268 A DEMONIAC MEAL. 



convulsions of expiring agony, while the hideous head, with 

 jaws gnashing and eyes turning from vivid green and red to 

 feuille morte brown, and black seemed to watch, in impotent 

 fury, the hopeless efforts of its detached body. At the commence- 

 ment of this hideous combat we attempted to escape by creeping 

 gently towards the confines of that sphere of light proceeding 

 from the lamp of the glow-worm ; but when we reached its 

 verge, we feared to plunge into the thick darkness beyond, lest 

 other monstrous creatures, horrible as those left behind, should 

 be lurking in its cover. Rather than encounter we knew not 

 what, we climbed, during the sanguinary contest, to the top of 

 a lofty tree, whose matted branches, leafless as they were, might 

 serve, as we hoped, for concealment and protection. 



The struggle between the headed and headless monsters was 

 soon ended, and the victor, while the limbs of his late antagonist 

 yet quivered, began to glut his cannibal appetite on the body. 

 How can we describe the horror and disgust with which we 

 watched, from our lofty station, the progress of this demoniac 

 repast ? and yet we awaited its conclusion with something like 

 a feeling of hope. " The creature/' thought we, " will com- 

 pletely gorge himself, and when, like a boa constrictor, he has 

 become torpid and helpless through repletion, we may be able 

 to destroy him, or at least, when morning comes, effect our 

 escape ; though, alas ! we scarce know whither." Too soon, 

 however, we found ourselves deceived; for deserting, when 

 about half devoured, the body of it's late comrade, the monster 



