 Section 4 of Thriving Adventures by Land and Sea by James O. Brayman This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Section 4. DEF, Smith, the celebrated Texan spy. About two years after the Texan Revolution, a difficulty occurred between the new government and a portion of the people which threatened the most serious consequences even the bloodshed and horrors of civil war. Briefly, the cause was this. The Constitution had fixed the city of Austin as the permanent capital where the public archives were to be kept, with the reservation, however, of a power in the President to order their temporary removal in case of danger from the inroads of a foreign enemy or the force of a sudden insurrection. Conceiving that the exceptional emergency had arrived, as the Comanches frequently committed ravages within sight of the capital itself, Houston, who then resided at Washington on the Brazos, dispatched an order commanding his subordinate functionaries to send the state records to the latter place which he declared to be pro-tempo, the seat of government. It is impossible to describe the stormy excitement which the promulgation of this fiat raised in Austin. The keepers of hotels, boarding houses, groceries, and ferro banks were thunderstruck, maddened to frenzy, for the measure would be a death blow to their prosperity and business, and accordingly they determined at once to take the necessary steps to avert the danger by opposing the execution of Houston's mandate. They called a mass meeting of the citizens and farmers of the circumjacent country who were all more or less interested in the question, and after many fiery speeches against the asserted tyranny of the administration, it was unanimously resolved to prevent the removal of the archives by open and armed resistance. To that end they organized a company of four hundred men, one moiety of whom, relieving the other at regular periods of duty, should keep constant guard around the state house until the peril passed by. The commander of this force was one Colonel Morton, who had achieved considerable renown in the war for independence, and had still more recently displayed desperate bravery in two separate duels, in both of which he had cut his antagonist nearly to pieces with the bowie-knife. Indeed from the notoriety of his character, for revenge as well as courage, it was thought that President Houston would renounce his purpose touching the archives so soon as he should learn who was the leader of the opposition. Morton, on his part, whose vanity fully equaled his personal prowess, encouraged and justified the prevailing opinion by his boastful threats. He swore that if the President did succeed in removing the records by the march of an overpowering force, he would then himself hunt him down like a wolf and shoot him with his little ceremony, or stab him in his bed, or wailay him in his walks of recreation. He even wrote the hero of San Jacinto to that effect. The latter replied in a note of laconic brevity, if the people of Austin do not send the archives, I shall certainly come and take them, and if Colonel Morton can kill me, he is welcome to my ear-cap. On the reception of this answer the guard was doubled around the state house. The guards and sentinels were stationed along the road leading to the capital. The military paraded the streets from morning till night, and a select caucus held a permanent session in the city hall. In short, everything betokened a coming tempest. One day, while matters were in this precarious condition, the caucus at the city hall was surprised by the sudden appearance of a stranger, whose mode of entering was as extraordinary as his looks and dress. He did not knock at the closed door. He did not seek admission there at all, but climbing unseen a small bushy top to live oak, which grew beside the wall, he leaped without sound or warning through a lofty window. He was clothed altogether in buckskin, carried a long and heavy rifle in his hand, wore at the button of his left suspender a large booly knife, and had in his leather belt a couple of pistols half the length of his gun. He was tall, straight as an arrow, active as a panther in his motions, with dark complexion and luxuriant jetty air, with a severe iron-like countenance that seemed never to have known a smile, and eyes of intense vivid black, wild and rolling, and piercing as the point of a dagger. His strange advent inspired a thrill of involuntary fear, and many present unconsciously grasped the handles of their side-arms. Who are you that thus presumes to intrude upon gentlemen without invitation, demanded Colonel Morton ferociously assaying to cow down at the stranger with his eye? The latter returned his stare with compound interest, and laid his long bony finger on his lip as a sign, but of what the spectators could not imagine. Who are you? Speak, or I will cut the answer out of your heart, shouted Morton, almost distracted with rage by the cool, snaring gaze of the other, who now removed his finger from his lip and laid it on the hilt of his monstrous knife. The fiery Colonel then drew his dagger, and was in the act of advancing upon the stranger, when several caught him and held him back, remonstrating, let him alone, Morton, for God's sake, do you not perceive that he's crazy? At the moment Judge Webb, a man of shrewd intellect and courteous manners, stepped forward and addressed the intruder in a most respectful manner. My good friend, I presume you have made a mistake in the house. This is a private meeting where none but members are admitted. The stranger did not appear to comprehend the words, but he could not fail to understand the mild and deprecatory manner. His rigid features relaxed, and moving to a table in the center of the hall, where there were materials and implements for writing, he seized a pen and traced one line, I am deaf. He then held it up before the spectators as a sort of natural apology for his own want of politeness. Judge Webb took the paper and wrote a question, Dear Sir, will you be so obliging as to inform us what is your business with the present meeting? The other responded by delivering a letter inscribed on the back to the citizens of Austin. They broke the seal and read it aloud. It was from Houston and showed the usual terse brevity of his style. Fellow citizens, though in error and deceived by the arts of traitors, I will give you three days more to decide whether you will surrender the public archives. At the end of that time you will please let me know your decision, Sam Houston. After the reading, the deaf man waited a few seconds, as if for a reply, and then turned and was about to leave the hall when Colonel Morton interposed and sternly beckoned him back to the table. The stranger obeyed and Morton wrote, You were brave enough to insult me by your threatening looks ten minutes ago. Are you brave enough now to give me satisfaction? The stranger penned his reply, I am at your service. Morton wrote again, Who will be your second? The stranger rejoined, I am too generous to seek an advantage, and too brave to fear any on part of others, therefore I never need the aid of a second. Morton penned, Name your terms. The stranger traced without a moment's hesitation. Time sunset this evening, place the left bank of the Colorado opposite Alston, weapons, rifles, and distance a hundred yards. Do not fail to be in time. He then took three steps across the floor and disappeared through the window as he had entered. What, exclaimed Judge Webb, is it possible, Colonel Morton, that you intend to fight that man? He is a mute, if not a positive maniac. Such a meeting I fear will sadly tarnish the luster of your laurels. You are mistaken, replied Morton with a smile. That mute is a hero whose fame stands in the records of a dozen battles and at least half as many bloody duels. Besides, he is the favorite emissary and bosom friend of Houston. If I have the good fortune to kill him, I think it will tempt the president to retract his vow against venturing any more on the field of honor. You know the man then. Who is he? Who is he? asked twenty voices together. Deaf Smith, answered Morton coolly. Why, no, that cannot be. Deaf Smith was slain at San Jacinto, remarked Judge Webb. There, again, your honor is mistaken, said Morton. The story of Smith's death was a mere fiction, got up by Houston to save the life of his favorite from the sworn vengeance of certain Texans on whose conduct he had acted as a spy. I fathomed the artifice twelve months since. If what you say be true, you are a madman yourself, exclaimed Webb, Deaf Smith was never known to Mrs. Mark. He has often brought down ravens in the most rapid flight and killed Comanches and Mexicans at a distance of two hundred and fifty yards. Say no more, answered Colonel Morton, in tones of deep determination. The thing is already settled. I have already agreed to meet him. There can be no disgrace in falling before such a shot, and if I succeed, my triumph will confer the greater glory. Such was the general habit of thought and feeling prevalent throughout Texas at that period. Toward evening a vast crowd assembled at the place appointed to witness the hostile meeting, and so great was the popular recklessness, as to affairs of the sort, that numerous and considerable sums were wagered on the result. At length the red orb of the summer sun touched the curved rim of the western horizon, covering it all with crimson and gold, and filling the air with a flood of burning glory, and then the two mortal antagonists, armed with long, ponderous rifles, took their stations back to back, and at a pre-concerted signal, the waving of a white handkerchief, walked slowly and steadily off in opposite directions, counting their steps until each had measured fifty. They both completed the given number about the same instant, and then they wheeled, each to aim and fire when he chose. As the distance was great, both paused for some seconds, long enough for the beholders to flash their eyes from one to the other, and mark the striking contrast betwixt them. The face of Colonel Morton was calm and smiling, but the smile at Bohr had a most murderous meaning. On the contrary, the countenance of Def Smith was stern and passionless as ever. A side view of his features might have been mistaken for a profile done in cast iron. The one, two, was dressed in the richest cloth, the other in smoke-tinted leather. But that made no difference in Texas, then, for the heirs of heroic courage were all considered peers. The class of inferiors embraced none but cowards. Presently, two rifles exploded with simultaneous roars. Colonel Morton gave a prodigious bound upward and dropped to the earth a corpse. Def Smith stood erect and immediately began to reload his rifle, and then, having finished his brief task, he hastened away into the adjacent forest. Three days afterward, General Houston, accompanied by Def Smith and ten other men, appeared in Austin and, without further opposition, removed the state papers. The history of the hero of the foregoing anecdote was one of the most extraordinary ever known in the West. He made his advent in Texas at an early period, and continued to reside there until his death, which happened some two years ago. But although he had many warm personal friends, no one could ever ascertain either the land of his birth, or a single gleam of his previous biography. When he was questioned on the subject, he laid his finger on his lips. And if pressed more urgently, his brow writhed, and his dark eyes seemed to shoot sparks of livid fire. He could write with astonishing correctness and facility, considering his situation. And although denied the exquisite pleasure and priceless advantages of the sense of hearing, nature had given him ample compensation by an eye, quick and far-seeing, as in eagles, and a smell, keen and incredible, as that of a raven. He could discover objects moving miles away in the far-off prairie when others could perceive nothing but earth and sky, and the rangers used to declare that he could catch the scent of a Mexican or Indian at as great a distance as a buzzard could distinguish the odor of a dead carcass. It was these qualities which fitted him so well for a spy in which capacity he rendered invaluable services to Houston's army during the War of Independence. He always went alone and generally obtained the information desired. His habits in private life were equally singular. He could never be persuaded to sleep under the roof of a house, or even to use a tentcloth. Wrapped in his blanket, he loved to lie out in the open air, under the blue canopy of pure ether, and count the stars, or gaze with a yearning look at the melancholy moon. Not employed as a spy or guide, he subsisted by hunting, being often absent on solitary excursions for weeks and even months together in the wilderness. He was a genuine son of nature, a grown-up child of the woods and prairie, which he worshipped with a sort of pagan adoration. Excluded by his infirmities from cordial fellowship with his kind, he made the inanimate things of the earth his friends, and entered by the heart's own adoption into brotherhood with the luminaries of heaven. Wherever there was land or water, barren rocks or tangled breaks of wild, waving cane, there was Death Smith's home, and there he was happy. But in the streets of great cities, in all the great thoroughfares of men, wherever there was flattery or fawning, base cunning or craven fear, there was Death Smith, an alien, and an exile. Strange soul, he hath departed on the long journey away among those high bright stars which were his night lamps, and he hath either solved or ceased to ponder the deep mystery of the magic word life. He is dead. Therefore let his errors rest in oblivion, and his virtues be remembered with hope. ESCAPE FROM A SHARK As she was lying in the harbor at Havana, it was very hot on board the royal consort about four o'clock in the afternoon of the fourteenth of July. There was not the slightest movement in the air. The rays of the sun seemed to burn down into the water. Silence took hold of the animated creation. It was too hot to talk, whistle, or sing, to bark, to crow, or to bray. Everything crept under cover, but Sambo and Cuffee, two fine-looking blacks, who sat sunning themselves on the key, and thought, M. baddy pleasant weather, and glistened like a new Bristol bottle. Sambo and Cuffee, as we have said, were sitting on the key enjoying the pleasant sunshine, and making their evening repast a banana, when they heard the plunge into the water by the side of the royal consort, and presently saw Brooke Watson emerging from the deep, his hands to his eyes to free them from the brine, balancing up and down, spattering the water from his mouth, and then throwing himself forward, hand over hand, as if at length he really felt himself in his element. Ah, Massa Braca roared out Sambo, as soon as he could recover from his astonishment enough to speak, of thing, oh, he white man never go to swim, oh, de Tiberon, he very bad bite, come to shark, ah, baddy big mouth, he eat a senior, all up down. Such was the exclamation of Sambo, in the best English he had been able to pick up, in a few years' service, in unlating the American vessels that came to the Havana. It was intended to apprise the bold but inexperienced stranger that the waters were filled with sharks, and that it was dangerous to swim in them. The words were scarcely uttered, and even if they were heard, had no time to produce their effect. When Cuffee responded to the exclamation of his Sable colleague with, ah, mother de Dio, si, si, de Tiberon, de Shark, ah, san Salvatore, oh, poor, oh, one, mother, to do come there, he eat a more down, baddy, soon. This second cry had been drawn from the kind-hearted negro by seeing, at a distance in the water, a smooth shooting streak which an inexperienced I would not have noticed, but which Sambo and Cuffee knew full well. It was the wake of a shark. At a distance of a mile or two the shark had perceived his prey, and with the rapidity of sound he had shot across the intervening space, scarcely disturbing the surface with a ripple. Cuffee's practiced eye alone had seen a flash of his tail at the distance of a mile and a half, and raising his voice to the utmost of his strength, he had endeavored to apprise the incautious swimmer of his danger. Brooke heard the shout, and turned his eye in the direction in which the negro pointed, and well-skilled in all the appearances of the water, under which he could see almost as well as in the open air, he perceived the sharp forehead of the fearful animal rushing toward him, head on, with a rapidity which bade defiance to fight. In a moment the dreadful monster had shot across the entire space that separated him from Brooke, and had stopped as if its vitality had been instantly arrested at the distance of about twelve feet from our swimmer. Brooke had drawn himself up in the most pugnacious attitude possible, and was treading water with great activity. The shark, probably unused to any signs of making battle, remained for one moment quiet, and then, like a flash of lightning, shot side-long off and came round in the rear. Brooke, however, was as wide awake as his enemy. The plashing of the oars of Sambo and Cuffee warned the sagacious monster of gathering foes, whirling himself over on his back and turning up his long white belly, and opening his terrific jaws, set round with a double row of broad serrated teeth, the whole roof of his mouth paved with horrent fangs, all standing erect, sharp, and rigid, just permitting the blood-bright red to be seen between their roots, he darted toward Brooke. Brooke's self-possession stood by him in this drying moment. He knew very well if the animal reached him in a vital part that instant death was his fate. And with a rapid movement, either of instinct or calculation, he threw himself backward, kicking at the same moment at the shark. In consequence of this movement, his foot and leg passed into the horrid maw of the dreadful monster, and were severed in a moment, muscles, sinews, and bone. In the next moment, Sambo and Cuffee were at his side and lifted him into the boat, convulsed with pain and fainting with loss of blood. Brooke was taken on board, bandages and sceptics were applied, and in due season the youth recovered. The place of his lost limb was supplied by a wooden one, and industry, temperance, probity, and zeal supplied the place of a regiment of legs when employed to prop up a lazy and dissipated frame. ADVENTURE WITH PIRATES FROM FORCHAN'S ADVENTURES IN CHINA Early in the morning the whole fleet was in motion, boarding altogether for the sake of mutual protection. The wind and tide were both fair, and we proceeded along the coast with great rapidity, and were soon out of sight of the men and its beautiful and romantic scenery. The plan of mutual protection soon seemed to be abandoned, and the vessels soon separated into threes and fours, each getting on as well and as fast as it could. About four o'clock in the afternoon, and when we were some fifty or sixty miles from the men, the captain and the pilot came hurriedly down to my cabin and informed me that they saw a number of jandus, right ahead, lying in wait for us. I ridiculed the idea and told them that they imagined every junk they saw to be a pirate, but they still maintained that they were so, and I therefore considered it prudent to be prepared for the worst. I got out of bed, ill and feverish as I was, and carefully examined my firearms, clearing the nipples of my guns and pistols, and putting on fresh caps. I also rammed down a ball, upon the top of each charge of shot in my gun, put a pistol in each side pocket, and patiently awaited for the result. By the aid of a small pocket telescope I could see, as the nearest junk approached, that her deck was crowded with men. I then had no longer any doubts regarding her intentions. The pilot, an intelligent old man, now came up to me and said that he thought resistance would be of no use. I might manage to beat off one junk or even two, but I had no chance with five of them. Being at that time in no mood to take advice or be dictated by any one, I ordered him off to look after his own duty. I knew perfectly well that if we were taken by the pirate I had not the slightest chance of escape, for the first thing they would do would be to knock me on the head and throw me overboard, as they would deem it dangerous to themselves were I to get away. At the same time, I must confess, I had little hopes of being able to beat off such a number, and devoutly wished myself anywhere rather than where I was. The scene around me was a strange one. The captain, pilot, and one or two native passengers were taking up the boards of the cabin floor and putting their money and other valuables out of sight among the ballast. The common sailors too had their copper cash or tin to hide, and the whole place was in a state of bustle and confusion. When all their more valuable property was hidden, they began to make some preparations for defense. Baskets of small stones were brought up from the hold and emptied out on the most convenient parts of the deck and were intended to be used instead of firearms when the pirates came to close quarters. This is a common mode of defense in various parts of China, and is effectual enough when the enemy has only similar weapons to bring against them. But on the coast of Fokin, where we were now, all the pirate junks carried guns, and consequently a whole deckload of stones would be of little use against them. I was surrounded by several of the crew who might well be called Job's comforters, some suggesting one thing and some another, and many proposed that we should bring the junk round and run back to the men. The nearest pirate was now within two or three hundred yards of us, and putting her helm down gave us a broadside from her guns. All was now dismay and consternation on board our junk, and every man ran below, except two who were at the helm. I expected every moment that these also would leave their post, and then we would have been an easy prey to the pirates. My gun is near you than those of the Jandu, said I to the two men, and if you move from the helm, depend upon it, I will shoot you. The poor fellows looked very uncomfortable, but I suppose thought they had better stand the fire of the pirates than mine, and kept at their post. Large boards, heaps of old clothes, mats, and things of that sort, which were at hand, were thrown up to protect us from the shot, and as we had every stitch of sail set, and a fair wind, we were going through the water at a rate of seven or eight miles an hour. The shot from the pirate fell considerably short of us. I was therefore unable to form an opinion of the range and power of their guns, which was of some use to me. Assistance from our cowardly crew was quite out of the question, for there was not a man among them brave enough to use the stones which he had brought on deck, and which perhaps might have been of some little use when the pirates came nearer. The fair wind and all the press of sail, which we had crowded on the junk, proved of no use to us. Again the nearest pirate fired on us. The shot this time fell just under our stern. I still remained quiet as I had determined not to fire a single shot, until I was quite certain my gun would take effect. The third broadside, which followed this, came whizzing over our heads and through the sails without, however, wounding either them in at the helm or myself. The pirates now seemed quite sure of their prize, and came down upon us, hooting and yelling like demons, at the same time loading their guns and evidently determined not to spare their shot. This was a moment of intense interest. The plan which I had formed from the first was now about to be put to proof, and if the pirates were not the cowards which I believe them to be, nothing could save us from falling into their hands. Their fearful yells seemed to be ringing in my ears even now, after this lapse of time, and when I am on the other side of the globe. The nearest junk was now within thirty yards of hours. Their guns were loaded, and I knew that the next discharge would completely rake our decks. Now, said I to our helmsman, keep your eyes fixed on me, and the moment you see me fall flat on the deck, you must do the same, or you will be shot. I knew that the pirate, who was now on our stern, could not bring his guns to bear upon us, without putting his helm down and bringing his gangway at right angles with our stern, as his guns were fired from the gangway. I therefore kept a sharp eye upon the helmsman, and the moment I saw him putting the helm down, I ordered our steersman to fall flat on their faces behind some wood, and at the same moment did so myself. We had scarcely done so when a bang bang went at their guns, and the shock came whizzing close over us, splintering the wood about us in all directions. Fortunately none of us were struck. Now, Mandarin, now, they were quite close enough, cried out my companions, who did not wish to have another broadside like the last. I, being of the same opinion, raised myself above the high stern of our junk, and while the pirates were not more than twenty yards from us, booting and yelling, I raked their decks for an aft with shot and ball from my double-barreled gun. Had a thunderbolt fallen among them, they would not have been more surprised. Doubtless many were wounded, and probably some killed. At all events the whole of the crew, not fewer than forty or fifty men, who a moment before, crowded the deck, disappeared in a marvelous manner, sheltering themselves behind the bulwarks or lying flat on their faces. They were so completely taken by surprise that their junk was left without a helmsman. Her sails flapped in the wind, and as we were still carrying all sail and keeping on her right course, they were soon left a considerable way astern. Another was now bearing down upon us as boldly as his companion had done, and commenced firing in the same manner. Having been so successful with the first, I determined to follow the same plan with this one, and to pay no attention to his firing until he should come to close quarters. The plot now began to thicken, for the first junk had gathered way again, and was following in our wake, although keeping at a respectful distance, and three others, although still further distant, were making for the scene of action as fast as they could. In the meantime the second was almost alongside, and continued giving us a broadside now and then with his guns. Watching their helm as before, we sheltered ourselves as well as we could. At the same time my poor fellows, who were steering, kept begging and praying that I would fire into our pursuers as soon as possible, or we should all be killed. As soon as we came within twenty or thirty yards of us, I gave them the contents of both barrels, raking their decks as before. This time the helmsmen fell, and doubtless several were wounded. In a minute or two I could see nothing but boards and shields which were held up by the pirates to protect themselves from my firing. Their junk went up into the wind, and for want of a helmsman was soon left some distance behind us. While I was watching this vessel, our men called out to me that there was another close on our libao which I had not observed on account of our mainsail. Luckily however it proved to be a Ningpu wood junk like ourselves which the pirates had taken a short time before, but which although manned by these rascals could do us no harm having no guns. The poor Ningpu crew whom I could plainly see on board seemed to be very much downhearted and frightened. I was afterward informed that when a junk is captured all the principal people such as the captain, pilot and passengers are taken out of her, and a number of the pirates go on board and take her into some of their dens among the islands and keep her there until a heavy ransom is paid both for the junk and the people. Sometimes when a ransom cannot be obtained the masts and swars and everything else which is of any value are taken out of her and she is set on fire. The two other peratical junks which had been following in our wake for some time when they saw what had happened would not venture any nearer, and at last, much to my satisfaction, the whole set of them bore away. End of Section IV. Section V. Of Thrilling Adventures by Land and Sea by James O'Breyman. This Liberbox recording is in the public domain. Section V. A Seafowling Adventure. One pleasant afternoon in summer Frank Costello jumped into his little boat and pulling her out of the narrow creek where she lay moored crept along the iron-bound shore until he reached the entrance of one of those deep sea caves so common upon the western coast of Ireland. To the gloomy recesses of these natural caverns millions of seafowl resort during the breeding season and it was among the feathered tribes then congregated in the puffin cave that Frank meant on that evening to deal death and destruction. Gliding with lightly dipping oars into the yawning chasm he stepped nimbly from his boat and making the painter fast to a projecting rock he lighted a torch and armed only with a stout cudgel penetrated into the innermost recesses of the cavern. There he found a vast quantity of birds and eggs and soon became so engrossed with his sport that he paid no attention to the lapse of time until the hollow sound of rushing waters behind him made him aware that the tide, which was ebbing when he entered the cave, had turned and was now rising rapidly. His first impulse was to return to the spot where he had made his boat fast, but now was he horrified on perceiving that the rock to which it had been secured was now completely covered with water. He might, however, still have reached it by swimming, but unfortunately the painter by which it was attached to the rock, not having sufficient scope, the boat on the rising of the tide was drawn stern down to a level with the water and Frank, as he beheld her slowly fill and disappear beneath the waves, felt as if the last link between the living world and himself had been broken. To go forward was impossible and he well knew that there was no way of retreating from the cave, which in a few hours would be filled by the advancing tide. His heart died within him as the thought of the horrid fate which awaited him flashed across his mind. He was not a man who feared to face death. By flood or field on the stormy sea in the dizzy cliff he had dared it a thousand times with perfect unconcern. But to meet the grim tyrant there alone, to struggle hopelessly with him for life in that dreary tomb, was more than his fortitude could bear. He shrieked aloud in the agony of despair. The torch fell from his trembling hand into the dark waters that gurgled at his feet and flashing for a moment upon their inky surface expired with a hissing sound that fell like a death warning upon his ear. The wind, which had been scarcely felt during the day, began to rise with the flowing of the tide and now drove the tumultuous waves with hoarse and hideous clamor into the cavern. Every moment increased the violence of the gale that howled and bellowed as it swept across the echoing roof of that rock-ribbed prison, while the hoarse dash of the approaching waves and the shrill screams of the seabirds that filled the cavern formed a concert of terrible dissonance, well suited for the requiem of the hapless wretch who had been enclosed in that living grave. But the love of life which makes us cling to it in the most hopeless extremity was strong in Frank Costello's breast. His firmness and presence of mind gradually returned and he resolved not to perish without a struggle. He remembered that, at the farther extremity of the cavern, the rock rose like a flight of rude stairs sloping from the floor to the roof. He had often clamored up those rugged steps and he knew that by means of them he could place himself at an elevation above the reach of the highest tide. But the hope, thus suggested, was quickly damped when he reflected that a deep fissure which ran perpendicularly through the rock formed a chasm ten feet in width in the floor of the cavern between him and his place of refuge. The tide, however, which was now rising rapidly, compelled him to retire every instant further into the cavern, and he felt that the only chance he had left him for life was to endeavour to cross the chasm. He was young, active, and possessed of uncommon courage, and he had frequently, by torchlight, leaped across the abyss in the presence of his companions, few of whom dared to follow his example. But now, alone and in utter darkness, how was he to attempt such a perilous feat? The conviction that death was inevitable if he remained where he was decided him. Collecting a handful of loose pebbles from one of the numerous channels in the floor, he proceeded cautiously over the slippery rocks, throwing at every step a pebble before him to ascertain the security of his footing. At length he heard the stone, as it fell from his fingers, descend with a hollow clattering noise that continued for several seconds. He knew he was standing on the brink of the chasm. One quick and earnest prayer he breathed to the invisible power whose hand could protect him in that dread moment, then retiring a single pace and screwing every nerve and muscle in his body to the utmost tension. He made a step in advance and threw himself forward into the dark and fearful void. Who can tell the whirlwind of thought that rushed through his brain in the brief moment that he hung above that yawning gulf? Should he have miscalculated his distance or chosen a place where the cleft was widest? Should his footing fail, or his strength be unequal to carry him over, what a death were his, dashed down that horrible abyss, crashing from rock to rock, until he lay at the bottom a mutilated corpse. The agony of years was crowded into one moment. In the next his feet struck against the firm rock on the opposite side of the chasm, and he was saved. At least he felt that he had, for the moment, escaped the imminent peril at which he was placed, and as he clamored joyfully up the rugged slope at the end of the cave, he thought little of the dangers he had still to encounter. All through that long night he sat on the narrow ledge of a rock while the angry waves thundered beneath and cast their cold spray every instant over him. With the ebbing of the tide, the sea receded from the cavern, but Frank hesitated to attempt crossing the chasm again. His limbs had become stiff and benumbed, and his long abstinence had so weakened his powers that he shrank from the dangerous enterprise. While giving way to the most desponding reflections, a stentorian hello rang and echoed through the cavern, and never had the human voice sounded so sweetly in his ear. He replied to it with a thrilling shout of joy, and in a few minutes several persons with torches appeared advancing. A plank was speedily thrust across the fissure, and Frank Costello once more found himself amid a group of his friends who were warmly congratulating him upon his miraculous escape. They told him that from his not having returned home the preceding night it was generally concluded that he had been drowned, and a party of his neighbors proceeded in a boat early in the morning in search of his body. On reaching Puffin Hole they discovered his boat fastened to a rock and full of water, as she had remained on the ebbing of the tide. This circumstance induced them to examine the cavern narrowly, and the happy result of their search is already known. Adventure with a Cobra de Capello I might have slept some four or five hours, and a dreamless and satisfying sleep it was, but certain it is, let sholiest say what they will, and skeptics throw doubts by handfuls on the assertions of metaphysicians, that before I woke and in my dreamless slumber I had a vision perception of peril, a consciousness of the hovering presence of death. How to describe my feelings I know not, but as we have all read and heard that if the eyes of a watcher are steadily fixed on the countenance of a sleeper for a certain length of time, the slumberer will be sure to start up, wakened by the mysterious magnetism of a reckoned-ite principle of clairvoyance. So it was that with shut eyes and drowsed-up senses an inward ability was conferred upon me to detect the living from the presence of danger near me, to see, though sleep-blind, the formless shape of a mysterious horror crouching beside me, and as if the peril that was my nightmate was of a nature to be quickened into fatal activity by any motion on my part, I felt in my very stupor the critical necessity of lying quite still, so that when I at last aboak and felt that as I lay with my face toward the roof there was a thick, heavy, cold, creeping thing upon my chest, I stirred not, nor uttered a word of panic. Fear and fear may occasionally dull the sense and paralyze the faculties, but they more frequently sharpen both, and ere I could wink my eye I was broad awake and aware that coiling and coiling itself up into a circle of twists an enormous serpent was on my breast. When I tell you that the hole of my chest and even the pit of my stomach were covered with the cold, scaly proportions of the reptile, you will own that it must have been one of considerable size. What my thoughts were, so made up of abhorrence, dread, and the expectation, nay assurance of speedy death that must follow any movement on my part, I can never hope to tell in language sufficiently distinct and vivid to convey their full force. It was evident the loathsome creature had at length settled itself to sleep, and I felt thankful that attracted to by my breath it had not approached the upper part of my throat. It became quite still, and its weighty pressure, its first clammy chillness becoming gradually, so it seemed to me, of a burning heat, and the odious, indescribable odor which exhaled from its body and pervaded the whole air, so overwhelmed me that it was only by a severe struggle I preserved myself from shrieking. As it was, a cold sweat burst from every pore. I could hear the beating of my heart, and I felt, to my increased dismay, that the palsy of terror had begun to agitate my limbs. It will wake, thought I, and then all is over. At this juncture, something, it might have been a wall lizard or a large beetle, fell from the ceiling upon my left arm which lay stretched at my side. The snake, uncoiling its head, raised itself with a low hiss, and then, for the first time I saw it, saw the hood, the terrible crest glistening in this moonshine. It was a cobra de capello, shading my eyes to exclude the dreadful spectacle. I lay almost fainting, until again all was quiet. Had its fiery glances encountered mine all would have been over, but apparently it was once more asleep, and presently I heard the lascar moving about, undoing the fastenings of the tent, and striking a light. A thought suddenly struck me, and with an impulse I could then ascribe to nothing short of desperation, though its effects were so providential, I uttered in a loud, but sepulchral tone, culasse lascar, sahib was the instantaneous response, and my heart beat quicker at the success of my attempt. I lay still again, for the reptile evidently roused, made a movement, and its head, as I suppose, fell on my naked arm. Oh, God! The agony of that moment, when suppressed tremor almost gave way to madness. I debated with myself whether I should again endeavor to attract the attention of the culasse, or remain perfectly quiet, or whether it would not be better than either to start up at once and shake the disgustful burden from me. But the lighter suggestion was at once abandoned, because of the assurance I felt that it would prove fatal, impeded by the heavy coils of the creature, weak and nervous from excitement, I could not escape its fangs. Again, therefore, I spoke with the hollow but distinct accents which arise from the throat when the speaker is afraid to move a muscle. Culasse chara, lascar, a lantern, la wa um sahib. I am bringing it, sir. There was then a sound of clanking metal, light advancing, flashes from the roof of the veranda, and at the noise of coming steps, low, one after one, its terrible coils unwinding, the grizzly monster glided away from my body, and the last sounds that struck my sense of hearing were the ya il aliz ap, oh God, a snake, of the lascar, for I fainted away for the first time in my life. Combat of Wild Animals We were conducted to a gallery which commanded a view of a narrow court or area beneath, enclosed by walls and palisades. This was the arena in which the spectacle was to take place. Unfortunately, the space allotted to spectators was so narrowed by the great number of European ladies who were present that we could only find in different standing room where, in addition to this inconvenience, the glare of the sun was very oppressively felt. But the drama which began to be acted in our side in the deep space below was such that every discomfort was forgotten in beholding it. We there beheld six mighty buffaloes, not of the tame species, but the sturdy offspring of the arnie buffalo, of the hill country, at least four feet and a half high from the ground to the withers, with enormous, widely spread horns several feet long. There they stood on their short, clumsy hoofs, and snorting violently, blew out their angry breath from their protruded muzzles, as if they were already aware of the nearly approaching danger. What terribly powerful brutes! What vast strength in their broad and brawny necks! It would have been a noble sight had not their eyes the while expressed such entire stupidity. A rattling of sticks, and the cries of several kind of bestial voices, were heard, to which the buffaloes replied with a deep bellowing. On a sudden, from an open side door, there darted forth a huge tiger, certainly from ten to eleven feet in length and four in height. Without much hesitation, he sprang with a single long bound right amid the buffaloes, one of which, winding his body out of the reach of the formidable horns, he seized by the neck with both claws and teeth at once. The weight of the tiger almost overthrew the buffalo. A hideous combat now took place, groaning and bellowing. The buffalo dragged his powerful salient up and down the arena, while the others, with their heavy pointed horns, dealt the tiger fearful gashes to liberate their fellow beast. A deep stillness reigned among the public. All the spectators awaited, with eager suspense, the issue of this contest between the tiger and the buffaloes. As well as the fate of some unfortunate asses, which latter, to increase the sport, being made perforce witnesses of the sanguinary action, at first looked down upon it from their poles with inexpressible horror, and afterward, when their supports were shaken by the budding of the buffaloes, fell to the ground, as if dead, and with outstretched limbs lay, expecting their fate with the greatest resignation, without making a single effort to save themselves. Two other tigers of somewhat less stature were now with great difficulty driven in, while the main struggle was still going forward. But no efforts could induce them to attempt an attack of any kind. They shrank down, white cats, crouching as closely as possible to the walls of the enclosure, whenever the buffaloes, who still continued, however, to butt at their enemy, with the utmost desperation, approached them. The great tiger had at last received a push in the ribs, which lifted him from his seat. He came tumbling down, and crawled like a craven into a corner, wither he was pursued by the buffalo, maddened by the pain of his lacerated neck, and there had to endure many thrusts with his horns, at each of which he only drew up his mouth with a grimace of pain, without making the smallest motion to ward off the attack. The spectacle was by no means ended here. Other combatants were driven in, and fought with more or less energy. A young man and his sister have kept this ferry several years, during which they have performed many acts of heroic benevolence, and have rescued numbers of their fellow creatures from a watery grave. One of these had so much of perilous adventure in it, that I shall make no apology for giving some account of it, the more especially as I was myself one of the trembling and anxious spectators of the whole scene. A raft of timber, on its way down the river to the nearest port, was dashed to pieces by the violence of the rapids. There was the usual number of men upon it, all of whom, except two, were fortunate enough to get upon a few logs, which kept together and were comparatively safe, while their two poor comrades were helplessly contending with the tumbling waves, almost within reach of them, but without their being able to afford them the slightest assistance. After a minute or two, and when one more would have been their last, a long ore or sweep belonging to the wretched raft came floating by. They instantly seized it and held on till they were carried down more than a mile, loudly calling for help as they went along. But what aid could we render them? No craft, none at least, which were on the banks of the river, could live in such a boiling torrent as that, for it was during one of the high spring freshets. But the ferryman was of a different opinion and could not brook the thought of their dying before his eyes without his making a single effort to save them. How could I stand idly looking on, he said to me afterward, with a tough ash ore in my hand and a tight little craft at my feet and hear their cries for help and see them drowned? He determined, at all risks, to try to rescue them from the fate which seemed to us inevitable. He could not, however, go alone, and there was not another man on that side of the river within half a mile of him. His sister knew this, and courageously, like another Grace Darling, proposed at once to accompany him in his perilous adventure. From being so often on the water with her brother she knew well how to handle an ore, often indeed without him she had paddled a passenger across the ferry in her little canoe. He accepted her proposal, and we had this satisfaction of seeing the light punt put off from the shore opposite to that from which we were idly and uselessly looking on, and go gallantly over the surging torrent toward the sinking men. We feared, however, that it would not be in time to save them, as their cries for help grew fainter and fainter till each one we thought would have been their last. We saw that the ore, with the drowning men clinging to it, was floating rapidly down the middle of the stream, which in this particular locality was more than a quarter of a mile in breadth, and would inevitably, in two or three minutes more, be in the white water among the breakers when their fate must be sealed and the boat, if it followed, dashed to pieces among the rocks. This was the principal point of danger, and they had to run down within a most fearful proximity of it to cross the course down which the drowning men were drifting, and, as they did so, to seize hold of them without losing their own headway, for there was not time for that. They succeeded in shooting a thwart the current, rapid as it was, just below the men. With breathless and painful anxiety, we saw them execute this dangerous maneuver. We saw the ferryman lean over the side of his boat for a moment, as it passed them, while his sister backed water with her ore. They were saved, someone said, close behind me, in a whisper so deep and earnest that I started and turned to look at the speaker, when another who heard him exclaimed, No, no, they're gone. They are lost. The boat has left them. And, sure enough, it had. But in an instant afterward, just as we thought they were about to be driven into the fatal breakers, they turned to our inexpressible delight. As if drawn by some invisible power, the rope the ferryman had attached to the ore was indeed invisible to us, and followed the boat. The ferryman and his sister had yet to pull a fearful distance for the time they had to do it in to get out of that part of the current leading to the breakers, and they accomplished it. The man had the bow ore, and we could see the tough ash bend like a willow wand, as he stretched out to keep the head of the boat partially up the stream. His sister, too, kept her own, and the little punt shot out rapidly into the comparatively quiet stream beyond the influence of the fearful current, which was rapidly driving them upon the breakers. When this was accomplished, our fears for the noble-hearted brother and sister were at an end, and we took a long breath. It was indeed a relief to do so. Still, we continued to watch their further proceedings with the deepest interest. The moment they got into a less rapid current, which they knew led into comparatively still water, they ceased rowing and allowed the punt to float down with it. The young ferryman now drew up the sweep alongside and succeeded in getting the two unfortunate men into his boat. While he was doing this, his sister went aft and using her ore as a rudder to steer the boat. At the foot of the current, which they soon afterward reached, there was no further danger. But we watched them still, and we saw them row ashore on their own side of the river. One of the poor fellows was so much exhausted that the ferryman had to carry him on his back to the nearest house where he soon recovered. Twelve months after this took place, I had the satisfaction of presenting to this worthy ferryman in the presence of above five hundred men a beautiful silver medallion sent out to me by the Royal Humane Society, to which I had transmitted an account of the occurrence. Nor was the heroine of my story forgotten. A similar medallion was given to him for his sister. She could not, with propriety, be present herself, as it was the annual muster day of the militia in that locality. Memoirs of a church missionary in Canada. A whale chase. Down went the boats with a splash. Each boat's crews sprang over the rail, and in an instant the Larbird, Starbird, and Waste boats were manned. There was great rivalry in getting the start. The Waste boat got off in pretty good time, and away went all three, dashing the water high over their boughs. Nothing could be more exciting than the chase. The Larbird boat, commanded by the mate, and the Waste boat, by the second mate, were head and head. Give way, my lads, give way, shouted he, our headsman. We again on them, give way, a long, steady stroke. That's the way to tell it. I, I, cried Tabur, our boat steerer. What do you say, boys? Shall we lick them? Pull, pull, like vengeance, echoed the crew, and we danced over the waves, scarcely seeming to touch them. The chase was now truly soul-stirring. Sometimes the Larbird, then the Starbird, then the Waste boat, took the lead. It was a severe trial of skill and muscle. After we had run two miles at this rate, the whales turned flukes, going dead to windward. Now for it, my lads, cried he, we'll have them at the next rising. Now pile it on, a long, steady pull. That's it, that's the way. Those whales belong to us. Don't give out half an hour more, and they're our whales. The other boats veered off at either side of us, and continued the chase with renewed ardour. At about half an hour we lay on our oars to look around for the whales. There she blows, right ahead, shouted Tabur, fairly dancing with delight. There she blows, there she blows. Oh, Lord, boys, spring, cried he, spring it is. What do you know now, chummies? Shall we take those whales? To this general appeal every man replied by putting his weight on his oar and exerting his utmost strength. The boat flew through the water with incredible swiftness, scarcely rising to the waves. A large bull whale lay about a quarter of a mile ahead of us, lazily rolling in the trough of the sea. The larbord and starbird boats were far to leeward of us, tugging hard to get a chance at the other whales, which were now blowing in every direction. Give way, give way, my hearties, cried he, putting his weight against the aft oar. Do you love gin? A bottle of gin to the best man. Ah, pile it on, while you have breath. Pile it on. On, with the beef, chummies, smash every oar, double them up or break them. Every double's imp of you. Pull, no talking, lay back to it, now or never. On dashed the boat, cleaving its way through the rough sea, as if the briny element were blue smoke. The whale, however, turned flukes before we could reach him. When he appeared again above the surface of the water, it was evident that he had milled while down, by which maneuver he gained on us nearly a mile. The chase was now almost hopeless, as he was making to winward rapidly. A heavy black cloud was on the horizon, portending and approaching squall, and the bark was fast fading from sight. Still, we were not to be baffled by discouraging circumstances of this kind, and we braced our sinews for a grand and final effort. Never give up, my lads, said the headsman, in a cheering voice. Mark my words, we'll have the whale yet. Only think he's ours, and there's no mistake about it. He will be ours. Now for a hard steady pull. Give way, give way, sir, give way all. There she blows. Oh, pull, my lively lads, only a mile off. There she blows. The wind had by this time increased almost to a gale, and the heavy black clouds were scattering over us far and wide. Part of the squall had passed off to leeward, and entirely concealed the bark. Our situation was rather unpleasant. In a rough sea, the other boats out of sight, and each moment the wind increasing. We continued to strain every muscle till we were hard upon the whale. Tavar sprang to the bow, and stood to buy with a harpoon. Softly, softly, my lads, said the headsman. Aye, aye, sir, aye, softly. Now's your time, Tavar. Tavar let fly the harpoon and buried the iron. Give him another. Stern all, thundered to be, stern all. And as we rapidly backed from the whale, he flung his tremendous fluke high in the air, covering us with a cloud of spray. He then sounded, making the line whiz as it passed through the chocks. When he rose to the surface again, we hauled up, and the second mate stood ready in the bow to dispatch him with lances. Spouting blood, said Tavar, he's a dead whale. He won't need much lancing. It was true enough, for before the officer could get within dart of him, he commenced his dying struggles. The sea was crimsoned with his blood. By the time we had reached him, he was belly up. We lay upon our oars a moment to witness his last throws, and when he turned his head toward the sun, a loud, simultaneous cheer burst from every lip. LEPRID HUNTING AND ADVENTURES WITH BUFFALOS AND LIONS Mr. Cumming has published a volume containing a record of his hunting exploits in Africa in the year 1848. The following interesting accounts of adventures are from his work. On the morning, says Mr. Cumming, I rode into camp after unsuccessfully following the spore of a herd of elephants for two days in a westerly course. Having partaken of some refreshment, I saddled up two steeds and rode down the bank of Nagwani with the bushman to seek for any game I might find. After riding about a mile along the river's green bank, I came suddenly upon an old male leopard lying under the shade of a thorn-grove and panting from the great heat. Although I was within sixty yards of him, he had not heard the horse's tread. I thought he was a lioness, and dismounting took a rest in my saddle on the old gray and sent a bullet into him. He sprang to his feet and ran halfway down the river's bank, and stood to look about him when I sent a second bullet into his person, and he disappeared over the bank. The ground being very dangerous, I did not disturb him by following then, but I at once sent writer back to camp for the dogs. Presently he returned with wolf and boxer, very much done up with the sun. I rode forward, and on looking over the bank the leopard started up and sneaked off alongside of the tall reeds, and was instantly out of sight. I fired a random shot from the saddle to encourage the dogs and shouted to them. They, however, stood looking stupidly around and would not take up his scent at all. I led them over his spore again and again, but to no purpose. The dogs seemed quite stupid, and yet they were wolf and boxer, my two best. At length I gave it up as a lost affair, and was writing down the river's bank when I heard wolf give tongue behind me, and galloping back found him at bay with the leopard immediately beneath where I had fired at him. He was very severely wounded and had slipped down into the river's bed and doubled back, whereby he had thrown out both the dogs and myself. As I approached he flew out upon wolf and knocked him over, and then running up the bed of the river took shelter in a thick bush. Wolf, however, followed him, and at this moment my other dogs came up, having heard the shot, and bade him fiercely. He sprang out among them and then crossed the river's bed taking shelter beneath some large tangled roots on the opposite bank. As he crossed the river I put a third bullet into him, firing from the saddle, and as soon as he came to bay I gave him a fourth which finished him. This leopard was a very fine old male. In the conflict the unfortunate alert was wounded, as usual, getting his face torn open. He was still going upon three legs with all his breast laid bare by the first waterbuck. In the evening I directed my hot-and-tots to watch a fine pool in the river and do their best, while I rode to a distant pool several miles up the Nagwani, reported as very good for game, to lie all night and watch. My tauties, however, fearing Tao, disobeyed me. On reaching the water I was bound for, I found it very promising, and having fastened my two horses to a tree beneath the river's bank, I prepared a place of concealment close by and laid down for the night. The river's banks on each side were clad with grows of shady thorn trees. After I had lain some time squadrons of buffaloes were heard coming on, until the shady grove on the east bank of the water immediately above me was alive with them. After some time the leaders ventured down the river's bank to drink, and this was the signal for a general rush into the large pool of water. They came on like a regiment of cavalry at a gallop making a mighty den, and obscuring the air with a dense cloud of dust. At length I sent a ball into one of them, when the most tremendous rush followed up the bank, where they all stood still, listening attentively. I knew that the buffalo was severely wounded, but did not hear him fall. Some time after I fired at a second, as they stood on the bank above me. This buffalo was also hard hit, but did not then fall. A little after I fired at a third on the same spot. He ran forty yards, and falling groaned fearfully. This at once brought on a number of the others to butt their dying comrade, according to their benevolent custom. I then crept in toward them, and firing my fourth shot, a second buffalo ran forward a few yards, and falling groaned as the last. Her comrades, coming up, served her in the same manner. A second time I crept in, and firing a fifth shot, a third buffalo ran forward and fell close to her dying comrades. In a few minutes all the other buffaloes made off, and the sound of teeth tearing at the flesh was heard immediately. I fancied it was the hyenas, and fired a shot to scare them from the flesh. All was still, and the being anxious to inspect the heads of the buffaloes, I went boldly forward, taking the native who accompanied me along with me. We were within about five yards of the nearest buffalo, when I observed a yellow mass lying alongside of him, and at the same instant a lion gave a deep growl. I thought it was all over with me. The native shouted, Dao, and, springing away, instantly commenced blowing shrilly through a charmed piece of bone which he wore on his necklace. I retreated to the native, and we then knelt down. The lion continued his meal, tearing away at the buffalo, and growling at his wife and family, who I found the next day by the spore had accompanied him. Knowing that he would not molest me if I left him alone, I proposed to the native to go to our hole and lie down, but he would not hear of it, and entreated me to fire at the lion. I fired three different shots where I thought I saw him, but without any effect he would not so much as for a moment cease munching my buffalo. I then proceeded to lie down, and was soon asleep, the native keeping watch over our destinies. Some time after midnight other lions were heard coming on from other parts, and my old friend commenced roaring so loudly that the native thought it proper to wake me. The first old lion now wanted to drink, and held right away for the two unfortunate steeds, roaring terribly. I felt rather alarmed for their safety, but trusting that the lion had had flesh enough for one night, I lay still, and listened with an attentive ear. In a few minutes to my utter horror, I heard him spring upon one of the steeds with an angry growl, and dash him to the earth. The steed gave a slight groan, and all was still. I listened to hear the sound of teeth, but all continued still. Soon after this a towel was once more heard to be munching the buffalo. In a few minutes he came forward, and stood on the bank close above us, and roared most terribly, walking up and down as if meditating some mischief. I now thought at high time to make a fire, and quickly collecting some dry reeds and little sticks. In half a minute we had a cheerful blaze. The lion, which had not yet got out of wind, came forward at once to find out what the deuce was up. But not seeing to his entire satisfaction from the top of the bank, he was proceeding to descend by a game path into the river bed within a few yards of us. I happened at the very moment to go to this spot to fetch more wood, and being entirely concealed from the lion's view above, by the intervening high reeds, we actually met face to face. The first notice I got was his sudden spring to one side, accompanied by repeated angry growls, while I involuntarily made a convulsive spring backward, at the same time giving a fearful shriek, such as I never before remember uttering. I fancied, just as he growled, he was coming upon me. We now heaped on more wood and kept up a very strong fire until the day dawned, the lions feasting beside us all the time, notwithstanding the remonstrances of the little native, who with a true betjuana spirit, lamenting the loss of so much good flesh, kept continually shouting and pelting them with flaming brands. The next morning, when it was clear, I arose and inspected the buffaloes. The three that had fallen were fine old cows, and two of them were partly consumed by the lions. The ground all around was packed flat with their spore. One particular spore was nearly as large as that of a boreal. I then proceeded to inspect the steeds. The sand around them was also covered with the lion's spore. He had sprung upon the old gray, but had done him no further injury than scratching his back through the skin. Perhaps the lion had been scared by the rhymes, or on discovering his spare condition had preferred the buffalo. Hunting the white rhinoceros, lion, buffalo, and giraffe. Upon the night, says Mr. Cumming, it rained unceasingly throughout the day, converting the rich soil on which we were encamped into one mass of soft, sticky clay. In the forenoon, fearing the rain would continue so as to render the valley, through which we must pass to gain the firmer ground, impassable, I ordered my men to prepare to march and leave the tent with its content standing, the point which I wished to gain, being distant only about five hundred yards. When the oxen were in span, however, and we attempted to move, we found my tackle, which was old, so rotten from the effects of the rain that something gave way at every strain. Owing to this, and to the softness of the valley, we labored on till sundown, and only succeeded in bringing one wagon to its destination, the other two remaining fast in the mud in the middle of the valley. Next morning, luckily, the weather cleared up when my men brought over the tent, and in the afternoon the other two wagons. We followed up the banks of the river for several days, with the usual allowance of sport. On the sixteenth, we came suddenly upon an immense old bull, Muchoko, rolling in mud. He sprang to his feet immediately. He saw me, and charging up the bank, so frightened our horses, that before I could get my rifle from my after-writer, he was past us. I then gave him chase, and after a hard gallop of about a mile, sprang from my horse and gave him a good shot behind the shoulder. At this moment, a cow rhinoceros of the same species, with her calf, charged out of some weight a bit thorn cover, and stood right in my path. Observing that she carried an unusually long horn, I turned my attention from the bull to her, and after a very long and severe chase, dropped her at the sixth shot. I carried one of my rifles, which gave me much trouble, that not being the tool required for this sort of work, where quick loading is indispensable. After breakfast, I sent men to cut off the head of this rhinoceros, and proceeded with writer to take up the spore of the bull wounded in the morning. We found that he was very severely hit, and having followed the spore for about a mile through very dense thorn cover, he suddenly rustled out of the bushes close ahead of us, accompanied by a whole host of rhinoceros birds. I mounted my horse and gave him chase, and in a few minutes he had received four severe shots. I managed to turn his course toward camp, when I seized firing, as he seemed to be nearly done up, and writer and I rode slowly behind, occasionally shouting to guide his course. Presently, however, Chukuru ceased taking any notice of us, and held leisurely on for the river, into a shallow part of which he walked, and after panting there and turning about for a quarter of an hour, he fell over and expired. This was a remarkably fine old bull, and from his dentition, it was not improbable that a hundred summers had seen him roaming a peaceful denizen of the forest and open glades along the fair banks of the secluded Marika. During our march on the nineteenth, we had to cross a range of very rocky hills, covered with large stones, and all hands were required to be actively employed for about an hour, in clearing them out of the way to permit the wagons to pass. The work went on fast and furious, and the quantity of stones cleared was immense. At length, we reached the spot where we were obliged to bid adieu to the Marika, and hold a westerly course across the country for Sitchley. At sundown, we halted under a lofty mountain, the highest in the district, called Linchi Achenne, or the Monkey's Mountain. Next day, at an early hour, I rode out with writer to hunt my camp, being entirely without flesh, and we having been rationed upon very tough old rhinoceros for several days past. It was a cloudy morning, and soon after starting, it came on to rain heavily. I, however, held on, skirting a fine, well wooded range of mountains, and after riding several miles, I shot a zebra. Having covered the carcass well over with branches to protect it from the vultures, I returned to camp and, in spanning my wagons, took it up on the march. We continued tracking on until sundown, when we started an immense herd of buffaloes into which I stalked and shot a huge old bull. Our march this evening was through the most beautiful country I had ever seen in Africa. We skirted an endless range of well-wooded stony mountains lying on our left. While to our right, the country at first sloped gently off, and then stretched away into a level green forest, occasionally interspersed with open glades, boundless as the ocean. This green forest was, however, relieved in one direction by a chain of excessively bold, detached, well-wooded, rocky, pyramidal mountains which stood forth in grand relief. In advance the picture was bounded by forest and mountain, one bold aclivity in shape of a dome standing prominent among its fellows. It was a lovely evening, the sky overcast and gloomy through an interesting, wild, mysterious coloring over the landscape. I gazed forth upon the romantic scene before me with intense delight and felt melancholy and sorrowful at passing so fleetingly through it and could not help shouting out as I marched along, where is the coward who would not dare to die for such a land? In the morning we held for a fountain some miles ahead in a gorge in the mountains. As we approached the fountain and were passing close under a steep rocky hillside, well wooded to its summit, I unexpectedly beheld a lion stealing up the rocky face, and halting behind a tree he stood overhauling us for some minutes. I resolved to give him battle and seizing my rifle, marched against him, followed by Cary, carrying a spare gun, and by three men leading my dogs now reduced to eight. When we got close into the base of the mountain we found ourselves enveloped in dense jungle which extended halfway to its summit and entirely obscured from our eyes objects which were quite apparent from the wagons. I slipped my dogs however, which after snuffling about, took right up this deep face on the spore of the lions, for there was a troop of them, a lion and three lionesses. The people at the wagons saw the chase in perfection. When the lions observed the dogs coming on, they took right up and three of them crossed over the sky ridge. The dogs however turned one rattling old lioness, which came rumbling down through the cover, close past me. I ran to meet her and she came to bay at an open spot near the base of the mountain, whether I quickly followed and coming up within thirty yards, mold her over with my first shot which broke her back. My second entered her shoulder and fearing that she might hurt any of the dogs, as she still evenced signs of life, I finished her with a third in the breast. The bellies of all the four lions were much distended by some game they had been gorging, no doubt a buffalo, as a large herd started out of the jungle, immediately under the spot where the noble beasts were first disturbed. Showers of rain fell every hour throughout the day, so I employed my men in making fell churns, or in other words African brogues for me. These shoes were worthy of a sportsman, being light, yet strong, and were entirely composed of the skins of game of my shooting. The soles were made of either buffalo or camel apart, the front part, perhaps of kudu, or heart of beast, or bush-buck, and the back of the shoe of lion, or hyena, or sable antelope, while the rapi or thread with which the hole was sewed consisted of a thin strip of the skin of a steinbuck. On the forenoon of this day I rode forth to hunt, accompanied by roiter. We held west, skirting the wooded, stony mountains. The natives had here, many years before, waged successful war with elephants, four of whose skulls I found. Presently I came across two sassibis, one of which I knocked over, but while I was loading he regained his legs and made off. We crossed a level stretch of forest, holding a northerly course for an opposite range of green, well-wooded hills and valleys. Here I came upon a troop of six fine old bull buffaloes into which I stalked and wooded one princely fellow very severely behind the shoulder, bringing blood from his mouth. He, however, made off with his comrades and the ground being very rough, we failed to overtake him. They held for Gatwani. After following the spore for a couple of miles we dropped it as it led right away from camp. Returning from this chase we had an adventure with another old bull buffalo which shows the extreme danger of hunting buffaloes without dogs. We started him in a green hollow among the hills and his course inclining for camp. I gave him chase. He crossed the level broad strath and made for the opposite densely wooded range of mountains. Along the base of these we followed him, sometimes in view, sometimes on the spore, keeping the old fellow at a pace which made him pant. At length, finding himself much distressed, he had recourse to a singular stratagem. Doubling round some thick bushes which obscured him from our view, he found himself beside a small pool of rainwater just deep enough to cover his body. Into this he walked and facing about lay gently down and awaited our oncoming with nothing but his old gray face and massive horns above the water and these concealed from view by the overhanging herbage. Our attention was entirely engrossed with the spore and thus we rode boldly on until within a few feet of him when springing to his feet he made a desperate charge after writer uttering a low stifled roar peculiar to buffaloes somewhat similar to the growl of a lion and hurled horse and rider to the earth with fearful violence. His horn laid the poor horse's haunch open to the bone making the most fearful rugged wound. In an instant writer regained his feet and ran for his life which the buffalo observing gave chase but most fortunately came down with a tremendous somersault in the mud his feet slipping from under him thus the bushmen escaped certain destruction. The buffalo rose much discomfited and wounded horse first catching his eye he went a second time after him but he got out of the way. At this moment I managed to send one of my patent pacificating pills into his shoulder when he instantly quitted the field of action and sought shelter in a dense cover on the mountainside wither I deemed it imprudent to follow him. A Leopard Hunt. The dense jungles of Bengal was the place of the Leopard's resort and the havoc which it committed among the cattle was prodigious it was dreaded far and near on this account by the natives and they scrupulously avoided their spotted enemy knowing well that when his appetite was wedded with hunger he was not over scrupulous whether his victim beasts or men on one occasion the monster made a dash upon a herd of bees and succeeded in carrying off a large ox and loud was the lament of the poor Hindus that one of the sacred herd had thus unceremoniously been assailed and slaughtered before their eyes a party of the Bengal native infantry consisting of an officer and five others having been informed of the circumstances followed in the direction of the Leopard's den determined if possible to punish him for this and the many other depredations he had committed having come to an intervening ravine they were about to cross it when they saw the object of their search on the opposite side there he was lying in his lair heedless of danger and luxuriously feasting on the carcass of his captive it was the monsters last meal however the party approached with stealthy steps as near as they could without crossing the defile take your aim fire cried the captain in hindustani we suppose they did so and four balls pierced the leopard three in the neck and one in a more dangerous place through the brain startled by this unpleasant salute the animal rose gazed with glaring eyes at its enemies at the same time pawing the earth in its painful fury the sea boys were astonished that he did not roll lifeless at their feet but instead of this before they had time to reload the creature after uttering a terrific cry sprang across the ravine and seized one of its assailants it must have been in some degree weakened by its wounds but its strength was yet great for the man seemed to have no power of resistance to its attack the leopard having a hold of the sea boy in its mouth darted off in the direction of a jungle close at hand and other soldiers followed up as fast as they could but not daring to fire lest they should injure their luckless comrade sometimes they lost sight of the leopard and its bleeding burden but the blood marks on the grass or on the sand enabled them to regain the trail and to carry on the pursuit the animal at length came to a small river it hesitated for a little on the bank and then leaped in still tenaciously retaining its prey the stoppage thus occasioned enable the pursuers to gain ground and just after the leopard had emerged from the river and was shaking its skin free from the watery drops one of the party seized the auspicious moment and fired the beast dropped its prey at once howled furiously and then fell dead to their great surprise and joy the soldiers found that their comrade was still in life though he had fainted from fear and from weakness occasioned by the loss of blood he gradually recovered and under the stimulating influence of a cup of brandy was able to proceed home with his comrades it was many weeks however before he was fit for service and he will retain till his dying day the dental marks received from the leopard by way of token of what it would like to have done with him had there been none but themselves too on the desert wide the soldiers returned at some time after and skinned the animal carrying home its spotted covering for a trophy and now here it is with the marks of the musket balls upon it remembrances of the strange story we have now recounted life in california every man that both honest and dishonest in california has his own horse as a very good-looking active one can be purchased tamed to carry the saddle and rider from the indians for four or five dollars so that everyone i may add of both sexes ride in california no one walks far but the hunter and he is carried in canoe a long way up the river before he strikes into the forest after the animals he is in pursuit of this last class of men are the most wild daring yet friendly and honest of the lower class of the white population of california well as the robber as well as the honest man are equally mounted sometimes a very interesting steeple chase ensues ground rough not being previously chosen occasionally leaping over pools of water large stones and fallen trees the indians who use the lasso generally keep the lead to strive to throw the noose over either the man or horse they are pursuing it is made of thongs of bullock hide twisted into a small rope about 30 or 40 feet long with a noose formed by a running knot at the end of it one end of the lasso is fastened to the back of the saddle the entire length of it is kept in a coil on the right hand and after two or three swings of it over their heads they will throw it with such accuracy that the smallest object will come within the noose thus then if an equestrian traveler does not keep a good lookout as he is passing by a bush or thicket one of these lassoes may be thrown out the noose falling over his head will be jerked tight around his body and in the twinkling of an eye he will be dragged off his horse and away into the bush to be stripped of everything he has by all the accounts i have heard and from what i have seen the robbers of california are the most active in the world the end of the dangerous lasso being firmly fastened to the saddle enables the rider as soon as the victim either man or animal is noosed to wheel round his horse and dash off like an arab dragging whatever he has fast after him there is one method of averting the fall of the lasso noose over the body of a man either on foot or horseback if he holds as he always ought either sword or gun in his right hand when he sees the lasso coming let him instantly raise either and his arm in a horizontal position and if the noose does fall true it cannot run farther down being stopped by sword gun or extended arm then fling it off quick or it may be jerked tight round the neck i have known this subterfuge saved many a man from robbers and perhaps murderers i once hunted for three months in company with a hunter well known in california in idea he was wild and imaginative in the extreme but in his acts of daring and so forth the most cool and philosophic fellow i ever knew a commerciampto or merchant at san francisco on whose veracity i know from experience i can depend told me the following story of this man which will at once illustrate his general character this hunter was some months before i had fallen in with him making the best of his way down the valley of the tully lakes from the interior with a heavy pack of furs on his back his never-earing rifle in his hand and his two dogs by his side he was joined at the northernmost end of the valley by the merchant i had spoken of who was armed only with sword and pistols they had scarcely cleared the valley when a party of robbers galloped out before them there were four whites fully armed and two indians with the lassos coiled up in the right hands ready for a throw the hunter told the merchant who was on horseback to dismount instantly and to cover fortunately for them there was a good deal of thicket and trunks of large trees that had fallen were strewed about in a very desirable manner behind these logs the merchant and the hunter quickly took up their position and as they were in the act of doing so two or three shots were fired after them without effect the hunter coolly untied the pack of furs from his back and laid them beside him it's my opinion merchant said he that them barma there wants either your saddlebags or my pack but i reckon they'll get neither so he took up his rifle fired and the foremost indian lasso in hand rolled off his horse another discharge from the rifle and the second indian fell while in the act of throwing his lasso at the head and shoulders of the hunter as he raised himself from behind the log to fire now said the hunter as he reloaded laying on his back to avoid the shots of the robbers that's what i call the best of the scrimmage to get them brown thieves with their lassos out of the way first see them rascally whites now jumping over the logs to charge us in our cover they were fast advancing when the rifle again spoke out and the foremost fell they still came on to within about 30 yards when another fell and the remaining two made a desperate charge up close to the log the hunter from long practice was dexterous and reloading his gun now merchant said he is the time for your pop guns meaning the pistols and don't be at all nervous keep a steady hand and drop the man or horse a man of them shan't escape the two remaining robbers were now up with the log and fired each a pistol shot at the hunter which he escaped by dodging behind a tree close to from which he fired with effect as only one robber was left he wheeled round his horse with the intention of galloping off when the pistol bullets of the merchant shot the horse from under him well done merchant said the hunter you stop that fellow's gallop as soon as the robber could disentangle himself from the fallen horse he took to his heels and ran down a sloping ground as fast as he could the hunter drew his tomahawk from his belt and gave chase after him as he was more of an equestrian than a pedestrian the nimbleness of the hunter soon shortened the distance between them and the last of the robbers fell thus perished this dangerous gang of six by the single hand of this brave hunter and as the commission though informed me he acted as coolly and deliberately as if he were shooting tame bullocks for the market the affair was rather advantageous to the hunter for on searching the saddlebags and pockets of the robbers he pulled forth some doubloons and a few dollars with other valuables they had no doubt a short time previously taken from some traveler the saddlebags arms and accoutrements of the four white men were packed up made fast on the saddles of the two horses and the hunter mounted a third the merchant mounted another his horse being shot and thus they left the scene of action the bodies of the robbers to the wolves who were howling about them and entered san francisco in triumph end of section six