17. Nais The Regained

           Now,mypassageacrossthegreatcontinentofAtlantis,iftediousandhauntedbymanydangers,neednotberecountedindetailhere.OnlyonehaltdidImakeofanyduration,andthatwasunavoidable.Ihadkilledastagoneday,bringingitdownafteralongchaseinanopensavannah.Iscentedtheaircarefully,toseeiftherewasanyotherbeastwhichcoulddomeharmwithinreach,andthinkingthattheplacewassafe,setaboutcuttingmymeat,andmakingasufficiencyintoabundleforcarriage.

           Butunderfootamongstthegrassestherewasagreatleggedworm,amonstrousgreenthing,veryvenomousinitsbite;andpresentlyasImovedIbrusheditwithmyheel,andlikethedartoflightitswoopedwithitstinyheadandstruckmewithitsfangsinthelowerthigh.WithmyknifeIcutthroughitsneckanditfelltowrithingandstrugglingandtwiningitshundredlegsintoallmannerofcontortions;andthen,cleaningmybladeintheground,Istabbedwithitdeepallroundthewound,sothatthebloodmightflowfreelyandwashthevenomfromitslodgement.Andthenwiththebloodtricklinghealthilydownfrommyheel,Ishoulderedthemeatandstrodeoff,thankfulforbeingsowellquitofwhatmighthavemadeitselfaveryuglyadventure.

           AsIwalked,however,mylegbegantobefilledwithatightnessandthrobbingwhichincreasedeveryhour,andpresentlyitbegantoswellalso,tilltheskinwasstretchedlikedrawnparchment.Iwastaken,too,withasickness,thatrackedmeviolently,andifoneofthegreaterandmoredangerousbeastshadcomeuponmethen,hewouldhaveeatenmewithoutafight.