Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-07-01
A THRILLING ADVENTURE.
A Peculiar Flight from Black Ants
AstOnished Cinnamon and Malays.
n. Y. Mail and Express.

". i. Nhil anu ExpresS.
A few years ago was second Office
of the good ship Sea Queen. and a
the time the following incident oc
Cured we were lying at Labuan, al
island about thirteen miles long ant
from three to five broad Off the north
east coast of Borneo. One Sunda,
morning Ned Wells THE third officer
and i resolved to walk to Victoria
small, and, indeed, the only regula
settlement on the island, composed o
"a few Scotch engineers and mechan
les, the superintendent of the mine.
and 200 Chinese who work them
Reports varied as to our distance
from Victoria, whether eight, ten, OF
twelve miles. All agreed that there
was only half-beaten foot-track
though dense jungle. So, prepared
Tor good tramp, we started at $50 q.
III. though such wonderful luxuriance
of tropical growth rs can be seen no
where in greater profusion than in
Borneo, where the vegetation Is most
diversified, from dense underground
OF ferns and creepers to the gigantic
trees OF the forest, towering aloft
from loo to 400 feet, often rising more
than 100 feet before the symmetry of
their outline is broken by IA branch.
! We pushed on for about two hours
and a half, making slow progress, for
the track was nothing more than an
Indian trail, and so overgrown that it
vas difficult to keep it, even for me,
who had had some experience in the
backwoods OF Canada and Australia.
About l o'clock we came to a natu-
raj clearing about two hundred feet
across, covered with u beautiful growth
of grass, and nearly across its center
lay huge fallen tree-the roots were
away in the jungle beyond the clearing
and the head was lost in the under
growth on the other side, so one can
imagine the size ofthe fallen monarch.
Feeling hot and rather tired, we con-
cluded to rest here; so lighting our
| pipes we climbed upon the huge trunk
and began to look around and admire
the birds with their brilliant plumage
and the hundreds of lizards and hum
ming-birds to be seen in every direc.
ton. Our quiet enjoyment was sud-
denly disturbed by Ned, who, giving
"A scream like wild Indian, slipped
oil the tree, and while holding his
calf exclaimed: "I've been bitten, -
l was off in u second looking for snakes
ana after few moments of unpleasant
conf ectures, we found we had been
trespassing on the right of way of
some large black ants who had probs-
bly, long been undisturbed in their oc.
cupancy OF the tree. Their bite, though
irritating, is not dangerous; so re.
assured, but our ardOr perhaps some.
what cooled, we decided to give IN
Victoria and find our way back again,
and while thinking of the scramble
before us bright idea struck me.
why, Ned, we can walk back on
the track; the mines must be some
where near here.n
After taking our bearings by the
sun as well as the trees would allow
and after half an hours pushing and
cutting through the mass of oreepers
ana underwood, with an uncomiort-
able sensation of possible snakes ali
the Time, We came out on the track
cutting through the forest lust wide
enough Tor the narrow tracks side nv
side, the whole being on grade. the
loaded cats going down pulling the
empty ones up. We We're not far from
the mouth OF the pit, consequently
about two miles from the dock: how.
ever, sure now OF our way, we trudyed
along contentedly, when / CHANGED To
see small construction truck living
overturned by the side of the track
l 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"
III was the work of n moment tn
turn the truck over on to the rails. II
was only IA small platform about six
ny four, mounted on wheels 10 carry |
rails or sleepers, with TO railing ar |
sides of any kind. and We soon found |
hhother more serious deficiency. Our
momentum increasing each moment |
oy we ibrce OF gravity, We were soon |
spinning along and / said: med. I
guess We had better put on the brake
WIEN 70 our dismay we found this
most important accessory had beer,
broken on, which probably accounted
,or the truck being where we found il.
suggested that we had better iump
III whiie We could with safety. but
Neu, who was wild, dar e. devil sort of
Ieiiow, said: "Oh, hang IL, let her run.
we are all right as long AS she Keeps
me track. The short time occupied
ny THESE few remarks had seriously in
,reased our ~ eed, faster aud faster we
Jew crouchlng on our knees, holding
IN 70 the front platform, our has
for the monkeysl left far
'ehlnd the wind whistling past us as
We smiled grim and CHASTITY smile
y each other, and like Mr.. Micawber
vailed Tor something TO turn up.
Stlll iaster. till We flew like an ex.
'ress train, aud our carriage being 40
lght, rock ed from, aida 10 .2aa 80 ~