Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-01-08

jaw, full of tseth, blackened by the betel
nut.
Now there were but four-,u armed.
however, with rites.
Whether their erdoY was damped or
not, Eonsdale could not tell; but after
time their voices ceased in his rear aud,
on listening intently, he could hesr moth
ing OF their footsteps; and surprising
they had abandoned the pursuit and quite
unconscious that they had made detour
and were Fastening to cut him of in
front, he proceeded more leisurely. After
obtaining with intense satisfaction
glimpse OF the broad and blue Iraweddy
some miles distant, he continued to fol
low the path resolutely downward from
the rocks aEd preeipices into fat and
level district. covered with sand, Jungle
and the inevitable gigantic Wild grass.
he had seen the Irawaddy but without
Vestige OF smoke from any passing
steamer.
All trace ct the path was lost now, but
guided BY the sun, now verging westward
beyond the forests ON the other side of
the great river, he continued to push on
in the direction where he knew the latter
lay.
Noon was long since past now, and
LOnsdsle believed that he was now safe
from immediate pursuit. But the Dacoits
had never quite lost sight Of him; and
thus, just as the red flush of the farewell
sun was deepening and crimsonlug the
face Of the bluffs from which he had de-
scended, and when he found himself
among grass that was fully ten feet high,
shot was fred at him from the front
and came perilousiy near.
There was an impossibility of seeing
the man VINO had delivered it. Lonsdale
drew out his revolver, and though he but
detected the thin blue smoke of the mus
ket cuIliug up amid the greenery, he ared
in that direction at venture, when s
shrill yell OF agony and violent moving
OF the tall reedy grass to and fro, told
him that the shot had not been thrown
away.
Another report rang out on the air, but
further of and from different quarter,
snd second bullet, though almost fred
at random, passed go near Lonsdale's
right cheek that it grazad, yet did not
break, the skin, and he felt as if the latter
had been scorched or scared BY hot
iron.
Finding all quiet, after this, and that he
was no more mnlested. be Law very still
for hou 8 yet listening inssntly for any
passing or approaching sound, and heard
nothing save the hum CT insect.life among
tt e ng grass where he was compelled TO
psss the night.
During the hours Of the latter heavy
dew fell and well-nigh drenched him; and
this, ultimately, proved perhaps the
worst enemy he encountered.
Cold and damp, and chilled to the
bone, he set wsrily forth again In the
morning, guided only bv the direction of
the rising sun. Ga leaving the long grass
behind and getting into the open, sharply
and keenly he surveyed the ground on
every side, but no human being was
visible.
He felt intense thirst, but no hunger;
he felt also tremor in his limbs, a SEN
sation OF clamorous fear about his heart,
and giddineSs-unplease symptoms
while, like one in dream, he pushed on
resolutely, but vaguely, towards the
river, at place, where tor about two
miles inland from it, the whole district,
though deserted, WAS studded
with pagodas Of every shape and size, and
with images of Gusdsms, composed of
OF Amaropura-the "City OF lmmortals"
-equalled Only By the finest in Italy, and
thus monopoliz d by the government. for
ef1gies in temples.
All shout him were crumbling shrines
and neglected lotus tanks; thus it was
almost impossible to move step without
tresding upon, o encountering something
deemed sacred there.
7;
fantastic dream to Lonsdsle just then.
Then he passed near few cottages
having roofs Of grass thatch, 9 le ends
Ct teak plank, with the otheS walls of
mating Or woven bamboos, >heir fire.
places wooded boxes lined with clay
placed in the verapdehs, from the roof of
one OF which ne saw an empty child's
cradle suspended by cords.
The plsce had been abandoned by the
people, AMI tlen looted and partly burned
by the Dacoi:s, whose lawless hands were
against all men like the Thugs and
Plndarees Of Iadia in past times; and
now before him he saw the broad waters
OF the magnificent Irswsddy, rolling in
all their msjesty, some two miles in
breadth from bank to bank, but not
vestige OF our fl 1tiila.
For all he knew, it might have left the
waters forever.
He glanced about him now with kind
OF dumb despair, for ell his toll and peril
had been faced in vain, and he felt weak,
weary and crushed by all the fierce excite
ment and tension Of the nerves he had
undergone for so lone-for the last few
days especially.
Mar the deserted hamlet he saw three
native boats, which doubtless belonged to
the inhabi,snts, moored near rude
jetty of stones and bamboo poles.
Selecting the smallest of these he got
on bosr6, after pulling cut the plug Of
the other two, inst by scuttling them
they would not be available for pursuit;
and slashing through tue rope painter
by Que cut of the dan, he showed CT.
The craft was one OF these grscefuf
Burmese boats, that can only sail With !
the wind. owing to being withodtl any'
keel, and they usually carry oness qgsfe
sail. and when the wind fails 4hsV9sre
poled along the bank. He confffred to
set the sail, which was Of tough
mating, took the tiller, and speedily Wa
out in the mid-streem, ard went geqAy
southwark with the current and 4he
morning breeze, with only one idee that
the nearer he was to Rapgoon the better,
but at that point he was fully 800 miles
above Rsngoon.
Becoming too weary to steer, ne dashed
the rudder IN such q manner IS to keep
the sail full; and hours sitter that he was
reused from species of wekiug dozs by
the welcome sounds OF steam blowing &,
and then of more than one voice hailing