Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1899-08-17
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short TO be carried far enough into the
stream. and was turning away disap-
pointed in the hope of my days sport,
when l spied a small canoe, such as
the fishermen construct In a few
hours. by following with fire the trunk
OF a tree. tied TO a stake on the shore.
| determined to make use of the boat
It's paddle was lying in the bottom
aud ave my sport, and return 1t unin>
jured.
THE river. as IL runs here the length
OF the forest of Ramgawth, is of i'm
mense width. The branches of the
trees. whose seed was sown, ii is said,
by the god Nishnu himself. ten thou
sand years ago. form from one bank TO
the other a colossal arch. beneath
which the sacred river flows. 1t is SUI
! perb. but terrible; but all this l
thought nothing Of. as each time that l
threw my line into the water i drew
out a fish. until at the end of two or
three hours l grew tired, and my string
! of fish being full. | concluded TO stop.
II was putting my line in order.
when l felt q Sudden shock, which al
most threw ME overheard. / looked to
! see against what object the current
had forced me. when | saw glisten in
the water a brown mass l supposed TO
be the trunk of n dead tree. My illu-
son was short, for / now saw the sup
posed tree had life.
.The water spouted under the large
paws, ending in hooked talons. and a
hiieous head, as long as my arm from
the shoulder. gaping from end To end.
and filled with sharp and two-edged
teeth. lifted itself above the side OF
my boat. and fixed on me its great,
green eyes, with an expression I shall
never forget.
at was the most terrible. the most
! ferocious, the most frightful of the in
habitants OF the Ganges. Ii was &.
crocodile. l am not often afraid, mas
ter. and although l was but a child, I
had before faced danger; but l will
confess. at this terrible moment. my
bravery and my courage deserted me,
yet / did not entirely lose my presence
Of mind.
IL was unarmed, and resolved to
seek safety In flight. Catching up the
paddle. l directed the canoe, with all
my strength. toward the shore. The
crocodile pursued me. I redoubled my
efforts, when a second shock paralyzed
my arm.
The monster had seized and crushed
the paddle in his teeth. I was now
helpless. aud could only await death
in perfect poweriessness. l knelt in
the canoe and prayed Vishnu, who is
the good god. and enemy OF Siva.
suddenly the monster dived and dis
appeared. i believed myself saved,
and l began my thanksgiving to Wish
nu. when. returning to the charge, with
one blow Of his tail he sent the boat
into the air In fragments, and left me
struggling in the Gauges.
IL swim and dive like a fish. and for
n time 1 eluded his efforts 10 seize rue,
uttering piercing cries the while. al
though hopeless OF rescue. The croco-
ollie, disappointed at this new delay.
began revolving about me. exhaliny a
fetid odor and striking the water with
its gigantic tail. / was growing dizzy
and blind, when. through a cloud, as it
We're. 1 heard a voice:
Courage. my child,-courage. I am
here. / will rescue you.'
The idea that / was not alone gave
me new strength. l looked, and saw,
on the left shore, a man on horseback,
squirting his horse. against his will, In
10 the water. The horse was black and
covered with white foam. He was
afraid. and resisted, rearing backward.
until il seemed be must overthrow both
himself and his rider.
The struggle lasted several seconds.
but il was the man who conquered.
! The beast. directed BY n hand of iron,
begaa swimming rapidly toward me.
In one hand the rider held a pistol. A
| dagger was between his teeth.
The crocodile. seeing his new prey
advance. forsook me and turned to-
ward them l viii not describe the
splendid fight that followed 1t was
! ended by the horseman sending a ball
into the eye OF the monster. when !
lost consciousness and sank under the
waters, 10 be rescued by his strong
arm.
You are saved. poor child." he muir
INJURED Fear nothing more and come
with me-"
And holding me before him on his
saddle, we once more. in safety. re
| gained the shore"
For a moment Kazil was silent, wipN
ing a tear from his long lashes. Then
he added:
Master, the cavalier who risked his
life for a poor. unknown child who be-
lonEeu neitner 10 his race. caste or rt-
iigion. Is named Sir John Malcolm. 1t
was your father"
My noble father.' murmured Sir
George. "Ah, he is, indeed. a hero.
vet SO simple in his heroism that ac-
tions, however sublime. great and CHI
valric. appear simple when be accom-
plishes them"
You understand now that 1 love
him. Kazil continued; sand not he
alone, but all those who are near and
dear TO him."
"kazil. are your parents livingys
asked the Englishman.
no; l am an orphan. and quite alone
in the world
"Aloreg Then. il you wish it, said
Sir George. kindly; you shall remain
always with me-
Kaxii hung his head, and did notaan-
Swer.
"The idea is dlstasteful to your
"No-oh. no.
"What, theny"
"To give myself wholly 10 you. re
piled the child, II must be free"
And you are notg"
"No."