A DANGEROUS POOL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 432, 20 January 1912, Page 7

A DANGEROUS POOL.

The moon has a curious trick of changing objects into something quite unlike themselves in appearance. In one instance such a transformation nearly cost the life of a British soldier. He thus relates the incident :

"My company bad been ordsred into the Deshur district to break up the Dacoits, who had become very troublesome. We arrived there in the night, stormed a band of robbers by moonlight, killed or captured a round dozen of them, and chased the rest into the jungle. Some of us followed on foot among the reeds and bushes, but soon got tired oi this useless business, and were quite willing to stop and turn back at the sound of the recall. Our hospital steward, a native, and a good one waa by my side. My canteen has been emptied on the march, and I was parched with the thirst that follows lighting.

Something among the bushes, glistening on the ground like water caught my eye. "It's a stagnant pool left by the rains, but it will serve to wet my throat," I said, and was for throwing myself on the cr round to drink, but the steward pulled me back. "My sahib, stay ! Lend me your sword for a moment," he said. He took the sword and lightly stirred the poo': with the point. From the midelle of the pool a cobra's hooded head arose, and there came the sounel of its hateful hiss. With a sweep of the sword the steward cut tl\e reptile's head uff, and at once what hart seemed to me (t water pool became the writhing coils of a serpent that had been fully six feet in length. "That was your pool, sahib, the steward gravely said. It's well that you paused before attempting to drink it."—From "'The Soldier and Bine Jacket."