The Argosy — page 137: what you’re looking at

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

THE RIVER OF DARKNESS.* A record of some marvelous experiences in the Dark Continent—Why a water journey beneath the earth’s surface was undertaken at frightful risks—A voyage on a raft along an unknown course and without the possibility of retreat. SYNOPSIS OF CHAPTERS PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED. Guy CHUTNEY, an officer in the British army, on his way back to service in India, is asked to stop off at Aden and take important despatches to Sir Arthur Ashby, governor of Zaila, on the African coast. En route the steamer touches at Berbera, where Chutney meets an old friend, Melton Forbes, foreign correspondent of an English newspaper. Suspecting that there is treachery in the wind, Forbes sends his native servant Momba through the town to investigate, who soon after returns pursued by a mob of Somali warriors. It appears that Manuel Torres, a Portuguese fellow passenger of Guy on the Aden steamer, has brought rifles to Makar Makalo, who is in- stituting rebellion against the English on behalf of Rao Khan, Emir of Harar. Melton, with his servant, accompanies Guy to Zaila; their report carries consternation to the breast of the governor and Colonel Carrington, who is with him. The Arabs are already swarming about the place, the Englishmen are all made prisoners, and doomed by Makar Makalo to be sent as slaves to the Somalis of the Galla country. During the journey the prisoners are separated, Guy and Melton being carried by the Arabs to Harar, where the Emir is forced to promise the people that they shall be sent to the block in four days’ time. Meantime they are waited upon in their cell (Melton having been wounded) by Canaris, a Greek, who has been a captive ofthe Emir for two years. He shows them a document given him by an aged Englishman, who had died in the prison, and which tells of an underground river in the neighborhood which promises them all escape. On an appointed night they overpower the guards and start. They finally reach the entrance to the underground river—guided to it by a fleeing Galla who makes his escape thereby from a party of Abyssinians. But their provisions have been exhausted and they know not what to do until, in one of their night exploring trips, they capture two stray camels, which inspires Chutney with an idea which may mean the rescue of their friends from the Gallas, near whose canip they now know themselves to be. Staining their faces to make themselves pass as Portuguese, he and Canaris ride in among the Gallas, declare that they have been sent from Zaila by Makar Makalo, who is hard pressed by the British, and that the latter will only withdraw on condition that the governor of the town and his friends, who have been sold into slavery, be delivered up to these messengers, with provisions enough to last them on the return journey to Zaila. The plan, by happy chance, is successful, and with Sir Arthur and Colonel Carrington they return to the mouth of the cavern. The Gailas, knowing they are tricked, pursue them, but Chutney checks them effectually by blowing up the entrance to the subterranean waterway, this making the whole party prisoners underground. They find two canoes on this river of darkness, and embarking in them, follow the current. After a journey of several days, a terrible adventure with a serpent, and the loss of one canoe, they shoot some rapids and find themseives on a great underground lake. Finally they rum the canoe up on a sandy beach, and Chutney, torch in hand, springs out to explore. After one look, he turns back . with a horror stricken face. CHAPTER XXVI.—TuHE ISLE oF SKELETONS. BEMEVING that some terrible danger threatened, Forbes was in readi- ness to push the canoe back into the lake, but Guy stopped him with a wave of the hand. *This story began in the May issue of THE ARGoSsY. The four back numbers will be matled to any address on vrecetpt of 4o cents. Conmiclooo (S@)