came through the doorway. In wet or severe weather this mode of lighting up a house is attended with some obvious disadvantages; but such a thing

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