56 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY 



taking his wine after dinner. Sansbury, the other hunter, was not 

 slow in following the example set before him, and we, the 

 audience, turned our backs upon the actors. 



Before we lefl the spot, however, Richardson induced me to taste 

 the blood which was still fluid in the heart, and immediately 

 as it touched my lips, my burning thirst, aggravated by 

 hunger, (for I had eaten nothing that day,) got the better of 

 my abhorrence; I plunged my head into the reeking ven- 

 tricles, and drank until forced to stop for breath. I felt some- 

 what ashamed of assimilating myself so nearly to the brutes, 

 and turned my ensanguined countenance towards the mis- 

 sionary who stood by, but I saw no approval there : the good 

 man was evidently attempting to control his risibility, and 

 so I smiled to put him in countenance ; the roar could no 

 longer be restrained, and the missionary laughed until the tears 

 rolled down his cheeks. I did not think, until afterwards, of the 

 horrible ghastliness which must have characterized my smile at 

 that particular moment. 



When we arrived at the camp in the evening, and I enjoyed 

 the luxury of a hearty draft of water, the effect upon my stomach 

 was that of a powerful emetic : the blood was violently ejected 

 without nausea, and I felt heartily glad to be rid of the disgust- 

 ing encumbrance. I never drank blood from that day. 



