Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-07-10

latter is the least to lie dreaded. It
| was, OF course, poisoned with that
deadly skill for Which. the Who'll" Tribe
is famous; and as | stood below [
knew had little chance of seeing an
other sunrise.
However, with that self-hclp that
, men who lead solitary lifo acquire, !
instantly drew my huDting-knifr,
ripped mp the trousers with steady
hand, cut out tho arrowhead, not spar
Ing myself. then took my flask, and
poured powder into the wound, and
gently striking a match set fire to it.
! That done, I took of my belt, and
using my full force, strapped it IL little
above, "s tight IA it would 20.
Ito not think that III doing nll this
had any hope Of saving my life; there
was only sort Of feeling that was
doing my duty. Tho pain was not very
great, and my chief thought was for
vengeance on tho malignant creature
that | looked on as my murderer. [
rightly imagined that he was not
aware of his success. No doubt he
thought he had missed me, and that 1
was still lying asleep; III proof Of which
soon heard the whiz Of another ar.
row atriking above. Moving down
about yard to where the ovcrllanging
ferns could conceal mo | quietly raised
my head; the ground was slightly ris-
ing and I could SO, around for some
distance. There was my horse uncon-
ciously grazing away, but the grass
was two long for me to see my enemy y
whereabouts. l, however, guessed that
he would try and sc: between us, and
80 waited, watching and grasping my
! rifle.
Ten minutes passed in silence, and
then l fancicd that tho grass WAS NOV
ing unnaturally. In another second !,
hand and bow appeared; heard IL lit
tic twang, and saw the tiny messenger
of death again pierce the spot where
had been. kept myself from firing,
though covered the place. Surely he
would become impatient and give me a
better chance. Another ten minutes,
and suddenly in different spot, which
commanded better view of my cap, q
little black head peercd over the grass.
It was enough ; and as l fired shril
shrek and a spasmodic spring into the
mir told me that had nothing more to
fear.
Getting out us quickly as possible,
dragged myself-for tho limb was nov
much swollen, and becoming more and
more painful-to my saddle, where
carried in little bottle some cuu dt
kuce for snake bites, and poured out q
large dose. After drinking it caught
my horse, saddled it, and picking up
two of the arrows, went to have a look
ut the dead Bushman. He was scarce.
ly over four feet high, with arms sc
long and thin us to reach dcformity,
short and bow legs supporting il little
round body-le had evidently not beer,
starving lately-and features 50 closely
resembling those Of an intelligent ape
that had there been a tail no one would
have thought twice about tho matter
did not remain long there was no
time to lose so, taking his bow, !
mounted, aud putting the horse at his
best pace, started on my long ride. l
knew perfectly we'll that the only
chance, such as it was, Of saving my
life, depended on my reaching Lady.
smith that night and obtaining metli-
Cal assistance. The distance was fully
sixty miles, and, with one exception,
there was nothing but Dutch beers
houses on the road, whence could not
hope for any help. For the first TWEEN
ty miles I kept steadily on my way,
though the agony was dreadful, and l
could hardly sit on my horse. I then
reached an Englishman's farm, pulled
up and told my story, and asked for
spirits to keep my strength up, and the
loan of fresh horse. l shall not cas-
lily forget his wifc's scared look as she
came out and saw me by the light OF
her tiickerlng candle. Isuppose must
have seemed half mad. They brought
me out a full bottle Of whisky
and Il tumbler, which filled and drank
off neat but they had got 10 horse
cup" They were, be said, all run
ming, AMI it would take hours to find
them. So [ started again. l do not
remember much more of that wild
moonlight ride; 1 became drowsy aud
deliriOus, Just retaining sense enough
to 60 straight. How did it do moi
know, as for the greater part Of the
way there was no road, and even in
daylight and with nothing the matter
l should have hcsitatel in more thar
one place. However, Providence or
instinct guided me right, and, as l was
afterward told, for remember nothing
about it, reached the town at one in
the morning-just eleven hours after
had left.
[ had finished the whisky on tho
road, and it was to that the doctor
ascribed my ultimate recovery. Fol
nine days I was in high fever anl
delirious =; and it was more than 81,
weeks before 1 got up; and for years
afterwards the wound did not heal
Even to the present day it occasionally
breaks out afrcsh, and will probably
continue to do so to the end Of my
existence.