Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-30
4 Day in the JunQ/es of africa

| close to -me-in fact, hardly five yarus away
| and probably it was due to my proXimisy tna'
it had so long escaped molestaton by the cro-
coolies.
But as the gloom thickened the reptiles
seemed to pluck up more courage, Tor an AT
once l heard swirling splash in the river
and saw the dim form of one OF the mon
sters as he gaped and closed his Jaws, Tear
ing away probably ten pounds of flesh In
| one bite
shouted, and on the instant he dlyed out
of sight. After this others came, and 1 pc
gan to be apprehensive for my own safety, as
the reptiles began to manifest less rear Oh
The Jungle appeared to swarm with lie
In all directions l could hear the rustling OF
animals as they pushed their way among the
thorns, and their splashing in the river was
almost continuous. ,
Other sounds there were-the moaning OF
gnus, the braying Of zebras; and several times
heard Enthusiastically the deep cultural growi
of lion.
My chief apprehension was Of them, and
of being overrun by the buifaoes, when L
could hear trampling and bursting through
the Jungle on both sides of where lay.
l kept my gun on my lap, with both barrels
on full cock, but as / had only three car
tridges, | determined not to fire except as a
last resource.
Now and then dim forms appeared and
vanished in the gloom, and once was almost
tentively looking in my direction. But while
straining my eyes to make sure, it seemed to
vanish amid the gloom.
All at once the blood was sent bounding
through my veins by a perfect hurricane oil
roars not one hundred yards away, and APP
parently just outside the ukaku thorns where
the plain merged into the jungle
These were followed BY a stampede among
the game, and then for few minutes COM
parative silence ensued. L guessed that sew
eral lions had pulled down head OF game,
and [ shortly learned of what species, for
coming up from distance | heard the mourn
full dirge which zebras always make on the
death of member of the troop.
This strange, plaintive cry has an eerie ef-
feet, especially when accentuated by the dis,
NAL surroundings of wild, night-enshrouded
jungle and the presence of many dangerous
animals
For fully an hour the turmoil continued of
ceaseless troops of game of every variety
coming to the river to drink; but few came
my way, probably owing to their getting my
wind.
1 now determined to make another effort to
reach the camp. My leg was perfectly use
less, and | could only move by throwing my
whole weight on nv gun and then making a
lean with my right leg.
This occasioned intense pain, for my left
leg was swollen almost to the size of a bolster,
and swung helplessly backwards and forwards
as / moved.
Seeing. however, that I would in all prob
ability have to pass the night in the jungle
unless / could get out myself, / kept on,
sometimes crawling and again hopping on one
leg.
The night was a beautiful one; not cloud
obscured the stars, which shone with extra
ordinary brilliancy. In the east, over the
Jungle a pale light was gradually dimming
the lustre of the stars; it was the moon, and
before long she shot into sight, fecking the
Jungle with countless shadows and alternate
flakes of silver glancing upon the myriads of
dewdrops that covered every branch or twlg,
and giving them the appearance of being en-
crusted with diamonds.
l had perhaps got over about fifty yards
of the game path leading up to the plain
from the river, when L suddenly became
aware of several small animals that gambolcd
about close to me.
They were playing with each other, and
while romping in this manner they. actually
knocked up against my gun, which / had
planted firmly on the ground preparatory to
making another step.
The heavy shadows of the surrounding thorn
trees fell across the ground at my feet. pre-
venting me from having plain view of them;
but lust in front was small open space, in
to which the moon threw her rays,and there
not ten PAGES from me, stood full-grown
honess!
My heart gave great jump, and then stop
ned still. The small animals were her cubs
and, with them to guard, it struck me In