News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1896-02-20

the boats in readiness to move at
any moment, and at dusk set out on
my perilous expedition.
1.-the Zulus had formed a sort of
procession and were marching toward
a clump of trees about five hundred
yards inland, where they proposed to
leave the children to be devoured. l
was armed with my repeating rife. a
very fine weapon of forty-eight
calibre, cutlass and very long and
strong Zulu spear. Skirting the
woods with great caution, L was
rapidly approaching the trees where
the procession had now arrived,
when found l must make a long de-
tour to avoid a swampy mudhole,
into which / came very near falling.
When | succeeded in reaching the
spot where the children had been left
it was very dark, and the Zulus had
gone. The poor little things we're
tied to tree, which stood apart from
the clump about twenty-five feet.
They were a boy and girl. The boy
was gagged, and the poor little girl
was in a dead faint from fright. |
was about to cut them loose, when a
laundering roar, so near that the
ground trembled, made me clutch
my spear in Mortified surprise. |
dared not fire my heavy rifle, except
as last resort, for the report would
bring the Zulus. | looked toward
the brush and saw two eyes which
glowed Omifously in the dark
ness. | placed my spear against the
tree and holding the point in the
direction from which the lion must
spring l waited the attack.
"'He evidently saw the point of the
spear, for he moved uneasily from
side to side, as if seeking a chance to
jump by it. | followed his motions,
till, with an angry snarl, he sat upon
his launches, thus showing his inten-
ton to Jump over it. For a moment
he was motionless, and then, good
heaven, he came! AS he went into
the air l moved the spear quickly I'M
der him. He came down upon it,
breaking it in an instant. His great
paw struck me'-he put his finger on
the queer scar on his cheek-'and l
fell with awful force against the little
girl The lion lay motionless, for the
spear had entered his heart.
"I with some difficulty extricated
myself from under his heavy body,
which lay across my legs. | found
the girl stone dead. but the boy was
unhurt, and l could see by his staring
eyes, which showed white even in that
darkness, that he appreciated his ter
rible position.
"'I cut him loose, but left the gag
in his mouth, for fear he might cry
out. | placed the little fellow on my
back and set out for the boats. When
| reached the edge of the mudhole |
heard the bushes cracking and knew
at once | must face a new danger,
and secopdg rowl told me it was the
other lion. Il FASTENED on, and had
just reached narrow strip of DRY
clay between the bushes and the mud
hole, when saw the tell-tale eyes. |
got as near the edge of the Shiny
swamp as possible and began to have
some hopes of escape, when she
sprang at me with terrific force. |
sprang down and toward her, hoping
she would Jump over me. She did,
and not striking me as she expected,
she hit her nose on the hard clay and
turning complete sumersault fell
upon her back into the mudhole. In
an instant | dealt her a blow with
my cutlass, which added to her con-
fusion. | struck her again, but she
dashed the weapon from my hand
and turning over began to struggle
through the soft mud. knew she
would be out and upon me in an in
slant. | had no resourse but to use
my rifle. took quick aim, fired and
she fell dead, but whether from the
shot or the tremendous blow | had
dealt her with the cutlass | could not
say.
"I picked up the boy, who had fall
len in the struggle, and fairly ran
toward the boats. | could, however,
make but slow progress in the dark
ness, and besides my wounded face
caused me great agony. | had al
most reached them, when tall Zulu
doomed up in my path, and the mo-
ment he saw the boy he sprang before
me. There was no time for hesita-
ton now. l raised my rifle and fired.
He gave frightful yell, and in d mo-
ment | found was pursued. Irushed
on and down the bank, just as the
foremost Zulu reached the top. |
sprang into the boat, which was
pushed off at once, and amid q
shower of spears we made our escape.
| left the boy at villagers, where
knew he would be well treated, and
soon returned to America.
" Having finished his remarkable
story my friend excused himself and
went upstairs.
81 went to the hotel clerk and
asked:-
"'What is that gentleman name?'
Smith, he replied.
who is he?'
He is the steward of the house,
was the answer.
" But he has been great traveller,
has he not?' / asked.
'Oh. no; he came here a green
country boy twenty-five years ago,
and has not been away week since.
How did he get that SCARF ]
queried.
Had "scrapping match" with