, in a loud, but sepulchral tone,
"Kulassi! Lascar." "Sahib!" was the instantaneous response, and my
heart beat quicker at the success of my attempt. I lay still again, for
the reptile, evidently roused, made a movement, and its head, as I
suppose, fell on my naked arm. Oh God! the agony of that moment, when
suppressed tremor almost gave way to madness! I debated with myself
whether I should again endeavor to attract the attention of the Kulassi,
or remain perfectly quiet; 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 I felt
that it would prove fatal; impeded by the heavy coils of the creature,
weak and nerveless from excitement, I could not escape its fangs. Again,
therefore, I spoke with the hollow but distinct accents which arise from
the throat when the speaker is afraid to move a muscle:--"Kulassi
Chiragh!"--Lascar, a lanthorn! "Latah own Sahib." I am bringing it, sir.
There was then a sound of clanking metal--light, advancing, flashes
across the roof of the veranda--and, at the noise of coming steps, lo!
one after one its terrible coils unwinding, the grisly monster glided
away from my body; and the last sounds that struck my sense of hearing
were the--"Ya illahi samp!" Oh God! a snake!--of the lascar; for I
fainted away for the first time in my life.

[Illustration]

COMBAT OF WILD ANIMALS.

We were conducted to a gallery which commanded a view of a narrow court
or area beneath, inclosed by walls and palisades. This was the arena in
which the spectacle was to take place. Unfortunately, the space allotted
to spectators was so narrowed by the great number of European ladies who
were present, that we could only find indifferent standing room, where,
in addition to this inconvenience, the glare of the sun was very
oppressively felt; but the drama which began to be acted in our sight in
the deep space below, was such that every discomfort was forgotten in
beholding it. We there beheld six mighty buffaloes, not of the tame
species, but the sturdy offspring of the Arni-buffalo of the hill
country, at least four feet and a half high from the ground to the
withers, with enormous widely-spread horns, several feet long. There
they stood, on their short, clumsy hoofs, and, snorting violently, blew
out their angry breath from their protruded muzzles, as if they were
already aware of the