, 1916-10-12

had left it. but the gate was open. /
rushed in. In the cold morning light
IT was a fearful sight which met my
eyes. Our effects were scattered In
wild confusion over the ground, my
comrades had disappeared, and close
to the %smoIdering ashes of u fire the
grass was stained crimson with a hide
GUS pool of blood.
| was so stunned by this sudden
shock that for a time l must have
nearly lost my reason. l have a vague
recollection. as one remembers a bad
dream. Of rushing about through the
woods all around the empty camp,
calling wildly for my companions. No
answer came back from the silent
shadows. After n long period, during
which | sat in bewilderment, l set my
self to try to discover what sudden
misfortune could have befallen them.
The whole disordered appearance of
the camp showed that there had been
some sort of attack. and the rifle shot
no doubt marked the time when 1t had
occurred. That there should have been
only one shot showed that 1t had been
all over In an instant. The rifles still
Law upon the ground, and n of them
Lord JOhn's-had the empty cartridge
in the breech. The blankets of Chal-
lenger and of Summarize beside the
fire suggested that they had been
asleep at the time. The cases of am
munition and of food were scattered
about in a wild litter. together with
our unfortunte cameras and plate car
riers, but none OF them were missing.
On the other hand, all the exposed pro
visions-and | remembered that there
were n considerable quantity of them
were gone. They were animals, then,
and not natives, who had made the
inroad. for surely the latter would
have left nothing behind.
Suddenly a thought came to me and
brought some little comfort to my
heart. / was not absolutely alone in
the world. Down at the bottom of the
cliff and within call of me was waiting
the faithful Zambo. l went to the
edge Of the plateau and looked over.
Sure enough. he was squatting among
his blankets beside his fire in his little
camp. But. to my ~amazement, a sec
ond mar was seated in front of him
For an instant my heart leaped for
joy as / thought that one OF my COM
rades had made his way safely down.
But a second glance dispelled the hope.
The rising sun shone red upon the
mans skin. He was an Indian. l
shouted loudly and waved my hand
kerchief. Presently Zambo looked up.
waved his hand int turned to ascend
the pinnacle. In "A short time he was
standing close to me and listening with
deep distress to the story which ! told
him.
Devil got them for sure, Massa Ma
lone" said he. you got into the devils
country. sab. and he take you all to
himself. You take advice, Massa Ma
lone, and come down quick. else he get
you as we'll"
"How can | come down. Zambo?"
You get creepers from trees. Massa
Malone. Throw them over here. ]
make fast to his stump. and so yoo
have bridge"
I'VE have thought of that. There are
no creepers here which could zeal u.s.
Send for ropes, Massa Malone"
"Who can l send and where?"
"Send to Indian villages, sab. Plenty
hide rope in Indian village. Indian
down below; end him"
who is heY"
zone of our Indians. Other ones beat
him and take away his pay. He come
back to us. Ready now to take letter
bring rOpe-anythtng."
10 take n letter! Why not? Perhaps
he might bring help, but in any case
he would insure that our lives were
not spent for nothing II that news of
all that we had won for science should
reach our friends at home. | had two
completed letters already waiting. j
would spend the day in writing a third,
which would bring my experiences alb
solutely up to date. The Indian could
bear this back to the world. | ordered
Zambo. therefore, to come again in the
evening, and | spent my miserable and
lonely day in recording my own adven.
lures of the night before. ] also drew
up a note. to be given to any white
merchant or captain of a steamboat
whom the Indian could find. implorine
them to see that ropes were sent to
us, since II lives must depend upon
it. These documents ! threw to Zambo
in the evening, and also my purse.
which contained three English sover.
eigns. Thest were 10 be given to the
Indian. and he was promised twice as
much If he returned with the ropes.
Just as h Il was setting upon that
melancholy night l saw the lonely fig
ure of the Indian upon the vast plain
beneath me, and / watched him, om
n faint hope of salvation. until he
dian in the risinm mistr az