The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1882-02-25

cult through the reeds would be only
little over two miles, but this. In =
tract where one step was generally
supposed to be certain death, was
thought quite sufficient
took my double-barreled rife and
hunting knife lnot that they could be
much good against q whole jungle OF
liops), and the moment our watches
pointed to half past twelve, off we
started. / couldn't help thinking as
we went along that there could hardly
have been worse night for the pur-
pose, so far as was concerned. The
night was so still that you might have
heard step hundreds of yards away,
and the full moon gave light enough
to make out the smallest print of a
newspaper, let alone the figure of a
man. But, as we say: "When you've
broken the shell, you must eat the
egg - so I Kept my thoughts to N.Y.
self, and tramped on.
1t was pretty long march, and diff
cult, too, down to the place for which
we were bound. By the time we got
there it was two o'clock, leaving less
than two hours before sunrise. At
last the great reed forest began to rise
before US, shadowy and spectral in the
moonlight. MY comrades shook nae
by the hand, and wished me Godspeed.
In another moment the reeds had
closed behind me.
Just at first didn't feel it so much,
for the excitement of the adventure
kept me up and, besides, had quite
enough TO doin picking my way along,
the reeds being good deal higher than
my head, and very nearly as thick as
a mans wrist. But when the first ex-
element began to wear off, then it all
came upon me at once, just like the
shock of show er- bath. Every time
a reed rustled seemed to feel the
sharp teeth in my flesh already; and
indesd it's wonder how l ever IS
capped, for could hear them moving
on every side of me but somehow or
other none of them offered to touch
me.
On l went-on, on, on-until /
seemed to have done ten miles instead
of two in fact, / afterward found
that had gone far beyond the pro-
scribed distance; but what could | DO,
with the reed-tops shutting oat the
very sky, until sometimes had hardly
any moon to steer by? At last the
reeds began to grow thinner, and
presently, just as was getting fairly
tired out, forth l came on to the open
plain, with the first CLEAN Of day
break just dawning in the eastern sky.
Then discovered, to my very great
disgust, that instead of striking the
pointing where my comrades were to
meet me, had gone ever so far be-
yond it.
WELL" thought 1, "there's time
enough yet, at all events, before sun
rise. I'll just sit down and rest for
five minutes, and then walk back to
the meeting place"
So down sat upon rock, and, as
you might expect, was fast asleep d.
rectly.
don't know how long slept; but
/ awoke suddenly with that uneasy
feeling which you sometimes have
when somebody stands by your bed
side and looks fixedly down upon you
as you sleep. And sure enough some
body was looking fxedly down upon
me; for when nay eyes opened they
rested upon the biggest lion I'd ever
seen in my life.
took in the full horror of the situ-
alton at glance. My gun had slid
| down over the smooth rock, and was
lying fully six feet away, with the
beast right between me and it. My
| comrades, even if they hadn't got
tired of waiting and gone home Gas
they most likely had), were too tar
off to be summoned by any shout.
Add to this that was already parched
with thirst, and that the sun was
mounting, and making the rock on
which l lay hotter and hotter every
moment, and you'll have some idea
of the nice predicament that 1 was in.
| It's an awkward confession for an
old soldier to make, but I must admit
that l fairly lost my head. All hopes
of escaping went out of mind at once !;
my only thought was to throw myself
upon the lion, and get it over as soon
as possible. But as put my hand be-
hind me to raise myself up, it straek
against big stone.
In a moment, az If some one had
spoken it in my ear, / got the idea of a
device that might save ME yet. /
clutched the stone, and keeping it well
behind my back (for knew that any
sudden movement would bring the