Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1908-09-17
MAIWA'S REVENGE
ALLAN 0UATERMAINS GREATEST ADVENTURE.
BY H. RIDER HAGGARD.
their bearers as they viewed us broke
upon our ears

author Of "She," "King Solo,non's Mines" Etc.

Quick as our pace had been before,
1t grew much quicker now, for terror
lent wings to my gallant crew.
But they were sorely tired, and the
loads were heavy. SO that run, or
rather climb, as we would, Wambe's
soldiers, a scrubby-lookiEg lot of men
with big spears, small shields, but
without plumes, climbed considerably
faster.
The last mile of that pleasing chase
was like fox hunt, we being the fox,
and always in view.
What astonished me was the ex.
traordinary endurance and activity
shown by Maiwa.
She never even tagged.
l think that girls muscles must
have been made of iron, or perhaps 1t
was the strength of her will that sup
ported her.
At any rate, she reached the foot Of
the peak second, poor Gobo, who was
an excellent hand at running away,
being first.
Presently I came painting up. and
glanced at the ascent.
Before us vas wall Of rock about
one hundred and fifty feet in height,
upon which the strata We're so laid
us to form a series Of projections suf.
ficicntly resembling step. to make the
ascent, comparatively speaking, easy,
except at one spot. where 1t was neces-
sary to climb over projecting angle
of cliff and bear little to the left.
1t was not really difficult place.
but what made it awkward was that
Immediately beneath this projection
was n deep fissure or donga, on the
brink of which we now stood, origin
ally dug out, no doubt, by the rush of
water from the peak and cliff.
This gulf beneath would at the crit
ical point be trying to the nerves of
q weak.headed climber, and so 1t
proved in the result
After the projecting angle was
passed the remainder of the ascent was
very simple.
At the summit, however, the brow
Of the cliff hung over, and was pierced
by a single narrow path cut through
1t by water in such fashion that
single bowlder rolled into it at the top
would make the cliff quite impossible
to people without ropes.
Wambe's soldiers were at this mo-
ment about thousand yards from us,
so it was evident that we had no time
to lose.
l at once ordered the men to COM
mence the ascent. the girl Maiwa. who
was familiar with the pass, going first
to show them the way.
Accordingly they began to mount
with alacrlty, pushing and lifting their
loads in front of them.
When the first of them, led by Mai
wa. reached the projecting angle. they
put down their loads upon ledge of
rock and clambered over.
Once up, by going on their stomachs
on a bowlder, they could reach the
loads which. were held up to them by
the men beneath, and in this way
drag them up over the awkward place,
whence they were easily carried to the
top.
But all of this took time, and mean
while the soldiers were coming up fast,
screaming and brandishing their big
spears.
They were now withing about four
hundred yards, and several loads, to-
gether with all the tusks, had yet to be
got over the rock.
was still standing at the bottom of
the cliff, shouting out directions to the
men above, but it occurred to me that
it would soon be time to move.
Before doing so, however, l thought
that it might be well to try and pro-
duce a moral effect upon the advancing
enemy.
In my hand held Winchester re-
peating carbine, but the distance was
too great for me to use it with effect
so turned to Gobo, who was shiver-
ing with terror at my side, and handed
him the carhine, took from him my
express.
The enemy was now about three hun
dred and fifty yards away, and the
express was only sighted to three hum
dred.
Still knew that it could be trusted
for the extra fifty yards.
Running in front Of Wambe's SOL
diers were two men-captnins. l sup
pose-one of them very tall.
put up the 3OO-yard flap, and sitting
down with my back against the rock,
I drew long breath to steady myself,
and covered the tall man, giving him
full sight.
Feeling that I was on him, l pulled,
and before the sound of the striking
bullet could reach my ears I saw the
man throw up his arms and pitch
forward on to his head.
His companion stopped dead, giving
me q fair chance.
rapidly covered him and fired the
left barrel
He turned around once and then sank
down In heap.
This caused the enemy to hesitate.
They had never seen men killed at
such distance before, and thought
that there was something uncanny
about the performance.
Taking advantage of the lull, / gave
| the express back to Gobo, and singing
the Winchester repeater over my back,
I began to climb the cliff
When we reached the projecting an
gle all the loads were over, but the
tusks still had to be passed UP. and