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 com- 

 mencement 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. Bather 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 antago- 

 nist 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 completely gorge himself, and when, like a boa 

 constrictor, he has become torpid and helpless through reple- 

 tion, we may be able to destroy him, or at least, when morn- 

 ing 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 its late 



