Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1883-12-06
VOL. LVII.
knew IL I did not avail myself Of this

chance I should get no other so l was
firm, and told them remain they must.
We erected the machan as noiselessly
as possible Tigers are often driven
off by the noise men make while pre-
pairing q cache with which to slay
them. My men urged the danger we
ran of getting jungle fever by sleeping
out at night. l merely told them to
hold their tongues and to mount, and
if l heard either of them utter sound
or make the least noise l would fasten
him down to the corpse. The men
knew l did not threaten and not per-
form, so. unwilling rs they were, per-
force they had to obey in silence. We
arranged bushes to hide our place of
concealment we had no bedding, no
| pillows, and the bamboos which COM
| posed the floor Of our platform were
not very even or smooth. therefore not
| pleasant to sit on for some ten or
twelve hours. during which we could
move neither hand nor foot.
AS the moon arose the trees behind
us cast their shadows over the place
where the poor wood-cutter was lying.
| Time passed. 1t must have been about
ten, and was doing, when my arm
was grasped by Chiniah. Looking
round, | found his teeth chattering and
his face as pale as a corpse while the
other man, with his hands over his
face, sat trembling. From these l
looked toward where Chiniah's horri-
fed gaze pointed to something un-
earthly. knew the fellow was afraid
of nothing living, but of the unseen
! spirits he had a dread. ]. too, was
taken aback. The CHASTITY body of the
wood-cutter was slowly moving to and
fro the arms and legs occasionally
lifted up, while no agent was visible.
1t made my blood run cold, and l felt
! a sensation as if cold water was being
poured slowly down my back along the
spine. seldom touch spirits, but take
some with me in case of accidents or
need. i took a nip myself and gave
the two natives a strong dose each.
Still the horrible cortortions continued,
and / knew not what to make of them.
did 1 not tell you, Sahib," whis-
pered Chiniah, chow wrong it was to
sit up over the body of a Hindoo? We
should have carried him to the village
and had him burned but now we are
all dead men ne will arise presently
and kill US.
Hold your tongue, you fool" ] re-
piled "the dead come not to life again
in this world there is some trick be.
ing played upon u.s."
"Who would venture into these jun
giles at this time of night with those
cursed man-eaters about " said Chin.
iah.
81 don't know; but keep quiet"
Here jackal came along the ravine
and out into the open, and approached
the corpse; but getting within few
yards, put his tail between his legs,
and, with a frightened cry of the
Pheeal, ran for his life.
"Will you believe me now, Sahib2"
said Chiniah.
was getting nervous, 1t is hor-
rid sight to see body full of life only
few hours before, lying out in the
moonlight, in its last sleep, and to
know that it met its death by the fell
stroke of tiger. But the body moved
backward; its face before hidden be-
came exposed first one eye opened,
then the other, closing and opening in
a most diabOlical way. There was not
a sound, and [ must own | should have
been glad to have been in bed in my
tent, and never to have seen such a
sight but thank goodness, our sus-
pense was not to last much longer.
Ny two followers had succumbed-I
believe they had tainted Watching
intently, | saw glide across the chest
of the dead the head of an immense
rock snake. 1t was wider than a large
plate across, and its tongue was licking
the corpse all over. The movement of
the limbs and the opening and shutting
Of the eyes were fully explained My
feeling of horror disappeared, and
watched the beasts every movement.
Digging my penknife into Chiniah, l
made him almost spring off the ma
chan. After staring like mad man
for awile he perceived the python, and
was, if possible in a greater panic.
"He is thirty cubits long," he uttered,
"and will swallow the wood-cutter first
and us afterward" l gave a silent
laugh, and pointed to the rifles. The
movements Of the snake were inaudi-
BILE, but we could see the disgusting
process Of covering the body with sa-
Iva, and after fully two hours, he
opened his horrid jaws and began to
swallow the body head foremost. Now