Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1888-10-25

round caught sight Of the spears Of
Wambe's Impi coming rapidly along uo'
more than mile behind US.
s'At first there was a panic, and the bearers
tried TO throw off their loads and run, Dut
harangued them, calling out to them tnat
would certainly shoot the first man who dio
So and that if they would but trust IN me
would bring them through the mess, NOW
ever since had killed those three elephants
single handed had gained great influence
over these men, and they listened to me- &c
/ Off we went as hard as ever we could go; the
members of the Alpine club would not have
been in it with US We made the powders
/ burn. as a Frenchman would say. when we
I had done about mic, the spears began 70
emerge from the belt OF scattered bush, ana
the whoop of their bearers as they viewed US
broke upon our ears. Quick as our pace had
been before, it grew much quicker now, for
terror lent wings to my gallant crew Bht
they were sprely tired, and the loads were
heavy, so that run, or rather climb, Us wo
would, Uambes soldiers, scru1by looking
lot of men with big spears, small shields, but
without plumes, climbed considerably faster.
The last mile Of that pleasing chase was MO
a fox hunt, we being the fox, AID always III
view. What nstonished me was the extlaoT-
binary endurance and activity shown b. NAL
wa. She never even tagged. | thinll that
girls muscles must have been made OF iroa
or perhaps it was the strength of her viii
that supported her. AT any rate she reached
the foot Of the peak second, poor Gobo, who
was an excellent hand at running away. be-
ing first.
presently came painting up, and glanced
at the ascent Before us was wall of rock
about one hundred and fifty feet in height,
upon which the strata was so laid as to form
"A series of projections sufficiently resembling
steps to make the ascent, comparatively
speaking, easy, except at one spot, where it
was necessary to climb over projecting
angle of cliff aud bear little TO the left It
was not really difficult place, but what
made it awkward was that Immediately be
meath this projection was deep assure or
donga, on the brink Of which we now stood,
originally dug out, no doubt, by the rush Of
water from the peak and cliff. This gulf
beneath would, at the critical point, be try
ing to the nerves Of a weak headed climber,
and so it proved in the result. After the
projecting angle was passed the remainder
of the ascent was very simple At the sum
init, however, the brow of the cliff hung
over, and was pierced by single narrow
path cut through it by water in such fashion
that single bowlder rolled into. it at the top
would make the cliff quite impossible TO peo-
pie without ropes.
"Wambe's soldiers were at this moment
about a thousand yards from us so it was
evident that we had no time 10 lose at
once ordered the men to commence the as
cent, the girl Maiwa, who was familiar with
the pass, going first TO show them the way.
Accordingly they began to mount with alac-
rity, pushing and lifting their loads in front
of them. When the first of them, led by
Maiwa, reached the projecting angle, they
put down their loads upon a ledge of rock
and clambered over. Once up, by going on
their stomachs on a bowlder they could reach
the loads which were held up TO them by the
men beneath, and in this way drag them up
over the awkward place, whence they were
easily carried TO the top. But all of this took
time, and meanwhile the soldiers were com.
ing up fast, screaming and brandishing their
big spears. They were now within about
four hundred yards, and several loads, to-
gether with all the tusks, had yet to he got
over the rock | was still standing at the
sSSNN@Aa
to the men above, but 1t occurred to me that
it would soon be time TO move Before doing
so, however, thought that it might be well
to try and produce moral effect upon the
advancing enemy. In my hand | held a
Winchester repeating carbine, but the dis
lance was too great for me to use it
With effect, so | turned to Gobo, who
was shivering with terror at my
side, and, handing him the carbine. I
took from him my express, The enemy was /
now about $50 yards away and the express
was only sighted to 800. Still knew that it /
could be trusted for the extra fifty yards. |
Running in front Of Wambe's soldiers were +
'Wo men-captains, | suppose-one of them |
'ery tall | put up the 800 yard dap. and. !
atting down with my back against the rock. /
drew long breath to steady myself and |
covered the tall man, giving him full sight. /
'eeling that | was ON him | pulled, and be. /
ore the sound Of the striking bullet could I
each my ears | saw the man throw no his
rms and pitch forward on to his head. His
ompanion stopped dead, giving me fair
nance. | rapidly covered him and fired the
eft barrel. He turned round once and then
ank down in a heap
rms caused the enemy TO hesitate; they
ad never seen men killed at such a distance I
efore, and thought that there was some
hing uneanny about the performance. TAX
ne advantage of the lull, gave the express
ack to Gobo, and, singing the Winchester
epeater over my back, | began to climb the
M. When we reached the projecting angle
Il the loads were over, but the tusks still
ad 10 be passed up and this, owing to their
weight and the smoothness of their surface.
ras very difficult task OF course l ought
have abandoned the tusks; often and often
ave since reproached myself for not doing
o Indeed, think that my obstinaev about
hem was downright sinful. but always was
ESTIMATE about things, and could not bear
be idea Of leaving those splendid tusks
7hich had cost me SO much pains and danger
come by. Wen, it nearly cost ne my life
$50, and did cost poor Gobo his, as viii
aortly be seen, to say nothing Of the loss in
icbed BY my rifle on the enemy When
cached the projection found that the men
ere trying, with their usual stupidity. to
and up the tusks point first Now the result
this was that those obove had nothing to
RIP except the round, polished surface Of
be ivory, and this, in the position in which
ley were, did not give sufficient hold to en-