The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1894-03-15


long, swelling roar seemed two-fold
more awe-inspiring as it came from the
neighborhood of great swamp near
our camp.
Yet, for all that, Frederick Parker,
the writer's companion, and IN old OK
perienced traveller in Africa, was coolly
preparing to roll himself in his blanket
and rubber cloth, after an injunction to
; me to do the same, leaving Ka1ab:;, our
young African guide, to stand the first
watch.
I mildly reminded Parker Of young
kalaba's falling asleep when we were
camping, after a hippopotamus hunt
during the week before, but Parker
only grumbled something unintelligible
and was asleep. Deciding not TO say
anything further, yet with the intention
of keeping an eye upon our young
African scamp, the writer settled him
self into half-sitting, half-reclining at
, titude near the fire.
kalaba threw some fresh wood upon
| the embers and took a seat upon the
! moss near by, looking for all the world
] like a small black imp in a pantomime,
as the fame lit up his bullet-lile head,
! covered with odd knots of kinky hair,
and, I might add, that Kalaba was a
| young imp in reality. Since had been
hunting with Parker my waterproof
! match safe had Disappeared; cartridges
/ had turned up missing, and tobacco
| had had a most marvellous way Of con-
| Stunning itself.
But cutting ones way through an
| African forest with a species of heavy
creese, is not the Hghtest days work
imaginable. I soon began to grow in
| different, even as TO allowing such an
unreliable young scamp as Kalaba to
be our sole watch, though a second
and a third black lion were setting up
| answering roars to those of the first.
'Surely Parker would not thought
tessly tempt Providence" argued; and
then a glance in Kalaba's direction as
sured me that that young gentleman
was making every effort to keep awake
and to do his duty-strangely as that
appeared.
The kings of the forest were quiet fol-
some moments, and wearied nature as,
serted her claim to rest.
Still, it seemed to me as though
had hardly closed my eyes when was
awakened by a wild Shrek, which
intuitively felt was that Of a human be
ing.
CHANGING quickly toward the spo1
where Kalaba had been sitting saw
that he had disappeared. Then there
came to us the crash of vines and un
derbrush, and a faint cry far off to the
north Of the camp.
Selling my rifle, started in the direc
ton of the sounds, but I was soo1
brought to a stand by the dense under
growth, and then I could hear Parke
calling for me to return.
"Well, you are a cool one" I re
marked to him, when he explained tina
pursuit was useless; and, what wa
| more, that it was likely to prove sui
cidal to us if we attempted to go ia
from our fire. Suppose that lion ha,
bounced on you or me instead of tina
young chap who has brought this horri
BILE fate upon himself by sleeping at hi
post?' I asked, with an involuntar
shudder.
The shock to me had been worse tina
that of having had fellow-sailor fun
from the topsan yard to certain deaf
: in the sea, even though had had n
especial love for the young nativ
, African. 49,. ........ ..-
!. "Nonsense," remarked Parker. "erl
sorry to have the boy lose his ife,7 h
!; added. But we ran no especial risk
i Then he explained that the Africa
: lion seemed to prefer young black {
\ a victim to a white man, of which pee
!; liarity I had never before heard, an
which had accounted for Parker's a
!, parently unusual confidence in your
:. Kalaba that night.
Nevertheless, he remarked that
would be well for us to keep a pref
:, sharp lookout during the remainder
:. the time before dawn; which, won
add, we did, and to the best of tt
ability Of at least one member Of o.
, little party.
: Language of Animals.
i During last fall, while hunting wi
t rifle for squirrels in the heavy limb
y, I have at different times noticed I'll
= both birds and mammals seem to ha