Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-04-06
CHAPTER XIV.
A ROUGH JOURNEY.

: CHAPTER XIV.
A ROUGH JOURNEY.
The four grays were fresh horses, In good
condition and With light load behind them,
@, notwithstanding the bad condition OF the
tracks which they call roads in South Africa,
John made coed progress.
By IL O'Clock that day he had reached
Standcrton, q lttle town upon tho Vnal, not
far from which ho was destined, had he but
knowci.., to meet with a sufficiently striking
experience. Here ho obtained Confirmation
of the Bronker's Spruit di.aster, and listened
treachery and wholesale massacre which was,
as he said, without Q parallel In the annals Of
civilized war.
At Standerton John was again warned
that it would DO impossible for him to make
his WY through the Beers ct Heidelberg, q
town about sixty miles from Pretoria, where
the Triumvirate. Kruger, Pretorius and
Joubert. had proclaimed the republic But
he answered as before, that he must 20 on
till he was stopped, and, inspanning his
horses, set forward again, o little comforted
by the news that tho bishop OF Pretoria, who
was hurrying up to rejoin his family, had
passed through few hours before, also in
tent upon running the blockade. and that if
he drove fast he might overtake him.
On he went, hour after hour, over the great
deserted plain, but he did not succeed in
catching up to the bishop. About forty miles
from Standerton ho saw o wagon standing
by tho roadside, and halted to see if he could
get any information from its driver But on
investigation it became clear that the wagon
had been looted Of the provisions and goods
with which it was loaded and tho oxen driven
off. Nor was this tho only evidence Of VIC
lence. Across the disselboom Of the wagon,
the hands still clasping o long bamboo whip,
as though he had been trying to defend him
self with it, lay the dead body Of the native
driver. His face, John noticed, was so COM
posed and peaceful that, had it not been for
the attitude and neat little blue hole in the
forehead, you might have thought he was
asleep and not dead.
At sunset John outspanned his now flag
ging horses by tho roadside, and gave them
each q couple Of bundles of forage from tho
store that be had brought with him. While
they were eating 1t, leaving Mouu to keep
an eye to them, he went some way of and
sat down on big ant heap to think. 1t was
. wild and melancholy scene that stretched
svay before and Behind Tim. Anles- upon
H2es Of plain, rolling east and west and north
and south, like the pillows of . frozen sea,
only broken, far along the Heidelberg road,
by some hills, known As Roof Koppies.
Nor was this all. Overhead was blazing
and burning one Of those remarkable
sunsets which ono sometimes sees in
summer in Africa The sky was full Of lower.
ing clouds, and the sullen orb Of tho settina
sun had stained them perfectly blood rcd.
Blood red they doated through tho ominous
sky, and blood red their shadows lay upon the
grass. Even the air seemed red It looked
- though earth and heaven had boon STEPPED
In blood: and fresh a. John was from the
sight Of the dead driver, his ears yet tingling
with the tale Of Brokers Sprrlit, it is not to
be wondered Ut that the suggestive sight op-
pressed him seated in that lonely waste, with
no company except that melancholy "kakara-
kakara" Of an old black koran hidden away
somewhere In tho grass. He was not much
given to that sort Of thing, but he did begin
70 wonder whether this was tho last Journey
Of al the many he had made during the past
twenty years, and il Boer bullet was about
to solve the mystery Of life and death for
him.
By the time that the horses had done their
forage and Mouti had forced tho bits into
their reluctant mouths, tho angry splendor Of
the sunset had faded, and the quiet night was
falling over the glowing veldt like pail "a
one scarce dead. There was, fortunately for
the travellers, bright half moon, and by its
Light John managed to direct the cart over
many . weary mile. On he went for hour
after hour, keeping his tired horses to the col
lar - best he could, till at last, about II
O'Clock, hs nw tho lights Of Heidelberg be.
fore him, and know that the question of
whether or not his journey was at an end
would speedily be decided for him. However.
there was nothing for it but to 60 ON and take
his chance Of clipping through. Presently he
crossed little stream, and made out tho
shape Of . cart just ahead, around which men
and . couple Of lanterns were moving. No
doubt, he thought to himself, 1t was the
bishop, who had been stopped by the Beers.
He was quite close to the cart when Il moved
On, and In another second he was greeted by
the rough challenge Of q sentry, and caught
sight Of the cold CLEAN Of q ri6o barrel
"Wis DAT" who's thcreD
"Friendl" be answered, cheerfully, though
feeling far from cheerful
There was pause, during which tho sentry
called to another man, who came up yawn-
ing. and aying something IN Dutch. Strain
ing his ears he caught tho words, ~Bishops
man" and this gave him an idea
"Who are you. Englishmanr asksd the
sscond man, grunly, holding up . lantern to
hook ct John, and speaking in English.
Il am the bishops chaplain, sir" he an
swersd, mildly, trying desperately to look
like IN uno6ending clergyman, "and want
70 Ct on 70 Pretoria with him"
The man with the lantern inspected him
clossly. Fortunately be had on dark coat
and clerical looking black felt hat; the Same
that Frank Muller had put bulles through.
He is q preacher fast enough" said the ono
man to the other. "Look, he is dressed like
IN old crowl What did 'Om' Krugers pass
ny, Jani Was it two carts or ono that We
wore to let through think that It was
one."
The other man scratched his head.
II think It was two" he said. He did not
like to confess to his comrade that he could
not read. mo, / am sure that it was two"
~Perhaps we had better send up to ON
Kruger and askf" suggested tho first man.
~Om Kruger will be In bed, and he puts up
his quilts like . porcupine II one wakes him, "
was the answer.
Then let US keep the id preaching Eng
lishman till Tomorrow
pray let M 70 On, gentlemen," mid John,
still In his mildsst voice. II am wanted to
preach ths word ct Pretoria, and 70 watch
By The wounded and dying" a.
<1ET~
~