The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-09-03

Ao'i WHICH Ills gum nao recently been strip
pea, and indicated that the man had eaten of g
pink grub, as large as silk worm. which lives
In the bark of the wsttle-tree. Luckily he had
with him clssp.knife, with which he had con
trlved to dig out these grubs, which the blacks
assured me were dainty; but was not tempt
ed to try them.
On again putting the question to the blacks
whether we were near the man of whom we
were IN search, they shook their heads and held
up two fingers. We now came to clear shall.
low stream, IN which the blacks informed me
by gestures that the missing man had bsthed
but he had not crossed the stream, as his track
lay on the bank we had approached.
After travelling along this bank for about
three miles, we came to o huge swamp. into
which the stream flowed, and ended. Here the
footprints were plainly discernible, even by nv.
self and my European companions. examin.
ed them carefully, and was panied to find that
they confirmed the opinion of the blacks-name-
y, that they were not fresh. Presently we found
the mans boots. These had become too heavy
for him to walk in, and too inconvenient to
carry, and he had cast them off, Not far from
the boots was a red cotton handkerchief, which
he had worn round his neck on leaving the sta.
ton. This, too, he had found too hot to wear
In that oppressive weather, and had therefore
discarded it.
Following the track, we came to a forest of
white gum-trees. The bark of these trees is
the color of cream, and the surface is as smooth
as glass. On the rind of one of these trees.
the man had carved, with his knife, the follow,
ing words:
oh God, have mercy upon met. BIZ
How fervent and sincere must have been this
prayer In the heart, to admit of the hand cary
ing st upon that tree
towards evening we came to tract of coun-
try as barren as the desert between Cairo and
Suez; but the soil was not sandy, and it was
covered with stones of unequal size. Here the
miraculous power of the black mans eye as
founded us more than ever. The reader must
bear In mind that the lost man was now walk
ing barefooted and tenderfooted, and would
naturally pick his way as lightly and as cautious
~ as possible. Nevertheless, the savage tracked
his course with scarcely halt.
Again the sun went down, and again we
formed our little camp on the slope of hill,
at the loot OF which lay a lagoon, literally
covered with wild ducks and black swans.
Some of these birds we shot for food, as it was
now a matter of prudence, if not of necessity,
to husband the -four and meat we had brought
with us.
Another sunrise, and we pursued our Journey
Towards noon we came to belt of small noun
tains, composed chiefly of black limestone
Here the blacks faltered; and, after long and
animated discussion amongst themselves-not
one word of which l understood-they signi.
fed to me that they had lost the track, and
could proceed no further. This l was not dis.
posed to believe, and imperatively signalled
them to go on. They refused. / then had re-
course to promises, kind words, smiles, and en-
couraging gestures. They were still recusant.
| then loaded my gun with ball. and requested
the stockmen to do the like. threatened the
blacks that l would shoot them, if they did not
take up the track and pursue it. This alarmed
them; and, after another discussion amongst
themselves, they obeyed me, but reluctantly
and sullenly. One of the stockmen, with much
foresight, suggested that we ought to make
sure of two out of the six black fellows for, if
they had chance, they would probably escape,
and leave US to perish in the wilds and, with,
out their aid, we could never retrace our steps
to the station. l at once acted on this sugges-
ton, and bound two of the best of them together
by the arms, and carried the end of the cord in
my right hand.
AT four in the afternoon we had crossed this
belt OF low mountains, and came upon a tract
of country which resembled a well kept park in
England. We were all SO greatly fatgued that
we were compelled to halt for the night. Great
as was my longing to proceed-s longing not
a little whetted by the fact that the blacks now
held up only one finger, in order to express
that the object of our search was only one day
in advance of US.
At midnight the four blacks, who were not
bound, and who were in a rude hut few yards
distant, came to the opening of my tenement,
and babe me listen. l did listen, and heard a
sound resembling the beating of the waves
against the seashore. l explained to them, as
well as possibly could that the noise was that
OF the wind coming through the leaves of the
trees. This, however, they refused to believe,
tor there was scarcely breath of air stirring.
Gan it be that we are near the ea-coast ?"
L asked myself; and the noise, which every
moment became more distinctly audible, seem. |
ed to reply, eyes"
The morning dawned, and, to my intense dis. |
appointment, / discovered that the four I'M |
bound blacks had decamped. They had, no
doubt, retraced their steps by the road they |
had come. The remaining two were now put |
upon the track, and not for single moment |
did l relinquish my hold of the cord. To a |
they would have escaped, had we not |
kept tight hand upon them. Any attempt to |
reason with them would have been absurd. |
Fortunately, the boy who had charge of the
horse had been faithful, and had remained
ho IuC udJ duNduCcU, anu we pTOC66Q6Q on
ward, the sound of the waves beating against
the shore became more and more distinct, and
the terror of the guides increased proportionate-
y. We were, however, some miles from the
ocean, and did not see it until four in the after
noon. The faces of the blacks, when they
gazed on the great water of which they had |
never formed even the most remote concep.
ton, presented a scene which would have been
worthy of some great painters observation.
1t was clear day, not cloud to be seen in
The armament; but the wind was high, and the
dark blue pillows were crested with milk. white
foam. 1t was from an eminence of some
three hundred feet that we looked upon them.
With their keen black eyes protruding from
heir sockets, their nostrils distended, their
huge mouths wide open, their long matted hair
in disorder, their hands held aloft, their bodies
half crouching and halfstrugging to maintain
an erect position; unable to move backward or
forward the perspirstion streaming from every
pore of their unclothed skin; speechless, mo-
tionless, amazed, and terrified, the two inland
,avages stood paralyzed at what they saw. The
boy, although astounded, was not afraid.
Precious as was time, would not disturb
heir reverie. For ten minutes, their eyes were
riveted on the sea. By slow degrees, their
exhibited that the original terror
was receding from their hearts; and then they
oreathed hard, as men do after some violent
sxertion. They then looked at each other, and
at us and, as though reconciled to the mirac-
llous appearance of the deep, they again con-
.emplated the pillows with smile, which grad.
lally grew into loud and meaningless laugh.
On the rocky spot on which we were stand.
ing, one of the blacks pointed to his own knees,
and placed his fore6nger on two spots close to
each other. Here l concluded that the lost
man had knelt down there in prayer. l inva-
riably carried about with me, in the bush of