

(FRoM cAMpBEL1's koiUaH ,,i5.1ii REcoLLEcT1oJ EcoiLLIE
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I'm bed with a Serpent.


tfRoM cAMPBELL's ROUGH REcoLLEcTIoNs)
f. might have slept some four or five hours, and
a dreamless and satisfying sleep it was; but GER
tain II is--let sciolis,s say what they will, and
sceptics throw doubts by handfls on the asser-
tfons of metaphysicians-tha before awoke,
and IN my drcamless slumber, had visible per-
ception Of peril. conciousness of the lowering
presence OF death How to describe my feelings
l know. not-bot, as we have all read and heard
That, II the eyes OF watcher steadily fixed on
the eoantenance of sleeper for certain length
Of time, the sluniberef will be sure to start up
awakened by the mysterious magnetism Of a re-
condie principle Of clairvoyance so it was that
with shut eyes and drowsedup senscs an inward
ability was conferred upon me TO detect the living
presence of danger near me, to see though sleep
blind, the formless shape of,a mysterious horror
crouching beside me and as if the peril that was
my night mate was of nature to be quickened
into fatal activity by any motion on my part, felt
in my very stupor the critical necessity Of laying
quite STILL so that, when | at last awoke and felt
that, as l lay with my face towards the roof there
was thick, heavy, cold creeping thing on nv
chest, stirred not, nor uttered u word of panic.


Danger and fear may occasionally dull the
senses and parayZe the faculties, but they more
frequently sharpen both; and. ere could twice
wink my eyes was broad awake and aware that
coling and coing itself up into circle of twists,





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 1t must have been one of considerable size
What my thoughts were, SO made up of abhor-
renee, dread, and the expectation, nav, assurance
of speedy death that must follow any movement
on my pnrt, can never hope TO tell in language
sufficiently distinct and vivid to convey their full
force. 1t was evident the oathsome creature had
NJ nOth IN 7 fol f,,I
that attracted by my breath. it had not approached
the upper part of my throat 1t became quite
still. and It's weighty prcsure-s first clammv
chllness becoming gradually $50 il seemrd to me)
of burning heat-and the odious indescribabIe
odour which exalted from its body and pervaded
the whole air, so overwhelmed me that il was
only by severe struggle preserved myself from
shrlcking ..


AS it was cold sweat burst from every pore
could hear The beating of my heart; and felt,
TO my increased dsmay, that the palsy of terror
had begun 10 agitate nv limbs 1t will wake,
thought /, and then all is over ! AT that jnncturc,
something-it might have been n wall lizard, or
a large beetle-fell from the ceiling upon my left
arm which lay stretched at my side. The snake,
uncoilng ITS head. raised itself with low hiss,
and then, for the first time saw it, sa the hood,


the terrible crest glittering in the moonshine.u 1t
was Cobra di Capellol Shading my eyes to
exclude the dreadful spectacle, lay !most faint.
ing until again all' was quiet. Had its fiery
glance encountered mine, air would have bern
over but, apparently, it was once more asleep;
and presently l heard the Lascar moving about,
undoing the fas,enings of the trnt and striking a
light A thought suddenly struck me, and with
an impulse l could ascribe to nothing short of
desperation, though its effects were provdrntinI
uttered in loud but sepu!chral tone g Kulassi!
Lascar r' 90" Sahib t" The instantaneous re-
sponse, and my heart beat quicker at the success
of my attempt. .H-


lay still again, for the reptile, evidently rous
cd, made a movement and its head, as ] suppose
fell upon my naked arm. Oh God the agony of
that moment when suppressed tremor almost gave
way to madness debated with myself whether
should again endeavor to aurac; the attention of
the KuIassi, or remain perfectly qnie, or whether
it would not be better than either to start up at
once and shake the disgustful burden from me.
But the latter suggestion was at once abandoned
because of the assurance feIt that il would prove
fatal mpedcd by the heavy coils of the creature,
weak and nervous from excitement l could not
escape its fangs. Again, therefore, / spoke with
the hollow but distinct accents which arise from
the lhroat when the speaker is afraid TO move
a muscle" Kulassi chiragh I"- Lascar, Ian
thorn Latham own, sahib" nm bringing it, !
sir. There was then a sound of clanginel metal
light, advancing, flashed across the roof of the !
veranda and at the noise of coming steps, 10 !
one after one its terrible coils unwndng the grsly
monster gIided away from my body; a.,d the last
sounds which struck nv sense of hearing were
the "Ya ilIahi, samp!"-Oh God snakci-of
the Lascar for tainted away for the hrstlime in
my life.