Page:Phosphor (1888).djvu/81

Rh me, except to make me feel sick and giddy for a few moments.

I soon felt all right again, and told the white female so. Her delight was unbounded.

She threw her arms round my neck, hugged me, and kissed me with great fervour. It was anything but pleasant, but as she had risked her life in sucking the snake bite, I submitted with the best grace I could.

The others were astounded, and murmurs of wonder ran around at my not succumbing to the effects of the poison at once. The reason of its having no effect on me I put down to the cobra bite having inoculated me, and made me poison proof as far as snake bites were concerned. Of course it may have been a non-poisonous snake, but seeing the two creatures die in such a short time, I had every reason to believe it was venomous. After they had filled their nets we started back. Crossing one of the crevices, an accident occurred.

In making the jump, one of the creatures trod too near the edge.

The earth gave way beneath it, and down, down, it went. For two or three seconds there was not a sound, and then we heard the dull thud of the body as it reached the bottom.

The creatures seemed to have no feeling concerning a death, and took no notice of it.