Adventure Magazine Cover, August 18, 1921 — page 148: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

142 the white man had asked him how much further, but had been put off simply with “Lapa. There,” and a vague sweep of the arm. The open country turned to bush, the bush to scrub, and now for more than an hour they had been passing through a mix- ture of reeds and scrub almost shoulder- high. In a couple of hours it would be daylight. “How much farther, Rooikop? You didn’t tell me the diamonds were in a river— that it was a matter of river-diggings. And these reeds tell me that I’m approaching big water.” “Patience, M’Lungu. rises we shall be there.” ‘“‘We must have come much more then twenty miles, poo We ought to have brought food.” “YT know not what mle mean, M’Lungu. I know only time. And soon our journey will end. The M’Lunguw can shoot then if he wishes to eat.” Again in absolute silence they hurried on. The reeds became thicker and thicker— became in places almost impassible—but they pushed through and steered straight ahead. The country seemed to be a huge sea of reeds and nothing more. Reeds all the same height. The first rays of dawn were faintly shoot- ing into the sky. Curiously the white man strained his eyes to view the scene around him. Through the gloom a gray desert of reeds. Reeds and nothing more. The edge of the sun touched the horizon, the full sun shot up into the sky. In every direction a waste of reeds without a single sign of any landmark. ‘“‘Where’s this diamond ground?” the white man at last said irritably. ‘I don’t feel like going any farther. I’m so tired I can almost sleep standing.” “Just a little while more, M’Lungu. Just until the sun is up so high,” and he in- dicated with his hand. “Wang the old sun. “No, MW’ Lungit. It is not far now.” Limply, helplessly the white man sank to :the ground. “Blast the darned old dia- monds and every two-toed Kafir unhung. I’m not going another step until I’ve hada few minutes’ rest. I’m not going to kill myself.” The Kafir stood a few feet away and looked down apparently despairingly. The Before the sun I’m going to rest.” Rest when we get there. Adventure white man looked back up at him and grinned a grin of weary yet dogged deter- mination. ‘Going to have a snooze,” he said half- stupidly. rare be THE stars were shining brightly; a RW faint new moon was directly above him. Half-consciously Charlie open- ed hiseyes. Frogs croaked loud and hoarse in all directions and away in the clear night air he heard an iguana dragging its heavy body over flat rocks. Fireflies in myriads rocked and danced, mosquitoes sang their hateful song all round him. From far, far off—miles and miles away— the dull rumble of a lion roaring rolled and rolled until it reached him. His eyes closed again and with difficulty he tried to collect himself. The breeze was cold; frostily, unpleasantly cold. Presently his eyes reopened and he rose painfully to his knees and looked toward where the Kafir had last been standing. Painfully he crawled over to the place. No sign of a living thing. With cracked, dry voice he shouted a plaintive, piping shout. Not even an echo. With a dull, numbing shock it slowly entered his head that he was alone. Utterly alone. Alone he knew not where. The reeds were above his head. Licking his parched lips greedily he raised himself unsteadily to his feet. Bush, bush, bush, scrub and reeds as far as the eye in the dim light could penetrate. Nothing but scrub, scrub and_ bush. Scrub and scrub and reeds, For a moment his weary, dazed eyes blearily surveyed the scene, his brain, pounding and crazed from a day’s sleep in the fierce sun, struggled to fix and focus itself in thought.’ His legs felt strangely, unnaturally weak. Felt as though not his own. His weakened legs twisted, his body wilted and he collapsed insensible. The sun was hot, blazing hot in the sky. For hours it had blazed. Charlie stirred uneasily but didn’t appear to awaken. Ants beneath him bit him but still his en- feebled brain stayed dead. And so for hours he lay. Well on in the afternoon connected thought fought to return. Gradually it won. Slowly Charlie came to his senses. And his first thought was thirst. Fierce, burning, wracking, torturing COmiclbook CO