The Citizen. [volume] (American Fork, Utah) 1903-1912, 1912-08-31

I walked and crawled through the
dorm bosch, but with daylight the fires
vanished There was nothing to do
direction Of the movement OF the
campers.
A few hours later gray columns OF
smoke rose perhaps Ave miles to the
south. Hungry and thirsting and
bleeding from thorn scratches. | set
out toward the smoke as fast as
could In my fatigued condition. Two
hours walk brought me In view OF
the unmistakable Boer laager.
square OF white-topped wagons around
which horses were hitched. Broad
shouldered bearded men. heavily
armed and booted. sat around the
fires. ! cried with Joy and. taking
my hat In one hand and my rifle In
the other. waved them and stag
gered on as the campers rushed for.
ward to meet me. II was party OF
Poers searching for the same lost
voortrekkers.
| told them In few broken sen
fences my incredible story. Jan Van
Vigl. 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. was placed on horse
and led the way.
When we came In sight OF the
| ha
was setting. Vigil decided that he
would go to the camp with me and
lay out 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.
My Cod" he cried. that's the
roar of lions, but II is unearthly!"
You are right" | muttered. ut
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. l looked at the stars and saw
1t was about an hour from midnight.
In an hour. or perhaps two"
answered
Without word Van Vigil turned on
his heel and walked away. followed
him down hill for some distance.
what shall we dor"
We shall do what we always do
an eve for an eye. a tooth for n tooth
Return TO the tent, and when you hea
an owl screech twice come back I,
the cave"
l returned to the camp. armed my
self and filled my bandoleer with al
the cartridges II would hold. Afte
an imT atient walt heard the sigma
and made my way to the mouth o
the den AS ! passed through the
bush a black figure rose before me.
, I'VE are here" said Van vigl. II
they come tonight the lions will hav,
=, more than their fill."
q An hour passed. when the brushing
OF men through the bush caught on
n ears. In the opening a troop OF mel
I was carrying a body bound tight II
d hammock. They halted before tn
A cave and. n moment later. the torche
illuminated the night. and they dance,
It around their victim. Then. when tn
II slow whir, ceased. two OF them raise
n the body and carried It toward tn
d mouth OF the pit.
,r A roar OF horrid welcome came iron
k tho depths OF the den. cut by tn
G. crack OF a rife driving a bullet int
the hear: OF the black nearest tn
z. hole. With a groan he dropped tn
n hammock and fell dead The native
ID hurled tneir torches to the groun
d. and tried to escape. The bushe
W we're riyen with flashes as a mere
Is lees hail OF bullets poured from III
lie guns OF the Beers. On every side DIR
Is grass and brush set on fire by IN
y, torches blazed up. showing the sa'
8, ages against the llyid background.
r. Frantic with the pelt OF the bullet
le and the raging flames that leape
from the grass around their bodice
Id they rushed In their madness towar
ut the only break In the ring OF rift
g. men, unmindful that II was the mout
TX OF the pit. or seeking any cover froi
le the fire. In a moment we saw thel
re plunging headlong into the depths ,
n. the den and heard the roaring ris
| to the pitch OF fury as the waitin
OF lions bounded on their prey.
e, When the last man fell with
e. screech we rushed forward an
b. dragged the unconscious soldier fro
~ the burning grass.
Is The next day We returned TO Il
ed den and filled the mouth with lighte
ed bundles OF bushes and dry grass
he scare back the lions. When the III
en- burned out we entered and found Il
OF brutes suffocated br~the smoke In n
farthest recesses OF the caves. Sea
| tered about on the stony floor We
OF fragments OF human skeletons ar
rk rags and patches Of clothing and Leaf
.r. err. and we saw the tattered fe
We gchoen OF the Beers mingled with Il
DIS uniform OF the Portuguese soldier
OF Rings and trinkets, which Van Vigl
party recognized as belonging to Il
n. yoortrekkers. made the horrid iden