The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1914-04-30

village. For q few minutes
the sharp cracking Of guns ahead
warned them to haste, but finally the
reports dwindled to an occasional shot,
presently ceasing altogether. Nor was
this less Ominous than the rattle Of
musketry, for it suggested but single
solution to the little band of rescuers-
that the lily garrisOned village had al
ready succumbed to the onslaught Of
a superior force.
The returning hunters had covered a
little more than three miles Of the five
that had separated them from the vii
lage when they met the first Of the
fugitives who had escaped the bullets
and the clutches of the foe. There
were dozen women, youths and girls
in the party. and so excited were they
that they could scarce make them
selves understood as they tried to re-
late to Waziri the calamity that had
befallen his people.
"They are as many as the leaves of
the forest" cried one Of the women, in
attempting to explain the enemy's
countless Manyuema, and they all have
guns. They crept close to the village
before we knew that they were about,
and then, with many shouts, they
rushed in upon us. shooting down men
and women and children. Those of us
who could fed in all directions into the
jungle, but more were killed. I do not
know whether they took any prisoners
or not-they seemed only bent upon
killing US ALL"
The march toward the village was
now resumed more slowly and with
greater stealth, for Waziri knew that 1t
was too late to rescue; their only mis-
sion could be one Of revenge. Inside
the next mile hundred more fugitives
were met. There were many men
among these. and so the fighting
strength of the party was augmented.
Now q dozen warriors were sent
creeping ahead to reconnoiter. Waziri
remained with the main body, which
advanced in thin line that spread In
a great crescent through the forest.
BY the chiefs side walked Tarzan.
Presently one of the scouts returned.
He had come within sight Of the vii
lage.
'They are all within the palisade."
he whispered.
"Goodw said Waziri. 1--WE shall
rush in upon them and slay them all.
"Wait" cautioned Tarzan. IF there
are even fifty guns within the palisade
we shall be repulsed and slaughtered.
Let me go alone through the trees. so
that may look down upon them from
above and see just how many there
be and what chance we. might have
were we to charge. Will you wait.
Waziri?"
"Yes." said the old chief. "Gor'
So Tarzan sprang into the trees and
disappeared in the direction of the vii
lage. He moved more cautiously than
was his wont, for he knew that men
with guns could reach him quite as
easily in the treetops as on the ground.
In five minutes he had wormed his
way to the great tree that overhung
the palisade at one end of the village,
and from his point of vantage looked
down upon the savage horde beneath.
He counted fifty Arabs and estimated
that there were FIVE times as many
cannibalS Manyuema.
The ape-man saw that to charge that
wild horde. armed as they were with
guns, and barricaded behind the locked
gates of the village. would be futile
task. and so he returned to Waziri and
advised him to wait: that he. Tarzan.
had q better plan. but a moment before
one of the fugitives had related to Wa
xiri the story Of the atrocious murder
Of the old chiefs wife, and so crazed
with rage was the old man that he cast
discretion to the winds. Calling his
warriors about him, he commanded
them to charge, and with brandishing
spears and savage yells the little force
Of scarcely more than hundred dash
ed madly toward the village gates. Be
fore the clearing had been half crossed
the Arabs opened up whitening fire
from behind the palisade.
With the first volley Waziri fell.
The speed of the chargers slackened.
Another volley brought down a half
dozen more. A few reached the bar
red gates only to be shot in their
tracks without the ghost of a chance
to gain the inside of the palisade, and
then the whole attack crumpled. and
the remaining warriors scampered
back into the forest.
AS they ran the raiders opened the
gates, rushing after them to complete
the days work with the utter exter-
mination Of the tribe. Tarzan had
been among the last to turn back to-
ward the forest, and now as he ran
slowly he turned from time to time to
speed a well aimed arrow into the
body Of a pursuer.
Once within the jungle he found
little knot Of determined blacks wait
ing to give battle to the oncoming
horde. but Tarzan cried to them to
scatter. keeping out of harms way I'M
I'll fhpv cOuld gather In force after