The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-11
CUSTAVE ECKSTEIN g. CO.

were OF remarkable size and flerceness.
These creatures began TO allght on his
person, and he was forced to beat them
off.
Confused and only partially aroused
from the torpor of Information, thou-
sands preclpltated themselves against the
rocks and fell upon the floor, where they
continued to move awkwardly about They
collected In seething heaps on every rock
and ledge; the air was noisy with swish
Ing wings. They swarmed on Landrams
back and shoulders like bees. They DASH
ed against his face or chung screeching to
his hair or beard. This multitude OF busy
wings stirred and whirled about In suffo-
eating pillows the dry penetrating dust OF
centuries. Threatened with suffocation,
he Increased the activity Of his movements
to fierce impetuosity, each moment
hurting hundreds Of the squealxing crea-
lures upon the earth and trampllng them
underfoot. He was without resource or
shelter In the midst of a species of horrl-
Bile tempest.
That a man could preserve his presence
OF mind in a situation Of this sort is won
derful, but that Landram did 80 il shown
by the plan which occurred to him and
which he Immediately proceeded to exc
cute. Shaking himself free of his tor-
mentors for a moment, he dotted his hunt
ing coat and poured over It the stimulant
that he drew from his hip pocket He lg-
nited It with "a match, and as the flames
leaDed fiercely up he began to whirl II,
a circle of roaring smoke and flame, above
his head. The effect was magical. The
flame and pungent fumes were intolerablo
and every bat that could use It's wings be-
gan precipltate flight for other quarters.
And IN that spectral light the hunter was
for the moment transformed into some
thing lnhuman, demoniacal The cavern
rang with his horrible outcries. The sound
OF bursting shells came from the pockets
Of his burning coat Rushing from side to
side OF the cave, mis- hair tumbled over
his forehead in tangled masses and his
face distorted with rage, he whirled the
blazing torch hither and thther, scorch-
ing great numbers OF the creatures and
burning many alive, until the horrid host
had been driven back into the recesses OF
the cavern. Thus by a unique and dras-
tic method did he quickly rid himself OF
the shifting plague. The exertion had IA
tgued him. His face streamed with per-
spirauon. Yet he Immediately began to
consider the possibilities OF escape from
his captivity If any avenue OF escape
over the lofty summit of the bowlder stll
existed, which was doubtful, II would have
been madness TO try 70 reach Il In the
reigning darkness, either by attempting
to scale the barrier itself or by clambering
W. NAA@ hA'NP anu JaHbNA WAho VI thS S0N-
ern.
IL remained 10 be seen, therefore. wheth-
er or not there was any vulnerable point
about the opposing mass. BY the light OF
an uncertain blaze that still played over
a remnant OF his burning coat he picked
up his gun and plunged the barrals into
the earth and sand az one side of the
giant rock. The debris yielded little by lit
tie to his attack With the energy Of a
man entombed alive and desperate with
desire for liberty, he dug out quantities
OF earth and priced up fragments OF stone.
Hope again kindled In his bosom, and at
the expiration Of a period embracing about
seven hours during which the labors OF a
Titan were performed he had succeeded In
making an opening around the barrier
large enough 70 admit his body Through
this hole he az last squeezed himself In
his hand he held the battered and twisted
barrels OF q gun, and just as the moon
arose behind the timber OF the opposite
elin he passed out haggard and grimy
into the chilly night,