186 A REMARKABLE DELIVERANCE. 



three places, and, pursuing him closely, twined itself 

 several times around his head and neck, as tightly 

 as possible. Expecting now to be strangled to 

 death, he gave himself up for lost, and afraid lest 

 his brethren should suspect that the Indians had 

 murdered him, he, with surprising presence of mind, 

 wrote with a piece of chalk upon his table " A 

 serpent has killed me." Suddenly, however, the 

 promise of the Saviour darted into his mind : " They 

 shall take up serpents and shall not be hurt." 

 Animated by the recollection of these words, lie 

 seized the creature, and exerting his utmost force, 

 tore it loose from his body and flung it out of the 

 hut. He then lay down in his hammock and slept 

 tranquilly ; nor did he experience any serious injury 

 from the wounds inflicted by the serpent, which 

 was probably one of that class whose bite is not 

 venomous, but which destroy life by strangulation. 

 To return to our missionary naturalist. Decidedly 

 the most valuable natural production, in a com- 

 mercial point of view, of the Nicobar Islands, are 

 the nests of the esculent swallow (Hirundo edulis), 

 called by the natives Hinlene. As is well known, 

 these singular constructions are not only eatable, 

 but considered one of the greatest delicacies of the 

 table by the luxurious Asiatics. They are com- 

 posed of some gelatinous substance, about the 

 materials of which authors generally differ. Some 



