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68 The face was in a splendid state of preservation, and there was not the slightest doubt it was meant to represent a human being.

Much I wondered how it could have come to be here.

Who did it?

Surely not the creatures I had seen?

Was it possible that there might be some men or women in this awful place as well as myself?

I determined to ask the white female about it.

Perplexing myself with a thousand things, I fell asleep.

I was awakened by her touching me. Opening my eyes, I saw she had some fungi in her hand, and that a dish of water was on the ground near me.

My sleep had done me good and refreshed me considerably.

I sat up and asked her what she wanted.

"Eat," she said.

While I was doing so, she came near me, and, putting her arms round my neck, bent her head down as I thought to kiss me. I shuddered and drew back. This was more than I could stand.

Yet another passage of De Quincy's flashed through my mind—when he dreamt he was kissed "with the cancerous kisses of crocodiles."

As soon they, as to be saluted by the lips of this fearful creature.