Only now he could not jump, he could only crawl.

Never in my life did I see a snake look so sick, Baas.

Into the cave he went and lay there hissing.

By degrees the hissing grew very faint, till at length they died away altogether.

I waited another half-hour, Baas, and then I grew so curious that I thought that I would go to look in the cave.
"I lit the little lantern I had with me and, holding it in one hand and my stick in the other, I crept into the hole.