SAVED BY HIS WITS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11371, 24 April 1915, Page 9

SAVED BY HIS WITS.

"When the author of "The Kiiig'o Caravan" was making his waggon journey across Australia, ho liad many interesting experiences with tho bushmen, 'and on one occasion was fortunate to escape without a, Polynesian arrow in his back. His waggon had come to a lonely camping; place, and tho dirver bad led off the horses in search of water. He was alone. Ho relates the incident in his book. I might have lain in the shade for a quarter of an hour when that intuitive sense of the preseiice of someone that all animals n.nd most bushmen and some women possess, caused me to tarn over. A barefooted islander, a wa.lk-ahout Kanaka, stood about twenty foetaw-iy. In all his sable uplines* be was surveying me curiously from behind a tree. Intone hand be held a long island bow. to the string of which ho was ting an arrow. I saw that be bad more arrows in reserve, probably poisoned Now. T bad done nothing to arouse 'the animosity of a. snvagi? in that lonely 6T>ot. But if T had ever read " murder" written on a human face, Polynesia, at that moment confronted mo with that word. The waggon stood to my left ten paces. T concealed, my convictions while T sloivlv drew my left heel and siad with grcta friendliness to my Wnch friend: "Hullo! Wlmt fella youP" Tho dogs, which bud not been disturbed by the Kanaka's stealthy approach, started up barking. The other fellow's answer, if ho made, any, wn«; and remains immaterial. For I followed the friendly query by digging my hoot heel well to earth, and flying in two bird-like, leaps to the waggon. To seize tho shotgun, throw myself behind the wheel, and lay two lovely significant barrels across it, st» that Polynesia confronted Europe to Europe's greater advantage, was the work of a second. Then I bade the islander be'ione. I banned him from my presence in the lon dost and worst language T have ever used, and T uttered it so that all northern Queensland might bear. IV<lyneM.a left in a groat, hurry.