Part 8 (1/2)
”'Dear Mary,' I replied, roused to new life and energy by her consoling words, 'you are right--you are right--in Hie noise sounded in our ears, co from the direction of the forest It seemed distant at first, but every moment drew nearer and nearer It was like the voice of so'
from extreme terror or pain I looked around for the ox The horse was in the glade, but his coain the voice came from the woods, louder andof an ox; but what could it mean? Once more it rose upon the air, nearer andas it cried!
”I sprang to my rifle--Frank and Harry also seized theirs--Cudjo ars, that had started to their feet, stood waiting a signal to rush forth
”Once more broke out that terrible cry; and we could now hear the sweeping of leaves, and the crackling of branches, as if soh the bushes The birds flew up frohed wildly--the dogs sent forth their iht!
Again rose, the deep and sonorous roar, filling the valley with its agonising tones The cane rattled as it yielded to the crushi+ng hoof
We saw the leaves of the thick underwood shaking at a distance--then nearer--then up to the edge of the glade--and the next h the leaves, and dashed out into the opening
We saw at a glance it was the ox; but what could it mean? Was he pursued by some monster--some beast of prey? No! not pursued, but already overtaken Look! see what the ox carries on his shoulders! Oh, heavens! what a sight!
”We were all for a while as if paralysed Between the shoulders of the ox, and clutching hiht appeared to be a y hair, and part of the ox himself--so closely was it fastened upon hiuish the spreading claws and short muscular limbs of a fearful creature Its head was down near the throat of the ox, which we could see was torn, and dappled with cri upon his jugular vein It was tearing his flesh, and drinking his blood as he ran!
”The ox, as he caalloped but slowly, and belloith less energy than before We could perceive that he tottered as he ran, stillfor the ca a long moan, he fell to the earth with the death-rattle in his throat!
”The strange anio its hold, and raised itself erect over the carcass Now, for the first time, I sahat it was It was the fearful _carcajou_! Now, too, for the first time, it seemed to be aware of our presence, and suddenly placed itself in an attitude to spring The next moment it had launched its body towards Mary and the children!
”We all three fired as it sprang forward, but our feelings had unnerved us, and the bullets whistled idly away I drew my knife and rushed after; but Cudjo was beforetowards it like a flash of light, and burying itself in the long hair With a hoarse growl, the monster turned, and, to my joy, I saw that it was ih the skin of its neck Instead of yielding, however, it rushed up the shaft, until Cudjo was co torn by its long, fierce claws Before it could clear itself froe pistol, and fired directly into its breast
The shot proved led for soonies of death _We_ were saved; but our poor ox, that was to have drawn us out of the Desert, lay upon the grass a lifeless and almost bloodless carcase!”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
A FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR A TRAIL
”Our hopes of being able to get away from the oasis valley were thus crushed in a on, and how could we travel without it? Even could we have crossed the Desert on foot, he would hardly suffice to carry our food and water But for us to pass one of those terrible stretches of wilderness--by the Spaniards called 'jornadas'--on foot was out of the question Even the strongest and hardiest of the trappers often perish in such atte a delicate fe two children thatwas plainly ihts of its impossibility filled me with despair
”But e never to escape fro able to leave it? No huht come to our relief Perhaps no human foot except our own had ever made its track in that remote valley! This was not at all improbable; and indeed a party of hunters or Indians, on their journey across the Desert,the valley,--so strangely was it hollowed out of the plain
”I had but little hope that any caravan or party of traders would pass that way The Desert that surrounded us was a sufficient barrier against that; besides, I knew that the mountain was far to the southward of the trails usually followed by the prairie traders There was but one hope that I could cling to with any degree of confidence: that was, that the Desert ht not stretch so far to the south or west as it appeared to do; and by breaking up the wagon, and ht still be able to cross it I was detero alone, and explore the route in both these directions If it should appear practicable, I could return, and put this design into execution
”Nextloaded my horse with provisions, and as much water as he could well carry, I took an affectionate leave ofthem to the protection of God, I mounted, and rode off toward the west I headed in this direction for a day and a half, and still the waste stretched to the horizon before h ridges and hillocks ofsand, and my horse sank to the knees at every step In the afternoon of the second day, I turned back froain the valley But I succeeded at length,--boththere
”I found ht thes, and I sat down in theof despair
”My next reconnoissance was to be to the south; and I only waited until ht be sufficiently rested for another journey
”Another day passed, and I was sitting upon a log near the fire, reflecting upon the dark future that lay before us I was filled with despondency, and took no note of as passing around When I had sat in this way for soup, I saw that Mary had seated herself upon the log besideupon her features
”I saw that she had so in her mind that she was about to communicate to me