The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1896-05-21
ATERRIBLE SITUATION

to the interior Of Southern Africa. At
length we reched our station in Ma
maque Land When | saw the wild
-a.ages among whom our lot was cast
my heart was ready to sink: but the
goodness Of our purpose upheld me;
moreover. there was little time for
fears. for q house must be built ere we
could live in one. and chapel be
erected before we could commence
onr duties: and toiling with our own
hands, aided by our guide and driver.
we at length completed both.
1t was a joyful day when We first
heard the little bell ring ont over the
kraaIs. summoning their inmates to
the chape. at one end of which my
husband was to instruct the men:
while at the other | snould try to in
still into these rude wild women the
womanly and wifely virtues: and
though for time these efforts were
met by poals Of laughter, and my hus
bands services We're more frequently
eought as a rain maker or witch-tinder
than in any other capacity. vet Uiti
mately our endeayors prevailed. and
we won their respect and confidence.
and. as we hoped. in one or two cases,
something more.
Thus passed nearly three years; and
though to the world our life at that
remote mission-statiOn might seem
desolato and dreary, 1t was in reality
full of interest. and chcerea by the
daily increasing hope that we had
planted the germs both of religion
and civilization which would spread
and bear much fruit.
Such We're or prospects. when one
day we learned that the great chief
Luto. beneath whose protection we
lived. was taken Ill. and we resolved
to visit him; more especially as, like
most missionaries. my husband pos
sosspd some II mcdical skill. The chiefs
kraal was scarcely five miles from the
station, and we started early. To avoid
the heat Of the tropical sun; but we
had hardly traverspd half the distance
when faint sound as OF rushing
water, broke the intense stiffness of
the Wilderness. increasing as we AL
vanced. until it swelled into a success
sion OF wild cries and fearful shrieks.
Ignorant whether this might not be
be a form Of mourning for one so eX
alted as Luto we fastened on, though
when we reached the spot it was with
difficulty we could force our way
through the thick belt of terrified
looking CatfrcS who were eagerly
pressing forward to witness the scene
within.
At length we reached the front: but
very different was the sight we looked
on to what we had anticipated. On
one side stretched on dingy mat,
lay the mighty chief whose will was
law over hundreds of miles and thou
sands Of lives. his huge form writhing
with neuralgia pains, and his stern
cOuntenancc discolored with suffering.
But his eyes glowed with rage as he
exclaimed to us, with dOubly gut
tural intOnatiOn: Il am bewitched -
an evil eye has been cast upon me.
However" he added with set teeth,
Il am furnishing him"
Following the direction o. the chiefs
outstretched finger our Mortified and
astonished eyes fell on the form Of a
Catfre bound hand and foot with
Withes and piuioned to the ground:
while two others, wearing the dirty
feather decorations of magicians. We're
husily engaged III breaking and spread
ing over the uncovered chest of the
wretched man nests Of the fierce red
ant those favoritc Instruments Of
Catire torture each fresh application
Of which drew forth a new burst Of
agony from the sufferer. and elected
another flash of triumph from the sick
chiefs eyes.
But mingled with our horror at the
scene was the feeling that the victim
of this foRrfuI supposition must at
onces be !rescued. 1t was obviously
difficult task. for the prosecutor was
likewise the Judge. hut ii must never
theless be achieved; and with all IL
spect. in consideration of his sovereign
ty. but eagerly, earnestly, entroatingly
as If we had been petitioning for oar
own lives, we besought the chief to re
lease his tmbesman The answer was
an abrupt negative But in such
case, and with those frightful cries
ringing In our ears. we were not tobc
deferred; and more anNiously than
ever. and with many assurances that
health and sickness We're in a Higher
Hand, we preferred our suit.
At length. woaried of our importu
nifty, the chief uttered the emphatic de
NAL no CaiTre ever rescinds The door
of hope was closed But il was i'm
possible forus, the servants OF religion
civilization aud humanity, To stand
idly 10y and witness such "a sacrifice.
and though we'll knowing he incurred
much peril by bravIng the despot's
VIII, my husband sprang to his feet.
and Snatchlng an ostrich feather fam
from one of the chiefs attendants.
bounded with it across the area. and
pushing aside the cOniurors, swept
with rapid hand the ants from the
tortured man: then cutting the detain-
ing withes, he assisted him to rise
50 sudden ana unexpected was this
acl that Luto and his great men seem
ed almost paralyzed hy its temerity.
while my heart trembled with fear as
To lis consequences. Another moment
ana the cnlel recovered himself, and
catching up an assagai. which lay
beside him. ere | could iaterrose.
hurled it, with a fierce Caifre denun-
citation. full at the devoted missionary.
To this hour seem to hear the whir
Of the swift weapon, as its long slender
shaft quiyered through the air: to see
the cleaning steel Of the barbel head.
as it entered the side Of my beloved
husband. and struck him down on the
very spot from which he had Just
rescued an innocent victim.
With Il cry Of anguish | rushed to
his side. while the entire Catfrc con
course was stirred by howls and deaf
cuing yells. whose meaning | did not
seek to learn My whole thoughts
were with the husband moaning in, it