Dick Onslow | Page 6

me now were my
fire-arms? I dared not move my hand to reach my revolver. I knew that
I must not wink even an eyelid, or the deadly spring might be made.
The snake was, I dare say, nearly six feet long. It had a body almost as
thick as my leg--of a yellowish-brown colour, with some dark-brown
spots reaching from one end to the other; and oh, that head, as it slowly
raised it with its vicious eyes to have a look at me! It was of large size,
flat, and covered with scales. I gazed at the rattlesnake, and the
rattlesnake gazed at me. What he thought of me I do not know; I
thought him a most hideous monster, and wished him anywhere but
where he was. It seemed an age that I thus lay, not daring even to draw
a breath. I felt at last that I must give up the contest. I prayed for mercy.
The oppression on my chest became almost insupportable. Still I dared
not move. The deadly reptile stretched out its head--slowly it began to
uncoil itself--the dread sound of its rattle struck my ear. I felt that now I
must muster all my nerve and resolution, or be lost; the huge reptile
stretched itself out and slowly crawled on--oh, horror!--it passed
directly over my wounded legs! Not a muscle quivered. I dared not
look up to ascertain whether it was gone. A minute must have
elapsed--it seemed to me a much longer time--and then, and not till
then, a shout reached my ear. It was the voice of Obed. Probably the
snake had heard it, and it was that, I have no doubt, which made him
move away under the belief that I was a dead person, who at all events
could do him no harm. My first impulse was to look round to discover
what had become of the snake. He was nowhere to be seen! My next
was to turn my eyes in the direction whence the shouting proceeded.
There I saw Obed rushing along as fast as his legs could carry him
among the trees.

"Be ready with your rifle, Dick," he shouted out at the top of his voice;
"not a moment to lose, man."
I fully expected to see half a dozen red-skins following close at his
heels, and resolved to defend him to the last, and to sell my own life
dearly, although I had to fight on my stumps, when the boughs of the
trees were torn away behind him, and a huge bear appeared, grinning
horribly, in a great rage, and evidently prepared to do mischief to
somebody or something. Had Obed been able to use his arms, he was
the last person to have placed another in danger for the sake of trying to
save himself. Now, however, he had no choice but to run behind me
and the fire. Bruin trotted on, growling angrily. He was one of those
long-headed, small-eyed fellows, with pointed nose, clumsy body, and
smooth, glossy, black hair, which have a fancy for pork and ham, and
will put their paws into a corn bin if they find it open. When he got
near, as he reared up on his hind paws ready for a fight, and came on
towards me, I grasped my rifle and aimed at his head. If I missed him, I
should scarcely have had time, I feared, to seize Obed's rifle before he
would have been upon me. I knew that his body was so encased with
fat that it would be difficult to wound him vitally through that. I fired:
the bullet hit him in the head, but still he came on, gnashing his teeth. I
lifted my second rifle. I could not well have missed him had I been
standing up or kneeling, but sitting, as I was, it was difficult to take a
steady aim. He was about ten paces off: again I fired. I felt sure that I
had not missed, but with a terrific growl he bounded on towards me. I
had barely time to grasp a revolver when he was close up to me.
Already I felt his hot breath in my face; his huge claws had hold of my
limbs; he was trying to clasp me round the body: his muzzle, with its
sharp teeth, touched on my shoulder. Poor Obed, who was standing
behind me, unable to render me assistance, literally shrieked with fear,
not for himself, but for me. In another moment I felt that I must be torn
to pieces. I mustered all my nerve. It was much wanted. I waited a
moment till I could aim steadily at his head. I fired. He gave me a
terrific hug. It was his death