Their awakening was as mysterious as the nightmare itself, and scarce
relieved them from the horror which the latter had been occasioning.

All felt in turn, and in quick succession, a heavy crushing pressure,
either on the limbs or body, which had the effect, not only to startle
them from their sleep, but caused them considerable pain.

Twice was this pressure applied, almost exactly on the same spot, and
with scarce a second's interval between the applications. It could not
well have been repeated a third time with like exactness, even had such
been the design of whatever creature was causing it; for, after the
second squeeze, each had recovered sufficient consciousness to know he
was in danger of being crushed, and make a desperate effort to withdraw
himself.

The exclamations, proceeding from four sets of lips, told that all were
still in the land of the living; but the confused questioning that
followed did nothing towards elucidating the cause of that sudden and
almost simultaneous uprising.

There was too much sneezing and coughing to permit of anything like
clear or coherent speech. The _shumu_ was still blowing. There was sand
in the mouths and nostrils of all four, and dust in their eyes. Their
talk more resembled the jibbering of apes, who had unwisely intruded
into a snuff shop, than the conversation of four rational beings.

It was some time before any one of them could shape his speech, so as to
be understood by the others; and, after all had at length succeeded in
making themselves intelligible, it was found that each had the same
story to tell. Each had felt two pressures on some part of his person;
and had seen, though very indistinctly, some huge creature passing over
him,--apparently a quadruped, though what sort of quadruped none of them
could tell. All they knew was, that it was a gigantic, uncouth creature,
with a narrow body and neck, and very long legs; and that it had feet
there could be no doubt: since it was these that had pressed so heavily
upon them.

But for the swirl of the sand-storm, and the dust already in their eyes,
they might have been able to give a better description of the creature
that had so unceremoniously stepped over them. These impediments,
however, had hindered them from obtaining a fair view of it; and some
animal,--grotesquely shaped, with a long neck, body, and legs,--was the
image which remained in the excited minds of the awakened sleepers.

Whatever it was,