The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1875-03-31

| = - FtOyT iuI ineFe u Law
quite dead; but alasl Halse approach.
ID IN double quick time: and when
he.saw the bird, his laughter was so
loud and long, that | was sneccbI.ss
IL was 40 bustsrd at all-oplv one
oi those .hideous vultures wit5 -s.
aesh-iooking necks, red ewes and sv
nailng a pestilential odor the fan1
est carrion under heayenl
Iaseemed to lose heart at this mis-.
nap, ana somewhat suddenly tslIinc
my eomrade that there was No 'oi,.us lug
IN shooting double-hy vbioh ,u'H
meant in company With ana,ba. : ,
SAID should rest awhile under ,ba
Julube tree, loaded with fresh rino
run, that canopied the vulture and
then follow him. No sooner had be
disappeared, after pointing to the sun
aud the direction be intended To tate
then set on on another tinv tract
which soon led--or mis-led me-in,
10 me very heart of the Jungle here
so thick and branchy that | got fairlv
perplexed, and spent at least an bonr
Ia Iorclag a passage through it
without behelding any signs of game
am afraid ! grew a little uneasy
for, though ] rememb being toid
that the jungle did not extend verv
Tar 70 the westward-the direction I
ought to pursue-I was spprebensive
OF being confused by the thickness Of
the trees, the quantity of entaDeling
underwood, and the complete disan.
pearance Of any sort of path. | tried
to go back-in vain; | could SCARCELY
see the sun-hot as it was os n,;j
day drew near-for the brush. and
another hour had nearly passed ere |
found myself, to nv great pIee
amongst scattered Jungle of a small
size, while in front fancied I saw
symptoms Of civilization. which 7 re-
solved TO reach. | was fairly TRAD
out ere | attained the spot l ambi-
TONED, 1t was a large field of the
gunny-plsnt; the crotalaria-iuncea:
rom which coarse but very strong
saekeloth is made; and I knew il bY
the large yellow papilionaceous fow-
efS' many OF them just turning into
oDiong legumes, densely covered
win tawny down. | may as we'll
confess that | have ever been mora
OF a botanist than q sportsman. and
though l might mistake a carrion.
bird for a bustard, | would have i'm.
periled no mans life by Offering him
the poisonous fruitage of the strycb-
nos for the hill-oronge.
did not suppose that | could now
De very far from the track which
Halse would take, and as | exactly
fronted the west, / determined 10
rest myself where l was. Near the
end of the field, where a few bushes
OF the eastor-plant terminated the
agricultural features of the spot. rose
"a shady banYan-tree; and making
towards it | discovered that al its
foot ran a little brook whose pure
waters-hOt with the kisses of the
sun-though they did not do much
to cool me, still refreshed nv hands
and face. Back from the riIl and
under the delightful awning formed
by the beautiful green boughs of the
oanyan, studded with bright CORA
llne herries-tbe favorite food of the
parroquet-was a slopiDg mound Of
earth, free from long grass which so
frequently conceal noxious insects,
but not wanting in a dry coat OF
short, clear verdure. | threw nv.
sell down upon it, needless ofits hay-
ing once been one of those hiiloeks
which, fabricated by the white ant,
or termltes, are abandoned by them
after certain period, sometimes TO
give shelter to occupants still less
desirable as neighbors.
The day was at it's hottest, but be-
meath that arch of greenwood the
sun pierced not oppressively, and
lay quietly on the sod, snufing in
yoluPtuous fragrance of the wild
Jssmines that was waited towards
me from innumerable bushes near
me, round which this graceful para
site of East-India woods twisted
with prOiuse starry blossoms.
suppose | soon began to slumber;
perfect repOse it was not, for sleep
consists in something more than the
mere absence Of perceptions; and
through all that drowsy fit I was
conscious of being, as it were mis-
placed and unHisely bedded-a fact
that had certainly not struck me
when l was fully awake. How long
thus lay is doubtful, but to this day
persist in believing that sense Of
danger was first excited within me
by an uncommon and dissgreeable
odor, which, overwhelming that
scent Of jasmine under whose inhu-
ence ! bad dropped off stirred up the
dormant life principle within me to
partial vigilance Then came sud
denly, accompanied more strongly
by that musky smell, sensation Of
horror, paralyzing every limb and
sinew; a something cold aud elammy
passed over my head and face, until
eyelids and mouth were sealed up;
and fully awake now, ] yet thought
or wished to think, all was a dream,
nor struggled to move Thank God
that the attempt was not made.
Presently The hideous mystery pass
ed slowly down my body; and then
entangling between my legs it went
from me, felt, without sseertaining
by touch or sight, that | was neigh
bored By what | most dreaded and
abhorred on earth-some terrible rep
tilel Still / remained without power
TO move, even to unelose an eyelidi
when. at that moment, i heard a
voice-almost whisper-it was
Hslse. Hush be said, "stir not
for YOUR life until bid yoUl Fear
not, but lie perfectly still, regardless
Of all sound or motion"
The perspirstion Of deadly icar
burst out at every pore, and began
to shiver; but there were prayers IN
my thoughts, and I tried to obey
him. | knew that NY lower ex-
tremities were no longer IN contact
/ with any substance, but j heard un-
mistakable hissings of serpent, and
a rustling in the dry leaves near ne. l
lay upon my left side; and now for
the first time, / opened my eyes