Page:Thrummy Cap and the ghaist (2).pdf/23

 23 in Hindoostan, there; was always a demon, in the shape of a serpant, to guard it He. kinghed at their superstitision and repeated his orders in such a manner as to enforce obediance, though his attendants sympha- thized with the men, and seemd to ex- pect the event with more of fear and awe than of curosity.Our ladder was too short to reach the daugeon strong ropes were therefore sent for ,and more torches. Our men reluctantdy obeyed and as they were lowered the dark sides,and the moist floor of the dungeon, extinguished the light which they carried in the their hands, But they had not been many seconds on the ground, before they screamed out that they were incloded with a large snake.In spite of their screams,Mr Forbes,was in- credulus,and declared the ropes shouls not be let down to them till he had seen the creature; there cries were dredful; he however was imlexible, and the upper light were lield steadly, to give him as distinet a view as possible into the dun- geon.Where he perceived something like pilles of wood,or rather he says, like a ship's cable seen from the deck, up in a dark hole;but no language can exp- press his sensation of astonishment and terror,when he saw a serpent actually rear its head over an immense length of body,coiled in on the ground;