Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-07-09
WILD RIDE,

W IllD ltlD1Ji
A few years ago | was second OIL
Ger of the good ship Sea Queen, and
at tht time the following incident oc-
Cured we were lying at Labuan, an
island about thirteen miles long and
from three to five broad, Off the north
east coast of Borneo. One Sunday
morning Ned Wells (the third officer J
and | resolved to walk to Victoria, a
small and, indeed, the only regular set
tlement on the is and, C imposed of a
few Scotch eng neers and mechanics,
the superintendent of the mines and
200 Chinese, who worked them. Re-
ports varied as to our distance from
Victoria, whether eight, ten or twelve
miles. All agreed that there was only
a hall-beatel foot-track through the
dense jungle SO, prepared for good
tramp, we started at $50 A. NJ. through
such wonderful luXuriance of tropical
growth as can be seen nowhere in
greater profuSion than in Bornco
where the vegetation is most diversi-
fled, from dense underground of
ferns and creepers to the gigantic trees
of the forest, towering aloft from 10
to 200 feet, often rising more than 100
feet before the symmetry OF their out
line is broken by a branch. We pushed
on for about two hours and a half,
max ng $ oW progress, for the track
was nothing more than an Indian
trail, and so overgrown that it was
difficult to keep it, even for me, who
had had some ex erience in the back
woods of Canada and Australia.
About | o'clock we came toa natu-
raj clearing about 200 feet acros +,
covered with beautiful growth of
grass, and nearly across its center lay
huge fallen tree-the roots were
away in the jungle beyond the clear
ing, and the head was lost in the un-
dergrowth on he other side, SO one
can imagine the size Of the fallen mon
arch. Feeling hot and rather tired,
we concl ded to rest here, so lighting
our pipes, we climbed upon the huge
trunk and began to look arounl and
admire the birds with their brilliant
plumage, and the hundreds of lizards
and Lumming-birds to be seen in every
direction. Our quiet enjoyment was
suddenly disturbed by Ned, who giving
a scream like wild Indian, slipped
off the tree, and while holding his
calf, exclamed: ave been bitten" |
was off in second looking for snakes
and after few moments of unpleas-
ant con lectures, we found we had been
trcspassing on the right of way of
some large black ants, who had proba-
bly, long been undisturbed in their oc-
cupancy of the tree. Their bite,
though irritating, is not dangerous, 50
reassured, but our ardor perhaps some
what cooled, we decided to give up
Victoria, and find our way back again
and while thinking Of the scramble
before us a bright idea struck me.
"Why, Ned, we can walk back on
the track the mine must be some
where near here"
After taking our bearings by the
sun as well as the trees would allow,
and after half an hours pushing aud
cutting through the mass Of creeper,
and underwood, with an uncomforta
BILE sensation of possible snakes all the
time, we came out on the track, a cut
ting through the forest just W de
enough for the narrow tracks side by
side, the whole being on a grade, the
loaded cars going down pulling the
empty ones up. We were not far
from the mouth of the pit, consequent
ly about two miles from the dock, how
ever sure now of our way, we trudged
along contentedly, when | chanccd to
see small construction truck lying
overturned by the side of the track. |
said to Ned:
"Why should we walk when we can
ride? let us put the machine right side
up, and we'll spin along the whole way
in no time"
1t was the work of moment to
turn the truck over on to the rails, it
was only small platform about six
feet by four, mounted on wheels to
carry rails or 81 1epers, with no railing
or sides of any kind anl we soon
found another more serious deficiency.
Our momentum increasing each mo-
ment by the force of gravity, we were
soon spinning along, and said, "Ned,
] guess chad better put or the brake"
and to our dismay we found this most
accessory had Leen broken
off, which probably accounted for the