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Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2786aee --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #52408 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/52408) diff --git a/old/52408-8.txt b/old/52408-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index f1322a8..0000000 --- a/old/52408-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,5859 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Wide World Magazine, Vol. 22, No. 132, -March 1909, by Various - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Wide World Magazine, Vol. 22, No. 132, March 1909 - -Author: Various - -Release Date: June 25, 2016 [EBook #52408] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE, MARCH 1909 *** - - - - -Produced by Victorian/Edwardian Pictorial Magazines, -Jonathan Ingram, Lesley Halamek, and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - -[Illustration: "I SLASHED SAVAGELY AT IT WITH MY MACHETE." - -(SEE PAGE 525.)] - - - - -THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE. - - Vol. XXII. MARCH, 1909. No. 132. - -SHORT STORIES. - - A further instalment of a budget of breezy little - narratives--exciting, humorous, and curious--hailing from - all parts of the world. This month's collection deals with a - thrilling fight between a jaguar and a boa-constrictor, the - tragic fate of a Canadian cowboy, and a night adventure in - Japan. - - - - -HOW I GOT MY JAGUAR-SKIN. - -BY DR. T. A. STODDARD. - - -In the month of November, 1907, I arrived at the Isthmus of Panama to -do some zoological work, and incidentally to get a better knowledge -of the geography of the infant republic. I landed at Colon, a dirty, -dingy town of about eight thousand inhabitants, built on a low, swampy -island separated from the mainland by a narrow but deep lagoon. Here -I secured the services of two Spaniards to act as carriers, and, going -by boat some ten miles up the coast, disembarked in a drenching rain -near the mouth of the Santa Rita River. - -I carried a small supply of tinned and tabloid foods, and these we -packed through the jungle to the highest point of the Santa Rita -mountains, a distance of ten miles. We made a very comfortable camp, -and after a hearty meal turned in for the night. - -I slept very little, tired though I was, being kept awake by the -howlings of jaguars, cougars, and bobcats. However, after a hasty -breakfast in the early morning, I started out alone with my Winchester -strapped on my back and carrying a single-barrelled sixteen-gauge -shot-gun in my hand. I also carried a short but sharp and heavy -machete, without which it is impossible to travel in this impenetrable -jungle of mahogany, cedar, yellow-wood, and palms of various kinds, -all supporting vines of every size and character. Some of these vines -hang from a height of seventy-five feet, touching the ground and -sending out tendrils which climb to unknown heights on other trees, -thus forming a most intricate network, through which it is impossible -to see more than a few feet ahead. - -[Illustration: THE AUTHOR, DR. T. A. STODDARD, WHO WAS AN EYE-WITNESS -OF A TERRIFIC FIGHT BETWEEN A JAGUAR AND A BOA-CONSTRICTOR, OF WHICH -HE HERE GIVES A GRAPHIC ACCOUNT, AND ALSO OF HIS OWN ENCOUNTER WITH A -SECOND HUGE SNAKE. - - _From a Photograph._ -] - -I had been travelling for about an hour, trying to locate the source -of the Santa Rita, and winning every inch of ground by hacking and -slashing with the machete, when I was startled by a most fearful -scream, which seemed to come from somewhere immediately behind me. To -say that my blood "froze in my veins," even in this tropical climate, -would be but a poor and inadequate figure of speech to describe my -feelings. I had heard of the treachery of the San Blas Indians who -inhabit the country to the eastward, and my first thought was of them. -Turning round and looking back anxiously over the trail I had just -made, I saw a great commotion taking place among the vines, dead -leaves, and decaying branches which carpeted the ground, and the -blood-curdling screams I had heard rang out again and again. For -what seemed hours to me, but were really only seconds, I could not -comprehend what was transpiring so close to me, and what kind of -creature was giving utterance to such agonizing cries. At length, -however, venturing a little nearer, I discovered it to be a "tiger," -or, properly speaking, a jaguar or American leopard, and it was -writhing in the coils of an enormous boa-constrictor. The great snake -appeared to have the side of the jaguar's head in its mouth, and a -coil or two of its body around the neck of the beast, which was making -frantic efforts to regain its liberty. The snake had its tail coiled -round a small ebony tree about a foot in diameter, and whenever the -hapless jaguar relaxed its efforts the serpent would swiftly release -itself from the tree and make an attempt to get another coil around -the body of its opponent. - -I stood there fascinated with horror, and yet forgetting my fear in -the interest I was taking in this terrible fight between beast -and reptile. Presently the snake, with an incomprehensibly quick -movement--in fact, almost too quick for the eye to follow--succeeded -in getting two more coils around the body of the jaguar, but not -without receiving several severe lacerations from the formidable claws -of its victim. Then letting go the jaguar's head, where it seemed to -have a firm hold, the boa-constrictor raised its head, seemingly in -triumph, and, with its tail still wrapped round the tree, lifted the -body of the jaguar up in the air. I heard the bones crack under the -fearful strain, and with one awful, despairing scream the jaguar fell -back--dead! - -During all this time I stood rooted to the spot, too spellbound to -stir. Now, however, I realized that I stood in considerable danger, -for other constrictors might be near, who would treat me in the same -manner as this one had treated the unfortunate jaguar. Taking a -hasty look around I saw nothing but trees and hanging vines in all -directions. I then decided that I wanted the jaguar as much as the -snake did, and, moreover, that I wanted to kill the snake. I had -a charge of small shot in the gun which I carried in my hand, and, -withdrawing this, I replaced it with a cartridge containing B.B. shot. -By this time the serpent had uncoiled himself from his dead victim and -also from the tree, and seemed to be dressing his wounds, for he was -rubbing his nose, if a snake can be said to have such an organ, over -the lacerations caused by the claws of the jaguar. Raising my gun and -taking deliberate aim, I was about to shoot the reptile through the -head, when I detected a slight rustling from the direction in which -I had been travelling. Turning round suddenly, I peered through the -hanging vines and leaves of the jungle, but could see nothing. Then, -wiping the perspiration from my forehead and out of my eyes, I looked -again carefully, but could not see anything animate. - -[Illustration: A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE SKIN OF THE JAGUAR KILLED BY THE -BOA-CONSTRICTOR.] - -I was about to wheel again to secure my snake when I noticed that one -of the vines was swinging as if disturbed by the wind. Looking up, -I saw that not a leaf was stirring on the trees; there was no breeze -whatever. I thought this somewhat strange, and decided to investigate -more closely. So, taking my machete out of the sheath, I leaned the -gun against a tree and started cutting my way towards the swinging -vine. I had taken but a few steps when the vine swung rapidly -towards me. Then, to my intense horror, I discovered it to be another -boa-constrictor, hanging from the bough of a mahogany tree, its mouth -wide open. - -Instinctively I screamed, ducked, and slashed savagely at it with my -machete. I drew some blood from its neck, but almost before I could -recover myself the creature swung viciously towards me again. I -repeated my first performance, not forgetting the yell, for I was far -too frightened to run. This time, however, I succeeded much better -with the machete, for I inflicted a severe wound over the reptile's -eye. - -Again it retreated and again swung towards me, and thus we fought, I -succeeding at each swing in doing my adversary some damage. Once -it struck me on the left shoulder with the point of its lower jaw, -sending me reeling to the ground. Wildly I sprang to my feet and -dashed with renewed vigour into the struggle, cutting, slashing, and -screaming continually, without presence of mind enough to run or think -of my gun. Finally, in maddened desperation, I made a frantic slash -as the horrible thing was swinging towards me, and by the merest -good fortune caught it fairly behind the head with the sharpest and -broadest part of the machete, almost severing its head from its body. -Its tail uncoiled from the limb above and its sinuous body fell with a -crash to the ground. A second later there was another fall--myself. I -lay there trembling with weakness, fully conscious, but dripping with -perspiration and too much exhausted to stand. - -After some time I remembered the jaguar and the live snake which lay -but a few yards away, and at once sprang to my feet, caught up my gun, -and turned to investigate. I speedily discovered the reason for the -snake's quiescence. The jaguar was rapidly disappearing down the -capacious throat of his successful enemy. Again I took careful aim, -and put the whole load of large shot fairly through the body of the -snake about two feet from its head and about two inches from the nose -of the jaguar, which was being swallowed whole. Having killed the -snake, I secured the skin of the jaguar, which measured from tip of -tail to nose nine feet four inches; it was a male, and beautifully -marked. The constrictor that killed the jaguar measured twenty-nine -feet two inches in length and twenty-eight inches round at the largest -part. The one with which I had the encounter was twenty-five feet long -and twenty-two inches round. - -I reached camp about noon, covered with blood, but proudly carrying -my jaguar-skin, and just for fun I informed the Spaniards that I -had killed the animal with my ·22. They examined the skin for the -bullet-hole, but failed to find it. Thereupon I calmly told them that -I always shot animals like that in the eye, so as not to spoil the -skin! They now think the "Gringo" a mighty hunter indeed. - - - - -OUT OF THE SKIES. - -TOLD BY LIONEL BEAKBANE AND SET DOWN BY L. H. BRENNAN. - - -In 1907 I was employed as a cowboy on the Wally Ranch, situated a -little to the north of Fort Saskatchewan, in Alberta, Canada. It was -there that an incident occurred which I shall never forget as long as -I live. Such a thing has never happened before in Canada, so far as I -am aware, and I hope it will never happen again. - -During the particular week I have in mind we had a pretty rough time -of it and were all more or less tired out, but we had to keep going. -There had been some heavy storms and the cattle were unusually -restive, needing a lot of attention. One Thursday, about two in the -morning, we were seated round the camp fire getting something to eat. -There were five of us there, amongst us a comparative new-comer named -Harry Munroe. He was a splendid young fellow, and took to the work -from the first. He was a capital rider and a first-class shot. I had -always liked him, and used to take him with me to outlying posts on -every possible occasion. On this particular night we had a mob of -about two thousand five hundred head of cattle to look after. The -weather outlook had been very threatening for a long time. Great -clouds rolled one after the other across the face of the moon, and -presently the latter disappeared behind them altogether. The next -moment, without warning, the storm burst upon us. In an instant we -were on our horses, everyone ready for action, for each man of us knew -that at the first flash of lightning the cattle would stampede. Only -those who have experienced the spectacle of a thunderstorm on -the American prairies can have any idea of its grandeur. It is a -magnificent display of Nature's powers for a human being who can -understand and appreciate it, but a terrifying thing indeed for a herd -of helpless beasts. - -I thought it best to take young Munroe along with me, as he was not -experienced enough in following a stampede to go alone. The three -others were old hands and needed no directions. Very often the cattle -will suddenly turn right about without any warning, and it needs an -experienced and cool-headed man to keep his saddle and save his life -when such a thing occurs. - -We had not long to wait--only a few seconds--and then our work -began. A flash of baleful light zigzagged across the skies, and the -terror-stricken beasts rushed off headlong into the night. It was -an appalling sight to see the fear-maddened brutes racing over the -prairie. Heads upraised, mouths open, and tails lashing the air, they -neither knew nor cared where they were going. Sometimes one would -stumble and fall, only to be immediately trodden under foot by his -comrades, and the thudding of their feet could be heard as a dull -rumble in the lulls of the storm. - -On and on they went in their mad career, horses and men close behind -them. We could do nothing but follow them and, when the storm abated, -collect them and drive them back to the station. The rain came down in -torrents and the lightning almost blinded one, so vivid and terrific -were the flashes, while the claps of thunder which followed seemed to -shake the earth. We had been going at a tremendous pace for perhaps -ten minutes, when a small range of hills loomed up in front. I knew -what would happen when the cattle reached this, and was of course -prepared. I yelled out to Munroe to keep close to me, so as to follow -my instructions. - -"The beasts will stop at these hills and either wheel round or else -turn off to the right or left," I shouted. - -Suddenly the whole herd stopped and, sniffing the air for a moment, -seemed undetermined what course to take. At that critical moment an -awful flash of lightning rent the air, completely blinding me for -a moment, and simultaneously I heard a terrific report immediately -behind me. These two occurrences decided the cattle, and they turned -and went pell-mell along the foot of the hills to the right. For the -moment I scarcely knew what had happened, but as the last of the herd -disappeared I turned round and called to young Munroe. "Are you there, -Harry?" I cried, but I got no answer. Again and again I shouted, -riding a little distance after every shout, but no answering hail -reached me. I knew Munroe would not follow the herd without me, and at -length I came to the conclusion that something must be amiss with him. -Perhaps his horse had stumbled and thrown him, or he had been caught -and overwhelmed by the passing herd. There was nothing to be done, -however, but to wait for the daylight; I dare not move in the pitch -blackness for fear of trampling upon him. - -Already drenched to the skin, and with the rain still pouring down in -torrents, the lightning and the deafening peals of thunder combined to -make that night the most miserable of my existence. I had to keep on -the look-out, too, for any signs of the cattle, as they might easily, -from some cause or another, return along the base of the hills. - -They did not appear, however, and so I kept my watch through that -awful night alone. I do not know how long the storm lasted, but it -must have been two or three hours at least. - -[Illustration: - -LIONEL BEAKBANE, THE COWBOY WHO HERE TELLS THE STORY OF THE TERRIBLE -FATE THAT BEFELL HIS COMPANION ON THE PRAIRIE DURING AN APPALLING -THUNDERSTORM. - - _From a Photograph._ -] - -At last, to my infinite relief, the dawn arrived, and I looked round -anxiously for some signs of Harry Munroe. I had not gone far when, at -a short distance, I discerned the figures of poor Harry and his horse, -lying motionless on the ground. Leaving my own horse I ran towards -them. It was apparent, long before I reached them, that both man and -horse were dead. - -[Illustration: "THE LIGHTNING HAD STRUCK MUNROE'S CARTRIDGE-BELT, -KILLING MAN AND HORSE ON THE SPOT."] - -"Good heavens!" I involuntarily exclaimed, as I came nearer. "What -has happened?" Then, suddenly, I realized the awful thing that had -occurred. The lightning had struck Munroe's cartridge-belt, exploding -the whole of the cartridges simultaneously, and killing man and horse -on the spot. Poor Munroe! It was a terrible end; the only consolation -was that it must have been instantaneous. - -Shocked and saddened by this awful calamity I stayed by my dead -friend, for I knew the boys would soon be coming to seek us. Then, -a very quiet procession, we bore our poor comrade's body off to the -ranch for burial. - - - - -A NIGHT ADVENTURE IN YOKOHAMA. - -BY P. V. ALPISER, OF THE BUREAU OF POSTS, MANILLA, PHILIPPINE -ISLANDS. - - -The traveller who has visited Japan has, as a general rule, nothing -but good to say of the land and its very polite people; and as a -rule, also, it may be said that such praise is well merited, for the -Japanese certainly try exceedingly hard to please all visitors, and, -if they do not always succeed, the fault in all probability lies with -the visitors and not with the people. Unpleasant experiences rarely -occur to the foreigner in the domains of the Mikado. The Japanese -cities and the country are perfectly policed, and robberies are seldom -heard of. However, I can testify from personal experience that one -_can_ meet with unpleasant incidents in this well-regulated kingdom. - -In the early spring of 1903 I was journeying to the Philippines, and -arrived in Yokohama during the latter part of April--in the midst of -the cherry-blossom season, a most delightful time to visit Japan. The -air was full of the agreeable aroma of the cherry blossoms, and all -Yokohama was in festival attire, making a scene of great animation and -gorgeousness. - -On the evening of my last day, after dinner, I strolled through the -main streets of the city, down gay Theatre Street, with its rows of -flaunting, unreadable banners, and far out along a broad avenue across -a number of oddly-constructed wooden bridges, not noticing and not -caring whither I went. - -My walk took me much farther than I had supposed, and when I started -to return I discovered that a strong wind was blowing and a storm -threatening. When about half-way back to the steamship pier I found, -to my annoyance, that I had lost one of my gloves, and decided that -I had left it in the small restaurant where I had had dinner--a -very nice place kept by a Japanese family who had lived in Boston, -Massachusetts, for a number of years, and which the doctor of our ship -had highly recommended. It seemed to me that I could not be very far -from this place, and I decided to call in for my glove. The restaurant -was located in a side street in the curio district of the city, -branching off from the main thoroughfare I was on. - -When I turned down this side-street it was entirely deserted. Not -a living thing was in sight and the road was absolutely and totally -dark, neither the city nor the residents, apparently, providing any -lights to illuminate the street. I had gone some little way down this -gloomy lane when a door on the opposite side of the street suddenly -burst open and two men jumped out and came running towards me. I -stopped and asked them the whereabouts of the restaurant. One of them -answered gruffly, and in bad English, that he did not know. I turned -to go on, noting out of the tail of my eye that the men, after -speaking together for a moment, followed me. - -As I walked slowly away one of the pair gave a peculiar call. - -It was instantly responded to by two more men, who stepped into the -street from a house just behind me, and as the light from within the -doorway shone upon them for a brief moment I plainly saw the glint of -steel from a long knife one held in his hand. - -Late that afternoon, as it happened, I had bought a heavy, -curiously-carved cane as a souvenir, and, fortunately, I had this cane -with me. Now, realizing that I was in a tight corner, I increased my -pace somewhat, swinging the cane with the small end in my hand, and -watching narrowly to prevent any one of the four from getting in front -of me, or stealing upon me unawares from behind. - -In another moment I saw they were preparing for a rush, and I knew -that, although I might down one or two of them with my stick, the -others would easily overpower me. Vainly I looked up the street; no -one was to be seen! The houses on both sides were as black as pitch; -there was not a light anywhere! Not even a star twinkled above, for -heavy clouds obscured the sky. - -For some reason it did not occur to me to call for help. In fact, I -have always been a rather silent man, doing my work in the quietest -manner possible, and taking my diversions in the same manner. I do -not think I should have uttered a sound if these ruffians had ended -my career then and there. Perhaps a cry would have brought me ready -assistance from a score of adjacent houses, but it never occurred to -me to give it. - -I had proceeded but a short distance, always with an eye on my -followers, when I saw, or felt, perhaps, that the rush was coming. -I heard no sound, for the rascals were absolutely noiseless in their -movements. - -Hastily I jumped to the nearest house and, with my back to it, -prepared to lay about with my stout stick. The four villains were -right at my heels, he with the knife a little in advance of the -others. A picture of the group at that moment would have made a most -interesting souvenir of Japan. - -I was just beginning to regret that I had not suffered the loss of -my glove without protest, when the foremost scoundrel made a lunge -towards me. Simultaneously, a loud ringing, clanging sound smote my -ears, and the quartet disappeared from my view like magic. I am not -sure now that I did not rub my eyes vigorously to see if I was awake. - -The noise that had saved me proceeded from the next side-street -parallel to the one I was on, and I was at a loss to account for -it. It was repeated time after time, gradually growing fainter, and -finally ceasing altogether. - -Needless to say, I took instant advantage of the respite thus afforded -me, and hurried along at my best pace. I felt sure that my late -assailants would not give up their attempt so easily, and before I had -gone thirty steps my fears were realized. - -Glancing back nervously every few yards, I presently saw several dark -shadows gliding along behind me, and I unconsciously drew over towards -the opposite side of the street. As I passed very near the door of a -house that protruded into the street some little way beyond the other -buildings a side door burst open ahead of me and a young Jap stood in -the doorway just long enough for the lamplight to strike squarely on -his face and to reveal, to my surprise, the features of my rickshaw -man of that very afternoon! - -A low whistle sounded from behind me and the man jumped out of the -door and stepped in front of me. It was quite plain to me that this -rickshaw man, having seen that I carried considerable money that day, -had organized this attempt to rob me, and that he was determined to -succeed at any cost. - -I was surrounded, but, so far as I knew, only one of the precious lot -had a weapon--the man with the knife. I felt the rush again, the one -in front and the two or three behind, and I jumped towards the house, -but was compelled to turn before reaching it and defend myself. - -My rickshaw man was the first upon me, and I had the sweet -satisfaction of laying him flat on his back with a tremendous crack -over the head. At the same instant, before I could turn, I felt the -sharp swish of something flying past my head and heard the ripping of -cloth at my side. - -[Illustration: - -MR. P. V. ALPISER, WHO WAS ATTACKED BY ROBBERS IN A DARK STREET IN -YOKOHAMA. - - _From a Photograph._ -] - -The man with the knife had slashed at me and had cut my clothes open -from my right shoulder to my hip, but, luckily, so far as I could -feel, without even scratching the skin. I swung about quickly, and -as he raised his arm for another and perhaps more effective stroke -brought my cane down fiercely on his arm; the knife fell to the ground -with a clatter. Another of the rascals stooped to pick it up, while -the rickshaw man began to sit up. It was a critical moment, but the -age of miracles is not yet past! - -Again that harsh, ringing clang broke through the blackness of the -night, and this time from almost at my side, and a moment later -into the street, a few doors away, there stepped a black figure, and -brought a long steel rod down on the hard ground with a noise that -sent all four of my assailants scuttling away into complete obscurity -for once and all. - -My rescuer was clad in a long black cloak with a sort of helmet on his -head, also black, and carried a steel rod, perhaps eight feet long, -to which were attached several iron rings and a long chain. He was, -it appeared, a night-watchman, and as he proceeded on his rounds he -struck the ground with the rod, thus announcing to all, evil-doers and -righteous as well, that an arm of the law was at hand. This quaint -old watchman--for he was quite old and grizzled--in his queer costume, -seemed a relic of the Middle Ages; he was quite different from the -regular Japanese policemen in their smart and jaunty uniform. - -I stepped forward and, kicking something with my foot, stooped to see -what it was, and found the knife which the would-be robbers had failed -to carry off with them. The watchman silently surveyed me for a time, -and then to my surprise spoke slowly in English. "You no good here!" -he said; "go hotel soon!" - -I lost no time in taking his advice, and in about an hour's time -reached the hotel near the pier. To my intense astonishment, however, -I found the doors locked. I tried for a few minutes to rouse someone, -but failed entirely. - -I then went to three other hotels, without better result. This -consumed some time, of course, and finally, giving up in disgust, I -walked back to the pier, entered the Customs House, and saw it was but -a little past eleven o'clock. Think of it! Hotels closed, locked, -and barred at 11 p.m.! This was another new experience for me; I had -evidently not yet learned everything about Japan. - -[Illustration: "I HAD THE SWEET SATISFACTION OF LAYING HIM FLAT ON HIS -BACK WITH A TREMENDOUS CRACK OVER THE HEAD."] - -I then tried to get a boatman to take me out to my ship, but none -would do so, all saying that a typhoon was blowing. "No can do; -too much typhoon; turn boat down up!" There was nothing to be done, -therefore, but to wait in a corner of the Customs House for daylight. -When it came I hailed a sampan and went to the steamer, taking with me -my cane and the knife--interesting souvenirs of my night's adventure. - - - - -[Illustration: TEN LIONS in a DAY!] - -By Walter Cooper. - - The story of an exciting day's sport on the Athi River, - British East Africa. The lions came not singly, but in troops, - and no fewer than ten fell to the rifles of the party of - three! The last lion, however, nearly bagged a member of the - party before being killed by a plucky native. - - -We were visiting British East Africa in quest of big game, and on -our arrival at Mombasa at once proceeded by the railway to Stony Athi -Station, taking with us a Swahili headman named Abdullah, a cook, four -gun-bearers, three tent boys, and over fifty porters, who had been -engaged in advance for us by one of the leading trading houses. - -Soon after leaving Mombasa one gets into a very desolate thorn-bush -country, which continues without intermission till one reaches Voi. -After Voi one catches occasional glimpses of antelope in the thin -thorn-bush, but it is not until the Capiti plains are reached that -they are seen in numbers. - -The vibration of the train unfortunately made the use of field-glasses -impossible, but for all that we saw numbers of zebras and Grant's and -Thomson's gazelle; and once we descried a rhino walking ponderously -along about half a mile off. The country from here onward is -similar in character, being perfectly open plain with short grass, -occasionally broken by a dry watercourse, whilst on either side hills, -or rather rows of kopjes, rose up in clumps. From the dak bungalow at -Kia we could see Kilimanjaro, rising majestically from the flat plain -and looking about four miles off instead of the seventy odd which we -knew it to be. It was cold at this point, as we arrived quite early in -the morning, and we were very thankful for our excellent breakfast. - -We all felt rather forlorn, being dumped down on to the station -platform with no one but a Babu station-master to give us advice, -for we were all new at the game except Captain H----, who had done a -little shikar in India. He had brought with him his sister, Miss Sybil -H----, who, being a born sportswoman, was anxious to try her hand at -big game. - -The station-master soon fired our imaginations by telling us that five -lions came to drink at a spot close by at which, as it was too late -that day to go farther, we should have to camp. We got our loads -carried there, and soon had the tents up. We also built roaring fires -all about the camp, for, though we were very anxious to meet a lion, -we did not want our first encounter to take place in the middle of the -night. However, none turned up, so next day we made a march of about -eight miles to Lucania, a kopje of considerable height, round which -lions were said to be numerous. - -Daybreak showed us a herd of hartebeeste within half a mile of us, -whilst farther off were two small herds of zebra and several lots of -Grant's gazelle and "Tommies," as Thomson's gazelle is usually called. -They were all somewhat shy, but we each managed to bag something, Miss -H---- getting two wildebeeste and Captain H---- an impala. - -These uncanny-looking beasts were scarce where we were at that -particular time; we were told they migrated to Kilimanjaro and -returned later. This certainly seemed to be correct, as later on we -saw them blackening the plain quite close to Nairobi. I was with the -young lady when she bagged them, and it occurred in rather a lucky -way. We were sitting under a thorn-bush in a little depression, when -we saw the two wildebeeste coming towards us at a trot. As they got -near their movements became most threatening. After standing for a few -moments surveying us they threw up their heels and, with heads down -and tails waving, charged savagely straight at us. They made several -stoppages in order to inspect us better, but the demonstrations grew -more and more savage, and they had got within sixty yards when Miss -H---- took a steady aim at the biggest and fired. He turned and rushed -off at a terrific pace, the other following suit. Number one, however, -had not covered more than fifty yards when he fell dead, and his -comrade, pulling up to see what was happening, was killed by a second -shot from Miss H----'s Mauser. - -We were much elated at her success, as wildebeeste are most -imposing-looking. We afterwards learnt that the apparently savage -charge was nothing more than sheer curiosity concerning an object -which they could not distinctly identify. Hassan, Miss H----'s -gun-bearer, being a devout Mohammedan, rushed up to "chinja" the -animals, their religion prescribing that unless the throat has been -cut from ear to ear, and the blood allowed to flow, the meat is -unclean. The Swahilis were very particular about this so long as it in -no way interfered with their convenience. - -The following morning we had just started breakfast when one of the -porters came running in to say that whilst he was gathering firewood -he had seen seven lions, including three fine maned ones. We started -at once, accompanied by our gun-bearers and two Masai boys who were -recommended to us to carry second guns. We were all armed alike, -having Rigby's ·275 Mausers loaded with double ·450 cordite. - -The plain hereabouts was broken up by watercourses, in some of which -water still remained, and owing to the moisture there were some large -trees and more bush marking the course than in other parts; indeed, -we could tell exactly where the watercourses were by the lines -of vegetation. Large beds of high reeds covered some of these -depressions. - -On our way to the place where the lions had been seen we had to cross -a perfectly open grassy plain, intersected every now and then by -small, dry watercourses. Any one of these might hold a lion, as he -is an animal who likes to slink along unseen. Every donga we came to, -therefore, we searched, expecting to find lions. We passed a lot of -game on the way, but were afraid to fire for fear of disturbing the -lions. Miss H---- was radiant at the prospect, and it required all -our firmness to prevent her rushing on ahead, such was her eagerness. -Personally I was also very keen to get a lion, but I had a lurking -consciousness of my inexperience, which was not improved by the -fearful lion stories, true and otherwise, with which we had been -regaled by every man we met. Captain H---- showed no emotion of any -sort. He was an old hand at meeting danger, but I could not help -admiring his unmoved expression, which showed that he knew what danger -was and was prepared to meet it. Miss H----, on the other hand, had -forgotten all about danger, and her only thought was to get to close -quarters with the utmost speed. - -[Illustration: - -THE AUTHOR, MR. WALTER COOPER, WHOSE PARTY OF THREE BAGGED TEN LIONS -IN ONE DAY. - - _From a Photograph._ -] - -We were not far from the trees when we saw a lion slinking along -a depression in the ground towards a clump of dry reeds, which he -entered. After a council of war, it was decided that one of the men -should go round and set fire to the reeds, whilst we posted ourselves -as for a pheasant drive. Miss H---- was in the middle, facing the -reeds, whilst Captain H---- was on her left and I was on her right. -Soon the reeds were blazing high, with a noise like a waterfall. A -crashing, as of a big beast coming in our direction, made our hearts -beat faster, and soon out came, not a lion, but a poor little female -reedbuck, followed soon after by her lord. We let them go with a shock -of disappointment, not unmixed with relief. - -An instant later, however, straight in front of Captain H----, a large -lioness bounded across a gap in the reeds, followed by several other -forms not easily distinguishable. She had evidently seen us, for -immediately after the rushing sound stopped and growls succeeded, -increasing in volume as the flames came nearer. - -Suddenly, without the slightest warning, out rushed no fewer than -seven lions, no doubt the ones the porter had previously seen. They -passed between Miss H---- and myself, and appeared to be in full -flight, when two lionesses, apparently attracted by the movement the -young lady made in putting up her gun, turned and made straight for -her. They were exactly in a line between me and her, so that I was -unable to shoot. Miss H---- had not descended from a long line of -soldiers for nothing. Standing up boldly, she put in three shots -as they advanced. The first lioness went over like a rabbit, with a -bullet in its left eye which penetrated the brain; the two other -shots merely checked the second. Unable to do anything to help her, in -another instant I expected to see Miss H---- hurled to the ground and -worried to death by the enraged beast. But at this critical juncture -her gun-bearer, Hassan, thinking matters were getting somewhat too -exciting, took to his heels. - -[Illustration: MISS SYBIL H----, THE PLUCKY GIRL WHO SHOT FOUR OF THE -LIONS. - - _From a Photograph._ -] - -The lioness, attracted by the sight of the fleeing man, or else afraid -of the fearless figure in front, who was not to be intimidated by her -charge, swerved off suddenly and made after the fugitive. The man had -not more than twenty yards start, and the great brute rapidly overtook -him. Miss H---- fired again, and we men both fired as well, but we -were not near enough to make a good running shot. The wretched man, -with a courage born of desperation, turned at the last moment and -hit at the lioness with his rifle. The blow fell a bit short, and the -enraged brute, snapping at what came nearest, caught the weapon in her -mouth at the muzzle. The pace at which she was travelling was so great -that Hassan was hurled backwards, and in falling his finger caught the -triggers, letting off both barrels. By the most extraordinary piece -of luck the rifle was pointing straight down the beast's throat at the -moment, and down she went, with her head nearly shot away, right -on top of him. When we had at length hauled him out he was a -deplorable-looking object, simply smothered in blood, chiefly the -lioness's, for his only wounds were claw-marks on his thigh, caused -by the contraction of the animal's muscles after death. These were -slight, however, and as soon as Hassan realized he had, albeit -accidentally, shot the lioness himself, he began to strut about in -a ludicrous fashion, bragging to the other men as to what a great -lion-killer he was. - -[Illustration: "THE LION SWERVED OFF SUDDENLY AND MADE AFTER THE -FUGITIVE."] - -Miss H----, who, in spite of the narrow escape she had had, seemed -to have forgotten it already in her pride at having killed her first -lioness, insisted on following up the others, who had now gone into -some long grass on the open plain. We therefore advanced in line, -about eighty yards apart. We had gone about a mile when my gun-bearer -pointed out the top of a lion's head and ears, just visible above the -grass in a hollow. We passed the word along and at once made for the -place. There was a dry watercourse here, and just in front of Miss -H---- along the edge of it were some big rocks. She was within fifty -yards when, in the gap between the stones, she saw a head. She fired, -and it disappeared. A moment later up it came again. Another shot, -and again it disappeared, only to reappear a third time. Once more she -pulled trigger, and then there was a veritable stampede, for a lion -and five lionesses broke out of the grass, galloping in huge bounds -across the plain. They passed right across my front, and my second -bullet knocked over the lion as dead as a door-nail and my fourth a -lioness, which I got with a lucky shot at the back of its head. - -[Illustration: ONE OF THE TEN LIONS KILLED BY THE AUTHOR'S PARTY. - - _From a Photograph._ -] - -Captain H----, who had seen them coming, had kept down out of sight, -for fear they should pass out of range, and they went straight towards -him. On seeing him they stopped, giving him an easy shot at about -forty yards. He killed one lioness, and then, taking his ·450 from his -gun-bearer, took the neatest right and left I ever expect to see at -the other two, who, having separated, were rushing past him at about -sixty yards' distance. This made seven lions that we had seen dead, or -as good as dead, and we expected to find the eighth, which Miss H---- -had had three shots at. What was our amazement and delight when, after -a very cautious approach to the rocks, we found not one, but three -fine maned lions lying dead in a heap, a Mauser bullet through the -brain of each! Two had light-coloured manes, whilst the other had a -black one. - -[Illustration: "THE LION ROSE UP AS IF UNHURT AND JUMPED AT CAPTAIN -H----."] - -They must have been a different lot entirely to the other troop, -and, as each one fell, the next one, excited by curiosity, must have -stepped on to a slab of rock which enabled him to see through the gap -in the rocks. Hence, what appeared to be the same lion was in reality -a different one each time. It was an extraordinary piece of luck, as -they evidently could not quite understand what Miss H---- was, as she -and her gun-bearer were sitting down, and, the distance being short, -she was able to make a dead shot at each. - -Captain H---- had just left us to look at my two lions, when we heard -a terrific growl and my apparently dead lion rose up as if unhurt and -jumped at Captain H----. He did not spring; he simply pushed him over. -The Captain had no time to do anything, and went down like a log, the -impetus of the lion's movement sending him yards away. Miss H---- and -I, after an instant of absolute stupefaction, rushed for our guns, -which we had put down. Before we had time to shoot, however, it was -all over. The Masai boy, who was following close beside Captain H----, -with the splendid pluck of his race, drew his _simé_ (a sort of sword, -with all its weight at the business end) and hit the lion across the -spine. The beast simply stiffened spasmodically, and before it had -time to fall over the plucky Masai had sheathed his weapon in the -beast's shoulder three or four times. Then we rushed up to Captain -H----, who looked in a terrible plight; he was covered with blood from -head to foot, and unconscious. - -We had, during the chase, got nearer the railway line, and we could -see a train in the distance puffing slowly up the incline towards Athi -River Station. The Masai are very fine runners, so we dispatched one -of them to stop the train, and proceeded to contrive some sort of a -litter to carry Captain H---- in. Miss H----, with a woman's wit, at -once proposed to skin a lion and use its hide. We accordingly started -to rip off the skin of the very beast which had mauled him, having -first propped up our coats over Captain H---- to give him a little -shade. What was our joy, in the middle of our work, to hear his voice -and see him sitting up, smiling as well as he could from a face that -was all blood except what was dirt. He said he felt perfectly well, -and could easily walk back to camp. - -It appeared that he had simply been stunned by the terrific fall he -had had, and that he remembered nothing more till he woke and found -himself under a canopy made of our coats. On examining him, expecting -to find a shattered arm, we were astounded to find he had only -received some very nasty-looking gashes. The explanation of this we -soon saw. My shot, which appeared to have killed the lion, had hit the -beast at the base of the jaw, smashing the bone to pieces and stunning -him. When he dashed at Captain H---- his lower jaw was absolutely -useless, so that the upper teeth only acted as a rake instead of -nut-crackers. - -However, the wounds looked serious enough, for we knew that very few -men recover from lion-bites, most of them dying of blood-poisoning. -Captain H----, however, was able with assistance to walk very -comfortably the mile which separated us from the line, and before -we got to it we were met by an engineer on the railway, who had his -travelling carriage attached to a goods train. He at once placed -the carriage and train at our disposal, and, best of all, produced a -bottle of carbolic crystals. He insisted that the carbolic should be -put in undiluted, as the action of the pure acid is so rapid that it -kills the tissues which it touches so quickly that no pain is felt. - -Certainly this seemed to hold good, for Captain H---- took it quite -calmly, and assured us he was in no great pain. We all took the train -for a few miles to the point nearest our camp, when I left them. It -was arranged that I was to pack up the camp and follow into Nairobi, -Miss H---- and the engineer attending the patient to the hospital, -where, it appeared, he would have to stay for a period, as a high -temperature was by this time apparent, coupled with a feeling of -extreme exhaustion, caused by reaction after his narrow escape. I had -also to superintend the skinning of the lions, which Captain H----, in -spite of his condition, was most anxious about. I was much relieved -to hear the next day that he was going on splendidly, though still -prostrated by the shock and likely to be detained in hospital for the -next few weeks to get his arm healed. - -The Masai boy we sent away rejoicing with a present of a cow, as well -as some smaller gifts in money and kind. Cattle are the one and only -form of riches amongst the Masai--except, perhaps, wives--so he was -proportionately pleased, and promised to join us again as soon as we -were ready to start. But we hardly expect to bag ten lions in a day -again. - -[Illustration: - -THE MASAI BOY (ON LEFT) WHO SAVED CAPTAIN H----'S LIFE, AND HASSAN THE -GUN-BEARER. - - _From a Photograph._ -] - - - - -MY FRIEND DALTON: A Tale of the Klondike. - -By HARRY DE WINDT. - - Twice--and twice only--the famous explorer met "Dalton," the - gentleman wanderer, and he here relates the story of the two - encounters and the tragic episode which finally revealed to - him the man's real character. - - -"Good-bye, De Windt; I don't envy you the trip," were the last words -that rang in my ears as the lights of Vancouver faded away in the -wintry darkness. - -My friends were right. Business of vital importance called me, or I -should certainly not have left Vancouver at a season when the journey -to Montreal is generally attended with discomfort, not to say danger. -In the summertime it is pleasant enough, for the scenery outrivals -that of Switzerland, and the Canadian Pacific Railway is justly noted -for the perfection of its cars and cuisine. But now the passes were -blocked by snow, and a train had recently been "held up" in the wild, -mountainous district between Banff and Calgary. It was Christmas Eve, -so that I had the cars pretty much to myself. Indeed, east of Lytton, -where a party of Victorians left us to spend the New Year, the train -was practically empty. We numbered, after leaving Lytton, a dozen -passengers in all; none too many to dig a way through the drifts -which, to judge from the steadily-falling snow, were grimly looming -ahead. - -The prospect of a week or more of weary travel was not inviting, and -I dined the first evening unable to appreciate a dinner worthy of the -Paris boulevards. The cheerless meal over, I smoked a solitary cigar -in a dimly-lit and silent "smoker," and towards bedtime summoned the -conductor, in sheer desperation, to share a hot grog. Afterwards I -sought my couch. But the frequent stoppages due to the tempest -and driving snow kept me awake--a revolver handy in case of -a "hold-up"--until a cold grey dawn was peering through the -window-blinds. For notes to the amount of thirty thousand dollars -reposed in a note-case under my pillow, and the fact that a friend in -Montreal was awaiting them did not tend to lessen my anxiety. - -But fortune and the Arctic weather favoured us, for a starving -wolf would scarcely have faced that blinding blizzard, let alone a -train-robber. We were detained for a time by a fallen snow-shed, -but we forged steadily ahead through minor difficulties, and, on the -morning of the third day, steamed safely into Calgary. Here I put away -my pistol with an easy mind, for open country now lay before us. The -robbers who lurked in the mountains, where trackless forests on either -side of the line afford an easy means of escape, were not likely to -trouble us on the plains. - -Dark days were now followed by a blue sky and brilliant sunshine as -we rattled over the prairie, clad in a mantle of dazzling snow. The -monotony of this journey can only be realized by those who, day after -day, have watched the same dreary landscape unfold, as void of life -and colour as the moon itself. A desert, in summer, of withered grass; -in winter the scene of snow-clad desolation so wearies the eye that -the sight of a ruined log-hut or a solitary crow comes as a positive -relief. It was therefore some consolation when, at the little log-town -of Regina, a solitary passenger entered the train. - -I surveyed the new-comer with an interest engendered by three days of -solitary boredom. He was middle-aged, with the clean-shaven, clear-cut -face and keen grey eyes common in America, but which, upon this -occasion, were clearly imported. For, although the man's appearance -betrayed rough experiences, his tattered tweeds retained a certain -symmetry more suggestive of Bond Street than Broadway. A "Zingari" -ribbon round his shabby grey hat also hinted at the wearer's -nationality, which was further proclaimed when he called in pure -English for a whisky and soda. The speaker was a gentleman, as shown -by his manner and certain subtle signs that denote the species all -over the world. At first I put him down as a wealthy sportsman, but -the usual arsenal and piles of personal baggage were missing. The -traveller, whoever he was, was uncommunicative, for he drained his -whisky at a draught with a sigh of relief, lay full length upon the -cushions, and slept like a baby until dinner-time. - -I generally mistrust the chance acquaintance on Canadian railway cars, -but there was nothing of the "sport" or "bunco-steerer" about this -man. At dinner we got into conversation, and the discovery of mutual -acquaintances in England banished any lingering suspicions on my part; -my companion was apparently glad, after many months of solitude, to -exchange ideas with a fellow-countryman. The stranger had not seen -England for seven years, during which period he had apparently tried -his luck at most things--from gold at Coolgardie to rubies in Rangoon, -in the lazy, desultory fashion of one to whom money is no object. -His name, "Edgar Dalton," told me nothing, but the magic words, "Turf -Club," in a corner of his card augured much. I expressed surprise at -this lengthened and voluntary exile, but Dalton's sudden change of -manner warned me that I was skating on thin ice. Domestic trouble, -perhaps, or a woman, had sent him aimlessly roving over the world, -and, anyhow, it was no business of mine. My eccentric friend had -lately turned his attention to fur trading, he told me, and was now -returning to Chicago from York Factory on Hudson Bay. The winter -journey is a perilous one, but Dalton spoke of a thousand miles in a -dog-sled as though it were a summer picnic. "I like roughing it," he -said, frankly; "civilization bores me, and I loathe the very sight -of a frock-coat!" I did not quite believe him, for the most ardent -globe-trotter occasionally yearns for a sight of Piccadilly; but, -anyhow, as I have said, it was no business of mine. - -The evening passed pleasantly, for Dalton was excellent company, and -we sat long and late over our cigars, chatting over his reminiscences, -which would have filled an entire issue of THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE. It -was only towards bedtime that a subject was broached destined to bring -about strange consequences. "You say you know Milford well," said -Dalton, naming a small town in Yorkshire; "did you ever meet a Mrs. -W---- there?" The words were spoken with a hesitation that made me -glance sharply at the speaker. Could this be the secret of his life--a -hopeless passion for the beautiful woman whose sufferings had excited -universal sympathy and whose love so many had sought in vain? To know -Milford was to know or, at any rate, to have heard of Mary W----, who, -a few years since, had figured as the innocent heroine of a notorious -forgery case. The affair never reached a criminal court, for James -W---- had successfully absconded with a large sum of money, and had -never since been seen or heard of. Rumours were rife; some said he had -gone to Australia, others that he was in the Argentine, others that -suicide had wiped him out of existence as completely as a pebble -dropped into the sea. And he would have been no great loss, for, -according to all accounts, a more heartless scoundrel never breathed. -But Mary W---- was still leading a quiet and lonely life, although she -might legally have chosen a second husband from among the many men -who had sought her hand. W---- I had never known, but his portrait -had been freely circulated at the time of the crime, and a momentary -suspicion that Dalton might himself be the man was quickly dispelled -when I recalled the portly frame and bearded countenance of the -forger. Not only did I know Mrs. W----, but I had, only the preceding -winter, saved her life in an ice accident--a fact which raised me -considerably in my fellow-traveller's estimation. - -"I only asked you if you knew her," he said, "because I happened to -know him. Poor beggar! He was shot last year in a gambling hell in -Coolgardie." - -Here the subject might have dropped, but that fleeting hours and the -frequent reappearance of the conductor with refreshments revived -it. There had clearly been something between Dalton and the forger's -beautiful wife, either before or after her marriage. "I may tell you -in confidence," were his last words that night, "that Mary W---- is -and always has been very dear to me." A cloud passed over Dalton's -face as he continued: "If things were different I should have been a -better and a happier man. There, I won't bore you with my troubles, -but here's my hand, Mr. de Windt, for saving that brave, unselfish -woman's life. And remember, if ever you need a friend you'll find one -in Edgar Dalton." - -I was right, then, after all. This was but another victim who had -worshipped vainly at the shrine of pretty Mary W----, and I wondered -vaguely, as I dropped off to sleep, whether the "good angel of -Milford," as she was called, had yet heard of her merciful release. -For here, possibly, was a man who might bring some sunshine into her -lonely life. - -The next morning found Dalton seated at breakfast with a mysterious -individual who had joined the train during the night. The stranger -was a stout, florid man of about fifty, with shifty blue eyes, grey -whiskers, and a perpetual smile. He wore a serge suit and a yachting -cap, also a profusion of tawdry jewellery, and might have been -anything from a prosperous drover to the skipper of a tramp steamer. -The new-comer addressed Dalton as "Cap," and until the mystery was -explained I marvelled at his apparent familiarity with the quiet, -refined Englishman. But Mr. Hiram Knaggs, it appeared, had acted as -agent in Chicago for Dalton during his northern trip, and had now met -him by appointment to settle about the disposal of a consignment of -valuable furs. Knaggs was a cheery, amusing fellow, notwithstanding -his vulgarity and a painful habit of parading his wealth. At dinner -that night he displayed a bulky pocket-book with which he pleasantly -averred he could buy up the train and everyone in it. Encouraged, -perhaps, by champagne and good fellowship, I then carelessly alluded -to the comparatively modest sum that had caused me such anxiety, but -a significant look from Dalton closed my lips. "Knaggs, of course, -is all right," he explained afterwards, "but in a public car you can -never be too careful." The incident struck me as being curious, for at -the time there was no one within earshot of our table. - -Dalton and his agent were leaving us at Winnipeg, and we had -reached that town--then far from being the bustling city it has now -become--when I awoke on the following morning. The berths lately -occupied by my friends were empty, and I was surprised that Dalton, at -any rate, should have left without a word of farewell. There was yet -half an hour before departure, and I dressed hastily, intending to -alight for a breath of fresh air. But a terrible shock was in store -for me. My heart stood still and a cold sweat bedewed my temples, for -when I placed my hand under the pillow it encountered only a worthless -silver watch. My pocket-book and the thirty thousand dollars had gone! - -I was about to call loudly for help, when a touch on the shoulder -arrested me. It was Dalton, with a smile upon his face and the missing -note-case in his hand. - -"I was the thief," he said, quietly. "Here are your notes, but take my -advice. Never talk about your money before strangers." Intense relief -overcame a feeling of resentment at the trick played upon me, and, -after all, was it not in my own interest? So I put my pride--and -my notes--in my pocket and thanked my friend for the service he had -rendered me, which I never duly appreciated until long afterwards. - -[Illustration: "MY POCKET-BOOK AND THE THIRTY THOUSAND DOLLARS HAD -GONE!"] - -On the platform we found Knaggs in a very surly frame of mind, which -Dalton laughingly ascribed to overnight indulgence in "tanglefoot." -But the joke was apparently ill-timed, for the American turned and -left us with an oath, to his friend's amusement. - -"Good-bye, De Windt," said the latter. "We may meet again, and if ever -I can do you a turn, for Mary W----'s sake, count upon me." - -Three or four months elapsed, during which period I heard nothing more -of my fellow-travellers, but I received a letter from Mrs. W----, -who had been informed of her husband's death by an anonymous -correspondent--Dalton, no doubt. This was in the spring of 1897, -however, and my mind was too much engrossed with personal affairs to -give the matter much attention. A bad attack of the gold-fever then -raging on the Pacific Coast had resulted in my resolve to leave -Vancouver and seek a fortune in the Klondike. I need not describe the -now familiar perils and privations of that ghastly voyage: the grim -passes, stormy lakes, and treacherous rapids; the cold and starvation -that littered the dark and dangerous road to the "Arctic El Dorado" -with dead and dying victims. Suffice it to say that I eventually -reached my destination, and in less than a year had "struck it -rich" enough to acquire several good claims. Early in March, 1898, I -returned from my claim up the Koyukuk to Dawson City, and took up my -quarters at an hotel, intending to return by the first steamer to St. -Michael, and thence, by the sea route, home. - -The River View Hotel was not a cheerful residence, although its -numerous guests were very festively inclined. The restaurant at -dinner-time resembled a bear-garden, and between meals dapper New York -barmen ministered to the wants of a rowdy mixture of nationalities -from all ends of the earth. Time hung heavily on my hands, although -there was plenty of gaiety of the disreputable kind to be found in -most mining camps. Dawson swarmed with gambling and drinking saloons, -but crime was rare, for the North-West Police keep a sharp eye on -evildoers, especially the harpies of both sexes who fleece lucky -miners. You did not need, in those days, to go to the creeks for gold, -for the dust was flung about so recklessly that modest incomes were -made by sweeping out the dancing halls. One night of debauchery often -left wealthy men as poor as when they first started out from home -without a penny. And there was some excuse for the poor prospector, -coming straight from months of cold, hunger, and hard work on some -lonely gulch into a crowded, brightly-lit saloon, with champagne, -music, and friends galore, to say nothing of a gambling table in the -background. Even I, who should have known better, was occasionally -drawn into some dazzling pandemonium which, by daylight, would have -sickened me to contemplate. - -Thus it came to pass that I found myself one night at the Imperial -Casino in company with a friend who, like myself, was heartily sick of -his gloomy bedroom at the River View Hotel. The Imperial, like most -of its kind, consisted of a dancing-hall leading into a smaller -compartment screened with green baize, which occasionally parted to -disclose a roulette table. The noise and stifling air of the first -room were, as usual, unbearable, and we struggled through a rowdy -crowd of men and women to the inner sanctum, where a number of players -were assembled. For a time we watched the game with interest, for the -high stakes would have attracted a crowd at Monte Carlo, but these -ragged, mud stained gamblers lost or won their money gracefully and -without the push or wrangle that often occurs on the Riviera. I have -seen more fuss made over a five-franc piece at Monte Carlo than over a -thousand dollars in Klondike. - -To this day I don't know what induced me to fling a stake upon the -table. My friend, sick of the fetid atmosphere, had left me, and I was -following him, when the solitary number I had backed turned up. I then -carelessly heaped my winnings on the zero and became the unwilling -object of all eyes when the ivory ball jumped into the space -numbered by that wicked little circle. From that moment I won without -cessation, chiefly, I suppose, because of my absolute indifference -to loss. In an hour I was the gainer of an enormous sum, which, -consisting largely of nuggets and gold-dust, was difficult to handle. -A carpet-bag was borrowed from the proprietor, by whose friendly -advice I made my exit through a back door, and hastened along the -snowy, silent street to my hotel. As I neared my hotel a figure stood -out from the doorway of the River View, and I recognised Barlow, of -the North-West Mounted Police, who a few hours previously had been my -guest at dinner. - -"Don't shoot, old man," said my friend, as a revolver gleamed in the -moonlight; "it's only me. We have got a big job on. The safe in the -office here was rifled last night, and the thief is supposed to be -living in the hotel. J----, of Scotland Yard, and ten of my men are -inside; so if the joker tries any games on to-night it will be all up -with him. By the way, _you_ look a bit suspicious with that bag. Gold -from Gluckstein's, is it? Whew! Oh, pass in; you're a match for any -hotel sneak." And with a cheery "Good night" I left my friend vainly -endeavouring to keep warm in a temperature that would have tried the -patience of a Polar bear. - -[Illustration: "THE DOOR WAS THROWN OPEN WITH A CRASH AND THE ROOM -FLOODED WITH THE LIGHT OF MANY LANTERNS."] - -The barrack-like building was in darkness, and by the aid of a wax -match I groped my way to my bedroom, a garret for which I paid, daily, -the sum of twenty dollars. The door was fitted with a cheap lock which -a missing key rendered useless, but I secured my winnings, which I -carefully locked up, and then retired to rest with a mind at ease, -thanks to a revolver under my pillow. I must have dropped off to sleep -suddenly, for when I awoke the fag-end of my candle was sputtering -in the socket. The next moment it had gone out, leaving me with no -matches and an unpleasant suspicion that, while I slept, someone had -entered the room. Conviction followed when I heard a moving body and -loudly challenged the intruder. But there was no reply. - -"If you don't answer, I shoot!" I cried through the darkness. There -is short shrift for thieves in mining camps, and the next moment I had -fired at random in the direction of the sound. Simultaneously the door -was thrown open with a crash and the room flooded with the light -of many lanterns. J----, the Scotland Yard man, and half-a-dozen -policemen were soon surrounding a prostrate figure, clad in a grey -sleeping-suit, which lay with a dark crimson mark over the heart, -showing where my bullet had reached its mark. Great heavens! Had I -killed him? - -The bare idea filled me with horror, as I pushed my way through a ring -of excited men and, kneeling by the side of the wounded man, gently -raised his head. The features were already twitching in the death -agony, the eyes were dull and glazed, but a faint smile flickered over -the face as I realized, with the appalling terror of a nightmare, that -I was looking upon the features of Edgar Dalton. - -"Forgive me," he gasped, faintly, as I bent closer to catch his -whispered words. "I never knew it was you. Knaggs will tell you. Give -her----" The hand was raised, with a last effort, towards a thin gold -chain around the neck, but death arrested it half-way. Edgar Dalton, -killed by my hand, had expired in my arms! - -"Come, sir, we can do no good," said J----, presently, as I continued -to gaze vacantly upon the ashy face of the corpse. It was borne -away by six stalwart troopers through the now crowded passages and -stairway. "You've no need for remorse," added the detective, "for -you've rid the world of as clever and cruel a scoundrel as it's ever -been my lot to come across--and I have seen a few. Why, he has murders -enough on his hands in Australia alone to hang him ten times over." - -"Mr. Edgar Dalton?" I asked, almost speechless with amazement. - -"Is that the name you knew him by?" said the Scotland Yard man, with -ill-disguised pity for my ignorance. "Edgar Dalton, indeed! Why, the -Australian Government has offered a reward of one thousand pounds for -this man, dead or alive, for the past three years. I have been after -him for seven years as James W----, the forger, and I think I am -fairly entitled to the reward," he added. "For, you see, I have netted -both birds this time. There's the other"--and he pointed to a man -standing handcuffed between two troopers by the open doorway. His -dejected appearance contrasted oddly with a gay suit of pink -pyjamas, but although the smiling lips were now screened by a bristly -moustache, and a carefully-curled auburn wig concealed the scanty -grey locks, I had little trouble in recognising my old friend and -fellow-traveller, Mr. Hiram Knaggs. - -I was permitted to visit him the next day, and found him shivering, -heavily ironed, in a cold, miserable shanty known as the town jail. -Knaggs made light of his discomfort and the long term of imprisonment -before him, but was inconsolable at the death of his leader. "A whiter -man never breathed, Mr. de Windt," said the man, with tears in his -eyes; and although I knew Knaggs for a consummate villain, I could -scarcely restrain a feeling of pity for the abject figure before me. -Nor, indeed, could I think of the dead man without compunction, for -I could not forget the feeling of gratitude that had prompted him to -save my notes from the greedy grasp of his confederate. - -"He always spoke well of you," said the man, "and if he'd only known -last night that the swag was yours he'd have been alive now. But I -suppose the game was up, anyhow, with that J---- on our tracks." - -[Illustration: A FORM OF PUNISHMENT FOR CRIMINALS USED IN THE KLONDIKE -AND KNOWN AS THE "WOOD-PILE." - - _From a Photograph._ -] - -And Hiram ground his teeth in silent rage as I left him--to be -eventually sentenced to ten years "on the wood-pile," a local form of -punishment which, owing to the Arctic climate, is seldom endured for -long. - -I was permitted to retain the gold chain and medallion, which -contained a faded portrait of W----'s wife. Mary W---- still wears the -little locket in memory of the worthless scamp who wrecked her life, -but who, nevertheless, had loved her in his own wild way. - - - - -Two Girls in Japan. - -BY IRENE LYON. - - After six weeks of conventional sight-seeing in Japan the - authoress and her friend decided that they had not yet seen - the real thing, and so they decided to spend a week off the - tourist track, living as far as possible the life of the - natives. This amusing little article shows how they fared - during their pilgrimage. - - -Gladys and I had been six weeks in Japan; we had worked hard at -sight-seeing, and done all that was expected of us during that time, -and yet we were not satisfied. Why? Well, we had luxuriated all the -while in the most charming European hotels; we had slept in cosy beds -with soft, springy mattresses; we had lounged in easy-chairs, eaten -with knives and forks, and had been waited on hand and foot by -noiseless Japanese "boys," who anticipated our every want. Within a -week of our departure for Australia the full extent of our slackness -was borne in upon us, and we at once decided to make up for lost -time and to sacrifice personal comfort in a final effort to "see" -Japan--the real Japan. - -A trip down the Inland Sea was arranged, as affording a suitable -opportunity to carry out our resolves, and one bright spring morning -we set off from Kobe, armed with a basket of provisions and eating -utensils--to be used only in case of dire necessity! - -We travelled all day in an up-to-date, conventional train, and arrived -at Onomichi towards evening. The proprietor of the principal inn had -been informed of our intended arrival, so he came in person to meet -us at the station, and we set off on foot for our new abode with an -escort of some twenty to thirty of the inhabitants. - -The "hotel" was a two-storeyed, wooden house, like most of its -fellows. On reaching the threshold we discarded our shoes, took a -surreptitious peep at our stockings, in order to assure ourselves that -no holes were visible, and boldly entered. - -[Illustration: THE VILLAGE STREET--THE YOUNGSTERS WERE VASTLY -INTERESTED IN THE NEW ARRIVALS. - - _From a Photograph._ -] - -[Illustration: THE INTERIOR OF THE INN. - - _From a Photograph._ -] - -A hearty--but unintelligible--welcome was extended to us by "madame" -and her surrounding bevy of profusely-bowing attendants, and we were -ushered into a room on the first floor which had been set aside for -our use. - -Our apartment was divided from the adjoining one by sliding panels -which made no pretence at reaching the ceiling; it was entirely -destitute of furniture, but at one side was a tiny alcove where a -single vase reposed upon a raised dais, while hanging on the wall at -the back was an elaborate "kakimono." The floor was covered with fine -matting, and the inner walls were made of opaque white paper divided -into diminutive squares. Round the outside of the house ran a tiny -veranda, which was closed in at night with wooden panels. - -Previously to starting Gladys and I had thoroughly primed ourselves as -to the correct behaviour in Japanese circles, and as we knew that -we should be expected to take a hot bath immediately on arrival we -inquired at once for the bathroom. Another reason for not wishing to -delay the important function of bathing sprang from our vague fear -that every member of the household would perform his ablutions in the -same water, and we were naturally anxious to have the first "look in." - -After inspecting the bathroom our determination wavered,--but we -pulled ourselves together and descended to the lower regions -armed with towels and wrappers. Our first difficulty was with the -entrance-panel, which, in addition to having no locks or bolts, -absolutely refused to close properly. After several vain attempts the -gap was eventually stuffed up, and we entered the dressing-room. I -have yet to discover the intended use of the latter apartment, as for -all the privacy it provided one might just as well have undressed in -the public passage. About three yards square, and communicating with -the bathroom, it was furnished with two large windows looking on -to the hall, and there was not even so much as a pane of glass to -obstruct the view of the passers-by. Gladys and I spent a considerable -time in carefully filling these openings, and then, having satisfied -ourselves that we were beyond the public gaze at last, we began, very -diffidently, to undress, and afterwards entered the bathroom together, -as we simply dared not venture in alone. - -The bath itself--which looked like a large box--was a wooden structure -built into a corner, and all round the inside ran a convenient ledge, -for sitting on. The water being little short of boiling, our movements -were decidedly cautious, and, curling ourselves up on the ledge, we -tried to grow accustomed to the temperature by degrees before plunging -right in. When, thinking to remove the traces of our journey by a -vigorous application of soap, we began to scrub ourselves, it suddenly -occurred to us that such a proceeding was not "etiquette," out -of consideration to the other bathers. So we stepped out, soaped -ourselves well, and rinsed our bodies with the wooden ladles supplied -for the purpose, before getting back into the water again. - -[Illustration: A GLIMPSE OF THE SITTING-ROOM, WITH ITS -SPOTLESSLY-CLEAN FLOOR, SLIDING DOORWAYS, AND PAPER WALLS. - - _From a Photograph._] -] - -We were sitting on the ledge, chatting peacefully, when a sudden -premonition of danger made me look up, and the spectacle which greeted -my eyes caused me to utter one agonized gasp and then sink rapidly out -of sight. The pains we had taken to block up the gap at the entrance -had all been in vain, for the various garments which we had used for -the purpose lay scattered on the floor, and the opening was occupied -by a line of little heads, one above the other, whilst ten gleaming -eyes were interestedly fixed upon us! Having followed the direction of -my horrified gaze, Gladys gave a shriek of dismay and joined me at the -bottom of the bath with surprising celerity; and there we remained -in agony, feeling as though we were being boiled alive, and gazing -ruefully at our garments, which all lay well out of reach. Help came -at length in the shape of the proprietor, who, lighting upon the -little group of spectators, immediately sent them off about their -business. Feeble and helpless, we eventually emerged from our retreat -and retired behind our towels to dry; but our trials were not yet -over, for Gladys, leaning too heavily against the flimsy framework -which constituted the partition wall, suddenly disappeared from sight, -and the whole wall with her! Fortunately, the only occupant of the -passage at that moment was a little maid-servant, who speedily rushed -to her assistance, and the damage was soon repaired. Feeling much -shattered in mind, we at length departed from the scene of our -disasters and returned to our own apartment. With the help of two -merry little "nésans," who thoroughly enjoyed the proceedings, we -succeeded in donning kimonos and obis more or less after the correct -manner, and then, determined to carry out the programme quite -properly, we sat down on our heels to partake of our evening meal -before a table three inches high. We drank fish soup out of lacquer -bowls, we dissected unfamiliar concoctions with chopsticks (no easy -matter) and tried manfully to do our duty by them, but when a -large bowl of rice made its appearance we flung etiquette--and -chopsticks--to the winds and fell back upon spoons, as being the only -way of ensuring ourselves anything to eat. Also, when we were certain -of being unobserved (as certain as it is possible to be in a land of -paper walls and sliding panels), we hastily demolished huge chunks of -bread from our private provision store, as, though we did not wish -to hurt the feelings of the "chef," we felt that our inward cravings -_must_ have something substantial to satisfy them. - -After dinner we ventured on a stroll through the town; but the fact -that we were repeatedly obliged to retrace our steps in order to pick -up our sandals--which showed an extraordinary facility for parting -company with our feet--considerably hindered our progress, and the -close companionship of many of the inhabitants, who were vastly -interested in us, prevented us from gaining a very good view of the -streets. - -When we returned to our abode the little maids made us up beds on -the floor out of "futans" (thick quilts) which were pulled forth -from wonderfully hidden cupboards, and we retired to rest, thoroughly -wearied out by our first day of Japanese life. - -The next morning we were awakened early by the arrival of green tea in -baby cups with no handles, and big, luscious peppermint creams. After -tasting both, and appreciating the latter, we rose to dress. Our -landlord had entertained European visitors before and considered that -he was thoroughly acquainted with their habits, as well as knowing how -to provide for their comfort; consequently, the pride of his heart -was a wash-stand--which was an object of wonderment to the whole -household--and that useful article of furniture was placed on the -outer veranda, in full view of the main street! It went to our hearts -to hurt the feelings of "mine host," but in this case we felt it to be -unavoidable, and the household treasure was removed to a more secluded -spot before we performed our ablutions. - -Later in the morning we took steamer to Myajima, and sailed all day -down the beautiful Inland Sea. There were no seats on board, so we -made ourselves comfortable on a big coil of rope, and as there was -also no buffet we were obliged to picnic for our meals. We reached -Myajima at dusk and halted in mid-stream. A sampan came out to take us -on shore, and we were hauled down the side of the steamer by a piece -of rope, swaying feebly about in mid-air before being unceremoniously -seized by the feet and deposited in safety. - -As we crashed on to the pebble beach a number of girls came round from -the hotel to meet us, each one carrying a paper lantern, which waved -fantastically to and fro from the end of a long pole. We were -escorted by them round the narrow, winding path to our quarters, -which consisted this time of a little summer-house away from the main -building of the hotel and in the midst of a delightful wood. We were -too tired to examine our surroundings that night, and tumbled as soon -as possible on to our lowly couches, where we slept "the sleep of the -just." - -[Illustration: MORE INTERESTED VILLAGERS. - - _From a Photograph._ -] - -On opening our eyes next morning our first thought was that we had -wandered into fairy-land; the smiling-faced "nésan" had arrived during -our slumbers and pulled back the outer wooden shutters, and as one of -the inner panels was ajar we could look straight out on to the woods. -The sun was shining brightly through the green of the trees, a spring -of clear water trickled musically down by the side of our hut, and -but a few hundred yards away lay the Inland Sea itself, looking like a -huge lake amidst the surrounding chain of misty, blue-grey mountains. - -[Illustration: A VILLAGE FÊTE IN FULL SWING. - - _From a Photograph._ -] - -Our tiny habitation, which consisted of two compartments and a small -veranda only, was scrupulously clean, and we could have eaten off the -floor, as well as sit on it, without the least misgiving. - -Every morning we interviewed the landlord on the subject of our day's -menu, as, after the first evening, we decided that a strictly Japanese -diet would not be conducive to either strength or comfort. There was -not much variety in the food which we managed to obtain, but it -was both healthy and harmless, consisting chiefly of fried fish, -omelettes, and wild strawberries. - -Myajima is a sacred island, and no means of conveyance are allowed -to profane its shores. The temple is built out into the sea, a unique -specimen of its kind, and a great, dark torü rises from the water -some yards in front; all along the main coast, and built at irregular -intervals, are the sacred stone lanterns, five hundred in number. - -For three days we spent our time in wandering about the island, -swimming, lounging on our tiny veranda, and darning, European -stockings being scarcely equal to Japanese "tabi" in the matter of -endurance. The third evening being beautifully fine and calm, we -arranged--by paying a very modest sum--to have all the five hundred -lanterns lit up for our benefit, and rowed out in a sampan to see the -effect from the water. Nature seemed to be at her devotions, and such -a wonderful hush spread over all around that the scene was impressive -as well as beautiful. - -On the fourth day it began to rain. A Japanese inn does not exactly -lend itself to either comfort or amusement in wet weather, our stock -of literature was limited, and by midday we were at our wits' end. And -still it rained. - -Finally, in desperation, we invested in brilliantly-coloured oil-paper -Japanese umbrellas, and wandered about holding these huge structures -over our heads, so that only our feet--mounted on high, wet-weather -"geta"--were visible. Still it rained, and rained unceasingly. On the -evening of the fifth day--the deluge showing no signs of abatement--we -packed up our baggage and sorrowfully departed, taking our seats -in the evening express for Kobe, after a damp passage across to the -mainland in a sampan. - -The train was crowded with Japanese, and as each person was -accompanied by at least four mysterious and peculiar-shaped bundles -there was not much room to spare, and before long I had a pile of -"luggage" two yards high in front of me. When some of the little -ladies in the carriage with us grew tired of sitting up in European -fashion they slipped off their sandals and climbed right on to the -seat, where they sat comfortably on their heels and were happy at -last. - -When night came the long seat was divided up into portions, the upper -berths were pulled down, and we all huddled into our respective -bunks, men and women mixed up together. It was distinctly trying to -be obliged to hoist oneself up into a high upper berth before a mixed -assembly, and more trying still to descend in the morning with the -very incomplete toilet which one was enabled to make in a reclining -position, but the blissful ignorance of our Japanese neighbour that -there was anything unusual in such a proceeding considerably relieved -our embarrassment. His attitude and calm matter-of-factness was very -reassuring, and the wonderfully cheerful conductor who brushed our -clothes and fastened our blouses seemed to consider himself specially -suited for the post of lady's-maid. - -We arrived back at our hotel in Kobe feeling that for the first time -in our existence we had really seen life in a different aspect, and a -few days later we left Japan with a clear conscience, satisfied that -we had fully accomplished our duty, as well as considerably added to -our experiences. - -[Illustration: OIL-PAPER UMBRELLAS DRYING IN THE SUN. - - _From a Photograph._ -] - - - - -[Illustration: THE LAST CREEK.] - -By John Mackie. - - The story of an eventful journey in the Australian bush, with - hostile blacks on the track. Mr. Mackie got through, but - the passage of the last creek was a distinctly touch-and-go - affair. - - -Schooners must have grub, and I had accompanied ours round to -Normanton for supplies, leaving only one white man, a Malay, a -Cingalese, and two semi-civilized black boys to look after the station -and store I had established on the lonely Calvert River, in the -south-western corner of the Gulf of Carpentaria. - -Now a bushman had just arrived at Normanton who had passed my place on -the Calvert a few days before. He told of a sorry state of affairs. My -men had run out of rations and, what was worse, powder and shot. They -were now subsisting on a little rice, what few fish they could -catch in the swollen river, 'possums, iguanas, and snakes. This was -certainly pretty near bed-rock; but people in the Gulf country in -those days did not trouble much about their bill of fare; it was the -blacks, flies, and fever that concerned them most, and the blacks near -my place just then were particularly bad. They had come down in a body -some days previously, killed two or three of my remaining horses, and -tried their level best to get at my men. Fortunately, after a ruinous -consumption of powder and shot, they had been driven off. - -There was only one thing for it--I must get to my station at any cost, -and that at once. To have it left to the mercy of the blacks was to -have it looted and burned to the ground, and all my schemes knocked on -the head. - -More important, still, there were my men. I knew that if they -attempted to go eastward they would find themselves hemmed in by the -great creeks, and must be drowned or perish for want of food. I did -not take two minutes to make up my mind. I was young, of a girth that -is denied to most men, and the love of adventure ran hot in my blood. -It was now late in the evening, but I would start before sunrise in -the morning, and some time on the following day, if I had luck, would -reach my place. I had swum dozens of swollen rivers before, with a -horse and without a horse; and as for the blacks, I had got used to -them like the flies, and I had my Colt. - -Next morning, while it was yet grey-dark, I strapped a small knapsack -on my back, containing a quart bottle full of powder, some small shot, -and other essentials, and prepared to start out. I told my partner to -push round to the Calvert River with the schooner as soon as the gale -abated, and was rowed to the eastern bank of the river in the dinghy. -The landing was bad, and here I had my first accident; for while the -man who rowed the boat was throwing after me the packet of bread and -meat that was to sustain me on my sixty-odd miles walk, it fell short -and splashed into the river. Back to the boat for more I would not go; -there was a considerable vein of old Highland superstition deep down -in my composition somewhere. I had gone, on more than one occasion, -without food for two or three days; I could surely do it now for -some thirty-six hours or so, even although I had not troubled about -breakfast before starting. - -Sixty-odd miles of partially-flooded country infested by niggers! It -hardly gave me a thought in those days. My revolver was in my belt, -the cartridges were waterproof, the load on my back was light, and had -it not been for the thought of those poor chaps on the banks of the -Calvert my heart would have been still lighter. - -I had traversed that uncertain track before on horseback, and, being -a fairly good bushman, there was not much danger of my losing it. I -wended my way through a gloomy pine-scrub, but as the rain had packed -the sandy soil the walking was fairly good, and I did my first few -miles as easily as if I had been walking on a macadamized road. Then I -came to an open patch of lightly timbered country, and sat down on the -crooked stem of a ti tree for a few minutes to fill and light my pipe. - -A sickly, wan light had by this time appeared in the eastern sky. -A laughing jackass crashed into the tender spirit of the dawn, and -startled me for the moment by shrieking hysterically from a high gum -tree. A pale lemon glow showed over the tree-tops to the east, spread -upwards and outwards, and then gave place to a tawny yellow; the few -faint stars went out one by one, like lights in a great city at break -of day; a little bird among the boughs called sleepily to its mate, -and in another minute a noisy flock of parrakeets flew screeching -past. It was a wet, melancholy world, and when the sun showed behind -the trees like a great white quivering ball of fire, and a thin, -gauze-like mist arose from the damp sandy soil, I knew that the fierce -tropical day had once more set in. - -I stepped gaily out again. Dangers? Why, the walking was almost as -good and pleasant as it was in any settled part of the country. Then, -all at once, my feet went splash! splash! into what seemed to be a -large pool of water; still on I went. In a few yards the water was -over my ankles; some fifteen or twenty yards more, and I realized -that it was up to my knees--fresh, warm, pellucid rain-water with dead -leaves and forest _débris_ floating through it. It was heavy wading, -and I paused for a moment to gain breath and look around. - -There was water everywhere; it spread out like a great carpet over -the fairly level ground, and only the fine points of the very highest -grasses could be seen. Soon the flood was up to my armpits, and then -I began to swim. Even had I not been a strong swimmer, I could hardly -have been drowned, for all I had to do was to climb into a tree and -rest in the branches. In a few minutes more I came to a comparatively -open space and was swimming among the shaggy, drooping heads of -Pandanus palms. Then, all at once, I found I was being carried away by -a powerful current. I must get across that creek, wherever it was, -or else my strength must necessarily give out. Luckily my light -linen trousers and cotton shirt did not impede me much; my watertight -knapsack was but a trifling inconvenience; it was my boots that were -tiring me. I did not want boots, anyhow, in that sandy soil. I swam -hand over hand to a gum tree that reared its head above the water, -and, grasping a strong limb, drew myself up. I left my boots, tied -together by the laces, dangling over a bough, and was descending -the limb when, to my consternation, I saw just beneath me one of the -largest tiger-snakes I ever in my life had the good or ill fortune -to meet. It had doubtless been coiled round one of the upper branches -when I first came to the tree, and, being as much afraid of me as I -now was of it, had again made for the trunk, only to find its retreat -cut off. There was no time to cut a stick and have a sportive five -minutes; besides, I had but scanty footing and room to fight nimble -tiger-snakes, and so there was only one thing for it. The reptile, -when I threw a small piece of dry wood at it, positively refused -to budge. I took one last disgusted look at its gleaming, mottled, -sinuous coils and flat, repulsive head, from which its black, wicked, -basilisk eyes looked dully out, and flopped into the water from my -perch, a distance of some ten or twelve feet. At one place the current -resembled a mill-race; this was doubtless the creek proper. In ten -minutes more I touched bottom with my feet, and soon, to my great joy, -I was stepping along on the firm sand again. I soon found the track, -but on it I also found what I least desired to see--the tracks of -savages going in the same direction as myself. I kept a sharp look-out -after that. - -The sun shone out all through that long, arduous day with a fierce, -intense heat, but there was no time for rest. I swam several creeks, -which carried me hundreds of yards down stream at a pace which meant -certain death if I ran against the business end of a snag; and I waded -and swam for many hundreds of yards at a stretch along the track in -places where it was flooded. By drinking copiously of the lukewarm -water I kept off the cravings of a healthy hunger. My pipe had slipped -from my pouch, and, anyhow, my tobacco and matches, which I carried -inside my hat, had got wet when I dropped from the tree; and this, to -me, was the greatest drawback of the situation. The sun rounded slowly -towards the west, and it was fast becoming dark, when suddenly I heard -the jabbering of blacks at some little distance. To climb into a thick -pine tree and conceal myself in its branches was the work of a few -minutes. I had hardly done so before a straggling mob of blacks passed -slowly underneath; the bucks, or warriors, went first with spears -and boomerangs in their hands, and the gins followed, carrying the -piccaninnies and household goods slung in numerous dilly-bags over -their backs. A few wretched half-tame dingoes brought up the rear, -snarling and fighting with one another. It seemed strange to me that -these savages should be journeying along the track, for at other times -they were rather anxious to avoid it. Perhaps they did it for the -sake of the novelty of the situation, naturally supposing that their -enemies, the whites, would not be travelling during the wet season. -There might have been fifty or sixty of them altogether in the band. -To my intense annoyance they went on about a couple of hundred yards, -and halted, to camp for the night, on what was evidently a drier piece -of ground than usual. There was no help for it--I should have to pass -the night in that tree. It would be folly to wander about in the dark; -besides, I was dead tired and could hardly keep my eyes open. - -[Illustration: "WHEN I THREW A PIECE OF DRY WOOD AT IT, THE REPTILE -POSITIVELY REFUSED TO BUDGE."] - -I unslung my knapsack, wedged myself into a sitting position among the -close, dense boughs, and, in spite of the proximity of danger and a -few stray mosquitoes, was asleep in two minutes. Had I descended the -tree and camped on the ground, sleep must have been almost impossible -on account of the insects. The blacks lit numerous tiny fires, or -"smudges," to drive them off. - -I awoke about an hour before dawn, stiff and chilled to the bone on -account of my cramped, airy position, strapped my knapsack on my back, -and descended the tree. There was a silence as of death in the blacks' -camp. Taking my bearings, I made a wide detour and passed round them -safely. After that I avoided the track as much as possible. I must -have walked nearly thirty-five miles on the previous long day, but -it should be borne in mind that it was one of continuous, determined -toil. - -I walked on steadily all that day, hardly pausing to rest, swimming -flooded creeks and wading in places up to my armpits, but my progress -was better than on the preceding day. I felt the pangs of hunger more -keenly, but I continued drinking large quantities of water, and this, -as I had often found before, to a certain degree stood me in good -stead. At noon I came to a wild, broad water-course called Scrubby -Creek, and I knew I was now within fifteen miles of my destination. -I had been speculating all day as to the state of affairs at my -camp--wondering if my men had deserted it, and if I should find it -in the possession of the savages. If so, I should have to be wary in -making my approach; I should have to follow the river down towards the -sea and wait and starve until the boat came round. The prospect was -not cheerful, but still I never for one moment allowed it to affect -the course I was pursuing. If I failed, then I had done my level best -to do what I could, and at least no soul-harrowing reflections would -be mine. - -I was just about to step into the swirling, hurrying current of -Scrubby Creek when, happening to glance round, I saw something that -made my heart throb wildly and arrested my further progress in an -instant. A large number of savages were following me up, and there -was not one of them but carried a spear or weapon of some sort in his -hand. I wheeled about in an instant and drew my revolver, resolved to -give them something more than they bargained for. - -The blacks stopped short when they found they were discovered, and -spread out in the form of a semicircle; then they closed in until, -with their _wimmeras_, they could make sure of throwing their spears -with precision and effect. I waited until I also could make sure of -my man, and then, as one of them drew back his arm to lever his spear -home, I raised my revolver and fired. He dropped all of a heap, like a -bullock that has been knocked on the head with an axe. A spear whizzed -past me and buried itself in the thick bark of a ti tree close to my -head. My blood was up, but I took deliberate aim, and the savage who -had thrown it also bit the dust. At eighty yards my Colt was almost as -deadly as a rifle. Somewhat taken by surprise, the blacks retired, and -I emptied the remaining chambers of my revolver at them with effect. I -even made to follow them up, reloading as I walked, and they actually -broke and ran before me. - -This was exactly what I wanted, and I seized my opportunity. I -turned and dived into the brown, tawny-crested creek, and by vigorous -side-strokes made for a narrow, island-like strip of wooded land that -stood right in the middle of the stream. I had all but passed it when -I caught hold of an overhanging bough and drew myself into a thick -clump of reeds and undergrowth. I stood up to the arm-pits in water. -There was now some seventy yards between me and the bank I had just -left--about half the distance I had yet to accomplish. As I expected, -the blacks, who had rallied, now appeared on the scene. Quick as -thought I placed my soft-felt hat brim downwards on the water, and -away it went sailing down that boiling torrent. The blacks saw it, and -thought they had me now safely enough; they directed spear after spear -at it, but I noticed that none of them took effect; they ran along the -bank in a great state of excitement, shouting and skipping, and in a -few minutes more were out of sight. If my hat would only continue to -float it might lead them quite a nice little goose-chase. - -I waited for some time, and was just about to strike out for the -opposite shore when, to my no little surprise and chagrin, two of the -savages returned. They went for some little distance up-stream, and -then made straight for my little island. Evidently they had thought -there was something suspicious about my hat. Only my mouth, eyes, -nose, and my revolver-hand were above water now, and I waited for them -to come on. - -And what a wait that was! Every moment seemed an eternity. I could -hardly control the intense longing that possessed me to be up and at -them. But I knew I must bide my time and make sure of both, otherwise -they could easily elude me in the water, attract the attention of the -other blacks, and then it would be all up with me. I knew the chances -of my coming out of that creek alive were very slight indeed; but -life seemed sweet just then. Every now and again a little wave would -unexpectedly dash over my face, and I would be nearly suffocated. Were -these savages never going to reach me? The suspense was too terrible. - -They reached my island and came down the narrow strip, prodding the -undergrowth with their spears. In another second they were within a -few yards of where I was ambushed. Both of them saw me at the same -instant, and up went their spears. Fortunately, one was almost behind -the other, and this interfered with their concerted action. I fired -point-blank into the grinning face of the foremost savage, and he -dropped where he stood; I saw the little round hole my bullet had -made right in the centre of his forehead. The flint spear-head of the -second black ripped open my shirt and made an ugly gash in the fleshy -part of my arm. He was within six feet of me, and I levelled my -revolver at him and pulled the trigger. To my dismay the weapon -snapped uselessly, and I realized that my last cartridge had been -fired. In another moment that savage and I were wrestling together -in deadly grips. Once he had me under water and I experienced all the -first horrors of drowning, with the waters thundering in my ears. It -was surely all up with me now! But by one supreme effort I pulled the -rascal down, and then it was my turn. When I had done with him I knew -he would give me no more trouble. Next I tore off part of my shirt -into a long strip and bound it tightly round my injured arm in a -rough-and-ready but effectual fashion. Then, with only one arm -which was of any real use, I essayed to cross the remaining strip of -hurrying flood. In a few minutes more I was on the other side, more -dead than alive. Thank God! It was the last creek I had to cross. - -[Illustration: "HE DROPPED WHERE HE STOOD."] - - - - -[Illustration: THE ROMANCE OF WILD ANIMAL CATCHING.] - -By Harold J. Shepstone. - - An interesting article describing how Mr. Carl Hagenbeck, the - famous animal dealer, collects his curious merchandise. Often, - to secure specimens of some particularly valuable species, - special expeditions have to be organized. These are frequently - away for many months, traversing thousands of miles of - practically unexplored country and meeting with all sorts of - exciting adventures. - - -A little way outside the busy shipping port of Hamburg is the pretty -little suburban village of Stellingen. Here is located the largest -wild-animal exchange in the world--the one place where strange and -curious beasts from the four quarters of the earth are received and -housed until wanted by the great zoological gardens and menageries. It -is hardly necessary to add that this unique establishment is presided -over by Mr. Carl Hagenbeck, famous as the most successful animal -dealer the modern world has ever seen, and as the creator of a -decidedly original zoological garden. - -At Mr. Hagenbeck's great depôt there may be seen at any time the -finest and rarest collection of animals in the world. When the writer -was in Stellingen recently the value of the wild beasts gathered there -was put down at fifty thousand pounds, and they certainly included -almost every living creature one could name, among them being many -very rare species. - -Naturally, the most romantic part of the whole business is the way -in which the animals are captured in their native wilds and -brought--sometimes thousands of miles--to the depôt, and the object -of the present article is to describe this side of a strange yet -fascinating trade. - -There is a vast difference between the hunter who kills for pleasure -and the hunter whose business it is to capture his quarry alive. The -former merely seeks his quarry, shoots it, secures a skin or horn as a -trophy, and then returns. True, he meets with many adventures and has -often exciting stories to tell of fights with enraged beasts. But -the collector stands on a different plane; his mission is not -to exterminate, but to preserve for the education and benefit of -civilized man. He may rightly be described as the humane invader of -the forest, jungle, desert, and plain, for he never kills unless it is -necessary for self-preservation. He sets out with the determination to -bring back typical specimens of the wild life of out-of-the-way parts -of the earth, so that those who pursue more peaceful callings at home -may obtain some idea of the characteristics and habits of the curious -beasts that inhabit the more inaccessible parts of the globe. - -Needless to say, the animal-catcher's task is much more difficult than -that of the ordinary hunter; from first to last every quest is one -long period of anxiety. The simplest part of the work, in many cases, -is the capture of the beasts. Thereafter his chief concern is their -welfare. He has to attend to their many and varied wants, doctor them -when they are sick, and transport them safely for many thousands of -miles--often across trackless and practically unexplored country. -Not only must he know how to deal with the savage beast, but with the -savage man as well, for to accomplish his purpose he has frequently -to rely upon the natives to assist him, and he can only do this -efficiently by knowing how to handle them. Indeed, there are few -callings demanding more qualifications than that of the seeker after -live wild animals. The modern collector is a hunter, explorer, and -zoologist rolled into one. - -Naturally, it is the rarer species, such as the rhinoceros, -hippopotamus, giraffe, and zebra, that the dealers most prize. And -here a word of explanation is necessary. A traveller returning from -the wilds of Africa will tell you how he detected hippos floating down -the streams and spotted giraffes on the horizon; he will also relate -to you how many had been shot in the district only a short while -before by some famous sportsman. Yet, if you wished to procure a live -rhinoceros to-day, you would probably have to give as much as eight -hundred pounds for it, and almost as much for a hippopotamus. Why, -one may well ask, this enormous price for a single specimen of these -creatures, when they appear to be fairly plentiful in the land of -their birth? The reason is easily explained. - -[Illustration: ELEPHANTS AND BABIES--THE LATTER WERE BORN ON THE WAY -TO EUROPE FROM SIAM. - - _From Photographs._] - -To-day no hunter would dream of trying to capture a full-grown hippo -or rhinoceros. Indeed, it would be practically impossible to hold such -an animal, and, even were it possible to entice one into a cage, it -would probably only kill itself in its frenzied efforts to escape, or -refuse to eat, and so die of starvation. What the hunter endeavours -to do, therefore, is to secure the young ones. This he does by hunting -along the river banks until he happens to discover a hippo and her -young. The thing then is to capture the calf. - -Mr. Hagenbeck's hunters, or rather the natives engaged by his men, -resort to two methods in catching the hippopotamus. The so-called -Hawati, or water-hunters, of the Soudan, all of whom are excellent and -daring swimmers, harpoon their victims at the noon hour, when they are -sunk in deep slumber. Then they pull them to the bank by means of a -cord attached to the harpoon, and there make them fast. The hunters -use for this a special kind of harpoon, made in such a way that it -does not make a deep wound. Fully three-quarters of the hippopotami -exhibited in Europe have been captured in this way. - -[Illustration: NEWLY-CAPTURED ELEPHANTS ENJOYING A BATH IN THE SEA OFF -THE COAST OF CEYLON. - - _From a Photograph._] -] - -[Illustration: TRANSPORTING WILD ANIMALS DOWN A RIVER IN NORTHERN -ASIA. - - _From a Photograph._] -] - -Hippopotamus hunts are also conducted on land. There advantage is -taken of the fact that the female hippopotamus makes her young walk -in front of her. The reason for this is that the beast, being well -protected in the rear by its abnormally thick skin, prefers to have -its offspring in front, where it can guard them better against danger. -But, in spite of its affection for its children, the mother hippo has -no particular desire to meet danger when it comes. So the hunters -dig large pits in the forest, cover them over until they are -fully concealed, and then lie in wait near by. Presently a female -hippopotamus comes along with her child trotting before her. Suddenly, -without warning, the young one disappears before its mother's eyes. -This is too much for the old animal. She dashes away leaving the -little one at the mercy of its enemies. - -A fence is built at once around the pit and the captive is ensnared, -thrown to the ground, and securely tied. Then it is placed on a sort -of litter and carried by native carriers through the dense forest -to the hunter's camp. This is arduous work, as a two-year-old hippo -weighs from 1,000lb. to 1,200lb. - -[Illustration: A HUNTERS CARAVAN ON THE MARCH--THE OUTFITTING OF -THESE EXPEDITIONS IS A VERY COSTLY BUSINESS. - - _From a Photograph._ -] - -Having secured the object of his mission, the next thing the hunter -has to do is to feed his prize. Now, a baby hippo will drink thirty -pints of milk a day and bellow for more, so that the question of an -adequate supply is very important. The nutriment is supplied by goats, -which have to be brought along with the expedition. This means, of -course, that the hunter's caravan is an unwieldy affair, and can only -move across country very slowly. Every step it advances it increases -in size, being continually added to, for in addition to collecting -live animals the collector also gathers skins and other things of -value to the dealer. - -All the great animal collectors are agreed that the finest hunters in -the world are the natives themselves. They know how to frighten and -confuse the parent animals, and are quick at seizing an opportunity -for snatching up the young, a thing which has to be done quickly -and without the slightest hesitation, or the consequences may prove -serious. - -In catching giraffes the hunter engages only natives who are expert -horsemen; he may recruit as few as a dozen or a corps of a couple of -hundred. Scouts are sent out until a herd is sighted, and then off go -the natives on their speedy Abyssinian ponies. Having come up with the -herd, with yells and shouts they dash towards the animals. Frightened -out of their wits by the din, the long-necked creatures turn and bolt -for dear life. For some time the chase is kept up at furious speed, -until one by one the young ones fall behind exhausted. Instantly they -are cut off from the others by a couple of men on horseback and headed -towards the camp, soon becoming entirely exhausted and falling an easy -prey to their captors. Halters are then fastened round their heads and -they are led and driven back to the camp. They are fed principally on -goats' milk, corn, and various kinds of green stuff. - -It would be practically impossible to secure a full-grown giraffe, -for if you managed to corner one you could not hold it. This animal -is more plentiful now than it was a few years ago, on account of the -opening up of the Egyptian Soudan. Indeed, between the years 1880 and -1900 only three giraffes were imported into Europe, two coming from -South Africa and one from Senegal. "I have had rather bad luck with -giraffes lately," said Mr. Hagenbeck. "Out of six recently sent to us -from the interior of Nubia, only one arrived alive; the remainder all -died on the way. Last year, out of eight, only two reached Hamburg." - -A more hardy animal, and one that is decidedly more plentiful, is the -zebra--that is to say, the common mountain kind. Certain species of -this beautifully-striped African horse, however, are getting very -scarce, including the Grévy and Burchell. Zebras are caught by -"drives." First of all, the hunter builds a large stockaded enclosure -with a kind of funnel-shaped opening. As many as three to five -thousand natives are then called into requisition. Some of them come -mounted on their swift ponies, the majority, however, being on foot. -Each man carries a harmless-looking little flag on the end of a stick. -Scouts are sent out in various directions, and when they report the -presence of a herd the army of natives quietly files out of camp and -for hours tramps over the ground, spreading out in the form of a vast -semicircle, measuring perhaps five miles across at its widest part. In -this way they manage to surround the unsuspecting zebras. Then, at -a given signal--generally a pistol-shot--they commence shouting and -beating tom-toms, moving meanwhile towards the animals. - -The frightened zebras retreat at once, dashing towards the stockade. -As they approach it other animals are surprised, including, perhaps, -antelope, eland, deer, buffalo, and perhaps a giraffe. The one aim of -the four-footed fugitives is to get away from the cordon of yelling -natives, which now surrounds them on every side. There is only one -outlet, which leads into the stockade, and into this they plunge -panic-stricken. Once inside, the entrance is immediately closed. At -a recent drive, organized by one of Mr. Hagenbeck's hunters in German -East Africa, fully four hundred zebras and a large number of antelopes -and other animals were surrounded in this way. As the corral was not -large enough to hold such a number the greater portion were allowed -to escape, and finally eighty-five zebras and fifteen antelopes were -secured. - -When first captured the zebra is very wild, dashing about the stockade -at lightning speed, but in a few days he recognises that it is -hopeless to try to escape, and philosophically accepts the situation. -In German East Africa the settlers often tame these newly-caught -zebras and ride them like horses. - -Curiously enough, the big cats--such as lions, tigers, and -leopards--do not give the hunter so much trouble as some of the hoofed -animals. In the case of lions they are now only taken when cubs. This -work is done by the natives; the collector merely tells them that he -is wanting lions, and in a short time they return with the desired -number. These men track the lioness to her den, rushing in suddenly -and raining spears upon her till she is dead. The little ones are then -wrapped up in pieces of cloth and handed over to the hunter at -the camp. They are fed on goats' milk--which they drink out of a -bottle--and pieces of fowl until they are old enough to travel, when -they are sent down to the coast in little wooden boxes on the backs of -camels and shipped to Europe. - -Occasionally when the cub-hunters visit a den they find both parents -away, and then their task is easy. Should the mother return, however, -there is at once a fierce fight, and unless she is quickly overpowered -it goes hard indeed with the natives. There is no creature more fierce -than one of these big cats when it comes to protecting her young, and -the cries of the infuriated mother will sometimes bring her mate to -the scene, and an enraged male lion strikes terror into all but the -stoutest hearts. - -Abyssinia is now the great lion-hunting ground. The best lions were -those obtained from the Atlas Mountains in North Africa, but this -species is now practically extinct. At Mr. Hagenbeck's depôt there are -at present some forty-six lions of all ages. They have come from the -Congo, from the Egyptian Soudan, from Senegal, and from South and -East Africa. Some of these animals are worth as much as three hundred -pounds apiece. In the same section there may also be seen some -twenty-two tigers, representing several very rare species. There -are some, for instance, from Siberia, magnificent creatures, with -beautifully-striped coats, and worth over two hundred pounds apiece. - -Tigers are captured as cubs and also when fully grown; often the -animal hunter, to the delight of the natives, will entrap some -much-dreaded man-eater. Tigers are caught in large pitfalls, and -various methods of securing the animals when once they are in the pit -are adopted. In some cases a strong wooden trap is fixed in the pit, -and when the animal falls through the lightly-covered mesh at the top -it traps and cages itself automatically. In others it merely falls -into a big hole, and has to be secured and dragged out by ropes. In -certain parts of India the natives are so daring that they will place -a collar, from which hang a number of twenty-foot ropes, round the -neck of a newly-caught tiger. To the end of each a man will hang on -for dear life, and by pulling against each other guide the infuriated -brute along the path they wish it to follow. In this way they -literally walk the tiger to market. - -[Illustration: A HERD OF DIMINUTIVE WILD HORSES FROM ASIA--THEY COST -MR. HAGENBECK TEN THOUSAND POUNDS TO OBTAIN. - - _From a Photograph._ -] - -Everyone knows how they catch elephants in India--by driving them into -a kheddah or stockade, and then sending in trained elephants to subdue -their newly-caught brethren--so that no description of this method -need be given here. Naturally, no dealer would ever dream of -organizing an expedition to hunt this great creature, save, perhaps, -the African variety, which is now very rare and valuable. In the -course of a single year Mr. Hagenbeck will dispose of as many as -thirty to fifty elephants. On one occasion he received a cable -ordering thirty, and they were duly shipped by the next steamer. - -[Illustration: A CARAVAN HALTED FOR REST. - - _From a Photograph._ -] - -Some few years ago the famous dealer had a remarkable experience -with an African elephant, which stood eight feet in height and was a -magnificent creature of its kind. It was sold to the proprietor of -an American circus, who was then touring in Europe. Mr. Hagenbeck's -instructions were to send the animal by rail from Hamburg to Dresden. -A special wagon was ordered to convey the creature, and when all was -ready it was walked from the depot down to the station. - -"He went as quietly as a lamb," said Mr. Hagenbeck. "Arriving at the -station, I fixed a stout rope to one of his forelegs, in case the -animal should get a little nervous or excited. The elephant was -just about to enter its wagon when an express train ran through -the station, blowing its whistle rather loudly as it did so. This -frightened the creature. He commenced to trumpet, spread out his long -ears, and then, with a twist of his foot, smashed the rope as if it -had been a piece of thread. Realizing he was about to bolt I jumped -up and clung to one of his ears, hoping by this means to prevent the -beast from dashing away and causing endless damage everywhere. - -"I had hardly grasped his ear, however, before he started off. I had -no option then but to hang on, for if I had dropped I should probably -have been trampled upon, so to the animal's ear I clung for dear life. -At the bottom of the railway yard was a large iron gate. When we -first came through we had closed it behind us, and I thought that this -barrier, perhaps, might stop the elephant's mad career. But it did -nothing of the kind. The brute simply charged it full force with his -head, without in the least slackening speed, and the stout gate was -smashed, portions of the iron bars being hurled a great distance. - -[Illustration: THE MONARCH OF THE FOREST IN AN UNUSUAL POSE. - - _From a Photograph._ -] - - - -[Illustration: A GENERAL VIEW OF THE ZEBRA STOCKADE, ERECTED TO HOLD -NEWLY-CAPTURED SPECIMENS. - - _From a Photograph._] -] - -"Out into the busy streets of Hamburg bolted the elephant, trumpeting -madly and frightening both horses and pedestrians as he rushed along. -Past electric trams and carriages he dashed, with me still dangling -from one of his ears. He went straight back to the depôt, the same way -as he had come--by a road which he had never travelled before. When -he arrived at the depôt the iron gate there was closed, but this was -quickly broken down and the creature dashed into his stable. Entering -the latter, he stood still for a second or two, and then jumped on to -the platform where he had been in the habit of standing and commenced -eating hay as if nothing had happened!" - -Here is an interesting instance of the famous dealer's enterprise. -When the Russian traveller, Prjevalsky, startled the zoological world -a few years ago by the announcement that he had seen in the deserts of -Sungaria, in Central Asia, a new species of wild horse, Mr. Hagenbeck -decided to secure some specimens, and an expedition was at once -organized. His travellers penetrated to the northern border of the -Gobi Desert, where they found themselves in the land of the Kirghiz, -a tribe noted for its horses and expert horsemanship. Engaging the -services of nearly two thousand Kirghiz riders, and taking with them -fifty brood mares in foal, the collectors sought the desert home of -the wild horse. After a series of exciting adventures the travellers -succeeded in capturing fifty-two young colts of the wild horse -species. - -These were mothered by the domesticated mares that had been taken -along with the expedition for that purpose, and then, after a rest, -the long and arduous homeward journey was begun. It took three months -for the caravan to reach the Siberian Railway and depart for Hamburg. -During the trip twenty-eight of the wild colts succumbed, and only -twenty-four reached Hamburg alive. The expedition was in the field -nearly eighteen months, and its expenses totalled some ten thousand -pounds. - -When I was in Stellingen Mr. Hagenbeck was daily expecting the return -of an expedition which he had dispatched to Northern Siberia. His men -were bringing him home some rare deer, bears, wolves, pheasants, and a -host of other creatures. Another hunter was on his way back from West -Africa with some young gorillas and other interesting creatures, -while yet another was bringing home elephants from Ceylon, and still a -fourth Polar bears and young walruses from Spitzbergen. - -These collectors journey far into the wilds and literally take their -lives in their hands. They never know what danger awaits them. On one -occasion a caravan was quietly making its way along the dry bed of a -stream in Central Asia, the chief hunter happy in the knowledge that -his mission had been successful, and that he was bringing home a -really valuable collection of wild beasts. Suddenly the heavens -grew dark and loud peals of thunder were heard, followed by vivid -lightning-flashes. The hunter knew what it meant--unless he got out of -that river-bed soon he and his men and their valuable freight would be -washed away. He hastened them forward with all speed, but before they -could find a track up the steep sides the waters were upon them, -and in a few minutes what had previously been a smooth roadway was a -roaring torrent, with men and horses, mixed up with all kinds of wild -creatures, fighting for their lives Most of the men managed to escape, -but three-fourths of the valuable animals were lost. - -[Illustration: TRANSHIPPING CAMELS FROM SHIP TO SHORE. - - _From a Photograph._] -] - -[Illustration: A SPECIAL CONSIGNMENT OF "ASSORTED WILD ANIMALS" FOR -MR. HAGENBECK'S DEPÔT. - - _From a Photograph._] -] - -To describe how every beast one sees in a well-organized zoo is caught -would naturally occupy a great deal of space. The various species of -Siberian deer are taken when young. A herd is driven by the natives -into deep snow, into which the young ones sink and are unable to -extricate themselves. Most of the bears, too, are also secured when -mere cubs. In the case of the giant Polar bear, the cubs are taken -from their mothers, dumped into barrels, and brought across the ocean -in ships to the dealer, often arriving in a very sorry plight. The -Indian hunter will catch snakes for you by setting fire to the grass -where they are known to exist, and securing them in nets as they try -to escape. Those of the boa-constrictor type are taken either when -they have gorged themselves with food, and are more or less lifeless, -or else secured in traps. - -The whole business is vastly exciting, and Mr. Hagenbeck can narrate -many adventures he has had while handling his strange merchandise. -When a young man he often went out himself hunting animals. While -bringing home a large consignment once from Africa a full-grown lion -got loose on board ship. It was very early in the morning, and the -dealer was asleep in his cabin at the time. He was quickly roused by -the captain, who was very much frightened, as were also the members -of his crew. Placing a "shifting den" in position, the dealer took his -large whip and sought the lion. He found him in a crouching position, -his eyes glaring, and in no mood to be played with. Cracking the whip -several times, by a series of man[oe]uvres he managed to get behind -the beast and slowly drove him forward. It was very tricky work, and -several times it looked as if the big revolver would have to be drawn -and the animal shot. Then, as sometimes happens, the animal suddenly -lost heart, bolted into his cage, and was safely secured. - -In Suez, once, a full-grown giraffe ran away with Mr. Hagenbeck, who -held him by a rope twisted round his wrist. Not being able to free -himself he was dragged along the streets and fearfully knocked about. -When he did get loose he was so exhausted and bruised that he had to -lie quite still for a quarter of an hour without moving. On another -occasion, while unloading a hippopotamus, the animal got loose and -started after him. He ran into its den, and managed to escape through -the bars at the other end just as the beast was upon him. - -[Illustration: SOME OF THE GIRAFFES IN MR. HAGENBECK'S ANIMAL DEPÔT. - - _From a Photograph._ -] - -Animals sometimes start fighting among themselves, and to separate -them is exceedingly dangerous. Perhaps the queerest encounter ever -witnessed at this remarkable animal exchange was that which took -place between a hippopotamus and a kangaroo. "The latter," said Mr. -Hagenbeck, "was the largest kangaroo I ever had in my possession; -it was over six feet high, and a very powerful animal. It occupied a -stable close to that of the hippo, and one night the kangaroo jumped -over its fence into the hippo's pen. The kangaroo landed in the -hippo's tank, which was empty. - -"It was two o'clock in the morning when the incident occurred, and -when I arrived on the scene I could not help smiling, the whole affair -being so comical. There stood the monster hippo with his enormous -mouth open, snapping at the kangaroo down in the tank below. The -moment the hippo moved down towards the tank the kangaroo sprang into -the air and smacked his opponent in the face with his great forefeet. -When the hippo got too venturesome, by endeavouring to walk into the -tank despite the blows, the kangaroo took a mighty leap upwards and -struck his enemy with his hind feet, inflicting terrible scratches -with his claws. - -"Try as he would the hippo could not get into that tank to attack -the kangaroo. To separate the combatants was a puzzle. We did it -ultimately by fixing up an arrangement by which we dropped a large -seal net over the kangaroo, and then, drawing in the cords, secured -him. To divert the hippo's attention, the moment the net was lowered -over the kangaroo one of my men pretended to enter the cage. The ruse -succeeded, and the kangaroo was safely released and taken back to his -proper quarters. - -"I could tell you many more adventures," said Mr. Hagenbeck, as we -shook hands on parting, "but the fact is I have just written a book in -which I have given a complete story of my life, and I have embodied -in it the little adventures I have had while hunting, collecting, and -handling my strange merchandise." That book certainly ought to make -good reading. - - - - -[Illustration] - - -HOW WE CAPTURED THE REBEL CHIEF. - -BY E. F. MARTIN, LATE OF THE ROYAL NIGER COMPANY'S SERVICE. - - A powerful native chief was stirring up trouble against the - white man, and the order went forth that he was to be arrested - and brought in for trial. The author was in charge of the - expedition, and here relates the thrilling happenings that - befell his little band ere the "wanted" rebel was safely caged - at head-quarters. - - -It was the month of July, in the year 1898, and we were kicking our -heels in idleness about Asaba, waiting for the return of the Chief -Justice to decide an important local matter, when the senior executive -officer of the district requested me to take political charge of a -mission into the Hinterland, to bring in the paramount chief of a -great secret organization, which was the cause of grave unrest in the -territory behind Benin, its members having vowed to drive the white -man out of the country. Overjoyed at the news, I ran across to the -bungalow of Lieutenant Townsend, the officer commanding the local -detachment of the Royal Niger Constabulary, and handed him the order -to accompany me with an escort of fifty men. After luncheon we mounted -the Maxim gun belonging to the station on Townsend's veranda, and -practised, in turn, on logs floating down the great sluggish Niger, -which passes in a wide sweep by the foot of the slope on which Asaba -nestles. - -Our target-practice over, we set to work to review the light column -that had, meanwhile, been getting ready to accompany us on the morrow -on our adventure into the unknown. The fifty Hausa soldiers looked -wonderfully smart and keen in their light khaki marching-kit. - -At daylight next day we set out, our transport consisting of sixty -coolie carriers. The dreary pattering of the rain on the myriad -leaves of the forest trees, and the splash, splash of many feet on -the flooded pathway, provided a melancholy accompaniment to the hushed -whispers of the men and our own serious thoughts. - -We passed round the native town to the right and plunged up to our -waists in muddy water, through which the pathway led right into the -darkness of the forest. For several hours it rained incessantly; the -whole land was dank and sodden, and reeked of wet, rotting vegetation. -Later on the rain ceased, and on one occasion, when we emerged from -the depths of the forest into open farm lands, we were bathed in a -blaze of sunshine, only to plunge into the cool of the forest glades -again. We pitched camp at Openam, where far into the night I lay -awake, listening to the many strange noises of that strange land. -The beating of the corn for next day's meal sounded like the possible -building of stockades by some malignant enemy preparing to entrap us, -and the cries of the night-birds and prowling beasts seemed like so -many uncanny voices of woodland spirits, warning us of some impending -doom. - -We were early astir, and after a quick light breakfast set out towards -our goal--the town of Issèlé. At Issèlé M'patimo we were stopped by a -stockade, and it was only after much persuasion and many assurances of -friendship that we were allowed to pass through--not, however, before -every soul in the place had disappeared. Not a house was to be seen. -We entered a great clearing completely fenced in by impenetrable -barriers of living trees, whose leafy branches interlaced in -inextricable folds. Somewhere behind these barriers were the houses. -We could see no trace of the hundreds of eyes that we felt--we -_knew_--were staring at us from all sides; no inkling of the countless -black muzzles of the Long Dane guns that were covering us. Nobody -appeared, however, and we marched through this silent clearing without -mishap. But we had hardly got beyond the confines of this curious city -of the woods before heavy firing broke out in our immediate rear. We -felt certain that we were in for it, but our guide reassured us, -saying that the townspeople were only giving vent to their feelings of -relief at our not having molested them. - -That night we camped in a village outside Issèlé, and on interviewing -the chief found that he had with him a daughter of the man we wished -to capture, and persuaded her to come with us next morning into -Issèlé. - -On reaching that town we drew the men up in square before the King's -house--a lofty building of enormous circumference, painted or washed a -pink colour--and demanded to see His Majesty. After a lot of parleying -I entered the building, leaving Townsend outside, but taking my -interpreter and four soldiers with me as a body guard. I was shown -into a large courtyard, surrounded on all sides by a veranda, whilst -in the centre stood a kind of idol on a rude column. Overhanging the -palace outside, an enormous cotton-tree rose some two hundred feet -into the air. Not a leaf or a vestige of bark adorned its mournful, -lonely majesty. From every branch, however, hung some ghastly offering -to the ruling fetish of the place--here a dead fowl, there a skull -dangling by a matted bunch of hair, and many another gruesome thing. -It cast a shadow and a hush of Death over everything; the people -seemed to live in continual fear of some unknown terror. As I -waited in this strange courtyard with my five companions, I took the -opportunity to get my bearings. The doorway by which I had entered led -out into the square by some steps, and was about six feet above the -level of the ground outside. Its heavy, iron-studded wooden door stood -ajar. The only other entrance to the courtyard was opposite this one, -and led into the private apartments of the palace. The middle of -the courtyard was some two feet below the level of the surrounding -veranda. - -Suddenly the private door flew open, and a swarm of men entered, armed -with guns, spears, swords, and bows and arrows. At a sign from me my -men quietly fixed bayonets. Then the King came in, gorgeously robed in -red velvet, and sat down on a chair near me, after shaking hands and -indicating another chair that had been brought for me. I then, through -my interpreter, explained my mission. As the King proved to be on bad -terms with Ozuma Munyi, the man I sought, he was quite willing to give -me a free hand, but did not dare to take any open action himself, as -Ozuma was head of a very powerful party and might prove nasty later -on. He, however, agreed to send a messenger to call him. We waited for -fully half an hour, not knowing whether the rebel chieftain would come -or not. Needless to say, that half-hour was one of poignant anxiety, -as on that message depended the success or failure of our expedition. -The messenger was told to say that Ozuma's daughter was with us, and -that if he himself would not come we should return to Asaba with her. -Meanwhile I called Townsend in, and we arranged that, as Ozuma's party -entered, Townsend and twelve men should manage to intermingle with -them, and thus, unnoticed, get into the courtyard. We felt that to -fill the place with soldiers beforehand might frighten our man. - -Soon the messenger returned with the good news that Ozuma Munyi was -coming, and shortly afterwards a body of men, armed to the teeth, -entered from the square outside, accompanied by Townsend and some of -his men. When Ozuma and I had shaken hands the tug-of-war began. He -was an enormous, powerfully-built man, and nothing that I could say -would move him to accompany us. At last, seeing that persuasion was -useless, I glanced across at Townsend and nodded. He uttered one word -that had the result of an explosion. A flash of bayonets and a rush -of khaki-uniformed men from behind the veranda columns, and the -whole place was in an uproar. The King and his followers promptly -disappeared through the inner doorway, and Ozuma's men were kept at -bay by the bayonets of my four Hausa guards, whilst our rebel himself, -and the twelve men told off to capture him, rolled and tumbled and -fought all over the courtyard--one man against twelve--amid Ozuma's -frenzied shouts of "The King has sold me! The King has sold me!" Then, -crash! out through the doorway he hurtled, with five men on top of -him. By the time Townsend and I reached the bottom of the steps, -however, the struggle was over, and half the column was sitting on the -prostrate body of our prisoner. - -[Illustration: "OUT THROUGH THE DOORWAY HE HURTLED, WITH FIVE MEN ON -TOP OF HIM."] - -Having called the men off and pinioned his arms securely, we lost no -time in forming up into marching order and setting out for home, as -our surroundings began to take on a threatening aspect. Hundreds -of armed blacks were gathering from all sides, wondering at -the happenings which were being enacted in the shadow of their -mystery-tree. - -We decided to give the Ozuma party the slip by getting out of the -place by a different route to that by which we had come, and, once -clear of the town, set off at the double. That was the hardest and -most desperate race I have ever run. At every few yards great trees -had been thrown across the track, and we had to scramble over these, -or, wherever practicable, dive underneath. We ran for some miles along -this tangled forest path, and then called a halt at the foot of -a short hill, crowned by a town called Nburu-Kitti. Forming up we -marched to the summit, and halting in the marketplace sent for the -King. His Majesty refused to come, so we informed him that, on a -second refusal, we would fire into his house. Then he came quickly -enough. We told him that all we wished him to do was to promise that -we should not be molested by his people, and this promise he readily -gave. I then took the head of the column, followed by five or six -men; then came the Maxim gun and our prisoner and his escort, followed -immediately by Townsend and the rest of the force. As we were passing -the last row of huts the crack of a musket rang out. I turned, -thinking that some soldier had let off his rifle by mistake, but -before I could ask what it was that had happened the whole column was -blazing away right and left. Going back to the Maxim, I had it fixed -up and trained on the town, whence a heavy fire had been opened on -us through the doors and windows and from behind the walls of the -compounds. It was obvious that the local King meant to do his best to -rescue his friend, Ozuma Munyi. - -[Illustration: "WE RUSHED IN AMONGST A FRIGHTENED CROWD OF SAVAGES."] - -I had barely taken my seat behind the gun when my helmet was shot away -by a slug that tore a slight flesh wound over my right temple. I had -the satisfaction, however, of seeing a whole section of wall crumble -away under my first sweeping fire with the Maxim, and five dark forms -fall across the ruins. Then a blinding rush of blood poured down my -face, and almost simultaneously the gun jammed. Wiping the blood from -my eyes, and getting a Hausa to tie a handkerchief round my head, -I turned to call Townsend to have a look at the weapon, when, to my -consternation, I saw him lying on the ground, with two men bending -over him. Several others had also fallen. The fire from the houses was -getting heavier each second, and I realized that unless we mastered it -speedily we might find ourselves in a serious position. So, snatching -up Townsend's sword and brandishing my revolver in my left hand, I -called on some of the men to follow me and help clear the compounds. -Twenty at once volunteered, and with a yell we dashed straight for the -wall that had crumbled under the Maxim fire. Leaping over the foot -or two remaining, we rushed in amongst a frightened crowd of savages, -who, astonished at the sudden onslaught, tried to retreat through -a narrow inner doorway. With bayonets and rifle-butts, bullets and -sword-thrusts, we hacked and hammered at the seething mass of yelling -blacks. Out of twenty-five that made for the exit, only seven got -through, three of whom fell to my revolver before getting any farther. -Shouting to the men to follow me, I next ran back into the roadway, -ordering the native sergeant-major to form square, with the prisoner -in the middle, and await further instructions. Then, with my -volunteers, I made for the King's house, where we battered down the -door and rushed in. As we appeared the folk inside, dropping their -weapons, ran away through various huts and doorways. Some we shot -down, others were bayoneted. I and a native N.C.O. went after the -chief. Through some huts, and around others, dodging in and out -between mud walls and partitions of matting, we followed him until at -last we cornered him, as we thought, in a house that seemed to close -all exit from the compound in that direction. The King dashed in, I -after him, and the N.C.O. at my heels. - -The house was divided into three rooms, cutting it into three equal -parts. When we reached the third room, the farthest from the entrance, -we came to a standstill, for it was pitch dark, and there seemed to be -no windows. The heavy wooden door that led into the place stood ajar, -and the N.C.O. pushed past me and rushed into the darkness. Fearing -treachery, I tried to stop him, but did not succeed in doing so. Just -then there was a noise behind me like the banging of a door. I turned, -but some instinct seemed to hold me where I stood. A dead silence had -fallen on the place, and I must confess to a feeling that something -uncanny was in the air. I could hear through the silence, as though from -miles and miles away, faint shouts, and now and then a distant shot, but -in the rooms around me absolute stillness prevailed. What had become of -the fugitive King and my too eager N.C.O.? - -At last, overcoming the strange feeling of apathy that like a spell -had come over me, I called to my companion, inquiring where on earth -he had got to. The sound of my voice rang hollow and strange in that -gloomy place, and seemed to echo faintly, but there was no reply. -Feeling certain now that some kind of treachery was at work, I felt in -my tunic for a match, but found that I had either dropped my only box -or my orderly had relieved me of it that morning, for some reason best -known to himself. The solitary window in the middle room, where I had -come to a full stop, was shuttered--actually nailed up. The only light -that came in filtered through the chinks. I tried to burst the shutter -open, but it resisted all my efforts. Then, bethinking me of my -revolver, I went to the entrance of the innermost room once more, and, -aiming at the floor, fired. The flash revealed the interior to me for -an instant. It seemed absolutely empty! Where were the two men who -had entered? Had they gone out, by any chance, through the roof, I -wondered? Yet there was no sign of daylight anywhere to indicate an -exit under the palm-thatch, and there was no doorway visible in the -farther walls. There was nothing in the room, with the exception of a -few mats lying in the middle of the floor. With the intention of going -round outside the house and trying to discover for myself what the -solution of the mystery could be I turned on my heel and retraced -my steps, crossed the middle room once more, and passed through the -doorway into the first of the three rooms. - -Then I started back, nearly suffocated. A great rolling cloud of -thick yellow smoke met me and completely enveloped me. In an instant I -realized what it meant--the house was on fire! Making a wild dart for -the shuttered window of the middle room, I banged and hammered at it -with all my might and main, using both the hilt of Townsend's sword, -which I carried, and the handle of my revolver, but all to no purpose. -There was no doubt about it: I was completely trapped. But, meantime, -what had become of all my men--the twenty enthusiastic volunteers -who had smashed in the door of the compound and rushed in along with -me--where had they got to? A smell of hot smoke filled the room, -and from outside the roaring as of a mighty wind, accompanied by the -crackling of musketry, was all the sound that I could hear. Then it -suddenly dawned upon me that the crackling was not that of musketry, -the roaring not that of wind--but of the town and compound on fire -and fiercely blazing like the house I was entrapped in. There was -no mistaking those ominous red gleams that now began to be reflected -through the imperfectly-fitted shutter. Suddenly the roar became -deafening, and a great lurid tongue of flame shot across the room, -accompanied by a blast of heat that nearly choked me. I had barely -time to make a dash for the third chamber before the fire took -complete possession of the middle one. The heat and the smoke were -terrible. I made a spring for the farther wall in order to try to -force my way through the roof, which at this, the extreme, end of the -house had not yet caught alight. Three times did I make the attempt, -but each time fell back, unable to get a hand-hold on the top of the -wall. At the third attempt, on staggering back, my foot got entangled -in one of the mats that were lying on the floor and I tripped and -fell, half fainting from the terrible smoke and heat. As I went down -the mats seemed to give way, and with great force the lower half of -my body--my left hip and leg--struck against the side of some kind of -cavity, into which I found I had half fallen, for, whilst I had come -on the floor with my hands, the rest of me swung into space. In that -moment I understood, to some extent, why that house held such strange -echoes. - -The roaring flames overhead and the dense, stifling smoke, that, -but for the excitement of my fall, would already have rendered me -unconscious, now precluded any possible thought of making my escape -through any of the rooms of the house, and so I turned my attention -to my latest discovery, hoping against hope that it would enable me -to save my life. The sides of the well seemed to be made of smooth, -hardened earth, and were damp and covered with slime. Using all my -strength, I let myself down to the full length of my arms until I hung -well below the level of the floor. Here I managed to draw one of the -mats over my head, and clung to the walls of that gloomy pit like a -beetle. Kicking against the sides with the toes of my boots, I managed -to make holes in the hard clay, large enough to allow of my resting my -feet sufficiently to take off some of the strain from my fingers and -arms. What my thoughts were at that time I do not pretend to know; I -do not think I had any. For the time being I was no better than any -other beetle, clinging desperately to the side of the pit, of the -depth of which I had no idea. A cold, damp draught of foul air seemed -to blow up from below me, and a mouldy stench sickened my nostrils. - -Suddenly my dulled senses were awakened by a tremendous crash, -accompanied by much hissing and spluttering, and the red light above -the mat covering my head went out. As I looked up, wondering what this -could mean, something fell upon the mats, forcing the one directly -over me inwards and sending it floating down past me into the darkness -beneath. The falling object also crushed my right hand at the same -time, and the sudden pain caused me to loose my hold, so that for one -awful moment I dangled helplessly, suspended only by my left hand, -over that reeking pit. - -Having secured another hand-hold, I stared anxiously up through the -smoke. The cause of all the commotion, I discovered, was a burning -rafter, all blackened and charred, which had toppled down when the -roof collapsed. The fall of the thatch appeared to have temporarily -quenched the fire, and it seemed as good an opportunity of escape as I -was likely to get, so, drawing myself up by my left hand, I managed to -get my right arm round the still smouldering beam and, with a supreme -effort, dragged myself out of the mouth of the well once more, getting -astride of the charred and smoking beam, and thence on to the floor. -Bruised and scorched, with my clothes burning and my helmet gone, I -managed to clamber up the wall of the room by means of the many pieces -of blackened and half-burnt bamboo that had come down with the roof, -and flung myself recklessly over the farther side. I fell on my back, -and by rights ought to have had some bones broken, but somehow I -escaped with a few severe contusions. Picking myself up, I rushed -through the flaming compound, with red-hot ashes swirling about my -face, acrid smoke filling my lungs, and my eyes streaming water from -the fearful heat. Escaping by a miracle more than once, as a roof -collapsed or a wall fell out with a crash across my path, and leaping -over the bodies of natives at every turn, I eventually emerged into -the market-place more dead than alive. - -The troops were formed in square as I had left them. Men were issuing -from the burning compounds, singly and in twos and threes. All firing -had ceased, and not a native of the place was to be seen anywhere. -As I approached the square at a staggering trot I ran a great risk of -being shot, for--as I learnt subsequently--the men were so startled -at my appearance that they were seriously thinking of putting a bullet -through me. They told me afterwards that I looked more like a devil -than anything they had ever seen, and they took me for the fire-spirit -that lived in the flames. Some of the coolies even started to bolt, -until reassured by their companions and by the sound of my voice. - -I ordered the "Fall in" to be sounded, so as to collect my scattered -volunteers, and then set about seeing what I could do to ease the -horrible pains of my burns. This I accomplished, to some extent, with -various ointments that I found in the medicine-chest we had brought -with us. I then turned my attention to Townsend. On examining him -I found that he had been hit in the shoulder. He had swooned at the -time, but was now quite conscious again. We concluded that it was -nothing very serious, did what we thought best at the moment, and -bandaged the wound up well. Then, with Townsend in a hammock, and -carrying our wounded coolies along with us--no soldiers had been -hit--we set out for Asaba once more with our prisoner. - -[Illustration: A LETTER FROM THE ROYAL NIGER COMPANY TO THE AUTHOR -THANKING HIM FOR HIS CONDUCT OF THE EXPEDITION.] - -After half an hour's marching we met a friendly native, who told us -that we were to be ambushed some quarter of a mile farther on. On -receipt of this cheerful piece of information we retraced our steps; -we had had our fill of fighting for that day, especially as our -instructions were to avoid bloodshed if we could possibly do so. -The alternative route we determined to take added five miles to our -journey, and I shall never forget the weariness and uncertainty of -that long _détour_. The knowledge that, at any moment, a stealthy and -wary enemy might suddenly start blazing away at us from five yards on -either side of the path, which was shut in with dense undergrowth to -right and left, surmounted with towering trees, made the journey seem -endless, and the strain on our nerves was terrible. We marched for -hour after hour in a gloomy twilight; not a single ray of sunlight -filtered through the thick leafy canopy overhead. Then, all at -once, the path opened out, and to our unutterable joy we entered the -principal avenue of Openam. We were in friendly country once more--or -as nearly friendly as anything in the Hinterland of Asaba could be. - -Here we rested for half an hour, while I attended to Townsend and our -other wounded. We then set out on our final march, and without further -incident reached Asaba at 8.30 p.m., all utterly tired out, but happy -in the consciousness that we had accomplished our mission. - -The N.C.O. who had so mysteriously disappeared at Nburu-Kitti, and -whom I had given up for lost, arrived at Asaba a few hours after the -column. He came to my bedside and woke me from my well-earned sleep, -whereupon I stared at him in utter amazement. On asking him to prove -that he was not a ghost, he explained that, when he rushed into that -end room in pursuit of the flying chief, he pitched headlong down the -well and nearly broke his neck. The bottom, however, consisted of oozy -mud, which considerably softened his fall. After lying stunned for how -long he could not tell, he began to explore the pit, and discovered -a tunnel about five feet from the bottom of the well. Crawling into -this, he followed it without difficulty until he emerged into another -compound beyond that of the chief's. It is to be supposed that the -fugitive King must have made his escape in the same manner, but, as -the N.C.O. naively said, he did not wait to inquire. - - - - -ROUND THE WORLD WITH A BILLIARD CUE. - -BY MELBOURNE INMAN, BRITISH BILLIARD ASSOCIATION CHAMPION. - - In this amusing article the well-known professional describes - some of the curious experiences that befell him during his - recent tour round the world--a tour on which his "only visible - means of support" was his cue. He met all sorts and conditions - of men, and--what was more important--all sorts and conditions - of billiard-tables, but, as this narrative shows, managed to - extract not a little amusement from his misadventures. - - -The hundred and one minor accidents which occur in the average -globe-trotter's journeyings were, in my case, added to and enlarged by -the fact that to a certain extent my tour depended upon the amount of -patronage I received. To travel round the world with a billiard cue -and case as one's only visible means of support is an undertaking -which requires a considerable amount of doing. That I succeeded so -well I put down to the fact that the Britisher abroad is a sportsman -of the best sort, and will do anything and pay anything to see one of -the Mother Country's champions playing his game, no matter what that -game may be. During my journey I went completely round the world, -visiting Ceylon twice, Australia three times, New Zealand twice, -Tasmania, China, the Straits Settlements, India, and Burma, the total -distance covered being close on a hundred thousand miles, and the time -occupied by the tour over eighteen months. - -[Illustration: MR. MELBOURNE INMAN, BRITISH BILLIARD ASSOCIATION -CHAMPION. - - _From a Photograph._ -] - -My chief difficulties were the tables which were provided. I did not -expect to meet with absolutely correct ones, but sometimes I would -be led into a room and introduced to some bedraggled wreck on four or -five legs and blandly informed that _that_ was the thing upon which I -had to show my powers as a billiard-player! The only thing which saved -me from a sudden and total loss of reputation was the fact that my -opponent usually did a great deal worse than _I_, and my efforts to -avoid the unorthodox pitfalls, such as open gaps in the cloth, -grooves at the pockets, and so forth, were seen and appreciated by the -habitués of the place who used the table themselves, and were only too -familiar with its peculiarities. - -My first really amusing adventure occurred at Colombo, Ceylon. I was -booked to play a Mr. G----, who was a well-known personage, being -sub-editor of the local paper, and had to give him eight hundred start -in a game of twelve hundred up. The match took place at the Globe -Hotel, and when I entered the room I saw that a good crowd of natives -had gathered to watch the game. They were evidently very anxious to -see their champion win, and chattered away volubly while the game was -in progress. Now silence is indispensable if good billiards is to -be played, but I stuck to my work until suddenly dull thuds began to -sound on the ceiling above. The lights over the table quivered and -danced with the reverberations, and presently, in despair, I called -the proprietor to one side and asked him what on earth was happening -up there. - -"Oh, that's all right," he said, cheerily. "There's a troupe of -dancing girls come here to practise every evening, and they are doing -it now!" - -With a stifled groan I went back to my task, but the din grew louder -and louder, and at last became so continuous that I could not hear -the marker's voice registering the score, while the vibration was -positively alarming. At last, feeling I could endure it no longer, -I went over to the marker and informed him that I was going to stop. -Handing him my cue, I told him to put it away in my case, as I would -play no more. - -He took my cue from me and, turning to the spectators, cried, -stolidly:-- - -"There will be an interval of ten minutes for refreshments." - -The cool way in which he gave out this announcement tickled me, and I -forgot my annoyance. Presently, the landlord having prevailed upon the -nautch girls to cease their gyrations, the game was continued. - -I was in the middle of a decent "break," and rapidly overhauling my -opponent, when I noticed a black shadow whizzing about the table legs -and flashing up and down among the spectators. Now, anyone who plays -billiards will know that the light on the table makes it extremely -difficult for the eyes to follow movement in the shadows around the -room, and it was not until the thing brushed against my legs that I -stopped playing and looked around. - -The audience was standing up, wildly excited. I thought at first that -it was my play which made them do this, but the flattering idea -was quickly dispelled. I saw a lean brown arm sweep down and a -wildly-spitting, furry object swung across the room and shot out of -the window. - -"What on earth was that?" I asked, startled. - -"It's all right, Mr. Inman," replied the marker. "A wild cat has been -rushing around here for the last ten minutes, but one of the gentlemen -has just pitched it out of the window!" - -I succeeded in winning the game all right, but did not finish until -long after one o'clock in the morning. As we started at 9 p.m. and -the heat during the whole four hours was terrific, it may be imagined -that, what with interruptions from nautch girls and wild cats, I -considered I had earned my fee, and a trifle over. - -I came across something really unique in the way of rules in an hotel -at Newara-Eliya, where I was booked to play. In the billiard-room, -immediately opposite the table, where everyone could see it, hung a -card bearing the following announcement:-- - - Gentlemen cutting the cloth will pay-- - - For first cut 100 rupees. - Second cut 50 rupees. - Third cut 20 rupees. - Any subsequent cut 10 rupees. - -Judging from the appearance of the cloth, I should think that -table must have been a veritable gold-mine to its proprietor, if he -collected all the fines. Evidently his motto was "Cut and come again." - -[Illustration: "JEST PUTTIN' THINGS TO RIGHTS A BIT."] - -While staying at Wellington, New Zealand, I was invited to play at the -Tararua Club, Pahiatua, some hundred and twenty miles away. I accepted -the offer and, assuming that my stay there would be very short, left -my wife at Wellington and travelled up to Pahiatua alone. I was met -at the station by a number of gentlemen, and, after the usual liquid -refreshment, went along to see the table on which I had to play. When -I entered the room I saw a long, thin man squatting cross-legged in -the centre of the table, stitching away at the cloth for all he was -worth. Somewhat surprised, I introduced myself, whereupon the man -explained that he was the local tailor, "jest puttin' things to rights -a bit" for me. - -[Illustration: "A WILDLY-SPITTING, FURRY OBJECT SWUNG ACROSS THE -ROOM."] - -[Illustration: THE TARARUA CLUB, PAHIATUA, N.Z., WHERE MR. INMAN MET -WITH SEVERAL AMUSING EXPERIENCES. - - _From a Photograph._ -] - -The table itself wasn't at all bad, but when I looked at it closely -I noticed that the billiard spot (the black spot on the table which -indicates where the red ball is usually placed) was at least three -inches too far to one side. - -I had become fairly hardened to trying conditions by this time, but -to attempt to play with the red ball inches out of its recognised -position was more than I dared do. - -"What's the matter with that spot?" I asked. "It isn't right, is it?" - -The man of the needle slued around on the cloth and squinted at the -spot. - -"Seems sorter crooked," he agreed, slowly; "but the fac' of the -matter is that we change the position of that yere spot once a week. -Otherwise it'd work a hole in the cloth!" - -That beat me. I fled for the hotel and sought out the gentleman who -had invited me to come there. He listened to my tale of woe and then, -asking me to wait for a moment, disappeared. - -I don't know whether they balloted or not, but the spot was moved into -its right place, and the situation--so far as I was concerned--saved. - -I had been told when I arrived there that, although there were no -passenger trains from Pahiatua to Wellington at that hour of the -night, I should still be able to get to Wellington when the game was -over, as a goods train, known locally as the "Wild Cat," stopped at -Pahiatua some time about midnight on its way down-country. - -When the game was over, however, and I got back to the hotel, I found -that the "Wild Cat" was a very doubtful kind of train and only stopped -at Pahiatua when it thought it would! This particular night, it soon -appeared, was one of its "off" nights--it never showed up at the -station at all! - -[Illustration: "THE 'UMAN RACE STARTED FROM MONKEYS--AND DON'T YOU -FORGET IT!"] - -Everybody was very kind to me and made me as comfortable as possible. -While I sat in the bar, waiting for the train which never came, I -noticed in a corner a couple of men with their heads together, talking -very earnestly. One of them was an old squatter, the other an obvious -new-comer, and their argument seemed so heated and absorbing that I -gradually edged my way along the seat towards them to try and hear -what it was they found so engrossing. - -I half expected it would be sheep, or land values, or old-age -pensions, but when I came within hearing distance the squatter was -saying:-- - -"I tell you, sonny, the 'uman race started from monkeys--and don't you -forget it!" - -Darwin's theory in the back-blocks of New Zealand! I went straight to -bed after that. To run up against a philosophical tailor, a movable -billiard spot, a train with ideas of its own, _and_ Darwin's theory, -all in the same afternoon, was putting too severe a strain on a mere -perambulating billiardist. - -Even then, however, I had not finished with Pahiatua. In the small -hours of the morning I awoke and saw that the room was filled with -a dense, pungent mist. It would clear away for a moment, and the -daylight would filter into the room; then down would come the fog, and -the same peculiar smell would rise to my nostrils again. I lay still, -watching this peculiar phenomenon for some time. I had seen so many -strange things happen in the country that I accepted this as another -of them. - -Presently I heard heavy footsteps crossing my room. - -"Who's that?" I asked. - -"Only me, Mr. Inman," answered the voice of one of my friends of the -previous night. "I've just come along to tell you not to be scared. -The fire is nearly out." - -[Illustration: "FIRE! I JUMPED FROM THE BED AND RACED TO THE WINDOW."] - -Fire! I jumped from the bed and raced to the window. Immediately -opposite the hotel I saw a huge pile of blackened wood, from -which thick clouds of smoke were slowly curling. The mournful heap -represented all that was left of a huge store, whose proprietor I had -met and chatted with some eight hours before. - -[Illustration: THE GRAND HOTEL, THURSDAY ISLAND, WHERE THEY HAVE -EARTHQUAKES "ONLY ABOUT THREE TIMES A WEEK!" - - _From a Photograph._ -] - -I turned to my friend and saw that he was fully dressed. - -"How long have you been up?" I asked. - -"Three or four hours," he replied. "You see, the flames were coming -over this way, and we all lent a hand to get it under." - -"But, bless my soul," I said, "why on earth did you let me sleep on -here?" - -"Oh, you were all right," he returned, airily. "We didn't want to -disturb you till the last minute. You've a long journey before you." - -I knew that it was kindly meant, but at the time, at least, I did not -quite appreciate it. I had been a sort of unconscious Casabianca for -the best part of the night, and that "last minute" might have been a -very exciting one. Yes, Pahiatua is one of the places I shall _not_ -easily forget. - -I suppose one does get used to these little eccentricities of Nature. -I remember, when I visited far-away Thursday Island, the landlord -of the Grand Hotel, who had arranged a match for me, said in a -confidential aside to me just as I landed on the quay:-- - -"I don't think you will find the table very straight, Mr. Inman. We -had a bit of an earthquake here last night, which shook it up a bit!" - -"That's nice, cheerful news," I said. "How often do you have -earthquakes?" - -"Well, we're not so bad as some places," he answered. "They only -happen about three times a week!" - -My stay at Thursday Island lasted exactly twenty-four hours; I am not -anxious to acquire an intimate knowledge of earthquakes. I brought -away with me as a souvenir a copy of what is proudly claimed to be -"the smallest newspaper in the world," the _Thursday Island Pilot_, a -facsimile of which is here reproduced. It is a single sheet, measuring -about fourteen inches by eight. - -On one occasion I "put my foot in it" fairly. It happened in Southern -India, at a place where I was booked to play at the local club. The -journey took twelve hours by boat, and when I arrived I was told that -a gentleman was waiting for me. I thought that he was bound to be -the secretary of the club, who had arranged all details with me, and -chatted to him as we made our way towards the village. - -Presently we passed a ramshackle-looking building, the walls of which, -as far as I could judge, were made out of empty biscuit-tins and -soap-boxes. It straggled over half an acre of ground, and troops of -hungry dogs were sniffing around it. - -[Illustration: THE "THURSDAY ISLAND PILOT," WHICH IS BELIEVED TO BE -THE SMALLEST NEWSPAPER IN THE WORLD.] - -I thought that I might venture on a little humour just to liven up the -conversation, so, pointing to the building, I said:-- - -"A cow shed, I suppose?" - -He followed the direction of my outstretched finger, and a pained look -came into his eyes. - -"That's the hotel you're going to stay at," he said. - -I gasped, but blundered on. - -"What a horrible-looking hole!" I cried. "I shall never be able to get -my wife to stay there." - -"It's not so bad inside," was the reply, in rather a peculiar tone of -voice. - -The rest of our tramp was finished in a strained silence. I thought -that, perhaps, as secretary of the club, my new friend was afraid that -the accommodation would not please me. On the steps of the club I was -met by a dapper little gentleman, and my companion, nodding to both of -us, turned on his heel and disappeared. - -"I am Mr. ----, Mr. Inman," said the man on the steps, and mentioned -the name of the secretary with whom I had been in communication. - -"Then who was that gentleman I have just left?" I asked, in surprise. - -"That is the landlord of the hotel!" he explained. - -Then, of course, I saw my mistake, and, when I met mine host again, -hastened to make my apologies and patch things up as best I could. I -am sure, however, that, deep down in his heart, my thoughtless words -rankled. Both my wife and I took it in turns to praise everything -whenever we saw him listening, but, alas! to the very end of our stay -he wore a look of anxiety and care. Only when we stood on the deck -of the little steamer and waved our farewells to him did the faintest -suspicion of a smile flicker on his brown face. It may have been the -fact that he was seeing the last of us that conjured the smile up, but -I hope not. - -One other little incident, and I have done. While playing at -Kalgoorlie, Australia, I was approached by a resident and asked to -call at his house to give a few lessons to his wife. The terms he -offered were so high that I could not refuse, and so, when I had a few -hours to spare, he and I went to his home. - -I was introduced to his wife--a charming woman with all the true -Colonial hospitality and kindliness--and we sat down in what was -obviously the best room in the house and chatted for about half an -hour. Finally, thinking that I ought to be up and doing something for -my money, I suggested that, if the lady was quite ready, we ought to -adjourn to the billiard-room, so that the lessons might commence. - -"_This_ is our billiard-room," said my host. - -I looked round in amazement. "But where is the table?" - -[Illustration: "THAT'S THE HOTEL YOU'RE GOING TO STAY AT."] - -He went to one corner of the room, lifted a small three-feet-by-six -miniature table top, and placed it on the dining-table in front of me. - -"This is our table," he said, proudly. - -I felt as though it was taking money under false pretences to try to -teach billiards on such a makeshift affair, and said as much, but the -old gentleman would have none of it, so I set to work and did my best. -But it was an ordeal which I have no wish to repeat, for cue, balls, -and everything else were in proportion to the size of the table. In -fact, I believe that the old fellow could do more on the thing than -I could. Anyhow, he seemed a little hurt at my inability to run up a -three-figure break on it, and on the way back to town again regaled -me with yarns of what several of his squatter friends could do on that -table in the way of piling up centuries. - -We parted good friends, but I don't think he thought quite so much -of my billiard-playing then as he had done at first. He was pained, -perhaps, to find that it had limitations, and that a three-feet-by-six -table was one of them! - - - - -[Illustration: When "Tenderfeet" Go Hunting Bears.] - - "Tenderfeet," as our readers probably know, is the expressive - term applied out West to new-comers, or greenhorns. When - such men meet Bruin, or Bruin meets them, there is apt to be - trouble sometimes ending in tragedy, sometimes in the - broadest comedy. The instances here given belong to the latter - category, and will be found extremely amusing. - - - - -AN EVENING CALL. - -BY ERNEST LAW. - - -It was June, 1906, and I was working at a small portable sawmill near -Armstrong, British Columbia. George (the boss), Frank, "Texas," Jim, -and myself made the entire crew. "Texas" was so called because of -his frequent references to the State of his birth. For myself, being -English, I was dubbed "Charlie," though it wasn't my proper name. - -We had rigged up a fairly decent shack, and, with Jim at the head of -the culinary department, managed to make ourselves pretty comfortable. -The country round was well settled and we were only about six miles -from Armstrong, a rapidly-growing town. There was plenty of bush-land -about, however, some of it very rough, and deer, coyotes, and cougars -were frequently seen, but seldom a bear. - -On the evening I am writing about Frank had ridden into town directly -after supper to "have a good time," as he expressed it, and we didn't -expect him back till early morning. The rest of us were sitting around -telling yarns. "Texas" was giving us something extra fine concerning -his good work with a gun. He could usually hold his own at -story-telling, could "Texas," but Jim, in particular, always openly -doubted him. On this occasion he related how he had once bagged a doe -and two fawns with a single shot. Jim guffawed incredulously, and was -rewarded with a look of mild reproach. - -"Any o' you fellers seen them bear tracks t'other side the creek?" -asked George, suddenly. - -No one had. - -"When did you strike them, George?" asked "Texas." - -"Just this morning, when I was waterin' the cayuse. They looked kind -of fresh, too." - -Now, George was a quiet sort of fellow, but I fancy he knew as much -about hunting as the rest of us put together, and wasn't taking much -notice of the boasting. - -"What do you say to a hunt, Jim?" I ventured. - -"No, sir; not me," replied Jim, hastily. "I ain't lost no bear." - -"You're not scared of a brown bear, surely, Jim?" observed the Texan, -with a grin. - -"Well," said Jim, "if there were three bears I'd maybe look around -and have a plug at them, but I don't waste no shell on just one ornery -bear." - -"No, I guess not," said "Texas," dryly. - -"D'you ever _see_ a live bear?" pursued Jim, offensively. - -"Well, I guess I've shot more bear than _you've_ ever seen, Jim," -retorted the American. - -"Maybe you'll hunt this one for us, then," suggested Jim, -sarcastically. "We're all dead scared to sleep here." - -"If I run across him at all, I guess there'll be a dead bear around -mighty quick," replied "Texas." - -Jim was silent for a moment, then he looked up quickly, struck by a -sudden idea. "Say, Texas," he cried, "s'pose the bear comes around -here, will you take a shot at him?" - -"You betcher life!" snapped "Texas." - -Thereupon Jim rose, with a look of determination on his face, and -proceeded to set fire to a few sticks. Next, going indoors, he brought -out some sugar, which he threw on the blaze. I had heard somewhere -that the smell of burnt sugar attracted bears from a long distance, -and began to understand what he was about. - -Meanwhile, "Texas" looked on cynically, suggesting that if Jim were -to whistle it would have just as much effect. But Jim only said, "You -wait a bit." - -Well, we waited a bit, discussing the approaching festivities in -town on the 1st of July (Dominion Day) until the others, I think, had -forgotten all about the bear. About nine o'clock we turned in. We had -bunks fixed up at the end of the shack farthest from the door--three -in a row a little way above the floor, and two more above them. The -table stood right in the centre of the room, and the stove in a corner -by the door. - -About eleven o'clock I woke with a start, aroused by an unholy racket -outside. My first thought was that the bear had arrived, but soon I -distinguished the husky tones of Frank, expostulating with the cayuse -while he was taking his saddle off. In a few minutes he stumbled in, -leaving the door wide open, and after a muttered conversation with the -lantern managed to get it alight. By this time all of us were awake, -and we could see that our companion had been imbibing heavily. He had -brought a bottle of whisky back with him, and now, rolling it on the -floor, he started to show us how they rode logs "back home." - -After one or two futile attempts to balance himself on the bottle, he -collapsed miserably in a heap, just as Jim flung a heavy logging-boot -at him. He missed Frank, but smashed the lantern, leaving us in the -dark. Frank was grunting and cursing on the floor, trying to strike -the wrong end of a match. - -[Illustration: "WHEN HE LOOKED UP AND SAW THE BEAR HE LET OUT A YELL -LIKE A REDSKIN WAR-WHOOP."] - -George had just scrambled out of bed to close the door when we heard -a rattling among the old cans and general _débris_ outside the shack, -and a moment later we saw in the doorway, a black blot against the -dark-blue sky, the bear himself! At that critical moment Frank struck -a light. When he looked up and saw the bear he let out a yell like a -redskin war-whoop, and I think he got sober on the spot. Anyway, when -the brute started to come inside Frank knew enough to go round the -other side of the table. Thence he dodged out of the doorway and off -down the road at terrific speed. - -Meanwhile, the bear went sniffing along on the other side to where -our bunks were, while George, Jim, and I cleared out hurriedly. It was -quite dark inside the hut, and we all thought "Texas" was with us. Jim -was certainly scared. Once outside, he picked up an axe and went away -down the road so fast that the tail of his nightshirt flew out stiff -behind him. He must have flung the axe away after a while, to expedite -his flight, for we found it quite a long way off in the morning. - -Now, "Texas," it subsequently appeared, had slept right on till Frank -gave his yell. Then he sat up, rubbed his eyes leisurely, and caught -sight of the bear. Then he in turn let out a yell or two. Mr. Bear, -somewhat startled, went to the other end of the hut. While he stood -there, sizing up "Texas," and while "Texas" was wishing he was in -mid-ocean, or on a cloud, or some place where there weren't any bears, -George crept in and grabbed his rifle. - -Fortunately, he kept his head and didn't fire, or "Texas" might have -got hit, for it was impossible to distinguish objects plainly inside -the shack. Instead of shooting, he started to throw all the small -articles he could lay hands on in the direction of the snuffling and -grunting, and finally the bear went out again. During the latter part -of these proceedings "Texas" had been trying to tear a hole in -the roof, and, standing on his bunk--one of the top ones--had been -successful in ripping off a shingle or two. - -Directly Bruin got clear of the shack George let drive. He must have -hit him in the leg, I think, for the brute seemed to limp afterwards. -I was up a tree at the time, and when the next cartridge jammed -I fully expected to see George have a lively time. According to -precedent the bear should have got savage on being hit and made things -interesting; but he must have known better, for he just walked calmly -into the bush and we lost sight of him. - -When we tried to get into the shack again we found that the door -wouldn't open. We hammered and yelled, while George showed his mastery -of English idiom, and after a while we heard "Texas" inside moving -one or two pieces of furniture away. You can imagine how sheepish -he looked when we went in, but nobody said a word as we put back the -table and things. - -Frank was sitting outside on a pile of stove-wood, ruminating deeply. -I think he had an idea he had seen an imaginary bear, for he vowed -eternal teetotalism for about ten minutes on end. Jim came in last, -shivering with cold, for the evenings in that part of the country are -chilly for a promenade in one's nightshirt. - -We all climbed into our bunks again and went to sleep, and I don't -think any of us felt inclined to boast about our evening's work. -George was the only one who had kept cool. But the figure "Texas" had -cut, after all his boasting, was lamentable. He left us a day or two -after, and none of us heard any more of him. - -We followed up the bear's tracks next day, but lost them in the thick -bush after a few hundred yards. I think, however, that it was "our" -bear a Siwash Indian shot a little while afterwards about half a -mile off. This tale has now been improved beyond recognition in the -neighbourhood, but mine is the correct version. - - - - -TWO "GREENHORNS" AND A BEAR. - -BY A. WRIGHT. - - -In Chatham Straits, Alaska, only a stone's throw from the mainland, -there is a little island called Kilasnoo. It boasts of a tiny Indian -village named after the island, and a factory where they turn out -fish-oil. At a little wharf belonging to the factory, in the summer of -1895, lay the United States survey steamer _Patterson_, on board which -Charles Henderson, a native of Gefle, Sweden, and myself were able -seamen. We were fast friends, and had agreed to be sporting companions -whenever we got the opportunity. Up to the present time we had never -done any hunting, although we owned two guns. The only things we had -shot at so far were condensed milk cans, which we threw into the water -and fired at from behind a bush, at a distance of about fifty feet. I -regret to add that we never hit one. It was our first year up there, -and so far we had had no chance of showing what we could do against -big game, but the chance came along rather sooner than we expected. - -One Saturday afternoon, seated in a canoe, Henderson and I paddled off -to the opposite shore. Landing just above a large inlet called Hood's -Bay, we hauled our canoe up into the edge of the wood, and then, -taking our fishing-tackle and guns, we started off along a trail which -brought us, after a three-mile tramp through the wood, to the shores -of a lake where we intended to fish for trout. Although we had -brought our guns, we knew that no game had been seen around there -for years--at least, so the Indians told us. We carried our guns, -therefore, but there was no likelihood of them being required, and I -believe in our hearts we were both glad of it--I know I was, at any -rate. - -Presently, tramping steadily through the woods, we arrived at a -clearing or flat at the head of the lake, where, for a space of about -twenty yards, from the edge of the forest to the water, the ground was -bare, save for a solitary dead tree in the middle. We were crossing -this barren stretch when, all of a sudden, a sight met our gaze which -brought us to a standstill. There, coming round the corner of the -clearing, was a bear! I had seen one before at a zoo, and knew at once -what it was, only this bear looked about three times as big as the -beast at the zoo. - -I will not speak for Henderson, but if I could have moved just then I -should have taken a header into the lake. When we got our breath after -the first shock of surprise, my companion shouted excitedly, "Shoot! -Shoot!" He yelled so loud that the bear stopped in surprise, had -a good, comfortable look at us, gave what sounded like a grunt of -disgust, and then turned tail and quietly trotted off along the trail -in the direction we had come from. Directly he had disappeared we -unslung our guns and consoled each other by declaring that the reason -we had not fired at the bear was not because we were scared, but -because we were fascinated by our first sight of a real wild bear. -Nevertheless, it was remarkable how quickly and with what touching -unanimity we climbed up that dead tree in the middle of the flat, -in case Bruin should take it into his head to return. Seated in its -branches we at least felt more comfortable, until Henderson suddenly -remembered that bears could also climb. To make matters worse for -us, it was now getting late in the afternoon, and the sun had already -dipped behind the mountains. The thought of sitting up in that tree -all night was no joke; but, still, we considered it better than going -back through the woods, with thick undergrowth on both sides of the -trail, in which countless bears could lie in wait for us. - -[Illustration: MR. A. WRIGHT, ONE OF THE "GREENHORNS" WHO HERE RELATES -HIS AMUSING ENCOUNTER WITH A BEAR. - - _From a Photograph._ -] - -Presently Henderson suggested lighting a fire. - -"All right," I replied. "You get down and collect the sticks; I'll -keep watch up here." - -But this brilliant suggestion found no favour with my companion. - -"No," he said; "let's toss for it." So we did, and I won. Henderson -got down--not so quickly as he got up, however--and began to look -round for sticks, circling warily round and round the tree at arm's -length. He did this two or three times, and then suddenly he shouted -out loudly, "There are no sticks down here." The yell so scared me -that I lost my balance and toppled down off my perch, landing with -a crash on the ground. When I picked myself up, fortunately unhurt, -Henderson was half-way up the tree, and I soon followed suit. Neither -of us had the pluck to descend again, so all night we sat perched up -in the tree, afraid to sleep lest we should fall, and shaking with -cold, fear, and hunger. The night was terribly dark, and the stillness -all around us was something that could almost be felt. The man who -says he never knew fear when spending his first night in the primeval -forest can have no respect for the truth. It is not excitement or -nervousness, but absolute fear of the unknown, and I know it from -experience, for Henderson and myself killed many a bear and spent many -a night in the forest after that first one. But we never experienced -the same sensation again. - -When daylight arrived we clambered stiffly down from our perch, -crouching in a hollow at the foot of the tree, and held a -consultation. We finally decided to wait until the sun was well up -above the trees before making a move, as otherwise we might lose the -trail. - -We had sat there chatting and smoking for about half an hour, when -suddenly I heard the sound of breaking twigs. It sounded rather faint -at first, but gradually got louder. "The bear!" I whispered excitedly -to Henderson, and we both grabbed our guns and knelt upon a little -stump ready to fire, our hearts beating like steam hammers behind our -ribs. - -We had not long to wait. Within a couple of seconds we saw Bruin's -head between two trees, about a hundred yards in front of us: he was -coming along at a quiet trot, with his shaggy head swaying from one -side to the other. He did not look half so large as he had done the -night before; perhaps it was because we were not so scared. "You cover -his head and fire first," whispered Henderson. - -[Illustration: "JUST AT THAT MOMENT HE FELL OFF THE STUMP AND HIS GUN -WENT OFF."] - -Well, I did my best to cover his head, but speedily discovered that, -though I could have covered anything the size of Ireland, I could -tackle nothing smaller; I was shaking like a scarecrow in a gale. "Let -him get right in front of us before we fire," said I, unwilling to -confess my weakness. My companion did not answer, for just at that -moment he fell off the stump on to his face and his gun went off. The -report scared poor Bruin so badly that he stopped, bellowing loudly. -Thereupon I fired three shots at his head, or as near as I could get -to it. By this time Henderson had scrambled up in a mighty hurry, and -Bruin started off at a gallop. We fired about twelve rounds at him -before he disappeared into the bush, but did not go to see if he -was wounded or dead, because we shrewdly suspected he had not been -touched. He was moving too lively when we last saw him to have been -hit--unless he dropped dead with fright at the noise we made. - -When the bear had vanished we decided to let well alone and cleared -out for the ship, which we reached without accident. We told no one on -board of our adventure--simply said we had seen a bear's fresh tracks, -and had waited all night to have a shot at it in the morning. "You're -hunting mad," growled the boatswain. "Never mind," said I, sagely; -"there's no sport like it." - - - - -A NIGHTMARE ADVENTURE. - -BY G. BENNETT. - - -The Arctic Red River, a stream which has its source on the east side -of the Rocky Mountains and flows in a series of rapids and treacherous -falls into the Mackenzie, has tempted many a band of adventurous -spirits to brave its difficulties in the hope of finding that elusive -"mother-lode" which every miner is convinced exists to supply the rich -alluvial deposits that have made the fame of the Klondike fields. - -A little band of three had struggled about two hundred miles up the -stream in the face of apparently insurmountable difficulties, -having to unload their boat and "portage" the whole of their year's -provisions over rocky, precipitous banks, which were often densely -wooded, or tow her up rapids, under the fierce Canadian sun, when the -strain on the rope must not be relaxed for a single moment lest the -bows of the boat should be wrenched round by the current and the -towers jerked backwards into the boiling waters. - -They camped at last on a part of the bank that was low and grassy -and clear of the eternal spruce trees for a short distance. Here -they built a rough shack, laid up the boat, and took a spell of -prospecting. Into their camp on the second day limped a tattered, -woe-begone, helpless-looking individual, a Swede, who explained in -broken English, almost on the verge of tears, that he and his friends, -seeing the business-like way in which the others had prepared to meet -the difficulties of the river, had come to the conclusion that they -were old hands, and followed at a safe distance, hoping to be able to -keep modestly in the background till those in front had made a find, -and then, as the Yankee of the party put it, they were ready to "whirl -in and get the pickings of a right soft job." However, they had been -forced to come into undue prominence because their boat had become -hopelessly jammed between two rocks in a rapid and they could not move -her without help. He ended his tale of woe and stood looking from one -to the other of the three disgusted men who faced him. - -"Well, of all the derndest cheek!" said the Yankee. "To explain so -nicely how they planned to jump us, and then expect help so's they can -do it!" - -"We must sho'ly lend a ha-and," drawled the Southerner. - -"Oh, yes," said the Englishman, the youngest of the party. "Of course -we must help the poor beggars." - -It was arranged at last that Bantling and Fox, the two Americans, -should go to the rescue, while Rogers, the Englishman, kept camp. - -They had dinner, and then, with the Swede as guide, started off down -the river bank to the rapids. - -Left alone, Rogers washed up the dinner-things, put up some grub, got -his blanket and a rifle, and set off into the scrub. The day before, -when getting wood, he had come upon the track of a moose, and was -determined to try for a shot at him, picturing to himself the delight -of the other two when they returned, to find a store of fresh meat. -He followed the trail through a thicket of ground alder and willow, -stumbling into muskegs and bursting through tangled undergrowth. It -was frightfully hot, for this was the Canadian summer, and when he at -last reached a small clearing, through which ran a little stream from -a "sienega" or small lake higher up, he thankfully camped there for -the night. - -The next morning, having had some breakfast, he found the trail of -the moose clear and straight before him, and decided to return to the -shack for more food before setting out on a hunt that might last days. -So, leaving his blanket and rifle behind, he set out. It was much -easier going back, as he had forced a fairly clear path and knew the -way. He was surprised how quickly he found himself once more at the -edge of the clearing round the camp, and was just about to cross the -open to the shack, when a curious, exasperated, whining growl made -him draw quickly back into the shadow of the trees, wishing, too late, -that he had brought his rifle with him. At the foot of one of the slim -pines upon which they had built the platform for their "cache" stood -an immense "cinnamon" bear, nearly as large as a fair-sized bull, -stretching his enormous fore-legs as far as possible above his head in -a vain endeavour to reach the dainties he could smell above him. But -though he could reach twelve good feet, the "cache" was up fifteen, -and the trees that supported it were young and slim, so that, when he -tried to get a grip to climb, his fore-paws overlapped; and no bear -can climb a tree unless it is bigger than the circle of his arm, so -that he can grip it with his claws. - -If he had not been in such an awkward predicament, Rogers would -have been immensely tickled at the antics of the big brown beast. He -stretched himself upon tip-toe in his efforts to reach the platform, -giving little jumps, for all the world like a small boy in a jam -cupboard. Then he backed slowly away, staring at the unattainable with -grunts and whines, shaking his great heavy head from side to side. - -Next he squatted on his haunches, as if thinking deeply; then made a -sudden rush at one of the trees and, clasping it, shook it viciously, -but finding that of no avail lost his temper completely, and gave it -an angry slap with his heavy paw, tearing off a great strip of bark. - -Then he turned his back as if disgusted and, ambling to a sasketoon -bush, took the branches between his paws and pulled off the berries, -which are like bilberries, with his mouth, as daintily as a girl -eating raspberries. - -But the stores upon the platform drew him once more. He tried each -tree in turn for a grip, scoring great grooves with his claws, and -rocking stiffly on all four feet in sullen anger at his failure. -Finally he started on a reconnoitring tour round the "cache," which -brought him near the tree behind which Rogers crouched, weaponless -save for a pocket-knife. - -To the man's horror the bear stood suddenly still, and, throwing up -his head, sniffed suspiciously, looking round him meanwhile. Then, -with a curious twitch, he tilted the end of his great nose up and -back, thus lifting the upper lip clear of the great white fangs--an -unpleasant and terrifying trick he shares in common with the "huskie" -dog. - -The perspiration streamed from every pore of the man behind the tree, -and with some vague idea of selling his life as dearly as possible he -was beginning to fumble stealthily for his pocket-knife, when, to his -inexpressible relief, the bear swung round in his tracks and trotted -back to the "cache." - -[Illustration: "TO THE MAN'S HORROR THE BEAR STOOD SUDDENLY STILL, -AND, THROWING UP HIS HEAD, SNIFFED SUSPICIOUSLY."] - -Here he found an empty beef tin, which he eagerly seized upon, tucking -it securely into the crook of one arm, while he investigated inside -with the other paw. Holding it between both paws, he licked the -inside, his long, red tongue worming into every crevice. Before -finally discarding it, he held it up before him on one paw, gravely -considering it. - -The effect being so ludicrously like a woman taking in the points of a -new bonnet, Rogers would have found it difficult not to laugh, had not -the bear at that moment ungratefully smashed the tin flat with his paw -and, getting purposefully to his feet, started off once more towards -Rogers's sheltering tree. - -The strain was beginning to tell, and the man could have shrieked -aloud for very terror. The sweat poured down his face, blinding him, -and he dared not lift a hand to wipe it away for fear of making some -tell-tale sound. On came the bear at a curious jog-trot, his heavy -head wagging to the motion, saliva dripping from his jaws. - -He came within twenty feet of the tree; then, as if deliberately -playing with his victim, once more swung round and went back to the -"cache." He made no more futile attempts to reach the platform, but, -squatting on his haunches at the foot of one of the trees, appeared -to sink into a profound meditation upon the difficulties of the -situation. - -There they were, the bear and the man, each crouching against a tree, -each mind busily scheming how to obtain the unobtainable--the man his -rifle, and the bear the stores. - -Suddenly Rogers realized that he was hungry, and smiled grimly as he -saw that this was another point of similarity between them; the bear -was also very hungry. - -The day was wearing on, and the clouds of mosquitoes that always come -with the sunset found in Rogers a victim powerless to resist. The -first cloud sounded the glad news in the shrill trumpeting buzz that -has no counterpart in sound, and clouds more came hurrying gladly to -the attack. - -He was just beginning to think that if he did not die of bear he would -of mosquito, and that on the whole the bear might be the lesser evil, -when to his delight he heard, faint in the distance, the voices of the -returning rescue party. - -The bear heard them too, and with many grunts and backward looks at -the "cache" rolled off into the scrub. - -It was now perfectly safe for Rogers to cross the open to the shack, -but so shaken were his nerves that he could not have left the shelter -of the tree for all the gold in Canada. - -He waited till he could see the figures of the returning men moving in -the scrub, and then sent forth a long hail. - -"Boys! Oh, boys! Come quick and bring a gun!" - -A figure halted, listened, then started at a run towards him, slipping -cartridges into a Winchester as he came. It was Fox, the Southerner, -and as he caught sight of Rogers his natural ironical speech slipped -from him. - -"Why, sonny," he said, "you are sho'ly playing touchwood." - -And Rogers realized with something of a shock in what a limp, -nerveless manner he was clinging to that friendly pine. He -straightened himself up with a shaky laugh. - -"No," he said, "it's been puss-in-the-corner, with the biggest -cinnamon I have ever seen. He went off there to the right when he -heard you coming. For Heaven's sake, try for a shot at him." - -But Fox was already off through the scrub, murmuring to himself as he -hurried, "Puss in-the-corner! My sakes! An' whatever ha-ad the young -fool done with his gun?" - -Rogers crossed over to the shack, where he found Bantling anxious -to hear the trouble, but casting a concerned and hungry eye round in -search of the supper that should have been awaiting them, and was not. -However, a fire of dry pine-knots was soon lit, a frying-pan put on -with cold pork and beans, tea made, and they exchanged accounts of -adventures as they ate. - -It seemed that Fox and Bantling had been led by the Swede about two -miles down the river bank, over very bad ground full of muskegs, which -are patches of slimy bog and water. When they reached the scene of the -catastrophe, they found three men calmly sitting round a fire they -had built on the bank, smoking their pipes and staring at their boat, -which they had left forlornly wedged between two rocks, not far -out from the bank, without even attempting to unload her. It was a -queer-looking craft, like an enormous punt, with a great square sail, -heaped untidily with a mixed pile of stores without any attempt at -balance. The wonder was that they had managed to get so far. - -It was a typical case of incompetence expecting to succeed in a -country that will only consent to accept the best that every man has -to give. Men start off to venture up the unknown reaches of these -Arctic rivers without the slightest knowledge of what is before them. -They will vaguely announce that the only essential is "grit," and -deem such things as a knowledge of carpentry and shipbuilding and a -smattering of geology entirely superfluous. - -Such a party were these four men, all their boasted grit taken clean -out of them, by hardship, sitting down before their stranded boat, -trading on the unwritten law of the wild that each man must help his -brother. - -Bantling and Fox set them to work unloading, which they did with much -grumbling; then yoked them into the tow-lines and set them to haul, -while they stood up to their waists in water levering up the boat with -spruce poles. When she at last floated it was with several seams badly -sprung, which meant she had to be beached and caulked. - -Having seen to this, and feeling they had done enough, the two -Americans started back, having been away nearly two days. - -Bantling had just finished the account of their labours, and he and -Rogers had had supper and been back to the other clearing to fetch -the latter's blanket and rifle, when Fox strode disgustedly up to the -fire. - -"Get him?" he repeated scornfully, in reply to their eager inquiries. -"Never got a sight of him. If you hadn't been so unmistakably scared -limp, Rogers, I should think you'd been pulling my leg." - -Rogers, in proof of good faith, recounted his harrowing experience -once more. - -"But you never left your gun behind along with your blanket?" demanded -Fox. - -"Well," said Rogers, hesitatingly, "you see, it was so hot, and I was -only just coming back to see everything was all right and get some -grub. It seemed so useless to bring it up here just to lug it back." - -"An' you air supposed to know the country!" was the Southerner's -comment upon these excuses, delivered in tones of deepest scorn. - -For the rest of the evening, smoking round their glowing fire, the -three men raked over their memories in search of queer experiences -with which to cap the events of the day. - -They turned in at last about ten o'clock. Fox and Bantling had bunks -on either side of the shack beyond the stove. Rogers's was across the -end, opposite them. He was just slipping into that moment of exquisite -rest before sleep comes when it is positive pain to be roused, when a -drawling voice said:-- - -"Oh, sonny, next time you go out walkin' in this little ol' country -don't use rifles to prop trees with; it's quite likely to come -expensive. An' don't get dreamin' of bears--if you can help it," he -added, with a chuckle. - -A disgusted grunt was the only answer, as Rogers dived still deeper -under his blankets. "Bang!" Bantling awoke with a start and felt for -his revolver, with a vague idea of Indians. "Bang!" Something fell -with a crash and a rattle. "It's the stove-pipe," thought Bantling. -"Bang!" And he heard the thud of a bullet entering wood. - -The Yankee collected his scattered wits and lit a candle. By its light -he discovered the Southerner sitting up in bed, his usually calm, -lean, brown face working with excitement, blazing wildly in every -direction. - -Rogers had bolted from his bunk and was crouching in the farthest -corner. A large flake of wood chipped from a log above him had fallen -on his pillow, and lay there to show what had awakened him to the -dangers of the situation. The sheet-iron stove-pipe which carried -off the smoke through the roof hung limply in two, a shot having -undermined the strength of the joint at the elbow, and, as Bantling -was taking in all this, a tiny looking-glass that one of them had hung -on the wall fell in a tinkling shower of splinters from another shot, -while Fox muttered wildly:-- - -"Mind that bear! Don't let him get away on you. I've hit him once in -the shoulder." - -To be shut up in a shack fourteen feet by ten with a man afflicted by -nightmare in the form of imaginary bears to be shot is not an enviable -situation, and for Rogers it was an extremely dangerous one, as Fox -was shooting straight at him. Bantling slipped from his bunk and, -striding across the hut, seized the dreamer's wrist in a paralyzing -grip. With the touch Fox's eyes, which had been wide open all the -time, lost their unseeing stare. He turned a bewildered gaze from the -hand on his wrist to the angry face above him. - -"There was a bear," he explained, mildly. "Did I get him?" - -"Get him!" said Bantling, wrathfully. "You fool! You nearly got -Rogers! And look at the damage you've done!" - -As the situation dawned on Fox his dismay knew no bounds. - -[Illustration: THE HUT WHERE THE NIGHTMARE INCIDENT HAPPENED, WITH -ROGERS STANDING IN THE DOORWAY. - - _From a Photograph._ -] - -"I'm real sorry, you fellows," he said. "I guess I've had a touch of -the worst kind of nightmare. Bantling, you'd better take charge of my -six-shooter." - -"You bet your life!" replied Bantling, briefly, but with immense -feeling, as he took possession. - -"I'm real sorry," said Fox again, turning to Rogers, "to have given -you such a time. It appears it isn't me who ought to tell folks not to -dream about bears, and I guess it'll be as well for the health of you -fellows, if not my own, that I shouldn't eat quite such a hearty meal -in future just before turnin' in." - - - - -The Life of a Steeplejack. - -BY WILL LARKINS. - - In this impressive article, =Mr. W. Larkins=, the well-known - steeplejack, of Bow, London, sets forth some of his most - exciting experiences in the way of felling chimneys and - repairing steeples--a form of "high art" which has perils - peculiarly its own. The striking photographs which accompany - the text lend additional realism to a straightforward - narrative. - - -I come of a race of steeplejacks. My father earned his living at the -business, and met his death at it, falling from a church spire at -Dumbarton, in Scotland. - -Strictly speaking, the work is not really and truly so extraordinarily -hazardous as people seem to think--that is to say, if a man takes -proper precautions. Steeple-climbing is very much like mountaineering -in this respect: it is the foolhardy folk who get hurt, and those who -are inexperienced or careless. - -Look at myself, for instance. I have been climbing since I was seven, -and am now past thirty, and I have never met with an accident. But, -then, I am a life-long abstainer and non-smoker, and I take no risks -that forethought is able to provide against. - -Narrow escapes I have had in plenty, but they hardly count in my line -of business. All dangerous trades involve risks to those following -them. - -A rotten coping; a puff of wind, coming up unexpectedly from nowhere -in particular; a loose brick, or a piece of decayed ironwork--any one -of these may easily spell death. - -Then, too, there are what, for want of a better term, I may call -"outside risks": outside the regular run of our hazards, that is to -say. For example, I once came very near to losing my life through -being attacked by a swarm of bees while repairing a tower at -Culmstock, in Devonshire. I had to descend very quickly, but I -returned at two o'clock in the morning and asphyxiated the lot while -they were asleep. Incidentally, I secured for myself thirty pounds -of very excellent honey. The insects had been there for years, -having found their way into the interior through a cavity left by a -scaffold-pole used in erecting the edifice. - -Another nasty experience that befell me occurred so recently as -October, 1908. I was engaged to fell two lofty stacks at Millwall. -They were each about a hundred feet high, and were known locally as the -"leaning chimneys," being about four feet six inches out of the -perpendicular. - -This peculiarity made the task of cutting into their bases a somewhat -ticklish one, since it was difficult to say, even approximately, when -they were going to fall. Also, of course, I had to perform the work on -the side to which they were inclined. - -[Illustration: THE AUTHOR, MR. W. LARKIN, OF BOW, LONDON, WHO HERE -RELATES SOME OF HIS MOST REMARKABLE EXPERIENCES. - - _From a Photo. by F. W. Pickford._ -] - -However, the first one toppled over all right, the "groaning" of the -undermined mass, as it swayed ever so slightly to its fall, giving -me timely warning of what was about to happen. But the second one -collapsed far more suddenly, with the result that the "heel" of the -falling portion actually "kicked" me clean off the base that remained -standing! I fell fifteen feet, turning a complete somersault and -alighting on all fours. I was somewhat shaken, but quite uninjured. - -The biggest job I have undertaken up till now has been the decorating -and repairing of the Nelson column in Trafalgar Square. This was my -Matterhorn, so to speak. - -I carried out the decorations to the order of the Navy League. It was -the year 1905, the centenary of the great Admiral's crowning victory -and death, and it was determined to do the thing in style. Nearly -forty tons of laurel were used, and the greater portion of this had to -be carried aloft and fixed to the column at varying heights right up -to the top. - -My orders as to not damaging the memorial in any way were most -stringent; no nails or spikes of any kind were to be driven into it. -This meant devising an altogether new method of ascent. - -I thought out many plans, but eventually decided to lash ladders to -the structure by means of ropes passed round and round it. It was a -ticklish, trying job, but it was accomplished without hitch or mishap -of any kind. - -[Illustration: MR. LARKINS AT THE SUMMIT OF THE NELSON COLUMN IN -TRAFALGAR SQUARE. - - _From a Photograph._ -] - -Two sets of ladders were used, placed opposite to one another. This -was necessary, as the column measures forty feet in circumference--too -far to pass a rope round with ease. The most difficult part of the -ascent to negotiate was the cornice at the top of the column. This is -the heaviest projection for "throw-back" work in England, and I had -to climb up and over it with my back to the ground, for all the world -like a fly on a ceiling. - -[Illustration: FELLING A CHIMNEY AT PIMLICO. - - _From a Copyright Photo. by The Sport and General - Illustrations Co._ -] - -I am not ashamed to confess that I breathed more freely when I had -rounded the obstruction, and was able to cautiously slide myself on to -the platform which supports the statue. From below this appears flat, -but it is really bevelled, with a sharp slope outwards. I found it, -too, covered with an inch-thick layer of greasy soot; so that to walk -about on it was exceedingly risky. However, once I got the life-line -secured to the statue all was plain sailing. - -I discovered a crack in the hero's arm, which I afterwards repaired. -When I tell people this they not infrequently ask, on the spur of the -moment, "Which arm?" Of course, the figure has only one. - -By the way, I have read many accounts of the statue, professing to -give its size and dimensions, and they are nearly all wrong. The -exact measurements, as taken by my assistant, and afterwards carefully -verified by myself, are as follows. - -The figure itself is seventeen feet four and a half inches in height, -and it measures five feet three inches across the shoulders. The sword -which hangs by its side is seven feet nine and a half inches long. - -Besides repairing the statue I also re-pointed the column from top -to bottom. It is a splendidly-executed piece of work, solid granite -throughout, and should have lasted for centuries, but the authorities -have allowed an underground railway station to be excavated right at -its base, and this must undoubtedly have weakened the foundations. -I do not wish to pose as an alarmist, but I should not be greatly -surprised if, owing to this cause, the memorial suddenly collapsed -some day, like the Campanile at Venice. - -Speaking of statues, I had the task of repairing that of the first -Duke of Sutherland. It stands out in my memory as the very coldest -and most uncomfortable piece of work I ever undertook. The memorial -is situated on top of Ben Bhragie, a mountain more than twelve hundred -feet high, near Golspie, Sutherlandshire. The figure is of colossal -size--thirty-three feet six inches from heel to head--and the pedestal -on which it stands measures ninety feet from base to summit. - -[Illustration: THE BEGINNING OF THE END--A STACK JUST BEGINNING TO -FALL. - - _From a Copyright Photo. by Gale & Polden, Ltd._ -] - -The time was mid-winter; there was five feet of snow on the mountain, -and gale followed gale with irritating persistency. Ladders and gear -froze solid during the night, so that it became necessary in the -morning for me to chop my way to the top through the ice that had -accumulated meanwhile. The ascent and descent of the mountain, too, -proved so long and arduous that I could only put in about two hours' -work in a day. Altogether, I was not sorry when the job was completed. - -[Illustration: CUTTING INTO THE TOOTING CHIMNEY--THIS STACK FELL -UNEXPECTEDLY, ACTUALLY GRAZING MR. LARKINS'S SCALP AS HE SLIPPED FROM -UNDER IT. - - _From a Copyright Photo. by The Sport and General - Illustrations Co._ -] - -Personally, I consider there is more risk in felling chimneys and -such-like structures than in climbing them; that is to say, when they -are felled in "my" way. The old-fashioned method was to undermine -the base and prop it up with timber. This was then saturated with a -mixture of oil and tar and set on fire. When it burnt through, down -came the chimney. - -The other way, which I may truthfully lay claim to have invented, is -to cut away the bricks without under-pinning, keeping a sharp look-out -aloft meanwhile. Sometimes I stand a small, straight twig upright in -the gash. When this bends ever so little it is a sign to me that the -thousand tons or so of masonry above me is inclining away from the -perpendicular, and that its collapse is imminent. - -One has to be very careful and very agile. I remember felling a shaft -at Summerstown, near Tooting. It was brick-built and circular, a -hundred and forty feet high, and weighed about eight hundred tons. -Experience has taught me that this kind of chimney can usually be cut -about halfway through at the base before it shows signs of giving way. - -On this occasion, however, the collapse came when I was barely a third -of the way through, and with scarcely any warning. I leapt aside, but -the descending stack grazed my scalp as I slipped from under. I was -able to realize then something of the feelings of Marmion when he -galloped out of Tantallon Castle across the rising drawbridge, and -felt the falling portcullis bars "raze his plume." - -There were probably not far short of a thousand people present, and in -the silence that followed the fall of the stack they sent up, as with -one voice, a loud cry of horror. I was completely hidden from view by -the clouds of dust that always arise on these occasions, and they were -quite sure I had been killed. All I lost, however, were my tools and -cap and jacket, which were buried under the mass of masonry. They are -there now. - -It transpired afterwards that the chimney had been built too close -to the banks of the Wandle River, so that its foundations had become -undermined--hence its premature collapse. - -One reads not infrequently of fights with madmen in mid-air. I used -to regard these as fiction pure and simple, until such an adventure -actually befell myself. - -It happened at Deptford, about two years ago. I had been engaged to -repair the outside of the top of the shaft at the waterworks there. -The fires were not drawn, and the heated fumes and smoke that were -continually being belched from the mouth of the chimney made the job -a far from pleasant one, especially as the day happened to be -exceptionally warm, with scarcely a breath of air stirring. - -Still, a "jack" takes but little notice of these things, and I and my -two assistants worked steadily on for some hours. I was just thinking -of giving the word to knock off for dinner, when the man nearest me -suddenly stopped of his own accord, threw down his tools, straightened -himself up on the coping, facing inwards, and clasped his hands above -his head, like a man about to take a dive--which was, in point of -fact, precisely what he was going to do. Only, it was not into water -that he intended plunging, but straight down the reeking chimney, to -be presently incinerated by the flaming furnaces far below! - -I think the two of us that were left divined his intention at the same -moment. "Quick! Grab him!" I cried, and we both dashed at him. Only -just in time, for his head and shoulders were disappearing within the -mouth of the shaft as we clutched him by the legs. It was a wonder -that he did not drag us down with him, for he struggled fiercely. But -it was two to one, and eventually we overpowered him and hauled him -out on the coping. - -There he lay, limp and gasping, half choked with the fumes, while we -bound him hand and foot with a ladder-rope. Then, with assistance, we -managed to lower him to the ground. The doctors said that the heat of -the sun had temporarily affected his brain. - -Another nasty turn I had was while I was engaged in repairing the -steeple of a church in Wiltshire. I was sitting in a cradle under a -coping, while my man was standing on the projection immediately above -my head. He leaned over to ask me a question, lost his balance, and -the next thing I knew was that his body was hurtling downwards past me -through the empty air. I nearly followed him, so sick and unnerved was -I at the sight. - -[Illustration: THE WALLINGFORD CHIMNEY--OWING TO THE CONFIGURATION OF -THE GROUND THIS HAD TO BE THROWN UPON ITS CORNER. - - _From a Copyright Photo. by The Sport and General - Illustrations Co._ -] - -[Illustration: THE WALLINGFORD CHIMNEY FALLING--IT WILL BE NOTICED -THAT THE BRICKWORK IS STILL ALMOST INTACT. - - _From a Copyright Photo. by The Sport and General - Illustrations Co._ -] - -[Illustration: ONE OF THE ALDERSHOT CHIMNEYS FALLING, WATCHED BY AN -IMMENSE CROWD--THIS STACK AND ANOTHER FELL EXACTLY UPON THE LINES -MARKED OUT FOR THEM. - - _From a Copyright Photo. by Gale & Polden, Ltd._ -] - -This may sound strange, but I think any man who has done much climbing, -whether on mountains or on steeples and other high artificial erections, -will bear me out when I say that to witness an accident of this kind, -and to know oneself impotent either to prevent or assist, is one of the -most terrifying experiences that it is possible to conceive. Whymper has -left it on record how, when during his most memorable ascent Lord -Frederick Douglas and his friend fell to their deaths, he was so utterly -unnerved for the time being that he could only cling to the face of the -precipice, trembling and crying, unable to move a step one way or the -other. - -Luckily the end of my little adventure partook rather of the nature of -comedy than tragedy. When I mustered up courage to look down, I saw -my mate sitting on the corrugated iron roof of a building far below, -vigorously rubbing that portion of his anatomy upon which schoolboys -are popularly supposed to be birched. - -He had fallen squarely upon it, and the resilient roof, acting like -a spring mattress, had broken his fall, bouncing him up and down some -half-a-dozen times with continually decreasing momentum until at last -he came to rest. He was much bruised and shaken, but no bones were -broken, and after a few days' rest was as fit as a fiddle again. - -Most jobs a steeplejack has to undertake are hard ones; hard, that -is to say, from the point of view of manual labour. Occasionally, -however, one drops across one that is ridiculously easy. - -For example, I was called to Truro because the vane on top of the -steeple of its famous cathedral refused to work. Residents were making -obvious jokes about its being a weather_hen_, and not a weathercock at -all, because it "sat so tight." - -I travelled three hundred miles on the level, and then climbed four -hundred feet into the air, with visions of displaced masonry and -fractured ironwork before my eyes, only to find that the socket in -which the vane worked was badly in need of oiling. I rather think -that that is a record in big efforts for little objects. Three hundred -miles by rail, four hundred feet by ladder--and all to grease a -weathercock! - -This, by the way, was the highest steeple I ever climbed, also -the most southerly, except the French Cathedral, Jersey. The most -northerly was that which surmounts Dornoch Cathedral. This is Mr. -Andrew Carnegie's regular place of worship, and quite close to his -residence, Skibo Castle. - -[Illustration: FELLING A CHIMNEY A HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS OLD--IT -STOOD TWO HUNDRED FEET HIGH AND WEIGHED TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED -TONS--THIS AND ANOTHER CHIMNEY WERE THROWN WITHIN AN HOUR. - - _From a Photograph._ -] - -[Illustration: THE OLD-FASHIONED METHOD OF BURNING PROPS--APPLYING THE -MATCH TO THE MATERIAL. WHEN THE SUPPORTS HAVE BURNT THROUGH DOWN COMES -THE CHIMNEY. - - _From a Copyright Photo. by The Sport and General - Illustrations Co._ -] - -"I suppose," I remarked to some of the local residents, "that Mr. -Carnegie is pretty generous round here?" - -"No," they replied; "he has made it a rule not to give anything to any -charity that is situated within twenty miles of Skibo." - -At the time I thought this was hard, not to say foolish. On further -reflection, however, I can see he is wise; he does not want his -demesne to become a magnet, drawing hospitals, almshouses, and what -not to its immediate vicinity from the uttermost ends of the earth. - -When I am given a job, I usually keep quiet about it beforehand. It is -no use attracting a crowd, and that is precisely what happens if the -news gets spread abroad. The work of a steeplejack seems to exercise a -quite extraordinary fascination over all sorts and conditions of men. - -Thus, at Aldershot recently, some twenty thousand people assembled -to see me throw two chimneys. They flocked to the scene from the -surrounding neighbourhood, and Aldershot itself made high holiday of -the occasion, most of the big works being closed. - -The authorities kept the ground clear, although I must say that the -crowd showed no disposition to invade the immediate proximity of -the stacks, when once we had got fairly to work on them. Even the -dwelling-houses within a possible radius of the falling masses were -deserted, and one family erected a tent in a neighbouring field and -camped out in it until all danger was at an end. - -They need not have been scared, however, for the stacks fell exactly -upon the lines I had chalked out for them. Outsiders can rarely be -made to understand how comparatively simple it is for a steeplejack -who knows his business to make a chimney fall precisely where he wills -it to. - -In many instances exactitude in this matter is the first essential. In -the case of the great Par stack, in Cornwall, for example, I was under -forfeit of two hundred pounds not to deviate more than a yard either -way from the space marked out for it, which was only a foot or two -wider than its own diameter. - -This insistence was quite reasonable, for the chimney was surrounded -with cottages, and stood close alongside the main line of railway. -Officials and populace were alike alarmed, and the former begged of me -to desist. When I declined, they held up the traffic as a measure of -precaution until I had completed the job. As a matter of fact, not -even a window in the cottages was broken nor a shilling's-worth of -damage done to the railway line. - -People are always asking me to take them with me to the tops of shafts -and steeples. Usually I decline, but I have to make exceptions. I have -piloted some scores of clergymen to the summits of the steeples of -their own churches; and once I escorted the reverend incumbent's -daughter, a sprightly girl of eighteen. I was rather nervous about it, -but I need not have been. She was the steadiest and coolest climber, -for an amateur, that I ever had any dealings with. - -I cannot end this article without speaking about what I always call -"my most romantic climb." This was at Athenry, in County Galway. -A steeple had been struck by lightning and knocked out of the -perpendicular. After this it had been taken down--an easy job--but -nobody could be found who could put it up again. When several other -steeplejacks had failed I was sent for as a forlorn hope, and -succeeded. The romance of the climb, however, lies not in this feat, -but in the fact that it was from the spire, after its replacement, -that I first caught sight of the young lady who is now my wife. - -[Illustration: THE DOMINICAN CHURCH, NEWRY, IRELAND--A PORTION OF THE -SPIRE WAS BLOWN OFF IN A GALE. A TELEGRAPH WAS SENT TO MR. LARKINS, -AND THE FOLLOWING DAY THE SPIRE WAS "LADDERED" AND WORK IN FULL SWING. - - _From a Photo. by H. Allison & Co._ -] - - - - -THE LONGEST CHASE ON RECORD - -BY VINCENT M. HEMMING. - - Being the strange experience of Detective Albert Brissard, who - searched France, England, Belgium, and America for a "wanted" - man, finally landing his quarry by accident ten months after - the search began and seven and a half years after the crime - was committed. - - -Never in the annals of police history has a detective officer been so -long engaged in the search for a fugitive from justice as in the case -I am about to relate. There have been and are many men "wanted" for -whom warrants are held indefinitely, but never before has an officer -spent ten entire months with but one aim--to "get his man," and that -after an interregnum of more than seven years. On June 3rd, 1900, the -Baroness de Martigny, of Paris, took into her employment as footman -an intelligent, good-looking young man, who had previously been in the -service of General Pellissier, of the French army. The Baroness, the -grand-daughter of a famous soldier who had been one of Napoleon's -closest friends, lived in a beautiful hotel in the Avenue du Bois de -Boulogne, and also occupied a villa for the season each year at Nice. -Her collection of jewels was the envy of the ladies of the French -aristocracy, and she had times without number been offered enormous -sums for them by dealers and collectors. Many of the ornaments had -once belonged to the Queens of France, and one pearl necklace was even -said to have at one time adorned the person of an Egyptian princess -famous in history. These jewels were always kept in a leather-covered -steel box, made expressly for the purpose. When not deposited at her -bankers', this box was in the keeping of a trusted maid, who was in -turn guarded by a "valet de pied" at times when the Baroness might -have occasion to take her jewels with her when travelling. - -In December, 1900, the Baroness, accompanied by two maids and the -valet engaged some months before, was to travel to London for a few -days' stay in the capital on a visit to friends. She seldom carried -all her jewels with her, but on this occasion she did so, as an august -personage had expressed a desire to see them. Two servants of -the bank, under the eye of a sub-manager, had delivered the -morocco-covered box to the Baroness in person, and she in turn gave it -over to her maid, Marcelle. - -All the luggage had gone on ahead, and the brougham was at the door -to take the Baroness to the Gare St. Lazare Station, when the maid, -Marcelle, came running into the lady's presence and attempted to -speak. Her tongue refused to move, however, and there the girl stood, -her eyes almost out of her head, shivering from head to foot. When -at last she gained control of herself she stammered, "Madame--the -jewel-case--it is gone!" - -The Baroness tried to get the girl into a rational frame of mind, -saying the box could not have been removed from the house; Marcelle -must have placed it somewhere else than in its accustomed place. -No; the girl was positive she had put the treasure-box on milady's -dressing-table just for a moment while she had gone for her hat and -coat. When she returned the case was gone! - -Orders were at once given to lock the doors, and all the servants were -called together and questioned, but no one knew anything at all about -the matter. Had anyone entered the house? Had anyone left it? Only -Henri, milady's valet. He was at the door with the brougham. "Let -him be called," ordered the Baroness. One of the servants went to the -door. The brougham was there, as was also the coachman, but Henri was -nowhere to be seen. - -"Henri has gone to the station," said the coachman. "Yes, he had a -leather bag or box with him." This information was duly transmitted to -the Baroness. - -"Very unusual for him to do such a thing," she commented; "but perhaps -he was anxious about the jewels." - -Thereupon the trustful lady sent them all about their business, got -into her brougham, and was driven to the station. But where was Henri? -Well, to cut a long story short, Henri had not gone to the station, -and the noble lady, now disillusioned, at once postponed her London -journey, and set the machinery of the law in motion to discover -the young man who had ten thousand pounds' worth of jewels and five -hundred pounds in cash in his possession. No sooner were the police -notified than the criminal quarters of Paris were literally "turned -inside out." The Baroness de Martigny was not only a lady of great -prominence and influence, but she offered enormous rewards for the -recovery of her property. The intrinsic value of the jewels was a -secondary consideration, their romantic associations and the fact of -their having been family heirlooms making them priceless in the lady's -eyes. Every possible loophole of escape was watched, and Herculean -efforts were made by the police; but for the moment the thief had -made good his escape, leaving no clue behind him, and three long weeks -elapsed before anything tangible manifested itself. Then, one morning -the bell rang at the Baroness's house in the Bois de Boulogne, and a -gentleman presented himself, asking that his card should be taken to -the Baroness. It read, "Monsieur Albert Brissard--Agent." The caller -was asked to state his business, and answered by saying, simply, -"Henri Dessaure." This gained him the desired audience, and half an -hour later M. Brissard left the house, having induced the loser of -the steel box and its precious contents to place the whole matter -unreservedly in his hands. - -[Illustration: "MADAME--THE JEWEL-CASE--IT IS GONE!"] - -M. Brissard, who was known among his intimates as "The Ferret," had -left the French detective service some time previously and started an -inquiry agency of his own. In starting work upon this jewel-case he -followed the idea usually worked on by detectives in such cases, at -least on the Continent--"Look for the woman," and succeeded where -several other officers, working on the case officially, had hitherto -failed. He found the woman. - -In the Rue de Mesrominil there was a little _brasserie_, or -public-house, much frequented by servants of the upper class. This -place was owned by a man named Edouard Morant, whose daughter, a girl -of eighteen, had been the sweetheart of Henri Dessaure, the absconding -footman. This girl, learning that Dessaure had been false to her, made -it her business to find out who had supplanted her in the affections -of her sweetheart, and discovered that Dessaure had been seen very -often in the company of a dancing-girl from the Bal Boullier, and also -that this girl had left Paris only a few days ago, having purchased a -second-class ticket to New York. She further ascertained that the girl -had been somewhat in debt, but that shortly before leaving she had -discharged her obligations, and also purchased a large amount -of clothes and finery. All this the jealous Mlle. Morant told M. -Brissard. It was now Saturday, and the dancing-girl had sailed for -America on Wednesday. M. Brissard at once communicated with the -American police, and when the French Line steamer _La Touraine_ -arrived at New York a certain young lady, a second-cabin passenger, -was closely followed when she left the ship. No one was at the docks -to meet her, but after her luggage had passed the Customs inspection -she engaged an express wagon to convey her trunks and bags to an -address in First Avenue, near Twelfth Street, giving the address to -the driver from a card on which it had been written, no doubt for her -guidance. One detective followed the luggage, while a second kept -his eye on the girl. Calling a cab, she again showed the card and was -driven off, followed by Officer O'Brien, whose colleague, Kernohan, -remained with the express wagon. Arrived at her destination, the -girl, looking up to make sure of the number, ascended the stairs of a -four-storey brick building, the ground floor of which was occupied -by a small French restaurant. The cab waited, and shortly a young -man came down, who proceeded to pay the driver. The young man exactly -answered the description sent over from Paris of the missing Henri -Dessaure! - -After paying the cab fare he returned into the house, while Officer -O'Brien called a policeman and instructed him to telephone to -head-quarters. So it happened that just about the time Detective -Kernohan appeared with the express-man, a third detective arrived on -the scene with a provisional warrant, granted by the magistrate at -Jefferson Market police-court, for the arrest of Dessaure on suspicion -of being a fugitive from justice. - -The express-man proceeded to unload his wagon, having first rung -the door-bell, and once again the young man who bore so striking a -resemblance to the Baroness de Martigny's late valet came to the door. -This time he was confronted by two officers, who promptly informed him -that he was under arrest. - -"We believe you to be Henri Dessaure, late of Paris," said Detective -O'Brien. - -The accused turned pale, then, pulling himself together, answered in -French (in which tongue the detective had addressed him), "That is my -name. It is no use my trying to deny it. Surely you have something to -work upon, or you would not be here." - -The officers next searched the rooms occupied by Dessaure, but found -only some fifteen hundred dollars in American money and a few French -franc pieces. - -"Come," said Officer Kernohan, "you may as well give up the jewellery. -It will save you much unpleasantness." - -"I know of no jewellery," replied Dessaure. "I have come to America to -be married; I have done no wrong." - -Seeing that the man could not be induced to speak he was taken to -police head-quarters, and the next morning, having been formally -charged with being "wanted" by the French authorities, he was remanded -and the French police notified. Ten days later two detectives from -Paris arrived with a servant from the household of the Baroness -for the purpose of identifying the prisoner. This accomplished, his -extradition was asked for. Dessaure protested his innocence, and it is -quite likely would have succeeded in resisting successfully, had not -for a second time a woman proved his undoing. The detectives arrested -the dancing-girl as an accomplice, and she at once turned informer, -saying that Dessaure had told her in Paris that he had safely stored -away "enough jewels to give us every comfort for life." Believing him, -she had come to America, Dessaure having given her two thousand -five hundred francs for that purpose, and to purchase some necessary -things. Confronted with this statement, the ex-footman assumed an air -of bravado, saying, "You have got me, but you'll never get what it -took me many hours of thought to annex. Now let us see just how clever -you are." - -Dessaure returned to Paris some days later in the company of the -French officers, the girl having been released. Once in the French -capital, he was lodged in the Santé Prison to await his trial, and -meanwhile every effort was made to get some clue as to the whereabouts -of the steel box and its contents; but the police could make no -impression on Dessaure, who absolutely refused to speak. Promises and -threats were alike useless, and finally he was brought to trial. The -newspaper notoriety given to the matter had completely turned the -ex-valet's head, and he imagined himself a hero. He entered the -court-room with a smiling face and answered questions in a most -flippant manner. Even at this late stage the Baroness de Martigny -offered to withdraw the prosecution--at least, so far as she was -concerned--if he would divulge the hiding-place of the gems. But -Dessaure merely folded his arms and said: "Whatever happens, you -cannot kill me. You were clever enough to capture me; now find the -jewels." - -Evidence was given by a housemaid who had seen the footman in milady's -rooms and the coachman who had noticed him leave the house with the -morocco-covered box in his hand, carrying it openly by the handle as -though sent out with it. It was also proved that Dessaure had changed -a thousand-franc note at the little _brasserie_ in the Rue Mesrominil -on the evening of the day of the robbery; and, lastly, Detective -Brissard came forward with a small antique necklet--the property -of the Baroness--which Dessaure had given to the daughter of the -_brasserie_ keeper. On this evidence Dessaure was found guilty and -sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, the judge remarking that -on his release, no doubt, such a close watch would be kept on his -movements that a further charge would be made should the prisoner at -any time be found in possession of the stolen jewels. - -The prisoner took his sentence most coolly, and, as the officers were -leading him away, turned towards the persons in the court-room and, -bowing low, said, "Until then, gentlemen, _au revoir_!" - -For some months Dessaure was left to serve his sentence in peace, the -detectives believing that a taste of prison life might have a salutary -effect on him, or at least induce him to confess where the stolen -jewels were. True, no promises could be made to him, but at the same -time it certainly would not _add_ to his sentence should he divulge -the hiding-place of the Baroness de Martigny's jewels. Detective -Brissard had several long talks with the convict, but they all ended -in the same way, Dessaure saying, "I will serve my sentence and then -enjoy what I have earned; you will not catch me a second time." - -Spite of this uncompromising attitude the detective worked -assiduously, doing his utmost to locate the jewels, the hiding-place -of which one man alone knew. Finally, however, M. Brissard was -obliged to consider the case closed, for the time being, and gave his -attention to other matters. - -So time went on, until Dessaure had but a few months more to serve. -Then one day he wrote a letter, in which he asked the person to whom -it was addressed, for old times' sake, to supply him with a new suit -of clothes and other articles of wearing apparel, saying he would -repay the kindness a hundredfold. This letter came back to the -prison, the addressee--Mlle. Morant, daughter of the _brasserie_ -keeper--having removed several years back. This upset Dessaure -greatly, and he asked and received permission to write another letter, -which was addressed to the girl's father. Again the letter came back, -marked as before. Dessaure's excitement was now great; he cursed and -cried in turn. The warders reported that he did not sleep at night, -and ate scarcely any food. - -At last came the morning of his release. The liberated man left the -prison almost a wreck from mental anguish. He was met at the gates by -an aged aunt, who gave him a few francs and took him home with her to -her house in the environs of Paris. Dessaure could not be induced to -eat, and he would not sit down quietly, but walked about the small -house, gazing continually out of the window. No sooner was it dark -than he left the place, looked quickly about him, then hurried to the -nearest point whence he could get an omnibus cityward. Mounting to the -top of the vehicle, he looked about him every few moments to see if -he was being followed. He left the bus at the Madeleine; then, cutting -through the back streets, made his way to the Rue de Mesrominil. He -walked on the right-hand side of the street until he came to the place -where the _brasserie_ of M. Morant had been located. Yes, there was -still a business of the same kind there, but the place had changed -hands. - -Dessaure crossed the street and entered the little wine-shop, the -floors above which were rented out to lodgers, as formerly. In the -basement was a long room used as a dining-room for the guests of the -house; behind this was a kitchen, and to the left, at the end of a -short passage, a small yard which was used to store empty casks and -bottles. Dessaure called for a drink and ordered some food; then, -as though an old customer thoroughly familiar with the place, he -deliberately went down into the basement. The cook had received -Dessaure's order, and the latter stood in the doorway chatting to her. -After a moment or two he slowly walked through the passage and stood -in the yard whistling. The cook was busy getting his meal ready and -offered no objection to his proceedings. One stealthy backward glance, -and Dessaure swiftly crossed the yard. Taking a short iron bar, -flattened at one end, from his pocket, he pushed it deeply into the -ground exactly in the corner of the yard, next a brick wall. Again and -again he did this; then, in a frenzy, he tore up the earth to a depth -of two feet, but nothing rewarded his efforts. Jumping to his -feet, shaking with rage, he shrieked out, "All for nothing! All for -nothing!" Then, like a wild man, he rushed up the steps and out of the -place, knocking over a waiter in his headlong flight. - -The half-crazed man made his way to the Seine embankment, where he -walked up and down, trying in vain to think calmly. When he left the -Baroness de Martigny's house with the stolen jewel-case he had made -direct for the _brasserie_ in the Rue de Mesrominil, in accordance -with a plan he had thought out. He hid the jewel-case as much as -possible under his long servant's coat, and, after having a drink, -went down into the yard described and buried the jewels with the -aid of a shovel he had previously placed there in readiness. Then, -covering the case over, he stamped the ground down solidly, threw -some earth and stones on the spot, and returned upstairs. Dessaure, -however, as transpired later, had not taken the precaution to -ascertain whether anyone was watching him from the windows overlooking -the yard. It was obvious to him now that someone must have seen him -bury the gems, or else have discovered them subsequently. And now -they were for ever lost to him! Covering his face with his hands, the -heart-broken man repeated to himself the words, "All for nothing! All -for nothing!" Suddenly he pulled himself together, and, walking -toward the embankment balustrade, stood there for a moment gazing -hesitatingly into the waters of the Seine. Then a hand was placed on -his shoulder, and a voice said:-- - -"Don't do it, Dessaure! Life is all too short in any case." - -The startled man wheeled round, to behold Detective Brissard at his -elbow! Dessaure was about to speak, when the officer anticipated him. - -"I have watched you ever since your release this morning," he said. -"Come, don't be a fool. We will go to my place and have a talk." - -Dessaure, unnerved by the loss of the jewels, for the sake of which -he had served those long years of imprisonment, was as a child in the -hands of the shrewd Brissard, and very soon the two men were talking -the matter over in Brissard's rooms. Dessaure now told the entire -story of how he had stolen the jewels, and the detective in turn -informed him that the large reward offered for their recovery was -still open, and that, if Dessaure cared to assist him, they might -yet obtain possession of them and return them to their owner. The -ex-valet, eager to obtain revenge against the unknown who had annexed -"his" property, readily agreed. So the curious situation arose of -"setting a thief to catch a thief." - -Next morning Detective Brissard made diligent inquiries as to the -movements of the Morant family, and these inquiries led to what -developed into the longest chase on record. Just one year after -Dessaure's conviction, it appeared, the former wine-shop proprietor -had sold his business in the Rue de Mesrominil and removed with his -wife and daughter to London, where he opened a restaurant in Greek -Street, Soho, but, curiously enough, under another name. He had been -in business there for some months, when one day a former customer -at the Paris wine-shop entered and recognised M. "Martin," the -proprietor, as Morant. He thought nothing of this, as people often -change their names for business purposes when in other countries. But -what _did_ strike the customer was the fact that Mme. "Martin" was -wearing a pair of earrings of very great value. Now where did Morant, -who had owned only a third-class wine-shop in Paris, get possession -of jewels worth at least several thousand pounds--for madame wore also -several costly rings and a brooch? The customer jocularly remarked -that M. "Martin" must have "backed a winner." The latter, instead on -answering in like manner, turned pale, and gruffly told his former -patron to mind his own business. Within three days the little -restaurant in Greek Street had changed hands, and the "Martin" family -disappeared. - -[Illustration: "HE RUSHED OUT OF THE PLACE, KNOCKING OVER A WAITER IN -HIS HEADLONG FLIGHT."] - -All this Detective Brissard learnt by judicious inquiries in Soho, -London. Then the search for M. Morant began in real earnest. Dessaure -made friends with many of the French people in this part of London, -ever seeking information. The owner of the restaurant formerly run -by "Martin" was not the man who had purchased the place from him. -His predecessor, however, was, and could be found at an address in -Brussels. To this city Detective Brissard now went, leaving Dessaure -in London. Yes; the Belgian knew where M. "Martin" had gone, for a -trunk was left behind which he had sent to a house in Houston Street, -New York City, U.S.A. Also, the daughter of M. "Martin" was living, he -believed, in Brussels, she having married a travelling jeweller. - -Brissard cabled to America, and received an answer from the American -police to the effect that the address given was the office of a -transfer company, and they were looking over the books to see what -disposal had been made of the trunk. Brissard next began a search -for the former Mlle. Morant in Brussels. As, however, there were some -hundreds of jewellers in that city, this was no small undertaking. -Successful detectives often admit that "luck" is a potent factor in -their work, and the French detective now experienced a little good -fortune. The various cities prominent as diamond markets are possessed -of clubs at which congregate buyers and sellers of precious stones, -and which also serve the purpose of a market where the members do -business among themselves. With the assistance of a Belgian official, -Brissard was introduced into such a club in Brussels, and here -he learnt that a young Belgian--not a member, but a good judge -of stones--had married a French girl named Martin. The fact was -remembered because the young man had, shortly after his marriage, -become possessed of several uncommonly valuable emeralds and diamonds. -This man's address was given to M. Brissard, who at once called -there--first, however, changing his appearance as a measure of -precaution. - -The jeweller was not at home, he learnt; he was in Amsterdam, but was -returning on the morrow. M. Brissard, posing as a brother jeweller, -said he would call again. The lady of the house now came forward, and -asked if there was anything she could do. One glance was enough for -the detective--she was the daughter of the man Brissard was searching -for! But he still was a long way from M. Morant himself, as after -events proved. - -Calling the next day in company with a Belgian detective officer, M. -Brissard was ushered in and presently the jeweller came into the room. -The detective briefly made known his business, informing the jeweller -that it rested with him whether he would be arrested or not, for it -was known that some of the stolen jewels had been in his keeping. -Thereupon the man told a most straightforward story to the following -effect. - -He had been to London on business, and took his meals as usual in the -locality frequented by his compatriots, dining at "Martin's." There -he met his present wife, they fell in love with each other, and he was -accepted as a prospective son-in-law. Being an authority on the value -of precious stones, M. "Martin" confided to him that an aged sister -had left him a few heirlooms, her husband having been a wealthy man. -Would his future son-in-law appraise them? He had done so, greatly -surprised at their value and size, and had further, shortly after -his marriage, undertaken to sell several unset stones for his -father-in-law. His wife was absolutely ignorant of all this, and -not until that moment did he know that her real name was other than -Martin. - -The young woman was called and questioned, and it soon became evident -that she knew nothing of her father's affairs. He had changed his name -and impressed upon her that under no circumstances must she use the -name of Morant, and thus she had been led to deceive even her husband. -The gems given him for disposal, the jeweller added, had been sold in -Amsterdam to a buyer there, a Mr. H. Van Kloof, for twenty thousand -francs (eight hundred pounds). He had not heard from his father-in-law -for two years, his last address being in Second Avenue, New York City. -M. Brissard, convinced of the truth of this story, took his leave, -after having given certain instructions to the Belgian detectives. - -On his return to his hotel he found the following cablegram awaiting -him: "Trunk forwarded Martin, Second Avenue; receipt signed 'Mrs. -Martin.'" - -Brissard now communicated with the American authorities, only to learn -that no such person as Martin had resided at the number in Second -Avenue in the memory of the present tenant, the place being a French -boarding-house. - -The detective now returned to London, where Dessaure met him, -frantically excited. He had found a countryman who had seen Morant -in New York, where he held the position of _chef_ at a prominent and -fashionable hotel. This was only six months ago, but the man could not -remember the name of the hotel, having lost or mislaid the card Morant -had given him. One thing he _did_ remember, however--Morant was going -under the name of "Melin." - -M. Brissard, believing that Morant was still in New York and that he -could expedite matters by going there himself, promptly took passage -with Dessaure. It struck him as peculiar that a man who was in -possession, or had been in possession, of what was practically a small -fortune should seek employment; but the officer did not know, perhaps, -that the position of _chef_ in a large hotel is a most lucrative one. -The two searchers arrived in due course in New York and rooms were -taken in the French quarter of the city, both men posing as wine -merchants. Dessaure, who had been in America before, took rooms in a -house much frequented by cooks, while Brissard lived in a small French -hotel near by. For several weeks the two worked with untiring energy, -making careful inquiries. Brissard himself visited every hotel of -prominence in New York and Brooklyn, inquiring there of the hotel -detectives for a M. Melin, and being quietly taken into the kitchen to -look over the various staffs. Not until three long months had passed, -however, did they come upon even the semblance of a clue. Then, one -evening, as M. Brissard and Dessaure were sitting at a small table in -the bar-room of Brissard's hotel, there entered a young man whom the -detective knew. He had at one time been a pastry-cook in the household -of a French diplomat, and had been an habitué of Morant's wine-shop in -Paris. Greetings were exchanged, and after some conversation Brissard -casually remarked, "I wonder what became of old Morant?" - -The young Frenchman looked up sharply. "It's strange that you should -speak of him," he said. "Only two weeks ago he took rooms at the house -where I am living. It happened that I was going out just as he came -in. I greeted him, but he refused to recognise me, and, stranger -still, after paying a month's rent in advance he never came near the -house again." - -Here, at last, was something to work on--Morant was still in New York. -Brissard now began what was practically a house-to-house search, for -every place patronized by foreigners was visited, the detective taking -one district and Dessaure another. It was tedious work, but Morant was -somewhere in New York and Brissard meant to find him, his assistant -being perhaps even more eager than himself. For two more weeks the -pair searched for many hours each day; but it was Dessaure who got the -first tangible evidence as to Morant's whereabouts, and this was in -the identical house where Dessaure had lived on his first visit to -America some years before! Dessaure himself had quite forgotten this, -and when the ring of the bell was answered by a maid, he politely -asked if "M. Melin" was living there. - -"No one of that name is known here," was the answer. Dessaure, as -usual, then produced a photograph of Morant. - -"Ah," said the girl; "that is M. Martin, who has been here some -four weeks. He and madame left only yesterday. They are returning to -France." - -Dessaure at once looked up Brissard and told him of his discovery. -Together they returned to the house, and Brissard succeeded in gaining -admittance to the rooms only just vacated by the Morants, where every -scrap of paper in the rooms and wardrobe was carefully collected. -Brissard had an interview with the proprietor of the place, and -then hurried to police headquarters, from where men were sent to the -different steamship offices to look over the bookings. The French -authorities were notified, and the ships which had sailed the day -before and on that day were communicated with by wireless telegraphy. - -Meanwhile, Brissard had found the expressman who had removed Morant's -belongings, taking them to the docks of the French line of steamers -labelled for the ship sailing on the following day. This was -getting close. With the assistance of the American police it was now -ascertained that the luggage and its owners were booked under the name -of "Martin," and a man was detailed to watch the trunks in case M. -"Martin" changed his mind about sailing. Next morning, M. Brissard, -Dessaure, and two American detectives, armed with a provisional -warrant, awaited the appearance of the much-wanted man. The ship was -to sail at noon, and shortly after ten a well-dressed woman walked -slowly into the receiving dock and inquired the way to that portion of -the pier where was located the letter "M" (all luggage being collected -under the initial of its owner). She was directed some distance ahead, -and, arriving at the location, inspected some of the luggage. - -Evidently satisfied that everything belonging to her was there, she -slowly walked away and out of the dock, apparently not caring to board -the ship so early. - -Detective Brissard watched this woman closely, but not quite closely -enough. It was Mme. Morant, and she had seen him and recognised him, -having been sent by her husband to see if the coast seemed clear for -their flight. On reaching the street she took a handkerchief from -a bag hanging at her waist and passed it across her face, an action -which M. Morant observed from the window of a restaurant opposite, -where he was anxiously watching. Brissard, not knowing he had been -recognised, or that Morant had heard of the inquiries being made about -him, followed Mme. Morant to the Elevated Railway. As she had still -some two hours before sailing-time the detective naturally supposed -she was going to meet her husband. - -Mme. Morant left the train at Forty-Second Street, and made her way to -the Grand Central Railway Station. There she turned round suddenly, as -if looking for someone, and the detective instinctively felt that the -woman knew she was being followed. Throwing discretion to the winds, -Brissard now deliberately approached, and, raising his hat, said:-- - -"Good morning, Mme. Morant." - -The woman smiled sweetly. "I seem to know your face," she replied, -"but for the life of me I cannot recall your name." - -"I will assist you, madame," said the officer. "I am M. Brissard, of -Paris, detective agent." - -Without showing the least perturbation, Mine. Morant held out her -hand. "Ah, yes," she replied. "It is so long since I have been in -Paris; I had forgotten. How do you do?" - -M. Brissard assured the lady he was enjoying the best of health, and -in turn asked after madame's husband. - -"Ah, poor Morant!" was the answer. "He has been dead some years; I -have married again." - -Brissard sympathized with her. He was extremely sorry to trouble her, -he said, but a certain event in the life of the late M. Morant was -being looked into by the police, and he, Brissard, was afraid that -madame would have to accompany him--simply to answer a few questions. -The woman kept remarkably cool, only the pallor of her face giving -evidence of the emotion she was trying so hard to control. - -"Certainly I will go," was her reply. "Only you must excuse me for a -moment." - -M. Brissard gently pointed out that this was impossible, a cab was -called, and Mme. Morant was driven to police head-quarters. Now, -American police methods may be somewhat strenuous, but in ninety-nine -cases out of a hundred they are successful. American officers brook no -nonsense, treating criminals as they should be treated, and it must be -admitted they seldom make mistakes. Madame was at once searched by -a female attendant, and then she was asked a few questions by a -detective inspector. - -The "strenuous method" bore good results, for the Frenchwoman admitted -that Morant was very much alive. When it came to divulging his -whereabouts, however, she remained adamant. The trunks were now -brought up from the docks and searched, but absolutely nothing was -found in any way bearing on the missing jewels. Madame herself wore -three very fine rings and a bar brooch containing two large diamonds, -but all these were in modern settings, and, if they were part of the -Martigny jewels, had been reset. But, careful as she and her husband -had evidently been, they had not been quite careful enough, for madame -was wearing a small watch encrusted with pearls, on the inside of -which was inscribed, "12 Avril, 1877. C. J. de M." - -This was evidence absolute, but Mme. Morant now resolutely refused -to say another word, and the search for the erstwhile keeper of the -little wine-shop in Paris had to be renewed. Meanwhile legal machinery -was set in motion which resulted in Mme. Morant being extradited as -an accessory, and shortly she was taken back to Paris in custody. -Brissard and Dessaure were now assisted in their man-hunt by the -authorities, and again several weeks went by uneventfully. Then M. -Brissard heard from Brussels to the effect that Morant's daughter had -gone to Paris to visit her mother, and also that she had paid several -visits to Ostend. Following immediately on this came word to Dessaure -that Morant had been seen in London and also in Ostend. Then came -another piece of conclusive evidence. A man named O'Keefe, who -travelled to and from Tilbury Docks in charge of cattle, was arrested -in New York for creating a disturbance while under the influence of -liquor. On him was found a valuable unset emerald. O'Keefe admitted -stealing the jewel from a man who had worked his passage over on -a cattle-boat, saying the stone had been dropped by this man. He, -O'Keefe, had picked it up and kept it. He described the man, and -beyond question it was Morant. Brissard and Dessaure at once crossed -the Channel and looked up Dessaure's informant in London. The latter -told them he had seen the wanted man in a restaurant, where -he received a letter addressed to him. The proprietor of the -eating-house, on being questioned, remembered the letter, and also -that it bore a Belgian stamp. Furthermore, he said Morant had looked -up the time of the boat-trains, and he was certain that he had gone to -Ostend. Thither the searchers now went, and one of the first persons -they saw after arriving was M. Morant's daughter. She was taking the -train for Brussels, and M. Brissard at once went up to her. "Madame," -he said, "you will at once tell me where your father is, or I must -have you arrested." - -The young woman staggered and would have fallen had not the detective -assisted her. "Believe me, I do not know," she answered, piteously. -"My mother sent me here with a message. I was to meet my father at -the station. I have been here all day and have not seen him, so am -returning." - -Brissard hurriedly spoke to Dessaure, and then boarded the train which -carried the young woman to Brussels. Dessaure now wore a full beard, -and was not recognised by his former sweetheart. He went to a small -hotel and had some food, then returned, as he had been told to do, to -the railway station, to await word from M. Brissard at the telegraph -office. - -At a late hour this arrived, telling Dessaure to go on to Paris at -once. This he did, meeting the detective the next day at the latter's -rooms. Brissard seemed in very good spirits. "Our man is here -in Paris," he said; "he is human, and has followed his wife. The -son-in-law is an honourable fellow, and, although he has helped his -father-in-law, is desirous of putting an end to all this. He will -induce Morant to give himself up. I have every faith in him." - -"But what about the reward?" asked Dessaure. - -"We will see to that," replied the detective, confidently. - -At nine o'clock the two men walked down the boulevards to the -Montmartre district. Arriving in the vicinity of a wine-shop there, M. -Brissard stationed himself directly opposite. Dessaure did not quite -understand all this, nevertheless he did as he was told. Looking up -casually toward a cross street, he saw approaching on the opposite -side a man whom he thought he recognised. The man wore a light -overcoat and a straw hat, and seemed to be looking for someone. With -a cry Dessaure, unable to restrain himself, rushed across the street, -and grasping the man by the throat struck him repeatedly in the face. -It was the long-sought Morant! The men were separated by Morant's -son-in-law, who had been waiting for him, and who upbraided M. -Brissard for being there. He said he had given his word that he would -bring Morant to the police, and that Brissard had broken faith with -him. - -"You are quite welcome to carry out your agreement," replied the -detective. "All I want is the jewels this man has in his possession, -and I thought it advisable to get them in case--well, in case he -decided to leave them elsewhere before giving himself up." - -The four men now proceeded to the Prefecture of Police, where Morant, -on being searched, was discovered to have on his person more than half -of the twice-stolen jewels. - -He now told his story. How his wife, sitting at a third-storey window, -drying her hair after a shampoo, had been an interested spectator of -Dessaure's man[oe]uvres in burying the box, and after his departure -had informed her husband. Morant had promptly dug the case up and, on -discovering what it contained, at first intended to hand it over to -the police. Then greed overcame him, and, despite the protestations -of his wife, he decided to keep them. He narrated how he reburied the -jewels in another spot, in case Dessaure should divulge their original -hiding-place to the police, and how he waited for some months alter -Dessaure's conviction before selling his _café_. Then he departed -for London and opened a restaurant there. He knew the detectives in -America were searching for him, he said, and so took a situation -as _chef_ in another name. The jewels had proved a curse to him -throughout. Morant's story was listened to by the Prefect, and he was -then placed under arrest as an "accessory after the fact." - -He was tried some weeks later, convicted, and sent to prison for a -term of three years. His nerves had been completely shattered by his -long ordeal, however, and five weeks after his reception at the Santé -Morant died in the prison hospital. - -[Illustration: "GRASPING THE MAN BY THE THROAT, HE STRUCK HIM -REPEATEDLY IN THE FACE."] - - - - -THE LAND OF SUPERSTITION. - -[Illustration: HOLDING A BOY OVER "ST. JOHN'S FIRE," IN THE BELIEF -THAT IT WILL CURE HIP-DISEASE.] - -BY FREDERIC LEES. - - Nowhere in France are curious beliefs so rife as in Finistère, - the Morbihan, and the Côtes-du-Nord, where most of the - little-known facts contained in the following pages were - collected. As to the photographs by M. Paul Géniaux, the - well-known authority on Breton folk-lore, they are unique, - since they represent for the first time a number of the - superstitious ceremonies to which the Bretons, in spite of the - spread of education, still pin their faith. - - -We were cycling through Brittany--my Breton friend and I--and the turn -of the road suddenly brought us within sight of a typical Finistère -village, with its picturesque grey cottages surrounded by verdant -orchards. Slackening speed, we began to look about us, and it was then -that, glancing to my right down a narrow side road, I beheld a scene -that made me dismount and call to my companion. - -"I say, Géniaux, whatever are they doing to the little chap?" I cried. -"Are they grilling him for supper?" - -My friend's only reply was a chuckle and the click of the shutter of -his camera, which, on coming to me, he had instinctively swung into -the right position for a snapshot. Not until the photographic record -had been obtained and the plate had been changed did he vouchsafe to -give me an explanation of what we saw before us. In the middle of the -road a small bonfire was merrily crackling. Over it a boy of six -or seven was being held by a man and a woman, whilst three other -peasant-women and some children looked on with solemn faces. What -could be the meaning of this extraordinary proceeding, which looked -for all the world like a human sacrifice? - -"No; he's not being prepared for supper," replied Paul Géniaux, -with another chuckle. "That boy has something the matter with his -leg--hip-disease, I should say; and these good people think they are -going to effect a cure by holding him over a bonfire on St. John's -Day. I hope they'll succeed. Poor little chap! We are lucky to have -seen the ceremony and got a photograph, for this is one of the most -curious of our Breton superstitions. I'd quite forgotten that to-day -was the 'Jour de Saint-Jean.' Many a bonfire will be lit in Brittany -to-night, and many a cripple will be submitted to this ordeal of -fire." - -Whilst my friend was speaking the ceremony had come to an end and the -little boy had been handed over to his mother, who departed on her -way, probably rejoicing. As the other members of the group were about -to disperse we drew near, with the usual salutations, and entered into -conversation. Though I knew that my fellow-traveller's knowledge was -quite equal to that of these simple peasant folk, I was anxious to -learn something from their own lips, and above all to judge for myself -of their sincerity. At first they were decidedly shy, but when my -friend spoke a few words to them in their native Breton they became -quite open, and evidently no longer regarded us as "strangers." - -[Illustration: THE TOMB OF ST. YVES--HUNCHBACKS COME FROM FAR AND NEAR -TO CRAWL THROUGH IT AND SO GET THEIR DEFORMITY REMOVED. - - _From a Photograph._ -] - -"Yes; we were quite right," explained the man. "The boy was suffering -from hip-disease; and as all the doctors in the district had failed -to do him any good they were trying a remedy in which they had every -faith. It was a great pity that the mother had not resorted to it -sooner. But she was a young woman, full of all sorts of new ideas, -and she had preferred to waste her money on the doctors. _He_ was -a believer in the old remedies. He had known a 'feu de Saint-Jean' -perform miracles. But to be thoroughly effective it was essential that -the two people who held the child should concentrate their thoughts on -the work and have perfect faith. Nothing could be done without faith." - -There was such a ring of sincerity in his voice that we two sceptics -were disarmed. It was useless to try to disillusionize the man, so we -asked him further questions and obtained the additional information -that a "feu de Saint-Jean" was good for other things besides -complaints and diseases. A horse, for instance, that had been passed -through the fire was rendered proof against illness, and would perform -its work much better than one that had not undergone the ordeal. This -chance meeting with an interesting example of Breton superstition -prompted an idea. We determined that whilst on our journey through -Brittany we would collect as many similar examples as we could, so as -to form the nucleus of a book on the folklore of that part of France. -And wherever we went we found something to add to our records, as the -following examples will show. - -A very large number of the superstitions of Brittany apply to -ailments. Poor food, the excessive use of alcohol, and profound -ignorance of the laws of health make the Bretons subject to numerous -complaints, which they endeavour to cure by means that were adopted by -their forefathers as far back as the fourteenth century. On reaching -a little village near Tréguier we were advised to see the tomb of -St. Yves in the church-yard, and on going there found an old woman--a -hunchback--creeping through a narrow aperture with which that -beautiful monument is pierced. Though she had been deformed since -childhood, she was quite convinced that the saint, who had been -renowned during his life-time for the miraculous healing of the sick, -might still be able to do something for her. This "Hunchbacks' Hole" -in the tomb of St. Yves had already cured quite a number of _bossus_, -in accordance, legend said, with a promise made by the holy man. He -himself, in his youth, had been hunchbacked. Remembering this when on -his death-bed, he gave instructions that his tomb should be fashioned -in the particular form in which it is to-day, at the same time -promising that every cripple who crept through it should have the -benefit of his prayers in heaven. - -[Illustration: A CURIOUS CURE FOR WARTS--DROPPING HARICOT BEANS ONE BY -ONE DOWN A "HOLY" WELL. - - _From a Photograph._ -] - -The minor troubles to which poor humanity is subject are also "cured" -by the carrying out of certain other peculiar ceremonies. When -a Breton girl suffers from warts, for instance, she has herself -blindfolded, takes a handful of haricot beans, and feels her way to -the nearest well, into which she must throw the beans one by one, at -the same time wishing. Should the well be a holy one--and most -wells in Brittany have been blessed by the priests and are therefore -considered to be "holy"--all the better; for her warts will disappear -the very next day. In the case of an ordinary well, however, they will -not be "charmed away" anything like so rapidly. Still, in the end the -sincere wisher will get rid of them. To combat acute forms of headache -a very curious method is employed near Billiers, in the Morbihan. The -sufferer pricks his or her forehead with a needle until blood flows; -then, with the same needle, he or she pricks a certain cross that was -erected in 1874 near the village. By this means it is believed that -the headache is made to "enter the wood," where it will remain for at -least a fortnight. This "cure" is attributed to the intervention of -the Virgin Mary, who is said to have appeared in the above-mentioned -year where the cross is erected, with a promise that she would perform -miracles "to prove her descent at that spot." Adjoining the cross for -curing headaches is another that is reputed to be of great service in -the cure of diseases of the scalp. All that the sufferers need do is -to come and pray there, leaving their bonnets or caps behind them, -attached to a forked branch stuck in the earth. - -[Illustration: - - HOW TO REMOVE A HEADACHE--HAVING PRICKED YOUR FOREHEAD WITH A - NEEDLE TILL BLOOD FLOWS, YOU STICK THE NEEDLE INTO THE CROSS - ON THE RIGHT. THE SECOND CROSS IS HELD IN HIGH REPUTE FOR - CURING SCALP DISEASES. - - _From a Photograph._ -] - -[Illustration: UNLESS ONE OF THE HIVES OF A DECEASED PEASANT IS -IMMEDIATELY COVERED WITH CRAPE THE BEES WILL FLY AWAY AND SEEK ANOTHER -MASTER! - - _From a Photograph._ -] - -When, in the case of serious ailments, a cure is not effected by one -or other of these means, the sufferer considers that he has received -a very bad sign. Everyone must die sooner or later, and he recognises -that he has received a warning. Sometimes the "warning" is a very -definite one, as we were told on passing through a place called -Muzollac. A candle is seen to float out through the church door and -fall down the chimney of the house of the sick person! Death is not -far off when that phenomenon is observed, and one of the first things -that the relatives do, should there be bees in the garden, is to cover -one of the hives with crape. If this is not done they believe the bees -will all fly away and seek another master! - -There are all sorts of superstitions in Brittany connected with -candles and death. On the occasion of a marriage, for instance, the -bride and bridegroom take great care to give an extra large tip to the -choir-boy whose duty it is to light the candles on the altar and see -that they burn well throughout the ceremony. For, should one of the -candles begin to flicker and go out, it is certain that someone is -going to die within a year. If it is one in front of the bride, then -she is to be the victim; if it is one opposite the bridegroom, then -the misfortune is to descend upon him. - -[Illustration: DIVINATION BY NEEDLE--IF THE GIRLS' NEEDLES FLOAT -TWICE OUT OF THREE TIMES THEY WILL SECURE A HUSBAND. SOME UNSCRUPULOUS -INQUIRERS "SQUARE" THE ORACLE BY GREASING THEIR NEEDLES! - - _From a Photograph._ -] - -The majority of the strange beliefs of ancient Brittany apply, -however, not to so gloomy a subject as death, but to the joyful one of -love and marriage. Especially are the maidens of that part of France -believers in signs and portents. They begin at the age of sixteen or -seventeen with the floating needle superstition. In little parties of -three to six they set out for a walk in the country, choosing a day -when there is not much wind, for there must be hardly a ripple on the -surface of the pool where they intend to question the future. - -When, in the beautiful, orchard-covered suburbs of Quimper, we met one -of these bright-faced, laughing groups of lasses, the object of whose -journey was evident from the plaster statuette of St. Catherine which -one of them carried in her arms, we asked to be allowed to accompany -them. Hearing that their portraits were to be taken they willingly -consented. So we set off across the fields together and soon arrived -at a shaded pool of clear spring water. - -[Illustration: - - ANOTHER METHOD OF "QUESTIONING ST. CATHERINE"--THE STATUETTE - OF THE SAINT IS AFFIXED TO A TREE AND A HEAD-DRESS PLACED - UPON IT. IF IT FALLS TO THE RIGHT THE GIRL WILL MAKE A HAPPY - MARRIAGE; IF TO THE LEFT, SHE WILL BE AN OLD MAID. - - _From a Photograph._ -] - -The statuette of St. Catherine--the patron saint of old maids--was -then placed on one of the banks, and the girls, taking out their -needles, began to see if they would float on the surface of the water. -If they succeeded twice out of three times in making them float, -then the saint had answered in the affirmative; they were to have -a husband, and perhaps before many months had gone by. But if the -needles went to the bottom, then they would remain spinsters all their -lives. In the eyes of the Breton girl this is a terrible fate; and -Géniaux told me, as we continued on our way towards the ancient -cathedral city, that sometimes those who go on needle-floating -excursions do not play fair: they take care to grease their needles -well, so that they cannot do anything else but float! - -In other parts of Brittany, especially in the northern departments, -another method of questioning St. Catherine is adopted. The statuette -is affixed to a tree in an orchard. One after the other the girls then -arrange a head-dress above the saint's head. If the wind blows the -_coiffure_ down to the right, it is regarded as proof that the girl -to whom it belongs will make a happy marriage; but if it falls to -the left, she will be an old maid all her life. To the girls in the -Côtes-du-Nord this is an absolutely reliable test, and no amount of -argument will make them believe that St. Catherine does not control -the wind in such a manner that it answers "yes" or "no." - -[Illustration: IN SOME PARTS OF BRITTANY IT IS BELIEVED THAT NO -MARRIAGE WILL TURN OUT WELL UNLESS THE YOUNG MAN DEPOSITS A CERTAIN -SUM OF MONEY WITH HIS INTENDED--IF THE MAN BREAKS THE ENGAGEMENT HE -LOSES HIS MONEY. - - _From a Photograph._ -] - -[Illustration: THE VILLAGERS OF BILLIERS PUT LARGE CROSSES IN -WHITEWASH OVER THEIR DOORS TO PROTECT THE HOUSES FROM LIGHTNING. - - _From a Photograph._ -] - -Before leaving the subject of marriage superstitions, I must not omit -to mention the belief that is common around Pont-l'Abbé to the -effect that no marriage will turn out a happy one unless the _fiancé_ -deposits a sum of money, varying from fifty to five hundred francs, -according to his social position, with his intended. Parisians are -well acquainted with this custom in the case of their tailors, who, -when a customer is not very well known, insist on a deposit. "On est -prié de laisser des arrhes" is a common notice in the shops of French -_tailleurs_; but until I went to Brittany I was not aware that it was -also observed in the marriage market. The money is deposited, as I have -said, in order to assure a happy union; but should no marriage take -place, and this through the fault of the _fiancée_, the sum must be -returned. If the engagement is broken off by the man, then he loses his -deposit. When at Pont-l'Abbé we were told an amusing story in this -connection. - -A certain shrewd Breton maiden, whom the inhabitants of the little -town still called "the perpetual _fiancée_," got herself engaged no -fewer than seven times in succession, and each time she succeeded -in forcing her _fiancé_ to break the engagement. In this way she -collected close on one thousand francs. After the seventh young man -of Pont-l'Abbe had been cast aside she could not succeed in finding -an eighth, for everybody fought shy of her. One day, however, the -announcement went forth, to everybody's amazement, that "the -perpetual _fiancée_" was to be married. The fortunate, or unfortunate, -bridegroom turned out to be a sailor of the neighbouring port of -Loctudy, who had been away on a long voyage, and to whom, people said, -the girl had been engaged all the time. During his absence she had -simply been collecting a little dowry for the man of her heart! - -As will be seen, superstition enters so largely into the daily life of -the Breton that wherever you go you are sure to find instances of it. -The millers of Pont-l'Abbé and district nail a pair of sabots to their -water-wheels in order to make them turn well and grind the corn to -perfection. - -Even the sportsmen, whom you would think would depend entirely on -their skill, are superstitious. Near Billiers we came across one of -them who was busily engaged in searching for the pellets with which he -had killed a fine hare. After a good deal of difficulty he found three -or four. He then proceeded to fill some new cartridge-cases, putting -one of the used shot into each case; for this, he said, was an -absolutely certain means of killing every time that he raised his -gun to his shoulder. This was, perhaps, the strangest of all the -superstitions encountered during our wanderings through ancient -Armorica. - -The inhabitants of Billiers put a large cross in whitewash over the -doors of their cottages, so as to protect them against lightning; they -stretch cords over their huge iron stew-pots, and sit watching them -for hours to see if they are vibrated by some unseen power--vibration -being a sure sign that those who take part in the experiment are to be -happy for the remainder of the year; and on the fish-women receiving -the first proceeds of a sale they fall down on their knees to make the -sign of the cross, which will ensure them having a profitable day's -work. - -[Illustration: ON RECEIVING THE PROCEEDS OF THEIR FIRST SALE THE -FISH-WOMEN FALL DOWN UPON THEIR KNEES TO MAKE THE SIGN OF THE CROSS, -WHICH ENSURES A PROFITABLE DAY'S WORK. - - _From a Photograph._ -] - - - - -THE WIDE WORLD: In Other Magazines. - -[Illustration: AN OLD WHEEL OF FORTUNE IN BRITTANY.] - -In the village church of Comfort (near Pont-Croix), in Western -Brittany, is a very good specimen of the now rare "Wheel of Fortune." -It is made of wood, with a row of bells on its outer rim and -pivoted between a couple of rough beams--altogether very primitive -workmanship. By means of a cord attached to a crank the wheel can be -made to revolve and set all the bells a-jangling. The peasants believe -that it has miraculous power of healing when rung over the head of -a sufferer who has placed a sou in the box to which the rope is -padlocked.--"THE STRAND MAGAZINE." - - -THE AUSTRALIAN WAS CONVINCED. - -The negro attendant in the cloak-room of a palatial establishment of -this sort in San Francisco was uncommonly sharp. Several prominent men -in Australia had come to Tasmania to inspect the irrigation Colonies -there, and amongst them was the Premier of Victoria. He was told -during his visit that this particular negro could, without a moment's -hesitation, hand out the right hat to every visitor. The colonial -statesman was a little incredulous at such a statement, and was -determined to put the man to the test. So he went up to the counter -and asked the man for his hat, which he turned over and over, as if in -doubt, and regarded critically. At last he said, "Are you sure this is -my hat?" "No, sah," was the instant response; "I don't know whose hat -it is, but I do know you gave it me." The Ethiopian scored, and the -Australian was convinced.--"TIT-BITS." - - -NEW YORK'S LATEST CRAZE. - -New York is just now passing through a roller-skating craze which -threatens to attract the attention of the police. The skating is -not confined to rinks, but is indulged in on the streets by boys and -girls, men and women, who fly along, brushing by innocent pedestrians, -and not infrequently bowling them over. The pavements are rendered -unsightly by the marks of the skates and the dropping of the oil from -the "ball bearings," and at last householders have complained, and the -police have been ordered to arrest skaters who pursue their pastime in -certain sections of the city.--"WOMAN'S LIFE." - - -WINTER IN KABUL. - -Winter, beginning early in October and continuing until March, renders -life in Kabul difficult and uncomfortable. Charcoal is the chief -fuel; and as the houses, owing to numerous doors and windows, are very -draughty, the supply of wood very limited, and coal unobtainable, -it is necessary to wear, even in the house, treble thicknesses of -clothing, and the longest, warmest, and thickest of fur coats outside -the doors. Meal times, under such rigorous conditions, are a distinct -misfortune. All food-stuffs freeze solid; bread has to be chopped with -an axe and drinking water broken with a hammer. Pickles, sauces, jams, -and ink are better put away till the spring. Joints must be -served piping hot from the fire and lying over a pan of glowing -charcoal--even then the centre will probably be unthawed; while the -matutinal cup of tea or the nocturnal cup of cocoa must be gulped -rapidly if it is not to freeze before it is swallowed.--"THE SUNDAY -STRAND." - - -A BEAUTIFUL EASTERN PLANT. - -The annexed photograph, which depicts a very fine specimen of a -Kentia in full bloom, will be especially interesting to those who have -travelled in Eastern countries and have had the privilege of seeing -it growing in its native wilds. Unfortunately, our climate is too -inclement for this beautiful plant, and it is very rarely, if ever, -that a specimen is to be seen in bloom in this country.--"COUNTRY -LIFE." - -[Illustration] - - - - -Odds and Ends. - - A Piscatorial Acrobat--An Extraordinary Juggling Feat--The - Fakir's Couch, etc. - - -The striking photograph below depicts "Abe Ruef," a piscatorial -acrobat who lives in a fountain in St. James's Park, San Jose, -California, and his trainer and friend, Charles Riley. "Abe Ruef" is -a carp about a foot long, and his master claims that he is the only -trained fish in the world. The education of "Abe" was begun a year ago -by Riley, who is one of the gardeners in the park, and has been kept -up continuously, so that now "Abe" prances around his little sphere -of action with all the alertness and agility of a trapeze artiste. -Whether the fish can hear the commands which are given him or not, he -certainly understands what is wanted of him and performs his "tricks" -promptly and with exactness. One of his favourite pranks is to wriggle -over the edge of the porcelain bowl of the fountain into Riley's -hands. The picture here reproduced was taken just as he was coming -over the edge one day, and the photographer made seventeen attempts -before he succeeded in getting the picture. "Abe" will also squirm -over or under a stick held in the water, will crawl between Riley's -fingers, will go half-way under and then back out, and will swim -backward around the tank at the word of command. He takes particular -delight in swimming up to the surface of the water and having his -back stroked by his master. Riley is an animal trainer of considerable -efficiency, and at his home he has the dog and cat, and even the cow, -trained to do tricks; while a number of chickens will beg for food and -jump over sticks at their master's order. - -[Illustration: A GARDENER IN THE PARK AT SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, HAS -TAUGHT A CARP TO PERFORM ALL SORTS OF CURIOUS TRICKS--THE FISH IS HERE -SEEN WRIGGLING OVER THE EDGE OF THE BASIN INTO HIS TRAINER'S HANDS. - - _From a Photograph._ -] - -[Illustration: THE "SKULLERY" AT NATERS, IN THE RHONE VALLEY--BODIES -OCCUPY GRAVES IN THE VILLAGE CEMETERY FOR A LIMITED PERIOD ONLY, BEING -AFTERWARDS DUG UP AND THE BONES STACKED AS HERE SHOWN. - - _From a Photograph._ -] - -The photograph reproduced above shows the "skullery" at Naters, in the -Rhone Valley. At this village, and at various others in Switzerland, a -curious custom prevails in connection with burials. One is not allowed -to rest peaceably in one's grave for ever, as is the practice in -this country; the grave is permanent, but the occupation of it is a -strictly temporary tenancy, and when needed for a later arrival the -previous occupant is disinterred and his bones are stacked away in the -"skullery," as here seen. - -It is not uncommon, both in China and India, to see conjurers -going about from place to place, reminding one of the peripatetic -scissor-grinders who abound in our own country. All the paraphernalia -with which they perform their many and varied tricks is carried in two -boxes, suspended from the ends of a long pole resting on the shoulder, -and for a very small sum they will give a performance lasting an -hour or so. Besides the common sleight-of-hand tricks, such as the -appearance and disappearance of balls, artificial flowers, jars full -of water, live fish, etc., and the spinning and throwing of crockery, -balls, and knives, there are certain other feats which require more -than mere dexterity of hand. For instance, a sleigh-bell is swallowed, -and can be heard tinkling in the stomach as the "artiste" jumps about. -Then a sword is thrust down the throat, and can be heard to strike -against the bell. The bell, needless to say, is later recovered. But -the special and rather disgusting feat illustrated by the striking -pictures on the opposite page, and performed by a Chinese juggler, -seems to outrival anything else of the kind. It consisted in threading -two snakes up the nostrils and out through the mouth! The conjurer -performed this feat at the house of a WIDE WORLD reader living -near T'ungchou, about fourteen miles from Peking, China. The first -photograph shows him standing behind one of the long round boxes which -contain his outfit. On the top of the box is a basket containing a -number of live snakes, from which he selects two of the smoother -and more docile ones, though he afterwards confessed that one of the -snakes had several times bitten him as it passed through the nose. -These snakes were a foot and a half long, and about as large round as -a man's little finger. By the conjurer's side stood a small boy who -acted as his assistant. In the second picture the conjurer is seen at -work, threading the head of the first snake into his nostril. Needless -to say, this is a delicate operation, and even the little assistant -seemed interested. The bringing back of the head of the snake, after -penetrating the nasal passages and beginning to pass down into the -throat, is accomplished in the following manner. The performer puts -two fingers far back into his mouth, the approach of the fingers and -the arrival of the snake naturally bringing on a muscular spasm of the -throat, which throws forward the head of the reptile and enables it to -be grasped, drawn from the mouth, and allowed to dangle several inches -away from the lips. In the third and fourth pictures the conjurer has -succeeded in accomplishing the feat, having forced the second snake into -as uncomfortable a position as the first. In these photographs the heads -of the two snakes are clearly seen hanging from the man's mouth, while -the squirming tails, for convenience, are snugly curled about his ears! -Self-control and resignation fairly beam from the countenance of the -poor fellow, as he seeks to assume an attitude favourable for the -photographer, and yet affording a modicum of comfort to himself. The -development of this conjurer's throat was remarkable. Long practice in -sword and bell swallowing had evidently not only enlarged the muscles, -but also toughened the membranes. Otherwise, it would seem impossible -for a man to endure, without serious inconvenience, the wriggling and -crawling of snakes in this most sensitive part of the anatomy. - -[Illustration: - - _From Photographs._ - - SELECTING THE SNAKES. - - A TICKLISH OPERATION. - - THE FEAT ACCOMPLISHED. - - ANOTHER VIEW OF THE FINAL - PHASE. -] - -We have published several photographs of religious mendicants in -India, showing the extraordinary penances they inflict upon themselves -to gain merit--and incidentally the alms of the faithful--but none -more striking than that here reproduced, which shows a fakir at -Jubbulpore seated on a couch of sharp-pointed nails. Here, with -eyes closed, wrapped in profound meditation, he sits all day long, -apparently oblivious to the pricking of the spikes. There is no -deception about the business; the nails are quite sharp, but probably -long usage has hardened the fakir's epidermis to such an extent that -the discomfort is hardly felt. - -[Illustration: AN INDIAN FAKIR SITTING ON A COUCH OF SHARP-POINTED -NAILS. - - _From a photo. by H. Hands._ -] - -Twenty years ago, when the villagers living on the borders of Reigate -Heath, Surrey, had no place of worship nearer than the parish church, -a service was held in a schoolroom close by, and was so well attended -that the authorities looked around for a suitable permanent building. -The erection of a church was out of the question, but there stood -on the Heath the remains of an old mill, a picturesque feature in a -beautiful bit of landscape. Inspection showed that once the rats were -got rid of a comparatively small outlay would furnish and render the -mill fit for public worship, and soon it was opened as the Chapel of -the Holy Cross. The circular brick walls of this odd chapel are mostly -ivy-clad, and as the entrance is reached the vestry is seen on the -left. Originally it is reputed to have been a carpenter's shed, and, -except that a few pegs and chairs have been added, its primitive state -is well preserved. The interior of the chapel arouses interest. Four -buttresses, four feet thick by six feet in height, serve as rests for -two massive beams, which cross each other in the centre and support -an upright shaft, cracked with age and strongly bound with iron bands. -The roof slopes down from the vertex of the shaft to the circular -wall, and consequently the building, though no more than thirty feet -in diameter, is of considerable loftiness. The buttresses make four -natural alcoves. The entrance door stands in one, and immediately -opposite is the altar; the harmonium is placed in a third, and the -bell-ringer sits close beside it and rings his bell; the fourth is -occupied by the congregation. The chairs are arranged so as to leave -an aisle from the doorway to the altar, down which only one person can -pass at a time. Above the altar and the doorway are the windows. The -light is fairly good, but there are glass lanterns filled with candles -in the alcoves, and a candelabrum holding nine lights hangs in front -of the altar. All the seats are free, and as many as fifty people can -be accommodated. There is no pulpit, the preacher standing between the -prayer-desk and the lectern. A nominal rental of a shilling a year is -paid to the owner of this curious church. - -[Illustration: A SURREY WINDMILL WHICH IS USED AS A CHURCH. - - _From a Photo. by View and Portrait Supply Co._] - -[Illustration: A GOLD COAST FETISH, USED TO KEEP EVIL SPIRITS AWAY -FROM THE HOUSE--IT IS SAID TO BE COVERED WITH HUMAN SKIN. - - _From a Photograph._] - -The horrible-looking head seen in the photograph below is a fetish -which was, until quite recently, in use among the natives of Sierra -Leone. It is said to be covered with human skin, and the gruesomeness -of its appearance was intentionally exaggerated, as it was intended -to act as a kind of household god and a defence against evil spirits. -These superstitions, it is interesting to note, are gradually becoming -extinct under the pressure of British civilization. - -[Illustration: OUR DUSKY ADMIRER--A ZULU BELLE LOOKING AT THE PICTURES -IN "THE WIDE WORLD." - - _From a Photograph._] -] - -The photograph reproduced on this page was taken on the station -platform at Ginginhlovu, in Zululand. The young Zulu girl here seen -was waiting for a train, and had picked up a WIDE-WORLD MAGAZINE which -had been inadvertently left behind by some passenger--no doubt much to -his sorrow. Although the vast majority of the natives cannot read or -understand English, they are very fond of looking at pictures, and -this Zulu belle was much interested in her find. - -[Illustration: THE MAP-CONTENTS OF "THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE," WHICH -SHOWS AT A GLANCE THE LOCALITY OF EACH ARTICLE AND NARRATIVE OF -ADVENTURE IN THIS NUMBER.] - - - - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Wide World Magazine, Vol. 22, No. 132, -March 1909, by Various - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE, MARCH 1909 *** - -***** This file should be named 52408-8.txt or 52408-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/2/4/0/52408/ - -Produced by Victorian/Edwardian Pictorial Magazines, -Jonathan Ingram, Lesley Halamek, and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Wide World Magazine, Vol. 22, No. 132, March 1909 - -Author: Various - -Release Date: June 25, 2016 [EBook #52408] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE, MARCH 1909 *** - - - - -Produced by Victorian/Edwardian Pictorial Magazines, -Jonathan Ingram, Lesley Halamek, and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - -</pre> - - -<div class="covext"> -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 360px; margin-top: 2em;"><a href="images/cover-600.png"><img src="images/cover-360.png" width="360" height="465" alt="Magazine Cover" /></a> -</div></div> - -<hr class="medium" /> - -<h2>Table of Contents</h2> - -<table class="toc" summary="contents"> - -<tr> - <td class="left"> </td> - <td class="left2"> </td> - <td class="right">Page</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="left" colspan="2"><a class="contents" href="#page523">SHORT STORIES.</a></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#page523">523</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="left"><a class="contents" href="#page523a">HOW I GOT MY JAGUAR-SKIN.</a></td> - <td class="left2"><span class="sc">By Dr. T. A. Stoddard.</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#page523">523</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="left"><a class="contents" href="#page525a">OUT OF THE SKIES.</a></td> - <td class="left2"><span class="sc">Told by Lionel Beakbane and Set Down by L. H. Brennan.</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#page525">525</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="left"><a class="contents" href="#page528">A NIGHT ADVENTURE IN YOKOHAMA.</a></td> - <td class="left2"><span class="sc">By P. V. Alpiser, of the Bureau of Posts, Manila, Philippine Islands.</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#page528">528</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="left"><a class="contents" href="#page531">TEN LIONS in a DAY!</a></td> - <td class="left2"><span class="sc">By Walter Cooper.</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#page531">531</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="left"><a class="contents" href="#page538">MY FRIEND DALTON: A Tale of the Klondike.</a></td> - <td class="left2">By HARRY DE WINDT.</td> - <td class="right"><a href="#page538">538</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="left"><a class="contents" href="#page544">TWO GIRLS IN JAPAN.</a></td> - <td class="left2"><span class="sc">By Irene Lyon.</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#page544">544</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="left"><a class="contents" href="#page550">THE LAST CREEK.</a></td> - <td class="left2"><span class="sc">By John Mackie.</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#page550">550</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="left"><a class="contents" href="#page555">THE ROMANCE OF WILD ANIMAL CATCHING.</a></td> - <td class="left2"><span class="sc">By Harold J. Shepstone.</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#page555">555</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="left"><a class="contents" href="#page566">HOW WE CAPTURED THE REBEL CHIEF.</a></td> - <td class="left2"><span class="sc">By E. F. Martin, late of the Royal Niger Company's Service.</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#page566">566</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="left"><a class="contents" href="#page573">ROUND THE WORLD WITH A BILLIARD-CUE.</a></td> - <td class="left2"><span class="sc">By Melbourne Inman, British Billiard Association Champion.</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#page573">573</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="left"><a class="contents" href="#page580">WHEN "TENDERFEET" GO HUNTING BEARS.</a></td> - <td class="left2"></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#page580">580</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="left2"><a class="contents" href="#page580a">AN EVENING CALL.</a></td> - <td class="left2"><span class="sc">By Ernest Law.</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#page580">580</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="left2"><a class="contents" href="#page582a">TWO "GREENHORNS" AND A BEAR.</a></td> - <td class="left2"><span class="sc">By A. Wright.</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#page582">582</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="left2"><a class="contents" href="#page584a">A NIGHTMARE ADVENTURE.</a></td> - <td class="left2"><span class="sc">By G. Bennett.</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#page584">584</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="left"><a class="contents" href="#page589">THE LIFE OF A STEEPLEJACK.</a></td> - <td class="left2"><span class="sc">By Will Larkins.</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#page589">589</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="left"><a class="contents" href="#page601">THE LONGEST CHASE ON RECORD.</a></td> - <td class="left2"><span class="sc">By Vincent M. Hemming.</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#page601">601</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="left"><a class="contents" href="#page610">THE LAND OF SUPERSTITION.</a></td> - <td class="left2"><span class="sc">By Frederic Lees.</span></td> - <td class="right"><a href="#page610">610</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="left"><a class="contents" href="#page618">THE WIDE WORLD: In Other Magazines.</a></td> - <td class="left2"> </td> - <td class="right"><a href="#page618">618</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="left2"><a class="contents" href="#page618a">AN OLD WHEEL OF FORTUNE IN BRITTANY.</a></td> - <td class="left2"> </td> - <td class="right"><a href="#page618">618</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="left2"><a class="contents" href="#page618b">THE AUSTRALIAN WAS CONVINCED.</a></td> - <td class="left2"> </td> - <td class="right"><a href="#page618">618</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="left2"><a class="contents" href="#page618c">NEW YORK'S LATEST CRAZE.</a></td> - <td class="left2"> </td> - <td class="right"><a href="#page618">618</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="left2"><a class="contents" href="#page618d">WINTER IN KABUL.</a></td> - <td class="left2"> </td> - <td class="right"><a href="#page618">618</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="left2"><a class="contents" href="#page618e">A BEAUTIFUL EASTERN PLANT.</a></td> - <td class="left2"> </td> - <td class="right"><a href="#page618">618</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="left"><a class="contents" href="#page619">ODDS AND ENDS.</a></td> - <td class="left2"> </td> - <td class="right"><a href="#page619">619</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="left2"><a class="contents" href="#page619a">A PISCATORIAL ACROBAT.</a></td> - <td class="left2"> </td> - <td class="right"><a href="#page619">619</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="left2"><a class="contents" href="#page620">THE "SKULLERY" AT NATERS, IN THE RHONE VALLEY.</a></td> - <td class="left2"> </td> - <td class="right"><a href="#page620">620</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="left2"><a class="contents" href="#page620a">AN EXTRAORDINARY JUGGLING FEAT.</a></td> - <td class="left2"> </td> - <td class="right"><a href="#page620">620</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="left2"><a class="contents" href="#page622a">THE FAKIR'S COUCH.</a></td> - <td class="left2"> </td> - <td class="right"><a href="#page622">622</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="left2"><a class="contents" href="#page623">A SURREY WINDMILL WHICH IS USED AS A CHURCH.</a></td> - <td class="left2"> </td> - <td class="right"><a href="#page623">623</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="left2"><a class="contents" href="#page624">A GOLD COAST FETISH</a></td> - <td class="left2"> </td> - <td class="right"><a href="#page624">624</a></td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="left"><a class="contents" href="#page624a">MAP.</a></td> - <td class="left2"> </td> - <td class="right"><a href="#page624">624</a></td> -</tr> -</table> - -<hr class="medium" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page522" id="page522"></a>[pg 522]</span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px; margin-top: 2em;"><a href="images/001-1100.png"><img src="images/001-360.png" width="360" height="465" alt="" /></a> -<p class="center">"I SLASHED SAVAGELY AT IT WITH MY MACHETE."</p> - -<p class="center">(<a class="ask" href="#page525">SEE PAGE 525.</a>)</p></div></div> - -<hr class="medium" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page523" id="page523"></a>[pg 523]</span></p> - -<h1 class="space-above2 spaced1 wsp"><span class="sc">The Wide World Magazine.</span></h1> - -<div class="center"><span class="right1">No. 132.</span> <span class="left1">Vol. XXII.</span> <span class="center">MARCH, 1909.</span></div> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/002a-600.png" width="600" height="36" alt="SHORT STORIES" /></div> - -<p class="centerinv">SHORT STORIES.</p></div> - -<blockquote><p> -A further instalment of a budget of breezy little narratives—exciting, humorous, and curious—hailing -from all parts of the world. This month's collection deals with a thrilling fight between -a jaguar and a boa-constrictor, the tragic fate of a Canadian cowboy, and a night adventure in Japan. -</p></blockquote> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2>HOW I GOT MY JAGUAR-SKIN.<a name="page523a" id="page523a"></a></h2> - -<p class="title"><span class="sc">By Dr. T. A. Stoddard.</span></p></div> - -<div><img class="drop-cap" src="images/002dc-100.png" width="100" height="100" alt="I" /></div> -<p class="drop-cap"><span class="uppercase">IN</span> -the month of November, 1907, I arrived at the Isthmus of Panama to do -some zoological work, and incidentally to get a better knowledge of the -geography of the infant republic. I landed at Colon, a dirty, dingy town -of about eight thousand inhabitants, built on a low, swampy island -separated from the mainland by a narrow but deep lagoon. Here I secured -the services of two Spaniards to act as carriers, and, going by boat -some ten miles up the coast, disembarked in a drenching rain near the -mouth of the Santa Rita River.</p> - -<p>I carried a small supply of tinned and tabloid foods, and these we -packed through the jungle to the highest point of the Santa Rita -mountains, a distance of ten miles. We made a very comfortable camp, and -after a hearty meal turned in for the night.</p> - -<p>I slept very little, tired though I was, being kept awake by the -howlings of jaguars, cougars, and bobcats. However, after a hasty -breakfast in the early morning, I started out alone with my Winchester -strapped on my back and carrying a single-barrelled sixteen-gauge -shot-gun in my hand. I also carried a short but sharp and heavy machete, -without which it is impossible to travel in this impenetrable jungle of -mahogany, cedar, yellow-wood, and palms of various kinds, all supporting -vines of every size and character. Some of these vines hang from a -height of seventy-five feet, touching the ground and sending out -tendrils which climb to unknown heights on other trees, thus forming a -most intricate network, through which it is impossible to see more than -a few feet ahead.</p> - -<div class="figright" style="width: 250px;"><a href="images/002b-600.png"><img src="images/002b-220.png" width="220" height="456" alt="" /></a> -<p>THE AUTHOR, DR. T. A. STODDARD, WHO WAS AN EYE-WITNESS OF A TERRIFIC FIGHT BETWEEN A JAGUAR AND A BOA-CONSTRICTOR, -OF WHICH HE HERE GIVES A GRAPHIC ACCOUNT, AND ALSO OF HIS OWN ENCOUNTER WITH A SECOND HUGE SNAKE.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<p>I had been travelling for about an hour, trying to locate the source of -the Santa Rita, and winning every inch of ground by hacking and slashing -with the machete, when I was startled by a most fearful scream, which -seemed to come from somewhere immediately behind me. To say that my -blood "froze in my veins," even in this tropical climate, would be but a -poor and inadequate figure of speech to describe my feelings. I had -heard of the treachery of the San Blas Indians who inhabit the country -to the eastward, and my first thought was of them. Turning round and -looking back anxiously over the trail I had just made, I saw a great -commotion taking place among the vines, dead leaves, and decaying -branches which carpeted the ground, and the blood-curdling screams I had -heard rang out again and again. For what seemed hours to me, but were -really only seconds, I could not comprehend what was transpiring so -close to me, and what kind of creature was giving utterance to such -agonizing cries. At length, however, venturing a little nearer, I discovered -it to be a "tiger," or, properly speaking, a jaguar or American leopard, and -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page524" id="page524"></a>[pg 524]</span> -it was writhing in the coils of an enormous boa-constrictor. The great -snake appeared to have the side of the jaguar's head in its mouth, and a -coil or two of its body around the neck of the beast, which was making -frantic efforts to regain its liberty. The snake had its tail coiled -round a small ebony tree about a foot in diameter, and whenever the -hapless jaguar relaxed its efforts the serpent would swiftly release -itself from the tree and make an attempt to get another coil around the -body of its opponent.</p> - -<p>I stood there fascinated with horror, and yet forgetting my fear in the -interest I was taking in this terrible fight between beast and reptile. -Presently the snake, with an incomprehensibly quick movement—in fact, -almost too quick for the eye to follow—succeeded in getting two more -coils around the body of the jaguar, but not without receiving several -severe lacerations from the formidable claws of its victim. Then letting -go the jaguar's head, where it seemed to have a firm hold, the -boa-constrictor raised its head, seemingly in triumph, and, with its -tail still wrapped round the tree, lifted the body of the jaguar up in -the air. I heard the bones crack under the fearful strain, and with one -awful, despairing scream the jaguar fell back—dead!</p> - -<p>During all this time I stood rooted to the spot, too spellbound to stir. -Now, however, I realized that I stood in considerable danger, for other -constrictors might be near, who would treat me in the same manner as -this one had treated the unfortunate jaguar. Taking a hasty look around -I saw nothing but trees and hanging vines in all directions. I then -decided that I wanted the jaguar as much as the snake did, and, -moreover, that I wanted to kill the snake. I had a charge of small shot -in the gun which I carried in my hand, and, withdrawing this, I replaced -it with a cartridge containing B.B. shot. By this time the serpent had -uncoiled himself from his dead victim and also from the tree, and seemed -to be dressing his wounds, for he was rubbing his nose, if a snake can -be said to have such an organ, over the lacerations caused by the claws -of the jaguar. Raising my gun and taking deliberate aim, I was about to -shoot the reptile through the head, when I detected a slight rustling -from the direction in which I had been travelling. Turning round -suddenly, I peered through the hanging vines and leaves of the jungle, -but could see nothing. Then, wiping the perspiration from my forehead -and out of my eyes, I looked again carefully, but could not see anything -animate.</p> - -<div class="figleft" style="width: 300px;"><a href="images/003-700.png"><img src="images/003-300.png" width="300" height="446" alt="" /></a> -<p>A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE SKIN OF THE JAGUAR KILLED BY THE BOA-CONSTRICTOR.</p></div> - -<p>I was about to wheel again to secure my snake when I noticed that one -of the vines was swinging as if disturbed by the wind. Looking up, I saw -that not a leaf was stirring on the trees; there was no breeze whatever. I thought -this somewhat strange, and decided to investigate more closely. So, taking my machete out -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page525" id="page525"></a>[pg 525]</span> -of the sheath, I leaned the gun against a tree and started cutting my -way towards the swinging vine. I had taken but a few steps when the vine -swung rapidly towards me. Then, to my intense horror, I discovered it to -be another boa-constrictor, hanging from the bough of a mahogany tree, -its mouth wide open.</p> - -<p>Instinctively I screamed, ducked, and slashed savagely at it with my -machete. I drew some blood from its neck, but almost before I could -recover myself the creature swung viciously towards me again. I repeated -my first performance, not forgetting the yell, for I was far too -frightened to run. This time, however, I succeeded much better with the -machete, for I inflicted a severe wound over the reptile's eye.</p> - -<p>Again it retreated and again swung towards me, and thus we fought, I -succeeding at each swing in doing my adversary some damage. Once it -struck me on the left shoulder with the point of its lower jaw, sending -me reeling to the ground. Wildly I sprang to my feet and dashed with -renewed vigour into the struggle, cutting, slashing, and screaming -continually, without presence of mind enough to run or think of my gun. -Finally, in maddened desperation, I made a frantic slash as the horrible -thing was swinging towards me, and by the merest good fortune caught it -fairly behind the head with the sharpest and broadest part of the -machete, almost severing its head from its body. Its tail uncoiled from -the limb above and its sinuous body fell with a crash to the ground. A -second later there was another fall—myself. I lay there trembling with -weakness, fully conscious, but dripping with perspiration and too much -exhausted to stand.</p> - -<p>After some time I remembered the jaguar and the live snake which lay but -a few yards away, and at once sprang to my feet, caught up my gun, and -turned to investigate. I speedily discovered the reason for the snake's -quiescence. The jaguar was rapidly disappearing down the capacious -throat of his successful enemy. Again I took careful aim, and put the -whole load of large shot fairly through the body of the snake about two -feet from its head and about two inches from the nose of the jaguar, -which was being swallowed whole. Having killed the snake, I secured the -skin of the jaguar, which measured from tip of tail to nose nine feet -four inches; it was a male, and beautifully marked. The constrictor that -killed the jaguar measured twenty-nine feet two inches in length and -twenty-eight inches round at the largest part. The one with which I had -the encounter was twenty-five feet long and twenty-two inches round.</p> - -<p>I reached camp about noon, covered with blood, but proudly carrying my -jaguar-skin, and just for fun I informed the Spaniards that I had killed -the animal with my ·22. They examined the skin for the bullet-hole, but -failed to find it. Thereupon I calmly told them that I always shot -animals like that in the eye, so as not to spoil the skin! They now -think the "Gringo" a mighty hunter indeed.</p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2>OUT OF THE SKIES.<a name="page525a" id="page525a"></a></h2> - -<p class="title"><span class="sc">Told by Lionel Beakbane and Set Down by L. H. Brennan.</span></p></div> - -<p>In 1907 I was employed as a cowboy on the Wally Ranch, situated a little -to the north of Fort Saskatchewan, in Alberta, Canada. It was there that -an incident occurred which I shall never forget as long as I live. Such -a thing has never happened before in Canada, so far as I am aware, and I -hope it will never happen again.</p> - -<p>During the particular week I have in mind we had a pretty rough time of -it and were all more or less tired out, but we had to keep going. There -had been some heavy storms and the cattle were unusually restive, -needing a lot of attention. One Thursday, about two in the morning, we -were seated round the camp fire getting something to eat. There were -five of us there, amongst us a comparative new-comer named Harry Munroe. -He was a splendid young fellow, and took to the work from the first. He -was a capital rider and a first-class shot. I had always liked him, and -used to take him with me to outlying posts on every possible occasion. -On this particular night we had a mob of about two thousand five hundred -head of cattle to look after. The weather outlook had been very -threatening for a long time. Great clouds rolled one after the other -across the face of the moon, and presently the latter disappeared behind -them altogether. The next moment, without warning, the storm burst upon -us. In an instant we were on our horses, everyone ready for action, for -each man of us knew that at the first flash of lightning the cattle -would stampede. Only those who have experienced the spectacle of a -thunderstorm on the American prairies can have any idea of its grandeur. -It is a magnificent display of Nature's powers for a human being who can -understand and appreciate it, but a terrifying thing indeed for a herd -of helpless beasts.</p> - -<p>I thought it best to take young Munroe along with me, as he was not -experienced enough in following a stampede to go alone. The three -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page526" id="page526"></a>[pg 526]</span> -others were old hands and needed no directions. Very often the cattle -will suddenly turn right about without any warning, and it needs an -experienced and cool-headed man to keep his saddle and save his life -when such a thing occurs.</p> - -<p>We had not long to wait—only a few seconds—and then our work began. A -flash of baleful light zigzagged across the skies, and the -terror-stricken beasts rushed off headlong into the night. It was an -appalling sight to see the fear-maddened brutes racing over the prairie. -Heads upraised, mouths open, and tails lashing the air, they neither -knew nor cared where they were going. Sometimes one would stumble and -fall, only to be immediately trodden under foot by his comrades, and the -thudding of their feet could be heard as a dull rumble in the lulls of -the storm.</p> - -<p>On and on they went in their mad career, horses and men close behind -them. We could do nothing but follow them and, when the storm abated, -collect them and drive them back to the station. The rain came down in -torrents and the lightning almost blinded one, so vivid and terrific -were the flashes, while the claps of thunder which followed seemed to -shake the earth. We had been going at a tremendous pace for perhaps ten -minutes, when a small range of hills loomed up in front. I knew what -would happen when the cattle reached this, and was of course prepared. I -yelled out to Munroe to keep close to me, so as to follow my -instructions.</p> - -<p>"The beasts will stop at these hills and either wheel round or else turn -off to the right or left," I shouted.</p> - -<p>Suddenly the whole herd stopped and, sniffing the air for a moment, -seemed undetermined what course to take. At that critical moment an -awful flash of lightning rent the air, completely blinding me for a -moment, and simultaneously I heard a terrific report immediately behind -me. These two occurrences decided the cattle, and they turned and went -pell-mell along the foot of the hills to the right. For the moment I -scarcely knew what had happened, but as the last of the herd disappeared -I turned round and called to young Munroe. "Are you there, Harry?" I -cried, but I got no answer. Again and again I shouted, riding a little -distance after every shout, but no answering hail reached me. I knew -Munroe would not follow the herd without me, and at length I came to the -conclusion that something must be amiss with him. Perhaps his horse had -stumbled and thrown him, or he had been caught and overwhelmed by the -passing herd. There was nothing to be done, however, but to wait for the -daylight; I dare not move in the pitch blackness for fear of trampling -upon him.</p> - -<p>Already drenched to the skin, and with the rain still pouring down in -torrents, the lightning and the deafening peals of thunder combined to -make that night the most miserable of my existence. I had to keep on the -look-out, too, for any signs of the cattle, as they might easily, from -some cause or another, return along the base of the hills.</p> - -<p>They did not appear, however, and so I kept my watch through that awful -night alone. I do not know how long the storm lasted, but it must have -been two or three hours at least.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 430px;"><a href="images/005-1000.png"><img src="images/005-430.png" width="430" height="467" alt="" /></a> - -<p>LIONEL BEAKBANE, THE COWBOY WHO HERE TELLS THE STORY OF THE TERRIBLE -FATE THAT BEFELL HIS COMPANION ON THE PRAIRIE DURING AN APPALLING THUNDERSTORM.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<p>At last, to my infinite relief, the dawn arrived, and I looked round -anxiously for some signs of Harry Munroe. I had not gone far when, at a -short distance, I discerned the figures of poor Harry and his horse, lying -motionless on the ground. Leaving my own horse I ran towards them. It was apparent, -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page527" id="page527"></a>[pg 527]</span> -long before I reached them, that both man and horse were dead.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"><a href="images/006-1000.png"><img src="images/006-400.png" width="400" height="492" alt="" /></a> -<p>"THE LIGHTNING HAD STRUCK MUNROE'S CARTRIDGE-BELT, KILLING MAN AND HORSE ON THE SPOT."</p></div> - -<p>"Good heavens!" I involuntarily exclaimed, as I came nearer. "What has -happened?" Then, suddenly, I realized the awful thing that had occurred. -The lightning had struck Munroe's cartridge-belt, exploding the whole of -the cartridges simultaneously, and killing man and horse on the spot. -Poor Munroe! It was a terrible end; the only consolation was that it -must have been instantaneous.</p> - -<p>Shocked and saddened by this awful calamity I stayed by my dead friend, -for I knew the boys would soon be coming to seek us. Then, a very quiet -procession, we bore our poor comrade's body off to the ranch for burial.</p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page528" id="page528"></a>[pg 528]</span></p> - -<h2>A NIGHT ADVENTURE IN YOKOHAMA.</h2> - -<p class="title"><span class="sc">By P. V. Alpiser, of the Bureau of Posts, Manila, Philippine Islands.</span></p></div> - -<p>The traveller who has visited Japan has, as a general rule, nothing but -good to say of the land and its very polite people; and as a rule, also, -it may be said that such praise is well merited, for the Japanese -certainly try exceedingly hard to please all visitors, and, if they do -not always succeed, the fault in all probability lies with the visitors -and not with the people. Unpleasant experiences rarely occur to the -foreigner in the domains of the Mikado. The Japanese cities and the -country are perfectly policed, and robberies are seldom heard of. -However, I can testify from personal experience that one <i>can</i> meet with -unpleasant incidents in this well-regulated kingdom.</p> - -<p>In the early spring of 1903 I was journeying to the Philippines, and -arrived in Yokohama during the latter part of April—in the midst of the -cherry-blossom season, a most delightful time to visit Japan. The air -was full of the agreeable aroma of the cherry blossoms, and all Yokohama -was in festival attire, making a scene of great animation and -gorgeousness.</p> - -<p>On the evening of my last day, after dinner, I strolled through the main -streets of the city, down gay Theatre Street, with its rows of -flaunting, unreadable banners, and far out along a broad avenue across a -number of oddly-constructed wooden bridges, not noticing and not caring -whither I went.</p> - -<p>My walk took me much farther than I had supposed, and when I started to -return I discovered that a strong wind was blowing and a storm -threatening. When about half-way back to the steamship pier I found, to -my annoyance, that I had lost one of my gloves, and decided that I had -left it in the small restaurant where I had had dinner—a very nice -place kept by a Japanese family who had lived in Boston, Massachusetts, -for a number of years, and which the doctor of our ship had highly -recommended. It seemed to me that I could not be very far from this -place, and I decided to call in for my glove. The restaurant was located -in a side street in the curio district of the city, branching off from -the main thoroughfare I was on.</p> - -<p>When I turned down this side-street it was entirely deserted. Not a -living thing was in sight and the road was absolutely and totally dark, -neither the city nor the residents, apparently, providing any lights to -illuminate the street. I had gone some little way down this gloomy lane -when a door on the opposite side of the street suddenly burst open and -two men jumped out and came running towards me. I stopped and asked them -the whereabouts of the restaurant. One of them answered gruffly, and in -bad English, that he did not know. I turned to go on, noting out of the -tail of my eye that the men, after speaking together for a moment, -followed me.</p> - -<p>As I walked slowly away one of the pair gave a peculiar call.</p> - -<p>It was instantly responded to by two more men, who stepped into the -street from a house just behind me, and as the light from within the -doorway shone upon them for a brief moment I plainly saw the glint of -steel from a long knife one held in his hand.</p> - -<p>Late that afternoon, as it happened, I had bought a heavy, -curiously-carved cane as a souvenir, and, fortunately, I had this cane -with me. Now, realizing that I was in a tight corner, I increased my -pace somewhat, swinging the cane with the small end in my hand, and -watching narrowly to prevent any one of the four from getting in front -of me, or stealing upon me unawares from behind.</p> - -<p>In another moment I saw they were preparing for a rush, and I knew that, -although I might down one or two of them with my stick, the others would -easily overpower me. Vainly I looked up the street; no one was to be -seen! The houses on both sides were as black as pitch; there was not a -light anywhere! Not even a star twinkled above, for heavy clouds -obscured the sky.</p> - -<p>For some reason it did not occur to me to call for help. In fact, I have -always been a rather silent man, doing my work in the quietest manner -possible, and taking my diversions in the same manner. I do not think I -should have uttered a sound if these ruffians had ended my career then -and there. Perhaps a cry would have brought me ready assistance from a -score of adjacent houses, but it never occurred to me to give it.</p> - -<p>I had proceeded but a short distance, always with an eye on my -followers, when I saw, or felt, perhaps, that the rush was coming. I -heard no sound, for the rascals were absolutely noiseless in their -movements.</p> - -<p>Hastily I jumped to the nearest house and, with my back to it, prepared -to lay about with my stout stick. The four villains were right at my -heels, he with the knife a little in advance of the others. A picture of -the group at that moment would have made a most interesting souvenir of -Japan.</p> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page529" id="page529"></a>[pg 529]</span></p> - -<p>I was just beginning to regret that I had not suffered the loss of my -glove without protest, when the foremost scoundrel made a lunge towards -me. Simultaneously, a loud ringing, clanging sound smote my ears, and -the quartet disappeared from my view like magic. I am not sure now that -I did not rub my eyes vigorously to see if I was awake.</p> - -<p>The noise that had saved me proceeded from the next side-street parallel -to the one I was on, and I was at a loss to account for it. It was -repeated time after time, gradually growing fainter, and finally ceasing -altogether.</p> - -<p>Needless to say, I took instant advantage of the respite thus afforded -me, and hurried along at my best pace. I felt sure that my late -assailants would not give up their attempt so easily, and before I had -gone thirty steps my fears were realized.</p> - -<p>Glancing back nervously every few yards, I presently saw several dark -shadows gliding along behind me, and I unconsciously drew over towards -the opposite side of the street. As I passed very near the door of a -house that protruded into the street some little way beyond the other -buildings a side door burst open ahead of me and a young Jap stood in -the doorway just long enough for the lamplight to strike squarely on his -face and to reveal, to my surprise, the features of my rickshaw man of -that very afternoon!</p> - -<p>A low whistle sounded from behind me and the man jumped out of the door -and stepped in front of me. It was quite plain to me that this rickshaw -man, having seen that I carried considerable money that day, had -organized this attempt to rob me, and that he was determined to succeed -at any cost.</p> - -<p>I was surrounded, but, so far as I knew, only one of the precious lot -had a weapon—the man with the knife. I felt the rush again, the one in -front and the two or three behind, and I jumped towards the house, but -was compelled to turn before reaching it and defend myself.</p> - -<p>My rickshaw man was the first upon me, and I had the sweet satisfaction -of laying him flat on his back with a tremendous crack over the head. At -the same instant, before I could turn, I felt the sharp swish of -something flying past my head and heard the ripping of cloth at my side.</p> - -<div class="figright" style="width: 300px;"><a href="images/008-500.png"><img src="images/008-300.png" width="300" height="431" alt="" /></a> - -<p>MR. P. V. ALPISER, WHO WAS ATTACKED BY ROBBERS IN A DARK STREET IN YOKOHAMA.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<p>The man with the knife had slashed at me and had cut my clothes open -from my right shoulder to my hip, but, luckily, so far as I could feel, -without even scratching the skin. I swung about quickly, and as he -raised his arm for another and perhaps more effective stroke brought my -cane down fiercely on his arm; the knife fell to the ground with a -clatter. Another of the rascals stooped to pick it up, while the -rickshaw man began to sit up. It was a critical moment, but the age of -miracles is not yet past!</p> - -<p>Again that harsh, ringing clang broke through the blackness of the -night, and this time from almost at my side, and a moment later into the -street, a few doors away, there stepped a black figure, and brought a -long steel rod down on the hard ground with a noise that sent all four -of my assailants scuttling away into complete obscurity for once and -all.</p> - -<p>My rescuer was clad in a long black cloak with a sort of helmet on his -head, also black, and carried a steel rod, perhaps eight feet long, to -which were attached several iron rings and a long chain. He was, it -appeared, a night-watchman, and as he proceeded on his rounds he struck -the ground with the rod, thus announcing to all, evil-doers and -righteous as well, that an arm of the law was at hand. This quaint old -watchman—for he was quite old and grizzled—in his queer costume, -seemed a relic of the Middle Ages; he was quite different from the -regular Japanese policemen in their smart and jaunty uniform.</p> - -<p>I stepped forward and, kicking something with my foot, stooped to see -what it was, and found the knife which the would-be robbers had failed -to carry off with them. The watchman silently surveyed me for a time, -and then to my surprise spoke slowly in English. "You no good here!" he -said; "go hotel soon!"</p> - -<p>I lost no time in taking his advice, and in about an hour's time reached -the hotel near the pier. To my intense astonishment, however, I found -the doors locked. I tried for a few minutes to rouse someone, but failed -entirely.</p> - -<p>I then went to three other hotels, without better result. This consumed -some time, of course, and finally, giving up in disgust, I walked back to the -pier, entered the Customs House, and saw it was but a little past eleven o'clock. -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page530" id="page530"></a>[pg 530]</span> -Think of it! Hotels closed, locked, and barred at 11 p.m.! This was -another new experience for me; I had evidently not yet learned -everything about Japan.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"><a href="images/009-1000.png"><img src="images/009-400.png" width="400" height="489" alt="" /></a> -<p>"I HAD THE SWEET SATISFACTION OF LAYING HIM FLAT ON HIS BACK WITH A TREMENDOUS CRACK OVER THE HEAD."</p></div> - -<p class="space-below3">I then tried to get a boatman to take me out to my ship, but none would -do so, all saying that a typhoon was blowing. "No can do; too much -typhoon; turn boat down up!" There was nothing to be done, therefore, -but to wait in a corner of the Customs House for daylight. When it came -I hailed a sampan and went to the steamer, taking with me my cane and -the knife—interesting souvenirs of my night's adventure.</p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page531" id="page531"></a>[pg 531]</span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"><a href="images/010a-1200.png"><img src="images/010a-500.png" width="500" height="319" alt="" /></a> -<h2>TEN LIONS in a DAY!</h2></div> - -<p class="title">By Walter Cooper.</p></div> - -<blockquote><p> -The story of an exciting day's sport on the Athi River, British East Africa. The lions came not -singly, but in troops, and no fewer than ten fell to the rifles of the party of three! The last lion, -however, nearly bagged a member of the party before being killed by a plucky native. -</p></blockquote> - -<div><img class="drop-cap1" src="images/010dc-100.png" width="100" height="100" alt="W" /></div> -<p class="drop-cap1"><span class="uppercase">WE</span> were visiting British East Africa in quest of big game, and on our -arrival at Mombasa at once proceeded by the railway to Stony Athi -Station, taking with us a Swahili headman named Abdullah, a cook, four -gun-bearers, three tent boys, and over fifty porters, who had been -engaged in advance for us by one of the leading trading houses.</p> - -<p>Soon after leaving Mombasa one gets into a very desolate thorn-bush -country, which continues without intermission till one reaches Voi. -After Voi one catches occasional glimpses of antelope in the thin -thorn-bush, but it is not until the Capiti plains are reached that they -are seen in numbers.</p> - -<p>The vibration of the train unfortunately made the use of field-glasses -impossible, but for all that we saw numbers of zebras and Grant's and -Thomson's gazelle; and once we descried a rhino walking ponderously -along about half a mile off. The country from here onward is similar in -character, being perfectly open plain with short grass, occasionally -broken by a dry watercourse, whilst on either side hills, or rather rows -of kopjes, rose up in clumps. From the dak bungalow at Kia we could see -Kilimanjaro, rising majestically from the flat plain and looking about -four miles off instead of the seventy odd which we knew it to be. It was -cold at this point, as we arrived quite early in the morning, and we -were very thankful for our excellent breakfast.</p> - -<p>We all felt rather forlorn, being dumped down on to the station platform -with no one but a Babu station-master to give us advice, for we were all -new at the game except Captain H——, who had done a little shikar in -India. He had brought with him his sister, Miss Sybil H——, who, being -a born sportswoman, was anxious to try her hand at big game.</p> - -<p>The station-master soon fired our imaginations by telling us that five -lions came to drink at a spot close by at which, as it was too late that -day to go farther, we should have to camp. We got our loads carried -there, and soon had the tents up. We also built roaring fires all about -the camp, for, though we were very anxious to meet a lion, we did not -want our first encounter to take place in the middle of the night. -However, none turned up, so next day we made a march of about eight -miles to Lucania, a kopje of considerable height, round which lions were -said to be numerous.</p> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page532" id="page532"></a>[pg 532]</span></p> - -<p>Daybreak showed us a herd of hartebeeste within half a mile of us, -whilst farther off were two small herds of zebra and several lots of -Grant's gazelle and "Tommies," as Thomson's gazelle is usually called. -They were all somewhat shy, but we each managed to bag something, Miss -H—— getting two wildebeeste and Captain H——an impala.</p> - -<p>These uncanny-looking beasts were scarce where we were at that -particular time; we were told they migrated to Kilimanjaro and returned -later. This certainly seemed to be correct, as later on we saw them -blackening the plain quite close to Nairobi. I was with the young lady -when she bagged them, and it occurred in rather a lucky way. We were -sitting under a thorn-bush in a little depression, when we saw the two -wildebeeste coming towards us at a trot. As they got near their -movements became most threatening. After standing for a few moments -surveying us they threw up their heels and, with heads down and tails -waving, charged savagely straight at us. They made several stoppages in -order to inspect us better, but the demonstrations grew more and more -savage, and they had got within sixty yards when Miss H—— took a steady -aim at the biggest and fired. He turned and rushed off at a terrific -pace, the other following suit. Number one, however, had not covered -more than fifty yards when he fell dead, and his comrade, pulling up to -see what was happening, was killed by a second shot from Miss H——'s -Mauser.</p> - -<p>We were much elated at her success, as wildebeeste are most -imposing-looking. We afterwards learnt that the apparently savage charge -was nothing more than sheer curiosity concerning an object which they -could not distinctly identify. Hassan, Miss H——'s gun-bearer, being a -devout Mohammedan, rushed up to "chinja" the animals, their religion -prescribing that unless the throat has been cut from ear to ear, and the -blood allowed to flow, the meat is unclean. The Swahilis were very -particular about this so long as it in no way interfered with their -convenience.</p> - -<p>The following morning we had just started breakfast when one of the -porters came running in to say that whilst he was gathering firewood he -had seen seven lions, including three fine maned ones. We started at -once, accompanied by our gun-bearers and two Masai boys who were -recommended to us to carry second guns. We were all armed alike, having -Rigby's ·275 Mausers loaded with double ·450 cordite.</p> - -<p>The plain hereabouts was broken up by watercourses, in some of which -water still remained, and owing to the moisture there were some large -trees and more bush marking the course than in other parts; indeed, we -could tell exactly where the watercourses were by the lines of -vegetation. Large beds of high reeds covered some of these depressions.</p> - -<p>On our way to the place where the lions had been seen we had to cross a -perfectly open grassy plain, intersected every now and then by small, -dry watercourses. Any one of these might hold a lion, as he is an animal -who likes to slink along unseen. Every donga we came to, therefore, we -searched, expecting to find lions. We passed a lot of game on the way, -but were afraid to fire for fear of disturbing the lions. Miss H—— was -radiant at the prospect, and it required all our firmness to prevent her -rushing on ahead, such was her eagerness. Personally I was also very -keen to get a lion, but I had a lurking consciousness of my -inexperience, which was not improved by the fearful lion stories, true -and otherwise, with which we had been regaled by every man we met. -Captain H—— showed no emotion of any sort. He was an old hand at -meeting danger, but I could not help admiring his unmoved expression, -which showed that he knew what danger was and was prepared to meet it. -Miss H——, on the other hand, had forgotten all about danger, and her -only thought was to get to close quarters with the utmost speed.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 440px;"><a href="images/011-880.png"><img src="images/011-440.png" width="440" height="462" alt="" /></a> - -<p>THE AUTHOR, MR. WALTER COOPER, WHOSE PARTY OF THREE BAGGED TEN LIONS IN ONE DAY.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page533" id="page533"></a>[pg 533]</span></p> - -<p>We were not far from the trees when we saw a lion slinking along a -depression in the ground towards a clump of dry reeds, which he entered. -After a council of war, it was decided that one of the men should go -round and set fire to the reeds, whilst we posted ourselves as for a -pheasant drive. Miss H—— was in the middle, facing the reeds, whilst -Captain H—— was on her left and I was on her right. Soon the reeds -were blazing high, with a noise like a waterfall. A crashing, as of a -big beast coming in our direction, made our hearts beat faster, and soon -out came, not a lion, but a poor little female reedbuck, followed soon -after by her lord. We let them go with a shock of disappointment, -not unmixed with relief.</p> - -<p>An instant later, however, straight in front of Captain H——, a large -lioness bounded across a gap in the reeds, followed by several other -forms not easily distinguishable. She had evidently seen us, for -immediately after the rushing sound stopped and growls succeeded, -increasing in volume as the flames came nearer.</p> - -<p>Suddenly, without the slightest warning, out rushed no fewer than seven -lions, no doubt the ones the porter had previously seen. They passed -between Miss H—— and myself, and appeared to be in full flight, when -two lionesses, apparently attracted by the movement the young lady made -in putting up her gun, turned and made straight for her. They were -exactly in a line between me and her, so that I was unable to shoot. -Miss H—— had not descended from a long line of soldiers for nothing. -Standing up boldly, she put in three shots as they advanced. The first -lioness went over like a rabbit, with a bullet in its left eye which -penetrated the brain; the two other shots merely checked the second. -Unable to do anything to help her, in another instant I expected to see -Miss H—— hurled to the ground and worried to death by the enraged -beast. But at this critical juncture her gun-bearer, Hassan, thinking -matters were getting somewhat too exciting, took to his heels.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 330px;"><a href="images/012-1000.png"><img src="images/012-330.png" width="330" height="493" alt="" /></a> -<p>MISS SYBIL H——, THE PLUCKY GIRL WHO SHOT FOUR OF THE LIONS.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<p>The lioness, attracted by the sight of the fleeing man, or else afraid -of the fearless figure in front, who was not to be intimidated by her -charge, swerved off suddenly and made after the fugitive. The man had -not more than twenty yards start, and the great brute rapidly overtook -him. Miss H—— fired again, and we men both fired as well, but we were -not near enough to make a good running shot. The wretched man, with a -courage born of desperation, turned at the last moment and hit at the -lioness with his rifle. The blow fell a bit short, and the enraged -brute, snapping at what came nearest, caught the weapon in her mouth at -the muzzle. The pace at which she was travelling was so great that Hassan -was hurled backwards, and in falling his finger caught the triggers, letting -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page534" id="page534"></a>[pg 534-5]</span> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page535" id="page535"></a></span> -off both barrels. By the most extraordinary piece of luck the rifle was -pointing straight down the beast's throat at the moment, and down she -went, with her head nearly shot away, right on top of him. When we had -at length hauled him out he was a deplorable-looking object, simply -smothered in blood, chiefly the lioness's, for his only wounds were -claw-marks on his thigh, caused by the contraction of the animal's -muscles after death. These were slight, however, and as soon as Hassan -realized he had, albeit accidentally, shot the lioness himself, he began -to strut about in a ludicrous fashion, bragging to the other men as to -what a great lion-killer he was.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 350px;"><a href="images/013-1000.png"><img src="images/013-350.png" width="350" height="492" alt="" /></a> -<p>"THE LION SWERVED OFF SUDDENLY AND MADE AFTER THE FUGITIVE."</p></div> - -<p>Miss H——, who, in spite of the narrow escape she had had, seemed to -have forgotten it already in her pride at having killed her first -lioness, insisted on following up the others, who had now gone into some -long grass on the open plain. We therefore advanced in line, about -eighty yards apart. We had gone about a mile when my gun-bearer pointed -out the top of a lion's head and ears, just visible above the grass in a -hollow. We passed the word along and at once made for the place. There -was a dry watercourse here, and just in front of Miss H—— along the -edge of it were some big rocks. She was within fifty yards when, in the -gap between the stones, she saw a head. She fired, and it disappeared. A -moment later up it came again. Another shot, and again it disappeared, -only to reappear a third time. Once more she pulled trigger, and then -there was a veritable stampede, for a lion and five lionesses broke out -of the grass, galloping in huge bounds across the plain. They passed -right across my front, and my second bullet knocked over the lion as -dead as a door-nail and my fourth a lioness, which I got with a lucky -shot at the back of its head.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/014-1200.png"><img src="images/014-600.png" width="600" height="426" alt="" /></a> -<p class="center">ONE OF THE TEN LIONS KILLED BY THE AUTHOR'S PARTY.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<p>Captain H——, who had seen them coming, had kept down out of sight, for -fear they should pass out of range, and they went straight towards him. -On seeing him they stopped, giving him an easy shot at about forty -yards. He killed one lioness, and then, taking his ·450 from his -gun-bearer, took the neatest right and left I ever expect to see at the -other two, who, having separated, were rushing past him at about sixty -yards' distance. This made seven lions that we had seen dead, or as good -as dead, and we expected to find the eighth, which Miss H—— had had -three shots at. What was our amazement and delight when, after a very -cautious approach to the rocks, we found not one, but three fine maned -lions lying dead in a heap, a Mauser bullet through the brain of each! Two had -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page536" id="page536"></a>[pg 536]</span> -light-coloured manes, whilst the other had a black one.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 440px;"><a href="images/015-1200.png"><img src="images/015-420.png" width="420" height="489" alt="" /></a> -<p>"THE LION ROSE UP AS IF UNHURT AND JUMPED AT CAPTAIN H——."</p></div> - -<p>They must have been a different lot entirely to the other troop, and, as -each one fell, the next one, excited by curiosity, must have stepped on -to a slab of rock which enabled him to see through the gap in the rocks. -Hence, what appeared to be the same lion was in reality a different one -each time. It was an extraordinary piece of luck, as they evidently -could not quite understand what Miss H—— was, as she and her gun-bearer -were sitting down, and, the distance being short, she was able to make a -dead shot at each.</p> - -<p>Captain H—— had just left us to look at my two lions, when we heard a -terrific growl and my apparently dead lion rose up as if unhurt and -jumped at Captain H——. He did not -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page537" id="page537"></a>[pg 537]</span> -spring; he simply pushed him over. The Captain had no time to do -anything, and went down like a log, the impetus of the lion's movement -sending him yards away. Miss H—— and I, after an instant of absolute -stupefaction, rushed for our guns, which we had put down. Before we had -time to shoot, however, it was all over. The Masai boy, who was -following close beside Captain H——, with the splendid pluck of his -race, drew his <i>simé</i> (a sort of sword, with all its weight at the -business end) and hit the lion across the spine. The beast simply -stiffened spasmodically, and before it had time to fall over the plucky -Masai had sheathed his weapon in the beast's shoulder three or four -times. Then we rushed up to Captain H——, who looked in a terrible -plight; he was covered with blood from head to foot, and unconscious.</p> - -<p>We had, during the chase, got nearer the railway line, and we could see -a train in the distance puffing slowly up the incline towards Athi River -Station. The Masai are very fine runners, so we dispatched one of them -to stop the train, and proceeded to contrive some sort of a litter to -carry Captain H—— in. Miss H——, with a woman's wit, at once proposed -to skin a lion and use its hide. We accordingly started to rip off the -skin of the very beast which had mauled him, having first propped up our -coats over Captain H—— to give him a little shade. What was our joy, -in the middle of our work, to hear his voice and see him sitting up, -smiling as well as he could from a face that was all blood except what -was dirt. He said he felt perfectly well, and could easily walk back to -camp.</p> - -<p>It appeared that he had simply been stunned by the terrific fall he had -had, and that he remembered nothing more till he woke and found himself -under a canopy made of our coats. On examining him, expecting to find a -shattered arm, we were astounded to find he had only received some very -nasty-looking gashes. The explanation of this we soon saw. My shot, -which appeared to have killed the lion, had hit the beast at the base of -the jaw, smashing the bone to pieces and stunning him. When he dashed at -Captain H—— his lower jaw was absolutely useless, so that the upper -teeth only acted as a rake instead of nut-crackers.</p> - -<p>However, the wounds looked serious enough, for we knew that very few men -recover from lion-bites, most of them dying of blood-poisoning. -Captain H——, however, was able with assistance to walk very -comfortably the mile which separated us from the line, and before we got -to it we were met by an engineer on the railway, who had his travelling -carriage attached to a goods train. He at once placed the carriage and -train at our disposal, and, best of all, produced a bottle of carbolic -crystals. He insisted that the carbolic should be put in undiluted, as -the action of the pure acid is so rapid that it kills the tissues which -it touches so quickly that no pain is felt.</p> - -<p>Certainly this seemed to hold good, for Captain H—— took it quite -calmly, and assured us he was in no great pain. We all took the train -for a few miles to the point nearest our camp, when I left them. It was -arranged that I was to pack up the camp and follow into Nairobi, Miss -H—— and the engineer attending the patient to the hospital, where, it -appeared, he would have to stay for a period, as a high temperature was -by this time apparent, coupled with a feeling of extreme exhaustion, -caused by reaction after his narrow escape. I had also to superintend -the skinning of the lions, which Captain H——, in spite of his -condition, was most anxious about. I was much relieved to hear the next -day that he was going on splendidly, though still prostrated by the -shock and likely to be detained in hospital for the next few weeks to -get his arm healed.</p> - -<p>The Masai boy we sent away rejoicing with a present of a cow, as well as -some smaller gifts in money and kind. Cattle are the one and only form -of riches amongst the Masai—except, perhaps, wives—so he was -proportionately pleased, and promised to join us again as soon as we -were ready to start. But we hardly expect to bag ten lions in a day -again.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 380px;"><a href="images/016-750.png"><img src="images/016-380.png" width="380" height="374" alt="" /></a> - -<p>THE MASAI BOY (ON LEFT) WHO SAVED CAPTAIN H——'S LIFE, AND HASSAN THE GUN-BEARER.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page538" id="page538"></a>[pg 538]</span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/017a-1200.png"><img src="images/017a-600.png" width="600" height="91" alt="" /></a></div> -<h2 class="tag">MY FRIEND DALTON: A Tale of the Klondike.<br /> -<small>By HARRY DE WINDT.</small></h2></div> - -<blockquote><p> -Twice—and twice only—the famous explorer met "Dalton," the gentleman wanderer, and he -here relates the story of the two encounters and the tragic episode which finally revealed to -him the man's real character. -</p></blockquote> - -<p class="foo">"</p> -<div><img class="drop-cap2" src="images/017dc-100.png" width="100" height="100" alt="G" style="margin-left: 0.5em" /></div> - -<p class="drop-cap1"><span class="uppercase">GOOD-BYE,</span> De Windt; I don't envy you the trip," were the last words -that rang in my ears as the lights of Vancouver faded away in the wintry -darkness.</p> - -<p>My friends were right. Business of vital importance called me, or I -should certainly not have left Vancouver at a season when the journey to -Montreal is generally attended with discomfort, not to say danger. In -the summertime it is pleasant enough, for the scenery outrivals that of -Switzerland, and the Canadian Pacific Railway is justly noted for the -perfection of its cars and cuisine. But now the passes were blocked by -snow, and a train had recently been "held up" in the wild, mountainous -district between Banff and Calgary. It was Christmas Eve, so that I had -the cars pretty much to myself. Indeed, east of Lytton, where a party of -Victorians left us to spend the New Year, the train was practically -empty. We numbered, after leaving Lytton, a dozen passengers in all; -none too many to dig a way through the drifts which, to judge from the -steadily-falling snow, were grimly looming ahead.</p> - -<p>The prospect of a week or more of weary travel was not inviting, and I -dined the first evening unable to appreciate a dinner worthy of the -Paris boulevards. The cheerless meal over, I smoked a solitary cigar in -a dimly-lit and silent "smoker," and towards bedtime summoned the -conductor, in sheer desperation, to share a hot grog. Afterwards I -sought my couch. But the frequent stoppages due to the tempest and -driving snow kept me awake—a revolver handy in case of a -"hold-up"—until a cold grey dawn was peering through the window-blinds. -For notes to the amount of thirty thousand dollars reposed in a -note-case under my pillow, and the fact that a friend in Montreal was -awaiting them did not tend to lessen my anxiety.</p> - -<p>But fortune and the Arctic weather favoured us, for a starving wolf -would scarcely have faced that blinding blizzard, let alone a -train-robber. We were detained for a time by a fallen snow-shed, but we -forged steadily ahead through minor difficulties, and, on the morning of -the third day, steamed safely into Calgary. Here I put away my pistol -with an easy mind, for open country now lay before us. The robbers who -lurked in the mountains, where trackless forests on either side of the -line afford an easy means of escape, were not likely to trouble us on -the plains.</p> - -<p>Dark days were now followed by a blue sky and brilliant sunshine as we -rattled over the prairie, clad in a mantle of dazzling snow. The -monotony of this journey can only be realized by those who, day after -day, have watched the same dreary landscape unfold, as void of life and -colour as the moon itself. A desert, in summer, of withered grass; in -winter the scene of snow-clad desolation so wearies the eye that the -sight of a ruined log-hut or a solitary crow comes as a positive relief. -It was therefore some consolation when, at the little log-town of -Regina, a solitary passenger entered the train.</p> - -<p>I surveyed the new-comer with an interest engendered by three days of -solitary boredom. He was middle-aged, with the clean-shaven, clear-cut -face and keen grey eyes common in America, but which, upon this -occasion, were clearly imported. For, although the man's appearance -betrayed rough experiences, his tattered tweeds retained a certain -symmetry more suggestive of Bond Street than Broadway. A "Zingari" -ribbon round his shabby grey hat also hinted at the wearer's -nationality, which was further proclaimed when he called in pure English -for a whisky and soda. The speaker was a gentleman, as shown by his -manner and certain subtle signs that denote the species all over the -world. At first I put him down as a wealthy sportsman, but the usual -arsenal and piles of personal baggage were missing. The traveller, -whoever he was, was uncommunicative, for he drained his whisky at -a draught with a sigh of relief, lay full length upon the cushions, and -slept like a baby until dinner-time.</p> - -<p>I generally mistrust the chance acquaintance on Canadian railway cars, -but there was nothing of the "sport" or "bunco-steerer" about this man. -At dinner we got into conversation, and the discovery of mutual -acquaintances in England banished any lingering suspicions on my part; -my companion was apparently glad, -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page539" id="page539"></a>[pg 539]</span> -after many months of solitude, to exchange ideas with a -fellow-countryman. The stranger had not seen England for seven years, -during which period he had apparently tried his luck at most -things—from gold at Coolgardie to rubies in Rangoon, in the lazy, -desultory fashion of one to whom money is no object. His name, "Edgar -Dalton," told me nothing, but the magic words, "Turf Club," in a corner -of his card augured much. I expressed surprise at this lengthened and -voluntary exile, but Dalton's sudden change of manner warned me that I -was skating on thin ice. Domestic trouble, perhaps, or a woman, had sent -him aimlessly roving over the world, and, anyhow, it was no business of -mine. My eccentric friend had lately turned his attention to fur -trading, he told me, and was now returning to Chicago from York Factory -on Hudson Bay. The winter journey is a perilous one, but Dalton spoke of -a thousand miles in a dog-sled as though it were a summer picnic. "I -like roughing it," he said, frankly; "civilization bores me, and I -loathe the very sight of a frock-coat!" I did not quite believe him, for -the most ardent globe-trotter occasionally yearns for a sight of -Piccadilly; but, anyhow, as I have said, it was no business of mine.</p> - -<p>The evening passed pleasantly, for Dalton was excellent company, and we -sat long and late over our cigars, chatting over his reminiscences, -which would have filled an entire issue of <span class="sc">The Wide World Magazine</span>. It -was only towards bedtime that a subject was broached destined to bring -about strange consequences. "You say you know Milford well," said -Dalton, naming a small town in Yorkshire; "did you ever meet a Mrs. -W—— there?" The words were spoken with a hesitation that made me -glance sharply at the speaker. Could this be the secret of his life—a -hopeless passion for the beautiful woman whose sufferings had excited -universal sympathy and whose love so many had sought in vain? To know -Milford was to know or, at any rate, to have heard of Mary W——, who, a -few years since, had figured as the innocent heroine of a notorious -forgery case. The affair never reached a criminal court, for James -W—— had successfully absconded with a large sum of money, and had never -since been seen or heard of. Rumours were rife; some said he had gone to -Australia, others that he was in the Argentine, others that suicide had -wiped him out of existence as completely as a pebble dropped into the -sea. And he would have been no great loss, for, according to all -accounts, a more heartless scoundrel never breathed. But Mary W—— was -still leading a quiet and lonely life, although she might legally have -chosen a second husband from among the many men who had sought her hand. -W—— I had never known, but his portrait had been freely circulated at -the time of the crime, and a momentary suspicion that Dalton might -himself be the man was quickly dispelled when I recalled the portly -frame and bearded countenance of the forger. Not only did I know Mrs. -W——, but I had, only the preceding winter, saved her life in an ice -accident—a fact which raised me considerably in my fellow-traveller's -estimation.</p> - -<p>"I only asked you if you knew her," he said, "because I happened to know -him. Poor beggar! He was shot last year in a gambling hell in -Coolgardie."</p> - -<p>Here the subject might have dropped, but that fleeting hours and the -frequent reappearance of the conductor with refreshments revived it. -There had clearly been something between Dalton and the forger's -beautiful wife, either before or after her marriage. "I may tell you in -confidence," were his last words that night, "that Mary W—— is and -always has been very dear to me." A cloud passed over Dalton's face as -he continued: "If things were different I should have been a better and -a happier man. There, I won't bore you with my troubles, but here's my -hand, Mr. de Windt, for saving that brave, unselfish woman's life. And -remember, if ever you need a friend you'll find one in Edgar Dalton."</p> - -<p>I was right, then, after all. This was but another victim who had -worshipped vainly at the shrine of pretty Mary W——, and I wondered -vaguely, as I dropped off to sleep, whether the "good angel of Milford," -as she was called, had yet heard of her merciful release. For here, -possibly, was a man who might bring some sunshine into her lonely life.</p> - -<p>The next morning found Dalton seated at breakfast with a mysterious -individual who had joined the train during the night. The stranger was a -stout, florid man of about fifty, with shifty blue eyes, grey whiskers, -and a perpetual smile. He wore a serge suit and a yachting cap, also a -profusion of tawdry jewellery, and might have been anything from a -prosperous drover to the skipper of a tramp steamer. The new-comer -addressed Dalton as "Cap," and until the mystery was explained I -marvelled at his apparent familiarity with the quiet, refined -Englishman. But Mr. Hiram Knaggs, it appeared, had acted as agent in -Chicago for Dalton during his northern trip, and had now met him by -appointment to settle about the disposal of a consignment of valuable -furs. Knaggs was a cheery, amusing fellow, notwithstanding his vulgarity -and a painful habit of parading his -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page540" id="page540"></a>[pg 540]</span> -wealth. At dinner that night he displayed a bulky pocket-book with which -he pleasantly averred he could buy up the train and everyone in it. -Encouraged, perhaps, by champagne and good fellowship, I then carelessly -alluded to the comparatively modest sum that had caused me such anxiety, -but a significant look from Dalton closed my lips. "Knaggs, of course, -is all right," he explained afterwards, "but in a public car you can -never be too careful." The incident struck me as being curious, for at -the time there was no one within earshot of our table.</p> - -<p>Dalton and his agent were leaving us at Winnipeg, and we had reached -that town—then far from being the bustling city it has now become—when -I awoke on the following morning. The berths lately occupied by my -friends were empty, and I was surprised that Dalton, at any rate, should -have left without a word of farewell. There was yet half an hour before -departure, and I dressed hastily, intending to alight for a breath of -fresh air. But a terrible shock was in store for me. My heart stood -still and a cold sweat bedewed my temples, for when I placed my hand -under the pillow it encountered only a worthless silver watch. My -pocket-book and the thirty thousand dollars had gone!</p> - -<p>I was about to call loudly for help, when a touch on the shoulder -arrested me. It was Dalton, with a smile upon his face and the missing -note-case in his hand.</p> - -<p>"I was the thief," he said, quietly. "Here are your notes, but take my -advice. Never talk about your money before strangers." Intense relief -overcame a feeling of resentment at the trick played upon me, and, after -all, was it not in my own interest? So I put my pride—and my notes—in -my pocket and thanked my friend for the service he had rendered me, -which I never duly appreciated until long afterwards.</p> - -<div class="figright" style="width: 350px;"><a href="images/019-800.png"><img src="images/019-300.png" width="300" height="497" alt="" /></a> -<p>"MY POCKET-BOOK AND THE THIRTY THOUSAND DOLLARS HAD GONE!"</p></div> - -<p>On the platform we found Knaggs in a very surly frame of mind, which -Dalton laughingly ascribed to overnight indulgence in "tanglefoot." -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page541" id="page541"></a>[pg 541]</span> -But the joke was apparently ill-timed, for the American turned and left -us with an oath, to his friend's amusement.</p> - -<p>"Good-bye, De Windt," said the latter. "We may meet again, and if ever I -can do you a turn, for Mary W——'s sake, count upon me."</p> - -<p>Three or four months elapsed, during which period I heard nothing more -of my fellow-travellers, but I received a letter from Mrs. W——, who -had been informed of her husband's death by an anonymous -correspondent—Dalton, no doubt. This was in the spring of 1897, -however, and my mind was too much engrossed with personal affairs to -give the matter much attention. A bad attack of the gold-fever then -raging on the Pacific Coast had resulted in my resolve to leave -Vancouver and seek a fortune in the Klondike. I need not describe the -now familiar perils and privations of that ghastly voyage: the grim -passes, stormy lakes, and treacherous rapids; the cold and starvation -that littered the dark and dangerous road to the "Arctic El Dorado" with -dead and dying victims. Suffice it to say that I eventually reached my -destination, and in less than a year had "struck it rich" enough to -acquire several good claims. Early in March, 1898, I returned from my -claim up the Koyukuk to Dawson City, and took up my quarters at an -hotel, intending to return by the first steamer to St. Michael, and -thence, by the sea route, home.</p> - -<p>The River View Hotel was not a cheerful residence, although its numerous -guests were very festively inclined. The restaurant at dinner-time -resembled a bear-garden, and between meals dapper New York barmen -ministered to the wants of a rowdy mixture of nationalities from all -ends of the earth. Time hung heavily on my hands, although there was -plenty of gaiety of the disreputable kind to be found in most mining -camps. Dawson swarmed with gambling and drinking saloons, but crime was -rare, for the North-West Police keep a sharp eye on evildoers, -especially the harpies of both sexes who fleece lucky miners. You did -not need, in those days, to go to the creeks for gold, for the dust was -flung about so recklessly that modest incomes were made by sweeping out -the dancing halls. One night of debauchery often left wealthy men as -poor as when they first started out from home without a penny. And there -was some excuse for the poor prospector, coming straight from months of -cold, hunger, and hard work on some lonely gulch into a crowded, -brightly-lit saloon, with champagne, music, and friends galore, to say -nothing of a gambling table in the background. Even I, who should have -known better, was occasionally drawn into some dazzling pandemonium -which, by daylight, would have sickened me to contemplate.</p> - -<p>Thus it came to pass that I found myself one night at the Imperial -Casino in company with a friend who, like myself, was heartily sick of -his gloomy bedroom at the River View Hotel. The Imperial, like most of -its kind, consisted of a dancing-hall leading into a smaller compartment -screened with green baize, which occasionally parted to disclose a -roulette table. The noise and stifling air of the first room were, as -usual, unbearable, and we struggled through a rowdy crowd of men and -women to the inner sanctum, where a number of players were assembled. -For a time we watched the game with interest, for the high stakes would -have attracted a crowd at Monte Carlo, but these ragged, mud stained -gamblers lost or won their money gracefully and without the push or -wrangle that often occurs on the Riviera. I have seen more fuss made -over a five-franc piece at Monte Carlo than over a thousand dollars in -Klondike.</p> - -<p>To this day I don't know what induced me to fling a stake upon the -table. My friend, sick of the fetid atmosphere, had left me, and I was -following him, when the solitary number I had backed turned up. I then -carelessly heaped my winnings on the zero and became the unwilling -object of all eyes when the ivory ball jumped into the space numbered by -that wicked little circle. From that moment I won without cessation, -chiefly, I suppose, because of my absolute indifference to loss. In an -hour I was the gainer of an enormous sum, which, consisting largely of -nuggets and gold-dust, was difficult to handle. A carpet-bag was -borrowed from the proprietor, by whose friendly advice I made my exit -through a back door, and hastened along the snowy, silent street to my -hotel. As I neared my hotel a figure stood out from the doorway of the -River View, and I recognised Barlow, of the North-West Mounted Police, -who a few hours previously had been my guest at dinner.</p> - -<p>"Don't shoot, old man," said my friend, as a revolver gleamed in the -moonlight; "it's only me. We have got a big job on. The safe in the -office here was rifled last night, and the thief is supposed to be -living in the hotel. J——, of Scotland Yard, and ten of my men are -inside; so if the joker tries any games on to-night it will be all up -with him. By the way, <i>you</i> look a bit suspicious with that bag. Gold -from Gluckstein's, is it? Whew! Oh, pass in; you're a match for any -hotel sneak." And with a cheery "Good night" I left my friend vainly -endeavouring to keep warm in a temperature that would have tried the -patience of a Polar bear.</p> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page542" id="page542"></a>[pg 542]</span></p> - -<div class="figleft" style="width: 370px;"><a href="images/021-900.png"><img src="images/021-350.png" width="350" height="489" alt="" /></a> -<p>"THE DOOR WAS THROWN OPEN WITH A CRASH AND THE ROOM FLOODED WITH THE LIGHT OF MANY LANTERNS."</p></div> - -<p>The barrack-like building was in darkness, and by the aid of a wax match -I groped my way to my bedroom, a garret for which I paid, daily, the sum -of twenty dollars. The door was fitted with a cheap lock which a missing -key rendered useless, but I secured my winnings, which I carefully -locked up, and then retired to rest with a mind at ease, thanks to a -revolver under my pillow. I must have dropped off to sleep suddenly, for -when I awoke the fag-end of my candle was sputtering in the socket. The -next moment it had gone out, leaving me with no matches and an -unpleasant suspicion that, while I slept, someone had entered the room. -Conviction followed when I heard a moving body and loudly challenged the -intruder. But there was no reply.</p> - -<p>"If you don't answer, I shoot!" I cried -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page543" id="page543"></a>[pg 543]</span> -through the darkness. There is short shrift for thieves in mining camps, -and the next moment I had fired at random in the direction of the sound. -Simultaneously the door was thrown open with a crash and the room -flooded with the light of many lanterns. J——, the Scotland Yard man, -and half-a-dozen policemen were soon surrounding a prostrate figure, -clad in a grey sleeping-suit, which lay with a dark crimson mark over -the heart, showing where my bullet had reached its mark. Great heavens! -Had I killed him?</p> - -<p>The bare idea filled me with horror, as I pushed my way through a ring -of excited men and, kneeling by the side of the wounded man, gently -raised his head. The features were already twitching in the death agony, -the eyes were dull and glazed, but a faint smile flickered over the face -as I realized, with the appalling terror of a nightmare, that I was -looking upon the features of Edgar Dalton.</p> - -<p>"Forgive me," he gasped, faintly, as I bent closer to catch his -whispered words. "I never knew it was you. Knaggs will tell you. Give -her——" The hand was raised, with a last effort, towards a thin gold -chain around the neck, but death arrested it half-way. Edgar Dalton, -killed by my hand, had expired in my arms!</p> - -<p>"Come, sir, we can do no good," said J——, presently, as I continued to -gaze vacantly upon the ashy face of the corpse. It was borne away by six -stalwart troopers through the now crowded passages and stairway. "You've -no need for remorse," added the detective, "for you've rid the world of -as clever and cruel a scoundrel as it's ever been my lot to come -across—and I have seen a few. Why, he has murders enough on his hands -in Australia alone to hang him ten times over."</p> - -<p>"Mr. Edgar Dalton?" I asked, almost speechless with amazement.</p> - -<p>"Is that the name you knew him by?" said the Scotland Yard man, with -ill-disguised pity for my ignorance. "Edgar Dalton, indeed! Why, the -Australian Government has offered a reward of one thousand pounds for -this man, dead or alive, for the past three years. I have been after him -for seven years as James W——, the forger, and I think I am fairly -entitled to the reward," he added. "For, you see, I have netted both -birds this time. There's the other"—and he pointed to a man standing -handcuffed between two troopers by the open doorway. His dejected -appearance contrasted oddly with a gay suit of pink pyjamas, but -although the smiling lips were now screened by a bristly moustache, and -a carefully-curled auburn wig concealed the scanty grey locks, I had -little trouble in recognising my old friend and fellow-traveller, Mr. -Hiram Knaggs.</p> - -<p>I was permitted to visit him the next day, and found him shivering, -heavily ironed, in a cold, miserable shanty known as the town jail. -Knaggs made light of his discomfort and the long term of imprisonment -before him, but was inconsolable at the death of his leader. "A whiter -man never breathed, Mr. de Windt," said the man, with tears in his eyes; -and although I knew Knaggs for a consummate villain, I could scarcely -restrain a feeling of pity for the abject figure before me. Nor, indeed, -could I think of the dead man without compunction, for I could not -forget the feeling of gratitude that had prompted him to save my notes -from the greedy grasp of his confederate.</p> - -<p>"He always spoke well of you," said the man, "and if he'd only known -last night that the swag was yours he'd have been alive now. But I -suppose the game was up, anyhow, with that J—— on our tracks."</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 630px;"><a href="images/022-1000.png"><img src="images/022-600.png" width="600" height="393" alt="" /></a> -<p>A FORM OF PUNISHMENT FOR CRIMINALS USED IN THE KLONDIKE AND KNOWN AS THE "WOOD-PILE."<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<p>And Hiram ground his teeth in silent rage as I left him—to be -eventually sentenced to ten years "on the wood-pile," a local form of -punishment which, owing to the Arctic climate, is seldom endured for -long.</p> - -<p class="space-below3">I was permitted to retain the gold chain and medallion, which contained -a faded portrait of W——'s wife. Mary W—— still wears the little -locket in memory of the worthless scamp who wrecked her life, but who, -nevertheless, had loved her in his own wild way.</p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page544" id="page544"></a>[pg 544]</span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/023a-1000.png"><img src="images/023a-600.png" width="600" height="41" alt="" /></a></div> -<p class="centerinv">Two Girls in Japan.</p> - -<p class="title"><span class="sc">By Irene Lyon.</span></p></div> - -<blockquote><p> -After six weeks of conventional sight-seeing in Japan the authoress and her friend decided that -they had not yet seen the real thing, and so they decided to spend a week off the tourist track, -living as far as possible the life of the natives. This amusing little article shows how they fared -during their pilgrimage. -</p></blockquote> - -<div><img class="drop-cap1" src="images/023dc-100.png" width="100" height="100" alt="G" /></div> -<p class="drop-cap3"><span class="uppercase">GLADYS</span> and I had been six weeks in Japan; we had worked hard at -sight-seeing, and done all that was expected of us during that time, and -yet we were not satisfied. Why? Well, we had luxuriated all the while in -the most charming European hotels; we had slept in cosy beds with soft, -springy mattresses; we had lounged in easy-chairs, eaten with knives and -forks, and had been waited on hand and foot by noiseless Japanese -"boys," who anticipated our every want. Within a week of our departure -for Australia the full extent of our slackness was borne in upon us, and -we at once decided to make up for lost time and to sacrifice personal -comfort in a final effort to "see" Japan—the real Japan.</p> - -<p>A trip down the Inland Sea was arranged, as affording a suitable -opportunity to carry out our resolves, and one bright spring morning we -set off from Kobe, armed with a basket of provisions and eating -utensils—to be used only in case of dire necessity!</p> - -<p>We travelled all day in an up-to-date, conventional train, and arrived -at Onomichi towards evening. The proprietor of the principal inn had -been informed of our intended arrival, so he came in person to meet us -at the station, and we set off on foot for our new abode with an escort -of some twenty to thirty of the inhabitants.</p> - -<p>The "hotel" was a two-storeyed, wooden -house, like most of its fellows. On reaching the -threshold we discarded our shoes, took a surreptitious -peep at our stockings, in order to assure -ourselves that no holes were visible, and boldly -entered.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/023b-1200.png"><img src="images/023b-600.png" width="600" height="355" alt="" /></a> -<p>THE VILLAGE STREET—THE YOUNGSTERS WERE VASTLY INTERESTED IN THE NEW ARRIVALS.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page545" id="page545"></a>[pg 545]</span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px; clear: both;"><a href="images/024-1200.png"><img src="images/024-600.png" width="600" height="369" alt="" /></a> -<p class="center">THE INTERIOR OF THE INN.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<p>A hearty—but unintelligible—welcome was extended to us by "madame" and -her surrounding bevy of profusely-bowing attendants, and we were ushered -into a room on the first floor which had been set aside for our use.</p> - -<p>Our apartment was divided from the adjoining one by sliding panels which -made no pretence at reaching the ceiling; it was entirely destitute of -furniture, but at one side was a tiny alcove where a single vase reposed -upon a raised dais, while hanging on the wall at the back was an -elaborate "kakimono." The floor was covered with fine matting, and the -inner walls were made of opaque white paper divided into diminutive -squares. Round the outside of the house ran a tiny veranda, which was -closed in at night with wooden panels.</p> - -<p>Previously to starting Gladys and I had thoroughly primed ourselves as -to the correct behaviour in Japanese circles, and as we knew that we -should be expected to take a hot bath immediately on arrival we inquired -at once for the bathroom. Another reason for not wishing to delay the -important function of bathing sprang from our vague fear that every -member of the household would perform his ablutions in the same water, -and we were naturally anxious to have the first "look in."</p> - -<p>After inspecting the bathroom our determination wavered,—but we pulled -ourselves together and descended to the lower regions armed with towels -and wrappers. Our first difficulty was with the entrance-panel, which, -in addition to having no locks or bolts, absolutely refused to close -properly. After several vain attempts the gap was eventually stuffed up, -and we entered the dressing-room. I have yet to discover the intended -use of the latter apartment, as for all the privacy it provided one -might just as well have undressed in the public passage. About three -yards square, and communicating with the bathroom, it was furnished with -two large windows looking on to the hall, and there was not even so much -as a pane of glass to obstruct the view of the passers-by. Gladys and I -spent a considerable time in carefully filling these openings, and then, -having satisfied ourselves that we were beyond the public gaze at last, -we began, very diffidently, to undress, and afterwards entered the -bathroom together, as we simply dared not venture in alone.</p> - -<p>The bath itself—which looked like a large box—was a wooden structure -built into a corner, and all round the inside ran a convenient ledge, -for sitting on. The water being little short of boiling, our movements -were decidedly cautious, and, curling ourselves up on the ledge, we -tried to grow accustomed to the temperature by degrees before plunging -right in. When, thinking to remove the traces of our journey by a -vigorous application of soap, we began to scrub ourselves, it suddenly -occurred to us that such a proceeding was not "etiquette," out of consideration -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page546" id="page546"></a>[pg 546]</span> -to the other bathers. So we stepped out, soaped ourselves well, and -rinsed our bodies with the wooden ladles supplied for the purpose, -before getting back into the water again.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 300px;"><a href="images/025-900.png"><img src="images/025-300.png" width="300" height="487" alt="" /></a> -<p>A GLIMPSE OF THE SITTING-ROOM, WITH ITS SPOTLESSLY-CLEAN FLOOR, SLIDING DOORWAYS, AND PAPER WALLS.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<p>We were sitting on the ledge, chatting peacefully, when a sudden -premonition of danger made me look up, and the spectacle which greeted -my eyes caused me to utter one agonized gasp and then sink rapidly out -of sight. The pains we had taken to block up the gap at the entrance had -all been in vain, for the various garments which we had used for the -purpose lay scattered on the floor, and the opening was occupied by a -line of little heads, one above the other, whilst ten gleaming eyes were -interestedly fixed upon us! Having followed the direction of my -horrified gaze, Gladys gave a shriek of dismay and joined me at the -bottom of the bath with surprising celerity; and there we remained in -agony, feeling as though we were being boiled alive, and gazing ruefully -at our garments, which all lay well out of reach. Help came at length in -the shape of the proprietor, who, lighting upon the little group of -spectators, immediately sent them off about their business. Feeble and -helpless, we eventually emerged from our retreat and retired behind our -towels to dry; but our trials were not yet over, for Gladys, leaning too -heavily against the flimsy framework which constituted the partition -wall, suddenly disappeared from sight, and the whole wall with her! -Fortunately, the only occupant of the passage at that moment was a -little maid-servant, who speedily rushed to her assistance, and the -damage was soon repaired. Feeling much shattered in mind, we at length -departed from the scene of our disasters and returned to our own -apartment. With the help of two merry little "nésans," who thoroughly -enjoyed the proceedings, we succeeded in donning kimonos and obis more -or less after the correct manner, and then, determined to carry out the -programme quite properly, we sat down on our heels to partake of our -evening meal before a table three inches high. We drank fish soup out of -lacquer bowls, we dissected unfamiliar concoctions with chopsticks (no -easy matter) and tried manfully to do our duty by them, but when a large -bowl of rice made its appearance we flung etiquette—and chopsticks—to -the winds and fell back upon spoons, as being the only way of ensuring -ourselves anything to eat. Also, when we were certain of being -unobserved (as certain as it is possible to be in a land of paper walls -and sliding panels), we hastily demolished huge chunks of bread from our -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page547" id="page547"></a>[pg 547]</span> -private provision store, as, though we did not wish to hurt the feelings -of the "chef," we felt that our inward cravings <i>must</i> have something -substantial to satisfy them.</p> - -<p>After dinner we ventured on a stroll through the town; but the fact that -we were repeatedly obliged to retrace our steps in order to pick up our -sandals—which showed an extraordinary facility for parting company with -our feet—considerably hindered our progress, and the close -companionship of many of the inhabitants, who were vastly interested in -us, prevented us from gaining a very good view of the streets.</p> - -<p>When we returned to our abode the little maids made us up beds on the -floor out of "futans" (thick quilts) which were pulled forth from -wonderfully hidden cupboards, and we retired to rest, thoroughly wearied -out by our first day of Japanese life.</p> - -<p>The next morning we were awakened early by the arrival of green tea in -baby cups with no handles, and big, luscious peppermint creams. After -tasting both, and appreciating the latter, we rose to dress. Our -landlord had entertained European visitors before and considered that he -was thoroughly acquainted with their habits, as well as knowing how to -provide for their comfort; consequently, the pride of his heart was a -wash-stand—which was an object of wonderment to the whole -household—and that useful article of furniture was placed on the outer -veranda, in full view of the main street! It went to our hearts to hurt -the feelings of "mine host," but in this case we felt it to be -unavoidable, and the household treasure was removed to a more secluded -spot before we performed our ablutions.</p> - -<p>Later in the morning we took steamer to Myajima, and sailed all day down -the beautiful Inland Sea. There were no seats on board, so we made -ourselves comfortable on a big coil of rope, and as there was also no -buffet we were obliged to picnic for our meals. We reached Myajima at -dusk and halted in mid-stream. A sampan came out to take us on shore, -and we were hauled down the side of the steamer by a piece of rope, -swaying feebly about in mid-air before being unceremoniously seized by -the feet and deposited in safety.</p> - -<p>As we crashed on to the pebble beach a number of girls came round from -the hotel to meet us, each one carrying a paper lantern, which waved -fantastically to and fro from the end of a long pole. We were escorted -by them round the narrow, winding path to our quarters, which consisted -this time of a little summer-house away from the main building of the -hotel and in the midst of a delightful wood. We were too tired to -examine our surroundings that night, and tumbled as soon as possible on -to our lowly couches, where we slept "the sleep of the just."</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 370px;"><a href="images/026-1000.png"><img src="images/026-370.png" width="370" height="490" alt="" /></a> -<p class="center">MORE INTERESTED VILLAGERS.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<p>On opening our eyes next morning our first thought was that we had -wandered into fairy-land; the smiling-faced "nésan" had arrived during -our slumbers and pulled back the outer wooden shutters, and as one of -the inner panels was ajar we could look straight out on to the -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page548" id="page548"></a>[pg 548]</span> -woods. The sun was shining brightly through the green of the trees, a -spring of clear water trickled musically down by the side of our hut, -and but a few hundred yards away lay the Inland Sea itself, looking like -a huge lake amidst the surrounding chain of misty, blue-grey mountains.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 450px;"><a href="images/027-1300.png"><img src="images/027-450.png" width="450" height="501" alt="" /></a> -<p class="center">A VILLAGE FÊTE IN FULL SWING.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<p>Our tiny habitation, which consisted of two compartments and a small -veranda only, was scrupulously clean, and we could have eaten off the -floor, as well as sit on it, without the least misgiving.</p> - -<p>Every morning we interviewed the landlord on the subject of our day's -menu, as, after the first evening, we decided that a strictly Japanese -diet would not be conducive to either strength or comfort. There was not -much variety in the food which we managed to obtain, but it was both -healthy and harmless, consisting chiefly of fried fish, omelettes, and -wild strawberries.</p> - -<p>Myajima is a sacred island, and no means of conveyance are allowed to -profane its shores. The temple is built out into the sea, a unique -specimen of its kind, and a great, dark torü rises from the water some -yards in front; all along the main coast, and built at irregular -intervals, are the sacred stone lanterns, five hundred in number.</p> - -<p>For three days we spent our time in wandering about the island, -swimming, lounging on our tiny veranda, and darning, European stockings -being scarcely equal to Japanese "tabi" in the matter of endurance. The -third evening being beautifully fine and calm, we arranged—by paying a -very modest sum—to have all the five hundred lanterns lit up for our -benefit, and rowed out in a sampan to see the effect from the water. -Nature seemed to be at her devotions, and such a wonderful hush spread -over all around that the scene was impressive as well as beautiful.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page549" id="page549"></a>[pg 549]</span></p> - -<p>On the fourth day it began to rain. A Japanese inn does not exactly lend -itself to either comfort or amusement in wet weather, our stock of -literature was limited, and by midday we were at our wits' end. And -still it rained.</p> - -<p>Finally, in desperation, we invested in brilliantly-coloured oil-paper -Japanese umbrellas, and wandered about holding these huge structures -over our heads, so that only our feet—mounted on high, wet-weather -"geta"—were visible. Still it rained, and rained unceasingly. On the -evening of the fifth day—the deluge showing no signs of abatement—we -packed up our baggage and sorrowfully departed, taking our seats in the -evening express for Kobe, after a damp passage across to the mainland in -a sampan.</p> - -<p>The train was crowded with Japanese, and as each person was accompanied -by at least four mysterious and peculiar-shaped bundles there was not -much room to spare, and before long I had a pile of "luggage" two yards -high in front of me. When some of the little ladies in the carriage with -us grew tired of sitting up in European fashion they slipped off their -sandals and climbed right on to the seat, where they sat comfortably on -their heels and were happy at last.</p> - -<p>When night came the long seat was divided up into portions, the upper -berths were pulled down, and we all huddled into our respective bunks, -men and women mixed up together. It was distinctly trying to be obliged -to hoist oneself up into a high upper berth before a mixed assembly, and -more trying still to descend in the morning with the very incomplete -toilet which one was enabled to make in a reclining position, but the -blissful ignorance of our Japanese neighbour that there was anything -unusual in such a proceeding considerably relieved our embarrassment. -His attitude and calm matter-of-factness was very reassuring, and the -wonderfully cheerful conductor who brushed our clothes and fastened our -blouses seemed to consider himself specially suited for the post of -lady's-maid.</p> - -<p>We arrived back at our hotel in Kobe feeling that for the first time in -our existence we had really seen life in a different aspect, and a few -days later we left Japan with a clear conscience, satisfied that we had -fully accomplished our duty, as well as considerably added to our -experiences.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"><a href="images/028-1000.png"><img src="images/028-400.png" width="400" height="503" alt="" /></a> -<p class="center">OIL-PAPER UMBRELLAS DRYING IN THE SUN.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page550" id="page550"></a>[pg 550]</span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/029a-1200.png"><img src="images/029a-600.png" width="600" height="167" alt="" /></a> -<h2 class="tag">THE LAST CREEK.</h2></div></div> - -<p class="title">By John Mackie.</p> -<blockquote><p> -The story of an eventful journey in the Australian bush, with hostile blacks on the track. Mr. Mackie -got through, but the passage of the last creek was a distinctly touch-and-go affair. -</p></blockquote> - -<div><img class="drop-cap1" src="images/029dc-100.png" width="100" height="100" alt="S" /></div> -<p class="drop-cap1"><span class="uppercase">SCHOONERS</span> must have grub, and I had accompanied ours round to Normanton -for supplies, leaving only one white man, a Malay, a Cingalese, and two -semi-civilized black boys to look after the station and store I had -established on the lonely Calvert River, in the south-western corner of -the Gulf of Carpentaria.</p> - -<p>Now a bushman had just arrived at Normanton who had passed my place on -the Calvert a few days before. He told of a sorry state of affairs. My -men had run out of rations and, what was worse, powder and shot. They -were now subsisting on a little rice, what few fish they could catch in -the swollen river, 'possums, iguanas, and snakes. This was certainly -pretty near bed-rock; but people in the Gulf country in those days did -not trouble much about their bill of fare; it was the blacks, flies, and -fever that concerned them most, and the blacks near my place just then -were particularly bad. They had come down in a body some days -previously, killed two or three of my remaining horses, and tried their -level best to get at my men. Fortunately, after a ruinous consumption of -powder and shot, they had been driven off.</p> - -<p>There was only one thing for it—I must get to my station at any cost, -and that at once. To have it left to the mercy of the blacks was to have -it looted and burned to the ground, and all my schemes knocked on the -head.</p> - -<p>More important, still, there were my men. I knew that if they attempted -to go eastward they would find themselves hemmed in by the great creeks, -and must be drowned or perish for want of food. I did not take two -minutes to make up my mind. I was young, of a girth that is denied to -most men, and the love of adventure ran hot in my blood. It was now late -in the evening, but I would start before sunrise in the morning, and -some time on the following day, if I had luck, would reach my place. I -had swum dozens of swollen rivers before, with a horse and without a -horse; and as for the blacks, I had got used to them like the flies, and -I had my Colt.</p> - -<p>Next morning, while it was yet grey-dark, I strapped a small knapsack on -my back, containing a quart bottle full of powder, some small shot, and -other essentials, and prepared to start out. I told my partner to push -round to the Calvert River with the schooner as soon as the gale abated, -and was rowed to the eastern bank of the river in the dinghy. The -landing was bad, and here I had my first accident; for while the man who -rowed the boat was throwing after me the packet of bread and meat that -was to sustain me on my sixty-odd miles walk, it fell short and splashed -into the river. Back to the boat for more I would not go; there was a -considerable vein of old Highland superstition deep down in my -composition somewhere. I had gone, on more than one occasion, without -food for two or three days; I could surely do it now for some thirty-six -hours or so, even although I had not troubled about breakfast before -starting.</p> - -<p>Sixty-odd miles of partially-flooded country infested by niggers! It -hardly gave me a thought in those days. My revolver was in my belt, the -cartridges were waterproof, the load on my back was light, and had it -not been for the thought of those poor chaps on the banks of the Calvert -my heart would have been still lighter.</p> - -<p>I had traversed that uncertain track before on horseback, and, being a -fairly good bushman, there was not much danger of my losing it. I wended -my way through a gloomy pine-scrub, but as the rain had packed the sandy -soil the walking was fairly good, and I did my first few miles as easily -as if I had been walking on a macadamized road. Then I came to an open -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page551" id="page551"></a>[pg 551]</span> -patch of lightly timbered country, and sat down on the crooked stem of a -ti tree for a few minutes to fill and light my pipe.</p> - -<p>A sickly, wan light had by this time appeared in the eastern sky. A -laughing jackass crashed into the tender spirit of the dawn, and -startled me for the moment by shrieking hysterically from a high gum -tree. A pale lemon glow showed over the tree-tops to the east, spread -upwards and outwards, and then gave place to a tawny yellow; the few -faint stars went out one by one, like lights in a great city at break of -day; a little bird among the boughs called sleepily to its mate, and in -another minute a noisy flock of parrakeets flew screeching past. It was -a wet, melancholy world, and when the sun showed behind the trees like a -great white quivering ball of fire, and a thin, gauze-like mist arose -from the damp sandy soil, I knew that the fierce tropical day had once -more set in.</p> - -<p>I stepped gaily out again. Dangers? Why, the walking was almost as good -and pleasant as it was in any settled part of the country. Then, all at -once, my feet went splash! splash! into what seemed to be a large pool -of water; still on I went. In a few yards the water was over my ankles; -some fifteen or twenty yards more, and I realized that it was up to my -knees—fresh, warm, pellucid rain-water with dead leaves and forest -<i>débris</i> floating through it. It was heavy wading, and I paused for a -moment to gain breath and look around.</p> - -<p>There was water everywhere; it spread out like a great carpet over the -fairly level ground, and only the fine points of the very highest -grasses could be seen. Soon the flood was up to my armpits, and then I -began to swim. Even had I not been a strong swimmer, I could hardly have -been drowned, for all I had to do was to climb into a tree and rest in -the branches. In a few minutes more I came to a comparatively open space -and was swimming among the shaggy, drooping heads of Pandanus palms. -Then, all at once, I found I was being carried away by a powerful -current. I must get across that creek, wherever it was, or else my -strength must necessarily give out. Luckily my light linen trousers and -cotton shirt did not impede me much; my watertight knapsack was but a -trifling inconvenience; it was my boots that were tiring me. I did not -want boots, anyhow, in that sandy soil. I swam hand over hand to a gum -tree that reared its head above the water, and, grasping a strong limb, -drew myself up. I left my boots, tied together by the laces, dangling -over a bough, and was descending the limb when, to my consternation, I -saw just beneath me one of the largest tiger-snakes I ever in my life -had the good or ill fortune to meet. It had doubtless been coiled round -one of the upper branches when I first came to the tree, and, being as -much afraid of me as I now was of it, had again made for the trunk, only -to find its retreat cut off. There was no time to cut a stick and have a -sportive five minutes; besides, I had but scanty footing and room to -fight nimble tiger-snakes, and so there was only one thing for it. The -reptile, when I threw a small piece of dry wood at it, positively -refused to budge. I took one last disgusted look at its gleaming, -mottled, sinuous coils and flat, repulsive head, from which its black, -wicked, basilisk eyes looked dully out, and flopped into the water from -my perch, a distance of some ten or twelve feet. At one place the -current resembled a mill-race; this was doubtless the creek proper. In -ten minutes more I touched bottom with my feet, and soon, to my great -joy, I was stepping along on the firm sand again. I soon found the -track, but on it I also found what I least desired to see—the tracks of -savages going in the same direction as myself. I kept a sharp look-out -after that.</p> - -<p>The sun shone out all through that long, arduous day with a fierce, -intense heat, but there was no time for rest. I swam several creeks, -which carried me hundreds of yards down stream at a pace which meant -certain death if I ran against the business end of a snag; and I waded -and swam for many hundreds of yards at a stretch along the track in -places where it was flooded. By drinking copiously of the lukewarm water -I kept off the cravings of a healthy hunger. My pipe had slipped from my -pouch, and, anyhow, my tobacco and matches, which I carried inside my -hat, had got wet when I dropped from the tree; and this, to me, was the -greatest drawback of the situation. The sun rounded slowly towards the -west, and it was fast becoming dark, when suddenly I heard the jabbering -of blacks at some little distance. To climb into a thick pine tree and -conceal myself in its branches was the work of a few minutes. I had -hardly done so before a straggling mob of blacks passed slowly -underneath; the bucks, or warriors, went first with spears and -boomerangs in their hands, and the gins followed, carrying the -piccaninnies and household goods slung in numerous dilly-bags over their -backs. A few wretched half-tame dingoes brought up the rear, snarling -and fighting with one another. It seemed strange to me that these -savages should be journeying along the track, for at other times they -were rather anxious to avoid it. Perhaps they did it for the sake of the -novelty of the situation, naturally supposing that their enemies, -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page552" id="page552"></a>[pg 552]</span> -the whites, would not be travelling during the wet season. There might -have been fifty or sixty of them altogether in the band. To my intense -annoyance they went on about a couple of hundred yards, and halted, to -camp for the night, on what was evidently a drier piece of ground than -usual. There was no help for it—I should have to pass the night in that -tree. It would be folly to wander about in the dark; besides, I was dead -tired and could hardly keep my eyes open.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"><a href="images/031-1000.png"><img src="images/031-400.png" width="400" height="498" alt="" /></a> -<p>"WHEN I THREW A PIECE OF DRY WOOD AT IT, THE REPTILE POSITIVELY REFUSED TO BUDGE."</p></div> - -<p>I unslung my knapsack, wedged myself into a sitting position among the -close, dense boughs, and, in spite of the proximity of danger and a few -stray mosquitoes, was asleep in two minutes. Had I descended the tree -and camped on the ground, sleep must have been almost impossible on -account of the insects. The blacks lit numerous tiny fires, or -"smudges," to drive them off.</p> - -<p>I awoke about an hour before dawn, stiff and chilled to the bone on -account of my cramped, airy position, strapped my knapsack on my back, -and descended the tree. There was a silence as of death in the blacks' -camp. Taking my bearings, I made a wide detour and passed round them safely. -After that I avoided the track as much as possible. I must have walked nearly -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page553" id="page553"></a>[pg 553]</span> -thirty-five miles on the previous long day, but it should be borne in -mind that it was one of continuous, determined toil.</p> - -<p>I walked on steadily all that day, hardly pausing to rest, swimming -flooded creeks and wading in places up to my armpits, but my progress -was better than on the preceding day. I felt the pangs of hunger more -keenly, but I continued drinking large quantities of water, and this, as -I had often found before, to a certain degree stood me in good stead. At -noon I came to a wild, broad water-course called Scrubby Creek, and I -knew I was now within fifteen miles of my destination. I had been -speculating all day as to the state of affairs at my camp—wondering if -my men had deserted it, and if I should find it in the possession of the -savages. If so, I should have to be wary in making my approach; I should -have to follow the river down towards the sea and wait and starve until -the boat came round. The prospect was not cheerful, but still I never -for one moment allowed it to affect the course I was pursuing. If I -failed, then I had done my level best to do what I could, and at least -no soul-harrowing reflections would be mine.</p> - -<p>I was just about to step into the swirling, hurrying current of Scrubby -Creek when, happening to glance round, I saw something that made my -heart throb wildly and arrested my further progress in an instant. A -large number of savages were following me up, and there was not one of -them but carried a spear or weapon of some sort in his hand. I wheeled -about in an instant and drew my revolver, resolved to give them -something more than they bargained for.</p> - -<p>The blacks stopped short when they found they were discovered, and -spread out in the form of a semicircle; then they closed in until, with -their <i>wimmeras</i>, they could make sure of throwing their spears with -precision and effect. I waited until I also could make sure of my man, -and then, as one of them drew back his arm to lever his spear home, I -raised my revolver and fired. He dropped all of a heap, like a bullock -that has been knocked on the head with an axe. A spear whizzed past me -and buried itself in the thick bark of a ti tree close to my head. My -blood was up, but I took deliberate aim, and the savage who had thrown -it also bit the dust. At eighty yards my Colt was almost as deadly as a -rifle. Somewhat taken by surprise, the blacks retired, and I emptied the -remaining chambers of my revolver at them with effect. I even made to -follow them up, reloading as I walked, and they actually broke and ran -before me.</p> - -<p>This was exactly what I wanted, and I seized my opportunity. I turned -and dived into the brown, tawny-crested creek, and by vigorous -side-strokes made for a narrow, island-like strip of wooded land that -stood right in the middle of the stream. I had all but passed it when I -caught hold of an overhanging bough and drew myself into a thick clump -of reeds and undergrowth. I stood up to the arm-pits in water. There was -now some seventy yards between me and the bank I had just left—about -half the distance I had yet to accomplish. As I expected, the blacks, -who had rallied, now appeared on the scene. Quick as thought I placed my -soft-felt hat brim downwards on the water, and away it went sailing down -that boiling torrent. The blacks saw it, and thought they had me now -safely enough; they directed spear after spear at it, but I noticed that -none of them took effect; they ran along the bank in a great state of -excitement, shouting and skipping, and in a few minutes more were out of -sight. If my hat would only continue to float it might lead them quite a -nice little goose-chase.</p> - -<p>I waited for some time, and was just about to strike out for the -opposite shore when, to my no little surprise and chagrin, two of the -savages returned. They went for some little distance up-stream, and then -made straight for my little island. Evidently they had thought there was -something suspicious about my hat. Only my mouth, eyes, nose, and my -revolver-hand were above water now, and I waited for them to come on.</p> - -<p>And what a wait that was! Every moment seemed an eternity. I could -hardly control the intense longing that possessed me to be up and at -them. But I knew I must bide my time and make sure of both, otherwise -they could easily elude me in the water, attract the attention of the -other blacks, and then it would be all up with me. I knew the chances of -my coming out of that creek alive were very slight indeed; but life -seemed sweet just then. Every now and again a little wave would -unexpectedly dash over my face, and I would be nearly suffocated. Were -these savages never going to reach me? The suspense was too terrible.</p> - -<p>They reached my island and came down the narrow strip, prodding the -undergrowth with their spears. In another second they were within a few -yards of where I was ambushed. Both of them saw me at the same instant, -and up went their spears. Fortunately, one was almost behind the other, -and this interfered with their concerted action. I fired point-blank -into the grinning face of the foremost savage, and he dropped where he -stood; I saw the little round hole my bullet had made right in the -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page554" id="page554"></a>[pg 554]</span> -centre of his forehead. The flint spear-head of the second black ripped -open my shirt and made an ugly gash in the fleshy part of my arm. He was -within six feet of me, and I levelled my revolver at him and pulled the -trigger. To my dismay the weapon snapped uselessly, and I realized that -my last cartridge had been fired. In another moment that savage and I -were wrestling together in deadly grips. Once he had me under water and -I experienced all the first horrors of drowning, with the waters -thundering in my ears. It was surely all up with me now! But by one -supreme effort I pulled the rascal down, and then it was my turn. When I -had done with him I knew he would give me no more trouble. Next I tore -off part of my shirt into a long strip and bound it tightly round my -injured arm in a rough-and-ready but effectual fashion. Then, with only -one arm which was of any real use, I essayed to cross the remaining -strip of hurrying flood. In a few minutes more I was on the other side, -more dead than alive. Thank God! It was the last creek I had to cross.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 480px;"><a href="images/033-1200.png"><img src="images/033-480.png" width="480" height="499" alt="" /></a> -<p class="center">"HE DROPPED WHERE HE STOOD."</p></div> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page555" id="page555"></a>[pg 555]</span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/034-1200.png"><img src="images/034-600.png" width="600" height="309" alt="" /></a> -<h2 class="tag">THE ROMANCE OF WILD ANIMAL CATCHING.</h2></div> - -<p class="title">By Harold J. Shepstone.</p></div> - -<blockquote><p> -An interesting article describing how Mr. Carl Hagenbeck, the famous animal dealer, collects his -curious merchandise. Often, to secure specimens of some particularly valuable species, special expeditions -have to be organized. These are frequently away for many months, traversing thousands of -miles of practically unexplored country and meeting with all sorts of exciting adventures. -</p></blockquote> - -<div><img class="drop-cap1" src="images/034dc-100.png" width="100" height="100" alt="A" /></div> -<p class="drop-cap2"><span class="uppercase">A LITTLE</span> way outside the busy shipping port of Hamburg is the pretty -little suburban village of Stellingen. Here is located the largest -wild-animal exchange in the world—the one place where strange and -curious beasts from the four quarters of the earth are received and -housed until wanted by the great zoological gardens and menageries. It -is hardly necessary to add that this unique establishment is presided -over by Mr. Carl Hagenbeck, famous as the most successful animal dealer -the modern world has ever seen, and as the creator of a decidedly -original zoological garden.</p> - -<p>At Mr. Hagenbeck's great depôt there may be seen at any time the finest -and rarest collection of animals in the world. When the writer was in -Stellingen recently the value of the wild beasts gathered there was put -down at fifty thousand pounds, and they certainly included almost every -living creature one could name, among them being many very rare species.</p> - -<p>Naturally, the most romantic part of the whole business is the way in -which the animals are captured in their native wilds and -brought—sometimes thousands of miles—to the depôt, and the object of -the present article is to describe this side of a strange yet -fascinating trade.</p> - -<p>There is a vast difference between the hunter who kills for pleasure and -the hunter whose business it is to capture his quarry alive. The former -merely seeks his quarry, shoots it, secures a skin or horn as a trophy, -and then returns. True, he meets with many adventures and has often -exciting stories to tell of fights with enraged beasts. But the -collector stands on a different plane; his mission is not to -exterminate, but to preserve for the education and benefit of civilized -man. He may rightly be described as the humane invader of the forest, -jungle, desert, and plain, for he never kills unless it is necessary for -self-preservation. He sets out with the determination to bring back -typical specimens of the wild life of out-of-the-way parts of the earth, -so that those who pursue more peaceful callings at home may obtain some -idea of the characteristics and habits of the curious beasts that -inhabit the more inaccessible parts of the globe.</p> - -<p>Needless to say, the animal-catcher's task is much more difficult than that of -the ordinary hunter; from first to last every quest is one long period of anxiety. -The simplest part of the work, in many cases, is the capture of the beasts. -Thereafter his chief concern is their welfare. He has to attend to their many and -varied wants, doctor them when they are sick, and transport them safely for many -thousands of miles—often across trackless and practically -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page556" id="page556"></a>[pg 556]</span> -unexplored country. Not only must he know how to deal with the savage -beast, but with the savage man as well, for to accomplish his purpose he -has frequently to rely upon the natives to assist him, and he can only -do this efficiently by knowing how to handle them. Indeed, there are few -callings demanding more qualifications than that of the seeker after -live wild animals. The modern collector is a hunter, explorer, and -zoologist rolled into one.</p> - -<div class="figright" style="width: 280px;"><a href="images/035a-700.png"><img src="images/035a-280.png" width="280" height="483" alt="" /></a></div> - -<p>Naturally, it is the rarer species, such as the rhinoceros, -hippopotamus, giraffe, and zebra, that the dealers most prize. And here -a word of explanation is necessary. A traveller returning from the wilds -of Africa will tell you how he detected hippos floating down the streams -and spotted giraffes on the horizon; he will also relate to you how many -had been shot in the district only a short while before by some famous -sportsman. Yet, if you wished to procure a live rhinoceros to-day, you -would probably have to give as much as eight hundred pounds for it, and -almost as much for a hippopotamus. Why, one may well ask, this enormous -price for a single specimen of these creatures, when they appear to be -fairly plentiful in the land of their birth? The reason is easily -explained.</p> - -<div class="figleft" style="width: 300px;"><a href="images/035b-1000.png"><img src="images/035b-300.png" width="300" height="349" alt="" /></a> - -<p>ELEPHANTS AND BABIES—THE LATTER WERE BORN ON THE WAY TO EUROPE FROM SIAM.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From Photographs.</i></span></p></div> - -<p>To-day no hunter would dream of trying to capture a full-grown hippo or -rhinoceros. Indeed, it would be practically impossible to hold such an -animal, and, even were it possible to entice one into a cage, it would -probably only kill itself in its frenzied efforts to escape, or refuse -to eat, and so die of starvation. What the hunter endeavours to do, -therefore, is to secure the young ones. This he does by hunting along -the river banks until he happens to discover a hippo and her young. The -thing then is to capture the calf.</p> - -<p>Mr. Hagenbeck's hunters, or rather the natives engaged by his men, -resort to two methods in catching the hippopotamus. The so-called -Hawati, or water-hunters, of the Soudan, all of whom are excellent and -daring swimmers, harpoon their victims at the noon hour, when they -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page557" id="page557"></a>[pg 557]</span> -are sunk in deep slumber. Then they pull them to the bank by means of a -cord attached to the harpoon, and there make them fast. The hunters use -for this a special kind of harpoon, made in such a way that it does not -make a deep wound. Fully three-quarters of the hippopotami exhibited in -Europe have been captured in this way.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px; clear: both;"><a href="images/036a-1200.png"><img src="images/036a-600.png" width="600" height="263" alt="" /></a> -<p>NEWLY-CAPTURED ELEPHANTS ENJOYING A BATH IN THE SEA OFF THE COAST OF CEYLON.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/036b-1200.png"><img src="images/036b-600.png" width="600" height="412" alt="" /></a> -<p>TRANSPORTING WILD ANIMALS DOWN A RIVER IN NORTHERN ASIA.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<p>Hippopotamus hunts are also conducted on land. There advantage is taken -of the fact that the female hippopotamus makes her young walk in front -of her. The reason for this is that the beast, being well protected in the rear -by its abnormally thick skin, prefers to have its offspring in front, where it -can guard them better against danger. But, in spite of its affection for its children, -the mother hippo has no particular desire to meet danger when it comes. So the -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page558" id="page558"></a>[pg 558]</span> -hunters dig large pits in the forest, cover them over until they are -fully concealed, and then lie in wait near by. Presently a female -hippopotamus comes along with her child trotting before her. Suddenly, -without warning, the young one disappears before its mother's eyes. This -is too much for the old animal. She dashes away leaving the little one -at the mercy of its enemies.</p> - -<p>A fence is built at once around the pit and the captive is ensnared, -thrown to the ground, and securely tied. Then it is placed on a sort of -litter and carried by native carriers through the dense forest to the -hunter's camp. This is arduous work, as a two-year-old hippo weighs from -1,000lb. to 1,200lb.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/037-1200.png"><img src="images/037-600.png" width="600" height="166" alt="" /></a> -<p class="center">A HUNTERS CARAVAN ON THE MARCH—</p></div> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/038-1200.png"><img src="images/038-600.png" width="600" height="241" alt="" /></a> -<p class="center">—THE OUTFITTING OF THESE EXPEDITIONS IS A VERY COSTLY BUSINESS.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<p>Having secured the object of his mission, the next thing the hunter has -to do is to feed his prize. Now, a baby hippo will drink thirty pints of -milk a day and bellow for more, so that the question of an adequate -supply is very important. The nutriment is supplied by goats, which have -to be brought along with the expedition. This means, of course, that the -hunter's caravan is an unwieldy affair, and can only move across country -very slowly. Every step it advances it increases in size, being -continually added to, for in addition to collecting live animals the -collector also gathers skins and other things of value to the dealer.</p> - -<p>All the great animal collectors are agreed that the finest hunters in -the world are the natives themselves. They know how to frighten and -confuse the parent animals, and are quick at seizing an opportunity for -snatching up the young, a thing which has to be done quickly and without -the slightest hesitation, or the consequences may prove serious.</p> - -<p>In catching giraffes the hunter engages only natives who are expert -horsemen; he may recruit as few as a dozen or a corps of a couple of -hundred. Scouts are sent out until a herd is sighted, and then off go -the natives on their speedy Abyssinian ponies. Having come up with the -herd, with yells and shouts they dash towards the animals. Frightened -out of their wits by the din, the long-necked creatures turn and bolt -for dear life. For some time the chase is kept up at furious speed, -until one by one the young ones fall behind exhausted. Instantly they -are cut off from the others by a couple of men on horseback and headed -towards the camp, soon becoming entirely exhausted and falling an easy -prey to their captors. Halters are then fastened round their heads and -they are led and driven back to the camp. They are fed principally on -goats' milk, corn, and various kinds of green stuff.</p> - -<p>It would be practically impossible to secure a full-grown giraffe, for -if you managed to corner one you could not hold it. This animal is more -plentiful now than it was a few years ago, on account of the opening up -of the Egyptian Soudan. Indeed, between the years 1880 and 1900 only -three giraffes were imported into Europe, two coming from South Africa -and one from Senegal. "I have had rather bad luck with giraffes lately," -said Mr. Hagenbeck. "Out of six recently sent to us from the interior of -Nubia, only one arrived alive; the remainder all died on the way. Last -year, out of eight, only two reached Hamburg."</p> - -<p>A more hardy animal, and one that is decidedly more plentiful, is the -zebra—that is to say, the common mountain kind. Certain species of this -beautifully-striped African horse, however, are getting very scarce, -including the Grévy and Burchell. Zebras are caught by "drives." First -of all, the hunter builds a large stockaded enclosure with a kind of -funnel-shaped opening. As many as three to five thousand natives are -then called into requisition. Some of them come mounted on their swift -ponies, the majority, however, being on foot. Each man carries a -harmless-looking little flag on the end of a stick. Scouts are sent out -in various directions, and when they report the presence of a herd the -army of natives quietly files out of camp and for hours tramps over the -ground, spreading out in the form of a vast semicircle, measuring -perhaps five miles across at its widest part. In this way -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page559" id="page559"></a>[pg 559]</span> -they manage to surround the unsuspecting zebras. Then, at a given -signal—generally a pistol-shot—they commence shouting and beating -tom-toms, moving meanwhile towards the animals.</p> - -<p>The frightened zebras retreat at once, dashing towards the stockade. As -they approach it other animals are surprised, including, perhaps, -antelope, eland, deer, buffalo, and perhaps a giraffe. The one aim of -the four-footed fugitives is to get away from the cordon of yelling -natives, which now surrounds them on every side. There is only one -outlet, which leads into the stockade, and into this they plunge -panic-stricken. Once inside, the entrance is immediately closed. At a -recent drive, organized by one of Mr. Hagenbeck's hunters in German East -Africa, fully four hundred zebras and a large number of antelopes and -other animals were surrounded in this way. As the corral was not large -enough to hold such a number the greater portion were allowed to escape, -and finally eighty-five zebras and fifteen antelopes were secured.</p> - -<p>When first captured the zebra is very wild, dashing about the stockade -at lightning speed, but in a few days he recognises that it is hopeless -to try to escape, and philosophically accepts the situation. In German -East Africa the settlers often tame these newly-caught zebras and ride -them like horses.</p> - -<p>Curiously enough, the big cats—such as lions, tigers, and leopards—do -not give the hunter so much trouble as some of the hoofed animals. In -the case of lions they are now only taken when cubs. This work is done -by the natives; the collector merely tells them that he is wanting -lions, and in a short time they return with the desired number. These -men track the lioness to her den, rushing in suddenly and raining spears -upon her till she is dead. The little ones are then wrapped up in pieces -of cloth and handed over to the hunter at the camp. They are fed on -goats' milk—which they drink out of a bottle—and pieces of fowl until -they are old enough to travel, when they are sent down to the coast in -little wooden boxes on the backs of camels and shipped to Europe.</p> - -<p>Occasionally when the cub-hunters visit a den they find both parents -away, and then their task is easy. Should the mother return, however, -there is at once a fierce fight, and unless she is quickly overpowered -it goes hard indeed with the natives. There is no creature more fierce -than one of these big cats when it comes to protecting her young, and -the cries of the infuriated mother will sometimes bring her mate to the -scene, and an enraged male lion strikes terror into all but the stoutest -hearts.</p> - -<p>Abyssinia is now the great lion-hunting ground. The best lions were -those obtained from the Atlas Mountains in North Africa, but this -species is now practically extinct. At Mr. Hagenbeck's depôt there are -at present some forty-six lions of all ages. They have come from the -Congo, from the Egyptian Soudan, from Senegal, and from South and East -Africa. Some of these animals are worth as much as three hundred pounds -apiece. In the same section there may also be seen some twenty-two -tigers, representing several very rare species. There are some, for -instance, from Siberia, magnificent creatures, with beautifully-striped -coats, and worth over two hundred pounds apiece.</p> - -<p>Tigers are captured as cubs and also when fully grown; often the animal -hunter, to the delight of the natives, will entrap some much-dreaded -man-eater. Tigers are caught in large pitfalls, and various methods of -securing the animals when once they are in the pit are adopted. In some -cases a strong wooden trap is fixed in the pit, and when the animal falls -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page560" id="page560"></a>[pg 560]</span> -through the lightly-covered mesh at the top it traps and cages itself -automatically. In others it merely falls into a big hole, and has to be -secured and dragged out by ropes. In certain parts of India the natives -are so daring that they will place a collar, from which hang a number of -twenty-foot ropes, round the neck of a newly-caught tiger. To the end of -each a man will hang on for dear life, and by pulling against each other -guide the infuriated brute along the path they wish it to follow. In -this way they literally walk the tiger to market.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/039a-1200.png"><img src="images/039a-600.png" width="600" height="194" alt="" /></a> -<p>A HERD OF DIMINUTIVE WILD HORSES FROM ASIA—THEY COST MR. -HAGENBECK TEN THOUSAND POUNDS TO OBTAIN.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<p>Everyone knows how they catch elephants in India—by driving them into a -kheddah or stockade, and then sending in trained elephants to subdue -their newly-caught brethren—so that no description of this method need -be given here. Naturally, no dealer would ever dream of organizing an -expedition to hunt this great creature, save, perhaps, the African -variety, which is now very rare and valuable. In the course of a single -year Mr. Hagenbeck will dispose of as many as thirty to fifty elephants. -On one occasion he received a cable ordering thirty, and they were duly -shipped by the next steamer.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/039b-1200.png"><img src="images/039b-600.png" width="600" height="376" alt="" /></a> -<p class="center">A CARAVAN HALTED FOR REST.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<p>Some few years ago the famous dealer had a remarkable experience with an -African elephant, which stood eight feet in height and was a magnificent -creature of its kind. It was sold to the proprietor of an American circus, who was -then touring in Europe. Mr. Hagenbeck's instructions were to send the animal by -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page561" id="page561"></a>[pg 561]</span> -rail from Hamburg to Dresden. A special wagon was ordered to convey the -creature, and when all was ready it was walked from the depot down to -the station.</p> - -<p>"He went as quietly as a lamb," said Mr. Hagenbeck. "Arriving at the -station, I fixed a stout rope to one of his forelegs, in case the animal -should get a little nervous or excited. The elephant was just about to -enter its wagon when an express train ran through the station, blowing -its whistle rather loudly as it did so. This frightened the creature. He -commenced to trumpet, spread out his long ears, and then, with a twist -of his foot, smashed the rope as if it had been a piece of thread. -Realizing he was about to bolt I jumped up and clung to one of his ears, -hoping by this means to prevent the beast from dashing away and causing -endless damage everywhere.</p> - -<p>"I had hardly grasped his ear, however, before he started off. I had no -option then but to hang on, for if I had dropped I should probably have -been trampled upon, so to the animal's ear I clung for dear life. At the -bottom of the railway yard was a large iron gate. When we first came -through we had closed it behind us, and I thought that this barrier, -perhaps, might stop the elephant's mad career. But it did nothing of the -kind. The brute simply charged it full force with his head, without in -the least slackening speed, and the stout gate was smashed, portions of -the iron bars being hurled a great distance.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 370px;"><a href="images/040-1000.png"><img src="images/040-370.png" width="370" height="496" alt="" /></a> -<p class="center">THE MONARCH OF THE FOREST IN AN UNUSUAL POSE.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page562" id="page562"></a>[pg 562]</span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/041-1200.png"><img src="images/041-600.png" width="600" height="196" alt="" /></a> -<p class="center">A GENERAL VIEW OF THE ZEBRA STOCKADE, ERECTED TO HOLD NEWLY-CAPTURED SPECIMENS.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<p>"Out into the busy streets of Hamburg bolted the elephant, trumpeting -madly and frightening both horses and pedestrians as he rushed along. -Past electric trams and carriages he dashed, with me still dangling from -one of his ears. He went straight back to the depôt, the same way as he -had come—by a road which he had never travelled before. When he arrived -at the depôt the iron gate there was closed, but this was quickly broken -down and the creature dashed into his stable. Entering the latter, he -stood still for a second or two, and then jumped on to the platform -where he had been in the habit of standing and commenced eating hay as -if nothing had happened!"</p> - -<p>Here is an interesting instance of the famous dealer's enterprise. When -the Russian traveller, Prjevalsky, startled the zoological world a few -years ago by the announcement that he had seen in the deserts of -Sungaria, in Central Asia, a new species of wild horse, Mr. Hagenbeck -decided to secure some specimens, and an expedition was at once -organized. His travellers penetrated to the northern border of the Gobi -Desert, where they found themselves in the land of the Kirghiz, a tribe -noted for its horses and expert horsemanship. Engaging the services of -nearly two thousand Kirghiz riders, and taking with them fifty brood -mares in foal, the collectors sought the desert home of the wild horse. -After a series of exciting adventures the travellers succeeded in -capturing fifty-two young colts of the wild horse species.</p> - -<p>These were mothered by the domesticated mares that had been taken along -with the expedition for that purpose, and then, after a rest, the long -and arduous homeward journey was begun. It took three months for the -caravan to reach the Siberian Railway and depart for Hamburg. During the -trip twenty-eight of the wild colts succumbed, and only twenty-four -reached Hamburg alive. The expedition was in the field nearly eighteen -months, and its expenses totalled some ten thousand pounds.</p> - -<p>When I was in Stellingen Mr. Hagenbeck was daily expecting the return of -an expedition which he had dispatched to Northern Siberia. His men were -bringing him home some rare deer, bears, wolves, pheasants, and a host -of other creatures. Another hunter was on his way back from West Africa -with some young gorillas and other interesting creatures, while yet -another was bringing home elephants from Ceylon, and still a fourth -Polar bears and young walruses from Spitzbergen.</p> - -<p>These collectors journey far into the wilds and literally take -their lives in their hands. They never know what danger awaits them. -On one occasion a caravan was quietly making its -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page563" id="page563"></a>[pg 563]</span> -way along the dry bed of a stream in Central Asia, the chief hunter -happy in the knowledge that his mission had been successful, and that he -was bringing home a really valuable collection of wild beasts. Suddenly -the heavens grew dark and loud peals of thunder were heard, followed by -vivid lightning-flashes. The hunter knew what it meant—unless he got -out of that river-bed soon he and his men and their valuable freight -would be washed away. He hastened them forward with all speed, but -before they could find a track up the steep sides the waters were upon -them, and in a few minutes what had previously been a smooth roadway was -a roaring torrent, with men and horses, mixed up with all kinds of wild -creatures, fighting for their lives Most of the men managed to escape, -but three-fourths of the valuable animals were lost.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/042a-1200.png"><img src="images/042a-600.png" width="600" height="276" alt="" /></a> -<p class="center">TRANSHIPPING CAMELS FROM SHIP TO SHORE.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/042b-1200.png"><img src="images/042b-600.png" width="600" height="349" alt="" /></a> -<p class="center">A SPECIAL CONSIGNMENT OF "ASSORTED WILD ANIMALS" FOR MR. HAGENBECK'S DEPÔT.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<p>To describe how every beast one sees in a well-organized zoo is caught -would naturally occupy a great deal of space. The various species of -Siberian deer are taken when young. A herd is driven by the natives into -deep snow, into which the young ones sink and are unable to extricate -themselves. Most of the bears, too, are also secured when mere cubs. In the -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page564" id="page564"></a>[pg 564]</span> -case of the giant Polar bear, the cubs are taken from their mothers, -dumped into barrels, and brought across the ocean in ships to the -dealer, often arriving in a very sorry plight. The Indian hunter will -catch snakes for you by setting fire to the grass where they are known -to exist, and securing them in nets as they try to escape. Those of the -boa-constrictor type are taken either when they have gorged themselves -with food, and are more or less lifeless, or else secured in traps.</p> - -<p>The whole business is vastly exciting, and Mr. Hagenbeck can narrate -many adventures he has had while handling his strange merchandise. When -a young man he often went out himself hunting animals. While bringing -home a large consignment once from Africa a full-grown lion got loose on -board ship. It was very early in the morning, and the dealer was asleep -in his cabin at the time. He was quickly roused by the captain, who was -very much frightened, as were also the members of his crew. Placing a -"shifting den" in position, the dealer took his large whip and sought -the lion. He found him in a crouching position, his eyes glaring, and in -no mood to be played with. Cracking the whip several times, by a series -of manœuvres he managed to get behind the beast and slowly drove him -forward. It was very tricky work, and several times it looked as if the -big revolver would have to be drawn and the animal shot. Then, as -sometimes happens, the animal suddenly lost heart, bolted into his cage, -and was safely secured.</p> - -<p>In Suez, once, a full-grown giraffe ran away with Mr. Hagenbeck, who -held him by a rope twisted round his wrist. Not being able to free -himself he was dragged along the streets and fearfully knocked about. -When he did get loose he was so exhausted and bruised that he had to lie -quite still for a quarter of an hour without moving. On another -occasion, while unloading a hippopotamus, the animal got loose and -started after him. He ran into its den, and managed to escape through -the bars at the other end just as the beast was upon him.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/043-044-1500.png"><img src="images/043-044-600.png" width="600" height="482" alt="" /></a> -<p class="center">SOME OF THE GIRAFFES IN MR. HAGENBECK'S ANIMAL DEPÔT.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page565" id="page565"></a>[pg 565]</span></p> - -<p>Animals sometimes start fighting among themselves, and to separate them -is exceedingly dangerous. Perhaps the queerest encounter ever witnessed -at this remarkable animal exchange was that which took place between a -hippopotamus and a kangaroo. "The latter," said Mr. Hagenbeck, "was the -largest kangaroo I ever had in my possession; it was over six feet high, -and a very powerful animal. It occupied a stable close to that of the -hippo, and one night the kangaroo jumped over its fence into the hippo's -pen. The kangaroo landed in the hippo's tank, which was empty.</p> - -<p>"It was two o'clock in the morning when the incident occurred, and when -I arrived on the scene I could not help smiling, the whole affair being -so comical. There stood the monster hippo with his enormous mouth open, -snapping at the kangaroo down in the tank below. The moment the hippo -moved down towards the tank the kangaroo sprang into the air and smacked -his opponent in the face with his great forefeet. When the hippo got too -venturesome, by endeavouring to walk into the tank despite the blows, -the kangaroo took a mighty leap upwards and struck his enemy with his -hind feet, inflicting terrible scratches with his claws.</p> - -<p>"Try as he would the hippo could not get into that tank to attack the -kangaroo. To separate the combatants was a puzzle. We did it ultimately -by fixing up an arrangement by which we dropped a large seal net over -the kangaroo, and then, drawing in the cords, secured him. To divert the -hippo's attention, the moment the net was lowered over the kangaroo one -of my men pretended to enter the cage. The ruse succeeded, and the -kangaroo was safely released and taken back to his proper quarters.</p> - -<p>"I could tell you many more adventures," said Mr. Hagenbeck, as we shook -hands on parting, "but the fact is I have just written a book in which I -have given a complete story of my life, and I have embodied in it the -little adventures I have had while hunting, collecting, and handling my -strange merchandise." That book certainly ought to make good reading.</p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page566" id="page566"></a>[pg 566]</span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/045-1200.png"><img src="images/045-600.png" width="600" height="477" alt="" /></a></div> - -<h2>HOW WE CAPTURED THE REBEL CHIEF.</h2> - -<p class="title"><span class="sc">By E. F. Martin, late of the Royal Niger Company's Service.</span></p></div> - -<blockquote><p> -A powerful native chief was stirring up trouble against the white man, and the order went forth -that he was to be arrested and brought in for trial. The author was in charge of the expedition, -and here relates the thrilling happenings that befell his little band ere the "wanted" rebel was safely -caged at head-quarters. -</p></blockquote> - -<div><img class="drop-cap1" src="images/045dc-100.png" width="100" height="100" alt="I" /></div> -<p class="drop-cap4"><span class="uppercase">IT</span> was the month of July, in the year 1898, and we were kicking our -heels in idleness about Asaba, waiting for the return of the Chief -Justice to decide an important local matter, when the senior executive -officer of the district requested me to take political charge of a -mission into the Hinterland, to bring in the paramount chief of a great -secret organization, which was the cause of grave unrest in the -territory behind Benin, its members having vowed to drive the white man -out of the country. Overjoyed at the news, I ran across to the bungalow -of Lieutenant Townsend, the officer commanding the local detachment of -the Royal Niger Constabulary, and handed him the order to accompany me -with an escort of fifty men. After luncheon we mounted the Maxim gun -belonging to the station on Townsend's veranda, and practised, in turn, -on logs floating down the great sluggish Niger, which passes in a wide -sweep by the foot of the slope on which Asaba nestles.</p> - -<p>Our target-practice over, we set to work to review the light column that -had, meanwhile, been getting ready to accompany us on the morrow on our -adventure into the unknown. The fifty Hausa soldiers looked wonderfully -smart and keen in their light khaki marching-kit.</p> - -<p>At daylight next day we set out, our transport consisting of sixty -coolie carriers. The dreary pattering of the rain on the myriad leaves -of the forest trees, and the splash, splash of many feet on the flooded -pathway, provided a melancholy accompaniment to the hushed whispers of -the men and our own serious thoughts.</p> - -<p>We passed round the native town to the right and plunged up to our -waists in muddy water, through which the pathway led right into the -darkness of the forest. For several hours it rained incessantly; the -whole land was dank and sodden, and reeked of wet, rotting vegetation. -Later on the rain ceased, and on one occasion, when we emerged from the -depths of the forest into open farm lands, we were bathed in a blaze of sunshine, -only to plunge into the cool of the forest glades again. We pitched camp at -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page567" id="page567"></a>[pg 567]</span> -Openam, where far into the night I lay awake, listening to the many -strange noises of that strange land. The beating of the corn for next -day's meal sounded like the possible building of stockades by some -malignant enemy preparing to entrap us, and the cries of the night-birds -and prowling beasts seemed like so many uncanny voices of woodland -spirits, warning us of some impending doom.</p> - -<p>We were early astir, and after a quick light breakfast set out towards -our goal—the town of Issèlé. At Issèlé M'patimo we were stopped by a -stockade, and it was only after much persuasion and many assurances of -friendship that we were allowed to pass through—not, however, before -every soul in the place had disappeared. Not a house was to be seen. We -entered a great clearing completely fenced in by impenetrable barriers -of living trees, whose leafy branches interlaced in inextricable folds. -Somewhere behind these barriers were the houses. We could see no trace -of the hundreds of eyes that we felt—we <i>knew</i>—were staring at us from -all sides; no inkling of the countless black muzzles of the Long Dane -guns that were covering us. Nobody appeared, however, and we marched -through this silent clearing without mishap. But we had hardly got -beyond the confines of this curious city of the woods before heavy -firing broke out in our immediate rear. We</p> - -<p>felt certain that we were in for it, but our guide reassured us, saying -that the townspeople were only giving vent to their feelings of relief -at our not having molested them.</p> - -<p>That night we camped in a village outside Issèlé, and on interviewing -the chief found that he had with him a daughter of the man we wished to -capture, and persuaded her to come with us next morning into Issèlé.</p> - -<p>On reaching that town we drew the men up in square before the King's -house—a lofty building of enormous circumference, painted or washed a -pink colour—and demanded to see His Majesty. After a lot of parleying I -entered the building, leaving Townsend outside, but taking my -interpreter and four soldiers with me as a body guard. I was shown into -a large courtyard, surrounded on all sides by a veranda, whilst in the -centre stood a kind of idol on a rude column. Overhanging the palace -outside, an enormous cotton-tree rose some two hundred feet into the -air. Not a leaf or a vestige of bark adorned its mournful, lonely -majesty. From every branch, however, hung some ghastly offering to the -ruling fetish of the place—here a dead fowl, there a skull dangling by -a matted bunch of hair, and many another gruesome thing. It cast a -shadow and a hush of Death over everything; the people seemed to live in -continual fear of some unknown terror. As I waited in this strange -courtyard with my five companions, I took the opportunity to get my -bearings. The doorway by which I had entered led out into the square by -some steps, and was about six feet above the level of the ground -outside. Its heavy, iron-studded wooden door stood ajar. The only other -entrance to the courtyard was opposite this one, and led into the -private apartments of the palace. The middle of the courtyard was some -two feet below the level of the surrounding veranda.</p> - -<p>Suddenly the private door flew open, and a swarm of men entered, armed -with guns, spears, swords, and bows and arrows. At a sign from me my men -quietly fixed bayonets. Then the King came in, gorgeously robed in red -velvet, and sat down on a chair near me, after shaking hands and -indicating another chair that had been brought for me. I then, through -my interpreter, explained my mission. As the King proved to be on bad -terms with Ozuma Munyi, the man I sought, he was quite willing to give -me a free hand, but did not dare to take any open action himself, as -Ozuma was head of a very powerful party and might prove nasty later on. -He, however, agreed to send a messenger to call him. We waited for fully -half an hour, not knowing whether the rebel chieftain would come or not. -Needless to say, that half-hour was one of poignant anxiety, as on that -message depended the success or failure of our expedition. The messenger -was told to say that Ozuma's daughter was with us, and that if he -himself would not come we should return to Asaba with her. Meanwhile I -called Townsend in, and we arranged that, as Ozuma's party entered, -Townsend and twelve men should manage to intermingle with them, and -thus, unnoticed, get into the courtyard. We felt that to fill the place -with soldiers beforehand might frighten our man.</p> - -<p>Soon the messenger returned with the good news that Ozuma Munyi was -coming, and shortly afterwards a body of men, armed to the teeth, -entered from the square outside, accompanied by Townsend and some of his -men. When Ozuma and I had shaken hands the tug-of-war began. He was an -enormous, powerfully-built man, and nothing that I could say would move -him to accompany us. At last, seeing that persuasion was useless, I -glanced across at Townsend and nodded. He uttered one word that had the -result of an explosion. A flash of bayonets and a rush of -khaki-uniformed men from behind the veranda columns, and the whole place -was in an uproar. The King and his followers promptly disappeared -through the inner doorway, and Ozuma's men were kept at -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page568" id="page568"></a>[pg 568]</span> -bay by the bayonets of my four Hausa guards, whilst our rebel himself, -and the twelve men told off to capture him, rolled and tumbled and -fought all over the courtyard—one man against twelve—amid Ozuma's -frenzied shouts of "The King has sold me! The King has sold me!" Then, -crash! out through the doorway he hurtled, with five men on top of him. -By the time Townsend and I reached the bottom of the steps, however, the -struggle was over, and half the column was sitting on the prostrate body -of our prisoner.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 380px;"><a href="images/047-1000.png"><img src="images/047-380.png" width="380" height="498" alt="" /></a> -<p>"OUT THROUGH THE DOORWAY HE HURTLED, WITH FIVE MEN ON TOP OF HIM."</p></div> - -<p>Having called the men off and pinioned his arms securely, we lost no -time in forming up into marching order and setting out for home, as our -surroundings began to take on a threatening aspect. Hundreds of armed -blacks were gathering from all sides, wondering at the happenings which -were being enacted in the shadow of their mystery-tree.</p> - -<p>We decided to give the Ozuma party the slip by getting out of the place -by a different route to that by which we had come, and, once clear of -the town, set off at the double. That was the hardest and most desperate -race I have ever run. At every few yards great trees had been thrown -across the track, and we had to scramble over these, or, wherever -practicable, dive underneath. We ran for some miles along this tangled -forest path, and then called a halt at the foot of a short hill, crowned -by a town called Nburu-Kitti. Forming up we marched to the summit, and -halting in the marketplace sent for the King. His Majesty refused to -come, so we informed him that, on a second refusal, we would fire into -his house. Then he came quickly enough. We told him that all we wished -him to do was to promise that we should not be molested by his people, -and this promise he readily gave. I then took the head of the -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page569" id="page569"></a>[pg 569]</span> -column, followed by five or six men; then came the Maxim gun and our -prisoner and his escort, followed immediately by Townsend and the rest -of the force. As we were passing the last row of huts the crack of a -musket rang out. I turned, thinking that some soldier had let off his -rifle by mistake, but before I could ask what it was that had happened -the whole column was blazing away right and left. Going back to the -Maxim, I had it fixed up and trained on the town, whence a heavy fire -had been opened on us through the doors and windows and from behind the -walls of the compounds. It was obvious that the local King meant to do -his best to rescue his friend, Ozuma Munyi.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 560px;"><a href="images/048-1200.png"><img src="images/048-560.png" width="560" height="481" alt="" /></a> -<p class="center">"WE RUSHED IN AMONGST A FRIGHTENED CROWD OF SAVAGES."</p></div> - -<p>I had barely taken my seat behind the gun when my helmet was shot away -by a slug that tore a slight flesh wound over my right temple. I had the -satisfaction, however, of seeing a whole section of wall crumble away -under my first sweeping fire with the Maxim, and five dark forms fall -across the ruins. Then a blinding rush of blood poured down my face, and -almost simultaneously the gun jammed. Wiping the blood from my eyes, and -getting a Hausa to tie a handkerchief round my head, I turned to call -Townsend to have a look at the weapon, when, to my consternation, I saw -him lying on the ground, with two men bending over him. Several others -had also fallen. The fire from the houses was getting heavier each -second, and I realized that unless we mastered it speedily we might find -ourselves in a serious position. So, snatching up Townsend's sword and -brandishing my revolver in my left hand, I called on some of the men to -follow me and help clear the compounds. Twenty at once volunteered, and -with a yell we dashed straight for the wall that had crumbled under the -Maxim fire. Leaping over the foot or two remaining, we rushed in amongst -a frightened crowd of savages, who, astonished at the sudden onslaught, -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page570" id="page570"></a>[pg 570]</span> -tried to retreat through a narrow inner doorway. With bayonets and -rifle-butts, bullets and sword-thrusts, we hacked and hammered at the -seething mass of yelling blacks. Out of twenty-five that made for the -exit, only seven got through, three of whom fell to my revolver before -getting any farther. Shouting to the men to follow me, I next ran back -into the roadway, ordering the native sergeant-major to form square, -with the prisoner in the middle, and await further instructions. Then, -with my volunteers, I made for the King's house, where we battered down -the door and rushed in. As we appeared the folk inside, dropping their -weapons, ran away through various huts and doorways. Some we shot down, -others were bayoneted. I and a native N.C.O. went after the chief. -Through some huts, and around others, dodging in and out between mud -walls and partitions of matting, we followed him until at last we -cornered him, as we thought, in a house that seemed to close all exit -from the compound in that direction. The King dashed in, I after him, -and the N.C.O. at my heels.</p> - -<p>The house was divided into three rooms, cutting it into three equal -parts. When we reached the third room, the farthest from the entrance, -we came to a standstill, for it was pitch dark, and there seemed to be -no windows. The heavy wooden door that led into the place stood ajar, -and the N.C.O. pushed past me and rushed into the darkness. Fearing -treachery, I</p> - -<p>tried to stop him, but did not succeed in doing so. Just then there was -a noise behind me like the banging of a door. I turned, but some -instinct seemed to hold me where I stood. A dead silence had fallen on -the place, and I must confess to a feeling that something uncanny was in -the air. I could hear through the silence, as though from miles and -miles away, faint shouts, and now and then a distant shot, but in the -rooms around me absolute stillness prevailed. What had become of the -fugitive King and my too eager N.C.O.?</p> - -<p>At last, overcoming the strange feeling of apathy that like a spell had -come over me, I called to my companion, inquiring where on earth he had -got to. The sound of my voice rang hollow and strange in that gloomy -place, and seemed to echo faintly, but there was no reply. Feeling -certain now that some kind of treachery was at work, I felt in my tunic -for a match, but found that I had either dropped my only box or my -orderly had relieved me of it that morning, for some reason best known -to himself. The solitary window in the middle room, where I had come to -a full stop, was shuttered—actually nailed up. The only light that came -in filtered through the chinks. I tried to burst the shutter open, but -it resisted all my efforts. Then, bethinking me of my revolver, I went -to the entrance of the innermost room once more, and, aiming at the -floor, fired. The flash revealed the interior to me for an instant. It -seemed absolutely empty! Where were the two men who had entered? Had -they gone out, by any chance, through the roof, I wondered? Yet there -was no sign of daylight anywhere to indicate an exit under the -palm-thatch, and there was no doorway visible in the farther walls. -There was nothing in the room, with the exception of a few mats lying in -the middle of the floor. With the intention of going round outside the -house and trying to discover for myself what the solution of the mystery -could be I turned on my heel and retraced my steps, crossed the middle -room once more, and passed through the doorway into the first of the -three rooms.</p> - -<p>Then I started back, nearly suffocated. A great rolling cloud of thick -yellow smoke met me and completely enveloped me. In an instant I -realized what it meant—the house was on fire! Making a wild dart for -the shuttered window of the middle room, I banged and hammered at it -with all my might and main, using both the hilt of Townsend's sword, -which I carried, and the handle of my revolver, but all to no purpose. -There was no doubt about it: I was completely trapped. But, meantime, -what had become of all my men—the twenty enthusiastic volunteers who -had smashed in the door of the compound and rushed in along with -me—where had they got to? A smell of hot smoke filled the room, and -from outside the roaring as of a mighty wind, accompanied by the -crackling of musketry, was all the sound that I could hear. Then it -suddenly dawned upon me that the crackling was not that of musketry, the -roaring not that of wind—but of the town and compound on fire and -fiercely blazing like the house I was entrapped in. There was no -mistaking those ominous red gleams that now began to be reflected -through the imperfectly-fitted shutter. Suddenly the roar became -deafening, and a great lurid tongue of flame shot across the room, -accompanied by a blast of heat that nearly choked me. I had barely time -to make a dash for the third chamber before the fire took complete -possession of the middle one. The heat and the smoke were terrible. I -made a spring for the farther wall in order to try to force my way -through the roof, which at this, the extreme, end of the house had not -yet caught alight. Three times did I make the attempt, but each time -fell back, unable to get a hand-hold on the top of the wall. At the -third attempt, on staggering back, my foot got -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page571" id="page571"></a>[pg 571]</span> -entangled in one of the mats that were lying on the floor and I tripped -and fell, half fainting from the terrible smoke and heat. As I went down -the mats seemed to give way, and with great force the lower half of my -body—my left hip and leg—struck against the side of some kind of -cavity, into which I found I had half fallen, for, whilst I had come on -the floor with my hands, the rest of me swung into space. In that moment -I understood, to some extent, why that house held such strange echoes.</p> - -<p>The roaring flames overhead and the dense, stifling smoke, that, but for -the excitement of my fall, would already have rendered me unconscious, -now precluded any possible thought of making my escape through any of -the rooms of the house, and so I turned my attention to my latest -discovery, hoping against hope that it would enable me to save my life. -The sides of the well seemed to be made of smooth, hardened earth, and -were damp and covered with slime. Using all my strength, I let myself -down to the full length of my arms until I hung well below the level of -the floor. Here I managed to draw one of the mats over my head, and -clung to the walls of that gloomy pit like a beetle. Kicking against the -sides with the toes of my boots, I managed to make holes in the hard -clay, large enough to allow of my resting my feet sufficiently to take -off some of the strain from my fingers and arms. What my thoughts were -at that time I do not pretend to know; I do not think I had any. For the -time being I was no better than any other beetle, clinging desperately -to the side of the pit, of the depth of which I had no idea. A cold, -damp draught of foul air seemed to blow up from below me, and a mouldy -stench sickened my nostrils.</p> - -<p>Suddenly my dulled senses were awakened by a tremendous crash, -accompanied by much hissing and spluttering, and the red light above the -mat covering my head went out. As I looked up, wondering what this could -mean, something fell upon the mats, forcing the one directly over me -inwards and sending it floating down past me into the darkness beneath. -The falling object also crushed my right hand at the same time, and the -sudden pain caused me to loose my hold, so that for one awful moment I -dangled helplessly, suspended only by my left hand, over that reeking -pit.</p> - -<p>Having secured another hand-hold, I stared anxiously up through the -smoke. The cause of all the commotion, I discovered, was a burning -rafter, all blackened and charred, which had toppled down when the roof -collapsed. The fall of the thatch appeared to have temporarily quenched -the fire, and it seemed as good an opportunity of escape as I was likely -to get, so, drawing myself up by my left hand, I managed to get my right -arm round the still smouldering beam and, with a supreme effort, dragged -myself out of the mouth of the well once more, getting astride of the -charred and smoking beam, and thence on to the floor. Bruised and -scorched, with my clothes burning and my helmet gone, I managed to -clamber up the wall of the room by means of the many pieces of blackened -and half-burnt bamboo that had come down with the roof, and flung myself -recklessly over the farther side. I fell on my back, and by rights ought -to have had some bones broken, but somehow I escaped with a few severe -contusions. Picking myself up, I rushed through the flaming compound, -with red-hot ashes swirling about my face, acrid smoke filling my lungs, -and my eyes streaming water from the fearful heat. Escaping by a miracle -more than once, as a roof collapsed or a wall fell out with a crash -across my path, and leaping over the bodies of natives at every turn, I -eventually emerged into the market-place more dead than alive.</p> - -<p>The troops were formed in square as I had left them. Men were issuing -from the burning compounds, singly and in twos and threes. All firing -had ceased, and not a native of the place was to be seen anywhere. As I -approached the square at a staggering trot I ran a great risk of being -shot, for—as I learnt subsequently—the men were so startled at my -appearance that they were seriously thinking of putting a bullet through -me. They told me afterwards that I looked more like a devil than -anything they had ever seen, and they took me for the fire-spirit that -lived in the flames. Some of the coolies even started to bolt, until -reassured by their companions and by the sound of my voice.</p> - -<p>I ordered the "Fall in" to be sounded, so as to collect my scattered -volunteers, and then set about seeing what I could do to ease the -horrible pains of my burns. This I accomplished, to some extent, with -various ointments that I found in the medicine-chest we had brought with -us. I then turned my attention to Townsend. On examining him I found -that he had been hit in the shoulder. He had swooned at the time, but -was now quite conscious again. We concluded that it was nothing very -serious, did what we thought best at the moment, and bandaged the wound -up well. Then, with Townsend in a hammock, and carrying our wounded -coolies along with us—no soldiers had been hit—we set out for Asaba -once more with our prisoner.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"><a href="images/051-1000.png"><img src="images/051-380.png" width="380" height="488" alt="" /></a> -<p>A LETTER FROM THE ROYAL NIGER COMPANY TO THE AUTHOR THANKING HIM FOR HIS CONDUCT OF THE EXPEDITION.</p></div> - -<p>After half an hour's marching we met a friendly native, who told us that we were to -be ambushed some quarter of a mile farther on. On receipt of this cheerful piece of -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page572" id="page572"></a>[pg 572]</span> -information we retraced our steps; we had had our fill of fighting for -that day, especially as our instructions were to avoid bloodshed if we -could possibly do so. The alternative route we determined to take added -five miles to our journey, and I shall never forget the weariness and -uncertainty of that long <i>détour</i>. The knowledge that, at any moment, a -stealthy and wary enemy might suddenly start blazing away at us from -five yards on either side of the path, which was shut in with dense -undergrowth to right and left, surmounted with towering trees, made the -journey seem endless, and the strain on our nerves was terrible. We -marched for hour after hour in a gloomy twilight; not a single ray of -sunlight filtered through the thick leafy canopy overhead. Then, all at -once, the path opened out, and to our unutterable joy we entered the -principal avenue of Openam. We were in friendly country once more—or as -nearly friendly as anything in the Hinterland of Asaba could be.</p> - -<p>Here we rested for half an hour, while I attended to Townsend and our -other wounded. We then set out on our final march, and without further -incident reached Asaba at 8.30 p.m., all utterly tired out, but happy in -the consciousness that we had accomplished our mission.</p> - -<p>The N.C.O. who had so mysteriously disappeared at Nburu-Kitti, and whom -I had given up for lost, arrived at Asaba a few hours after the column. -He came to my bedside and woke me from my well-earned sleep, whereupon I -stared at him in utter amazement. On asking him to prove that he was not -a ghost, he explained that, when he rushed into that end room in pursuit -of the flying chief, he pitched headlong down the well and nearly broke -his neck. The bottom, however, consisted of oozy mud, which considerably -softened his fall. After lying stunned for how long he could not tell, -he began to explore the pit, and discovered a tunnel about five feet -from the bottom of the well. Crawling into this, he followed it without -difficulty until he emerged into another compound beyond that of the -chief's. It is to be supposed that the fugitive King must have made his -escape in the same manner, but, as the N.C.O. naively said, he did not -wait to inquire.</p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page573" id="page573"></a>[pg 573]</span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/052a-1200.png"><img src="images/052a-600.png" width="600" height="211" alt="" /></a> -<h2 class="tag"><i>Round The World With A Billiard-Cue.</i></h2></div> - -<p class="title"><span class="sc">By Melbourne Inman, British Billiard Association Champion.</span></p></div> - -<blockquote><p class="space-above1"> -In this amusing article the well-known professional describes some of the curious experiences that -befell him during his recent tour round the world—a tour on which his "only visible means of -support" was his cue. He met all sorts and conditions of men, and—what was more important—all -sorts and conditions of billiard-tables, but, as this narrative shows, managed to extract not a -little amusement from his misadventures. -</p></blockquote> - -<div><img class="drop-cap1" src="images/052dc-100.png" width="100" height="100" alt="T" /></div> -<p class="drop-cap"><span class="uppercase">THE</span> hundred and one minor accidents which occur in the average -globe-trotter's journeyings were, in my case, added to and enlarged by -the fact that to a certain extent my tour depended upon the amount of -patronage I received. To travel round the world with a billiard cue and -case as one's only visible means of support is an undertaking which -requires a considerable amount of doing. That I succeeded so well I put -down to the fact that the Britisher abroad is a sportsman of the best -sort, and will do anything and pay anything to see one of the Mother -Country's champions playing his game, no matter what that game may be. -During my journey I went completely round the world, visiting Ceylon -twice, Australia three times, New Zealand twice, Tasmania, China, the -Straits Settlements, India, and Burma, the total distance covered being -close on a hundred thousand miles, and the time occupied by the tour -over eighteen months.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 380px;"><a href="images/052b-850.png"><img src="images/052b-340.png" width="340" height="470" alt="" /></a> -<p>MR. MELBOURNE INMAN, BRITISH BILLIARD ASSOCIATION CHAMPION.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<p>My chief difficulties were the tables which were provided. I did not -expect to meet with absolutely correct ones, but sometimes I would be -led into a room and introduced to some bedraggled wreck on four or five -legs and blandly informed that <i>that</i> was the thing upon which I had to -show my powers as a billiard-player! The only thing which saved me from -a sudden and total loss of reputation was the fact that my opponent -usually did a great deal worse than <i>I</i>, and my efforts to avoid the -unorthodox pitfalls, such as open gaps in the cloth, grooves at the -pockets, and so forth, were seen and appreciated by the habitués of the -place who used the table themselves, and were only too familiar with its -peculiarities.</p> - -<p>My first really amusing adventure occurred at Colombo, Ceylon. I was -booked to play a Mr. G——, who was a well-known personage, being -sub-editor of the local paper, and had to give him eight hundred start -in a game of twelve hundred up. The match took place at the -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page574" id="page574"></a>[pg 574]</span> -Globe Hotel, and when I entered the room I saw that a good crowd of -natives had gathered to watch the game. They were evidently very anxious -to see their champion win, and chattered away volubly while the game was -in progress. Now silence is indispensable if good billiards is to be -played, but I stuck to my work until suddenly dull thuds began to sound -on the ceiling above. The lights over the table quivered and danced with -the reverberations, and presently, in despair, I called the proprietor -to one side and asked him what on earth was happening up there.</p> - -<p>"Oh, that's all right," he said, cheerily. "There's a troupe of dancing -girls come here to practise every evening, and they are doing it now!"</p> - -<p>With a stifled groan I went back to my task, but the din grew louder and -louder, and at last became so continuous that I could not hear the -marker's voice registering the score, while the vibration was positively -alarming. At last, feeling I could endure it no longer, I went over to -the marker and informed him that I was going to stop. Handing him my -cue, I told him to put it away in my case, as I would play no more.</p> - -<p>He took my cue from me and, turning to the spectators, cried, -stolidly:—</p> - -<p>"There will be an interval of ten minutes for refreshments."</p> - -<p>The cool way in which he gave out this announcement tickled me, and I -forgot my annoyance. Presently, the landlord having prevailed upon the -nautch girls to cease their gyrations, the game was continued.</p> - -<p>I was in the middle of a decent "break," and rapidly overhauling my -opponent, when I noticed a black shadow whizzing about the table legs -and flashing up and down among the spectators. Now, anyone who plays -billiards will know that the light on the table makes it extremely -difficult for the eyes to follow movement in the shadows around the -room, and it was not until the thing brushed against my legs that I -stopped playing and looked around.</p> - -<p>The audience was standing up, wildly excited. I thought at first that it -was my play which made them do this, but the flattering idea was quickly -dispelled. I saw a lean brown arm sweep down and a wildly-spitting, -furry object swung across the room and shot out of the window.</p> - -<p>"What on earth was that?" I asked, startled.</p> - -<p>"It's all right, Mr. Inman," replied the marker. "A wild cat has been -rushing around here for the last ten minutes, but one of the gentlemen -has just pitched it out of the window!"</p> - -<p>I succeeded in winning the game all right, but did not finish until long -after one o'clock in the morning. As we started at 9 p.m. and the heat -during the whole four hours was terrific, it may be imagined that, what -with interruptions from nautch girls and wild cats, I considered I had -earned my fee, and a trifle over.</p> - -<p>I came across something really unique in the way of rules in an hotel at -Newara-Eliya, where I was booked to play. In the billiard-room, -immediately opposite the table, where everyone could see it, hung a card -bearing the following announcement:—</p> - -<table summary="table of fines" border="0"> -<tr> - <th colspan="2">Gentlemen cutting the cloth will pay—</th> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="leftc">For first cut</td> <td class="rightc">100 rupees.</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="leftc">Second cut</td> <td class="rightc">50 rupees.</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="leftc">Third cut</td> <td class="rightc">20 rupees.</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="leftc">Any subsequent cut</td> <td class="rightc">10 rupees.</td> -</tr> -</table> - -<p>Judging from the appearance of the cloth, I should think that table must -have been a veritable gold-mine to its proprietor, if he collected all -the fines. Evidently his motto was "Cut and come again."</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 580px;"><a href="images/053-890.png"><img src="images/053-580.png" width="580" height="475" alt="" /></a> -<p class="center">"JEST PUTTIN' THINGS TO RIGHTS A BIT."</p></div> - -<p>While staying at Wellington, New Zealand, I was invited to play at the -Tararua Club, Pahiatua, some hundred and twenty miles away. I accepted -the offer and, assuming that my stay there would be very short, left my -wife at Wellington and travelled up to Pahiatua alone. I was met at the -station by a number of gentlemen, and, after the usual liquid -refreshment, went along to see the table on which I had to play. When I -entered the room I saw a long, thin man squatting cross-legged in the -centre of the table, stitching away at the cloth for all he was worth. -Somewhat surprised, I introduced myself, whereupon the man explained -that he was the local tailor, "jest puttin' things to rights a bit" for -me.</p> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page575" id="page575"></a>[pg 575]</span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 320px;"><a href="images/054-1000.png"><img src="images/054-320.png" width="320" height="478" alt="" /></a> -<p>"A WILDLY-SPITTING, FURRY OBJECT SWUNG ACROSS THE ROOM."</p></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page576" id="page576"></a>[pg 576]</span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/055a-1000.png"><img src="images/055a-600.png" width="600" height="378" alt="" /></a> -<p>THE TARARUA CLUB, PAHIATUA, N.Z., WHERE MR. INMAN MET WITH -SEVERAL AMUSING EXPERIENCES.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<p>The table itself wasn't at all bad, but when I looked at it closely I -noticed that the billiard spot (the black spot on the table which -indicates where the red ball is usually placed) was at least three -inches too far to one side.</p> - -<p>I had become fairly hardened to trying conditions by this time, but to -attempt to play with the red ball inches out of its recognised position -was more than I dared do.</p> - -<p>"What's the matter with that spot?" I asked. "It isn't right, is it?"</p> - -<p>The man of the needle slued around on the cloth and squinted at the -spot.</p> - -<p>"Seems sorter crooked," he agreed, slowly; "but the fac' of the matter -is that we change the position of that yere spot once a week. Otherwise -it'd work a hole in the cloth!"</p> - -<p>That beat me. I fled for the hotel and sought out the gentleman who had -invited me to come there. He listened to my tale of woe and then, asking -me to wait for a moment, disappeared.</p> - -<p>I don't know whether they balloted or not, but the spot was moved into -its right place, and the situation—so far as I was concerned—saved.</p> - -<p>I had been told when I arrived there that, although there were no -passenger trains from Pahiatua to Wellington at that hour of the night, -I should still be able to get to Wellington when the game was over, as a -goods train, known locally as the "Wild Cat," stopped at Pahiatua some -time about midnight on its way down-country.</p> - -<p>When the game was over, however, and I got back to the hotel, I found -that the "Wild Cat" was a very doubtful kind of train and only stopped -at Pahiatua when it thought it would! This particular night, it soon -appeared, was one of its "off" nights—it never showed up at the station -at all!</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"><a href="images/055b-870.png"><img src="images/055b-400.png" width="400" height="357" alt="" /></a> -<p>"THE 'UMAN RACE STARTED FROM MONKEYS—AND DON'T YOU FORGET IT!"</p></div> - -<p>Everybody was very kind to me and made me as comfortable as possible. -While I sat in the bar, waiting for the train which never came, I noticed -in a corner a couple of men with their heads together, talking very earnestly. -One of them was an old squatter, the other an obvious new-comer, and their -argument seemed so heated and absorbing that I gradually edged -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page577" id="page577"></a>[pg 577]</span> -my way along the seat towards them to try and hear what it was they -found so engrossing.</p> - -<p>I half expected it would be sheep, or land values, or old-age pensions, -but when I came within hearing distance the squatter was saying:—</p> - -<p>"I tell you, sonny, the 'uman race started from monkeys—and don't you -forget it!"</p> - -<p>Darwin's theory in the back-blocks of New Zealand! I went straight to -bed after that. To run up against a philosophical tailor, a movable -billiard spot, a train with ideas of its own, <i>and</i> Darwin's theory, all -in the same afternoon, was putting too severe a strain on a mere -perambulating billiardist.</p> - -<p>Even then, however, I had not finished with Pahiatua. In the small hours -of the morning I awoke and saw that the room was filled with a dense, -pungent mist. It would clear away for a moment, and the daylight would -filter into the room; then down would come the fog, and the same -peculiar smell would rise to my nostrils again. I lay still, watching -this peculiar phenomenon for some time. I had seen so many strange -things happen in the country that I accepted this as another of them.</p> - -<p>Presently I heard heavy footsteps crossing my room.</p> - -<p>"Who's that?" I asked.</p> - -<p>"Only me, Mr. Inman," answered the voice of one of my friends of the -previous night. "I've just come along to tell you not to be scared. The -fire is nearly out."</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"><a href="images/056a-780.png"><img src="images/056a-400.png" width="400" height="377" alt="" /></a> -<p>"FIRE! I JUMPED FROM THE BED AND RACED TO THE WINDOW."</p></div> - -<p>Fire! I jumped from the bed and raced to the window. Immediately -opposite the hotel I saw a huge pile of blackened wood, from which thick -clouds of smoke were slowly curling. The mournful heap represented all -that was left of a huge store, whose proprietor I had met and chatted -with some eight hours before.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/056b-1000.png"><img src="images/056b-600.png" width="600" height="450" alt="" /></a> -<p>THE GRAND HOTEL, THURSDAY ISLAND, WHERE THEY HAVE EARTHQUAKES "ONLY ABOUT THREE TIMES A WEEK!"<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<p>I turned to my friend and saw that he was fully dressed.</p> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page578" id="page578"></a>[pg 578]</span></p> - -<p>"How long have you been up?" I asked.</p> - -<p>"Three or four hours," he replied. "You see, the flames were coming over -this way, and we all lent a hand to get it under."</p> - -<p>"But, bless my soul," I said, "why on earth did you let me sleep on -here?"</p> - -<p>"Oh, you were all right," he returned, airily. "We didn't want to -disturb you till the last minute. You've a long journey before you."</p> - -<p>I knew that it was kindly meant, but at the time, at least, I did not -quite appreciate it. I had been a sort of unconscious Casabianca for the -best part of the night, and that "last minute" might have been a very -exciting one. Yes, Pahiatua is one of the places I shall <i>not</i> easily -forget.</p> - -<p>I suppose one does get used to these little eccentricities of Nature. I -remember, when I visited far-away Thursday Island, the landlord of the -Grand Hotel, who had arranged a match for me, said in a confidential -aside to me just as I landed on the quay:—</p> - -<p>"I don't think you will find the table very straight, Mr. Inman. We had -a bit of an earthquake here last night, which shook it up a bit!"</p> - -<p>"That's nice, cheerful news," I said. "How often do you have -earthquakes?"</p> - -<p>"Well, we're not so bad as some places," he answered. "They only happen -about three times a week!"</p> - -<p>My stay at Thursday Island lasted exactly twenty-four hours; I am not -anxious to acquire an intimate knowledge of earthquakes. I brought away -with me as a souvenir a copy of what is proudly claimed to be "the -smallest newspaper in the world," the <i>Thursday Island Pilot</i>, a -facsimile of which is here reproduced. It is a single sheet, measuring -about fourteen inches by eight.</p> - -<p>On one occasion I "put my foot in it" fairly. It happened in Southern -India, at a place where I was booked to play at the local club. The -journey took twelve hours by boat, and when I arrived I was told that a -gentleman was waiting for me. I thought that he was bound to be the -secretary of the club, who had arranged all details with me, and chatted -to him as we made our way towards the village.</p> - -<p>Presently we passed a ramshackle-looking building, the walls of which, -as far as I could judge, were made out of empty biscuit-tins and -soap-boxes. It straggled over half an acre of ground, and troops of -hungry dogs were sniffing around it.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 310px;"><a href="images/057-930.png"><img src="images/057-310.png" width="310" height="500" alt="" /></a> -<p>THE "THURSDAY ISLAND PILOT," WHICH IS BELIEVED TO BE THE SMALLEST -NEWSPAPER IN THE WORLD.</p></div> - -<p>I thought that I might venture on a little humour just to liven up the -conversation, so, pointing to the building, I said:—</p> - -<p>"A cow shed, I suppose?"</p> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page579" id="page579"></a>[pg 579]</span></p> - -<p>He followed the direction of my outstretched finger, and a pained look -came into his eyes.</p> - -<p>"That's the hotel you're going to stay at," he said.</p> - -<p>I gasped, but blundered on.</p> - -<p>"What a horrible-looking hole!" I cried. "I shall never be able to get -my wife to stay there."</p> - -<p>"It's not so bad inside," was the reply, in rather a peculiar tone of -voice.</p> - -<p>The rest of our tramp was finished in a strained silence. I thought -that, perhaps, as secretary of the club, my new friend was afraid that -the accommodation would not please me. On the steps of the club I was -met by a dapper little gentleman, and my companion, nodding to both of -us, turned on his heel and disappeared.</p> - -<p>"I am Mr. ——, Mr. Inman," said the man on the steps, and mentioned the -name of the secretary with whom I had been in communication.</p> - -<p>"Then who was that gentleman I have just left?" I asked, in surprise.</p> - -<p>"That is the landlord of the hotel!" he explained.</p> - -<p>Then, of course, I saw my mistake, and, when I met mine host again, -hastened to make my apologies and patch things up as best I could. I am -sure, however, that, deep down in his heart, my thoughtless words -rankled. Both my wife and I took it in turns to praise everything -whenever we saw him listening, but, alas! to the very end of our stay he -wore a look of anxiety and care. Only when we stood on the deck of the -little steamer and waved our farewells to him did the faintest suspicion -of a smile flicker on his brown face. It may have been the fact that he -was seeing the last of us that conjured the smile up, but I hope not.</p> - -<p>One other little incident, and I have done. While playing at Kalgoorlie, -Australia, I was approached by a resident and asked to call at his house -to give a few lessons to his wife. The terms he offered were so high -that I could not refuse, and so, when I had a few hours to spare, he and -I went to his home.</p> - -<p>I was introduced to his wife—a charming woman with all the true -Colonial hospitality and kindliness—and we sat down in what was -obviously the best room in the house and chatted for about half an hour. -Finally, thinking that I ought to be up and doing something for my -money, I suggested that, if the lady was quite ready, we ought to -adjourn to the billiard-room, so that the lessons might commence.</p> - -<p>"<i>This</i> is our billiard-room," said my host.</p> - -<p>I looked round in amazement. "But where is the table?"</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"><a href="images/058-920.png"><img src="images/058-400.png" width="400" height="368" alt="" /></a> -<p>"THAT'S THE HOTEL YOU'RE GOING TO STAY AT."</p></div> - -<p>He went to one corner of the room, lifted a small three-feet-by-six -miniature table top, and placed it on the dining-table in front of me.</p> - -<p>"This is our table," he said, proudly.</p> - -<p>I felt as though it was taking money under false pretences to try to -teach billiards on such a makeshift affair, and said as much, but the -old gentleman would have none of it, so I set to work and did my best. -But it was an ordeal which I have no wish to repeat, for cue, balls, and -everything else were in proportion to the size of the table. In fact, I -believe that the old fellow could do more on the thing than I could. -Anyhow, he seemed a little hurt at my inability to run up a three-figure -break on it, and on the way back to town again regaled me with yarns of -what several of his squatter friends could do on that table in the way -of piling up centuries.</p> - -<p>We parted good friends, but I don't think he thought quite so much of my -billiard-playing then as he had done at first. He was pained, perhaps, -to find that it had limitations, and that a three-feet-by-six table was -one of them!</p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page580" id="page580"></a>[pg 580]</span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/059-1200.png"><img src="images/059-600.png" width="600" height="199" alt="" /></a> -<h2 class="tag">When "Tenderfeet" Go Hunting Bears.</h2></div></div> - -<blockquote><p> -"Tenderfeet," as our readers probably know, is the expressive term applied out West to new-comers, -or greenhorns. When such men meet Bruin, or Bruin meets them, there is apt to be trouble -sometimes ending in tragedy, sometimes in the broadest comedy. The instances here given belong -to the latter category, and will be found extremely amusing. -</p></blockquote> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2>AN EVENING CALL.<a name="page580a" id="page580a"></a></h2> - -<p class="title"><span class="sc">By Ernest Law.</span></p></div> - -<div><img class="drop-cap" src="images/059dc-100.png" width="100" height="100" alt="I" /></div> -<p class="drop-cap4"><span class="uppercase">IT</span> was June, 1906, and I was working at a small portable sawmill near -Armstrong, British Columbia. George (the boss), Frank, "Texas," Jim, and -myself made the entire crew. "Texas" was so called because of his -frequent references to the State of his birth. For myself, being -English, I was dubbed "Charlie," though it wasn't my proper name.</p> - -<p>We had rigged up a fairly decent shack, and, with Jim at the head of the -culinary department, managed to make ourselves pretty comfortable. The -country round was well settled and we were only about six miles from -Armstrong, a rapidly-growing town. There was plenty of bush-land about, -however, some of it very rough, and deer, coyotes, and cougars were -frequently seen, but seldom a bear.</p> - -<p>On the evening I am writing about Frank had ridden into town directly -after supper to "have a good time," as he expressed it, and we didn't -expect him back till early morning. The rest of us were sitting around -telling yarns. "Texas" was giving us something extra fine concerning his -good work with a gun. He could usually hold his own at story-telling, -could "Texas," but Jim, in particular, always openly doubted him. On -this occasion he related how he had once bagged a doe and two fawns with -a single shot. Jim guffawed incredulously, and was rewarded with a look -of mild reproach.</p> - -<p>"Any o' you fellers seen them bear tracks t'other side the creek?" asked -George, suddenly.</p> - -<p>No one had.</p> - -<p>"When did you strike them, George?" asked "Texas."</p> - -<p>"Just this morning, when I was waterin' the cayuse. They looked kind of -fresh, too."</p> - -<p>Now, George was a quiet sort of fellow, but I fancy he knew as much -about hunting as the rest of us put together, and wasn't taking much -notice of the boasting.</p> - -<p>"What do you say to a hunt, Jim?" I ventured.</p> - -<p>"No, sir; not me," replied Jim, hastily. "I ain't lost no bear."</p> - -<p>"You're not scared of a brown bear, surely, Jim?" observed the Texan, -with a grin.</p> - -<p>"Well," said Jim, "if there were three bears I'd maybe look around and -have a plug at them, but I don't waste no shell on just one ornery -bear."</p> - -<p>"No, I guess not," said "Texas," dryly.</p> - -<p>"D'you ever <i>see</i> a live bear?" pursued Jim, offensively.</p> - -<p>"Well, I guess I've shot more bear than <i>you've</i> ever seen, Jim," -retorted the American.</p> - -<p>"Maybe you'll hunt this one for us, then," suggested Jim, sarcastically. -"We're all dead scared to sleep here."</p> - -<p>"If I run across him at all, I guess there'll be a dead bear around -mighty quick," replied "Texas."</p> - -<p>Jim was silent for a moment, then he looked up quickly, struck by a -sudden idea. "Say, Texas," he cried, "s'pose the bear comes around here, -will you take a shot at him?"</p> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page581" id="page581"></a>[pg 581]</span></p> - -<p>"You betcher life!" snapped "Texas."</p> - -<p>Thereupon Jim rose, with a look of determination on his face, and -proceeded to set fire to a few sticks. Next, going indoors, he brought -out some sugar, which he threw on the blaze. I had heard somewhere that -the smell of burnt sugar attracted bears from a long distance, and began -to understand what he was about.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile, "Texas" looked on cynically, suggesting that if Jim were to -whistle it would have just as much effect. But Jim only said, "You wait -a bit."</p> - -<p>Well, we waited a bit, discussing the approaching festivities in town on -the 1st of July (Dominion Day) until the others, I think, had forgotten -all about the bear. About nine o'clock we turned in. We had bunks fixed -up at the end of the shack farthest from the door—three in a row a -little way above the floor, and two more above them. The table stood -right in the centre of the room, and the stove in a corner by the door.</p> - -<p>About eleven o'clock I woke with a start, aroused by an unholy racket -outside. My first thought was that the bear had arrived, but soon I -distinguished the husky tones of Frank, expostulating with the cayuse -while he was taking his saddle off. In a few minutes he stumbled in, -leaving the door wide open, and after a muttered conversation with the -lantern managed to get it alight. By this time all of us were awake, and -we could see that our companion had been imbibing heavily. He had -brought a bottle of whisky back with him, and now, rolling it on the -floor, he started to show us how they rode logs "back home."</p> - -<p>After one or two futile attempts to balance himself on the bottle, he -collapsed miserably in a heap, just as Jim flung a heavy logging-boot at -him. He missed Frank, but smashed the lantern, leaving us in the dark. -Frank was grunting and cursing on the floor, trying to strike the wrong -end of a match.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/060-1200.png"><img src="images/060-600.png" width="600" height="413" alt="" /></a> -<p>"WHEN HE LOOKED UP AND SAW THE BEAR HE LET OUT A YELL LIKE A REDSKIN WAR-WHOOP."</p></div> - -<p>George had just scrambled out of bed to close the door when we heard a -rattling among the old cans and general <i>débris</i> outside the shack, and -a moment later we saw in the doorway, a black blot against the dark-blue -sky, the bear himself! At that critical moment Frank struck a light. -When he looked up and saw the bear he let out a yell like a redskin -war-whoop, and I think he got sober on the spot. Anyway, when the brute -started to come inside Frank knew enough to go round the other side of -the table. Thence he dodged out of the doorway and off down the road at -terrific speed.</p> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page582" id="page582"></a>[pg 582]</span></p> - -<p>Meanwhile, the bear went sniffing along on the other side to where our -bunks were, while George, Jim, and I cleared out hurriedly. It was quite -dark inside the hut, and we all thought "Texas" was with us. Jim was -certainly scared. Once outside, he picked up an axe and went away down -the road so fast that the tail of his nightshirt flew out stiff behind -him. He must have flung the axe away after a while, to expedite his -flight, for we found it quite a long way off in the morning.</p> - -<p>Now, "Texas," it subsequently appeared, had slept right on till Frank -gave his yell. Then he sat up, rubbed his eyes leisurely, and caught -sight of the bear. Then he in turn let out a yell or two. Mr. Bear, -somewhat startled, went to the other end of the hut. While he stood -there, sizing up "Texas," and while "Texas" was wishing he was in -mid-ocean, or on a cloud, or some place where there weren't any bears, -George crept in and grabbed his rifle.</p> - -<p>Fortunately, he kept his head and didn't fire, or "Texas" might have got -hit, for it was impossible to distinguish objects plainly inside the -shack. Instead of shooting, he started to throw all the small articles -he could lay hands on in the direction of the snuffling and grunting, -and finally the bear went out again. During the latter part of these -proceedings "Texas" had been trying to tear a hole in the roof, and, -standing on his bunk—one of the top ones—had been successful in -ripping off a shingle or two.</p> - -<p>Directly Bruin got clear of the shack George let drive. He must have hit -him in the leg, I think, for the brute seemed to limp afterwards. I was -up a tree at the time, and when the next cartridge jammed I fully -expected to see George have a lively time. According to precedent the -bear should have got savage on being hit and made things interesting; -but he must have known better, for he just walked calmly into the bush -and we lost sight of him.</p> - -<p>When we tried to get into the shack again we found that the door -wouldn't open. We hammered and yelled, while George showed his mastery -of English idiom, and after a while we heard "Texas" inside moving one -or two pieces of furniture away. You can imagine how sheepish he looked -when we went in, but nobody said a word as we put back the table and -things.</p> - -<p>Frank was sitting outside on a pile of stove-wood, ruminating deeply. I -think he had an idea he had seen an imaginary bear, for he vowed eternal -teetotalism for about ten minutes on end. Jim came in last, shivering -with cold, for the evenings in that part of the country are chilly for a -promenade in one's nightshirt.</p> - -<p>We all climbed into our bunks again and went to sleep, and I don't think -any of us felt inclined to boast about our evening's work. George was -the only one who had kept cool. But the figure "Texas" had cut, after -all his boasting, was lamentable. He left us a day or two after, and -none of us heard any more of him.</p> - -<p>We followed up the bear's tracks next day, but lost them in the thick -bush after a few hundred yards. I think, however, that it was "our" bear -a Siwash Indian shot a little while afterwards about half a mile off. -This tale has now been improved beyond recognition in the neighbourhood, -but mine is the correct version.</p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2>TWO "GREENHORNS" AND A BEAR.<a name="page582a" id="page582a"></a></h2> - -<p class="title"><span class="sc">By A. Wright.</span></p></div> - -<p>In Chatham Straits, Alaska, only a stone's throw from the mainland, -there is a little island called Kilasnoo. It boasts of a tiny Indian -village named after the island, and a factory where they turn out -fish-oil. At a little wharf belonging to the factory, in the summer of -1895, lay the United States survey steamer <i>Patterson</i>, on board which -Charles Henderson, a native of Gefle, Sweden, and myself were able -seamen. We were fast friends, and had agreed to be sporting companions -whenever we got the opportunity. Up to the present time we had never -done any hunting, although we owned two guns. The only things we had -shot at so far were condensed milk cans, which we threw into the water -and fired at from behind a bush, at a distance of about fifty feet. I -regret to add that we never hit one. It was our first year up there, and -so far we had had no chance of showing what we could do against big -game, but the chance came along rather sooner than we expected.</p> - -<p>One Saturday afternoon, seated in a canoe, Henderson and I paddled off -to the opposite shore. Landing just above a large inlet called Hood's -Bay, we hauled our canoe up into the edge of the wood, and then, taking -our fishing-tackle and guns, we started off along a trail which brought -us, after a three-mile tramp through the wood, to the shores of a lake -where we intended to fish for trout. Although we had brought our guns, -we knew that no game had been seen around there for years—at least, so -the Indians told us. We carried our guns, therefore, -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page583" id="page583"></a>[pg 583]</span> -but there was no likelihood of them being required, and I believe in our -hearts we were both glad of it—I know I was, at any rate.</p> - -<p>Presently, tramping steadily through the woods, we arrived at a clearing -or flat at the head of the lake, where, for a space of about twenty -yards, from the edge of the forest to the water, the ground was bare, -save for a solitary dead tree in the middle. We were crossing this -barren stretch when, all of a sudden, a sight met our gaze which brought -us to a standstill. There, coming round the corner of the clearing, was -a bear! I had seen one before at a zoo, and knew at once what it was, -only this bear looked about three times as big as the beast at the zoo.</p> - -<div class="figleft" style="width: 350px;"><a href="images/062-680.png"><img src="images/062-350.png" width="350" height="477" alt="" /></a> -<p>MR. A. WRIGHT, ONE OF THE "GREENHORNS" WHO HERE -RELATES HIS AMUSING ENCOUNTER WITH A BEAR.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<p>I will not speak for Henderson, but if I could have moved just then I -should have taken a header into the lake. When we got our breath after -the first shock of surprise, my companion shouted excitedly, "Shoot! -Shoot!" He yelled so loud that the bear stopped in surprise, had a good, -comfortable look at us, gave what sounded like a grunt of disgust, and -then turned tail and quietly trotted off along the trail in the -direction we had come from. Directly he had disappeared we unslung our -guns and consoled each other by declaring that the reason we had not -fired at the bear was not because we were scared, but because we were -fascinated by our first sight of a real wild bear. Nevertheless, it was -remarkable how quickly and with what touching unanimity we climbed up -that dead tree in the middle of the flat, in case Bruin should take it -into his head to return. Seated in its branches we at least felt more -comfortable, until Henderson suddenly remembered that bears could also -climb. To make matters worse for us, it was now getting late in the -afternoon, and the sun had already dipped behind the mountains. The -thought of sitting up in that tree all night was no joke; but, still, we -considered it better than going back through the woods, with thick -undergrowth on both sides of the trail, in which countless bears could -lie in wait for us.</p> - -<p>Presently Henderson suggested lighting a fire.</p> - -<p>"All right," I replied. "You get down and collect the sticks; I'll keep -watch up here."</p> - -<p>But this brilliant suggestion found no favour with my companion.</p> - -<p>"No," he said; "let's toss for it." So we did, and I won. Henderson got -down—not so quickly as he got up, however—and began to look round for -sticks, circling warily round and round the tree at arm's length. He did -this two or three times, and then suddenly he shouted out loudly, "There -are no sticks down here." The yell so scared me that I lost my balance -and toppled down off my perch, landing with a crash on the ground. When -I picked myself up, fortunately unhurt, Henderson was half-way up the -tree, and I soon followed suit. Neither of us had the pluck to descend -again, so all night we sat perched up in the tree, afraid to sleep lest -we should fall, and shaking with cold, fear, and hunger. The night was -terribly dark, and the stillness all around us was something that could -almost be felt. The man who says he never knew fear when spending his -first night in the primeval forest can have no respect for the truth. It -is not excitement or nervousness, but absolute fear of the unknown, and -I know it from experience, for Henderson and myself killed many a bear -and spent many a night in the forest after that first one. But we never -experienced the same sensation again.</p> - -<p>When daylight arrived we clambered stiffly down from our perch, -crouching in a hollow at the foot of the tree, and held a consultation. -We finally decided to wait until the sun was well up above the trees -before making a move, as otherwise we might lose the trail.</p> - -<p>We had sat there chatting and smoking for about half an hour, when -suddenly I heard the sound of breaking twigs. It sounded rather faint at -first, but gradually got louder. "The bear!" I whispered excitedly to -Henderson, and we both grabbed our guns and knelt upon a little stump -ready to fire, our hearts beating like steam hammers behind our ribs.</p> - -<p>We had not long to wait. Within a couple of seconds we saw Bruin's head -between two trees, about a hundred yards in front of us: he -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page584" id="page584"></a>[pg 584]</span> -was coming along at a quiet trot, with his shaggy head swaying from one -side to the other. He did not look half so large as he had done the -night before; perhaps it was because we were not so scared. "You cover -his head and fire first," whispered Henderson.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/063-1200.png"><img src="images/063-600.png" width="600" height="422" alt="" /></a> -<p>"JUST AT THAT MOMENT HE FELL OFF THE STUMP AND HIS GUN WENT OFF."</p></div> - -<p>Well, I did my best to cover his head, but speedily discovered that, -though I could have covered anything the size of Ireland, I could tackle -nothing smaller; I was shaking like a scarecrow in a gale. "Let him get -right in front of us before we fire," said I, unwilling to confess my -weakness. My companion did not answer, for just at that moment he fell -off the stump on to his face and his gun went off. The report scared -poor Bruin so badly that he stopped, bellowing loudly. Thereupon I fired -three shots at his head, or as near as I could get to it. By this time -Henderson had scrambled up in a mighty hurry, and Bruin started off at a -gallop. We fired about twelve rounds at him before he disappeared into -the bush, but did not go to see if he was wounded or dead, because we -shrewdly suspected he had not been touched. He was moving too lively -when we last saw him to have been hit—unless he dropped dead with -fright at the noise we made.</p> - -<p>When the bear had vanished we decided to let well alone and cleared out -for the ship, which we reached without accident. We told no one on board -of our adventure—simply said we had seen a bear's fresh tracks, and had -waited all night to have a shot at it in the morning. "You're hunting -mad," growled the boatswain. "Never mind," said I, sagely; "there's no -sport like it."</p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2>A NIGHTMARE ADVENTURE.<a name="page584a" id="page584a"></a></h2> - -<p class="title"><span class="sc">By G. Bennett.</span></p></div> - -<p>The Arctic Red River, a stream which has its source on the east side of -the Rocky Mountains and flows in a series of rapids and treacherous -falls into the Mackenzie, has tempted many a band of adventurous spirits -to brave its difficulties in the hope of finding that elusive -"mother-lode" which every miner is convinced exists to supply the rich -alluvial deposits that have made the fame of the Klondike fields.</p> - -<p>A little band of three had struggled about two hundred miles up the -stream in the face of apparently insurmountable difficulties, having to -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page585" id="page585"></a>[pg 585]</span> -unload their boat and "portage" the whole of their year's provisions -over rocky, precipitous banks, which were often densely wooded, or tow -her up rapids, under the fierce Canadian sun, when the strain on the -rope must not be relaxed for a single moment lest the bows of the boat -should be wrenched round by the current and the towers jerked backwards -into the boiling waters.</p> - -<p>They camped at last on a part of the bank that was low and grassy and -clear of the eternal spruce trees for a short distance. Here they built -a rough shack, laid up the boat, and took a spell of prospecting. Into -their camp on the second day limped a tattered, woe-begone, -helpless-looking individual, a Swede, who explained in broken English, -almost on the verge of tears, that he and his friends, seeing the -business-like way in which the others had prepared to meet the -difficulties of the river, had come to the conclusion that they were old -hands, and followed at a safe distance, hoping to be able to keep -modestly in the background till those in front had made a find, and -then, as the Yankee of the party put it, they were ready to "whirl in -and get the pickings of a right soft job." However, they had been forced -to come into undue prominence because their boat had become hopelessly -jammed between two rocks in a rapid and they could not move her without -help. He ended his tale of woe and stood looking from one to the other -of the three disgusted men who faced him.</p> - -<p>"Well, of all the derndest cheek!" said the Yankee. "To explain so -nicely how they planned to jump us, and then expect help so's they can -do it!"</p> - -<p>"We must sho'ly lend a ha-and," drawled the Southerner.</p> - -<p>"Oh, yes," said the Englishman, the youngest of the party. "Of course we -must help the poor beggars."</p> - -<p>It was arranged at last that Bantling and Fox, the two Americans, should -go to the rescue, while Rogers, the Englishman, kept camp.</p> - -<p>They had dinner, and then, with the Swede as guide, started off down the -river bank to the rapids.</p> - -<p>Left alone, Rogers washed up the dinner-things, put up some grub, got -his blanket and a rifle, and set off into the scrub. The day before, -when getting wood, he had come upon the track of a moose, and was -determined to try for a shot at him, picturing to himself the delight of -the other two when they returned, to find a store of fresh meat. He -followed the trail through a thicket of ground alder and willow, -stumbling into muskegs and bursting through tangled undergrowth. It was -frightfully hot, for this was the Canadian summer, and when he at last -reached a small clearing, through which ran a little stream from a -"sienega" or small lake higher up, he thankfully camped there for the -night.</p> - -<p>The next morning, having had some breakfast, he found the trail of the -moose clear and straight before him, and decided to return to the shack -for more food before setting out on a hunt that might last days. So, -leaving his blanket and rifle behind, he set out. It was much easier -going back, as he had forced a fairly clear path and knew the way. He -was surprised how quickly he found himself once more at the edge of the -clearing round the camp, and was just about to cross the open to the -shack, when a curious, exasperated, whining growl made him draw quickly -back into the shadow of the trees, wishing, too late, that he had -brought his rifle with him. At the foot of one of the slim pines upon -which they had built the platform for their "cache" stood an immense -"cinnamon" bear, nearly as large as a fair-sized bull, stretching his -enormous fore-legs as far as possible above his head in a vain endeavour -to reach the dainties he could smell above him. But though he could -reach twelve good feet, the "cache" was up fifteen, and the trees that -supported it were young and slim, so that, when he tried to get a grip -to climb, his fore-paws overlapped; and no bear can climb a tree unless -it is bigger than the circle of his arm, so that he can grip it with his -claws.</p> - -<p>If he had not been in such an awkward predicament, Rogers would have -been immensely tickled at the antics of the big brown beast. He -stretched himself upon tip-toe in his efforts to reach the platform, -giving little jumps, for all the world like a small boy in a jam -cupboard. Then he backed slowly away, staring at the unattainable with -grunts and whines, shaking his great heavy head from side to side.</p> - -<p>Next he squatted on his haunches, as if thinking deeply; then made a -sudden rush at one of the trees and, clasping it, shook it viciously, -but finding that of no avail lost his temper completely, and gave it an -angry slap with his heavy paw, tearing off a great strip of bark.</p> - -<p>Then he turned his back as if disgusted and, ambling to a sasketoon -bush, took the branches between his paws and pulled off the berries, -which are like bilberries, with his mouth, as daintily as a girl eating -raspberries.</p> - -<p>But the stores upon the platform drew him once more. He tried each tree -in turn for a grip, scoring great grooves with his claws, and rocking -stiffly on all four feet in sullen anger at his failure. Finally he -started on a reconnoitring tour round the "cache," which brought him -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page586" id="page586"></a>[pg 586]</span> -near the tree behind which Rogers crouched, weaponless save for a -pocket-knife.</p> - -<p>To the man's horror the bear stood suddenly still, and, throwing up his -head, sniffed suspiciously, looking round him meanwhile. Then, with a -curious twitch, he tilted the end of his great nose up and back, thus -lifting the upper lip clear of the great white fangs—an unpleasant and -terrifying trick he shares in common with the "huskie" dog.</p> - -<p>The perspiration streamed from every pore of the man behind the tree, -and with some vague idea of selling his life as dearly as possible he -was beginning to fumble stealthily for his pocket-knife, when, to his -inexpressible relief, the bear swung round in his tracks and trotted -back to the "cache."</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/065-1200.png"><img src="images/065-600.png" width="600" height="408" alt="" /></a> -<p>"TO THE MAN'S HORROR THE BEAR STOOD SUDDENLY STILL, AND, -THROWING UP HIS HEAD, SNIFFED SUSPICIOUSLY."</p></div> - -<p>Here he found an empty beef tin, which he eagerly seized upon, tucking -it securely into the crook of one arm, while he investigated inside with -the other paw. Holding it between both paws, he licked the inside, his -long, red tongue worming into every crevice. Before finally discarding -it, he held it up before him on one paw, gravely considering it.</p> - -<p>The effect being so ludicrously like a woman taking in the points of a -new bonnet, Rogers would have found it difficult not to laugh, had not -the bear at that moment ungratefully smashed the tin flat with his paw -and, getting purposefully to his feet, started off once more towards -Rogers's sheltering tree.</p> - -<p>The strain was beginning to tell, and the man could have shrieked aloud -for very terror. The sweat poured down his face, blinding him, and he -dared not lift a hand to wipe it away for fear of making some tell-tale -sound. On came the bear at a curious jog-trot, his heavy head wagging to -the motion, saliva dripping from his jaws.</p> - -<p>He came within twenty feet of the tree; then, as if deliberately playing -with his victim, once more swung round and went back to the "cache." He -made no more futile attempts to reach the platform, but, squatting on -his haunches at the foot of one of the trees, appeared to sink into a -profound meditation upon the difficulties of the situation.</p> - -<p>There they were, the bear and the man, each crouching against a tree, -each mind busily scheming how to obtain the unobtainable—the man his -rifle, and the bear the stores.</p> - -<p>Suddenly Rogers realized that he was hungry, and smiled grimly as he saw -that this was another point of similarity between them; the bear was -also very hungry.</p> - -<p>The day was wearing on, and the clouds of -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page587" id="page587"></a>[pg 587]</span> -mosquitoes that always come with the sunset found in Rogers a victim -powerless to resist. The first cloud sounded the glad news in the shrill -trumpeting buzz that has no counterpart in sound, and clouds more came -hurrying gladly to the attack.</p> - -<p>He was just beginning to think that if he did not die of bear he would -of mosquito, and that on the whole the bear might be the lesser evil, -when to his delight he heard, faint in the distance, the voices of the -returning rescue party.</p> - -<p>The bear heard them too, and with many grunts and backward looks at the -"cache" rolled off into the scrub.</p> - -<p>It was now perfectly safe for Rogers to cross the open to the shack, but -so shaken were his nerves that he could not have left the shelter of the -tree for all the gold in Canada.</p> - -<p>He waited till he could see the figures of the returning men moving in -the scrub, and then sent forth a long hail.</p> - -<p>"Boys! Oh, boys! Come quick and bring a gun!"</p> - -<p>A figure halted, listened, then started at a run towards him, slipping -cartridges into a Winchester as he came. It was Fox, the Southerner, and -as he caught sight of Rogers his natural ironical speech slipped from -him.</p> - -<p>"Why, sonny," he said, "you are sho'ly playing touchwood."</p> - -<p>And Rogers realized with something of a shock in what a limp, nerveless -manner he was clinging to that friendly pine. He straightened himself up -with a shaky laugh.</p> - -<p>"No," he said, "it's been puss-in-the-corner, with the biggest cinnamon -I have ever seen. He went off there to the right when he heard you -coming. For Heaven's sake, try for a shot at him."</p> - -<p>But Fox was already off through the scrub, murmuring to himself as he -hurried, "Puss in-the-corner! My sakes! An' whatever ha-ad the young -fool done with his gun?"</p> - -<p>Rogers crossed over to the shack, where he found Bantling anxious to -hear the trouble, but casting a concerned and hungry eye round in search -of the supper that should have been awaiting them, and was not. However, -a fire of dry pine-knots was soon lit, a frying-pan put on with cold -pork and beans, tea made, and they exchanged accounts of adventures as -they ate.</p> - -<p>It seemed that Fox and Bantling had been led by the Swede about two -miles down the river bank, over very bad ground full of muskegs, which -are patches of slimy bog and water. When they reached the scene of the -catastrophe, they found three men calmly sitting round a fire they had -built on the bank, smoking their pipes and staring at their boat, which -they had left forlornly wedged between two rocks, not far out from the -bank, without even attempting to unload her. It was a queer-looking -craft, like an enormous punt, with a great square sail, heaped untidily -with a mixed pile of stores without any attempt at balance. The wonder -was that they had managed to get so far.</p> - -<p>It was a typical case of incompetence expecting to succeed in a country -that will only consent to accept the best that every man has to give. -Men start off to venture up the unknown reaches of these Arctic rivers -without the slightest knowledge of what is before them. They will -vaguely announce that the only essential is "grit," and deem such things -as a knowledge of carpentry and shipbuilding and a smattering of geology -entirely superfluous.</p> - -<p>Such a party were these four men, all their boasted grit taken clean out -of them, by hardship, sitting down before their stranded boat, trading -on the unwritten law of the wild that each man must help his brother.</p> - -<p>Bantling and Fox set them to work unloading, which they did with much -grumbling; then yoked them into the tow-lines and set them to haul, -while they stood up to their waists in water levering up the boat with -spruce poles. When she at last floated it was with several seams badly -sprung, which meant she had to be beached and caulked.</p> - -<p>Having seen to this, and feeling they had done enough, the two Americans -started back, having been away nearly two days.</p> - -<p>Bantling had just finished the account of their labours, and he and -Rogers had had supper and been back to the other clearing to fetch the -latter's blanket and rifle, when Fox strode disgustedly up to the fire.</p> - -<p>"Get him?" he repeated scornfully, in reply to their eager inquiries. -"Never got a sight of him. If you hadn't been so unmistakably scared -limp, Rogers, I should think you'd been pulling my leg."</p> - -<p>Rogers, in proof of good faith, recounted his harrowing experience once -more.</p> - -<p>"But you never left your gun behind along with your blanket?" demanded -Fox.</p> - -<p>"Well," said Rogers, hesitatingly, "you see, it was so hot, and I was -only just coming back to see everything was all right and get some grub. -It seemed so useless to bring it up here just to lug it back."</p> - -<p>"An' you air supposed to know the country!" was the Southerner's comment -upon these excuses, delivered in tones of deepest scorn.</p> - -<p>For the rest of the evening, smoking round their glowing fire, the three -men raked over their -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page588" id="page588"></a>[pg 588]</span> -memories in search of queer experiences with which to cap the events of -the day.</p> - -<p>They turned in at last about ten o'clock. Fox and Bantling had bunks on -either side of the shack beyond the stove. Rogers's was across the end, -opposite them. He was just slipping into that moment of exquisite rest -before sleep comes when it is positive pain to be roused, when a -drawling voice said:—</p> - -<p>"Oh, sonny, next time you go out walkin' in this little ol' country -don't use rifles to prop trees with; it's quite likely to come -expensive. An' don't get dreamin' of bears—if you can help it," he -added, with a chuckle.</p> - -<p>A disgusted grunt was the only answer, as Rogers dived still deeper -under his blankets. "Bang!" Bantling awoke with a start and felt for his -revolver, with a vague idea of Indians. "Bang!" Something fell with a -crash and a rattle. "It's the stove-pipe," thought Bantling. "Bang!" And -he heard the thud of a bullet entering wood.</p> - -<p>The Yankee collected his scattered wits and lit a candle. By its light -he discovered the Southerner sitting up in bed, his usually calm, lean, -brown face working with excitement, blazing wildly in every direction.</p> - -<p>Rogers had bolted from his bunk and was crouching in the farthest -corner. A large flake of wood chipped from a log above him had fallen on -his pillow, and lay there to show what had awakened him to the dangers -of the situation. The sheet-iron stove-pipe which carried off the smoke -through the roof hung limply in two, a shot having undermined the -strength of the joint at the elbow, and, as Bantling was taking in all -this, a tiny looking-glass that one of them had hung on the wall fell in -a tinkling shower of splinters from another shot, while Fox muttered -wildly:—</p> - -<p>"Mind that bear! Don't let him get away on you. I've hit him once in the -shoulder."</p> - -<p>To be shut up in a shack fourteen feet by ten with a man afflicted by -nightmare in the form of imaginary bears to be shot is not an enviable -situation, and for Rogers it was an extremely dangerous one, as Fox was -shooting straight at him. Bantling slipped from his bunk and, striding -across the hut, seized the dreamer's wrist in a paralyzing grip. With -the touch Fox's eyes, which had been wide open all the time, lost their -unseeing stare. He turned a bewildered gaze from the hand on his wrist -to the angry face above him.</p> - -<p>"There was a bear," he explained, mildly. "Did I get him?"</p> - -<p>"Get him!" said Bantling, wrathfully. "You fool! You nearly got Rogers! -And look at the damage you've done!"</p> - -<p>As the situation dawned on Fox his dismay knew no bounds.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"><a href="images/067-900.png"><img src="images/067-500.png" width="500" height="468" alt="" /></a> -<p>THE HUT WHERE THE NIGHTMARE INCIDENT HAPPENED, WITH ROGERS -STANDING IN THE DOORWAY.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<p>"I'm real sorry, you fellows," he said. "I guess I've had a touch of the -worst kind of nightmare. Bantling, you'd better take charge of my -six-shooter."</p> - -<p>"You bet your life!" replied Bantling, briefly, but with immense -feeling, as he took possession.</p> - -<p>"I'm real sorry," said Fox again, turning to Rogers, "to have given you -such a time. It appears it isn't me who ought to tell folks not to dream -about bears, and I guess it'll be as well for the health of you fellows, -if not my own, that I shouldn't eat quite such a hearty meal in future -just before turnin' in."</p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page589" id="page589"></a>[pg 589]</span></p> - -<div class="cont"> -<h2 class="ib">The Life of a Steeplejack.</h2></div></div> - -<p class="title"><span class="sc">By Will Larkins.</span></p> - -<blockquote><p> -In this impressive article, <b>Mr. W. Larkins</b>, the well-known steeplejack, of Bow, London, sets forth -some of his most exciting experiences in the way of felling chimneys and repairing steeples—a form -of "high art" which has perils peculiarly its own. The striking photographs which accompany the -text lend additional realism to a straightforward narrative. -</p></blockquote> - -<div><img class="drop-cap1" src="images/068dc-100.png" width="100" height="100" alt="I" /></div> -<p class="drop-cap"><span class="uppercase">I COME</span> of a race of steeplejacks. My father earned his living at the -business, and met his death at it, falling from a church spire at -Dumbarton, in Scotland.</p> - -<p>Strictly speaking, the work is not really and truly so extraordinarily -hazardous as people seem to think—that is to say, if a man takes proper -precautions. Steeple-climbing is very much like mountaineering in this -respect: it is the foolhardy folk who get hurt, and those who are -inexperienced or careless.</p> - -<p>Look at myself, for instance. I have been climbing since I was seven, -and am now past thirty, and I have never met with an accident. But, -then, I am a life-long abstainer and non-smoker, and I take no risks -that forethought is able to provide against.</p> - -<p>Narrow escapes I have had in plenty, but they hardly count in my line of -business. All dangerous trades involve risks to those following them.</p> - -<p>A rotten coping; a puff of wind, coming up unexpectedly from nowhere in -particular; a loose brick, or a piece of decayed ironwork—any one of -these may easily spell death.</p> - -<p>Then, too, there are what, for want of a better term, I may call -"outside risks": outside the regular run of our hazards, that is to say. -For example, I once came very near to losing my life through being -attacked by a swarm of bees while repairing a tower at Culmstock, in -Devonshire. I had to descend very quickly, but I returned at two o'clock -in the morning and asphyxiated the lot while they were asleep. -Incidentally, I secured for myself thirty pounds of very excellent -honey. The insects had been there for years, having found their way into -the interior through a cavity left by a scaffold-pole used in erecting -the edifice.</p> - -<p>Another nasty experience that befell me occurred so recently as October, -1908. I was engaged to fell two lofty stacks at Millwall. They were each -about a hundred feet high,</p> - -<p>and were known locally as the "leaning chimneys," being about four feet -six inches out of the perpendicular.</p> - -<p>This peculiarity made the task of cutting into their bases a somewhat -ticklish one, since it was difficult to say, even approximately, when -they were going to fall. Also, of course, I had to perform the work on -the side to which they were inclined.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 350px;"><a href="images/068-800.png"><img src="images/068-350.png" width="350" height="461" alt="" /></a> -<p>THE AUTHOR, MR. W. LARKIN, OF BOW, LONDON, WHO HERE RELATES SOME OF HIS MOST REMARKABLE EXPERIENCES.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photo. by F. W. Pickford.</i></span></p></div> - -<p class="clear">However, the first one toppled over all right, the "groaning" of the -undermined mass, as it swayed ever so slightly to its fall, giving me -timely warning of what was about to happen. -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page590" id="page590"></a>[pg 590]</span> -But the second one collapsed far more suddenly, with the result that the -"heel" of the falling portion actually "kicked" me clean off the base -that remained standing! I fell fifteen feet, turning a complete -somersault and alighting on all fours. I was somewhat shaken, but quite -uninjured.</p> - -<p>The biggest job I have undertaken up till now has been the decorating -and repairing of the Nelson column in Trafalgar Square. This was my -Matterhorn, so to speak.</p> - -<p>I carried out the decorations to the order of the Navy League. It was -the year 1905, the centenary of the great Admiral's crowning victory and -death, and it was determined to do the thing in style. Nearly forty tons -of laurel were used, and the greater portion of this had to be carried -aloft and fixed to the column at varying heights right up to the top.</p> - -<p>My orders as to not damaging the memorial in any way were most -stringent; no nails or spikes of any kind were to be driven into it. -This meant devising an altogether new method of ascent.</p> - -<p>I thought out many plans, but eventually decided to lash ladders to the -structure by means of ropes passed round and round it. It was a -ticklish, trying job, but it was accomplished without hitch or mishap of -any kind.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 340px;"><a href="images/069-1000.png"><img src="images/069-340.png" width="340" height="487" alt="" /></a> -<p>MR. LARKINS AT THE SUMMIT OF THE NELSON COLUMN IN TRAFALGAR SQUARE.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<p class="clear">Two sets of ladders were used, placed opposite to one another. This was -necessary, as the column measures forty feet in circumference—too far to pass -a rope round with ease. The most difficult part of the ascent to negotiate was the -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page591" id="page591"></a>[pg 591]</span> -cornice at the top of the column. This is the heaviest projection for -"throw-back" work in England, and I had to climb up and over it with my -back to the ground, for all the world like a fly on a ceiling.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 390px;"><a href="images/070-1100.png"><img src="images/070-390.png" width="390" height="495" alt="" /></a> -<p class="center">FELLING A CHIMNEY AT PIMLICO.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Copyright Photo.<br /> -by The Sport and General Illustrations Co.</i></span></p></div> - -<p class="space-above2">I am not ashamed to confess that I breathed more freely when I had -rounded the obstruction, and was able to cautiously slide myself on to -the platform which supports the statue. From below this appears flat, -but it is really bevelled, with a sharp slope outwards. I found it, too, -covered with an inch-thick layer of greasy soot; so that -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page592" id="page592"></a>[pg 592]</span> -to walk about on it was exceedingly risky. However, once I got the -life-line secured to the statue all was plain sailing.</p> - -<p>I discovered a crack in the hero's arm, which I afterwards repaired. -When I tell people this they not infrequently ask, on the spur of the -moment, "Which arm?" Of course, the figure has only one.</p> - -<p>By the way, I have read many accounts of the statue, professing to give -its size and dimensions, and they are nearly all wrong. The exact -measurements, as taken by my assistant, and afterwards carefully -verified by myself, are as follows.</p> - -<p>The figure itself is seventeen feet four and a half inches in height, -and it measures five feet three inches across the shoulders. The sword -which hangs by its side is seven feet nine and a half inches long.</p> - -<p>Besides repairing the statue I also re-pointed the column from top to -bottom. It is a splendidly-executed piece of work, solid granite -throughout, and should have lasted for centuries, but the authorities -have allowed an underground railway station to be excavated right at its -base, and this must undoubtedly have weakened the foundations. I do not -wish to pose as an alarmist, but I should not be greatly surprised if, -owing to this cause, the memorial suddenly collapsed some day, like the -Campanile at Venice.</p> - -<p>Speaking of statues, I had the task of repairing that of the first Duke -of Sutherland. It stands out in my memory as the very coldest and most -uncomfortable piece of work I ever undertook. The memorial is situated -on top of Ben Bhragie, a mountain more than twelve hundred feet high, -near Golspie, Sutherlandshire. The figure is of colossal -size—thirty-three feet six inches from heel to head—and the pedestal -on which it stands measures ninety feet from base to summit.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/071-1200.png"><img src="images/071-600.png" width="600" height="465" alt="" /></a> -<p class="center">THE BEGINNING OF THE END—A STACK JUST BEGINNING TO FALL.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Copyright Photo.<br /> -by Gale & Polden, Ltd.</i></span></p></div> - -<p class="space-above2">The time was mid-winter; there was five feet of snow on the mountain, -and gale followed gale with irritating persistency. Ladders and gear -froze solid during the night, so that it became necessary in the morning -for me to chop my way to the top through the ice that had accumulated -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page593" id="page593"></a>[pg 593]</span> -meanwhile. The ascent and descent of the mountain, too, proved so long -and arduous that I could only put in about two hours' work in a day. -Altogether, I was not sorry when the job was completed.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/072-1200.png"><img src="images/072-600.png" width="600" height="424" alt="" /></a> -<p>CUTTING INTO THE TOOTING CHIMNEY—THIS STACK FELL UNEXPECTEDLY, ACTUALLY GRAZING MR. LARKINS'S SCALP -AS HE SLIPPED FROM UNDER IT.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Copyright Photo.<br /> -by The Sport and General Illustrations Co.</i></span></p></div> - -<p class="space-above2">Personally, I consider there is more risk in felling chimneys and -such-like structures than in climbing them; that is to say, when they -are felled in "my" way. The old-fashioned method was to undermine the -base and prop it up with timber. This was then saturated with a mixture -of oil and tar and set on fire. When it burnt through, down came the -chimney.</p> - -<p>The other way, which I may truthfully lay claim to have invented, is to -cut away the bricks without under-pinning, keeping a sharp look-out -aloft meanwhile. Sometimes I stand a small, straight twig upright in the -gash. When this bends ever so little it is a sign to me that the -thousand tons or so of masonry above me is inclining away from the -perpendicular, and that its collapse is imminent.</p> - -<p>One has to be very careful and very agile. I remember felling a shaft at -Summerstown, near Tooting. It was brick-built and circular, a hundred -and forty feet high, and weighed about eight hundred tons. Experience -has taught me that this kind of chimney can usually be cut about halfway -through at the base before it shows signs of giving way.</p> - -<p>On this occasion, however, the collapse came when I was barely a third -of the way through, and with scarcely any warning. I leapt aside, but -the descending stack grazed my scalp as I slipped from under. I was able -to realize then something of the feelings of Marmion when he galloped -out of Tantallon Castle across the rising drawbridge, and felt the -falling portcullis bars "raze his plume."</p> - -<p>There were probably not far short of a thousand people present, and in -the silence that followed the fall of the stack they sent up, as with -one voice, a loud cry of horror. I was completely hidden from view by -the clouds of dust that always arise on these occasions, and they were -quite sure I had been killed. All I lost, however, were my tools and cap -and jacket, which were buried under the mass of masonry. They are there -now.</p> - -<p>It transpired afterwards that the chimney had been built too close to -the banks of the Wandle River, so that its foundations had become -undermined—hence its premature collapse.</p> - -<p>One reads not infrequently of fights with -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page594" id="page594"></a>[pg 594]</span> -madmen in mid-air. I used to regard these as fiction pure and simple, -until such an adventure actually befell myself.</p> - -<p>It happened at Deptford, about two years ago. I had been engaged to -repair the outside of the top of the shaft at the waterworks there. The -fires were not drawn, and the heated fumes and smoke that were -continually being belched from the mouth of the chimney made the job a -far from pleasant one, especially as the day happened to be -exceptionally warm, with scarcely a breath of air stirring.</p> - -<p>Still, a "jack" takes but little notice of these things, and I and my -two assistants worked steadily on for some hours. I was just thinking of -giving the word to knock off for dinner, when the man nearest me -suddenly stopped of his own accord, threw down his tools, straightened -himself up on the coping, facing inwards, and clasped his hands above -his head, like a man about to take a dive—which was, in point of fact, -precisely what he was going to do. Only, it was not into water that he -intended plunging, but straight down the reeking chimney, to be -presently incinerated by the flaming furnaces far below!</p> - -<p>I think the two of us that were left divined his intention at the same -moment. "Quick! Grab him!" I cried, and we both dashed at him. Only just -in time, for his head and shoulders were disappearing within the mouth -of the shaft as we clutched him by the legs. It was a wonder that he did -not drag us down with him, for he struggled fiercely. But it was two to -one, and eventually we overpowered him and hauled him out on the coping.</p> - -<p>There he lay, limp and gasping, half choked with the fumes, while we -bound him hand and foot with a ladder-rope. Then, with assistance, we -managed to lower him to the ground. The doctors said that the heat of -the sun had temporarily affected his brain.</p> - -<p>Another nasty turn I had was while I was engaged in repairing the -steeple of a church in Wiltshire. I was sitting in a cradle under a -coping, while my man was standing on the projection immediately above my -head. He leaned over to ask me a question, lost his balance, and the -next thing I knew was that his body was hurtling downwards past me -through the empty air. I nearly followed him, so sick and unnerved was I -at the sight.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/073-1200.png"><img src="images/073-600.png" width="600" height="415" alt="" /></a> -<p>THE WALLINGFORD CHIMNEY—OWING TO THE CONFIGURATION OF THE GROUND -THIS HAD TO BE THROWN UPON ITS CORNER.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Copyright Photo.<br /> -by The Sport and General Illustrations Co.</i></span></p></div> - -<p class="space-above2">This may sound strange, but I think any man who has done much climbing, -whether on mountains or on steeples and other high artificial erections, -will bear me out when I say that to -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page595" id="page595"></a>[pg 595-8]</span> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page596" id="page596"></a></span> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page597" id="page597"></a></span> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page598" id="page598"></a></span> -witness an accident of this kind, and to know oneself impotent either to -prevent or assist, is one of the most terrifying experiences that it is -possible to conceive. Whymper has left it on record how, when during his -most memorable ascent Lord Frederick Douglas and his friend fell to -their deaths, he was so utterly unnerved for the time being that he -could only cling to the face of the precipice, trembling and crying, -unable to move a step one way or the other.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/074-1500.png"><img src="images/074-600.png" width="600" height="400" alt="" /></a> -<p>THE WALLINGFORD CHIMMNEY FALLING—IT WILL BE NOTICED THAT THE BRICKWORK IS STILL ALMOST INTACT.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Copyright Photo.<br /> -by The Sport and General Illustrations Co.</i></span></p></div> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/075-076-1500.png"><img src="images/075-076-600.png" width="600" height="407" alt="" /></a> -<p>ONE OF THE ALDERSHOT CHIMNEYS FALLING, WATCHED BY AN IMMENSE CROWD—THIS -STACK AND ANOTHER FELL EXACTLY UPON THE LINES MARKED OUT FOR THEM.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Copyright Photo.<br /> -by Gale & Polden, Ltd.</i></span></p></div> - -<p class="space-above2">Luckily the end of my little adventure partook rather of the nature of -comedy than tragedy. When I mustered up courage to look down, I saw my -mate sitting on the corrugated iron roof of a building far below, -vigorously rubbing that portion of his anatomy upon which schoolboys are -popularly supposed to be birched.</p> - -<p>He had fallen squarely upon it, and the resilient roof, acting like a -spring mattress, had broken his fall, bouncing him up and down some -half-a-dozen times with continually decreasing momentum until at last he -came to rest. He was much bruised and shaken, but no bones were broken, -and after a few days' rest was as fit as a fiddle again.</p> - -<p>Most jobs a steeplejack has to undertake are hard ones; hard, that is to -say, from the point of view of manual labour. Occasionally, however, one -drops across one that is ridiculously easy.</p> - -<p>For example, I was called to Truro because the vane on top of the -steeple of its famous cathedral refused to work. Residents were making -obvious jokes about its being a weather<i>hen</i>, and not a weathercock at -all, because it "sat so tight."</p> - -<p>I travelled three hundred miles on the level, and then climbed four -hundred feet into the air, with visions of displaced masonry and -fractured ironwork before my eyes, only to find that the socket in which -the vane worked was badly in need of oiling. I rather think that that is -a record in big efforts for little objects. Three hundred miles by rail, -four hundred feet by ladder—and all to grease a weathercock!</p> - -<p>This, by the way, was the highest steeple I ever climbed, also the most -southerly, except the French Cathedral, Jersey. The most northerly was -that which surmounts Dornoch Cathedral. This is Mr. Andrew Carnegie's -regular place of worship, and quite close to his residence, Skibo -Castle.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 540px;"><a href="images/077-1100.png"><img src="images/077-540.png" width="540" height="474" alt="" /></a> -<p>FELLING A CHIMNEY A HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS OLD—IT STOOD -TWO HUNDRED FEET HIGH AND WEIGHED TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED TONS—THIS -AND ANOTHER CHIMNEY WERE THROWN WITHIN AN HOUR.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page599" id="page599"></a>[pg 599]</span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 550px;"><a href="images/078-1100.png"><img src="images/078-550.png" width="550" height="468" alt="" /></a> -<p>THE OLD-FASHIONED METHOD OF BURNING PROPS—APPLYING THE -MATCH TO THE MATERIAL. WHEN THE SUPPORTS HAVE BURNT THROUGH DOWN COMES -THE CHIMNEY.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Copyright Photo.<br /> -by The Sport and General Illustrations Co.</i></span></p></div> - -<p class="space-above2">"I suppose," I remarked to some of the local residents, "that Mr. -Carnegie is pretty generous round here?"</p> - -<p>"No," they replied; "he has made it a rule not to give anything to any -charity that is situated within twenty miles of Skibo."</p> - -<p>At the time I thought this was hard, not to say foolish. On further -reflection, however, I can see he is wise; he does not want his demesne -to become a magnet, drawing hospitals, almshouses, and what not to its -immediate vicinity from the uttermost ends of the earth.</p> - -<p>When I am given a job, I usually keep quiet about it beforehand. It is -no use attracting a crowd, and that is precisely what happens if the -news gets spread abroad. The work of a steeplejack seems to exercise a -quite extraordinary fascination over all sorts and conditions of men.</p> - -<p>Thus, at Aldershot recently, some twenty thousand people assembled to -see me throw two chimneys. They flocked to the scene from the -surrounding neighbourhood, and Aldershot itself made high holiday of the -occasion, most of the big works being closed.</p> - -<p>The authorities kept the ground clear, although I must say that the -crowd showed no disposition to invade the immediate proximity of the -stacks, when once we had got fairly to work on them. Even the -dwelling-houses within a possible radius of the falling masses were -deserted, and one family erected a tent in a neighbouring field and -camped out in it until all danger was at an end.</p> - -<p>They need not have been scared, however, for the stacks fell exactly -upon the lines I had chalked out for them. Outsiders can rarely be made -to understand how comparatively simple it is for a steeplejack who knows -his business to make a chimney fall precisely where he wills it to.</p> - -<p>In many instances exactitude in this matter is the first essential. In -the case of the great Par stack, in Cornwall, for example, I was under -forfeit of two hundred pounds not to deviate more than a yard either way -from the space marked out for it, which was only a foot or two wider -than its own diameter.</p> - -<p>This insistence was quite reasonable, for the chimney was surrounded -with cottages, and stood close alongside the main line of railway. -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page600" id="page600"></a>[pg 600]</span> -Officials and populace were alike alarmed, and the former begged of me -to desist. When I declined, they held up the traffic as a measure of -precaution until I had completed the job. As a matter of fact, not even -a window in the cottages was broken nor a shilling's-worth of damage -done to the railway line.</p> - -<p>People are always asking me to take them with me to the tops of shafts -and steeples. Usually I decline, but I have to make exceptions. I have -piloted some scores of clergymen to the summits of the steeples of their -own churches; and once I escorted the reverend incumbent's daughter, a -sprightly girl of eighteen. I was rather nervous about it, but I need -not have been. She was the steadiest and coolest climber, for an -amateur, that I ever had any dealings with.</p> - -<p>I cannot end this article without speaking about what I always call "my -most romantic climb." This was at Athenry, in County Galway. A steeple -had been struck by lightning and knocked out of the perpendicular. After -this it had been taken down—an easy job—but nobody could be found who -could put it up again. When several other steeplejacks had failed I -was sent for as a forlorn hope, and succeeded. The romance of the climb, -however, lies not in this feat, but in the fact that it was from the -spire, after its replacement, that I first caught sight of the young -lady who is now my wife.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 380px;"><a href="images/079-850.png"><img src="images/079-350.png" width="350" height="495" alt="" /></a> -<p>THE DOMINICAN CHURCH, NEWRY, IRELAND—A PORTION OF THE -SPIRE WAS BLOWN OFF IN A GALE. A TELEGRAPH WAS SENT TO MR. LARKINS, AND -THE FOLLOWING DAY THE SPIRE WAS "LADDERED" AND WORK IN FULL SWING.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photo. by H. Allison & Co.</i></span></p></div> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page601" id="page601"></a>[pg 601]</span></p> - -<h2>THE LONGEST CHASE ON RECORD</h2> - -<p class="title"><span class="sc">By Vincent M. Hemming.</span></p></div> - -<blockquote><p> -Being the strange experience of Detective Albert Brissard, who searched France, England, Belgium, -and America for a "wanted" man, finally landing his quarry by accident ten months after the search -began and seven and a half years after the crime was committed. -</p></blockquote> - -<div><img class="drop-cap1" src="images/080dc-100.png" width="100" height="100" alt="N" /></div> -<p class="drop-cap1"><span class="uppercase">NEVER</span> in the annals of police history has a detective officer been so -long engaged in the search for a fugitive from justice as in the case I -am about to relate. There have been and are many men "wanted" for whom -warrants are held indefinitely, but never before has an officer spent -ten entire months with but one aim—to "get his man," and that after an -interregnum of more than seven years. On June 3rd, 1900, the Baroness de -Martigny, of Paris, took into her employment as footman an intelligent, -good-looking young man, who had previously been in the service of -General Pellissier, of the French army. The Baroness, the grand-daughter -of a famous soldier who had been one of Napoleon's closest friends, -lived in a beautiful hotel in the Avenue du Bois de Boulogne, and also -occupied a villa for the season each year at Nice. Her collection of -jewels was the envy of the ladies of the French aristocracy, and she had -times without number been offered enormous sums for them by dealers and -collectors. Many of the ornaments had once belonged to the Queens of -France, and one pearl necklace was even said to have at one time adorned -the person of an Egyptian princess famous in history. These jewels were -always kept in a leather-covered steel box, made expressly for the -purpose. When not deposited at her bankers', this box was in the keeping -of a trusted maid, who was in turn guarded by a "valet de pied" at times -when the Baroness might have occasion to take her jewels with her when -travelling.</p> - -<p>In December, 1900, the Baroness, accompanied by two maids and the valet -engaged some months before, was to travel to London for a few days' stay -in the capital on a visit to friends. She seldom carried all her jewels -with her, but on this occasion she did so, as an august personage had -expressed a desire to see them. Two servants of the bank, under the eye -of a sub-manager, had delivered the morocco-covered box to the Baroness -in person, and she in turn gave it over to her maid, Marcelle.</p> - -<p>All the luggage had gone on ahead, and the brougham was at the door to -take the Baroness to the Gare St. Lazare Station, when the maid, -Marcelle, came running into the lady's presence and attempted to speak. -Her tongue refused to move, however, and there the girl stood, her eyes -almost out of her head, shivering from head to foot. When at last she -gained control of herself she stammered, "Madame—the jewel-case—it is -gone!"</p> - -<p>The Baroness tried to get the girl into a rational frame of mind, saying -the box could not have been removed from the house; Marcelle must have -placed it somewhere else than in its accustomed place. No; the girl was -positive she had put the treasure-box on milady's dressing-table just -for a moment while she had gone for her hat and coat. When she returned -the case was gone!</p> - -<p>Orders were at once given to lock the doors, and all the servants were -called together and questioned, but no one knew anything at all about -the matter. Had anyone entered the house? Had anyone left it? Only -Henri, milady's valet. He was at the door with the brougham. "Let him be -called," ordered the Baroness. One of the servants went to the door. The -brougham was there, as was also the coachman, but Henri was nowhere to -be seen.</p> - -<p>"Henri has gone to the station," said the coachman. "Yes, he had a -leather bag or box with him." This information was duly transmitted to -the Baroness.</p> - -<p>"Very unusual for him to do such a thing," she commented; "but perhaps -he was anxious about the jewels."</p> - -<p>Thereupon the trustful lady sent them all about their business, got into -her brougham, and was driven to the station. But where was Henri? Well, -to cut a long story short, Henri had not gone to the station, and the -noble lady, now disillusioned, at once postponed her London journey, and -set the machinery of the law in motion to discover the young man who had -ten thousand pounds' worth of jewels and five hundred pounds in cash in -his possession. No sooner were the police notified than the criminal -quarters of Paris were literally "turned inside out." The Baroness de -Martigny was not only a lady of great prominence and influence, but she -offered enormous rewards for the recovery of her property. The intrinsic -value of the jewels was a secondary consideration, their romantic -associations and the fact of their having been family heirlooms making -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page602" id="page602"></a>[pg 602]</span> -them priceless in the lady's eyes. Every possible loophole of escape was -watched, and Herculean efforts were made by the police; but for the -moment the thief had made good his escape, leaving no clue behind him, -and three long weeks elapsed before anything tangible manifested itself. -Then, one morning the bell rang at the Baroness's house in the Bois de -Boulogne, and a gentleman presented himself, asking that his card should -be taken to the Baroness. It read, "Monsieur Albert Brissard—Agent." -The caller was asked to state his business, and answered by saying, -simply, "Henri Dessaure." This gained him the desired audience, and half -an hour later M. Brissard left the house, having induced the loser of -the steel box and its precious contents to place the whole matter -unreservedly in his hands.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"><a href="images/081-1000.png"><img src="images/081-500.png" width="500" height="478" alt="" /></a> -<p class="center">"MADAME—THE JEWEL-CASE—IT IS GONE!"</p></div> - -<p>M. Brissard, who was known among his intimates as "The Ferret," had left -the French detective service some time previously and started an inquiry -agency of his own. In starting work upon this jewel-case he followed the -idea usually worked on by detectives in such cases, at least on the -Continent—"Look for the woman," and succeeded where several other -officers, working on the case officially, had hitherto failed. He found -the woman.</p> - -<p>In the Rue de Mesrominil there was a little <i>brasserie</i>, or -public-house, much frequented by servants of the upper class. This place -was owned by a man named Edouard Morant, whose daughter, a girl of -eighteen, had been the sweetheart of Henri Dessaure, the absconding -footman. This girl, learning that Dessaure had been false to her, made -it her business to find out who had supplanted her in the affections of -her sweetheart, and discovered that Dessaure had been seen very often in -the company of a dancing-girl from the Bal Boullier, and also that this -girl had left Paris only a few days ago, having purchased a second-class -ticket to New York. She further ascertained that the girl had been -somewhat in debt, but that shortly before leaving she had discharged her -obligations, and also purchased a large amount of clothes and finery. -All this the jealous Mlle. Morant told M. Brissard. It was now Saturday, -and the dancing-girl had sailed for America on Wednesday. M. Brissard at -once communicated with the American police, and when the French Line -steamer <i>La Touraine</i> arrived at New York a certain young lady, a -second-cabin passenger, was closely followed when she left the ship. No -one was at the docks to meet her, but after her luggage had passed the -Customs inspection she engaged an express wagon to convey her trunks and -bags to an address in First Avenue, near Twelfth Street, giving the -address to the driver from a card on which it had been written, no doubt -for her guidance. One detective followed the luggage, while a second -kept his eye on the girl. Calling a cab, she again showed the card -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page603" id="page603"></a>[pg 603]</span> -and was driven off, followed by Officer O'Brien, whose colleague, -Kernohan, remained with the express wagon. Arrived at her destination, -the girl, looking up to make sure of the number, ascended the stairs of -a four-storey brick building, the ground floor of which was occupied by -a small French restaurant. The cab waited, and shortly a young man came -down, who proceeded to pay the driver. The young man exactly answered -the description sent over from Paris of the missing Henri Dessaure!</p> - -<p>After paying the cab fare he returned into the house, while Officer -O'Brien called a policeman and instructed him to telephone to -head-quarters. So it happened that just about the time Detective -Kernohan appeared with the express-man, a third detective arrived on the -scene with a provisional warrant, granted by the magistrate at Jefferson -Market police-court, for the arrest of Dessaure on suspicion of being a -fugitive from justice.</p> - -<p>The express-man proceeded to unload his wagon, having first rung the -door-bell, and once again the young man who bore so striking a -resemblance to the Baroness de Martigny's late valet came to the door. -This time he was confronted by two officers, who promptly informed him -that he was under arrest.</p> - -<p>"We believe you to be Henri Dessaure, late of Paris," said Detective -O'Brien.</p> - -<p>The accused turned pale, then, pulling himself together, answered in -French (in which tongue the detective had addressed him), "That is my -name. It is no use my trying to deny it. Surely you have something to -work upon, or you would not be here."</p> - -<p>The officers next searched the rooms occupied by Dessaure, but found -only some fifteen hundred dollars in American money and a few French -franc pieces.</p> - -<p>"Come," said Officer Kernohan, "you may as well give up the jewellery. -It will save you much unpleasantness."</p> - -<p>"I know of no jewellery," replied Dessaure. "I have come to America to -be married; I have done no wrong."</p> - -<p>Seeing that the man could not be induced to speak he was taken to police -head-quarters, and the next morning, having been formally charged with -being "wanted" by the French authorities, he was remanded and the French -police notified. Ten days later two detectives from Paris arrived with a -servant from the household of the Baroness for the purpose of -identifying the prisoner. This accomplished, his extradition was asked -for. Dessaure protested his innocence, and it is quite likely would have -succeeded in resisting successfully, had not for a second time a woman -proved his undoing. The detectives arrested the dancing-girl as an -accomplice, and she at once turned informer, saying that Dessaure had -told her in Paris that he had safely stored away "enough jewels to give -us every comfort for life." Believing him, she had come to America, -Dessaure having given her two thousand five hundred francs for that -purpose, and to purchase some necessary things. Confronted with this -statement, the ex-footman assumed an air of bravado, saying, "You have -got me, but you'll never get what it took me many hours of thought to -annex. Now let us see just how clever you are."</p> - -<p>Dessaure returned to Paris some days later in the company of the French -officers, the girl having been released. Once in the French capital, he -was lodged in the Santé Prison to await his trial, and meanwhile every -effort was made to get some clue as to the whereabouts of the steel box -and its contents; but the police could make no impression on Dessaure, -who absolutely refused to speak. Promises and threats were alike -useless, and finally he was brought to trial. The newspaper notoriety -given to the matter had completely turned the ex-valet's head, and he -imagined himself a hero. He entered the court-room with a smiling face -and answered questions in a most flippant manner. Even at this late -stage the Baroness de Martigny offered to withdraw the prosecution—at -least, so far as she was concerned—if he would divulge the hiding-place -of the gems. But Dessaure merely folded his arms and said: "Whatever -happens, you cannot kill me. You were clever enough to capture me; now -find the jewels."</p> - -<p>Evidence was given by a housemaid who had seen the footman in milady's -rooms and the coachman who had noticed him leave the house with the -morocco-covered box in his hand, carrying it openly by the handle as -though sent out with it. It was also proved that Dessaure had changed a -thousand-franc note at the little <i>brasserie</i> in the Rue Mesrominil on -the evening of the day of the robbery; and, lastly, Detective Brissard -came forward with a small antique necklet—the property of the -Baroness—which Dessaure had given to the daughter of the <i>brasserie</i> -keeper. On this evidence Dessaure was found guilty and sentenced to -seven years' imprisonment, the judge remarking that on his release, no -doubt, such a close watch would be kept on his movements that a further -charge would be made should the prisoner at any time be found in -possession of the stolen jewels.</p> - -<p>The prisoner took his sentence most coolly, and, as the officers were -leading him away, turned towards the persons in the court-room and, -bowing low, said, "Until then, gentlemen, <i>au revoir</i>!"</p> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page604" id="page604"></a>[pg 604]</span></p> - -<p>For some months Dessaure was left to serve his sentence in peace, the -detectives believing that a taste of prison life might have a salutary -effect on him, or at least induce him to confess where the stolen jewels -were. True, no promises could be made to him, but at the same time it -certainly would not <i>add</i> to his sentence should he divulge the -hiding-place of the Baroness de Martigny's jewels. Detective Brissard -had several long talks with the convict, but they all ended in the same -way, Dessaure saying, "I will serve my sentence and then enjoy what I -have earned; you will not catch me a second time."</p> - -<p>Spite of this uncompromising attitude the detective worked assiduously, -doing his utmost to locate the jewels, the hiding-place of which one man -alone knew. Finally, however, M. Brissard was obliged to consider the -case closed, for the time being, and gave his attention to other -matters.</p> - -<p>So time went on, until Dessaure had but a few months more to serve. Then -one day he wrote a letter, in which he asked the person to whom it was -addressed, for old times' sake, to supply him with a new suit of clothes -and other articles of wearing apparel, saying he would repay the -kindness a hundredfold. This letter came back to the prison, the -addressee—Mlle. Morant, daughter of the <i>brasserie</i> keeper—having -removed several years back. This upset Dessaure greatly, and he asked -and received permission to write another letter, which was addressed to -the girl's father. Again the letter came back, marked as before. -Dessaure's excitement was now great; he cursed and cried in turn. The -warders reported that he did not sleep at night, and ate scarcely any -food.</p> - -<p>At last came the morning of his release. The liberated man left the -prison almost a wreck from mental anguish. He was met at the gates by an -aged aunt, who gave him a few francs and took him home with her to her -house in the environs of Paris. Dessaure could not be induced to eat, -and he would not sit down quietly, but walked about the small house, -gazing continually out of the window. No sooner was it dark than he left -the place, looked quickly about him, then hurried to the nearest point -whence he could get an omnibus cityward. Mounting to the top of the -vehicle, he looked about him every few moments to see if he was being -followed. He left the bus at the Madeleine; then, cutting through the -back streets, made his way to the Rue de Mesrominil. He walked on the -right-hand side of the street until he came to the place where the -<i>brasserie</i> of M. Morant had been located. Yes, there was still a -business of the same kind there, but the place had changed hands.</p> - -<p>Dessaure crossed the street and entered the little wine-shop, the floors -above which were rented out to lodgers, as formerly. In the basement was -a long room used as a dining-room for the guests of the house; behind -this was a kitchen, and to the left, at the end of a short passage, a -small yard which was used to store empty casks and bottles. Dessaure -called for a drink and ordered some food; then, as though an old -customer thoroughly familiar with the place, he deliberately went down -into the basement. The cook had received Dessaure's order, and the -latter stood in the doorway chatting to her. After a moment or two he -slowly walked through the passage and stood in the yard whistling. The -cook was busy getting his meal ready and offered no objection to his -proceedings. One stealthy backward glance, and Dessaure swiftly crossed -the yard. Taking a short iron bar, flattened at one end, from his -pocket, he pushed it deeply into the ground exactly in the corner of the -yard, next a brick wall. Again and again he did this; then, in a frenzy, -he tore up the earth to a depth of two feet, but nothing rewarded his -efforts. Jumping to his feet, shaking with rage, he shrieked out, "All -for nothing! All for nothing!" Then, like a wild man, he rushed up the -steps and out of the place, knocking over a waiter in his headlong -flight.</p> - -<p>The half-crazed man made his way to the Seine embankment, where he -walked up and down, trying in vain to think calmly. When he left the -Baroness de Martigny's house with the stolen jewel-case he had made -direct for the <i>brasserie</i> in the Rue de Mesrominil, in accordance with -a plan he had thought out. He hid the jewel-case as much as possible -under his long servant's coat, and, after having a drink, went down into -the yard described and buried the jewels with the aid of a shovel he had -previously placed there in readiness. Then, covering the case over, he -stamped the ground down solidly, threw some earth and stones on the -spot, and returned upstairs. Dessaure, however, as transpired later, had -not taken the precaution to ascertain whether anyone was watching him -from the windows overlooking the yard. It was obvious to him now that someone -must have seen him bury the gems, or else have discovered them subsequently. -And now they were for ever lost to him! Covering his face with his hands, the -heart-broken man repeated to himself the words, "All for nothing! All for -nothing!" Suddenly he pulled himself together, and, walking toward the embankment -balustrade, stood there for a moment gazing hesitatingly into the -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page605" id="page605"></a>[pg 605]</span> -waters of the Seine. Then a hand was placed on his shoulder, and a voice -said:—</p> - -<p>"Don't do it, Dessaure! Life is all too short in any case."</p> - -<p>The startled man wheeled round, to behold Detective Brissard at his -elbow! Dessaure was about to speak, when the officer anticipated him.</p> - -<p>"I have watched you ever since your release this morning," he said. -"Come, don't be a fool. We will go to my place and have a talk."</p> - -<p>Dessaure, unnerved by the loss of the jewels, for the sake of which he -had served those long years of imprisonment, was as a child in the hands -of the shrewd Brissard, and very soon the two men were talking the -matter over in Brissard's rooms. Dessaure now told the entire story of -how he had stolen the jewels, and the detective in turn informed him -that the large reward offered for their recovery was still open, and -that, if Dessaure cared to assist him, they might yet obtain possession -of them and return them to their owner. The ex-valet, eager to obtain -revenge against the unknown who had annexed "his" property, readily -agreed. So the curious situation arose of "setting a thief to catch a -thief."</p> - -<p>Next morning Detective Brissard made diligent inquiries as to the -movements of the Morant family, and these inquiries led to what -developed into the longest chase on record. Just one year after -Dessaure's conviction, it appeared, the former wine-shop proprietor had -sold his business in the Rue de Mesrominil and removed with his wife and -daughter to London, where he opened a restaurant in Greek Street, Soho, -but, curiously enough, under another name. He had been in business there -for some months, when one day a former customer at the Paris wine-shop -entered and recognised M. "Martin," the proprietor, as Morant. He -thought nothing of this, as people often change their names for business -purposes when in other countries. But what <i>did</i> strike the customer was -the fact that Mme. "Martin" was wearing a pair of earrings of very great -value. Now where did Morant, who had owned only a third-class wine-shop -in Paris, get possession of jewels worth at least several thousand -pounds—for madame wore also several costly rings and a brooch? The -customer jocularly remarked that M. "Martin" must have "backed a -winner." The latter, instead on answering in like manner, turned pale, -and gruffly told his former patron to mind his own business. Within -three days the little restaurant in Greek Street had changed hands, and -the "Martin" family disappeared.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;"><a href="images/084-900.png"><img src="images/084-400.png" width="400" height="474" alt="" /></a> -<p>"HE RUSHED OUT OF THE PLACE, KNOCKING OVER A WAITER IN HIS HEADLONG FLIGHT."</p></div> - -<p>All this Detective Brissard learnt by judicious inquiries in Soho, -London. Then the search for M. Morant began in real earnest. Dessaure -made friends with many of the French people in this part of London, ever -seeking information. The owner of the restaurant formerly run by -"Martin" was not the man who had purchased the place from him. His -predecessor, however, was, and could be found at an address in Brussels. -To this city Detective Brissard now went, leaving Dessaure in London. -Yes; the Belgian knew where M. "Martin" had gone, for a trunk was left -behind which he had sent to a house in Houston Street, New York City, -U.S.A. Also, the daughter of M. "Martin" was living, he believed, in -Brussels, she having married a travelling jeweller.</p> - -<p>Brissard cabled to America, and received an answer from the American police -to the effect that the address given was the office of a transfer company, and -they were looking over the books to see what disposal had been made of -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page606" id="page606"></a>[pg 606]</span> -the trunk. Brissard next began a search for the former Mlle. Morant in -Brussels. As, however, there were some hundreds of jewellers in that -city, this was no small undertaking. Successful detectives often admit -that "luck" is a potent factor in their work, and the French detective -now experienced a little good fortune. The various cities prominent as -diamond markets are possessed of clubs at which congregate buyers and -sellers of precious stones, and which also serve the purpose of a market -where the members do business among themselves. With the assistance of a -Belgian official, Brissard was introduced into such a club in Brussels, -and here he learnt that a young Belgian—not a member, but a good judge -of stones—had married a French girl named Martin. The fact was -remembered because the young man had, shortly after his marriage, become -possessed of several uncommonly valuable emeralds and diamonds. This -man's address was given to M. Brissard, who at once called there—first, -however, changing his appearance as a measure of precaution.</p> - -<p>The jeweller was not at home, he learnt; he was in Amsterdam, but was -returning on the morrow. M. Brissard, posing as a brother jeweller, said -he would call again. The lady of the house now came forward, and asked -if there was anything she could do. One glance was enough for the -detective—she was the daughter of the man Brissard was searching for! -But he still was a long way from M. Morant himself, as after events proved.</p> - -<p>Calling the next day in company with a Belgian detective officer, M. -Brissard was ushered in and presently the jeweller came into the room. -The detective briefly made known his business, informing the jeweller -that it rested with him whether he would be arrested or not, for it was -known that some of the stolen jewels had been in his keeping. Thereupon -the man told a most straightforward story to the following effect.</p> - -<p>He had been to London on business, and took his meals as usual in the -locality frequented by his compatriots, dining at "Martin's." There he -met his present wife, they fell in love with each other, and he was -accepted as a prospective son-in-law. Being an authority on the value of -precious stones, M. "Martin" confided to him that an aged sister had -left him a few heirlooms, her husband having been a wealthy man. Would -his future son-in-law appraise them? He had done so, greatly surprised -at their value and size, and had further, shortly after his marriage, -undertaken to sell several unset stones for his father-in-law. His wife -was absolutely ignorant of all this, and not until that moment did he -know that her real name was other than Martin.</p> - -<p>The young woman was called and questioned, and it soon became evident -that she knew nothing of her father's affairs. He had changed his name -and impressed upon her that under no circumstances must she use the name -of Morant, and thus she had been led to deceive even her husband. The -gems given him for disposal, the jeweller added, had been sold in -Amsterdam to a buyer there, a Mr. H. Van Kloof, for twenty thousand -francs (eight hundred pounds). He had not heard from his father-in-law -for two years, his last address being in Second Avenue, New York City. -M. Brissard, convinced of the truth of this story, took his leave, after -having given certain instructions to the Belgian detectives.</p> - -<p>On his return to his hotel he found the following cablegram awaiting -him: "Trunk forwarded Martin, Second Avenue; receipt signed 'Mrs. -Martin.'"</p> - -<p>Brissard now communicated with the American authorities, only to learn -that no such person as Martin had resided at the number in Second Avenue -in the memory of the present tenant, the place being a French -boarding-house.</p> - -<p>The detective now returned to London, where Dessaure met him, -frantically excited. He had found a countryman who had seen Morant in -New York, where he held the position of <i>chef</i> at a prominent and -fashionable hotel. This was only six months ago, but the man could not -remember the name of the hotel, having lost or mislaid the card Morant -had given him. One thing he <i>did</i> remember, however—Morant was going -under the name of "Melin."</p> - -<p>M. Brissard, believing that Morant was still in New York and that he -could expedite matters by going there himself, promptly took passage -with Dessaure. It struck him as peculiar that a man who was in -possession, or had been in possession, of what was practically a small -fortune should seek employment; but the officer did not know, perhaps, -that the position of <i>chef</i> in a large hotel is a most lucrative one. -The two searchers arrived in due course in New York and rooms were taken -in the French quarter of the city, both men posing as wine merchants. -Dessaure, who had been in America before, took rooms in a house much -frequented by cooks, while Brissard lived in a small French hotel near -by. For several weeks the two worked with untiring energy, making -careful inquiries. Brissard himself visited every hotel of prominence in -New York and Brooklyn, inquiring there of the hotel detectives for a M. -Melin, and being quietly taken into the kitchen to look over the various -staffs. Not until three long months had -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page607" id="page607"></a>[pg 607]</span> -passed, however, did they come upon even the semblance of a clue. Then, -one evening, as M. Brissard and Dessaure were sitting at a small table -in the bar-room of Brissard's hotel, there entered a young man whom the -detective knew. He had at one time been a pastry-cook in the household -of a French diplomat, and had been an habitué of Morant's wine-shop in -Paris. Greetings were exchanged, and after some conversation Brissard -casually remarked, "I wonder what became of old Morant?"</p> - -<p>The young Frenchman looked up sharply. "It's strange that you should -speak of him," he said. "Only two weeks ago he took rooms at the house -where I am living. It happened that I was going out just as he came in. -I greeted him, but he refused to recognise me, and, stranger still, -after paying a month's rent in advance he never came near the house -again."</p> - -<p>Here, at last, was something to work on—Morant was still in New York. -Brissard now began what was practically a house-to-house search, for -every place patronized by foreigners was visited, the detective taking -one district and Dessaure another. It was tedious work, but Morant was -somewhere in New York and Brissard meant to find him, his assistant -being perhaps even more eager than himself. For two more weeks the pair -searched for many hours each day; but it was Dessaure who got the first -tangible evidence as to Morant's whereabouts, and this was in the -identical house where Dessaure had lived on his first visit to America -some years before! Dessaure himself had quite forgotten this, and when -the ring of the bell was answered by a maid, he politely asked if "M. -Melin" was living there.</p> - -<p>"No one of that name is known here," was the answer. Dessaure, as usual, -then produced a photograph of Morant.</p> - -<p>"Ah," said the girl; "that is M. Martin, who has been here some four -weeks. He and madame left only yesterday. They are returning to France."</p> - -<p>Dessaure at once looked up Brissard and told him of his discovery. -Together they returned to the house, and Brissard succeeded in gaining -admittance to the rooms only just vacated by the Morants, where every -scrap of paper in the rooms and wardrobe was carefully collected. -Brissard had an interview with the proprietor of the place, and then -hurried to police headquarters, from where men were sent to the -different steamship offices to look over the bookings. The French -authorities were notified, and the ships which had sailed the day before -and on that day were communicated with by wireless telegraphy.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile, Brissard had found the expressman who had removed Morant's -belongings, taking them to the docks of the French line of steamers -labelled for the ship sailing on the following day. This was getting -close. With the assistance of the American police it was now ascertained -that the luggage and its owners were booked under the name of "Martin," -and a man was detailed to watch the trunks in case M. "Martin" changed -his mind about sailing. Next morning, M. Brissard, Dessaure, and two -American detectives, armed with a provisional warrant, awaited the -appearance of the much-wanted man. The ship was to sail at noon, and -shortly after ten a well-dressed woman walked slowly into the receiving -dock and inquired the way to that portion of the pier where was located -the letter "M" (all luggage being collected under the initial of its -owner). She was directed some distance ahead, and, arriving at the -location, inspected some of the luggage.</p> - -<p>Evidently satisfied that everything belonging to her was there, she -slowly walked away and out of the dock, apparently not caring to board -the ship so early.</p> - -<p>Detective Brissard watched this woman closely, but not quite closely -enough. It was Mme. Morant, and she had seen him and recognised him, -having been sent by her husband to see if the coast seemed clear for -their flight. On reaching the street she took a handkerchief from a bag -hanging at her waist and passed it across her face, an action which M. -Morant observed from the window of a restaurant opposite, where he was -anxiously watching. Brissard, not knowing he had been recognised, or -that Morant had heard of the inquiries being made about him, followed -Mme. Morant to the Elevated Railway. As she had still some two hours -before sailing-time the detective naturally supposed she was going to -meet her husband.</p> - -<p>Mme. Morant left the train at Forty-Second Street, and made her way to -the Grand Central Railway Station. There she turned round suddenly, as -if looking for someone, and the detective instinctively felt that the -woman knew she was being followed. Throwing discretion to the winds, -Brissard now deliberately approached, and, raising his hat, said:—</p> - -<p>"Good morning, Mme. Morant."</p> - -<p>The woman smiled sweetly. "I seem to know your face," she replied, "but -for the life of me I cannot recall your name."</p> - -<p>"I will assist you, madame," said the officer. "I am M. Brissard, of -Paris, detective agent."</p> - -<p>Without showing the least perturbation, Mine. Morant held out her hand. -"Ah, yes," she replied. "It is so long since I have been in Paris; I had -forgotten. How do you do?"</p> - -<p>M. Brissard assured the lady he was enjoying -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page608" id="page608"></a>[pg 608]</span> -the best of health, and in turn asked after madame's husband.</p> - -<p>"Ah, poor Morant!" was the answer. "He has been dead some years; I have -married again."</p> - -<p>Brissard sympathized with her. He was extremely sorry to trouble her, he -said, but a certain event in the life of the late M. Morant was being -looked into by the police, and he, Brissard, was afraid that madame -would have to accompany him—simply to answer a few questions. The woman -kept remarkably cool, only the pallor of her face giving evidence of the -emotion she was trying so hard to control.</p> - -<p>"Certainly I will go," was her reply. "Only you must excuse me for a -moment."</p> - -<p>M. Brissard gently pointed out that this was impossible, a cab was -called, and Mme. Morant was driven to police head-quarters. Now, -American police methods may be somewhat strenuous, but in ninety-nine -cases out of a hundred they are successful. American officers brook no -nonsense, treating criminals as they should be treated, and it must be -admitted they seldom make mistakes. Madame was at once searched by a -female attendant, and then she was asked a few questions by a detective -inspector.</p> - -<p>The "strenuous method" bore good results, for the Frenchwoman admitted -that Morant was very much alive. When it came to divulging his -whereabouts, however, she remained adamant. The trunks were now brought -up from the docks and searched, but absolutely nothing was found in any -way bearing on the missing jewels. Madame herself wore three very fine -rings and a bar brooch containing two large diamonds, but all these were -in modern settings, and, if they were part of the Martigny jewels, had -been reset. But, careful as she and her husband had evidently been, they -had not been quite careful enough, for madame was wearing a small watch -encrusted with pearls, on the inside of which was inscribed, "12 Avril, -1877. C. J. de M."</p> - -<p>This was evidence absolute, but Mme. Morant now resolutely refused to -say another word, and the search for the erstwhile keeper of the little -wine-shop in Paris had to be renewed. Meanwhile legal machinery was set -in motion which resulted in Mme. Morant being extradited as an -accessory, and shortly she was taken back to Paris in custody. Brissard -and Dessaure were now assisted in their man-hunt by the authorities, and -again several weeks went by uneventfully. Then M. Brissard heard from -Brussels to the effect that Morant's daughter had gone to Paris to visit -her mother, and also that she had paid several visits to Ostend. -Following immediately on this came word to Dessaure that Morant had been -seen in London and also in Ostend. Then came another piece of conclusive -evidence. A man named O'Keefe, who travelled to and from Tilbury Docks -in charge of cattle, was arrested in New York for creating a disturbance -while under the influence of liquor. On him was found a valuable unset -emerald. O'Keefe admitted stealing the jewel from a man who had worked -his passage over on a cattle-boat, saying the stone had been dropped by -this man. He, O'Keefe, had picked it up and kept it. He described the -man, and beyond question it was Morant. Brissard and Dessaure at once -crossed the Channel and looked up Dessaure's informant in London. The -latter told them he had seen the wanted man in a restaurant, where he -received a letter addressed to him. The proprietor of the eating-house, -on being questioned, remembered the letter, and also that it bore a -Belgian stamp. Furthermore, he said Morant had looked up the time of the -boat-trains, and he was certain that he had gone to Ostend. Thither the -searchers now went, and one of the first persons they saw after arriving -was M. Morant's daughter. She was taking the train for Brussels, and M. -Brissard at once went up to her. "Madame," he said, "you will at once -tell me where your father is, or I must have you arrested."</p> - -<p>The young woman staggered and would have fallen had not the detective -assisted her. "Believe me, I do not know," she answered, piteously. "My -mother sent me here with a message. I was to meet my father at the -station. I have been here all day and have not seen him, so am -returning."</p> - -<p>Brissard hurriedly spoke to Dessaure, and then boarded the train which -carried the young woman to Brussels. Dessaure now wore a full beard, and -was not recognised by his former sweetheart. He went to a small hotel -and had some food, then returned, as he had been told to do, to the -railway station, to await word from M. Brissard at the telegraph office.</p> - -<p>At a late hour this arrived, telling Dessaure to go on to Paris at once. -This he did, meeting the detective the next day at the latter's rooms. -Brissard seemed in very good spirits. "Our man is here in Paris," he -said; "he is human, and has followed his wife. The son-in-law is an -honourable fellow, and, although he has helped his father-in-law, is -desirous of putting an end to all this. He will induce Morant to give -himself up. I have every faith in him."</p> - -<p>"But what about the reward?" asked Dessaure.</p> - -<p>"We will see to that," replied the detective, confidently.</p> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page609" id="page609"></a>[pg 609]</span></p> - -<p>At nine o'clock the two men walked down the boulevards to the Montmartre -district. Arriving in the vicinity of a wine-shop there, M. Brissard -stationed himself directly opposite. Dessaure did not quite understand -all this, nevertheless he did as he was told. Looking up casually toward -a cross street, he saw approaching on the opposite side a man whom he -thought he recognised. The man wore a light overcoat and a straw hat, -and seemed to be looking for someone. With a cry Dessaure, unable to -restrain himself, rushed across the street, and grasping the man by the -throat struck him repeatedly in the face. It was the long-sought Morant! -The men were separated by Morant's son-in-law, who had been waiting for -him, and who upbraided M. Brissard for being there. He said he had given -his word that he would bring Morant to the police, and that Brissard had -broken faith with him.</p> - -<p>"You are quite welcome to carry out your agreement," replied the -detective. "All I want is the jewels this man has in his possession, and -I thought it advisable to get them in case—well, in case he decided to -leave them elsewhere before giving himself up."</p> - -<p>The four men now proceeded to the Prefecture of Police, where Morant, on -being searched, was discovered to have on his person more than half of -the twice-stolen jewels.</p> - -<p>He now told his story. How his wife, sitting at a third-storey window, -drying her hair after a shampoo, had been an interested spectator of -Dessaure's manœuvres in burying the box, and after his departure had -informed her husband. Morant had promptly dug the case up and, on -discovering what it contained, at first intended to hand it over to the -police. Then greed overcame him, and, despite the protestations of his -wife, he decided to keep them. He narrated how he reburied the jewels in -another spot, in case Dessaure should divulge their original -hiding-place to the police, and how he waited for some months alter -Dessaure's conviction before selling his <i>café</i>. Then he departed for -London and opened a restaurant there. He knew the detectives in America -were searching for him, he said, and so took a situation as <i>chef</i> in -another name. The jewels had proved a curse to him throughout. Morant's -story was listened to by the Prefect, and he was then placed under -arrest as an "accessory after the fact."</p> - -<p>He was tried some weeks later, convicted, and sent to prison for a term -of three years. His nerves had been completely shattered by his long -ordeal, however, and five weeks after his reception at the Santé Morant -died in the prison hospital.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 350px;"><a href="images/088-900.png"><img src="images/088-350.png" width="350" height="464" alt="" /></a> -<p>"GRASPING THE MAN BY THE THROAT, HE STRUCK HIM REPEATEDLY IN THE FACE."</p></div> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page610" id="page610"></a>[pg 610]</span></p> - -<h2>THE LAND OF SUPERSTITION.</h2> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/089-1200.png"><img src="images/089-600.png" width="600" height="452" alt="" /></a> -<p>HOLDING A BOY OVER "ST. JOHN'S FIRE," IN THE BELIEF THAT IT WILL -CURE HIP-DISEASE.</p></div> - -<p class="title1"><span class="sc">By Frederic Lees.</span></p></div> - -<blockquote><p> -Nowhere in France are curious beliefs so rife as in Finistère, the -Morbihan, and the Côtes-du-Nord, where most of the little-known facts -contained in the following pages were collected. As to the photographs -by M. Paul Géniaux, the well-known authority on Breton folk-lore, they -are unique, since they represent for the first time a number of the -superstitious ceremonies to which the Bretons, in spite of the spread of -education, still pin their faith. -</p></blockquote> - -<div><img class="drop-cap1" src="images/089dc-100.png" width="100" height="100" alt="W" /></div> -<p class="drop-cap1"><span class="uppercase">WE</span> were cycling through Brittany—my Breton friend and I—and the turn -of the road suddenly brought us within sight of a typical Finistère -village, with its picturesque grey cottages surrounded by verdant -orchards. Slackening speed, we began to look about us, and it was then -that, glancing to my right down a narrow side road, I beheld a scene -that made me dismount and call to my companion.</p> - -<p>"I say, Géniaux, whatever are they doing to the little chap?" I cried. -"Are they grilling him for supper?"</p> - -<p>My friend's only reply was a chuckle and the click of the shutter of his -camera, which, on coming to me, he had instinctively swung into the -right position for a snapshot. Not until the photographic record had -been obtained and the plate had been changed did he vouchsafe to give me -an explanation of what we saw before us. In the middle of the road a -small bonfire was merrily crackling. Over it a boy of six or seven was -being held by a man and a woman, whilst three other peasant-women and -some children looked on with solemn faces. What could be the meaning of -this extraordinary proceeding, which looked for all the world like a -human sacrifice?</p> - -<p>"No; he's not being prepared for supper," replied Paul Géniaux, with another -chuckle. "That boy has something the matter with his leg—hip-disease, I -should say; and these good people think they are going to effect a cure by -holding him over a bonfire on St. John's Day. I hope they'll succeed. Poor -little chap! We are lucky to have seen the ceremony and got a -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page611" id="page611"></a>[pg 611]</span> -photograph, for this is one of the most curious of our Breton -superstitions. I'd quite forgotten that to-day was the 'Jour de -Saint-Jean.' Many a bonfire will be lit in Brittany to-night, and many a -cripple will be submitted to this ordeal of fire."</p> - -<p>Whilst my friend was speaking the ceremony had come to an end and the -little boy had been handed over to his mother, who departed on her way, -probably rejoicing. As the other members of the group were about to -disperse we drew near, with the usual salutations, and entered into -conversation. Though I knew that my fellow-traveller's knowledge was -quite equal to that of these simple peasant folk, I was anxious to learn -something from their own lips, and above all to judge for myself of -their sincerity. At first they were decidedly shy, but when my friend -spoke a few words to them in their native Breton they became quite open, -and evidently no longer regarded us as "strangers."</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/090-1200.png"><img src="images/090-600.png" width="600" height="376" alt="" /></a> -<p>THE TOMB OF ST. YVES—HUNCHBACKS COME FROM FAR AND NEAR -TO CRAWL THROUGH IT AND SO GET THEIR DEFORMITY REMOVED.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<p>"Yes; we were quite right," explained the man. "The boy was suffering -from hip-disease; and as all the doctors in the district had failed to -do him any good they were trying a remedy in which they had every faith. -It was a great pity that the mother had not resorted to it sooner. But -she was a young woman, full of all sorts of new ideas, and she had -preferred to waste her money on the doctors. <i>He</i> was a believer in the -old remedies. He had known a 'feu de Saint-Jean' perform miracles. But -to be thoroughly effective it was essential that the two people who held -the child should concentrate their thoughts on the work and have perfect -faith. Nothing could be done without faith."</p> - -<p>There was such a ring of sincerity in his voice that we two sceptics -were disarmed. It was useless to try to disillusionize the man, so we -asked him further questions and obtained the additional information that -a "feu de Saint-Jean" was good for other things besides complaints and -diseases. A horse, for instance, that had been passed through the fire -was rendered proof against illness, and would perform its work much -better than one that had not undergone the ordeal. This chance meeting -with an interesting example of Breton superstition prompted an idea. We -determined that whilst on our journey through Brittany we would collect -as many similar examples as we could, so as to form the nucleus of a -book on the folklore of that part of France. And wherever we went we -found something to add to our records, as the following examples will -show.</p> - -<p>A very large number of the superstitions of Brittany apply to ailments. -Poor food, the excessive use of alcohol, and profound ignorance of the laws of -health make the Bretons subject to numerous complaints, which they endeavour -to cure by means that were adopted by their forefathers as far back as the -fourteenth century. On reaching a little village near Tréguier we were advised -to see the tomb of St. Yves in the church-yard, and on going there found an old -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page612" id="page612"></a>[pg 612]</span> -woman—a hunchback—creeping through a narrow aperture with which that -beautiful monument is pierced. Though she had been deformed since -childhood, she was quite convinced that the saint, who had been renowned -during his life-time for the miraculous healing of the sick, might still -be able to do something for her. This "Hunchbacks' Hole" in the tomb of -St. Yves had already cured quite a number of <i>bossus</i>, in accordance, -legend said, with a promise made by the holy man. He himself, in his -youth, had been hunchbacked. Remembering this when on his death-bed, he -gave instructions that his tomb should be fashioned in the particular -form in which it is to-day, at the same time promising that every -cripple who crept through it should have the benefit of his prayers in -heaven.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 340px;"><a href="images/091-850.png"><img src="images/091-340.png" width="340" height="476" alt="" /></a> -<p>A CURIOUS CURE FOR WARTS—DROPPING HARICOT BEANS ONE BY ONE DOWN -A "HOLY" WELL.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<p>The minor troubles to which poor humanity is subject are also "cured" by -the carrying out of certain other peculiar ceremonies. When a Breton -girl suffers from warts, for instance, she has herself blindfolded, -takes a handful of haricot beans, and feels her way to the nearest well, -into which she must throw the beans one by one, at the same time -wishing. Should the well be a holy one—and most wells in Brittany have -been blessed by the priests and are therefore -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page613" id="page613"></a>[pg 613]</span> -considered to be "holy"—all the better; for her warts will disappear -the very next day. In the case of an ordinary well, however, they will -not be "charmed away" anything like so rapidly. Still, in the end the -sincere wisher will get rid of them. To combat acute forms of headache a -very curious method is employed near Billiers, in the Morbihan. The -sufferer pricks his or her forehead with a needle until blood flows; -then, with the same needle, he or she pricks a certain cross that was -erected in 1874 near the village. By this means it is believed that the -headache is made to "enter the wood," where it will remain for at least -a fortnight. This "cure" is attributed to the intervention of the Virgin -Mary, who is said to have appeared in the above-mentioned year where the -cross is erected, with a promise that she would perform miracles "to -prove her descent at that spot." Adjoining the cross for curing -headaches is another that is reputed to be of great service in the cure -of diseases of the scalp. All that the sufferers need do is to come and -pray there, leaving their bonnets or caps behind them, attached to a -forked branch stuck in the earth.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"><a href="images/092a-1000.png"><img src="images/092a-500.png" width="500" height="479" alt="" /></a> - -<p>HOW TO REMOVE A HEADACHE—HAVING PRICKED YOUR FOREHEAD WITH A NEEDLE -TILL BLOOD FLOWS, YOU STICK THE NEEDLE INTO THE CROSS ON THE RIGHT. THE -SECOND CROSS IS HELD IN HIGH REPUTE FOR CURING SCALP DISEASES.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/092b-1200.png"><img src="images/092b-600.png" width="600" height="378" alt="" /></a> -<p>UNLESS ONE OF THE HIVES OF A DECEASED PEASANT IS IMMEDIATELY -COVERED WITH CRAPE THE BEES WILL FLY AWAY AND SEEK ANOTHER MASTER!<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page614" id="page614"></a>[pg 614]</span></p> - -<p>When, in the case of serious ailments, a cure is not effected by one or -other of these means, the sufferer considers that he has received a very -bad sign. Everyone must die sooner or later, and he recognises that he -has received a warning. Sometimes the "warning" is a very definite one, -as we were told on passing through a place called Muzollac. A candle is -seen to float out through the church door and fall down the chimney of -the house of the sick person! Death is not far off when that phenomenon -is observed, and one of the first things that the relatives do, should -there be bees in the garden, is to cover one of the hives with crape. If -this is not done they believe the bees will all fly away and seek -another master!</p> - -<p>There are all sorts of superstitions in Brittany connected with candles -and death. On the occasion of a marriage, for instance, the bride and -bridegroom take great care to give an extra large tip to the choir-boy -whose duty it is to light the candles on the altar and see that they -burn well throughout the ceremony. For, should one of the candles begin -to flicker and go out, it is certain that someone is going to die within -a year. If it is one in front of the bride, then she is to be the -victim; if it is one opposite the bridegroom, then the misfortune is to -descend upon him.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 530px;"><a href="images/093-1200.png"><img src="images/093-530.png" width="530" height="470" alt="" /></a> -<p>DIVINATION BY NEEDLE—IF THE GIRLS' NEEDLES FLOAT TWICE -OUT OF THREE TIMES THEY WILL SECURE A HUSBAND. SOME UNSCRUPULOUS -INQUIRERS "SQUARE" THE ORACLE BY GREASING THEIR NEEDLES!<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<p>The majority of the strange beliefs of ancient Brittany apply, however, -not to so gloomy a subject as death, but to the joyful one of love and -marriage. Especially are the maidens of that part of France believers in -signs and portents. They begin at the age of sixteen or seventeen with -the floating needle superstition. In little parties of three to six they -set out for a walk in the country, choosing a day when there -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page615" id="page615"></a>[pg 615]</span> -is not much wind, for there must be hardly a ripple on the surface of -the pool where they intend to question the future.</p> - -<p>When, in the beautiful, orchard-covered suburbs of Quimper, we met one -of these bright-faced, laughing groups of lasses, the object of whose -journey was evident from the plaster statuette of St. Catherine which -one of them carried in her arms, we asked to be allowed to accompany -them. Hearing that their portraits were to be taken they willingly -consented. So we set off across the fields together and soon arrived at -a shaded pool of clear spring water.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/094-1200.png"><img src="images/094-600.png" width="600" height="389" alt="" /></a> - -<p>ANOTHER METHOD OF "QUESTIONING ST. CATHERINE"—THE STATUETTE -OF THE SAINT IS AFFIXED TO A TREE AND A HEAD-DRESS PLACED UPON -IT. IF IT FALLS TO THE RIGHT THE GIRL WILL MAKE A HAPPY MARRIAGE; IF TO THE LEFT, -SHE WILL BE AN OLD MAID.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<p>The statuette of St. Catherine—the patron saint of old maids—was then -placed on one of the banks, and the girls, taking out their needles, -began to see if they would float on the surface of the water. If they -succeeded twice out of three times in making them float, then the saint -had answered in the affirmative; they were to have a husband, and -perhaps before many months had gone by. But if the needles went to the -bottom, then they would remain spinsters all their lives. In the eyes of -the Breton girl this is a terrible fate; and Géniaux told me, as we -continued on our way towards the ancient cathedral city, that sometimes -those who go on needle-floating excursions do not play fair: they take -care to grease their needles well, so that they cannot do anything else -but float!</p> - -<p>In other parts of Brittany, especially in the northern departments, -another method of questioning St. Catherine is adopted. The statuette is -affixed to a tree in an orchard. One after the other the girls then -arrange a head-dress above the saint's head. If the wind blows the -<i>coiffure</i> down to the right, it is regarded as proof that the girl to -whom it belongs will make a happy marriage; but if it falls to the left, -she will be an old maid all her life. To the girls in the Côtes-du-Nord -this is an absolutely reliable test, and no amount of argument will make -them believe that St. Catherine does not control the wind in such a -manner that it answers "yes" or "no."</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/095a-1200.png"><img src="images/095a-600.png" width="600" height="392" alt="" /></a> -<p>IN SOME PARTS OF BRITTANY IT IS BELIEVED THAT NO MARRIAGE -WILL TURN OUT WELL UNLESS THE YOUNG MAN DEPOSITS A CERTAIN SUM OF MONEY -WITH HIS INTENDED—IF THE MAN BREAKS THE ENGAGEMENT HE LOSES HIS MONEY.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/095b-1200.png"><img src="images/095b-600.png" width="600" height="421" alt="" /></a> -<p>THE VILLAGERS OF BILLIERS PUT LARGE CROSSES IN WHITEWASH -OVER THEIR DOORS TO PROTECT THE HOUSES FROM LIGHTNING.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<p>Before leaving the subject of marriage superstitions, I must not omit to -mention the belief that is common around Pont-l'Abbé to the effect that -no marriage will turn out a happy one unless the <i>fiancé</i> deposits a sum -of money, varying from fifty to five hundred francs, according to his -social position, with his intended. Parisians are well acquainted with -this custom in the case of their tailors, who, when a customer is not -very well known, insist on a deposit. "On est prié de laisser des -arrhes" is a common notice in the shops of French <i>tailleurs</i>; but -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page616" id="page616"></a>[pg 616-7]</span> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page617" id="page617"></a></span> -until I went to Brittany I was not aware that it was also observed in -the marriage market. The money is deposited, as I have said, in order to -assure a happy union; but should no marriage take place, and this -through the fault of the <i>fiancée</i>, the sum must be returned. If the -engagement is broken off by the man, then he loses his deposit. When at -Pont-l'Abbé we were told an amusing story in this connection.</p> - -<p>A certain shrewd Breton maiden, whom the inhabitants of the little town -still called "the perpetual <i>fiancée</i>," got herself engaged no fewer -than seven times in succession, and each time she succeeded in forcing -her <i>fiancé</i> to break the engagement. In this way she collected close on -one thousand francs. After the seventh young man of Pont-l'Abbe had been -cast aside she could not succeed in finding an eighth, for everybody -fought shy of her. One day, however, the announcement went forth, to -everybody's amazement, that "the perpetual <i>fiancée</i>" was to be married. -The fortunate, or unfortunate, bridegroom turned out to be a sailor of -the neighbouring port of Loctudy, who had been away on a long voyage, -and to whom, people said, the girl had been engaged all the time. During -his absence she had simply been collecting a little dowry for the man of -her heart!</p> - -<p>As will be seen, superstition enters so largely into the daily life of -the Breton that wherever you go you are sure to find instances of it. -The millers of Pont-l'Abbé and district nail a pair of sabots to their -water-wheels in order to make them turn well and grind the corn to -perfection.</p> - -<p>Even the sportsmen, whom you would think would depend entirely on their -skill, are superstitious. Near Billiers we came across one of them who -was busily engaged in searching for the pellets with which he had killed -a fine hare. After a good deal of difficulty he found three or four. He -then proceeded to fill some new cartridge-cases, putting one of the used -shot into each case; for this, he said, was an absolutely certain means -of killing every time that he raised his gun to his shoulder. This was, -perhaps, the strangest of all the superstitions encountered during our -wanderings through ancient Armorica.</p> - -<p>The inhabitants of Billiers put a large cross in whitewash over the -doors of their cottages, so as to protect them against lightning; they -stretch cords over their huge iron stew-pots, and sit watching them for -hours to see if they are vibrated by some unseen power—vibration being -a sure sign that those who take part in the experiment are to be happy -for the remainder of the year; and on the fish-women receiving the first -proceeds of a sale they fall down on their knees to make the sign of the -cross, which will ensure them having a profitable day's work.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 440px;"><a href="images/096-1100.png"><img src="images/096-440.png" width="440" height="468" alt="" /></a> -<p>ON RECEIVING THE PROCEEDS OF THEIR FIRST SALE THE FISH-WOMEN -FALL DOWN UPON THEIR KNEES TO MAKE THE SIGN OF THE -CROSS, WHICH ENSURES A PROFITABLE DAY'S WORK.<br /> -<span class="right1 space-below3"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page618" id="page618"></a>[pg 618]</span></p> - -<h2><span class="more">THE WIDE WORLD: In Other Magazines.</span></h2> - -<div class="figleft" style="width: 400px;"><a href="images/097a-700.png"><img src="images/097a-350.png" width="350" height="464" alt="" /></a> -<p class="center">AN OLD WHEEL OF FORTUNE IN BRITTANY.</p></div></div> - -<p class="space-above3 space-below3"><a name="page618a" id="page618a"></a><span class="dropcap">I</span> N the village church -of Comfort (near Pont-Croix), in Western Brittany, -is a very good specimen of the now rare "Wheel of Fortune." It is made -of wood, with a row of bells on its outer rim and pivoted between a -couple of rough beams—altogether very primitive workmanship. By means -of a cord attached to a crank the wheel can be made to revolve and set -all the bells a-jangling. The peasants believe that it has miraculous -power of healing when rung over the head of a sufferer who has placed a -sou in the box to which the rope is padlocked.—"<span class="sc">THE STRAND MAGAZINE.</span>"</p> - -<h3>THE AUSTRALIAN WAS CONVINCED.<a name="page618b" id="page618b"></a></h3> - -<p class="space-below3"><span class="dropcap">T</span>HE negro attendant in the cloak-room of a palatial establishment of -this sort in San Francisco was uncommonly sharp. Several prominent men -in Australia had come to Tasmania to inspect the irrigation Colonies -there, and amongst them was the Premier of Victoria. He was told during -his visit that this particular negro could, without a moment's -hesitation, hand out the right hat to every visitor. The colonial -statesman was a little incredulous at such a statement, and was -determined to put the man to the test. So he went up to the counter and -asked the man for his hat, which he turned over and over, as if in -doubt, and regarded critically. At last he said, "Are you sure this is -my hat?" "No, sah," was the instant response; "I don't know whose hat it -is, but I do know you gave it me." The Ethiopian scored, and the -Australian was convinced.—"<span class="sc">TIT-BITS.</span>"</p> - -<h3>NEW YORK'S LATEST CRAZE.<a name="page618c" id="page618c"></a></h3> - -<p class="space-below3"><span class="dropcap">N</span> EW YORK is just now passing through a roller-skating craze which -threatens to attract the attention of the police. The skating is not -confined to rinks, but is indulged in on the streets by boys and girls, -men and women, who fly along, brushing by innocent pedestrians, and not -infrequently bowling them over. The pavements are rendered unsightly by -the marks of the skates and the dropping of the oil from the "ball -bearings," and at last householders have complained, and the police have -been ordered to arrest skaters who pursue their pastime in certain -sections of the city.—"<span class="sc">WOMAN'S LIFE.</span>"</p> - -<div class="figright" style="width: 330px; margin-top: -2em; margin-bottom: 2em;"><a href="images/097b-750.png"><img src="images/097b-330.png" width="330" height="470" alt="Kentia Palm" /></a></div> - -<h3>WINTER IN KABUL.<a name="page618d" id="page618d"></a></h3> - -<p class="space-below3"><span class="dropcap">W</span>INTER, beginning early in October and continuing until March, renders -life in Kabul difficult and uncomfortable. Charcoal is the chief fuel; -and as the houses, owing to numerous doors and windows, are very -draughty, the supply of wood very limited, and coal unobtainable, it is -necessary to wear, even in the house, treble thicknesses of clothing, -and the longest, warmest, and thickest of fur coats outside the doors. -Meal times, under such rigorous conditions, are a distinct misfortune. -All food-stuffs freeze solid; bread has to be chopped with an axe and -drinking water broken with a hammer. Pickles, sauces, jams, and ink are -better put away till the spring. Joints must be served piping hot from -the fire and lying over a pan of glowing charcoal—even then the centre -will probably be unthawed; while the matutinal cup of tea or the -nocturnal cup of cocoa must be gulped rapidly if it is not to freeze -before it is swallowed.—"<span class="sc">THE SUNDAY STRAND.</span>"</p> - -<h3>A BEAUTIFUL EASTERN PLANT.<a name="page618e" id="page618e"></a></h3> - -<p class="space-below3"><span class="dropcap">T</span>HE annexed photograph, which depicts a very fine specimen of a Kentia -in full bloom, will be especially interesting to those who have -travelled in Eastern countries and have had the privilege of seeing it -growing in its native wilds. Unfortunately, our climate is too inclement -for this beautiful plant, and it is very rarely, if ever, that a -specimen is to be seen in bloom in this country.—"<span class="sc">COUNTRY LIFE.</span>"</p> - -<div class="chapter space-above1 clear"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page619" id="page619"></a>[pg 619]</span></p> - -<div class="cont clear"> -<h2 class="ib"><span class="more">Odds and Ends.</span></h2></div></div> - -<blockquote><p> -A Piscatorial Acrobat—An Extraordinary Juggling Feat—The Fakir's Couch, etc. -</p></blockquote> - -<div><img class="drop-cap1" src="images/098dc-100.png" width="100" height="100" alt="T" /></div> -<p class="drop-cap"><a name="page619a" id="page619a"></a><span class="uppercase">THE</span> striking photograph below depicts "Abe Ruef," a piscatorial acrobat -who lives in a fountain in St. James's Park, San Jose, California, and -his trainer and friend, Charles Riley. "Abe Ruef" is a carp about a foot -long, and his master claims that he is the only trained fish in the -world. The education of "Abe" was begun a year ago by Riley, who is one -of the gardeners in the park, and has been kept up continuously, so that -now "Abe" prances around his little sphere of action with all the -alertness and agility of a trapeze artiste. Whether the fish can hear -the commands which are given him or not, he certainly understands what -is wanted of him and performs his "tricks" promptly and with exactness. -One of his favourite pranks is to wriggle over the edge of the porcelain -bowl of the fountain into Riley's hands. The picture here reproduced was -taken just as he was coming over the edge one day, and the photographer -made seventeen attempts before he succeeded in getting the picture. -"Abe" will also squirm over or under a stick held in the water, will -crawl between Riley's fingers, will go half-way under and then back out, -and will swim backward around the tank at the word of command. He takes -particular delight in swimming up to the surface of the water and having -his back stroked by his master. Riley is an animal trainer of -considerable efficiency, and at his home he has the dog and cat, and -even the cow, trained to do tricks; while a number of chickens will beg -for food and jump over sticks at their master's order.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a href="images/098-1200.png"><img src="images/098-600.png" width="600" height="469" alt="" /></a> -<p>A GARDENER IN THE PARK AT SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, HAS -TAUGHT A CARP TO PERFORM ALL SORTS OF CURIOUS TRICKS—THE FISH IS HERE -SEEN WRIGGLING OVER THE EDGE OF THE BASIN INTO HIS TRAINER'S HANDS.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="page620" id="page620"></a>[pg 620]</span></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 360px;"><a href="images/099-930.png"><img src="images/099-360.png" width="360" height="462" alt="" /></a> -<p>THE "SKULLERY" AT NATERS, IN THE RHONE VALLEY—BODIES -OCCUPY GRAVES IN THE VILLAGE CEMETERY FOR A LIMITED PERIOD ONLY, BEING -AFTERWARDS DUG UP AND THE BONES STACKED AS HERE SHOWN.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div></div> - -<p>The photograph reproduced above shows the "skullery" at Naters, in the -Rhone Valley. At this village, and at various others in Switzerland, a -curious custom prevails in connection with burials. One is not allowed -to rest peaceably in one's grave for ever, as is the practice in this -country; the grave is permanent, but the occupation of it is a strictly -temporary tenancy, and when needed for a later arrival the previous -occupant is disinterred and his bones are stacked away in the -"skullery," as here seen.</p> - -<p><a name="page620a" id="page620a"></a>It is not uncommon, both in China and India, to see conjurers going -about from place to place, reminding one of the peripatetic -scissor-grinders who abound in our own country. All the paraphernalia -with which they perform their many and varied tricks is carried in two -boxes, suspended from the ends of a long pole resting on the shoulder, -and for a very small sum they will give a performance lasting an hour or -so. Besides the common sleight-of-hand tricks, such as the appearance -and disappearance of balls, artificial flowers, jars full of water, live -fish, etc., and the spinning and throwing of crockery, balls, and -knives, there are certain other feats which require more than mere -dexterity of hand. For instance, a sleigh-bell is swallowed, and can be -heard tinkling in the stomach as the "artiste" jumps about. Then a sword -is thrust down the throat, and can be heard to strike against the bell. -The bell, needless to say, is later recovered. But the special and -rather disgusting feat illustrated by the striking pictures on the -opposite page, and performed by a Chinese juggler, seems to outrival -anything else of the kind. It consisted in threading two snakes up the -nostrils and out through the mouth! The conjurer performed this feat at -the house of a <span class="sc">Wide World</span> reader living near T'ungchou, about fourteen -miles from Peking, China. The first photograph shows him standing behind -one of the long round boxes which contain his outfit. On the top of the -box is a basket containing a number of live snakes, from which he -selects two of the smoother and more docile ones, though he afterwards -confessed that one of the snakes had several times bitten him as it -passed through the nose. These snakes were a foot and a half long, and -about as large round as a man's little finger. By the conjurer's side -stood a small boy who acted as his assistant. In the second picture the -conjurer is seen at work, threading the head of the first snake into his -nostril. Needless to say, this is a delicate operation, and even the -little assistant seemed interested. The bringing back of the head of the -snake, after penetrating the nasal passages and beginning to pass down -into the throat, is accomplished in the following manner. The performer -puts two fingers far back into his mouth, the approach of the fingers -and the arrival of the snake naturally bringing on a muscular spasm of -the throat, which throws forward the head of the reptile and enables it -to be grasped,<span class="pagenum"><a name="page621" id="page621"></a>[pg 621-2]</span> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page622" id="page622"></a></span> -drawn from the mouth, and allowed to dangle several inches away from the -lips. In the third and fourth pictures the conjurer has succeeded in -accomplishing the feat, having forced the second snake into as -uncomfortable a position as the first. In these photographs the heads of -the two snakes are clearly seen hanging from the man's mouth, while the -squirming tails, for convenience, are snugly curled about his ears! -Self-control and resignation fairly beam from the countenance of the -poor fellow, as he seeks to assume an attitude favourable for the -photographer, and yet affording a modicum of comfort to himself. The -development of this conjurer's throat was remarkable. Long practice in -sword and bell swallowing had evidently not only enlarged the muscles, -but also toughened the membranes. Otherwise, it would seem impossible -for a man to endure, without serious inconvenience, the wriggling and -crawling of snakes in this most sensitive part of the anatomy.</p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 330px;"><a href="images/100-1000.png"><img src="images/100-330.png" width="330" height="478" alt="" /></a> - -<ul class="none"> -<li>SELECTING THE SNAKES.</li> -<li>A TICKLISH OPERATION.</li> -<li>THE FEAT ACCOMPLISHED.</li> -<li>ANOTHER VIEW OF THE FINAL PHASE.</li> -</ul> -<p><span class="right1" style="margin-top: -1.2em;"><i>From Photographs.</i></span></p> -</div></div> - -<p><a name="page622a" id="page622a"></a>We have published several photographs of religious mendicants in India, -showing the extraordinary penances they inflict upon themselves to gain -merit—and incidentally the alms of the faithful—but none more striking -than that here reproduced, which shows a fakir at Jubbulpore seated on a -couch of sharp-pointed nails. Here, with eyes closed, wrapped in -profound meditation, he sits all day long, apparently oblivious to the -pricking of the spikes. There is no deception about the business; the -nails are quite sharp, but probably long usage has hardened the fakir's -epidermis to such an extent that the discomfort is hardly felt.</p> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 420px;"><a href="images/101-1100.png"><img src="images/101-400.png" width="400" height="471" alt="" /></a> -<p>AN INDIAN FAKIR SITTING ON A COUCH OF SHARP-POINTED NAILS.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a photo. by H. Hands.</i></span></p></div></div> - -<p class="space-above1 space-below3">Twenty years ago, when the villagers living on the borders of Reigate Heath, Surrey, -had no place of worship nearer than the parish church, a service was held in a schoolroom -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page623" id="page623"></a>[pg 623]</span> -close by, and was so well attended that the authorities looked around -for a suitable permanent building. The erection of a church was out of -the question, but there stood on the Heath the remains of an old mill, a -picturesque feature in a beautiful bit of landscape. Inspection showed -that once the rats were got rid of a comparatively small outlay would -furnish and render the mill fit for public worship, and soon it was -opened as the Chapel of the Holy Cross. The circular brick walls of this -odd chapel are mostly ivy-clad, and as the entrance is reached the -vestry is seen on the left. Originally it is reputed to have been a -carpenter's shed, and, except that a few pegs and chairs have been -added, its primitive state is well preserved. The interior of the chapel -arouses interest. Four buttresses, four feet thick by six feet in -height, serve as rests for two massive beams, which cross each other in -the centre and support an upright shaft, cracked with age and strongly -bound with iron bands. The roof slopes down from the vertex of the shaft -to the circular wall, and consequently the building, though no more than -thirty feet in diameter, is of considerable loftiness. The buttresses -make four natural alcoves. The entrance door stands in one, and -immediately opposite is the altar; the harmonium is placed in a third, -and the bell-ringer sits close beside it and rings his bell; the fourth -is occupied by the congregation. The chairs are arranged so as to leave -an aisle from the doorway to the altar, down which only one person can -pass at a time. Above the altar and the doorway are the windows. The -light is fairly good, but there are glass lanterns filled with candles -in the alcoves, and a candelabrum holding nine lights hangs in front of -the altar. All the seats are free, and as many as fifty people can be -accommodated. There is no pulpit, the preacher standing between the -prayer-desk and the lectern. A nominal rental of a shilling a year is -paid to the owner of this curious church.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 340px;"><a href="images/102a-730.png"><img src="images/102a-340.png" width="340" height="477" alt="" /></a> -<p class="center">A SURREY WINDMILL WHICH IS USED AS A CHURCH.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photo.<br /> -by View and Portrait Supply Co.</i></span></p></div> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p>The horrible-looking head seen in the photograph below is a fetish which -was, until quite recently, in use among the natives of Sierra Leone. It -is said to be covered with human skin, -<span class="pagenum"><a name="page624" id="page624"></a>[pg 624]</span> -and the gruesomeness of its appearance was intentionally exaggerated, as -it was intended to act as a kind of household god and a defence against -evil spirits. These superstitions, it is interesting to note, are -gradually becoming extinct under the pressure of British civilization.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 320px;"><a href="images/102b-680.png"><img src="images/102b-320.png" width="320" height="477" alt="" /></a> -<p>A GOLD COAST FETISH, USED TO KEEP EVIL SPIRITS AWAY FROM -THE HOUSE—IT IS SAID TO BE COVERED WITH HUMAN SKIN.<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div></div> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p>The photograph reproduced on this page was taken on the station platform -at Ginginhlovu, in Zululand. The young Zulu girl here seen was waiting -for a train, and had picked up a <span class="sc">Wide-World Magazine</span> which had been -inadvertently left behind by some passenger—no doubt much to his -sorrow. Although the vast majority of the natives cannot read or -understand English, they are very fond of looking at pictures, and this -Zulu belle was much interested in her find.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 460px;"><a href="images/103a-950.png"><img src="images/103a-460.png" width="460" height="438" alt="" /></a> -<p>OUR DUSKY ADMIRER—A ZULU BELLE LOOKING AT THE PICTURES IN "THE WIDE WORLD."<br /> -<span class="right1"><i>From a Photograph.</i></span></p></div></div> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"><a name="page624a" id="page624a"></a><a href="images/103b-1200.png"><img src="images/103b-600.png" width="600" height="382" alt="" /></a> -<p>THE MAP-CONTENTS OF "THE WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE," WHICH -SHOWS AT A GLANCE THE LOCALITY OF EACH ARTICLE AND NARRATIVE OF -ADVENTURE IN THIS NUMBER.</p></div></div> -<hr /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<div class="tn"> -<h4>Transcriber's Note:</h4> - -<p>The Magazine Cover and Table Of Contents were created by the transcriber and are placed in the public domain.</p> - -<p>Some illustrations have been moved slightly, to avoid interrupting the flow of the text.<br /> -Some illustrations have been partially cleaned, where it was safe to do so.</p> - -<p>There are instances of hyphenated and unhyphenated variants of a number of words.<br /> -All have been retained.</p> - -</div></div> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Wide World Magazine, Vol. 22, No. 132, -March 1909, by Various - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WIDE WORLD MAGAZINE, MARCH 1909 *** - -***** This file should be named 52408-h.htm or 52408-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/2/4/0/52408/ - -Produced by Victorian/Edwardian Pictorial Magazines, -Jonathan Ingram, Lesley Halamek, and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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