I carried a long stick, much longer than a waddy; perhaps it was a yam-stick--I cannot remember.

At any rate, just as I was about to probe a mysterious-looking hole, I beheld with alarm and amazement the ugly head of a large black snake suddenly thrust out at me from a dark mass, which I presently found was the decayed stump of a tree.

I fell back as far as possible, and then saw that the reptile had quite uncoiled itself from the stem, and was coming straight at me.

I promptly dealt it a violent blow on the body, just below that point where it raised its head from the ground.

No sooner had I done this than another dark and hissing head came charging in my direction.