The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1890-09-12

TO the sky, 81 feel myself getting into
bad habits again. So last night just
threw up the bones and worked out
about your journey, and can tell you
this, that IL you don't take me you will
die, and, what is more, you will lose one
who is dearer to you than life. So just
because yos gave me that hint couple
Of years ago. I made up my mind to
come with you"
''Don't talk STUFF to me-" l said.
"Ah, very well, Macumazahn, very
well; but what happened to my own peo-
pie six months ago, and what did tell
the messengers would happen7 They
drove me away, and they are gone. If
you drive me away you will soon be
gone, too" and he nodded his white
lock at me and smiled.
Now, I was not more superstitious
than other people, but somehow old In
daba-zimbi impressed me. Also knew
his extraordinary influence over every
class ofnative, and bethought me that he
might be useful in that way.
"All right" 1 said, 81 appoint you
witch-fnder to the expedition without
pay"
First serve, then ask for wages" he
answered. 81 am glad to see that you
have enough Imagination not to be alto
gether fool, like most white men,
Macumazahn. Yes, yes, it is want of
Imagination that makes people fools;
they won't believe what they can't
understand. You can't understand my
prophecies any more than the fool at
the kraal could understand that 1 was
his master with the lightning. Well, it
is time to trek, but if l were you, Ma
cumazahn, should take one wagon, not
two
"Why?" 1 said.
Because you will lose your wagons,
and it is better to lose one than two"
''Oh, nonsense!" L said.
Gail right, Macumazahn, live and
learn" And without another word he
walked to the foremost wagon, put his
bundle into it and climbed into the
front seat.
So having bid an affectionate adieu to
my white friends, including the old
Scotchman who got drunk in honor of
the event, and quoted Burns till the
tears ran down his face. at length /
started and travelled slowly northward.
For the first three weeks nothing very
particular befell me. Such Kaffirs as
we came in contact with were friendly,
and game literally swarmed. Nobody
living in those parts of South Africa
nowadays can have the remotest idea of
what the veldt was like even thirty
years ago. Often and often have crept
sbivering on to my wagon-box just as
the sun rose and looked out. At first
one would see nothing but a vast field
of white mist suffused towards the east
by a tremulous golden glow, through
which the tops of stony koppies stood up
like gigantic beacons. Through the
dense mist would come strange sounds
snorts, gruntings, bellows and the thun-
der of countless hoofs. Presently this
great curtain would grow thinner, then
it would melt, as the smoke from pipe
melts into the air, and for miles on
miles the wide, rolling country inter
spersed with bush opened to the view.
But it was not tenantless as it is now,
be literally black with game. Here to
the right might be a herd of wilder
beeste that could not number less than
five thousand. Some were grazing,
some gamboled, whisking their white
tails into the air, while all around the
old bulls stood upon hillocks sniff
fng suspiciously at the breeze. There
in front, thousand yards away, though
to the Impractical eye they looked much
closer because of the dazzling ciearness
of the atmosphere, was a great herd of
springbok trekking along in single file
All! they have come to the wagon track
and do not like the look of it. What
will they do? Go back? Not bit of it.
1t is nearly thirty feet wide, but that is
nothing to springbok. See, the first of
them bounds into the air like ball.
How beautifully the sunshine CLEANS
upon his golden hide. He has cleared
it, and the others come after him in
numberless succession, all except the
,fawns, who can not jump so far, and
have to scamper over the doubtful pavh
with terrified bah. What is that yon-
der, moving over the tops of the mimosa
in the little dell at the foot of the kop-
pie? Girsffes, by Georgel three of them;
there will be marrow-boncs for supper
tonight. Hark! the ground shakes be-
hind US, and over the brow of the rise
rush vast L.rd of blesbock. On they
come at full gallop, their long heads
held low - they look like SO m..hy
bearded goats. 1 thought so. Behind
them is pack of wild dogs, their fur
draggled, their tongues lolling. They
are in full cry; the giraffes hear them
like ship in heavy sea. No marrow
bones after all. See! the foremost dogs
are close on q buck. He has galloped
far and is outworn. One springs at his
flank and misses him. The buck gives
a kind of grosn, looks wildly round and
sees the wagon. He seems to hesitate
moment, then in his despair rushes up
to it and falls exhausted among the
oxen. The dogs pull up some thirty
PAGES away, painting and snarling. Now,
boy, the gun-no, not the rife; the shot
gun loaded with loopers.
Bangi bang! There, my friends, two
of you will never hunt buck again. No,
don't touch the buck, for he has come to
us for shelter, and he shall have it.
All, how beautiful is nature before
man comes to spoil it.
Such sight as this have seen many
a hundred times, and I hope TO see it
again before l die.
The first real adventure that befell me
on this particular journey was with ele-
plants, which 1 will relate because of
its curious termination. just before we
crossed the Orange river We came to