The Delta independent., 1916-07-28


1 awoke to find myself on my back
upon the grass in our lair within the
thicket. Some one had brought the
water from the brook. and Lord John
was sprinkling my head with it. while
Challenger and Summerlee were prop
ping me up, with concern in their
faces. For a moment had glimpse
Of the human spirits behind their scien-
tific masks. 1t was really shock rath-
er than any injury which had pros
trated me. and in half an hour, in spite
of aching head and stiff neck. / was
sitting up and ready for anything.
But you've had the escape of your
life, young fellah my lad said Lord
Roxton. when heard your cry and
ran forward and saw your head twist
I'd half Off and your stohwassers kick
In in the air 1 thought we were one
short. / missed the beast in nv furry.
pur ne dropped you all right and was
off like a streak. By George! 1 wish
had fifty men with rifles. I'd clear
out the whole internal gang Of them
and leave this country a bit cleaner
than we found it,
had in some way marked us down and
that We were watched on every side.
We had not so much to fear from them
during the day, but they would be very
likely to rush us by night, so the soon
er we got away from their neighbor-
hood the better. On three sides of us
was absolute forest, and there we
might find ourselves in ar ambush
But on the fourth side-that which
sloped down in the direction of the
lake-there was only low scrub, with
scattered trees and occasional open
glades. 1t was. in fact. the route
which 1 had myself taken in my soil
tary journey, and 1t led us straight for
the Indian caves. This, then, must
for every reason be our road.
1t was in the early afternoon that we
started upon our journey. One Indian,
a chief, walked at our head as guide,
but refused Indignantly to carry any
burden. Behind him came the two
surviving Indians with our scanty pos
sessions upon their backs. We four
white men walked In the rear with RI
f1es loaded and ready. AS we started
there broke from the thick silent woods
behind us a sudden great ululation of
the ape men, which may have been a
cheer of triumph at our departure or
Jeer of contempt at our flight Look
ing back we saw only the dense screen
OF trees, but that long drawn yell told
us how many of our enemies lurked
among them. We saw no sign of pur-
suit, however. and soon we had got
into more open country and beyond
their power.
In the late afternoon we reached the
margin of the lake, and as we emerg-
ed from the bush and saw the sheet
of water stretching before us our ma
tive friends set up a shrill cry of Joy
and pointed eagerly in front of them
1t was indeed a wonderful sight which
lay before us. Sweeping over tho
grassy surface was great fiotiilla of
, canoes coming straight for the shore
upon which We stood. They were some
miles out when We first saw them,
but they shot forward with great
swiftness and were soon so near that
the rowers could distinguish our per-
sons. Instantly a thunderous shout of
delight burst from them. and we saw
them rise from their seats, waving
their paddles and spears madly in the
air
Then, bending to their work once
more, they flew across the intervening
water, beached their boats upon the
sloping sand and rushed up to us. pros
trating themselves with loud cries of
greeting before the young chief. Final
ly one of them, an elderly man, with
necklace and bracelet Of great lustrous
glass beads and the skin Of some beau
tiful mottled amber colored animal
slung over his shoulders. ran forward
and embraced most tenderly the youth
whom we had saved. He then looked
at us and asked some questions, after
which he stepped up with much dig
nifty and embraced us also each in
turn. Then at his order the whole
tribe lay down upon the ground be
fore us in homage. Personally ] felt
shy and uncomfortable at this obsequi-
Gus alteration. and / read the same
feeling in the faces Of Roxton and
Summerlee, but Challenger expanded
like flower in the sun.
"They may be undeveloped types"
said he, stroking his beard and looking
round at them, "but their department
In the presence Of their superiors might
be lesson to some OF our more ad-
yanced Europeans. Strange how cor
rect are the instincts Of the natural
man.
1t was clear that the natives had
come out upon the warpath, for every
man carried his spear-a long bamboo
/ tipped with bone-his bow and arrows
and some sort of club or stone battle
Ak slung at his side. Their dark, angry
glances at the woods from which we