Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1884-05-21
A Terrible Journey.


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On the morning OF the second day we
had difficulty ID collecting porlers, those
Of the preceding day having absconded.
and Others were recruited from distant
villages bY the native escort. who en.
Jo,ed the excu sc OF hunting porters. as
it gave them an opportunity OF foragine
throughout the neighborhood. During
this lime we had 10 wait until the sur
vas high. We thus lost the cool hours
Of morulng, and it increased our IA
tigue. Having at length started. we ar
rived III the afternoon at the Kafoor
river, at a bend from the south, where
1t was necessary to cross over 10 our
westerly course. Tho stream was 10
the cenlre of a marsh, aud although
deep, it was 30 covered with thicklJ-
matted water-grass aud other aquatic
plants that a natural floating bridge
vas established By carpet OF weeds
about two feet .hick. Upon this wav-
ing and unsteady surface the men ran
quickly across, sinking merely to the
ankles, although beneath the tough
vegetation there was deep water.
1t was equally impossible 10 ride or
to be carried over this treacherous sur.
face thus 1 led the way and begged
Mrs. Baker 10 folloy me on foot as
quickly as possible precisely IN my
track. The river was about eighty
yards wide. and I had scarcely COM
pleted a fourth of the distance and
looked back to see if my wife followed
close 10 nae, when l was horliiied to
see her standing in one spot and sink
ing gradually through the weeds, while
her face was distorted and perfectly
purple. Almost as soon as | perceived
her she fell as though shot dead. In
an instant l was by her side, and with
the assistance Of eight or ten of my
men, who were fortunately close TO
me, l dragged her like a corpse through
the Yielding vegetation, aud up 10 our
waists we scrambled across to the other
side, just keeping her head above The
water. To have carried her would
have been impossible, as We should all
have sunk together through the weeds.
| Lard her under tree and blthed her
head aud lace with water, as for the
moment | thought she had tainted; but
she lay perfectly iusensible, as though
dead.
Many Of the poriers had gone on
ahead with the baggage. and 1 started
of man in haste to recall an angarep
upon which to carry her, and also for
bag with a change of clothes, as we
had dragged her through the river. II
was 10 vain hat | rubbed her heart aud
the black woman rubbed her feet TO
restore animation. At length the litter
came, and after changing her clothes
she was carried mournfully forward as
eorp-e. Constantly We had to hall
and support her bead as painful rat
lllny in the throat betokened suhoca
ton. AT length we reached village
and halted Tor the night. | laid ber
carefully in a miserable hut and watcht d
beside her. l opened her clinched
teeth with a small wooden wedge aud
inserted a wet rag, upon which | drop
bed water 10 moIsten her tong1e'
which was dry as fur. The unfeelin4
brute that composed the native escort
we're yelling and dancing as though all
we're well, and l ordered their chief al
once 10 return with them 10 hamrasl,
as would travel with them no longer.
AT first they refused to return, unll al
length | vowed would fire into them
should they accompany US OIL the iol'
loving morning. Day broke, aud II
was relief TO have got ria OF the
brutal escort. They had departed and
I had nov my own men anl the guides
supplied by Klnrasi. There was
no,hiny to eat in this spot. NY wife
had n { yer stirred since she fill by the
COUP de soleil, and merely resplred
about Eve times a minute. It was i'm
nossibIe 10 remain. The people would
have starved. She was laid gently
upon her litter, and we started forward
ON our funeral course. was i'll and
brok en- hearted, aud l followed by her
side through the long days march over
Wild park.lands and streams, with thick
forests and deer, marsny bottoms, over
undulating hills, and through valleys OF
tall' papyrus rushes, which, as we
brushed through them on our melan-
cboly way, waved over the litter Ike
lie black plunes OF hearse.
We halted at village, aud again the
night was passed IN watching. was
wet aud coated with mud from the
ssampy marsh, and sbiyeled with
atue; but the cold Within was greater
than all. No change had taken place
she had never moved. had plenty
of fat, aud made four balls OF about
half pound each OF which would burt
tor three hours. A piece OF broken
water Jar formed lamp. several piece
of rag serving Tor wicks. 81 10 solitude
the still, calm night passed away as
| sa. by her side aud watched. In lh'
drawn and distorted features tina. lay
| before me | could hardly trace th'
same face that Tor years had been my
comfort through all The difficulties aud
dangers OF my path. Was she to die
| Was so terrible a sacrifice TO be tue re-
| sult of my selfish exlle5
j Aoain the niOht nassed away, Ono,