Complete Works of Robert Louis Stevenson (Illustrated) (883 page)

The comparative losses during these days are very encouraging, and compare pleasingly with the cost of the early part of the campaign. The enemy have lost 12,800 men, killed, wounded, and prisoners, as against 4,800 on our side.

Yallobally Herald. — Interview from General Osbourne with a special reporter. — ”I met the wounded hero some miles out of Yallobally, still working, even as he walked, and surrounded by messengers from every quarter. After the usual salutations, he inquired what paper I represented, and received the name of the
Herald
with satisfaction. ‘It is a decent paper,’ he said. ‘It does not seek to obstruct a general in the exercise of his discretion.’ He spoke hopefully of the west and east, and explained that the collapse of our centre was not so serious as might have been imagined. ‘It is unfortunate,’ he said, ‘but if Green succeeds in his double advance on Glendarule, and if our army can continue to keep up even the show of resistance in the province of Savannah, Stevenson dare not advance upon the capital; that would expose his communications too seriously for such a cautious and often cowardly commander. I call him cowardly,’ he added, ‘even in the face of the desperate Yolo expedition, for you see he is withdrawing all along the west, and Green, though now in the heart of his country, encounters no resistance.’ The General hopes soon to recover; his wound, though annoying, presents no character of gravity.”

Note. — General Osbourne’s perfect sincerity is doubtful. He must have known that Green was hopelessly short of ammunition. “Unfortunate,” as an epithet describing the collapse of the Army of the Centre, is perhaps without parallel in military criticism. It was not unfortunate, it was ruinous. Stevenson was a man of uneven character, whom his own successes rendered timid; this timidity it was that delayed the end; but the war was really over when General Napoleon surrendered his sword on the afternoon of the 17th. 

THE DAVOS PRESS

 
In the Reproductions which follow of Moral Emblems, etc., by R. L. Stevenson and Lloyd Osbourne, the tint shows the actual size of the paper on which the pamphlets were printed

 NOTICE.

Today is published by
S. L. Osbourne & Co.

ILLUSTRATED

BLACK CANYON,

or

Wild Adventures in the FAR WEST.

AN

Instructive and amusing TALE written by

SAMUEL LLOYD OSBOURNE

PRICE 6D.

OPINIONS OF THE PRESS.

Although
Black Canyon
is rather shorter than ordinary for that kind of story, it is an excellent work. We cordially recommend it to our readers.

Weekly Messenger.

S. L. Osbourne’s new work (
Black Canyon
) is splendidly illustrated. In the story, the characters are bold and striking. It reflects the highest honor on its writer.

Morning Call.

A very remarkable work. Every page produces an effect. The end is as singular as the beginning. I never saw such a work before.

R. L. Stevenson.
 BLACK CANYON,

or

Wild Adventures in the

FAR WEST

A

Tale of Instruction and Amusement
for the Young.

BY

SAMUEL OSBOURNE

ILLUSTRATED.

Printed by the Author.

Davos-Platz.

 
Chapter I.

In this forest we see, in a misty morning, a camp fire! Sitting lazily around it are three men. The oldest is evidently a sailor. The sailor turns to the fellow next to him and says, “blast my eyes if I know where we is.” “I’s rather think we’re in the vecenty of tho Rocky Mount’ins.” Remarked the young man.

Suddenly the bushes parted. ‘WHAT!’ they all exclaim, ‘
Not BLACK EAGLE?
’

Who is Black Eagle? We shall see.

Chapter II.

James P. Drake was a gambler! Not in cards, but
in lost luggage
! 287 In America, all baggage etc. lost on trains and not reclaimed is put up to auction
unopened
.

James was one who always expected to find a fortune in some one of these bags.

One day he was at the auction house as usual, when a small and exceedingly light trunk was put up for sale. He bought and opened it.

It was empty! NO! A little bit of paper
was in the bottom with this written on it.

IDAHO

Being an intelligent young man he knew that this was
a clue for finding Hidden TREASURE
! Then after a while he made this:
In Black Canyon, Idaho, 570 feet west of some mark, 10 feet below a tree Treasure will be found. Beware of Black Eagle (Indian).
But he forgot the (1).

Chapter III.

James at once took two friends into his secret: an old sailor (Jack), and a young frontiersman.

They all agreed that they must start for Black Canyon at once. The frontiersman said he had heard of Black Canyon in Idaho. 289 But who could Black Eagle be?

Chapter IV.

Lost! Certainly lost! Lost in the Far West! The Frontiersman had lost them in a large forest. They had travelled for about a month, first by water (See page 4) then by stage, then by horse.
This was their third day in it. Just after their morning meal the bushes parted.

An Indian stood before them! (See 1st Chap.)
He merely said
‘
COME
.’ They take up their arms and do so.Chapter V.

After following him for four hours, he stopped, turned around and said, “Rest, eat you fellows.” They did so. In about an hour they started again. After walking ten miles they heard the roaring of an immense cataract. Suddenly they find themselves face to face
with a long deep gorge or canyon. ‘Black Canyon,’
they all cry. ‘
Stop
,’ says the Indian. He pushes a stone aside. It uncovers the mouth of a small cave. The Indian struck a light with
two sticks
. They follow him into this cave for about a mile when the cave opens into an immense 291 Grotto. The Indian whistled,
a bear and dog appeared
. “Bring meat, Nero,” said the Indian.

The bear at once brought a deer. Which they cooked and ate. Then the Indian said,
“Show me the Treasure clue.” His eyes flashed when he saw it.

Chapter VI.