The Red Cloud chief., 1882-10-20
IN DOUBLE DANGER.


I've had many a queer voyage in my
time (said Captain M. but the
Guecrest ! ever had was one that | made
somewhat unexpectedly. rs You will
see) upon the Great Fish River. in South
Africa. on my way back from a huntin.
excursion.
As ! neared the bank I saw that the
river was in full flood. more than twice
its usual breadth. aud running like a
mill-race. j knew nj once that should
have a very tough job to get across-for
a flooded African river is no joke, l can
tel you. But | knew also that ms wife
would be terribly anxious il I didn't
come lack on the day that I had fixed
South Africa being a place where. a
good many things may happen To a man
and so ] determined to chxnce'it.
just at the waters edge I found an
old Bushman that I knew well, who had
a boat of his own. 90 l hailed him at
once:
"wcll. Kaloomi. what will you take
TO put me across the riyer?"
mo go fifty dollar this time. baas''
(master), said the old fellow. in his
half-Dutch, half English jargon. BOAT
no get cross to-day; water groed
~(great)r'
And never a bit could ! persuade him,
although I offered him money enough
to make any ordinary Eushman jump
head first down a precipicc. Money
was good. he said. but il 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
Ill just do the job for myself; I can't
very well take my horse with me 80 I'll
just leave him here in pledge that I'll
pay for the boat when l come back"
keep horse for you. master. quite
willing; but 'spose you try cross to-day
you ' come back to ask for him."
He spoke 20 positively that, though
I'm not easily frightened. 1 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 1 jumped into the boat and
showed of.
1 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 Q moment that
there was no hope of padding her
across. and that all l could do WAS just
to keep her head straight. But I hadn't
the chance of doing even that very
long. for justthen q big tree came driv-
ing along. and hitting my boat full on
the quarter, smashed her like an egg-
she'll | had just time to clutch The pro-
iccting roots and whisk myself up ON to
them. and then tree and / went AWAY
down stream together ut / don't know
how many miles an hour.
At first l was 80 rejoiced at escaping
just when all seemed over with me,
that l didn't think much of what was
to come next; but before long I got
something to think of with . ven
gcance. The tree. IS I've said. was .
large one. and the branch end 1.-THE OBJ
posite one to where l sat) was all one
. Of green leaves. All 1t once. Just
rs l was shifting myself to . safer place
among the roots. the leaves suddenly
shook and parted. and ont pecped the
great yellow head and fierce eyes of an
enormous lion!
l don't think I ever got such . fright
in my life. My gun had gone to the hot
tom along with the boat, and the only
weapon 1 had left was ashort hunting.
knife, which against such = beast a
that would be no more use than O.
bodkin. 1 fairly gave myself up for
~ making sure that In anQther ~
met Nd spring forwar
- -r