Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-06-01
KILLED BY A COCK OSTRICH.
kaffir Saves a White Mans Life, but
Loses His Own.

The open veldt lay before us, bathed
in the dew and the lingering shades of
early morning, as we mounted our
horses for ride across country. Be-
lore we had gone far, however, my
companion was summoned back by the
news of the illness of a horse and l
| continued my ride alone. AS | ad-
vanced mile by mile the scenery grew
wilder and great rocks, just tinged
| with the purple of the sunrise, rose
majestically on each side. When the
roa6 divided my Basuto pony turned
off into a bride path which led
through a wild gorge and eventually
lost itself among the rocks at the foot
of hill The sure-footed little crea-
ture started up the side of the mount
ain and eventually landed me at the
top. Here I dismounted and left him
to Craze. We had been out some
hours. Remounting, we followed a
half-beaten track on the opposite side
from which we had come and in a
short time we were at the foot of the
hill and on the level veldt once more.
Going forward into the main ROAD
(such as it was), which wound round
the base of the mountain, I started off
at quick canter toward home.
For some time we went along at a
good pace, when suddenly l was star
tied by the sight not far ahead of a
cock octrich rushing wildly back and
forward, with it's black and white
wings Tapping and quivering with
rage. pulled up with a jerk, for at
first 1 thought the bird was loose on
the veldt, but on closer inspection
found that wire fence was between
us. Just at this moment I saw on
the other side of the camp a hen SIT
ting on her nest, and, knowing only
too well the danger 1 was in, paused
to consider what should do. A short
distance in front the road ran close to
the fence and I knew it would be i'm
possible to pass that way. There was
nothing for it but to retrace my steps
and follow the road back round the
mountain till it joined the one by
which I had come. I was not afraid,
for it was by no means an uncommon
position in which to find ones self in
the center of an ostrich-farming coun-
try, and, besides, l felt sure Of getting
away. Accordingly I turned the po-
ny's head in the opposite direction and
walked quietly back, hoping to escape
notice. A few moments passed and I
began to think we were safe, when
suddenly strange sound made me
look round. To my horror I saw that
in one Of his wild charges the enor-
nous bird had caught sight of us and
was making frantic dashes along the
fence, which was unusually low and
was not of barbed wire. In a few sec
onds he would be over and then it
meant race for dear life. My pony
l knew was one Of the quickest in the
country and as we had a good start
possibly for a short time we should
keep ahead, but in the end knew the
ostrich must easily catch u.s.
AS if by instinct my faithful friend |
scented danger, and after one whis- |
pered word in his ear he was off like
the wind. There was suddenly a |
crash behind us, followed by meas
ured beating which almost made the
ground vibrate and set my heart
humping. If you have never heard
the tramp" Of an infuriated ostrich
no words will adequately describe it;
the nearest approach to it that l can
think of it the sound of the regular