Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1854-07-25

to cool his parched threat and he had just ap-
piled it to his lips, when something touched
them-certainy not water, whatever else 1t
might be- He hastily withdrew the vessel
from his mouth, though still retaining it in his
hands, when to his amtzement and horror, a
regular cobra, the most deadly and lngerous
of all the common serpents of India, reared its
hidaously distended and specialized head from
the j ,r, not foot from its disturber's nose-
80 murdcr,'' cried the poor fellow, who was
a son of Erin, and as he uttered the eXclima-
tion he ished bottle, snake, and all to the
ground, and took to his heels, not stopping
until he WIS full hundred yards from the
spot. Here he told his story in safety and the
intruder was in good time got rid Of by the
cautions use of firearms.
Very different from the conduct of this fell
low was that Of one of his coInr ides in the
blrrlcks, who exposed to an almost unpre-
ced .nted trial from similar cause. In the
vicinity of the barracks assigned to the Euro
pean soldiers ia Indit, there is usually num-
Der of little solitary buildings or cells, where
the more disordery members OF the corps
confined for longer or shorter terms by order
OF the commanding officer. In one OF these,
on a certain occ .son, was locked up poor Jack
Hall. a Scotchman, belonging to Edinburgh or
Leith. Jack had got intoxicated, and being
found in that condition at the hour of drill,
was Sentenc II TO eight dly's solitary inlprison-
ment. Soldiers in Indil have their bedding
partly furnished by the Honorable Company,
and find the rem ,inder for thems lives. About
this part OF house-furnishing, however, Jack
Hall troubled himself very little, being one OF
those hardy, reckless beings on whom priva-
ton ard suffering seem TO make 10 impression.
4 hari door was as good as a down-bed to Jack;
and, therefore, as he never scrupled to sell
what ne got, il may be supposed that his sleep
ing furniture was none Of the most abundant
or select. Such as it was, he was stretched
upon and under it one night in his cell, during
his term Of penance, and possibly was reflect
ing the impropriety Of in futute putting
san enemy into his mouth to steal away his
briins,' when. 10! he thought he heard rust
ling in the cell, close by him. At this mo-
ment, he recoHected that he had not, as he
ought to have done, stopped up an air hole
which entered the cell on level with its floor
and also with the rock, externally, on which
the building was planted. strong suspicion
of what had happened, or was about to happen
came over Halls mind, but he knew it was
problbly too late 10 do any good, could he
even find the hole in the d trkness, and get il
closed. He therefore, lIy still, and in anoth-
er minute or two head another rustic close to
him, which followed by the coll Shiny
touch of snake upon his bar. foot! Who in
bawied for help? Jack did neither, he lay
stone still, and held his peace, knowing that
his cries would most probably have been un-
heard by the distant guard. Had his bed
clothes been more plentiful, he might have en-
deavored to protect himself Oy wrapping them
closely around him, but this their sc antiness
forbade. Accordingly, being awara that, al
though motion or touch will provoke snakes
to bite, they will not generally do it without
such Indictment, Jack held himself as still as
if he had been log. Meanwhile his horrible
bedfellow, which he at once felt TO be Of great
size, crept over his feet, legs, and body, and
Justly, over his very face. Nothing but the
most astonishing frmness of nerve, anJ the
consciousness that the moving of muscle
would have signed his death warrant, could
have enabled the poor fellow to undergo this
dreadful tri Il. For whole hour did the rep
IL crawl, backwards and forwards over Jacks
body and face, as if satisfying. seemingly that
it had nothing to tear from the recumbent OBJ
ject on its own part. At length it took up a
position somewhere about his heal, and went
TO rest in apparent security. The poor SOL
dier's trial, however, was not over. Till dty-
light, he rem aimed in the sane posture, fat on
his back, without during to stir a limb, from
the fear of disturbing his dangerous compan-
ion. Never, perhaps. was dawn so anXiously
longed for by n ortll man. When it did come
JACK cautiously looked about him, arose noise
lessly, and moved over to the corner of the
cell, where there lay a pretty llrge stone
This he zed, and looked about for the in
trudar. Not seeing the sn Ike, he became as
sur4d that it was under his pillow. He rIised
the end of this just sufficiently to get peep
Of the c:elture's crest. Jack then pressed
his kn &c firmly on the pillow, but allowed the
snake to wriggle out its head, which he batter
Ell to pieces with the stone. This DONE the
courageous fellow, for the first time, bre athed
freely.
When the hour for breakfast came, Jack
who thought little about the matter after it was
fairly over, took the opportunity of opening
the door to throw the snake out. When the
officc or whose duty it was to visit the cells for
the diy, was going his rounds, he perceived
crowd around the c1ll-door ex amining the rep
tile, which was described by the natives as OF
the most vcnomous character, its bite being
invariably and rapidly mortal. The officer, on