Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-08-07

trousers with steady hand cut out the
arrowhead not sparing myself. l then
took my flask, and poured powder into
the wound, and gently striking a match,
set fire to it. That done, | took off my
belt, and using my full force, strapped it
a little above, as tight as it would GO
| do not think that in doing all this l
had any hope of saving my life there was
only sort of feeling that | was doing my
duty. The pain was not very great, and
my chief thought was for vengeance on
the malignant creature that / looked upon
as my murderer. l rightly imagined that
he was not aware of his 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. Moving down about a
yard to where the Overhanging ferns
could conceal me, | quietly raised my
head; the ground was slightly rising, and
| could see around for some distance.
There was my horse unconsciously graz
ing away, but the grass was too long for
me to see my enemy's Whereabouts. /,
however, guessed that he would try and
get between us, and so | waited, watching
and grasping my rifle.
Ten minutes passed in silence, and then
l tancled that the grass was moving un-
naturally. In another second a hand and
bow appeared; | heard little twang, and
saw the tiny messenger of death again
pierce the spot where | had been. | kept
myself from fling, though / covered the
place. Surely he would become impa-
tient and give me better chance An
other ten minutes, and suddenly in diff
ferent spot, which commanded a better
view of my cap, little black head peered
over the grass. 1t was enough; and as [
fired, a shrill shrek and spasmodic
spring into the air told me that | had
nothing more to 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 | car
ried in a little bottle some eau de luce for
snake bites, and poured out large dose.
After drinking it, | caught my horse, sad
died 1t, 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 deform-
lty, short and bow legs supporting little
round body-he had evidently not been
starving lately-and features so closely re-
sembling those of an intelligent ape that
had there been tail no one would have
L
remain long; there was no time to lose
so, taking his bow, | mounted, and put
ting the horse at his best pace, started on
my long ride. [ 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 medical
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 twenty miles | kept
steadily on my way, though the agony
was dreadful, and | could hardly sit on
my horse. | then reached an English
mans farm, pulled up and told
my story, and asked for spirits to
keep INV strength up, and the
loan of q + aoh horse | shall not easily
forget his wife's scared look as she came
out and saw me by the light of her flick
ering candle. [ suppose | must have
seemed half mad. They brought me out
full bottle of whisky and a tumbler,
which [ filled and drank off neat; but
they had got no horse up" They We're,
he said all running, and it would take
hours to find them. So | started again.
DO not remember much more Of that wild
moonlight ride; [ became drowsy and
/ nall dellrlOuS, just retaining sense enough
to go straight. How | did it | do not
know, as for the greater part of the way
there was no road, and even in daylight
| and with nothing the matter | should
have hesitatcd in more than one place.
However, Providence or instinct guided
me right, and, as | was afterward told, for
| remember nothing about it, | reached
the town at one in the morning-iust eleven
hours after | had left had finished the
whisky on the road, and it was to that
| the doctor ascribed my ultimate recovery
For nine days l was in high fever and
deiri0us; and it was more than six weeks
before | got up; and for years afterwards
the wound did not heal Even to the pres
ent day it occasionally breaks out afresh,
and will probably continue to do so to
the end Of my existence.-Chansber's Joalr-
nal