Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-11-07

the Arabs continued to blaze away, we then
hanging right above the camp, Mazam
opened the safety valve with the remark:
Lets show them that two can play at
this game. We don't want to kill, but let's
give them good scare"
AS we dropped down we began firing
over the edge of the basket down among
the focks, and in two minutes there was
a rumpus which set us both laughing
The entire village made rush and aban-
doned everything. Some of the men leaped
upon their horses and galloped away, while
others fled on foot, and women and chill
dren ran for a grove near by and reached it
to throw themselves PROSTATE on the earth.
For an hour we hung above the place as if
anchored there, and then gentle current
carried us to the northward into the prov
ince of Muscat. About mid afternoon
while sailing along thousand feet above
the earth at slow rate, we came to an
open country which seemed to be destitute
of human life, and Mazam announced that
we would descend and replenish our stock
of water and see what was to be seem
After the anchor had trailed along the
ground for a hundred yards it caught in
the limbs of PROSTATE tree, and we soon
hauled our craft down and secured her
We were within ten rods of small water
course, and while I was filling our keg
Mazam shot couple of fat birds, and we
built a fire and cooked and ate them on
the spot. We then gave the balloon care
full inspection, and were considerably cast
down at the result of our Investigations.
1t was full of folds and wrinkles, and after
we had thrown out the regular ballast left,
which was not above ten pounds, articles
of value of necessity would have to follow
to keep the balloon above the earth. There
was not a breath of air stirring below and
by watching the clouds we saw that the
set Of the upper current was toward the
sea. It was therefore deemed best to wait
more favorable hour, but the afternoon
wore away and no change came. At dusk
breeze did come, but it would have sent
us off to sea, and it was decided to make a
night of it where we were.
At dusk we entered the basket and let 90
our line until we were hundred feet above
the earth, and then prepared for a quiet
night. But darkness had hardly come be-
fore we heard the roaring of lions, and there
was such chipping of insects that one
could hardly make his voice heard without
shouting. AS we had seen no people about
we did not think it necessary to keep a
watch, and both went to sleep about the
same time. At midnight Mazam shook me
and whispered in my ear:
Come, now, but here is sight worth
seeing. Be careful to make no noise''
AS looked over the basket he pointed
to the west. There, on the open ground,
made almost as light as day by the rising
moon, was large male lion. Then he
pointed to the east, and turned my eyes
that way to discover another. Taking our
balloon as a CENTER each animal was about
five rods away and facing each other.
"They were roaring at each other for
fifteen minutes before l woke you," whis-
pered Mazam. SIT was challenge to COM
bat, and now you will see some fun"
The animals approached each other as
you have seen two dogs, each carefully
lifting his paws and setting them down,
but they did not diminish the distance over
a rod before both stopped and stood as if
cut from stone. The only signs of life
were the low growls of defiance. By and
by one turned to the right as if to half
circle the other. This was met by a coun-
ter movement. Then he turned to the
left, and was countered again. Then he
backed off and the other advanced Then
he advanced and the other backed off. The
play had been going on in this fashion for
at least twenty minutes when the one to
the east of us made a rush SO swift and
sudden that we could not follow him. The
beasts grappled and rolled over and over,
making tremendous fuss, but after two
CT three minutes of this one of them turned
tail and ran away, hotly pursued by the
victor.
The remainder Of the night passed with
out incident. and as daylight came breeze
from the north came with it. After cold
bite we lifted our anchor and were off; but
now we found that after every pound of
the regular ballast had gone overheard we
were not above rifle shot from the earth.
And we had scarcely begun to move before
we found ourselves above long drawn out
caravan or moving village. which had just
taken up its line of march Perhaps all
kew our craft to be balloon; perhaps
they believed it to be some great bird At
any rate they began firing at us, and the
very first bullet struck the basket. 1t was
an open country, and such men as were
"Now, then," said Mazam, as the bullets
continued to sing about us, Hoyerboard
with that key of water, all extra clothing,
and will do some shooting for MYSELF
He seized rife and fired at horseman
almost under us, and then exchanged for
the other-and fired at another, and by this
time we were in the clouds and driving
away at a much faster pace. Inside of an
hour the balloon began to approach the
earth again, and as we were driving toward
Mirbat we threw over our overcoats, the
,o-1~1
upw eyd and drove ahead for about fifteen
miles. and then descended until we were
no more than 500 feet above the ground.
To maintain this distance we had to throw
over the two rifles, and twenty minutes
later we dropped into field of maize just
Outside OF Mirbat.-New York Sun.
A True Story of q Dog.
People living uptown in the neighbor-
hood of Sixth and Oxford streets, Phil
adelphia, often see droves Of sheep driven
through the streets. One man with his
droves has for an assistant only a shepherd
dog, who is expert in his way. The man
is fond of stopping and tells the dog, by a
wave of his hand, to mind the sheep while
he is absent.
Recently gentleman timed the shep-
herd. He was in the house thirty-fve min
utes The dog marshaled the sheep close
together right at the corner, near where
bis master entered a door, and then lay
down to rest, but was on the alert for any
movement among the sheep.
He kept them packed closely together,
and If one moved out Of the line he rose
and with few barks soon had the sheep
back in place. He would run around the