The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1890-11-28


way. They said that was all right, Il
Indaba-zimbi had ''smelt her out" they
should soon find the Star. So We
started cheerfully enough, and my spir
its were so much improved that was
able to eat boiled mealie cob or two as
we walked.
We went up the valley, following the
course of the stream for about mile
then Indaba-zimbi made a sudden turn
to the right, along another kloof, Of
which there were countless numbers in
the base Of the great hill.
On we went through kloof after kloof
Indaba-zimbi, who led US, was never al
loss; he turned up gullies and struck
across necks of hills with the certainty
of a hound on a hot scent. At length,
after about three hours march, we came
to a big, silent valley on the northern
slope of the great peak. On one side OF
this valley was series of stony koppies
We marched along the wall for dis.
lance of some two miles. Then sudden
ly Indaba-zimbi halted.
"There is the place." he said, point
ing to an opening in the cliff. This
opening was about forty feet from the
ground and ellipse-shaped. 1t could not
have been more that twenty feet high
by ten wide and was partially hidden
by ferns and bushes that grew about it
in the surface of the cliff. Keen as my
eyes were I doubt If / should ever have
noticed it, for there were many such
crags and crannies in the rocky face of
the great mountain.
We drew near and looked carefully at
the place. The first thing 1 noticed
was that the rock, which was not quite
perpendicular, had been worn by the
continual passage of balloons; the Sec
ond, that something white was hanging
on a bush near the top of the ascent.
1t was a pocket handkerchief.
Now there was no more doubt about
the matter. With a beating heart be-
gan the ascent. For the first twenty
feet it was comparatively easy, for the
rock shelved; the next ten feet was
very difficult, but still possible for an
active man, and achieved it, followed
by Indaba-zimbi. But the last twelve
or fifteen feet could only be scaled by
throwing a rope over the trunk of a
stunted tree which grew at the bottom
of the opening. This we accomplished
with some trouble and the rest was
easy. A foot or two above my head the
handkerchief fluttered in the wind.
Hanging to the rope, grasped it. 1t
was my wife's. AS l did so l noticed
the face of baboon peering at me over
the edge of the cleft, the first baboon
we had seen that morning. The brute
gave bark and vanished. Thrusting
the handkerchief into my breast, I set
my feet against the cliff and scrambled
up as hard as I could go. 1 knew that
we had no time to lose, for the baboon
would quickly alarm the others. /
gained the cleft. 1t was a mere arched
passage cut by water, ending in a
gully, which led to a wide open space
of some sort. 1 looked through the
passage and saw that the. gully was
black with balloons. On they came by
the hundreds. I unslung my elephant
gun from my shoulders and waited, call
ing to the men below to come up with
all possible speed. The brutes streamed
on down the gloomy gulf towards
me, barking, grunting and show
ing their huge teeth. I waited till
they were within fifteen yards. Then
fred the elephant gun, which was loaded
with slugs, right into the thick of them. In
that narrow place the report echoed like
) cannon shot, butts sound was quickly
swallowed in the volley of piercing
numan-sounding groans and screams
hat followed The charge of heavy
slugs had plowed through a number
If the balloons, of which at least a
iozen lay dead or dying in the passage.