A few more shots put an end to its existence, and we then pulled up under the bough on which it was hanging.

One of the boatmen, a Malay, made a small noose of strong, tough grass, which he threw round the head of the serpent, and thus dragged it into the boat.

He also told us that we should be sure to find a second not far off, as serpents of this kind always go in pairs, and, true enough, the gentlemen in the other boat had already shot the second, which was also coiled up on the branch of a large tree.
These serpents were of a dark green colour, with beautiful yellow streaks, and about twelve feet in length.

I was told that they belonged to the boa species.
After having proceeded eight English miles in four hours, we left the boats, and following a narrow footpath, soon reached a number of plots of ground, cleared from trees, and planted with pepper and gambir.
The pepper-tree is a tall bush-like plant, that, when trained and supported with props, will attain a height varying from fifteen to eighteen feet.

The pepper grows in small, grape-like bunches, which are first red, then green, and lastly, nearly black.