Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-02-08
A SAILORS ESCAPE.
The Remarkable Adventure of a
Frenchman in Africa.

When Africa was FIRST opened to ad
venturous explorers, q 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 a majority of the
crew were Frustrated with the fever OF
that region, which so often proves de.
structive to unacclimated persons Or
learning that the crew were not in a
condition to either work the vessel or
properly defend themselves, a body OF
hostile natives, one dark night, made u
sudden attack, and succeeded IN cap
turing the ship and numbering all but
one sailor, named Jarvene, who escaped
by Jumping into the river and swim
ming ashore.
Crawling up the muddy bank, and
finding himself on the edge Of u thic,
jungle, Jarvene, anxious to preserve
his life, and not knowing better what
to do, at once plunged into the vegeta.
BILE 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 hin.
TO q realization of the fact that h,s
condition might be no better where h,
was than when surrounded by the muir
derous natives, and he stopped ano
shuddered, and said over the few pray.
ers his mother had taught him when l.
child The lion roared again, much
nearer than before; and soon after, he
heard a heavy rustling in the thiclict
before him, and fell down on his knees
believing that his last hour had come
The beast, whatever it was, Cnmc
crashing toward him through the jun
gle, and finally passed within n 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, trembling from his late fright
and at the thought OF the awful pcrils
that surrounded him. lie had not gone
much further before he found his feet
sinking In mud and water, and knew
himself on the borders Of marsh that
might engulf him should he advance
The foliage overhead was so thick and
dense that daylight would only have
come dimly into this fearful place, and,
being night, he could see nothing, not
even his hand when he held IL close up
before his eyes, nor had he seen Il
single object since leaving the bank OF
the river. lie turned and retraccl his
| a L., 4
ground, and then threw himself down
in despair, almost wishing lie had re-
NAMED and shared the fate of his c nm
panions lie was very tired, the nj TIT
was warm, his az onizing sense o. mis-
cry brought on u stupor, and he soon
fell asleep.
When he awolse II %as broad day. the
sun was at least an hour high, AMI YET
the light under the thick canopy OF
leaves was like the dusk OF evening.
lie started up, somewhat bewiidercd,
but soon remembered all that had oc-
CURED, and looked around him with Il
feeling of terror linked with despair.
lie was in an A rican jungle, surround.
ed by enemies of all kinds, thousands
of miles from home, his friends all
|
ever again beholding the abodes of
civilized man. lie had no food with
him and no weapon but n sheath-iinifc.
lie might starve in tho 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-
naming where he was, and he started
on, going southwark only because he
thought H. the nearest way to the 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, oversbadOwed
by trees; and, hastily constructing a cup
of leaves, he cat down ON the bank u
rest and refresh himself with the liquid
element.
lie had just done drinklng, 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 on
the oppos to bank, and saw the head
OF beautiful blue antelope peep tim
idly through the leafy covering and
reach down 10 the water. The next
moment something descended swiftly,
with a crash, through the leaves and
bushes, Us it might be the limb of a
tree; there were a tern iac laundering
on the bank, wild, plaintive cry
from the antelope, and the coils of a
huge serpent, as 1t 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.
fectly clear Of underbrush, and the
ground Of which was covered with
flowers of every color and form, look.
ing, at little distance, as II n magnif-
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 for 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 filled with