The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-06-20
SELECTED STORY.
"Brayest Man."

BOO miles or so south of Zanzibar, on the
east coast of Africa.
Employed in my office there was fine
young fellow of Is, Harold Bceton by name,
Who had come out with me from New
York and to whom 1 had become greatly
ATTACHED.
Early in July, the least unpleasant
month Of the II In that part of the world
the youth, accompanied by Kola and Ma
tn, two Wagindo natives, went up the Tu-
wego by boat on a three days hunting
expedition, but with no intention of stray
ing into the forests or jungles, the river
itself affording abundant sport in the way
Of water fowl, crocodiles and even occa-
Sional 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
seriously alarmed for his safety and deter
mined to go after him.
Looking up two brothers. Tom and Joe
Bracket who, hailing originally from
Florida, were old African colonists and
experienced hunters, we went to the river,
purchased a stout boat, stocked 1t with
plentiful supplies and on the morning
Of the sixth day started up stream in search
Of the belated men.
Using sails when the wind served and
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,
n heap of ashes, the feathers of birds and
numerous other signs, showed that the
hunters had, for a greater or less time,
camped 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 brush fence, we made a
rude shelter, before which, by turns, we
kept a bright fire constantly burning.
Frequently through the night we heard
che roaring of near at hand lions and the
yelping clamor of jackals-sounds which
did not lessen our anxiety in regard to
young Beeton and his companions.
Once, just as l came out to relieve Joe,
saw in the edge of the forest little be-
yond the lighted circle two luminous balls,
dxed and motionless, to which l quietly
called the mems attention.
Its lion watching us, " whispered
Joe; let's shoot together"
Raising our rifles and aiming straight
between the fiery orbs, we pulled triggers
simultaneously, but only its own echo an
swered the blended report, though the glar-
ing eyes disappeared.
"Pshaw, we've both missedl'' 1 exclaim-
ed.
"Not so sure of that, observed Tom
Bracket, awakened by the noise. "Well
take look anyhow"
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 so yards. I've known more
than one man killed through such foolish
ness"
On this we each snatched up blazing
branch and with rifles held ready for in
slant use stepped across to the spot where
the eyes had been, and there, stone dead,
In the thick underbrush, lay great, black
NAMED lion! Both bullets had pierced his
brain, and he had died as suddenly as If
struck by lightning.
"Hark'' said Joe, II thought So" as
the rustling of the shrubbery proved that
several other brutes of like kind were glid
ing away at our approach.
1t took our united strength to drag the
dead lion over to the protecting fire, where
We speedily removed his hide-an unsual-
~ large one, measuring 10 feet and inch
- from snout to tail tip. Then, leaving
Tom on guard, Joe and I crept back to
bsd.
Next morning at sunrise we resumed
o1r journey up the river, which here flows
nrom a southwesterly direction, with o
scarcely perceptible current.
The events of the night before had given
sase to gloomy forebodings, and as we went
along not one Of US cared to put into words
che haunting fear which oppressed his
heart. 1t seemed only too probable, we
thought, that either the whole party had
-Lnl - L
of the blacks had succumbed to the tempta-
tion offered by the valuable arms, gold
watch and other equipments of the white
youth, whom they had perhaps murdered
and robbed--a thing they could easily do,
as both carried old hintlock muskets.
True the men, who spoke English well,
were considered fairly honest fellows by
the Kitope people, yet they might have
seized SO favorable an opportunity of &C
cuiring what to them would appear great
wealth.
was thinking Of these dire possibilities
and inwardly reproaching myself for hav-
ang allowed my young friend to go of SO
attended on such an expedition when Joe
Brackett suddenly exclaimed, what S
that pointing to something floating level
with the surface few hundreds of yards
above us.
We were sailing slowly along at the mo-
ment before a northeast zephyr, but now
we put out oars and were quickly along
side the object, which proved to be the
umgalla (Harold's boat) with the whole
of her stern broken away There was moth
ing in the water logged hull-neither
Arms, blankets nor provisions, not even
IN oar-all had been taken or washed out.
After a critical examination Of the shell
one of my comrades said: IT'S all plain
enough. The fellows have tackled hip
Pc. lone bull likely, and that's worse
than rogue elephant. The brute turned
on them and taken mouthful out Of the
boat. What happened then can't say"
do you think the men have lost their
iives?" asked.
"Well," slowly replied Tom, 'if the
boat was smashed in the middle of the riv-
er / wouldn't give much for their chance.
In that case they'd lose their guns and run
great risk of being nabbed by crocodiles
while swimming TO land. But it's possible
the accident may have happened close to
shore, and that they afterward pushed the
boat off, in hopes of its being found by a
searching party We haven't seen any
floating oars. That's good sign"
"We'Q better 90 on ANYWAY - remarked