Snakes Summary and Analysis

African snakes become plentiful in October when the water pans are low and fouled with alkali and mud. Insects abound, dangerous game is irritable, and the snakes appear in large numbers. For much of the year, snakes are not a constant nuisance, but those on safari must be ever-careful to avoid them. Africa features a variety of poisonous and dangerous snakes, including the black mamba, the green mamba, the Boomslang, adders and cobras. A single bite from many of these snakes is fatal. Nor do the snakes care to remain outside always. Capstick's friend Peter Seymour-Smith's house bears a shotgun blast on one wall subsequent to his dispatch of a large and most unwelcome visitor. On another occasion, Seymour-Smith was driving with his wife and child and screeched to a stop to avoid running near a huge black mamba. The snake...