The Osceola times., 1882-12-09
IN DOUBLE DANGER

Africa, on my way back from a hunting
excursion.
As neared the bank | saw that the
river was in full flood, more than twice
its usual breadth, and running like a
mill race. knew at once should have
a very tough job to get across-for a
flooded Africa 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 fixed, South
Africa being place where good many
things may happen to a man, and deter
mined to chance it.
Just at the waters edge | found an
old Bushman that knew well, who had
boat of his own so ! hailed him at
once;
"Well, Kaloomi, what will you take to
put me across the river|
"No go $50 this time, baas" (master),
said the old fellow in his halfDutch,
half English jargon. "Boat no get cross
to-day water groed (great)w
And never a bit could persuade him,
although offered him money enough to
make an ordinary Bushman jump head
first down precipice. Money was good,
he said but it would be no use to him
when he was drowned and, in short he
wouldn't bulge.
"Well, il you won't put me across"
said | at last, ''lend me your boat, and
I'll just do the job for myself; | can't
very well take my horse with me, and
III just leave him here in pledge that
I'll come back"
Keep the horse for you, master, quite
willing; but 'spose you try to cross to-day,
you never come back to ask for him.
lie spoke so positively that though Pm
not easily frightened, | certainly did feel
rather uncomfortable. However when
you've got to do thing of that sort, the
less you think of it the better, so jump
ed into the boat and showed off.
had barely got clear of the shore
when / found that the old fellow was
right for the boat shot down stream like
an arrow. | saw in moment that there
was no hope padding her across, and
that all | could do was just to keep her
head straight. But hadn't the chance
of doing that even very long, for just
then big tree came driving along, and
hittinu hnat full hn 80,
smashed her like an egg-shell. | had
just time to clutch the projecting roots
and whisk myself up on to them, and
then the tree and | went down stream
together at | don't know how many
miles an hour.
At first was so reioiced at escaping
just when all seemed over with me, that
| didn't think much of what was to come
next; but before long got something to
think of with vengeance. The tree, as
I've said, was large one, and the branch
end (the opposite one to where | sat
was all one mass of green leaves All at
once, just as | was shifting myself TO
safer place among the roots, the leaves
suddenly shook and parted, and out
peeped the great yellow head and fierce
eyes of an enormous lion.
don't think ever got such fright
in my life. My gun had gone to the bot
tom along with the boat and the only
weapon had left was short hunting
knife, which, against such beast as that
would be no more use than bodkin. ]
fairly gave myself up for lost, making
sure that in another moment he'd spring
forward and tear me to bits.
But whether it was that he had already
gorged himself with prey, or whether las
| suspect) he was really frightened at
finding himself in such scrapc, he
showed no disposition to attack me, so
long, at least, as ] remained still. The
instant | maze any movement, however
he would begin roaring and lashing his
tail as if he were going to fall on me at
once. So to avoid provoking him, was
forced to remain stock still, although
sitting so long in one position cramped
me dreadfuly.
There we sat Mr.. Lion and |, staring
at each other with all our might-a very
Picturesque group, no 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 cat
tie went whirling past us upon the thick
brown water.
At once | noticed that the lion seemed
to be getting strangely restless, and turn
ing his great head from side to side in a
nervous sort oJ way, as if he saw or
heard something he didn't like. At first
| could not imagine what on earth was
the matter with him, but presently |
caught a sound which scared me much
worse than it had done the lion. Far in
the distance | could hear dull, boom
ing roar, which had heard too often
not to recognize at once; we were near
ing waterfall.
had seen the great falls of the Fish
river more than once, and the bare
thought of being carried over those
tremendous precipices made my very
blood run cold. Yet being devoured by
lion would hardly be much of an i'm
provement, and as hadn't the ghost of
a chance being able to swim ashore,
there really seemed to be no other alter
native.
Faster and faster we went-'ouder 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 a moaning whine
every now and then. | was fairly at my
wits end what to do, when all of a sud-
den | caught sight of something that
gave me hope.
A little way ahead of us the river mar
rowed suddenly, and rocky headland