The Progress., 1892-11-26


from the lot, and in the course of ball
an hour we had our full hundred safely
Gagged. We had 'eln all On shipboard be-
fore there was any trouble.
Ny plan was to cross the China sea
and run up the Gulf OF Siam and secure
( other curiOs;ties, but it was necessary
/ that we refill some Of our water casks
Half mile to the cast Of the glado
where we lad captured the balloons wa8
fine spring, and went ashore about
o'clock in the afternoon to see if the
casks coald be rolled up TO it from the
beach and back again. The spring buG-
bled rp from the base OF rocky ledge,
and as drank at this spring one day /
had noticed the mouth Cf cave about
twelve feet from the ground
Ny going ashore was on the day fol
lowing our raid. Our captured animals
were all sulky and quiet, and we had
heard nothing from those on shore,
though they were generally very noisy
throughout the day. l took with me a
German cavalry carbine and revolver,
and as the beat left Inc on the beach it
returned to tic ship for the first Of the
casks. 1t was about 800 feet Up to the
spring, and by clearing out few small
trees l saw that the casks could be
rolled both ways. l was ca my way
back from the spring when l heard a
sudden rush through the forest, aud
next moment great mob of baboons |
were be, ween me and the beach. They |
had gathered without noise, and there |
were hundreds of them. I was nos |
alarmed until saw that they did not in
tend to give way.
As | moved forward they stood their |
ground and assumed belligerent atti-
tUdes. There was 10 screaming and |
chattering, and this made the case more
menacinS. Il seemed as if they had
planned to have it out with me before
the ship had been alarmed. I moved to
the left, but they headed me off. ]
moved to the right. and they headed me
again. The brig was anchored three
quarters OF q mile away, and at this
time the boat was alongside OF her.
They might hear lie il I shouted, but
would not 90 able to make out my
was growing fercer every moment, and
as they crowded forward / had TO move
back. Ny peril was just as great as if
they had been that number Of wolves.
While l thought it very likely that
they had heard the sound Of a gun be-
fore, / speedily realized that l must open
on them and take the chances of fright
ening them off. They had forced me
back almost to the spring when l lifted
my carbine and fired seven bullets into
them as fast as 1 could pull trigger.
The big bullets created great havoc. and
the heavy reports frightened the animals
for moment, but it was plain enough !
that was to be attacked within a short ]
time. They were on three sides of lie !
as backed up TO tho ledge, and now
they We're growing, shrieking and chat
tering in way to create an awful din. !
1t was when rock fell from the tor {
Of the ledge and struck within three '
feet OF. me that l looked up and saw the I
mouth of the cave again. l believed ! {
could reach it if left alone for anothe, {
minute, and so | out with my revolver c
and emptied its bullets into the mob and
hen made dash for the cave. threw Z
ny revolver down as l fired the last shot. c
Ind did not know that my carbine was q
hanging over my shoulder by its strap '
lntii was in the cave. 1t was scarcely q
cave, but a hollow caused by the
'reaking away of piece of the ledge. L
The space thus created was not muen t
arger than hogshead, but the roof t
the opening like an awning f
'ver window. The balloons were after o
ne in a moment. But for the carbine ! C
hould have been utterly defenseless. o
While had no more cartridges for it | a
ould use it to poke and strike with. b
l had scarcely got turned around be. a
ore the agile animals were swarrninc f.
p the ledge by the hundred. and now t.
hey meant business. Kneeling dow. =
nd using the carbine as a club be .,
eve broke fifty heads before my as. Il
ailants gave over the attempt to cap u
ure Inc by rush. When they discov. .
red that was too many for fba,,, h., =,