I had felt the delirium tremens coming on for two or three days.  I was just standing on the verge of a mighty precipice, unable to retrace my steps, and shuddering as I involuntarily leaned over and looked down into the vortex which my wild and heated imagination opened before me; and I could see the lost writhe, and hear them howl in their infernal orgies.  The wail, the curse, and the awful and unearthly ha! ha! came fearfully up before me.  I had got into that condition that not one drop of stimulants would remain on my stomach.  I had been vomiting for more than forty-eight hours every drop that I drank.  In that condition I went into a saloon and asked for a drink; and as I tremblingly poured it out, a snake shot its head up out of the liquor, and with swaying head, and glistening eye looking at me, licked out its forked tongue, and hissed in my face.  I felt my blood run cold and curdle at my heart.

I left the glass untouched, and walked out on the street.  By a terrible effort of my will, I, to some extent, shook off the terrible phantom.  I felt that if I could get some stimulants to remain on my stomach I might escape the terrible torments that were gathering about me; and yet, at the very thought of touching the accursed stuff again, I could see the head of that snake, and could hear ten thousand hisses all around me, and feel it writhing and crawling through every vein of my body; while at the same time I was scorching and burning to death for more whisky.  At that time I would have marched across a mine with a match touched to it; I would have walked before exploding cannons for more liquor.  I went to another saloon, thinking I might get a drink to stay on my stomach, and steady my nerves, and give me strength to get home before I died; for I felt that this time there could be no escape from death.  This time I was afraid to touch the bottle, and stood back, shaking and shuddering in every limb, while the murderer poured out the whisky; and again that liquor turned to snakes, and they crawled around the glass, and on the bar, and hissed, writhed, and squirmed.  Then in one instant they all coiled about each other, and matted themselves into one snake, with a hundred heads; and from every head glittering eyes gleamed, and forked tongues hissed at me.  I rushed from the saloon, and started, I did not know or care where, so that I might escape my tormentors.  I had walked but a short distance, when a dog as large as a calf sprang up before me, and commenced to growl and snap at me.  I picked up a stick about three feet long, thinking to defend myself; but just as soon as I took that stick in my hand, it turned to a snake.  I could feel its slimy body writhe and squirm in my hands, and in trying to hold it to keep it from biting me, every finger-nail cut like a knife into the palm of my hand, and the blood streamed down over that stick, that to me was a living snake.  Hell is a heaven compared to what I suffered at that time.