UNKNOWN

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4730, 26 May 1894, Page 2

UNKNOWN

" ."' [Bya Mastbbtoman.] (All tights Reserved.) " Glad to see you again old okap- . x ' ie," remarked Wallace, as he ': rasped my hand onsnteringthe imp after five absence, "I ■■"-•': ras becoming very'anxious about " ou." . v "And I am pleased to have reamed," I answered, while dislounting, and throwing the reins to native. .. _ During the last few hours of my idelhadbeen trembling from the ffects of that cursed malarial fever; nd, as I had emptied my flask of its iquid just after dawn, there was no ossibility of getting it replenished or the purpose of steadying my ewes. The flask was now rele'nished by Wallace, and after aving drank off a quantity, I felt • vuoh better, when I sought the lankets to obtain sweet repose, lot a sound disturbed the' stillness ' '., f the night, which was • ery unusual for that I oiintry; . ' The sun was jll peeping over the orests in the east as we wended our " ray the next morning, feeling in letter spirits than that which ' haracterised our 1 previous inarch, jate in the afternoon our spare horse .ppeared to be suffering from the ickness; Wt after an examination, fambo stated that it was tho- result if the tsetse fly, The discharge from ho nostrils, the heavy breathing and Irooping head, we now learned were he signs in both cases. Dusk arrived, when wc dismoun. Ed, and erected our canvas under a ilump of foliage, fringed with reeds. Several fire 3 were built; supper was ioon on the scene, and then we made inal arrangements foi! the night. Finding that tho natives had usod ip all the drinking water, Wallace ;ook the "billy, and went to the itroamsome eighty yards distant. . It was soon filled and on regaining" the top of the bank, he found himself in the presence of a lion. He iropped the vessel of water, raised ais rifle and after FIiIING AT THE MONSTER, fan towards tho ho foil within a few yardiwf the flames. The animal had fallen immediately after the shot, but quickly recover- •. ; : ing himself he followed the form of my companion with bloodthirsty bounds. As tho lion came to within twenty yards of the font, I lifted the Winchester and aimed, when the animal staggered and fell close to Wallace, just as the latter regained Ids feet and ran for shelter. The monster rose, and immediately after again pulling the trigger, I jumped to the left, and put the fire between us. Although becoming inured to tholifoand living'on wild flesh, which latter is supposed to steady the nerves, I felt very uneasy whoir •- standing within sovon yards of this monster. Ono never knows when tho animal will spring, especially if he is within bounding distance. Fortunately for me tho very brilliant, and when rising from tho earth, tho lion turned away terrified by the light. Now and again he looked in wondermont at the flaine, • and as he swerved to tho left, I a raised my rifle and again fired, wk ir /' he jumped and fell, a moment and I when he dashed a few paces, giving an almost deafoning roar of rage. I then moved to tho right and drop, ping on my knees took a steady aim. and again looked through the sights: when the animal sank to the ground clutching at and pulling up a shrub* IX MS BEATIITUUOES. - Meanwhilotho Natives had not beom idle. They had thrown several of their assegais, but uono had taken' effect. This proved to be my second! lion, and after examining the animal I walked towards the tent in a. pleasant frame of mind, whenI directed Jumbo to take off tho lion's ■ skin, This was soon done, and having been prepared wns placed across a line to dry. All was again put in order, the horsos and mules now ceased to tremble, and the natives' faces beamed with delight. Beyond the carcass of tho conquered king and the skin hang, ing from the rope thoro was now nothing to suggest the adventure of the previous hour. Thefiresweroagain • replenished, which lighted uptbewholo vicinity with a brilliance almost as light as day, when we adjourned to our tent, with nothing to foreshadow the catastropho about to transpire. Before-disrobing, soma brandy was procured, and after filling two small vessels, we clinked: enps and "wished success to thegold hunt." As tho empty bowls were placed upon the stand, tho silence of the night was broken by a peculiar noise, followed by a crash and a thud In possession of our rilles, we left the canvas to ascertain the cause, when a rhinoceros (lashed through the reeds and made for tho nearest fire, which he tossed to the . gentle breeze. A nativo ran to within a few yards of tho animal and threw an assegai, which pentrated the higher portion of tho beast's neck. The latter now swerved, and before either of us could get a favourable shot, or tho nativo could, escape, he was caught np and g ol . e d several times, while the gaveone of tho Voudest and most pieronuj yell* x I)ftV(j evcr hmi ! ss , Uf! Km tho throat of a human Jw.'ig.The otbernativesnow climbed die neighbouring trees, while- tho animal'left the formtof tho apparently unconscious Molina, and darted for the second fire, which ho also flung to the wind. While en-«. gaged with the embers an opportunity occurred to get a good shot, when I slipped to my left, took a steady; aim, and found my rifle ompty. I to the tent, and after putting several cartridges in the repeater, left again for the scene of combat. ) Wallace, seeing me coming, now fired, just as the animal had spoilt the second light, As the monster darted towards him, I raised therifle, and aiming under theshoulder, FIRED TWO SHOTS, when tho beast turned and made for the third fire. Immediately after the secondshot he fell, but quickly recovering himself changed his course and staggered,towards our steeds. Wallace now fired without effect, while the monster went thundering along,andfortunatelyall ouranimals, • with the exception of a mule—which was gored to death—managed to ef-\ feet their escape. While endeavouring to get a third sight, my fonn attested tho beast's notico, aud he came crashing through the reeds, when we both fired and tha animal fell. In a moment he stood upon his feet and again came towards ' me, when I aimed a fourth shot and darted behind a tree. This was a very unhappy monioht for me, tho rhinoceros was close upon my heels, ■■ S while Wallace - appeared to be

y - 'aimous for a'shot regardless of ray position, "Look out, don't fire, Wallace "I called in desperation, whilo dodging round a Becond tree, Sometimes the brute was so close to me that I could have touched him with the end of the Winchester. My comrade was . then successful in reaching the' mark, the.monstor sank against the roots of a tree, then arose again and followM niCjiJjh the direction of the only brillittntfiro, to which ho now gavo his undivided attention. The light was now so dim that a {pod shot was noxt to an impossibility. Howevor, just as he was about to toss tho last flame to the breeze, I took a fifth aim, whonho turned round and crnshedthroughandgorod the tout to shreds. " Confound tho brute!" exclaimed Wallace, as he witnessed tho destruction of tho canvas, and moved a few paces forward.when he raised his rifle and fired to no apparent effect. The rhinoceros now left the debris and startedfor thenoxt hunter.whon, lis the animal exposed his left side, he took a hasty shot, and the onemy again sank to the earth. It was now • impossible to distinguish the boast, ho staggorcd a few yards-, his fonmsjyune evelopedi^diade. I called Icwnibo to descend and build a fresh fire. This was soon done, and tho flames lighted up the surroundings; wero now enabled to see tho rhinoceros who was as yet upon his feet,, breathing, while his bulky form moved from side to side. Wallace again exposed himself when the beast,

RUSHED TOWARDS HIM and having fired, sprang nt once for a shelter spot, The animal now moved with difficulty, and our position became perilous. A second fire was now built, when every act of the enraged and; weakened monster could easily be discerned. My comrade then worked himself to a favourable position, and on arriving in full view of the animal's loft side took steady aim and tired two shots nt an interval of some seconds, when the beast sank and expired. "Have you killed him?" I now asked of Wallace, as ho rejoined me while going up to the animal. True enough, his last bullet had reached the beast. Upon examination, we found that three of the bullets had penetrated the, lower left shoulder; two badlrafrged in the right fore-leg which had most probably precipitated hint to the earth; while three wounds wore plainly visible in the region of the lungs. The native, whom the beast had gored, was now found to have no less than four holes in his body and one in bis thigh. We then visited the carcass of the mule, and found the entrails protruding from the abdomen. Our next visit was to the tent, which was quite destroyed, and would require several days work to to put it in repair. The provisions were scattered about the ground, and we now saw that three of the bottles of brandy had been broken, while their contents saturated the flour, biscuits and biltong. We prayed for a little time, and then adjourned to the fire to smoke and diminish a little more of the bracing liquid. Just as the dawn began to brighten the vicinity, and while two of the natives buried their comrade, I procured my rille and , called Jumbo to follow me in search ik of our animals, found the diseased horse up to MSHjmki'Mi marsh, and, seeing no othercoui*opeii, lifted the Winchester and EKDED THE AXIMAI's SUFFERING. I wandered about for two or three hours, when, not finding tho horses, I nt once returned to the camp, After breakfast, while we gave our close attention to the canvas, Jumbo and his comrades went again to search the neighbourhood, They returned with the dusk, accompanied by two horses and one mule, when Jumbo stated that he had found the remains of the other pack animal, which had, ho stated been devoured by some beast of prey. Preparations were then made for the coming night, and, supper over, we repaired to tho blankets by the fireside, reflecting sadly upon our experience of life in Mashonaland.