I saw it,—­saw the hood, the terrible crest glistening in the moonshine.  It was a Cobra di Capello!  Shading my eyes to exclude the dreadful spectacle, I lay almost fainting, until again all was quiet.  Had its fiery glances encountered mine, all would have been over; but, apparently, it was once more asleep, and presently I heard the Lascar moving about, undoing the fastenings of the tent, and striking a light.  A thought suddenly struck me, and, with an impulse I could then ascribe to nothing short of desperation, though its effects were so providential, I uttered, 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 nearly approaching danger.  What terribly powerful brutes! what vast strength in their broad and brawny necks!  It would have been a noble sight, had not their eyes the while expressed such entire stupidity.