Australian Tales - Setis

long shelly beach like avalanches, far away seaward, confused tumbling
masses of foaming waters were warring with the howling winds, and
black, angry looking clouds above, seemed to frown on the strife of the
turbulent elements.
After enjoying the sublime spectacle for some time, Mr. Maybud
allowed his daughters to lead him to the rock, where they received the
terrible fright above described.
“That's the spot, papa,” said Minnie, pulling Mr. Maybud towards it. I
know it by its nice, soft green surface; and that's the crevice where the
snake was. Mamma's and Miss Prosody's feet were right over the spot for
more than two hours. How very providential that the dreadful thing was
asleep all the time. There, that's the hole, papa,” said Minnie, pointing to
it with her parasol.
“Hush, my dear,” said Mr. Maybud, excitedly, “there is the snake now;
I saw it move. Stand back, stand back!” As he spoke, he thrust his
walking-stick into the crevice, and by a dexterous movement forced the
reptile from its hiding place. In another minute it was writhing on the
sand with its back broken. It was a brown snake, about three feet in
length, and of a very deadly species.
* * * * *
Coogee is now much less infested by snakes than it was at the time the
above incidents occurred. Much of the land has been cleared and
cultivated, or built upon; and a great many snakes have shuffled away to
more secluded haunts, for they generally prefer the solitude of the thick
bush, or reedy swamp. They do not, however, always object to the
society of mankind, or to share his domestic conveniencies; as some of
the following examples will attest.
A married pair — intimate friends of mine — were sitting on a sofa in
their little bush cottage, one Sunday afternoon, when to their dismay,
they beheld a black snake, about five feet in length, leisurely wriggle
from beneath the sofa, into an adjoining bedroom. My male friend
immediately ran out of the room for some weapon, to despatch the
unwelcome intruder: leaving his wife to watch its movements; but before
he returned, the snake had disappeared. It was, however, killed that same
evening, by a neighbour; who kept watch outside, the cottage, until he
saw the snake emerge from beneath it, when he chopped its head off with
a spade. My friend after that occurrence lost no time in plastering his
cottage, and in carefully stopping every hole in the flooring, or fireplace,
large enough to afford ingress to such loathsome visitors. Persons living
in bush houses, will do well to follow my friend's example and stop
every hole in their walls, or floors; which can easily be done with a little
management even in the most rudely constructed habitations.