The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1913-05-17


their adventurous journey. Mile by
mile they made their way up the Qua
/ qua. Shire. and SO to Lake Nyassa-
We will pass lightly over this sec
ton of the great journey. for 1t was
similar to many another African trip
trip by boat on river and lake. But
once they had reached Karonga their
real difficulties commenced The
motor-launch had to be pushed on It's
/ wheels across the watershed by the
socalled Stevenson road-which is no
road at all in the generally accepted
meaning Of the word-to Fife and
thence to the Chambesi river. SO that
/ Lake Bangweolo might eventually be
reached Where obstructions impeded
/ progress-and there were countless
numbers of such places-they had to
I be overcome Trees had to be felled,
streams bridged, hills climbed. and
/ bush cleared from the selfmade path
/ After days and days OF toll in ter
/ rife tropical heat, the yoyagers reach
ed the banks OF the Chambesi river
and again took to the water courses.
I This part OF the trip was full OF dan
]
sible to guard against
All went well with them until they
I had nearly reached the shores OF the
mysterious Lake Bangw colo Then
disaster dire and dreadful. overlook
[ them, Within sight OF their goal they
were overcome by q cruel. relentless
/ fate.
+ AT dawn on September third the
blood-red morning sun triumphantly
/ rose over the summit Of the dark
chain OF the Muchemwa mountains
bathing all nature in its glorious
beauty. 1t bade them rise and con-
tinue their journey down the Cham
besi to the lake, their long hoped for
A., destination
AT six-thirty the two white men en-
barked. and few minutes later the
African servants were rowing Justify
up the Chambesi toward Bangweolo.
for whenever possible they saved
their gasoline and rowed Moreover.
there were many shallow channels TO
be negotiated and these were the
more easily navigated without use OF
the motor.
For time nothing unusual hap
pened. There was no sign OF life
beyond occasional birds along the
river banks. At last a convenient
place to land and partake of break
fast was found, and the two men ran
the launch into the bank. The cook
and servants busily stirred them
selves to prepare the delayed meal
/ But suddenly they stood petrifled
with astonlshmeht Not more than
fifty PAGES from them, close to the
river bank. stood three mighty buff
falo, watching them with wondering
eyes' They had appeared so silently
through the underground and reeds
that no one had had warming of their
approach These were no ordinary
buffalo. They were gigantic and sug-
gestive of prehistoric types.
Silence, deep and impressive, like
/ that silence which foreshadows death,
reigned for a brief moment Then
Lieutenant Graetz awoke to the dan
ger that threatened them With the
almost automatic precision of the ad-
venturer in savage lands. he unslung
his rife. The F'renchman, Fiere. fol-
lowed his example. Graetz fired the
moment his cheek rested along the
butt of his Mauser rifle and the sights
came on. Bang, the shot rang out,
awakening the bird life and echoing
through the trees beyond them and
then family back again. The leading
buffalo stumbled and fell on his
knees. rose again shook his ponder
Gus head in mingled anger and Eain
and then, dashing up the river bank,
galloped from sight into the bushes
The other two followed their wound
ed brothers example
Meanwhile Fiere stood ready to fire
in case of necessity. but there was no
further need now. Intermittently
through the underground the two
men caught glimpses of the buffaloes
shaggy forms as they followed the
course of the stream toward the lake.
But presently they saw but two Of
them. What had become of the third
they asked themselves. They were
not out OF danger yet, apparently.
Perhaps the third animal still kept
company with his fellows but was
hidden By the bushes: more likely
still, he had left them-the surest
possible sign that he was severely
wounded. Good! They would get him
yet. "Bos caffer Graetzii" would rea1
well In museum records and geological
books, thought Graetz to himself.
The decision to follow and kill the
wounded giant was quickly reached
Breakfast was forgotten. Leaving the
cook and two of the native followers
to clear away the untasted meal and
pack the motor-launch ready for a re-
newed start. Graetz and Fiere hast
ened of on the trail of the buffalo 1t
was not hard to follow. Large smears
Of blood were to be seen everywhere,
on bushes. on rocks. on the bare soil.