Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-04-13
MONTPELIER, VERMONT, THURSDAY,

many-indeed, they were almost the only game
we saw for some time) had knack of getting
off shot-free that puzzled me somehow branch
OF a tree, or the shadow of one, kept constantly
interfering between me and my object, and then
the unaecountabls visibility of my companion,
when he happened to witness my discontinue,
made me nervous, and 1, safe to hit some inno-
cent bush, as he said, discharged my piece at the
sky, to my great confusion.
Presently we fell in with partridges, green
pigeons, and no end Of quails and due havoc
did Halse make amongst them, whilst all my
shot seemed to melt into Dir. At length saw
through the trees stately bird as large as tur-
key. l had heard the bustard described in glow
ing terms, and made sure that this was one.
1t seemed SO tame and fearless that | felt Ger
tain could knock it down; SO, saying nothing
of my discovery to IIalsa, L snaaked'eif towards
the creature-got within short distance I'M
perceived--and fred Now indeed | rushed
madly towards my prey, for there it lay quite
dead; but alas IIalse approached in double
quick time, and when he saw tho bird his laugh
ter was SO loud and long, that was specchlcss.
1t was no bastard after all-only one of those
hideous yultures, with raw-fesh looking necks,
red eyes, and exhaling pestiental odor, that
are the foulcst carrion under heavens
seemed to lose heart at this mishap, and
somewhat sullenly telling my comrade that
there was no luck in shooting donblc-by which
meant in company with another, / said I
should rest awhile under the jujube tree, loaded
with fresh ripe fruit, that canopied hevulture,
and then follow him. No sooner had he disap-
pcared, after pointing to the sun, and the direc-
ton he intended to take, than | set off on an
other tiny track, which soon led, or misled me,
into the very heart of the iungle-here so thick
and branchy that got fairly perplcxed and
spent at least an hour in forcing q passage
through it, without beholding any signs Of game.
am afraid grew little uneasy, for though
remembered being told that the Jungle did not
extend very far to the westward--the direction
| ought to pursue-I was apprehensiSe of be-
ing confused by the thickness of the trees the
quantity of cntangling underwood, and the COM
plete disappearance of any sort of path. l
fred back-in vain could scarcely see the
sun, hot as it was as midday drew near, for the
brush, and another hour had nearly passed, ere
/ found myself, to my great gee, amongst scat
tered jungles of a small size, while in front |
fancied saw symptoms of cultivation, which l
resolved to reach. was fairly tired out ere
attained the spot ambitioned; it was large
field of the Gunny plant-the Crotalaria june
ca--from which coarse but very strong sack
cloth is made, and knew it by the large, yell
low papilionaceous flowers, many Of them just
turning into oblong legumes, densely covered
with tawny down. i msg as well confess that
have ever been more of botanist than sports
man, and though | light mistakea carrion bird
for bustard, would have imperilled no man s
life by offering the poisonous fruitage of the
strychnos for hill orange!
| did not suppose that | could be very far
from the track which Iialse would take, and as
I exactly fronted the west, determined to rest
myself where was. Near the end of the field
where few bushes of the castor oil plant ter
minated the agricultural features of the spot,
arose shady banyan tree, and making towards
it, discovered that at its foot ran little brook
whose pure waters, hot with the kisses of the
sun-though they did not do much to cool me-
still refreshed my hands and face. Back from
the rill, and under the delightful awning form.
ed by the beautiful green boughs of the banyan
studded with bright coraline berries, the favor
ite food of the barroquet, was sloping mount
of earth, free from the long grass which SO fre
quently conceals noxious insects, but not want
in dry coat of short verdurc. threw mysel
down upon it, needless of its having been once
one of.those hillocks, which, fabricated by thu
white ant, or termites, are abandoned by then
after certain poriod, sometimes to give shelter
to occupants still less desirable as neighbors.
The day was at its hottest, beneath that arcl
of greenwood the sun pierced not opprcssively
| lay quietly on the sod, snulhng in the voluptu
GUS fragrance of the wild jasminems that wa
waited towards me from innumerable bushe
near me, around which this graceful parasite o
East Indian woods twisted with proluse starr,
blossoms. Isuppose soon began to slumber
perfect repose it was not, for sleep consists il
something more than the mere absence of per
ception and through all that drowsy fit wa
conscious of being, as it were, misplaced ant
unwisely bedded-a fact that had not struck MT
when was fully awake. How long thus la,
is doubtful, but to this day persist in believ
ing that sense of danger was first excited with
in me by an uncommon and disagreeable odor
which, overwheling that sweet scent of jasmin
under whose influence had drowsed, stirred VI
the dormant life-principle within me to find par
tial vigilance. Then came suddenly, accompa
MED more strongly by that musky~mell, sensa
ton Of horror, paralizing every limb and snew
something cold and clammy passed over m,
face, until my eyelids and mouth were sealed
and, now fully awake, | yet thought, or wished
to think, all was dream. nor struggled t.
move. Thank God that the attempt was no
made Presently the hideous mystery passe'
slowly down my body, and then, as cntanglinl
between my legs, it went from me, l felt, with
out ascertaining by touch or sight, that wa
neighbored by what most dreaded or abhorre
on earth--some terrible reptile Still remain
ed without power to move, even to unclose al
eyclid; when at that moment | heard voice
almost a whisper it was Halse.
Hush,'' he said, +" stir not for your life til
l bid you Fear not, but lie perfectly still, re
gardless of all sound or motion