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248 ; and I regretted, exceedingly, that want of time compelled me to make it the ne plus ultra of my excursion northward, where, I am convinced, the same kind of land exists, to a great extent.

On Sunday, at daylight, we resumed our journey west, through the valley, which bore marks of being occasionally overflowed. We had not proceeded far, when my ears were saluted with the cry of the young man who was following close behind me,—"Oh, doctor! you are a gone man! a snake has a hold of you!"

I jumped forward; and then, turning round, beheld the ancient enemy of the human race, rearing its hateful form above the grass. and hissing defiance. It was soon dispatched, although I, having trod on it, was the aggressor. It caught me on the outside of the right knee, but, my trowsers being wide, fortunately the bite did not reach my skin.

This narrow escape caused some reflection; I thought it would have been a lamentable termination of my career—after having escaped the perils of shipwreck—to perish by the bite of a black snake, in the wilds of New Holland.

We continued our journey, and I requested Mokărē to precede me; not only as he had much quicker eyes, but as mine (such as they were) had sufficient occupation in watching the compass. But he did not seem to relish the preference given him on this occasion, and soon fell behind.

About nine o'clock, we arrived at a shallow lagoon,