Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1908-10-01
MAIWA'S REVENGE
Ian OUATERMAIN'S GREATEST ADVENTURE.
Bv H. RIDER HAGGAR RID
and leave me there to die like a jackal
caught by the leg.

wrath was great, but pretended to
look frightened.
Indeed, there was not much pretense
gbout it, was frightened.
could not conceal from myself that
ours was a most hazardous enterprise,
and that it was very possible that l
might make acquaintance with that
lion trap before was many days older.
However, it was quite impossible to
desert poor Every in his misfortune, so
/ had to go on and trust to Providence.
as have so often had to do before and
since.
And now a fresh difficulty arose.
Wambe's soldiers insisted upon ac-
companyng us, and what is more. did
all they could to urge us forward. as
they were naturally anxious to get to
the chiefs place before evening.
But we, on the other hand, had ex-
cellent reasons for not arriving till
night was closing in, since we relied
upon the gloom to cover our advance
upon the koppie which commanded the
town.
Finally they got so importune that
we had to fatty refuse to move faster,
alleging as a reason that the girl was
tired.
They did not accept this excuse in
good part, and at one time l thought
that we should have come to blows, for
there is no love lost between Butianas
and Matukus.
At last, however, either from motives
of policy or because they were so evil
IDENTIFY outnumbered, they gave in, and
suffered us to go our own pace.
earnestly wished that they would
have added to the obligation by going
theirs, but this they absolutely de-
clined to do.
On he contrary, they accompanied
us every foot of the way, keeping up
running fire of illusions to the Thing
that bites" that Jared upon my nerves
and discomposed my temper.
About 430 in the afternoon we came
to neck or ridge Of stony ground,
whence we could plainly see Wambe's
town, lying some six or seven miles
away, end 5000 feet beneath us.
The town is built in valley. with
the exception of Wambe's own kraal;
that is situated at the mouth of some
caves upon the slope of the opposing
mountains, over which l hoped to see
our Impis spears come flashing in the
morrow's light.
Even from where we stood it was
easy to see how strongly the place was
fortified with schanses and stone walls
and how difficult of approach.
Indeed, unless taken by surprise, 1T
seemed to me quite impregnable to
force operating without cannon. and
oven cannon would not make much i'm
preston on rocks and stony koppies
tiled with caves.
Then came the descent Of the pass,
and an arduous business it was, for
the patl-if it may be called path
was almost entirely composed of huge
water worn powders, from the one to
the other of which we had to jump like
so many grasshoppers.
1t took us two hours to get down,
and travelling through that burning
sun, when at last we did reach the
cotton for one was pretty nearly
played out
Shortly afterward. just as 1t was
growing dark, we came to the first line
If Notifications, which consisted of a
triple stone wall pierced by a gateway
30 narrow that man could hardly
squeeze through 1t.
We passed this without question, be-
ing accompanied by Wambe's soldiers.
Then came belt of land, three hun
| Ircd paccs or more in width. very rocky
and broken, and having no huts upon
| it.
II was in hollows in this belt that the
cattle were kraaled in case of danger.
/ On the farther side were more FORTH
6cations, and another small gateway
sbaped like an inverted V, and just be-
cond and through 1t saw the kopple
we had planned to seize looming up
against the line Of mountains behind.
| As we went whispered my sugges'
tons TO our captain, with the result
that at the second gateway he halted
The cavalcade. and addressing the cap
tain of Wambe's soldiers, said that we
would wait here till we received Wam-
be.s word to enter the town -.~-
The other man said that was well.
rnly he must hand over the prisoners
to be taken up to the chiefs kraal, for
Wumbe was hungry to begin upon
Them" and his "heart desired to see
The white man at rest before he closed
his eyes in Sleep" and as for his wife,
surely he would welcome her.
Our leader replied that he could not
10 this thing, because his orders were
| % deliver the prisoners to Wambe at
Wambe's own kraal. and they might
lot be broken.
Flow could he be responsible for the
safety of the prisoners If he let them
)ut of his hand?
No: they would wait there till VAN
pes word was brought.
TO this, after some demur. the other
nan consented, and departed, remark
ing that he would soon be back.
AS he passed me he called out, with
sheer. pointing as he did so, to the
fading red in the western sky: look
your last upon the light, white man,
for the Thing that bites lives In the
lark"
Next day it so happened that l shot
this man, and do you know, think
that he is about the only human being