The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1904-03-25
CHAPTER VI

| ihaieH III tHe ueSert. A march
over that waste of painless, yellow
sand, under burning, torrid sun
with sky above Of quivering. pa,pi-
tatlng, passionate, blazing heat; with
burning, sand-blistered feet, blood
shot, sand-filled eyes, clothes soaked
to wet pulp with perspiration, limbs
that almost refused to drag their
weary weight over the way.
1t was Paul Cleland's first experience
of the desert. Most of the long line of
human beings, creeping like black
snake across the white waste, had been
there before, some of them for many
years, during preceding campaigns, but
| Cleland had no experience of the Sou
dan, and he suffered in proportion, as
all newcomers do.
Still, he was tough and strong and
had all Scotchman's logged endul-
ance; he would never own himself
beaten where others did not.
lhey We're marching from Berber to
Atbara, and had as yet heard nothing
of the enemy
Cleland had already found his serv-
Ices required. One or two of the new
recruits among the British had been
attacked by such diseases as only the
desert knows. These he had treated.
10 his own immense satisfaction, sue
cessfully. 1t was good to know that
ne was necessary factor to the we'll
being of the army.
coming out of binding sandstone
one day they halted at ruined viii
lage. destroyed by the Mahdi's cruel
decree, and remained there overnight.
Cleland found ruined hut, in which
lie established himself, with his two
native boys" to keep guard He was
dead tired, and, making himself as
comfortable as he could he rolled him
self in his rug and was soon fast
asleep. though the far-of screams of
jackets proving in the outskirts of
the camp. sometimes mingled with the
hoarse laugh of the hyena might have
kept him awake under other circum-
stances.
Suddenly, however. he was awak-
ened and that effectualIy. Something
was moving in the hut
He started up in bed and looked
around. The moon-a desert moon,
white and clear almost as daylight
was shining into the tent. BY it's
light he could see his two boys
asleep on the sun-baked turf that
formed the floor in a far corner of the
hut.
He saw something else, though-a
smooth. round, dark head and two
giaring eyes, looking like balls of
fire, fixed on his face
He could not tell what the animal
Was at that distance 1t might be a
jacket, a panther. or--most terrible Of
ala hyena, watching it's opportunity
for spring. But, whatever it was.
Cleland had no doubt about one thing
his only safety lay in perfect self
possession at this awful moment.
He was usually cool and self-pos-
sessed enough; but there are not
many men who can wake up at the
dead of night, to find bloodthirsty
beast Of prey within a few feet of
them, and experience no sensation of
fear. Cleland knew that his heart
was beating in strong, heavy throbs
like the strokes of a sledge hammer
and that his forehead was wet with
perspiration, not altogether brought
there by the heat and closeness of the
night.
He dared not move his eyes from
those glazing balls fixed upon them.
He knew that to do so would mean an
instant spring on the part of the crea-
ture. He could not call his boys. In
all probability they would howl with
terror. and rouse the animal to greater
fury.
His rifle was on camp stool not
FIVE feet away, but almost beside that
crouching dark form. If he had but
put it underneath his head. But it was
no time for regrets, IL was a time fer
action. He must make up his mind at
once what he was to do: at any mo-
ment the animal might spring.
He cautiously put ont his arm, still
keeping mis- eyes fixed on the crea-
lures. Then. without once turning his
glance aside. he tried to creep stealth
iiy across towards the camp stool. The
creature uttered a low, threatening
sound. something between a bark, and
a howl. 5f
But Cleland was now desperate. He
felt that. whatever happened, he must
get at the rife. He made a sudden
dart forward As he did so he heard
smother low. threatening growl. The
next instant he had his rifle II his
4 hand. HI s:5 s.s ! 4 \
II v-s 2 short-raaas one. fortunate