The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1876-11-07

40 h9d i97gg aSE nHm lHcA lilt
panther's snarl. or the crashing of cane
and -sapling as wild elephants forced
their way through the trackless recesses
OF the Jungle h,a iG6ag saw 99a.
i am bound to admit that there were
other tenants Of lake and forest less at
trac,ive than the bright-plumaged birds
aud the pretty little lizards basking in
the patches of yellow sunshine. Alliga
tors were very common, snakes plenti-
ful, and the scorpion, the centipede, and
the tree leech were often to be met With
In the more swampy and tangled tracts
OF the woodlands But we who we're co
lonial born learn disregard of the
creeping things that surround US which
astonishes anew arrival from Europe,
though,unlike most natives, 4 bad always
had q shrinking fear of the reptile tribe.
i watched my fathers retiring figure
until it disappeared among the feathery
hamboos that lined the path, and then,
tuning my back on the white house with
its green yerandas, walked on under the
shadow of the great forest trees till |
reached the embankment Of the Minary
Tank. Half an hours walking brought
me within sight of q ruinous summer.
house, built on the edge of the lake by
some former Dutch proprietor, and yet
surmounted by a large ball of gilded pith
perched on pole. Near this summer
house it was my custom to meet Oswald.
And it would be but very seldom that
we were.to meet henceforth, since. poor
fellow, he was to sail by the Lord Dal-
housie, expected at Point de Gale on the
3lst Of the month"; n,,iJb ho5 i.sl
On my way pausedl nov and then,
familiar as was the prospect, to gaze
upon the vide expanse OF the lake, the
silvery waters OF which rolled away so
grandly that 1t was hard to conceive that
what seemed almost entitled to take rank
as an inland sea could be actually the
work Of human hands, Fiocks OF Wild
fowl, with white wings and shrill scream,
lowered above the swarms Of gorseonsIy
TINTED 6sh that swan around the huge
weed beds, while here and thore among
the red, lotus blossoms appeared what
might have been easily mistaken FOR q
aoating log. but which I knew to be an
alligator drowsily basking in the glad
sunshine. ss, Fl. ilfa a54ss ~.
The heavy heat seemed to render ex
lertion, even for the natives, difficult, for
saw no fisher, IS usual, padding bis
light canoe or preparing his tough nets
of cocoa-nut fiber; and the very Cinga-
lese wool cutters, had deserted their
work, leaving behind them great heap
of hewn timber, in front of which, i'm,
beaded in the spongy wood OF cypress,
four or, Eve short bright axes remained
sticking. Some, few PAGES from this heap
was the ruinous summer house, and be
yond il there lowered aloft the giant tal
lipot,tree, with it's vast serrated leaves
that serve the Cingalese for sail and
thaich and screen, beneath which Oswald
and were accustomed to meet, afss
To my surprise, and perhaps, chagrin,
did not at FIRST see him for whom 4
looked, and began to fear that be had
forgotten to, keep his wonted tryst; sbu;
on drawing nearer I beheld . sight that
for the moment froze my very veins with
horror. and caused the cry Of anguish
that rose to my lips to die away. Os.
wald, lying on the turf among the roots
Of the gigantic palm tree, seemed to be
asleep, overcome, probably, by the un-
usaal, hest, while around him was loosely
|coled something that resembled . stout
rope, curiously streaked with black and
orange and white-something that caus.
ed the withered leaves and crisp grass
to rustic, as Il stirred, writhing.
PEI had never seen a living tic paiuga,
but | knew al The first glance that the
snake before myyeye was no other than
taiaFse specimen Of that dreaded reptile
which in iCeyioH takes the position tina,
lia continental India belongs to the CO
,btsa and forathe bile OF which there is nc
lFknsan remedy. Twice within the last
three wears iaborefs on my fathers plan
tationl bad been brought ii dying from
the venom % The tic palunga, but in each
fussanee the skill p6f the native snake
ehasmet had lea TO the capture OF the
Ireptile, snd isewas not believed that any
IofisHls epeeies,s ,sfate as well as danger.
oas9 had been left alive id our immediate
Fneigh B6fhooda This, however, was uni
daesti6nablya tie palunga, many fee
longs and sit had wrapped It's coils, q,
though Ia hidsons sport, around Os
fwald's limbs as he lay there uncon
Fscsousgo asa s.ssa{ 9j3 isg99iq q so
TEe, lu,r,est aat head AZ tha enormo,,
snaka rested IN me ,oroond AMONG N,
lHnvsrs snd fsrns sonid zoo I'D avea
]hIisSt ss isrels svsd mon ma I
'lshGwed Tor tho moment howesyer i,
Ss r,;si,sr : s;ans os onnar o+f ,g dis,,na,
S.a. s.s,s s, :,.,s - - ~ -.
Is Sou.esu ,n..,ar .s.s,. wv, 49, & hs,,nts
aa las,ss wy w, ~ ~, y 10 nauh 40
sCou asn ~ S.s,u H.. 81. .oss .,,osn -,
VIZ monss.ous sssasue s. ~ u, IaH Il .s
pus qssef.sn', ~ nea, ~ nll' =, sas !, sso :
l,es y slaaes suas .'' aau as ~ ueaau !