The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-06-05
"BRAVEST MAN."

discharges its waters into the Indian ocean
200 miles or so south of Zanzibar on the
east coast Of Africa.
Employed in my Office there was a fine
young fellow Of s, Harold Bceton by name,
who had come out with me from New
York and to whom l had become greatly
attached
Early in July, the least unpleasant
month of the ~ in that part of the world,
the youth, accompanied by hola and Ma
tn two Wagindo natives, went up the Iu-
wcgo by boat on q three days hunting
expedition, but with no intention Of stray
ing into the forests or jungles the river
itself afTording abundant sport in the way
of water fowl, croCodiles and even occa-
siuual hippopotami, one of which creatures
Harold had an especial ambition TO shoot.
After the three days and two more had
passed without bringing the boy, became
SER .usly alarmed for his safety and deter
mined to 90 after him
Looking up two brothers, Tom and Joe
Brackett, who, hailing originally from
Florida. were old African colonists and
experienced hunters, we went to the river,
purchased a stout boat stocked it with
plentiful supplies and on the morning
Of the sixth day started up stream in search
of the belated men.
sung Ntills Will AAAN " lllu SCI WI ttiAN
at other times rowing, we made about 20
miles the first day, and before shutdown
came to a sand bar, where the dead body
Of a huge crocodile shot through the head
a heap of ashes, the feathers of birds and
numerous other signs, showed that the
hunters had for a greater or less time,
cauped on the spot. We, too, decided to
spend the night there.
Hauling our boat from the water prop
ping it, upside down, on stakes and sur
rounding it by a brush fence, we made a
rude shelter, before which, by turns, we
kept a bright fire constantly burning.
Frequently through the night we heard
the roaring of near mt hand lions and the
yelping clamor of Embellishments which
did not lessen our anxiety in regard to
young Beeton and his companions.
Once, just as l came out to relieve Joe,
1 saw in the edge of the forest a little be
You'd the lighted circle two luminous balls,
fixed and motionless, to which quietly
cal ID the mems attention
It's a lion watching us, - whispered
Joe ''let's shoot together"
EUising our rifles and aiming straight
between the fiery orbs we pulled triggers
sin 1ltaneously, but only its own echo an
swJ ed the blended report, though the glar
Ing yes disappeared.
2shaw, we've both missedN' exclaim
ed
Not so sure of that " observed Tom
Br ,Bett awakened by the noise. well
tax a look anyhow.
l was starting impulsively forward when
joe caught my arm and said: Not for
your life! Don't stir out of the light with
out firebrand. There may be a dozen
lions within 80 yards. I've known more
I-f11nJ tbrpt,pt, Gttph FOOLS h.
ness"
On this we each snatched up a blazing
branch and with rifles held ready for in
stanG use stepped across to the spot where
the eyes had been, and there, stone dead
in the thick underbrush, lay great blacE
maEed lion Both bullets had pierced hi
brain, and he had died as suddenly as j
struck by lightning.
"Harkl" said Joe, 81 thought so, a
the rustling Of the shrubbery proved tina
several other brutes of like kind were glid
ing away at our approach.
1t took our united strength TO drag tn
dead lion over to the protecting fire, wher
we speedily removed his hide-an unsual
ly large one, measuring 10 feet and inch
es from snout to tail tip. Then, leaving
Tom on guard, Joe and 1 crept back t.
bed.
our journey up the river, which here flow
from a southwesterly direction, with
scarcely perceptible current.
The events of the night before had give
rise to gloomy forebodings, and as we wen
along not one of us cared to put into word
the haunting fear which oppressed hi
heart. 1t seemed only too probable, W
thought, that either the whole party ha
persisted, or that the half savage nature
of the blacks had succumbed TO the tempti
ton offered by the valuable arms, gol
watch and other equipments of the whit
youth, whom they had perhaps murdere
and robbed-a thing they could easily Dc
rs both carried old fiintlock muskets.
True, the men, who spoke English vel
were considered fairly honest fellows
the Kitope people, yet they might hay
seized 50 favorable an opportunity of n
quiring what to them would appear gree
wealth.
] was thinking of these dire possibilitit
and inwardly approaching myself for hay
ing allowed my young friend TO go off S
attended on such an expedition when JO
Bracket suddenly exclaimed, What
that" pointing 20 something floating lev,
with the surface a few hundreds of yard
above us
We were sailing slowly along at the me
ment before IA northeast zephyr, but no.
we put out oars and were quickly alonG
side the object, which proved to be til
umRslla (Harold's boat, with the whol
of hr stern broken away There was moth
ing in the water logged hull--neitht
arms, blankets nor provisions, not eve
an oar-all had been taken or washed out
After "a critical examination of the she
one Of my comrades said; It's all plat
Anulgh. The fellows have tackled hiI
20, lone bull likely, and that's wors
than a rogue elephant, The brute's turne
on tlcm and taken a mOuthful out Of th
boat What happened then can't say. "
''DO you think the men have lost thei
lives / asked
well" slowly replied Tom, If IN
boat was smashed in the middle Of the riy
or / wouldn't give much for their chance
In at case they lose their guns and ru
Rgr It risk Of being nabhed by crocodile
viii swimming 10 land. But IL s possibl
the accident may have happened close {
shor, and that they aftorward pushed th
boat on, In hopes Of its being found by
scar hing party We haven't seen an
boating oars. That's a good sign
We'd better go ON anyway, remarke
Joe, for oven II the men are alive AN
we'll they'd wait a long time before tryin
10 make their way homo through thes
tangled woods
50 We did go on as fast as possible, witt
out stopping 20 eat dinner, and about III
middle Of the afternoon came a. "a bend /
the river, ON turning which We saw hefoI
US grounded on sand bank at the mort
side 81 the stream, and half la and hA
gut oi tho water tbs dad body u an emo