The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-05-06
A TERRIBLE JOURNEY.
Horrors or Afrscaw Exploration-S'orv OF
Death aud Despair.
THE Heart Of Affica-Sir Samuel Baker,

and others were recruited from distant
villages nv the native escort, who enjoyed
the excuse OF hunting porters. as II gave
them an opportunity OF ioraging through
out the neighborhood. During this
time we had 10 wait until the sun
was high. We thus lost the cool hours
Of morning, and !: increased our Ia
tigue, Having at length started. we ar
rived in the afternoon at the kafoor river,
al a bend from the south. where II was
necessary TO cross over In our westerly
course. The stream was in the centre OF a
marsh, and, although deep, IL was so cover
ed with thickly-matted water-grasS ana
other aquatic plants that natural uoatlng
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 vege-
tation there was deep water.
II was equally impossible to ride or TO
be carried over this treacherous surface ;
thus 1 led the way and begged Mrs. Baker
10 follow me on foot as quickly as possible,
precisely in my track. The river was
about eighty yards wide, and had scarcely
completed fourth OF the distance and
looked back TO see II my wife followed
her standing In one spot and sinking
gradually through the weeds. while her
face was distorted and perfectly pur-
ple. Almost as soon as | perceived
her she fell as though shot dead.
In an instant 1 was by her side. and
with the assistance OF eight or ten of my
men. who were fortunately close 10 me, |
dragged her like a corpse through the
Welding 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 impossible, AZ
we should all have sunk together through
the weeds. | laid her under tree and
batbed her head and face with water,
as for the moment / thought she had
tainted; but she lay perfectly nsenSble, as
though dead.
MANY OF the pOrtcrs had gone on ahead
with the baggage. and | started off man
i'm haste 10 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. 1t was in vain that
rubbed her heart and the black woman
rubbed her feet 10 restore animation. At
length the litter came, and after changing
her clothes she was carried mournfully for
ward as q corpse. Constantly we had to
halt and support her head as painful rat
Ting in the throat betOkened suilo-
cation. At length we reached VIII
lsge and halted for the night. laid
her carefully in miserable hut and
watched beside her. opened her clinched
teeth with a small wooden wedge and in
serted wet rag. upon which | dropped
water to moisten her tongue, which was
dry rs fur. The unfeeling bruteS that
composed the native escort were yelling
and dancing as though all were well, and
ordered their chief at once to return with
them to Kamrasi, as ! would travel with
them no longer. AT first they refused to
return, until at length | vowed | would
fire into them should they accompany us
on the following morning. Day broke,
and ii was relief TO have got rid
OF the brutal escort. They had depart
ed and l had now my own men and the
guides supplied by kamraSi. There was
nothing TO eat in this spot. My wife had
never stirred since she fell by the coup de
Solea. and merely respIred about five times
a minute. II was impossible to 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 broken-hearted, and followed by her
side through the long DAYS march over
wild park-lands and streams. with thick
forests and deep, marshy bottoms, over I'M
dulating hills, and through valleys OF tall
papyrus rushes, which, as we brushed
through them on our melancholy way,
waved over the litter hike the black pumes
Of hearse.
We halted at village, and again the
night was passed i'm watching. | was wet
,.,.tt L..
marsh, and shivered with ague; but the
cold within was greater than all. No
change had taken place-she had never
moved. | had plenty OF fat, and / made
four balls OF about half a pound, each Of
which would burn for three hours. A
piece OF broken water-iar formed Iamp,
several pieces OF rag serving for wickS.
So in solitude the still, calm night passed
away as / sat by her side and watched. In
the drawn and distorted features that lay
before me | could hardly trace the same
face that for wears had been my comfort
through all the difficulties and dangers of
my path. Was she 10 die? Was so terri
BILE a sacrifice TO be the result of my selfish
exileS
Again the night passed away. Once
more the march. Though weak and i'll,
=
sleep, felt no fatigue, but mechanically
followed by the side of the litter as though
in dream. The same wild country diver
sified with marsh and forest Again we
haulted. The night came, and sat by her
side in miserable hut, with the feeble
lamp flickering while she lay as i'm death.
She had never moved muscle since she
fell. My people slept. was alone, and
no sound broke the stiffness OF the night.
The ears ached al the utter silence till the
sudden wild cry OF hyena made me shud-
der as the horrible thought rushed through
my brain that should she be buried in this
lonely spot the byena would disturb her
rest.
The morning was not far distant; il was
past 4 O'Clock. | had passed the night in
replacing wet cloths upon her head and
moistening her lips as she Law apparently
liieless on her litter. could do nothing
more. In solitude and abiect misery in
that dark hour, in country OF savage
heather, thousands OF miles away from
Christian land, L beseeched IN aid
above all human, trusting alone 10 Him.
The morning broke; my lamp had lust
burned out, and, cramped with the
nights watching, rose from my low seat,
and seeing that she lay in the same unal-
tered state, went to the door Of the hut
to breathe one gasp OF fresh morning air.
/ was watching the first red streak that
heralded the rising sun, when was start
led by the words, "Thank God" family |
uttered behind me. Suddenly she had |
awoke from her torpor, and with u heart |
overlooking went to her bedside. Her
eyes were full Of madness! She smoke.
but the BRAN was gone!
will not lndIct description OF the ter
fible trial OF seven days OF brain-feyer.
with Its attendant horrors. The ram
poured IN torrents, and day after day we