BIG GAME 101 



ally with whisky every ten minutes, and walk 

 him up and down all night long, in order to 

 prevent his falling asleep. As the consequence 

 of these familiar malpractices, the wretched 

 man usually succumbs, not (as his comrades 

 fondly imagine) to the effect of the cobra's bite, 

 but rather to alcoholic poisoning, accentuated 

 by sheer physical fatigue and loss of slumber. 



Whisky in moderation may possibly be bene- 

 ficial as an antidote to snake-bite, and this fact 

 is so generally recognized that in certain of 

 the Prohibition States of America the only 

 means of obtaining a drink consists in getting 

 stung by a snake. My Uncle Horace used to 

 tell the story of a friend of his who was visiting 

 one of these unpleasantly temperate districts, 

 and, feeling somewhat bilious, innocently ap- 

 plied to the local doctor for a tot of 

 whisky. 



" Very sorry, but I can't give it," said the 

 scrupulous physician. "It's against the law." 



'' Is there, then, no way of getting a drink 

 in this infernal country ?" asked the luckless 

 man. 



" No way, except by being stung by a rattle- 

 snake," replied the leach. 



My uncle's friend hurried out at once to the 

 nearest wood in search of an obliging reptile; 

 but after scouring the whole neighbourhood 



