An enormous serpent lay coiled in the path.

His head was about the size of a very small cocoa-nut, divided lengthways, and this was raised about eighteen inches above the coil.

His eyes were fixed upon us, and his forked tongue played in and out of his mouth with a continued hiss.

Aiming at his head, I fired at him with a double-barrelled gun, within four paces, and blew his head to pieces.

He appeared stone dead; but upon pulling him by the tail, to stretch him out at full length, he wreathed himself in convulsive coils, and lashing himself out in full length, he mowed down the high grass in all directions.