The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-06-06

Inc 10lloWln$ tnflA2pg narrative Is
taken iron Sir Salaael W. Bakers &C.
count of his traHels in search of the
Nile sources, published in the latest vol
ume of the iSanddrd Library, London,
under the title: I'm the Heart of At
RIGA" Mr.. Baker was accompanied
throughout by his wife, and at the point
wEere this narrative begins the party
were but a few days journey from the
source of the Nile:
On the morning of the second day we
had difficulty in collecting porters,
those of the previous day having alb
seconded; and others were recruited
from distant villages by the native es-
cort, who enjoyed the excuse of hunt
ting for porters, as it gave them an op-
portunity of foraging throughout the
neighborhood. During this time we
had to wait until the sun was high; we
thus lost the cool hours of morning, and
it increased our fatigue. Having ut
length started. we arrived in the after
noon at the kafoor River, at q bend
from the south where it was necessary
to cross over In our westerly course
The stream was in the center of a
marsh. and, although deep, it was so
covered with thickly-matted water
grass and other aquatic plants that a
natural oating-bridge was established
by carpet Of weeds about two feet
thick. Upon this waving 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 to ride or
to be carried over this treacherous sur
face; thus l led the way, and begged
Mrs. Baker to follow me on foot as
quickly as possible. precisely in my
track. The river was about eighty
yards wide, and 1 had scarcely COM
looked back TO see il my wife followed
close to me, when l was Mortified to see
her standing in one spot and sinking
gradually Through the weeds, while her
face was distorted and perfectly purple.
Almost rs soon as I perceived her she
fell as though shot dead. In an instant
Twas by her side. and with the assist
ance of eight or ten of my men, who
were fortunately close to me, l dragged
her like a corpse through the yielding
vegetation; and up to our waists we
scrambled across to the other side, Just
keeping her head above the water. To
have carried her would have been i'm
possible, as we should all have sunk to-
gether through the weeds. 1 laid her
under tree and bathed her head and
face with water. as for the moment
thought she had tainted; but she lay
perfectly insensiblc. as though dead,
with teeth and hands firmly clinched,
and her ewes open but fixed. 1t was s
coup dc soIeii-a suh-stroke. -. ---
Many of the porters had gone on
ahead with the baggage, and 1. started
off a man in haste to recall an angarep
upon which to carry her and also for 8
bag with change of clothes, as we had
dragged her through the river. 1t wss
in vain that i rubbed her heart and the
black women rubbed her feet to restore
animation At length the litter came,
and after changing her clothes she was
carried mournfully forward as corpse.
Constantly as we had to halt and sup.
port her head a painful rattling in the
throat betokened suffocation. At length
we reached village and halted for the
night. -
l laid her carefully in miserable hut,
and watched beside her. | opened heI
ciinched teeth with a small wooden
wedge and inserted wet RAG, upon
which / dropped water to moisten hel
tongue, which was rs dry as fur The
unteeling brutes that composed the
native escort were yelling and dancing
as though all were well. and | ordered
their chief to at once return with them
to Kamrasi, as Iwould travel with them
no longer. At first they refused TO re-
+ turn, until at length l vowed that
would fire into them. Day broke, and
it was a relief to have got rid of the
brutal escort. They had departed. and
1 had now INV own men and the guide,
supplied by Kamrasi.- ,nei5.
There was nothing to eat in this spot
My wife had never stirred since she fell
by the coup de soleit, and merely re.
spired about Eve times in q minute Il
was impossible TO remain; the people
would have starved. She was laid gent.
~ upon her litter, and we started for.
ward upon our funereal course. iva:
i'll and aroken-hearted, and l followed
by her side through the long DAYS
march over wild park lands and streams,
with thick forest and deep. marshy bot
toms, over undulating hills and through
the valleys Of tall papyrus rushes,
which. as we brushed Through them o.
our melancholy way. waved over Tho
Litter like the hl:ck plumss e hsar.e.
We haitsl q . vHsge md sgnia q