The Hickman courier., 1873-07-12

any hope of saving my life; there was
only a sort of feeling that I was doing
my duty. The pain was not very great,
and my chief thought was for vengeance
on the malignant creature that I looked
upon as my murderer. I rightly ina
gined he was not aware of Is success.
No doubt, he thought he had missed
me, and that was still lying asleep,
in proof of which / soon heard the whiz
of another arrow striking above. Nov
ing now about a yard to where the over
hanging ferns would conceal me,
quietly raised my head ; the ground
was slightly rising, and I could see
around for some distance. There was
my horse unconseiously grazing away,
but the grass was too long for me to see
my enemy's whereabouts. /, however,
guessed that he would try and get be-
tween us ; and so I waited, watching,
and grasping my rife.
Tsn minutes passsd -. in silence and
and bow appeared [ heard little
twang. and saw the tiny messenger OF
death again pierce the spot where had
been. I kept myself from firing,
though 1 covered the place. Surely,
he would become impatient, and give
me a better chance. Another ten
minutes, and suddenly, in different
SPOT. which commanded a better view
Of nv cap, a little black head peered
over the grass. 1t was enough and, as
I fired, n shrill shrek and a pasmodlc
spring into the air told me that l had
nothing more 10 fear.
Getting out as quickly as possible, /
dragged myself, for the limb was now
much swollen, and becoming more and
more painful. to my saddle, where l
carried IN bottle some oa5t de tuce Tor
snalsc.bites. and poured out large
dose. After drinking it, canght my
horse, saddled it, and, picking up two
Of the arrows, went to have look at the
dead Bushman. He was scarcely over
four feet high, with arms SO long and
thin as to reach deformity, short and
bow-kneed legs supporting little round
body, be had evidently not been starv-
/ ing lately, and features so closely re-
/ sembling those of an intelligent ape,
that, had there been a tail, noone would
have thought twice about the matter.
1 did not remain long; there was no
/ time to lose so, taking his bow, /
/ mounted, and putting the horse at his
best pace, started on my long ride. l
knew perfectly well that the only
! chance. such as it was, of saving my
life depended on my reaching Lady
smith tilat night, and obtaining medical
assistance. The distance was fully sixty
miles. and with but one exception, there
was nothing but Dutch boers' houses on
the road. whence I could not hope for
any help. For the first twenty miles
kent steadily on my way, though the
AGONY was dreadful, and / could hardly
sit on nv horse. ! then reached al
I T,r,,.,,sl,,1aa.,-s 8 farm. pulled npss.otsira5
story. and asked for spirits 10 keep my
strength mp, and the loan OF fresh
horse. I shalt not easily forget his
wifes scared look as she came out and
saw me by the light of her Pickering
candle. 1 suppose 1 must have seemed
half mad. They brought me out a full
bottle of whisky and a tumbler, which
7 filed and drank off neat but they
had not got a horse up" They We're
he said. all running, and it would take
hours to find them So 1 started
again. 1 do not remember much more
of that Wild, moonlight ride became
drowsv and half delirous, iustretainine
I sense enough to go straight. How
did it I do not know, as for the greatel
part of the way there was no road, and
even in daylight and with nothing th'
matter. sheuld have hesitated IN more
than one place. However, Providence
or instinct guided me right; and, as
was afterward told, for L remembe
nothing about it, I reached the town a
A. NJ. lust eleven hours after L ha'
left. / had finished the whiskey on th'
road. and it was to that the docto
ascribed my ultimate recovery. Fo
nine days I was in a high fever and de
Iirious, and it was more than six week
before I got up; and for years after
ward the wound did not heal. Even t
the present day it occasionally burst
out afresh, and viii probably eontinu
> to do so to the end of my existence
, Chambers Journal.