The Republican journal., 1881-06-23
The Mystery of Sasassa Valley
A SOUTH AFRICAN STORY

SOUTH AFRICAN STORY.
DO | know why Tom Donahue is called
''Lucky Tom?' Yes, | do and that is
more than one in ten of those who call
him so can say. have knocked about a
deal in my time, and seen some strange
sights, but none stranger than the way in
which Tom gained that sobriquet and
his fortune with it. For was with him
at the time. Tellit? Oh, certainly; but
it is longish story and very strange
one; so fill up your glass again, and light
, another cigar while try to reel it off.
Yes a very strange one beats some fairy
stories | have heard; but it's true, sir,
every word of it. There are men alive at
Cape Colony now who'll remember it and
confirm what say. Many time has the
tale been told around the fire in Beers
cabins from Orange State to Griqualand !;
yes, and out in the bush. and at the dia-
mond fields too.
I'm roughsh now, sir; but was entered
at the Middle Temple once, and studied
for the bar Tom-worse luck was
one of my fellow students; and a wildish
time we had of it, until at last our finances
ran short, and we were compelled to give
up our so-called studies, and look about
for some part of the world where two
young fellows with strong arms and sound
constitutions might make their mark.
In those days the tide of emigration had
scarcely begun to set in towards Afri-
ca, and so we thought our best chance
would be down at Cape Colony. Well
to make long story short-we set sail,
and were deposited in Cape Town with
less than five pounds in our pockets; and
there we parted. We each tried our
hands at many things, and had ups and
downs; but when, at the end of three
years, chance led each Of us up-country
and we met again, we were, | regret to
say, in almost as bad plight as when we
started.
Well, this was not much of d commence
ment, and very disheartened we were, so
disheartened that Tom spoke of going
back to England and getting a clerkship
For you see we didn't know that we had
played out all our small cards and that
the trumps were going to turn up. No,
we thought our 'hands" were bad all
through. 1t was a very lonely part of
the country that we were in, inhabited
by few scattered farmers, whose houses
were stockaded and fenced in to defend
them against the Catfres. Tom Donahue
and | had little hut right out in the
bush; but we were known to possess
nothing, and to be handy with our revol-
vers, 50 we had little to fear There we
waited, doing odd Jobs, and hoping that
something would turn up. Well, after
we had been there about month, some
thing did turn up upon a certain night,
something which was the making of both
of us; and it's about that night, sir, that
I'm going to tell you. | remember it
we'll The wind was bowling past our
cabin, and the rain threatened to burst
in our rude windows. We had great
wood fire cracking and suffering on the
hearth by which was sitting mending a
whip, while Tom was lying in his bunk,
groanlng dsconsolately at the chance
which had led him to such place.
'Cheer up, Tom, cheer up" said |.
''No man ever knows what may be await
ing him."
I'll luck, i'll luck, jack" he answered
81 always was an unlucky dog. Here
have | been three years in this abomina-
bic country; and | see lads fresh from
England jingling the money in their
pockets, while am as poor as when |
landed. All, Jack, if you want to keep
your head above water, old friend, you
must try your fortune away from me-
Nonsense, Tom; you're down in your
luck tonight. But hark here's some
one coming outside. Dick Wharton, by
the tread; he'll rouse you if any man can"
Even as | spoke the door was flung
open, and honest Dick Wharton, with the
water pouring from him, stepped in, his
hearty red face looming through the haze
like harvest moon. He shook himself
and after greeting us sat down by the fire
to warm himself.
"Whereaway, Dick, on such a night as
this Z" said |. "lou'll find the rheuma-
tism worse foe than the Cat1res, unless
you keep more regular hours"
Dick was looking unusually serious, al
most frightened, one would say, if one
did not know the man. Glad to CO." he
replied; chad to CO. One of Madison's
cattle was seen straying down Sasassa
Valley, and OF course none of our blacks
would go down that valley at night; and
if we had waited till morning, the brute
would have been in Catfreland."
"Why wouldn't they go down Sasassa
Valley at night ~ asked Tom
"Catfres, suppose" said l.
"Ghosts," said Dick.
We both laughed
II suppose they didn't give such Il
matter-o fact fellow as you sight of
their charms ?" said Tom, from the bunk.
EYES," said Dick seriously" l
saw what the niggers talk about; and |
promise you, lads, don't want ever to
see it again."
"Tom sat up in his bed. "Nonsense,
Dick you're joking, man! Come, tell us
all about it. The legend first, and your
own experience afterwards. Pass him
over the bottle, Jack"
"Well, as to the legend" began Dick
cit seems that the niggers have had it
handed down to them that the Sasassa
Valley is haunted by a frightful fiend.
Hunters and wanderers passing down the
defile have seen its glowing eyes under
the shadow Of the cliff and the story
goes that whoever has CHANGED to en-
counter that baleful glare has had his
erlife blighted by the malignant power
of this creature. Whether this be true
or not" continued Dick ruefully, E1 may
have an opportunity of Judging for my
self"
"Go on Dick-go on cried Tom.
'Iets hear what you saw"
"Well, was cropping down the valley
looking for that COW of Madison's, and l
had, suppose, got halfway down, where
a black, craggy cliff juts into the ravine
on the right, when haulted to have a
pull at my flask. had my eye fixed at
the time upon the projecting cliff have
mentioned, and noticed nothing unusual
about it. | then put up my flask and
took step or two forward, when in a
moment there burst apparently from the
base of the rock, about eight feet from
the ground and hundred yards from me,
a strange, lurid glare, Pickering and oscil-
lating, gradually dying away and then