

In Bed with a SERPENT.

FRoM cAnPrELL,s noreu nrco1Lrcr1o,
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might have slept some four or five hours ant
q dreamless and satisfying sleep il was bat Ger
i tam 1t ls-et sciolists say what they will anc
j sceptIcs throw doubts by handfus on tho nsser
ilons OF aPhyscians-that, before woke anC
III my dreamless sumber, / had a visible percep
tIohot peril a consciousness of tho lowering pre-
sehco OF deaihl How to describe my feelings
I know not; but, rs we have all read and heard
Ftha' II the eyes Of the watcher are steadiv fixed
on the countenance of the sleeper fora certain
length OF time, the sIumberer will be sure 10 star
uP' wakened by the mysterious magnetism of a
recondIte principle of cairvoyance, so it was that
with shut eyes and drowsed-up senses an invya rCI
ability was conferred upon mo to detect the Iivino
/ presence of danger near me to see thourh seep.
/ DIlnd, the tormiess shape Of q mysterious horror
cronchlnS beside me and, as if the peril that was
my nightmare was Of a nature to be quickened
INTO fatal activity by any motion on my part
ie' IN my very stupor the critical necessity of w.
ing quite STILL so that. when at last awoke and
fel that, as lay with my face towards the roof.
there was thick heavy, cold, creeping thine on
my cheSf, ] stirred not, nor uttered word Of
panic.


Danger and fear may occasionally dull .he SEN
ses and paraizo the faculties, but thev more fre
queniiy sharpen both and ere could twice wink
my eyes, l was broad awake, and aware that. coil
ing ana colIIng itself up in q circle Of twists an
enormous serpent was on nv breast When I


=
PIT OF stomach, were covered with the cold. scaIv
proportions Of the reptile, you will own that it
must nave been one of considerable size What
my thoughts were, so made of adherence. dread
and the expectation, nay, assurance of sneedv
death that must follow any movement on NV mart.
can never hope to tell in language sufficiently
distnct and vivid 10 convey their full force. II
was eVldehl that the Ioathsome creature had at.
lenghh settled itself to sleep; and if felt tbonl,
tod L-r,,


Proached the upper part of my throat. It became
quite stHI, and lis weighty pressuro-its first clam
my Guinness becoming gradually $50 it seemed to
me- OF burning heat-and the odious indescri-
babe odor which exhaed from its BODY and ner
vaded the whole air, SO overwhelmed me that il
was by severe struggle preserved myself from
shriekng.


AS it was, cold sweat burs, from evorv noro
could hear the beating Of my heart; and | felt,
10 my increased dismay, chat the palsy of terror
had begun 10 agitato my limbs. I will awake.
thought |, and then, all is over! ttbe iuncture.
somethlng-it might have been a wall-Iizard, or
a large bootIc-tcl from the ceiling upon nv left
arm which lay stretched at my side The sn1Ee
uncoling lis head, raised itself with slow hiss
and then. for the first time | saw it, saw the hood
the terrible crest gIitterng in the moonshine, II
was = Cobra di OapcIlo! Shading my ewes to
doudo tn dreadful spectacle, lay almost faint
ing until again all was quiet. Had its ferv glance
encountered mine, all would have been over: but
apparently II was once more asleep; and present
~ heard the Lascar moving about. undoinC the
tustcnlngs of the tent and striking q light. A
thought suddenly struck me, and with nm impulse
could ascrlbe to nothing short Of desperation.
though its effects were 50 providential. uttered
IN q loud but sepUchral tone " Kuiagsiy Lascar -
"Sahib!' was the instantaneous response, and nv
heart beat quicker at the success of my ATTEMPT.


lay still again, for the reptile, evidently reused.
made movement, and its head. as | suDDosc. fell
upon my naked arm. Oh God the AGONY of Tint
moment, when suppressed tremof almost rave yyav
to madness | debated with myself whether
should again endcavor to attract tho attention of
the kulass or remain perfectly quiet, or whether
it would not be better than either ID start-up all
once and shake the disgustful burthen from mo
But the latter suggestion was at once abandoned.
because of the assurance felt that it would Drove
fatal impedcd by the heavy coils Of the crea
Iure, weak and nervous from excitement. could
not escape its fangs. Again, therefore. spoke
with the hollow bet distinct accents which arise
from the throat when tho speaker is afraid TO
move muscle" Kulassi chiragh !''-Lascar, q
lanthorn " Latah own, s0hib,' / am bringing it.
sir. There was then a sound Of clanking metal
light, advancing, flashed across the. roof of the
verandah, and the noise Of coming steps, 10! one
after one lis terrible coils UnWindinC, the crisly
monster glided so swiftly away from my BODY

and the last sounds which struck my sense of
hearing were the - va ilIahi, sump !''-Oh God
a snake !--of the Loscar; for tainted awav for
the first time in my life.


Route bef1reen California and Fort Leaceq1gorth
Capt. Fallan has furnished memorandum Of
tho distances between the important points on the
route travelled by Kearny and party, from SUIT
ler's settlement, in California, to Fort Leaven-
worth-which is here annexed Miles.
From Sutten's TO Johnson's Station, 40


Thence to the s'Cannibal Cabins.'' los


'' TO Sink of Mary's River, 100


'' to junction old road and lake 90. 225


toOregon road on Snake River, $50


to Fort Hail. 43


&c to Soda Springs, 70


to Smiths Fork on Bear River, SO


to Hams Fork, 25


'' TO Green River, SO


TO Big Sandy, %


g to Swee: Water, 80


TO Waters of the Platte, I47


'' 10 Fort Laramie, 81


90 TO Ash Hollow, ll5


&" to South Fork, 90


'' to Forks of Platte, II