Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-06-24

SOLnIuueS udu ulodJptdleut anu ClOSb
to the smoldering ashes Of our fire the
grass was stained crimson with hide.
GUS pool Of blood.
l was so stunned by this sudden
shock that for a time l must have
nearly lost my reason. I 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 a long period, during
which l sat in bewilderment, 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 rife shot
no doubt marked the time when it had
occurred. That there should have been
only one shot showed that It had been
all over In an instant The rifles still
lay upon the ground. and one Of them
Lord Johns-had the empty cartridge
in the breech. The blankets Of Chal-
lenger and Of Summerlee 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-
YisiOns-and l remembered that there
were a 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, Sec
Oud man was seated in front Of him.
For an instant my heart leaped for
Joy as thought that one Of my COM
rBdes had made his way safely down.
But second glance disDelled the hope.
The rising sun shone red upon the
mans skin. He was an Indian.
shouted loudly and waved my hand
kerchief. Presently ZambO looked up,
waved his hand and 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. l
make fast to this stump, and so you
have bridge"
1--WE have thought Of that. There are
no creepers here which could bear 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 send him.
"Who Is hep
zone of our Indians. Other ones beat
him and take away his pay. He come
back to u.s. Ready now to take letter,
bring rope-anything."
TO take a letter! Why not? Perhaps
he might bring help, but in any case
he would insure that our lives were
not spent for nothing and that news Of
all that we had won for science should
reach our friends at home. had two
completed letters already waiting. l
would spend the day In writing 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 adyen.
lures Of the night before. I also drew
up note, to be given to any white
merchant or captain Of steamboat
whom the Indian could fnd, implorlng
them to see that ropes were sent to
US, since our lives must depend upon
IT, These documents threw to Zambo
in the evening, and also my purse
which contained three English sover.
eigns These were to be given to the
Indian, and he was promised twice as
much II he returned with the ropes.
Just rs the sun was setting upon that
melancholy night | saw the lonely fig-
ure of the Indian upon the vast plain
beneath me, and l watched him, our
one faint hope of salvation, until he
disappeared In the rising msts of
evening which lay rose tinted from the
setting sun between the faro6 river
and me.
1t was an awesome thing TO sleep
IN that M fated camp, and yet it was
even more unuerylng TO do SO In the
Jungle One or the other It must be-
Prudence, on the one hand. warned
me that should remain on guard, but
exhausted nature. on the other, de-
clared that l should do nothing OF the
klud. / climbed up on TO a limb OF
the great gingko tree, but there was
no sncnre nerch ON its rOnndnd snrfnce