Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1842-11-17

All hour afterwards lie was found living
fast asleep on the body of the snake. the
head Of the reptile having been cut clean
of by fine stroke Of TOMS sabre.
But perhaps the coolest, the most de-
,ermined proof of this resolution, was
ole that happened few days before !
was introduced to him. Phlan. like ma
ny others in India, chose to keep up ma,
ny of his European habits ard, among
others. that OF preserving neatly fitted
up dressing room, with table, on which
| he was able to have constantly displayed
the Silver ornaments, and mOther0i pearl
handled razMs. contained in a splendid
case, given to him by an aunt when he
sailed from Europe. His boots were
rangeJwith care along the wall his whips
( hung iound sporting prints studded the
ctunapa Ca composition. or shining NOR
tar, resembling marble) sides of the
chamber. In fine, he.had 4 regular Ems
| l:sh-iooking dressing-room.
| Now. ore morning Tom was pulling
!, on boot, when he suddenly telt some
4, tim, IN it, 1t was cold and cIammy !;
the chn! It its nature struck through the
thin silk soaking he wore Who can
imagine, far les; s,"rtray, the agony o! the
pssonf fellow. who AZ u'ce believed he was
i dead man! Some men Indeed. may
almost say every one-wtu,ts have paus-
ed under these circumstances, attemp-
ted TO have Withdrawn his foot. N Ell
Their of these cases, death would h. We
been the instant result. This all FASH
ed, with rapidity which nothing but
thought possesses, across the mind of
Tom. The snake was under lis foot,
evidently piuned down, striving to tarn
itself III order to bite. He at.onee saw
his only hope. He pulled on the boot
with considerable sWiftness, aud starting
up, stamped on the iron edge vl the Vene-
tan blinds, continuing to do SO with the
fury Of despair for neatly a minute, to the
surprise and horror Of his smzdlw, who, |
unconscious of his motive, thoa sht his
master Lad suddenly gone mad Then
slnklGg, overcome with agitation and ia
tigue, on the chair, he ordered the man
to pull oil, his boot. lie did so, when out !
rolled small green snake-one Of the
u'oo| uCaui vi iIS htiiu-SfNoueO 70 uGdttl
-sjammed to perfect jelly.
The ,saian had accomplished such deeds I
was justly Tucked upon 'as one of the
bravest men in India.
| dined, shortly ate: this last ex plot,
with Tom Philan at his mess. The din
ner passed off with much festivity. Ma
ny had been the proofs of daring recount
ed TO us of members of the corps present.
and many the boast Of what they intend |
ed to do, when suddenly young ensign,
who was raising from the table, turned |
round and uttered a piercing scream
We looked back /; every eye was direct
ed towards the spot on which he had |
glanced, when, to our horror, we saw an
enormous snake slowly crawling towards
US. In another instant, every soul had I
risen FROM his place, and was Tying away
across the square in front of the canton
ment as fast as our legs would carry US.
Tom Phila,i led the van, shouting with
fear. if the monster were already coiled
round his limbs. A few minutes retlec-
ton emboldeped some of the party to re-
turn. We found the reptile a!read dead,
despatched by one of the servants. 1t
was arock-snake-an animal wholly in
locuous. 1t measured some eight feet
ong, and was a beautiful specimen of its
Kind. i begged to have it, in order to
send it home to some friends in Eng land
% preserve. 1T was given me, and re-
armed home with it dangling on my arm,
aushing at the cowardtc displayed by
,ne, when ably supported, frightened out ;
IF his wits in tie midst of an armed as
,embly by a harmless reptile. who had
,ingle-hanaed performed such feats Of va
Tor, and destroyed serpents of the most
deadly kind.