The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1893-05-06

PAaSe i.;cAeu OI FEVER. livery morning
as trai.:xed along dow; ly The Oliphans
river used to creep Ont of the wagon
at dawn and loo.; ont. But there waS
no river 10 BIZ sse.i--o.sly' long line OF
BELLOWS Of whit looked like the finest
cotton wool tossed mp lightly with @
pitchfor!z.
at was the fever mist. Out from
ss,iis :s- :sYfs.;, ts.1 t..s: ..::tt!le spiralo
OF yaror. as though there were hun.
drcds Ct tiny fires aiishti il i.--rcel. ris.
ing from tho .gands of tons Of rottsn,.
RECITATION. Il was q beautiful pisce,
Tut the beauty was the beauty Of death.
ind all those lines and Elots of vapor
wrote one great word across the sur-
face Of the country. and that word was
fever
II had treklzed from dawn till eleven
o'clocl-a long trels-but ! wanted to
get on, and then had the oxen turned
out to Craze, sending the vooTicoper to
look after them, meaning to inspan
again about six o'clock and trek with
the moon till ten. Then l got into the
wagon and had a good sleep till half
past two or so in the afternoon. when
got up and cooked some meat and had
my dinner, washing it down with pam
nikin of black collector it was diff
cult to get preserved milk in those days.
Just as had finished and the driver,
man called Tom, was washing up the
things, in comes tho young scoundrcl Of
voorlooper driving one OK before him.
"'Where are the other oxen? Iasked.
sKoos,' he said, 'koos (chief), the
other oxen have gone away. turned
my back for minute, and when
looked round again they were all gone
except Kaptein here, who was rubbing
his back against tree
"You mean that You have been asleep
and let them stray, you villain. Twill
rub your back against stick an
swercd, feeling very angry, for it was
not a pleasant prospect to be stuck up in
that fever trap for a week or so while we
were hunting for the oxen. OFF you go.
and you, too, Tom, and mind you don't
come back till you have found them.
They have trekked back along the Mid
delburg road and are dozen miles of
by now, I'll be bound. Now, no words.
Go, both Of youy
''Tom, the driver, swore aud caught
the lad hearty kick, which he richly
deserved, and then having tied old Kap-
tein up to the disselboom with REIN
they got their assegais and sticks and
started. would have gone, too, only
knew that somebody must look after tho
wagon, and l did not like to leave either
Of tho boys with it at night. Twas in
very bad temper indeed, although was
pretty well used to this sort of occur
renee, and soothed myself by taking
rife and going to kill something.
For couple Of hours poked about
without seeing anything that could get
q shot at, but ct last, just as was again
within seventy yards Of the wagon.
put up an old Impala ram from behind
Q mimosa thorn. He ran straight for
the wagon, and it was net till he was
passing within n few feet Of it that
could get decent shot at him. Then
pulled and caught him half way down
the spine. Over he went, dead as door
nail. and pretty shot it was, though
ought not to say 1t. This little incident
put me into rather better temper, e.
pecially as the buck had rolled over
right against the after part of the wag-
on, so ] had only to gut him, fix reim
round his legs and haul him up.
"By the time had done this the sum
was down and the full moon was up, aud
. beautiful moon it was. And then there
came down that wonderful hush that
sometimes falls over the African bush in
the early hours Of the night. No beast
was moving, and no bird called. Not .
breath OF air stirred the quiet trees, and
the shadows did mot even quiver: they
only grew. It was very oppressive and
very lonely. for there was not sign Of
the cattle or the boys. was quite
thankful for the society Of old Kaptein,
who was lying down contcntedly against
the disselboom, chewing the cud with .
good conscience.
Presently, however, Kaptein began
to get restless. First he snorted: then
he got up and snorted again. could
not make it out, so. like y fool. | got down
of the wagon box to have look round,
thinking it might be the lost oxen COM
ing.
sNext instant l regretted It. for all Of
, sudden heard an awful roar and saw
something yellow flash past me and light
on poor Kaptein. Then came . below
Of agony from the or and a crunch ~
the lion put his teeth through the poor
brute's neck, and began to realize what
had happened. My rifle was in the
wagon, and my first thought was to get
it, and turned and made bolt for 1t.