Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-01-22
THE STRANGE STORY Allan Quatermain'S Wife
BY R. RIDER IIAGGARD,

on to us I fired, with even mora deadly effect than before, for at that distance every slug told on their long line. The howls and screams of rage and fury were now something inconceivable. One might have thought we were doing battle with host of demons; indeed in that light-for the overhanging arch of rock made it very dark-the gnashing shouts and somber, glowing eyes of the apes looked like those of devils as they are represented by monkish fancy. But the last shot was too much for them; they withdrew, dragging some of their wounded with them, and thus gave us time to get our men up the cliff. In . few minutes all were there, and we ad- vanced down the passage, which pres- ently opened into 2 rocky gully with shelving sides. This gully had water way at the bottom of it; it was about hundred yards long, and the slopes on either side were topped by precipitous cliffs. I looked at these slopes; they literally swarmed with balloons, grunt- ing, barking, screaming and beating their breasts with their long arms in fury. looked up the waterway; along it, accompanied by mob, or, as 1t were, e guard of baboons, came Hendrika, her long hair flying, madness written on her face, and in her arms was the senseless form of little Tota.
 She saw us, and foam of rage burst from her lips. She screamed aloud. To me the sound was a mere articulate cry, bat the baboons clearly understood 1t, for they began to roll rocks down on to us. Ono powder leaped past mo and struck down Kaffir behind; another fell from the roof of the arch on to mans head and killed him. Indaba- zimbi lifted his gun to shoot Hendrika; l knocked it up, so that the shot went over her, crying that he would kill the child. Then I shouted to the men to open out and form Q line from side to side of the shelving gully. Furious at the loss of their two comrades, they obeyed me, and keeping in the water way myself, together with Indaba-zimbi and the other guns, gave the word to charge.
 Then the real battle began. It is difficult to say who fought the most fercely, the natives or the baboons. The Kaff1rs charged along the slopes, and as they came, encouraged by the screams of Hendrika, who rushed to and fro holding the wretohed Tota before her as 8 shield, the apes bounded at them in fury. Scores were killed by the assegais, and many more fell beneath our gun-shots; but still they camo on. Nor did we go scatheless. Occasionally . man would slip. or be pulled over in the grip of a baboon. Then the others would fling themselves upon him like dogs on rat and worry him to death. We lost five men in this way, and my self received bite through the fleshy part of the left arm, but fortunately a native near me assegaied the animal be- fore was pulled down.
 At length, and all of sudden, the baboons gave up. A panic seemed to seize them. Notwithstanding tho cries of Hendrika they thought no more of fight, but only of escape; some even did not attempt to get away from the as- segais of the Kaffirs, they simply hid their horrible faces in their paws, and, moaning piteously, waited to be slain.
 Hendrika saw that the battle was lost Dropping the child from her arms, she rushed straight at us, a very picture of horrible insanity. I lifted my gun, but could not bear to shoot After all she was but a mad thing, half ape, half woman. So I sprang to one side, and she landed full on Inda ba-zimbi, knock do any more. Wailing terribly, she rushed down the gully and through tho arch, followed by many of the surviving baboons, and vanished from our sight