HONEYMOON IN THE JUNGLE.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 August 1924, Page 4

HONEYMOON IN THE JUNGLE.

.■> ACROSS AFRICA. WITH A YOUNG BRIDE. MAIDSTONE, June 2(1. One of tlie strangest and most adventurous honeymoon trips ever made will be described by Col J. C. IL Stalliain, the famous big-game hunter and I scientist, in his next hook, “AYitli Alyl \\ ito Across Africa.” j His wife—whom he married in February ID-- —was Miss Jessie Alacqllisteii, oldest daughter of Air F. A. Murquisten, K.C.. AI.R. She was then only ”0 and lmd never been out of the CnitI cd Kingdom, hut. so keen was her desire to see the country ill which her husband had earned his fame as a hunter, she besought him to take her there instead of to Sardinia, as had been arranged.

When f visited Col Stathani to-day at his new home —a wonderful old Tudor lituse at Loose, near .Maidstone —lie confessed that, hardened traveller though he was, lmd he known what the trek right across Portugese West Africa had in store for him and lii° bride lie would never have attempted it. Me added: ••I DARED NOT DIE.”

Adventures—some of them very ter ribio—came one after another just at a time when they were the least welcome. Had I been alone, what 1 wvit through would perhaps not have had such an awful effect upon me. ’I here were times when I was horribly neai losing my life—and the only filing that made me keep my head was the im-ist-out thought that, for my wife’s sake. J dared not die. Both Col. and Airs Stathani came hack from the jungle in a condition of nervous breakdown. Indeed, Col Stathnm declared that it was only hy interesting himself in exploring his old house that he was able to recover.

“Even now,” he said, “I turn my thoughts to my last trek with great reluctance.” It began at Mossaniedes, on the Atlantic coast, and continued right across country to the A ictoria Falls, and thence to the coast on the Indian Ocean. Some hundreds of miles were traversed in an oxeii-drawn caravan, and interminable distances wore negotiated hy canoe and on foot. On several occasions, when in the heart ot the country made particularly perilous hy wild animals, the native carriers deserted.

During most of tho journey Mrs .Stathani had a wonderful companion in “Fita”—a yellow dog of hull terriei strain purchased from a Portuguese. This Portuguese (said Col Stathani) loved the dog and refused a valuable ox in exchange, hilt yielded him to my wife as a guard—in admiration of her fine pluck in determining to cross Africa. A mutual attachment sprang up between us and the dog. and when there was a forced parting from, him in Rhodesia our hearts were nearly broken.

Once I risked my life and received a severe injury in pulling him off the horns of a wounded roan which he had attacked. The ronr of a lion, the grunt of a leopard, and the snort of a rhino filled him with anger rather than fear—and lie once even held up a troop of giraffe rushing round them, regardless of immense kicking legs!