Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1888-11-01

= cMf'sM III n
"Their captain asked tchere us 'cere going.
party answered that he was conveying
Maiwa, Wambe's runaway wife, together
with the white hunter and his men, to b.
given up to Wambe, in accordance
with his command. The captain then
wanted to know why we were SC
many, TO which our spokesman replied
that | and my men were very desperate
fellows, and that it was feared that II we
were sent with a smaller escort we should
escape, and bring disgrace aud the wrath OF
Wambe upon their tribe Thereon this gen
tleman, the Matuku captain, began to amuse
himself at my expense, and mock me, saying
that Wambe would make me pay for the sol
diers that had killed He would put me in
the Thing that bites lin other words, the
lion trap-and leave me there 70 die Like a
iacl.al caught by the leg. | made no answer
to this, though my wrath was great, but pre-
tended 10 be frightened. Indeed, there was not
much pretense about it'll was frightened.
could not conceal from myself That it was
ours was a most hazardous enterprise and
that it was very possible that might make
acquaintance with that lion trap before !
was many dayso older. However, it was quite
impossible to desert poor Every IN his mis-
fortune, 50 had 70 so on, and trust % Frovi-
dence, as have 50 often had 10 do before
and since.
"And now fresh difficulty arose
Wambc's soldiers insisted upon accompany
ing us. and, what is more, did all they could
TO urge us forward as they were naturally
anxious TO get TO the chiefs place before
evening. But we, on the other hand, had
excellent reasons for not arriving till night
was closing in, since we relied upon the
gloom 10 cover our advance upon the koppie
which commanded the town. Finally they
got so importunate that we had to fatty re
fuse to move faster, alleging as a reason that
the girl was tired. They did not accept this
excuse in good part, and at one time
thought that we should have come TO blows,
for there is no love lost between Butianas
and Matukus. At last, however, either from
motives of policy or because they were so
evidently outnumbered, they gave in, and
suffered us to go our own pace. earnestly
wished that they would have added to the
obligation by going theirs, but this they alb
solutely declined to do. On the contrary,
they accompanied US every foot of the way,
keeping up a running fire Of illusions to the
Thing that bites that Jared upon my nerves
and discomposed my temper
about half past in the afternoon we
came TO neck or ridge of stony ground,
whence we could plainly see Wambe's town,
lying some six or seven miles away and 5000
feet beneath us The town is built in val
ley, with the exception of Wambe's own
kraal that is situated at the mouth of some
caves upon the slope of the opposing noun
tains, over which hoped to see our impis
spears come flashing in the morrow's light.
Even from where we stood it was easy to see
how strongly the place was fortified with
schanses and stone walls, and how difficult of
approach. Indeed, unless taken by surprise,
it seemed to me quite impregnable TO a force
operating without cannon, and even cannon
would not make much impression on rocks
and stony koppies filed with caves
Then came the descent of the pass, and an
arduous business it was, for the path-if it
may be called PATHWAYS almost entirely
composed of huge water worn powders, from
the one TO the other of which we bad to iurnp
like so many grasshoppers. it took us two
hours to get down; and travelling through
that burning sun, when at last we did reach
the bottom, /, for one, was pretty nearly
played out Shortly afterwards lust as il
was growing dark, we came to the first line
OF Notifications, which consisted of a triple
stone wall pierced by a gateway SO narrow
that man could hardly squeeze through it.
" passed this without question. being nc
companied by Wambe's soldiers Then came
a belt of land three hundred PAGES or more in
width, very rocky and broken and having
no huts upon it. 1t was in hollows in this
belt that the cattle were kraaled in case of
danger On the farther side were more for
titcations, and another small gateway shaped
like an inverted V, and Just bevond and
through it saw the kcppie we had planned
TO seize looming up against the line Of noun
tains behind As ! went whispered my sug-
gestions TO our captain, with the result that
at the second gateway he halted the caval-
rade, and, addressing the captain Of Wambe's
soldiers, said that we would wait till we re-
ceived Wambe's word to enter the town.
The other man said that that was well.
only he must hand over the prisoners TO be
aiken up to the chiefs kraal, for Wambe was
hungry to begin upon them and his heart
desired to see the white man at rest before he
'losed his eyes in sleeps and as for his wife.
surely be would welcome her Our leader
'eplied that he could not do this thing, be-
,ause his orders were to deliver the prisoners
o Wambe at Wambe's own kraal, and they
night not be broken. How could he be re
ponsible for the safety OF the prisoners if he
ct them out Of his handl No; they would
wait there till Wambe's word was brought.
TO this, aft,r some demur, the other man |
consented, and departed, remarking that he |
would soon be back. As he passed me he |
allied out, with a sheer, pointing, as be
lid, to the fading red in the western |
Ky: Look your last upon the light, white |
nan, for the Thing that bites lives in the |
lark
Next day il so happened that l shot this I
nan, and, do you know, think that he is |
bout the only human being who has come
to harm at my hands for whom do not feel
ineere sorrow and, in degree, remorse.