The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-11-04
A PERILOUS VOYAGE.
Going Down the Rapids with a Lion for
Companion.

I've had many queer voyage in my
time, said Captain -, but the queer.
est l ever had was one that / made
(sOmewhat unexpectedly, as you will
see)upon the Great Fish River in South
Africa, OH my way back from hunt.
ing excursion. .ss.
AS 1 ncared the bank, / saw that the
river was in full flood, moro thar
twice its usual breadth, and running
like mill-race. knew at once that
should have a very tough job to get
acrOss-for flooded African river is
no joke, can tell you. But knew
also, that my wife would be terribly
anxious if didn't come back on the
day had tixed-South Africa being
place where good many things may
happen to a nlaIl-aild SO L determined
to chance it. ''ii4 mo-. f." ''t
at the waters edge 1 found an
old BusIIinan that l knew we'll, who
had boat of his own, 50 I hailed him
at once. 'ii '"
"Well, Kaloomi, what will you take
to put me across the river?'
mo go fifty dollars this time, baas''
(naster) said the old fellow, in his
half Dutch, half English jargon. ..'.
"Boat no get cross tO-day; water
groed!" (great. .,.....,.. .ss..i,.
And never q bit could persuade
him, although l offered him money
enough to make any ordinary Bush
man jump head first down a precipice.
Money was good he said, but it would
be no use to him when he was drown
esl, and, i'll short, he wouldn't bulge.
l.al"Well, if you won't put me across"
said at last, ''lend me your boat, and
FIJI just do the job for my self: i can't
very we'll take my horse with me, SO
FIJI pay for the boat when come
back" 'a
keep horse for you, master, quite
willing; but 'spose you try cross to-
day you never come back to ask for
him. '.'' 49,
He spoke so positively that, although
Pm not easily frightened, l certainly
did feel rather uncomfortable. How
ever, when you've got to do thing of
that sort, the less you think of it the
better, SO I jumped into the boat and
showed off. t... -.....-.f..; s..i
l had barely got clear of the shore
when / found that the old fellow was
right, for the boat shot down the
stream like an arrow. / saw in mo-
ment that there was no hope of pad
ding her across, and that all L could
do was just to keep her, head straight.
But hadn't the chance of doing even
that very long, for lust then u big tree
came driving along, and hitting my
boat full on the quarter, smashed her
like an egg-shell. had just time to
clutch the projecting roots and whisk
myself upon them, and then tree and
went away down stream together,
at don't know how many miles an
hour.
At first was so rejoiced at escap-
ing Just when all seemed over with
me, that didn't think much of what
was to come next, but before long l
got something to think about with q
vengeance. The tree, as I've said, was
q large one, and the branch end (the
opposite one to where l sat was all
one mass of green leaves. All at once,
just rs was shifting myself to q safe
place among the roots, the leaves sud-
denly shook and parted, and out pop
ped tho great yellow head and fierce
eyes OF ali enormous lion! Iai4il
don't think ever got such fright
in my lilc. My gun had gone to the
bottom along with the boat, and the
only weapon had left was short
hunting knife, which against such a
beast as that would bo no more use
than bodkin. L fairly gave myself
up for lost, making sure that i'll an
other moment he'd spring forward
and tear me TO bits. as.t
But whether it was that he had al
ready gorged himself with prey, or
whether Gas suspec) he was really
frightened at finding himself in such
a scrape, lie showed no disposition to
attack me so long, at least, as remain-
ed still. The instant l made any
movement, however, he would begin
roaring and lashing his tail, as it he
were going to fall on me at once. So,
to avoid provoking him, was forced
to remain stock still, although sitting
soilong in one position cramped me
dreadfully. s-ti tus ..'n.
There we sat, Mr.. Lion and 1, star
ing at each other with all our might
IA very picturesque groupe, 10 doubt
if there had been anybody there to see
it. Down, down the stream we went,
the banks seeming to race past us as
if we were going by train, while all
around, broken timber, wagon wheels,
trees, bushes and the carcasses of
drowned horses and cattle went whirl-
ing past us upon the thick brown wa
ter. J ...........
All at once noticed that the lion
seemed TO be getting strangely restless.
and turning his great head from side
to side in u nervous kind OF way, as if .
he saw or heard something that, he
didn't like. AT first couldn't imag-
inc what OH earth-was the ma tier with
him, but presently caught a sound
which scared me much worse than it
had done the lion. Far in the dis
tance, Ifcould hear Il dull, booming
roar, which had heard too often not
to recognize at once; we were nearing
q waterfall !! ,.a- .-lu.. p, .t.i-- -.... .3
/ had seen the great falls of Fish
River more than once, and the bare
thought of being carried over these
tremendous precipices made my very
blood run cold. Yet being deyoured
by lion would hardly be much of an
improvement, and rs l hadn't the
ghost Of cllance of being able to
swim ashore, there really seemed to
be no other alternative. tan tit
Faster and faster we went-louder
and louder and louder grew the roar
of the cataract; the lion seemed to
have given himself up for lost, and
crOuched down among the leaves, only
utteriNg q low moaning whine now
and then. l was fairly at my wits
end what to do, when all of sudden
l caught sight of something that gave
me IL CLEAN of hope. l...... :.
a little way ahead of us the river
narrowed suddenly, and rocky head
land thrust itself out q good way into
the stream. On one OF the lowest
points of it grew thick clump of
trees, whose boughs overhung the wa
ter; and it struck me that, if we only
passed near enough, 1 might manage
and swing myself up OH to the rock.
No sooner said than done / started
up, hardly caring whether the lion
attacked me or not, and planted my
self firmly upon one of the biggest