This Man Was Mounted Upon A Strong,
Well-Built, And Exceedingly Active Pony, Or Small Horse, Which Led The
Way, As Our New Guide Thoroughly Knew The Country.
While all hands were pitching the tent upon a sandy turf within a few
yards of the sea-beach
I took the dogs for a ramble up the
thickly-wooded valley along the banks of the stream, as I had observed a
number of blue-rock pigeons among the white cliffs, and I thought I
might perhaps find a hare for the evening stew. I killed some pigeons,
but did not move a hare, although the dogs worked through most promising
ground, where green crops upon the flat bottom surrounded by thick
coverts afford both food and shelter. We were returning to camp when I
suddenly heard Merry and Shot barking savagely in some thick bushes upon
the steep bank of the stream. At first I thought they had found a
hedgehog, which was always Shot's amusement, as he constantly brought
them into camp after he had managed to obtain a hold of their prickly
bodies. The barking continued, and as I could not penetrate the bush, I
called the dogs off. They joined me almost immediately, looking rather
scared. It now occurred to me that they might have found a snake, as a
few days ago I had heard Merry barking in a similar manner, and upon
joining him I had discovered a snake coiled up with head erect in an
attitude of defence.
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