He was a genteelly-dressed individual; rather corpulent, with
dark features, and seemingly about forty-five. He lay on his back,
his hat slightly over his brow, and at his right hand lay an open
book. So strenuously did he snore that the wind from his nostrils
agitated, perceptibly, a fine cambric frill which he wore at his
bosom. I gazed upon him for some time, expecting that he might
awake; but he did not, but kept on snoring, his breast heaving
convulsively. At last, the noise he made became so terrible, that
I felt alarmed for his safety, imagining that a fit might seize
him, and he lose his life while fast asleep. I therefore
exclaimed, "Sir, sir, awake! you sleep over-much." But my voice
failed to rouse him, and he continued snoring as before; whereupon
I touched him slightly with my riding wand, but failing to wake
him, I touched him again more vigorously; whereupon he opened his
eyes, and, probably imagining himself in a dream, closed them
again. But I was determined to arouse him, and cried as loud as I
could, "Sir, sir, pray sleep no more!" He heard what I said,
opened his eyes again, stared at me with a look of some
consciousness, and, half raising himself upon his elbows, asked me
what was the matter. "I beg your pardon," said I, "but I took the
liberty of awaking you, because you appeared to be much disturbed
in your sleep--I was fearful, too, that you might catch a fever
from sleeping under a tree.
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