The Wichita daily eagle., 1894-01-31
A SAILORS ESCAPE.
The Remarkable Adventure OF q
Frenchman In Africa

PenturouS explorers, a French vessel
Sailed up one of the African rivers that
empty into the Gulf of Guinea, to trade
with the natives; and while engaged in
this expedition the captain, first and
second mates and q majority OF the
crew were Prostrated with the fever OF
that region, which SO often proves de-
struetive to unacclimated persons. On
condition to either work the vessel or
properly defeud themselves, body OF
hostile natives, one dark night, made a
sudden attack. and succeeded in cap
curing the ship and mmdering all but
ens sailor, named Jarvene. who escaped
lby jumping into the, river and swim
Ming ashore.
Crawling up the muddy bank. and
finding himself ON the edge of thick
Jungle, JaTvene, anxious to preserve
his life. and not knowing better what
TO do. At onre plunged into the vegeta-
bio labyrinth, and hurried forward, he
knew not whittier. For hours he con-
tinued to work his way through the
tangled mass of leaves, vines, reeds
and bushes, thinking only of making
himself safe from the danger behind.
and giving no heed to the perils before
him.
The awful roar OF lion brought him
to realization OF tho fact that his
conditiom might be no better where he
was than when surrounded by the muir
derous natives. and he stopped and
shuddered, and said over the few pray
ers his mother had taught him when a
child The lion roared again, much
nearer than before; and soon after, he
heard heavy rustling in the thicket
before him, and fell down on his knees,
believing thet his last hour had come.
The beast, whatever it was, came
crashing toward him through the jun
gle, and finally passed within few
feet Of him. He knew it could not
have been the lion himself, for he
would not have made SO much noise.
Jarvene got up and went forward
again, bling from his late fright
and at tho thought of the awful perils
that surrounded him. He had not gone
much further before he found his feet
sinking in mud and water, and knew
himself on the borders of a marsh that
might engulf him should he advance.
The foliage overhead was SO thick and
dense that daylight would only have
como dimly into this fearful place, and,
being night, he could see nothing, not
even. his hand when he held it close up
before his eyes, nor had he seen a
single object since leaving the bank Of
the river. He turned and retraced his
steps till he found himself on hard
ground, and then threw himself down
in despair, almost wishing he had re-
mained and shared the fate of his COM
pAnions- He was very tired, the night
was warm, his ae onizing sense of mis-
cry brought on a stupor, and he soon
tell asleep.
When he awoke it was broad day, the
sun was at least an hour high, and yet
tho light under the thick canopy of
leaves was Like the dusk of evening.
He started up, somewhat bewildered,
but soon remembered all that had oc-
eurred, and looked around him with
feeling Of terror linked with despair
He was in an African jungle, surround
ed by enemies of all kinds, thousands
of miles from home, his friends all
dead. and with very little chance of
ever again behotding the abodes of
civilized man. He had no food with
him and no weapon but sheath-knife.
He might starve in the jungle, he
might be destroyed by serpents or wild
beasts, or he might escape these perils
, only to fall into the hands of robbers
or cannibalS
There was no use, however, in re-
manning where he was, and he started
on, going southwark only because he
thought it tho nearest way to tho sea
coast He avoided the marsh, and
walked some hours, still in the thick
jungle, when he became very hungry
and thirsty. At length he came TO a
small, narrow stream, overshadowed
by trees; and, hastily constructing cup
of leaves, he sat down on the bank to
rest and refresh himself with the liquid
element.
He had just done drinking, and was
sitting very still, concealed by the
rank vegetation which grew up all
around and spread all over him, when
he heard the bushes slightly rustic Oh
the opposite bank, and saw the head
of beautiful blue antelope peep tim
idly through the leafy covering and
reach down to the water. The next
moment something descended swiftly,
with crash, through the leaves and
bushes as it might be the limb of
tree; there were terrific fioundering
on the bank, a wild, plaintive cry
from the antelope, and the coils of
huge serpent. as it wound around and
crushed the poor little animal, met the |
horrible gaze of Jarvene, who bounded |
to his feet and rushed swiftly away.
Toward evening of that day the sailor |
got clear OF the jungle and entered a |
beautiful open wood, which was per-
feetly clear of underbrush, and the |
ground of which was covered with |
flowers of every color and form, look
ing, at little distance, as if magnifi- |
cent carpet was spread over it Here |
the trees were alive with birds as hand |
some AS the flowers; bright. glittering |
lizards were running up and down the |
trunks and out upon the limbs, and the |
air was filled with shining insects and |
butterflies of all sizes and hues.
At last as he still walked on, feeling /
faint Tor want Of food, he came to a |
cluster of plantain trees, which were
from fifteen to twenty feet high, with |
leaves six feet long. and filed with !
flowers and fruit, the rich and delicious
banana. He quickly ascended the
trunk OF one of these. but as be put his
hand over the FIRST limb 8 snake wris-
gled under it, which SO shocked and