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my old quarters in Shamba M’Pandiani by the nightly songs
and dances of the estate people in their village close by, often
kept up till a very late hour, and as I did my writing at night
I moved to a quieter spot.
My shed was an open one, and besides admitting plenty of
fresh air, afforded me many a beautiful view of the distant
sea in the lovely moonlight of the tropics. I have spoken of
rats and many a sleepless night these vermin caused me, not
exactly by worry over the damage they were causing to
cultivation, but by racing about my shed, upsetting bottles,
cups, plates, etc., and frequently compelling me to turn out.
With snakes too I had some acquaintance. One day I killed
a snake inside the hut,-and told one of my people-to skin it.
He brought the skin minus the head. On inquiring the
reason, I was told it was the custom when venomous snakes
were killed, to cut the head off and bury it to prevent wizards
making a bad medicine out of i t !
Another day a dead python was brought to me which had
been killed in a neighbouring shamba whilst attacking a goat.
It was already coiled round the poor animal, the third it had
killed, and showed fight, but was shot. It measured 12 feet
6 inches in length.
On another occasion some Arabs brought me a python
they had killed in the bush; it was 14J f e e t - long. The
people told me that pythons after killing their prey always
look to see if there, are any ants about, and that if there
should be, they will abandon their prey and go away.
Whether this is true or not I cannot say. If it is, it shows a
wonderful instinct, as the snake lying gorged and torpid
while digesting its meal would be entirely at the mercy of the
ants.
Puff-adders were amongst other unwelcome visitors, and I
killed two inside my hut. These snakes are most deadly;
fortunately they are very sluggish in their movements.
My nakoa Ambari appeared to possess special power over
these snakes, which the natives, who thoroughly believed in it
said was derived through a “ charm ” : thus one day he arrived
dragging by a rope fastened round its neck a large puff-adder
he had caught in one of the plantations. The snake was