The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1890-10-10


pened. Terrified by the sight and smell
of the lions, it had with q desperate eff
fort also burst the rein with which it had
been knee-hsltered and galloped far
away. For now we were left alone in
these vast solitudes without horse to
carry us, and with child who was not
old enough to walk more than a little
way at time.
Well, 1t was no use giving in, so, with
few words, we went back to our camp,
where found Tota crying because she
had woke to find herself alone, and ate
little food. Then we prepared to start
First, we divided such articles as we
must take with US into two equal parts,
rejecting every thing that We could pos
sibly do without. Then, by an after
thought, we filed our water-bottles,
though at the time was rather against
doing so because of the extra weight.
But Indaba-zimbi overruled me in the
matter, fortunately for all three of US.
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 l 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, studded
here and there with low shrubs and
scattered rocks. But it was o 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.
"Indaba-zimbi,' said, 1--WE can never
cross this If we take six days" a.,
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 a moment. Our case
was, humanity speaking, almost hopeless.
It 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 to
my back, for she was already tired. "An
roads lead to rest"
Bow am to describe the misery of the
next four days? How am l to tell how
We stumbled on through that awful des-
ert, almost without food, and quite with
out water, for there were no streams,
and we saw no springs? We soon found
how the case was, and saved almost all
the water in our bottles for the child.
To look back on It is like nightmare.
/ can scarcely bear to dwell on it. Day
after day, By turns carrying the child
night lying down in the scrub. chewing
the leaves and licking such dew as there
was from the scanty grass! Not a spring,
not pool, not head of camel It was
the third night; We were nearly mad
with thirst. Tota was in a comatose
condition. Indaba-zimbi still had lit
tie water in his perhaps wine
glassful. We moistened her lips and
our blackened tongues with it Then
We gave the rest to the child. 1t revived
her. She awoke from her swoon to sink
into sleep.
See, the dawn was breaking. The
hills were not more than eight miles OF
so away now, and they were green
There must be water there.
Come" / said.
Indsbs-zimbi lifted Tota into the
kind of sling that we had made out of
the blanket IN which to carry her on
our backs, and We staggered on for an
hour through the sand. She woke cry.
ing for water, and, alas! we had none to
give her; our tongues were hanging
from our lips, we could scarcely speak.
We rested awhile. and Tota merci-
fully swooned away. Then Indaba-
zimbi took her. Though he was so
thin the old mans strength was won
derful.
TO BE CONTINUED.