It appeared this reptile had descended the tamarind, and had ascended a much larger tree of a different description. I immediately dismounted, and unstrapped my double-barrelled carbine, which was heavily charged, one barrel with swan-shot, and the other with smaller shot. The snake was certainly of enormous dimensions, and remained quite motionless. I took a steady aim at the neck, just behind its head, and fired the charge of slugs effectually, though for some time it seemed to have but a slight effect upon it, for it raised its head, and coiled the fore-part of the body round another branch of the tree; but the spine being injured, it soon appeared to lose strength, and the tail, which was coiled round a limb, began to relax. It again uncoiled its fore-part, which hung down towards the ground. I then took my sword, which I had sharpened equal to a razor, and cut the head off at one stroke; but even then the people would not venture to touch it with their hands to pull it down, till I gave them a piece of small cord, which I invariably carried in my pocket. This was fastened round the body, and they then succeeded in pulling it down. The monster was of the boa tribe, and measured thirty-one feet long, but the natives told me they had seen them much larger. My gun and sword excited great astonishment amongst the strangers, who were very anxious again to hear the noise. They seemed to fancy that it was the noise which killed the object the muzzle of the gun was directed towards; this I did not contradict. Here we were detained nearly an hour, when we again commenced our march, I and my people keeping a cautious look-out lest some more of our late antagonist’s companions might be in our immediate neighbourhood. We were soon clear of the bush, and our adventure speedily forgotten. At sixteen miles we arrived at a small kroom, the houses of which were all built of a circular form, the walls covered with a deep red clay, and many of the principal houses ornamented with different figures and hieroglyphics. The chief manufacture in this kroom is earthen pots of a superior description and jet-black polish. Pipes, or rather pipe-heads, are also manufactured here, though little tobacco reaches this place; but I learned that these pipes are sent even to Badagry. Their form is like the meerschaum. The natives also manufacture a very ingenious sort of lamp, in which palm-oil is used. The chief of this kroom had in his possession a pot which attracted my notice. It was of copper, and evidently of Spanish manufacture. It had been in the possession of his family, it appeared, for many years, but he could not inform me from whom they had obtained it. There exists in this neighbourhood a species of small black deer, not larger than a small English terrier, some of which are here domesticated like the goat.