. Explorations and adventures in the wilds of Africa; . ore me, would it be advisable to await the return of theabsent men ? A few moments of anxious self-communion determinedme not to do so, but to retrace my steps without farther delay. This res-olution was, of course, the death-blow to the expedition. Before startingon our backward course I fired a number of shots, which received noanswer, to attract the notice of the absentees. Appalling- Spectacle. I had yet a small supply of water in the wagon, having taken the pre-caution at starting to take the entire stock under my immediate chargeI n
. Explorations and adventures in the wilds of Africa; . ore me, would it be advisable to await the return of theabsent men ? A few moments of anxious self-communion determinedme not to do so, but to retrace my steps without farther delay. This res-olution was, of course, the death-blow to the expedition. Before startingon our backward course I fired a number of shots, which received noanswer, to attract the notice of the absentees. Appalling- Spectacle. I had yet a small supply of water in the wagon, having taken the pre-caution at starting to take the entire stock under my immediate chargeI now served out a few mouthfuls to each individual, left a smal) quan-tity, together with a few biscuits, on a bush for the absent men, shouldthey find their way back, and then began the return journey at a briskpace, but with a heavy heart. Health and strength, time and the season, had been thus wasted andlost, heavy pecuniary sacrifices made, the life of men and valuable beastsjeopardized, bright prospects blighted, and all—all to so little purpose!. SOUTH AFRICAN KANGAROOS 259 260 WONDERS OF THE TROPICS. My feelings on this memorable occasion may be more easily imaginedthan described. We had proceeded but a comparatively short distance, and were justescaping out of a thorn-thicket when we were suddenly startled by agrand, but to us appalling sight. The whole country before us was one huge lake of flames. Turning|0 one of the natives, I exclaimed, Good God, our return is cutoflf! I had seen many wood and grass fires, but nothing to Immediately in front of us lay stretched out like a sea a vast pas-ture prairie, dotted with occasional trees, bounded in the distance bygroves of huge giraffe thorns, all in a blaze ! Through the very midst of this lay our path. By delaying a fewhours the danger would have been con-siderably diminished, if not altogetherover; but delay in our case seemed al-most more dangerous than going for-ward, and so on we pushed, trusting tosome f
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