Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-12-06

Patierce-whate'er bcfaii:
-Rva p. Kitchell- in The Hcmemaker.
KLLEpBY WILD ELEPHANTS.
| A white Man who Once found Himself
Naked aad Destitute In Central Africa.
The cable announced last week that
MIR. Deane, one of the agents of the
| Congo Free State. had been killed in
An elephant charge while out hunting,
SAYS the New York Sum This gentle
man was in command of the Stanley
Falls station when it was attacked two
! years ago next month by the Arabs.
| On his retreat from that station he had
one of the most thrilling experiences
that ever befell white man in Africa.
ton had been almost entirely exhaust
ed, and the greater part of his force
had skurried down the river. leaving
| him to his fate. In the darkness Of
that night Deane and his comrade,
Dubois, with three or four Haussa
soldiers, stole away from Stanley Falls
and noiselessly made their way west
ward along the river bank. 1t was
not long before Dubois. slipping upon
a stone at the waters edge, fell into
the rapid current and was drowned.
Deane was left alone with his few
black comrades. and the prospect that
| they would escape was very slight.
They pushed on all night, but in the
| intense darkness they were able to
maze their way only a few miles
| through the thick underground
! Thoroughly tired out they stopped at
] daylight for a short rest. The rain
| which had been falling all night
| ceased, and Deane took off his drench-
ed garments to partially dry them.
While his clothes were hanging on the
bushes shouts were suddenly heard q
few hundred feet behind the little party
The Arabs had discovered their retreat
and were in hot pursuit. They were
SO near that Deane could hear the
grass rattle as the enemy sprang
through it, rapidly following the mud
dy tracks OF the fugitives. Deane
had just time to throw his clothes over
his arm and start at full speed through
the bush, followed by his Haussa at
tendants. They could hear the shouts
of the Arabs, who were on their trails
for hours. and every nerve was strain
ed to distance the pursuers. At last
the noises behind them grew fainter,
and by noon it was evident that the
enemy had grown weary of the chase.
Then the hunted little party stopped
for a breathing spell.
1t was a woebegOne and almost hope
less band of fugItiyes. In the mad
race.for life every Haussa had lost his
gun, and not a weapon of any sort was
left in the party. One by one Deane
dropped his garments, and he had
nothing left except a small military
cape, which he drew over his should
ers. In the midst of an African Jungle
he had not the slightest protection for
his bleeding feet, and even if he had
saved his boots, he would not have
dared to put them on, for the tracks
would have instantly revealed to any
proving Arab or hostile native that a
white man was in the neighborhoOd.
A cannIbal tribe, with whom Deane
himself had had serious fight, lined
the river below. and he dared not ap-
peal to them for succor. He was
about three hundred miles from the
nearest white station at Bangala. All
that could be done was to struggle
down the river, through the dense bush
and forests, several miles inland, avoid
ing all the tribes, except one or two
that were known to be friendly, and
living on whatever they could pick up
that would afford nutriment
For four weeks this white castaway
in Central Africa, almost naked, and
| weak with hunger and fatigue, wan
dered through the solitudes of the coun-
try. The nights were cold, but the
only covering the fugitives had was
dried leaves. which they heaped over
| themselves as they lag down On the
! bare earth under the trees. They found
many wild grapes and some other
| fruits Of the forest, but these alone
| would not give them strength to keep
mp the hard march. An occasional
! monkey or bird would have been a
delightful addition to their food sup
/ plies, but without guns they could not
obtain game Of any sort. They did
| what anyone else would do when fight
| ing against starvation. Many African
tribes esteem fried ants as great deli
| cacy. Whenever our fugitives came
| To prosperous colony Of ants they
laid in supply. Then many cater
/ pillars crossed their path, and these
| treasures were carefully slowed away
| in a cartridge box. At dinner time
| the party wonld built q fire. roast the
! ants and caterpillar. and disguise
| these solid viands as much as possible
with mouthfuls of grapes and other
fruits. 1t WAS Anything but palAtable
| food. but it kept life IN their h~.. h~.
| though the poor feil0D- -
F! weak that they oca-.S -
| or four -r.:' sdio uasea cAiJ 80
/ -..es a day.
AT last they came to the Bakumu