Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1912-08-22


but rest, for was not sure of the
direction Of the movement Of the
campers.
4 few hours later gray columns Of
smoke rose perhaps five miles 10 the
south. Hungry and thirsting and
bleeding from thorn scratches, l set
out toward the smoke as fast as I
could in my fatigued condition. Two
hours walk brought me in view Of
the unmistakable Boer Iaager, a
square Of white-topped wagons around
winch horses were hitched. Broad
shouldered bearded men, heavily
armed and booted, sat around the
fires. I cried with Joy and, taking
my hat in one hand and my rife in
the other, I waved them and stag
gered on as the campers rushed for
v ard to meet me It was q party of
Peers searching for the same lost
yoOrTekkers.
I told them in a few broken SEN
fences my incredible story. Jan Van
Vigil, the leader, listened to me in
tently.
Word was given to inspan and, ten
minutes later, oxen were dragging the
groaning wagons in a long line across
the country. I was placed on a horse
and led the way
When we came in sight Of the
camp on the distant hillside the sun
was setting. Vigil decided that he
would go to the camp with me and
lay cut a plan of action before the
natives learned of the arrival of the
Boer commando. We reached the
tent under cover of the night, and Van
Vigil for the first time heard the mys-
ferrous roaring that came out of the
earth.
Ny God" he cried. that's the
roar of lions, but it is unearthly!"
You are right I muttered. 1t
care from hell"
We left the tents and made our way
through the bush to the opening in
the rocks. When did you say they
feed a man to these devils?" Jan
asked. I looked at the stars and saw
It was about an hour from midnight
IN an hour, or perhaps two"
answered
Without word Van Vigil turned on
his heel and walked away. I followed
him down hill for some distance.
What shall we. dor"
We shall do what we always do
an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth!
Return to the tent, and when you hear
an owl screech twice come back to
the cave"
returned to the camp, armed my
self and filed my bandoIeer with all
the cartridges it would hold After
an imT atient wait l heard the signal
and made my way to the mouth OF
the den. As I passed through the
bush a black figure rose before me.
I'VE are here" said Van Vigil. IF
they come tonight the lions will have
more than their fill"
An hour passed, when the brushing
Of men through the bush caught our
ears. In the opening a troop Of men
was carrying a body bound tight in
a hammock They halted before, the
cave and, a moment later, the torches
illuminated the night, and they danced
around their victim. Then, when the
slow whir! ceased, two of them raised
the body and carried it toward the
mouth of the pit.
A roar Of horrid welcome came from
the depths of the den, cut by the
crack of a. rife driving a bullet into
the heart of the black nearest the
hole. With a groan he dropped tbs
hammock and fell dead The natives
hurled their torches to the ground
and tried to escape. The bushes
we're riven with flashes as a merci
Hess hail of bullets poured from the
guns of the Beers. On every side dry
grass and brush set on fire by the
torches blazed up showing the say.
ages against the iviG background
Frantic with the pelt Of the bullets
and the raging flames that leaped
from the grass around their bodies
they rushed in their madness toward
the only break in the ring of rifle
men, unmindful that it was the mouth
Of the pit, or seeking any cover from
, the fire. In a mOmeTt we saw them
plunging headlong into the depths of
the den and heard the roaring rise
to the pitch of fury as the waiting
lions bounded on their prey.
When the last man fell with a
screech we rushed forward and
dragged the unconscious soldier from
the burning grass.
The next day we returned to the
den and filed the mouth with lighted
bundles of bushes and dry grass to
scare back the lions When the fire
burned out we entered and found the
brutes suffocated by the smoke in the
farthest recesses of the caves. Scat
tered about on the stony floor were
fragments of human skeletons ana
rags and patches Of clothing and Ieath-
er, and we saw the tattered felt
schoen of the Beers mingled with the
uniform of the Portuguese soldiers.
Rings and trinkets. which Van VigPs
party recognized as belonging to the
voortrekkers, made the horrid identl-
fcations beyond question.
There could be no possible doubt
that the adventurous party Of Pet Du
Tot had fallen sick like our own and
had been hurled, one by one, into the
den by the fendish natives of
M'Wembi Thanks to the coming of
Van Vigil and his rescutng party in
the nick Of time, our colonel and the
remnant Of his troop were saved.