The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-09-28
SOME ODD STORIES

SOM6 OOD . t0niES
gle with Baboons-The Band of Faith-
full Docs-PeriIs In the Dark Continent.
Fierce Creatures to Encounter.
[Copyright, 1898, by American Press Associa-
toni
When in South Africa last year, met
the hero of the struggle am about to de-
scribe, and my readers will agree with him
when he says that mot for all the dia-
monds taken from the Kim berley mines, nor
for all the gold in the bills of Mashonar
land, would repeat that experience"
Mr.. Nicholas Hurter, a powerful man Of
middle age and a famous South African
hunter, lives in the district of Somerset
East and within sight of the Vogel River
by four powerful dogs and armed with
pistols and a repeating rifle, he went into
the hills for few days sport.
On previous expeditions Mr.. Hurter had
frequently seen many large, manlike bab-
oons, but as they were not game and al
ways fed at MS approach ne never bothered
them nor ever dreamed that they would
bother him.
where he had often made camp before be-
cause of the abundance of fuel and the fine
spring near by, when he was surprised by
prolonged series Of half human cries that
seemed to come from the top of the precipi-
tous rock at the base of which he had
come TO halt.
The dogs at once set up avociferous bark
ing, and stepping back Mr.. Hurter saw
band Of at least 90 immense balloons clam
bering down the cliff with blood in their
eyes. It looked as if, tired of flying from
the white man, they had resolutely deter
mined to become the aggressors.
As the foremost of the fierce creatures
came to the level the dogs, unheeding the
call of their master, sprang at him, and as
the other balloons now began leaping down
from the rocks in way that would have
killed man Mr.. Hurter thought only OF
the danger to his dogs and started in to
save them. He fred into the group, and as
he was not 30 feet away he soon laid out
eight of the largest of the animals but in
doing SO he exhausted all the loads in his
magazine.
In that first onset, three of the dogs were
speedily killed, and the balloons crowded
about Mr.. Hurter SO that he had to club his
rifle to keep them away, and SO had no
time to load up again.
Fifty feet behind him was the Vogel
river, which at that point flowed through
canyon, the precipitous sides of which were
fully 1000 feet in depth Realizing his
danger from the balloons and giving no
thought to the canyon, he fell back with
his remaining dog till he stood on the edge
of the black, yawning chasm.
The animals, with increased cries Of
anger, followed him, and as he saw the
danger behind he was reminded of his pis-
tolls, for by this time the stock Of his rifle
was broken into splinters. Hastily draw
ing them, he fired into the mass of balloons,
which seemed to grow no smaller, though
he and the dogs had killed nine.
AT length the last shot was fired from the
pistols, and st that instant huge male ami
NAL that had been slightly wounded in the
shoulder leaped ON the dog and dragged
him to the edge of the precipice.
Mr.. Hurrer dubbed his pistols and was
running to help the last of his dogs, when
another baboon equally strong and fierce
attacked him from behind. This creature
seized the hunter by the leg with such
force as to bring his big white teeth togeth-
er near the thigh bone.
In moments of great danger and excite
ment, men do not feel sudden wound
With blow from his pistol and a quick
turn, Mr.. Hurter freed himself from the
animal, but the next instant it had leaped
upon his chest and was trying to seize his
throat in it's teeth.
Strangely enough. and fortunately for
the hunter, the balloons did not act in con-
cert. Had they done so the result would
have been different.
Mr.. Hurter never lost his presence of
mind. Dropping his pistols, he fastened
his powerful hands on the hairy throat of
the monster, whose fierce eyes were now
not a foot away from his own, but he soon
felt that, with only NATURES weapons to
help him, he was no match for his half hui
man antagonist.
He was being drawn to the edge of the
cliff when he bethought him of his knife,
and with quick movement of the right
hand he drew it from his belt and plunged
it into the baboon's face.
The creatures claws had torn his scalp
SO that he was nearly blood blinded, while
the drain from the wound in his thigh was
fast exhausting him.
He felt that the struggle could not con-
tinue much longer His clothes were torn
from his back, and with an. intelligence
that seemed human and a malignity pos
itively devilish the creature was forcing
him to the edge of the canyon.
At this juncture the remaining dog, hav-
ing succeeded in killing his assailant,
gprang to the rescue of his master. The
baboon, on being attacked in the rear, re-
leased his hold on the man and turned on
the dog.
The faithful dog, already weakened by
the loss of blood, was unable to cope with
the baboon, but he chung to him and drew
him closer to the precipice over which the
two soon fell.
At sight of this the other balloons made
off with cries of alarm, and the hunter sue
ceeded in reaching that night mining
camp. where he was kindly cared for. Il
Rather Sharp.
The belief in fortune tellers is as old as
human curiosity and the yearning to lift
The veil of the future, nor is the belief in