AFRICAN ADVENTURES

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4725, 19 May 1894, Page 2

AFRICAN ADVENTURES

(CONTINUED,) tl [BY A MABTBRTONIAN.I \ (All Rights Heserved.) * t li For several days subsequent to tk ii departure of His lordship to civilisation, r Wallace aud I were very busy gathering o tho necessary outfit to travel further n north. We learned that the country v through which we would have to pass n wns infested with notonly lions,elcphants, « rlunoccrous, hippopotamus, snakes, 1 crocodiles, and malarial fever, but also n with the cursed tsetse fly, whose bite is n so fatal to domestic animals. Our first proceeding was to convert " the raw grid, won from the side of f the ancient shaft, into coin, which t brought over £SO. I was then fortunate « >u selling nynflcnud procuring a Win- " Chester .without one of which, I was told, » it would bo madness to attempt the i] journey IVo heavy Colt revolvers were » hen obtained, at an enormous price, jl together with a plentiful suppyof J animuuita. W.th some difficulty we ! succeeded m purchasing two "salted" nudes and another horse, also a quantity l of Man corn. Wc then sought for s rustworthy guides and carriers, the r Sin act f nsa neniergcncy iucaseof . the death of our animals, futhecourse I; ot a few hours wc made satisfactory 1 | arrangements; with four natives, whom' we had picked from among a dozen! I others, to accompany us, promising them ' ! heir food and each a blanket. One of ' hem, by name Jumbo-so called owing ( to h, s stature-could speak broken < English, and through him wc directed hcFOcccdingso theoihers. A quan- < hty of brandy, biscuits; and provisions | wero then procured, n ]ucb proved to be ' all that wc required. i de out on our expedition. Jumbo led 1 thetramas guide and scout; Wallace XVi 1 " mounted, with our 1 f,,! 110 'rtves, driving the animals, j o * oclothes, beyond a skin suspended ! WaiSt ' w A" ch readied to j«st < boie the knees. Over their shoulders ' from a lioug depended a pumpkin sl.oll, ' n wh.el, they kept the,'r drinking water ' aud mthcirlmnds they carried a ' NUMIEK 01' ASSEGAIS. ! riirceofthe natives wore plumes of : lathers, while around the neck of the oherwasastvmg of red-eyed beads; audita motley crew, we were at leas welt armed. Wo rode on over the undulating l'l msundera cloudless sky and moderate y warm sun, and arrived at analmost impenetrable forest of reeds and luxuriant fohage as the dusk shaded the surroundings, when we at once erected our tent, . A lire was lighted, and some coftcelmvingbccn brewed, we were soon enjoymg a hearty meal. Anticipating no rouble of any nature, Wallace audi ' J eft the natives jabbering by tlte blaze, i and went to the blankets; ■ At the first sign of light wc were i apu; in motion, this time through the . jungle and the forest, sun-shcllercd by the constant growth. Small monkeys L «i"| baboons peered at us fromthe trees, i wluio ever aud anon a peculiar autcloiw i f ol '" 1 ' species would look in wonder , for A moment, then dart away and be , ost in the tangled undergrowth. Several , nnes wc found it necessary to make , long circuits in order to avoid the , swamps, when travelling through the jungle was anything but pleasant. Towards sun-set we dismounted from our ' steeds, ami made hurried preparations [ for the night. Neither of us were imt pressed with the vicinity, and did not 1 ce l comfortable until our tent was crec ' ted and three fires burned brightly around the animals and ourselves. The r natives were ordered to constantly see to • f Mhm i ¥t»i which iUuminatcd s the surroundings. . r Aftol ' having supper and a lengthy draw of the soothing weed, wc sought he tent, m the hope that wc should not ; be disturbed. I had just dropped off " into dreamland, when I was rudely . wakened by a roar and n second later something falling across me. I turned ° quickly, and found Wallace endeavouring to regain his feet, while muttering all sorts of blessings. He had heard of a the proximity of the lion before myself, , and as he left the blankets, the form of s a native loomed into view, when Wnl--1 kc had fallen across my limbs. ■ Wo o drew on our garments, and left the tent 5 with our' weapons. . I was anxious to t test my Winchester, and for that purA pose glanced around. The horses and s mules, tethered to a stake beside the canvas, were j. JUMPING, SNORTING AND PUUINO, ~ while the natives were huddled together ,_ with anything but happy countenances,

the monster was nowhere hi sight, and I directed Jumbo to sec Hmt the flames were kept in a state of brilliancy, So frightened were the blacks that I was obliged to accompany them to each of the three fires, after which we again repaired to the tent. The animal's roar was occasionally wafted to us throughout the night ; hut we were-fortunate iu procuring some hours' rest, At the lirst of dawn, our tent being struck and the mules repacked, we rode out, as usual, in Indian flic. Owing to fact of being in possession of the Winchester, I kept with Jumbo—leading the way, and Wallace came along in the rear. About midday I heard a sound like a groan coming from ahead, wlien I urged my steed some fifty yards, and reaching a little glade, round a clump of tanged foliage, found a man stretched beside the remains of a late camp. To dismount, throw the reins to Jumbo and bend over the stranger was the work of a moment. His face, where it could be seen, was very pale, and covered with clotted blood; while n little stream was still oozing from a wound iu the head. I now saw that his right leg was lying in a pool of blood, and taking out my flask I gave lnm a good drink, which revived I'"", when he told us his story. He stated that his name was Venter and that lie left the capital with a horse, a pack mule, and three natives as guides and earners, bound for Tcttc. Too late he learned that his natives were jiiij'thmg but what they should have been, and fouud it necessary to keep a watchful eye upon them. About three hours before our arrival, ono of the natives had snatched a revolver from 1 enters bell, and before he could regambisnfle,lyinga f e ,vy ar d s distant, lie received two shots iu the leg, which shattered the hone, when he fell to the ground. The Natives then struck him on the head several times with sticks, ami lett lnm unconscious. Some time afterwards he awoke to find himself alone and his property gone, when he realized that m the absence of a horse mid a weapon, he would cither die from hunger or perish under the ,f Lm 0F SO3[E "E-tST or I'IEY. While Venter was narrating his cruel oxpenence, wo were bathing his fold and attending to his lej}. I now toedto:Wallace audromarkod that smcc only three hours had elansed there was a possibility of yet overtaking the murderous natives. He thought there would bea chance.whcnlorclercd Jumbo to kmg alongthb extra! horse") This was soon done, and jho bridle taken from Wallaces steed was placed upon the other. I then directed Jumbo to mount and trail the fugitives, and after grasping the hands of my friends, remounted my steed andvodcmhiswakc.'Myguidc followed the spoors well for three hours when we emerged from the forest into a jungle and came in sight of the miscreants, They were not acquainted with oi»'i)roxiimlj(il| w «.;i |n( i efi m P wlihln smec!| l lyvar(!s,whcnthoy!iloo(lduiiib. founded. Only for a mombnf, when two ot thorn scattered in the hope of gainine ho shelter orthc trees. My blood was boiling when rremembcred the treatment meted out to Venter, i Iraised mv Winchester, and/fired first at'one and theii the othcrjiwhen tliey both fell, The tlt)r<}jomaM l)osjdo }l|o anfnialij; ai j t ) ttr.a ihomcntlbqked'fiu'l of terror, whin he changed fits attitude to'ouqof supjili: catioii,andajjpeqred'.tp. frpicßkl VwOTdstQbascyiJiS in

black fiend? from tbo reeds, v and was was glad to sob that neither wore nior. V | al y7o utn dcd ; M yfirsts]lot]lad , tratcd the sholder, passing out ob tho ' I fleshy part of tbo arm, while tho second * hadentcred tho hip of the other., Finding that the latter lad been hit kid, I i * directed Jumbo to put him on to Von- "* ter's steed, and then picking up tho Clatter s Msjlti vfvolver, I gave them into tho hands of my guide, who now remounted his animal and led the train. ; on the back track. I directed tbo other natives to follow with tho pack mule, when I camo on from behind, deter', mined to fire at the first attempt to "~ escape. Darkness overtook usafttrtwo hours' march, but I arrived at the camp without havinff lost a native. Wallace met me with the shout. "wehdoxe,newzealasd", , while Venter, who was now much re- tflfl freshed, grasped my hand in silence with the warmth of a person tooovercome to utter a word of thanks. Wallace and the natives had not been idle during my : absence. The canvas was erected, large v: 1H fires burned brilliantly round tho camp, 'f I and a nieal Wits ready for hungry men.' ; |fl After supper, I held a consultation with . ;;S| my companion, and it was arranged that ''?■ I accompany Venter on the . ) j|l respectful dwHffrom the light, On the following morning, afterll^lH hasty breakfast, having made a soitv- li mattaus of his clothes, which wero [I placed upon horse, Venter was now ' Ml J fted to the top, when all being ready {H the journey was begun. Jumbo led tho way.haviugin tow ono of our mules I canying the wounded native, Next came the pack mule, belonging to Venter, then the two natives on foot, whilo I followed in the near, leading tho steed conveying the invalid. Owiugto the weakened condition of the latter, I was forced to travel very slowly and kept him supplied with the liquid from my flask, We travelled constantly until dusk when I dismounted in a littlo glade and made preparations for the night. In the absence of the canvas, I placed tho invalid near the fire, and saw that the latter was kept bright. Even it I bad no prisoners I could not havo slept ia the presence of the sufferings of the invalid who was in great pain. Taking up a stand near the warmth, I divided tho night in watching over the sufferer and at other periods endeavouring to get a shot at a monster that was roving in tho neighbouring foliage. The. dawn saw us again in motion aud by dusk of tho evening we arrived on.the plains, wero off saddling was as usual I the delight of'we animals. Supper over aud with the pipo for company, I I again took up my. NIOHT OF VIOILAKCE when, as before, I kept the sufferer sup. plied with brandy, Ever and anon I noticed tho glaring eyes of hatred when I had some difficulty in; keeping awako to watch the cunning natives, Tho morning arrived, when, after all preparations had been made wo set off over the undulating plains and reached tho capital late in tho afternoon. I put tho , invalid in the hands of medical attend. | ' ance and gave the prisoners in charge of ' ', the authorities, who shut them up. , Had Venter been a Portuguese, and 1 the latter people living on the Zambesi ' required some labour to be dono, they ; would have taken the whole of the band , to which the miscreants belonged, and j set them to work, but, if not, they would , have contented themselves with killing ; the chief, burning his village, and pick- i ; ing the nicest looking nnd plumpest of ! \ the girls. , After seeing to the wants of my j animals, I then sought for and procured \ a placo to sleep, of which I had had ! t none during tho two previous nights, • _ and perhaps it is needless to state that A ' I required no rockinu.