The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-13
THE QUEEREST THING | EVER Saw.
A STRANG E &C CURREN
r. Sr1 ioupe-
b. SIR II. n. JOHNSTON

ant TO Major Mckemish. you near what
that corporal say McKemish was lead
ing a military expedition into little known
part Of south-CentraI Africa, north OF the
Zambezi. far west Of Lake Nyassa, Bang
weulu. a couple Of hundred miles to the
north. and the River Kafue not far away.
II was in the morning. and the little band
of Indian and negro soldiers with its small
compliments OF white men "a subaltern,
two English sergeants. doctor. and civil
subcommissioner) had been marching for
three hours along a winding native path.
through walls OF sitting grass which rose
high above the mems heads At last the
path had reached the summit. and the tall.
lush grass OF the plain. with its winged.
barbed seeds that worried their way to the
skin. even through khaki. was succeeded by
nat slabs of sIaty rock with pretty heritage
growing in the interstices. and few shady
trees with large pinnate foliage. These
trees were tamarinds. and the Indian SOL
diers were already gathering the fruit to
relieve their thirst by chewing the acid
pulp surrounding the beans.
Major McKemish turned rather weary
eyes on the somah servant. his invaluable
factotum-cook, valet and washerman in
one-to whom perhaps he permitted more
the party.
What corporaI?' he replied. 'T suppose
you mean Garsm Singh Naik? Well, what
IN he saying"
The sikh Naik with his pleasant bearded
face surmounted by black turban was
standing practically at attention a little
distance from the shady spot where the
major was sitting on a camp chair. Me-
had in
parts OF the world rather than India. He
was well acquainted with Arabic. but did
not YET speak much Hindustani. so the
somaIi had to serve as an interpreter in
matters be-ond mere words of command.
He says white wild man been found in
native village. He VERY sick and alone.
COS natives all run away when they hear
soldiers coming. Naik say he got no lug
gage. VERY poor"
who found him.
'I tink advance guard found him."
At this point the subaltsrn came UP,
saIlted and said Most extraordinary
thing sir. Our men have found a white
man in that village over there. suppose
Il is some wastrel who has wandered up
from South Africa. prospecting. They say
he Is very III, so I have told them to bring
him along at once
Soon afterwards a small procession came
through the trees TO where the major was
sitting. lost in sad reflection. There were
negro soldiers carrying a hammock made
OF blankets slung to pole. The military
SURGEON OF the expedition was walking
along by this litter holding an umbrella
TO screen the face OF the sick man from
the sun. Major McKemish saw little i'm
the deep shade of the tamarind tree, but a
thin. flushed. beardless face with closed
eyelids. and n shock of yellow hair. The
man was evidently very i'll. He was dressed
in loose khaki riding kit. but his body was
additionally swathed in red blankets.
There In no time to discuss his case
here; we must be getting so as to reach
the river by midday. 7 suppose the mans
an Englishman, but IN any case he is
human creature. and if We leave him in
the deserted village he will probably die.
Have you found out anything about him."
mo, sir: he scarcely speaks at ALL knows
nothing OF what is going on around him,
and his temperature is 1O4."
well, make the best arrangements you
can; bring him along to camp and we will
about him later
The expedition resumed its march. First
went the advance guard to provide against
surprise in front; then the main body.
with few outlying skirmishers on either
side. and then the rear guard. The major
marched with the main body. His thoughts
were. far away. He neither needed the
barbed thorns of the extravagant grass
that choked the path, nor the sheets of
brilliant wild flowers that made the clear
ings gay with color; neither the reedbucks
that allowed themselves 10 be surprised in
the heritage and escaped with preposterous
bounds, nor the rumor of lion that had
been sighted by the advance guard. dis
turbed i'm his morning Slum5ers and lo-
Topping with angry growls into a dense
thicket of thorns Major McKemish's
thoughts hat once more flown a thousand
miles. and more soufhwards. to what had
once been his home in Natal. He was a
man of fine build. near middle age, with a
strong. sinewy frame. and a face that was
q little too stern and rugged TO be good
looking. His eyes were gray and rather
deep set. His nose was straight and we'll
formed. and under II grew a mustache too
ample and too dropping for modern taste.
This man had been an officer in a High
land regiment for nearly twenty years. He
had served IN North America. great deal
in South Africa, and latterly I'm the Sudan.
lie had won promotion by sheer ability and
deeds OF great courage; yet he was not a
popular with either sex owing to his
shyness. his reserve. and his studious ways.
Very few women had entered his life till
he was thirty, and then an adventure hap
pened to him. He had been travelling on a
steamer up the East African coast, leav-
Ing Natal for a trip northwards. partly
bent on shooting. and partly on intelligence
work. When the steamer left Durham he
and others noticed on board young woman
OF beauty so decided that IL could not pass
unnotced. even in the second class and in
dowdy clothes. He. who as a rule never
put ouch questions, inquired about her
from the captain. aud was informed that
she was proceeding to take up situation
las bsrmaid. believe at least
that Is what she says: but you know what
that means at Lorenzy Markiz hotel!''
He looked at the girl again. She certainly
was beautiful, and what was more she
looked unsophisticated. She looked as
though she were a good and innocent girl
certainly not one who was about TO plunge
willingly into a life that the steamer cap
tain had suggested He could not help
thinking about her. and wondering how she
came to be travelling TO what at that time
was} such forlorn spot. However il
was no business of his