Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1908-09-17
CHAPTER v.
Continued.

"There, below that small peak, is
one place where men may pass. and
one only.
"Also, it can easily be blocked from
above.
"If men pass not there, then must
they go round the great peak of the
mountain two days journey and half
day."
"And how far is the peak from us?"
"All tonight shall you walk and aN
tomorrow. and If you walk fast, at
sunset shall you stand on the peak"
I uhistled, for that meant fve-and-
forty miles trudge without sleep.
Then l called to the men to take
each of them as much cooked ele-
phant's meat as he could conveniently
carry.
did the same myself, and forced
the woman Maiwa to eat some as we
went.
This 1 did with difficulty, for at that
time she seemed neither to sleep nor
eat nor rest, so fercely was she set
on vengeance.
Then we started, Maiwa guiding us.
After going for some half hour over
gradually rising ground we found our
selves on the farther edge of great
bush-clad depression, something Ike
the bottom of lake.
This depression through which we
had been travelling was to very great
extent covered with bush; indeed, al
most altogether so, except where II
was pitted with glades such as that
wherein l had shot the elephants.
At the top of this slope Maiwa
halted, and putting her hands over her
eyes. looked back.
Presently she touched me on the
arm, and pointed over the sea OF forest
toward a comparatively vacent space
of country some six or seven miles
away.
looked, and suddenly I saw some
thing flash in the red rays Of the set
ting sun.
A pause, and then another quick
fash.
"What is it?" asked.
at is the spears of Wambe's 1mpi.
and they travel fast" she answered,
coolly.
suppose that my face showed how
little l liked the news. for she went
on:
Fear not; they will stay to feast
upon the elephants, and while they
feast we shall journey.
1--WE may yet escape"
After that we turned and pushed on
again, till at length it grew so dark
that we had to wait for the rising Of
the moon, which lost us time, though
1t gave us rest.
Fortunately none Of the men had
seen that omlnous flashing of the
spears; if they had, doubt If I could
have kept control Of them.
AS it was, they travelled faster than
had ever known loaded natives to so
before, so Thoroughbred was their
desire to see the last Of Wambe's
country.
l, however. took the precaution to
march last of all, fearing lest they
should throw away their loads to
tighten themselves, or, worse still, the
tucl,s: for these kind of fellows would
be capable of throwing al ything away
If their own skins were at stake.
If the pious Aeneas, whose story you
were reading to me the other night.
had been n mongrel Delagoa Bay ma
tive, Anchises would have had poor
chance of getting out of Troy-that is,
If he was known to have already made
q satisfactory will.
At moonrse we started on again, and
with short occasional halts travelled tlu
dawn, when we We're forced to rest
and ca.
Starring once more about half-past
five, we crossed the river at noon.
Then began the long toilsome ascent
through thick bush, the same In which
shot the bull buffalo, only some
twenty miles to the west of that spot
and not more than twenty-five miles
on the hither side of Wambes kraal
There were six or seven miles Of
this dense bush, and hard work it was
to get through it.
Next came belt of scattered for
est, which was easier to pass, though
in revenge the ground was sleeper.
This was about two miles wide, and
we passed it by about four in the
afternoon.
Above this scattered bush lay long
steep slope of bowlder strewn ground,
which ran up to the foot of the little
peak, some three miles away.
AS foot-sore and weary we emerged
on to this inhospitable plain, some Of
the men, looking round, caught sight
of the spears of Wambis Impi com
ing rapidly along not more than a
mile behind us.
At first there was a panic. and the
bearers tried to throw Off their loads
and run, but / harangucd them, call
ing out to them that l would certain
~ shoot the first man who did SO, and
that If tney would but trust In me
would bring them through the mess.
Now ever since l had killed those
three elephants single-handled had
gained great influence over these men,
and they listened to me.
SO Off went as hard as ever we
could go; the members Of the Alpine
Club would not have been in 1t with us.
We made the powders burn, as q
Frenchman would say.
When we had done about mile, the
spears began to emerge from the belt
Of soatterad hugh and the whoop of