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86 Directly I opened my eyes she said, "They are waiting for you." I jumped up, and went outside the cave; she followed me.

There stood all the creatures holding the nets for carrying the fungi.

The white female wanted to come with me, but I said, "You will be tired; it is too far."

She looked pleased, poor thing, at the consideration my words implied, and said she would stay behind. So we set out without her, much to my satisfaction.

When we arrived at the snake cave, I left the others and wandered about under the pretence of looking for larger fungi.

Here and there were large patches or beds of the phosphorescent fungi, lighting up everything for some distance around.

Amongst these beds I searched for a small snake.

There were numbers of large ones, but very few small enough to hide in the coat-pocket of my pyjamas, where I intended to put it, and those that were small enough were very quick and difficult to catch.

After some trouble I succeeded in procuring one. It was very lively, and bit my finger as I caught it, but its bite, like that of the other, had no effect.

I put the snake in my pocket, tied the mouth up