Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-05-17
IN BED WITH A SERPENT.

''h4 IAN hOu9H hcC0ileCtlOnS |
might have slept some four or Eve hours,
ana dreamless and satisfying sleep ID was but
Certain 1t is-seioliSts say what they will. and
seeptlcs throw doubts by handfuls on the asser.
tlons Of metaphy ysieians-thGt. before l awoke,
IN my dreamless slumber, l had visible per-
ceptIon of peril, a consciousness Of the lowering
presence Of death How to describe my feel
lngs know not; but as We have all read and
heard that, If the eyes of watcher are steadily
liked on the countensnce of a sleeper for a GER
tain length Of time, the slumberer will be sure
to start up,wakened by the mysterious magnet
ism of a recOndite principle of clairvoyance; so
1t was that, with shut eyes and drOwsed- up
senses, an inward ability was conferred upon me
To detect the living presence of danger near me-
TO see, though sheep blind the formless shape of
a mysterious horror crOuching beside me; and
as if the peril that was my nightmare was of a
nature 10 be quickened into fatal activity by
any motion on my part, felt in my very stupor
the critical necessity Of lying quite still so that
when l at last awOke and felt that, as lay with
my face towards the roof, there was n thick.
heavy, cold, creeping thing on my chest, l
stirred not. nor uttered a word of panic.
Danger and fear may Occa caSiOnaIly dull the
senses and paralyz the faculties, but they more
frequently sharpen both; and. ere could twice
wink my eyes, L was broad awake. and aware
that cOiling and cOiling itself up in a circle of
twists, an enormous serpent was on my breast.
When tell you that the whole of my chest,
and even the pit Of my stomach, were covered
with the cold, Scaly proportions Of the reptile
you will own that it must have been one of
considerable size. What my thoughts were SO
much made up Of adherence, dread and the
expectation, nay, assurance Of speedy death
that must follow any movement on my part |
can never hope to tell, in language sufficiently
distinct and vivid 10 convey their full force. 1t
was evident that the lOathsome creature had
at length settled itself to sleep; and / felt
thankful that, attracted by my breath, it had
not approached tho upper part Of my throat.
Ii became quite still, and its Teighty pressure
Its first claumy chillness, became gradually
$50 1t seemed 10 mel of burning heat-and
the Odious, indeScribabls odor which exhaled
from its body and pervaded the whole air, so
overwhelmed me that IL was only by severe
struggle preserved myself from shrieking.
As 1t was, cold sweat burst from every pore
L could hear the beating OF my heart; and |
felt, 10 my increased dismay that the palsy of
terror had began 70 agitatc my limbs. 1t will
wake. thought |. and then all is over, At that
juno something it might have been a wall
lizaru, or large beetle-feil from the ceiling
upon my left arm, which lay stretched at my
side The snake, uncoiling its head, raised it,
self with d low hiss, and then for the first time
L saw ii, saw the hood, the terrible crest gilt
tering in the moOnshine. 1t was a Cobra de
Capsllo Shading my eyes to exclude the
dreadful spectacle, lay almost fainting until
again all was quiet. Had its fiery glance en-
cOuntered mine, all would have been over; but
apparently it was once more asleep, and pres
emily heard the LaScar moving about, undo
ing the fastening of the tent. and striking a
light A thought suddenly struck me. and
with an impulse could ascribe to nothing
short of desperation, though It's effects were so
prOyidential, uttered in loud but sepulchrul
tone, kulassii LaScari' 'Sahib,'' was the
instantaneous response. and my heart beat
quicker at the success of my attempt.
lay still again, for the reptile, evidently
reused, made movement, and its head, rs
suppose, feil upon my naked arm. Oh God
the agony Of that moment, when suppressed
almost gave way to madness, debated with
myself whether | should again endeavor to at
tract the attention Of the kulassi, or remain
perfectly quiet, or whether ID would not be bet
ter than either 10 start up at once and shake
the disgusting burthen from lie But the lat
ter suggestion was at once abandoned, because
Of the assurance 1 felt tha; il would prove IA
weak, nervous from excitement. [ could not
escape it, fangs Again, therefore, 1 spoke
with the hollow but distinct accents which
arise from the throat when the speaker is afraid
To move Il muscle. ''kulasOi, a chragh :"
Lascar, lanth0rn Lstah own. sahib, |
am bringing it sir. There was then clanking
sound Of metal; light advancing, flashing
across the roof Of the vrranda, and at the
coming steps, lo, one after another of its ter
Tible coils unwinding, the grizzly monster
glided away from my body; and the last sounds
which struck my sense Of hearing were the
- IA il!ahi, sampl," Oh God 4 snake, Of
the LascaT for | tainted away for the first
time in my life.