CLARENCE AND THE 'SNAKE.

CLARENCE AND THE 'SNAKE.

He was a tall, fine-featured Englishman, who had been ousted from a lofty social position in England or account of his abundant shortcomings, and, as usual, he dropped anchor in Australia (writes 'Old Derrick' in Saturday's Journal). We first met in a camp in the ranges nearly 50 miles from Adelaide. He was my tent mate;' but not for long. It is an extraordinary thing how many men after having endured the hardships of the Never Never, and used, the sky as a blanket, object to returning to the. border-land of civilization, so far as domestic life is concerned. Clarence, 'my mate,' was affected that way. We had pitched camp in a natural basin-like area in the bills, which proved an attractive neighbourhood for sharp frosts. So cold was it that when we rose. at daybreak the ground was a carpet of white. It was cold enough in our tent, and, having quitted an office in the city, I naturally thought the flap of the tent should be closed. But Clarence begged to differ. He; found the interior of the tent to 'stuffy,' and told me that he was fond of fresh air, and would sleep outside. With that object in view, he kindled a nice large fire, and having obtained a good blaze, prepared his sleeping quarters for the night. About 3 o'clock the next morning the fire died down, and when we rose at the accustomed hour there was Mr. Clarence curled upon 'the ground like a cold hound on a doormat, 'cracking hardy,' as one man termed it. Next morning he again expressed his determination to proceed with the fresh air system of outdoor sleeping, and repeated his fire preparations in the evening. We gathered around the camp fire, and during the conversation the subject of snakes arose. One fellow remarked how snakes made for warm quarters. Of course Clarence was not thoroughly acquainted with the habits of, the reptiles, and believed all that was said. Bedtime arrived, and to all appearances, everybody had settled down for the night. Two figures, however, armed with a 6-ft. length of rope, and a ball of string, stole across the open space to a flowing stream, and dipped the rope in the water. Having tied the string? to the rope they proceeded to place it in such a position that the wet rope would be drawn across the 'fresh air fiend's bare neck 'or face. At a given word we 'hauled in the slack,' and immediately a blood curdling yell from Clarence reverberated through the hills. 'Snakes!' In a minute Clarence was on his. stretcher in my tent— and that was the end of his sleeping out.

The Register
May 1916
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