taking　off　his　hat；　he　made　some　strange　gestures　to　me；　cringing；
  chattering；　and　showing　his　teeth；　and　shortly　departed；　muttering
  something　about　'holy　letters；'　and　talking　to　himself　in　a　strange
  tongue。　　The　words　of　the　Jew　were　in　due　course　of　time　reported
  to　my　mother；　who　treasured　them　in　her　heart；　and　from　that　moment
  began　to　entertain　brighter　hopes　of　her　youngest　born　than　she　had
  ever　before　ventured　to　foster。
  CHAPTER　II
  Barracks　and　lodgings　…　A　camp　…　The　viper　…　A　delicate　child　…
  Blackberry　time　…　MEUN　and　TUUM　…　Hythe　…　The　Golgotha　…　Daneman's
  skull　…　Superhuman　stature　…　Stirring　times　…　The　sea…bord。
  I　HAVE　been　a　wanderer　the　greater　part　of　my　life；　indeed　I
  remember　only　two　periods；　and　these　by　no　means　lengthy；　when　I
  was；　strictly　speaking；　stationary。　　I　was　a　soldier's　son；　and　as
  the　means　of　my　father　were　by　no　means　sufficient　to　support　two
  establishments；　his　family　invariably　attended　him　wherever　he
  went；　so　that　from　my　infancy　I　was　accustomed　to　travelling　and
  wandering；　and　looked　upon　a　monthly　change　of　scene　and　residence
  as　a　matter　of　course。　　Sometimes　we　lived　in　barracks；　sometimes
  in　lodgings；　but　generally　in　the　former；　always　eschewing　the
  latter　from　motives　of　economy；　save　when　the　barracks　were
  inconvenient　and　uncomfortable；　and　they　must　have　been　highly　so
  indeed；　to　have　discouraged　us　from　entering　them；　for　though　we
  were　gentry　（pray　bear　that　in　mind；　gentle　reader）；　gentry　by
  birth；　and　incontestably　so　by　my　father's　bearing　the　commission
  of　good　old　George　the　Third；　we　were　not　FINE　GENTRY；　but　people
  who　could　put　up　with　as　much　as　any　genteel　Scotch　family　who　find
  it　convenient　to　live　on　a　third　floor　in　London；　or　on　a　sixth　at
  Edinburgh　or　Glasgow。　　It　was　not　a　little　that　could　discourage
  us：　　we　once　lived　within　the　canvas　walls　of　a　camp；　at　a　place
  called　Pett；　in　Sussex；　and　I　believe　it　was　at　this　place　that
  occurred　the　first　circumstance；　or　adventure；　call　it　which　you
  will；　that　I　can　remember　in　connection　with　myself：　　it　was　a
  strange　one；　and　I　will　relate　it。
  It　happened　that　my　brother　and　myself　were　playing　one　evening　in
  a　sandy　lane；　in　the　neighbourhood　of　this　Pett　camp；　our　mother
  was　at　a　slight　distance。　　All　of　a　sudden；　a　bright　yellow；　and；
  to　my　infantine　eye；　beautiful　and　glorious；　object　made　its
  appearance　at　the　top　of　the　bank　from　between　the　thick　quickset；
  and；　gliding　down；　began　to　move　across　the　lane　to　the　other　side；
  like　a　line　of　golden　light。　　Uttering　a　cry　of　pleasure；　I　sprang
  forward；　and　seized　it　nearly　by　the　middle。　　A　strange　sensation
  of　numbing　coldness　seemed　to　pervade　my　whole　arm；　which　surprised
  me　the　more；　as　the　object　to　the　eye　appeared　so　warm　and　sunlike。
  I　did　not　drop　it；　however；　but；　holding　it　up；　looked　at　it
  intently；　as　its　head　dangled　about　a　foot　from　my　hand。　　It　made
  no　resistance；　I　felt　not　even　the　slightest　struggle；　but　now　my
  brother　began　to　scream　and　shriek　like　one　possessed。　　'O　mother；
  mother！'　said　he；　'the　viper！　…　my　brother　has　a　viper　in　his
  hand！'　　He　then；　like　one　frantic；　made　an　effort　to　snatch　the
  creature　away　from　me。　　The　viper　now　hissed　amain；　and　raised　its
  head；　in　which　were　eyes　like　hot　coals；　menacing；　not　myself；　but
  my　brother。　　I　dropped　my　captive；　for　I　saw　my　mother　running
  towards　me；　and　the　reptile；　after　standing　for　a　moment　nearly
  erect；　and　still　hissing　furiously；　made　off；　and　disappeared。　　The
  whole　scene　is　now　before　me；　as　vividly　as　if　it　occurred
  yesterday　…　the　gorgeous　viper；　my　poor　dear　frantic　brother；　my
  agitated　parent；　and　a　frightened　hen　clucking　under　the　bushes　…
  and　yet　I　was　not　three　years　old。
  It　is　my　firm　belief　that　certain　individuals　possess　an　inherent
  power；　or　fascination；　over　certain　creatures；　otherwise　I　should
  be　unable　to　account　for　many　feats　which　I　have　witnessed；　and；
  indeed；　borne　a　share　in；　connected　with　the　taming　of　brutes　and
  reptiles。　　I　have　known　a　savage　and　vicious　mare；　whose　stall　it
  was　dangerous　to　approach；　even　when　bearing　provender；　welcome；
  nevertheless；　with　every　appearance　of　pleasure；　an　uncouth；　wiry…
  headed　man；　with　a　frightfully　seamed　face；　and　an　iron　hook
  supplying　the　place　of　his　right　hand；　one　whom　the　animal　had
  never　seen　before；　playfully　bite　his　hair；　and　cover　his　face　with
  gentle　and　endearing　kisses；　and　I　have　already　stated　how　a　viper
  would　permit；　without　resentment；　one　child　to　take　it　up　in　his
  hand；　whilst　it　showed　its　dislike　to　the　approach　of　another　by
  the　fiercest　hissings。　　Philosophy　can　explain　many　strange　things；
  but　there　are　some　which　are　a　far　pitch　above　her；　and　this　is
  one。
  I　should　scarcely　relate　another　circumstance　which　occurred　about
  this　time　but　for　a　singular　effect　which　it　produced　upon　my
  constitution。　　Up　to　this　period　I　had　been　rather　a　delicate
  child；　whereas；　almost　immediately　after　the　occurrence　to　which　I
  allude；　I　became　both　hale　and　vigorous；　to　the　great　astonishment
  of　my　parents；　who　naturally　enough　expected　that　it　would　produce
  quite　a　contrary　effect。
  It　happened　that　my　brother　and　myself　were　disporting　ourselves　in
  certain　fields　near　the　good　town　of　Canterbury。　　A　female　servant
  had　attended　us；　in　order　to　take　care　that　we　came　to　no　mischief：
  she；　however；　it　seems；　had　matters　of　her　own　to　attend　to；　and；
  allowing　us　to　go　where　we　listed；　remained　in　one　corner　of　a
  field；　in　earnest　conversation　with　a　red…coated　dragoon。　　Now　it
  chanced　to　be　blackberry　time；　and　the　two　children　wandered　under
  the　hedges；　peering　anxiously　among　them　in　quest　of　that　trash　so
  grateful　to　urchins　of　their　degree。　　We　did　not　find　much　of　it；
  however；　and　were　soon　separated　in　the　pursuit。　　All　at　once　I
  stood　still；　and　could　scarcely　believe　my　eyes。　　I　had　come　to　a
  spot　where；　almost　covering　the　hedge；　hung　clusters　of　what　seemed
  fruit　…　deliciously…tempting　fruit　…　something　resembling　grapes　of
  various　colours；　green；　red；　and　purple。　　Dear　me；　thought　I；　how
  fortunate！　yet　have　I　a　right　to　gather　it？　is　it　mine？　for　the
  observance　of　the　law　of　MEUM　and　TUUM　had　early　been　impressed
  upon　my　mind；　and　I　entertained；　even　at　that　tender　age；　the
  utmost　horror　for　theft；　so　I　stood　staring　at　the　variegated
  clusters；　in　doubt　as　to　what　I　should　do。　　I　know　not　how　I　argued
  the　matter　in　my　mind；　the　temptation；　however；　was　at　last　too
  strong　for　me；　so　I　stretched　forth　my　hand　and　ate。　　I　remember；
  perfectly　well；　that　the　taste　of　this　strange　fruit　was　by　no
  means　so　pleasant　as　the　appearance；　but　the　idea　of　eating　fruit
  was　sufficient　for　a　child；　and；　after　all；　the　flavour　was　much
  superior　to　that　of　sour　apples；　so　I　ate　voraciously。　　How　long　I
  continued　eating　I　scarcely　know。　　One　thing　is　certain；　that　I
  never　left　the　field　as　I　entered　it；　being　carried　home　in　the
  arms　of　the　dragoon　in　strong　convulsions；　in　which　I　continued　for
  several　hours。　　About　midnight　I　awoke；　as　if　from　a　troubled
  sleep；　and　beheld　my　parents　bending　over　my　couch；　whilst　the
  regimental　surgeon；　with　a　candle　in　his　hand；　stood　nigh；　the
  light　feebly　reflected　on　the　whitewashed　walls　of　the　barrack…
  room。
  Another　circumstance　connected　with　my　infancy；　and　I　have　done。　　I
  need　offer　no　apology　for　relating　it；　as　it　subsequently　exercised
  considerable　influence　over　my　pursuits。　　We　were；　if　I　remember
  right；　in　the　vicinity　of　a　place　called　Hythe；　in　Kent。　　One　sweet
  evening；　in　the　latter　part　of　summer；　our　mother　took　her　two
  little　boys　by　the　hand；　for　a　wander　about　the　fields。　　In　the
  course　of　our　stroll　we　came　to　the　village　church；　an　old；　gray…
  headed　sexton　stood　in　the　porch；　who；　perceiving　that　we　were
  strangers；　invited　us　to　enter。　　We　were　presently　in　the　interior；
  wandering　about　the　aisles；　looking　on　the　walls；　and　inspecting
  the　monuments　of　the　notable　dead。　　I　can　scarcely　state　what　we
  saw；　how　should　I？　　I　was　a　child　not　yet　four　years　old；　and　yet　I
  think　I　remember　the　evening　sun　streaming　in　through　a　stained
  window　upon　the　dingy　mahogany　pulpit；　and　flinging　a　rich　lustre
  upon　the　faded　tints　of　an　ancient　banner。　　And　now　once　more　we
  were　outside　the　building；　where；　against　the　wall；　stood　a　low…
  eaved　pent…house；　into　which　we　looked。　　It　was　half　filled　with
  substances　of　some　kind；　which　at　first　looked　like　large　gray
  stones。　　The　greater　part　were　lying　in　layers；　some；　however；　were
  seen　in　confused　and　mouldering　heaps；　and　two　or　three；　which　had
  perhaps　rolled　down　from　the　rest；　lay　separately　on　the　floor。
  'Skulls；　madam；'　said　the　sexton；　'skulls　of　the　old　Danes！　　Long
  ago　they　came　pirating　into　these　parts；　and　then　there　chanced　a
  mighty　shipw