The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 309: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

280 REYNOLDS’ WORKS out in pursuit of him; so that again did his blood curdle in his veins, again did an ice chill appear to smite his heart, and again did the very flesh creep upon his bones. Bitterly did he now repent having left his cavern. Better, far better were it for him to have remained there, even though it were to encounter the peril of the Stranglers’ deadly noose, than to wander thus forth amidst scenes where, if he only lay down to rest, it was in the midst of a swarm of venomous reptiles. No thought had the wretch of thanking Heaven for having preserved him from the hideous danger which for two hours he had unconsciously incurred, but he gave vent to terrific imprecations against his folly for having quitted the cave. To return thither was impossible; he had not studied to preserve the recollection of any landmarks to guide him back to it, and he could no more from memory retrace his way than he could spontaneously discover an issue from the jungle. Yet where was he to sleep “y night? Not upon the grass, not under a tree, not up in the branches of a tree itself, not by the side of a river, not amidst any ruins on which he might stumble. There was death everywhere in that frightful place. Death looked out upon him from every thicket, from every tree, from every brake, from every stone. Surely, surely it was hell upon earth. To die by his own hand? Yes, but how? He had no weapon. Ah, strangulation? He might suspend himself to a tree? No, for he dared not even approach a tree for that purpose. The wretch must live; he felt that he must live on until he _ should become a prey to the tiger, the snake, or the venomous serpent. He pursued his way, dragging himself slowly along, his only hope being that the jungle must have an end some- where or another, and that possibly, yes, by the barest pos- sibility, he might escape the myriad perils of that wilderness and find himself safe at last. Oh, what a faint hope! and yet it was the only one to which the wretch could possibly cling. He endeavoured to sustain himself therewith as he pursued his way, but his progress was exceedingly slow, for even when evening approached, the heat continued to be most oppressive. - The sun was setting when the Burker reached a large barren space of two or three acres in extent, and which Gomichooks (E(O)