The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1892-02-11
Continued from last Ueek.

Continued from last Ueek.
Barstow was sstounded to find thi
wilderness traversed by well construct
ed telegraph lines
"Cn the outset" said Capt Jim, 9Th
authorities had great trouble In pro
tecting the lines from destruction q
the hands Of the natives, but the happ,
thought came TO the engineer in ohasG
TO attach the wires TO several OF thes
native chiefs and TO let them feel tn
effect of a series of heavy electrics
shocks. After this there was no furthe
destruction of either poles or wires.
For days the trail lay through mag
nificent forests, the trees of which lit
ed their branches to the extrsordinar-
height of zoo feet, and although cominI
as Barstow did from the land of gigan
tic sequoias. he could not refrain from
admiring these grand specimens Of veg
etable growth. 0pe thing that attract
ed his attention was the complete alb
sence of underbrush In the vast forests
so that a wagon could be driven In any
direction, and there arose no necessity
for beaten or cleared ways. Heller
asked for an explanation of what she
termed the painted spots on the gun
trees.
What can you paint, madam" re
piled Capt. Jim, lis the natural color
The bark of these trees change in color
as the season advances or draws to an
end. Some of them, you perceive, arr
white, others pink, others red, and
with blue bands or variegated with vel.
low spotsr'
As the country grew more and more
arid, Capt. Jim was observed 10 be
making a close study Of the actions OF
the horned cattle harnessed to the
provision wagons. The wonderful in
stinct Of these animals enables them To
fix with great precision the direction
necessary to take in order to reach
water, and man has only to follow the
dumb brute to come upon the spring.
In other ways, too, the Instinct Of these
animals proves serviceabA TO the trav-
elers in the Australian bush, and Col.
Barstow and Helen, who were riding
together, were pot little surprised "a
see the leading team Of ozep CONE to q
sudden halt one morning. IN spite Of
the CRIES and lashines bf the drivers.
the animals refused 70 advance a step.
This Is not matter Of in-temper Of
unwillingness to do their work" said
Capt. Jim to Barstow, at the same time
calling out to the drivers to urge The
beasts no more. Either" continued
the scout, there are Indians concealed
in the bush near us, or else we have
struck one Of their Tails and the oxen
have caught the scent and refuse TO
move forward"
What is the cause of their dislike or
dread of the natives?" asked Helen.
Its something that is hard to ex-
plain" answered Capt Jim, "but II is a
fact nevertheless My opinion is that
the first oxen which were imported into
Australia were cruelty treated by the
Indians 70 such degree that an aver
sion to the natives has been transmitted
TO the descendants of these cattle. This
inherited recollection has become, in
fact, an instructive dread Of a natural
enemy"
Whether this conduct of the cattle
was. as the scout explained II, q case Of
transmitted aversion or not, the drivers
were absolutely unable, either by harsh
means or gentle, to induce Che startled
beasts to bulge from their tracks.
Under the direction of Capt. Jim the
drivers proceeded to pnhArness the
oxen, turn them with their backs TO
the trail and then by means of vigor-
GUS goading TO force them to 60 back
wards until they passed over the Indian
trail. after which they were again
hitched to the provision wagons and
the little caravan was allowed to ta<c
its own direction. As Capt. Jim had
predicted. IL was q northerly one, and
after few days longer march the
loud believing of the cattle and joyful
whinnying of the horses announced
the fact that their keen nostrils had
scented the presence of water, possibly
now four or five miles distant. The
scout was quite positive that IL would
such was the case. In less than two
ing and Capt. Jim called Barstow's at
tention TO a silver thread winding
through the valley below them. II
could only be seen when the rays Of the
morning sun fell upon It, but the scout
had got his bearings
Its the Macumber, Colonel, said he
musingly, as he sat with his glass TO his
eyes, and then raising his right hand
and pointing TO sugar-losf mountain
away off to the northwsrd, Its cleared
sides dimly visible in the morning haze,
he added, land that's waldeck Hill"
Helen Faircamp felt strange sensa-
ton about her heart as she caught these
words, and It seemed to her as II the air
had suddenly lost its power to satisfy
life fully, but ii was not fear. far from
it, for her cheeks Redeemed and she cried
out almost joyfully:
"Waldeck Hill, Captain2 Thank
heaven we are soon to come face to face
with these wretches."
A halt of several hours was made on
the banks of the Macumber in order
that the exhausted cattle and horses
might thoroughly refresh themselves.
Then the watchful scout, having re-
ceived the reports of his men whom he
kept constantly thrown out picket
gave the order to move. In
two days, at the very latest, the party
would reach wsldeck Hill. The first
day was absolutely uneventful The
road now lay across vast stretch Of
plain, level as the sea, whose srid sur
face now and then was split or rent
into cracks or assures of greater width.
The heat was excessive, apd the air
almost unbreathable from the clouds Of
fine dust which seemed to sift down
from the very sky. On the morning OF
the second day a dull, low Yumblipg
sound reached the trained ear Of the
scout, into whose hands Berstow bed
placed his own and snother'e life still
dearer 10 him. 49,