IN FEATHERS AND FUR. 159 
impudent, cruel, treacherous, cowardly scoundrels, and thieves. 
They will not only eat each other, but devour their own legs when 
accidentally cut off. 
"In no way is their cunning exhibited better than in the cau- 
tious way they conduct an attack upon a sleeper. A few spies 
creep up to your pillow and have a look at you. If you look at them, 
they turn around and walk off, trying to look as much at their ease 
as possible. Pretend to sleep, and soon one of them walks down 
the pillow to your face, and stands by you a few seconds in silent 
meditation. Then, cautiously lowering one feeler, he tickles your 
face. If you are still, he tries it again. If still quiet, the work of 
the night begins. The spy walks off, and soon returns with the 
working party. The hair is searched for oil, the ear examined for 
wax, and every exposed spot comes in for a good search. 
" They are cannibals by profession. They eat not only dead 
companions, but if one gets sick or hurt, they eat him. They 
suffer from a chronic state of thirst, and every morning you find 
thirty or forty in the wash basin. They will drink brandy as 
readily as water, and get drunk and become very lively, running 
about and flapping their wings. 
" Occasionally they come out by thousands, and perform a reel 
or Cockroach quadrille, to their own great delight. This lasts two 
or three minutes, when they all run home. 
" They eat everything, drink brandy or wine, or ink, or even 
medicine. One night a dozen blue pills were left on the table, and 
soon a dozen Roaches walked off with them, each one carrying a 
pill. The next morning the floor was strewn with the dead and 
dying. 
" The small Cockroach differs from the large one only in size ; 
he possesses all the vices of the big one. 
" I once saw a curious scene. A big one ran over me, and I 
gave it a slap with a book. He fell on the floor as if dead, and so 
thought a small Roach, who was on the watch. So he dashed out 
to get a fine feast ; he seized him very pompously by the foot, and 
commenced dragging him towards his hole. Unfortunately, the big 
fellow began to revive, and finding himself moving, instinctively 
he pushed himself along with his hind legs. The little fellow in 
front evidently swelled with pride at his own strength, and he 
pulled away till, the help getting more, he began to be astonished, 
and looked around. 
