Suddenly with a yell he broke cover and came sprinting down toward the water. At first we could think of nothing but a war-party of Huambizas. In another second, however, we spotted the cause of his terror. Not two yards behind him, skimming over the ground at the same pace as its quarry, came a black snake. With a howl Ambusha dashed into the water, just in time to escape the venomous fangs. The snake halted. At that moment, I seized my rifle and shot its head off.