Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1847-09-04
In p.d with a se,pens.
trRoN cAxpBntLs RoUeN sRcoii.EcTIoss.


imirA, have slept ,ome four or five hours,
a.d drestniees and satisfying sleep il wac, Gu,
certain il is--lct sciolists say what they will,
a"d skeptcs throw dcutse BY hancfuls on the
assertions Of metaphyscians--thst, before ] a.
woke and in my dresmless siusber I had vi.
sole perception OF peril, consciousness Of the
towering presence Of dpbth! How to describe
my feelings know not but, a. we have OIL
eesd and heard that. fthe eyes Of q watcher
are steadily ixed on the countenance ofa slee-
per for a certain icagsh Of time the esumoerer
VIII be sure 10 start up, Weakened BY the myste-
,ious magnetism Of a recondite principle Of clair
vayance, SO it was that. with shut eyes and
drowsed 40 seoses, an inward ability was con.
ierred upon me "a detect the living presence Of
danger oesr nc, 10 see, thcugh sleepbiind, the
t,rn,ie.s shape Of mysterious horror eroaching
beside me aud as, Is the peril that wac my
,,ph, Wate was Of u nature TO be quickeaed into
Gtai setiviy by any Wotioa On my part. felt
IN my very .tue,r the critical Necessity Of lay.
ing qai,e still, so that, when at last awcke and
Cclt ths., as I lay with my face towards the
rnof, there was thick, heavy, cold, creeping
thing On my chest, stirred .oot, nor uttered
word Of panic. fst
Danger and fear may occasionally dati the
senses and paraIize the faculties, but they more
frequently sharpen both; and, ere could twice
sink my eyes was broad awake and nware
,ha,, coi'.og sod coing itself up Into Circle at
m aao,rpo.,o so,naot m spv hroas 81
Whca tell you that tho whole Of my chest sad
even tt,st of my s,omsch, were covered with the
cold. sca'y proportions o. the reptile, You will
uwa that il must have been ctsc os sccusidessbie
s,ze. What my thoughts were, so made up Of
adherence, dread. and the expectation, Gay, as
eurance OF speedy death that must follow aay
movement eN my part, can Wever hope 70 tet
IN language enfficicntly distinct and vivid 70
convey their full force. |, was evden; the
iost,soue creature had Q, length settled itself
10 sleep; and felt ,hsnkf,l that Attracted by
ny breath, il had not approached the upper pas
OF my throat Il became quite still, and its
weigh,y prcssure-hs first cssumy cl,t'ncss
becoming gradually $50 il seoRsed 10 me) of a
dor which exhaied from it's body s~d prevsded
the whole air, SO overwhelmed me that il was
only by a severe struggle preserved myself
from shriekiog. -ete
As il was, a cold sweat burs, from every pore;
| could hear the beating Of my hesri; aed
tell, to my Increased dismay, that tie palsy o.
terror had begun TO sgitate my limbs. Il Wi!
wake. thought 1, sud then all is over AT the,
,uncture. somethinR--it might hsvc been .
wall.lizard, or large beetle-fell from the cei
ling on my LETT arm. which lay stretched OF my
side. The snake, uncoiing It's head, rsised II
self with low hiss, and then. for the first time
saw il, saw the hood, the terrible cseA glitter
ing in the moonshine. .--l ae'
II was a Cobra di Capello! Shading ~,
eyes TO exclude the dreadful spectacle, lay Al
most fainting unt;l again. al was qnie,. Hal
IT'S fiery glance encountered mine. ell wou'
have.teeu over; but, apparently, il was ono
more asleep. and presently hesrd the IAsca
moving about. undoing the fasseninrs Of tn
tent sad striking light. A thought sucdenl
struck me, and with en- Impulse could sscrib
TO nothing shos, Of desperation, though lie ei
fects werc SO providential, luttered in loo
hut sepulchrsl tone. 'Kulassi IAscar" 'sss
hib! was the insta neoas response, and my hes
beat quicker al the success Of n,y attempt
| Law still again. f,r tho reptile, evden,l
reused, made a movement, and Ne head. ss
suppose. fell upon my naked arm. Oh Goo