114 THE HUNTING GROUNDS 



an' her jaws open like a bluid-thirsty cannibal, look- 

 ing for a' the world, as if she thought no more o' 

 swallowing ane o' the faculty than a blue pill. Och, 

 the varmint ! but what can you expect when one o' 

 the profession goes blackguarding about the country 

 wi' a real gun in the company of the likes o' ye 

 Irregulars ? Ugh, ! ugh ! ugh ! " 



The juggler then caught the snake, and tapping 

 it with his wand appeared to turn it into a stone 

 again, which, after having passed round for exami- 

 nation, he swallowed. Then, stroking his stomach, 

 he made us understand that this hard living did not 

 agree with his constitution, but that, with the pro- 

 ceeds of the generosity of the sahib log, (gentlemen,) 

 he hoped to live well in future, and not to be ob- 

 liged to make such meals as he had done that morn- 

 ing, the nature and quality of which he proceeded to 

 show us ; for, striking his chin with his wand, and 

 opening his mouth, he produced some pounds' 

 weight of pebbles, followed up by a quantity of 

 small shells, then long strings of paper of different 

 colours, and finishing off by ejecting a huge black 

 scorpion all alive, round which he danced, testifying 

 his joy, as he proceeded gravely to explain to us that 

 this bold reptile having got into his stomach in some 

 water which he had drunk from a well on which 

 the Evil Eye had fallen, he had had no peace ever 

 since, as it devoured all the food he put into his 

 stomach, and prevented his appetite ever being 

 satisfied. 



