The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1890-04-12

ARK COUNTY, NORTH
there the little creature lay-the huge
bullet had decapitated it. Considering
all the circumstances, do not think
have often made better shot than this,
but if any one doubts, let him try his
hand at rabbits head fifty yards away
with an elephant gun and a three-ounce
ball.
1picked up the petite in triumph and
returned to the camp. There we skinned
him and toasted him over the fire. He
just made a good meal for us, keeping
the hind legs for breakfast.
There was no moon that night, and 80
it CHANGED that when Isuddenly remem-
bered about the lion spoor, and suggested
that we had better tie up the horses quite
close to us, we could not find them,
though we knew that they were grazing
within fifty yards. This being so, we
could only make up the fire and take our
chance. Shortly afterwards I went to
sleep with little Tota in my arms. Sud-
denly was awakened by hearing that
peculiarly painful sound, the scream of
a horse, quite close to the fire, which
was still burning brightly. Next second
there came a noise of galloping hoofs,
and before I could even rise my poor
horse appeared in the ring of freight.
As in flash of lightning, saw his star
ing eyes and wide stretched nostrils, and
the broken rein with which he had been
knee haltered flying in the air. Also
saw something else, for on his back was
great dark form with glowing eyes,
and from the form came a growing
sound. 1t was lion.
The horse dashed on. He galloped
right through the fire, for which lie had
run in his terror, fortunately, however,
without treading on us, and vanished
into the night. We heard his hoofs for
hundred yards or more, then there was
silence, broken now and again by distant
growls. AS may be imagined, we did
not sleep any more that night, but waited
anxiously till two hours later the dawn
broke.
AS soon as there was sufficient light
we rose, and, leaving Tota still asleep,
crept cautiously in the direction in which
the horse had vanished. When we had
gono fifty yards or SO, we made out its
remains lying on the veldt, and caught
sight Of two great cat like forms sinking
away in the gray light.
To go any further was useless; we
knew all about it know, and we turned
to look for the other horse. But our cup
of misfortune was not yet full; it was
nowhere to be found. Soon we came
upon Its spoor, and then we saw what
had happened. Terrified by the sight
and smell of the lions, it had with a des-
perate effort also burst the rein with
which it had been knee haltered, and
galloped far away. For now we were
left alone in these vast solitudes without
a horse to carry us, and with child who
was not old enough to walk for more
than little way at time.
Well, it was no use giving In, so with
a few words we went back to our camp,
where found Tota crying because she
had woke to find herself alone, and ate a
little food. Then we prepared to start.
First we divided such articles as we must
take with us into two equal parts, reject
ing everything that we could possibly do
without. Then, by an afterthought, we
filled our water bottles, though at the time
was rather against doing 80, because
of the extra weight. But Indaba-zimbi
overruled me in the matter, fortunately
for all three of us. I settled to look
after Tota for the first march, and gave
the elephant gun to Indaba-zimbi. at
length all was ready, and we set out on
foot. By the help Of occasional lifts over
rough places, Tota managed to walk up
the slope on the hillside where I had shot
the Petite buck. At length we reached
it, and, looking at the country beyond,
gave an exclamation of dismay. To
say that it was desert would be saying
too much; it was more like the Barroo
in the Cape-a vast sandy waste, stud
ded here and there with low shrubs and
scattered rocks. But it was great ex-
panse of desolate land, stretching as far
as the eye could reach, and bordered far
away by line of purple hills, in the
center of which great solitary peak
scared high into the air.
"1ndaba-zilnbi," said, 1--WE can never
cross this if we take six days"
GAS you will, Macumazahn," he an
swered; "but tell you that there"-and
he pointed to the peak-"there the white
man lives. Turn which way you like
but if you turn you will perish"
reflected for moment. Our case
was, humanity speaking, almost hopeless.
1t mattered little which way we went.
We were alone, almost without food
with no means Of transport and child
to carry. AS well perish in the sandy
waste as on the rolling veldt or among
the trees of the hillside. Providence
alone could save us, and we must trust
to providence.
"Come on" said, lifting Tota on te
my back, for she was already tired
"All roads lead to rest"
How am I to describe the misery OF
the next four days? How am to tell
how we stumbled on through that awful
desert, almost without food, and quite
without water, for there were no streams,
and we saw no springs? We soon found
how the case was, and saved almost all
tho water in our bottles for the child.
To look back on it is like nightmare.
can scarcely bear to dwell on 1t. Day
after day, by turns carrying the child
through the heavy sand; night after
night lying down in the scrub, chewing
the leaves, and licking such dew as there
was from the scanty grass! Not spring,
not pool, not head of game! It was
the third night; we were nearly mad
with thirst. Tota was in a comatose
condition. Indaba-zimbi still had a lit
tie water in his bottle-perhaps wine
glassful. We moistened her lips and
our blackened tongues with it. Then
we gave the rest to the child. It revived
her. She awoke from her swoon to sink
into sleep.
See, the dawn was breaking. The hills
were not more than eight miles or SO
away now, and they were green.