The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1900-06-08


But l was lost In daylight the un-
accustomed traveller may easily, does
frequently, get lost by leaving the
track to examine the bush. In the
darkness of moonless night it would
be madness in ordinary cases to step
off the road. At last found the thin
and trickling stream, which in that dry
season represented the river Of other
months, and l followed it down with
pain and difficulty, now stepping in
pool, now cracking my ankles against
the powders.
An hour brought me to the ford, but
there l was confused. The faint light
of the, moon, just peeping above the
rim of the veldt, allowed me to see
dimly that the road at the drift broad
ened out to great width. / compre-
hended that the wagons, passing in the
wet season, had each sought, according
to the drivers judgment, the safest
place to cross. In such manner are
South African roads first made.
stood at one side of the road. The
other was possibly half a mile off.
Whereabouts, then, in that mazeof ruts
and blackness, should seek the troop
er and, of more consequence to me, in
my starving condition, the duck?
While hesitated the sound of voices
struck my ears once more not far from
me. could not mistake who it was;
the words, "Verdamter uitlander,"
again came too distinctly across the
trek. skunk back up stream, not will
ing to stand another shot. Crawling
into little kloof in the bank, l lay
still, like hare, perhaps, considering
the raid on pond and barn-a fox
would be the better word-and at last
l heard the voices and scrambling
steps of the hunters returning. 1t
alarmed me afresh, however, not to
distinguish amid the sounds the roll
ing curses of the farmer.
l waited awhile and heard nothing,
and then the thought of that trooper,
smuggling in cozy hidden nook some
where near, preparing the duck for
supper, overpowered me, and rose
and set out to find him, bearing my
hard won pumpkin still along.
The moon passed behind clouds, and
it became pitch dark. For long time
pottered about, afraid to call out, for
| knew something of Beers shrewd-
ness and tenacity, and l felt more than
uncertain that the farmer was lodging
about, waiting chance at me, and the
fact that his voice had been absent
from those of the party returning
mo- 10 io;n
l had accidents. l fell into a pool,
and bruised my knee badly. 1t grew
bitterly cold for that land, and the dew
fell heavily, and, above all, began to
grow weak and sick from hunger after
that 20 mile tramp. l began to shake
and shiver, but held op to the pump
kin.
Then came the elimination of all my
woes. 1t began to grow darker, with
very heayiness of black, an almost tan
gible darkness. My feet had hitherto
engaged all my attention, but / now
looked up. The moon was high in the
sky, but there was but little of it visi-
Bile. black shadow was stealing
across it, was almost completely over
it. 1t was in process of eclipse. Then
gave up hope of finding the trooper,
of finding the trek even, in the well of
blackness which was near at hand, for
was now seeking the trooper off the
road. And sought, it being now near
midnight, place to rest in and unroll
my blanket.
l stumbled along toward a solitary
tree, which l thought might keep off
some OF the dew, and by the last
flicker of moonlight saw a man seat
ed beneath it. He had his back to me
and was sitting on stone, and l
would have sworn l saw the sides of a
shovel shaped beard sticking out above
his shoulders. Something rested be-
tween his knees. My conjectures jump
ed to certainty that it was the farm
er's gun.
l was almost upon him. was too
hungry and tired and weak to run. l
stepped to him stealthily with almost
hysterical despair and raised the great
pumpkin at arms height and dashed
it on his head with all the strength my
muscles and my desperation could
muster between them. He seemed to
groan and fall forward, and / turned
and staggered away, wondering dizzily
If the blow of a pumpkin could be
fatal.
Utter, horrible blackness set in, and
the eclipse was complete when Drop
ped at last, unable to move a step far
ther. All that night shivered from
cold and dOZed from woarinaos h,,+ ho
fore break of day the cold grew SO
great that had to move on or shiver
to death. Somehow staggered to the
trek, though did not know which di-
rection l was going, and stumbled
along it, afraid to remain still for q
moment. l felt pretty sure, however,
| was on road, and followed it in |
dumb consciousness that it would lead
me somewhere, if only back whence
started in Bechuanaland.
At last / came through the blackness
to bank and assumed stream. Die |
or not die. l could not ford it then and
utterly collapsed on the brink. l soon
fell into stupor, from which reused |
at the first cold dawn. The water lay at
my feet, still and currentless. 1t SEEM
ed broad as lifted my eyes-it seemed |
familiar. partly choked a yell, for 1t |
was the farmers duck pond At the |
cry a figure on the other bank-a shiv.
ering, miserable. prone wretch-sat I'D
and groaned. 1t was the trooper, and |
in his right hand he held the duck by |
the neck. But at the sight of me he |
hpn In r11r ~