The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-01-26
IN DANGEROUS COMPANY.
AorriDle Experience of - Soldier /
an Indian Jungle


an Indian Jungle.
A General, whose name Mr.. Inglis
GOES not give, tells the following story
OF MS experience in a pit-trap in an
Indian Judgle in Tent Life in Tiger
Land:n
was hurrying along slight track,
"nen, Dang, all at once, down l went
lnto Inc concealed pit. But now comes
the curious part of the affair. went
plop! straight down into a deep, dis
NAL hole, and at the bottom landed
rlgnt up to my waist in deposit of
tenacious, clayey mud. Regular
'pank" it was. In fact, when l tried
to struggle and free myself l found l
was held as firm us if had been bird
lined. l shuddered as l noticed the
dismal surroundings. There were
several great, gaunt-looking, yellow
lsh-green frogs peering at me with
curious eyes; and then, as 1 turned my
head around little, I made discov-
cry that made my heart cease beating
for minute, and sent every drop of
blood in my body bounding back in
my veins. There, right on level
with my face, its length half concealed
in crevice in the crumbling sides of
the pit, its hood half expanded, its
forked tongue quivering as it ierked
it out and in, and its eyes glittering
with a baleful glare, l saw great
cphT2 l felt utterly helpless and de-
istx%ssSss and for moment my heart
whispered to me that my end had
come. Ten came sort of nervous
recklesspess. suppose it was "the
fury of despair" we read about. l
know l ftered savage curse. and,
snatching my hard helmet. 1 hit the
brute smashing blow in the face, and
then begaaa fight for life. 1t was
big, powerful snake. The blow had
maddened t. Its hood expanded, its
kissing fillet the pit, and. swaying aud
rearing its chmmy length. it launched
full at my fce. My gun was lying
choked up with dirt and half buried in
the "pank," but l had my hunting
knife with me and while l parried the
fierce darts Of the Infatuated brute
with my helnnt, | made quick stabs
and slashes at it whenever l could
get a chance, md after short, excit-
ing struggle itsuccumbed. and tried to
withdraw behind the crevice, but with
a slice of my knife nearly severed its
head from its body. And then for
awhlle-you may laugh at me or not.
as you will-all was q blank. | must
have tainted. The weary hours
dragged along. 1t was intensely still
and sultry above, 1 conjectured, for
even in the deep dark pit the
air was sitting and oppressive,
and l could not detect a sound
or rustic in the vegetation that
overhung the mouth of my living tomb.
could now see that the day was wan
ing. The heat had become, if possible,
still more sultry and intense, and once
or twice had fancied | heard n low,
muttering, rumbling sound as if of dis
tant thunder. The clouds were hurry
ing up in tremendous solid masses, and
soon a big drop or two of rain began to
| CONE hustling through the overhang-
ing grass, and another dread began to
take possession of my mind. l knew
what was coming. From a hundred
tiny crevices and gaps in the edge of
my pit the troubled turbid rain water
began to trickle down, crumbling the
clay away, and l was soon drenched to
the skin, and felt with alarm the water
beginning slowly but surely to mount
upthe sides OF TIE pit. / thought then
it was all up with me. l can hardly
describe to you my thoughts. l know
thought OF home. l reviewed my past
life. made desperate struggles again
and again to free myself. l shouted
and screamed for help. l believe l
prayed and swore. In fact, for the
time, l believe l must have gone de-
mented, but l found myself utterly
powerless The miry clay and treach-
erous "pank' held me firm, and then
again Unjust have relapsed into uncon-
seriousness. When | came to myself
it was hardly light; it was still raining
heavily and stolidly; the big drops
FLASHED down; l could see a dull.
leaden sky above, and l knew the
'.nullahs' and water-courses would
soon be full. The battle of the ele-
ments had leased. and but for the con-
tinuous cash of falling rain all was
still. Thewater in the pit was nearly
up to my shoulders. felt was
doomed ID die, and sort of sullen, de-
spairing ,tupor took possession of me.
| had row given up all hope, when,
bark! Thought / heard the sound of
human voice! With all the agony
of DESPAIR, l raised cry for help.
There was an awful pause, and then |
heard my faithful Baelsa crying in re-
sponso. Again l cried out and soon
saw his dear, old. wrinkled face peer
ing, down at me from the edge of the
pit. "Well, how did they
manage to get you out?" l asked.
20. that was not so easy, but they
managed it; some of them cut down
saplings and managed to make sort
Of ladder. and Baeka came down with
a long lathe and loosened the 'pank'
round my body sufficiently for me to
do the rest myself. Then they tied
their 'puggrees' and 'kummerbunds'
together, and knotted these round