Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1884-07-19
WILD RIDE.

at the 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
and | resolved to walk to Victoria, a
small and. indeed. the only regular set
Element on the island, 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
half-beaten foot-track through the
dense jungle. So, prepared for a good
tramp, we started at $50 A. NJ. thr Jugh
such wonderful luxuriance of tropical
growth as can be seen nowaere in
greater profusion than in Borneo,
where the vegetation is most diversi-
fed, from dense underground of
ferns and creepers to the gigantic trees
Of the forest, towering aloft from $50
to 200 feet, often rising more than 100
feet before the symmetry OF their out
line is broken by branch. We pushed
on for about two hours and a half,
max ny 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 exf erience in the back
woods of Canada and Australia.
About o'clock we came to a natu-
raj clearing about 200 feet acros'.
covered with beautiful growth of
grass, and nearly across its center lay
ia huge fallen tree-the roots were
.way in the jungle beyond the clear
| inc, and the head was lost in the un-
dergrowth on he other side, so one
can imagine the size of the fallen mon
.rch. 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 AROUND and
admire the birds with their brilliant
plumage, and the hundreds of lizards
md Lumming- birds to be seen in every
direction. Our quiet enjoyment was
suddenly disturbed by Ned, who giving
a scream like a wild Indian. slipped
IF the tree, and while holding his
calf, exclaimed: 1--we been bitten
was off in a second looking for snakes
md after few moments of unpleas-
ant conjectures, we found we had been
respassing on the right of way of
some large black ants, who had proba-
bly, long been undisturbed in their oc-
cupancv of the tree. Their bite,
though irritating. is not dangerous, so
treasured, 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 bright idea struck me.
| why, Ned, we can walk back on
the track. the mine must be some
ehere near here"
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 creepers
and underwood, with an ancomforta
bic sensation of possible snakes all the
tine, we came out on the track, a cut
ling through the forest just VIDE
enough for the narrow tracks side by
side, the whole being on grade. the
loaded cars going down pulling the
empty ones up. We were not far
rom the mouth of the pit, consequent
about two miles from the dock, how
ever sure now of our way, we trudged
along contentedly, when CHANGED to
see small construction truck lying
overturned by the side of the track. I
said to Ned: