The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1894-02-01
A SAILORS ESCAPE.
The Remarkable Adventure Of q
Frenchman in Africa.

When Africa was first opened to ad-
venturous explorers, 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. On
learning that the crew were not in a
condition to either work the vessel or
properly defend themselves, body of
hostile natives, one dark night, made
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 thick
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 him
to realization of the fact that his
condition might be no better where he
was than when surrounded by the muir
derous natives, and he stopped and
81. fa,x,
ers his mother had taught him when
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 that 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, trembling from his late fright
and at the 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 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 it close up
before his eyes, nor had he seen
single object since leaving the bank of
the river He turned and retraced his
Z, l,a ~,
ground. and then threw himself down
in despair, almost wishing he had re-
manned and shared the fate of his COM
panions. He was very tired, the night
was warm, his ag onizing sense of mis-
cry brought on stupor, and he soon
fell asleep.
When he awoke it was broad day, the
san was at least an hour high, and yet
the 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-
Cured 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 beholding 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-
naming where he was, and he started
on, going southwark only because he
thought it 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, 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 on
the opposite bank, and saw the head
of a 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 foundering
on the bank, wild, plaintive cry
tror' the antelope, and the coils of
hus 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
bt -.utiful 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 a little distance, as if 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
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