The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1912-05-10


out of the way Of swarms OF ants that
already were busy at work.
Having made me as comfortable as
possible, Romanes went in search OF
the camels, his idea being TO strap
me TO one and get away without de-
lay, for II the natives should return
in the morning in increased numbers
neither OF US would ever leave the
spot Poor John, he little knew then
what burden he had assumed In
finding me alive! Better for him
would Il have been II ] had really died
then and he could have buried me.
and, unhampered by delirious man,
have FASTENED TO safety. His first
disappointment came when he stood
up 10 listen for the bells or the cam,
els. which should have been heard.
He failed 10 catch the faintest tinkle.
His disappointment became alarm
when not three hundred yards from
the camp he found our pack camel
dead. with several spears sticking 1t,
and the other two, fifty yards further
on, hopelessly wounded.
His determination not 10 leave me
placed him in this predicament: he
had first OF all 10 shift ME 10 place
OF safety before morning brought the
natives on US again; and alone he
had then 10 get me into the De Grey
depot, distance Of nearly eighty
miles, the best part OF il over water
less country. II was impossible for
me 10 move Of my own initiative, for
that had left me and lay like O log,
senseless, delirious. II my life was
10 be saved l had to be moved from
the spot where | fell and be carried
10 place Of safety. That was the
conclusion Romanes arrived at and
before another dawn broke we were
ten miles away from the scene or our
last camp and was safely resting
in the shade Of bush, while Ro-
names went in search Of water and
food.
In the dark hours OF the next night
Romanes carried me another twelve
miles and collapsed beside me near
an old native we'll.
How long into that day he slept,
RomaLes never knew, but when he
awakened. probably IS the result OF
my rawlings. he saw a native coming
along the fence scarcely two hundred
yards away. His first thought was
10 shoot az sight, believing that the
black must be one OF our old enemies,
but feeling certain that the black Eel.
low could not have seen US In our
retreat. he decided 10 wait till he
came right up. The native was APP
parently following our tracks and was
already turning of into the bush just
where We had left the fence. when
Romanes recognized him as native
he had seen az Turnbull's station.
"Hullo there!" he yelled.
The black fellow stopped. saw the
strange and dilapidated white man
with a rife in his hand, and turned
with a yell 10 bolt into the bush.
Romanes called 10 him 10 halt and
q. TIE same time used Turnbull's
nam. and dropped his rife. A. the
familiar name, and seeing that he
was not 10 be shot instanter. the ma
tive stood still while Romanss walked
toward him and told him who he was.
The black accepted the peace over.
lures, and when Romanes learned
that he was making for the De Grey
station with the news from an out
station that the warlike natives were
about. Romanes decided 10 trust him
and conducted him 70 where / was
lying.
He inspected my wounds with many
grunts and EXPLANATIONS OF concern.
He made a native plaster for my
wounds, composing IL OF leaves and
sticking II on with wet clay, over
which was bound the piece OF shirt
sleeve which Romanes had first used
10 staunch the blood. Then with n
message 10 both the depot and his
employer, asking them to hasten TO
our assistance and telling them where
they would find us, dead or alive, the
native was dispatched by Romanes.
Romanes then picked me UP again,
and, footsore and exhausted as he
was, carried me another nine miles.
There for three whole days and
nights We lay. myself in high state
of fever, happily oblivious to all that
happened, and Romanes necessarily
on the watch for blacks.
On the morning of the fourth day
after our arrival at the shed. relief
came. When poor Romanes, by this
time half-insane as the result Of his
hardships, realized that he actually
saw white men and that the hordes
of furious savages rushing on him
we're merely the creation OF his blood
shot eyes, he broke down and wept.
Three days later / awoke to con.
sciousness and found myself in com.
parative comfort at the De Grey de-
pot, where the surveying party's cook
"a first.rate amateur surgeon--had
patched me up and doctored me IN
great style from the outfits medicine
chest. ] was still a helpless wreck,
but my brain was clearing, and when
realized where / was ! asked about
Romanes. They brought him TO me
and II was harder work for that brave
fellow TO answer my question as to
how got safe in from Mount Bruce
than Il had been for him 10 carry me
the best part of the Journey.
II was a month before was we'll
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