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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/13276-0.txt b/13276-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..20d9a26 --- /dev/null +++ b/13276-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11458 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13276 *** + +THE MISSION +OR +SCENES IN AFRICA + +_WRITTEN FOR YOUNG PEOPLE_ + +BY +CAPTAIN MARRYAT +AUTHOR OF "FRANK MILDMAY," "PERCIVAL KEENE," "PHANTOM SHIP," "DOG +FIEND," "JACOB FAITHFUL," "POACHER," ETC., ETC. + +_WITH ILLUSTRATIONS_ + + +GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND SONS +LONDON: BROADWAY, LUDGATE HILL +NEW YORK: 9 LAFAYETTE PLACE + +[Illustration: THE ONWARD MARCH.--_Front_. P. 226.] + + +CONTENTS. + + +CHAPTER I. + +Account of Sir Charles Wilmot--Loss of the Grosvenor--Sir +Charles's doubts respecting the Survival of his Wife and +Children--Alexander Wilmot--His Character--The Newspaper +Paragraph--Details of the Wreck of the Grosvenor--Surmises +as to the Fate of the Passengers + + +CHAPTER II. + +Alexander's Reflections--His Plan--Sir Charles opposes it--His +unwilling Consent--Alexander's Departure + + +CHAPTER III. + +Alexander's Melancholy--Finds a Friend--Sea Sickness--Mr. +Fairburn--The Passengers--Conversations--The Cape--Mr. Fairburn's +Account of the Treatment of the Hottentots by the Dutch + + +CHAPTER IV. + +Natural History discussed--Mr. Swinton's Enthusiasm--Further +History of the Cape--Dutch Barbarity--Alexander's Indignation + + +CHAPTER V. + +Aquatic Birds--Guano--Mr. Fairburn's Narrative +continued--Stuurman--Mokanna--The Attack--Failure of the Caffres + + +CHAPTER VI. + +Sharks--Their Cowardice--Attack on one by Neptune--Divers' Dangers--Mr. +Fairburn continues his Story--Mokanna's Fate--Disturbances among the +Caffre Tribes + + +CHAPTER VII. + +Mr. Swinton agrees to accompany Alexander--Land, ho!--Cape +Town--Major Henderson--He joins the Party--Begum--Chaka's +History + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +Night in Algoa Bay--The Major meets Maxwell--Preparations +to start--The Caravan--Description of it--The Departure + + +CHAPTER IX. + +The Plans of the Adventurers--Big Adam's Bravery--Milius--His +Refreshments--What his House contained--Speech to the Hottentots--The +Bushman Boy, Prince Omrah + + +CHAPTER X. + +Wild Beasts--Insubordination of the Hottentots--Danger from +Elephants--Their hideous Shrieks--Big Adam's Terror--Lieutenant +Hoodie's wonderful Escape--Sagacity of the Elephant--Intentions +of the Party + + +CHAPTER XI. + +Arrival at Mr. S.'s Station--The Quarrel between Hinza and Voosani--An +Escort proposed--The Caffre Character--The Sabbath--Painful Position +of a Missionary's Wife + + +CHAPTER XII. + +The Royal Visit--Mutual Civilities--The Band of +Warriors--Hippopotami--Their Carcasses--Omrah's Cunning--The +Trick--Big Adam sulky--A narrow Escape--Preparations for the +Hunt + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +Look out--The Signal--The Major's Nerve--Charge upon the +Camp--Hottentots drunk--Begum's Uneasiness--Signs of Danger--Lions' +Sagacity--Anecdotes + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +A Storm--Sober again--Elephant Steak--Omrah's Tricks--Man-eaters--A +horrible Adventure--The Sleepers awakened + + +CHAPTER XV. + +Quah! quah!--Alexander's and the Major's Danger--A critical +Situation--Omrah's Presence of Mind--Divine Worship--Instruction +of Caffres--Advance of the Enemy--Panic of the Natives--Refusal +to proceed--The tables turned--The Council--Submission--Arrangements + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +An Expedition--Rumors of War--Judicious Advice--Daaka's +Hut--The Interview with Daaka--Explanations--Remains +of the Grosvenor--The Mystery solved--Alexander's Joy--The +Wagons again--The Major's Fortress--Plans for the Future + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +Quetoo's Movements--Destruction of his Army--The Return--Plenty +of Sport--The Warriors rewarded--Precautions--Antelopes--The +Victim--A large Meal + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +Conversation--Gnoos--Five Lions--Thirst quenched--Ferocity +of the Hyena--Anecdotes--Preparations for a Chase + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +A practical Joke--A lucky Escape--History of the Mantatees--Mantatee +Courage--A final Slaughter--Discussions--Swinton's Account +of Africaner + + +CHAPTER XX. + +Omrah's Intelligence--Lion-hunting--Silence and Caution--An +unpleasant Surprise--Self-sacrifice of a Gemsbok--Swinton's +Story continued--Conversation on Lions--Anecdotes--Big Adam punished + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +Interview with Bushmen--A shrewd Surmise--A Herd of Buffaloes--A +providential Escape--A Scene--Swanevelt in Danger--Conversation--A +Story + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +Overpowering Heat--Divine Service--An Intrusion--The poisoned +Lion--Discussion on venomous Reptiles--Lizard shot--Swinton's +Information to his Companions + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +A good Shot--Water scarce--Omrah in Trouble--Turtle +Soup--Sufferings--Sufferings at an end--An earthly Paradise + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +Aspect of the Country--Chase of a Rhinoceros--Omrah's Plan +succeeds--A Lion's Leap--Account of a Rhinoceros-Hunt--Elands +shot--A Lioness attacked--The Lion's Skin awarded--An expiring Effort + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +Swinton's Astonishment--A Dialogue--Maternal Affection--An Alarm--Griquas +fallen in with--The Message to Moselekatsee--Fire!--The Matabili +King--Expectations + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +Chase of a Giraffe--Proposed Retreat--The Major's Object +attained--Treachery--Treachery defeated--Omrah's Scheme--Hopes +of Water disappointed + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + +Further Progress--The Horses and Oxen break away--The +Pursuit--Hopes and Fears--The Caravan lost--Intense Heat--Omrah's +Courage--A Temporary Relief--Despair--Water at last obtained--Swinton's +Signals answered + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +Panic produced by a Lion--Omrah's and Big Adam's Predicament--A Lion's +Mode of stimulating his Appetite--A Meeting with Bushmen--Cattle +stolen--Recovery attempted--Oxen poisoned--Death of Piets--Arrival +at Cape Town + + +CHAPTER XXIX. + +Parting Scenes--Alexander and the Major embark--Alexander's +Arrival at Home--He relates his adventures--Sir Charles's +Health gradually declines--His Presents to Swinton and the +Major--His Death--Conclusion + + +THE MISSION, OR SCENES IN AFRICA. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE EXPEDITION. + + +It was in the autumn of the year 1828, that an elderly and infirm +gentleman was slowly pacing up and down in a large dining-room. He had +apparently finished his dinner, although it was not yet five o'clock, +and the descending sun shone bright and warm through the windows, which +were level with the ground, and from which there was a view of a +spacious park, highly ornamented with old timber. He held a newspaper in +one hand, and had the other behind his back, as if for support, for he +was bent forward, and looked very feeble and emaciated. + +After pacing for some time, he sat down in an easy chair and remained in +deep thought, holding the newspaper in both his hands. + +This old gentleman's name was Sir Charles Wilmot. He had in early life +gone out to India as a writer, and after remaining there for a few +years, during which he had amassed a handsome fortune, was advised to +leave the country for a time on account of his health. He returned to +England on furlough, and had not been there more than six months when +the death, without issue, of his eldest brother, Sir Henry Wilmot, put +him in possession of the entailed estates and of the baronetcy. + +This decided him not to return to India for his wife and three +daughters, whom he had left out there, but to write, desiring them to +return home by the first ship. The reply which he received was most +painful; his wife and two of his daughters had been carried off by the +cholera, which had been very fatal during the previous rainy season. +His remaining daughter was about to sail, in obedience to his wishes, in +the _Grosvenor_ East-Indiaman, under the care of Colonel and Mrs. James, +who were near connections. + +This was a heavy blow with which it pleased God to visit him in his +prosperity, and was almost a total wreck of all his hopes and +anticipations. But he was a good man and a religious one, and he bowed +in humility to the dispensation, submitting with resignation to his +loss, and still thankful to Heaven that it had graciously spared one of +the objects of his affections to console him, and to watch his declining +years. + +Sir Charles Wilmot took possession of the family mansion and estate in +Berkshire, in which he was still residing at the time our history +commences. By degrees he became more resigned, and waited with anxiety +for the return of his only daughter, who now seemed more dear to him +than ever. He employed himself in making preparations for her reception, +fitting up her apartments in the Oriental style which she had been +accustomed to, and devising every little improvement and invention which +he thought would give pleasure to a child of ten years old. + +But it pleased Heaven that Sir Charles should be more severely +chastised; the _Grosvenor's_ time of arrival had elapsed, and still she +was not reported in the Channel; week after week of anxiety and suspense +passed slowly away, and the East-India ship did not make her appearance. +It was supposed that she had been captured by the enemy, but still no +tidings of her capture were received. At length, however, this state of +anxiety and doubt was put an end to by the dreadful intelligence that +the ship had been wrecked on the east coast of Africa, and that nearly +the whole of the crew and passengers had perished. Two men belonging to +her had been brought home by a Danish East-Indiaman, and shortly after +the first intelligence, these men arrived in London, and gave a more +particular detail of what had occurred. + +Sir Charles, in a state of feverish anxiety, as soon as he heard of +their arrival, hastened up to town to question these men; and the +result of his interrogatories fully convinced him that he was now quite +bereaved and childless. This was the last blow and the most severe; it +was long before he could resign himself to the unsearchable +dispensations of Providence; but time and religion had at last overcome +all his repining feelings,--all disposition to question the goodness or +wisdom of his Heavenly Father, and he was enabled to say, with +sincerity, "Not my will, but Thine be done." + +But although Sir Charles was thus left childless, as years passed away, +he at last found that he had those near to him for whom he felt an +interest, and one in particular who promised to deserve all his regard. +This was his grand-nephew, Alexander Wilmot, who was the legal heir to +the title and entailed property,--the son of a deceased nephew, who had +fallen during the Peninsular war. + +On this boy Sir Charles had lavished those affections which it pleased +Heaven that he should not bestow upon his own issue, and Alexander +Wilmot had gradually become as dear to him as if he had been his own +child. Still the loss of his wife and children was ever in his memory, +and as time passed on, painful feelings of hope and doubt were +occasionally raised in Sir Charles's mind, from the occasional +assertions of travelers, that all those did not perish who were supposed +so to do when the _Grosvenor_ was wrecked, and that, from the reports of +the natives, some of them and of their descendants were still alive. It +was a paragraph in the newspaper, containing a renewal of these +assertions, which had attracted the attention of Sir Charles, and which +had put him in the state of agitation and uneasiness in which we have +described him at the opening of this chapter. + +We left him in deep and painful thought, with the newspaper in his +hands. His reveries were interrupted by the entrance of Alexander +Wilmot, who resided with him, being now twenty-two years of age, and +having just finished his college education. Alexander Wilmot was a tall, +handsome young man, very powerful in frame, and very partial to all +athletic exercises; he was the best rower and the best cricketer at +Oxford, very fond of horses and hunting, and an excellent shot; in +character and disposition he was generous and amiable, frank in his +manner, and obliging to his inferiors. Every one liked Alexander Wilmot, +and he certainly deserved to be liked, for he never injured or spoke ill +of any body. Perhaps his most prominent fault was obstinacy; but this +was more shown in an obstinate courage and perseverance to conquer what +appeared almost impossible, and at the greatest risk to himself; he was +of that disposition that he would hardly get out of the way of a mad +bull if it crossed his path, but risk his life probably, and to no +purpose; but there is no perfection in this world, and it was still less +to be expected in a young man of only twenty-two years of age. + +"Well, uncle, I've conquered him," said Alexander, as he came into the +room, very much heated with exercise. + +"Conquered whom, my boy?" replied Sir Charles. + +"The colt; I've backed him, and he is now as gentle as a lamb; but he +fought hard for two hours at least." + +"Why should you run such risk, Alexander, when the horsebreaker would +have broke him just as well?" + +"But not so soon, uncle." + +"I did not know that you were in such want of a horse as to require such +hurry; I thought you had plenty in the stable." + +"So I have, uncle, thanks to you, more than I can use; but I like the +pleasure--the excitement." + +"There you state the truth, my dear Alexander; when you have lived as +long as I have, you will find more pleasure in quiet and repose," +replied Sir Charles, with a heavy sigh. + +"Something has disturbed you, my dear uncle," said Alexander, going up +to Sir Charles and taking his hand; "what is it, sir?" + +"You are right, Alexander; something has unsettled me, has called up +painful feelings and reminiscences; it is that paragraph in the +newspaper." + +Alexander was now as subdued almost as his uncle; he took a chair and +quietly read the paragraph. + +"Do you think there is any foundation for this, my dear sir?" said he, +after he had read it. + +[Illustration: THE NEWSPAPER PARAGRAPH.] + +"It is impossible to say, my dear boy; it may be so, it has often been +asserted before. The French traveler Le Vaillant states that he received +the same information, but was prevented from ascertaining the truth; +other travelers have subsequently given similar accounts. You may easily +credit the painful anxiety which is raised in my mind when I read such a +statement as this. I think I see my poor Elizabeth, the wife or slave to +some wild savage; her children, merciful Heaven! my grandchildren, +growing up as the brutes of the field, in ignorance and idolatry. It is +torture, my dear Alexander--absolute torture, and requires long prayer +and meditation to restore my mind to its usual tone, and to enable me to +bow to the dispensations of the Divine will." + +"Although I have long been acquainted with the general statement, my +dear uncle, respecting the loss of the ship, I have never yet heard any +such details as would warrant this apprehension of yours. It is +generally supposed that all perished, perished indeed most miserably, +except the few men who made their way to the Cape, and returned to +England." + +"Such was the supposition, my dear boy, but subsequent reports have to a +certain degree contradicted it, and there is reason to believe that all +did not perish who were accounted as dead. If you have nothing +particularly to engage you at this moment, I will enter into a detail of +what did occur, and of the proofs that the fate of a large portion, +among which that of your aunt Elizabeth, was never ascertained." + +"If it will not be too painful to you, my dear uncle, I will most gladly +hear it." + +"I will not dwell longer upon it than is necessary, Alexander; believe +me, the subject is distressing, but I wish you to know it also, and then +to give me your opinion. You are of course aware that it was on the +coast of Caffraria, to the southward of Port Natal, that the _Grosvenor_ +was wrecked. She soon divided and went to pieces, but by a sudden--I +know not that I can say a _fortunate_--change of wind, yet such was the +will of Heaven,--the whole of the crew and passengers (with the +exception of sixteen who had previously attempted to gain the shore by +a hawser, and one man who was left on board in a state of intoxication) +were all safely landed, even to the little children who were coming home +in the vessel; among whom was my poor Elizabeth." + +Alexander made no observation when Sir Charles paused for a while: the +latter then continued:-- + +"By the time that they had all gained the shore, the day was far spent; +the natives, who were of the Caffre race, and who had been busy in +obtaining all the iron that they could from the mainmast, which had +drifted on shore, left the beach at dark. The wretched sufferers lighted +fires, and having collected some casks of beef and flour, and some live +stock, they remained on the rocks during that night. The next morning +the captain proposed that they should make their way to Cape Town, the +Dutch settlement, to which they all unanimously consented; certainly a +most wild proposition, and showing very little judgment." + +"Could they have done otherwise, my dear uncle?" + +"Most certainly; they knew that they were in a country of lawless +savages, who had already come down and taken by force every thing that +they could lay their hands upon. The Captain calculated that they would +reach Cape Town in sixteen or seventeen days. How far his calculation +was correct, is proved by the fact that those who did reach it at last +were one hundred and seventeen days on their journey. But even admitting +that the distance could have been performed in the time stated by the +captain, the very idea of attempting to force their way through a +country inhabited by savage people, with such a number of helpless women +and children, and without any arms for their defense, was indeed an act +of folly and madness, as it eventually proved." + +"What then should have been their plan?" + +"Observe, Alexander, the ship was wrecked not a cable's length from the +shore, firmly fixed upon a reef of rocks upon which she had been thrown; +the water was smooth, and there was no difficulty in their +communication. The savages, content with plundering whatever was washed +on shore, had to the time of their quitting the rocks left them +uninjured. They might have gone on board again, have procured arms to +defend themselves and the means of fortifying their position against any +attempt of the savages, who had no other weapons but assaguays or +spears, and then might have obtained the provisions and other articles +necessary for their support. Armed as they might have been, and numerous +as they were, for there were one hundred and fifty souls on board at the +time of the wreck, they might have protected themselves until they had +built boats or small vessels out of the timber of the wreck; for all +their carpenters and blacksmiths were safely landed on shore with them. +By taking this course they might have coasted along shore, and have +arrived without difficulty at the Cape." + +"Most certainly, sir, it would have been the most judicious plan." + +"The captain must have been very deficient in judgment to have acted as +he did. He had every thing to his hand--the means--the men to build the +boats, provisions, arms, sails and cordage, and yet he threw all these +chances away, and attempted to do what was impossible." + +"He was not one of those who were saved, I believe, sir?" + +"No, he is one of those who have not been heard of; but to proceed: The +first day of their march from the site of the wreck ought to have been a +warning to them to turn back. The savages robbed them of every thing and +threw stones at them. A Dutchman of the name of Trout, who had fled to +the Caffre country for some murder he had committed in the colony, fell +in with them and told them the attempt was impracticable, from the +number of savage nations, the width of the rivers, the desert countries +without water, and the number of wild beasts which they would encounter; +but still they were not persuaded, and went on to their destruction. +They were not five miles from the wreck at the time, and might have +returned to it before night." + +"May it not fairly be supposed that after such a dreadful shipwreck any +thing was considered preferable by the major portion of them, especially +the passengers, to re-embarking?" + +"It may be so; but still it was a feeling that was to be surmounted, +and would have been, had they been counseled by a judicious leader; for +he might fairly have pointed out to them,--without re embarkation, how +are you to arrive in England?" + +"Very true, uncle. Pray continue." + +"From the accounts given by the seamen who returned, before they had +traveled a week they were attacked by a large party of natives, to whose +blows and ill-treatment as they passed along they had hitherto +submitted; but as in this instance the natives appeared determined to +massacre them, they resisted as well as they could, and, being nearly +one hundred men in force, succeeded in driving them off, not without +receiving many severe wounds. After a few days' more traveling, their +provisions were all expended, and the seamen began to murmur, and +resolved to take care of themselves, and not to be encumbered with women +and children. The consequence was, that forty-three of the number +separated from the rest, leaving the captain and all the male and female +passengers and children (my dear Elizabeth among them), to get on as +they could." + +"How cruel!" + +"Yes! but self-preservation is the first law of nature, and I fear it is +in vain to expect that persons not under the influence of religious +principles will risk their lives, or submit to much self-denial, for the +sake of alleviating the miseries of others. The reason given for this +separation was, that it was impossible to procure food for so large a +number, and that they would be more likely to obtain sustenance when +divided. The party who thus proceeded in advance encountered the most +terrible difficulties; they coasted along the seashore because they had +no other food than the shell-fish found on the rocks; they had +continually to cross rivers from a mile to two miles wide; they were +kept from their slumbers by the wild beasts which prowled around them, +and at length they endured so much from want of water, that their +sufferings were extreme. They again subdivided and separated, wandering +they hardly knew where, exposed to a burning sun, without clothing and +without food. One by one they sat down and were left behind to die, or +to be devoured by the wild beasts before they were dead. At last they +were reduced to such extremity, that they proposed to cast lots for one +to be killed to support the others; they turned back on their route, +that they might find the dead bodies of their companions for food. +Finally, out of the whole crew, three or four, purblind and staggering +from exhaustion, craving for death, arrived at the borders of the +colony, where they were kindly received and gradually recovered." + +"You now speak of the first party who separated from the captain and the +passengers, do you not, uncle?" + +"Yes." + +"And what became of the captain's party?" + +"No tidings were heard of them; their fate was unknown; it was long +supposed that they had all perished; for if the sufferings of the +seamen, inured to toil and danger, had been so great, what chance was +there for helpless women and children? But after some years, there was a +report that they had been saved, and were living with the savages. Le +Vaillant first mentioned it, and then it died away and was not credited; +but since that, the reports of various travelers appear to give +confirmation to what Le Vaillant asserted. The paragraph you have now +read in the newspaper has again renewed the assertion, and the parties +from whom it proceeds are by all accounts worthy of credence. You may +imagine, my dear boy, what a pang it gives me when I read these +reports,--when I reflect that my poor girl, who was with that party, may +at this moment be alive, may have returned to a state of barbarism,--the +seeds of faith long dead in her bosom,--now changed to a wild, untutored +savage, knowing no God." + +"But, my dear uncle, allowing that my aunt is alive, she was not so +young at the time of the wreck as to forget entirely what she had been +taught." + +"That is possible; but then her condition must be still more painful, or +rather I should say must have been, for probably she is dead long before +this, or if not dead, she must be a woman advanced in life; indeed, as +you may observe in the account given by the traveler in the paragraph +you have read, it speaks only of the _descendants_ of those who were +lost in the _Grosvenor_. The idea of my grandchildren having returned to +a state of barbarism is painful enough; I wish it were possible that I +could discover the truth, for it is the uncertainty which so much +distresses me. I have but a few years to live, Alexander; I am a very +old man, as you know, and may be summoned to-morrow or to-night, for we +know not what a day may bring forth. If I were only certain that my +child had died, miserable as her death must have been, it would be +happiness, to the idea that she was one of those whose descendants they +speak of. If you knew how for the last thirty years this has preyed upon +my mind, you would comprehend my anxiety on this account; but God's will +be done. Do not let me detain you longer, Alexander; I should prefer +being alone." + +Alexander, at this intimation, took the proffered hand of his +grand-uncle in a reverential and feeling manner, and, without saying any +more, quitted the room. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +The conversation which he had had with his grand-uncle made a very +forcible impression upon Alexander Wilmot; it occasioned him to pass a +very sleepless night, and he remained till nearly four o'clock turning +it over in his mind. The loss of the _Grosvenor_ Indiaman had occurred +long before he was born; he was acquainted with the outline of what had +taken place, and had been told, when a child, that a relation of his +family had perished; but although the narrative had, at the time, made +some impression upon his young mind, he had seldom, if ever, heard it +spoken of since, and may have been said to have almost forgotten it. He +was therefore not a little surprised when he found how great an +influence it had upon his grand-uncle, who had never mentioned it to him +before; indeed it had escaped Alexander's memory that it was his +grand-uncle's only surviving daughter who had been lost in the vessel. + +Alexander Wilmot was warmly attached to the old gentleman; indeed he +would have been very ungrateful if he had not been, for it was +impossible that any one could have been treated with more kindness and +liberality than he was by Sir Charles. It was but the week before, that +he had expressed a wish to travel on the continent, and Sir Charles had +immediately given his consent that he should remain abroad, if he +pleased, for two years. When he approved, however, of Alexander's plans, +he had made a remark as to his own age and infirmity, and the probable +chance that they might not meet again in this world; and this remark of +his grand-uncle left such an impression upon Alexander, that he almost +repented having made the request, and had been ever since in a state of +indecision as to whether he should avail himself of his grand-uncle's +kindness and disregard of self shown toward him in thus having granted +his permission. + +The conversation with Sir Charles had brought up a new idea in his mind; +he had witnessed the anxiety and longing which his good old relation had +shown about the fate of his daughter; he had heard from his own lips how +long the ignorance of her fate had preyed upon his mind, and that to be +satisfied on this point was the one thing wanting to enable the old man +to die happy,--to permit him to say with sincerity, "Lord, now lettest +Thou thy servant depart in peace." Why, then, should he not go to +discover the truth? It would not, perhaps, occupy him so long as the two +years of traveling on the continent, which had been consented to by his +grand-uncle, and, instead of traveling for his own pleasure, he might be +the means of satisfying the mind and quieting the anxiety of one who had +been so kind to him. Indeed, he should actually prefer a journey into +the interior of Africa to a mere sojourn of some time on the continent; +the very peril and danger, the anticipation of distress and hardship, +were pleasing to his high and courageous mind, and before he fell asleep +Alexander had made up his mind that he would propose the expedition, and +if he could obtain his uncle's permission would proceed upon it +forthwith. Having come to this resolution, he fell fast asleep and +dreamed away, till eight o'clock in the morning, that he was hunting +elephants and having hand-to-hand conflicts with every variety of beast +with which he had peopled Africa in his fancy. When he was called up in +the morning, he found his determination of the night before rather +strengthened than otherwise, and accordingly, after breakfast was over, +he opened the subject. + +"My dear sir," said he to Sir Charles, "you were kind enough to give me +your permission to travel on the continent for two years." + +"I did do so, Alexander; it is natural at your age that you should wish +to see the world, and you have my full permission. When do you think of +starting?" + +"That depends upon circumstances, sir, and I must be altogether guided +by you; to tell you the truth, I do not think that one sees much of the +world by following in the beaten track made by so many of our +countrymen." + +"There I agree with you; in the present high state of civilization there +will be found little or no difference in the manners and customs of +people; in the courts, none; very little in the best society, in which +you will of course mix; and not so very much as people may imagine among +the mass of population; but the scenery of the countries and the remains +of ancient times are still interesting, and will afford pleasure; it +must be your own reflections and comments upon what you see which must +make it profitable; most people, however, travel from the love of change +added to the love of excitement." + +"I grant it, sir, and I do not mean to say but that I should receive +much pleasure from a continental tour; perhaps I may add that I should +derive more profit if I were to delay it till I am a little older and a +little wiser; do you not think so?" + +"I certainly do, Alexander. What then? do you propose remaining in +England for the present?--if so, I am sure it is on my account, and I am +very grateful to you for your sacrifice." + +"If you wish it, sir, I will undoubtedly remain in England; at all +events, if I do not go elsewhere. I have abandoned my continental tour +for the present; but I have another proposal to make, which I hope will +meet with your approbation." + +"Why, my dear Alexander, on what expedition would you now proceed? Do +you wish to visit the United States or South America?" + +"No, sir; I wish to make a voyage of still more interest--I wish to go +to Africa,--that is, to embark for the Cape of Good Hope, and from +thence proceed to the northward, to ascertain, if possible, what now is +a source of sad disquiet to you, the actual fate of those who were +wrecked in the _Grosvenor_, and have not since been heard of with any +degree of certainty." + +Sir Charles was for a time silent. He pressed his hands to his forehead; +at last he removed them, and said,--"I can not, much as I wish it, +no,--I can not consent, my dear boy; the danger will be too great. You +must not risk your life. It is very kind of you--very kind; but no, it +must not be." + +"Indeed, sir, I think, on reflection, you will alter your mind. As for +danger--what danger can there be when missionaries are permitted to form +their stations, and reside uninjured among the very savages who were so +hostile when the _Grosvenor_ was lost? The country, which was then a +desert, is now inhabited by Europeans, within 200 miles of the very spot +where the _Grosvenor_ was wrecked. The continual emigration since the +Cape has fallen under British government, and the zeal of those who have +braved all dangers to make known the Word of God to the heathen and +idolater, have in forty years made such an alteration, that I see no +more danger in the mission which I propose than I do in a visit to +Naples; and as for time, I have every reason to expect that I shall be +back sooner than in the two years which you have proposed for my stay on +the continent." + +"But if some accident were to happen to you, I should never forgive +myself for having given my consent, and the few days that are left to me +would be rendered miserable." + +"My dear sir, we are in the hands of God; and (short-sighted as we are) +in running away from danger, as often run into it. What we call an +accident, the fall of a brick or a stone, the upsetting of a vehicle, +any thing trivial or seemingly improbable, may summon us away when we +least expect it: 'In the midst of life we are in death,' and that death +I may meet by staying in this country, which I might have avoided by +going on this expedition. Difficulties may arise, and some danger there +may be, I admit; but when prepared to encounter both, we are more safe +than when, in fancied security, we are taken unawares. Do not, I entreat +you, sir, refuse me this favor; I have considered well, and shall be +most unhappy if I am not permitted to obtain the information for you +which you have so much at heart. Let my travels be of some advantage to +you as well as to myself. Do not refuse, I entreat you." + +"You are a good boy, Alexander, and your kindness makes me still more +unwilling to part with you. I hardly know what to say. Let us drop the +subject for the present; we will talk of it to-morrow or next day. I +must have time for reflection." + +Alexander Wilmot did not fail to renew his entreaties on the following +day, but could not gain Sir Charles's consent. He was not, however, +discouraged. He had taken from the library all the works he could find +relative to Southern Africa, and continually enforcing his arguments by +quotations from various authors, all tending to prove that he might +travel through the country without much risk, if he took proper +precautions, his grand-uncle's objections grew daily more feeble, and at +last Sir Charles gave his unwilling consent. In the meantime, the books +which Alexander had read had produced a great effect upon him. When he +first proposed the mission, it was more from a feeling of gratitude +toward his old relative than any other, but now he was most anxious to +go on his own account. The narratives of combats with wild beasts, the +quantity and variety of game to be found, and the continual excitement +which would be kept up, inflamed his imagination and his love of field +sports, and he earnestly requested to be permitted to depart +immediately, pointing out to Sir Charles that the sooner he went away, +the sooner he would be back again. This last argument was not without +its weight, and Alexander was allowed to make every preparation for his +journey. Inquiries were made, and a passage secured on board of a +free-trader, which was to touch at the Cape, and in six weeks from the +time that the subject had been brought up, Alexander Wilmot took leave +of his grand-uncle. + +"May God bless you, sir, and keep you well till my return," said +Alexander, pressing his hand. + +"May the Lord protect you, my dear boy, and allow you to return and +close my eyes," replied Sir Charles, with much emotion. + +Before night Alexander Wilmot was in London, from thence he hastened +down to Portsmouth to embark. The next day, the _Surprise_ weighed +anchor and ran through the Needles, and before the night closed in was +well down the Channel, standing before the wind, with studding sails +below and aloft. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +A melancholy feeling clouded the features of Alexander Wilmot as, on the +following morning, the vessel, under a heavy press of sail, was fast +leaving the shores of his native country. He remained on the poop of the +vessel with his eyes fixed upon the land, which every moment became more +indistinct. His thoughts may easily be imagined. Shall I ever see that +land again? Shall I ever return, or shall my bones remain in Africa, +perhaps not even buried, but bleaching in the desert? And if I do +return, shall I find my old relation still alive, or called away, loaded +as he is with years, to the silent tomb? We are in the hands of a +gracious God. His will be done. + +Alexander turned away, as the land had at last become no longer visible, +and found a young man of about his own age standing close to him, and +apparently as much lost in reverie as he had been. As in turning round +Alexander brushed against him, he thought it right to apologize for the +unintentional act, and this occasioned a conversation. + +"I believe, sir," said the other party, who was a tall, spare, +slight-built man, with a dark complexion, "that we were both indulging +in similar thoughts as we took leave of our native shores. Every +Englishman does the same, and indeed every true lover of his country, +let the country be what it will. We find the feeling as strong in the +savage as in the enlightened; it is universal. Indeed, we may fairly say +that it extends lower--down to the brute species, from their love of +localities." + +"Very true, sir," replied Alexander; "but with brutes, as you say, it is +merely the love of locality; with men, I trust, the feeling is more +generous and noble." + +"So it ought to be, or else why are we so much more nobly endowed? This +is not your first voyage, I presume?" continued the stranger. + +"Indeed, it is," said Alexander; "I never was out of England, or on +board of a vessel, before yesterday." + +"I should have imagined otherwise," remarked his companion: "the other +passengers are all suffering from sea-sickness, while you and I only are +on the deck. I presumed, therefore, that you had been afloat before." + +"I did feel very giddy yesterday evening," observed Alexander, "but this +morning I have no unpleasant sensation whatever. I believe that some +people do not suffer at sea." + +"A very few; but it appears that you are one of those most fortunate, +for by experience I know how painful and distressing the sickness is for +some time. Breakfast will soon be ready; do you think that you can eat +any?" + +"Yes, a little--not much; a cup of tea or coffee," replied Alexander; +"but I can not say that I have my usual appetite. What bird is that +which skims along the water?" + +"It is the _procellarius_, as we naturalists call it, but in English, +the stormy petrel; its presence denotes rough weather coming on." + +"Then I wish it had not made its appearance," said Alexander, laughing; +"for with rough weather, there will of course be more motion in the +vessel, and I feel the motion too much already." + +"I think if you eat your breakfast (although without appetite), and keep +on deck, you may get over any further indisposition," replied the +stranger. + +"Have we many passengers on board?" + +"No; nine or ten, which is considered a small number, at least by the +captain, who was complaining of his ill-luck. They are mostly females +and children. There is a Cape gentleman who has long resided in the +colony, and is now returning there. I have had some conversation with +him, and he appears a very intelligent person. But here is the steward +coming aft, to let us know that breakfast is ready." + +The person who had thus conversed with Alexander Wilmot was a Mr. +Swinton, who, as he had accidentally observed, was a naturalist; he was +a person of some independent property, whose ardor for science had +induced him to engage in no profession, being perfectly satisfied with +his income, which was sufficient for his wants and to enable him to +follow up his favorite study. He was now on his passage to the Cape of +Good Hope, with no other object than to examine the natural productions +of that country, and to prosecute his researches in science there, to a +greater extent than had hitherto been practicable. + +Before they had arrived at Madeira, at which island the ship remained +three days to take in wine and fresh provisions, a great intimacy had +been established between Alexander and Mr. Swinton, although as yet +neither knew the cause of the other's voyage to the Cape; they were both +too delicate to make the inquiry, and waited till the other should of +his own accord impart his reasons. + +We have mentioned that there were other passengers, one of whom was a +gentleman who resided in Cape Town, and who held a lucrative situation +under the government. He was an elderly gentleman, of about sixty years +of age, of a very benign and prepossessing appearance; and it so +happened that Alexander found out, on looking over his letters of +introduction when at anchor at Madeira, that he possessed one to this +gentleman. This of course he presented at once, although they were +already on intimate terms; and this introduction made Mr. Fairburn (for +such was his name) take an immediate interest in his welfare, and also +warranted his putting the question, as to what were Alexander's views +and intentions in visiting the Cape: for Mr. Fairburn knew from the +letter that he was heir to Sir Charles Wilmot, and therefore that he was +not likely to be going out as a speculator or emigrant. + +It hardly need be said that Alexander made no hesitation in confiding to +one who could so materially assist him in the object of his voyage. + +The other passengers were three young ladies bound to their friends in +India, and a lady returning with her two marriageable daughters to +rejoin her husband, who was a colonel in the Bengal army. They were all +pleasant people, the young ladies very lively, and on the whole the +cabin of the _Surprise_ contained a very agreeable party; and soon after +they left Madeira, they had fine weather, smooth water, and every thing +that could make a voyage endurable. + +The awnings were spread, chairs brought up, and the major portion of the +day was spent upon the quarter-deck and poop of the vessel, which for +many days had been running down before the trade-winds, intending to +make Rio, and there lay in a supply of fresh provisions for the +remainder of her voyage. + +One morning, as Alexander and Mr. Fairburn were sitting together, +Alexander observed-- + +"You have passed many years at the Cape, Mr. Fairburn, have you not?" + +"Yes; I was taken prisoner when returning from India, and remained a +year in Cape Town during the time that it was in the hands of the Dutch; +I was about to be sent home as a prisoner to Holland, and was embarked +on board one of the vessels in Saldanha Bay, when they were attacked by +the English. Afterward, when the English captured the Cape, from my long +residence in, and knowledge of, the country, I was offered a situation, +which I accepted: the colony was restored to the Dutch, and I came home. +On its second capture I was again appointed, and have been there almost +ever since." + +"Then you are well acquainted with the history of the colony?" + +"I am, certainly, and if you wish it, shall be happy to give you a short +account of it." + +"It will give me the greatest pleasure, for I must acknowledge that I +know but little, and _that_ I have gleaned from the travels which I have +run through very hastily." + +"I think it was in the year 1652 that the Dutch decided upon making a +settlement at the Cape. The aborigines, or natives, who inhabited that +part of the country about Cape Town, were the Hottentots, a mild, +inoffensive people, living wholly upon the produce of their cattle; they +were not agriculturists, but possessed large herds of cattle, sheep and +goats, which ranged the extensive pastures of the country. The history +of the founding of one colony is, I fear, the history of most, if not +all--commencing in doing all that is possible to obtain the goodwill of +the people until a firm footing has been obtained in the land, and then +treating them with barbarity and injustice. + +"The Hottentots, won over by kindness and presents, thought it of little +consequence that strangers should possess a small portion of their +extensive territory, and willingly consented that the settlement should +be made. They, for the first time in their lives, tasted what proved the +cause of their ruin and subsequent slavery--tobacco and strong liquors. +These two poisons, offered gratuitously, till the poor Hottentots had +acquired a passion for them, then became an object of barter--a pipe of +tobacco or a glass of brandy was the price of an ox; and thus daily were +the colonists becoming enriched, and the Hottentots poor. + +"The colony rapidly increased, until it was so strong, that the governor +made no ceremony of seizing upon such land as the government wished to +retain or to give away; and the Hottentots soon discovered that not only +their cattle, but the means of feeding them, were taken from them. +Eventually, they were stripped of every thing except their passion for +tobacco and spirits, which they could not get rid of. Unwilling to leave +the land of their forefathers, and seeing no other way of procuring the +means of intoxication which they coveted, they sold themselves and their +services to the white colonists, content to take care of those herds +which had once been their own, and to lead them out to pasture on the +very lands which had once been their birthright." + +"Did they then become slaves?" inquired Alexander. + +"No; although much worse treated, they never were slaves, and I wish to +point that out; but they became a sort of feudal property of the Dutch, +compelled to hire themselves out, and to work for them upon nominal +wages, which they seldom or never received, and liable to every species +of harsh treatment and cruelty, for which they could obtain no redress. +Yet still they were not bought and sold as were the slaves which were +subsequently introduced into the colony from the east coast of Africa +and Madagascar. The position of the slave was, in my opinion, infinitely +superior, merely from the self-interest of the owner, who would not kill +or risk the life of a creature for whom he had paid two or three hundred +rix-dollars; whereas, the Dutch boors, or planters, thought little of +the life of a Hottentot. If the cattle were to be watched where lions +were plentiful, it was not a slave who had charge of them, but a +Hottentot, as he had cost nothing, and the planter could procure +another. In short, the life of a Hottentot was considered as of no +value, and there is no denying that they were shot by their masters or +employers upon the most trifling offense." + +"How dreadful! but did the Dutch government suffer this?" + +"They could not well help it, and therefore were compelled to wink at +it; the criminals were beyond its reach. But now I will proceed to give +you some further insight, by describing the Dutch boors, or planters, +who usurped and stood in the shoes of the poor Hottentots. + +"The Dutch government seized upon all the land belonging to the +Hottentots, and gave it away in grants to their own countrymen, who now +became herdsmen, and possessed of a large quantity of cattle; they also +cultivated the ground to a certain extent round about their +habitations. As the colony increased, so did the demand for land, until +the whole of the country that was worth having was disposed of as far as +to the country of the Caffres, a fine, warlike race, of whom we will +speak hereafter. It must not, however, be supposed that the whole of the +Hottentot tribes became serfs to the soil. Some few drove away their +cattle to the northward, out of reach of the Dutch, to the borders of +the Caffre land; others, deprived of their property, left the plains, +and took to the mountains, living by the chase and by plunder. This +portion were termed boshmen, or bushmen, and have still retained that +appellation: living in extreme destitution, sleeping in caves, +constantly in a state of starvation, they soon dwindled down to a very +diminutive race, and have continued so ever since. + +"The Dutch boors, or planters, who lived in the interior, and far away +from Cape Town, had many enemies to contend with: they had the various +beasts of the forest, from the lion to the jackal, which devastated +their flocks and herds, and also these bushmen, who lived upon plunder. +Continually in danger, they were never without their muskets in their +hands, and they and their descendants became an athletic, powerful, and +bulky race, courageous, and skilled in the use of fire-arms, but at the +same time cruel and avaricious to the highest degree. The absolute power +they possessed over the slaves and Hottentots demoralized them, and made +them tyrannical and blood-thirsty. At too great a distance from the seat +of government for its power to reach them, they defied it and knew no +law but their own imperious wills, acknowledging no authority,--guilty +of every crime openly, and careless of detection." + +"I certainly have read of great cruelty on the part of these Dutch +boors, but I had no idea of the extent to which it was carried." + +"The origin was in that greatest of all curses, slavery; nothing +demoralizes so much. These boors had been brought up with the idea that +a Hottentot, a bushman, or a Caffre were but as the mere brutes of the +field, and they have treated them as such. They would be startled at +the idea of murdering a white man, but they will execute wholesale +slaughter among these poor natives, and think they have committed no +crime. But the ladies are coming up, and we shall be interrupted, so I +will not task your patience any more to-day. I shall therefore conclude +what I may term part the first of my little history of the Cape colony." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + +Alexander Wilmot was too much pleased with Mr. Swinton not to cultivate +his acquaintance, and they soon became very intimate. The conversation +often turned upon Mr. Swinton's favorite study, that of natural history. + +"I confess myself wholly ignorant of the subject," observed Alexander +one day, "though I feel that it must be interesting to those who study +it; indeed, when I have walked through the museums, I have often wished +that I had some one near who could explain to me what I wished to know +and was puzzled about. But it appears to me that the study of natural +history is such an immense undertaking if you comprehend all its +branches. Let me see,--there is botany, mineralogy, and geology--these +are included, are they not?" + +"Most certainly," replied Mr. Swinton, laughing; "and perhaps the three +most interesting branches. Then you have zoology, or the study of +animals, ornithology for birds, entomology for insects, conchology for +shells, ichthyology for fishes; all very hard names, and enough to +frighten a young beginner. But I can assure you, a knowledge of these +subjects, to an extent sufficient to create interest and afford +continual amusement, is very easily acquired." + +"'The proper study of mankind is man,' says the poet,"--observed +Alexander, smiling. + +"Poets deal in fiction, Mr. Wilmot," replied Mr. Swinton; "to study man +is only to study his inconsistencies and his aberrations from the right +path, which the free-will permitted to him induces him to follow; but +in the study of nature, you witness the directing power of the Almighty, +who guides with an unerring hand, and who has so wonderfully apportioned +out to all animals the means of their providing for themselves. Not only +the external, but the inward structure of animals, shows such variety +and ingenuity to surmount all difficulties, and to afford them all the +enjoyment their nature is capable of, that after every examination you +rise with increased astonishment and admiration at the condescension and +goodness of the Master Hand, thus to calculate and provide for the +necessities of the smallest insect; and you are compelled to exclaim +with the Psalmist, 'O God, how manifold are thy works; in wisdom hast +Thou made them all!'" + +"You certainly do put the study in a new and most pleasurable light," +replied Alexander. + +"The more you search into nature, the more wonderful do you find her +secrets, and, by the aid of chemistry, we are continually making new +discoveries. Observe, Mr. Wilmot," said Swinton, picking up a straw +which had been blown by the wind on the quarter-deck, "do you consider +that there is any analogy between this straw and the flint in the lock +of that gun?" + +"Certainly, I should imagine them as opposite particles of nature as +well might be." + +"Such is not the case. This piece of wheat-straw contains more than +sixty per cent. of silica or flint in its composition; so that, although +a vegetable, it is nearly two-thirds composed of the hardest mineral +substance we know of. You would scarcely believe that the fibers of the +root of this plant were capable of dissolving, feeding upon, and +digesting such a hard substance; but so it is." + +"It is very wonderful." + +"It is, but it is not a solitary instance; the phosphate of lime, which +is the chief component part of the bones of animals, is equally sought +by plants, dissolved in the same manner, and taken into their bodies; +barley and oats have about thirty per cent. of it in their composition, +and most woods and plants have more or less." + +"I am less surprised at that than I am with the flint, which appears +almost incomprehensible." + +"Nothing is impossible with God; there is a rush in Holland which +contains much more silex than the wheat-straw, and it is employed by the +Dutch to polish wood and brass, on that very account. We know but little +yet, but we do know that mineral substances are found in the composition +of most living animals, if not all; indeed, the coloring-matter of the +blood is an oxide and phosphate of iron." + +"I can now understand why you are so enthusiastic in the science, Mr. +Swinton, and I regret much that the short time which will be occupied in +the remainder of our voyage will not enable me to profit as I should +wish by your conversation; for when we arrive at the Cape, I fear our +pursuits will lead us different ways." + +"I presume they will, for I am about to penetrate as far as possible +into the interior of the country," replied Mr. Swinton, "which of course +is not your intention." + +"Indeed, but it is," replied Alexander; "I am about to do the same, +although perhaps not in the same direction. May I ask your intended +route, if not too inquisitive?" + +"Not at all; I can hardly say myself. I shall be guided by the +protection I may fall in with. Africa is a wide field for science, and I +can hardly go any where without being well rewarded for my journey; and +I will say, that should it meet both our views, I should be very glad if +we were to travel in company." + +Mr. Fairburn, who had come on deck, had been standing close to them at +the latter portion of the conversation, and made the observation-- + +"I think it would be a very good plan if Mr. Swinton would venture to go +where you are bound, Mr. Wilmot, but you can talk of that another day, +when you have been longer together. There is nothing that requires more +deliberation than the choice of a traveling companion; any serious +imperfection of temper may make a journey very miserable. Now, Wilmot, +if you are tired of natural history, and wish to change it for the +painful history of human nature, I am ready to continue my +observations." + +"With great pleasure, sir." + +"I hope you have no objection to my reaping the benefit also?" said Mr. +Swinton. + +"Oh, most certainly not," replied Mr. Fairburn, "although I fear you +will not gain much information, as you have been at the Cape before. In +a former conversation with Mr. Wilmot I have pointed out the manner in +which the Cape was first settled, and how the settlers had gradually +reduced the original possessors of the land to a state of serfdom; I +will now continue. + +"The Dutch boors, as they increased their wealth in cattle, required +more pasture, and were now occupying the whole of the land south of the +Caffre country: the Caffres are wild, courageous savages, whose wealth +consists chiefly in cattle, but in some points they may be considered +superior to the Hottentots. + +"The weapon of the Hottentot may be said to be the bow and arrow, but +the Caffre scorns this warfare, or indeed any treachery; his weapons are +his assaguay, or spear, and his shield; he fights openly and bravely. +The Caffres also cultivate their land to a certain extent, and are more +cleanly and civilized. The boors on the Caffre frontier were often +plundered by the bushmen, and perhaps occasionally by some few of the +Caffres who were in a lawless state on the frontier; but if any +complaint was made to the Caffre chiefs, every redress in their power +was given: this, however, did not suit the Dutch boors. + +"They had entered the Caffre country, and had perceived that the Caffres +possessed large herds of cattle, and their avarice pointed out to them +how much easier it would be to grow rich by taking the cattle of the +Caffres than by rearing them themselves. If the bushmen stole a few head +of cattle, complaints were immediately forwarded to Cape Town, and +permission asked to raise a force, and recover them from the Caffres. + +"The force raised was termed a _Commando_, and was composed of all the +Dutch boors and their servants, well armed and mounted; these would make +an incursion into the Caffre territory, and because a few head of cattle +had been stolen by parties unknown, they would pour down upon the +Caffres, who had but their assaguays to oppose to destructive fire-arms, +set the kraals or villages in flames, murder indiscriminately man, +woman, and child, and carry off, by way of indemnification for some +trifling loss, perhaps some twenty thousand head of cattle belonging to +the Caffres. + +"The Caffres, naturally indignant at such outrage and robbery, made +attacks upon the boors to recover the cattle, but with this difference +between the Christian boor and the untutored savage: the boors murdered +women and children wantonly, the Caffres never harmed them, and did not +even kill men, if they could obtain possession of their property without +bloodshed." + +"But how could the Dutch government permit such atrocities?" + +"The representations made to the government were believed, and the order +was given in consequence. It is true that afterward the government +attempted to put a stop to these horrors, but the boors were beyond +their control; and in one instance in which the home government had +insisted that punishment should be inflicted for some more than common +outrage on the part of the boors, the Cape governor returned for answer, +that he could not venture to do as they wished, as the system was so +extensive and so common, that all the principal people in the colony +were implicated, and would have to be punished. + +"Such was therefore the condition of the colony at the time that it fell +into the possession of the English--the Hottentots serfs to the land, +and treated as the beasts of the field; the slave-trader supplying +slaves; and continual war carried on between the boors and the Caffres." + +"I trust that our government soon put an end to such barbarous +iniquities." + +"That was not so easy; the frontier boors rose in arms against the +English government, and the Hottentots, who had been so long patient, +now fled and joined the Caffres. These people made a combined attack +upon the frontier boors, burned their houses to the ground, carried off +the cattle, and possessed themselves of their arms and ammunition. The +boors rallied in great force; another combat took place, in which the +Hottentots and Caffres were victorious, killing the leader of the boors, +and pursuing them with great slaughter, till they were stopped by the +advance of the English troops. But I can not dwell long upon this period +of the Cape history; these wars continued until the natives, throwing +themselves upon the protection of the English, were induced to lay down +their arms, and the Hottentots to return to their former masters. The +colony was then given up to the Dutch, and remained with them until the +year 1806, when it was finally annexed to the British empire. The Dutch +had not learned wisdom from what had occurred; they treated the +Hottentots worse than before, maiming them and even murdering them in +their resentment, and appeared to defy the British government; but a +change was soon to take place." + +"Not before it was necessary, at all events," said Alexander. + +"It was by the missionaries chiefly that this change was brought about; +they had penetrated into the interior, and saw with their own eyes the +system of cruelty and rapine that was carried on; they wrote home +accounts, which were credited, and which produced a great alteration. To +the astonishment and indignation of the boors, law was introduced where +it had always been set at defiance; they were told that the life of a +Hottentot was as important in the eye of God, and in the eye of the law, +as that of a Dutch boor, and that the government would hold it as such. +Thus was the first blow struck; but another and a heavier was soon to +fall upon those who had so long sported with the lives of their +fellow-creatures. The press was called to the aid of the Hottentot, and +a work published by a missionary roused the attention of the public at +home to their situation. Their cause was pleaded in the House of +Commons, and the Hottentot was emancipated forever." + +"Thank God!" exclaimed Alexander; "my blood has been boiling at the +description which you have been giving. Now, when I hear that the poor +Hottentot is a free man, it will cool down again." + +"Perhaps it will be as well to leave off just now, Mr. Wilmot," said Mr. +Fairburn; "we will renew our conversation to-morrow, if wind and +weather permit, as the seamen say." + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + +The next day the ship was off Rio, and immediately sent her boats for +provisions and supplies; the passengers did not land, as the captain +stated that he would not stay an hour longer than was necessary, and on +the second evening after their arrival they again made sail for the +Cape. + +The gulls were flying in numbers astern of the ship, darting down and +seizing every thing edible which was thrown overboard, and the +conversation turned upon aquatic birds. + +"What difference is there in the feathers of aquatic birds and others?" +inquired Alexander; "a hen, or any land bird, if it falls into the +water, is drowned as soon as its feathers are saturated with the water." + +"There is, I believe, no difference in the feathers of the birds," +replied Mr. Swinton; "but all aquatic birds are provided with a small +reservoir, containing oil, with which they anoint their feathers, which +renders them water-proof. If you will watch a duck pluming and dressing +itself, you will find it continually turns its bill round to the end of +its back, just above the insertion of the tail; it is to procure this +oil, which, as it dresses its feathers that they may carefully overlap +each other, it smears upon them so as to render them impenetrable to the +water; but this requires frequent renewal, or the duck would be drowned +as well as the hen." + +"How long can a sea-bird remain at sea?" + +"I should think not very long, although it has been supposed otherwise; +but we do not know so much of the habits of these birds as of others." + +"Can they remain long under water?" + +"The greater portion of them can not; ducks and that class, for +instance. Divers can remain some time; but the birds that remain the +longest under water are the semi-aquatic, whose feet are only +half-webbed. I have watched the common English water-hen for many +minutes walking along at the bottom of a stream, apparently as much in +its element as if on shore, pecking and feeding as it walked." + +"You say that aquatic birds can not remain long at sea,--where do they +go to?" + +"They resort to the uninhabited islands over the globe, rocks that +always remain above water, and the unfrequented shores of Africa and +elsewhere; there they congregate to breed and bring up their young. I +have seen twenty or thirty acres of land completely covered with these +birds or their nests, wedged together as close as they could sit. Every +year they resort to the same spot, which has probably been their +domicile for centuries,--I might say since the creation. They make no +nests, but merely scrape so as to form a shallow hole to deposit their +eggs. The consequence of their always resorting to the same spot is +that, from the voidings of the birds and the remains of fish brought to +feed the young, a deposit is made over the whole surface, a fraction of +an inch every year, which by degrees increases until it is sometimes +twenty or thirty feet deep, if not more, and the lower portion becomes +almost as hard as rock. The deposit is termed guano, and has, from time +immemorial, been used by the Peruvians and Chilians as manure for the +land; it is very powerful, as it contains most of the essential salts, +such as ammonia, phosphates, etc., which are required for agriculture. +Within these last few years samples have been brought to England, and as +the quantities must be inexhaustible, when they are sought for and +found, no doubt it may one day become a valuable article of our carrying +trade. Here comes Mr. Fairburn; I hope he intends to continue his +notices of the Cape settlement." + +"They have interested me very much, I must confess; he appears well +acquainted with the colony." + +"He has had the advantage of a long residence, and during that time an +insight into all the public documents: this you may be certain of, that +he knows more than he will tell." + +As soon as Mr. Fairburn joined them, Alexander requested him to +continue his narrative, which he did as follows. + +"You must not suppose, Mr. Wilmot, that because the English had now +possession of the colony, every thing went right; governors who are +appointed to the control of a colony require to be there some time +before they can see with their own eyes; they must, from their want of +information, fall into the hands of some interested party or another, +who will sway their councils. Thus it was at the Cape. + +"It is true that much good had already been done by the abolition of +slavery and the emancipation of the Hottentot; but this was effected, +not by the colonial government, but by the representations of the +missionaries and an influential and benevolent party at home. The +prejudices against the Hottentots, and particularly the Caffres, still +existed, and were imbibed by the colonial authorities. Commandoes, or, +as they should be more properly termed, marauding parties, were still +sent out, and the Caffre was continually oppressed, and, in defiance of +the government orders, little justice could be obtained for the +Hottentot, although his situation was somewhat improved. + +"I will give one instance to show how the rights of the Hottentots were +respected by the Cape authorities in 1810,--previous to the +emancipation, it is true, but still at a time when the position of the +Hottentots and their sufferings had been strenuously pressed upon the +colonial authorities by the government at home. + +"When the conduct of the Dutch boors had roused the Caffres and +Hottentots to war, there were three brothers by the name of Stuurman, +Hottentots, who were the leaders. Peace was at length restored, which +was chiefly effected by the exertions of these men, who retired +peaceably with their own kraal to Algoa Bay; and the government, being +then Dutch, appointed Stuurman as captain of the kraal. This independent +horde of Hottentots gave great offense to the Dutch boors,--the more so +as the three brothers had been the leaders of the Hottentots in the +former insurrection. For seven years they could find no complaint to +make against them, until at last two of his Hottentots, who had engaged +to serve a boor for a certain time, went back to the kraal at the +expiration of the term, against the wish of the boor, who would have +detained them; the boor went and demanded them back, but Stuurman +refused to give them up; upon which, although justice was clearly on the +side of the Hottentots, an armed force was dispatched to the kraal. +Stuurman still refused to surrender the men, and the armed men retired, +for they knew the courage of the Hottentots, and were afraid to attack +them. + +"By treachery they gained possession of Stuurman and one of his brothers +(the other having been killed hunting the buffalo), and sent them to +Cape Town, from whence, against all justice, they were sent as prisoners +to Robin Island, where malefactors are confined. They made their escape, +and returned to Caffreland. Three years afterward, Stuurman, anxious to +see his family, returned to the colony without permission. He was +discovered and apprehended, and sent as a convict to New South Wales; +for the government was at that time English. + +"Such was the fate of the first Hottentot who stood up for the rights of +his countrymen, and such was the conduct of the English colonial +government; so you will observe, Mr. Wilmot, that although the strides +of cruelty and oppression are most rapid, the return to even-handed +justice is equally slow. Eventually the gross injustice to this man was +acknowledged, for an order from the home government was procured for his +liberation and return; but it was too late,--Stuurman had died a +convict. + +"I have mentioned this circumstance, as it will prepare you for a +similar act of injustice to the Caffres. When the colony was in +possession of the Dutch there was a space of about thirty thousand +square miles between the colonial boundary (that is, the land formerly +possessed by the Hottentots) and the Great Fish River. This extent of +thirty thousand square miles belonged to the Caffres, and was the site +of continual skirmishing and marauding between the Dutch boors and the +Caffres. + +"In 1811 it was resolved by the colonial government that the Caffres +should be driven from this territory, and confined to the other side of +the Great Fish River. This was an act of injustice and great hardship, +and was proceeded in with extreme cruelty, the Caffres being obliged to +leave all their crops, and turned out with great and unnecessary +slaughter. + +"It may be proper, however, to state the causes which led to this Caffre +war with the English. At this time the colonial governor had entered +into negotiations with a Caffre chief of the name of Gaika. He was a +chief of a portion of the Caffres, but not the principal chief, and +although the English treated with him as such, the Caffres would not +acknowledge his authority. This is a very frequent error committed in +our intercourse with savage nations, who are as pertinacious of their +rights as the monarchs of Europe. The error on our part was soon +discovered, but the government was too proud to acknowledge it. + +"It so happened that the other Caffre chiefs formed a powerful +confederacy against Gaika, who, trusting to the support of the English, +had treated them with great arrogance. They fought and conquered him, +carrying off, as usual, his cattle. As this was a war between the +Caffres, and confined to their own land, we certainly had no business to +interfere; but the colonial government thought otherwise, and an +expedition was prepared. + +"The Caffres sent forward messengers declaring their wish to remain at +peace with the English, but refusing to submit to Gaika, who was only a +secondary chief, and whom they had conquered. No regard was paid to this +remonstrance; the English troops were sent forward, the Caffres attacked +in their hamlets, slaughtered or driven into the woods, 23,000 head of +cattle taken from them, of which 9,000 were given to Gaika, and the rest +distributed to the Dutch boors, or sold to defray part of the expenses +of the expedition. + +"Deprived of their means of subsistence by the capture of their cattle, +the Caffres were rendered furious reckless, and no sooner had the +expedition returned, than they commenced hostilities. They poured into +the frontier districts, captured several detached military forts, drove +the Dutch boors from the Zurweld, or neutral territory, and killed a +great many of our soldiers and of the Dutch boors. All the country was +overrun as far as the vicinity of Algoa Bay, and nothing could at first +check their progress." + +"Why, it really does not appear that the colonial government, when in +our hands, was more considerate than when it was held by the Dutch," +replied Alexander. + +"Not much, I fear," said Mr. Fairburn. + +"The councils of the Caffre chiefs were at that time much influenced by +a most remarkable personage of the name of Mokanna. In the colony he was +usually known by the sobriquet of 'Links,' or the left-handed. He was +not a chief, but had by his superior intellect obtained great power. He +gave himself out to be a prophet, and certainly showed quite as much +skill as ever did Mahommed or any other false prophet. He had often +visited Cape Town, and had made himself master of all that he could +acquire of European knowledge. + +"This man, by his influence, his superior eloquence, and his pretended +revelations from heaven, was now looked up to by the whole Caffre +nation; and he promised the chiefs, if they would implicitly obey his +orders, he would lead them to victory, and that he would drive the +English into the ocean. He resolved upon the bold measure of making an +attack upon Graham's Town, and marched an army of between nine and ten +thousand men to the forest bordering on the Great Fish River. + +"According to the custom of the Caffres, who never use surprise or +ambush on great occasions, they sent a message to the commandant of +Graham's Town, stating that they would breakfast with him the next +morning. The commandant, who had supposed the message to be a mere +bravado, was very ill prepared when on the following morning he +perceived, to his great astonishment, the whole force of the Caffres on +the heights above the town. + +"Had the Caffres advanced in the night, there is no doubt but that they +would have had possession of the place, and that with the greatest ease. +There were about 350 regular troops and a small force of Hottentots in +Graham's Town, and fortunately a few field-pieces. The Caffres rushed to +the assault, and for some time were not to be checked; they went up to +the very muzzles of the field-pieces, and broke their spears off short, +to decide the battle by a hand-to-hand conflict. + +"At this critical moment, the field-pieces opened their fire of grape +and canister, and the front ranks of the Caffres were mowed down like +grass. After several rallyings under Mokanna, the Caffres gave way and +fled. About 1400 of the bravest remained on the field of battle, and as +many more perished from their wounds before they could regain their +country. Mokanna, after using every exertion, accompanied the Caffre +army in their flight." + +"It certainly was a bold attempt on the part of the Caffres, and showed +Mokanna to be a great man even in the failure." + +"It was so unprecedented an attempt, that the colonial government were +dreadfully alarmed, and turned out their whole force of militia as well +as of regular troops. The Caffre country was again overrun, the +inhabitants destroyed, without distinction of age or sex, their hamlets +fired, cattle driven away, and when they fled to the thickets, they were +bombarded with shells and Congreve rockets. Mokanna and the principal +chiefs were denounced as outlaws, and the inhabitants threatened with +utter extermination if they did not deliver them up dead or alive. +Although driven to despair, and perishing from want, not a single Caffre +was to be found who would earn the high reward offered for the surrender +of the chiefs." + +"The more I hear of them, the more I admire the Caffres," observed +Alexander Wilmot; "and I may add--but never mind, pray go on." + +"I think I could supply the words which you have checked, Mr. Wilmot, +but I will proceed, or dinner will be announced before I have finished +this portion of my history." + +"The course adopted by Mokanna under these circumstances was such as +will raise him much higher in your estimation. As he found that his +countrymen were to be massacred until he and the other chiefs were +delivered up, dead or alive, he resolved to surrender himself as a +hostage for his country. He sent a message to say that he would do so, +and the next day, with a calm magnanimity that would have done honor to +a Roman patriot, he came, unattended, to the English camp. His words +were 'People say that I have occasioned this war: let me see if my +delivering myself up will restore peace to my country.' The commanding +officer, to whom he surrendered himself, immediately forwarded him as a +prisoner to the colony." + +"What became of him?" + +"Of that hereafter; but I wish here to give you the substance of a +speech made by one of Mokanna's head men, who came after Mokanna's +surrender into the English camp. I am told that the imperfect notes +taken of it afford but a very faint idea of its eloquence; at all +events, the speech gives a very correct view of the treatment which the +Caffres received from our hands. + +"'This war,' said he, 'British chiefs, is an unjust one, for you are +trying to extirpate a people whom you have forced to take up arms. When +our fathers and the fathers of the boors first settled on the Zurweld, +they dwelt together in peace. Their flocks grazed the same hills, their +herdsmen smoked out of the same pipe; they were brothers until the herds +of the Amakosa (Caffres) increased so much as to make the hearts of the +Dutch boors sore. What those covetous men could not get from our fathers +for old buttons, they took by force. Our fathers were men; they loved +their cattle; their wives and children lived upon milk; they fought for +their property; they began to hate the colonists, who coveted their all, +and aimed at their destruction. + +"'Now their kraals and our fathers' kraals were separate. The boors made +commandoes for our fathers; our fathers drove them out of the Zurweld, +and we dwelt there because we had conquered it; there we married wives; +there our children were born; the white men hated us, but could not +drive us away; when there was war, we plundered you; when there was +peace, some of our bad people stole; but our chiefs forbade it. + +"'We lived in peace; some bad people stole, perhaps; but the nation was +quiet; Gaika stole; his chiefs stole; you sent him copper; you sent him +beads; you sent him horses, on which he rode to steal more; to _us_ you +only sent _commandoes_. We quarreled with Gaika about grass;--no +business of yours; you send a commando; you take our last cow; you leave +only a few calves, which die for want, and so do our children; you give +half the spoil to Gaika; half you kept yourselves. + +"'Without milk; our corn destroyed; we saw our wives and children +perish; we followed, therefore, the tracks of our cattle into the +colony; we plundered, and we fought for our lives; we found you weak, +and we destroyed your soldiers; we saw that we were strong, and we +attacked your headquarters, and if we had succeeded, our right was good, +for you began the war; we failed, and you are here. + +"We wish for peace; we wish to rest in our huts; we wish to get milk for +our children; our wives wish to till the land; but your troops cover the +plains, and swarm in the thickets, where they can not distinguish the +men from the women, and shoot _all_. You wish us to submit to Gaika; +that man's face is fair to you, but his heart is false; leave him to +himself; make peace with us: let him fight for himself; and we shall not +call upon you for help; set Mokanna at liberty, and all our chiefs will +make peace with you at any time you fix; but if you still make war, you +may indeed kill the last man of us, but Gaika shall not rule over the +followers of those who think him a woman.' + +"If eloquence consists (as it does not in the English House of Commons) +in saying much in few words, I know no speech more comprehensive of the +facts and arguments of a case than the above. I am sorry to say it had +no effect in altering the destination of Mokanna, or of obtaining any +relief for his countrymen, who were still called upon to deliver up the +other chiefs _outlawed_ by the government." + +"I before remarked the absurdity of that expression," said Mr. Swinton; +"we outlaw a member of our own society and belonging to our own country; +but to _outlaw_ the chiefs of another country is something too absurd; I +fear the English language is not much studied at the Cape." + +"At all events, every attempt made to obtain possession of these +_outlawed_ chiefs was unavailing. After plundering the country of all +that could be found in it, leaving devastation and misery behind, the +expedition returned without obtaining their object, but with the +satisfaction of knowing that by taking away 30,000 more cattle, they +left thousands of women and children to die of starvation. But I must +leave off now. The results of the war, and the fate of Mokanna, shall be +the subject of another meeting." + +"We are much obliged to you, Mr. Fairburn, for the interesting narrative +you have given us. It is, however, to be hoped that you will have no +more such painful errors and injustice to dwell upon." + +"As I before observed, Mr. Wilmot, it requires time for prejudice and +falsehood to be overthrown; and until they are mastered, it can not be +expected that justice can be administered. The colonial government had +to contend with the whole white population of the colony who rose up in +arms against them, considering, from long habit, that any interference +with their assumed despotism over the natives was an infringement of +their rights. + +"You must also recollect how weak was the power of the colonial +government for a long time, and how impossible it was to exert that +power over such an extensive country; and to give you some idea of this, +I will state what was the reply of some of the Dutch boors to the +traveler La Vaillant, when the latter expressed his opinion that the +government should interfere with an armed force to put an end to their +cruelty and oppression. + +"'Are you aware,' said they, 'what would be the result of such an +attempt?--Assembling all in an instant, we would massacre half of the +soldiers, salt their flesh, and send it back by those we might spare, +with threats to do the same thing to those who should be bold enough to +appear among us afterward.' It is not an easy task for any government to +deal with such a set of people, Mr. Wilmot." + +"I grant it," replied Alexander; "and the conviction makes me more +anxious to know what has been since done." + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + +The following morning the wind was very slight, and before noon it fell +calm. Two sharks of a large size came under the stern of the vessel, and +the sailors were soon very busy trying to hook one of them; but they +refused the bait, which was a piece of salt pork, and after an hour they +quitted the vessel and disappeared, much to the disappointment of both +passengers and ship's company, the former wishing very much to see the +sharks caught, and the latter very anxious to cut them up and fry them +for their suppers. + +"I thought that sharks always took the bait," observed Alexander. + +"Not always, as you have now seen," replied Mr. Swinton; "all depends +upon whether they are hungry or not. In some harbors where there are +plenty of fish, I have seen sharks in hundreds, which not only refused +any bait, but would not attempt to seize a man if he was in the water; +but I am surprised at these Atlantic sharks refusing the bait, I must +confess, for they are generally very ravenous, as are, indeed, all the +sharks which are found in the ocean." + +"I can tell you, sir, why they refused the bait," said the boatswain of +the vessel, who was standing by; "it's because we are now on the track +of the Brazilian slavers, and they have been well fed lately, depend +upon it." + +"I should not be surprised if you were correct in your idea," replied +Mr. Swinton. + +"There are many varieties of sharks, are there not?" inquired Wilmot. + +"Yes, a great many; the fiercest, however, and the largest kind is the +one which has just left us, and is termed the white shark; it ranges the +whole Atlantic Ocean, but is seldom found far to the northward, as it +prefers the tropics: it is, however, to be seen in the Mediterranean, in +the Gulf of Lyons, and is there remarkably fierce. In the English +Channel you find the blue shark, which is seldom dangerous; there is +also a very large-sized but harmless shark found in the north seas, +which the whalers frequent. Then there is the spotted or tiger-shark, +which is very savage, although it does not grow to a large size; the +hammer-headed shark, so called from the peculiar formation of its head; +and the ground shark, perhaps the most dangerous of all, as it lies at +the bottom and rises under you without giving you notice of its +approach. I believe I have now mentioned the principal varieties." + +"If a man was to fall overboard and a shark was nigh, what would be the +best plan to act upon--that is, if there would be any chance of escape +from such a brute?" + +"The best plan, and I have seen it acted upon with success, is, if you +can swim well, to throw yourself on your back and splash as much as you +can with your feet, and halloo as loud as you can. A shark is a cowardly +animal, and noise will drive it away. + +"When I went out two or three years ago, I had a Newfoundland dog, which +was accustomed to leap into the water from almost any height. I was very +partial to him, and you may imagine my annoyance when, one day, as we +were becalmed along the Western Islands, and a large shark came up +alongside, the dog, at once perceiving it, plunged off the taffrail to +seize it, swimming toward the shark, and barking as loud as he could. I +fully expected that the monster would have dispatched him in a moment; +but to my surprise the shark was frightened and swam away, followed by +the dog, until the boat that was lowered down picked him up." + +"I don't think the shark could have been very hungry." + +"Probably not; at all events I should not have liked to have been in +Neptune's place. I think the most peculiar plan of escaping from sharks +is that pursued by the Cingalese divers, and often with success." + +"Tell me, if you please." + +"The divers who go down for the pearl oysters off Ceylon generally drop +from a boat, and descend in ten or twelve fathoms of water before they +come to the bed of pearl oysters, which is upon a bank of mud: it often +happens that when they are down, the sharks make for them, and I hardly +need say that these poor fellows are constantly on the watch, looking in +every direction while they are filling their baskets. If they perceive a +shark making for them, their only chance is to stir up the mud on the +bank as fast as they can, which prevents the animal from distinguishing +them, and under the cover of the clouded water they regain the surface; +nevertheless, it does not always answer, and many are taken off every +year." + +"A lady, proud of her pearl necklace, little thinks how many poor +fellows may have been torn to pieces to obtain for her such an +ornament." + +"Very true; and when we consider how many pearl-fisheries may have taken +place, and how many divers may have been destroyed, before a string of +fine pearls can be obtained, we might almost say that every pearl on the +necklace has cost the life of a human creature." + +"How are the pearls disposed of, and who are the proprietors?" + +"The government are the proprietors of the fishery, I believe; but +whether they farm it out yearly, or not, I can not tell; but this I +know, that as the pearl oysters are taken, they are landed unopened and +packed upon the beach in squares of a certain dimension. When the +fishing is over for the season, these square lots of pearl oysters are +put up to auction, and sold to the highest bidder, of course 'contents +unknown;' so that it becomes a species of lottery; the purchaser may not +find a single pearl in his lot, or he may find two or three, which will +realize twenty times the price which he has paid for his lot." + +"It is, then, a lottery from beginning to end; the poor divers' lottery +is shark or no shark; the purchasers', pearls or no pearls. But Mr. +Fairburn is coming up the ladder, and I am anxious to know what was the +fate of Mokanna." + +Mr. Fairburn, who had come on deck on purpose to continue the narrative, +took his seat by his two fellow passengers and went on as follows:-- + +"I stated that Mokanna had been forwarded to the Cape. You must have +perceived that his only crime was that of fighting for his native land +against civilized invaders; but this was a deep crime in the eyes of the +colonial government; he was immediately thrown into the common gaol, and +finally was condemned to be imprisoned for life on Robben Island, a +place appropriated for the detention of convicted felons and other +malefactors, who there work in irons at the slate-quarries." + +"May I ask, where is Robben Island?" + +"It is an island a few miles from the mainland, close to Table Bay, upon +which the Cape Town is built. + +"Mokanna remained there about a year, when, having made his intentions +known to some Caffres who were confined there with him, he contrived out +of the iron hoops of the casks to make some weapons like cutlasses, with +which he armed his followers, rose upon the guard and overpowered them; +he then seized the boat, and with his Caffres made for the mainland. +Unfortunately, in attempting to disembark upon the rocks of the +mainland, the boat was upset in the surf, which was very violent; +Mokanna clung some time to a rock, but at last was washed off, and thus +perished the unfortunate leader of the Caffres." + +"Poor fellow," said Alexander; "he deserved a better fate and a more +generous enemy; but did the war continue?" + +"No; it ended in a manner every way worthy of that in which it was +begun. You recollect that the war was commenced to support Gaika, our +selected chief of the Caffres, against the real chiefs. The Caffres had +before been compelled to give up their territories on our side of the +Fish River; the colonial government now insisted upon their retiring +still further, that is, beyond the Keisi and Chumi rivers, by which +3,000 more square miles were added to the colonial territory. This was +exacted, in order that there might be a neutral ground to separate the +Caffres and the Dutch boors, and put an end to further robberies on +either side. The strangest part of the story is, that this territory was +not taken away from the Caffre chiefs, against whom we had made war, but +from Gaika, our ally, to support whom we had entered into the war." + +"Well, it was even-handed--not justice, but injustice, at all events." + +"Exactly so; and so thought Gaika, for when speaking of the protection +he received from the colonial government, he said, 'But when I look upon +the large extent of fine country which has been taken from me, I am +compelled to say, that, although protected, I am _rather oppressed_ by +my _protectors_.'" + +"Unjust as was the mode of obtaining the neutral ground, I must say that +it appears to me to have been a good policy to put one between the +parties." + +"I grant it; but what was the conduct of the colonial government? This +neutral ground was afterward given away in large tracts to the Dutch +boors, so as again to bring them into contact with the Caffres." + +"Is it possible?" + +"Yes; to men who had always been opposed to the English government, who +had twice risen in rebellion against them, and who had tried to bring in +the Caffres to destroy the colony. Neither were the commandoes, or +excursions against the Caffres, put an end to: Makomo, the son of Gaika, +our late ally, has, I hear, been the party now attacked. I trust, +however, that we may soon have affairs going on in a more favorable and +reputable manner; indeed, I am sure that, now the government at home +have been put in possession of the facts, such will be the case. + +"I have now given you a very brief insight into the history of the Cape +up to the present time. There are many points which I have passed over, +not wishing to diverge from a straightforward narrative; but upon any +questions you may wish to ask, I shall be most happy to give you all the +information in my power. I can not, however, dismiss the subject +without making one remark, which is, that it is principally, if not +wholly, to the missionaries, to their exertions and to their +representations, that what good has been done is to be attributed. They +are entitled to the greatest credit and the warmest praise; and great as +has been the misrule of this colony for many years, it would have been +much greater and much more disgraceful, if it had not been for their +efforts. Another very important alteration has been taking place in the +colony, which will eventually be productive of much good. I refer to the +British immigration, which every year becomes more extensive; and as +soon as the British population exceeds and masters that of the old Dutch +planters and boors, we shall have better feeling in the colony. Do not +suppose that all the Dutch boors are such as those whose conduct I have +been obliged to point out. There are many worthy men, although but few +educated or enlightened. + +"I know from my own observation that the failings and prejudices against +the natives are fast fading away, and that lately the law has been able +to hold its ground, and has been supported by the people inhabiting the +districts. The Dutch, with all their prejudices and all their vices, +will soon be swallowed up by the inundation of English settlers, and +will gradually be so incorporated and intermingled by marriage that no +distinction will be known. Time, however, is required for such +consolidation and cementation; that time is arriving fast, and the +future prospects of the Cape are as cheering, as you may think, from my +narrative, they have been disheartening and gloomy." + +"I trust in God that such will be the case," replied Alexander. "If this +wind continues, in a few days we shall be at the Cape, and I shall be +most anxious to hear how affairs are going on." + +"I had a letter just before I set out from England, stating that the +Zoolu tribes, to the northward of the Caffres, are in an unquiet state; +and as you must pass near to these tribes on your journey, I am anxious +to know the truth. At all events, Chaka is dead; he was murdered about +two years back by his own relations." + +"Who was Chaka?" inquired Alexander. + +"That I have yet to tell you; at present we have only got as far as the +Caffres, who are immediately on our frontiers." + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + +The wind continued fair, and the vessel rapidly approached the Cape. +Alexander, who had contracted a great friendship for Mr. Swinton, had +made known to him the cause of his intended journey into the interior, +and the latter volunteered, if his company would not be displeasing, to +accompany Alexander on his tedious and somewhat perilous expedition. + +Alexander gladly accepted the offer, and requested Mr. Swinton would put +himself to no expense, as he had unlimited command of money from his +grand-uncle, and Mr. Swinton's joining the caravan would make no +difference in his arrangements. + +After it had been agreed that they should travel together, the continued +subject of discourse and discussion was the nature of the outfit, the +number of wagons, their equipment, the stores, the number of horses and +oxen which should he provided; and they were busy every day adding to +their memoranda as to what it would be advisable to procure for their +journey. + +Mr. Fairburn often joined in the discussion, and gave his advice, but +told them that, when they arrived at Cape Town, he might be more useful +to them. Alexander, who, as we have before observed, was a keen hunter, +and very partial to horses and dogs, promised himself much pleasure in +the chase of the wild animals on their journey, and congratulated +himself upon being so well provided with guns and rifles, which he had +brought with him, more with the idea that they might be required for +self-defense than for sport. + +At last, "Land, ho!" was cried out by the man who was at the mast-head +in the morning watch, and soon afterward, the flat top of Table Mountain +was distinctly visible from the deck. The _Surprise_, running before a +fresh breeze, soon neared the land, so that the objects on it might be +perceived with a glass. At noon they were well in for the bay, and +before three o'clock the _Surprise_ was brought to an anchor between two +other merchant vessels, which were filling up their home cargoes. + +After a three months' voyage, passengers are rather anxious to get on +shore; and therefore before night all were landed, and Alexander found +himself comfortably domiciled in one of the best houses in Cape Town; +for Mr. Fairburn had, during the passage, requested Alexander to take up +his abode with him. + +Tired with the excitement of the day, he was not sorry to go to bed +early, and he did not forget to return his thanks to Him who had +preserved him through the perils of the voyage. + +The next morning Mr. Fairburn said to Alexander-- + +"Mr. Wilmot, I should recommend you for the first ten days to think +nothing about your journey. Amuse yourself with seeing the public +gardens, and other things worthy of inspection; or, if it pleases you, +you can make the ascent of Table Mountain with your friend Swinton. At +all events, do just as you please; you will find my people attentive, +and ready to obey your orders. You know the hours of meals; consider +yourself at home, and as much master here as I am. As you may well +imagine, after so long an absence, I have much to attend to in my +official capacity, and I think it will be a week or ten days before I +shall be comfortably reseated in my office, and have things going on +smoothly, as they ought to do. You must therefore excuse me if I am not +quite so attentive a host at first as I should wish to be. One thing +only I recommend you to do at present, which is, to accompany me this +afternoon to Government-house, that I may introduce you to the governor. +It is just as well to get over that mark of respect which is due to him, +and then you will be your own master." + +Alexander replied with many thanks. He was graciously received by the +governor, who promised him every assistance in his power in the +prosecution of his journey. Having received an invitation for dinner on +the following day, Alexander bowed and took his leave in company with +Mr. Fairburn. + +On the following day Alexander was visited by Mr. Swinton. Mr. Swinton +was accompanied by a major in the Bengal Cavalry, whom he introduced as +Major Henderson. He had arrived a few days before from Calcutta, having +obtained leave of absence for the recovery of his health, after a smart +jungle-fever, which had nearly proved fatal. The voyage, however, had +completely reinstated him, and he appeared full of life and spirits. +They walked together to the Company's gardens, in which were a few +lions, and some other Cape animals, and the discourse naturally turned +upon them. Major Henderson described the hunting in India, especially +the tiger-hunting on elephants, to which he was very partial; and +Alexander soon discovered that he was talking to one who was +passionately fond of the sport. After a long conversation they parted, +mutually pleased with each other. A day or two afterward, Mr. Swinton, +who had been talking about their intended journey with Alexander, said +to him:-- + +"You must not be surprised at the off-hand and unceremonious way we have +in the colonies. People meeting abroad, even Englishmen occasionally, +throw aside much ceremony. I mention this, because Major Henderson +intends to call this afternoon, and propose joining our party into the +interior. I do not know much of him, but I have heard much said in his +favor, and it is easy to see by his manners and address that he is a +gentleman. Of course, when he stated his intention, I could do nothing +but refer him to you, which I did. What do you think, Wilmot?" + +"I think very well of Major Henderson, and I consider that, as the +journey must be one of some peril, the more Europeans the better, +especially when we can find one who is used to danger from his +profession, and also to dangerous hunting, which we must also expect. So +far from not wishing him to join us, I consider him a most valuable +acquisition, and am delighted at the idea." + +"Well, I am glad to hear you say so, for I agree with you. He is hunting +mad, that is certain, and I hear, a most remarkable shot. I think with +you he will be an acquisition. It appears that it was his intention to +have gone into the interior, even if he went by himself; and he has two +Arab horses which he brought with him from India with that view." + +"If you see him before he comes, you may say that you have stated his +wishes to me, and that I am quite delighted at his joining our +party,--it being perfectly understood that he is at no expense for any +thing connected with the outfit." + +"I will tell him so," replied Swinton; "and I think the sooner we begin +to collect what is necessary the better. We must have Major Henderson in +our councils. Depend upon it, he will be very useful and very active; +so, for the present, farewell." + +Mr. Swinton and Major Henderson called together that afternoon, and the +latter, as soon as he was admitted into the party, began to talk over +the plans and preparations. + +"My suite is not very large," said he; "I have two horses and two dogs, +a Parsee servant, and a Cape baboon. I should like to take the latter +with us as well as my servant. My servant, because he is a good cook; +and my monkey, because, if we are hard put to it, she will show us what +we may eat and what we may not; there is no taster like a monkey. +Besides, she is young and full of tricks, and I like something to amuse +me." + +"The baboons have another good quality: they give notice of danger +sooner than a dog," observed Swinton. "I think, Wilmot, we must admit +the monkey into the party." + +"I shall be most happy," replied Alexander, laughing; "pray give her my +compliments, Major Henderson, and say how happy I shall be." + +"I call her Begum," said Major Henderson; "because she is so like the +old Begum princess whom I was once attending, when in India with my +troop, as guard of honor. You must look out for some good horses, Mr. +Wilmot; you will want a great many, and if you do not wish them to have +sore backs, don't let the Hottentots ride them." + +"We have been discussing the point, Major Henderson, as to whether it +will not be better to go round in a vessel to Algoa Bay, complete our +equipment there, and make that our starting place." + +"If you do, you will save a long journey by land, and find yourself not +very far from what I understand are the best of hunting-grounds, near to +the country of the Vaal River." + +The topics then dwelt upon were what articles they should procure in +Cape Town, and what they should defer providing themselves with until +their arrival at Algoa Bay. They agreed to provide all their stores at +Cape Town, and as many good horses as they could select; but the wagons +and oxen, and the hiring of Hottentots, they put off until they arrived +at Algoa Bay. + +Mr. Fairburn was now more at leisure, and Alexander had more of his +society. One evening after dinner Mr. Fairburn had opened a map of the +country, to give Alexander some information relative to his projected +journey. He pointed out to him the track which appeared most advisable +through the Caffre country, and then observed that it was difficult to +give any advice as to his proceedings after he had passed this country, +governed by Hinza, as every thing would depend upon circumstances. + +"Do you know any thing of the country beyond?" + +"Not much; we know that it was overrun by the Zoolus, the tribe of which +Chaka was the chief; and last year our troops went to the assistance of +the Caffres, who were attacked by another tribe from the northward, +called the Mantatees. These were dispersed by our troops with immense +slaughter. The Zoolu country, you perceive, is on the east side of the +great chain of mountains, and to the northward of Port Natal. The +Mantatees came from the west side of the mountains, in about the same +parallel of latitude. It is impossible to say what may be going on at +present, or what may take place before you arrive at your destination, +as these northern irruptions are continual." + +"You promised me the history of that person, Chaka." + +"You shall have it now: he was the king of the Zoolu nation--I hardly +know what to call him. He was the Nero and the Napoleon of Africa; a +monster in cruelty and crime, yet a great warrior and conqueror. He +commenced his career by murdering his relatives to obtain the +sovereignty. As soon as he had succeeded, he murdered all those whom he +thought inimical to him, and who had been friends to his relatives." + +"But are the Zoolus Caffres?" + +"No; but there are many races to the northward which we consider as +Caffre races. You may have observed, in the history of the world, that +the migrations of the human race are generally from the north to the +south: so it appears to have been in Africa. Some convulsion among the +northern tribes, probably a pressure from excessive population, had +driven the Zoolus to the southward, and they came down like an +inundation, sweeping before them all the tribes that fell in their path. +Chaka's force consisted of nearly 100,000 warriors, of whom 15,000 were +always in attendance to execute his orders. In every country which he +overran he spared neither age nor sex; it was one indiscriminate +slaughter." + +"What a monster!" + +"He ruled by terror, and it is incredible that his orders met with such +implicit obedience. To make his army invincible, he remodeled it, +divided it into companies, distinguished by the color of their shields, +and forbade them to use any other weapon but a short stabbing-spear, so +that they always fought at close quarters. He weeded his army by picking +out 1000 of his veteran warriors, who had gained his victories, and +putting them to death. Any regiment sent out to battle, if they were +defeated, were instantly destroyed on their return; it was, therefore, +victory or death with them; and the death was most cruel, being that of +impalement. Well he was surnamed 'the Bloody,'" + +"Yes, indeed." + +"His tyranny over his own people was dreadful. On one occasion, a child +annoyed him; he ordered it to be killed; but the child ran among seventy +or eighty other children, and could not be distinguished, so he ordered +the whole to be put to death. He murdered two or three hundred of his +wives in one day. At the slightest suspicion he would order out his +chiefs to execution, and no one knew when his turn might come. His will +was law: every one trembled and obeyed. To enter into a detail of all +his cruelties would fill volumes; it will be sufficient to mention the +last act of his life. His mother died, and he declared that she had +perished by witchcraft. Hundreds and hundreds were impaled, and, at +last, tired of these slow proceedings, he ordered out his army to an +indiscriminate slaughter over the whole country, which lasted for +fourteen days." + +"How horrible!" + +"He was a demon who reveled in blood; but his own turn came at last. He +was murdered by his brother Dingaam, who knew that he was about to be +sacrificed; and thus perished the bloody Chaka. His brother Dingaam is +now on the Zoolu throne, and appears inclined to be quiet. There is +another great warrior chief named Moselekatsee, who revolted from Chaka, +and who is much such another character; but our accounts of these people +are vague at present, and require time to corroborate their correctness. +You will have to act and decide when you arrive there, and must be +guided by circumstances. With the caravan you propose to travel with, I +think there will not be much danger; and if there is, you must retreat. +The favor of these despots is easily to be obtained by judicious +presents, which of course you will not be unprovided with. I have +ordered your letters to the authorities to be made out, and you will +have the governor's signature to them. When do you propose to, start?" + +"We shall be ready in a few days, and have only to find a vessel going +to Algoa Bay." + +"You will be asked to take charge of several articles which are to be +sent to the missionary station which you will pass on your way. I +presume you have no objection?" + +"Certainly not; they deserve every encouragement, and any kindness and +attention I can show them will give me great pleasure." + +Alexander received many proposals from different parties who wished to +join the expedition, but they were all civilly declined. In a few days a +vessel arrived, which was about to go round to the settlement at Algoa +Bay. Their stores, horses, and dogs, not forgetting Begum the baboon, +were all embarked, and, taking leave of Mr. Fairburn and the governor, +Alexander, Major Henderson, and Mr. Swinton embarked, and on the evening +of the fourth day found themselves safe at anchor in company with ten or +twelve vessels which were lying in Algoa Bay. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + +The vessels which lay at anchor in Algoa Bay had just arrived from +England, with a numerous collection of emigrants, who, to improve their +fortunes, had left their native land to settle in this country. Many had +landed, but the greater proportion were still on board of the vessels. +The debarkation was rapidly going on, and the whole bay was covered with +boats landing with people and stores, or returning for more. The wind +blowing from the westward, there was no surf on the beach; the sun was +bright and warm, and the scene was busy and interesting; but night came +on, and the panorama was closed in. + +Alexander and his companions remained on the deck of their vessel till +an undisturbed silence reigned where but an hour or two before all was +noise and bustle. The stars, so beautiful in the southern climes, shone +out in cloudless brilliancy; the waters of the bay were smooth as glass, +and reflected them so clearly that they might have fancied that there +was a heaven beneath as well as above them. The land presented a dark +opaque mass, the mountains in the distance appearing as if they were +close to them, and rising precipitately from the shore. All was of one +somber hue, except where the lights in the houses in the town twinkled +here and there, announcing that; some had not yet dismissed their +worldly cares, and sought repose from the labors of the day. Yet all +was silent, except occasionally the barking of a dog, or the voice of +the sentry in Fort Frederick, announcing that "all was well." + +"What a gathering in a small space of so many people with so many +different histories, so many causes for leaving their native land, and +with so many different fortunes in store for them, must there be on +board of an emigrant ship," observed Mr. Swinton. + +"Yet all united in one feeling, and instigated by the same desire,--that +of independence, and, if possible, of wealth," rejoined Major Henderson. + +"Of that there can be no doubt," said Alexander; "but it must be almost +like beginning a new life; so many ties broken by the vast ocean which +has separated them; new interests usurping the place of old ones; all +novelty and adventure to look forward to; new scenes added to new hopes +and new fears; but we must not remain too long even to watch these +beautiful heavens, for we must rise at daylight, so I shall set the +example, and wish you both good-night." + +At daylight on the following morning the long-boat was hoisted out, and +the horses safely conveyed on shore. After a hasty breakfast, Alexander +and his two companions landed, to see if it were possible to obtain any +roof under which they could shelter themselves; but the number of +emigrants who had arrived put that out of the question, every house and +every bed being engaged. This was a great disappointment, as they had no +wish to return on board and reoccupy the confined space which had been +allotted to them. + +Having found accommodation for their horses, they proceeded to examine +the town and resume their search for lodgings. The streets presented a +bustling and animated scene; wagons with goods, or returning empty with +their long teams of oxen; horses, sheep, and other animals, just landed; +loud talking; busy inquirers; running to and fro of men; Hottentots busy +with the gods, or smoking their pipes in idle survey; crates and boxes, +and packages of all descriptions, mixed up with agricultural implements +and ironware, lining each side of the road, upon which were seated +wives and daughters watching the property, and children looking round +with astonishment, or playing or crying. + +Further out of the town were to be seen tents pitched by the emigrants, +who had provided themselves with such necessaries before they had +quitted England, and who were bivouacking like so many gipsies, +independent of lodgings and their attendant expenses, and cooking their +own provisions in kettles or frying-pans. As Alexander perceived the +latter, he said, "At all events, we have found lodgings now; I never +thought of that." + +"How do you mean?" + +"I have two tents in the luggage I brought from Cape Town; we must get +them on shore, and do as these people have done." + +"Bravo! I am glad to hear that," replied Major Henderson; "any thing +better than remaining on board to be nibbled by the cockroaches. Shall +we return at once?" + +"By all means," said Mr. Swinton; "we have but to get our mattresses and +a few other articles." + +"Leave my man to do all that," said the Major; "he is used to it. In +India we almost live in tents when up the country. But here comes one +that I should know;--Maxwell, I believe?" + +"Even so, my dear Henderson," replied the military officer who had been +thus addressed; "why, what brought you here?--surely you are not a +settler?" + +"No; I am here because I am not a settler," replied Henderson, laughing; +"I am always on the move; I am merely on my own way with my two friends +here to shoot a hippopotamus. Allow me to introduce Mr. Wilmot and Mr. +Swinton. But I see you are on duty; are you in the fort?" + +"Yes; I came from Somerset about a month back. Can I be of any use to +you?" + +"That depends upon circumstances; we are now going on board for our +tents, to pitch them on the hill there, as we can get no lodgings." + +"Well, I can not offer you beds in the fort, but I think if you were to +pitch your tents outside the fort, on the glacis, you would be better +than on the hill; your baggage would be safer, and I should be more able +to render you any attention or assistance you may require." + +"An excellent idea; if it were only on account of the baggage," replied +Henderson; "we accept your offer with pleasure." + +"Well then, get them on shore as quick as you can; my men will soon have +them out for you and assist in transporting your luggage; and don't +distress yourself about your dinner, I will contrive to have something +cooked for you." + +"A friend in need is a friend indeed, my good fellow. We will accept +your offers as freely as they are made: so farewell for an hour or so." + +As they parted with Captain Maxwell, Henderson observed, "That was a +lucky meeting, for we shall now get on well. Maxwell is an excellent +fellow, and he will be very useful to us in making our purchases, as he +knows the people and the country: and our luggage will be safe from all +pilferers." + +"It is indeed very fortunate," replied Mr. Swinton. "Where did you know +Captain Maxwell?" + +"In India. We have often been out hunting tigers together. How he would +like to be of our party; but that is of course impossible." + +"But how shall we manage about our living, Major Henderson?" observed +Wilmot; "it will never do to quarter ourselves on your friend." + +"Of course not; we should soon eat up his pay and allowance. No, no; we +will find dinners, and he will help us to cook them first and eat them +afterward." + +"Upon such terms, I shall gladly take up my quarters in the fort," +replied Alexander. "But which is our boat out of all these?" + +"Here, sir," cried out one of the sailors; "come along, my lads," +continued he to the other men, who were lounging about, and who all +jumped into the boat, which pushed off, and they were soon on board of +the ship. + +As the master of the vessel was equally glad to get rid of his +passengers and their luggage as they were to leave, the utmost +expedition was used by all parties, and in a few hours everything was +landed, Begum, the baboon, being perched upon the stores conveyed in the +last boat. A party of soldiers sent down by Captain Maxwell assisted the +seamen to carry the various packages up to the fort, and before the +evening closed in, the tents were pitched, their beds made up, and their +baggage safely housed, while they were amusing themselves after dining +with Captain Maxwell, leaning on the parapet and watching the passing +and repassing of the boats which were unlading the vessels. + +As there was little chance of rain in the present season, they lay down +on their mattresses in perfect security and comfort, and did not wake up +the next morning until breakfast was ready. After breakfast they sallied +out with Captain Maxwell to look after wagons and oxen, and as, on the +arrival of the emigrants, a number of wagons had been sent down to take +them to their destinations, Captain Maxwell soon fell in with some of +the Dutch boors of the interior with whom he had been acquainted, and +who had come down with their wagons; but previous to making any +bargains, Alexander went with Captain Maxwell to the landroost, for whom +he had brought a letter from the governor. + +This gentleman immediately joined the party, and through his +intervention, before night, four excellent wagons with their tilts and +canvas coverings, and four span of oxen of fourteen each, were bought +and promised to be brought down and delivered up in good order, as soon +as they had carried up the freights with which they were charged. + +As these wagons could not return under four days, the next object that +they had in view was to procure some more horses, and here they met with +difficulty; for Major Henderson, who, as an excellent judge of horses, +was requested to select them, would not accept of many that were +offered. Still they had plenty of time, as the wagons would require +fitting out previous to their departure, and this would be a work of +some days; and many articles which they had decided to procure at Algoa +Bay, instead of the Cape, were now to be sought for and selected. + +At the time appointed, the wagons and teams were delivered over and paid +for. Carpenters were then engaged, and the wagons were fitted out with +lockers all round them, divided off to contain the luggage separate, so +that they might be able to obtain in a minute any thing that they might +require. While this work was proceeding, with the assistance of the +landroost, they were engaging Hottentots and other people to join the +expedition, some as drivers to the wagons, others as huntsmen, and to +perform such duties as might be required of them. Some very steady brave +men were selected, but it was impossible to make up the whole force +which they wished to take of people of known character; many of them +were engaged rather from their appearance, their promises, and the +characters they obtained from others or gave themselves, than from any +positive knowledge of them. This could not be avoided; and as they had +it in their power to dismiss them for bad conduct, it was to be presumed +that they could procure others. + +It was more than three weeks before every thing was ready for their +departure, and then the caravan was composed as follows:-- + +The persons who belonged to it were our three gentlemen; the servant of +Major Henderson; eight drivers of the teams of oxen; twelve Hottentot +and other hunters (for some of them were of a mixed race); two +Hottentots who had charge of the horses, and two others who had charge +of a flock of Cape sheep, which were to follow the caravan, and serve as +food until they could procure oxen by purchase or game with their guns: +so that the whole force of the party amounted to twenty men: two +Hottentot women, wives of the principal men, also accompanied the +caravan to wash and assist in cooking. + +The animals belonging to the caravan consisted of fifty-six fine oxen, +which composed the teams; twelve horses, as Major Henderson could only +procure six at Algoa Bay, or they would have purchased more; thirteen +dogs of various sizes, and Begum, the baboon, belonging to Captain +Henderson: to these were to be added the flock of sheep. + +The wagons were fitted out as follows, chiefly under the direction of +Major Henderson and Mr. Swinton. + +The first wagon, which was called Mr. Wilmot's wagon, was fitted up with +boxes or lockers all round, and contained all the stores for their own +use, such as tea, sugar, coffee, cheeses, hams, tongues, biscuits, soap, +and wax candles, wine and spirits in bottles, besides large rolls of +tobacco for the Hottentots or presents, and Alexander's clothes; his +mattress lay at the bottom of the wagons, between the lockers. The wagon +was covered with a double sail-cloth tilt, and with curtains before and +behind; the carpenter's tools were also in one of the lockers of this +wagon. + +The second wagon was called Mr. Swinton's wagon; it was fitted up with +lockers in the same way as the other, but it had also a large chest with +a great quantity of drawers for insects, bottles of spirits for animals, +and every thing necessary for preserving them; a ream or two of paper +for drying plants, and several other articles, more particularly a +medicine-chest well filled, for Mr. Swinton was not unacquainted with +surgery and physic. The other lockers were filled with a large quantity +of glass beads and cutlery for presents, several hundred pounds of +bullets, ready cast, and all the kitchen ware and crockery. It had the +same covering as the first, and Mr. Swinton's mattress was at night +spread in the middle between the lockers. + +The third wagon was called the armory, or the Major's wagon; it was not +fitted up like the two first. The whole bottom of it was occupied with +movable chests, and four large casks of spirits, and the Major made up +his bed on the top of the chests. In the chests were gunpowder in +bottles and a quantity of small shot for present use; tobacco in large +rolls; 1 cwt. of snuff; all the heavy tools, spades, shovels, and axes, +and a variety of other useful articles. + +The tilt-frame was much stouter than that of the two other wagons, for +the hoops met each other so as to make it solid. It was covered with a +tarred sail-cloth so as to be quite water-proof, and under the +tilt-frame were suspended all the guns, except the two which Alexander +and Mr. Swinton retained in their own wagons in case of emergency. The +back and front of this wagon were closed with boards, which were let +down and pulled up on hinges, so that it was a little fortress in case +of need; and as it could be locked up at any time, the Hottentots were +not able to get at the casks of spirits without committing a sort of +burglary. Begum was tied up in this wagon at night. + +The fourth wagon was called the store wagon, and contained several +articles which were not immediately wanted; such as casks of flour and +bags of rice: it also held most of the ammunition, having six casks of +gunpowder, a quantity of lead, two coils of rope, iron bars, bags of +nails of various sizes, rolls of brass wire, and the two tents, with +three chairs and a small table. Like the wagon of Major Henderson, it +was covered with water-proof cloth. + +Such was the fit-out which was considered necessary for this adventurous +expedition, and the crowds who came to see the preparations for the +great hunting-party, as it was called, were so great and so annoying +that the utmost haste was made to quit the town. At last the wagons were +all loaded, the Hottentots collected together from the liquor-shops, +their agreements read to them by the landroost, and any departure from +their agreements, or any misconduct, threatened with severe punishment. + +The horses and oxen were brought in, and the next morning was fixed for +their departure. Having taken leave of the landroost and other gentlemen +of the town, who had loaded them with civilities, they retired to the +fort, and passed the major part of the night with Captain Maxwell; but +to avoid the crowd which would have accompanied them, and have impeded +their progress, they had resolved to set off before daylight. At two +o'clock in the morning the Hottentots were roused up, the oxen yoked, +and an hour before day-break the whole train had quitted the town, and +were traveling at a slow pace, lighted only by the brilliant stars of +the southern sky. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + +The plans of our travelers had been well digested. They had decided that +they would first prosecute the object of their journey by proceeding +straight through the Caffre country to the borders of the Undata River, +near or whereabout it was reported that the descendants of the whites +would be found located; and as soon as Alexander had accomplished his +mission, that they would cross the chain of mountains, and return +through the Bushmen and the Koranna country. Their reason for making +this arrangement was, that throughout the whole of the Caffre country, +with the exception of lions and elephants in the forest, and hippopotami +in the rivers, there was little or no game to be found, the Caffres +having almost wholly destroyed it. + +This plan had been suggested by Major Henderson, and had been approved +by Alexander and Mr. Swinton,--Alexander being equally desirous as the +Major to have plenty of field-sport, and Mr. Swinton anxious to increase +his stock and knowledge of the animal kingdom. There was little to be +feared in their advance through the Caffre country, as the missionaries +had already planted two missions, one at Butterworth and the other at +Chumie; and the first of these Alexander had decided upon visiting, and +had, in consequence, several packages in his wagon, which had been +entrusted to his care. + +It was on the 7th of May, 1829, that the caravan quitted Algoa Bay for +Graham's Town. The weather had been for some weeks fine, the heavy rains +having ceased, and the pasturage was now luxuriant; the wagons proceeded +at a noiseless pace over the herbage, the sleepy Hottentots not being at +all inclined to exert themselves unnecessarily. Alexander, Swinton, and +Henderson were on horseback, a little ahead of the first wagon. + +"I don't know how you feel," said the Major; "but I feel as if I were a +prisoner just released from his chains. I breathe the air of +independence and liberty now. After the bustle, and noise, and crowding +together of the town, to find ourselves here so quiet and solitary is +freedom." + +"I had the same feeling," replied Alexander; "this wide-extended plain, +of which we can not yet discern the horizontal edge; these brilliant +stars scattered over the heavens, and shining down upon us; no sound to +meet our ears but the creaking of the wagon-wheels in the slow and +measured pace, is to me delightful. They say man is formed for society, +and so he is; but it is very delightful occasionally to be alone." + +"Yes; alone as we are," replied Swinton, laughing; "that is, with a +party of thirty people, well armed, in search of adventure. To be clear +of the bustle of the town, and no longer cooped up in the fort, is +pleasant enough; but, I suspect, to be quite alone in these African +wilds would be any thing but agreeable." + +"Perhaps so." + +"Neither would you feel so much at ease if you knew that your chance of +to-morrow's dinner was to depend wholly upon what you might procure with +your gun. There is a satisfaction in knowing that you have four +well-filled wagons behind you." + +"I grant that also," replied the Major; "but still there is solitude +even with this company, and I feel it." + +"A solitary caravan--but grant that there is some difference between +that and a solitary individual," rejoined Swinton; "however, we have not +come to solitude yet, for we shall find Dutch boors enough between this +and Graham's Town." + +"I think, Wilmot," observed Henderson, "that I should, if I were you, +proceed by slow stages at first, that we may get our men into some kind +of order and discipline, and also that we may find out whether there are +any who will not suit us; we can discharge them at Graham's Town, and +procure others in their place, at the same time that we engage our +interpreters and guides." + +"I think your plan very good," replied Alexander; "besides, we shall not +have our wagons properly laden and arranged until we have been out three +or four days." + +"One thing is absolutely necessary, which is, to have a guard kept +every night," said Swinton; "and there ought to be two men on guard at a +time; for one of them is certain to fall asleep, if not both. I know the +Hottentots well." + +"They will be excellent guards, by your account," said Alexander; +"however, the dogs will serve us more faithfully." + +"I do not mean my remark to include all Hottentots; some are very +faithful, and do their duty; but it comprehends the majority." + +"Are they courageous?" inquired Alexander. + +"Yes, certainly, they may be considered as a brave race of men; but +occasionally there is a poltroon, and, like all cowards, he brags more +than the rest." + +"I've a strong suspicion that we have one of that kind among our +hunters," replied Henderson; "however, it is not fair to prejudge; I may +be mistaken." + +"I think I know which you refer to, nevertheless," said Alexander; "it +is the great fellow that they call Big Adam." + +"You have hit upon the man, and to a certain degree corroborated my +opinion of him. But the day is dawning, the sun will soon be above those +hills." + +"When we stop, I will have some grease put to those wagon-wheels," said +Alexander. + +"I fear it will be of little use," replied the Major; "creak they will. +I don't know whether the oxen here are like those in India; but this I +know, that the creaking of the carts and hackeries there is fifty times +worse than this. The natives never grease the wheels; they say the oxen +would not go on if they did not hear the music behind them." + +"Besides, the creaking of the wheels will by and by be of service; when +we are traveling through grass higher than our heads, we shall not be +able to stop behind a minute, if we have not the creaking of the wheels +to direct us how to follow." + +"Well, then, I suppose we must save our grease," said Alexander. + +"In a very few days you will be so accustomed to it," said the Major, +"that if it were to cease, you would feel the loss of it." + +"Well, it may be so; use is second nature; but at present I feel as if +the loss would be gain. There is the sun just showing himself above the +hill. Shall we halt or go on?" + +"Go on for another hour, and the men can thus examine the traces and the +wagons by daylight, and then, when we stop, we can remedy any defects." + +"Be it so; there is a house, is there not, on the rising ground, as far +as you can see?" + +"Yes, I think so," replied the Major. + +"I know it very well," said Swinton; "it is the farm of a Dutch boor, +Milius, whom we saw at Algoa Bay. I did not think that we had got on so +fast. It is about three miles off, so it will just be convenient for our +breakfast. It will take us a good hour to arrive there, and then we will +unyoke the oxen. How many have we yoked?" + +"Ten to each wagon. The other sixteen are following with the sheep and +horses; they are as relays." + +"Let us gallop on," said the Major. + +"Agreed," replied the others; and putting spurs to their horses, they +soon arrived at the farmhouse of the Dutch planter. + +They were saluted with the barking and clamor of about twenty dogs, +which brought out one of the young boors, who drove away the dogs by +pelting them with bullock-horns, and other bones of animals which were +strewed about. He then requested them to dismount. The old boor soon +appeared, and gave them a hearty welcome, handing down from the shelf a +large brandy-bottle, and recommending a dram, of which he partook +himself, stating that it was good brandy, and made from his own peaches. + +Shortly afterward the wife of the boor made her appearance, and having +saluted them, took up her station at a small table, with the tea +apparatus before her. That refreshing beverage she now poured out for +the visitors, handing a box, with some sugar-candy in it, for them to +put a bit into their youths, and keep there as they drank their tea, by +way of sweetening it. The old boor told them he had expected them, as he +had been informed that they were to set out that day; but he had +concluded that they would arrive in the afternoon, and not so early. + +We may as well here give a description of a Dutch farmer's house at the +Cape settlement. + +It was a large square building, the wall built up of clay, and then +plastered with a composition made by the boors, which becomes +excessively hard in time; after which it is whitewashed. The roof was +thatched with a hard sort of rushes, more durable and less likely to +catch fire than straw. There was no ceiling under the roof, but the +rafters overhead were hung with a motley assemblage of the produce of +the chase and farm, as large whips made of rhinoceros-hide, leopard and +lion skins, ostrich eggs and feathers, strings of onions, rolls of +tobacco, bamboos, etc. + +The house contained one large eating-room, a small private room, and two +bedrooms. The windows were not glazed, but closed with skins every +night. There was no chimney or stove in the house, all the cooking being +carried on in a small outhouse. + +The furniture was not very considerable: a large table, a few chairs and +stools, some iron pots and kettles, a set of Dutch teacups, a teapot, +and a brass kettle, with a heater. The large, brass-clasped, family +Dutch Bible occupied a small table, at which the mistress of the house +presided, and behind her chair were the carcasses of two sheep, +suspended from a beam. + +Inquiries about the news at the Cape, and details of all the information +which our travelers could give, had occupied the time till breakfast was +put on the table. It consisted of mutton boiled and stewed, butter, +milk, fruits, and good white bread. Before breakfast was over the +caravan arrived, and the oxen were unyoked. Our travelers passed away +two hours in going over the garden and orchards, and visiting the +cattlefolds, and seeing the cows milked. They then yoked the teams, and +wishing the old boor a farewell, and thanking him for his hospitality, +they resumed their journey. + +"Is it always the custom here to receive travelers in this friendly +way?" observed Alexander, as they rode away. + +"Always," replied Swinton; "there are no inns on the road, and every +traveler finds a welcome. It is considered a matter of course." + +"Do they never take payment?" + +"Never, and it must not be offered; but they will take the value of the +corn supplied to your horses, as that is quite another thing. One +peculiarity you will observe as you go along, which is, that the Dutch +wife is a fixture at the little tea-table all day long. She never leaves +it, and the tea is always ready for every traveler who claims their +hospitality; it is an odd custom." + +"And I presume that occasions the good woman to become so very lusty." + +"No doubt of it; the whole exercise of the day is from the bedroom to +the teapot, and back again," replied Swinton, laughing. + +"One would hardly suppose that this apparently good-natured and +hospitable people could have been guilty of such cruelty to the natives +as Mr. Fairburn represented." + +"Many of our virtues and vices are brought prominently forward by +circumstances," replied Swinton. "Hospitality in a thinly-inhabited +country is universal, and a Dutch boor is hospitable to an excess. Their +cruelty to the Hottentots and other natives arises from the prejudices +of education: they have from their childhood beheld them treated as +slaves, and do not consider them as fellow-creatures. As Mr. Fairburn +truly said, nothing demoralizes so much, or so hardens the heart of man, +as slavery existing and sanctioned by law." + +"But are not the Dutch renowned for cruelty and love of money?" + +"They have obtained that reputation, and I fear there is some reason for +it. They took the lead, it must be remembered, as a commercial nation, +more commercial than the Portuguese, whose steps they followed so +closely: that this eager pursuit of wealth should create a love of money +is but too natural, and to obtain money, men, under the influence of +that passion, will stop at nothing. Their cruelties in the East are on +record; but the question is, whether the English, who followed the path +of the Dutch, would not, had they gone before them, have been guilty of +the same crimes to obtain the same ends? The Spaniards were just as +cruel in South America, and the Portuguese have not fallen short of +them; nay, I doubt if our own countrymen can be acquitted in many +instances. The only difference is, that the other nations who preceded +them in discoveries had greater temptation, because there were more +riches and wealth to be obtained." + +"Your remarks are just; well may we say in the Lord's Prayer, 'Lead us +not into temptation,' for we are all too frail to withstand it." + +At noon they again unyoked, and allowed the cattle to graze for an +interval; after which they proceeded till an hour before dark, when they +mustered the men, and gave them their several charges and directions. At +Alexander's request the Major took this upon himself, and he made a long +speech to the Hottentots, stating that it was their intention to reward +those who did their duty, and to punish severely those who did not. They +then collected wood for the fires, and had their supper,--the first meal +which they had taken out of doors. Mahomed, the Parsee servant of Major +Henderson, cooked very much to their satisfaction; and having tied the +oxen to the wagons, to accustom them to the practice, more than from any +danger to be apprehended, the watch was set to keep up the fires: they +then all retired to bed, the gentlemen sleeping in their wagons, and the +Hottentots underneath them, or by the sides of the fires which had been +lighted. + +It will be unnecessary to enter into a detail of the journey to Graham's +Town, which was performed without difficulty. They did not arrive there +until eight days after their departure from Algoa Bay, as they purposely +lost time on the road, that things might find their places. At Graham's +Town they received every kindness and attention from the few military +who were there and the landroost. Here they dismissed three of the men, +who had remained drunk in the liquor-houses during their stay, and +hired nine more, who were well recommended; among these were two +perfectly well acquainted with the Caffre language and country; so that +they were serviceable both as interpreters and guides. The day after +their arrival, when they were out in the skirts of the town, Mr. Swinton +perceived something moving in the bushes. He advanced cautiously, and +discovered that it was a poor little Bushman boy, about twelve years +old, quite naked, and evidently in a state of starvation, having been +left there in a high fever by his people. He was so weak that he could +not stand, and Mr. Swinton desired the Hottentot who was with him to +lift him up, and carry him to the wagons. Some medicine and good food +soon brought the little fellow round again, and he was able to walk +about. He showed no disposition to leave them; indeed he would watch for +Mr. Swinton, and follow him as far as he could. The child evidently +appeared to feel attachment and gratitude, and when they were about to +depart, Mr. Swinton, through the medium of one of the Hottentots who +could speak the language, asked him if he would like to stay with them. +The answer was in the affirmative, and it was decided that he should +accompany them, the Major observing that he would be a very good +companion for Begum. + +"What name shall we give him?" said Swinton. + +"Why, as my baboon is by title a princess, I think we can not create him +less than a prince. Let us call him Omrah." + +"Omrah be it then," replied Mr. Swinton, "until we can name him in a +more serious way." + +So Omrah was put into the wagon, with Begum to amuse him, and our +travelers took their departure from Graham's Town. + +[Illustration: THE BUSHMAN BOY.] + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + +It was in the afternoon that they moved from Graham's Town. They had +intended to have started earlier, but they found it impossible to +collect the Hottentots, who were taking their farewells of their wives +and their liquor-shops. As it was, most of them were in a state of +intoxication, and it was considered advisable to get them out of the +town as soon as possible. Late in the evening they arrived at Hermann's +Kraal, a small military fort, where they remained for the night to give +the Hottentots an opportunity of recovering from the effects of the +liquor. The next morning they again started, and the landscape now +changed its aspect, being covered with thick bushes, infested with wild +beasts. + +A barren and sterile country was soon spread before them, the sun was +oppressively hot, and not a sign of water was to be observed in any +direction. At last they arrived at a muddy pool, in which elephants had +evidently been enjoying themselves, and the oxen and horses were but too +glad to do the same. At night they halted as before, having lighted +fires to keep off the wild beasts and the elephants. + +The following morning they renewed their journey at daylight, and the +scene again changed; they now plunged into the dense forests bordering +on the great Fish River, which they forded in safety. The prospects all +around were very beautiful, the river smoothly gliding through +stupendous mountains and precipices, with verdant valleys on each side +of its banks. In the afternoon they arrived at Fort Wiltshire, the +outermost defense of the colony, situated on the banks of the Keiskamma. +English troops were stationed there, to prevent any marauding parties +from passing the river, or to intercept them on their return with their +booty. + +As this was the last spot where they could expect to see any of their +countrymen, and they were kindly received by the officers, they agreed +to remain two days, that they might obtain all the information which +they could, and rearrange the stowing of the wagons before they +started. The original plan had been to direct their course to Chumie, +the first missionary station, which was about twenty-five miles distant; +but as it was out of their way, they now resolved to proceed direct to +Butterworth, which was forty miles further in the Caffre country, and +the more distant of the two missions. Our party took leave of their kind +entertainers, and, having crossed without difficulty at the ford the +Keiskamma river, had passed the neutral ground, and were in the land of +the Caffres. + +Up to the present they had very little trouble with the Hottentots whom +they had hired. As long as they were within reach of the law they +behaved well; but now that they had passed the confines of the Cape +territory, some of them began to show symptoms of insubordination. The +dismissal of one, however, with an order to go back immediately, and +threatening to shoot him if he was ever seen in the caravan, had the +desired effect of restoring order. The country was now a series of hills +and dales, occasionally of deep ravines, and their route lay through the +paths made by the elephants, which were numerous. A Hottentot of the +name of Bremen, who was considered as their best man and most practiced +hunter, begged Alexander and his companions to be careful how they went +along, if they preceded the rest on horseback; as the elephants always +return by the same path at evening or after nightfall, in whatever +direction they may have been feeding, and it is very dangerous to +intercept them. + +For two days they continued their course in nearly a straight line for +the missionary establishment. On the second evening, just about dusk, as +they were crossing a woody hill, by the elephants' path, being then +about 200 yards in advance of the wagons, they were saluted with one of +the most hideous shrieks that could be conceived. Their horses started +back; they could see nothing, although the sound echoed through the +hills for some seconds. + +"What was that?" exclaimed Alexander. + +"Shout as loud as you can," cried the Major; "and turn your horses to +the wagons." + +Alexander and Swinton joined the Major in the shout, and were soon +accompanied by the whole mass of Hottentots, shouting and yelling as +loud as they could. + +"Silence, now," cried the Major; every one was hushed, and they listened +for a few seconds. + +"It was only one, sir, and he is gone," said Bremen. "We may go on." + +"Only one what?" inquired Alexander. + +"An elephant, sir," replied the Hottentot; "it's well that he did not +charge you; he would have tumbled you down the precipice, horse and all. +There must be a herd here, and we had better stop as soon as we are down +the other side of the hill." + +"I think so too," replied the Major. + +"I shall not get that shriek out of my ears for a month," said +Alexander; "why, the roar of a lion can not be so bad." + +"Wait till you hear it," replied Swinton. + +They had now arrived at the bottom of the hill which they had been +passing, and by the light of the stars they selected a spot for their +encampment. Whether they were near to any Caffre kraals or not it was +impossible to say; but they heard no barking of dogs or lowing of oxen. +Having collected all the cattle, they formed a square of the four +wagons, and passed ropes from the one to the other; the horses and sheep +were driven within the square, and the oxen were, as usual, tied up to +the sides of the wagons. + +It should here be observed, that the oxen were turned out to graze early +in the morning, yoked in the afternoon, and they traveled then as far as +they could after nightfall, to avoid the extreme heat of the day, the +continual visits of the Carries, and the risk of losing the cattle if +they were allowed to be loose and fed during the night. + +On the night we have been referring to, a more than usual number of +fires were lighted, to keep off the elephants and other wild animals. +The hyenas and wolves were very numerous, and prowled the whole night in +hopes of getting hold of some of the sheep; but as yet there had not +been seen or heard a lion, although an occasional track had been +pointed out by the Hottentots. + +When the Hottentots had finished their labor, our travelers had to wait +till the fires were lighted and a sheep killed before they could have +their suppers cooked by Mahomed. Begum, the baboon, had been released +from her confinement since their crossing the Fish River, and as usual, +when they sat down, came and made one of the party, generally creeping +in close to her master until supper was served, when she would have her +finger in every dish, and steal all she could, sometimes rather to their +annoyance. + +Our little Bushman had now quite recovered not only his strength but his +gayety, and was one of the most amusing little fellows that could be met +with. + +He could not make himself understood except to one or two of the +Hottentots; but he was all pantomime, trying, by gestures and signs, to +talk to Mr. Swinton and his companions. He endeavored to assist Mahomed +as much as he could, and appeared to have attached himself to him, for +he kept no company with the Hottentots. He was not more than three feet +and a half high, and with limbs remarkably delicate, although well made. +His face was very much like a monkey's, and his gestures and manners +completely so; he was quite as active and full of fun. The watch had +been set as soon as the fires were lighted; and close to where Alexander +and the others were seated, Big Adam, the Hottentot we have mentioned as +having raised doubts in the mind of the Major as to his courage, had +just mounted guard, with his gun in his hand. Omrah came up to where +they were sitting, and they nodded and smiled at him, and said, "How do +you do?" in English. + +The boy, who had already picked up a few sentences, answered in the same +words, "How do you do?" and then pointing to Big Adam, whose back was +turned, he began making a number of signs, and nodding his head; at last +he bent down, putting his arm in front of him, and raising it like an +elephant's trunk, walking with the measured steps of that animal, so as +fully to make them Understand that he intended to portray an elephant. + +Having so done, he went up behind Big Adam, and gave a shriek so +exactly like that which the elephant had given an hour before, that the +Hottentot started up, dropped his musket, and threw himself flat on the +ground, in order that the supposed animal might pass by him unperceived. + +The other Hottentots had been equally startled, and had seized their +muskets, looking in every direction for the approach of the animal; but +the convulsions of laughter which proceeded from the party soon told +them that there was nothing to apprehend, and that little Omrah had been +playing his tricks. Big Adam rose up, looking very foolish; he had just +before been telling his companions how many elephants he had killed, and +had been expressing his hopes that they soon should have an +elephant-hunt. + +"Well," observed Swinton, after the laugh was over, "it proves that Adam +is an elephant-hunter, and knows what to do in time of danger." + +"Yes," replied the Major; "and it also proves that our opinion of him +was just, and that with him the best part of valor is discretion." + +"The most wonderful escape from an elephant which we have on record +here," observed Swinton, "is that of Lieutenant Moodie; did you ever +hear of it? I had it from his own lips." + +"I never did, at all events," said Alexander; "and if the Major has, he +will listen very patiently, to oblige me." + +"I have never heard the precise particulars, and shall therefore be as +glad to be a listener as Wilmot." + +"Well, then, I will begin. Lieutenant Moodie was out elephant-hunting +with a party of officers and soldiers, when one day he was told that a +large troop of elephants was close at hand, and that several of the men +were out, and in pursuit of them. Lieutenant Moodie immediately seized +his gun, and went off in the direction where he heard the firing. + +"He had forced his way through a jungle, and had just come to a cleared +spot, when he heard some of his people calling out, in English and +Dutch, 'Take care, Mr. Moodie, take care,' As they called out, he heard +the crackling of branches broken by the elephants as they were bursting +through the wood, and then tremendous screams, such as we heard this +night. Immediately afterward four elephants burst out from the jungle, +not two hundred yards from where he stood. Being alone on the open +ground, he knew that if he fired and did not kill, he could have no +chance; so he hastily retreated, hoping that the animals would not see +him. On looking back, however, he perceived, to his dismay, that they +were all in chase of him, and rapidly gaining on him; he therefore +resolved to reserve his fire till the last moment, and, turning toward +some precipitous rocks, hoped to gain them before the elephants could +come up with him. But he was still at least fifty paces from the rocks, +when he found that the elephants were within half that distance of +him,--one very large animal, and three smaller,--all in a row, as if +determined that he should not escape, snorting so tremendously that he +was quite stunned with the noise." + +"That's what I call a very pretty position," observed the Major. "Go on, +Swinton; the affair is becoming a little nervous." + +"As his only chance, Lieutenant Moodie turned round, and leveled his gun +at the largest elephant; but unfortunately the powder was damp, and the +gun hung fire, till he was in the act of taking it from his shoulder, +when it went off, and the ball merely grazed the side of the elephant's +head. The animal halted for an instant, and then made a furious charge +upon him. He fell; whether struck down by the elephant's trunk he can +not say. The elephant then thrust at him as he lay, with his tusk; +fortunately it had but one, and more fortunately it missed its mark, +plowing up the ground within an inch of Mr. Moodie's body. + +"The animal then caught him up with its trunk by his middle, and dashed +him down between his fore-feet to tread him to death. Once it pressed so +heavily on his chest, that all his bones bent under the weight, but +somehow or other, whether from the animal being in a state of alarm, it +never contrived to have its whole weight upon him; for Mr. Moodie had +never lost his recollection, and kept twisting his body and his limbs, +so as to prevent it from obtaining a direct tread upon him. While he +was in this state of distress, another officer and a Hottentot hunter +came up to his assistance, and fired several shots at the animal, which +was severely wounded, and the other three took to their heels. At last +the one which had possession of Mr. Moodie turned round, and giving him a +cuff with its fore-feet followed the rest. Mr. Moodie got up, picked up +his gun, and staggered away as fast as his aching bones would permit +him. He met his brother, who had just been informed by one of the +Hottentots, who had seen him under the elephant, that he was killed." + +"Well, that was an escape," observed Wilmot. + +"What made it more remarkable was, that he had hardly time to explain to +his brother his miraculous preservation, before he witnessed the death +of one of the hunters, a soldier, who had attracted the notice of a +large male elephant which had been driven out of the jungle. The fierce +animal gave chase to him, and caught him immediately under the height +where Mr. Moodie and his brother were standing, carried the poor fellow +for some distance on his trunk, then threw him down, and stamping upon +him until he was quite dead, left the body for a short time. The +elephant then returned, as if to make sure of its destruction; for it +kneeled down on the body, and kneaded it with his fore-legs; then, +rising, it seized it again with its trunk, carried it to the edge of the +jungle, and hurled it into the bushes." + +"Dreadful! I had no idea that there was such danger in an elephant-hunt; +yet I must say," continued Alexander, "that, although it may appear +foolishness, it only makes me more anxious to have one." + +"Well, as we advance, you will have no want of opportunity; but it will +be better to get the Caffres to join us, which they will with great +delight." + +"Why, they have no weapons, except their spears." + +"None; but they will attack him with great success, as you will see; +they watch their opportunity as he passes, get behind, and drive their +spears into his body until the animal is exhausted from loss of blood, +and they are so quick that the elephant seldom is able to destroy one +of them. They consider the elephant of as high rank as one of their +kings, and it is very laughable to hear them, as they wound him, beg +pardon of him, and cry out, 'Great man, don't be angry; great captain, +don't kill us,'" + +"But how is it that they can approach so terrible an animal without +destruction?" + +"It is because they do approach quite close to him. An elephant sees but +badly, except straight before him, and he turns with difficulty. The +Caffres are within three feet of his tail or flank when they attack, and +they attack him in the elephant-paths, which are too narrow for the +animal to turn without difficulty; the great risk that they run is from +another elephant breaking out to the assistance of the one attacked." + +"The animals do assist each other, then?" + +"Yes; there was a remarkable instance of it in the affair of Lieutenant +Moodie. I mentioned that it was a large male elephant which killed the +soldier just after Mr. Moodie's escape. Shortly afterward a shot from +one of the hunters broke the fore-leg of this animal, and prevented him +from running, and there it stood to be fired at. The female elephant, +which was in the jungle, witnessing the distress of its mate, regardless +of her own danger, immediately rushed out to his assistance, chasing +away the hunters, and walked round and round her mate, constantly +returning to his side, and caressing him. When the male attempted to +walk, she had the sagacity to place her flank against the wounded side, +so as to support him, and help him along. At last the female received a +severe wound, and staggered into the bush, where she fell; and the male +was soon after laid prostrate by the side of the poor soldier whom he +had killed." + +"There is something very touching in the last portion of your story, +Swinton," observed Alexander; "it really makes one feel a sort of +respect for such intelligent and reasoning animals." + +"I think the first portion of the story ought to teach you to respect +them also," said the Major. "Seriously, however, I quite agree with you; +their sagacity, as my Indian experience has taught me, is +wonderful;--but here comes supper, and I am not sorry for it." + +"Nor I," replied Alexander. "To-morrow we shall be at the missionary +station, if the guides are correct. I am very anxious to get there, I +must say. Does not the chief of the Amakosa tribe live close to the +Mission-house,--Hinza, as they call him?" + +"Yes," replied Swinton, "he does, and we must have a present ready for +him, for I think it would be advisable to ask an escort of his warriors +to go with us after we leave the Mission." + +"Yes, it will be quite as well," replied the Major, "and then we shall +have some elephant-hunting: but Bremen tells me that there are plenty of +hippopotami in the river there, close to the Mission." + +"Water-elephants," replied Swinton; "I suppose you will not leave them +alone?" + +"Certainly not if our commander-in-chief will allow us to stop." + +"I think your commander-in-chief," replied Wilmot, "is just as anxious +to have a day's sport with them as you are, Major; so you will certainly +have his permission." + +"I think we ought to put Omrah on a horse. He is a nice light weight for +a spare horse, if required." + +"Not a bad idea," replied Alexander. "What a tiger he would make for a +cab in the park!" + +"More like a monkey," replied the Major; "but it is time to go to bed; +so, good-night." + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + +The caravan proceeded on the following morning, and by noon they arrived +at the Mission station of Butterworth, which was about one hundred and +forty miles from the colonial boundaries. This station had only been +settled about three years, but even in that short time it wore an air of +civilization strongly contrasted with the savage country around it. The +Mission-house was little better than a large cottage, it is true, and +the church a sort of barn; but it was surrounded by neat Caffre huts and +gardens full of produce. + +On the arrival of the caravan, Mr. S., the missionary, came out to meet +the travelers, and to welcome them. He had been informed that they would +call at the station, and bring some articles which had been sent for. It +hardly need be said that, meeting at such a place, and in such a +country, the parties soon became on intimate terms. Mr. S. offered them +beds and accommodation in his house, but our travelers refused; they +were well satisfied with their own; and having unyoked their oxen, and +turned them out to graze with those belonging to the station, they +accepted the missionary's invitation to join his repast. + +Alexander having stated the object of his expedition, requested the +advice of Mr. S. as to his further proceedings, and asked him whether it +would not be advisable to see the Caffre king, and make him a present. +This Mr. S. strongly advised them to do; and to ask for a party of +Caffres to accompany the caravan, which would not only insure them +safety, but would prove in many respects very useful. All that would be +necessary would be to find them in food and to promise them a present, +if they conducted themselves well. "You are aware," continued he, "that +Hinza's domain only extends as far as the Bashee or St. John's River, +and you will have to proceed beyond that; but with some of the Caffre +warriors you will have no difficulty, as the tribes further will not +only fear your strength, but also the anger of Hinza, should they commit +any depredation. But things, I regret to say, do not look very peaceable +just now." + +"Indeed! what is the quarrel, and with whom?" + +"Hinza has quarreled with a powerful neighboring chief of the name of +Voosani, who reigns over the Tambookie tribes, about some cattle, which +are the grand cause of quarrels in these countries, and both parties are +preparing for war. But whether it will take place is doubtful, as they +are both threatened with a more powerful enemy, and may probably be +compelled to unite, in order to defend themselves." + +"And who may that be?" + +"Quetoo, the chief of the Amaquibi, is in arms with a large force, and +threatens the other tribes to the northward of us; if he conquers them, +he will certainly come down here. He was formerly one of Chaka's +generals, and is, like him, renowned for slaughter. At present he is too +far to the northward to interfere with you, but I should advise you to +lose no time in effecting your mission; for should he advance, you will +be compelled to retreat immediately. I had better send to Hinza to-morrow +to let him know that strangers have come and wish to see him, that they +may make him a present. That notice will bring him fast enough; not but +that he well knows you are here, and has known that you have been in his +country long ago." + +"It will be as well, after the information you have given us," said Mr. +Swinton. + +"What is your opinion of the Caffres, Mr. S., now that you have resided +so long with them?" + +"They are, for heathens, a fine nation,--bold, frank, and, if any thing +is confided to them, scrupulously honest; but cattle-stealing is +certainly not considered a crime among them, although it is punished as +one. Speaking as a minister of the Gospel, I should say they are the +most difficult nation to have any thing to do with that it ever has been +my lot to visit. They have no religion whatever; they have no idols; and +no idea of the existence of a God. When I have talked to them about God, +their reply is, 'Where is he? show him to me.'" + +"But have they no superstitions?" + +"They believe in necromancy, and have their conjurers, who do much harm, +and are our chief opponents, as we weaken their influence, and +consequently their profits. If cattle are stolen, they are referred to. +If a chief is sick, they are sent for to know who has bewitched him; +they must of course mention some innocent person, who is sacrificed +immediately. If the country is parched from want of rain, which it so +frequently is, then the conjurers are in great demand: they are sent for +to produce rain. If, after all their pretended mysteries, the rain does +not fall so as to save their reputation, they give some plausible +reason, generally ending, however, in the sacrifice of some innocent +individual; and thus they go on, making excuses after excuses until the +rain does fall, and they obtain all the credit of it. I need hardly say +that these people are our greatest enemies." + +"Are you satisfied with the success which you have had?" + +"Yes, I am, when I consider the difficulty to be surmounted. Nothing but +the Divine assistance could have produced such effects as have already +taken place. The chiefs are to a man opposed to us." + +"Why so?" + +"Because Christianity strikes at the root of their sensuality; it was +the same when it was first preached by our Divine Master. The riches of +a Caffre consist not only in his cattle, but in the number of his wives, +who are all his slaves. To tell them that polygamy is unlawful and +wrong, is therefore almost as much as to tell them that it is not right +to hold a large herd of cattle; and as the chiefs are of course the +opulent of the nation, they oppose us. You observe in Caffreland, as +elsewhere, it is 'hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of +heaven.' I have asked the chiefs why they will not come to church, and +their reply has been, 'The great word is calculated to lessen our +pleasures and diminish the number of our wives; to this we can never +consent,'" + +"But still you say you have made some progress." + +"If I have, let it be ascribed to the Lord, and not to me and my +otherwise useless endeavors; it must be His doing; and without His aid +and assistance, the difficulties would have been insurmountable. It is +for me only to bear in mind the scriptural injunction, 'In the morning +sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knowest +not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both +shall be alike good.'" + +"But have they no idea whatever of a Supreme Being, either bad or good? +have they no idea, as some of the African tribes have, of the devil?" + +"None; and in their language they have no word to express the idea of +the Deity; they swear by their kings of former days as great chiefs, +but no more. Now if they had any religion whatever, you might, by +pointing out to them the falsity and absurdity of that religion, and +putting it in juxtaposition with revealed Truth, have some hold upon +their minds; but we have not even that advantage." + +"But can not you make an impression upon their minds by referring to the +wonders of nature,--by asking them who made the sun and stars? Surely +they might be induced to reflect by such a method." + +"I have tried it a hundred times, and they have laughed at me for my +fables, as they have termed them. One of the chiefs told me to hold my +tongue, that his people might not think me mad. The Scriptures, indeed, +teach us that, without the aid of direct revelation, men are also +without excuse if they fail to attain to a certain knowledge of the +Deity,--'even his eternal power and God-head,'--by a devout +contemplation of the visible world, which with all its wonders is spread +out before them as an open volume. But beyond this, all knowledge of the +origin or manner of creation is derived, not from the deductions of +human reasoning, but from the Divine testimony; for it is expressly +said, 'Through faith we understand that the worlds were made by the word +of God.'" + +"Nevertheless you must admit that, among the civilized nations of +Europe, many who deny revelation, and treat the Bible as a fable, +acknowledge that the world must have been made by a Supreme Power." + +"My dear sir, many affect to deny the truth of revelation out of pride +and folly, who still in their consciences can not but believe it. Here, +there being no belief in a Deity, they will not be persuaded that the +world was made by one. Indeed, we have much to contend with, and perhaps +one of the greatest difficulties is in the translation of the +Scriptures. I sit down with an interpreter who can not read a single +word, and with perhaps a most erroneous and imperfect knowledge of +divine things. We open the sacred volume, and it is first translated +into barbarous Dutch to the Caffre interpreter, who then has to tell us +how that Dutch is to be put into the Caffre language. Now you may +imagine what mistakes may arise. I have found out lately that I have +been stating the very contrary to what I would have said. With this +translation, I stand up to read a portion of the Word of God, for my +interpreter can not read, and hence any slight defect or change in a +syllable may give altogether a different sense from what I desire to +inculcate." + +"That must indeed be a great difficulty, and require a long residence +and full acquaintance with the language to overcome." + +"And even then not overcome, for the language has no words to express +abstract ideas; but the Lord works after His own way, and at His own +season." + +"You do not then despair of success?" + +"God forbid; I should be indeed a most unworthy servant of our Divine +Master, if I so far distrusted His power. No; much good has been already +done, as you will perceive when we meet to-morrow to perform Divine +service; but there is much more to do, and, with His blessing, will in +His own good time be perfected; but I have duties to attend to which +call me away for the present; I shall therefore wish you good-night. At +all events, the Mission has had one good effect: you are perfectly safe +from Caffre violence and Caffre robbery. This homage is paid to it even +by their kings and chiefs." + +"I will say, that if we are only to judge by the little we have seen, +the Mission appears to have done good," observed the Major. "In the +first place, we are no longer persecuted, as we have been during our +journey, for presents; and, as you may observe, many of the Caffres +about are clothed in European fashions, and those who have nothing but +their national undress, I may call it, wear it as decently as they can." + +"I made the same observation," said Alexander. "I am most anxious for +to-morrow, as I wish to see how the Caffres behave; and really, when you +consider all the difficulties which Mr. S. has mentioned, it is +wonderful that he and those who have embraced the same calling should +persevere as they do." + +"My dear Wilmot," replied Mr. Swinton, "a missionary, even of the most +humble class, is a person of no ordinary mind; he does not rely upon +himself or upon his own exertions,--he relies not upon others, or upon +the assistance of this world; if he did, he would, as you say, soon +abandon his task in despair. No; he is supported, he is encouraged, he +is pressed on by faith--faith in Him who never deserts those who trust +and believe in Him; he knows that, if it is His pleasure, the task will +be easy, but at the same time that it must be at His own good time. +Convinced of this, supported by this, encouraged by this, and venturing +his life for this, he toils on, in full assurance that if he fails +another is to succeed,--that if he becomes a martyr, his blood will +moisten the arid soil from which the future seed will spring. A +missionary may be low in birth, low in education, as many are; but he +must be a man of exalted mind,--what in any other pursuit we might term +an enthusiast; and in this spreading of the Divine word, he merits +respect for his fervor, his courage, and self-devotion; his willingness, +if the Lord should so think fit, to accept the crown of martyrdom." + +"You are right, Swinton; nothing but what you have described could impel +a man to pass a life of privation and danger among a savage +race--leaving all, and following his Master in the true apostolic sense. +Well, they will have their reward." + +"Yes, in heaven, Wilmot; not on earth," replied Swinton. + +The next day, being the Sabbath, with the assistance of Mahomed, who was +valet as well as cook to the whole party, they divested themselves of +their beards, which had not been touched for many days, and dressed +themselves in more suitable apparel than their usual hunting costume,--a +respect paid to the Sabbath by even the most worldly and most +indifferent on religious points. The bell of the Mission church was +tolled, and the natives were seen coming from all directions. Our party +went in, and found Mr. S. already there, and that seats had been +provided for them. The numbers of natives who were assembled in the +church were about 200, but many more were at the windows, and sitting by +the open door. + +Many of them were clothed in some sort of European apparel; those who +were not, drew their krosses close round them, so as to appear more +covered. A hymn in the Caffre language was first sung, and then prayers, +after which the Litany and responses; the Commandments were repeated in +the same language. Mr. S. then read a chapter in the Bible, and +explained it to the assembly. Profound silence and quiet attention +generally prevailed, although in some few instances there was mockery +from those outside. Mr. S. gave the blessing, and the service was ended. + +"You have already done much," observed Mr. Swinton. "I could hardly have +believed that a concourse of savages could have been so attentive, and +have behaved with such decorum." + +"It certainly is the most difficult point gained,--to command their +attention, I mean," replied Mr. S.; "after that, time and patience, with +the assistance of God, will effect the rest." + +"Do you think that there are many who, if I may use the term, feel their +religion?" + +"Yes, many; and prove it by traveling about and sowing the seed. There +are many who not only are qualified so to do, but are incessantly +laboring to bring their countrymen to God." + +"That must be very satisfactory to you." + +"It is; but what am I, and the few who labor with me, to the thousands +and thousands who are here in darkness and require our aid? There are +now but three missions in all Caffreland; and there is full employment +for two hundred, if they could be established. But you must excuse me, I +have to catechise the children, who are my most promising pupils. We +will meet again in the evening, for I have to preach at a neighboring +village. Strange to say, many who doubt and waver will listen to me +there; but they appear to think that there is some witchcraft in the +Mission church, or else are afraid to acknowledge to their companions +that they have been inside of it." + +The missionary then left them, and Alexander observed-- + +"I don't know how you feel? but I assure you it has been a great +pleasure to me to have found myself in this humble church, and hearing +Divine service in this wild country." + +Both Swinton and Major Henderson expressed the same opinion. + +"I am not afraid of being laughed at," continued Alexander, "when I tell +you that I think it most important, wherever we may be during our +travels, to keep the Sabbath holy, by rest and reading the service." + +"With pleasure, as far as I am concerned, and I thank you for the +proposal," replied Swinton. + +"And I am equally pleased that you have proposed it, Wilmot," said Major +Henderson; "even we may be of service to the good cause, if, as we pass +through the land, the natives perceive that we respect the Sabbath as +the missionary has requested them to do. We are white men, and +considered by them as superior; our example, therefore, may do good." + +The evening was passed away very agreeably with Mr. S., who was +inexhaustible in his anecdotes of the Caffres. He informed them that +Hinza intended to call the next morning to receive his presents, and +that he would be interpreter for them if they wished it. + +Alexander, having thanked the missionary, said, "I think you mentioned, +sir, that some of your brother missionaries have their wives with them. +Since you have told me so much of the precarious tenure by which you +hold your ground here, and I may add your lives, I think that the wives +of the missionaries must have even more to encounter than their +husbands." + +"You are right, sir," replied the missionary; "there is no situation so +trying, so perilous, and I may say, so weary to the mind and body, as +that of a female missionary. She has to encounter the same perils and +the same hardships as her husband, without having the strength of our +sex to support them; and what is more painful than all, she is often +left alone in the Mission-house, while her husband, who has left her, is +proceeding on his duty, at the hourly peril of his life. There she is +alone, and compelled to listen to all the reports and falsehoods which +are circulated; at one moment she is told that her husband has been +murdered; at another, that he is still alive. She has no means of +hearing from him, as there is no communication throughout the country; +thus is she left in this horrible state of suspense and anxiety, perhaps +for many weeks. I have a letter from a brother missionary which is in my +writing-desk, wherein the case in point is well portrayed; I will get +it, and read that portion to you." Mr. S. went to the other end of the +room, and came back with a letter, from which he read as follows:-- + +"Having been detained among those distant tribes for nearly two months, +report upon report had been circulated that the interpreters and guides, +as well as myself, had all been murdered. On my arrival within forty +miles of the station, I was informed that all doubt upon the subject had +been removed by a party of natives who had passed the Mission station, +and who pretended an acquaintance with all the particulars of the +massacre. We had been traveling the whole day, and night had come on; I +was most anxious to proceed, that I might relieve the mind of my dear +wife, but the earnest remonstrances of my little party, who represented +it as certain death to all of us to cross the plains, which were +infested with lions and other savage beasts who were prowling in every +direction, at length induced me to wait till the next day. But scarcely +had day begun to dawn when I sallied forth, without either arms or +guide, except a pocket compass, leaving my fellow-travelers to bring on +the wagon as soon as they should arouse from their slumbers. This +impatience had, however, well-nigh cost me my life; for having to wade +through many miles of deep sand with a vertical sun over my head, I had +not accomplished half the journey before my strength began to fail, and +an indescribable thirst was induced. Nevertheless, I reached the Mission +in safety, and with truly grateful feelings to the Preserver of men. A +few minutes prior to my arrival, the wife of one of my brother +missionaries, little imagining that I was at hand and alive, had entered +our dwelling, to apprise my wife of the latest intelligence, confirming +all that had been said before respecting my fate, and to comfort her +under the distressing dispensation. At this affecting crisis, while +both were standing in the center of the room, the one relating, the +other weeping, I opened the door, bathed in perspiration, covered with +dust, and in a state of complete exhaustion. 'Oh, dear!' cried our +friend; 'is it he--or is it his spirit?' I must, my dear sir, leave to +your imagination the scene that followed." + +"Yes, sir," said Mr. S., folding up the letter, "a missionary's wife, +who follows him into such scenes and such perils and privations, does, +indeed, 'cleave to her husband.'" + +"Indeed she does," replied Mr. Swinton; "but we will tax you no longer, +my dear sir. Good-night." + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + +On the following day, a little before noon, loud shouts and men dancing +and calling out the titles of the king of the Caffres announced his +approach. These men were a sort of heralds, who invariably preceded him +on a visit of ceremony. A band of warriors armed with their assaguays +and shields, next made their appearance, and then Hinza, accompanied by +fifty of his chief councilors: with the exception of their long krosses +of beast-skins thrown over their shoulders, they were all naked, and +each daubed with grease and red ocher. As soon as they arrived in front +of the Mission-house, they sat down in a circle on each side of the +Caffre king, who was treated with marked respect by all, and by the +common people in particular, who assembled on his presence. Every one +who happened to pass by gave what was termed a 'salute' of honor to the +king, who did not appear to consider that it required any acknowledgment +on his part. + +Our travelers, accompanied by the missionary, advanced into the circle, +and saluted his majesty. Mr. S. then explained the object of their +journey, and their wish that a small party of the king's warriors should +accompany them on their expedition. As soon as the speech was ended, a +few pounds of colored beads, a roll of tobacco, two pounds of snuff, and +some yards of scarlet cloth, were laid before his majesty as a present. +Hinza nodded his head with approval when the articles were spread before +him, and then turned to his councilors, with whom he whispered some +time, and then he replied "that the strange white men should pass +through his country without fear, that his warriors should accompany +them as far as they wished to go; but," he added, "do the strangers know +that there is disorder in the country beyond?" + +Mr. S. replied that they did, and were anxious to go, and return as soon +as possible, on that account. + +Hinza replied, "It is well; if there is danger, my warriors will let +them know--if it is necessary, they will fight for them--if the enemy is +too strong, the white men must return." + +Hinza then ordered some of his councilors to take charge of the +presents, and inquired of Mr. S. how many warriors they wished to have, +and when they wished to go. + +The reply was, that fifty warriors would be sufficient, and that they +wished to depart on the following morning. "It is well," replied Hinza; +"fifty warriors are enough, for my men eat a great deal--they shall be +ready." + +The council then broke up, and the king, having shaken hands with our +travelers, departed with his train: toward the evening an old cow was +sent to them as a present from his majesty. The Hottentots soon cut it +up and devoured it. Every thing was now arranged for their immediate +departure. + +The next morning, at break of day, the band of Caffre warriors were all +in readiness, each with his shield and three assaguays in his hand. They +were all fine, tall young men, from twenty to thirty years of age. +Alexander desired Mr. S. to tell them that, if they behaved well and +were faithful, they should every one receive a present when they were +dismissed; a notification which appeared to give general satisfaction. +The oxen had already been yoked, and taking leave of the worthy +missionary, our travelers mounted their horses and resumed their +journey. For the whole day they proceeded along the banks of the Kae +River, which ran its course through alternate glens and hills clothed +with fine timber; and as they were on an eminence, looking down upon the +river, the head Caffre warrior, who had, with the others, hung up his +shield at the side of the wagon, and now walked by our travelers with +his assaguay in his hand, pointed out to them, as the sun was setting +behind a hill, two or three large black masses on the further bank of +the river. + +"What are they, and what does he say?" + +"Sea-cows," replied the interpreter. + +"_Hippopotami_! We must have a shot at them, Wilmot," cried the Major. + +"To be sure; tell them we will stop and kill one if we can," said Wilmot +to the interpreter. + +"We shall want one to feed our army," said Swinton laughing, "or our +sheep will soon be devoured." + +The Caffres were all immediately in motion, running down to the bank of +the river, about a quarter of a mile distant; they swam across, and +there remained waiting till our travelers should give the word. + +The animals lay on a muddy bank, at a turn of the river, like so many +swine asleep, some of them out, and some partly in and partly out of the +water. As they were huddled together, they looked more like masses of +black rock than any thing else. Two lay considerably apart from the +others, and it was toward these two that the Caffres, who had crossed +the river, crept until they were in the high reeds, but a few yards from +them. Henderson and Wilmot, with some of the Hottentots, descended the +ravine on their side of the river, opposite to where the animals lay, +and as soon as they were on the bank, being then within one hundred +yards of them, they leveled and fired. At the report, all the animals +started up from their beds as if astonished at the noise, which they had +not been accustomed to. Three or four instantly plunged into the deep +water, but the others, apparently half asleep, stood for a few seconds, +as if not knowing what course to take: two of them were evidently +wounded, as they rushed into the water; for they did not remain below, +but rose to the surface immediately, as if in great agony. They appeared +anxious to get out of the water altogether, and tried so to do, but +fearing the people on the river's bank, they darted in again. In the +mean time, at the first report of the guns, the two which lay apart from +the others with their heads toward the river, as soon as they rose on +their legs, were pierced with several assaguays by the concealed +Caffres, and plunged into the water with the spears remaining in their +bodies. These also rose, and floundered like the others; and as their +heads appeared above, they were met with the unerring rifle of the Major +and whole volleys from Wilmot and the Hottentots, till, exhausted from +loss of blood, they floated dead upon the surface. + +The Caffres waited till the bodies had been borne some hundred yards +down the stream, that they might not be attacked when in the water by +the remainder of the herd, and then swam off, and pushed the bodies on +shore. This was a very seasonable supply of provisions for so large a +band of people; but those who belonged to the caravan were not the only +parties who benefited: all the Caffres of the surrounding hamlets +hastened to the river, and carried off large quantities of the flesh of +the animals; there was, however, more than enough for all, and for the +wolves and hyenas after they had taken what they chose. It was so late +before the animals were cut up, that they decided upon remaining where +they were that night; for now that they had the Caffre warriors with +them, they had no fear as to losing their oxen, the king having stated +that his men should be responsible for them. + +Large fires were lighted, and the Caffres and Hottentots, all mingled +together, were busy roasting, boiling, and frying the flesh of the +hippopotamus, and eating it as fast as it was cooked, so that they were +completely gorged before they lay down to sleep; Wilmot had also given +them a ration of tobacco each, which had added considerably to the +delight of the feast. + +"It is not bad eating by any means," said the Major, as they were at +supper. + +"No; it is something like old veal," replied Swinton. "Now, what is +Omrah about? He is after some mischief, by the way he creeps along." + +"A monkey is a fool to that boy," observed the Major, "and he appears to +know how to imitate every animal he has ever heard." + +"Did you hear the dance he led some of the Hottentots on Sunday evening, +when we were at the Mission?" + +"No; what was that?" + +"Bremen told me of it; I thought he would have died with laughing. You +are aware that there is a species of bird here which they call the +honey-bird,--by naturalists, the _Cuculus indicator_; do you not +remember I showed you a specimen which I was preserving?" + +"You have showed us so many specimens, that I really forget." + +"Well, I should have given you at the same time the natural history of +the bird. It is very partial to honey, upon which it lives as much as it +can; but as the bees make their hives in the trunks of old decayed +trees, and the hole they enter by is very small, the bird can not obtain +it without assistance. Its instinct induces it to call in the aid of +man, which it does by a peculiar note, like cher-cher-cher, by which it +gives notice that it has found out a beehive. The natives of Africa well +know this, and as soon as the bird flies close to them, giving out this +sound, they follow it; the bird leads them on, perching every now and +then, to enable them to keep up with it, until it arrives at the tree, +over which it flutters without making any more noise." + +"How very curious!" + +"Little Bushman knows this as well as the Hottentots, and hearing that +they were going out in search of honey he went before them into the +wood, concealing himself, and imitating the note of the bird so exactly, +that the Hottentots went on following it for several miles, wondering +how it was that the bird should lead them such a distance, but unwilling +to give up the pursuit. About sunset, he had brought them back to the +very edge of the wood from whence they had started, when he showed +himself about one hundred yards ahead of them, dancing, capering, and +tumbling so like Begum, that they thought it was her before them, and +not him. He gained the caravan again without their knowing who played +them the trick; but he told Swanevelt, who speaks his language, and +Swanevelt told Bremen." + +"Capital!" said the Major; "well, he is after some trick now, depend +upon it." + +"He has a great talent for drawing," observed Alexander. + +"A very great one; I have given him a pencil and occasionally a piece of +paper, and he draws all the birds, so that I can recognize them; but you +must know that all the Bushmen have that talent, and that their caves +are full of the sketches of all sorts of animals, remarkably +characteristic. The organ of imitation is very strongly developed in the +Bushmen, which accounts for their talents as draftsmen, and Omrah's +remarkable imitative powers." + +"Do you then believe in phrenology, Swinton!" said Alexander. + +"I neither believe nor disbelieve in that and many more modern +discoveries of the same kind; I do not think it right to reject them or +to give blind credence. Not a day passes but some discovery excites our +wonder and admiration, and points out to us how little we do know. The +great fault is, that when people have made a discovery to a certain +extent, they build upon it, as if all their premises were correct; +whereas, they have, in fact, only obtained a mere glimmering to light +them to a path which may some future day lead to knowledge. That the +general principles of phrenology are correct maybe fairly assumed, from +the examination of the skulls of men and animals, and of different men; +but I give no credence to all the divisions and subdivisions which have, +in my opinion, been most presumptuously marked out by those who profess, +and of course fully believe, the full extent of these supposed +discoveries." + +"And mesmerism?" said Alexander. + +"I make the same reply; there is _something_ in it, that is certain, but +nothing yet sufficiently known to warrant any specific conclusion to be +drawn." + +"There is a great deal of humbug in it," said the Major. + +"So there is in all sciences; when truth fails them and they are at +fault, they fill up the hiatus with supposition; which is, as you term +it, humbug." + +"Well, I vote that we return to our wagons; every body appears fast +asleep except us three." + +Such was not, however, the case; for they had not been half an hour on +their mattresses, before they were awakened by loud cries of "help," +which made them seize the irguns and jump out of the wagons without +waiting for their clothes. + +The Hottentots and Caffres were so full of hippopotamus flesh, that the +noise did not awake but a small portion of them, and these only turned +round and stared about without getting up, with the exception of Bremen, +who was on his feet and, with his gun in his hand, running in the +direction of the cries. He was followed by our travelers, and they soon +came up with the object of their search, which proved to be no other +than Big Adam, the Hottentot; and as soon as they perceived his +condition, which they could do by the light of the fires still burning, +they all burst out laughing so excessively that they could not help him. + +That it was the work of little Omrah there was no doubt, for Big Adam +had not forgotten the former trick the boy had played him, and had more +than once, when he caught the boy, given him a good cuffing. Big Adam +was on the ground, dragged away by two of the largest dogs. Omrah had +taken the bones he could find with most flesh upon them belonging to the +hippopotamus, and had tied them with leathern thongs to the great toes +of Big Adam as he lay snoring after his unusual repast. He had then +waited till all were asleep, and had let loose the two largest dogs, +which were always tied with the others under the wagons, and not +over-fed, to make them more watchful. + +The dogs had prowled about for food, and had fallen in with these large +bones, which they immediately seized, and were dragging away, that they +might make their repast without interruption; but in attempting to drag +away the bones, they had dragged Big Adam some yards by his great toes, +and the pain and fright--for the Hottentot thought they were hyenas or +wolves--had caused him thus to scream for help. Bremen divided the +thongs with his knife, and the dogs ran off growling with the bones, and +Adam stood again upon his feet, still so much terrified as not to be +able to comprehend the trick which had been played him. Our travelers, +having indulged their mirth, retired once more to their resting-places. +The Major found Omrah and Begum both in their corners of the wagon, the +former pretending to be fast asleep, while the latter was chattering and +swearing at the unusual disturbance. + +At daylight next morning they resumed their journey. Big Adam walked +rather stiff, and looked very sulky. Omrah had perched himself on a tilt +of the baggage-wagon with Begum, and was quite out of the Hottentot's +reach; for Bremen had told the others what had happened, and there had +been a general laugh against Big Adam, who vowed vengeance against +little Omrah. The country was now very beautiful and fertile, and the +Caffre hamlets were to be seen in all directions. Except visits from the +Caffres, who behaved with great decorum when they perceived that the +caravan was escorted by the king's warriors, and who supplied them +nearly every day with a bullock for the use of the people, no adventure +occurred for four days, when they crossed the Bashee or St. John's +River, to which the territories of Hinza extended; but although the +tribes beyond did not acknowledge his authority, they respected the +large force of the caravan, and were much pleased at receiving small +presents of tobacco and snuff. + +Milk, in baskets, was constantly brought in by the women; for the +Caffres weave baskets of so close a texture, that they hold any liquid, +and are the only utensil used for that purpose. At the Bashee River, +after they had passed the ford, they remained one day to hunt the +hippopotami, and were successful; only Major Henderson, who was not +content to hunt during the day, but went out at night, had a narrow +escape. He was in one of the paths, and had wounded a female, and was +standing, watching the rising to the surface of the wounded animal, for +it was bright moonlight, when the male, which happened to be feeding on +the bank above, hearing the cry of the female, rushed right down the +path upon the Major. Fortunately for him, the huge carcass of the animal +gave it such an ungovernable degree of velocity, as to prevent it +turning to the right hand or left. It passed within a yard of the Major, +sweeping the bushes and underwood, so as to throw him down as it passed. +The Major got up again, it may be truly said, more frightened than hurt; +but at all events he had had enough of hippopotamus-hunting for that +night, for he recovered his gun, and walked back to the wagon, thanking +Heaven for his providential escape. + +The next morning, Swanevelt and Bremen went down the banks of the river, +and discovered the body of the hippopotamus, which they dragged on +shore, and, returning to the wagons, sent the Caffres to cut it up; but +before the Caffres belonging to the caravan could arrive there, they +found that the work had been done for them by the natives, and that +nothing was left but the bones of the animal; but this is always +considered fair in the Caffre-land; every one helps himself when an +elephant or other large animal is killed, although he may have had no +hand in its destruction. The number of elephant-paths now showed them +that they were surrounded by these animals, and the Caffres of the +country said that there were large herds close to them. + +It was therefore proposed by the Major, that they should have a grand +elephant-hunt, at which all the Caffres of their own party and the +natives of the country should assist. This proposal was joyfully +received by all, especially the natives, who were delighted at such an +opportunity of having the assistance of the white men's guns; and the +next day was appointed for the sport. By the advice of the natives, the +caravan proceeded some miles down to the eastward, to the borders of a +very thick forest, where they stated that the elephants were to be +found. + +They arrived at the spot in the afternoon, and every one was busy in +making preparations for the following day. The Hottentots, who had been +used to the sport, told long stories to those who had not, and, among +the rest, Big Adam spoke much of his prowess and dexterity. Uncommonly +large fires were lighted that night, for fear that the elephants should +break into the camp. All night their cries were to be heard in the +forest, and occasionally the breaking of the branches of the trees +proved that they were close to the caravan. Begum, who was particularly +alive to danger, crept to Major Henderson's bed, and would remain there +all night, although he several times tried to drive her away. +Notwithstanding continued alarms, the caravan was, however, unmolested. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + +At daylight the following morning, there was a large concourse of +Caffres in the camp, all waiting till our travelers were ready for the +sport. Having made a hasty breakfast, they, by the advice of the +Caffres, did not mount their horses, but started on foot, as the Caffres +stated that the elephants were on the side of the hill. Ascending by an +elephant-path, in less than half an hour they arrived at the top of the +hill, when a grand and magnificent panorama was spread before them. From +the crown of the hill they looked down upon a valley studded with clumps +of trees, which divided the cleared ground, and the whole face of the +valley was covered with elephants. There could not have been less than +nine hundred at one time within the scope of their vision. + +Every height, every green knoll, was dotted with groups of six or seven, +some of their vast bodies partly concealed by the trees upon which they +were browsing, others walking in the open plain, bearing in their trunks +a long branch of a tree, with which they evidently protected themselves +from the flies. The huge bodies of the animals, with the corresponding +magnitude of the large timber-trees which surrounded them, gave an idea +of nature on her grandest scale. + +After a few minutes' survey, they turned to the party who were +collected behind them, and gave notice that they were to commence +immediately. The head men of the Caffres gave their orders, and the +bands of natives moved silently away in every direction, checking any +noise from the dogs, which they had brought with them in numerous packs. +Our travelers were to leeward of the herd on the hill where they stood, +and as it was the intention of the natives to drive the animals toward +them, the Caffre warriors as well as the Hottentots all took up +positions on the hill ready to attack the animals as they were driven +that way. + +About an hour passed away, when the signal was given by some of the +native Caffres, who had gained the side of the valley to westward of the +elephants. Perched up at various high spots, they shouted with +stentorian lungs, and their shouts were answered by the rest of the +Caffres on every side of the valley, so that the elephants found +themselves encompassed on all sides, except on that where the hill rose +from the valley. As the Caffres closed in, their shouts reverberating +from the rocks, and mixed up with the savage howlings of the dogs, +became tremendous; and the elephants, alarmed, started first to one side +of the valley, then to the other, hastily retreating from the clamor +immediately raised as they approached, shaking their long ears and +trumpeting loudly, as with uplifted trunks they trotted to and fro. + +At last, finding no other avenue of escape, the herd commenced the +ascent of the hill, cracking the branches and boughs, and rolling the +loose stones down into the valleys, as they made their ascent, and now +adding their own horrid shrieks to the din which had been previously +created. On they came, bearing every thing down before them, carrying +havoc in their rage to such an extent, that the forest appeared to bow +down before them; while large masses of loose rock leaped and bounded +and thundered down into the valley, raising clouds of dust in their +passage. + +"This is tremendously grand," whispered Alexander to the Major. + +"It is most awfully so; I would not have missed the sight for any +thing; but here they come--look at that tall tree borne down by the +weight of the whole mass." + +"See the great bull leader," said Swinton; "let us all fire upon +him--what a monster!" + +"Look out," said the Major, whose rifle was discharged as he spoke, and +was quickly followed by those of Alexander and Swinton. + +"He's down; be quick and load again. Omrah, give me the other rifle." + +"Take care! take care!" was how cried on all sides, for the fall of the +leading elephant and the volleys of musketry from the Hottentots had so +frightened the herd, that they had begun to separate and break off two +or three together, or singly in every direction. The shrieks and +trumpetings, and the crashing of the boughs so near to them, were now +deafening; and the danger was equally great. The Major had but just +leveled his other rifle when the dense foliage close to him opened as if +by magic, and the head of a large female presented itself within four +yards of him. + +Fortunately, the Major was a man of great nerve, and his rifle brought +her down at his feet, when so near to him that he was compelled to leap +away out of the reach of her trunk, for she was not yet dead. Another +smaller elephant followed so close, that it tumbled over the carcass of +the first, and was shot by Alexander as it was recovering its legs. + +"Back, sirs, or you will be killed," cried Bremen, running to them; +"this way--the whole herd is coming right upon you." They ran for their +lives, following the Hottentot, who brought them to a high rock which +the elephants could not climb, and where they were safe. + +They had hardly gained it when the mass came forward in a cloud of dust, +and with a noise almost inconceivable, scrambling and rolling to and fro +as they passed on in a close-wedged body. Many were wounded and +tottering, and as they were left behind, the Caffres, naked, with their +assaguays in their hands, leaping forward and hiding, as required, +running with the greatest activity close up to the rear of the animals, +either pierced them with their assaguays, or hamstrung them with their +sharp-cutting weapons, crying out in their own tongue to the elephants, +"Great captain! don't kill us--don't tread upon us, mighty +chief!"--supplicating, strangely enough, the mercy of those to whom they +were showing none. As it was almost impossible to fire without a chance +of hitting a Caffre, our travelers contented themselves with looking on, +till the whole herd had passed by, and had disappeared in the jungle +below. + +"They have gone right in the direction of the wagons," said Swinton. + +"Yes, sir," replied the Hottentot, Bremen; "but we must not interfere +with them any more; they are now so scattered in the jungle, that it +would be dangerous. We must let them go away as fast as they can." + +They remained for a few minutes more, till every elephant and Caffre had +disappeared, and then went back cautiously to the spot from whence they +had first fired, and where they had such a fine prospect of the valley. +Not an elephant was to be seen in it; nothing but the ravages which the +herd had committed upon the trees, many of which, of a very large size, +had been borne to the ground by the enormous strength of these animals. +They then proceeded to the spot where the great bull elephant had fallen +by the rifle of Major Henderson. + +They found that the ball had entered just under the eye. It was a +monster that must have stood sixteen feet high by Bremen's calculation, +and it had two very fine tusks. While they were standing by the carcass +of the animal, the armed Hottentots returned from the pursuit, and +stated that seven elephants had been dispatched, and others were so +wounded that they could not live. They now set to work to take the teeth +out of the animal, and were very busy, when a Hottentot came running up, +and reported that the herd of elephants in their retreat had dashed +through the camp, and done a good deal of mischief; that a male elephant +had charged the wagon of Major Henderson, and had forced his tusk +through the side; that the tusk had pierced one of the casks of liquor, +which was running out, although not very fast, and that the wagon must +be unloaded to get out the cask and save the rest of the liquor. + +Several Hottentots immediately hurried back with him to help in +unloading the wagon, and by degrees they all slipped away except Bremen, +Swanevelt, who was cutting out the tusks, and Omrah, who remained +perched upon the huge carcass of the animal, imitating the trumpeting +and motions of the elephant, and playing all sorts of antics. A party of +Caffres soon afterward came up and commenced cutting up the carcass, and +then our travelers walked away in the direction of the camp, to +ascertain what mischief had been done. + +On their return, which, as they stopped occasionally to examine the +other animals that had fallen, must have taken an hour, they found that +the Hottentots had not commenced unloading the wagon; although they had +put tubs to catch the running liquor, of which they had taken so large a +quantity that some were staggering about, and the rest lying down in a +state of senseless intoxication. + +"I thought they were very officious in going back to assist," observed +the Major; "a pretty mess we should be in, if we were in an enemy's +country, and without our Caffre guard." + +"Yes, indeed," replied Alexander, turning over the tub of liquor, and +spilling it on the ground, much to the sorrow of the Hottentots who were +not yet insensible: "however, we will now let the cask run out, and +watch that they get no more." + +As the Caffres were busy with the carcasses of the elephants, and most +of the Hottentots dead drunk, it was useless to think of proceeding +until the following day. Indeed, the oxen and horses were all scattered +in every direction by the elephants breaking into the caravan, and it +would be necessary to collect them, which would require some time. Our +travelers, therefore, gave up the idea of proceeding further that day, +and taking their guns, walked on to the forest, in the direction where +most of the elephants killed had fallen. They passed by three carcasses, +upon which the Caffres were busily employed, and then they came to a +fourth, when a sight presented itself which quite moved their sympathy. +It was the carcass of a full-grown female, and close to it was an +elephant calf, about three feet and a half high, standing by the side of +its dead mother. + +The poor little animal ran round and round the body with every +demonstration of grief, piping sorrowfully, and trying in vain to raise +it up with its tiny trunk. When our travelers arrived, it ran up to +them, entwining its little proboscis round their legs, and showing its +delight at finding somebody. On the trees round the carcass were perched +a number of vultures, waiting to make a meal of the remains, as soon as +the hunters had cut it up, for their beaks could not penetrate the tough +hide. Our travelers remained there for more than an hour, watching the +motions and playing with the young elephant, which made several attempts +to induce its prostrate mother to take notice of it. Finding, however, +that all its efforts were ineffectual, when our travelers quitted the +spot to go back, it voluntarily followed them to the caravans, where it +remained, probably quite as much astonished to find all the Hottentots +lying about as insensible as its mother. + +It may be as well here to observe, that the little animal did not live +beyond a very few days after, from want of its necessary food. + +In the evening, Bremen and Swanevelt returned with tusks of the bull +elephant, which were very large, and the Caffre warriors also came in; +the other Caffres belonging to the country were too busy eating for the +present. The chief of the Caffre warriors brought in the tufts of the +other elephant's tails and the teeth, and the men were loaded with the +flesh. As soon as the Caffres found that the oxen and horses had been +frightened away, and perceived that the Hottentots were not in a +situation to go after them, they threw down their meat and went in +pursuit. Before dark the cattle were all brought back; the fires were +lighted, and the Caffres did not give over their repast until near +midnight. + +Our travelers did not think it advisable, as the Hottentots were now no +protection, to go to bed; they made up a large fire, and remained by it, +talking over the adventures of the day. While they were conversing, +Begum, who had been sitting by her master, showed signs of uneasiness, +and at last clung round the Major with an evident strong fear. + +"Why, what can be the matter with the Princess?" said the Major; +"something has frightened her." + +"Yes, that is evident; perhaps there is an elephant near; shall we waken +Bremen and Swanevelt, who are close to us?" + +Begum chattered, and her teeth also chattered with fear, as she clung +closer and closer. Little Omrah, who was sitting by, looked very +earnestly at the baboon, and at last touching the shoulder of Alexander +to attract his attention, he first pointed to the baboon, imitating its +fright, and then going on his hands and feet, imitated the motions and +growl of an animal. + +"I understand," cried the Major, seizing his gun; "the lad means that +there is a lion near, and that is what frightens the baboon." + +"Lion!" said the Major to Omrah. + +But Omrah did not understand him; but pulling out his paper and pencil, +in a second almost he drew the form of a lion. + +"Clever little fellow! Wake them all, and get your guns ready," said the +Major, starting on his legs; "it can't be far off; confound the monkey, +she won't let go," continued he, tearing off Begum and throwing her +away. Begum immediately scampered to the wagon and hid herself. + +They had just awakened up the two Hottentots, when a roar was given so +loud and tremendous, that it appeared like thunder, and was reverberated +from the rocks opposite for some seconds. + +No one but those who have been in the country, and have fallen in with +this animal in its wild and savage state, can have any idea of the +appalling effect of a lion's roar. What is heard in a menagerie is weak, +and can give but a faint conception of it. In the darkness of the night +it is almost impossible to tell from what quarter the sound proceeds; +this arises from the habit which the animal has of placing his mouth +close to the ground when he roars, so that his voice rolls over the +earth, as it were like a breaker, and the sound is carried along with +all its tremendous force. It is indeed a most awful note of preparation, +and so thought Alexander, who had never heard one before. + +The Caffres had wakened up at the noise, and our travelers and the +Hottentots now fired their guns off in every direction to scare away the +animal. Repeated discharges had this effect, and in the course of half +an hour every thing was again quiet. + +"Well," observed Alexander, "this is the first time that I ever heard +the roar of a lion in its wild state; and I can assure you that I shall +never forget it as long as I live." + +"It is not the first time I have heard it," replied the Major; "but I +must say, what with the darkness and stillness of the night, and the +reverberation, I never heard it so awful before. But you, Swinton, who +have traveled in the Namaqua-land, have, of course." + +"Yes, I have, but very seldom." + +"But it is rather singular that we have not heard the lion before this, +is it not?" said Alexander. + +"The lion is often near without giving you notice," replied Swinton; +"but I do not think that there are many lions in the country we have +traversed; it is too populous. On the other side of the mountains, if we +return that way, we shall find them in plenty. Wherever the antelopes +are in herds, wherever you find the wild horse, zebra, and giraffe, you +will as certainly find the lion, for he preys upon them." + +"I know very well, Swinton, that you are closely attentive to the +peculiar habits of animals, and that they form a portion of your study. +Have you much knowledge of the lion? and if so, suppose you tell us +something about them." + +"I have certainly studied the habits of the lion, and what I have +gathered from my own observation and the information I received from +others, I shall be most happy to communicate. The lion undoubtedly does +not kill wantonly--of that I have had repeated instances. I recollect +one which is rather remarkable, as it showed the sagacity of the noble +brute. A man who belonged to one of the Mission stations, on his return +home from a visit to his friends, took a circuitous route to pass a pool +of water, at which he hoped to kill an antelope. The sun had risen to +some height when he arrived there, and as he could not perceive any +game, he laid his gun down on a low shelving rock, the back part of +which was covered with some brushwood. He went down to the pool and had +a hearty drink, returned to the rock, and after smoking his pipe, +feeling weary, he lay down and fell fast asleep. + +"In a short time, the excessive heat reflected from the rock awoke him, +and opening his eyes he perceived a large lion about a yard from his +feet, crouched down, with his eyes glaring on his face. For some minutes +he remained motionless with fright, expecting every moment that he would +be in the jaws of the monster; at last he recovered his presence of +mind, and casting his eye toward his gun, moved his hand slowly toward +it; upon which the lion raised up his head and gave a tremendous roar +which induced him hastily to withdraw his hand. With this the lion +appeared satisfied, and crouched with his head between his fore-paws as +before. After a little while the man made another attempt to possess +himself of his gun. The lion raised his head and gave another roar, and +the man desisted; another and another attempt were at intervals made, +but always with the same anger shown on the part of the lion." + +"Why, the lion must have known what he wanted the gun for." + +"Most certainly he did, and therefore would not allow the man to touch +it. It is to be presumed that the sagacious creature had been fired at +before; but you observe, that he did not wish to harm the man. He +appeared to say--You are in my power; you shall not go away: you shall +not take your musket to shoot me with, or I will tear you to pieces." + +"It certainly was very curious. Pray how did it end?" + +"Why the heat of the sun on the rock was so overpowering, that the man +was in great agony; his naked feet were so burned, that he was +compelled to keep moving them, placing one upon the other and changing +them every minute. The day passed, and the night also; the lion never +moved from the spot. The sun rose again, and the heat became so intense +that the poor man's feet were past all feeling. At noon, on that day, +the lion rose and walked to the pool, which was only a few yards +distant, looking behind him every moment to see if the man moved; the +man once more attempted to reach his gun, and the lion, perceiving it, +turned in rage, and was on the point of springing upon him; the man +withdrew his hand, and the beast was pacified." + +"How very strange!" + +"The animal went to the water and drank; it then returned and lay down +at the same place as before, about a yard from the man's feet. Another +night passed away, and the lion kept at his post. The next day, in the +forenoon, the animal again went to the water, and while there looked as +if he heard a noise in an opposite quarter, and then disappeared in the +bushes. + +"Perceiving this, the man made an effort, and seized his gun, but in +attempting to rise he found it not in his power, as the strength of his +ankles was gone. With his gun in his hand, he crept to the pool and +drank, and, looking at his feet, he discovered that his toes had been +quite roasted and the skin torn off as he crawled through the grass. He +sat at the pool for a few minutes expecting the lion's return, and +resolved to send the contents of his gun through his head; but the lion +did not return, so the poor fellow tied his gun on his back and crawled +away on his hands and knees as well as he could. He was quite exhausted, +and could have proceeded no further, when providentially a person fell +in with him and assisted him home; but he lost his toes, and was a +cripple for life." + +"What makes this story more remarkable is," observed the Major, "that +the lion, as it is rational to suppose, must have been hungry after +watching the man for sixty hours, even admitting that he had taken a +meal but a short time before." + +"I know many other curious and well-authenticated anecdotes about this +noble animal," observed Swinton, "which I shall be happy to give you; +but I must look at my memorandum-book, or I may not be quite correct in +my story. One fact is very remarkable, and as I had it from Mr. ----, the +missionary, who stated that he had several times observed it himself, I +have no hesitation in vouching for its correctness, the more so, as I +did once perceive a similar fact myself; it is, that the fifth +commandment is observed by lions--they honor their father and mother. + +"If an old lion is in company with his children, as the natives call +them, although they are in size equal to himself, or if a number of +lions meet together in quest of game, there is always one who is +admitted by them to be the oldest and ablest, and who leads. If the game +is come up with, it is this one who creeps up to it, and seizes it, +while the others lie crouched upon the grass; if the old lion is +successful, which he generally is, he retires from his victim, and lies +down to breathe himself and rest for perhaps a quarter of an hour. The +others in the meantime draw round and lie down at a respectful distance, +but never presume to go near the animal which the old lion has killed. +As soon as the old lion considers himself sufficiently rested, he goes +up to the prey and commences at the breast and stomach, and after eating +a considerable portion he will take a second rest, none of the others +presuming to move. + +"Having made a second repast, he then retires; the other lions watch his +motions, and all rush to the remainder of the carcass, which is soon +devoured. I said that I witnessed an instance myself in corroboration of +this statement, which I will now mention. I was sitting on a rock after +collecting some plants, when below me I saw a young lion seize an +antelope; he had his paw upon the dead animal, when the old lion came +up,--upon which the young one immediately retired till his superior had +dined first, and then came in for the remainder. Mercy on us! what is +that?" + +"I thought it was the lion again," said Alexander, "but it is thunder; +we are about to have a storm." + +"Yes, and a fierce one too," said the Major; "I am afraid that we must +break up our party and retire under cover. We have some large drops of +rain already." + +A flash of lightning now dazzled them, and was followed by another, and +an instantaneous peal of thunder. + +"There is no mistake in this," said Swinton; "and I can tell you that we +shall have it upon us in less than a minute, so I am for my wagon." + +"At all events it will wash these Hottentots sober," observed the Major, +as they all walked away to their separate wagons for shelter. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + +They had scarcely gained the wagons before the thunder and lightning +became incessant, and so loud as to be deafening. It appeared as if they +were in the very center of the contending elements, and the wind rose +and blew with terrific force, while the rain poured down as if the +flood-gates of heaven were indeed opened. The lightning was so vivid, +that for the second that it lasted you could see the country round to +the horizon almost as clear as day; the next moment all was terrific +gloom accompanied by the stunning reports of the thunder, which caused +every article in the wagons, and the wagons themselves, to vibrate from +the concussion. A large tree, not fifty yards from the caravan, was +struck by the lightning, and came down with an appalling crash. The +Caffres had all roused up, and had sheltered themselves under the +wagons. + +The Hottentots had also begun to move, but had not yet recovered their +senses--indeed, they were again stupefied by the clamor of the elements. +The storm lasted about an hour, and then as suddenly cleared up again; +the stars again made their appearance in the sky above, and the red +tinge of the horizon announced the approach of daylight. When the storm +ceased, our travelers, who had not taken off their clothes, came out +from their shelter, and met each other by the side of the extinguished +fire. + +"Well," said Alexander, "I have been made wise on two points this +night; I now know what an African storm is, and also the roar of an +African lion. Have you heard if there is any mischief done, Bremen?" +continued Alexander to the Hottentot, who stood by. + +"No, sir; but I am afraid it will take us a long while to collect the +cattle; they will be dispersed in all directions, and we may have lost +some of them. It will soon be daylight, and then we must set off after +them." + +"Are those fellows quite sober now?" + +"Yes, sir," replied Bremen, laughing; "water has washed all the liquor +out of them." + +"Well, you may tell them, as a punishment, I shall stop their tobacco +for a week." + +"Better not now, sir," said Bremen, thoughtfully; "the men don't like to +go further up the country, and they may be troublesome." + +"I think so too," said Swinton; "you must recollect that the cask was +running out, and the temptation was too strong. I should overlook it +this time. Give them a severe reprimand, and let them off." + +"I believe it will be the best way," replied Alexander; "not that I fear +their refusing to go on, for if they do, I will dismiss them, and go on +with the Caffres; they dare not go back by themselves, that is certain." + +"Sir," said Bremen, "that is very true; but you must not trust the +Caffres too much--Caffres always try to get guns and ammunition: Caffre +king, Hinza, very glad to get the wagons and what is in them: make him +rich man, and powerful man, with so many guns. Caffre king will not rob +in his own country, because he is afraid of the English; but if the +wagon's robbed, and you are killed in this country, which is not his, +then he make excuses, and say, 'I know nothing about it,' Say that their +people do it, not his people." + +"Bremen talks very sensibly," said the Major; "we must keep the +Hottentots as a check to the Caffres, and the Caffres as a check to the +Hottentots." + +"That is our policy, depend upon it," replied Swinton. + +"You are right, and we will do so; but the day is breaking; so? Bremen, +collect the people together to search for the cattle; and, Omrah, tell +Mahomed to come here." + +"By the by, Swinton," said Major Henderson, "those elephants' tusks +lying by the wagon remind me of a question I want to put to you:--In +Ceylon, where I have often hunted the elephant, they have no tusks; and +in India the tusks are not common, and in general very small. How do you +account for this variety?" + +"It has been observed before; and it is but a fair surmise, that +Providence, ever attentive to the wants of the meanest animals, has +furnished such large tusks to the African elephant for the necessity +which requires them. In Ceylon there is plenty of grass, and an abundant +supply of water all the year round; and further, in Ceylon, the elephant +has no enemy to defend himself against. Here, in Africa, the rivers are +periodical torrents, which dry up, and the only means which an elephant +has of obtaining water during the dry season is to dig with his tusks +into the bed of the river, till he finds the water, which he draws up +with his trunk. Moreover, he has to defend himself against the +rhinoceros, which is a formidable antagonist, and often victorious. He +requires tusks also for his food in this country, for the elephant digs +up the mimosa here with his tusks, that he may feed upon the succulent +roots of the tree. Indeed, an elephant in Africa without his tusks could +not well exist." + +"Thank you for your explanation, which appears very satisfactory and +conclusive; and now let us go to breakfast, for Mahomed, I perceive, is +ready, and Omrah has displayed our teacups, and is very busy blowing +into the spout of the teapot, a Bushman way of ascertaining if it is +stopped up. However, we must not expect to make a London footman out of +a 'Child of the Desert.'" + +"Where is his adversary and antagonist, the valiant Big Adam?" + +"He was among those who indulged in the liquor yesterday afternoon, and +I believe was worse than any one of them. The little Bushman did not +fail to take advantage of his defenseless state, and has been torturing +him in every way he could imagine during the whole night. I saw him +pouring water into the Hottentot's mouth as he lay on his back with his +mouth wide open, till he nearly choked him. To get it down faster, Omrah +had taken the big tin funnel, and had inserted one end into his mouth, +which he filled till the water ran out; after that he was trying what he +could do with fire, for he began putting hot embers between Big Adam's +toes; I dare say the fellow can not walk to-day." + +"I fear that some day he will kill Omrah, or do him some serious injury; +the boy must be cautioned," said Alexander. + +"I am afraid it will be of no use, and Omrah must take his chance: he is +aware of Big Adam's enmity as well as you are, and is always on his +guard; but as for persuading him to leave off his tricks, or to +reconcile them to each other, it is impossible," said Swinton--"you +don't know a Bushman." + +"Then pray tell us something about them," said the Major, "as soon as +you have finished that elephant-steak, which you appear to approve of. +Of what race are the Bushmen?" + +"I will tell you when I have finished my breakfast," replied Swinton, +"and not before: if I begin to talk, you will eat all the steak, and +that won't do." + +"I suspect that we shall not leave this to-day," said Alexander. "If, as +Bremen says, the cattle have strayed very far, it will be too late to go +in the afternoon, and to-morrow you recollect is Sunday, and that, we +have agreed, shall be kept as it ought to be." + +"Very true," said the Major; "then we must make Swinton entertain us by +telling us more about the lions, for he had not finished when the storm +came on." + +"No," replied Swinton; "I had a great deal more to say, and I shall be +very happy at any seasonable time, Major, to tell you what I know--but +not just now." + +"My dear fellow," said the Major, putting another piece of +elephant-steak upon Swinton's plate, "pray don't entertain the idea that +I want you to talk on purpose that I may eat your share and my own too; +only ascribe my impatience to the true cause--the delight I have in +receiving instruction and amusement from you." + +"Well, Swinton, you have extorted a compliment from the Major." + +"Yes, and an extra allowance of steak, which is a better thing," replied +Swinton, laughing. "Now I have finished my breakfast, I will tell what I +know about Omrah's people. + +"The Bushmen are originally a Hottentot race--of that I think there is +little doubt; but I believe they are a race of people produced by +circumstances, if I may use the expression. The Hottentot on the plains +lives a nomad life, pasturing and living upon his herds. The Bushman may +be considered as the Hottentot driven out of his fertile plains, +deprived of his cattle, and compelled to resort to the hills for his +safety and subsistence--in short, a Hill Hottentot: impelled by hunger +and by injuries, he has committed depredations upon the property of +others until he has had a mark set upon him; his hand has been against +every man, and he has been hunted like a wild beast, and compelled to +hide himself in the caves of almost inaccessible rocks and hills. + +"Thus, generation after generation, he has suffered privation and +hunger, till the race has dwindled down to the small size which it is at +present. Unable to contend against force, his only weapons have been his +cunning and his poisoned arrows, and with them he has obtained his +livelihood--or rather, it may be said, has contrived to support life, +and no more. There are, however, many races mixed up with the Bushmen; +for runaway slaves, brought from Madagascar, Malays, and even those of +the mixed white breed, when they have committed murder or other penal +crimes, have added to the race and incorporated themselves with them; +they are called the Children of the Desert, and they are literally +such." + +"Have you seen much of them?" + +"Yes, when I was in the Namaqua-land and in the Bechuana territory I saw +a great deal of them. I do not think that they are insensible to +kindness, and moreover, I believe that they may often be trusted; but +you run a great risk." + +"Have they ever shown any gratitude?" + +"Yes; when I have killed game for them, they have followed me on +purpose to show me the pools of waters without which we should have +suffered severely, if we had not perished. We were talking about lions; +it is an old-received opinion, that the jackal is the lion's provider; +it would be a more correct one to say that the lion is the Bushman's +provider." + +"Indeed!" + +"I once asked a Bushman, 'How do you live?' His reply was, 'I live by the +lions.' I asked him to explain to me. He said, 'I will show what I do: I +let the lions follow the game and kill it and eat till they have their +bellies full, then I go up to where the lion is sitting down by the +carcass, and I go pretty near to him; I cry out, What have you got +there, can not you spare me some of it? Go away and let me have some +meat, or I'll do you some harm. Then I dance and jump about and shake my +skin-dress, and the lion looks at me, and he turns round and walks away; +he growls very much, but he don't stay, and then I eat the rest.'" + +"And is that true?" + +"Yes, I believe it, as I have had it confessed by many others. The fact +is, the lion is only dangerous when he is hungry--that is, if he is not +attacked; and if, as the Bushman said, the lion has eaten sufficiently, +probably not wishing to be disturbed, after his repast, by the presence +and shouts of the Bushman, the animal retires to some other spot. I was +informed that a very short time afterward, this Bushman, who told me +what I have detailed to you, was killed by a lioness, when attempting to +drive it away from its prey by shouting as he was used to do. The fact +was, that he perceived a lioness devouring a wild horse, and went up to +her as usual; but he did not observe that she had her whelps with her: +he shouted; she growled savagely, and before he had time to retreat, she +sprang upon him and tore him to pieces." + +"The lion does not prey upon men, then, although he destroys them?" + +"Not generally; but the Namaqua people told me that, if a lion once +takes a fancy to men's flesh--and they do, after they have in their +hunger devoured one or two--they become doubly dangerous, as they will +leave all other game and hunt man only; but this I can not vouch for +being the truth, although it is very probable." + +"If we judge from analogy, it is," replied the Major. "The Bengal tigers +in India, it is well known, if they once taste human flesh, prefer it to +all other, and they are well known to the natives, who term them +man-eaters. Strange to say, it appears that human flesh is not wholesome +for them; for their skins become mangy after they have taken to eating +that alone. I have shot a 'man-eater' from the back of an elephant, and +I found that the skin was not worth taking." + +"The Namaquas," replied Swinton, "told me that a lion, once enamored of +human flesh, would, in order to obtain it so far overcome his caution, +that he would leap through a fire to seize a man. I once went to visit a +Namaqua chief, who had been severely wounded by a lion of this +description--a man-eater, as the Major terms them,--and he gave me the +following dreadful narrative, which certainly corroborates what they +assert of the lion who had once taken a fancy to human flesh. + +"The chief told me that he had gone out with a party of his men to hunt: +they had guns, bows and arrows, and assaguays. On the first day, as they +were pursuing an elephant, they came across some lions, who attacked +them and they were obliged to save their lives by abandoning a horse, +which the lions devoured. They then made hiding-places of thick bushes +by a pool, where they knew the elephant and rhinoceros would come to +drink. + +"As they fired at a rhinoceros, a lion leaped into their inclosure, took +up one of the men in his mouth and carried him off, and all that they +afterward could find of him the next day was one of the bones of his +leg. The next night, as they were sitting by a fire inside of their +inclosure of bushes, a lion came, seized one of the men, dragged him +through the fire, and tore out his back. One of the party fired, but +missed; upon which, the lion, dropping his dying victim, growled at the +men across the fire, and they durst not repeat the shot; the lion then +took up his prey in his mouth, and went off with it. + +"Alarmed at such disasters, the Namaquas collected together in one +strong inclosure, and at night sent out one of the slaves for water. He +had no sooner reached the pool than he was seized by a lion; he called +in vain for help, but was dragged off through the woods, and the next +day his skull only was found, clean licked by the rough tongue of the +lion. + +"Having now lost three men in three days, the chief and his whole party +turned out to hunt and destroy lions only. They followed the spoor or +track of the one which had taken the slave, and they soon found two +lions, one of which, the smallest, they shot; and then, having taken +their breakfast, they went after the other, and largest, which was +recognized as the one which had devoured the man. + +"They followed the animal to a patch of reeds, where it had intrenched +itself; they set fire to the reeds and forced it out, and as it was +walking off it was severely wounded by one of the party, when it +immediately turned back, and, with a loud roar, charged right through +the smoke and the burning reeds. The monster dashed in among them and +seized the chief's brother by the back, tearing out his ribs and +exposing his lungs. + +"The chief rushed to the assistance of his expiring brother; his gun +burned priming. He dashed it down, and in his desperation seized the +lion by the tail. The lion let go the body, and turned upon the chief, +and with a stroke of his fore-paw tore a large piece of flesh off the +chief's arm; then struck him again and threw him on the ground. The +chief rose instantly, but the lion then seized him by the knee, threw +him down again, and there held him, mangling his left arm. + +"Torn and bleeding, the chief in a feeble voice called to his men to +shoot the animal from behind, which was at last done with a ball which +passed through the lion's brain. After this destruction of four men in +four days, the hunting was given over; the body of the chief's brother +was buried, and the party went home, bearing with them their wounded +chief." + +"Well, that is the most horrible lion-adventure I have yet heard," said +the Major. "Heaven preserve us from a man-eating lion!" + +"It really has almost taken away my breath," said Alexander. + +"Well, then, I will tell you one more amusing, and not so fatal in its +results; I was told it by a Bushman," said Swinton. "A Bushman was +following a herd of zebras, and had just succeeded in wounding one with +his arrow, when he discovered that he had been interfering with a lion, +who was also in chase of the same animals. As the lion appeared very +angry at this interference with his rights as lord of the manor, and +evidently inclined to punish the Bushman as a poacher upon his +preserves, the latter, perceiving a tree convenient, climbed up into it +as fast as he could. The lion allowed the herd of zebras to go away, and +turned his attention to the Bushman. He walked round and round the tree, +and every now and then he growled as he looked up at the Bushman. + +"At last the lion lay down at the foot of the tree, and there he kept +watch all night. The Bushman kept watch also, but toward morning, +feeling very tired, he was overcome by sleep, and as he slept, he +dreamed, and what do you think that he dreamed?--he dreamed that he fell +from the tree into the jaws of the lion. Starting up in horror from the +effects of his dream, he lost his hold, and falling from the branch, +down he came with all his weight right on the back of the lion. The +lion, so unexpectedly saluted, sprang up with a loud roar, tossing off +the Bushman, and running away as fast as he could; and the Bushman, +recovering his legs and his senses, also took to his heels in a +different direction; and thus were the 'sleepers awakened,' and the +dream became true." + +"Besiegers retreating and fort evacuated both at the same time," cried +the Major, laughing. + +"Well, I think you have had enough of the lion now," said Swinton. + +"No, we had quite enough of him last night, if you choose," replied +Alexander. "But your lions are not quite so near as he was." + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + +It was not until the evening that the Caffres and Hottentots returned +with the cattle, which they had great difficulty in collecting; two or +three of the oxen were not brought back till late at night, so +frightened had the animals been by the approach of the lion. In the +afternoon, as it was too late to think of proceeding, our travelers, +with their guns on their shoulders, and accompanied by Omrah and Begum, +who would always follow the Major if she was not tied up, strolled away +from the camp to amuse themselves. At first they walked to the hill from +which they had such a splendid view of the valley covered with +elephants, and, proceeding to where the male elephant had fallen, found +that his flesh had, by the Caffres, the wolves, and the vultures, been +completely taken off his bones, and it lay there a beautiful skeleton +for a museum. + +As, however, they had no room for such weighty articles in their wagons, +they left it, after Swinton had made some observations upon the +structure of the animal. Begum would not go near the skeleton, but +appeared to be frightened at it. They then proceeded to the rock which +had been their place of refuge when the herd of elephants had charged +upon them; and as they stood under it, they were suddenly saluted with a +loud noise over their heads, sounding like quah, quah! + +As soon as Begum heard it, she ran up to the Major with every sign of +trepidation, holding fast to his skin trowsers. + +"What was that?" said Alexander; "I see nothing." + +"I know what it is," said the Major; "it is a herd of baboons; there +they are; don't you see their heads over the rocks?" + +"Let them show themselves a little more, and we'll have a shot at them," +replied Alexander, cocking his gun. + +"Not for your life," cried Swinton; "you will be skinned and torn to +pieces, if they are numerous, and you enrage them. You have no idea +what savage and powerful creatures they are. Look at them now; they are +coming down gradually; we had better be off." + +"I think so too," said the Major; "they are very angry; they have seen +Begum, and imagine that we have one of their herd in our possession. +Pray don't fire, Wilmot, unless it is for your life; we are too few to +make them afraid of us. Here they come; there are a hundred of them at +least; let us walk away slowly--it won't do to run, for that would make +them chase us at once." + +The baboons, some of which were of gigantic size, were now descending +from the rock, grunting, grinning, springing from stone to stone, +protruding their mouths, shaking their heads, drawing back the skin of +their foreheads, and showing their formidable tusks, advancing nearer +and nearer, and threatening an attack. Some of the largest males +advanced so close as to make a snatch at Omrah. As for Begum, she kept +behind the Major, hiding herself as much as possible. At last one or two +advanced so close, rising on their hind-legs, that the Major was obliged +to ward them off with his gun, "Point your guns at them," said Swinton, +"if they come too close; but do not fire, I beg you. If we only get from +off this rocky ground to the plain below, we shall probably get rid of +them." + +The ground on which they were formed a portion of the rocky hill upon +which they had taken shelter the day of the elephant-hunt; and within +twenty-five yards of them there was an abrupt descent of about four +feet, which joined it to the plain. They had gained half-way, parrying +the animals off as well as they could, as they retreated backward, when +some of the baboons came down from the other side of the rock, so as to +attempt to cut off their retreat, their object evidently being to gain +possession of Begum, whom they considered as belonging to them--and a +captive. + +Their situation now became more critical; for the whole herd were +joining the foremost; and the noise they made, and the anger they +expressed, were much greater than before. + +"We must fire, I really believe," said the Major, when they heard a +deep, hollow growl, followed up by a roar of some animal, apparently not +very far off. At this sound the baboons halted, and listened in silence; +again the growl was repeated, and followed up by the roar, and the +baboons, at a shriek given by one on the rock, turned round and took to +their heels, much to the delight of our travelers, who had felt the +peculiar difficulty and danger of their situation. + +"What animal was that which has frightened them off?" said the Major. + +"It was the growl of a leopard," replied Swinton; "we must keep a sharp +look-out; it can't be far off. The leopard is the great enemy of the +baboons. But where is Omrah?" + +They all looked round, but the boy was not to be seen. At last he showed +his head above the foot of the rocky hill, where there was a descent of +four feet, as we have mentioned, then sprang up the rock, and began +capering, and imitating the baboons as they came on to the attack. + +As they were laughing at him, all at once he stopped, and putting his +hands to his mouth he gave the growl and roar of a leopard, which they +had heard, and then set off running away baboon fashion. + +"It was the Bushman, then, that frightened them off; he is a clever +little fellow." + +"And I am not sure that he has not saved our lives," replied Swinton; +"but he has been brought up among them, one may say, and knows their +habits well. If he had not hid himself below the rocks before he +imitated the leopard, it would have been of no use, for they would not +have been frightened, hearing the growl proceeding from him. I admire +the boy's presence of mind." + +"I thought at one time that the baboons had an idea that Omrah was one +of them. What a snatch they made at him!" + +"It would not have been the first time that these animals have carried +off a boy," said Swinton; "I saw one at Latakoo, who had lived two years +with the baboons, which had carried him off." + +"How did they treat him?" + +"Very well indeed; but they kept him a prisoner. When they found that +he would not eat the coarse food which they did, they brought him other +things; and they invariably allowed him to drink first at the pools." + +"Well, that was homage to our superiority. Confound their quahs, I shall +not get them out of my head for a week. What terrible large tusks they +have!" + +"Yes, their incisors are very strong. They often destroy the leopard +when they meet it in numbers; but if one happens to be away from the +herd, he has, of course, no chance with such an animal. Begum did not +appear at all willing to renew her connection." + +"None of the monkey tribe, after they have lived with man, ever are; +indeed it is a question, if they had taken possession of her, whether +they would not have torn her to pieces immediately, or have worried her +to death some way or other." + +"Well, at all events, Swinton, you have been rewarded for your kindness +to that poor little Bushman, and we have reaped the benefit of it," +observed Alexander. "But here come some of the oxen; I hope we shall be +able to start early on Monday. The native Caffres say that the wagons +can not proceed much further." + +"No, not further than to the banks of the Umtata River: but you will +then be not a great way from your destination. Daaka is the chief's +name, is it not?" + +"Yes, that is his name; and if he is as supposed to be, he is my first +cousin. How strange it sounds to me, as I look around me in this savage +and wild country, that I should be within forty miles of a +blood-relation, who is an inhabitant of it!" + +"Well, we shall soon know the truth; but I must say, if it is only to +end in a morning call, you have come a long way for the purpose," +replied the Major. + +"I have come to ascertain a fact, which, from what I now know of the +country and its inhabitants, will be the source of any thing but +pleasure if it be established. My only hope is that it may prove +otherwise than we suppose; and there is little chance of that, I fear." + +"At all events, come what may," observed Swinton, "you will have done +your duty." + +On their return, they found all the men and cattle collected, and that +night they increased the number of their fires, and tied the oxen to the +wagons, that they might not be scattered by the return of the lion. The +latter did not, however, make his appearance, and the night was passed +without any disturbance. The following day being Sunday, the Hottentots +were assembled, and desired not to start from the camp, as they would be +expected to attend to prayers and Divine service; and as no hunting +expedition was proposed, the Caffre warriors, as well as the native +Caffres, who came in with their baskets of milk and other articles for +sale and barter, also remained. Before dinner-time, the bell which had +been brought with them from the Cape, to ring in case of any one having +strayed from the camp, that he might be guided to return, was tolled by +Bremen, and the Hottentots were assembled. Prayers and a portion of the +Bible were then read. + +The Caffre warriors, who had been told that the white men were going to +pray to their God, were very silent and attentive, although they could +not understand what was said; and the native Caffres, men, women and +children, sat down and listened. As soon as the service was over, the +Caffre head man of the warriors asked the interpreter to inquire of our +travelers why they struck the bell? was it to let God know that they +were about to pray, and did he hear what they said? + +Swinton replied, that their God heard all that they said, and listened +to the prayers of those who trusted in him. + +A great many other questions were put by the Caffres, all of which were +replied to with great caution by Mr. Swinton, as he was fearful that +they might not otherwise be understood by the Caffres; but they were, as +it was proved by the questions which followed in consequence. A great +portion of the afternoon was passed away in explaining and replying to +the interrogatories of these people, and our travelers felt convinced +that by having kept the Sabbath in that savage land they had done some +good by the example; for, as Swinton truly observed-- + +"The missionaries come into the land to spread the gospel of Christ; +they tell the natives that such is the religion and belief of the white +men, and that such are the doctrines which are inculcated. Now white men +come here as traders, or are occasionally seen here as travelers; and if +the natives find, as they have found, that these white men, stated by +the missionaries to hold the same belief, not only show no evidence of +their belief, but are guilty of sins expressly forbidden by the religion +preached, is not the work of the missionary nearly destroyed? + +"I have often thought that the behavior of the Dutch boors toward the +natives must have had such an effect; indeed, I may say that the colony +has been founded upon very opposite principles to those of 'doing unto +others as you would they should do unto you.' I believe that there never +yet was an intercourse between Christians nominal and savages, in any +portion of the globe, but that the savages have with great justice +thrown in the Christians' teeth, that they preached one thing but did +another. Unfortunately the taunt is but too true. Even those who had +left their country for religious persecution have erred in the same way. +The conduct of the Puritans who landed at Salem was as barbarous toward +the Indians as that of Pizarro and his followers toward the Mexicans. In +either case the poor aborigines were hunted to death." + +On Monday they started at daylight, and proceeded on the journey; but +they made little progress, on account of the difficulty of traveling +with the wagons in a country consisting of alternate precipices and +ravines, without any roads. The second day proved to be one of greater +difficulty; they were obliged to cut down trees, fill up holes, remove +large pieces of rock, and with every precaution the wagons were often +out of order, and they were obliged to halt for repairs. + +At night they were about ten miles from the Umtata River, and it was +doubtful, from the accounts received from the natives of the country, if +they would be able to go further with the wagons than to its bank. But +in the evening, news was brought that the Amaquibi, the nation of +warriors which were governed by Quetoo, and which had come from the +north, had been attacked by two of the native tribes, aided by some +white men with guns; that the white men had all been destroyed, and that +the hostile army were marching south. + +The native Caffres appeared to be in a panic, and this panic was soon +communicated to the Hottentots. At first, murmurings were heard as they +sat round the fire, and at last they broke out into open mutiny. Big +Adam, with three others, came up to the fire where our travelers were +sitting, and intimated that they must return immediately, as they would +proceed no further; that if it was decided to go on, the Hottentots +would not, as they had no intention of being murdered by the savages who +were advancing. Swinton, who could speak the Dutch language, having +consulted with Alexander and the Major, replied that it was very true +that the army of Quetoo was to the northward; but that the report of the +defeat of the Caffres and of the army advancing was not confirmed. It +was only a rumor, and might all be false; that even if true, it did not +follow they were advancing in the direction in which they themselves +were about to proceed; that it would be sufficient time for them to +retreat when they found out what were the real facts, which would be the +case in a few days at the furthest. But the Hottentots would not listen +to any thing that he said; they declared that they would proceed no +further. + +By this time all the other Hottentots had joined the first who came up +to our travelers, and made the same demand, stating their determination +not to proceed a mile further. Only Bremen and Swanevelt opposed the +rest, and declared that they would follow their masters wherever they +chose to lead them. Alexander now sent for the interpreter and the chief +of the Caffre warriors, lent him by Hinza, and desired the interpreter +to ask the Caffre whether he and his band would follow them. The Caffre +answered that they would; Hinza had given them in charge, and they could +not return and say that they had left them because there was an enemy +at hand. Hinza would kill them all if they did; they must bring back the +travelers safe, or lose their lives in their defense. + +"Well, then," said the Major, "now we can do without these cowardly +fellows, who are no use to us but to eat and drink; so now let us +discharge them at once, all but Bremen and Swanevelt." + +"I agree with you, Major," said Alexander; "what do you think, Swinton?" + +"Yes, let us discharge them, for then they will be in a precious +dilemma. We will discharge them without arms, and desire them to go +home; that they dare not do, so they will remain. But let us first +secure their muskets, which lie round their fire, before we dismiss +them; or they will not, perhaps, surrender them, and we may be in an +awkward position. I will slip away, and while I am away, do you keep +them in talk until I return, which I shall not do until I have locked up +all the guns in the store-wagon." + +As Swinton rose, the Major addressed the Hottentots. "Now, my lads," +said he, "here are Bremen and Swanevelt who consent to follow us; all +the Caffre warriors agree to follow us; and here are about twenty of you +who refuse. Now I can not think that you will leave us; you know that we +have treated you well, and have given you plenty of tobacco; you know +that you will be punished as soon as you return to the Cape. Why then +are you so foolish? Now look you: I am sure that upon reflection you +will think better of it. Let me understand clearly your reasons for not +proceeding with us; I wish to hear them again, and let each man speak +for himself." + +The Hottentots immediately began to state over again their reasons for +not going on; and thus the Major, who made each give his reason +separately, gained their attention, and the time which was required. +Before they all had spoken, Swinton came back and took his seat by the +fire. + +"All's safe," said he; "Bremen and Swanevelt's guns have been locked up +with the others." Our travelers had their own lying by them. The Caffre +warriors, who were standing behind the Hottentots, had all their +assaguays in their hands; but their shields, as usual, were hanging to +the sides of the wagons. The Major allowed the whole of the Hottentots +to speak, and when they were done, he said, "Now, Wilmot, turn the +tables on them." + +Alexander then got up with his gun in his hand, the Major and Swinton +did the same, and then Alexander told the Hottentots that they were a +cowardly set of fellows; that with Bremen and Swanevelt, and the band of +Caffre warriors, he could do without them; that since they did not +choose to proceed, they might now leave the camp immediately, as they +should get neither food nor any thing else from them in future. "So now +be off, the whole of you; and if I find one to-morrow morning in sight +of the camp, or if one of you dares to follow us, I will order the +Caffres to run him through. You are dismissed, and to-morrow we leave +without you." + +Alexander then called the chief of the Caffre warriors, and desired him, +in the presence of the Hottentots, to give particular charge of the +cattle, horses, and sheep, to his warriors during the night; and if any +one attempted to touch them, to run him through the body. "Do this +immediately," said Alexander to the chief, who without delay spoke to +his men, and they went off in obedience to his orders. + +The Hottentots, who had heard all this, now retreated to their wagon, +but were struck with consternation when they found that their guns had +been removed; for they trusted to their guns and ammunition to enable +them to procure food and protect themselves on their return. They +consulted together in a low voice; they looked round and perceived that +our three travelers had quitted the fire, and were keeping guard with +their guns upon the wagons, to prevent any attempt of breaking them +open, on the part of the Hottentots. Moreover, ten of the Caffres, with +their spears, had since the breaking up of the conference, been put in +charge of the wagons by the chief, at the request of the Major. The +Hottentots now perceived their forlorn position. + +How could they, without arms and ammunition, and without provisions, +return to the Cape, such a number of miles distant? How could they +exist, if they remained where they were? When they insisted upon our +travelers returning, they had quite overlooked the circumstance that +these could protect themselves with the Caffre warriors, and that they +were not in a condition to enforce their demand. + +After a long conversation, they did what all Hottentots will do under +any emergency,--they lay down by the fire, and fell fast asleep. +Swinton, having ascertained that they were really asleep, proposed that +they themselves should retire to the wagon, and leave the Caffres on +guard, which they did; as they well knew that a Hottentot once fast +asleep is not easily roused up even to "treason, stratagem, or spoil." + +Shortly after break of day, Bremen came to them, stating that he found +the wagons could proceed no further, as he had walked on, and discovered +that a mile before them there was a ravine so deep that it would be +difficult for the cattle to go down, and for the wagons impossible; that +at a distance of three miles below he could see the river, which was +also so embedded in rocks, as to be impassable by the wagons. + +The Major immediately went with Bremen, to satisfy himself of the truth +of this, and returned, stating that further progress with wagons was +impossible. + +"Well, then, we must now hold a council," said Swinton. "Of course, +proceed you will, Wilmot, that is decided; the only question is, as we +must now proceed on horseback, what force you will take with you, and +what shall be left in charge of the wagons?" + +"I think we can trust the Caffres, do not you?" + +"Yes, I do; but I wish from my heart that the Hottentots had not +rebelled; for although in some respects cowardly fellows, yet with their +muskets they are brave, and their muskets keep the natives in order." + +"To the Caffres, the contents of the wagons would prove a temptation; +but these are not temptations to the Hottentots, whose object is to get +back safe, and receive their wages. Thus we play them off against each +other." + +"Here are all the Hottentots coming up to us," said the Major; "I hope +it is to make submission; it is very desirable that they should do so +before they know that the wagons proceed no further." + +The surmise of the Major was correct: the Hottentots had again canvassed +the matter over, and, perceiving the helplessness of their position, had +come in a body to beg forgiveness, and to offer to accompany our +travelers wherever they pleased to take them. + +It was a long while before Alexander would consent to receive them +again, and not until they had made promise upon promise, that he seemed +at last to be mollified. Swinton then interceded for them, and at last +Alexander consented, upon their future good behavior, to overlook their +conduct. This matter having been satisfactorily arranged, the former +question was resumed. + +"One of you, I fear, must remain with the wagons," observed Alexander; +"or both of you, if you please. I have no right to ask you to go upon +any wild-goose chase, and run into danger for nothing." + +"That one should remain with the wagons will be necessary," said +Swinton; "and I think that the Major, if he does not object, is the +proper person. The party who are left must provide themselves with food +by their guns; and it will require more military tact than I possess to +arrange that and to defend the wagons. I will accompany you, Wilmot, as +I can speak better Dutch, and the interpreter will not get on well +without me." + +"Will you have the kindness to take charge of the wagons, Major, during +our absence?" + +"I think, perhaps, it will be as well; although I had rather have gone +with you," replied the Major. "I propose that you take thirty of the +Caffres, Bremen, and eight Hottentots with you; leave me Swanevelt and +the other Hottentots." + +"Yes, that will do very well; we will leave the Caffre head man with +you." + +"No; he must go with the larger portion of his party; he could not well +be separated from them. I will find a proper place for the wagons, and +stockade myself regularly in; that will be a good job for the +Hottentots, and I dare say I shall do very well." + +"I shall not leave you Omrah, Major," said Swinton; "for, as we shall +take four horses with us, I wish him to ride one, and he can attend upon +us, as you have Mahomed." + +"You may have Begum to ride the other," replied the Major, "if you +please; then you will each have a groom." + +"No, no, it would be a pity to part you and her; however, there is no +time to be lost, for if this great chief and warrior Quetoo is +advancing, it may be as well to be ready for a retreat; the sooner we +are off, the sooner we shall be back; so now to pack up." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + + +The first step taken by Alexander was to send for the Hottentots, and, +after again reproving them for their former behavior, he asked who were +ready to volunteer to proceed with him, as he had decided to leave the +wagons with Major Henderson, and proceed on horseback the short distance +of his journey which remained to be accomplished. + +Several of the Hottentots immediately came forward; the heads of the +mutiny held back, and thus proved to Alexander that the men who had come +forward were persuaded into it by the others, and regretted what they +had done. He therefore immediately accepted their services, and their +muskets were returned to them. Alexander then stated his intentions to +the Caffre head man, who selected the thirty warriors that were +required, and in the course of three hours every thing was ready for +their departure. + +It was arranged that in case of danger arising to either party, they +should, if possible, fall back to the newly established Mission of +Morley, on the sea-coast; but otherwise, the wagons would remain where +they were till Alexander's return. Having packed up all they required in +small packages, to be carried by the Caffres, they bade farewell to the +Major, and set off, having no baggage but what we have mentioned; for +Alexander would not be encumbered with a load of heavy articles which +must prevent rapid progress, or rapid retreat if necessary. + +In two hours they arrived by difficult passes at the banks of the Umtata +River, which they crossed, and soon afterward falling in with a Caffre +kraal, they were informed that Daaka, the chief whom they sought, did +not reside more than twenty miles distant; and they easily procured a +guide to show them the way. + +The reports of the advance of the Amaquibi army were here fully +confirmed, and the natives were preparing to leave the kraal with all +their cattle. It appeared, however, that at present the army was +stationary; the warriors carousing and enjoying themselves after the +victory which they had gained over the Caffres. As these had been +assisted by white men and their guns, the spirits of the Amaquibi were +raised to an extraordinary degree, and they were intending to carry +their arms to the southward, as soon as Quetoo, their chief, had +somewhat recovered from his wounds received in the late action. Indeed, +it was the wounded state of their chief which was the principal cause of +the army not having immediately proceeded to the southward. + +Having obtained this information, the travelers resumed their journey +along the banks of the Umtata, over a country of surprising beauty, the +deep river being full of hippopotami, which were lying on the banks or +snorting in the stream. They could not wait to kill one during the +daytime, but promised the men they would allow them to make the attempt +in the evening, after their day's march was over. Toward sunset, they +stopped on the banks of the river on a rising ground, and the Hottentots +and some Caffres were then directed to go down to the river in chase of +the hippopotami, as it was advisable to save their provisions as much as +possible. + +Before night they had succeeded, and the carcass of the animal was +hauled on shore. As soon as the party had taken as much as they +required, the native Caffres carried off the remainder of the flesh. As +they were sitting down carousing by the fire which had been lighted, the +Caffre head warrior came up to the interpreter, and told Alexander and +Swinton not to say that they were Hinza's warriors if asked where they +came from. On being asked why, he told them that Hinza had married a +daughter of the chief of this country, and after a time had sent her +back again to her father, and that this had created ill blood between +the tribes, although no war had taken place. Alexander and Swinton, who +perceived that the advice was judicious, told him that they would not, +and after partaking of the hippopotamus flesh they all lay down to +repose under the far-spreading branches of a large tree. + +The next morning they set off, and after an hour's journey the guide +told them that they were at the kraal of Daaka, the descendant of the +Europeans. The bellowing of the cattle and noise of the calves soon +directed them to the spot, and they entered a kraal consisting of +several very wretched huts. On inquiring for Daaka, a woman pointed out +a hut at a little distance, and, as they dismounted and walked up, he +came out to meet them. Swinton and Alexander shook hands with the chief, +and said that they were very glad to see him, and that they had come far +to pay him a visit. The chief ordered a hut to be swept out for their +accommodation, which they took possession of. + +"You have no idea, Swinton," said Alexander, "how much I am excited +already by this interview." + +"I can imagine it, my dear Wilmot," said Swinton; "it is but natural, +for he is your kinsman by all report, and certainly, although a Caffre +in his habits and manners, his countenance and features are strikingly +European." + +"That I have observed myself, and it has fully convinced me of the truth +of the statement. I am most anxious to examine him--we must call the +interpreter." + +The chief entered the hut soon afterward, and took his seat; the +interpreter was sent for, and the conversation was begun by Daaka, who +like most of the Caffre chiefs, with the hope of obtaining presents, +stated himself to be very poor, his cattle to be dying, and his children +without milk. Our travelers allowed him to go on for some time in this +manner, and then sent for a present of beads and tobacco, which they +gave him. They then commenced their inquiries, and the first question +they asked was, why he resided so near the sea. + +"Because the sea is my mother," replied he; "I came from the sea, and +the sea feeds me when I am hungry." + +"In that reply he evidently refers to the wreck of the ship," observed +Swinton; "and I presume, from the fish-bones, which we have seen about +the kraal, that these Caffres feed on fish, which the other tribes do +not, and therefore it is that he says his mother feeds him." + +"Was your mother white?" inquired Alexander. + +"Yes," replied Daaka, "her skin was white as yours; her hair was just +like yours, long and dark; but before she died it was quite white." + +"What was your mother's name?" + +"Kuma," replied the chief. + +"Had you any brothers and sisters?" + +"Yes, I had; I have one sister alive now." + +"What is her name?" inquired Swinton. + +"Bess," replied the chief. + +"This is very confirmatory," said Alexander; "my aunt's name was +Elizabeth; she must have called her child after herself." + +"Whom did your mother marry?" + +"She first married my uncle, and had no children; and then she married +my father; both were chiefs, and I am a chief; she had five children by +my father." + +[Illustration: THE CAFFRE CHIEF. P. 195.] + +A long conversation took place after this, the substance of which we may +as well communicate to our reader in few words. From the children of +Kuma, supposed to be Elizabeth, the aunt of Alexander, were produced +a numerous race of the European blood, who were celebrated in +the Caffre land for their courage; they were continually engaged in war, +as their alliance was eagerly sought, and in consequence had nearly all +perished. Daaka himself was renowned for warlike exploits, but he was +now a very old man. In the evening the chief took his leave, and went to +his own hut. + +As soon as they were alone, Alexander said to Swinton, "I have now so +far fulfilled my promise to my worthy relation that I have seen this +descendant of his child; but what am I to do? An old man like him is not +very likely to consent to go to England, and as for his sister Bess, he +states that she is equally infirm; the progeny of the rest of the family +are scattered about, and he himself knows nothing about them; to collect +them would be impossible, and if collected, equally impossible to remove +them, for they would not leave. My old relative fancies, in his mind's +eye, his daughter weeping over her captivity, and longing to be restored +to her country and her relations; still retaining European feelings and +sympathies, and miserable in her position; her children brought up by +her with the same ideas, and some day looking forward to their +emancipation from this savage state of existence: I think if he were +here, and saw old Daaka, he would soon divest himself of all these +romantic ideas." + +"I think so too; but there is one thing which has struck me very +forcibly, Alexander, which is, if this Daaka is the son of your aunt how +comes it that he is so old? When was the _Grosvenor_ lost?" + +"In the year 1782." + +"And we are now in 1829. Your aunt you stated to have been ten or twelve +years old at the time of the wreck. Allowing her to marry at the +earliest age, Daaka could not well be more than forty-eight years old; +and surely he is more than that." + +"He looks much older, certainly; but who can tell the age of a savage, +who has been living a life of constant privation, and who has been so +often wounded as his scars show that he has been? Wounds and hardship +will soon make a man look old." + +"That is very true, but still he appears to me to be older than the +dates warrant." + +"I think his stating that his sister was named Bess is full +corroboration." + +"It is rather circumstantial evidence, Wilmot: now what do you propose +to do?" + +"I hardly know; but I wish to be in Daaka's company some time longer, +that I may gain more intelligence; and I think of proposing to him that +we should go down to visit the remains of the wreck of his mother, as he +terms it. I should like to see a spot so celebrated for misfortune, and +behold the remains of the ill-fated vessel; I should like to have to +tell my good old uncle all I can, and he will wish that I should be able +to give him every information." + +"Well, I think it is a good plan of yours, and we will propose it to him +to-morrow morning." + +"And I should like to visit his sister Bess--indeed, I must do so. He +says she is much younger than he is." + +"He did, and therefore I think his age does not correspond with our +dates, as I observed before," replied Swinton; "but, as you say, you +must see his sister." + +Daaka had sent an old cow as a present to Alexander, which was a very +seasonable supply, as the hippopotamus-flesh had all been eaten. The +next morning they proposed that he should accompany them to where the +_Grosvenor_ had been wrecked. + +Daaka did not at first appear to know what they wished, and inquired, +through the interpreter, whether they meant the ship that was wrecked on +the sea-coast, pointing to the eastward. On receiving an answer in the +affirmative, he agreed to set off with them that afternoon, saying that +it was about forty miles off, and that they could not get there until +the next day. + +About noon they set off on their journey, and as they made but slow +progress over a rugged although most beautiful country, they stopped at +night at a kraal about half-way. Early the next morning they were led by +Daaka and some Caffres who accompanied him to the sea-shore, and when +they had arrived at the beach, it being then low water, Daaka pointed to +a reef, upon which were to be seen the guns, ballast, and a portion of +the keelson of a ship--all that remained of the unfortunate _Grosvenor_. + +As the sea washed over the reef; now covering and now exposing these +mementoes of misery and suffering, Alexander and Swinton remained for +some time without speaking; at last Alexander said-- + +"Swinton, you have read the history of this unfortunate vessel, I know, +for you asked me for it to read. What a succession of scenes of horror +do these remains, which from their solid weight only have defied the +power of the winds and waves, conjure up at this moment in my mind. I +think I now behold the brave vessel dashed upon the reefs--the scream of +despair from all on board--the heart-rending situation of the women and +children--their wonderful escape and landing on shore, only to be +subjected to greater suffering. See, Swinton, that must have been the +rock which they all gained, and upon which they remained shivering +through the night." + +"It is, I have no doubt, from its position," said Swinton. + +"Yes, it must have been; I think I see them all--men, women, and +helpless children--huddled together, half-clothed and suffering, +quitting that rock by this only path from it, and setting off upon their +mad and perilous journey; the scattering of the parties--their perils +and hunger--their conflicts with the natives--their sufferings from heat +and from thirst--their sinking down one by one into the welcome arms of +death, or torn to pieces by the wolves and hyenas as they lagged behind +the others. How much more fortunate those who never gained the shore." + +"Yes, indeed," replied Swinton; "except the eight who reached the Cape, +and the five that Daaka asserts were saved, all the rest must have +perished in that dreadful manner." + +Alexander remained for some time in painful thought; at last he turned +to Daaka and said, as he pointed to the remains of the wreck, "And this +then is your mother?" + +Daaka looked at him and shook his head, "No, not my mother this," +replied he; "my mother down there," pointing out in a northerly +direction. + +"What does he mean, Swinton? he says this is not his mother." + +"I will speak to him, Wilmot; you are too much agitated," replied +Swinton. + +"Is not that the vessel which your mother was lost in?" said Swinton, +through the interpreter. + +"No," replied Daaka; "my mother came on shore in a vessel up the little +river out there; I was a boy when this large ship was wrecked; and got +some iron from her to make assaguays." + +"Merciful heaven! what joy I feel; I trust it is true what he says." + +"I have no doubt of it, Wilmot; I told you he was too old a man," +replied Swinton; "but let me question him further." + +Our readers may imagine the impatience of Alexander while the questions +of Swinton were being answered, and by which it appears that Daaka's +mother was lost at the mouth of the Lauwanbaz, a small river some miles +to the eastward of the Zemsooboo. An old Caffre, who had come down with +Daaka, now gave a particular account of the wreck of the _Grosvenor_, +corroborating all Daaka's assertions. + +"Were there none of the _Grosvenor's_ people left in the country?" +inquired Swinton. + +"None," replied the old man; "they all went to the southward." + +"Did you hear what became of them?" + +"Some lay down and died, some fought the natives and were killed; the +wolves ate the rest; not one left alive; they all perished." + +"Were none of the women and children saved and kept as slaves?" + +"No, not one; they had no meat, no milk, and they all died." + +After some other inquiries, the old man, who at first did not reply +willingly, stated that he had, with other Caffres, followed the last +party; had seen them all dead, and had taken off their clothes, and that +as they died were buried by those who still survived. + +"A better fate, cruel as it was, than living as they must have lived," +said Swinton. + +"Yes, truly," replied Alexander; "you don't know, Swinton, what a load +has been removed from my mind, and how light-hearted I feel, +notwithstanding this recital of their sufferings. My poor uncle! God +grant that he may live till my return with this distinct intelligence, +with the assurance that he has no grandchildren living the life of a +heathen, and knowing no God. What a relief will it prove to him; how +soothing will it be to his last days! How grateful am I to God, that I +have had so happy an issue to my mission! Now, Swinton, we will return +as soon as you please; as soon as we arrive at Daaka's kraal, I will +take down in writing the statement of these people, and then we will +hasten back to the Major." + +"And I dare say," said Swinton, as he remounted his horse, "that you +will make old Daaka a more handsome present, for proving himself no +relation to you, than if he had satisfactorily established himself as +your own first cousin." + +"You may be sure that my gratitude toward him is much greater than ever +could have been my kindred feeling from friendship. I am so light +hearted, Swinton, and so grateful to God that I almost wish to dismount +in my anxiety to return my thanks; but I do so in my heart of hearts, at +all event." + +On the following day they arrived at Daaka's kraal, and then Alexander +took down very carefully in writing the statements made by Daaka and the +other Caffres. They all agreed on the one point, which was, that the +European descendants now living in the country were wrecked in another +vessel many years before the loss of the _Grosvenor_, and that not one +of the _Grosvenor's_ people--men, women or children--had survived, +except the few who arrived at the Cape. + +Having obtained these satisfactory documents, they made a handsome +present to Daaka and the other Caffres, and immediately set out upon +their return to the wagons. As they journeyed back to the westward, they +found the Caffres quitting their huts, and driving away the cattle, that +they might not fall into the power of the army of Quetoo, which it was +said was now in motion, and scattering the tribes before them. As our +travelers were not at all anxious to have any communication with these +savage invaders, in two days they crossed the Umtata, and toward the +evening were within sight of the wagons. A shout from the Hottentots and +Caffres gave notice of their approach. The shout was returned, and in a +few minutes they were shaking hands with the Major, who was delighted to +see them. + +"I did not expect you back so soon," replied the Major; "and as I +perceive that you are unaccompanied, I presume that your Caffre +relations would not quit their kraals." + +"You shall know all about it, Major, very soon; it will be enough at +present to let you know that we have nothing but good news." + +"That I rejoice to hear; but it was well you came back as you did, for I +have been making every preparation, and had you not returned in a few +days, I should have retreated; the invaders are close at hand." + +"We know it, and, if they are told that there are wagons here well +loaded, they will come on quickly, with the hopes of plunder, so we must +delay no longer," replied Alexander; "to-morrow we will yoke and set +off. We can determine upon our route as we are traveling, but the first +point is to retreat from this quarter." + +"Exactly; the oxen are in prime order and can make a long day's march, +and we know our country for some days, at all events; but enter my +fortress, dismount, and let us go into the tent which I have pitched. +You shall then tell me your adventures, while Mahomed fries a delicate +piece of elephant's flesh for you." + +"Have you killed an elephant?" + +"Yes, but not without much difficulty and some danger, I assure you; I +wanted your help sadly, for these Hottentots are too much alarmed to +take good aim, and I had only my own rifle to trust to; but I have done +very well considering, and I shall prove to our commander-in-chief that +I have supplied the garrison without putting him to any expense during +his absence. We have been feeding upon green monkeys for three days, and +very good eating they are, if you do not happen upon a very old one." + +When they entered the inclosure made by the Major, they were surprised +at the state of defense in which he had put it. His hedge of thorns upon +rocks piled up was impregnable, and the wagons were in the center, drawn +up in a square; the entrance would only admit one person at a time, and +was protected by bars at night. + +"Why, Major, you might have held out against the whole force of the +Amaquibi in this position." + +"Yes, provided I had provisions and water," replied the Major; "but I +fear they would soon have starved me out; however, it was as well to be +prepared against any sudden night-attack, and therefore I fortified my +camp: now come in, and welcome back again." + +The news which they had to impart to the Major was soon given, and he +was highly delighted at the intelligence:--"And now," said he, "what do +you mean to do, Wilmot?--go back again, of course, but by what route?" + +"Why, Major, you and Swinton have been so kind in coming with me thus +far, and I have been so successful in my expedition, that I shall now +leave you to decide as you please. I have effected all that I wished, my +business is over, and I am ready to meet you in any way you choose; any +thing you decide upon I shall agree to willingly and join in heartily, +so now speak your wishes." + +"Well, I will speak mine very frankly," replied the Major. "We have had +some sport in this country, it is true, but not so much as I could have +wished; for game is rather scarce, with the exception of elephants and +sea-cows. Now I should like to cross the mountains, and get into the +Bechuana and Bushman country, where game is as plentiful as I believe +water is scarce; we can return that way, if you please, almost as well +as we can through the Caffre country--what say you, Swinton?" + +"Well, I am of your opinion. As Wilmot says, business is over and we +have nothing to do but to amuse ourselves; I am very anxious to pass +through this country, as I shall add greatly to my collections, I have +no doubt; but it must not be expected that we shall fare as well as we +have done in this; it will be the dry season, and we may be in want of +water occasionally." + +"I am equally desirous of going through that country, where I hope to +shoot a giraffe,--that is my great ambition," replied Wilmot; "therefore +we may consider that we are all agreed, and the affair is settled; but +the question is, how shall we proceed back? We must return to Hinza's +territory and send back the Caffres. Shall we return to Butterworth?" + +"I think that must depend upon circumstances, and we can talk it over as +we go along: the first point to ascertain is, the best passage over the +mountains; and it appears to me that we shall be diverging much too far +to the eastward if we return to Butterworth; but the Caffres will soon +give us the necessary information." + +"I wonder if the quarrel between Hinza and Voosani has been made up," +said Alexander; "for we must pass through the Tambookie tribe if we +cross the mountains, and if there is war between them we may meet with +difficulty." + +"We shall hear as soon as we have crossed the Bashee river," replied +Swinton; "and then we must decide accordingly. All that can be settled +now is, that to-morrow we start on our return, and that we will cross +the mountains, if we possibly can." + +"Yes, that is decided," replied Alexander. + +"Well, then, as soon as you have finished your elephant-steak, Wilmot, +we will get out a bottle of wine, drink the first half of it to +congratulate you upon the success of your mission, and the other half +shall be poured out in bumpers to a happy return." + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +THE RETURN. + + +The delight of the Hottentots at the announcement of the return of the +expedition was not to be concealed; and now that they knew that they +were retreating from the danger, as they were further removed they +became proportionately brave. We must not include all the Hottentots in +this observation, as Bremen, Swanevelt, and one or two more, were really +brave men; but we do refer to the principal portion of them, with Big +Adam at their head, who now flourished and vapored about, as if he could +by himself kill and eat the whole army of the dreaded Quetoo. + +As it was the intention of our travelers to pass over the Mambookei +chain of mountains, into the Bushman and Koranna territory, they did not +return the same route by which they came, but more to the westward +through the territory of the Tambookie Caffres, not any one time +entering upon the territory of the Amakosas, the tribe of Caffres +governed by Hinza, who had lent them his warriors. + +Voosani, the chief of the Tambookies, was very friendly, and had offered +no opposition to their passage through a portion of his domains on their +advance. They now lost no time, but continued their journey as fast as +they could, although during the day they saw a great quantity of game, +and were almost every night saluted with the roaring of the lions. + +In a week they found themselves on the banks of the White Kae River, and +not far from the foot of the mountains which they intended to pass. Here +they halted, with the intention of remaining some few days, that they +might unload and re-arrange the packing of their wagons, repair what was +necessary, and provide themselves with more oxen and sheep for their +journey in the sterile territory of the Bushmen. + +During their route, the rumors relative to the army of Quetoo were +incessant. He had attacked and murdered Lieut. Farewell and his people, +who were on a trading expedition in the interior, and taken possession +of and plundered their wagons. Flushed with success over white people +armed with muskets, Quetoo had now resolved to turn his army to the +southward, and attack the tribes of the Amaponda Caffres, governed by +Fakoo, and the missionary station of Morley, lately established near the +coast, between the St. John and the Umtata rivers. + +To effect this, Quetoo commenced his ravages upon all the lesser tribes +tributary to Fakoo, and having put them to indiscriminate slaughter, +driven away their cattle, and burned their kraals, his army advanced to +the missionary station, which the missionaries were compelled to desert, +and fall back upon the St. John River. + +One of the men belonging to the tribe near Morley came to the caravan +where our travelers had halted, and, on being questioned as to the loss +they had experienced, cried out, "Ask not how many are killed, but how +many are saved: our wives, where are they? and our children, do you see +any of them?" + +But Fakoo, the chief of the Amapondas, had roused himself and collected +his army. He resolved upon giving battle to the enemy. He found the +Amaquibi encamped in a forest, and he surrounded them with a superior +army; he then contrived, by attacking and retreating, to lead them into +a position from which there was no escape but by the pass by which they +had entered, and which he completely blocked up with his own forces. + +The Amaquibi could not retreat, and a furious conflict took place, which +ended in the destruction of the whole of Quetoo's army. Quetoo himself +was not present, as he still remained confined with the wound he had +received in the prior engagement, in which he had been victorious. A +portion of Fakoo's army was sent against him, and he fled with the loss +of all the cattle and treasures he had collected; and thus was the +invading force at last totally dispersed and not heard of any more. + +This news was very satisfactory to our travelers, as they did not know +whether they would have had time to make their arrangements, if Quetoo's +army had been victorious; and it was still more pleasing to the +Hottentots, who were now even braver than before, all lamenting that +they had not remained on the banks of the Umtata River, where the combat +took place, that they might have assisted at the destruction of the +invaders. + +It was toward the end of August before our travelers had made their +preparations and were ready for a start. They had decided to try the +pass through the Mambookei chain of mountains, to the eastward of the +one named Stormbergen, and as they expected to meet with some +difficulties, it was decided that the Caffre warriors should not be +dismissed till they had arrived at the Bushman territory; they proposed +then to turn to the N.W., so as to fall in with that portion of the +Orange River which was known by the name of the Vaal or Yellow River, +crossing the Black or Cradock River, which is also another branch of the +Orange River. + +This arrangement was made, that they might get into the country more +abounding with game, and better furnished with water than any other +portion of the sterile deserts which they had to pass through. + +Having, as usual, kept holy the Lord's day, on the Monday morning they +started in high spirits, and with their cattle in excellent order. The +passage through the ravine was very difficult; they had to fill up +holes, roll away stones, and very often put double teams to drag the +wagons. + +They made but ten miles on the first day, and found the night cold, +after the heat to which they had been subjected. The second day was also +one of toil and danger, but on the third they found that they had +commenced the descent, and the whole Bushman country was spread before +them. But the descent was even more perilous than the ascent, and it was +not without great exertion that they saved their wagons from falling +over the precipices. + +On the fourth evening they had crossed the mountains, and were now at +the foot of them on the western side. It was with difficulty that they +collected wood enough to make their fires for the night, and the +continual roaring told them that they were now in the domain of the +lion and his satellites. + +At break of day they all rose, that they might view the country which +they were about to traverse. It was one wild desert of sand and stones, +interspersed with small shrubs, and here and there a patch of bushes; +apparently one vast, dry, arid plain, with a haze over it, arising from +the heat. Our travelers, however, did not at first notice this change; +their eyes were fixed upon the groups of quaggas and various antelopes +which were strewed over the whole face of the country; and, as soon as +they had taken their breakfast, they mounted their horses in pursuit. It +had been their intention to have dismissed the Caffres on that morning, +but the chief of the band pointed out that it would be as well that they +should kill some game, to provide them with food for their journey back; +and our travelers approved of the suggestion, as it would save their +sheep. + +Alexander and the Major set off with Bremen, Swanevelt, and Omrah on +horseback, while the Caffres on foot kept well up with them. The other +Hottentots were ordered to remain with Swinton at the encampment, as +they had to repair the damages done to the wagons in crossing the +mountains. + +Omrah had shown himself so useful, that he had been permitted to +practice with a fowling-piece carrying ball, and had proved himself very +expert. He now was mounted on the Major's spare horse; that in case the +Major's was knocked up, he might change it, for Omrah's weight was a +mere nothing. + +The plan of the chase was, that the Caffres should spread in a +half-circle, and conceal themselves as much as possible, while those on +horseback should turn the animals and drive them in their direction. As +they advanced on the plain, they discovered what the haze had prevented +their seeing at early dawn, that the plain was covered with a variety of +beautiful flowers, of the amaryllis and other tribes, and with the hills +of ants and ant-eaters' holes, which latter were very dangerous to the +horses. + +The sun was now up in the heavens, and blazed fiercely; the heat was +intense, although still early in the day. When they turned their heads +toward the mountains which they had passed, they were struck with +astonishment at the grandeur of the scene: rocks and cliffs in wild +chaos, barren ridges and towering peaks, worn by time into castellated +fortresses and other strange shapes, calling to their fancy the ruins of +a former world. With the exception of a pool of water, near to which the +caravan had halted, not a vestige of that element was to be seen in any +direction; all was one plain, ending only in the horizon, without a +tree, the line only broken by the groups of animals and the long necks +of the packs of ostriches in the distance. + +If, however, the vegetable kingdom was deficient, the animal was +proportionably abundant, and Alexander and the Major were soon at their +speed after a troop of quaggas and zebras, which they succeeded in +turning toward the Caffres. As soon as the animals had entered the +radius of the half-circle, and were within distance, they checked their +horses and opened their fire upon them; at the same time the Caffres +showed themselves, and the animals were for a time confounded by finding +themselves so nearly surrounded. + +During their hesitation, and while they attempted to break through here +and there, and then turned again, several were brought to the ground by +the guns of the mounted party, till at last, as if they had summoned up +their resolution, the whole herd, led by a splendid male, burst away in +a direction close to the horsemen, and made their escape from the circle +in a cloud of dust, scattering the stones behind them as they fled. + +The Caffres ran up to the animals which lay wounded, and put them out of +their misery by inserting the point of their assaguays into the spine, +which caused immediate death. Seven animals were killed, three zebras +and four quaggas; and as Swinton had requested that they might not be +cut up till he had ascertained if he required their skins, Omrah was +sent back to bring him to where they were lying. + +Swinton soon came, and Alexander said to him, "Now, Swinton, let us know +if you want any of the skins of these animals to preserve." + +"No," replied Swinton, "I have them already; I just thought it possible +that you might have killed a zebra." + +"Well, have we not? there are three of them." + +"No, my good fellow, they are not of the real zebra species; they belong +to a class described by Burchell, the traveler, which is termed the +striped quagga. The quagga and striped quagga, as you may see, have the +ears of a horse, while the zebra has those of the ass. The true zebra +hardly ever descends upon the plains, but lives altogether upon the +mountainous regions; occasionally it may be found, it is true, and that +is the reason why I came to see." + +"Are they good eating, these animals?" + +"The quagga is very indifferent food, but the striped quagga is very +passable; so if you intend to save any for our dinner, pray let it be +some of the latter. Have you done hunting to-day?" + +"Yes," replied the Major, "if Wilmot is of my opinion, I think we had +better not work our horses any more just now; the plain is so full of +large holes,--ant-eaters' holes, Bremen says they are." + +"Yes, they are ant-eaters' holes, and very dangerous; I have seen them +several feet deep. If we do not start to-day, I will ask the Hottentots +to try and procure one for me to-night, as I wish to have a stuffed +specimen." + +"We do not intend to start till to-morrow morning," replied Alexander; +"we must dismiss the Caffres to-night, that they may be also ready to go +home to-morrow. They will now have provisions enough." + +Our travelers now rode back to the caravan, leaving the Caffres to bring +home the flesh. As soon as they had dined, the chief of the warriors was +desired to come with all his men, and Alexander then made every man a +handsome present, consisting of tobacco, snuff, cloth, knives and beads. +To the chief of the band he gave three times as much as the others, and +then, having delivered to him a very liberal collection of articles for +their king Hinza, Alexander told the chief to acquaint the king that he +had been very much pleased with the conduct of the men, and thanked his +majesty for the loan of them, and requested that his majesty would +accept of the packet of articles which he had selected for him. + +He then thanked the men for their good conduct, told them to take all +the flesh that they wished for the journey, and stated that they were at +liberty to depart that evening or the next morning, as they thought +proper. The Caffres were perfectly satisfied with Alexander's +liberality, and the chief of the warriors, making a short speech in +reply, retired with his men. + +"Well, I'm very sorry that these fine fellows are leaving," said the +Major. + +"And so am I; but I could not well detain them, and they said that they +could not go further with us without the king's permission," replied +Alexander. + +"Of course not," replied the Major; "but that does not lessen my regret +at their departure; they have been both steady and brave, as well as +active and willing, and I do not expect that our Hottentots will serve +us so well." + +"You are right not to expect it, Major," replied Swinton; "if you did, +you would be miserably disappointed. If they knew now where we were +going, they would desert us. The only hold that we have upon the greater +number of them is their fear; they go forward because they are afraid to +go back; but if they could get hold of our horses, with their guns and +ammunition, they would leave us as soon as we advanced in the desert." + +"Very true, I fear; but we have a few stanch fellows among them, and two +at least whom we can depend upon--Bremen and Swanevelt." + +"How far is it from here to the Black River, Swinton?" + +"About forty miles; not so much perhaps to the river's bed, but at least +that, if not more, before we shall fall in with any water at this season +of the year." + +"We must not fail to fill our water-kegs before we leave this." + +"No, for we shall have no water to-night, that is certain. We can not +travel more than twenty miles over such a country as this; for turning +here and there to avoid the holes and ant-hills, the twenty miles will +be at least thirty," said Swinton; "but now I must go and tell the +Hottentots to find me what I want: a pound of tobacco will procure it, I +have no doubt." + +"But I have mine," observed the Major, after Swinton was gone; "we are +too near the pool, and we shall be surrounded with lions to-night; the +Hottentots may pretend that they will go, but they will not." + +"One can not well blame them; I'm sure a pound of tobacco would not +persuade me to put my head into a lion's mouth; but I agree with you, we +are too near the pool, and as we must collect the cattle to secure them +during the night, I think we had better fill our water-kegs, and then +yoke and take up a position for the night about half a mile further off. +But here comes Swinton, who can give us his advice." + +As Swinton agreed with them, they yoked the oxen, and drove forward +about a mile from the pool; they then secured them to the wagons and +lighted large fires round the caravan. + +The Major was correct as regarded the Hottentots' procuring an ant-eater +for Swinton; they would not leave the fires, and the continual approach +of the lions during the night proved that they were wise in so doing. +There was no occasion for the lions to roar; the moaning of Begum, and +her clinging to the Major, the trembling of the dogs, and the uneasiness +of the cattle, invariably gave notice of lions being at hand. Shots were +fired off during the night, to keep them at a distance, but otherwise +the night passed away undisturbed. + +They started the following morning about daybreak, and, at the same +time, the Caffres took their departure to their own country. The ground +over which the caravan traveled was stony and sandy at intervals, and +they had not proceeded far before they again discovered a great variety +of game dispersed over the level plain. They did not, however, attempt +to pursue them, as they were anxious to go on as far as possible, so as +to give the oxen an opportunity of picking up what little food they +could during the middle of the day, at which time the Major and +Alexander proposed that they should go in pursuit of game. But before +they had traveled three hours, they were surprised at a cloud of dust, +which obscured the horizon, in the direction they were proceeding. + +"What can that be?" said Alexander. + +"I think it is springbok," said Bremen the Hottentot. + +"Springbok! why, there must be thousands and thousands of them." + +"I believe that Bremen is right," said Swinton; "it must be one of the +migratory herds of springboks; I have never seen them, but I have often +been told of them." + +The body of antelopes now advanced toward them, keeping on a straight +path; and to state their numbers would have been impossible: there might +have been fifty or a hundred thousand, or more. As far as the eye could +see in any direction, it was one moving mass covering the whole plain. +As they approached the caravan, those nearest huddled on one side and +occasionally bounded away with the remarkable springs made by this +animal, and from which it has its name, alighting not upon the earth, +but, for want of room, upon the backs of its companions, and then +dropping in between the ranks. + +A hazy vapor arose from these countless herds as they moved on, and more +than once the Hottentots, who were standing on the wagons, which had +been stopped as the herd came up to them, pointed out a lion which was +journeying with the crowds to feast at his leisure. The animals appeared +very tame, and several were killed close to the wheels of the wagons, +for the evening's supper. Notwithstanding that the herd moved at a rapid +pace, it was more than two hours before the whole had passed by. + +"Well," observed Alexander, "I can now say that I have seen no want of +game in Africa. Where will they go to?" + +"They will go directly on to the southward," replied Swinton; "the +migration of these animals is one of the most remarkable proofs of the +fecundity of animal life. Like the ants, they devour every thing before +them; and if we journey in the direction they have come from, we shall +find no food for the cattle until after the rains. After the rains fall, +these animals will return to their former pastures. It is the want of +food which has brought them so far to the southward." + +"Their track is evidently from the north and eastward," said the Major; +"had we not better change our course more to the northward?" + +"No, I should think not; they have probably traveled on this side of the +Nu Gariep or Black River. We shall have neither water nor food for the +cattle to-night, and therefore I think we had better go on as we are +going, so as to make sure of water for them to-morrow, at all events. +It's useless now stopping to feed the cattle, we had better continue +right on till the evening; we shall sooner arrive at the river, and so +gain by it." + +It was but half an hour before dark that they unyoked the tired oxen. +Water or grass there was none; and, what was another misfortune, they +could not find sufficient wood of any kind to keep up the necessary +fires during the night. All they could collect before dark was but +enough for one fire, and they considered it better, therefore, that only +one should be lighted. + +The wagons were drawn up so as to form a square, inside of which were +tied the horses; the sheep were driven underneath, and the oxen were +tied up outside. They feasted well themselves upon the delicate meat of +the springboks, but the poor animals had neither food nor water after +their hard day's journey. + +As soon as they had supped they retired to their wagons, and the +Hottentots remained by the side of the fire, which was but frugally +supplied, that it might last till morning; but that there were lions +prowling in the vicinity was evident from the restlessness of the oxen, +who tried to break the leathern thongs with which they were fastened. + +The moon had just risen, and showed an imperfect light, when they +perceived the bodies of some animals between them and the horizon. They +appeared very large, as they always do in an imperfect light, and the +Hottentots soon made out that they were five or six lions not forty +yards distant. The truth of this supposition was confirmed by an angry +roar from one of them, which induced most of the Hottentots to seize +their guns, and some to creep under the wagons. + +The oxen now struggled furiously to escape, for the, roar of the lions +had spread consternation. + +Our travelers heard it in their wagons, and were out with their guns in +a minute. At last one of the oxen broke loose, and, as it was running +behind its companions, as if seeking a more secure shelter, being not +more than three or four yards from them, another roar was followed by a +spring of one of the lions, which bore the animal to the earth. + +The Major and Wilmot were advancing before the fire to the attack, when +the animal for a moment let go his prey, and was about to spring upon +them. Bremen called out for them to retreat, which they did, as the +animal advanced step by step toward them. + +Satisfied with their retiring, the lion then went to his prey, and +dragged it to a distance of about fifty yards, where it commenced its +meal; and they distinctly heard, although they could not plainly +distinguish, the tearing of the animal's flesh and the breaking of its +bones by the lion, while its bellowings were most pitiful. + +They all now fired in the direction where they heard the noise; the lion +replied to the volley by a tremendous roar, and rushed up within twenty +yards of the wagons, so as to be distinctly visible. Bremen begged our +travelers not to molest the animal, as it was evidently very hungry and +very angry, and would certainly make a spring upon them, which must be +attended with disastrous effects. + +The other lions were also now moving round and round the camp; they +therefore reloaded their guns, and remained still, looking at the lion +tearing and devouring his prey. + +"We must be quiet here," said Bremen to Alexander; "there are many lions +round us, and our fire is not sufficient to scare them away, and they +may attack us." + +"Would it not be better to fire our guns,--that would frighten them?" + +"Yes, sir, it would frighten the other lions, perhaps, but it would +enrage this one so near to us, and he would certainly make a charge. We +had better throw a little gunpowder upon some ashes now and then, as we +have but a small fire: the flash will drive them away for the time." + +In the mean time the lion was making his meal upon the poor ox, and +when any other of the hungry lions approached him, he would rush at +them, and pursue them for some paces with a horrible growl, which made +not only the poor oxen, but the men also, to shudder as they heard it. + +In this manner was the night passed away, every one with his gun in his +hand, expecting an immediate attack; but the morning at last dawned, to +the great relief of them all. The lions had disappeared, and they walked +out to where the old lion had made his meal, and found that he had +devoured nearly the whole of the ox; and such was the enormous strength +of his jaws, that the rib-bones were all demolished, and the bones of +the legs, which are known as the marrow-bones, were broken as if by a +hammer. + +"I really," observed the Major, "have more respect for a lion, the more +I become intimate with his feline majesty." + +"Well, but he is off," observed Swinton, "and I think we had better be +off too." + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + + +The oxen were yoked, and the caravan proceeded at slow pace to gain the +wished-for river. As our travelers walked their horses--for the poor +animals had been without food or water for twenty-four hours, and all +idea of chasing the various herds of animals which were to be seen in +their path was abandoned for the present--Swinton remarked, "We are not +far from the track of the Mantatees, when they made their irruption upon +the Caffres about eighteen months back." + +"I was intending to ask you for some information on that point, Swinton. +There has been more than one irruption into the country from the natives +to the northward. Mr. Fairburn gave me a very fair idea of the history +of the Cape colony, but we were both too much engaged after our arrival +in Cape Town for me to obtain further information." + +"I will, you may be assured, tell you all I know," replied Swinton; "but +you must not expect to find in me a Mr. Fairburn. I may as well remark, +that Africa appears to be a country not able to afford support to a +dense population, like Europe; and the chief cause of this is the great +want of water, occasionally rendered more trying by droughts of four or +five years' continuance." + +"I grant that such is the case at present," observed the Major; "but you +well know that it is not that there is not a sufficient quantity of +rain, which falls generally once a year, but because the water which +falls is carried off so quickly. Rivers become torrents, and in a few +weeks pour all their water into the sea, leaving, I may say, none for +the remainder of the year." + +"That is true," replied Swinton. + +"And so it will be until the population is not only dense, but, I may +add, sufficiently enlightened and industrious. Then, I presume, they +will take the same measures for securing a supply of water throughout +the year which have been so long adopted in India, and were formerly in +South America by the Mexicans. I mean that of digging large tanks, from +which the water can not escape, except by evaporation." + +"I believe that it will be the only remedy." + +"Not only the remedy, but more than a remedy; for tanks once +established, vegetation will flourish, and the vegetation will not only +husband the water in the country, but attract more." + +"All that is very true," replied Swinton, "and I trust the time will +come, when not only this land may be well watered with the dew of +heaven, but that the rivers of grace may flow through it in every +direction, and the tree of Christ may flourish." + +"Amen," replied Alexander. + +"But to resume the thread of my discourse," continued Swinton; "I was +about to say, that the increase of population, and I may add the +increase of riches,--for in these nomadic tribes cattle are the only +riches,--is the great cause of these descents from the north; for the +continued droughts which I have mentioned of four or five years compel +them to seek for pasture elsewhere, after their own is burned up. At all +events, it appears that the Caffre nations have been continually +sustaining the pressure from without, both from the northward and the +southward, for many years. + +"When the Dutch settled at the Cape, they took possession of the country +belonging to the Hottentot tribes, driving the few that chose to +preserve their independence into the Bushman and Namaqua lands, +increasing the population in those countries, which are only able to +afford subsistence to a very scattered few. Then, again, they encroached +upon the Caffres, driving them first beyond the great Fish River, and +afterward still more to the northward. The Bushman tribes of hill +Hottentots, if we may so term them, have also been increased by various +means, notwithstanding the constant massacres of these unhappy people by +the Dutch boors; moreover, we have by our injudicious colonial +regulations added another and a new race of people, who are already +considerable in their numbers." + +"Which do you refer to?" + +"To the people now known by the name of Griquas, from their having taken +possession of the Griqua country. They are the mixed race between the +Hottentots and the whites. By the Dutch colonial law, these people could +not hold possession of any land in the colony; and this act of injustice +and folly has deprived us of a very valuable race of men, who might have +added much to the prosperity of the colony. Brave and intelligent, +industrious to a great degree, they, finding themselves despised on +account of the Hottentot blood in their veins, have migrated from the +colony and settled beyond the boundaries. Being tolerably well provided +with fire-arms, those who are peaceably inclined can protect themselves, +while those who are otherwise commit great depredations upon the poor +savages, following the example shown them by the colonists, and sweeping +off their cattle and their property, in defiance of law and justice. You +now perceive, Alexander, how it is that there has been a pressure from +the southward." + +"That is very evident," replied the Major. + +"Perhaps I had better proceed to the northward by degrees, and make some +mention of the Caffre tribes, which are those who have suffered from +being, as it were, pressed between encroachments from the north and the +south. The Caffre race is very numerous. The origin of the general term +Caffre, which means Infidel, and no more, is not known, any more than is +that of the term Hottentot." + +"A proof of what we found out at school," observed the Major, "that +nicknames, as they are termed, stick longer than real ones." + +"Precisely," replied Swinton; "our acquaintance is mostly with the more +southern Caffres, who occupy the land bordering on the east coast of +Africa, from the Cape boundary to Port Natal. These are the Amakosa +tribe, whose warriors have just left us; the Tambookies, whose territory +we have recently quitted, and to the northward of them by Port Natal, +the Hambonas. These are the Eastern Caffres. + +"On the other side of the Mambookei chain of mountains, and in the +central portion of Africa, below the tropic, are the Bechuanas, who +inhabit an extent of country as yet imperfectly known to us. These may +be termed the Central Caffres. + +"On the western side of the African coast, and above Namaqua Land, whose +inhabitants are probably chiefly of the Hottentot race, we have the +Damaras, who may be classed as the Western Caffres; with these we have +had little or no communication. + +"All these tribes speak the Bechuana or Caffre language, with very +slight variations; they are all governed by chiefs or kings, and +subdivided into numerous bodies; but they are all Caffres. Of their +characters I have only to observe, that as far as we have experienced, +the Caffres of the eastern coast, which we have just left, are very +superior to the others in courage and in every other good quality. Now, +have I made myself intelligible, Alexander?" + +"Most clearly so." + +"I nevertheless wish we were sitting down in some safe place instead of +traveling on horseback over this withered tract, and that I had the map +before me to make you understand better." + +"I will refer to the map as soon as I can," replied Alexander; "but I +have studied the map a great deal, and therefore do not so much require +it." + +All these Caffre tribes live much the same life; their wealth is in +cattle; they are partly husbandmen, partly herdsmen, and partly hunters; +and their continual conflicts with the wild beasts of the country +prepare them for warriors. The Eastern Caffres, from whom we have lately +parted, are the most populous; indeed, now that we have taken from them +so much of their country, they have scarcely pasturage for their cattle. +I have said that the Eastern Caffres' territory extends as far as the +latitude of Port Natal, but it formerly extended much further to the +northward, as it did to the southward, before we drove them from their +territory; indeed as far north as Delagoa Bay; all the country between +Port Natal and Delagoa Bay being formerly inhabited by tribes of +Caffres. I believe, Alexander, that Mr. Fairburn gave you a history of +the celebrated monarch Chaka, the king of the Zulus?" + +"Yes, he did." + +"Well, it was Chaka who overran that country I am now speaking of, and +drove out all the tribes who occupied it, as well as a large portion of +the Bechuana tribes who inhabited lands more to the northward. Now the +irruptions we have had into the Caffre and Bechuana country bordering +upon the colony have been wholly brought about by the devastations +committed by Chaka. Of course I refer to those irruptions which have +taken place since our knowledge and possession of the Cape. I have no +doubt that such irruptions have been continued, and that they have +occurred once in every century for ages. They have been brought about by +a population increasing beyond the means of subsistence, and have taken +place as soon as the overplus have required it. + +"The migration of the springboks, which we witnessed yesterday, may be +more frequent, but are not more certain than those of the central +population of Africa. The Caffres themselves state that they formerly +came from the northward, and won their territory by conquest; and the +Hottentots have the same tradition as regards themselves. + +"The invasion of the Mantatees, as they are called (and by the Eastern +Caffres Ficani), was nothing more than that of a people dispossessed of +their property, and driven from the territory by the Zoolus, under +Chaka; and, indeed, this last array under Quetoo, which has been +destroyed within this month, may be considered as invading from a +similar cause. Having separated from Chaka, Quetoo could find no +resting-place, and he therefore came to the southward with the intention +of wresting the territory from the Caffres, in which he has failed. Had +he not failed, and been cut off by the Caffres, he would have destroyed +them, and thus made room for his own people." + +"Of course; for the end of all these invasions and migrations must be in +such a sacrifice of human life as to afford sustenance and the means of +subsistence to those who remain," observed the Major. + +"Precisely; and such must continue to be the case on this continent, +until the arts and civilization have taught men how to increase the +means of subsistence. To produce this, Christianity must be introduced; +for Christianity and civilization go hand in hand." + +"But the Mantatees or Ficani, who are they?" + +"I have already said they were northern Caffre tribes, dispossessed of +their territory by Chaka. The names of the tribes we do not know. +Mantatee, in the Caffre language, signifies an invader, and Ficani also, +marauders; both terms applicable to the people, but certainly not the +names of the tribes. + +"I believe, now, I have said enough on the subject to allow me to enter +upon the history of this last invasion; but, to tell the truth, the heat +is so overpowering, and I feel my tongue so parched, that you must +excuse me for deferring this account till another opportunity. As soon +as we are a little more at our ease, I will give you the history of the +Mantatees." + +"We are much obliged to you for what you have told us, Swinton, and +will spare you for the present," replied Alexander. "What animals are +those?--look!" + +"They are gnoos," replied Swinton. "There are two varieties of them, the +common gnoo and the brindled gnoo. They form an intermediate link +between the antelope family and the bovine or ox, and they are very good +eating." + +"Then, I wish we were able to go after them. They do not seem to be +afraid of us, but approach nearer at every gallop which they make." + +"Yes, although shy, they have a great deal of curiosity," replied +Swinton. "Watch them now." + +The animals bounded away again, as Swinton spoke, and then returned to +gaze upon the caravan, stirring up the dust with their hoofs, tossing +their manes, and lashing their sides with their long tails, as they +curvetted and shook their heads, sometimes stamping as if in defiance, +and then flying away like the wind, as if from fear. + +"They are safe this time," observed Major Henderson; "but another day we +will try their mettle." + +"You will find them fierce and dangerous when wounded, sir," said +Bremen, who had ridden up. "We are not many miles from the river, for +the cattle begin to sniff." + +"I am delighted to hear you say so; for then there must be water near. +But the haze and glare together are so great that we can not distinguish +above two miles, if so much." + +"No, sir," replied the Hottentot; "but I can see well enough to see +_them_" continued he, pointing with his finger to a rising ground about +a hundred yards off, on the right of them. "One, two, three--there are +five of them." + +"What are they?" said the Major, looking in the direction pointed out. +"I see; they are lions." + +"Yes, sir; but we must take no notice of them, and they will not annoy +us. They are not hungry." + +"You are right," said Swinton, "we must go right on, neither stopping +nor hastening our speed. Let the driver look to the oxen; for, tired as +they are, the smell of the lions is sufficient to give them +ungovernable strength for the moment." + +"Well," said the Major, "bring us our guns, Bremen. I am willing to +accept the armed neutrality, if they will consent to it." + +The caravan passed on; the lions remaining crouched where they were, +eying them, it is true, but not rising from their beds. The oxen, +however, either through fear of the lions, or the scent of water near, +became more brisk in their motions, and in half an hour they perceived a +line of trees before them, which told them that they were near the bed +of the Nu Gariep or Cradock River. + +The poor animals redoubled their exertions, and soon arrived at the +banks. Bremen had ridden forward and reported that there still was water +in the river, but only in pools. As the herbage was destroyed on the +side where they were, they would have crossed the bed of the river +before they unyoked, but that they found impossible. The animals were so +impatient for the water, that, had they not been released, they would +have broken the wagons. + +Horses, oxen and sheep all plunged into the pools together, and for some +minutes appeared as though they would never be satisfied. They at last +went out, but soon returned again, till their sides were distended with +the quantity of the element which they had imbibed. + +An hour was allowed for the animals to rest and enjoy themselves, and +then they were again yoked to drag the wagons to the other side of the +river, where there was a sufficiency of pasturage and of wood to make up +their fires. + +As it was their intention to remain there for a day or two, the wagons +were drawn up at some distance from the river, so as not to interfere +with the path by which the wild animals went down to drink. The spoors +or tracks of the lions and buffaloes and other animals were so abundant, +as to show that this precaution was necessary. + +As soon as the wagons were arranged in the usual manner, the cattle were +permitted to graze till the evening, when they were brought in and +secured, as usual, inside and round the wagons. They supped off the +remainder of the springbok, which was not very sweet; but the horses and +men were both too much exhausted with the fatiguing journey to hunt +until the following day. + +That night they were not disturbed by lions, but the hyenas contrived to +crawl under the wagons, and, having severely bitten one of the oxen, +succeeded in carrying off one of the sheep. They had been so often +annoyed by these animals, that we have never mentioned them; but on the +following morning it was found that the ox had been so seriously injured +that the leg-bone was broken, and they were obliged to destroy the +animal. + +"Were the courage of the hyena equal to his strength, it would be a most +formidable animal," observed Swinton; "but the fact is, it seldom or +never attacks mankind, although there may be twenty in a troop. At the +same time, among the Caffres they very often do enter the huts of the +natives, and occasionally devour children and infirm people. But this is +greatly owing to the encouragement they receive from the custom of the +Caffres leaving their dead to be devoured by these animals, which gives +them a liking for human flesh, and makes them more bold to obtain it." + +"They must have a tremendous power in their jaw," observed Alexander. + +"They have, and it is given them for all-wise purposes. The hyena and +the vulture are the scavengers of the tropical regions. The hyena +devours what the vulture leaves, which is the skin and bones of a dead +carcass. Its power of jaw is so great, that it breaks the largest bone +with facility." + +"Are there many varieties of them?" + +"In Africa there are four:--The common spotted hyena, or wolf of the +colonists, whose smell is so offensive that dogs leave it with disgust +after it is killed; its own fellows will, however, devour it +immediately. The striped or ferocious hyena, called the shard-wolf, and +another which the colonists call the bay-wolf, and which I believe to be +the one known as the laughing hyena. There is another variety, which is +a sort of link between the hyena and the dog, called the venatica. It +hunts in packs, and the colonists term it the wild honde. It was first +classed by Burchell the traveler. This last is smaller, but much +fiercer, than the others." + +"I know that there are leopards in the country, but we have never yet +fallen in with one. Are they dangerous?" + +"The leopard shuns any conflict with man, but when driven to desperation +it becomes a formidable antagonist. I recollect very well two boors +having attacked a leopard, and the animal, being hotly pressed by them +and wounded, turned round and sprang upon the one nearest, pulling him +to the ground, biting his shoulder, and tearing him with his claws. The +other, seeing the danger of his comrade, sprang from his horse and +attempted to shoot the animal through the head. He missed, and the +leopard left the first man, sprang upon _him_, and, striking him on the +face, tore his scalp down over his eyes. The hunter grappled with the +animal, and at last they rolled together down a steep cliff. As soon as +the first hunter could reload his gun, he rushed after them to save his +friend, but it was too late. The animal had seized him by the throat, +and mangled him so dreadfully, that death was inevitable and all that +the man could do was to avenge his comrade's death by shooting the +leopard." + +"That proves the leopard is not to be trifled with." + +"No animal is, when it stands at bay, or is driven to desperation; and, +in confirmation of this, I once witnessed one of these animals--the +quaggas--which, being pressed to the edge of a precipice by a mounted +hunter, seized the man's foot with its teeth, and actually tore it off, +so that, although medical aid was at hand, the man died from loss of +blood." + +"One would hardly expect such a tragical issue to the chase of a wild +jackass," observed the Major. + +"No; but 'in the midst of life we are in death,' and we never know from +whence the blow may come. Until it occurred, such an event was supposed +impossible, and the very idea would have created nothing but ridicule. +By the by, one of our good missionaries was very near losing his life by +a leopard. He went to save a Hottentot who had been seized, and was +attacked by the leopard which, as in the former instance, left his +first antagonist to meet his second. Fortunately, Mr. S. was a very +powerful man, and assistance was sooner given him than in the former +instance. Neither he nor the Hottentot, however, escaped without severe +wounds, which confined them for many weeks." + +"Is there more than one variety of leopard, Swinton?" + +"Yes, there is the common leopard and the hunting leopard; besides, I +think, two or three smaller varieties, as the tiger-cat and wild cat. +What do you propose doing to-day? Do you stay here, or advance, Wilmot?" + +"Why, the Major wishes to have a shot at the gnoos; he has never killed +one yet; and as I am of his opinion, that a day's rest will recover the +oxen, and we are in no hurry, I think we may as well stop and provision +our camp for a few days." + +"With all my heart. I am sorry that the hyena has added to our store, by +obliging us to kill the poor ox; however, it can not be helped. There is +a large body of gnoos and quaggas under that small hill to the westward; +but there are better animals for the table when we get a little further +to the northward." + +"Which are those?" + +"The eland, the largest of the antelope species, and sometimes weighing +more than a thousand pounds; moreover, they are very fat, and very easy +to run down. They are excellent eating. When I was in the Namaquas' +land, we preferred them to any other food; but I see another variety of +game on the plain there." + +"What?" + +Omrah pointed them out. "They are either Bushmen (tame Bushmen, as they +are called, in contradistinction to the others), or else Korannas; most +probably the latter. They are coming right towards us; but Mahomed says +breakfast is ready." + +By the time that breakfast was finished, a party of twelve Korannas had +joined the caravan. They made signs that they were hungry, pointing to +the straps which confined their stomachs. The interpreter told them that +they were about to hunt, and that they should have some of the game, at +which they were much pleased. + +"Do you know what those straps are called, round their waists, Wilmot?" +said Swinton. "They are called the belts of famine. All the natives wear +them when hard pressed by hunger, and they say that they are a great +relief. I have no doubt but such is the fact." + +"Well," said the Major, "I hope soon to enable the poor fellows to +loosen their belts, and fill their stomachs till they are as tight as a +drum. Saddle the horses, Bremen. Omrah, you ride my spare horse and +carry my spare rifle." + +Omrah, who now understood English, although he spoke but few words, gave +a nod of the head and went off to the wagon for the Major's rifle. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + + +As soon as the horses were ready, our travelers set out in chase of the +gnoos and quaggas, which were collected to the westward of the caravan. +Bremen, Swanevelt, and Omrah were mounted, and ten of the Hottentots +followed with their guns, and the Korannas on foot; among the others, +Big Adam, who had been explaining to those who had never seen the gnoos +the manner in which he used to kill them. + +The herd permitted them to approach within two hundred yards of them, +and then, after curvetting and prancing, and galloping in small circles, +they stood still at about the same distance, looking, with curiosity and +anger mixed, at the horsemen. After a time, they took to their heels and +scoured the plain for about two miles, when they again stopped, tossing +their heads and manes, and stamping as if in defiance. + +The mounted party remained quiet till those on foot had again drawn +near, and the Hottentots, firing their guns, drove the herd within shot +of our travelers' guns, and three of the gnoos fell, while the others +bounded off to a greater distance; but as they neared the caravan, they +again started back, and were again closed in by the whole party. + +The Hottentots now advanced cautiously, creeping as near as they could +to the animals, whose attention was directed to the horsemen. The +Hottentots were nearly within range, when Omrah, who was mounted on the +Major's spare horse, fastened to the ramrod of the Major's rifle a red +bandanna handkerchief, which he usually wore round his head, and +separating quickly from the rest of the horsemen, walked his horse to +where Big Adam was creeping along to gain a shot, and stationed himself +behind him, waving the red handkerchief at the animals. Omrah was well +aware that a gnoo is as much irritated at a red handkerchief as a bull, +and as soon as he commenced waving it, one of the largest males stepped +out in that direction, pawing the ground and preparing for a charge. + +Big Adam, who had no idea that Omrah was so occupied behind him, now +rose to have a shot, and just as he rose the gnoo made his charge, and +Big Adam, being between the gnoo and the horse which Omrah rode, was of +course the party against whom the animal's choler was raised. + +Omrah, as soon as the animal charged, had wheeled round and galloped +away, while in the meantime Big Adam, perceiving the animal rushing at +him, lost all presence of mind, his gun went off without effect, and he +turned tail; the horns of the gnoo were close upon him, when of a +sudden, to the surprise of those who were looking on, Big Adam +disappeared, and the gnoo passed over where he had been. + +"Why, what has become of him?" said Alexander, laughing. + +"I don't know, but I think he has had a wonderful escape," replied the +Major: "he has disappeared like a ghost through a trap-door." + +"But I see his heels," cried Swinton, laughing; "he has fallen into an +ant-eater's hole, depend upon it; that mischievous little urchin might +have caused his death." + +"It was only to make him prove his steady aim which he was boasting so +much about," replied the Major; "but stop a moment; I will bring down +that gallant little animal, and then we will look for big Adam." + +But before the Major could get near enough to the gnoo, which was still +tearing up the ground and looking for his adversary, Omrah, who had put +by the handkerchief, advanced with the Major's rifle, and brought the +animal down. A volley was at the same time discharged at the herd by the +Hottentots, and three more fell, after which the remainder scampered +away, and were soon out of sight. + +They then rode up to where Big Adam had disappeared, and found him, as +Swinton had supposed, in a deep ant-eater's hole, head downward, and +bellowing for help. His feet were just above the surface, and that was +all; the Hottentots helped him out, and Big Adam threw himself on his +back, and seemed exhausted with fright and having been so long in a +reversed position, and was more vexed at the laugh which was raised +against him. + +The gnoos were soon cut up, and when the Hottentots had taken away as +much as they required, the rest of the carcasses were made over to the +hungry Korannas. Swinton shook his head at Omrah, who pretended that he +did not understand why, until the laughter of Alexander and the Major +was joined in by Swinton himself. + +As they had pretty well fatigued their horses in the chase, they +resolved to return to the caravan, and keep them as fresh as they could +for future service. They dined and supped on the flesh of the gnoos, +which was approved of, and after supper Alexander said--"And now, +Swinton, if you feel inclined, the Major and I will be very glad to hear +your history of the Mantatees." + +"With pleasure," replied Swinton. "The assemblage of tribes known as the +Mantatees or Invaders, according to the best authorities we can collect, +inhabited the countries to the westward of the Zoolu territory, in the +same latitude, which is that of Delagoa Bay. As all these tribes subsist +almost entirely upon the flesh and the milk of their cattle, if deprived +of them, they are driven to desperation, and must either become robbers +in their turn, or perish by hunger. Such was the case of the Mantatees. +Unable to withstand the attacks of the Zoolus, they were driven from +their country, and joined their forces with others who had shared the +same fate. + +"Such was the origin of the Mantatees, who, although they had not +courage to withstand the attacks of the Zoolus, were stimulated by +desperation and famine to a most extraordinary courage in the attacks +which they made upon others. + +"Forming an immense body, now that they were collected together, +accompanied by their wives and children, and unable to procure the +necessary subsistence, it is certain that their habits were so far +changed that they at last became cannibals, and were driven to prey upon +the dead bodies of their enemies, or the flesh of their comrades who +fell in the combats. + +"The Bechuana tribes, who are the Caffres of the interior, were the +first assailed, their towns sacked and burned, and their cattle seized +and devoured. They proceeded on to the Wankeets, one of the Damara +tribes, who inhabit the western coast to the northward of the Namaqua +Land; but the Wankeets were a brave people, and prepared for them, and +the Mantatees were driven back with great slaughter. Astounded at their +defeat, they turned to the southward, and invaded the Bechuana country. + +"At that time our missionaries had established themselves at Koranna, +and when the report of the Mantatees advancing was brought to them, the +Bechuanas were in a great consternation; for although finer-looking men +than the eastern Caffres, they are not by any means so brave and +warlike. + +"As the advance of these people would have been the ruin of the mission, +as well as the destruction of the tribe, who were afraid to encounter +them, Mr. M., the missionary, determined upon sending for the assistance +of the Griquas, the people whom I have before mentioned, and who had not +only horses, but were well armed. The Griquas came under their chief, +Waterboer, and marched against the enemy, accompanied by a large army +of Bechuanas, who, encouraged by the presence of the Griquas, now went +forth to the combat. + +"The Mantatees had at that time advanced as far, and had taken +possession of, Litakoo, a Bechuana town, containing 16,000 inhabitants; +and I will now give, as nearly as I can recollect it, the account of Mr. +M., the missionary at Kuruman, who accompanied the Griquas to propose +and effect, if it were possible, an amicable arrangement with the +invaders. + +"He told me that as they proceeded with a small party, ahead of the +Griqua force, to effect their purpose, they passed by numbers of the +enemy, who had advanced to the pools to drink, and had there sunk down +and expired from famine. As they neared the mass of the enemy, they +found that all the cattle which they had captured were inclosed in the +center of a vast multitude. They attempted a parley, but the enemy +started forward, and hurled their spears with the most savage fury, and +they were compelled to retreat, finding no hopes of obtaining a parley. + +"The next day it was decided that the Griquas should advance. They +numbered about one hundred well-mounted and well-armed men. The enemy +flew at them with terrible howls, hurling their javelins and clubs; +their black dismal appearance, their savage fury, and their hoarse loud +voices producing a strange effect. The Griquas, to prevent their being +surrounded, very wisely retreated. + +"It was at last decided that the Griquas should fire, and it was hoped +that as the Mantatees had never seen the effects of fire-arms they would +be humbled and alarmed, and thus further bloodshed might be prevented. +Many of the Mantatees fell; but, although the survivors looked with +astonishment upon the dead and their wounded warriors writhing in the +dust, they flew with lion-like vengeance at the horsemen, wrenching the +weapons from the hands of their dying companions, to replace those which +they had already discharged at their antagonists. + +"As those who thus stepped out from the main body to attack the Griquas +were the chiefs of the Mantatees, and many of them were killed, their +deaths, one after the other, disheartened the whole body. + +"After the Griquas had commenced the attack, the Bechuana army came up +and assisted with their poisoned arrows, with which they plied the +enemy; but a small body of the fierce Mantatees, sallying out, put the +whole of the Bechuanas to flight. + +"After a combat of two hours and a half, the Griquas, finding their +ammunition failing, determined, at great risk, to charge the whole body. +They did so, and the Mantatees gave way, and fled in a westerly +direction; but they were intercepted by the Griquas, and another charge +being made, the whole was pell-mell and confusion. + +"Mr. M. says that the scene which now presented itself was most awful, +and the state of suspense most cruel. The undulating country around was +covered with warriors--Griquas, Mantatees, and Bechuanas, all in +motion--so that it was impossible to say who were enemies and who were +friends. Clouds of dust rose from the immense masses, some flying, +others pursuing; and to their screams and yells were added the bellowing +of the oxen, the shouts of the yet unvanquished warriors, the groans of +the dying, and the wails of women and of children. At last the enemy +retreated to the town, which they set in flames, to add to the horror of +the scene. + +"Then another desperate struggle ensued, the Mantatees attempted to +inclose the Griquas in the burning town; but not succeeding, they fled +precipitately. Strange to say, the Mantatee forces were divided into two +parts, and during the time that the Griquas engaged the one, the other +remained in the town, having such confidence in the former that they did +not come to their assistance. + +"When the town was set on fire, both armies united, and retreated +together to the northward, in a body of not less than 40,000 warriors. +As soon as the Mantatees retreated, the Bechuanas commenced the work of +slaughter. Women and children were butchered without mercy; but as for +the wounded Mantatees, it appeared as if nothing would make them yield. +There were many instances of an individual being surrounded by fifty +Bechuanas, but as long as life remained he fought. + +"Mr. M. says that he saw more than one instance of a Mantatee fighting +wildly against numbers, with ten or twelve arrows and spears pierced in +his body. Struggling with death, the men would rally, raise themselves +from the ground, discharge their weapons, and fall dead, their +revengeful and hostile spirit only ceasing when life was extinct." + +"And yet these same people permitted their own country to be taken from +them by the Zoolus." + +"Yes, it was so; but want and necessity had turned them into desperate +warriors." + +"I wonder they never thought of going back and recovering their own +country. They would have been a match for the Zoolus. Is that the end of +their history, Swinton?" + +"No, not quite. But perhaps you are tired?" + +"Oh, no. Pray go on." + +"The Mantatees, although defeated by the Griquas, soon recovered their +courage, and intelligence came that they were about to make a descent +upon Kuruman, where the missionaries had their station. The Mantatees, +having been informed that the Griquas had gone home, now determined to +revenge themselves upon the Bechuanas, whom they considered but as the +dust under their feet. + +"On this information, Mr. M. wrote to Waterboer, who commanded the +Griquas, requesting his immediate return; but Waterboer replied that an +immense body of Mantatees were coming down upon the Griquas by the Val +or Yellow River, and that they were forced to remain, to defend their +own property, advising Mr. M. to retreat with his family to the Griqua +town, and put themselves under their protection. + +"As they could no longer remain, the mission station was abandoned, and +the missionaries, with their wives and families, retreated to Griqua +town. They had not, however, been long at Griqua town before news +arrived that both the bodies of Mantatees had altered their routes. +One portion of them went eastward, toward the country from which they +had been driven by the Zoolus, and another, it appears, took possession +of the country near the sources of the Orange River, where for many +years they carried on a predatory warfare with the tribes in that +district. At last a portion of them were incorporated, and settled down +on that part which is now known as the Mantatee new country; the +remainder made an irruption into the eastern Caffre country, where they +were known as the Ficani." + +"And what became of them?" + +"They defeated one or two of the Caffre chiefs, and the Caffres implored +the assistance of the English colonists, which was granted, and a large +armed force was sent out against the invaders. They were found +located--for they had built a town--near the sources of the Umtata +River. The Caffres joined with all their forces, and the Ficani were +surprised. A horrid slaughter took place; muskets, artillery and +Congreve rockets were poured upon the unfortunate wretches, who were +hemmed in on all sides by the Caffres, and the unfortunate Ficani may be +said to have been exterminated, for the Caffres spared neither man, +woman nor child. Such is the history of the Mantatees; their destruction +was horrible, but perhaps unavoidable." + +"Very true," observed Alexander; "I can not help thinking that +desolating contests like these are permitted by a controlling Providence +as chastisements, yet with a gracious end; for, surely it was better +that they should meet with immediate death, than linger till famine put +an end to their misery. This is certain, that they must have been +destroyed, or others destroyed to make room for them. In either case a +great sacrifice of life was to be incurred. War, dreadful as it is in +detail, appears to be one of the necessary evils of human existence, and +a means by which we do not increase so rapidly as to devour each other. + +"I don't know whether you have made the observation, but it appears to +me the plague and cholera are almost necessary in the countries where +they break out; and it is very remarkable that the latter disease never +made its appearance in Europe (at least not for centuries, I may say) +until after peace had been established, and the increase of population +was so rapid. + +"During the many years that Europe was devastated and the population +thinned by war, we had no cholera, and but little of one or two other +epidemics which have since been very fatal. What I mean to infer is, +that the hand of Providence may be seen in all this. Thus sanguinary +wars and the desolating ravages of disease, which are in themselves +afflictive visitations, and probably chastisements for national sins, +may nevertheless have the effect, in some cases, of preventing the +miseries which result from an undue increase of population." + +"You may be quite right, Alexander," observed Swinton; "the ways of +Heaven are inscrutably mysterious, and when we offer up prayers for the +removal of what may appear to be a heavy calamity, we may be deprecating +that which in the end may prove a mercy." + +"One thing I could not help remarking in your narrative, Swinton," +observed the Major, "which is the position of the missionaries during +this scene of terror. You passed it slightly over, but it must have been +most trying." + +"Most surely it was." + +"And yet I have not only read but heard much said against them, and +strong opposition made to subscriptions for their support." + +"I grant it, but it is because people know that a great deal of money +has been subscribed, and do not know the uses to which it is applied. +They hear reports read, and find perhaps that the light of the Gospel +has but as yet glimmered in one place or another; that in other places +all labor has hitherto been thrown away. They forget that it is the +grain of mustard-seed which is to become a great tree, and spread its +branches; they wish for immoderate returns, and are therefore +disappointed. Of course I can not give an opinion as to the manner in +which the missions are conducted in other countries; but as I have +visited most of the missions in these parts, I can honestly assert, and +I think you have already yourself seen enough to agree with me, that the +money intrusted to the societies is not thrown away or lavishly +expended; the missionaries labor with their own hands, and almost +provide for their own support." + +"There I agree with you, Swinton," replied Alexander; "but what are the +objections raised against them? for now that I have seen them with my +own eyes, I can not imagine what they can be." + +"The objections which I have heard, and have so often attempted to +refute, are, that the generality of missionaries are a fanatical class +of men, who are more anxious to inculcate the peculiar tenets of their +own sects and denominations than the religion of our Saviour; that most +of them are uneducated and vulgar men--many of them very intemperate and +very injudicious--some few of them of bad moral character; and that +their exertions, if they have used them--whether to civilize or to +Christianize the people among whom they are sent--have not been followed +by any commensurate results." + +"And now let us have your replies to these many objections." + +"It is no doubt true that the missionaries who are laboring among the +savages of the interior are, many, if not most of them, people of +limited education. Indeed, the major portion of them have been brought +up as mechanics. But I much question whether men of higher attainments +and more cultivated minds would be better adapted to meet the capacities +of unintellectual barbarians. A highly-educated man may be appreciated +among those who are educated themselves; but how can he be appreciated +by the savage? On the contrary, the savage looks with much more respect +upon a man who can forge iron, repair his weapons, and excite his +astonishment by his cunning workmanship; for then the savage perceives +and acknowledges his superiority, which in the man of intellect he would +never discover. + +"Besides, admitting that it would be preferable to employ persons of +higher mental attainments, where are they to be found? Could you expect, +when so many laborers are required in the vineyard, a sufficient number +of volunteers among the young men brought up at the universities? Would +they be able to submit to those privations, and incur those hardships, +to which the African missionaries are exposed? Would they be able to +work hard and labor for their daily bread, or be willing to encounter +such toil and such danger as must be encountered by those who are sent +here? I fear not. And allow me here to remark, that at the first +preaching of Christianity it was not talented and educated men who were +selected by our Saviour; out of the twelve, the Apostle Paul was the +only one who had such claims. + +"If we had beheld the Galilean fishermen mending their nets, should we +have ever imagined that those humble laborers were to be the people who +should afterward regenerate the world?--should overthrow the idolatries +and crumble the superstitions of ancient empires and kingdoms?--and that +what they--uneducated, but, we admit, divinely inspired and +supported--had taught should be joyfully received, as it is now, we may +say, from the rising to the setting of the sun, to the utmost boundaries +of the earth?" + +"Most truly and most admirably argued, Swinton," replied Alexander. "The +Almighty, as if to prove how insignificant in his sight is all human +power, has often made use of the meanest instruments to accomplish the +greatest ends. Who knows but that even our keeping holy the Sabbath-day +in the desert may be productive of some good, and be the humble means of +advancing the Divine cause? We must ever bear in mind the counsel, 'In +the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for +thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether +they both shall be alike good.'" + +"Surely so," replied Swinton; "the natives consider us as a superior +race; they see our worship, and they are led to think that must be right +which they perceive is done by those to whom they look up as their +superiors. It may induce them to inquire and to receive +information--eventually to be enrolled among the followers of our +Saviour. It is, however, not to be denied that in some few instances +persons have been chosen for the office of missionaries who have proved +themselves unworthy; but that must and will ever be the case where +human agents are employed. But it argues no more against the general +respectability and utility of the missionaries as a body, than the +admission of the traitor Judas among the apostles. To the efficacy of +their works, and their zeal in the cause, I myself, having visited the +station, have no hesitation in bearing testimony. Indeed I can not but +admire the exemplary fortitude, the wonderful patience and perseverance, +which the missionaries have displayed. + +"These devoted men are to be found in the remotest deserts, accompanying +the wild and wandering savages from place to place, suffering from +hunger and from thirst, destitute of almost every comfort, and at times +without even the necessaries of life. Some of them have without +murmuring spent their whole lives in such service; and yet their zeal is +set down as fanaticism by those who remain at home, and assert that the +money raised for their equipment is thrown away. Happily, they have not +looked for their reward in this world, but have built their hopes upon +that which is to come." + +"That the people who joined the Mission stations have become more +civilized, and that they are very superior to their countrymen, is +certain," observed the Major; "but have you seen any proof of +Christianity having produced any remarkably good effect among the +natives?--I mean one that might be brought forward as convincing +evidence to those who have shown themselves inimical or lukewarm in the +cause." + +"Yes," replied Swinton, "the history of Africaner is one; and there are +others, although not so prominent as that of the party to whom I refer." + +"Well, Swinton, you must now be again taxed. You must give us the +history of Africaner." + +"That I will, with pleasure, that you may be able to narrate it, when +required, in support of the missions. Africaner was a chief, and a +descendant of chiefs of the Hottentot nation, who once pastured their +own flocks and herds on their own native hills, within a hundred miles +of Cape Town. As the Dutch colonists at the Cape increased, so did they, +as Mr. Fairburn has stated to Alexander, dispossess the Hottentots of +their lands, and the Hottentots, unable to oppose their invaders, +gradually found themselves more and more remote from the possessions of +their forefathers. + +"After a time, Africaner and his diminished clan found themselves +compelled to join and take service under a Dutch boor, and for some time +proved himself a most faithful shepherd in looking after and securing +the herds of his employer. Had the Dutch boor behaved with common +humanity, not to say gratitude, toward those who served him so well, he +might now have been alive; but, like all the rest of his countrymen, he +considered the Hottentots as mere beasts of burden, and at any momentary +anger they were murdered and hunted down as if they were wild animals. + +"Africaner saw his clan daily diminished by the barbarity of his feudal +master, and at last resolved upon no further submission. As the Bushmen +were continually making attempts upon the cattle of the boor, Africaner +and his people had not only been well trained to fire-arms, but had them +constantly in their possession. His assumed master, having an idea that +there would be a revolt, resolved upon sending a portion of Africaner's +people to a distant spot, where he intended to secure them, and by their +destruction weaken the power of the clan. + +"This, as he was a sort of magistrate, he had the power to enforce; but +Africaner, suspecting his views, resolved to defeat them. Order after +order was sent to the huts of Africaner and his people. They positively +refused to comply. They requested to be paid for their long services, +and be permitted to retire further into the interior. This was sternly +denied, and they were ordered to appear at the house of the boor. +Fearful of violence, yet accustomed to obey his order, Africaner and his +brothers went up; but one of his brothers concealed his gun under his +cloak. On their arrival, the boor came out and felled Africaner to the +ground. His brother immediately shot the boor with his gun, and thus did +the miscreant meet with the just reward of his villainies and murder. + +"The wife, who had witnessed the murder of her husband, shrieked and +implored mercy; they told her that she need not be alarmed, but +requested that the guns and ammunition in the house should be delivered +up to them, which was immediately done. Africaner then hastened back to +his people, collected them and all his cattle, with what effects they +could take with them, and directed his course to the Orange River. + +"He was soon out of the reach of his pursuers, for it required time in +so scattered a district to collect a sufficient force. Africaner fixed +his abode upon the banks of the Orange River, and afterward a chief +ceding to him his dominion in Great Namaqua land, the territory became +his by right as well as by conquest. I think I had better leave off now; +it is getting late, and we must to bed, if we are to start early +to-morrow morning." + +"We will have mercy upon you, Swinton, and defer our impatience," said +the Major. "Good-night to you, and may you not have a lion's serenade." + +"No, I hope not; their music is too loud to be agreeable;--good-night." + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + + +Having filled their water-kegs, the next morning at day-light they yoked +the oxen and left the banks of the Cradock or Black River, to proceed +more to the northward, through the Bushmen's country; but as they were +aware that there was no water to be procured, if they quitted the stream +altogether, till they arrived at the Val or Yellow River, they decided +upon following the course of the Black River to the westward for some +time, before they struck off for the Val or Yellow River, near to which +they expected to fall in with plenty of game, and particularly the +giraffe and rhinoceros. + +Although at that season of the year the river was nearly dry, still +there was a scanty herbage on and near its bank, intermixed with beds of +rushes and high reeds; this was sufficient for the pasture of the +cattle, but it was infested with lions and other animals, which at the +dry season of the year kept near the river-bank for a supply of water. + +By noon they had proceeded about fifteen miles to the westward, and as +they advanced they found that the supply of water in the river was more +abundant; they then unyoked the cattle to allow them to feed till the +evening, for it was too dangerous to turn them loose at night. As they +were in no hurry, they resolved that they would only travel for the +future from daylight till noon; the afternoon and evening were to be +spent in hunting, and at night they were to halt the caravan and secure +every thing as before, by inclosing the horses and sheep, and tying up +the oxen. + +By this arrangement the cattle would not be exhausted with their labor, +and they would have time to follow the object of their journey--that of +hunting the wild animals with which the country abounded, and also of +procuring a constant supply of food for themselves and their attendants. + +Having now traveled as far as they wished, they stopped at the foot of a +rising ground, about a quarter of a mile from the river's bank, and +which was on the outskirts of a large clump of mimosa and other trees. +As soon as the cattle were unyoked and had gone down to the river to +drink, our travelers ordered their horses to be saddled, and as the +banks of the river on that side were low, they rode up to the rising +ground to view the country beyond, and to ascertain what game might be +in sight. + +When they arrived at the summit, and were threading their way through +the trees, Omrah pointed to a broken branch, and said, "Elephant here +not long ago." + +Bremen said that Omrah was right, and that the animals could not have +left more than a week, and that probably they had followed the course of +the stream. The print of another foot was observed by Omrah, and he +pointed it out; but not knowing the name to give the animal in English +or Dutch, he imitated its motions. + +"Does he mean a gnoo?" said Alexander. + +Omrah shook his head, and, raising his hands up, motioned that the +animal was twice as big. + +"Come here, Bremen; what print of a hoof is this?" said Swinton. + +"Buffalo, sir,--fresh print--was here last night." + +"That's an animal that I am anxious to slay," said the Major. + +"You must be very careful that he does not slay _you_," replied Swinton; +"for it is a most dangerous beast, almost as much so as a lion." + +"Well, we must not return without one, at all events," said Alexander; +"nor without a lion also, as soon as we can find one alone; but those we +have seen in the daytime have always been in threes and fours, and I +think the odds too great with our party; but the first single lion we +fall in with, I vote we try for his skin." + +"Agreed," replied the Major; "what do you say, Swinton?" + +"Why, I say agreed also; but as I came here to look for other things +rather than lions, I should say, as far as I am concerned, that the best +part of valor would be discretion. However, depend upon it, if you go +after a lion I shall be with you: I have often been at the destruction +of them when with Dutch boors; but then recollect we have no horses to +spare, and therefore we must not exactly follow their method." + +"How do they hunt the lions, then?" inquired Alexander. + +"They hunt them more for self-defense than for pleasure," replied +Swinton; "but on the outskirts of the colony the lions are so +destructive to the herds, that the colonists must destroy them. They +generally go out, ten or twelve of them, with their long guns, not fewer +if possible; and you must recollect that these boors are not only very +cool, brave men, but most excellent shots. I fear you will not find that +number among our present party, as, with the exception of our three +selves and Breman and Swanevelt, I do not believe that there is one man +here who would face a lion; so that when we do attack one, it will be at +a disadvantage. + +"The Dutch boors, as soon as they have ascertained where the lion lies, +approach the bushes to within a moderate distance, and then alighting, +they make all their horses fast together with their bridles and +halters. In this there is danger, as sometimes the lion will spring out +upon them at once, and, if so, probably not only horses but men are +sacrificed. If the lion remains quiet, which is usually the case, they +advance toward him within thirty paces or thereabouts, as they know that +he generally makes a spring at half that distance; but as they advance, +they back their horses toward him, as a shield in front of them, knowing +that the lion will spring upon the horses. + +"As they move forward, the lion at first looks at them very calmly, and +very often wags his tail as if in a playful humor; but when they +approach nearer, he growls, as if to warn them off. Then, as they +continue to approach, he gradually draws up his hind legs under his +body, ready for a spring at them as soon as they are within distance, +and you see nothing of him except his bristling mane and his eyes +glaring like fire; for he is then fully enraged, and in the act of +springing the next moment. + +"This is the critical moment, and the signal is given for half the party +to fire. If they are not successful in laying him dead on the spot with +this first volley, he springs like a thunderbolt upon the horses. The +remainder of the party then fire, and seldom fail to put an end to him; +but generally one or more of the horses are either killed or so wounded +as to be destroyed in consequence; and sometimes, although rarely, one +or more of the hunters share the same fate. So you observe that, with +every advantage, it is a service of danger, and therefore should not be +undertaken without due precaution." + +"Very true, Swinton; but it will never do to return to the Cape without +having killed a lion." + +"As you please; but even that would be better than being killed yourself +by a lion, and not returning at all. However, my opinion is that you +will have to kill a lion before you have traveled much further, without +going in quest of him. There are hundreds of them here; as many as there +are in Namaqua-land." + +"Look, master!" said Bremen, pointing to seven or eight splendid +antelopes about a mile distant. + +"I see," replied the Major. "What are they?" + +"Gemsbok," said Swinton. "Now I will thank you for a specimen of that +beautiful creature, if you can get it for me. We must dismount, leave +our horses here, and crawl along from tree to tree, and bush to bush, +till we get within shot." + +"They are, indeed, noble animals. Look at that large male, which appears +to be the leader and master of the herd. What splendid horns!" cried +Alexander. + +"Give the horses to Omrah and Swanevelt. Bremen shall go with us. Hist; +not a word; they are looking in this direction." said the Major. + +"Recollect to try for the large male. I want him most particularly," +said Swinton. + +"Master," said Bremen, "We must creep till we get those bushes between +us and the game. Then we can crawl through the bushes and get a good +shot." + +"Yes, that will be the best plan," said Swinton. "As softly as we can, +for they are very shy animals." + +They followed one another for two or three hundred yards, creeping from +one covert to another, till they had placed the bushes on the plain +between them and the herd. They then stopped a little and reconnoitered. +The herd of antelopes had left off feeding, and now had all their heads +turned toward the bushes, and in the direction where they were +concealed; the large male rather in advance of the others, with his long +horns pointing forward, and his nose close to the ground. Our party kept +silence for some time, watching the animals; but none of them moved much +from their positions; and as for the male, he remained as if he were a +statue. + +"They must have scented us," whispered Alexander. + +"No, sir," said Bremen; "the wind blows from them to us. I can't think +what they are about. But perhaps they may have seen us." + +"At all events, we shall gain nothing by remaining here; we shall be +more concealed as we descend and approach them," observed the Major. + +"That is true; so come along. Creep like mice," said Swinton. + +They did so, and at last arrived at the patch of brushwood which was +between them and the antelopes, and were now peeping and creeping to +find out an opening to fire through, when they heard a rustling within. +Bremen touched the sleeve of the Major and beckoned a retreat, and +motioned to the others; but before they could decide, as they did not +know why the Hottentot proposed it, for he did not speak himself, and +put his hand to his mouth as a hint to them to be silent, a roar like +thunder came from the bushes, within three yards of them, accompanied +with a rushing noise which could not be mistaken. It was the roar and +spring of the lion; and they looked round amazed and stunned, to +ascertain who was the victim. + +"Merciful Heaven!" exclaimed Alexander, "and no one hurt!" + +"No, master; lion spring at antelope. Now we shall find him on other +side of the bush, and kill him easy, when his eyes are shut." + +Bremen led the way round the copse, followed by our travelers; they soon +arrived on the other side of it, with their guns all ready; but on their +arrival, to their astonishment they perceived the lion and the male +gemsbok lying together. The antelope was dead, but the lion still alive; +though the horns of the gemsbok had passed through his body. At the +sight of the hunters, the lion, pierced through as he was, raised his +head with a loud roar, and struck out with his paw, as he twisted toward +them, his eyes glowing like hot coals, and showing his tremendous fangs. +Alexander was the first who fired, and the ball penetrating the brain of +the noble animal, it fell down dead upon the body of the antelope. + +"This is the finest sight I ever witnessed," observed Swinton. "I have +heard that the gemsboks' horns are sometimes fatal to the lion, but I +could hardly credit it. They have passed nearly through his body; the +points are under the skin." + +"Now we know, master, why gemsbok have his nose to the ground and his +horn pointed," said Bremen; "he saw the lion, and fought him to save his +herd." + +"I am quite stunned yet," observed Alexander. "What a noble animal it +is! Well, at all events I can say that I have shot a lion, which is +more than you can, Major." + +"I only wish that when I shoot one I may have no more danger to incur," +replied the Major. "What a different idea does one have of a lion in a +menagerie and one in its free and native state. Why, the menagerie lions +can't roar at all; they are nothing but overgrown cats, compared to the +lion of the desert." + +"That is very true," observed Swinton; "however, I am delighted, for now +I have not only my gemsbok, which is a gem above price, but also as fine +a lion as I have ever seen. I should like to have them stuffed and set +up just as they were before Alexander killed them. His rage and agony +combined were most magnificent. After all, the lion is the king of the +beasts. Bremen, send Swanevelt to the caravan for some of the men. I +must have both skin and skeleton of the antelope, and the skin of the +lion." + +Our travelers were quite satisfied with the sport of the day, and after +waiting for some time, while the Hottentots disentangled the animals and +took off the skins, they returned to the caravan, Omrah having secured a +portion of the flesh of the gemsbok for their supper. + +As they were returning, they observed a herd of buffaloes at a great +distance, and proposed to themselves the hunting of them after they had +halted on the following day, if the animals were at any reasonable +distance from them. At supper the flesh of the antelope was pronounced +better than that of the gnoo; and after supper, as soon as the cattle +had been all secured, and the fires lighted, Alexander proposed that +Swinton should finish his history of Africaner. + +"If I remember right, I left off where Africaner and his people had +escaped to Namaqua-land, where he became a chief. Attempts were made to +take him prisoner and bring him to the colony, but without success. +Expedition after expedition failed, and Africaner dared them to approach +his territories. At last, the colonists had recourse to the Griquas, and +offered them a large reward if they would bring Africaner in. + +"The Griquas, commanded by a celebrated chief of the name of Berend, +made several attempts, and in consequence a cruel war was carried on +between Berend and Africaner, in which neither party gained the +advantage. Africaner, discovering that the colonists had bribed Berend +to make war against him, now turned his wrath against them. A Dutch boor +fell a victim to his fury, and he carried off large quantities of their +cattle, and eventually Africaner became the terror of the colony. The +natives also who resided in Namaqua-land commenced depredations upon +Africaner, but he repaid them with such interest that at last every +tribe fled at his approach, and his name carried dismay into their +solitary wastes. The courage and intrepidity shown by Africaner and his +brothers in their various combats were most remarkable; but to narrate +all his adventures would occupy too much time. It is certain that he not +only became dreaded, but in consequence of his forbearance on several +occasions he was respected. + +"It was in 1810 that the missionaries came into the Namaqua-land, and it +unfortunately happened that a dispute arose about some of Africaner's +property which was seized, and at the same time Africaner lost some +cattle. The parties who were at variance with Africaner lived near to +the Mission station, and very unwisely the people at the Mission station +were permitted to go to their assistance. + +"This roused the anger of Africaner, who vowed vengeance on the Mission +and the people collected around it or connected with it. As Africaner +had commenced his attacks upon the Namaquas, and was advancing toward +the mission, the missionaries were compelled to abandon the station and +return to the colony. The Mission station was soon afterward taken +possession of by Africaner, and the houses burned to the ground. + +"A curious circumstance occurred during this affair: his followers were +seeking everywhere for plunder, when some of them entered the burial +ground, and one of them, treading on an apparently new made grave, was +astonished by soft notes of music proceeding from the ground beneath. + +"Superstitious as the natives are, and having most of them, in former +days, heard something of the Christian doctrines, they started and stood +transfixed with astonishment, expecting the dead to arise, as they had +been once told. One of them mustered courage to put his foot again upon +the spot, and the reply was soft and musical as before. Away they all +started to Africaner, to inform him that there was life and music in the +grave. + +"The chief, who feared neither the living nor the dead, went to the +burial-ground with his men, and jumped upon the spot, which immediately +gave out the soft note as before. Africaner ordered an immediate +exhumation, when the source of the mystery proved to be the piano-forte +of the missionary's wife, which being too cumbrous an article to take +away, had been buried there, with the hope of being one day able to +recover it. Never having seen such an instrument before, Africaner had +it dissected for the sake of the brass wires; and thus the piano was +destroyed." + +"I doubt if it would ever have been dug up in Caffreland," observed +Alexander. + +"I am convinced it never would have been, but have remained as a wonder +and object of fear as long as it held together," replied Swinton; "but +to proceed-- + +"The Mission station having been for some time broken up by this attack +of Africaner, Mr. C., a missionary, anxious to restore it, wrote a +letter to Africaner on the subject, and received a favorable reply, and +a Mr. E. was sent to the residence of Africaner himself. After a short +time, Africaner and his two brothers, with a number of others, were +baptized. + +"At first it must be admitted that their profession of Christianity did +not greatly improve their conduct; but this was very much to be ascribed +to the circumstance that the duties of the station had devolved upon one +who ought not to have been selected for the task. Upon his removal, and +a more fitting minister of the Gospel taking his place, a great change +was soon observable in Africaner; and, from having been one of the most +remorseless pursuers of his vengeance--a firebrand spreading discord, +war and animosity among the neighboring tribes--he would now make every +concession and any sacrifice to prevent collision and bloodshed between +contending parties. + +"Although his power was so great that he might have raised his arm and +dared them to lift a spear or draw a bow, he would entreat them as a +suppliant to be reconciled. + +"'Look at me,' he would say, 'how many battles have I fought; how much +cattle have I taken; but what has it done for me, but make me full of +shame and sorrow?' + +"In short, from that time till he died, he became a peacemaker and a +Christian, both in word and deed. His whole life was devoted to acts of +kindness and charity--to instructing and exhorting, and following the +precepts of Him in whose faith eventually he lived and died." + +"Well, Swinton, you have indeed given us a remarkable proof that the +missionary labors are not always thrown away, and we thank you for your +compliance with our request." + +"It is a remarkable instance, if you only consider how many hundreds of +lives might have been sacrificed, if Africaner had continued his career +of slaughter and of plunder; and how many lives, I may add, have been +also saved by his interference as a peacemaker, instead of being, as he +formerly was, a promoter of war and bloodshed." + +"Swinton," said Alexander, "I wanted to ask you a question which I had +nearly forgotten. Do you recollect what Bremen said to us, that the lion +had seized the gemsbok, and that now the lion would shut his eyes, and +that he would shoot him?" + +"Yes, I do; and he was correct in what he stated, for I have witnessed +it myself. When a lion seizes a large animal like an ox or horse, or the +animal he fell a martyr to this afternoon, he springs upon it, seizes it +by the throat with his terrible fangs, and holds it down with his paws +till it expires. From the moment the lion seizes his prey, he shuts his +eyes, and never opens them again until the life of his prey is extinct. +I remember a Hottentot, when a lion had seized an ox in this way, +running up to him with his gun and firing within a few yards' distance. +The lion, however, did not deign to notice the report of the gun, but +continued to hold fast his prey. The Hottentot loaded again, fired, and +again missed; reloaded again, and then shot the lion through the head." + +"How very strange!" + +"It is, and I can not give any reason for it; but that it is so, I well +know to be a fact. Perhaps it may be that the animal, after long +fasting, is quite absorbed with the grateful taste of the blood flowing +into his mouth, while the animal is writhing under his clutches. But +there are many singular points about the lion, which is a much more +noble and intelligent animal than most people have any idea of; I have +collected a number of facts relative to his majesty which would surprise +you. The Bushmen know the animal and his habits so well, that they +seldom come to any accident from their inhabiting a country in which I +really believe the population of lions exceeds that of Bushmen." + +"Is it true that the lion, as well as other animals, is afraid of the +eye of man?" said the Major; "can you reply to that question?" + +"Yes, I can," answered Swinton; "I was about to say that he is and is +not, but a better answer will be to give you what has come to my +knowledge: I consider that the lion is a much more dangerous animal in +this country, and indeed in any other where there are no firearms, than +where the occupants are possessed of them. + +"It may appear strange, but it is my fixed opinion, that the lion has an +idea of the deadly nature of firearms, and that he becomes in +consequence more afraid of man. You remember a story I told you of a +lion watching a man for two days without destroying him, but never +permitting him to lay hold of his gun. Now it is satisfactorily proved +that a lion will pass a man who has a gun in his hand without attacking +him, provided that he does not attempt to level the gun; but the moment +that he does he will spring upon him. + +"An instance of that occurred to the great lion-hunter Diedrich Muller, +who mentioned it to me. He had been alone hunting in the wilds, when he +came suddenly upon a large lion, which, instead of giving way as they +usually do, seemed disposed, from the angry attitude which he assumed, +to dispute his progress. + +"Muller instantly alighted, and, confident of his unerring aim, leveled +his gun at the forehead of the lion, which had crouched in the act to +spring, within sixteen paces of him; but as he fired, his horse, whose +bridle was round his arm, started back, and, jerking him aside, caused +him to miss; the lion bounded forward, but stopped within a few paces, +confronting Muller, who stood defenseless, as his gun was discharged, +and his horse had galloped off. + +"The man and the beast stood looking each other in the face for a short +time. At length the lion moved backward, as if to go away. Muller began +loading his gun; the lion looked over his shoulder, growled, and +immediately returned to his former position within a few paces of +Muller. Muller stood still, with his eyes fixed on the animal. The lion +again moved cautiously off; when he was at a certain distance, Muller +proceeded to ram down his bullet. The lion again looked back and growled +angrily. Muller again was quiet, and the animal continued turning and +growling as it moved off, till at last it bounded away." + +"You imagine then, that the lion is aware of the fatal effects of +fire-arms?" said the Major. + +"It would appear so, not only on account of their being so angry if +presented at them, or being touched even when they are close to them, +but also from the greater respect the lion pays to man where fire-arms +are in use. The respect that he pays to men in the colony is not a +general custom of the animal. + +"As I said before, the lion is more dangerous in this Bushman country; +because, in the first place, his awe of man has been removed, from his +invariably successful encounters with those who have no weapons of +force with which to oppose him; and, secondly, because he has but too +often tasted human flesh, after which a lion becomes more partial to it +than any other food. + +"It is asserted, that when a lion has once succeeded in snatching some +unfortunate Bushman from his cave, he never fails to return regularly +every night, in hopes of another meal, until the horde is so harassed +that they are compelled to seek some other shelter. From apprehension of +such attacks, it is also asserted that the Bushmen are in the habit of +placing their aged and infirm people at the entrance of the cave during +the night, that, should the lion come, the least valuable and most +useless of their community may first fall a prey to the animal." + +"Of course, if permitted to help himself in that way, the lion can not +have much fear of man," observed Wilmot; "and his lurking abroad in the +night takes away much from the nobleness of disposition which you are +inclined to attribute to him." + +"By no means," continued Swinton. "That a lion generally lurks and lies +in wait to seize his prey is certain, but this is the general +characteristic of the feline tribe, of which he may be considered as the +head; and it is for this mode of hunting that nature has fitted him. + +"The wolf, the hound, and others, are furnished with an acute scent, and +are enabled to tire down their prey by a long chase. The feline tribe +are capable of very extraordinary efforts of activity and speed for a +very short time; if they fail to seize their prey at the first spring, +or after a few tremendous bounds, they generally abandon the pursuit. + +"The lion can spring from nine to twelve yards at a leap, and for a few +seconds can repeat these bounds with such activity and velocity as to +outstrip the movements of the quickest horse; but he can not continue +these amazing efforts and does not attempt it. In fact, the lion is no +more than a gigantic cat, and he must live by obtaining his prey in the +same manner as a cat. + +"In these countries, his prey is chiefly of the antelope species, the +swiftest animals on earth; and what chance would he have, if he were to +give one of his magnanimous roars to announce his approach? He knows his +business better; he crouches in the rank grass and reeds by the sides of +the paths made by the animals to descend to the rivers and pools to +drink, and as they pass he makes his spring upon them. + +"Now I do not consider that his obtaining his food as nature has +pointed out to him is any argument against what I consider the really +noble disposition of the lion, which is, that he does not kill for mere +cruelty, and that he is really generous, unless compelled by hunger to +destroy, as I have already shown by one or two examples." + +"We are convinced, my dear Swinton," said Alexander; "but now let us +have your opinion as to his being afraid to meet the eye of man." + +"I consider that the lion will generally retreat before the presence of +man; but he does not retreat cowardly, like the leopard or hyena, and +others. He never slinks away, he appears calmly to survey his opponent, +as apparently measuring his prowess. I should say that the lion seems to +have a secret impression that man is not his natural prey, and although +he will not always give place to him, he will not attack him, if, in the +first place, the man shows no sign of fear, and in the second, no signs +of hostility. + +"But this instinctive deference to man is not to be reckoned upon. He +may be very angry, he may be very hungry, he may have been just +disappointed in taking his prey, or he may be accompanied by the female +and cubs; in short, the animal's temper may have been ruffled, and in +this case he becomes dangerous. + +"An old Namaqua chief with whom I was conversing, and who had been +accustomed to lions from childhood, fully corroborated these opinions, +and also that there is that in the eye of man before which the lion +quails. He assured me that the lion very seldom attacks a man, if not +provoked; but he will approach him within a few paces and survey him +steadily. Sometimes he attempts to get behind him, as if he could not +stand his look, but was desirous of springing upon him unawares. He +said, that if a man in such a case attempted to fly, he would run the +greatest danger, but that if he had presence of mind to confront the +animal, it would in almost every instance after a short time retire. + +"Now I have already brought forward the instance of Muller and the lion, +as a proof of the effect of a man's eye upon the lion. I will now give +another, still more convincing, as the contact was still closer, and +the lion had even tasted blood. + +"A boor of the name of Gyt was out with one of his neighbors hunting. +Coming to a fountain, surrounded as usual with tall reeds and rushes, +Gyt gave his gun to his comrade, and alighted to see if there was any +water remaining in it; but as he approached the fountain, an enormous +lion started up close at his side, and seized him by the left arm. Gyt, +although thus taken by surprise, stood motionless and without +struggling, for he was aware that the least attempt to escape would +occasion his immediate destruction. The animal also remained motionless, +holding Gyt fast by the arm with his fangs, but without biting it +severely, at the same time shutting his eyes, as if he could not +withstand the eyes of his victim fixed upon him." + +"What a terrible position!" + +"Yes; but I may here observe that the lion was induced to seize the man +in consequence of their coming so completely in contact, and, as it +were, for self-defense. Had they been further apart, the lion would, as +usually is the case, have walked away; and, moreover, the eye of the man +being so close to him had, at the same time, more power over the lion, +so as to induce him to shut his own. But to continue-- + +"As they stood in this position, Gyt recovered his presence of mind, and +beckoned to his comrade to advance with his gun and shoot the lion +through the head. This might easily have been done, as the animal +continued still with his eyes closed, and Gyt's body concealed any +object approaching. But his comrade was a cowardly scoundrel, and, +instead of coming to Gyt's assistance, he cautiously crawled up a rock +to secure himself from any danger. For a long while Gyt continued +earnestly to entreat his comrade by signs to come to his assistance--the +lion continuing all this while perfectly quiet--but in vain." + +"How my blood boils at the conduct of this scoundrel," said the Major; +"admitting his first impulse to have been fear, yet to allow his comrade +to remain in that position so long a while covers him with infamy." + +"I think if Gyt escaped, he must have felt very much inclined to shoot +the wretch himself." + +"The lion-hunters affirm that, if Gyt had but persevered a little +longer, the animal would have at last released his hold and left Gyt +uninjured; that the grip of the lion was more from fear that the man +would hurt him, than from any wish to hurt the man; and such is my +opinion. But Gyt, indignant at the cowardice of his comrade, and losing +patience with the lion, at last drew his hunting-knife, which all the +boors invariably carry at their side, and with all the power of his +right arm thrust it into the lion's breast. + +"The thrust was a deadly one, for it was aimed with judgment, and Gyt +was a bold and powerful man; but it did not prove effectual so as to +save Gyt's life, for the enraged lion, striving in his death agonies to +grapple with Gyt,--held at arm's length by the strength of desperation +on the part of the boor,--so dreadfully lacerated with his talons the +breast and arms of poor Gyt, that his bones were left bare. + +"At last the lion fell dead, and Gyt fell with him. His cowardly +companion, who had witnessed this fearful struggle from the rock, now +took courage to advance, and carried the mangled body of Gyt to the +nearest house. Medical aid was at hand, but vainly applied, as on the +third day, he died of a locked jaw. Such was the tragical end of this +rencounter, from the sheer cowardice of Gyt's companion. + +"I could mention many other instances in which lions have had men in +their power and have not injured them, if they have neither attempted to +escape nor to assault; but I think I have given enough already, not only +to prove the fact of his general forbearance toward man, but also that +there is something in the eye of man at which the lion and other +animals, I believe, will quail." + +"I can myself give an instance that this fascinating effect, or whatever +it may be, of the human eye, is not confined wholly to the lion," said +the Major. + +"One of our officers in India, having once rambled into a jungle +adjoining the British encampment, suddenly encountered a Bengal tiger. +The meeting was evidently most unexpected on both sides, and both +parties made a dead halt, earnestly gazing at each other. The officer +had no fire-arms with him, although he had his regulation sword by his +side; but that he knew would be of no defense if he had to struggle for +life with such a fearful antagonist. He was, however, a man of undaunted +courage, and he had heard that even a Bengal tiger might be checked by +looking him steadily in the face. + +"His only artillery being, like a lady's, that of his eyes, he directed +them point blank at the tiger. He would have infinitely preferred a +rifle, as he was not at all sure but that his eyes might miss fire. +However, after a few minutes, during which the tiger had been crouched +ready for his spring, the animal appeared disturbed and irresolute, +slunk on one side, and then attempted to crawl round behind the officer. + +"This, of course, the officer would not permit, and he turned to the +tiger as the tiger turned, with the same constancy that, Tom Moore says, +the 'sunflower turns to the sun.' + +"The tiger then darted into the thicket, and tried to catch him by +coming suddenly upon him from another quarter, and taking him by +surprise; but our officer was wide awake, as you may suppose, and the +tiger, finding that it was no go, at last went off himself, and the +officer immediately went off too, as fast as he could, to the +encampment." + +"I am glad to have heard your narrative, Major," replied Swinton; "for +many doubts have been thrown upon the question of the power of the human +eye, and your opinion is a very corroborative one." + +"Do not you imagine that the lion-tamers who exhibit in Europe have +taken advantage of this peculiar fact?" + +"I have no doubt but that it is one of their great helps; but I think +that they resort to other means, which have increased the instinctive +fear that the animals have of them. I have witnessed these exhibitions, +and always observed that the man never for a moment took his eyes off +the animal which he was playing with or commanding. + +"I have observed that also; but what are the other means to which you +allude?" + +"I can not positively say, but I can only express an opinion. The most +painful and most stunning effects of a blow upon any part of the body, +not only of man but of brutes, is a blow on the nose. Many animals, such +as the seal and others, are killed by it immediately, and there is no +doubt but a severe blow on that tender part will paralyze almost any +beast for the time and give him a dread for the future. I believe that +repeated blows upon the nose will go further than any other means to +break the courage of any beast, and I imagine that these are resorted +to: but it is only my opinion, recollect, and it must be taken for just +as much as it is worth." + +"Do not you think that animals may be tamed by kindness, if you can +produce in them the necessary proportion of love and fear?" + +"Yes, I was about to say every animal, but I believe some must be +excepted; and this is from their having so great a fear of man, rather +than from any other cause. If their fear could be overcome, they might +be tamed. Of course there are some animals which have not sufficient +reasoning power to admit of their being tamed; for instance, who would +ever think of taming a scorpion?" + +"I believe that there is one animal which, although taken as a cub, has +resisted every attempt to tame it in the slightest degree,--this is the +grizzly bear of North America." + +"I have heard so too," replied Swinton; "at all events, up to the +present time they have been unsuccessful. It is an animal of most +unamiable disposition, that is certain; and I would rather encounter ten +lions, if all that they say of it is true. But it is time for us to go +to bed. Those fires are getting rather low. Who has the watch?" + +The Major rose and walked round to find the Hottentot who was on that +duty, and found him fast asleep. After sundry kicks in the ribs, the +fellow at last woke up. + +"Is it your watch?" + +"Yaw, Mynher," replied Big Adam, rolling out of his kaross. + +"Well, then, you keep it so well, that you will have no tobacco next +time it is served out." + +"Gentlemen all awake and keep watch, so I go to sleep a little," replied +Adam, getting up on his legs. + +"Look to your fires, sir," replied the Major, walking to his wagon. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + + +As they fully expected to fall in with a herd of buffaloes as they +proceeded, they started very early on the following morning. They had +now the satisfaction of finding that the water was plentiful in the +river, and, in some of the large holes which they passed, they heard the +snorting and blowing of the hippopotami, to the great delight of the +Hottentots, who were very anxious to procure one, being very partial to +its flesh. + +As they traveled that day, they fell in with a small party of Bushmen; +they were shy at first, but one or two of the women at last approached, +and receiving some presents of snuff and tobacco, the others soon +joined; and as they understood from Omrah and the Hottentots that they +were to hunt in the afternoon, they followed the caravan, with the hopes +of obtaining food. + +They were a very diminutive race, the women, although very well formed, +not being more than four feet high. Their countenances were +pleasing,--that is, the young ones; and one or two of them would have +been pretty, had they not been so disfigured with grease and dirt. +Indeed the effluvia from them was so unpleasant, that our travelers were +glad that they should keep at a distance; and Alexander said to Swinton, +"Is it true that the lion and other animals prefer a black man to a +white, as being of a higher flavor, Swinton, or is it only a joke?" + +"I should think there must be some truth in the idea," observed the +Major; "for they say that the Bengal tiger will always take a native in +preference to a European." + +"It is, I believe, not to be disputed," replied Swinton, "that for one +European devoured by the lion or other animals, he feasts upon ten +Hottentots or Bushmen, perhaps more; but I ascribe the cause of his so +doing, not exactly to his perceiving any difference in the flesh of a +black and white man, and indulging his preference. The lion, like many +other beasts of prey, is directed to his game by his scent as well as by +his eye; that is certain. Now I appeal to you, who have got rid of these +Bushmen, and who know so well how odoriferous is the skin of a +Hottentot, whether a lion's nose is not much more likely to be attracted +by one of either of these tribes of people, than it would by either you +or me. How often, in traveling, have we changed our position, when the +wind has borne down upon us the effluvia of the Hottentot who was +driving?--why that effluvia is borne down with the wind for miles, and +is as savory to the lion, I have no doubt, as a beefsteak is to us." + +"There can, I think, be no doubt of that," said Alexander; "but it is +said that they will select a Hottentot from white men." + +"No doubt of it, because they follow up the scent right to the party +from whence it emanates. I can give you an instance of it. I was once +traveling with a Dutch farmer, with his wagon and Hottentots. We unyoked +and lay down on the sand for the night; there were the farmer and I, two +Hottentot men and a woman--by the by, a very fat one, and who +consequently was more heated by the journey. During the night a lion +came and carried away the woman from among us all, and by his tracks, as +we found on the following morning, he had passed close to the farmer and +myself." + +"Was the woman killed?" + +"The night was so dark that we could see nothing; we were roused by her +shrieks, and seized our guns, but it was of no use. I recollect another +instance which was not so tragical. A Hottentot was carried off by a +lion during the night, wrapped up in his sheep-skin kaross, sleeping, as +they usually do, with his face to the ground. As the lion trotted away +with him, the fellow contrived to wriggle out of his kaross, and the +lion went off only his mantle." + +"Well, I should think one of the karosses must be a very savory morsel +for a hungry lion," said the Major;--"but I imagine it is almost time to +unyoke; we must have traveled nearly twenty miles, and these forests +promise well for the game we are in search of." + +"I suspect that they contain not only buffaloes, but elephants; however, +we shall soon find out by examining the paths down to the river, which +they make in going for water." + +"I think that yonder knoll would be a good place to fix our encampment, +Swinton," said the Major; "it is well shaded with mimosas, and yet clear +of the main forest." + +"Well, you are quartermaster-general, and must decide." + +The Major ordered Bremen to arrange the wagons as usual, and turn the +cattle out to feed. As soon as this had been accomplished, they saddled +their horses, and awaited the return of Swanevelt, who had gone to +reconnoiter. Shortly afterward he returned, with the report that there +were the tracks of elephants, buffaloes, and lions, in every direction +by the river's banks; and as the dogs would now be of use, they were +ordered to be let loose, which they seldom were, unless the game was +large and to be regularly hunted down. Our travelers mounted and +proceeded into the forest, accompanied by all the Hottentots except the +cattle-keepers and the Bushmen; Bremen, Swanevelt, and Omrah only being +on horseback, as well as themselves. As they rode forward slowly and +cautiously at the outset, Swinton asked the Major whether he had ever +shot buffaloes. + +"Yes, in India," replied the Major; "and desperate animals they are in +that country." + +"I was about to say that you will find them such here; and, Alexander, +you must be very careful. In the first place, a leaden bullet is of +little use against their tough hides, and, I may almost say, +impenetrable foreheads. The best shot is under the fore-shoulder." + +"Our balls are hardened with tin," observed Alexander. + +"I know that," replied Swinton; "but still they are most dangerous +animals, especially if you fall in with a single buffalo. It is much +safer to attack a herd; but we have no time to talk over the matter now, +only, as I say, be very careful, and whatever you do, do not approach +one which is wounded, even if he be down on his knees. But here comes +Bremen with news." + +The Hottentot came up and announced that there was a large herd of +buffaloes on the other side of the hill, and proposed that they should +take a sweep round them, so as to drive them toward the river. + +This proposal was considered good, and was acted upon; and, after riding +about a mile, they gained the position which seemed the most desirable. +The dogs were then let loose, and the Hottentots on foot, spread +themselves on every side, shouting so as to drive the animals before +them. The herd collected together and for a short while stood at bay +with the large bulls in front, and then set off through the forest +toward the river, followed by all the hunters on horse and on foot. In a +quarter of an hour the whole herd had taken refuge in a large pool in +the river, which, with the reeds and rushes, and small islands in the +center, occupied a long slip of ground. + +The Major, with Swanevelt and two other Hottentots, proceeded further up +the river, that they might cross it before the attack commenced, and the +others agreed to wait until the signal was given by the Major's firing. +As soon as they heard the report of the Major's rifle, Swinton and +Alexander, with their party, advanced to the banks of the river. They +plunged in, and were soon up to the horses' girths, with the reeds far +above their heads. They could hear the animals forcing their way through +the reeds, but could not see them; and after some severe labor, Swinton +said--"Alexander, it will be prudent for us to go back; we can do +nothing here, and we shall stand a chance of being shot by our own +people, who can not see us. We must leave the dogs to drive them out, or +the Hottentots and Bushmen; but we must regain the banks." + +Just as Swinton said this, a loud rushing was heard through the reeds. +"Look out!" cried he; but he could say no more before the reeds opened +and a large hippopotamus rushed upon them, throwing over Alexander's +horse on his side, and treading Alexander and his horse both deep under +the water as he passed over them and disappeared. Although the water was +not more than four feet in depth, it was with difficulty that the horse +and rider could extricate themselves from the reeds, among which they +had been jammed and entangled; and Alexander's breath was quite gone +when he at last emerged. Bremen and Swinton hastened to give what +assistance they could, and the horse was once more on his legs. "My +rifle," cried Alexander; "it is in the water." "We will find it," said +Swinton: "haste up to the banks as fast as you can, for you are +defenseless." + +Alexander thought it advisable to follow Swinton's advice, and with some +difficulty regained the bank, where he was soon afterward followed by +Swinton and Bremen, who had secured his rifle. Alexander called Omrah, +and sent him to the caravan for another rifle, and then for the first +time he exclaimed, "Oh, what a brute! It was lucky the water was deep, +or he would have jammed me on the head, so that I never should have +risen up again." + +"You have indeed had a providential escape, Alexander," replied Swinton; +"is your horse hurt!" + +"He must be, I should think," said Alexander, "for the animal trod upon +him; but he does not appear to show it at present." + +In the mean time several shots were fired from the opposite side of the +river by the Major and his party, and occasionally the head or horns of +the buffalo were seen above the reeds by the Hottentots, who remained +with Swinton and Alexander: but the animals still adhered to their +cover. Omrah having brought another rifle, Bremen then proposed that the +Hottentots, Bushmen, and dogs should force their way through the reeds +and attempt to drive the animals out; in which there would be no danger, +as the animals could not charge with any effect in the deep water and +thick rushes. + +"Provided they don't meet with a hippopotamus," said Alexander, +laughing. + +"Won't say a word about him, sir," replied Bremen, who then went and +gave the directions. + +[Illustration: ALEXANDER AND THE HIPPOPOTAMUS.] + +The Hottentots and Bushmen, accompanied by the dogs, then went into +the reeds, and their shouting and barking soon drove out some of the +buffaloes on the opposite side, and the reports of the guns were heard. + +At last one came out on that side of the river where Alexander and +Swinton were watching; Swinton fired, and the animal fell on its knees; +a shot from Alexander brought it down dead and turned on its side. One +of the Bushmen ran up to the carcass, and was about to use his knife, +when another buffalo charged from the reeds, caught the Bushman on his +horns, and threw him many yards in the air. The Bushman fell among the +reeds behind the buffalo, which in vain looked about for his enemy, when +a shot from Bremen brought him to the ground. + +Shortly afterward the Bushman made his appearance from the reeds; he was +not at all hurt, with the exception of a graze from the horns of the +animal, and a contusion of the ribs. + +The chase now became warm; the shouting of the Hottentots, the barking +of the dogs, and the bellowing of the herd, which were forcing their way +through the reeds before them, were very exciting. By the advice of +Swinton, they took up their position on a higher ground, where the +horses had good footing, in case the buffaloes should charge. + +As soon as they arrived there, they beheld a scene on the other side of +the river, about one hundred yards from them, which filled them with +anxiety and terror; the Major's horse was galloping away, and the Major +not to be seen. Under a large tree, Swanevelt was in a sitting posture, +holding his hands to his body as if severely wounded, his horse lying by +his side, and right before him an enormous bull buffalo, standing +motionless; the blood was streaming from the animal's nostrils, and it +was evidently tottering from weakness and loss of blood; at last it +fell. + +"I fear there is mischief done," cried Swinton; "where can the Major be, +and the two Hottentots who were with him! Swanevelt is hurt and his +horse killed, that is evident. We had better call them off, and let the +buffaloes remain quiet, or escape as they please." + +"There is the Major," said Alexander, "and the Hottentots too; they are +not hurt, don't you see them?--they were up the trees; thank God." + +They now observed the Major run up to Swanevelt, and presently the two +Hottentots went in pursuit of the Major's horse. Shortly afterward, +Swanevelt, with the assistance of the Major, got upon his legs, and, +taking up his gun, walked slowly away. + +"No great harm done, after all," said Alexander; "God be praised: but +here come the whole herd, Swinton." + +"Let them go, my good fellow," replied Swinton, "we have had enough of +buffalo-hunting for the present." + +The whole herd had now broken from the reeds about fifty paces from +where they were stationed, and with their tails raised, tossing with +their horns, and bellowing with rage and fear, darted out of the reeds, +dripping with slime and mud, and rushed off toward the forest. In a few +seconds they were out of sight. + +"A good riddance," said Swinton; "I hope the Major is now satisfied with +buffalo-hunting." + +"I am, at all events," replied Alexander. "I feel very sore and stiff. +What a narrow escape that Bushman had." + +"Yes, he had indeed; but, Alexander, your horse is not well: he can +hardly breathe. You had better dismount." + +Alexander did so, and unloosed his girths. Bremen got off his horse, +and, offering it to Alexander, took the bridle of the other and examined +him. + +"He has his ribs broken, sir," said the Hottentot,--"two of them, if not +more." + +"No wonder, poor fellow; lead him gently, Bremen. Oh, here comes the +Major. Now we shall know what has occurred; and there is Swanevelt and +the two men." + +"Well, Major, pray tell us your adventures, for you have frightened us +dreadfully." + +"Not half so much as I have been frightened myself," replied the Major; +"we have all had a narrow escape. I can assure you, and Swanevelt's +horse is dead." + +"Is Swanevelt hurt?" + +"No, he was most miraculously preserved; the horn of the buffalo has +grazed the whole length of the body, and yet not injured him. But let us +go to the caravan and have something to drink, and then I will tell you +all about it--I am quite done up, and my tongue cleaves to the roof of +my mouth." + +As soon as they had arrived at the caravan and dismounted, the Major +drank some water, and then gave his narrative. "We had several shots on +our side of the river, for the buffaloes had evidently an intention of +crossing over, had we not turned them. We had killed two, when a bull +buffalo charged from the reeds upon Swanevelt, and before he could turn +his horse and put him to his speed, the horns of the buffalo had ripped +up the poor animal, and he fell with Swanevelt under him. The enraged +brute disengaged himself from the horse, and made a second charge upon +Swanevelt; but he twisted on one side, and the horn only grazed him, as +I have mentioned. I then fired and wounded the animal. He charged +immediately, and I turned my horse, but from fright he wheeled so +suddenly that I lost my stirrups, and my saddle turned round. + +"I found that I could not recover my seat, and that I was gradually +sliding under the horse's belly, when he passed under a tree, and I +caught a branch and swung myself on to it, just as the buffalo, which +was close behind us, came up to me. As he passed under, his back hit my +leg; so you may imagine it was 'touch and go.' The animal, perceiving +that the horse left him, and I was not on it, quitted his pursuit, and +came back bellowing and roaring, and looking everywhere for me. + +"At last it perceived Swanevelt, who had disengaged himself from the +dead horse, and was sitting under the tree, apparently much hurt, as he +is, poor fellow, although not seriously. It immediately turned back to +him, and would certainly have gored him to death, had not Kloet, who was +up in a tree, fired at the animal and wounded him mortally--for his +career was stopped as he charged toward Swanevelt, and was not ten yards +from him. The animal could proceed no further, and there he stood until +he fell dead." + +"We saw that portion of the adventure ourselves, Major," said Swinton; +"and now we will tell you our own, which has been equally full of +incident and danger." Swinton having related what had passed on his side +of the river, the Major observed: + +"You may talk about lions, but I'd rather go to ten lion-hunts than one +more buffalo-hunt. I have had enough of buffaloes for all my life." + +"I am glad to hear you say so," replied Swinton, "for they are most +ferocious and dangerous animals, as you may now acknowledge, and the +difficulty of giving them a mortal wound renders the attack of them very +hazardous. I have seen and heard enough of buffalo-hunting to tell you +that you have been fortunate, although you have lost one horse and have +another very much hurt;--but here come the spoils of the chase; at all +events, we will benefit by the day's sport, and have a good meal." + +"I can't eat now," said Alexander; "I am very stiff. I shall go and lie +down for an hour or two." + +"And so shall I," said the Major; "I have no appetite." + +"Well, then, we will all meet at supper," said Swinton. "In the mean +time I shall see if I can be of any use to Swanevelt. Where's Omrah?" + +"I saw him and Begum going out together just now," said the Major. "What +for, I do not know." + +"Oh! I told him to get some of the Bushman roots," said Alexander; "they +are as good as potatoes when boiled; and he has taken the monkey to find +them." + +The Major and Alexander remained on their beds till supper-time, when +Mahomed woke them up. They found themselves much refreshed by their +sleep, and also found that their appetites had returned. Buffalo-steaks +and fried Bushman roots were declared to be a very good substitute for +beefsteaks and fried potatoes; and after they had made a hearty meal, +Alexander inquired of Swinton what he had seen of buffalo-hunting when +he had been at the Cape before. + +"I have only been once or twice engaged in a buffalo-hunt; but I can +tell you what I have heard, and what I have collected from my own +knowledge, as to the nature of the animal, of which indeed to-day you +have had a very good proof. I told you this morning, that a single +buffalo was more dangerous than a herd; and the reason is this:--At the +breeding season, the fiercest bulls drive the others away from the herd, +in the same manner as the elephants do; and these solitary buffaloes are +extremely dangerous, as they do not wait to be attacked, but will attack +a man without any provocation. They generally conceal themselves, and +rush out upon you unawares, which makes it more difficult to escape from +them. They are so bold, that they do not fear the lion himself; and I +have been told by the Dutch boors, that when a buffalo has killed one of +their comrades by goring and tossing him, it will not leave its victim +for hours, but continue to trample on him with his hoofs, crushing the +body with its knees as an elephant does, and with its rough tongue +stripping off the skin as far as it can. It does not do all this at one +time, but it leaves the body, and returns again, as if to glut its +vengeance." + +"What a malicious brute!" + +"Such is certainly its character. I recollect a history of a +buffalo-hunting adventure, told me by a Dutch farmer, who was himself an +eye-witness to the scene. He had gone out with a party to hunt a herd of +buffaloes which were grazing on a piece of marshy ground, sprinkled with +a few mimosa-trees. As they could not get within shot of the herd, +without crossing a portion of the marsh, which was not safe for horses, +they agreed to leave their steeds in charge of two Hottentots, and to +advance on foot; thinking that, in case any of the buffaloes should +charge them, it would be easy to escape by running back to the marsh, +which would bear the weight of a man, but not of a horse, much less that +of a buffalo. + +"They advanced accordingly over the marsh, and being concealed by some +bushes, they had the good fortune to bring down, with the first volley, +three of the fattest of the herd; and also so severely wounded the great +bull, which was the leader of the herd, that he dropped down on his +knees, bellowing most furiously. Thinking that the animal was mortally +wounded, the foremost of the huntsmen walked out in front of the bushes +from which they had fired, and began to reload his musket as he +advanced, in order to give the animal a finishing shot. But no sooner +did the enraged animal see the man advancing, than he sprang up and +charged headlong at him. The man threw down his gun, and ran toward the +marsh; but the beast was so close upon him, that he despaired of +escaping by that direction, and turning suddenly round a clump of +copsewood, began to climb an old mimosa tree which stood close to it. + +"The buffalo was, however, too quick for him. Bounding forward with a +roar, which the farmer told me was one of the most hideous and appalling +sounds that he ever heard, he caught the poor fellow with his terrible +horns, just as he had nearly got out of reach, and tossed him in the air +with such force, that after whirling round and round to a great height, +the body fell into the fork of the branches of the tree. The buffalo +went round the tree roaring, and looking for the man, until, exhausted +by wounds and loss of blood, it again fell down on its knees. The other +hunters then attacked and killed him; but they found their comrade, who +was still hanging in the tree, quite dead." + +"Well; I have no doubt but that such would have been the fate of +Swanevelt or of me, had the brute got hold of us," said the Major; "I +never saw such a malignant, diabolical expression in any animal's +countenance as there was upon that buffalo's. A lion is, I should say, a +gentleman and a man of honor compared to such an evil-disposed ruffian." + +"Well, Major, you have only to let them alone; recollect, you were the +aggressor," said Swinton, laughing. + +"Very true; I never wish to see one again." + +"And I never wish to be in the way of a hippopotamus again, I can assure +you," said Alexander, "for a greater want of politeness I never met +with." + +During this conversation the Hottentots and Bushmen at the other fires +had not been idle. The Hottentots had fried and eaten, and fried and +eaten, till they could hold no more; and the Bushmen, who in the morning +looked as thin and meager as if they had not had a meal for a month, +were now so stuffed that they could hardly walk, and their lean +stomachs were distended as round as balls. The Bushman who had been +tossed by the buffalo came up and asked for a little tobacco, at the +same time smiling and patting his stomach, which was distended to a most +extraordinary size. + +"Yes, let us give them some," said Alexander; "it will complete their +day's happiness. Did you ever see a fellow so stuffed? I wonder he does +not burst." + +"It is their custom. They starve for days, and then gorge in this way +when an opportunity offers, which is but seldom. Their calendar, such as +it is, is mainly from recollections of feasting; and I will answer for +it, that if one Bushman were on some future day to ask another when such +a thing took place, he would reply, just before or just after the white +men killed the buffaloes." + +"How do they live in general?" + +"They live upon roots at certain seasons of the year; upon locusts when +a flight takes place; upon lizards, beetles--any thing. Occasionally +they procure game, but not very often. They are obliged to lie in wait +for it, and wound it with their poisoned arrows, and then they follow +its track and look for it the next day. Subtle as the poison is they +only cut out the part near the wound, and eat the rest of the animal. +They dig pit-holes for the hippopotamus and rhinoceros and occasionally +take them. They poison the pools for the game also; but their living is +very precarious, and they often suffer the extremities of hunger." + +"Is that the cause, do you imagine, of their being so diminutive a race, +Swinton?" + +"No doubt of it. Continual privation and hardships from generation to +generation have, I have no doubt, dwindled them down to what you see." + +"How is it that these Bushmen are so familiar? I thought that they were +savage and irreclaimable." + +"They are what are termed tame Bushmen; that is, they have lived near +the farmers, and have, by degrees, become less afraid of the Europeans. +Treated kindly, they have done good in return to the farmers by watching +their sheep, and performing other little services, and have been +rewarded with tobacco. This has given them confidence to a certain +degree. But we must expect to meet with others that are equally wild, +and who will be very mischievous; attempting to drive off our cattle, +and watching in ambush all round our caravan, ready for any pilfering +that they can successfully accomplish; and then we shall discover that +we are in their haunts without even seeing them." + +"How so?" + +"Because it will only be by their thefts that we shall find it out. But +it is time for bed, and as to-morrow is Sunday you will have a day of +rest, which I think you both require." + +"I do," replied Alexander, "so good-night to you both." + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + + +As arranged, they did not travel on the Sunday. Early in the morning the +oxen and horses and sheep were turned out to pasture; all except the +horse which had been ridden by Alexander on the preceding day, and which +was found to be suffering so much that they took away a large quantity +of blood from him before he was relieved. + +The Bushmen still remained with them, and were likely to do so as long +as there was any prospect of food. The four buffaloes which had been +killed, as well as the horse which had been gored to death, were found +picked clean to the bones on the following day, by the hyenas and other +animals which were heard prowling during the whole night. But as large +quantities of the buffalo-flesh had been cut off, and hung upon the +trees near the caravan, there was more than sufficient for a second +feast for the Bushmen and Hottentots, and there was nothing but frying +and roasting during the whole of the day. + +The sun was intensely hot, and Alexander and the Major both felt so +fatigued from the exertions of the day before, that after breakfast they +retired to their wagons, and Swinton did not attempt to disturb them, as +they were in a sound sleep till the evening, when they were much +refreshed and very hungry. Swinton said he had thought it better that +they should not be awakened, as the heat was so overpowering, and they +could perform Divine service in the evening, if they thought proper, +when it would be cooler. This was agreed to, and, after an early supper, +they summoned all the Hottentots, who, although gorged, were still +unwilling to leave their fires; as they said the Bushmen would devour +all the flesh that was left, in their absence. + +This remonstrance was not listened to, and they all assembled. The +prayers were read and the service gone through by the light of a large +fire, for it was very dark before the service was finished. The Bushmen, +as the Hottentots prophesied, had taken advantage of their absence, to +help themselves very liberally; and as Swinton read the prayers, the +eyes of the Hottentots were continually turning round to their own +fires, where the Bushmen were throwing on large pieces of buffalo-flesh, +and, before they were even heated through, were chewing them and tearing +them to pieces with their teeth. + +Never perhaps was there a congregation whose attention was so divided, +and who were more anxious for the conclusion of the service. This +uneasiness shown by the Hottentots appeared at last to be communicated +to the oxen, which were tied up round the wagons. The fire required +replenishing, but none of the Hottentots moved to perform the office; +perhaps they thought that if Swinton could no longer see, the service +must conclude: but Swinton knew it by heart, and continued reading the +Commandments, which was the last portion which he read, and Alexander +and the Major repeated the responses. The Major, whose face was toward +the cattle, had observed their uneasiness, and guessed the cause, but +did not like to interrupt the service, as it was just over. Begum began +clinging to him in the way she always did when she was afraid; Swinton +had just finished, and the Major was saying, "Swinton, depend upon it," +when a roar like thunder was heard, and a dark mass passed over their +heads. + +The bellowing and struggling of the oxen was almost instantaneously +succeeded by a lion, with an ox borne on his shoulder, passing right +through the whole congregation, sweeping away the remnants of the fire +and the Hottentots right and left, and vanishing in a moment from their +sight. As may be imagined, all was confusion and alarm. Some screamed, +some shouted and ran for their guns; but it was too late. On +examination, it was found that the lion had seized the ox which had been +tied up near to where they were sitting; their fire being nearly +extinguished, and the one which should have been kept alight next to it +altogether neglected by the Hottentots, in their anxiety to keep up +those on which they had been broiling their buffalo-steaks. + +The leather thongs by which the ox had been tied up were snapped like +threads, and many of the other oxen had, in their agony of fear, broken +their fastenings and escaped. As the lion bounded away through the +assembled party, it appeared as if the ox was not a feather's weight to +him. He had, however, stepped rather roughly upon two of the Hottentots, +who lay groaning, as if they had been severely hurt; but upon +examination it was found that they had only been well scratched and +covered with ashes. The Bushmen, however, had left their meal, and with +their bows and small poisoned arrows had gone in pursuit. Bremen and one +or two of the Hottentots proposed also to go, but our travelers would +not permit them. About an hour afterward the Bushmen returned, and Omrah +had communication with them; and through Bremen they learned that the +Bushmen had come up with the lion about a mile distant, and had +discharged many of their arrows at him, and, they were convinced, with +effect, as a heavy growl or an angry roar was the announcement when he +was hit; but, although he was irritated, he continued his repast. Omrah +then said, "Lion dead to-morrow,--Bushmen find him." + +"Well," said Alexander, as they went to their wagons, which, in +consequence of this event, and their having to make up large fires +before they went to bed, they did not do till late, "I believe this is +the first time that Divine service was ever wound up by such intrusion." + +"Perhaps so," replied Swinton; "but I think it proves that we have more +cause for prayer, surrounded as we are by such danger. The lion might +have taken one of us, and by this time we should have suffered a horrid +death." + +"I never felt the full force of the many similes and comparisons in the +Scriptures, where the lion is so often introduced, till now," observed +Alexander. + +"It was indeed a most awful sermon after the prayers," said the Major: +"I trust never to hear such a one again: but is it not our own fault? +This is the second time that one of our oxen has been carried off by a +lion, from the circle of fires not being properly attended to. It is the +neglect of the Hottentots, certainly; but if they are so neglectful, we +should attend to them ourselves." + +"It will be as well to punish them for their neglect," said Swinton, "by +stopping their tobacco for the week; for if they find that we attend to +the fires ourselves, they will not keep one in, that you may depend +upon. However, we will discuss that point to-morrow, so good-night." + +Omrah came to the Major the next morning, before the oxen were yoked, to +say that the Bushmen had found the lion, and that he was not yet dead, +but nearly so; that the animal had dragged away that portion of the ox +that he did not eat, about half a mile further; that there he had lain +down, and he was so sick that he could not move. + +At this intelligence they mounted their horses, and, guided by the +Bushmen, arrived at the bush where the lion lay. The Bushmen entered at +once, for they had previously reconnoitered, and were saluted with a low +snarl, very different from the roar of the preceding night. Our +travelers followed, and found the noble creature in his last agonies, +his strength paralyzed, and his eyes closed. One or two of the small +arrows of the Bushmen were still sticking in his hide, and did not +appear to have entered more than half an inch; but the poison was so +subtle, that it had rapidly circulated through his whole frame; and +while they were looking down upon the noble beast, it dropped its jaws +and expired. + +As our travelers turned back to join the caravan, Alexander observed: +"Those Bushmen, diminutive as they are in size, and contemptible as +their weapons appear, must be dangerous enemies, when the mere prick of +one of their small arrows is certain death. What is their poison +composed of?" + +"Of the venom extracted from snakes, which is mixed up with the juice of +the euphorbia, and boiled down till it becomes of the consistency of +glue. They then dip the heads of the arrows into it, and let it dry on." + +"Is then the venom of snakes so active after it has been taken away from +the animal?" + +"Yes, for a considerable time after. I remember a story, which is, I +believe, well authenticated, of a man who had been bitten through his +boot by a rattlesnake in America. The man died, and shortly afterward +his two sons died one after the other, with just the same symptoms as +their father, although they had not been bitten by snakes. It was +afterward discovered that upon the father's death the sons had one after +the other taken possession of and put on his boots, and the boots being +examined, the fang of the rattlesnake was discovered to have passed +through the leather and remained there. The fang had merely grazed the +skin of the two sons when they put on the boots, and had thus caused +their death." + +"Are the snakes here as deadly in their poison as the rattlesnake of +America?" + +"Equally so,--that is, two or three of them; some are harmless. The most +formidable is the cobra capella (not the same as the Indian snake of the +same name). It is very large, being usually five feet long; but it has +been found six and even seven feet. This snake has been known to dart at +a man on horseback, and with such force as to overshoot his aim. His +bite is certain death, I believe, as I never heard of a man recovering +from the wound." + +"Well, that is as bad as can be. What is the next?" + +"The next is what they call the puff adder. It is a very heavy, sluggish +animal, and very thick in proportion to its length, and when attacked in +front, it can not make any spring. It has, however, another power, +which, if you are not prepared for it, is perhaps equally dangerous +--that of throwing itself backward in a most surprising manner. This is, +however, only when trod upon or provoked; but its bite is very deadly. +Then two of the mountain adders are among the most dangerous snakes +here. The mountain adder is small, and, from its not being so easily +seen and so easily avoided, is very dangerous, and its bite as fatal as +the others." + +"I trust that is the end of your catalogue?" + +"Not exactly; there is another, which I have specimens of, but whose +faculties I have never seen put to the test, which is called the +spirting snake. It is about three feet long, and its bite, although +poisonous, is not fatal. But it has a faculty, from which its name is +derived, of spirting its venom into the face of its assailant, and if +the venom enters the eye, at which the animal darts it, immediate +blindness ensues. There are a great many other varieties, some of which +we have obtained possession of during our journey. Many of them are +venomous, but not so fatal as the first three I have mentioned. + +"Indeed, it is a great blessing that the Almighty has not made the +varieties of snakes aggressive or fierce,--which they are not. Provided, +as they are, with such dreadful powers, if they were so, they would +indeed be formidable; but they only act in self-defense, or when +provoked. I may as well here observe, that the Hottentots, when they +kill any of the dangerous snakes, invariably cut off the head and bury +it; and this they do, that no one may by chance tread upon it, as they +assert that the poison of the fangs is as potent as ever, not only for +weeks but months afterward." + +"That certainly is a corroboration of the story that you told us of the +rattlesnake's fang in the boot." + +"It is so; but although there are so many venomous snakes in this +country, it is remarkable how very few accidents or deaths occur from +them. I made an inquiry at the Moravian Mission, where these venomous +snakes are very plentiful, how many people they had lost by their bites, +and the missionaries told me, that out of 800 Hottentots belonging to +the Mission, they had only lost two men by the bites of snakes during a +space of seven years; and in other places where I made the same inquiry, +the casualties were much less in proportion to the numbers." + +"Is the boa constrictor found in this part of Africa?" + +"Not so far south as we now are, but it is a few degrees more to the +northward. I have never seen it, but I believe there is no doubt of its +existence." + +"The South American Indians have a very subtle poison with which they +kill their game. Are you aware, Swinton, of its nature? Is it like the +Bushmen's poison?" + +"I know the poison well; it was brought over by Mr. Waterton, whose +amusing works you may have read. It is called the wourali poison, and is +said to be extracted from a sort of creeping vine, which grows in the +country. The natives, however, add the poison of snakes to the extract; +and the preparation is certainly very fatal, as I can bear witness to." + +"Have you ever seen it tried?" + +"Yes, I have tried it myself. When I was in Italy I became acquainted +with Mr. W., and he gave two or three of us, who were living together, a +small quantity, not much more than two grains of mustard-seed in size. +We purchased a young mule to make the experiment upon; an incision was +made in its shoulder, and the poison inserted under the skin. I think in +about six or seven minutes the animal was dead. Mr. W. said that the +effects would have been instantaneous, if the virtue of the poison had +not somewhat deteriorated from its having been kept so long." + +"The wourali poison only acts upon the nerves, I believe?" said the +Major. + +"Only upon the nerves; and although so fatal, if immediate means are +resorted to, a person who is apparently dead from it may be brought to +life again by the same process as is usual in the recovery of drowned or +suffocated people. A donkey upon which the poison had acted was restored +in this manner, and for the remainder of his days permitted to run in +Sir Joseph Banks's park. But the poison of snakes acts upon the blood, +and therefore occasions death without remedy." + +"But there are remedies, I believe, for even the most fatal poisons?" + +"Yes, in His provident mercy God has been pleased to furnish remedies +at hand, and where the snake exists the remedy is to be found. The +rattlesnake root is a cure, if taken and applied immediately; and it is +well known that the ichneumon when bitten by the cobra capella, in his +attack upon it, will hasten to a particular herb and eat it immediately, +to prevent the fatal effect of the animal's bite." + +"I once saw a native of India," said the Major, "who for a small sum +would allow himself to be bitten by a cobra capella. He was well +provided with the same plant used by the ichneumon, which he swallowed +plentifully, and also rubbed on the wound. It is impossible to say, but, +so far as I could judge, there was no deception." + +"I think it very possible; if the plant will cure the ichneumon, why not +a man? I have no doubt but that there are many plants which possess +virtues of which we have no knowledge. Some few, and perhaps some of the +most valuable, we have discovered; but our knowledge of the vegetable +kingdom, as far as its medicinal properties are known, is very slight; +and perhaps many which were formerly known have, since the introduction +of mineral antidotes, been lost sight of." + +"Why, yes; long before chemistry had made any advances, we do hear in +old romances of balsams of most sovereign virtues," said Alexander, +laughing. + +"Which, I may observe, is almost a proof that they did in reality exist; +and the more so, because you will find that the knowledge of these +sovereign remedies was chiefly in the hands of the Jews, the oldest +nation upon the earth; and from their constant communication with each +other, most likely to have transmitted their knowledge from generation +to generation." + +"We have also reason to believe that not only they had peculiar +_remedies_ in their times, but also--if we are to credit what has been +handed down to us--that the art of _poisoning_ was much better +understood," said the Major. + +"At all events, they had not the knowledge of chemistry which now leads +to its immediate detection," replied Swinton. "But, Alexander, there are +three hippopotami lying asleep on the side of the river. Have you a +mind to try your skill?" + +"No, not particularly," replied Alexander; "I have had enough of +hippopotami. By the by, the river is much wider than it was." + +"Yes, by my calculation we ought to travel no more to the westward after +to-day. We must now cut across to the Yellow or Val River. We shall +certainly be two days without water or pasturage for the cattle, but +they are in such good condition that they will not much feel it. There +is a river which we shall cross near its head, but the chance of water +is very small; indeed, I believe we shall find it nowhere, except in +these great arteries, if I may so call them." + +"Well; I was thinking so myself, Swinton, as I looked at the map +yesterday, when I lay in my wagon," said the Major; "so then to-morrow +for a little variety; that is, a desert." + +"Which it will most certainly be," replied Swinton; "for, except on the +banks of the large rivers, there are no hopes of vegetation in this +country at this season of the year; but in another month we may expect +heavy falls of rain." + +"The Bushmen have left us, I perceive," said Alexander. + +"Yes, they have probably remained behind to eat the lion." + +"What, will they eat it now that it has been poisoned?" + +"That makes no difference to them; they merely cut out the parts +wounded, and invariably eat all the carcasses of the animals which they +kill, and apparently without any injury. There is nothing which a +Bushman will not eat. A flight of locusts is a great feast to him." + +"I can not imagine them to be very palatable food." + +"I have never tasted them," replied Swinton; "but I should think not. +They do not, however, eat them raw; they pull off their wings and legs, +and dry their bodies; they then beat them into a powder." + +"Do you suppose that St. John's fare of locusts and wild honey was the +locust which we are now referring to?" + +"I do not know, but I should rather think not, and for one reason, +which is, that although a person in the wilderness might subsist upon +these animals, if always to be procured, yet the flights of locusts are +very uncertain. Now there is a tree in the country where St. John +retired, which is called the locust-tree, and produces a large sweet +bean, shaped like the common French bean, but nearly a foot long, which +is very palatable and nutritious. It is even now given to cattle in +large quantities; and I imagine that this was the locust referred to; +and I believe many of the commentators on the holy writings have been of +the same opinion. I think we have now gone far enough for to-day; we may +as well halt there. Do you intend to hunt, Major? I see some animals +there at a distance." + +"I should say not," said Alexander; "if we are to cross a desert tract +to-morrow, we had better not fatigue our horses." + +"Certainly not. No, Swinton, we will remain quiet, unless game comes to +us." + +"Yes, and look after our water-kegs being filled, and the fires lighted +to-night," said Alexander; "and I trust we may have no more sermons +from lions, although Shakespeare does say, 'sermons from stones, and +good in everything.'" + +They halted their caravan upon a rising ground, and having taken the +precaution to see the water-kegs filled and the wood collected, they sat +down to dinner upon fried ham and cheese; for the Hottentots had +devoured all the buffalo-flesh, and demanded a sheep to be killed for +supper. This was consented to although they did not deserve it; but as +their tobacco had been stopped for their neglect of providing fuel and +keeping up the fires, it was considered politic not to make them too +discontented. + +Alexander had been walking by the side of the river with the Major, +while the Hottentots were arranging the camp, and Swinton was putting +away some new specimens in natural history which he had collected, when +Omrah, who was with them, put his finger to his lips and stopped them. +As they perfectly understood what he required, they stood still and +silent. Omrah then pointed to something which was lying on the low +bank, under a tuft of rushes; but they could not distinguish it, and +Omrah asked by signs for the Major's rifle, took aim, and fired. A loud +splashing was heard in the water, and they pushed their way through the +high grass and reeds, until they arrived at the spot, where they +perceived an animal floundering in the agonies of death." + +"An alligator!" exclaimed the Major; "well, I had no idea that there +were any here inland. They said that there were plenty at the mouths of +the rivers, on the coast of the Eastern Caffres, but I am astonished to +find one here." + +"What did you fire at?" asked Swinton, who now joined them. + +"An alligator, and he is dead. I am afraid that he won't be very good +eating," replied the Major. + +"That's not an alligator, Major," said Swinton, "and it is very good +eating. It is a large lizard of the guana species, which is found about +these rivers; it is amphibious, but perfectly harmless, subsisting upon +vegetables and insects. I tell you it is a great delicacy, ugly as it +looks. It is quite dead, so let us drag it out of the water, and send it +up to Mahomed by Omrah." + +The animal, which was about four feet long, was dragged out of the water +by the tail, and Omrah took it to the camp. + +"Well, I really thought it was a small alligator," said the Major; "but +now I perceive my mistake. What a variety of lizards there appears to be +in this country." + +"A great many from the chameleon upward," replied Swinton. "By the by, +there is one which is said to be very venomous. I have heard many +well-authenticated stories of the bite being not only very dangerous, +but in some instances fatal. I have specimens of the animal in my +collection. It is called here the geitje." + +"Well, it is rather remarkable, but we have in India a small lizard, +called the gecko by the natives, which is said to be equally venomous. I +presume it must be the same animal, and it is singular that the names +should vary so little. I have never seen an instance of its poisonous +powers, but I have seen a whole company of sepoys run out of their +quarters because they have heard the animal make its usual cry in the +thatch of the building; they say that it drops down upon people from the +roof." + +"Probably the same animal; and a strong corroboration that the report of +its being venomous is with good foundation." + +"And yet if we were to make the assertion in England, we should in all +probability not be believed." + +"Not by many, I grant--not by those who only know a little; but by those +who are well informed, you probably would be. The fact is, from a too +ready credulity, we have now turned to almost a total skepticism, unless +we have ocular demonstration. In the times of Marco Polo, Sir John +Mandeville, and others,--say in the fifteenth century, when there were +but few travelers and but little education, a traveler might assert +almost any thing, and gain credence; latterly a traveler hardly dare +assert any thing. Le Vaillant and Bruce, who traveled in the South and +North of Africa, were both stigmatized as liars, when they published +their accounts of what they had seen, and yet every tittle has since +been proved to be correct. However, as people are now better informed, +they do not reject so positively; for they have certain rules to guide +them between the possible and the impossible." + +"How do you mean?" + +"I mean, for instance, that if a person was to tell me that he had seen +a mermaid, with the body of a woman and the scaly tail of a fish, I +should at once say that I could not believe him. And why? because it is +contrary to the laws of nature. The two component parts of the animal +could not be combined, as the upper portion would belong to the +mammalia, and be a hot-blooded animal, the lower to a cold-blooded class +of natural history. Such a junction would, therefore, be impossible. But +there are, I have no doubt, many animals still undiscovered, or rather +still unknown to Europeans, the description of which may at first excite +suspicion, if not doubt. But as I have before observed, the account +would, in all probability, not be rejected by a naturalist, although it +might be by people without much knowledge of the animal kingdom, who +would not be able to judge by comparison whether the existence of such +an animal was credible. Even fabulous animals have had their origin from +existing ones. The unicorn is, no doubt, the gemsbok antelope; for when +you look at the animal at a distance, its two horns appear as if they +were only one, and the Bushmen have so portrayed the animal in their +caves. The dragon is also not exactly imaginary; for, the _Lacerta +volans_, or flying lizard of Northern Africa, is very like a small +dragon in miniature. So that even what has been considered as fabulous +has arisen from exaggeration or mistake." + +"You think, then, Swinton, that we are bound to believe all that +travelers tell us?" + +"Not so; but not to reject what they assert, merely because it does not +correspond with our own ideas on the subject. The most remarkable +instance of unbelief was relative to the aerolites or meteoric stones +formed during a thunder-storm in the air, and falling to the earth. Of +course you have heard that such have occurred?" + +"I have," replied the Major, "and I have seen several in India." + +"This was treated as a mere fable not a century back; and when it was +reported (and not the first time) that such a stone had fallen in +France, the _savans_ were sent in deputation to the spot. They heard the +testimony of the witnesses that a loud noise was heard in the air; that +they looked up and beheld an opaque body descending; that it fell on the +earth with a force which nearly buried it in the ground, and was so hot +at the time that it could not be touched with the hand. It afterward +became cold. Now the _savans_ heard all this, and pronounced that it +could not be; and for a long while every report of the kind was treated +with contempt. Now every one knows, and every one is fully satisfied of +the fact, and not the least surprise is expressed when they are told of +the circumstance. As Shakespeare makes Hamlet observe very truly--'There +are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your +philosophy.'" + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + + +There was no alarm during the night, and the next morning they yoked the +oxen and changed their course to the northward. The whole of the cattle +had been led down to the river to drink, and allowed two hours to feed +before they started; for they were about to pass through a sterile +country of more than sixty miles, where they did not expect to find +either pasturage or water. They had not left the river more than three +miles behind them, when the landscape changed its appearance. As far as +the eye could scan the horizon, all vestiges of trees had disappeared, +and now the ground was covered with low stunted bushes and large stones. +Here and there were to be seen small groups of animals, the most common +of which were the quaggas. As our travelers were in the advance, they +started six or seven ostriches which had been sitting, and a ball from +the Major's rifle brought one to the ground, the others running off at a +velocity that the fastest horse could scarcely have surpassed. + +"That was a good shot, Major," said Alexander. + +"Yes," replied Swinton; "but take care how you go too near the bird; you +have broken his thigh, and he may be dangerous. They are very fierce. As +I thought, here is the nest. Let Bremen kill the bird,--he understands +them, Major. It is the male, and those which have escaped are all +females." + +"What a quantity of eggs!" said Alexander. "Is the nest a joint +concern?" + +"Yes," replied Swinton. "All those which are in the center of the nest +with their points upward are the eggs for hatching. There are, let me +see, twenty-six of them, and you observe that there are as many more +round about the nest. Those are for the food of the young ostriches as +soon as they are born. However, we will save them that trouble. Bremen +must take the eggs outside the nest for us, and the others the people +may have. They are not very particular whether they are fresh or not." + +"This is a noble bird," said the Major, "and has some beautiful +feathers. I suppose we may let Bremen take the feathers out and leave +the body!" + +"Yes; I do not want it; but Bremen will take the skin, I dare say. It is +worth something at the Cape." + +As soon as the Hottentots had secured the eggs, and Bremen had skinned +the ostrich, which did not occupy many minutes, they rode on, and +Swinton then said-- + +"The male ostrich generally associates with from three to seven females, +which all lay in the same nest. He sits as well as the females, and +generally at night, that he may defend the eggs from the attacks of the +hyenas and other animals." + +"You do not mean to say that he can fight these animals!" + +"And kill them also. The ostrich has two powerful weapons; its wing, +with which it has often been known to break a hunter's leg, the blow +from it is so violent; and what is more fatal, its foot, with the toe of +which it strikes and kills both animals and men. I once myself, in +Namaqua-land, saw a Bushman who had been struck on the chest by the foot +of the ostrich, and it had torn open his chest and stomach, so that his +entrails were lying on the ground. I hardly need say that the poor +wretch was dead." + +"I could hardly have credited it," observed Alexander. + +"The Bushmen skin the ostrich, and spread the skin upon a frame of +wicker-work; the head and neck are supported by a skin thrust through +them. The skin they fix on one of their sides, and carry the head and +neck in one of their hands, while the other holds the bow and arrows. In +this disguise--of course with the feathered side of him presented to the +bird or beast he would get near to--he walks along, pecking with the +head at the bushes, and imitating the motions of the ostrich. By this +stratagem he very often is enabled to get within shot of the other +ostriches, or the quaggas and gnoos which consort with these birds." + +"I should like to see that very much," said the Major. + +"You would be surprised at the close imitation, as I have been. I ought +to have said that the Bushman whitens his legs with clay. It is, +however, a service of danger, for I have, as I told you, known a man +killed by the male ostrich; and the natives say that it is by no means +uncommon for them to receive very serious injury." + +"Hold hard," said the Major, "there is a lion; what a terrible black +mane he has got! What do you say, Swinton? He is by himself." + +Swinton looked at the animal, which was crossing about three hundred +yards ahead of them; he was on a low hill, with his head close to the +ground. + +"I certainly say not. Let him pass, by all means; and I only hope he +will take no notice of us. I must give you the advice which an old +Namaqua chief gave me. He said--'Whenever you see a lion moving in the +middle of the day, you may be certain that he is in great want of food +and very angry. Never attack one then, for they are very dangerous and +most desperate,' If, therefore, Major, you wish a very serious affair, +and one or two lives lost you will attack that animal. But you must +expect that what I say will happen." + +"Indeed, my dear Swinton, I neither wish to lose my own life, nor to +risk those of others, and therefore we will remain here till his majesty +has had time to get out of our way; and I hope he may soon find a +dinner." + +By this time the caravan had come up with them, and they then proceeded. +The face of the country became even more sterile, and at last not an +animal of any description was to be seen. As there was nothing for the +oxen to feed upon they continued their route during the whole of the +day, and at night they halted and secured the cattle to the wagons. Wood +for fires they were not able to procure, and therefore they made one +half of the Hottentots watch during the night with their muskets to +scare off wild beasts. But, as Swinton observed, there was little chance +of their being disturbed by lions or other animals, as they were so +distant from water, and there was no game near them upon which the wild +beasts prey; and so it proved, for during the whole night they did not +even hear the cry of a hyena or a jackal. + +At the first gleaming of light the oxen were again yoked, with the +hopes of their being able to gain the Val River by night. The relay oxen +were now put to, to relieve those which appeared to suffer most. At noon +the heat was dreadful, and the horses, which could not support the want +of water as the oxen could, were greatly distressed. They continued for +about two hours more, and then perceived a few low trees. Begum, who had +been kept without water, that she might exert herself to find it, +started off as fast as she could, followed by Omrah. After running to +the trees, they altered their course to the eastward, toward some ragged +rocks. The caravan arrived at the trees, which they found were growing +on the banks of the river Alexandria, which they knew they should pass; +but not a drop of water was to be discovered; even the pools were quite +dry. As they searched about, all of a sudden Begum came running back +screaming, and with every mark of terror, and clung, as usual, to the +Major when frightened. + +"Where is the Bushboy?" said Bremen. + +"Something has happened," cried Swinton; "come all of you with your +guns." + +The whole party, Hottentots and all, hastened toward the rocks where +Omrah and Begum had been in search of water. As soon as they reached +within fifty paces, quite out of breath with their haste, they were +saluted with the quah, quah, of a herd of baboons, which were perched at +the edge of the rocks, and which threatened them in their usual way, +standing on their fore-legs, and making as if they would fly at them. + +"Now, then, what is to be done?" said the Major. "Shall we fire? Do you +think that they have possession of the boy?" + +"If they have, they will let him go. Yes, we are too numerous for them +now, and they will not show fight, depend upon it. Let us all take good +aim and fire a volley right into them." + +"Well, then, I'll take that venerable old chap that appears to be the +leader, and the great-grandfather of them all," said the Major. "Are you +all ready?--then fire." + +The volley had its effect; three or four of the animals were killed, +many were wounded, and the whole herd went scampering off with loud +shrieks and cries, the wounded trailing themselves after the others as +well as they could. + +The whole party then ascended the crags to look after Omrah--all but +Begum, who would not venture. They had hardly gained the summit when +they heard Omrah's voice below, but could not see him. "There he is, +sir," said Swanevelt, "down below there." Swinton and the Major went +down again, and at last, guided by the shouts of the boy, they came to a +narrow cleft in the rock, about twenty feet deep, at the bottom of which +they heard, but could not see, the boy. The cleft was so narrow that +none of the men could squeeze down it. Swinton sent one of them back for +some leathern thongs or a piece of rope to let down to him. + +During the delay, Bremen inquired of Omrah if he was hurt, and received +an answer in the negative. When the rope came, and was lowered down to +him, Omrah seized it, and was hauled up by the Hottentots. He appeared +to have suffered a little, as his hair was torn out in large handfuls, +and his shirt was in ribbons; but with the exception of some severe +scratches from the nails of the baboons, he had no serious injury. Omrah +explained to the Hottentots, who could talk his language, that Begum and +he had come to the cleft, and had discovered that there was water at the +bottom of it; that Begum had gone down, and that he was following, when +the baboons, which drank in the chasm, had come upon them. Begum had +sprung up and escaped, but he could not; and that the animals had +followed him down, until he was so jammed in the cleft that he could +descend no further; and that there they had pulled out his hair and torn +his shirt, as they saw. Having heard Omrah's story, and satisfied +themselves that he had received no serious injury, they then went to +where the baboons had been shot. Two were dead; but the old one, which +the Major had fired at, was alive, although severely wounded, having +received two shots, one in his arm and the other in his leg, which was +broken by the ball. All the poor old creature's fierceness appeared to +have left him. It was evidently very weak from the loss of blood, and +sat down leaning against the rock. Every now and then it would raise +itself, and look down upon the wound in its leg, examining the hole +where the bullet had passed through; then it would hold up its wounded +arm with its other hand, and look them in the face inquiringly, as much +as to say, "What have you done this for?" + +"Poor creature," said Alexander; "how much its motions are those of a +human being. Its mute expostulation is quite painful to witness." + +"Very true," said the Major; "but still, if it had not those wounds, it +would tear you to pieces if it could." + +"That it certainly would," said Swinton; "but still it is an object of +pity. It can not recover, and we had better put it out of its misery." + +Desiring Bremen to shoot the animal through the head, our travelers then +walked back to the caravan. As they returned by the banks of the river, +they perceived Begum very busy, scraping up the baked mud at the bottom +of a pool. + +"What is the princess about?" said Alexander. + +"I know," cried Omrah, who immediately ran to the assistance of the +baboon; and after a little more scraping, he pulled out a live tortoise +about a foot long. + +"I have heard that when the pools dry up, the tortoises remain in the +mud till the pools are filled up again," said Swinton. + +"Are they good eating, Swinton?" + +"Excellent." + +"Turtle soup in the desert, that's something unexpected." + +The Hottentots now set to work and discovered five or six more, which +they brought out. They then tried in vain to get at the water in the +deep cleft, but finding it impossible, the caravan continued its course. + +"How much more of this desert have we to traverse," said Alexander, +"before we come to the river?" + +[Illustration: THE TORTOISE DISCOVERY.] + +"I fear that we shall not arrive there before to-morrow night," said +Swinton, "unless we travel on during the night, which I think will be +the best plan; for fatiguing as it will be to the animals, they will +be even more exhausted if they pass another day under the sun without +water, and at night they will bear their work better. We gain nothing by +stopping, as the longer they are on the journey, the more they will be +exhausted." + +"I am really fearful for the horses, they suffer so much." + +"At night we will wash their mouths with a sponge full of water; we can +spare so much for the poor creatures." + +"In the deserts of Africa you have always one of three dangers to +encounter," said Swinton; "wild men, wild beasts, and want of water." + +"And the last is the worst of the three," replied the Major. "We shall +have a moon to-night for a few hours." + +"Yes, and if we had not, it would be of no consequence; the stars give +light enough, and we have little chance of wild beasts here. We now want +water; as soon as we get rid of that danger, we shall then have the +other to encounter." + +The sun went down at last; the poor oxen toiled on with their tongues +hanging out of their mouths. At sunset, the relay oxen were yoked, and +they continued their course by the stars. The horses had been refreshed, +as Swinton had proposed; but they were too much exhausted to be ridden, +and our travelers, with their guns on their shoulders, and the dogs +loose, to give notice of any danger, now walked by the sides of the +wagons over the sandy ground. The stars shone out brilliantly, and even +the tired cattle felt relief, from the comparative coolness of the night +air. All was silent, except the creaking of the wheels of the wagons, +and the occasional sighs of the exhausted oxen, as they thus passed +through the desert. + +"Well," observed the Major, after they had walked about an hour without +speaking, "I don't know what your thoughts may have been all this while, +but it has occurred to me that a party of pleasure may be carried to too +great lengths; and I think that I have been very selfish, in persuading +Wilmot to undergo all that we have undergone and are likely to undergo, +merely because I wished to shoot a giraffe." + +"I presume that I must plead guilty also," replied Swinton, "in having +assisted to induce him; but you know a naturalist is so ardent in his +pursuit that he thinks of nothing else." + +"I do not think that you have either of you much to answer for," replied +Alexander; "I was just as anxious to go as you were; and as far as I am +concerned, have not the slightest wish to turn back again, till we have +executed our proposed plans. We none of us undertook this journey with +the expectation of meeting with no difficulties or no privations; and I +fully anticipate more than we have yet encountered, or are encountering +now. If I get back on foot, and without a sole left to my shoe, I shall +be quite content; at the same time, I will not continue it if you both +wish to return." + +"Indeed, my dear fellow, I have no wish but to go on; but I was afraid +that we were running you into dangers which we have no right to do." + +"You have a right, allowing that I did not myself wish to proceed," +replied Alexander. "You escorted me safe through the country to +ascertain a point in which you had not the slightest interest, and it +would indeed be rewarding you very ill, if I were now to refuse to +gratify you: but the fact is, I am gratifying myself at the same time." + +"Well, I am very glad to hear you say so," replied the Major, "as it +makes my mind at ease; what time do you think it is, Swinton?" + +"It is about three o'clock; we shall soon have daylight, and I hope with +daylight we shall have some sight to cheer us. We have traveled well, +and can not by my reckoning be far from the Val River. Since yesterday +morning we have made sixty miles or thereabouts; and if we have not +diverged from our course, the poor animals will soon be relieved." + +They traveled on another weary hour, when Begum gave a cry, and started +off ahead of the wagons; the oxen raised their heads to the wind, and +those which were not in the yokes after a short while broke from the +keepers, and galloped off, followed by the horses, sheep, and dogs. The +oxen in the yokes also became quite unruly, trying to disengage +themselves from the traces. + +"They have smelt the water; it is not far off, sir," said Bremen; "we +had better unyoke them all, and let them go." + +"Yes, by all means," said Alexander. + +So impatient were the poor beasts, that it was very difficult to +disengage them, and many broke loose before it could be effected; as +soon as they were freed, they followed their companions at the same +rapid pace. + +"At all events, we shall know where to find them," said the Major, +laughing: "well, I really so felt for the poor animals that I am as +happy as if I was as thirsty as they are, and was now quenching my +thirst. It's almost daylight." + +As the day dawned, they continued to advance in the direction that the +animals had taken, and they then distinguished the trees that bordered +the river, which was about two miles distant. As soon as it was broad +daylight, they perceived that the whole landscape had changed in +appearance. Even where they were walking there was herbage, and near to +the river it appeared most luxuriant. Tall mimosa-trees were to be seen +in every direction, and in the distance large forests of timber. All was +verdant and green, and appeared to them as a paradise after the desert +in which they had been wandering on the evening before. As they arrived +at the river's banks, they were saluted with the lively notes of the +birds hymning forth their morning praise, and found the cattle, after +slaking their thirst, were now quietly feeding upon the luxuriant grass +which surrounded them. + +"Well may the Psalmist and prophets talk of the beauty of flowing +rivers," said Alexander; "now we feel the truth and beauty of the +language; one would almost imagine that the sacred writings were indited +in these wilds." + +"If not in these, they certainly were in the Eastern countries, which +assimilate strongly with them," said Swinton; "but, as you truly say, it +is only by having passed through the country that you can fully +appreciate their beauties. We never know the real value of any thing +till we have felt what it is to be deprived of it; and in a temperate +climate, with a pump in every house, people can not truly estimate the +value of 'flowing rivers.'" + +The Hottentots having now arrived, the cattle were driven back to the +wagons and yoked, that they might be brought up to a spot which had been +selected for their encampment. In the mean time our travelers, who were +tired with their night's walk, lay down under a large mimosa-tree, close +to the banks of the river. + +"We shall stay here a day or two, of course," said the Major. + +"Yes, for the sake of the cattle; the poor creatures deserve a couple of +days' rest." + +"Do you observe how the mimosas are torn up on the other side of the +river?" said Swinton; "the elephants have been very numerous there +lately." + +"Why do they tear the trees up?" said Alexander. + +"To feed upon the long roots, which are very sweet; they destroy an +immense number of the smaller trees in that manner." + +"Well, we must have another elephant-hunt," said the Major. + +"We may have hunts of every kind, I expect, here," replied Swinton; "we +are now in the very paradise of wild animals, and the further we go the +more we shall find." + +"What a difference there is in one day's journey in this country," +observed Alexander; "yesterday morning there was not a creature to be +seen, and all was silent as death. Now listen to the noise of the birds, +and as for beasts, I suspect we shall not have far to look for them." + +"No, for there is a hippopotamus just risen; and now he's down +again--there's food for a fortnight at one glance," cried the Major. + +"How the horses and sheep are enjoying themselves--they are making up +for lost time; but here come the wagons." + +"Well, then, I must get up and attend to my department," said the Major. +"I presume that we must expect our friends the lions again now." + +"Where there is food for lions, you must expect lions, Major," said +Swinton. + +"Very true, and fuel to keep them off; by the by, turtle soup for +dinner, recollect; tell Mahomed." + +"I'll see to it," said Alexander; "but we must have something for +breakfast, as soon as I have had a wash at the river's side. I would +have a bath, only I have such a respect for the hippopotami." + +"Yes, you will not forget them in a hurry," said Swinton, laughing. + +"Not as long as I have breath in my body, for they took all the breath +out of it. Come, Swinton, will you go with me, and make your toilet at +the river's banks?" + +"Yes, and glad to do so; for I am covered with the sand of the desert." + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + + +Our travelers remained very quiet that day and the next. The horses had +suffered so much, that they required two days of rest, and they +themselves were not sorry to be inactive after their fatiguing journey +over the desert. The cattle enjoyed the luxuriant pasture, and although +the tracks of the lions were discovered very near to them, yet, as they +had plenty of fuel and attended themselves to the fires, they had not +any visits from them during the night. The Hottentots had been out to +reconnoiter, and found a profusion of game, in a large plain, about two +miles distant; and it was decided that they would rest where they were +for a day or two, if the game were not frightened away. The river had +been crossed by Swanevelt, who stated that there was a large herd of +elephants on the other side, and the tracks of the rhinoceros were to be +seen on both sides of the river. + +On the third morning after their arrival at the Val, they set off, +accompanied by the Hottentots, to the plain which they had spoken of; +riding through magnificent groups of acacia or camelthorn trees, many +of which were covered with the enormous nests of the social grosbeaks. +As they descended to the plain they perceived large herds of brindled +gnoos, quaggas, and antelopes, covering the whole face of the country as +far as the eye could reach, moving about in masses to and fro, joining +each other and separating, so that the whole plain seemed alive with +them. + +"Is not this splendid?" cried the Major. "Such a sight is worth all the +trouble and labor which we have undergone. What would they say in +England, if they could but behold this scene?" + +"There must be thousands and thousands," said Alexander. "Tell me, +Swinton, what beautiful animals are those of a purple color?" + +"They are called the purple sassabys," replied Swinton; "one of the most +elegant of the antelope tribe." + +"And those red and yellow out there?" + +"They are the harte beests. I wish to have male and female specimens of +both, if I can." + +"See!" said the Major, "there is a fine flock of ostriches. We are +puzzled where to begin. Come, we have surveyed the scene long enough; +now forward,--to change it." + +They rode down, and were soon within shot of the animals, and the rifles +began their work. The Hottentots commenced firing from various points, +and, alarmed by the report of the guns, the animals now fled away in +every direction, and the whole place was one cloud of dust. Our +travelers put their horses to their speed, and soon came up with them +again, as their numbers impeded the animals in their flight. Every shot +told, for it was hardly possible to miss; and the Hottentots who +followed on foot, put those who were wounded out of their misery. At +last the horses were too fatigued and too much out of wind to continue +the pursuit, and they reined up. + +"Well, Alexander, this has been sport, has it not?" said the Major. + +"Yes, a grand battue, on a grand scale, indeed." + +"There were three animals which you did not observe," said Swinton; +"but it was impossible to get at them, they were so far off; but we must +try for them another time." + +"What were they?" + +"The elands, the largest of the antelope tribe," replied Swinton, "and +the best eating of them all. Sometimes they are nineteen hands high at +the chest, and will weigh nearly 2,000 lbs. It has the head of an +antelope, but the body is more like that of an ox. It has magnificent +straight horns, but they are not dangerous. They are easily run down, +for, generally speaking, they are very fat and incapable of much +exertion." + +"We will look out for them to-morrow," said the Major. "See how the +vultures are hovering over us; they know there will be bones for them to +pick this night." + +"More than bones," replied Alexander; "for what can we do with so many +carcasses? There is provision for a month, if it would keep. What a +prodigious variety of animals there appears to be in this country." + +"Yes, they are congregated here, because the country, from want of rain, +may be considered as barren. But within eight or nine degrees of +latitude from the Cape, we find the largest and most minute of creation. +We have the ostrich and the little creeper among the birds. Among the +beasts we have the elephant, weighing 4,000 lbs., and the black specked +mouse, weighing a quarter of an ounce. We have the giraffe, seventeen +feet high, and the little viverra, a sort of weasel, of three inches. I +believe there are thirty varieties of antelopes known and described; +eighteen of them are found in this country, and there are the largest +and smallest of the species; for we have the eland, and we have the +pigmy antelope, which is not above six inches high. We see here also the +intermediate links of many genera, such as the eland and the gnoo; and +as we find the elephant, the rhinoceros, and Wilmot's friend, the +hippopotamus, we certainly have the bulkiest animals in existence." + +Bremen now came up to say that they had discovered a rhinoceros close to +the river-side, concealed in the bushes underneath a clump of acacia. +The Major and Alexander having declared their intention of immediately +going in pursuit, Swinton advised them to be cautious, as the charge of +a rhinoceros was a very awkward affair, if they did not get out of the +way. They rode down to the clump of trees and bushes where the animal +was said to be hid, and, by the advice of Bremen, sent for the dogs to +worry the animal out. Bremen, who was on foot, was desired by the Major +to take the horse which Omrah rode, that he might be more expeditious, +and our travelers remained with a clear space of two hundred yards +between them and the bushes where the animal was concealed. The +Hottentots had also followed them, and were ordered on no account to +fire till they had taken their positions, and the dogs were sent in to +drive the animal out. + +When Bremen was but a short distance from them with the dogs, Swinton +advised that they should dismount and take possession of a small clump +of trees which grew very close together, as they would be concealed from +the animal. They called Omrah to take the horses, but he was not to be +seen; so they gave them to one of the Hottentots, to lead them to some +distance out of harm's way. + +"The vision of the rhinoceros is so limited," observed Swinton, "that it +is not difficult to get out of his way on his first charge; but at his +second he is generally prepared for your maneuver. A ball in the +shoulder is the most fatal. Look out, Bremen has turned in the dogs." +The barking of the dogs, which commenced as soon as they entered the +bushes, did not continue more than a minute, when a female rhinoceros of +the black variety burst out of the thicket in pursuit of the retreating +dogs. Several shots were fired by the Hottentots, who were concealed in +different quarters without effect; the animal rushing along and tearing +up the ground with its horns, looking out for its enemies. At last it +perceived a Hottentot, who showed himself from a bush near to where our +travelers were concealed. The animal charged immediately, and in +charging was brought down on its knees by a shot from Alexander. The +Hottentots rushed out, regardless of Swinton's calling out to them to +be careful, as the animal was not dead, and had surrounded it within a +few yards, when it rose again and fiercely charged Swanevelt, who +narrowly escaped. A shot from the Major put an end to its career, and +they then walked to where the animal lay, when a cry from Omrah, who was +standing near the river, attracted their notice, and they perceived that +the male rhinoceros, of whose presence they were not aware, had just +burst out of the same covert, and was charging toward them. + +Every one immediately took to his heels; many of the Hottentots in their +fear dropping their muskets, and fortunately the distance they were from +the covert gave them time to conceal themselves in the thickets before +the animal had time to come up with them. A shot from Swinton turned the +assailant, who now tore up the earth in his rage, looking everywhere +round with its sharp flashing eye for a victim. At this moment, while it +seemed hesitating and peering about, to the astonishment of the whole +party, Omrah showed himself openly on the other side of the rhinoceros, +waving his red handkerchief, which he had taken off his head. The +rhinoceros, the moment that the boy caught his eye, rushed furiously +toward him. "The boy's lost," cried Swinton; but hardly had the words +gone from his mouth, when to their astonishment, the rhinoceros +disappeared, and Omrah stood capering and shouting with delight. The +fact was that Omrah, when he had left our travelers, had gone down +toward the river, and as he went along had with his light weight passed +over what he knew full well to be one of the deep pits dug by the +Bushmen to catch those animals. Having fully satisfied himself that it +was so, he had remained by the side of it, and when the rhinoceros +rushed at him, had kept the pit between himself and the animal. His +object was to induce the animal to charge at him, which it did, and when +within four yards of the lad, had plunged into the pit dug for him. The +success of Omrah's plan explained the whole matter at once, and our +travelers hastened up to where the rhinoceros was impounded, and found +that a large stake, fixed upright in the center of the pit, had impaled +the animal. A shot from the Major put an end to the fury and agony of +the animal. + +"I never was more excited in my life; I thought the boy was mad and +wanted to lose his life," said Alexander. + +"And so did I," replied Swinton; "and yet I ought to have known him +better. It was admirably done; here we have an instance of the +superiority of man endowed with reasoning power over brutes. A +rhinoceros will destroy the elephant; the lion can make no impression on +him, and flies before him like a cat. He is, in fact, the most powerful +of all animals; he fears no enemy, not even man, when he is provoked or +wounded; and yet he has fallen by the cleverness of that little monkey +of a Bushboy. I think, Major, we have done enough now, and may go back +to the caravan." + +"Yes, I am well satisfied with our day's sport, and am not a little +hungry. We may now let the Hottentots bring home as much game as they +can. You have taken care to give directions about your specimens, +Swinton?" + +"Yes, Bremen knows the animals I require, and is now after them. Omrah, +run and tell that fellow to bring our horses here." + +"Swinton, can birds and beasts talk, or can they not?" said the Major. +"I ask that question because I am now looking at the enormous nests of +the grosbeaks. It is a regular town, with some hundreds of houses. These +birds, as well as those sagacious animals, the beaver, the ant, and the +bee, not to mention a variety of others, must have some way of +communicating their ideas." + +"That there is no doubt of," replied Swinton, laughing; "but still I +believe that man only is endowed with speech." + +"Well, we know that; but if not with speech, they must have some means +of communication which answers as well" + +"As far as their wants require it, no doubt," replied Swinton, "but to +what extent is hidden from us. Animals have instinct and reasoning +powers, but not reason." + +"Where is the difference?" + +"The reasoning powers are generally limited to their necessities; but +with animals who are the companions of man, they appear to be more +extended." + +"We have a grand supper to-night," said Alexander; "what shall I help +you to--harte-beest, sassaby, or rhinoceros?" + +"Thank you," replied the Major, laughing; "I'll trouble you for a small +piece of that rhinoceros steak--underdone, if you please." + +"How curious that would sound in Grosvenor Square." + +"Not if you shot the animals in Richmond Park," said Swinton. + +"Those rascally Hottentots will collect no fuel to-night if we do not +make them do it now," said the Major. "If they once begin to stuff it +will be all over with them." + +"Very true; we had better set them about it before the feast begins. +Call Bremen, Omrah." + +"Having given their directions, our party finished their supper, and +then Alexander asked Swinton whether he had ever known any serious +accidents resulting from the hunting of the rhinoceros. + +"Yes," replied Swinton; "I once was witness to the death of a native +chief." + +"Then pray tell us the story," said the Major. "By hearing how other +people have suffered, we learn how to take care of ourselves." + +"Before I do so, I will mention what was told me by a Namaqua chief +about a lion; I am reminded of it by the Major's observations as to the +means animals have of communicating with each other. Once when I was +traveling in Namaqua-land, I observed a spot which was imprinted with at +least twenty spoors or marks of a lion's paw; and as I pointed them out +a Namaqua chief told me that a lion had been practicing his leap. On +demanding an explanation, he said that if a lion sprang at an animal, +and missed it by leaping short, he would always go back to where he +sprang from, and practice the leap so as to be successful on another +occasion; and he then related to me the following anecdote, stating that +he was an eye-witness to the incident: + +"'I was passing near the end of a craggy hill from which jutted out a +smooth rock of from ten to twelve feet high, when I perceived a number +of zebras galloping round it, which they were obliged to do, as the rock +beyond was quite steep. A lion was creeping toward the rock to catch the +male zebra, which brought up the rear of the herd. The lion sprang and +missed his mark; he fell short, with only his head over the edge of the +rock, and the zebra galloped away, switching his tail in the air. +Although the object of his pursuit was gone, the lion tried the leap on +the rock a second and a third time, till he succeeded. During this two +more lions came up and joined the first lion. They seemed to be talking, +for they roared a great deal to each other; and then the first lion led +them round the rock again and again. Then he made another grand leap, to +show them what he and they must do another time.' The chief added, 'They +evidently were talking to each other, but I could not understand a word +of what they said, although they talked loud enough; but I thought it +was as well to be off, or they might have some talk about me.'" + +"Well, they certainly do not whisper," said the Major, laughing. "Thank +you for that story, Swinton, and now for the rhinoceros hunt." + +"I was once out hunting with a Griqua, of the name of Henrick, and two +or three other men; we had wounded a springbok, and were following its +track, when we came upon the footing of a rhinoceros, and shortly +afterward we saw a large black male in the bush." + +"You mention a black rhinoceros. Is there any other?" + +"Yes, there is a white rhinoceros, as it is called, larger than the +black, but not so dangerous. It is, in fact, a stupid sort of animal. +The black rhinoceros, as you are aware, is very fierce. Well, to +continue: Henrick slipped down behind a bush, fired, and wounded the +animal severely in the foreleg. The rhinoceros charged, we all fled, and +the animal, singling out one of our men, closely pursued him; but the +man, stopping short, while the horn of the rhinoceros plowed up the +ground at his heels, dexterously jumped on one side. The rhinoceros +missed him and passed on in full speed, and before the brute could +recover himself and change his course, the whole of us had climbed up +into trees. The rhinoceros, limping with his wound, went round and +round, trying to find us out by the scent, but he tried in vain. At +last, one of the men, who had only an assaguay, said, 'Well, how long +are we going to stay here? Why don't you shoot?' + +"'Well,' said Henrick, 'if you are so anxious to shoot, you may if you +please. Here is my powder-and-shot belt, and my gun lies under the tree. +The man immediately descended from the tree, loaded the gun, and +approaching the rhinoceros he fired and wounded it severely in the jaw. +The animal was stunned, and dropped on the spot. Thinking that it was +dead, we all descended fearlessly and collected round it; and the man +who had fired was very proud, and was giving directions to the others, +when of a sudden the animal began to recover, and kicked with his hind +legs. Henrick told us all to run for our lives, and set us the example. +The rhinoceros started up again, and singling out the unfortunate man +who had got down and fired at it, roaring and snorting with rage, +thundered after him. + +"The man, perceiving that he could not outrun the beast, tried the same +plan as the other hunter did when the rhinoceros charged him: stopping +short, he jumped on one side, that the animal might pass him; but the +brute was not to be balked a second time; he caught the man on his horn +under the left thigh, and cutting it open as if it had been done with an +ax, tossed him a dozen yards up in the air. The poor fellow fell facing +the rhinoceros, with his legs spread; the beast rushed at him again, and +ripped up his body from his stomach to almost his throat, and again +tossed him in the air. Again he fell heavily to the ground. The +rhinoceros watched his fall, and running up to him trod upon him and +pounded him to a mummy. After this horrible tragedy, the beast limped +off into a bush. Henrick then crept up to the bush; the animal dashed +out again, and would certainly have killed another man if a dog had not +turned it. In turning short round upon the dog, the bone of its +fore-leg, which had been half broken through by Henrick's first shot, +snapped in two, and it fell, unable to recover itself, and was then shot +dead." + +"A very awkward customer, at all events," observed the Major. "I presume +a leaden bullet would not enter?" + +"No, it would flatten against most parts of his body. By the by, I saw +an instance of a rhinoceros having been destroyed by that cowardly brute +the hyena." + +"Indeed!" + +"Yes, patience and perseverance on the hyena's part effected the work. +The rhinoceros takes a long while to turn round, and the hyena attacked +him behind, biting him with his powerful jaws above the joint of the +hind leg, and continued so to do, till he had severed all the muscles, +and the animal, forced from pain to lie down, was devoured as you may +say alive from behind; the hyena still tearing at the same quarter, +until he arrived at the vital parts. By the track which was marked by +the blood of the rhinoceros, the hyena must have followed the animal for +many miles, until the rhinoceros was in such pain that it could proceed +no further.--But if you are to hunt to-morrow at daybreak, it is time to +go to sleep; so good-night." + +At daybreak the next morning, they took a hasty meal, and started again +for the plain. Swinton, having to prepare his specimens, did not +accompany them. There was a heavy fog on the plain when they arrived at +it, and they waited for a short time, skirting the south side of it, +with the view of drawing the animals toward the encampment. At last the +fog vanished, and discovered the whole country, as before, covered with +every variety of wild animals. But as their object was to obtain the +eland antelope, they remained stationary for some time, seeking for +those animals among the varieties which were scattered in all +directions. At last Omrah, whose eyes were far keener than even the +Hottentots', pointed out three at a distance, under a large acacia +thorn. They immediately rode at a trot in that direction, and the +various herds of quaggas, gnoos, and antelopes scoured away before them; +and so numerous were they, and such was the clattering of hoofs, that +you might have imagined that it was a heavy charge of cavalry. The +objects of their pursuit remained quiet until they were within three +hundred yards of them, and then they set off at a speed, notwithstanding +their heavy and unwieldy appearance, which for a short time completely +distanced the horses. But this speed could not be continued, and the +Major and Alexander soon found themselves rapidly coming up. The poor +animals exerted themselves in vain; their sleek coats first turned to a +blue color, and then white with foam and perspiration, and at last they +were beaten to a stand-still, and were brought down by the rifles of our +travelers, who then dismounted their horses, and walked up to the +quarry. + +"What magnificent animals!" exclaimed Alexander. + +"They are enormous, certainly," said the Major. + +"Look at the beautiful dying eye of that noble beast. Is it not +speaking?" + +"Yes, imploring for mercy, as it were, poor creature." + +"Well, these three beasts, that they say are such good eating, weigh +more than fifty antelopes." + +"More than fifty springboks, I grant. Well, what shall we do now?" + +"Let our horses get their wind again, and then we will see if we can +fall in with some new game." + +"I saw two or three antelopes, of a very different sort from the +sassabys and harte-beests, toward that rising ground. We will go that +way as soon as the Hottentots come up and take charge of our game." + +"Does Swinton want to preserve one of these creatures?" + +"I believe not, they are so very bulky. He says we shall find plenty as +we go on, and that he will not encumber the wagons with a skin until we +leave the Val River, and turn homeward. Now, Bremen and Omrah, come with +us." + +The Major and Alexander then turned their horses' heads, and rode slowly +toward the hill which they had noticed, and the antelopes which the +Major had observed were now seen among the bushes which crowned the +hill. Bremen said that he did not know the animals, and the Major was +most anxious to obtain one to surprise Swinton with. As soon as they +came within two hundred yards of the bushes on the other side of which +the antelopes were seen, the Major gave his horse to Omrah and advanced +alone very cautiously, that he might bring one down with his rifle. He +gained the bushes without alarming the animals, and the party left +behind were anxiously watching his motions, expecting him every moment +to fire, when the Major suddenly turned round and came back at a hurried +pace. + +"What is the matter?" said Alexander. + +"Matter enough to stop my growth for all my life," replied the Major. +"If ever my heart was in my mouth, it was just now. I was advancing +softly, and step by step, toward the antelopes, and was just raising my +rifle to fire, when I heard something flapping the ground three or four +yards before me. I looked down, and it was the tail of a lioness, which +fortunately was so busy watching the antelopes with her head the other +way, that she did not perceive my being near her; whereupon I beat a +retreat, as you have witnessed." + +"Well, what shall we do now?" + +"Wait a little till I have recovered my nerves," said the Major, "and +then I'll be revenged upon her. Swinton is not here to preach prudence, +and have a lion-hunt I will." + +"With all my heart," replied Alexander. "Bremen, we are going to attack +the lioness." + +"Yes, sir," said Bremen; "then we had better follow Cape fashion. We +will back the horses toward her, and Omrah will hold them while we will +attack her. I think one only had better fire, so we keep two guns in +reserve." + +"You are right, Bremen," said Alexander. "Then you and I will reserve +our fire, and the Major shall try his rifle upon her." + +With some difficulty the horses were backed toward the bush, until the +Major could again distinguish where the lioness lay, at about sixty +paces' distance. The animal appeared still occupied with the game in +front of her, watching her opportunity to spring, for her tail and +hind-quarters were toward them. The Major fired, and the animal bounded +off with a loud roar; while the antelopes flew away like the wind. The +roar of the lioness was answered by a deep growl from another part of +the bush, and immediately afterward a lion bolted out, and bounded from +the bushes across the plain, to a small mimosa grove about a quarter of +a mile off. + +"What a splendid animal!" said Alexander; "look at his black mane, it +almost sweeps the ground." + +"We must have him," cried the Major, jumping on his horse. + +Alexander, Bremen, and Omrah did the same, and they followed the lion, +which stood at bay under the mimosas, measuring the strength of the +party, and facing them in a most noble and imposing manner. It appeared, +however, that he did not like their appearance, or was not satisfied +with his own position, for as they advanced he retreated at a slow pace, +and took up his position on the summit of a stony hill close by, the +front of which was thickly dotted with low thorn-bushes. The +thorn-bushes extended about 200 yards from where the lion stood, +disdainfully surveying the party as they approached toward him, and +appearing, with a conscious pride in his own powers, to dare them to +approach him. + +They dismounted from their horses as soon as they arrived at the +thorn-bushes, and the Major fired. The rifle-ball struck the rock close +to the lion, who replied with an angry growl. The Major then took the +gun from Omrah and fired, and again the ball struck close to the +animal's feet. The lion now shook his mane, gave another angry roar; and +by the glistening of his eyes, and the impatient switching of his tail, +it was evident that he would soon become the attacking party. + +"Load both your guns again," said Alexander, "and then let me have a +shot, Major." + +As soon as the Major's guns were loaded, Alexander took aim and fired. +The shot broke the lion's fore-leg, which he raised up with a voice of +thunder, and made a spring from the rock toward where our party stood. + +"Steady now," cried the Major to Bremen, at the same time handing his +spare rifle to Alexander. + +The rush of the angry animal was heard through the bushes advancing +nearer and nearer; and they all stood prepared for the encounter. At +last out the animal sprang, his mane bristling on end, his tail straight +out, and his eyeballs flashing rage and vengeance. He came down upon the +hind-quarters of one of the horses, which immediately started off, +overthrowing and dragging Omrah to some distance. One of the lion's legs +being broken, had occasioned the animal to roll off on the side of the +horse, and he now remained on the ground ready for a second spring, when +he received a shot through the back from Bremen, who stood behind him. +The lion, with another dreadful roar, attempted to spring upon the +Major, who was ready with his rifle to receive him; but the shot from +Bremen had passed through his spine and paralyzed his hind-quarters, and +he made the attempt in vain, a second and a third time throwing his +fore-quarters up in the air, and then falling down again, when a bullet +from the Major passed through his brain. The noble beast sunk down, +gnawing the ground and tearing it with the claws of the leg which had +not been wounded, and then, in a few seconds, breathed his last. + +"I am glad that is over, Alexander," said the Major; "it was almost too +exciting to be pleasant." + +"It was very awful for the time, I must acknowledge," replied Alexander. +"What an enormous brute! I think I never saw such a magnificent skin. + +"It is yours by the laws of war," said the Major. + +"Nay," replied Alexander, "it was you that gave him his _coup de grace_" + +"Yes, but if you had not broken his leg, he might have given some of us +our _coup de grace_. No, no, the skin is yours. Now the horses are off, +and we can not send for the Hottentots. They have got rid of Omrah, who +is coming back with his shirt torn into tatters." + +"The men will catch the horses and bring them here, depend upon it, +sir," said Bremen, "and then they can take off the skin." + +"Well, if I am to have the lion's skin, I must have that of the lioness +also, Major; so we must finish our day's hunting with forcing her to +join her mate." + +"Very good, with all my heart." + +"Better wait till the men come with the horses, sir," said Bremen; +"three guns are too few to attack a lion--very great danger indeed." + +"Bremen is right, Alexander; we must not run such a risk again. Depend +upon it, if the animal's leg had not been broken, we should not have had +so easy a conquest. Let us sit down quietly till the men come up." + +In about half an hour, as Bremen had conjectured, the Hottentots, +perceiving the horses loose, and suspecting that something had happened, +went in chase of them, and as soon as they had succeeded in catching +them, brought them in the direction to which they had seen our travelers +ride. They were not a little astonished at so small a party having +ventured to attack a lion, and gladly prepared for the attack of the +lioness. Three of the dogs having accompanied them, it was decided that +they should be put into the bushes where the lioness was lying when the +Major fired at her, so as to discover where she now was; and leaving the +lion for the present, they all set off for the first jungle. + +The dogs could not find the lioness in the bushes, and it was evident +that she had retreated to some other place; and Swanevelt, who was an +old lion-hunter, gave his opinion that she would be found in the +direction near to where the lion was killed. They went therefore in that +direction, and found that she was in the clump of mimosas to which the +lion had first retreated. The previous arrangement of backing the horses +toward where she lay was attempted, but the animals had been too much +frightened in the morning by the lion's attack, to be persuaded. They +reared and plunged in such a manner as to be with difficulty prevented +from breaking loose; it was therefore necessary to abandon that plan, +and trust to themselves and their numbers. The clump of trees was +surrounded by the party, and the dogs encouraged to go in, which they +did, every now and then rushing back from the paws of the lioness. The +Hottentots now fired into the clump at random, and their volleys were +answered by the loud roars of the animal, which would not, however, show +herself, and half an hour was passed away in this manner. + +At last she was perceived at one side of the jungle, by Swanevelt, who +fired with effect, for the animal gave a loud roar, and then bounded +out, not attempting to rush upon any person, but to make her escape from +her assailants. A volley was fired at her, and one shot took effect, for +she fell with her head to the ground, and tumbled right over; but +immediately after she recovered herself, and made off for the bushes +where she had been first discovered. + +"She was hit hard that time, at all events," said the Major. + +"Yes, sir," said Bremen, "that was her deathshot, I should think; but +she is not dead yet, and may give us a great deal of trouble." + +They followed her as fast as they could on foot, and the dogs were soon +upon her again; the animal continued to roar, and always from the same +spot; so that it was evident she was severely wounded. Alexander and the +Major reserved their fire, and approached to where the dogs were baying, +not twenty yards from the jungle. Another roar was given, and suddenly +the body of the lioness rushed through the air, right in the direction +where they stood; she passed, however, between them, and when she +reached the ground, she fell on her side, quite dead. It was her last +expiring effort, and she died in the attempt. Alexander and the Major, +who were both ready to fire, lowered their rifles when they perceived +that she was dead. + +"Well," said the Major, "I will say that when I first saw her tail, I +was more frightened than I was just now, when she made the spring; I was +so taken by surprise." + +"I don't doubt it. She is a very large animal, and will make a handsome +companion to the lion. If we live and do well, and get home to England +again, I will have her stuffed along with him, and put them in the same +case." + +"I trust you will, and that I shall come and see them," replied the +Major. + +"I am sure I do, from my heart, my good fellow. I am very much pleased +at our having killed both these beasts, without Swinton being with us, +as he would have been persuading us to leave them alone." + +"And he would have done very right," replied the Major. "We are two +naughty boys, and shall be well scolded when we go back." + +"Which I vote we do now. I think we have done quite enough for to-day." + +"Yes, indeed," replied the Major, mounting his horse; "enough to talk of +all our lives. Now let us gallop home, and say nothing about having +killed the lions until the Hottentots bring them to the caravan." + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + + +"Well, what sport have you had?" was Swinton's first question when he +was joined by Alexander and the Major. Replied the latter--"Pretty well; +we saw an antelope quite new to us, which we tried very hard to shoot, +but were prevented by an unexpected meeting with a lioness." The Major +then gave an account of his perceiving the tail of the lioness, and his +rapid retreat. + +"I am very glad to hear that you were so prudent, Major; it would have +been a very rash thing to attack a lioness with only three guns. So the +antelopes escaped?" + +"Yes, but we have the elands, which you say are such good eating. Do we +stay here any longer, or do we proceed up the river?" + +"You must ask Wilmot to decide that point," said Swinton. + +"It is just as you please," said Alexander; "but they say that the more +you go to the northward, the more plentiful is the game." + +"Yes, and we shall fall in with the giraffe," said the Major, "which is +now the great object of my ambition. I have killed the rhinoceros and +elephant, and now I must have the giraffe; they can kill the two first +animals in India, but the other is only to be had in this country." + +"And when you meet again your Indian friends, you wish to say that you +have killed what they have not?" + +"Certainly; what is the good of traveling so far, if one has not +something to boast of when one returns? If I say I have hunted and +killed the rhinoceros and elephant, they may reply to me, 'So have we;' +but if I add the giraffe, that will silence them; don't you observe, +Swinton, I then remain master of the field? But here come the Hottentots +with our game; come, Swinton, leave your preparations for a little +while, and see what our morning's sport has been." + +Swinton put aside the skin of the sassaby that he was cleaning, and +walked with them to where the men were assembled, and was not a little +surprised when he saw the skins and jaws of the lion and lioness. He was +still more so when the Major recounted how they had been shot. + +"You certainly have run a great risk," said he, "and I am glad that you +have been so successful. You are right in saying that I should have +persuaded you not to attempt it; you are like two little boys who have +taken advantage of the absence of their tutor to run into mischief. +However, I am glad that it has been done, as I now hope your desire to +kill a lion will not again lead you into unnecessary danger." + +"No, indeed," replied Alexander; "having once accomplished the feat, and +being fully aware of the great risk that is run, we shall be more +prudent in future." + +"That is all I ask of you," said Swinton, "for I should be unhappy if we +did not all three return safe to the Cape. I never saw a finer lion's +skin: I will arrange it for you, that it shall arrive at the Cape in +good order." + +As usual, the afternoon was by the Hottentots devoted to eating as much +as they could possibly contrive to get down their throats; the flesh of +the eland was pronounced excellent by our travelers, and there was much +more than they could possibly consume. The Hottentots were only allowed +to bring a certain quantity into the camp, that they might not attract +the wild beasts. They would have brought it all in, although they never +could have eaten it. The cattle were driven up in the evening, the fires +lighted, and the night passed quietly away. + +At daylight they turned the cattle out to graze for a couple of hours, +and then yoked and proceeded on their journey, keeping as near as they +could to the banks of the river. They saw many hippopotami, snorting and +rising for a moment above the water, but they passed by them without +attempting to shoot at them, as they did not wish to disturb the other +game. As they advanced, the variety of flowers which were in bloom +attracted the notice of Alexander, who observed--"Does not this plain +put you in mind of a Turkey carpet, Major; so gay with every variety of +color?" + +"Yes, and as scentless," replied the Major; "they are all very brilliant +in appearance; but one modest English violet is, to my fancy, worth them +all." + +"I agree with you," replied Swinton; "but still you must acknowledge +that this country is beautiful beyond description,--these grassy meads +so spangled with numerous flowers, and so broken by the masses of grove +and forest! Look at these aloes blooming in profusion, with their coral +tufts--in England what would they pay for such an exhibition?--and the +crimson and lilac hues of these poppies and amaryllis blended together: +neither are you just in saying that there is no scent in this gay +parterre. The creepers which twine up those stately trees are very +sweetly scented; and how picturesque are the twinings of those vines +upon the mimosas. I can not well imagine the garden of Eden to have been +more beautiful." + +"And in another respect there is a resemblance," said the Major, +laughing; "the serpent is in it" + +"Yes, I grant that," replied Swinton. + +"Well, I can feel no real pleasure without security; if I am to be ever +on the alert, and turning my eyes in every direction, that I may not +tread upon a puff adder, or avoid the dart of the cobra capella, I can +feel little pleasure in looking at the rich hues of those flowers which +conceal them. As I said before, give me the violet and the rose of +England, which I can pick and smell in security." + +"I agree with you, Major," said Alexander; "but," continued he, +laughing, "we must make allowance for Swinton, as a naturalist. A puff +adder has a charm for him, because it adds one more to the numerous +specimens to be obtained; and he looks upon these flowers as a +botanist, rejoicing as he adds to his herbal, or gathers seeds and bulbs +to load his wagon with. You might as well find fault with a husbandman +for rejoicing in a rich harvest." + +"Or with himself, for being so delighted at the number and the variety +of the animals which fall to his rifle," replied Swinton, smiling. +"There I have you, Major." + +"I grant it," replied the Major; "but what is that in the river--the +back of a hippopotamus?" + +"No, it is the back of an elephant, I should rather think; but the reeds +are so high, that it is difficult to ascertain. There may be a herd +bathing in the river, nothing more likely." + +"Let us stop the caravan; the creaking of these wheels would drive away +any thing," replied the Major; "we will then ride forward and see what +it is. It is not more than half a mile from us." + +"Be it so," replied Swinton. "Omrah, get the rifles, and tell Bremen to +come here. Now, Major, is it to be a regular hunt, or only a passing +shot at them; for I now perceive through my glass that they are +elephants?" + +"Well, I think a passing shot will be best; for if we are to hunt, we +must send a party on the opposite side of the river, and that will be a +tedious affair." + +"I think myself it will be better to proceed," said Swinton; "so now +then, to scatter the enemy." + +They soon arrived at that part of the river where they had at a distance +discovered the elephants bathing; but as they approached, the high reeds +prevented them from seeing the animals, although they could hear them +plainly. At last, as they proceeded a little further up the river, they +discovered a female with its young one by its side; the mother playing +with its offspring, pouring water over it with its trunk, and now and +then pressing it into the water, so as to compel it to swim. They +watched the motions of the animals for some time, and the Major first +broke silence by saying, "I really have not the heart to fire at the +poor creature; its maternal kindness, and the playing of the little one, +are too interesting. It would be cruel, now that we do not want meat, +for an eland is to be killed every ten minutes." + +"I am glad to hear you say so," replied Swinton. "Let us fire over them, +and set them all in motion." + +"Agreed," said the Major; "this is to start them," and he fired off his +rifle in the air. + +The noise that ensued was quite appalling; the shrieks and cries of the +elephants, and the treading down and rushing through the reeds, the +splashing and floundering in the mud, for a few seconds, was followed by +the bounding out of the whole herd on the opposite bank of the river, +tossing their trunks, raising up their ears, roaring wildly, and +starting through the bushes into the forest from which they had +descended. Two large males only were to be perceived among the whole +herd, the rest were all females and their young ones, who scrambled away +after the males, crowding together, but still occasionally looking +behind after their young ones, till they had all disappeared in the +forest, the cracking and crushing of the bushes in which were heard for +many minutes afterward. + +"That was a splendid scene," said Alexander. + +"Yes, it was a living panorama, which one must come to Africa to +behold." + +"I do not think that I shall ever become a true elephant-hunter," said +the Major. "I feel a sort of repugnance to destroy so sagacious an +animal, and a degree of remorse when one lies dead. At the same time, if +once accustomed to the fearful crashing and noise attending their +movements, I do not consider them very dangerous animals to pursue." + +"Not if people are cool and collected. We have had several famous +elephant-hunters among the Dutch farmers. I remember that one of them, +after a return from a successful chase, made a bet that he would go up +to a wild elephant and pluck eight hairs out of his tail. He did so and +won his bet, for the elephant can not see behind him, and is not very +quick in turning round. However, a short time afterward he made the same +attempt, and being foolhardy from success, the animal was too quick for +him, and he was crushed to death." + +Bremen now came up to them, to say that there was a party of people to +the eastward, and he thought that there was a wagon. On examination with +their telescopes, they found that such was the case; and our travelers +turned their horses' heads in the direction, to ascertain who they might +be, leaving the caravan to proceed by the banks of the river. In about +an hour, they came close to them, and Swinton immediately recognized +them as Griquas, or mixed European and Hottentot races. Of course, they +met in the most friendly manner, and the Griquas said that they had come +to hunt the elephant, eland, and other animals; the former for their +ivory, and the latter for their flesh. Their wagon, which was a very old +one, was loaded with flesh, cut in long strips, and hanging to dry; and +they had a great many hundred-weight of ivory, which they had already +collected. As soon as our travelers had explained to them their own +motions, the Griquas said that they would bring their wagon down in the +evening and encamp with them. Our travelers then returned to the +caravan. + +As they promised, the Griquas joined them late in the afternoon. They +were a party of sixteen; all stout fellows, and armed with the long guns +used by the Dutch boors. They said that they had been two months from +Griqua-town, and were thinking of returning very soon, as their wagon +was loaded to the extent that it would bear. The Major stating that it +was their intention to hunt the giraffe, the Griquas informed them that +they would not find the animal to the southward of the Val River, and +they would have to cross over into the territories of the king +Moselekatsee, who ruled over the Bechuana country, to the northward of +the river; and that it would be very dangerous to attempt so to do +without his permission; indeed, that there would be danger in doing so, +even with it. + +"Do you know any thing of this person, Swinton?" + +"Yes, I have heard of him, but I did not know that he had extended his +conquests so low down as to the Val River." + +"Who is he?" + +"You have heard of Chaka, the king of the Zoolus, who conquered the +whole country, as far as Port Natal to the eastward?" + +"Yes," replied Alexander; "we have heard of him." + +"Well, Moselekatsee was a chief of two or three tribes, who, when hard +pressed by his enemies, took refuge with Chaka, and became one of his +principal warrior chiefs. After a time he quarreled with Chaka, about +the distribution of some cattle they had taken, and aware that he had no +mercy to expect from the tyrant, he revolted from him with a large +force, and withdrew to the Bechuana country. There he conquered all the +tribes, enrolled them in his own army, and gradually became as +formidable as Chaka himself. In the arrangements of his army, he +followed the same plans as Chaka, and has now become a most powerful +monarch, and, they do say, is almost as great a tyrant and despot as +Chaka himself was. I believe that the Griquas are right in saying there +would be danger in passing through his dominions without his +permission." + +"But," said Alexander, "I suppose if we send a message to him and +presents, there will be no difficulty?" + +"Perhaps not, except that our caravan may excite his cupidity, and he +may be induced to delay us to obtain possession of its contents. +However, we had better put this question to the Griquas, who probably +can answer it better." + +The Griquas, on being questioned, replied, that the best plan would be +to send a message to the Matabili capital, where Moselekatsee resided, +requesting permission to hunt in the country, and begging the monarch to +send some of his principal men to receive the presents which they had to +offer;--that it would not take long to receive an answer, as it would +only be necessary to deliver the message to the first officer belonging +to Moselekatsee, at the advanced post. That officer would immediately +dispatch a native with the message, who would arrive much sooner than +any one they could send themselves. Bremen and three other Hottentots +offered to take the message, if our travelers wished it. This was agreed +to, and that afternoon they mounted their horses, and crossed the river. +By the advice of the Griquas, the camp was shifted about a mile further +up the river, on account of the lions. + +The weather now threatened a change; masses of clouds accumulated, but +were again dispersed. The next day the weather was again threatening; +thunder pealed in the distant mountains, and the forked lightning flew +in every direction; but the rain, if any, was expended on the +neighboring hills. + +A strong wind soon blew up so as to try the strength of the canvas +awning of their wagons, and they found it difficult to keep their fires +in at night. They had encamped upon a wide plain covered with high +grass, and abounding with elands and other varieties of antelopes: here +they remained for five days, waiting the reply of the king of the +Matabili, and went out every day to procure game. On the Sabbath-day, +after they had, as usual, performed Divine service, they observed a +heavy smoke to windward, which, as the wind was fresh, soon bore down +upon them and inconvenienced them much. + +Swanevelt stated that the high grass had been fired by some means or +another, and as it threatened to come down upon the encampment, the +Hottentots and Griquas were very busy beating down the grass round about +them. When they had so done, they went to windward some hundred yards +and set fire to the grass in several places; the grass burned quickly, +till it arrived at where it had been beaten down, and the fire was +extinguished. That this was a necessary precaution was fully proved, for +as the night closed in, the whole country for miles was on fire, and the +wind bore the flames down rapidly toward them. + +The sky was covered with clouds, and the darkness of the night made the +flames appear still more vivid; the wind drove them along with a loud +crackling noise, sweeping over the undulating ground, now rising and now +disappearing in the hollows, the whole landscape lighted up for miles. + +As our travelers watched the progress of the flames, and every now and +then observed a terrified antelope spring from its lair, and appearing +like a black figure in a phantasmagoria, suddenly the storm burst upon +them and the rain poured down in torrents, accompanied with large +hailstones and thunder and lightning. The wind was instantly lulled, and +after the first burst of the storm a deathlike silence succeeded to the +crackling of the flames. A deluge of rain descended, and in an instant +every spark of the conflagration was extinguished, and the pitchy +darkness of the night was unbroken by even a solitary star. + +The next morning was bright and clear, and after breakfast, they +perceived the Hottentots who had been sent on their message to +Moselekatsee, on the opposite bank of the river, accompanied by three of +the natives; they soon crossed the river and came to the encampment. The +natives, who were Matabili, were tall, powerful men, well proportioned, +and with regular features; their hair was shorn, and surmounted with an +oval ring attached to the scalp, and the lobe of their left ears was +perforated with such a large hole, that it contained a small gourd, +which was used as a snuff-box. Their dress was a girdle of strips of +catskins, and they each carried two javelins and a knobbed stick for +throwing. + +They were heartily welcomed by our travelers, who placed before them a +large quantity of eland-steaks, and filled their boxes with snuff. As +soon as they had finished eating, and drawn up a large quantity of snuff +into their nostrils, they explained through the Griquas, who could speak +their language, that they had come from the greatest of all monarchs in +the world, Moselekatsee, who wished to know who the strangers were, what +they wanted of him, and what presents they had brought. + +Swinton, who was spokesman, returned for answer that they were hunters, +and not traders; that they had come to see the wonders of the country +belonging to so great a monarch, and that hearing that his majesty had +animals in his country which were not to be found elsewhere, they wanted +permission to kill some, to show upon their return to their own people +what a wonderful country it was that belonged to so great a +monarch;--that they had brought beads and copper wire, and knives, and +boxes for making fire, and snuff and tobacco, all of which they wished +to present to the great monarch; a part as soon as they had received +his permission to enter his territory, and another part when they were +about to leave it. A handsome present of the above articles was then +produced, and the messengers of the king, having surveyed the articles +with some astonishment, declared that their king would feel very glad +when he saw all these things, and that he had desired them to tell our +travelers that they might come into his dominions with safety, and kill +all the animals that they pleased. That his majesty had commanded one of +them to remain with the party, and that as soon as he had received his +presents, he would send a chief to be answerable for their safety. The +Matabili then packed up the articles presented, and two of them set off +at full speed on their return to the king. The third, who remained, +assured our travelers that they might cross the river and enter the +Matabili country as soon as they pleased. + +A debate now ensued as to whether they should go with their whole force +or not. The Matabili had informed them that in three days' journey they +would fall in with the giraffe, which they were in search of, and as +there would be some risk in crossing the river, and they had every +reason to expect that it would soon rise, the question was whether it +would be prudent to take over even one of the wagons. The opinion of the +Griquas was asked, and it was ultimately arranged that they should take +over Alexander's wagon only, with fifteen pair of oxen, and that some of +the Griquas should accompany them, with Swanevelt, Omrah, and +Mahomed;--that Bremen and the Hottentots should remain where they were, +with the other three wagons and the rest of the Griquas, until our +travelers should return. + +This arrangement was not at all disagreeable to the Hottentots, who did +not much like the idea of entering the Matabili country, and were very +happy in their present quarters, as they were plentifully provided with +good meat. Alexander's wagon was therefore arranged so as to carry the +bedding and articles they might require, all other things being removed +to the other wagons. Their best oxen were selected, and eight of the +fleetest of their horses, and on the following morning, having +ascertained from the Matabili the best place to cross the river, our +travelers set off, and in an hour were on the other side. + +There was no change in the country during the first day's journey; the +same variety and brilliancy of flowers were every where to be seen. The +eland and the other antelopes were plentiful, and they were soon joined +by parties of the natives, who requested them to shoot the animals for +them, which they did in quantities even sufficient to satisfy them. +Indeed if they found them troublesome, our travelers had only to bring +down an eland, and the natives were immediately left behind, that they +might devour the animal, which was done in an incredibly short space of +time. The Matabili who had conducted them proved to be a chief, and if +he gave any order, it was instantly obeyed; so that our travelers had no +trouble with the natives except their begging and praying for snuff, +which was incessant, both from the men and women. Neither did they fear +any treachery from the Matabili king, as they were well armed, and the +Griquas were brave men, and the superiority of their weapons made them a +match for a large force. Every precaution, however, was taken when they +halted at night, which they invariably did in the center of an open +plain, to prevent any surprise; and large fires were lighted round the +wagon. + +They traveled on in this way for two days more, when in the evening they +arrived at a large plain sprinkled with mimosa-trees, and abutting on +the foot of a low range of hills. The Matabili told them that they would +find the giraffes on these plains, and the Major, who was very anxious, +kept his telescope to his eyes, looking round in every direction till +nightfall, but did not succeed in descrying any of the objects of his +search. They retired that night with anxious expectation for the +following morning, when they anticipated that they should fall in with +these remarkable animals. Their guns were examined and every precaution +taken, and having lighted their fires and set the watch, they went to +bed; and, after commending themselves to the care of Providence, were +soon fast asleep. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + + +With the exception of three lions coming very near to the encampment and +rousing up the Griquas, nothing occurred during the night. In the +morning they yoked the oxen and had all the horses saddled ready for the +chase; but they were disappointed for nearly the whole day; as, although +they saw a variety of game, no giraffe appeared in sight. In the +afternoon, as they passed by a clump of mimosas, they were charged by a +rhinoceros, which nearly threw down Alexander's best horse; but a volley +from the Griquas laid him prostrate. It was a very large animal, but not +of the black or ferocious sort, being what is termed the white +rhinoceros. Within the last two days they had also observed that the +gnoo was not of the same sort as the one which they had seen so long, +but a variety which Swinton told them was called the brindled gnoo; it +was, however, in every other respect the same animal, as to its motions +and peculiarities. Toward the evening the Matabili warrior who +accompanied them pointed to a mimosa at a distance, and made signs to +the Major that there was a giraffe. + +"I can not see him--do you, Alexander?" said the Major; "he points to +that mimosa with the dead stump on the other side of it, there. Yes, it +is one, I see the stump, as I called it, move; it must be the neck of +the animal. Let loose the dogs, Swanevelt," cried the Major, starting +off at full speed, and followed by Alexander, and Omrah, with the spare +horse. In a minute or two the giraffe was seen to get clear of the +mimosa, and then set off in an awkward, shambling kind of gallop; but +awkward as the gallop appeared, the animal soon left the Major behind. +It sailed along with incredible velocity, its long, swan-like neck +keeping time with its legs, and its black tail curled above its back. + +"Push on, Alexander," cried the Major; "if ever there were seven-league +boots, that animal has a pair of them on. He goes like the wind; but he +can not keep it up long, depend upon it, and our horses are in capital +condition." + +Alexander and the Major were now neck and neck, close to each other, at +full speed, when of a sudden the Major's horse stumbled, and fell upon +an ostrich, which was sitting on her nest; Alexander's horse also +stumbled and followed after the Major; and there they were, horses and +riders, all rolling together among the ostrich-eggs; while the ostrich +gained her legs, and ran off as fast as the giraffe. + +As soon as they had got on their legs again, and caught the bridles of +their horses, they looked round, but could not distinguish the giraffe, +which was out of sight among the mimosa-trees; while Omrah was very busy +picking up their rifles, and laughing in a very disrespectful manner. +The Major and Alexander soon joined in the laugh. No bones were broken, +and the horses had received no injury. All they had to do was to return +to the caravan looking very foolish. + +"Your first essay in giraffe-hunting has been very successful," said +Swinton, laughing, as they came up to him. + +"Yes, we both threw very pretty summersets, did we not?" said Alexander. +"However, we have got some ostrich-eggs for supper, and that is better +than nothing. It will soon be dark, so we had better encamp for the +night, had we not?" + +"I was about to propose it," said Swinton. + +"Did you ever hunt the giraffe, Swinton?" inquired Alexander, as they +were making their supper on roasted ostrich-eggs; each of them holding +one between his knees, and dipping out with a large spoon. + +"Never," replied Swinton; "I have often seen them in Namaqua-land, but +never killed one. I remember, however, a circumstance connected with the +giraffe, which would have been incredible to me, if I had not seen the +remains of the lion. You are well aware how long and strong are the +thorns of the mimosa (or kamel-tree, as the Dutch call it, from the +giraffe browsing upon it), and how the boughs of these trees lie like an +umbrella, close upon one another. A native chief informed me that he +witnessed a lion attacking a giraffe. The lion always springs at the +head or neck, and seizes the animal by that part, riding him, as it +were. The giraffe sets off at full speed with its enemy, and is so +powerful as often to get rid of him; for I have seen giraffes killed +which had the marks of the lion's teeth and claws upon them. In this +instance the lion made a spring, but the giraffe at that very moment +turning sharp round, the lion missed his aim, and by the blow it +received was tossed in the air, so that he fell upon the boughs of the +mimosa on his back. The boughs were not only compact enough to bear his +weight, but the thorns that pierced through his body were so strong as +to hold the enormous animal where he lay. He could not disengage +himself; and they pointed out to me the skeleton on the boughs of the +tree, as a corroboration of the truth of the story." + +"It does really approach to the marvelous," observed the Major; "but, as +you say, seeing is believing. I trust that we shall be more fortunate +to-morrow." + +"I have gained a piece of information from Swanevelt," said Swinton, +"which makes me very anxious that we should leave this as soon as +possible; which is, that the Matabili king had no idea that we had +Griquas in our company, and still less that we were to come into his +country with only the Griquas as attendants. You are not perhaps aware +that Moselekatsee is the deadly enemy of the Griquas, with whom he has +had several severe conflicts, and that we are not very safe on that +account?" + +"Why did not the Griquas say so?" replied Alexander. + +"Because they do not care for the Matabili, and I presume are glad to +come into the country, that they may know something of it, in case of +their making an attack upon it. Depend upon it, as soon as the king +hears of it, we shall be looked upon as spies, and he may send a party +to cut us off." + +"Have you said any thing to the Griquas?" + +"Yes, and they laughed, and said that they should not care if we went +right up to the principal town, where Moselekatsee resides." + +"Well, they are bold enough, and so far are good traveling companions; +but we certainly did not come here to fight," observed the Major. "But +does the Matabili with us know that they are Griquas?" + +"He did not; he supposed that they were Cape people whom we had brought +with us; but he has found it out by the Hottentots, I suppose. Swanevelt +says, that the very first body of Matabili that we fell in with, he sent +a runner off immediately, I presume to give the information. I think, +therefore, that the sooner we can get away the better." + +"Well, I agree with you, Swinton," replied Alexander. + +"We will try for the giraffe to-morrow, and when the Major has had the +satisfaction of killing one, we will retrace our steps, for should we be +attacked, it will be impossible to defend ourselves long against +numbers. So now to bed." + +They rose early the next morning, and, leaving the wagon where it was, +again proceeded on horseback in search of giraffes. They rode at a slow +pace for four or five miles, before they could discover any. At last a +herd of them were seen standing together browsing on the leaves of the +mimosa. They made a long circuit to turn them, and drive them toward the +camp, and in this they succeeded. The animals set off at their usual +rapid pace, but did not keep it up long, as there were several not full +grown among them, which could not get over the ground so fast as the +large male of the preceding day. After a chase of three miles, they +found that the animals' speed was rapidly decreasing, and they were +coming up with them. When within a hundred yards, Alexander fired and +wounded a female which was in the rear. The Major pushed on with the +dogs after a large male, and it stopped at bay under a mimosa, kicking +most furiously at the dogs. The Major leveled his rifle, and brought the +animal down with his first shot. It rose again, however, and for a +hundred yards went away at a fast pace; but it again fell, to rise no +more. The female which Alexander had wounded received another shot, and +was then also prostrated." + +"I have killed a _giraffe_," said the Major, standing by the side of the +one he had killed. "It has been a long way to travel, and there have +been some dangers to encounter for the sake of performing this feat; but +we have all our follies, and are eager in pursuit of just as great +trifles through life; so that in this I am not perhaps more foolish than +the rest of mankind. I have obtained my wishes--I have killed a giraffe; +and now I don't care how soon we go back again." + +"Nor do I," replied Alexander; "for I can say with you, when we arrive +in England, I too have killed a giraffe; so you will not be able to +boast over me. By Swinton's account if we stay here much longer, we +shall have to kill Matabili, which I am not anxious to do; therefore, I +now say with you, I don't care how soon we go back to the Cape." + +As they were not more than two miles from the wagon, they rode back, and +sent the Griquas to bring in the flesh of the animals; Swinton not +caring for the skins, as he had already procured some in Namaqua-land, +and the weight of them would be so very great for the wagon. On their +return, they had some conversation with the Griquas, who candidly +acknowledged that it was very likely that the Matabili king would +attempt to cut them off, although they appeared not at all afraid of his +making the attempt. They, however, readily consented to return the next +morning. That night, a messenger arrived to the Matabili chief who was +escorting them. What was the communication of course our travelers could +not tell; but their suspicions were confirmed by the behavior of the +man. When he found that, on the following morning, they yoked the oxen +and retraced their steps, he begged them not to go, but to advance into +the interior of the country, where they would find plenty of game; told +them that the king would be very angry if they left so soon; and if he +did not see them, his heart would be very sad. But our travelers had +made up their mind, and traveled back during the whole of that day. The +Matabili dispatched the messenger who had come to him, and who again set +off at all speed; at night he urged our travelers not to go back, saying +that the king would be very angry with him. But as the Griquas were now +equally convinced that treachery was intended, they paid no attention +to the Matabili chief, and continued their route, shooting elands by the +way for their sustenance. Late in the evening of the third day they +found themselves on the borders of the Val river. It was still two hours +before dark, and as the Matabili pressed them to encamp where they were, +they were satisfied that they had better not, and therefore they forded +the river, and rejoined the caravan, under charge of Bremen, just as +night closed in. + +The Griquas said, that from the Matabili wishing them to remain on the +other side of the river, they were persuaded that a force would arrive +during that night or the following morning, and that it would be +necessary to be on the look-out; although probably the enemy would not +venture to attack them without further orders, now that they were no +longer in Moselekatsee's dominions. Every preparation was therefore +made: the Griquas and Hottentots were all supplied with ammunition, and +mustered with their guns in their hands. The wagons were arranged, the +fires lighted, and four men were posted as sentinels round the +encampment. What added still more to their suspicions was, that, about +an hour after dark, the Matabili chief was not to be found. + +"My opinion is," said the Major, "that we ought to steal a march upon +them. Our oxen are in excellent condition, and may travel till to-morrow +evening without feeling it. Let us yoke and be off at once, now that it +is dark. The moon will rise about two o'clock in the morning, but before +that the wagons will be twelve or fifteen miles off. Alexander and I, +with Bremen, will remain here with our horses and wait till the moon +rises, to see if we can discover any thing: and we can easily join the +wagons by daybreak. We will keep the fires up, to allow them to suppose +that we are still encamped, that they may not pursue." + +"And also to keep off the lions," observed Alexander, "which are not +enemies to be despised." + +"I think it is a very good plan; but why not have more men with you? We +have plenty of horses, and so have the Griquas." + +"Well then, let us talk to the Griquas." + +The Griquas approved of the plan; and, having their own horses, six of +them agreed to remain with Alexander and the Major, and Swanevelt and +two more of the Hottentots were also mounted to remain; which made a +force of twelve men, well mounted and well armed. The remainder of the +caravan yoked the oxen to the wagons, and, under the direction of +Swinton, set off in a southerly direction, across the desert, instead of +going by the banks of the Val River, as before. + +This had been arranged previously to any expected attack from the +Matabili, as it would considerably shorten the distance on returning, +although they knew that they would find much difficulty in procuring +water for a few days. After the caravan had departed, it was found that +Omrah had helped himself to a horse and a gun, and had remained in the +camp; but as he was always useful, his so doing was passed over without +notice. In half an hour the wagons were out of sight, and the noise of +their wheels was no longer to be heard. + +They fastened their horses in the center of the fires, and sat down by +them till the moon rose, when they directed their eyes to the opposite +bank of the river; but for some time nothing was discovered to confirm +their suspicions. When the moon was about an hour high, they perceived a +body of men coming, down toward the banks, and the moon shone upon their +shields, which were white. As soon as they arrived at the bank of the +river, they all sat down, without making any noise. Shortly afterward, +another body with dark-colored shields, made their appearance, who came +down and joined the first. + +"We were not wrong in our suspicions, at all events," said the Major; "I +should say that there are not less than a thousand men in these two +parties which have already appeared. Now, what shall we do? Shall we +remain here, or shall we be off, and join the wagons?" + +"I really can hardly decide which would be the best," replied Alexander; +"let us have a consultation with Bremen and the Griquas." + +"If we were to go away now," said Bremen, "the fires would soon be out, +and they might suspect something, and come over to reconnoiter. When +they found that we were gone, they would perhaps follow us, and overtake +the wagons; but if we remain here, and keep the fires up till daybreak, +the wagons will have gained so much more distance." + +The Griquas were of the same opinion; and it was decided that they would +remain there till daybreak, and then set off. + +"But," said Alexander, "shall we leave this before they can see us, or +allow them to see us?" + +The Griquas said, that it would be better that the enemy should see +them, as then they would know that the fires had been kept up to deceive +them, and that the wagons were probably a long way off. + +This having been agreed upon, a careful watch was kept upon the enemy +during the remainder of the night. Although the moon had discovered the +approach of the Matabili to the party, the spot where the camp had been +pitched was in the shade, so that from the opposite side of the river +only the fires could be distinguished. A little before dawn, some one +was heard approaching, and they were all prepared to fire, when they +discovered that it was Omrah, who, unknown to them, had crawled down to +the banks of the river to reconnoiter the enemy. + +Omrah, who was out of breath with running, stated that some of the +Matabili were crossing the river, and that six had landed on this side, +before he came up to give the information. He pointed to a clump of +trees, about three hundred yards off, and said that they had gone up in +that direction, and were probably there by that time. + +"Then we had better saddle and mount," said the Major, "and ride away +gently to the wood on this side of the camp. We shall then be able to +watch their motions without being seen." + +This advice was good, and approved by all. They led out their horses +without noise, and as soon as they had done so, they went back, and +threw more fuel on the fires. They then retreated to the wood, which was +about the same distance from the camp, on the other side, as the clump +of trees where the Matabili were secreted. + +They had hardly concealed themselves, before the Matabili in the clump, +surprised at not seeing the awnings of the wagons, and suspecting that +they had been deceived, came out from their ambuscade; first crawling on +all-fours, and as they arrived at the camp, and found only fires +burning, rising up one after another. After remaining about a minute in +consultation, two of the party were sent back to the river to +communicate this intelligence to the main body, while the others +searched about in every direction. Alexander, with the Major and their +party, remained where they were, as it was their intention to cross +through the wood, until they came to the open ground, about a quarter of +a mile to the southward, and then show themselves to the enemy, before +they went to join the wagons. + +In a few minutes it was daylight, and they now perceived that the whole +body of the Matabili were crossing the river. + +"They intend to pursue us, then," said Alexander. + +Omrah now pointed to the side of the river, in the direction which the +wagons had traveled when they came up by its banks, saying, "When go +away--ride that way first--same track wagon go that way back--same way +wagon come." + +"The boy is right," said the Major; "when we start from the wood, we +will keep by the riverside, in the track by which the wagons came; and +when we are concealed from them by the hills or trees, we will then +start off to the southward after the wagons." + +"I see," replied Alexander; "they will probably take the marks of the +wagon-wheels coming here, for those of the wagons going away, and will +follow them; presuming, as we go that way, that our wagons have gone +also. But here they come up the banks; it is time for us to be off." + +"Quite time," said the Major; "so now let us show ourselves, and then +trust to our heels." + +The Matabili force was now within four hundred yards of the camp. It +was broad daylight; and, with their white and red shields and short +spears in their hands, they presented a very formidable appearance. + +There was no time to be lost, so the party rode out of the end of the +wood nearest the river, and, as soon as they made their appearance, were +received by a yell from the warriors, who dashed forward in the +direction where they stood. The Major had directed that no one should +fire, as he and Alexander did not wish that any blood should be shed +unnecessarily. They therefore waved their hands, and turning their +horses' heads galloped off by the banks of the river, keeping in the +tracks made by the wagons when they came up. + +As soon as they galloped a quarter of a mile, they pulled up, and turned +their horses' heads to reconnoiter. They perceived that the Matabili +force was pursuing them at the utmost speed: but as they had no +horsemen, that speed was of course insufficient to overtake the +well-mounted party in advance. As soon as they were near, our party +again galloped off and left them behind. Thus they continued for four or +five miles, the Matabili force pursuing them, or rather following the +tracks of the wagons, when they observed a belt of trees before them +about a mile off; this the Major considered as a good screen to enable +them to alter their course without being perceived by the enemy. They +therefore galloped forward, and as soon as they were hidden by the +trees, turned off in a direction by which they made certain to fall in +with the track which the wagons had made on their departure during the +night. + +They had ridden about two miles, still concealed in the wood, when they +had the satisfaction of perceiving the Matabili force still following at +a rapid pace the tracks of the wagons on the riverside. Having watched +them for half an hour, as they now considered that all was safe, they +again continued their course, so as to fall in with the wagons. + +"I think we are clear of them now," said the Major; "they have evidently +fallen into the trap proposed by that clever little fellow, Omrah." + +"He is a very intelligent boy," observed Alexander, "and, traveling in +this country, worth his weight in gold." + +"I wish Swinton would make him over to me," said the Major; "but, +Alexander, do you observe what a change there is already in the +country?" + +"I do indeed," replied Alexander; "and all ahead of us it appears to be +still more sterile and bare." + +"Yes, when you leave the rivers, you leave vegetation of all kinds +almost. There is no regular rainy season at all here, Swinton says; we +may expect occasional torrents of rain during three months, but they are +now very uncertain; the mountains attract the greater portion of the +rain, and sometimes there will not be a shower on the plains for the +whole year." + +"How far shall we have to travel before we fall in with water again?" +inquired Alexander. + +"Swinton says there may be water in a river about sixty miles from where +we started last night; if not, we shall have to proceed about thirty +miles further, to the Gykoup or Vet River. After that we shall have to +depend for many days upon the water we may find in the holes, which, as +the season is now coming on, may probably be filled by the rain." + +Alexander and his party rode for seven or eight miles before they fell +in with the tracks of the caravan; they then pulled up their jaded +horses, and proceeded at a more leisurely pace, so that it was not till +late in the evening that they discovered the wagons at some distance, +having passed the dry bed of Salt River ahead of them. During the whole +day their horses had had neither food nor water, and the animals were +much exhausted when they came up with the wagons. The oxen also were +fatigued with so long a journey, having made nearly fifty miles since +they started the evening before. + +The country was now stony and sterile; a little vegetation was to be +found here and there, but not sufficient to meet the wants of the +animals, and water there was none. During the day but little game had +been seen,--few zebras and ostriches only; all other varieties had +disappeared. There was of course no wood to light the fires round the +encampment: a sufficiency for cooking their victuals had been thrown +into the wagons, and two sheep were killed to supply a supper for so +numerous a party. But the absence of game also denoted the absence of +lions, and they were not disturbed during the night. In the morning the +Griquas parted company with them, on the plea that their oxen and horses +were in too poor a condition to pass over the desert, and that they must +make a direct course for the Val River and return by its banks. + +Our travelers gave them a good supply of ammunition, the only thing that +they wished for, and the Griquas, yoking their oxen to the crazy old +wagon, set off in a westerly direction. + +The route of the caravan was now directed more to the south-west, and +they passed over an uninterrupted plain strewed with small +land-tortoises, and covered with a profusion of the gayest flowers. +About noon, after a sultry journey of nine hours, they fortunately +arrived at a bog, in which they found a pool of most fetid water, which +nothing but necessity could have compelled either them or the exhausted +animals to drink. Near this pool in the desert they found several wild +animals, and they obtained three gnoos for a supply of provision; the +little wood that they had in the wagon for fuel was all used up in +cooking their supper. + +A heavy dew fell during the night, and in the morning, before the sun +rose, they were enveloped in a thick fog. As the fog dispersed, they +perceived herds of quaggas in all directions, but at a great distance. +They again yoked the oxen and proceeded on their journey; the country +was now covered with herbage and flowers of every hue, and looked like a +garden. + +"How strange that the ground should be covered with flowers where there +is no rain or water to be found," observed Alexander. + +"It is the heavy dews of the night which support them," said Swinton, +"and perhaps the occasional rains which fall." + +A line of trees to the southward told them that they were now +approaching an unnamed river, and the tired oxen quickened their pace; +but on their arrival they found that the bed of the river was dry, and +not even a drop of water was to be found in the pools. The poor animals, +which had been unyoked, snuffed and smelt at the wet, damp earth, and +licked it with their tongues, but could obtain no relief. The water +which they had had in the casks for their own drinking was now, all +gone; and there were no hopes of obtaining any till they arrived at the +Vet River, at least twenty-five to thirty miles distant. Two of the oxen +lay down to rise no more, the countenances of the Hottentots were +dejected and sullen, and our travelers felt that their situation was +alarming. + +While they were still searching and digging for water, the sky became +overcast, thunder and lightning were seen and heard in the distance, and +the clouds came rolling in volumes toward them. Hope was now in every +face; they already anticipated the copious showers which were to +succeed; their eyes ever fixed upon the coming storm; even the cattle +appeared to be conscious that relief was at hand. All the day the clouds +continued to gather, and the lightning to gleam. Night closed in, but +the rain had not yet fallen; the wind rose up, and in less than an hour +all the clouds had passed away, the stars shone out brightly, and they +were left in a state of suffering and disappointment. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + + +As our travelers were sitting together, each occupied with his own +melancholy thoughts, after the dispersion of the clouds and the +anticipated relief, the Major said-- + +"It is useless our remaining here; we must all perish if we do not +proceed, and it would be better for us to yoke and travel by night; the +animals will bear the journey better, and the people will not be so +inclined to brood over their misfortunes when on the march as when thus +huddled together here, and communicating their lamentations to +dishearten each other. It is now nine o'clock; let us yoke and push on +as far as we can." + +"I agree with you, Major," said Alexander; "what do you say, Swinton?" + +"I am convinced that it will be the best plan, so let us rouse up the +people at once. There is the roar of a lion at some distance, and we +have no fires to scare them off." + +"The creaking of the wagon-wheels will be better than nothing," replied +the Major. + +The Hottentots were roused, and the orders given to yoke: the poor +fellows were all sound asleep; for a Hottentot, when he hungers or +thirsts, seeks refuge from all his miseries in sleep. The oxen were +yoked, and they proceeded; but hardly had they gone a mile, when the +roar of three or four lions, close upon them, caused such alarm to the +horses and the oxen which were not yoked that they started off in full +gallop in a northerly direction. + +Alexander, the Major, and Omrah, who were the best mounted, immediately +set off in pursuit of them, desiring Swinton to proceed with the +caravan, and they would drive on the cattle and join him. They galloped +off as well as the horses could gallop, and perceived the stray horses +and oxen still at full speed, as if they were chased by the lions. They +followed in the direction, but it was now so dark that they were guided +only by the clatter of their hoofs and their shoes in the distance; and +after a chase of four or five miles they had lost all vestiges of them, +and pulled up their panting steeds. + +"We may as well go back again," said Alexander; "the animals must have +made a circuit." + +"I suppose so," said the Major; "but my horse trembles so, that I had +better dismount for a little while, that he may recover himself; indeed, +so had you too and Omrah, for the animals are completely worn out." + +"The clouds are rising again," said Alexander; "I trust that we may not +be disappointed a second time." + +"Yes, and there is lightning again in the horizon--may the Almighty help +us in our distress," exclaimed the Major. + +The horses, exhausted from want of water, continued to pant so +fearfully, that it was nearly half an hour before they ventured to +mount, that they might return to the caravan. In the meantime the +heavens had become wholly obscured by the clouds, and there was every +prospect of a heavy shower; at last a few drops did fall. + +"Thank God!" exclaimed Alexander, as he lifted his face up to the +heavens, to feel the drops as they fell. "Now let us return." + +They mounted their horses and set off, but the stars were no longer +visible to guide them, and they proceeded on at a slow pace, uncertain +whether they were right or wrong. This they cared little about; their +thoughts were upon the coming rain, which they so anxiously awaited. For +more than three hours they were tantalized by the lightning flashing and +the thunder pealing, every moment expecting the flood-gate of the +heavens to be opened; but, as before, they were doomed to +disappointment. Before the morning dawned the clouds had again +retreated; and when the sky was clear, they found by the stars that +their horses' heads were turned to the northward and eastward. + +They altered their course in silence, for they were worn out and +despondent; they suffered dreadfully from thirst, and it was pitiable to +see the tongues of the poor horses hanging out of their mouths. Day +dawned, and there were no signs of the caravan. A thick vapor was rising +from every quarter, and they hoped that when it cleared up they would be +more fortunate; but no, there was the same monotonous landscape, the +same carpet of flowers without perfume. The sun was now three hours +high, and the heat was intense; their tongues clove to the roofs of +their mouths, while still they went on over flowery meads; but neither +forest nor pool, nor any trees which might denote the bed of the river, +caught their earnest gaze. + +"This is dreadful," said Alexander, at last, speaking with difficulty. + +"We are lost, that is certain," said the Major; "but we must trust in +God." + +"Yes, we may now say, Lord help us, or we perish," replied Alexander. + +At this moment, little Omrah, who had been behind, rode up to them, and +offered them one of the Hottentots' pipes, which he had lighted saying, +"Smoke,--not feel so bad." Alexander took it, and after a few whiffs +found that it had the effect or producing a little saliva, and he handed +it to the Major, who did the same, and felt immediate relief. + +They continued to walk their horses in a southerly direction; but the +heat was now so great, that it became almost insufferable, and at last +the horses stood still. They dismounted and drove their horses slowly +before them over the glowing plain; and now the mirage deluded and +tantalized them in the strangest manner. At one time Alexander pointed +with delight (for he could not speak) to what he imagined to be the +wagons; they pushed on, and found that it was a solitary quagga, +magnified thus by the mirage. Sometimes they thought that they saw lakes +of water in the distance, and hastened on to them; and then they fancied +they were close to rivers and islands, covered with luxuriant foliage, +but still were doomed to disappointment; as all was the result of the +highly-rarefied air, and the refraction of the sun's rays on the sultry +plain. What would they have given for a bush even to afford them any +shelter from the noonday sun, for the crowns of their heads appeared as +if covered with live coal, and their minds began to wander. The poor +horses moved at the slowest pace, and only when driven on by Omrah, who +appeared to suffer much less than his masters. Every now and then he +handed to them the pipe, but at last even that had no longer any relief. +Speech had been for some hours totally lost. Gradually the sun sunk down +to the horizon, and as his scorching rays became less intense they to a +certain degree recovered their wandering senses. + +At night they sat down by the side of the horses, and, worn out with +fatigue and exhaustion, fell into a troubled sleep; a sleep which, if it +relieved their worn-out frames, condemned them to the same tantalizing +feelings as had been created by the mirage during the day. They dreamed +that they were in the bowers of paradise, hearing heavenly music; +passing from crystal stream to stream, slaking their thirst at each, +and reclining on couches of verdant green. Every thing that was +delightful appeared to them in their dreams; they were in the abodes of +bliss, and thus did they remain for an hour or two, when they were +wakened up by the roar of a lion, which reminded them that they were +without food or water in the desert. + +They awoke speechless with thirst, their eyes inflamed, and their whole +bodies burning like a coal, and the awful roar of the lion still +reverberated along the ground. They started on their legs, and found +Omrah close to them, holding the bridles of the horses, which were +attempting to escape. They were still confused, when they were fully +restored to their waking senses by a second roar of the lion still +nearer to them; and by the imperfect light of the stars they could now +distinguish the beast at about one hundred yards' distance. Omrah put +the bridles of their two horses in their hands, and motioned them to go +on in the direction opposite to where the lion was. They did so without +reflection, mechanically obeying the directions of the man-child, and +not perceiving that Omrah did not follow them. They had advanced about +one hundred yards with the terrified animals, when another loud roar was +followed up by the shriek of the other horse, announcing that he had +become a victim to the savage animal. They both started, and dropping +the reins of their horses, hastened with their rifles to the help of +Omrah, of whose absence they now for the first time were aware; but they +were met half-way by the boy, who contrived to say with difficulty, +"Lion want horse, not little Bushman." They waited a few seconds, but +the cries of the poor animal, and the crushing and cracking of its +bones, were too painful to hear; and they hastened on and rejoined the +other horses, which appeared paralyzed with fear, and had remained +stationary. + +They again led their horses on for an hour, when they arrived at a small +pile of rocks; there they again lay down, for they were quite exhausted +and careless of life. Not even the roar of a lion would have aroused +them now, or if it had roused them they would have waited for the +animal to come and put an end to their misery. But another and a softer +noise attracted the quick ear of Omrah, and he pushed Alexander, and put +his finger up to induce him to listen. + +Having listened a little longer, Omrah made signs to Alexander and the +Major to follow him. The noise which Omrah had heard was the croaking of +a frog, which denoted water at hand, and the sniffing of the horses +confirmed him in his supposition. Omrah led the way through the rocks, +descending lower and lower; and ever and anon listening to the noise of +the animal, till he perceived the stars of heaven above reflected in a +small pool, which he pointed out to Alexander and the Major. Down they +dropped to earth and drank, and as soon as their thirst was satisfied +they rose, and pushed Omrah forward to make him drink also; and as the +boy who had saved their lives was drinking, they kneeled down and +prayed--not loud, for they had not yet recovered their speech; but if +ever grateful prayers were offered up to the Almighty throne, they were +by our two travelers, as they kneeled by the side of this small pool. +They rose and hastened to their horses, and led them down to the water, +when the poor animals filled themselves almost to bursting, walked away, +and returned to drink more. They also repeated their draught several +times, and then lay down, and would have fallen asleep by the side of +the pool had not Omrah, who could now speak freely, said, "No, no; lion +come here for water; up the rock again and sleep there--I bring horses." +This good advice was followed, and when they had gained the summit of +the rising ground they again lay down and slept till daylight. + +When they awoke, they found themselves much refreshed, but they now +felt--what they had not done during their extreme suffering from +thirst--the craving pangs of hunger. Omrah was fast asleep, and the +horses picking among the herbage, about two hundred yards off. + +"We have much to thank God for," said Alexander to the Major. + +"We have indeed, and, next to divine aid, we have to thank that poor +boy. We have been as children in his hands, and we are indebted to him +and his resources for our lives this night. I could not speak yesterday, +nor could you; but his courage in remaining with the horse as an +offering to the lion I shall not forget." + +"He is a child of the desert," replied Alexander; "he has been brought +up among lions, and where there is scarcity of water, and he has most +wonderfully guided us in our path; but we are still in the desert, and +have lost our companions. What must we do? Shall we attempt to regain +the caravan, or push off to the westward, to fall in with the river +again?" + +"We will talk of this an hour hence," replied the Major; "let us now go +down to the pool, and as soon as I have had a drink I will try if I can +not kill something for a meal. My hunger is now almost as great as was +my thirst." + +"And mine too, so I will go with you; but we must be careful how we +approach the water, as we may fall in with some animal to make a meal +of." + +"Or with a lion, ready to make a meal of us," replied the Major; "so in +either instance we must approach it cautiously." + +As they walked to the pool, they discovered the head of an antelope just +above a rock. The Major fired, and the animal fell. The report of the +rifle was answered by a roar; three lions bounded away from the rock, +and went at a quick canter over the plain. + +"Both our suppositions have proved correct," observed Alexander, as they +walked up to where the antelope lay dead; "but how are we to cook the +animal?" + +"Any dry stuff will serve for a fire, if we can only get enough, and a +very little cooking will serve us just now. Here comes Omrah. Let us +carry the game up to where we slept last night, as soon as we have had a +drink." + +They went to the pool, and were surprised to behold the filthy puddle +which had appeared to them so like nectar the night before. They were +not sufficiently thirsty to overcome their disgust, and they turned away +from it. + +Omrah now began collecting dried grass, and herbs, and lichen from the +rocks, and had soon a sufficiency to make a small fire; they struck a +light, and cutting off steaks from the antelope, were in a short time +very busy at the repast. When their hunger was appeased, they found that +their thirst was renewed, and they went down to the pool, and shutting +their eyes drank plentifully. Omrah cooked as much of the meat as the +small fire would permit, that they might not want for the next +twenty-four hours; and the horses being again led to the water to drink, +they mounted, and proceeded to the southward, followed by Omrah on foot. +Another day was passed in searching for the caravan without success. No +water was to be found. The heat was dreadful; and at night they threw +themselves down on the ground, careless of life; and had it not been +sinful they would have prayed for death. The next morning they arose in +a state of dreadful suffering; they could not speak, but they made +signs, and resolved once more to attempt to join the caravan. + +They proceeded during the whole of the forenoon in the direction by +which they hoped to discover the tracks of the wagons. The heat was +overpowering, and they felt all the agony of the day before. At last the +horses could proceed no further; they both lay down, and our travelers +had little hopes of their ever rising again. The scorching of the sun's +rays was so dreadful, that they thrust their heads into some empty +ant-hills to keep off the heat, and there they lay in as forlorn and +hopeless a state as the horses. Speak they could not; their parched +tongues rattled like boards against the roofs of their mouths; their +lips were swollen and bloated, and their eyes inflamed and starting from +the sockets. As Alexander afterward said to Swinton, he then recollected +the thoughts which had risen in his mind on his departure from the +English shore, and the surmise whether he might not leave his bones +bleaching in the desert; and Alexander now believed that such was to be +the case, and he prayed mentally and prepared for death. The Major was +fully possessed of the same idea; but as they lay at some yards' +distance, with their heads buried in the ant-hills, they could not +communicate with each other even by signs. At last they fell into a +state of stupor and lost all recollection. But an Almighty Providence +watched over them, and during their state of insensibility the clouds +again rose and covered the firmament, and this time they did not rise in +mockery; for, before the day was closed, torrents descended from them +and deluged the whole plain. + +Omrah, who had held up better than his masters, crawled out of the +ant-hill into which he had crept; and as soon as the rain descended, he +contrived to pull the heads of the Major and Alexander, who still +remained senseless, from out of the ant-hills, and to turn their +blackened and swollen faces to the sky. As their clothes became +saturated with the rain and the water poured into their mouths, they +gradually revived, and at last were completely restored. The wind now +rose and blew fresh, and before morning they were shivering with cold, +and when they attempted to get up found their limbs were cramped. + +Soon after daylight the rain ceased, and they were glad to bask in the +then cheering rays of the sun, which had nearly destroyed them on the +day before. The horses had recovered their legs and were feeding close +to them; and the flesh of the antelope, which had been untasted, was now +greedily devoured. Most devoutly did they return thanks for their +preservation, and the hopes which were now held out to them of +ultimately regaining the colony; for they had abandoned all hopes of +reaching the caravan, as they considered the risk of crossing the desert +too great. They made up their minds to push for the Val River as fast as +they could, and proceed back by its banks. + +They had two horses, and Omrah could ride behind one of them, when he +was tired; they had guns and ammunition, and although they were fully +aware of the dangers to which they would be exposed, they thought +lightly of them after what they had suffered. They now mounted their +horses, and proceeded at a slow pace toward the westward, for the poor +animals were still very weak. At sunset they had traveled about ten +miles, and looked out for a spot to pass the night. Wood to light fires +they had none, but they hoped, if their horses were not taken away by +the lions, to reach a branch of the river by the following evening. +There was now no want of water, as they repeatedly passed by small +pools, which, for a day or two at least, would not be evaporated by the +heat of the sun. But they knew that by that time, if no more rain fell, +they would have again to undergo the former terrible privations, and +therefore resolved upon continuing their course toward the river as +their safest plan, now that they had lost the caravan. + +As they were seated on a rising ground which they had chosen for their +night's rest, and occasionally firing off their rifles to drive away the +lions which were heard prowling about; all of a sudden Omrah cried out, +and pointed to the northward; our travelers turned and perceived a +rocket ascending the firmament, and at last breaking out into a group of +brilliant stars. + +"It is the caravan," exclaimed the Major; "Swinton has remembered that I +put some rockets into my wagon." + +"We must have passed it," said Alexander, springing on his feet. "God be +praised for all his mercies." + +"Amen," replied the Major devoutly. + +Omrah ran after the horses, which were feeding close to them, for their +instinctive fear of the lions made them keep as close as possible to +their masters. They were soon mounted, with Omrah behind the Major, and +set off at all the speed that they could obtain from the animals. After +an interval another rocket was seen, and by its light they discovered +that they were not a mile from the wagons. The horses appeared to be +sensible of this, and went off at a quicker pace; and in a few minutes +they had rushed in among the cattle, and Alexander and the Major were +received into the arms of Swinton, and surrounded by the Hottentots, who +were loud in their congratulations at their return. + +As soon as Alexander and the Major had made known their perils and +sufferings to Swinton, the latter informed them that about three hours +after they had left the caravan in pursuit of the cattle, the animals +had returned, that of course, he had fully expected them to follow. + +Finding that they did not arrive, he had decided upon remaining where +he was, at all events, for another day; but that the cattle were by that +time so exhausted, that it was with difficulty they were moved, and he +could not proceed with them more than ten miles, when they lay down in +their yokes. Thirteen had died, and the others must have shared their +fate, if it had not been for the providential rain, which had restored +them. + +Swinton stated that he had been in a great state of alarm for them, and +that he had almost satisfied himself that they had perished, although he +had used every means that he could think of. When he fired the rockets +off, he had scarcely a hope of thus bringing them back to the caravan. + +"However," observed Swinton, "it shows that we should never despair, and +never leave a chance untried, even in the most desperate circumstances. +You are back again, and I thank the Almighty for it with all my heart +and all my soul and all my strength, most fervently and most sincerely. +I have been very, very miserable, I can assure you, my dear fellows. The +idea of returning to the Cape without you was dreadful. Indeed, I never +would have left the country until I had found you, or had some clew to +your deaths." + +"Our preservation has indeed been miraculous," replied the Major; "I +never thought to have raised my head out of the ant-hill again." + +"Nor I," replied Alexander; "and next to the Almighty, we certainly owe +our lives to little Omrah. There is nothing that I would not do for that +boy, if you will only give him over to my care." + +"Or mine, Swinton," replied the Major. + +"Depend upon it," replied Swinton, "I will do all for him that ought to +be done; I owe him a debt of gratitude for preserving my friends, and +will not forget to repay it." + +"Well then, you must allow us to help him as well," replied the Major. +"How far are we now from the Modder River?" + +"About forty miles, I should think, and we had better push on as fast as +we, can; for although the river will contain water, the pools in the +desert between us and the river will soon be dried up. The cattle, +however, are still very weak, and, as I have stated, we have lost all +our relays. But you must long to have a good night's rest, so go to your +wagons, and we will watch and keep off the wild beasts. We have been +obliged to fire our guns all night long since your absence, and have +burned one of the spare poles of the wagons to cook our victuals." + +Every thing is comparative. When our travelers first took up their +night's lodgings in the wagons they found their resting-places hard, +after sleeping in comfortable beds at Cape Town; but now, after having +passed their nights in the wild desert, their mattresses in the wagons +were a luxury that was fully appreciated. Returning thanks to Heaven for +their preservation, Alexander and the Major slept soundly till morning, +notwithstanding that the latter was often half roused by the +importunities of Begum, who appeared delighted at the return of her +master. + +At daylight the oxen were yoked, and they proceeded on their journey. +There was no want of game; indeed they were so plentiful, that they shot +them from the caravan as they passed. At night they had made twenty-five +miles, and before they had unyoked, a deluge of rain again fell, and +they passed a very uncomfortable night, as it was very cold, and they +could light no fires, from want of fuel. Any thing, however, was better +than the want of water; and early in the morning they again yoked their +oxen, and, after a hard day's toil, were rejoiced to perceive at a +distance the trees which lined the banks of the Modder River. The sight +was hailed with joy by the Hottentots, who shouted aloud; for they +considered their dangers and difficulties to be over, now that they were +approaching to the boundaries of the colony. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + + +As the cattle required some repose, after the sufferings they had gone +through, our travelers resolved to remain a few days on the banks of the +Modder River. The pasturage was fine and the game abundant. Gnoos and +springboks were to be seen in every direction, and quaggas, bonteboks, +and several other varieties of antelopes, were in profusion over the now +undulating country. Neither were our travelers sorry to have some repose +for themselves, although every mile that they drew nearer to the Cape +made them more anxious to return. + +As usual, the caravan was halted on a rising ground, at some distance +from the river, to avoid the wild beasts, which during the day were +concealed, and during the night prowled on its banks, to spring upon the +animals which came down for water. As there was now plenty of wood, the +fires were again lighted at night, and the oxen driven in and tied up. +During the day, the animals reveled on the luxurious pasture, and in a +week had become quite sleek and in good condition. + +Every day our travelers went out to hunt for a supply of provisions, and +never returned without more than was sufficient. Swinton was anxious to +possess one or two more specimens of the oryx, or gemsbok. This +antelope, we have before observed, from having very straight horns, +which at a distance appear as one, has given rise to the fabulous animal +the unicorn, which is now one of the supporters of the royal arms. It is +a very formidable animal; being the one that our travelers found with +its horns pierced through the lion which had attacked it. The horses +being now fresh and in good heart, Alexander and the Major went in +pursuit of this animal very often, but without success, as the chase was +continually interrupted by the herds of ostriches and other game which +fell in their way. + +One morning, having discovered with the telescope that three of these +gemsbok were some miles distant on a rising ground, they set off, +accompanied by a portion of the Hottentots on foot, who were desired to +go round, so as to drive the animals toward the camp. Bremen and Big +Adam were of the party, and they had made a circuit of three or four +miles, so as to get on the other side of the game, which now darted down +from the high ground, and, descending on the plain, stopped for a while +looking at their pursuers, while the horsemen advanced toward them in +the opposite direction. A shot from Alexander at last brought one of +these splendid animals to the ground, while the others fled off to a +distance, so as to give no hopes of again coming up with them; and the +party on foot, as well as the horsemen, now proceeded to the spot where +the gemsbok lay dead. + +As Swinton wanted the animal for a specimen, it was placed on the back +of the horse which Omrah rode as usual, and one of the Hottentots went +off with it to the camp, which was not more than three miles distant. +They were debating whether they should make an attempt to get near to +the other gemsbok, which were still in sight at a distance, or try for +some other game, when they perceived three lions not far from them on a +rising ground; and suddenly the horses, from which they had dismounted +to give them time to recover their wind, broke loose from the Hottentots +who held the bridles, and galloped away toward the camp. The cause of +the panic was now evident, for a very large male lion had detached +himself from the other two, and was advancing slowly toward the party. + +As soon as they perceived the approach of the lion, which they had not +at first, they all seized their guns; but being wholly unprepared for +such a sudden attack, there was a great deal of confusion; the Major +crying out, "Let no one fire till I tell him," only produced more alarm +among the Hottentots, all of whom, except Bremen, appeared to be at +their wits' ends. When within fifty yards, the lion made one or two +bounds, and in a moment was among them all, before they could bring +their guns to their shoulders; the retreat was general in every +direction, and not a shot was fired. + +All, however, did not escape; Big Adam had started back, and coming with +all his force against Omrah, who was standing behind him, had fallen +over the boy, and they were both flat on their backs, when the lion +made his spring. The lion was standing up, looking proudly at his flying +enemies, when Big Adam, who was close to him, attempted to rise and gain +his feet; but perceiving this, the animal, with a blow of its fore-paw, +laid him prostrate again, set its foot upon his breast, and in this +attitude again looked proudly round him, as if confident of his +superiority. + +Omrah, who had sense enough to lie still, had yet his eyes sufficiently +opened to see what was going on; and as the lion appeared to be looking +at the scattered party, in a direction away from him, Omrah made one or +two turns over, so as to get further off, hoping that he might escape +unperceived. The lion, however, heard the rustling, and turning round +growled at him, and Omrah remained still again. As Big Adam's feet were +turned toward Omrah, the lion now took up his position, deliberately +lying down at full length upon Big Adam's body, with his hind-quarters +upon the Hottentot's face, so that he not only secured his prisoner, but +watched Omrah, who lay about three yards from him. + +In the mean time the anxiety of the other party may be imagined; they +considered that Big Adam and Omrah must be sacrificed. It was proposed +to fire with good aim, so as, if possible, to bring the animal's +attention and indignation upon themselves; but Swinton cried out not to +fire on any account. "The animal is not hungry or even angry," said +Swinton. "If let alone, he will probably walk away without doing them +injury. At all events, our firing will be the signal for their +destruction." + +The advice of Swinton was considered good, especially as it was backed +by that of Bremen, who also said that the lion was not hungry, and that, +by the way in which he, moved his tail, he was evidently more inclined +to play than any thing else. + +But in the mean time the pressure of the lion, whose weight was +enormous, was not only more than Big Adam could bear, but the +hind-quarters of the animal being over his face prevented him from +breathing; and at last he was compelled to struggle to get his head +clear. The consequence of his struggling was a severe bite on the leg, +inflicted on poor Adam; not, however, in a furious manner; for the lion +merely caught at him as a cat would at a mouse, to prevent its escape, +or because it was not quite dead. However, Big Adam had so far +disengaged his head that he could now breathe; and as the party kept +crying out to him to lie still, he continued so to do, although nearly +suffocated with the enormous weight of the animal. + +Omrah, who had remained still during all this time, perceiving that the +lion was licking the blood which flowed from the wound in Big Adam's +leg, thought that he might as well try another roll over, and being on +his back, he turned over on his face away from the lion. Thereupon the +lion rose from off Big Adam, walked up to Omrah, and, to the horror of +our travelers, took up the boy by his waistcloth, and, carrying him like +a small bundle in his mouth, went back to Big Adam, and laying Omrah +close down to the Hottentot's head, again took up his position on his +body; now, however, with his paws upon the Hottentot's breast, so that +he might keep Omrah in view before him. Little Omrah had sense enough +not to move during the time that the lion carried him, or after he was +laid down. + +The change in the position of the lion occasioned our travelers and the +party to walk round, so as to be able to watch the countenance of the +animal, as every thing depended upon the temper he might be in. The +Major and Alexander became very impatient, and were for advancing to the +attack, but Swinton persuaded them not to do so until the last moment. + +The lion now put its fore-paw upon the Hottentot's mouth, and again +stopped his breath; this occasioned another struggle on the part of Big +Adam, which was followed by the animal seizing him by the arm and biting +him severely; but in so doing the lion removed its paw, and the man +could breathe again. The taste of blood appeared pleasant to the lion, +for it continued biting the arm, descending from the shoulder to the +hand, and as the blood flowed from the wounds on its paws, the lion +licked it off. Again and again it licked its paw clean, and then, with +its glaring eyes fixed intently upon the Hottentot's face, it smelt him +first on one side and then on the other, and appeared only to be waiting +for a return of appetite to commence a deliberate meal upon the poor +fellow's body. + +In the mean time our travelers were standing about seventy yards +distant, waiting for the signal to attack, when Bremen observed to +Swinton-- + +"He won't wait much longer, sir; the blood has given him an appetite. We +must now drive him away, or they will both be killed." + +"I think so too," replied Swinton; "let us first try if we can disturb +him without making him angry; that will be the best way. We must go back +out of springing distance, and then all shout together, and keep +hallooing at him." + +This advice was followed; they retreated a hundred yards, and then all +shouted at once, and after that the Hottentots hallooed and bawled to +the lion. This had the effect intended: the lion rose from the bodies +and advanced toward the party, who stood still hallooing at him, but not +attempting to irritate him by presenting their guns. The lion looked +steadfastly at them for some time, and then turned away. After +retreating a few steps, it turned back to face them; the whole party +continued on the same spot, neither advancing so as to irritate him, nor +retreating so as to let the animal suppose that they were afraid of him. +When the lion had continued for a few minutes this course of retreating +and advancing, he turned right round, and went away at a hand canter, +and our travelers immediately hastened to the spot where Big Adam and +Omrah were still lying. + +Omrah, who was not at all hurt, instantly jumped on his legs, and, if he +had been afraid, appeared to have quite recovered his courage, as he cut +all manner of capers, and laughed immoderately; but Big Adam was greatly +exhausted and could not move, as much from the immense pressure of the +lion's enormous body, as from the blood that he had lost by the wounds +which he had received. On examination, the bite in his leg was found to +be much the most serious, as the bone was injured; the wounds on his arm +were all flesh-wounds, and although very painful, were not dangerous. +He was at present unable to speak, and was carried by his comrades to +the camp. Our travelers followed the Hottentots, as they all had enough +of hunting for that day. As soon as they arrived, Big Adam's wounds were +dressed by Swinton, and the poor fellow was accommodated with a bed, +made up for him in the baggage-wagon. They remained two days more on the +banks of the Modder River, and then they forded it and continued their +journey. + +On the second day they perceived some small human figures on the summit +of a hill at some distance, which the Hottentots declared to be Bushmen, +of which people there were numerous hordes in this part of the country. +An attempt was made to open a communication with them, but in vain, as +when any of the party advanced on horseback toward them, the Bushmen +made a precipitate retreat. As they were now in the neighborhood of +these plunderers, every care was taken of the cattle, which were tied up +before dark to prevent their being stolen. + +On the following day they very unexpectedly fell in with a party of nine +of the Bushmen, who were very busy devouring a quagga, which they had +killed. They replied to questions put to them with much fear and +trembling, and, having been presented with some tobacco, they made a +precipitate retreat. On that night the fires of the Bushmen were to be +seen on several of the surrounding hills. They continued their course on +the following day, when they fell in with about twenty women of the race +we have just mentioned, who approached the caravan without fear, +requesting tobacco and food; the former was given to them in small +quantities, and a shot from the Major's rifle soon procured them the +latter. They were now without water again, and had no chance of +procuring any, except from the pools, until they arrived at the Nu +Gariep, or Black River, which they had crossed when they came out from +the Caffre Land. + +Having traveled till dark, they halted under a hill, and were soon +afterward joined by a party of Bushwomen, who continued with them in +spite of all their attempts to get rid of them. They were very small in +person, well made, and the young were rather pretty in their features, +but their ornaments were enough to disgust any one but a Hottentot; for +they were smeared with grease and red ocher, and were adorned with the +entrails of animals as necklaces. The Hottentots, however, appeared to +think this very delightful, and were pleased with their company, and as +the women showed them a pool of water, where the oxen could drink, it +was not considered advisable to drive them away. But Swinton observed, +that it would be necessary to keep a very sharp lookout, as the women +were invariably sent by the Bushmen as spies, that they might watch the +opportunity for stealing cattle. + +They now resumed their former plan; starting at a very early hour, and +traveling till afternoon, when the cattle were allowed several hours to +feed, and were then tied up for the night to the wagons. Indeed the +lions were now not so numerous as they had been, and they had more to +fear from the Bushmen and the hyenas, which were very plentiful. + +The next day fully proved the truth of this, for the oxen, having been +unyoked as usual to feed, about two o'clock in the afternoon, had been +led to a hollow of luxuriant pasture by the cattle-keepers, where they +could not be seen from the caravan, although they were not half a mile +off. Toward dusk, when it was time to drive them in and tie them up to +the wagons, it was found that the cattle-keepers, who had been in +company with the Bushwomen, had neglected their charge, and they were +not to be found. + +The keepers came running in, stating that a lion had scared the cattle, +and that the animals had galloped off to a great distance. But Omrah, +who had gone to where the cattle had been feeding, returned to the camp +and told Swinton that it was not lions but Bushmen who had stolen them; +and, bringing the horses ready saddled to the Major and Alexander, said, +that if they did not follow them immediately, the cattle would be all +killed. It was also observed that the Bushwomen had all disappeared. + +Swinton, who was well aware of the customs of the Bushmen, immediately +proposed that they should mount as many as they could, and go in chase, +as there was not an hour to be lost. In half an hour a party, consisting +of our three travelers, Bremen, Omrah, and three of the most trusty of +the Hottentots, who were all that they could mount, set off in the +direction which they knew must have been taken, so as to conceal the +cattle from the sight of those in the caravan; and it being a fine +moonlight night, the keen eyes of Omrah tracked them for more than five +miles, where they were at fault, as the traces of their hoofs were no +longer to be seen. + +"What shall we do now?" said the Major. + +"We must trust to Omrah," replied Swinton, "he knows the habits of his +people well, and they will not deceive him." + +Omrah, who had been very busy kneeling on the ground, and striking a +light every now and then with a flint and steel, to ascertain the track +more distinctly, now came up and made them comprehend that the Bushmen +had turned back upon the very track they had gone upon, and that they +must return and find where they diverged from it again. + +This created considerable delay, as they had to walk the horses back for +more than a mile, when they again found the footing of the cattle +diverging from the track to the southward and eastward, in the direction +of some hills. + +They now made all the haste that they could, and proceeded so rapidly on +the track, that in about an hour they perceived the whole herd of oxen +driven up the side of a hill by a party of Bushmen. They put spurs to +their horses and galloped as fast as they could in pursuit, and soon +came up with them; when a discharge of rifles left three Bushmen on the +ground and put all the rest to flight. The cattle, which were much +frightened, were with some difficulty turned and driven back toward the +encampment. In the mean time the disappointed Bushmen had turned upon +those near, and were letting fly their arrows from the bushes where they +were concealed and continued thus to assail them until the party arrived +at the open plain. One of the Hottentots was wounded by an arrow in the +neck; but that was the only accident which occurred to any of the party, +and this was not known to our travelers until after their arrival at +the encampment, when it was almost daybreak; and then, tired with the +fatigues of the night, all were glad to obtain a few hours' rest. + +When they rose the next morning, Swanevelt informed them that nine of +the oxen were so wounded with the poisoned arrows of the Bushmen, that +they could not live; and also, that Piets the Hottentot had been badly +wounded in the neck with one of the arrows. Swinton immediately ordered +the man to be brought to him, as he was well aware of the fatal effects +of a wound from a Bushman's arrow. + +It appeared that Piets had pulled the arrow out of his neck, but that +some pieces of the barb had remained in the wound, and that these his +companions had been extracting with their knives, and the wound was very +much inflamed in consequence. Swinton immediately cut out as much of the +affected part as he could, applied ammonia to the wound, and gave him +laudanum to mitigate the pain, which was very acute; but the poor fellow +lay groaning during the whole of the day. + +They now examined the wounded oxen, which were already so swollen with +the poison that there were no hopes of saving them, and they were +immediately put out of their pain. Several others were found slightly +hurt, but not so as to lose all hopes of their recovery; but this +unfortunate circumstance prevented them from continuing their journey +for two days; as the whole of the oxen had been much harassed and cut by +the Bushmen, although not wounded by poisoned arrows. During this delay, +the poor Hottentot became hourly worse; his head and throat were much +swollen, and he said that he felt the poison working within him. + +After many hours of suffering, during which swellings appeared in +various parts of his body, the poor fellow breathed his last; and the +next day being Sunday, they remained as usual, and the body of the +unfortunate man was consigned to a grave. This event threw a cloud over +the whole caravan, and whenever any of the Bushwomen made their +appearance at a distance, and made signs that they wished to come into +the camp, an angry bullet was sent instantly over their heads, which +made them take to their heels. + +On the Monday morning they again started with their reduced trains, for +now they had barely sufficient cattle to drag the wagons. Fortunately +they were but a few miles from the Nu Gariep, and they arrived at its +banks before evening. The next day they crossed it with difficulty, +putting all the oxen to two of the wagons and then returning for the +others. + +They were now once more in the colony, and their dangers and +difficulties were now to be considered over. It was not, however, till a +week afterward that they succeeded in crossing the Sweenberg and +arriving at Graff Reynet. At this beautiful spot they remained for a few +days, to make arrangements and to procure horses, that they might +proceed to Cape Town as fast as possible, leaving Bremen in charge of +the wagons, which he was to bring down to them as soon as he could. We +shall pass over the remainder of their journey on horseback, as there +was nothing remarkable to be related. Suffice it to say, that on the +11th of January, 1830, they arrived safe and sound at Cape Town, and +were warmly congratulated by Mr. Fairburn and their many friends, after +all the dangers and difficulties which they had encountered. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. + + +Alexander Wilmot again took possession of the apartments in Mr. +Fairburn's house, and was not sorry once more to find himself surrounded +by all the comforts and luxuries of civilization. He could scarcely +believe where he was when he woke up the first morning, and found that +he had slept the whole night without being disturbed by the roar of a +lion or the cries of the hyena and jackal: and after the habit to which +he had been so long accustomed, of eating his meals in the open air with +his plate on his knees, he could hardly reconcile himself for a few days +to a well laid-out table. The evenings were passed in narrating their +adventures to Mr. Fairburn, who was truly glad of the result of the +mission to Port Natal, as it would be so satisfactory to old Sir +Charles. + +Alexander was now most anxious to return to England, and resolved to +take his passage in the first ship which sailed after the arrival of the +wagon with his effects. In the mean time his mornings were chiefly +passed with Swinton and the Major, the latter of whom intended to go to +England by the same vessel as Alexander. In three weeks after their +return to the Cape, the four wagons arrived, and excited much curiosity, +as they were filled with every variety of the animal kingdom which was +indigenous to the country. Swinton's treasures were soon unloaded and +conveyed to his house, and our naturalist was as happy as an +enthusiastic person could be in the occupation that they gave him. +Alexander only selected a few things, among which were the skins of the +lion and lioness. As for the Major, he had had all his pleasure in the +destruction of the animals. + +Bremen reported that all the Hottentots had behaved very well, and that +Big Adam had nearly recovered, and was able to limp about a little, +although it would be a long while before he would regain the perfect use +of his leg. Alexander now sent for them all, and paid them their wages, +with an extra sum as a gratuity for their good conduct. To Bremen and +Swanevelt, who had invariably conducted themselves faithfully, and who +had been the leading and most trustworthy men, he gave to each a wagon +and span of ten oxen as a present by which they might in future obtain +their livelihood, and the poor fellows considered themselves as rich as +the king of England. The other wagons and cattle of every description +were left with Swinton to be disposed of. + +The Major pressed Swinton very hard to part with little Omrah, but +Swinton would not consent. The Major therefore presented Omrah with one +of his best rifles, and accouterments to correspond, as a mark of his +attachment; and Alexander desired that all the money which was realized +by the sale of the remaining wagons and other articles, as well as the +cattle and horses, should be put by for Omrah's benefit. As a keepsake, +Alexander gave the lad his telescope, with which he knew that would be +highly pleased. + +We may here as well observe, that, a few months after Alexander and the +Major left the Cape, Omrah, who had been placed at a school by Swinton, +was admitted into the church, and baptized by the name of Alexander +Henderson Omrah; Alexander and the Major being his sponsors by proxies. +He turned out a very clever scholar, and remains with Swinton at this +moment. He has more than once accompanied him into the interior, and has +done much in reclaiming his countrymen, the bushmen, from their savage +way of life, and has been of great service to the missionaries as +interpreter of the Word to his heathen brethren. + +About a fortnight after the return of the wagons to Cape Town, a free +trader cast anchor in Table Bay to take in water, and Alexander and the +Major secured a passage in her to England. Alexander parted with great +regret from Mr. Fairburn and Swinton, with whom he promised to +correspond, and they sailed with a fair wind for St. Helena, where they +remained for a few days, and took that opportunity of visiting the tomb +of Napoleon, the former emperor of the French. A seven weeks' passage +brought them into the Channel-and they once more beheld the white cliffs +of England. + +Alexander's impatience to see his uncle, from whom he had found a letter +waiting for him on his return to the Cape, stating that he was in +tolerable health, induced him to leave the ship in a pilot-boat, and +land at Falmouth. Taking leave for a time of the Major, who preferred +going on to Portsmouth, Alexander traveled with all possible speed, and +on the second day arrived at his uncle's. + +"Is my uncle quite well!" said Alexander, as he leaped out of the +chaise, to the old butler who was at the door. + +"No sir, not quite well: he has been in bed for this last week, but +there is nothing serious the matter, I believe." + +Alexander hastened up stairs and was once more in the arms of Sir +Charles Wilmot, who embraced him warmly, and then, exhausted with the +emotion, sank back on his pillow. + +"Leave me for a little while, my dear boy, till I recover myself a +little," said Sir Charles. "I have no complaint, but I am very weak and +feeble. I will send for you very soon." + +Alexander, who was himself much affected, was not sorry to withdraw for +a while, and sent the housekeeper, who attended his aged relative, into +the room. In about an hour a message arrived requesting that he would +return to his uncle. + +"And now, my dear, kind boy, tell me every thing. I am indeed overjoyed +to see you back again; I have not had one line from you since you left +the Cape, and I really think that the worry and anxiety that I have felt +have been the cause of my taking to my bed. Now you are back I shall be +quite well again. Now tell me all, and I will not interrupt you." + +Alexander sat down on the bed, and entered into a full detail of the +results of his expedition to Port Natal; reading over all the memoranda +which they had collected, and satisfactorily proving that the +descendants of the Europeans then existing could not by any possibility +be from those who had been lost in the _Grosvenor_ East Indiaman. + +Sir Charles Wilmot listened in silence to all Alexander had to say, and +then, joining his hands above the bed-clothes, exclaimed, "Gracious +Lord, I thank Thee that this weight has been removed from my mind." He +then for some minutes prayed in silence, and when he had finished, he +requested Alexander to leave him till the evening. + +The physician having called shortly after Alexander left his uncle, +Alexander requested his opinion as to Sir Charles's state of health. The +former replied--"He has but one complaint, my dear sir, which all the +remedies in the world are not very likely to remove: it is the natural +decay of nature, arising from old age, I do not consider that he is in +any immediate danger of dissolution. I think it very likely that he may +never rise from his bed again; but, at the same time, he may remain +bedridden for months. He sinks very gradually, for he has had naturally +a very strong constitution, I believe the anxiety of his mind, arising +from your absence, and the blame he laid on himself for having allowed +you to undertake your expedition, have worn him more than any thing +else; but now that you have returned, I have no doubt, after the first +excitement is over, that he will rally. Still man is born to die, Mr. +Wilmot, and your uncle has already lived beyond the three-score years +and ten allotted to the average age of man. Depend upon it, every thing +shall be done which can protract a life so dear to you." + +Alexander thanked the physician, and the latter then went up stairs to +Sir Charles. On his return, he informed Alexander that Sir Charles's +pulse was stronger, but something must be allowed for the excitement +which he had undergone. + +When Alexander saw his uncle in the evening, the latter again thanked +him for having undertaken the expedition, and having brought back such +satisfactory accounts. + +"I am much your debtor, my dear boy," said he; "and if it is any +satisfaction to you (which I am sure it must be from your kind heart) to +know that you have smoothed the death-bed of one who loves you, you have +your reward. I feel quite strong now; and if it will not be too much +trouble, I should like you to give me a narrative of the whole +expedition; not all at once, but a little now and then. You shall begin +now, and mind you enter into every little detail,--every thing will +interest me." + +Alexander commenced his narrative, as his uncle requested, stating to +him how they were fitted out; the names of all the people; describing +Swinton and the Major, and giving a much closer narrative of what passed +than we have done in these pages. After an hour or so, during which +Alexander had not got so far in his narrative as to have quitted the +Cape for Algoa Bay, he left off, that he might not weary his uncle, and +wished him good-night. + +For many weeks did the narrative, and the conversation produced by it, +serve to amuse and interest the old gentleman, who still remained in his +bed. But long before it was finished, Major Henderson had arrived at +the hall, and had been introduced to Sir Charles, who was much pleased +with him, and requested him to remain as long as he found it agreeable. +The Major, at Alexander's request, had the lion and lioness set up in +Leadbeater's best style, and the case had now arrived at the hall, and +was brought up into Sir Charles's room, that he might have some idea of +the animals with which they had had to contend; and there it remained, +for the old gentleman would not allow it to be taken away. + +"I must send out a present to that little Omrah," said Sir Charles, one +morning, as he was conversing with the Major; "what shall it be?" + +"Well, sir, I hardly know; but I think the best present for him would be +a watch." + +"Then, Major, order one of the best gold watches that can be made, when +you go to town, and send it out to him; and, Major,--I am sorry to give +you that trouble, but I am an old bedridden man, and that must be my +excuse,--take the keys from the dressing-table, and open the small +drawer of that cabinet, and you will find two morocco cases in it, which +I will thank you to bring to me." + +The Major did so, and Sir Charles, raising himself on his pillow, opened +the cases, which contained each a massive ring, in which was set a +diamond of great value. + +"These two rings were presented me by Eastern princes, Major, at the +time that I was resident in their country. There is little difference in +their value, but you would find it difficult to match the stones, even +in England. I will shut the cases up again, and now that I have shut +them up in my hands, take one out for me. Thank you, Major; that one is +a present from me to our friend Swinton, and you must send it out to him +with the watch for the Bush-boy. The other, Major, I hope you will not +refuse to accept as a testimony of my gratitude to you, for having +accompanied my dear boy on his expedition." + +Sir Charles put the other case into the Major's hands. + +"I certainly will not refuse any thing as a remembrance from you, Sir +Charles," replied the Major; "I accept your splendid present with many +thanks, and so will Swinton, I am certain; but he will be more pleased +with the kind attention than he will be with its great value; and I +trust you will believe me when I add that such is also my own feeling." + +"I only hope you may have both as much pleasure in receiving as I have +in giving them," replied Sir Charles; "so put them in your pocket and +say no more about them. There is Alexander coming up, I know his tread; +I hope you do not mean to desert him now that the shooting season is +coming on; he will be very lonely, poor fellow, without you." + +"I have good news, my dear uncle," said Alexander, as he entered; +"Swinton is coming home; I have a letter from him, and he will be here, +he trusts, a fortnight after his letter." + +"I shall be most happy to shake hands with him," said Sir Charles. "Pray +write for him to come down immediately he arrives." + +Three weeks after this announcement Swinton made his appearance, and we +hardly need say was most warmly welcomed. Omrah he would not bring with +him, as he wished him to continue his education; but the Major declared +that he had left the boy because he was afraid of his being taken from +him. Our travelers were thus all reunited, and they agreed among +themselves that it was quite as comfortable at the hall as it was at the +Bechuana country; and that if the sporting was not quite so exciting, at +all events it was not quite so dangerous. + +Swinton and the Major remained with Alexander till the opening of the +next year, and then they both left at the same time, and sailed in the +same ship; the Major to rejoin his regiment in India, Swinton to his +favorite locality in Africa, to obtain some more specimens in natural +history. + +As the physician had declared, Sir Charles never rose from his bed +again; but he sunk so gradually that it was almost imperceptible, and it +was not until the summer of that year that he slept with his fathers, +dying without pain, and in perfect possession of his senses. + +Alexander now came into possession of the estates and title, and +certainly he entered upon them without any reproach as to his conduct +toward his uncle, who died blessing him. And now my tale is ended, and I +wish my young readers farewell. + + +THE END + + + + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Mission, by Frederick Marryat + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13276 *** diff --git a/13276-h/13276-h.htm b/13276-h/13276-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fe99252 --- /dev/null +++ b/13276-h/13276-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,11487 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content= + "text/html; charset=UTF-8"> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Mission, by Captain Marryat. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + P { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + } + HR { width: 33%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + } + BODY{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + .linenum {position: absolute; top: auto; left: 4%;} /* poetry number */ + .note {margin-left: 2em; margin-right: 2em; margin-bottom: 1em;} /* footnote */ + .blkquot {margin-left: 4em; margin-right: 4em;} /* block indent */ + .pagenum {position: absolute; left: 92%; font-size: smaller; text-align: right;} /* page numbers */ + .sidenote {width: 20%; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding-left: 1em; font-size: smaller; float: right; clear: right;} + + .poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align: left;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem span {display: block; margin: 0; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i2 {display: block; margin-left: 2em;} + .poem span.i4 {display: block; margin-left: 4em;} + .poem .caesura {vertical-align: -200%;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13276 ***</div> + +<h1>THE MISSION</h1> +<h3>OR</h3> +<h1>SCENES IN AFRICA</h1> + +<center><i><b>WRITTEN FOR YOUNG PEOPLE</b></i></center><br> +<br><br> +<h3>BY</h3> +<h2>CAPTAIN MARRYAT</h2> +<br> +<h5>AUTHOR OF "FRANK MILDMAY," "PERCIVAL KEENE," "PHANTOM SHIP," "DOG +FIEND," "JACOB FAITHFUL," "POACHER," ETC., ETC.</h5> + +<center><i><b>WITH ILLUSTRATIONS</b></i></center><br> +<br><br> + +<h4>GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND SONS<br> +LONDON: BROADWAY, LUDGATE HILL<br> +NEW YORK: 9 LAFAYETTE PLACE</h4> +<br><br> +<center> +<img src='images/003.jpg' width='650' height='1028' alt='[Illustration: THE ONWARD MARCH.—<i>Front</i>.]' title=''> +</center> + +<br><br><br> + +<big>CONTENTS.</big><br><br> + + +<a href='#CHAPTER_I'><b>CHAPTER I.</b></a><br /> +<p>Account of Sir Charles Wilmot—Loss of the Grosvenor—Sir +Charles's doubts respecting the Survival of his Wife and +Children—Alexander Wilmot—His Character—The Newspaper +Paragraph—Details of the Wreck of the Grosvenor—Surmises +as to the Fate of the Passengers</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_II'><b>CHAPTER II.</b></a><br /> + <p>Alexander's Reflections—His Plan—Sir Charles opposes it—His +unwilling Consent—Alexander's Departure</p> +<br /> + +<a href='#CHAPTER_III'><b>CHAPTER III.</b></a><br /> +<p>Alexander's Melancholy—Finds a Friend—Sea Sickness—Mr. +Fairburn—The Passengers—Conversations—The Cape—Mr. +Fairburn's Account of the Treatment of the Hottentots by +the Dutch</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_IV'><b>CHAPTER IV.</b></a><br /> +<p>Natural History discussed—Mr. Swinton's Enthusiasm—Further +History of the Cape—Dutch Barbarity—Alexander's Indignation</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_V'><b>CHAPTER V.</b></a><br /> +<p>Aquatic Birds—Guano—Mr. Fairburn's Narrative +continued—Stuurman—Mokanna—The Attack—Failure of the Caffres</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_VI'><b>CHAPTER VI.</b></a><br /> +<p>Sharks—Their Cowardice—Attack on one by Neptune—Divers' +Dangers—Mr. Fairburn continues his Story—Mokanna's +Fate—Disturbances among the Caffre Tribes</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_VII'><b>CHAPTER VII.</b></a><br /> +<p>Mr. Swinton agrees to accompany Alexander—Land, ho!—Cape +Town—Major Henderson—He joins the Party—Begum—Chaka's +History</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_VIII'><b>CHAPTER VIII.</b></a><br /> +<p>Night in Algoa Bay—The Major meets Maxwell—Preparations +to start—The Caravan—Description of it—The Departure</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_IX'><b>CHAPTER IX.</b></a><br /> +<p>The Plans of the Adventurers—Big Adam's Bravery—Milius—His +Refreshments—What his House contained—Speech to +the Hottentots—The Bushman Boy, Prince Omrah</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_X'><b>CHAPTER X.</b></a><br /> +<p>Wild Beasts—Insubordination of the Hottentots—Danger from +Elephants—Their hideous Shrieks—Big Adam's Terror—Lieutenant +Hoodie's wonderful Escape—Sagacity of the Elephant—Intentions +of the Party</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XI'><b>CHAPTER XI.</b></a><br /> +<p>Arrival at Mr. S.'s Station—The Quarrel between Hinza and +Voosani—An Escort proposed—The Caffre Character—The +Sabbath—Painful Position of a Missionary's Wife</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XII'><b>CHAPTER XII.</b></a><br /> +<p>The Royal Visit—Mutual Civilities—The Band of +Warriors—Hippopotami—Their Carcasses—Omrah's Cunning—The +Trick—Big Adam sulky—A narrow Escape—Preparations for the +Hunt</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XIII'><b>CHAPTER XIII.</b></a><br /> +<p>Look out—The Signal—The Major's Nerve—Charge upon the +Camp—Hottentots drunk—Begum's Uneasiness—Signs of +Danger—Lions' Sagacity—Anecdotes</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XIV'><b>CHAPTER XIV.</b></a><br /> +<p>A Storm—Sober again—Elephant Steak—Omrah's Tricks—Man-eaters—A +horrible Adventure—The Sleepers awakened</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XV'><b>CHAPTER XV.</b></a><br /> +<p>Quah! quah!—Alexander's and the Major's Danger—A critical +Situation—Omrah's Presence of Mind—Divine Worship—Instruction +of Caffres—Advance of the Enemy—Panic of the +Natives—Refusal to proceed—The tables turned—The +Council—Submission—Arrangements</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XVI'><b>CHAPTER XVI.</b></a><br /> +<p>An Expedition—Rumors of War—Judicious Advice—Daaka's +Hut—The Interview with Daaka—Explanations—Remains +of the Grosvenor—The Mystery solved—Alexander's Joy—The +Wagons again—The Major's Fortress—Plans for the +Future</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XVII'><b>CHAPTER XVII.</b></a><br /> +<p>Quetoo's Movements—Destruction of his Army—The Return—Plenty +of Sport—The Warriors rewarded—Precautions—Antelopes—The +Victim—A large Meal</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XVIII'><b>CHAPTER XVIII.</b></a><br /> +<p>Conversation—Gnoos—Five Lions—Thirst quenched—Ferocity +of the Hyena—Anecdotes—Preparations for a Chase</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XIX'><b>CHAPTER XIX.</b></a><br /> +<p>A practical Joke—A lucky Escape—History of the Mantatees—Mantatee +Courage—A final Slaughter—Discussions—Swinton's +Account of Africaner</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XX'><b>CHAPTER XX.</b></a><br /> +<p>Omrah's Intelligence—Lion-hunting—Silence and Caution—An +unpleasant Surprise—Self-sacrifice of a Gemsbok—Swinton's +Story continued—Conversation on Lions—Anecdotes—Big +Adam punished</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XXI'><b>CHAPTER XXI.</b></a><br /> +<p>Interview with Bushmen—A shrewd Surmise—A Herd of Buffaloes—A +providential Escape—A Scene—Swanevelt in Danger—Conversation—A +Story</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XXII'><b>CHAPTER XXII.</b></a><br /> +<p>Overpowering Heat—Divine Service—An Intrusion—The poisoned +Lion—Discussion on venomous Reptiles—Lizard shot—Swinton's +Information to his Companions</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XXIII'><b>CHAPTER XXIII.</b></a><br /> +<p>A good Shot—Water scarce—Omrah in Trouble—Turtle +Soup—Sufferings—Sufferings at an end—An earthly Paradise</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XXIV'><b>CHAPTER XXIV.</b></a><br /> +<p>Aspect of the Country—Chase of a Rhinoceros—Omrah's Plan +succeeds—A Lion's Leap—Account of a Rhinoceros-Hunt—Elands +shot—A Lioness attacked—The Lion's Skin awarded—An +expiring Effort</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XXV'><b>CHAPTER XXV.</b></a><br /> +<p>Swinton's Astonishment—A Dialogue—Maternal Affection—An +Alarm—Griquas fallen in with—The Message to +Moselekatsee—Fire!—The Matabili King—Expectations</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XXVI'><b>CHAPTER XXVI.</b></a><br /> +<p>Chase of a Giraffe—Proposed Retreat—The Major's Object +attained—Treachery—Treachery defeated—Omrah's Scheme—Hopes +of Water disappointed</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XXVII'><b>CHAPTER XXVII.</b></a><br /> +<p>Further Progress—The Horses and Oxen break away—The +Pursuit—Hopes and Fears—The Caravan lost—Intense Heat—Omrah's +Courage—A Temporary Relief—Despair—Water at +last obtained—Swinton's Signals answered</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XXVIII'><b>CHAPTER XXVIII.</b></a><br /> +<p>Panic produced by a Lion—Omrah's and Big Adam's Predicament—A Lion's +Mode of stimulating his Appetite—A Meeting +with Bushmen—Cattle stolen—Recovery attempted—Oxen +poisoned—Death of Piets—Arrival at Cape Town</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XXIX'><b>CHAPTER XXIX.</b></a><br /> +<p>Parting Scenes—Alexander and the Major embark—Alexander's +Arrival at Home—He relates his adventures—Sir Charles's +Health gradually declines—His Presents to Swinton and the +Major—His Death—Conclusion</p> +<br /> +<br /><br /> + +<hr size=7 style="width: 75%;"/> + + +<h1>THE MISSION, OR SCENES IN AFRICA.</h1> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_I'></a><h2>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<h4>THE EXPEDITION.</h4> +<br /> + +<p>It was in the autumn of the year 1828, that an elderly and infirm +gentleman was slowly pacing up and down in a large dining-room. He had +apparently finished his dinner, although it was not yet five o'clock, +and the descending sun shone bright and warm through the windows, which +were level with the ground, and from which there was a view of a +spacious park, highly ornamented with old timber. He held a newspaper in +one hand, and had the other behind his back, as if for support, for he +was bent forward, and looked very feeble and emaciated.</p> + +<p>After pacing for some time, he sat down in an easy chair and remained in +deep thought, holding the newspaper in both his hands.</p> + +<p>This old gentleman's name was Sir Charles Wilmot. He had in early life +gone out to India as a writer, and after remaining there for a few +years, during which he had amassed a handsome fortune, was advised to +leave the country for a time on account of his health. He returned to +England on furlough, and had not been there more than six months when +the death, without issue, of his eldest brother, Sir Henry Wilmot, put +him in possession of the entailed estates and of the baronetcy.</p> + +<p>This decided him not to return to India for his wife and three +daughters, whom he had left out there, but to write, desiring them to +return home by the first ship. The reply which he received was most +painful; his wife and two of his daughters had been carried off by the +cholera, which had been very fatal during the previous rainy season. +His remaining daughter was about to sail, in obedience to his wishes, in +the <i>Grosvenor</i> East-Indiaman, under the care of Colonel and Mrs. James, +who were near connections.</p> + +<p>This was a heavy blow with which it pleased God to visit him in his +prosperity, and was almost a total wreck of all his hopes and +anticipations. But he was a good man and a religious one, and he bowed +in humility to the dispensation, submitting with resignation to his +loss, and still thankful to Heaven that it had graciously spared one of +the objects of his affections to console him, and to watch his declining +years.</p> + +<p>Sir Charles Wilmot took possession of the family mansion and estate in +Berkshire, in which he was still residing at the time our history +commences. By degrees he became more resigned, and waited with anxiety +for the return of his only daughter, who now seemed more dear to him +than ever. He employed himself in making preparations for her reception, +fitting up her apartments in the Oriental style which she had been +accustomed to, and devising every little improvement and invention which +he thought would give pleasure to a child of ten years old.</p> + +<p>But it pleased Heaven that Sir Charles should be more severely +chastised; the <i>Grosvenor's</i> time of arrival had elapsed, and still she +was not reported in the Channel; week after week of anxiety and suspense +passed slowly away, and the East-India ship did not make her appearance. +It was supposed that she had been captured by the enemy, but still no +tidings of her capture were received. At length, however, this state of +anxiety and doubt was put an end to by the dreadful intelligence that +the ship had been wrecked on the east coast of Africa, and that nearly +the whole of the crew and passengers had perished. Two men belonging to +her had been brought home by a Danish East-Indiaman, and shortly after +the first intelligence, these men arrived in London, and gave a more +particular detail of what had occurred.</p> + +<p>Sir Charles, in a state of feverish anxiety, as soon as he heard of +their arrival, hastened up to town to question these men; and the +result of his interrogatories fully convinced him that he was now quite +bereaved and childless. This was the last blow and the most severe; it +was long before he could resign himself to the unsearchable +dispensations of Providence; but time and religion had at last overcome +all his repining feelings,—all disposition to question the goodness or +wisdom of his Heavenly Father, and he was enabled to say, with +sincerity, "Not my will, but Thine be done."</p> + +<p>But although Sir Charles was thus left childless, as years passed away, +he at last found that he had those near to him for whom he felt an +interest, and one in particular who promised to deserve all his regard. +This was his grand-nephew, Alexander Wilmot, who was the legal heir to +the title and entailed property,—the son of a deceased nephew, who had +fallen during the Peninsular war.</p> + +<p>On this boy Sir Charles had lavished those affections which it pleased +Heaven that he should not bestow upon his own issue, and Alexander +Wilmot had gradually become as dear to him as if he had been his own +child. Still the loss of his wife and children was ever in his memory, +and as time passed on, painful feelings of hope and doubt were +occasionally raised in Sir Charles's mind, from the occasional +assertions of travelers, that all those did not perish who were supposed +so to do when the <i>Grosvenor</i> was wrecked, and that, from the reports of +the natives, some of them and of their descendants were still alive. It +was a paragraph in the newspaper, containing a renewal of these +assertions, which had attracted the attention of Sir Charles, and which +had put him in the state of agitation and uneasiness in which we have +described him at the opening of this chapter.</p> + +<p>We left him in deep and painful thought, with the newspaper in his +hands. His reveries were interrupted by the entrance of Alexander +Wilmot, who resided with him, being now twenty-two years of age, and +having just finished his college education. Alexander Wilmot was a tall, +handsome young man, very powerful in frame, and very partial to all +athletic exercises; he was the best rower and the best cricketer at +Oxford, very fond of horses and hunting, and an excellent shot; in +character and disposition he was generous and amiable, frank in his +manner, and obliging to his inferiors. Every one liked Alexander Wilmot, +and he certainly deserved to be liked, for he never injured or spoke ill +of any body. Perhaps his most prominent fault was obstinacy; but this +was more shown in an obstinate courage and perseverance to conquer what +appeared almost impossible, and at the greatest risk to himself; he was +of that disposition that he would hardly get out of the way of a mad +bull if it crossed his path, but risk his life probably, and to no +purpose; but there is no perfection in this world, and it was still less +to be expected in a young man of only twenty-two years of age.</p> + +<p>"Well, uncle, I've conquered him," said Alexander, as he came into the +room, very much heated with exercise.</p> + +<p>"Conquered whom, my boy?" replied Sir Charles.</p> + +<p>"The colt; I've backed him, and he is now as gentle as a lamb; but he +fought hard for two hours at least."</p> + +<p>"Why should you run such risk, Alexander, when the horsebreaker would +have broke him just as well?"</p> + +<p>"But not so soon, uncle."</p> + +<p>"I did not know that you were in such want of a horse as to require such +hurry; I thought you had plenty in the stable."</p> + +<p>"So I have, uncle, thanks to you, more than I can use; but I like the +pleasure—the excitement."</p> + +<p>"There you state the truth, my dear Alexander; when you have lived as +long as I have, you will find more pleasure in quiet and repose," +replied Sir Charles, with a heavy sigh.</p> + +<p>"Something has disturbed you, my dear uncle," said Alexander, going up +to Sir Charles and taking his hand; "what is it, sir?"</p> + +<p>"You are right, Alexander; something has unsettled me, has called up +painful feelings and reminiscences; it is that paragraph in the +newspaper."</p> + +<p>Alexander was now as subdued almost as his uncle; he took a chair and +quietly read the paragraph.</p> + +<p>"Do you think there is any foundation for this, my dear sir?" said he, +after he had read it.</p> + +<center> +<img src='images/015.jpg' width='644' height='1031' alt='[Illustration: THE NEWSPAPER PARAGRAPH.]' title=''> +</center> + + +<p>"It is impossible to say, my dear boy; it may be so, it has often been +asserted before. The French traveler Le Vaillant states that he received +the same information, but was prevented from ascertaining the truth; +other travelers have subsequently given similar accounts. You may easily +credit the painful anxiety which is raised in my mind when I read such a +statement as this. I think I see my poor Elizabeth, the wife or slave to +some wild savage; her children, merciful Heaven! my grandchildren, +growing up as the brutes of the field, in ignorance and idolatry. It is +torture, my dear Alexander—absolute torture, and requires long prayer +and meditation to restore my mind to its usual tone, and to enable me to +bow to the dispensations of the Divine will."</p> + +<p>"Although I have long been acquainted with the general statement, my +dear uncle, respecting the loss of the ship, I have never yet heard any +such details as would warrant this apprehension of yours. It is +generally supposed that all perished, perished indeed most miserably, +except the few men who made their way to the Cape, and returned to +England."</p> + +<p>"Such was the supposition, my dear boy, but subsequent reports have to a +certain degree contradicted it, and there is reason to believe that all +did not perish who were accounted as dead. If you have nothing +particularly to engage you at this moment, I will enter into a detail of +what did occur, and of the proofs that the fate of a large portion, +among which that of your aunt Elizabeth, was never ascertained."</p> + +<p>"If it will not be too painful to you, my dear uncle, I will most gladly +hear it."</p> + +<p>"I will not dwell longer upon it than is necessary, Alexander; believe +me, the subject is distressing, but I wish you to know it also, and then +to give me your opinion. You are of course aware that it was on the +coast of Caffraria, to the southward of Port Natal, that the <i>Grosvenor</i> +was wrecked. She soon divided and went to pieces, but by a sudden—I +know not that I can say a <i>fortunate</i>—change of wind, yet such was the +will of Heaven,—the whole of the crew and passengers (with the +exception of sixteen who had previously attempted to gain the shore by +a hawser, and one man who was left on board in a state of intoxication) +were all safely landed, even to the little children who were coming home +in the vessel; among whom was my poor Elizabeth."</p> + +<p>Alexander made no observation when Sir Charles paused for a while: the +latter then continued:—</p> + +<p>"By the time that they had all gained the shore, the day was far spent; +the natives, who were of the Caffre race, and who had been busy in +obtaining all the iron that they could from the mainmast, which had +drifted on shore, left the beach at dark. The wretched sufferers lighted +fires, and having collected some casks of beef and flour, and some live +stock, they remained on the rocks during that night. The next morning +the captain proposed that they should make their way to Cape Town, the +Dutch settlement, to which they all unanimously consented; certainly a +most wild proposition, and showing very little judgment."</p> + +<p>"Could they have done otherwise, my dear uncle?"</p> + +<p>"Most certainly; they knew that they were in a country of lawless +savages, who had already come down and taken by force every thing that +they could lay their hands upon. The Captain calculated that they would +reach Cape Town in sixteen or seventeen days. How far his calculation +was correct, is proved by the fact that those who did reach it at last +were one hundred and seventeen days on their journey. But even admitting +that the distance could have been performed in the time stated by the +captain, the very idea of attempting to force their way through a +country inhabited by savage people, with such a number of helpless women +and children, and without any arms for their defense, was indeed an act +of folly and madness, as it eventually proved."</p> + +<p>"What then should have been their plan?"</p> + +<p>"Observe, Alexander, the ship was wrecked not a cable's length from the +shore, firmly fixed upon a reef of rocks upon which she had been thrown; +the water was smooth, and there was no difficulty in their +communication. The savages, content with plundering whatever was washed +on shore, had to the time of their quitting the rocks left them +uninjured. They might have gone on board again, have procured arms to +defend themselves and the means of fortifying their position against any +attempt of the savages, who had no other weapons but assaguays or +spears, and then might have obtained the provisions and other articles +necessary for their support. Armed as they might have been, and numerous +as they were, for there were one hundred and fifty souls on board at the +time of the wreck, they might have protected themselves until they had +built boats or small vessels out of the timber of the wreck; for all +their carpenters and blacksmiths were safely landed on shore with them. +By taking this course they might have coasted along shore, and have +arrived without difficulty at the Cape."</p> + +<p>"Most certainly, sir, it would have been the most judicious plan."</p> + +<p>"The captain must have been very deficient in judgment to have acted as +he did. He had every thing to his hand—the means—the men to build the +boats, provisions, arms, sails and cordage, and yet he threw all these +chances away, and attempted to do what was impossible."</p> + +<p>"He was not one of those who were saved, I believe, sir?"</p> + +<p>"No, he is one of those who have not been heard of; but to proceed: The +first day of their march from the site of the wreck ought to have been a +warning to them to turn back. The savages robbed them of every thing and +threw stones at them. A Dutchman of the name of Trout, who had fled to +the Caffre country for some murder he had committed in the colony, fell +in with them and told them the attempt was impracticable, from the +number of savage nations, the width of the rivers, the desert countries +without water, and the number of wild beasts which they would encounter; +but still they were not persuaded, and went on to their destruction. +They were not five miles from the wreck at the time, and might have +returned to it before night."</p> + +<p>"May it not fairly be supposed that after such a dreadful shipwreck any +thing was considered preferable by the major portion of them, especially +the passengers, to re-embarking?"</p> + +<p>"It may be so; but still it was a feeling that was to be surmounted, +and would have been, had they been counseled by a judicious leader; for +he might fairly have pointed out to them,—without re embarkation, how +are you to arrive in England?"</p> + +<p>"Very true, uncle. Pray continue."</p> + +<p>"From the accounts given by the seamen who returned, before they had +traveled a week they were attacked by a large party of natives, to whose +blows and ill-treatment as they passed along they had hitherto +submitted; but as in this instance the natives appeared determined to +massacre them, they resisted as well as they could, and, being nearly +one hundred men in force, succeeded in driving them off, not without +receiving many severe wounds. After a few days' more traveling, their +provisions were all expended, and the seamen began to murmur, and +resolved to take care of themselves, and not to be encumbered with women +and children. The consequence was, that forty-three of the number +separated from the rest, leaving the captain and all the male and female +passengers and children (my dear Elizabeth among them), to get on as +they could."</p> + +<p>"How cruel!"</p> + +<p>"Yes! but self-preservation is the first law of nature, and I fear it is +in vain to expect that persons not under the influence of religious +principles will risk their lives, or submit to much self-denial, for the +sake of alleviating the miseries of others. The reason given for this +separation was, that it was impossible to procure food for so large a +number, and that they would be more likely to obtain sustenance when +divided. The party who thus proceeded in advance encountered the most +terrible difficulties; they coasted along the seashore because they had +no other food than the shell-fish found on the rocks; they had +continually to cross rivers from a mile to two miles wide; they were +kept from their slumbers by the wild beasts which prowled around them, +and at length they endured so much from want of water, that their +sufferings were extreme. They again subdivided and separated, wandering +they hardly knew where, exposed to a burning sun, without clothing and +without food. One by one they sat down and were left behind to die, or +to be devoured by the wild beasts before they were dead. At last they +were reduced to such extremity, that they proposed to cast lots for one +to be killed to support the others; they turned back on their route, +that they might find the dead bodies of their companions for food. +Finally, out of the whole crew, three or four, purblind and staggering +from exhaustion, craving for death, arrived at the borders of the +colony, where they were kindly received and gradually recovered."</p> + +<p>"You now speak of the first party who separated from the captain and the +passengers, do you not, uncle?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"And what became of the captain's party?"</p> + +<p>"No tidings were heard of them; their fate was unknown; it was long +supposed that they had all perished; for if the sufferings of the +seamen, inured to toil and danger, had been so great, what chance was +there for helpless women and children? But after some years, there was a +report that they had been saved, and were living with the savages. Le +Vaillant first mentioned it, and then it died away and was not credited; +but since that, the reports of various travelers appear to give +confirmation to what Le Vaillant asserted. The paragraph you have now +read in the newspaper has again renewed the assertion, and the parties +from whom it proceeds are by all accounts worthy of credence. You may +imagine, my dear boy, what a pang it gives me when I read these +reports,—when I reflect that my poor girl, who was with that party, may +at this moment be alive, may have returned to a state of barbarism,—the +seeds of faith long dead in her bosom,—now changed to a wild, untutored +savage, knowing no God."</p> + +<p>"But, my dear uncle, allowing that my aunt is alive, she was not so +young at the time of the wreck as to forget entirely what she had been +taught."</p> + +<p>"That is possible; but then her condition must be still more painful, or +rather I should say must have been, for probably she is dead long before +this, or if not dead, she must be a woman advanced in life; indeed, as +you may observe in the account given by the traveler in the paragraph +you have read, it speaks only of the <i>descendants</i> of those who were +lost in the <i>Grosvenor</i>. The idea of my grandchildren having returned to +a state of barbarism is painful enough; I wish it were possible that I +could discover the truth, for it is the uncertainty which so much +distresses me. I have but a few years to live, Alexander; I am a very +old man, as you know, and may be summoned to-morrow or to-night, for we +know not what a day may bring forth. If I were only certain that my +child had died, miserable as her death must have been, it would be +happiness, to the idea that she was one of those whose descendants they +speak of. If you knew how for the last thirty years this has preyed upon +my mind, you would comprehend my anxiety on this account; but God's will +be done. Do not let me detain you longer, Alexander; I should prefer +being alone."</p> + +<p>Alexander, at this intimation, took the proffered hand of his +grand-uncle in a reverential and feeling manner, and, without saying any +more, quitted the room.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_II'></a><h2>CHAPTER II.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>The conversation which he had had with his grand-uncle made a very +forcible impression upon Alexander Wilmot; it occasioned him to pass a +very sleepless night, and he remained till nearly four o'clock turning +it over in his mind. The loss of the <i>Grosvenor</i> Indiaman had occurred +long before he was born; he was acquainted with the outline of what had +taken place, and had been told, when a child, that a relation of his +family had perished; but although the narrative had, at the time, made +some impression upon his young mind, he had seldom, if ever, heard it +spoken of since, and may have been said to have almost forgotten it. He +was therefore not a little surprised when he found how great an +influence it had upon his grand-uncle, who had never mentioned it to him +before; indeed it had escaped Alexander's memory that it was his +grand-uncle's only surviving daughter who had been lost in the vessel.</p> + +<p>Alexander Wilmot was warmly attached to the old gentleman; indeed he +would have been very ungrateful if he had not been, for it was +impossible that any one could have been treated with more kindness and +liberality than he was by Sir Charles. It was but the week before, that +he had expressed a wish to travel on the continent, and Sir Charles had +immediately given his consent that he should remain abroad, if he +pleased, for two years. When he approved, however, of Alexander's plans, +he had made a remark as to his own age and infirmity, and the probable +chance that they might not meet again in this world; and this remark of +his grand-uncle left such an impression upon Alexander, that he almost +repented having made the request, and had been ever since in a state of +indecision as to whether he should avail himself of his grand-uncle's +kindness and disregard of self shown toward him in thus having granted +his permission.</p> + +<p>The conversation with Sir Charles had brought up a new idea in his mind; +he had witnessed the anxiety and longing which his good old relation had +shown about the fate of his daughter; he had heard from his own lips how +long the ignorance of her fate had preyed upon his mind, and that to be +satisfied on this point was the one thing wanting to enable the old man +to die happy,—to permit him to say with sincerity, "Lord, now lettest +Thou thy servant depart in peace." Why, then, should he not go to +discover the truth? It would not, perhaps, occupy him so long as the two +years of traveling on the continent, which had been consented to by his +grand-uncle, and, instead of traveling for his own pleasure, he might be +the means of satisfying the mind and quieting the anxiety of one who had +been so kind to him. Indeed, he should actually prefer a journey into +the interior of Africa to a mere sojourn of some time on the continent; +the very peril and danger, the anticipation of distress and hardship, +were pleasing to his high and courageous mind, and before he fell asleep +Alexander had made up his mind that he would propose the expedition, and +if he could obtain his uncle's permission would proceed upon it +forthwith. Having come to this resolution, he fell fast asleep and +dreamed away, till eight o'clock in the morning, that he was hunting +elephants and having hand-to-hand conflicts with every variety of beast +with which he had peopled Africa in his fancy. When he was called up in +the morning, he found his determination of the night before rather +strengthened than otherwise, and accordingly, after breakfast was over, +he opened the subject.</p> + +<p>"My dear sir," said he to Sir Charles, "you were kind enough to give me +your permission to travel on the continent for two years."</p> + +<p>"I did do so, Alexander; it is natural at your age that you should wish +to see the world, and you have my full permission. When do you think of +starting?"</p> + +<p>"That depends upon circumstances, sir, and I must be altogether guided +by you; to tell you the truth, I do not think that one sees much of the +world by following in the beaten track made by so many of our +countrymen."</p> + +<p>"There I agree with you; in the present high state of civilization there +will be found little or no difference in the manners and customs of +people; in the courts, none; very little in the best society, in which +you will of course mix; and not so very much as people may imagine among +the mass of population; but the scenery of the countries and the remains +of ancient times are still interesting, and will afford pleasure; it +must be your own reflections and comments upon what you see which must +make it profitable; most people, however, travel from the love of change +added to the love of excitement."</p> + +<p>"I grant it, sir, and I do not mean to say but that I should receive +much pleasure from a continental tour; perhaps I may add that I should +derive more profit if I were to delay it till I am a little older and a +little wiser; do you not think so?"</p> + +<p>"I certainly do, Alexander. What then? do you propose remaining in +England for the present?—if so, I am sure it is on my account, and I am +very grateful to you for your sacrifice."</p> + +<p>"If you wish it, sir, I will undoubtedly remain in England; at all +events, if I do not go elsewhere. I have abandoned my continental tour +for the present; but I have another proposal to make, which I hope will +meet with your approbation."</p> + +<p>"Why, my dear Alexander, on what expedition would you now proceed? Do +you wish to visit the United States or South America?"</p> + +<p>"No, sir; I wish to make a voyage of still more interest—I wish to go +to Africa,—that is, to embark for the Cape of Good Hope, and from +thence proceed to the northward, to ascertain, if possible, what now is +a source of sad disquiet to you, the actual fate of those who were +wrecked in the <i>Grosvenor</i>, and have not since been heard of with any +degree of certainty."</p> + +<p>Sir Charles was for a time silent. He pressed his hands to his forehead; +at last he removed them, and said,—"I can not, much as I wish it, +no,—I can not consent, my dear boy; the danger will be too great. You +must not risk your life. It is very kind of you—very kind; but no, it +must not be."</p> + +<p>"Indeed, sir, I think, on reflection, you will alter your mind. As for +danger—what danger can there be when missionaries are permitted to form +their stations, and reside uninjured among the very savages who were so +hostile when the <i>Grosvenor</i> was lost? The country, which was then a +desert, is now inhabited by Europeans, within 200 miles of the very spot +where the <i>Grosvenor</i> was wrecked. The continual emigration since the +Cape has fallen under British government, and the zeal of those who have +braved all dangers to make known the Word of God to the heathen and +idolater, have in forty years made such an alteration, that I see no +more danger in the mission which I propose than I do in a visit to +Naples; and as for time, I have every reason to expect that I shall be +back sooner than in the two years which you have proposed for my stay on +the continent."</p> + +<p>"But if some accident were to happen to you, I should never forgive +myself for having given my consent, and the few days that are left to me +would be rendered miserable."</p> + +<p>"My dear sir, we are in the hands of God; and (short-sighted as we are) +in running away from danger, as often run into it. What we call an +accident, the fall of a brick or a stone, the upsetting of a vehicle, +any thing trivial or seemingly improbable, may summon us away when we +least expect it: 'In the midst of life we are in death,' and that death +I may meet by staying in this country, which I might have avoided by +going on this expedition. Difficulties may arise, and some danger there +may be, I admit; but when prepared to encounter both, we are more safe +than when, in fancied security, we are taken unawares. Do not, I entreat +you, sir, refuse me this favor; I have considered well, and shall be +most unhappy if I am not permitted to obtain the information for you +which you have so much at heart. Let my travels be of some advantage to +you as well as to myself. Do not refuse, I entreat you."</p> + +<p>"You are a good boy, Alexander, and your kindness makes me still more +unwilling to part with you. I hardly know what to say. Let us drop the +subject for the present; we will talk of it to-morrow or next day. I +must have time for reflection."</p> + +<p>Alexander Wilmot did not fail to renew his entreaties on the following +day, but could not gain Sir Charles's consent. He was not, however, +discouraged. He had taken from the library all the works he could find +relative to Southern Africa, and continually enforcing his arguments by +quotations from various authors, all tending to prove that he might +travel through the country without much risk, if he took proper +precautions, his grand-uncle's objections grew daily more feeble, and at +last Sir Charles gave his unwilling consent. In the meantime, the books +which Alexander had read had produced a great effect upon him. When he +first proposed the mission, it was more from a feeling of gratitude +toward his old relative than any other, but now he was most anxious to +go on his own account. The narratives of combats with wild beasts, the +quantity and variety of game to be found, and the continual excitement +which would be kept up, inflamed his imagination and his love of field +sports, and he earnestly requested to be permitted to depart +immediately, pointing out to Sir Charles that the sooner he went away, +the sooner he would be back again. This last argument was not without +its weight, and Alexander was allowed to make every preparation for his +journey. Inquiries were made, and a passage secured on board of a +free-trader, which was to touch at the Cape, and in six weeks from the +time that the subject had been brought up, Alexander Wilmot took leave +of his grand-uncle.</p> + +<p>"May God bless you, sir, and keep you well till my return," said +Alexander, pressing his hand.</p> + +<p>"May the Lord protect you, my dear boy, and allow you to return and +close my eyes," replied Sir Charles, with much emotion.</p> + +<p>Before night Alexander Wilmot was in London, from thence he hastened +down to Portsmouth to embark. The next day, the <i>Surprise</i> weighed +anchor and ran through the Needles, and before the night closed in was +well down the Channel, standing before the wind, with studding sails +below and aloft.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_III'></a><h2>CHAPTER III.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>A melancholy feeling clouded the features of Alexander Wilmot as, on the +following morning, the vessel, under a heavy press of sail, was fast +leaving the shores of his native country. He remained on the poop of the +vessel with his eyes fixed upon the land, which every moment became more +indistinct. His thoughts may easily be imagined. Shall I ever see that +land again? Shall I ever return, or shall my bones remain in Africa, +perhaps not even buried, but bleaching in the desert? And if I do +return, shall I find my old relation still alive, or called away, loaded +as he is with years, to the silent tomb? We are in the hands of a +gracious God. His will be done.</p> + +<p>Alexander turned away, as the land had at last become no longer visible, +and found a young man of about his own age standing close to him, and +apparently as much lost in reverie as he had been. As in turning round +Alexander brushed against him, he thought it right to apologize for the +unintentional act, and this occasioned a conversation.</p> + +<p>"I believe, sir," said the other party, who was a tall, spare, +slight-built man, with a dark complexion, "that we were both indulging +in similar thoughts as we took leave of our native shores. Every +Englishman does the same, and indeed every true lover of his country, +let the country be what it will. We find the feeling as strong in the +savage as in the enlightened; it is universal. Indeed, we may fairly say +that it extends lower—down to the brute species, from their love of +localities."</p> + +<p>"Very true, sir," replied Alexander; "but with brutes, as you say, it is +merely the love of locality; with men, I trust, the feeling is more +generous and noble."</p> + +<p>"So it ought to be, or else why are we so much more nobly endowed? This +is not your first voyage, I presume?" continued the stranger.</p> + +<p>"Indeed, it is," said Alexander; "I never was out of England, or on +board of a vessel, before yesterday."</p> + +<p>"I should have imagined otherwise," remarked his companion: "the other +passengers are all suffering from sea-sickness, while you and I only are +on the deck. I presumed, therefore, that you had been afloat before."</p> + +<p>"I did feel very giddy yesterday evening," observed Alexander, "but this +morning I have no unpleasant sensation whatever. I believe that some +people do not suffer at sea."</p> + +<p>"A very few; but it appears that you are one of those most fortunate, +for by experience I know how painful and distressing the sickness is for +some time. Breakfast will soon be ready; do you think that you can eat +any?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, a little—not much; a cup of tea or coffee," replied Alexander; +"but I can not say that I have my usual appetite. What bird is that +which skims along the water?"</p> + +<p>"It is the <i>procellarius</i>, as we naturalists call it, but in English, +the stormy petrel; its presence denotes rough weather coming on."</p> + +<p>"Then I wish it had not made its appearance," said Alexander, laughing; +"for with rough weather, there will of course be more motion in the +vessel, and I feel the motion too much already."</p> + +<p>"I think if you eat your breakfast (although without appetite), and keep +on deck, you may get over any further indisposition," replied the +stranger.</p> + +<p>"Have we many passengers on board?"</p> + +<p>"No; nine or ten, which is considered a small number, at least by the +captain, who was complaining of his ill-luck. They are mostly females +and children. There is a Cape gentleman who has long resided in the +colony, and is now returning there. I have had some conversation with +him, and he appears a very intelligent person. But here is the steward +coming aft, to let us know that breakfast is ready."</p> + +<p>The person who had thus conversed with Alexander Wilmot was a Mr. +Swinton, who, as he had accidentally observed, was a naturalist; he was +a person of some independent property, whose ardor for science had +induced him to engage in no profession, being perfectly satisfied with +his income, which was sufficient for his wants and to enable him to +follow up his favorite study. He was now on his passage to the Cape of +Good Hope, with no other object than to examine the natural productions +of that country, and to prosecute his researches in science there, to a +greater extent than had hitherto been practicable.</p> + +<p>Before they had arrived at Madeira, at which island the ship remained +three days to take in wine and fresh provisions, a great intimacy had +been established between Alexander and Mr. Swinton, although as yet +neither knew the cause of the other's voyage to the Cape; they were both +too delicate to make the inquiry, and waited till the other should of +his own accord impart his reasons.</p> + +<p>We have mentioned that there were other passengers, one of whom was a +gentleman who resided in Cape Town, and who held a lucrative situation +under the government. He was an elderly gentleman, of about sixty years +of age, of a very benign and prepossessing appearance; and it so +happened that Alexander found out, on looking over his letters of +introduction when at anchor at Madeira, that he possessed one to this +gentleman. This of course he presented at once, although they were +already on intimate terms; and this introduction made Mr. Fairburn (for +such was his name) take an immediate interest in his welfare, and also +warranted his putting the question, as to what were Alexander's views +and intentions in visiting the Cape: for Mr. Fairburn knew from the +letter that he was heir to Sir Charles Wilmot, and therefore that he was +not likely to be going out as a speculator or emigrant.</p> + +<p>It hardly need be said that Alexander made no hesitation in confiding to +one who could so materially assist him in the object of his voyage.</p> + +<p>The other passengers were three young ladies bound to their friends in +India, and a lady returning with her two marriageable daughters to +rejoin her husband, who was a colonel in the Bengal army. They were all +pleasant people, the young ladies very lively, and on the whole the +cabin of the <i>Surprise</i> contained a very agreeable party; and soon after +they left Madeira, they had fine weather, smooth water, and every thing +that could make a voyage endurable.</p> + +<p>The awnings were spread, chairs brought up, and the major portion of the +day was spent upon the quarter-deck and poop of the vessel, which for +many days had been running down before the trade-winds, intending to +make Rio, and there lay in a supply of fresh provisions for the +remainder of her voyage.</p> + +<p>One morning, as Alexander and Mr. Fairburn were sitting together, +Alexander observed—</p> + +<p>"You have passed many years at the Cape, Mr. Fairburn, have you not?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; I was taken prisoner when returning from India, and remained a +year in Cape Town during the time that it was in the hands of the Dutch; +I was about to be sent home as a prisoner to Holland, and was embarked +on board one of the vessels in Saldanha Bay, when they were attacked by +the English. Afterward, when the English captured the Cape, from my long +residence in, and knowledge of, the country, I was offered a situation, +which I accepted: the colony was restored to the Dutch, and I came home. +On its second capture I was again appointed, and have been there almost +ever since."</p> + +<p>"Then you are well acquainted with the history of the colony?"</p> + +<p>"I am, certainly, and if you wish it, shall be happy to give you a short +account of it."</p> + +<p>"It will give me the greatest pleasure, for I must acknowledge that I +know but little, and <i>that</i> I have gleaned from the travels which I have +run through very hastily."</p> + +<p>"I think it was in the year 1652 that the Dutch decided upon making a +settlement at the Cape. The aborigines, or natives, who inhabited that +part of the country about Cape Town, were the Hottentots, a mild, +inoffensive people, living wholly upon the produce of their cattle; they +were not agriculturists, but possessed large herds of cattle, sheep and +goats, which ranged the extensive pastures of the country. The history +of the founding of one colony is, I fear, the history of most, if not +all—commencing in doing all that is possible to obtain the goodwill of +the people until a firm footing has been obtained in the land, and then +treating them with barbarity and injustice.</p> + +<p>"The Hottentots, won over by kindness and presents, thought it of little +consequence that strangers should possess a small portion of their +extensive territory, and willingly consented that the settlement should +be made. They, for the first time in their lives, tasted what proved the +cause of their ruin and subsequent slavery—tobacco and strong liquors. +These two poisons, offered gratuitously, till the poor Hottentots had +acquired a passion for them, then became an object of barter—a pipe of +tobacco or a glass of brandy was the price of an ox; and thus daily were +the colonists becoming enriched, and the Hottentots poor.</p> + +<p>"The colony rapidly increased, until it was so strong, that the governor +made no ceremony of seizing upon such land as the government wished to +retain or to give away; and the Hottentots soon discovered that not only +their cattle, but the means of feeding them, were taken from them. +Eventually, they were stripped of every thing except their passion for +tobacco and spirits, which they could not get rid of. Unwilling to leave +the land of their forefathers, and seeing no other way of procuring the +means of intoxication which they coveted, they sold themselves and their +services to the white colonists, content to take care of those herds +which had once been their own, and to lead them out to pasture on the +very lands which had once been their birthright."</p> + +<p>"Did they then become slaves?" inquired Alexander.</p> + +<p>"No; although much worse treated, they never were slaves, and I wish to +point that out; but they became a sort of feudal property of the Dutch, +compelled to hire themselves out, and to work for them upon nominal +wages, which they seldom or never received, and liable to every species +of harsh treatment and cruelty, for which they could obtain no redress. +Yet still they were not bought and sold as were the slaves which were +subsequently introduced into the colony from the east coast of Africa +and Madagascar. The position of the slave was, in my opinion, infinitely +superior, merely from the self-interest of the owner, who would not kill +or risk the life of a creature for whom he had paid two or three hundred +rix-dollars; whereas, the Dutch boors, or planters, thought little of +the life of a Hottentot. If the cattle were to be watched where lions +were plentiful, it was not a slave who had charge of them, but a +Hottentot, as he had cost nothing, and the planter could procure +another. In short, the life of a Hottentot was considered as of no +value, and there is no denying that they were shot by their masters or +employers upon the most trifling offense."</p> + +<p>"How dreadful! but did the Dutch government suffer this?"</p> + +<p>"They could not well help it, and therefore were compelled to wink at +it; the criminals were beyond its reach. But now I will proceed to give +you some further insight, by describing the Dutch boors, or planters, +who usurped and stood in the shoes of the poor Hottentots.</p> + +<p>"The Dutch government seized upon all the land belonging to the +Hottentots, and gave it away in grants to their own countrymen, who now +became herdsmen, and possessed of a large quantity of cattle; they also +cultivated the ground to a certain extent round about their +habitations. As the colony increased, so did the demand for land, until +the whole of the country that was worth having was disposed of as far as +to the country of the Caffres, a fine, warlike race, of whom we will +speak hereafter. It must not, however, be supposed that the whole of the +Hottentot tribes became serfs to the soil. Some few drove away their +cattle to the northward, out of reach of the Dutch, to the borders of +the Caffre land; others, deprived of their property, left the plains, +and took to the mountains, living by the chase and by plunder. This +portion were termed boshmen, or bushmen, and have still retained that +appellation: living in extreme destitution, sleeping in caves, +constantly in a state of starvation, they soon dwindled down to a very +diminutive race, and have continued so ever since.</p> + +<p>"The Dutch boors, or planters, who lived in the interior, and far away +from Cape Town, had many enemies to contend with: they had the various +beasts of the forest, from the lion to the jackal, which devastated +their flocks and herds, and also these bushmen, who lived upon plunder. +Continually in danger, they were never without their muskets in their +hands, and they and their descendants became an athletic, powerful, and +bulky race, courageous, and skilled in the use of fire-arms, but at the +same time cruel and avaricious to the highest degree. The absolute power +they possessed over the slaves and Hottentots demoralized them, and made +them tyrannical and blood-thirsty. At too great a distance from the seat +of government for its power to reach them, they defied it and knew no +law but their own imperious wills, acknowledging no authority,—guilty +of every crime openly, and careless of detection."</p> + +<p>"I certainly have read of great cruelty on the part of these Dutch +boors, but I had no idea of the extent to which it was carried."</p> + +<p>"The origin was in that greatest of all curses, slavery; nothing +demoralizes so much. These boors had been brought up with the idea that +a Hottentot, a bushman, or a Caffre were but as the mere brutes of the +field, and they have treated them as such. They would be startled at +the idea of murdering a white man, but they will execute wholesale +slaughter among these poor natives, and think they have committed no +crime. But the ladies are coming up, and we shall be interrupted, so I +will not task your patience any more to-day. I shall therefore conclude +what I may term part the first of my little history of the Cape colony."</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_IV'></a><h2>CHAPTER IV.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>Alexander Wilmot was too much pleased with Mr. Swinton not to cultivate +his acquaintance, and they soon became very intimate. The conversation +often turned upon Mr. Swinton's favorite study, that of natural history.</p> + +<p>"I confess myself wholly ignorant of the subject," observed Alexander +one day, "though I feel that it must be interesting to those who study +it; indeed, when I have walked through the museums, I have often wished +that I had some one near who could explain to me what I wished to know +and was puzzled about. But it appears to me that the study of natural +history is such an immense undertaking if you comprehend all its +branches. Let me see,—there is botany, mineralogy, and geology—these +are included, are they not?"</p> + +<p>"Most certainly," replied Mr. Swinton, laughing; "and perhaps the three +most interesting branches. Then you have zoology, or the study of +animals, ornithology for birds, entomology for insects, conchology for +shells, ichthyology for fishes; all very hard names, and enough to +frighten a young beginner. But I can assure you, a knowledge of these +subjects, to an extent sufficient to create interest and afford +continual amusement, is very easily acquired."</p> + +<p>"'The proper study of mankind is man,' says the poet,"—observed +Alexander, smiling.</p> + +<p>"Poets deal in fiction, Mr. Wilmot," replied Mr. Swinton; "to study man +is only to study his inconsistencies and his aberrations from the right +path, which the free-will permitted to him induces him to follow; but +in the study of nature, you witness the directing power of the Almighty, +who guides with an unerring hand, and who has so wonderfully apportioned +out to all animals the means of their providing for themselves. Not only +the external, but the inward structure of animals, shows such variety +and ingenuity to surmount all difficulties, and to afford them all the +enjoyment their nature is capable of, that after every examination you +rise with increased astonishment and admiration at the condescension and +goodness of the Master Hand, thus to calculate and provide for the +necessities of the smallest insect; and you are compelled to exclaim +with the Psalmist, 'O God, how manifold are thy works; in wisdom hast +Thou made them all!'"</p> + +<p>"You certainly do put the study in a new and most pleasurable light," +replied Alexander.</p> + +<p>"The more you search into nature, the more wonderful do you find her +secrets, and, by the aid of chemistry, we are continually making new +discoveries. Observe, Mr. Wilmot," said Swinton, picking up a straw +which had been blown by the wind on the quarter-deck, "do you consider +that there is any analogy between this straw and the flint in the lock +of that gun?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly, I should imagine them as opposite particles of nature as +well might be."</p> + +<p>"Such is not the case. This piece of wheat-straw contains more than +sixty per cent. of silica or flint in its composition; so that, although +a vegetable, it is nearly two-thirds composed of the hardest mineral +substance we know of. You would scarcely believe that the fibers of the +root of this plant were capable of dissolving, feeding upon, and +digesting such a hard substance; but so it is."</p> + +<p>"It is very wonderful."</p> + +<p>"It is, but it is not a solitary instance; the phosphate of lime, which +is the chief component part of the bones of animals, is equally sought +by plants, dissolved in the same manner, and taken into their bodies; +barley and oats have about thirty per cent. of it in their composition, +and most woods and plants have more or less."</p> + +<p>"I am less surprised at that than I am with the flint, which appears +almost incomprehensible."</p> + +<p>"Nothing is impossible with God; there is a rush in Holland which +contains much more silex than the wheat-straw, and it is employed by the +Dutch to polish wood and brass, on that very account. We know but little +yet, but we do know that mineral substances are found in the composition +of most living animals, if not all; indeed, the coloring-matter of the +blood is an oxide and phosphate of iron."</p> + +<p>"I can now understand why you are so enthusiastic in the science, Mr. +Swinton, and I regret much that the short time which will be occupied in +the remainder of our voyage will not enable me to profit as I should +wish by your conversation; for when we arrive at the Cape, I fear our +pursuits will lead us different ways."</p> + +<p>"I presume they will, for I am about to penetrate as far as possible +into the interior of the country," replied Mr. Swinton, "which of course +is not your intention."</p> + +<p>"Indeed, but it is," replied Alexander; "I am about to do the same, +although perhaps not in the same direction. May I ask your intended +route, if not too inquisitive?"</p> + +<p>"Not at all; I can hardly say myself. I shall be guided by the +protection I may fall in with. Africa is a wide field for science, and I +can hardly go any where without being well rewarded for my journey; and +I will say, that should it meet both our views, I should be very glad if +we were to travel in company."</p> + +<p>Mr. Fairburn, who had come on deck, had been standing close to them at +the latter portion of the conversation, and made the observation—</p> + +<p>"I think it would be a very good plan if Mr. Swinton would venture to go +where you are bound, Mr. Wilmot, but you can talk of that another day, +when you have been longer together. There is nothing that requires more +deliberation than the choice of a traveling companion; any serious +imperfection of temper may make a journey very miserable. Now, Wilmot, +if you are tired of natural history, and wish to change it for the +painful history of human nature, I am ready to continue my +observations."</p> + +<p>"With great pleasure, sir."</p> + +<p>"I hope you have no objection to my reaping the benefit also?" said Mr. +Swinton.</p> + +<p>"Oh, most certainly not," replied Mr. Fairburn, "although I fear you +will not gain much information, as you have been at the Cape before. In +a former conversation with Mr. Wilmot I have pointed out the manner in +which the Cape was first settled, and how the settlers had gradually +reduced the original possessors of the land to a state of serfdom; I +will now continue.</p> + +<p>"The Dutch boors, as they increased their wealth in cattle, required +more pasture, and were now occupying the whole of the land south of the +Caffre country: the Caffres are wild, courageous savages, whose wealth +consists chiefly in cattle, but in some points they may be considered +superior to the Hottentots.</p> + +<p>"The weapon of the Hottentot may be said to be the bow and arrow, but +the Caffre scorns this warfare, or indeed any treachery; his weapons are +his assaguay, or spear, and his shield; he fights openly and bravely. +The Caffres also cultivate their land to a certain extent, and are more +cleanly and civilized. The boors on the Caffre frontier were often +plundered by the bushmen, and perhaps occasionally by some few of the +Caffres who were in a lawless state on the frontier; but if any +complaint was made to the Caffre chiefs, every redress in their power +was given: this, however, did not suit the Dutch boors.</p> + +<p>"They had entered the Caffre country, and had perceived that the Caffres +possessed large herds of cattle, and their avarice pointed out to them +how much easier it would be to grow rich by taking the cattle of the +Caffres than by rearing them themselves. If the bushmen stole a few head +of cattle, complaints were immediately forwarded to Cape Town, and +permission asked to raise a force, and recover them from the Caffres.</p> + +<p>"The force raised was termed a <i>Commando</i>, and was composed of all the +Dutch boors and their servants, well armed and mounted; these would make +an incursion into the Caffre territory, and because a few head of cattle +had been stolen by parties unknown, they would pour down upon the +Caffres, who had but their assaguays to oppose to destructive fire-arms, +set the kraals or villages in flames, murder indiscriminately man, +woman, and child, and carry off, by way of indemnification for some +trifling loss, perhaps some twenty thousand head of cattle belonging to +the Caffres.</p> + +<p>"The Caffres, naturally indignant at such outrage and robbery, made +attacks upon the boors to recover the cattle, but with this difference +between the Christian boor and the untutored savage: the boors murdered +women and children wantonly, the Caffres never harmed them, and did not +even kill men, if they could obtain possession of their property without +bloodshed."</p> + +<p>"But how could the Dutch government permit such atrocities?"</p> + +<p>"The representations made to the government were believed, and the order +was given in consequence. It is true that afterward the government +attempted to put a stop to these horrors, but the boors were beyond +their control; and in one instance in which the home government had +insisted that punishment should be inflicted for some more than common +outrage on the part of the boors, the Cape governor returned for answer, +that he could not venture to do as they wished, as the system was so +extensive and so common, that all the principal people in the colony +were implicated, and would have to be punished.</p> + +<p>"Such was therefore the condition of the colony at the time that it fell +into the possession of the English—the Hottentots serfs to the land, +and treated as the beasts of the field; the slave-trader supplying +slaves; and continual war carried on between the boors and the Caffres."</p> + +<p>"I trust that our government soon put an end to such barbarous +iniquities."</p> + +<p>"That was not so easy; the frontier boors rose in arms against the +English government, and the Hottentots, who had been so long patient, +now fled and joined the Caffres. These people made a combined attack +upon the frontier boors, burned their houses to the ground, carried off +the cattle, and possessed themselves of their arms and ammunition. The +boors rallied in great force; another combat took place, in which the +Hottentots and Caffres were victorious, killing the leader of the boors, +and pursuing them with great slaughter, till they were stopped by the +advance of the English troops. But I can not dwell long upon this period +of the Cape history; these wars continued until the natives, throwing +themselves upon the protection of the English, were induced to lay down +their arms, and the Hottentots to return to their former masters. The +colony was then given up to the Dutch, and remained with them until the +year 1806, when it was finally annexed to the British empire. The Dutch +had not learned wisdom from what had occurred; they treated the +Hottentots worse than before, maiming them and even murdering them in +their resentment, and appeared to defy the British government; but a +change was soon to take place."</p> + +<p>"Not before it was necessary, at all events," said Alexander.</p> + +<p>"It was by the missionaries chiefly that this change was brought about; +they had penetrated into the interior, and saw with their own eyes the +system of cruelty and rapine that was carried on; they wrote home +accounts, which were credited, and which produced a great alteration. To +the astonishment and indignation of the boors, law was introduced where +it had always been set at defiance; they were told that the life of a +Hottentot was as important in the eye of God, and in the eye of the law, +as that of a Dutch boor, and that the government would hold it as such. +Thus was the first blow struck; but another and a heavier was soon to +fall upon those who had so long sported with the lives of their +fellow-creatures. The press was called to the aid of the Hottentot, and +a work published by a missionary roused the attention of the public at +home to their situation. Their cause was pleaded in the House of +Commons, and the Hottentot was emancipated forever."</p> + +<p>"Thank God!" exclaimed Alexander; "my blood has been boiling at the +description which you have been giving. Now, when I hear that the poor +Hottentot is a free man, it will cool down again."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps it will be as well to leave off just now, Mr. Wilmot," said Mr. +Fairburn; "we will renew our conversation to-morrow, if wind and +weather permit, as the seamen say."</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_V'></a><h2>CHAPTER V.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>The next day the ship was off Rio, and immediately sent her boats for +provisions and supplies; the passengers did not land, as the captain +stated that he would not stay an hour longer than was necessary, and on +the second evening after their arrival they again made sail for the +Cape.</p> + +<p>The gulls were flying in numbers astern of the ship, darting down and +seizing every thing edible which was thrown overboard, and the +conversation turned upon aquatic birds.</p> + +<p>"What difference is there in the feathers of aquatic birds and others?" +inquired Alexander; "a hen, or any land bird, if it falls into the +water, is drowned as soon as its feathers are saturated with the water."</p> + +<p>"There is, I believe, no difference in the feathers of the birds," +replied Mr. Swinton; "but all aquatic birds are provided with a small +reservoir, containing oil, with which they anoint their feathers, which +renders them water-proof. If you will watch a duck pluming and dressing +itself, you will find it continually turns its bill round to the end of +its back, just above the insertion of the tail; it is to procure this +oil, which, as it dresses its feathers that they may carefully overlap +each other, it smears upon them so as to render them impenetrable to the +water; but this requires frequent renewal, or the duck would be drowned +as well as the hen."</p> + +<p>"How long can a sea-bird remain at sea?"</p> + +<p>"I should think not very long, although it has been supposed otherwise; +but we do not know so much of the habits of these birds as of others."</p> + +<p>"Can they remain long under water?"</p> + +<p>"The greater portion of them can not; ducks and that class, for +instance. Divers can remain some time; but the birds that remain the +longest under water are the semi-aquatic, whose feet are only +half-webbed. I have watched the common English water-hen for many +minutes walking along at the bottom of a stream, apparently as much in +its element as if on shore, pecking and feeding as it walked."</p> + +<p>"You say that aquatic birds can not remain long at sea,—where do they +go to?"</p> + +<p>"They resort to the uninhabited islands over the globe, rocks that +always remain above water, and the unfrequented shores of Africa and +elsewhere; there they congregate to breed and bring up their young. I +have seen twenty or thirty acres of land completely covered with these +birds or their nests, wedged together as close as they could sit. Every +year they resort to the same spot, which has probably been their +domicile for centuries,—I might say since the creation. They make no +nests, but merely scrape so as to form a shallow hole to deposit their +eggs. The consequence of their always resorting to the same spot is +that, from the voidings of the birds and the remains of fish brought to +feed the young, a deposit is made over the whole surface, a fraction of +an inch every year, which by degrees increases until it is sometimes +twenty or thirty feet deep, if not more, and the lower portion becomes +almost as hard as rock. The deposit is termed guano, and has, from time +immemorial, been used by the Peruvians and Chilians as manure for the +land; it is very powerful, as it contains most of the essential salts, +such as ammonia, phosphates, etc., which are required for agriculture. +Within these last few years samples have been brought to England, and as +the quantities must be inexhaustible, when they are sought for and +found, no doubt it may one day become a valuable article of our carrying +trade. Here comes Mr. Fairburn; I hope he intends to continue his +notices of the Cape settlement."</p> + +<p>"They have interested me very much, I must confess; he appears well +acquainted with the colony."</p> + +<p>"He has had the advantage of a long residence, and during that time an +insight into all the public documents: this you may be certain of, that +he knows more than he will tell."</p> + +<p>As soon as Mr. Fairburn joined them, Alexander requested him to +continue his narrative, which he did as follows.</p> + +<p>"You must not suppose, Mr. Wilmot, that because the English had now +possession of the colony, every thing went right; governors who are +appointed to the control of a colony require to be there some time +before they can see with their own eyes; they must, from their want of +information, fall into the hands of some interested party or another, +who will sway their councils. Thus it was at the Cape.</p> + +<p>"It is true that much good had already been done by the abolition of +slavery and the emancipation of the Hottentot; but this was effected, +not by the colonial government, but by the representations of the +missionaries and an influential and benevolent party at home. The +prejudices against the Hottentots, and particularly the Caffres, still +existed, and were imbibed by the colonial authorities. Commandoes, or, +as they should be more properly termed, marauding parties, were still +sent out, and the Caffre was continually oppressed, and, in defiance of +the government orders, little justice could be obtained for the +Hottentot, although his situation was somewhat improved.</p> + +<p>"I will give one instance to show how the rights of the Hottentots were +respected by the Cape authorities in 1810,—previous to the +emancipation, it is true, but still at a time when the position of the +Hottentots and their sufferings had been strenuously pressed upon the +colonial authorities by the government at home.</p> + +<p>"When the conduct of the Dutch boors had roused the Caffres and +Hottentots to war, there were three brothers by the name of Stuurman, +Hottentots, who were the leaders. Peace was at length restored, which +was chiefly effected by the exertions of these men, who retired +peaceably with their own kraal to Algoa Bay; and the government, being +then Dutch, appointed Stuurman as captain of the kraal. This independent +horde of Hottentots gave great offense to the Dutch boors,—the more so +as the three brothers had been the leaders of the Hottentots in the +former insurrection. For seven years they could find no complaint to +make against them, until at last two of his Hottentots, who had engaged +to serve a boor for a certain time, went back to the kraal at the +expiration of the term, against the wish of the boor, who would have +detained them; the boor went and demanded them back, but Stuurman +refused to give them up; upon which, although justice was clearly on the +side of the Hottentots, an armed force was dispatched to the kraal. +Stuurman still refused to surrender the men, and the armed men retired, +for they knew the courage of the Hottentots, and were afraid to attack +them.</p> + +<p>"By treachery they gained possession of Stuurman and one of his brothers +(the other having been killed hunting the buffalo), and sent them to +Cape Town, from whence, against all justice, they were sent as prisoners +to Robin Island, where malefactors are confined. They made their escape, +and returned to Caffreland. Three years afterward, Stuurman, anxious to +see his family, returned to the colony without permission. He was +discovered and apprehended, and sent as a convict to New South Wales; +for the government was at that time English.</p> + +<p>"Such was the fate of the first Hottentot who stood up for the rights of +his countrymen, and such was the conduct of the English colonial +government; so you will observe, Mr. Wilmot, that although the strides +of cruelty and oppression are most rapid, the return to even-handed +justice is equally slow. Eventually the gross injustice to this man was +acknowledged, for an order from the home government was procured for his +liberation and return; but it was too late,—Stuurman had died a +convict.</p> + +<p>"I have mentioned this circumstance, as it will prepare you for a +similar act of injustice to the Caffres. When the colony was in +possession of the Dutch there was a space of about thirty thousand +square miles between the colonial boundary (that is, the land formerly +possessed by the Hottentots) and the Great Fish River. This extent of +thirty thousand square miles belonged to the Caffres, and was the site +of continual skirmishing and marauding between the Dutch boors and the +Caffres.</p> + +<p>"In 1811 it was resolved by the colonial government that the Caffres +should be driven from this territory, and confined to the other side of +the Great Fish River. This was an act of injustice and great hardship, +and was proceeded in with extreme cruelty, the Caffres being obliged to +leave all their crops, and turned out with great and unnecessary +slaughter.</p> + +<p>"It may be proper, however, to state the causes which led to this Caffre +war with the English. At this time the colonial governor had entered +into negotiations with a Caffre chief of the name of Gaika. He was a +chief of a portion of the Caffres, but not the principal chief, and +although the English treated with him as such, the Caffres would not +acknowledge his authority. This is a very frequent error committed in +our intercourse with savage nations, who are as pertinacious of their +rights as the monarchs of Europe. The error on our part was soon +discovered, but the government was too proud to acknowledge it.</p> + +<p>"It so happened that the other Caffre chiefs formed a powerful +confederacy against Gaika, who, trusting to the support of the English, +had treated them with great arrogance. They fought and conquered him, +carrying off, as usual, his cattle. As this was a war between the +Caffres, and confined to their own land, we certainly had no business to +interfere; but the colonial government thought otherwise, and an +expedition was prepared.</p> + +<p>"The Caffres sent forward messengers declaring their wish to remain at +peace with the English, but refusing to submit to Gaika, who was only a +secondary chief, and whom they had conquered. No regard was paid to this +remonstrance; the English troops were sent forward, the Caffres attacked +in their hamlets, slaughtered or driven into the woods, 23,000 head of +cattle taken from them, of which 9,000 were given to Gaika, and the rest +distributed to the Dutch boors, or sold to defray part of the expenses +of the expedition.</p> + +<p>"Deprived of their means of subsistence by the capture of their cattle, +the Caffres were rendered furious reckless, and no sooner had the +expedition returned, than they commenced hostilities. They poured into +the frontier districts, captured several detached military forts, drove +the Dutch boors from the Zurweld, or neutral territory, and killed a +great many of our soldiers and of the Dutch boors. All the country was +overrun as far as the vicinity of Algoa Bay, and nothing could at first +check their progress."</p> + +<p>"Why, it really does not appear that the colonial government, when in +our hands, was more considerate than when it was held by the Dutch," +replied Alexander.</p> + +<p>"Not much, I fear," said Mr. Fairburn.</p> + +<p>"The councils of the Caffre chiefs were at that time much influenced by +a most remarkable personage of the name of Mokanna. In the colony he was +usually known by the sobriquet of 'Links,' or the left-handed. He was +not a chief, but had by his superior intellect obtained great power. He +gave himself out to be a prophet, and certainly showed quite as much +skill as ever did Mahommed or any other false prophet. He had often +visited Cape Town, and had made himself master of all that he could +acquire of European knowledge.</p> + +<p>"This man, by his influence, his superior eloquence, and his pretended +revelations from heaven, was now looked up to by the whole Caffre +nation; and he promised the chiefs, if they would implicitly obey his +orders, he would lead them to victory, and that he would drive the +English into the ocean. He resolved upon the bold measure of making an +attack upon Graham's Town, and marched an army of between nine and ten +thousand men to the forest bordering on the Great Fish River.</p> + +<p>"According to the custom of the Caffres, who never use surprise or +ambush on great occasions, they sent a message to the commandant of +Graham's Town, stating that they would breakfast with him the next +morning. The commandant, who had supposed the message to be a mere +bravado, was very ill prepared when on the following morning he +perceived, to his great astonishment, the whole force of the Caffres on +the heights above the town.</p> + +<p>"Had the Caffres advanced in the night, there is no doubt but that they +would have had possession of the place, and that with the greatest ease. +There were about 350 regular troops and a small force of Hottentots in +Graham's Town, and fortunately a few field-pieces. The Caffres rushed to +the assault, and for some time were not to be checked; they went up to +the very muzzles of the field-pieces, and broke their spears off short, +to decide the battle by a hand-to-hand conflict.</p> + +<p>"At this critical moment, the field-pieces opened their fire of grape +and canister, and the front ranks of the Caffres were mowed down like +grass. After several rallyings under Mokanna, the Caffres gave way and +fled. About 1400 of the bravest remained on the field of battle, and as +many more perished from their wounds before they could regain their +country. Mokanna, after using every exertion, accompanied the Caffre +army in their flight."</p> + +<p>"It certainly was a bold attempt on the part of the Caffres, and showed +Mokanna to be a great man even in the failure."</p> + +<p>"It was so unprecedented an attempt, that the colonial government were +dreadfully alarmed, and turned out their whole force of militia as well +as of regular troops. The Caffre country was again overrun, the +inhabitants destroyed, without distinction of age or sex, their hamlets +fired, cattle driven away, and when they fled to the thickets, they were +bombarded with shells and Congreve rockets. Mokanna and the principal +chiefs were denounced as outlaws, and the inhabitants threatened with +utter extermination if they did not deliver them up dead or alive. +Although driven to despair, and perishing from want, not a single Caffre +was to be found who would earn the high reward offered for the surrender +of the chiefs."</p> + +<p>"The more I hear of them, the more I admire the Caffres," observed +Alexander Wilmot; "and I may add—but never mind, pray go on."</p> + +<p>"I think I could supply the words which you have checked, Mr. Wilmot, +but I will proceed, or dinner will be announced before I have finished +this portion of my history."</p> + +<p>"The course adopted by Mokanna under these circumstances was such as +will raise him much higher in your estimation. As he found that his +countrymen were to be massacred until he and the other chiefs were +delivered up, dead or alive, he resolved to surrender himself as a +hostage for his country. He sent a message to say that he would do so, +and the next day, with a calm magnanimity that would have done honor to +a Roman patriot, he came, unattended, to the English camp. His words +were 'People say that I have occasioned this war: let me see if my +delivering myself up will restore peace to my country.' The commanding +officer, to whom he surrendered himself, immediately forwarded him as a +prisoner to the colony."</p> + +<p>"What became of him?"</p> + +<p>"Of that hereafter; but I wish here to give you the substance of a +speech made by one of Mokanna's head men, who came after Mokanna's +surrender into the English camp. I am told that the imperfect notes +taken of it afford but a very faint idea of its eloquence; at all +events, the speech gives a very correct view of the treatment which the +Caffres received from our hands.</p> + +<p>"'This war,' said he, 'British chiefs, is an unjust one, for you are +trying to extirpate a people whom you have forced to take up arms. When +our fathers and the fathers of the boors first settled on the Zurweld, +they dwelt together in peace. Their flocks grazed the same hills, their +herdsmen smoked out of the same pipe; they were brothers until the herds +of the Amakosa (Caffres) increased so much as to make the hearts of the +Dutch boors sore. What those covetous men could not get from our fathers +for old buttons, they took by force. Our fathers were men; they loved +their cattle; their wives and children lived upon milk; they fought for +their property; they began to hate the colonists, who coveted their all, +and aimed at their destruction.</p> + +<p>"'Now their kraals and our fathers' kraals were separate. The boors made +commandoes for our fathers; our fathers drove them out of the Zurweld, +and we dwelt there because we had conquered it; there we married wives; +there our children were born; the white men hated us, but could not +drive us away; when there was war, we plundered you; when there was +peace, some of our bad people stole; but our chiefs forbade it.</p> + +<p>"'We lived in peace; some bad people stole, perhaps; but the nation was +quiet; Gaika stole; his chiefs stole; you sent him copper; you sent him +beads; you sent him horses, on which he rode to steal more; to <i>us</i> you +only sent <i>commandoes</i>. We quarreled with Gaika about grass;—no +business of yours; you send a commando; you take our last cow; you leave +only a few calves, which die for want, and so do our children; you give +half the spoil to Gaika; half you kept yourselves.</p> + +<p>"'Without milk; our corn destroyed; we saw our wives and children +perish; we followed, therefore, the tracks of our cattle into the +colony; we plundered, and we fought for our lives; we found you weak, +and we destroyed your soldiers; we saw that we were strong, and we +attacked your headquarters, and if we had succeeded, our right was good, +for you began the war; we failed, and you are here.</p> + +<p>"We wish for peace; we wish to rest in our huts; we wish to get milk for +our children; our wives wish to till the land; but your troops cover the +plains, and swarm in the thickets, where they can not distinguish the +men from the women, and shoot <i>all</i>. You wish us to submit to Gaika; +that man's face is fair to you, but his heart is false; leave him to +himself; make peace with us: let him fight for himself; and we shall not +call upon you for help; set Mokanna at liberty, and all our chiefs will +make peace with you at any time you fix; but if you still make war, you +may indeed kill the last man of us, but Gaika shall not rule over the +followers of those who think him a woman.'</p> + +<p>"If eloquence consists (as it does not in the English House of Commons) +in saying much in few words, I know no speech more comprehensive of the +facts and arguments of a case than the above. I am sorry to say it had +no effect in altering the destination of Mokanna, or of obtaining any +relief for his countrymen, who were still called upon to deliver up the +other chiefs <i>outlawed</i> by the government."</p> + +<p>"I before remarked the absurdity of that expression," said Mr. Swinton; +"we outlaw a member of our own society and belonging to our own country; +but to <i>outlaw</i> the chiefs of another country is something too absurd; I +fear the English language is not much studied at the Cape."</p> + +<p>"At all events, every attempt made to obtain possession of these +<i>outlawed</i> chiefs was unavailing. After plundering the country of all +that could be found in it, leaving devastation and misery behind, the +expedition returned without obtaining their object, but with the +satisfaction of knowing that by taking away 30,000 more cattle, they +left thousands of women and children to die of starvation. But I must +leave off now. The results of the war, and the fate of Mokanna, shall be +the subject of another meeting."</p> + +<p>"We are much obliged to you, Mr. Fairburn, for the interesting narrative +you have given us. It is, however, to be hoped that you will have no +more such painful errors and injustice to dwell upon."</p> + +<p>"As I before observed, Mr. Wilmot, it requires time for prejudice and +falsehood to be overthrown; and until they are mastered, it can not be +expected that justice can be administered. The colonial government had +to contend with the whole white population of the colony who rose up in +arms against them, considering, from long habit, that any interference +with their assumed despotism over the natives was an infringement of +their rights.</p> + +<p>"You must also recollect how weak was the power of the colonial +government for a long time, and how impossible it was to exert that +power over such an extensive country; and to give you some idea of this, +I will state what was the reply of some of the Dutch boors to the +traveler La Vaillant, when the latter expressed his opinion that the +government should interfere with an armed force to put an end to their +cruelty and oppression.</p> + +<p>"'Are you aware,' said they, 'what would be the result of such an +attempt?—Assembling all in an instant, we would massacre half of the +soldiers, salt their flesh, and send it back by those we might spare, +with threats to do the same thing to those who should be bold enough to +appear among us afterward.' It is not an easy task for any government to +deal with such a set of people, Mr. Wilmot."</p> + +<p>"I grant it," replied Alexander; "and the conviction makes me more +anxious to know what has been since done."</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_VI'></a><h2>CHAPTER VI.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>The following morning the wind was very slight, and before noon it fell +calm. Two sharks of a large size came under the stern of the vessel, and +the sailors were soon very busy trying to hook one of them; but they +refused the bait, which was a piece of salt pork, and after an hour they +quitted the vessel and disappeared, much to the disappointment of both +passengers and ship's company, the former wishing very much to see the +sharks caught, and the latter very anxious to cut them up and fry them +for their suppers.</p> + +<p>"I thought that sharks always took the bait," observed Alexander.</p> + +<p>"Not always, as you have now seen," replied Mr. Swinton; "all depends +upon whether they are hungry or not. In some harbors where there are +plenty of fish, I have seen sharks in hundreds, which not only refused +any bait, but would not attempt to seize a man if he was in the water; +but I am surprised at these Atlantic sharks refusing the bait, I must +confess, for they are generally very ravenous, as are, indeed, all the +sharks which are found in the ocean."</p> + +<p>"I can tell you, sir, why they refused the bait," said the boatswain of +the vessel, who was standing by; "it's because we are now on the track +of the Brazilian slavers, and they have been well fed lately, depend +upon it."</p> + +<p>"I should not be surprised if you were correct in your idea," replied +Mr. Swinton.</p> + +<p>"There are many varieties of sharks, are there not?" inquired Wilmot.</p> + +<p>"Yes, a great many; the fiercest, however, and the largest kind is the +one which has just left us, and is termed the white shark; it ranges the +whole Atlantic Ocean, but is seldom found far to the northward, as it +prefers the tropics: it is, however, to be seen in the Mediterranean, in +the Gulf of Lyons, and is there remarkably fierce. In the English +Channel you find the blue shark, which is seldom dangerous; there is +also a very large-sized but harmless shark found in the north seas, +which the whalers frequent. Then there is the spotted or tiger-shark, +which is very savage, although it does not grow to a large size; the +hammer-headed shark, so called from the peculiar formation of its head; +and the ground shark, perhaps the most dangerous of all, as it lies at +the bottom and rises under you without giving you notice of its +approach. I believe I have now mentioned the principal varieties."</p> + +<p>"If a man was to fall overboard and a shark was nigh, what would be the +best plan to act upon—that is, if there would be any chance of escape +from such a brute?"</p> + +<p>"The best plan, and I have seen it acted upon with success, is, if you +can swim well, to throw yourself on your back and splash as much as you +can with your feet, and halloo as loud as you can. A shark is a cowardly +animal, and noise will drive it away.</p> + +<p>"When I went out two or three years ago, I had a Newfoundland dog, which +was accustomed to leap into the water from almost any height. I was very +partial to him, and you may imagine my annoyance when, one day, as we +were becalmed along the Western Islands, and a large shark came up +alongside, the dog, at once perceiving it, plunged off the taffrail to +seize it, swimming toward the shark, and barking as loud as he could. I +fully expected that the monster would have dispatched him in a moment; +but to my surprise the shark was frightened and swam away, followed by +the dog, until the boat that was lowered down picked him up."</p> + +<p>"I don't think the shark could have been very hungry."</p> + +<p>"Probably not; at all events I should not have liked to have been in +Neptune's place. I think the most peculiar plan of escaping from sharks +is that pursued by the Cingalese divers, and often with success."</p> + +<p>"Tell me, if you please."</p> + +<p>"The divers who go down for the pearl oysters off Ceylon generally drop +from a boat, and descend in ten or twelve fathoms of water before they +come to the bed of pearl oysters, which is upon a bank of mud: it often +happens that when they are down, the sharks make for them, and I hardly +need say that these poor fellows are constantly on the watch, looking in +every direction while they are filling their baskets. If they perceive a +shark making for them, their only chance is to stir up the mud on the +bank as fast as they can, which prevents the animal from distinguishing +them, and under the cover of the clouded water they regain the surface; +nevertheless, it does not always answer, and many are taken off every +year."</p> + +<p>"A lady, proud of her pearl necklace, little thinks how many poor +fellows may have been torn to pieces to obtain for her such an +ornament."</p> + +<p>"Very true; and when we consider how many pearl-fisheries may have taken +place, and how many divers may have been destroyed, before a string of +fine pearls can be obtained, we might almost say that every pearl on the +necklace has cost the life of a human creature."</p> + +<p>"How are the pearls disposed of, and who are the proprietors?"</p> + +<p>"The government are the proprietors of the fishery, I believe; but +whether they farm it out yearly, or not, I can not tell; but this I +know, that as the pearl oysters are taken, they are landed unopened and +packed upon the beach in squares of a certain dimension. When the +fishing is over for the season, these square lots of pearl oysters are +put up to auction, and sold to the highest bidder, of course 'contents +unknown;' so that it becomes a species of lottery; the purchaser may not +find a single pearl in his lot, or he may find two or three, which will +realize twenty times the price which he has paid for his lot."</p> + +<p>"It is, then, a lottery from beginning to end; the poor divers' lottery +is shark or no shark; the purchasers', pearls or no pearls. But Mr. +Fairburn is coming up the ladder, and I am anxious to know what was the +fate of Mokanna."</p> + +<p>Mr. Fairburn, who had come on deck on purpose to continue the narrative, +took his seat by his two fellow passengers and went on as follows:—</p> + +<p>"I stated that Mokanna had been forwarded to the Cape. You must have +perceived that his only crime was that of fighting for his native land +against civilized invaders; but this was a deep crime in the eyes of the +colonial government; he was immediately thrown into the common gaol, and +finally was condemned to be imprisoned for life on Robben Island, a +place appropriated for the detention of convicted felons and other +malefactors, who there work in irons at the slate-quarries."</p> + +<p>"May I ask, where is Robben Island?"</p> + +<p>"It is an island a few miles from the mainland, close to Table Bay, upon +which the Cape Town is built.</p> + +<p>"Mokanna remained there about a year, when, having made his intentions +known to some Caffres who were confined there with him, he contrived out +of the iron hoops of the casks to make some weapons like cutlasses, with +which he armed his followers, rose upon the guard and overpowered them; +he then seized the boat, and with his Caffres made for the mainland. +Unfortunately, in attempting to disembark upon the rocks of the +mainland, the boat was upset in the surf, which was very violent; +Mokanna clung some time to a rock, but at last was washed off, and thus +perished the unfortunate leader of the Caffres."</p> + +<p>"Poor fellow," said Alexander; "he deserved a better fate and a more +generous enemy; but did the war continue?"</p> + +<p>"No; it ended in a manner every way worthy of that in which it was +begun. You recollect that the war was commenced to support Gaika, our +selected chief of the Caffres, against the real chiefs. The Caffres had +before been compelled to give up their territories on our side of the +Fish River; the colonial government now insisted upon their retiring +still further, that is, beyond the Keisi and Chumi rivers, by which +3,000 more square miles were added to the colonial territory. This was +exacted, in order that there might be a neutral ground to separate the +Caffres and the Dutch boors, and put an end to further robberies on +either side. The strangest part of the story is, that this territory was +not taken away from the Caffre chiefs, against whom we had made war, but +from Gaika, our ally, to support whom we had entered into the war."</p> + +<p>"Well, it was even-handed—not justice, but injustice, at all events."</p> + +<p>"Exactly so; and so thought Gaika, for when speaking of the protection +he received from the colonial government, he said, 'But when I look upon +the large extent of fine country which has been taken from me, I am +compelled to say, that, although protected, I am <i>rather oppressed</i> by +my <i>protectors</i>.'"</p> + +<p>"Unjust as was the mode of obtaining the neutral ground, I must say that +it appears to me to have been a good policy to put one between the +parties."</p> + +<p>"I grant it; but what was the conduct of the colonial government? This +neutral ground was afterward given away in large tracts to the Dutch +boors, so as again to bring them into contact with the Caffres."</p> + +<p>"Is it possible?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; to men who had always been opposed to the English government, who +had twice risen in rebellion against them, and who had tried to bring in +the Caffres to destroy the colony. Neither were the commandoes, or +excursions against the Caffres, put an end to: Makomo, the son of Gaika, +our late ally, has, I hear, been the party now attacked. I trust, +however, that we may soon have affairs going on in a more favorable and +reputable manner; indeed, I am sure that, now the government at home +have been put in possession of the facts, such will be the case.</p> + +<p>"I have now given you a very brief insight into the history of the Cape +up to the present time. There are many points which I have passed over, +not wishing to diverge from a straightforward narrative; but upon any +questions you may wish to ask, I shall be most happy to give you all the +information in my power. I can not, however, dismiss the subject +without making one remark, which is, that it is principally, if not +wholly, to the missionaries, to their exertions and to their +representations, that what good has been done is to be attributed. They +are entitled to the greatest credit and the warmest praise; and great as +has been the misrule of this colony for many years, it would have been +much greater and much more disgraceful, if it had not been for their +efforts. Another very important alteration has been taking place in the +colony, which will eventually be productive of much good. I refer to the +British immigration, which every year becomes more extensive; and as +soon as the British population exceeds and masters that of the old Dutch +planters and boors, we shall have better feeling in the colony. Do not +suppose that all the Dutch boors are such as those whose conduct I have +been obliged to point out. There are many worthy men, although but few +educated or enlightened.</p> + +<p>"I know from my own observation that the failings and prejudices against +the natives are fast fading away, and that lately the law has been able +to hold its ground, and has been supported by the people inhabiting the +districts. The Dutch, with all their prejudices and all their vices, +will soon be swallowed up by the inundation of English settlers, and +will gradually be so incorporated and intermingled by marriage that no +distinction will be known. Time, however, is required for such +consolidation and cementation; that time is arriving fast, and the +future prospects of the Cape are as cheering, as you may think, from my +narrative, they have been disheartening and gloomy."</p> + +<p>"I trust in God that such will be the case," replied Alexander. "If this +wind continues, in a few days we shall be at the Cape, and I shall be +most anxious to hear how affairs are going on."</p> + +<p>"I had a letter just before I set out from England, stating that the +Zoolu tribes, to the northward of the Caffres, are in an unquiet state; +and as you must pass near to these tribes on your journey, I am anxious +to know the truth. At all events, Chaka is dead; he was murdered about +two years back by his own relations."</p> + +<p>"Who was Chaka?" inquired Alexander.</p> + +<p>"That I have yet to tell you; at present we have only got as far as the +Caffres, who are immediately on our frontiers."</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_VII'></a><h2>CHAPTER VII.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>The wind continued fair, and the vessel rapidly approached the Cape. +Alexander, who had contracted a great friendship for Mr. Swinton, had +made known to him the cause of his intended journey into the interior, +and the latter volunteered, if his company would not be displeasing, to +accompany Alexander on his tedious and somewhat perilous expedition.</p> + +<p>Alexander gladly accepted the offer, and requested Mr. Swinton would put +himself to no expense, as he had unlimited command of money from his +grand-uncle, and Mr. Swinton's joining the caravan would make no +difference in his arrangements.</p> + +<p>After it had been agreed that they should travel together, the continued +subject of discourse and discussion was the nature of the outfit, the +number of wagons, their equipment, the stores, the number of horses and +oxen which should he provided; and they were busy every day adding to +their memoranda as to what it would be advisable to procure for their +journey.</p> + +<p>Mr. Fairburn often joined in the discussion, and gave his advice, but +told them that, when they arrived at Cape Town, he might be more useful +to them. Alexander, who, as we have before observed, was a keen hunter, +and very partial to horses and dogs, promised himself much pleasure in +the chase of the wild animals on their journey, and congratulated +himself upon being so well provided with guns and rifles, which he had +brought with him, more with the idea that they might be required for +self-defense than for sport.</p> + +<p>At last, "Land, ho!" was cried out by the man who was at the mast-head +in the morning watch, and soon afterward, the flat top of Table Mountain +was distinctly visible from the deck. The <i>Surprise</i>, running before a +fresh breeze, soon neared the land, so that the objects on it might be +perceived with a glass. At noon they were well in for the bay, and +before three o'clock the <i>Surprise</i> was brought to an anchor between two +other merchant vessels, which were filling up their home cargoes.</p> + +<p>After a three months' voyage, passengers are rather anxious to get on +shore; and therefore before night all were landed, and Alexander found +himself comfortably domiciled in one of the best houses in Cape Town; +for Mr. Fairburn had, during the passage, requested Alexander to take up +his abode with him.</p> + +<p>Tired with the excitement of the day, he was not sorry to go to bed +early, and he did not forget to return his thanks to Him who had +preserved him through the perils of the voyage.</p> + +<p>The next morning Mr. Fairburn said to Alexander—</p> + +<p>"Mr. Wilmot, I should recommend you for the first ten days to think +nothing about your journey. Amuse yourself with seeing the public +gardens, and other things worthy of inspection; or, if it pleases you, +you can make the ascent of Table Mountain with your friend Swinton. At +all events, do just as you please; you will find my people attentive, +and ready to obey your orders. You know the hours of meals; consider +yourself at home, and as much master here as I am. As you may well +imagine, after so long an absence, I have much to attend to in my +official capacity, and I think it will be a week or ten days before I +shall be comfortably reseated in my office, and have things going on +smoothly, as they ought to do. You must therefore excuse me if I am not +quite so attentive a host at first as I should wish to be. One thing +only I recommend you to do at present, which is, to accompany me this +afternoon to Government-house, that I may introduce you to the governor. +It is just as well to get over that mark of respect which is due to him, +and then you will be your own master."</p> + +<p>Alexander replied with many thanks. He was graciously received by the +governor, who promised him every assistance in his power in the +prosecution of his journey. Having received an invitation for dinner on +the following day, Alexander bowed and took his leave in company with +Mr. Fairburn.</p> + +<p>On the following day Alexander was visited by Mr. Swinton. Mr. Swinton +was accompanied by a major in the Bengal Cavalry, whom he introduced as +Major Henderson. He had arrived a few days before from Calcutta, having +obtained leave of absence for the recovery of his health, after a smart +jungle-fever, which had nearly proved fatal. The voyage, however, had +completely reinstated him, and he appeared full of life and spirits. +They walked together to the Company's gardens, in which were a few +lions, and some other Cape animals, and the discourse naturally turned +upon them. Major Henderson described the hunting in India, especially +the tiger-hunting on elephants, to which he was very partial; and +Alexander soon discovered that he was talking to one who was +passionately fond of the sport. After a long conversation they parted, +mutually pleased with each other. A day or two afterward, Mr. Swinton, +who had been talking about their intended journey with Alexander, said +to him:—</p> + +<p>"You must not be surprised at the off-hand and unceremonious way we have +in the colonies. People meeting abroad, even Englishmen occasionally, +throw aside much ceremony. I mention this, because Major Henderson +intends to call this afternoon, and propose joining our party into the +interior. I do not know much of him, but I have heard much said in his +favor, and it is easy to see by his manners and address that he is a +gentleman. Of course, when he stated his intention, I could do nothing +but refer him to you, which I did. What do you think, Wilmot?"</p> + +<p>"I think very well of Major Henderson, and I consider that, as the +journey must be one of some peril, the more Europeans the better, +especially when we can find one who is used to danger from his +profession, and also to dangerous hunting, which we must also expect. So +far from not wishing him to join us, I consider him a most valuable +acquisition, and am delighted at the idea."</p> + +<p>"Well, I am glad to hear you say so, for I agree with you. He is hunting +mad, that is certain, and I hear, a most remarkable shot. I think with +you he will be an acquisition. It appears that it was his intention to +have gone into the interior, even if he went by himself; and he has two +Arab horses which he brought with him from India with that view."</p> + +<p>"If you see him before he comes, you may say that you have stated his +wishes to me, and that I am quite delighted at his joining our +party,—it being perfectly understood that he is at no expense for any +thing connected with the outfit."</p> + +<p>"I will tell him so," replied Swinton; "and I think the sooner we begin +to collect what is necessary the better. We must have Major Henderson in +our councils. Depend upon it, he will be very useful and very active; +so, for the present, farewell."</p> + +<p>Mr. Swinton and Major Henderson called together that afternoon, and the +latter, as soon as he was admitted into the party, began to talk over +the plans and preparations.</p> + +<p>"My suite is not very large," said he; "I have two horses and two dogs, +a Parsee servant, and a Cape baboon. I should like to take the latter +with us as well as my servant. My servant, because he is a good cook; +and my monkey, because, if we are hard put to it, she will show us what +we may eat and what we may not; there is no taster like a monkey. +Besides, she is young and full of tricks, and I like something to amuse +me."</p> + +<p>"The baboons have another good quality: they give notice of danger +sooner than a dog," observed Swinton. "I think, Wilmot, we must admit +the monkey into the party."</p> + +<p>"I shall be most happy," replied Alexander, laughing; "pray give her my +compliments, Major Henderson, and say how happy I shall be."</p> + +<p>"I call her Begum," said Major Henderson; "because she is so like the +old Begum princess whom I was once attending, when in India with my +troop, as guard of honor. You must look out for some good horses, Mr. +Wilmot; you will want a great many, and if you do not wish them to have +sore backs, don't let the Hottentots ride them."</p> + +<p>"We have been discussing the point, Major Henderson, as to whether it +will not be better to go round in a vessel to Algoa Bay, complete our +equipment there, and make that our starting place."</p> + +<p>"If you do, you will save a long journey by land, and find yourself not +very far from what I understand are the best of hunting-grounds, near to +the country of the Vaal River."</p> + +<p>The topics then dwelt upon were what articles they should procure in +Cape Town, and what they should defer providing themselves with until +their arrival at Algoa Bay. They agreed to provide all their stores at +Cape Town, and as many good horses as they could select; but the wagons +and oxen, and the hiring of Hottentots, they put off until they arrived +at Algoa Bay.</p> + +<p>Mr. Fairburn was now more at leisure, and Alexander had more of his +society. One evening after dinner Mr. Fairburn had opened a map of the +country, to give Alexander some information relative to his projected +journey. He pointed out to him the track which appeared most advisable +through the Caffre country, and then observed that it was difficult to +give any advice as to his proceedings after he had passed this country, +governed by Hinza, as every thing would depend upon circumstances.</p> + +<p>"Do you know any thing of the country beyond?"</p> + +<p>"Not much; we know that it was overrun by the Zoolus, the tribe of which +Chaka was the chief; and last year our troops went to the assistance of +the Caffres, who were attacked by another tribe from the northward, +called the Mantatees. These were dispersed by our troops with immense +slaughter. The Zoolu country, you perceive, is on the east side of the +great chain of mountains, and to the northward of Port Natal. The +Mantatees came from the west side of the mountains, in about the same +parallel of latitude. It is impossible to say what may be going on at +present, or what may take place before you arrive at your destination, +as these northern irruptions are continual."</p> + +<p>"You promised me the history of that person, Chaka."</p> + +<p>"You shall have it now: he was the king of the Zoolu nation—I hardly +know what to call him. He was the Nero and the Napoleon of Africa; a +monster in cruelty and crime, yet a great warrior and conqueror. He +commenced his career by murdering his relatives to obtain the +sovereignty. As soon as he had succeeded, he murdered all those whom he +thought inimical to him, and who had been friends to his relatives."</p> + +<p>"But are the Zoolus Caffres?"</p> + +<p>"No; but there are many races to the northward which we consider as +Caffre races. You may have observed, in the history of the world, that +the migrations of the human race are generally from the north to the +south: so it appears to have been in Africa. Some convulsion among the +northern tribes, probably a pressure from excessive population, had +driven the Zoolus to the southward, and they came down like an +inundation, sweeping before them all the tribes that fell in their path. +Chaka's force consisted of nearly 100,000 warriors, of whom 15,000 were +always in attendance to execute his orders. In every country which he +overran he spared neither age nor sex; it was one indiscriminate +slaughter."</p> + +<p>"What a monster!"</p> + +<p>"He ruled by terror, and it is incredible that his orders met with such +implicit obedience. To make his army invincible, he remodeled it, +divided it into companies, distinguished by the color of their shields, +and forbade them to use any other weapon but a short stabbing-spear, so +that they always fought at close quarters. He weeded his army by picking +out 1000 of his veteran warriors, who had gained his victories, and +putting them to death. Any regiment sent out to battle, if they were +defeated, were instantly destroyed on their return; it was, therefore, +victory or death with them; and the death was most cruel, being that of +impalement. Well he was surnamed 'the Bloody,'"</p> + +<p>"Yes, indeed."</p> + +<p>"His tyranny over his own people was dreadful. On one occasion, a child +annoyed him; he ordered it to be killed; but the child ran among seventy +or eighty other children, and could not be distinguished, so he ordered +the whole to be put to death. He murdered two or three hundred of his +wives in one day. At the slightest suspicion he would order out his +chiefs to execution, and no one knew when his turn might come. His will +was law: every one trembled and obeyed. To enter into a detail of all +his cruelties would fill volumes; it will be sufficient to mention the +last act of his life. His mother died, and he declared that she had +perished by witchcraft. Hundreds and hundreds were impaled, and, at +last, tired of these slow proceedings, he ordered out his army to an +indiscriminate slaughter over the whole country, which lasted for +fourteen days."</p> + +<p>"How horrible!"</p> + +<p>"He was a demon who reveled in blood; but his own turn came at last. He +was murdered by his brother Dingaam, who knew that he was about to be +sacrificed; and thus perished the bloody Chaka. His brother Dingaam is +now on the Zoolu throne, and appears inclined to be quiet. There is +another great warrior chief named Moselekatsee, who revolted from Chaka, +and who is much such another character; but our accounts of these people +are vague at present, and require time to corroborate their correctness. +You will have to act and decide when you arrive there, and must be +guided by circumstances. With the caravan you propose to travel with, I +think there will not be much danger; and if there is, you must retreat. +The favor of these despots is easily to be obtained by judicious +presents, which of course you will not be unprovided with. I have +ordered your letters to the authorities to be made out, and you will +have the governor's signature to them. When do you propose to, start?"</p> + +<p>"We shall be ready in a few days, and have only to find a vessel going +to Algoa Bay."</p> + +<p>"You will be asked to take charge of several articles which are to be +sent to the missionary station which you will pass on your way. I +presume you have no objection?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly not; they deserve every encouragement, and any kindness and +attention I can show them will give me great pleasure."</p> + +<p>Alexander received many proposals from different parties who wished to +join the expedition, but they were all civilly declined. In a few days a +vessel arrived, which was about to go round to the settlement at Algoa +Bay. Their stores, horses, and dogs, not forgetting Begum the baboon, +were all embarked, and, taking leave of Mr. Fairburn and the governor, +Alexander, Major Henderson, and Mr. Swinton embarked, and on the evening +of the fourth day found themselves safe at anchor in company with ten or +twelve vessels which were lying in Algoa Bay.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_VIII'></a><h2>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>The vessels which lay at anchor in Algoa Bay had just arrived from +England, with a numerous collection of emigrants, who, to improve their +fortunes, had left their native land to settle in this country. Many had +landed, but the greater proportion were still on board of the vessels. +The debarkation was rapidly going on, and the whole bay was covered with +boats landing with people and stores, or returning for more. The wind +blowing from the westward, there was no surf on the beach; the sun was +bright and warm, and the scene was busy and interesting; but night came +on, and the panorama was closed in.</p> + +<p>Alexander and his companions remained on the deck of their vessel till +an undisturbed silence reigned where but an hour or two before all was +noise and bustle. The stars, so beautiful in the southern climes, shone +out in cloudless brilliancy; the waters of the bay were smooth as glass, +and reflected them so clearly that they might have fancied that there +was a heaven beneath as well as above them. The land presented a dark +opaque mass, the mountains in the distance appearing as if they were +close to them, and rising precipitately from the shore. All was of one +somber hue, except where the lights in the houses in the town twinkled +here and there, announcing that; some had not yet dismissed their +worldly cares, and sought repose from the labors of the day. Yet all +was silent, except occasionally the barking of a dog, or the voice of +the sentry in Fort Frederick, announcing that "all was well."</p> + +<p>"What a gathering in a small space of so many people with so many +different histories, so many causes for leaving their native land, and +with so many different fortunes in store for them, must there be on +board of an emigrant ship," observed Mr. Swinton.</p> + +<p>"Yet all united in one feeling, and instigated by the same desire,—that +of independence, and, if possible, of wealth," rejoined Major Henderson.</p> + +<p>"Of that there can be no doubt," said Alexander; "but it must be almost +like beginning a new life; so many ties broken by the vast ocean which +has separated them; new interests usurping the place of old ones; all +novelty and adventure to look forward to; new scenes added to new hopes +and new fears; but we must not remain too long even to watch these +beautiful heavens, for we must rise at daylight, so I shall set the +example, and wish you both good-night."</p> + +<p>At daylight on the following morning the long-boat was hoisted out, and +the horses safely conveyed on shore. After a hasty breakfast, Alexander +and his two companions landed, to see if it were possible to obtain any +roof under which they could shelter themselves; but the number of +emigrants who had arrived put that out of the question, every house and +every bed being engaged. This was a great disappointment, as they had no +wish to return on board and reoccupy the confined space which had been +allotted to them.</p> + +<p>Having found accommodation for their horses, they proceeded to examine +the town and resume their search for lodgings. The streets presented a +bustling and animated scene; wagons with goods, or returning empty with +their long teams of oxen; horses, sheep, and other animals, just landed; +loud talking; busy inquirers; running to and fro of men; Hottentots busy +with the gods, or smoking their pipes in idle survey; crates and boxes, +and packages of all descriptions, mixed up with agricultural implements +and ironware, lining each side of the road, upon which were seated +wives and daughters watching the property, and children looking round +with astonishment, or playing or crying.</p> + +<p>Further out of the town were to be seen tents pitched by the emigrants, +who had provided themselves with such necessaries before they had +quitted England, and who were bivouacking like so many gipsies, +independent of lodgings and their attendant expenses, and cooking their +own provisions in kettles or frying-pans. As Alexander perceived the +latter, he said, "At all events, we have found lodgings now; I never +thought of that."</p> + +<p>"How do you mean?"</p> + +<p>"I have two tents in the luggage I brought from Cape Town; we must get +them on shore, and do as these people have done."</p> + +<p>"Bravo! I am glad to hear that," replied Major Henderson; "any thing +better than remaining on board to be nibbled by the cockroaches. Shall +we return at once?"</p> + +<p>"By all means," said Mr. Swinton; "we have but to get our mattresses and +a few other articles."</p> + +<p>"Leave my man to do all that," said the Major; "he is used to it. In +India we almost live in tents when up the country. But here comes one +that I should know;—Maxwell, I believe?"</p> + +<p>"Even so, my dear Henderson," replied the military officer who had been +thus addressed; "why, what brought you here?—surely you are not a +settler?"</p> + +<p>"No; I am here because I am not a settler," replied Henderson, laughing; +"I am always on the move; I am merely on my own way with my two friends +here to shoot a hippopotamus. Allow me to introduce Mr. Wilmot and Mr. +Swinton. But I see you are on duty; are you in the fort?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; I came from Somerset about a month back. Can I be of any use to +you?"</p> + +<p>"That depends upon circumstances; we are now going on board for our +tents, to pitch them on the hill there, as we can get no lodgings."</p> + +<p>"Well, I can not offer you beds in the fort, but I think if you were to +pitch your tents outside the fort, on the glacis, you would be better +than on the hill; your baggage would be safer, and I should be more able +to render you any attention or assistance you may require."</p> + +<p>"An excellent idea; if it were only on account of the baggage," replied +Henderson; "we accept your offer with pleasure."</p> + +<p>"Well then, get them on shore as quick as you can; my men will soon have +them out for you and assist in transporting your luggage; and don't +distress yourself about your dinner, I will contrive to have something +cooked for you."</p> + +<p>"A friend in need is a friend indeed, my good fellow. We will accept +your offers as freely as they are made: so farewell for an hour or so."</p> + +<p>As they parted with Captain Maxwell, Henderson observed, "That was a +lucky meeting, for we shall now get on well. Maxwell is an excellent +fellow, and he will be very useful to us in making our purchases, as he +knows the people and the country: and our luggage will be safe from all +pilferers."</p> + +<p>"It is indeed very fortunate," replied Mr. Swinton. "Where did you know +Captain Maxwell?"</p> + +<p>"In India. We have often been out hunting tigers together. How he would +like to be of our party; but that is of course impossible."</p> + +<p>"But how shall we manage about our living, Major Henderson?" observed +Wilmot; "it will never do to quarter ourselves on your friend."</p> + +<p>"Of course not; we should soon eat up his pay and allowance. No, no; we +will find dinners, and he will help us to cook them first and eat them +afterward."</p> + +<p>"Upon such terms, I shall gladly take up my quarters in the fort," +replied Alexander. "But which is our boat out of all these?"</p> + +<p>"Here, sir," cried out one of the sailors; "come along, my lads," +continued he to the other men, who were lounging about, and who all +jumped into the boat, which pushed off, and they were soon on board of +the ship.</p> + +<p>As the master of the vessel was equally glad to get rid of his +passengers and their luggage as they were to leave, the utmost +expedition was used by all parties, and in a few hours everything was +landed, Begum, the baboon, being perched upon the stores conveyed in the +last boat. A party of soldiers sent down by Captain Maxwell assisted the +seamen to carry the various packages up to the fort, and before the +evening closed in, the tents were pitched, their beds made up, and their +baggage safely housed, while they were amusing themselves after dining +with Captain Maxwell, leaning on the parapet and watching the passing +and repassing of the boats which were unlading the vessels.</p> + +<p>As there was little chance of rain in the present season, they lay down +on their mattresses in perfect security and comfort, and did not wake up +the next morning until breakfast was ready. After breakfast they sallied +out with Captain Maxwell to look after wagons and oxen, and as, on the +arrival of the emigrants, a number of wagons had been sent down to take +them to their destinations, Captain Maxwell soon fell in with some of +the Dutch boors of the interior with whom he had been acquainted, and +who had come down with their wagons; but previous to making any +bargains, Alexander went with Captain Maxwell to the landroost, for whom +he had brought a letter from the governor.</p> + +<p>This gentleman immediately joined the party, and through his +intervention, before night, four excellent wagons with their tilts and +canvas coverings, and four span of oxen of fourteen each, were bought +and promised to be brought down and delivered up in good order, as soon +as they had carried up the freights with which they were charged.</p> + +<p>As these wagons could not return under four days, the next object that +they had in view was to procure some more horses, and here they met with +difficulty; for Major Henderson, who, as an excellent judge of horses, +was requested to select them, would not accept of many that were +offered. Still they had plenty of time, as the wagons would require +fitting out previous to their departure, and this would be a work of +some days; and many articles which they had decided to procure at Algoa +Bay, instead of the Cape, were now to be sought for and selected.</p> + +<p>At the time appointed, the wagons and teams were delivered over and paid +for. Carpenters were then engaged, and the wagons were fitted out with +lockers all round them, divided off to contain the luggage separate, so +that they might be able to obtain in a minute any thing that they might +require. While this work was proceeding, with the assistance of the +landroost, they were engaging Hottentots and other people to join the +expedition, some as drivers to the wagons, others as huntsmen, and to +perform such duties as might be required of them. Some very steady brave +men were selected, but it was impossible to make up the whole force +which they wished to take of people of known character; many of them +were engaged rather from their appearance, their promises, and the +characters they obtained from others or gave themselves, than from any +positive knowledge of them. This could not be avoided; and as they had +it in their power to dismiss them for bad conduct, it was to be presumed +that they could procure others.</p> + +<p>It was more than three weeks before every thing was ready for their +departure, and then the caravan was composed as follows:—</p> + +<p>The persons who belonged to it were our three gentlemen; the servant of +Major Henderson; eight drivers of the teams of oxen; twelve Hottentot +and other hunters (for some of them were of a mixed race); two +Hottentots who had charge of the horses, and two others who had charge +of a flock of Cape sheep, which were to follow the caravan, and serve as +food until they could procure oxen by purchase or game with their guns: +so that the whole force of the party amounted to twenty men: two +Hottentot women, wives of the principal men, also accompanied the +caravan to wash and assist in cooking.</p> + +<p>The animals belonging to the caravan consisted of fifty-six fine oxen, +which composed the teams; twelve horses, as Major Henderson could only +procure six at Algoa Bay, or they would have purchased more; thirteen +dogs of various sizes, and Begum, the baboon, belonging to Captain +Henderson: to these were to be added the flock of sheep.</p> + +<p>The wagons were fitted out as follows, chiefly under the direction of +Major Henderson and Mr. Swinton.</p> + +<p>The first wagon, which was called Mr. Wilmot's wagon, was fitted up with +boxes or lockers all round, and contained all the stores for their own +use, such as tea, sugar, coffee, cheeses, hams, tongues, biscuits, soap, +and wax candles, wine and spirits in bottles, besides large rolls of +tobacco for the Hottentots or presents, and Alexander's clothes; his +mattress lay at the bottom of the wagons, between the lockers. The wagon +was covered with a double sail-cloth tilt, and with curtains before and +behind; the carpenter's tools were also in one of the lockers of this +wagon.</p> + +<p>The second wagon was called Mr. Swinton's wagon; it was fitted up with +lockers in the same way as the other, but it had also a large chest with +a great quantity of drawers for insects, bottles of spirits for animals, +and every thing necessary for preserving them; a ream or two of paper +for drying plants, and several other articles, more particularly a +medicine-chest well filled, for Mr. Swinton was not unacquainted with +surgery and physic. The other lockers were filled with a large quantity +of glass beads and cutlery for presents, several hundred pounds of +bullets, ready cast, and all the kitchen ware and crockery. It had the +same covering as the first, and Mr. Swinton's mattress was at night +spread in the middle between the lockers.</p> + +<p>The third wagon was called the armory, or the Major's wagon; it was not +fitted up like the two first. The whole bottom of it was occupied with +movable chests, and four large casks of spirits, and the Major made up +his bed on the top of the chests. In the chests were gunpowder in +bottles and a quantity of small shot for present use; tobacco in large +rolls; 1 cwt. of snuff; all the heavy tools, spades, shovels, and axes, +and a variety of other useful articles.</p> + +<p>The tilt-frame was much stouter than that of the two other wagons, for +the hoops met each other so as to make it solid. It was covered with a +tarred sail-cloth so as to be quite water-proof, and under the +tilt-frame were suspended all the guns, except the two which Alexander +and Mr. Swinton retained in their own wagons in case of emergency. The +back and front of this wagon were closed with boards, which were let +down and pulled up on hinges, so that it was a little fortress in case +of need; and as it could be locked up at any time, the Hottentots were +not able to get at the casks of spirits without committing a sort of +burglary. Begum was tied up in this wagon at night.</p> + +<p>The fourth wagon was called the store wagon, and contained several +articles which were not immediately wanted; such as casks of flour and +bags of rice: it also held most of the ammunition, having six casks of +gunpowder, a quantity of lead, two coils of rope, iron bars, bags of +nails of various sizes, rolls of brass wire, and the two tents, with +three chairs and a small table. Like the wagon of Major Henderson, it +was covered with water-proof cloth.</p> + +<p>Such was the fit-out which was considered necessary for this adventurous +expedition, and the crowds who came to see the preparations for the +great hunting-party, as it was called, were so great and so annoying +that the utmost haste was made to quit the town. At last the wagons were +all loaded, the Hottentots collected together from the liquor-shops, +their agreements read to them by the landroost, and any departure from +their agreements, or any misconduct, threatened with severe punishment.</p> + +<p>The horses and oxen were brought in, and the next morning was fixed for +their departure. Having taken leave of the landroost and other gentlemen +of the town, who had loaded them with civilities, they retired to the +fort, and passed the major part of the night with Captain Maxwell; but +to avoid the crowd which would have accompanied them, and have impeded +their progress, they had resolved to set off before daylight. At two +o'clock in the morning the Hottentots were roused up, the oxen yoked, +and an hour before day-break the whole train had quitted the town, and +were traveling at a slow pace, lighted only by the brilliant stars of +the southern sky.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_IX'></a><h2>CHAPTER IX.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>The plans of our travelers had been well digested. They had decided that +they would first prosecute the object of their journey by proceeding +straight through the Caffre country to the borders of the Undata River, +near or whereabout it was reported that the descendants of the whites +would be found located; and as soon as Alexander had accomplished his +mission, that they would cross the chain of mountains, and return +through the Bushmen and the Koranna country. Their reason for making +this arrangement was, that throughout the whole of the Caffre country, +with the exception of lions and elephants in the forest, and hippopotami +in the rivers, there was little or no game to be found, the Caffres +having almost wholly destroyed it.</p> + +<p>This plan had been suggested by Major Henderson, and had been approved +by Alexander and Mr. Swinton,—Alexander being equally desirous as the +Major to have plenty of field-sport, and Mr. Swinton anxious to increase +his stock and knowledge of the animal kingdom. There was little to be +feared in their advance through the Caffre country, as the missionaries +had already planted two missions, one at Butterworth and the other at +Chumie; and the first of these Alexander had decided upon visiting, and +had, in consequence, several packages in his wagon, which had been +entrusted to his care.</p> + +<p>It was on the 7th of May, 1829, that the caravan quitted Algoa Bay for +Graham's Town. The weather had been for some weeks fine, the heavy rains +having ceased, and the pasturage was now luxuriant; the wagons proceeded +at a noiseless pace over the herbage, the sleepy Hottentots not being at +all inclined to exert themselves unnecessarily. Alexander, Swinton, and +Henderson were on horseback, a little ahead of the first wagon.</p> + +<p>"I don't know how you feel," said the Major; "but I feel as if I were a +prisoner just released from his chains. I breathe the air of +independence and liberty now. After the bustle, and noise, and crowding +together of the town, to find ourselves here so quiet and solitary is +freedom."</p> + +<p>"I had the same feeling," replied Alexander; "this wide-extended plain, +of which we can not yet discern the horizontal edge; these brilliant +stars scattered over the heavens, and shining down upon us; no sound to +meet our ears but the creaking of the wagon-wheels in the slow and +measured pace, is to me delightful. They say man is formed for society, +and so he is; but it is very delightful occasionally to be alone."</p> + +<p>"Yes; alone as we are," replied Swinton, laughing; "that is, with a +party of thirty people, well armed, in search of adventure. To be clear +of the bustle of the town, and no longer cooped up in the fort, is +pleasant enough; but, I suspect, to be quite alone in these African +wilds would be any thing but agreeable."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps so."</p> + +<p>"Neither would you feel so much at ease if you knew that your chance of +to-morrow's dinner was to depend wholly upon what you might procure with +your gun. There is a satisfaction in knowing that you have four +well-filled wagons behind you."</p> + +<p>"I grant that also," replied the Major; "but still there is solitude +even with this company, and I feel it."</p> + +<p>"A solitary caravan—but grant that there is some difference between +that and a solitary individual," rejoined Swinton; "however, we have not +come to solitude yet, for we shall find Dutch boors enough between this +and Graham's Town."</p> + +<p>"I think, Wilmot," observed Henderson, "that I should, if I were you, +proceed by slow stages at first, that we may get our men into some kind +of order and discipline, and also that we may find out whether there are +any who will not suit us; we can discharge them at Graham's Town, and +procure others in their place, at the same time that we engage our +interpreters and guides."</p> + +<p>"I think your plan very good," replied Alexander; "besides, we shall not +have our wagons properly laden and arranged until we have been out three +or four days."</p> + +<p>"One thing is absolutely necessary, which is, to have a guard kept +every night," said Swinton; "and there ought to be two men on guard at a +time; for one of them is certain to fall asleep, if not both. I know the +Hottentots well."</p> + +<p>"They will be excellent guards, by your account," said Alexander; +"however, the dogs will serve us more faithfully."</p> + +<p>"I do not mean my remark to include all Hottentots; some are very +faithful, and do their duty; but it comprehends the majority."</p> + +<p>"Are they courageous?" inquired Alexander.</p> + +<p>"Yes, certainly, they may be considered as a brave race of men; but +occasionally there is a poltroon, and, like all cowards, he brags more +than the rest."</p> + +<p>"I've a strong suspicion that we have one of that kind among our +hunters," replied Henderson; "however, it is not fair to prejudge; I may +be mistaken."</p> + +<p>"I think I know which you refer to, nevertheless," said Alexander; "it +is the great fellow that they call Big Adam."</p> + +<p>"You have hit upon the man, and to a certain degree corroborated my +opinion of him. But the day is dawning, the sun will soon be above those +hills."</p> + +<p>"When we stop, I will have some grease put to those wagon-wheels," said +Alexander.</p> + +<p>"I fear it will be of little use," replied the Major; "creak they will. +I don't know whether the oxen here are like those in India; but this I +know, that the creaking of the carts and hackeries there is fifty times +worse than this. The natives never grease the wheels; they say the oxen +would not go on if they did not hear the music behind them."</p> + +<p>"Besides, the creaking of the wheels will by and by be of service; when +we are traveling through grass higher than our heads, we shall not be +able to stop behind a minute, if we have not the creaking of the wheels +to direct us how to follow."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, I suppose we must save our grease," said Alexander.</p> + +<p>"In a very few days you will be so accustomed to it," said the Major, +"that if it were to cease, you would feel the loss of it."</p> + +<p>"Well, it may be so; use is second nature; but at present I feel as if +the loss would be gain. There is the sun just showing himself above the +hill. Shall we halt or go on?"</p> + +<p>"Go on for another hour, and the men can thus examine the traces and the +wagons by daylight, and then, when we stop, we can remedy any defects."</p> + +<p>"Be it so; there is a house, is there not, on the rising ground, as far +as you can see?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I think so," replied the Major.</p> + +<p>"I know it very well," said Swinton; "it is the farm of a Dutch boor, +Milius, whom we saw at Algoa Bay. I did not think that we had got on so +fast. It is about three miles off, so it will just be convenient for our +breakfast. It will take us a good hour to arrive there, and then we will +unyoke the oxen. How many have we yoked?"</p> + +<p>"Ten to each wagon. The other sixteen are following with the sheep and +horses; they are as relays."</p> + +<p>"Let us gallop on," said the Major.</p> + +<p>"Agreed," replied the others; and putting spurs to their horses, they +soon arrived at the farmhouse of the Dutch planter.</p> + +<p>They were saluted with the barking and clamor of about twenty dogs, +which brought out one of the young boors, who drove away the dogs by +pelting them with bullock-horns, and other bones of animals which were +strewed about. He then requested them to dismount. The old boor soon +appeared, and gave them a hearty welcome, handing down from the shelf a +large brandy-bottle, and recommending a dram, of which he partook +himself, stating that it was good brandy, and made from his own peaches.</p> + +<p>Shortly afterward the wife of the boor made her appearance, and having +saluted them, took up her station at a small table, with the tea +apparatus before her. That refreshing beverage she now poured out for +the visitors, handing a box, with some sugar-candy in it, for them to +put a bit into their youths, and keep there as they drank their tea, by +way of sweetening it. The old boor told them he had expected them, as he +had been informed that they were to set out that day; but he had +concluded that they would arrive in the afternoon, and not so early.</p> + +<p>We may as well here give a description of a Dutch farmer's house at the +Cape settlement.</p> + +<p>It was a large square building, the wall built up of clay, and then +plastered with a composition made by the boors, which becomes +excessively hard in time; after which it is whitewashed. The roof was +thatched with a hard sort of rushes, more durable and less likely to +catch fire than straw. There was no ceiling under the roof, but the +rafters overhead were hung with a motley assemblage of the produce of +the chase and farm, as large whips made of rhinoceros-hide, leopard and +lion skins, ostrich eggs and feathers, strings of onions, rolls of +tobacco, bamboos, etc.</p> + +<p>The house contained one large eating-room, a small private room, and two +bedrooms. The windows were not glazed, but closed with skins every +night. There was no chimney or stove in the house, all the cooking being +carried on in a small outhouse.</p> + +<p>The furniture was not very considerable: a large table, a few chairs and +stools, some iron pots and kettles, a set of Dutch teacups, a teapot, +and a brass kettle, with a heater. The large, brass-clasped, family +Dutch Bible occupied a small table, at which the mistress of the house +presided, and behind her chair were the carcasses of two sheep, +suspended from a beam.</p> + +<p>Inquiries about the news at the Cape, and details of all the information +which our travelers could give, had occupied the time till breakfast was +put on the table. It consisted of mutton boiled and stewed, butter, +milk, fruits, and good white bread. Before breakfast was over the +caravan arrived, and the oxen were unyoked. Our travelers passed away +two hours in going over the garden and orchards, and visiting the +cattlefolds, and seeing the cows milked. They then yoked the teams, and +wishing the old boor a farewell, and thanking him for his hospitality, +they resumed their journey.</p> + +<p>"Is it always the custom here to receive travelers in this friendly +way?" observed Alexander, as they rode away.</p> + +<p>"Always," replied Swinton; "there are no inns on the road, and every +traveler finds a welcome. It is considered a matter of course."</p> + +<p>"Do they never take payment?"</p> + +<p>"Never, and it must not be offered; but they will take the value of the +corn supplied to your horses, as that is quite another thing. One +peculiarity you will observe as you go along, which is, that the Dutch +wife is a fixture at the little tea-table all day long. She never leaves +it, and the tea is always ready for every traveler who claims their +hospitality; it is an odd custom."</p> + +<p>"And I presume that occasions the good woman to become so very lusty."</p> + +<p>"No doubt of it; the whole exercise of the day is from the bedroom to +the teapot, and back again," replied Swinton, laughing.</p> + +<p>"One would hardly suppose that this apparently good-natured and +hospitable people could have been guilty of such cruelty to the natives +as Mr. Fairburn represented."</p> + +<p>"Many of our virtues and vices are brought prominently forward by +circumstances," replied Swinton. "Hospitality in a thinly-inhabited +country is universal, and a Dutch boor is hospitable to an excess. Their +cruelty to the Hottentots and other natives arises from the prejudices +of education: they have from their childhood beheld them treated as +slaves, and do not consider them as fellow-creatures. As Mr. Fairburn +truly said, nothing demoralizes so much, or so hardens the heart of man, +as slavery existing and sanctioned by law."</p> + +<p>"But are not the Dutch renowned for cruelty and love of money?"</p> + +<p>"They have obtained that reputation, and I fear there is some reason for +it. They took the lead, it must be remembered, as a commercial nation, +more commercial than the Portuguese, whose steps they followed so +closely: that this eager pursuit of wealth should create a love of money +is but too natural, and to obtain money, men, under the influence of +that passion, will stop at nothing. Their cruelties in the East are on +record; but the question is, whether the English, who followed the path +of the Dutch, would not, had they gone before them, have been guilty of +the same crimes to obtain the same ends? The Spaniards were just as +cruel in South America, and the Portuguese have not fallen short of +them; nay, I doubt if our own countrymen can be acquitted in many +instances. The only difference is, that the other nations who preceded +them in discoveries had greater temptation, because there were more +riches and wealth to be obtained."</p> + +<p>"Your remarks are just; well may we say in the Lord's Prayer, 'Lead us +not into temptation,' for we are all too frail to withstand it."</p> + +<p>At noon they again unyoked, and allowed the cattle to graze for an +interval; after which they proceeded till an hour before dark, when they +mustered the men, and gave them their several charges and directions. At +Alexander's request the Major took this upon himself, and he made a long +speech to the Hottentots, stating that it was their intention to reward +those who did their duty, and to punish severely those who did not. They +then collected wood for the fires, and had their supper,—the first meal +which they had taken out of doors. Mahomed, the Parsee servant of Major +Henderson, cooked very much to their satisfaction; and having tied the +oxen to the wagons, to accustom them to the practice, more than from any +danger to be apprehended, the watch was set to keep up the fires: they +then all retired to bed, the gentlemen sleeping in their wagons, and the +Hottentots underneath them, or by the sides of the fires which had been +lighted.</p> + +<p>It will be unnecessary to enter into a detail of the journey to Graham's +Town, which was performed without difficulty. They did not arrive there +until eight days after their departure from Algoa Bay, as they purposely +lost time on the road, that things might find their places. At Graham's +Town they received every kindness and attention from the few military +who were there and the landroost. Here they dismissed three of the men, +who had remained drunk in the liquor-houses during their stay, and +hired nine more, who were well recommended; among these were two +perfectly well acquainted with the Caffre language and country; so that +they were serviceable both as interpreters and guides. The day after +their arrival, when they were out in the skirts of the town, Mr. Swinton +perceived something moving in the bushes. He advanced cautiously, and +discovered that it was a poor little Bushman boy, about twelve years +old, quite naked, and evidently in a state of starvation, having been +left there in a high fever by his people. He was so weak that he could +not stand, and Mr. Swinton desired the Hottentot who was with him to +lift him up, and carry him to the wagons. Some medicine and good food +soon brought the little fellow round again, and he was able to walk +about. He showed no disposition to leave them; indeed he would watch for +Mr. Swinton, and follow him as far as he could. The child evidently +appeared to feel attachment and gratitude, and when they were about to +depart, Mr. Swinton, through the medium of one of the Hottentots who +could speak the language, asked him if he would like to stay with them. +The answer was in the affirmative, and it was decided that he should +accompany them, the Major observing that he would be a very good +companion for Begum.</p> + +<p>"What name shall we give him?" said Swinton.</p> + +<p>"Why, as my baboon is by title a princess, I think we can not create him +less than a prince. Let us call him Omrah."</p> + +<p>"Omrah be it then," replied Mr. Swinton, "until we can name him in a +more serious way."</p> + +<p>So Omrah was put into the wagon, with Begum to amuse him, and our +travelers took their departure from Graham's Town.</p> + +<center> +<img src='images/079.jpg' width='645' height='1090' alt='[Illustration: THE BUSHMAN BOY.]' title=''> +</center> +<br> + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_X'></a><h2>CHAPTER X.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>It was in the afternoon that they moved from Graham's Town. They had +intended to have started earlier, but they found it impossible to +collect the Hottentots, who were taking their farewells of their wives +and their liquor-shops. As it was, most of them were in a state of +intoxication, and it was considered advisable to get them out of the +town as soon as possible. Late in the evening they arrived at Hermann's +Kraal, a small military fort, where they remained for the night to give +the Hottentots an opportunity of recovering from the effects of the +liquor. The next morning they again started, and the landscape now +changed its aspect, being covered with thick bushes, infested with wild +beasts.</p> + +<p>A barren and sterile country was soon spread before them, the sun was +oppressively hot, and not a sign of water was to be observed in any +direction. At last they arrived at a muddy pool, in which elephants had +evidently been enjoying themselves, and the oxen and horses were but too +glad to do the same. At night they halted as before, having lighted +fires to keep off the wild beasts and the elephants.</p> + +<p>The following morning they renewed their journey at daylight, and the +scene again changed; they now plunged into the dense forests bordering +on the great Fish River, which they forded in safety. The prospects all +around were very beautiful, the river smoothly gliding through +stupendous mountains and precipices, with verdant valleys on each side +of its banks. In the afternoon they arrived at Fort Wiltshire, the +outermost defense of the colony, situated on the banks of the Keiskamma. +English troops were stationed there, to prevent any marauding parties +from passing the river, or to intercept them on their return with their +booty.</p> + +<p>As this was the last spot where they could expect to see any of their +countrymen, and they were kindly received by the officers, they agreed +to remain two days, that they might obtain all the information which +they could, and rearrange the stowing of the wagons before they +started. The original plan had been to direct their course to Chumie, +the first missionary station, which was about twenty-five miles distant; +but as it was out of their way, they now resolved to proceed direct to +Butterworth, which was forty miles further in the Caffre country, and +the more distant of the two missions. Our party took leave of their kind +entertainers, and, having crossed without difficulty at the ford the +Keiskamma river, had passed the neutral ground, and were in the land of +the Caffres.</p> + +<p>Up to the present they had very little trouble with the Hottentots whom +they had hired. As long as they were within reach of the law they +behaved well; but now that they had passed the confines of the Cape +territory, some of them began to show symptoms of insubordination. The +dismissal of one, however, with an order to go back immediately, and +threatening to shoot him if he was ever seen in the caravan, had the +desired effect of restoring order. The country was now a series of hills +and dales, occasionally of deep ravines, and their route lay through the +paths made by the elephants, which were numerous. A Hottentot of the +name of Bremen, who was considered as their best man and most practiced +hunter, begged Alexander and his companions to be careful how they went +along, if they preceded the rest on horseback; as the elephants always +return by the same path at evening or after nightfall, in whatever +direction they may have been feeding, and it is very dangerous to +intercept them.</p> + +<p>For two days they continued their course in nearly a straight line for +the missionary establishment. On the second evening, just about dusk, as +they were crossing a woody hill, by the elephants' path, being then +about 200 yards in advance of the wagons, they were saluted with one of +the most hideous shrieks that could be conceived. Their horses started +back; they could see nothing, although the sound echoed through the +hills for some seconds.</p> + +<p>"What was that?" exclaimed Alexander.</p> + +<p>"Shout as loud as you can," cried the Major; "and turn your horses to +the wagons."</p> + +<p>Alexander and Swinton joined the Major in the shout, and were soon +accompanied by the whole mass of Hottentots, shouting and yelling as +loud as they could.</p> + +<p>"Silence, now," cried the Major; every one was hushed, and they listened +for a few seconds.</p> + +<p>"It was only one, sir, and he is gone," said Bremen. "We may go on."</p> + +<p>"Only one what?" inquired Alexander.</p> + +<p>"An elephant, sir," replied the Hottentot; "it's well that he did not +charge you; he would have tumbled you down the precipice, horse and all. +There must be a herd here, and we had better stop as soon as we are down +the other side of the hill."</p> + +<p>"I think so too," replied the Major.</p> + +<p>"I shall not get that shriek out of my ears for a month," said +Alexander; "why, the roar of a lion can not be so bad."</p> + +<p>"Wait till you hear it," replied Swinton.</p> + +<p>They had now arrived at the bottom of the hill which they had been +passing, and by the light of the stars they selected a spot for their +encampment. Whether they were near to any Caffre kraals or not it was +impossible to say; but they heard no barking of dogs or lowing of oxen. +Having collected all the cattle, they formed a square of the four +wagons, and passed ropes from the one to the other; the horses and sheep +were driven within the square, and the oxen were, as usual, tied up to +the sides of the wagons.</p> + +<p>It should here be observed, that the oxen were turned out to graze early +in the morning, yoked in the afternoon, and they traveled then as far as +they could after nightfall, to avoid the extreme heat of the day, the +continual visits of the Carries, and the risk of losing the cattle if +they were allowed to be loose and fed during the night.</p> + +<p>On the night we have been referring to, a more than usual number of +fires were lighted, to keep off the elephants and other wild animals. +The hyenas and wolves were very numerous, and prowled the whole night in +hopes of getting hold of some of the sheep; but as yet there had not +been seen or heard a lion, although an occasional track had been +pointed out by the Hottentots.</p> + +<p>When the Hottentots had finished their labor, our travelers had to wait +till the fires were lighted and a sheep killed before they could have +their suppers cooked by Mahomed. Begum, the baboon, had been released +from her confinement since their crossing the Fish River, and as usual, +when they sat down, came and made one of the party, generally creeping +in close to her master until supper was served, when she would have her +finger in every dish, and steal all she could, sometimes rather to their +annoyance.</p> + +<p>Our little Bushman had now quite recovered not only his strength but his +gayety, and was one of the most amusing little fellows that could be met +with.</p> + +<p>He could not make himself understood except to one or two of the +Hottentots; but he was all pantomime, trying, by gestures and signs, to +talk to Mr. Swinton and his companions. He endeavored to assist Mahomed +as much as he could, and appeared to have attached himself to him, for +he kept no company with the Hottentots. He was not more than three feet +and a half high, and with limbs remarkably delicate, although well made. +His face was very much like a monkey's, and his gestures and manners +completely so; he was quite as active and full of fun. The watch had +been set as soon as the fires were lighted; and close to where Alexander +and the others were seated, Big Adam, the Hottentot we have mentioned as +having raised doubts in the mind of the Major as to his courage, had +just mounted guard, with his gun in his hand. Omrah came up to where +they were sitting, and they nodded and smiled at him, and said, "How do +you do?" in English.</p> + +<p>The boy, who had already picked up a few sentences, answered in the same +words, "How do you do?" and then pointing to Big Adam, whose back was +turned, he began making a number of signs, and nodding his head; at last +he bent down, putting his arm in front of him, and raising it like an +elephant's trunk, walking with the measured steps of that animal, so as +fully to make them Understand that he intended to portray an elephant.</p> + +<p>Having so done, he went up behind Big Adam, and gave a shriek so +exactly like that which the elephant had given an hour before, that the +Hottentot started up, dropped his musket, and threw himself flat on the +ground, in order that the supposed animal might pass by him unperceived.</p> + +<p>The other Hottentots had been equally startled, and had seized their +muskets, looking in every direction for the approach of the animal; but +the convulsions of laughter which proceeded from the party soon told +them that there was nothing to apprehend, and that little Omrah had been +playing his tricks. Big Adam rose up, looking very foolish; he had just +before been telling his companions how many elephants he had killed, and +had been expressing his hopes that they soon should have an +elephant-hunt.</p> + +<p>"Well," observed Swinton, after the laugh was over, "it proves that Adam +is an elephant-hunter, and knows what to do in time of danger."</p> + +<p>"Yes," replied the Major; "and it also proves that our opinion of him +was just, and that with him the best part of valor is discretion."</p> + +<p>"The most wonderful escape from an elephant which we have on record +here," observed Swinton, "is that of Lieutenant Moodie; did you ever +hear of it? I had it from his own lips."</p> + +<p>"I never did, at all events," said Alexander; "and if the Major has, he +will listen very patiently, to oblige me."</p> + +<p>"I have never heard the precise particulars, and shall therefore be as +glad to be a listener as Wilmot."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, I will begin. Lieutenant Moodie was out elephant-hunting +with a party of officers and soldiers, when one day he was told that a +large troop of elephants was close at hand, and that several of the men +were out, and in pursuit of them. Lieutenant Moodie immediately seized +his gun, and went off in the direction where he heard the firing.</p> + +<p>"He had forced his way through a jungle, and had just come to a cleared +spot, when he heard some of his people calling out, in English and +Dutch, 'Take care, Mr. Moodie, take care,' As they called out, he heard +the crackling of branches broken by the elephants as they were bursting +through the wood, and then tremendous screams, such as we heard this +night. Immediately afterward four elephants burst out from the jungle, +not two hundred yards from where he stood. Being alone on the open +ground, he knew that if he fired and did not kill, he could have no +chance; so he hastily retreated, hoping that the animals would not see +him. On looking back, however, he perceived, to his dismay, that they +were all in chase of him, and rapidly gaining on him; he therefore +resolved to reserve his fire till the last moment, and, turning toward +some precipitous rocks, hoped to gain them before the elephants could +come up with him. But he was still at least fifty paces from the rocks, +when he found that the elephants were within half that distance of +him,—one very large animal, and three smaller,—all in a row, as if +determined that he should not escape, snorting so tremendously that he +was quite stunned with the noise."</p> + +<p>"That's what I call a very pretty position," observed the Major. "Go on, +Swinton; the affair is becoming a little nervous."</p> + +<p>"As his only chance, Lieutenant Moodie turned round, and leveled his gun +at the largest elephant; but unfortunately the powder was damp, and the +gun hung fire, till he was in the act of taking it from his shoulder, +when it went off, and the ball merely grazed the side of the elephant's +head. The animal halted for an instant, and then made a furious charge +upon him. He fell; whether struck down by the elephant's trunk he can +not say. The elephant then thrust at him as he lay, with his tusk; +fortunately it had but one, and more fortunately it missed its mark, +plowing up the ground within an inch of Mr. Moodie's body.</p> + +<p>"The animal then caught him up with its trunk by his middle, and dashed +him down between his fore-feet to tread him to death. Once it pressed so +heavily on his chest, that all his bones bent under the weight, but +somehow or other, whether from the animal being in a state of alarm, it +never contrived to have its whole weight upon him; for Mr. Moodie had +never lost his recollection, and kept twisting his body and his limbs, +so as to prevent it from obtaining a direct tread upon him. While he +was in this state of distress, another officer and a Hottentot hunter +came up to his assistance, and fired several shots at the animal, which +was severely wounded, and the other three took to their heels. At last +the one which had possession of Mr. Moodie turned round, and giving him a +cuff with its fore-feet followed the rest. Mr. Moodie got up, picked up +his gun, and staggered away as fast as his aching bones would permit +him. He met his brother, who had just been informed by one of the +Hottentots, who had seen him under the elephant, that he was killed."</p> + +<p>"Well, that was an escape," observed Wilmot.</p> + +<p>"What made it more remarkable was, that he had hardly time to explain to +his brother his miraculous preservation, before he witnessed the death +of one of the hunters, a soldier, who had attracted the notice of a +large male elephant which had been driven out of the jungle. The fierce +animal gave chase to him, and caught him immediately under the height +where Mr. Moodie and his brother were standing, carried the poor fellow +for some distance on his trunk, then threw him down, and stamping upon +him until he was quite dead, left the body for a short time. The +elephant then returned, as if to make sure of its destruction; for it +kneeled down on the body, and kneaded it with his fore-legs; then, +rising, it seized it again with its trunk, carried it to the edge of the +jungle, and hurled it into the bushes."</p> + +<p>"Dreadful! I had no idea that there was such danger in an elephant-hunt; +yet I must say," continued Alexander, "that, although it may appear +foolishness, it only makes me more anxious to have one."</p> + +<p>"Well, as we advance, you will have no want of opportunity; but it will +be better to get the Caffres to join us, which they will with great +delight."</p> + +<p>"Why, they have no weapons, except their spears."</p> + +<p>"None; but they will attack him with great success, as you will see; +they watch their opportunity as he passes, get behind, and drive their +spears into his body until the animal is exhausted from loss of blood, +and they are so quick that the elephant seldom is able to destroy one +of them. They consider the elephant of as high rank as one of their +kings, and it is very laughable to hear them, as they wound him, beg +pardon of him, and cry out, 'Great man, don't be angry; great captain, +don't kill us,'"</p> + +<p>"But how is it that they can approach so terrible an animal without +destruction?"</p> + +<p>"It is because they do approach quite close to him. An elephant sees but +badly, except straight before him, and he turns with difficulty. The +Caffres are within three feet of his tail or flank when they attack, and +they attack him in the elephant-paths, which are too narrow for the +animal to turn without difficulty; the great risk that they run is from +another elephant breaking out to the assistance of the one attacked."</p> + +<p>"The animals do assist each other, then?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; there was a remarkable instance of it in the affair of Lieutenant +Moodie. I mentioned that it was a large male elephant which killed the +soldier just after Mr. Moodie's escape. Shortly afterward a shot from +one of the hunters broke the fore-leg of this animal, and prevented him +from running, and there it stood to be fired at. The female elephant, +which was in the jungle, witnessing the distress of its mate, regardless +of her own danger, immediately rushed out to his assistance, chasing +away the hunters, and walked round and round her mate, constantly +returning to his side, and caressing him. When the male attempted to +walk, she had the sagacity to place her flank against the wounded side, +so as to support him, and help him along. At last the female received a +severe wound, and staggered into the bush, where she fell; and the male +was soon after laid prostrate by the side of the poor soldier whom he +had killed."</p> + +<p>"There is something very touching in the last portion of your story, +Swinton," observed Alexander; "it really makes one feel a sort of +respect for such intelligent and reasoning animals."</p> + +<p>"I think the first portion of the story ought to teach you to respect +them also," said the Major. "Seriously, however, I quite agree with you; +their sagacity, as my Indian experience has taught me, is +wonderful;—but here comes supper, and I am not sorry for it."</p> + +<p>"Nor I," replied Alexander. "To-morrow we shall be at the missionary +station, if the guides are correct. I am very anxious to get there, I +must say. Does not the chief of the Amakosa tribe live close to the +Mission-house,—Hinza, as they call him?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," replied Swinton, "he does, and we must have a present ready for +him, for I think it would be advisable to ask an escort of his warriors +to go with us after we leave the Mission."</p> + +<p>"Yes, it will be quite as well," replied the Major, "and then we shall +have some elephant-hunting: but Bremen tells me that there are plenty of +hippopotami in the river there, close to the Mission."</p> + +<p>"Water-elephants," replied Swinton; "I suppose you will not leave them +alone?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly not if our commander-in-chief will allow us to stop."</p> + +<p>"I think your commander-in-chief," replied Wilmot, "is just as anxious +to have a day's sport with them as you are, Major; so you will certainly +have his permission."</p> + +<p>"I think we ought to put Omrah on a horse. He is a nice light weight for +a spare horse, if required."</p> + +<p>"Not a bad idea," replied Alexander. "What a tiger he would make for a +cab in the park!"</p> + +<p>"More like a monkey," replied the Major; "but it is time to go to bed; +so, good-night."</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XI'></a><h2>CHAPTER XI.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>The caravan proceeded on the following morning, and by noon they arrived +at the Mission station of Butterworth, which was about one hundred and +forty miles from the colonial boundaries. This station had only been +settled about three years, but even in that short time it wore an air of +civilization strongly contrasted with the savage country around it. The +Mission-house was little better than a large cottage, it is true, and +the church a sort of barn; but it was surrounded by neat Caffre huts and +gardens full of produce.</p> + +<p>On the arrival of the caravan, Mr. S., the missionary, came out to meet +the travelers, and to welcome them. He had been informed that they would +call at the station, and bring some articles which had been sent for. It +hardly need be said that, meeting at such a place, and in such a +country, the parties soon became on intimate terms. Mr. S. offered them +beds and accommodation in his house, but our travelers refused; they +were well satisfied with their own; and having unyoked their oxen, and +turned them out to graze with those belonging to the station, they +accepted the missionary's invitation to join his repast.</p> + +<p>Alexander having stated the object of his expedition, requested the +advice of Mr. S. as to his further proceedings, and asked him whether it +would not be advisable to see the Caffre king, and make him a present. +This Mr. S. strongly advised them to do; and to ask for a party of +Caffres to accompany the caravan, which would not only insure them +safety, but would prove in many respects very useful. All that would be +necessary would be to find them in food and to promise them a present, +if they conducted themselves well. "You are aware," continued he, "that +Hinza's domain only extends as far as the Bashee or St. John's River, +and you will have to proceed beyond that; but with some of the Caffre +warriors you will have no difficulty, as the tribes further will not +only fear your strength, but also the anger of Hinza, should they commit +any depredation. But things, I regret to say, do not look very peaceable +just now."</p> + +<p>"Indeed! what is the quarrel, and with whom?"</p> + +<p>"Hinza has quarreled with a powerful neighboring chief of the name of +Voosani, who reigns over the Tambookie tribes, about some cattle, which +are the grand cause of quarrels in these countries, and both parties are +preparing for war. But whether it will take place is doubtful, as they +are both threatened with a more powerful enemy, and may probably be +compelled to unite, in order to defend themselves."</p> + +<p>"And who may that be?"</p> + +<p>"Quetoo, the chief of the Amaquibi, is in arms with a large force, and +threatens the other tribes to the northward of us; if he conquers them, +he will certainly come down here. He was formerly one of Chaka's +generals, and is, like him, renowned for slaughter. At present he is too +far to the northward to interfere with you, but I should advise you to +lose no time in effecting your mission; for should he advance, you will +be compelled to retreat immediately. I had better send to Hinza to-morrow +to let him know that strangers have come and wish to see him, that they +may make him a present. That notice will bring him fast enough; not but +that he well knows you are here, and has known that you have been in his +country long ago."</p> + +<p>"It will be as well, after the information you have given us," said Mr. +Swinton.</p> + +<p>"What is your opinion of the Caffres, Mr. S., now that you have resided +so long with them?"</p> + +<p>"They are, for heathens, a fine nation,—bold, frank, and, if any thing +is confided to them, scrupulously honest; but cattle-stealing is +certainly not considered a crime among them, although it is punished as +one. Speaking as a minister of the Gospel, I should say they are the +most difficult nation to have any thing to do with that it ever has been +my lot to visit. They have no religion whatever; they have no idols; and +no idea of the existence of a God. When I have talked to them about God, +their reply is, 'Where is he? show him to me.'"</p> + +<p>"But have they no superstitions?"</p> + +<p>"They believe in necromancy, and have their conjurers, who do much harm, +and are our chief opponents, as we weaken their influence, and +consequently their profits. If cattle are stolen, they are referred to. +If a chief is sick, they are sent for to know who has bewitched him; +they must of course mention some innocent person, who is sacrificed +immediately. If the country is parched from want of rain, which it so +frequently is, then the conjurers are in great demand: they are sent for +to produce rain. If, after all their pretended mysteries, the rain does +not fall so as to save their reputation, they give some plausible +reason, generally ending, however, in the sacrifice of some innocent +individual; and thus they go on, making excuses after excuses until the +rain does fall, and they obtain all the credit of it. I need hardly say +that these people are our greatest enemies."</p> + +<p>"Are you satisfied with the success which you have had?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I am, when I consider the difficulty to be surmounted. Nothing but +the Divine assistance could have produced such effects as have already +taken place. The chiefs are to a man opposed to us."</p> + +<p>"Why so?"</p> + +<p>"Because Christianity strikes at the root of their sensuality; it was +the same when it was first preached by our Divine Master. The riches of +a Caffre consist not only in his cattle, but in the number of his wives, +who are all his slaves. To tell them that polygamy is unlawful and +wrong, is therefore almost as much as to tell them that it is not right +to hold a large herd of cattle; and as the chiefs are of course the +opulent of the nation, they oppose us. You observe in Caffreland, as +elsewhere, it is 'hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of +heaven.' I have asked the chiefs why they will not come to church, and +their reply has been, 'The great word is calculated to lessen our +pleasures and diminish the number of our wives; to this we can never +consent,'"</p> + +<p>"But still you say you have made some progress."</p> + +<p>"If I have, let it be ascribed to the Lord, and not to me and my +otherwise useless endeavors; it must be His doing; and without His aid +and assistance, the difficulties would have been insurmountable. It is +for me only to bear in mind the scriptural injunction, 'In the morning +sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knowest +not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both +shall be alike good.'"</p> + +<p>"But have they no idea whatever of a Supreme Being, either bad or good? +have they no idea, as some of the African tribes have, of the devil?"</p> + +<p>"None; and in their language they have no word to express the idea of +the Deity; they swear by their kings of former days as great chiefs, +but no more. Now if they had any religion whatever, you might, by +pointing out to them the falsity and absurdity of that religion, and +putting it in juxtaposition with revealed Truth, have some hold upon +their minds; but we have not even that advantage."</p> + +<p>"But can not you make an impression upon their minds by referring to the +wonders of nature,—by asking them who made the sun and stars? Surely +they might be induced to reflect by such a method."</p> + +<p>"I have tried it a hundred times, and they have laughed at me for my +fables, as they have termed them. One of the chiefs told me to hold my +tongue, that his people might not think me mad. The Scriptures, indeed, +teach us that, without the aid of direct revelation, men are also +without excuse if they fail to attain to a certain knowledge of the +Deity,—'even his eternal power and God-head,'—by a devout +contemplation of the visible world, which with all its wonders is spread +out before them as an open volume. But beyond this, all knowledge of the +origin or manner of creation is derived, not from the deductions of +human reasoning, but from the Divine testimony; for it is expressly +said, 'Through faith we understand that the worlds were made by the word +of God.'"</p> + +<p>"Nevertheless you must admit that, among the civilized nations of +Europe, many who deny revelation, and treat the Bible as a fable, +acknowledge that the world must have been made by a Supreme Power."</p> + +<p>"My dear sir, many affect to deny the truth of revelation out of pride +and folly, who still in their consciences can not but believe it. Here, +there being no belief in a Deity, they will not be persuaded that the +world was made by one. Indeed, we have much to contend with, and perhaps +one of the greatest difficulties is in the translation of the +Scriptures. I sit down with an interpreter who can not read a single +word, and with perhaps a most erroneous and imperfect knowledge of +divine things. We open the sacred volume, and it is first translated +into barbarous Dutch to the Caffre interpreter, who then has to tell us +how that Dutch is to be put into the Caffre language. Now you may +imagine what mistakes may arise. I have found out lately that I have +been stating the very contrary to what I would have said. With this +translation, I stand up to read a portion of the Word of God, for my +interpreter can not read, and hence any slight defect or change in a +syllable may give altogether a different sense from what I desire to +inculcate."</p> + +<p>"That must indeed be a great difficulty, and require a long residence +and full acquaintance with the language to overcome."</p> + +<p>"And even then not overcome, for the language has no words to express +abstract ideas; but the Lord works after His own way, and at His own +season."</p> + +<p>"You do not then despair of success?"</p> + +<p>"God forbid; I should be indeed a most unworthy servant of our Divine +Master, if I so far distrusted His power. No; much good has been already +done, as you will perceive when we meet to-morrow to perform Divine +service; but there is much more to do, and, with His blessing, will in +His own good time be perfected; but I have duties to attend to which +call me away for the present; I shall therefore wish you good-night. At +all events, the Mission has had one good effect: you are perfectly safe +from Caffre violence and Caffre robbery. This homage is paid to it even +by their kings and chiefs."</p> + +<p>"I will say, that if we are only to judge by the little we have seen, +the Mission appears to have done good," observed the Major. "In the +first place, we are no longer persecuted, as we have been during our +journey, for presents; and, as you may observe, many of the Caffres +about are clothed in European fashions, and those who have nothing but +their national undress, I may call it, wear it as decently as they can."</p> + +<p>"I made the same observation," said Alexander. "I am most anxious for +to-morrow, as I wish to see how the Caffres behave; and really, when you +consider all the difficulties which Mr. S. has mentioned, it is +wonderful that he and those who have embraced the same calling should +persevere as they do."</p> + +<p>"My dear Wilmot," replied Mr. Swinton, "a missionary, even of the most +humble class, is a person of no ordinary mind; he does not rely upon +himself or upon his own exertions,—he relies not upon others, or upon +the assistance of this world; if he did, he would, as you say, soon +abandon his task in despair. No; he is supported, he is encouraged, he +is pressed on by faith—faith in Him who never deserts those who trust +and believe in Him; he knows that, if it is His pleasure, the task will +be easy, but at the same time that it must be at His own good time. +Convinced of this, supported by this, encouraged by this, and venturing +his life for this, he toils on, in full assurance that if he fails +another is to succeed,—that if he becomes a martyr, his blood will +moisten the arid soil from which the future seed will spring. A +missionary may be low in birth, low in education, as many are; but he +must be a man of exalted mind,—what in any other pursuit we might term +an enthusiast; and in this spreading of the Divine word, he merits +respect for his fervor, his courage, and self-devotion; his willingness, +if the Lord should so think fit, to accept the crown of martyrdom."</p> + +<p>"You are right, Swinton; nothing but what you have described could impel +a man to pass a life of privation and danger among a savage +race—leaving all, and following his Master in the true apostolic sense. +Well, they will have their reward."</p> + +<p>"Yes, in heaven, Wilmot; not on earth," replied Swinton.</p> + +<p>The next day, being the Sabbath, with the assistance of Mahomed, who was +valet as well as cook to the whole party, they divested themselves of +their beards, which had not been touched for many days, and dressed +themselves in more suitable apparel than their usual hunting costume,—a +respect paid to the Sabbath by even the most worldly and most +indifferent on religious points. The bell of the Mission church was +tolled, and the natives were seen coming from all directions. Our party +went in, and found Mr. S. already there, and that seats had been +provided for them. The numbers of natives who were assembled in the +church were about 200, but many more were at the windows, and sitting by +the open door.</p> + +<p>Many of them were clothed in some sort of European apparel; those who +were not, drew their krosses close round them, so as to appear more +covered. A hymn in the Caffre language was first sung, and then prayers, +after which the Litany and responses; the Commandments were repeated in +the same language. Mr. S. then read a chapter in the Bible, and +explained it to the assembly. Profound silence and quiet attention +generally prevailed, although in some few instances there was mockery +from those outside. Mr. S. gave the blessing, and the service was ended.</p> + +<p>"You have already done much," observed Mr. Swinton. "I could hardly have +believed that a concourse of savages could have been so attentive, and +have behaved with such decorum."</p> + +<p>"It certainly is the most difficult point gained,—to command their +attention, I mean," replied Mr. S.; "after that, time and patience, with +the assistance of God, will effect the rest."</p> + +<p>"Do you think that there are many who, if I may use the term, feel their +religion?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, many; and prove it by traveling about and sowing the seed. There +are many who not only are qualified so to do, but are incessantly +laboring to bring their countrymen to God."</p> + +<p>"That must be very satisfactory to you."</p> + +<p>"It is; but what am I, and the few who labor with me, to the thousands +and thousands who are here in darkness and require our aid? There are +now but three missions in all Caffreland; and there is full employment +for two hundred, if they could be established. But you must excuse me, I +have to catechise the children, who are my most promising pupils. We +will meet again in the evening, for I have to preach at a neighboring +village. Strange to say, many who doubt and waver will listen to me +there; but they appear to think that there is some witchcraft in the +Mission church, or else are afraid to acknowledge to their companions +that they have been inside of it."</p> + +<p>The missionary then left them, and Alexander observed—</p> + +<p>"I don't know how you feel? but I assure you it has been a great +pleasure to me to have found myself in this humble church, and hearing +Divine service in this wild country."</p> + +<p>Both Swinton and Major Henderson expressed the same opinion.</p> + +<p>"I am not afraid of being laughed at," continued Alexander, "when I tell +you that I think it most important, wherever we may be during our +travels, to keep the Sabbath holy, by rest and reading the service."</p> + +<p>"With pleasure, as far as I am concerned, and I thank you for the +proposal," replied Swinton.</p> + +<p>"And I am equally pleased that you have proposed it, Wilmot," said Major +Henderson; "even we may be of service to the good cause, if, as we pass +through the land, the natives perceive that we respect the Sabbath as +the missionary has requested them to do. We are white men, and +considered by them as superior; our example, therefore, may do good."</p> + +<p>The evening was passed away very agreeably with Mr. S., who was +inexhaustible in his anecdotes of the Caffres. He informed them that +Hinza intended to call the next morning to receive his presents, and +that he would be interpreter for them if they wished it.</p> + +<p>Alexander, having thanked the missionary, said, "I think you mentioned, +sir, that some of your brother missionaries have their wives with them. +Since you have told me so much of the precarious tenure by which you +hold your ground here, and I may add your lives, I think that the wives +of the missionaries must have even more to encounter than their +husbands."</p> + +<p>"You are right, sir," replied the missionary; "there is no situation so +trying, so perilous, and I may say, so weary to the mind and body, as +that of a female missionary. She has to encounter the same perils and +the same hardships as her husband, without having the strength of our +sex to support them; and what is more painful than all, she is often +left alone in the Mission-house, while her husband, who has left her, is +proceeding on his duty, at the hourly peril of his life. There she is +alone, and compelled to listen to all the reports and falsehoods which +are circulated; at one moment she is told that her husband has been +murdered; at another, that he is still alive. She has no means of +hearing from him, as there is no communication throughout the country; +thus is she left in this horrible state of suspense and anxiety, perhaps +for many weeks. I have a letter from a brother missionary which is in my +writing-desk, wherein the case in point is well portrayed; I will get +it, and read that portion to you." Mr. S. went to the other end of the +room, and came back with a letter, from which he read as follows:—</p> + +<p>"Having been detained among those distant tribes for nearly two months, +report upon report had been circulated that the interpreters and guides, +as well as myself, had all been murdered. On my arrival within forty +miles of the station, I was informed that all doubt upon the subject had +been removed by a party of natives who had passed the Mission station, +and who pretended an acquaintance with all the particulars of the +massacre. We had been traveling the whole day, and night had come on; I +was most anxious to proceed, that I might relieve the mind of my dear +wife, but the earnest remonstrances of my little party, who represented +it as certain death to all of us to cross the plains, which were +infested with lions and other savage beasts who were prowling in every +direction, at length induced me to wait till the next day. But scarcely +had day begun to dawn when I sallied forth, without either arms or +guide, except a pocket compass, leaving my fellow-travelers to bring on +the wagon as soon as they should arouse from their slumbers. This +impatience had, however, well-nigh cost me my life; for having to wade +through many miles of deep sand with a vertical sun over my head, I had +not accomplished half the journey before my strength began to fail, and +an indescribable thirst was induced. Nevertheless, I reached the Mission +in safety, and with truly grateful feelings to the Preserver of men. A +few minutes prior to my arrival, the wife of one of my brother +missionaries, little imagining that I was at hand and alive, had entered +our dwelling, to apprise my wife of the latest intelligence, confirming +all that had been said before respecting my fate, and to comfort her +under the distressing dispensation. At this affecting crisis, while +both were standing in the center of the room, the one relating, the +other weeping, I opened the door, bathed in perspiration, covered with +dust, and in a state of complete exhaustion. 'Oh, dear!' cried our +friend; 'is it he—or is it his spirit?' I must, my dear sir, leave to +your imagination the scene that followed."</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," said Mr. S., folding up the letter, "a missionary's wife, +who follows him into such scenes and such perils and privations, does, +indeed, 'cleave to her husband.'"</p> + +<p>"Indeed she does," replied Mr. Swinton; "but we will tax you no longer, +my dear sir. Good-night."</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XII.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>On the following day, a little before noon, loud shouts and men dancing +and calling out the titles of the king of the Caffres announced his +approach. These men were a sort of heralds, who invariably preceded him +on a visit of ceremony. A band of warriors armed with their assaguays +and shields, next made their appearance, and then Hinza, accompanied by +fifty of his chief councilors: with the exception of their long krosses +of beast-skins thrown over their shoulders, they were all naked, and +each daubed with grease and red ocher. As soon as they arrived in front +of the Mission-house, they sat down in a circle on each side of the +Caffre king, who was treated with marked respect by all, and by the +common people in particular, who assembled on his presence. Every one +who happened to pass by gave what was termed a 'salute' of honor to the +king, who did not appear to consider that it required any acknowledgment +on his part.</p> + +<p>Our travelers, accompanied by the missionary, advanced into the circle, +and saluted his majesty. Mr. S. then explained the object of their +journey, and their wish that a small party of the king's warriors should +accompany them on their expedition. As soon as the speech was ended, a +few pounds of colored beads, a roll of tobacco, two pounds of snuff, and +some yards of scarlet cloth, were laid before his majesty as a present. +Hinza nodded his head with approval when the articles were spread before +him, and then turned to his councilors, with whom he whispered some +time, and then he replied "that the strange white men should pass +through his country without fear, that his warriors should accompany +them as far as they wished to go; but," he added, "do the strangers know +that there is disorder in the country beyond?"</p> + +<p>Mr. S. replied that they did, and were anxious to go, and return as soon +as possible, on that account.</p> + +<p>Hinza replied, "It is well; if there is danger, my warriors will let +them know—if it is necessary, they will fight for them—if the enemy is +too strong, the white men must return."</p> + +<p>Hinza then ordered some of his councilors to take charge of the +presents, and inquired of Mr. S. how many warriors they wished to have, +and when they wished to go.</p> + +<p>The reply was, that fifty warriors would be sufficient, and that they +wished to depart on the following morning. "It is well," replied Hinza; +"fifty warriors are enough, for my men eat a great deal—they shall be +ready."</p> + +<p>The council then broke up, and the king, having shaken hands with our +travelers, departed with his train: toward the evening an old cow was +sent to them as a present from his majesty. The Hottentots soon cut it +up and devoured it. Every thing was now arranged for their immediate +departure.</p> + +<p>The next morning, at break of day, the band of Caffre warriors were all +in readiness, each with his shield and three assaguays in his hand. They +were all fine, tall young men, from twenty to thirty years of age. +Alexander desired Mr. S. to tell them that, if they behaved well and +were faithful, they should every one receive a present when they were +dismissed; a notification which appeared to give general satisfaction. +The oxen had already been yoked, and taking leave of the worthy +missionary, our travelers mounted their horses and resumed their +journey. For the whole day they proceeded along the banks of the Kae +River, which ran its course through alternate glens and hills clothed +with fine timber; and as they were on an eminence, looking down upon the +river, the head Caffre warrior, who had, with the others, hung up his +shield at the side of the wagon, and now walked by our travelers with +his assaguay in his hand, pointed out to them, as the sun was setting +behind a hill, two or three large black masses on the further bank of +the river.</p> + +<p>"What are they, and what does he say?"</p> + +<p>"Sea-cows," replied the interpreter.</p> + +<p>"<i>Hippopotami</i>! We must have a shot at them, Wilmot," cried the Major.</p> + +<p>"To be sure; tell them we will stop and kill one if we can," said Wilmot +to the interpreter.</p> + +<p>"We shall want one to feed our army," said Swinton laughing, "or our +sheep will soon be devoured."</p> + +<p>The Caffres were all immediately in motion, running down to the bank of +the river, about a quarter of a mile distant; they swam across, and +there remained waiting till our travelers should give the word.</p> + +<p>The animals lay on a muddy bank, at a turn of the river, like so many +swine asleep, some of them out, and some partly in and partly out of the +water. As they were huddled together, they looked more like masses of +black rock than any thing else. Two lay considerably apart from the +others, and it was toward these two that the Caffres, who had crossed +the river, crept until they were in the high reeds, but a few yards from +them. Henderson and Wilmot, with some of the Hottentots, descended the +ravine on their side of the river, opposite to where the animals lay, +and as soon as they were on the bank, being then within one hundred +yards of them, they leveled and fired. At the report, all the animals +started up from their beds as if astonished at the noise, which they had +not been accustomed to. Three or four instantly plunged into the deep +water, but the others, apparently half asleep, stood for a few seconds, +as if not knowing what course to take: two of them were evidently +wounded, as they rushed into the water; for they did not remain below, +but rose to the surface immediately, as if in great agony. They appeared +anxious to get out of the water altogether, and tried so to do, but +fearing the people on the river's bank, they darted in again. In the +mean time, at the first report of the guns, the two which lay apart from +the others with their heads toward the river, as soon as they rose on +their legs, were pierced with several assaguays by the concealed +Caffres, and plunged into the water with the spears remaining in their +bodies. These also rose, and floundered like the others; and as their +heads appeared above, they were met with the unerring rifle of the Major +and whole volleys from Wilmot and the Hottentots, till, exhausted from +loss of blood, they floated dead upon the surface.</p> + +<p>The Caffres waited till the bodies had been borne some hundred yards +down the stream, that they might not be attacked when in the water by +the remainder of the herd, and then swam off, and pushed the bodies on +shore. This was a very seasonable supply of provisions for so large a +band of people; but those who belonged to the caravan were not the only +parties who benefited: all the Caffres of the surrounding hamlets +hastened to the river, and carried off large quantities of the flesh of +the animals; there was, however, more than enough for all, and for the +wolves and hyenas after they had taken what they chose. It was so late +before the animals were cut up, that they decided upon remaining where +they were that night; for now that they had the Caffre warriors with +them, they had no fear as to losing their oxen, the king having stated +that his men should be responsible for them.</p> + +<p>Large fires were lighted, and the Caffres and Hottentots, all mingled +together, were busy roasting, boiling, and frying the flesh of the +hippopotamus, and eating it as fast as it was cooked, so that they were +completely gorged before they lay down to sleep; Wilmot had also given +them a ration of tobacco each, which had added considerably to the +delight of the feast.</p> + +<p>"It is not bad eating by any means," said the Major, as they were at +supper.</p> + +<p>"No; it is something like old veal," replied Swinton. "Now, what is +Omrah about? He is after some mischief, by the way he creeps along."</p> + +<p>"A monkey is a fool to that boy," observed the Major, "and he appears to +know how to imitate every animal he has ever heard."</p> + +<p>"Did you hear the dance he led some of the Hottentots on Sunday evening, +when we were at the Mission?"</p> + +<p>"No; what was that?"</p> + +<p>"Bremen told me of it; I thought he would have died with laughing. You +are aware that there is a species of bird here which they call the +honey-bird,—by naturalists, the <i>Cuculus indicator</i>; do you not +remember I showed you a specimen which I was preserving?"</p> + +<p>"You have showed us so many specimens, that I really forget."</p> + +<p>"Well, I should have given you at the same time the natural history of +the bird. It is very partial to honey, upon which it lives as much as it +can; but as the bees make their hives in the trunks of old decayed +trees, and the hole they enter by is very small, the bird can not obtain +it without assistance. Its instinct induces it to call in the aid of +man, which it does by a peculiar note, like cher-cher-cher, by which it +gives notice that it has found out a beehive. The natives of Africa well +know this, and as soon as the bird flies close to them, giving out this +sound, they follow it; the bird leads them on, perching every now and +then, to enable them to keep up with it, until it arrives at the tree, +over which it flutters without making any more noise."</p> + +<p>"How very curious!"</p> + +<p>"Little Bushman knows this as well as the Hottentots, and hearing that +they were going out in search of honey he went before them into the +wood, concealing himself, and imitating the note of the bird so exactly, +that the Hottentots went on following it for several miles, wondering +how it was that the bird should lead them such a distance, but unwilling +to give up the pursuit. About sunset, he had brought them back to the +very edge of the wood from whence they had started, when he showed +himself about one hundred yards ahead of them, dancing, capering, and +tumbling so like Begum, that they thought it was her before them, and +not him. He gained the caravan again without their knowing who played +them the trick; but he told Swanevelt, who speaks his language, and +Swanevelt told Bremen."</p> + +<p>"Capital!" said the Major; "well, he is after some trick now, depend +upon it."</p> + +<p>"He has a great talent for drawing," observed Alexander.</p> + +<p>"A very great one; I have given him a pencil and occasionally a piece of +paper, and he draws all the birds, so that I can recognize them; but you +must know that all the Bushmen have that talent, and that their caves +are full of the sketches of all sorts of animals, remarkably +characteristic. The organ of imitation is very strongly developed in the +Bushmen, which accounts for their talents as draftsmen, and Omrah's +remarkable imitative powers."</p> + +<p>"Do you then believe in phrenology, Swinton!" said Alexander.</p> + +<p>"I neither believe nor disbelieve in that and many more modern +discoveries of the same kind; I do not think it right to reject them or +to give blind credence. Not a day passes but some discovery excites our +wonder and admiration, and points out to us how little we do know. The +great fault is, that when people have made a discovery to a certain +extent, they build upon it, as if all their premises were correct; +whereas, they have, in fact, only obtained a mere glimmering to light +them to a path which may some future day lead to knowledge. That the +general principles of phrenology are correct maybe fairly assumed, from +the examination of the skulls of men and animals, and of different men; +but I give no credence to all the divisions and subdivisions which have, +in my opinion, been most presumptuously marked out by those who profess, +and of course fully believe, the full extent of these supposed +discoveries."</p> + +<p>"And mesmerism?" said Alexander.</p> + +<p>"I make the same reply; there is <i>something</i> in it, that is certain, but +nothing yet sufficiently known to warrant any specific conclusion to be +drawn."</p> + +<p>"There is a great deal of humbug in it," said the Major.</p> + +<p>"So there is in all sciences; when truth fails them and they are at +fault, they fill up the hiatus with supposition; which is, as you term +it, humbug."</p> + +<p>"Well, I vote that we return to our wagons; every body appears fast +asleep except us three."</p> + +<p>Such was not, however, the case; for they had not been half an hour on +their mattresses, before they were awakened by loud cries of "help," +which made them seize the irguns and jump out of the wagons without +waiting for their clothes.</p> + +<p>The Hottentots and Caffres were so full of hippopotamus flesh, that the +noise did not awake but a small portion of them, and these only turned +round and stared about without getting up, with the exception of Bremen, +who was on his feet and, with his gun in his hand, running in the +direction of the cries. He was followed by our travelers, and they soon +came up with the object of their search, which proved to be no other +than Big Adam, the Hottentot; and as soon as they perceived his +condition, which they could do by the light of the fires still burning, +they all burst out laughing so excessively that they could not help him.</p> + +<p>That it was the work of little Omrah there was no doubt, for Big Adam +had not forgotten the former trick the boy had played him, and had more +than once, when he caught the boy, given him a good cuffing. Big Adam +was on the ground, dragged away by two of the largest dogs. Omrah had +taken the bones he could find with most flesh upon them belonging to the +hippopotamus, and had tied them with leathern thongs to the great toes +of Big Adam as he lay snoring after his unusual repast. He had then +waited till all were asleep, and had let loose the two largest dogs, +which were always tied with the others under the wagons, and not +over-fed, to make them more watchful.</p> + +<p>The dogs had prowled about for food, and had fallen in with these large +bones, which they immediately seized, and were dragging away, that they +might make their repast without interruption; but in attempting to drag +away the bones, they had dragged Big Adam some yards by his great toes, +and the pain and fright—for the Hottentot thought they were hyenas or +wolves—had caused him thus to scream for help. Bremen divided the +thongs with his knife, and the dogs ran off growling with the bones, and +Adam stood again upon his feet, still so much terrified as not to be +able to comprehend the trick which had been played him. Our travelers, +having indulged their mirth, retired once more to their resting-places. +The Major found Omrah and Begum both in their corners of the wagon, the +former pretending to be fast asleep, while the latter was chattering and +swearing at the unusual disturbance.</p> + +<p>At daylight next morning they resumed their journey. Big Adam walked +rather stiff, and looked very sulky. Omrah had perched himself on a tilt +of the baggage-wagon with Begum, and was quite out of the Hottentot's +reach; for Bremen had told the others what had happened, and there had +been a general laugh against Big Adam, who vowed vengeance against +little Omrah. The country was now very beautiful and fertile, and the +Caffre hamlets were to be seen in all directions. Except visits from the +Caffres, who behaved with great decorum when they perceived that the +caravan was escorted by the king's warriors, and who supplied them +nearly every day with a bullock for the use of the people, no adventure +occurred for four days, when they crossed the Bashee or St. John's +River, to which the territories of Hinza extended; but although the +tribes beyond did not acknowledge his authority, they respected the +large force of the caravan, and were much pleased at receiving small +presents of tobacco and snuff.</p> + +<p>Milk, in baskets, was constantly brought in by the women; for the +Caffres weave baskets of so close a texture, that they hold any liquid, +and are the only utensil used for that purpose. At the Bashee River, +after they had passed the ford, they remained one day to hunt the +hippopotami, and were successful; only Major Henderson, who was not +content to hunt during the day, but went out at night, had a narrow +escape. He was in one of the paths, and had wounded a female, and was +standing, watching the rising to the surface of the wounded animal, for +it was bright moonlight, when the male, which happened to be feeding on +the bank above, hearing the cry of the female, rushed right down the +path upon the Major. Fortunately for him, the huge carcass of the animal +gave it such an ungovernable degree of velocity, as to prevent it +turning to the right hand or left. It passed within a yard of the Major, +sweeping the bushes and underwood, so as to throw him down as it passed. +The Major got up again, it may be truly said, more frightened than hurt; +but at all events he had had enough of hippopotamus-hunting for that +night, for he recovered his gun, and walked back to the wagon, thanking +Heaven for his providential escape.</p> + +<p>The next morning, Swanevelt and Bremen went down the banks of the river, +and discovered the body of the hippopotamus, which they dragged on +shore, and, returning to the wagons, sent the Caffres to cut it up; but +before the Caffres belonging to the caravan could arrive there, they +found that the work had been done for them by the natives, and that +nothing was left but the bones of the animal; but this is always +considered fair in the Caffre-land; every one helps himself when an +elephant or other large animal is killed, although he may have had no +hand in its destruction. The number of elephant-paths now showed them +that they were surrounded by these animals, and the Caffres of the +country said that there were large herds close to them.</p> + +<p>It was therefore proposed by the Major, that they should have a grand +elephant-hunt, at which all the Caffres of their own party and the +natives of the country should assist. This proposal was joyfully +received by all, especially the natives, who were delighted at such an +opportunity of having the assistance of the white men's guns; and the +next day was appointed for the sport. By the advice of the natives, the +caravan proceeded some miles down to the eastward, to the borders of a +very thick forest, where they stated that the elephants were to be +found.</p> + +<p>They arrived at the spot in the afternoon, and every one was busy in +making preparations for the following day. The Hottentots, who had been +used to the sport, told long stories to those who had not, and, among +the rest, Big Adam spoke much of his prowess and dexterity. Uncommonly +large fires were lighted that night, for fear that the elephants should +break into the camp. All night their cries were to be heard in the +forest, and occasionally the breaking of the branches of the trees +proved that they were close to the caravan. Begum, who was particularly +alive to danger, crept to Major Henderson's bed, and would remain there +all night, although he several times tried to drive her away. +Notwithstanding continued alarms, the caravan was, however, unmolested.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XIII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XIII.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>At daylight the following morning, there was a large concourse of +Caffres in the camp, all waiting till our travelers were ready for the +sport. Having made a hasty breakfast, they, by the advice of the +Caffres, did not mount their horses, but started on foot, as the Caffres +stated that the elephants were on the side of the hill. Ascending by an +elephant-path, in less than half an hour they arrived at the top of the +hill, when a grand and magnificent panorama was spread before them. From +the crown of the hill they looked down upon a valley studded with clumps +of trees, which divided the cleared ground, and the whole face of the +valley was covered with elephants. There could not have been less than +nine hundred at one time within the scope of their vision.</p> + +<p>Every height, every green knoll, was dotted with groups of six or seven, +some of their vast bodies partly concealed by the trees upon which they +were browsing, others walking in the open plain, bearing in their trunks +a long branch of a tree, with which they evidently protected themselves +from the flies. The huge bodies of the animals, with the corresponding +magnitude of the large timber-trees which surrounded them, gave an idea +of nature on her grandest scale.</p> + +<p>After a few minutes' survey, they turned to the party who were +collected behind them, and gave notice that they were to commence +immediately. The head men of the Caffres gave their orders, and the +bands of natives moved silently away in every direction, checking any +noise from the dogs, which they had brought with them in numerous packs. +Our travelers were to leeward of the herd on the hill where they stood, +and as it was the intention of the natives to drive the animals toward +them, the Caffre warriors as well as the Hottentots all took up +positions on the hill ready to attack the animals as they were driven +that way.</p> + +<p>About an hour passed away, when the signal was given by some of the +native Caffres, who had gained the side of the valley to westward of the +elephants. Perched up at various high spots, they shouted with +stentorian lungs, and their shouts were answered by the rest of the +Caffres on every side of the valley, so that the elephants found +themselves encompassed on all sides, except on that where the hill rose +from the valley. As the Caffres closed in, their shouts reverberating +from the rocks, and mixed up with the savage howlings of the dogs, +became tremendous; and the elephants, alarmed, started first to one side +of the valley, then to the other, hastily retreating from the clamor +immediately raised as they approached, shaking their long ears and +trumpeting loudly, as with uplifted trunks they trotted to and fro.</p> + +<p>At last, finding no other avenue of escape, the herd commenced the +ascent of the hill, cracking the branches and boughs, and rolling the +loose stones down into the valleys, as they made their ascent, and now +adding their own horrid shrieks to the din which had been previously +created. On they came, bearing every thing down before them, carrying +havoc in their rage to such an extent, that the forest appeared to bow +down before them; while large masses of loose rock leaped and bounded +and thundered down into the valley, raising clouds of dust in their +passage.</p> + +<p>"This is tremendously grand," whispered Alexander to the Major.</p> + +<p>"It is most awfully so; I would not have missed the sight for any +thing; but here they come—look at that tall tree borne down by the +weight of the whole mass."</p> + +<p>"See the great bull leader," said Swinton; "let us all fire upon +him—what a monster!"</p> + +<p>"Look out," said the Major, whose rifle was discharged as he spoke, and +was quickly followed by those of Alexander and Swinton.</p> + +<p>"He's down; be quick and load again. Omrah, give me the other rifle."</p> + +<p>"Take care! take care!" was how cried on all sides, for the fall of the +leading elephant and the volleys of musketry from the Hottentots had so +frightened the herd, that they had begun to separate and break off two +or three together, or singly in every direction. The shrieks and +trumpetings, and the crashing of the boughs so near to them, were now +deafening; and the danger was equally great. The Major had but just +leveled his other rifle when the dense foliage close to him opened as if +by magic, and the head of a large female presented itself within four +yards of him.</p> + +<p>Fortunately, the Major was a man of great nerve, and his rifle brought +her down at his feet, when so near to him that he was compelled to leap +away out of the reach of her trunk, for she was not yet dead. Another +smaller elephant followed so close, that it tumbled over the carcass of +the first, and was shot by Alexander as it was recovering its legs.</p> + +<p>"Back, sirs, or you will be killed," cried Bremen, running to them; +"this way—the whole herd is coming right upon you." They ran for their +lives, following the Hottentot, who brought them to a high rock which +the elephants could not climb, and where they were safe.</p> + +<p>They had hardly gained it when the mass came forward in a cloud of dust, +and with a noise almost inconceivable, scrambling and rolling to and fro +as they passed on in a close-wedged body. Many were wounded and +tottering, and as they were left behind, the Caffres, naked, with their +assaguays in their hands, leaping forward and hiding, as required, +running with the greatest activity close up to the rear of the animals, +either pierced them with their assaguays, or hamstrung them with their +sharp-cutting weapons, crying out in their own tongue to the elephants, +"Great captain! don't kill us—don't tread upon us, mighty +chief!"—supplicating, strangely enough, the mercy of those to whom they +were showing none. As it was almost impossible to fire without a chance +of hitting a Caffre, our travelers contented themselves with looking on, +till the whole herd had passed by, and had disappeared in the jungle +below.</p> + +<p>"They have gone right in the direction of the wagons," said Swinton.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," replied the Hottentot, Bremen; "but we must not interfere +with them any more; they are now so scattered in the jungle, that it +would be dangerous. We must let them go away as fast as they can."</p> + +<p>They remained for a few minutes more, till every elephant and Caffre had +disappeared, and then went back cautiously to the spot from whence they +had first fired, and where they had such a fine prospect of the valley. +Not an elephant was to be seen in it; nothing but the ravages which the +herd had committed upon the trees, many of which, of a very large size, +had been borne to the ground by the enormous strength of these animals. +They then proceeded to the spot where the great bull elephant had fallen +by the rifle of Major Henderson.</p> + +<p>They found that the ball had entered just under the eye. It was a +monster that must have stood sixteen feet high by Bremen's calculation, +and it had two very fine tusks. While they were standing by the carcass +of the animal, the armed Hottentots returned from the pursuit, and +stated that seven elephants had been dispatched, and others were so +wounded that they could not live. They now set to work to take the teeth +out of the animal, and were very busy, when a Hottentot came running up, +and reported that the herd of elephants in their retreat had dashed +through the camp, and done a good deal of mischief; that a male elephant +had charged the wagon of Major Henderson, and had forced his tusk +through the side; that the tusk had pierced one of the casks of liquor, +which was running out, although not very fast, and that the wagon must +be unloaded to get out the cask and save the rest of the liquor.</p> + +<p>Several Hottentots immediately hurried back with him to help in +unloading the wagon, and by degrees they all slipped away except Bremen, +Swanevelt, who was cutting out the tusks, and Omrah, who remained +perched upon the huge carcass of the animal, imitating the trumpeting +and motions of the elephant, and playing all sorts of antics. A party of +Caffres soon afterward came up and commenced cutting up the carcass, and +then our travelers walked away in the direction of the camp, to +ascertain what mischief had been done.</p> + +<p>On their return, which, as they stopped occasionally to examine the +other animals that had fallen, must have taken an hour, they found that +the Hottentots had not commenced unloading the wagon; although they had +put tubs to catch the running liquor, of which they had taken so large a +quantity that some were staggering about, and the rest lying down in a +state of senseless intoxication.</p> + +<p>"I thought they were very officious in going back to assist," observed +the Major; "a pretty mess we should be in, if we were in an enemy's +country, and without our Caffre guard."</p> + +<p>"Yes, indeed," replied Alexander, turning over the tub of liquor, and +spilling it on the ground, much to the sorrow of the Hottentots who were +not yet insensible: "however, we will now let the cask run out, and +watch that they get no more."</p> + +<p>As the Caffres were busy with the carcasses of the elephants, and most +of the Hottentots dead drunk, it was useless to think of proceeding +until the following day. Indeed, the oxen and horses were all scattered +in every direction by the elephants breaking into the caravan, and it +would be necessary to collect them, which would require some time. Our +travelers, therefore, gave up the idea of proceeding further that day, +and taking their guns, walked on to the forest, in the direction where +most of the elephants killed had fallen. They passed by three carcasses, +upon which the Caffres were busily employed, and then they came to a +fourth, when a sight presented itself which quite moved their sympathy. +It was the carcass of a full-grown female, and close to it was an +elephant calf, about three feet and a half high, standing by the side of +its dead mother.</p> + +<p>The poor little animal ran round and round the body with every +demonstration of grief, piping sorrowfully, and trying in vain to raise +it up with its tiny trunk. When our travelers arrived, it ran up to +them, entwining its little proboscis round their legs, and showing its +delight at finding somebody. On the trees round the carcass were perched +a number of vultures, waiting to make a meal of the remains, as soon as +the hunters had cut it up, for their beaks could not penetrate the tough +hide. Our travelers remained there for more than an hour, watching the +motions and playing with the young elephant, which made several attempts +to induce its prostrate mother to take notice of it. Finding, however, +that all its efforts were ineffectual, when our travelers quitted the +spot to go back, it voluntarily followed them to the caravans, where it +remained, probably quite as much astonished to find all the Hottentots +lying about as insensible as its mother.</p> + +<p>It may be as well here to observe, that the little animal did not live +beyond a very few days after, from want of its necessary food.</p> + +<p>In the evening, Bremen and Swanevelt returned with tusks of the bull +elephant, which were very large, and the Caffre warriors also came in; +the other Caffres belonging to the country were too busy eating for the +present. The chief of the Caffre warriors brought in the tufts of the +other elephant's tails and the teeth, and the men were loaded with the +flesh. As soon as the Caffres found that the oxen and horses had been +frightened away, and perceived that the Hottentots were not in a +situation to go after them, they threw down their meat and went in +pursuit. Before dark the cattle were all brought back; the fires were +lighted, and the Caffres did not give over their repast until near +midnight.</p> + +<p>Our travelers did not think it advisable, as the Hottentots were now no +protection, to go to bed; they made up a large fire, and remained by it, +talking over the adventures of the day. While they were conversing, +Begum, who had been sitting by her master, showed signs of uneasiness, +and at last clung round the Major with an evident strong fear.</p> + +<p>"Why, what can be the matter with the Princess?" said the Major; +"something has frightened her."</p> + +<p>"Yes, that is evident; perhaps there is an elephant near; shall we waken +Bremen and Swanevelt, who are close to us?"</p> + +<p>Begum chattered, and her teeth also chattered with fear, as she clung +closer and closer. Little Omrah, who was sitting by, looked very +earnestly at the baboon, and at last touching the shoulder of Alexander +to attract his attention, he first pointed to the baboon, imitating its +fright, and then going on his hands and feet, imitated the motions and +growl of an animal.</p> + +<p>"I understand," cried the Major, seizing his gun; "the lad means that +there is a lion near, and that is what frightens the baboon."</p> + +<p>"Lion!" said the Major to Omrah.</p> + +<p>But Omrah did not understand him; but pulling out his paper and pencil, +in a second almost he drew the form of a lion.</p> + +<p>"Clever little fellow! Wake them all, and get your guns ready," said the +Major, starting on his legs; "it can't be far off; confound the monkey, +she won't let go," continued he, tearing off Begum and throwing her +away. Begum immediately scampered to the wagon and hid herself.</p> + +<p>They had just awakened up the two Hottentots, when a roar was given so +loud and tremendous, that it appeared like thunder, and was reverberated +from the rocks opposite for some seconds.</p> + +<p>No one but those who have been in the country, and have fallen in with +this animal in its wild and savage state, can have any idea of the +appalling effect of a lion's roar. What is heard in a menagerie is weak, +and can give but a faint conception of it. In the darkness of the night +it is almost impossible to tell from what quarter the sound proceeds; +this arises from the habit which the animal has of placing his mouth +close to the ground when he roars, so that his voice rolls over the +earth, as it were like a breaker, and the sound is carried along with +all its tremendous force. It is indeed a most awful note of preparation, +and so thought Alexander, who had never heard one before.</p> + +<p>The Caffres had wakened up at the noise, and our travelers and the +Hottentots now fired their guns off in every direction to scare away the +animal. Repeated discharges had this effect, and in the course of half +an hour every thing was again quiet.</p> + +<p>"Well," observed Alexander, "this is the first time that I ever heard +the roar of a lion in its wild state; and I can assure you that I shall +never forget it as long as I live."</p> + +<p>"It is not the first time I have heard it," replied the Major; "but I +must say, what with the darkness and stillness of the night, and the +reverberation, I never heard it so awful before. But you, Swinton, who +have traveled in the Namaqua-land, have, of course."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I have, but very seldom."</p> + +<p>"But it is rather singular that we have not heard the lion before this, +is it not?" said Alexander.</p> + +<p>"The lion is often near without giving you notice," replied Swinton; +"but I do not think that there are many lions in the country we have +traversed; it is too populous. On the other side of the mountains, if we +return that way, we shall find them in plenty. Wherever the antelopes +are in herds, wherever you find the wild horse, zebra, and giraffe, you +will as certainly find the lion, for he preys upon them."</p> + +<p>"I know very well, Swinton, that you are closely attentive to the +peculiar habits of animals, and that they form a portion of your study. +Have you much knowledge of the lion? and if so, suppose you tell us +something about them."</p> + +<p>"I have certainly studied the habits of the lion, and what I have +gathered from my own observation and the information I received from +others, I shall be most happy to communicate. The lion undoubtedly does +not kill wantonly—of that I have had repeated instances. I recollect +one which is rather remarkable, as it showed the sagacity of the noble +brute. A man who belonged to one of the Mission stations, on his return +home from a visit to his friends, took a circuitous route to pass a pool +of water, at which he hoped to kill an antelope. The sun had risen to +some height when he arrived there, and as he could not perceive any +game, he laid his gun down on a low shelving rock, the back part of +which was covered with some brushwood. He went down to the pool and had +a hearty drink, returned to the rock, and after smoking his pipe, +feeling weary, he lay down and fell fast asleep.</p> + +<p>"In a short time, the excessive heat reflected from the rock awoke him, +and opening his eyes he perceived a large lion about a yard from his +feet, crouched down, with his eyes glaring on his face. For some minutes +he remained motionless with fright, expecting every moment that he would +be in the jaws of the monster; at last he recovered his presence of +mind, and casting his eye toward his gun, moved his hand slowly toward +it; upon which the lion raised up his head and gave a tremendous roar +which induced him hastily to withdraw his hand. With this the lion +appeared satisfied, and crouched with his head between his fore-paws as +before. After a little while the man made another attempt to possess +himself of his gun. The lion raised his head and gave another roar, and +the man desisted; another and another attempt were at intervals made, +but always with the same anger shown on the part of the lion."</p> + +<p>"Why, the lion must have known what he wanted the gun for."</p> + +<p>"Most certainly he did, and therefore would not allow the man to touch +it. It is to be presumed that the sagacious creature had been fired at +before; but you observe, that he did not wish to harm the man. He +appeared to say—You are in my power; you shall not go away: you shall +not take your musket to shoot me with, or I will tear you to pieces."</p> + +<p>"It certainly was very curious. Pray how did it end?"</p> + +<p>"Why the heat of the sun on the rock was so overpowering, that the man +was in great agony; his naked feet were so burned, that he was +compelled to keep moving them, placing one upon the other and changing +them every minute. The day passed, and the night also; the lion never +moved from the spot. The sun rose again, and the heat became so intense +that the poor man's feet were past all feeling. At noon, on that day, +the lion rose and walked to the pool, which was only a few yards +distant, looking behind him every moment to see if the man moved; the +man once more attempted to reach his gun, and the lion, perceiving it, +turned in rage, and was on the point of springing upon him; the man +withdrew his hand, and the beast was pacified."</p> + +<p>"How very strange!"</p> + +<p>"The animal went to the water and drank; it then returned and lay down +at the same place as before, about a yard from the man's feet. Another +night passed away, and the lion kept at his post. The next day, in the +forenoon, the animal again went to the water, and while there looked as +if he heard a noise in an opposite quarter, and then disappeared in the +bushes.</p> + +<p>"Perceiving this, the man made an effort, and seized his gun, but in +attempting to rise he found it not in his power, as the strength of his +ankles was gone. With his gun in his hand, he crept to the pool and +drank, and, looking at his feet, he discovered that his toes had been +quite roasted and the skin torn off as he crawled through the grass. He +sat at the pool for a few minutes expecting the lion's return, and +resolved to send the contents of his gun through his head; but the lion +did not return, so the poor fellow tied his gun on his back and crawled +away on his hands and knees as well as he could. He was quite exhausted, +and could have proceeded no further, when providentially a person fell +in with him and assisted him home; but he lost his toes, and was a +cripple for life."</p> + +<p>"What makes this story more remarkable is," observed the Major, "that +the lion, as it is rational to suppose, must have been hungry after +watching the man for sixty hours, even admitting that he had taken a +meal but a short time before."</p> + +<p>"I know many other curious and well-authenticated anecdotes about this +noble animal," observed Swinton, "which I shall be happy to give you; +but I must look at my memorandum-book, or I may not be quite correct in +my story. One fact is very remarkable, and as I had it from Mr.——, the +missionary, who stated that he had several times observed it himself, I +have no hesitation in vouching for its correctness, the more so, as I +did once perceive a similar fact myself; it is, that the fifth +commandment is observed by lions—they honor their father and mother.</p> + +<p>"If an old lion is in company with his children, as the natives call +them, although they are in size equal to himself, or if a number of +lions meet together in quest of game, there is always one who is +admitted by them to be the oldest and ablest, and who leads. If the game +is come up with, it is this one who creeps up to it, and seizes it, +while the others lie crouched upon the grass; if the old lion is +successful, which he generally is, he retires from his victim, and lies +down to breathe himself and rest for perhaps a quarter of an hour. The +others in the meantime draw round and lie down at a respectful distance, +but never presume to go near the animal which the old lion has killed. +As soon as the old lion considers himself sufficiently rested, he goes +up to the prey and commences at the breast and stomach, and after eating +a considerable portion he will take a second rest, none of the others +presuming to move.</p> + +<p>"Having made a second repast, he then retires; the other lions watch his +motions, and all rush to the remainder of the carcass, which is soon +devoured. I said that I witnessed an instance myself in corroboration of +this statement, which I will now mention. I was sitting on a rock after +collecting some plants, when below me I saw a young lion seize an +antelope; he had his paw upon the dead animal, when the old lion came +up,—upon which the young one immediately retired till his superior had +dined first, and then came in for the remainder. Mercy on us! what is +that?"</p> + +<p>"I thought it was the lion again," said Alexander, "but it is thunder; +we are about to have a storm."</p> + +<p>"Yes, and a fierce one too," said the Major; "I am afraid that we must +break up our party and retire under cover. We have some large drops of +rain already."</p> + +<p>A flash of lightning now dazzled them, and was followed by another, and +an instantaneous peal of thunder.</p> + +<p>"There is no mistake in this," said Swinton; "and I can tell you that we +shall have it upon us in less than a minute, so I am for my wagon."</p> + +<p>"At all events it will wash these Hottentots sober," observed the Major, +as they all walked away to their separate wagons for shelter.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XIV'></a><h2>CHAPTER XIV.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>They had scarcely gained the wagons before the thunder and lightning +became incessant, and so loud as to be deafening. It appeared as if they +were in the very center of the contending elements, and the wind rose +and blew with terrific force, while the rain poured down as if the +flood-gates of heaven were indeed opened. The lightning was so vivid, +that for the second that it lasted you could see the country round to +the horizon almost as clear as day; the next moment all was terrific +gloom accompanied by the stunning reports of the thunder, which caused +every article in the wagons, and the wagons themselves, to vibrate from +the concussion. A large tree, not fifty yards from the caravan, was +struck by the lightning, and came down with an appalling crash. The +Caffres had all roused up, and had sheltered themselves under the +wagons.</p> + +<p>The Hottentots had also begun to move, but had not yet recovered their +senses—indeed, they were again stupefied by the clamor of the elements. +The storm lasted about an hour, and then as suddenly cleared up again; +the stars again made their appearance in the sky above, and the red +tinge of the horizon announced the approach of daylight. When the storm +ceased, our travelers, who had not taken off their clothes, came out +from their shelter, and met each other by the side of the extinguished +fire.</p> + +<p>"Well," said Alexander, "I have been made wise on two points this +night; I now know what an African storm is, and also the roar of an +African lion. Have you heard if there is any mischief done, Bremen?" +continued Alexander to the Hottentot, who stood by.</p> + +<p>"No, sir; but I am afraid it will take us a long while to collect the +cattle; they will be dispersed in all directions, and we may have lost +some of them. It will soon be daylight, and then we must set off after +them."</p> + +<p>"Are those fellows quite sober now?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," replied Bremen, laughing; "water has washed all the liquor +out of them."</p> + +<p>"Well, you may tell them, as a punishment, I shall stop their tobacco +for a week."</p> + +<p>"Better not now, sir," said Bremen, thoughtfully; "the men don't like to +go further up the country, and they may be troublesome."</p> + +<p>"I think so too," said Swinton; "you must recollect that the cask was +running out, and the temptation was too strong. I should overlook it +this time. Give them a severe reprimand, and let them off."</p> + +<p>"I believe it will be the best way," replied Alexander; "not that I fear +their refusing to go on, for if they do, I will dismiss them, and go on +with the Caffres; they dare not go back by themselves, that is certain."</p> + +<p>"Sir," said Bremen, "that is very true; but you must not trust the +Caffres too much—Caffres always try to get guns and ammunition: Caffre +king, Hinza, very glad to get the wagons and what is in them: make him +rich man, and powerful man, with so many guns. Caffre king will not rob +in his own country, because he is afraid of the English; but if the +wagon's robbed, and you are killed in this country, which is not his, +then he make excuses, and say, 'I know nothing about it,' Say that their +people do it, not his people."</p> + +<p>"Bremen talks very sensibly," said the Major; "we must keep the +Hottentots as a check to the Caffres, and the Caffres as a check to the +Hottentots."</p> + +<p>"That is our policy, depend upon it," replied Swinton.</p> + +<p>"You are right, and we will do so; but the day is breaking; so? Bremen, +collect the people together to search for the cattle; and, Omrah, tell +Mahomed to come here."</p> + +<p>"By the by, Swinton," said Major Henderson, "those elephants' tusks +lying by the wagon remind me of a question I want to put to you:—In +Ceylon, where I have often hunted the elephant, they have no tusks; and +in India the tusks are not common, and in general very small. How do you +account for this variety?"</p> + +<p>"It has been observed before; and it is but a fair surmise, that +Providence, ever attentive to the wants of the meanest animals, has +furnished such large tusks to the African elephant for the necessity +which requires them. In Ceylon there is plenty of grass, and an abundant +supply of water all the year round; and further, in Ceylon, the elephant +has no enemy to defend himself against. Here, in Africa, the rivers are +periodical torrents, which dry up, and the only means which an elephant +has of obtaining water during the dry season is to dig with his tusks +into the bed of the river, till he finds the water, which he draws up +with his trunk. Moreover, he has to defend himself against the +rhinoceros, which is a formidable antagonist, and often victorious. He +requires tusks also for his food in this country, for the elephant digs +up the mimosa here with his tusks, that he may feed upon the succulent +roots of the tree. Indeed, an elephant in Africa without his tusks could +not well exist."</p> + +<p>"Thank you for your explanation, which appears very satisfactory and +conclusive; and now let us go to breakfast, for Mahomed, I perceive, is +ready, and Omrah has displayed our teacups, and is very busy blowing +into the spout of the teapot, a Bushman way of ascertaining if it is +stopped up. However, we must not expect to make a London footman out of +a 'Child of the Desert.'"</p> + +<p>"Where is his adversary and antagonist, the valiant Big Adam?"</p> + +<p>"He was among those who indulged in the liquor yesterday afternoon, and +I believe was worse than any one of them. The little Bushman did not +fail to take advantage of his defenseless state, and has been torturing +him in every way he could imagine during the whole night. I saw him +pouring water into the Hottentot's mouth as he lay on his back with his +mouth wide open, till he nearly choked him. To get it down faster, Omrah +had taken the big tin funnel, and had inserted one end into his mouth, +which he filled till the water ran out; after that he was trying what he +could do with fire, for he began putting hot embers between Big Adam's +toes; I dare say the fellow can not walk to-day."</p> + +<p>"I fear that some day he will kill Omrah, or do him some serious injury; +the boy must be cautioned," said Alexander.</p> + +<p>"I am afraid it will be of no use, and Omrah must take his chance: he is +aware of Big Adam's enmity as well as you are, and is always on his +guard; but as for persuading him to leave off his tricks, or to +reconcile them to each other, it is impossible," said Swinton—"you +don't know a Bushman."</p> + +<p>"Then pray tell us something about them," said the Major, "as soon as +you have finished that elephant-steak, which you appear to approve of. +Of what race are the Bushmen?"</p> + +<p>"I will tell you when I have finished my breakfast," replied Swinton, +"and not before: if I begin to talk, you will eat all the steak, and +that won't do."</p> + +<p>"I suspect that we shall not leave this to-day," said Alexander. "If, as +Bremen says, the cattle have strayed very far, it will be too late to go +in the afternoon, and to-morrow you recollect is Sunday, and that, we +have agreed, shall be kept as it ought to be."</p> + +<p>"Very true," said the Major; "then we must make Swinton entertain us by +telling us more about the lions, for he had not finished when the storm +came on."</p> + +<p>"No," replied Swinton; "I had a great deal more to say, and I shall be +very happy at any seasonable time, Major, to tell you what I know—but +not just now."</p> + +<p>"My dear fellow," said the Major, putting another piece of +elephant-steak upon Swinton's plate, "pray don't entertain the idea that +I want you to talk on purpose that I may eat your share and my own too; +only ascribe my impatience to the true cause—the delight I have in +receiving instruction and amusement from you."</p> + +<p>"Well, Swinton, you have extorted a compliment from the Major."</p> + +<p>"Yes, and an extra allowance of steak, which is a better thing," replied +Swinton, laughing. "Now I have finished my breakfast, I will tell what I +know about Omrah's people.</p> + +<p>"The Bushmen are originally a Hottentot race—of that I think there is +little doubt; but I believe they are a race of people produced by +circumstances, if I may use the expression. The Hottentot on the plains +lives a nomad life, pasturing and living upon his herds. The Bushman may +be considered as the Hottentot driven out of his fertile plains, +deprived of his cattle, and compelled to resort to the hills for his +safety and subsistence—in short, a Hill Hottentot: impelled by hunger +and by injuries, he has committed depredations upon the property of +others until he has had a mark set upon him; his hand has been against +every man, and he has been hunted like a wild beast, and compelled to +hide himself in the caves of almost inaccessible rocks and hills.</p> + +<p>"Thus, generation after generation, he has suffered privation and +hunger, till the race has dwindled down to the small size which it is at +present. Unable to contend against force, his only weapons have been his +cunning and his poisoned arrows, and with them he has obtained his +livelihood—or rather, it may be said, has contrived to support life, +and no more. There are, however, many races mixed up with the Bushmen; +for runaway slaves, brought from Madagascar, Malays, and even those of +the mixed white breed, when they have committed murder or other penal +crimes, have added to the race and incorporated themselves with them; +they are called the Children of the Desert, and they are literally +such."</p> + +<p>"Have you seen much of them?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, when I was in the Namaqua-land and in the Bechuana territory I saw +a great deal of them. I do not think that they are insensible to +kindness, and moreover, I believe that they may often be trusted; but +you run a great risk."</p> + +<p>"Have they ever shown any gratitude?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; when I have killed game for them, they have followed me on +purpose to show me the pools of waters without which we should have +suffered severely, if we had not perished. We were talking about lions; +it is an old-received opinion, that the jackal is the lion's provider; +it would be a more correct one to say that the lion is the Bushman's +provider."</p> + +<p>"Indeed!"</p> + +<p>"I once asked a Bushman, 'How do you live?' His reply was, 'I live by the +lions.' I asked him to explain to me. He said, 'I will show what I do: I +let the lions follow the game and kill it and eat till they have their +bellies full, then I go up to where the lion is sitting down by the +carcass, and I go pretty near to him; I cry out, What have you got +there, can not you spare me some of it? Go away and let me have some +meat, or I'll do you some harm. Then I dance and jump about and shake my +skin-dress, and the lion looks at me, and he turns round and walks away; +he growls very much, but he don't stay, and then I eat the rest.'"</p> + +<p>"And is that true?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I believe it, as I have had it confessed by many others. The fact +is, the lion is only dangerous when he is hungry—that is, if he is not +attacked; and if, as the Bushman said, the lion has eaten sufficiently, +probably not wishing to be disturbed, after his repast, by the presence +and shouts of the Bushman, the animal retires to some other spot. I was +informed that a very short time afterward, this Bushman, who told me +what I have detailed to you, was killed by a lioness, when attempting to +drive it away from its prey by shouting as he was used to do. The fact +was, that he perceived a lioness devouring a wild horse, and went up to +her as usual; but he did not observe that she had her whelps with her: +he shouted; she growled savagely, and before he had time to retreat, she +sprang upon him and tore him to pieces."</p> + +<p>"The lion does not prey upon men, then, although he destroys them?"</p> + +<p>"Not generally; but the Namaqua people told me that, if a lion once +takes a fancy to men's flesh—and they do, after they have in their +hunger devoured one or two—they become doubly dangerous, as they will +leave all other game and hunt man only; but this I can not vouch for +being the truth, although it is very probable."</p> + +<p>"If we judge from analogy, it is," replied the Major. "The Bengal tigers +in India, it is well known, if they once taste human flesh, prefer it to +all other, and they are well known to the natives, who term them +man-eaters. Strange to say, it appears that human flesh is not wholesome +for them; for their skins become mangy after they have taken to eating +that alone. I have shot a 'man-eater' from the back of an elephant, and +I found that the skin was not worth taking."</p> + +<p>"The Namaquas," replied Swinton, "told me that a lion, once enamored of +human flesh, would, in order to obtain it so far overcome his caution, +that he would leap through a fire to seize a man. I once went to visit a +Namaqua chief, who had been severely wounded by a lion of this +description—a man-eater, as the Major terms them,—and he gave me the +following dreadful narrative, which certainly corroborates what they +assert of the lion who had once taken a fancy to human flesh.</p> + +<p>"The chief told me that he had gone out with a party of his men to hunt: +they had guns, bows and arrows, and assaguays. On the first day, as they +were pursuing an elephant, they came across some lions, who attacked +them and they were obliged to save their lives by abandoning a horse, +which the lions devoured. They then made hiding-places of thick bushes +by a pool, where they knew the elephant and rhinoceros would come to +drink.</p> + +<p>"As they fired at a rhinoceros, a lion leaped into their inclosure, took +up one of the men in his mouth and carried him off, and all that they +afterward could find of him the next day was one of the bones of his +leg. The next night, as they were sitting by a fire inside of their +inclosure of bushes, a lion came, seized one of the men, dragged him +through the fire, and tore out his back. One of the party fired, but +missed; upon which, the lion, dropping his dying victim, growled at the +men across the fire, and they durst not repeat the shot; the lion then +took up his prey in his mouth, and went off with it.</p> + +<p>"Alarmed at such disasters, the Namaquas collected together in one +strong inclosure, and at night sent out one of the slaves for water. He +had no sooner reached the pool than he was seized by a lion; he called +in vain for help, but was dragged off through the woods, and the next +day his skull only was found, clean licked by the rough tongue of the +lion.</p> + +<p>"Having now lost three men in three days, the chief and his whole party +turned out to hunt and destroy lions only. They followed the spoor or +track of the one which had taken the slave, and they soon found two +lions, one of which, the smallest, they shot; and then, having taken +their breakfast, they went after the other, and largest, which was +recognized as the one which had devoured the man.</p> + +<p>"They followed the animal to a patch of reeds, where it had intrenched +itself; they set fire to the reeds and forced it out, and as it was +walking off it was severely wounded by one of the party, when it +immediately turned back, and, with a loud roar, charged right through +the smoke and the burning reeds. The monster dashed in among them and +seized the chief's brother by the back, tearing out his ribs and +exposing his lungs.</p> + +<p>"The chief rushed to the assistance of his expiring brother; his gun +burned priming. He dashed it down, and in his desperation seized the +lion by the tail. The lion let go the body, and turned upon the chief, +and with a stroke of his fore-paw tore a large piece of flesh off the +chief's arm; then struck him again and threw him on the ground. The +chief rose instantly, but the lion then seized him by the knee, threw +him down again, and there held him, mangling his left arm.</p> + +<p>"Torn and bleeding, the chief in a feeble voice called to his men to +shoot the animal from behind, which was at last done with a ball which +passed through the lion's brain. After this destruction of four men in +four days, the hunting was given over; the body of the chief's brother +was buried, and the party went home, bearing with them their wounded +chief."</p> + +<p>"Well, that is the most horrible lion-adventure I have yet heard," said +the Major. "Heaven preserve us from a man-eating lion!"</p> + +<p>"It really has almost taken away my breath," said Alexander.</p> + +<p>"Well, then, I will tell you one more amusing, and not so fatal in its +results; I was told it by a Bushman," said Swinton. "A Bushman was +following a herd of zebras, and had just succeeded in wounding one with +his arrow, when he discovered that he had been interfering with a lion, +who was also in chase of the same animals. As the lion appeared very +angry at this interference with his rights as lord of the manor, and +evidently inclined to punish the Bushman as a poacher upon his +preserves, the latter, perceiving a tree convenient, climbed up into it +as fast as he could. The lion allowed the herd of zebras to go away, and +turned his attention to the Bushman. He walked round and round the tree, +and every now and then he growled as he looked up at the Bushman.</p> + +<p>"At last the lion lay down at the foot of the tree, and there he kept +watch all night. The Bushman kept watch also, but toward morning, +feeling very tired, he was overcome by sleep, and as he slept, he +dreamed, and what do you think that he dreamed?—he dreamed that he fell +from the tree into the jaws of the lion. Starting up in horror from the +effects of his dream, he lost his hold, and falling from the branch, +down he came with all his weight right on the back of the lion. The +lion, so unexpectedly saluted, sprang up with a loud roar, tossing off +the Bushman, and running away as fast as he could; and the Bushman, +recovering his legs and his senses, also took to his heels in a +different direction; and thus were the 'sleepers awakened,' and the +dream became true."</p> + +<p>"Besiegers retreating and fort evacuated both at the same time," cried +the Major, laughing.</p> + +<p>"Well, I think you have had enough of the lion now," said Swinton.</p> + +<p>"No, we had quite enough of him last night, if you choose," replied +Alexander. "But your lions are not quite so near as he was."</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XV'></a><h2>CHAPTER XV.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>It was not until the evening that the Caffres and Hottentots returned +with the cattle, which they had great difficulty in collecting; two or +three of the oxen were not brought back till late at night, so +frightened had the animals been by the approach of the lion. In the +afternoon, as it was too late to think of proceeding, our travelers, +with their guns on their shoulders, and accompanied by Omrah and Begum, +who would always follow the Major if she was not tied up, strolled away +from the camp to amuse themselves. At first they walked to the hill from +which they had such a splendid view of the valley covered with +elephants, and, proceeding to where the male elephant had fallen, found +that his flesh had, by the Caffres, the wolves, and the vultures, been +completely taken off his bones, and it lay there a beautiful skeleton +for a museum.</p> + +<p>As, however, they had no room for such weighty articles in their wagons, +they left it, after Swinton had made some observations upon the +structure of the animal. Begum would not go near the skeleton, but +appeared to be frightened at it. They then proceeded to the rock which +had been their place of refuge when the herd of elephants had charged +upon them; and as they stood under it, they were suddenly saluted with a +loud noise over their heads, sounding like quah, quah!</p> + +<p>As soon as Begum heard it, she ran up to the Major with every sign of +trepidation, holding fast to his skin trowsers.</p> + +<p>"What was that?" said Alexander; "I see nothing."</p> + +<p>"I know what it is," said the Major; "it is a herd of baboons; there +they are; don't you see their heads over the rocks?"</p> + +<p>"Let them show themselves a little more, and we'll have a shot at them," +replied Alexander, cocking his gun.</p> + +<p>"Not for your life," cried Swinton; "you will be skinned and torn to +pieces, if they are numerous, and you enrage them. You have no idea +what savage and powerful creatures they are. Look at them now; they are +coming down gradually; we had better be off."</p> + +<p>"I think so too," said the Major; "they are very angry; they have seen +Begum, and imagine that we have one of their herd in our possession. +Pray don't fire, Wilmot, unless it is for your life; we are too few to +make them afraid of us. Here they come; there are a hundred of them at +least; let us walk away slowly—it won't do to run, for that would make +them chase us at once."</p> + +<p>The baboons, some of which were of gigantic size, were now descending +from the rock, grunting, grinning, springing from stone to stone, +protruding their mouths, shaking their heads, drawing back the skin of +their foreheads, and showing their formidable tusks, advancing nearer +and nearer, and threatening an attack. Some of the largest males +advanced so close as to make a snatch at Omrah. As for Begum, she kept +behind the Major, hiding herself as much as possible. At last one or two +advanced so close, rising on their hind-legs, that the Major was obliged +to ward them off with his gun, "Point your guns at them," said Swinton, +"if they come too close; but do not fire, I beg you. If we only get from +off this rocky ground to the plain below, we shall probably get rid of +them."</p> + +<p>The ground on which they were formed a portion of the rocky hill upon +which they had taken shelter the day of the elephant-hunt; and within +twenty-five yards of them there was an abrupt descent of about four +feet, which joined it to the plain. They had gained half-way, parrying +the animals off as well as they could, as they retreated backward, when +some of the baboons came down from the other side of the rock, so as to +attempt to cut off their retreat, their object evidently being to gain +possession of Begum, whom they considered as belonging to them—and a +captive.</p> + +<p>Their situation now became more critical; for the whole herd were +joining the foremost; and the noise they made, and the anger they +expressed, were much greater than before.</p> + +<p>"We must fire, I really believe," said the Major, when they heard a +deep, hollow growl, followed up by a roar of some animal, apparently not +very far off. At this sound the baboons halted, and listened in silence; +again the growl was repeated, and followed up by the roar, and the +baboons, at a shriek given by one on the rock, turned round and took to +their heels, much to the delight of our travelers, who had felt the +peculiar difficulty and danger of their situation.</p> + +<p>"What animal was that which has frightened them off?" said the Major.</p> + +<p>"It was the growl of a leopard," replied Swinton; "we must keep a sharp +look-out; it can't be far off. The leopard is the great enemy of the +baboons. But where is Omrah?"</p> + +<p>They all looked round, but the boy was not to be seen. At last he showed +his head above the foot of the rocky hill, where there was a descent of +four feet, as we have mentioned, then sprang up the rock, and began +capering, and imitating the baboons as they came on to the attack.</p> + +<p>As they were laughing at him, all at once he stopped, and putting his +hands to his mouth he gave the growl and roar of a leopard, which they +had heard, and then set off running away baboon fashion.</p> + +<p>"It was the Bushman, then, that frightened them off; he is a clever +little fellow."</p> + +<p>"And I am not sure that he has not saved our lives," replied Swinton; +"but he has been brought up among them, one may say, and knows their +habits well. If he had not hid himself below the rocks before he +imitated the leopard, it would have been of no use, for they would not +have been frightened, hearing the growl proceeding from him. I admire +the boy's presence of mind."</p> + +<p>"I thought at one time that the baboons had an idea that Omrah was one +of them. What a snatch they made at him!"</p> + +<p>"It would not have been the first time that these animals have carried +off a boy," said Swinton; "I saw one at Latakoo, who had lived two years +with the baboons, which had carried him off."</p> + +<p>"How did they treat him?"</p> + +<p>"Very well indeed; but they kept him a prisoner. When they found that +he would not eat the coarse food which they did, they brought him other +things; and they invariably allowed him to drink first at the pools."</p> + +<p>"Well, that was homage to our superiority. Confound their quahs, I shall +not get them out of my head for a week. What terrible large tusks they +have!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, their incisors are very strong. They often destroy the leopard +when they meet it in numbers; but if one happens to be away from the +herd, he has, of course, no chance with such an animal. Begum did not +appear at all willing to renew her connection."</p> + +<p>"None of the monkey tribe, after they have lived with man, ever are; +indeed it is a question, if they had taken possession of her, whether +they would not have torn her to pieces immediately, or have worried her +to death some way or other."</p> + +<p>"Well, at all events, Swinton, you have been rewarded for your kindness +to that poor little Bushman, and we have reaped the benefit of it," +observed Alexander. "But here come some of the oxen; I hope we shall be +able to start early on Monday. The native Caffres say that the wagons +can not proceed much further."</p> + +<p>"No, not further than to the banks of the Umtata River: but you will +then be not a great way from your destination. Daaka is the chief's +name, is it not?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, that is his name; and if he is as supposed to be, he is my first +cousin. How strange it sounds to me, as I look around me in this savage +and wild country, that I should be within forty miles of a +blood-relation, who is an inhabitant of it!"</p> + +<p>"Well, we shall soon know the truth; but I must say, if it is only to +end in a morning call, you have come a long way for the purpose," +replied the Major.</p> + +<p>"I have come to ascertain a fact, which, from what I now know of the +country and its inhabitants, will be the source of any thing but +pleasure if it be established. My only hope is that it may prove +otherwise than we suppose; and there is little chance of that, I fear."</p> + +<p>"At all events, come what may," observed Swinton, "you will have done +your duty."</p> + +<p>On their return, they found all the men and cattle collected, and that +night they increased the number of their fires, and tied the oxen to the +wagons, that they might not be scattered by the return of the lion. The +latter did not, however, make his appearance, and the night was passed +without any disturbance. The following day being Sunday, the Hottentots +were assembled, and desired not to start from the camp, as they would be +expected to attend to prayers and Divine service; and as no hunting +expedition was proposed, the Caffre warriors, as well as the native +Caffres, who came in with their baskets of milk and other articles for +sale and barter, also remained. Before dinner-time, the bell which had +been brought with them from the Cape, to ring in case of any one having +strayed from the camp, that he might be guided to return, was tolled by +Bremen, and the Hottentots were assembled. Prayers and a portion of the +Bible were then read.</p> + +<p>The Caffre warriors, who had been told that the white men were going to +pray to their God, were very silent and attentive, although they could +not understand what was said; and the native Caffres, men, women and +children, sat down and listened. As soon as the service was over, the +Caffre head man of the warriors asked the interpreter to inquire of our +travelers why they struck the bell? was it to let God know that they +were about to pray, and did he hear what they said?</p> + +<p>Swinton replied, that their God heard all that they said, and listened +to the prayers of those who trusted in him.</p> + +<p>A great many other questions were put by the Caffres, all of which were +replied to with great caution by Mr. Swinton, as he was fearful that +they might not otherwise be understood by the Caffres; but they were, as +it was proved by the questions which followed in consequence. A great +portion of the afternoon was passed away in explaining and replying to +the interrogatories of these people, and our travelers felt convinced +that by having kept the Sabbath in that savage land they had done some +good by the example; for, as Swinton truly observed—</p> + +<p>"The missionaries come into the land to spread the gospel of Christ; +they tell the natives that such is the religion and belief of the white +men, and that such are the doctrines which are inculcated. Now white men +come here as traders, or are occasionally seen here as travelers; and if +the natives find, as they have found, that these white men, stated by +the missionaries to hold the same belief, not only show no evidence of +their belief, but are guilty of sins expressly forbidden by the religion +preached, is not the work of the missionary nearly destroyed?</p> + +<p>"I have often thought that the behavior of the Dutch boors toward the +natives must have had such an effect; indeed, I may say that the colony +has been founded upon very opposite principles to those of 'doing unto +others as you would they should do unto you.' I believe that there never +yet was an intercourse between Christians nominal and savages, in any +portion of the globe, but that the savages have with great justice +thrown in the Christians' teeth, that they preached one thing but did +another. Unfortunately the taunt is but too true. Even those who had +left their country for religious persecution have erred in the same way. +The conduct of the Puritans who landed at Salem was as barbarous toward +the Indians as that of Pizarro and his followers toward the Mexicans. In +either case the poor aborigines were hunted to death."</p> + +<p>On Monday they started at daylight, and proceeded on the journey; but +they made little progress, on account of the difficulty of traveling +with the wagons in a country consisting of alternate precipices and +ravines, without any roads. The second day proved to be one of greater +difficulty; they were obliged to cut down trees, fill up holes, remove +large pieces of rock, and with every precaution the wagons were often +out of order, and they were obliged to halt for repairs.</p> + +<p>At night they were about ten miles from the Umtata River, and it was +doubtful, from the accounts received from the natives of the country, if +they would be able to go further with the wagons than to its bank. But +in the evening, news was brought that the Amaquibi, the nation of +warriors which were governed by Quetoo, and which had come from the +north, had been attacked by two of the native tribes, aided by some +white men with guns; that the white men had all been destroyed, and that +the hostile army were marching south.</p> + +<p>The native Caffres appeared to be in a panic, and this panic was soon +communicated to the Hottentots. At first, murmurings were heard as they +sat round the fire, and at last they broke out into open mutiny. Big +Adam, with three others, came up to the fire where our travelers were +sitting, and intimated that they must return immediately, as they would +proceed no further; that if it was decided to go on, the Hottentots +would not, as they had no intention of being murdered by the savages who +were advancing. Swinton, who could speak the Dutch language, having +consulted with Alexander and the Major, replied that it was very true +that the army of Quetoo was to the northward; but that the report of the +defeat of the Caffres and of the army advancing was not confirmed. It +was only a rumor, and might all be false; that even if true, it did not +follow they were advancing in the direction in which they themselves +were about to proceed; that it would be sufficient time for them to +retreat when they found out what were the real facts, which would be the +case in a few days at the furthest. But the Hottentots would not listen +to any thing that he said; they declared that they would proceed no +further.</p> + +<p>By this time all the other Hottentots had joined the first who came up +to our travelers, and made the same demand, stating their determination +not to proceed a mile further. Only Bremen and Swanevelt opposed the +rest, and declared that they would follow their masters wherever they +chose to lead them. Alexander now sent for the interpreter and the chief +of the Caffre warriors, lent him by Hinza, and desired the interpreter +to ask the Caffre whether he and his band would follow them. The Caffre +answered that they would; Hinza had given them in charge, and they could +not return and say that they had left them because there was an enemy +at hand. Hinza would kill them all if they did; they must bring back the +travelers safe, or lose their lives in their defense.</p> + +<p>"Well, then," said the Major, "now we can do without these cowardly +fellows, who are no use to us but to eat and drink; so now let us +discharge them at once, all but Bremen and Swanevelt."</p> + +<p>"I agree with you, Major," said Alexander; "what do you think, Swinton?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, let us discharge them, for then they will be in a precious +dilemma. We will discharge them without arms, and desire them to go +home; that they dare not do, so they will remain. But let us first +secure their muskets, which lie round their fire, before we dismiss +them; or they will not, perhaps, surrender them, and we may be in an +awkward position. I will slip away, and while I am away, do you keep +them in talk until I return, which I shall not do until I have locked up +all the guns in the store-wagon."</p> + +<p>As Swinton rose, the Major addressed the Hottentots. "Now, my lads," +said he, "here are Bremen and Swanevelt who consent to follow us; all +the Caffre warriors agree to follow us; and here are about twenty of you +who refuse. Now I can not think that you will leave us; you know that we +have treated you well, and have given you plenty of tobacco; you know +that you will be punished as soon as you return to the Cape. Why then +are you so foolish? Now look you: I am sure that upon reflection you +will think better of it. Let me understand clearly your reasons for not +proceeding with us; I wish to hear them again, and let each man speak +for himself."</p> + +<p>The Hottentots immediately began to state over again their reasons for +not going on; and thus the Major, who made each give his reason +separately, gained their attention, and the time which was required. +Before they all had spoken, Swinton came back and took his seat by the +fire.</p> + +<p>"All's safe," said he; "Bremen and Swanevelt's guns have been locked up +with the others." Our travelers had their own lying by them. The Caffre +warriors, who were standing behind the Hottentots, had all their +assaguays in their hands; but their shields, as usual, were hanging to +the sides of the wagons. The Major allowed the whole of the Hottentots +to speak, and when they were done, he said, "Now, Wilmot, turn the +tables on them."</p> + +<p>Alexander then got up with his gun in his hand, the Major and Swinton +did the same, and then Alexander told the Hottentots that they were a +cowardly set of fellows; that with Bremen and Swanevelt, and the band of +Caffre warriors, he could do without them; that since they did not +choose to proceed, they might now leave the camp immediately, as they +should get neither food nor any thing else from them in future. "So now +be off, the whole of you; and if I find one to-morrow morning in sight +of the camp, or if one of you dares to follow us, I will order the +Caffres to run him through. You are dismissed, and to-morrow we leave +without you."</p> + +<p>Alexander then called the chief of the Caffre warriors, and desired him, +in the presence of the Hottentots, to give particular charge of the +cattle, horses, and sheep, to his warriors during the night; and if any +one attempted to touch them, to run him through the body. "Do this +immediately," said Alexander to the chief, who without delay spoke to +his men, and they went off in obedience to his orders.</p> + +<p>The Hottentots, who had heard all this, now retreated to their wagon, +but were struck with consternation when they found that their guns had +been removed; for they trusted to their guns and ammunition to enable +them to procure food and protect themselves on their return. They +consulted together in a low voice; they looked round and perceived that +our three travelers had quitted the fire, and were keeping guard with +their guns upon the wagons, to prevent any attempt of breaking them +open, on the part of the Hottentots. Moreover, ten of the Caffres, with +their spears, had since the breaking up of the conference, been put in +charge of the wagons by the chief, at the request of the Major. The +Hottentots now perceived their forlorn position.</p> + +<p>How could they, without arms and ammunition, and without provisions, +return to the Cape, such a number of miles distant? How could they +exist, if they remained where they were? When they insisted upon our +travelers returning, they had quite overlooked the circumstance that +these could protect themselves with the Caffre warriors, and that they +were not in a condition to enforce their demand.</p> + +<p>After a long conversation, they did what all Hottentots will do under +any emergency,—they lay down by the fire, and fell fast asleep. +Swinton, having ascertained that they were really asleep, proposed that +they themselves should retire to the wagon, and leave the Caffres on +guard, which they did; as they well knew that a Hottentot once fast +asleep is not easily roused up even to "treason, stratagem, or spoil."</p> + +<p>Shortly after break of day, Bremen came to them, stating that he found +the wagons could proceed no further, as he had walked on, and discovered +that a mile before them there was a ravine so deep that it would be +difficult for the cattle to go down, and for the wagons impossible; that +at a distance of three miles below he could see the river, which was +also so embedded in rocks, as to be impassable by the wagons.</p> + +<p>The Major immediately went with Bremen, to satisfy himself of the truth +of this, and returned, stating that further progress with wagons was +impossible.</p> + +<p>"Well, then, we must now hold a council," said Swinton. "Of course, +proceed you will, Wilmot, that is decided; the only question is, as we +must now proceed on horseback, what force you will take with you, and +what shall be left in charge of the wagons?"</p> + +<p>"I think we can trust the Caffres, do not you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I do; but I wish from my heart that the Hottentots had not +rebelled; for although in some respects cowardly fellows, yet with their +muskets they are brave, and their muskets keep the natives in order."</p> + +<p>"To the Caffres, the contents of the wagons would prove a temptation; +but these are not temptations to the Hottentots, whose object is to get +back safe, and receive their wages. Thus we play them off against each +other."</p> + +<p>"Here are all the Hottentots coming up to us," said the Major; "I hope +it is to make submission; it is very desirable that they should do so +before they know that the wagons proceed no further."</p> + +<p>The surmise of the Major was correct: the Hottentots had again canvassed +the matter over, and, perceiving the helplessness of their position, had +come in a body to beg forgiveness, and to offer to accompany our +travelers wherever they pleased to take them.</p> + +<p>It was a long while before Alexander would consent to receive them +again, and not until they had made promise upon promise, that he seemed +at last to be mollified. Swinton then interceded for them, and at last +Alexander consented, upon their future good behavior, to overlook their +conduct. This matter having been satisfactorily arranged, the former +question was resumed.</p> + +<p>"One of you, I fear, must remain with the wagons," observed Alexander; +"or both of you, if you please. I have no right to ask you to go upon +any wild-goose chase, and run into danger for nothing."</p> + +<p>"That one should remain with the wagons will be necessary," said +Swinton; "and I think that the Major, if he does not object, is the +proper person. The party who are left must provide themselves with food +by their guns; and it will require more military tact than I possess to +arrange that and to defend the wagons. I will accompany you, Wilmot, as +I can speak better Dutch, and the interpreter will not get on well +without me."</p> + +<p>"Will you have the kindness to take charge of the wagons, Major, during +our absence?"</p> + +<p>"I think, perhaps, it will be as well; although I had rather have gone +with you," replied the Major. "I propose that you take thirty of the +Caffres, Bremen, and eight Hottentots with you; leave me Swanevelt and +the other Hottentots."</p> + +<p>"Yes, that will do very well; we will leave the Caffre head man with +you."</p> + +<p>"No; he must go with the larger portion of his party; he could not well +be separated from them. I will find a proper place for the wagons, and +stockade myself regularly in; that will be a good job for the +Hottentots, and I dare say I shall do very well."</p> + +<p>"I shall not leave you Omrah, Major," said Swinton; "for, as we shall +take four horses with us, I wish him to ride one, and he can attend upon +us, as you have Mahomed."</p> + +<p>"You may have Begum to ride the other," replied the Major, "if you +please; then you will each have a groom."</p> + +<p>"No, no, it would be a pity to part you and her; however, there is no +time to be lost, for if this great chief and warrior Quetoo is +advancing, it may be as well to be ready for a retreat; the sooner we +are off, the sooner we shall be back; so now to pack up."</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XVI'></a><h2>CHAPTER XVI.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>The first step taken by Alexander was to send for the Hottentots, and, +after again reproving them for their former behavior, he asked who were +ready to volunteer to proceed with him, as he had decided to leave the +wagons with Major Henderson, and proceed on horseback the short distance +of his journey which remained to be accomplished.</p> + +<p>Several of the Hottentots immediately came forward; the heads of the +mutiny held back, and thus proved to Alexander that the men who had come +forward were persuaded into it by the others, and regretted what they +had done. He therefore immediately accepted their services, and their +muskets were returned to them. Alexander then stated his intentions to +the Caffre head man, who selected the thirty warriors that were +required, and in the course of three hours every thing was ready for +their departure.</p> + +<p>It was arranged that in case of danger arising to either party, they +should, if possible, fall back to the newly established Mission of +Morley, on the sea-coast; but otherwise, the wagons would remain where +they were till Alexander's return. Having packed up all they required in +small packages, to be carried by the Caffres, they bade farewell to the +Major, and set off, having no baggage but what we have mentioned; for +Alexander would not be encumbered with a load of heavy articles which +must prevent rapid progress, or rapid retreat if necessary.</p> + +<p>In two hours they arrived by difficult passes at the banks of the Umtata +River, which they crossed, and soon afterward falling in with a Caffre +kraal, they were informed that Daaka, the chief whom they sought, did +not reside more than twenty miles distant; and they easily procured a +guide to show them the way.</p> + +<p>The reports of the advance of the Amaquibi army were here fully +confirmed, and the natives were preparing to leave the kraal with all +their cattle. It appeared, however, that at present the army was +stationary; the warriors carousing and enjoying themselves after the +victory which they had gained over the Caffres. As these had been +assisted by white men and their guns, the spirits of the Amaquibi were +raised to an extraordinary degree, and they were intending to carry +their arms to the southward, as soon as Quetoo, their chief, had +somewhat recovered from his wounds received in the late action. Indeed, +it was the wounded state of their chief which was the principal cause of +the army not having immediately proceeded to the southward.</p> + +<p>Having obtained this information, the travelers resumed their journey +along the banks of the Umtata, over a country of surprising beauty, the +deep river being full of hippopotami, which were lying on the banks or +snorting in the stream. They could not wait to kill one during the +daytime, but promised the men they would allow them to make the attempt +in the evening, after their day's march was over. Toward sunset, they +stopped on the banks of the river on a rising ground, and the Hottentots +and some Caffres were then directed to go down to the river in chase of +the hippopotami, as it was advisable to save their provisions as much as +possible.</p> + +<p>Before night they had succeeded, and the carcass of the animal was +hauled on shore. As soon as the party had taken as much as they +required, the native Caffres carried off the remainder of the flesh. As +they were sitting down carousing by the fire which had been lighted, the +Caffre head warrior came up to the interpreter, and told Alexander and +Swinton not to say that they were Hinza's warriors if asked where they +came from. On being asked why, he told them that Hinza had married a +daughter of the chief of this country, and after a time had sent her +back again to her father, and that this had created ill blood between +the tribes, although no war had taken place. Alexander and Swinton, who +perceived that the advice was judicious, told him that they would not, +and after partaking of the hippopotamus flesh they all lay down to +repose under the far-spreading branches of a large tree.</p> + +<p>The next morning they set off, and after an hour's journey the guide +told them that they were at the kraal of Daaka, the descendant of the +Europeans. The bellowing of the cattle and noise of the calves soon +directed them to the spot, and they entered a kraal consisting of +several very wretched huts. On inquiring for Daaka, a woman pointed out +a hut at a little distance, and, as they dismounted and walked up, he +came out to meet them. Swinton and Alexander shook hands with the chief, +and said that they were very glad to see him, and that they had come far +to pay him a visit. The chief ordered a hut to be swept out for their +accommodation, which they took possession of.</p> + +<p>"You have no idea, Swinton," said Alexander, "how much I am excited +already by this interview."</p> + +<p>"I can imagine it, my dear Wilmot," said Swinton; "it is but natural, +for he is your kinsman by all report, and certainly, although a Caffre +in his habits and manners, his countenance and features are strikingly +European."</p> + +<p>"That I have observed myself, and it has fully convinced me of the truth +of the statement. I am most anxious to examine him—we must call the +interpreter."</p> + +<p>The chief entered the hut soon afterward, and took his seat; the +interpreter was sent for, and the conversation was begun by Daaka, who +like most of the Caffre chiefs, with the hope of obtaining presents, +stated himself to be very poor, his cattle to be dying, and his children +without milk. Our travelers allowed him to go on for some time in this +manner, and then sent for a present of beads and tobacco, which they +gave him. They then commenced their inquiries, and the first question +they asked was, why he resided so near the sea.</p> + +<p>"Because the sea is my mother," replied he; "I came from the sea, and +the sea feeds me when I am hungry."</p> + +<p>"In that reply he evidently refers to the wreck of the ship," observed +Swinton; "and I presume, from the fish-bones, which we have seen about +the kraal, that these Caffres feed on fish, which the other tribes do +not, and therefore it is that he says his mother feeds him."</p> + +<p>"Was your mother white?" inquired Alexander.</p> + +<p>"Yes," replied Daaka, "her skin was white as yours; her hair was just +like yours, long and dark; but before she died it was quite white."</p> + +<p>"What was your mother's name?"</p> + +<p>"Kuma," replied the chief.</p> + +<p>"Had you any brothers and sisters?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I had; I have one sister alive now."</p> + +<p>"What is her name?" inquired Swinton.</p> + +<p>"Bess," replied the chief.</p> + +<p>"This is very confirmatory," said Alexander; "my aunt's name was +Elizabeth; she must have called her child after herself."</p> + +<p>"Whom did your mother marry?"</p> + +<p>"She first married my uncle, and had no children; and then she married +my father; both were chiefs, and I am a chief; she had five children by +my father."</p> + +<center> +<img src='images/143.jpg' width='667' height='1051' alt='[Illustration: THE CAFFRE CHIEF. P. 195.]' title=''> +</center> + + +<p>A long conversation took place after this, the substance of which we may +as well communicate to our reader in few words. From the children of +Kuma, supposed to be Elizabeth, the aunt of Alexander, were produced +a numerous race of the European blood, who were celebrated in +the Caffre land for their courage; they were continually engaged in war, +as their alliance was eagerly sought, and in consequence had nearly all +perished. Daaka himself was renowned for warlike exploits, but he was +now a very old man. In the evening the chief took his leave, and went to +his own hut.</p> + +<p>As soon as they were alone, Alexander said to Swinton, "I have now so +far fulfilled my promise to my worthy relation that I have seen this +descendant of his child; but what am I to do? An old man like him is not +very likely to consent to go to England, and as for his sister Bess, he +states that she is equally infirm; the progeny of the rest of the family +are scattered about, and he himself knows nothing about them; to collect +them would be impossible, and if collected, equally impossible to remove +them, for they would not leave. My old relative fancies, in his mind's +eye, his daughter weeping over her captivity, and longing to be restored +to her country and her relations; still retaining European feelings and +sympathies, and miserable in her position; her children brought up by +her with the same ideas, and some day looking forward to their +emancipation from this savage state of existence: I think if he were +here, and saw old Daaka, he would soon divest himself of all these +romantic ideas."</p> + +<p>"I think so too; but there is one thing which has struck me very +forcibly, Alexander, which is, if this Daaka is the son of your aunt how +comes it that he is so old? When was the <i>Grosvenor</i> lost?"</p> + +<p>"In the year 1782."</p> + +<p>"And we are now in 1829. Your aunt you stated to have been ten or twelve +years old at the time of the wreck. Allowing her to marry at the +earliest age, Daaka could not well be more than forty-eight years old; +and surely he is more than that."</p> + +<p>"He looks much older, certainly; but who can tell the age of a savage, +who has been living a life of constant privation, and who has been so +often wounded as his scars show that he has been? Wounds and hardship +will soon make a man look old."</p> + +<p>"That is very true, but still he appears to me to be older than the +dates warrant."</p> + +<p>"I think his stating that his sister was named Bess is full +corroboration."</p> + +<p>"It is rather circumstantial evidence, Wilmot: now what do you propose +to do?"</p> + +<p>"I hardly know; but I wish to be in Daaka's company some time longer, +that I may gain more intelligence; and I think of proposing to him that +we should go down to visit the remains of the wreck of his mother, as he +terms it. I should like to see a spot so celebrated for misfortune, and +behold the remains of the ill-fated vessel; I should like to have to +tell my good old uncle all I can, and he will wish that I should be able +to give him every information."</p> + +<p>"Well, I think it is a good plan of yours, and we will propose it to him +to-morrow morning."</p> + +<p>"And I should like to visit his sister Bess—indeed, I must do so. He +says she is much younger than he is."</p> + +<p>"He did, and therefore I think his age does not correspond with our +dates, as I observed before," replied Swinton; "but, as you say, you +must see his sister."</p> + +<p>Daaka had sent an old cow as a present to Alexander, which was a very +seasonable supply, as the hippopotamus-flesh had all been eaten. The +next morning they proposed that he should accompany them to where the +<i>Grosvenor</i> had been wrecked.</p> + +<p>Daaka did not at first appear to know what they wished, and inquired, +through the interpreter, whether they meant the ship that was wrecked on +the sea-coast, pointing to the eastward. On receiving an answer in the +affirmative, he agreed to set off with them that afternoon, saying that +it was about forty miles off, and that they could not get there until +the next day.</p> + +<p>About noon they set off on their journey, and as they made but slow +progress over a rugged although most beautiful country, they stopped at +night at a kraal about half-way. Early the next morning they were led by +Daaka and some Caffres who accompanied him to the sea-shore, and when +they had arrived at the beach, it being then low water, Daaka pointed to +a reef, upon which were to be seen the guns, ballast, and a portion of +the keelson of a ship—all that remained of the unfortunate <i>Grosvenor</i>.</p> + +<p>As the sea washed over the reef; now covering and now exposing these +mementoes of misery and suffering, Alexander and Swinton remained for +some time without speaking; at last Alexander said—</p> + +<p>"Swinton, you have read the history of this unfortunate vessel, I know, +for you asked me for it to read. What a succession of scenes of horror +do these remains, which from their solid weight only have defied the +power of the winds and waves, conjure up at this moment in my mind. I +think I now behold the brave vessel dashed upon the reefs—the scream of +despair from all on board—the heart-rending situation of the women and +children—their wonderful escape and landing on shore, only to be +subjected to greater suffering. See, Swinton, that must have been the +rock which they all gained, and upon which they remained shivering +through the night."</p> + +<p>"It is, I have no doubt, from its position," said Swinton.</p> + +<p>"Yes, it must have been; I think I see them all—men, women, and +helpless children—huddled together, half-clothed and suffering, +quitting that rock by this only path from it, and setting off upon their +mad and perilous journey; the scattering of the parties—their perils +and hunger—their conflicts with the natives—their sufferings from heat +and from thirst—their sinking down one by one into the welcome arms of +death, or torn to pieces by the wolves and hyenas as they lagged behind +the others. How much more fortunate those who never gained the shore."</p> + +<p>"Yes, indeed," replied Swinton; "except the eight who reached the Cape, +and the five that Daaka asserts were saved, all the rest must have +perished in that dreadful manner."</p> + +<p>Alexander remained for some time in painful thought; at last he turned +to Daaka and said, as he pointed to the remains of the wreck, "And this +then is your mother?"</p> + +<p>Daaka looked at him and shook his head, "No, not my mother this," +replied he; "my mother down there," pointing out in a northerly +direction.</p> + +<p>"What does he mean, Swinton? he says this is not his mother."</p> + +<p>"I will speak to him, Wilmot; you are too much agitated," replied +Swinton.</p> + +<p>"Is not that the vessel which your mother was lost in?" said Swinton, +through the interpreter.</p> + +<p>"No," replied Daaka; "my mother came on shore in a vessel up the little +river out there; I was a boy when this large ship was wrecked; and got +some iron from her to make assaguays."</p> + +<p>"Merciful heaven! what joy I feel; I trust it is true what he says."</p> + +<p>"I have no doubt of it, Wilmot; I told you he was too old a man," +replied Swinton; "but let me question him further."</p> + +<p>Our readers may imagine the impatience of Alexander while the questions +of Swinton were being answered, and by which it appears that Daaka's +mother was lost at the mouth of the Lauwanbaz, a small river some miles +to the eastward of the Zemsooboo. An old Caffre, who had come down with +Daaka, now gave a particular account of the wreck of the <i>Grosvenor</i>, +corroborating all Daaka's assertions.</p> + +<p>"Were there none of the <i>Grosvenor's</i> people left in the country?" +inquired Swinton.</p> + +<p>"None," replied the old man; "they all went to the southward."</p> + +<p>"Did you hear what became of them?"</p> + +<p>"Some lay down and died, some fought the natives and were killed; the +wolves ate the rest; not one left alive; they all perished."</p> + +<p>"Were none of the women and children saved and kept as slaves?"</p> + +<p>"No, not one; they had no meat, no milk, and they all died."</p> + +<p>After some other inquiries, the old man, who at first did not reply +willingly, stated that he had, with other Caffres, followed the last +party; had seen them all dead, and had taken off their clothes, and that +as they died were buried by those who still survived.</p> + +<p>"A better fate, cruel as it was, than living as they must have lived," +said Swinton.</p> + +<p>"Yes, truly," replied Alexander; "you don't know, Swinton, what a load +has been removed from my mind, and how light-hearted I feel, +notwithstanding this recital of their sufferings. My poor uncle! God +grant that he may live till my return with this distinct intelligence, +with the assurance that he has no grandchildren living the life of a +heathen, and knowing no God. What a relief will it prove to him; how +soothing will it be to his last days! How grateful am I to God, that I +have had so happy an issue to my mission! Now, Swinton, we will return +as soon as you please; as soon as we arrive at Daaka's kraal, I will +take down in writing the statement of these people, and then we will +hasten back to the Major."</p> + +<p>"And I dare say," said Swinton, as he remounted his horse, "that you +will make old Daaka a more handsome present, for proving himself no +relation to you, than if he had satisfactorily established himself as +your own first cousin."</p> + +<p>"You may be sure that my gratitude toward him is much greater than ever +could have been my kindred feeling from friendship. I am so light +hearted, Swinton, and so grateful to God that I almost wish to dismount +in my anxiety to return my thanks; but I do so in my heart of hearts, at +all event."</p> + +<p>On the following day they arrived at Daaka's kraal, and then Alexander +took down very carefully in writing the statements made by Daaka and the +other Caffres. They all agreed on the one point, which was, that the +European descendants now living in the country were wrecked in another +vessel many years before the loss of the <i>Grosvenor</i>, and that not one +of the <i>Grosvenor's</i> people—men, women or children—had survived, +except the few who arrived at the Cape.</p> + +<p>Having obtained these satisfactory documents, they made a handsome +present to Daaka and the other Caffres, and immediately set out upon +their return to the wagons. As they journeyed back to the westward, they +found the Caffres quitting their huts, and driving away the cattle, that +they might not fall into the power of the army of Quetoo, which it was +said was now in motion, and scattering the tribes before them. As our +travelers were not at all anxious to have any communication with these +savage invaders, in two days they crossed the Umtata, and toward the +evening were within sight of the wagons. A shout from the Hottentots and +Caffres gave notice of their approach. The shout was returned, and in a +few minutes they were shaking hands with the Major, who was delighted to +see them.</p> + +<p>"I did not expect you back so soon," replied the Major; "and as I +perceive that you are unaccompanied, I presume that your Caffre +relations would not quit their kraals."</p> + +<p>"You shall know all about it, Major, very soon; it will be enough at +present to let you know that we have nothing but good news."</p> + +<p>"That I rejoice to hear; but it was well you came back as you did, for I +have been making every preparation, and had you not returned in a few +days, I should have retreated; the invaders are close at hand."</p> + +<p>"We know it, and, if they are told that there are wagons here well +loaded, they will come on quickly, with the hopes of plunder, so we must +delay no longer," replied Alexander; "to-morrow we will yoke and set +off. We can determine upon our route as we are traveling, but the first +point is to retreat from this quarter."</p> + +<p>"Exactly; the oxen are in prime order and can make a long day's march, +and we know our country for some days, at all events; but enter my +fortress, dismount, and let us go into the tent which I have pitched. +You shall then tell me your adventures, while Mahomed fries a delicate +piece of elephant's flesh for you."</p> + +<p>"Have you killed an elephant?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, but not without much difficulty and some danger, I assure you; I +wanted your help sadly, for these Hottentots are too much alarmed to +take good aim, and I had only my own rifle to trust to; but I have done +very well considering, and I shall prove to our commander-in-chief that +I have supplied the garrison without putting him to any expense during +his absence. We have been feeding upon green monkeys for three days, and +very good eating they are, if you do not happen upon a very old one."</p> + +<p>When they entered the inclosure made by the Major, they were surprised +at the state of defense in which he had put it. His hedge of thorns upon +rocks piled up was impregnable, and the wagons were in the center, drawn +up in a square; the entrance would only admit one person at a time, and +was protected by bars at night.</p> + +<p>"Why, Major, you might have held out against the whole force of the +Amaquibi in this position."</p> + +<p>"Yes, provided I had provisions and water," replied the Major; "but I +fear they would soon have starved me out; however, it was as well to be +prepared against any sudden night-attack, and therefore I fortified my +camp: now come in, and welcome back again."</p> + +<p>The news which they had to impart to the Major was soon given, and he +was highly delighted at the intelligence:—"And now," said he, "what do +you mean to do, Wilmot?—go back again, of course, but by what route?"</p> + +<p>"Why, Major, you and Swinton have been so kind in coming with me thus +far, and I have been so successful in my expedition, that I shall now +leave you to decide as you please. I have effected all that I wished, my +business is over, and I am ready to meet you in any way you choose; any +thing you decide upon I shall agree to willingly and join in heartily, +so now speak your wishes."</p> + +<p>"Well, I will speak mine very frankly," replied the Major. "We have had +some sport in this country, it is true, but not so much as I could have +wished; for game is rather scarce, with the exception of elephants and +sea-cows. Now I should like to cross the mountains, and get into the +Bechuana and Bushman country, where game is as plentiful as I believe +water is scarce; we can return that way, if you please, almost as well +as we can through the Caffre country—what say you, Swinton?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I am of your opinion. As Wilmot says, business is over and we +have nothing to do but to amuse ourselves; I am very anxious to pass +through this country, as I shall add greatly to my collections, I have +no doubt; but it must not be expected that we shall fare as well as we +have done in this; it will be the dry season, and we may be in want of +water occasionally."</p> + +<p>"I am equally desirous of going through that country, where I hope to +shoot a giraffe,—that is my great ambition," replied Wilmot; "therefore +we may consider that we are all agreed, and the affair is settled; but +the question is, how shall we proceed back? We must return to Hinza's +territory and send back the Caffres. Shall we return to Butterworth?"</p> + +<p>"I think that must depend upon circumstances, and we can talk it over as +we go along: the first point to ascertain is, the best passage over the +mountains; and it appears to me that we shall be diverging much too far +to the eastward if we return to Butterworth; but the Caffres will soon +give us the necessary information."</p> + +<p>"I wonder if the quarrel between Hinza and Voosani has been made up," +said Alexander; "for we must pass through the Tambookie tribe if we +cross the mountains, and if there is war between them we may meet with +difficulty."</p> + +<p>"We shall hear as soon as we have crossed the Bashee river," replied +Swinton; "and then we must decide accordingly. All that can be settled +now is, that to-morrow we start on our return, and that we will cross +the mountains, if we possibly can."</p> + +<p>"Yes, that is decided," replied Alexander.</p> + +<p>"Well, then, as soon as you have finished your elephant-steak, Wilmot, +we will get out a bottle of wine, drink the first half of it to +congratulate you upon the success of your mission, and the other half +shall be poured out in bumpers to a happy return."</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XVII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XVII.</h2> + +<h4>THE RETURN.</h4> +<br /> + +<p>The delight of the Hottentots at the announcement of the return of the +expedition was not to be concealed; and now that they knew that they +were retreating from the danger, as they were further removed they +became proportionately brave. We must not include all the Hottentots in +this observation, as Bremen, Swanevelt, and one or two more, were really +brave men; but we do refer to the principal portion of them, with Big +Adam at their head, who now flourished and vapored about, as if he could +by himself kill and eat the whole army of the dreaded Quetoo.</p> + +<p>As it was the intention of our travelers to pass over the Mambookei +chain of mountains, into the Bushman and Koranna territory, they did not +return the same route by which they came, but more to the westward +through the territory of the Tambookie Caffres, not any one time +entering upon the territory of the Amakosas, the tribe of Caffres +governed by Hinza, who had lent them his warriors.</p> + +<p>Voosani, the chief of the Tambookies, was very friendly, and had offered +no opposition to their passage through a portion of his domains on their +advance. They now lost no time, but continued their journey as fast as +they could, although during the day they saw a great quantity of game, +and were almost every night saluted with the roaring of the lions.</p> + +<p>In a week they found themselves on the banks of the White Kae River, and +not far from the foot of the mountains which they intended to pass. Here +they halted, with the intention of remaining some few days, that they +might unload and re-arrange the packing of their wagons, repair what was +necessary, and provide themselves with more oxen and sheep for their +journey in the sterile territory of the Bushmen.</p> + +<p>During their route, the rumors relative to the army of Quetoo were +incessant. He had attacked and murdered Lieut. Farewell and his people, +who were on a trading expedition in the interior, and taken possession +of and plundered their wagons. Flushed with success over white people +armed with muskets, Quetoo had now resolved to turn his army to the +southward, and attack the tribes of the Amaponda Caffres, governed by +Fakoo, and the missionary station of Morley, lately established near the +coast, between the St. John and the Umtata rivers.</p> + +<p>To effect this, Quetoo commenced his ravages upon all the lesser tribes +tributary to Fakoo, and having put them to indiscriminate slaughter, +driven away their cattle, and burned their kraals, his army advanced to +the missionary station, which the missionaries were compelled to desert, +and fall back upon the St. John River.</p> + +<p>One of the men belonging to the tribe near Morley came to the caravan +where our travelers had halted, and, on being questioned as to the loss +they had experienced, cried out, "Ask not how many are killed, but how +many are saved: our wives, where are they? and our children, do you see +any of them?"</p> + +<p>But Fakoo, the chief of the Amapondas, had roused himself and collected +his army. He resolved upon giving battle to the enemy. He found the +Amaquibi encamped in a forest, and he surrounded them with a superior +army; he then contrived, by attacking and retreating, to lead them into +a position from which there was no escape but by the pass by which they +had entered, and which he completely blocked up with his own forces.</p> + +<p>The Amaquibi could not retreat, and a furious conflict took place, which +ended in the destruction of the whole of Quetoo's army. Quetoo himself +was not present, as he still remained confined with the wound he had +received in the prior engagement, in which he had been victorious. A +portion of Fakoo's army was sent against him, and he fled with the loss +of all the cattle and treasures he had collected; and thus was the +invading force at last totally dispersed and not heard of any more.</p> + +<p>This news was very satisfactory to our travelers, as they did not know +whether they would have had time to make their arrangements, if Quetoo's +army had been victorious; and it was still more pleasing to the +Hottentots, who were now even braver than before, all lamenting that +they had not remained on the banks of the Umtata River, where the combat +took place, that they might have assisted at the destruction of the +invaders.</p> + +<p>It was toward the end of August before our travelers had made their +preparations and were ready for a start. They had decided to try the +pass through the Mambookei chain of mountains, to the eastward of the +one named Stormbergen, and as they expected to meet with some +difficulties, it was decided that the Caffre warriors should not be +dismissed till they had arrived at the Bushman territory; they proposed +then to turn to the N.W., so as to fall in with that portion of the +Orange River which was known by the name of the Vaal or Yellow River, +crossing the Black or Cradock River, which is also another branch of the +Orange River.</p> + +<p>This arrangement was made, that they might get into the country more +abounding with game, and better furnished with water than any other +portion of the sterile deserts which they had to pass through.</p> + +<p>Having, as usual, kept holy the Lord's day, on the Monday morning they +started in high spirits, and with their cattle in excellent order. The +passage through the ravine was very difficult; they had to fill up +holes, roll away stones, and very often put double teams to drag the +wagons.</p> + +<p>They made but ten miles on the first day, and found the night cold, +after the heat to which they had been subjected. The second day was also +one of toil and danger, but on the third they found that they had +commenced the descent, and the whole Bushman country was spread before +them. But the descent was even more perilous than the ascent, and it was +not without great exertion that they saved their wagons from falling +over the precipices.</p> + +<p>On the fourth evening they had crossed the mountains, and were now at +the foot of them on the western side. It was with difficulty that they +collected wood enough to make their fires for the night, and the +continual roaring told them that they were now in the domain of the +lion and his satellites.</p> + +<p>At break of day they all rose, that they might view the country which +they were about to traverse. It was one wild desert of sand and stones, +interspersed with small shrubs, and here and there a patch of bushes; +apparently one vast, dry, arid plain, with a haze over it, arising from +the heat. Our travelers, however, did not at first notice this change; +their eyes were fixed upon the groups of quaggas and various antelopes +which were strewed over the whole face of the country; and, as soon as +they had taken their breakfast, they mounted their horses in pursuit. It +had been their intention to have dismissed the Caffres on that morning, +but the chief of the band pointed out that it would be as well that they +should kill some game, to provide them with food for their journey back; +and our travelers approved of the suggestion, as it would save their +sheep.</p> + +<p>Alexander and the Major set off with Bremen, Swanevelt, and Omrah on +horseback, while the Caffres on foot kept well up with them. The other +Hottentots were ordered to remain with Swinton at the encampment, as +they had to repair the damages done to the wagons in crossing the +mountains.</p> + +<p>Omrah had shown himself so useful, that he had been permitted to +practice with a fowling-piece carrying ball, and had proved himself very +expert. He now was mounted on the Major's spare horse; that in case the +Major's was knocked up, he might change it, for Omrah's weight was a +mere nothing.</p> + +<p>The plan of the chase was, that the Caffres should spread in a +half-circle, and conceal themselves as much as possible, while those on +horseback should turn the animals and drive them in their direction. As +they advanced on the plain, they discovered what the haze had prevented +their seeing at early dawn, that the plain was covered with a variety of +beautiful flowers, of the amaryllis and other tribes, and with the hills +of ants and ant-eaters' holes, which latter were very dangerous to the +horses.</p> + +<p>The sun was now up in the heavens, and blazed fiercely; the heat was +intense, although still early in the day. When they turned their heads +toward the mountains which they had passed, they were struck with +astonishment at the grandeur of the scene: rocks and cliffs in wild +chaos, barren ridges and towering peaks, worn by time into castellated +fortresses and other strange shapes, calling to their fancy the ruins of +a former world. With the exception of a pool of water, near to which the +caravan had halted, not a vestige of that element was to be seen in any +direction; all was one plain, ending only in the horizon, without a +tree, the line only broken by the groups of animals and the long necks +of the packs of ostriches in the distance.</p> + +<p>If, however, the vegetable kingdom was deficient, the animal was +proportionably abundant, and Alexander and the Major were soon at their +speed after a troop of quaggas and zebras, which they succeeded in +turning toward the Caffres. As soon as the animals had entered the +radius of the half-circle, and were within distance, they checked their +horses and opened their fire upon them; at the same time the Caffres +showed themselves, and the animals were for a time confounded by finding +themselves so nearly surrounded.</p> + +<p>During their hesitation, and while they attempted to break through here +and there, and then turned again, several were brought to the ground by +the guns of the mounted party, till at last, as if they had summoned up +their resolution, the whole herd, led by a splendid male, burst away in +a direction close to the horsemen, and made their escape from the circle +in a cloud of dust, scattering the stones behind them as they fled.</p> + +<p>The Caffres ran up to the animals which lay wounded, and put them out of +their misery by inserting the point of their assaguays into the spine, +which caused immediate death. Seven animals were killed, three zebras +and four quaggas; and as Swinton had requested that they might not be +cut up till he had ascertained if he required their skins, Omrah was +sent back to bring him to where they were lying.</p> + +<p>Swinton soon came, and Alexander said to him, "Now, Swinton, let us know +if you want any of the skins of these animals to preserve."</p> + +<p>"No," replied Swinton, "I have them already; I just thought it possible +that you might have killed a zebra."</p> + +<p>"Well, have we not? there are three of them."</p> + +<p>"No, my good fellow, they are not of the real zebra species; they belong +to a class described by Burchell, the traveler, which is termed the +striped quagga. The quagga and striped quagga, as you may see, have the +ears of a horse, while the zebra has those of the ass. The true zebra +hardly ever descends upon the plains, but lives altogether upon the +mountainous regions; occasionally it may be found, it is true, and that +is the reason why I came to see."</p> + +<p>"Are they good eating, these animals?"</p> + +<p>"The quagga is very indifferent food, but the striped quagga is very +passable; so if you intend to save any for our dinner, pray let it be +some of the latter. Have you done hunting to-day?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," replied the Major, "if Wilmot is of my opinion, I think we had +better not work our horses any more just now; the plain is so full of +large holes,—ant-eaters' holes, Bremen says they are."</p> + +<p>"Yes, they are ant-eaters' holes, and very dangerous; I have seen them +several feet deep. If we do not start to-day, I will ask the Hottentots +to try and procure one for me to-night, as I wish to have a stuffed +specimen."</p> + +<p>"We do not intend to start till to-morrow morning," replied Alexander; +"we must dismiss the Caffres to-night, that they may be also ready to go +home to-morrow. They will now have provisions enough."</p> + +<p>Our travelers now rode back to the caravan, leaving the Caffres to bring +home the flesh. As soon as they had dined, the chief of the warriors was +desired to come with all his men, and Alexander then made every man a +handsome present, consisting of tobacco, snuff, cloth, knives and beads. +To the chief of the band he gave three times as much as the others, and +then, having delivered to him a very liberal collection of articles for +their king Hinza, Alexander told the chief to acquaint the king that he +had been very much pleased with the conduct of the men, and thanked his +majesty for the loan of them, and requested that his majesty would +accept of the packet of articles which he had selected for him.</p> + +<p>He then thanked the men for their good conduct, told them to take all +the flesh that they wished for the journey, and stated that they were at +liberty to depart that evening or the next morning, as they thought +proper. The Caffres were perfectly satisfied with Alexander's +liberality, and the chief of the warriors, making a short speech in +reply, retired with his men.</p> + +<p>"Well, I'm very sorry that these fine fellows are leaving," said the +Major.</p> + +<p>"And so am I; but I could not well detain them, and they said that they +could not go further with us without the king's permission," replied +Alexander.</p> + +<p>"Of course not," replied the Major; "but that does not lessen my regret +at their departure; they have been both steady and brave, as well as +active and willing, and I do not expect that our Hottentots will serve +us so well."</p> + +<p>"You are right not to expect it, Major," replied Swinton; "if you did, +you would be miserably disappointed. If they knew now where we were +going, they would desert us. The only hold that we have upon the greater +number of them is their fear; they go forward because they are afraid to +go back; but if they could get hold of our horses, with their guns and +ammunition, they would leave us as soon as we advanced in the desert."</p> + +<p>"Very true, I fear; but we have a few stanch fellows among them, and two +at least whom we can depend upon—Bremen and Swanevelt."</p> + +<p>"How far is it from here to the Black River, Swinton?"</p> + +<p>"About forty miles; not so much perhaps to the river's bed, but at least +that, if not more, before we shall fall in with any water at this season +of the year."</p> + +<p>"We must not fail to fill our water-kegs before we leave this."</p> + +<p>"No, for we shall have no water to-night, that is certain. We can not +travel more than twenty miles over such a country as this; for turning +here and there to avoid the holes and ant-hills, the twenty miles will +be at least thirty," said Swinton; "but now I must go and tell the +Hottentots to find me what I want: a pound of tobacco will procure it, I +have no doubt."</p> + +<p>"But I have mine," observed the Major, after Swinton was gone; "we are +too near the pool, and we shall be surrounded with lions to-night; the +Hottentots may pretend that they will go, but they will not."</p> + +<p>"One can not well blame them; I'm sure a pound of tobacco would not +persuade me to put my head into a lion's mouth; but I agree with you, we +are too near the pool, and as we must collect the cattle to secure them +during the night, I think we had better fill our water-kegs, and then +yoke and take up a position for the night about half a mile further off. +But here comes Swinton, who can give us his advice."</p> + +<p>As Swinton agreed with them, they yoked the oxen, and drove forward +about a mile from the pool; they then secured them to the wagons and +lighted large fires round the caravan.</p> + +<p>The Major was correct as regarded the Hottentots' procuring an ant-eater +for Swinton; they would not leave the fires, and the continual approach +of the lions during the night proved that they were wise in so doing. +There was no occasion for the lions to roar; the moaning of Begum, and +her clinging to the Major, the trembling of the dogs, and the uneasiness +of the cattle, invariably gave notice of lions being at hand. Shots were +fired off during the night, to keep them at a distance, but otherwise +the night passed away undisturbed.</p> + +<p>They started the following morning about daybreak, and, at the same +time, the Caffres took their departure to their own country. The ground +over which the caravan traveled was stony and sandy at intervals, and +they had not proceeded far before they again discovered a great variety +of game dispersed over the level plain. They did not, however, attempt +to pursue them, as they were anxious to go on as far as possible, so as +to give the oxen an opportunity of picking up what little food they +could during the middle of the day, at which time the Major and +Alexander proposed that they should go in pursuit of game. But before +they had traveled three hours, they were surprised at a cloud of dust, +which obscured the horizon, in the direction they were proceeding.</p> + +<p>"What can that be?" said Alexander.</p> + +<p>"I think it is springbok," said Bremen the Hottentot.</p> + +<p>"Springbok! why, there must be thousands and thousands of them."</p> + +<p>"I believe that Bremen is right," said Swinton; "it must be one of the +migratory herds of springboks; I have never seen them, but I have often +been told of them."</p> + +<p>The body of antelopes now advanced toward them, keeping on a straight +path; and to state their numbers would have been impossible: there might +have been fifty or a hundred thousand, or more. As far as the eye could +see in any direction, it was one moving mass covering the whole plain. +As they approached the caravan, those nearest huddled on one side and +occasionally bounded away with the remarkable springs made by this +animal, and from which it has its name, alighting not upon the earth, +but, for want of room, upon the backs of its companions, and then +dropping in between the ranks.</p> + +<p>A hazy vapor arose from these countless herds as they moved on, and more +than once the Hottentots, who were standing on the wagons, which had +been stopped as the herd came up to them, pointed out a lion which was +journeying with the crowds to feast at his leisure. The animals appeared +very tame, and several were killed close to the wheels of the wagons, +for the evening's supper. Notwithstanding that the herd moved at a rapid +pace, it was more than two hours before the whole had passed by.</p> + +<p>"Well," observed Alexander, "I can now say that I have seen no want of +game in Africa. Where will they go to?"</p> + +<p>"They will go directly on to the southward," replied Swinton; "the +migration of these animals is one of the most remarkable proofs of the +fecundity of animal life. Like the ants, they devour every thing before +them; and if we journey in the direction they have come from, we shall +find no food for the cattle until after the rains. After the rains fall, +these animals will return to their former pastures. It is the want of +food which has brought them so far to the southward."</p> + +<p>"Their track is evidently from the north and eastward," said the Major; +"had we not better change our course more to the northward?"</p> + +<p>"No, I should think not; they have probably traveled on this side of the +Nu Gariep or Black River. We shall have neither water nor food for the +cattle to-night, and therefore I think we had better go on as we are +going, so as to make sure of water for them to-morrow, at all events. +It's useless now stopping to feed the cattle, we had better continue +right on till the evening; we shall sooner arrive at the river, and so +gain by it."</p> + +<p>It was but half an hour before dark that they unyoked the tired oxen. +Water or grass there was none; and, what was another misfortune, they +could not find sufficient wood of any kind to keep up the necessary +fires during the night. All they could collect before dark was but +enough for one fire, and they considered it better, therefore, that only +one should be lighted.</p> + +<p>The wagons were drawn up so as to form a square, inside of which were +tied the horses; the sheep were driven underneath, and the oxen were +tied up outside. They feasted well themselves upon the delicate meat of +the springboks, but the poor animals had neither food nor water after +their hard day's journey.</p> + +<p>As soon as they had supped they retired to their wagons, and the +Hottentots remained by the side of the fire, which was but frugally +supplied, that it might last till morning; but that there were lions +prowling in the vicinity was evident from the restlessness of the oxen, +who tried to break the leathern thongs with which they were fastened.</p> + +<p>The moon had just risen, and showed an imperfect light, when they +perceived the bodies of some animals between them and the horizon. They +appeared very large, as they always do in an imperfect light, and the +Hottentots soon made out that they were five or six lions not forty +yards distant. The truth of this supposition was confirmed by an angry +roar from one of them, which induced most of the Hottentots to seize +their guns, and some to creep under the wagons.</p> + +<p>The oxen now struggled furiously to escape, for the, roar of the lions +had spread consternation.</p> + +<p>Our travelers heard it in their wagons, and were out with their guns in +a minute. At last one of the oxen broke loose, and, as it was running +behind its companions, as if seeking a more secure shelter, being not +more than three or four yards from them, another roar was followed by a +spring of one of the lions, which bore the animal to the earth.</p> + +<p>The Major and Wilmot were advancing before the fire to the attack, when +the animal for a moment let go his prey, and was about to spring upon +them. Bremen called out for them to retreat, which they did, as the +animal advanced step by step toward them.</p> + +<p>Satisfied with their retiring, the lion then went to his prey, and +dragged it to a distance of about fifty yards, where it commenced its +meal; and they distinctly heard, although they could not plainly +distinguish, the tearing of the animal's flesh and the breaking of its +bones by the lion, while its bellowings were most pitiful.</p> + +<p>They all now fired in the direction where they heard the noise; the lion +replied to the volley by a tremendous roar, and rushed up within twenty +yards of the wagons, so as to be distinctly visible. Bremen begged our +travelers not to molest the animal, as it was evidently very hungry and +very angry, and would certainly make a spring upon them, which must be +attended with disastrous effects.</p> + +<p>The other lions were also now moving round and round the camp; they +therefore reloaded their guns, and remained still, looking at the lion +tearing and devouring his prey.</p> + +<p>"We must be quiet here," said Bremen to Alexander; "there are many lions +round us, and our fire is not sufficient to scare them away, and they +may attack us."</p> + +<p>"Would it not be better to fire our guns,—that would frighten them?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir, it would frighten the other lions, perhaps, but it would +enrage this one so near to us, and he would certainly make a charge. We +had better throw a little gunpowder upon some ashes now and then, as we +have but a small fire: the flash will drive them away for the time."</p> + +<p>In the mean time the lion was making his meal upon the poor ox, and +when any other of the hungry lions approached him, he would rush at +them, and pursue them for some paces with a horrible growl, which made +not only the poor oxen, but the men also, to shudder as they heard it.</p> + +<p>In this manner was the night passed away, every one with his gun in his +hand, expecting an immediate attack; but the morning at last dawned, to +the great relief of them all. The lions had disappeared, and they walked +out to where the old lion had made his meal, and found that he had +devoured nearly the whole of the ox; and such was the enormous strength +of his jaws, that the rib-bones were all demolished, and the bones of +the legs, which are known as the marrow-bones, were broken as if by a +hammer.</p> + +<p>"I really," observed the Major, "have more respect for a lion, the more +I become intimate with his feline majesty."</p> + +<p>"Well, but he is off," observed Swinton, "and I think we had better be +off too."</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XVIII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XVIII.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>The oxen were yoked, and the caravan proceeded at slow pace to gain the +wished-for river. As our travelers walked their horses—for the poor +animals had been without food or water for twenty-four hours, and all +idea of chasing the various herds of animals which were to be seen in +their path was abandoned for the present—Swinton remarked, "We are not +far from the track of the Mantatees, when they made their irruption upon +the Caffres about eighteen months back."</p> + +<p>"I was intending to ask you for some information on that point, Swinton. +There has been more than one irruption into the country from the natives +to the northward. Mr. Fairburn gave me a very fair idea of the history +of the Cape colony, but we were both too much engaged after our arrival +in Cape Town for me to obtain further information."</p> + +<p>"I will, you may be assured, tell you all I know," replied Swinton; "but +you must not expect to find in me a Mr. Fairburn. I may as well remark, +that Africa appears to be a country not able to afford support to a +dense population, like Europe; and the chief cause of this is the great +want of water, occasionally rendered more trying by droughts of four or +five years' continuance."</p> + +<p>"I grant that such is the case at present," observed the Major; "but you +well know that it is not that there is not a sufficient quantity of +rain, which falls generally once a year, but because the water which +falls is carried off so quickly. Rivers become torrents, and in a few +weeks pour all their water into the sea, leaving, I may say, none for +the remainder of the year."</p> + +<p>"That is true," replied Swinton.</p> + +<p>"And so it will be until the population is not only dense, but, I may +add, sufficiently enlightened and industrious. Then, I presume, they +will take the same measures for securing a supply of water throughout +the year which have been so long adopted in India, and were formerly in +South America by the Mexicans. I mean that of digging large tanks, from +which the water can not escape, except by evaporation."</p> + +<p>"I believe that it will be the only remedy."</p> + +<p>"Not only the remedy, but more than a remedy; for tanks once +established, vegetation will flourish, and the vegetation will not only +husband the water in the country, but attract more."</p> + +<p>"All that is very true," replied Swinton, "and I trust the time will +come, when not only this land may be well watered with the dew of +heaven, but that the rivers of grace may flow through it in every +direction, and the tree of Christ may flourish."</p> + +<p>"Amen," replied Alexander.</p> + +<p>"But to resume the thread of my discourse," continued Swinton; "I was +about to say, that the increase of population, and I may add the +increase of riches,—for in these nomadic tribes cattle are the only +riches,—is the great cause of these descents from the north; for the +continued droughts which I have mentioned of four or five years compel +them to seek for pasture elsewhere, after their own is burned up. At all +events, it appears that the Caffre nations have been continually +sustaining the pressure from without, both from the northward and the +southward, for many years.</p> + +<p>"When the Dutch settled at the Cape, they took possession of the country +belonging to the Hottentot tribes, driving the few that chose to +preserve their independence into the Bushman and Namaqua lands, +increasing the population in those countries, which are only able to +afford subsistence to a very scattered few. Then, again, they encroached +upon the Caffres, driving them first beyond the great Fish River, and +afterward still more to the northward. The Bushman tribes of hill +Hottentots, if we may so term them, have also been increased by various +means, notwithstanding the constant massacres of these unhappy people by +the Dutch boors; moreover, we have by our injudicious colonial +regulations added another and a new race of people, who are already +considerable in their numbers."</p> + +<p>"Which do you refer to?"</p> + +<p>"To the people now known by the name of Griquas, from their having taken +possession of the Griqua country. They are the mixed race between the +Hottentots and the whites. By the Dutch colonial law, these people could +not hold possession of any land in the colony; and this act of injustice +and folly has deprived us of a very valuable race of men, who might have +added much to the prosperity of the colony. Brave and intelligent, +industrious to a great degree, they, finding themselves despised on +account of the Hottentot blood in their veins, have migrated from the +colony and settled beyond the boundaries. Being tolerably well provided +with fire-arms, those who are peaceably inclined can protect themselves, +while those who are otherwise commit great depredations upon the poor +savages, following the example shown them by the colonists, and sweeping +off their cattle and their property, in defiance of law and justice. You +now perceive, Alexander, how it is that there has been a pressure from +the southward."</p> + +<p>"That is very evident," replied the Major.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps I had better proceed to the northward by degrees, and make some +mention of the Caffre tribes, which are those who have suffered from +being, as it were, pressed between encroachments from the north and the +south. The Caffre race is very numerous. The origin of the general term +Caffre, which means Infidel, and no more, is not known, any more than is +that of the term Hottentot."</p> + +<p>"A proof of what we found out at school," observed the Major, "that +nicknames, as they are termed, stick longer than real ones."</p> + +<p>"Precisely," replied Swinton; "our acquaintance is mostly with the more +southern Caffres, who occupy the land bordering on the east coast of +Africa, from the Cape boundary to Port Natal. These are the Amakosa +tribe, whose warriors have just left us; the Tambookies, whose territory +we have recently quitted, and to the northward of them by Port Natal, +the Hambonas. These are the Eastern Caffres.</p> + +<p>"On the other side of the Mambookei chain of mountains, and in the +central portion of Africa, below the tropic, are the Bechuanas, who +inhabit an extent of country as yet imperfectly known to us. These may +be termed the Central Caffres.</p> + +<p>"On the western side of the African coast, and above Namaqua Land, whose +inhabitants are probably chiefly of the Hottentot race, we have the +Damaras, who may be classed as the Western Caffres; with these we have +had little or no communication.</p> + +<p>"All these tribes speak the Bechuana or Caffre language, with very +slight variations; they are all governed by chiefs or kings, and +subdivided into numerous bodies; but they are all Caffres. Of their +characters I have only to observe, that as far as we have experienced, +the Caffres of the eastern coast, which we have just left, are very +superior to the others in courage and in every other good quality. Now, +have I made myself intelligible, Alexander?"</p> + +<p>"Most clearly so."</p> + +<p>"I nevertheless wish we were sitting down in some safe place instead of +traveling on horseback over this withered tract, and that I had the map +before me to make you understand better."</p> + +<p>"I will refer to the map as soon as I can," replied Alexander; "but I +have studied the map a great deal, and therefore do not so much require +it."</p> + +<p>All these Caffre tribes live much the same life; their wealth is in +cattle; they are partly husbandmen, partly herdsmen, and partly hunters; +and their continual conflicts with the wild beasts of the country +prepare them for warriors. The Eastern Caffres, from whom we have lately +parted, are the most populous; indeed, now that we have taken from them +so much of their country, they have scarcely pasturage for their cattle. +I have said that the Eastern Caffres' territory extends as far as the +latitude of Port Natal, but it formerly extended much further to the +northward, as it did to the southward, before we drove them from their +territory; indeed as far north as Delagoa Bay; all the country between +Port Natal and Delagoa Bay being formerly inhabited by tribes of +Caffres. I believe, Alexander, that Mr. Fairburn gave you a history of +the celebrated monarch Chaka, the king of the Zulus?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, he did."</p> + +<p>"Well, it was Chaka who overran that country I am now speaking of, and +drove out all the tribes who occupied it, as well as a large portion of +the Bechuana tribes who inhabited lands more to the northward. Now the +irruptions we have had into the Caffre and Bechuana country bordering +upon the colony have been wholly brought about by the devastations +committed by Chaka. Of course I refer to those irruptions which have +taken place since our knowledge and possession of the Cape. I have no +doubt that such irruptions have been continued, and that they have +occurred once in every century for ages. They have been brought about by +a population increasing beyond the means of subsistence, and have taken +place as soon as the overplus have required it.</p> + +<p>"The migration of the springboks, which we witnessed yesterday, may be +more frequent, but are not more certain than those of the central +population of Africa. The Caffres themselves state that they formerly +came from the northward, and won their territory by conquest; and the +Hottentots have the same tradition as regards themselves.</p> + +<p>"The invasion of the Mantatees, as they are called (and by the Eastern +Caffres Ficani), was nothing more than that of a people dispossessed of +their property, and driven from the territory by the Zoolus, under +Chaka; and, indeed, this last array under Quetoo, which has been +destroyed within this month, may be considered as invading from a +similar cause. Having separated from Chaka, Quetoo could find no +resting-place, and he therefore came to the southward with the intention +of wresting the territory from the Caffres, in which he has failed. Had +he not failed, and been cut off by the Caffres, he would have destroyed +them, and thus made room for his own people."</p> + +<p>"Of course; for the end of all these invasions and migrations must be in +such a sacrifice of human life as to afford sustenance and the means of +subsistence to those who remain," observed the Major.</p> + +<p>"Precisely; and such must continue to be the case on this continent, +until the arts and civilization have taught men how to increase the +means of subsistence. To produce this, Christianity must be introduced; +for Christianity and civilization go hand in hand."</p> + +<p>"But the Mantatees or Ficani, who are they?"</p> + +<p>"I have already said they were northern Caffre tribes, dispossessed of +their territory by Chaka. The names of the tribes we do not know. +Mantatee, in the Caffre language, signifies an invader, and Ficani also, +marauders; both terms applicable to the people, but certainly not the +names of the tribes.</p> + +<p>"I believe, now, I have said enough on the subject to allow me to enter +upon the history of this last invasion; but, to tell the truth, the heat +is so overpowering, and I feel my tongue so parched, that you must +excuse me for deferring this account till another opportunity. As soon +as we are a little more at our ease, I will give you the history of the +Mantatees."</p> + +<p>"We are much obliged to you for what you have told us, Swinton, and +will spare you for the present," replied Alexander. "What animals are +those?—look!"</p> + +<p>"They are gnoos," replied Swinton. "There are two varieties of them, the +common gnoo and the brindled gnoo. They form an intermediate link +between the antelope family and the bovine or ox, and they are very good +eating."</p> + +<p>"Then, I wish we were able to go after them. They do not seem to be +afraid of us, but approach nearer at every gallop which they make."</p> + +<p>"Yes, although shy, they have a great deal of curiosity," replied +Swinton. "Watch them now."</p> + +<p>The animals bounded away again, as Swinton spoke, and then returned to +gaze upon the caravan, stirring up the dust with their hoofs, tossing +their manes, and lashing their sides with their long tails, as they +curvetted and shook their heads, sometimes stamping as if in defiance, +and then flying away like the wind, as if from fear.</p> + +<p>"They are safe this time," observed Major Henderson; "but another day we +will try their mettle."</p> + +<p>"You will find them fierce and dangerous when wounded, sir," said +Bremen, who had ridden up. "We are not many miles from the river, for +the cattle begin to sniff."</p> + +<p>"I am delighted to hear you say so; for then there must be water near. +But the haze and glare together are so great that we can not distinguish +above two miles, if so much."</p> + +<p>"No, sir," replied the Hottentot; "but I can see well enough to see +<i>them</i>" continued he, pointing with his finger to a rising ground about +a hundred yards off, on the right of them. "One, two, three—there are +five of them."</p> + +<p>"What are they?" said the Major, looking in the direction pointed out. +"I see; they are lions."</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir; but we must take no notice of them, and they will not annoy +us. They are not hungry."</p> + +<p>"You are right," said Swinton, "we must go right on, neither stopping +nor hastening our speed. Let the driver look to the oxen; for, tired as +they are, the smell of the lions is sufficient to give them +ungovernable strength for the moment."</p> + +<p>"Well," said the Major, "bring us our guns, Bremen. I am willing to +accept the armed neutrality, if they will consent to it."</p> + +<p>The caravan passed on; the lions remaining crouched where they were, +eying them, it is true, but not rising from their beds. The oxen, +however, either through fear of the lions, or the scent of water near, +became more brisk in their motions, and in half an hour they perceived a +line of trees before them, which told them that they were near the bed +of the Nu Gariep or Cradock River.</p> + +<p>The poor animals redoubled their exertions, and soon arrived at the +banks. Bremen had ridden forward and reported that there still was water +in the river, but only in pools. As the herbage was destroyed on the +side where they were, they would have crossed the bed of the river +before they unyoked, but that they found impossible. The animals were so +impatient for the water, that, had they not been released, they would +have broken the wagons.</p> + +<p>Horses, oxen and sheep all plunged into the pools together, and for some +minutes appeared as though they would never be satisfied. They at last +went out, but soon returned again, till their sides were distended with +the quantity of the element which they had imbibed.</p> + +<p>An hour was allowed for the animals to rest and enjoy themselves, and +then they were again yoked to drag the wagons to the other side of the +river, where there was a sufficiency of pasturage and of wood to make up +their fires.</p> + +<p>As it was their intention to remain there for a day or two, the wagons +were drawn up at some distance from the river, so as not to interfere +with the path by which the wild animals went down to drink. The spoors +or tracks of the lions and buffaloes and other animals were so abundant, +as to show that this precaution was necessary.</p> + +<p>As soon as the wagons were arranged in the usual manner, the cattle were +permitted to graze till the evening, when they were brought in and +secured, as usual, inside and round the wagons. They supped off the +remainder of the springbok, which was not very sweet; but the horses and +men were both too much exhausted with the fatiguing journey to hunt +until the following day.</p> + +<p>That night they were not disturbed by lions, but the hyenas contrived to +crawl under the wagons, and, having severely bitten one of the oxen, +succeeded in carrying off one of the sheep. They had been so often +annoyed by these animals, that we have never mentioned them; but on the +following morning it was found that the ox had been so seriously injured +that the leg-bone was broken, and they were obliged to destroy the +animal.</p> + +<p>"Were the courage of the hyena equal to his strength, it would be a most +formidable animal," observed Swinton; "but the fact is, it seldom or +never attacks mankind, although there may be twenty in a troop. At the +same time, among the Caffres they very often do enter the huts of the +natives, and occasionally devour children and infirm people. But this is +greatly owing to the encouragement they receive from the custom of the +Caffres leaving their dead to be devoured by these animals, which gives +them a liking for human flesh, and makes them more bold to obtain it."</p> + +<p>"They must have a tremendous power in their jaw," observed Alexander.</p> + +<p>"They have, and it is given them for all-wise purposes. The hyena and +the vulture are the scavengers of the tropical regions. The hyena +devours what the vulture leaves, which is the skin and bones of a dead +carcass. Its power of jaw is so great, that it breaks the largest bone +with facility."</p> + +<p>"Are there many varieties of them?"</p> + +<p>"In Africa there are four:—The common spotted hyena, or wolf of the +colonists, whose smell is so offensive that dogs leave it with disgust +after it is killed; its own fellows will, however, devour it +immediately. The striped or ferocious hyena, called the shard-wolf, and +another which the colonists call the bay-wolf, and which I believe to be +the one known as the laughing hyena. There is another variety, which is +a sort of link between the hyena and the dog, called the venatica. It +hunts in packs, and the colonists term it the wild honde. It was first +classed by Burchell the traveler. This last is smaller, but much +fiercer, than the others."</p> + +<p>"I know that there are leopards in the country, but we have never yet +fallen in with one. Are they dangerous?"</p> + +<p>"The leopard shuns any conflict with man, but when driven to desperation +it becomes a formidable antagonist. I recollect very well two boors +having attacked a leopard, and the animal, being hotly pressed by them +and wounded, turned round and sprang upon the one nearest, pulling him +to the ground, biting his shoulder, and tearing him with his claws. The +other, seeing the danger of his comrade, sprang from his horse and +attempted to shoot the animal through the head. He missed, and the +leopard left the first man, sprang upon <i>him</i>, and, striking him on the +face, tore his scalp down over his eyes. The hunter grappled with the +animal, and at last they rolled together down a steep cliff. As soon as +the first hunter could reload his gun, he rushed after them to save his +friend, but it was too late. The animal had seized him by the throat, +and mangled him so dreadfully, that death was inevitable and all that +the man could do was to avenge his comrade's death by shooting the +leopard."</p> + +<p>"That proves the leopard is not to be trifled with."</p> + +<p>"No animal is, when it stands at bay, or is driven to desperation; and, +in confirmation of this, I once witnessed one of these animals—the +quaggas—which, being pressed to the edge of a precipice by a mounted +hunter, seized the man's foot with its teeth, and actually tore it off, +so that, although medical aid was at hand, the man died from loss of +blood."</p> + +<p>"One would hardly expect such a tragical issue to the chase of a wild +jackass," observed the Major.</p> + +<p>"No; but 'in the midst of life we are in death,' and we never know from +whence the blow may come. Until it occurred, such an event was supposed +impossible, and the very idea would have created nothing but ridicule. +By the by, one of our good missionaries was very near losing his life by +a leopard. He went to save a Hottentot who had been seized, and was +attacked by the leopard which, as in the former instance, left his +first antagonist to meet his second. Fortunately, Mr. S. was a very +powerful man, and assistance was sooner given him than in the former +instance. Neither he nor the Hottentot, however, escaped without severe +wounds, which confined them for many weeks."</p> + +<p>"Is there more than one variety of leopard, Swinton?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, there is the common leopard and the hunting leopard; besides, I +think, two or three smaller varieties, as the tiger-cat and wild cat. +What do you propose doing to-day? Do you stay here, or advance, Wilmot?"</p> + +<p>"Why, the Major wishes to have a shot at the gnoos; he has never killed +one yet; and as I am of his opinion, that a day's rest will recover the +oxen, and we are in no hurry, I think we may as well stop and provision +our camp for a few days."</p> + +<p>"With all my heart. I am sorry that the hyena has added to our store, by +obliging us to kill the poor ox; however, it can not be helped. There is +a large body of gnoos and quaggas under that small hill to the westward; +but there are better animals for the table when we get a little further +to the northward."</p> + +<p>"Which are those?"</p> + +<p>"The eland, the largest of the antelope species, and sometimes weighing +more than a thousand pounds; moreover, they are very fat, and very easy +to run down. They are excellent eating. When I was in the Namaquas' +land, we preferred them to any other food; but I see another variety of +game on the plain there."</p> + +<p>"What?"</p> + +<p>Omrah pointed them out. "They are either Bushmen (tame Bushmen, as they +are called, in contradistinction to the others), or else Korannas; most +probably the latter. They are coming right towards us; but Mahomed says +breakfast is ready."</p> + +<p>By the time that breakfast was finished, a party of twelve Korannas had +joined the caravan. They made signs that they were hungry, pointing to +the straps which confined their stomachs. The interpreter told them that +they were about to hunt, and that they should have some of the game, at +which they were much pleased.</p> + +<p>"Do you know what those straps are called, round their waists, Wilmot?" +said Swinton. "They are called the belts of famine. All the natives wear +them when hard pressed by hunger, and they say that they are a great +relief. I have no doubt but such is the fact."</p> + +<p>"Well," said the Major, "I hope soon to enable the poor fellows to +loosen their belts, and fill their stomachs till they are as tight as a +drum. Saddle the horses, Bremen. Omrah, you ride my spare horse and +carry my spare rifle."</p> + +<p>Omrah, who now understood English, although he spoke but few words, gave +a nod of the head and went off to the wagon for the Major's rifle.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XIX'></a><h2>CHAPTER XIX.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>As soon as the horses were ready, our travelers set out in chase of the +gnoos and quaggas, which were collected to the westward of the caravan. +Bremen, Swanevelt, and Omrah were mounted, and ten of the Hottentots +followed with their guns, and the Korannas on foot; among the others, +Big Adam, who had been explaining to those who had never seen the gnoos +the manner in which he used to kill them.</p> + +<p>The herd permitted them to approach within two hundred yards of them, +and then, after curvetting and prancing, and galloping in small circles, +they stood still at about the same distance, looking, with curiosity and +anger mixed, at the horsemen. After a time, they took to their heels and +scoured the plain for about two miles, when they again stopped, tossing +their heads and manes, and stamping as if in defiance.</p> + +<p>The mounted party remained quiet till those on foot had again drawn +near, and the Hottentots, firing their guns, drove the herd within shot +of our travelers' guns, and three of the gnoos fell, while the others +bounded off to a greater distance; but as they neared the caravan, they +again started back, and were again closed in by the whole party.</p> + +<p>The Hottentots now advanced cautiously, creeping as near as they could +to the animals, whose attention was directed to the horsemen. The +Hottentots were nearly within range, when Omrah, who was mounted on the +Major's spare horse, fastened to the ramrod of the Major's rifle a red +bandanna handkerchief, which he usually wore round his head, and +separating quickly from the rest of the horsemen, walked his horse to +where Big Adam was creeping along to gain a shot, and stationed himself +behind him, waving the red handkerchief at the animals. Omrah was well +aware that a gnoo is as much irritated at a red handkerchief as a bull, +and as soon as he commenced waving it, one of the largest males stepped +out in that direction, pawing the ground and preparing for a charge.</p> + +<p>Big Adam, who had no idea that Omrah was so occupied behind him, now +rose to have a shot, and just as he rose the gnoo made his charge, and +Big Adam, being between the gnoo and the horse which Omrah rode, was of +course the party against whom the animal's choler was raised.</p> + +<p>Omrah, as soon as the animal charged, had wheeled round and galloped +away, while in the meantime Big Adam, perceiving the animal rushing at +him, lost all presence of mind, his gun went off without effect, and he +turned tail; the horns of the gnoo were close upon him, when of a +sudden, to the surprise of those who were looking on, Big Adam +disappeared, and the gnoo passed over where he had been.</p> + +<p>"Why, what has become of him?" said Alexander, laughing.</p> + +<p>"I don't know, but I think he has had a wonderful escape," replied the +Major: "he has disappeared like a ghost through a trap-door."</p> + +<p>"But I see his heels," cried Swinton, laughing; "he has fallen into an +ant-eater's hole, depend upon it; that mischievous little urchin might +have caused his death."</p> + +<p>"It was only to make him prove his steady aim which he was boasting so +much about," replied the Major; "but stop a moment; I will bring down +that gallant little animal, and then we will look for big Adam."</p> + +<p>But before the Major could get near enough to the gnoo, which was still +tearing up the ground and looking for his adversary, Omrah, who had put +by the handkerchief, advanced with the Major's rifle, and brought the +animal down. A volley was at the same time discharged at the herd by the +Hottentots, and three more fell, after which the remainder scampered +away, and were soon out of sight.</p> + +<p>They then rode up to where Big Adam had disappeared, and found him, as +Swinton had supposed, in a deep ant-eater's hole, head downward, and +bellowing for help. His feet were just above the surface, and that was +all; the Hottentots helped him out, and Big Adam threw himself on his +back, and seemed exhausted with fright and having been so long in a +reversed position, and was more vexed at the laugh which was raised +against him.</p> + +<p>The gnoos were soon cut up, and when the Hottentots had taken away as +much as they required, the rest of the carcasses were made over to the +hungry Korannas. Swinton shook his head at Omrah, who pretended that he +did not understand why, until the laughter of Alexander and the Major +was joined in by Swinton himself.</p> + +<p>As they had pretty well fatigued their horses in the chase, they +resolved to return to the caravan, and keep them as fresh as they could +for future service. They dined and supped on the flesh of the gnoos, +which was approved of, and after supper Alexander said—"And now, +Swinton, if you feel inclined, the Major and I will be very glad to hear +your history of the Mantatees."</p> + +<p>"With pleasure," replied Swinton. "The assemblage of tribes known as the +Mantatees or Invaders, according to the best authorities we can collect, +inhabited the countries to the westward of the Zoolu territory, in the +same latitude, which is that of Delagoa Bay. As all these tribes subsist +almost entirely upon the flesh and the milk of their cattle, if deprived +of them, they are driven to desperation, and must either become robbers +in their turn, or perish by hunger. Such was the case of the Mantatees. +Unable to withstand the attacks of the Zoolus, they were driven from +their country, and joined their forces with others who had shared the +same fate.</p> + +<p>"Such was the origin of the Mantatees, who, although they had not +courage to withstand the attacks of the Zoolus, were stimulated by +desperation and famine to a most extraordinary courage in the attacks +which they made upon others.</p> + +<p>"Forming an immense body, now that they were collected together, +accompanied by their wives and children, and unable to procure the +necessary subsistence, it is certain that their habits were so far +changed that they at last became cannibals, and were driven to prey upon +the dead bodies of their enemies, or the flesh of their comrades who +fell in the combats.</p> + +<p>"The Bechuana tribes, who are the Caffres of the interior, were the +first assailed, their towns sacked and burned, and their cattle seized +and devoured. They proceeded on to the Wankeets, one of the Damara +tribes, who inhabit the western coast to the northward of the Namaqua +Land; but the Wankeets were a brave people, and prepared for them, and +the Mantatees were driven back with great slaughter. Astounded at their +defeat, they turned to the southward, and invaded the Bechuana country.</p> + +<p>"At that time our missionaries had established themselves at Koranna, +and when the report of the Mantatees advancing was brought to them, the +Bechuanas were in a great consternation; for although finer-looking men +than the eastern Caffres, they are not by any means so brave and +warlike.</p> + +<p>"As the advance of these people would have been the ruin of the mission, +as well as the destruction of the tribe, who were afraid to encounter +them, Mr. M., the missionary, determined upon sending for the assistance +of the Griquas, the people whom I have before mentioned, and who had not +only horses, but were well armed. The Griquas came under their chief, +Waterboer, and marched against the enemy, accompanied by a large army +of Bechuanas, who, encouraged by the presence of the Griquas, now went +forth to the combat.</p> + +<p>"The Mantatees had at that time advanced as far, and had taken +possession of, Litakoo, a Bechuana town, containing 16,000 inhabitants; +and I will now give, as nearly as I can recollect it, the account of Mr. +M., the missionary at Kuruman, who accompanied the Griquas to propose +and effect, if it were possible, an amicable arrangement with the +invaders.</p> + +<p>"He told me that as they proceeded with a small party, ahead of the +Griqua force, to effect their purpose, they passed by numbers of the +enemy, who had advanced to the pools to drink, and had there sunk down +and expired from famine. As they neared the mass of the enemy, they +found that all the cattle which they had captured were inclosed in the +center of a vast multitude. They attempted a parley, but the enemy +started forward, and hurled their spears with the most savage fury, and +they were compelled to retreat, finding no hopes of obtaining a parley.</p> + +<p>"The next day it was decided that the Griquas should advance. They +numbered about one hundred well-mounted and well-armed men. The enemy +flew at them with terrible howls, hurling their javelins and clubs; +their black dismal appearance, their savage fury, and their hoarse loud +voices producing a strange effect. The Griquas, to prevent their being +surrounded, very wisely retreated.</p> + +<p>"It was at last decided that the Griquas should fire, and it was hoped +that as the Mantatees had never seen the effects of fire-arms they would +be humbled and alarmed, and thus further bloodshed might be prevented. +Many of the Mantatees fell; but, although the survivors looked with +astonishment upon the dead and their wounded warriors writhing in the +dust, they flew with lion-like vengeance at the horsemen, wrenching the +weapons from the hands of their dying companions, to replace those which +they had already discharged at their antagonists.</p> + +<p>"As those who thus stepped out from the main body to attack the Griquas +were the chiefs of the Mantatees, and many of them were killed, their +deaths, one after the other, disheartened the whole body.</p> + +<p>"After the Griquas had commenced the attack, the Bechuana army came up +and assisted with their poisoned arrows, with which they plied the +enemy; but a small body of the fierce Mantatees, sallying out, put the +whole of the Bechuanas to flight.</p> + +<p>"After a combat of two hours and a half, the Griquas, finding their +ammunition failing, determined, at great risk, to charge the whole body. +They did so, and the Mantatees gave way, and fled in a westerly +direction; but they were intercepted by the Griquas, and another charge +being made, the whole was pell-mell and confusion.</p> + +<p>"Mr. M. says that the scene which now presented itself was most awful, +and the state of suspense most cruel. The undulating country around was +covered with warriors—Griquas, Mantatees, and Bechuanas, all in +motion—so that it was impossible to say who were enemies and who were +friends. Clouds of dust rose from the immense masses, some flying, +others pursuing; and to their screams and yells were added the bellowing +of the oxen, the shouts of the yet unvanquished warriors, the groans of +the dying, and the wails of women and of children. At last the enemy +retreated to the town, which they set in flames, to add to the horror of +the scene.</p> + +<p>"Then another desperate struggle ensued, the Mantatees attempted to +inclose the Griquas in the burning town; but not succeeding, they fled +precipitately. Strange to say, the Mantatee forces were divided into two +parts, and during the time that the Griquas engaged the one, the other +remained in the town, having such confidence in the former that they did +not come to their assistance.</p> + +<p>"When the town was set on fire, both armies united, and retreated +together to the northward, in a body of not less than 40,000 warriors. +As soon as the Mantatees retreated, the Bechuanas commenced the work of +slaughter. Women and children were butchered without mercy; but as for +the wounded Mantatees, it appeared as if nothing would make them yield. +There were many instances of an individual being surrounded by fifty +Bechuanas, but as long as life remained he fought.</p> + +<p>"Mr. M. says that he saw more than one instance of a Mantatee fighting +wildly against numbers, with ten or twelve arrows and spears pierced in +his body. Struggling with death, the men would rally, raise themselves +from the ground, discharge their weapons, and fall dead, their +revengeful and hostile spirit only ceasing when life was extinct."</p> + +<p>"And yet these same people permitted their own country to be taken from +them by the Zoolus."</p> + +<p>"Yes, it was so; but want and necessity had turned them into desperate +warriors."</p> + +<p>"I wonder they never thought of going back and recovering their own +country. They would have been a match for the Zoolus. Is that the end of +their history, Swinton?"</p> + +<p>"No, not quite. But perhaps you are tired?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, no. Pray go on."</p> + +<p>"The Mantatees, although defeated by the Griquas, soon recovered their +courage, and intelligence came that they were about to make a descent +upon Kuruman, where the missionaries had their station. The Mantatees, +having been informed that the Griquas had gone home, now determined to +revenge themselves upon the Bechuanas, whom they considered but as the +dust under their feet.</p> + +<p>"On this information, Mr. M. wrote to Waterboer, who commanded the +Griquas, requesting his immediate return; but Waterboer replied that an +immense body of Mantatees were coming down upon the Griquas by the Val +or Yellow River, and that they were forced to remain, to defend their +own property, advising Mr. M. to retreat with his family to the Griqua +town, and put themselves under their protection.</p> + +<p>"As they could no longer remain, the mission station was abandoned, and +the missionaries, with their wives and families, retreated to Griqua +town. They had not, however, been long at Griqua town before news +arrived that both the bodies of Mantatees had altered their routes. +One portion of them went eastward, toward the country from which they +had been driven by the Zoolus, and another, it appears, took possession +of the country near the sources of the Orange River, where for many +years they carried on a predatory warfare with the tribes in that +district. At last a portion of them were incorporated, and settled down +on that part which is now known as the Mantatee new country; the +remainder made an irruption into the eastern Caffre country, where they +were known as the Ficani."</p> + +<p>"And what became of them?"</p> + +<p>"They defeated one or two of the Caffre chiefs, and the Caffres implored +the assistance of the English colonists, which was granted, and a large +armed force was sent out against the invaders. They were found +located—for they had built a town—near the sources of the Umtata +River. The Caffres joined with all their forces, and the Ficani were +surprised. A horrid slaughter took place; muskets, artillery and +Congreve rockets were poured upon the unfortunate wretches, who were +hemmed in on all sides by the Caffres, and the unfortunate Ficani may be +said to have been exterminated, for the Caffres spared neither man, +woman nor child. Such is the history of the Mantatees; their destruction +was horrible, but perhaps unavoidable."</p> + +<p>"Very true," observed Alexander; "I can not help thinking that +desolating contests like these are permitted by a controlling Providence +as chastisements, yet with a gracious end; for, surely it was better +that they should meet with immediate death, than linger till famine put +an end to their misery. This is certain, that they must have been +destroyed, or others destroyed to make room for them. In either case a +great sacrifice of life was to be incurred. War, dreadful as it is in +detail, appears to be one of the necessary evils of human existence, and +a means by which we do not increase so rapidly as to devour each other.</p> + +<p>"I don't know whether you have made the observation, but it appears to +me the plague and cholera are almost necessary in the countries where +they break out; and it is very remarkable that the latter disease never +made its appearance in Europe (at least not for centuries, I may say) +until after peace had been established, and the increase of population +was so rapid.</p> + +<p>"During the many years that Europe was devastated and the population +thinned by war, we had no cholera, and but little of one or two other +epidemics which have since been very fatal. What I mean to infer is, +that the hand of Providence may be seen in all this. Thus sanguinary +wars and the desolating ravages of disease, which are in themselves +afflictive visitations, and probably chastisements for national sins, +may nevertheless have the effect, in some cases, of preventing the +miseries which result from an undue increase of population."</p> + +<p>"You may be quite right, Alexander," observed Swinton; "the ways of +Heaven are inscrutably mysterious, and when we offer up prayers for the +removal of what may appear to be a heavy calamity, we may be deprecating +that which in the end may prove a mercy."</p> + +<p>"One thing I could not help remarking in your narrative, Swinton," +observed the Major, "which is the position of the missionaries during +this scene of terror. You passed it slightly over, but it must have been +most trying."</p> + +<p>"Most surely it was."</p> + +<p>"And yet I have not only read but heard much said against them, and +strong opposition made to subscriptions for their support."</p> + +<p>"I grant it, but it is because people know that a great deal of money +has been subscribed, and do not know the uses to which it is applied. +They hear reports read, and find perhaps that the light of the Gospel +has but as yet glimmered in one place or another; that in other places +all labor has hitherto been thrown away. They forget that it is the +grain of mustard-seed which is to become a great tree, and spread its +branches; they wish for immoderate returns, and are therefore +disappointed. Of course I can not give an opinion as to the manner in +which the missions are conducted in other countries; but as I have +visited most of the missions in these parts, I can honestly assert, and +I think you have already yourself seen enough to agree with me, that the +money intrusted to the societies is not thrown away or lavishly +expended; the missionaries labor with their own hands, and almost +provide for their own support."</p> + +<p>"There I agree with you, Swinton," replied Alexander; "but what are the +objections raised against them? for now that I have seen them with my +own eyes, I can not imagine what they can be."</p> + +<p>"The objections which I have heard, and have so often attempted to +refute, are, that the generality of missionaries are a fanatical class +of men, who are more anxious to inculcate the peculiar tenets of their +own sects and denominations than the religion of our Saviour; that most +of them are uneducated and vulgar men—many of them very intemperate and +very injudicious—some few of them of bad moral character; and that +their exertions, if they have used them—whether to civilize or to +Christianize the people among whom they are sent—have not been followed +by any commensurate results."</p> + +<p>"And now let us have your replies to these many objections."</p> + +<p>"It is no doubt true that the missionaries who are laboring among the +savages of the interior are, many, if not most of them, people of +limited education. Indeed, the major portion of them have been brought +up as mechanics. But I much question whether men of higher attainments +and more cultivated minds would be better adapted to meet the capacities +of unintellectual barbarians. A highly-educated man may be appreciated +among those who are educated themselves; but how can he be appreciated +by the savage? On the contrary, the savage looks with much more respect +upon a man who can forge iron, repair his weapons, and excite his +astonishment by his cunning workmanship; for then the savage perceives +and acknowledges his superiority, which in the man of intellect he would +never discover.</p> + +<p>"Besides, admitting that it would be preferable to employ persons of +higher mental attainments, where are they to be found? Could you expect, +when so many laborers are required in the vineyard, a sufficient number +of volunteers among the young men brought up at the universities? Would +they be able to submit to those privations, and incur those hardships, +to which the African missionaries are exposed? Would they be able to +work hard and labor for their daily bread, or be willing to encounter +such toil and such danger as must be encountered by those who are sent +here? I fear not. And allow me here to remark, that at the first +preaching of Christianity it was not talented and educated men who were +selected by our Saviour; out of the twelve, the Apostle Paul was the +only one who had such claims.</p> + +<p>"If we had beheld the Galilean fishermen mending their nets, should we +have ever imagined that those humble laborers were to be the people who +should afterward regenerate the world?—should overthrow the idolatries +and crumble the superstitions of ancient empires and kingdoms?—and that +what they—uneducated, but, we admit, divinely inspired and +supported—had taught should be joyfully received, as it is now, we may +say, from the rising to the setting of the sun, to the utmost boundaries +of the earth?"</p> + +<p>"Most truly and most admirably argued, Swinton," replied Alexander. "The +Almighty, as if to prove how insignificant in his sight is all human +power, has often made use of the meanest instruments to accomplish the +greatest ends. Who knows but that even our keeping holy the Sabbath-day +in the desert may be productive of some good, and be the humble means of +advancing the Divine cause? We must ever bear in mind the counsel, 'In +the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for +thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether +they both shall be alike good.'"</p> + +<p>"Surely so," replied Swinton; "the natives consider us as a superior +race; they see our worship, and they are led to think that must be right +which they perceive is done by those to whom they look up as their +superiors. It may induce them to inquire and to receive +information—eventually to be enrolled among the followers of our +Saviour. It is, however, not to be denied that in some few instances +persons have been chosen for the office of missionaries who have proved +themselves unworthy; but that must and will ever be the case where +human agents are employed. But it argues no more against the general +respectability and utility of the missionaries as a body, than the +admission of the traitor Judas among the apostles. To the efficacy of +their works, and their zeal in the cause, I myself, having visited the +station, have no hesitation in bearing testimony. Indeed I can not but +admire the exemplary fortitude, the wonderful patience and perseverance, +which the missionaries have displayed.</p> + +<p>"These devoted men are to be found in the remotest deserts, accompanying +the wild and wandering savages from place to place, suffering from +hunger and from thirst, destitute of almost every comfort, and at times +without even the necessaries of life. Some of them have without +murmuring spent their whole lives in such service; and yet their zeal is +set down as fanaticism by those who remain at home, and assert that the +money raised for their equipment is thrown away. Happily, they have not +looked for their reward in this world, but have built their hopes upon +that which is to come."</p> + +<p>"That the people who joined the Mission stations have become more +civilized, and that they are very superior to their countrymen, is +certain," observed the Major; "but have you seen any proof of +Christianity having produced any remarkably good effect among the +natives?—I mean one that might be brought forward as convincing +evidence to those who have shown themselves inimical or lukewarm in the +cause."</p> + +<p>"Yes," replied Swinton, "the history of Africaner is one; and there are +others, although not so prominent as that of the party to whom I refer."</p> + +<p>"Well, Swinton, you must now be again taxed. You must give us the +history of Africaner."</p> + +<p>"That I will, with pleasure, that you may be able to narrate it, when +required, in support of the missions. Africaner was a chief, and a +descendant of chiefs of the Hottentot nation, who once pastured their +own flocks and herds on their own native hills, within a hundred miles +of Cape Town. As the Dutch colonists at the Cape increased, so did they, +as Mr. Fairburn has stated to Alexander, dispossess the Hottentots of +their lands, and the Hottentots, unable to oppose their invaders, +gradually found themselves more and more remote from the possessions of +their forefathers.</p> + +<p>"After a time, Africaner and his diminished clan found themselves +compelled to join and take service under a Dutch boor, and for some time +proved himself a most faithful shepherd in looking after and securing +the herds of his employer. Had the Dutch boor behaved with common +humanity, not to say gratitude, toward those who served him so well, he +might now have been alive; but, like all the rest of his countrymen, he +considered the Hottentots as mere beasts of burden, and at any momentary +anger they were murdered and hunted down as if they were wild animals.</p> + +<p>"Africaner saw his clan daily diminished by the barbarity of his feudal +master, and at last resolved upon no further submission. As the Bushmen +were continually making attempts upon the cattle of the boor, Africaner +and his people had not only been well trained to fire-arms, but had them +constantly in their possession. His assumed master, having an idea that +there would be a revolt, resolved upon sending a portion of Africaner's +people to a distant spot, where he intended to secure them, and by their +destruction weaken the power of the clan.</p> + +<p>"This, as he was a sort of magistrate, he had the power to enforce; but +Africaner, suspecting his views, resolved to defeat them. Order after +order was sent to the huts of Africaner and his people. They positively +refused to comply. They requested to be paid for their long services, +and be permitted to retire further into the interior. This was sternly +denied, and they were ordered to appear at the house of the boor. +Fearful of violence, yet accustomed to obey his order, Africaner and his +brothers went up; but one of his brothers concealed his gun under his +cloak. On their arrival, the boor came out and felled Africaner to the +ground. His brother immediately shot the boor with his gun, and thus did +the miscreant meet with the just reward of his villainies and murder.</p> + +<p>"The wife, who had witnessed the murder of her husband, shrieked and +implored mercy; they told her that she need not be alarmed, but +requested that the guns and ammunition in the house should be delivered +up to them, which was immediately done. Africaner then hastened back to +his people, collected them and all his cattle, with what effects they +could take with them, and directed his course to the Orange River.</p> + +<p>"He was soon out of the reach of his pursuers, for it required time in +so scattered a district to collect a sufficient force. Africaner fixed +his abode upon the banks of the Orange River, and afterward a chief +ceding to him his dominion in Great Namaqua land, the territory became +his by right as well as by conquest. I think I had better leave off now; +it is getting late, and we must to bed, if we are to start early +to-morrow morning."</p> + +<p>"We will have mercy upon you, Swinton, and defer our impatience," said +the Major. "Good-night to you, and may you not have a lion's serenade."</p> + +<p>"No, I hope not; their music is too loud to be agreeable;—good-night."</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XX'></a><h2>CHAPTER XX.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>Having filled their water-kegs, the next morning at day-light they yoked +the oxen and left the banks of the Cradock or Black River, to proceed +more to the northward, through the Bushmen's country; but as they were +aware that there was no water to be procured, if they quitted the stream +altogether, till they arrived at the Val or Yellow River, they decided +upon following the course of the Black River to the westward for some +time, before they struck off for the Val or Yellow River, near to which +they expected to fall in with plenty of game, and particularly the +giraffe and rhinoceros.</p> + +<p>Although at that season of the year the river was nearly dry, still +there was a scanty herbage on and near its bank, intermixed with beds of +rushes and high reeds; this was sufficient for the pasture of the +cattle, but it was infested with lions and other animals, which at the +dry season of the year kept near the river-bank for a supply of water.</p> + +<p>By noon they had proceeded about fifteen miles to the westward, and as +they advanced they found that the supply of water in the river was more +abundant; they then unyoked the cattle to allow them to feed till the +evening, for it was too dangerous to turn them loose at night. As they +were in no hurry, they resolved that they would only travel for the +future from daylight till noon; the afternoon and evening were to be +spent in hunting, and at night they were to halt the caravan and secure +every thing as before, by inclosing the horses and sheep, and tying up +the oxen.</p> + +<p>By this arrangement the cattle would not be exhausted with their labor, +and they would have time to follow the object of their journey—that of +hunting the wild animals with which the country abounded, and also of +procuring a constant supply of food for themselves and their attendants.</p> + +<p>Having now traveled as far as they wished, they stopped at the foot of a +rising ground, about a quarter of a mile from the river's bank, and +which was on the outskirts of a large clump of mimosa and other trees. +As soon as the cattle were unyoked and had gone down to the river to +drink, our travelers ordered their horses to be saddled, and as the +banks of the river on that side were low, they rode up to the rising +ground to view the country beyond, and to ascertain what game might be +in sight.</p> + +<p>When they arrived at the summit, and were threading their way through +the trees, Omrah pointed to a broken branch, and said, "Elephant here +not long ago."</p> + +<p>Bremen said that Omrah was right, and that the animals could not have +left more than a week, and that probably they had followed the course of +the stream. The print of another foot was observed by Omrah, and he +pointed it out; but not knowing the name to give the animal in English +or Dutch, he imitated its motions.</p> + +<p>"Does he mean a gnoo?" said Alexander.</p> + +<p>Omrah shook his head, and, raising his hands up, motioned that the +animal was twice as big.</p> + +<p>"Come here, Bremen; what print of a hoof is this?" said Swinton.</p> + +<p>"Buffalo, sir,—fresh print—was here last night."</p> + +<p>"That's an animal that I am anxious to slay," said the Major.</p> + +<p>"You must be very careful that he does not slay <i>you</i>," replied Swinton; +"for it is a most dangerous beast, almost as much so as a lion."</p> + +<p>"Well, we must not return without one, at all events," said Alexander; +"nor without a lion also, as soon as we can find one alone; but those we +have seen in the daytime have always been in threes and fours, and I +think the odds too great with our party; but the first single lion we +fall in with, I vote we try for his skin."</p> + +<p>"Agreed," replied the Major; "what do you say, Swinton?"</p> + +<p>"Why, I say agreed also; but as I came here to look for other things +rather than lions, I should say, as far as I am concerned, that the best +part of valor would be discretion. However, depend upon it, if you go +after a lion I shall be with you: I have often been at the destruction +of them when with Dutch boors; but then recollect we have no horses to +spare, and therefore we must not exactly follow their method."</p> + +<p>"How do they hunt the lions, then?" inquired Alexander.</p> + +<p>"They hunt them more for self-defense than for pleasure," replied +Swinton; "but on the outskirts of the colony the lions are so +destructive to the herds, that the colonists must destroy them. They +generally go out, ten or twelve of them, with their long guns, not fewer +if possible; and you must recollect that these boors are not only very +cool, brave men, but most excellent shots. I fear you will not find that +number among our present party, as, with the exception of our three +selves and Breman and Swanevelt, I do not believe that there is one man +here who would face a lion; so that when we do attack one, it will be at +a disadvantage.</p> + +<p>"The Dutch boors, as soon as they have ascertained where the lion lies, +approach the bushes to within a moderate distance, and then alighting, +they make all their horses fast together with their bridles and +halters. In this there is danger, as sometimes the lion will spring out +upon them at once, and, if so, probably not only horses but men are +sacrificed. If the lion remains quiet, which is usually the case, they +advance toward him within thirty paces or thereabouts, as they know that +he generally makes a spring at half that distance; but as they advance, +they back their horses toward him, as a shield in front of them, knowing +that the lion will spring upon the horses.</p> + +<p>"As they move forward, the lion at first looks at them very calmly, and +very often wags his tail as if in a playful humor; but when they +approach nearer, he growls, as if to warn them off. Then, as they +continue to approach, he gradually draws up his hind legs under his +body, ready for a spring at them as soon as they are within distance, +and you see nothing of him except his bristling mane and his eyes +glaring like fire; for he is then fully enraged, and in the act of +springing the next moment.</p> + +<p>"This is the critical moment, and the signal is given for half the party +to fire. If they are not successful in laying him dead on the spot with +this first volley, he springs like a thunderbolt upon the horses. The +remainder of the party then fire, and seldom fail to put an end to him; +but generally one or more of the horses are either killed or so wounded +as to be destroyed in consequence; and sometimes, although rarely, one +or more of the hunters share the same fate. So you observe that, with +every advantage, it is a service of danger, and therefore should not be +undertaken without due precaution."</p> + +<p>"Very true, Swinton; but it will never do to return to the Cape without +having killed a lion."</p> + +<p>"As you please; but even that would be better than being killed yourself +by a lion, and not returning at all. However, my opinion is that you +will have to kill a lion before you have traveled much further, without +going in quest of him. There are hundreds of them here; as many as there +are in Namaqua-land."</p> + +<p>"Look, master!" said Bremen, pointing to seven or eight splendid +antelopes about a mile distant.</p> + +<p>"I see," replied the Major. "What are they?"</p> + +<p>"Gemsbok," said Swinton. "Now I will thank you for a specimen of that +beautiful creature, if you can get it for me. We must dismount, leave +our horses here, and crawl along from tree to tree, and bush to bush, +till we get within shot."</p> + +<p>"They are, indeed, noble animals. Look at that large male, which appears +to be the leader and master of the herd. What splendid horns!" cried +Alexander.</p> + +<p>"Give the horses to Omrah and Swanevelt. Bremen shall go with us. Hist; +not a word; they are looking in this direction." said the Major.</p> + +<p>"Recollect to try for the large male. I want him most particularly," +said Swinton.</p> + +<p>"Master," said Bremen, "We must creep till we get those bushes between +us and the game. Then we can crawl through the bushes and get a good +shot."</p> + +<p>"Yes, that will be the best plan," said Swinton. "As softly as we can, +for they are very shy animals."</p> + +<p>They followed one another for two or three hundred yards, creeping from +one covert to another, till they had placed the bushes on the plain +between them and the herd. They then stopped a little and reconnoitered. +The herd of antelopes had left off feeding, and now had all their heads +turned toward the bushes, and in the direction where they were +concealed; the large male rather in advance of the others, with his long +horns pointing forward, and his nose close to the ground. Our party kept +silence for some time, watching the animals; but none of them moved much +from their positions; and as for the male, he remained as if he were a +statue.</p> + +<p>"They must have scented us," whispered Alexander.</p> + +<p>"No, sir," said Bremen; "the wind blows from them to us. I can't think +what they are about. But perhaps they may have seen us."</p> + +<p>"At all events, we shall gain nothing by remaining here; we shall be +more concealed as we descend and approach them," observed the Major.</p> + +<p>"That is true; so come along. Creep like mice," said Swinton.</p> + +<p>They did so, and at last arrived at the patch of brushwood which was +between them and the antelopes, and were now peeping and creeping to +find out an opening to fire through, when they heard a rustling within. +Bremen touched the sleeve of the Major and beckoned a retreat, and +motioned to the others; but before they could decide, as they did not +know why the Hottentot proposed it, for he did not speak himself, and +put his hand to his mouth as a hint to them to be silent, a roar like +thunder came from the bushes, within three yards of them, accompanied +with a rushing noise which could not be mistaken. It was the roar and +spring of the lion; and they looked round amazed and stunned, to +ascertain who was the victim.</p> + +<p>"Merciful Heaven!" exclaimed Alexander, "and no one hurt!"</p> + +<p>"No, master; lion spring at antelope. Now we shall find him on other +side of the bush, and kill him easy, when his eyes are shut."</p> + +<p>Bremen led the way round the copse, followed by our travelers; they soon +arrived on the other side of it, with their guns all ready; but on their +arrival, to their astonishment they perceived the lion and the male +gemsbok lying together. The antelope was dead, but the lion still alive; +though the horns of the gemsbok had passed through his body. At the +sight of the hunters, the lion, pierced through as he was, raised his +head with a loud roar, and struck out with his paw, as he twisted toward +them, his eyes glowing like hot coals, and showing his tremendous fangs. +Alexander was the first who fired, and the ball penetrating the brain of +the noble animal, it fell down dead upon the body of the antelope.</p> + +<p>"This is the finest sight I ever witnessed," observed Swinton. "I have +heard that the gemsboks' horns are sometimes fatal to the lion, but I +could hardly credit it. They have passed nearly through his body; the +points are under the skin."</p> + +<p>"Now we know, master, why gemsbok have his nose to the ground and his +horn pointed," said Bremen; "he saw the lion, and fought him to save his +herd."</p> + +<p>"I am quite stunned yet," observed Alexander. "What a noble animal it +is! Well, at all events I can say that I have shot a lion, which is +more than you can, Major."</p> + +<p>"I only wish that when I shoot one I may have no more danger to incur," +replied the Major. "What a different idea does one have of a lion in a +menagerie and one in its free and native state. Why, the menagerie lions +can't roar at all; they are nothing but overgrown cats, compared to the +lion of the desert."</p> + +<p>"That is very true," observed Swinton; "however, I am delighted, for now +I have not only my gemsbok, which is a gem above price, but also as fine +a lion as I have ever seen. I should like to have them stuffed and set +up just as they were before Alexander killed them. His rage and agony +combined were most magnificent. After all, the lion is the king of the +beasts. Bremen, send Swanevelt to the caravan for some of the men. I +must have both skin and skeleton of the antelope, and the skin of the +lion."</p> + +<p>Our travelers were quite satisfied with the sport of the day, and after +waiting for some time, while the Hottentots disentangled the animals and +took off the skins, they returned to the caravan, Omrah having secured a +portion of the flesh of the gemsbok for their supper.</p> + +<p>As they were returning, they observed a herd of buffaloes at a great +distance, and proposed to themselves the hunting of them after they had +halted on the following day, if the animals were at any reasonable +distance from them. At supper the flesh of the antelope was pronounced +better than that of the gnoo; and after supper, as soon as the cattle +had been all secured, and the fires lighted, Alexander proposed that +Swinton should finish his history of Africaner.</p> + +<p>"If I remember right, I left off where Africaner and his people had +escaped to Namaqua-land, where he became a chief. Attempts were made to +take him prisoner and bring him to the colony, but without success. +Expedition after expedition failed, and Africaner dared them to approach +his territories. At last, the colonists had recourse to the Griquas, and +offered them a large reward if they would bring Africaner in.</p> + +<p>"The Griquas, commanded by a celebrated chief of the name of Berend, +made several attempts, and in consequence a cruel war was carried on +between Berend and Africaner, in which neither party gained the +advantage. Africaner, discovering that the colonists had bribed Berend +to make war against him, now turned his wrath against them. A Dutch boor +fell a victim to his fury, and he carried off large quantities of their +cattle, and eventually Africaner became the terror of the colony. The +natives also who resided in Namaqua-land commenced depredations upon +Africaner, but he repaid them with such interest that at last every +tribe fled at his approach, and his name carried dismay into their +solitary wastes. The courage and intrepidity shown by Africaner and his +brothers in their various combats were most remarkable; but to narrate +all his adventures would occupy too much time. It is certain that he not +only became dreaded, but in consequence of his forbearance on several +occasions he was respected.</p> + +<p>"It was in 1810 that the missionaries came into the Namaqua-land, and it +unfortunately happened that a dispute arose about some of Africaner's +property which was seized, and at the same time Africaner lost some +cattle. The parties who were at variance with Africaner lived near to +the Mission station, and very unwisely the people at the Mission station +were permitted to go to their assistance.</p> + +<p>"This roused the anger of Africaner, who vowed vengeance on the Mission +and the people collected around it or connected with it. As Africaner +had commenced his attacks upon the Namaquas, and was advancing toward +the mission, the missionaries were compelled to abandon the station and +return to the colony. The Mission station was soon afterward taken +possession of by Africaner, and the houses burned to the ground.</p> + +<p>"A curious circumstance occurred during this affair: his followers were +seeking everywhere for plunder, when some of them entered the burial +ground, and one of them, treading on an apparently new made grave, was +astonished by soft notes of music proceeding from the ground beneath.</p> + +<p>"Superstitious as the natives are, and having most of them, in former +days, heard something of the Christian doctrines, they started and stood +transfixed with astonishment, expecting the dead to arise, as they had +been once told. One of them mustered courage to put his foot again upon +the spot, and the reply was soft and musical as before. Away they all +started to Africaner, to inform him that there was life and music in the +grave.</p> + +<p>"The chief, who feared neither the living nor the dead, went to the +burial-ground with his men, and jumped upon the spot, which immediately +gave out the soft note as before. Africaner ordered an immediate +exhumation, when the source of the mystery proved to be the piano-forte +of the missionary's wife, which being too cumbrous an article to take +away, had been buried there, with the hope of being one day able to +recover it. Never having seen such an instrument before, Africaner had +it dissected for the sake of the brass wires; and thus the piano was +destroyed."</p> + +<p>"I doubt if it would ever have been dug up in Caffreland," observed +Alexander.</p> + +<p>"I am convinced it never would have been, but have remained as a wonder +and object of fear as long as it held together," replied Swinton; "but +to proceed—</p> + +<p>"The Mission station having been for some time broken up by this attack +of Africaner, Mr. C., a missionary, anxious to restore it, wrote a +letter to Africaner on the subject, and received a favorable reply, and +a Mr. E. was sent to the residence of Africaner himself. After a short +time, Africaner and his two brothers, with a number of others, were +baptized.</p> + +<p>"At first it must be admitted that their profession of Christianity did +not greatly improve their conduct; but this was very much to be ascribed +to the circumstance that the duties of the station had devolved upon one +who ought not to have been selected for the task. Upon his removal, and +a more fitting minister of the Gospel taking his place, a great change +was soon observable in Africaner; and, from having been one of the most +remorseless pursuers of his vengeance—a firebrand spreading discord, +war and animosity among the neighboring tribes—he would now make every +concession and any sacrifice to prevent collision and bloodshed between +contending parties.</p> + +<p>"Although his power was so great that he might have raised his arm and +dared them to lift a spear or draw a bow, he would entreat them as a +suppliant to be reconciled.</p> + +<p>"'Look at me,' he would say, 'how many battles have I fought; how much +cattle have I taken; but what has it done for me, but make me full of +shame and sorrow?'</p> + +<p>"In short, from that time till he died, he became a peacemaker and a +Christian, both in word and deed. His whole life was devoted to acts of +kindness and charity—to instructing and exhorting, and following the +precepts of Him in whose faith eventually he lived and died."</p> + +<p>"Well, Swinton, you have indeed given us a remarkable proof that the +missionary labors are not always thrown away, and we thank you for your +compliance with our request."</p> + +<p>"It is a remarkable instance, if you only consider how many hundreds of +lives might have been sacrificed, if Africaner had continued his career +of slaughter and of plunder; and how many lives, I may add, have been +also saved by his interference as a peacemaker, instead of being, as he +formerly was, a promoter of war and bloodshed."</p> + +<p>"Swinton," said Alexander, "I wanted to ask you a question which I had +nearly forgotten. Do you recollect what Bremen said to us, that the lion +had seized the gemsbok, and that now the lion would shut his eyes, and +that he would shoot him?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I do; and he was correct in what he stated, for I have witnessed +it myself. When a lion seizes a large animal like an ox or horse, or the +animal he fell a martyr to this afternoon, he springs upon it, seizes it +by the throat with his terrible fangs, and holds it down with his paws +till it expires. From the moment the lion seizes his prey, he shuts his +eyes, and never opens them again until the life of his prey is extinct. +I remember a Hottentot, when a lion had seized an ox in this way, +running up to him with his gun and firing within a few yards' distance. +The lion, however, did not deign to notice the report of the gun, but +continued to hold fast his prey. The Hottentot loaded again, fired, and +again missed; reloaded again, and then shot the lion through the head."</p> + +<p>"How very strange!"</p> + +<p>"It is, and I can not give any reason for it; but that it is so, I well +know to be a fact. Perhaps it may be that the animal, after long +fasting, is quite absorbed with the grateful taste of the blood flowing +into his mouth, while the animal is writhing under his clutches. But +there are many singular points about the lion, which is a much more +noble and intelligent animal than most people have any idea of; I have +collected a number of facts relative to his majesty which would surprise +you. The Bushmen know the animal and his habits so well, that they +seldom come to any accident from their inhabiting a country in which I +really believe the population of lions exceeds that of Bushmen."</p> + +<p>"Is it true that the lion, as well as other animals, is afraid of the +eye of man?" said the Major; "can you reply to that question?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I can," answered Swinton; "I was about to say that he is and is +not, but a better answer will be to give you what has come to my +knowledge: I consider that the lion is a much more dangerous animal in +this country, and indeed in any other where there are no firearms, than +where the occupants are possessed of them.</p> + +<p>"It may appear strange, but it is my fixed opinion, that the lion has an +idea of the deadly nature of firearms, and that he becomes in +consequence more afraid of man. You remember a story I told you of a +lion watching a man for two days without destroying him, but never +permitting him to lay hold of his gun. Now it is satisfactorily proved +that a lion will pass a man who has a gun in his hand without attacking +him, provided that he does not attempt to level the gun; but the moment +that he does he will spring upon him.</p> + +<p>"An instance of that occurred to the great lion-hunter Diedrich Muller, +who mentioned it to me. He had been alone hunting in the wilds, when he +came suddenly upon a large lion, which, instead of giving way as they +usually do, seemed disposed, from the angry attitude which he assumed, +to dispute his progress.</p> + +<p>"Muller instantly alighted, and, confident of his unerring aim, leveled +his gun at the forehead of the lion, which had crouched in the act to +spring, within sixteen paces of him; but as he fired, his horse, whose +bridle was round his arm, started back, and, jerking him aside, caused +him to miss; the lion bounded forward, but stopped within a few paces, +confronting Muller, who stood defenseless, as his gun was discharged, +and his horse had galloped off.</p> + +<p>"The man and the beast stood looking each other in the face for a short +time. At length the lion moved backward, as if to go away. Muller began +loading his gun; the lion looked over his shoulder, growled, and +immediately returned to his former position within a few paces of +Muller. Muller stood still, with his eyes fixed on the animal. The lion +again moved cautiously off; when he was at a certain distance, Muller +proceeded to ram down his bullet. The lion again looked back and growled +angrily. Muller again was quiet, and the animal continued turning and +growling as it moved off, till at last it bounded away."</p> + +<p>"You imagine then, that the lion is aware of the fatal effects of +fire-arms?" said the Major.</p> + +<p>"It would appear so, not only on account of their being so angry if +presented at them, or being touched even when they are close to them, +but also from the greater respect the lion pays to man where fire-arms +are in use. The respect that he pays to men in the colony is not a +general custom of the animal.</p> + +<p>"As I said before, the lion is more dangerous in this Bushman country; +because, in the first place, his awe of man has been removed, from his +invariably successful encounters with those who have no weapons of +force with which to oppose him; and, secondly, because he has but too +often tasted human flesh, after which a lion becomes more partial to it +than any other food.</p> + +<p>"It is asserted, that when a lion has once succeeded in snatching some +unfortunate Bushman from his cave, he never fails to return regularly +every night, in hopes of another meal, until the horde is so harassed +that they are compelled to seek some other shelter. From apprehension of +such attacks, it is also asserted that the Bushmen are in the habit of +placing their aged and infirm people at the entrance of the cave during +the night, that, should the lion come, the least valuable and most +useless of their community may first fall a prey to the animal."</p> + +<p>"Of course, if permitted to help himself in that way, the lion can not +have much fear of man," observed Wilmot; "and his lurking abroad in the +night takes away much from the nobleness of disposition which you are +inclined to attribute to him."</p> + +<p>"By no means," continued Swinton. "That a lion generally lurks and lies +in wait to seize his prey is certain, but this is the general +characteristic of the feline tribe, of which he may be considered as the +head; and it is for this mode of hunting that nature has fitted him.</p> + +<p>"The wolf, the hound, and others, are furnished with an acute scent, and +are enabled to tire down their prey by a long chase. The feline tribe +are capable of very extraordinary efforts of activity and speed for a +very short time; if they fail to seize their prey at the first spring, +or after a few tremendous bounds, they generally abandon the pursuit.</p> + +<p>"The lion can spring from nine to twelve yards at a leap, and for a few +seconds can repeat these bounds with such activity and velocity as to +outstrip the movements of the quickest horse; but he can not continue +these amazing efforts and does not attempt it. In fact, the lion is no +more than a gigantic cat, and he must live by obtaining his prey in the +same manner as a cat.</p> + +<p>"In these countries, his prey is chiefly of the antelope species, the +swiftest animals on earth; and what chance would he have, if he were to +give one of his magnanimous roars to announce his approach? He knows his +business better; he crouches in the rank grass and reeds by the sides of +the paths made by the animals to descend to the rivers and pools to +drink, and as they pass he makes his spring upon them.</p> + +<p>"Now I do not consider that his obtaining his food as nature has +pointed out to him is any argument against what I consider the really +noble disposition of the lion, which is, that he does not kill for mere +cruelty, and that he is really generous, unless compelled by hunger to +destroy, as I have already shown by one or two examples."</p> + +<p>"We are convinced, my dear Swinton," said Alexander; "but now let us +have your opinion as to his being afraid to meet the eye of man."</p> + +<p>"I consider that the lion will generally retreat before the presence of +man; but he does not retreat cowardly, like the leopard or hyena, and +others. He never slinks away, he appears calmly to survey his opponent, +as apparently measuring his prowess. I should say that the lion seems to +have a secret impression that man is not his natural prey, and although +he will not always give place to him, he will not attack him, if, in the +first place, the man shows no sign of fear, and in the second, no signs +of hostility.</p> + +<p>"But this instinctive deference to man is not to be reckoned upon. He +may be very angry, he may be very hungry, he may have been just +disappointed in taking his prey, or he may be accompanied by the female +and cubs; in short, the animal's temper may have been ruffled, and in +this case he becomes dangerous.</p> + +<p>"An old Namaqua chief with whom I was conversing, and who had been +accustomed to lions from childhood, fully corroborated these opinions, +and also that there is that in the eye of man before which the lion +quails. He assured me that the lion very seldom attacks a man, if not +provoked; but he will approach him within a few paces and survey him +steadily. Sometimes he attempts to get behind him, as if he could not +stand his look, but was desirous of springing upon him unawares. He +said, that if a man in such a case attempted to fly, he would run the +greatest danger, but that if he had presence of mind to confront the +animal, it would in almost every instance after a short time retire.</p> + +<p>"Now I have already brought forward the instance of Muller and the lion, +as a proof of the effect of a man's eye upon the lion. I will now give +another, still more convincing, as the contact was still closer, and +the lion had even tasted blood.</p> + +<p>"A boor of the name of Gyt was out with one of his neighbors hunting. +Coming to a fountain, surrounded as usual with tall reeds and rushes, +Gyt gave his gun to his comrade, and alighted to see if there was any +water remaining in it; but as he approached the fountain, an enormous +lion started up close at his side, and seized him by the left arm. Gyt, +although thus taken by surprise, stood motionless and without +struggling, for he was aware that the least attempt to escape would +occasion his immediate destruction. The animal also remained motionless, +holding Gyt fast by the arm with his fangs, but without biting it +severely, at the same time shutting his eyes, as if he could not +withstand the eyes of his victim fixed upon him."</p> + +<p>"What a terrible position!"</p> + +<p>"Yes; but I may here observe that the lion was induced to seize the man +in consequence of their coming so completely in contact, and, as it +were, for self-defense. Had they been further apart, the lion would, as +usually is the case, have walked away; and, moreover, the eye of the man +being so close to him had, at the same time, more power over the lion, +so as to induce him to shut his own. But to continue—</p> + +<p>"As they stood in this position, Gyt recovered his presence of mind, and +beckoned to his comrade to advance with his gun and shoot the lion +through the head. This might easily have been done, as the animal +continued still with his eyes closed, and Gyt's body concealed any +object approaching. But his comrade was a cowardly scoundrel, and, +instead of coming to Gyt's assistance, he cautiously crawled up a rock +to secure himself from any danger. For a long while Gyt continued +earnestly to entreat his comrade by signs to come to his assistance—the +lion continuing all this while perfectly quiet—but in vain."</p> + +<p>"How my blood boils at the conduct of this scoundrel," said the Major; +"admitting his first impulse to have been fear, yet to allow his comrade +to remain in that position so long a while covers him with infamy."</p> + +<p>"I think if Gyt escaped, he must have felt very much inclined to shoot +the wretch himself."</p> + +<p>"The lion-hunters affirm that, if Gyt had but persevered a little +longer, the animal would have at last released his hold and left Gyt +uninjured; that the grip of the lion was more from fear that the man +would hurt him, than from any wish to hurt the man; and such is my +opinion. But Gyt, indignant at the cowardice of his comrade, and losing +patience with the lion, at last drew his hunting-knife, which all the +boors invariably carry at their side, and with all the power of his +right arm thrust it into the lion's breast.</p> + +<p>"The thrust was a deadly one, for it was aimed with judgment, and Gyt +was a bold and powerful man; but it did not prove effectual so as to +save Gyt's life, for the enraged lion, striving in his death agonies to +grapple with Gyt,—held at arm's length by the strength of desperation +on the part of the boor,—so dreadfully lacerated with his talons the +breast and arms of poor Gyt, that his bones were left bare.</p> + +<p>"At last the lion fell dead, and Gyt fell with him. His cowardly +companion, who had witnessed this fearful struggle from the rock, now +took courage to advance, and carried the mangled body of Gyt to the +nearest house. Medical aid was at hand, but vainly applied, as on the +third day, he died of a locked jaw. Such was the tragical end of this +rencounter, from the sheer cowardice of Gyt's companion.</p> + +<p>"I could mention many other instances in which lions have had men in +their power and have not injured them, if they have neither attempted to +escape nor to assault; but I think I have given enough already, not only +to prove the fact of his general forbearance toward man, but also that +there is something in the eye of man at which the lion and other +animals, I believe, will quail."</p> + +<p>"I can myself give an instance that this fascinating effect, or whatever +it may be, of the human eye, is not confined wholly to the lion," said +the Major.</p> + +<p>"One of our officers in India, having once rambled into a jungle +adjoining the British encampment, suddenly encountered a Bengal tiger. +The meeting was evidently most unexpected on both sides, and both +parties made a dead halt, earnestly gazing at each other. The officer +had no fire-arms with him, although he had his regulation sword by his +side; but that he knew would be of no defense if he had to struggle for +life with such a fearful antagonist. He was, however, a man of undaunted +courage, and he had heard that even a Bengal tiger might be checked by +looking him steadily in the face.</p> + +<p>"His only artillery being, like a lady's, that of his eyes, he directed +them point blank at the tiger. He would have infinitely preferred a +rifle, as he was not at all sure but that his eyes might miss fire. +However, after a few minutes, during which the tiger had been crouched +ready for his spring, the animal appeared disturbed and irresolute, +slunk on one side, and then attempted to crawl round behind the officer.</p> + +<p>"This, of course, the officer would not permit, and he turned to the +tiger as the tiger turned, with the same constancy that, Tom Moore says, +the 'sunflower turns to the sun.'</p> + +<p>"The tiger then darted into the thicket, and tried to catch him by +coming suddenly upon him from another quarter, and taking him by +surprise; but our officer was wide awake, as you may suppose, and the +tiger, finding that it was no go, at last went off himself, and the +officer immediately went off too, as fast as he could, to the +encampment."</p> + +<p>"I am glad to have heard your narrative, Major," replied Swinton; "for +many doubts have been thrown upon the question of the power of the human +eye, and your opinion is a very corroborative one."</p> + +<p>"Do not you imagine that the lion-tamers who exhibit in Europe have +taken advantage of this peculiar fact?"</p> + +<p>"I have no doubt but that it is one of their great helps; but I think +that they resort to other means, which have increased the instinctive +fear that the animals have of them. I have witnessed these exhibitions, +and always observed that the man never for a moment took his eyes off +the animal which he was playing with or commanding.</p> + +<p>"I have observed that also; but what are the other means to which you +allude?"</p> + +<p>"I can not positively say, but I can only express an opinion. The most +painful and most stunning effects of a blow upon any part of the body, +not only of man but of brutes, is a blow on the nose. Many animals, such +as the seal and others, are killed by it immediately, and there is no +doubt but a severe blow on that tender part will paralyze almost any +beast for the time and give him a dread for the future. I believe that +repeated blows upon the nose will go further than any other means to +break the courage of any beast, and I imagine that these are resorted +to: but it is only my opinion, recollect, and it must be taken for just +as much as it is worth."</p> + +<p>"Do not you think that animals may be tamed by kindness, if you can +produce in them the necessary proportion of love and fear?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I was about to say every animal, but I believe some must be +excepted; and this is from their having so great a fear of man, rather +than from any other cause. If their fear could be overcome, they might +be tamed. Of course there are some animals which have not sufficient +reasoning power to admit of their being tamed; for instance, who would +ever think of taming a scorpion?"</p> + +<p>"I believe that there is one animal which, although taken as a cub, has +resisted every attempt to tame it in the slightest degree,—this is the +grizzly bear of North America."</p> + +<p>"I have heard so too," replied Swinton; "at all events, up to the +present time they have been unsuccessful. It is an animal of most +unamiable disposition, that is certain; and I would rather encounter ten +lions, if all that they say of it is true. But it is time for us to go +to bed. Those fires are getting rather low. Who has the watch?"</p> + +<p>The Major rose and walked round to find the Hottentot who was on that +duty, and found him fast asleep. After sundry kicks in the ribs, the +fellow at last woke up.</p> + +<p>"Is it your watch?"</p> + +<p>"Yaw, Mynher," replied Big Adam, rolling out of his kaross.</p> + +<p>"Well, then, you keep it so well, that you will have no tobacco next +time it is served out."</p> + +<p>"Gentlemen all awake and keep watch, so I go to sleep a little," replied +Adam, getting up on his legs.</p> + +<p>"Look to your fires, sir," replied the Major, walking to his wagon.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XXI'></a><h2>CHAPTER XXI.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>As they fully expected to fall in with a herd of buffaloes as they +proceeded, they started very early on the following morning. They had +now the satisfaction of finding that the water was plentiful in the +river, and, in some of the large holes which they passed, they heard the +snorting and blowing of the hippopotami, to the great delight of the +Hottentots, who were very anxious to procure one, being very partial to +its flesh.</p> + +<p>As they traveled that day, they fell in with a small party of Bushmen; +they were shy at first, but one or two of the women at last approached, +and receiving some presents of snuff and tobacco, the others soon +joined; and as they understood from Omrah and the Hottentots that they +were to hunt in the afternoon, they followed the caravan, with the hopes +of obtaining food.</p> + +<p>They were a very diminutive race, the women, although very well formed, +not being more than four feet high. Their countenances were +pleasing,—that is, the young ones; and one or two of them would have +been pretty, had they not been so disfigured with grease and dirt. +Indeed the effluvia from them was so unpleasant, that our travelers were +glad that they should keep at a distance; and Alexander said to Swinton, +"Is it true that the lion and other animals prefer a black man to a +white, as being of a higher flavor, Swinton, or is it only a joke?"</p> + +<p>"I should think there must be some truth in the idea," observed the +Major; "for they say that the Bengal tiger will always take a native in +preference to a European."</p> + +<p>"It is, I believe, not to be disputed," replied Swinton, "that for one +European devoured by the lion or other animals, he feasts upon ten +Hottentots or Bushmen, perhaps more; but I ascribe the cause of his so +doing, not exactly to his perceiving any difference in the flesh of a +black and white man, and indulging his preference. The lion, like many +other beasts of prey, is directed to his game by his scent as well as by +his eye; that is certain. Now I appeal to you, who have got rid of these +Bushmen, and who know so well how odoriferous is the skin of a +Hottentot, whether a lion's nose is not much more likely to be attracted +by one of either of these tribes of people, than it would by either you +or me. How often, in traveling, have we changed our position, when the +wind has borne down upon us the effluvia of the Hottentot who was +driving?—why that effluvia is borne down with the wind for miles, and +is as savory to the lion, I have no doubt, as a beefsteak is to us."</p> + +<p>"There can, I think, be no doubt of that," said Alexander; "but it is +said that they will select a Hottentot from white men."</p> + +<p>"No doubt of it, because they follow up the scent right to the party +from whence it emanates. I can give you an instance of it. I was once +traveling with a Dutch farmer, with his wagon and Hottentots. We unyoked +and lay down on the sand for the night; there were the farmer and I, two +Hottentot men and a woman—by the by, a very fat one, and who +consequently was more heated by the journey. During the night a lion +came and carried away the woman from among us all, and by his tracks, as +we found on the following morning, he had passed close to the farmer and +myself."</p> + +<p>"Was the woman killed?"</p> + +<p>"The night was so dark that we could see nothing; we were roused by her +shrieks, and seized our guns, but it was of no use. I recollect another +instance which was not so tragical. A Hottentot was carried off by a +lion during the night, wrapped up in his sheep-skin kaross, sleeping, as +they usually do, with his face to the ground. As the lion trotted away +with him, the fellow contrived to wriggle out of his kaross, and the +lion went off only his mantle."</p> + +<p>"Well, I should think one of the karosses must be a very savory morsel +for a hungry lion," said the Major;—"but I imagine it is almost time to +unyoke; we must have traveled nearly twenty miles, and these forests +promise well for the game we are in search of."</p> + +<p>"I suspect that they contain not only buffaloes, but elephants; however, +we shall soon find out by examining the paths down to the river, which +they make in going for water."</p> + +<p>"I think that yonder knoll would be a good place to fix our encampment, +Swinton," said the Major; "it is well shaded with mimosas, and yet clear +of the main forest."</p> + +<p>"Well, you are quartermaster-general, and must decide."</p> + +<p>The Major ordered Bremen to arrange the wagons as usual, and turn the +cattle out to feed. As soon as this had been accomplished, they saddled +their horses, and awaited the return of Swanevelt, who had gone to +reconnoiter. Shortly afterward he returned, with the report that there +were the tracks of elephants, buffaloes, and lions, in every direction +by the river's banks; and as the dogs would now be of use, they were +ordered to be let loose, which they seldom were, unless the game was +large and to be regularly hunted down. Our travelers mounted and +proceeded into the forest, accompanied by all the Hottentots except the +cattle-keepers and the Bushmen; Bremen, Swanevelt, and Omrah only being +on horseback, as well as themselves. As they rode forward slowly and +cautiously at the outset, Swinton asked the Major whether he had ever +shot buffaloes.</p> + +<p>"Yes, in India," replied the Major; "and desperate animals they are in +that country."</p> + +<p>"I was about to say that you will find them such here; and, Alexander, +you must be very careful. In the first place, a leaden bullet is of +little use against their tough hides, and, I may almost say, +impenetrable foreheads. The best shot is under the fore-shoulder."</p> + +<p>"Our balls are hardened with tin," observed Alexander.</p> + +<p>"I know that," replied Swinton; "but still they are most dangerous +animals, especially if you fall in with a single buffalo. It is much +safer to attack a herd; but we have no time to talk over the matter now, +only, as I say, be very careful, and whatever you do, do not approach +one which is wounded, even if he be down on his knees. But here comes +Bremen with news."</p> + +<p>The Hottentot came up and announced that there was a large herd of +buffaloes on the other side of the hill, and proposed that they should +take a sweep round them, so as to drive them toward the river.</p> + +<p>This proposal was considered good, and was acted upon; and, after riding +about a mile, they gained the position which seemed the most desirable. +The dogs were then let loose, and the Hottentots on foot, spread +themselves on every side, shouting so as to drive the animals before +them. The herd collected together and for a short while stood at bay +with the large bulls in front, and then set off through the forest +toward the river, followed by all the hunters on horse and on foot. In a +quarter of an hour the whole herd had taken refuge in a large pool in +the river, which, with the reeds and rushes, and small islands in the +center, occupied a long slip of ground.</p> + +<p>The Major, with Swanevelt and two other Hottentots, proceeded further up +the river, that they might cross it before the attack commenced, and the +others agreed to wait until the signal was given by the Major's firing. +As soon as they heard the report of the Major's rifle, Swinton and +Alexander, with their party, advanced to the banks of the river. They +plunged in, and were soon up to the horses' girths, with the reeds far +above their heads. They could hear the animals forcing their way through +the reeds, but could not see them; and after some severe labor, Swinton +said—"Alexander, it will be prudent for us to go back; we can do +nothing here, and we shall stand a chance of being shot by our own +people, who can not see us. We must leave the dogs to drive them out, or +the Hottentots and Bushmen; but we must regain the banks."</p> + +<p>Just as Swinton said this, a loud rushing was heard through the reeds. +"Look out!" cried he; but he could say no more before the reeds opened +and a large hippopotamus rushed upon them, throwing over Alexander's +horse on his side, and treading Alexander and his horse both deep under +the water as he passed over them and disappeared. Although the water was +not more than four feet in depth, it was with difficulty that the horse +and rider could extricate themselves from the reeds, among which they +had been jammed and entangled; and Alexander's breath was quite gone +when he at last emerged. Bremen and Swinton hastened to give what +assistance they could, and the horse was once more on his legs. "My +rifle," cried Alexander; "it is in the water." "We will find it," said +Swinton: "haste up to the banks as fast as you can, for you are +defenseless."</p> + +<p>Alexander thought it advisable to follow Swinton's advice, and with some +difficulty regained the bank, where he was soon afterward followed by +Swinton and Bremen, who had secured his rifle. Alexander called Omrah, +and sent him to the caravan for another rifle, and then for the first +time he exclaimed, "Oh, what a brute! It was lucky the water was deep, +or he would have jammed me on the head, so that I never should have +risen up again."</p> + +<p>"You have indeed had a providential escape, Alexander," replied Swinton; +"is your horse hurt!"</p> + +<p>"He must be, I should think," said Alexander, "for the animal trod upon +him; but he does not appear to show it at present."</p> + +<p>In the mean time several shots were fired from the opposite side of the +river by the Major and his party, and occasionally the head or horns of +the buffalo were seen above the reeds by the Hottentots, who remained +with Swinton and Alexander: but the animals still adhered to their +cover. Omrah having brought another rifle, Bremen then proposed that the +Hottentots, Bushmen, and dogs should force their way through the reeds +and attempt to drive the animals out; in which there would be no danger, +as the animals could not charge with any effect in the deep water and +thick rushes.</p> + +<p>"Provided they don't meet with a hippopotamus," said Alexander, +laughing.</p> + +<p>"Won't say a word about him, sir," replied Bremen, who then went and +gave the directions.</p> + +<center> +<img src='images/211.jpg' width='815' height='497' alt='[Illustration: ALEXANDER AND THE HIPPOPOTAMUS.]' title=''> +</center> + + +<p>The Hottentots and Bushmen, accompanied by the dogs, then went into +the reeds, and their shouting and barking soon drove out some of the +buffaloes on the opposite side, and the reports of the guns were heard.</p> + +<p>At last one came out on that side of the river where Alexander and +Swinton were watching; Swinton fired, and the animal fell on its knees; +a shot from Alexander brought it down dead and turned on its side. One +of the Bushmen ran up to the carcass, and was about to use his knife, +when another buffalo charged from the reeds, caught the Bushman on his +horns, and threw him many yards in the air. The Bushman fell among the +reeds behind the buffalo, which in vain looked about for his enemy, when +a shot from Bremen brought him to the ground.</p> + +<p>Shortly afterward the Bushman made his appearance from the reeds; he was +not at all hurt, with the exception of a graze from the horns of the +animal, and a contusion of the ribs.</p> + +<p>The chase now became warm; the shouting of the Hottentots, the barking +of the dogs, and the bellowing of the herd, which were forcing their way +through the reeds before them, were very exciting. By the advice of +Swinton, they took up their position on a higher ground, where the +horses had good footing, in case the buffaloes should charge.</p> + +<p>As soon as they arrived there, they beheld a scene on the other side of +the river, about one hundred yards from them, which filled them with +anxiety and terror; the Major's horse was galloping away, and the Major +not to be seen. Under a large tree, Swanevelt was in a sitting posture, +holding his hands to his body as if severely wounded, his horse lying by +his side, and right before him an enormous bull buffalo, standing +motionless; the blood was streaming from the animal's nostrils, and it +was evidently tottering from weakness and loss of blood; at last it +fell.</p> + +<p>"I fear there is mischief done," cried Swinton; "where can the Major be, +and the two Hottentots who were with him! Swanevelt is hurt and his +horse killed, that is evident. We had better call them off, and let the +buffaloes remain quiet, or escape as they please."</p> + +<p>"There is the Major," said Alexander, "and the Hottentots too; they are +not hurt, don't you see them?—they were up the trees; thank God."</p> + +<p>They now observed the Major run up to Swanevelt, and presently the two +Hottentots went in pursuit of the Major's horse. Shortly afterward, +Swanevelt, with the assistance of the Major, got upon his legs, and, +taking up his gun, walked slowly away.</p> + +<p>"No great harm done, after all," said Alexander; "God be praised: but +here come the whole herd, Swinton."</p> + +<p>"Let them go, my good fellow," replied Swinton, "we have had enough of +buffalo-hunting for the present."</p> + +<p>The whole herd had now broken from the reeds about fifty paces from +where they were stationed, and with their tails raised, tossing with +their horns, and bellowing with rage and fear, darted out of the reeds, +dripping with slime and mud, and rushed off toward the forest. In a few +seconds they were out of sight.</p> + +<p>"A good riddance," said Swinton; "I hope the Major is now satisfied with +buffalo-hunting."</p> + +<p>"I am, at all events," replied Alexander. "I feel very sore and stiff. +What a narrow escape that Bushman had."</p> + +<p>"Yes, he had indeed; but, Alexander, your horse is not well: he can +hardly breathe. You had better dismount."</p> + +<p>Alexander did so, and unloosed his girths. Bremen got off his horse, +and, offering it to Alexander, took the bridle of the other and examined +him.</p> + +<p>"He has his ribs broken, sir," said the Hottentot,—"two of them, if not +more."</p> + +<p>"No wonder, poor fellow; lead him gently, Bremen. Oh, here comes the +Major. Now we shall know what has occurred; and there is Swanevelt and +the two men."</p> + +<p>"Well, Major, pray tell us your adventures, for you have frightened us +dreadfully."</p> + +<p>"Not half so much as I have been frightened myself," replied the Major; +"we have all had a narrow escape. I can assure you, and Swanevelt's +horse is dead."</p> + +<p>"Is Swanevelt hurt?"</p> + +<p>"No, he was most miraculously preserved; the horn of the buffalo has +grazed the whole length of the body, and yet not injured him. But let us +go to the caravan and have something to drink, and then I will tell you +all about it—I am quite done up, and my tongue cleaves to the roof of +my mouth."</p> + +<p>As soon as they had arrived at the caravan and dismounted, the Major +drank some water, and then gave his narrative. "We had several shots on +our side of the river, for the buffaloes had evidently an intention of +crossing over, had we not turned them. We had killed two, when a bull +buffalo charged from the reeds upon Swanevelt, and before he could turn +his horse and put him to his speed, the horns of the buffalo had ripped +up the poor animal, and he fell with Swanevelt under him. The enraged +brute disengaged himself from the horse, and made a second charge upon +Swanevelt; but he twisted on one side, and the horn only grazed him, as +I have mentioned. I then fired and wounded the animal. He charged +immediately, and I turned my horse, but from fright he wheeled so +suddenly that I lost my stirrups, and my saddle turned round.</p> + +<p>"I found that I could not recover my seat, and that I was gradually +sliding under the horse's belly, when he passed under a tree, and I +caught a branch and swung myself on to it, just as the buffalo, which +was close behind us, came up to me. As he passed under, his back hit my +leg; so you may imagine it was 'touch and go.' The animal, perceiving +that the horse left him, and I was not on it, quitted his pursuit, and +came back bellowing and roaring, and looking everywhere for me.</p> + +<p>"At last it perceived Swanevelt, who had disengaged himself from the +dead horse, and was sitting under the tree, apparently much hurt, as he +is, poor fellow, although not seriously. It immediately turned back to +him, and would certainly have gored him to death, had not Kloet, who was +up in a tree, fired at the animal and wounded him mortally—for his +career was stopped as he charged toward Swanevelt, and was not ten yards +from him. The animal could proceed no further, and there he stood until +he fell dead."</p> + +<p>"We saw that portion of the adventure ourselves, Major," said Swinton; +"and now we will tell you our own, which has been equally full of +incident and danger." Swinton having related what had passed on his side +of the river, the Major observed:</p> + +<p>"You may talk about lions, but I'd rather go to ten lion-hunts than one +more buffalo-hunt. I have had enough of buffaloes for all my life."</p> + +<p>"I am glad to hear you say so," replied Swinton, "for they are most +ferocious and dangerous animals, as you may now acknowledge, and the +difficulty of giving them a mortal wound renders the attack of them very +hazardous. I have seen and heard enough of buffalo-hunting to tell you +that you have been fortunate, although you have lost one horse and have +another very much hurt;—but here come the spoils of the chase; at all +events, we will benefit by the day's sport, and have a good meal."</p> + +<p>"I can't eat now," said Alexander; "I am very stiff. I shall go and lie +down for an hour or two."</p> + +<p>"And so shall I," said the Major; "I have no appetite."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, we will all meet at supper," said Swinton. "In the mean +time I shall see if I can be of any use to Swanevelt. Where's Omrah?"</p> + +<p>"I saw him and Begum going out together just now," said the Major. "What +for, I do not know."</p> + +<p>"Oh! I told him to get some of the Bushman roots," said Alexander; "they +are as good as potatoes when boiled; and he has taken the monkey to find +them."</p> + +<p>The Major and Alexander remained on their beds till supper-time, when +Mahomed woke them up. They found themselves much refreshed by their +sleep, and also found that their appetites had returned. Buffalo-steaks +and fried Bushman roots were declared to be a very good substitute for +beefsteaks and fried potatoes; and after they had made a hearty meal, +Alexander inquired of Swinton what he had seen of buffalo-hunting when +he had been at the Cape before.</p> + +<p>"I have only been once or twice engaged in a buffalo-hunt; but I can +tell you what I have heard, and what I have collected from my own +knowledge, as to the nature of the animal, of which indeed to-day you +have had a very good proof. I told you this morning, that a single +buffalo was more dangerous than a herd; and the reason is this:—At the +breeding season, the fiercest bulls drive the others away from the herd, +in the same manner as the elephants do; and these solitary buffaloes are +extremely dangerous, as they do not wait to be attacked, but will attack +a man without any provocation. They generally conceal themselves, and +rush out upon you unawares, which makes it more difficult to escape from +them. They are so bold, that they do not fear the lion himself; and I +have been told by the Dutch boors, that when a buffalo has killed one of +their comrades by goring and tossing him, it will not leave its victim +for hours, but continue to trample on him with his hoofs, crushing the +body with its knees as an elephant does, and with its rough tongue +stripping off the skin as far as it can. It does not do all this at one +time, but it leaves the body, and returns again, as if to glut its +vengeance."</p> + +<p>"What a malicious brute!"</p> + +<p>"Such is certainly its character. I recollect a history of a +buffalo-hunting adventure, told me by a Dutch farmer, who was himself an +eye-witness to the scene. He had gone out with a party to hunt a herd of +buffaloes which were grazing on a piece of marshy ground, sprinkled with +a few mimosa-trees. As they could not get within shot of the herd, +without crossing a portion of the marsh, which was not safe for horses, +they agreed to leave their steeds in charge of two Hottentots, and to +advance on foot; thinking that, in case any of the buffaloes should +charge them, it would be easy to escape by running back to the marsh, +which would bear the weight of a man, but not of a horse, much less that +of a buffalo.</p> + +<p>"They advanced accordingly over the marsh, and being concealed by some +bushes, they had the good fortune to bring down, with the first volley, +three of the fattest of the herd; and also so severely wounded the great +bull, which was the leader of the herd, that he dropped down on his +knees, bellowing most furiously. Thinking that the animal was mortally +wounded, the foremost of the huntsmen walked out in front of the bushes +from which they had fired, and began to reload his musket as he +advanced, in order to give the animal a finishing shot. But no sooner +did the enraged animal see the man advancing, than he sprang up and +charged headlong at him. The man threw down his gun, and ran toward the +marsh; but the beast was so close upon him, that he despaired of +escaping by that direction, and turning suddenly round a clump of +copsewood, began to climb an old mimosa tree which stood close to it.</p> + +<p>"The buffalo was, however, too quick for him. Bounding forward with a +roar, which the farmer told me was one of the most hideous and appalling +sounds that he ever heard, he caught the poor fellow with his terrible +horns, just as he had nearly got out of reach, and tossed him in the air +with such force, that after whirling round and round to a great height, +the body fell into the fork of the branches of the tree. The buffalo +went round the tree roaring, and looking for the man, until, exhausted +by wounds and loss of blood, it again fell down on its knees. The other +hunters then attacked and killed him; but they found their comrade, who +was still hanging in the tree, quite dead."</p> + +<p>"Well; I have no doubt but that such would have been the fate of +Swanevelt or of me, had the brute got hold of us," said the Major; "I +never saw such a malignant, diabolical expression in any animal's +countenance as there was upon that buffalo's. A lion is, I should say, a +gentleman and a man of honor compared to such an evil-disposed ruffian."</p> + +<p>"Well, Major, you have only to let them alone; recollect, you were the +aggressor," said Swinton, laughing.</p> + +<p>"Very true; I never wish to see one again."</p> + +<p>"And I never wish to be in the way of a hippopotamus again, I can assure +you," said Alexander, "for a greater want of politeness I never met +with."</p> + +<p>During this conversation the Hottentots and Bushmen at the other fires +had not been idle. The Hottentots had fried and eaten, and fried and +eaten, till they could hold no more; and the Bushmen, who in the morning +looked as thin and meager as if they had not had a meal for a month, +were now so stuffed that they could hardly walk, and their lean +stomachs were distended as round as balls. The Bushman who had been +tossed by the buffalo came up and asked for a little tobacco, at the +same time smiling and patting his stomach, which was distended to a most +extraordinary size.</p> + +<p>"Yes, let us give them some," said Alexander; "it will complete their +day's happiness. Did you ever see a fellow so stuffed? I wonder he does +not burst."</p> + +<p>"It is their custom. They starve for days, and then gorge in this way +when an opportunity offers, which is but seldom. Their calendar, such as +it is, is mainly from recollections of feasting; and I will answer for +it, that if one Bushman were on some future day to ask another when such +a thing took place, he would reply, just before or just after the white +men killed the buffaloes."</p> + +<p>"How do they live in general?"</p> + +<p>"They live upon roots at certain seasons of the year; upon locusts when +a flight takes place; upon lizards, beetles—any thing. Occasionally +they procure game, but not very often. They are obliged to lie in wait +for it, and wound it with their poisoned arrows, and then they follow +its track and look for it the next day. Subtle as the poison is they +only cut out the part near the wound, and eat the rest of the animal. +They dig pit-holes for the hippopotamus and rhinoceros and occasionally +take them. They poison the pools for the game also; but their living is +very precarious, and they often suffer the extremities of hunger."</p> + +<p>"Is that the cause, do you imagine, of their being so diminutive a race, +Swinton?"</p> + +<p>"No doubt of it. Continual privation and hardships from generation to +generation have, I have no doubt, dwindled them down to what you see."</p> + +<p>"How is it that these Bushmen are so familiar? I thought that they were +savage and irreclaimable."</p> + +<p>"They are what are termed tame Bushmen; that is, they have lived near +the farmers, and have, by degrees, become less afraid of the Europeans. +Treated kindly, they have done good in return to the farmers by watching +their sheep, and performing other little services, and have been +rewarded with tobacco. This has given them confidence to a certain +degree. But we must expect to meet with others that are equally wild, +and who will be very mischievous; attempting to drive off our cattle, +and watching in ambush all round our caravan, ready for any pilfering +that they can successfully accomplish; and then we shall discover that +we are in their haunts without even seeing them."</p> + +<p>"How so?"</p> + +<p>"Because it will only be by their thefts that we shall find it out. But +it is time for bed, and as to-morrow is Sunday you will have a day of +rest, which I think you both require."</p> + +<p>"I do," replied Alexander, "so good-night to you both."</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XXII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XXII.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>As arranged, they did not travel on the Sunday. Early in the morning the +oxen and horses and sheep were turned out to pasture; all except the +horse which had been ridden by Alexander on the preceding day, and which +was found to be suffering so much that they took away a large quantity +of blood from him before he was relieved.</p> + +<p>The Bushmen still remained with them, and were likely to do so as long +as there was any prospect of food. The four buffaloes which had been +killed, as well as the horse which had been gored to death, were found +picked clean to the bones on the following day, by the hyenas and other +animals which were heard prowling during the whole night. But as large +quantities of the buffalo-flesh had been cut off, and hung upon the +trees near the caravan, there was more than sufficient for a second +feast for the Bushmen and Hottentots, and there was nothing but frying +and roasting during the whole of the day.</p> + +<p>The sun was intensely hot, and Alexander and the Major both felt so +fatigued from the exertions of the day before, that after breakfast they +retired to their wagons, and Swinton did not attempt to disturb them, as +they were in a sound sleep till the evening, when they were much +refreshed and very hungry. Swinton said he had thought it better that +they should not be awakened, as the heat was so overpowering, and they +could perform Divine service in the evening, if they thought proper, +when it would be cooler. This was agreed to, and, after an early supper, +they summoned all the Hottentots, who, although gorged, were still +unwilling to leave their fires; as they said the Bushmen would devour +all the flesh that was left, in their absence.</p> + +<p>This remonstrance was not listened to, and they all assembled. The +prayers were read and the service gone through by the light of a large +fire, for it was very dark before the service was finished. The Bushmen, +as the Hottentots prophesied, had taken advantage of their absence, to +help themselves very liberally; and as Swinton read the prayers, the +eyes of the Hottentots were continually turning round to their own +fires, where the Bushmen were throwing on large pieces of buffalo-flesh, +and, before they were even heated through, were chewing them and tearing +them to pieces with their teeth.</p> + +<p>Never perhaps was there a congregation whose attention was so divided, +and who were more anxious for the conclusion of the service. This +uneasiness shown by the Hottentots appeared at last to be communicated +to the oxen, which were tied up round the wagons. The fire required +replenishing, but none of the Hottentots moved to perform the office; +perhaps they thought that if Swinton could no longer see, the service +must conclude: but Swinton knew it by heart, and continued reading the +Commandments, which was the last portion which he read, and Alexander +and the Major repeated the responses. The Major, whose face was toward +the cattle, had observed their uneasiness, and guessed the cause, but +did not like to interrupt the service, as it was just over. Begum began +clinging to him in the way she always did when she was afraid; Swinton +had just finished, and the Major was saying, "Swinton, depend upon it," +when a roar like thunder was heard, and a dark mass passed over their +heads.</p> + +<p>The bellowing and struggling of the oxen was almost instantaneously +succeeded by a lion, with an ox borne on his shoulder, passing right +through the whole congregation, sweeping away the remnants of the fire +and the Hottentots right and left, and vanishing in a moment from their +sight. As may be imagined, all was confusion and alarm. Some screamed, +some shouted and ran for their guns; but it was too late. On +examination, it was found that the lion had seized the ox which had been +tied up near to where they were sitting; their fire being nearly +extinguished, and the one which should have been kept alight next to it +altogether neglected by the Hottentots, in their anxiety to keep up +those on which they had been broiling their buffalo-steaks.</p> + +<p>The leather thongs by which the ox had been tied up were snapped like +threads, and many of the other oxen had, in their agony of fear, broken +their fastenings and escaped. As the lion bounded away through the +assembled party, it appeared as if the ox was not a feather's weight to +him. He had, however, stepped rather roughly upon two of the Hottentots, +who lay groaning, as if they had been severely hurt; but upon +examination it was found that they had only been well scratched and +covered with ashes. The Bushmen, however, had left their meal, and with +their bows and small poisoned arrows had gone in pursuit. Bremen and one +or two of the Hottentots proposed also to go, but our travelers would +not permit them. About an hour afterward the Bushmen returned, and Omrah +had communication with them; and through Bremen they learned that the +Bushmen had come up with the lion about a mile distant, and had +discharged many of their arrows at him, and, they were convinced, with +effect, as a heavy growl or an angry roar was the announcement when he +was hit; but, although he was irritated, he continued his repast. Omrah +then said, "Lion dead to-morrow,—Bushmen find him."</p> + +<p>"Well," said Alexander, as they went to their wagons, which, in +consequence of this event, and their having to make up large fires +before they went to bed, they did not do till late, "I believe this is +the first time that Divine service was ever wound up by such intrusion."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps so," replied Swinton; "but I think it proves that we have more +cause for prayer, surrounded as we are by such danger. The lion might +have taken one of us, and by this time we should have suffered a horrid +death."</p> + +<p>"I never felt the full force of the many similes and comparisons in the +Scriptures, where the lion is so often introduced, till now," observed +Alexander.</p> + +<p>"It was indeed a most awful sermon after the prayers," said the Major: +"I trust never to hear such a one again: but is it not our own fault? +This is the second time that one of our oxen has been carried off by a +lion, from the circle of fires not being properly attended to. It is the +neglect of the Hottentots, certainly; but if they are so neglectful, we +should attend to them ourselves."</p> + +<p>"It will be as well to punish them for their neglect," said Swinton, "by +stopping their tobacco for the week; for if they find that we attend to +the fires ourselves, they will not keep one in, that you may depend +upon. However, we will discuss that point to-morrow, so good-night."</p> + +<p>Omrah came to the Major the next morning, before the oxen were yoked, to +say that the Bushmen had found the lion, and that he was not yet dead, +but nearly so; that the animal had dragged away that portion of the ox +that he did not eat, about half a mile further; that there he had lain +down, and he was so sick that he could not move.</p> + +<p>At this intelligence they mounted their horses, and, guided by the +Bushmen, arrived at the bush where the lion lay. The Bushmen entered at +once, for they had previously reconnoitered, and were saluted with a low +snarl, very different from the roar of the preceding night. Our +travelers followed, and found the noble creature in his last agonies, +his strength paralyzed, and his eyes closed. One or two of the small +arrows of the Bushmen were still sticking in his hide, and did not +appear to have entered more than half an inch; but the poison was so +subtle, that it had rapidly circulated through his whole frame; and +while they were looking down upon the noble beast, it dropped its jaws +and expired.</p> + +<p>As our travelers turned back to join the caravan, Alexander observed: +"Those Bushmen, diminutive as they are in size, and contemptible as +their weapons appear, must be dangerous enemies, when the mere prick of +one of their small arrows is certain death. What is their poison +composed of?"</p> + +<p>"Of the venom extracted from snakes, which is mixed up with the juice of +the euphorbia, and boiled down till it becomes of the consistency of +glue. They then dip the heads of the arrows into it, and let it dry on."</p> + +<p>"Is then the venom of snakes so active after it has been taken away from +the animal?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, for a considerable time after. I remember a story, which is, I +believe, well authenticated, of a man who had been bitten through his +boot by a rattlesnake in America. The man died, and shortly afterward +his two sons died one after the other, with just the same symptoms as +their father, although they had not been bitten by snakes. It was +afterward discovered that upon the father's death the sons had one after +the other taken possession of and put on his boots, and the boots being +examined, the fang of the rattlesnake was discovered to have passed +through the leather and remained there. The fang had merely grazed the +skin of the two sons when they put on the boots, and had thus caused +their death."</p> + +<p>"Are the snakes here as deadly in their poison as the rattlesnake of +America?"</p> + +<p>"Equally so,—that is, two or three of them; some are harmless. The most +formidable is the cobra capella (not the same as the Indian snake of the +same name). It is very large, being usually five feet long; but it has +been found six and even seven feet. This snake has been known to dart at +a man on horseback, and with such force as to overshoot his aim. His +bite is certain death, I believe, as I never heard of a man recovering +from the wound."</p> + +<p>"Well, that is as bad as can be. What is the next?"</p> + +<p>"The next is what they call the puff adder. It is a very heavy, sluggish +animal, and very thick in proportion to its length, and when attacked in +front, it can not make any spring. It has, however, another power, +which, if you are not prepared for it, is perhaps equally dangerous +—that of throwing itself backward in a most surprising manner. This is, +however, only when trod upon or provoked; but its bite is very deadly. +Then two of the mountain adders are among the most dangerous snakes +here. The mountain adder is small, and, from its not being so easily +seen and so easily avoided, is very dangerous, and its bite as fatal as +the others."</p> + +<p>"I trust that is the end of your catalogue?"</p> + +<p>"Not exactly; there is another, which I have specimens of, but whose +faculties I have never seen put to the test, which is called the +spirting snake. It is about three feet long, and its bite, although +poisonous, is not fatal. But it has a faculty, from which its name is +derived, of spirting its venom into the face of its assailant, and if +the venom enters the eye, at which the animal darts it, immediate +blindness ensues. There are a great many other varieties, some of which +we have obtained possession of during our journey. Many of them are +venomous, but not so fatal as the first three I have mentioned.</p> + +<p>"Indeed, it is a great blessing that the Almighty has not made the +varieties of snakes aggressive or fierce,—which they are not. Provided, +as they are, with such dreadful powers, if they were so, they would +indeed be formidable; but they only act in self-defense, or when +provoked. I may as well here observe, that the Hottentots, when they +kill any of the dangerous snakes, invariably cut off the head and bury +it; and this they do, that no one may by chance tread upon it, as they +assert that the poison of the fangs is as potent as ever, not only for +weeks but months afterward."</p> + +<p>"That certainly is a corroboration of the story that you told us of the +rattlesnake's fang in the boot."</p> + +<p>"It is so; but although there are so many venomous snakes in this +country, it is remarkable how very few accidents or deaths occur from +them. I made an inquiry at the Moravian Mission, where these venomous +snakes are very plentiful, how many people they had lost by their bites, +and the missionaries told me, that out of 800 Hottentots belonging to +the Mission, they had only lost two men by the bites of snakes during a +space of seven years; and in other places where I made the same inquiry, +the casualties were much less in proportion to the numbers."</p> + +<p>"Is the boa constrictor found in this part of Africa?"</p> + +<p>"Not so far south as we now are, but it is a few degrees more to the +northward. I have never seen it, but I believe there is no doubt of its +existence."</p> + +<p>"The South American Indians have a very subtle poison with which they +kill their game. Are you aware, Swinton, of its nature? Is it like the +Bushmen's poison?"</p> + +<p>"I know the poison well; it was brought over by Mr. Waterton, whose +amusing works you may have read. It is called the wourali poison, and is +said to be extracted from a sort of creeping vine, which grows in the +country. The natives, however, add the poison of snakes to the extract; +and the preparation is certainly very fatal, as I can bear witness to."</p> + +<p>"Have you ever seen it tried?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I have tried it myself. When I was in Italy I became acquainted +with Mr. W., and he gave two or three of us, who were living together, a +small quantity, not much more than two grains of mustard-seed in size. +We purchased a young mule to make the experiment upon; an incision was +made in its shoulder, and the poison inserted under the skin. I think in +about six or seven minutes the animal was dead. Mr. W. said that the +effects would have been instantaneous, if the virtue of the poison had +not somewhat deteriorated from its having been kept so long."</p> + +<p>"The wourali poison only acts upon the nerves, I believe?" said the +Major.</p> + +<p>"Only upon the nerves; and although so fatal, if immediate means are +resorted to, a person who is apparently dead from it may be brought to +life again by the same process as is usual in the recovery of drowned or +suffocated people. A donkey upon which the poison had acted was restored +in this manner, and for the remainder of his days permitted to run in +Sir Joseph Banks's park. But the poison of snakes acts upon the blood, +and therefore occasions death without remedy."</p> + +<p>"But there are remedies, I believe, for even the most fatal poisons?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, in His provident mercy God has been pleased to furnish remedies +at hand, and where the snake exists the remedy is to be found. The +rattlesnake root is a cure, if taken and applied immediately; and it is +well known that the ichneumon when bitten by the cobra capella, in his +attack upon it, will hasten to a particular herb and eat it immediately, +to prevent the fatal effect of the animal's bite."</p> + +<p>"I once saw a native of India," said the Major, "who for a small sum +would allow himself to be bitten by a cobra capella. He was well +provided with the same plant used by the ichneumon, which he swallowed +plentifully, and also rubbed on the wound. It is impossible to say, but, +so far as I could judge, there was no deception."</p> + +<p>"I think it very possible; if the plant will cure the ichneumon, why not +a man? I have no doubt but that there are many plants which possess +virtues of which we have no knowledge. Some few, and perhaps some of the +most valuable, we have discovered; but our knowledge of the vegetable +kingdom, as far as its medicinal properties are known, is very slight; +and perhaps many which were formerly known have, since the introduction +of mineral antidotes, been lost sight of."</p> + +<p>"Why, yes; long before chemistry had made any advances, we do hear in +old romances of balsams of most sovereign virtues," said Alexander, +laughing.</p> + +<p>"Which, I may observe, is almost a proof that they did in reality exist; +and the more so, because you will find that the knowledge of these +sovereign remedies was chiefly in the hands of the Jews, the oldest +nation upon the earth; and from their constant communication with each +other, most likely to have transmitted their knowledge from generation +to generation."</p> + +<p>"We have also reason to believe that not only they had peculiar +<i>remedies</i> in their times, but also—if we are to credit what has been +handed down to us—that the art of <i>poisoning</i> was much better +understood," said the Major.</p> + +<p>"At all events, they had not the knowledge of chemistry which now leads +to its immediate detection," replied Swinton. "But, Alexander, there are +three hippopotami lying asleep on the side of the river. Have you a +mind to try your skill?"</p> + +<p>"No, not particularly," replied Alexander; "I have had enough of +hippopotami. By the by, the river is much wider than it was."</p> + +<p>"Yes, by my calculation we ought to travel no more to the westward after +to-day. We must now cut across to the Yellow or Val River. We shall +certainly be two days without water or pasturage for the cattle, but +they are in such good condition that they will not much feel it. There +is a river which we shall cross near its head, but the chance of water +is very small; indeed, I believe we shall find it nowhere, except in +these great arteries, if I may so call them."</p> + +<p>"Well; I was thinking so myself, Swinton, as I looked at the map +yesterday, when I lay in my wagon," said the Major; "so then to-morrow +for a little variety; that is, a desert."</p> + +<p>"Which it will most certainly be," replied Swinton; "for, except on the +banks of the large rivers, there are no hopes of vegetation in this +country at this season of the year; but in another month we may expect +heavy falls of rain."</p> + +<p>"The Bushmen have left us, I perceive," said Alexander.</p> + +<p>"Yes, they have probably remained behind to eat the lion."</p> + +<p>"What, will they eat it now that it has been poisoned?"</p> + +<p>"That makes no difference to them; they merely cut out the parts +wounded, and invariably eat all the carcasses of the animals which they +kill, and apparently without any injury. There is nothing which a +Bushman will not eat. A flight of locusts is a great feast to him."</p> + +<p>"I can not imagine them to be very palatable food."</p> + +<p>"I have never tasted them," replied Swinton; "but I should think not. +They do not, however, eat them raw; they pull off their wings and legs, +and dry their bodies; they then beat them into a powder."</p> + +<p>"Do you suppose that St. John's fare of locusts and wild honey was the +locust which we are now referring to?"</p> + +<p>"I do not know, but I should rather think not, and for one reason, +which is, that although a person in the wilderness might subsist upon +these animals, if always to be procured, yet the flights of locusts are +very uncertain. Now there is a tree in the country where St. John +retired, which is called the locust-tree, and produces a large sweet +bean, shaped like the common French bean, but nearly a foot long, which +is very palatable and nutritious. It is even now given to cattle in +large quantities; and I imagine that this was the locust referred to; +and I believe many of the commentators on the holy writings have been of +the same opinion. I think we have now gone far enough for to-day; we may +as well halt there. Do you intend to hunt, Major? I see some animals +there at a distance."</p> + +<p>"I should say not," said Alexander; "if we are to cross a desert tract +to-morrow, we had better not fatigue our horses."</p> + +<p>"Certainly not. No, Swinton, we will remain quiet, unless game comes to +us."</p> + +<p>"Yes, and look after our water-kegs being filled, and the fires lighted +to-night," said Alexander; "and I trust we may have no more sermons +from lions, although Shakespeare does say, 'sermons from stones, and +good in everything.'"</p> + +<p>They halted their caravan upon a rising ground, and having taken the +precaution to see the water-kegs filled and the wood collected, they sat +down to dinner upon fried ham and cheese; for the Hottentots had +devoured all the buffalo-flesh, and demanded a sheep to be killed for +supper. This was consented to although they did not deserve it; but as +their tobacco had been stopped for their neglect of providing fuel and +keeping up the fires, it was considered politic not to make them too +discontented.</p> + +<p>Alexander had been walking by the side of the river with the Major, +while the Hottentots were arranging the camp, and Swinton was putting +away some new specimens in natural history which he had collected, when +Omrah, who was with them, put his finger to his lips and stopped them. +As they perfectly understood what he required, they stood still and +silent. Omrah then pointed to something which was lying on the low +bank, under a tuft of rushes; but they could not distinguish it, and +Omrah asked by signs for the Major's rifle, took aim, and fired. A loud +splashing was heard in the water, and they pushed their way through the +high grass and reeds, until they arrived at the spot, where they +perceived an animal floundering in the agonies of death."</p> + +<p>"An alligator!" exclaimed the Major; "well, I had no idea that there +were any here inland. They said that there were plenty at the mouths of +the rivers, on the coast of the Eastern Caffres, but I am astonished to +find one here."</p> + +<p>"What did you fire at?" asked Swinton, who now joined them.</p> + +<p>"An alligator, and he is dead. I am afraid that he won't be very good +eating," replied the Major.</p> + +<p>"That's not an alligator, Major," said Swinton, "and it is very good +eating. It is a large lizard of the guana species, which is found about +these rivers; it is amphibious, but perfectly harmless, subsisting upon +vegetables and insects. I tell you it is a great delicacy, ugly as it +looks. It is quite dead, so let us drag it out of the water, and send it +up to Mahomed by Omrah."</p> + +<p>The animal, which was about four feet long, was dragged out of the water +by the tail, and Omrah took it to the camp.</p> + +<p>"Well, I really thought it was a small alligator," said the Major; "but +now I perceive my mistake. What a variety of lizards there appears to be +in this country."</p> + +<p>"A great many from the chameleon upward," replied Swinton. "By the by, +there is one which is said to be very venomous. I have heard many +well-authenticated stories of the bite being not only very dangerous, +but in some instances fatal. I have specimens of the animal in my +collection. It is called here the geitje."</p> + +<p>"Well, it is rather remarkable, but we have in India a small lizard, +called the gecko by the natives, which is said to be equally venomous. I +presume it must be the same animal, and it is singular that the names +should vary so little. I have never seen an instance of its poisonous +powers, but I have seen a whole company of sepoys run out of their +quarters because they have heard the animal make its usual cry in the +thatch of the building; they say that it drops down upon people from the +roof."</p> + +<p>"Probably the same animal; and a strong corroboration that the report of +its being venomous is with good foundation."</p> + +<p>"And yet if we were to make the assertion in England, we should in all +probability not be believed."</p> + +<p>"Not by many, I grant—not by those who only know a little; but by those +who are well informed, you probably would be. The fact is, from a too +ready credulity, we have now turned to almost a total skepticism, unless +we have ocular demonstration. In the times of Marco Polo, Sir John +Mandeville, and others,—say in the fifteenth century, when there were +but few travelers and but little education, a traveler might assert +almost any thing, and gain credence; latterly a traveler hardly dare +assert any thing. Le Vaillant and Bruce, who traveled in the South and +North of Africa, were both stigmatized as liars, when they published +their accounts of what they had seen, and yet every tittle has since +been proved to be correct. However, as people are now better informed, +they do not reject so positively; for they have certain rules to guide +them between the possible and the impossible."</p> + +<p>"How do you mean?"</p> + +<p>"I mean, for instance, that if a person was to tell me that he had seen +a mermaid, with the body of a woman and the scaly tail of a fish, I +should at once say that I could not believe him. And why? because it is +contrary to the laws of nature. The two component parts of the animal +could not be combined, as the upper portion would belong to the +mammalia, and be a hot-blooded animal, the lower to a cold-blooded class +of natural history. Such a junction would, therefore, be impossible. But +there are, I have no doubt, many animals still undiscovered, or rather +still unknown to Europeans, the description of which may at first excite +suspicion, if not doubt. But as I have before observed, the account +would, in all probability, not be rejected by a naturalist, although it +might be by people without much knowledge of the animal kingdom, who +would not be able to judge by comparison whether the existence of such +an animal was credible. Even fabulous animals have had their origin from +existing ones. The unicorn is, no doubt, the gemsbok antelope; for when +you look at the animal at a distance, its two horns appear as if they +were only one, and the Bushmen have so portrayed the animal in their +caves. The dragon is also not exactly imaginary; for, the <i>Lacerta +volans</i>, or flying lizard of Northern Africa, is very like a small +dragon in miniature. So that even what has been considered as fabulous +has arisen from exaggeration or mistake."</p> + +<p>"You think, then, Swinton, that we are bound to believe all that +travelers tell us?"</p> + +<p>"Not so; but not to reject what they assert, merely because it does not +correspond with our own ideas on the subject. The most remarkable +instance of unbelief was relative to the aerolites or meteoric stones +formed during a thunder-storm in the air, and falling to the earth. Of +course you have heard that such have occurred?"</p> + +<p>"I have," replied the Major, "and I have seen several in India."</p> + +<p>"This was treated as a mere fable not a century back; and when it was +reported (and not the first time) that such a stone had fallen in +France, the <i>savans</i> were sent in deputation to the spot. They heard the +testimony of the witnesses that a loud noise was heard in the air; that +they looked up and beheld an opaque body descending; that it fell on the +earth with a force which nearly buried it in the ground, and was so hot +at the time that it could not be touched with the hand. It afterward +became cold. Now the <i>savans</i> heard all this, and pronounced that it +could not be; and for a long while every report of the kind was treated +with contempt. Now every one knows, and every one is fully satisfied of +the fact, and not the least surprise is expressed when they are told of +the circumstance. As Shakespeare makes Hamlet observe very truly—'There +are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your +philosophy.'"</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XXIII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XXIII.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>There was no alarm during the night, and the next morning they yoked the +oxen and changed their course to the northward. The whole of the cattle +had been led down to the river to drink, and allowed two hours to feed +before they started; for they were about to pass through a sterile +country of more than sixty miles, where they did not expect to find +either pasturage or water. They had not left the river more than three +miles behind them, when the landscape changed its appearance. As far as +the eye could scan the horizon, all vestiges of trees had disappeared, +and now the ground was covered with low stunted bushes and large stones. +Here and there were to be seen small groups of animals, the most common +of which were the quaggas. As our travelers were in the advance, they +started six or seven ostriches which had been sitting, and a ball from +the Major's rifle brought one to the ground, the others running off at a +velocity that the fastest horse could scarcely have surpassed.</p> + +<p>"That was a good shot, Major," said Alexander.</p> + +<p>"Yes," replied Swinton; "but take care how you go too near the bird; you +have broken his thigh, and he may be dangerous. They are very fierce. As +I thought, here is the nest. Let Bremen kill the bird,—he understands +them, Major. It is the male, and those which have escaped are all +females."</p> + +<p>"What a quantity of eggs!" said Alexander. "Is the nest a joint +concern?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," replied Swinton. "All those which are in the center of the nest +with their points upward are the eggs for hatching. There are, let me +see, twenty-six of them, and you observe that there are as many more +round about the nest. Those are for the food of the young ostriches as +soon as they are born. However, we will save them that trouble. Bremen +must take the eggs outside the nest for us, and the others the people +may have. They are not very particular whether they are fresh or not."</p> + +<p>"This is a noble bird," said the Major, "and has some beautiful +feathers. I suppose we may let Bremen take the feathers out and leave +the body!"</p> + +<p>"Yes; I do not want it; but Bremen will take the skin, I dare say. It is +worth something at the Cape."</p> + +<p>As soon as the Hottentots had secured the eggs, and Bremen had skinned +the ostrich, which did not occupy many minutes, they rode on, and +Swinton then said—</p> + +<p>"The male ostrich generally associates with from three to seven females, +which all lay in the same nest. He sits as well as the females, and +generally at night, that he may defend the eggs from the attacks of the +hyenas and other animals."</p> + +<p>"You do not mean to say that he can fight these animals!"</p> + +<p>"And kill them also. The ostrich has two powerful weapons; its wing, +with which it has often been known to break a hunter's leg, the blow +from it is so violent; and what is more fatal, its foot, with the toe of +which it strikes and kills both animals and men. I once myself, in +Namaqua-land, saw a Bushman who had been struck on the chest by the foot +of the ostrich, and it had torn open his chest and stomach, so that his +entrails were lying on the ground. I hardly need say that the poor +wretch was dead."</p> + +<p>"I could hardly have credited it," observed Alexander.</p> + +<p>"The Bushmen skin the ostrich, and spread the skin upon a frame of +wicker-work; the head and neck are supported by a skin thrust through +them. The skin they fix on one of their sides, and carry the head and +neck in one of their hands, while the other holds the bow and arrows. In +this disguise—of course with the feathered side of him presented to the +bird or beast he would get near to—he walks along, pecking with the +head at the bushes, and imitating the motions of the ostrich. By this +stratagem he very often is enabled to get within shot of the other +ostriches, or the quaggas and gnoos which consort with these birds."</p> + +<p>"I should like to see that very much," said the Major.</p> + +<p>"You would be surprised at the close imitation, as I have been. I ought +to have said that the Bushman whitens his legs with clay. It is, +however, a service of danger, for I have, as I told you, known a man +killed by the male ostrich; and the natives say that it is by no means +uncommon for them to receive very serious injury."</p> + +<p>"Hold hard," said the Major, "there is a lion; what a terrible black +mane he has got! What do you say, Swinton? He is by himself."</p> + +<p>Swinton looked at the animal, which was crossing about three hundred +yards ahead of them; he was on a low hill, with his head close to the +ground.</p> + +<p>"I certainly say not. Let him pass, by all means; and I only hope he +will take no notice of us. I must give you the advice which an old +Namaqua chief gave me. He said—'Whenever you see a lion moving in the +middle of the day, you may be certain that he is in great want of food +and very angry. Never attack one then, for they are very dangerous and +most desperate,' If, therefore, Major, you wish a very serious affair, +and one or two lives lost you will attack that animal. But you must +expect that what I say will happen."</p> + +<p>"Indeed, my dear Swinton, I neither wish to lose my own life, nor to +risk those of others, and therefore we will remain here till his majesty +has had time to get out of our way; and I hope he may soon find a +dinner."</p> + +<p>By this time the caravan had come up with them, and they then proceeded. +The face of the country became even more sterile, and at last not an +animal of any description was to be seen. As there was nothing for the +oxen to feed upon they continued their route during the whole of the +day, and at night they halted and secured the cattle to the wagons. Wood +for fires they were not able to procure, and therefore they made one +half of the Hottentots watch during the night with their muskets to +scare off wild beasts. But, as Swinton observed, there was little chance +of their being disturbed by lions or other animals, as they were so +distant from water, and there was no game near them upon which the wild +beasts prey; and so it proved, for during the whole night they did not +even hear the cry of a hyena or a jackal.</p> + +<p>At the first gleaming of light the oxen were again yoked, with the +hopes of their being able to gain the Val River by night. The relay oxen +were now put to, to relieve those which appeared to suffer most. At noon +the heat was dreadful, and the horses, which could not support the want +of water as the oxen could, were greatly distressed. They continued for +about two hours more, and then perceived a few low trees. Begum, who had +been kept without water, that she might exert herself to find it, +started off as fast as she could, followed by Omrah. After running to +the trees, they altered their course to the eastward, toward some ragged +rocks. The caravan arrived at the trees, which they found were growing +on the banks of the river Alexandria, which they knew they should pass; +but not a drop of water was to be discovered; even the pools were quite +dry. As they searched about, all of a sudden Begum came running back +screaming, and with every mark of terror, and clung, as usual, to the +Major when frightened.</p> + +<p>"Where is the Bushboy?" said Bremen.</p> + +<p>"Something has happened," cried Swinton; "come all of you with your +guns."</p> + +<p>The whole party, Hottentots and all, hastened toward the rocks where +Omrah and Begum had been in search of water. As soon as they reached +within fifty paces, quite out of breath with their haste, they were +saluted with the quah, quah, of a herd of baboons, which were perched at +the edge of the rocks, and which threatened them in their usual way, +standing on their fore-legs, and making as if they would fly at them.</p> + +<p>"Now, then, what is to be done?" said the Major. "Shall we fire? Do you +think that they have possession of the boy?"</p> + +<p>"If they have, they will let him go. Yes, we are too numerous for them +now, and they will not show fight, depend upon it. Let us all take good +aim and fire a volley right into them."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, I'll take that venerable old chap that appears to be the +leader, and the great-grandfather of them all," said the Major. "Are you +all ready?—then fire."</p> + +<p>The volley had its effect; three or four of the animals were killed, +many were wounded, and the whole herd went scampering off with loud +shrieks and cries, the wounded trailing themselves after the others as +well as they could.</p> + +<p>The whole party then ascended the crags to look after Omrah—all but +Begum, who would not venture. They had hardly gained the summit when +they heard Omrah's voice below, but could not see him. "There he is, +sir," said Swanevelt, "down below there." Swinton and the Major went +down again, and at last, guided by the shouts of the boy, they came to a +narrow cleft in the rock, about twenty feet deep, at the bottom of which +they heard, but could not see, the boy. The cleft was so narrow that +none of the men could squeeze down it. Swinton sent one of them back for +some leathern thongs or a piece of rope to let down to him.</p> + +<p>During the delay, Bremen inquired of Omrah if he was hurt, and received +an answer in the negative. When the rope came, and was lowered down to +him, Omrah seized it, and was hauled up by the Hottentots. He appeared +to have suffered a little, as his hair was torn out in large handfuls, +and his shirt was in ribbons; but with the exception of some severe +scratches from the nails of the baboons, he had no serious injury. Omrah +explained to the Hottentots, who could talk his language, that Begum and +he had come to the cleft, and had discovered that there was water at the +bottom of it; that Begum had gone down, and that he was following, when +the baboons, which drank in the chasm, had come upon them. Begum had +sprung up and escaped, but he could not; and that the animals had +followed him down, until he was so jammed in the cleft that he could +descend no further; and that there they had pulled out his hair and torn +his shirt, as they saw. Having heard Omrah's story, and satisfied +themselves that he had received no serious injury, they then went to +where the baboons had been shot. Two were dead; but the old one, which +the Major had fired at, was alive, although severely wounded, having +received two shots, one in his arm and the other in his leg, which was +broken by the ball. All the poor old creature's fierceness appeared to +have left him. It was evidently very weak from the loss of blood, and +sat down leaning against the rock. Every now and then it would raise +itself, and look down upon the wound in its leg, examining the hole +where the bullet had passed through; then it would hold up its wounded +arm with its other hand, and look them in the face inquiringly, as much +as to say, "What have you done this for?"</p> + +<p>"Poor creature," said Alexander; "how much its motions are those of a +human being. Its mute expostulation is quite painful to witness."</p> + +<p>"Very true," said the Major; "but still, if it had not those wounds, it +would tear you to pieces if it could."</p> + +<p>"That it certainly would," said Swinton; "but still it is an object of +pity. It can not recover, and we had better put it out of its misery."</p> + +<p>Desiring Bremen to shoot the animal through the head, our travelers then +walked back to the caravan. As they returned by the banks of the river, +they perceived Begum very busy, scraping up the baked mud at the bottom +of a pool.</p> + +<p>"What is the princess about?" said Alexander.</p> + +<p>"I know," cried Omrah, who immediately ran to the assistance of the +baboon; and after a little more scraping, he pulled out a live tortoise +about a foot long.</p> + +<p>"I have heard that when the pools dry up, the tortoises remain in the +mud till the pools are filled up again," said Swinton.</p> + +<p>"Are they good eating, Swinton?"</p> + +<p>"Excellent."</p> + +<p>"Turtle soup in the desert, that's something unexpected."</p> + +<p>The Hottentots now set to work and discovered five or six more, which +they brought out. They then tried in vain to get at the water in the +deep cleft, but finding it impossible, the caravan continued its course.</p> + +<p>"How much more of this desert have we to traverse," said Alexander, +"before we come to the river?"</p> + +<center> +<img src='images/239.jpg' width='657' height='1043' alt='[Illustration: THE TORTOISE DISCOVERY.]' title=''> +</center> + + +<p>"I fear that we shall not arrive there before to-morrow night," said +Swinton, "unless we travel on during the night, which I think will be +the best plan; for fatiguing as it will be to the animals, they will +be even more exhausted if they pass another day under the sun without +water, and at night they will bear their work better. We gain nothing by +stopping, as the longer they are on the journey, the more they will be +exhausted."</p> + +<p>"I am really fearful for the horses, they suffer so much."</p> + +<p>"At night we will wash their mouths with a sponge full of water; we can +spare so much for the poor creatures."</p> + +<p>"In the deserts of Africa you have always one of three dangers to +encounter," said Swinton; "wild men, wild beasts, and want of water."</p> + +<p>"And the last is the worst of the three," replied the Major. "We shall +have a moon to-night for a few hours."</p> + +<p>"Yes, and if we had not, it would be of no consequence; the stars give +light enough, and we have little chance of wild beasts here. We now want +water; as soon as we get rid of that danger, we shall then have the +other to encounter."</p> + +<p>The sun went down at last; the poor oxen toiled on with their tongues +hanging out of their mouths. At sunset, the relay oxen were yoked, and +they continued their course by the stars. The horses had been refreshed, +as Swinton had proposed; but they were too much exhausted to be ridden, +and our travelers, with their guns on their shoulders, and the dogs +loose, to give notice of any danger, now walked by the sides of the +wagons over the sandy ground. The stars shone out brilliantly, and even +the tired cattle felt relief, from the comparative coolness of the night +air. All was silent, except the creaking of the wheels of the wagons, +and the occasional sighs of the exhausted oxen, as they thus passed +through the desert.</p> + +<p>"Well," observed the Major, after they had walked about an hour without +speaking, "I don't know what your thoughts may have been all this while, +but it has occurred to me that a party of pleasure may be carried to too +great lengths; and I think that I have been very selfish, in persuading +Wilmot to undergo all that we have undergone and are likely to undergo, +merely because I wished to shoot a giraffe."</p> + +<p>"I presume that I must plead guilty also," replied Swinton, "in having +assisted to induce him; but you know a naturalist is so ardent in his +pursuit that he thinks of nothing else."</p> + +<p>"I do not think that you have either of you much to answer for," replied +Alexander; "I was just as anxious to go as you were; and as far as I am +concerned, have not the slightest wish to turn back again, till we have +executed our proposed plans. We none of us undertook this journey with +the expectation of meeting with no difficulties or no privations; and I +fully anticipate more than we have yet encountered, or are encountering +now. If I get back on foot, and without a sole left to my shoe, I shall +be quite content; at the same time, I will not continue it if you both +wish to return."</p> + +<p>"Indeed, my dear fellow, I have no wish but to go on; but I was afraid +that we were running you into dangers which we have no right to do."</p> + +<p>"You have a right, allowing that I did not myself wish to proceed," +replied Alexander. "You escorted me safe through the country to +ascertain a point in which you had not the slightest interest, and it +would indeed be rewarding you very ill, if I were now to refuse to +gratify you: but the fact is, I am gratifying myself at the same time."</p> + +<p>"Well, I am very glad to hear you say so," replied the Major, "as it +makes my mind at ease; what time do you think it is, Swinton?"</p> + +<p>"It is about three o'clock; we shall soon have daylight, and I hope with +daylight we shall have some sight to cheer us. We have traveled well, +and can not by my reckoning be far from the Val River. Since yesterday +morning we have made sixty miles or thereabouts; and if we have not +diverged from our course, the poor animals will soon be relieved."</p> + +<p>They traveled on another weary hour, when Begum gave a cry, and started +off ahead of the wagons; the oxen raised their heads to the wind, and +those which were not in the yokes after a short while broke from the +keepers, and galloped off, followed by the horses, sheep, and dogs. The +oxen in the yokes also became quite unruly, trying to disengage +themselves from the traces.</p> + +<p>"They have smelt the water; it is not far off, sir," said Bremen; "we +had better unyoke them all, and let them go."</p> + +<p>"Yes, by all means," said Alexander.</p> + +<p>So impatient were the poor beasts, that it was very difficult to +disengage them, and many broke loose before it could be effected; as +soon as they were freed, they followed their companions at the same +rapid pace.</p> + +<p>"At all events, we shall know where to find them," said the Major, +laughing: "well, I really so felt for the poor animals that I am as +happy as if I was as thirsty as they are, and was now quenching my +thirst. It's almost daylight."</p> + +<p>As the day dawned, they continued to advance in the direction that the +animals had taken, and they then distinguished the trees that bordered +the river, which was about two miles distant. As soon as it was broad +daylight, they perceived that the whole landscape had changed in +appearance. Even where they were walking there was herbage, and near to +the river it appeared most luxuriant. Tall mimosa-trees were to be seen +in every direction, and in the distance large forests of timber. All was +verdant and green, and appeared to them as a paradise after the desert +in which they had been wandering on the evening before. As they arrived +at the river's banks, they were saluted with the lively notes of the +birds hymning forth their morning praise, and found the cattle, after +slaking their thirst, were now quietly feeding upon the luxuriant grass +which surrounded them.</p> + +<p>"Well may the Psalmist and prophets talk of the beauty of flowing +rivers," said Alexander; "now we feel the truth and beauty of the +language; one would almost imagine that the sacred writings were indited +in these wilds."</p> + +<p>"If not in these, they certainly were in the Eastern countries, which +assimilate strongly with them," said Swinton; "but, as you truly say, it +is only by having passed through the country that you can fully +appreciate their beauties. We never know the real value of any thing +till we have felt what it is to be deprived of it; and in a temperate +climate, with a pump in every house, people can not truly estimate the +value of 'flowing rivers.'"</p> + +<p>The Hottentots having now arrived, the cattle were driven back to the +wagons and yoked, that they might be brought up to a spot which had been +selected for their encampment. In the mean time our travelers, who were +tired with their night's walk, lay down under a large mimosa-tree, close +to the banks of the river.</p> + +<p>"We shall stay here a day or two, of course," said the Major.</p> + +<p>"Yes, for the sake of the cattle; the poor creatures deserve a couple of +days' rest."</p> + +<p>"Do you observe how the mimosas are torn up on the other side of the +river?" said Swinton; "the elephants have been very numerous there +lately."</p> + +<p>"Why do they tear the trees up?" said Alexander.</p> + +<p>"To feed upon the long roots, which are very sweet; they destroy an +immense number of the smaller trees in that manner."</p> + +<p>"Well, we must have another elephant-hunt," said the Major.</p> + +<p>"We may have hunts of every kind, I expect, here," replied Swinton; "we +are now in the very paradise of wild animals, and the further we go the +more we shall find."</p> + +<p>"What a difference there is in one day's journey in this country," +observed Alexander; "yesterday morning there was not a creature to be +seen, and all was silent as death. Now listen to the noise of the birds, +and as for beasts, I suspect we shall not have far to look for them."</p> + +<p>"No, for there is a hippopotamus just risen; and now he's down +again—there's food for a fortnight at one glance," cried the Major.</p> + +<p>"How the horses and sheep are enjoying themselves—they are making up +for lost time; but here come the wagons."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, I must get up and attend to my department," said the Major. +"I presume that we must expect our friends the lions again now."</p> + +<p>"Where there is food for lions, you must expect lions, Major," said +Swinton.</p> + +<p>"Very true, and fuel to keep them off; by the by, turtle soup for +dinner, recollect; tell Mahomed."</p> + +<p>"I'll see to it," said Alexander; "but we must have something for +breakfast, as soon as I have had a wash at the river's side. I would +have a bath, only I have such a respect for the hippopotami."</p> + +<p>"Yes, you will not forget them in a hurry," said Swinton, laughing.</p> + +<p>"Not as long as I have breath in my body, for they took all the breath +out of it. Come, Swinton, will you go with me, and make your toilet at +the river's banks?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, and glad to do so; for I am covered with the sand of the desert."</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XXIV'></a><h2>CHAPTER XXIV.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>Our travelers remained very quiet that day and the next. The horses had +suffered so much, that they required two days of rest, and they +themselves were not sorry to be inactive after their fatiguing journey +over the desert. The cattle enjoyed the luxuriant pasture, and although +the tracks of the lions were discovered very near to them, yet, as they +had plenty of fuel and attended themselves to the fires, they had not +any visits from them during the night. The Hottentots had been out to +reconnoiter, and found a profusion of game, in a large plain, about two +miles distant; and it was decided that they would rest where they were +for a day or two, if the game were not frightened away. The river had +been crossed by Swanevelt, who stated that there was a large herd of +elephants on the other side, and the tracks of the rhinoceros were to be +seen on both sides of the river.</p> + +<p>On the third morning after their arrival at the Val, they set off, +accompanied by the Hottentots, to the plain which they had spoken of; +riding through magnificent groups of acacia or camelthorn trees, many +of which were covered with the enormous nests of the social grosbeaks. +As they descended to the plain they perceived large herds of brindled +gnoos, quaggas, and antelopes, covering the whole face of the country as +far as the eye could reach, moving about in masses to and fro, joining +each other and separating, so that the whole plain seemed alive with +them.</p> + +<p>"Is not this splendid?" cried the Major. "Such a sight is worth all the +trouble and labor which we have undergone. What would they say in +England, if they could but behold this scene?"</p> + +<p>"There must be thousands and thousands," said Alexander. "Tell me, +Swinton, what beautiful animals are those of a purple color?"</p> + +<p>"They are called the purple sassabys," replied Swinton; "one of the most +elegant of the antelope tribe."</p> + +<p>"And those red and yellow out there?"</p> + +<p>"They are the harte beests. I wish to have male and female specimens of +both, if I can."</p> + +<p>"See!" said the Major, "there is a fine flock of ostriches. We are +puzzled where to begin. Come, we have surveyed the scene long enough; +now forward,—to change it."</p> + +<p>They rode down, and were soon within shot of the animals, and the rifles +began their work. The Hottentots commenced firing from various points, +and, alarmed by the report of the guns, the animals now fled away in +every direction, and the whole place was one cloud of dust. Our +travelers put their horses to their speed, and soon came up with them +again, as their numbers impeded the animals in their flight. Every shot +told, for it was hardly possible to miss; and the Hottentots who +followed on foot, put those who were wounded out of their misery. At +last the horses were too fatigued and too much out of wind to continue +the pursuit, and they reined up.</p> + +<p>"Well, Alexander, this has been sport, has it not?" said the Major.</p> + +<p>"Yes, a grand battue, on a grand scale, indeed."</p> + +<p>"There were three animals which you did not observe," said Swinton; +"but it was impossible to get at them, they were so far off; but we must +try for them another time."</p> + +<p>"What were they?"</p> + +<p>"The elands, the largest of the antelope tribe," replied Swinton, "and +the best eating of them all. Sometimes they are nineteen hands high at +the chest, and will weigh nearly 2,000 lbs. It has the head of an +antelope, but the body is more like that of an ox. It has magnificent +straight horns, but they are not dangerous. They are easily run down, +for, generally speaking, they are very fat and incapable of much +exertion."</p> + +<p>"We will look out for them to-morrow," said the Major. "See how the +vultures are hovering over us; they know there will be bones for them to +pick this night."</p> + +<p>"More than bones," replied Alexander; "for what can we do with so many +carcasses? There is provision for a month, if it would keep. What a +prodigious variety of animals there appears to be in this country."</p> + +<p>"Yes, they are congregated here, because the country, from want of rain, +may be considered as barren. But within eight or nine degrees of +latitude from the Cape, we find the largest and most minute of creation. +We have the ostrich and the little creeper among the birds. Among the +beasts we have the elephant, weighing 4,000 lbs., and the black specked +mouse, weighing a quarter of an ounce. We have the giraffe, seventeen +feet high, and the little viverra, a sort of weasel, of three inches. I +believe there are thirty varieties of antelopes known and described; +eighteen of them are found in this country, and there are the largest +and smallest of the species; for we have the eland, and we have the +pigmy antelope, which is not above six inches high. We see here also the +intermediate links of many genera, such as the eland and the gnoo; and +as we find the elephant, the rhinoceros, and Wilmot's friend, the +hippopotamus, we certainly have the bulkiest animals in existence."</p> + +<p>Bremen now came up to say that they had discovered a rhinoceros close to +the river-side, concealed in the bushes underneath a clump of acacia. +The Major and Alexander having declared their intention of immediately +going in pursuit, Swinton advised them to be cautious, as the charge of +a rhinoceros was a very awkward affair, if they did not get out of the +way. They rode down to the clump of trees and bushes where the animal +was said to be hid, and, by the advice of Bremen, sent for the dogs to +worry the animal out. Bremen, who was on foot, was desired by the Major +to take the horse which Omrah rode, that he might be more expeditious, +and our travelers remained with a clear space of two hundred yards +between them and the bushes where the animal was concealed. The +Hottentots had also followed them, and were ordered on no account to +fire till they had taken their positions, and the dogs were sent in to +drive the animal out.</p> + +<p>When Bremen was but a short distance from them with the dogs, Swinton +advised that they should dismount and take possession of a small clump +of trees which grew very close together, as they would be concealed from +the animal. They called Omrah to take the horses, but he was not to be +seen; so they gave them to one of the Hottentots, to lead them to some +distance out of harm's way.</p> + +<p>"The vision of the rhinoceros is so limited," observed Swinton, "that it +is not difficult to get out of his way on his first charge; but at his +second he is generally prepared for your maneuver. A ball in the +shoulder is the most fatal. Look out, Bremen has turned in the dogs." +The barking of the dogs, which commenced as soon as they entered the +bushes, did not continue more than a minute, when a female rhinoceros of +the black variety burst out of the thicket in pursuit of the retreating +dogs. Several shots were fired by the Hottentots, who were concealed in +different quarters without effect; the animal rushing along and tearing +up the ground with its horns, looking out for its enemies. At last it +perceived a Hottentot, who showed himself from a bush near to where our +travelers were concealed. The animal charged immediately, and in +charging was brought down on its knees by a shot from Alexander. The +Hottentots rushed out, regardless of Swinton's calling out to them to +be careful, as the animal was not dead, and had surrounded it within a +few yards, when it rose again and fiercely charged Swanevelt, who +narrowly escaped. A shot from the Major put an end to its career, and +they then walked to where the animal lay, when a cry from Omrah, who was +standing near the river, attracted their notice, and they perceived that +the male rhinoceros, of whose presence they were not aware, had just +burst out of the same covert, and was charging toward them.</p> + +<p>Every one immediately took to his heels; many of the Hottentots in their +fear dropping their muskets, and fortunately the distance they were from +the covert gave them time to conceal themselves in the thickets before +the animal had time to come up with them. A shot from Swinton turned the +assailant, who now tore up the earth in his rage, looking everywhere +round with its sharp flashing eye for a victim. At this moment, while it +seemed hesitating and peering about, to the astonishment of the whole +party, Omrah showed himself openly on the other side of the rhinoceros, +waving his red handkerchief, which he had taken off his head. The +rhinoceros, the moment that the boy caught his eye, rushed furiously +toward him. "The boy's lost," cried Swinton; but hardly had the words +gone from his mouth, when to their astonishment, the rhinoceros +disappeared, and Omrah stood capering and shouting with delight. The +fact was that Omrah, when he had left our travelers, had gone down +toward the river, and as he went along had with his light weight passed +over what he knew full well to be one of the deep pits dug by the +Bushmen to catch those animals. Having fully satisfied himself that it +was so, he had remained by the side of it, and when the rhinoceros +rushed at him, had kept the pit between himself and the animal. His +object was to induce the animal to charge at him, which it did, and when +within four yards of the lad, had plunged into the pit dug for him. The +success of Omrah's plan explained the whole matter at once, and our +travelers hastened up to where the rhinoceros was impounded, and found +that a large stake, fixed upright in the center of the pit, had impaled +the animal. A shot from the Major put an end to the fury and agony of +the animal.</p> + +<p>"I never was more excited in my life; I thought the boy was mad and +wanted to lose his life," said Alexander.</p> + +<p>"And so did I," replied Swinton; "and yet I ought to have known him +better. It was admirably done; here we have an instance of the +superiority of man endowed with reasoning power over brutes. A +rhinoceros will destroy the elephant; the lion can make no impression on +him, and flies before him like a cat. He is, in fact, the most powerful +of all animals; he fears no enemy, not even man, when he is provoked or +wounded; and yet he has fallen by the cleverness of that little monkey +of a Bushboy. I think, Major, we have done enough now, and may go back +to the caravan."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I am well satisfied with our day's sport, and am not a little +hungry. We may now let the Hottentots bring home as much game as they +can. You have taken care to give directions about your specimens, +Swinton?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, Bremen knows the animals I require, and is now after them. Omrah, +run and tell that fellow to bring our horses here."</p> + +<p>"Swinton, can birds and beasts talk, or can they not?" said the Major. +"I ask that question because I am now looking at the enormous nests of +the grosbeaks. It is a regular town, with some hundreds of houses. These +birds, as well as those sagacious animals, the beaver, the ant, and the +bee, not to mention a variety of others, must have some way of +communicating their ideas."</p> + +<p>"That there is no doubt of," replied Swinton, laughing; "but still I +believe that man only is endowed with speech."</p> + +<p>"Well, we know that; but if not with speech, they must have some means +of communication which answers as well"</p> + +<p>"As far as their wants require it, no doubt," replied Swinton, "but to +what extent is hidden from us. Animals have instinct and reasoning +powers, but not reason."</p> + +<p>"Where is the difference?"</p> + +<p>"The reasoning powers are generally limited to their necessities; but +with animals who are the companions of man, they appear to be more +extended."</p> + +<p>"We have a grand supper to-night," said Alexander; "what shall I help +you to—harte-beest, sassaby, or rhinoceros?"</p> + +<p>"Thank you," replied the Major, laughing; "I'll trouble you for a small +piece of that rhinoceros steak—underdone, if you please."</p> + +<p>"How curious that would sound in Grosvenor Square."</p> + +<p>"Not if you shot the animals in Richmond Park," said Swinton.</p> + +<p>"Those rascally Hottentots will collect no fuel to-night if we do not +make them do it now," said the Major. "If they once begin to stuff it +will be all over with them."</p> + +<p>"Very true; we had better set them about it before the feast begins. +Call Bremen, Omrah."</p> + +<p>"Having given their directions, our party finished their supper, and +then Alexander asked Swinton whether he had ever known any serious +accidents resulting from the hunting of the rhinoceros.</p> + +<p>"Yes," replied Swinton; "I once was witness to the death of a native +chief."</p> + +<p>"Then pray tell us the story," said the Major. "By hearing how other +people have suffered, we learn how to take care of ourselves."</p> + +<p>"Before I do so, I will mention what was told me by a Namaqua chief +about a lion; I am reminded of it by the Major's observations as to the +means animals have of communicating with each other. Once when I was +traveling in Namaqua-land, I observed a spot which was imprinted with at +least twenty spoors or marks of a lion's paw; and as I pointed them out +a Namaqua chief told me that a lion had been practicing his leap. On +demanding an explanation, he said that if a lion sprang at an animal, +and missed it by leaping short, he would always go back to where he +sprang from, and practice the leap so as to be successful on another +occasion; and he then related to me the following anecdote, stating that +he was an eye-witness to the incident:</p> + +<p>"'I was passing near the end of a craggy hill from which jutted out a +smooth rock of from ten to twelve feet high, when I perceived a number +of zebras galloping round it, which they were obliged to do, as the rock +beyond was quite steep. A lion was creeping toward the rock to catch the +male zebra, which brought up the rear of the herd. The lion sprang and +missed his mark; he fell short, with only his head over the edge of the +rock, and the zebra galloped away, switching his tail in the air. +Although the object of his pursuit was gone, the lion tried the leap on +the rock a second and a third time, till he succeeded. During this two +more lions came up and joined the first lion. They seemed to be talking, +for they roared a great deal to each other; and then the first lion led +them round the rock again and again. Then he made another grand leap, to +show them what he and they must do another time.' The chief added, 'They +evidently were talking to each other, but I could not understand a word +of what they said, although they talked loud enough; but I thought it +was as well to be off, or they might have some talk about me.'"</p> + +<p>"Well, they certainly do not whisper," said the Major, laughing. "Thank +you for that story, Swinton, and now for the rhinoceros hunt."</p> + +<p>"I was once out hunting with a Griqua, of the name of Henrick, and two +or three other men; we had wounded a springbok, and were following its +track, when we came upon the footing of a rhinoceros, and shortly +afterward we saw a large black male in the bush."</p> + +<p>"You mention a black rhinoceros. Is there any other?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, there is a white rhinoceros, as it is called, larger than the +black, but not so dangerous. It is, in fact, a stupid sort of animal. +The black rhinoceros, as you are aware, is very fierce. Well, to +continue: Henrick slipped down behind a bush, fired, and wounded the +animal severely in the foreleg. The rhinoceros charged, we all fled, and +the animal, singling out one of our men, closely pursued him; but the +man, stopping short, while the horn of the rhinoceros plowed up the +ground at his heels, dexterously jumped on one side. The rhinoceros +missed him and passed on in full speed, and before the brute could +recover himself and change his course, the whole of us had climbed up +into trees. The rhinoceros, limping with his wound, went round and +round, trying to find us out by the scent, but he tried in vain. At +last, one of the men, who had only an assaguay, said, 'Well, how long +are we going to stay here? Why don't you shoot?'</p> + +<p>"'Well,' said Henrick, 'if you are so anxious to shoot, you may if you +please. Here is my powder-and-shot belt, and my gun lies under the tree. +The man immediately descended from the tree, loaded the gun, and +approaching the rhinoceros he fired and wounded it severely in the jaw. +The animal was stunned, and dropped on the spot. Thinking that it was +dead, we all descended fearlessly and collected round it; and the man +who had fired was very proud, and was giving directions to the others, +when of a sudden the animal began to recover, and kicked with his hind +legs. Henrick told us all to run for our lives, and set us the example. +The rhinoceros started up again, and singling out the unfortunate man +who had got down and fired at it, roaring and snorting with rage, +thundered after him.</p> + +<p>"The man, perceiving that he could not outrun the beast, tried the same +plan as the other hunter did when the rhinoceros charged him: stopping +short, he jumped on one side, that the animal might pass him; but the +brute was not to be balked a second time; he caught the man on his horn +under the left thigh, and cutting it open as if it had been done with an +ax, tossed him a dozen yards up in the air. The poor fellow fell facing +the rhinoceros, with his legs spread; the beast rushed at him again, and +ripped up his body from his stomach to almost his throat, and again +tossed him in the air. Again he fell heavily to the ground. The +rhinoceros watched his fall, and running up to him trod upon him and +pounded him to a mummy. After this horrible tragedy, the beast limped +off into a bush. Henrick then crept up to the bush; the animal dashed +out again, and would certainly have killed another man if a dog had not +turned it. In turning short round upon the dog, the bone of its +fore-leg, which had been half broken through by Henrick's first shot, +snapped in two, and it fell, unable to recover itself, and was then shot +dead."</p> + +<p>"A very awkward customer, at all events," observed the Major. "I presume +a leaden bullet would not enter?"</p> + +<p>"No, it would flatten against most parts of his body. By the by, I saw +an instance of a rhinoceros having been destroyed by that cowardly brute +the hyena."</p> + +<p>"Indeed!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, patience and perseverance on the hyena's part effected the work. +The rhinoceros takes a long while to turn round, and the hyena attacked +him behind, biting him with his powerful jaws above the joint of the +hind leg, and continued so to do, till he had severed all the muscles, +and the animal, forced from pain to lie down, was devoured as you may +say alive from behind; the hyena still tearing at the same quarter, +until he arrived at the vital parts. By the track which was marked by +the blood of the rhinoceros, the hyena must have followed the animal for +many miles, until the rhinoceros was in such pain that it could proceed +no further.—But if you are to hunt to-morrow at daybreak, it is time to +go to sleep; so good-night."</p> + +<p>At daybreak the next morning, they took a hasty meal, and started again +for the plain. Swinton, having to prepare his specimens, did not +accompany them. There was a heavy fog on the plain when they arrived at +it, and they waited for a short time, skirting the south side of it, +with the view of drawing the animals toward the encampment. At last the +fog vanished, and discovered the whole country, as before, covered with +every variety of wild animals. But as their object was to obtain the +eland antelope, they remained stationary for some time, seeking for +those animals among the varieties which were scattered in all +directions. At last Omrah, whose eyes were far keener than even the +Hottentots', pointed out three at a distance, under a large acacia +thorn. They immediately rode at a trot in that direction, and the +various herds of quaggas, gnoos, and antelopes scoured away before them; +and so numerous were they, and such was the clattering of hoofs, that +you might have imagined that it was a heavy charge of cavalry. The +objects of their pursuit remained quiet until they were within three +hundred yards of them, and then they set off at a speed, notwithstanding +their heavy and unwieldy appearance, which for a short time completely +distanced the horses. But this speed could not be continued, and the +Major and Alexander soon found themselves rapidly coming up. The poor +animals exerted themselves in vain; their sleek coats first turned to a +blue color, and then white with foam and perspiration, and at last they +were beaten to a stand-still, and were brought down by the rifles of our +travelers, who then dismounted their horses, and walked up to the +quarry.</p> + +<p>"What magnificent animals!" exclaimed Alexander.</p> + +<p>"They are enormous, certainly," said the Major.</p> + +<p>"Look at the beautiful dying eye of that noble beast. Is it not +speaking?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, imploring for mercy, as it were, poor creature."</p> + +<p>"Well, these three beasts, that they say are such good eating, weigh +more than fifty antelopes."</p> + +<p>"More than fifty springboks, I grant. Well, what shall we do now?"</p> + +<p>"Let our horses get their wind again, and then we will see if we can +fall in with some new game."</p> + +<p>"I saw two or three antelopes, of a very different sort from the +sassabys and harte-beests, toward that rising ground. We will go that +way as soon as the Hottentots come up and take charge of our game."</p> + +<p>"Does Swinton want to preserve one of these creatures?"</p> + +<p>"I believe not, they are so very bulky. He says we shall find plenty as +we go on, and that he will not encumber the wagons with a skin until we +leave the Val River, and turn homeward. Now, Bremen and Omrah, come with +us."</p> + +<p>The Major and Alexander then turned their horses' heads, and rode slowly +toward the hill which they had noticed, and the antelopes which the +Major had observed were now seen among the bushes which crowned the +hill. Bremen said that he did not know the animals, and the Major was +most anxious to obtain one to surprise Swinton with. As soon as they +came within two hundred yards of the bushes on the other side of which +the antelopes were seen, the Major gave his horse to Omrah and advanced +alone very cautiously, that he might bring one down with his rifle. He +gained the bushes without alarming the animals, and the party left +behind were anxiously watching his motions, expecting him every moment +to fire, when the Major suddenly turned round and came back at a hurried +pace.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter?" said Alexander.</p> + +<p>"Matter enough to stop my growth for all my life," replied the Major. +"If ever my heart was in my mouth, it was just now. I was advancing +softly, and step by step, toward the antelopes, and was just raising my +rifle to fire, when I heard something flapping the ground three or four +yards before me. I looked down, and it was the tail of a lioness, which +fortunately was so busy watching the antelopes with her head the other +way, that she did not perceive my being near her; whereupon I beat a +retreat, as you have witnessed."</p> + +<p>"Well, what shall we do now?"</p> + +<p>"Wait a little till I have recovered my nerves," said the Major, "and +then I'll be revenged upon her. Swinton is not here to preach prudence, +and have a lion-hunt I will."</p> + +<p>"With all my heart," replied Alexander. "Bremen, we are going to attack +the lioness."</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," said Bremen; "then we had better follow Cape fashion. We +will back the horses toward her, and Omrah will hold them while we will +attack her. I think one only had better fire, so we keep two guns in +reserve."</p> + +<p>"You are right, Bremen," said Alexander. "Then you and I will reserve +our fire, and the Major shall try his rifle upon her."</p> + +<p>With some difficulty the horses were backed toward the bush, until the +Major could again distinguish where the lioness lay, at about sixty +paces' distance. The animal appeared still occupied with the game in +front of her, watching her opportunity to spring, for her tail and +hind-quarters were toward them. The Major fired, and the animal bounded +off with a loud roar; while the antelopes flew away like the wind. The +roar of the lioness was answered by a deep growl from another part of +the bush, and immediately afterward a lion bolted out, and bounded from +the bushes across the plain, to a small mimosa grove about a quarter of +a mile off.</p> + +<p>"What a splendid animal!" said Alexander; "look at his black mane, it +almost sweeps the ground."</p> + +<p>"We must have him," cried the Major, jumping on his horse.</p> + +<p>Alexander, Bremen, and Omrah did the same, and they followed the lion, +which stood at bay under the mimosas, measuring the strength of the +party, and facing them in a most noble and imposing manner. It appeared, +however, that he did not like their appearance, or was not satisfied +with his own position, for as they advanced he retreated at a slow pace, +and took up his position on the summit of a stony hill close by, the +front of which was thickly dotted with low thorn-bushes. The +thorn-bushes extended about 200 yards from where the lion stood, +disdainfully surveying the party as they approached toward him, and +appearing, with a conscious pride in his own powers, to dare them to +approach him.</p> + +<p>They dismounted from their horses as soon as they arrived at the +thorn-bushes, and the Major fired. The rifle-ball struck the rock close +to the lion, who replied with an angry growl. The Major then took the +gun from Omrah and fired, and again the ball struck close to the +animal's feet. The lion now shook his mane, gave another angry roar; and +by the glistening of his eyes, and the impatient switching of his tail, +it was evident that he would soon become the attacking party.</p> + +<p>"Load both your guns again," said Alexander, "and then let me have a +shot, Major."</p> + +<p>As soon as the Major's guns were loaded, Alexander took aim and fired. +The shot broke the lion's fore-leg, which he raised up with a voice of +thunder, and made a spring from the rock toward where our party stood.</p> + +<p>"Steady now," cried the Major to Bremen, at the same time handing his +spare rifle to Alexander.</p> + +<p>The rush of the angry animal was heard through the bushes advancing +nearer and nearer; and they all stood prepared for the encounter. At +last out the animal sprang, his mane bristling on end, his tail straight +out, and his eyeballs flashing rage and vengeance. He came down upon the +hind-quarters of one of the horses, which immediately started off, +overthrowing and dragging Omrah to some distance. One of the lion's legs +being broken, had occasioned the animal to roll off on the side of the +horse, and he now remained on the ground ready for a second spring, when +he received a shot through the back from Bremen, who stood behind him. +The lion, with another dreadful roar, attempted to spring upon the +Major, who was ready with his rifle to receive him; but the shot from +Bremen had passed through his spine and paralyzed his hind-quarters, and +he made the attempt in vain, a second and a third time throwing his +fore-quarters up in the air, and then falling down again, when a bullet +from the Major passed through his brain. The noble beast sunk down, +gnawing the ground and tearing it with the claws of the leg which had +not been wounded, and then, in a few seconds, breathed his last.</p> + +<p>"I am glad that is over, Alexander," said the Major; "it was almost too +exciting to be pleasant."</p> + +<p>"It was very awful for the time, I must acknowledge," replied Alexander. +"What an enormous brute! I think I never saw such a magnificent skin.</p> + +<p>"It is yours by the laws of war," said the Major.</p> + +<p>"Nay," replied Alexander, "it was you that gave him his <i>coup de grace</i>"</p> + +<p>"Yes, but if you had not broken his leg, he might have given some of us +our <i>coup de grace</i>. No, no, the skin is yours. Now the horses are off, +and we can not send for the Hottentots. They have got rid of Omrah, who +is coming back with his shirt torn into tatters."</p> + +<p>"The men will catch the horses and bring them here, depend upon it, +sir," said Bremen, "and then they can take off the skin."</p> + +<p>"Well, if I am to have the lion's skin, I must have that of the lioness +also, Major; so we must finish our day's hunting with forcing her to +join her mate."</p> + +<p>"Very good, with all my heart."</p> + +<p>"Better wait till the men come with the horses, sir," said Bremen; +"three guns are too few to attack a lion—very great danger indeed."</p> + +<p>"Bremen is right, Alexander; we must not run such a risk again. Depend +upon it, if the animal's leg had not been broken, we should not have had +so easy a conquest. Let us sit down quietly till the men come up."</p> + +<p>In about half an hour, as Bremen had conjectured, the Hottentots, +perceiving the horses loose, and suspecting that something had happened, +went in chase of them, and as soon as they had succeeded in catching +them, brought them in the direction to which they had seen our travelers +ride. They were not a little astonished at so small a party having +ventured to attack a lion, and gladly prepared for the attack of the +lioness. Three of the dogs having accompanied them, it was decided that +they should be put into the bushes where the lioness was lying when the +Major fired at her, so as to discover where she now was; and leaving the +lion for the present, they all set off for the first jungle.</p> + +<p>The dogs could not find the lioness in the bushes, and it was evident +that she had retreated to some other place; and Swanevelt, who was an +old lion-hunter, gave his opinion that she would be found in the +direction near to where the lion was killed. They went therefore in that +direction, and found that she was in the clump of mimosas to which the +lion had first retreated. The previous arrangement of backing the horses +toward where she lay was attempted, but the animals had been too much +frightened in the morning by the lion's attack, to be persuaded. They +reared and plunged in such a manner as to be with difficulty prevented +from breaking loose; it was therefore necessary to abandon that plan, +and trust to themselves and their numbers. The clump of trees was +surrounded by the party, and the dogs encouraged to go in, which they +did, every now and then rushing back from the paws of the lioness. The +Hottentots now fired into the clump at random, and their volleys were +answered by the loud roars of the animal, which would not, however, show +herself, and half an hour was passed away in this manner.</p> + +<p>At last she was perceived at one side of the jungle, by Swanevelt, who +fired with effect, for the animal gave a loud roar, and then bounded +out, not attempting to rush upon any person, but to make her escape from +her assailants. A volley was fired at her, and one shot took effect, for +she fell with her head to the ground, and tumbled right over; but +immediately after she recovered herself, and made off for the bushes +where she had been first discovered.</p> + +<p>"She was hit hard that time, at all events," said the Major.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," said Bremen, "that was her deathshot, I should think; but +she is not dead yet, and may give us a great deal of trouble."</p> + +<p>They followed her as fast as they could on foot, and the dogs were soon +upon her again; the animal continued to roar, and always from the same +spot; so that it was evident she was severely wounded. Alexander and the +Major reserved their fire, and approached to where the dogs were baying, +not twenty yards from the jungle. Another roar was given, and suddenly +the body of the lioness rushed through the air, right in the direction +where they stood; she passed, however, between them, and when she +reached the ground, she fell on her side, quite dead. It was her last +expiring effort, and she died in the attempt. Alexander and the Major, +who were both ready to fire, lowered their rifles when they perceived +that she was dead.</p> + +<p>"Well," said the Major, "I will say that when I first saw her tail, I +was more frightened than I was just now, when she made the spring; I was +so taken by surprise."</p> + +<p>"I don't doubt it. She is a very large animal, and will make a handsome +companion to the lion. If we live and do well, and get home to England +again, I will have her stuffed along with him, and put them in the same +case."</p> + +<p>"I trust you will, and that I shall come and see them," replied the +Major.</p> + +<p>"I am sure I do, from my heart, my good fellow. I am very much pleased +at our having killed both these beasts, without Swinton being with us, +as he would have been persuading us to leave them alone."</p> + +<p>"And he would have done very right," replied the Major. "We are two +naughty boys, and shall be well scolded when we go back."</p> + +<p>"Which I vote we do now. I think we have done quite enough for to-day."</p> + +<p>"Yes, indeed," replied the Major, mounting his horse; "enough to talk of +all our lives. Now let us gallop home, and say nothing about having +killed the lions until the Hottentots bring them to the caravan."</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XXV'></a><h2>CHAPTER XXV.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>"Well, what sport have you had?" was Swinton's first question when he +was joined by Alexander and the Major. Replied the latter—"Pretty well; +we saw an antelope quite new to us, which we tried very hard to shoot, +but were prevented by an unexpected meeting with a lioness." The Major +then gave an account of his perceiving the tail of the lioness, and his +rapid retreat.</p> + +<p>"I am very glad to hear that you were so prudent, Major; it would have +been a very rash thing to attack a lioness with only three guns. So the +antelopes escaped?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, but we have the elands, which you say are such good eating. Do we +stay here any longer, or do we proceed up the river?"</p> + +<p>"You must ask Wilmot to decide that point," said Swinton.</p> + +<p>"It is just as you please," said Alexander; "but they say that the more +you go to the northward, the more plentiful is the game."</p> + +<p>"Yes, and we shall fall in with the giraffe," said the Major, "which is +now the great object of my ambition. I have killed the rhinoceros and +elephant, and now I must have the giraffe; they can kill the two first +animals in India, but the other is only to be had in this country."</p> + +<p>"And when you meet again your Indian friends, you wish to say that you +have killed what they have not?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly; what is the good of traveling so far, if one has not +something to boast of when one returns? If I say I have hunted and +killed the rhinoceros and elephant, they may reply to me, 'So have we;' +but if I add the giraffe, that will silence them; don't you observe, +Swinton, I then remain master of the field? But here come the Hottentots +with our game; come, Swinton, leave your preparations for a little +while, and see what our morning's sport has been."</p> + +<p>Swinton put aside the skin of the sassaby that he was cleaning, and +walked with them to where the men were assembled, and was not a little +surprised when he saw the skins and jaws of the lion and lioness. He was +still more so when the Major recounted how they had been shot.</p> + +<p>"You certainly have run a great risk," said he, "and I am glad that you +have been so successful. You are right in saying that I should have +persuaded you not to attempt it; you are like two little boys who have +taken advantage of the absence of their tutor to run into mischief. +However, I am glad that it has been done, as I now hope your desire to +kill a lion will not again lead you into unnecessary danger."</p> + +<p>"No, indeed," replied Alexander; "having once accomplished the feat, and +being fully aware of the great risk that is run, we shall be more +prudent in future."</p> + +<p>"That is all I ask of you," said Swinton, "for I should be unhappy if we +did not all three return safe to the Cape. I never saw a finer lion's +skin: I will arrange it for you, that it shall arrive at the Cape in +good order."</p> + +<p>As usual, the afternoon was by the Hottentots devoted to eating as much +as they could possibly contrive to get down their throats; the flesh of +the eland was pronounced excellent by our travelers, and there was much +more than they could possibly consume. The Hottentots were only allowed +to bring a certain quantity into the camp, that they might not attract +the wild beasts. They would have brought it all in, although they never +could have eaten it. The cattle were driven up in the evening, the fires +lighted, and the night passed quietly away.</p> + +<p>At daylight they turned the cattle out to graze for a couple of hours, +and then yoked and proceeded on their journey, keeping as near as they +could to the banks of the river. They saw many hippopotami, snorting and +rising for a moment above the water, but they passed by them without +attempting to shoot at them, as they did not wish to disturb the other +game. As they advanced, the variety of flowers which were in bloom +attracted the notice of Alexander, who observed—"Does not this plain +put you in mind of a Turkey carpet, Major; so gay with every variety of +color?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, and as scentless," replied the Major; "they are all very brilliant +in appearance; but one modest English violet is, to my fancy, worth them +all."</p> + +<p>"I agree with you," replied Swinton; "but still you must acknowledge +that this country is beautiful beyond description,—these grassy meads +so spangled with numerous flowers, and so broken by the masses of grove +and forest! Look at these aloes blooming in profusion, with their coral +tufts—in England what would they pay for such an exhibition?—and the +crimson and lilac hues of these poppies and amaryllis blended together: +neither are you just in saying that there is no scent in this gay +parterre. The creepers which twine up those stately trees are very +sweetly scented; and how picturesque are the twinings of those vines +upon the mimosas. I can not well imagine the garden of Eden to have been +more beautiful."</p> + +<p>"And in another respect there is a resemblance," said the Major, +laughing; "the serpent is in it"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I grant that," replied Swinton.</p> + +<p>"Well, I can feel no real pleasure without security; if I am to be ever +on the alert, and turning my eyes in every direction, that I may not +tread upon a puff adder, or avoid the dart of the cobra capella, I can +feel little pleasure in looking at the rich hues of those flowers which +conceal them. As I said before, give me the violet and the rose of +England, which I can pick and smell in security."</p> + +<p>"I agree with you, Major," said Alexander; "but," continued he, +laughing, "we must make allowance for Swinton, as a naturalist. A puff +adder has a charm for him, because it adds one more to the numerous +specimens to be obtained; and he looks upon these flowers as a +botanist, rejoicing as he adds to his herbal, or gathers seeds and bulbs +to load his wagon with. You might as well find fault with a husbandman +for rejoicing in a rich harvest."</p> + +<p>"Or with himself, for being so delighted at the number and the variety +of the animals which fall to his rifle," replied Swinton, smiling. +"There I have you, Major."</p> + +<p>"I grant it," replied the Major; "but what is that in the river—the +back of a hippopotamus?"</p> + +<p>"No, it is the back of an elephant, I should rather think; but the reeds +are so high, that it is difficult to ascertain. There may be a herd +bathing in the river, nothing more likely."</p> + +<p>"Let us stop the caravan; the creaking of these wheels would drive away +any thing," replied the Major; "we will then ride forward and see what +it is. It is not more than half a mile from us."</p> + +<p>"Be it so," replied Swinton. "Omrah, get the rifles, and tell Bremen to +come here. Now, Major, is it to be a regular hunt, or only a passing +shot at them; for I now perceive through my glass that they are +elephants?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I think a passing shot will be best; for if we are to hunt, we +must send a party on the opposite side of the river, and that will be a +tedious affair."</p> + +<p>"I think myself it will be better to proceed," said Swinton; "so now +then, to scatter the enemy."</p> + +<p>They soon arrived at that part of the river where they had at a distance +discovered the elephants bathing; but as they approached, the high reeds +prevented them from seeing the animals, although they could hear them +plainly. At last, as they proceeded a little further up the river, they +discovered a female with its young one by its side; the mother playing +with its offspring, pouring water over it with its trunk, and now and +then pressing it into the water, so as to compel it to swim. They +watched the motions of the animals for some time, and the Major first +broke silence by saying, "I really have not the heart to fire at the +poor creature; its maternal kindness, and the playing of the little one, +are too interesting. It would be cruel, now that we do not want meat, +for an eland is to be killed every ten minutes."</p> + +<p>"I am glad to hear you say so," replied Swinton. "Let us fire over them, +and set them all in motion."</p> + +<p>"Agreed," said the Major; "this is to start them," and he fired off his +rifle in the air.</p> + +<p>The noise that ensued was quite appalling; the shrieks and cries of the +elephants, and the treading down and rushing through the reeds, the +splashing and floundering in the mud, for a few seconds, was followed by +the bounding out of the whole herd on the opposite bank of the river, +tossing their trunks, raising up their ears, roaring wildly, and +starting through the bushes into the forest from which they had +descended. Two large males only were to be perceived among the whole +herd, the rest were all females and their young ones, who scrambled away +after the males, crowding together, but still occasionally looking +behind after their young ones, till they had all disappeared in the +forest, the cracking and crushing of the bushes in which were heard for +many minutes afterward.</p> + +<p>"That was a splendid scene," said Alexander.</p> + +<p>"Yes, it was a living panorama, which one must come to Africa to +behold."</p> + +<p>"I do not think that I shall ever become a true elephant-hunter," said +the Major. "I feel a sort of repugnance to destroy so sagacious an +animal, and a degree of remorse when one lies dead. At the same time, if +once accustomed to the fearful crashing and noise attending their +movements, I do not consider them very dangerous animals to pursue."</p> + +<p>"Not if people are cool and collected. We have had several famous +elephant-hunters among the Dutch farmers. I remember that one of them, +after a return from a successful chase, made a bet that he would go up +to a wild elephant and pluck eight hairs out of his tail. He did so and +won his bet, for the elephant can not see behind him, and is not very +quick in turning round. However, a short time afterward he made the same +attempt, and being foolhardy from success, the animal was too quick for +him, and he was crushed to death."</p> + +<p>Bremen now came up to them, to say that there was a party of people to +the eastward, and he thought that there was a wagon. On examination with +their telescopes, they found that such was the case; and our travelers +turned their horses' heads in the direction, to ascertain who they might +be, leaving the caravan to proceed by the banks of the river. In about +an hour, they came close to them, and Swinton immediately recognized +them as Griquas, or mixed European and Hottentot races. Of course, they +met in the most friendly manner, and the Griquas said that they had come +to hunt the elephant, eland, and other animals; the former for their +ivory, and the latter for their flesh. Their wagon, which was a very old +one, was loaded with flesh, cut in long strips, and hanging to dry; and +they had a great many hundred-weight of ivory, which they had already +collected. As soon as our travelers had explained to them their own +motions, the Griquas said that they would bring their wagon down in the +evening and encamp with them. Our travelers then returned to the +caravan.</p> + +<p>As they promised, the Griquas joined them late in the afternoon. They +were a party of sixteen; all stout fellows, and armed with the long guns +used by the Dutch boors. They said that they had been two months from +Griqua-town, and were thinking of returning very soon, as their wagon +was loaded to the extent that it would bear. The Major stating that it +was their intention to hunt the giraffe, the Griquas informed them that +they would not find the animal to the southward of the Val River, and +they would have to cross over into the territories of the king +Moselekatsee, who ruled over the Bechuana country, to the northward of +the river; and that it would be very dangerous to attempt so to do +without his permission; indeed, that there would be danger in doing so, +even with it.</p> + +<p>"Do you know any thing of this person, Swinton?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I have heard of him, but I did not know that he had extended his +conquests so low down as to the Val River."</p> + +<p>"Who is he?"</p> + +<p>"You have heard of Chaka, the king of the Zoolus, who conquered the +whole country, as far as Port Natal to the eastward?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," replied Alexander; "we have heard of him."</p> + +<p>"Well, Moselekatsee was a chief of two or three tribes, who, when hard +pressed by his enemies, took refuge with Chaka, and became one of his +principal warrior chiefs. After a time he quarreled with Chaka, about +the distribution of some cattle they had taken, and aware that he had no +mercy to expect from the tyrant, he revolted from him with a large +force, and withdrew to the Bechuana country. There he conquered all the +tribes, enrolled them in his own army, and gradually became as +formidable as Chaka himself. In the arrangements of his army, he +followed the same plans as Chaka, and has now become a most powerful +monarch, and, they do say, is almost as great a tyrant and despot as +Chaka himself was. I believe that the Griquas are right in saying there +would be danger in passing through his dominions without his +permission."</p> + +<p>"But," said Alexander, "I suppose if we send a message to him and +presents, there will be no difficulty?"</p> + +<p>"Perhaps not, except that our caravan may excite his cupidity, and he +may be induced to delay us to obtain possession of its contents. +However, we had better put this question to the Griquas, who probably +can answer it better."</p> + +<p>The Griquas, on being questioned, replied, that the best plan would be +to send a message to the Matabili capital, where Moselekatsee resided, +requesting permission to hunt in the country, and begging the monarch to +send some of his principal men to receive the presents which they had to +offer;—that it would not take long to receive an answer, as it would +only be necessary to deliver the message to the first officer belonging +to Moselekatsee, at the advanced post. That officer would immediately +dispatch a native with the message, who would arrive much sooner than +any one they could send themselves. Bremen and three other Hottentots +offered to take the message, if our travelers wished it. This was agreed +to, and that afternoon they mounted their horses, and crossed the river. +By the advice of the Griquas, the camp was shifted about a mile further +up the river, on account of the lions.</p> + +<p>The weather now threatened a change; masses of clouds accumulated, but +were again dispersed. The next day the weather was again threatening; +thunder pealed in the distant mountains, and the forked lightning flew +in every direction; but the rain, if any, was expended on the +neighboring hills.</p> + +<p>A strong wind soon blew up so as to try the strength of the canvas +awning of their wagons, and they found it difficult to keep their fires +in at night. They had encamped upon a wide plain covered with high +grass, and abounding with elands and other varieties of antelopes: here +they remained for five days, waiting the reply of the king of the +Matabili, and went out every day to procure game. On the Sabbath-day, +after they had, as usual, performed Divine service, they observed a +heavy smoke to windward, which, as the wind was fresh, soon bore down +upon them and inconvenienced them much.</p> + +<p>Swanevelt stated that the high grass had been fired by some means or +another, and as it threatened to come down upon the encampment, the +Hottentots and Griquas were very busy beating down the grass round about +them. When they had so done, they went to windward some hundred yards +and set fire to the grass in several places; the grass burned quickly, +till it arrived at where it had been beaten down, and the fire was +extinguished. That this was a necessary precaution was fully proved, for +as the night closed in, the whole country for miles was on fire, and the +wind bore the flames down rapidly toward them.</p> + +<p>The sky was covered with clouds, and the darkness of the night made the +flames appear still more vivid; the wind drove them along with a loud +crackling noise, sweeping over the undulating ground, now rising and now +disappearing in the hollows, the whole landscape lighted up for miles.</p> + +<p>As our travelers watched the progress of the flames, and every now and +then observed a terrified antelope spring from its lair, and appearing +like a black figure in a phantasmagoria, suddenly the storm burst upon +them and the rain poured down in torrents, accompanied with large +hailstones and thunder and lightning. The wind was instantly lulled, and +after the first burst of the storm a deathlike silence succeeded to the +crackling of the flames. A deluge of rain descended, and in an instant +every spark of the conflagration was extinguished, and the pitchy +darkness of the night was unbroken by even a solitary star.</p> + +<p>The next morning was bright and clear, and after breakfast, they +perceived the Hottentots who had been sent on their message to +Moselekatsee, on the opposite bank of the river, accompanied by three of +the natives; they soon crossed the river and came to the encampment. The +natives, who were Matabili, were tall, powerful men, well proportioned, +and with regular features; their hair was shorn, and surmounted with an +oval ring attached to the scalp, and the lobe of their left ears was +perforated with such a large hole, that it contained a small gourd, +which was used as a snuff-box. Their dress was a girdle of strips of +catskins, and they each carried two javelins and a knobbed stick for +throwing.</p> + +<p>They were heartily welcomed by our travelers, who placed before them a +large quantity of eland-steaks, and filled their boxes with snuff. As +soon as they had finished eating, and drawn up a large quantity of snuff +into their nostrils, they explained through the Griquas, who could speak +their language, that they had come from the greatest of all monarchs in +the world, Moselekatsee, who wished to know who the strangers were, what +they wanted of him, and what presents they had brought.</p> + +<p>Swinton, who was spokesman, returned for answer that they were hunters, +and not traders; that they had come to see the wonders of the country +belonging to so great a monarch, and that hearing that his majesty had +animals in his country which were not to be found elsewhere, they wanted +permission to kill some, to show upon their return to their own people +what a wonderful country it was that belonged to so great a +monarch;—that they had brought beads and copper wire, and knives, and +boxes for making fire, and snuff and tobacco, all of which they wished +to present to the great monarch; a part as soon as they had received +his permission to enter his territory, and another part when they were +about to leave it. A handsome present of the above articles was then +produced, and the messengers of the king, having surveyed the articles +with some astonishment, declared that their king would feel very glad +when he saw all these things, and that he had desired them to tell our +travelers that they might come into his dominions with safety, and kill +all the animals that they pleased. That his majesty had commanded one of +them to remain with the party, and that as soon as he had received his +presents, he would send a chief to be answerable for their safety. The +Matabili then packed up the articles presented, and two of them set off +at full speed on their return to the king. The third, who remained, +assured our travelers that they might cross the river and enter the +Matabili country as soon as they pleased.</p> + +<p>A debate now ensued as to whether they should go with their whole force +or not. The Matabili had informed them that in three days' journey they +would fall in with the giraffe, which they were in search of, and as +there would be some risk in crossing the river, and they had every +reason to expect that it would soon rise, the question was whether it +would be prudent to take over even one of the wagons. The opinion of the +Griquas was asked, and it was ultimately arranged that they should take +over Alexander's wagon only, with fifteen pair of oxen, and that some of +the Griquas should accompany them, with Swanevelt, Omrah, and +Mahomed;—that Bremen and the Hottentots should remain where they were, +with the other three wagons and the rest of the Griquas, until our +travelers should return.</p> + +<p>This arrangement was not at all disagreeable to the Hottentots, who did +not much like the idea of entering the Matabili country, and were very +happy in their present quarters, as they were plentifully provided with +good meat. Alexander's wagon was therefore arranged so as to carry the +bedding and articles they might require, all other things being removed +to the other wagons. Their best oxen were selected, and eight of the +fleetest of their horses, and on the following morning, having +ascertained from the Matabili the best place to cross the river, our +travelers set off, and in an hour were on the other side.</p> + +<p>There was no change in the country during the first day's journey; the +same variety and brilliancy of flowers were every where to be seen. The +eland and the other antelopes were plentiful, and they were soon joined +by parties of the natives, who requested them to shoot the animals for +them, which they did in quantities even sufficient to satisfy them. +Indeed if they found them troublesome, our travelers had only to bring +down an eland, and the natives were immediately left behind, that they +might devour the animal, which was done in an incredibly short space of +time. The Matabili who had conducted them proved to be a chief, and if +he gave any order, it was instantly obeyed; so that our travelers had no +trouble with the natives except their begging and praying for snuff, +which was incessant, both from the men and women. Neither did they fear +any treachery from the Matabili king, as they were well armed, and the +Griquas were brave men, and the superiority of their weapons made them a +match for a large force. Every precaution, however, was taken when they +halted at night, which they invariably did in the center of an open +plain, to prevent any surprise; and large fires were lighted round the +wagon.</p> + +<p>They traveled on in this way for two days more, when in the evening they +arrived at a large plain sprinkled with mimosa-trees, and abutting on +the foot of a low range of hills. The Matabili told them that they would +find the giraffes on these plains, and the Major, who was very anxious, +kept his telescope to his eyes, looking round in every direction till +nightfall, but did not succeed in descrying any of the objects of his +search. They retired that night with anxious expectation for the +following morning, when they anticipated that they should fall in with +these remarkable animals. Their guns were examined and every precaution +taken, and having lighted their fires and set the watch, they went to +bed; and, after commending themselves to the care of Providence, were +soon fast asleep.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XXVI'></a><h2>CHAPTER XXVI.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>With the exception of three lions coming very near to the encampment and +rousing up the Griquas, nothing occurred during the night. In the +morning they yoked the oxen and had all the horses saddled ready for the +chase; but they were disappointed for nearly the whole day; as, although +they saw a variety of game, no giraffe appeared in sight. In the +afternoon, as they passed by a clump of mimosas, they were charged by a +rhinoceros, which nearly threw down Alexander's best horse; but a volley +from the Griquas laid him prostrate. It was a very large animal, but not +of the black or ferocious sort, being what is termed the white +rhinoceros. Within the last two days they had also observed that the +gnoo was not of the same sort as the one which they had seen so long, +but a variety which Swinton told them was called the brindled gnoo; it +was, however, in every other respect the same animal, as to its motions +and peculiarities. Toward the evening the Matabili warrior who +accompanied them pointed to a mimosa at a distance, and made signs to +the Major that there was a giraffe.</p> + +<p>"I can not see him—do you, Alexander?" said the Major; "he points to +that mimosa with the dead stump on the other side of it, there. Yes, it +is one, I see the stump, as I called it, move; it must be the neck of +the animal. Let loose the dogs, Swanevelt," cried the Major, starting +off at full speed, and followed by Alexander, and Omrah, with the spare +horse. In a minute or two the giraffe was seen to get clear of the +mimosa, and then set off in an awkward, shambling kind of gallop; but +awkward as the gallop appeared, the animal soon left the Major behind. +It sailed along with incredible velocity, its long, swan-like neck +keeping time with its legs, and its black tail curled above its back.</p> + +<p>"Push on, Alexander," cried the Major; "if ever there were seven-league +boots, that animal has a pair of them on. He goes like the wind; but he +can not keep it up long, depend upon it, and our horses are in capital +condition."</p> + +<p>Alexander and the Major were now neck and neck, close to each other, at +full speed, when of a sudden the Major's horse stumbled, and fell upon +an ostrich, which was sitting on her nest; Alexander's horse also +stumbled and followed after the Major; and there they were, horses and +riders, all rolling together among the ostrich-eggs; while the ostrich +gained her legs, and ran off as fast as the giraffe.</p> + +<p>As soon as they had got on their legs again, and caught the bridles of +their horses, they looked round, but could not distinguish the giraffe, +which was out of sight among the mimosa-trees; while Omrah was very busy +picking up their rifles, and laughing in a very disrespectful manner. +The Major and Alexander soon joined in the laugh. No bones were broken, +and the horses had received no injury. All they had to do was to return +to the caravan looking very foolish.</p> + +<p>"Your first essay in giraffe-hunting has been very successful," said +Swinton, laughing, as they came up to him.</p> + +<p>"Yes, we both threw very pretty summersets, did we not?" said Alexander. +"However, we have got some ostrich-eggs for supper, and that is better +than nothing. It will soon be dark, so we had better encamp for the +night, had we not?"</p> + +<p>"I was about to propose it," said Swinton.</p> + +<p>"Did you ever hunt the giraffe, Swinton?" inquired Alexander, as they +were making their supper on roasted ostrich-eggs; each of them holding +one between his knees, and dipping out with a large spoon.</p> + +<p>"Never," replied Swinton; "I have often seen them in Namaqua-land, but +never killed one. I remember, however, a circumstance connected with the +giraffe, which would have been incredible to me, if I had not seen the +remains of the lion. You are well aware how long and strong are the +thorns of the mimosa (or kamel-tree, as the Dutch call it, from the +giraffe browsing upon it), and how the boughs of these trees lie like an +umbrella, close upon one another. A native chief informed me that he +witnessed a lion attacking a giraffe. The lion always springs at the +head or neck, and seizes the animal by that part, riding him, as it +were. The giraffe sets off at full speed with its enemy, and is so +powerful as often to get rid of him; for I have seen giraffes killed +which had the marks of the lion's teeth and claws upon them. In this +instance the lion made a spring, but the giraffe at that very moment +turning sharp round, the lion missed his aim, and by the blow it +received was tossed in the air, so that he fell upon the boughs of the +mimosa on his back. The boughs were not only compact enough to bear his +weight, but the thorns that pierced through his body were so strong as +to hold the enormous animal where he lay. He could not disengage +himself; and they pointed out to me the skeleton on the boughs of the +tree, as a corroboration of the truth of the story."</p> + +<p>"It does really approach to the marvelous," observed the Major; "but, as +you say, seeing is believing. I trust that we shall be more fortunate +to-morrow."</p> + +<p>"I have gained a piece of information from Swanevelt," said Swinton, +"which makes me very anxious that we should leave this as soon as +possible; which is, that the Matabili king had no idea that we had +Griquas in our company, and still less that we were to come into his +country with only the Griquas as attendants. You are not perhaps aware +that Moselekatsee is the deadly enemy of the Griquas, with whom he has +had several severe conflicts, and that we are not very safe on that +account?"</p> + +<p>"Why did not the Griquas say so?" replied Alexander.</p> + +<p>"Because they do not care for the Matabili, and I presume are glad to +come into the country, that they may know something of it, in case of +their making an attack upon it. Depend upon it, as soon as the king +hears of it, we shall be looked upon as spies, and he may send a party +to cut us off."</p> + +<p>"Have you said any thing to the Griquas?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, and they laughed, and said that they should not care if we went +right up to the principal town, where Moselekatsee resides."</p> + +<p>"Well, they are bold enough, and so far are good traveling companions; +but we certainly did not come here to fight," observed the Major. "But +does the Matabili with us know that they are Griquas?"</p> + +<p>"He did not; he supposed that they were Cape people whom we had brought +with us; but he has found it out by the Hottentots, I suppose. Swanevelt +says, that the very first body of Matabili that we fell in with, he sent +a runner off immediately, I presume to give the information. I think, +therefore, that the sooner we can get away the better."</p> + +<p>"Well, I agree with you, Swinton," replied Alexander.</p> + +<p>"We will try for the giraffe to-morrow, and when the Major has had the +satisfaction of killing one, we will retrace our steps, for should we be +attacked, it will be impossible to defend ourselves long against +numbers. So now to bed."</p> + +<p>They rose early the next morning, and, leaving the wagon where it was, +again proceeded on horseback in search of giraffes. They rode at a slow +pace for four or five miles, before they could discover any. At last a +herd of them were seen standing together browsing on the leaves of the +mimosa. They made a long circuit to turn them, and drive them toward the +camp, and in this they succeeded. The animals set off at their usual +rapid pace, but did not keep it up long, as there were several not full +grown among them, which could not get over the ground so fast as the +large male of the preceding day. After a chase of three miles, they +found that the animals' speed was rapidly decreasing, and they were +coming up with them. When within a hundred yards, Alexander fired and +wounded a female which was in the rear. The Major pushed on with the +dogs after a large male, and it stopped at bay under a mimosa, kicking +most furiously at the dogs. The Major leveled his rifle, and brought the +animal down with his first shot. It rose again, however, and for a +hundred yards went away at a fast pace; but it again fell, to rise no +more. The female which Alexander had wounded received another shot, and +was then also prostrated."</p> + +<p>"I have killed a <i>giraffe</i>," said the Major, standing by the side of the +one he had killed. "It has been a long way to travel, and there have +been some dangers to encounter for the sake of performing this feat; but +we have all our follies, and are eager in pursuit of just as great +trifles through life; so that in this I am not perhaps more foolish than +the rest of mankind. I have obtained my wishes—I have killed a giraffe; +and now I don't care how soon we go back again."</p> + +<p>"Nor do I," replied Alexander; "for I can say with you, when we arrive +in England, I too have killed a giraffe; so you will not be able to +boast over me. By Swinton's account if we stay here much longer, we +shall have to kill Matabili, which I am not anxious to do; therefore, I +now say with you, I don't care how soon we go back to the Cape."</p> + +<p>As they were not more than two miles from the wagon, they rode back, and +sent the Griquas to bring in the flesh of the animals; Swinton not +caring for the skins, as he had already procured some in Namaqua-land, +and the weight of them would be so very great for the wagon. On their +return, they had some conversation with the Griquas, who candidly +acknowledged that it was very likely that the Matabili king would +attempt to cut them off, although they appeared not at all afraid of his +making the attempt. They, however, readily consented to return the next +morning. That night, a messenger arrived to the Matabili chief who was +escorting them. What was the communication of course our travelers could +not tell; but their suspicions were confirmed by the behavior of the +man. When he found that, on the following morning, they yoked the oxen +and retraced their steps, he begged them not to go, but to advance into +the interior of the country, where they would find plenty of game; told +them that the king would be very angry if they left so soon; and if he +did not see them, his heart would be very sad. But our travelers had +made up their mind, and traveled back during the whole of that day. The +Matabili dispatched the messenger who had come to him, and who again set +off at all speed; at night he urged our travelers not to go back, saying +that the king would be very angry with him. But as the Griquas were now +equally convinced that treachery was intended, they paid no attention +to the Matabili chief, and continued their route, shooting elands by the +way for their sustenance. Late in the evening of the third day they +found themselves on the borders of the Val river. It was still two hours +before dark, and as the Matabili pressed them to encamp where they were, +they were satisfied that they had better not, and therefore they forded +the river, and rejoined the caravan, under charge of Bremen, just as +night closed in.</p> + +<p>The Griquas said, that from the Matabili wishing them to remain on the +other side of the river, they were persuaded that a force would arrive +during that night or the following morning, and that it would be +necessary to be on the look-out; although probably the enemy would not +venture to attack them without further orders, now that they were no +longer in Moselekatsee's dominions. Every preparation was therefore +made: the Griquas and Hottentots were all supplied with ammunition, and +mustered with their guns in their hands. The wagons were arranged, the +fires lighted, and four men were posted as sentinels round the +encampment. What added still more to their suspicions was, that, about +an hour after dark, the Matabili chief was not to be found.</p> + +<p>"My opinion is," said the Major, "that we ought to steal a march upon +them. Our oxen are in excellent condition, and may travel till to-morrow +evening without feeling it. Let us yoke and be off at once, now that it +is dark. The moon will rise about two o'clock in the morning, but before +that the wagons will be twelve or fifteen miles off. Alexander and I, +with Bremen, will remain here with our horses and wait till the moon +rises, to see if we can discover any thing: and we can easily join the +wagons by daybreak. We will keep the fires up, to allow them to suppose +that we are still encamped, that they may not pursue."</p> + +<p>"And also to keep off the lions," observed Alexander, "which are not +enemies to be despised."</p> + +<p>"I think it is a very good plan; but why not have more men with you? We +have plenty of horses, and so have the Griquas."</p> + +<p>"Well then, let us talk to the Griquas."</p> + +<p>The Griquas approved of the plan; and, having their own horses, six of +them agreed to remain with Alexander and the Major, and Swanevelt and +two more of the Hottentots were also mounted to remain; which made a +force of twelve men, well mounted and well armed. The remainder of the +caravan yoked the oxen to the wagons, and, under the direction of +Swinton, set off in a southerly direction, across the desert, instead of +going by the banks of the Val River, as before.</p> + +<p>This had been arranged previously to any expected attack from the +Matabili, as it would considerably shorten the distance on returning, +although they knew that they would find much difficulty in procuring +water for a few days. After the caravan had departed, it was found that +Omrah had helped himself to a horse and a gun, and had remained in the +camp; but as he was always useful, his so doing was passed over without +notice. In half an hour the wagons were out of sight, and the noise of +their wheels was no longer to be heard.</p> + +<p>They fastened their horses in the center of the fires, and sat down by +them till the moon rose, when they directed their eyes to the opposite +bank of the river; but for some time nothing was discovered to confirm +their suspicions. When the moon was about an hour high, they perceived a +body of men coming, down toward the banks, and the moon shone upon their +shields, which were white. As soon as they arrived at the bank of the +river, they all sat down, without making any noise. Shortly afterward, +another body with dark-colored shields, made their appearance, who came +down and joined the first.</p> + +<p>"We were not wrong in our suspicions, at all events," said the Major; "I +should say that there are not less than a thousand men in these two +parties which have already appeared. Now, what shall we do? Shall we +remain here, or shall we be off, and join the wagons?"</p> + +<p>"I really can hardly decide which would be the best," replied Alexander; +"let us have a consultation with Bremen and the Griquas."</p> + +<p>"If we were to go away now," said Bremen, "the fires would soon be out, +and they might suspect something, and come over to reconnoiter. When +they found that we were gone, they would perhaps follow us, and overtake +the wagons; but if we remain here, and keep the fires up till daybreak, +the wagons will have gained so much more distance."</p> + +<p>The Griquas were of the same opinion; and it was decided that they would +remain there till daybreak, and then set off.</p> + +<p>"But," said Alexander, "shall we leave this before they can see us, or +allow them to see us?"</p> + +<p>The Griquas said, that it would be better that the enemy should see +them, as then they would know that the fires had been kept up to deceive +them, and that the wagons were probably a long way off.</p> + +<p>This having been agreed upon, a careful watch was kept upon the enemy +during the remainder of the night. Although the moon had discovered the +approach of the Matabili to the party, the spot where the camp had been +pitched was in the shade, so that from the opposite side of the river +only the fires could be distinguished. A little before dawn, some one +was heard approaching, and they were all prepared to fire, when they +discovered that it was Omrah, who, unknown to them, had crawled down to +the banks of the river to reconnoiter the enemy.</p> + +<p>Omrah, who was out of breath with running, stated that some of the +Matabili were crossing the river, and that six had landed on this side, +before he came up to give the information. He pointed to a clump of +trees, about three hundred yards off, and said that they had gone up in +that direction, and were probably there by that time.</p> + +<p>"Then we had better saddle and mount," said the Major, "and ride away +gently to the wood on this side of the camp. We shall then be able to +watch their motions without being seen."</p> + +<p>This advice was good, and approved by all. They led out their horses +without noise, and as soon as they had done so, they went back, and +threw more fuel on the fires. They then retreated to the wood, which was +about the same distance from the camp, on the other side, as the clump +of trees where the Matabili were secreted.</p> + +<p>They had hardly concealed themselves, before the Matabili in the clump, +surprised at not seeing the awnings of the wagons, and suspecting that +they had been deceived, came out from their ambuscade; first crawling on +all-fours, and as they arrived at the camp, and found only fires +burning, rising up one after another. After remaining about a minute in +consultation, two of the party were sent back to the river to +communicate this intelligence to the main body, while the others +searched about in every direction. Alexander, with the Major and their +party, remained where they were, as it was their intention to cross +through the wood, until they came to the open ground, about a quarter of +a mile to the southward, and then show themselves to the enemy, before +they went to join the wagons.</p> + +<p>In a few minutes it was daylight, and they now perceived that the whole +body of the Matabili were crossing the river.</p> + +<p>"They intend to pursue us, then," said Alexander.</p> + +<p>Omrah now pointed to the side of the river, in the direction which the +wagons had traveled when they came up by its banks, saying, "When go +away—ride that way first—same track wagon go that way back—same way +wagon come."</p> + +<p>"The boy is right," said the Major; "when we start from the wood, we +will keep by the riverside, in the track by which the wagons came; and +when we are concealed from them by the hills or trees, we will then +start off to the southward after the wagons."</p> + +<p>"I see," replied Alexander; "they will probably take the marks of the +wagon-wheels coming here, for those of the wagons going away, and will +follow them; presuming, as we go that way, that our wagons have gone +also. But here they come up the banks; it is time for us to be off."</p> + +<p>"Quite time," said the Major; "so now let us show ourselves, and then +trust to our heels."</p> + +<p>The Matabili force was now within four hundred yards of the camp. It +was broad daylight; and, with their white and red shields and short +spears in their hands, they presented a very formidable appearance.</p> + +<p>There was no time to be lost, so the party rode out of the end of the +wood nearest the river, and, as soon as they made their appearance, were +received by a yell from the warriors, who dashed forward in the +direction where they stood. The Major had directed that no one should +fire, as he and Alexander did not wish that any blood should be shed +unnecessarily. They therefore waved their hands, and turning their +horses' heads galloped off by the banks of the river, keeping in the +tracks made by the wagons when they came up.</p> + +<p>As soon as they galloped a quarter of a mile, they pulled up, and turned +their horses' heads to reconnoiter. They perceived that the Matabili +force was pursuing them at the utmost speed: but as they had no +horsemen, that speed was of course insufficient to overtake the +well-mounted party in advance. As soon as they were near, our party +again galloped off and left them behind. Thus they continued for four or +five miles, the Matabili force pursuing them, or rather following the +tracks of the wagons, when they observed a belt of trees before them +about a mile off; this the Major considered as a good screen to enable +them to alter their course without being perceived by the enemy. They +therefore galloped forward, and as soon as they were hidden by the +trees, turned off in a direction by which they made certain to fall in +with the track which the wagons had made on their departure during the +night.</p> + +<p>They had ridden about two miles, still concealed in the wood, when they +had the satisfaction of perceiving the Matabili force still following at +a rapid pace the tracks of the wagons on the riverside. Having watched +them for half an hour, as they now considered that all was safe, they +again continued their course, so as to fall in with the wagons.</p> + +<p>"I think we are clear of them now," said the Major; "they have evidently +fallen into the trap proposed by that clever little fellow, Omrah."</p> + +<p>"He is a very intelligent boy," observed Alexander, "and, traveling in +this country, worth his weight in gold."</p> + +<p>"I wish Swinton would make him over to me," said the Major; "but, +Alexander, do you observe what a change there is already in the +country?"</p> + +<p>"I do indeed," replied Alexander; "and all ahead of us it appears to be +still more sterile and bare."</p> + +<p>"Yes, when you leave the rivers, you leave vegetation of all kinds +almost. There is no regular rainy season at all here, Swinton says; we +may expect occasional torrents of rain during three months, but they are +now very uncertain; the mountains attract the greater portion of the +rain, and sometimes there will not be a shower on the plains for the +whole year."</p> + +<p>"How far shall we have to travel before we fall in with water again?" +inquired Alexander.</p> + +<p>"Swinton says there may be water in a river about sixty miles from where +we started last night; if not, we shall have to proceed about thirty +miles further, to the Gykoup or Vet River. After that we shall have to +depend for many days upon the water we may find in the holes, which, as +the season is now coming on, may probably be filled by the rain."</p> + +<p>Alexander and his party rode for seven or eight miles before they fell +in with the tracks of the caravan; they then pulled up their jaded +horses, and proceeded at a more leisurely pace, so that it was not till +late in the evening that they discovered the wagons at some distance, +having passed the dry bed of Salt River ahead of them. During the whole +day their horses had had neither food nor water, and the animals were +much exhausted when they came up with the wagons. The oxen also were +fatigued with so long a journey, having made nearly fifty miles since +they started the evening before.</p> + +<p>The country was now stony and sterile; a little vegetation was to be +found here and there, but not sufficient to meet the wants of the +animals, and water there was none. During the day but little game had +been seen,—few zebras and ostriches only; all other varieties had +disappeared. There was of course no wood to light the fires round the +encampment: a sufficiency for cooking their victuals had been thrown +into the wagons, and two sheep were killed to supply a supper for so +numerous a party. But the absence of game also denoted the absence of +lions, and they were not disturbed during the night. In the morning the +Griquas parted company with them, on the plea that their oxen and horses +were in too poor a condition to pass over the desert, and that they must +make a direct course for the Val River and return by its banks.</p> + +<p>Our travelers gave them a good supply of ammunition, the only thing that +they wished for, and the Griquas, yoking their oxen to the crazy old +wagon, set off in a westerly direction.</p> + +<p>The route of the caravan was now directed more to the south-west, and +they passed over an uninterrupted plain strewed with small +land-tortoises, and covered with a profusion of the gayest flowers. +About noon, after a sultry journey of nine hours, they fortunately +arrived at a bog, in which they found a pool of most fetid water, which +nothing but necessity could have compelled either them or the exhausted +animals to drink. Near this pool in the desert they found several wild +animals, and they obtained three gnoos for a supply of provision; the +little wood that they had in the wagon for fuel was all used up in +cooking their supper.</p> + +<p>A heavy dew fell during the night, and in the morning, before the sun +rose, they were enveloped in a thick fog. As the fog dispersed, they +perceived herds of quaggas in all directions, but at a great distance. +They again yoked the oxen and proceeded on their journey; the country +was now covered with herbage and flowers of every hue, and looked like a +garden.</p> + +<p>"How strange that the ground should be covered with flowers where there +is no rain or water to be found," observed Alexander.</p> + +<p>"It is the heavy dews of the night which support them," said Swinton, +"and perhaps the occasional rains which fall."</p> + +<p>A line of trees to the southward told them that they were now +approaching an unnamed river, and the tired oxen quickened their pace; +but on their arrival they found that the bed of the river was dry, and +not even a drop of water was to be found in the pools. The poor animals, +which had been unyoked, snuffed and smelt at the wet, damp earth, and +licked it with their tongues, but could obtain no relief. The water +which they had had in the casks for their own drinking was now, all +gone; and there were no hopes of obtaining any till they arrived at the +Vet River, at least twenty-five to thirty miles distant. Two of the oxen +lay down to rise no more, the countenances of the Hottentots were +dejected and sullen, and our travelers felt that their situation was +alarming.</p> + +<p>While they were still searching and digging for water, the sky became +overcast, thunder and lightning were seen and heard in the distance, and +the clouds came rolling in volumes toward them. Hope was now in every +face; they already anticipated the copious showers which were to +succeed; their eyes ever fixed upon the coming storm; even the cattle +appeared to be conscious that relief was at hand. All the day the clouds +continued to gather, and the lightning to gleam. Night closed in, but +the rain had not yet fallen; the wind rose up, and in less than an hour +all the clouds had passed away, the stars shone out brightly, and they +were left in a state of suffering and disappointment.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XXVII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XXVII.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>As our travelers were sitting together, each occupied with his own +melancholy thoughts, after the dispersion of the clouds and the +anticipated relief, the Major said—</p> + +<p>"It is useless our remaining here; we must all perish if we do not +proceed, and it would be better for us to yoke and travel by night; the +animals will bear the journey better, and the people will not be so +inclined to brood over their misfortunes when on the march as when thus +huddled together here, and communicating their lamentations to +dishearten each other. It is now nine o'clock; let us yoke and push on +as far as we can."</p> + +<p>"I agree with you, Major," said Alexander; "what do you say, Swinton?"</p> + +<p>"I am convinced that it will be the best plan, so let us rouse up the +people at once. There is the roar of a lion at some distance, and we +have no fires to scare them off."</p> + +<p>"The creaking of the wagon-wheels will be better than nothing," replied +the Major.</p> + +<p>The Hottentots were roused, and the orders given to yoke: the poor +fellows were all sound asleep; for a Hottentot, when he hungers or +thirsts, seeks refuge from all his miseries in sleep. The oxen were +yoked, and they proceeded; but hardly had they gone a mile, when the +roar of three or four lions, close upon them, caused such alarm to the +horses and the oxen which were not yoked that they started off in full +gallop in a northerly direction.</p> + +<p>Alexander, the Major, and Omrah, who were the best mounted, immediately +set off in pursuit of them, desiring Swinton to proceed with the +caravan, and they would drive on the cattle and join him. They galloped +off as well as the horses could gallop, and perceived the stray horses +and oxen still at full speed, as if they were chased by the lions. They +followed in the direction, but it was now so dark that they were guided +only by the clatter of their hoofs and their shoes in the distance; and +after a chase of four or five miles they had lost all vestiges of them, +and pulled up their panting steeds.</p> + +<p>"We may as well go back again," said Alexander; "the animals must have +made a circuit."</p> + +<p>"I suppose so," said the Major; "but my horse trembles so, that I had +better dismount for a little while, that he may recover himself; indeed, +so had you too and Omrah, for the animals are completely worn out."</p> + +<p>"The clouds are rising again," said Alexander; "I trust that we may not +be disappointed a second time."</p> + +<p>"Yes, and there is lightning again in the horizon—may the Almighty help +us in our distress," exclaimed the Major.</p> + +<p>The horses, exhausted from want of water, continued to pant so +fearfully, that it was nearly half an hour before they ventured to +mount, that they might return to the caravan. In the meantime the +heavens had become wholly obscured by the clouds, and there was every +prospect of a heavy shower; at last a few drops did fall.</p> + +<p>"Thank God!" exclaimed Alexander, as he lifted his face up to the +heavens, to feel the drops as they fell. "Now let us return."</p> + +<p>They mounted their horses and set off, but the stars were no longer +visible to guide them, and they proceeded on at a slow pace, uncertain +whether they were right or wrong. This they cared little about; their +thoughts were upon the coming rain, which they so anxiously awaited. For +more than three hours they were tantalized by the lightning flashing and +the thunder pealing, every moment expecting the flood-gate of the +heavens to be opened; but, as before, they were doomed to +disappointment. Before the morning dawned the clouds had again +retreated; and when the sky was clear, they found by the stars that +their horses' heads were turned to the northward and eastward.</p> + +<p>They altered their course in silence, for they were worn out and +despondent; they suffered dreadfully from thirst, and it was pitiable to +see the tongues of the poor horses hanging out of their mouths. Day +dawned, and there were no signs of the caravan. A thick vapor was rising +from every quarter, and they hoped that when it cleared up they would be +more fortunate; but no, there was the same monotonous landscape, the +same carpet of flowers without perfume. The sun was now three hours +high, and the heat was intense; their tongues clove to the roofs of +their mouths, while still they went on over flowery meads; but neither +forest nor pool, nor any trees which might denote the bed of the river, +caught their earnest gaze.</p> + +<p>"This is dreadful," said Alexander, at last, speaking with difficulty.</p> + +<p>"We are lost, that is certain," said the Major; "but we must trust in +God."</p> + +<p>"Yes, we may now say, Lord help us, or we perish," replied Alexander.</p> + +<p>At this moment, little Omrah, who had been behind, rode up to them, and +offered them one of the Hottentots' pipes, which he had lighted saying, +"Smoke,—not feel so bad." Alexander took it, and after a few whiffs +found that it had the effect or producing a little saliva, and he handed +it to the Major, who did the same, and felt immediate relief.</p> + +<p>They continued to walk their horses in a southerly direction; but the +heat was now so great, that it became almost insufferable, and at last +the horses stood still. They dismounted and drove their horses slowly +before them over the glowing plain; and now the mirage deluded and +tantalized them in the strangest manner. At one time Alexander pointed +with delight (for he could not speak) to what he imagined to be the +wagons; they pushed on, and found that it was a solitary quagga, +magnified thus by the mirage. Sometimes they thought that they saw lakes +of water in the distance, and hastened on to them; and then they fancied +they were close to rivers and islands, covered with luxuriant foliage, +but still were doomed to disappointment; as all was the result of the +highly-rarefied air, and the refraction of the sun's rays on the sultry +plain. What would they have given for a bush even to afford them any +shelter from the noonday sun, for the crowns of their heads appeared as +if covered with live coal, and their minds began to wander. The poor +horses moved at the slowest pace, and only when driven on by Omrah, who +appeared to suffer much less than his masters. Every now and then he +handed to them the pipe, but at last even that had no longer any relief. +Speech had been for some hours totally lost. Gradually the sun sunk down +to the horizon, and as his scorching rays became less intense they to a +certain degree recovered their wandering senses.</p> + +<p>At night they sat down by the side of the horses, and, worn out with +fatigue and exhaustion, fell into a troubled sleep; a sleep which, if it +relieved their worn-out frames, condemned them to the same tantalizing +feelings as had been created by the mirage during the day. They dreamed +that they were in the bowers of paradise, hearing heavenly music; +passing from crystal stream to stream, slaking their thirst at each, +and reclining on couches of verdant green. Every thing that was +delightful appeared to them in their dreams; they were in the abodes of +bliss, and thus did they remain for an hour or two, when they were +wakened up by the roar of a lion, which reminded them that they were +without food or water in the desert.</p> + +<p>They awoke speechless with thirst, their eyes inflamed, and their whole +bodies burning like a coal, and the awful roar of the lion still +reverberated along the ground. They started on their legs, and found +Omrah close to them, holding the bridles of the horses, which were +attempting to escape. They were still confused, when they were fully +restored to their waking senses by a second roar of the lion still +nearer to them; and by the imperfect light of the stars they could now +distinguish the beast at about one hundred yards' distance. Omrah put +the bridles of their two horses in their hands, and motioned them to go +on in the direction opposite to where the lion was. They did so without +reflection, mechanically obeying the directions of the man-child, and +not perceiving that Omrah did not follow them. They had advanced about +one hundred yards with the terrified animals, when another loud roar was +followed up by the shriek of the other horse, announcing that he had +become a victim to the savage animal. They both started, and dropping +the reins of their horses, hastened with their rifles to the help of +Omrah, of whose absence they now for the first time were aware; but they +were met half-way by the boy, who contrived to say with difficulty, +"Lion want horse, not little Bushman." They waited a few seconds, but +the cries of the poor animal, and the crushing and cracking of its +bones, were too painful to hear; and they hastened on and rejoined the +other horses, which appeared paralyzed with fear, and had remained +stationary.</p> + +<p>They again led their horses on for an hour, when they arrived at a small +pile of rocks; there they again lay down, for they were quite exhausted +and careless of life. Not even the roar of a lion would have aroused +them now, or if it had roused them they would have waited for the +animal to come and put an end to their misery. But another and a softer +noise attracted the quick ear of Omrah, and he pushed Alexander, and put +his finger up to induce him to listen.</p> + +<p>Having listened a little longer, Omrah made signs to Alexander and the +Major to follow him. The noise which Omrah had heard was the croaking of +a frog, which denoted water at hand, and the sniffing of the horses +confirmed him in his supposition. Omrah led the way through the rocks, +descending lower and lower; and ever and anon listening to the noise of +the animal, till he perceived the stars of heaven above reflected in a +small pool, which he pointed out to Alexander and the Major. Down they +dropped to earth and drank, and as soon as their thirst was satisfied +they rose, and pushed Omrah forward to make him drink also; and as the +boy who had saved their lives was drinking, they kneeled down and +prayed—not loud, for they had not yet recovered their speech; but if +ever grateful prayers were offered up to the Almighty throne, they were +by our two travelers, as they kneeled by the side of this small pool. +They rose and hastened to their horses, and led them down to the water, +when the poor animals filled themselves almost to bursting, walked away, +and returned to drink more. They also repeated their draught several +times, and then lay down, and would have fallen asleep by the side of +the pool had not Omrah, who could now speak freely, said, "No, no; lion +come here for water; up the rock again and sleep there—I bring horses." +This good advice was followed, and when they had gained the summit of +the rising ground they again lay down and slept till daylight.</p> + +<p>When they awoke, they found themselves much refreshed, but they now +felt—what they had not done during their extreme suffering from +thirst—the craving pangs of hunger. Omrah was fast asleep, and the +horses picking among the herbage, about two hundred yards off.</p> + +<p>"We have much to thank God for," said Alexander to the Major.</p> + +<p>"We have indeed, and, next to divine aid, we have to thank that poor +boy. We have been as children in his hands, and we are indebted to him +and his resources for our lives this night. I could not speak yesterday, +nor could you; but his courage in remaining with the horse as an +offering to the lion I shall not forget."</p> + +<p>"He is a child of the desert," replied Alexander; "he has been brought +up among lions, and where there is scarcity of water, and he has most +wonderfully guided us in our path; but we are still in the desert, and +have lost our companions. What must we do? Shall we attempt to regain +the caravan, or push off to the westward, to fall in with the river +again?"</p> + +<p>"We will talk of this an hour hence," replied the Major; "let us now go +down to the pool, and as soon as I have had a drink I will try if I can +not kill something for a meal. My hunger is now almost as great as was +my thirst."</p> + +<p>"And mine too, so I will go with you; but we must be careful how we +approach the water, as we may fall in with some animal to make a meal +of."</p> + +<p>"Or with a lion, ready to make a meal of us," replied the Major; "so in +either instance we must approach it cautiously."</p> + +<p>As they walked to the pool, they discovered the head of an antelope just +above a rock. The Major fired, and the animal fell. The report of the +rifle was answered by a roar; three lions bounded away from the rock, +and went at a quick canter over the plain.</p> + +<p>"Both our suppositions have proved correct," observed Alexander, as they +walked up to where the antelope lay dead; "but how are we to cook the +animal?"</p> + +<p>"Any dry stuff will serve for a fire, if we can only get enough, and a +very little cooking will serve us just now. Here comes Omrah. Let us +carry the game up to where we slept last night, as soon as we have had a +drink."</p> + +<p>They went to the pool, and were surprised to behold the filthy puddle +which had appeared to them so like nectar the night before. They were +not sufficiently thirsty to overcome their disgust, and they turned away +from it.</p> + +<p>Omrah now began collecting dried grass, and herbs, and lichen from the +rocks, and had soon a sufficiency to make a small fire; they struck a +light, and cutting off steaks from the antelope, were in a short time +very busy at the repast. When their hunger was appeased, they found that +their thirst was renewed, and they went down to the pool, and shutting +their eyes drank plentifully. Omrah cooked as much of the meat as the +small fire would permit, that they might not want for the next +twenty-four hours; and the horses being again led to the water to drink, +they mounted, and proceeded to the southward, followed by Omrah on foot. +Another day was passed in searching for the caravan without success. No +water was to be found. The heat was dreadful; and at night they threw +themselves down on the ground, careless of life; and had it not been +sinful they would have prayed for death. The next morning they arose in +a state of dreadful suffering; they could not speak, but they made +signs, and resolved once more to attempt to join the caravan.</p> + +<p>They proceeded during the whole of the forenoon in the direction by +which they hoped to discover the tracks of the wagons. The heat was +overpowering, and they felt all the agony of the day before. At last the +horses could proceed no further; they both lay down, and our travelers +had little hopes of their ever rising again. The scorching of the sun's +rays was so dreadful, that they thrust their heads into some empty +ant-hills to keep off the heat, and there they lay in as forlorn and +hopeless a state as the horses. Speak they could not; their parched +tongues rattled like boards against the roofs of their mouths; their +lips were swollen and bloated, and their eyes inflamed and starting from +the sockets. As Alexander afterward said to Swinton, he then recollected +the thoughts which had risen in his mind on his departure from the +English shore, and the surmise whether he might not leave his bones +bleaching in the desert; and Alexander now believed that such was to be +the case, and he prayed mentally and prepared for death. The Major was +fully possessed of the same idea; but as they lay at some yards' +distance, with their heads buried in the ant-hills, they could not +communicate with each other even by signs. At last they fell into a +state of stupor and lost all recollection. But an Almighty Providence +watched over them, and during their state of insensibility the clouds +again rose and covered the firmament, and this time they did not rise in +mockery; for, before the day was closed, torrents descended from them +and deluged the whole plain.</p> + +<p>Omrah, who had held up better than his masters, crawled out of the +ant-hill into which he had crept; and as soon as the rain descended, he +contrived to pull the heads of the Major and Alexander, who still +remained senseless, from out of the ant-hills, and to turn their +blackened and swollen faces to the sky. As their clothes became +saturated with the rain and the water poured into their mouths, they +gradually revived, and at last were completely restored. The wind now +rose and blew fresh, and before morning they were shivering with cold, +and when they attempted to get up found their limbs were cramped.</p> + +<p>Soon after daylight the rain ceased, and they were glad to bask in the +then cheering rays of the sun, which had nearly destroyed them on the +day before. The horses had recovered their legs and were feeding close +to them; and the flesh of the antelope, which had been untasted, was now +greedily devoured. Most devoutly did they return thanks for their +preservation, and the hopes which were now held out to them of +ultimately regaining the colony; for they had abandoned all hopes of +reaching the caravan, as they considered the risk of crossing the desert +too great. They made up their minds to push for the Val River as fast as +they could, and proceed back by its banks.</p> + +<p>They had two horses, and Omrah could ride behind one of them, when he +was tired; they had guns and ammunition, and although they were fully +aware of the dangers to which they would be exposed, they thought +lightly of them after what they had suffered. They now mounted their +horses, and proceeded at a slow pace toward the westward, for the poor +animals were still very weak. At sunset they had traveled about ten +miles, and looked out for a spot to pass the night. Wood to light fires +they had none, but they hoped, if their horses were not taken away by +the lions, to reach a branch of the river by the following evening. +There was now no want of water, as they repeatedly passed by small +pools, which, for a day or two at least, would not be evaporated by the +heat of the sun. But they knew that by that time, if no more rain fell, +they would have again to undergo the former terrible privations, and +therefore resolved upon continuing their course toward the river as +their safest plan, now that they had lost the caravan.</p> + +<p>As they were seated on a rising ground which they had chosen for their +night's rest, and occasionally firing off their rifles to drive away the +lions which were heard prowling about; all of a sudden Omrah cried out, +and pointed to the northward; our travelers turned and perceived a +rocket ascending the firmament, and at last breaking out into a group of +brilliant stars.</p> + +<p>"It is the caravan," exclaimed the Major; "Swinton has remembered that I +put some rockets into my wagon."</p> + +<p>"We must have passed it," said Alexander, springing on his feet. "God be +praised for all his mercies."</p> + +<p>"Amen," replied the Major devoutly.</p> + +<p>Omrah ran after the horses, which were feeding close to them, for their +instinctive fear of the lions made them keep as close as possible to +their masters. They were soon mounted, with Omrah behind the Major, and +set off at all the speed that they could obtain from the animals. After +an interval another rocket was seen, and by its light they discovered +that they were not a mile from the wagons. The horses appeared to be +sensible of this, and went off at a quicker pace; and in a few minutes +they had rushed in among the cattle, and Alexander and the Major were +received into the arms of Swinton, and surrounded by the Hottentots, who +were loud in their congratulations at their return.</p> + +<p>As soon as Alexander and the Major had made known their perils and +sufferings to Swinton, the latter informed them that about three hours +after they had left the caravan in pursuit of the cattle, the animals +had returned, that of course, he had fully expected them to follow.</p> + +<p>Finding that they did not arrive, he had decided upon remaining where +he was, at all events, for another day; but that the cattle were by that +time so exhausted, that it was with difficulty they were moved, and he +could not proceed with them more than ten miles, when they lay down in +their yokes. Thirteen had died, and the others must have shared their +fate, if it had not been for the providential rain, which had restored +them.</p> + +<p>Swinton stated that he had been in a great state of alarm for them, and +that he had almost satisfied himself that they had perished, although he +had used every means that he could think of. When he fired the rockets +off, he had scarcely a hope of thus bringing them back to the caravan.</p> + +<p>"However," observed Swinton, "it shows that we should never despair, and +never leave a chance untried, even in the most desperate circumstances. +You are back again, and I thank the Almighty for it with all my heart +and all my soul and all my strength, most fervently and most sincerely. +I have been very, very miserable, I can assure you, my dear fellows. The +idea of returning to the Cape without you was dreadful. Indeed, I never +would have left the country until I had found you, or had some clew to +your deaths."</p> + +<p>"Our preservation has indeed been miraculous," replied the Major; "I +never thought to have raised my head out of the ant-hill again."</p> + +<p>"Nor I," replied Alexander; "and next to the Almighty, we certainly owe +our lives to little Omrah. There is nothing that I would not do for that +boy, if you will only give him over to my care."</p> + +<p>"Or mine, Swinton," replied the Major.</p> + +<p>"Depend upon it," replied Swinton, "I will do all for him that ought to +be done; I owe him a debt of gratitude for preserving my friends, and +will not forget to repay it."</p> + +<p>"Well then, you must allow us to help him as well," replied the Major. +"How far are we now from the Modder River?"</p> + +<p>"About forty miles, I should think, and we had better push on as fast as +we, can; for although the river will contain water, the pools in the +desert between us and the river will soon be dried up. The cattle, +however, are still very weak, and, as I have stated, we have lost all +our relays. But you must long to have a good night's rest, so go to your +wagons, and we will watch and keep off the wild beasts. We have been +obliged to fire our guns all night long since your absence, and have +burned one of the spare poles of the wagons to cook our victuals."</p> + +<p>Every thing is comparative. When our travelers first took up their +night's lodgings in the wagons they found their resting-places hard, +after sleeping in comfortable beds at Cape Town; but now, after having +passed their nights in the wild desert, their mattresses in the wagons +were a luxury that was fully appreciated. Returning thanks to Heaven for +their preservation, Alexander and the Major slept soundly till morning, +notwithstanding that the latter was often half roused by the +importunities of Begum, who appeared delighted at the return of her +master.</p> + +<p>At daylight the oxen were yoked, and they proceeded on their journey. +There was no want of game; indeed they were so plentiful, that they shot +them from the caravan as they passed. At night they had made twenty-five +miles, and before they had unyoked, a deluge of rain again fell, and +they passed a very uncomfortable night, as it was very cold, and they +could light no fires, from want of fuel. Any thing, however, was better +than the want of water; and early in the morning they again yoked their +oxen, and, after a hard day's toil, were rejoiced to perceive at a +distance the trees which lined the banks of the Modder River. The sight +was hailed with joy by the Hottentots, who shouted aloud; for they +considered their dangers and difficulties to be over, now that they were +approaching to the boundaries of the colony.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XXVIII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XXVIII.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>As the cattle required some repose, after the sufferings they had gone +through, our travelers resolved to remain a few days on the banks of the +Modder River. The pasturage was fine and the game abundant. Gnoos and +springboks were to be seen in every direction, and quaggas, bonteboks, +and several other varieties of antelopes, were in profusion over the now +undulating country. Neither were our travelers sorry to have some repose +for themselves, although every mile that they drew nearer to the Cape +made them more anxious to return.</p> + +<p>As usual, the caravan was halted on a rising ground, at some distance +from the river, to avoid the wild beasts, which during the day were +concealed, and during the night prowled on its banks, to spring upon the +animals which came down for water. As there was now plenty of wood, the +fires were again lighted at night, and the oxen driven in and tied up. +During the day, the animals reveled on the luxurious pasture, and in a +week had become quite sleek and in good condition.</p> + +<p>Every day our travelers went out to hunt for a supply of provisions, and +never returned without more than was sufficient. Swinton was anxious to +possess one or two more specimens of the oryx, or gemsbok. This +antelope, we have before observed, from having very straight horns, +which at a distance appear as one, has given rise to the fabulous animal +the unicorn, which is now one of the supporters of the royal arms. It is +a very formidable animal; being the one that our travelers found with +its horns pierced through the lion which had attacked it. The horses +being now fresh and in good heart, Alexander and the Major went in +pursuit of this animal very often, but without success, as the chase was +continually interrupted by the herds of ostriches and other game which +fell in their way.</p> + +<p>One morning, having discovered with the telescope that three of these +gemsbok were some miles distant on a rising ground, they set off, +accompanied by a portion of the Hottentots on foot, who were desired to +go round, so as to drive the animals toward the camp. Bremen and Big +Adam were of the party, and they had made a circuit of three or four +miles, so as to get on the other side of the game, which now darted down +from the high ground, and, descending on the plain, stopped for a while +looking at their pursuers, while the horsemen advanced toward them in +the opposite direction. A shot from Alexander at last brought one of +these splendid animals to the ground, while the others fled off to a +distance, so as to give no hopes of again coming up with them; and the +party on foot, as well as the horsemen, now proceeded to the spot where +the gemsbok lay dead.</p> + +<p>As Swinton wanted the animal for a specimen, it was placed on the back +of the horse which Omrah rode as usual, and one of the Hottentots went +off with it to the camp, which was not more than three miles distant. +They were debating whether they should make an attempt to get near to +the other gemsbok, which were still in sight at a distance, or try for +some other game, when they perceived three lions not far from them on a +rising ground; and suddenly the horses, from which they had dismounted +to give them time to recover their wind, broke loose from the Hottentots +who held the bridles, and galloped away toward the camp. The cause of +the panic was now evident, for a very large male lion had detached +himself from the other two, and was advancing slowly toward the party.</p> + +<p>As soon as they perceived the approach of the lion, which they had not +at first, they all seized their guns; but being wholly unprepared for +such a sudden attack, there was a great deal of confusion; the Major +crying out, "Let no one fire till I tell him," only produced more alarm +among the Hottentots, all of whom, except Bremen, appeared to be at +their wits' ends. When within fifty yards, the lion made one or two +bounds, and in a moment was among them all, before they could bring +their guns to their shoulders; the retreat was general in every +direction, and not a shot was fired.</p> + +<p>All, however, did not escape; Big Adam had started back, and coming with +all his force against Omrah, who was standing behind him, had fallen +over the boy, and they were both flat on their backs, when the lion +made his spring. The lion was standing up, looking proudly at his flying +enemies, when Big Adam, who was close to him, attempted to rise and gain +his feet; but perceiving this, the animal, with a blow of its fore-paw, +laid him prostrate again, set its foot upon his breast, and in this +attitude again looked proudly round him, as if confident of his +superiority.</p> + +<p>Omrah, who had sense enough to lie still, had yet his eyes sufficiently +opened to see what was going on; and as the lion appeared to be looking +at the scattered party, in a direction away from him, Omrah made one or +two turns over, so as to get further off, hoping that he might escape +unperceived. The lion, however, heard the rustling, and turning round +growled at him, and Omrah remained still again. As Big Adam's feet were +turned toward Omrah, the lion now took up his position, deliberately +lying down at full length upon Big Adam's body, with his hind-quarters +upon the Hottentot's face, so that he not only secured his prisoner, but +watched Omrah, who lay about three yards from him.</p> + +<p>In the mean time the anxiety of the other party may be imagined; they +considered that Big Adam and Omrah must be sacrificed. It was proposed +to fire with good aim, so as, if possible, to bring the animal's +attention and indignation upon themselves; but Swinton cried out not to +fire on any account. "The animal is not hungry or even angry," said +Swinton. "If let alone, he will probably walk away without doing them +injury. At all events, our firing will be the signal for their +destruction."</p> + +<p>The advice of Swinton was considered good, especially as it was backed +by that of Bremen, who also said that the lion was not hungry, and that, +by the way in which he, moved his tail, he was evidently more inclined +to play than any thing else.</p> + +<p>But in the mean time the pressure of the lion, whose weight was +enormous, was not only more than Big Adam could bear, but the +hind-quarters of the animal being over his face prevented him from +breathing; and at last he was compelled to struggle to get his head +clear. The consequence of his struggling was a severe bite on the leg, +inflicted on poor Adam; not, however, in a furious manner; for the lion +merely caught at him as a cat would at a mouse, to prevent its escape, +or because it was not quite dead. However, Big Adam had so far +disengaged his head that he could now breathe; and as the party kept +crying out to him to lie still, he continued so to do, although nearly +suffocated with the enormous weight of the animal.</p> + +<p>Omrah, who had remained still during all this time, perceiving that the +lion was licking the blood which flowed from the wound in Big Adam's +leg, thought that he might as well try another roll over, and being on +his back, he turned over on his face away from the lion. Thereupon the +lion rose from off Big Adam, walked up to Omrah, and, to the horror of +our travelers, took up the boy by his waistcloth, and, carrying him like +a small bundle in his mouth, went back to Big Adam, and laying Omrah +close down to the Hottentot's head, again took up his position on his +body; now, however, with his paws upon the Hottentot's breast, so that +he might keep Omrah in view before him. Little Omrah had sense enough +not to move during the time that the lion carried him, or after he was +laid down.</p> + +<p>The change in the position of the lion occasioned our travelers and the +party to walk round, so as to be able to watch the countenance of the +animal, as every thing depended upon the temper he might be in. The +Major and Alexander became very impatient, and were for advancing to the +attack, but Swinton persuaded them not to do so until the last moment.</p> + +<p>The lion now put its fore-paw upon the Hottentot's mouth, and again +stopped his breath; this occasioned another struggle on the part of Big +Adam, which was followed by the animal seizing him by the arm and biting +him severely; but in so doing the lion removed its paw, and the man +could breathe again. The taste of blood appeared pleasant to the lion, +for it continued biting the arm, descending from the shoulder to the +hand, and as the blood flowed from the wounds on its paws, the lion +licked it off. Again and again it licked its paw clean, and then, with +its glaring eyes fixed intently upon the Hottentot's face, it smelt him +first on one side and then on the other, and appeared only to be waiting +for a return of appetite to commence a deliberate meal upon the poor +fellow's body.</p> + +<p>In the mean time our travelers were standing about seventy yards +distant, waiting for the signal to attack, when Bremen observed to +Swinton—</p> + +<p>"He won't wait much longer, sir; the blood has given him an appetite. We +must now drive him away, or they will both be killed."</p> + +<p>"I think so too," replied Swinton; "let us first try if we can disturb +him without making him angry; that will be the best way. We must go back +out of springing distance, and then all shout together, and keep +hallooing at him."</p> + +<p>This advice was followed; they retreated a hundred yards, and then all +shouted at once, and after that the Hottentots hallooed and bawled to +the lion. This had the effect intended: the lion rose from the bodies +and advanced toward the party, who stood still hallooing at him, but not +attempting to irritate him by presenting their guns. The lion looked +steadfastly at them for some time, and then turned away. After +retreating a few steps, it turned back to face them; the whole party +continued on the same spot, neither advancing so as to irritate him, nor +retreating so as to let the animal suppose that they were afraid of him. +When the lion had continued for a few minutes this course of retreating +and advancing, he turned right round, and went away at a hand canter, +and our travelers immediately hastened to the spot where Big Adam and +Omrah were still lying.</p> + +<p>Omrah, who was not at all hurt, instantly jumped on his legs, and, if he +had been afraid, appeared to have quite recovered his courage, as he cut +all manner of capers, and laughed immoderately; but Big Adam was greatly +exhausted and could not move, as much from the immense pressure of the +lion's enormous body, as from the blood that he had lost by the wounds +which he had received. On examination, the bite in his leg was found to +be much the most serious, as the bone was injured; the wounds on his arm +were all flesh-wounds, and although very painful, were not dangerous. +He was at present unable to speak, and was carried by his comrades to +the camp. Our travelers followed the Hottentots, as they all had enough +of hunting for that day. As soon as they arrived, Big Adam's wounds were +dressed by Swinton, and the poor fellow was accommodated with a bed, +made up for him in the baggage-wagon. They remained two days more on the +banks of the Modder River, and then they forded it and continued their +journey.</p> + +<p>On the second day they perceived some small human figures on the summit +of a hill at some distance, which the Hottentots declared to be Bushmen, +of which people there were numerous hordes in this part of the country. +An attempt was made to open a communication with them, but in vain, as +when any of the party advanced on horseback toward them, the Bushmen +made a precipitate retreat. As they were now in the neighborhood of +these plunderers, every care was taken of the cattle, which were tied up +before dark to prevent their being stolen.</p> + +<p>On the following day they very unexpectedly fell in with a party of nine +of the Bushmen, who were very busy devouring a quagga, which they had +killed. They replied to questions put to them with much fear and +trembling, and, having been presented with some tobacco, they made a +precipitate retreat. On that night the fires of the Bushmen were to be +seen on several of the surrounding hills. They continued their course on +the following day, when they fell in with about twenty women of the race +we have just mentioned, who approached the caravan without fear, +requesting tobacco and food; the former was given to them in small +quantities, and a shot from the Major's rifle soon procured them the +latter. They were now without water again, and had no chance of +procuring any, except from the pools, until they arrived at the Nu +Gariep, or Black River, which they had crossed when they came out from +the Caffre Land.</p> + +<p>Having traveled till dark, they halted under a hill, and were soon +afterward joined by a party of Bushwomen, who continued with them in +spite of all their attempts to get rid of them. They were very small in +person, well made, and the young were rather pretty in their features, +but their ornaments were enough to disgust any one but a Hottentot; for +they were smeared with grease and red ocher, and were adorned with the +entrails of animals as necklaces. The Hottentots, however, appeared to +think this very delightful, and were pleased with their company, and as +the women showed them a pool of water, where the oxen could drink, it +was not considered advisable to drive them away. But Swinton observed, +that it would be necessary to keep a very sharp lookout, as the women +were invariably sent by the Bushmen as spies, that they might watch the +opportunity for stealing cattle.</p> + +<p>They now resumed their former plan; starting at a very early hour, and +traveling till afternoon, when the cattle were allowed several hours to +feed, and were then tied up for the night to the wagons. Indeed the +lions were now not so numerous as they had been, and they had more to +fear from the Bushmen and the hyenas, which were very plentiful.</p> + +<p>The next day fully proved the truth of this, for the oxen, having been +unyoked as usual to feed, about two o'clock in the afternoon, had been +led to a hollow of luxuriant pasture by the cattle-keepers, where they +could not be seen from the caravan, although they were not half a mile +off. Toward dusk, when it was time to drive them in and tie them up to +the wagons, it was found that the cattle-keepers, who had been in +company with the Bushwomen, had neglected their charge, and they were +not to be found.</p> + +<p>The keepers came running in, stating that a lion had scared the cattle, +and that the animals had galloped off to a great distance. But Omrah, +who had gone to where the cattle had been feeding, returned to the camp +and told Swinton that it was not lions but Bushmen who had stolen them; +and, bringing the horses ready saddled to the Major and Alexander, said, +that if they did not follow them immediately, the cattle would be all +killed. It was also observed that the Bushwomen had all disappeared.</p> + +<p>Swinton, who was well aware of the customs of the Bushmen, immediately +proposed that they should mount as many as they could, and go in chase, +as there was not an hour to be lost. In half an hour a party, consisting +of our three travelers, Bremen, Omrah, and three of the most trusty of +the Hottentots, who were all that they could mount, set off in the +direction which they knew must have been taken, so as to conceal the +cattle from the sight of those in the caravan; and it being a fine +moonlight night, the keen eyes of Omrah tracked them for more than five +miles, where they were at fault, as the traces of their hoofs were no +longer to be seen.</p> + +<p>"What shall we do now?" said the Major.</p> + +<p>"We must trust to Omrah," replied Swinton, "he knows the habits of his +people well, and they will not deceive him."</p> + +<p>Omrah, who had been very busy kneeling on the ground, and striking a +light every now and then with a flint and steel, to ascertain the track +more distinctly, now came up and made them comprehend that the Bushmen +had turned back upon the very track they had gone upon, and that they +must return and find where they diverged from it again.</p> + +<p>This created considerable delay, as they had to walk the horses back for +more than a mile, when they again found the footing of the cattle +diverging from the track to the southward and eastward, in the direction +of some hills.</p> + +<p>They now made all the haste that they could, and proceeded so rapidly on +the track, that in about an hour they perceived the whole herd of oxen +driven up the side of a hill by a party of Bushmen. They put spurs to +their horses and galloped as fast as they could in pursuit, and soon +came up with them; when a discharge of rifles left three Bushmen on the +ground and put all the rest to flight. The cattle, which were much +frightened, were with some difficulty turned and driven back toward the +encampment. In the mean time the disappointed Bushmen had turned upon +those near, and were letting fly their arrows from the bushes where they +were concealed and continued thus to assail them until the party arrived +at the open plain. One of the Hottentots was wounded by an arrow in the +neck; but that was the only accident which occurred to any of the party, +and this was not known to our travelers until after their arrival at +the encampment, when it was almost daybreak; and then, tired with the +fatigues of the night, all were glad to obtain a few hours' rest.</p> + +<p>When they rose the next morning, Swanevelt informed them that nine of +the oxen were so wounded with the poisoned arrows of the Bushmen, that +they could not live; and also, that Piets the Hottentot had been badly +wounded in the neck with one of the arrows. Swinton immediately ordered +the man to be brought to him, as he was well aware of the fatal effects +of a wound from a Bushman's arrow.</p> + +<p>It appeared that Piets had pulled the arrow out of his neck, but that +some pieces of the barb had remained in the wound, and that these his +companions had been extracting with their knives, and the wound was very +much inflamed in consequence. Swinton immediately cut out as much of the +affected part as he could, applied ammonia to the wound, and gave him +laudanum to mitigate the pain, which was very acute; but the poor fellow +lay groaning during the whole of the day.</p> + +<p>They now examined the wounded oxen, which were already so swollen with +the poison that there were no hopes of saving them, and they were +immediately put out of their pain. Several others were found slightly +hurt, but not so as to lose all hopes of their recovery; but this +unfortunate circumstance prevented them from continuing their journey +for two days; as the whole of the oxen had been much harassed and cut by +the Bushmen, although not wounded by poisoned arrows. During this delay, +the poor Hottentot became hourly worse; his head and throat were much +swollen, and he said that he felt the poison working within him.</p> + +<p>After many hours of suffering, during which swellings appeared in +various parts of his body, the poor fellow breathed his last; and the +next day being Sunday, they remained as usual, and the body of the +unfortunate man was consigned to a grave. This event threw a cloud over +the whole caravan, and whenever any of the Bushwomen made their +appearance at a distance, and made signs that they wished to come into +the camp, an angry bullet was sent instantly over their heads, which +made them take to their heels.</p> + +<p>On the Monday morning they again started with their reduced trains, for +now they had barely sufficient cattle to drag the wagons. Fortunately +they were but a few miles from the Nu Gariep, and they arrived at its +banks before evening. The next day they crossed it with difficulty, +putting all the oxen to two of the wagons and then returning for the +others.</p> + +<p>They were now once more in the colony, and their dangers and +difficulties were now to be considered over. It was not, however, till a +week afterward that they succeeded in crossing the Sweenberg and +arriving at Graff Reynet. At this beautiful spot they remained for a few +days, to make arrangements and to procure horses, that they might +proceed to Cape Town as fast as possible, leaving Bremen in charge of +the wagons, which he was to bring down to them as soon as he could. We +shall pass over the remainder of their journey on horseback, as there +was nothing remarkable to be related. Suffice it to say, that on the +11th of January, 1830, they arrived safe and sound at Cape Town, and +were warmly congratulated by Mr. Fairburn and their many friends, after +all the dangers and difficulties which they had encountered.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XXIX'></a><h2>CHAPTER XXIX.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>Alexander Wilmot again took possession of the apartments in Mr. +Fairburn's house, and was not sorry once more to find himself surrounded +by all the comforts and luxuries of civilization. He could scarcely +believe where he was when he woke up the first morning, and found that +he had slept the whole night without being disturbed by the roar of a +lion or the cries of the hyena and jackal: and after the habit to which +he had been so long accustomed, of eating his meals in the open air with +his plate on his knees, he could hardly reconcile himself for a few days +to a well laid-out table. The evenings were passed in narrating their +adventures to Mr. Fairburn, who was truly glad of the result of the +mission to Port Natal, as it would be so satisfactory to old Sir +Charles.</p> + +<p>Alexander was now most anxious to return to England, and resolved to +take his passage in the first ship which sailed after the arrival of the +wagon with his effects. In the mean time his mornings were chiefly +passed with Swinton and the Major, the latter of whom intended to go to +England by the same vessel as Alexander. In three weeks after their +return to the Cape, the four wagons arrived, and excited much curiosity, +as they were filled with every variety of the animal kingdom which was +indigenous to the country. Swinton's treasures were soon unloaded and +conveyed to his house, and our naturalist was as happy as an +enthusiastic person could be in the occupation that they gave him. +Alexander only selected a few things, among which were the skins of the +lion and lioness. As for the Major, he had had all his pleasure in the +destruction of the animals.</p> + +<p>Bremen reported that all the Hottentots had behaved very well, and that +Big Adam had nearly recovered, and was able to limp about a little, +although it would be a long while before he would regain the perfect use +of his leg. Alexander now sent for them all, and paid them their wages, +with an extra sum as a gratuity for their good conduct. To Bremen and +Swanevelt, who had invariably conducted themselves faithfully, and who +had been the leading and most trustworthy men, he gave to each a wagon +and span of ten oxen as a present by which they might in future obtain +their livelihood, and the poor fellows considered themselves as rich as +the king of England. The other wagons and cattle of every description +were left with Swinton to be disposed of.</p> + +<p>The Major pressed Swinton very hard to part with little Omrah, but +Swinton would not consent. The Major therefore presented Omrah with one +of his best rifles, and accouterments to correspond, as a mark of his +attachment; and Alexander desired that all the money which was realized +by the sale of the remaining wagons and other articles, as well as the +cattle and horses, should be put by for Omrah's benefit. As a keepsake, +Alexander gave the lad his telescope, with which he knew that would be +highly pleased.</p> + +<p>We may here as well observe, that, a few months after Alexander and the +Major left the Cape, Omrah, who had been placed at a school by Swinton, +was admitted into the church, and baptized by the name of Alexander +Henderson Omrah; Alexander and the Major being his sponsors by proxies. +He turned out a very clever scholar, and remains with Swinton at this +moment. He has more than once accompanied him into the interior, and has +done much in reclaiming his countrymen, the bushmen, from their savage +way of life, and has been of great service to the missionaries as +interpreter of the Word to his heathen brethren.</p> + +<p>About a fortnight after the return of the wagons to Cape Town, a free +trader cast anchor in Table Bay to take in water, and Alexander and the +Major secured a passage in her to England. Alexander parted with great +regret from Mr. Fairburn and Swinton, with whom he promised to +correspond, and they sailed with a fair wind for St. Helena, where they +remained for a few days, and took that opportunity of visiting the tomb +of Napoleon, the former emperor of the French. A seven weeks' passage +brought them into the Channel-and they once more beheld the white cliffs +of England.</p> + +<p>Alexander's impatience to see his uncle, from whom he had found a letter +waiting for him on his return to the Cape, stating that he was in +tolerable health, induced him to leave the ship in a pilot-boat, and +land at Falmouth. Taking leave for a time of the Major, who preferred +going on to Portsmouth, Alexander traveled with all possible speed, and +on the second day arrived at his uncle's.</p> + +<p>"Is my uncle quite well!" said Alexander, as he leaped out of the +chaise, to the old butler who was at the door.</p> + +<p>"No sir, not quite well: he has been in bed for this last week, but +there is nothing serious the matter, I believe."</p> + +<p>Alexander hastened up stairs and was once more in the arms of Sir +Charles Wilmot, who embraced him warmly, and then, exhausted with the +emotion, sank back on his pillow.</p> + +<p>"Leave me for a little while, my dear boy, till I recover myself a +little," said Sir Charles. "I have no complaint, but I am very weak and +feeble. I will send for you very soon."</p> + +<p>Alexander, who was himself much affected, was not sorry to withdraw for +a while, and sent the housekeeper, who attended his aged relative, into +the room. In about an hour a message arrived requesting that he would +return to his uncle.</p> + +<p>"And now, my dear, kind boy, tell me every thing. I am indeed overjoyed +to see you back again; I have not had one line from you since you left +the Cape, and I really think that the worry and anxiety that I have felt +have been the cause of my taking to my bed. Now you are back I shall be +quite well again. Now tell me all, and I will not interrupt you."</p> + +<p>Alexander sat down on the bed, and entered into a full detail of the +results of his expedition to Port Natal; reading over all the memoranda +which they had collected, and satisfactorily proving that the +descendants of the Europeans then existing could not by any possibility +be from those who had been lost in the <i>Grosvenor</i> East Indiaman.</p> + +<p>Sir Charles Wilmot listened in silence to all Alexander had to say, and +then, joining his hands above the bed-clothes, exclaimed, "Gracious +Lord, I thank Thee that this weight has been removed from my mind." He +then for some minutes prayed in silence, and when he had finished, he +requested Alexander to leave him till the evening.</p> + +<p>The physician having called shortly after Alexander left his uncle, +Alexander requested his opinion as to Sir Charles's state of health. The +former replied—"He has but one complaint, my dear sir, which all the +remedies in the world are not very likely to remove: it is the natural +decay of nature, arising from old age, I do not consider that he is in +any immediate danger of dissolution. I think it very likely that he may +never rise from his bed again; but, at the same time, he may remain +bedridden for months. He sinks very gradually, for he has had naturally +a very strong constitution, I believe the anxiety of his mind, arising +from your absence, and the blame he laid on himself for having allowed +you to undertake your expedition, have worn him more than any thing +else; but now that you have returned, I have no doubt, after the first +excitement is over, that he will rally. Still man is born to die, Mr. +Wilmot, and your uncle has already lived beyond the three-score years +and ten allotted to the average age of man. Depend upon it, every thing +shall be done which can protract a life so dear to you."</p> + +<p>Alexander thanked the physician, and the latter then went up stairs to +Sir Charles. On his return, he informed Alexander that Sir Charles's +pulse was stronger, but something must be allowed for the excitement +which he had undergone.</p> + +<p>When Alexander saw his uncle in the evening, the latter again thanked +him for having undertaken the expedition, and having brought back such +satisfactory accounts.</p> + +<p>"I am much your debtor, my dear boy," said he; "and if it is any +satisfaction to you (which I am sure it must be from your kind heart) to +know that you have smoothed the death-bed of one who loves you, you have +your reward. I feel quite strong now; and if it will not be too much +trouble, I should like you to give me a narrative of the whole +expedition; not all at once, but a little now and then. You shall begin +now, and mind you enter into every little detail,—every thing will +interest me."</p> + +<p>Alexander commenced his narrative, as his uncle requested, stating to +him how they were fitted out; the names of all the people; describing +Swinton and the Major, and giving a much closer narrative of what passed +than we have done in these pages. After an hour or so, during which +Alexander had not got so far in his narrative as to have quitted the +Cape for Algoa Bay, he left off, that he might not weary his uncle, and +wished him good-night.</p> + +<p>For many weeks did the narrative, and the conversation produced by it, +serve to amuse and interest the old gentleman, who still remained in his +bed. But long before it was finished, Major Henderson had arrived at +the hall, and had been introduced to Sir Charles, who was much pleased +with him, and requested him to remain as long as he found it agreeable. +The Major, at Alexander's request, had the lion and lioness set up in +Leadbeater's best style, and the case had now arrived at the hall, and +was brought up into Sir Charles's room, that he might have some idea of +the animals with which they had had to contend; and there it remained, +for the old gentleman would not allow it to be taken away.</p> + +<p>"I must send out a present to that little Omrah," said Sir Charles, one +morning, as he was conversing with the Major; "what shall it be?"</p> + +<p>"Well, sir, I hardly know; but I think the best present for him would be +a watch."</p> + +<p>"Then, Major, order one of the best gold watches that can be made, when +you go to town, and send it out to him; and, Major,—I am sorry to give +you that trouble, but I am an old bedridden man, and that must be my +excuse,—take the keys from the dressing-table, and open the small +drawer of that cabinet, and you will find two morocco cases in it, which +I will thank you to bring to me."</p> + +<p>The Major did so, and Sir Charles, raising himself on his pillow, opened +the cases, which contained each a massive ring, in which was set a +diamond of great value.</p> + +<p>"These two rings were presented me by Eastern princes, Major, at the +time that I was resident in their country. There is little difference in +their value, but you would find it difficult to match the stones, even +in England. I will shut the cases up again, and now that I have shut +them up in my hands, take one out for me. Thank you, Major; that one is +a present from me to our friend Swinton, and you must send it out to him +with the watch for the Bush-boy. The other, Major, I hope you will not +refuse to accept as a testimony of my gratitude to you, for having +accompanied my dear boy on his expedition."</p> + +<p>Sir Charles put the other case into the Major's hands.</p> + +<p>"I certainly will not refuse any thing as a remembrance from you, Sir +Charles," replied the Major; "I accept your splendid present with many +thanks, and so will Swinton, I am certain; but he will be more pleased +with the kind attention than he will be with its great value; and I +trust you will believe me when I add that such is also my own feeling."</p> + +<p>"I only hope you may have both as much pleasure in receiving as I have +in giving them," replied Sir Charles; "so put them in your pocket and +say no more about them. There is Alexander coming up, I know his tread; +I hope you do not mean to desert him now that the shooting season is +coming on; he will be very lonely, poor fellow, without you."</p> + +<p>"I have good news, my dear uncle," said Alexander, as he entered; +"Swinton is coming home; I have a letter from him, and he will be here, +he trusts, a fortnight after his letter."</p> + +<p>"I shall be most happy to shake hands with him," said Sir Charles. "Pray +write for him to come down immediately he arrives."</p> + +<p>Three weeks after this announcement Swinton made his appearance, and we +hardly need say was most warmly welcomed. Omrah he would not bring with +him, as he wished him to continue his education; but the Major declared +that he had left the boy because he was afraid of his being taken from +him. Our travelers were thus all reunited, and they agreed among +themselves that it was quite as comfortable at the hall as it was at the +Bechuana country; and that if the sporting was not quite so exciting, at +all events it was not quite so dangerous.</p> + +<p>Swinton and the Major remained with Alexander till the opening of the +next year, and then they both left at the same time, and sailed in the +same ship; the Major to rejoin his regiment in India, Swinton to his +favorite locality in Africa, to obtain some more specimens in natural +history.</p> + +<p>As the physician had declared, Sir Charles never rose from his bed +again; but he sunk so gradually that it was almost imperceptible, and it +was not until the summer of that year that he slept with his fathers, +dying without pain, and in perfect possession of his senses.</p> + +<p>Alexander now came into possession of the estates and title, and +certainly he entered upon them without any reproach as to his conduct +toward his uncle, who died blessing him. And now my tale is ended, and I +wish my young readers farewell.</p> +<br /> + +<p>THE END</p> + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13276 ***</div> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/13276-h/images/003.jpg b/13276-h/images/003.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1040f7a --- /dev/null +++ b/13276-h/images/003.jpg diff --git a/13276-h/images/015.jpg b/13276-h/images/015.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4365b35 --- /dev/null +++ b/13276-h/images/015.jpg diff --git a/13276-h/images/079.jpg b/13276-h/images/079.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b73738a --- /dev/null +++ b/13276-h/images/079.jpg diff --git a/13276-h/images/143.jpg b/13276-h/images/143.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..56577ec --- /dev/null +++ b/13276-h/images/143.jpg diff --git a/13276-h/images/211.jpg b/13276-h/images/211.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ca92c1f --- /dev/null +++ b/13276-h/images/211.jpg diff --git a/13276-h/images/239.jpg b/13276-h/images/239.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..bf8237d --- /dev/null +++ b/13276-h/images/239.jpg diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Mission + +Author: Frederick Marryat + +Release Date: August 25, 2004 [EBook #13276] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MISSION *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Dave Macfarlane and PG Distributed +Proofreaders + + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<h1>THE MISSION</h1> +<h3>OR</h3> +<h1>SCENES IN AFRICA</h1> + +<center><i><b>WRITTEN FOR YOUNG PEOPLE</b></i></center><br> +<br><br> +<h3>BY</h3> +<h2>CAPTAIN MARRYAT</h2> +<br> +<h5>AUTHOR OF "FRANK MILDMAY," "PERCIVAL KEENE," "PHANTOM SHIP," "DOG +FIEND," "JACOB FAITHFUL," "POACHER," ETC., ETC.</h5> + +<center><i><b>WITH ILLUSTRATIONS</b></i></center><br> +<br><br> + +<h4>GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND SONS<br> +LONDON: BROADWAY, LUDGATE HILL<br> +NEW YORK: 9 LAFAYETTE PLACE</h4> +<br><br> +<center> +<img src='images/003.jpg' width='650' height='1028' alt='[Illustration: THE ONWARD MARCH.—<i>Front</i>.]' title=''> +</center> + +<br><br><br> + +<big>CONTENTS.</big><br><br> + + +<a href='#CHAPTER_I'><b>CHAPTER I.</b></a><br /> +<p>Account of Sir Charles Wilmot—Loss of the Grosvenor—Sir +Charles's doubts respecting the Survival of his Wife and +Children—Alexander Wilmot—His Character—The Newspaper +Paragraph—Details of the Wreck of the Grosvenor—Surmises +as to the Fate of the Passengers</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_II'><b>CHAPTER II.</b></a><br /> + <p>Alexander's Reflections—His Plan—Sir Charles opposes it—His +unwilling Consent—Alexander's Departure</p> +<br /> + +<a href='#CHAPTER_III'><b>CHAPTER III.</b></a><br /> +<p>Alexander's Melancholy—Finds a Friend—Sea Sickness—Mr. +Fairburn—The Passengers—Conversations—The Cape—Mr. +Fairburn's Account of the Treatment of the Hottentots by +the Dutch</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_IV'><b>CHAPTER IV.</b></a><br /> +<p>Natural History discussed—Mr. Swinton's Enthusiasm—Further +History of the Cape—Dutch Barbarity—Alexander's Indignation</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_V'><b>CHAPTER V.</b></a><br /> +<p>Aquatic Birds—Guano—Mr. Fairburn's Narrative +continued—Stuurman—Mokanna—The Attack—Failure of the Caffres</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_VI'><b>CHAPTER VI.</b></a><br /> +<p>Sharks—Their Cowardice—Attack on one by Neptune—Divers' +Dangers—Mr. Fairburn continues his Story—Mokanna's +Fate—Disturbances among the Caffre Tribes</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_VII'><b>CHAPTER VII.</b></a><br /> +<p>Mr. Swinton agrees to accompany Alexander—Land, ho!—Cape +Town—Major Henderson—He joins the Party—Begum—Chaka's +History</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_VIII'><b>CHAPTER VIII.</b></a><br /> +<p>Night in Algoa Bay—The Major meets Maxwell—Preparations +to start—The Caravan—Description of it—The Departure</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_IX'><b>CHAPTER IX.</b></a><br /> +<p>The Plans of the Adventurers—Big Adam's Bravery—Milius—His +Refreshments—What his House contained—Speech to +the Hottentots—The Bushman Boy, Prince Omrah</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_X'><b>CHAPTER X.</b></a><br /> +<p>Wild Beasts—Insubordination of the Hottentots—Danger from +Elephants—Their hideous Shrieks—Big Adam's Terror—Lieutenant +Hoodie's wonderful Escape—Sagacity of the Elephant—Intentions +of the Party</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XI'><b>CHAPTER XI.</b></a><br /> +<p>Arrival at Mr. S.'s Station—The Quarrel between Hinza and +Voosani—An Escort proposed—The Caffre Character—The +Sabbath—Painful Position of a Missionary's Wife</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XII'><b>CHAPTER XII.</b></a><br /> +<p>The Royal Visit—Mutual Civilities—The Band of +Warriors—Hippopotami—Their Carcasses—Omrah's Cunning—The +Trick—Big Adam sulky—A narrow Escape—Preparations for the +Hunt</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XIII'><b>CHAPTER XIII.</b></a><br /> +<p>Look out—The Signal—The Major's Nerve—Charge upon the +Camp—Hottentots drunk—Begum's Uneasiness—Signs of +Danger—Lions' Sagacity—Anecdotes</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XIV'><b>CHAPTER XIV.</b></a><br /> +<p>A Storm—Sober again—Elephant Steak—Omrah's Tricks—Man-eaters—A +horrible Adventure—The Sleepers awakened</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XV'><b>CHAPTER XV.</b></a><br /> +<p>Quah! quah!—Alexander's and the Major's Danger—A critical +Situation—Omrah's Presence of Mind—Divine Worship—Instruction +of Caffres—Advance of the Enemy—Panic of the +Natives—Refusal to proceed—The tables turned—The +Council—Submission—Arrangements</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XVI'><b>CHAPTER XVI.</b></a><br /> +<p>An Expedition—Rumors of War—Judicious Advice—Daaka's +Hut—The Interview with Daaka—Explanations—Remains +of the Grosvenor—The Mystery solved—Alexander's Joy—The +Wagons again—The Major's Fortress—Plans for the +Future</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XVII'><b>CHAPTER XVII.</b></a><br /> +<p>Quetoo's Movements—Destruction of his Army—The Return—Plenty +of Sport—The Warriors rewarded—Precautions—Antelopes—The +Victim—A large Meal</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XVIII'><b>CHAPTER XVIII.</b></a><br /> +<p>Conversation—Gnoos—Five Lions—Thirst quenched—Ferocity +of the Hyena—Anecdotes—Preparations for a Chase</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XIX'><b>CHAPTER XIX.</b></a><br /> +<p>A practical Joke—A lucky Escape—History of the Mantatees—Mantatee +Courage—A final Slaughter—Discussions—Swinton's +Account of Africaner</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XX'><b>CHAPTER XX.</b></a><br /> +<p>Omrah's Intelligence—Lion-hunting—Silence and Caution—An +unpleasant Surprise—Self-sacrifice of a Gemsbok—Swinton's +Story continued—Conversation on Lions—Anecdotes—Big +Adam punished</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XXI'><b>CHAPTER XXI.</b></a><br /> +<p>Interview with Bushmen—A shrewd Surmise—A Herd of Buffaloes—A +providential Escape—A Scene—Swanevelt in Danger—Conversation—A +Story</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XXII'><b>CHAPTER XXII.</b></a><br /> +<p>Overpowering Heat—Divine Service—An Intrusion—The poisoned +Lion—Discussion on venomous Reptiles—Lizard shot—Swinton's +Information to his Companions</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XXIII'><b>CHAPTER XXIII.</b></a><br /> +<p>A good Shot—Water scarce—Omrah in Trouble—Turtle +Soup—Sufferings—Sufferings at an end—An earthly Paradise</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XXIV'><b>CHAPTER XXIV.</b></a><br /> +<p>Aspect of the Country—Chase of a Rhinoceros—Omrah's Plan +succeeds—A Lion's Leap—Account of a Rhinoceros-Hunt—Elands +shot—A Lioness attacked—The Lion's Skin awarded—An +expiring Effort</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XXV'><b>CHAPTER XXV.</b></a><br /> +<p>Swinton's Astonishment—A Dialogue—Maternal Affection—An +Alarm—Griquas fallen in with—The Message to +Moselekatsee—Fire!—The Matabili King—Expectations</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XXVI'><b>CHAPTER XXVI.</b></a><br /> +<p>Chase of a Giraffe—Proposed Retreat—The Major's Object +attained—Treachery—Treachery defeated—Omrah's Scheme—Hopes +of Water disappointed</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XXVII'><b>CHAPTER XXVII.</b></a><br /> +<p>Further Progress—The Horses and Oxen break away—The +Pursuit—Hopes and Fears—The Caravan lost—Intense Heat—Omrah's +Courage—A Temporary Relief—Despair—Water at +last obtained—Swinton's Signals answered</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XXVIII'><b>CHAPTER XXVIII.</b></a><br /> +<p>Panic produced by a Lion—Omrah's and Big Adam's Predicament—A Lion's +Mode of stimulating his Appetite—A Meeting +with Bushmen—Cattle stolen—Recovery attempted—Oxen +poisoned—Death of Piets—Arrival at Cape Town</p> +<br /> + + <a href='#CHAPTER_XXIX'><b>CHAPTER XXIX.</b></a><br /> +<p>Parting Scenes—Alexander and the Major embark—Alexander's +Arrival at Home—He relates his adventures—Sir Charles's +Health gradually declines—His Presents to Swinton and the +Major—His Death—Conclusion</p> +<br /> +<br /><br /> + +<hr size=7 style="width: 75%;"/> + + +<h1>THE MISSION, OR SCENES IN AFRICA.</h1> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_I'></a><h2>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<h4>THE EXPEDITION.</h4> +<br /> + +<p>It was in the autumn of the year 1828, that an elderly and infirm +gentleman was slowly pacing up and down in a large dining-room. He had +apparently finished his dinner, although it was not yet five o'clock, +and the descending sun shone bright and warm through the windows, which +were level with the ground, and from which there was a view of a +spacious park, highly ornamented with old timber. He held a newspaper in +one hand, and had the other behind his back, as if for support, for he +was bent forward, and looked very feeble and emaciated.</p> + +<p>After pacing for some time, he sat down in an easy chair and remained in +deep thought, holding the newspaper in both his hands.</p> + +<p>This old gentleman's name was Sir Charles Wilmot. He had in early life +gone out to India as a writer, and after remaining there for a few +years, during which he had amassed a handsome fortune, was advised to +leave the country for a time on account of his health. He returned to +England on furlough, and had not been there more than six months when +the death, without issue, of his eldest brother, Sir Henry Wilmot, put +him in possession of the entailed estates and of the baronetcy.</p> + +<p>This decided him not to return to India for his wife and three +daughters, whom he had left out there, but to write, desiring them to +return home by the first ship. The reply which he received was most +painful; his wife and two of his daughters had been carried off by the +cholera, which had been very fatal during the previous rainy season. +His remaining daughter was about to sail, in obedience to his wishes, in +the <i>Grosvenor</i> East-Indiaman, under the care of Colonel and Mrs. James, +who were near connections.</p> + +<p>This was a heavy blow with which it pleased God to visit him in his +prosperity, and was almost a total wreck of all his hopes and +anticipations. But he was a good man and a religious one, and he bowed +in humility to the dispensation, submitting with resignation to his +loss, and still thankful to Heaven that it had graciously spared one of +the objects of his affections to console him, and to watch his declining +years.</p> + +<p>Sir Charles Wilmot took possession of the family mansion and estate in +Berkshire, in which he was still residing at the time our history +commences. By degrees he became more resigned, and waited with anxiety +for the return of his only daughter, who now seemed more dear to him +than ever. He employed himself in making preparations for her reception, +fitting up her apartments in the Oriental style which she had been +accustomed to, and devising every little improvement and invention which +he thought would give pleasure to a child of ten years old.</p> + +<p>But it pleased Heaven that Sir Charles should be more severely +chastised; the <i>Grosvenor's</i> time of arrival had elapsed, and still she +was not reported in the Channel; week after week of anxiety and suspense +passed slowly away, and the East-India ship did not make her appearance. +It was supposed that she had been captured by the enemy, but still no +tidings of her capture were received. At length, however, this state of +anxiety and doubt was put an end to by the dreadful intelligence that +the ship had been wrecked on the east coast of Africa, and that nearly +the whole of the crew and passengers had perished. Two men belonging to +her had been brought home by a Danish East-Indiaman, and shortly after +the first intelligence, these men arrived in London, and gave a more +particular detail of what had occurred.</p> + +<p>Sir Charles, in a state of feverish anxiety, as soon as he heard of +their arrival, hastened up to town to question these men; and the +result of his interrogatories fully convinced him that he was now quite +bereaved and childless. This was the last blow and the most severe; it +was long before he could resign himself to the unsearchable +dispensations of Providence; but time and religion had at last overcome +all his repining feelings,—all disposition to question the goodness or +wisdom of his Heavenly Father, and he was enabled to say, with +sincerity, "Not my will, but Thine be done."</p> + +<p>But although Sir Charles was thus left childless, as years passed away, +he at last found that he had those near to him for whom he felt an +interest, and one in particular who promised to deserve all his regard. +This was his grand-nephew, Alexander Wilmot, who was the legal heir to +the title and entailed property,—the son of a deceased nephew, who had +fallen during the Peninsular war.</p> + +<p>On this boy Sir Charles had lavished those affections which it pleased +Heaven that he should not bestow upon his own issue, and Alexander +Wilmot had gradually become as dear to him as if he had been his own +child. Still the loss of his wife and children was ever in his memory, +and as time passed on, painful feelings of hope and doubt were +occasionally raised in Sir Charles's mind, from the occasional +assertions of travelers, that all those did not perish who were supposed +so to do when the <i>Grosvenor</i> was wrecked, and that, from the reports of +the natives, some of them and of their descendants were still alive. It +was a paragraph in the newspaper, containing a renewal of these +assertions, which had attracted the attention of Sir Charles, and which +had put him in the state of agitation and uneasiness in which we have +described him at the opening of this chapter.</p> + +<p>We left him in deep and painful thought, with the newspaper in his +hands. His reveries were interrupted by the entrance of Alexander +Wilmot, who resided with him, being now twenty-two years of age, and +having just finished his college education. Alexander Wilmot was a tall, +handsome young man, very powerful in frame, and very partial to all +athletic exercises; he was the best rower and the best cricketer at +Oxford, very fond of horses and hunting, and an excellent shot; in +character and disposition he was generous and amiable, frank in his +manner, and obliging to his inferiors. Every one liked Alexander Wilmot, +and he certainly deserved to be liked, for he never injured or spoke ill +of any body. Perhaps his most prominent fault was obstinacy; but this +was more shown in an obstinate courage and perseverance to conquer what +appeared almost impossible, and at the greatest risk to himself; he was +of that disposition that he would hardly get out of the way of a mad +bull if it crossed his path, but risk his life probably, and to no +purpose; but there is no perfection in this world, and it was still less +to be expected in a young man of only twenty-two years of age.</p> + +<p>"Well, uncle, I've conquered him," said Alexander, as he came into the +room, very much heated with exercise.</p> + +<p>"Conquered whom, my boy?" replied Sir Charles.</p> + +<p>"The colt; I've backed him, and he is now as gentle as a lamb; but he +fought hard for two hours at least."</p> + +<p>"Why should you run such risk, Alexander, when the horsebreaker would +have broke him just as well?"</p> + +<p>"But not so soon, uncle."</p> + +<p>"I did not know that you were in such want of a horse as to require such +hurry; I thought you had plenty in the stable."</p> + +<p>"So I have, uncle, thanks to you, more than I can use; but I like the +pleasure—the excitement."</p> + +<p>"There you state the truth, my dear Alexander; when you have lived as +long as I have, you will find more pleasure in quiet and repose," +replied Sir Charles, with a heavy sigh.</p> + +<p>"Something has disturbed you, my dear uncle," said Alexander, going up +to Sir Charles and taking his hand; "what is it, sir?"</p> + +<p>"You are right, Alexander; something has unsettled me, has called up +painful feelings and reminiscences; it is that paragraph in the +newspaper."</p> + +<p>Alexander was now as subdued almost as his uncle; he took a chair and +quietly read the paragraph.</p> + +<p>"Do you think there is any foundation for this, my dear sir?" said he, +after he had read it.</p> + +<center> +<img src='images/015.jpg' width='644' height='1031' alt='[Illustration: THE NEWSPAPER PARAGRAPH.]' title=''> +</center> + + +<p>"It is impossible to say, my dear boy; it may be so, it has often been +asserted before. The French traveler Le Vaillant states that he received +the same information, but was prevented from ascertaining the truth; +other travelers have subsequently given similar accounts. You may easily +credit the painful anxiety which is raised in my mind when I read such a +statement as this. I think I see my poor Elizabeth, the wife or slave to +some wild savage; her children, merciful Heaven! my grandchildren, +growing up as the brutes of the field, in ignorance and idolatry. It is +torture, my dear Alexander—absolute torture, and requires long prayer +and meditation to restore my mind to its usual tone, and to enable me to +bow to the dispensations of the Divine will."</p> + +<p>"Although I have long been acquainted with the general statement, my +dear uncle, respecting the loss of the ship, I have never yet heard any +such details as would warrant this apprehension of yours. It is +generally supposed that all perished, perished indeed most miserably, +except the few men who made their way to the Cape, and returned to +England."</p> + +<p>"Such was the supposition, my dear boy, but subsequent reports have to a +certain degree contradicted it, and there is reason to believe that all +did not perish who were accounted as dead. If you have nothing +particularly to engage you at this moment, I will enter into a detail of +what did occur, and of the proofs that the fate of a large portion, +among which that of your aunt Elizabeth, was never ascertained."</p> + +<p>"If it will not be too painful to you, my dear uncle, I will most gladly +hear it."</p> + +<p>"I will not dwell longer upon it than is necessary, Alexander; believe +me, the subject is distressing, but I wish you to know it also, and then +to give me your opinion. You are of course aware that it was on the +coast of Caffraria, to the southward of Port Natal, that the <i>Grosvenor</i> +was wrecked. She soon divided and went to pieces, but by a sudden—I +know not that I can say a <i>fortunate</i>—change of wind, yet such was the +will of Heaven,—the whole of the crew and passengers (with the +exception of sixteen who had previously attempted to gain the shore by +a hawser, and one man who was left on board in a state of intoxication) +were all safely landed, even to the little children who were coming home +in the vessel; among whom was my poor Elizabeth."</p> + +<p>Alexander made no observation when Sir Charles paused for a while: the +latter then continued:—</p> + +<p>"By the time that they had all gained the shore, the day was far spent; +the natives, who were of the Caffre race, and who had been busy in +obtaining all the iron that they could from the mainmast, which had +drifted on shore, left the beach at dark. The wretched sufferers lighted +fires, and having collected some casks of beef and flour, and some live +stock, they remained on the rocks during that night. The next morning +the captain proposed that they should make their way to Cape Town, the +Dutch settlement, to which they all unanimously consented; certainly a +most wild proposition, and showing very little judgment."</p> + +<p>"Could they have done otherwise, my dear uncle?"</p> + +<p>"Most certainly; they knew that they were in a country of lawless +savages, who had already come down and taken by force every thing that +they could lay their hands upon. The Captain calculated that they would +reach Cape Town in sixteen or seventeen days. How far his calculation +was correct, is proved by the fact that those who did reach it at last +were one hundred and seventeen days on their journey. But even admitting +that the distance could have been performed in the time stated by the +captain, the very idea of attempting to force their way through a +country inhabited by savage people, with such a number of helpless women +and children, and without any arms for their defense, was indeed an act +of folly and madness, as it eventually proved."</p> + +<p>"What then should have been their plan?"</p> + +<p>"Observe, Alexander, the ship was wrecked not a cable's length from the +shore, firmly fixed upon a reef of rocks upon which she had been thrown; +the water was smooth, and there was no difficulty in their +communication. The savages, content with plundering whatever was washed +on shore, had to the time of their quitting the rocks left them +uninjured. They might have gone on board again, have procured arms to +defend themselves and the means of fortifying their position against any +attempt of the savages, who had no other weapons but assaguays or +spears, and then might have obtained the provisions and other articles +necessary for their support. Armed as they might have been, and numerous +as they were, for there were one hundred and fifty souls on board at the +time of the wreck, they might have protected themselves until they had +built boats or small vessels out of the timber of the wreck; for all +their carpenters and blacksmiths were safely landed on shore with them. +By taking this course they might have coasted along shore, and have +arrived without difficulty at the Cape."</p> + +<p>"Most certainly, sir, it would have been the most judicious plan."</p> + +<p>"The captain must have been very deficient in judgment to have acted as +he did. He had every thing to his hand—the means—the men to build the +boats, provisions, arms, sails and cordage, and yet he threw all these +chances away, and attempted to do what was impossible."</p> + +<p>"He was not one of those who were saved, I believe, sir?"</p> + +<p>"No, he is one of those who have not been heard of; but to proceed: The +first day of their march from the site of the wreck ought to have been a +warning to them to turn back. The savages robbed them of every thing and +threw stones at them. A Dutchman of the name of Trout, who had fled to +the Caffre country for some murder he had committed in the colony, fell +in with them and told them the attempt was impracticable, from the +number of savage nations, the width of the rivers, the desert countries +without water, and the number of wild beasts which they would encounter; +but still they were not persuaded, and went on to their destruction. +They were not five miles from the wreck at the time, and might have +returned to it before night."</p> + +<p>"May it not fairly be supposed that after such a dreadful shipwreck any +thing was considered preferable by the major portion of them, especially +the passengers, to re-embarking?"</p> + +<p>"It may be so; but still it was a feeling that was to be surmounted, +and would have been, had they been counseled by a judicious leader; for +he might fairly have pointed out to them,—without re embarkation, how +are you to arrive in England?"</p> + +<p>"Very true, uncle. Pray continue."</p> + +<p>"From the accounts given by the seamen who returned, before they had +traveled a week they were attacked by a large party of natives, to whose +blows and ill-treatment as they passed along they had hitherto +submitted; but as in this instance the natives appeared determined to +massacre them, they resisted as well as they could, and, being nearly +one hundred men in force, succeeded in driving them off, not without +receiving many severe wounds. After a few days' more traveling, their +provisions were all expended, and the seamen began to murmur, and +resolved to take care of themselves, and not to be encumbered with women +and children. The consequence was, that forty-three of the number +separated from the rest, leaving the captain and all the male and female +passengers and children (my dear Elizabeth among them), to get on as +they could."</p> + +<p>"How cruel!"</p> + +<p>"Yes! but self-preservation is the first law of nature, and I fear it is +in vain to expect that persons not under the influence of religious +principles will risk their lives, or submit to much self-denial, for the +sake of alleviating the miseries of others. The reason given for this +separation was, that it was impossible to procure food for so large a +number, and that they would be more likely to obtain sustenance when +divided. The party who thus proceeded in advance encountered the most +terrible difficulties; they coasted along the seashore because they had +no other food than the shell-fish found on the rocks; they had +continually to cross rivers from a mile to two miles wide; they were +kept from their slumbers by the wild beasts which prowled around them, +and at length they endured so much from want of water, that their +sufferings were extreme. They again subdivided and separated, wandering +they hardly knew where, exposed to a burning sun, without clothing and +without food. One by one they sat down and were left behind to die, or +to be devoured by the wild beasts before they were dead. At last they +were reduced to such extremity, that they proposed to cast lots for one +to be killed to support the others; they turned back on their route, +that they might find the dead bodies of their companions for food. +Finally, out of the whole crew, three or four, purblind and staggering +from exhaustion, craving for death, arrived at the borders of the +colony, where they were kindly received and gradually recovered."</p> + +<p>"You now speak of the first party who separated from the captain and the +passengers, do you not, uncle?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"And what became of the captain's party?"</p> + +<p>"No tidings were heard of them; their fate was unknown; it was long +supposed that they had all perished; for if the sufferings of the +seamen, inured to toil and danger, had been so great, what chance was +there for helpless women and children? But after some years, there was a +report that they had been saved, and were living with the savages. Le +Vaillant first mentioned it, and then it died away and was not credited; +but since that, the reports of various travelers appear to give +confirmation to what Le Vaillant asserted. The paragraph you have now +read in the newspaper has again renewed the assertion, and the parties +from whom it proceeds are by all accounts worthy of credence. You may +imagine, my dear boy, what a pang it gives me when I read these +reports,—when I reflect that my poor girl, who was with that party, may +at this moment be alive, may have returned to a state of barbarism,—the +seeds of faith long dead in her bosom,—now changed to a wild, untutored +savage, knowing no God."</p> + +<p>"But, my dear uncle, allowing that my aunt is alive, she was not so +young at the time of the wreck as to forget entirely what she had been +taught."</p> + +<p>"That is possible; but then her condition must be still more painful, or +rather I should say must have been, for probably she is dead long before +this, or if not dead, she must be a woman advanced in life; indeed, as +you may observe in the account given by the traveler in the paragraph +you have read, it speaks only of the <i>descendants</i> of those who were +lost in the <i>Grosvenor</i>. The idea of my grandchildren having returned to +a state of barbarism is painful enough; I wish it were possible that I +could discover the truth, for it is the uncertainty which so much +distresses me. I have but a few years to live, Alexander; I am a very +old man, as you know, and may be summoned to-morrow or to-night, for we +know not what a day may bring forth. If I were only certain that my +child had died, miserable as her death must have been, it would be +happiness, to the idea that she was one of those whose descendants they +speak of. If you knew how for the last thirty years this has preyed upon +my mind, you would comprehend my anxiety on this account; but God's will +be done. Do not let me detain you longer, Alexander; I should prefer +being alone."</p> + +<p>Alexander, at this intimation, took the proffered hand of his +grand-uncle in a reverential and feeling manner, and, without saying any +more, quitted the room.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_II'></a><h2>CHAPTER II.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>The conversation which he had had with his grand-uncle made a very +forcible impression upon Alexander Wilmot; it occasioned him to pass a +very sleepless night, and he remained till nearly four o'clock turning +it over in his mind. The loss of the <i>Grosvenor</i> Indiaman had occurred +long before he was born; he was acquainted with the outline of what had +taken place, and had been told, when a child, that a relation of his +family had perished; but although the narrative had, at the time, made +some impression upon his young mind, he had seldom, if ever, heard it +spoken of since, and may have been said to have almost forgotten it. He +was therefore not a little surprised when he found how great an +influence it had upon his grand-uncle, who had never mentioned it to him +before; indeed it had escaped Alexander's memory that it was his +grand-uncle's only surviving daughter who had been lost in the vessel.</p> + +<p>Alexander Wilmot was warmly attached to the old gentleman; indeed he +would have been very ungrateful if he had not been, for it was +impossible that any one could have been treated with more kindness and +liberality than he was by Sir Charles. It was but the week before, that +he had expressed a wish to travel on the continent, and Sir Charles had +immediately given his consent that he should remain abroad, if he +pleased, for two years. When he approved, however, of Alexander's plans, +he had made a remark as to his own age and infirmity, and the probable +chance that they might not meet again in this world; and this remark of +his grand-uncle left such an impression upon Alexander, that he almost +repented having made the request, and had been ever since in a state of +indecision as to whether he should avail himself of his grand-uncle's +kindness and disregard of self shown toward him in thus having granted +his permission.</p> + +<p>The conversation with Sir Charles had brought up a new idea in his mind; +he had witnessed the anxiety and longing which his good old relation had +shown about the fate of his daughter; he had heard from his own lips how +long the ignorance of her fate had preyed upon his mind, and that to be +satisfied on this point was the one thing wanting to enable the old man +to die happy,—to permit him to say with sincerity, "Lord, now lettest +Thou thy servant depart in peace." Why, then, should he not go to +discover the truth? It would not, perhaps, occupy him so long as the two +years of traveling on the continent, which had been consented to by his +grand-uncle, and, instead of traveling for his own pleasure, he might be +the means of satisfying the mind and quieting the anxiety of one who had +been so kind to him. Indeed, he should actually prefer a journey into +the interior of Africa to a mere sojourn of some time on the continent; +the very peril and danger, the anticipation of distress and hardship, +were pleasing to his high and courageous mind, and before he fell asleep +Alexander had made up his mind that he would propose the expedition, and +if he could obtain his uncle's permission would proceed upon it +forthwith. Having come to this resolution, he fell fast asleep and +dreamed away, till eight o'clock in the morning, that he was hunting +elephants and having hand-to-hand conflicts with every variety of beast +with which he had peopled Africa in his fancy. When he was called up in +the morning, he found his determination of the night before rather +strengthened than otherwise, and accordingly, after breakfast was over, +he opened the subject.</p> + +<p>"My dear sir," said he to Sir Charles, "you were kind enough to give me +your permission to travel on the continent for two years."</p> + +<p>"I did do so, Alexander; it is natural at your age that you should wish +to see the world, and you have my full permission. When do you think of +starting?"</p> + +<p>"That depends upon circumstances, sir, and I must be altogether guided +by you; to tell you the truth, I do not think that one sees much of the +world by following in the beaten track made by so many of our +countrymen."</p> + +<p>"There I agree with you; in the present high state of civilization there +will be found little or no difference in the manners and customs of +people; in the courts, none; very little in the best society, in which +you will of course mix; and not so very much as people may imagine among +the mass of population; but the scenery of the countries and the remains +of ancient times are still interesting, and will afford pleasure; it +must be your own reflections and comments upon what you see which must +make it profitable; most people, however, travel from the love of change +added to the love of excitement."</p> + +<p>"I grant it, sir, and I do not mean to say but that I should receive +much pleasure from a continental tour; perhaps I may add that I should +derive more profit if I were to delay it till I am a little older and a +little wiser; do you not think so?"</p> + +<p>"I certainly do, Alexander. What then? do you propose remaining in +England for the present?—if so, I am sure it is on my account, and I am +very grateful to you for your sacrifice."</p> + +<p>"If you wish it, sir, I will undoubtedly remain in England; at all +events, if I do not go elsewhere. I have abandoned my continental tour +for the present; but I have another proposal to make, which I hope will +meet with your approbation."</p> + +<p>"Why, my dear Alexander, on what expedition would you now proceed? Do +you wish to visit the United States or South America?"</p> + +<p>"No, sir; I wish to make a voyage of still more interest—I wish to go +to Africa,—that is, to embark for the Cape of Good Hope, and from +thence proceed to the northward, to ascertain, if possible, what now is +a source of sad disquiet to you, the actual fate of those who were +wrecked in the <i>Grosvenor</i>, and have not since been heard of with any +degree of certainty."</p> + +<p>Sir Charles was for a time silent. He pressed his hands to his forehead; +at last he removed them, and said,—"I can not, much as I wish it, +no,—I can not consent, my dear boy; the danger will be too great. You +must not risk your life. It is very kind of you—very kind; but no, it +must not be."</p> + +<p>"Indeed, sir, I think, on reflection, you will alter your mind. As for +danger—what danger can there be when missionaries are permitted to form +their stations, and reside uninjured among the very savages who were so +hostile when the <i>Grosvenor</i> was lost? The country, which was then a +desert, is now inhabited by Europeans, within 200 miles of the very spot +where the <i>Grosvenor</i> was wrecked. The continual emigration since the +Cape has fallen under British government, and the zeal of those who have +braved all dangers to make known the Word of God to the heathen and +idolater, have in forty years made such an alteration, that I see no +more danger in the mission which I propose than I do in a visit to +Naples; and as for time, I have every reason to expect that I shall be +back sooner than in the two years which you have proposed for my stay on +the continent."</p> + +<p>"But if some accident were to happen to you, I should never forgive +myself for having given my consent, and the few days that are left to me +would be rendered miserable."</p> + +<p>"My dear sir, we are in the hands of God; and (short-sighted as we are) +in running away from danger, as often run into it. What we call an +accident, the fall of a brick or a stone, the upsetting of a vehicle, +any thing trivial or seemingly improbable, may summon us away when we +least expect it: 'In the midst of life we are in death,' and that death +I may meet by staying in this country, which I might have avoided by +going on this expedition. Difficulties may arise, and some danger there +may be, I admit; but when prepared to encounter both, we are more safe +than when, in fancied security, we are taken unawares. Do not, I entreat +you, sir, refuse me this favor; I have considered well, and shall be +most unhappy if I am not permitted to obtain the information for you +which you have so much at heart. Let my travels be of some advantage to +you as well as to myself. Do not refuse, I entreat you."</p> + +<p>"You are a good boy, Alexander, and your kindness makes me still more +unwilling to part with you. I hardly know what to say. Let us drop the +subject for the present; we will talk of it to-morrow or next day. I +must have time for reflection."</p> + +<p>Alexander Wilmot did not fail to renew his entreaties on the following +day, but could not gain Sir Charles's consent. He was not, however, +discouraged. He had taken from the library all the works he could find +relative to Southern Africa, and continually enforcing his arguments by +quotations from various authors, all tending to prove that he might +travel through the country without much risk, if he took proper +precautions, his grand-uncle's objections grew daily more feeble, and at +last Sir Charles gave his unwilling consent. In the meantime, the books +which Alexander had read had produced a great effect upon him. When he +first proposed the mission, it was more from a feeling of gratitude +toward his old relative than any other, but now he was most anxious to +go on his own account. The narratives of combats with wild beasts, the +quantity and variety of game to be found, and the continual excitement +which would be kept up, inflamed his imagination and his love of field +sports, and he earnestly requested to be permitted to depart +immediately, pointing out to Sir Charles that the sooner he went away, +the sooner he would be back again. This last argument was not without +its weight, and Alexander was allowed to make every preparation for his +journey. Inquiries were made, and a passage secured on board of a +free-trader, which was to touch at the Cape, and in six weeks from the +time that the subject had been brought up, Alexander Wilmot took leave +of his grand-uncle.</p> + +<p>"May God bless you, sir, and keep you well till my return," said +Alexander, pressing his hand.</p> + +<p>"May the Lord protect you, my dear boy, and allow you to return and +close my eyes," replied Sir Charles, with much emotion.</p> + +<p>Before night Alexander Wilmot was in London, from thence he hastened +down to Portsmouth to embark. The next day, the <i>Surprise</i> weighed +anchor and ran through the Needles, and before the night closed in was +well down the Channel, standing before the wind, with studding sails +below and aloft.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_III'></a><h2>CHAPTER III.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>A melancholy feeling clouded the features of Alexander Wilmot as, on the +following morning, the vessel, under a heavy press of sail, was fast +leaving the shores of his native country. He remained on the poop of the +vessel with his eyes fixed upon the land, which every moment became more +indistinct. His thoughts may easily be imagined. Shall I ever see that +land again? Shall I ever return, or shall my bones remain in Africa, +perhaps not even buried, but bleaching in the desert? And if I do +return, shall I find my old relation still alive, or called away, loaded +as he is with years, to the silent tomb? We are in the hands of a +gracious God. His will be done.</p> + +<p>Alexander turned away, as the land had at last become no longer visible, +and found a young man of about his own age standing close to him, and +apparently as much lost in reverie as he had been. As in turning round +Alexander brushed against him, he thought it right to apologize for the +unintentional act, and this occasioned a conversation.</p> + +<p>"I believe, sir," said the other party, who was a tall, spare, +slight-built man, with a dark complexion, "that we were both indulging +in similar thoughts as we took leave of our native shores. Every +Englishman does the same, and indeed every true lover of his country, +let the country be what it will. We find the feeling as strong in the +savage as in the enlightened; it is universal. Indeed, we may fairly say +that it extends lower—down to the brute species, from their love of +localities."</p> + +<p>"Very true, sir," replied Alexander; "but with brutes, as you say, it is +merely the love of locality; with men, I trust, the feeling is more +generous and noble."</p> + +<p>"So it ought to be, or else why are we so much more nobly endowed? This +is not your first voyage, I presume?" continued the stranger.</p> + +<p>"Indeed, it is," said Alexander; "I never was out of England, or on +board of a vessel, before yesterday."</p> + +<p>"I should have imagined otherwise," remarked his companion: "the other +passengers are all suffering from sea-sickness, while you and I only are +on the deck. I presumed, therefore, that you had been afloat before."</p> + +<p>"I did feel very giddy yesterday evening," observed Alexander, "but this +morning I have no unpleasant sensation whatever. I believe that some +people do not suffer at sea."</p> + +<p>"A very few; but it appears that you are one of those most fortunate, +for by experience I know how painful and distressing the sickness is for +some time. Breakfast will soon be ready; do you think that you can eat +any?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, a little—not much; a cup of tea or coffee," replied Alexander; +"but I can not say that I have my usual appetite. What bird is that +which skims along the water?"</p> + +<p>"It is the <i>procellarius</i>, as we naturalists call it, but in English, +the stormy petrel; its presence denotes rough weather coming on."</p> + +<p>"Then I wish it had not made its appearance," said Alexander, laughing; +"for with rough weather, there will of course be more motion in the +vessel, and I feel the motion too much already."</p> + +<p>"I think if you eat your breakfast (although without appetite), and keep +on deck, you may get over any further indisposition," replied the +stranger.</p> + +<p>"Have we many passengers on board?"</p> + +<p>"No; nine or ten, which is considered a small number, at least by the +captain, who was complaining of his ill-luck. They are mostly females +and children. There is a Cape gentleman who has long resided in the +colony, and is now returning there. I have had some conversation with +him, and he appears a very intelligent person. But here is the steward +coming aft, to let us know that breakfast is ready."</p> + +<p>The person who had thus conversed with Alexander Wilmot was a Mr. +Swinton, who, as he had accidentally observed, was a naturalist; he was +a person of some independent property, whose ardor for science had +induced him to engage in no profession, being perfectly satisfied with +his income, which was sufficient for his wants and to enable him to +follow up his favorite study. He was now on his passage to the Cape of +Good Hope, with no other object than to examine the natural productions +of that country, and to prosecute his researches in science there, to a +greater extent than had hitherto been practicable.</p> + +<p>Before they had arrived at Madeira, at which island the ship remained +three days to take in wine and fresh provisions, a great intimacy had +been established between Alexander and Mr. Swinton, although as yet +neither knew the cause of the other's voyage to the Cape; they were both +too delicate to make the inquiry, and waited till the other should of +his own accord impart his reasons.</p> + +<p>We have mentioned that there were other passengers, one of whom was a +gentleman who resided in Cape Town, and who held a lucrative situation +under the government. He was an elderly gentleman, of about sixty years +of age, of a very benign and prepossessing appearance; and it so +happened that Alexander found out, on looking over his letters of +introduction when at anchor at Madeira, that he possessed one to this +gentleman. This of course he presented at once, although they were +already on intimate terms; and this introduction made Mr. Fairburn (for +such was his name) take an immediate interest in his welfare, and also +warranted his putting the question, as to what were Alexander's views +and intentions in visiting the Cape: for Mr. Fairburn knew from the +letter that he was heir to Sir Charles Wilmot, and therefore that he was +not likely to be going out as a speculator or emigrant.</p> + +<p>It hardly need be said that Alexander made no hesitation in confiding to +one who could so materially assist him in the object of his voyage.</p> + +<p>The other passengers were three young ladies bound to their friends in +India, and a lady returning with her two marriageable daughters to +rejoin her husband, who was a colonel in the Bengal army. They were all +pleasant people, the young ladies very lively, and on the whole the +cabin of the <i>Surprise</i> contained a very agreeable party; and soon after +they left Madeira, they had fine weather, smooth water, and every thing +that could make a voyage endurable.</p> + +<p>The awnings were spread, chairs brought up, and the major portion of the +day was spent upon the quarter-deck and poop of the vessel, which for +many days had been running down before the trade-winds, intending to +make Rio, and there lay in a supply of fresh provisions for the +remainder of her voyage.</p> + +<p>One morning, as Alexander and Mr. Fairburn were sitting together, +Alexander observed—</p> + +<p>"You have passed many years at the Cape, Mr. Fairburn, have you not?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; I was taken prisoner when returning from India, and remained a +year in Cape Town during the time that it was in the hands of the Dutch; +I was about to be sent home as a prisoner to Holland, and was embarked +on board one of the vessels in Saldanha Bay, when they were attacked by +the English. Afterward, when the English captured the Cape, from my long +residence in, and knowledge of, the country, I was offered a situation, +which I accepted: the colony was restored to the Dutch, and I came home. +On its second capture I was again appointed, and have been there almost +ever since."</p> + +<p>"Then you are well acquainted with the history of the colony?"</p> + +<p>"I am, certainly, and if you wish it, shall be happy to give you a short +account of it."</p> + +<p>"It will give me the greatest pleasure, for I must acknowledge that I +know but little, and <i>that</i> I have gleaned from the travels which I have +run through very hastily."</p> + +<p>"I think it was in the year 1652 that the Dutch decided upon making a +settlement at the Cape. The aborigines, or natives, who inhabited that +part of the country about Cape Town, were the Hottentots, a mild, +inoffensive people, living wholly upon the produce of their cattle; they +were not agriculturists, but possessed large herds of cattle, sheep and +goats, which ranged the extensive pastures of the country. The history +of the founding of one colony is, I fear, the history of most, if not +all—commencing in doing all that is possible to obtain the goodwill of +the people until a firm footing has been obtained in the land, and then +treating them with barbarity and injustice.</p> + +<p>"The Hottentots, won over by kindness and presents, thought it of little +consequence that strangers should possess a small portion of their +extensive territory, and willingly consented that the settlement should +be made. They, for the first time in their lives, tasted what proved the +cause of their ruin and subsequent slavery—tobacco and strong liquors. +These two poisons, offered gratuitously, till the poor Hottentots had +acquired a passion for them, then became an object of barter—a pipe of +tobacco or a glass of brandy was the price of an ox; and thus daily were +the colonists becoming enriched, and the Hottentots poor.</p> + +<p>"The colony rapidly increased, until it was so strong, that the governor +made no ceremony of seizing upon such land as the government wished to +retain or to give away; and the Hottentots soon discovered that not only +their cattle, but the means of feeding them, were taken from them. +Eventually, they were stripped of every thing except their passion for +tobacco and spirits, which they could not get rid of. Unwilling to leave +the land of their forefathers, and seeing no other way of procuring the +means of intoxication which they coveted, they sold themselves and their +services to the white colonists, content to take care of those herds +which had once been their own, and to lead them out to pasture on the +very lands which had once been their birthright."</p> + +<p>"Did they then become slaves?" inquired Alexander.</p> + +<p>"No; although much worse treated, they never were slaves, and I wish to +point that out; but they became a sort of feudal property of the Dutch, +compelled to hire themselves out, and to work for them upon nominal +wages, which they seldom or never received, and liable to every species +of harsh treatment and cruelty, for which they could obtain no redress. +Yet still they were not bought and sold as were the slaves which were +subsequently introduced into the colony from the east coast of Africa +and Madagascar. The position of the slave was, in my opinion, infinitely +superior, merely from the self-interest of the owner, who would not kill +or risk the life of a creature for whom he had paid two or three hundred +rix-dollars; whereas, the Dutch boors, or planters, thought little of +the life of a Hottentot. If the cattle were to be watched where lions +were plentiful, it was not a slave who had charge of them, but a +Hottentot, as he had cost nothing, and the planter could procure +another. In short, the life of a Hottentot was considered as of no +value, and there is no denying that they were shot by their masters or +employers upon the most trifling offense."</p> + +<p>"How dreadful! but did the Dutch government suffer this?"</p> + +<p>"They could not well help it, and therefore were compelled to wink at +it; the criminals were beyond its reach. But now I will proceed to give +you some further insight, by describing the Dutch boors, or planters, +who usurped and stood in the shoes of the poor Hottentots.</p> + +<p>"The Dutch government seized upon all the land belonging to the +Hottentots, and gave it away in grants to their own countrymen, who now +became herdsmen, and possessed of a large quantity of cattle; they also +cultivated the ground to a certain extent round about their +habitations. As the colony increased, so did the demand for land, until +the whole of the country that was worth having was disposed of as far as +to the country of the Caffres, a fine, warlike race, of whom we will +speak hereafter. It must not, however, be supposed that the whole of the +Hottentot tribes became serfs to the soil. Some few drove away their +cattle to the northward, out of reach of the Dutch, to the borders of +the Caffre land; others, deprived of their property, left the plains, +and took to the mountains, living by the chase and by plunder. This +portion were termed boshmen, or bushmen, and have still retained that +appellation: living in extreme destitution, sleeping in caves, +constantly in a state of starvation, they soon dwindled down to a very +diminutive race, and have continued so ever since.</p> + +<p>"The Dutch boors, or planters, who lived in the interior, and far away +from Cape Town, had many enemies to contend with: they had the various +beasts of the forest, from the lion to the jackal, which devastated +their flocks and herds, and also these bushmen, who lived upon plunder. +Continually in danger, they were never without their muskets in their +hands, and they and their descendants became an athletic, powerful, and +bulky race, courageous, and skilled in the use of fire-arms, but at the +same time cruel and avaricious to the highest degree. The absolute power +they possessed over the slaves and Hottentots demoralized them, and made +them tyrannical and blood-thirsty. At too great a distance from the seat +of government for its power to reach them, they defied it and knew no +law but their own imperious wills, acknowledging no authority,—guilty +of every crime openly, and careless of detection."</p> + +<p>"I certainly have read of great cruelty on the part of these Dutch +boors, but I had no idea of the extent to which it was carried."</p> + +<p>"The origin was in that greatest of all curses, slavery; nothing +demoralizes so much. These boors had been brought up with the idea that +a Hottentot, a bushman, or a Caffre were but as the mere brutes of the +field, and they have treated them as such. They would be startled at +the idea of murdering a white man, but they will execute wholesale +slaughter among these poor natives, and think they have committed no +crime. But the ladies are coming up, and we shall be interrupted, so I +will not task your patience any more to-day. I shall therefore conclude +what I may term part the first of my little history of the Cape colony."</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_IV'></a><h2>CHAPTER IV.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>Alexander Wilmot was too much pleased with Mr. Swinton not to cultivate +his acquaintance, and they soon became very intimate. The conversation +often turned upon Mr. Swinton's favorite study, that of natural history.</p> + +<p>"I confess myself wholly ignorant of the subject," observed Alexander +one day, "though I feel that it must be interesting to those who study +it; indeed, when I have walked through the museums, I have often wished +that I had some one near who could explain to me what I wished to know +and was puzzled about. But it appears to me that the study of natural +history is such an immense undertaking if you comprehend all its +branches. Let me see,—there is botany, mineralogy, and geology—these +are included, are they not?"</p> + +<p>"Most certainly," replied Mr. Swinton, laughing; "and perhaps the three +most interesting branches. Then you have zoology, or the study of +animals, ornithology for birds, entomology for insects, conchology for +shells, ichthyology for fishes; all very hard names, and enough to +frighten a young beginner. But I can assure you, a knowledge of these +subjects, to an extent sufficient to create interest and afford +continual amusement, is very easily acquired."</p> + +<p>"'The proper study of mankind is man,' says the poet,"—observed +Alexander, smiling.</p> + +<p>"Poets deal in fiction, Mr. Wilmot," replied Mr. Swinton; "to study man +is only to study his inconsistencies and his aberrations from the right +path, which the free-will permitted to him induces him to follow; but +in the study of nature, you witness the directing power of the Almighty, +who guides with an unerring hand, and who has so wonderfully apportioned +out to all animals the means of their providing for themselves. Not only +the external, but the inward structure of animals, shows such variety +and ingenuity to surmount all difficulties, and to afford them all the +enjoyment their nature is capable of, that after every examination you +rise with increased astonishment and admiration at the condescension and +goodness of the Master Hand, thus to calculate and provide for the +necessities of the smallest insect; and you are compelled to exclaim +with the Psalmist, 'O God, how manifold are thy works; in wisdom hast +Thou made them all!'"</p> + +<p>"You certainly do put the study in a new and most pleasurable light," +replied Alexander.</p> + +<p>"The more you search into nature, the more wonderful do you find her +secrets, and, by the aid of chemistry, we are continually making new +discoveries. Observe, Mr. Wilmot," said Swinton, picking up a straw +which had been blown by the wind on the quarter-deck, "do you consider +that there is any analogy between this straw and the flint in the lock +of that gun?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly, I should imagine them as opposite particles of nature as +well might be."</p> + +<p>"Such is not the case. This piece of wheat-straw contains more than +sixty per cent. of silica or flint in its composition; so that, although +a vegetable, it is nearly two-thirds composed of the hardest mineral +substance we know of. You would scarcely believe that the fibers of the +root of this plant were capable of dissolving, feeding upon, and +digesting such a hard substance; but so it is."</p> + +<p>"It is very wonderful."</p> + +<p>"It is, but it is not a solitary instance; the phosphate of lime, which +is the chief component part of the bones of animals, is equally sought +by plants, dissolved in the same manner, and taken into their bodies; +barley and oats have about thirty per cent. of it in their composition, +and most woods and plants have more or less."</p> + +<p>"I am less surprised at that than I am with the flint, which appears +almost incomprehensible."</p> + +<p>"Nothing is impossible with God; there is a rush in Holland which +contains much more silex than the wheat-straw, and it is employed by the +Dutch to polish wood and brass, on that very account. We know but little +yet, but we do know that mineral substances are found in the composition +of most living animals, if not all; indeed, the coloring-matter of the +blood is an oxide and phosphate of iron."</p> + +<p>"I can now understand why you are so enthusiastic in the science, Mr. +Swinton, and I regret much that the short time which will be occupied in +the remainder of our voyage will not enable me to profit as I should +wish by your conversation; for when we arrive at the Cape, I fear our +pursuits will lead us different ways."</p> + +<p>"I presume they will, for I am about to penetrate as far as possible +into the interior of the country," replied Mr. Swinton, "which of course +is not your intention."</p> + +<p>"Indeed, but it is," replied Alexander; "I am about to do the same, +although perhaps not in the same direction. May I ask your intended +route, if not too inquisitive?"</p> + +<p>"Not at all; I can hardly say myself. I shall be guided by the +protection I may fall in with. Africa is a wide field for science, and I +can hardly go any where without being well rewarded for my journey; and +I will say, that should it meet both our views, I should be very glad if +we were to travel in company."</p> + +<p>Mr. Fairburn, who had come on deck, had been standing close to them at +the latter portion of the conversation, and made the observation—</p> + +<p>"I think it would be a very good plan if Mr. Swinton would venture to go +where you are bound, Mr. Wilmot, but you can talk of that another day, +when you have been longer together. There is nothing that requires more +deliberation than the choice of a traveling companion; any serious +imperfection of temper may make a journey very miserable. Now, Wilmot, +if you are tired of natural history, and wish to change it for the +painful history of human nature, I am ready to continue my +observations."</p> + +<p>"With great pleasure, sir."</p> + +<p>"I hope you have no objection to my reaping the benefit also?" said Mr. +Swinton.</p> + +<p>"Oh, most certainly not," replied Mr. Fairburn, "although I fear you +will not gain much information, as you have been at the Cape before. In +a former conversation with Mr. Wilmot I have pointed out the manner in +which the Cape was first settled, and how the settlers had gradually +reduced the original possessors of the land to a state of serfdom; I +will now continue.</p> + +<p>"The Dutch boors, as they increased their wealth in cattle, required +more pasture, and were now occupying the whole of the land south of the +Caffre country: the Caffres are wild, courageous savages, whose wealth +consists chiefly in cattle, but in some points they may be considered +superior to the Hottentots.</p> + +<p>"The weapon of the Hottentot may be said to be the bow and arrow, but +the Caffre scorns this warfare, or indeed any treachery; his weapons are +his assaguay, or spear, and his shield; he fights openly and bravely. +The Caffres also cultivate their land to a certain extent, and are more +cleanly and civilized. The boors on the Caffre frontier were often +plundered by the bushmen, and perhaps occasionally by some few of the +Caffres who were in a lawless state on the frontier; but if any +complaint was made to the Caffre chiefs, every redress in their power +was given: this, however, did not suit the Dutch boors.</p> + +<p>"They had entered the Caffre country, and had perceived that the Caffres +possessed large herds of cattle, and their avarice pointed out to them +how much easier it would be to grow rich by taking the cattle of the +Caffres than by rearing them themselves. If the bushmen stole a few head +of cattle, complaints were immediately forwarded to Cape Town, and +permission asked to raise a force, and recover them from the Caffres.</p> + +<p>"The force raised was termed a <i>Commando</i>, and was composed of all the +Dutch boors and their servants, well armed and mounted; these would make +an incursion into the Caffre territory, and because a few head of cattle +had been stolen by parties unknown, they would pour down upon the +Caffres, who had but their assaguays to oppose to destructive fire-arms, +set the kraals or villages in flames, murder indiscriminately man, +woman, and child, and carry off, by way of indemnification for some +trifling loss, perhaps some twenty thousand head of cattle belonging to +the Caffres.</p> + +<p>"The Caffres, naturally indignant at such outrage and robbery, made +attacks upon the boors to recover the cattle, but with this difference +between the Christian boor and the untutored savage: the boors murdered +women and children wantonly, the Caffres never harmed them, and did not +even kill men, if they could obtain possession of their property without +bloodshed."</p> + +<p>"But how could the Dutch government permit such atrocities?"</p> + +<p>"The representations made to the government were believed, and the order +was given in consequence. It is true that afterward the government +attempted to put a stop to these horrors, but the boors were beyond +their control; and in one instance in which the home government had +insisted that punishment should be inflicted for some more than common +outrage on the part of the boors, the Cape governor returned for answer, +that he could not venture to do as they wished, as the system was so +extensive and so common, that all the principal people in the colony +were implicated, and would have to be punished.</p> + +<p>"Such was therefore the condition of the colony at the time that it fell +into the possession of the English—the Hottentots serfs to the land, +and treated as the beasts of the field; the slave-trader supplying +slaves; and continual war carried on between the boors and the Caffres."</p> + +<p>"I trust that our government soon put an end to such barbarous +iniquities."</p> + +<p>"That was not so easy; the frontier boors rose in arms against the +English government, and the Hottentots, who had been so long patient, +now fled and joined the Caffres. These people made a combined attack +upon the frontier boors, burned their houses to the ground, carried off +the cattle, and possessed themselves of their arms and ammunition. The +boors rallied in great force; another combat took place, in which the +Hottentots and Caffres were victorious, killing the leader of the boors, +and pursuing them with great slaughter, till they were stopped by the +advance of the English troops. But I can not dwell long upon this period +of the Cape history; these wars continued until the natives, throwing +themselves upon the protection of the English, were induced to lay down +their arms, and the Hottentots to return to their former masters. The +colony was then given up to the Dutch, and remained with them until the +year 1806, when it was finally annexed to the British empire. The Dutch +had not learned wisdom from what had occurred; they treated the +Hottentots worse than before, maiming them and even murdering them in +their resentment, and appeared to defy the British government; but a +change was soon to take place."</p> + +<p>"Not before it was necessary, at all events," said Alexander.</p> + +<p>"It was by the missionaries chiefly that this change was brought about; +they had penetrated into the interior, and saw with their own eyes the +system of cruelty and rapine that was carried on; they wrote home +accounts, which were credited, and which produced a great alteration. To +the astonishment and indignation of the boors, law was introduced where +it had always been set at defiance; they were told that the life of a +Hottentot was as important in the eye of God, and in the eye of the law, +as that of a Dutch boor, and that the government would hold it as such. +Thus was the first blow struck; but another and a heavier was soon to +fall upon those who had so long sported with the lives of their +fellow-creatures. The press was called to the aid of the Hottentot, and +a work published by a missionary roused the attention of the public at +home to their situation. Their cause was pleaded in the House of +Commons, and the Hottentot was emancipated forever."</p> + +<p>"Thank God!" exclaimed Alexander; "my blood has been boiling at the +description which you have been giving. Now, when I hear that the poor +Hottentot is a free man, it will cool down again."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps it will be as well to leave off just now, Mr. Wilmot," said Mr. +Fairburn; "we will renew our conversation to-morrow, if wind and +weather permit, as the seamen say."</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_V'></a><h2>CHAPTER V.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>The next day the ship was off Rio, and immediately sent her boats for +provisions and supplies; the passengers did not land, as the captain +stated that he would not stay an hour longer than was necessary, and on +the second evening after their arrival they again made sail for the +Cape.</p> + +<p>The gulls were flying in numbers astern of the ship, darting down and +seizing every thing edible which was thrown overboard, and the +conversation turned upon aquatic birds.</p> + +<p>"What difference is there in the feathers of aquatic birds and others?" +inquired Alexander; "a hen, or any land bird, if it falls into the +water, is drowned as soon as its feathers are saturated with the water."</p> + +<p>"There is, I believe, no difference in the feathers of the birds," +replied Mr. Swinton; "but all aquatic birds are provided with a small +reservoir, containing oil, with which they anoint their feathers, which +renders them water-proof. If you will watch a duck pluming and dressing +itself, you will find it continually turns its bill round to the end of +its back, just above the insertion of the tail; it is to procure this +oil, which, as it dresses its feathers that they may carefully overlap +each other, it smears upon them so as to render them impenetrable to the +water; but this requires frequent renewal, or the duck would be drowned +as well as the hen."</p> + +<p>"How long can a sea-bird remain at sea?"</p> + +<p>"I should think not very long, although it has been supposed otherwise; +but we do not know so much of the habits of these birds as of others."</p> + +<p>"Can they remain long under water?"</p> + +<p>"The greater portion of them can not; ducks and that class, for +instance. Divers can remain some time; but the birds that remain the +longest under water are the semi-aquatic, whose feet are only +half-webbed. I have watched the common English water-hen for many +minutes walking along at the bottom of a stream, apparently as much in +its element as if on shore, pecking and feeding as it walked."</p> + +<p>"You say that aquatic birds can not remain long at sea,—where do they +go to?"</p> + +<p>"They resort to the uninhabited islands over the globe, rocks that +always remain above water, and the unfrequented shores of Africa and +elsewhere; there they congregate to breed and bring up their young. I +have seen twenty or thirty acres of land completely covered with these +birds or their nests, wedged together as close as they could sit. Every +year they resort to the same spot, which has probably been their +domicile for centuries,—I might say since the creation. They make no +nests, but merely scrape so as to form a shallow hole to deposit their +eggs. The consequence of their always resorting to the same spot is +that, from the voidings of the birds and the remains of fish brought to +feed the young, a deposit is made over the whole surface, a fraction of +an inch every year, which by degrees increases until it is sometimes +twenty or thirty feet deep, if not more, and the lower portion becomes +almost as hard as rock. The deposit is termed guano, and has, from time +immemorial, been used by the Peruvians and Chilians as manure for the +land; it is very powerful, as it contains most of the essential salts, +such as ammonia, phosphates, etc., which are required for agriculture. +Within these last few years samples have been brought to England, and as +the quantities must be inexhaustible, when they are sought for and +found, no doubt it may one day become a valuable article of our carrying +trade. Here comes Mr. Fairburn; I hope he intends to continue his +notices of the Cape settlement."</p> + +<p>"They have interested me very much, I must confess; he appears well +acquainted with the colony."</p> + +<p>"He has had the advantage of a long residence, and during that time an +insight into all the public documents: this you may be certain of, that +he knows more than he will tell."</p> + +<p>As soon as Mr. Fairburn joined them, Alexander requested him to +continue his narrative, which he did as follows.</p> + +<p>"You must not suppose, Mr. Wilmot, that because the English had now +possession of the colony, every thing went right; governors who are +appointed to the control of a colony require to be there some time +before they can see with their own eyes; they must, from their want of +information, fall into the hands of some interested party or another, +who will sway their councils. Thus it was at the Cape.</p> + +<p>"It is true that much good had already been done by the abolition of +slavery and the emancipation of the Hottentot; but this was effected, +not by the colonial government, but by the representations of the +missionaries and an influential and benevolent party at home. The +prejudices against the Hottentots, and particularly the Caffres, still +existed, and were imbibed by the colonial authorities. Commandoes, or, +as they should be more properly termed, marauding parties, were still +sent out, and the Caffre was continually oppressed, and, in defiance of +the government orders, little justice could be obtained for the +Hottentot, although his situation was somewhat improved.</p> + +<p>"I will give one instance to show how the rights of the Hottentots were +respected by the Cape authorities in 1810,—previous to the +emancipation, it is true, but still at a time when the position of the +Hottentots and their sufferings had been strenuously pressed upon the +colonial authorities by the government at home.</p> + +<p>"When the conduct of the Dutch boors had roused the Caffres and +Hottentots to war, there were three brothers by the name of Stuurman, +Hottentots, who were the leaders. Peace was at length restored, which +was chiefly effected by the exertions of these men, who retired +peaceably with their own kraal to Algoa Bay; and the government, being +then Dutch, appointed Stuurman as captain of the kraal. This independent +horde of Hottentots gave great offense to the Dutch boors,—the more so +as the three brothers had been the leaders of the Hottentots in the +former insurrection. For seven years they could find no complaint to +make against them, until at last two of his Hottentots, who had engaged +to serve a boor for a certain time, went back to the kraal at the +expiration of the term, against the wish of the boor, who would have +detained them; the boor went and demanded them back, but Stuurman +refused to give them up; upon which, although justice was clearly on the +side of the Hottentots, an armed force was dispatched to the kraal. +Stuurman still refused to surrender the men, and the armed men retired, +for they knew the courage of the Hottentots, and were afraid to attack +them.</p> + +<p>"By treachery they gained possession of Stuurman and one of his brothers +(the other having been killed hunting the buffalo), and sent them to +Cape Town, from whence, against all justice, they were sent as prisoners +to Robin Island, where malefactors are confined. They made their escape, +and returned to Caffreland. Three years afterward, Stuurman, anxious to +see his family, returned to the colony without permission. He was +discovered and apprehended, and sent as a convict to New South Wales; +for the government was at that time English.</p> + +<p>"Such was the fate of the first Hottentot who stood up for the rights of +his countrymen, and such was the conduct of the English colonial +government; so you will observe, Mr. Wilmot, that although the strides +of cruelty and oppression are most rapid, the return to even-handed +justice is equally slow. Eventually the gross injustice to this man was +acknowledged, for an order from the home government was procured for his +liberation and return; but it was too late,—Stuurman had died a +convict.</p> + +<p>"I have mentioned this circumstance, as it will prepare you for a +similar act of injustice to the Caffres. When the colony was in +possession of the Dutch there was a space of about thirty thousand +square miles between the colonial boundary (that is, the land formerly +possessed by the Hottentots) and the Great Fish River. This extent of +thirty thousand square miles belonged to the Caffres, and was the site +of continual skirmishing and marauding between the Dutch boors and the +Caffres.</p> + +<p>"In 1811 it was resolved by the colonial government that the Caffres +should be driven from this territory, and confined to the other side of +the Great Fish River. This was an act of injustice and great hardship, +and was proceeded in with extreme cruelty, the Caffres being obliged to +leave all their crops, and turned out with great and unnecessary +slaughter.</p> + +<p>"It may be proper, however, to state the causes which led to this Caffre +war with the English. At this time the colonial governor had entered +into negotiations with a Caffre chief of the name of Gaika. He was a +chief of a portion of the Caffres, but not the principal chief, and +although the English treated with him as such, the Caffres would not +acknowledge his authority. This is a very frequent error committed in +our intercourse with savage nations, who are as pertinacious of their +rights as the monarchs of Europe. The error on our part was soon +discovered, but the government was too proud to acknowledge it.</p> + +<p>"It so happened that the other Caffre chiefs formed a powerful +confederacy against Gaika, who, trusting to the support of the English, +had treated them with great arrogance. They fought and conquered him, +carrying off, as usual, his cattle. As this was a war between the +Caffres, and confined to their own land, we certainly had no business to +interfere; but the colonial government thought otherwise, and an +expedition was prepared.</p> + +<p>"The Caffres sent forward messengers declaring their wish to remain at +peace with the English, but refusing to submit to Gaika, who was only a +secondary chief, and whom they had conquered. No regard was paid to this +remonstrance; the English troops were sent forward, the Caffres attacked +in their hamlets, slaughtered or driven into the woods, 23,000 head of +cattle taken from them, of which 9,000 were given to Gaika, and the rest +distributed to the Dutch boors, or sold to defray part of the expenses +of the expedition.</p> + +<p>"Deprived of their means of subsistence by the capture of their cattle, +the Caffres were rendered furious reckless, and no sooner had the +expedition returned, than they commenced hostilities. They poured into +the frontier districts, captured several detached military forts, drove +the Dutch boors from the Zurweld, or neutral territory, and killed a +great many of our soldiers and of the Dutch boors. All the country was +overrun as far as the vicinity of Algoa Bay, and nothing could at first +check their progress."</p> + +<p>"Why, it really does not appear that the colonial government, when in +our hands, was more considerate than when it was held by the Dutch," +replied Alexander.</p> + +<p>"Not much, I fear," said Mr. Fairburn.</p> + +<p>"The councils of the Caffre chiefs were at that time much influenced by +a most remarkable personage of the name of Mokanna. In the colony he was +usually known by the sobriquet of 'Links,' or the left-handed. He was +not a chief, but had by his superior intellect obtained great power. He +gave himself out to be a prophet, and certainly showed quite as much +skill as ever did Mahommed or any other false prophet. He had often +visited Cape Town, and had made himself master of all that he could +acquire of European knowledge.</p> + +<p>"This man, by his influence, his superior eloquence, and his pretended +revelations from heaven, was now looked up to by the whole Caffre +nation; and he promised the chiefs, if they would implicitly obey his +orders, he would lead them to victory, and that he would drive the +English into the ocean. He resolved upon the bold measure of making an +attack upon Graham's Town, and marched an army of between nine and ten +thousand men to the forest bordering on the Great Fish River.</p> + +<p>"According to the custom of the Caffres, who never use surprise or +ambush on great occasions, they sent a message to the commandant of +Graham's Town, stating that they would breakfast with him the next +morning. The commandant, who had supposed the message to be a mere +bravado, was very ill prepared when on the following morning he +perceived, to his great astonishment, the whole force of the Caffres on +the heights above the town.</p> + +<p>"Had the Caffres advanced in the night, there is no doubt but that they +would have had possession of the place, and that with the greatest ease. +There were about 350 regular troops and a small force of Hottentots in +Graham's Town, and fortunately a few field-pieces. The Caffres rushed to +the assault, and for some time were not to be checked; they went up to +the very muzzles of the field-pieces, and broke their spears off short, +to decide the battle by a hand-to-hand conflict.</p> + +<p>"At this critical moment, the field-pieces opened their fire of grape +and canister, and the front ranks of the Caffres were mowed down like +grass. After several rallyings under Mokanna, the Caffres gave way and +fled. About 1400 of the bravest remained on the field of battle, and as +many more perished from their wounds before they could regain their +country. Mokanna, after using every exertion, accompanied the Caffre +army in their flight."</p> + +<p>"It certainly was a bold attempt on the part of the Caffres, and showed +Mokanna to be a great man even in the failure."</p> + +<p>"It was so unprecedented an attempt, that the colonial government were +dreadfully alarmed, and turned out their whole force of militia as well +as of regular troops. The Caffre country was again overrun, the +inhabitants destroyed, without distinction of age or sex, their hamlets +fired, cattle driven away, and when they fled to the thickets, they were +bombarded with shells and Congreve rockets. Mokanna and the principal +chiefs were denounced as outlaws, and the inhabitants threatened with +utter extermination if they did not deliver them up dead or alive. +Although driven to despair, and perishing from want, not a single Caffre +was to be found who would earn the high reward offered for the surrender +of the chiefs."</p> + +<p>"The more I hear of them, the more I admire the Caffres," observed +Alexander Wilmot; "and I may add—but never mind, pray go on."</p> + +<p>"I think I could supply the words which you have checked, Mr. Wilmot, +but I will proceed, or dinner will be announced before I have finished +this portion of my history."</p> + +<p>"The course adopted by Mokanna under these circumstances was such as +will raise him much higher in your estimation. As he found that his +countrymen were to be massacred until he and the other chiefs were +delivered up, dead or alive, he resolved to surrender himself as a +hostage for his country. He sent a message to say that he would do so, +and the next day, with a calm magnanimity that would have done honor to +a Roman patriot, he came, unattended, to the English camp. His words +were 'People say that I have occasioned this war: let me see if my +delivering myself up will restore peace to my country.' The commanding +officer, to whom he surrendered himself, immediately forwarded him as a +prisoner to the colony."</p> + +<p>"What became of him?"</p> + +<p>"Of that hereafter; but I wish here to give you the substance of a +speech made by one of Mokanna's head men, who came after Mokanna's +surrender into the English camp. I am told that the imperfect notes +taken of it afford but a very faint idea of its eloquence; at all +events, the speech gives a very correct view of the treatment which the +Caffres received from our hands.</p> + +<p>"'This war,' said he, 'British chiefs, is an unjust one, for you are +trying to extirpate a people whom you have forced to take up arms. When +our fathers and the fathers of the boors first settled on the Zurweld, +they dwelt together in peace. Their flocks grazed the same hills, their +herdsmen smoked out of the same pipe; they were brothers until the herds +of the Amakosa (Caffres) increased so much as to make the hearts of the +Dutch boors sore. What those covetous men could not get from our fathers +for old buttons, they took by force. Our fathers were men; they loved +their cattle; their wives and children lived upon milk; they fought for +their property; they began to hate the colonists, who coveted their all, +and aimed at their destruction.</p> + +<p>"'Now their kraals and our fathers' kraals were separate. The boors made +commandoes for our fathers; our fathers drove them out of the Zurweld, +and we dwelt there because we had conquered it; there we married wives; +there our children were born; the white men hated us, but could not +drive us away; when there was war, we plundered you; when there was +peace, some of our bad people stole; but our chiefs forbade it.</p> + +<p>"'We lived in peace; some bad people stole, perhaps; but the nation was +quiet; Gaika stole; his chiefs stole; you sent him copper; you sent him +beads; you sent him horses, on which he rode to steal more; to <i>us</i> you +only sent <i>commandoes</i>. We quarreled with Gaika about grass;—no +business of yours; you send a commando; you take our last cow; you leave +only a few calves, which die for want, and so do our children; you give +half the spoil to Gaika; half you kept yourselves.</p> + +<p>"'Without milk; our corn destroyed; we saw our wives and children +perish; we followed, therefore, the tracks of our cattle into the +colony; we plundered, and we fought for our lives; we found you weak, +and we destroyed your soldiers; we saw that we were strong, and we +attacked your headquarters, and if we had succeeded, our right was good, +for you began the war; we failed, and you are here.</p> + +<p>"We wish for peace; we wish to rest in our huts; we wish to get milk for +our children; our wives wish to till the land; but your troops cover the +plains, and swarm in the thickets, where they can not distinguish the +men from the women, and shoot <i>all</i>. You wish us to submit to Gaika; +that man's face is fair to you, but his heart is false; leave him to +himself; make peace with us: let him fight for himself; and we shall not +call upon you for help; set Mokanna at liberty, and all our chiefs will +make peace with you at any time you fix; but if you still make war, you +may indeed kill the last man of us, but Gaika shall not rule over the +followers of those who think him a woman.'</p> + +<p>"If eloquence consists (as it does not in the English House of Commons) +in saying much in few words, I know no speech more comprehensive of the +facts and arguments of a case than the above. I am sorry to say it had +no effect in altering the destination of Mokanna, or of obtaining any +relief for his countrymen, who were still called upon to deliver up the +other chiefs <i>outlawed</i> by the government."</p> + +<p>"I before remarked the absurdity of that expression," said Mr. Swinton; +"we outlaw a member of our own society and belonging to our own country; +but to <i>outlaw</i> the chiefs of another country is something too absurd; I +fear the English language is not much studied at the Cape."</p> + +<p>"At all events, every attempt made to obtain possession of these +<i>outlawed</i> chiefs was unavailing. After plundering the country of all +that could be found in it, leaving devastation and misery behind, the +expedition returned without obtaining their object, but with the +satisfaction of knowing that by taking away 30,000 more cattle, they +left thousands of women and children to die of starvation. But I must +leave off now. The results of the war, and the fate of Mokanna, shall be +the subject of another meeting."</p> + +<p>"We are much obliged to you, Mr. Fairburn, for the interesting narrative +you have given us. It is, however, to be hoped that you will have no +more such painful errors and injustice to dwell upon."</p> + +<p>"As I before observed, Mr. Wilmot, it requires time for prejudice and +falsehood to be overthrown; and until they are mastered, it can not be +expected that justice can be administered. The colonial government had +to contend with the whole white population of the colony who rose up in +arms against them, considering, from long habit, that any interference +with their assumed despotism over the natives was an infringement of +their rights.</p> + +<p>"You must also recollect how weak was the power of the colonial +government for a long time, and how impossible it was to exert that +power over such an extensive country; and to give you some idea of this, +I will state what was the reply of some of the Dutch boors to the +traveler La Vaillant, when the latter expressed his opinion that the +government should interfere with an armed force to put an end to their +cruelty and oppression.</p> + +<p>"'Are you aware,' said they, 'what would be the result of such an +attempt?—Assembling all in an instant, we would massacre half of the +soldiers, salt their flesh, and send it back by those we might spare, +with threats to do the same thing to those who should be bold enough to +appear among us afterward.' It is not an easy task for any government to +deal with such a set of people, Mr. Wilmot."</p> + +<p>"I grant it," replied Alexander; "and the conviction makes me more +anxious to know what has been since done."</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_VI'></a><h2>CHAPTER VI.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>The following morning the wind was very slight, and before noon it fell +calm. Two sharks of a large size came under the stern of the vessel, and +the sailors were soon very busy trying to hook one of them; but they +refused the bait, which was a piece of salt pork, and after an hour they +quitted the vessel and disappeared, much to the disappointment of both +passengers and ship's company, the former wishing very much to see the +sharks caught, and the latter very anxious to cut them up and fry them +for their suppers.</p> + +<p>"I thought that sharks always took the bait," observed Alexander.</p> + +<p>"Not always, as you have now seen," replied Mr. Swinton; "all depends +upon whether they are hungry or not. In some harbors where there are +plenty of fish, I have seen sharks in hundreds, which not only refused +any bait, but would not attempt to seize a man if he was in the water; +but I am surprised at these Atlantic sharks refusing the bait, I must +confess, for they are generally very ravenous, as are, indeed, all the +sharks which are found in the ocean."</p> + +<p>"I can tell you, sir, why they refused the bait," said the boatswain of +the vessel, who was standing by; "it's because we are now on the track +of the Brazilian slavers, and they have been well fed lately, depend +upon it."</p> + +<p>"I should not be surprised if you were correct in your idea," replied +Mr. Swinton.</p> + +<p>"There are many varieties of sharks, are there not?" inquired Wilmot.</p> + +<p>"Yes, a great many; the fiercest, however, and the largest kind is the +one which has just left us, and is termed the white shark; it ranges the +whole Atlantic Ocean, but is seldom found far to the northward, as it +prefers the tropics: it is, however, to be seen in the Mediterranean, in +the Gulf of Lyons, and is there remarkably fierce. In the English +Channel you find the blue shark, which is seldom dangerous; there is +also a very large-sized but harmless shark found in the north seas, +which the whalers frequent. Then there is the spotted or tiger-shark, +which is very savage, although it does not grow to a large size; the +hammer-headed shark, so called from the peculiar formation of its head; +and the ground shark, perhaps the most dangerous of all, as it lies at +the bottom and rises under you without giving you notice of its +approach. I believe I have now mentioned the principal varieties."</p> + +<p>"If a man was to fall overboard and a shark was nigh, what would be the +best plan to act upon—that is, if there would be any chance of escape +from such a brute?"</p> + +<p>"The best plan, and I have seen it acted upon with success, is, if you +can swim well, to throw yourself on your back and splash as much as you +can with your feet, and halloo as loud as you can. A shark is a cowardly +animal, and noise will drive it away.</p> + +<p>"When I went out two or three years ago, I had a Newfoundland dog, which +was accustomed to leap into the water from almost any height. I was very +partial to him, and you may imagine my annoyance when, one day, as we +were becalmed along the Western Islands, and a large shark came up +alongside, the dog, at once perceiving it, plunged off the taffrail to +seize it, swimming toward the shark, and barking as loud as he could. I +fully expected that the monster would have dispatched him in a moment; +but to my surprise the shark was frightened and swam away, followed by +the dog, until the boat that was lowered down picked him up."</p> + +<p>"I don't think the shark could have been very hungry."</p> + +<p>"Probably not; at all events I should not have liked to have been in +Neptune's place. I think the most peculiar plan of escaping from sharks +is that pursued by the Cingalese divers, and often with success."</p> + +<p>"Tell me, if you please."</p> + +<p>"The divers who go down for the pearl oysters off Ceylon generally drop +from a boat, and descend in ten or twelve fathoms of water before they +come to the bed of pearl oysters, which is upon a bank of mud: it often +happens that when they are down, the sharks make for them, and I hardly +need say that these poor fellows are constantly on the watch, looking in +every direction while they are filling their baskets. If they perceive a +shark making for them, their only chance is to stir up the mud on the +bank as fast as they can, which prevents the animal from distinguishing +them, and under the cover of the clouded water they regain the surface; +nevertheless, it does not always answer, and many are taken off every +year."</p> + +<p>"A lady, proud of her pearl necklace, little thinks how many poor +fellows may have been torn to pieces to obtain for her such an +ornament."</p> + +<p>"Very true; and when we consider how many pearl-fisheries may have taken +place, and how many divers may have been destroyed, before a string of +fine pearls can be obtained, we might almost say that every pearl on the +necklace has cost the life of a human creature."</p> + +<p>"How are the pearls disposed of, and who are the proprietors?"</p> + +<p>"The government are the proprietors of the fishery, I believe; but +whether they farm it out yearly, or not, I can not tell; but this I +know, that as the pearl oysters are taken, they are landed unopened and +packed upon the beach in squares of a certain dimension. When the +fishing is over for the season, these square lots of pearl oysters are +put up to auction, and sold to the highest bidder, of course 'contents +unknown;' so that it becomes a species of lottery; the purchaser may not +find a single pearl in his lot, or he may find two or three, which will +realize twenty times the price which he has paid for his lot."</p> + +<p>"It is, then, a lottery from beginning to end; the poor divers' lottery +is shark or no shark; the purchasers', pearls or no pearls. But Mr. +Fairburn is coming up the ladder, and I am anxious to know what was the +fate of Mokanna."</p> + +<p>Mr. Fairburn, who had come on deck on purpose to continue the narrative, +took his seat by his two fellow passengers and went on as follows:—</p> + +<p>"I stated that Mokanna had been forwarded to the Cape. You must have +perceived that his only crime was that of fighting for his native land +against civilized invaders; but this was a deep crime in the eyes of the +colonial government; he was immediately thrown into the common gaol, and +finally was condemned to be imprisoned for life on Robben Island, a +place appropriated for the detention of convicted felons and other +malefactors, who there work in irons at the slate-quarries."</p> + +<p>"May I ask, where is Robben Island?"</p> + +<p>"It is an island a few miles from the mainland, close to Table Bay, upon +which the Cape Town is built.</p> + +<p>"Mokanna remained there about a year, when, having made his intentions +known to some Caffres who were confined there with him, he contrived out +of the iron hoops of the casks to make some weapons like cutlasses, with +which he armed his followers, rose upon the guard and overpowered them; +he then seized the boat, and with his Caffres made for the mainland. +Unfortunately, in attempting to disembark upon the rocks of the +mainland, the boat was upset in the surf, which was very violent; +Mokanna clung some time to a rock, but at last was washed off, and thus +perished the unfortunate leader of the Caffres."</p> + +<p>"Poor fellow," said Alexander; "he deserved a better fate and a more +generous enemy; but did the war continue?"</p> + +<p>"No; it ended in a manner every way worthy of that in which it was +begun. You recollect that the war was commenced to support Gaika, our +selected chief of the Caffres, against the real chiefs. The Caffres had +before been compelled to give up their territories on our side of the +Fish River; the colonial government now insisted upon their retiring +still further, that is, beyond the Keisi and Chumi rivers, by which +3,000 more square miles were added to the colonial territory. This was +exacted, in order that there might be a neutral ground to separate the +Caffres and the Dutch boors, and put an end to further robberies on +either side. The strangest part of the story is, that this territory was +not taken away from the Caffre chiefs, against whom we had made war, but +from Gaika, our ally, to support whom we had entered into the war."</p> + +<p>"Well, it was even-handed—not justice, but injustice, at all events."</p> + +<p>"Exactly so; and so thought Gaika, for when speaking of the protection +he received from the colonial government, he said, 'But when I look upon +the large extent of fine country which has been taken from me, I am +compelled to say, that, although protected, I am <i>rather oppressed</i> by +my <i>protectors</i>.'"</p> + +<p>"Unjust as was the mode of obtaining the neutral ground, I must say that +it appears to me to have been a good policy to put one between the +parties."</p> + +<p>"I grant it; but what was the conduct of the colonial government? This +neutral ground was afterward given away in large tracts to the Dutch +boors, so as again to bring them into contact with the Caffres."</p> + +<p>"Is it possible?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; to men who had always been opposed to the English government, who +had twice risen in rebellion against them, and who had tried to bring in +the Caffres to destroy the colony. Neither were the commandoes, or +excursions against the Caffres, put an end to: Makomo, the son of Gaika, +our late ally, has, I hear, been the party now attacked. I trust, +however, that we may soon have affairs going on in a more favorable and +reputable manner; indeed, I am sure that, now the government at home +have been put in possession of the facts, such will be the case.</p> + +<p>"I have now given you a very brief insight into the history of the Cape +up to the present time. There are many points which I have passed over, +not wishing to diverge from a straightforward narrative; but upon any +questions you may wish to ask, I shall be most happy to give you all the +information in my power. I can not, however, dismiss the subject +without making one remark, which is, that it is principally, if not +wholly, to the missionaries, to their exertions and to their +representations, that what good has been done is to be attributed. They +are entitled to the greatest credit and the warmest praise; and great as +has been the misrule of this colony for many years, it would have been +much greater and much more disgraceful, if it had not been for their +efforts. Another very important alteration has been taking place in the +colony, which will eventually be productive of much good. I refer to the +British immigration, which every year becomes more extensive; and as +soon as the British population exceeds and masters that of the old Dutch +planters and boors, we shall have better feeling in the colony. Do not +suppose that all the Dutch boors are such as those whose conduct I have +been obliged to point out. There are many worthy men, although but few +educated or enlightened.</p> + +<p>"I know from my own observation that the failings and prejudices against +the natives are fast fading away, and that lately the law has been able +to hold its ground, and has been supported by the people inhabiting the +districts. The Dutch, with all their prejudices and all their vices, +will soon be swallowed up by the inundation of English settlers, and +will gradually be so incorporated and intermingled by marriage that no +distinction will be known. Time, however, is required for such +consolidation and cementation; that time is arriving fast, and the +future prospects of the Cape are as cheering, as you may think, from my +narrative, they have been disheartening and gloomy."</p> + +<p>"I trust in God that such will be the case," replied Alexander. "If this +wind continues, in a few days we shall be at the Cape, and I shall be +most anxious to hear how affairs are going on."</p> + +<p>"I had a letter just before I set out from England, stating that the +Zoolu tribes, to the northward of the Caffres, are in an unquiet state; +and as you must pass near to these tribes on your journey, I am anxious +to know the truth. At all events, Chaka is dead; he was murdered about +two years back by his own relations."</p> + +<p>"Who was Chaka?" inquired Alexander.</p> + +<p>"That I have yet to tell you; at present we have only got as far as the +Caffres, who are immediately on our frontiers."</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_VII'></a><h2>CHAPTER VII.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>The wind continued fair, and the vessel rapidly approached the Cape. +Alexander, who had contracted a great friendship for Mr. Swinton, had +made known to him the cause of his intended journey into the interior, +and the latter volunteered, if his company would not be displeasing, to +accompany Alexander on his tedious and somewhat perilous expedition.</p> + +<p>Alexander gladly accepted the offer, and requested Mr. Swinton would put +himself to no expense, as he had unlimited command of money from his +grand-uncle, and Mr. Swinton's joining the caravan would make no +difference in his arrangements.</p> + +<p>After it had been agreed that they should travel together, the continued +subject of discourse and discussion was the nature of the outfit, the +number of wagons, their equipment, the stores, the number of horses and +oxen which should he provided; and they were busy every day adding to +their memoranda as to what it would be advisable to procure for their +journey.</p> + +<p>Mr. Fairburn often joined in the discussion, and gave his advice, but +told them that, when they arrived at Cape Town, he might be more useful +to them. Alexander, who, as we have before observed, was a keen hunter, +and very partial to horses and dogs, promised himself much pleasure in +the chase of the wild animals on their journey, and congratulated +himself upon being so well provided with guns and rifles, which he had +brought with him, more with the idea that they might be required for +self-defense than for sport.</p> + +<p>At last, "Land, ho!" was cried out by the man who was at the mast-head +in the morning watch, and soon afterward, the flat top of Table Mountain +was distinctly visible from the deck. The <i>Surprise</i>, running before a +fresh breeze, soon neared the land, so that the objects on it might be +perceived with a glass. At noon they were well in for the bay, and +before three o'clock the <i>Surprise</i> was brought to an anchor between two +other merchant vessels, which were filling up their home cargoes.</p> + +<p>After a three months' voyage, passengers are rather anxious to get on +shore; and therefore before night all were landed, and Alexander found +himself comfortably domiciled in one of the best houses in Cape Town; +for Mr. Fairburn had, during the passage, requested Alexander to take up +his abode with him.</p> + +<p>Tired with the excitement of the day, he was not sorry to go to bed +early, and he did not forget to return his thanks to Him who had +preserved him through the perils of the voyage.</p> + +<p>The next morning Mr. Fairburn said to Alexander—</p> + +<p>"Mr. Wilmot, I should recommend you for the first ten days to think +nothing about your journey. Amuse yourself with seeing the public +gardens, and other things worthy of inspection; or, if it pleases you, +you can make the ascent of Table Mountain with your friend Swinton. At +all events, do just as you please; you will find my people attentive, +and ready to obey your orders. You know the hours of meals; consider +yourself at home, and as much master here as I am. As you may well +imagine, after so long an absence, I have much to attend to in my +official capacity, and I think it will be a week or ten days before I +shall be comfortably reseated in my office, and have things going on +smoothly, as they ought to do. You must therefore excuse me if I am not +quite so attentive a host at first as I should wish to be. One thing +only I recommend you to do at present, which is, to accompany me this +afternoon to Government-house, that I may introduce you to the governor. +It is just as well to get over that mark of respect which is due to him, +and then you will be your own master."</p> + +<p>Alexander replied with many thanks. He was graciously received by the +governor, who promised him every assistance in his power in the +prosecution of his journey. Having received an invitation for dinner on +the following day, Alexander bowed and took his leave in company with +Mr. Fairburn.</p> + +<p>On the following day Alexander was visited by Mr. Swinton. Mr. Swinton +was accompanied by a major in the Bengal Cavalry, whom he introduced as +Major Henderson. He had arrived a few days before from Calcutta, having +obtained leave of absence for the recovery of his health, after a smart +jungle-fever, which had nearly proved fatal. The voyage, however, had +completely reinstated him, and he appeared full of life and spirits. +They walked together to the Company's gardens, in which were a few +lions, and some other Cape animals, and the discourse naturally turned +upon them. Major Henderson described the hunting in India, especially +the tiger-hunting on elephants, to which he was very partial; and +Alexander soon discovered that he was talking to one who was +passionately fond of the sport. After a long conversation they parted, +mutually pleased with each other. A day or two afterward, Mr. Swinton, +who had been talking about their intended journey with Alexander, said +to him:—</p> + +<p>"You must not be surprised at the off-hand and unceremonious way we have +in the colonies. People meeting abroad, even Englishmen occasionally, +throw aside much ceremony. I mention this, because Major Henderson +intends to call this afternoon, and propose joining our party into the +interior. I do not know much of him, but I have heard much said in his +favor, and it is easy to see by his manners and address that he is a +gentleman. Of course, when he stated his intention, I could do nothing +but refer him to you, which I did. What do you think, Wilmot?"</p> + +<p>"I think very well of Major Henderson, and I consider that, as the +journey must be one of some peril, the more Europeans the better, +especially when we can find one who is used to danger from his +profession, and also to dangerous hunting, which we must also expect. So +far from not wishing him to join us, I consider him a most valuable +acquisition, and am delighted at the idea."</p> + +<p>"Well, I am glad to hear you say so, for I agree with you. He is hunting +mad, that is certain, and I hear, a most remarkable shot. I think with +you he will be an acquisition. It appears that it was his intention to +have gone into the interior, even if he went by himself; and he has two +Arab horses which he brought with him from India with that view."</p> + +<p>"If you see him before he comes, you may say that you have stated his +wishes to me, and that I am quite delighted at his joining our +party,—it being perfectly understood that he is at no expense for any +thing connected with the outfit."</p> + +<p>"I will tell him so," replied Swinton; "and I think the sooner we begin +to collect what is necessary the better. We must have Major Henderson in +our councils. Depend upon it, he will be very useful and very active; +so, for the present, farewell."</p> + +<p>Mr. Swinton and Major Henderson called together that afternoon, and the +latter, as soon as he was admitted into the party, began to talk over +the plans and preparations.</p> + +<p>"My suite is not very large," said he; "I have two horses and two dogs, +a Parsee servant, and a Cape baboon. I should like to take the latter +with us as well as my servant. My servant, because he is a good cook; +and my monkey, because, if we are hard put to it, she will show us what +we may eat and what we may not; there is no taster like a monkey. +Besides, she is young and full of tricks, and I like something to amuse +me."</p> + +<p>"The baboons have another good quality: they give notice of danger +sooner than a dog," observed Swinton. "I think, Wilmot, we must admit +the monkey into the party."</p> + +<p>"I shall be most happy," replied Alexander, laughing; "pray give her my +compliments, Major Henderson, and say how happy I shall be."</p> + +<p>"I call her Begum," said Major Henderson; "because she is so like the +old Begum princess whom I was once attending, when in India with my +troop, as guard of honor. You must look out for some good horses, Mr. +Wilmot; you will want a great many, and if you do not wish them to have +sore backs, don't let the Hottentots ride them."</p> + +<p>"We have been discussing the point, Major Henderson, as to whether it +will not be better to go round in a vessel to Algoa Bay, complete our +equipment there, and make that our starting place."</p> + +<p>"If you do, you will save a long journey by land, and find yourself not +very far from what I understand are the best of hunting-grounds, near to +the country of the Vaal River."</p> + +<p>The topics then dwelt upon were what articles they should procure in +Cape Town, and what they should defer providing themselves with until +their arrival at Algoa Bay. They agreed to provide all their stores at +Cape Town, and as many good horses as they could select; but the wagons +and oxen, and the hiring of Hottentots, they put off until they arrived +at Algoa Bay.</p> + +<p>Mr. Fairburn was now more at leisure, and Alexander had more of his +society. One evening after dinner Mr. Fairburn had opened a map of the +country, to give Alexander some information relative to his projected +journey. He pointed out to him the track which appeared most advisable +through the Caffre country, and then observed that it was difficult to +give any advice as to his proceedings after he had passed this country, +governed by Hinza, as every thing would depend upon circumstances.</p> + +<p>"Do you know any thing of the country beyond?"</p> + +<p>"Not much; we know that it was overrun by the Zoolus, the tribe of which +Chaka was the chief; and last year our troops went to the assistance of +the Caffres, who were attacked by another tribe from the northward, +called the Mantatees. These were dispersed by our troops with immense +slaughter. The Zoolu country, you perceive, is on the east side of the +great chain of mountains, and to the northward of Port Natal. The +Mantatees came from the west side of the mountains, in about the same +parallel of latitude. It is impossible to say what may be going on at +present, or what may take place before you arrive at your destination, +as these northern irruptions are continual."</p> + +<p>"You promised me the history of that person, Chaka."</p> + +<p>"You shall have it now: he was the king of the Zoolu nation—I hardly +know what to call him. He was the Nero and the Napoleon of Africa; a +monster in cruelty and crime, yet a great warrior and conqueror. He +commenced his career by murdering his relatives to obtain the +sovereignty. As soon as he had succeeded, he murdered all those whom he +thought inimical to him, and who had been friends to his relatives."</p> + +<p>"But are the Zoolus Caffres?"</p> + +<p>"No; but there are many races to the northward which we consider as +Caffre races. You may have observed, in the history of the world, that +the migrations of the human race are generally from the north to the +south: so it appears to have been in Africa. Some convulsion among the +northern tribes, probably a pressure from excessive population, had +driven the Zoolus to the southward, and they came down like an +inundation, sweeping before them all the tribes that fell in their path. +Chaka's force consisted of nearly 100,000 warriors, of whom 15,000 were +always in attendance to execute his orders. In every country which he +overran he spared neither age nor sex; it was one indiscriminate +slaughter."</p> + +<p>"What a monster!"</p> + +<p>"He ruled by terror, and it is incredible that his orders met with such +implicit obedience. To make his army invincible, he remodeled it, +divided it into companies, distinguished by the color of their shields, +and forbade them to use any other weapon but a short stabbing-spear, so +that they always fought at close quarters. He weeded his army by picking +out 1000 of his veteran warriors, who had gained his victories, and +putting them to death. Any regiment sent out to battle, if they were +defeated, were instantly destroyed on their return; it was, therefore, +victory or death with them; and the death was most cruel, being that of +impalement. Well he was surnamed 'the Bloody,'"</p> + +<p>"Yes, indeed."</p> + +<p>"His tyranny over his own people was dreadful. On one occasion, a child +annoyed him; he ordered it to be killed; but the child ran among seventy +or eighty other children, and could not be distinguished, so he ordered +the whole to be put to death. He murdered two or three hundred of his +wives in one day. At the slightest suspicion he would order out his +chiefs to execution, and no one knew when his turn might come. His will +was law: every one trembled and obeyed. To enter into a detail of all +his cruelties would fill volumes; it will be sufficient to mention the +last act of his life. His mother died, and he declared that she had +perished by witchcraft. Hundreds and hundreds were impaled, and, at +last, tired of these slow proceedings, he ordered out his army to an +indiscriminate slaughter over the whole country, which lasted for +fourteen days."</p> + +<p>"How horrible!"</p> + +<p>"He was a demon who reveled in blood; but his own turn came at last. He +was murdered by his brother Dingaam, who knew that he was about to be +sacrificed; and thus perished the bloody Chaka. His brother Dingaam is +now on the Zoolu throne, and appears inclined to be quiet. There is +another great warrior chief named Moselekatsee, who revolted from Chaka, +and who is much such another character; but our accounts of these people +are vague at present, and require time to corroborate their correctness. +You will have to act and decide when you arrive there, and must be +guided by circumstances. With the caravan you propose to travel with, I +think there will not be much danger; and if there is, you must retreat. +The favor of these despots is easily to be obtained by judicious +presents, which of course you will not be unprovided with. I have +ordered your letters to the authorities to be made out, and you will +have the governor's signature to them. When do you propose to, start?"</p> + +<p>"We shall be ready in a few days, and have only to find a vessel going +to Algoa Bay."</p> + +<p>"You will be asked to take charge of several articles which are to be +sent to the missionary station which you will pass on your way. I +presume you have no objection?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly not; they deserve every encouragement, and any kindness and +attention I can show them will give me great pleasure."</p> + +<p>Alexander received many proposals from different parties who wished to +join the expedition, but they were all civilly declined. In a few days a +vessel arrived, which was about to go round to the settlement at Algoa +Bay. Their stores, horses, and dogs, not forgetting Begum the baboon, +were all embarked, and, taking leave of Mr. Fairburn and the governor, +Alexander, Major Henderson, and Mr. Swinton embarked, and on the evening +of the fourth day found themselves safe at anchor in company with ten or +twelve vessels which were lying in Algoa Bay.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_VIII'></a><h2>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>The vessels which lay at anchor in Algoa Bay had just arrived from +England, with a numerous collection of emigrants, who, to improve their +fortunes, had left their native land to settle in this country. Many had +landed, but the greater proportion were still on board of the vessels. +The debarkation was rapidly going on, and the whole bay was covered with +boats landing with people and stores, or returning for more. The wind +blowing from the westward, there was no surf on the beach; the sun was +bright and warm, and the scene was busy and interesting; but night came +on, and the panorama was closed in.</p> + +<p>Alexander and his companions remained on the deck of their vessel till +an undisturbed silence reigned where but an hour or two before all was +noise and bustle. The stars, so beautiful in the southern climes, shone +out in cloudless brilliancy; the waters of the bay were smooth as glass, +and reflected them so clearly that they might have fancied that there +was a heaven beneath as well as above them. The land presented a dark +opaque mass, the mountains in the distance appearing as if they were +close to them, and rising precipitately from the shore. All was of one +somber hue, except where the lights in the houses in the town twinkled +here and there, announcing that; some had not yet dismissed their +worldly cares, and sought repose from the labors of the day. Yet all +was silent, except occasionally the barking of a dog, or the voice of +the sentry in Fort Frederick, announcing that "all was well."</p> + +<p>"What a gathering in a small space of so many people with so many +different histories, so many causes for leaving their native land, and +with so many different fortunes in store for them, must there be on +board of an emigrant ship," observed Mr. Swinton.</p> + +<p>"Yet all united in one feeling, and instigated by the same desire,—that +of independence, and, if possible, of wealth," rejoined Major Henderson.</p> + +<p>"Of that there can be no doubt," said Alexander; "but it must be almost +like beginning a new life; so many ties broken by the vast ocean which +has separated them; new interests usurping the place of old ones; all +novelty and adventure to look forward to; new scenes added to new hopes +and new fears; but we must not remain too long even to watch these +beautiful heavens, for we must rise at daylight, so I shall set the +example, and wish you both good-night."</p> + +<p>At daylight on the following morning the long-boat was hoisted out, and +the horses safely conveyed on shore. After a hasty breakfast, Alexander +and his two companions landed, to see if it were possible to obtain any +roof under which they could shelter themselves; but the number of +emigrants who had arrived put that out of the question, every house and +every bed being engaged. This was a great disappointment, as they had no +wish to return on board and reoccupy the confined space which had been +allotted to them.</p> + +<p>Having found accommodation for their horses, they proceeded to examine +the town and resume their search for lodgings. The streets presented a +bustling and animated scene; wagons with goods, or returning empty with +their long teams of oxen; horses, sheep, and other animals, just landed; +loud talking; busy inquirers; running to and fro of men; Hottentots busy +with the gods, or smoking their pipes in idle survey; crates and boxes, +and packages of all descriptions, mixed up with agricultural implements +and ironware, lining each side of the road, upon which were seated +wives and daughters watching the property, and children looking round +with astonishment, or playing or crying.</p> + +<p>Further out of the town were to be seen tents pitched by the emigrants, +who had provided themselves with such necessaries before they had +quitted England, and who were bivouacking like so many gipsies, +independent of lodgings and their attendant expenses, and cooking their +own provisions in kettles or frying-pans. As Alexander perceived the +latter, he said, "At all events, we have found lodgings now; I never +thought of that."</p> + +<p>"How do you mean?"</p> + +<p>"I have two tents in the luggage I brought from Cape Town; we must get +them on shore, and do as these people have done."</p> + +<p>"Bravo! I am glad to hear that," replied Major Henderson; "any thing +better than remaining on board to be nibbled by the cockroaches. Shall +we return at once?"</p> + +<p>"By all means," said Mr. Swinton; "we have but to get our mattresses and +a few other articles."</p> + +<p>"Leave my man to do all that," said the Major; "he is used to it. In +India we almost live in tents when up the country. But here comes one +that I should know;—Maxwell, I believe?"</p> + +<p>"Even so, my dear Henderson," replied the military officer who had been +thus addressed; "why, what brought you here?—surely you are not a +settler?"</p> + +<p>"No; I am here because I am not a settler," replied Henderson, laughing; +"I am always on the move; I am merely on my own way with my two friends +here to shoot a hippopotamus. Allow me to introduce Mr. Wilmot and Mr. +Swinton. But I see you are on duty; are you in the fort?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; I came from Somerset about a month back. Can I be of any use to +you?"</p> + +<p>"That depends upon circumstances; we are now going on board for our +tents, to pitch them on the hill there, as we can get no lodgings."</p> + +<p>"Well, I can not offer you beds in the fort, but I think if you were to +pitch your tents outside the fort, on the glacis, you would be better +than on the hill; your baggage would be safer, and I should be more able +to render you any attention or assistance you may require."</p> + +<p>"An excellent idea; if it were only on account of the baggage," replied +Henderson; "we accept your offer with pleasure."</p> + +<p>"Well then, get them on shore as quick as you can; my men will soon have +them out for you and assist in transporting your luggage; and don't +distress yourself about your dinner, I will contrive to have something +cooked for you."</p> + +<p>"A friend in need is a friend indeed, my good fellow. We will accept +your offers as freely as they are made: so farewell for an hour or so."</p> + +<p>As they parted with Captain Maxwell, Henderson observed, "That was a +lucky meeting, for we shall now get on well. Maxwell is an excellent +fellow, and he will be very useful to us in making our purchases, as he +knows the people and the country: and our luggage will be safe from all +pilferers."</p> + +<p>"It is indeed very fortunate," replied Mr. Swinton. "Where did you know +Captain Maxwell?"</p> + +<p>"In India. We have often been out hunting tigers together. How he would +like to be of our party; but that is of course impossible."</p> + +<p>"But how shall we manage about our living, Major Henderson?" observed +Wilmot; "it will never do to quarter ourselves on your friend."</p> + +<p>"Of course not; we should soon eat up his pay and allowance. No, no; we +will find dinners, and he will help us to cook them first and eat them +afterward."</p> + +<p>"Upon such terms, I shall gladly take up my quarters in the fort," +replied Alexander. "But which is our boat out of all these?"</p> + +<p>"Here, sir," cried out one of the sailors; "come along, my lads," +continued he to the other men, who were lounging about, and who all +jumped into the boat, which pushed off, and they were soon on board of +the ship.</p> + +<p>As the master of the vessel was equally glad to get rid of his +passengers and their luggage as they were to leave, the utmost +expedition was used by all parties, and in a few hours everything was +landed, Begum, the baboon, being perched upon the stores conveyed in the +last boat. A party of soldiers sent down by Captain Maxwell assisted the +seamen to carry the various packages up to the fort, and before the +evening closed in, the tents were pitched, their beds made up, and their +baggage safely housed, while they were amusing themselves after dining +with Captain Maxwell, leaning on the parapet and watching the passing +and repassing of the boats which were unlading the vessels.</p> + +<p>As there was little chance of rain in the present season, they lay down +on their mattresses in perfect security and comfort, and did not wake up +the next morning until breakfast was ready. After breakfast they sallied +out with Captain Maxwell to look after wagons and oxen, and as, on the +arrival of the emigrants, a number of wagons had been sent down to take +them to their destinations, Captain Maxwell soon fell in with some of +the Dutch boors of the interior with whom he had been acquainted, and +who had come down with their wagons; but previous to making any +bargains, Alexander went with Captain Maxwell to the landroost, for whom +he had brought a letter from the governor.</p> + +<p>This gentleman immediately joined the party, and through his +intervention, before night, four excellent wagons with their tilts and +canvas coverings, and four span of oxen of fourteen each, were bought +and promised to be brought down and delivered up in good order, as soon +as they had carried up the freights with which they were charged.</p> + +<p>As these wagons could not return under four days, the next object that +they had in view was to procure some more horses, and here they met with +difficulty; for Major Henderson, who, as an excellent judge of horses, +was requested to select them, would not accept of many that were +offered. Still they had plenty of time, as the wagons would require +fitting out previous to their departure, and this would be a work of +some days; and many articles which they had decided to procure at Algoa +Bay, instead of the Cape, were now to be sought for and selected.</p> + +<p>At the time appointed, the wagons and teams were delivered over and paid +for. Carpenters were then engaged, and the wagons were fitted out with +lockers all round them, divided off to contain the luggage separate, so +that they might be able to obtain in a minute any thing that they might +require. While this work was proceeding, with the assistance of the +landroost, they were engaging Hottentots and other people to join the +expedition, some as drivers to the wagons, others as huntsmen, and to +perform such duties as might be required of them. Some very steady brave +men were selected, but it was impossible to make up the whole force +which they wished to take of people of known character; many of them +were engaged rather from their appearance, their promises, and the +characters they obtained from others or gave themselves, than from any +positive knowledge of them. This could not be avoided; and as they had +it in their power to dismiss them for bad conduct, it was to be presumed +that they could procure others.</p> + +<p>It was more than three weeks before every thing was ready for their +departure, and then the caravan was composed as follows:—</p> + +<p>The persons who belonged to it were our three gentlemen; the servant of +Major Henderson; eight drivers of the teams of oxen; twelve Hottentot +and other hunters (for some of them were of a mixed race); two +Hottentots who had charge of the horses, and two others who had charge +of a flock of Cape sheep, which were to follow the caravan, and serve as +food until they could procure oxen by purchase or game with their guns: +so that the whole force of the party amounted to twenty men: two +Hottentot women, wives of the principal men, also accompanied the +caravan to wash and assist in cooking.</p> + +<p>The animals belonging to the caravan consisted of fifty-six fine oxen, +which composed the teams; twelve horses, as Major Henderson could only +procure six at Algoa Bay, or they would have purchased more; thirteen +dogs of various sizes, and Begum, the baboon, belonging to Captain +Henderson: to these were to be added the flock of sheep.</p> + +<p>The wagons were fitted out as follows, chiefly under the direction of +Major Henderson and Mr. Swinton.</p> + +<p>The first wagon, which was called Mr. Wilmot's wagon, was fitted up with +boxes or lockers all round, and contained all the stores for their own +use, such as tea, sugar, coffee, cheeses, hams, tongues, biscuits, soap, +and wax candles, wine and spirits in bottles, besides large rolls of +tobacco for the Hottentots or presents, and Alexander's clothes; his +mattress lay at the bottom of the wagons, between the lockers. The wagon +was covered with a double sail-cloth tilt, and with curtains before and +behind; the carpenter's tools were also in one of the lockers of this +wagon.</p> + +<p>The second wagon was called Mr. Swinton's wagon; it was fitted up with +lockers in the same way as the other, but it had also a large chest with +a great quantity of drawers for insects, bottles of spirits for animals, +and every thing necessary for preserving them; a ream or two of paper +for drying plants, and several other articles, more particularly a +medicine-chest well filled, for Mr. Swinton was not unacquainted with +surgery and physic. The other lockers were filled with a large quantity +of glass beads and cutlery for presents, several hundred pounds of +bullets, ready cast, and all the kitchen ware and crockery. It had the +same covering as the first, and Mr. Swinton's mattress was at night +spread in the middle between the lockers.</p> + +<p>The third wagon was called the armory, or the Major's wagon; it was not +fitted up like the two first. The whole bottom of it was occupied with +movable chests, and four large casks of spirits, and the Major made up +his bed on the top of the chests. In the chests were gunpowder in +bottles and a quantity of small shot for present use; tobacco in large +rolls; 1 cwt. of snuff; all the heavy tools, spades, shovels, and axes, +and a variety of other useful articles.</p> + +<p>The tilt-frame was much stouter than that of the two other wagons, for +the hoops met each other so as to make it solid. It was covered with a +tarred sail-cloth so as to be quite water-proof, and under the +tilt-frame were suspended all the guns, except the two which Alexander +and Mr. Swinton retained in their own wagons in case of emergency. The +back and front of this wagon were closed with boards, which were let +down and pulled up on hinges, so that it was a little fortress in case +of need; and as it could be locked up at any time, the Hottentots were +not able to get at the casks of spirits without committing a sort of +burglary. Begum was tied up in this wagon at night.</p> + +<p>The fourth wagon was called the store wagon, and contained several +articles which were not immediately wanted; such as casks of flour and +bags of rice: it also held most of the ammunition, having six casks of +gunpowder, a quantity of lead, two coils of rope, iron bars, bags of +nails of various sizes, rolls of brass wire, and the two tents, with +three chairs and a small table. Like the wagon of Major Henderson, it +was covered with water-proof cloth.</p> + +<p>Such was the fit-out which was considered necessary for this adventurous +expedition, and the crowds who came to see the preparations for the +great hunting-party, as it was called, were so great and so annoying +that the utmost haste was made to quit the town. At last the wagons were +all loaded, the Hottentots collected together from the liquor-shops, +their agreements read to them by the landroost, and any departure from +their agreements, or any misconduct, threatened with severe punishment.</p> + +<p>The horses and oxen were brought in, and the next morning was fixed for +their departure. Having taken leave of the landroost and other gentlemen +of the town, who had loaded them with civilities, they retired to the +fort, and passed the major part of the night with Captain Maxwell; but +to avoid the crowd which would have accompanied them, and have impeded +their progress, they had resolved to set off before daylight. At two +o'clock in the morning the Hottentots were roused up, the oxen yoked, +and an hour before day-break the whole train had quitted the town, and +were traveling at a slow pace, lighted only by the brilliant stars of +the southern sky.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_IX'></a><h2>CHAPTER IX.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>The plans of our travelers had been well digested. They had decided that +they would first prosecute the object of their journey by proceeding +straight through the Caffre country to the borders of the Undata River, +near or whereabout it was reported that the descendants of the whites +would be found located; and as soon as Alexander had accomplished his +mission, that they would cross the chain of mountains, and return +through the Bushmen and the Koranna country. Their reason for making +this arrangement was, that throughout the whole of the Caffre country, +with the exception of lions and elephants in the forest, and hippopotami +in the rivers, there was little or no game to be found, the Caffres +having almost wholly destroyed it.</p> + +<p>This plan had been suggested by Major Henderson, and had been approved +by Alexander and Mr. Swinton,—Alexander being equally desirous as the +Major to have plenty of field-sport, and Mr. Swinton anxious to increase +his stock and knowledge of the animal kingdom. There was little to be +feared in their advance through the Caffre country, as the missionaries +had already planted two missions, one at Butterworth and the other at +Chumie; and the first of these Alexander had decided upon visiting, and +had, in consequence, several packages in his wagon, which had been +entrusted to his care.</p> + +<p>It was on the 7th of May, 1829, that the caravan quitted Algoa Bay for +Graham's Town. The weather had been for some weeks fine, the heavy rains +having ceased, and the pasturage was now luxuriant; the wagons proceeded +at a noiseless pace over the herbage, the sleepy Hottentots not being at +all inclined to exert themselves unnecessarily. Alexander, Swinton, and +Henderson were on horseback, a little ahead of the first wagon.</p> + +<p>"I don't know how you feel," said the Major; "but I feel as if I were a +prisoner just released from his chains. I breathe the air of +independence and liberty now. After the bustle, and noise, and crowding +together of the town, to find ourselves here so quiet and solitary is +freedom."</p> + +<p>"I had the same feeling," replied Alexander; "this wide-extended plain, +of which we can not yet discern the horizontal edge; these brilliant +stars scattered over the heavens, and shining down upon us; no sound to +meet our ears but the creaking of the wagon-wheels in the slow and +measured pace, is to me delightful. They say man is formed for society, +and so he is; but it is very delightful occasionally to be alone."</p> + +<p>"Yes; alone as we are," replied Swinton, laughing; "that is, with a +party of thirty people, well armed, in search of adventure. To be clear +of the bustle of the town, and no longer cooped up in the fort, is +pleasant enough; but, I suspect, to be quite alone in these African +wilds would be any thing but agreeable."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps so."</p> + +<p>"Neither would you feel so much at ease if you knew that your chance of +to-morrow's dinner was to depend wholly upon what you might procure with +your gun. There is a satisfaction in knowing that you have four +well-filled wagons behind you."</p> + +<p>"I grant that also," replied the Major; "but still there is solitude +even with this company, and I feel it."</p> + +<p>"A solitary caravan—but grant that there is some difference between +that and a solitary individual," rejoined Swinton; "however, we have not +come to solitude yet, for we shall find Dutch boors enough between this +and Graham's Town."</p> + +<p>"I think, Wilmot," observed Henderson, "that I should, if I were you, +proceed by slow stages at first, that we may get our men into some kind +of order and discipline, and also that we may find out whether there are +any who will not suit us; we can discharge them at Graham's Town, and +procure others in their place, at the same time that we engage our +interpreters and guides."</p> + +<p>"I think your plan very good," replied Alexander; "besides, we shall not +have our wagons properly laden and arranged until we have been out three +or four days."</p> + +<p>"One thing is absolutely necessary, which is, to have a guard kept +every night," said Swinton; "and there ought to be two men on guard at a +time; for one of them is certain to fall asleep, if not both. I know the +Hottentots well."</p> + +<p>"They will be excellent guards, by your account," said Alexander; +"however, the dogs will serve us more faithfully."</p> + +<p>"I do not mean my remark to include all Hottentots; some are very +faithful, and do their duty; but it comprehends the majority."</p> + +<p>"Are they courageous?" inquired Alexander.</p> + +<p>"Yes, certainly, they may be considered as a brave race of men; but +occasionally there is a poltroon, and, like all cowards, he brags more +than the rest."</p> + +<p>"I've a strong suspicion that we have one of that kind among our +hunters," replied Henderson; "however, it is not fair to prejudge; I may +be mistaken."</p> + +<p>"I think I know which you refer to, nevertheless," said Alexander; "it +is the great fellow that they call Big Adam."</p> + +<p>"You have hit upon the man, and to a certain degree corroborated my +opinion of him. But the day is dawning, the sun will soon be above those +hills."</p> + +<p>"When we stop, I will have some grease put to those wagon-wheels," said +Alexander.</p> + +<p>"I fear it will be of little use," replied the Major; "creak they will. +I don't know whether the oxen here are like those in India; but this I +know, that the creaking of the carts and hackeries there is fifty times +worse than this. The natives never grease the wheels; they say the oxen +would not go on if they did not hear the music behind them."</p> + +<p>"Besides, the creaking of the wheels will by and by be of service; when +we are traveling through grass higher than our heads, we shall not be +able to stop behind a minute, if we have not the creaking of the wheels +to direct us how to follow."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, I suppose we must save our grease," said Alexander.</p> + +<p>"In a very few days you will be so accustomed to it," said the Major, +"that if it were to cease, you would feel the loss of it."</p> + +<p>"Well, it may be so; use is second nature; but at present I feel as if +the loss would be gain. There is the sun just showing himself above the +hill. Shall we halt or go on?"</p> + +<p>"Go on for another hour, and the men can thus examine the traces and the +wagons by daylight, and then, when we stop, we can remedy any defects."</p> + +<p>"Be it so; there is a house, is there not, on the rising ground, as far +as you can see?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I think so," replied the Major.</p> + +<p>"I know it very well," said Swinton; "it is the farm of a Dutch boor, +Milius, whom we saw at Algoa Bay. I did not think that we had got on so +fast. It is about three miles off, so it will just be convenient for our +breakfast. It will take us a good hour to arrive there, and then we will +unyoke the oxen. How many have we yoked?"</p> + +<p>"Ten to each wagon. The other sixteen are following with the sheep and +horses; they are as relays."</p> + +<p>"Let us gallop on," said the Major.</p> + +<p>"Agreed," replied the others; and putting spurs to their horses, they +soon arrived at the farmhouse of the Dutch planter.</p> + +<p>They were saluted with the barking and clamor of about twenty dogs, +which brought out one of the young boors, who drove away the dogs by +pelting them with bullock-horns, and other bones of animals which were +strewed about. He then requested them to dismount. The old boor soon +appeared, and gave them a hearty welcome, handing down from the shelf a +large brandy-bottle, and recommending a dram, of which he partook +himself, stating that it was good brandy, and made from his own peaches.</p> + +<p>Shortly afterward the wife of the boor made her appearance, and having +saluted them, took up her station at a small table, with the tea +apparatus before her. That refreshing beverage she now poured out for +the visitors, handing a box, with some sugar-candy in it, for them to +put a bit into their youths, and keep there as they drank their tea, by +way of sweetening it. The old boor told them he had expected them, as he +had been informed that they were to set out that day; but he had +concluded that they would arrive in the afternoon, and not so early.</p> + +<p>We may as well here give a description of a Dutch farmer's house at the +Cape settlement.</p> + +<p>It was a large square building, the wall built up of clay, and then +plastered with a composition made by the boors, which becomes +excessively hard in time; after which it is whitewashed. The roof was +thatched with a hard sort of rushes, more durable and less likely to +catch fire than straw. There was no ceiling under the roof, but the +rafters overhead were hung with a motley assemblage of the produce of +the chase and farm, as large whips made of rhinoceros-hide, leopard and +lion skins, ostrich eggs and feathers, strings of onions, rolls of +tobacco, bamboos, etc.</p> + +<p>The house contained one large eating-room, a small private room, and two +bedrooms. The windows were not glazed, but closed with skins every +night. There was no chimney or stove in the house, all the cooking being +carried on in a small outhouse.</p> + +<p>The furniture was not very considerable: a large table, a few chairs and +stools, some iron pots and kettles, a set of Dutch teacups, a teapot, +and a brass kettle, with a heater. The large, brass-clasped, family +Dutch Bible occupied a small table, at which the mistress of the house +presided, and behind her chair were the carcasses of two sheep, +suspended from a beam.</p> + +<p>Inquiries about the news at the Cape, and details of all the information +which our travelers could give, had occupied the time till breakfast was +put on the table. It consisted of mutton boiled and stewed, butter, +milk, fruits, and good white bread. Before breakfast was over the +caravan arrived, and the oxen were unyoked. Our travelers passed away +two hours in going over the garden and orchards, and visiting the +cattlefolds, and seeing the cows milked. They then yoked the teams, and +wishing the old boor a farewell, and thanking him for his hospitality, +they resumed their journey.</p> + +<p>"Is it always the custom here to receive travelers in this friendly +way?" observed Alexander, as they rode away.</p> + +<p>"Always," replied Swinton; "there are no inns on the road, and every +traveler finds a welcome. It is considered a matter of course."</p> + +<p>"Do they never take payment?"</p> + +<p>"Never, and it must not be offered; but they will take the value of the +corn supplied to your horses, as that is quite another thing. One +peculiarity you will observe as you go along, which is, that the Dutch +wife is a fixture at the little tea-table all day long. She never leaves +it, and the tea is always ready for every traveler who claims their +hospitality; it is an odd custom."</p> + +<p>"And I presume that occasions the good woman to become so very lusty."</p> + +<p>"No doubt of it; the whole exercise of the day is from the bedroom to +the teapot, and back again," replied Swinton, laughing.</p> + +<p>"One would hardly suppose that this apparently good-natured and +hospitable people could have been guilty of such cruelty to the natives +as Mr. Fairburn represented."</p> + +<p>"Many of our virtues and vices are brought prominently forward by +circumstances," replied Swinton. "Hospitality in a thinly-inhabited +country is universal, and a Dutch boor is hospitable to an excess. Their +cruelty to the Hottentots and other natives arises from the prejudices +of education: they have from their childhood beheld them treated as +slaves, and do not consider them as fellow-creatures. As Mr. Fairburn +truly said, nothing demoralizes so much, or so hardens the heart of man, +as slavery existing and sanctioned by law."</p> + +<p>"But are not the Dutch renowned for cruelty and love of money?"</p> + +<p>"They have obtained that reputation, and I fear there is some reason for +it. They took the lead, it must be remembered, as a commercial nation, +more commercial than the Portuguese, whose steps they followed so +closely: that this eager pursuit of wealth should create a love of money +is but too natural, and to obtain money, men, under the influence of +that passion, will stop at nothing. Their cruelties in the East are on +record; but the question is, whether the English, who followed the path +of the Dutch, would not, had they gone before them, have been guilty of +the same crimes to obtain the same ends? The Spaniards were just as +cruel in South America, and the Portuguese have not fallen short of +them; nay, I doubt if our own countrymen can be acquitted in many +instances. The only difference is, that the other nations who preceded +them in discoveries had greater temptation, because there were more +riches and wealth to be obtained."</p> + +<p>"Your remarks are just; well may we say in the Lord's Prayer, 'Lead us +not into temptation,' for we are all too frail to withstand it."</p> + +<p>At noon they again unyoked, and allowed the cattle to graze for an +interval; after which they proceeded till an hour before dark, when they +mustered the men, and gave them their several charges and directions. At +Alexander's request the Major took this upon himself, and he made a long +speech to the Hottentots, stating that it was their intention to reward +those who did their duty, and to punish severely those who did not. They +then collected wood for the fires, and had their supper,—the first meal +which they had taken out of doors. Mahomed, the Parsee servant of Major +Henderson, cooked very much to their satisfaction; and having tied the +oxen to the wagons, to accustom them to the practice, more than from any +danger to be apprehended, the watch was set to keep up the fires: they +then all retired to bed, the gentlemen sleeping in their wagons, and the +Hottentots underneath them, or by the sides of the fires which had been +lighted.</p> + +<p>It will be unnecessary to enter into a detail of the journey to Graham's +Town, which was performed without difficulty. They did not arrive there +until eight days after their departure from Algoa Bay, as they purposely +lost time on the road, that things might find their places. At Graham's +Town they received every kindness and attention from the few military +who were there and the landroost. Here they dismissed three of the men, +who had remained drunk in the liquor-houses during their stay, and +hired nine more, who were well recommended; among these were two +perfectly well acquainted with the Caffre language and country; so that +they were serviceable both as interpreters and guides. The day after +their arrival, when they were out in the skirts of the town, Mr. Swinton +perceived something moving in the bushes. He advanced cautiously, and +discovered that it was a poor little Bushman boy, about twelve years +old, quite naked, and evidently in a state of starvation, having been +left there in a high fever by his people. He was so weak that he could +not stand, and Mr. Swinton desired the Hottentot who was with him to +lift him up, and carry him to the wagons. Some medicine and good food +soon brought the little fellow round again, and he was able to walk +about. He showed no disposition to leave them; indeed he would watch for +Mr. Swinton, and follow him as far as he could. The child evidently +appeared to feel attachment and gratitude, and when they were about to +depart, Mr. Swinton, through the medium of one of the Hottentots who +could speak the language, asked him if he would like to stay with them. +The answer was in the affirmative, and it was decided that he should +accompany them, the Major observing that he would be a very good +companion for Begum.</p> + +<p>"What name shall we give him?" said Swinton.</p> + +<p>"Why, as my baboon is by title a princess, I think we can not create him +less than a prince. Let us call him Omrah."</p> + +<p>"Omrah be it then," replied Mr. Swinton, "until we can name him in a +more serious way."</p> + +<p>So Omrah was put into the wagon, with Begum to amuse him, and our +travelers took their departure from Graham's Town.</p> + +<center> +<img src='images/079.jpg' width='645' height='1090' alt='[Illustration: THE BUSHMAN BOY.]' title=''> +</center> +<br> + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_X'></a><h2>CHAPTER X.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>It was in the afternoon that they moved from Graham's Town. They had +intended to have started earlier, but they found it impossible to +collect the Hottentots, who were taking their farewells of their wives +and their liquor-shops. As it was, most of them were in a state of +intoxication, and it was considered advisable to get them out of the +town as soon as possible. Late in the evening they arrived at Hermann's +Kraal, a small military fort, where they remained for the night to give +the Hottentots an opportunity of recovering from the effects of the +liquor. The next morning they again started, and the landscape now +changed its aspect, being covered with thick bushes, infested with wild +beasts.</p> + +<p>A barren and sterile country was soon spread before them, the sun was +oppressively hot, and not a sign of water was to be observed in any +direction. At last they arrived at a muddy pool, in which elephants had +evidently been enjoying themselves, and the oxen and horses were but too +glad to do the same. At night they halted as before, having lighted +fires to keep off the wild beasts and the elephants.</p> + +<p>The following morning they renewed their journey at daylight, and the +scene again changed; they now plunged into the dense forests bordering +on the great Fish River, which they forded in safety. The prospects all +around were very beautiful, the river smoothly gliding through +stupendous mountains and precipices, with verdant valleys on each side +of its banks. In the afternoon they arrived at Fort Wiltshire, the +outermost defense of the colony, situated on the banks of the Keiskamma. +English troops were stationed there, to prevent any marauding parties +from passing the river, or to intercept them on their return with their +booty.</p> + +<p>As this was the last spot where they could expect to see any of their +countrymen, and they were kindly received by the officers, they agreed +to remain two days, that they might obtain all the information which +they could, and rearrange the stowing of the wagons before they +started. The original plan had been to direct their course to Chumie, +the first missionary station, which was about twenty-five miles distant; +but as it was out of their way, they now resolved to proceed direct to +Butterworth, which was forty miles further in the Caffre country, and +the more distant of the two missions. Our party took leave of their kind +entertainers, and, having crossed without difficulty at the ford the +Keiskamma river, had passed the neutral ground, and were in the land of +the Caffres.</p> + +<p>Up to the present they had very little trouble with the Hottentots whom +they had hired. As long as they were within reach of the law they +behaved well; but now that they had passed the confines of the Cape +territory, some of them began to show symptoms of insubordination. The +dismissal of one, however, with an order to go back immediately, and +threatening to shoot him if he was ever seen in the caravan, had the +desired effect of restoring order. The country was now a series of hills +and dales, occasionally of deep ravines, and their route lay through the +paths made by the elephants, which were numerous. A Hottentot of the +name of Bremen, who was considered as their best man and most practiced +hunter, begged Alexander and his companions to be careful how they went +along, if they preceded the rest on horseback; as the elephants always +return by the same path at evening or after nightfall, in whatever +direction they may have been feeding, and it is very dangerous to +intercept them.</p> + +<p>For two days they continued their course in nearly a straight line for +the missionary establishment. On the second evening, just about dusk, as +they were crossing a woody hill, by the elephants' path, being then +about 200 yards in advance of the wagons, they were saluted with one of +the most hideous shrieks that could be conceived. Their horses started +back; they could see nothing, although the sound echoed through the +hills for some seconds.</p> + +<p>"What was that?" exclaimed Alexander.</p> + +<p>"Shout as loud as you can," cried the Major; "and turn your horses to +the wagons."</p> + +<p>Alexander and Swinton joined the Major in the shout, and were soon +accompanied by the whole mass of Hottentots, shouting and yelling as +loud as they could.</p> + +<p>"Silence, now," cried the Major; every one was hushed, and they listened +for a few seconds.</p> + +<p>"It was only one, sir, and he is gone," said Bremen. "We may go on."</p> + +<p>"Only one what?" inquired Alexander.</p> + +<p>"An elephant, sir," replied the Hottentot; "it's well that he did not +charge you; he would have tumbled you down the precipice, horse and all. +There must be a herd here, and we had better stop as soon as we are down +the other side of the hill."</p> + +<p>"I think so too," replied the Major.</p> + +<p>"I shall not get that shriek out of my ears for a month," said +Alexander; "why, the roar of a lion can not be so bad."</p> + +<p>"Wait till you hear it," replied Swinton.</p> + +<p>They had now arrived at the bottom of the hill which they had been +passing, and by the light of the stars they selected a spot for their +encampment. Whether they were near to any Caffre kraals or not it was +impossible to say; but they heard no barking of dogs or lowing of oxen. +Having collected all the cattle, they formed a square of the four +wagons, and passed ropes from the one to the other; the horses and sheep +were driven within the square, and the oxen were, as usual, tied up to +the sides of the wagons.</p> + +<p>It should here be observed, that the oxen were turned out to graze early +in the morning, yoked in the afternoon, and they traveled then as far as +they could after nightfall, to avoid the extreme heat of the day, the +continual visits of the Carries, and the risk of losing the cattle if +they were allowed to be loose and fed during the night.</p> + +<p>On the night we have been referring to, a more than usual number of +fires were lighted, to keep off the elephants and other wild animals. +The hyenas and wolves were very numerous, and prowled the whole night in +hopes of getting hold of some of the sheep; but as yet there had not +been seen or heard a lion, although an occasional track had been +pointed out by the Hottentots.</p> + +<p>When the Hottentots had finished their labor, our travelers had to wait +till the fires were lighted and a sheep killed before they could have +their suppers cooked by Mahomed. Begum, the baboon, had been released +from her confinement since their crossing the Fish River, and as usual, +when they sat down, came and made one of the party, generally creeping +in close to her master until supper was served, when she would have her +finger in every dish, and steal all she could, sometimes rather to their +annoyance.</p> + +<p>Our little Bushman had now quite recovered not only his strength but his +gayety, and was one of the most amusing little fellows that could be met +with.</p> + +<p>He could not make himself understood except to one or two of the +Hottentots; but he was all pantomime, trying, by gestures and signs, to +talk to Mr. Swinton and his companions. He endeavored to assist Mahomed +as much as he could, and appeared to have attached himself to him, for +he kept no company with the Hottentots. He was not more than three feet +and a half high, and with limbs remarkably delicate, although well made. +His face was very much like a monkey's, and his gestures and manners +completely so; he was quite as active and full of fun. The watch had +been set as soon as the fires were lighted; and close to where Alexander +and the others were seated, Big Adam, the Hottentot we have mentioned as +having raised doubts in the mind of the Major as to his courage, had +just mounted guard, with his gun in his hand. Omrah came up to where +they were sitting, and they nodded and smiled at him, and said, "How do +you do?" in English.</p> + +<p>The boy, who had already picked up a few sentences, answered in the same +words, "How do you do?" and then pointing to Big Adam, whose back was +turned, he began making a number of signs, and nodding his head; at last +he bent down, putting his arm in front of him, and raising it like an +elephant's trunk, walking with the measured steps of that animal, so as +fully to make them Understand that he intended to portray an elephant.</p> + +<p>Having so done, he went up behind Big Adam, and gave a shriek so +exactly like that which the elephant had given an hour before, that the +Hottentot started up, dropped his musket, and threw himself flat on the +ground, in order that the supposed animal might pass by him unperceived.</p> + +<p>The other Hottentots had been equally startled, and had seized their +muskets, looking in every direction for the approach of the animal; but +the convulsions of laughter which proceeded from the party soon told +them that there was nothing to apprehend, and that little Omrah had been +playing his tricks. Big Adam rose up, looking very foolish; he had just +before been telling his companions how many elephants he had killed, and +had been expressing his hopes that they soon should have an +elephant-hunt.</p> + +<p>"Well," observed Swinton, after the laugh was over, "it proves that Adam +is an elephant-hunter, and knows what to do in time of danger."</p> + +<p>"Yes," replied the Major; "and it also proves that our opinion of him +was just, and that with him the best part of valor is discretion."</p> + +<p>"The most wonderful escape from an elephant which we have on record +here," observed Swinton, "is that of Lieutenant Moodie; did you ever +hear of it? I had it from his own lips."</p> + +<p>"I never did, at all events," said Alexander; "and if the Major has, he +will listen very patiently, to oblige me."</p> + +<p>"I have never heard the precise particulars, and shall therefore be as +glad to be a listener as Wilmot."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, I will begin. Lieutenant Moodie was out elephant-hunting +with a party of officers and soldiers, when one day he was told that a +large troop of elephants was close at hand, and that several of the men +were out, and in pursuit of them. Lieutenant Moodie immediately seized +his gun, and went off in the direction where he heard the firing.</p> + +<p>"He had forced his way through a jungle, and had just come to a cleared +spot, when he heard some of his people calling out, in English and +Dutch, 'Take care, Mr. Moodie, take care,' As they called out, he heard +the crackling of branches broken by the elephants as they were bursting +through the wood, and then tremendous screams, such as we heard this +night. Immediately afterward four elephants burst out from the jungle, +not two hundred yards from where he stood. Being alone on the open +ground, he knew that if he fired and did not kill, he could have no +chance; so he hastily retreated, hoping that the animals would not see +him. On looking back, however, he perceived, to his dismay, that they +were all in chase of him, and rapidly gaining on him; he therefore +resolved to reserve his fire till the last moment, and, turning toward +some precipitous rocks, hoped to gain them before the elephants could +come up with him. But he was still at least fifty paces from the rocks, +when he found that the elephants were within half that distance of +him,—one very large animal, and three smaller,—all in a row, as if +determined that he should not escape, snorting so tremendously that he +was quite stunned with the noise."</p> + +<p>"That's what I call a very pretty position," observed the Major. "Go on, +Swinton; the affair is becoming a little nervous."</p> + +<p>"As his only chance, Lieutenant Moodie turned round, and leveled his gun +at the largest elephant; but unfortunately the powder was damp, and the +gun hung fire, till he was in the act of taking it from his shoulder, +when it went off, and the ball merely grazed the side of the elephant's +head. The animal halted for an instant, and then made a furious charge +upon him. He fell; whether struck down by the elephant's trunk he can +not say. The elephant then thrust at him as he lay, with his tusk; +fortunately it had but one, and more fortunately it missed its mark, +plowing up the ground within an inch of Mr. Moodie's body.</p> + +<p>"The animal then caught him up with its trunk by his middle, and dashed +him down between his fore-feet to tread him to death. Once it pressed so +heavily on his chest, that all his bones bent under the weight, but +somehow or other, whether from the animal being in a state of alarm, it +never contrived to have its whole weight upon him; for Mr. Moodie had +never lost his recollection, and kept twisting his body and his limbs, +so as to prevent it from obtaining a direct tread upon him. While he +was in this state of distress, another officer and a Hottentot hunter +came up to his assistance, and fired several shots at the animal, which +was severely wounded, and the other three took to their heels. At last +the one which had possession of Mr. Moodie turned round, and giving him a +cuff with its fore-feet followed the rest. Mr. Moodie got up, picked up +his gun, and staggered away as fast as his aching bones would permit +him. He met his brother, who had just been informed by one of the +Hottentots, who had seen him under the elephant, that he was killed."</p> + +<p>"Well, that was an escape," observed Wilmot.</p> + +<p>"What made it more remarkable was, that he had hardly time to explain to +his brother his miraculous preservation, before he witnessed the death +of one of the hunters, a soldier, who had attracted the notice of a +large male elephant which had been driven out of the jungle. The fierce +animal gave chase to him, and caught him immediately under the height +where Mr. Moodie and his brother were standing, carried the poor fellow +for some distance on his trunk, then threw him down, and stamping upon +him until he was quite dead, left the body for a short time. The +elephant then returned, as if to make sure of its destruction; for it +kneeled down on the body, and kneaded it with his fore-legs; then, +rising, it seized it again with its trunk, carried it to the edge of the +jungle, and hurled it into the bushes."</p> + +<p>"Dreadful! I had no idea that there was such danger in an elephant-hunt; +yet I must say," continued Alexander, "that, although it may appear +foolishness, it only makes me more anxious to have one."</p> + +<p>"Well, as we advance, you will have no want of opportunity; but it will +be better to get the Caffres to join us, which they will with great +delight."</p> + +<p>"Why, they have no weapons, except their spears."</p> + +<p>"None; but they will attack him with great success, as you will see; +they watch their opportunity as he passes, get behind, and drive their +spears into his body until the animal is exhausted from loss of blood, +and they are so quick that the elephant seldom is able to destroy one +of them. They consider the elephant of as high rank as one of their +kings, and it is very laughable to hear them, as they wound him, beg +pardon of him, and cry out, 'Great man, don't be angry; great captain, +don't kill us,'"</p> + +<p>"But how is it that they can approach so terrible an animal without +destruction?"</p> + +<p>"It is because they do approach quite close to him. An elephant sees but +badly, except straight before him, and he turns with difficulty. The +Caffres are within three feet of his tail or flank when they attack, and +they attack him in the elephant-paths, which are too narrow for the +animal to turn without difficulty; the great risk that they run is from +another elephant breaking out to the assistance of the one attacked."</p> + +<p>"The animals do assist each other, then?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; there was a remarkable instance of it in the affair of Lieutenant +Moodie. I mentioned that it was a large male elephant which killed the +soldier just after Mr. Moodie's escape. Shortly afterward a shot from +one of the hunters broke the fore-leg of this animal, and prevented him +from running, and there it stood to be fired at. The female elephant, +which was in the jungle, witnessing the distress of its mate, regardless +of her own danger, immediately rushed out to his assistance, chasing +away the hunters, and walked round and round her mate, constantly +returning to his side, and caressing him. When the male attempted to +walk, she had the sagacity to place her flank against the wounded side, +so as to support him, and help him along. At last the female received a +severe wound, and staggered into the bush, where she fell; and the male +was soon after laid prostrate by the side of the poor soldier whom he +had killed."</p> + +<p>"There is something very touching in the last portion of your story, +Swinton," observed Alexander; "it really makes one feel a sort of +respect for such intelligent and reasoning animals."</p> + +<p>"I think the first portion of the story ought to teach you to respect +them also," said the Major. "Seriously, however, I quite agree with you; +their sagacity, as my Indian experience has taught me, is +wonderful;—but here comes supper, and I am not sorry for it."</p> + +<p>"Nor I," replied Alexander. "To-morrow we shall be at the missionary +station, if the guides are correct. I am very anxious to get there, I +must say. Does not the chief of the Amakosa tribe live close to the +Mission-house,—Hinza, as they call him?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," replied Swinton, "he does, and we must have a present ready for +him, for I think it would be advisable to ask an escort of his warriors +to go with us after we leave the Mission."</p> + +<p>"Yes, it will be quite as well," replied the Major, "and then we shall +have some elephant-hunting: but Bremen tells me that there are plenty of +hippopotami in the river there, close to the Mission."</p> + +<p>"Water-elephants," replied Swinton; "I suppose you will not leave them +alone?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly not if our commander-in-chief will allow us to stop."</p> + +<p>"I think your commander-in-chief," replied Wilmot, "is just as anxious +to have a day's sport with them as you are, Major; so you will certainly +have his permission."</p> + +<p>"I think we ought to put Omrah on a horse. He is a nice light weight for +a spare horse, if required."</p> + +<p>"Not a bad idea," replied Alexander. "What a tiger he would make for a +cab in the park!"</p> + +<p>"More like a monkey," replied the Major; "but it is time to go to bed; +so, good-night."</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XI'></a><h2>CHAPTER XI.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>The caravan proceeded on the following morning, and by noon they arrived +at the Mission station of Butterworth, which was about one hundred and +forty miles from the colonial boundaries. This station had only been +settled about three years, but even in that short time it wore an air of +civilization strongly contrasted with the savage country around it. The +Mission-house was little better than a large cottage, it is true, and +the church a sort of barn; but it was surrounded by neat Caffre huts and +gardens full of produce.</p> + +<p>On the arrival of the caravan, Mr. S., the missionary, came out to meet +the travelers, and to welcome them. He had been informed that they would +call at the station, and bring some articles which had been sent for. It +hardly need be said that, meeting at such a place, and in such a +country, the parties soon became on intimate terms. Mr. S. offered them +beds and accommodation in his house, but our travelers refused; they +were well satisfied with their own; and having unyoked their oxen, and +turned them out to graze with those belonging to the station, they +accepted the missionary's invitation to join his repast.</p> + +<p>Alexander having stated the object of his expedition, requested the +advice of Mr. S. as to his further proceedings, and asked him whether it +would not be advisable to see the Caffre king, and make him a present. +This Mr. S. strongly advised them to do; and to ask for a party of +Caffres to accompany the caravan, which would not only insure them +safety, but would prove in many respects very useful. All that would be +necessary would be to find them in food and to promise them a present, +if they conducted themselves well. "You are aware," continued he, "that +Hinza's domain only extends as far as the Bashee or St. John's River, +and you will have to proceed beyond that; but with some of the Caffre +warriors you will have no difficulty, as the tribes further will not +only fear your strength, but also the anger of Hinza, should they commit +any depredation. But things, I regret to say, do not look very peaceable +just now."</p> + +<p>"Indeed! what is the quarrel, and with whom?"</p> + +<p>"Hinza has quarreled with a powerful neighboring chief of the name of +Voosani, who reigns over the Tambookie tribes, about some cattle, which +are the grand cause of quarrels in these countries, and both parties are +preparing for war. But whether it will take place is doubtful, as they +are both threatened with a more powerful enemy, and may probably be +compelled to unite, in order to defend themselves."</p> + +<p>"And who may that be?"</p> + +<p>"Quetoo, the chief of the Amaquibi, is in arms with a large force, and +threatens the other tribes to the northward of us; if he conquers them, +he will certainly come down here. He was formerly one of Chaka's +generals, and is, like him, renowned for slaughter. At present he is too +far to the northward to interfere with you, but I should advise you to +lose no time in effecting your mission; for should he advance, you will +be compelled to retreat immediately. I had better send to Hinza to-morrow +to let him know that strangers have come and wish to see him, that they +may make him a present. That notice will bring him fast enough; not but +that he well knows you are here, and has known that you have been in his +country long ago."</p> + +<p>"It will be as well, after the information you have given us," said Mr. +Swinton.</p> + +<p>"What is your opinion of the Caffres, Mr. S., now that you have resided +so long with them?"</p> + +<p>"They are, for heathens, a fine nation,—bold, frank, and, if any thing +is confided to them, scrupulously honest; but cattle-stealing is +certainly not considered a crime among them, although it is punished as +one. Speaking as a minister of the Gospel, I should say they are the +most difficult nation to have any thing to do with that it ever has been +my lot to visit. They have no religion whatever; they have no idols; and +no idea of the existence of a God. When I have talked to them about God, +their reply is, 'Where is he? show him to me.'"</p> + +<p>"But have they no superstitions?"</p> + +<p>"They believe in necromancy, and have their conjurers, who do much harm, +and are our chief opponents, as we weaken their influence, and +consequently their profits. If cattle are stolen, they are referred to. +If a chief is sick, they are sent for to know who has bewitched him; +they must of course mention some innocent person, who is sacrificed +immediately. If the country is parched from want of rain, which it so +frequently is, then the conjurers are in great demand: they are sent for +to produce rain. If, after all their pretended mysteries, the rain does +not fall so as to save their reputation, they give some plausible +reason, generally ending, however, in the sacrifice of some innocent +individual; and thus they go on, making excuses after excuses until the +rain does fall, and they obtain all the credit of it. I need hardly say +that these people are our greatest enemies."</p> + +<p>"Are you satisfied with the success which you have had?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I am, when I consider the difficulty to be surmounted. Nothing but +the Divine assistance could have produced such effects as have already +taken place. The chiefs are to a man opposed to us."</p> + +<p>"Why so?"</p> + +<p>"Because Christianity strikes at the root of their sensuality; it was +the same when it was first preached by our Divine Master. The riches of +a Caffre consist not only in his cattle, but in the number of his wives, +who are all his slaves. To tell them that polygamy is unlawful and +wrong, is therefore almost as much as to tell them that it is not right +to hold a large herd of cattle; and as the chiefs are of course the +opulent of the nation, they oppose us. You observe in Caffreland, as +elsewhere, it is 'hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of +heaven.' I have asked the chiefs why they will not come to church, and +their reply has been, 'The great word is calculated to lessen our +pleasures and diminish the number of our wives; to this we can never +consent,'"</p> + +<p>"But still you say you have made some progress."</p> + +<p>"If I have, let it be ascribed to the Lord, and not to me and my +otherwise useless endeavors; it must be His doing; and without His aid +and assistance, the difficulties would have been insurmountable. It is +for me only to bear in mind the scriptural injunction, 'In the morning +sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knowest +not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both +shall be alike good.'"</p> + +<p>"But have they no idea whatever of a Supreme Being, either bad or good? +have they no idea, as some of the African tribes have, of the devil?"</p> + +<p>"None; and in their language they have no word to express the idea of +the Deity; they swear by their kings of former days as great chiefs, +but no more. Now if they had any religion whatever, you might, by +pointing out to them the falsity and absurdity of that religion, and +putting it in juxtaposition with revealed Truth, have some hold upon +their minds; but we have not even that advantage."</p> + +<p>"But can not you make an impression upon their minds by referring to the +wonders of nature,—by asking them who made the sun and stars? Surely +they might be induced to reflect by such a method."</p> + +<p>"I have tried it a hundred times, and they have laughed at me for my +fables, as they have termed them. One of the chiefs told me to hold my +tongue, that his people might not think me mad. The Scriptures, indeed, +teach us that, without the aid of direct revelation, men are also +without excuse if they fail to attain to a certain knowledge of the +Deity,—'even his eternal power and God-head,'—by a devout +contemplation of the visible world, which with all its wonders is spread +out before them as an open volume. But beyond this, all knowledge of the +origin or manner of creation is derived, not from the deductions of +human reasoning, but from the Divine testimony; for it is expressly +said, 'Through faith we understand that the worlds were made by the word +of God.'"</p> + +<p>"Nevertheless you must admit that, among the civilized nations of +Europe, many who deny revelation, and treat the Bible as a fable, +acknowledge that the world must have been made by a Supreme Power."</p> + +<p>"My dear sir, many affect to deny the truth of revelation out of pride +and folly, who still in their consciences can not but believe it. Here, +there being no belief in a Deity, they will not be persuaded that the +world was made by one. Indeed, we have much to contend with, and perhaps +one of the greatest difficulties is in the translation of the +Scriptures. I sit down with an interpreter who can not read a single +word, and with perhaps a most erroneous and imperfect knowledge of +divine things. We open the sacred volume, and it is first translated +into barbarous Dutch to the Caffre interpreter, who then has to tell us +how that Dutch is to be put into the Caffre language. Now you may +imagine what mistakes may arise. I have found out lately that I have +been stating the very contrary to what I would have said. With this +translation, I stand up to read a portion of the Word of God, for my +interpreter can not read, and hence any slight defect or change in a +syllable may give altogether a different sense from what I desire to +inculcate."</p> + +<p>"That must indeed be a great difficulty, and require a long residence +and full acquaintance with the language to overcome."</p> + +<p>"And even then not overcome, for the language has no words to express +abstract ideas; but the Lord works after His own way, and at His own +season."</p> + +<p>"You do not then despair of success?"</p> + +<p>"God forbid; I should be indeed a most unworthy servant of our Divine +Master, if I so far distrusted His power. No; much good has been already +done, as you will perceive when we meet to-morrow to perform Divine +service; but there is much more to do, and, with His blessing, will in +His own good time be perfected; but I have duties to attend to which +call me away for the present; I shall therefore wish you good-night. At +all events, the Mission has had one good effect: you are perfectly safe +from Caffre violence and Caffre robbery. This homage is paid to it even +by their kings and chiefs."</p> + +<p>"I will say, that if we are only to judge by the little we have seen, +the Mission appears to have done good," observed the Major. "In the +first place, we are no longer persecuted, as we have been during our +journey, for presents; and, as you may observe, many of the Caffres +about are clothed in European fashions, and those who have nothing but +their national undress, I may call it, wear it as decently as they can."</p> + +<p>"I made the same observation," said Alexander. "I am most anxious for +to-morrow, as I wish to see how the Caffres behave; and really, when you +consider all the difficulties which Mr. S. has mentioned, it is +wonderful that he and those who have embraced the same calling should +persevere as they do."</p> + +<p>"My dear Wilmot," replied Mr. Swinton, "a missionary, even of the most +humble class, is a person of no ordinary mind; he does not rely upon +himself or upon his own exertions,—he relies not upon others, or upon +the assistance of this world; if he did, he would, as you say, soon +abandon his task in despair. No; he is supported, he is encouraged, he +is pressed on by faith—faith in Him who never deserts those who trust +and believe in Him; he knows that, if it is His pleasure, the task will +be easy, but at the same time that it must be at His own good time. +Convinced of this, supported by this, encouraged by this, and venturing +his life for this, he toils on, in full assurance that if he fails +another is to succeed,—that if he becomes a martyr, his blood will +moisten the arid soil from which the future seed will spring. A +missionary may be low in birth, low in education, as many are; but he +must be a man of exalted mind,—what in any other pursuit we might term +an enthusiast; and in this spreading of the Divine word, he merits +respect for his fervor, his courage, and self-devotion; his willingness, +if the Lord should so think fit, to accept the crown of martyrdom."</p> + +<p>"You are right, Swinton; nothing but what you have described could impel +a man to pass a life of privation and danger among a savage +race—leaving all, and following his Master in the true apostolic sense. +Well, they will have their reward."</p> + +<p>"Yes, in heaven, Wilmot; not on earth," replied Swinton.</p> + +<p>The next day, being the Sabbath, with the assistance of Mahomed, who was +valet as well as cook to the whole party, they divested themselves of +their beards, which had not been touched for many days, and dressed +themselves in more suitable apparel than their usual hunting costume,—a +respect paid to the Sabbath by even the most worldly and most +indifferent on religious points. The bell of the Mission church was +tolled, and the natives were seen coming from all directions. Our party +went in, and found Mr. S. already there, and that seats had been +provided for them. The numbers of natives who were assembled in the +church were about 200, but many more were at the windows, and sitting by +the open door.</p> + +<p>Many of them were clothed in some sort of European apparel; those who +were not, drew their krosses close round them, so as to appear more +covered. A hymn in the Caffre language was first sung, and then prayers, +after which the Litany and responses; the Commandments were repeated in +the same language. Mr. S. then read a chapter in the Bible, and +explained it to the assembly. Profound silence and quiet attention +generally prevailed, although in some few instances there was mockery +from those outside. Mr. S. gave the blessing, and the service was ended.</p> + +<p>"You have already done much," observed Mr. Swinton. "I could hardly have +believed that a concourse of savages could have been so attentive, and +have behaved with such decorum."</p> + +<p>"It certainly is the most difficult point gained,—to command their +attention, I mean," replied Mr. S.; "after that, time and patience, with +the assistance of God, will effect the rest."</p> + +<p>"Do you think that there are many who, if I may use the term, feel their +religion?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, many; and prove it by traveling about and sowing the seed. There +are many who not only are qualified so to do, but are incessantly +laboring to bring their countrymen to God."</p> + +<p>"That must be very satisfactory to you."</p> + +<p>"It is; but what am I, and the few who labor with me, to the thousands +and thousands who are here in darkness and require our aid? There are +now but three missions in all Caffreland; and there is full employment +for two hundred, if they could be established. But you must excuse me, I +have to catechise the children, who are my most promising pupils. We +will meet again in the evening, for I have to preach at a neighboring +village. Strange to say, many who doubt and waver will listen to me +there; but they appear to think that there is some witchcraft in the +Mission church, or else are afraid to acknowledge to their companions +that they have been inside of it."</p> + +<p>The missionary then left them, and Alexander observed—</p> + +<p>"I don't know how you feel? but I assure you it has been a great +pleasure to me to have found myself in this humble church, and hearing +Divine service in this wild country."</p> + +<p>Both Swinton and Major Henderson expressed the same opinion.</p> + +<p>"I am not afraid of being laughed at," continued Alexander, "when I tell +you that I think it most important, wherever we may be during our +travels, to keep the Sabbath holy, by rest and reading the service."</p> + +<p>"With pleasure, as far as I am concerned, and I thank you for the +proposal," replied Swinton.</p> + +<p>"And I am equally pleased that you have proposed it, Wilmot," said Major +Henderson; "even we may be of service to the good cause, if, as we pass +through the land, the natives perceive that we respect the Sabbath as +the missionary has requested them to do. We are white men, and +considered by them as superior; our example, therefore, may do good."</p> + +<p>The evening was passed away very agreeably with Mr. S., who was +inexhaustible in his anecdotes of the Caffres. He informed them that +Hinza intended to call the next morning to receive his presents, and +that he would be interpreter for them if they wished it.</p> + +<p>Alexander, having thanked the missionary, said, "I think you mentioned, +sir, that some of your brother missionaries have their wives with them. +Since you have told me so much of the precarious tenure by which you +hold your ground here, and I may add your lives, I think that the wives +of the missionaries must have even more to encounter than their +husbands."</p> + +<p>"You are right, sir," replied the missionary; "there is no situation so +trying, so perilous, and I may say, so weary to the mind and body, as +that of a female missionary. She has to encounter the same perils and +the same hardships as her husband, without having the strength of our +sex to support them; and what is more painful than all, she is often +left alone in the Mission-house, while her husband, who has left her, is +proceeding on his duty, at the hourly peril of his life. There she is +alone, and compelled to listen to all the reports and falsehoods which +are circulated; at one moment she is told that her husband has been +murdered; at another, that he is still alive. She has no means of +hearing from him, as there is no communication throughout the country; +thus is she left in this horrible state of suspense and anxiety, perhaps +for many weeks. I have a letter from a brother missionary which is in my +writing-desk, wherein the case in point is well portrayed; I will get +it, and read that portion to you." Mr. S. went to the other end of the +room, and came back with a letter, from which he read as follows:—</p> + +<p>"Having been detained among those distant tribes for nearly two months, +report upon report had been circulated that the interpreters and guides, +as well as myself, had all been murdered. On my arrival within forty +miles of the station, I was informed that all doubt upon the subject had +been removed by a party of natives who had passed the Mission station, +and who pretended an acquaintance with all the particulars of the +massacre. We had been traveling the whole day, and night had come on; I +was most anxious to proceed, that I might relieve the mind of my dear +wife, but the earnest remonstrances of my little party, who represented +it as certain death to all of us to cross the plains, which were +infested with lions and other savage beasts who were prowling in every +direction, at length induced me to wait till the next day. But scarcely +had day begun to dawn when I sallied forth, without either arms or +guide, except a pocket compass, leaving my fellow-travelers to bring on +the wagon as soon as they should arouse from their slumbers. This +impatience had, however, well-nigh cost me my life; for having to wade +through many miles of deep sand with a vertical sun over my head, I had +not accomplished half the journey before my strength began to fail, and +an indescribable thirst was induced. Nevertheless, I reached the Mission +in safety, and with truly grateful feelings to the Preserver of men. A +few minutes prior to my arrival, the wife of one of my brother +missionaries, little imagining that I was at hand and alive, had entered +our dwelling, to apprise my wife of the latest intelligence, confirming +all that had been said before respecting my fate, and to comfort her +under the distressing dispensation. At this affecting crisis, while +both were standing in the center of the room, the one relating, the +other weeping, I opened the door, bathed in perspiration, covered with +dust, and in a state of complete exhaustion. 'Oh, dear!' cried our +friend; 'is it he—or is it his spirit?' I must, my dear sir, leave to +your imagination the scene that followed."</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," said Mr. S., folding up the letter, "a missionary's wife, +who follows him into such scenes and such perils and privations, does, +indeed, 'cleave to her husband.'"</p> + +<p>"Indeed she does," replied Mr. Swinton; "but we will tax you no longer, +my dear sir. Good-night."</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XII.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>On the following day, a little before noon, loud shouts and men dancing +and calling out the titles of the king of the Caffres announced his +approach. These men were a sort of heralds, who invariably preceded him +on a visit of ceremony. A band of warriors armed with their assaguays +and shields, next made their appearance, and then Hinza, accompanied by +fifty of his chief councilors: with the exception of their long krosses +of beast-skins thrown over their shoulders, they were all naked, and +each daubed with grease and red ocher. As soon as they arrived in front +of the Mission-house, they sat down in a circle on each side of the +Caffre king, who was treated with marked respect by all, and by the +common people in particular, who assembled on his presence. Every one +who happened to pass by gave what was termed a 'salute' of honor to the +king, who did not appear to consider that it required any acknowledgment +on his part.</p> + +<p>Our travelers, accompanied by the missionary, advanced into the circle, +and saluted his majesty. Mr. S. then explained the object of their +journey, and their wish that a small party of the king's warriors should +accompany them on their expedition. As soon as the speech was ended, a +few pounds of colored beads, a roll of tobacco, two pounds of snuff, and +some yards of scarlet cloth, were laid before his majesty as a present. +Hinza nodded his head with approval when the articles were spread before +him, and then turned to his councilors, with whom he whispered some +time, and then he replied "that the strange white men should pass +through his country without fear, that his warriors should accompany +them as far as they wished to go; but," he added, "do the strangers know +that there is disorder in the country beyond?"</p> + +<p>Mr. S. replied that they did, and were anxious to go, and return as soon +as possible, on that account.</p> + +<p>Hinza replied, "It is well; if there is danger, my warriors will let +them know—if it is necessary, they will fight for them—if the enemy is +too strong, the white men must return."</p> + +<p>Hinza then ordered some of his councilors to take charge of the +presents, and inquired of Mr. S. how many warriors they wished to have, +and when they wished to go.</p> + +<p>The reply was, that fifty warriors would be sufficient, and that they +wished to depart on the following morning. "It is well," replied Hinza; +"fifty warriors are enough, for my men eat a great deal—they shall be +ready."</p> + +<p>The council then broke up, and the king, having shaken hands with our +travelers, departed with his train: toward the evening an old cow was +sent to them as a present from his majesty. The Hottentots soon cut it +up and devoured it. Every thing was now arranged for their immediate +departure.</p> + +<p>The next morning, at break of day, the band of Caffre warriors were all +in readiness, each with his shield and three assaguays in his hand. They +were all fine, tall young men, from twenty to thirty years of age. +Alexander desired Mr. S. to tell them that, if they behaved well and +were faithful, they should every one receive a present when they were +dismissed; a notification which appeared to give general satisfaction. +The oxen had already been yoked, and taking leave of the worthy +missionary, our travelers mounted their horses and resumed their +journey. For the whole day they proceeded along the banks of the Kae +River, which ran its course through alternate glens and hills clothed +with fine timber; and as they were on an eminence, looking down upon the +river, the head Caffre warrior, who had, with the others, hung up his +shield at the side of the wagon, and now walked by our travelers with +his assaguay in his hand, pointed out to them, as the sun was setting +behind a hill, two or three large black masses on the further bank of +the river.</p> + +<p>"What are they, and what does he say?"</p> + +<p>"Sea-cows," replied the interpreter.</p> + +<p>"<i>Hippopotami</i>! We must have a shot at them, Wilmot," cried the Major.</p> + +<p>"To be sure; tell them we will stop and kill one if we can," said Wilmot +to the interpreter.</p> + +<p>"We shall want one to feed our army," said Swinton laughing, "or our +sheep will soon be devoured."</p> + +<p>The Caffres were all immediately in motion, running down to the bank of +the river, about a quarter of a mile distant; they swam across, and +there remained waiting till our travelers should give the word.</p> + +<p>The animals lay on a muddy bank, at a turn of the river, like so many +swine asleep, some of them out, and some partly in and partly out of the +water. As they were huddled together, they looked more like masses of +black rock than any thing else. Two lay considerably apart from the +others, and it was toward these two that the Caffres, who had crossed +the river, crept until they were in the high reeds, but a few yards from +them. Henderson and Wilmot, with some of the Hottentots, descended the +ravine on their side of the river, opposite to where the animals lay, +and as soon as they were on the bank, being then within one hundred +yards of them, they leveled and fired. At the report, all the animals +started up from their beds as if astonished at the noise, which they had +not been accustomed to. Three or four instantly plunged into the deep +water, but the others, apparently half asleep, stood for a few seconds, +as if not knowing what course to take: two of them were evidently +wounded, as they rushed into the water; for they did not remain below, +but rose to the surface immediately, as if in great agony. They appeared +anxious to get out of the water altogether, and tried so to do, but +fearing the people on the river's bank, they darted in again. In the +mean time, at the first report of the guns, the two which lay apart from +the others with their heads toward the river, as soon as they rose on +their legs, were pierced with several assaguays by the concealed +Caffres, and plunged into the water with the spears remaining in their +bodies. These also rose, and floundered like the others; and as their +heads appeared above, they were met with the unerring rifle of the Major +and whole volleys from Wilmot and the Hottentots, till, exhausted from +loss of blood, they floated dead upon the surface.</p> + +<p>The Caffres waited till the bodies had been borne some hundred yards +down the stream, that they might not be attacked when in the water by +the remainder of the herd, and then swam off, and pushed the bodies on +shore. This was a very seasonable supply of provisions for so large a +band of people; but those who belonged to the caravan were not the only +parties who benefited: all the Caffres of the surrounding hamlets +hastened to the river, and carried off large quantities of the flesh of +the animals; there was, however, more than enough for all, and for the +wolves and hyenas after they had taken what they chose. It was so late +before the animals were cut up, that they decided upon remaining where +they were that night; for now that they had the Caffre warriors with +them, they had no fear as to losing their oxen, the king having stated +that his men should be responsible for them.</p> + +<p>Large fires were lighted, and the Caffres and Hottentots, all mingled +together, were busy roasting, boiling, and frying the flesh of the +hippopotamus, and eating it as fast as it was cooked, so that they were +completely gorged before they lay down to sleep; Wilmot had also given +them a ration of tobacco each, which had added considerably to the +delight of the feast.</p> + +<p>"It is not bad eating by any means," said the Major, as they were at +supper.</p> + +<p>"No; it is something like old veal," replied Swinton. "Now, what is +Omrah about? He is after some mischief, by the way he creeps along."</p> + +<p>"A monkey is a fool to that boy," observed the Major, "and he appears to +know how to imitate every animal he has ever heard."</p> + +<p>"Did you hear the dance he led some of the Hottentots on Sunday evening, +when we were at the Mission?"</p> + +<p>"No; what was that?"</p> + +<p>"Bremen told me of it; I thought he would have died with laughing. You +are aware that there is a species of bird here which they call the +honey-bird,—by naturalists, the <i>Cuculus indicator</i>; do you not +remember I showed you a specimen which I was preserving?"</p> + +<p>"You have showed us so many specimens, that I really forget."</p> + +<p>"Well, I should have given you at the same time the natural history of +the bird. It is very partial to honey, upon which it lives as much as it +can; but as the bees make their hives in the trunks of old decayed +trees, and the hole they enter by is very small, the bird can not obtain +it without assistance. Its instinct induces it to call in the aid of +man, which it does by a peculiar note, like cher-cher-cher, by which it +gives notice that it has found out a beehive. The natives of Africa well +know this, and as soon as the bird flies close to them, giving out this +sound, they follow it; the bird leads them on, perching every now and +then, to enable them to keep up with it, until it arrives at the tree, +over which it flutters without making any more noise."</p> + +<p>"How very curious!"</p> + +<p>"Little Bushman knows this as well as the Hottentots, and hearing that +they were going out in search of honey he went before them into the +wood, concealing himself, and imitating the note of the bird so exactly, +that the Hottentots went on following it for several miles, wondering +how it was that the bird should lead them such a distance, but unwilling +to give up the pursuit. About sunset, he had brought them back to the +very edge of the wood from whence they had started, when he showed +himself about one hundred yards ahead of them, dancing, capering, and +tumbling so like Begum, that they thought it was her before them, and +not him. He gained the caravan again without their knowing who played +them the trick; but he told Swanevelt, who speaks his language, and +Swanevelt told Bremen."</p> + +<p>"Capital!" said the Major; "well, he is after some trick now, depend +upon it."</p> + +<p>"He has a great talent for drawing," observed Alexander.</p> + +<p>"A very great one; I have given him a pencil and occasionally a piece of +paper, and he draws all the birds, so that I can recognize them; but you +must know that all the Bushmen have that talent, and that their caves +are full of the sketches of all sorts of animals, remarkably +characteristic. The organ of imitation is very strongly developed in the +Bushmen, which accounts for their talents as draftsmen, and Omrah's +remarkable imitative powers."</p> + +<p>"Do you then believe in phrenology, Swinton!" said Alexander.</p> + +<p>"I neither believe nor disbelieve in that and many more modern +discoveries of the same kind; I do not think it right to reject them or +to give blind credence. Not a day passes but some discovery excites our +wonder and admiration, and points out to us how little we do know. The +great fault is, that when people have made a discovery to a certain +extent, they build upon it, as if all their premises were correct; +whereas, they have, in fact, only obtained a mere glimmering to light +them to a path which may some future day lead to knowledge. That the +general principles of phrenology are correct maybe fairly assumed, from +the examination of the skulls of men and animals, and of different men; +but I give no credence to all the divisions and subdivisions which have, +in my opinion, been most presumptuously marked out by those who profess, +and of course fully believe, the full extent of these supposed +discoveries."</p> + +<p>"And mesmerism?" said Alexander.</p> + +<p>"I make the same reply; there is <i>something</i> in it, that is certain, but +nothing yet sufficiently known to warrant any specific conclusion to be +drawn."</p> + +<p>"There is a great deal of humbug in it," said the Major.</p> + +<p>"So there is in all sciences; when truth fails them and they are at +fault, they fill up the hiatus with supposition; which is, as you term +it, humbug."</p> + +<p>"Well, I vote that we return to our wagons; every body appears fast +asleep except us three."</p> + +<p>Such was not, however, the case; for they had not been half an hour on +their mattresses, before they were awakened by loud cries of "help," +which made them seize the irguns and jump out of the wagons without +waiting for their clothes.</p> + +<p>The Hottentots and Caffres were so full of hippopotamus flesh, that the +noise did not awake but a small portion of them, and these only turned +round and stared about without getting up, with the exception of Bremen, +who was on his feet and, with his gun in his hand, running in the +direction of the cries. He was followed by our travelers, and they soon +came up with the object of their search, which proved to be no other +than Big Adam, the Hottentot; and as soon as they perceived his +condition, which they could do by the light of the fires still burning, +they all burst out laughing so excessively that they could not help him.</p> + +<p>That it was the work of little Omrah there was no doubt, for Big Adam +had not forgotten the former trick the boy had played him, and had more +than once, when he caught the boy, given him a good cuffing. Big Adam +was on the ground, dragged away by two of the largest dogs. Omrah had +taken the bones he could find with most flesh upon them belonging to the +hippopotamus, and had tied them with leathern thongs to the great toes +of Big Adam as he lay snoring after his unusual repast. He had then +waited till all were asleep, and had let loose the two largest dogs, +which were always tied with the others under the wagons, and not +over-fed, to make them more watchful.</p> + +<p>The dogs had prowled about for food, and had fallen in with these large +bones, which they immediately seized, and were dragging away, that they +might make their repast without interruption; but in attempting to drag +away the bones, they had dragged Big Adam some yards by his great toes, +and the pain and fright—for the Hottentot thought they were hyenas or +wolves—had caused him thus to scream for help. Bremen divided the +thongs with his knife, and the dogs ran off growling with the bones, and +Adam stood again upon his feet, still so much terrified as not to be +able to comprehend the trick which had been played him. Our travelers, +having indulged their mirth, retired once more to their resting-places. +The Major found Omrah and Begum both in their corners of the wagon, the +former pretending to be fast asleep, while the latter was chattering and +swearing at the unusual disturbance.</p> + +<p>At daylight next morning they resumed their journey. Big Adam walked +rather stiff, and looked very sulky. Omrah had perched himself on a tilt +of the baggage-wagon with Begum, and was quite out of the Hottentot's +reach; for Bremen had told the others what had happened, and there had +been a general laugh against Big Adam, who vowed vengeance against +little Omrah. The country was now very beautiful and fertile, and the +Caffre hamlets were to be seen in all directions. Except visits from the +Caffres, who behaved with great decorum when they perceived that the +caravan was escorted by the king's warriors, and who supplied them +nearly every day with a bullock for the use of the people, no adventure +occurred for four days, when they crossed the Bashee or St. John's +River, to which the territories of Hinza extended; but although the +tribes beyond did not acknowledge his authority, they respected the +large force of the caravan, and were much pleased at receiving small +presents of tobacco and snuff.</p> + +<p>Milk, in baskets, was constantly brought in by the women; for the +Caffres weave baskets of so close a texture, that they hold any liquid, +and are the only utensil used for that purpose. At the Bashee River, +after they had passed the ford, they remained one day to hunt the +hippopotami, and were successful; only Major Henderson, who was not +content to hunt during the day, but went out at night, had a narrow +escape. He was in one of the paths, and had wounded a female, and was +standing, watching the rising to the surface of the wounded animal, for +it was bright moonlight, when the male, which happened to be feeding on +the bank above, hearing the cry of the female, rushed right down the +path upon the Major. Fortunately for him, the huge carcass of the animal +gave it such an ungovernable degree of velocity, as to prevent it +turning to the right hand or left. It passed within a yard of the Major, +sweeping the bushes and underwood, so as to throw him down as it passed. +The Major got up again, it may be truly said, more frightened than hurt; +but at all events he had had enough of hippopotamus-hunting for that +night, for he recovered his gun, and walked back to the wagon, thanking +Heaven for his providential escape.</p> + +<p>The next morning, Swanevelt and Bremen went down the banks of the river, +and discovered the body of the hippopotamus, which they dragged on +shore, and, returning to the wagons, sent the Caffres to cut it up; but +before the Caffres belonging to the caravan could arrive there, they +found that the work had been done for them by the natives, and that +nothing was left but the bones of the animal; but this is always +considered fair in the Caffre-land; every one helps himself when an +elephant or other large animal is killed, although he may have had no +hand in its destruction. The number of elephant-paths now showed them +that they were surrounded by these animals, and the Caffres of the +country said that there were large herds close to them.</p> + +<p>It was therefore proposed by the Major, that they should have a grand +elephant-hunt, at which all the Caffres of their own party and the +natives of the country should assist. This proposal was joyfully +received by all, especially the natives, who were delighted at such an +opportunity of having the assistance of the white men's guns; and the +next day was appointed for the sport. By the advice of the natives, the +caravan proceeded some miles down to the eastward, to the borders of a +very thick forest, where they stated that the elephants were to be +found.</p> + +<p>They arrived at the spot in the afternoon, and every one was busy in +making preparations for the following day. The Hottentots, who had been +used to the sport, told long stories to those who had not, and, among +the rest, Big Adam spoke much of his prowess and dexterity. Uncommonly +large fires were lighted that night, for fear that the elephants should +break into the camp. All night their cries were to be heard in the +forest, and occasionally the breaking of the branches of the trees +proved that they were close to the caravan. Begum, who was particularly +alive to danger, crept to Major Henderson's bed, and would remain there +all night, although he several times tried to drive her away. +Notwithstanding continued alarms, the caravan was, however, unmolested.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XIII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XIII.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>At daylight the following morning, there was a large concourse of +Caffres in the camp, all waiting till our travelers were ready for the +sport. Having made a hasty breakfast, they, by the advice of the +Caffres, did not mount their horses, but started on foot, as the Caffres +stated that the elephants were on the side of the hill. Ascending by an +elephant-path, in less than half an hour they arrived at the top of the +hill, when a grand and magnificent panorama was spread before them. From +the crown of the hill they looked down upon a valley studded with clumps +of trees, which divided the cleared ground, and the whole face of the +valley was covered with elephants. There could not have been less than +nine hundred at one time within the scope of their vision.</p> + +<p>Every height, every green knoll, was dotted with groups of six or seven, +some of their vast bodies partly concealed by the trees upon which they +were browsing, others walking in the open plain, bearing in their trunks +a long branch of a tree, with which they evidently protected themselves +from the flies. The huge bodies of the animals, with the corresponding +magnitude of the large timber-trees which surrounded them, gave an idea +of nature on her grandest scale.</p> + +<p>After a few minutes' survey, they turned to the party who were +collected behind them, and gave notice that they were to commence +immediately. The head men of the Caffres gave their orders, and the +bands of natives moved silently away in every direction, checking any +noise from the dogs, which they had brought with them in numerous packs. +Our travelers were to leeward of the herd on the hill where they stood, +and as it was the intention of the natives to drive the animals toward +them, the Caffre warriors as well as the Hottentots all took up +positions on the hill ready to attack the animals as they were driven +that way.</p> + +<p>About an hour passed away, when the signal was given by some of the +native Caffres, who had gained the side of the valley to westward of the +elephants. Perched up at various high spots, they shouted with +stentorian lungs, and their shouts were answered by the rest of the +Caffres on every side of the valley, so that the elephants found +themselves encompassed on all sides, except on that where the hill rose +from the valley. As the Caffres closed in, their shouts reverberating +from the rocks, and mixed up with the savage howlings of the dogs, +became tremendous; and the elephants, alarmed, started first to one side +of the valley, then to the other, hastily retreating from the clamor +immediately raised as they approached, shaking their long ears and +trumpeting loudly, as with uplifted trunks they trotted to and fro.</p> + +<p>At last, finding no other avenue of escape, the herd commenced the +ascent of the hill, cracking the branches and boughs, and rolling the +loose stones down into the valleys, as they made their ascent, and now +adding their own horrid shrieks to the din which had been previously +created. On they came, bearing every thing down before them, carrying +havoc in their rage to such an extent, that the forest appeared to bow +down before them; while large masses of loose rock leaped and bounded +and thundered down into the valley, raising clouds of dust in their +passage.</p> + +<p>"This is tremendously grand," whispered Alexander to the Major.</p> + +<p>"It is most awfully so; I would not have missed the sight for any +thing; but here they come—look at that tall tree borne down by the +weight of the whole mass."</p> + +<p>"See the great bull leader," said Swinton; "let us all fire upon +him—what a monster!"</p> + +<p>"Look out," said the Major, whose rifle was discharged as he spoke, and +was quickly followed by those of Alexander and Swinton.</p> + +<p>"He's down; be quick and load again. Omrah, give me the other rifle."</p> + +<p>"Take care! take care!" was how cried on all sides, for the fall of the +leading elephant and the volleys of musketry from the Hottentots had so +frightened the herd, that they had begun to separate and break off two +or three together, or singly in every direction. The shrieks and +trumpetings, and the crashing of the boughs so near to them, were now +deafening; and the danger was equally great. The Major had but just +leveled his other rifle when the dense foliage close to him opened as if +by magic, and the head of a large female presented itself within four +yards of him.</p> + +<p>Fortunately, the Major was a man of great nerve, and his rifle brought +her down at his feet, when so near to him that he was compelled to leap +away out of the reach of her trunk, for she was not yet dead. Another +smaller elephant followed so close, that it tumbled over the carcass of +the first, and was shot by Alexander as it was recovering its legs.</p> + +<p>"Back, sirs, or you will be killed," cried Bremen, running to them; +"this way—the whole herd is coming right upon you." They ran for their +lives, following the Hottentot, who brought them to a high rock which +the elephants could not climb, and where they were safe.</p> + +<p>They had hardly gained it when the mass came forward in a cloud of dust, +and with a noise almost inconceivable, scrambling and rolling to and fro +as they passed on in a close-wedged body. Many were wounded and +tottering, and as they were left behind, the Caffres, naked, with their +assaguays in their hands, leaping forward and hiding, as required, +running with the greatest activity close up to the rear of the animals, +either pierced them with their assaguays, or hamstrung them with their +sharp-cutting weapons, crying out in their own tongue to the elephants, +"Great captain! don't kill us—don't tread upon us, mighty +chief!"—supplicating, strangely enough, the mercy of those to whom they +were showing none. As it was almost impossible to fire without a chance +of hitting a Caffre, our travelers contented themselves with looking on, +till the whole herd had passed by, and had disappeared in the jungle +below.</p> + +<p>"They have gone right in the direction of the wagons," said Swinton.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," replied the Hottentot, Bremen; "but we must not interfere +with them any more; they are now so scattered in the jungle, that it +would be dangerous. We must let them go away as fast as they can."</p> + +<p>They remained for a few minutes more, till every elephant and Caffre had +disappeared, and then went back cautiously to the spot from whence they +had first fired, and where they had such a fine prospect of the valley. +Not an elephant was to be seen in it; nothing but the ravages which the +herd had committed upon the trees, many of which, of a very large size, +had been borne to the ground by the enormous strength of these animals. +They then proceeded to the spot where the great bull elephant had fallen +by the rifle of Major Henderson.</p> + +<p>They found that the ball had entered just under the eye. It was a +monster that must have stood sixteen feet high by Bremen's calculation, +and it had two very fine tusks. While they were standing by the carcass +of the animal, the armed Hottentots returned from the pursuit, and +stated that seven elephants had been dispatched, and others were so +wounded that they could not live. They now set to work to take the teeth +out of the animal, and were very busy, when a Hottentot came running up, +and reported that the herd of elephants in their retreat had dashed +through the camp, and done a good deal of mischief; that a male elephant +had charged the wagon of Major Henderson, and had forced his tusk +through the side; that the tusk had pierced one of the casks of liquor, +which was running out, although not very fast, and that the wagon must +be unloaded to get out the cask and save the rest of the liquor.</p> + +<p>Several Hottentots immediately hurried back with him to help in +unloading the wagon, and by degrees they all slipped away except Bremen, +Swanevelt, who was cutting out the tusks, and Omrah, who remained +perched upon the huge carcass of the animal, imitating the trumpeting +and motions of the elephant, and playing all sorts of antics. A party of +Caffres soon afterward came up and commenced cutting up the carcass, and +then our travelers walked away in the direction of the camp, to +ascertain what mischief had been done.</p> + +<p>On their return, which, as they stopped occasionally to examine the +other animals that had fallen, must have taken an hour, they found that +the Hottentots had not commenced unloading the wagon; although they had +put tubs to catch the running liquor, of which they had taken so large a +quantity that some were staggering about, and the rest lying down in a +state of senseless intoxication.</p> + +<p>"I thought they were very officious in going back to assist," observed +the Major; "a pretty mess we should be in, if we were in an enemy's +country, and without our Caffre guard."</p> + +<p>"Yes, indeed," replied Alexander, turning over the tub of liquor, and +spilling it on the ground, much to the sorrow of the Hottentots who were +not yet insensible: "however, we will now let the cask run out, and +watch that they get no more."</p> + +<p>As the Caffres were busy with the carcasses of the elephants, and most +of the Hottentots dead drunk, it was useless to think of proceeding +until the following day. Indeed, the oxen and horses were all scattered +in every direction by the elephants breaking into the caravan, and it +would be necessary to collect them, which would require some time. Our +travelers, therefore, gave up the idea of proceeding further that day, +and taking their guns, walked on to the forest, in the direction where +most of the elephants killed had fallen. They passed by three carcasses, +upon which the Caffres were busily employed, and then they came to a +fourth, when a sight presented itself which quite moved their sympathy. +It was the carcass of a full-grown female, and close to it was an +elephant calf, about three feet and a half high, standing by the side of +its dead mother.</p> + +<p>The poor little animal ran round and round the body with every +demonstration of grief, piping sorrowfully, and trying in vain to raise +it up with its tiny trunk. When our travelers arrived, it ran up to +them, entwining its little proboscis round their legs, and showing its +delight at finding somebody. On the trees round the carcass were perched +a number of vultures, waiting to make a meal of the remains, as soon as +the hunters had cut it up, for their beaks could not penetrate the tough +hide. Our travelers remained there for more than an hour, watching the +motions and playing with the young elephant, which made several attempts +to induce its prostrate mother to take notice of it. Finding, however, +that all its efforts were ineffectual, when our travelers quitted the +spot to go back, it voluntarily followed them to the caravans, where it +remained, probably quite as much astonished to find all the Hottentots +lying about as insensible as its mother.</p> + +<p>It may be as well here to observe, that the little animal did not live +beyond a very few days after, from want of its necessary food.</p> + +<p>In the evening, Bremen and Swanevelt returned with tusks of the bull +elephant, which were very large, and the Caffre warriors also came in; +the other Caffres belonging to the country were too busy eating for the +present. The chief of the Caffre warriors brought in the tufts of the +other elephant's tails and the teeth, and the men were loaded with the +flesh. As soon as the Caffres found that the oxen and horses had been +frightened away, and perceived that the Hottentots were not in a +situation to go after them, they threw down their meat and went in +pursuit. Before dark the cattle were all brought back; the fires were +lighted, and the Caffres did not give over their repast until near +midnight.</p> + +<p>Our travelers did not think it advisable, as the Hottentots were now no +protection, to go to bed; they made up a large fire, and remained by it, +talking over the adventures of the day. While they were conversing, +Begum, who had been sitting by her master, showed signs of uneasiness, +and at last clung round the Major with an evident strong fear.</p> + +<p>"Why, what can be the matter with the Princess?" said the Major; +"something has frightened her."</p> + +<p>"Yes, that is evident; perhaps there is an elephant near; shall we waken +Bremen and Swanevelt, who are close to us?"</p> + +<p>Begum chattered, and her teeth also chattered with fear, as she clung +closer and closer. Little Omrah, who was sitting by, looked very +earnestly at the baboon, and at last touching the shoulder of Alexander +to attract his attention, he first pointed to the baboon, imitating its +fright, and then going on his hands and feet, imitated the motions and +growl of an animal.</p> + +<p>"I understand," cried the Major, seizing his gun; "the lad means that +there is a lion near, and that is what frightens the baboon."</p> + +<p>"Lion!" said the Major to Omrah.</p> + +<p>But Omrah did not understand him; but pulling out his paper and pencil, +in a second almost he drew the form of a lion.</p> + +<p>"Clever little fellow! Wake them all, and get your guns ready," said the +Major, starting on his legs; "it can't be far off; confound the monkey, +she won't let go," continued he, tearing off Begum and throwing her +away. Begum immediately scampered to the wagon and hid herself.</p> + +<p>They had just awakened up the two Hottentots, when a roar was given so +loud and tremendous, that it appeared like thunder, and was reverberated +from the rocks opposite for some seconds.</p> + +<p>No one but those who have been in the country, and have fallen in with +this animal in its wild and savage state, can have any idea of the +appalling effect of a lion's roar. What is heard in a menagerie is weak, +and can give but a faint conception of it. In the darkness of the night +it is almost impossible to tell from what quarter the sound proceeds; +this arises from the habit which the animal has of placing his mouth +close to the ground when he roars, so that his voice rolls over the +earth, as it were like a breaker, and the sound is carried along with +all its tremendous force. It is indeed a most awful note of preparation, +and so thought Alexander, who had never heard one before.</p> + +<p>The Caffres had wakened up at the noise, and our travelers and the +Hottentots now fired their guns off in every direction to scare away the +animal. Repeated discharges had this effect, and in the course of half +an hour every thing was again quiet.</p> + +<p>"Well," observed Alexander, "this is the first time that I ever heard +the roar of a lion in its wild state; and I can assure you that I shall +never forget it as long as I live."</p> + +<p>"It is not the first time I have heard it," replied the Major; "but I +must say, what with the darkness and stillness of the night, and the +reverberation, I never heard it so awful before. But you, Swinton, who +have traveled in the Namaqua-land, have, of course."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I have, but very seldom."</p> + +<p>"But it is rather singular that we have not heard the lion before this, +is it not?" said Alexander.</p> + +<p>"The lion is often near without giving you notice," replied Swinton; +"but I do not think that there are many lions in the country we have +traversed; it is too populous. On the other side of the mountains, if we +return that way, we shall find them in plenty. Wherever the antelopes +are in herds, wherever you find the wild horse, zebra, and giraffe, you +will as certainly find the lion, for he preys upon them."</p> + +<p>"I know very well, Swinton, that you are closely attentive to the +peculiar habits of animals, and that they form a portion of your study. +Have you much knowledge of the lion? and if so, suppose you tell us +something about them."</p> + +<p>"I have certainly studied the habits of the lion, and what I have +gathered from my own observation and the information I received from +others, I shall be most happy to communicate. The lion undoubtedly does +not kill wantonly—of that I have had repeated instances. I recollect +one which is rather remarkable, as it showed the sagacity of the noble +brute. A man who belonged to one of the Mission stations, on his return +home from a visit to his friends, took a circuitous route to pass a pool +of water, at which he hoped to kill an antelope. The sun had risen to +some height when he arrived there, and as he could not perceive any +game, he laid his gun down on a low shelving rock, the back part of +which was covered with some brushwood. He went down to the pool and had +a hearty drink, returned to the rock, and after smoking his pipe, +feeling weary, he lay down and fell fast asleep.</p> + +<p>"In a short time, the excessive heat reflected from the rock awoke him, +and opening his eyes he perceived a large lion about a yard from his +feet, crouched down, with his eyes glaring on his face. For some minutes +he remained motionless with fright, expecting every moment that he would +be in the jaws of the monster; at last he recovered his presence of +mind, and casting his eye toward his gun, moved his hand slowly toward +it; upon which the lion raised up his head and gave a tremendous roar +which induced him hastily to withdraw his hand. With this the lion +appeared satisfied, and crouched with his head between his fore-paws as +before. After a little while the man made another attempt to possess +himself of his gun. The lion raised his head and gave another roar, and +the man desisted; another and another attempt were at intervals made, +but always with the same anger shown on the part of the lion."</p> + +<p>"Why, the lion must have known what he wanted the gun for."</p> + +<p>"Most certainly he did, and therefore would not allow the man to touch +it. It is to be presumed that the sagacious creature had been fired at +before; but you observe, that he did not wish to harm the man. He +appeared to say—You are in my power; you shall not go away: you shall +not take your musket to shoot me with, or I will tear you to pieces."</p> + +<p>"It certainly was very curious. Pray how did it end?"</p> + +<p>"Why the heat of the sun on the rock was so overpowering, that the man +was in great agony; his naked feet were so burned, that he was +compelled to keep moving them, placing one upon the other and changing +them every minute. The day passed, and the night also; the lion never +moved from the spot. The sun rose again, and the heat became so intense +that the poor man's feet were past all feeling. At noon, on that day, +the lion rose and walked to the pool, which was only a few yards +distant, looking behind him every moment to see if the man moved; the +man once more attempted to reach his gun, and the lion, perceiving it, +turned in rage, and was on the point of springing upon him; the man +withdrew his hand, and the beast was pacified."</p> + +<p>"How very strange!"</p> + +<p>"The animal went to the water and drank; it then returned and lay down +at the same place as before, about a yard from the man's feet. Another +night passed away, and the lion kept at his post. The next day, in the +forenoon, the animal again went to the water, and while there looked as +if he heard a noise in an opposite quarter, and then disappeared in the +bushes.</p> + +<p>"Perceiving this, the man made an effort, and seized his gun, but in +attempting to rise he found it not in his power, as the strength of his +ankles was gone. With his gun in his hand, he crept to the pool and +drank, and, looking at his feet, he discovered that his toes had been +quite roasted and the skin torn off as he crawled through the grass. He +sat at the pool for a few minutes expecting the lion's return, and +resolved to send the contents of his gun through his head; but the lion +did not return, so the poor fellow tied his gun on his back and crawled +away on his hands and knees as well as he could. He was quite exhausted, +and could have proceeded no further, when providentially a person fell +in with him and assisted him home; but he lost his toes, and was a +cripple for life."</p> + +<p>"What makes this story more remarkable is," observed the Major, "that +the lion, as it is rational to suppose, must have been hungry after +watching the man for sixty hours, even admitting that he had taken a +meal but a short time before."</p> + +<p>"I know many other curious and well-authenticated anecdotes about this +noble animal," observed Swinton, "which I shall be happy to give you; +but I must look at my memorandum-book, or I may not be quite correct in +my story. One fact is very remarkable, and as I had it from Mr.——, the +missionary, who stated that he had several times observed it himself, I +have no hesitation in vouching for its correctness, the more so, as I +did once perceive a similar fact myself; it is, that the fifth +commandment is observed by lions—they honor their father and mother.</p> + +<p>"If an old lion is in company with his children, as the natives call +them, although they are in size equal to himself, or if a number of +lions meet together in quest of game, there is always one who is +admitted by them to be the oldest and ablest, and who leads. If the game +is come up with, it is this one who creeps up to it, and seizes it, +while the others lie crouched upon the grass; if the old lion is +successful, which he generally is, he retires from his victim, and lies +down to breathe himself and rest for perhaps a quarter of an hour. The +others in the meantime draw round and lie down at a respectful distance, +but never presume to go near the animal which the old lion has killed. +As soon as the old lion considers himself sufficiently rested, he goes +up to the prey and commences at the breast and stomach, and after eating +a considerable portion he will take a second rest, none of the others +presuming to move.</p> + +<p>"Having made a second repast, he then retires; the other lions watch his +motions, and all rush to the remainder of the carcass, which is soon +devoured. I said that I witnessed an instance myself in corroboration of +this statement, which I will now mention. I was sitting on a rock after +collecting some plants, when below me I saw a young lion seize an +antelope; he had his paw upon the dead animal, when the old lion came +up,—upon which the young one immediately retired till his superior had +dined first, and then came in for the remainder. Mercy on us! what is +that?"</p> + +<p>"I thought it was the lion again," said Alexander, "but it is thunder; +we are about to have a storm."</p> + +<p>"Yes, and a fierce one too," said the Major; "I am afraid that we must +break up our party and retire under cover. We have some large drops of +rain already."</p> + +<p>A flash of lightning now dazzled them, and was followed by another, and +an instantaneous peal of thunder.</p> + +<p>"There is no mistake in this," said Swinton; "and I can tell you that we +shall have it upon us in less than a minute, so I am for my wagon."</p> + +<p>"At all events it will wash these Hottentots sober," observed the Major, +as they all walked away to their separate wagons for shelter.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XIV'></a><h2>CHAPTER XIV.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>They had scarcely gained the wagons before the thunder and lightning +became incessant, and so loud as to be deafening. It appeared as if they +were in the very center of the contending elements, and the wind rose +and blew with terrific force, while the rain poured down as if the +flood-gates of heaven were indeed opened. The lightning was so vivid, +that for the second that it lasted you could see the country round to +the horizon almost as clear as day; the next moment all was terrific +gloom accompanied by the stunning reports of the thunder, which caused +every article in the wagons, and the wagons themselves, to vibrate from +the concussion. A large tree, not fifty yards from the caravan, was +struck by the lightning, and came down with an appalling crash. The +Caffres had all roused up, and had sheltered themselves under the +wagons.</p> + +<p>The Hottentots had also begun to move, but had not yet recovered their +senses—indeed, they were again stupefied by the clamor of the elements. +The storm lasted about an hour, and then as suddenly cleared up again; +the stars again made their appearance in the sky above, and the red +tinge of the horizon announced the approach of daylight. When the storm +ceased, our travelers, who had not taken off their clothes, came out +from their shelter, and met each other by the side of the extinguished +fire.</p> + +<p>"Well," said Alexander, "I have been made wise on two points this +night; I now know what an African storm is, and also the roar of an +African lion. Have you heard if there is any mischief done, Bremen?" +continued Alexander to the Hottentot, who stood by.</p> + +<p>"No, sir; but I am afraid it will take us a long while to collect the +cattle; they will be dispersed in all directions, and we may have lost +some of them. It will soon be daylight, and then we must set off after +them."</p> + +<p>"Are those fellows quite sober now?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," replied Bremen, laughing; "water has washed all the liquor +out of them."</p> + +<p>"Well, you may tell them, as a punishment, I shall stop their tobacco +for a week."</p> + +<p>"Better not now, sir," said Bremen, thoughtfully; "the men don't like to +go further up the country, and they may be troublesome."</p> + +<p>"I think so too," said Swinton; "you must recollect that the cask was +running out, and the temptation was too strong. I should overlook it +this time. Give them a severe reprimand, and let them off."</p> + +<p>"I believe it will be the best way," replied Alexander; "not that I fear +their refusing to go on, for if they do, I will dismiss them, and go on +with the Caffres; they dare not go back by themselves, that is certain."</p> + +<p>"Sir," said Bremen, "that is very true; but you must not trust the +Caffres too much—Caffres always try to get guns and ammunition: Caffre +king, Hinza, very glad to get the wagons and what is in them: make him +rich man, and powerful man, with so many guns. Caffre king will not rob +in his own country, because he is afraid of the English; but if the +wagon's robbed, and you are killed in this country, which is not his, +then he make excuses, and say, 'I know nothing about it,' Say that their +people do it, not his people."</p> + +<p>"Bremen talks very sensibly," said the Major; "we must keep the +Hottentots as a check to the Caffres, and the Caffres as a check to the +Hottentots."</p> + +<p>"That is our policy, depend upon it," replied Swinton.</p> + +<p>"You are right, and we will do so; but the day is breaking; so? Bremen, +collect the people together to search for the cattle; and, Omrah, tell +Mahomed to come here."</p> + +<p>"By the by, Swinton," said Major Henderson, "those elephants' tusks +lying by the wagon remind me of a question I want to put to you:—In +Ceylon, where I have often hunted the elephant, they have no tusks; and +in India the tusks are not common, and in general very small. How do you +account for this variety?"</p> + +<p>"It has been observed before; and it is but a fair surmise, that +Providence, ever attentive to the wants of the meanest animals, has +furnished such large tusks to the African elephant for the necessity +which requires them. In Ceylon there is plenty of grass, and an abundant +supply of water all the year round; and further, in Ceylon, the elephant +has no enemy to defend himself against. Here, in Africa, the rivers are +periodical torrents, which dry up, and the only means which an elephant +has of obtaining water during the dry season is to dig with his tusks +into the bed of the river, till he finds the water, which he draws up +with his trunk. Moreover, he has to defend himself against the +rhinoceros, which is a formidable antagonist, and often victorious. He +requires tusks also for his food in this country, for the elephant digs +up the mimosa here with his tusks, that he may feed upon the succulent +roots of the tree. Indeed, an elephant in Africa without his tusks could +not well exist."</p> + +<p>"Thank you for your explanation, which appears very satisfactory and +conclusive; and now let us go to breakfast, for Mahomed, I perceive, is +ready, and Omrah has displayed our teacups, and is very busy blowing +into the spout of the teapot, a Bushman way of ascertaining if it is +stopped up. However, we must not expect to make a London footman out of +a 'Child of the Desert.'"</p> + +<p>"Where is his adversary and antagonist, the valiant Big Adam?"</p> + +<p>"He was among those who indulged in the liquor yesterday afternoon, and +I believe was worse than any one of them. The little Bushman did not +fail to take advantage of his defenseless state, and has been torturing +him in every way he could imagine during the whole night. I saw him +pouring water into the Hottentot's mouth as he lay on his back with his +mouth wide open, till he nearly choked him. To get it down faster, Omrah +had taken the big tin funnel, and had inserted one end into his mouth, +which he filled till the water ran out; after that he was trying what he +could do with fire, for he began putting hot embers between Big Adam's +toes; I dare say the fellow can not walk to-day."</p> + +<p>"I fear that some day he will kill Omrah, or do him some serious injury; +the boy must be cautioned," said Alexander.</p> + +<p>"I am afraid it will be of no use, and Omrah must take his chance: he is +aware of Big Adam's enmity as well as you are, and is always on his +guard; but as for persuading him to leave off his tricks, or to +reconcile them to each other, it is impossible," said Swinton—"you +don't know a Bushman."</p> + +<p>"Then pray tell us something about them," said the Major, "as soon as +you have finished that elephant-steak, which you appear to approve of. +Of what race are the Bushmen?"</p> + +<p>"I will tell you when I have finished my breakfast," replied Swinton, +"and not before: if I begin to talk, you will eat all the steak, and +that won't do."</p> + +<p>"I suspect that we shall not leave this to-day," said Alexander. "If, as +Bremen says, the cattle have strayed very far, it will be too late to go +in the afternoon, and to-morrow you recollect is Sunday, and that, we +have agreed, shall be kept as it ought to be."</p> + +<p>"Very true," said the Major; "then we must make Swinton entertain us by +telling us more about the lions, for he had not finished when the storm +came on."</p> + +<p>"No," replied Swinton; "I had a great deal more to say, and I shall be +very happy at any seasonable time, Major, to tell you what I know—but +not just now."</p> + +<p>"My dear fellow," said the Major, putting another piece of +elephant-steak upon Swinton's plate, "pray don't entertain the idea that +I want you to talk on purpose that I may eat your share and my own too; +only ascribe my impatience to the true cause—the delight I have in +receiving instruction and amusement from you."</p> + +<p>"Well, Swinton, you have extorted a compliment from the Major."</p> + +<p>"Yes, and an extra allowance of steak, which is a better thing," replied +Swinton, laughing. "Now I have finished my breakfast, I will tell what I +know about Omrah's people.</p> + +<p>"The Bushmen are originally a Hottentot race—of that I think there is +little doubt; but I believe they are a race of people produced by +circumstances, if I may use the expression. The Hottentot on the plains +lives a nomad life, pasturing and living upon his herds. The Bushman may +be considered as the Hottentot driven out of his fertile plains, +deprived of his cattle, and compelled to resort to the hills for his +safety and subsistence—in short, a Hill Hottentot: impelled by hunger +and by injuries, he has committed depredations upon the property of +others until he has had a mark set upon him; his hand has been against +every man, and he has been hunted like a wild beast, and compelled to +hide himself in the caves of almost inaccessible rocks and hills.</p> + +<p>"Thus, generation after generation, he has suffered privation and +hunger, till the race has dwindled down to the small size which it is at +present. Unable to contend against force, his only weapons have been his +cunning and his poisoned arrows, and with them he has obtained his +livelihood—or rather, it may be said, has contrived to support life, +and no more. There are, however, many races mixed up with the Bushmen; +for runaway slaves, brought from Madagascar, Malays, and even those of +the mixed white breed, when they have committed murder or other penal +crimes, have added to the race and incorporated themselves with them; +they are called the Children of the Desert, and they are literally +such."</p> + +<p>"Have you seen much of them?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, when I was in the Namaqua-land and in the Bechuana territory I saw +a great deal of them. I do not think that they are insensible to +kindness, and moreover, I believe that they may often be trusted; but +you run a great risk."</p> + +<p>"Have they ever shown any gratitude?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; when I have killed game for them, they have followed me on +purpose to show me the pools of waters without which we should have +suffered severely, if we had not perished. We were talking about lions; +it is an old-received opinion, that the jackal is the lion's provider; +it would be a more correct one to say that the lion is the Bushman's +provider."</p> + +<p>"Indeed!"</p> + +<p>"I once asked a Bushman, 'How do you live?' His reply was, 'I live by the +lions.' I asked him to explain to me. He said, 'I will show what I do: I +let the lions follow the game and kill it and eat till they have their +bellies full, then I go up to where the lion is sitting down by the +carcass, and I go pretty near to him; I cry out, What have you got +there, can not you spare me some of it? Go away and let me have some +meat, or I'll do you some harm. Then I dance and jump about and shake my +skin-dress, and the lion looks at me, and he turns round and walks away; +he growls very much, but he don't stay, and then I eat the rest.'"</p> + +<p>"And is that true?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I believe it, as I have had it confessed by many others. The fact +is, the lion is only dangerous when he is hungry—that is, if he is not +attacked; and if, as the Bushman said, the lion has eaten sufficiently, +probably not wishing to be disturbed, after his repast, by the presence +and shouts of the Bushman, the animal retires to some other spot. I was +informed that a very short time afterward, this Bushman, who told me +what I have detailed to you, was killed by a lioness, when attempting to +drive it away from its prey by shouting as he was used to do. The fact +was, that he perceived a lioness devouring a wild horse, and went up to +her as usual; but he did not observe that she had her whelps with her: +he shouted; she growled savagely, and before he had time to retreat, she +sprang upon him and tore him to pieces."</p> + +<p>"The lion does not prey upon men, then, although he destroys them?"</p> + +<p>"Not generally; but the Namaqua people told me that, if a lion once +takes a fancy to men's flesh—and they do, after they have in their +hunger devoured one or two—they become doubly dangerous, as they will +leave all other game and hunt man only; but this I can not vouch for +being the truth, although it is very probable."</p> + +<p>"If we judge from analogy, it is," replied the Major. "The Bengal tigers +in India, it is well known, if they once taste human flesh, prefer it to +all other, and they are well known to the natives, who term them +man-eaters. Strange to say, it appears that human flesh is not wholesome +for them; for their skins become mangy after they have taken to eating +that alone. I have shot a 'man-eater' from the back of an elephant, and +I found that the skin was not worth taking."</p> + +<p>"The Namaquas," replied Swinton, "told me that a lion, once enamored of +human flesh, would, in order to obtain it so far overcome his caution, +that he would leap through a fire to seize a man. I once went to visit a +Namaqua chief, who had been severely wounded by a lion of this +description—a man-eater, as the Major terms them,—and he gave me the +following dreadful narrative, which certainly corroborates what they +assert of the lion who had once taken a fancy to human flesh.</p> + +<p>"The chief told me that he had gone out with a party of his men to hunt: +they had guns, bows and arrows, and assaguays. On the first day, as they +were pursuing an elephant, they came across some lions, who attacked +them and they were obliged to save their lives by abandoning a horse, +which the lions devoured. They then made hiding-places of thick bushes +by a pool, where they knew the elephant and rhinoceros would come to +drink.</p> + +<p>"As they fired at a rhinoceros, a lion leaped into their inclosure, took +up one of the men in his mouth and carried him off, and all that they +afterward could find of him the next day was one of the bones of his +leg. The next night, as they were sitting by a fire inside of their +inclosure of bushes, a lion came, seized one of the men, dragged him +through the fire, and tore out his back. One of the party fired, but +missed; upon which, the lion, dropping his dying victim, growled at the +men across the fire, and they durst not repeat the shot; the lion then +took up his prey in his mouth, and went off with it.</p> + +<p>"Alarmed at such disasters, the Namaquas collected together in one +strong inclosure, and at night sent out one of the slaves for water. He +had no sooner reached the pool than he was seized by a lion; he called +in vain for help, but was dragged off through the woods, and the next +day his skull only was found, clean licked by the rough tongue of the +lion.</p> + +<p>"Having now lost three men in three days, the chief and his whole party +turned out to hunt and destroy lions only. They followed the spoor or +track of the one which had taken the slave, and they soon found two +lions, one of which, the smallest, they shot; and then, having taken +their breakfast, they went after the other, and largest, which was +recognized as the one which had devoured the man.</p> + +<p>"They followed the animal to a patch of reeds, where it had intrenched +itself; they set fire to the reeds and forced it out, and as it was +walking off it was severely wounded by one of the party, when it +immediately turned back, and, with a loud roar, charged right through +the smoke and the burning reeds. The monster dashed in among them and +seized the chief's brother by the back, tearing out his ribs and +exposing his lungs.</p> + +<p>"The chief rushed to the assistance of his expiring brother; his gun +burned priming. He dashed it down, and in his desperation seized the +lion by the tail. The lion let go the body, and turned upon the chief, +and with a stroke of his fore-paw tore a large piece of flesh off the +chief's arm; then struck him again and threw him on the ground. The +chief rose instantly, but the lion then seized him by the knee, threw +him down again, and there held him, mangling his left arm.</p> + +<p>"Torn and bleeding, the chief in a feeble voice called to his men to +shoot the animal from behind, which was at last done with a ball which +passed through the lion's brain. After this destruction of four men in +four days, the hunting was given over; the body of the chief's brother +was buried, and the party went home, bearing with them their wounded +chief."</p> + +<p>"Well, that is the most horrible lion-adventure I have yet heard," said +the Major. "Heaven preserve us from a man-eating lion!"</p> + +<p>"It really has almost taken away my breath," said Alexander.</p> + +<p>"Well, then, I will tell you one more amusing, and not so fatal in its +results; I was told it by a Bushman," said Swinton. "A Bushman was +following a herd of zebras, and had just succeeded in wounding one with +his arrow, when he discovered that he had been interfering with a lion, +who was also in chase of the same animals. As the lion appeared very +angry at this interference with his rights as lord of the manor, and +evidently inclined to punish the Bushman as a poacher upon his +preserves, the latter, perceiving a tree convenient, climbed up into it +as fast as he could. The lion allowed the herd of zebras to go away, and +turned his attention to the Bushman. He walked round and round the tree, +and every now and then he growled as he looked up at the Bushman.</p> + +<p>"At last the lion lay down at the foot of the tree, and there he kept +watch all night. The Bushman kept watch also, but toward morning, +feeling very tired, he was overcome by sleep, and as he slept, he +dreamed, and what do you think that he dreamed?—he dreamed that he fell +from the tree into the jaws of the lion. Starting up in horror from the +effects of his dream, he lost his hold, and falling from the branch, +down he came with all his weight right on the back of the lion. The +lion, so unexpectedly saluted, sprang up with a loud roar, tossing off +the Bushman, and running away as fast as he could; and the Bushman, +recovering his legs and his senses, also took to his heels in a +different direction; and thus were the 'sleepers awakened,' and the +dream became true."</p> + +<p>"Besiegers retreating and fort evacuated both at the same time," cried +the Major, laughing.</p> + +<p>"Well, I think you have had enough of the lion now," said Swinton.</p> + +<p>"No, we had quite enough of him last night, if you choose," replied +Alexander. "But your lions are not quite so near as he was."</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XV'></a><h2>CHAPTER XV.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>It was not until the evening that the Caffres and Hottentots returned +with the cattle, which they had great difficulty in collecting; two or +three of the oxen were not brought back till late at night, so +frightened had the animals been by the approach of the lion. In the +afternoon, as it was too late to think of proceeding, our travelers, +with their guns on their shoulders, and accompanied by Omrah and Begum, +who would always follow the Major if she was not tied up, strolled away +from the camp to amuse themselves. At first they walked to the hill from +which they had such a splendid view of the valley covered with +elephants, and, proceeding to where the male elephant had fallen, found +that his flesh had, by the Caffres, the wolves, and the vultures, been +completely taken off his bones, and it lay there a beautiful skeleton +for a museum.</p> + +<p>As, however, they had no room for such weighty articles in their wagons, +they left it, after Swinton had made some observations upon the +structure of the animal. Begum would not go near the skeleton, but +appeared to be frightened at it. They then proceeded to the rock which +had been their place of refuge when the herd of elephants had charged +upon them; and as they stood under it, they were suddenly saluted with a +loud noise over their heads, sounding like quah, quah!</p> + +<p>As soon as Begum heard it, she ran up to the Major with every sign of +trepidation, holding fast to his skin trowsers.</p> + +<p>"What was that?" said Alexander; "I see nothing."</p> + +<p>"I know what it is," said the Major; "it is a herd of baboons; there +they are; don't you see their heads over the rocks?"</p> + +<p>"Let them show themselves a little more, and we'll have a shot at them," +replied Alexander, cocking his gun.</p> + +<p>"Not for your life," cried Swinton; "you will be skinned and torn to +pieces, if they are numerous, and you enrage them. You have no idea +what savage and powerful creatures they are. Look at them now; they are +coming down gradually; we had better be off."</p> + +<p>"I think so too," said the Major; "they are very angry; they have seen +Begum, and imagine that we have one of their herd in our possession. +Pray don't fire, Wilmot, unless it is for your life; we are too few to +make them afraid of us. Here they come; there are a hundred of them at +least; let us walk away slowly—it won't do to run, for that would make +them chase us at once."</p> + +<p>The baboons, some of which were of gigantic size, were now descending +from the rock, grunting, grinning, springing from stone to stone, +protruding their mouths, shaking their heads, drawing back the skin of +their foreheads, and showing their formidable tusks, advancing nearer +and nearer, and threatening an attack. Some of the largest males +advanced so close as to make a snatch at Omrah. As for Begum, she kept +behind the Major, hiding herself as much as possible. At last one or two +advanced so close, rising on their hind-legs, that the Major was obliged +to ward them off with his gun, "Point your guns at them," said Swinton, +"if they come too close; but do not fire, I beg you. If we only get from +off this rocky ground to the plain below, we shall probably get rid of +them."</p> + +<p>The ground on which they were formed a portion of the rocky hill upon +which they had taken shelter the day of the elephant-hunt; and within +twenty-five yards of them there was an abrupt descent of about four +feet, which joined it to the plain. They had gained half-way, parrying +the animals off as well as they could, as they retreated backward, when +some of the baboons came down from the other side of the rock, so as to +attempt to cut off their retreat, their object evidently being to gain +possession of Begum, whom they considered as belonging to them—and a +captive.</p> + +<p>Their situation now became more critical; for the whole herd were +joining the foremost; and the noise they made, and the anger they +expressed, were much greater than before.</p> + +<p>"We must fire, I really believe," said the Major, when they heard a +deep, hollow growl, followed up by a roar of some animal, apparently not +very far off. At this sound the baboons halted, and listened in silence; +again the growl was repeated, and followed up by the roar, and the +baboons, at a shriek given by one on the rock, turned round and took to +their heels, much to the delight of our travelers, who had felt the +peculiar difficulty and danger of their situation.</p> + +<p>"What animal was that which has frightened them off?" said the Major.</p> + +<p>"It was the growl of a leopard," replied Swinton; "we must keep a sharp +look-out; it can't be far off. The leopard is the great enemy of the +baboons. But where is Omrah?"</p> + +<p>They all looked round, but the boy was not to be seen. At last he showed +his head above the foot of the rocky hill, where there was a descent of +four feet, as we have mentioned, then sprang up the rock, and began +capering, and imitating the baboons as they came on to the attack.</p> + +<p>As they were laughing at him, all at once he stopped, and putting his +hands to his mouth he gave the growl and roar of a leopard, which they +had heard, and then set off running away baboon fashion.</p> + +<p>"It was the Bushman, then, that frightened them off; he is a clever +little fellow."</p> + +<p>"And I am not sure that he has not saved our lives," replied Swinton; +"but he has been brought up among them, one may say, and knows their +habits well. If he had not hid himself below the rocks before he +imitated the leopard, it would have been of no use, for they would not +have been frightened, hearing the growl proceeding from him. I admire +the boy's presence of mind."</p> + +<p>"I thought at one time that the baboons had an idea that Omrah was one +of them. What a snatch they made at him!"</p> + +<p>"It would not have been the first time that these animals have carried +off a boy," said Swinton; "I saw one at Latakoo, who had lived two years +with the baboons, which had carried him off."</p> + +<p>"How did they treat him?"</p> + +<p>"Very well indeed; but they kept him a prisoner. When they found that +he would not eat the coarse food which they did, they brought him other +things; and they invariably allowed him to drink first at the pools."</p> + +<p>"Well, that was homage to our superiority. Confound their quahs, I shall +not get them out of my head for a week. What terrible large tusks they +have!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, their incisors are very strong. They often destroy the leopard +when they meet it in numbers; but if one happens to be away from the +herd, he has, of course, no chance with such an animal. Begum did not +appear at all willing to renew her connection."</p> + +<p>"None of the monkey tribe, after they have lived with man, ever are; +indeed it is a question, if they had taken possession of her, whether +they would not have torn her to pieces immediately, or have worried her +to death some way or other."</p> + +<p>"Well, at all events, Swinton, you have been rewarded for your kindness +to that poor little Bushman, and we have reaped the benefit of it," +observed Alexander. "But here come some of the oxen; I hope we shall be +able to start early on Monday. The native Caffres say that the wagons +can not proceed much further."</p> + +<p>"No, not further than to the banks of the Umtata River: but you will +then be not a great way from your destination. Daaka is the chief's +name, is it not?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, that is his name; and if he is as supposed to be, he is my first +cousin. How strange it sounds to me, as I look around me in this savage +and wild country, that I should be within forty miles of a +blood-relation, who is an inhabitant of it!"</p> + +<p>"Well, we shall soon know the truth; but I must say, if it is only to +end in a morning call, you have come a long way for the purpose," +replied the Major.</p> + +<p>"I have come to ascertain a fact, which, from what I now know of the +country and its inhabitants, will be the source of any thing but +pleasure if it be established. My only hope is that it may prove +otherwise than we suppose; and there is little chance of that, I fear."</p> + +<p>"At all events, come what may," observed Swinton, "you will have done +your duty."</p> + +<p>On their return, they found all the men and cattle collected, and that +night they increased the number of their fires, and tied the oxen to the +wagons, that they might not be scattered by the return of the lion. The +latter did not, however, make his appearance, and the night was passed +without any disturbance. The following day being Sunday, the Hottentots +were assembled, and desired not to start from the camp, as they would be +expected to attend to prayers and Divine service; and as no hunting +expedition was proposed, the Caffre warriors, as well as the native +Caffres, who came in with their baskets of milk and other articles for +sale and barter, also remained. Before dinner-time, the bell which had +been brought with them from the Cape, to ring in case of any one having +strayed from the camp, that he might be guided to return, was tolled by +Bremen, and the Hottentots were assembled. Prayers and a portion of the +Bible were then read.</p> + +<p>The Caffre warriors, who had been told that the white men were going to +pray to their God, were very silent and attentive, although they could +not understand what was said; and the native Caffres, men, women and +children, sat down and listened. As soon as the service was over, the +Caffre head man of the warriors asked the interpreter to inquire of our +travelers why they struck the bell? was it to let God know that they +were about to pray, and did he hear what they said?</p> + +<p>Swinton replied, that their God heard all that they said, and listened +to the prayers of those who trusted in him.</p> + +<p>A great many other questions were put by the Caffres, all of which were +replied to with great caution by Mr. Swinton, as he was fearful that +they might not otherwise be understood by the Caffres; but they were, as +it was proved by the questions which followed in consequence. A great +portion of the afternoon was passed away in explaining and replying to +the interrogatories of these people, and our travelers felt convinced +that by having kept the Sabbath in that savage land they had done some +good by the example; for, as Swinton truly observed—</p> + +<p>"The missionaries come into the land to spread the gospel of Christ; +they tell the natives that such is the religion and belief of the white +men, and that such are the doctrines which are inculcated. Now white men +come here as traders, or are occasionally seen here as travelers; and if +the natives find, as they have found, that these white men, stated by +the missionaries to hold the same belief, not only show no evidence of +their belief, but are guilty of sins expressly forbidden by the religion +preached, is not the work of the missionary nearly destroyed?</p> + +<p>"I have often thought that the behavior of the Dutch boors toward the +natives must have had such an effect; indeed, I may say that the colony +has been founded upon very opposite principles to those of 'doing unto +others as you would they should do unto you.' I believe that there never +yet was an intercourse between Christians nominal and savages, in any +portion of the globe, but that the savages have with great justice +thrown in the Christians' teeth, that they preached one thing but did +another. Unfortunately the taunt is but too true. Even those who had +left their country for religious persecution have erred in the same way. +The conduct of the Puritans who landed at Salem was as barbarous toward +the Indians as that of Pizarro and his followers toward the Mexicans. In +either case the poor aborigines were hunted to death."</p> + +<p>On Monday they started at daylight, and proceeded on the journey; but +they made little progress, on account of the difficulty of traveling +with the wagons in a country consisting of alternate precipices and +ravines, without any roads. The second day proved to be one of greater +difficulty; they were obliged to cut down trees, fill up holes, remove +large pieces of rock, and with every precaution the wagons were often +out of order, and they were obliged to halt for repairs.</p> + +<p>At night they were about ten miles from the Umtata River, and it was +doubtful, from the accounts received from the natives of the country, if +they would be able to go further with the wagons than to its bank. But +in the evening, news was brought that the Amaquibi, the nation of +warriors which were governed by Quetoo, and which had come from the +north, had been attacked by two of the native tribes, aided by some +white men with guns; that the white men had all been destroyed, and that +the hostile army were marching south.</p> + +<p>The native Caffres appeared to be in a panic, and this panic was soon +communicated to the Hottentots. At first, murmurings were heard as they +sat round the fire, and at last they broke out into open mutiny. Big +Adam, with three others, came up to the fire where our travelers were +sitting, and intimated that they must return immediately, as they would +proceed no further; that if it was decided to go on, the Hottentots +would not, as they had no intention of being murdered by the savages who +were advancing. Swinton, who could speak the Dutch language, having +consulted with Alexander and the Major, replied that it was very true +that the army of Quetoo was to the northward; but that the report of the +defeat of the Caffres and of the army advancing was not confirmed. It +was only a rumor, and might all be false; that even if true, it did not +follow they were advancing in the direction in which they themselves +were about to proceed; that it would be sufficient time for them to +retreat when they found out what were the real facts, which would be the +case in a few days at the furthest. But the Hottentots would not listen +to any thing that he said; they declared that they would proceed no +further.</p> + +<p>By this time all the other Hottentots had joined the first who came up +to our travelers, and made the same demand, stating their determination +not to proceed a mile further. Only Bremen and Swanevelt opposed the +rest, and declared that they would follow their masters wherever they +chose to lead them. Alexander now sent for the interpreter and the chief +of the Caffre warriors, lent him by Hinza, and desired the interpreter +to ask the Caffre whether he and his band would follow them. The Caffre +answered that they would; Hinza had given them in charge, and they could +not return and say that they had left them because there was an enemy +at hand. Hinza would kill them all if they did; they must bring back the +travelers safe, or lose their lives in their defense.</p> + +<p>"Well, then," said the Major, "now we can do without these cowardly +fellows, who are no use to us but to eat and drink; so now let us +discharge them at once, all but Bremen and Swanevelt."</p> + +<p>"I agree with you, Major," said Alexander; "what do you think, Swinton?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, let us discharge them, for then they will be in a precious +dilemma. We will discharge them without arms, and desire them to go +home; that they dare not do, so they will remain. But let us first +secure their muskets, which lie round their fire, before we dismiss +them; or they will not, perhaps, surrender them, and we may be in an +awkward position. I will slip away, and while I am away, do you keep +them in talk until I return, which I shall not do until I have locked up +all the guns in the store-wagon."</p> + +<p>As Swinton rose, the Major addressed the Hottentots. "Now, my lads," +said he, "here are Bremen and Swanevelt who consent to follow us; all +the Caffre warriors agree to follow us; and here are about twenty of you +who refuse. Now I can not think that you will leave us; you know that we +have treated you well, and have given you plenty of tobacco; you know +that you will be punished as soon as you return to the Cape. Why then +are you so foolish? Now look you: I am sure that upon reflection you +will think better of it. Let me understand clearly your reasons for not +proceeding with us; I wish to hear them again, and let each man speak +for himself."</p> + +<p>The Hottentots immediately began to state over again their reasons for +not going on; and thus the Major, who made each give his reason +separately, gained their attention, and the time which was required. +Before they all had spoken, Swinton came back and took his seat by the +fire.</p> + +<p>"All's safe," said he; "Bremen and Swanevelt's guns have been locked up +with the others." Our travelers had their own lying by them. The Caffre +warriors, who were standing behind the Hottentots, had all their +assaguays in their hands; but their shields, as usual, were hanging to +the sides of the wagons. The Major allowed the whole of the Hottentots +to speak, and when they were done, he said, "Now, Wilmot, turn the +tables on them."</p> + +<p>Alexander then got up with his gun in his hand, the Major and Swinton +did the same, and then Alexander told the Hottentots that they were a +cowardly set of fellows; that with Bremen and Swanevelt, and the band of +Caffre warriors, he could do without them; that since they did not +choose to proceed, they might now leave the camp immediately, as they +should get neither food nor any thing else from them in future. "So now +be off, the whole of you; and if I find one to-morrow morning in sight +of the camp, or if one of you dares to follow us, I will order the +Caffres to run him through. You are dismissed, and to-morrow we leave +without you."</p> + +<p>Alexander then called the chief of the Caffre warriors, and desired him, +in the presence of the Hottentots, to give particular charge of the +cattle, horses, and sheep, to his warriors during the night; and if any +one attempted to touch them, to run him through the body. "Do this +immediately," said Alexander to the chief, who without delay spoke to +his men, and they went off in obedience to his orders.</p> + +<p>The Hottentots, who had heard all this, now retreated to their wagon, +but were struck with consternation when they found that their guns had +been removed; for they trusted to their guns and ammunition to enable +them to procure food and protect themselves on their return. They +consulted together in a low voice; they looked round and perceived that +our three travelers had quitted the fire, and were keeping guard with +their guns upon the wagons, to prevent any attempt of breaking them +open, on the part of the Hottentots. Moreover, ten of the Caffres, with +their spears, had since the breaking up of the conference, been put in +charge of the wagons by the chief, at the request of the Major. The +Hottentots now perceived their forlorn position.</p> + +<p>How could they, without arms and ammunition, and without provisions, +return to the Cape, such a number of miles distant? How could they +exist, if they remained where they were? When they insisted upon our +travelers returning, they had quite overlooked the circumstance that +these could protect themselves with the Caffre warriors, and that they +were not in a condition to enforce their demand.</p> + +<p>After a long conversation, they did what all Hottentots will do under +any emergency,—they lay down by the fire, and fell fast asleep. +Swinton, having ascertained that they were really asleep, proposed that +they themselves should retire to the wagon, and leave the Caffres on +guard, which they did; as they well knew that a Hottentot once fast +asleep is not easily roused up even to "treason, stratagem, or spoil."</p> + +<p>Shortly after break of day, Bremen came to them, stating that he found +the wagons could proceed no further, as he had walked on, and discovered +that a mile before them there was a ravine so deep that it would be +difficult for the cattle to go down, and for the wagons impossible; that +at a distance of three miles below he could see the river, which was +also so embedded in rocks, as to be impassable by the wagons.</p> + +<p>The Major immediately went with Bremen, to satisfy himself of the truth +of this, and returned, stating that further progress with wagons was +impossible.</p> + +<p>"Well, then, we must now hold a council," said Swinton. "Of course, +proceed you will, Wilmot, that is decided; the only question is, as we +must now proceed on horseback, what force you will take with you, and +what shall be left in charge of the wagons?"</p> + +<p>"I think we can trust the Caffres, do not you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I do; but I wish from my heart that the Hottentots had not +rebelled; for although in some respects cowardly fellows, yet with their +muskets they are brave, and their muskets keep the natives in order."</p> + +<p>"To the Caffres, the contents of the wagons would prove a temptation; +but these are not temptations to the Hottentots, whose object is to get +back safe, and receive their wages. Thus we play them off against each +other."</p> + +<p>"Here are all the Hottentots coming up to us," said the Major; "I hope +it is to make submission; it is very desirable that they should do so +before they know that the wagons proceed no further."</p> + +<p>The surmise of the Major was correct: the Hottentots had again canvassed +the matter over, and, perceiving the helplessness of their position, had +come in a body to beg forgiveness, and to offer to accompany our +travelers wherever they pleased to take them.</p> + +<p>It was a long while before Alexander would consent to receive them +again, and not until they had made promise upon promise, that he seemed +at last to be mollified. Swinton then interceded for them, and at last +Alexander consented, upon their future good behavior, to overlook their +conduct. This matter having been satisfactorily arranged, the former +question was resumed.</p> + +<p>"One of you, I fear, must remain with the wagons," observed Alexander; +"or both of you, if you please. I have no right to ask you to go upon +any wild-goose chase, and run into danger for nothing."</p> + +<p>"That one should remain with the wagons will be necessary," said +Swinton; "and I think that the Major, if he does not object, is the +proper person. The party who are left must provide themselves with food +by their guns; and it will require more military tact than I possess to +arrange that and to defend the wagons. I will accompany you, Wilmot, as +I can speak better Dutch, and the interpreter will not get on well +without me."</p> + +<p>"Will you have the kindness to take charge of the wagons, Major, during +our absence?"</p> + +<p>"I think, perhaps, it will be as well; although I had rather have gone +with you," replied the Major. "I propose that you take thirty of the +Caffres, Bremen, and eight Hottentots with you; leave me Swanevelt and +the other Hottentots."</p> + +<p>"Yes, that will do very well; we will leave the Caffre head man with +you."</p> + +<p>"No; he must go with the larger portion of his party; he could not well +be separated from them. I will find a proper place for the wagons, and +stockade myself regularly in; that will be a good job for the +Hottentots, and I dare say I shall do very well."</p> + +<p>"I shall not leave you Omrah, Major," said Swinton; "for, as we shall +take four horses with us, I wish him to ride one, and he can attend upon +us, as you have Mahomed."</p> + +<p>"You may have Begum to ride the other," replied the Major, "if you +please; then you will each have a groom."</p> + +<p>"No, no, it would be a pity to part you and her; however, there is no +time to be lost, for if this great chief and warrior Quetoo is +advancing, it may be as well to be ready for a retreat; the sooner we +are off, the sooner we shall be back; so now to pack up."</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XVI'></a><h2>CHAPTER XVI.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>The first step taken by Alexander was to send for the Hottentots, and, +after again reproving them for their former behavior, he asked who were +ready to volunteer to proceed with him, as he had decided to leave the +wagons with Major Henderson, and proceed on horseback the short distance +of his journey which remained to be accomplished.</p> + +<p>Several of the Hottentots immediately came forward; the heads of the +mutiny held back, and thus proved to Alexander that the men who had come +forward were persuaded into it by the others, and regretted what they +had done. He therefore immediately accepted their services, and their +muskets were returned to them. Alexander then stated his intentions to +the Caffre head man, who selected the thirty warriors that were +required, and in the course of three hours every thing was ready for +their departure.</p> + +<p>It was arranged that in case of danger arising to either party, they +should, if possible, fall back to the newly established Mission of +Morley, on the sea-coast; but otherwise, the wagons would remain where +they were till Alexander's return. Having packed up all they required in +small packages, to be carried by the Caffres, they bade farewell to the +Major, and set off, having no baggage but what we have mentioned; for +Alexander would not be encumbered with a load of heavy articles which +must prevent rapid progress, or rapid retreat if necessary.</p> + +<p>In two hours they arrived by difficult passes at the banks of the Umtata +River, which they crossed, and soon afterward falling in with a Caffre +kraal, they were informed that Daaka, the chief whom they sought, did +not reside more than twenty miles distant; and they easily procured a +guide to show them the way.</p> + +<p>The reports of the advance of the Amaquibi army were here fully +confirmed, and the natives were preparing to leave the kraal with all +their cattle. It appeared, however, that at present the army was +stationary; the warriors carousing and enjoying themselves after the +victory which they had gained over the Caffres. As these had been +assisted by white men and their guns, the spirits of the Amaquibi were +raised to an extraordinary degree, and they were intending to carry +their arms to the southward, as soon as Quetoo, their chief, had +somewhat recovered from his wounds received in the late action. Indeed, +it was the wounded state of their chief which was the principal cause of +the army not having immediately proceeded to the southward.</p> + +<p>Having obtained this information, the travelers resumed their journey +along the banks of the Umtata, over a country of surprising beauty, the +deep river being full of hippopotami, which were lying on the banks or +snorting in the stream. They could not wait to kill one during the +daytime, but promised the men they would allow them to make the attempt +in the evening, after their day's march was over. Toward sunset, they +stopped on the banks of the river on a rising ground, and the Hottentots +and some Caffres were then directed to go down to the river in chase of +the hippopotami, as it was advisable to save their provisions as much as +possible.</p> + +<p>Before night they had succeeded, and the carcass of the animal was +hauled on shore. As soon as the party had taken as much as they +required, the native Caffres carried off the remainder of the flesh. As +they were sitting down carousing by the fire which had been lighted, the +Caffre head warrior came up to the interpreter, and told Alexander and +Swinton not to say that they were Hinza's warriors if asked where they +came from. On being asked why, he told them that Hinza had married a +daughter of the chief of this country, and after a time had sent her +back again to her father, and that this had created ill blood between +the tribes, although no war had taken place. Alexander and Swinton, who +perceived that the advice was judicious, told him that they would not, +and after partaking of the hippopotamus flesh they all lay down to +repose under the far-spreading branches of a large tree.</p> + +<p>The next morning they set off, and after an hour's journey the guide +told them that they were at the kraal of Daaka, the descendant of the +Europeans. The bellowing of the cattle and noise of the calves soon +directed them to the spot, and they entered a kraal consisting of +several very wretched huts. On inquiring for Daaka, a woman pointed out +a hut at a little distance, and, as they dismounted and walked up, he +came out to meet them. Swinton and Alexander shook hands with the chief, +and said that they were very glad to see him, and that they had come far +to pay him a visit. The chief ordered a hut to be swept out for their +accommodation, which they took possession of.</p> + +<p>"You have no idea, Swinton," said Alexander, "how much I am excited +already by this interview."</p> + +<p>"I can imagine it, my dear Wilmot," said Swinton; "it is but natural, +for he is your kinsman by all report, and certainly, although a Caffre +in his habits and manners, his countenance and features are strikingly +European."</p> + +<p>"That I have observed myself, and it has fully convinced me of the truth +of the statement. I am most anxious to examine him—we must call the +interpreter."</p> + +<p>The chief entered the hut soon afterward, and took his seat; the +interpreter was sent for, and the conversation was begun by Daaka, who +like most of the Caffre chiefs, with the hope of obtaining presents, +stated himself to be very poor, his cattle to be dying, and his children +without milk. Our travelers allowed him to go on for some time in this +manner, and then sent for a present of beads and tobacco, which they +gave him. They then commenced their inquiries, and the first question +they asked was, why he resided so near the sea.</p> + +<p>"Because the sea is my mother," replied he; "I came from the sea, and +the sea feeds me when I am hungry."</p> + +<p>"In that reply he evidently refers to the wreck of the ship," observed +Swinton; "and I presume, from the fish-bones, which we have seen about +the kraal, that these Caffres feed on fish, which the other tribes do +not, and therefore it is that he says his mother feeds him."</p> + +<p>"Was your mother white?" inquired Alexander.</p> + +<p>"Yes," replied Daaka, "her skin was white as yours; her hair was just +like yours, long and dark; but before she died it was quite white."</p> + +<p>"What was your mother's name?"</p> + +<p>"Kuma," replied the chief.</p> + +<p>"Had you any brothers and sisters?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I had; I have one sister alive now."</p> + +<p>"What is her name?" inquired Swinton.</p> + +<p>"Bess," replied the chief.</p> + +<p>"This is very confirmatory," said Alexander; "my aunt's name was +Elizabeth; she must have called her child after herself."</p> + +<p>"Whom did your mother marry?"</p> + +<p>"She first married my uncle, and had no children; and then she married +my father; both were chiefs, and I am a chief; she had five children by +my father."</p> + +<center> +<img src='images/143.jpg' width='667' height='1051' alt='[Illustration: THE CAFFRE CHIEF. P. 195.]' title=''> +</center> + + +<p>A long conversation took place after this, the substance of which we may +as well communicate to our reader in few words. From the children of +Kuma, supposed to be Elizabeth, the aunt of Alexander, were produced +a numerous race of the European blood, who were celebrated in +the Caffre land for their courage; they were continually engaged in war, +as their alliance was eagerly sought, and in consequence had nearly all +perished. Daaka himself was renowned for warlike exploits, but he was +now a very old man. In the evening the chief took his leave, and went to +his own hut.</p> + +<p>As soon as they were alone, Alexander said to Swinton, "I have now so +far fulfilled my promise to my worthy relation that I have seen this +descendant of his child; but what am I to do? An old man like him is not +very likely to consent to go to England, and as for his sister Bess, he +states that she is equally infirm; the progeny of the rest of the family +are scattered about, and he himself knows nothing about them; to collect +them would be impossible, and if collected, equally impossible to remove +them, for they would not leave. My old relative fancies, in his mind's +eye, his daughter weeping over her captivity, and longing to be restored +to her country and her relations; still retaining European feelings and +sympathies, and miserable in her position; her children brought up by +her with the same ideas, and some day looking forward to their +emancipation from this savage state of existence: I think if he were +here, and saw old Daaka, he would soon divest himself of all these +romantic ideas."</p> + +<p>"I think so too; but there is one thing which has struck me very +forcibly, Alexander, which is, if this Daaka is the son of your aunt how +comes it that he is so old? When was the <i>Grosvenor</i> lost?"</p> + +<p>"In the year 1782."</p> + +<p>"And we are now in 1829. Your aunt you stated to have been ten or twelve +years old at the time of the wreck. Allowing her to marry at the +earliest age, Daaka could not well be more than forty-eight years old; +and surely he is more than that."</p> + +<p>"He looks much older, certainly; but who can tell the age of a savage, +who has been living a life of constant privation, and who has been so +often wounded as his scars show that he has been? Wounds and hardship +will soon make a man look old."</p> + +<p>"That is very true, but still he appears to me to be older than the +dates warrant."</p> + +<p>"I think his stating that his sister was named Bess is full +corroboration."</p> + +<p>"It is rather circumstantial evidence, Wilmot: now what do you propose +to do?"</p> + +<p>"I hardly know; but I wish to be in Daaka's company some time longer, +that I may gain more intelligence; and I think of proposing to him that +we should go down to visit the remains of the wreck of his mother, as he +terms it. I should like to see a spot so celebrated for misfortune, and +behold the remains of the ill-fated vessel; I should like to have to +tell my good old uncle all I can, and he will wish that I should be able +to give him every information."</p> + +<p>"Well, I think it is a good plan of yours, and we will propose it to him +to-morrow morning."</p> + +<p>"And I should like to visit his sister Bess—indeed, I must do so. He +says she is much younger than he is."</p> + +<p>"He did, and therefore I think his age does not correspond with our +dates, as I observed before," replied Swinton; "but, as you say, you +must see his sister."</p> + +<p>Daaka had sent an old cow as a present to Alexander, which was a very +seasonable supply, as the hippopotamus-flesh had all been eaten. The +next morning they proposed that he should accompany them to where the +<i>Grosvenor</i> had been wrecked.</p> + +<p>Daaka did not at first appear to know what they wished, and inquired, +through the interpreter, whether they meant the ship that was wrecked on +the sea-coast, pointing to the eastward. On receiving an answer in the +affirmative, he agreed to set off with them that afternoon, saying that +it was about forty miles off, and that they could not get there until +the next day.</p> + +<p>About noon they set off on their journey, and as they made but slow +progress over a rugged although most beautiful country, they stopped at +night at a kraal about half-way. Early the next morning they were led by +Daaka and some Caffres who accompanied him to the sea-shore, and when +they had arrived at the beach, it being then low water, Daaka pointed to +a reef, upon which were to be seen the guns, ballast, and a portion of +the keelson of a ship—all that remained of the unfortunate <i>Grosvenor</i>.</p> + +<p>As the sea washed over the reef; now covering and now exposing these +mementoes of misery and suffering, Alexander and Swinton remained for +some time without speaking; at last Alexander said—</p> + +<p>"Swinton, you have read the history of this unfortunate vessel, I know, +for you asked me for it to read. What a succession of scenes of horror +do these remains, which from their solid weight only have defied the +power of the winds and waves, conjure up at this moment in my mind. I +think I now behold the brave vessel dashed upon the reefs—the scream of +despair from all on board—the heart-rending situation of the women and +children—their wonderful escape and landing on shore, only to be +subjected to greater suffering. See, Swinton, that must have been the +rock which they all gained, and upon which they remained shivering +through the night."</p> + +<p>"It is, I have no doubt, from its position," said Swinton.</p> + +<p>"Yes, it must have been; I think I see them all—men, women, and +helpless children—huddled together, half-clothed and suffering, +quitting that rock by this only path from it, and setting off upon their +mad and perilous journey; the scattering of the parties—their perils +and hunger—their conflicts with the natives—their sufferings from heat +and from thirst—their sinking down one by one into the welcome arms of +death, or torn to pieces by the wolves and hyenas as they lagged behind +the others. How much more fortunate those who never gained the shore."</p> + +<p>"Yes, indeed," replied Swinton; "except the eight who reached the Cape, +and the five that Daaka asserts were saved, all the rest must have +perished in that dreadful manner."</p> + +<p>Alexander remained for some time in painful thought; at last he turned +to Daaka and said, as he pointed to the remains of the wreck, "And this +then is your mother?"</p> + +<p>Daaka looked at him and shook his head, "No, not my mother this," +replied he; "my mother down there," pointing out in a northerly +direction.</p> + +<p>"What does he mean, Swinton? he says this is not his mother."</p> + +<p>"I will speak to him, Wilmot; you are too much agitated," replied +Swinton.</p> + +<p>"Is not that the vessel which your mother was lost in?" said Swinton, +through the interpreter.</p> + +<p>"No," replied Daaka; "my mother came on shore in a vessel up the little +river out there; I was a boy when this large ship was wrecked; and got +some iron from her to make assaguays."</p> + +<p>"Merciful heaven! what joy I feel; I trust it is true what he says."</p> + +<p>"I have no doubt of it, Wilmot; I told you he was too old a man," +replied Swinton; "but let me question him further."</p> + +<p>Our readers may imagine the impatience of Alexander while the questions +of Swinton were being answered, and by which it appears that Daaka's +mother was lost at the mouth of the Lauwanbaz, a small river some miles +to the eastward of the Zemsooboo. An old Caffre, who had come down with +Daaka, now gave a particular account of the wreck of the <i>Grosvenor</i>, +corroborating all Daaka's assertions.</p> + +<p>"Were there none of the <i>Grosvenor's</i> people left in the country?" +inquired Swinton.</p> + +<p>"None," replied the old man; "they all went to the southward."</p> + +<p>"Did you hear what became of them?"</p> + +<p>"Some lay down and died, some fought the natives and were killed; the +wolves ate the rest; not one left alive; they all perished."</p> + +<p>"Were none of the women and children saved and kept as slaves?"</p> + +<p>"No, not one; they had no meat, no milk, and they all died."</p> + +<p>After some other inquiries, the old man, who at first did not reply +willingly, stated that he had, with other Caffres, followed the last +party; had seen them all dead, and had taken off their clothes, and that +as they died were buried by those who still survived.</p> + +<p>"A better fate, cruel as it was, than living as they must have lived," +said Swinton.</p> + +<p>"Yes, truly," replied Alexander; "you don't know, Swinton, what a load +has been removed from my mind, and how light-hearted I feel, +notwithstanding this recital of their sufferings. My poor uncle! God +grant that he may live till my return with this distinct intelligence, +with the assurance that he has no grandchildren living the life of a +heathen, and knowing no God. What a relief will it prove to him; how +soothing will it be to his last days! How grateful am I to God, that I +have had so happy an issue to my mission! Now, Swinton, we will return +as soon as you please; as soon as we arrive at Daaka's kraal, I will +take down in writing the statement of these people, and then we will +hasten back to the Major."</p> + +<p>"And I dare say," said Swinton, as he remounted his horse, "that you +will make old Daaka a more handsome present, for proving himself no +relation to you, than if he had satisfactorily established himself as +your own first cousin."</p> + +<p>"You may be sure that my gratitude toward him is much greater than ever +could have been my kindred feeling from friendship. I am so light +hearted, Swinton, and so grateful to God that I almost wish to dismount +in my anxiety to return my thanks; but I do so in my heart of hearts, at +all event."</p> + +<p>On the following day they arrived at Daaka's kraal, and then Alexander +took down very carefully in writing the statements made by Daaka and the +other Caffres. They all agreed on the one point, which was, that the +European descendants now living in the country were wrecked in another +vessel many years before the loss of the <i>Grosvenor</i>, and that not one +of the <i>Grosvenor's</i> people—men, women or children—had survived, +except the few who arrived at the Cape.</p> + +<p>Having obtained these satisfactory documents, they made a handsome +present to Daaka and the other Caffres, and immediately set out upon +their return to the wagons. As they journeyed back to the westward, they +found the Caffres quitting their huts, and driving away the cattle, that +they might not fall into the power of the army of Quetoo, which it was +said was now in motion, and scattering the tribes before them. As our +travelers were not at all anxious to have any communication with these +savage invaders, in two days they crossed the Umtata, and toward the +evening were within sight of the wagons. A shout from the Hottentots and +Caffres gave notice of their approach. The shout was returned, and in a +few minutes they were shaking hands with the Major, who was delighted to +see them.</p> + +<p>"I did not expect you back so soon," replied the Major; "and as I +perceive that you are unaccompanied, I presume that your Caffre +relations would not quit their kraals."</p> + +<p>"You shall know all about it, Major, very soon; it will be enough at +present to let you know that we have nothing but good news."</p> + +<p>"That I rejoice to hear; but it was well you came back as you did, for I +have been making every preparation, and had you not returned in a few +days, I should have retreated; the invaders are close at hand."</p> + +<p>"We know it, and, if they are told that there are wagons here well +loaded, they will come on quickly, with the hopes of plunder, so we must +delay no longer," replied Alexander; "to-morrow we will yoke and set +off. We can determine upon our route as we are traveling, but the first +point is to retreat from this quarter."</p> + +<p>"Exactly; the oxen are in prime order and can make a long day's march, +and we know our country for some days, at all events; but enter my +fortress, dismount, and let us go into the tent which I have pitched. +You shall then tell me your adventures, while Mahomed fries a delicate +piece of elephant's flesh for you."</p> + +<p>"Have you killed an elephant?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, but not without much difficulty and some danger, I assure you; I +wanted your help sadly, for these Hottentots are too much alarmed to +take good aim, and I had only my own rifle to trust to; but I have done +very well considering, and I shall prove to our commander-in-chief that +I have supplied the garrison without putting him to any expense during +his absence. We have been feeding upon green monkeys for three days, and +very good eating they are, if you do not happen upon a very old one."</p> + +<p>When they entered the inclosure made by the Major, they were surprised +at the state of defense in which he had put it. His hedge of thorns upon +rocks piled up was impregnable, and the wagons were in the center, drawn +up in a square; the entrance would only admit one person at a time, and +was protected by bars at night.</p> + +<p>"Why, Major, you might have held out against the whole force of the +Amaquibi in this position."</p> + +<p>"Yes, provided I had provisions and water," replied the Major; "but I +fear they would soon have starved me out; however, it was as well to be +prepared against any sudden night-attack, and therefore I fortified my +camp: now come in, and welcome back again."</p> + +<p>The news which they had to impart to the Major was soon given, and he +was highly delighted at the intelligence:—"And now," said he, "what do +you mean to do, Wilmot?—go back again, of course, but by what route?"</p> + +<p>"Why, Major, you and Swinton have been so kind in coming with me thus +far, and I have been so successful in my expedition, that I shall now +leave you to decide as you please. I have effected all that I wished, my +business is over, and I am ready to meet you in any way you choose; any +thing you decide upon I shall agree to willingly and join in heartily, +so now speak your wishes."</p> + +<p>"Well, I will speak mine very frankly," replied the Major. "We have had +some sport in this country, it is true, but not so much as I could have +wished; for game is rather scarce, with the exception of elephants and +sea-cows. Now I should like to cross the mountains, and get into the +Bechuana and Bushman country, where game is as plentiful as I believe +water is scarce; we can return that way, if you please, almost as well +as we can through the Caffre country—what say you, Swinton?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I am of your opinion. As Wilmot says, business is over and we +have nothing to do but to amuse ourselves; I am very anxious to pass +through this country, as I shall add greatly to my collections, I have +no doubt; but it must not be expected that we shall fare as well as we +have done in this; it will be the dry season, and we may be in want of +water occasionally."</p> + +<p>"I am equally desirous of going through that country, where I hope to +shoot a giraffe,—that is my great ambition," replied Wilmot; "therefore +we may consider that we are all agreed, and the affair is settled; but +the question is, how shall we proceed back? We must return to Hinza's +territory and send back the Caffres. Shall we return to Butterworth?"</p> + +<p>"I think that must depend upon circumstances, and we can talk it over as +we go along: the first point to ascertain is, the best passage over the +mountains; and it appears to me that we shall be diverging much too far +to the eastward if we return to Butterworth; but the Caffres will soon +give us the necessary information."</p> + +<p>"I wonder if the quarrel between Hinza and Voosani has been made up," +said Alexander; "for we must pass through the Tambookie tribe if we +cross the mountains, and if there is war between them we may meet with +difficulty."</p> + +<p>"We shall hear as soon as we have crossed the Bashee river," replied +Swinton; "and then we must decide accordingly. All that can be settled +now is, that to-morrow we start on our return, and that we will cross +the mountains, if we possibly can."</p> + +<p>"Yes, that is decided," replied Alexander.</p> + +<p>"Well, then, as soon as you have finished your elephant-steak, Wilmot, +we will get out a bottle of wine, drink the first half of it to +congratulate you upon the success of your mission, and the other half +shall be poured out in bumpers to a happy return."</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XVII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XVII.</h2> + +<h4>THE RETURN.</h4> +<br /> + +<p>The delight of the Hottentots at the announcement of the return of the +expedition was not to be concealed; and now that they knew that they +were retreating from the danger, as they were further removed they +became proportionately brave. We must not include all the Hottentots in +this observation, as Bremen, Swanevelt, and one or two more, were really +brave men; but we do refer to the principal portion of them, with Big +Adam at their head, who now flourished and vapored about, as if he could +by himself kill and eat the whole army of the dreaded Quetoo.</p> + +<p>As it was the intention of our travelers to pass over the Mambookei +chain of mountains, into the Bushman and Koranna territory, they did not +return the same route by which they came, but more to the westward +through the territory of the Tambookie Caffres, not any one time +entering upon the territory of the Amakosas, the tribe of Caffres +governed by Hinza, who had lent them his warriors.</p> + +<p>Voosani, the chief of the Tambookies, was very friendly, and had offered +no opposition to their passage through a portion of his domains on their +advance. They now lost no time, but continued their journey as fast as +they could, although during the day they saw a great quantity of game, +and were almost every night saluted with the roaring of the lions.</p> + +<p>In a week they found themselves on the banks of the White Kae River, and +not far from the foot of the mountains which they intended to pass. Here +they halted, with the intention of remaining some few days, that they +might unload and re-arrange the packing of their wagons, repair what was +necessary, and provide themselves with more oxen and sheep for their +journey in the sterile territory of the Bushmen.</p> + +<p>During their route, the rumors relative to the army of Quetoo were +incessant. He had attacked and murdered Lieut. Farewell and his people, +who were on a trading expedition in the interior, and taken possession +of and plundered their wagons. Flushed with success over white people +armed with muskets, Quetoo had now resolved to turn his army to the +southward, and attack the tribes of the Amaponda Caffres, governed by +Fakoo, and the missionary station of Morley, lately established near the +coast, between the St. John and the Umtata rivers.</p> + +<p>To effect this, Quetoo commenced his ravages upon all the lesser tribes +tributary to Fakoo, and having put them to indiscriminate slaughter, +driven away their cattle, and burned their kraals, his army advanced to +the missionary station, which the missionaries were compelled to desert, +and fall back upon the St. John River.</p> + +<p>One of the men belonging to the tribe near Morley came to the caravan +where our travelers had halted, and, on being questioned as to the loss +they had experienced, cried out, "Ask not how many are killed, but how +many are saved: our wives, where are they? and our children, do you see +any of them?"</p> + +<p>But Fakoo, the chief of the Amapondas, had roused himself and collected +his army. He resolved upon giving battle to the enemy. He found the +Amaquibi encamped in a forest, and he surrounded them with a superior +army; he then contrived, by attacking and retreating, to lead them into +a position from which there was no escape but by the pass by which they +had entered, and which he completely blocked up with his own forces.</p> + +<p>The Amaquibi could not retreat, and a furious conflict took place, which +ended in the destruction of the whole of Quetoo's army. Quetoo himself +was not present, as he still remained confined with the wound he had +received in the prior engagement, in which he had been victorious. A +portion of Fakoo's army was sent against him, and he fled with the loss +of all the cattle and treasures he had collected; and thus was the +invading force at last totally dispersed and not heard of any more.</p> + +<p>This news was very satisfactory to our travelers, as they did not know +whether they would have had time to make their arrangements, if Quetoo's +army had been victorious; and it was still more pleasing to the +Hottentots, who were now even braver than before, all lamenting that +they had not remained on the banks of the Umtata River, where the combat +took place, that they might have assisted at the destruction of the +invaders.</p> + +<p>It was toward the end of August before our travelers had made their +preparations and were ready for a start. They had decided to try the +pass through the Mambookei chain of mountains, to the eastward of the +one named Stormbergen, and as they expected to meet with some +difficulties, it was decided that the Caffre warriors should not be +dismissed till they had arrived at the Bushman territory; they proposed +then to turn to the N.W., so as to fall in with that portion of the +Orange River which was known by the name of the Vaal or Yellow River, +crossing the Black or Cradock River, which is also another branch of the +Orange River.</p> + +<p>This arrangement was made, that they might get into the country more +abounding with game, and better furnished with water than any other +portion of the sterile deserts which they had to pass through.</p> + +<p>Having, as usual, kept holy the Lord's day, on the Monday morning they +started in high spirits, and with their cattle in excellent order. The +passage through the ravine was very difficult; they had to fill up +holes, roll away stones, and very often put double teams to drag the +wagons.</p> + +<p>They made but ten miles on the first day, and found the night cold, +after the heat to which they had been subjected. The second day was also +one of toil and danger, but on the third they found that they had +commenced the descent, and the whole Bushman country was spread before +them. But the descent was even more perilous than the ascent, and it was +not without great exertion that they saved their wagons from falling +over the precipices.</p> + +<p>On the fourth evening they had crossed the mountains, and were now at +the foot of them on the western side. It was with difficulty that they +collected wood enough to make their fires for the night, and the +continual roaring told them that they were now in the domain of the +lion and his satellites.</p> + +<p>At break of day they all rose, that they might view the country which +they were about to traverse. It was one wild desert of sand and stones, +interspersed with small shrubs, and here and there a patch of bushes; +apparently one vast, dry, arid plain, with a haze over it, arising from +the heat. Our travelers, however, did not at first notice this change; +their eyes were fixed upon the groups of quaggas and various antelopes +which were strewed over the whole face of the country; and, as soon as +they had taken their breakfast, they mounted their horses in pursuit. It +had been their intention to have dismissed the Caffres on that morning, +but the chief of the band pointed out that it would be as well that they +should kill some game, to provide them with food for their journey back; +and our travelers approved of the suggestion, as it would save their +sheep.</p> + +<p>Alexander and the Major set off with Bremen, Swanevelt, and Omrah on +horseback, while the Caffres on foot kept well up with them. The other +Hottentots were ordered to remain with Swinton at the encampment, as +they had to repair the damages done to the wagons in crossing the +mountains.</p> + +<p>Omrah had shown himself so useful, that he had been permitted to +practice with a fowling-piece carrying ball, and had proved himself very +expert. He now was mounted on the Major's spare horse; that in case the +Major's was knocked up, he might change it, for Omrah's weight was a +mere nothing.</p> + +<p>The plan of the chase was, that the Caffres should spread in a +half-circle, and conceal themselves as much as possible, while those on +horseback should turn the animals and drive them in their direction. As +they advanced on the plain, they discovered what the haze had prevented +their seeing at early dawn, that the plain was covered with a variety of +beautiful flowers, of the amaryllis and other tribes, and with the hills +of ants and ant-eaters' holes, which latter were very dangerous to the +horses.</p> + +<p>The sun was now up in the heavens, and blazed fiercely; the heat was +intense, although still early in the day. When they turned their heads +toward the mountains which they had passed, they were struck with +astonishment at the grandeur of the scene: rocks and cliffs in wild +chaos, barren ridges and towering peaks, worn by time into castellated +fortresses and other strange shapes, calling to their fancy the ruins of +a former world. With the exception of a pool of water, near to which the +caravan had halted, not a vestige of that element was to be seen in any +direction; all was one plain, ending only in the horizon, without a +tree, the line only broken by the groups of animals and the long necks +of the packs of ostriches in the distance.</p> + +<p>If, however, the vegetable kingdom was deficient, the animal was +proportionably abundant, and Alexander and the Major were soon at their +speed after a troop of quaggas and zebras, which they succeeded in +turning toward the Caffres. As soon as the animals had entered the +radius of the half-circle, and were within distance, they checked their +horses and opened their fire upon them; at the same time the Caffres +showed themselves, and the animals were for a time confounded by finding +themselves so nearly surrounded.</p> + +<p>During their hesitation, and while they attempted to break through here +and there, and then turned again, several were brought to the ground by +the guns of the mounted party, till at last, as if they had summoned up +their resolution, the whole herd, led by a splendid male, burst away in +a direction close to the horsemen, and made their escape from the circle +in a cloud of dust, scattering the stones behind them as they fled.</p> + +<p>The Caffres ran up to the animals which lay wounded, and put them out of +their misery by inserting the point of their assaguays into the spine, +which caused immediate death. Seven animals were killed, three zebras +and four quaggas; and as Swinton had requested that they might not be +cut up till he had ascertained if he required their skins, Omrah was +sent back to bring him to where they were lying.</p> + +<p>Swinton soon came, and Alexander said to him, "Now, Swinton, let us know +if you want any of the skins of these animals to preserve."</p> + +<p>"No," replied Swinton, "I have them already; I just thought it possible +that you might have killed a zebra."</p> + +<p>"Well, have we not? there are three of them."</p> + +<p>"No, my good fellow, they are not of the real zebra species; they belong +to a class described by Burchell, the traveler, which is termed the +striped quagga. The quagga and striped quagga, as you may see, have the +ears of a horse, while the zebra has those of the ass. The true zebra +hardly ever descends upon the plains, but lives altogether upon the +mountainous regions; occasionally it may be found, it is true, and that +is the reason why I came to see."</p> + +<p>"Are they good eating, these animals?"</p> + +<p>"The quagga is very indifferent food, but the striped quagga is very +passable; so if you intend to save any for our dinner, pray let it be +some of the latter. Have you done hunting to-day?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," replied the Major, "if Wilmot is of my opinion, I think we had +better not work our horses any more just now; the plain is so full of +large holes,—ant-eaters' holes, Bremen says they are."</p> + +<p>"Yes, they are ant-eaters' holes, and very dangerous; I have seen them +several feet deep. If we do not start to-day, I will ask the Hottentots +to try and procure one for me to-night, as I wish to have a stuffed +specimen."</p> + +<p>"We do not intend to start till to-morrow morning," replied Alexander; +"we must dismiss the Caffres to-night, that they may be also ready to go +home to-morrow. They will now have provisions enough."</p> + +<p>Our travelers now rode back to the caravan, leaving the Caffres to bring +home the flesh. As soon as they had dined, the chief of the warriors was +desired to come with all his men, and Alexander then made every man a +handsome present, consisting of tobacco, snuff, cloth, knives and beads. +To the chief of the band he gave three times as much as the others, and +then, having delivered to him a very liberal collection of articles for +their king Hinza, Alexander told the chief to acquaint the king that he +had been very much pleased with the conduct of the men, and thanked his +majesty for the loan of them, and requested that his majesty would +accept of the packet of articles which he had selected for him.</p> + +<p>He then thanked the men for their good conduct, told them to take all +the flesh that they wished for the journey, and stated that they were at +liberty to depart that evening or the next morning, as they thought +proper. The Caffres were perfectly satisfied with Alexander's +liberality, and the chief of the warriors, making a short speech in +reply, retired with his men.</p> + +<p>"Well, I'm very sorry that these fine fellows are leaving," said the +Major.</p> + +<p>"And so am I; but I could not well detain them, and they said that they +could not go further with us without the king's permission," replied +Alexander.</p> + +<p>"Of course not," replied the Major; "but that does not lessen my regret +at their departure; they have been both steady and brave, as well as +active and willing, and I do not expect that our Hottentots will serve +us so well."</p> + +<p>"You are right not to expect it, Major," replied Swinton; "if you did, +you would be miserably disappointed. If they knew now where we were +going, they would desert us. The only hold that we have upon the greater +number of them is their fear; they go forward because they are afraid to +go back; but if they could get hold of our horses, with their guns and +ammunition, they would leave us as soon as we advanced in the desert."</p> + +<p>"Very true, I fear; but we have a few stanch fellows among them, and two +at least whom we can depend upon—Bremen and Swanevelt."</p> + +<p>"How far is it from here to the Black River, Swinton?"</p> + +<p>"About forty miles; not so much perhaps to the river's bed, but at least +that, if not more, before we shall fall in with any water at this season +of the year."</p> + +<p>"We must not fail to fill our water-kegs before we leave this."</p> + +<p>"No, for we shall have no water to-night, that is certain. We can not +travel more than twenty miles over such a country as this; for turning +here and there to avoid the holes and ant-hills, the twenty miles will +be at least thirty," said Swinton; "but now I must go and tell the +Hottentots to find me what I want: a pound of tobacco will procure it, I +have no doubt."</p> + +<p>"But I have mine," observed the Major, after Swinton was gone; "we are +too near the pool, and we shall be surrounded with lions to-night; the +Hottentots may pretend that they will go, but they will not."</p> + +<p>"One can not well blame them; I'm sure a pound of tobacco would not +persuade me to put my head into a lion's mouth; but I agree with you, we +are too near the pool, and as we must collect the cattle to secure them +during the night, I think we had better fill our water-kegs, and then +yoke and take up a position for the night about half a mile further off. +But here comes Swinton, who can give us his advice."</p> + +<p>As Swinton agreed with them, they yoked the oxen, and drove forward +about a mile from the pool; they then secured them to the wagons and +lighted large fires round the caravan.</p> + +<p>The Major was correct as regarded the Hottentots' procuring an ant-eater +for Swinton; they would not leave the fires, and the continual approach +of the lions during the night proved that they were wise in so doing. +There was no occasion for the lions to roar; the moaning of Begum, and +her clinging to the Major, the trembling of the dogs, and the uneasiness +of the cattle, invariably gave notice of lions being at hand. Shots were +fired off during the night, to keep them at a distance, but otherwise +the night passed away undisturbed.</p> + +<p>They started the following morning about daybreak, and, at the same +time, the Caffres took their departure to their own country. The ground +over which the caravan traveled was stony and sandy at intervals, and +they had not proceeded far before they again discovered a great variety +of game dispersed over the level plain. They did not, however, attempt +to pursue them, as they were anxious to go on as far as possible, so as +to give the oxen an opportunity of picking up what little food they +could during the middle of the day, at which time the Major and +Alexander proposed that they should go in pursuit of game. But before +they had traveled three hours, they were surprised at a cloud of dust, +which obscured the horizon, in the direction they were proceeding.</p> + +<p>"What can that be?" said Alexander.</p> + +<p>"I think it is springbok," said Bremen the Hottentot.</p> + +<p>"Springbok! why, there must be thousands and thousands of them."</p> + +<p>"I believe that Bremen is right," said Swinton; "it must be one of the +migratory herds of springboks; I have never seen them, but I have often +been told of them."</p> + +<p>The body of antelopes now advanced toward them, keeping on a straight +path; and to state their numbers would have been impossible: there might +have been fifty or a hundred thousand, or more. As far as the eye could +see in any direction, it was one moving mass covering the whole plain. +As they approached the caravan, those nearest huddled on one side and +occasionally bounded away with the remarkable springs made by this +animal, and from which it has its name, alighting not upon the earth, +but, for want of room, upon the backs of its companions, and then +dropping in between the ranks.</p> + +<p>A hazy vapor arose from these countless herds as they moved on, and more +than once the Hottentots, who were standing on the wagons, which had +been stopped as the herd came up to them, pointed out a lion which was +journeying with the crowds to feast at his leisure. The animals appeared +very tame, and several were killed close to the wheels of the wagons, +for the evening's supper. Notwithstanding that the herd moved at a rapid +pace, it was more than two hours before the whole had passed by.</p> + +<p>"Well," observed Alexander, "I can now say that I have seen no want of +game in Africa. Where will they go to?"</p> + +<p>"They will go directly on to the southward," replied Swinton; "the +migration of these animals is one of the most remarkable proofs of the +fecundity of animal life. Like the ants, they devour every thing before +them; and if we journey in the direction they have come from, we shall +find no food for the cattle until after the rains. After the rains fall, +these animals will return to their former pastures. It is the want of +food which has brought them so far to the southward."</p> + +<p>"Their track is evidently from the north and eastward," said the Major; +"had we not better change our course more to the northward?"</p> + +<p>"No, I should think not; they have probably traveled on this side of the +Nu Gariep or Black River. We shall have neither water nor food for the +cattle to-night, and therefore I think we had better go on as we are +going, so as to make sure of water for them to-morrow, at all events. +It's useless now stopping to feed the cattle, we had better continue +right on till the evening; we shall sooner arrive at the river, and so +gain by it."</p> + +<p>It was but half an hour before dark that they unyoked the tired oxen. +Water or grass there was none; and, what was another misfortune, they +could not find sufficient wood of any kind to keep up the necessary +fires during the night. All they could collect before dark was but +enough for one fire, and they considered it better, therefore, that only +one should be lighted.</p> + +<p>The wagons were drawn up so as to form a square, inside of which were +tied the horses; the sheep were driven underneath, and the oxen were +tied up outside. They feasted well themselves upon the delicate meat of +the springboks, but the poor animals had neither food nor water after +their hard day's journey.</p> + +<p>As soon as they had supped they retired to their wagons, and the +Hottentots remained by the side of the fire, which was but frugally +supplied, that it might last till morning; but that there were lions +prowling in the vicinity was evident from the restlessness of the oxen, +who tried to break the leathern thongs with which they were fastened.</p> + +<p>The moon had just risen, and showed an imperfect light, when they +perceived the bodies of some animals between them and the horizon. They +appeared very large, as they always do in an imperfect light, and the +Hottentots soon made out that they were five or six lions not forty +yards distant. The truth of this supposition was confirmed by an angry +roar from one of them, which induced most of the Hottentots to seize +their guns, and some to creep under the wagons.</p> + +<p>The oxen now struggled furiously to escape, for the, roar of the lions +had spread consternation.</p> + +<p>Our travelers heard it in their wagons, and were out with their guns in +a minute. At last one of the oxen broke loose, and, as it was running +behind its companions, as if seeking a more secure shelter, being not +more than three or four yards from them, another roar was followed by a +spring of one of the lions, which bore the animal to the earth.</p> + +<p>The Major and Wilmot were advancing before the fire to the attack, when +the animal for a moment let go his prey, and was about to spring upon +them. Bremen called out for them to retreat, which they did, as the +animal advanced step by step toward them.</p> + +<p>Satisfied with their retiring, the lion then went to his prey, and +dragged it to a distance of about fifty yards, where it commenced its +meal; and they distinctly heard, although they could not plainly +distinguish, the tearing of the animal's flesh and the breaking of its +bones by the lion, while its bellowings were most pitiful.</p> + +<p>They all now fired in the direction where they heard the noise; the lion +replied to the volley by a tremendous roar, and rushed up within twenty +yards of the wagons, so as to be distinctly visible. Bremen begged our +travelers not to molest the animal, as it was evidently very hungry and +very angry, and would certainly make a spring upon them, which must be +attended with disastrous effects.</p> + +<p>The other lions were also now moving round and round the camp; they +therefore reloaded their guns, and remained still, looking at the lion +tearing and devouring his prey.</p> + +<p>"We must be quiet here," said Bremen to Alexander; "there are many lions +round us, and our fire is not sufficient to scare them away, and they +may attack us."</p> + +<p>"Would it not be better to fire our guns,—that would frighten them?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir, it would frighten the other lions, perhaps, but it would +enrage this one so near to us, and he would certainly make a charge. We +had better throw a little gunpowder upon some ashes now and then, as we +have but a small fire: the flash will drive them away for the time."</p> + +<p>In the mean time the lion was making his meal upon the poor ox, and +when any other of the hungry lions approached him, he would rush at +them, and pursue them for some paces with a horrible growl, which made +not only the poor oxen, but the men also, to shudder as they heard it.</p> + +<p>In this manner was the night passed away, every one with his gun in his +hand, expecting an immediate attack; but the morning at last dawned, to +the great relief of them all. The lions had disappeared, and they walked +out to where the old lion had made his meal, and found that he had +devoured nearly the whole of the ox; and such was the enormous strength +of his jaws, that the rib-bones were all demolished, and the bones of +the legs, which are known as the marrow-bones, were broken as if by a +hammer.</p> + +<p>"I really," observed the Major, "have more respect for a lion, the more +I become intimate with his feline majesty."</p> + +<p>"Well, but he is off," observed Swinton, "and I think we had better be +off too."</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XVIII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XVIII.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>The oxen were yoked, and the caravan proceeded at slow pace to gain the +wished-for river. As our travelers walked their horses—for the poor +animals had been without food or water for twenty-four hours, and all +idea of chasing the various herds of animals which were to be seen in +their path was abandoned for the present—Swinton remarked, "We are not +far from the track of the Mantatees, when they made their irruption upon +the Caffres about eighteen months back."</p> + +<p>"I was intending to ask you for some information on that point, Swinton. +There has been more than one irruption into the country from the natives +to the northward. Mr. Fairburn gave me a very fair idea of the history +of the Cape colony, but we were both too much engaged after our arrival +in Cape Town for me to obtain further information."</p> + +<p>"I will, you may be assured, tell you all I know," replied Swinton; "but +you must not expect to find in me a Mr. Fairburn. I may as well remark, +that Africa appears to be a country not able to afford support to a +dense population, like Europe; and the chief cause of this is the great +want of water, occasionally rendered more trying by droughts of four or +five years' continuance."</p> + +<p>"I grant that such is the case at present," observed the Major; "but you +well know that it is not that there is not a sufficient quantity of +rain, which falls generally once a year, but because the water which +falls is carried off so quickly. Rivers become torrents, and in a few +weeks pour all their water into the sea, leaving, I may say, none for +the remainder of the year."</p> + +<p>"That is true," replied Swinton.</p> + +<p>"And so it will be until the population is not only dense, but, I may +add, sufficiently enlightened and industrious. Then, I presume, they +will take the same measures for securing a supply of water throughout +the year which have been so long adopted in India, and were formerly in +South America by the Mexicans. I mean that of digging large tanks, from +which the water can not escape, except by evaporation."</p> + +<p>"I believe that it will be the only remedy."</p> + +<p>"Not only the remedy, but more than a remedy; for tanks once +established, vegetation will flourish, and the vegetation will not only +husband the water in the country, but attract more."</p> + +<p>"All that is very true," replied Swinton, "and I trust the time will +come, when not only this land may be well watered with the dew of +heaven, but that the rivers of grace may flow through it in every +direction, and the tree of Christ may flourish."</p> + +<p>"Amen," replied Alexander.</p> + +<p>"But to resume the thread of my discourse," continued Swinton; "I was +about to say, that the increase of population, and I may add the +increase of riches,—for in these nomadic tribes cattle are the only +riches,—is the great cause of these descents from the north; for the +continued droughts which I have mentioned of four or five years compel +them to seek for pasture elsewhere, after their own is burned up. At all +events, it appears that the Caffre nations have been continually +sustaining the pressure from without, both from the northward and the +southward, for many years.</p> + +<p>"When the Dutch settled at the Cape, they took possession of the country +belonging to the Hottentot tribes, driving the few that chose to +preserve their independence into the Bushman and Namaqua lands, +increasing the population in those countries, which are only able to +afford subsistence to a very scattered few. Then, again, they encroached +upon the Caffres, driving them first beyond the great Fish River, and +afterward still more to the northward. The Bushman tribes of hill +Hottentots, if we may so term them, have also been increased by various +means, notwithstanding the constant massacres of these unhappy people by +the Dutch boors; moreover, we have by our injudicious colonial +regulations added another and a new race of people, who are already +considerable in their numbers."</p> + +<p>"Which do you refer to?"</p> + +<p>"To the people now known by the name of Griquas, from their having taken +possession of the Griqua country. They are the mixed race between the +Hottentots and the whites. By the Dutch colonial law, these people could +not hold possession of any land in the colony; and this act of injustice +and folly has deprived us of a very valuable race of men, who might have +added much to the prosperity of the colony. Brave and intelligent, +industrious to a great degree, they, finding themselves despised on +account of the Hottentot blood in their veins, have migrated from the +colony and settled beyond the boundaries. Being tolerably well provided +with fire-arms, those who are peaceably inclined can protect themselves, +while those who are otherwise commit great depredations upon the poor +savages, following the example shown them by the colonists, and sweeping +off their cattle and their property, in defiance of law and justice. You +now perceive, Alexander, how it is that there has been a pressure from +the southward."</p> + +<p>"That is very evident," replied the Major.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps I had better proceed to the northward by degrees, and make some +mention of the Caffre tribes, which are those who have suffered from +being, as it were, pressed between encroachments from the north and the +south. The Caffre race is very numerous. The origin of the general term +Caffre, which means Infidel, and no more, is not known, any more than is +that of the term Hottentot."</p> + +<p>"A proof of what we found out at school," observed the Major, "that +nicknames, as they are termed, stick longer than real ones."</p> + +<p>"Precisely," replied Swinton; "our acquaintance is mostly with the more +southern Caffres, who occupy the land bordering on the east coast of +Africa, from the Cape boundary to Port Natal. These are the Amakosa +tribe, whose warriors have just left us; the Tambookies, whose territory +we have recently quitted, and to the northward of them by Port Natal, +the Hambonas. These are the Eastern Caffres.</p> + +<p>"On the other side of the Mambookei chain of mountains, and in the +central portion of Africa, below the tropic, are the Bechuanas, who +inhabit an extent of country as yet imperfectly known to us. These may +be termed the Central Caffres.</p> + +<p>"On the western side of the African coast, and above Namaqua Land, whose +inhabitants are probably chiefly of the Hottentot race, we have the +Damaras, who may be classed as the Western Caffres; with these we have +had little or no communication.</p> + +<p>"All these tribes speak the Bechuana or Caffre language, with very +slight variations; they are all governed by chiefs or kings, and +subdivided into numerous bodies; but they are all Caffres. Of their +characters I have only to observe, that as far as we have experienced, +the Caffres of the eastern coast, which we have just left, are very +superior to the others in courage and in every other good quality. Now, +have I made myself intelligible, Alexander?"</p> + +<p>"Most clearly so."</p> + +<p>"I nevertheless wish we were sitting down in some safe place instead of +traveling on horseback over this withered tract, and that I had the map +before me to make you understand better."</p> + +<p>"I will refer to the map as soon as I can," replied Alexander; "but I +have studied the map a great deal, and therefore do not so much require +it."</p> + +<p>All these Caffre tribes live much the same life; their wealth is in +cattle; they are partly husbandmen, partly herdsmen, and partly hunters; +and their continual conflicts with the wild beasts of the country +prepare them for warriors. The Eastern Caffres, from whom we have lately +parted, are the most populous; indeed, now that we have taken from them +so much of their country, they have scarcely pasturage for their cattle. +I have said that the Eastern Caffres' territory extends as far as the +latitude of Port Natal, but it formerly extended much further to the +northward, as it did to the southward, before we drove them from their +territory; indeed as far north as Delagoa Bay; all the country between +Port Natal and Delagoa Bay being formerly inhabited by tribes of +Caffres. I believe, Alexander, that Mr. Fairburn gave you a history of +the celebrated monarch Chaka, the king of the Zulus?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, he did."</p> + +<p>"Well, it was Chaka who overran that country I am now speaking of, and +drove out all the tribes who occupied it, as well as a large portion of +the Bechuana tribes who inhabited lands more to the northward. Now the +irruptions we have had into the Caffre and Bechuana country bordering +upon the colony have been wholly brought about by the devastations +committed by Chaka. Of course I refer to those irruptions which have +taken place since our knowledge and possession of the Cape. I have no +doubt that such irruptions have been continued, and that they have +occurred once in every century for ages. They have been brought about by +a population increasing beyond the means of subsistence, and have taken +place as soon as the overplus have required it.</p> + +<p>"The migration of the springboks, which we witnessed yesterday, may be +more frequent, but are not more certain than those of the central +population of Africa. The Caffres themselves state that they formerly +came from the northward, and won their territory by conquest; and the +Hottentots have the same tradition as regards themselves.</p> + +<p>"The invasion of the Mantatees, as they are called (and by the Eastern +Caffres Ficani), was nothing more than that of a people dispossessed of +their property, and driven from the territory by the Zoolus, under +Chaka; and, indeed, this last array under Quetoo, which has been +destroyed within this month, may be considered as invading from a +similar cause. Having separated from Chaka, Quetoo could find no +resting-place, and he therefore came to the southward with the intention +of wresting the territory from the Caffres, in which he has failed. Had +he not failed, and been cut off by the Caffres, he would have destroyed +them, and thus made room for his own people."</p> + +<p>"Of course; for the end of all these invasions and migrations must be in +such a sacrifice of human life as to afford sustenance and the means of +subsistence to those who remain," observed the Major.</p> + +<p>"Precisely; and such must continue to be the case on this continent, +until the arts and civilization have taught men how to increase the +means of subsistence. To produce this, Christianity must be introduced; +for Christianity and civilization go hand in hand."</p> + +<p>"But the Mantatees or Ficani, who are they?"</p> + +<p>"I have already said they were northern Caffre tribes, dispossessed of +their territory by Chaka. The names of the tribes we do not know. +Mantatee, in the Caffre language, signifies an invader, and Ficani also, +marauders; both terms applicable to the people, but certainly not the +names of the tribes.</p> + +<p>"I believe, now, I have said enough on the subject to allow me to enter +upon the history of this last invasion; but, to tell the truth, the heat +is so overpowering, and I feel my tongue so parched, that you must +excuse me for deferring this account till another opportunity. As soon +as we are a little more at our ease, I will give you the history of the +Mantatees."</p> + +<p>"We are much obliged to you for what you have told us, Swinton, and +will spare you for the present," replied Alexander. "What animals are +those?—look!"</p> + +<p>"They are gnoos," replied Swinton. "There are two varieties of them, the +common gnoo and the brindled gnoo. They form an intermediate link +between the antelope family and the bovine or ox, and they are very good +eating."</p> + +<p>"Then, I wish we were able to go after them. They do not seem to be +afraid of us, but approach nearer at every gallop which they make."</p> + +<p>"Yes, although shy, they have a great deal of curiosity," replied +Swinton. "Watch them now."</p> + +<p>The animals bounded away again, as Swinton spoke, and then returned to +gaze upon the caravan, stirring up the dust with their hoofs, tossing +their manes, and lashing their sides with their long tails, as they +curvetted and shook their heads, sometimes stamping as if in defiance, +and then flying away like the wind, as if from fear.</p> + +<p>"They are safe this time," observed Major Henderson; "but another day we +will try their mettle."</p> + +<p>"You will find them fierce and dangerous when wounded, sir," said +Bremen, who had ridden up. "We are not many miles from the river, for +the cattle begin to sniff."</p> + +<p>"I am delighted to hear you say so; for then there must be water near. +But the haze and glare together are so great that we can not distinguish +above two miles, if so much."</p> + +<p>"No, sir," replied the Hottentot; "but I can see well enough to see +<i>them</i>" continued he, pointing with his finger to a rising ground about +a hundred yards off, on the right of them. "One, two, three—there are +five of them."</p> + +<p>"What are they?" said the Major, looking in the direction pointed out. +"I see; they are lions."</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir; but we must take no notice of them, and they will not annoy +us. They are not hungry."</p> + +<p>"You are right," said Swinton, "we must go right on, neither stopping +nor hastening our speed. Let the driver look to the oxen; for, tired as +they are, the smell of the lions is sufficient to give them +ungovernable strength for the moment."</p> + +<p>"Well," said the Major, "bring us our guns, Bremen. I am willing to +accept the armed neutrality, if they will consent to it."</p> + +<p>The caravan passed on; the lions remaining crouched where they were, +eying them, it is true, but not rising from their beds. The oxen, +however, either through fear of the lions, or the scent of water near, +became more brisk in their motions, and in half an hour they perceived a +line of trees before them, which told them that they were near the bed +of the Nu Gariep or Cradock River.</p> + +<p>The poor animals redoubled their exertions, and soon arrived at the +banks. Bremen had ridden forward and reported that there still was water +in the river, but only in pools. As the herbage was destroyed on the +side where they were, they would have crossed the bed of the river +before they unyoked, but that they found impossible. The animals were so +impatient for the water, that, had they not been released, they would +have broken the wagons.</p> + +<p>Horses, oxen and sheep all plunged into the pools together, and for some +minutes appeared as though they would never be satisfied. They at last +went out, but soon returned again, till their sides were distended with +the quantity of the element which they had imbibed.</p> + +<p>An hour was allowed for the animals to rest and enjoy themselves, and +then they were again yoked to drag the wagons to the other side of the +river, where there was a sufficiency of pasturage and of wood to make up +their fires.</p> + +<p>As it was their intention to remain there for a day or two, the wagons +were drawn up at some distance from the river, so as not to interfere +with the path by which the wild animals went down to drink. The spoors +or tracks of the lions and buffaloes and other animals were so abundant, +as to show that this precaution was necessary.</p> + +<p>As soon as the wagons were arranged in the usual manner, the cattle were +permitted to graze till the evening, when they were brought in and +secured, as usual, inside and round the wagons. They supped off the +remainder of the springbok, which was not very sweet; but the horses and +men were both too much exhausted with the fatiguing journey to hunt +until the following day.</p> + +<p>That night they were not disturbed by lions, but the hyenas contrived to +crawl under the wagons, and, having severely bitten one of the oxen, +succeeded in carrying off one of the sheep. They had been so often +annoyed by these animals, that we have never mentioned them; but on the +following morning it was found that the ox had been so seriously injured +that the leg-bone was broken, and they were obliged to destroy the +animal.</p> + +<p>"Were the courage of the hyena equal to his strength, it would be a most +formidable animal," observed Swinton; "but the fact is, it seldom or +never attacks mankind, although there may be twenty in a troop. At the +same time, among the Caffres they very often do enter the huts of the +natives, and occasionally devour children and infirm people. But this is +greatly owing to the encouragement they receive from the custom of the +Caffres leaving their dead to be devoured by these animals, which gives +them a liking for human flesh, and makes them more bold to obtain it."</p> + +<p>"They must have a tremendous power in their jaw," observed Alexander.</p> + +<p>"They have, and it is given them for all-wise purposes. The hyena and +the vulture are the scavengers of the tropical regions. The hyena +devours what the vulture leaves, which is the skin and bones of a dead +carcass. Its power of jaw is so great, that it breaks the largest bone +with facility."</p> + +<p>"Are there many varieties of them?"</p> + +<p>"In Africa there are four:—The common spotted hyena, or wolf of the +colonists, whose smell is so offensive that dogs leave it with disgust +after it is killed; its own fellows will, however, devour it +immediately. The striped or ferocious hyena, called the shard-wolf, and +another which the colonists call the bay-wolf, and which I believe to be +the one known as the laughing hyena. There is another variety, which is +a sort of link between the hyena and the dog, called the venatica. It +hunts in packs, and the colonists term it the wild honde. It was first +classed by Burchell the traveler. This last is smaller, but much +fiercer, than the others."</p> + +<p>"I know that there are leopards in the country, but we have never yet +fallen in with one. Are they dangerous?"</p> + +<p>"The leopard shuns any conflict with man, but when driven to desperation +it becomes a formidable antagonist. I recollect very well two boors +having attacked a leopard, and the animal, being hotly pressed by them +and wounded, turned round and sprang upon the one nearest, pulling him +to the ground, biting his shoulder, and tearing him with his claws. The +other, seeing the danger of his comrade, sprang from his horse and +attempted to shoot the animal through the head. He missed, and the +leopard left the first man, sprang upon <i>him</i>, and, striking him on the +face, tore his scalp down over his eyes. The hunter grappled with the +animal, and at last they rolled together down a steep cliff. As soon as +the first hunter could reload his gun, he rushed after them to save his +friend, but it was too late. The animal had seized him by the throat, +and mangled him so dreadfully, that death was inevitable and all that +the man could do was to avenge his comrade's death by shooting the +leopard."</p> + +<p>"That proves the leopard is not to be trifled with."</p> + +<p>"No animal is, when it stands at bay, or is driven to desperation; and, +in confirmation of this, I once witnessed one of these animals—the +quaggas—which, being pressed to the edge of a precipice by a mounted +hunter, seized the man's foot with its teeth, and actually tore it off, +so that, although medical aid was at hand, the man died from loss of +blood."</p> + +<p>"One would hardly expect such a tragical issue to the chase of a wild +jackass," observed the Major.</p> + +<p>"No; but 'in the midst of life we are in death,' and we never know from +whence the blow may come. Until it occurred, such an event was supposed +impossible, and the very idea would have created nothing but ridicule. +By the by, one of our good missionaries was very near losing his life by +a leopard. He went to save a Hottentot who had been seized, and was +attacked by the leopard which, as in the former instance, left his +first antagonist to meet his second. Fortunately, Mr. S. was a very +powerful man, and assistance was sooner given him than in the former +instance. Neither he nor the Hottentot, however, escaped without severe +wounds, which confined them for many weeks."</p> + +<p>"Is there more than one variety of leopard, Swinton?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, there is the common leopard and the hunting leopard; besides, I +think, two or three smaller varieties, as the tiger-cat and wild cat. +What do you propose doing to-day? Do you stay here, or advance, Wilmot?"</p> + +<p>"Why, the Major wishes to have a shot at the gnoos; he has never killed +one yet; and as I am of his opinion, that a day's rest will recover the +oxen, and we are in no hurry, I think we may as well stop and provision +our camp for a few days."</p> + +<p>"With all my heart. I am sorry that the hyena has added to our store, by +obliging us to kill the poor ox; however, it can not be helped. There is +a large body of gnoos and quaggas under that small hill to the westward; +but there are better animals for the table when we get a little further +to the northward."</p> + +<p>"Which are those?"</p> + +<p>"The eland, the largest of the antelope species, and sometimes weighing +more than a thousand pounds; moreover, they are very fat, and very easy +to run down. They are excellent eating. When I was in the Namaquas' +land, we preferred them to any other food; but I see another variety of +game on the plain there."</p> + +<p>"What?"</p> + +<p>Omrah pointed them out. "They are either Bushmen (tame Bushmen, as they +are called, in contradistinction to the others), or else Korannas; most +probably the latter. They are coming right towards us; but Mahomed says +breakfast is ready."</p> + +<p>By the time that breakfast was finished, a party of twelve Korannas had +joined the caravan. They made signs that they were hungry, pointing to +the straps which confined their stomachs. The interpreter told them that +they were about to hunt, and that they should have some of the game, at +which they were much pleased.</p> + +<p>"Do you know what those straps are called, round their waists, Wilmot?" +said Swinton. "They are called the belts of famine. All the natives wear +them when hard pressed by hunger, and they say that they are a great +relief. I have no doubt but such is the fact."</p> + +<p>"Well," said the Major, "I hope soon to enable the poor fellows to +loosen their belts, and fill their stomachs till they are as tight as a +drum. Saddle the horses, Bremen. Omrah, you ride my spare horse and +carry my spare rifle."</p> + +<p>Omrah, who now understood English, although he spoke but few words, gave +a nod of the head and went off to the wagon for the Major's rifle.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XIX'></a><h2>CHAPTER XIX.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>As soon as the horses were ready, our travelers set out in chase of the +gnoos and quaggas, which were collected to the westward of the caravan. +Bremen, Swanevelt, and Omrah were mounted, and ten of the Hottentots +followed with their guns, and the Korannas on foot; among the others, +Big Adam, who had been explaining to those who had never seen the gnoos +the manner in which he used to kill them.</p> + +<p>The herd permitted them to approach within two hundred yards of them, +and then, after curvetting and prancing, and galloping in small circles, +they stood still at about the same distance, looking, with curiosity and +anger mixed, at the horsemen. After a time, they took to their heels and +scoured the plain for about two miles, when they again stopped, tossing +their heads and manes, and stamping as if in defiance.</p> + +<p>The mounted party remained quiet till those on foot had again drawn +near, and the Hottentots, firing their guns, drove the herd within shot +of our travelers' guns, and three of the gnoos fell, while the others +bounded off to a greater distance; but as they neared the caravan, they +again started back, and were again closed in by the whole party.</p> + +<p>The Hottentots now advanced cautiously, creeping as near as they could +to the animals, whose attention was directed to the horsemen. The +Hottentots were nearly within range, when Omrah, who was mounted on the +Major's spare horse, fastened to the ramrod of the Major's rifle a red +bandanna handkerchief, which he usually wore round his head, and +separating quickly from the rest of the horsemen, walked his horse to +where Big Adam was creeping along to gain a shot, and stationed himself +behind him, waving the red handkerchief at the animals. Omrah was well +aware that a gnoo is as much irritated at a red handkerchief as a bull, +and as soon as he commenced waving it, one of the largest males stepped +out in that direction, pawing the ground and preparing for a charge.</p> + +<p>Big Adam, who had no idea that Omrah was so occupied behind him, now +rose to have a shot, and just as he rose the gnoo made his charge, and +Big Adam, being between the gnoo and the horse which Omrah rode, was of +course the party against whom the animal's choler was raised.</p> + +<p>Omrah, as soon as the animal charged, had wheeled round and galloped +away, while in the meantime Big Adam, perceiving the animal rushing at +him, lost all presence of mind, his gun went off without effect, and he +turned tail; the horns of the gnoo were close upon him, when of a +sudden, to the surprise of those who were looking on, Big Adam +disappeared, and the gnoo passed over where he had been.</p> + +<p>"Why, what has become of him?" said Alexander, laughing.</p> + +<p>"I don't know, but I think he has had a wonderful escape," replied the +Major: "he has disappeared like a ghost through a trap-door."</p> + +<p>"But I see his heels," cried Swinton, laughing; "he has fallen into an +ant-eater's hole, depend upon it; that mischievous little urchin might +have caused his death."</p> + +<p>"It was only to make him prove his steady aim which he was boasting so +much about," replied the Major; "but stop a moment; I will bring down +that gallant little animal, and then we will look for big Adam."</p> + +<p>But before the Major could get near enough to the gnoo, which was still +tearing up the ground and looking for his adversary, Omrah, who had put +by the handkerchief, advanced with the Major's rifle, and brought the +animal down. A volley was at the same time discharged at the herd by the +Hottentots, and three more fell, after which the remainder scampered +away, and were soon out of sight.</p> + +<p>They then rode up to where Big Adam had disappeared, and found him, as +Swinton had supposed, in a deep ant-eater's hole, head downward, and +bellowing for help. His feet were just above the surface, and that was +all; the Hottentots helped him out, and Big Adam threw himself on his +back, and seemed exhausted with fright and having been so long in a +reversed position, and was more vexed at the laugh which was raised +against him.</p> + +<p>The gnoos were soon cut up, and when the Hottentots had taken away as +much as they required, the rest of the carcasses were made over to the +hungry Korannas. Swinton shook his head at Omrah, who pretended that he +did not understand why, until the laughter of Alexander and the Major +was joined in by Swinton himself.</p> + +<p>As they had pretty well fatigued their horses in the chase, they +resolved to return to the caravan, and keep them as fresh as they could +for future service. They dined and supped on the flesh of the gnoos, +which was approved of, and after supper Alexander said—"And now, +Swinton, if you feel inclined, the Major and I will be very glad to hear +your history of the Mantatees."</p> + +<p>"With pleasure," replied Swinton. "The assemblage of tribes known as the +Mantatees or Invaders, according to the best authorities we can collect, +inhabited the countries to the westward of the Zoolu territory, in the +same latitude, which is that of Delagoa Bay. As all these tribes subsist +almost entirely upon the flesh and the milk of their cattle, if deprived +of them, they are driven to desperation, and must either become robbers +in their turn, or perish by hunger. Such was the case of the Mantatees. +Unable to withstand the attacks of the Zoolus, they were driven from +their country, and joined their forces with others who had shared the +same fate.</p> + +<p>"Such was the origin of the Mantatees, who, although they had not +courage to withstand the attacks of the Zoolus, were stimulated by +desperation and famine to a most extraordinary courage in the attacks +which they made upon others.</p> + +<p>"Forming an immense body, now that they were collected together, +accompanied by their wives and children, and unable to procure the +necessary subsistence, it is certain that their habits were so far +changed that they at last became cannibals, and were driven to prey upon +the dead bodies of their enemies, or the flesh of their comrades who +fell in the combats.</p> + +<p>"The Bechuana tribes, who are the Caffres of the interior, were the +first assailed, their towns sacked and burned, and their cattle seized +and devoured. They proceeded on to the Wankeets, one of the Damara +tribes, who inhabit the western coast to the northward of the Namaqua +Land; but the Wankeets were a brave people, and prepared for them, and +the Mantatees were driven back with great slaughter. Astounded at their +defeat, they turned to the southward, and invaded the Bechuana country.</p> + +<p>"At that time our missionaries had established themselves at Koranna, +and when the report of the Mantatees advancing was brought to them, the +Bechuanas were in a great consternation; for although finer-looking men +than the eastern Caffres, they are not by any means so brave and +warlike.</p> + +<p>"As the advance of these people would have been the ruin of the mission, +as well as the destruction of the tribe, who were afraid to encounter +them, Mr. M., the missionary, determined upon sending for the assistance +of the Griquas, the people whom I have before mentioned, and who had not +only horses, but were well armed. The Griquas came under their chief, +Waterboer, and marched against the enemy, accompanied by a large army +of Bechuanas, who, encouraged by the presence of the Griquas, now went +forth to the combat.</p> + +<p>"The Mantatees had at that time advanced as far, and had taken +possession of, Litakoo, a Bechuana town, containing 16,000 inhabitants; +and I will now give, as nearly as I can recollect it, the account of Mr. +M., the missionary at Kuruman, who accompanied the Griquas to propose +and effect, if it were possible, an amicable arrangement with the +invaders.</p> + +<p>"He told me that as they proceeded with a small party, ahead of the +Griqua force, to effect their purpose, they passed by numbers of the +enemy, who had advanced to the pools to drink, and had there sunk down +and expired from famine. As they neared the mass of the enemy, they +found that all the cattle which they had captured were inclosed in the +center of a vast multitude. They attempted a parley, but the enemy +started forward, and hurled their spears with the most savage fury, and +they were compelled to retreat, finding no hopes of obtaining a parley.</p> + +<p>"The next day it was decided that the Griquas should advance. They +numbered about one hundred well-mounted and well-armed men. The enemy +flew at them with terrible howls, hurling their javelins and clubs; +their black dismal appearance, their savage fury, and their hoarse loud +voices producing a strange effect. The Griquas, to prevent their being +surrounded, very wisely retreated.</p> + +<p>"It was at last decided that the Griquas should fire, and it was hoped +that as the Mantatees had never seen the effects of fire-arms they would +be humbled and alarmed, and thus further bloodshed might be prevented. +Many of the Mantatees fell; but, although the survivors looked with +astonishment upon the dead and their wounded warriors writhing in the +dust, they flew with lion-like vengeance at the horsemen, wrenching the +weapons from the hands of their dying companions, to replace those which +they had already discharged at their antagonists.</p> + +<p>"As those who thus stepped out from the main body to attack the Griquas +were the chiefs of the Mantatees, and many of them were killed, their +deaths, one after the other, disheartened the whole body.</p> + +<p>"After the Griquas had commenced the attack, the Bechuana army came up +and assisted with their poisoned arrows, with which they plied the +enemy; but a small body of the fierce Mantatees, sallying out, put the +whole of the Bechuanas to flight.</p> + +<p>"After a combat of two hours and a half, the Griquas, finding their +ammunition failing, determined, at great risk, to charge the whole body. +They did so, and the Mantatees gave way, and fled in a westerly +direction; but they were intercepted by the Griquas, and another charge +being made, the whole was pell-mell and confusion.</p> + +<p>"Mr. M. says that the scene which now presented itself was most awful, +and the state of suspense most cruel. The undulating country around was +covered with warriors—Griquas, Mantatees, and Bechuanas, all in +motion—so that it was impossible to say who were enemies and who were +friends. Clouds of dust rose from the immense masses, some flying, +others pursuing; and to their screams and yells were added the bellowing +of the oxen, the shouts of the yet unvanquished warriors, the groans of +the dying, and the wails of women and of children. At last the enemy +retreated to the town, which they set in flames, to add to the horror of +the scene.</p> + +<p>"Then another desperate struggle ensued, the Mantatees attempted to +inclose the Griquas in the burning town; but not succeeding, they fled +precipitately. Strange to say, the Mantatee forces were divided into two +parts, and during the time that the Griquas engaged the one, the other +remained in the town, having such confidence in the former that they did +not come to their assistance.</p> + +<p>"When the town was set on fire, both armies united, and retreated +together to the northward, in a body of not less than 40,000 warriors. +As soon as the Mantatees retreated, the Bechuanas commenced the work of +slaughter. Women and children were butchered without mercy; but as for +the wounded Mantatees, it appeared as if nothing would make them yield. +There were many instances of an individual being surrounded by fifty +Bechuanas, but as long as life remained he fought.</p> + +<p>"Mr. M. says that he saw more than one instance of a Mantatee fighting +wildly against numbers, with ten or twelve arrows and spears pierced in +his body. Struggling with death, the men would rally, raise themselves +from the ground, discharge their weapons, and fall dead, their +revengeful and hostile spirit only ceasing when life was extinct."</p> + +<p>"And yet these same people permitted their own country to be taken from +them by the Zoolus."</p> + +<p>"Yes, it was so; but want and necessity had turned them into desperate +warriors."</p> + +<p>"I wonder they never thought of going back and recovering their own +country. They would have been a match for the Zoolus. Is that the end of +their history, Swinton?"</p> + +<p>"No, not quite. But perhaps you are tired?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, no. Pray go on."</p> + +<p>"The Mantatees, although defeated by the Griquas, soon recovered their +courage, and intelligence came that they were about to make a descent +upon Kuruman, where the missionaries had their station. The Mantatees, +having been informed that the Griquas had gone home, now determined to +revenge themselves upon the Bechuanas, whom they considered but as the +dust under their feet.</p> + +<p>"On this information, Mr. M. wrote to Waterboer, who commanded the +Griquas, requesting his immediate return; but Waterboer replied that an +immense body of Mantatees were coming down upon the Griquas by the Val +or Yellow River, and that they were forced to remain, to defend their +own property, advising Mr. M. to retreat with his family to the Griqua +town, and put themselves under their protection.</p> + +<p>"As they could no longer remain, the mission station was abandoned, and +the missionaries, with their wives and families, retreated to Griqua +town. They had not, however, been long at Griqua town before news +arrived that both the bodies of Mantatees had altered their routes. +One portion of them went eastward, toward the country from which they +had been driven by the Zoolus, and another, it appears, took possession +of the country near the sources of the Orange River, where for many +years they carried on a predatory warfare with the tribes in that +district. At last a portion of them were incorporated, and settled down +on that part which is now known as the Mantatee new country; the +remainder made an irruption into the eastern Caffre country, where they +were known as the Ficani."</p> + +<p>"And what became of them?"</p> + +<p>"They defeated one or two of the Caffre chiefs, and the Caffres implored +the assistance of the English colonists, which was granted, and a large +armed force was sent out against the invaders. They were found +located—for they had built a town—near the sources of the Umtata +River. The Caffres joined with all their forces, and the Ficani were +surprised. A horrid slaughter took place; muskets, artillery and +Congreve rockets were poured upon the unfortunate wretches, who were +hemmed in on all sides by the Caffres, and the unfortunate Ficani may be +said to have been exterminated, for the Caffres spared neither man, +woman nor child. Such is the history of the Mantatees; their destruction +was horrible, but perhaps unavoidable."</p> + +<p>"Very true," observed Alexander; "I can not help thinking that +desolating contests like these are permitted by a controlling Providence +as chastisements, yet with a gracious end; for, surely it was better +that they should meet with immediate death, than linger till famine put +an end to their misery. This is certain, that they must have been +destroyed, or others destroyed to make room for them. In either case a +great sacrifice of life was to be incurred. War, dreadful as it is in +detail, appears to be one of the necessary evils of human existence, and +a means by which we do not increase so rapidly as to devour each other.</p> + +<p>"I don't know whether you have made the observation, but it appears to +me the plague and cholera are almost necessary in the countries where +they break out; and it is very remarkable that the latter disease never +made its appearance in Europe (at least not for centuries, I may say) +until after peace had been established, and the increase of population +was so rapid.</p> + +<p>"During the many years that Europe was devastated and the population +thinned by war, we had no cholera, and but little of one or two other +epidemics which have since been very fatal. What I mean to infer is, +that the hand of Providence may be seen in all this. Thus sanguinary +wars and the desolating ravages of disease, which are in themselves +afflictive visitations, and probably chastisements for national sins, +may nevertheless have the effect, in some cases, of preventing the +miseries which result from an undue increase of population."</p> + +<p>"You may be quite right, Alexander," observed Swinton; "the ways of +Heaven are inscrutably mysterious, and when we offer up prayers for the +removal of what may appear to be a heavy calamity, we may be deprecating +that which in the end may prove a mercy."</p> + +<p>"One thing I could not help remarking in your narrative, Swinton," +observed the Major, "which is the position of the missionaries during +this scene of terror. You passed it slightly over, but it must have been +most trying."</p> + +<p>"Most surely it was."</p> + +<p>"And yet I have not only read but heard much said against them, and +strong opposition made to subscriptions for their support."</p> + +<p>"I grant it, but it is because people know that a great deal of money +has been subscribed, and do not know the uses to which it is applied. +They hear reports read, and find perhaps that the light of the Gospel +has but as yet glimmered in one place or another; that in other places +all labor has hitherto been thrown away. They forget that it is the +grain of mustard-seed which is to become a great tree, and spread its +branches; they wish for immoderate returns, and are therefore +disappointed. Of course I can not give an opinion as to the manner in +which the missions are conducted in other countries; but as I have +visited most of the missions in these parts, I can honestly assert, and +I think you have already yourself seen enough to agree with me, that the +money intrusted to the societies is not thrown away or lavishly +expended; the missionaries labor with their own hands, and almost +provide for their own support."</p> + +<p>"There I agree with you, Swinton," replied Alexander; "but what are the +objections raised against them? for now that I have seen them with my +own eyes, I can not imagine what they can be."</p> + +<p>"The objections which I have heard, and have so often attempted to +refute, are, that the generality of missionaries are a fanatical class +of men, who are more anxious to inculcate the peculiar tenets of their +own sects and denominations than the religion of our Saviour; that most +of them are uneducated and vulgar men—many of them very intemperate and +very injudicious—some few of them of bad moral character; and that +their exertions, if they have used them—whether to civilize or to +Christianize the people among whom they are sent—have not been followed +by any commensurate results."</p> + +<p>"And now let us have your replies to these many objections."</p> + +<p>"It is no doubt true that the missionaries who are laboring among the +savages of the interior are, many, if not most of them, people of +limited education. Indeed, the major portion of them have been brought +up as mechanics. But I much question whether men of higher attainments +and more cultivated minds would be better adapted to meet the capacities +of unintellectual barbarians. A highly-educated man may be appreciated +among those who are educated themselves; but how can he be appreciated +by the savage? On the contrary, the savage looks with much more respect +upon a man who can forge iron, repair his weapons, and excite his +astonishment by his cunning workmanship; for then the savage perceives +and acknowledges his superiority, which in the man of intellect he would +never discover.</p> + +<p>"Besides, admitting that it would be preferable to employ persons of +higher mental attainments, where are they to be found? Could you expect, +when so many laborers are required in the vineyard, a sufficient number +of volunteers among the young men brought up at the universities? Would +they be able to submit to those privations, and incur those hardships, +to which the African missionaries are exposed? Would they be able to +work hard and labor for their daily bread, or be willing to encounter +such toil and such danger as must be encountered by those who are sent +here? I fear not. And allow me here to remark, that at the first +preaching of Christianity it was not talented and educated men who were +selected by our Saviour; out of the twelve, the Apostle Paul was the +only one who had such claims.</p> + +<p>"If we had beheld the Galilean fishermen mending their nets, should we +have ever imagined that those humble laborers were to be the people who +should afterward regenerate the world?—should overthrow the idolatries +and crumble the superstitions of ancient empires and kingdoms?—and that +what they—uneducated, but, we admit, divinely inspired and +supported—had taught should be joyfully received, as it is now, we may +say, from the rising to the setting of the sun, to the utmost boundaries +of the earth?"</p> + +<p>"Most truly and most admirably argued, Swinton," replied Alexander. "The +Almighty, as if to prove how insignificant in his sight is all human +power, has often made use of the meanest instruments to accomplish the +greatest ends. Who knows but that even our keeping holy the Sabbath-day +in the desert may be productive of some good, and be the humble means of +advancing the Divine cause? We must ever bear in mind the counsel, 'In +the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for +thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether +they both shall be alike good.'"</p> + +<p>"Surely so," replied Swinton; "the natives consider us as a superior +race; they see our worship, and they are led to think that must be right +which they perceive is done by those to whom they look up as their +superiors. It may induce them to inquire and to receive +information—eventually to be enrolled among the followers of our +Saviour. It is, however, not to be denied that in some few instances +persons have been chosen for the office of missionaries who have proved +themselves unworthy; but that must and will ever be the case where +human agents are employed. But it argues no more against the general +respectability and utility of the missionaries as a body, than the +admission of the traitor Judas among the apostles. To the efficacy of +their works, and their zeal in the cause, I myself, having visited the +station, have no hesitation in bearing testimony. Indeed I can not but +admire the exemplary fortitude, the wonderful patience and perseverance, +which the missionaries have displayed.</p> + +<p>"These devoted men are to be found in the remotest deserts, accompanying +the wild and wandering savages from place to place, suffering from +hunger and from thirst, destitute of almost every comfort, and at times +without even the necessaries of life. Some of them have without +murmuring spent their whole lives in such service; and yet their zeal is +set down as fanaticism by those who remain at home, and assert that the +money raised for their equipment is thrown away. Happily, they have not +looked for their reward in this world, but have built their hopes upon +that which is to come."</p> + +<p>"That the people who joined the Mission stations have become more +civilized, and that they are very superior to their countrymen, is +certain," observed the Major; "but have you seen any proof of +Christianity having produced any remarkably good effect among the +natives?—I mean one that might be brought forward as convincing +evidence to those who have shown themselves inimical or lukewarm in the +cause."</p> + +<p>"Yes," replied Swinton, "the history of Africaner is one; and there are +others, although not so prominent as that of the party to whom I refer."</p> + +<p>"Well, Swinton, you must now be again taxed. You must give us the +history of Africaner."</p> + +<p>"That I will, with pleasure, that you may be able to narrate it, when +required, in support of the missions. Africaner was a chief, and a +descendant of chiefs of the Hottentot nation, who once pastured their +own flocks and herds on their own native hills, within a hundred miles +of Cape Town. As the Dutch colonists at the Cape increased, so did they, +as Mr. Fairburn has stated to Alexander, dispossess the Hottentots of +their lands, and the Hottentots, unable to oppose their invaders, +gradually found themselves more and more remote from the possessions of +their forefathers.</p> + +<p>"After a time, Africaner and his diminished clan found themselves +compelled to join and take service under a Dutch boor, and for some time +proved himself a most faithful shepherd in looking after and securing +the herds of his employer. Had the Dutch boor behaved with common +humanity, not to say gratitude, toward those who served him so well, he +might now have been alive; but, like all the rest of his countrymen, he +considered the Hottentots as mere beasts of burden, and at any momentary +anger they were murdered and hunted down as if they were wild animals.</p> + +<p>"Africaner saw his clan daily diminished by the barbarity of his feudal +master, and at last resolved upon no further submission. As the Bushmen +were continually making attempts upon the cattle of the boor, Africaner +and his people had not only been well trained to fire-arms, but had them +constantly in their possession. His assumed master, having an idea that +there would be a revolt, resolved upon sending a portion of Africaner's +people to a distant spot, where he intended to secure them, and by their +destruction weaken the power of the clan.</p> + +<p>"This, as he was a sort of magistrate, he had the power to enforce; but +Africaner, suspecting his views, resolved to defeat them. Order after +order was sent to the huts of Africaner and his people. They positively +refused to comply. They requested to be paid for their long services, +and be permitted to retire further into the interior. This was sternly +denied, and they were ordered to appear at the house of the boor. +Fearful of violence, yet accustomed to obey his order, Africaner and his +brothers went up; but one of his brothers concealed his gun under his +cloak. On their arrival, the boor came out and felled Africaner to the +ground. His brother immediately shot the boor with his gun, and thus did +the miscreant meet with the just reward of his villainies and murder.</p> + +<p>"The wife, who had witnessed the murder of her husband, shrieked and +implored mercy; they told her that she need not be alarmed, but +requested that the guns and ammunition in the house should be delivered +up to them, which was immediately done. Africaner then hastened back to +his people, collected them and all his cattle, with what effects they +could take with them, and directed his course to the Orange River.</p> + +<p>"He was soon out of the reach of his pursuers, for it required time in +so scattered a district to collect a sufficient force. Africaner fixed +his abode upon the banks of the Orange River, and afterward a chief +ceding to him his dominion in Great Namaqua land, the territory became +his by right as well as by conquest. I think I had better leave off now; +it is getting late, and we must to bed, if we are to start early +to-morrow morning."</p> + +<p>"We will have mercy upon you, Swinton, and defer our impatience," said +the Major. "Good-night to you, and may you not have a lion's serenade."</p> + +<p>"No, I hope not; their music is too loud to be agreeable;—good-night."</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XX'></a><h2>CHAPTER XX.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>Having filled their water-kegs, the next morning at day-light they yoked +the oxen and left the banks of the Cradock or Black River, to proceed +more to the northward, through the Bushmen's country; but as they were +aware that there was no water to be procured, if they quitted the stream +altogether, till they arrived at the Val or Yellow River, they decided +upon following the course of the Black River to the westward for some +time, before they struck off for the Val or Yellow River, near to which +they expected to fall in with plenty of game, and particularly the +giraffe and rhinoceros.</p> + +<p>Although at that season of the year the river was nearly dry, still +there was a scanty herbage on and near its bank, intermixed with beds of +rushes and high reeds; this was sufficient for the pasture of the +cattle, but it was infested with lions and other animals, which at the +dry season of the year kept near the river-bank for a supply of water.</p> + +<p>By noon they had proceeded about fifteen miles to the westward, and as +they advanced they found that the supply of water in the river was more +abundant; they then unyoked the cattle to allow them to feed till the +evening, for it was too dangerous to turn them loose at night. As they +were in no hurry, they resolved that they would only travel for the +future from daylight till noon; the afternoon and evening were to be +spent in hunting, and at night they were to halt the caravan and secure +every thing as before, by inclosing the horses and sheep, and tying up +the oxen.</p> + +<p>By this arrangement the cattle would not be exhausted with their labor, +and they would have time to follow the object of their journey—that of +hunting the wild animals with which the country abounded, and also of +procuring a constant supply of food for themselves and their attendants.</p> + +<p>Having now traveled as far as they wished, they stopped at the foot of a +rising ground, about a quarter of a mile from the river's bank, and +which was on the outskirts of a large clump of mimosa and other trees. +As soon as the cattle were unyoked and had gone down to the river to +drink, our travelers ordered their horses to be saddled, and as the +banks of the river on that side were low, they rode up to the rising +ground to view the country beyond, and to ascertain what game might be +in sight.</p> + +<p>When they arrived at the summit, and were threading their way through +the trees, Omrah pointed to a broken branch, and said, "Elephant here +not long ago."</p> + +<p>Bremen said that Omrah was right, and that the animals could not have +left more than a week, and that probably they had followed the course of +the stream. The print of another foot was observed by Omrah, and he +pointed it out; but not knowing the name to give the animal in English +or Dutch, he imitated its motions.</p> + +<p>"Does he mean a gnoo?" said Alexander.</p> + +<p>Omrah shook his head, and, raising his hands up, motioned that the +animal was twice as big.</p> + +<p>"Come here, Bremen; what print of a hoof is this?" said Swinton.</p> + +<p>"Buffalo, sir,—fresh print—was here last night."</p> + +<p>"That's an animal that I am anxious to slay," said the Major.</p> + +<p>"You must be very careful that he does not slay <i>you</i>," replied Swinton; +"for it is a most dangerous beast, almost as much so as a lion."</p> + +<p>"Well, we must not return without one, at all events," said Alexander; +"nor without a lion also, as soon as we can find one alone; but those we +have seen in the daytime have always been in threes and fours, and I +think the odds too great with our party; but the first single lion we +fall in with, I vote we try for his skin."</p> + +<p>"Agreed," replied the Major; "what do you say, Swinton?"</p> + +<p>"Why, I say agreed also; but as I came here to look for other things +rather than lions, I should say, as far as I am concerned, that the best +part of valor would be discretion. However, depend upon it, if you go +after a lion I shall be with you: I have often been at the destruction +of them when with Dutch boors; but then recollect we have no horses to +spare, and therefore we must not exactly follow their method."</p> + +<p>"How do they hunt the lions, then?" inquired Alexander.</p> + +<p>"They hunt them more for self-defense than for pleasure," replied +Swinton; "but on the outskirts of the colony the lions are so +destructive to the herds, that the colonists must destroy them. They +generally go out, ten or twelve of them, with their long guns, not fewer +if possible; and you must recollect that these boors are not only very +cool, brave men, but most excellent shots. I fear you will not find that +number among our present party, as, with the exception of our three +selves and Breman and Swanevelt, I do not believe that there is one man +here who would face a lion; so that when we do attack one, it will be at +a disadvantage.</p> + +<p>"The Dutch boors, as soon as they have ascertained where the lion lies, +approach the bushes to within a moderate distance, and then alighting, +they make all their horses fast together with their bridles and +halters. In this there is danger, as sometimes the lion will spring out +upon them at once, and, if so, probably not only horses but men are +sacrificed. If the lion remains quiet, which is usually the case, they +advance toward him within thirty paces or thereabouts, as they know that +he generally makes a spring at half that distance; but as they advance, +they back their horses toward him, as a shield in front of them, knowing +that the lion will spring upon the horses.</p> + +<p>"As they move forward, the lion at first looks at them very calmly, and +very often wags his tail as if in a playful humor; but when they +approach nearer, he growls, as if to warn them off. Then, as they +continue to approach, he gradually draws up his hind legs under his +body, ready for a spring at them as soon as they are within distance, +and you see nothing of him except his bristling mane and his eyes +glaring like fire; for he is then fully enraged, and in the act of +springing the next moment.</p> + +<p>"This is the critical moment, and the signal is given for half the party +to fire. If they are not successful in laying him dead on the spot with +this first volley, he springs like a thunderbolt upon the horses. The +remainder of the party then fire, and seldom fail to put an end to him; +but generally one or more of the horses are either killed or so wounded +as to be destroyed in consequence; and sometimes, although rarely, one +or more of the hunters share the same fate. So you observe that, with +every advantage, it is a service of danger, and therefore should not be +undertaken without due precaution."</p> + +<p>"Very true, Swinton; but it will never do to return to the Cape without +having killed a lion."</p> + +<p>"As you please; but even that would be better than being killed yourself +by a lion, and not returning at all. However, my opinion is that you +will have to kill a lion before you have traveled much further, without +going in quest of him. There are hundreds of them here; as many as there +are in Namaqua-land."</p> + +<p>"Look, master!" said Bremen, pointing to seven or eight splendid +antelopes about a mile distant.</p> + +<p>"I see," replied the Major. "What are they?"</p> + +<p>"Gemsbok," said Swinton. "Now I will thank you for a specimen of that +beautiful creature, if you can get it for me. We must dismount, leave +our horses here, and crawl along from tree to tree, and bush to bush, +till we get within shot."</p> + +<p>"They are, indeed, noble animals. Look at that large male, which appears +to be the leader and master of the herd. What splendid horns!" cried +Alexander.</p> + +<p>"Give the horses to Omrah and Swanevelt. Bremen shall go with us. Hist; +not a word; they are looking in this direction." said the Major.</p> + +<p>"Recollect to try for the large male. I want him most particularly," +said Swinton.</p> + +<p>"Master," said Bremen, "We must creep till we get those bushes between +us and the game. Then we can crawl through the bushes and get a good +shot."</p> + +<p>"Yes, that will be the best plan," said Swinton. "As softly as we can, +for they are very shy animals."</p> + +<p>They followed one another for two or three hundred yards, creeping from +one covert to another, till they had placed the bushes on the plain +between them and the herd. They then stopped a little and reconnoitered. +The herd of antelopes had left off feeding, and now had all their heads +turned toward the bushes, and in the direction where they were +concealed; the large male rather in advance of the others, with his long +horns pointing forward, and his nose close to the ground. Our party kept +silence for some time, watching the animals; but none of them moved much +from their positions; and as for the male, he remained as if he were a +statue.</p> + +<p>"They must have scented us," whispered Alexander.</p> + +<p>"No, sir," said Bremen; "the wind blows from them to us. I can't think +what they are about. But perhaps they may have seen us."</p> + +<p>"At all events, we shall gain nothing by remaining here; we shall be +more concealed as we descend and approach them," observed the Major.</p> + +<p>"That is true; so come along. Creep like mice," said Swinton.</p> + +<p>They did so, and at last arrived at the patch of brushwood which was +between them and the antelopes, and were now peeping and creeping to +find out an opening to fire through, when they heard a rustling within. +Bremen touched the sleeve of the Major and beckoned a retreat, and +motioned to the others; but before they could decide, as they did not +know why the Hottentot proposed it, for he did not speak himself, and +put his hand to his mouth as a hint to them to be silent, a roar like +thunder came from the bushes, within three yards of them, accompanied +with a rushing noise which could not be mistaken. It was the roar and +spring of the lion; and they looked round amazed and stunned, to +ascertain who was the victim.</p> + +<p>"Merciful Heaven!" exclaimed Alexander, "and no one hurt!"</p> + +<p>"No, master; lion spring at antelope. Now we shall find him on other +side of the bush, and kill him easy, when his eyes are shut."</p> + +<p>Bremen led the way round the copse, followed by our travelers; they soon +arrived on the other side of it, with their guns all ready; but on their +arrival, to their astonishment they perceived the lion and the male +gemsbok lying together. The antelope was dead, but the lion still alive; +though the horns of the gemsbok had passed through his body. At the +sight of the hunters, the lion, pierced through as he was, raised his +head with a loud roar, and struck out with his paw, as he twisted toward +them, his eyes glowing like hot coals, and showing his tremendous fangs. +Alexander was the first who fired, and the ball penetrating the brain of +the noble animal, it fell down dead upon the body of the antelope.</p> + +<p>"This is the finest sight I ever witnessed," observed Swinton. "I have +heard that the gemsboks' horns are sometimes fatal to the lion, but I +could hardly credit it. They have passed nearly through his body; the +points are under the skin."</p> + +<p>"Now we know, master, why gemsbok have his nose to the ground and his +horn pointed," said Bremen; "he saw the lion, and fought him to save his +herd."</p> + +<p>"I am quite stunned yet," observed Alexander. "What a noble animal it +is! Well, at all events I can say that I have shot a lion, which is +more than you can, Major."</p> + +<p>"I only wish that when I shoot one I may have no more danger to incur," +replied the Major. "What a different idea does one have of a lion in a +menagerie and one in its free and native state. Why, the menagerie lions +can't roar at all; they are nothing but overgrown cats, compared to the +lion of the desert."</p> + +<p>"That is very true," observed Swinton; "however, I am delighted, for now +I have not only my gemsbok, which is a gem above price, but also as fine +a lion as I have ever seen. I should like to have them stuffed and set +up just as they were before Alexander killed them. His rage and agony +combined were most magnificent. After all, the lion is the king of the +beasts. Bremen, send Swanevelt to the caravan for some of the men. I +must have both skin and skeleton of the antelope, and the skin of the +lion."</p> + +<p>Our travelers were quite satisfied with the sport of the day, and after +waiting for some time, while the Hottentots disentangled the animals and +took off the skins, they returned to the caravan, Omrah having secured a +portion of the flesh of the gemsbok for their supper.</p> + +<p>As they were returning, they observed a herd of buffaloes at a great +distance, and proposed to themselves the hunting of them after they had +halted on the following day, if the animals were at any reasonable +distance from them. At supper the flesh of the antelope was pronounced +better than that of the gnoo; and after supper, as soon as the cattle +had been all secured, and the fires lighted, Alexander proposed that +Swinton should finish his history of Africaner.</p> + +<p>"If I remember right, I left off where Africaner and his people had +escaped to Namaqua-land, where he became a chief. Attempts were made to +take him prisoner and bring him to the colony, but without success. +Expedition after expedition failed, and Africaner dared them to approach +his territories. At last, the colonists had recourse to the Griquas, and +offered them a large reward if they would bring Africaner in.</p> + +<p>"The Griquas, commanded by a celebrated chief of the name of Berend, +made several attempts, and in consequence a cruel war was carried on +between Berend and Africaner, in which neither party gained the +advantage. Africaner, discovering that the colonists had bribed Berend +to make war against him, now turned his wrath against them. A Dutch boor +fell a victim to his fury, and he carried off large quantities of their +cattle, and eventually Africaner became the terror of the colony. The +natives also who resided in Namaqua-land commenced depredations upon +Africaner, but he repaid them with such interest that at last every +tribe fled at his approach, and his name carried dismay into their +solitary wastes. The courage and intrepidity shown by Africaner and his +brothers in their various combats were most remarkable; but to narrate +all his adventures would occupy too much time. It is certain that he not +only became dreaded, but in consequence of his forbearance on several +occasions he was respected.</p> + +<p>"It was in 1810 that the missionaries came into the Namaqua-land, and it +unfortunately happened that a dispute arose about some of Africaner's +property which was seized, and at the same time Africaner lost some +cattle. The parties who were at variance with Africaner lived near to +the Mission station, and very unwisely the people at the Mission station +were permitted to go to their assistance.</p> + +<p>"This roused the anger of Africaner, who vowed vengeance on the Mission +and the people collected around it or connected with it. As Africaner +had commenced his attacks upon the Namaquas, and was advancing toward +the mission, the missionaries were compelled to abandon the station and +return to the colony. The Mission station was soon afterward taken +possession of by Africaner, and the houses burned to the ground.</p> + +<p>"A curious circumstance occurred during this affair: his followers were +seeking everywhere for plunder, when some of them entered the burial +ground, and one of them, treading on an apparently new made grave, was +astonished by soft notes of music proceeding from the ground beneath.</p> + +<p>"Superstitious as the natives are, and having most of them, in former +days, heard something of the Christian doctrines, they started and stood +transfixed with astonishment, expecting the dead to arise, as they had +been once told. One of them mustered courage to put his foot again upon +the spot, and the reply was soft and musical as before. Away they all +started to Africaner, to inform him that there was life and music in the +grave.</p> + +<p>"The chief, who feared neither the living nor the dead, went to the +burial-ground with his men, and jumped upon the spot, which immediately +gave out the soft note as before. Africaner ordered an immediate +exhumation, when the source of the mystery proved to be the piano-forte +of the missionary's wife, which being too cumbrous an article to take +away, had been buried there, with the hope of being one day able to +recover it. Never having seen such an instrument before, Africaner had +it dissected for the sake of the brass wires; and thus the piano was +destroyed."</p> + +<p>"I doubt if it would ever have been dug up in Caffreland," observed +Alexander.</p> + +<p>"I am convinced it never would have been, but have remained as a wonder +and object of fear as long as it held together," replied Swinton; "but +to proceed—</p> + +<p>"The Mission station having been for some time broken up by this attack +of Africaner, Mr. C., a missionary, anxious to restore it, wrote a +letter to Africaner on the subject, and received a favorable reply, and +a Mr. E. was sent to the residence of Africaner himself. After a short +time, Africaner and his two brothers, with a number of others, were +baptized.</p> + +<p>"At first it must be admitted that their profession of Christianity did +not greatly improve their conduct; but this was very much to be ascribed +to the circumstance that the duties of the station had devolved upon one +who ought not to have been selected for the task. Upon his removal, and +a more fitting minister of the Gospel taking his place, a great change +was soon observable in Africaner; and, from having been one of the most +remorseless pursuers of his vengeance—a firebrand spreading discord, +war and animosity among the neighboring tribes—he would now make every +concession and any sacrifice to prevent collision and bloodshed between +contending parties.</p> + +<p>"Although his power was so great that he might have raised his arm and +dared them to lift a spear or draw a bow, he would entreat them as a +suppliant to be reconciled.</p> + +<p>"'Look at me,' he would say, 'how many battles have I fought; how much +cattle have I taken; but what has it done for me, but make me full of +shame and sorrow?'</p> + +<p>"In short, from that time till he died, he became a peacemaker and a +Christian, both in word and deed. His whole life was devoted to acts of +kindness and charity—to instructing and exhorting, and following the +precepts of Him in whose faith eventually he lived and died."</p> + +<p>"Well, Swinton, you have indeed given us a remarkable proof that the +missionary labors are not always thrown away, and we thank you for your +compliance with our request."</p> + +<p>"It is a remarkable instance, if you only consider how many hundreds of +lives might have been sacrificed, if Africaner had continued his career +of slaughter and of plunder; and how many lives, I may add, have been +also saved by his interference as a peacemaker, instead of being, as he +formerly was, a promoter of war and bloodshed."</p> + +<p>"Swinton," said Alexander, "I wanted to ask you a question which I had +nearly forgotten. Do you recollect what Bremen said to us, that the lion +had seized the gemsbok, and that now the lion would shut his eyes, and +that he would shoot him?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I do; and he was correct in what he stated, for I have witnessed +it myself. When a lion seizes a large animal like an ox or horse, or the +animal he fell a martyr to this afternoon, he springs upon it, seizes it +by the throat with his terrible fangs, and holds it down with his paws +till it expires. From the moment the lion seizes his prey, he shuts his +eyes, and never opens them again until the life of his prey is extinct. +I remember a Hottentot, when a lion had seized an ox in this way, +running up to him with his gun and firing within a few yards' distance. +The lion, however, did not deign to notice the report of the gun, but +continued to hold fast his prey. The Hottentot loaded again, fired, and +again missed; reloaded again, and then shot the lion through the head."</p> + +<p>"How very strange!"</p> + +<p>"It is, and I can not give any reason for it; but that it is so, I well +know to be a fact. Perhaps it may be that the animal, after long +fasting, is quite absorbed with the grateful taste of the blood flowing +into his mouth, while the animal is writhing under his clutches. But +there are many singular points about the lion, which is a much more +noble and intelligent animal than most people have any idea of; I have +collected a number of facts relative to his majesty which would surprise +you. The Bushmen know the animal and his habits so well, that they +seldom come to any accident from their inhabiting a country in which I +really believe the population of lions exceeds that of Bushmen."</p> + +<p>"Is it true that the lion, as well as other animals, is afraid of the +eye of man?" said the Major; "can you reply to that question?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I can," answered Swinton; "I was about to say that he is and is +not, but a better answer will be to give you what has come to my +knowledge: I consider that the lion is a much more dangerous animal in +this country, and indeed in any other where there are no firearms, than +where the occupants are possessed of them.</p> + +<p>"It may appear strange, but it is my fixed opinion, that the lion has an +idea of the deadly nature of firearms, and that he becomes in +consequence more afraid of man. You remember a story I told you of a +lion watching a man for two days without destroying him, but never +permitting him to lay hold of his gun. Now it is satisfactorily proved +that a lion will pass a man who has a gun in his hand without attacking +him, provided that he does not attempt to level the gun; but the moment +that he does he will spring upon him.</p> + +<p>"An instance of that occurred to the great lion-hunter Diedrich Muller, +who mentioned it to me. He had been alone hunting in the wilds, when he +came suddenly upon a large lion, which, instead of giving way as they +usually do, seemed disposed, from the angry attitude which he assumed, +to dispute his progress.</p> + +<p>"Muller instantly alighted, and, confident of his unerring aim, leveled +his gun at the forehead of the lion, which had crouched in the act to +spring, within sixteen paces of him; but as he fired, his horse, whose +bridle was round his arm, started back, and, jerking him aside, caused +him to miss; the lion bounded forward, but stopped within a few paces, +confronting Muller, who stood defenseless, as his gun was discharged, +and his horse had galloped off.</p> + +<p>"The man and the beast stood looking each other in the face for a short +time. At length the lion moved backward, as if to go away. Muller began +loading his gun; the lion looked over his shoulder, growled, and +immediately returned to his former position within a few paces of +Muller. Muller stood still, with his eyes fixed on the animal. The lion +again moved cautiously off; when he was at a certain distance, Muller +proceeded to ram down his bullet. The lion again looked back and growled +angrily. Muller again was quiet, and the animal continued turning and +growling as it moved off, till at last it bounded away."</p> + +<p>"You imagine then, that the lion is aware of the fatal effects of +fire-arms?" said the Major.</p> + +<p>"It would appear so, not only on account of their being so angry if +presented at them, or being touched even when they are close to them, +but also from the greater respect the lion pays to man where fire-arms +are in use. The respect that he pays to men in the colony is not a +general custom of the animal.</p> + +<p>"As I said before, the lion is more dangerous in this Bushman country; +because, in the first place, his awe of man has been removed, from his +invariably successful encounters with those who have no weapons of +force with which to oppose him; and, secondly, because he has but too +often tasted human flesh, after which a lion becomes more partial to it +than any other food.</p> + +<p>"It is asserted, that when a lion has once succeeded in snatching some +unfortunate Bushman from his cave, he never fails to return regularly +every night, in hopes of another meal, until the horde is so harassed +that they are compelled to seek some other shelter. From apprehension of +such attacks, it is also asserted that the Bushmen are in the habit of +placing their aged and infirm people at the entrance of the cave during +the night, that, should the lion come, the least valuable and most +useless of their community may first fall a prey to the animal."</p> + +<p>"Of course, if permitted to help himself in that way, the lion can not +have much fear of man," observed Wilmot; "and his lurking abroad in the +night takes away much from the nobleness of disposition which you are +inclined to attribute to him."</p> + +<p>"By no means," continued Swinton. "That a lion generally lurks and lies +in wait to seize his prey is certain, but this is the general +characteristic of the feline tribe, of which he may be considered as the +head; and it is for this mode of hunting that nature has fitted him.</p> + +<p>"The wolf, the hound, and others, are furnished with an acute scent, and +are enabled to tire down their prey by a long chase. The feline tribe +are capable of very extraordinary efforts of activity and speed for a +very short time; if they fail to seize their prey at the first spring, +or after a few tremendous bounds, they generally abandon the pursuit.</p> + +<p>"The lion can spring from nine to twelve yards at a leap, and for a few +seconds can repeat these bounds with such activity and velocity as to +outstrip the movements of the quickest horse; but he can not continue +these amazing efforts and does not attempt it. In fact, the lion is no +more than a gigantic cat, and he must live by obtaining his prey in the +same manner as a cat.</p> + +<p>"In these countries, his prey is chiefly of the antelope species, the +swiftest animals on earth; and what chance would he have, if he were to +give one of his magnanimous roars to announce his approach? He knows his +business better; he crouches in the rank grass and reeds by the sides of +the paths made by the animals to descend to the rivers and pools to +drink, and as they pass he makes his spring upon them.</p> + +<p>"Now I do not consider that his obtaining his food as nature has +pointed out to him is any argument against what I consider the really +noble disposition of the lion, which is, that he does not kill for mere +cruelty, and that he is really generous, unless compelled by hunger to +destroy, as I have already shown by one or two examples."</p> + +<p>"We are convinced, my dear Swinton," said Alexander; "but now let us +have your opinion as to his being afraid to meet the eye of man."</p> + +<p>"I consider that the lion will generally retreat before the presence of +man; but he does not retreat cowardly, like the leopard or hyena, and +others. He never slinks away, he appears calmly to survey his opponent, +as apparently measuring his prowess. I should say that the lion seems to +have a secret impression that man is not his natural prey, and although +he will not always give place to him, he will not attack him, if, in the +first place, the man shows no sign of fear, and in the second, no signs +of hostility.</p> + +<p>"But this instinctive deference to man is not to be reckoned upon. He +may be very angry, he may be very hungry, he may have been just +disappointed in taking his prey, or he may be accompanied by the female +and cubs; in short, the animal's temper may have been ruffled, and in +this case he becomes dangerous.</p> + +<p>"An old Namaqua chief with whom I was conversing, and who had been +accustomed to lions from childhood, fully corroborated these opinions, +and also that there is that in the eye of man before which the lion +quails. He assured me that the lion very seldom attacks a man, if not +provoked; but he will approach him within a few paces and survey him +steadily. Sometimes he attempts to get behind him, as if he could not +stand his look, but was desirous of springing upon him unawares. He +said, that if a man in such a case attempted to fly, he would run the +greatest danger, but that if he had presence of mind to confront the +animal, it would in almost every instance after a short time retire.</p> + +<p>"Now I have already brought forward the instance of Muller and the lion, +as a proof of the effect of a man's eye upon the lion. I will now give +another, still more convincing, as the contact was still closer, and +the lion had even tasted blood.</p> + +<p>"A boor of the name of Gyt was out with one of his neighbors hunting. +Coming to a fountain, surrounded as usual with tall reeds and rushes, +Gyt gave his gun to his comrade, and alighted to see if there was any +water remaining in it; but as he approached the fountain, an enormous +lion started up close at his side, and seized him by the left arm. Gyt, +although thus taken by surprise, stood motionless and without +struggling, for he was aware that the least attempt to escape would +occasion his immediate destruction. The animal also remained motionless, +holding Gyt fast by the arm with his fangs, but without biting it +severely, at the same time shutting his eyes, as if he could not +withstand the eyes of his victim fixed upon him."</p> + +<p>"What a terrible position!"</p> + +<p>"Yes; but I may here observe that the lion was induced to seize the man +in consequence of their coming so completely in contact, and, as it +were, for self-defense. Had they been further apart, the lion would, as +usually is the case, have walked away; and, moreover, the eye of the man +being so close to him had, at the same time, more power over the lion, +so as to induce him to shut his own. But to continue—</p> + +<p>"As they stood in this position, Gyt recovered his presence of mind, and +beckoned to his comrade to advance with his gun and shoot the lion +through the head. This might easily have been done, as the animal +continued still with his eyes closed, and Gyt's body concealed any +object approaching. But his comrade was a cowardly scoundrel, and, +instead of coming to Gyt's assistance, he cautiously crawled up a rock +to secure himself from any danger. For a long while Gyt continued +earnestly to entreat his comrade by signs to come to his assistance—the +lion continuing all this while perfectly quiet—but in vain."</p> + +<p>"How my blood boils at the conduct of this scoundrel," said the Major; +"admitting his first impulse to have been fear, yet to allow his comrade +to remain in that position so long a while covers him with infamy."</p> + +<p>"I think if Gyt escaped, he must have felt very much inclined to shoot +the wretch himself."</p> + +<p>"The lion-hunters affirm that, if Gyt had but persevered a little +longer, the animal would have at last released his hold and left Gyt +uninjured; that the grip of the lion was more from fear that the man +would hurt him, than from any wish to hurt the man; and such is my +opinion. But Gyt, indignant at the cowardice of his comrade, and losing +patience with the lion, at last drew his hunting-knife, which all the +boors invariably carry at their side, and with all the power of his +right arm thrust it into the lion's breast.</p> + +<p>"The thrust was a deadly one, for it was aimed with judgment, and Gyt +was a bold and powerful man; but it did not prove effectual so as to +save Gyt's life, for the enraged lion, striving in his death agonies to +grapple with Gyt,—held at arm's length by the strength of desperation +on the part of the boor,—so dreadfully lacerated with his talons the +breast and arms of poor Gyt, that his bones were left bare.</p> + +<p>"At last the lion fell dead, and Gyt fell with him. His cowardly +companion, who had witnessed this fearful struggle from the rock, now +took courage to advance, and carried the mangled body of Gyt to the +nearest house. Medical aid was at hand, but vainly applied, as on the +third day, he died of a locked jaw. Such was the tragical end of this +rencounter, from the sheer cowardice of Gyt's companion.</p> + +<p>"I could mention many other instances in which lions have had men in +their power and have not injured them, if they have neither attempted to +escape nor to assault; but I think I have given enough already, not only +to prove the fact of his general forbearance toward man, but also that +there is something in the eye of man at which the lion and other +animals, I believe, will quail."</p> + +<p>"I can myself give an instance that this fascinating effect, or whatever +it may be, of the human eye, is not confined wholly to the lion," said +the Major.</p> + +<p>"One of our officers in India, having once rambled into a jungle +adjoining the British encampment, suddenly encountered a Bengal tiger. +The meeting was evidently most unexpected on both sides, and both +parties made a dead halt, earnestly gazing at each other. The officer +had no fire-arms with him, although he had his regulation sword by his +side; but that he knew would be of no defense if he had to struggle for +life with such a fearful antagonist. He was, however, a man of undaunted +courage, and he had heard that even a Bengal tiger might be checked by +looking him steadily in the face.</p> + +<p>"His only artillery being, like a lady's, that of his eyes, he directed +them point blank at the tiger. He would have infinitely preferred a +rifle, as he was not at all sure but that his eyes might miss fire. +However, after a few minutes, during which the tiger had been crouched +ready for his spring, the animal appeared disturbed and irresolute, +slunk on one side, and then attempted to crawl round behind the officer.</p> + +<p>"This, of course, the officer would not permit, and he turned to the +tiger as the tiger turned, with the same constancy that, Tom Moore says, +the 'sunflower turns to the sun.'</p> + +<p>"The tiger then darted into the thicket, and tried to catch him by +coming suddenly upon him from another quarter, and taking him by +surprise; but our officer was wide awake, as you may suppose, and the +tiger, finding that it was no go, at last went off himself, and the +officer immediately went off too, as fast as he could, to the +encampment."</p> + +<p>"I am glad to have heard your narrative, Major," replied Swinton; "for +many doubts have been thrown upon the question of the power of the human +eye, and your opinion is a very corroborative one."</p> + +<p>"Do not you imagine that the lion-tamers who exhibit in Europe have +taken advantage of this peculiar fact?"</p> + +<p>"I have no doubt but that it is one of their great helps; but I think +that they resort to other means, which have increased the instinctive +fear that the animals have of them. I have witnessed these exhibitions, +and always observed that the man never for a moment took his eyes off +the animal which he was playing with or commanding.</p> + +<p>"I have observed that also; but what are the other means to which you +allude?"</p> + +<p>"I can not positively say, but I can only express an opinion. The most +painful and most stunning effects of a blow upon any part of the body, +not only of man but of brutes, is a blow on the nose. Many animals, such +as the seal and others, are killed by it immediately, and there is no +doubt but a severe blow on that tender part will paralyze almost any +beast for the time and give him a dread for the future. I believe that +repeated blows upon the nose will go further than any other means to +break the courage of any beast, and I imagine that these are resorted +to: but it is only my opinion, recollect, and it must be taken for just +as much as it is worth."</p> + +<p>"Do not you think that animals may be tamed by kindness, if you can +produce in them the necessary proportion of love and fear?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I was about to say every animal, but I believe some must be +excepted; and this is from their having so great a fear of man, rather +than from any other cause. If their fear could be overcome, they might +be tamed. Of course there are some animals which have not sufficient +reasoning power to admit of their being tamed; for instance, who would +ever think of taming a scorpion?"</p> + +<p>"I believe that there is one animal which, although taken as a cub, has +resisted every attempt to tame it in the slightest degree,—this is the +grizzly bear of North America."</p> + +<p>"I have heard so too," replied Swinton; "at all events, up to the +present time they have been unsuccessful. It is an animal of most +unamiable disposition, that is certain; and I would rather encounter ten +lions, if all that they say of it is true. But it is time for us to go +to bed. Those fires are getting rather low. Who has the watch?"</p> + +<p>The Major rose and walked round to find the Hottentot who was on that +duty, and found him fast asleep. After sundry kicks in the ribs, the +fellow at last woke up.</p> + +<p>"Is it your watch?"</p> + +<p>"Yaw, Mynher," replied Big Adam, rolling out of his kaross.</p> + +<p>"Well, then, you keep it so well, that you will have no tobacco next +time it is served out."</p> + +<p>"Gentlemen all awake and keep watch, so I go to sleep a little," replied +Adam, getting up on his legs.</p> + +<p>"Look to your fires, sir," replied the Major, walking to his wagon.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XXI'></a><h2>CHAPTER XXI.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>As they fully expected to fall in with a herd of buffaloes as they +proceeded, they started very early on the following morning. They had +now the satisfaction of finding that the water was plentiful in the +river, and, in some of the large holes which they passed, they heard the +snorting and blowing of the hippopotami, to the great delight of the +Hottentots, who were very anxious to procure one, being very partial to +its flesh.</p> + +<p>As they traveled that day, they fell in with a small party of Bushmen; +they were shy at first, but one or two of the women at last approached, +and receiving some presents of snuff and tobacco, the others soon +joined; and as they understood from Omrah and the Hottentots that they +were to hunt in the afternoon, they followed the caravan, with the hopes +of obtaining food.</p> + +<p>They were a very diminutive race, the women, although very well formed, +not being more than four feet high. Their countenances were +pleasing,—that is, the young ones; and one or two of them would have +been pretty, had they not been so disfigured with grease and dirt. +Indeed the effluvia from them was so unpleasant, that our travelers were +glad that they should keep at a distance; and Alexander said to Swinton, +"Is it true that the lion and other animals prefer a black man to a +white, as being of a higher flavor, Swinton, or is it only a joke?"</p> + +<p>"I should think there must be some truth in the idea," observed the +Major; "for they say that the Bengal tiger will always take a native in +preference to a European."</p> + +<p>"It is, I believe, not to be disputed," replied Swinton, "that for one +European devoured by the lion or other animals, he feasts upon ten +Hottentots or Bushmen, perhaps more; but I ascribe the cause of his so +doing, not exactly to his perceiving any difference in the flesh of a +black and white man, and indulging his preference. The lion, like many +other beasts of prey, is directed to his game by his scent as well as by +his eye; that is certain. Now I appeal to you, who have got rid of these +Bushmen, and who know so well how odoriferous is the skin of a +Hottentot, whether a lion's nose is not much more likely to be attracted +by one of either of these tribes of people, than it would by either you +or me. How often, in traveling, have we changed our position, when the +wind has borne down upon us the effluvia of the Hottentot who was +driving?—why that effluvia is borne down with the wind for miles, and +is as savory to the lion, I have no doubt, as a beefsteak is to us."</p> + +<p>"There can, I think, be no doubt of that," said Alexander; "but it is +said that they will select a Hottentot from white men."</p> + +<p>"No doubt of it, because they follow up the scent right to the party +from whence it emanates. I can give you an instance of it. I was once +traveling with a Dutch farmer, with his wagon and Hottentots. We unyoked +and lay down on the sand for the night; there were the farmer and I, two +Hottentot men and a woman—by the by, a very fat one, and who +consequently was more heated by the journey. During the night a lion +came and carried away the woman from among us all, and by his tracks, as +we found on the following morning, he had passed close to the farmer and +myself."</p> + +<p>"Was the woman killed?"</p> + +<p>"The night was so dark that we could see nothing; we were roused by her +shrieks, and seized our guns, but it was of no use. I recollect another +instance which was not so tragical. A Hottentot was carried off by a +lion during the night, wrapped up in his sheep-skin kaross, sleeping, as +they usually do, with his face to the ground. As the lion trotted away +with him, the fellow contrived to wriggle out of his kaross, and the +lion went off only his mantle."</p> + +<p>"Well, I should think one of the karosses must be a very savory morsel +for a hungry lion," said the Major;—"but I imagine it is almost time to +unyoke; we must have traveled nearly twenty miles, and these forests +promise well for the game we are in search of."</p> + +<p>"I suspect that they contain not only buffaloes, but elephants; however, +we shall soon find out by examining the paths down to the river, which +they make in going for water."</p> + +<p>"I think that yonder knoll would be a good place to fix our encampment, +Swinton," said the Major; "it is well shaded with mimosas, and yet clear +of the main forest."</p> + +<p>"Well, you are quartermaster-general, and must decide."</p> + +<p>The Major ordered Bremen to arrange the wagons as usual, and turn the +cattle out to feed. As soon as this had been accomplished, they saddled +their horses, and awaited the return of Swanevelt, who had gone to +reconnoiter. Shortly afterward he returned, with the report that there +were the tracks of elephants, buffaloes, and lions, in every direction +by the river's banks; and as the dogs would now be of use, they were +ordered to be let loose, which they seldom were, unless the game was +large and to be regularly hunted down. Our travelers mounted and +proceeded into the forest, accompanied by all the Hottentots except the +cattle-keepers and the Bushmen; Bremen, Swanevelt, and Omrah only being +on horseback, as well as themselves. As they rode forward slowly and +cautiously at the outset, Swinton asked the Major whether he had ever +shot buffaloes.</p> + +<p>"Yes, in India," replied the Major; "and desperate animals they are in +that country."</p> + +<p>"I was about to say that you will find them such here; and, Alexander, +you must be very careful. In the first place, a leaden bullet is of +little use against their tough hides, and, I may almost say, +impenetrable foreheads. The best shot is under the fore-shoulder."</p> + +<p>"Our balls are hardened with tin," observed Alexander.</p> + +<p>"I know that," replied Swinton; "but still they are most dangerous +animals, especially if you fall in with a single buffalo. It is much +safer to attack a herd; but we have no time to talk over the matter now, +only, as I say, be very careful, and whatever you do, do not approach +one which is wounded, even if he be down on his knees. But here comes +Bremen with news."</p> + +<p>The Hottentot came up and announced that there was a large herd of +buffaloes on the other side of the hill, and proposed that they should +take a sweep round them, so as to drive them toward the river.</p> + +<p>This proposal was considered good, and was acted upon; and, after riding +about a mile, they gained the position which seemed the most desirable. +The dogs were then let loose, and the Hottentots on foot, spread +themselves on every side, shouting so as to drive the animals before +them. The herd collected together and for a short while stood at bay +with the large bulls in front, and then set off through the forest +toward the river, followed by all the hunters on horse and on foot. In a +quarter of an hour the whole herd had taken refuge in a large pool in +the river, which, with the reeds and rushes, and small islands in the +center, occupied a long slip of ground.</p> + +<p>The Major, with Swanevelt and two other Hottentots, proceeded further up +the river, that they might cross it before the attack commenced, and the +others agreed to wait until the signal was given by the Major's firing. +As soon as they heard the report of the Major's rifle, Swinton and +Alexander, with their party, advanced to the banks of the river. They +plunged in, and were soon up to the horses' girths, with the reeds far +above their heads. They could hear the animals forcing their way through +the reeds, but could not see them; and after some severe labor, Swinton +said—"Alexander, it will be prudent for us to go back; we can do +nothing here, and we shall stand a chance of being shot by our own +people, who can not see us. We must leave the dogs to drive them out, or +the Hottentots and Bushmen; but we must regain the banks."</p> + +<p>Just as Swinton said this, a loud rushing was heard through the reeds. +"Look out!" cried he; but he could say no more before the reeds opened +and a large hippopotamus rushed upon them, throwing over Alexander's +horse on his side, and treading Alexander and his horse both deep under +the water as he passed over them and disappeared. Although the water was +not more than four feet in depth, it was with difficulty that the horse +and rider could extricate themselves from the reeds, among which they +had been jammed and entangled; and Alexander's breath was quite gone +when he at last emerged. Bremen and Swinton hastened to give what +assistance they could, and the horse was once more on his legs. "My +rifle," cried Alexander; "it is in the water." "We will find it," said +Swinton: "haste up to the banks as fast as you can, for you are +defenseless."</p> + +<p>Alexander thought it advisable to follow Swinton's advice, and with some +difficulty regained the bank, where he was soon afterward followed by +Swinton and Bremen, who had secured his rifle. Alexander called Omrah, +and sent him to the caravan for another rifle, and then for the first +time he exclaimed, "Oh, what a brute! It was lucky the water was deep, +or he would have jammed me on the head, so that I never should have +risen up again."</p> + +<p>"You have indeed had a providential escape, Alexander," replied Swinton; +"is your horse hurt!"</p> + +<p>"He must be, I should think," said Alexander, "for the animal trod upon +him; but he does not appear to show it at present."</p> + +<p>In the mean time several shots were fired from the opposite side of the +river by the Major and his party, and occasionally the head or horns of +the buffalo were seen above the reeds by the Hottentots, who remained +with Swinton and Alexander: but the animals still adhered to their +cover. Omrah having brought another rifle, Bremen then proposed that the +Hottentots, Bushmen, and dogs should force their way through the reeds +and attempt to drive the animals out; in which there would be no danger, +as the animals could not charge with any effect in the deep water and +thick rushes.</p> + +<p>"Provided they don't meet with a hippopotamus," said Alexander, +laughing.</p> + +<p>"Won't say a word about him, sir," replied Bremen, who then went and +gave the directions.</p> + +<center> +<img src='images/211.jpg' width='815' height='497' alt='[Illustration: ALEXANDER AND THE HIPPOPOTAMUS.]' title=''> +</center> + + +<p>The Hottentots and Bushmen, accompanied by the dogs, then went into +the reeds, and their shouting and barking soon drove out some of the +buffaloes on the opposite side, and the reports of the guns were heard.</p> + +<p>At last one came out on that side of the river where Alexander and +Swinton were watching; Swinton fired, and the animal fell on its knees; +a shot from Alexander brought it down dead and turned on its side. One +of the Bushmen ran up to the carcass, and was about to use his knife, +when another buffalo charged from the reeds, caught the Bushman on his +horns, and threw him many yards in the air. The Bushman fell among the +reeds behind the buffalo, which in vain looked about for his enemy, when +a shot from Bremen brought him to the ground.</p> + +<p>Shortly afterward the Bushman made his appearance from the reeds; he was +not at all hurt, with the exception of a graze from the horns of the +animal, and a contusion of the ribs.</p> + +<p>The chase now became warm; the shouting of the Hottentots, the barking +of the dogs, and the bellowing of the herd, which were forcing their way +through the reeds before them, were very exciting. By the advice of +Swinton, they took up their position on a higher ground, where the +horses had good footing, in case the buffaloes should charge.</p> + +<p>As soon as they arrived there, they beheld a scene on the other side of +the river, about one hundred yards from them, which filled them with +anxiety and terror; the Major's horse was galloping away, and the Major +not to be seen. Under a large tree, Swanevelt was in a sitting posture, +holding his hands to his body as if severely wounded, his horse lying by +his side, and right before him an enormous bull buffalo, standing +motionless; the blood was streaming from the animal's nostrils, and it +was evidently tottering from weakness and loss of blood; at last it +fell.</p> + +<p>"I fear there is mischief done," cried Swinton; "where can the Major be, +and the two Hottentots who were with him! Swanevelt is hurt and his +horse killed, that is evident. We had better call them off, and let the +buffaloes remain quiet, or escape as they please."</p> + +<p>"There is the Major," said Alexander, "and the Hottentots too; they are +not hurt, don't you see them?—they were up the trees; thank God."</p> + +<p>They now observed the Major run up to Swanevelt, and presently the two +Hottentots went in pursuit of the Major's horse. Shortly afterward, +Swanevelt, with the assistance of the Major, got upon his legs, and, +taking up his gun, walked slowly away.</p> + +<p>"No great harm done, after all," said Alexander; "God be praised: but +here come the whole herd, Swinton."</p> + +<p>"Let them go, my good fellow," replied Swinton, "we have had enough of +buffalo-hunting for the present."</p> + +<p>The whole herd had now broken from the reeds about fifty paces from +where they were stationed, and with their tails raised, tossing with +their horns, and bellowing with rage and fear, darted out of the reeds, +dripping with slime and mud, and rushed off toward the forest. In a few +seconds they were out of sight.</p> + +<p>"A good riddance," said Swinton; "I hope the Major is now satisfied with +buffalo-hunting."</p> + +<p>"I am, at all events," replied Alexander. "I feel very sore and stiff. +What a narrow escape that Bushman had."</p> + +<p>"Yes, he had indeed; but, Alexander, your horse is not well: he can +hardly breathe. You had better dismount."</p> + +<p>Alexander did so, and unloosed his girths. Bremen got off his horse, +and, offering it to Alexander, took the bridle of the other and examined +him.</p> + +<p>"He has his ribs broken, sir," said the Hottentot,—"two of them, if not +more."</p> + +<p>"No wonder, poor fellow; lead him gently, Bremen. Oh, here comes the +Major. Now we shall know what has occurred; and there is Swanevelt and +the two men."</p> + +<p>"Well, Major, pray tell us your adventures, for you have frightened us +dreadfully."</p> + +<p>"Not half so much as I have been frightened myself," replied the Major; +"we have all had a narrow escape. I can assure you, and Swanevelt's +horse is dead."</p> + +<p>"Is Swanevelt hurt?"</p> + +<p>"No, he was most miraculously preserved; the horn of the buffalo has +grazed the whole length of the body, and yet not injured him. But let us +go to the caravan and have something to drink, and then I will tell you +all about it—I am quite done up, and my tongue cleaves to the roof of +my mouth."</p> + +<p>As soon as they had arrived at the caravan and dismounted, the Major +drank some water, and then gave his narrative. "We had several shots on +our side of the river, for the buffaloes had evidently an intention of +crossing over, had we not turned them. We had killed two, when a bull +buffalo charged from the reeds upon Swanevelt, and before he could turn +his horse and put him to his speed, the horns of the buffalo had ripped +up the poor animal, and he fell with Swanevelt under him. The enraged +brute disengaged himself from the horse, and made a second charge upon +Swanevelt; but he twisted on one side, and the horn only grazed him, as +I have mentioned. I then fired and wounded the animal. He charged +immediately, and I turned my horse, but from fright he wheeled so +suddenly that I lost my stirrups, and my saddle turned round.</p> + +<p>"I found that I could not recover my seat, and that I was gradually +sliding under the horse's belly, when he passed under a tree, and I +caught a branch and swung myself on to it, just as the buffalo, which +was close behind us, came up to me. As he passed under, his back hit my +leg; so you may imagine it was 'touch and go.' The animal, perceiving +that the horse left him, and I was not on it, quitted his pursuit, and +came back bellowing and roaring, and looking everywhere for me.</p> + +<p>"At last it perceived Swanevelt, who had disengaged himself from the +dead horse, and was sitting under the tree, apparently much hurt, as he +is, poor fellow, although not seriously. It immediately turned back to +him, and would certainly have gored him to death, had not Kloet, who was +up in a tree, fired at the animal and wounded him mortally—for his +career was stopped as he charged toward Swanevelt, and was not ten yards +from him. The animal could proceed no further, and there he stood until +he fell dead."</p> + +<p>"We saw that portion of the adventure ourselves, Major," said Swinton; +"and now we will tell you our own, which has been equally full of +incident and danger." Swinton having related what had passed on his side +of the river, the Major observed:</p> + +<p>"You may talk about lions, but I'd rather go to ten lion-hunts than one +more buffalo-hunt. I have had enough of buffaloes for all my life."</p> + +<p>"I am glad to hear you say so," replied Swinton, "for they are most +ferocious and dangerous animals, as you may now acknowledge, and the +difficulty of giving them a mortal wound renders the attack of them very +hazardous. I have seen and heard enough of buffalo-hunting to tell you +that you have been fortunate, although you have lost one horse and have +another very much hurt;—but here come the spoils of the chase; at all +events, we will benefit by the day's sport, and have a good meal."</p> + +<p>"I can't eat now," said Alexander; "I am very stiff. I shall go and lie +down for an hour or two."</p> + +<p>"And so shall I," said the Major; "I have no appetite."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, we will all meet at supper," said Swinton. "In the mean +time I shall see if I can be of any use to Swanevelt. Where's Omrah?"</p> + +<p>"I saw him and Begum going out together just now," said the Major. "What +for, I do not know."</p> + +<p>"Oh! I told him to get some of the Bushman roots," said Alexander; "they +are as good as potatoes when boiled; and he has taken the monkey to find +them."</p> + +<p>The Major and Alexander remained on their beds till supper-time, when +Mahomed woke them up. They found themselves much refreshed by their +sleep, and also found that their appetites had returned. Buffalo-steaks +and fried Bushman roots were declared to be a very good substitute for +beefsteaks and fried potatoes; and after they had made a hearty meal, +Alexander inquired of Swinton what he had seen of buffalo-hunting when +he had been at the Cape before.</p> + +<p>"I have only been once or twice engaged in a buffalo-hunt; but I can +tell you what I have heard, and what I have collected from my own +knowledge, as to the nature of the animal, of which indeed to-day you +have had a very good proof. I told you this morning, that a single +buffalo was more dangerous than a herd; and the reason is this:—At the +breeding season, the fiercest bulls drive the others away from the herd, +in the same manner as the elephants do; and these solitary buffaloes are +extremely dangerous, as they do not wait to be attacked, but will attack +a man without any provocation. They generally conceal themselves, and +rush out upon you unawares, which makes it more difficult to escape from +them. They are so bold, that they do not fear the lion himself; and I +have been told by the Dutch boors, that when a buffalo has killed one of +their comrades by goring and tossing him, it will not leave its victim +for hours, but continue to trample on him with his hoofs, crushing the +body with its knees as an elephant does, and with its rough tongue +stripping off the skin as far as it can. It does not do all this at one +time, but it leaves the body, and returns again, as if to glut its +vengeance."</p> + +<p>"What a malicious brute!"</p> + +<p>"Such is certainly its character. I recollect a history of a +buffalo-hunting adventure, told me by a Dutch farmer, who was himself an +eye-witness to the scene. He had gone out with a party to hunt a herd of +buffaloes which were grazing on a piece of marshy ground, sprinkled with +a few mimosa-trees. As they could not get within shot of the herd, +without crossing a portion of the marsh, which was not safe for horses, +they agreed to leave their steeds in charge of two Hottentots, and to +advance on foot; thinking that, in case any of the buffaloes should +charge them, it would be easy to escape by running back to the marsh, +which would bear the weight of a man, but not of a horse, much less that +of a buffalo.</p> + +<p>"They advanced accordingly over the marsh, and being concealed by some +bushes, they had the good fortune to bring down, with the first volley, +three of the fattest of the herd; and also so severely wounded the great +bull, which was the leader of the herd, that he dropped down on his +knees, bellowing most furiously. Thinking that the animal was mortally +wounded, the foremost of the huntsmen walked out in front of the bushes +from which they had fired, and began to reload his musket as he +advanced, in order to give the animal a finishing shot. But no sooner +did the enraged animal see the man advancing, than he sprang up and +charged headlong at him. The man threw down his gun, and ran toward the +marsh; but the beast was so close upon him, that he despaired of +escaping by that direction, and turning suddenly round a clump of +copsewood, began to climb an old mimosa tree which stood close to it.</p> + +<p>"The buffalo was, however, too quick for him. Bounding forward with a +roar, which the farmer told me was one of the most hideous and appalling +sounds that he ever heard, he caught the poor fellow with his terrible +horns, just as he had nearly got out of reach, and tossed him in the air +with such force, that after whirling round and round to a great height, +the body fell into the fork of the branches of the tree. The buffalo +went round the tree roaring, and looking for the man, until, exhausted +by wounds and loss of blood, it again fell down on its knees. The other +hunters then attacked and killed him; but they found their comrade, who +was still hanging in the tree, quite dead."</p> + +<p>"Well; I have no doubt but that such would have been the fate of +Swanevelt or of me, had the brute got hold of us," said the Major; "I +never saw such a malignant, diabolical expression in any animal's +countenance as there was upon that buffalo's. A lion is, I should say, a +gentleman and a man of honor compared to such an evil-disposed ruffian."</p> + +<p>"Well, Major, you have only to let them alone; recollect, you were the +aggressor," said Swinton, laughing.</p> + +<p>"Very true; I never wish to see one again."</p> + +<p>"And I never wish to be in the way of a hippopotamus again, I can assure +you," said Alexander, "for a greater want of politeness I never met +with."</p> + +<p>During this conversation the Hottentots and Bushmen at the other fires +had not been idle. The Hottentots had fried and eaten, and fried and +eaten, till they could hold no more; and the Bushmen, who in the morning +looked as thin and meager as if they had not had a meal for a month, +were now so stuffed that they could hardly walk, and their lean +stomachs were distended as round as balls. The Bushman who had been +tossed by the buffalo came up and asked for a little tobacco, at the +same time smiling and patting his stomach, which was distended to a most +extraordinary size.</p> + +<p>"Yes, let us give them some," said Alexander; "it will complete their +day's happiness. Did you ever see a fellow so stuffed? I wonder he does +not burst."</p> + +<p>"It is their custom. They starve for days, and then gorge in this way +when an opportunity offers, which is but seldom. Their calendar, such as +it is, is mainly from recollections of feasting; and I will answer for +it, that if one Bushman were on some future day to ask another when such +a thing took place, he would reply, just before or just after the white +men killed the buffaloes."</p> + +<p>"How do they live in general?"</p> + +<p>"They live upon roots at certain seasons of the year; upon locusts when +a flight takes place; upon lizards, beetles—any thing. Occasionally +they procure game, but not very often. They are obliged to lie in wait +for it, and wound it with their poisoned arrows, and then they follow +its track and look for it the next day. Subtle as the poison is they +only cut out the part near the wound, and eat the rest of the animal. +They dig pit-holes for the hippopotamus and rhinoceros and occasionally +take them. They poison the pools for the game also; but their living is +very precarious, and they often suffer the extremities of hunger."</p> + +<p>"Is that the cause, do you imagine, of their being so diminutive a race, +Swinton?"</p> + +<p>"No doubt of it. Continual privation and hardships from generation to +generation have, I have no doubt, dwindled them down to what you see."</p> + +<p>"How is it that these Bushmen are so familiar? I thought that they were +savage and irreclaimable."</p> + +<p>"They are what are termed tame Bushmen; that is, they have lived near +the farmers, and have, by degrees, become less afraid of the Europeans. +Treated kindly, they have done good in return to the farmers by watching +their sheep, and performing other little services, and have been +rewarded with tobacco. This has given them confidence to a certain +degree. But we must expect to meet with others that are equally wild, +and who will be very mischievous; attempting to drive off our cattle, +and watching in ambush all round our caravan, ready for any pilfering +that they can successfully accomplish; and then we shall discover that +we are in their haunts without even seeing them."</p> + +<p>"How so?"</p> + +<p>"Because it will only be by their thefts that we shall find it out. But +it is time for bed, and as to-morrow is Sunday you will have a day of +rest, which I think you both require."</p> + +<p>"I do," replied Alexander, "so good-night to you both."</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XXII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XXII.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>As arranged, they did not travel on the Sunday. Early in the morning the +oxen and horses and sheep were turned out to pasture; all except the +horse which had been ridden by Alexander on the preceding day, and which +was found to be suffering so much that they took away a large quantity +of blood from him before he was relieved.</p> + +<p>The Bushmen still remained with them, and were likely to do so as long +as there was any prospect of food. The four buffaloes which had been +killed, as well as the horse which had been gored to death, were found +picked clean to the bones on the following day, by the hyenas and other +animals which were heard prowling during the whole night. But as large +quantities of the buffalo-flesh had been cut off, and hung upon the +trees near the caravan, there was more than sufficient for a second +feast for the Bushmen and Hottentots, and there was nothing but frying +and roasting during the whole of the day.</p> + +<p>The sun was intensely hot, and Alexander and the Major both felt so +fatigued from the exertions of the day before, that after breakfast they +retired to their wagons, and Swinton did not attempt to disturb them, as +they were in a sound sleep till the evening, when they were much +refreshed and very hungry. Swinton said he had thought it better that +they should not be awakened, as the heat was so overpowering, and they +could perform Divine service in the evening, if they thought proper, +when it would be cooler. This was agreed to, and, after an early supper, +they summoned all the Hottentots, who, although gorged, were still +unwilling to leave their fires; as they said the Bushmen would devour +all the flesh that was left, in their absence.</p> + +<p>This remonstrance was not listened to, and they all assembled. The +prayers were read and the service gone through by the light of a large +fire, for it was very dark before the service was finished. The Bushmen, +as the Hottentots prophesied, had taken advantage of their absence, to +help themselves very liberally; and as Swinton read the prayers, the +eyes of the Hottentots were continually turning round to their own +fires, where the Bushmen were throwing on large pieces of buffalo-flesh, +and, before they were even heated through, were chewing them and tearing +them to pieces with their teeth.</p> + +<p>Never perhaps was there a congregation whose attention was so divided, +and who were more anxious for the conclusion of the service. This +uneasiness shown by the Hottentots appeared at last to be communicated +to the oxen, which were tied up round the wagons. The fire required +replenishing, but none of the Hottentots moved to perform the office; +perhaps they thought that if Swinton could no longer see, the service +must conclude: but Swinton knew it by heart, and continued reading the +Commandments, which was the last portion which he read, and Alexander +and the Major repeated the responses. The Major, whose face was toward +the cattle, had observed their uneasiness, and guessed the cause, but +did not like to interrupt the service, as it was just over. Begum began +clinging to him in the way she always did when she was afraid; Swinton +had just finished, and the Major was saying, "Swinton, depend upon it," +when a roar like thunder was heard, and a dark mass passed over their +heads.</p> + +<p>The bellowing and struggling of the oxen was almost instantaneously +succeeded by a lion, with an ox borne on his shoulder, passing right +through the whole congregation, sweeping away the remnants of the fire +and the Hottentots right and left, and vanishing in a moment from their +sight. As may be imagined, all was confusion and alarm. Some screamed, +some shouted and ran for their guns; but it was too late. On +examination, it was found that the lion had seized the ox which had been +tied up near to where they were sitting; their fire being nearly +extinguished, and the one which should have been kept alight next to it +altogether neglected by the Hottentots, in their anxiety to keep up +those on which they had been broiling their buffalo-steaks.</p> + +<p>The leather thongs by which the ox had been tied up were snapped like +threads, and many of the other oxen had, in their agony of fear, broken +their fastenings and escaped. As the lion bounded away through the +assembled party, it appeared as if the ox was not a feather's weight to +him. He had, however, stepped rather roughly upon two of the Hottentots, +who lay groaning, as if they had been severely hurt; but upon +examination it was found that they had only been well scratched and +covered with ashes. The Bushmen, however, had left their meal, and with +their bows and small poisoned arrows had gone in pursuit. Bremen and one +or two of the Hottentots proposed also to go, but our travelers would +not permit them. About an hour afterward the Bushmen returned, and Omrah +had communication with them; and through Bremen they learned that the +Bushmen had come up with the lion about a mile distant, and had +discharged many of their arrows at him, and, they were convinced, with +effect, as a heavy growl or an angry roar was the announcement when he +was hit; but, although he was irritated, he continued his repast. Omrah +then said, "Lion dead to-morrow,—Bushmen find him."</p> + +<p>"Well," said Alexander, as they went to their wagons, which, in +consequence of this event, and their having to make up large fires +before they went to bed, they did not do till late, "I believe this is +the first time that Divine service was ever wound up by such intrusion."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps so," replied Swinton; "but I think it proves that we have more +cause for prayer, surrounded as we are by such danger. The lion might +have taken one of us, and by this time we should have suffered a horrid +death."</p> + +<p>"I never felt the full force of the many similes and comparisons in the +Scriptures, where the lion is so often introduced, till now," observed +Alexander.</p> + +<p>"It was indeed a most awful sermon after the prayers," said the Major: +"I trust never to hear such a one again: but is it not our own fault? +This is the second time that one of our oxen has been carried off by a +lion, from the circle of fires not being properly attended to. It is the +neglect of the Hottentots, certainly; but if they are so neglectful, we +should attend to them ourselves."</p> + +<p>"It will be as well to punish them for their neglect," said Swinton, "by +stopping their tobacco for the week; for if they find that we attend to +the fires ourselves, they will not keep one in, that you may depend +upon. However, we will discuss that point to-morrow, so good-night."</p> + +<p>Omrah came to the Major the next morning, before the oxen were yoked, to +say that the Bushmen had found the lion, and that he was not yet dead, +but nearly so; that the animal had dragged away that portion of the ox +that he did not eat, about half a mile further; that there he had lain +down, and he was so sick that he could not move.</p> + +<p>At this intelligence they mounted their horses, and, guided by the +Bushmen, arrived at the bush where the lion lay. The Bushmen entered at +once, for they had previously reconnoitered, and were saluted with a low +snarl, very different from the roar of the preceding night. Our +travelers followed, and found the noble creature in his last agonies, +his strength paralyzed, and his eyes closed. One or two of the small +arrows of the Bushmen were still sticking in his hide, and did not +appear to have entered more than half an inch; but the poison was so +subtle, that it had rapidly circulated through his whole frame; and +while they were looking down upon the noble beast, it dropped its jaws +and expired.</p> + +<p>As our travelers turned back to join the caravan, Alexander observed: +"Those Bushmen, diminutive as they are in size, and contemptible as +their weapons appear, must be dangerous enemies, when the mere prick of +one of their small arrows is certain death. What is their poison +composed of?"</p> + +<p>"Of the venom extracted from snakes, which is mixed up with the juice of +the euphorbia, and boiled down till it becomes of the consistency of +glue. They then dip the heads of the arrows into it, and let it dry on."</p> + +<p>"Is then the venom of snakes so active after it has been taken away from +the animal?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, for a considerable time after. I remember a story, which is, I +believe, well authenticated, of a man who had been bitten through his +boot by a rattlesnake in America. The man died, and shortly afterward +his two sons died one after the other, with just the same symptoms as +their father, although they had not been bitten by snakes. It was +afterward discovered that upon the father's death the sons had one after +the other taken possession of and put on his boots, and the boots being +examined, the fang of the rattlesnake was discovered to have passed +through the leather and remained there. The fang had merely grazed the +skin of the two sons when they put on the boots, and had thus caused +their death."</p> + +<p>"Are the snakes here as deadly in their poison as the rattlesnake of +America?"</p> + +<p>"Equally so,—that is, two or three of them; some are harmless. The most +formidable is the cobra capella (not the same as the Indian snake of the +same name). It is very large, being usually five feet long; but it has +been found six and even seven feet. This snake has been known to dart at +a man on horseback, and with such force as to overshoot his aim. His +bite is certain death, I believe, as I never heard of a man recovering +from the wound."</p> + +<p>"Well, that is as bad as can be. What is the next?"</p> + +<p>"The next is what they call the puff adder. It is a very heavy, sluggish +animal, and very thick in proportion to its length, and when attacked in +front, it can not make any spring. It has, however, another power, +which, if you are not prepared for it, is perhaps equally dangerous +—that of throwing itself backward in a most surprising manner. This is, +however, only when trod upon or provoked; but its bite is very deadly. +Then two of the mountain adders are among the most dangerous snakes +here. The mountain adder is small, and, from its not being so easily +seen and so easily avoided, is very dangerous, and its bite as fatal as +the others."</p> + +<p>"I trust that is the end of your catalogue?"</p> + +<p>"Not exactly; there is another, which I have specimens of, but whose +faculties I have never seen put to the test, which is called the +spirting snake. It is about three feet long, and its bite, although +poisonous, is not fatal. But it has a faculty, from which its name is +derived, of spirting its venom into the face of its assailant, and if +the venom enters the eye, at which the animal darts it, immediate +blindness ensues. There are a great many other varieties, some of which +we have obtained possession of during our journey. Many of them are +venomous, but not so fatal as the first three I have mentioned.</p> + +<p>"Indeed, it is a great blessing that the Almighty has not made the +varieties of snakes aggressive or fierce,—which they are not. Provided, +as they are, with such dreadful powers, if they were so, they would +indeed be formidable; but they only act in self-defense, or when +provoked. I may as well here observe, that the Hottentots, when they +kill any of the dangerous snakes, invariably cut off the head and bury +it; and this they do, that no one may by chance tread upon it, as they +assert that the poison of the fangs is as potent as ever, not only for +weeks but months afterward."</p> + +<p>"That certainly is a corroboration of the story that you told us of the +rattlesnake's fang in the boot."</p> + +<p>"It is so; but although there are so many venomous snakes in this +country, it is remarkable how very few accidents or deaths occur from +them. I made an inquiry at the Moravian Mission, where these venomous +snakes are very plentiful, how many people they had lost by their bites, +and the missionaries told me, that out of 800 Hottentots belonging to +the Mission, they had only lost two men by the bites of snakes during a +space of seven years; and in other places where I made the same inquiry, +the casualties were much less in proportion to the numbers."</p> + +<p>"Is the boa constrictor found in this part of Africa?"</p> + +<p>"Not so far south as we now are, but it is a few degrees more to the +northward. I have never seen it, but I believe there is no doubt of its +existence."</p> + +<p>"The South American Indians have a very subtle poison with which they +kill their game. Are you aware, Swinton, of its nature? Is it like the +Bushmen's poison?"</p> + +<p>"I know the poison well; it was brought over by Mr. Waterton, whose +amusing works you may have read. It is called the wourali poison, and is +said to be extracted from a sort of creeping vine, which grows in the +country. The natives, however, add the poison of snakes to the extract; +and the preparation is certainly very fatal, as I can bear witness to."</p> + +<p>"Have you ever seen it tried?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I have tried it myself. When I was in Italy I became acquainted +with Mr. W., and he gave two or three of us, who were living together, a +small quantity, not much more than two grains of mustard-seed in size. +We purchased a young mule to make the experiment upon; an incision was +made in its shoulder, and the poison inserted under the skin. I think in +about six or seven minutes the animal was dead. Mr. W. said that the +effects would have been instantaneous, if the virtue of the poison had +not somewhat deteriorated from its having been kept so long."</p> + +<p>"The wourali poison only acts upon the nerves, I believe?" said the +Major.</p> + +<p>"Only upon the nerves; and although so fatal, if immediate means are +resorted to, a person who is apparently dead from it may be brought to +life again by the same process as is usual in the recovery of drowned or +suffocated people. A donkey upon which the poison had acted was restored +in this manner, and for the remainder of his days permitted to run in +Sir Joseph Banks's park. But the poison of snakes acts upon the blood, +and therefore occasions death without remedy."</p> + +<p>"But there are remedies, I believe, for even the most fatal poisons?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, in His provident mercy God has been pleased to furnish remedies +at hand, and where the snake exists the remedy is to be found. The +rattlesnake root is a cure, if taken and applied immediately; and it is +well known that the ichneumon when bitten by the cobra capella, in his +attack upon it, will hasten to a particular herb and eat it immediately, +to prevent the fatal effect of the animal's bite."</p> + +<p>"I once saw a native of India," said the Major, "who for a small sum +would allow himself to be bitten by a cobra capella. He was well +provided with the same plant used by the ichneumon, which he swallowed +plentifully, and also rubbed on the wound. It is impossible to say, but, +so far as I could judge, there was no deception."</p> + +<p>"I think it very possible; if the plant will cure the ichneumon, why not +a man? I have no doubt but that there are many plants which possess +virtues of which we have no knowledge. Some few, and perhaps some of the +most valuable, we have discovered; but our knowledge of the vegetable +kingdom, as far as its medicinal properties are known, is very slight; +and perhaps many which were formerly known have, since the introduction +of mineral antidotes, been lost sight of."</p> + +<p>"Why, yes; long before chemistry had made any advances, we do hear in +old romances of balsams of most sovereign virtues," said Alexander, +laughing.</p> + +<p>"Which, I may observe, is almost a proof that they did in reality exist; +and the more so, because you will find that the knowledge of these +sovereign remedies was chiefly in the hands of the Jews, the oldest +nation upon the earth; and from their constant communication with each +other, most likely to have transmitted their knowledge from generation +to generation."</p> + +<p>"We have also reason to believe that not only they had peculiar +<i>remedies</i> in their times, but also—if we are to credit what has been +handed down to us—that the art of <i>poisoning</i> was much better +understood," said the Major.</p> + +<p>"At all events, they had not the knowledge of chemistry which now leads +to its immediate detection," replied Swinton. "But, Alexander, there are +three hippopotami lying asleep on the side of the river. Have you a +mind to try your skill?"</p> + +<p>"No, not particularly," replied Alexander; "I have had enough of +hippopotami. By the by, the river is much wider than it was."</p> + +<p>"Yes, by my calculation we ought to travel no more to the westward after +to-day. We must now cut across to the Yellow or Val River. We shall +certainly be two days without water or pasturage for the cattle, but +they are in such good condition that they will not much feel it. There +is a river which we shall cross near its head, but the chance of water +is very small; indeed, I believe we shall find it nowhere, except in +these great arteries, if I may so call them."</p> + +<p>"Well; I was thinking so myself, Swinton, as I looked at the map +yesterday, when I lay in my wagon," said the Major; "so then to-morrow +for a little variety; that is, a desert."</p> + +<p>"Which it will most certainly be," replied Swinton; "for, except on the +banks of the large rivers, there are no hopes of vegetation in this +country at this season of the year; but in another month we may expect +heavy falls of rain."</p> + +<p>"The Bushmen have left us, I perceive," said Alexander.</p> + +<p>"Yes, they have probably remained behind to eat the lion."</p> + +<p>"What, will they eat it now that it has been poisoned?"</p> + +<p>"That makes no difference to them; they merely cut out the parts +wounded, and invariably eat all the carcasses of the animals which they +kill, and apparently without any injury. There is nothing which a +Bushman will not eat. A flight of locusts is a great feast to him."</p> + +<p>"I can not imagine them to be very palatable food."</p> + +<p>"I have never tasted them," replied Swinton; "but I should think not. +They do not, however, eat them raw; they pull off their wings and legs, +and dry their bodies; they then beat them into a powder."</p> + +<p>"Do you suppose that St. John's fare of locusts and wild honey was the +locust which we are now referring to?"</p> + +<p>"I do not know, but I should rather think not, and for one reason, +which is, that although a person in the wilderness might subsist upon +these animals, if always to be procured, yet the flights of locusts are +very uncertain. Now there is a tree in the country where St. John +retired, which is called the locust-tree, and produces a large sweet +bean, shaped like the common French bean, but nearly a foot long, which +is very palatable and nutritious. It is even now given to cattle in +large quantities; and I imagine that this was the locust referred to; +and I believe many of the commentators on the holy writings have been of +the same opinion. I think we have now gone far enough for to-day; we may +as well halt there. Do you intend to hunt, Major? I see some animals +there at a distance."</p> + +<p>"I should say not," said Alexander; "if we are to cross a desert tract +to-morrow, we had better not fatigue our horses."</p> + +<p>"Certainly not. No, Swinton, we will remain quiet, unless game comes to +us."</p> + +<p>"Yes, and look after our water-kegs being filled, and the fires lighted +to-night," said Alexander; "and I trust we may have no more sermons +from lions, although Shakespeare does say, 'sermons from stones, and +good in everything.'"</p> + +<p>They halted their caravan upon a rising ground, and having taken the +precaution to see the water-kegs filled and the wood collected, they sat +down to dinner upon fried ham and cheese; for the Hottentots had +devoured all the buffalo-flesh, and demanded a sheep to be killed for +supper. This was consented to although they did not deserve it; but as +their tobacco had been stopped for their neglect of providing fuel and +keeping up the fires, it was considered politic not to make them too +discontented.</p> + +<p>Alexander had been walking by the side of the river with the Major, +while the Hottentots were arranging the camp, and Swinton was putting +away some new specimens in natural history which he had collected, when +Omrah, who was with them, put his finger to his lips and stopped them. +As they perfectly understood what he required, they stood still and +silent. Omrah then pointed to something which was lying on the low +bank, under a tuft of rushes; but they could not distinguish it, and +Omrah asked by signs for the Major's rifle, took aim, and fired. A loud +splashing was heard in the water, and they pushed their way through the +high grass and reeds, until they arrived at the spot, where they +perceived an animal floundering in the agonies of death."</p> + +<p>"An alligator!" exclaimed the Major; "well, I had no idea that there +were any here inland. They said that there were plenty at the mouths of +the rivers, on the coast of the Eastern Caffres, but I am astonished to +find one here."</p> + +<p>"What did you fire at?" asked Swinton, who now joined them.</p> + +<p>"An alligator, and he is dead. I am afraid that he won't be very good +eating," replied the Major.</p> + +<p>"That's not an alligator, Major," said Swinton, "and it is very good +eating. It is a large lizard of the guana species, which is found about +these rivers; it is amphibious, but perfectly harmless, subsisting upon +vegetables and insects. I tell you it is a great delicacy, ugly as it +looks. It is quite dead, so let us drag it out of the water, and send it +up to Mahomed by Omrah."</p> + +<p>The animal, which was about four feet long, was dragged out of the water +by the tail, and Omrah took it to the camp.</p> + +<p>"Well, I really thought it was a small alligator," said the Major; "but +now I perceive my mistake. What a variety of lizards there appears to be +in this country."</p> + +<p>"A great many from the chameleon upward," replied Swinton. "By the by, +there is one which is said to be very venomous. I have heard many +well-authenticated stories of the bite being not only very dangerous, +but in some instances fatal. I have specimens of the animal in my +collection. It is called here the geitje."</p> + +<p>"Well, it is rather remarkable, but we have in India a small lizard, +called the gecko by the natives, which is said to be equally venomous. I +presume it must be the same animal, and it is singular that the names +should vary so little. I have never seen an instance of its poisonous +powers, but I have seen a whole company of sepoys run out of their +quarters because they have heard the animal make its usual cry in the +thatch of the building; they say that it drops down upon people from the +roof."</p> + +<p>"Probably the same animal; and a strong corroboration that the report of +its being venomous is with good foundation."</p> + +<p>"And yet if we were to make the assertion in England, we should in all +probability not be believed."</p> + +<p>"Not by many, I grant—not by those who only know a little; but by those +who are well informed, you probably would be. The fact is, from a too +ready credulity, we have now turned to almost a total skepticism, unless +we have ocular demonstration. In the times of Marco Polo, Sir John +Mandeville, and others,—say in the fifteenth century, when there were +but few travelers and but little education, a traveler might assert +almost any thing, and gain credence; latterly a traveler hardly dare +assert any thing. Le Vaillant and Bruce, who traveled in the South and +North of Africa, were both stigmatized as liars, when they published +their accounts of what they had seen, and yet every tittle has since +been proved to be correct. However, as people are now better informed, +they do not reject so positively; for they have certain rules to guide +them between the possible and the impossible."</p> + +<p>"How do you mean?"</p> + +<p>"I mean, for instance, that if a person was to tell me that he had seen +a mermaid, with the body of a woman and the scaly tail of a fish, I +should at once say that I could not believe him. And why? because it is +contrary to the laws of nature. The two component parts of the animal +could not be combined, as the upper portion would belong to the +mammalia, and be a hot-blooded animal, the lower to a cold-blooded class +of natural history. Such a junction would, therefore, be impossible. But +there are, I have no doubt, many animals still undiscovered, or rather +still unknown to Europeans, the description of which may at first excite +suspicion, if not doubt. But as I have before observed, the account +would, in all probability, not be rejected by a naturalist, although it +might be by people without much knowledge of the animal kingdom, who +would not be able to judge by comparison whether the existence of such +an animal was credible. Even fabulous animals have had their origin from +existing ones. The unicorn is, no doubt, the gemsbok antelope; for when +you look at the animal at a distance, its two horns appear as if they +were only one, and the Bushmen have so portrayed the animal in their +caves. The dragon is also not exactly imaginary; for, the <i>Lacerta +volans</i>, or flying lizard of Northern Africa, is very like a small +dragon in miniature. So that even what has been considered as fabulous +has arisen from exaggeration or mistake."</p> + +<p>"You think, then, Swinton, that we are bound to believe all that +travelers tell us?"</p> + +<p>"Not so; but not to reject what they assert, merely because it does not +correspond with our own ideas on the subject. The most remarkable +instance of unbelief was relative to the aerolites or meteoric stones +formed during a thunder-storm in the air, and falling to the earth. Of +course you have heard that such have occurred?"</p> + +<p>"I have," replied the Major, "and I have seen several in India."</p> + +<p>"This was treated as a mere fable not a century back; and when it was +reported (and not the first time) that such a stone had fallen in +France, the <i>savans</i> were sent in deputation to the spot. They heard the +testimony of the witnesses that a loud noise was heard in the air; that +they looked up and beheld an opaque body descending; that it fell on the +earth with a force which nearly buried it in the ground, and was so hot +at the time that it could not be touched with the hand. It afterward +became cold. Now the <i>savans</i> heard all this, and pronounced that it +could not be; and for a long while every report of the kind was treated +with contempt. Now every one knows, and every one is fully satisfied of +the fact, and not the least surprise is expressed when they are told of +the circumstance. As Shakespeare makes Hamlet observe very truly—'There +are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your +philosophy.'"</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XXIII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XXIII.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>There was no alarm during the night, and the next morning they yoked the +oxen and changed their course to the northward. The whole of the cattle +had been led down to the river to drink, and allowed two hours to feed +before they started; for they were about to pass through a sterile +country of more than sixty miles, where they did not expect to find +either pasturage or water. They had not left the river more than three +miles behind them, when the landscape changed its appearance. As far as +the eye could scan the horizon, all vestiges of trees had disappeared, +and now the ground was covered with low stunted bushes and large stones. +Here and there were to be seen small groups of animals, the most common +of which were the quaggas. As our travelers were in the advance, they +started six or seven ostriches which had been sitting, and a ball from +the Major's rifle brought one to the ground, the others running off at a +velocity that the fastest horse could scarcely have surpassed.</p> + +<p>"That was a good shot, Major," said Alexander.</p> + +<p>"Yes," replied Swinton; "but take care how you go too near the bird; you +have broken his thigh, and he may be dangerous. They are very fierce. As +I thought, here is the nest. Let Bremen kill the bird,—he understands +them, Major. It is the male, and those which have escaped are all +females."</p> + +<p>"What a quantity of eggs!" said Alexander. "Is the nest a joint +concern?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," replied Swinton. "All those which are in the center of the nest +with their points upward are the eggs for hatching. There are, let me +see, twenty-six of them, and you observe that there are as many more +round about the nest. Those are for the food of the young ostriches as +soon as they are born. However, we will save them that trouble. Bremen +must take the eggs outside the nest for us, and the others the people +may have. They are not very particular whether they are fresh or not."</p> + +<p>"This is a noble bird," said the Major, "and has some beautiful +feathers. I suppose we may let Bremen take the feathers out and leave +the body!"</p> + +<p>"Yes; I do not want it; but Bremen will take the skin, I dare say. It is +worth something at the Cape."</p> + +<p>As soon as the Hottentots had secured the eggs, and Bremen had skinned +the ostrich, which did not occupy many minutes, they rode on, and +Swinton then said—</p> + +<p>"The male ostrich generally associates with from three to seven females, +which all lay in the same nest. He sits as well as the females, and +generally at night, that he may defend the eggs from the attacks of the +hyenas and other animals."</p> + +<p>"You do not mean to say that he can fight these animals!"</p> + +<p>"And kill them also. The ostrich has two powerful weapons; its wing, +with which it has often been known to break a hunter's leg, the blow +from it is so violent; and what is more fatal, its foot, with the toe of +which it strikes and kills both animals and men. I once myself, in +Namaqua-land, saw a Bushman who had been struck on the chest by the foot +of the ostrich, and it had torn open his chest and stomach, so that his +entrails were lying on the ground. I hardly need say that the poor +wretch was dead."</p> + +<p>"I could hardly have credited it," observed Alexander.</p> + +<p>"The Bushmen skin the ostrich, and spread the skin upon a frame of +wicker-work; the head and neck are supported by a skin thrust through +them. The skin they fix on one of their sides, and carry the head and +neck in one of their hands, while the other holds the bow and arrows. In +this disguise—of course with the feathered side of him presented to the +bird or beast he would get near to—he walks along, pecking with the +head at the bushes, and imitating the motions of the ostrich. By this +stratagem he very often is enabled to get within shot of the other +ostriches, or the quaggas and gnoos which consort with these birds."</p> + +<p>"I should like to see that very much," said the Major.</p> + +<p>"You would be surprised at the close imitation, as I have been. I ought +to have said that the Bushman whitens his legs with clay. It is, +however, a service of danger, for I have, as I told you, known a man +killed by the male ostrich; and the natives say that it is by no means +uncommon for them to receive very serious injury."</p> + +<p>"Hold hard," said the Major, "there is a lion; what a terrible black +mane he has got! What do you say, Swinton? He is by himself."</p> + +<p>Swinton looked at the animal, which was crossing about three hundred +yards ahead of them; he was on a low hill, with his head close to the +ground.</p> + +<p>"I certainly say not. Let him pass, by all means; and I only hope he +will take no notice of us. I must give you the advice which an old +Namaqua chief gave me. He said—'Whenever you see a lion moving in the +middle of the day, you may be certain that he is in great want of food +and very angry. Never attack one then, for they are very dangerous and +most desperate,' If, therefore, Major, you wish a very serious affair, +and one or two lives lost you will attack that animal. But you must +expect that what I say will happen."</p> + +<p>"Indeed, my dear Swinton, I neither wish to lose my own life, nor to +risk those of others, and therefore we will remain here till his majesty +has had time to get out of our way; and I hope he may soon find a +dinner."</p> + +<p>By this time the caravan had come up with them, and they then proceeded. +The face of the country became even more sterile, and at last not an +animal of any description was to be seen. As there was nothing for the +oxen to feed upon they continued their route during the whole of the +day, and at night they halted and secured the cattle to the wagons. Wood +for fires they were not able to procure, and therefore they made one +half of the Hottentots watch during the night with their muskets to +scare off wild beasts. But, as Swinton observed, there was little chance +of their being disturbed by lions or other animals, as they were so +distant from water, and there was no game near them upon which the wild +beasts prey; and so it proved, for during the whole night they did not +even hear the cry of a hyena or a jackal.</p> + +<p>At the first gleaming of light the oxen were again yoked, with the +hopes of their being able to gain the Val River by night. The relay oxen +were now put to, to relieve those which appeared to suffer most. At noon +the heat was dreadful, and the horses, which could not support the want +of water as the oxen could, were greatly distressed. They continued for +about two hours more, and then perceived a few low trees. Begum, who had +been kept without water, that she might exert herself to find it, +started off as fast as she could, followed by Omrah. After running to +the trees, they altered their course to the eastward, toward some ragged +rocks. The caravan arrived at the trees, which they found were growing +on the banks of the river Alexandria, which they knew they should pass; +but not a drop of water was to be discovered; even the pools were quite +dry. As they searched about, all of a sudden Begum came running back +screaming, and with every mark of terror, and clung, as usual, to the +Major when frightened.</p> + +<p>"Where is the Bushboy?" said Bremen.</p> + +<p>"Something has happened," cried Swinton; "come all of you with your +guns."</p> + +<p>The whole party, Hottentots and all, hastened toward the rocks where +Omrah and Begum had been in search of water. As soon as they reached +within fifty paces, quite out of breath with their haste, they were +saluted with the quah, quah, of a herd of baboons, which were perched at +the edge of the rocks, and which threatened them in their usual way, +standing on their fore-legs, and making as if they would fly at them.</p> + +<p>"Now, then, what is to be done?" said the Major. "Shall we fire? Do you +think that they have possession of the boy?"</p> + +<p>"If they have, they will let him go. Yes, we are too numerous for them +now, and they will not show fight, depend upon it. Let us all take good +aim and fire a volley right into them."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, I'll take that venerable old chap that appears to be the +leader, and the great-grandfather of them all," said the Major. "Are you +all ready?—then fire."</p> + +<p>The volley had its effect; three or four of the animals were killed, +many were wounded, and the whole herd went scampering off with loud +shrieks and cries, the wounded trailing themselves after the others as +well as they could.</p> + +<p>The whole party then ascended the crags to look after Omrah—all but +Begum, who would not venture. They had hardly gained the summit when +they heard Omrah's voice below, but could not see him. "There he is, +sir," said Swanevelt, "down below there." Swinton and the Major went +down again, and at last, guided by the shouts of the boy, they came to a +narrow cleft in the rock, about twenty feet deep, at the bottom of which +they heard, but could not see, the boy. The cleft was so narrow that +none of the men could squeeze down it. Swinton sent one of them back for +some leathern thongs or a piece of rope to let down to him.</p> + +<p>During the delay, Bremen inquired of Omrah if he was hurt, and received +an answer in the negative. When the rope came, and was lowered down to +him, Omrah seized it, and was hauled up by the Hottentots. He appeared +to have suffered a little, as his hair was torn out in large handfuls, +and his shirt was in ribbons; but with the exception of some severe +scratches from the nails of the baboons, he had no serious injury. Omrah +explained to the Hottentots, who could talk his language, that Begum and +he had come to the cleft, and had discovered that there was water at the +bottom of it; that Begum had gone down, and that he was following, when +the baboons, which drank in the chasm, had come upon them. Begum had +sprung up and escaped, but he could not; and that the animals had +followed him down, until he was so jammed in the cleft that he could +descend no further; and that there they had pulled out his hair and torn +his shirt, as they saw. Having heard Omrah's story, and satisfied +themselves that he had received no serious injury, they then went to +where the baboons had been shot. Two were dead; but the old one, which +the Major had fired at, was alive, although severely wounded, having +received two shots, one in his arm and the other in his leg, which was +broken by the ball. All the poor old creature's fierceness appeared to +have left him. It was evidently very weak from the loss of blood, and +sat down leaning against the rock. Every now and then it would raise +itself, and look down upon the wound in its leg, examining the hole +where the bullet had passed through; then it would hold up its wounded +arm with its other hand, and look them in the face inquiringly, as much +as to say, "What have you done this for?"</p> + +<p>"Poor creature," said Alexander; "how much its motions are those of a +human being. Its mute expostulation is quite painful to witness."</p> + +<p>"Very true," said the Major; "but still, if it had not those wounds, it +would tear you to pieces if it could."</p> + +<p>"That it certainly would," said Swinton; "but still it is an object of +pity. It can not recover, and we had better put it out of its misery."</p> + +<p>Desiring Bremen to shoot the animal through the head, our travelers then +walked back to the caravan. As they returned by the banks of the river, +they perceived Begum very busy, scraping up the baked mud at the bottom +of a pool.</p> + +<p>"What is the princess about?" said Alexander.</p> + +<p>"I know," cried Omrah, who immediately ran to the assistance of the +baboon; and after a little more scraping, he pulled out a live tortoise +about a foot long.</p> + +<p>"I have heard that when the pools dry up, the tortoises remain in the +mud till the pools are filled up again," said Swinton.</p> + +<p>"Are they good eating, Swinton?"</p> + +<p>"Excellent."</p> + +<p>"Turtle soup in the desert, that's something unexpected."</p> + +<p>The Hottentots now set to work and discovered five or six more, which +they brought out. They then tried in vain to get at the water in the +deep cleft, but finding it impossible, the caravan continued its course.</p> + +<p>"How much more of this desert have we to traverse," said Alexander, +"before we come to the river?"</p> + +<center> +<img src='images/239.jpg' width='657' height='1043' alt='[Illustration: THE TORTOISE DISCOVERY.]' title=''> +</center> + + +<p>"I fear that we shall not arrive there before to-morrow night," said +Swinton, "unless we travel on during the night, which I think will be +the best plan; for fatiguing as it will be to the animals, they will +be even more exhausted if they pass another day under the sun without +water, and at night they will bear their work better. We gain nothing by +stopping, as the longer they are on the journey, the more they will be +exhausted."</p> + +<p>"I am really fearful for the horses, they suffer so much."</p> + +<p>"At night we will wash their mouths with a sponge full of water; we can +spare so much for the poor creatures."</p> + +<p>"In the deserts of Africa you have always one of three dangers to +encounter," said Swinton; "wild men, wild beasts, and want of water."</p> + +<p>"And the last is the worst of the three," replied the Major. "We shall +have a moon to-night for a few hours."</p> + +<p>"Yes, and if we had not, it would be of no consequence; the stars give +light enough, and we have little chance of wild beasts here. We now want +water; as soon as we get rid of that danger, we shall then have the +other to encounter."</p> + +<p>The sun went down at last; the poor oxen toiled on with their tongues +hanging out of their mouths. At sunset, the relay oxen were yoked, and +they continued their course by the stars. The horses had been refreshed, +as Swinton had proposed; but they were too much exhausted to be ridden, +and our travelers, with their guns on their shoulders, and the dogs +loose, to give notice of any danger, now walked by the sides of the +wagons over the sandy ground. The stars shone out brilliantly, and even +the tired cattle felt relief, from the comparative coolness of the night +air. All was silent, except the creaking of the wheels of the wagons, +and the occasional sighs of the exhausted oxen, as they thus passed +through the desert.</p> + +<p>"Well," observed the Major, after they had walked about an hour without +speaking, "I don't know what your thoughts may have been all this while, +but it has occurred to me that a party of pleasure may be carried to too +great lengths; and I think that I have been very selfish, in persuading +Wilmot to undergo all that we have undergone and are likely to undergo, +merely because I wished to shoot a giraffe."</p> + +<p>"I presume that I must plead guilty also," replied Swinton, "in having +assisted to induce him; but you know a naturalist is so ardent in his +pursuit that he thinks of nothing else."</p> + +<p>"I do not think that you have either of you much to answer for," replied +Alexander; "I was just as anxious to go as you were; and as far as I am +concerned, have not the slightest wish to turn back again, till we have +executed our proposed plans. We none of us undertook this journey with +the expectation of meeting with no difficulties or no privations; and I +fully anticipate more than we have yet encountered, or are encountering +now. If I get back on foot, and without a sole left to my shoe, I shall +be quite content; at the same time, I will not continue it if you both +wish to return."</p> + +<p>"Indeed, my dear fellow, I have no wish but to go on; but I was afraid +that we were running you into dangers which we have no right to do."</p> + +<p>"You have a right, allowing that I did not myself wish to proceed," +replied Alexander. "You escorted me safe through the country to +ascertain a point in which you had not the slightest interest, and it +would indeed be rewarding you very ill, if I were now to refuse to +gratify you: but the fact is, I am gratifying myself at the same time."</p> + +<p>"Well, I am very glad to hear you say so," replied the Major, "as it +makes my mind at ease; what time do you think it is, Swinton?"</p> + +<p>"It is about three o'clock; we shall soon have daylight, and I hope with +daylight we shall have some sight to cheer us. We have traveled well, +and can not by my reckoning be far from the Val River. Since yesterday +morning we have made sixty miles or thereabouts; and if we have not +diverged from our course, the poor animals will soon be relieved."</p> + +<p>They traveled on another weary hour, when Begum gave a cry, and started +off ahead of the wagons; the oxen raised their heads to the wind, and +those which were not in the yokes after a short while broke from the +keepers, and galloped off, followed by the horses, sheep, and dogs. The +oxen in the yokes also became quite unruly, trying to disengage +themselves from the traces.</p> + +<p>"They have smelt the water; it is not far off, sir," said Bremen; "we +had better unyoke them all, and let them go."</p> + +<p>"Yes, by all means," said Alexander.</p> + +<p>So impatient were the poor beasts, that it was very difficult to +disengage them, and many broke loose before it could be effected; as +soon as they were freed, they followed their companions at the same +rapid pace.</p> + +<p>"At all events, we shall know where to find them," said the Major, +laughing: "well, I really so felt for the poor animals that I am as +happy as if I was as thirsty as they are, and was now quenching my +thirst. It's almost daylight."</p> + +<p>As the day dawned, they continued to advance in the direction that the +animals had taken, and they then distinguished the trees that bordered +the river, which was about two miles distant. As soon as it was broad +daylight, they perceived that the whole landscape had changed in +appearance. Even where they were walking there was herbage, and near to +the river it appeared most luxuriant. Tall mimosa-trees were to be seen +in every direction, and in the distance large forests of timber. All was +verdant and green, and appeared to them as a paradise after the desert +in which they had been wandering on the evening before. As they arrived +at the river's banks, they were saluted with the lively notes of the +birds hymning forth their morning praise, and found the cattle, after +slaking their thirst, were now quietly feeding upon the luxuriant grass +which surrounded them.</p> + +<p>"Well may the Psalmist and prophets talk of the beauty of flowing +rivers," said Alexander; "now we feel the truth and beauty of the +language; one would almost imagine that the sacred writings were indited +in these wilds."</p> + +<p>"If not in these, they certainly were in the Eastern countries, which +assimilate strongly with them," said Swinton; "but, as you truly say, it +is only by having passed through the country that you can fully +appreciate their beauties. We never know the real value of any thing +till we have felt what it is to be deprived of it; and in a temperate +climate, with a pump in every house, people can not truly estimate the +value of 'flowing rivers.'"</p> + +<p>The Hottentots having now arrived, the cattle were driven back to the +wagons and yoked, that they might be brought up to a spot which had been +selected for their encampment. In the mean time our travelers, who were +tired with their night's walk, lay down under a large mimosa-tree, close +to the banks of the river.</p> + +<p>"We shall stay here a day or two, of course," said the Major.</p> + +<p>"Yes, for the sake of the cattle; the poor creatures deserve a couple of +days' rest."</p> + +<p>"Do you observe how the mimosas are torn up on the other side of the +river?" said Swinton; "the elephants have been very numerous there +lately."</p> + +<p>"Why do they tear the trees up?" said Alexander.</p> + +<p>"To feed upon the long roots, which are very sweet; they destroy an +immense number of the smaller trees in that manner."</p> + +<p>"Well, we must have another elephant-hunt," said the Major.</p> + +<p>"We may have hunts of every kind, I expect, here," replied Swinton; "we +are now in the very paradise of wild animals, and the further we go the +more we shall find."</p> + +<p>"What a difference there is in one day's journey in this country," +observed Alexander; "yesterday morning there was not a creature to be +seen, and all was silent as death. Now listen to the noise of the birds, +and as for beasts, I suspect we shall not have far to look for them."</p> + +<p>"No, for there is a hippopotamus just risen; and now he's down +again—there's food for a fortnight at one glance," cried the Major.</p> + +<p>"How the horses and sheep are enjoying themselves—they are making up +for lost time; but here come the wagons."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, I must get up and attend to my department," said the Major. +"I presume that we must expect our friends the lions again now."</p> + +<p>"Where there is food for lions, you must expect lions, Major," said +Swinton.</p> + +<p>"Very true, and fuel to keep them off; by the by, turtle soup for +dinner, recollect; tell Mahomed."</p> + +<p>"I'll see to it," said Alexander; "but we must have something for +breakfast, as soon as I have had a wash at the river's side. I would +have a bath, only I have such a respect for the hippopotami."</p> + +<p>"Yes, you will not forget them in a hurry," said Swinton, laughing.</p> + +<p>"Not as long as I have breath in my body, for they took all the breath +out of it. Come, Swinton, will you go with me, and make your toilet at +the river's banks?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, and glad to do so; for I am covered with the sand of the desert."</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XXIV'></a><h2>CHAPTER XXIV.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>Our travelers remained very quiet that day and the next. The horses had +suffered so much, that they required two days of rest, and they +themselves were not sorry to be inactive after their fatiguing journey +over the desert. The cattle enjoyed the luxuriant pasture, and although +the tracks of the lions were discovered very near to them, yet, as they +had plenty of fuel and attended themselves to the fires, they had not +any visits from them during the night. The Hottentots had been out to +reconnoiter, and found a profusion of game, in a large plain, about two +miles distant; and it was decided that they would rest where they were +for a day or two, if the game were not frightened away. The river had +been crossed by Swanevelt, who stated that there was a large herd of +elephants on the other side, and the tracks of the rhinoceros were to be +seen on both sides of the river.</p> + +<p>On the third morning after their arrival at the Val, they set off, +accompanied by the Hottentots, to the plain which they had spoken of; +riding through magnificent groups of acacia or camelthorn trees, many +of which were covered with the enormous nests of the social grosbeaks. +As they descended to the plain they perceived large herds of brindled +gnoos, quaggas, and antelopes, covering the whole face of the country as +far as the eye could reach, moving about in masses to and fro, joining +each other and separating, so that the whole plain seemed alive with +them.</p> + +<p>"Is not this splendid?" cried the Major. "Such a sight is worth all the +trouble and labor which we have undergone. What would they say in +England, if they could but behold this scene?"</p> + +<p>"There must be thousands and thousands," said Alexander. "Tell me, +Swinton, what beautiful animals are those of a purple color?"</p> + +<p>"They are called the purple sassabys," replied Swinton; "one of the most +elegant of the antelope tribe."</p> + +<p>"And those red and yellow out there?"</p> + +<p>"They are the harte beests. I wish to have male and female specimens of +both, if I can."</p> + +<p>"See!" said the Major, "there is a fine flock of ostriches. We are +puzzled where to begin. Come, we have surveyed the scene long enough; +now forward,—to change it."</p> + +<p>They rode down, and were soon within shot of the animals, and the rifles +began their work. The Hottentots commenced firing from various points, +and, alarmed by the report of the guns, the animals now fled away in +every direction, and the whole place was one cloud of dust. Our +travelers put their horses to their speed, and soon came up with them +again, as their numbers impeded the animals in their flight. Every shot +told, for it was hardly possible to miss; and the Hottentots who +followed on foot, put those who were wounded out of their misery. At +last the horses were too fatigued and too much out of wind to continue +the pursuit, and they reined up.</p> + +<p>"Well, Alexander, this has been sport, has it not?" said the Major.</p> + +<p>"Yes, a grand battue, on a grand scale, indeed."</p> + +<p>"There were three animals which you did not observe," said Swinton; +"but it was impossible to get at them, they were so far off; but we must +try for them another time."</p> + +<p>"What were they?"</p> + +<p>"The elands, the largest of the antelope tribe," replied Swinton, "and +the best eating of them all. Sometimes they are nineteen hands high at +the chest, and will weigh nearly 2,000 lbs. It has the head of an +antelope, but the body is more like that of an ox. It has magnificent +straight horns, but they are not dangerous. They are easily run down, +for, generally speaking, they are very fat and incapable of much +exertion."</p> + +<p>"We will look out for them to-morrow," said the Major. "See how the +vultures are hovering over us; they know there will be bones for them to +pick this night."</p> + +<p>"More than bones," replied Alexander; "for what can we do with so many +carcasses? There is provision for a month, if it would keep. What a +prodigious variety of animals there appears to be in this country."</p> + +<p>"Yes, they are congregated here, because the country, from want of rain, +may be considered as barren. But within eight or nine degrees of +latitude from the Cape, we find the largest and most minute of creation. +We have the ostrich and the little creeper among the birds. Among the +beasts we have the elephant, weighing 4,000 lbs., and the black specked +mouse, weighing a quarter of an ounce. We have the giraffe, seventeen +feet high, and the little viverra, a sort of weasel, of three inches. I +believe there are thirty varieties of antelopes known and described; +eighteen of them are found in this country, and there are the largest +and smallest of the species; for we have the eland, and we have the +pigmy antelope, which is not above six inches high. We see here also the +intermediate links of many genera, such as the eland and the gnoo; and +as we find the elephant, the rhinoceros, and Wilmot's friend, the +hippopotamus, we certainly have the bulkiest animals in existence."</p> + +<p>Bremen now came up to say that they had discovered a rhinoceros close to +the river-side, concealed in the bushes underneath a clump of acacia. +The Major and Alexander having declared their intention of immediately +going in pursuit, Swinton advised them to be cautious, as the charge of +a rhinoceros was a very awkward affair, if they did not get out of the +way. They rode down to the clump of trees and bushes where the animal +was said to be hid, and, by the advice of Bremen, sent for the dogs to +worry the animal out. Bremen, who was on foot, was desired by the Major +to take the horse which Omrah rode, that he might be more expeditious, +and our travelers remained with a clear space of two hundred yards +between them and the bushes where the animal was concealed. The +Hottentots had also followed them, and were ordered on no account to +fire till they had taken their positions, and the dogs were sent in to +drive the animal out.</p> + +<p>When Bremen was but a short distance from them with the dogs, Swinton +advised that they should dismount and take possession of a small clump +of trees which grew very close together, as they would be concealed from +the animal. They called Omrah to take the horses, but he was not to be +seen; so they gave them to one of the Hottentots, to lead them to some +distance out of harm's way.</p> + +<p>"The vision of the rhinoceros is so limited," observed Swinton, "that it +is not difficult to get out of his way on his first charge; but at his +second he is generally prepared for your maneuver. A ball in the +shoulder is the most fatal. Look out, Bremen has turned in the dogs." +The barking of the dogs, which commenced as soon as they entered the +bushes, did not continue more than a minute, when a female rhinoceros of +the black variety burst out of the thicket in pursuit of the retreating +dogs. Several shots were fired by the Hottentots, who were concealed in +different quarters without effect; the animal rushing along and tearing +up the ground with its horns, looking out for its enemies. At last it +perceived a Hottentot, who showed himself from a bush near to where our +travelers were concealed. The animal charged immediately, and in +charging was brought down on its knees by a shot from Alexander. The +Hottentots rushed out, regardless of Swinton's calling out to them to +be careful, as the animal was not dead, and had surrounded it within a +few yards, when it rose again and fiercely charged Swanevelt, who +narrowly escaped. A shot from the Major put an end to its career, and +they then walked to where the animal lay, when a cry from Omrah, who was +standing near the river, attracted their notice, and they perceived that +the male rhinoceros, of whose presence they were not aware, had just +burst out of the same covert, and was charging toward them.</p> + +<p>Every one immediately took to his heels; many of the Hottentots in their +fear dropping their muskets, and fortunately the distance they were from +the covert gave them time to conceal themselves in the thickets before +the animal had time to come up with them. A shot from Swinton turned the +assailant, who now tore up the earth in his rage, looking everywhere +round with its sharp flashing eye for a victim. At this moment, while it +seemed hesitating and peering about, to the astonishment of the whole +party, Omrah showed himself openly on the other side of the rhinoceros, +waving his red handkerchief, which he had taken off his head. The +rhinoceros, the moment that the boy caught his eye, rushed furiously +toward him. "The boy's lost," cried Swinton; but hardly had the words +gone from his mouth, when to their astonishment, the rhinoceros +disappeared, and Omrah stood capering and shouting with delight. The +fact was that Omrah, when he had left our travelers, had gone down +toward the river, and as he went along had with his light weight passed +over what he knew full well to be one of the deep pits dug by the +Bushmen to catch those animals. Having fully satisfied himself that it +was so, he had remained by the side of it, and when the rhinoceros +rushed at him, had kept the pit between himself and the animal. His +object was to induce the animal to charge at him, which it did, and when +within four yards of the lad, had plunged into the pit dug for him. The +success of Omrah's plan explained the whole matter at once, and our +travelers hastened up to where the rhinoceros was impounded, and found +that a large stake, fixed upright in the center of the pit, had impaled +the animal. A shot from the Major put an end to the fury and agony of +the animal.</p> + +<p>"I never was more excited in my life; I thought the boy was mad and +wanted to lose his life," said Alexander.</p> + +<p>"And so did I," replied Swinton; "and yet I ought to have known him +better. It was admirably done; here we have an instance of the +superiority of man endowed with reasoning power over brutes. A +rhinoceros will destroy the elephant; the lion can make no impression on +him, and flies before him like a cat. He is, in fact, the most powerful +of all animals; he fears no enemy, not even man, when he is provoked or +wounded; and yet he has fallen by the cleverness of that little monkey +of a Bushboy. I think, Major, we have done enough now, and may go back +to the caravan."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I am well satisfied with our day's sport, and am not a little +hungry. We may now let the Hottentots bring home as much game as they +can. You have taken care to give directions about your specimens, +Swinton?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, Bremen knows the animals I require, and is now after them. Omrah, +run and tell that fellow to bring our horses here."</p> + +<p>"Swinton, can birds and beasts talk, or can they not?" said the Major. +"I ask that question because I am now looking at the enormous nests of +the grosbeaks. It is a regular town, with some hundreds of houses. These +birds, as well as those sagacious animals, the beaver, the ant, and the +bee, not to mention a variety of others, must have some way of +communicating their ideas."</p> + +<p>"That there is no doubt of," replied Swinton, laughing; "but still I +believe that man only is endowed with speech."</p> + +<p>"Well, we know that; but if not with speech, they must have some means +of communication which answers as well"</p> + +<p>"As far as their wants require it, no doubt," replied Swinton, "but to +what extent is hidden from us. Animals have instinct and reasoning +powers, but not reason."</p> + +<p>"Where is the difference?"</p> + +<p>"The reasoning powers are generally limited to their necessities; but +with animals who are the companions of man, they appear to be more +extended."</p> + +<p>"We have a grand supper to-night," said Alexander; "what shall I help +you to—harte-beest, sassaby, or rhinoceros?"</p> + +<p>"Thank you," replied the Major, laughing; "I'll trouble you for a small +piece of that rhinoceros steak—underdone, if you please."</p> + +<p>"How curious that would sound in Grosvenor Square."</p> + +<p>"Not if you shot the animals in Richmond Park," said Swinton.</p> + +<p>"Those rascally Hottentots will collect no fuel to-night if we do not +make them do it now," said the Major. "If they once begin to stuff it +will be all over with them."</p> + +<p>"Very true; we had better set them about it before the feast begins. +Call Bremen, Omrah."</p> + +<p>"Having given their directions, our party finished their supper, and +then Alexander asked Swinton whether he had ever known any serious +accidents resulting from the hunting of the rhinoceros.</p> + +<p>"Yes," replied Swinton; "I once was witness to the death of a native +chief."</p> + +<p>"Then pray tell us the story," said the Major. "By hearing how other +people have suffered, we learn how to take care of ourselves."</p> + +<p>"Before I do so, I will mention what was told me by a Namaqua chief +about a lion; I am reminded of it by the Major's observations as to the +means animals have of communicating with each other. Once when I was +traveling in Namaqua-land, I observed a spot which was imprinted with at +least twenty spoors or marks of a lion's paw; and as I pointed them out +a Namaqua chief told me that a lion had been practicing his leap. On +demanding an explanation, he said that if a lion sprang at an animal, +and missed it by leaping short, he would always go back to where he +sprang from, and practice the leap so as to be successful on another +occasion; and he then related to me the following anecdote, stating that +he was an eye-witness to the incident:</p> + +<p>"'I was passing near the end of a craggy hill from which jutted out a +smooth rock of from ten to twelve feet high, when I perceived a number +of zebras galloping round it, which they were obliged to do, as the rock +beyond was quite steep. A lion was creeping toward the rock to catch the +male zebra, which brought up the rear of the herd. The lion sprang and +missed his mark; he fell short, with only his head over the edge of the +rock, and the zebra galloped away, switching his tail in the air. +Although the object of his pursuit was gone, the lion tried the leap on +the rock a second and a third time, till he succeeded. During this two +more lions came up and joined the first lion. They seemed to be talking, +for they roared a great deal to each other; and then the first lion led +them round the rock again and again. Then he made another grand leap, to +show them what he and they must do another time.' The chief added, 'They +evidently were talking to each other, but I could not understand a word +of what they said, although they talked loud enough; but I thought it +was as well to be off, or they might have some talk about me.'"</p> + +<p>"Well, they certainly do not whisper," said the Major, laughing. "Thank +you for that story, Swinton, and now for the rhinoceros hunt."</p> + +<p>"I was once out hunting with a Griqua, of the name of Henrick, and two +or three other men; we had wounded a springbok, and were following its +track, when we came upon the footing of a rhinoceros, and shortly +afterward we saw a large black male in the bush."</p> + +<p>"You mention a black rhinoceros. Is there any other?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, there is a white rhinoceros, as it is called, larger than the +black, but not so dangerous. It is, in fact, a stupid sort of animal. +The black rhinoceros, as you are aware, is very fierce. Well, to +continue: Henrick slipped down behind a bush, fired, and wounded the +animal severely in the foreleg. The rhinoceros charged, we all fled, and +the animal, singling out one of our men, closely pursued him; but the +man, stopping short, while the horn of the rhinoceros plowed up the +ground at his heels, dexterously jumped on one side. The rhinoceros +missed him and passed on in full speed, and before the brute could +recover himself and change his course, the whole of us had climbed up +into trees. The rhinoceros, limping with his wound, went round and +round, trying to find us out by the scent, but he tried in vain. At +last, one of the men, who had only an assaguay, said, 'Well, how long +are we going to stay here? Why don't you shoot?'</p> + +<p>"'Well,' said Henrick, 'if you are so anxious to shoot, you may if you +please. Here is my powder-and-shot belt, and my gun lies under the tree. +The man immediately descended from the tree, loaded the gun, and +approaching the rhinoceros he fired and wounded it severely in the jaw. +The animal was stunned, and dropped on the spot. Thinking that it was +dead, we all descended fearlessly and collected round it; and the man +who had fired was very proud, and was giving directions to the others, +when of a sudden the animal began to recover, and kicked with his hind +legs. Henrick told us all to run for our lives, and set us the example. +The rhinoceros started up again, and singling out the unfortunate man +who had got down and fired at it, roaring and snorting with rage, +thundered after him.</p> + +<p>"The man, perceiving that he could not outrun the beast, tried the same +plan as the other hunter did when the rhinoceros charged him: stopping +short, he jumped on one side, that the animal might pass him; but the +brute was not to be balked a second time; he caught the man on his horn +under the left thigh, and cutting it open as if it had been done with an +ax, tossed him a dozen yards up in the air. The poor fellow fell facing +the rhinoceros, with his legs spread; the beast rushed at him again, and +ripped up his body from his stomach to almost his throat, and again +tossed him in the air. Again he fell heavily to the ground. The +rhinoceros watched his fall, and running up to him trod upon him and +pounded him to a mummy. After this horrible tragedy, the beast limped +off into a bush. Henrick then crept up to the bush; the animal dashed +out again, and would certainly have killed another man if a dog had not +turned it. In turning short round upon the dog, the bone of its +fore-leg, which had been half broken through by Henrick's first shot, +snapped in two, and it fell, unable to recover itself, and was then shot +dead."</p> + +<p>"A very awkward customer, at all events," observed the Major. "I presume +a leaden bullet would not enter?"</p> + +<p>"No, it would flatten against most parts of his body. By the by, I saw +an instance of a rhinoceros having been destroyed by that cowardly brute +the hyena."</p> + +<p>"Indeed!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, patience and perseverance on the hyena's part effected the work. +The rhinoceros takes a long while to turn round, and the hyena attacked +him behind, biting him with his powerful jaws above the joint of the +hind leg, and continued so to do, till he had severed all the muscles, +and the animal, forced from pain to lie down, was devoured as you may +say alive from behind; the hyena still tearing at the same quarter, +until he arrived at the vital parts. By the track which was marked by +the blood of the rhinoceros, the hyena must have followed the animal for +many miles, until the rhinoceros was in such pain that it could proceed +no further.—But if you are to hunt to-morrow at daybreak, it is time to +go to sleep; so good-night."</p> + +<p>At daybreak the next morning, they took a hasty meal, and started again +for the plain. Swinton, having to prepare his specimens, did not +accompany them. There was a heavy fog on the plain when they arrived at +it, and they waited for a short time, skirting the south side of it, +with the view of drawing the animals toward the encampment. At last the +fog vanished, and discovered the whole country, as before, covered with +every variety of wild animals. But as their object was to obtain the +eland antelope, they remained stationary for some time, seeking for +those animals among the varieties which were scattered in all +directions. At last Omrah, whose eyes were far keener than even the +Hottentots', pointed out three at a distance, under a large acacia +thorn. They immediately rode at a trot in that direction, and the +various herds of quaggas, gnoos, and antelopes scoured away before them; +and so numerous were they, and such was the clattering of hoofs, that +you might have imagined that it was a heavy charge of cavalry. The +objects of their pursuit remained quiet until they were within three +hundred yards of them, and then they set off at a speed, notwithstanding +their heavy and unwieldy appearance, which for a short time completely +distanced the horses. But this speed could not be continued, and the +Major and Alexander soon found themselves rapidly coming up. The poor +animals exerted themselves in vain; their sleek coats first turned to a +blue color, and then white with foam and perspiration, and at last they +were beaten to a stand-still, and were brought down by the rifles of our +travelers, who then dismounted their horses, and walked up to the +quarry.</p> + +<p>"What magnificent animals!" exclaimed Alexander.</p> + +<p>"They are enormous, certainly," said the Major.</p> + +<p>"Look at the beautiful dying eye of that noble beast. Is it not +speaking?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, imploring for mercy, as it were, poor creature."</p> + +<p>"Well, these three beasts, that they say are such good eating, weigh +more than fifty antelopes."</p> + +<p>"More than fifty springboks, I grant. Well, what shall we do now?"</p> + +<p>"Let our horses get their wind again, and then we will see if we can +fall in with some new game."</p> + +<p>"I saw two or three antelopes, of a very different sort from the +sassabys and harte-beests, toward that rising ground. We will go that +way as soon as the Hottentots come up and take charge of our game."</p> + +<p>"Does Swinton want to preserve one of these creatures?"</p> + +<p>"I believe not, they are so very bulky. He says we shall find plenty as +we go on, and that he will not encumber the wagons with a skin until we +leave the Val River, and turn homeward. Now, Bremen and Omrah, come with +us."</p> + +<p>The Major and Alexander then turned their horses' heads, and rode slowly +toward the hill which they had noticed, and the antelopes which the +Major had observed were now seen among the bushes which crowned the +hill. Bremen said that he did not know the animals, and the Major was +most anxious to obtain one to surprise Swinton with. As soon as they +came within two hundred yards of the bushes on the other side of which +the antelopes were seen, the Major gave his horse to Omrah and advanced +alone very cautiously, that he might bring one down with his rifle. He +gained the bushes without alarming the animals, and the party left +behind were anxiously watching his motions, expecting him every moment +to fire, when the Major suddenly turned round and came back at a hurried +pace.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter?" said Alexander.</p> + +<p>"Matter enough to stop my growth for all my life," replied the Major. +"If ever my heart was in my mouth, it was just now. I was advancing +softly, and step by step, toward the antelopes, and was just raising my +rifle to fire, when I heard something flapping the ground three or four +yards before me. I looked down, and it was the tail of a lioness, which +fortunately was so busy watching the antelopes with her head the other +way, that she did not perceive my being near her; whereupon I beat a +retreat, as you have witnessed."</p> + +<p>"Well, what shall we do now?"</p> + +<p>"Wait a little till I have recovered my nerves," said the Major, "and +then I'll be revenged upon her. Swinton is not here to preach prudence, +and have a lion-hunt I will."</p> + +<p>"With all my heart," replied Alexander. "Bremen, we are going to attack +the lioness."</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," said Bremen; "then we had better follow Cape fashion. We +will back the horses toward her, and Omrah will hold them while we will +attack her. I think one only had better fire, so we keep two guns in +reserve."</p> + +<p>"You are right, Bremen," said Alexander. "Then you and I will reserve +our fire, and the Major shall try his rifle upon her."</p> + +<p>With some difficulty the horses were backed toward the bush, until the +Major could again distinguish where the lioness lay, at about sixty +paces' distance. The animal appeared still occupied with the game in +front of her, watching her opportunity to spring, for her tail and +hind-quarters were toward them. The Major fired, and the animal bounded +off with a loud roar; while the antelopes flew away like the wind. The +roar of the lioness was answered by a deep growl from another part of +the bush, and immediately afterward a lion bolted out, and bounded from +the bushes across the plain, to a small mimosa grove about a quarter of +a mile off.</p> + +<p>"What a splendid animal!" said Alexander; "look at his black mane, it +almost sweeps the ground."</p> + +<p>"We must have him," cried the Major, jumping on his horse.</p> + +<p>Alexander, Bremen, and Omrah did the same, and they followed the lion, +which stood at bay under the mimosas, measuring the strength of the +party, and facing them in a most noble and imposing manner. It appeared, +however, that he did not like their appearance, or was not satisfied +with his own position, for as they advanced he retreated at a slow pace, +and took up his position on the summit of a stony hill close by, the +front of which was thickly dotted with low thorn-bushes. The +thorn-bushes extended about 200 yards from where the lion stood, +disdainfully surveying the party as they approached toward him, and +appearing, with a conscious pride in his own powers, to dare them to +approach him.</p> + +<p>They dismounted from their horses as soon as they arrived at the +thorn-bushes, and the Major fired. The rifle-ball struck the rock close +to the lion, who replied with an angry growl. The Major then took the +gun from Omrah and fired, and again the ball struck close to the +animal's feet. The lion now shook his mane, gave another angry roar; and +by the glistening of his eyes, and the impatient switching of his tail, +it was evident that he would soon become the attacking party.</p> + +<p>"Load both your guns again," said Alexander, "and then let me have a +shot, Major."</p> + +<p>As soon as the Major's guns were loaded, Alexander took aim and fired. +The shot broke the lion's fore-leg, which he raised up with a voice of +thunder, and made a spring from the rock toward where our party stood.</p> + +<p>"Steady now," cried the Major to Bremen, at the same time handing his +spare rifle to Alexander.</p> + +<p>The rush of the angry animal was heard through the bushes advancing +nearer and nearer; and they all stood prepared for the encounter. At +last out the animal sprang, his mane bristling on end, his tail straight +out, and his eyeballs flashing rage and vengeance. He came down upon the +hind-quarters of one of the horses, which immediately started off, +overthrowing and dragging Omrah to some distance. One of the lion's legs +being broken, had occasioned the animal to roll off on the side of the +horse, and he now remained on the ground ready for a second spring, when +he received a shot through the back from Bremen, who stood behind him. +The lion, with another dreadful roar, attempted to spring upon the +Major, who was ready with his rifle to receive him; but the shot from +Bremen had passed through his spine and paralyzed his hind-quarters, and +he made the attempt in vain, a second and a third time throwing his +fore-quarters up in the air, and then falling down again, when a bullet +from the Major passed through his brain. The noble beast sunk down, +gnawing the ground and tearing it with the claws of the leg which had +not been wounded, and then, in a few seconds, breathed his last.</p> + +<p>"I am glad that is over, Alexander," said the Major; "it was almost too +exciting to be pleasant."</p> + +<p>"It was very awful for the time, I must acknowledge," replied Alexander. +"What an enormous brute! I think I never saw such a magnificent skin.</p> + +<p>"It is yours by the laws of war," said the Major.</p> + +<p>"Nay," replied Alexander, "it was you that gave him his <i>coup de grace</i>"</p> + +<p>"Yes, but if you had not broken his leg, he might have given some of us +our <i>coup de grace</i>. No, no, the skin is yours. Now the horses are off, +and we can not send for the Hottentots. They have got rid of Omrah, who +is coming back with his shirt torn into tatters."</p> + +<p>"The men will catch the horses and bring them here, depend upon it, +sir," said Bremen, "and then they can take off the skin."</p> + +<p>"Well, if I am to have the lion's skin, I must have that of the lioness +also, Major; so we must finish our day's hunting with forcing her to +join her mate."</p> + +<p>"Very good, with all my heart."</p> + +<p>"Better wait till the men come with the horses, sir," said Bremen; +"three guns are too few to attack a lion—very great danger indeed."</p> + +<p>"Bremen is right, Alexander; we must not run such a risk again. Depend +upon it, if the animal's leg had not been broken, we should not have had +so easy a conquest. Let us sit down quietly till the men come up."</p> + +<p>In about half an hour, as Bremen had conjectured, the Hottentots, +perceiving the horses loose, and suspecting that something had happened, +went in chase of them, and as soon as they had succeeded in catching +them, brought them in the direction to which they had seen our travelers +ride. They were not a little astonished at so small a party having +ventured to attack a lion, and gladly prepared for the attack of the +lioness. Three of the dogs having accompanied them, it was decided that +they should be put into the bushes where the lioness was lying when the +Major fired at her, so as to discover where she now was; and leaving the +lion for the present, they all set off for the first jungle.</p> + +<p>The dogs could not find the lioness in the bushes, and it was evident +that she had retreated to some other place; and Swanevelt, who was an +old lion-hunter, gave his opinion that she would be found in the +direction near to where the lion was killed. They went therefore in that +direction, and found that she was in the clump of mimosas to which the +lion had first retreated. The previous arrangement of backing the horses +toward where she lay was attempted, but the animals had been too much +frightened in the morning by the lion's attack, to be persuaded. They +reared and plunged in such a manner as to be with difficulty prevented +from breaking loose; it was therefore necessary to abandon that plan, +and trust to themselves and their numbers. The clump of trees was +surrounded by the party, and the dogs encouraged to go in, which they +did, every now and then rushing back from the paws of the lioness. The +Hottentots now fired into the clump at random, and their volleys were +answered by the loud roars of the animal, which would not, however, show +herself, and half an hour was passed away in this manner.</p> + +<p>At last she was perceived at one side of the jungle, by Swanevelt, who +fired with effect, for the animal gave a loud roar, and then bounded +out, not attempting to rush upon any person, but to make her escape from +her assailants. A volley was fired at her, and one shot took effect, for +she fell with her head to the ground, and tumbled right over; but +immediately after she recovered herself, and made off for the bushes +where she had been first discovered.</p> + +<p>"She was hit hard that time, at all events," said the Major.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," said Bremen, "that was her deathshot, I should think; but +she is not dead yet, and may give us a great deal of trouble."</p> + +<p>They followed her as fast as they could on foot, and the dogs were soon +upon her again; the animal continued to roar, and always from the same +spot; so that it was evident she was severely wounded. Alexander and the +Major reserved their fire, and approached to where the dogs were baying, +not twenty yards from the jungle. Another roar was given, and suddenly +the body of the lioness rushed through the air, right in the direction +where they stood; she passed, however, between them, and when she +reached the ground, she fell on her side, quite dead. It was her last +expiring effort, and she died in the attempt. Alexander and the Major, +who were both ready to fire, lowered their rifles when they perceived +that she was dead.</p> + +<p>"Well," said the Major, "I will say that when I first saw her tail, I +was more frightened than I was just now, when she made the spring; I was +so taken by surprise."</p> + +<p>"I don't doubt it. She is a very large animal, and will make a handsome +companion to the lion. If we live and do well, and get home to England +again, I will have her stuffed along with him, and put them in the same +case."</p> + +<p>"I trust you will, and that I shall come and see them," replied the +Major.</p> + +<p>"I am sure I do, from my heart, my good fellow. I am very much pleased +at our having killed both these beasts, without Swinton being with us, +as he would have been persuading us to leave them alone."</p> + +<p>"And he would have done very right," replied the Major. "We are two +naughty boys, and shall be well scolded when we go back."</p> + +<p>"Which I vote we do now. I think we have done quite enough for to-day."</p> + +<p>"Yes, indeed," replied the Major, mounting his horse; "enough to talk of +all our lives. Now let us gallop home, and say nothing about having +killed the lions until the Hottentots bring them to the caravan."</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XXV'></a><h2>CHAPTER XXV.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>"Well, what sport have you had?" was Swinton's first question when he +was joined by Alexander and the Major. Replied the latter—"Pretty well; +we saw an antelope quite new to us, which we tried very hard to shoot, +but were prevented by an unexpected meeting with a lioness." The Major +then gave an account of his perceiving the tail of the lioness, and his +rapid retreat.</p> + +<p>"I am very glad to hear that you were so prudent, Major; it would have +been a very rash thing to attack a lioness with only three guns. So the +antelopes escaped?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, but we have the elands, which you say are such good eating. Do we +stay here any longer, or do we proceed up the river?"</p> + +<p>"You must ask Wilmot to decide that point," said Swinton.</p> + +<p>"It is just as you please," said Alexander; "but they say that the more +you go to the northward, the more plentiful is the game."</p> + +<p>"Yes, and we shall fall in with the giraffe," said the Major, "which is +now the great object of my ambition. I have killed the rhinoceros and +elephant, and now I must have the giraffe; they can kill the two first +animals in India, but the other is only to be had in this country."</p> + +<p>"And when you meet again your Indian friends, you wish to say that you +have killed what they have not?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly; what is the good of traveling so far, if one has not +something to boast of when one returns? If I say I have hunted and +killed the rhinoceros and elephant, they may reply to me, 'So have we;' +but if I add the giraffe, that will silence them; don't you observe, +Swinton, I then remain master of the field? But here come the Hottentots +with our game; come, Swinton, leave your preparations for a little +while, and see what our morning's sport has been."</p> + +<p>Swinton put aside the skin of the sassaby that he was cleaning, and +walked with them to where the men were assembled, and was not a little +surprised when he saw the skins and jaws of the lion and lioness. He was +still more so when the Major recounted how they had been shot.</p> + +<p>"You certainly have run a great risk," said he, "and I am glad that you +have been so successful. You are right in saying that I should have +persuaded you not to attempt it; you are like two little boys who have +taken advantage of the absence of their tutor to run into mischief. +However, I am glad that it has been done, as I now hope your desire to +kill a lion will not again lead you into unnecessary danger."</p> + +<p>"No, indeed," replied Alexander; "having once accomplished the feat, and +being fully aware of the great risk that is run, we shall be more +prudent in future."</p> + +<p>"That is all I ask of you," said Swinton, "for I should be unhappy if we +did not all three return safe to the Cape. I never saw a finer lion's +skin: I will arrange it for you, that it shall arrive at the Cape in +good order."</p> + +<p>As usual, the afternoon was by the Hottentots devoted to eating as much +as they could possibly contrive to get down their throats; the flesh of +the eland was pronounced excellent by our travelers, and there was much +more than they could possibly consume. The Hottentots were only allowed +to bring a certain quantity into the camp, that they might not attract +the wild beasts. They would have brought it all in, although they never +could have eaten it. The cattle were driven up in the evening, the fires +lighted, and the night passed quietly away.</p> + +<p>At daylight they turned the cattle out to graze for a couple of hours, +and then yoked and proceeded on their journey, keeping as near as they +could to the banks of the river. They saw many hippopotami, snorting and +rising for a moment above the water, but they passed by them without +attempting to shoot at them, as they did not wish to disturb the other +game. As they advanced, the variety of flowers which were in bloom +attracted the notice of Alexander, who observed—"Does not this plain +put you in mind of a Turkey carpet, Major; so gay with every variety of +color?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, and as scentless," replied the Major; "they are all very brilliant +in appearance; but one modest English violet is, to my fancy, worth them +all."</p> + +<p>"I agree with you," replied Swinton; "but still you must acknowledge +that this country is beautiful beyond description,—these grassy meads +so spangled with numerous flowers, and so broken by the masses of grove +and forest! Look at these aloes blooming in profusion, with their coral +tufts—in England what would they pay for such an exhibition?—and the +crimson and lilac hues of these poppies and amaryllis blended together: +neither are you just in saying that there is no scent in this gay +parterre. The creepers which twine up those stately trees are very +sweetly scented; and how picturesque are the twinings of those vines +upon the mimosas. I can not well imagine the garden of Eden to have been +more beautiful."</p> + +<p>"And in another respect there is a resemblance," said the Major, +laughing; "the serpent is in it"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I grant that," replied Swinton.</p> + +<p>"Well, I can feel no real pleasure without security; if I am to be ever +on the alert, and turning my eyes in every direction, that I may not +tread upon a puff adder, or avoid the dart of the cobra capella, I can +feel little pleasure in looking at the rich hues of those flowers which +conceal them. As I said before, give me the violet and the rose of +England, which I can pick and smell in security."</p> + +<p>"I agree with you, Major," said Alexander; "but," continued he, +laughing, "we must make allowance for Swinton, as a naturalist. A puff +adder has a charm for him, because it adds one more to the numerous +specimens to be obtained; and he looks upon these flowers as a +botanist, rejoicing as he adds to his herbal, or gathers seeds and bulbs +to load his wagon with. You might as well find fault with a husbandman +for rejoicing in a rich harvest."</p> + +<p>"Or with himself, for being so delighted at the number and the variety +of the animals which fall to his rifle," replied Swinton, smiling. +"There I have you, Major."</p> + +<p>"I grant it," replied the Major; "but what is that in the river—the +back of a hippopotamus?"</p> + +<p>"No, it is the back of an elephant, I should rather think; but the reeds +are so high, that it is difficult to ascertain. There may be a herd +bathing in the river, nothing more likely."</p> + +<p>"Let us stop the caravan; the creaking of these wheels would drive away +any thing," replied the Major; "we will then ride forward and see what +it is. It is not more than half a mile from us."</p> + +<p>"Be it so," replied Swinton. "Omrah, get the rifles, and tell Bremen to +come here. Now, Major, is it to be a regular hunt, or only a passing +shot at them; for I now perceive through my glass that they are +elephants?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I think a passing shot will be best; for if we are to hunt, we +must send a party on the opposite side of the river, and that will be a +tedious affair."</p> + +<p>"I think myself it will be better to proceed," said Swinton; "so now +then, to scatter the enemy."</p> + +<p>They soon arrived at that part of the river where they had at a distance +discovered the elephants bathing; but as they approached, the high reeds +prevented them from seeing the animals, although they could hear them +plainly. At last, as they proceeded a little further up the river, they +discovered a female with its young one by its side; the mother playing +with its offspring, pouring water over it with its trunk, and now and +then pressing it into the water, so as to compel it to swim. They +watched the motions of the animals for some time, and the Major first +broke silence by saying, "I really have not the heart to fire at the +poor creature; its maternal kindness, and the playing of the little one, +are too interesting. It would be cruel, now that we do not want meat, +for an eland is to be killed every ten minutes."</p> + +<p>"I am glad to hear you say so," replied Swinton. "Let us fire over them, +and set them all in motion."</p> + +<p>"Agreed," said the Major; "this is to start them," and he fired off his +rifle in the air.</p> + +<p>The noise that ensued was quite appalling; the shrieks and cries of the +elephants, and the treading down and rushing through the reeds, the +splashing and floundering in the mud, for a few seconds, was followed by +the bounding out of the whole herd on the opposite bank of the river, +tossing their trunks, raising up their ears, roaring wildly, and +starting through the bushes into the forest from which they had +descended. Two large males only were to be perceived among the whole +herd, the rest were all females and their young ones, who scrambled away +after the males, crowding together, but still occasionally looking +behind after their young ones, till they had all disappeared in the +forest, the cracking and crushing of the bushes in which were heard for +many minutes afterward.</p> + +<p>"That was a splendid scene," said Alexander.</p> + +<p>"Yes, it was a living panorama, which one must come to Africa to +behold."</p> + +<p>"I do not think that I shall ever become a true elephant-hunter," said +the Major. "I feel a sort of repugnance to destroy so sagacious an +animal, and a degree of remorse when one lies dead. At the same time, if +once accustomed to the fearful crashing and noise attending their +movements, I do not consider them very dangerous animals to pursue."</p> + +<p>"Not if people are cool and collected. We have had several famous +elephant-hunters among the Dutch farmers. I remember that one of them, +after a return from a successful chase, made a bet that he would go up +to a wild elephant and pluck eight hairs out of his tail. He did so and +won his bet, for the elephant can not see behind him, and is not very +quick in turning round. However, a short time afterward he made the same +attempt, and being foolhardy from success, the animal was too quick for +him, and he was crushed to death."</p> + +<p>Bremen now came up to them, to say that there was a party of people to +the eastward, and he thought that there was a wagon. On examination with +their telescopes, they found that such was the case; and our travelers +turned their horses' heads in the direction, to ascertain who they might +be, leaving the caravan to proceed by the banks of the river. In about +an hour, they came close to them, and Swinton immediately recognized +them as Griquas, or mixed European and Hottentot races. Of course, they +met in the most friendly manner, and the Griquas said that they had come +to hunt the elephant, eland, and other animals; the former for their +ivory, and the latter for their flesh. Their wagon, which was a very old +one, was loaded with flesh, cut in long strips, and hanging to dry; and +they had a great many hundred-weight of ivory, which they had already +collected. As soon as our travelers had explained to them their own +motions, the Griquas said that they would bring their wagon down in the +evening and encamp with them. Our travelers then returned to the +caravan.</p> + +<p>As they promised, the Griquas joined them late in the afternoon. They +were a party of sixteen; all stout fellows, and armed with the long guns +used by the Dutch boors. They said that they had been two months from +Griqua-town, and were thinking of returning very soon, as their wagon +was loaded to the extent that it would bear. The Major stating that it +was their intention to hunt the giraffe, the Griquas informed them that +they would not find the animal to the southward of the Val River, and +they would have to cross over into the territories of the king +Moselekatsee, who ruled over the Bechuana country, to the northward of +the river; and that it would be very dangerous to attempt so to do +without his permission; indeed, that there would be danger in doing so, +even with it.</p> + +<p>"Do you know any thing of this person, Swinton?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I have heard of him, but I did not know that he had extended his +conquests so low down as to the Val River."</p> + +<p>"Who is he?"</p> + +<p>"You have heard of Chaka, the king of the Zoolus, who conquered the +whole country, as far as Port Natal to the eastward?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," replied Alexander; "we have heard of him."</p> + +<p>"Well, Moselekatsee was a chief of two or three tribes, who, when hard +pressed by his enemies, took refuge with Chaka, and became one of his +principal warrior chiefs. After a time he quarreled with Chaka, about +the distribution of some cattle they had taken, and aware that he had no +mercy to expect from the tyrant, he revolted from him with a large +force, and withdrew to the Bechuana country. There he conquered all the +tribes, enrolled them in his own army, and gradually became as +formidable as Chaka himself. In the arrangements of his army, he +followed the same plans as Chaka, and has now become a most powerful +monarch, and, they do say, is almost as great a tyrant and despot as +Chaka himself was. I believe that the Griquas are right in saying there +would be danger in passing through his dominions without his +permission."</p> + +<p>"But," said Alexander, "I suppose if we send a message to him and +presents, there will be no difficulty?"</p> + +<p>"Perhaps not, except that our caravan may excite his cupidity, and he +may be induced to delay us to obtain possession of its contents. +However, we had better put this question to the Griquas, who probably +can answer it better."</p> + +<p>The Griquas, on being questioned, replied, that the best plan would be +to send a message to the Matabili capital, where Moselekatsee resided, +requesting permission to hunt in the country, and begging the monarch to +send some of his principal men to receive the presents which they had to +offer;—that it would not take long to receive an answer, as it would +only be necessary to deliver the message to the first officer belonging +to Moselekatsee, at the advanced post. That officer would immediately +dispatch a native with the message, who would arrive much sooner than +any one they could send themselves. Bremen and three other Hottentots +offered to take the message, if our travelers wished it. This was agreed +to, and that afternoon they mounted their horses, and crossed the river. +By the advice of the Griquas, the camp was shifted about a mile further +up the river, on account of the lions.</p> + +<p>The weather now threatened a change; masses of clouds accumulated, but +were again dispersed. The next day the weather was again threatening; +thunder pealed in the distant mountains, and the forked lightning flew +in every direction; but the rain, if any, was expended on the +neighboring hills.</p> + +<p>A strong wind soon blew up so as to try the strength of the canvas +awning of their wagons, and they found it difficult to keep their fires +in at night. They had encamped upon a wide plain covered with high +grass, and abounding with elands and other varieties of antelopes: here +they remained for five days, waiting the reply of the king of the +Matabili, and went out every day to procure game. On the Sabbath-day, +after they had, as usual, performed Divine service, they observed a +heavy smoke to windward, which, as the wind was fresh, soon bore down +upon them and inconvenienced them much.</p> + +<p>Swanevelt stated that the high grass had been fired by some means or +another, and as it threatened to come down upon the encampment, the +Hottentots and Griquas were very busy beating down the grass round about +them. When they had so done, they went to windward some hundred yards +and set fire to the grass in several places; the grass burned quickly, +till it arrived at where it had been beaten down, and the fire was +extinguished. That this was a necessary precaution was fully proved, for +as the night closed in, the whole country for miles was on fire, and the +wind bore the flames down rapidly toward them.</p> + +<p>The sky was covered with clouds, and the darkness of the night made the +flames appear still more vivid; the wind drove them along with a loud +crackling noise, sweeping over the undulating ground, now rising and now +disappearing in the hollows, the whole landscape lighted up for miles.</p> + +<p>As our travelers watched the progress of the flames, and every now and +then observed a terrified antelope spring from its lair, and appearing +like a black figure in a phantasmagoria, suddenly the storm burst upon +them and the rain poured down in torrents, accompanied with large +hailstones and thunder and lightning. The wind was instantly lulled, and +after the first burst of the storm a deathlike silence succeeded to the +crackling of the flames. A deluge of rain descended, and in an instant +every spark of the conflagration was extinguished, and the pitchy +darkness of the night was unbroken by even a solitary star.</p> + +<p>The next morning was bright and clear, and after breakfast, they +perceived the Hottentots who had been sent on their message to +Moselekatsee, on the opposite bank of the river, accompanied by three of +the natives; they soon crossed the river and came to the encampment. The +natives, who were Matabili, were tall, powerful men, well proportioned, +and with regular features; their hair was shorn, and surmounted with an +oval ring attached to the scalp, and the lobe of their left ears was +perforated with such a large hole, that it contained a small gourd, +which was used as a snuff-box. Their dress was a girdle of strips of +catskins, and they each carried two javelins and a knobbed stick for +throwing.</p> + +<p>They were heartily welcomed by our travelers, who placed before them a +large quantity of eland-steaks, and filled their boxes with snuff. As +soon as they had finished eating, and drawn up a large quantity of snuff +into their nostrils, they explained through the Griquas, who could speak +their language, that they had come from the greatest of all monarchs in +the world, Moselekatsee, who wished to know who the strangers were, what +they wanted of him, and what presents they had brought.</p> + +<p>Swinton, who was spokesman, returned for answer that they were hunters, +and not traders; that they had come to see the wonders of the country +belonging to so great a monarch, and that hearing that his majesty had +animals in his country which were not to be found elsewhere, they wanted +permission to kill some, to show upon their return to their own people +what a wonderful country it was that belonged to so great a +monarch;—that they had brought beads and copper wire, and knives, and +boxes for making fire, and snuff and tobacco, all of which they wished +to present to the great monarch; a part as soon as they had received +his permission to enter his territory, and another part when they were +about to leave it. A handsome present of the above articles was then +produced, and the messengers of the king, having surveyed the articles +with some astonishment, declared that their king would feel very glad +when he saw all these things, and that he had desired them to tell our +travelers that they might come into his dominions with safety, and kill +all the animals that they pleased. That his majesty had commanded one of +them to remain with the party, and that as soon as he had received his +presents, he would send a chief to be answerable for their safety. The +Matabili then packed up the articles presented, and two of them set off +at full speed on their return to the king. The third, who remained, +assured our travelers that they might cross the river and enter the +Matabili country as soon as they pleased.</p> + +<p>A debate now ensued as to whether they should go with their whole force +or not. The Matabili had informed them that in three days' journey they +would fall in with the giraffe, which they were in search of, and as +there would be some risk in crossing the river, and they had every +reason to expect that it would soon rise, the question was whether it +would be prudent to take over even one of the wagons. The opinion of the +Griquas was asked, and it was ultimately arranged that they should take +over Alexander's wagon only, with fifteen pair of oxen, and that some of +the Griquas should accompany them, with Swanevelt, Omrah, and +Mahomed;—that Bremen and the Hottentots should remain where they were, +with the other three wagons and the rest of the Griquas, until our +travelers should return.</p> + +<p>This arrangement was not at all disagreeable to the Hottentots, who did +not much like the idea of entering the Matabili country, and were very +happy in their present quarters, as they were plentifully provided with +good meat. Alexander's wagon was therefore arranged so as to carry the +bedding and articles they might require, all other things being removed +to the other wagons. Their best oxen were selected, and eight of the +fleetest of their horses, and on the following morning, having +ascertained from the Matabili the best place to cross the river, our +travelers set off, and in an hour were on the other side.</p> + +<p>There was no change in the country during the first day's journey; the +same variety and brilliancy of flowers were every where to be seen. The +eland and the other antelopes were plentiful, and they were soon joined +by parties of the natives, who requested them to shoot the animals for +them, which they did in quantities even sufficient to satisfy them. +Indeed if they found them troublesome, our travelers had only to bring +down an eland, and the natives were immediately left behind, that they +might devour the animal, which was done in an incredibly short space of +time. The Matabili who had conducted them proved to be a chief, and if +he gave any order, it was instantly obeyed; so that our travelers had no +trouble with the natives except their begging and praying for snuff, +which was incessant, both from the men and women. Neither did they fear +any treachery from the Matabili king, as they were well armed, and the +Griquas were brave men, and the superiority of their weapons made them a +match for a large force. Every precaution, however, was taken when they +halted at night, which they invariably did in the center of an open +plain, to prevent any surprise; and large fires were lighted round the +wagon.</p> + +<p>They traveled on in this way for two days more, when in the evening they +arrived at a large plain sprinkled with mimosa-trees, and abutting on +the foot of a low range of hills. The Matabili told them that they would +find the giraffes on these plains, and the Major, who was very anxious, +kept his telescope to his eyes, looking round in every direction till +nightfall, but did not succeed in descrying any of the objects of his +search. They retired that night with anxious expectation for the +following morning, when they anticipated that they should fall in with +these remarkable animals. Their guns were examined and every precaution +taken, and having lighted their fires and set the watch, they went to +bed; and, after commending themselves to the care of Providence, were +soon fast asleep.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XXVI'></a><h2>CHAPTER XXVI.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>With the exception of three lions coming very near to the encampment and +rousing up the Griquas, nothing occurred during the night. In the +morning they yoked the oxen and had all the horses saddled ready for the +chase; but they were disappointed for nearly the whole day; as, although +they saw a variety of game, no giraffe appeared in sight. In the +afternoon, as they passed by a clump of mimosas, they were charged by a +rhinoceros, which nearly threw down Alexander's best horse; but a volley +from the Griquas laid him prostrate. It was a very large animal, but not +of the black or ferocious sort, being what is termed the white +rhinoceros. Within the last two days they had also observed that the +gnoo was not of the same sort as the one which they had seen so long, +but a variety which Swinton told them was called the brindled gnoo; it +was, however, in every other respect the same animal, as to its motions +and peculiarities. Toward the evening the Matabili warrior who +accompanied them pointed to a mimosa at a distance, and made signs to +the Major that there was a giraffe.</p> + +<p>"I can not see him—do you, Alexander?" said the Major; "he points to +that mimosa with the dead stump on the other side of it, there. Yes, it +is one, I see the stump, as I called it, move; it must be the neck of +the animal. Let loose the dogs, Swanevelt," cried the Major, starting +off at full speed, and followed by Alexander, and Omrah, with the spare +horse. In a minute or two the giraffe was seen to get clear of the +mimosa, and then set off in an awkward, shambling kind of gallop; but +awkward as the gallop appeared, the animal soon left the Major behind. +It sailed along with incredible velocity, its long, swan-like neck +keeping time with its legs, and its black tail curled above its back.</p> + +<p>"Push on, Alexander," cried the Major; "if ever there were seven-league +boots, that animal has a pair of them on. He goes like the wind; but he +can not keep it up long, depend upon it, and our horses are in capital +condition."</p> + +<p>Alexander and the Major were now neck and neck, close to each other, at +full speed, when of a sudden the Major's horse stumbled, and fell upon +an ostrich, which was sitting on her nest; Alexander's horse also +stumbled and followed after the Major; and there they were, horses and +riders, all rolling together among the ostrich-eggs; while the ostrich +gained her legs, and ran off as fast as the giraffe.</p> + +<p>As soon as they had got on their legs again, and caught the bridles of +their horses, they looked round, but could not distinguish the giraffe, +which was out of sight among the mimosa-trees; while Omrah was very busy +picking up their rifles, and laughing in a very disrespectful manner. +The Major and Alexander soon joined in the laugh. No bones were broken, +and the horses had received no injury. All they had to do was to return +to the caravan looking very foolish.</p> + +<p>"Your first essay in giraffe-hunting has been very successful," said +Swinton, laughing, as they came up to him.</p> + +<p>"Yes, we both threw very pretty summersets, did we not?" said Alexander. +"However, we have got some ostrich-eggs for supper, and that is better +than nothing. It will soon be dark, so we had better encamp for the +night, had we not?"</p> + +<p>"I was about to propose it," said Swinton.</p> + +<p>"Did you ever hunt the giraffe, Swinton?" inquired Alexander, as they +were making their supper on roasted ostrich-eggs; each of them holding +one between his knees, and dipping out with a large spoon.</p> + +<p>"Never," replied Swinton; "I have often seen them in Namaqua-land, but +never killed one. I remember, however, a circumstance connected with the +giraffe, which would have been incredible to me, if I had not seen the +remains of the lion. You are well aware how long and strong are the +thorns of the mimosa (or kamel-tree, as the Dutch call it, from the +giraffe browsing upon it), and how the boughs of these trees lie like an +umbrella, close upon one another. A native chief informed me that he +witnessed a lion attacking a giraffe. The lion always springs at the +head or neck, and seizes the animal by that part, riding him, as it +were. The giraffe sets off at full speed with its enemy, and is so +powerful as often to get rid of him; for I have seen giraffes killed +which had the marks of the lion's teeth and claws upon them. In this +instance the lion made a spring, but the giraffe at that very moment +turning sharp round, the lion missed his aim, and by the blow it +received was tossed in the air, so that he fell upon the boughs of the +mimosa on his back. The boughs were not only compact enough to bear his +weight, but the thorns that pierced through his body were so strong as +to hold the enormous animal where he lay. He could not disengage +himself; and they pointed out to me the skeleton on the boughs of the +tree, as a corroboration of the truth of the story."</p> + +<p>"It does really approach to the marvelous," observed the Major; "but, as +you say, seeing is believing. I trust that we shall be more fortunate +to-morrow."</p> + +<p>"I have gained a piece of information from Swanevelt," said Swinton, +"which makes me very anxious that we should leave this as soon as +possible; which is, that the Matabili king had no idea that we had +Griquas in our company, and still less that we were to come into his +country with only the Griquas as attendants. You are not perhaps aware +that Moselekatsee is the deadly enemy of the Griquas, with whom he has +had several severe conflicts, and that we are not very safe on that +account?"</p> + +<p>"Why did not the Griquas say so?" replied Alexander.</p> + +<p>"Because they do not care for the Matabili, and I presume are glad to +come into the country, that they may know something of it, in case of +their making an attack upon it. Depend upon it, as soon as the king +hears of it, we shall be looked upon as spies, and he may send a party +to cut us off."</p> + +<p>"Have you said any thing to the Griquas?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, and they laughed, and said that they should not care if we went +right up to the principal town, where Moselekatsee resides."</p> + +<p>"Well, they are bold enough, and so far are good traveling companions; +but we certainly did not come here to fight," observed the Major. "But +does the Matabili with us know that they are Griquas?"</p> + +<p>"He did not; he supposed that they were Cape people whom we had brought +with us; but he has found it out by the Hottentots, I suppose. Swanevelt +says, that the very first body of Matabili that we fell in with, he sent +a runner off immediately, I presume to give the information. I think, +therefore, that the sooner we can get away the better."</p> + +<p>"Well, I agree with you, Swinton," replied Alexander.</p> + +<p>"We will try for the giraffe to-morrow, and when the Major has had the +satisfaction of killing one, we will retrace our steps, for should we be +attacked, it will be impossible to defend ourselves long against +numbers. So now to bed."</p> + +<p>They rose early the next morning, and, leaving the wagon where it was, +again proceeded on horseback in search of giraffes. They rode at a slow +pace for four or five miles, before they could discover any. At last a +herd of them were seen standing together browsing on the leaves of the +mimosa. They made a long circuit to turn them, and drive them toward the +camp, and in this they succeeded. The animals set off at their usual +rapid pace, but did not keep it up long, as there were several not full +grown among them, which could not get over the ground so fast as the +large male of the preceding day. After a chase of three miles, they +found that the animals' speed was rapidly decreasing, and they were +coming up with them. When within a hundred yards, Alexander fired and +wounded a female which was in the rear. The Major pushed on with the +dogs after a large male, and it stopped at bay under a mimosa, kicking +most furiously at the dogs. The Major leveled his rifle, and brought the +animal down with his first shot. It rose again, however, and for a +hundred yards went away at a fast pace; but it again fell, to rise no +more. The female which Alexander had wounded received another shot, and +was then also prostrated."</p> + +<p>"I have killed a <i>giraffe</i>," said the Major, standing by the side of the +one he had killed. "It has been a long way to travel, and there have +been some dangers to encounter for the sake of performing this feat; but +we have all our follies, and are eager in pursuit of just as great +trifles through life; so that in this I am not perhaps more foolish than +the rest of mankind. I have obtained my wishes—I have killed a giraffe; +and now I don't care how soon we go back again."</p> + +<p>"Nor do I," replied Alexander; "for I can say with you, when we arrive +in England, I too have killed a giraffe; so you will not be able to +boast over me. By Swinton's account if we stay here much longer, we +shall have to kill Matabili, which I am not anxious to do; therefore, I +now say with you, I don't care how soon we go back to the Cape."</p> + +<p>As they were not more than two miles from the wagon, they rode back, and +sent the Griquas to bring in the flesh of the animals; Swinton not +caring for the skins, as he had already procured some in Namaqua-land, +and the weight of them would be so very great for the wagon. On their +return, they had some conversation with the Griquas, who candidly +acknowledged that it was very likely that the Matabili king would +attempt to cut them off, although they appeared not at all afraid of his +making the attempt. They, however, readily consented to return the next +morning. That night, a messenger arrived to the Matabili chief who was +escorting them. What was the communication of course our travelers could +not tell; but their suspicions were confirmed by the behavior of the +man. When he found that, on the following morning, they yoked the oxen +and retraced their steps, he begged them not to go, but to advance into +the interior of the country, where they would find plenty of game; told +them that the king would be very angry if they left so soon; and if he +did not see them, his heart would be very sad. But our travelers had +made up their mind, and traveled back during the whole of that day. The +Matabili dispatched the messenger who had come to him, and who again set +off at all speed; at night he urged our travelers not to go back, saying +that the king would be very angry with him. But as the Griquas were now +equally convinced that treachery was intended, they paid no attention +to the Matabili chief, and continued their route, shooting elands by the +way for their sustenance. Late in the evening of the third day they +found themselves on the borders of the Val river. It was still two hours +before dark, and as the Matabili pressed them to encamp where they were, +they were satisfied that they had better not, and therefore they forded +the river, and rejoined the caravan, under charge of Bremen, just as +night closed in.</p> + +<p>The Griquas said, that from the Matabili wishing them to remain on the +other side of the river, they were persuaded that a force would arrive +during that night or the following morning, and that it would be +necessary to be on the look-out; although probably the enemy would not +venture to attack them without further orders, now that they were no +longer in Moselekatsee's dominions. Every preparation was therefore +made: the Griquas and Hottentots were all supplied with ammunition, and +mustered with their guns in their hands. The wagons were arranged, the +fires lighted, and four men were posted as sentinels round the +encampment. What added still more to their suspicions was, that, about +an hour after dark, the Matabili chief was not to be found.</p> + +<p>"My opinion is," said the Major, "that we ought to steal a march upon +them. Our oxen are in excellent condition, and may travel till to-morrow +evening without feeling it. Let us yoke and be off at once, now that it +is dark. The moon will rise about two o'clock in the morning, but before +that the wagons will be twelve or fifteen miles off. Alexander and I, +with Bremen, will remain here with our horses and wait till the moon +rises, to see if we can discover any thing: and we can easily join the +wagons by daybreak. We will keep the fires up, to allow them to suppose +that we are still encamped, that they may not pursue."</p> + +<p>"And also to keep off the lions," observed Alexander, "which are not +enemies to be despised."</p> + +<p>"I think it is a very good plan; but why not have more men with you? We +have plenty of horses, and so have the Griquas."</p> + +<p>"Well then, let us talk to the Griquas."</p> + +<p>The Griquas approved of the plan; and, having their own horses, six of +them agreed to remain with Alexander and the Major, and Swanevelt and +two more of the Hottentots were also mounted to remain; which made a +force of twelve men, well mounted and well armed. The remainder of the +caravan yoked the oxen to the wagons, and, under the direction of +Swinton, set off in a southerly direction, across the desert, instead of +going by the banks of the Val River, as before.</p> + +<p>This had been arranged previously to any expected attack from the +Matabili, as it would considerably shorten the distance on returning, +although they knew that they would find much difficulty in procuring +water for a few days. After the caravan had departed, it was found that +Omrah had helped himself to a horse and a gun, and had remained in the +camp; but as he was always useful, his so doing was passed over without +notice. In half an hour the wagons were out of sight, and the noise of +their wheels was no longer to be heard.</p> + +<p>They fastened their horses in the center of the fires, and sat down by +them till the moon rose, when they directed their eyes to the opposite +bank of the river; but for some time nothing was discovered to confirm +their suspicions. When the moon was about an hour high, they perceived a +body of men coming, down toward the banks, and the moon shone upon their +shields, which were white. As soon as they arrived at the bank of the +river, they all sat down, without making any noise. Shortly afterward, +another body with dark-colored shields, made their appearance, who came +down and joined the first.</p> + +<p>"We were not wrong in our suspicions, at all events," said the Major; "I +should say that there are not less than a thousand men in these two +parties which have already appeared. Now, what shall we do? Shall we +remain here, or shall we be off, and join the wagons?"</p> + +<p>"I really can hardly decide which would be the best," replied Alexander; +"let us have a consultation with Bremen and the Griquas."</p> + +<p>"If we were to go away now," said Bremen, "the fires would soon be out, +and they might suspect something, and come over to reconnoiter. When +they found that we were gone, they would perhaps follow us, and overtake +the wagons; but if we remain here, and keep the fires up till daybreak, +the wagons will have gained so much more distance."</p> + +<p>The Griquas were of the same opinion; and it was decided that they would +remain there till daybreak, and then set off.</p> + +<p>"But," said Alexander, "shall we leave this before they can see us, or +allow them to see us?"</p> + +<p>The Griquas said, that it would be better that the enemy should see +them, as then they would know that the fires had been kept up to deceive +them, and that the wagons were probably a long way off.</p> + +<p>This having been agreed upon, a careful watch was kept upon the enemy +during the remainder of the night. Although the moon had discovered the +approach of the Matabili to the party, the spot where the camp had been +pitched was in the shade, so that from the opposite side of the river +only the fires could be distinguished. A little before dawn, some one +was heard approaching, and they were all prepared to fire, when they +discovered that it was Omrah, who, unknown to them, had crawled down to +the banks of the river to reconnoiter the enemy.</p> + +<p>Omrah, who was out of breath with running, stated that some of the +Matabili were crossing the river, and that six had landed on this side, +before he came up to give the information. He pointed to a clump of +trees, about three hundred yards off, and said that they had gone up in +that direction, and were probably there by that time.</p> + +<p>"Then we had better saddle and mount," said the Major, "and ride away +gently to the wood on this side of the camp. We shall then be able to +watch their motions without being seen."</p> + +<p>This advice was good, and approved by all. They led out their horses +without noise, and as soon as they had done so, they went back, and +threw more fuel on the fires. They then retreated to the wood, which was +about the same distance from the camp, on the other side, as the clump +of trees where the Matabili were secreted.</p> + +<p>They had hardly concealed themselves, before the Matabili in the clump, +surprised at not seeing the awnings of the wagons, and suspecting that +they had been deceived, came out from their ambuscade; first crawling on +all-fours, and as they arrived at the camp, and found only fires +burning, rising up one after another. After remaining about a minute in +consultation, two of the party were sent back to the river to +communicate this intelligence to the main body, while the others +searched about in every direction. Alexander, with the Major and their +party, remained where they were, as it was their intention to cross +through the wood, until they came to the open ground, about a quarter of +a mile to the southward, and then show themselves to the enemy, before +they went to join the wagons.</p> + +<p>In a few minutes it was daylight, and they now perceived that the whole +body of the Matabili were crossing the river.</p> + +<p>"They intend to pursue us, then," said Alexander.</p> + +<p>Omrah now pointed to the side of the river, in the direction which the +wagons had traveled when they came up by its banks, saying, "When go +away—ride that way first—same track wagon go that way back—same way +wagon come."</p> + +<p>"The boy is right," said the Major; "when we start from the wood, we +will keep by the riverside, in the track by which the wagons came; and +when we are concealed from them by the hills or trees, we will then +start off to the southward after the wagons."</p> + +<p>"I see," replied Alexander; "they will probably take the marks of the +wagon-wheels coming here, for those of the wagons going away, and will +follow them; presuming, as we go that way, that our wagons have gone +also. But here they come up the banks; it is time for us to be off."</p> + +<p>"Quite time," said the Major; "so now let us show ourselves, and then +trust to our heels."</p> + +<p>The Matabili force was now within four hundred yards of the camp. It +was broad daylight; and, with their white and red shields and short +spears in their hands, they presented a very formidable appearance.</p> + +<p>There was no time to be lost, so the party rode out of the end of the +wood nearest the river, and, as soon as they made their appearance, were +received by a yell from the warriors, who dashed forward in the +direction where they stood. The Major had directed that no one should +fire, as he and Alexander did not wish that any blood should be shed +unnecessarily. They therefore waved their hands, and turning their +horses' heads galloped off by the banks of the river, keeping in the +tracks made by the wagons when they came up.</p> + +<p>As soon as they galloped a quarter of a mile, they pulled up, and turned +their horses' heads to reconnoiter. They perceived that the Matabili +force was pursuing them at the utmost speed: but as they had no +horsemen, that speed was of course insufficient to overtake the +well-mounted party in advance. As soon as they were near, our party +again galloped off and left them behind. Thus they continued for four or +five miles, the Matabili force pursuing them, or rather following the +tracks of the wagons, when they observed a belt of trees before them +about a mile off; this the Major considered as a good screen to enable +them to alter their course without being perceived by the enemy. They +therefore galloped forward, and as soon as they were hidden by the +trees, turned off in a direction by which they made certain to fall in +with the track which the wagons had made on their departure during the +night.</p> + +<p>They had ridden about two miles, still concealed in the wood, when they +had the satisfaction of perceiving the Matabili force still following at +a rapid pace the tracks of the wagons on the riverside. Having watched +them for half an hour, as they now considered that all was safe, they +again continued their course, so as to fall in with the wagons.</p> + +<p>"I think we are clear of them now," said the Major; "they have evidently +fallen into the trap proposed by that clever little fellow, Omrah."</p> + +<p>"He is a very intelligent boy," observed Alexander, "and, traveling in +this country, worth his weight in gold."</p> + +<p>"I wish Swinton would make him over to me," said the Major; "but, +Alexander, do you observe what a change there is already in the +country?"</p> + +<p>"I do indeed," replied Alexander; "and all ahead of us it appears to be +still more sterile and bare."</p> + +<p>"Yes, when you leave the rivers, you leave vegetation of all kinds +almost. There is no regular rainy season at all here, Swinton says; we +may expect occasional torrents of rain during three months, but they are +now very uncertain; the mountains attract the greater portion of the +rain, and sometimes there will not be a shower on the plains for the +whole year."</p> + +<p>"How far shall we have to travel before we fall in with water again?" +inquired Alexander.</p> + +<p>"Swinton says there may be water in a river about sixty miles from where +we started last night; if not, we shall have to proceed about thirty +miles further, to the Gykoup or Vet River. After that we shall have to +depend for many days upon the water we may find in the holes, which, as +the season is now coming on, may probably be filled by the rain."</p> + +<p>Alexander and his party rode for seven or eight miles before they fell +in with the tracks of the caravan; they then pulled up their jaded +horses, and proceeded at a more leisurely pace, so that it was not till +late in the evening that they discovered the wagons at some distance, +having passed the dry bed of Salt River ahead of them. During the whole +day their horses had had neither food nor water, and the animals were +much exhausted when they came up with the wagons. The oxen also were +fatigued with so long a journey, having made nearly fifty miles since +they started the evening before.</p> + +<p>The country was now stony and sterile; a little vegetation was to be +found here and there, but not sufficient to meet the wants of the +animals, and water there was none. During the day but little game had +been seen,—few zebras and ostriches only; all other varieties had +disappeared. There was of course no wood to light the fires round the +encampment: a sufficiency for cooking their victuals had been thrown +into the wagons, and two sheep were killed to supply a supper for so +numerous a party. But the absence of game also denoted the absence of +lions, and they were not disturbed during the night. In the morning the +Griquas parted company with them, on the plea that their oxen and horses +were in too poor a condition to pass over the desert, and that they must +make a direct course for the Val River and return by its banks.</p> + +<p>Our travelers gave them a good supply of ammunition, the only thing that +they wished for, and the Griquas, yoking their oxen to the crazy old +wagon, set off in a westerly direction.</p> + +<p>The route of the caravan was now directed more to the south-west, and +they passed over an uninterrupted plain strewed with small +land-tortoises, and covered with a profusion of the gayest flowers. +About noon, after a sultry journey of nine hours, they fortunately +arrived at a bog, in which they found a pool of most fetid water, which +nothing but necessity could have compelled either them or the exhausted +animals to drink. Near this pool in the desert they found several wild +animals, and they obtained three gnoos for a supply of provision; the +little wood that they had in the wagon for fuel was all used up in +cooking their supper.</p> + +<p>A heavy dew fell during the night, and in the morning, before the sun +rose, they were enveloped in a thick fog. As the fog dispersed, they +perceived herds of quaggas in all directions, but at a great distance. +They again yoked the oxen and proceeded on their journey; the country +was now covered with herbage and flowers of every hue, and looked like a +garden.</p> + +<p>"How strange that the ground should be covered with flowers where there +is no rain or water to be found," observed Alexander.</p> + +<p>"It is the heavy dews of the night which support them," said Swinton, +"and perhaps the occasional rains which fall."</p> + +<p>A line of trees to the southward told them that they were now +approaching an unnamed river, and the tired oxen quickened their pace; +but on their arrival they found that the bed of the river was dry, and +not even a drop of water was to be found in the pools. The poor animals, +which had been unyoked, snuffed and smelt at the wet, damp earth, and +licked it with their tongues, but could obtain no relief. The water +which they had had in the casks for their own drinking was now, all +gone; and there were no hopes of obtaining any till they arrived at the +Vet River, at least twenty-five to thirty miles distant. Two of the oxen +lay down to rise no more, the countenances of the Hottentots were +dejected and sullen, and our travelers felt that their situation was +alarming.</p> + +<p>While they were still searching and digging for water, the sky became +overcast, thunder and lightning were seen and heard in the distance, and +the clouds came rolling in volumes toward them. Hope was now in every +face; they already anticipated the copious showers which were to +succeed; their eyes ever fixed upon the coming storm; even the cattle +appeared to be conscious that relief was at hand. All the day the clouds +continued to gather, and the lightning to gleam. Night closed in, but +the rain had not yet fallen; the wind rose up, and in less than an hour +all the clouds had passed away, the stars shone out brightly, and they +were left in a state of suffering and disappointment.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XXVII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XXVII.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>As our travelers were sitting together, each occupied with his own +melancholy thoughts, after the dispersion of the clouds and the +anticipated relief, the Major said—</p> + +<p>"It is useless our remaining here; we must all perish if we do not +proceed, and it would be better for us to yoke and travel by night; the +animals will bear the journey better, and the people will not be so +inclined to brood over their misfortunes when on the march as when thus +huddled together here, and communicating their lamentations to +dishearten each other. It is now nine o'clock; let us yoke and push on +as far as we can."</p> + +<p>"I agree with you, Major," said Alexander; "what do you say, Swinton?"</p> + +<p>"I am convinced that it will be the best plan, so let us rouse up the +people at once. There is the roar of a lion at some distance, and we +have no fires to scare them off."</p> + +<p>"The creaking of the wagon-wheels will be better than nothing," replied +the Major.</p> + +<p>The Hottentots were roused, and the orders given to yoke: the poor +fellows were all sound asleep; for a Hottentot, when he hungers or +thirsts, seeks refuge from all his miseries in sleep. The oxen were +yoked, and they proceeded; but hardly had they gone a mile, when the +roar of three or four lions, close upon them, caused such alarm to the +horses and the oxen which were not yoked that they started off in full +gallop in a northerly direction.</p> + +<p>Alexander, the Major, and Omrah, who were the best mounted, immediately +set off in pursuit of them, desiring Swinton to proceed with the +caravan, and they would drive on the cattle and join him. They galloped +off as well as the horses could gallop, and perceived the stray horses +and oxen still at full speed, as if they were chased by the lions. They +followed in the direction, but it was now so dark that they were guided +only by the clatter of their hoofs and their shoes in the distance; and +after a chase of four or five miles they had lost all vestiges of them, +and pulled up their panting steeds.</p> + +<p>"We may as well go back again," said Alexander; "the animals must have +made a circuit."</p> + +<p>"I suppose so," said the Major; "but my horse trembles so, that I had +better dismount for a little while, that he may recover himself; indeed, +so had you too and Omrah, for the animals are completely worn out."</p> + +<p>"The clouds are rising again," said Alexander; "I trust that we may not +be disappointed a second time."</p> + +<p>"Yes, and there is lightning again in the horizon—may the Almighty help +us in our distress," exclaimed the Major.</p> + +<p>The horses, exhausted from want of water, continued to pant so +fearfully, that it was nearly half an hour before they ventured to +mount, that they might return to the caravan. In the meantime the +heavens had become wholly obscured by the clouds, and there was every +prospect of a heavy shower; at last a few drops did fall.</p> + +<p>"Thank God!" exclaimed Alexander, as he lifted his face up to the +heavens, to feel the drops as they fell. "Now let us return."</p> + +<p>They mounted their horses and set off, but the stars were no longer +visible to guide them, and they proceeded on at a slow pace, uncertain +whether they were right or wrong. This they cared little about; their +thoughts were upon the coming rain, which they so anxiously awaited. For +more than three hours they were tantalized by the lightning flashing and +the thunder pealing, every moment expecting the flood-gate of the +heavens to be opened; but, as before, they were doomed to +disappointment. Before the morning dawned the clouds had again +retreated; and when the sky was clear, they found by the stars that +their horses' heads were turned to the northward and eastward.</p> + +<p>They altered their course in silence, for they were worn out and +despondent; they suffered dreadfully from thirst, and it was pitiable to +see the tongues of the poor horses hanging out of their mouths. Day +dawned, and there were no signs of the caravan. A thick vapor was rising +from every quarter, and they hoped that when it cleared up they would be +more fortunate; but no, there was the same monotonous landscape, the +same carpet of flowers without perfume. The sun was now three hours +high, and the heat was intense; their tongues clove to the roofs of +their mouths, while still they went on over flowery meads; but neither +forest nor pool, nor any trees which might denote the bed of the river, +caught their earnest gaze.</p> + +<p>"This is dreadful," said Alexander, at last, speaking with difficulty.</p> + +<p>"We are lost, that is certain," said the Major; "but we must trust in +God."</p> + +<p>"Yes, we may now say, Lord help us, or we perish," replied Alexander.</p> + +<p>At this moment, little Omrah, who had been behind, rode up to them, and +offered them one of the Hottentots' pipes, which he had lighted saying, +"Smoke,—not feel so bad." Alexander took it, and after a few whiffs +found that it had the effect or producing a little saliva, and he handed +it to the Major, who did the same, and felt immediate relief.</p> + +<p>They continued to walk their horses in a southerly direction; but the +heat was now so great, that it became almost insufferable, and at last +the horses stood still. They dismounted and drove their horses slowly +before them over the glowing plain; and now the mirage deluded and +tantalized them in the strangest manner. At one time Alexander pointed +with delight (for he could not speak) to what he imagined to be the +wagons; they pushed on, and found that it was a solitary quagga, +magnified thus by the mirage. Sometimes they thought that they saw lakes +of water in the distance, and hastened on to them; and then they fancied +they were close to rivers and islands, covered with luxuriant foliage, +but still were doomed to disappointment; as all was the result of the +highly-rarefied air, and the refraction of the sun's rays on the sultry +plain. What would they have given for a bush even to afford them any +shelter from the noonday sun, for the crowns of their heads appeared as +if covered with live coal, and their minds began to wander. The poor +horses moved at the slowest pace, and only when driven on by Omrah, who +appeared to suffer much less than his masters. Every now and then he +handed to them the pipe, but at last even that had no longer any relief. +Speech had been for some hours totally lost. Gradually the sun sunk down +to the horizon, and as his scorching rays became less intense they to a +certain degree recovered their wandering senses.</p> + +<p>At night they sat down by the side of the horses, and, worn out with +fatigue and exhaustion, fell into a troubled sleep; a sleep which, if it +relieved their worn-out frames, condemned them to the same tantalizing +feelings as had been created by the mirage during the day. They dreamed +that they were in the bowers of paradise, hearing heavenly music; +passing from crystal stream to stream, slaking their thirst at each, +and reclining on couches of verdant green. Every thing that was +delightful appeared to them in their dreams; they were in the abodes of +bliss, and thus did they remain for an hour or two, when they were +wakened up by the roar of a lion, which reminded them that they were +without food or water in the desert.</p> + +<p>They awoke speechless with thirst, their eyes inflamed, and their whole +bodies burning like a coal, and the awful roar of the lion still +reverberated along the ground. They started on their legs, and found +Omrah close to them, holding the bridles of the horses, which were +attempting to escape. They were still confused, when they were fully +restored to their waking senses by a second roar of the lion still +nearer to them; and by the imperfect light of the stars they could now +distinguish the beast at about one hundred yards' distance. Omrah put +the bridles of their two horses in their hands, and motioned them to go +on in the direction opposite to where the lion was. They did so without +reflection, mechanically obeying the directions of the man-child, and +not perceiving that Omrah did not follow them. They had advanced about +one hundred yards with the terrified animals, when another loud roar was +followed up by the shriek of the other horse, announcing that he had +become a victim to the savage animal. They both started, and dropping +the reins of their horses, hastened with their rifles to the help of +Omrah, of whose absence they now for the first time were aware; but they +were met half-way by the boy, who contrived to say with difficulty, +"Lion want horse, not little Bushman." They waited a few seconds, but +the cries of the poor animal, and the crushing and cracking of its +bones, were too painful to hear; and they hastened on and rejoined the +other horses, which appeared paralyzed with fear, and had remained +stationary.</p> + +<p>They again led their horses on for an hour, when they arrived at a small +pile of rocks; there they again lay down, for they were quite exhausted +and careless of life. Not even the roar of a lion would have aroused +them now, or if it had roused them they would have waited for the +animal to come and put an end to their misery. But another and a softer +noise attracted the quick ear of Omrah, and he pushed Alexander, and put +his finger up to induce him to listen.</p> + +<p>Having listened a little longer, Omrah made signs to Alexander and the +Major to follow him. The noise which Omrah had heard was the croaking of +a frog, which denoted water at hand, and the sniffing of the horses +confirmed him in his supposition. Omrah led the way through the rocks, +descending lower and lower; and ever and anon listening to the noise of +the animal, till he perceived the stars of heaven above reflected in a +small pool, which he pointed out to Alexander and the Major. Down they +dropped to earth and drank, and as soon as their thirst was satisfied +they rose, and pushed Omrah forward to make him drink also; and as the +boy who had saved their lives was drinking, they kneeled down and +prayed—not loud, for they had not yet recovered their speech; but if +ever grateful prayers were offered up to the Almighty throne, they were +by our two travelers, as they kneeled by the side of this small pool. +They rose and hastened to their horses, and led them down to the water, +when the poor animals filled themselves almost to bursting, walked away, +and returned to drink more. They also repeated their draught several +times, and then lay down, and would have fallen asleep by the side of +the pool had not Omrah, who could now speak freely, said, "No, no; lion +come here for water; up the rock again and sleep there—I bring horses." +This good advice was followed, and when they had gained the summit of +the rising ground they again lay down and slept till daylight.</p> + +<p>When they awoke, they found themselves much refreshed, but they now +felt—what they had not done during their extreme suffering from +thirst—the craving pangs of hunger. Omrah was fast asleep, and the +horses picking among the herbage, about two hundred yards off.</p> + +<p>"We have much to thank God for," said Alexander to the Major.</p> + +<p>"We have indeed, and, next to divine aid, we have to thank that poor +boy. We have been as children in his hands, and we are indebted to him +and his resources for our lives this night. I could not speak yesterday, +nor could you; but his courage in remaining with the horse as an +offering to the lion I shall not forget."</p> + +<p>"He is a child of the desert," replied Alexander; "he has been brought +up among lions, and where there is scarcity of water, and he has most +wonderfully guided us in our path; but we are still in the desert, and +have lost our companions. What must we do? Shall we attempt to regain +the caravan, or push off to the westward, to fall in with the river +again?"</p> + +<p>"We will talk of this an hour hence," replied the Major; "let us now go +down to the pool, and as soon as I have had a drink I will try if I can +not kill something for a meal. My hunger is now almost as great as was +my thirst."</p> + +<p>"And mine too, so I will go with you; but we must be careful how we +approach the water, as we may fall in with some animal to make a meal +of."</p> + +<p>"Or with a lion, ready to make a meal of us," replied the Major; "so in +either instance we must approach it cautiously."</p> + +<p>As they walked to the pool, they discovered the head of an antelope just +above a rock. The Major fired, and the animal fell. The report of the +rifle was answered by a roar; three lions bounded away from the rock, +and went at a quick canter over the plain.</p> + +<p>"Both our suppositions have proved correct," observed Alexander, as they +walked up to where the antelope lay dead; "but how are we to cook the +animal?"</p> + +<p>"Any dry stuff will serve for a fire, if we can only get enough, and a +very little cooking will serve us just now. Here comes Omrah. Let us +carry the game up to where we slept last night, as soon as we have had a +drink."</p> + +<p>They went to the pool, and were surprised to behold the filthy puddle +which had appeared to them so like nectar the night before. They were +not sufficiently thirsty to overcome their disgust, and they turned away +from it.</p> + +<p>Omrah now began collecting dried grass, and herbs, and lichen from the +rocks, and had soon a sufficiency to make a small fire; they struck a +light, and cutting off steaks from the antelope, were in a short time +very busy at the repast. When their hunger was appeased, they found that +their thirst was renewed, and they went down to the pool, and shutting +their eyes drank plentifully. Omrah cooked as much of the meat as the +small fire would permit, that they might not want for the next +twenty-four hours; and the horses being again led to the water to drink, +they mounted, and proceeded to the southward, followed by Omrah on foot. +Another day was passed in searching for the caravan without success. No +water was to be found. The heat was dreadful; and at night they threw +themselves down on the ground, careless of life; and had it not been +sinful they would have prayed for death. The next morning they arose in +a state of dreadful suffering; they could not speak, but they made +signs, and resolved once more to attempt to join the caravan.</p> + +<p>They proceeded during the whole of the forenoon in the direction by +which they hoped to discover the tracks of the wagons. The heat was +overpowering, and they felt all the agony of the day before. At last the +horses could proceed no further; they both lay down, and our travelers +had little hopes of their ever rising again. The scorching of the sun's +rays was so dreadful, that they thrust their heads into some empty +ant-hills to keep off the heat, and there they lay in as forlorn and +hopeless a state as the horses. Speak they could not; their parched +tongues rattled like boards against the roofs of their mouths; their +lips were swollen and bloated, and their eyes inflamed and starting from +the sockets. As Alexander afterward said to Swinton, he then recollected +the thoughts which had risen in his mind on his departure from the +English shore, and the surmise whether he might not leave his bones +bleaching in the desert; and Alexander now believed that such was to be +the case, and he prayed mentally and prepared for death. The Major was +fully possessed of the same idea; but as they lay at some yards' +distance, with their heads buried in the ant-hills, they could not +communicate with each other even by signs. At last they fell into a +state of stupor and lost all recollection. But an Almighty Providence +watched over them, and during their state of insensibility the clouds +again rose and covered the firmament, and this time they did not rise in +mockery; for, before the day was closed, torrents descended from them +and deluged the whole plain.</p> + +<p>Omrah, who had held up better than his masters, crawled out of the +ant-hill into which he had crept; and as soon as the rain descended, he +contrived to pull the heads of the Major and Alexander, who still +remained senseless, from out of the ant-hills, and to turn their +blackened and swollen faces to the sky. As their clothes became +saturated with the rain and the water poured into their mouths, they +gradually revived, and at last were completely restored. The wind now +rose and blew fresh, and before morning they were shivering with cold, +and when they attempted to get up found their limbs were cramped.</p> + +<p>Soon after daylight the rain ceased, and they were glad to bask in the +then cheering rays of the sun, which had nearly destroyed them on the +day before. The horses had recovered their legs and were feeding close +to them; and the flesh of the antelope, which had been untasted, was now +greedily devoured. Most devoutly did they return thanks for their +preservation, and the hopes which were now held out to them of +ultimately regaining the colony; for they had abandoned all hopes of +reaching the caravan, as they considered the risk of crossing the desert +too great. They made up their minds to push for the Val River as fast as +they could, and proceed back by its banks.</p> + +<p>They had two horses, and Omrah could ride behind one of them, when he +was tired; they had guns and ammunition, and although they were fully +aware of the dangers to which they would be exposed, they thought +lightly of them after what they had suffered. They now mounted their +horses, and proceeded at a slow pace toward the westward, for the poor +animals were still very weak. At sunset they had traveled about ten +miles, and looked out for a spot to pass the night. Wood to light fires +they had none, but they hoped, if their horses were not taken away by +the lions, to reach a branch of the river by the following evening. +There was now no want of water, as they repeatedly passed by small +pools, which, for a day or two at least, would not be evaporated by the +heat of the sun. But they knew that by that time, if no more rain fell, +they would have again to undergo the former terrible privations, and +therefore resolved upon continuing their course toward the river as +their safest plan, now that they had lost the caravan.</p> + +<p>As they were seated on a rising ground which they had chosen for their +night's rest, and occasionally firing off their rifles to drive away the +lions which were heard prowling about; all of a sudden Omrah cried out, +and pointed to the northward; our travelers turned and perceived a +rocket ascending the firmament, and at last breaking out into a group of +brilliant stars.</p> + +<p>"It is the caravan," exclaimed the Major; "Swinton has remembered that I +put some rockets into my wagon."</p> + +<p>"We must have passed it," said Alexander, springing on his feet. "God be +praised for all his mercies."</p> + +<p>"Amen," replied the Major devoutly.</p> + +<p>Omrah ran after the horses, which were feeding close to them, for their +instinctive fear of the lions made them keep as close as possible to +their masters. They were soon mounted, with Omrah behind the Major, and +set off at all the speed that they could obtain from the animals. After +an interval another rocket was seen, and by its light they discovered +that they were not a mile from the wagons. The horses appeared to be +sensible of this, and went off at a quicker pace; and in a few minutes +they had rushed in among the cattle, and Alexander and the Major were +received into the arms of Swinton, and surrounded by the Hottentots, who +were loud in their congratulations at their return.</p> + +<p>As soon as Alexander and the Major had made known their perils and +sufferings to Swinton, the latter informed them that about three hours +after they had left the caravan in pursuit of the cattle, the animals +had returned, that of course, he had fully expected them to follow.</p> + +<p>Finding that they did not arrive, he had decided upon remaining where +he was, at all events, for another day; but that the cattle were by that +time so exhausted, that it was with difficulty they were moved, and he +could not proceed with them more than ten miles, when they lay down in +their yokes. Thirteen had died, and the others must have shared their +fate, if it had not been for the providential rain, which had restored +them.</p> + +<p>Swinton stated that he had been in a great state of alarm for them, and +that he had almost satisfied himself that they had perished, although he +had used every means that he could think of. When he fired the rockets +off, he had scarcely a hope of thus bringing them back to the caravan.</p> + +<p>"However," observed Swinton, "it shows that we should never despair, and +never leave a chance untried, even in the most desperate circumstances. +You are back again, and I thank the Almighty for it with all my heart +and all my soul and all my strength, most fervently and most sincerely. +I have been very, very miserable, I can assure you, my dear fellows. The +idea of returning to the Cape without you was dreadful. Indeed, I never +would have left the country until I had found you, or had some clew to +your deaths."</p> + +<p>"Our preservation has indeed been miraculous," replied the Major; "I +never thought to have raised my head out of the ant-hill again."</p> + +<p>"Nor I," replied Alexander; "and next to the Almighty, we certainly owe +our lives to little Omrah. There is nothing that I would not do for that +boy, if you will only give him over to my care."</p> + +<p>"Or mine, Swinton," replied the Major.</p> + +<p>"Depend upon it," replied Swinton, "I will do all for him that ought to +be done; I owe him a debt of gratitude for preserving my friends, and +will not forget to repay it."</p> + +<p>"Well then, you must allow us to help him as well," replied the Major. +"How far are we now from the Modder River?"</p> + +<p>"About forty miles, I should think, and we had better push on as fast as +we, can; for although the river will contain water, the pools in the +desert between us and the river will soon be dried up. The cattle, +however, are still very weak, and, as I have stated, we have lost all +our relays. But you must long to have a good night's rest, so go to your +wagons, and we will watch and keep off the wild beasts. We have been +obliged to fire our guns all night long since your absence, and have +burned one of the spare poles of the wagons to cook our victuals."</p> + +<p>Every thing is comparative. When our travelers first took up their +night's lodgings in the wagons they found their resting-places hard, +after sleeping in comfortable beds at Cape Town; but now, after having +passed their nights in the wild desert, their mattresses in the wagons +were a luxury that was fully appreciated. Returning thanks to Heaven for +their preservation, Alexander and the Major slept soundly till morning, +notwithstanding that the latter was often half roused by the +importunities of Begum, who appeared delighted at the return of her +master.</p> + +<p>At daylight the oxen were yoked, and they proceeded on their journey. +There was no want of game; indeed they were so plentiful, that they shot +them from the caravan as they passed. At night they had made twenty-five +miles, and before they had unyoked, a deluge of rain again fell, and +they passed a very uncomfortable night, as it was very cold, and they +could light no fires, from want of fuel. Any thing, however, was better +than the want of water; and early in the morning they again yoked their +oxen, and, after a hard day's toil, were rejoiced to perceive at a +distance the trees which lined the banks of the Modder River. The sight +was hailed with joy by the Hottentots, who shouted aloud; for they +considered their dangers and difficulties to be over, now that they were +approaching to the boundaries of the colony.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XXVIII'></a><h2>CHAPTER XXVIII.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>As the cattle required some repose, after the sufferings they had gone +through, our travelers resolved to remain a few days on the banks of the +Modder River. The pasturage was fine and the game abundant. Gnoos and +springboks were to be seen in every direction, and quaggas, bonteboks, +and several other varieties of antelopes, were in profusion over the now +undulating country. Neither were our travelers sorry to have some repose +for themselves, although every mile that they drew nearer to the Cape +made them more anxious to return.</p> + +<p>As usual, the caravan was halted on a rising ground, at some distance +from the river, to avoid the wild beasts, which during the day were +concealed, and during the night prowled on its banks, to spring upon the +animals which came down for water. As there was now plenty of wood, the +fires were again lighted at night, and the oxen driven in and tied up. +During the day, the animals reveled on the luxurious pasture, and in a +week had become quite sleek and in good condition.</p> + +<p>Every day our travelers went out to hunt for a supply of provisions, and +never returned without more than was sufficient. Swinton was anxious to +possess one or two more specimens of the oryx, or gemsbok. This +antelope, we have before observed, from having very straight horns, +which at a distance appear as one, has given rise to the fabulous animal +the unicorn, which is now one of the supporters of the royal arms. It is +a very formidable animal; being the one that our travelers found with +its horns pierced through the lion which had attacked it. The horses +being now fresh and in good heart, Alexander and the Major went in +pursuit of this animal very often, but without success, as the chase was +continually interrupted by the herds of ostriches and other game which +fell in their way.</p> + +<p>One morning, having discovered with the telescope that three of these +gemsbok were some miles distant on a rising ground, they set off, +accompanied by a portion of the Hottentots on foot, who were desired to +go round, so as to drive the animals toward the camp. Bremen and Big +Adam were of the party, and they had made a circuit of three or four +miles, so as to get on the other side of the game, which now darted down +from the high ground, and, descending on the plain, stopped for a while +looking at their pursuers, while the horsemen advanced toward them in +the opposite direction. A shot from Alexander at last brought one of +these splendid animals to the ground, while the others fled off to a +distance, so as to give no hopes of again coming up with them; and the +party on foot, as well as the horsemen, now proceeded to the spot where +the gemsbok lay dead.</p> + +<p>As Swinton wanted the animal for a specimen, it was placed on the back +of the horse which Omrah rode as usual, and one of the Hottentots went +off with it to the camp, which was not more than three miles distant. +They were debating whether they should make an attempt to get near to +the other gemsbok, which were still in sight at a distance, or try for +some other game, when they perceived three lions not far from them on a +rising ground; and suddenly the horses, from which they had dismounted +to give them time to recover their wind, broke loose from the Hottentots +who held the bridles, and galloped away toward the camp. The cause of +the panic was now evident, for a very large male lion had detached +himself from the other two, and was advancing slowly toward the party.</p> + +<p>As soon as they perceived the approach of the lion, which they had not +at first, they all seized their guns; but being wholly unprepared for +such a sudden attack, there was a great deal of confusion; the Major +crying out, "Let no one fire till I tell him," only produced more alarm +among the Hottentots, all of whom, except Bremen, appeared to be at +their wits' ends. When within fifty yards, the lion made one or two +bounds, and in a moment was among them all, before they could bring +their guns to their shoulders; the retreat was general in every +direction, and not a shot was fired.</p> + +<p>All, however, did not escape; Big Adam had started back, and coming with +all his force against Omrah, who was standing behind him, had fallen +over the boy, and they were both flat on their backs, when the lion +made his spring. The lion was standing up, looking proudly at his flying +enemies, when Big Adam, who was close to him, attempted to rise and gain +his feet; but perceiving this, the animal, with a blow of its fore-paw, +laid him prostrate again, set its foot upon his breast, and in this +attitude again looked proudly round him, as if confident of his +superiority.</p> + +<p>Omrah, who had sense enough to lie still, had yet his eyes sufficiently +opened to see what was going on; and as the lion appeared to be looking +at the scattered party, in a direction away from him, Omrah made one or +two turns over, so as to get further off, hoping that he might escape +unperceived. The lion, however, heard the rustling, and turning round +growled at him, and Omrah remained still again. As Big Adam's feet were +turned toward Omrah, the lion now took up his position, deliberately +lying down at full length upon Big Adam's body, with his hind-quarters +upon the Hottentot's face, so that he not only secured his prisoner, but +watched Omrah, who lay about three yards from him.</p> + +<p>In the mean time the anxiety of the other party may be imagined; they +considered that Big Adam and Omrah must be sacrificed. It was proposed +to fire with good aim, so as, if possible, to bring the animal's +attention and indignation upon themselves; but Swinton cried out not to +fire on any account. "The animal is not hungry or even angry," said +Swinton. "If let alone, he will probably walk away without doing them +injury. At all events, our firing will be the signal for their +destruction."</p> + +<p>The advice of Swinton was considered good, especially as it was backed +by that of Bremen, who also said that the lion was not hungry, and that, +by the way in which he, moved his tail, he was evidently more inclined +to play than any thing else.</p> + +<p>But in the mean time the pressure of the lion, whose weight was +enormous, was not only more than Big Adam could bear, but the +hind-quarters of the animal being over his face prevented him from +breathing; and at last he was compelled to struggle to get his head +clear. The consequence of his struggling was a severe bite on the leg, +inflicted on poor Adam; not, however, in a furious manner; for the lion +merely caught at him as a cat would at a mouse, to prevent its escape, +or because it was not quite dead. However, Big Adam had so far +disengaged his head that he could now breathe; and as the party kept +crying out to him to lie still, he continued so to do, although nearly +suffocated with the enormous weight of the animal.</p> + +<p>Omrah, who had remained still during all this time, perceiving that the +lion was licking the blood which flowed from the wound in Big Adam's +leg, thought that he might as well try another roll over, and being on +his back, he turned over on his face away from the lion. Thereupon the +lion rose from off Big Adam, walked up to Omrah, and, to the horror of +our travelers, took up the boy by his waistcloth, and, carrying him like +a small bundle in his mouth, went back to Big Adam, and laying Omrah +close down to the Hottentot's head, again took up his position on his +body; now, however, with his paws upon the Hottentot's breast, so that +he might keep Omrah in view before him. Little Omrah had sense enough +not to move during the time that the lion carried him, or after he was +laid down.</p> + +<p>The change in the position of the lion occasioned our travelers and the +party to walk round, so as to be able to watch the countenance of the +animal, as every thing depended upon the temper he might be in. The +Major and Alexander became very impatient, and were for advancing to the +attack, but Swinton persuaded them not to do so until the last moment.</p> + +<p>The lion now put its fore-paw upon the Hottentot's mouth, and again +stopped his breath; this occasioned another struggle on the part of Big +Adam, which was followed by the animal seizing him by the arm and biting +him severely; but in so doing the lion removed its paw, and the man +could breathe again. The taste of blood appeared pleasant to the lion, +for it continued biting the arm, descending from the shoulder to the +hand, and as the blood flowed from the wounds on its paws, the lion +licked it off. Again and again it licked its paw clean, and then, with +its glaring eyes fixed intently upon the Hottentot's face, it smelt him +first on one side and then on the other, and appeared only to be waiting +for a return of appetite to commence a deliberate meal upon the poor +fellow's body.</p> + +<p>In the mean time our travelers were standing about seventy yards +distant, waiting for the signal to attack, when Bremen observed to +Swinton—</p> + +<p>"He won't wait much longer, sir; the blood has given him an appetite. We +must now drive him away, or they will both be killed."</p> + +<p>"I think so too," replied Swinton; "let us first try if we can disturb +him without making him angry; that will be the best way. We must go back +out of springing distance, and then all shout together, and keep +hallooing at him."</p> + +<p>This advice was followed; they retreated a hundred yards, and then all +shouted at once, and after that the Hottentots hallooed and bawled to +the lion. This had the effect intended: the lion rose from the bodies +and advanced toward the party, who stood still hallooing at him, but not +attempting to irritate him by presenting their guns. The lion looked +steadfastly at them for some time, and then turned away. After +retreating a few steps, it turned back to face them; the whole party +continued on the same spot, neither advancing so as to irritate him, nor +retreating so as to let the animal suppose that they were afraid of him. +When the lion had continued for a few minutes this course of retreating +and advancing, he turned right round, and went away at a hand canter, +and our travelers immediately hastened to the spot where Big Adam and +Omrah were still lying.</p> + +<p>Omrah, who was not at all hurt, instantly jumped on his legs, and, if he +had been afraid, appeared to have quite recovered his courage, as he cut +all manner of capers, and laughed immoderately; but Big Adam was greatly +exhausted and could not move, as much from the immense pressure of the +lion's enormous body, as from the blood that he had lost by the wounds +which he had received. On examination, the bite in his leg was found to +be much the most serious, as the bone was injured; the wounds on his arm +were all flesh-wounds, and although very painful, were not dangerous. +He was at present unable to speak, and was carried by his comrades to +the camp. Our travelers followed the Hottentots, as they all had enough +of hunting for that day. As soon as they arrived, Big Adam's wounds were +dressed by Swinton, and the poor fellow was accommodated with a bed, +made up for him in the baggage-wagon. They remained two days more on the +banks of the Modder River, and then they forded it and continued their +journey.</p> + +<p>On the second day they perceived some small human figures on the summit +of a hill at some distance, which the Hottentots declared to be Bushmen, +of which people there were numerous hordes in this part of the country. +An attempt was made to open a communication with them, but in vain, as +when any of the party advanced on horseback toward them, the Bushmen +made a precipitate retreat. As they were now in the neighborhood of +these plunderers, every care was taken of the cattle, which were tied up +before dark to prevent their being stolen.</p> + +<p>On the following day they very unexpectedly fell in with a party of nine +of the Bushmen, who were very busy devouring a quagga, which they had +killed. They replied to questions put to them with much fear and +trembling, and, having been presented with some tobacco, they made a +precipitate retreat. On that night the fires of the Bushmen were to be +seen on several of the surrounding hills. They continued their course on +the following day, when they fell in with about twenty women of the race +we have just mentioned, who approached the caravan without fear, +requesting tobacco and food; the former was given to them in small +quantities, and a shot from the Major's rifle soon procured them the +latter. They were now without water again, and had no chance of +procuring any, except from the pools, until they arrived at the Nu +Gariep, or Black River, which they had crossed when they came out from +the Caffre Land.</p> + +<p>Having traveled till dark, they halted under a hill, and were soon +afterward joined by a party of Bushwomen, who continued with them in +spite of all their attempts to get rid of them. They were very small in +person, well made, and the young were rather pretty in their features, +but their ornaments were enough to disgust any one but a Hottentot; for +they were smeared with grease and red ocher, and were adorned with the +entrails of animals as necklaces. The Hottentots, however, appeared to +think this very delightful, and were pleased with their company, and as +the women showed them a pool of water, where the oxen could drink, it +was not considered advisable to drive them away. But Swinton observed, +that it would be necessary to keep a very sharp lookout, as the women +were invariably sent by the Bushmen as spies, that they might watch the +opportunity for stealing cattle.</p> + +<p>They now resumed their former plan; starting at a very early hour, and +traveling till afternoon, when the cattle were allowed several hours to +feed, and were then tied up for the night to the wagons. Indeed the +lions were now not so numerous as they had been, and they had more to +fear from the Bushmen and the hyenas, which were very plentiful.</p> + +<p>The next day fully proved the truth of this, for the oxen, having been +unyoked as usual to feed, about two o'clock in the afternoon, had been +led to a hollow of luxuriant pasture by the cattle-keepers, where they +could not be seen from the caravan, although they were not half a mile +off. Toward dusk, when it was time to drive them in and tie them up to +the wagons, it was found that the cattle-keepers, who had been in +company with the Bushwomen, had neglected their charge, and they were +not to be found.</p> + +<p>The keepers came running in, stating that a lion had scared the cattle, +and that the animals had galloped off to a great distance. But Omrah, +who had gone to where the cattle had been feeding, returned to the camp +and told Swinton that it was not lions but Bushmen who had stolen them; +and, bringing the horses ready saddled to the Major and Alexander, said, +that if they did not follow them immediately, the cattle would be all +killed. It was also observed that the Bushwomen had all disappeared.</p> + +<p>Swinton, who was well aware of the customs of the Bushmen, immediately +proposed that they should mount as many as they could, and go in chase, +as there was not an hour to be lost. In half an hour a party, consisting +of our three travelers, Bremen, Omrah, and three of the most trusty of +the Hottentots, who were all that they could mount, set off in the +direction which they knew must have been taken, so as to conceal the +cattle from the sight of those in the caravan; and it being a fine +moonlight night, the keen eyes of Omrah tracked them for more than five +miles, where they were at fault, as the traces of their hoofs were no +longer to be seen.</p> + +<p>"What shall we do now?" said the Major.</p> + +<p>"We must trust to Omrah," replied Swinton, "he knows the habits of his +people well, and they will not deceive him."</p> + +<p>Omrah, who had been very busy kneeling on the ground, and striking a +light every now and then with a flint and steel, to ascertain the track +more distinctly, now came up and made them comprehend that the Bushmen +had turned back upon the very track they had gone upon, and that they +must return and find where they diverged from it again.</p> + +<p>This created considerable delay, as they had to walk the horses back for +more than a mile, when they again found the footing of the cattle +diverging from the track to the southward and eastward, in the direction +of some hills.</p> + +<p>They now made all the haste that they could, and proceeded so rapidly on +the track, that in about an hour they perceived the whole herd of oxen +driven up the side of a hill by a party of Bushmen. They put spurs to +their horses and galloped as fast as they could in pursuit, and soon +came up with them; when a discharge of rifles left three Bushmen on the +ground and put all the rest to flight. The cattle, which were much +frightened, were with some difficulty turned and driven back toward the +encampment. In the mean time the disappointed Bushmen had turned upon +those near, and were letting fly their arrows from the bushes where they +were concealed and continued thus to assail them until the party arrived +at the open plain. One of the Hottentots was wounded by an arrow in the +neck; but that was the only accident which occurred to any of the party, +and this was not known to our travelers until after their arrival at +the encampment, when it was almost daybreak; and then, tired with the +fatigues of the night, all were glad to obtain a few hours' rest.</p> + +<p>When they rose the next morning, Swanevelt informed them that nine of +the oxen were so wounded with the poisoned arrows of the Bushmen, that +they could not live; and also, that Piets the Hottentot had been badly +wounded in the neck with one of the arrows. Swinton immediately ordered +the man to be brought to him, as he was well aware of the fatal effects +of a wound from a Bushman's arrow.</p> + +<p>It appeared that Piets had pulled the arrow out of his neck, but that +some pieces of the barb had remained in the wound, and that these his +companions had been extracting with their knives, and the wound was very +much inflamed in consequence. Swinton immediately cut out as much of the +affected part as he could, applied ammonia to the wound, and gave him +laudanum to mitigate the pain, which was very acute; but the poor fellow +lay groaning during the whole of the day.</p> + +<p>They now examined the wounded oxen, which were already so swollen with +the poison that there were no hopes of saving them, and they were +immediately put out of their pain. Several others were found slightly +hurt, but not so as to lose all hopes of their recovery; but this +unfortunate circumstance prevented them from continuing their journey +for two days; as the whole of the oxen had been much harassed and cut by +the Bushmen, although not wounded by poisoned arrows. During this delay, +the poor Hottentot became hourly worse; his head and throat were much +swollen, and he said that he felt the poison working within him.</p> + +<p>After many hours of suffering, during which swellings appeared in +various parts of his body, the poor fellow breathed his last; and the +next day being Sunday, they remained as usual, and the body of the +unfortunate man was consigned to a grave. This event threw a cloud over +the whole caravan, and whenever any of the Bushwomen made their +appearance at a distance, and made signs that they wished to come into +the camp, an angry bullet was sent instantly over their heads, which +made them take to their heels.</p> + +<p>On the Monday morning they again started with their reduced trains, for +now they had barely sufficient cattle to drag the wagons. Fortunately +they were but a few miles from the Nu Gariep, and they arrived at its +banks before evening. The next day they crossed it with difficulty, +putting all the oxen to two of the wagons and then returning for the +others.</p> + +<p>They were now once more in the colony, and their dangers and +difficulties were now to be considered over. It was not, however, till a +week afterward that they succeeded in crossing the Sweenberg and +arriving at Graff Reynet. At this beautiful spot they remained for a few +days, to make arrangements and to procure horses, that they might +proceed to Cape Town as fast as possible, leaving Bremen in charge of +the wagons, which he was to bring down to them as soon as he could. We +shall pass over the remainder of their journey on horseback, as there +was nothing remarkable to be related. Suffice it to say, that on the +11th of January, 1830, they arrived safe and sound at Cape Town, and +were warmly congratulated by Mr. Fairburn and their many friends, after +all the dangers and difficulties which they had encountered.</p> + + + +<hr style='width: 65%;' /> +<a name='CHAPTER_XXIX'></a><h2>CHAPTER XXIX.</h2> +<br /> + +<p>Alexander Wilmot again took possession of the apartments in Mr. +Fairburn's house, and was not sorry once more to find himself surrounded +by all the comforts and luxuries of civilization. He could scarcely +believe where he was when he woke up the first morning, and found that +he had slept the whole night without being disturbed by the roar of a +lion or the cries of the hyena and jackal: and after the habit to which +he had been so long accustomed, of eating his meals in the open air with +his plate on his knees, he could hardly reconcile himself for a few days +to a well laid-out table. The evenings were passed in narrating their +adventures to Mr. Fairburn, who was truly glad of the result of the +mission to Port Natal, as it would be so satisfactory to old Sir +Charles.</p> + +<p>Alexander was now most anxious to return to England, and resolved to +take his passage in the first ship which sailed after the arrival of the +wagon with his effects. In the mean time his mornings were chiefly +passed with Swinton and the Major, the latter of whom intended to go to +England by the same vessel as Alexander. In three weeks after their +return to the Cape, the four wagons arrived, and excited much curiosity, +as they were filled with every variety of the animal kingdom which was +indigenous to the country. Swinton's treasures were soon unloaded and +conveyed to his house, and our naturalist was as happy as an +enthusiastic person could be in the occupation that they gave him. +Alexander only selected a few things, among which were the skins of the +lion and lioness. As for the Major, he had had all his pleasure in the +destruction of the animals.</p> + +<p>Bremen reported that all the Hottentots had behaved very well, and that +Big Adam had nearly recovered, and was able to limp about a little, +although it would be a long while before he would regain the perfect use +of his leg. Alexander now sent for them all, and paid them their wages, +with an extra sum as a gratuity for their good conduct. To Bremen and +Swanevelt, who had invariably conducted themselves faithfully, and who +had been the leading and most trustworthy men, he gave to each a wagon +and span of ten oxen as a present by which they might in future obtain +their livelihood, and the poor fellows considered themselves as rich as +the king of England. The other wagons and cattle of every description +were left with Swinton to be disposed of.</p> + +<p>The Major pressed Swinton very hard to part with little Omrah, but +Swinton would not consent. The Major therefore presented Omrah with one +of his best rifles, and accouterments to correspond, as a mark of his +attachment; and Alexander desired that all the money which was realized +by the sale of the remaining wagons and other articles, as well as the +cattle and horses, should be put by for Omrah's benefit. As a keepsake, +Alexander gave the lad his telescope, with which he knew that would be +highly pleased.</p> + +<p>We may here as well observe, that, a few months after Alexander and the +Major left the Cape, Omrah, who had been placed at a school by Swinton, +was admitted into the church, and baptized by the name of Alexander +Henderson Omrah; Alexander and the Major being his sponsors by proxies. +He turned out a very clever scholar, and remains with Swinton at this +moment. He has more than once accompanied him into the interior, and has +done much in reclaiming his countrymen, the bushmen, from their savage +way of life, and has been of great service to the missionaries as +interpreter of the Word to his heathen brethren.</p> + +<p>About a fortnight after the return of the wagons to Cape Town, a free +trader cast anchor in Table Bay to take in water, and Alexander and the +Major secured a passage in her to England. Alexander parted with great +regret from Mr. Fairburn and Swinton, with whom he promised to +correspond, and they sailed with a fair wind for St. Helena, where they +remained for a few days, and took that opportunity of visiting the tomb +of Napoleon, the former emperor of the French. A seven weeks' passage +brought them into the Channel-and they once more beheld the white cliffs +of England.</p> + +<p>Alexander's impatience to see his uncle, from whom he had found a letter +waiting for him on his return to the Cape, stating that he was in +tolerable health, induced him to leave the ship in a pilot-boat, and +land at Falmouth. Taking leave for a time of the Major, who preferred +going on to Portsmouth, Alexander traveled with all possible speed, and +on the second day arrived at his uncle's.</p> + +<p>"Is my uncle quite well!" said Alexander, as he leaped out of the +chaise, to the old butler who was at the door.</p> + +<p>"No sir, not quite well: he has been in bed for this last week, but +there is nothing serious the matter, I believe."</p> + +<p>Alexander hastened up stairs and was once more in the arms of Sir +Charles Wilmot, who embraced him warmly, and then, exhausted with the +emotion, sank back on his pillow.</p> + +<p>"Leave me for a little while, my dear boy, till I recover myself a +little," said Sir Charles. "I have no complaint, but I am very weak and +feeble. I will send for you very soon."</p> + +<p>Alexander, who was himself much affected, was not sorry to withdraw for +a while, and sent the housekeeper, who attended his aged relative, into +the room. In about an hour a message arrived requesting that he would +return to his uncle.</p> + +<p>"And now, my dear, kind boy, tell me every thing. I am indeed overjoyed +to see you back again; I have not had one line from you since you left +the Cape, and I really think that the worry and anxiety that I have felt +have been the cause of my taking to my bed. Now you are back I shall be +quite well again. Now tell me all, and I will not interrupt you."</p> + +<p>Alexander sat down on the bed, and entered into a full detail of the +results of his expedition to Port Natal; reading over all the memoranda +which they had collected, and satisfactorily proving that the +descendants of the Europeans then existing could not by any possibility +be from those who had been lost in the <i>Grosvenor</i> East Indiaman.</p> + +<p>Sir Charles Wilmot listened in silence to all Alexander had to say, and +then, joining his hands above the bed-clothes, exclaimed, "Gracious +Lord, I thank Thee that this weight has been removed from my mind." He +then for some minutes prayed in silence, and when he had finished, he +requested Alexander to leave him till the evening.</p> + +<p>The physician having called shortly after Alexander left his uncle, +Alexander requested his opinion as to Sir Charles's state of health. The +former replied—"He has but one complaint, my dear sir, which all the +remedies in the world are not very likely to remove: it is the natural +decay of nature, arising from old age, I do not consider that he is in +any immediate danger of dissolution. I think it very likely that he may +never rise from his bed again; but, at the same time, he may remain +bedridden for months. He sinks very gradually, for he has had naturally +a very strong constitution, I believe the anxiety of his mind, arising +from your absence, and the blame he laid on himself for having allowed +you to undertake your expedition, have worn him more than any thing +else; but now that you have returned, I have no doubt, after the first +excitement is over, that he will rally. Still man is born to die, Mr. +Wilmot, and your uncle has already lived beyond the three-score years +and ten allotted to the average age of man. Depend upon it, every thing +shall be done which can protract a life so dear to you."</p> + +<p>Alexander thanked the physician, and the latter then went up stairs to +Sir Charles. On his return, he informed Alexander that Sir Charles's +pulse was stronger, but something must be allowed for the excitement +which he had undergone.</p> + +<p>When Alexander saw his uncle in the evening, the latter again thanked +him for having undertaken the expedition, and having brought back such +satisfactory accounts.</p> + +<p>"I am much your debtor, my dear boy," said he; "and if it is any +satisfaction to you (which I am sure it must be from your kind heart) to +know that you have smoothed the death-bed of one who loves you, you have +your reward. I feel quite strong now; and if it will not be too much +trouble, I should like you to give me a narrative of the whole +expedition; not all at once, but a little now and then. You shall begin +now, and mind you enter into every little detail,—every thing will +interest me."</p> + +<p>Alexander commenced his narrative, as his uncle requested, stating to +him how they were fitted out; the names of all the people; describing +Swinton and the Major, and giving a much closer narrative of what passed +than we have done in these pages. After an hour or so, during which +Alexander had not got so far in his narrative as to have quitted the +Cape for Algoa Bay, he left off, that he might not weary his uncle, and +wished him good-night.</p> + +<p>For many weeks did the narrative, and the conversation produced by it, +serve to amuse and interest the old gentleman, who still remained in his +bed. But long before it was finished, Major Henderson had arrived at +the hall, and had been introduced to Sir Charles, who was much pleased +with him, and requested him to remain as long as he found it agreeable. +The Major, at Alexander's request, had the lion and lioness set up in +Leadbeater's best style, and the case had now arrived at the hall, and +was brought up into Sir Charles's room, that he might have some idea of +the animals with which they had had to contend; and there it remained, +for the old gentleman would not allow it to be taken away.</p> + +<p>"I must send out a present to that little Omrah," said Sir Charles, one +morning, as he was conversing with the Major; "what shall it be?"</p> + +<p>"Well, sir, I hardly know; but I think the best present for him would be +a watch."</p> + +<p>"Then, Major, order one of the best gold watches that can be made, when +you go to town, and send it out to him; and, Major,—I am sorry to give +you that trouble, but I am an old bedridden man, and that must be my +excuse,—take the keys from the dressing-table, and open the small +drawer of that cabinet, and you will find two morocco cases in it, which +I will thank you to bring to me."</p> + +<p>The Major did so, and Sir Charles, raising himself on his pillow, opened +the cases, which contained each a massive ring, in which was set a +diamond of great value.</p> + +<p>"These two rings were presented me by Eastern princes, Major, at the +time that I was resident in their country. There is little difference in +their value, but you would find it difficult to match the stones, even +in England. I will shut the cases up again, and now that I have shut +them up in my hands, take one out for me. Thank you, Major; that one is +a present from me to our friend Swinton, and you must send it out to him +with the watch for the Bush-boy. The other, Major, I hope you will not +refuse to accept as a testimony of my gratitude to you, for having +accompanied my dear boy on his expedition."</p> + +<p>Sir Charles put the other case into the Major's hands.</p> + +<p>"I certainly will not refuse any thing as a remembrance from you, Sir +Charles," replied the Major; "I accept your splendid present with many +thanks, and so will Swinton, I am certain; but he will be more pleased +with the kind attention than he will be with its great value; and I +trust you will believe me when I add that such is also my own feeling."</p> + +<p>"I only hope you may have both as much pleasure in receiving as I have +in giving them," replied Sir Charles; "so put them in your pocket and +say no more about them. There is Alexander coming up, I know his tread; +I hope you do not mean to desert him now that the shooting season is +coming on; he will be very lonely, poor fellow, without you."</p> + +<p>"I have good news, my dear uncle," said Alexander, as he entered; +"Swinton is coming home; I have a letter from him, and he will be here, +he trusts, a fortnight after his letter."</p> + +<p>"I shall be most happy to shake hands with him," said Sir Charles. "Pray +write for him to come down immediately he arrives."</p> + +<p>Three weeks after this announcement Swinton made his appearance, and we +hardly need say was most warmly welcomed. Omrah he would not bring with +him, as he wished him to continue his education; but the Major declared +that he had left the boy because he was afraid of his being taken from +him. Our travelers were thus all reunited, and they agreed among +themselves that it was quite as comfortable at the hall as it was at the +Bechuana country; and that if the sporting was not quite so exciting, at +all events it was not quite so dangerous.</p> + +<p>Swinton and the Major remained with Alexander till the opening of the +next year, and then they both left at the same time, and sailed in the +same ship; the Major to rejoin his regiment in India, Swinton to his +favorite locality in Africa, to obtain some more specimens in natural +history.</p> + +<p>As the physician had declared, Sir Charles never rose from his bed +again; but he sunk so gradually that it was almost imperceptible, and it +was not until the summer of that year that he slept with his fathers, +dying without pain, and in perfect possession of his senses.</p> + +<p>Alexander now came into possession of the estates and title, and +certainly he entered upon them without any reproach as to his conduct +toward his uncle, who died blessing him. And now my tale is ended, and I +wish my young readers farewell.</p> +<br /> + +<p>THE END</p> + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Mission, by Frederick Marryat + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MISSION *** + +***** This file should be named 13276-h.htm or 13276-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/3/2/7/13276/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Dave Macfarlane and PG Distributed +Proofreaders + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Mission + +Author: Frederick Marryat + +Release Date: August 25, 2004 [EBook #13276] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MISSION *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Dave Macfarlane and PG Distributed +Proofreaders + + + + + + + +THE MISSION +OR +SCENES IN AFRICA + +_WRITTEN FOR YOUNG PEOPLE_ + +BY +CAPTAIN MARRYAT +AUTHOR OF "FRANK MILDMAY," "PERCIVAL KEENE," "PHANTOM SHIP," "DOG +FIEND," "JACOB FAITHFUL," "POACHER," ETC., ETC. + +_WITH ILLUSTRATIONS_ + + +GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND SONS +LONDON: BROADWAY, LUDGATE HILL +NEW YORK: 9 LAFAYETTE PLACE + +[Illustration: THE ONWARD MARCH.--_Front_. P. 226.] + + +CONTENTS. + + +CHAPTER I. + +Account of Sir Charles Wilmot--Loss of the Grosvenor--Sir +Charles's doubts respecting the Survival of his Wife and +Children--Alexander Wilmot--His Character--The Newspaper +Paragraph--Details of the Wreck of the Grosvenor--Surmises +as to the Fate of the Passengers + + +CHAPTER II. + +Alexander's Reflections--His Plan--Sir Charles opposes it--His +unwilling Consent--Alexander's Departure + + +CHAPTER III. + +Alexander's Melancholy--Finds a Friend--Sea Sickness--Mr. +Fairburn--The Passengers--Conversations--The Cape--Mr. Fairburn's +Account of the Treatment of the Hottentots by the Dutch + + +CHAPTER IV. + +Natural History discussed--Mr. Swinton's Enthusiasm--Further +History of the Cape--Dutch Barbarity--Alexander's Indignation + + +CHAPTER V. + +Aquatic Birds--Guano--Mr. Fairburn's Narrative +continued--Stuurman--Mokanna--The Attack--Failure of the Caffres + + +CHAPTER VI. + +Sharks--Their Cowardice--Attack on one by Neptune--Divers' Dangers--Mr. +Fairburn continues his Story--Mokanna's Fate--Disturbances among the +Caffre Tribes + + +CHAPTER VII. + +Mr. Swinton agrees to accompany Alexander--Land, ho!--Cape +Town--Major Henderson--He joins the Party--Begum--Chaka's +History + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +Night in Algoa Bay--The Major meets Maxwell--Preparations +to start--The Caravan--Description of it--The Departure + + +CHAPTER IX. + +The Plans of the Adventurers--Big Adam's Bravery--Milius--His +Refreshments--What his House contained--Speech to the Hottentots--The +Bushman Boy, Prince Omrah + + +CHAPTER X. + +Wild Beasts--Insubordination of the Hottentots--Danger from +Elephants--Their hideous Shrieks--Big Adam's Terror--Lieutenant +Hoodie's wonderful Escape--Sagacity of the Elephant--Intentions +of the Party + + +CHAPTER XI. + +Arrival at Mr. S.'s Station--The Quarrel between Hinza and Voosani--An +Escort proposed--The Caffre Character--The Sabbath--Painful Position +of a Missionary's Wife + + +CHAPTER XII. + +The Royal Visit--Mutual Civilities--The Band of +Warriors--Hippopotami--Their Carcasses--Omrah's Cunning--The +Trick--Big Adam sulky--A narrow Escape--Preparations for the +Hunt + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +Look out--The Signal--The Major's Nerve--Charge upon the +Camp--Hottentots drunk--Begum's Uneasiness--Signs of Danger--Lions' +Sagacity--Anecdotes + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +A Storm--Sober again--Elephant Steak--Omrah's Tricks--Man-eaters--A +horrible Adventure--The Sleepers awakened + + +CHAPTER XV. + +Quah! quah!--Alexander's and the Major's Danger--A critical +Situation--Omrah's Presence of Mind--Divine Worship--Instruction +of Caffres--Advance of the Enemy--Panic of the Natives--Refusal +to proceed--The tables turned--The Council--Submission--Arrangements + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +An Expedition--Rumors of War--Judicious Advice--Daaka's +Hut--The Interview with Daaka--Explanations--Remains +of the Grosvenor--The Mystery solved--Alexander's Joy--The +Wagons again--The Major's Fortress--Plans for the Future + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +Quetoo's Movements--Destruction of his Army--The Return--Plenty +of Sport--The Warriors rewarded--Precautions--Antelopes--The +Victim--A large Meal + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +Conversation--Gnoos--Five Lions--Thirst quenched--Ferocity +of the Hyena--Anecdotes--Preparations for a Chase + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +A practical Joke--A lucky Escape--History of the Mantatees--Mantatee +Courage--A final Slaughter--Discussions--Swinton's Account +of Africaner + + +CHAPTER XX. + +Omrah's Intelligence--Lion-hunting--Silence and Caution--An +unpleasant Surprise--Self-sacrifice of a Gemsbok--Swinton's +Story continued--Conversation on Lions--Anecdotes--Big Adam punished + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +Interview with Bushmen--A shrewd Surmise--A Herd of Buffaloes--A +providential Escape--A Scene--Swanevelt in Danger--Conversation--A +Story + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +Overpowering Heat--Divine Service--An Intrusion--The poisoned +Lion--Discussion on venomous Reptiles--Lizard shot--Swinton's +Information to his Companions + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +A good Shot--Water scarce--Omrah in Trouble--Turtle +Soup--Sufferings--Sufferings at an end--An earthly Paradise + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +Aspect of the Country--Chase of a Rhinoceros--Omrah's Plan +succeeds--A Lion's Leap--Account of a Rhinoceros-Hunt--Elands +shot--A Lioness attacked--The Lion's Skin awarded--An expiring Effort + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +Swinton's Astonishment--A Dialogue--Maternal Affection--An Alarm--Griquas +fallen in with--The Message to Moselekatsee--Fire!--The Matabili +King--Expectations + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +Chase of a Giraffe--Proposed Retreat--The Major's Object +attained--Treachery--Treachery defeated--Omrah's Scheme--Hopes +of Water disappointed + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + +Further Progress--The Horses and Oxen break away--The +Pursuit--Hopes and Fears--The Caravan lost--Intense Heat--Omrah's +Courage--A Temporary Relief--Despair--Water at last obtained--Swinton's +Signals answered + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +Panic produced by a Lion--Omrah's and Big Adam's Predicament--A Lion's +Mode of stimulating his Appetite--A Meeting with Bushmen--Cattle +stolen--Recovery attempted--Oxen poisoned--Death of Piets--Arrival +at Cape Town + + +CHAPTER XXIX. + +Parting Scenes--Alexander and the Major embark--Alexander's +Arrival at Home--He relates his adventures--Sir Charles's +Health gradually declines--His Presents to Swinton and the +Major--His Death--Conclusion + + +THE MISSION, OR SCENES IN AFRICA. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE EXPEDITION. + + +It was in the autumn of the year 1828, that an elderly and infirm +gentleman was slowly pacing up and down in a large dining-room. He had +apparently finished his dinner, although it was not yet five o'clock, +and the descending sun shone bright and warm through the windows, which +were level with the ground, and from which there was a view of a +spacious park, highly ornamented with old timber. He held a newspaper in +one hand, and had the other behind his back, as if for support, for he +was bent forward, and looked very feeble and emaciated. + +After pacing for some time, he sat down in an easy chair and remained in +deep thought, holding the newspaper in both his hands. + +This old gentleman's name was Sir Charles Wilmot. He had in early life +gone out to India as a writer, and after remaining there for a few +years, during which he had amassed a handsome fortune, was advised to +leave the country for a time on account of his health. He returned to +England on furlough, and had not been there more than six months when +the death, without issue, of his eldest brother, Sir Henry Wilmot, put +him in possession of the entailed estates and of the baronetcy. + +This decided him not to return to India for his wife and three +daughters, whom he had left out there, but to write, desiring them to +return home by the first ship. The reply which he received was most +painful; his wife and two of his daughters had been carried off by the +cholera, which had been very fatal during the previous rainy season. +His remaining daughter was about to sail, in obedience to his wishes, in +the _Grosvenor_ East-Indiaman, under the care of Colonel and Mrs. James, +who were near connections. + +This was a heavy blow with which it pleased God to visit him in his +prosperity, and was almost a total wreck of all his hopes and +anticipations. But he was a good man and a religious one, and he bowed +in humility to the dispensation, submitting with resignation to his +loss, and still thankful to Heaven that it had graciously spared one of +the objects of his affections to console him, and to watch his declining +years. + +Sir Charles Wilmot took possession of the family mansion and estate in +Berkshire, in which he was still residing at the time our history +commences. By degrees he became more resigned, and waited with anxiety +for the return of his only daughter, who now seemed more dear to him +than ever. He employed himself in making preparations for her reception, +fitting up her apartments in the Oriental style which she had been +accustomed to, and devising every little improvement and invention which +he thought would give pleasure to a child of ten years old. + +But it pleased Heaven that Sir Charles should be more severely +chastised; the _Grosvenor's_ time of arrival had elapsed, and still she +was not reported in the Channel; week after week of anxiety and suspense +passed slowly away, and the East-India ship did not make her appearance. +It was supposed that she had been captured by the enemy, but still no +tidings of her capture were received. At length, however, this state of +anxiety and doubt was put an end to by the dreadful intelligence that +the ship had been wrecked on the east coast of Africa, and that nearly +the whole of the crew and passengers had perished. Two men belonging to +her had been brought home by a Danish East-Indiaman, and shortly after +the first intelligence, these men arrived in London, and gave a more +particular detail of what had occurred. + +Sir Charles, in a state of feverish anxiety, as soon as he heard of +their arrival, hastened up to town to question these men; and the +result of his interrogatories fully convinced him that he was now quite +bereaved and childless. This was the last blow and the most severe; it +was long before he could resign himself to the unsearchable +dispensations of Providence; but time and religion had at last overcome +all his repining feelings,--all disposition to question the goodness or +wisdom of his Heavenly Father, and he was enabled to say, with +sincerity, "Not my will, but Thine be done." + +But although Sir Charles was thus left childless, as years passed away, +he at last found that he had those near to him for whom he felt an +interest, and one in particular who promised to deserve all his regard. +This was his grand-nephew, Alexander Wilmot, who was the legal heir to +the title and entailed property,--the son of a deceased nephew, who had +fallen during the Peninsular war. + +On this boy Sir Charles had lavished those affections which it pleased +Heaven that he should not bestow upon his own issue, and Alexander +Wilmot had gradually become as dear to him as if he had been his own +child. Still the loss of his wife and children was ever in his memory, +and as time passed on, painful feelings of hope and doubt were +occasionally raised in Sir Charles's mind, from the occasional +assertions of travelers, that all those did not perish who were supposed +so to do when the _Grosvenor_ was wrecked, and that, from the reports of +the natives, some of them and of their descendants were still alive. It +was a paragraph in the newspaper, containing a renewal of these +assertions, which had attracted the attention of Sir Charles, and which +had put him in the state of agitation and uneasiness in which we have +described him at the opening of this chapter. + +We left him in deep and painful thought, with the newspaper in his +hands. His reveries were interrupted by the entrance of Alexander +Wilmot, who resided with him, being now twenty-two years of age, and +having just finished his college education. Alexander Wilmot was a tall, +handsome young man, very powerful in frame, and very partial to all +athletic exercises; he was the best rower and the best cricketer at +Oxford, very fond of horses and hunting, and an excellent shot; in +character and disposition he was generous and amiable, frank in his +manner, and obliging to his inferiors. Every one liked Alexander Wilmot, +and he certainly deserved to be liked, for he never injured or spoke ill +of any body. Perhaps his most prominent fault was obstinacy; but this +was more shown in an obstinate courage and perseverance to conquer what +appeared almost impossible, and at the greatest risk to himself; he was +of that disposition that he would hardly get out of the way of a mad +bull if it crossed his path, but risk his life probably, and to no +purpose; but there is no perfection in this world, and it was still less +to be expected in a young man of only twenty-two years of age. + +"Well, uncle, I've conquered him," said Alexander, as he came into the +room, very much heated with exercise. + +"Conquered whom, my boy?" replied Sir Charles. + +"The colt; I've backed him, and he is now as gentle as a lamb; but he +fought hard for two hours at least." + +"Why should you run such risk, Alexander, when the horsebreaker would +have broke him just as well?" + +"But not so soon, uncle." + +"I did not know that you were in such want of a horse as to require such +hurry; I thought you had plenty in the stable." + +"So I have, uncle, thanks to you, more than I can use; but I like the +pleasure--the excitement." + +"There you state the truth, my dear Alexander; when you have lived as +long as I have, you will find more pleasure in quiet and repose," +replied Sir Charles, with a heavy sigh. + +"Something has disturbed you, my dear uncle," said Alexander, going up +to Sir Charles and taking his hand; "what is it, sir?" + +"You are right, Alexander; something has unsettled me, has called up +painful feelings and reminiscences; it is that paragraph in the +newspaper." + +Alexander was now as subdued almost as his uncle; he took a chair and +quietly read the paragraph. + +"Do you think there is any foundation for this, my dear sir?" said he, +after he had read it. + +[Illustration: THE NEWSPAPER PARAGRAPH.] + +"It is impossible to say, my dear boy; it may be so, it has often been +asserted before. The French traveler Le Vaillant states that he received +the same information, but was prevented from ascertaining the truth; +other travelers have subsequently given similar accounts. You may easily +credit the painful anxiety which is raised in my mind when I read such a +statement as this. I think I see my poor Elizabeth, the wife or slave to +some wild savage; her children, merciful Heaven! my grandchildren, +growing up as the brutes of the field, in ignorance and idolatry. It is +torture, my dear Alexander--absolute torture, and requires long prayer +and meditation to restore my mind to its usual tone, and to enable me to +bow to the dispensations of the Divine will." + +"Although I have long been acquainted with the general statement, my +dear uncle, respecting the loss of the ship, I have never yet heard any +such details as would warrant this apprehension of yours. It is +generally supposed that all perished, perished indeed most miserably, +except the few men who made their way to the Cape, and returned to +England." + +"Such was the supposition, my dear boy, but subsequent reports have to a +certain degree contradicted it, and there is reason to believe that all +did not perish who were accounted as dead. If you have nothing +particularly to engage you at this moment, I will enter into a detail of +what did occur, and of the proofs that the fate of a large portion, +among which that of your aunt Elizabeth, was never ascertained." + +"If it will not be too painful to you, my dear uncle, I will most gladly +hear it." + +"I will not dwell longer upon it than is necessary, Alexander; believe +me, the subject is distressing, but I wish you to know it also, and then +to give me your opinion. You are of course aware that it was on the +coast of Caffraria, to the southward of Port Natal, that the _Grosvenor_ +was wrecked. She soon divided and went to pieces, but by a sudden--I +know not that I can say a _fortunate_--change of wind, yet such was the +will of Heaven,--the whole of the crew and passengers (with the +exception of sixteen who had previously attempted to gain the shore by +a hawser, and one man who was left on board in a state of intoxication) +were all safely landed, even to the little children who were coming home +in the vessel; among whom was my poor Elizabeth." + +Alexander made no observation when Sir Charles paused for a while: the +latter then continued:-- + +"By the time that they had all gained the shore, the day was far spent; +the natives, who were of the Caffre race, and who had been busy in +obtaining all the iron that they could from the mainmast, which had +drifted on shore, left the beach at dark. The wretched sufferers lighted +fires, and having collected some casks of beef and flour, and some live +stock, they remained on the rocks during that night. The next morning +the captain proposed that they should make their way to Cape Town, the +Dutch settlement, to which they all unanimously consented; certainly a +most wild proposition, and showing very little judgment." + +"Could they have done otherwise, my dear uncle?" + +"Most certainly; they knew that they were in a country of lawless +savages, who had already come down and taken by force every thing that +they could lay their hands upon. The Captain calculated that they would +reach Cape Town in sixteen or seventeen days. How far his calculation +was correct, is proved by the fact that those who did reach it at last +were one hundred and seventeen days on their journey. But even admitting +that the distance could have been performed in the time stated by the +captain, the very idea of attempting to force their way through a +country inhabited by savage people, with such a number of helpless women +and children, and without any arms for their defense, was indeed an act +of folly and madness, as it eventually proved." + +"What then should have been their plan?" + +"Observe, Alexander, the ship was wrecked not a cable's length from the +shore, firmly fixed upon a reef of rocks upon which she had been thrown; +the water was smooth, and there was no difficulty in their +communication. The savages, content with plundering whatever was washed +on shore, had to the time of their quitting the rocks left them +uninjured. They might have gone on board again, have procured arms to +defend themselves and the means of fortifying their position against any +attempt of the savages, who had no other weapons but assaguays or +spears, and then might have obtained the provisions and other articles +necessary for their support. Armed as they might have been, and numerous +as they were, for there were one hundred and fifty souls on board at the +time of the wreck, they might have protected themselves until they had +built boats or small vessels out of the timber of the wreck; for all +their carpenters and blacksmiths were safely landed on shore with them. +By taking this course they might have coasted along shore, and have +arrived without difficulty at the Cape." + +"Most certainly, sir, it would have been the most judicious plan." + +"The captain must have been very deficient in judgment to have acted as +he did. He had every thing to his hand--the means--the men to build the +boats, provisions, arms, sails and cordage, and yet he threw all these +chances away, and attempted to do what was impossible." + +"He was not one of those who were saved, I believe, sir?" + +"No, he is one of those who have not been heard of; but to proceed: The +first day of their march from the site of the wreck ought to have been a +warning to them to turn back. The savages robbed them of every thing and +threw stones at them. A Dutchman of the name of Trout, who had fled to +the Caffre country for some murder he had committed in the colony, fell +in with them and told them the attempt was impracticable, from the +number of savage nations, the width of the rivers, the desert countries +without water, and the number of wild beasts which they would encounter; +but still they were not persuaded, and went on to their destruction. +They were not five miles from the wreck at the time, and might have +returned to it before night." + +"May it not fairly be supposed that after such a dreadful shipwreck any +thing was considered preferable by the major portion of them, especially +the passengers, to re-embarking?" + +"It may be so; but still it was a feeling that was to be surmounted, +and would have been, had they been counseled by a judicious leader; for +he might fairly have pointed out to them,--without re embarkation, how +are you to arrive in England?" + +"Very true, uncle. Pray continue." + +"From the accounts given by the seamen who returned, before they had +traveled a week they were attacked by a large party of natives, to whose +blows and ill-treatment as they passed along they had hitherto +submitted; but as in this instance the natives appeared determined to +massacre them, they resisted as well as they could, and, being nearly +one hundred men in force, succeeded in driving them off, not without +receiving many severe wounds. After a few days' more traveling, their +provisions were all expended, and the seamen began to murmur, and +resolved to take care of themselves, and not to be encumbered with women +and children. The consequence was, that forty-three of the number +separated from the rest, leaving the captain and all the male and female +passengers and children (my dear Elizabeth among them), to get on as +they could." + +"How cruel!" + +"Yes! but self-preservation is the first law of nature, and I fear it is +in vain to expect that persons not under the influence of religious +principles will risk their lives, or submit to much self-denial, for the +sake of alleviating the miseries of others. The reason given for this +separation was, that it was impossible to procure food for so large a +number, and that they would be more likely to obtain sustenance when +divided. The party who thus proceeded in advance encountered the most +terrible difficulties; they coasted along the seashore because they had +no other food than the shell-fish found on the rocks; they had +continually to cross rivers from a mile to two miles wide; they were +kept from their slumbers by the wild beasts which prowled around them, +and at length they endured so much from want of water, that their +sufferings were extreme. They again subdivided and separated, wandering +they hardly knew where, exposed to a burning sun, without clothing and +without food. One by one they sat down and were left behind to die, or +to be devoured by the wild beasts before they were dead. At last they +were reduced to such extremity, that they proposed to cast lots for one +to be killed to support the others; they turned back on their route, +that they might find the dead bodies of their companions for food. +Finally, out of the whole crew, three or four, purblind and staggering +from exhaustion, craving for death, arrived at the borders of the +colony, where they were kindly received and gradually recovered." + +"You now speak of the first party who separated from the captain and the +passengers, do you not, uncle?" + +"Yes." + +"And what became of the captain's party?" + +"No tidings were heard of them; their fate was unknown; it was long +supposed that they had all perished; for if the sufferings of the +seamen, inured to toil and danger, had been so great, what chance was +there for helpless women and children? But after some years, there was a +report that they had been saved, and were living with the savages. Le +Vaillant first mentioned it, and then it died away and was not credited; +but since that, the reports of various travelers appear to give +confirmation to what Le Vaillant asserted. The paragraph you have now +read in the newspaper has again renewed the assertion, and the parties +from whom it proceeds are by all accounts worthy of credence. You may +imagine, my dear boy, what a pang it gives me when I read these +reports,--when I reflect that my poor girl, who was with that party, may +at this moment be alive, may have returned to a state of barbarism,--the +seeds of faith long dead in her bosom,--now changed to a wild, untutored +savage, knowing no God." + +"But, my dear uncle, allowing that my aunt is alive, she was not so +young at the time of the wreck as to forget entirely what she had been +taught." + +"That is possible; but then her condition must be still more painful, or +rather I should say must have been, for probably she is dead long before +this, or if not dead, she must be a woman advanced in life; indeed, as +you may observe in the account given by the traveler in the paragraph +you have read, it speaks only of the _descendants_ of those who were +lost in the _Grosvenor_. The idea of my grandchildren having returned to +a state of barbarism is painful enough; I wish it were possible that I +could discover the truth, for it is the uncertainty which so much +distresses me. I have but a few years to live, Alexander; I am a very +old man, as you know, and may be summoned to-morrow or to-night, for we +know not what a day may bring forth. If I were only certain that my +child had died, miserable as her death must have been, it would be +happiness, to the idea that she was one of those whose descendants they +speak of. If you knew how for the last thirty years this has preyed upon +my mind, you would comprehend my anxiety on this account; but God's will +be done. Do not let me detain you longer, Alexander; I should prefer +being alone." + +Alexander, at this intimation, took the proffered hand of his +grand-uncle in a reverential and feeling manner, and, without saying any +more, quitted the room. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +The conversation which he had had with his grand-uncle made a very +forcible impression upon Alexander Wilmot; it occasioned him to pass a +very sleepless night, and he remained till nearly four o'clock turning +it over in his mind. The loss of the _Grosvenor_ Indiaman had occurred +long before he was born; he was acquainted with the outline of what had +taken place, and had been told, when a child, that a relation of his +family had perished; but although the narrative had, at the time, made +some impression upon his young mind, he had seldom, if ever, heard it +spoken of since, and may have been said to have almost forgotten it. He +was therefore not a little surprised when he found how great an +influence it had upon his grand-uncle, who had never mentioned it to him +before; indeed it had escaped Alexander's memory that it was his +grand-uncle's only surviving daughter who had been lost in the vessel. + +Alexander Wilmot was warmly attached to the old gentleman; indeed he +would have been very ungrateful if he had not been, for it was +impossible that any one could have been treated with more kindness and +liberality than he was by Sir Charles. It was but the week before, that +he had expressed a wish to travel on the continent, and Sir Charles had +immediately given his consent that he should remain abroad, if he +pleased, for two years. When he approved, however, of Alexander's plans, +he had made a remark as to his own age and infirmity, and the probable +chance that they might not meet again in this world; and this remark of +his grand-uncle left such an impression upon Alexander, that he almost +repented having made the request, and had been ever since in a state of +indecision as to whether he should avail himself of his grand-uncle's +kindness and disregard of self shown toward him in thus having granted +his permission. + +The conversation with Sir Charles had brought up a new idea in his mind; +he had witnessed the anxiety and longing which his good old relation had +shown about the fate of his daughter; he had heard from his own lips how +long the ignorance of her fate had preyed upon his mind, and that to be +satisfied on this point was the one thing wanting to enable the old man +to die happy,--to permit him to say with sincerity, "Lord, now lettest +Thou thy servant depart in peace." Why, then, should he not go to +discover the truth? It would not, perhaps, occupy him so long as the two +years of traveling on the continent, which had been consented to by his +grand-uncle, and, instead of traveling for his own pleasure, he might be +the means of satisfying the mind and quieting the anxiety of one who had +been so kind to him. Indeed, he should actually prefer a journey into +the interior of Africa to a mere sojourn of some time on the continent; +the very peril and danger, the anticipation of distress and hardship, +were pleasing to his high and courageous mind, and before he fell asleep +Alexander had made up his mind that he would propose the expedition, and +if he could obtain his uncle's permission would proceed upon it +forthwith. Having come to this resolution, he fell fast asleep and +dreamed away, till eight o'clock in the morning, that he was hunting +elephants and having hand-to-hand conflicts with every variety of beast +with which he had peopled Africa in his fancy. When he was called up in +the morning, he found his determination of the night before rather +strengthened than otherwise, and accordingly, after breakfast was over, +he opened the subject. + +"My dear sir," said he to Sir Charles, "you were kind enough to give me +your permission to travel on the continent for two years." + +"I did do so, Alexander; it is natural at your age that you should wish +to see the world, and you have my full permission. When do you think of +starting?" + +"That depends upon circumstances, sir, and I must be altogether guided +by you; to tell you the truth, I do not think that one sees much of the +world by following in the beaten track made by so many of our +countrymen." + +"There I agree with you; in the present high state of civilization there +will be found little or no difference in the manners and customs of +people; in the courts, none; very little in the best society, in which +you will of course mix; and not so very much as people may imagine among +the mass of population; but the scenery of the countries and the remains +of ancient times are still interesting, and will afford pleasure; it +must be your own reflections and comments upon what you see which must +make it profitable; most people, however, travel from the love of change +added to the love of excitement." + +"I grant it, sir, and I do not mean to say but that I should receive +much pleasure from a continental tour; perhaps I may add that I should +derive more profit if I were to delay it till I am a little older and a +little wiser; do you not think so?" + +"I certainly do, Alexander. What then? do you propose remaining in +England for the present?--if so, I am sure it is on my account, and I am +very grateful to you for your sacrifice." + +"If you wish it, sir, I will undoubtedly remain in England; at all +events, if I do not go elsewhere. I have abandoned my continental tour +for the present; but I have another proposal to make, which I hope will +meet with your approbation." + +"Why, my dear Alexander, on what expedition would you now proceed? Do +you wish to visit the United States or South America?" + +"No, sir; I wish to make a voyage of still more interest--I wish to go +to Africa,--that is, to embark for the Cape of Good Hope, and from +thence proceed to the northward, to ascertain, if possible, what now is +a source of sad disquiet to you, the actual fate of those who were +wrecked in the _Grosvenor_, and have not since been heard of with any +degree of certainty." + +Sir Charles was for a time silent. He pressed his hands to his forehead; +at last he removed them, and said,--"I can not, much as I wish it, +no,--I can not consent, my dear boy; the danger will be too great. You +must not risk your life. It is very kind of you--very kind; but no, it +must not be." + +"Indeed, sir, I think, on reflection, you will alter your mind. As for +danger--what danger can there be when missionaries are permitted to form +their stations, and reside uninjured among the very savages who were so +hostile when the _Grosvenor_ was lost? The country, which was then a +desert, is now inhabited by Europeans, within 200 miles of the very spot +where the _Grosvenor_ was wrecked. The continual emigration since the +Cape has fallen under British government, and the zeal of those who have +braved all dangers to make known the Word of God to the heathen and +idolater, have in forty years made such an alteration, that I see no +more danger in the mission which I propose than I do in a visit to +Naples; and as for time, I have every reason to expect that I shall be +back sooner than in the two years which you have proposed for my stay on +the continent." + +"But if some accident were to happen to you, I should never forgive +myself for having given my consent, and the few days that are left to me +would be rendered miserable." + +"My dear sir, we are in the hands of God; and (short-sighted as we are) +in running away from danger, as often run into it. What we call an +accident, the fall of a brick or a stone, the upsetting of a vehicle, +any thing trivial or seemingly improbable, may summon us away when we +least expect it: 'In the midst of life we are in death,' and that death +I may meet by staying in this country, which I might have avoided by +going on this expedition. Difficulties may arise, and some danger there +may be, I admit; but when prepared to encounter both, we are more safe +than when, in fancied security, we are taken unawares. Do not, I entreat +you, sir, refuse me this favor; I have considered well, and shall be +most unhappy if I am not permitted to obtain the information for you +which you have so much at heart. Let my travels be of some advantage to +you as well as to myself. Do not refuse, I entreat you." + +"You are a good boy, Alexander, and your kindness makes me still more +unwilling to part with you. I hardly know what to say. Let us drop the +subject for the present; we will talk of it to-morrow or next day. I +must have time for reflection." + +Alexander Wilmot did not fail to renew his entreaties on the following +day, but could not gain Sir Charles's consent. He was not, however, +discouraged. He had taken from the library all the works he could find +relative to Southern Africa, and continually enforcing his arguments by +quotations from various authors, all tending to prove that he might +travel through the country without much risk, if he took proper +precautions, his grand-uncle's objections grew daily more feeble, and at +last Sir Charles gave his unwilling consent. In the meantime, the books +which Alexander had read had produced a great effect upon him. When he +first proposed the mission, it was more from a feeling of gratitude +toward his old relative than any other, but now he was most anxious to +go on his own account. The narratives of combats with wild beasts, the +quantity and variety of game to be found, and the continual excitement +which would be kept up, inflamed his imagination and his love of field +sports, and he earnestly requested to be permitted to depart +immediately, pointing out to Sir Charles that the sooner he went away, +the sooner he would be back again. This last argument was not without +its weight, and Alexander was allowed to make every preparation for his +journey. Inquiries were made, and a passage secured on board of a +free-trader, which was to touch at the Cape, and in six weeks from the +time that the subject had been brought up, Alexander Wilmot took leave +of his grand-uncle. + +"May God bless you, sir, and keep you well till my return," said +Alexander, pressing his hand. + +"May the Lord protect you, my dear boy, and allow you to return and +close my eyes," replied Sir Charles, with much emotion. + +Before night Alexander Wilmot was in London, from thence he hastened +down to Portsmouth to embark. The next day, the _Surprise_ weighed +anchor and ran through the Needles, and before the night closed in was +well down the Channel, standing before the wind, with studding sails +below and aloft. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +A melancholy feeling clouded the features of Alexander Wilmot as, on the +following morning, the vessel, under a heavy press of sail, was fast +leaving the shores of his native country. He remained on the poop of the +vessel with his eyes fixed upon the land, which every moment became more +indistinct. His thoughts may easily be imagined. Shall I ever see that +land again? Shall I ever return, or shall my bones remain in Africa, +perhaps not even buried, but bleaching in the desert? And if I do +return, shall I find my old relation still alive, or called away, loaded +as he is with years, to the silent tomb? We are in the hands of a +gracious God. His will be done. + +Alexander turned away, as the land had at last become no longer visible, +and found a young man of about his own age standing close to him, and +apparently as much lost in reverie as he had been. As in turning round +Alexander brushed against him, he thought it right to apologize for the +unintentional act, and this occasioned a conversation. + +"I believe, sir," said the other party, who was a tall, spare, +slight-built man, with a dark complexion, "that we were both indulging +in similar thoughts as we took leave of our native shores. Every +Englishman does the same, and indeed every true lover of his country, +let the country be what it will. We find the feeling as strong in the +savage as in the enlightened; it is universal. Indeed, we may fairly say +that it extends lower--down to the brute species, from their love of +localities." + +"Very true, sir," replied Alexander; "but with brutes, as you say, it is +merely the love of locality; with men, I trust, the feeling is more +generous and noble." + +"So it ought to be, or else why are we so much more nobly endowed? This +is not your first voyage, I presume?" continued the stranger. + +"Indeed, it is," said Alexander; "I never was out of England, or on +board of a vessel, before yesterday." + +"I should have imagined otherwise," remarked his companion: "the other +passengers are all suffering from sea-sickness, while you and I only are +on the deck. I presumed, therefore, that you had been afloat before." + +"I did feel very giddy yesterday evening," observed Alexander, "but this +morning I have no unpleasant sensation whatever. I believe that some +people do not suffer at sea." + +"A very few; but it appears that you are one of those most fortunate, +for by experience I know how painful and distressing the sickness is for +some time. Breakfast will soon be ready; do you think that you can eat +any?" + +"Yes, a little--not much; a cup of tea or coffee," replied Alexander; +"but I can not say that I have my usual appetite. What bird is that +which skims along the water?" + +"It is the _procellarius_, as we naturalists call it, but in English, +the stormy petrel; its presence denotes rough weather coming on." + +"Then I wish it had not made its appearance," said Alexander, laughing; +"for with rough weather, there will of course be more motion in the +vessel, and I feel the motion too much already." + +"I think if you eat your breakfast (although without appetite), and keep +on deck, you may get over any further indisposition," replied the +stranger. + +"Have we many passengers on board?" + +"No; nine or ten, which is considered a small number, at least by the +captain, who was complaining of his ill-luck. They are mostly females +and children. There is a Cape gentleman who has long resided in the +colony, and is now returning there. I have had some conversation with +him, and he appears a very intelligent person. But here is the steward +coming aft, to let us know that breakfast is ready." + +The person who had thus conversed with Alexander Wilmot was a Mr. +Swinton, who, as he had accidentally observed, was a naturalist; he was +a person of some independent property, whose ardor for science had +induced him to engage in no profession, being perfectly satisfied with +his income, which was sufficient for his wants and to enable him to +follow up his favorite study. He was now on his passage to the Cape of +Good Hope, with no other object than to examine the natural productions +of that country, and to prosecute his researches in science there, to a +greater extent than had hitherto been practicable. + +Before they had arrived at Madeira, at which island the ship remained +three days to take in wine and fresh provisions, a great intimacy had +been established between Alexander and Mr. Swinton, although as yet +neither knew the cause of the other's voyage to the Cape; they were both +too delicate to make the inquiry, and waited till the other should of +his own accord impart his reasons. + +We have mentioned that there were other passengers, one of whom was a +gentleman who resided in Cape Town, and who held a lucrative situation +under the government. He was an elderly gentleman, of about sixty years +of age, of a very benign and prepossessing appearance; and it so +happened that Alexander found out, on looking over his letters of +introduction when at anchor at Madeira, that he possessed one to this +gentleman. This of course he presented at once, although they were +already on intimate terms; and this introduction made Mr. Fairburn (for +such was his name) take an immediate interest in his welfare, and also +warranted his putting the question, as to what were Alexander's views +and intentions in visiting the Cape: for Mr. Fairburn knew from the +letter that he was heir to Sir Charles Wilmot, and therefore that he was +not likely to be going out as a speculator or emigrant. + +It hardly need be said that Alexander made no hesitation in confiding to +one who could so materially assist him in the object of his voyage. + +The other passengers were three young ladies bound to their friends in +India, and a lady returning with her two marriageable daughters to +rejoin her husband, who was a colonel in the Bengal army. They were all +pleasant people, the young ladies very lively, and on the whole the +cabin of the _Surprise_ contained a very agreeable party; and soon after +they left Madeira, they had fine weather, smooth water, and every thing +that could make a voyage endurable. + +The awnings were spread, chairs brought up, and the major portion of the +day was spent upon the quarter-deck and poop of the vessel, which for +many days had been running down before the trade-winds, intending to +make Rio, and there lay in a supply of fresh provisions for the +remainder of her voyage. + +One morning, as Alexander and Mr. Fairburn were sitting together, +Alexander observed-- + +"You have passed many years at the Cape, Mr. Fairburn, have you not?" + +"Yes; I was taken prisoner when returning from India, and remained a +year in Cape Town during the time that it was in the hands of the Dutch; +I was about to be sent home as a prisoner to Holland, and was embarked +on board one of the vessels in Saldanha Bay, when they were attacked by +the English. Afterward, when the English captured the Cape, from my long +residence in, and knowledge of, the country, I was offered a situation, +which I accepted: the colony was restored to the Dutch, and I came home. +On its second capture I was again appointed, and have been there almost +ever since." + +"Then you are well acquainted with the history of the colony?" + +"I am, certainly, and if you wish it, shall be happy to give you a short +account of it." + +"It will give me the greatest pleasure, for I must acknowledge that I +know but little, and _that_ I have gleaned from the travels which I have +run through very hastily." + +"I think it was in the year 1652 that the Dutch decided upon making a +settlement at the Cape. The aborigines, or natives, who inhabited that +part of the country about Cape Town, were the Hottentots, a mild, +inoffensive people, living wholly upon the produce of their cattle; they +were not agriculturists, but possessed large herds of cattle, sheep and +goats, which ranged the extensive pastures of the country. The history +of the founding of one colony is, I fear, the history of most, if not +all--commencing in doing all that is possible to obtain the goodwill of +the people until a firm footing has been obtained in the land, and then +treating them with barbarity and injustice. + +"The Hottentots, won over by kindness and presents, thought it of little +consequence that strangers should possess a small portion of their +extensive territory, and willingly consented that the settlement should +be made. They, for the first time in their lives, tasted what proved the +cause of their ruin and subsequent slavery--tobacco and strong liquors. +These two poisons, offered gratuitously, till the poor Hottentots had +acquired a passion for them, then became an object of barter--a pipe of +tobacco or a glass of brandy was the price of an ox; and thus daily were +the colonists becoming enriched, and the Hottentots poor. + +"The colony rapidly increased, until it was so strong, that the governor +made no ceremony of seizing upon such land as the government wished to +retain or to give away; and the Hottentots soon discovered that not only +their cattle, but the means of feeding them, were taken from them. +Eventually, they were stripped of every thing except their passion for +tobacco and spirits, which they could not get rid of. Unwilling to leave +the land of their forefathers, and seeing no other way of procuring the +means of intoxication which they coveted, they sold themselves and their +services to the white colonists, content to take care of those herds +which had once been their own, and to lead them out to pasture on the +very lands which had once been their birthright." + +"Did they then become slaves?" inquired Alexander. + +"No; although much worse treated, they never were slaves, and I wish to +point that out; but they became a sort of feudal property of the Dutch, +compelled to hire themselves out, and to work for them upon nominal +wages, which they seldom or never received, and liable to every species +of harsh treatment and cruelty, for which they could obtain no redress. +Yet still they were not bought and sold as were the slaves which were +subsequently introduced into the colony from the east coast of Africa +and Madagascar. The position of the slave was, in my opinion, infinitely +superior, merely from the self-interest of the owner, who would not kill +or risk the life of a creature for whom he had paid two or three hundred +rix-dollars; whereas, the Dutch boors, or planters, thought little of +the life of a Hottentot. If the cattle were to be watched where lions +were plentiful, it was not a slave who had charge of them, but a +Hottentot, as he had cost nothing, and the planter could procure +another. In short, the life of a Hottentot was considered as of no +value, and there is no denying that they were shot by their masters or +employers upon the most trifling offense." + +"How dreadful! but did the Dutch government suffer this?" + +"They could not well help it, and therefore were compelled to wink at +it; the criminals were beyond its reach. But now I will proceed to give +you some further insight, by describing the Dutch boors, or planters, +who usurped and stood in the shoes of the poor Hottentots. + +"The Dutch government seized upon all the land belonging to the +Hottentots, and gave it away in grants to their own countrymen, who now +became herdsmen, and possessed of a large quantity of cattle; they also +cultivated the ground to a certain extent round about their +habitations. As the colony increased, so did the demand for land, until +the whole of the country that was worth having was disposed of as far as +to the country of the Caffres, a fine, warlike race, of whom we will +speak hereafter. It must not, however, be supposed that the whole of the +Hottentot tribes became serfs to the soil. Some few drove away their +cattle to the northward, out of reach of the Dutch, to the borders of +the Caffre land; others, deprived of their property, left the plains, +and took to the mountains, living by the chase and by plunder. This +portion were termed boshmen, or bushmen, and have still retained that +appellation: living in extreme destitution, sleeping in caves, +constantly in a state of starvation, they soon dwindled down to a very +diminutive race, and have continued so ever since. + +"The Dutch boors, or planters, who lived in the interior, and far away +from Cape Town, had many enemies to contend with: they had the various +beasts of the forest, from the lion to the jackal, which devastated +their flocks and herds, and also these bushmen, who lived upon plunder. +Continually in danger, they were never without their muskets in their +hands, and they and their descendants became an athletic, powerful, and +bulky race, courageous, and skilled in the use of fire-arms, but at the +same time cruel and avaricious to the highest degree. The absolute power +they possessed over the slaves and Hottentots demoralized them, and made +them tyrannical and blood-thirsty. At too great a distance from the seat +of government for its power to reach them, they defied it and knew no +law but their own imperious wills, acknowledging no authority,--guilty +of every crime openly, and careless of detection." + +"I certainly have read of great cruelty on the part of these Dutch +boors, but I had no idea of the extent to which it was carried." + +"The origin was in that greatest of all curses, slavery; nothing +demoralizes so much. These boors had been brought up with the idea that +a Hottentot, a bushman, or a Caffre were but as the mere brutes of the +field, and they have treated them as such. They would be startled at +the idea of murdering a white man, but they will execute wholesale +slaughter among these poor natives, and think they have committed no +crime. But the ladies are coming up, and we shall be interrupted, so I +will not task your patience any more to-day. I shall therefore conclude +what I may term part the first of my little history of the Cape colony." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + +Alexander Wilmot was too much pleased with Mr. Swinton not to cultivate +his acquaintance, and they soon became very intimate. The conversation +often turned upon Mr. Swinton's favorite study, that of natural history. + +"I confess myself wholly ignorant of the subject," observed Alexander +one day, "though I feel that it must be interesting to those who study +it; indeed, when I have walked through the museums, I have often wished +that I had some one near who could explain to me what I wished to know +and was puzzled about. But it appears to me that the study of natural +history is such an immense undertaking if you comprehend all its +branches. Let me see,--there is botany, mineralogy, and geology--these +are included, are they not?" + +"Most certainly," replied Mr. Swinton, laughing; "and perhaps the three +most interesting branches. Then you have zoology, or the study of +animals, ornithology for birds, entomology for insects, conchology for +shells, ichthyology for fishes; all very hard names, and enough to +frighten a young beginner. But I can assure you, a knowledge of these +subjects, to an extent sufficient to create interest and afford +continual amusement, is very easily acquired." + +"'The proper study of mankind is man,' says the poet,"--observed +Alexander, smiling. + +"Poets deal in fiction, Mr. Wilmot," replied Mr. Swinton; "to study man +is only to study his inconsistencies and his aberrations from the right +path, which the free-will permitted to him induces him to follow; but +in the study of nature, you witness the directing power of the Almighty, +who guides with an unerring hand, and who has so wonderfully apportioned +out to all animals the means of their providing for themselves. Not only +the external, but the inward structure of animals, shows such variety +and ingenuity to surmount all difficulties, and to afford them all the +enjoyment their nature is capable of, that after every examination you +rise with increased astonishment and admiration at the condescension and +goodness of the Master Hand, thus to calculate and provide for the +necessities of the smallest insect; and you are compelled to exclaim +with the Psalmist, 'O God, how manifold are thy works; in wisdom hast +Thou made them all!'" + +"You certainly do put the study in a new and most pleasurable light," +replied Alexander. + +"The more you search into nature, the more wonderful do you find her +secrets, and, by the aid of chemistry, we are continually making new +discoveries. Observe, Mr. Wilmot," said Swinton, picking up a straw +which had been blown by the wind on the quarter-deck, "do you consider +that there is any analogy between this straw and the flint in the lock +of that gun?" + +"Certainly, I should imagine them as opposite particles of nature as +well might be." + +"Such is not the case. This piece of wheat-straw contains more than +sixty per cent. of silica or flint in its composition; so that, although +a vegetable, it is nearly two-thirds composed of the hardest mineral +substance we know of. You would scarcely believe that the fibers of the +root of this plant were capable of dissolving, feeding upon, and +digesting such a hard substance; but so it is." + +"It is very wonderful." + +"It is, but it is not a solitary instance; the phosphate of lime, which +is the chief component part of the bones of animals, is equally sought +by plants, dissolved in the same manner, and taken into their bodies; +barley and oats have about thirty per cent. of it in their composition, +and most woods and plants have more or less." + +"I am less surprised at that than I am with the flint, which appears +almost incomprehensible." + +"Nothing is impossible with God; there is a rush in Holland which +contains much more silex than the wheat-straw, and it is employed by the +Dutch to polish wood and brass, on that very account. We know but little +yet, but we do know that mineral substances are found in the composition +of most living animals, if not all; indeed, the coloring-matter of the +blood is an oxide and phosphate of iron." + +"I can now understand why you are so enthusiastic in the science, Mr. +Swinton, and I regret much that the short time which will be occupied in +the remainder of our voyage will not enable me to profit as I should +wish by your conversation; for when we arrive at the Cape, I fear our +pursuits will lead us different ways." + +"I presume they will, for I am about to penetrate as far as possible +into the interior of the country," replied Mr. Swinton, "which of course +is not your intention." + +"Indeed, but it is," replied Alexander; "I am about to do the same, +although perhaps not in the same direction. May I ask your intended +route, if not too inquisitive?" + +"Not at all; I can hardly say myself. I shall be guided by the +protection I may fall in with. Africa is a wide field for science, and I +can hardly go any where without being well rewarded for my journey; and +I will say, that should it meet both our views, I should be very glad if +we were to travel in company." + +Mr. Fairburn, who had come on deck, had been standing close to them at +the latter portion of the conversation, and made the observation-- + +"I think it would be a very good plan if Mr. Swinton would venture to go +where you are bound, Mr. Wilmot, but you can talk of that another day, +when you have been longer together. There is nothing that requires more +deliberation than the choice of a traveling companion; any serious +imperfection of temper may make a journey very miserable. Now, Wilmot, +if you are tired of natural history, and wish to change it for the +painful history of human nature, I am ready to continue my +observations." + +"With great pleasure, sir." + +"I hope you have no objection to my reaping the benefit also?" said Mr. +Swinton. + +"Oh, most certainly not," replied Mr. Fairburn, "although I fear you +will not gain much information, as you have been at the Cape before. In +a former conversation with Mr. Wilmot I have pointed out the manner in +which the Cape was first settled, and how the settlers had gradually +reduced the original possessors of the land to a state of serfdom; I +will now continue. + +"The Dutch boors, as they increased their wealth in cattle, required +more pasture, and were now occupying the whole of the land south of the +Caffre country: the Caffres are wild, courageous savages, whose wealth +consists chiefly in cattle, but in some points they may be considered +superior to the Hottentots. + +"The weapon of the Hottentot may be said to be the bow and arrow, but +the Caffre scorns this warfare, or indeed any treachery; his weapons are +his assaguay, or spear, and his shield; he fights openly and bravely. +The Caffres also cultivate their land to a certain extent, and are more +cleanly and civilized. The boors on the Caffre frontier were often +plundered by the bushmen, and perhaps occasionally by some few of the +Caffres who were in a lawless state on the frontier; but if any +complaint was made to the Caffre chiefs, every redress in their power +was given: this, however, did not suit the Dutch boors. + +"They had entered the Caffre country, and had perceived that the Caffres +possessed large herds of cattle, and their avarice pointed out to them +how much easier it would be to grow rich by taking the cattle of the +Caffres than by rearing them themselves. If the bushmen stole a few head +of cattle, complaints were immediately forwarded to Cape Town, and +permission asked to raise a force, and recover them from the Caffres. + +"The force raised was termed a _Commando_, and was composed of all the +Dutch boors and their servants, well armed and mounted; these would make +an incursion into the Caffre territory, and because a few head of cattle +had been stolen by parties unknown, they would pour down upon the +Caffres, who had but their assaguays to oppose to destructive fire-arms, +set the kraals or villages in flames, murder indiscriminately man, +woman, and child, and carry off, by way of indemnification for some +trifling loss, perhaps some twenty thousand head of cattle belonging to +the Caffres. + +"The Caffres, naturally indignant at such outrage and robbery, made +attacks upon the boors to recover the cattle, but with this difference +between the Christian boor and the untutored savage: the boors murdered +women and children wantonly, the Caffres never harmed them, and did not +even kill men, if they could obtain possession of their property without +bloodshed." + +"But how could the Dutch government permit such atrocities?" + +"The representations made to the government were believed, and the order +was given in consequence. It is true that afterward the government +attempted to put a stop to these horrors, but the boors were beyond +their control; and in one instance in which the home government had +insisted that punishment should be inflicted for some more than common +outrage on the part of the boors, the Cape governor returned for answer, +that he could not venture to do as they wished, as the system was so +extensive and so common, that all the principal people in the colony +were implicated, and would have to be punished. + +"Such was therefore the condition of the colony at the time that it fell +into the possession of the English--the Hottentots serfs to the land, +and treated as the beasts of the field; the slave-trader supplying +slaves; and continual war carried on between the boors and the Caffres." + +"I trust that our government soon put an end to such barbarous +iniquities." + +"That was not so easy; the frontier boors rose in arms against the +English government, and the Hottentots, who had been so long patient, +now fled and joined the Caffres. These people made a combined attack +upon the frontier boors, burned their houses to the ground, carried off +the cattle, and possessed themselves of their arms and ammunition. The +boors rallied in great force; another combat took place, in which the +Hottentots and Caffres were victorious, killing the leader of the boors, +and pursuing them with great slaughter, till they were stopped by the +advance of the English troops. But I can not dwell long upon this period +of the Cape history; these wars continued until the natives, throwing +themselves upon the protection of the English, were induced to lay down +their arms, and the Hottentots to return to their former masters. The +colony was then given up to the Dutch, and remained with them until the +year 1806, when it was finally annexed to the British empire. The Dutch +had not learned wisdom from what had occurred; they treated the +Hottentots worse than before, maiming them and even murdering them in +their resentment, and appeared to defy the British government; but a +change was soon to take place." + +"Not before it was necessary, at all events," said Alexander. + +"It was by the missionaries chiefly that this change was brought about; +they had penetrated into the interior, and saw with their own eyes the +system of cruelty and rapine that was carried on; they wrote home +accounts, which were credited, and which produced a great alteration. To +the astonishment and indignation of the boors, law was introduced where +it had always been set at defiance; they were told that the life of a +Hottentot was as important in the eye of God, and in the eye of the law, +as that of a Dutch boor, and that the government would hold it as such. +Thus was the first blow struck; but another and a heavier was soon to +fall upon those who had so long sported with the lives of their +fellow-creatures. The press was called to the aid of the Hottentot, and +a work published by a missionary roused the attention of the public at +home to their situation. Their cause was pleaded in the House of +Commons, and the Hottentot was emancipated forever." + +"Thank God!" exclaimed Alexander; "my blood has been boiling at the +description which you have been giving. Now, when I hear that the poor +Hottentot is a free man, it will cool down again." + +"Perhaps it will be as well to leave off just now, Mr. Wilmot," said Mr. +Fairburn; "we will renew our conversation to-morrow, if wind and +weather permit, as the seamen say." + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + +The next day the ship was off Rio, and immediately sent her boats for +provisions and supplies; the passengers did not land, as the captain +stated that he would not stay an hour longer than was necessary, and on +the second evening after their arrival they again made sail for the +Cape. + +The gulls were flying in numbers astern of the ship, darting down and +seizing every thing edible which was thrown overboard, and the +conversation turned upon aquatic birds. + +"What difference is there in the feathers of aquatic birds and others?" +inquired Alexander; "a hen, or any land bird, if it falls into the +water, is drowned as soon as its feathers are saturated with the water." + +"There is, I believe, no difference in the feathers of the birds," +replied Mr. Swinton; "but all aquatic birds are provided with a small +reservoir, containing oil, with which they anoint their feathers, which +renders them water-proof. If you will watch a duck pluming and dressing +itself, you will find it continually turns its bill round to the end of +its back, just above the insertion of the tail; it is to procure this +oil, which, as it dresses its feathers that they may carefully overlap +each other, it smears upon them so as to render them impenetrable to the +water; but this requires frequent renewal, or the duck would be drowned +as well as the hen." + +"How long can a sea-bird remain at sea?" + +"I should think not very long, although it has been supposed otherwise; +but we do not know so much of the habits of these birds as of others." + +"Can they remain long under water?" + +"The greater portion of them can not; ducks and that class, for +instance. Divers can remain some time; but the birds that remain the +longest under water are the semi-aquatic, whose feet are only +half-webbed. I have watched the common English water-hen for many +minutes walking along at the bottom of a stream, apparently as much in +its element as if on shore, pecking and feeding as it walked." + +"You say that aquatic birds can not remain long at sea,--where do they +go to?" + +"They resort to the uninhabited islands over the globe, rocks that +always remain above water, and the unfrequented shores of Africa and +elsewhere; there they congregate to breed and bring up their young. I +have seen twenty or thirty acres of land completely covered with these +birds or their nests, wedged together as close as they could sit. Every +year they resort to the same spot, which has probably been their +domicile for centuries,--I might say since the creation. They make no +nests, but merely scrape so as to form a shallow hole to deposit their +eggs. The consequence of their always resorting to the same spot is +that, from the voidings of the birds and the remains of fish brought to +feed the young, a deposit is made over the whole surface, a fraction of +an inch every year, which by degrees increases until it is sometimes +twenty or thirty feet deep, if not more, and the lower portion becomes +almost as hard as rock. The deposit is termed guano, and has, from time +immemorial, been used by the Peruvians and Chilians as manure for the +land; it is very powerful, as it contains most of the essential salts, +such as ammonia, phosphates, etc., which are required for agriculture. +Within these last few years samples have been brought to England, and as +the quantities must be inexhaustible, when they are sought for and +found, no doubt it may one day become a valuable article of our carrying +trade. Here comes Mr. Fairburn; I hope he intends to continue his +notices of the Cape settlement." + +"They have interested me very much, I must confess; he appears well +acquainted with the colony." + +"He has had the advantage of a long residence, and during that time an +insight into all the public documents: this you may be certain of, that +he knows more than he will tell." + +As soon as Mr. Fairburn joined them, Alexander requested him to +continue his narrative, which he did as follows. + +"You must not suppose, Mr. Wilmot, that because the English had now +possession of the colony, every thing went right; governors who are +appointed to the control of a colony require to be there some time +before they can see with their own eyes; they must, from their want of +information, fall into the hands of some interested party or another, +who will sway their councils. Thus it was at the Cape. + +"It is true that much good had already been done by the abolition of +slavery and the emancipation of the Hottentot; but this was effected, +not by the colonial government, but by the representations of the +missionaries and an influential and benevolent party at home. The +prejudices against the Hottentots, and particularly the Caffres, still +existed, and were imbibed by the colonial authorities. Commandoes, or, +as they should be more properly termed, marauding parties, were still +sent out, and the Caffre was continually oppressed, and, in defiance of +the government orders, little justice could be obtained for the +Hottentot, although his situation was somewhat improved. + +"I will give one instance to show how the rights of the Hottentots were +respected by the Cape authorities in 1810,--previous to the +emancipation, it is true, but still at a time when the position of the +Hottentots and their sufferings had been strenuously pressed upon the +colonial authorities by the government at home. + +"When the conduct of the Dutch boors had roused the Caffres and +Hottentots to war, there were three brothers by the name of Stuurman, +Hottentots, who were the leaders. Peace was at length restored, which +was chiefly effected by the exertions of these men, who retired +peaceably with their own kraal to Algoa Bay; and the government, being +then Dutch, appointed Stuurman as captain of the kraal. This independent +horde of Hottentots gave great offense to the Dutch boors,--the more so +as the three brothers had been the leaders of the Hottentots in the +former insurrection. For seven years they could find no complaint to +make against them, until at last two of his Hottentots, who had engaged +to serve a boor for a certain time, went back to the kraal at the +expiration of the term, against the wish of the boor, who would have +detained them; the boor went and demanded them back, but Stuurman +refused to give them up; upon which, although justice was clearly on the +side of the Hottentots, an armed force was dispatched to the kraal. +Stuurman still refused to surrender the men, and the armed men retired, +for they knew the courage of the Hottentots, and were afraid to attack +them. + +"By treachery they gained possession of Stuurman and one of his brothers +(the other having been killed hunting the buffalo), and sent them to +Cape Town, from whence, against all justice, they were sent as prisoners +to Robin Island, where malefactors are confined. They made their escape, +and returned to Caffreland. Three years afterward, Stuurman, anxious to +see his family, returned to the colony without permission. He was +discovered and apprehended, and sent as a convict to New South Wales; +for the government was at that time English. + +"Such was the fate of the first Hottentot who stood up for the rights of +his countrymen, and such was the conduct of the English colonial +government; so you will observe, Mr. Wilmot, that although the strides +of cruelty and oppression are most rapid, the return to even-handed +justice is equally slow. Eventually the gross injustice to this man was +acknowledged, for an order from the home government was procured for his +liberation and return; but it was too late,--Stuurman had died a +convict. + +"I have mentioned this circumstance, as it will prepare you for a +similar act of injustice to the Caffres. When the colony was in +possession of the Dutch there was a space of about thirty thousand +square miles between the colonial boundary (that is, the land formerly +possessed by the Hottentots) and the Great Fish River. This extent of +thirty thousand square miles belonged to the Caffres, and was the site +of continual skirmishing and marauding between the Dutch boors and the +Caffres. + +"In 1811 it was resolved by the colonial government that the Caffres +should be driven from this territory, and confined to the other side of +the Great Fish River. This was an act of injustice and great hardship, +and was proceeded in with extreme cruelty, the Caffres being obliged to +leave all their crops, and turned out with great and unnecessary +slaughter. + +"It may be proper, however, to state the causes which led to this Caffre +war with the English. At this time the colonial governor had entered +into negotiations with a Caffre chief of the name of Gaika. He was a +chief of a portion of the Caffres, but not the principal chief, and +although the English treated with him as such, the Caffres would not +acknowledge his authority. This is a very frequent error committed in +our intercourse with savage nations, who are as pertinacious of their +rights as the monarchs of Europe. The error on our part was soon +discovered, but the government was too proud to acknowledge it. + +"It so happened that the other Caffre chiefs formed a powerful +confederacy against Gaika, who, trusting to the support of the English, +had treated them with great arrogance. They fought and conquered him, +carrying off, as usual, his cattle. As this was a war between the +Caffres, and confined to their own land, we certainly had no business to +interfere; but the colonial government thought otherwise, and an +expedition was prepared. + +"The Caffres sent forward messengers declaring their wish to remain at +peace with the English, but refusing to submit to Gaika, who was only a +secondary chief, and whom they had conquered. No regard was paid to this +remonstrance; the English troops were sent forward, the Caffres attacked +in their hamlets, slaughtered or driven into the woods, 23,000 head of +cattle taken from them, of which 9,000 were given to Gaika, and the rest +distributed to the Dutch boors, or sold to defray part of the expenses +of the expedition. + +"Deprived of their means of subsistence by the capture of their cattle, +the Caffres were rendered furious reckless, and no sooner had the +expedition returned, than they commenced hostilities. They poured into +the frontier districts, captured several detached military forts, drove +the Dutch boors from the Zurweld, or neutral territory, and killed a +great many of our soldiers and of the Dutch boors. All the country was +overrun as far as the vicinity of Algoa Bay, and nothing could at first +check their progress." + +"Why, it really does not appear that the colonial government, when in +our hands, was more considerate than when it was held by the Dutch," +replied Alexander. + +"Not much, I fear," said Mr. Fairburn. + +"The councils of the Caffre chiefs were at that time much influenced by +a most remarkable personage of the name of Mokanna. In the colony he was +usually known by the sobriquet of 'Links,' or the left-handed. He was +not a chief, but had by his superior intellect obtained great power. He +gave himself out to be a prophet, and certainly showed quite as much +skill as ever did Mahommed or any other false prophet. He had often +visited Cape Town, and had made himself master of all that he could +acquire of European knowledge. + +"This man, by his influence, his superior eloquence, and his pretended +revelations from heaven, was now looked up to by the whole Caffre +nation; and he promised the chiefs, if they would implicitly obey his +orders, he would lead them to victory, and that he would drive the +English into the ocean. He resolved upon the bold measure of making an +attack upon Graham's Town, and marched an army of between nine and ten +thousand men to the forest bordering on the Great Fish River. + +"According to the custom of the Caffres, who never use surprise or +ambush on great occasions, they sent a message to the commandant of +Graham's Town, stating that they would breakfast with him the next +morning. The commandant, who had supposed the message to be a mere +bravado, was very ill prepared when on the following morning he +perceived, to his great astonishment, the whole force of the Caffres on +the heights above the town. + +"Had the Caffres advanced in the night, there is no doubt but that they +would have had possession of the place, and that with the greatest ease. +There were about 350 regular troops and a small force of Hottentots in +Graham's Town, and fortunately a few field-pieces. The Caffres rushed to +the assault, and for some time were not to be checked; they went up to +the very muzzles of the field-pieces, and broke their spears off short, +to decide the battle by a hand-to-hand conflict. + +"At this critical moment, the field-pieces opened their fire of grape +and canister, and the front ranks of the Caffres were mowed down like +grass. After several rallyings under Mokanna, the Caffres gave way and +fled. About 1400 of the bravest remained on the field of battle, and as +many more perished from their wounds before they could regain their +country. Mokanna, after using every exertion, accompanied the Caffre +army in their flight." + +"It certainly was a bold attempt on the part of the Caffres, and showed +Mokanna to be a great man even in the failure." + +"It was so unprecedented an attempt, that the colonial government were +dreadfully alarmed, and turned out their whole force of militia as well +as of regular troops. The Caffre country was again overrun, the +inhabitants destroyed, without distinction of age or sex, their hamlets +fired, cattle driven away, and when they fled to the thickets, they were +bombarded with shells and Congreve rockets. Mokanna and the principal +chiefs were denounced as outlaws, and the inhabitants threatened with +utter extermination if they did not deliver them up dead or alive. +Although driven to despair, and perishing from want, not a single Caffre +was to be found who would earn the high reward offered for the surrender +of the chiefs." + +"The more I hear of them, the more I admire the Caffres," observed +Alexander Wilmot; "and I may add--but never mind, pray go on." + +"I think I could supply the words which you have checked, Mr. Wilmot, +but I will proceed, or dinner will be announced before I have finished +this portion of my history." + +"The course adopted by Mokanna under these circumstances was such as +will raise him much higher in your estimation. As he found that his +countrymen were to be massacred until he and the other chiefs were +delivered up, dead or alive, he resolved to surrender himself as a +hostage for his country. He sent a message to say that he would do so, +and the next day, with a calm magnanimity that would have done honor to +a Roman patriot, he came, unattended, to the English camp. His words +were 'People say that I have occasioned this war: let me see if my +delivering myself up will restore peace to my country.' The commanding +officer, to whom he surrendered himself, immediately forwarded him as a +prisoner to the colony." + +"What became of him?" + +"Of that hereafter; but I wish here to give you the substance of a +speech made by one of Mokanna's head men, who came after Mokanna's +surrender into the English camp. I am told that the imperfect notes +taken of it afford but a very faint idea of its eloquence; at all +events, the speech gives a very correct view of the treatment which the +Caffres received from our hands. + +"'This war,' said he, 'British chiefs, is an unjust one, for you are +trying to extirpate a people whom you have forced to take up arms. When +our fathers and the fathers of the boors first settled on the Zurweld, +they dwelt together in peace. Their flocks grazed the same hills, their +herdsmen smoked out of the same pipe; they were brothers until the herds +of the Amakosa (Caffres) increased so much as to make the hearts of the +Dutch boors sore. What those covetous men could not get from our fathers +for old buttons, they took by force. Our fathers were men; they loved +their cattle; their wives and children lived upon milk; they fought for +their property; they began to hate the colonists, who coveted their all, +and aimed at their destruction. + +"'Now their kraals and our fathers' kraals were separate. The boors made +commandoes for our fathers; our fathers drove them out of the Zurweld, +and we dwelt there because we had conquered it; there we married wives; +there our children were born; the white men hated us, but could not +drive us away; when there was war, we plundered you; when there was +peace, some of our bad people stole; but our chiefs forbade it. + +"'We lived in peace; some bad people stole, perhaps; but the nation was +quiet; Gaika stole; his chiefs stole; you sent him copper; you sent him +beads; you sent him horses, on which he rode to steal more; to _us_ you +only sent _commandoes_. We quarreled with Gaika about grass;--no +business of yours; you send a commando; you take our last cow; you leave +only a few calves, which die for want, and so do our children; you give +half the spoil to Gaika; half you kept yourselves. + +"'Without milk; our corn destroyed; we saw our wives and children +perish; we followed, therefore, the tracks of our cattle into the +colony; we plundered, and we fought for our lives; we found you weak, +and we destroyed your soldiers; we saw that we were strong, and we +attacked your headquarters, and if we had succeeded, our right was good, +for you began the war; we failed, and you are here. + +"We wish for peace; we wish to rest in our huts; we wish to get milk for +our children; our wives wish to till the land; but your troops cover the +plains, and swarm in the thickets, where they can not distinguish the +men from the women, and shoot _all_. You wish us to submit to Gaika; +that man's face is fair to you, but his heart is false; leave him to +himself; make peace with us: let him fight for himself; and we shall not +call upon you for help; set Mokanna at liberty, and all our chiefs will +make peace with you at any time you fix; but if you still make war, you +may indeed kill the last man of us, but Gaika shall not rule over the +followers of those who think him a woman.' + +"If eloquence consists (as it does not in the English House of Commons) +in saying much in few words, I know no speech more comprehensive of the +facts and arguments of a case than the above. I am sorry to say it had +no effect in altering the destination of Mokanna, or of obtaining any +relief for his countrymen, who were still called upon to deliver up the +other chiefs _outlawed_ by the government." + +"I before remarked the absurdity of that expression," said Mr. Swinton; +"we outlaw a member of our own society and belonging to our own country; +but to _outlaw_ the chiefs of another country is something too absurd; I +fear the English language is not much studied at the Cape." + +"At all events, every attempt made to obtain possession of these +_outlawed_ chiefs was unavailing. After plundering the country of all +that could be found in it, leaving devastation and misery behind, the +expedition returned without obtaining their object, but with the +satisfaction of knowing that by taking away 30,000 more cattle, they +left thousands of women and children to die of starvation. But I must +leave off now. The results of the war, and the fate of Mokanna, shall be +the subject of another meeting." + +"We are much obliged to you, Mr. Fairburn, for the interesting narrative +you have given us. It is, however, to be hoped that you will have no +more such painful errors and injustice to dwell upon." + +"As I before observed, Mr. Wilmot, it requires time for prejudice and +falsehood to be overthrown; and until they are mastered, it can not be +expected that justice can be administered. The colonial government had +to contend with the whole white population of the colony who rose up in +arms against them, considering, from long habit, that any interference +with their assumed despotism over the natives was an infringement of +their rights. + +"You must also recollect how weak was the power of the colonial +government for a long time, and how impossible it was to exert that +power over such an extensive country; and to give you some idea of this, +I will state what was the reply of some of the Dutch boors to the +traveler La Vaillant, when the latter expressed his opinion that the +government should interfere with an armed force to put an end to their +cruelty and oppression. + +"'Are you aware,' said they, 'what would be the result of such an +attempt?--Assembling all in an instant, we would massacre half of the +soldiers, salt their flesh, and send it back by those we might spare, +with threats to do the same thing to those who should be bold enough to +appear among us afterward.' It is not an easy task for any government to +deal with such a set of people, Mr. Wilmot." + +"I grant it," replied Alexander; "and the conviction makes me more +anxious to know what has been since done." + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + +The following morning the wind was very slight, and before noon it fell +calm. Two sharks of a large size came under the stern of the vessel, and +the sailors were soon very busy trying to hook one of them; but they +refused the bait, which was a piece of salt pork, and after an hour they +quitted the vessel and disappeared, much to the disappointment of both +passengers and ship's company, the former wishing very much to see the +sharks caught, and the latter very anxious to cut them up and fry them +for their suppers. + +"I thought that sharks always took the bait," observed Alexander. + +"Not always, as you have now seen," replied Mr. Swinton; "all depends +upon whether they are hungry or not. In some harbors where there are +plenty of fish, I have seen sharks in hundreds, which not only refused +any bait, but would not attempt to seize a man if he was in the water; +but I am surprised at these Atlantic sharks refusing the bait, I must +confess, for they are generally very ravenous, as are, indeed, all the +sharks which are found in the ocean." + +"I can tell you, sir, why they refused the bait," said the boatswain of +the vessel, who was standing by; "it's because we are now on the track +of the Brazilian slavers, and they have been well fed lately, depend +upon it." + +"I should not be surprised if you were correct in your idea," replied +Mr. Swinton. + +"There are many varieties of sharks, are there not?" inquired Wilmot. + +"Yes, a great many; the fiercest, however, and the largest kind is the +one which has just left us, and is termed the white shark; it ranges the +whole Atlantic Ocean, but is seldom found far to the northward, as it +prefers the tropics: it is, however, to be seen in the Mediterranean, in +the Gulf of Lyons, and is there remarkably fierce. In the English +Channel you find the blue shark, which is seldom dangerous; there is +also a very large-sized but harmless shark found in the north seas, +which the whalers frequent. Then there is the spotted or tiger-shark, +which is very savage, although it does not grow to a large size; the +hammer-headed shark, so called from the peculiar formation of its head; +and the ground shark, perhaps the most dangerous of all, as it lies at +the bottom and rises under you without giving you notice of its +approach. I believe I have now mentioned the principal varieties." + +"If a man was to fall overboard and a shark was nigh, what would be the +best plan to act upon--that is, if there would be any chance of escape +from such a brute?" + +"The best plan, and I have seen it acted upon with success, is, if you +can swim well, to throw yourself on your back and splash as much as you +can with your feet, and halloo as loud as you can. A shark is a cowardly +animal, and noise will drive it away. + +"When I went out two or three years ago, I had a Newfoundland dog, which +was accustomed to leap into the water from almost any height. I was very +partial to him, and you may imagine my annoyance when, one day, as we +were becalmed along the Western Islands, and a large shark came up +alongside, the dog, at once perceiving it, plunged off the taffrail to +seize it, swimming toward the shark, and barking as loud as he could. I +fully expected that the monster would have dispatched him in a moment; +but to my surprise the shark was frightened and swam away, followed by +the dog, until the boat that was lowered down picked him up." + +"I don't think the shark could have been very hungry." + +"Probably not; at all events I should not have liked to have been in +Neptune's place. I think the most peculiar plan of escaping from sharks +is that pursued by the Cingalese divers, and often with success." + +"Tell me, if you please." + +"The divers who go down for the pearl oysters off Ceylon generally drop +from a boat, and descend in ten or twelve fathoms of water before they +come to the bed of pearl oysters, which is upon a bank of mud: it often +happens that when they are down, the sharks make for them, and I hardly +need say that these poor fellows are constantly on the watch, looking in +every direction while they are filling their baskets. If they perceive a +shark making for them, their only chance is to stir up the mud on the +bank as fast as they can, which prevents the animal from distinguishing +them, and under the cover of the clouded water they regain the surface; +nevertheless, it does not always answer, and many are taken off every +year." + +"A lady, proud of her pearl necklace, little thinks how many poor +fellows may have been torn to pieces to obtain for her such an +ornament." + +"Very true; and when we consider how many pearl-fisheries may have taken +place, and how many divers may have been destroyed, before a string of +fine pearls can be obtained, we might almost say that every pearl on the +necklace has cost the life of a human creature." + +"How are the pearls disposed of, and who are the proprietors?" + +"The government are the proprietors of the fishery, I believe; but +whether they farm it out yearly, or not, I can not tell; but this I +know, that as the pearl oysters are taken, they are landed unopened and +packed upon the beach in squares of a certain dimension. When the +fishing is over for the season, these square lots of pearl oysters are +put up to auction, and sold to the highest bidder, of course 'contents +unknown;' so that it becomes a species of lottery; the purchaser may not +find a single pearl in his lot, or he may find two or three, which will +realize twenty times the price which he has paid for his lot." + +"It is, then, a lottery from beginning to end; the poor divers' lottery +is shark or no shark; the purchasers', pearls or no pearls. But Mr. +Fairburn is coming up the ladder, and I am anxious to know what was the +fate of Mokanna." + +Mr. Fairburn, who had come on deck on purpose to continue the narrative, +took his seat by his two fellow passengers and went on as follows:-- + +"I stated that Mokanna had been forwarded to the Cape. You must have +perceived that his only crime was that of fighting for his native land +against civilized invaders; but this was a deep crime in the eyes of the +colonial government; he was immediately thrown into the common gaol, and +finally was condemned to be imprisoned for life on Robben Island, a +place appropriated for the detention of convicted felons and other +malefactors, who there work in irons at the slate-quarries." + +"May I ask, where is Robben Island?" + +"It is an island a few miles from the mainland, close to Table Bay, upon +which the Cape Town is built. + +"Mokanna remained there about a year, when, having made his intentions +known to some Caffres who were confined there with him, he contrived out +of the iron hoops of the casks to make some weapons like cutlasses, with +which he armed his followers, rose upon the guard and overpowered them; +he then seized the boat, and with his Caffres made for the mainland. +Unfortunately, in attempting to disembark upon the rocks of the +mainland, the boat was upset in the surf, which was very violent; +Mokanna clung some time to a rock, but at last was washed off, and thus +perished the unfortunate leader of the Caffres." + +"Poor fellow," said Alexander; "he deserved a better fate and a more +generous enemy; but did the war continue?" + +"No; it ended in a manner every way worthy of that in which it was +begun. You recollect that the war was commenced to support Gaika, our +selected chief of the Caffres, against the real chiefs. The Caffres had +before been compelled to give up their territories on our side of the +Fish River; the colonial government now insisted upon their retiring +still further, that is, beyond the Keisi and Chumi rivers, by which +3,000 more square miles were added to the colonial territory. This was +exacted, in order that there might be a neutral ground to separate the +Caffres and the Dutch boors, and put an end to further robberies on +either side. The strangest part of the story is, that this territory was +not taken away from the Caffre chiefs, against whom we had made war, but +from Gaika, our ally, to support whom we had entered into the war." + +"Well, it was even-handed--not justice, but injustice, at all events." + +"Exactly so; and so thought Gaika, for when speaking of the protection +he received from the colonial government, he said, 'But when I look upon +the large extent of fine country which has been taken from me, I am +compelled to say, that, although protected, I am _rather oppressed_ by +my _protectors_.'" + +"Unjust as was the mode of obtaining the neutral ground, I must say that +it appears to me to have been a good policy to put one between the +parties." + +"I grant it; but what was the conduct of the colonial government? This +neutral ground was afterward given away in large tracts to the Dutch +boors, so as again to bring them into contact with the Caffres." + +"Is it possible?" + +"Yes; to men who had always been opposed to the English government, who +had twice risen in rebellion against them, and who had tried to bring in +the Caffres to destroy the colony. Neither were the commandoes, or +excursions against the Caffres, put an end to: Makomo, the son of Gaika, +our late ally, has, I hear, been the party now attacked. I trust, +however, that we may soon have affairs going on in a more favorable and +reputable manner; indeed, I am sure that, now the government at home +have been put in possession of the facts, such will be the case. + +"I have now given you a very brief insight into the history of the Cape +up to the present time. There are many points which I have passed over, +not wishing to diverge from a straightforward narrative; but upon any +questions you may wish to ask, I shall be most happy to give you all the +information in my power. I can not, however, dismiss the subject +without making one remark, which is, that it is principally, if not +wholly, to the missionaries, to their exertions and to their +representations, that what good has been done is to be attributed. They +are entitled to the greatest credit and the warmest praise; and great as +has been the misrule of this colony for many years, it would have been +much greater and much more disgraceful, if it had not been for their +efforts. Another very important alteration has been taking place in the +colony, which will eventually be productive of much good. I refer to the +British immigration, which every year becomes more extensive; and as +soon as the British population exceeds and masters that of the old Dutch +planters and boors, we shall have better feeling in the colony. Do not +suppose that all the Dutch boors are such as those whose conduct I have +been obliged to point out. There are many worthy men, although but few +educated or enlightened. + +"I know from my own observation that the failings and prejudices against +the natives are fast fading away, and that lately the law has been able +to hold its ground, and has been supported by the people inhabiting the +districts. The Dutch, with all their prejudices and all their vices, +will soon be swallowed up by the inundation of English settlers, and +will gradually be so incorporated and intermingled by marriage that no +distinction will be known. Time, however, is required for such +consolidation and cementation; that time is arriving fast, and the +future prospects of the Cape are as cheering, as you may think, from my +narrative, they have been disheartening and gloomy." + +"I trust in God that such will be the case," replied Alexander. "If this +wind continues, in a few days we shall be at the Cape, and I shall be +most anxious to hear how affairs are going on." + +"I had a letter just before I set out from England, stating that the +Zoolu tribes, to the northward of the Caffres, are in an unquiet state; +and as you must pass near to these tribes on your journey, I am anxious +to know the truth. At all events, Chaka is dead; he was murdered about +two years back by his own relations." + +"Who was Chaka?" inquired Alexander. + +"That I have yet to tell you; at present we have only got as far as the +Caffres, who are immediately on our frontiers." + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + +The wind continued fair, and the vessel rapidly approached the Cape. +Alexander, who had contracted a great friendship for Mr. Swinton, had +made known to him the cause of his intended journey into the interior, +and the latter volunteered, if his company would not be displeasing, to +accompany Alexander on his tedious and somewhat perilous expedition. + +Alexander gladly accepted the offer, and requested Mr. Swinton would put +himself to no expense, as he had unlimited command of money from his +grand-uncle, and Mr. Swinton's joining the caravan would make no +difference in his arrangements. + +After it had been agreed that they should travel together, the continued +subject of discourse and discussion was the nature of the outfit, the +number of wagons, their equipment, the stores, the number of horses and +oxen which should he provided; and they were busy every day adding to +their memoranda as to what it would be advisable to procure for their +journey. + +Mr. Fairburn often joined in the discussion, and gave his advice, but +told them that, when they arrived at Cape Town, he might be more useful +to them. Alexander, who, as we have before observed, was a keen hunter, +and very partial to horses and dogs, promised himself much pleasure in +the chase of the wild animals on their journey, and congratulated +himself upon being so well provided with guns and rifles, which he had +brought with him, more with the idea that they might be required for +self-defense than for sport. + +At last, "Land, ho!" was cried out by the man who was at the mast-head +in the morning watch, and soon afterward, the flat top of Table Mountain +was distinctly visible from the deck. The _Surprise_, running before a +fresh breeze, soon neared the land, so that the objects on it might be +perceived with a glass. At noon they were well in for the bay, and +before three o'clock the _Surprise_ was brought to an anchor between two +other merchant vessels, which were filling up their home cargoes. + +After a three months' voyage, passengers are rather anxious to get on +shore; and therefore before night all were landed, and Alexander found +himself comfortably domiciled in one of the best houses in Cape Town; +for Mr. Fairburn had, during the passage, requested Alexander to take up +his abode with him. + +Tired with the excitement of the day, he was not sorry to go to bed +early, and he did not forget to return his thanks to Him who had +preserved him through the perils of the voyage. + +The next morning Mr. Fairburn said to Alexander-- + +"Mr. Wilmot, I should recommend you for the first ten days to think +nothing about your journey. Amuse yourself with seeing the public +gardens, and other things worthy of inspection; or, if it pleases you, +you can make the ascent of Table Mountain with your friend Swinton. At +all events, do just as you please; you will find my people attentive, +and ready to obey your orders. You know the hours of meals; consider +yourself at home, and as much master here as I am. As you may well +imagine, after so long an absence, I have much to attend to in my +official capacity, and I think it will be a week or ten days before I +shall be comfortably reseated in my office, and have things going on +smoothly, as they ought to do. You must therefore excuse me if I am not +quite so attentive a host at first as I should wish to be. One thing +only I recommend you to do at present, which is, to accompany me this +afternoon to Government-house, that I may introduce you to the governor. +It is just as well to get over that mark of respect which is due to him, +and then you will be your own master." + +Alexander replied with many thanks. He was graciously received by the +governor, who promised him every assistance in his power in the +prosecution of his journey. Having received an invitation for dinner on +the following day, Alexander bowed and took his leave in company with +Mr. Fairburn. + +On the following day Alexander was visited by Mr. Swinton. Mr. Swinton +was accompanied by a major in the Bengal Cavalry, whom he introduced as +Major Henderson. He had arrived a few days before from Calcutta, having +obtained leave of absence for the recovery of his health, after a smart +jungle-fever, which had nearly proved fatal. The voyage, however, had +completely reinstated him, and he appeared full of life and spirits. +They walked together to the Company's gardens, in which were a few +lions, and some other Cape animals, and the discourse naturally turned +upon them. Major Henderson described the hunting in India, especially +the tiger-hunting on elephants, to which he was very partial; and +Alexander soon discovered that he was talking to one who was +passionately fond of the sport. After a long conversation they parted, +mutually pleased with each other. A day or two afterward, Mr. Swinton, +who had been talking about their intended journey with Alexander, said +to him:-- + +"You must not be surprised at the off-hand and unceremonious way we have +in the colonies. People meeting abroad, even Englishmen occasionally, +throw aside much ceremony. I mention this, because Major Henderson +intends to call this afternoon, and propose joining our party into the +interior. I do not know much of him, but I have heard much said in his +favor, and it is easy to see by his manners and address that he is a +gentleman. Of course, when he stated his intention, I could do nothing +but refer him to you, which I did. What do you think, Wilmot?" + +"I think very well of Major Henderson, and I consider that, as the +journey must be one of some peril, the more Europeans the better, +especially when we can find one who is used to danger from his +profession, and also to dangerous hunting, which we must also expect. So +far from not wishing him to join us, I consider him a most valuable +acquisition, and am delighted at the idea." + +"Well, I am glad to hear you say so, for I agree with you. He is hunting +mad, that is certain, and I hear, a most remarkable shot. I think with +you he will be an acquisition. It appears that it was his intention to +have gone into the interior, even if he went by himself; and he has two +Arab horses which he brought with him from India with that view." + +"If you see him before he comes, you may say that you have stated his +wishes to me, and that I am quite delighted at his joining our +party,--it being perfectly understood that he is at no expense for any +thing connected with the outfit." + +"I will tell him so," replied Swinton; "and I think the sooner we begin +to collect what is necessary the better. We must have Major Henderson in +our councils. Depend upon it, he will be very useful and very active; +so, for the present, farewell." + +Mr. Swinton and Major Henderson called together that afternoon, and the +latter, as soon as he was admitted into the party, began to talk over +the plans and preparations. + +"My suite is not very large," said he; "I have two horses and two dogs, +a Parsee servant, and a Cape baboon. I should like to take the latter +with us as well as my servant. My servant, because he is a good cook; +and my monkey, because, if we are hard put to it, she will show us what +we may eat and what we may not; there is no taster like a monkey. +Besides, she is young and full of tricks, and I like something to amuse +me." + +"The baboons have another good quality: they give notice of danger +sooner than a dog," observed Swinton. "I think, Wilmot, we must admit +the monkey into the party." + +"I shall be most happy," replied Alexander, laughing; "pray give her my +compliments, Major Henderson, and say how happy I shall be." + +"I call her Begum," said Major Henderson; "because she is so like the +old Begum princess whom I was once attending, when in India with my +troop, as guard of honor. You must look out for some good horses, Mr. +Wilmot; you will want a great many, and if you do not wish them to have +sore backs, don't let the Hottentots ride them." + +"We have been discussing the point, Major Henderson, as to whether it +will not be better to go round in a vessel to Algoa Bay, complete our +equipment there, and make that our starting place." + +"If you do, you will save a long journey by land, and find yourself not +very far from what I understand are the best of hunting-grounds, near to +the country of the Vaal River." + +The topics then dwelt upon were what articles they should procure in +Cape Town, and what they should defer providing themselves with until +their arrival at Algoa Bay. They agreed to provide all their stores at +Cape Town, and as many good horses as they could select; but the wagons +and oxen, and the hiring of Hottentots, they put off until they arrived +at Algoa Bay. + +Mr. Fairburn was now more at leisure, and Alexander had more of his +society. One evening after dinner Mr. Fairburn had opened a map of the +country, to give Alexander some information relative to his projected +journey. He pointed out to him the track which appeared most advisable +through the Caffre country, and then observed that it was difficult to +give any advice as to his proceedings after he had passed this country, +governed by Hinza, as every thing would depend upon circumstances. + +"Do you know any thing of the country beyond?" + +"Not much; we know that it was overrun by the Zoolus, the tribe of which +Chaka was the chief; and last year our troops went to the assistance of +the Caffres, who were attacked by another tribe from the northward, +called the Mantatees. These were dispersed by our troops with immense +slaughter. The Zoolu country, you perceive, is on the east side of the +great chain of mountains, and to the northward of Port Natal. The +Mantatees came from the west side of the mountains, in about the same +parallel of latitude. It is impossible to say what may be going on at +present, or what may take place before you arrive at your destination, +as these northern irruptions are continual." + +"You promised me the history of that person, Chaka." + +"You shall have it now: he was the king of the Zoolu nation--I hardly +know what to call him. He was the Nero and the Napoleon of Africa; a +monster in cruelty and crime, yet a great warrior and conqueror. He +commenced his career by murdering his relatives to obtain the +sovereignty. As soon as he had succeeded, he murdered all those whom he +thought inimical to him, and who had been friends to his relatives." + +"But are the Zoolus Caffres?" + +"No; but there are many races to the northward which we consider as +Caffre races. You may have observed, in the history of the world, that +the migrations of the human race are generally from the north to the +south: so it appears to have been in Africa. Some convulsion among the +northern tribes, probably a pressure from excessive population, had +driven the Zoolus to the southward, and they came down like an +inundation, sweeping before them all the tribes that fell in their path. +Chaka's force consisted of nearly 100,000 warriors, of whom 15,000 were +always in attendance to execute his orders. In every country which he +overran he spared neither age nor sex; it was one indiscriminate +slaughter." + +"What a monster!" + +"He ruled by terror, and it is incredible that his orders met with such +implicit obedience. To make his army invincible, he remodeled it, +divided it into companies, distinguished by the color of their shields, +and forbade them to use any other weapon but a short stabbing-spear, so +that they always fought at close quarters. He weeded his army by picking +out 1000 of his veteran warriors, who had gained his victories, and +putting them to death. Any regiment sent out to battle, if they were +defeated, were instantly destroyed on their return; it was, therefore, +victory or death with them; and the death was most cruel, being that of +impalement. Well he was surnamed 'the Bloody,'" + +"Yes, indeed." + +"His tyranny over his own people was dreadful. On one occasion, a child +annoyed him; he ordered it to be killed; but the child ran among seventy +or eighty other children, and could not be distinguished, so he ordered +the whole to be put to death. He murdered two or three hundred of his +wives in one day. At the slightest suspicion he would order out his +chiefs to execution, and no one knew when his turn might come. His will +was law: every one trembled and obeyed. To enter into a detail of all +his cruelties would fill volumes; it will be sufficient to mention the +last act of his life. His mother died, and he declared that she had +perished by witchcraft. Hundreds and hundreds were impaled, and, at +last, tired of these slow proceedings, he ordered out his army to an +indiscriminate slaughter over the whole country, which lasted for +fourteen days." + +"How horrible!" + +"He was a demon who reveled in blood; but his own turn came at last. He +was murdered by his brother Dingaam, who knew that he was about to be +sacrificed; and thus perished the bloody Chaka. His brother Dingaam is +now on the Zoolu throne, and appears inclined to be quiet. There is +another great warrior chief named Moselekatsee, who revolted from Chaka, +and who is much such another character; but our accounts of these people +are vague at present, and require time to corroborate their correctness. +You will have to act and decide when you arrive there, and must be +guided by circumstances. With the caravan you propose to travel with, I +think there will not be much danger; and if there is, you must retreat. +The favor of these despots is easily to be obtained by judicious +presents, which of course you will not be unprovided with. I have +ordered your letters to the authorities to be made out, and you will +have the governor's signature to them. When do you propose to, start?" + +"We shall be ready in a few days, and have only to find a vessel going +to Algoa Bay." + +"You will be asked to take charge of several articles which are to be +sent to the missionary station which you will pass on your way. I +presume you have no objection?" + +"Certainly not; they deserve every encouragement, and any kindness and +attention I can show them will give me great pleasure." + +Alexander received many proposals from different parties who wished to +join the expedition, but they were all civilly declined. In a few days a +vessel arrived, which was about to go round to the settlement at Algoa +Bay. Their stores, horses, and dogs, not forgetting Begum the baboon, +were all embarked, and, taking leave of Mr. Fairburn and the governor, +Alexander, Major Henderson, and Mr. Swinton embarked, and on the evening +of the fourth day found themselves safe at anchor in company with ten or +twelve vessels which were lying in Algoa Bay. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + +The vessels which lay at anchor in Algoa Bay had just arrived from +England, with a numerous collection of emigrants, who, to improve their +fortunes, had left their native land to settle in this country. Many had +landed, but the greater proportion were still on board of the vessels. +The debarkation was rapidly going on, and the whole bay was covered with +boats landing with people and stores, or returning for more. The wind +blowing from the westward, there was no surf on the beach; the sun was +bright and warm, and the scene was busy and interesting; but night came +on, and the panorama was closed in. + +Alexander and his companions remained on the deck of their vessel till +an undisturbed silence reigned where but an hour or two before all was +noise and bustle. The stars, so beautiful in the southern climes, shone +out in cloudless brilliancy; the waters of the bay were smooth as glass, +and reflected them so clearly that they might have fancied that there +was a heaven beneath as well as above them. The land presented a dark +opaque mass, the mountains in the distance appearing as if they were +close to them, and rising precipitately from the shore. All was of one +somber hue, except where the lights in the houses in the town twinkled +here and there, announcing that; some had not yet dismissed their +worldly cares, and sought repose from the labors of the day. Yet all +was silent, except occasionally the barking of a dog, or the voice of +the sentry in Fort Frederick, announcing that "all was well." + +"What a gathering in a small space of so many people with so many +different histories, so many causes for leaving their native land, and +with so many different fortunes in store for them, must there be on +board of an emigrant ship," observed Mr. Swinton. + +"Yet all united in one feeling, and instigated by the same desire,--that +of independence, and, if possible, of wealth," rejoined Major Henderson. + +"Of that there can be no doubt," said Alexander; "but it must be almost +like beginning a new life; so many ties broken by the vast ocean which +has separated them; new interests usurping the place of old ones; all +novelty and adventure to look forward to; new scenes added to new hopes +and new fears; but we must not remain too long even to watch these +beautiful heavens, for we must rise at daylight, so I shall set the +example, and wish you both good-night." + +At daylight on the following morning the long-boat was hoisted out, and +the horses safely conveyed on shore. After a hasty breakfast, Alexander +and his two companions landed, to see if it were possible to obtain any +roof under which they could shelter themselves; but the number of +emigrants who had arrived put that out of the question, every house and +every bed being engaged. This was a great disappointment, as they had no +wish to return on board and reoccupy the confined space which had been +allotted to them. + +Having found accommodation for their horses, they proceeded to examine +the town and resume their search for lodgings. The streets presented a +bustling and animated scene; wagons with goods, or returning empty with +their long teams of oxen; horses, sheep, and other animals, just landed; +loud talking; busy inquirers; running to and fro of men; Hottentots busy +with the gods, or smoking their pipes in idle survey; crates and boxes, +and packages of all descriptions, mixed up with agricultural implements +and ironware, lining each side of the road, upon which were seated +wives and daughters watching the property, and children looking round +with astonishment, or playing or crying. + +Further out of the town were to be seen tents pitched by the emigrants, +who had provided themselves with such necessaries before they had +quitted England, and who were bivouacking like so many gipsies, +independent of lodgings and their attendant expenses, and cooking their +own provisions in kettles or frying-pans. As Alexander perceived the +latter, he said, "At all events, we have found lodgings now; I never +thought of that." + +"How do you mean?" + +"I have two tents in the luggage I brought from Cape Town; we must get +them on shore, and do as these people have done." + +"Bravo! I am glad to hear that," replied Major Henderson; "any thing +better than remaining on board to be nibbled by the cockroaches. Shall +we return at once?" + +"By all means," said Mr. Swinton; "we have but to get our mattresses and +a few other articles." + +"Leave my man to do all that," said the Major; "he is used to it. In +India we almost live in tents when up the country. But here comes one +that I should know;--Maxwell, I believe?" + +"Even so, my dear Henderson," replied the military officer who had been +thus addressed; "why, what brought you here?--surely you are not a +settler?" + +"No; I am here because I am not a settler," replied Henderson, laughing; +"I am always on the move; I am merely on my own way with my two friends +here to shoot a hippopotamus. Allow me to introduce Mr. Wilmot and Mr. +Swinton. But I see you are on duty; are you in the fort?" + +"Yes; I came from Somerset about a month back. Can I be of any use to +you?" + +"That depends upon circumstances; we are now going on board for our +tents, to pitch them on the hill there, as we can get no lodgings." + +"Well, I can not offer you beds in the fort, but I think if you were to +pitch your tents outside the fort, on the glacis, you would be better +than on the hill; your baggage would be safer, and I should be more able +to render you any attention or assistance you may require." + +"An excellent idea; if it were only on account of the baggage," replied +Henderson; "we accept your offer with pleasure." + +"Well then, get them on shore as quick as you can; my men will soon have +them out for you and assist in transporting your luggage; and don't +distress yourself about your dinner, I will contrive to have something +cooked for you." + +"A friend in need is a friend indeed, my good fellow. We will accept +your offers as freely as they are made: so farewell for an hour or so." + +As they parted with Captain Maxwell, Henderson observed, "That was a +lucky meeting, for we shall now get on well. Maxwell is an excellent +fellow, and he will be very useful to us in making our purchases, as he +knows the people and the country: and our luggage will be safe from all +pilferers." + +"It is indeed very fortunate," replied Mr. Swinton. "Where did you know +Captain Maxwell?" + +"In India. We have often been out hunting tigers together. How he would +like to be of our party; but that is of course impossible." + +"But how shall we manage about our living, Major Henderson?" observed +Wilmot; "it will never do to quarter ourselves on your friend." + +"Of course not; we should soon eat up his pay and allowance. No, no; we +will find dinners, and he will help us to cook them first and eat them +afterward." + +"Upon such terms, I shall gladly take up my quarters in the fort," +replied Alexander. "But which is our boat out of all these?" + +"Here, sir," cried out one of the sailors; "come along, my lads," +continued he to the other men, who were lounging about, and who all +jumped into the boat, which pushed off, and they were soon on board of +the ship. + +As the master of the vessel was equally glad to get rid of his +passengers and their luggage as they were to leave, the utmost +expedition was used by all parties, and in a few hours everything was +landed, Begum, the baboon, being perched upon the stores conveyed in the +last boat. A party of soldiers sent down by Captain Maxwell assisted the +seamen to carry the various packages up to the fort, and before the +evening closed in, the tents were pitched, their beds made up, and their +baggage safely housed, while they were amusing themselves after dining +with Captain Maxwell, leaning on the parapet and watching the passing +and repassing of the boats which were unlading the vessels. + +As there was little chance of rain in the present season, they lay down +on their mattresses in perfect security and comfort, and did not wake up +the next morning until breakfast was ready. After breakfast they sallied +out with Captain Maxwell to look after wagons and oxen, and as, on the +arrival of the emigrants, a number of wagons had been sent down to take +them to their destinations, Captain Maxwell soon fell in with some of +the Dutch boors of the interior with whom he had been acquainted, and +who had come down with their wagons; but previous to making any +bargains, Alexander went with Captain Maxwell to the landroost, for whom +he had brought a letter from the governor. + +This gentleman immediately joined the party, and through his +intervention, before night, four excellent wagons with their tilts and +canvas coverings, and four span of oxen of fourteen each, were bought +and promised to be brought down and delivered up in good order, as soon +as they had carried up the freights with which they were charged. + +As these wagons could not return under four days, the next object that +they had in view was to procure some more horses, and here they met with +difficulty; for Major Henderson, who, as an excellent judge of horses, +was requested to select them, would not accept of many that were +offered. Still they had plenty of time, as the wagons would require +fitting out previous to their departure, and this would be a work of +some days; and many articles which they had decided to procure at Algoa +Bay, instead of the Cape, were now to be sought for and selected. + +At the time appointed, the wagons and teams were delivered over and paid +for. Carpenters were then engaged, and the wagons were fitted out with +lockers all round them, divided off to contain the luggage separate, so +that they might be able to obtain in a minute any thing that they might +require. While this work was proceeding, with the assistance of the +landroost, they were engaging Hottentots and other people to join the +expedition, some as drivers to the wagons, others as huntsmen, and to +perform such duties as might be required of them. Some very steady brave +men were selected, but it was impossible to make up the whole force +which they wished to take of people of known character; many of them +were engaged rather from their appearance, their promises, and the +characters they obtained from others or gave themselves, than from any +positive knowledge of them. This could not be avoided; and as they had +it in their power to dismiss them for bad conduct, it was to be presumed +that they could procure others. + +It was more than three weeks before every thing was ready for their +departure, and then the caravan was composed as follows:-- + +The persons who belonged to it were our three gentlemen; the servant of +Major Henderson; eight drivers of the teams of oxen; twelve Hottentot +and other hunters (for some of them were of a mixed race); two +Hottentots who had charge of the horses, and two others who had charge +of a flock of Cape sheep, which were to follow the caravan, and serve as +food until they could procure oxen by purchase or game with their guns: +so that the whole force of the party amounted to twenty men: two +Hottentot women, wives of the principal men, also accompanied the +caravan to wash and assist in cooking. + +The animals belonging to the caravan consisted of fifty-six fine oxen, +which composed the teams; twelve horses, as Major Henderson could only +procure six at Algoa Bay, or they would have purchased more; thirteen +dogs of various sizes, and Begum, the baboon, belonging to Captain +Henderson: to these were to be added the flock of sheep. + +The wagons were fitted out as follows, chiefly under the direction of +Major Henderson and Mr. Swinton. + +The first wagon, which was called Mr. Wilmot's wagon, was fitted up with +boxes or lockers all round, and contained all the stores for their own +use, such as tea, sugar, coffee, cheeses, hams, tongues, biscuits, soap, +and wax candles, wine and spirits in bottles, besides large rolls of +tobacco for the Hottentots or presents, and Alexander's clothes; his +mattress lay at the bottom of the wagons, between the lockers. The wagon +was covered with a double sail-cloth tilt, and with curtains before and +behind; the carpenter's tools were also in one of the lockers of this +wagon. + +The second wagon was called Mr. Swinton's wagon; it was fitted up with +lockers in the same way as the other, but it had also a large chest with +a great quantity of drawers for insects, bottles of spirits for animals, +and every thing necessary for preserving them; a ream or two of paper +for drying plants, and several other articles, more particularly a +medicine-chest well filled, for Mr. Swinton was not unacquainted with +surgery and physic. The other lockers were filled with a large quantity +of glass beads and cutlery for presents, several hundred pounds of +bullets, ready cast, and all the kitchen ware and crockery. It had the +same covering as the first, and Mr. Swinton's mattress was at night +spread in the middle between the lockers. + +The third wagon was called the armory, or the Major's wagon; it was not +fitted up like the two first. The whole bottom of it was occupied with +movable chests, and four large casks of spirits, and the Major made up +his bed on the top of the chests. In the chests were gunpowder in +bottles and a quantity of small shot for present use; tobacco in large +rolls; 1 cwt. of snuff; all the heavy tools, spades, shovels, and axes, +and a variety of other useful articles. + +The tilt-frame was much stouter than that of the two other wagons, for +the hoops met each other so as to make it solid. It was covered with a +tarred sail-cloth so as to be quite water-proof, and under the +tilt-frame were suspended all the guns, except the two which Alexander +and Mr. Swinton retained in their own wagons in case of emergency. The +back and front of this wagon were closed with boards, which were let +down and pulled up on hinges, so that it was a little fortress in case +of need; and as it could be locked up at any time, the Hottentots were +not able to get at the casks of spirits without committing a sort of +burglary. Begum was tied up in this wagon at night. + +The fourth wagon was called the store wagon, and contained several +articles which were not immediately wanted; such as casks of flour and +bags of rice: it also held most of the ammunition, having six casks of +gunpowder, a quantity of lead, two coils of rope, iron bars, bags of +nails of various sizes, rolls of brass wire, and the two tents, with +three chairs and a small table. Like the wagon of Major Henderson, it +was covered with water-proof cloth. + +Such was the fit-out which was considered necessary for this adventurous +expedition, and the crowds who came to see the preparations for the +great hunting-party, as it was called, were so great and so annoying +that the utmost haste was made to quit the town. At last the wagons were +all loaded, the Hottentots collected together from the liquor-shops, +their agreements read to them by the landroost, and any departure from +their agreements, or any misconduct, threatened with severe punishment. + +The horses and oxen were brought in, and the next morning was fixed for +their departure. Having taken leave of the landroost and other gentlemen +of the town, who had loaded them with civilities, they retired to the +fort, and passed the major part of the night with Captain Maxwell; but +to avoid the crowd which would have accompanied them, and have impeded +their progress, they had resolved to set off before daylight. At two +o'clock in the morning the Hottentots were roused up, the oxen yoked, +and an hour before day-break the whole train had quitted the town, and +were traveling at a slow pace, lighted only by the brilliant stars of +the southern sky. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + +The plans of our travelers had been well digested. They had decided that +they would first prosecute the object of their journey by proceeding +straight through the Caffre country to the borders of the Undata River, +near or whereabout it was reported that the descendants of the whites +would be found located; and as soon as Alexander had accomplished his +mission, that they would cross the chain of mountains, and return +through the Bushmen and the Koranna country. Their reason for making +this arrangement was, that throughout the whole of the Caffre country, +with the exception of lions and elephants in the forest, and hippopotami +in the rivers, there was little or no game to be found, the Caffres +having almost wholly destroyed it. + +This plan had been suggested by Major Henderson, and had been approved +by Alexander and Mr. Swinton,--Alexander being equally desirous as the +Major to have plenty of field-sport, and Mr. Swinton anxious to increase +his stock and knowledge of the animal kingdom. There was little to be +feared in their advance through the Caffre country, as the missionaries +had already planted two missions, one at Butterworth and the other at +Chumie; and the first of these Alexander had decided upon visiting, and +had, in consequence, several packages in his wagon, which had been +entrusted to his care. + +It was on the 7th of May, 1829, that the caravan quitted Algoa Bay for +Graham's Town. The weather had been for some weeks fine, the heavy rains +having ceased, and the pasturage was now luxuriant; the wagons proceeded +at a noiseless pace over the herbage, the sleepy Hottentots not being at +all inclined to exert themselves unnecessarily. Alexander, Swinton, and +Henderson were on horseback, a little ahead of the first wagon. + +"I don't know how you feel," said the Major; "but I feel as if I were a +prisoner just released from his chains. I breathe the air of +independence and liberty now. After the bustle, and noise, and crowding +together of the town, to find ourselves here so quiet and solitary is +freedom." + +"I had the same feeling," replied Alexander; "this wide-extended plain, +of which we can not yet discern the horizontal edge; these brilliant +stars scattered over the heavens, and shining down upon us; no sound to +meet our ears but the creaking of the wagon-wheels in the slow and +measured pace, is to me delightful. They say man is formed for society, +and so he is; but it is very delightful occasionally to be alone." + +"Yes; alone as we are," replied Swinton, laughing; "that is, with a +party of thirty people, well armed, in search of adventure. To be clear +of the bustle of the town, and no longer cooped up in the fort, is +pleasant enough; but, I suspect, to be quite alone in these African +wilds would be any thing but agreeable." + +"Perhaps so." + +"Neither would you feel so much at ease if you knew that your chance of +to-morrow's dinner was to depend wholly upon what you might procure with +your gun. There is a satisfaction in knowing that you have four +well-filled wagons behind you." + +"I grant that also," replied the Major; "but still there is solitude +even with this company, and I feel it." + +"A solitary caravan--but grant that there is some difference between +that and a solitary individual," rejoined Swinton; "however, we have not +come to solitude yet, for we shall find Dutch boors enough between this +and Graham's Town." + +"I think, Wilmot," observed Henderson, "that I should, if I were you, +proceed by slow stages at first, that we may get our men into some kind +of order and discipline, and also that we may find out whether there are +any who will not suit us; we can discharge them at Graham's Town, and +procure others in their place, at the same time that we engage our +interpreters and guides." + +"I think your plan very good," replied Alexander; "besides, we shall not +have our wagons properly laden and arranged until we have been out three +or four days." + +"One thing is absolutely necessary, which is, to have a guard kept +every night," said Swinton; "and there ought to be two men on guard at a +time; for one of them is certain to fall asleep, if not both. I know the +Hottentots well." + +"They will be excellent guards, by your account," said Alexander; +"however, the dogs will serve us more faithfully." + +"I do not mean my remark to include all Hottentots; some are very +faithful, and do their duty; but it comprehends the majority." + +"Are they courageous?" inquired Alexander. + +"Yes, certainly, they may be considered as a brave race of men; but +occasionally there is a poltroon, and, like all cowards, he brags more +than the rest." + +"I've a strong suspicion that we have one of that kind among our +hunters," replied Henderson; "however, it is not fair to prejudge; I may +be mistaken." + +"I think I know which you refer to, nevertheless," said Alexander; "it +is the great fellow that they call Big Adam." + +"You have hit upon the man, and to a certain degree corroborated my +opinion of him. But the day is dawning, the sun will soon be above those +hills." + +"When we stop, I will have some grease put to those wagon-wheels," said +Alexander. + +"I fear it will be of little use," replied the Major; "creak they will. +I don't know whether the oxen here are like those in India; but this I +know, that the creaking of the carts and hackeries there is fifty times +worse than this. The natives never grease the wheels; they say the oxen +would not go on if they did not hear the music behind them." + +"Besides, the creaking of the wheels will by and by be of service; when +we are traveling through grass higher than our heads, we shall not be +able to stop behind a minute, if we have not the creaking of the wheels +to direct us how to follow." + +"Well, then, I suppose we must save our grease," said Alexander. + +"In a very few days you will be so accustomed to it," said the Major, +"that if it were to cease, you would feel the loss of it." + +"Well, it may be so; use is second nature; but at present I feel as if +the loss would be gain. There is the sun just showing himself above the +hill. Shall we halt or go on?" + +"Go on for another hour, and the men can thus examine the traces and the +wagons by daylight, and then, when we stop, we can remedy any defects." + +"Be it so; there is a house, is there not, on the rising ground, as far +as you can see?" + +"Yes, I think so," replied the Major. + +"I know it very well," said Swinton; "it is the farm of a Dutch boor, +Milius, whom we saw at Algoa Bay. I did not think that we had got on so +fast. It is about three miles off, so it will just be convenient for our +breakfast. It will take us a good hour to arrive there, and then we will +unyoke the oxen. How many have we yoked?" + +"Ten to each wagon. The other sixteen are following with the sheep and +horses; they are as relays." + +"Let us gallop on," said the Major. + +"Agreed," replied the others; and putting spurs to their horses, they +soon arrived at the farmhouse of the Dutch planter. + +They were saluted with the barking and clamor of about twenty dogs, +which brought out one of the young boors, who drove away the dogs by +pelting them with bullock-horns, and other bones of animals which were +strewed about. He then requested them to dismount. The old boor soon +appeared, and gave them a hearty welcome, handing down from the shelf a +large brandy-bottle, and recommending a dram, of which he partook +himself, stating that it was good brandy, and made from his own peaches. + +Shortly afterward the wife of the boor made her appearance, and having +saluted them, took up her station at a small table, with the tea +apparatus before her. That refreshing beverage she now poured out for +the visitors, handing a box, with some sugar-candy in it, for them to +put a bit into their youths, and keep there as they drank their tea, by +way of sweetening it. The old boor told them he had expected them, as he +had been informed that they were to set out that day; but he had +concluded that they would arrive in the afternoon, and not so early. + +We may as well here give a description of a Dutch farmer's house at the +Cape settlement. + +It was a large square building, the wall built up of clay, and then +plastered with a composition made by the boors, which becomes +excessively hard in time; after which it is whitewashed. The roof was +thatched with a hard sort of rushes, more durable and less likely to +catch fire than straw. There was no ceiling under the roof, but the +rafters overhead were hung with a motley assemblage of the produce of +the chase and farm, as large whips made of rhinoceros-hide, leopard and +lion skins, ostrich eggs and feathers, strings of onions, rolls of +tobacco, bamboos, etc. + +The house contained one large eating-room, a small private room, and two +bedrooms. The windows were not glazed, but closed with skins every +night. There was no chimney or stove in the house, all the cooking being +carried on in a small outhouse. + +The furniture was not very considerable: a large table, a few chairs and +stools, some iron pots and kettles, a set of Dutch teacups, a teapot, +and a brass kettle, with a heater. The large, brass-clasped, family +Dutch Bible occupied a small table, at which the mistress of the house +presided, and behind her chair were the carcasses of two sheep, +suspended from a beam. + +Inquiries about the news at the Cape, and details of all the information +which our travelers could give, had occupied the time till breakfast was +put on the table. It consisted of mutton boiled and stewed, butter, +milk, fruits, and good white bread. Before breakfast was over the +caravan arrived, and the oxen were unyoked. Our travelers passed away +two hours in going over the garden and orchards, and visiting the +cattlefolds, and seeing the cows milked. They then yoked the teams, and +wishing the old boor a farewell, and thanking him for his hospitality, +they resumed their journey. + +"Is it always the custom here to receive travelers in this friendly +way?" observed Alexander, as they rode away. + +"Always," replied Swinton; "there are no inns on the road, and every +traveler finds a welcome. It is considered a matter of course." + +"Do they never take payment?" + +"Never, and it must not be offered; but they will take the value of the +corn supplied to your horses, as that is quite another thing. One +peculiarity you will observe as you go along, which is, that the Dutch +wife is a fixture at the little tea-table all day long. She never leaves +it, and the tea is always ready for every traveler who claims their +hospitality; it is an odd custom." + +"And I presume that occasions the good woman to become so very lusty." + +"No doubt of it; the whole exercise of the day is from the bedroom to +the teapot, and back again," replied Swinton, laughing. + +"One would hardly suppose that this apparently good-natured and +hospitable people could have been guilty of such cruelty to the natives +as Mr. Fairburn represented." + +"Many of our virtues and vices are brought prominently forward by +circumstances," replied Swinton. "Hospitality in a thinly-inhabited +country is universal, and a Dutch boor is hospitable to an excess. Their +cruelty to the Hottentots and other natives arises from the prejudices +of education: they have from their childhood beheld them treated as +slaves, and do not consider them as fellow-creatures. As Mr. Fairburn +truly said, nothing demoralizes so much, or so hardens the heart of man, +as slavery existing and sanctioned by law." + +"But are not the Dutch renowned for cruelty and love of money?" + +"They have obtained that reputation, and I fear there is some reason for +it. They took the lead, it must be remembered, as a commercial nation, +more commercial than the Portuguese, whose steps they followed so +closely: that this eager pursuit of wealth should create a love of money +is but too natural, and to obtain money, men, under the influence of +that passion, will stop at nothing. Their cruelties in the East are on +record; but the question is, whether the English, who followed the path +of the Dutch, would not, had they gone before them, have been guilty of +the same crimes to obtain the same ends? The Spaniards were just as +cruel in South America, and the Portuguese have not fallen short of +them; nay, I doubt if our own countrymen can be acquitted in many +instances. The only difference is, that the other nations who preceded +them in discoveries had greater temptation, because there were more +riches and wealth to be obtained." + +"Your remarks are just; well may we say in the Lord's Prayer, 'Lead us +not into temptation,' for we are all too frail to withstand it." + +At noon they again unyoked, and allowed the cattle to graze for an +interval; after which they proceeded till an hour before dark, when they +mustered the men, and gave them their several charges and directions. At +Alexander's request the Major took this upon himself, and he made a long +speech to the Hottentots, stating that it was their intention to reward +those who did their duty, and to punish severely those who did not. They +then collected wood for the fires, and had their supper,--the first meal +which they had taken out of doors. Mahomed, the Parsee servant of Major +Henderson, cooked very much to their satisfaction; and having tied the +oxen to the wagons, to accustom them to the practice, more than from any +danger to be apprehended, the watch was set to keep up the fires: they +then all retired to bed, the gentlemen sleeping in their wagons, and the +Hottentots underneath them, or by the sides of the fires which had been +lighted. + +It will be unnecessary to enter into a detail of the journey to Graham's +Town, which was performed without difficulty. They did not arrive there +until eight days after their departure from Algoa Bay, as they purposely +lost time on the road, that things might find their places. At Graham's +Town they received every kindness and attention from the few military +who were there and the landroost. Here they dismissed three of the men, +who had remained drunk in the liquor-houses during their stay, and +hired nine more, who were well recommended; among these were two +perfectly well acquainted with the Caffre language and country; so that +they were serviceable both as interpreters and guides. The day after +their arrival, when they were out in the skirts of the town, Mr. Swinton +perceived something moving in the bushes. He advanced cautiously, and +discovered that it was a poor little Bushman boy, about twelve years +old, quite naked, and evidently in a state of starvation, having been +left there in a high fever by his people. He was so weak that he could +not stand, and Mr. Swinton desired the Hottentot who was with him to +lift him up, and carry him to the wagons. Some medicine and good food +soon brought the little fellow round again, and he was able to walk +about. He showed no disposition to leave them; indeed he would watch for +Mr. Swinton, and follow him as far as he could. The child evidently +appeared to feel attachment and gratitude, and when they were about to +depart, Mr. Swinton, through the medium of one of the Hottentots who +could speak the language, asked him if he would like to stay with them. +The answer was in the affirmative, and it was decided that he should +accompany them, the Major observing that he would be a very good +companion for Begum. + +"What name shall we give him?" said Swinton. + +"Why, as my baboon is by title a princess, I think we can not create him +less than a prince. Let us call him Omrah." + +"Omrah be it then," replied Mr. Swinton, "until we can name him in a +more serious way." + +So Omrah was put into the wagon, with Begum to amuse him, and our +travelers took their departure from Graham's Town. + +[Illustration: THE BUSHMAN BOY.] + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + +It was in the afternoon that they moved from Graham's Town. They had +intended to have started earlier, but they found it impossible to +collect the Hottentots, who were taking their farewells of their wives +and their liquor-shops. As it was, most of them were in a state of +intoxication, and it was considered advisable to get them out of the +town as soon as possible. Late in the evening they arrived at Hermann's +Kraal, a small military fort, where they remained for the night to give +the Hottentots an opportunity of recovering from the effects of the +liquor. The next morning they again started, and the landscape now +changed its aspect, being covered with thick bushes, infested with wild +beasts. + +A barren and sterile country was soon spread before them, the sun was +oppressively hot, and not a sign of water was to be observed in any +direction. At last they arrived at a muddy pool, in which elephants had +evidently been enjoying themselves, and the oxen and horses were but too +glad to do the same. At night they halted as before, having lighted +fires to keep off the wild beasts and the elephants. + +The following morning they renewed their journey at daylight, and the +scene again changed; they now plunged into the dense forests bordering +on the great Fish River, which they forded in safety. The prospects all +around were very beautiful, the river smoothly gliding through +stupendous mountains and precipices, with verdant valleys on each side +of its banks. In the afternoon they arrived at Fort Wiltshire, the +outermost defense of the colony, situated on the banks of the Keiskamma. +English troops were stationed there, to prevent any marauding parties +from passing the river, or to intercept them on their return with their +booty. + +As this was the last spot where they could expect to see any of their +countrymen, and they were kindly received by the officers, they agreed +to remain two days, that they might obtain all the information which +they could, and rearrange the stowing of the wagons before they +started. The original plan had been to direct their course to Chumie, +the first missionary station, which was about twenty-five miles distant; +but as it was out of their way, they now resolved to proceed direct to +Butterworth, which was forty miles further in the Caffre country, and +the more distant of the two missions. Our party took leave of their kind +entertainers, and, having crossed without difficulty at the ford the +Keiskamma river, had passed the neutral ground, and were in the land of +the Caffres. + +Up to the present they had very little trouble with the Hottentots whom +they had hired. As long as they were within reach of the law they +behaved well; but now that they had passed the confines of the Cape +territory, some of them began to show symptoms of insubordination. The +dismissal of one, however, with an order to go back immediately, and +threatening to shoot him if he was ever seen in the caravan, had the +desired effect of restoring order. The country was now a series of hills +and dales, occasionally of deep ravines, and their route lay through the +paths made by the elephants, which were numerous. A Hottentot of the +name of Bremen, who was considered as their best man and most practiced +hunter, begged Alexander and his companions to be careful how they went +along, if they preceded the rest on horseback; as the elephants always +return by the same path at evening or after nightfall, in whatever +direction they may have been feeding, and it is very dangerous to +intercept them. + +For two days they continued their course in nearly a straight line for +the missionary establishment. On the second evening, just about dusk, as +they were crossing a woody hill, by the elephants' path, being then +about 200 yards in advance of the wagons, they were saluted with one of +the most hideous shrieks that could be conceived. Their horses started +back; they could see nothing, although the sound echoed through the +hills for some seconds. + +"What was that?" exclaimed Alexander. + +"Shout as loud as you can," cried the Major; "and turn your horses to +the wagons." + +Alexander and Swinton joined the Major in the shout, and were soon +accompanied by the whole mass of Hottentots, shouting and yelling as +loud as they could. + +"Silence, now," cried the Major; every one was hushed, and they listened +for a few seconds. + +"It was only one, sir, and he is gone," said Bremen. "We may go on." + +"Only one what?" inquired Alexander. + +"An elephant, sir," replied the Hottentot; "it's well that he did not +charge you; he would have tumbled you down the precipice, horse and all. +There must be a herd here, and we had better stop as soon as we are down +the other side of the hill." + +"I think so too," replied the Major. + +"I shall not get that shriek out of my ears for a month," said +Alexander; "why, the roar of a lion can not be so bad." + +"Wait till you hear it," replied Swinton. + +They had now arrived at the bottom of the hill which they had been +passing, and by the light of the stars they selected a spot for their +encampment. Whether they were near to any Caffre kraals or not it was +impossible to say; but they heard no barking of dogs or lowing of oxen. +Having collected all the cattle, they formed a square of the four +wagons, and passed ropes from the one to the other; the horses and sheep +were driven within the square, and the oxen were, as usual, tied up to +the sides of the wagons. + +It should here be observed, that the oxen were turned out to graze early +in the morning, yoked in the afternoon, and they traveled then as far as +they could after nightfall, to avoid the extreme heat of the day, the +continual visits of the Carries, and the risk of losing the cattle if +they were allowed to be loose and fed during the night. + +On the night we have been referring to, a more than usual number of +fires were lighted, to keep off the elephants and other wild animals. +The hyenas and wolves were very numerous, and prowled the whole night in +hopes of getting hold of some of the sheep; but as yet there had not +been seen or heard a lion, although an occasional track had been +pointed out by the Hottentots. + +When the Hottentots had finished their labor, our travelers had to wait +till the fires were lighted and a sheep killed before they could have +their suppers cooked by Mahomed. Begum, the baboon, had been released +from her confinement since their crossing the Fish River, and as usual, +when they sat down, came and made one of the party, generally creeping +in close to her master until supper was served, when she would have her +finger in every dish, and steal all she could, sometimes rather to their +annoyance. + +Our little Bushman had now quite recovered not only his strength but his +gayety, and was one of the most amusing little fellows that could be met +with. + +He could not make himself understood except to one or two of the +Hottentots; but he was all pantomime, trying, by gestures and signs, to +talk to Mr. Swinton and his companions. He endeavored to assist Mahomed +as much as he could, and appeared to have attached himself to him, for +he kept no company with the Hottentots. He was not more than three feet +and a half high, and with limbs remarkably delicate, although well made. +His face was very much like a monkey's, and his gestures and manners +completely so; he was quite as active and full of fun. The watch had +been set as soon as the fires were lighted; and close to where Alexander +and the others were seated, Big Adam, the Hottentot we have mentioned as +having raised doubts in the mind of the Major as to his courage, had +just mounted guard, with his gun in his hand. Omrah came up to where +they were sitting, and they nodded and smiled at him, and said, "How do +you do?" in English. + +The boy, who had already picked up a few sentences, answered in the same +words, "How do you do?" and then pointing to Big Adam, whose back was +turned, he began making a number of signs, and nodding his head; at last +he bent down, putting his arm in front of him, and raising it like an +elephant's trunk, walking with the measured steps of that animal, so as +fully to make them Understand that he intended to portray an elephant. + +Having so done, he went up behind Big Adam, and gave a shriek so +exactly like that which the elephant had given an hour before, that the +Hottentot started up, dropped his musket, and threw himself flat on the +ground, in order that the supposed animal might pass by him unperceived. + +The other Hottentots had been equally startled, and had seized their +muskets, looking in every direction for the approach of the animal; but +the convulsions of laughter which proceeded from the party soon told +them that there was nothing to apprehend, and that little Omrah had been +playing his tricks. Big Adam rose up, looking very foolish; he had just +before been telling his companions how many elephants he had killed, and +had been expressing his hopes that they soon should have an +elephant-hunt. + +"Well," observed Swinton, after the laugh was over, "it proves that Adam +is an elephant-hunter, and knows what to do in time of danger." + +"Yes," replied the Major; "and it also proves that our opinion of him +was just, and that with him the best part of valor is discretion." + +"The most wonderful escape from an elephant which we have on record +here," observed Swinton, "is that of Lieutenant Moodie; did you ever +hear of it? I had it from his own lips." + +"I never did, at all events," said Alexander; "and if the Major has, he +will listen very patiently, to oblige me." + +"I have never heard the precise particulars, and shall therefore be as +glad to be a listener as Wilmot." + +"Well, then, I will begin. Lieutenant Moodie was out elephant-hunting +with a party of officers and soldiers, when one day he was told that a +large troop of elephants was close at hand, and that several of the men +were out, and in pursuit of them. Lieutenant Moodie immediately seized +his gun, and went off in the direction where he heard the firing. + +"He had forced his way through a jungle, and had just come to a cleared +spot, when he heard some of his people calling out, in English and +Dutch, 'Take care, Mr. Moodie, take care,' As they called out, he heard +the crackling of branches broken by the elephants as they were bursting +through the wood, and then tremendous screams, such as we heard this +night. Immediately afterward four elephants burst out from the jungle, +not two hundred yards from where he stood. Being alone on the open +ground, he knew that if he fired and did not kill, he could have no +chance; so he hastily retreated, hoping that the animals would not see +him. On looking back, however, he perceived, to his dismay, that they +were all in chase of him, and rapidly gaining on him; he therefore +resolved to reserve his fire till the last moment, and, turning toward +some precipitous rocks, hoped to gain them before the elephants could +come up with him. But he was still at least fifty paces from the rocks, +when he found that the elephants were within half that distance of +him,--one very large animal, and three smaller,--all in a row, as if +determined that he should not escape, snorting so tremendously that he +was quite stunned with the noise." + +"That's what I call a very pretty position," observed the Major. "Go on, +Swinton; the affair is becoming a little nervous." + +"As his only chance, Lieutenant Moodie turned round, and leveled his gun +at the largest elephant; but unfortunately the powder was damp, and the +gun hung fire, till he was in the act of taking it from his shoulder, +when it went off, and the ball merely grazed the side of the elephant's +head. The animal halted for an instant, and then made a furious charge +upon him. He fell; whether struck down by the elephant's trunk he can +not say. The elephant then thrust at him as he lay, with his tusk; +fortunately it had but one, and more fortunately it missed its mark, +plowing up the ground within an inch of Mr. Moodie's body. + +"The animal then caught him up with its trunk by his middle, and dashed +him down between his fore-feet to tread him to death. Once it pressed so +heavily on his chest, that all his bones bent under the weight, but +somehow or other, whether from the animal being in a state of alarm, it +never contrived to have its whole weight upon him; for Mr. Moodie had +never lost his recollection, and kept twisting his body and his limbs, +so as to prevent it from obtaining a direct tread upon him. While he +was in this state of distress, another officer and a Hottentot hunter +came up to his assistance, and fired several shots at the animal, which +was severely wounded, and the other three took to their heels. At last +the one which had possession of Mr. Moodie turned round, and giving him a +cuff with its fore-feet followed the rest. Mr. Moodie got up, picked up +his gun, and staggered away as fast as his aching bones would permit +him. He met his brother, who had just been informed by one of the +Hottentots, who had seen him under the elephant, that he was killed." + +"Well, that was an escape," observed Wilmot. + +"What made it more remarkable was, that he had hardly time to explain to +his brother his miraculous preservation, before he witnessed the death +of one of the hunters, a soldier, who had attracted the notice of a +large male elephant which had been driven out of the jungle. The fierce +animal gave chase to him, and caught him immediately under the height +where Mr. Moodie and his brother were standing, carried the poor fellow +for some distance on his trunk, then threw him down, and stamping upon +him until he was quite dead, left the body for a short time. The +elephant then returned, as if to make sure of its destruction; for it +kneeled down on the body, and kneaded it with his fore-legs; then, +rising, it seized it again with its trunk, carried it to the edge of the +jungle, and hurled it into the bushes." + +"Dreadful! I had no idea that there was such danger in an elephant-hunt; +yet I must say," continued Alexander, "that, although it may appear +foolishness, it only makes me more anxious to have one." + +"Well, as we advance, you will have no want of opportunity; but it will +be better to get the Caffres to join us, which they will with great +delight." + +"Why, they have no weapons, except their spears." + +"None; but they will attack him with great success, as you will see; +they watch their opportunity as he passes, get behind, and drive their +spears into his body until the animal is exhausted from loss of blood, +and they are so quick that the elephant seldom is able to destroy one +of them. They consider the elephant of as high rank as one of their +kings, and it is very laughable to hear them, as they wound him, beg +pardon of him, and cry out, 'Great man, don't be angry; great captain, +don't kill us,'" + +"But how is it that they can approach so terrible an animal without +destruction?" + +"It is because they do approach quite close to him. An elephant sees but +badly, except straight before him, and he turns with difficulty. The +Caffres are within three feet of his tail or flank when they attack, and +they attack him in the elephant-paths, which are too narrow for the +animal to turn without difficulty; the great risk that they run is from +another elephant breaking out to the assistance of the one attacked." + +"The animals do assist each other, then?" + +"Yes; there was a remarkable instance of it in the affair of Lieutenant +Moodie. I mentioned that it was a large male elephant which killed the +soldier just after Mr. Moodie's escape. Shortly afterward a shot from +one of the hunters broke the fore-leg of this animal, and prevented him +from running, and there it stood to be fired at. The female elephant, +which was in the jungle, witnessing the distress of its mate, regardless +of her own danger, immediately rushed out to his assistance, chasing +away the hunters, and walked round and round her mate, constantly +returning to his side, and caressing him. When the male attempted to +walk, she had the sagacity to place her flank against the wounded side, +so as to support him, and help him along. At last the female received a +severe wound, and staggered into the bush, where she fell; and the male +was soon after laid prostrate by the side of the poor soldier whom he +had killed." + +"There is something very touching in the last portion of your story, +Swinton," observed Alexander; "it really makes one feel a sort of +respect for such intelligent and reasoning animals." + +"I think the first portion of the story ought to teach you to respect +them also," said the Major. "Seriously, however, I quite agree with you; +their sagacity, as my Indian experience has taught me, is +wonderful;--but here comes supper, and I am not sorry for it." + +"Nor I," replied Alexander. "To-morrow we shall be at the missionary +station, if the guides are correct. I am very anxious to get there, I +must say. Does not the chief of the Amakosa tribe live close to the +Mission-house,--Hinza, as they call him?" + +"Yes," replied Swinton, "he does, and we must have a present ready for +him, for I think it would be advisable to ask an escort of his warriors +to go with us after we leave the Mission." + +"Yes, it will be quite as well," replied the Major, "and then we shall +have some elephant-hunting: but Bremen tells me that there are plenty of +hippopotami in the river there, close to the Mission." + +"Water-elephants," replied Swinton; "I suppose you will not leave them +alone?" + +"Certainly not if our commander-in-chief will allow us to stop." + +"I think your commander-in-chief," replied Wilmot, "is just as anxious +to have a day's sport with them as you are, Major; so you will certainly +have his permission." + +"I think we ought to put Omrah on a horse. He is a nice light weight for +a spare horse, if required." + +"Not a bad idea," replied Alexander. "What a tiger he would make for a +cab in the park!" + +"More like a monkey," replied the Major; "but it is time to go to bed; +so, good-night." + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + +The caravan proceeded on the following morning, and by noon they arrived +at the Mission station of Butterworth, which was about one hundred and +forty miles from the colonial boundaries. This station had only been +settled about three years, but even in that short time it wore an air of +civilization strongly contrasted with the savage country around it. The +Mission-house was little better than a large cottage, it is true, and +the church a sort of barn; but it was surrounded by neat Caffre huts and +gardens full of produce. + +On the arrival of the caravan, Mr. S., the missionary, came out to meet +the travelers, and to welcome them. He had been informed that they would +call at the station, and bring some articles which had been sent for. It +hardly need be said that, meeting at such a place, and in such a +country, the parties soon became on intimate terms. Mr. S. offered them +beds and accommodation in his house, but our travelers refused; they +were well satisfied with their own; and having unyoked their oxen, and +turned them out to graze with those belonging to the station, they +accepted the missionary's invitation to join his repast. + +Alexander having stated the object of his expedition, requested the +advice of Mr. S. as to his further proceedings, and asked him whether it +would not be advisable to see the Caffre king, and make him a present. +This Mr. S. strongly advised them to do; and to ask for a party of +Caffres to accompany the caravan, which would not only insure them +safety, but would prove in many respects very useful. All that would be +necessary would be to find them in food and to promise them a present, +if they conducted themselves well. "You are aware," continued he, "that +Hinza's domain only extends as far as the Bashee or St. John's River, +and you will have to proceed beyond that; but with some of the Caffre +warriors you will have no difficulty, as the tribes further will not +only fear your strength, but also the anger of Hinza, should they commit +any depredation. But things, I regret to say, do not look very peaceable +just now." + +"Indeed! what is the quarrel, and with whom?" + +"Hinza has quarreled with a powerful neighboring chief of the name of +Voosani, who reigns over the Tambookie tribes, about some cattle, which +are the grand cause of quarrels in these countries, and both parties are +preparing for war. But whether it will take place is doubtful, as they +are both threatened with a more powerful enemy, and may probably be +compelled to unite, in order to defend themselves." + +"And who may that be?" + +"Quetoo, the chief of the Amaquibi, is in arms with a large force, and +threatens the other tribes to the northward of us; if he conquers them, +he will certainly come down here. He was formerly one of Chaka's +generals, and is, like him, renowned for slaughter. At present he is too +far to the northward to interfere with you, but I should advise you to +lose no time in effecting your mission; for should he advance, you will +be compelled to retreat immediately. I had better send to Hinza to-morrow +to let him know that strangers have come and wish to see him, that they +may make him a present. That notice will bring him fast enough; not but +that he well knows you are here, and has known that you have been in his +country long ago." + +"It will be as well, after the information you have given us," said Mr. +Swinton. + +"What is your opinion of the Caffres, Mr. S., now that you have resided +so long with them?" + +"They are, for heathens, a fine nation,--bold, frank, and, if any thing +is confided to them, scrupulously honest; but cattle-stealing is +certainly not considered a crime among them, although it is punished as +one. Speaking as a minister of the Gospel, I should say they are the +most difficult nation to have any thing to do with that it ever has been +my lot to visit. They have no religion whatever; they have no idols; and +no idea of the existence of a God. When I have talked to them about God, +their reply is, 'Where is he? show him to me.'" + +"But have they no superstitions?" + +"They believe in necromancy, and have their conjurers, who do much harm, +and are our chief opponents, as we weaken their influence, and +consequently their profits. If cattle are stolen, they are referred to. +If a chief is sick, they are sent for to know who has bewitched him; +they must of course mention some innocent person, who is sacrificed +immediately. If the country is parched from want of rain, which it so +frequently is, then the conjurers are in great demand: they are sent for +to produce rain. If, after all their pretended mysteries, the rain does +not fall so as to save their reputation, they give some plausible +reason, generally ending, however, in the sacrifice of some innocent +individual; and thus they go on, making excuses after excuses until the +rain does fall, and they obtain all the credit of it. I need hardly say +that these people are our greatest enemies." + +"Are you satisfied with the success which you have had?" + +"Yes, I am, when I consider the difficulty to be surmounted. Nothing but +the Divine assistance could have produced such effects as have already +taken place. The chiefs are to a man opposed to us." + +"Why so?" + +"Because Christianity strikes at the root of their sensuality; it was +the same when it was first preached by our Divine Master. The riches of +a Caffre consist not only in his cattle, but in the number of his wives, +who are all his slaves. To tell them that polygamy is unlawful and +wrong, is therefore almost as much as to tell them that it is not right +to hold a large herd of cattle; and as the chiefs are of course the +opulent of the nation, they oppose us. You observe in Caffreland, as +elsewhere, it is 'hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of +heaven.' I have asked the chiefs why they will not come to church, and +their reply has been, 'The great word is calculated to lessen our +pleasures and diminish the number of our wives; to this we can never +consent,'" + +"But still you say you have made some progress." + +"If I have, let it be ascribed to the Lord, and not to me and my +otherwise useless endeavors; it must be His doing; and without His aid +and assistance, the difficulties would have been insurmountable. It is +for me only to bear in mind the scriptural injunction, 'In the morning +sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knowest +not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both +shall be alike good.'" + +"But have they no idea whatever of a Supreme Being, either bad or good? +have they no idea, as some of the African tribes have, of the devil?" + +"None; and in their language they have no word to express the idea of +the Deity; they swear by their kings of former days as great chiefs, +but no more. Now if they had any religion whatever, you might, by +pointing out to them the falsity and absurdity of that religion, and +putting it in juxtaposition with revealed Truth, have some hold upon +their minds; but we have not even that advantage." + +"But can not you make an impression upon their minds by referring to the +wonders of nature,--by asking them who made the sun and stars? Surely +they might be induced to reflect by such a method." + +"I have tried it a hundred times, and they have laughed at me for my +fables, as they have termed them. One of the chiefs told me to hold my +tongue, that his people might not think me mad. The Scriptures, indeed, +teach us that, without the aid of direct revelation, men are also +without excuse if they fail to attain to a certain knowledge of the +Deity,--'even his eternal power and God-head,'--by a devout +contemplation of the visible world, which with all its wonders is spread +out before them as an open volume. But beyond this, all knowledge of the +origin or manner of creation is derived, not from the deductions of +human reasoning, but from the Divine testimony; for it is expressly +said, 'Through faith we understand that the worlds were made by the word +of God.'" + +"Nevertheless you must admit that, among the civilized nations of +Europe, many who deny revelation, and treat the Bible as a fable, +acknowledge that the world must have been made by a Supreme Power." + +"My dear sir, many affect to deny the truth of revelation out of pride +and folly, who still in their consciences can not but believe it. Here, +there being no belief in a Deity, they will not be persuaded that the +world was made by one. Indeed, we have much to contend with, and perhaps +one of the greatest difficulties is in the translation of the +Scriptures. I sit down with an interpreter who can not read a single +word, and with perhaps a most erroneous and imperfect knowledge of +divine things. We open the sacred volume, and it is first translated +into barbarous Dutch to the Caffre interpreter, who then has to tell us +how that Dutch is to be put into the Caffre language. Now you may +imagine what mistakes may arise. I have found out lately that I have +been stating the very contrary to what I would have said. With this +translation, I stand up to read a portion of the Word of God, for my +interpreter can not read, and hence any slight defect or change in a +syllable may give altogether a different sense from what I desire to +inculcate." + +"That must indeed be a great difficulty, and require a long residence +and full acquaintance with the language to overcome." + +"And even then not overcome, for the language has no words to express +abstract ideas; but the Lord works after His own way, and at His own +season." + +"You do not then despair of success?" + +"God forbid; I should be indeed a most unworthy servant of our Divine +Master, if I so far distrusted His power. No; much good has been already +done, as you will perceive when we meet to-morrow to perform Divine +service; but there is much more to do, and, with His blessing, will in +His own good time be perfected; but I have duties to attend to which +call me away for the present; I shall therefore wish you good-night. At +all events, the Mission has had one good effect: you are perfectly safe +from Caffre violence and Caffre robbery. This homage is paid to it even +by their kings and chiefs." + +"I will say, that if we are only to judge by the little we have seen, +the Mission appears to have done good," observed the Major. "In the +first place, we are no longer persecuted, as we have been during our +journey, for presents; and, as you may observe, many of the Caffres +about are clothed in European fashions, and those who have nothing but +their national undress, I may call it, wear it as decently as they can." + +"I made the same observation," said Alexander. "I am most anxious for +to-morrow, as I wish to see how the Caffres behave; and really, when you +consider all the difficulties which Mr. S. has mentioned, it is +wonderful that he and those who have embraced the same calling should +persevere as they do." + +"My dear Wilmot," replied Mr. Swinton, "a missionary, even of the most +humble class, is a person of no ordinary mind; he does not rely upon +himself or upon his own exertions,--he relies not upon others, or upon +the assistance of this world; if he did, he would, as you say, soon +abandon his task in despair. No; he is supported, he is encouraged, he +is pressed on by faith--faith in Him who never deserts those who trust +and believe in Him; he knows that, if it is His pleasure, the task will +be easy, but at the same time that it must be at His own good time. +Convinced of this, supported by this, encouraged by this, and venturing +his life for this, he toils on, in full assurance that if he fails +another is to succeed,--that if he becomes a martyr, his blood will +moisten the arid soil from which the future seed will spring. A +missionary may be low in birth, low in education, as many are; but he +must be a man of exalted mind,--what in any other pursuit we might term +an enthusiast; and in this spreading of the Divine word, he merits +respect for his fervor, his courage, and self-devotion; his willingness, +if the Lord should so think fit, to accept the crown of martyrdom." + +"You are right, Swinton; nothing but what you have described could impel +a man to pass a life of privation and danger among a savage +race--leaving all, and following his Master in the true apostolic sense. +Well, they will have their reward." + +"Yes, in heaven, Wilmot; not on earth," replied Swinton. + +The next day, being the Sabbath, with the assistance of Mahomed, who was +valet as well as cook to the whole party, they divested themselves of +their beards, which had not been touched for many days, and dressed +themselves in more suitable apparel than their usual hunting costume,--a +respect paid to the Sabbath by even the most worldly and most +indifferent on religious points. The bell of the Mission church was +tolled, and the natives were seen coming from all directions. Our party +went in, and found Mr. S. already there, and that seats had been +provided for them. The numbers of natives who were assembled in the +church were about 200, but many more were at the windows, and sitting by +the open door. + +Many of them were clothed in some sort of European apparel; those who +were not, drew their krosses close round them, so as to appear more +covered. A hymn in the Caffre language was first sung, and then prayers, +after which the Litany and responses; the Commandments were repeated in +the same language. Mr. S. then read a chapter in the Bible, and +explained it to the assembly. Profound silence and quiet attention +generally prevailed, although in some few instances there was mockery +from those outside. Mr. S. gave the blessing, and the service was ended. + +"You have already done much," observed Mr. Swinton. "I could hardly have +believed that a concourse of savages could have been so attentive, and +have behaved with such decorum." + +"It certainly is the most difficult point gained,--to command their +attention, I mean," replied Mr. S.; "after that, time and patience, with +the assistance of God, will effect the rest." + +"Do you think that there are many who, if I may use the term, feel their +religion?" + +"Yes, many; and prove it by traveling about and sowing the seed. There +are many who not only are qualified so to do, but are incessantly +laboring to bring their countrymen to God." + +"That must be very satisfactory to you." + +"It is; but what am I, and the few who labor with me, to the thousands +and thousands who are here in darkness and require our aid? There are +now but three missions in all Caffreland; and there is full employment +for two hundred, if they could be established. But you must excuse me, I +have to catechise the children, who are my most promising pupils. We +will meet again in the evening, for I have to preach at a neighboring +village. Strange to say, many who doubt and waver will listen to me +there; but they appear to think that there is some witchcraft in the +Mission church, or else are afraid to acknowledge to their companions +that they have been inside of it." + +The missionary then left them, and Alexander observed-- + +"I don't know how you feel? but I assure you it has been a great +pleasure to me to have found myself in this humble church, and hearing +Divine service in this wild country." + +Both Swinton and Major Henderson expressed the same opinion. + +"I am not afraid of being laughed at," continued Alexander, "when I tell +you that I think it most important, wherever we may be during our +travels, to keep the Sabbath holy, by rest and reading the service." + +"With pleasure, as far as I am concerned, and I thank you for the +proposal," replied Swinton. + +"And I am equally pleased that you have proposed it, Wilmot," said Major +Henderson; "even we may be of service to the good cause, if, as we pass +through the land, the natives perceive that we respect the Sabbath as +the missionary has requested them to do. We are white men, and +considered by them as superior; our example, therefore, may do good." + +The evening was passed away very agreeably with Mr. S., who was +inexhaustible in his anecdotes of the Caffres. He informed them that +Hinza intended to call the next morning to receive his presents, and +that he would be interpreter for them if they wished it. + +Alexander, having thanked the missionary, said, "I think you mentioned, +sir, that some of your brother missionaries have their wives with them. +Since you have told me so much of the precarious tenure by which you +hold your ground here, and I may add your lives, I think that the wives +of the missionaries must have even more to encounter than their +husbands." + +"You are right, sir," replied the missionary; "there is no situation so +trying, so perilous, and I may say, so weary to the mind and body, as +that of a female missionary. She has to encounter the same perils and +the same hardships as her husband, without having the strength of our +sex to support them; and what is more painful than all, she is often +left alone in the Mission-house, while her husband, who has left her, is +proceeding on his duty, at the hourly peril of his life. There she is +alone, and compelled to listen to all the reports and falsehoods which +are circulated; at one moment she is told that her husband has been +murdered; at another, that he is still alive. She has no means of +hearing from him, as there is no communication throughout the country; +thus is she left in this horrible state of suspense and anxiety, perhaps +for many weeks. I have a letter from a brother missionary which is in my +writing-desk, wherein the case in point is well portrayed; I will get +it, and read that portion to you." Mr. S. went to the other end of the +room, and came back with a letter, from which he read as follows:-- + +"Having been detained among those distant tribes for nearly two months, +report upon report had been circulated that the interpreters and guides, +as well as myself, had all been murdered. On my arrival within forty +miles of the station, I was informed that all doubt upon the subject had +been removed by a party of natives who had passed the Mission station, +and who pretended an acquaintance with all the particulars of the +massacre. We had been traveling the whole day, and night had come on; I +was most anxious to proceed, that I might relieve the mind of my dear +wife, but the earnest remonstrances of my little party, who represented +it as certain death to all of us to cross the plains, which were +infested with lions and other savage beasts who were prowling in every +direction, at length induced me to wait till the next day. But scarcely +had day begun to dawn when I sallied forth, without either arms or +guide, except a pocket compass, leaving my fellow-travelers to bring on +the wagon as soon as they should arouse from their slumbers. This +impatience had, however, well-nigh cost me my life; for having to wade +through many miles of deep sand with a vertical sun over my head, I had +not accomplished half the journey before my strength began to fail, and +an indescribable thirst was induced. Nevertheless, I reached the Mission +in safety, and with truly grateful feelings to the Preserver of men. A +few minutes prior to my arrival, the wife of one of my brother +missionaries, little imagining that I was at hand and alive, had entered +our dwelling, to apprise my wife of the latest intelligence, confirming +all that had been said before respecting my fate, and to comfort her +under the distressing dispensation. At this affecting crisis, while +both were standing in the center of the room, the one relating, the +other weeping, I opened the door, bathed in perspiration, covered with +dust, and in a state of complete exhaustion. 'Oh, dear!' cried our +friend; 'is it he--or is it his spirit?' I must, my dear sir, leave to +your imagination the scene that followed." + +"Yes, sir," said Mr. S., folding up the letter, "a missionary's wife, +who follows him into such scenes and such perils and privations, does, +indeed, 'cleave to her husband.'" + +"Indeed she does," replied Mr. Swinton; "but we will tax you no longer, +my dear sir. Good-night." + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + +On the following day, a little before noon, loud shouts and men dancing +and calling out the titles of the king of the Caffres announced his +approach. These men were a sort of heralds, who invariably preceded him +on a visit of ceremony. A band of warriors armed with their assaguays +and shields, next made their appearance, and then Hinza, accompanied by +fifty of his chief councilors: with the exception of their long krosses +of beast-skins thrown over their shoulders, they were all naked, and +each daubed with grease and red ocher. As soon as they arrived in front +of the Mission-house, they sat down in a circle on each side of the +Caffre king, who was treated with marked respect by all, and by the +common people in particular, who assembled on his presence. Every one +who happened to pass by gave what was termed a 'salute' of honor to the +king, who did not appear to consider that it required any acknowledgment +on his part. + +Our travelers, accompanied by the missionary, advanced into the circle, +and saluted his majesty. Mr. S. then explained the object of their +journey, and their wish that a small party of the king's warriors should +accompany them on their expedition. As soon as the speech was ended, a +few pounds of colored beads, a roll of tobacco, two pounds of snuff, and +some yards of scarlet cloth, were laid before his majesty as a present. +Hinza nodded his head with approval when the articles were spread before +him, and then turned to his councilors, with whom he whispered some +time, and then he replied "that the strange white men should pass +through his country without fear, that his warriors should accompany +them as far as they wished to go; but," he added, "do the strangers know +that there is disorder in the country beyond?" + +Mr. S. replied that they did, and were anxious to go, and return as soon +as possible, on that account. + +Hinza replied, "It is well; if there is danger, my warriors will let +them know--if it is necessary, they will fight for them--if the enemy is +too strong, the white men must return." + +Hinza then ordered some of his councilors to take charge of the +presents, and inquired of Mr. S. how many warriors they wished to have, +and when they wished to go. + +The reply was, that fifty warriors would be sufficient, and that they +wished to depart on the following morning. "It is well," replied Hinza; +"fifty warriors are enough, for my men eat a great deal--they shall be +ready." + +The council then broke up, and the king, having shaken hands with our +travelers, departed with his train: toward the evening an old cow was +sent to them as a present from his majesty. The Hottentots soon cut it +up and devoured it. Every thing was now arranged for their immediate +departure. + +The next morning, at break of day, the band of Caffre warriors were all +in readiness, each with his shield and three assaguays in his hand. They +were all fine, tall young men, from twenty to thirty years of age. +Alexander desired Mr. S. to tell them that, if they behaved well and +were faithful, they should every one receive a present when they were +dismissed; a notification which appeared to give general satisfaction. +The oxen had already been yoked, and taking leave of the worthy +missionary, our travelers mounted their horses and resumed their +journey. For the whole day they proceeded along the banks of the Kae +River, which ran its course through alternate glens and hills clothed +with fine timber; and as they were on an eminence, looking down upon the +river, the head Caffre warrior, who had, with the others, hung up his +shield at the side of the wagon, and now walked by our travelers with +his assaguay in his hand, pointed out to them, as the sun was setting +behind a hill, two or three large black masses on the further bank of +the river. + +"What are they, and what does he say?" + +"Sea-cows," replied the interpreter. + +"_Hippopotami_! We must have a shot at them, Wilmot," cried the Major. + +"To be sure; tell them we will stop and kill one if we can," said Wilmot +to the interpreter. + +"We shall want one to feed our army," said Swinton laughing, "or our +sheep will soon be devoured." + +The Caffres were all immediately in motion, running down to the bank of +the river, about a quarter of a mile distant; they swam across, and +there remained waiting till our travelers should give the word. + +The animals lay on a muddy bank, at a turn of the river, like so many +swine asleep, some of them out, and some partly in and partly out of the +water. As they were huddled together, they looked more like masses of +black rock than any thing else. Two lay considerably apart from the +others, and it was toward these two that the Caffres, who had crossed +the river, crept until they were in the high reeds, but a few yards from +them. Henderson and Wilmot, with some of the Hottentots, descended the +ravine on their side of the river, opposite to where the animals lay, +and as soon as they were on the bank, being then within one hundred +yards of them, they leveled and fired. At the report, all the animals +started up from their beds as if astonished at the noise, which they had +not been accustomed to. Three or four instantly plunged into the deep +water, but the others, apparently half asleep, stood for a few seconds, +as if not knowing what course to take: two of them were evidently +wounded, as they rushed into the water; for they did not remain below, +but rose to the surface immediately, as if in great agony. They appeared +anxious to get out of the water altogether, and tried so to do, but +fearing the people on the river's bank, they darted in again. In the +mean time, at the first report of the guns, the two which lay apart from +the others with their heads toward the river, as soon as they rose on +their legs, were pierced with several assaguays by the concealed +Caffres, and plunged into the water with the spears remaining in their +bodies. These also rose, and floundered like the others; and as their +heads appeared above, they were met with the unerring rifle of the Major +and whole volleys from Wilmot and the Hottentots, till, exhausted from +loss of blood, they floated dead upon the surface. + +The Caffres waited till the bodies had been borne some hundred yards +down the stream, that they might not be attacked when in the water by +the remainder of the herd, and then swam off, and pushed the bodies on +shore. This was a very seasonable supply of provisions for so large a +band of people; but those who belonged to the caravan were not the only +parties who benefited: all the Caffres of the surrounding hamlets +hastened to the river, and carried off large quantities of the flesh of +the animals; there was, however, more than enough for all, and for the +wolves and hyenas after they had taken what they chose. It was so late +before the animals were cut up, that they decided upon remaining where +they were that night; for now that they had the Caffre warriors with +them, they had no fear as to losing their oxen, the king having stated +that his men should be responsible for them. + +Large fires were lighted, and the Caffres and Hottentots, all mingled +together, were busy roasting, boiling, and frying the flesh of the +hippopotamus, and eating it as fast as it was cooked, so that they were +completely gorged before they lay down to sleep; Wilmot had also given +them a ration of tobacco each, which had added considerably to the +delight of the feast. + +"It is not bad eating by any means," said the Major, as they were at +supper. + +"No; it is something like old veal," replied Swinton. "Now, what is +Omrah about? He is after some mischief, by the way he creeps along." + +"A monkey is a fool to that boy," observed the Major, "and he appears to +know how to imitate every animal he has ever heard." + +"Did you hear the dance he led some of the Hottentots on Sunday evening, +when we were at the Mission?" + +"No; what was that?" + +"Bremen told me of it; I thought he would have died with laughing. You +are aware that there is a species of bird here which they call the +honey-bird,--by naturalists, the _Cuculus indicator_; do you not +remember I showed you a specimen which I was preserving?" + +"You have showed us so many specimens, that I really forget." + +"Well, I should have given you at the same time the natural history of +the bird. It is very partial to honey, upon which it lives as much as it +can; but as the bees make their hives in the trunks of old decayed +trees, and the hole they enter by is very small, the bird can not obtain +it without assistance. Its instinct induces it to call in the aid of +man, which it does by a peculiar note, like cher-cher-cher, by which it +gives notice that it has found out a beehive. The natives of Africa well +know this, and as soon as the bird flies close to them, giving out this +sound, they follow it; the bird leads them on, perching every now and +then, to enable them to keep up with it, until it arrives at the tree, +over which it flutters without making any more noise." + +"How very curious!" + +"Little Bushman knows this as well as the Hottentots, and hearing that +they were going out in search of honey he went before them into the +wood, concealing himself, and imitating the note of the bird so exactly, +that the Hottentots went on following it for several miles, wondering +how it was that the bird should lead them such a distance, but unwilling +to give up the pursuit. About sunset, he had brought them back to the +very edge of the wood from whence they had started, when he showed +himself about one hundred yards ahead of them, dancing, capering, and +tumbling so like Begum, that they thought it was her before them, and +not him. He gained the caravan again without their knowing who played +them the trick; but he told Swanevelt, who speaks his language, and +Swanevelt told Bremen." + +"Capital!" said the Major; "well, he is after some trick now, depend +upon it." + +"He has a great talent for drawing," observed Alexander. + +"A very great one; I have given him a pencil and occasionally a piece of +paper, and he draws all the birds, so that I can recognize them; but you +must know that all the Bushmen have that talent, and that their caves +are full of the sketches of all sorts of animals, remarkably +characteristic. The organ of imitation is very strongly developed in the +Bushmen, which accounts for their talents as draftsmen, and Omrah's +remarkable imitative powers." + +"Do you then believe in phrenology, Swinton!" said Alexander. + +"I neither believe nor disbelieve in that and many more modern +discoveries of the same kind; I do not think it right to reject them or +to give blind credence. Not a day passes but some discovery excites our +wonder and admiration, and points out to us how little we do know. The +great fault is, that when people have made a discovery to a certain +extent, they build upon it, as if all their premises were correct; +whereas, they have, in fact, only obtained a mere glimmering to light +them to a path which may some future day lead to knowledge. That the +general principles of phrenology are correct maybe fairly assumed, from +the examination of the skulls of men and animals, and of different men; +but I give no credence to all the divisions and subdivisions which have, +in my opinion, been most presumptuously marked out by those who profess, +and of course fully believe, the full extent of these supposed +discoveries." + +"And mesmerism?" said Alexander. + +"I make the same reply; there is _something_ in it, that is certain, but +nothing yet sufficiently known to warrant any specific conclusion to be +drawn." + +"There is a great deal of humbug in it," said the Major. + +"So there is in all sciences; when truth fails them and they are at +fault, they fill up the hiatus with supposition; which is, as you term +it, humbug." + +"Well, I vote that we return to our wagons; every body appears fast +asleep except us three." + +Such was not, however, the case; for they had not been half an hour on +their mattresses, before they were awakened by loud cries of "help," +which made them seize the irguns and jump out of the wagons without +waiting for their clothes. + +The Hottentots and Caffres were so full of hippopotamus flesh, that the +noise did not awake but a small portion of them, and these only turned +round and stared about without getting up, with the exception of Bremen, +who was on his feet and, with his gun in his hand, running in the +direction of the cries. He was followed by our travelers, and they soon +came up with the object of their search, which proved to be no other +than Big Adam, the Hottentot; and as soon as they perceived his +condition, which they could do by the light of the fires still burning, +they all burst out laughing so excessively that they could not help him. + +That it was the work of little Omrah there was no doubt, for Big Adam +had not forgotten the former trick the boy had played him, and had more +than once, when he caught the boy, given him a good cuffing. Big Adam +was on the ground, dragged away by two of the largest dogs. Omrah had +taken the bones he could find with most flesh upon them belonging to the +hippopotamus, and had tied them with leathern thongs to the great toes +of Big Adam as he lay snoring after his unusual repast. He had then +waited till all were asleep, and had let loose the two largest dogs, +which were always tied with the others under the wagons, and not +over-fed, to make them more watchful. + +The dogs had prowled about for food, and had fallen in with these large +bones, which they immediately seized, and were dragging away, that they +might make their repast without interruption; but in attempting to drag +away the bones, they had dragged Big Adam some yards by his great toes, +and the pain and fright--for the Hottentot thought they were hyenas or +wolves--had caused him thus to scream for help. Bremen divided the +thongs with his knife, and the dogs ran off growling with the bones, and +Adam stood again upon his feet, still so much terrified as not to be +able to comprehend the trick which had been played him. Our travelers, +having indulged their mirth, retired once more to their resting-places. +The Major found Omrah and Begum both in their corners of the wagon, the +former pretending to be fast asleep, while the latter was chattering and +swearing at the unusual disturbance. + +At daylight next morning they resumed their journey. Big Adam walked +rather stiff, and looked very sulky. Omrah had perched himself on a tilt +of the baggage-wagon with Begum, and was quite out of the Hottentot's +reach; for Bremen had told the others what had happened, and there had +been a general laugh against Big Adam, who vowed vengeance against +little Omrah. The country was now very beautiful and fertile, and the +Caffre hamlets were to be seen in all directions. Except visits from the +Caffres, who behaved with great decorum when they perceived that the +caravan was escorted by the king's warriors, and who supplied them +nearly every day with a bullock for the use of the people, no adventure +occurred for four days, when they crossed the Bashee or St. John's +River, to which the territories of Hinza extended; but although the +tribes beyond did not acknowledge his authority, they respected the +large force of the caravan, and were much pleased at receiving small +presents of tobacco and snuff. + +Milk, in baskets, was constantly brought in by the women; for the +Caffres weave baskets of so close a texture, that they hold any liquid, +and are the only utensil used for that purpose. At the Bashee River, +after they had passed the ford, they remained one day to hunt the +hippopotami, and were successful; only Major Henderson, who was not +content to hunt during the day, but went out at night, had a narrow +escape. He was in one of the paths, and had wounded a female, and was +standing, watching the rising to the surface of the wounded animal, for +it was bright moonlight, when the male, which happened to be feeding on +the bank above, hearing the cry of the female, rushed right down the +path upon the Major. Fortunately for him, the huge carcass of the animal +gave it such an ungovernable degree of velocity, as to prevent it +turning to the right hand or left. It passed within a yard of the Major, +sweeping the bushes and underwood, so as to throw him down as it passed. +The Major got up again, it may be truly said, more frightened than hurt; +but at all events he had had enough of hippopotamus-hunting for that +night, for he recovered his gun, and walked back to the wagon, thanking +Heaven for his providential escape. + +The next morning, Swanevelt and Bremen went down the banks of the river, +and discovered the body of the hippopotamus, which they dragged on +shore, and, returning to the wagons, sent the Caffres to cut it up; but +before the Caffres belonging to the caravan could arrive there, they +found that the work had been done for them by the natives, and that +nothing was left but the bones of the animal; but this is always +considered fair in the Caffre-land; every one helps himself when an +elephant or other large animal is killed, although he may have had no +hand in its destruction. The number of elephant-paths now showed them +that they were surrounded by these animals, and the Caffres of the +country said that there were large herds close to them. + +It was therefore proposed by the Major, that they should have a grand +elephant-hunt, at which all the Caffres of their own party and the +natives of the country should assist. This proposal was joyfully +received by all, especially the natives, who were delighted at such an +opportunity of having the assistance of the white men's guns; and the +next day was appointed for the sport. By the advice of the natives, the +caravan proceeded some miles down to the eastward, to the borders of a +very thick forest, where they stated that the elephants were to be +found. + +They arrived at the spot in the afternoon, and every one was busy in +making preparations for the following day. The Hottentots, who had been +used to the sport, told long stories to those who had not, and, among +the rest, Big Adam spoke much of his prowess and dexterity. Uncommonly +large fires were lighted that night, for fear that the elephants should +break into the camp. All night their cries were to be heard in the +forest, and occasionally the breaking of the branches of the trees +proved that they were close to the caravan. Begum, who was particularly +alive to danger, crept to Major Henderson's bed, and would remain there +all night, although he several times tried to drive her away. +Notwithstanding continued alarms, the caravan was, however, unmolested. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + +At daylight the following morning, there was a large concourse of +Caffres in the camp, all waiting till our travelers were ready for the +sport. Having made a hasty breakfast, they, by the advice of the +Caffres, did not mount their horses, but started on foot, as the Caffres +stated that the elephants were on the side of the hill. Ascending by an +elephant-path, in less than half an hour they arrived at the top of the +hill, when a grand and magnificent panorama was spread before them. From +the crown of the hill they looked down upon a valley studded with clumps +of trees, which divided the cleared ground, and the whole face of the +valley was covered with elephants. There could not have been less than +nine hundred at one time within the scope of their vision. + +Every height, every green knoll, was dotted with groups of six or seven, +some of their vast bodies partly concealed by the trees upon which they +were browsing, others walking in the open plain, bearing in their trunks +a long branch of a tree, with which they evidently protected themselves +from the flies. The huge bodies of the animals, with the corresponding +magnitude of the large timber-trees which surrounded them, gave an idea +of nature on her grandest scale. + +After a few minutes' survey, they turned to the party who were +collected behind them, and gave notice that they were to commence +immediately. The head men of the Caffres gave their orders, and the +bands of natives moved silently away in every direction, checking any +noise from the dogs, which they had brought with them in numerous packs. +Our travelers were to leeward of the herd on the hill where they stood, +and as it was the intention of the natives to drive the animals toward +them, the Caffre warriors as well as the Hottentots all took up +positions on the hill ready to attack the animals as they were driven +that way. + +About an hour passed away, when the signal was given by some of the +native Caffres, who had gained the side of the valley to westward of the +elephants. Perched up at various high spots, they shouted with +stentorian lungs, and their shouts were answered by the rest of the +Caffres on every side of the valley, so that the elephants found +themselves encompassed on all sides, except on that where the hill rose +from the valley. As the Caffres closed in, their shouts reverberating +from the rocks, and mixed up with the savage howlings of the dogs, +became tremendous; and the elephants, alarmed, started first to one side +of the valley, then to the other, hastily retreating from the clamor +immediately raised as they approached, shaking their long ears and +trumpeting loudly, as with uplifted trunks they trotted to and fro. + +At last, finding no other avenue of escape, the herd commenced the +ascent of the hill, cracking the branches and boughs, and rolling the +loose stones down into the valleys, as they made their ascent, and now +adding their own horrid shrieks to the din which had been previously +created. On they came, bearing every thing down before them, carrying +havoc in their rage to such an extent, that the forest appeared to bow +down before them; while large masses of loose rock leaped and bounded +and thundered down into the valley, raising clouds of dust in their +passage. + +"This is tremendously grand," whispered Alexander to the Major. + +"It is most awfully so; I would not have missed the sight for any +thing; but here they come--look at that tall tree borne down by the +weight of the whole mass." + +"See the great bull leader," said Swinton; "let us all fire upon +him--what a monster!" + +"Look out," said the Major, whose rifle was discharged as he spoke, and +was quickly followed by those of Alexander and Swinton. + +"He's down; be quick and load again. Omrah, give me the other rifle." + +"Take care! take care!" was how cried on all sides, for the fall of the +leading elephant and the volleys of musketry from the Hottentots had so +frightened the herd, that they had begun to separate and break off two +or three together, or singly in every direction. The shrieks and +trumpetings, and the crashing of the boughs so near to them, were now +deafening; and the danger was equally great. The Major had but just +leveled his other rifle when the dense foliage close to him opened as if +by magic, and the head of a large female presented itself within four +yards of him. + +Fortunately, the Major was a man of great nerve, and his rifle brought +her down at his feet, when so near to him that he was compelled to leap +away out of the reach of her trunk, for she was not yet dead. Another +smaller elephant followed so close, that it tumbled over the carcass of +the first, and was shot by Alexander as it was recovering its legs. + +"Back, sirs, or you will be killed," cried Bremen, running to them; +"this way--the whole herd is coming right upon you." They ran for their +lives, following the Hottentot, who brought them to a high rock which +the elephants could not climb, and where they were safe. + +They had hardly gained it when the mass came forward in a cloud of dust, +and with a noise almost inconceivable, scrambling and rolling to and fro +as they passed on in a close-wedged body. Many were wounded and +tottering, and as they were left behind, the Caffres, naked, with their +assaguays in their hands, leaping forward and hiding, as required, +running with the greatest activity close up to the rear of the animals, +either pierced them with their assaguays, or hamstrung them with their +sharp-cutting weapons, crying out in their own tongue to the elephants, +"Great captain! don't kill us--don't tread upon us, mighty +chief!"--supplicating, strangely enough, the mercy of those to whom they +were showing none. As it was almost impossible to fire without a chance +of hitting a Caffre, our travelers contented themselves with looking on, +till the whole herd had passed by, and had disappeared in the jungle +below. + +"They have gone right in the direction of the wagons," said Swinton. + +"Yes, sir," replied the Hottentot, Bremen; "but we must not interfere +with them any more; they are now so scattered in the jungle, that it +would be dangerous. We must let them go away as fast as they can." + +They remained for a few minutes more, till every elephant and Caffre had +disappeared, and then went back cautiously to the spot from whence they +had first fired, and where they had such a fine prospect of the valley. +Not an elephant was to be seen in it; nothing but the ravages which the +herd had committed upon the trees, many of which, of a very large size, +had been borne to the ground by the enormous strength of these animals. +They then proceeded to the spot where the great bull elephant had fallen +by the rifle of Major Henderson. + +They found that the ball had entered just under the eye. It was a +monster that must have stood sixteen feet high by Bremen's calculation, +and it had two very fine tusks. While they were standing by the carcass +of the animal, the armed Hottentots returned from the pursuit, and +stated that seven elephants had been dispatched, and others were so +wounded that they could not live. They now set to work to take the teeth +out of the animal, and were very busy, when a Hottentot came running up, +and reported that the herd of elephants in their retreat had dashed +through the camp, and done a good deal of mischief; that a male elephant +had charged the wagon of Major Henderson, and had forced his tusk +through the side; that the tusk had pierced one of the casks of liquor, +which was running out, although not very fast, and that the wagon must +be unloaded to get out the cask and save the rest of the liquor. + +Several Hottentots immediately hurried back with him to help in +unloading the wagon, and by degrees they all slipped away except Bremen, +Swanevelt, who was cutting out the tusks, and Omrah, who remained +perched upon the huge carcass of the animal, imitating the trumpeting +and motions of the elephant, and playing all sorts of antics. A party of +Caffres soon afterward came up and commenced cutting up the carcass, and +then our travelers walked away in the direction of the camp, to +ascertain what mischief had been done. + +On their return, which, as they stopped occasionally to examine the +other animals that had fallen, must have taken an hour, they found that +the Hottentots had not commenced unloading the wagon; although they had +put tubs to catch the running liquor, of which they had taken so large a +quantity that some were staggering about, and the rest lying down in a +state of senseless intoxication. + +"I thought they were very officious in going back to assist," observed +the Major; "a pretty mess we should be in, if we were in an enemy's +country, and without our Caffre guard." + +"Yes, indeed," replied Alexander, turning over the tub of liquor, and +spilling it on the ground, much to the sorrow of the Hottentots who were +not yet insensible: "however, we will now let the cask run out, and +watch that they get no more." + +As the Caffres were busy with the carcasses of the elephants, and most +of the Hottentots dead drunk, it was useless to think of proceeding +until the following day. Indeed, the oxen and horses were all scattered +in every direction by the elephants breaking into the caravan, and it +would be necessary to collect them, which would require some time. Our +travelers, therefore, gave up the idea of proceeding further that day, +and taking their guns, walked on to the forest, in the direction where +most of the elephants killed had fallen. They passed by three carcasses, +upon which the Caffres were busily employed, and then they came to a +fourth, when a sight presented itself which quite moved their sympathy. +It was the carcass of a full-grown female, and close to it was an +elephant calf, about three feet and a half high, standing by the side of +its dead mother. + +The poor little animal ran round and round the body with every +demonstration of grief, piping sorrowfully, and trying in vain to raise +it up with its tiny trunk. When our travelers arrived, it ran up to +them, entwining its little proboscis round their legs, and showing its +delight at finding somebody. On the trees round the carcass were perched +a number of vultures, waiting to make a meal of the remains, as soon as +the hunters had cut it up, for their beaks could not penetrate the tough +hide. Our travelers remained there for more than an hour, watching the +motions and playing with the young elephant, which made several attempts +to induce its prostrate mother to take notice of it. Finding, however, +that all its efforts were ineffectual, when our travelers quitted the +spot to go back, it voluntarily followed them to the caravans, where it +remained, probably quite as much astonished to find all the Hottentots +lying about as insensible as its mother. + +It may be as well here to observe, that the little animal did not live +beyond a very few days after, from want of its necessary food. + +In the evening, Bremen and Swanevelt returned with tusks of the bull +elephant, which were very large, and the Caffre warriors also came in; +the other Caffres belonging to the country were too busy eating for the +present. The chief of the Caffre warriors brought in the tufts of the +other elephant's tails and the teeth, and the men were loaded with the +flesh. As soon as the Caffres found that the oxen and horses had been +frightened away, and perceived that the Hottentots were not in a +situation to go after them, they threw down their meat and went in +pursuit. Before dark the cattle were all brought back; the fires were +lighted, and the Caffres did not give over their repast until near +midnight. + +Our travelers did not think it advisable, as the Hottentots were now no +protection, to go to bed; they made up a large fire, and remained by it, +talking over the adventures of the day. While they were conversing, +Begum, who had been sitting by her master, showed signs of uneasiness, +and at last clung round the Major with an evident strong fear. + +"Why, what can be the matter with the Princess?" said the Major; +"something has frightened her." + +"Yes, that is evident; perhaps there is an elephant near; shall we waken +Bremen and Swanevelt, who are close to us?" + +Begum chattered, and her teeth also chattered with fear, as she clung +closer and closer. Little Omrah, who was sitting by, looked very +earnestly at the baboon, and at last touching the shoulder of Alexander +to attract his attention, he first pointed to the baboon, imitating its +fright, and then going on his hands and feet, imitated the motions and +growl of an animal. + +"I understand," cried the Major, seizing his gun; "the lad means that +there is a lion near, and that is what frightens the baboon." + +"Lion!" said the Major to Omrah. + +But Omrah did not understand him; but pulling out his paper and pencil, +in a second almost he drew the form of a lion. + +"Clever little fellow! Wake them all, and get your guns ready," said the +Major, starting on his legs; "it can't be far off; confound the monkey, +she won't let go," continued he, tearing off Begum and throwing her +away. Begum immediately scampered to the wagon and hid herself. + +They had just awakened up the two Hottentots, when a roar was given so +loud and tremendous, that it appeared like thunder, and was reverberated +from the rocks opposite for some seconds. + +No one but those who have been in the country, and have fallen in with +this animal in its wild and savage state, can have any idea of the +appalling effect of a lion's roar. What is heard in a menagerie is weak, +and can give but a faint conception of it. In the darkness of the night +it is almost impossible to tell from what quarter the sound proceeds; +this arises from the habit which the animal has of placing his mouth +close to the ground when he roars, so that his voice rolls over the +earth, as it were like a breaker, and the sound is carried along with +all its tremendous force. It is indeed a most awful note of preparation, +and so thought Alexander, who had never heard one before. + +The Caffres had wakened up at the noise, and our travelers and the +Hottentots now fired their guns off in every direction to scare away the +animal. Repeated discharges had this effect, and in the course of half +an hour every thing was again quiet. + +"Well," observed Alexander, "this is the first time that I ever heard +the roar of a lion in its wild state; and I can assure you that I shall +never forget it as long as I live." + +"It is not the first time I have heard it," replied the Major; "but I +must say, what with the darkness and stillness of the night, and the +reverberation, I never heard it so awful before. But you, Swinton, who +have traveled in the Namaqua-land, have, of course." + +"Yes, I have, but very seldom." + +"But it is rather singular that we have not heard the lion before this, +is it not?" said Alexander. + +"The lion is often near without giving you notice," replied Swinton; +"but I do not think that there are many lions in the country we have +traversed; it is too populous. On the other side of the mountains, if we +return that way, we shall find them in plenty. Wherever the antelopes +are in herds, wherever you find the wild horse, zebra, and giraffe, you +will as certainly find the lion, for he preys upon them." + +"I know very well, Swinton, that you are closely attentive to the +peculiar habits of animals, and that they form a portion of your study. +Have you much knowledge of the lion? and if so, suppose you tell us +something about them." + +"I have certainly studied the habits of the lion, and what I have +gathered from my own observation and the information I received from +others, I shall be most happy to communicate. The lion undoubtedly does +not kill wantonly--of that I have had repeated instances. I recollect +one which is rather remarkable, as it showed the sagacity of the noble +brute. A man who belonged to one of the Mission stations, on his return +home from a visit to his friends, took a circuitous route to pass a pool +of water, at which he hoped to kill an antelope. The sun had risen to +some height when he arrived there, and as he could not perceive any +game, he laid his gun down on a low shelving rock, the back part of +which was covered with some brushwood. He went down to the pool and had +a hearty drink, returned to the rock, and after smoking his pipe, +feeling weary, he lay down and fell fast asleep. + +"In a short time, the excessive heat reflected from the rock awoke him, +and opening his eyes he perceived a large lion about a yard from his +feet, crouched down, with his eyes glaring on his face. For some minutes +he remained motionless with fright, expecting every moment that he would +be in the jaws of the monster; at last he recovered his presence of +mind, and casting his eye toward his gun, moved his hand slowly toward +it; upon which the lion raised up his head and gave a tremendous roar +which induced him hastily to withdraw his hand. With this the lion +appeared satisfied, and crouched with his head between his fore-paws as +before. After a little while the man made another attempt to possess +himself of his gun. The lion raised his head and gave another roar, and +the man desisted; another and another attempt were at intervals made, +but always with the same anger shown on the part of the lion." + +"Why, the lion must have known what he wanted the gun for." + +"Most certainly he did, and therefore would not allow the man to touch +it. It is to be presumed that the sagacious creature had been fired at +before; but you observe, that he did not wish to harm the man. He +appeared to say--You are in my power; you shall not go away: you shall +not take your musket to shoot me with, or I will tear you to pieces." + +"It certainly was very curious. Pray how did it end?" + +"Why the heat of the sun on the rock was so overpowering, that the man +was in great agony; his naked feet were so burned, that he was +compelled to keep moving them, placing one upon the other and changing +them every minute. The day passed, and the night also; the lion never +moved from the spot. The sun rose again, and the heat became so intense +that the poor man's feet were past all feeling. At noon, on that day, +the lion rose and walked to the pool, which was only a few yards +distant, looking behind him every moment to see if the man moved; the +man once more attempted to reach his gun, and the lion, perceiving it, +turned in rage, and was on the point of springing upon him; the man +withdrew his hand, and the beast was pacified." + +"How very strange!" + +"The animal went to the water and drank; it then returned and lay down +at the same place as before, about a yard from the man's feet. Another +night passed away, and the lion kept at his post. The next day, in the +forenoon, the animal again went to the water, and while there looked as +if he heard a noise in an opposite quarter, and then disappeared in the +bushes. + +"Perceiving this, the man made an effort, and seized his gun, but in +attempting to rise he found it not in his power, as the strength of his +ankles was gone. With his gun in his hand, he crept to the pool and +drank, and, looking at his feet, he discovered that his toes had been +quite roasted and the skin torn off as he crawled through the grass. He +sat at the pool for a few minutes expecting the lion's return, and +resolved to send the contents of his gun through his head; but the lion +did not return, so the poor fellow tied his gun on his back and crawled +away on his hands and knees as well as he could. He was quite exhausted, +and could have proceeded no further, when providentially a person fell +in with him and assisted him home; but he lost his toes, and was a +cripple for life." + +"What makes this story more remarkable is," observed the Major, "that +the lion, as it is rational to suppose, must have been hungry after +watching the man for sixty hours, even admitting that he had taken a +meal but a short time before." + +"I know many other curious and well-authenticated anecdotes about this +noble animal," observed Swinton, "which I shall be happy to give you; +but I must look at my memorandum-book, or I may not be quite correct in +my story. One fact is very remarkable, and as I had it from Mr. ----, the +missionary, who stated that he had several times observed it himself, I +have no hesitation in vouching for its correctness, the more so, as I +did once perceive a similar fact myself; it is, that the fifth +commandment is observed by lions--they honor their father and mother. + +"If an old lion is in company with his children, as the natives call +them, although they are in size equal to himself, or if a number of +lions meet together in quest of game, there is always one who is +admitted by them to be the oldest and ablest, and who leads. If the game +is come up with, it is this one who creeps up to it, and seizes it, +while the others lie crouched upon the grass; if the old lion is +successful, which he generally is, he retires from his victim, and lies +down to breathe himself and rest for perhaps a quarter of an hour. The +others in the meantime draw round and lie down at a respectful distance, +but never presume to go near the animal which the old lion has killed. +As soon as the old lion considers himself sufficiently rested, he goes +up to the prey and commences at the breast and stomach, and after eating +a considerable portion he will take a second rest, none of the others +presuming to move. + +"Having made a second repast, he then retires; the other lions watch his +motions, and all rush to the remainder of the carcass, which is soon +devoured. I said that I witnessed an instance myself in corroboration of +this statement, which I will now mention. I was sitting on a rock after +collecting some plants, when below me I saw a young lion seize an +antelope; he had his paw upon the dead animal, when the old lion came +up,--upon which the young one immediately retired till his superior had +dined first, and then came in for the remainder. Mercy on us! what is +that?" + +"I thought it was the lion again," said Alexander, "but it is thunder; +we are about to have a storm." + +"Yes, and a fierce one too," said the Major; "I am afraid that we must +break up our party and retire under cover. We have some large drops of +rain already." + +A flash of lightning now dazzled them, and was followed by another, and +an instantaneous peal of thunder. + +"There is no mistake in this," said Swinton; "and I can tell you that we +shall have it upon us in less than a minute, so I am for my wagon." + +"At all events it will wash these Hottentots sober," observed the Major, +as they all walked away to their separate wagons for shelter. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + +They had scarcely gained the wagons before the thunder and lightning +became incessant, and so loud as to be deafening. It appeared as if they +were in the very center of the contending elements, and the wind rose +and blew with terrific force, while the rain poured down as if the +flood-gates of heaven were indeed opened. The lightning was so vivid, +that for the second that it lasted you could see the country round to +the horizon almost as clear as day; the next moment all was terrific +gloom accompanied by the stunning reports of the thunder, which caused +every article in the wagons, and the wagons themselves, to vibrate from +the concussion. A large tree, not fifty yards from the caravan, was +struck by the lightning, and came down with an appalling crash. The +Caffres had all roused up, and had sheltered themselves under the +wagons. + +The Hottentots had also begun to move, but had not yet recovered their +senses--indeed, they were again stupefied by the clamor of the elements. +The storm lasted about an hour, and then as suddenly cleared up again; +the stars again made their appearance in the sky above, and the red +tinge of the horizon announced the approach of daylight. When the storm +ceased, our travelers, who had not taken off their clothes, came out +from their shelter, and met each other by the side of the extinguished +fire. + +"Well," said Alexander, "I have been made wise on two points this +night; I now know what an African storm is, and also the roar of an +African lion. Have you heard if there is any mischief done, Bremen?" +continued Alexander to the Hottentot, who stood by. + +"No, sir; but I am afraid it will take us a long while to collect the +cattle; they will be dispersed in all directions, and we may have lost +some of them. It will soon be daylight, and then we must set off after +them." + +"Are those fellows quite sober now?" + +"Yes, sir," replied Bremen, laughing; "water has washed all the liquor +out of them." + +"Well, you may tell them, as a punishment, I shall stop their tobacco +for a week." + +"Better not now, sir," said Bremen, thoughtfully; "the men don't like to +go further up the country, and they may be troublesome." + +"I think so too," said Swinton; "you must recollect that the cask was +running out, and the temptation was too strong. I should overlook it +this time. Give them a severe reprimand, and let them off." + +"I believe it will be the best way," replied Alexander; "not that I fear +their refusing to go on, for if they do, I will dismiss them, and go on +with the Caffres; they dare not go back by themselves, that is certain." + +"Sir," said Bremen, "that is very true; but you must not trust the +Caffres too much--Caffres always try to get guns and ammunition: Caffre +king, Hinza, very glad to get the wagons and what is in them: make him +rich man, and powerful man, with so many guns. Caffre king will not rob +in his own country, because he is afraid of the English; but if the +wagon's robbed, and you are killed in this country, which is not his, +then he make excuses, and say, 'I know nothing about it,' Say that their +people do it, not his people." + +"Bremen talks very sensibly," said the Major; "we must keep the +Hottentots as a check to the Caffres, and the Caffres as a check to the +Hottentots." + +"That is our policy, depend upon it," replied Swinton. + +"You are right, and we will do so; but the day is breaking; so? Bremen, +collect the people together to search for the cattle; and, Omrah, tell +Mahomed to come here." + +"By the by, Swinton," said Major Henderson, "those elephants' tusks +lying by the wagon remind me of a question I want to put to you:--In +Ceylon, where I have often hunted the elephant, they have no tusks; and +in India the tusks are not common, and in general very small. How do you +account for this variety?" + +"It has been observed before; and it is but a fair surmise, that +Providence, ever attentive to the wants of the meanest animals, has +furnished such large tusks to the African elephant for the necessity +which requires them. In Ceylon there is plenty of grass, and an abundant +supply of water all the year round; and further, in Ceylon, the elephant +has no enemy to defend himself against. Here, in Africa, the rivers are +periodical torrents, which dry up, and the only means which an elephant +has of obtaining water during the dry season is to dig with his tusks +into the bed of the river, till he finds the water, which he draws up +with his trunk. Moreover, he has to defend himself against the +rhinoceros, which is a formidable antagonist, and often victorious. He +requires tusks also for his food in this country, for the elephant digs +up the mimosa here with his tusks, that he may feed upon the succulent +roots of the tree. Indeed, an elephant in Africa without his tusks could +not well exist." + +"Thank you for your explanation, which appears very satisfactory and +conclusive; and now let us go to breakfast, for Mahomed, I perceive, is +ready, and Omrah has displayed our teacups, and is very busy blowing +into the spout of the teapot, a Bushman way of ascertaining if it is +stopped up. However, we must not expect to make a London footman out of +a 'Child of the Desert.'" + +"Where is his adversary and antagonist, the valiant Big Adam?" + +"He was among those who indulged in the liquor yesterday afternoon, and +I believe was worse than any one of them. The little Bushman did not +fail to take advantage of his defenseless state, and has been torturing +him in every way he could imagine during the whole night. I saw him +pouring water into the Hottentot's mouth as he lay on his back with his +mouth wide open, till he nearly choked him. To get it down faster, Omrah +had taken the big tin funnel, and had inserted one end into his mouth, +which he filled till the water ran out; after that he was trying what he +could do with fire, for he began putting hot embers between Big Adam's +toes; I dare say the fellow can not walk to-day." + +"I fear that some day he will kill Omrah, or do him some serious injury; +the boy must be cautioned," said Alexander. + +"I am afraid it will be of no use, and Omrah must take his chance: he is +aware of Big Adam's enmity as well as you are, and is always on his +guard; but as for persuading him to leave off his tricks, or to +reconcile them to each other, it is impossible," said Swinton--"you +don't know a Bushman." + +"Then pray tell us something about them," said the Major, "as soon as +you have finished that elephant-steak, which you appear to approve of. +Of what race are the Bushmen?" + +"I will tell you when I have finished my breakfast," replied Swinton, +"and not before: if I begin to talk, you will eat all the steak, and +that won't do." + +"I suspect that we shall not leave this to-day," said Alexander. "If, as +Bremen says, the cattle have strayed very far, it will be too late to go +in the afternoon, and to-morrow you recollect is Sunday, and that, we +have agreed, shall be kept as it ought to be." + +"Very true," said the Major; "then we must make Swinton entertain us by +telling us more about the lions, for he had not finished when the storm +came on." + +"No," replied Swinton; "I had a great deal more to say, and I shall be +very happy at any seasonable time, Major, to tell you what I know--but +not just now." + +"My dear fellow," said the Major, putting another piece of +elephant-steak upon Swinton's plate, "pray don't entertain the idea that +I want you to talk on purpose that I may eat your share and my own too; +only ascribe my impatience to the true cause--the delight I have in +receiving instruction and amusement from you." + +"Well, Swinton, you have extorted a compliment from the Major." + +"Yes, and an extra allowance of steak, which is a better thing," replied +Swinton, laughing. "Now I have finished my breakfast, I will tell what I +know about Omrah's people. + +"The Bushmen are originally a Hottentot race--of that I think there is +little doubt; but I believe they are a race of people produced by +circumstances, if I may use the expression. The Hottentot on the plains +lives a nomad life, pasturing and living upon his herds. The Bushman may +be considered as the Hottentot driven out of his fertile plains, +deprived of his cattle, and compelled to resort to the hills for his +safety and subsistence--in short, a Hill Hottentot: impelled by hunger +and by injuries, he has committed depredations upon the property of +others until he has had a mark set upon him; his hand has been against +every man, and he has been hunted like a wild beast, and compelled to +hide himself in the caves of almost inaccessible rocks and hills. + +"Thus, generation after generation, he has suffered privation and +hunger, till the race has dwindled down to the small size which it is at +present. Unable to contend against force, his only weapons have been his +cunning and his poisoned arrows, and with them he has obtained his +livelihood--or rather, it may be said, has contrived to support life, +and no more. There are, however, many races mixed up with the Bushmen; +for runaway slaves, brought from Madagascar, Malays, and even those of +the mixed white breed, when they have committed murder or other penal +crimes, have added to the race and incorporated themselves with them; +they are called the Children of the Desert, and they are literally +such." + +"Have you seen much of them?" + +"Yes, when I was in the Namaqua-land and in the Bechuana territory I saw +a great deal of them. I do not think that they are insensible to +kindness, and moreover, I believe that they may often be trusted; but +you run a great risk." + +"Have they ever shown any gratitude?" + +"Yes; when I have killed game for them, they have followed me on +purpose to show me the pools of waters without which we should have +suffered severely, if we had not perished. We were talking about lions; +it is an old-received opinion, that the jackal is the lion's provider; +it would be a more correct one to say that the lion is the Bushman's +provider." + +"Indeed!" + +"I once asked a Bushman, 'How do you live?' His reply was, 'I live by the +lions.' I asked him to explain to me. He said, 'I will show what I do: I +let the lions follow the game and kill it and eat till they have their +bellies full, then I go up to where the lion is sitting down by the +carcass, and I go pretty near to him; I cry out, What have you got +there, can not you spare me some of it? Go away and let me have some +meat, or I'll do you some harm. Then I dance and jump about and shake my +skin-dress, and the lion looks at me, and he turns round and walks away; +he growls very much, but he don't stay, and then I eat the rest.'" + +"And is that true?" + +"Yes, I believe it, as I have had it confessed by many others. The fact +is, the lion is only dangerous when he is hungry--that is, if he is not +attacked; and if, as the Bushman said, the lion has eaten sufficiently, +probably not wishing to be disturbed, after his repast, by the presence +and shouts of the Bushman, the animal retires to some other spot. I was +informed that a very short time afterward, this Bushman, who told me +what I have detailed to you, was killed by a lioness, when attempting to +drive it away from its prey by shouting as he was used to do. The fact +was, that he perceived a lioness devouring a wild horse, and went up to +her as usual; but he did not observe that she had her whelps with her: +he shouted; she growled savagely, and before he had time to retreat, she +sprang upon him and tore him to pieces." + +"The lion does not prey upon men, then, although he destroys them?" + +"Not generally; but the Namaqua people told me that, if a lion once +takes a fancy to men's flesh--and they do, after they have in their +hunger devoured one or two--they become doubly dangerous, as they will +leave all other game and hunt man only; but this I can not vouch for +being the truth, although it is very probable." + +"If we judge from analogy, it is," replied the Major. "The Bengal tigers +in India, it is well known, if they once taste human flesh, prefer it to +all other, and they are well known to the natives, who term them +man-eaters. Strange to say, it appears that human flesh is not wholesome +for them; for their skins become mangy after they have taken to eating +that alone. I have shot a 'man-eater' from the back of an elephant, and +I found that the skin was not worth taking." + +"The Namaquas," replied Swinton, "told me that a lion, once enamored of +human flesh, would, in order to obtain it so far overcome his caution, +that he would leap through a fire to seize a man. I once went to visit a +Namaqua chief, who had been severely wounded by a lion of this +description--a man-eater, as the Major terms them,--and he gave me the +following dreadful narrative, which certainly corroborates what they +assert of the lion who had once taken a fancy to human flesh. + +"The chief told me that he had gone out with a party of his men to hunt: +they had guns, bows and arrows, and assaguays. On the first day, as they +were pursuing an elephant, they came across some lions, who attacked +them and they were obliged to save their lives by abandoning a horse, +which the lions devoured. They then made hiding-places of thick bushes +by a pool, where they knew the elephant and rhinoceros would come to +drink. + +"As they fired at a rhinoceros, a lion leaped into their inclosure, took +up one of the men in his mouth and carried him off, and all that they +afterward could find of him the next day was one of the bones of his +leg. The next night, as they were sitting by a fire inside of their +inclosure of bushes, a lion came, seized one of the men, dragged him +through the fire, and tore out his back. One of the party fired, but +missed; upon which, the lion, dropping his dying victim, growled at the +men across the fire, and they durst not repeat the shot; the lion then +took up his prey in his mouth, and went off with it. + +"Alarmed at such disasters, the Namaquas collected together in one +strong inclosure, and at night sent out one of the slaves for water. He +had no sooner reached the pool than he was seized by a lion; he called +in vain for help, but was dragged off through the woods, and the next +day his skull only was found, clean licked by the rough tongue of the +lion. + +"Having now lost three men in three days, the chief and his whole party +turned out to hunt and destroy lions only. They followed the spoor or +track of the one which had taken the slave, and they soon found two +lions, one of which, the smallest, they shot; and then, having taken +their breakfast, they went after the other, and largest, which was +recognized as the one which had devoured the man. + +"They followed the animal to a patch of reeds, where it had intrenched +itself; they set fire to the reeds and forced it out, and as it was +walking off it was severely wounded by one of the party, when it +immediately turned back, and, with a loud roar, charged right through +the smoke and the burning reeds. The monster dashed in among them and +seized the chief's brother by the back, tearing out his ribs and +exposing his lungs. + +"The chief rushed to the assistance of his expiring brother; his gun +burned priming. He dashed it down, and in his desperation seized the +lion by the tail. The lion let go the body, and turned upon the chief, +and with a stroke of his fore-paw tore a large piece of flesh off the +chief's arm; then struck him again and threw him on the ground. The +chief rose instantly, but the lion then seized him by the knee, threw +him down again, and there held him, mangling his left arm. + +"Torn and bleeding, the chief in a feeble voice called to his men to +shoot the animal from behind, which was at last done with a ball which +passed through the lion's brain. After this destruction of four men in +four days, the hunting was given over; the body of the chief's brother +was buried, and the party went home, bearing with them their wounded +chief." + +"Well, that is the most horrible lion-adventure I have yet heard," said +the Major. "Heaven preserve us from a man-eating lion!" + +"It really has almost taken away my breath," said Alexander. + +"Well, then, I will tell you one more amusing, and not so fatal in its +results; I was told it by a Bushman," said Swinton. "A Bushman was +following a herd of zebras, and had just succeeded in wounding one with +his arrow, when he discovered that he had been interfering with a lion, +who was also in chase of the same animals. As the lion appeared very +angry at this interference with his rights as lord of the manor, and +evidently inclined to punish the Bushman as a poacher upon his +preserves, the latter, perceiving a tree convenient, climbed up into it +as fast as he could. The lion allowed the herd of zebras to go away, and +turned his attention to the Bushman. He walked round and round the tree, +and every now and then he growled as he looked up at the Bushman. + +"At last the lion lay down at the foot of the tree, and there he kept +watch all night. The Bushman kept watch also, but toward morning, +feeling very tired, he was overcome by sleep, and as he slept, he +dreamed, and what do you think that he dreamed?--he dreamed that he fell +from the tree into the jaws of the lion. Starting up in horror from the +effects of his dream, he lost his hold, and falling from the branch, +down he came with all his weight right on the back of the lion. The +lion, so unexpectedly saluted, sprang up with a loud roar, tossing off +the Bushman, and running away as fast as he could; and the Bushman, +recovering his legs and his senses, also took to his heels in a +different direction; and thus were the 'sleepers awakened,' and the +dream became true." + +"Besiegers retreating and fort evacuated both at the same time," cried +the Major, laughing. + +"Well, I think you have had enough of the lion now," said Swinton. + +"No, we had quite enough of him last night, if you choose," replied +Alexander. "But your lions are not quite so near as he was." + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + +It was not until the evening that the Caffres and Hottentots returned +with the cattle, which they had great difficulty in collecting; two or +three of the oxen were not brought back till late at night, so +frightened had the animals been by the approach of the lion. In the +afternoon, as it was too late to think of proceeding, our travelers, +with their guns on their shoulders, and accompanied by Omrah and Begum, +who would always follow the Major if she was not tied up, strolled away +from the camp to amuse themselves. At first they walked to the hill from +which they had such a splendid view of the valley covered with +elephants, and, proceeding to where the male elephant had fallen, found +that his flesh had, by the Caffres, the wolves, and the vultures, been +completely taken off his bones, and it lay there a beautiful skeleton +for a museum. + +As, however, they had no room for such weighty articles in their wagons, +they left it, after Swinton had made some observations upon the +structure of the animal. Begum would not go near the skeleton, but +appeared to be frightened at it. They then proceeded to the rock which +had been their place of refuge when the herd of elephants had charged +upon them; and as they stood under it, they were suddenly saluted with a +loud noise over their heads, sounding like quah, quah! + +As soon as Begum heard it, she ran up to the Major with every sign of +trepidation, holding fast to his skin trowsers. + +"What was that?" said Alexander; "I see nothing." + +"I know what it is," said the Major; "it is a herd of baboons; there +they are; don't you see their heads over the rocks?" + +"Let them show themselves a little more, and we'll have a shot at them," +replied Alexander, cocking his gun. + +"Not for your life," cried Swinton; "you will be skinned and torn to +pieces, if they are numerous, and you enrage them. You have no idea +what savage and powerful creatures they are. Look at them now; they are +coming down gradually; we had better be off." + +"I think so too," said the Major; "they are very angry; they have seen +Begum, and imagine that we have one of their herd in our possession. +Pray don't fire, Wilmot, unless it is for your life; we are too few to +make them afraid of us. Here they come; there are a hundred of them at +least; let us walk away slowly--it won't do to run, for that would make +them chase us at once." + +The baboons, some of which were of gigantic size, were now descending +from the rock, grunting, grinning, springing from stone to stone, +protruding their mouths, shaking their heads, drawing back the skin of +their foreheads, and showing their formidable tusks, advancing nearer +and nearer, and threatening an attack. Some of the largest males +advanced so close as to make a snatch at Omrah. As for Begum, she kept +behind the Major, hiding herself as much as possible. At last one or two +advanced so close, rising on their hind-legs, that the Major was obliged +to ward them off with his gun, "Point your guns at them," said Swinton, +"if they come too close; but do not fire, I beg you. If we only get from +off this rocky ground to the plain below, we shall probably get rid of +them." + +The ground on which they were formed a portion of the rocky hill upon +which they had taken shelter the day of the elephant-hunt; and within +twenty-five yards of them there was an abrupt descent of about four +feet, which joined it to the plain. They had gained half-way, parrying +the animals off as well as they could, as they retreated backward, when +some of the baboons came down from the other side of the rock, so as to +attempt to cut off their retreat, their object evidently being to gain +possession of Begum, whom they considered as belonging to them--and a +captive. + +Their situation now became more critical; for the whole herd were +joining the foremost; and the noise they made, and the anger they +expressed, were much greater than before. + +"We must fire, I really believe," said the Major, when they heard a +deep, hollow growl, followed up by a roar of some animal, apparently not +very far off. At this sound the baboons halted, and listened in silence; +again the growl was repeated, and followed up by the roar, and the +baboons, at a shriek given by one on the rock, turned round and took to +their heels, much to the delight of our travelers, who had felt the +peculiar difficulty and danger of their situation. + +"What animal was that which has frightened them off?" said the Major. + +"It was the growl of a leopard," replied Swinton; "we must keep a sharp +look-out; it can't be far off. The leopard is the great enemy of the +baboons. But where is Omrah?" + +They all looked round, but the boy was not to be seen. At last he showed +his head above the foot of the rocky hill, where there was a descent of +four feet, as we have mentioned, then sprang up the rock, and began +capering, and imitating the baboons as they came on to the attack. + +As they were laughing at him, all at once he stopped, and putting his +hands to his mouth he gave the growl and roar of a leopard, which they +had heard, and then set off running away baboon fashion. + +"It was the Bushman, then, that frightened them off; he is a clever +little fellow." + +"And I am not sure that he has not saved our lives," replied Swinton; +"but he has been brought up among them, one may say, and knows their +habits well. If he had not hid himself below the rocks before he +imitated the leopard, it would have been of no use, for they would not +have been frightened, hearing the growl proceeding from him. I admire +the boy's presence of mind." + +"I thought at one time that the baboons had an idea that Omrah was one +of them. What a snatch they made at him!" + +"It would not have been the first time that these animals have carried +off a boy," said Swinton; "I saw one at Latakoo, who had lived two years +with the baboons, which had carried him off." + +"How did they treat him?" + +"Very well indeed; but they kept him a prisoner. When they found that +he would not eat the coarse food which they did, they brought him other +things; and they invariably allowed him to drink first at the pools." + +"Well, that was homage to our superiority. Confound their quahs, I shall +not get them out of my head for a week. What terrible large tusks they +have!" + +"Yes, their incisors are very strong. They often destroy the leopard +when they meet it in numbers; but if one happens to be away from the +herd, he has, of course, no chance with such an animal. Begum did not +appear at all willing to renew her connection." + +"None of the monkey tribe, after they have lived with man, ever are; +indeed it is a question, if they had taken possession of her, whether +they would not have torn her to pieces immediately, or have worried her +to death some way or other." + +"Well, at all events, Swinton, you have been rewarded for your kindness +to that poor little Bushman, and we have reaped the benefit of it," +observed Alexander. "But here come some of the oxen; I hope we shall be +able to start early on Monday. The native Caffres say that the wagons +can not proceed much further." + +"No, not further than to the banks of the Umtata River: but you will +then be not a great way from your destination. Daaka is the chief's +name, is it not?" + +"Yes, that is his name; and if he is as supposed to be, he is my first +cousin. How strange it sounds to me, as I look around me in this savage +and wild country, that I should be within forty miles of a +blood-relation, who is an inhabitant of it!" + +"Well, we shall soon know the truth; but I must say, if it is only to +end in a morning call, you have come a long way for the purpose," +replied the Major. + +"I have come to ascertain a fact, which, from what I now know of the +country and its inhabitants, will be the source of any thing but +pleasure if it be established. My only hope is that it may prove +otherwise than we suppose; and there is little chance of that, I fear." + +"At all events, come what may," observed Swinton, "you will have done +your duty." + +On their return, they found all the men and cattle collected, and that +night they increased the number of their fires, and tied the oxen to the +wagons, that they might not be scattered by the return of the lion. The +latter did not, however, make his appearance, and the night was passed +without any disturbance. The following day being Sunday, the Hottentots +were assembled, and desired not to start from the camp, as they would be +expected to attend to prayers and Divine service; and as no hunting +expedition was proposed, the Caffre warriors, as well as the native +Caffres, who came in with their baskets of milk and other articles for +sale and barter, also remained. Before dinner-time, the bell which had +been brought with them from the Cape, to ring in case of any one having +strayed from the camp, that he might be guided to return, was tolled by +Bremen, and the Hottentots were assembled. Prayers and a portion of the +Bible were then read. + +The Caffre warriors, who had been told that the white men were going to +pray to their God, were very silent and attentive, although they could +not understand what was said; and the native Caffres, men, women and +children, sat down and listened. As soon as the service was over, the +Caffre head man of the warriors asked the interpreter to inquire of our +travelers why they struck the bell? was it to let God know that they +were about to pray, and did he hear what they said? + +Swinton replied, that their God heard all that they said, and listened +to the prayers of those who trusted in him. + +A great many other questions were put by the Caffres, all of which were +replied to with great caution by Mr. Swinton, as he was fearful that +they might not otherwise be understood by the Caffres; but they were, as +it was proved by the questions which followed in consequence. A great +portion of the afternoon was passed away in explaining and replying to +the interrogatories of these people, and our travelers felt convinced +that by having kept the Sabbath in that savage land they had done some +good by the example; for, as Swinton truly observed-- + +"The missionaries come into the land to spread the gospel of Christ; +they tell the natives that such is the religion and belief of the white +men, and that such are the doctrines which are inculcated. Now white men +come here as traders, or are occasionally seen here as travelers; and if +the natives find, as they have found, that these white men, stated by +the missionaries to hold the same belief, not only show no evidence of +their belief, but are guilty of sins expressly forbidden by the religion +preached, is not the work of the missionary nearly destroyed? + +"I have often thought that the behavior of the Dutch boors toward the +natives must have had such an effect; indeed, I may say that the colony +has been founded upon very opposite principles to those of 'doing unto +others as you would they should do unto you.' I believe that there never +yet was an intercourse between Christians nominal and savages, in any +portion of the globe, but that the savages have with great justice +thrown in the Christians' teeth, that they preached one thing but did +another. Unfortunately the taunt is but too true. Even those who had +left their country for religious persecution have erred in the same way. +The conduct of the Puritans who landed at Salem was as barbarous toward +the Indians as that of Pizarro and his followers toward the Mexicans. In +either case the poor aborigines were hunted to death." + +On Monday they started at daylight, and proceeded on the journey; but +they made little progress, on account of the difficulty of traveling +with the wagons in a country consisting of alternate precipices and +ravines, without any roads. The second day proved to be one of greater +difficulty; they were obliged to cut down trees, fill up holes, remove +large pieces of rock, and with every precaution the wagons were often +out of order, and they were obliged to halt for repairs. + +At night they were about ten miles from the Umtata River, and it was +doubtful, from the accounts received from the natives of the country, if +they would be able to go further with the wagons than to its bank. But +in the evening, news was brought that the Amaquibi, the nation of +warriors which were governed by Quetoo, and which had come from the +north, had been attacked by two of the native tribes, aided by some +white men with guns; that the white men had all been destroyed, and that +the hostile army were marching south. + +The native Caffres appeared to be in a panic, and this panic was soon +communicated to the Hottentots. At first, murmurings were heard as they +sat round the fire, and at last they broke out into open mutiny. Big +Adam, with three others, came up to the fire where our travelers were +sitting, and intimated that they must return immediately, as they would +proceed no further; that if it was decided to go on, the Hottentots +would not, as they had no intention of being murdered by the savages who +were advancing. Swinton, who could speak the Dutch language, having +consulted with Alexander and the Major, replied that it was very true +that the army of Quetoo was to the northward; but that the report of the +defeat of the Caffres and of the army advancing was not confirmed. It +was only a rumor, and might all be false; that even if true, it did not +follow they were advancing in the direction in which they themselves +were about to proceed; that it would be sufficient time for them to +retreat when they found out what were the real facts, which would be the +case in a few days at the furthest. But the Hottentots would not listen +to any thing that he said; they declared that they would proceed no +further. + +By this time all the other Hottentots had joined the first who came up +to our travelers, and made the same demand, stating their determination +not to proceed a mile further. Only Bremen and Swanevelt opposed the +rest, and declared that they would follow their masters wherever they +chose to lead them. Alexander now sent for the interpreter and the chief +of the Caffre warriors, lent him by Hinza, and desired the interpreter +to ask the Caffre whether he and his band would follow them. The Caffre +answered that they would; Hinza had given them in charge, and they could +not return and say that they had left them because there was an enemy +at hand. Hinza would kill them all if they did; they must bring back the +travelers safe, or lose their lives in their defense. + +"Well, then," said the Major, "now we can do without these cowardly +fellows, who are no use to us but to eat and drink; so now let us +discharge them at once, all but Bremen and Swanevelt." + +"I agree with you, Major," said Alexander; "what do you think, Swinton?" + +"Yes, let us discharge them, for then they will be in a precious +dilemma. We will discharge them without arms, and desire them to go +home; that they dare not do, so they will remain. But let us first +secure their muskets, which lie round their fire, before we dismiss +them; or they will not, perhaps, surrender them, and we may be in an +awkward position. I will slip away, and while I am away, do you keep +them in talk until I return, which I shall not do until I have locked up +all the guns in the store-wagon." + +As Swinton rose, the Major addressed the Hottentots. "Now, my lads," +said he, "here are Bremen and Swanevelt who consent to follow us; all +the Caffre warriors agree to follow us; and here are about twenty of you +who refuse. Now I can not think that you will leave us; you know that we +have treated you well, and have given you plenty of tobacco; you know +that you will be punished as soon as you return to the Cape. Why then +are you so foolish? Now look you: I am sure that upon reflection you +will think better of it. Let me understand clearly your reasons for not +proceeding with us; I wish to hear them again, and let each man speak +for himself." + +The Hottentots immediately began to state over again their reasons for +not going on; and thus the Major, who made each give his reason +separately, gained their attention, and the time which was required. +Before they all had spoken, Swinton came back and took his seat by the +fire. + +"All's safe," said he; "Bremen and Swanevelt's guns have been locked up +with the others." Our travelers had their own lying by them. The Caffre +warriors, who were standing behind the Hottentots, had all their +assaguays in their hands; but their shields, as usual, were hanging to +the sides of the wagons. The Major allowed the whole of the Hottentots +to speak, and when they were done, he said, "Now, Wilmot, turn the +tables on them." + +Alexander then got up with his gun in his hand, the Major and Swinton +did the same, and then Alexander told the Hottentots that they were a +cowardly set of fellows; that with Bremen and Swanevelt, and the band of +Caffre warriors, he could do without them; that since they did not +choose to proceed, they might now leave the camp immediately, as they +should get neither food nor any thing else from them in future. "So now +be off, the whole of you; and if I find one to-morrow morning in sight +of the camp, or if one of you dares to follow us, I will order the +Caffres to run him through. You are dismissed, and to-morrow we leave +without you." + +Alexander then called the chief of the Caffre warriors, and desired him, +in the presence of the Hottentots, to give particular charge of the +cattle, horses, and sheep, to his warriors during the night; and if any +one attempted to touch them, to run him through the body. "Do this +immediately," said Alexander to the chief, who without delay spoke to +his men, and they went off in obedience to his orders. + +The Hottentots, who had heard all this, now retreated to their wagon, +but were struck with consternation when they found that their guns had +been removed; for they trusted to their guns and ammunition to enable +them to procure food and protect themselves on their return. They +consulted together in a low voice; they looked round and perceived that +our three travelers had quitted the fire, and were keeping guard with +their guns upon the wagons, to prevent any attempt of breaking them +open, on the part of the Hottentots. Moreover, ten of the Caffres, with +their spears, had since the breaking up of the conference, been put in +charge of the wagons by the chief, at the request of the Major. The +Hottentots now perceived their forlorn position. + +How could they, without arms and ammunition, and without provisions, +return to the Cape, such a number of miles distant? How could they +exist, if they remained where they were? When they insisted upon our +travelers returning, they had quite overlooked the circumstance that +these could protect themselves with the Caffre warriors, and that they +were not in a condition to enforce their demand. + +After a long conversation, they did what all Hottentots will do under +any emergency,--they lay down by the fire, and fell fast asleep. +Swinton, having ascertained that they were really asleep, proposed that +they themselves should retire to the wagon, and leave the Caffres on +guard, which they did; as they well knew that a Hottentot once fast +asleep is not easily roused up even to "treason, stratagem, or spoil." + +Shortly after break of day, Bremen came to them, stating that he found +the wagons could proceed no further, as he had walked on, and discovered +that a mile before them there was a ravine so deep that it would be +difficult for the cattle to go down, and for the wagons impossible; that +at a distance of three miles below he could see the river, which was +also so embedded in rocks, as to be impassable by the wagons. + +The Major immediately went with Bremen, to satisfy himself of the truth +of this, and returned, stating that further progress with wagons was +impossible. + +"Well, then, we must now hold a council," said Swinton. "Of course, +proceed you will, Wilmot, that is decided; the only question is, as we +must now proceed on horseback, what force you will take with you, and +what shall be left in charge of the wagons?" + +"I think we can trust the Caffres, do not you?" + +"Yes, I do; but I wish from my heart that the Hottentots had not +rebelled; for although in some respects cowardly fellows, yet with their +muskets they are brave, and their muskets keep the natives in order." + +"To the Caffres, the contents of the wagons would prove a temptation; +but these are not temptations to the Hottentots, whose object is to get +back safe, and receive their wages. Thus we play them off against each +other." + +"Here are all the Hottentots coming up to us," said the Major; "I hope +it is to make submission; it is very desirable that they should do so +before they know that the wagons proceed no further." + +The surmise of the Major was correct: the Hottentots had again canvassed +the matter over, and, perceiving the helplessness of their position, had +come in a body to beg forgiveness, and to offer to accompany our +travelers wherever they pleased to take them. + +It was a long while before Alexander would consent to receive them +again, and not until they had made promise upon promise, that he seemed +at last to be mollified. Swinton then interceded for them, and at last +Alexander consented, upon their future good behavior, to overlook their +conduct. This matter having been satisfactorily arranged, the former +question was resumed. + +"One of you, I fear, must remain with the wagons," observed Alexander; +"or both of you, if you please. I have no right to ask you to go upon +any wild-goose chase, and run into danger for nothing." + +"That one should remain with the wagons will be necessary," said +Swinton; "and I think that the Major, if he does not object, is the +proper person. The party who are left must provide themselves with food +by their guns; and it will require more military tact than I possess to +arrange that and to defend the wagons. I will accompany you, Wilmot, as +I can speak better Dutch, and the interpreter will not get on well +without me." + +"Will you have the kindness to take charge of the wagons, Major, during +our absence?" + +"I think, perhaps, it will be as well; although I had rather have gone +with you," replied the Major. "I propose that you take thirty of the +Caffres, Bremen, and eight Hottentots with you; leave me Swanevelt and +the other Hottentots." + +"Yes, that will do very well; we will leave the Caffre head man with +you." + +"No; he must go with the larger portion of his party; he could not well +be separated from them. I will find a proper place for the wagons, and +stockade myself regularly in; that will be a good job for the +Hottentots, and I dare say I shall do very well." + +"I shall not leave you Omrah, Major," said Swinton; "for, as we shall +take four horses with us, I wish him to ride one, and he can attend upon +us, as you have Mahomed." + +"You may have Begum to ride the other," replied the Major, "if you +please; then you will each have a groom." + +"No, no, it would be a pity to part you and her; however, there is no +time to be lost, for if this great chief and warrior Quetoo is +advancing, it may be as well to be ready for a retreat; the sooner we +are off, the sooner we shall be back; so now to pack up." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + + +The first step taken by Alexander was to send for the Hottentots, and, +after again reproving them for their former behavior, he asked who were +ready to volunteer to proceed with him, as he had decided to leave the +wagons with Major Henderson, and proceed on horseback the short distance +of his journey which remained to be accomplished. + +Several of the Hottentots immediately came forward; the heads of the +mutiny held back, and thus proved to Alexander that the men who had come +forward were persuaded into it by the others, and regretted what they +had done. He therefore immediately accepted their services, and their +muskets were returned to them. Alexander then stated his intentions to +the Caffre head man, who selected the thirty warriors that were +required, and in the course of three hours every thing was ready for +their departure. + +It was arranged that in case of danger arising to either party, they +should, if possible, fall back to the newly established Mission of +Morley, on the sea-coast; but otherwise, the wagons would remain where +they were till Alexander's return. Having packed up all they required in +small packages, to be carried by the Caffres, they bade farewell to the +Major, and set off, having no baggage but what we have mentioned; for +Alexander would not be encumbered with a load of heavy articles which +must prevent rapid progress, or rapid retreat if necessary. + +In two hours they arrived by difficult passes at the banks of the Umtata +River, which they crossed, and soon afterward falling in with a Caffre +kraal, they were informed that Daaka, the chief whom they sought, did +not reside more than twenty miles distant; and they easily procured a +guide to show them the way. + +The reports of the advance of the Amaquibi army were here fully +confirmed, and the natives were preparing to leave the kraal with all +their cattle. It appeared, however, that at present the army was +stationary; the warriors carousing and enjoying themselves after the +victory which they had gained over the Caffres. As these had been +assisted by white men and their guns, the spirits of the Amaquibi were +raised to an extraordinary degree, and they were intending to carry +their arms to the southward, as soon as Quetoo, their chief, had +somewhat recovered from his wounds received in the late action. Indeed, +it was the wounded state of their chief which was the principal cause of +the army not having immediately proceeded to the southward. + +Having obtained this information, the travelers resumed their journey +along the banks of the Umtata, over a country of surprising beauty, the +deep river being full of hippopotami, which were lying on the banks or +snorting in the stream. They could not wait to kill one during the +daytime, but promised the men they would allow them to make the attempt +in the evening, after their day's march was over. Toward sunset, they +stopped on the banks of the river on a rising ground, and the Hottentots +and some Caffres were then directed to go down to the river in chase of +the hippopotami, as it was advisable to save their provisions as much as +possible. + +Before night they had succeeded, and the carcass of the animal was +hauled on shore. As soon as the party had taken as much as they +required, the native Caffres carried off the remainder of the flesh. As +they were sitting down carousing by the fire which had been lighted, the +Caffre head warrior came up to the interpreter, and told Alexander and +Swinton not to say that they were Hinza's warriors if asked where they +came from. On being asked why, he told them that Hinza had married a +daughter of the chief of this country, and after a time had sent her +back again to her father, and that this had created ill blood between +the tribes, although no war had taken place. Alexander and Swinton, who +perceived that the advice was judicious, told him that they would not, +and after partaking of the hippopotamus flesh they all lay down to +repose under the far-spreading branches of a large tree. + +The next morning they set off, and after an hour's journey the guide +told them that they were at the kraal of Daaka, the descendant of the +Europeans. The bellowing of the cattle and noise of the calves soon +directed them to the spot, and they entered a kraal consisting of +several very wretched huts. On inquiring for Daaka, a woman pointed out +a hut at a little distance, and, as they dismounted and walked up, he +came out to meet them. Swinton and Alexander shook hands with the chief, +and said that they were very glad to see him, and that they had come far +to pay him a visit. The chief ordered a hut to be swept out for their +accommodation, which they took possession of. + +"You have no idea, Swinton," said Alexander, "how much I am excited +already by this interview." + +"I can imagine it, my dear Wilmot," said Swinton; "it is but natural, +for he is your kinsman by all report, and certainly, although a Caffre +in his habits and manners, his countenance and features are strikingly +European." + +"That I have observed myself, and it has fully convinced me of the truth +of the statement. I am most anxious to examine him--we must call the +interpreter." + +The chief entered the hut soon afterward, and took his seat; the +interpreter was sent for, and the conversation was begun by Daaka, who +like most of the Caffre chiefs, with the hope of obtaining presents, +stated himself to be very poor, his cattle to be dying, and his children +without milk. Our travelers allowed him to go on for some time in this +manner, and then sent for a present of beads and tobacco, which they +gave him. They then commenced their inquiries, and the first question +they asked was, why he resided so near the sea. + +"Because the sea is my mother," replied he; "I came from the sea, and +the sea feeds me when I am hungry." + +"In that reply he evidently refers to the wreck of the ship," observed +Swinton; "and I presume, from the fish-bones, which we have seen about +the kraal, that these Caffres feed on fish, which the other tribes do +not, and therefore it is that he says his mother feeds him." + +"Was your mother white?" inquired Alexander. + +"Yes," replied Daaka, "her skin was white as yours; her hair was just +like yours, long and dark; but before she died it was quite white." + +"What was your mother's name?" + +"Kuma," replied the chief. + +"Had you any brothers and sisters?" + +"Yes, I had; I have one sister alive now." + +"What is her name?" inquired Swinton. + +"Bess," replied the chief. + +"This is very confirmatory," said Alexander; "my aunt's name was +Elizabeth; she must have called her child after herself." + +"Whom did your mother marry?" + +"She first married my uncle, and had no children; and then she married +my father; both were chiefs, and I am a chief; she had five children by +my father." + +[Illustration: THE CAFFRE CHIEF. P. 195.] + +A long conversation took place after this, the substance of which we may +as well communicate to our reader in few words. From the children of +Kuma, supposed to be Elizabeth, the aunt of Alexander, were produced +a numerous race of the European blood, who were celebrated in +the Caffre land for their courage; they were continually engaged in war, +as their alliance was eagerly sought, and in consequence had nearly all +perished. Daaka himself was renowned for warlike exploits, but he was +now a very old man. In the evening the chief took his leave, and went to +his own hut. + +As soon as they were alone, Alexander said to Swinton, "I have now so +far fulfilled my promise to my worthy relation that I have seen this +descendant of his child; but what am I to do? An old man like him is not +very likely to consent to go to England, and as for his sister Bess, he +states that she is equally infirm; the progeny of the rest of the family +are scattered about, and he himself knows nothing about them; to collect +them would be impossible, and if collected, equally impossible to remove +them, for they would not leave. My old relative fancies, in his mind's +eye, his daughter weeping over her captivity, and longing to be restored +to her country and her relations; still retaining European feelings and +sympathies, and miserable in her position; her children brought up by +her with the same ideas, and some day looking forward to their +emancipation from this savage state of existence: I think if he were +here, and saw old Daaka, he would soon divest himself of all these +romantic ideas." + +"I think so too; but there is one thing which has struck me very +forcibly, Alexander, which is, if this Daaka is the son of your aunt how +comes it that he is so old? When was the _Grosvenor_ lost?" + +"In the year 1782." + +"And we are now in 1829. Your aunt you stated to have been ten or twelve +years old at the time of the wreck. Allowing her to marry at the +earliest age, Daaka could not well be more than forty-eight years old; +and surely he is more than that." + +"He looks much older, certainly; but who can tell the age of a savage, +who has been living a life of constant privation, and who has been so +often wounded as his scars show that he has been? Wounds and hardship +will soon make a man look old." + +"That is very true, but still he appears to me to be older than the +dates warrant." + +"I think his stating that his sister was named Bess is full +corroboration." + +"It is rather circumstantial evidence, Wilmot: now what do you propose +to do?" + +"I hardly know; but I wish to be in Daaka's company some time longer, +that I may gain more intelligence; and I think of proposing to him that +we should go down to visit the remains of the wreck of his mother, as he +terms it. I should like to see a spot so celebrated for misfortune, and +behold the remains of the ill-fated vessel; I should like to have to +tell my good old uncle all I can, and he will wish that I should be able +to give him every information." + +"Well, I think it is a good plan of yours, and we will propose it to him +to-morrow morning." + +"And I should like to visit his sister Bess--indeed, I must do so. He +says she is much younger than he is." + +"He did, and therefore I think his age does not correspond with our +dates, as I observed before," replied Swinton; "but, as you say, you +must see his sister." + +Daaka had sent an old cow as a present to Alexander, which was a very +seasonable supply, as the hippopotamus-flesh had all been eaten. The +next morning they proposed that he should accompany them to where the +_Grosvenor_ had been wrecked. + +Daaka did not at first appear to know what they wished, and inquired, +through the interpreter, whether they meant the ship that was wrecked on +the sea-coast, pointing to the eastward. On receiving an answer in the +affirmative, he agreed to set off with them that afternoon, saying that +it was about forty miles off, and that they could not get there until +the next day. + +About noon they set off on their journey, and as they made but slow +progress over a rugged although most beautiful country, they stopped at +night at a kraal about half-way. Early the next morning they were led by +Daaka and some Caffres who accompanied him to the sea-shore, and when +they had arrived at the beach, it being then low water, Daaka pointed to +a reef, upon which were to be seen the guns, ballast, and a portion of +the keelson of a ship--all that remained of the unfortunate _Grosvenor_. + +As the sea washed over the reef; now covering and now exposing these +mementoes of misery and suffering, Alexander and Swinton remained for +some time without speaking; at last Alexander said-- + +"Swinton, you have read the history of this unfortunate vessel, I know, +for you asked me for it to read. What a succession of scenes of horror +do these remains, which from their solid weight only have defied the +power of the winds and waves, conjure up at this moment in my mind. I +think I now behold the brave vessel dashed upon the reefs--the scream of +despair from all on board--the heart-rending situation of the women and +children--their wonderful escape and landing on shore, only to be +subjected to greater suffering. See, Swinton, that must have been the +rock which they all gained, and upon which they remained shivering +through the night." + +"It is, I have no doubt, from its position," said Swinton. + +"Yes, it must have been; I think I see them all--men, women, and +helpless children--huddled together, half-clothed and suffering, +quitting that rock by this only path from it, and setting off upon their +mad and perilous journey; the scattering of the parties--their perils +and hunger--their conflicts with the natives--their sufferings from heat +and from thirst--their sinking down one by one into the welcome arms of +death, or torn to pieces by the wolves and hyenas as they lagged behind +the others. How much more fortunate those who never gained the shore." + +"Yes, indeed," replied Swinton; "except the eight who reached the Cape, +and the five that Daaka asserts were saved, all the rest must have +perished in that dreadful manner." + +Alexander remained for some time in painful thought; at last he turned +to Daaka and said, as he pointed to the remains of the wreck, "And this +then is your mother?" + +Daaka looked at him and shook his head, "No, not my mother this," +replied he; "my mother down there," pointing out in a northerly +direction. + +"What does he mean, Swinton? he says this is not his mother." + +"I will speak to him, Wilmot; you are too much agitated," replied +Swinton. + +"Is not that the vessel which your mother was lost in?" said Swinton, +through the interpreter. + +"No," replied Daaka; "my mother came on shore in a vessel up the little +river out there; I was a boy when this large ship was wrecked; and got +some iron from her to make assaguays." + +"Merciful heaven! what joy I feel; I trust it is true what he says." + +"I have no doubt of it, Wilmot; I told you he was too old a man," +replied Swinton; "but let me question him further." + +Our readers may imagine the impatience of Alexander while the questions +of Swinton were being answered, and by which it appears that Daaka's +mother was lost at the mouth of the Lauwanbaz, a small river some miles +to the eastward of the Zemsooboo. An old Caffre, who had come down with +Daaka, now gave a particular account of the wreck of the _Grosvenor_, +corroborating all Daaka's assertions. + +"Were there none of the _Grosvenor's_ people left in the country?" +inquired Swinton. + +"None," replied the old man; "they all went to the southward." + +"Did you hear what became of them?" + +"Some lay down and died, some fought the natives and were killed; the +wolves ate the rest; not one left alive; they all perished." + +"Were none of the women and children saved and kept as slaves?" + +"No, not one; they had no meat, no milk, and they all died." + +After some other inquiries, the old man, who at first did not reply +willingly, stated that he had, with other Caffres, followed the last +party; had seen them all dead, and had taken off their clothes, and that +as they died were buried by those who still survived. + +"A better fate, cruel as it was, than living as they must have lived," +said Swinton. + +"Yes, truly," replied Alexander; "you don't know, Swinton, what a load +has been removed from my mind, and how light-hearted I feel, +notwithstanding this recital of their sufferings. My poor uncle! God +grant that he may live till my return with this distinct intelligence, +with the assurance that he has no grandchildren living the life of a +heathen, and knowing no God. What a relief will it prove to him; how +soothing will it be to his last days! How grateful am I to God, that I +have had so happy an issue to my mission! Now, Swinton, we will return +as soon as you please; as soon as we arrive at Daaka's kraal, I will +take down in writing the statement of these people, and then we will +hasten back to the Major." + +"And I dare say," said Swinton, as he remounted his horse, "that you +will make old Daaka a more handsome present, for proving himself no +relation to you, than if he had satisfactorily established himself as +your own first cousin." + +"You may be sure that my gratitude toward him is much greater than ever +could have been my kindred feeling from friendship. I am so light +hearted, Swinton, and so grateful to God that I almost wish to dismount +in my anxiety to return my thanks; but I do so in my heart of hearts, at +all event." + +On the following day they arrived at Daaka's kraal, and then Alexander +took down very carefully in writing the statements made by Daaka and the +other Caffres. They all agreed on the one point, which was, that the +European descendants now living in the country were wrecked in another +vessel many years before the loss of the _Grosvenor_, and that not one +of the _Grosvenor's_ people--men, women or children--had survived, +except the few who arrived at the Cape. + +Having obtained these satisfactory documents, they made a handsome +present to Daaka and the other Caffres, and immediately set out upon +their return to the wagons. As they journeyed back to the westward, they +found the Caffres quitting their huts, and driving away the cattle, that +they might not fall into the power of the army of Quetoo, which it was +said was now in motion, and scattering the tribes before them. As our +travelers were not at all anxious to have any communication with these +savage invaders, in two days they crossed the Umtata, and toward the +evening were within sight of the wagons. A shout from the Hottentots and +Caffres gave notice of their approach. The shout was returned, and in a +few minutes they were shaking hands with the Major, who was delighted to +see them. + +"I did not expect you back so soon," replied the Major; "and as I +perceive that you are unaccompanied, I presume that your Caffre +relations would not quit their kraals." + +"You shall know all about it, Major, very soon; it will be enough at +present to let you know that we have nothing but good news." + +"That I rejoice to hear; but it was well you came back as you did, for I +have been making every preparation, and had you not returned in a few +days, I should have retreated; the invaders are close at hand." + +"We know it, and, if they are told that there are wagons here well +loaded, they will come on quickly, with the hopes of plunder, so we must +delay no longer," replied Alexander; "to-morrow we will yoke and set +off. We can determine upon our route as we are traveling, but the first +point is to retreat from this quarter." + +"Exactly; the oxen are in prime order and can make a long day's march, +and we know our country for some days, at all events; but enter my +fortress, dismount, and let us go into the tent which I have pitched. +You shall then tell me your adventures, while Mahomed fries a delicate +piece of elephant's flesh for you." + +"Have you killed an elephant?" + +"Yes, but not without much difficulty and some danger, I assure you; I +wanted your help sadly, for these Hottentots are too much alarmed to +take good aim, and I had only my own rifle to trust to; but I have done +very well considering, and I shall prove to our commander-in-chief that +I have supplied the garrison without putting him to any expense during +his absence. We have been feeding upon green monkeys for three days, and +very good eating they are, if you do not happen upon a very old one." + +When they entered the inclosure made by the Major, they were surprised +at the state of defense in which he had put it. His hedge of thorns upon +rocks piled up was impregnable, and the wagons were in the center, drawn +up in a square; the entrance would only admit one person at a time, and +was protected by bars at night. + +"Why, Major, you might have held out against the whole force of the +Amaquibi in this position." + +"Yes, provided I had provisions and water," replied the Major; "but I +fear they would soon have starved me out; however, it was as well to be +prepared against any sudden night-attack, and therefore I fortified my +camp: now come in, and welcome back again." + +The news which they had to impart to the Major was soon given, and he +was highly delighted at the intelligence:--"And now," said he, "what do +you mean to do, Wilmot?--go back again, of course, but by what route?" + +"Why, Major, you and Swinton have been so kind in coming with me thus +far, and I have been so successful in my expedition, that I shall now +leave you to decide as you please. I have effected all that I wished, my +business is over, and I am ready to meet you in any way you choose; any +thing you decide upon I shall agree to willingly and join in heartily, +so now speak your wishes." + +"Well, I will speak mine very frankly," replied the Major. "We have had +some sport in this country, it is true, but not so much as I could have +wished; for game is rather scarce, with the exception of elephants and +sea-cows. Now I should like to cross the mountains, and get into the +Bechuana and Bushman country, where game is as plentiful as I believe +water is scarce; we can return that way, if you please, almost as well +as we can through the Caffre country--what say you, Swinton?" + +"Well, I am of your opinion. As Wilmot says, business is over and we +have nothing to do but to amuse ourselves; I am very anxious to pass +through this country, as I shall add greatly to my collections, I have +no doubt; but it must not be expected that we shall fare as well as we +have done in this; it will be the dry season, and we may be in want of +water occasionally." + +"I am equally desirous of going through that country, where I hope to +shoot a giraffe,--that is my great ambition," replied Wilmot; "therefore +we may consider that we are all agreed, and the affair is settled; but +the question is, how shall we proceed back? We must return to Hinza's +territory and send back the Caffres. Shall we return to Butterworth?" + +"I think that must depend upon circumstances, and we can talk it over as +we go along: the first point to ascertain is, the best passage over the +mountains; and it appears to me that we shall be diverging much too far +to the eastward if we return to Butterworth; but the Caffres will soon +give us the necessary information." + +"I wonder if the quarrel between Hinza and Voosani has been made up," +said Alexander; "for we must pass through the Tambookie tribe if we +cross the mountains, and if there is war between them we may meet with +difficulty." + +"We shall hear as soon as we have crossed the Bashee river," replied +Swinton; "and then we must decide accordingly. All that can be settled +now is, that to-morrow we start on our return, and that we will cross +the mountains, if we possibly can." + +"Yes, that is decided," replied Alexander. + +"Well, then, as soon as you have finished your elephant-steak, Wilmot, +we will get out a bottle of wine, drink the first half of it to +congratulate you upon the success of your mission, and the other half +shall be poured out in bumpers to a happy return." + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +THE RETURN. + + +The delight of the Hottentots at the announcement of the return of the +expedition was not to be concealed; and now that they knew that they +were retreating from the danger, as they were further removed they +became proportionately brave. We must not include all the Hottentots in +this observation, as Bremen, Swanevelt, and one or two more, were really +brave men; but we do refer to the principal portion of them, with Big +Adam at their head, who now flourished and vapored about, as if he could +by himself kill and eat the whole army of the dreaded Quetoo. + +As it was the intention of our travelers to pass over the Mambookei +chain of mountains, into the Bushman and Koranna territory, they did not +return the same route by which they came, but more to the westward +through the territory of the Tambookie Caffres, not any one time +entering upon the territory of the Amakosas, the tribe of Caffres +governed by Hinza, who had lent them his warriors. + +Voosani, the chief of the Tambookies, was very friendly, and had offered +no opposition to their passage through a portion of his domains on their +advance. They now lost no time, but continued their journey as fast as +they could, although during the day they saw a great quantity of game, +and were almost every night saluted with the roaring of the lions. + +In a week they found themselves on the banks of the White Kae River, and +not far from the foot of the mountains which they intended to pass. Here +they halted, with the intention of remaining some few days, that they +might unload and re-arrange the packing of their wagons, repair what was +necessary, and provide themselves with more oxen and sheep for their +journey in the sterile territory of the Bushmen. + +During their route, the rumors relative to the army of Quetoo were +incessant. He had attacked and murdered Lieut. Farewell and his people, +who were on a trading expedition in the interior, and taken possession +of and plundered their wagons. Flushed with success over white people +armed with muskets, Quetoo had now resolved to turn his army to the +southward, and attack the tribes of the Amaponda Caffres, governed by +Fakoo, and the missionary station of Morley, lately established near the +coast, between the St. John and the Umtata rivers. + +To effect this, Quetoo commenced his ravages upon all the lesser tribes +tributary to Fakoo, and having put them to indiscriminate slaughter, +driven away their cattle, and burned their kraals, his army advanced to +the missionary station, which the missionaries were compelled to desert, +and fall back upon the St. John River. + +One of the men belonging to the tribe near Morley came to the caravan +where our travelers had halted, and, on being questioned as to the loss +they had experienced, cried out, "Ask not how many are killed, but how +many are saved: our wives, where are they? and our children, do you see +any of them?" + +But Fakoo, the chief of the Amapondas, had roused himself and collected +his army. He resolved upon giving battle to the enemy. He found the +Amaquibi encamped in a forest, and he surrounded them with a superior +army; he then contrived, by attacking and retreating, to lead them into +a position from which there was no escape but by the pass by which they +had entered, and which he completely blocked up with his own forces. + +The Amaquibi could not retreat, and a furious conflict took place, which +ended in the destruction of the whole of Quetoo's army. Quetoo himself +was not present, as he still remained confined with the wound he had +received in the prior engagement, in which he had been victorious. A +portion of Fakoo's army was sent against him, and he fled with the loss +of all the cattle and treasures he had collected; and thus was the +invading force at last totally dispersed and not heard of any more. + +This news was very satisfactory to our travelers, as they did not know +whether they would have had time to make their arrangements, if Quetoo's +army had been victorious; and it was still more pleasing to the +Hottentots, who were now even braver than before, all lamenting that +they had not remained on the banks of the Umtata River, where the combat +took place, that they might have assisted at the destruction of the +invaders. + +It was toward the end of August before our travelers had made their +preparations and were ready for a start. They had decided to try the +pass through the Mambookei chain of mountains, to the eastward of the +one named Stormbergen, and as they expected to meet with some +difficulties, it was decided that the Caffre warriors should not be +dismissed till they had arrived at the Bushman territory; they proposed +then to turn to the N.W., so as to fall in with that portion of the +Orange River which was known by the name of the Vaal or Yellow River, +crossing the Black or Cradock River, which is also another branch of the +Orange River. + +This arrangement was made, that they might get into the country more +abounding with game, and better furnished with water than any other +portion of the sterile deserts which they had to pass through. + +Having, as usual, kept holy the Lord's day, on the Monday morning they +started in high spirits, and with their cattle in excellent order. The +passage through the ravine was very difficult; they had to fill up +holes, roll away stones, and very often put double teams to drag the +wagons. + +They made but ten miles on the first day, and found the night cold, +after the heat to which they had been subjected. The second day was also +one of toil and danger, but on the third they found that they had +commenced the descent, and the whole Bushman country was spread before +them. But the descent was even more perilous than the ascent, and it was +not without great exertion that they saved their wagons from falling +over the precipices. + +On the fourth evening they had crossed the mountains, and were now at +the foot of them on the western side. It was with difficulty that they +collected wood enough to make their fires for the night, and the +continual roaring told them that they were now in the domain of the +lion and his satellites. + +At break of day they all rose, that they might view the country which +they were about to traverse. It was one wild desert of sand and stones, +interspersed with small shrubs, and here and there a patch of bushes; +apparently one vast, dry, arid plain, with a haze over it, arising from +the heat. Our travelers, however, did not at first notice this change; +their eyes were fixed upon the groups of quaggas and various antelopes +which were strewed over the whole face of the country; and, as soon as +they had taken their breakfast, they mounted their horses in pursuit. It +had been their intention to have dismissed the Caffres on that morning, +but the chief of the band pointed out that it would be as well that they +should kill some game, to provide them with food for their journey back; +and our travelers approved of the suggestion, as it would save their +sheep. + +Alexander and the Major set off with Bremen, Swanevelt, and Omrah on +horseback, while the Caffres on foot kept well up with them. The other +Hottentots were ordered to remain with Swinton at the encampment, as +they had to repair the damages done to the wagons in crossing the +mountains. + +Omrah had shown himself so useful, that he had been permitted to +practice with a fowling-piece carrying ball, and had proved himself very +expert. He now was mounted on the Major's spare horse; that in case the +Major's was knocked up, he might change it, for Omrah's weight was a +mere nothing. + +The plan of the chase was, that the Caffres should spread in a +half-circle, and conceal themselves as much as possible, while those on +horseback should turn the animals and drive them in their direction. As +they advanced on the plain, they discovered what the haze had prevented +their seeing at early dawn, that the plain was covered with a variety of +beautiful flowers, of the amaryllis and other tribes, and with the hills +of ants and ant-eaters' holes, which latter were very dangerous to the +horses. + +The sun was now up in the heavens, and blazed fiercely; the heat was +intense, although still early in the day. When they turned their heads +toward the mountains which they had passed, they were struck with +astonishment at the grandeur of the scene: rocks and cliffs in wild +chaos, barren ridges and towering peaks, worn by time into castellated +fortresses and other strange shapes, calling to their fancy the ruins of +a former world. With the exception of a pool of water, near to which the +caravan had halted, not a vestige of that element was to be seen in any +direction; all was one plain, ending only in the horizon, without a +tree, the line only broken by the groups of animals and the long necks +of the packs of ostriches in the distance. + +If, however, the vegetable kingdom was deficient, the animal was +proportionably abundant, and Alexander and the Major were soon at their +speed after a troop of quaggas and zebras, which they succeeded in +turning toward the Caffres. As soon as the animals had entered the +radius of the half-circle, and were within distance, they checked their +horses and opened their fire upon them; at the same time the Caffres +showed themselves, and the animals were for a time confounded by finding +themselves so nearly surrounded. + +During their hesitation, and while they attempted to break through here +and there, and then turned again, several were brought to the ground by +the guns of the mounted party, till at last, as if they had summoned up +their resolution, the whole herd, led by a splendid male, burst away in +a direction close to the horsemen, and made their escape from the circle +in a cloud of dust, scattering the stones behind them as they fled. + +The Caffres ran up to the animals which lay wounded, and put them out of +their misery by inserting the point of their assaguays into the spine, +which caused immediate death. Seven animals were killed, three zebras +and four quaggas; and as Swinton had requested that they might not be +cut up till he had ascertained if he required their skins, Omrah was +sent back to bring him to where they were lying. + +Swinton soon came, and Alexander said to him, "Now, Swinton, let us know +if you want any of the skins of these animals to preserve." + +"No," replied Swinton, "I have them already; I just thought it possible +that you might have killed a zebra." + +"Well, have we not? there are three of them." + +"No, my good fellow, they are not of the real zebra species; they belong +to a class described by Burchell, the traveler, which is termed the +striped quagga. The quagga and striped quagga, as you may see, have the +ears of a horse, while the zebra has those of the ass. The true zebra +hardly ever descends upon the plains, but lives altogether upon the +mountainous regions; occasionally it may be found, it is true, and that +is the reason why I came to see." + +"Are they good eating, these animals?" + +"The quagga is very indifferent food, but the striped quagga is very +passable; so if you intend to save any for our dinner, pray let it be +some of the latter. Have you done hunting to-day?" + +"Yes," replied the Major, "if Wilmot is of my opinion, I think we had +better not work our horses any more just now; the plain is so full of +large holes,--ant-eaters' holes, Bremen says they are." + +"Yes, they are ant-eaters' holes, and very dangerous; I have seen them +several feet deep. If we do not start to-day, I will ask the Hottentots +to try and procure one for me to-night, as I wish to have a stuffed +specimen." + +"We do not intend to start till to-morrow morning," replied Alexander; +"we must dismiss the Caffres to-night, that they may be also ready to go +home to-morrow. They will now have provisions enough." + +Our travelers now rode back to the caravan, leaving the Caffres to bring +home the flesh. As soon as they had dined, the chief of the warriors was +desired to come with all his men, and Alexander then made every man a +handsome present, consisting of tobacco, snuff, cloth, knives and beads. +To the chief of the band he gave three times as much as the others, and +then, having delivered to him a very liberal collection of articles for +their king Hinza, Alexander told the chief to acquaint the king that he +had been very much pleased with the conduct of the men, and thanked his +majesty for the loan of them, and requested that his majesty would +accept of the packet of articles which he had selected for him. + +He then thanked the men for their good conduct, told them to take all +the flesh that they wished for the journey, and stated that they were at +liberty to depart that evening or the next morning, as they thought +proper. The Caffres were perfectly satisfied with Alexander's +liberality, and the chief of the warriors, making a short speech in +reply, retired with his men. + +"Well, I'm very sorry that these fine fellows are leaving," said the +Major. + +"And so am I; but I could not well detain them, and they said that they +could not go further with us without the king's permission," replied +Alexander. + +"Of course not," replied the Major; "but that does not lessen my regret +at their departure; they have been both steady and brave, as well as +active and willing, and I do not expect that our Hottentots will serve +us so well." + +"You are right not to expect it, Major," replied Swinton; "if you did, +you would be miserably disappointed. If they knew now where we were +going, they would desert us. The only hold that we have upon the greater +number of them is their fear; they go forward because they are afraid to +go back; but if they could get hold of our horses, with their guns and +ammunition, they would leave us as soon as we advanced in the desert." + +"Very true, I fear; but we have a few stanch fellows among them, and two +at least whom we can depend upon--Bremen and Swanevelt." + +"How far is it from here to the Black River, Swinton?" + +"About forty miles; not so much perhaps to the river's bed, but at least +that, if not more, before we shall fall in with any water at this season +of the year." + +"We must not fail to fill our water-kegs before we leave this." + +"No, for we shall have no water to-night, that is certain. We can not +travel more than twenty miles over such a country as this; for turning +here and there to avoid the holes and ant-hills, the twenty miles will +be at least thirty," said Swinton; "but now I must go and tell the +Hottentots to find me what I want: a pound of tobacco will procure it, I +have no doubt." + +"But I have mine," observed the Major, after Swinton was gone; "we are +too near the pool, and we shall be surrounded with lions to-night; the +Hottentots may pretend that they will go, but they will not." + +"One can not well blame them; I'm sure a pound of tobacco would not +persuade me to put my head into a lion's mouth; but I agree with you, we +are too near the pool, and as we must collect the cattle to secure them +during the night, I think we had better fill our water-kegs, and then +yoke and take up a position for the night about half a mile further off. +But here comes Swinton, who can give us his advice." + +As Swinton agreed with them, they yoked the oxen, and drove forward +about a mile from the pool; they then secured them to the wagons and +lighted large fires round the caravan. + +The Major was correct as regarded the Hottentots' procuring an ant-eater +for Swinton; they would not leave the fires, and the continual approach +of the lions during the night proved that they were wise in so doing. +There was no occasion for the lions to roar; the moaning of Begum, and +her clinging to the Major, the trembling of the dogs, and the uneasiness +of the cattle, invariably gave notice of lions being at hand. Shots were +fired off during the night, to keep them at a distance, but otherwise +the night passed away undisturbed. + +They started the following morning about daybreak, and, at the same +time, the Caffres took their departure to their own country. The ground +over which the caravan traveled was stony and sandy at intervals, and +they had not proceeded far before they again discovered a great variety +of game dispersed over the level plain. They did not, however, attempt +to pursue them, as they were anxious to go on as far as possible, so as +to give the oxen an opportunity of picking up what little food they +could during the middle of the day, at which time the Major and +Alexander proposed that they should go in pursuit of game. But before +they had traveled three hours, they were surprised at a cloud of dust, +which obscured the horizon, in the direction they were proceeding. + +"What can that be?" said Alexander. + +"I think it is springbok," said Bremen the Hottentot. + +"Springbok! why, there must be thousands and thousands of them." + +"I believe that Bremen is right," said Swinton; "it must be one of the +migratory herds of springboks; I have never seen them, but I have often +been told of them." + +The body of antelopes now advanced toward them, keeping on a straight +path; and to state their numbers would have been impossible: there might +have been fifty or a hundred thousand, or more. As far as the eye could +see in any direction, it was one moving mass covering the whole plain. +As they approached the caravan, those nearest huddled on one side and +occasionally bounded away with the remarkable springs made by this +animal, and from which it has its name, alighting not upon the earth, +but, for want of room, upon the backs of its companions, and then +dropping in between the ranks. + +A hazy vapor arose from these countless herds as they moved on, and more +than once the Hottentots, who were standing on the wagons, which had +been stopped as the herd came up to them, pointed out a lion which was +journeying with the crowds to feast at his leisure. The animals appeared +very tame, and several were killed close to the wheels of the wagons, +for the evening's supper. Notwithstanding that the herd moved at a rapid +pace, it was more than two hours before the whole had passed by. + +"Well," observed Alexander, "I can now say that I have seen no want of +game in Africa. Where will they go to?" + +"They will go directly on to the southward," replied Swinton; "the +migration of these animals is one of the most remarkable proofs of the +fecundity of animal life. Like the ants, they devour every thing before +them; and if we journey in the direction they have come from, we shall +find no food for the cattle until after the rains. After the rains fall, +these animals will return to their former pastures. It is the want of +food which has brought them so far to the southward." + +"Their track is evidently from the north and eastward," said the Major; +"had we not better change our course more to the northward?" + +"No, I should think not; they have probably traveled on this side of the +Nu Gariep or Black River. We shall have neither water nor food for the +cattle to-night, and therefore I think we had better go on as we are +going, so as to make sure of water for them to-morrow, at all events. +It's useless now stopping to feed the cattle, we had better continue +right on till the evening; we shall sooner arrive at the river, and so +gain by it." + +It was but half an hour before dark that they unyoked the tired oxen. +Water or grass there was none; and, what was another misfortune, they +could not find sufficient wood of any kind to keep up the necessary +fires during the night. All they could collect before dark was but +enough for one fire, and they considered it better, therefore, that only +one should be lighted. + +The wagons were drawn up so as to form a square, inside of which were +tied the horses; the sheep were driven underneath, and the oxen were +tied up outside. They feasted well themselves upon the delicate meat of +the springboks, but the poor animals had neither food nor water after +their hard day's journey. + +As soon as they had supped they retired to their wagons, and the +Hottentots remained by the side of the fire, which was but frugally +supplied, that it might last till morning; but that there were lions +prowling in the vicinity was evident from the restlessness of the oxen, +who tried to break the leathern thongs with which they were fastened. + +The moon had just risen, and showed an imperfect light, when they +perceived the bodies of some animals between them and the horizon. They +appeared very large, as they always do in an imperfect light, and the +Hottentots soon made out that they were five or six lions not forty +yards distant. The truth of this supposition was confirmed by an angry +roar from one of them, which induced most of the Hottentots to seize +their guns, and some to creep under the wagons. + +The oxen now struggled furiously to escape, for the, roar of the lions +had spread consternation. + +Our travelers heard it in their wagons, and were out with their guns in +a minute. At last one of the oxen broke loose, and, as it was running +behind its companions, as if seeking a more secure shelter, being not +more than three or four yards from them, another roar was followed by a +spring of one of the lions, which bore the animal to the earth. + +The Major and Wilmot were advancing before the fire to the attack, when +the animal for a moment let go his prey, and was about to spring upon +them. Bremen called out for them to retreat, which they did, as the +animal advanced step by step toward them. + +Satisfied with their retiring, the lion then went to his prey, and +dragged it to a distance of about fifty yards, where it commenced its +meal; and they distinctly heard, although they could not plainly +distinguish, the tearing of the animal's flesh and the breaking of its +bones by the lion, while its bellowings were most pitiful. + +They all now fired in the direction where they heard the noise; the lion +replied to the volley by a tremendous roar, and rushed up within twenty +yards of the wagons, so as to be distinctly visible. Bremen begged our +travelers not to molest the animal, as it was evidently very hungry and +very angry, and would certainly make a spring upon them, which must be +attended with disastrous effects. + +The other lions were also now moving round and round the camp; they +therefore reloaded their guns, and remained still, looking at the lion +tearing and devouring his prey. + +"We must be quiet here," said Bremen to Alexander; "there are many lions +round us, and our fire is not sufficient to scare them away, and they +may attack us." + +"Would it not be better to fire our guns,--that would frighten them?" + +"Yes, sir, it would frighten the other lions, perhaps, but it would +enrage this one so near to us, and he would certainly make a charge. We +had better throw a little gunpowder upon some ashes now and then, as we +have but a small fire: the flash will drive them away for the time." + +In the mean time the lion was making his meal upon the poor ox, and +when any other of the hungry lions approached him, he would rush at +them, and pursue them for some paces with a horrible growl, which made +not only the poor oxen, but the men also, to shudder as they heard it. + +In this manner was the night passed away, every one with his gun in his +hand, expecting an immediate attack; but the morning at last dawned, to +the great relief of them all. The lions had disappeared, and they walked +out to where the old lion had made his meal, and found that he had +devoured nearly the whole of the ox; and such was the enormous strength +of his jaws, that the rib-bones were all demolished, and the bones of +the legs, which are known as the marrow-bones, were broken as if by a +hammer. + +"I really," observed the Major, "have more respect for a lion, the more +I become intimate with his feline majesty." + +"Well, but he is off," observed Swinton, "and I think we had better be +off too." + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + + +The oxen were yoked, and the caravan proceeded at slow pace to gain the +wished-for river. As our travelers walked their horses--for the poor +animals had been without food or water for twenty-four hours, and all +idea of chasing the various herds of animals which were to be seen in +their path was abandoned for the present--Swinton remarked, "We are not +far from the track of the Mantatees, when they made their irruption upon +the Caffres about eighteen months back." + +"I was intending to ask you for some information on that point, Swinton. +There has been more than one irruption into the country from the natives +to the northward. Mr. Fairburn gave me a very fair idea of the history +of the Cape colony, but we were both too much engaged after our arrival +in Cape Town for me to obtain further information." + +"I will, you may be assured, tell you all I know," replied Swinton; "but +you must not expect to find in me a Mr. Fairburn. I may as well remark, +that Africa appears to be a country not able to afford support to a +dense population, like Europe; and the chief cause of this is the great +want of water, occasionally rendered more trying by droughts of four or +five years' continuance." + +"I grant that such is the case at present," observed the Major; "but you +well know that it is not that there is not a sufficient quantity of +rain, which falls generally once a year, but because the water which +falls is carried off so quickly. Rivers become torrents, and in a few +weeks pour all their water into the sea, leaving, I may say, none for +the remainder of the year." + +"That is true," replied Swinton. + +"And so it will be until the population is not only dense, but, I may +add, sufficiently enlightened and industrious. Then, I presume, they +will take the same measures for securing a supply of water throughout +the year which have been so long adopted in India, and were formerly in +South America by the Mexicans. I mean that of digging large tanks, from +which the water can not escape, except by evaporation." + +"I believe that it will be the only remedy." + +"Not only the remedy, but more than a remedy; for tanks once +established, vegetation will flourish, and the vegetation will not only +husband the water in the country, but attract more." + +"All that is very true," replied Swinton, "and I trust the time will +come, when not only this land may be well watered with the dew of +heaven, but that the rivers of grace may flow through it in every +direction, and the tree of Christ may flourish." + +"Amen," replied Alexander. + +"But to resume the thread of my discourse," continued Swinton; "I was +about to say, that the increase of population, and I may add the +increase of riches,--for in these nomadic tribes cattle are the only +riches,--is the great cause of these descents from the north; for the +continued droughts which I have mentioned of four or five years compel +them to seek for pasture elsewhere, after their own is burned up. At all +events, it appears that the Caffre nations have been continually +sustaining the pressure from without, both from the northward and the +southward, for many years. + +"When the Dutch settled at the Cape, they took possession of the country +belonging to the Hottentot tribes, driving the few that chose to +preserve their independence into the Bushman and Namaqua lands, +increasing the population in those countries, which are only able to +afford subsistence to a very scattered few. Then, again, they encroached +upon the Caffres, driving them first beyond the great Fish River, and +afterward still more to the northward. The Bushman tribes of hill +Hottentots, if we may so term them, have also been increased by various +means, notwithstanding the constant massacres of these unhappy people by +the Dutch boors; moreover, we have by our injudicious colonial +regulations added another and a new race of people, who are already +considerable in their numbers." + +"Which do you refer to?" + +"To the people now known by the name of Griquas, from their having taken +possession of the Griqua country. They are the mixed race between the +Hottentots and the whites. By the Dutch colonial law, these people could +not hold possession of any land in the colony; and this act of injustice +and folly has deprived us of a very valuable race of men, who might have +added much to the prosperity of the colony. Brave and intelligent, +industrious to a great degree, they, finding themselves despised on +account of the Hottentot blood in their veins, have migrated from the +colony and settled beyond the boundaries. Being tolerably well provided +with fire-arms, those who are peaceably inclined can protect themselves, +while those who are otherwise commit great depredations upon the poor +savages, following the example shown them by the colonists, and sweeping +off their cattle and their property, in defiance of law and justice. You +now perceive, Alexander, how it is that there has been a pressure from +the southward." + +"That is very evident," replied the Major. + +"Perhaps I had better proceed to the northward by degrees, and make some +mention of the Caffre tribes, which are those who have suffered from +being, as it were, pressed between encroachments from the north and the +south. The Caffre race is very numerous. The origin of the general term +Caffre, which means Infidel, and no more, is not known, any more than is +that of the term Hottentot." + +"A proof of what we found out at school," observed the Major, "that +nicknames, as they are termed, stick longer than real ones." + +"Precisely," replied Swinton; "our acquaintance is mostly with the more +southern Caffres, who occupy the land bordering on the east coast of +Africa, from the Cape boundary to Port Natal. These are the Amakosa +tribe, whose warriors have just left us; the Tambookies, whose territory +we have recently quitted, and to the northward of them by Port Natal, +the Hambonas. These are the Eastern Caffres. + +"On the other side of the Mambookei chain of mountains, and in the +central portion of Africa, below the tropic, are the Bechuanas, who +inhabit an extent of country as yet imperfectly known to us. These may +be termed the Central Caffres. + +"On the western side of the African coast, and above Namaqua Land, whose +inhabitants are probably chiefly of the Hottentot race, we have the +Damaras, who may be classed as the Western Caffres; with these we have +had little or no communication. + +"All these tribes speak the Bechuana or Caffre language, with very +slight variations; they are all governed by chiefs or kings, and +subdivided into numerous bodies; but they are all Caffres. Of their +characters I have only to observe, that as far as we have experienced, +the Caffres of the eastern coast, which we have just left, are very +superior to the others in courage and in every other good quality. Now, +have I made myself intelligible, Alexander?" + +"Most clearly so." + +"I nevertheless wish we were sitting down in some safe place instead of +traveling on horseback over this withered tract, and that I had the map +before me to make you understand better." + +"I will refer to the map as soon as I can," replied Alexander; "but I +have studied the map a great deal, and therefore do not so much require +it." + +All these Caffre tribes live much the same life; their wealth is in +cattle; they are partly husbandmen, partly herdsmen, and partly hunters; +and their continual conflicts with the wild beasts of the country +prepare them for warriors. The Eastern Caffres, from whom we have lately +parted, are the most populous; indeed, now that we have taken from them +so much of their country, they have scarcely pasturage for their cattle. +I have said that the Eastern Caffres' territory extends as far as the +latitude of Port Natal, but it formerly extended much further to the +northward, as it did to the southward, before we drove them from their +territory; indeed as far north as Delagoa Bay; all the country between +Port Natal and Delagoa Bay being formerly inhabited by tribes of +Caffres. I believe, Alexander, that Mr. Fairburn gave you a history of +the celebrated monarch Chaka, the king of the Zulus?" + +"Yes, he did." + +"Well, it was Chaka who overran that country I am now speaking of, and +drove out all the tribes who occupied it, as well as a large portion of +the Bechuana tribes who inhabited lands more to the northward. Now the +irruptions we have had into the Caffre and Bechuana country bordering +upon the colony have been wholly brought about by the devastations +committed by Chaka. Of course I refer to those irruptions which have +taken place since our knowledge and possession of the Cape. I have no +doubt that such irruptions have been continued, and that they have +occurred once in every century for ages. They have been brought about by +a population increasing beyond the means of subsistence, and have taken +place as soon as the overplus have required it. + +"The migration of the springboks, which we witnessed yesterday, may be +more frequent, but are not more certain than those of the central +population of Africa. The Caffres themselves state that they formerly +came from the northward, and won their territory by conquest; and the +Hottentots have the same tradition as regards themselves. + +"The invasion of the Mantatees, as they are called (and by the Eastern +Caffres Ficani), was nothing more than that of a people dispossessed of +their property, and driven from the territory by the Zoolus, under +Chaka; and, indeed, this last array under Quetoo, which has been +destroyed within this month, may be considered as invading from a +similar cause. Having separated from Chaka, Quetoo could find no +resting-place, and he therefore came to the southward with the intention +of wresting the territory from the Caffres, in which he has failed. Had +he not failed, and been cut off by the Caffres, he would have destroyed +them, and thus made room for his own people." + +"Of course; for the end of all these invasions and migrations must be in +such a sacrifice of human life as to afford sustenance and the means of +subsistence to those who remain," observed the Major. + +"Precisely; and such must continue to be the case on this continent, +until the arts and civilization have taught men how to increase the +means of subsistence. To produce this, Christianity must be introduced; +for Christianity and civilization go hand in hand." + +"But the Mantatees or Ficani, who are they?" + +"I have already said they were northern Caffre tribes, dispossessed of +their territory by Chaka. The names of the tribes we do not know. +Mantatee, in the Caffre language, signifies an invader, and Ficani also, +marauders; both terms applicable to the people, but certainly not the +names of the tribes. + +"I believe, now, I have said enough on the subject to allow me to enter +upon the history of this last invasion; but, to tell the truth, the heat +is so overpowering, and I feel my tongue so parched, that you must +excuse me for deferring this account till another opportunity. As soon +as we are a little more at our ease, I will give you the history of the +Mantatees." + +"We are much obliged to you for what you have told us, Swinton, and +will spare you for the present," replied Alexander. "What animals are +those?--look!" + +"They are gnoos," replied Swinton. "There are two varieties of them, the +common gnoo and the brindled gnoo. They form an intermediate link +between the antelope family and the bovine or ox, and they are very good +eating." + +"Then, I wish we were able to go after them. They do not seem to be +afraid of us, but approach nearer at every gallop which they make." + +"Yes, although shy, they have a great deal of curiosity," replied +Swinton. "Watch them now." + +The animals bounded away again, as Swinton spoke, and then returned to +gaze upon the caravan, stirring up the dust with their hoofs, tossing +their manes, and lashing their sides with their long tails, as they +curvetted and shook their heads, sometimes stamping as if in defiance, +and then flying away like the wind, as if from fear. + +"They are safe this time," observed Major Henderson; "but another day we +will try their mettle." + +"You will find them fierce and dangerous when wounded, sir," said +Bremen, who had ridden up. "We are not many miles from the river, for +the cattle begin to sniff." + +"I am delighted to hear you say so; for then there must be water near. +But the haze and glare together are so great that we can not distinguish +above two miles, if so much." + +"No, sir," replied the Hottentot; "but I can see well enough to see +_them_" continued he, pointing with his finger to a rising ground about +a hundred yards off, on the right of them. "One, two, three--there are +five of them." + +"What are they?" said the Major, looking in the direction pointed out. +"I see; they are lions." + +"Yes, sir; but we must take no notice of them, and they will not annoy +us. They are not hungry." + +"You are right," said Swinton, "we must go right on, neither stopping +nor hastening our speed. Let the driver look to the oxen; for, tired as +they are, the smell of the lions is sufficient to give them +ungovernable strength for the moment." + +"Well," said the Major, "bring us our guns, Bremen. I am willing to +accept the armed neutrality, if they will consent to it." + +The caravan passed on; the lions remaining crouched where they were, +eying them, it is true, but not rising from their beds. The oxen, +however, either through fear of the lions, or the scent of water near, +became more brisk in their motions, and in half an hour they perceived a +line of trees before them, which told them that they were near the bed +of the Nu Gariep or Cradock River. + +The poor animals redoubled their exertions, and soon arrived at the +banks. Bremen had ridden forward and reported that there still was water +in the river, but only in pools. As the herbage was destroyed on the +side where they were, they would have crossed the bed of the river +before they unyoked, but that they found impossible. The animals were so +impatient for the water, that, had they not been released, they would +have broken the wagons. + +Horses, oxen and sheep all plunged into the pools together, and for some +minutes appeared as though they would never be satisfied. They at last +went out, but soon returned again, till their sides were distended with +the quantity of the element which they had imbibed. + +An hour was allowed for the animals to rest and enjoy themselves, and +then they were again yoked to drag the wagons to the other side of the +river, where there was a sufficiency of pasturage and of wood to make up +their fires. + +As it was their intention to remain there for a day or two, the wagons +were drawn up at some distance from the river, so as not to interfere +with the path by which the wild animals went down to drink. The spoors +or tracks of the lions and buffaloes and other animals were so abundant, +as to show that this precaution was necessary. + +As soon as the wagons were arranged in the usual manner, the cattle were +permitted to graze till the evening, when they were brought in and +secured, as usual, inside and round the wagons. They supped off the +remainder of the springbok, which was not very sweet; but the horses and +men were both too much exhausted with the fatiguing journey to hunt +until the following day. + +That night they were not disturbed by lions, but the hyenas contrived to +crawl under the wagons, and, having severely bitten one of the oxen, +succeeded in carrying off one of the sheep. They had been so often +annoyed by these animals, that we have never mentioned them; but on the +following morning it was found that the ox had been so seriously injured +that the leg-bone was broken, and they were obliged to destroy the +animal. + +"Were the courage of the hyena equal to his strength, it would be a most +formidable animal," observed Swinton; "but the fact is, it seldom or +never attacks mankind, although there may be twenty in a troop. At the +same time, among the Caffres they very often do enter the huts of the +natives, and occasionally devour children and infirm people. But this is +greatly owing to the encouragement they receive from the custom of the +Caffres leaving their dead to be devoured by these animals, which gives +them a liking for human flesh, and makes them more bold to obtain it." + +"They must have a tremendous power in their jaw," observed Alexander. + +"They have, and it is given them for all-wise purposes. The hyena and +the vulture are the scavengers of the tropical regions. The hyena +devours what the vulture leaves, which is the skin and bones of a dead +carcass. Its power of jaw is so great, that it breaks the largest bone +with facility." + +"Are there many varieties of them?" + +"In Africa there are four:--The common spotted hyena, or wolf of the +colonists, whose smell is so offensive that dogs leave it with disgust +after it is killed; its own fellows will, however, devour it +immediately. The striped or ferocious hyena, called the shard-wolf, and +another which the colonists call the bay-wolf, and which I believe to be +the one known as the laughing hyena. There is another variety, which is +a sort of link between the hyena and the dog, called the venatica. It +hunts in packs, and the colonists term it the wild honde. It was first +classed by Burchell the traveler. This last is smaller, but much +fiercer, than the others." + +"I know that there are leopards in the country, but we have never yet +fallen in with one. Are they dangerous?" + +"The leopard shuns any conflict with man, but when driven to desperation +it becomes a formidable antagonist. I recollect very well two boors +having attacked a leopard, and the animal, being hotly pressed by them +and wounded, turned round and sprang upon the one nearest, pulling him +to the ground, biting his shoulder, and tearing him with his claws. The +other, seeing the danger of his comrade, sprang from his horse and +attempted to shoot the animal through the head. He missed, and the +leopard left the first man, sprang upon _him_, and, striking him on the +face, tore his scalp down over his eyes. The hunter grappled with the +animal, and at last they rolled together down a steep cliff. As soon as +the first hunter could reload his gun, he rushed after them to save his +friend, but it was too late. The animal had seized him by the throat, +and mangled him so dreadfully, that death was inevitable and all that +the man could do was to avenge his comrade's death by shooting the +leopard." + +"That proves the leopard is not to be trifled with." + +"No animal is, when it stands at bay, or is driven to desperation; and, +in confirmation of this, I once witnessed one of these animals--the +quaggas--which, being pressed to the edge of a precipice by a mounted +hunter, seized the man's foot with its teeth, and actually tore it off, +so that, although medical aid was at hand, the man died from loss of +blood." + +"One would hardly expect such a tragical issue to the chase of a wild +jackass," observed the Major. + +"No; but 'in the midst of life we are in death,' and we never know from +whence the blow may come. Until it occurred, such an event was supposed +impossible, and the very idea would have created nothing but ridicule. +By the by, one of our good missionaries was very near losing his life by +a leopard. He went to save a Hottentot who had been seized, and was +attacked by the leopard which, as in the former instance, left his +first antagonist to meet his second. Fortunately, Mr. S. was a very +powerful man, and assistance was sooner given him than in the former +instance. Neither he nor the Hottentot, however, escaped without severe +wounds, which confined them for many weeks." + +"Is there more than one variety of leopard, Swinton?" + +"Yes, there is the common leopard and the hunting leopard; besides, I +think, two or three smaller varieties, as the tiger-cat and wild cat. +What do you propose doing to-day? Do you stay here, or advance, Wilmot?" + +"Why, the Major wishes to have a shot at the gnoos; he has never killed +one yet; and as I am of his opinion, that a day's rest will recover the +oxen, and we are in no hurry, I think we may as well stop and provision +our camp for a few days." + +"With all my heart. I am sorry that the hyena has added to our store, by +obliging us to kill the poor ox; however, it can not be helped. There is +a large body of gnoos and quaggas under that small hill to the westward; +but there are better animals for the table when we get a little further +to the northward." + +"Which are those?" + +"The eland, the largest of the antelope species, and sometimes weighing +more than a thousand pounds; moreover, they are very fat, and very easy +to run down. They are excellent eating. When I was in the Namaquas' +land, we preferred them to any other food; but I see another variety of +game on the plain there." + +"What?" + +Omrah pointed them out. "They are either Bushmen (tame Bushmen, as they +are called, in contradistinction to the others), or else Korannas; most +probably the latter. They are coming right towards us; but Mahomed says +breakfast is ready." + +By the time that breakfast was finished, a party of twelve Korannas had +joined the caravan. They made signs that they were hungry, pointing to +the straps which confined their stomachs. The interpreter told them that +they were about to hunt, and that they should have some of the game, at +which they were much pleased. + +"Do you know what those straps are called, round their waists, Wilmot?" +said Swinton. "They are called the belts of famine. All the natives wear +them when hard pressed by hunger, and they say that they are a great +relief. I have no doubt but such is the fact." + +"Well," said the Major, "I hope soon to enable the poor fellows to +loosen their belts, and fill their stomachs till they are as tight as a +drum. Saddle the horses, Bremen. Omrah, you ride my spare horse and +carry my spare rifle." + +Omrah, who now understood English, although he spoke but few words, gave +a nod of the head and went off to the wagon for the Major's rifle. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + + +As soon as the horses were ready, our travelers set out in chase of the +gnoos and quaggas, which were collected to the westward of the caravan. +Bremen, Swanevelt, and Omrah were mounted, and ten of the Hottentots +followed with their guns, and the Korannas on foot; among the others, +Big Adam, who had been explaining to those who had never seen the gnoos +the manner in which he used to kill them. + +The herd permitted them to approach within two hundred yards of them, +and then, after curvetting and prancing, and galloping in small circles, +they stood still at about the same distance, looking, with curiosity and +anger mixed, at the horsemen. After a time, they took to their heels and +scoured the plain for about two miles, when they again stopped, tossing +their heads and manes, and stamping as if in defiance. + +The mounted party remained quiet till those on foot had again drawn +near, and the Hottentots, firing their guns, drove the herd within shot +of our travelers' guns, and three of the gnoos fell, while the others +bounded off to a greater distance; but as they neared the caravan, they +again started back, and were again closed in by the whole party. + +The Hottentots now advanced cautiously, creeping as near as they could +to the animals, whose attention was directed to the horsemen. The +Hottentots were nearly within range, when Omrah, who was mounted on the +Major's spare horse, fastened to the ramrod of the Major's rifle a red +bandanna handkerchief, which he usually wore round his head, and +separating quickly from the rest of the horsemen, walked his horse to +where Big Adam was creeping along to gain a shot, and stationed himself +behind him, waving the red handkerchief at the animals. Omrah was well +aware that a gnoo is as much irritated at a red handkerchief as a bull, +and as soon as he commenced waving it, one of the largest males stepped +out in that direction, pawing the ground and preparing for a charge. + +Big Adam, who had no idea that Omrah was so occupied behind him, now +rose to have a shot, and just as he rose the gnoo made his charge, and +Big Adam, being between the gnoo and the horse which Omrah rode, was of +course the party against whom the animal's choler was raised. + +Omrah, as soon as the animal charged, had wheeled round and galloped +away, while in the meantime Big Adam, perceiving the animal rushing at +him, lost all presence of mind, his gun went off without effect, and he +turned tail; the horns of the gnoo were close upon him, when of a +sudden, to the surprise of those who were looking on, Big Adam +disappeared, and the gnoo passed over where he had been. + +"Why, what has become of him?" said Alexander, laughing. + +"I don't know, but I think he has had a wonderful escape," replied the +Major: "he has disappeared like a ghost through a trap-door." + +"But I see his heels," cried Swinton, laughing; "he has fallen into an +ant-eater's hole, depend upon it; that mischievous little urchin might +have caused his death." + +"It was only to make him prove his steady aim which he was boasting so +much about," replied the Major; "but stop a moment; I will bring down +that gallant little animal, and then we will look for big Adam." + +But before the Major could get near enough to the gnoo, which was still +tearing up the ground and looking for his adversary, Omrah, who had put +by the handkerchief, advanced with the Major's rifle, and brought the +animal down. A volley was at the same time discharged at the herd by the +Hottentots, and three more fell, after which the remainder scampered +away, and were soon out of sight. + +They then rode up to where Big Adam had disappeared, and found him, as +Swinton had supposed, in a deep ant-eater's hole, head downward, and +bellowing for help. His feet were just above the surface, and that was +all; the Hottentots helped him out, and Big Adam threw himself on his +back, and seemed exhausted with fright and having been so long in a +reversed position, and was more vexed at the laugh which was raised +against him. + +The gnoos were soon cut up, and when the Hottentots had taken away as +much as they required, the rest of the carcasses were made over to the +hungry Korannas. Swinton shook his head at Omrah, who pretended that he +did not understand why, until the laughter of Alexander and the Major +was joined in by Swinton himself. + +As they had pretty well fatigued their horses in the chase, they +resolved to return to the caravan, and keep them as fresh as they could +for future service. They dined and supped on the flesh of the gnoos, +which was approved of, and after supper Alexander said--"And now, +Swinton, if you feel inclined, the Major and I will be very glad to hear +your history of the Mantatees." + +"With pleasure," replied Swinton. "The assemblage of tribes known as the +Mantatees or Invaders, according to the best authorities we can collect, +inhabited the countries to the westward of the Zoolu territory, in the +same latitude, which is that of Delagoa Bay. As all these tribes subsist +almost entirely upon the flesh and the milk of their cattle, if deprived +of them, they are driven to desperation, and must either become robbers +in their turn, or perish by hunger. Such was the case of the Mantatees. +Unable to withstand the attacks of the Zoolus, they were driven from +their country, and joined their forces with others who had shared the +same fate. + +"Such was the origin of the Mantatees, who, although they had not +courage to withstand the attacks of the Zoolus, were stimulated by +desperation and famine to a most extraordinary courage in the attacks +which they made upon others. + +"Forming an immense body, now that they were collected together, +accompanied by their wives and children, and unable to procure the +necessary subsistence, it is certain that their habits were so far +changed that they at last became cannibals, and were driven to prey upon +the dead bodies of their enemies, or the flesh of their comrades who +fell in the combats. + +"The Bechuana tribes, who are the Caffres of the interior, were the +first assailed, their towns sacked and burned, and their cattle seized +and devoured. They proceeded on to the Wankeets, one of the Damara +tribes, who inhabit the western coast to the northward of the Namaqua +Land; but the Wankeets were a brave people, and prepared for them, and +the Mantatees were driven back with great slaughter. Astounded at their +defeat, they turned to the southward, and invaded the Bechuana country. + +"At that time our missionaries had established themselves at Koranna, +and when the report of the Mantatees advancing was brought to them, the +Bechuanas were in a great consternation; for although finer-looking men +than the eastern Caffres, they are not by any means so brave and +warlike. + +"As the advance of these people would have been the ruin of the mission, +as well as the destruction of the tribe, who were afraid to encounter +them, Mr. M., the missionary, determined upon sending for the assistance +of the Griquas, the people whom I have before mentioned, and who had not +only horses, but were well armed. The Griquas came under their chief, +Waterboer, and marched against the enemy, accompanied by a large army +of Bechuanas, who, encouraged by the presence of the Griquas, now went +forth to the combat. + +"The Mantatees had at that time advanced as far, and had taken +possession of, Litakoo, a Bechuana town, containing 16,000 inhabitants; +and I will now give, as nearly as I can recollect it, the account of Mr. +M., the missionary at Kuruman, who accompanied the Griquas to propose +and effect, if it were possible, an amicable arrangement with the +invaders. + +"He told me that as they proceeded with a small party, ahead of the +Griqua force, to effect their purpose, they passed by numbers of the +enemy, who had advanced to the pools to drink, and had there sunk down +and expired from famine. As they neared the mass of the enemy, they +found that all the cattle which they had captured were inclosed in the +center of a vast multitude. They attempted a parley, but the enemy +started forward, and hurled their spears with the most savage fury, and +they were compelled to retreat, finding no hopes of obtaining a parley. + +"The next day it was decided that the Griquas should advance. They +numbered about one hundred well-mounted and well-armed men. The enemy +flew at them with terrible howls, hurling their javelins and clubs; +their black dismal appearance, their savage fury, and their hoarse loud +voices producing a strange effect. The Griquas, to prevent their being +surrounded, very wisely retreated. + +"It was at last decided that the Griquas should fire, and it was hoped +that as the Mantatees had never seen the effects of fire-arms they would +be humbled and alarmed, and thus further bloodshed might be prevented. +Many of the Mantatees fell; but, although the survivors looked with +astonishment upon the dead and their wounded warriors writhing in the +dust, they flew with lion-like vengeance at the horsemen, wrenching the +weapons from the hands of their dying companions, to replace those which +they had already discharged at their antagonists. + +"As those who thus stepped out from the main body to attack the Griquas +were the chiefs of the Mantatees, and many of them were killed, their +deaths, one after the other, disheartened the whole body. + +"After the Griquas had commenced the attack, the Bechuana army came up +and assisted with their poisoned arrows, with which they plied the +enemy; but a small body of the fierce Mantatees, sallying out, put the +whole of the Bechuanas to flight. + +"After a combat of two hours and a half, the Griquas, finding their +ammunition failing, determined, at great risk, to charge the whole body. +They did so, and the Mantatees gave way, and fled in a westerly +direction; but they were intercepted by the Griquas, and another charge +being made, the whole was pell-mell and confusion. + +"Mr. M. says that the scene which now presented itself was most awful, +and the state of suspense most cruel. The undulating country around was +covered with warriors--Griquas, Mantatees, and Bechuanas, all in +motion--so that it was impossible to say who were enemies and who were +friends. Clouds of dust rose from the immense masses, some flying, +others pursuing; and to their screams and yells were added the bellowing +of the oxen, the shouts of the yet unvanquished warriors, the groans of +the dying, and the wails of women and of children. At last the enemy +retreated to the town, which they set in flames, to add to the horror of +the scene. + +"Then another desperate struggle ensued, the Mantatees attempted to +inclose the Griquas in the burning town; but not succeeding, they fled +precipitately. Strange to say, the Mantatee forces were divided into two +parts, and during the time that the Griquas engaged the one, the other +remained in the town, having such confidence in the former that they did +not come to their assistance. + +"When the town was set on fire, both armies united, and retreated +together to the northward, in a body of not less than 40,000 warriors. +As soon as the Mantatees retreated, the Bechuanas commenced the work of +slaughter. Women and children were butchered without mercy; but as for +the wounded Mantatees, it appeared as if nothing would make them yield. +There were many instances of an individual being surrounded by fifty +Bechuanas, but as long as life remained he fought. + +"Mr. M. says that he saw more than one instance of a Mantatee fighting +wildly against numbers, with ten or twelve arrows and spears pierced in +his body. Struggling with death, the men would rally, raise themselves +from the ground, discharge their weapons, and fall dead, their +revengeful and hostile spirit only ceasing when life was extinct." + +"And yet these same people permitted their own country to be taken from +them by the Zoolus." + +"Yes, it was so; but want and necessity had turned them into desperate +warriors." + +"I wonder they never thought of going back and recovering their own +country. They would have been a match for the Zoolus. Is that the end of +their history, Swinton?" + +"No, not quite. But perhaps you are tired?" + +"Oh, no. Pray go on." + +"The Mantatees, although defeated by the Griquas, soon recovered their +courage, and intelligence came that they were about to make a descent +upon Kuruman, where the missionaries had their station. The Mantatees, +having been informed that the Griquas had gone home, now determined to +revenge themselves upon the Bechuanas, whom they considered but as the +dust under their feet. + +"On this information, Mr. M. wrote to Waterboer, who commanded the +Griquas, requesting his immediate return; but Waterboer replied that an +immense body of Mantatees were coming down upon the Griquas by the Val +or Yellow River, and that they were forced to remain, to defend their +own property, advising Mr. M. to retreat with his family to the Griqua +town, and put themselves under their protection. + +"As they could no longer remain, the mission station was abandoned, and +the missionaries, with their wives and families, retreated to Griqua +town. They had not, however, been long at Griqua town before news +arrived that both the bodies of Mantatees had altered their routes. +One portion of them went eastward, toward the country from which they +had been driven by the Zoolus, and another, it appears, took possession +of the country near the sources of the Orange River, where for many +years they carried on a predatory warfare with the tribes in that +district. At last a portion of them were incorporated, and settled down +on that part which is now known as the Mantatee new country; the +remainder made an irruption into the eastern Caffre country, where they +were known as the Ficani." + +"And what became of them?" + +"They defeated one or two of the Caffre chiefs, and the Caffres implored +the assistance of the English colonists, which was granted, and a large +armed force was sent out against the invaders. They were found +located--for they had built a town--near the sources of the Umtata +River. The Caffres joined with all their forces, and the Ficani were +surprised. A horrid slaughter took place; muskets, artillery and +Congreve rockets were poured upon the unfortunate wretches, who were +hemmed in on all sides by the Caffres, and the unfortunate Ficani may be +said to have been exterminated, for the Caffres spared neither man, +woman nor child. Such is the history of the Mantatees; their destruction +was horrible, but perhaps unavoidable." + +"Very true," observed Alexander; "I can not help thinking that +desolating contests like these are permitted by a controlling Providence +as chastisements, yet with a gracious end; for, surely it was better +that they should meet with immediate death, than linger till famine put +an end to their misery. This is certain, that they must have been +destroyed, or others destroyed to make room for them. In either case a +great sacrifice of life was to be incurred. War, dreadful as it is in +detail, appears to be one of the necessary evils of human existence, and +a means by which we do not increase so rapidly as to devour each other. + +"I don't know whether you have made the observation, but it appears to +me the plague and cholera are almost necessary in the countries where +they break out; and it is very remarkable that the latter disease never +made its appearance in Europe (at least not for centuries, I may say) +until after peace had been established, and the increase of population +was so rapid. + +"During the many years that Europe was devastated and the population +thinned by war, we had no cholera, and but little of one or two other +epidemics which have since been very fatal. What I mean to infer is, +that the hand of Providence may be seen in all this. Thus sanguinary +wars and the desolating ravages of disease, which are in themselves +afflictive visitations, and probably chastisements for national sins, +may nevertheless have the effect, in some cases, of preventing the +miseries which result from an undue increase of population." + +"You may be quite right, Alexander," observed Swinton; "the ways of +Heaven are inscrutably mysterious, and when we offer up prayers for the +removal of what may appear to be a heavy calamity, we may be deprecating +that which in the end may prove a mercy." + +"One thing I could not help remarking in your narrative, Swinton," +observed the Major, "which is the position of the missionaries during +this scene of terror. You passed it slightly over, but it must have been +most trying." + +"Most surely it was." + +"And yet I have not only read but heard much said against them, and +strong opposition made to subscriptions for their support." + +"I grant it, but it is because people know that a great deal of money +has been subscribed, and do not know the uses to which it is applied. +They hear reports read, and find perhaps that the light of the Gospel +has but as yet glimmered in one place or another; that in other places +all labor has hitherto been thrown away. They forget that it is the +grain of mustard-seed which is to become a great tree, and spread its +branches; they wish for immoderate returns, and are therefore +disappointed. Of course I can not give an opinion as to the manner in +which the missions are conducted in other countries; but as I have +visited most of the missions in these parts, I can honestly assert, and +I think you have already yourself seen enough to agree with me, that the +money intrusted to the societies is not thrown away or lavishly +expended; the missionaries labor with their own hands, and almost +provide for their own support." + +"There I agree with you, Swinton," replied Alexander; "but what are the +objections raised against them? for now that I have seen them with my +own eyes, I can not imagine what they can be." + +"The objections which I have heard, and have so often attempted to +refute, are, that the generality of missionaries are a fanatical class +of men, who are more anxious to inculcate the peculiar tenets of their +own sects and denominations than the religion of our Saviour; that most +of them are uneducated and vulgar men--many of them very intemperate and +very injudicious--some few of them of bad moral character; and that +their exertions, if they have used them--whether to civilize or to +Christianize the people among whom they are sent--have not been followed +by any commensurate results." + +"And now let us have your replies to these many objections." + +"It is no doubt true that the missionaries who are laboring among the +savages of the interior are, many, if not most of them, people of +limited education. Indeed, the major portion of them have been brought +up as mechanics. But I much question whether men of higher attainments +and more cultivated minds would be better adapted to meet the capacities +of unintellectual barbarians. A highly-educated man may be appreciated +among those who are educated themselves; but how can he be appreciated +by the savage? On the contrary, the savage looks with much more respect +upon a man who can forge iron, repair his weapons, and excite his +astonishment by his cunning workmanship; for then the savage perceives +and acknowledges his superiority, which in the man of intellect he would +never discover. + +"Besides, admitting that it would be preferable to employ persons of +higher mental attainments, where are they to be found? Could you expect, +when so many laborers are required in the vineyard, a sufficient number +of volunteers among the young men brought up at the universities? Would +they be able to submit to those privations, and incur those hardships, +to which the African missionaries are exposed? Would they be able to +work hard and labor for their daily bread, or be willing to encounter +such toil and such danger as must be encountered by those who are sent +here? I fear not. And allow me here to remark, that at the first +preaching of Christianity it was not talented and educated men who were +selected by our Saviour; out of the twelve, the Apostle Paul was the +only one who had such claims. + +"If we had beheld the Galilean fishermen mending their nets, should we +have ever imagined that those humble laborers were to be the people who +should afterward regenerate the world?--should overthrow the idolatries +and crumble the superstitions of ancient empires and kingdoms?--and that +what they--uneducated, but, we admit, divinely inspired and +supported--had taught should be joyfully received, as it is now, we may +say, from the rising to the setting of the sun, to the utmost boundaries +of the earth?" + +"Most truly and most admirably argued, Swinton," replied Alexander. "The +Almighty, as if to prove how insignificant in his sight is all human +power, has often made use of the meanest instruments to accomplish the +greatest ends. Who knows but that even our keeping holy the Sabbath-day +in the desert may be productive of some good, and be the humble means of +advancing the Divine cause? We must ever bear in mind the counsel, 'In +the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for +thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether +they both shall be alike good.'" + +"Surely so," replied Swinton; "the natives consider us as a superior +race; they see our worship, and they are led to think that must be right +which they perceive is done by those to whom they look up as their +superiors. It may induce them to inquire and to receive +information--eventually to be enrolled among the followers of our +Saviour. It is, however, not to be denied that in some few instances +persons have been chosen for the office of missionaries who have proved +themselves unworthy; but that must and will ever be the case where +human agents are employed. But it argues no more against the general +respectability and utility of the missionaries as a body, than the +admission of the traitor Judas among the apostles. To the efficacy of +their works, and their zeal in the cause, I myself, having visited the +station, have no hesitation in bearing testimony. Indeed I can not but +admire the exemplary fortitude, the wonderful patience and perseverance, +which the missionaries have displayed. + +"These devoted men are to be found in the remotest deserts, accompanying +the wild and wandering savages from place to place, suffering from +hunger and from thirst, destitute of almost every comfort, and at times +without even the necessaries of life. Some of them have without +murmuring spent their whole lives in such service; and yet their zeal is +set down as fanaticism by those who remain at home, and assert that the +money raised for their equipment is thrown away. Happily, they have not +looked for their reward in this world, but have built their hopes upon +that which is to come." + +"That the people who joined the Mission stations have become more +civilized, and that they are very superior to their countrymen, is +certain," observed the Major; "but have you seen any proof of +Christianity having produced any remarkably good effect among the +natives?--I mean one that might be brought forward as convincing +evidence to those who have shown themselves inimical or lukewarm in the +cause." + +"Yes," replied Swinton, "the history of Africaner is one; and there are +others, although not so prominent as that of the party to whom I refer." + +"Well, Swinton, you must now be again taxed. You must give us the +history of Africaner." + +"That I will, with pleasure, that you may be able to narrate it, when +required, in support of the missions. Africaner was a chief, and a +descendant of chiefs of the Hottentot nation, who once pastured their +own flocks and herds on their own native hills, within a hundred miles +of Cape Town. As the Dutch colonists at the Cape increased, so did they, +as Mr. Fairburn has stated to Alexander, dispossess the Hottentots of +their lands, and the Hottentots, unable to oppose their invaders, +gradually found themselves more and more remote from the possessions of +their forefathers. + +"After a time, Africaner and his diminished clan found themselves +compelled to join and take service under a Dutch boor, and for some time +proved himself a most faithful shepherd in looking after and securing +the herds of his employer. Had the Dutch boor behaved with common +humanity, not to say gratitude, toward those who served him so well, he +might now have been alive; but, like all the rest of his countrymen, he +considered the Hottentots as mere beasts of burden, and at any momentary +anger they were murdered and hunted down as if they were wild animals. + +"Africaner saw his clan daily diminished by the barbarity of his feudal +master, and at last resolved upon no further submission. As the Bushmen +were continually making attempts upon the cattle of the boor, Africaner +and his people had not only been well trained to fire-arms, but had them +constantly in their possession. His assumed master, having an idea that +there would be a revolt, resolved upon sending a portion of Africaner's +people to a distant spot, where he intended to secure them, and by their +destruction weaken the power of the clan. + +"This, as he was a sort of magistrate, he had the power to enforce; but +Africaner, suspecting his views, resolved to defeat them. Order after +order was sent to the huts of Africaner and his people. They positively +refused to comply. They requested to be paid for their long services, +and be permitted to retire further into the interior. This was sternly +denied, and they were ordered to appear at the house of the boor. +Fearful of violence, yet accustomed to obey his order, Africaner and his +brothers went up; but one of his brothers concealed his gun under his +cloak. On their arrival, the boor came out and felled Africaner to the +ground. His brother immediately shot the boor with his gun, and thus did +the miscreant meet with the just reward of his villainies and murder. + +"The wife, who had witnessed the murder of her husband, shrieked and +implored mercy; they told her that she need not be alarmed, but +requested that the guns and ammunition in the house should be delivered +up to them, which was immediately done. Africaner then hastened back to +his people, collected them and all his cattle, with what effects they +could take with them, and directed his course to the Orange River. + +"He was soon out of the reach of his pursuers, for it required time in +so scattered a district to collect a sufficient force. Africaner fixed +his abode upon the banks of the Orange River, and afterward a chief +ceding to him his dominion in Great Namaqua land, the territory became +his by right as well as by conquest. I think I had better leave off now; +it is getting late, and we must to bed, if we are to start early +to-morrow morning." + +"We will have mercy upon you, Swinton, and defer our impatience," said +the Major. "Good-night to you, and may you not have a lion's serenade." + +"No, I hope not; their music is too loud to be agreeable;--good-night." + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + + +Having filled their water-kegs, the next morning at day-light they yoked +the oxen and left the banks of the Cradock or Black River, to proceed +more to the northward, through the Bushmen's country; but as they were +aware that there was no water to be procured, if they quitted the stream +altogether, till they arrived at the Val or Yellow River, they decided +upon following the course of the Black River to the westward for some +time, before they struck off for the Val or Yellow River, near to which +they expected to fall in with plenty of game, and particularly the +giraffe and rhinoceros. + +Although at that season of the year the river was nearly dry, still +there was a scanty herbage on and near its bank, intermixed with beds of +rushes and high reeds; this was sufficient for the pasture of the +cattle, but it was infested with lions and other animals, which at the +dry season of the year kept near the river-bank for a supply of water. + +By noon they had proceeded about fifteen miles to the westward, and as +they advanced they found that the supply of water in the river was more +abundant; they then unyoked the cattle to allow them to feed till the +evening, for it was too dangerous to turn them loose at night. As they +were in no hurry, they resolved that they would only travel for the +future from daylight till noon; the afternoon and evening were to be +spent in hunting, and at night they were to halt the caravan and secure +every thing as before, by inclosing the horses and sheep, and tying up +the oxen. + +By this arrangement the cattle would not be exhausted with their labor, +and they would have time to follow the object of their journey--that of +hunting the wild animals with which the country abounded, and also of +procuring a constant supply of food for themselves and their attendants. + +Having now traveled as far as they wished, they stopped at the foot of a +rising ground, about a quarter of a mile from the river's bank, and +which was on the outskirts of a large clump of mimosa and other trees. +As soon as the cattle were unyoked and had gone down to the river to +drink, our travelers ordered their horses to be saddled, and as the +banks of the river on that side were low, they rode up to the rising +ground to view the country beyond, and to ascertain what game might be +in sight. + +When they arrived at the summit, and were threading their way through +the trees, Omrah pointed to a broken branch, and said, "Elephant here +not long ago." + +Bremen said that Omrah was right, and that the animals could not have +left more than a week, and that probably they had followed the course of +the stream. The print of another foot was observed by Omrah, and he +pointed it out; but not knowing the name to give the animal in English +or Dutch, he imitated its motions. + +"Does he mean a gnoo?" said Alexander. + +Omrah shook his head, and, raising his hands up, motioned that the +animal was twice as big. + +"Come here, Bremen; what print of a hoof is this?" said Swinton. + +"Buffalo, sir,--fresh print--was here last night." + +"That's an animal that I am anxious to slay," said the Major. + +"You must be very careful that he does not slay _you_," replied Swinton; +"for it is a most dangerous beast, almost as much so as a lion." + +"Well, we must not return without one, at all events," said Alexander; +"nor without a lion also, as soon as we can find one alone; but those we +have seen in the daytime have always been in threes and fours, and I +think the odds too great with our party; but the first single lion we +fall in with, I vote we try for his skin." + +"Agreed," replied the Major; "what do you say, Swinton?" + +"Why, I say agreed also; but as I came here to look for other things +rather than lions, I should say, as far as I am concerned, that the best +part of valor would be discretion. However, depend upon it, if you go +after a lion I shall be with you: I have often been at the destruction +of them when with Dutch boors; but then recollect we have no horses to +spare, and therefore we must not exactly follow their method." + +"How do they hunt the lions, then?" inquired Alexander. + +"They hunt them more for self-defense than for pleasure," replied +Swinton; "but on the outskirts of the colony the lions are so +destructive to the herds, that the colonists must destroy them. They +generally go out, ten or twelve of them, with their long guns, not fewer +if possible; and you must recollect that these boors are not only very +cool, brave men, but most excellent shots. I fear you will not find that +number among our present party, as, with the exception of our three +selves and Breman and Swanevelt, I do not believe that there is one man +here who would face a lion; so that when we do attack one, it will be at +a disadvantage. + +"The Dutch boors, as soon as they have ascertained where the lion lies, +approach the bushes to within a moderate distance, and then alighting, +they make all their horses fast together with their bridles and +halters. In this there is danger, as sometimes the lion will spring out +upon them at once, and, if so, probably not only horses but men are +sacrificed. If the lion remains quiet, which is usually the case, they +advance toward him within thirty paces or thereabouts, as they know that +he generally makes a spring at half that distance; but as they advance, +they back their horses toward him, as a shield in front of them, knowing +that the lion will spring upon the horses. + +"As they move forward, the lion at first looks at them very calmly, and +very often wags his tail as if in a playful humor; but when they +approach nearer, he growls, as if to warn them off. Then, as they +continue to approach, he gradually draws up his hind legs under his +body, ready for a spring at them as soon as they are within distance, +and you see nothing of him except his bristling mane and his eyes +glaring like fire; for he is then fully enraged, and in the act of +springing the next moment. + +"This is the critical moment, and the signal is given for half the party +to fire. If they are not successful in laying him dead on the spot with +this first volley, he springs like a thunderbolt upon the horses. The +remainder of the party then fire, and seldom fail to put an end to him; +but generally one or more of the horses are either killed or so wounded +as to be destroyed in consequence; and sometimes, although rarely, one +or more of the hunters share the same fate. So you observe that, with +every advantage, it is a service of danger, and therefore should not be +undertaken without due precaution." + +"Very true, Swinton; but it will never do to return to the Cape without +having killed a lion." + +"As you please; but even that would be better than being killed yourself +by a lion, and not returning at all. However, my opinion is that you +will have to kill a lion before you have traveled much further, without +going in quest of him. There are hundreds of them here; as many as there +are in Namaqua-land." + +"Look, master!" said Bremen, pointing to seven or eight splendid +antelopes about a mile distant. + +"I see," replied the Major. "What are they?" + +"Gemsbok," said Swinton. "Now I will thank you for a specimen of that +beautiful creature, if you can get it for me. We must dismount, leave +our horses here, and crawl along from tree to tree, and bush to bush, +till we get within shot." + +"They are, indeed, noble animals. Look at that large male, which appears +to be the leader and master of the herd. What splendid horns!" cried +Alexander. + +"Give the horses to Omrah and Swanevelt. Bremen shall go with us. Hist; +not a word; they are looking in this direction." said the Major. + +"Recollect to try for the large male. I want him most particularly," +said Swinton. + +"Master," said Bremen, "We must creep till we get those bushes between +us and the game. Then we can crawl through the bushes and get a good +shot." + +"Yes, that will be the best plan," said Swinton. "As softly as we can, +for they are very shy animals." + +They followed one another for two or three hundred yards, creeping from +one covert to another, till they had placed the bushes on the plain +between them and the herd. They then stopped a little and reconnoitered. +The herd of antelopes had left off feeding, and now had all their heads +turned toward the bushes, and in the direction where they were +concealed; the large male rather in advance of the others, with his long +horns pointing forward, and his nose close to the ground. Our party kept +silence for some time, watching the animals; but none of them moved much +from their positions; and as for the male, he remained as if he were a +statue. + +"They must have scented us," whispered Alexander. + +"No, sir," said Bremen; "the wind blows from them to us. I can't think +what they are about. But perhaps they may have seen us." + +"At all events, we shall gain nothing by remaining here; we shall be +more concealed as we descend and approach them," observed the Major. + +"That is true; so come along. Creep like mice," said Swinton. + +They did so, and at last arrived at the patch of brushwood which was +between them and the antelopes, and were now peeping and creeping to +find out an opening to fire through, when they heard a rustling within. +Bremen touched the sleeve of the Major and beckoned a retreat, and +motioned to the others; but before they could decide, as they did not +know why the Hottentot proposed it, for he did not speak himself, and +put his hand to his mouth as a hint to them to be silent, a roar like +thunder came from the bushes, within three yards of them, accompanied +with a rushing noise which could not be mistaken. It was the roar and +spring of the lion; and they looked round amazed and stunned, to +ascertain who was the victim. + +"Merciful Heaven!" exclaimed Alexander, "and no one hurt!" + +"No, master; lion spring at antelope. Now we shall find him on other +side of the bush, and kill him easy, when his eyes are shut." + +Bremen led the way round the copse, followed by our travelers; they soon +arrived on the other side of it, with their guns all ready; but on their +arrival, to their astonishment they perceived the lion and the male +gemsbok lying together. The antelope was dead, but the lion still alive; +though the horns of the gemsbok had passed through his body. At the +sight of the hunters, the lion, pierced through as he was, raised his +head with a loud roar, and struck out with his paw, as he twisted toward +them, his eyes glowing like hot coals, and showing his tremendous fangs. +Alexander was the first who fired, and the ball penetrating the brain of +the noble animal, it fell down dead upon the body of the antelope. + +"This is the finest sight I ever witnessed," observed Swinton. "I have +heard that the gemsboks' horns are sometimes fatal to the lion, but I +could hardly credit it. They have passed nearly through his body; the +points are under the skin." + +"Now we know, master, why gemsbok have his nose to the ground and his +horn pointed," said Bremen; "he saw the lion, and fought him to save his +herd." + +"I am quite stunned yet," observed Alexander. "What a noble animal it +is! Well, at all events I can say that I have shot a lion, which is +more than you can, Major." + +"I only wish that when I shoot one I may have no more danger to incur," +replied the Major. "What a different idea does one have of a lion in a +menagerie and one in its free and native state. Why, the menagerie lions +can't roar at all; they are nothing but overgrown cats, compared to the +lion of the desert." + +"That is very true," observed Swinton; "however, I am delighted, for now +I have not only my gemsbok, which is a gem above price, but also as fine +a lion as I have ever seen. I should like to have them stuffed and set +up just as they were before Alexander killed them. His rage and agony +combined were most magnificent. After all, the lion is the king of the +beasts. Bremen, send Swanevelt to the caravan for some of the men. I +must have both skin and skeleton of the antelope, and the skin of the +lion." + +Our travelers were quite satisfied with the sport of the day, and after +waiting for some time, while the Hottentots disentangled the animals and +took off the skins, they returned to the caravan, Omrah having secured a +portion of the flesh of the gemsbok for their supper. + +As they were returning, they observed a herd of buffaloes at a great +distance, and proposed to themselves the hunting of them after they had +halted on the following day, if the animals were at any reasonable +distance from them. At supper the flesh of the antelope was pronounced +better than that of the gnoo; and after supper, as soon as the cattle +had been all secured, and the fires lighted, Alexander proposed that +Swinton should finish his history of Africaner. + +"If I remember right, I left off where Africaner and his people had +escaped to Namaqua-land, where he became a chief. Attempts were made to +take him prisoner and bring him to the colony, but without success. +Expedition after expedition failed, and Africaner dared them to approach +his territories. At last, the colonists had recourse to the Griquas, and +offered them a large reward if they would bring Africaner in. + +"The Griquas, commanded by a celebrated chief of the name of Berend, +made several attempts, and in consequence a cruel war was carried on +between Berend and Africaner, in which neither party gained the +advantage. Africaner, discovering that the colonists had bribed Berend +to make war against him, now turned his wrath against them. A Dutch boor +fell a victim to his fury, and he carried off large quantities of their +cattle, and eventually Africaner became the terror of the colony. The +natives also who resided in Namaqua-land commenced depredations upon +Africaner, but he repaid them with such interest that at last every +tribe fled at his approach, and his name carried dismay into their +solitary wastes. The courage and intrepidity shown by Africaner and his +brothers in their various combats were most remarkable; but to narrate +all his adventures would occupy too much time. It is certain that he not +only became dreaded, but in consequence of his forbearance on several +occasions he was respected. + +"It was in 1810 that the missionaries came into the Namaqua-land, and it +unfortunately happened that a dispute arose about some of Africaner's +property which was seized, and at the same time Africaner lost some +cattle. The parties who were at variance with Africaner lived near to +the Mission station, and very unwisely the people at the Mission station +were permitted to go to their assistance. + +"This roused the anger of Africaner, who vowed vengeance on the Mission +and the people collected around it or connected with it. As Africaner +had commenced his attacks upon the Namaquas, and was advancing toward +the mission, the missionaries were compelled to abandon the station and +return to the colony. The Mission station was soon afterward taken +possession of by Africaner, and the houses burned to the ground. + +"A curious circumstance occurred during this affair: his followers were +seeking everywhere for plunder, when some of them entered the burial +ground, and one of them, treading on an apparently new made grave, was +astonished by soft notes of music proceeding from the ground beneath. + +"Superstitious as the natives are, and having most of them, in former +days, heard something of the Christian doctrines, they started and stood +transfixed with astonishment, expecting the dead to arise, as they had +been once told. One of them mustered courage to put his foot again upon +the spot, and the reply was soft and musical as before. Away they all +started to Africaner, to inform him that there was life and music in the +grave. + +"The chief, who feared neither the living nor the dead, went to the +burial-ground with his men, and jumped upon the spot, which immediately +gave out the soft note as before. Africaner ordered an immediate +exhumation, when the source of the mystery proved to be the piano-forte +of the missionary's wife, which being too cumbrous an article to take +away, had been buried there, with the hope of being one day able to +recover it. Never having seen such an instrument before, Africaner had +it dissected for the sake of the brass wires; and thus the piano was +destroyed." + +"I doubt if it would ever have been dug up in Caffreland," observed +Alexander. + +"I am convinced it never would have been, but have remained as a wonder +and object of fear as long as it held together," replied Swinton; "but +to proceed-- + +"The Mission station having been for some time broken up by this attack +of Africaner, Mr. C., a missionary, anxious to restore it, wrote a +letter to Africaner on the subject, and received a favorable reply, and +a Mr. E. was sent to the residence of Africaner himself. After a short +time, Africaner and his two brothers, with a number of others, were +baptized. + +"At first it must be admitted that their profession of Christianity did +not greatly improve their conduct; but this was very much to be ascribed +to the circumstance that the duties of the station had devolved upon one +who ought not to have been selected for the task. Upon his removal, and +a more fitting minister of the Gospel taking his place, a great change +was soon observable in Africaner; and, from having been one of the most +remorseless pursuers of his vengeance--a firebrand spreading discord, +war and animosity among the neighboring tribes--he would now make every +concession and any sacrifice to prevent collision and bloodshed between +contending parties. + +"Although his power was so great that he might have raised his arm and +dared them to lift a spear or draw a bow, he would entreat them as a +suppliant to be reconciled. + +"'Look at me,' he would say, 'how many battles have I fought; how much +cattle have I taken; but what has it done for me, but make me full of +shame and sorrow?' + +"In short, from that time till he died, he became a peacemaker and a +Christian, both in word and deed. His whole life was devoted to acts of +kindness and charity--to instructing and exhorting, and following the +precepts of Him in whose faith eventually he lived and died." + +"Well, Swinton, you have indeed given us a remarkable proof that the +missionary labors are not always thrown away, and we thank you for your +compliance with our request." + +"It is a remarkable instance, if you only consider how many hundreds of +lives might have been sacrificed, if Africaner had continued his career +of slaughter and of plunder; and how many lives, I may add, have been +also saved by his interference as a peacemaker, instead of being, as he +formerly was, a promoter of war and bloodshed." + +"Swinton," said Alexander, "I wanted to ask you a question which I had +nearly forgotten. Do you recollect what Bremen said to us, that the lion +had seized the gemsbok, and that now the lion would shut his eyes, and +that he would shoot him?" + +"Yes, I do; and he was correct in what he stated, for I have witnessed +it myself. When a lion seizes a large animal like an ox or horse, or the +animal he fell a martyr to this afternoon, he springs upon it, seizes it +by the throat with his terrible fangs, and holds it down with his paws +till it expires. From the moment the lion seizes his prey, he shuts his +eyes, and never opens them again until the life of his prey is extinct. +I remember a Hottentot, when a lion had seized an ox in this way, +running up to him with his gun and firing within a few yards' distance. +The lion, however, did not deign to notice the report of the gun, but +continued to hold fast his prey. The Hottentot loaded again, fired, and +again missed; reloaded again, and then shot the lion through the head." + +"How very strange!" + +"It is, and I can not give any reason for it; but that it is so, I well +know to be a fact. Perhaps it may be that the animal, after long +fasting, is quite absorbed with the grateful taste of the blood flowing +into his mouth, while the animal is writhing under his clutches. But +there are many singular points about the lion, which is a much more +noble and intelligent animal than most people have any idea of; I have +collected a number of facts relative to his majesty which would surprise +you. The Bushmen know the animal and his habits so well, that they +seldom come to any accident from their inhabiting a country in which I +really believe the population of lions exceeds that of Bushmen." + +"Is it true that the lion, as well as other animals, is afraid of the +eye of man?" said the Major; "can you reply to that question?" + +"Yes, I can," answered Swinton; "I was about to say that he is and is +not, but a better answer will be to give you what has come to my +knowledge: I consider that the lion is a much more dangerous animal in +this country, and indeed in any other where there are no firearms, than +where the occupants are possessed of them. + +"It may appear strange, but it is my fixed opinion, that the lion has an +idea of the deadly nature of firearms, and that he becomes in +consequence more afraid of man. You remember a story I told you of a +lion watching a man for two days without destroying him, but never +permitting him to lay hold of his gun. Now it is satisfactorily proved +that a lion will pass a man who has a gun in his hand without attacking +him, provided that he does not attempt to level the gun; but the moment +that he does he will spring upon him. + +"An instance of that occurred to the great lion-hunter Diedrich Muller, +who mentioned it to me. He had been alone hunting in the wilds, when he +came suddenly upon a large lion, which, instead of giving way as they +usually do, seemed disposed, from the angry attitude which he assumed, +to dispute his progress. + +"Muller instantly alighted, and, confident of his unerring aim, leveled +his gun at the forehead of the lion, which had crouched in the act to +spring, within sixteen paces of him; but as he fired, his horse, whose +bridle was round his arm, started back, and, jerking him aside, caused +him to miss; the lion bounded forward, but stopped within a few paces, +confronting Muller, who stood defenseless, as his gun was discharged, +and his horse had galloped off. + +"The man and the beast stood looking each other in the face for a short +time. At length the lion moved backward, as if to go away. Muller began +loading his gun; the lion looked over his shoulder, growled, and +immediately returned to his former position within a few paces of +Muller. Muller stood still, with his eyes fixed on the animal. The lion +again moved cautiously off; when he was at a certain distance, Muller +proceeded to ram down his bullet. The lion again looked back and growled +angrily. Muller again was quiet, and the animal continued turning and +growling as it moved off, till at last it bounded away." + +"You imagine then, that the lion is aware of the fatal effects of +fire-arms?" said the Major. + +"It would appear so, not only on account of their being so angry if +presented at them, or being touched even when they are close to them, +but also from the greater respect the lion pays to man where fire-arms +are in use. The respect that he pays to men in the colony is not a +general custom of the animal. + +"As I said before, the lion is more dangerous in this Bushman country; +because, in the first place, his awe of man has been removed, from his +invariably successful encounters with those who have no weapons of +force with which to oppose him; and, secondly, because he has but too +often tasted human flesh, after which a lion becomes more partial to it +than any other food. + +"It is asserted, that when a lion has once succeeded in snatching some +unfortunate Bushman from his cave, he never fails to return regularly +every night, in hopes of another meal, until the horde is so harassed +that they are compelled to seek some other shelter. From apprehension of +such attacks, it is also asserted that the Bushmen are in the habit of +placing their aged and infirm people at the entrance of the cave during +the night, that, should the lion come, the least valuable and most +useless of their community may first fall a prey to the animal." + +"Of course, if permitted to help himself in that way, the lion can not +have much fear of man," observed Wilmot; "and his lurking abroad in the +night takes away much from the nobleness of disposition which you are +inclined to attribute to him." + +"By no means," continued Swinton. "That a lion generally lurks and lies +in wait to seize his prey is certain, but this is the general +characteristic of the feline tribe, of which he may be considered as the +head; and it is for this mode of hunting that nature has fitted him. + +"The wolf, the hound, and others, are furnished with an acute scent, and +are enabled to tire down their prey by a long chase. The feline tribe +are capable of very extraordinary efforts of activity and speed for a +very short time; if they fail to seize their prey at the first spring, +or after a few tremendous bounds, they generally abandon the pursuit. + +"The lion can spring from nine to twelve yards at a leap, and for a few +seconds can repeat these bounds with such activity and velocity as to +outstrip the movements of the quickest horse; but he can not continue +these amazing efforts and does not attempt it. In fact, the lion is no +more than a gigantic cat, and he must live by obtaining his prey in the +same manner as a cat. + +"In these countries, his prey is chiefly of the antelope species, the +swiftest animals on earth; and what chance would he have, if he were to +give one of his magnanimous roars to announce his approach? He knows his +business better; he crouches in the rank grass and reeds by the sides of +the paths made by the animals to descend to the rivers and pools to +drink, and as they pass he makes his spring upon them. + +"Now I do not consider that his obtaining his food as nature has +pointed out to him is any argument against what I consider the really +noble disposition of the lion, which is, that he does not kill for mere +cruelty, and that he is really generous, unless compelled by hunger to +destroy, as I have already shown by one or two examples." + +"We are convinced, my dear Swinton," said Alexander; "but now let us +have your opinion as to his being afraid to meet the eye of man." + +"I consider that the lion will generally retreat before the presence of +man; but he does not retreat cowardly, like the leopard or hyena, and +others. He never slinks away, he appears calmly to survey his opponent, +as apparently measuring his prowess. I should say that the lion seems to +have a secret impression that man is not his natural prey, and although +he will not always give place to him, he will not attack him, if, in the +first place, the man shows no sign of fear, and in the second, no signs +of hostility. + +"But this instinctive deference to man is not to be reckoned upon. He +may be very angry, he may be very hungry, he may have been just +disappointed in taking his prey, or he may be accompanied by the female +and cubs; in short, the animal's temper may have been ruffled, and in +this case he becomes dangerous. + +"An old Namaqua chief with whom I was conversing, and who had been +accustomed to lions from childhood, fully corroborated these opinions, +and also that there is that in the eye of man before which the lion +quails. He assured me that the lion very seldom attacks a man, if not +provoked; but he will approach him within a few paces and survey him +steadily. Sometimes he attempts to get behind him, as if he could not +stand his look, but was desirous of springing upon him unawares. He +said, that if a man in such a case attempted to fly, he would run the +greatest danger, but that if he had presence of mind to confront the +animal, it would in almost every instance after a short time retire. + +"Now I have already brought forward the instance of Muller and the lion, +as a proof of the effect of a man's eye upon the lion. I will now give +another, still more convincing, as the contact was still closer, and +the lion had even tasted blood. + +"A boor of the name of Gyt was out with one of his neighbors hunting. +Coming to a fountain, surrounded as usual with tall reeds and rushes, +Gyt gave his gun to his comrade, and alighted to see if there was any +water remaining in it; but as he approached the fountain, an enormous +lion started up close at his side, and seized him by the left arm. Gyt, +although thus taken by surprise, stood motionless and without +struggling, for he was aware that the least attempt to escape would +occasion his immediate destruction. The animal also remained motionless, +holding Gyt fast by the arm with his fangs, but without biting it +severely, at the same time shutting his eyes, as if he could not +withstand the eyes of his victim fixed upon him." + +"What a terrible position!" + +"Yes; but I may here observe that the lion was induced to seize the man +in consequence of their coming so completely in contact, and, as it +were, for self-defense. Had they been further apart, the lion would, as +usually is the case, have walked away; and, moreover, the eye of the man +being so close to him had, at the same time, more power over the lion, +so as to induce him to shut his own. But to continue-- + +"As they stood in this position, Gyt recovered his presence of mind, and +beckoned to his comrade to advance with his gun and shoot the lion +through the head. This might easily have been done, as the animal +continued still with his eyes closed, and Gyt's body concealed any +object approaching. But his comrade was a cowardly scoundrel, and, +instead of coming to Gyt's assistance, he cautiously crawled up a rock +to secure himself from any danger. For a long while Gyt continued +earnestly to entreat his comrade by signs to come to his assistance--the +lion continuing all this while perfectly quiet--but in vain." + +"How my blood boils at the conduct of this scoundrel," said the Major; +"admitting his first impulse to have been fear, yet to allow his comrade +to remain in that position so long a while covers him with infamy." + +"I think if Gyt escaped, he must have felt very much inclined to shoot +the wretch himself." + +"The lion-hunters affirm that, if Gyt had but persevered a little +longer, the animal would have at last released his hold and left Gyt +uninjured; that the grip of the lion was more from fear that the man +would hurt him, than from any wish to hurt the man; and such is my +opinion. But Gyt, indignant at the cowardice of his comrade, and losing +patience with the lion, at last drew his hunting-knife, which all the +boors invariably carry at their side, and with all the power of his +right arm thrust it into the lion's breast. + +"The thrust was a deadly one, for it was aimed with judgment, and Gyt +was a bold and powerful man; but it did not prove effectual so as to +save Gyt's life, for the enraged lion, striving in his death agonies to +grapple with Gyt,--held at arm's length by the strength of desperation +on the part of the boor,--so dreadfully lacerated with his talons the +breast and arms of poor Gyt, that his bones were left bare. + +"At last the lion fell dead, and Gyt fell with him. His cowardly +companion, who had witnessed this fearful struggle from the rock, now +took courage to advance, and carried the mangled body of Gyt to the +nearest house. Medical aid was at hand, but vainly applied, as on the +third day, he died of a locked jaw. Such was the tragical end of this +rencounter, from the sheer cowardice of Gyt's companion. + +"I could mention many other instances in which lions have had men in +their power and have not injured them, if they have neither attempted to +escape nor to assault; but I think I have given enough already, not only +to prove the fact of his general forbearance toward man, but also that +there is something in the eye of man at which the lion and other +animals, I believe, will quail." + +"I can myself give an instance that this fascinating effect, or whatever +it may be, of the human eye, is not confined wholly to the lion," said +the Major. + +"One of our officers in India, having once rambled into a jungle +adjoining the British encampment, suddenly encountered a Bengal tiger. +The meeting was evidently most unexpected on both sides, and both +parties made a dead halt, earnestly gazing at each other. The officer +had no fire-arms with him, although he had his regulation sword by his +side; but that he knew would be of no defense if he had to struggle for +life with such a fearful antagonist. He was, however, a man of undaunted +courage, and he had heard that even a Bengal tiger might be checked by +looking him steadily in the face. + +"His only artillery being, like a lady's, that of his eyes, he directed +them point blank at the tiger. He would have infinitely preferred a +rifle, as he was not at all sure but that his eyes might miss fire. +However, after a few minutes, during which the tiger had been crouched +ready for his spring, the animal appeared disturbed and irresolute, +slunk on one side, and then attempted to crawl round behind the officer. + +"This, of course, the officer would not permit, and he turned to the +tiger as the tiger turned, with the same constancy that, Tom Moore says, +the 'sunflower turns to the sun.' + +"The tiger then darted into the thicket, and tried to catch him by +coming suddenly upon him from another quarter, and taking him by +surprise; but our officer was wide awake, as you may suppose, and the +tiger, finding that it was no go, at last went off himself, and the +officer immediately went off too, as fast as he could, to the +encampment." + +"I am glad to have heard your narrative, Major," replied Swinton; "for +many doubts have been thrown upon the question of the power of the human +eye, and your opinion is a very corroborative one." + +"Do not you imagine that the lion-tamers who exhibit in Europe have +taken advantage of this peculiar fact?" + +"I have no doubt but that it is one of their great helps; but I think +that they resort to other means, which have increased the instinctive +fear that the animals have of them. I have witnessed these exhibitions, +and always observed that the man never for a moment took his eyes off +the animal which he was playing with or commanding. + +"I have observed that also; but what are the other means to which you +allude?" + +"I can not positively say, but I can only express an opinion. The most +painful and most stunning effects of a blow upon any part of the body, +not only of man but of brutes, is a blow on the nose. Many animals, such +as the seal and others, are killed by it immediately, and there is no +doubt but a severe blow on that tender part will paralyze almost any +beast for the time and give him a dread for the future. I believe that +repeated blows upon the nose will go further than any other means to +break the courage of any beast, and I imagine that these are resorted +to: but it is only my opinion, recollect, and it must be taken for just +as much as it is worth." + +"Do not you think that animals may be tamed by kindness, if you can +produce in them the necessary proportion of love and fear?" + +"Yes, I was about to say every animal, but I believe some must be +excepted; and this is from their having so great a fear of man, rather +than from any other cause. If their fear could be overcome, they might +be tamed. Of course there are some animals which have not sufficient +reasoning power to admit of their being tamed; for instance, who would +ever think of taming a scorpion?" + +"I believe that there is one animal which, although taken as a cub, has +resisted every attempt to tame it in the slightest degree,--this is the +grizzly bear of North America." + +"I have heard so too," replied Swinton; "at all events, up to the +present time they have been unsuccessful. It is an animal of most +unamiable disposition, that is certain; and I would rather encounter ten +lions, if all that they say of it is true. But it is time for us to go +to bed. Those fires are getting rather low. Who has the watch?" + +The Major rose and walked round to find the Hottentot who was on that +duty, and found him fast asleep. After sundry kicks in the ribs, the +fellow at last woke up. + +"Is it your watch?" + +"Yaw, Mynher," replied Big Adam, rolling out of his kaross. + +"Well, then, you keep it so well, that you will have no tobacco next +time it is served out." + +"Gentlemen all awake and keep watch, so I go to sleep a little," replied +Adam, getting up on his legs. + +"Look to your fires, sir," replied the Major, walking to his wagon. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + + +As they fully expected to fall in with a herd of buffaloes as they +proceeded, they started very early on the following morning. They had +now the satisfaction of finding that the water was plentiful in the +river, and, in some of the large holes which they passed, they heard the +snorting and blowing of the hippopotami, to the great delight of the +Hottentots, who were very anxious to procure one, being very partial to +its flesh. + +As they traveled that day, they fell in with a small party of Bushmen; +they were shy at first, but one or two of the women at last approached, +and receiving some presents of snuff and tobacco, the others soon +joined; and as they understood from Omrah and the Hottentots that they +were to hunt in the afternoon, they followed the caravan, with the hopes +of obtaining food. + +They were a very diminutive race, the women, although very well formed, +not being more than four feet high. Their countenances were +pleasing,--that is, the young ones; and one or two of them would have +been pretty, had they not been so disfigured with grease and dirt. +Indeed the effluvia from them was so unpleasant, that our travelers were +glad that they should keep at a distance; and Alexander said to Swinton, +"Is it true that the lion and other animals prefer a black man to a +white, as being of a higher flavor, Swinton, or is it only a joke?" + +"I should think there must be some truth in the idea," observed the +Major; "for they say that the Bengal tiger will always take a native in +preference to a European." + +"It is, I believe, not to be disputed," replied Swinton, "that for one +European devoured by the lion or other animals, he feasts upon ten +Hottentots or Bushmen, perhaps more; but I ascribe the cause of his so +doing, not exactly to his perceiving any difference in the flesh of a +black and white man, and indulging his preference. The lion, like many +other beasts of prey, is directed to his game by his scent as well as by +his eye; that is certain. Now I appeal to you, who have got rid of these +Bushmen, and who know so well how odoriferous is the skin of a +Hottentot, whether a lion's nose is not much more likely to be attracted +by one of either of these tribes of people, than it would by either you +or me. How often, in traveling, have we changed our position, when the +wind has borne down upon us the effluvia of the Hottentot who was +driving?--why that effluvia is borne down with the wind for miles, and +is as savory to the lion, I have no doubt, as a beefsteak is to us." + +"There can, I think, be no doubt of that," said Alexander; "but it is +said that they will select a Hottentot from white men." + +"No doubt of it, because they follow up the scent right to the party +from whence it emanates. I can give you an instance of it. I was once +traveling with a Dutch farmer, with his wagon and Hottentots. We unyoked +and lay down on the sand for the night; there were the farmer and I, two +Hottentot men and a woman--by the by, a very fat one, and who +consequently was more heated by the journey. During the night a lion +came and carried away the woman from among us all, and by his tracks, as +we found on the following morning, he had passed close to the farmer and +myself." + +"Was the woman killed?" + +"The night was so dark that we could see nothing; we were roused by her +shrieks, and seized our guns, but it was of no use. I recollect another +instance which was not so tragical. A Hottentot was carried off by a +lion during the night, wrapped up in his sheep-skin kaross, sleeping, as +they usually do, with his face to the ground. As the lion trotted away +with him, the fellow contrived to wriggle out of his kaross, and the +lion went off only his mantle." + +"Well, I should think one of the karosses must be a very savory morsel +for a hungry lion," said the Major;--"but I imagine it is almost time to +unyoke; we must have traveled nearly twenty miles, and these forests +promise well for the game we are in search of." + +"I suspect that they contain not only buffaloes, but elephants; however, +we shall soon find out by examining the paths down to the river, which +they make in going for water." + +"I think that yonder knoll would be a good place to fix our encampment, +Swinton," said the Major; "it is well shaded with mimosas, and yet clear +of the main forest." + +"Well, you are quartermaster-general, and must decide." + +The Major ordered Bremen to arrange the wagons as usual, and turn the +cattle out to feed. As soon as this had been accomplished, they saddled +their horses, and awaited the return of Swanevelt, who had gone to +reconnoiter. Shortly afterward he returned, with the report that there +were the tracks of elephants, buffaloes, and lions, in every direction +by the river's banks; and as the dogs would now be of use, they were +ordered to be let loose, which they seldom were, unless the game was +large and to be regularly hunted down. Our travelers mounted and +proceeded into the forest, accompanied by all the Hottentots except the +cattle-keepers and the Bushmen; Bremen, Swanevelt, and Omrah only being +on horseback, as well as themselves. As they rode forward slowly and +cautiously at the outset, Swinton asked the Major whether he had ever +shot buffaloes. + +"Yes, in India," replied the Major; "and desperate animals they are in +that country." + +"I was about to say that you will find them such here; and, Alexander, +you must be very careful. In the first place, a leaden bullet is of +little use against their tough hides, and, I may almost say, +impenetrable foreheads. The best shot is under the fore-shoulder." + +"Our balls are hardened with tin," observed Alexander. + +"I know that," replied Swinton; "but still they are most dangerous +animals, especially if you fall in with a single buffalo. It is much +safer to attack a herd; but we have no time to talk over the matter now, +only, as I say, be very careful, and whatever you do, do not approach +one which is wounded, even if he be down on his knees. But here comes +Bremen with news." + +The Hottentot came up and announced that there was a large herd of +buffaloes on the other side of the hill, and proposed that they should +take a sweep round them, so as to drive them toward the river. + +This proposal was considered good, and was acted upon; and, after riding +about a mile, they gained the position which seemed the most desirable. +The dogs were then let loose, and the Hottentots on foot, spread +themselves on every side, shouting so as to drive the animals before +them. The herd collected together and for a short while stood at bay +with the large bulls in front, and then set off through the forest +toward the river, followed by all the hunters on horse and on foot. In a +quarter of an hour the whole herd had taken refuge in a large pool in +the river, which, with the reeds and rushes, and small islands in the +center, occupied a long slip of ground. + +The Major, with Swanevelt and two other Hottentots, proceeded further up +the river, that they might cross it before the attack commenced, and the +others agreed to wait until the signal was given by the Major's firing. +As soon as they heard the report of the Major's rifle, Swinton and +Alexander, with their party, advanced to the banks of the river. They +plunged in, and were soon up to the horses' girths, with the reeds far +above their heads. They could hear the animals forcing their way through +the reeds, but could not see them; and after some severe labor, Swinton +said--"Alexander, it will be prudent for us to go back; we can do +nothing here, and we shall stand a chance of being shot by our own +people, who can not see us. We must leave the dogs to drive them out, or +the Hottentots and Bushmen; but we must regain the banks." + +Just as Swinton said this, a loud rushing was heard through the reeds. +"Look out!" cried he; but he could say no more before the reeds opened +and a large hippopotamus rushed upon them, throwing over Alexander's +horse on his side, and treading Alexander and his horse both deep under +the water as he passed over them and disappeared. Although the water was +not more than four feet in depth, it was with difficulty that the horse +and rider could extricate themselves from the reeds, among which they +had been jammed and entangled; and Alexander's breath was quite gone +when he at last emerged. Bremen and Swinton hastened to give what +assistance they could, and the horse was once more on his legs. "My +rifle," cried Alexander; "it is in the water." "We will find it," said +Swinton: "haste up to the banks as fast as you can, for you are +defenseless." + +Alexander thought it advisable to follow Swinton's advice, and with some +difficulty regained the bank, where he was soon afterward followed by +Swinton and Bremen, who had secured his rifle. Alexander called Omrah, +and sent him to the caravan for another rifle, and then for the first +time he exclaimed, "Oh, what a brute! It was lucky the water was deep, +or he would have jammed me on the head, so that I never should have +risen up again." + +"You have indeed had a providential escape, Alexander," replied Swinton; +"is your horse hurt!" + +"He must be, I should think," said Alexander, "for the animal trod upon +him; but he does not appear to show it at present." + +In the mean time several shots were fired from the opposite side of the +river by the Major and his party, and occasionally the head or horns of +the buffalo were seen above the reeds by the Hottentots, who remained +with Swinton and Alexander: but the animals still adhered to their +cover. Omrah having brought another rifle, Bremen then proposed that the +Hottentots, Bushmen, and dogs should force their way through the reeds +and attempt to drive the animals out; in which there would be no danger, +as the animals could not charge with any effect in the deep water and +thick rushes. + +"Provided they don't meet with a hippopotamus," said Alexander, +laughing. + +"Won't say a word about him, sir," replied Bremen, who then went and +gave the directions. + +[Illustration: ALEXANDER AND THE HIPPOPOTAMUS.] + +The Hottentots and Bushmen, accompanied by the dogs, then went into +the reeds, and their shouting and barking soon drove out some of the +buffaloes on the opposite side, and the reports of the guns were heard. + +At last one came out on that side of the river where Alexander and +Swinton were watching; Swinton fired, and the animal fell on its knees; +a shot from Alexander brought it down dead and turned on its side. One +of the Bushmen ran up to the carcass, and was about to use his knife, +when another buffalo charged from the reeds, caught the Bushman on his +horns, and threw him many yards in the air. The Bushman fell among the +reeds behind the buffalo, which in vain looked about for his enemy, when +a shot from Bremen brought him to the ground. + +Shortly afterward the Bushman made his appearance from the reeds; he was +not at all hurt, with the exception of a graze from the horns of the +animal, and a contusion of the ribs. + +The chase now became warm; the shouting of the Hottentots, the barking +of the dogs, and the bellowing of the herd, which were forcing their way +through the reeds before them, were very exciting. By the advice of +Swinton, they took up their position on a higher ground, where the +horses had good footing, in case the buffaloes should charge. + +As soon as they arrived there, they beheld a scene on the other side of +the river, about one hundred yards from them, which filled them with +anxiety and terror; the Major's horse was galloping away, and the Major +not to be seen. Under a large tree, Swanevelt was in a sitting posture, +holding his hands to his body as if severely wounded, his horse lying by +his side, and right before him an enormous bull buffalo, standing +motionless; the blood was streaming from the animal's nostrils, and it +was evidently tottering from weakness and loss of blood; at last it +fell. + +"I fear there is mischief done," cried Swinton; "where can the Major be, +and the two Hottentots who were with him! Swanevelt is hurt and his +horse killed, that is evident. We had better call them off, and let the +buffaloes remain quiet, or escape as they please." + +"There is the Major," said Alexander, "and the Hottentots too; they are +not hurt, don't you see them?--they were up the trees; thank God." + +They now observed the Major run up to Swanevelt, and presently the two +Hottentots went in pursuit of the Major's horse. Shortly afterward, +Swanevelt, with the assistance of the Major, got upon his legs, and, +taking up his gun, walked slowly away. + +"No great harm done, after all," said Alexander; "God be praised: but +here come the whole herd, Swinton." + +"Let them go, my good fellow," replied Swinton, "we have had enough of +buffalo-hunting for the present." + +The whole herd had now broken from the reeds about fifty paces from +where they were stationed, and with their tails raised, tossing with +their horns, and bellowing with rage and fear, darted out of the reeds, +dripping with slime and mud, and rushed off toward the forest. In a few +seconds they were out of sight. + +"A good riddance," said Swinton; "I hope the Major is now satisfied with +buffalo-hunting." + +"I am, at all events," replied Alexander. "I feel very sore and stiff. +What a narrow escape that Bushman had." + +"Yes, he had indeed; but, Alexander, your horse is not well: he can +hardly breathe. You had better dismount." + +Alexander did so, and unloosed his girths. Bremen got off his horse, +and, offering it to Alexander, took the bridle of the other and examined +him. + +"He has his ribs broken, sir," said the Hottentot,--"two of them, if not +more." + +"No wonder, poor fellow; lead him gently, Bremen. Oh, here comes the +Major. Now we shall know what has occurred; and there is Swanevelt and +the two men." + +"Well, Major, pray tell us your adventures, for you have frightened us +dreadfully." + +"Not half so much as I have been frightened myself," replied the Major; +"we have all had a narrow escape. I can assure you, and Swanevelt's +horse is dead." + +"Is Swanevelt hurt?" + +"No, he was most miraculously preserved; the horn of the buffalo has +grazed the whole length of the body, and yet not injured him. But let us +go to the caravan and have something to drink, and then I will tell you +all about it--I am quite done up, and my tongue cleaves to the roof of +my mouth." + +As soon as they had arrived at the caravan and dismounted, the Major +drank some water, and then gave his narrative. "We had several shots on +our side of the river, for the buffaloes had evidently an intention of +crossing over, had we not turned them. We had killed two, when a bull +buffalo charged from the reeds upon Swanevelt, and before he could turn +his horse and put him to his speed, the horns of the buffalo had ripped +up the poor animal, and he fell with Swanevelt under him. The enraged +brute disengaged himself from the horse, and made a second charge upon +Swanevelt; but he twisted on one side, and the horn only grazed him, as +I have mentioned. I then fired and wounded the animal. He charged +immediately, and I turned my horse, but from fright he wheeled so +suddenly that I lost my stirrups, and my saddle turned round. + +"I found that I could not recover my seat, and that I was gradually +sliding under the horse's belly, when he passed under a tree, and I +caught a branch and swung myself on to it, just as the buffalo, which +was close behind us, came up to me. As he passed under, his back hit my +leg; so you may imagine it was 'touch and go.' The animal, perceiving +that the horse left him, and I was not on it, quitted his pursuit, and +came back bellowing and roaring, and looking everywhere for me. + +"At last it perceived Swanevelt, who had disengaged himself from the +dead horse, and was sitting under the tree, apparently much hurt, as he +is, poor fellow, although not seriously. It immediately turned back to +him, and would certainly have gored him to death, had not Kloet, who was +up in a tree, fired at the animal and wounded him mortally--for his +career was stopped as he charged toward Swanevelt, and was not ten yards +from him. The animal could proceed no further, and there he stood until +he fell dead." + +"We saw that portion of the adventure ourselves, Major," said Swinton; +"and now we will tell you our own, which has been equally full of +incident and danger." Swinton having related what had passed on his side +of the river, the Major observed: + +"You may talk about lions, but I'd rather go to ten lion-hunts than one +more buffalo-hunt. I have had enough of buffaloes for all my life." + +"I am glad to hear you say so," replied Swinton, "for they are most +ferocious and dangerous animals, as you may now acknowledge, and the +difficulty of giving them a mortal wound renders the attack of them very +hazardous. I have seen and heard enough of buffalo-hunting to tell you +that you have been fortunate, although you have lost one horse and have +another very much hurt;--but here come the spoils of the chase; at all +events, we will benefit by the day's sport, and have a good meal." + +"I can't eat now," said Alexander; "I am very stiff. I shall go and lie +down for an hour or two." + +"And so shall I," said the Major; "I have no appetite." + +"Well, then, we will all meet at supper," said Swinton. "In the mean +time I shall see if I can be of any use to Swanevelt. Where's Omrah?" + +"I saw him and Begum going out together just now," said the Major. "What +for, I do not know." + +"Oh! I told him to get some of the Bushman roots," said Alexander; "they +are as good as potatoes when boiled; and he has taken the monkey to find +them." + +The Major and Alexander remained on their beds till supper-time, when +Mahomed woke them up. They found themselves much refreshed by their +sleep, and also found that their appetites had returned. Buffalo-steaks +and fried Bushman roots were declared to be a very good substitute for +beefsteaks and fried potatoes; and after they had made a hearty meal, +Alexander inquired of Swinton what he had seen of buffalo-hunting when +he had been at the Cape before. + +"I have only been once or twice engaged in a buffalo-hunt; but I can +tell you what I have heard, and what I have collected from my own +knowledge, as to the nature of the animal, of which indeed to-day you +have had a very good proof. I told you this morning, that a single +buffalo was more dangerous than a herd; and the reason is this:--At the +breeding season, the fiercest bulls drive the others away from the herd, +in the same manner as the elephants do; and these solitary buffaloes are +extremely dangerous, as they do not wait to be attacked, but will attack +a man without any provocation. They generally conceal themselves, and +rush out upon you unawares, which makes it more difficult to escape from +them. They are so bold, that they do not fear the lion himself; and I +have been told by the Dutch boors, that when a buffalo has killed one of +their comrades by goring and tossing him, it will not leave its victim +for hours, but continue to trample on him with his hoofs, crushing the +body with its knees as an elephant does, and with its rough tongue +stripping off the skin as far as it can. It does not do all this at one +time, but it leaves the body, and returns again, as if to glut its +vengeance." + +"What a malicious brute!" + +"Such is certainly its character. I recollect a history of a +buffalo-hunting adventure, told me by a Dutch farmer, who was himself an +eye-witness to the scene. He had gone out with a party to hunt a herd of +buffaloes which were grazing on a piece of marshy ground, sprinkled with +a few mimosa-trees. As they could not get within shot of the herd, +without crossing a portion of the marsh, which was not safe for horses, +they agreed to leave their steeds in charge of two Hottentots, and to +advance on foot; thinking that, in case any of the buffaloes should +charge them, it would be easy to escape by running back to the marsh, +which would bear the weight of a man, but not of a horse, much less that +of a buffalo. + +"They advanced accordingly over the marsh, and being concealed by some +bushes, they had the good fortune to bring down, with the first volley, +three of the fattest of the herd; and also so severely wounded the great +bull, which was the leader of the herd, that he dropped down on his +knees, bellowing most furiously. Thinking that the animal was mortally +wounded, the foremost of the huntsmen walked out in front of the bushes +from which they had fired, and began to reload his musket as he +advanced, in order to give the animal a finishing shot. But no sooner +did the enraged animal see the man advancing, than he sprang up and +charged headlong at him. The man threw down his gun, and ran toward the +marsh; but the beast was so close upon him, that he despaired of +escaping by that direction, and turning suddenly round a clump of +copsewood, began to climb an old mimosa tree which stood close to it. + +"The buffalo was, however, too quick for him. Bounding forward with a +roar, which the farmer told me was one of the most hideous and appalling +sounds that he ever heard, he caught the poor fellow with his terrible +horns, just as he had nearly got out of reach, and tossed him in the air +with such force, that after whirling round and round to a great height, +the body fell into the fork of the branches of the tree. The buffalo +went round the tree roaring, and looking for the man, until, exhausted +by wounds and loss of blood, it again fell down on its knees. The other +hunters then attacked and killed him; but they found their comrade, who +was still hanging in the tree, quite dead." + +"Well; I have no doubt but that such would have been the fate of +Swanevelt or of me, had the brute got hold of us," said the Major; "I +never saw such a malignant, diabolical expression in any animal's +countenance as there was upon that buffalo's. A lion is, I should say, a +gentleman and a man of honor compared to such an evil-disposed ruffian." + +"Well, Major, you have only to let them alone; recollect, you were the +aggressor," said Swinton, laughing. + +"Very true; I never wish to see one again." + +"And I never wish to be in the way of a hippopotamus again, I can assure +you," said Alexander, "for a greater want of politeness I never met +with." + +During this conversation the Hottentots and Bushmen at the other fires +had not been idle. The Hottentots had fried and eaten, and fried and +eaten, till they could hold no more; and the Bushmen, who in the morning +looked as thin and meager as if they had not had a meal for a month, +were now so stuffed that they could hardly walk, and their lean +stomachs were distended as round as balls. The Bushman who had been +tossed by the buffalo came up and asked for a little tobacco, at the +same time smiling and patting his stomach, which was distended to a most +extraordinary size. + +"Yes, let us give them some," said Alexander; "it will complete their +day's happiness. Did you ever see a fellow so stuffed? I wonder he does +not burst." + +"It is their custom. They starve for days, and then gorge in this way +when an opportunity offers, which is but seldom. Their calendar, such as +it is, is mainly from recollections of feasting; and I will answer for +it, that if one Bushman were on some future day to ask another when such +a thing took place, he would reply, just before or just after the white +men killed the buffaloes." + +"How do they live in general?" + +"They live upon roots at certain seasons of the year; upon locusts when +a flight takes place; upon lizards, beetles--any thing. Occasionally +they procure game, but not very often. They are obliged to lie in wait +for it, and wound it with their poisoned arrows, and then they follow +its track and look for it the next day. Subtle as the poison is they +only cut out the part near the wound, and eat the rest of the animal. +They dig pit-holes for the hippopotamus and rhinoceros and occasionally +take them. They poison the pools for the game also; but their living is +very precarious, and they often suffer the extremities of hunger." + +"Is that the cause, do you imagine, of their being so diminutive a race, +Swinton?" + +"No doubt of it. Continual privation and hardships from generation to +generation have, I have no doubt, dwindled them down to what you see." + +"How is it that these Bushmen are so familiar? I thought that they were +savage and irreclaimable." + +"They are what are termed tame Bushmen; that is, they have lived near +the farmers, and have, by degrees, become less afraid of the Europeans. +Treated kindly, they have done good in return to the farmers by watching +their sheep, and performing other little services, and have been +rewarded with tobacco. This has given them confidence to a certain +degree. But we must expect to meet with others that are equally wild, +and who will be very mischievous; attempting to drive off our cattle, +and watching in ambush all round our caravan, ready for any pilfering +that they can successfully accomplish; and then we shall discover that +we are in their haunts without even seeing them." + +"How so?" + +"Because it will only be by their thefts that we shall find it out. But +it is time for bed, and as to-morrow is Sunday you will have a day of +rest, which I think you both require." + +"I do," replied Alexander, "so good-night to you both." + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + + +As arranged, they did not travel on the Sunday. Early in the morning the +oxen and horses and sheep were turned out to pasture; all except the +horse which had been ridden by Alexander on the preceding day, and which +was found to be suffering so much that they took away a large quantity +of blood from him before he was relieved. + +The Bushmen still remained with them, and were likely to do so as long +as there was any prospect of food. The four buffaloes which had been +killed, as well as the horse which had been gored to death, were found +picked clean to the bones on the following day, by the hyenas and other +animals which were heard prowling during the whole night. But as large +quantities of the buffalo-flesh had been cut off, and hung upon the +trees near the caravan, there was more than sufficient for a second +feast for the Bushmen and Hottentots, and there was nothing but frying +and roasting during the whole of the day. + +The sun was intensely hot, and Alexander and the Major both felt so +fatigued from the exertions of the day before, that after breakfast they +retired to their wagons, and Swinton did not attempt to disturb them, as +they were in a sound sleep till the evening, when they were much +refreshed and very hungry. Swinton said he had thought it better that +they should not be awakened, as the heat was so overpowering, and they +could perform Divine service in the evening, if they thought proper, +when it would be cooler. This was agreed to, and, after an early supper, +they summoned all the Hottentots, who, although gorged, were still +unwilling to leave their fires; as they said the Bushmen would devour +all the flesh that was left, in their absence. + +This remonstrance was not listened to, and they all assembled. The +prayers were read and the service gone through by the light of a large +fire, for it was very dark before the service was finished. The Bushmen, +as the Hottentots prophesied, had taken advantage of their absence, to +help themselves very liberally; and as Swinton read the prayers, the +eyes of the Hottentots were continually turning round to their own +fires, where the Bushmen were throwing on large pieces of buffalo-flesh, +and, before they were even heated through, were chewing them and tearing +them to pieces with their teeth. + +Never perhaps was there a congregation whose attention was so divided, +and who were more anxious for the conclusion of the service. This +uneasiness shown by the Hottentots appeared at last to be communicated +to the oxen, which were tied up round the wagons. The fire required +replenishing, but none of the Hottentots moved to perform the office; +perhaps they thought that if Swinton could no longer see, the service +must conclude: but Swinton knew it by heart, and continued reading the +Commandments, which was the last portion which he read, and Alexander +and the Major repeated the responses. The Major, whose face was toward +the cattle, had observed their uneasiness, and guessed the cause, but +did not like to interrupt the service, as it was just over. Begum began +clinging to him in the way she always did when she was afraid; Swinton +had just finished, and the Major was saying, "Swinton, depend upon it," +when a roar like thunder was heard, and a dark mass passed over their +heads. + +The bellowing and struggling of the oxen was almost instantaneously +succeeded by a lion, with an ox borne on his shoulder, passing right +through the whole congregation, sweeping away the remnants of the fire +and the Hottentots right and left, and vanishing in a moment from their +sight. As may be imagined, all was confusion and alarm. Some screamed, +some shouted and ran for their guns; but it was too late. On +examination, it was found that the lion had seized the ox which had been +tied up near to where they were sitting; their fire being nearly +extinguished, and the one which should have been kept alight next to it +altogether neglected by the Hottentots, in their anxiety to keep up +those on which they had been broiling their buffalo-steaks. + +The leather thongs by which the ox had been tied up were snapped like +threads, and many of the other oxen had, in their agony of fear, broken +their fastenings and escaped. As the lion bounded away through the +assembled party, it appeared as if the ox was not a feather's weight to +him. He had, however, stepped rather roughly upon two of the Hottentots, +who lay groaning, as if they had been severely hurt; but upon +examination it was found that they had only been well scratched and +covered with ashes. The Bushmen, however, had left their meal, and with +their bows and small poisoned arrows had gone in pursuit. Bremen and one +or two of the Hottentots proposed also to go, but our travelers would +not permit them. About an hour afterward the Bushmen returned, and Omrah +had communication with them; and through Bremen they learned that the +Bushmen had come up with the lion about a mile distant, and had +discharged many of their arrows at him, and, they were convinced, with +effect, as a heavy growl or an angry roar was the announcement when he +was hit; but, although he was irritated, he continued his repast. Omrah +then said, "Lion dead to-morrow,--Bushmen find him." + +"Well," said Alexander, as they went to their wagons, which, in +consequence of this event, and their having to make up large fires +before they went to bed, they did not do till late, "I believe this is +the first time that Divine service was ever wound up by such intrusion." + +"Perhaps so," replied Swinton; "but I think it proves that we have more +cause for prayer, surrounded as we are by such danger. The lion might +have taken one of us, and by this time we should have suffered a horrid +death." + +"I never felt the full force of the many similes and comparisons in the +Scriptures, where the lion is so often introduced, till now," observed +Alexander. + +"It was indeed a most awful sermon after the prayers," said the Major: +"I trust never to hear such a one again: but is it not our own fault? +This is the second time that one of our oxen has been carried off by a +lion, from the circle of fires not being properly attended to. It is the +neglect of the Hottentots, certainly; but if they are so neglectful, we +should attend to them ourselves." + +"It will be as well to punish them for their neglect," said Swinton, "by +stopping their tobacco for the week; for if they find that we attend to +the fires ourselves, they will not keep one in, that you may depend +upon. However, we will discuss that point to-morrow, so good-night." + +Omrah came to the Major the next morning, before the oxen were yoked, to +say that the Bushmen had found the lion, and that he was not yet dead, +but nearly so; that the animal had dragged away that portion of the ox +that he did not eat, about half a mile further; that there he had lain +down, and he was so sick that he could not move. + +At this intelligence they mounted their horses, and, guided by the +Bushmen, arrived at the bush where the lion lay. The Bushmen entered at +once, for they had previously reconnoitered, and were saluted with a low +snarl, very different from the roar of the preceding night. Our +travelers followed, and found the noble creature in his last agonies, +his strength paralyzed, and his eyes closed. One or two of the small +arrows of the Bushmen were still sticking in his hide, and did not +appear to have entered more than half an inch; but the poison was so +subtle, that it had rapidly circulated through his whole frame; and +while they were looking down upon the noble beast, it dropped its jaws +and expired. + +As our travelers turned back to join the caravan, Alexander observed: +"Those Bushmen, diminutive as they are in size, and contemptible as +their weapons appear, must be dangerous enemies, when the mere prick of +one of their small arrows is certain death. What is their poison +composed of?" + +"Of the venom extracted from snakes, which is mixed up with the juice of +the euphorbia, and boiled down till it becomes of the consistency of +glue. They then dip the heads of the arrows into it, and let it dry on." + +"Is then the venom of snakes so active after it has been taken away from +the animal?" + +"Yes, for a considerable time after. I remember a story, which is, I +believe, well authenticated, of a man who had been bitten through his +boot by a rattlesnake in America. The man died, and shortly afterward +his two sons died one after the other, with just the same symptoms as +their father, although they had not been bitten by snakes. It was +afterward discovered that upon the father's death the sons had one after +the other taken possession of and put on his boots, and the boots being +examined, the fang of the rattlesnake was discovered to have passed +through the leather and remained there. The fang had merely grazed the +skin of the two sons when they put on the boots, and had thus caused +their death." + +"Are the snakes here as deadly in their poison as the rattlesnake of +America?" + +"Equally so,--that is, two or three of them; some are harmless. The most +formidable is the cobra capella (not the same as the Indian snake of the +same name). It is very large, being usually five feet long; but it has +been found six and even seven feet. This snake has been known to dart at +a man on horseback, and with such force as to overshoot his aim. His +bite is certain death, I believe, as I never heard of a man recovering +from the wound." + +"Well, that is as bad as can be. What is the next?" + +"The next is what they call the puff adder. It is a very heavy, sluggish +animal, and very thick in proportion to its length, and when attacked in +front, it can not make any spring. It has, however, another power, +which, if you are not prepared for it, is perhaps equally dangerous +--that of throwing itself backward in a most surprising manner. This is, +however, only when trod upon or provoked; but its bite is very deadly. +Then two of the mountain adders are among the most dangerous snakes +here. The mountain adder is small, and, from its not being so easily +seen and so easily avoided, is very dangerous, and its bite as fatal as +the others." + +"I trust that is the end of your catalogue?" + +"Not exactly; there is another, which I have specimens of, but whose +faculties I have never seen put to the test, which is called the +spirting snake. It is about three feet long, and its bite, although +poisonous, is not fatal. But it has a faculty, from which its name is +derived, of spirting its venom into the face of its assailant, and if +the venom enters the eye, at which the animal darts it, immediate +blindness ensues. There are a great many other varieties, some of which +we have obtained possession of during our journey. Many of them are +venomous, but not so fatal as the first three I have mentioned. + +"Indeed, it is a great blessing that the Almighty has not made the +varieties of snakes aggressive or fierce,--which they are not. Provided, +as they are, with such dreadful powers, if they were so, they would +indeed be formidable; but they only act in self-defense, or when +provoked. I may as well here observe, that the Hottentots, when they +kill any of the dangerous snakes, invariably cut off the head and bury +it; and this they do, that no one may by chance tread upon it, as they +assert that the poison of the fangs is as potent as ever, not only for +weeks but months afterward." + +"That certainly is a corroboration of the story that you told us of the +rattlesnake's fang in the boot." + +"It is so; but although there are so many venomous snakes in this +country, it is remarkable how very few accidents or deaths occur from +them. I made an inquiry at the Moravian Mission, where these venomous +snakes are very plentiful, how many people they had lost by their bites, +and the missionaries told me, that out of 800 Hottentots belonging to +the Mission, they had only lost two men by the bites of snakes during a +space of seven years; and in other places where I made the same inquiry, +the casualties were much less in proportion to the numbers." + +"Is the boa constrictor found in this part of Africa?" + +"Not so far south as we now are, but it is a few degrees more to the +northward. I have never seen it, but I believe there is no doubt of its +existence." + +"The South American Indians have a very subtle poison with which they +kill their game. Are you aware, Swinton, of its nature? Is it like the +Bushmen's poison?" + +"I know the poison well; it was brought over by Mr. Waterton, whose +amusing works you may have read. It is called the wourali poison, and is +said to be extracted from a sort of creeping vine, which grows in the +country. The natives, however, add the poison of snakes to the extract; +and the preparation is certainly very fatal, as I can bear witness to." + +"Have you ever seen it tried?" + +"Yes, I have tried it myself. When I was in Italy I became acquainted +with Mr. W., and he gave two or three of us, who were living together, a +small quantity, not much more than two grains of mustard-seed in size. +We purchased a young mule to make the experiment upon; an incision was +made in its shoulder, and the poison inserted under the skin. I think in +about six or seven minutes the animal was dead. Mr. W. said that the +effects would have been instantaneous, if the virtue of the poison had +not somewhat deteriorated from its having been kept so long." + +"The wourali poison only acts upon the nerves, I believe?" said the +Major. + +"Only upon the nerves; and although so fatal, if immediate means are +resorted to, a person who is apparently dead from it may be brought to +life again by the same process as is usual in the recovery of drowned or +suffocated people. A donkey upon which the poison had acted was restored +in this manner, and for the remainder of his days permitted to run in +Sir Joseph Banks's park. But the poison of snakes acts upon the blood, +and therefore occasions death without remedy." + +"But there are remedies, I believe, for even the most fatal poisons?" + +"Yes, in His provident mercy God has been pleased to furnish remedies +at hand, and where the snake exists the remedy is to be found. The +rattlesnake root is a cure, if taken and applied immediately; and it is +well known that the ichneumon when bitten by the cobra capella, in his +attack upon it, will hasten to a particular herb and eat it immediately, +to prevent the fatal effect of the animal's bite." + +"I once saw a native of India," said the Major, "who for a small sum +would allow himself to be bitten by a cobra capella. He was well +provided with the same plant used by the ichneumon, which he swallowed +plentifully, and also rubbed on the wound. It is impossible to say, but, +so far as I could judge, there was no deception." + +"I think it very possible; if the plant will cure the ichneumon, why not +a man? I have no doubt but that there are many plants which possess +virtues of which we have no knowledge. Some few, and perhaps some of the +most valuable, we have discovered; but our knowledge of the vegetable +kingdom, as far as its medicinal properties are known, is very slight; +and perhaps many which were formerly known have, since the introduction +of mineral antidotes, been lost sight of." + +"Why, yes; long before chemistry had made any advances, we do hear in +old romances of balsams of most sovereign virtues," said Alexander, +laughing. + +"Which, I may observe, is almost a proof that they did in reality exist; +and the more so, because you will find that the knowledge of these +sovereign remedies was chiefly in the hands of the Jews, the oldest +nation upon the earth; and from their constant communication with each +other, most likely to have transmitted their knowledge from generation +to generation." + +"We have also reason to believe that not only they had peculiar +_remedies_ in their times, but also--if we are to credit what has been +handed down to us--that the art of _poisoning_ was much better +understood," said the Major. + +"At all events, they had not the knowledge of chemistry which now leads +to its immediate detection," replied Swinton. "But, Alexander, there are +three hippopotami lying asleep on the side of the river. Have you a +mind to try your skill?" + +"No, not particularly," replied Alexander; "I have had enough of +hippopotami. By the by, the river is much wider than it was." + +"Yes, by my calculation we ought to travel no more to the westward after +to-day. We must now cut across to the Yellow or Val River. We shall +certainly be two days without water or pasturage for the cattle, but +they are in such good condition that they will not much feel it. There +is a river which we shall cross near its head, but the chance of water +is very small; indeed, I believe we shall find it nowhere, except in +these great arteries, if I may so call them." + +"Well; I was thinking so myself, Swinton, as I looked at the map +yesterday, when I lay in my wagon," said the Major; "so then to-morrow +for a little variety; that is, a desert." + +"Which it will most certainly be," replied Swinton; "for, except on the +banks of the large rivers, there are no hopes of vegetation in this +country at this season of the year; but in another month we may expect +heavy falls of rain." + +"The Bushmen have left us, I perceive," said Alexander. + +"Yes, they have probably remained behind to eat the lion." + +"What, will they eat it now that it has been poisoned?" + +"That makes no difference to them; they merely cut out the parts +wounded, and invariably eat all the carcasses of the animals which they +kill, and apparently without any injury. There is nothing which a +Bushman will not eat. A flight of locusts is a great feast to him." + +"I can not imagine them to be very palatable food." + +"I have never tasted them," replied Swinton; "but I should think not. +They do not, however, eat them raw; they pull off their wings and legs, +and dry their bodies; they then beat them into a powder." + +"Do you suppose that St. John's fare of locusts and wild honey was the +locust which we are now referring to?" + +"I do not know, but I should rather think not, and for one reason, +which is, that although a person in the wilderness might subsist upon +these animals, if always to be procured, yet the flights of locusts are +very uncertain. Now there is a tree in the country where St. John +retired, which is called the locust-tree, and produces a large sweet +bean, shaped like the common French bean, but nearly a foot long, which +is very palatable and nutritious. It is even now given to cattle in +large quantities; and I imagine that this was the locust referred to; +and I believe many of the commentators on the holy writings have been of +the same opinion. I think we have now gone far enough for to-day; we may +as well halt there. Do you intend to hunt, Major? I see some animals +there at a distance." + +"I should say not," said Alexander; "if we are to cross a desert tract +to-morrow, we had better not fatigue our horses." + +"Certainly not. No, Swinton, we will remain quiet, unless game comes to +us." + +"Yes, and look after our water-kegs being filled, and the fires lighted +to-night," said Alexander; "and I trust we may have no more sermons +from lions, although Shakespeare does say, 'sermons from stones, and +good in everything.'" + +They halted their caravan upon a rising ground, and having taken the +precaution to see the water-kegs filled and the wood collected, they sat +down to dinner upon fried ham and cheese; for the Hottentots had +devoured all the buffalo-flesh, and demanded a sheep to be killed for +supper. This was consented to although they did not deserve it; but as +their tobacco had been stopped for their neglect of providing fuel and +keeping up the fires, it was considered politic not to make them too +discontented. + +Alexander had been walking by the side of the river with the Major, +while the Hottentots were arranging the camp, and Swinton was putting +away some new specimens in natural history which he had collected, when +Omrah, who was with them, put his finger to his lips and stopped them. +As they perfectly understood what he required, they stood still and +silent. Omrah then pointed to something which was lying on the low +bank, under a tuft of rushes; but they could not distinguish it, and +Omrah asked by signs for the Major's rifle, took aim, and fired. A loud +splashing was heard in the water, and they pushed their way through the +high grass and reeds, until they arrived at the spot, where they +perceived an animal floundering in the agonies of death." + +"An alligator!" exclaimed the Major; "well, I had no idea that there +were any here inland. They said that there were plenty at the mouths of +the rivers, on the coast of the Eastern Caffres, but I am astonished to +find one here." + +"What did you fire at?" asked Swinton, who now joined them. + +"An alligator, and he is dead. I am afraid that he won't be very good +eating," replied the Major. + +"That's not an alligator, Major," said Swinton, "and it is very good +eating. It is a large lizard of the guana species, which is found about +these rivers; it is amphibious, but perfectly harmless, subsisting upon +vegetables and insects. I tell you it is a great delicacy, ugly as it +looks. It is quite dead, so let us drag it out of the water, and send it +up to Mahomed by Omrah." + +The animal, which was about four feet long, was dragged out of the water +by the tail, and Omrah took it to the camp. + +"Well, I really thought it was a small alligator," said the Major; "but +now I perceive my mistake. What a variety of lizards there appears to be +in this country." + +"A great many from the chameleon upward," replied Swinton. "By the by, +there is one which is said to be very venomous. I have heard many +well-authenticated stories of the bite being not only very dangerous, +but in some instances fatal. I have specimens of the animal in my +collection. It is called here the geitje." + +"Well, it is rather remarkable, but we have in India a small lizard, +called the gecko by the natives, which is said to be equally venomous. I +presume it must be the same animal, and it is singular that the names +should vary so little. I have never seen an instance of its poisonous +powers, but I have seen a whole company of sepoys run out of their +quarters because they have heard the animal make its usual cry in the +thatch of the building; they say that it drops down upon people from the +roof." + +"Probably the same animal; and a strong corroboration that the report of +its being venomous is with good foundation." + +"And yet if we were to make the assertion in England, we should in all +probability not be believed." + +"Not by many, I grant--not by those who only know a little; but by those +who are well informed, you probably would be. The fact is, from a too +ready credulity, we have now turned to almost a total skepticism, unless +we have ocular demonstration. In the times of Marco Polo, Sir John +Mandeville, and others,--say in the fifteenth century, when there were +but few travelers and but little education, a traveler might assert +almost any thing, and gain credence; latterly a traveler hardly dare +assert any thing. Le Vaillant and Bruce, who traveled in the South and +North of Africa, were both stigmatized as liars, when they published +their accounts of what they had seen, and yet every tittle has since +been proved to be correct. However, as people are now better informed, +they do not reject so positively; for they have certain rules to guide +them between the possible and the impossible." + +"How do you mean?" + +"I mean, for instance, that if a person was to tell me that he had seen +a mermaid, with the body of a woman and the scaly tail of a fish, I +should at once say that I could not believe him. And why? because it is +contrary to the laws of nature. The two component parts of the animal +could not be combined, as the upper portion would belong to the +mammalia, and be a hot-blooded animal, the lower to a cold-blooded class +of natural history. Such a junction would, therefore, be impossible. But +there are, I have no doubt, many animals still undiscovered, or rather +still unknown to Europeans, the description of which may at first excite +suspicion, if not doubt. But as I have before observed, the account +would, in all probability, not be rejected by a naturalist, although it +might be by people without much knowledge of the animal kingdom, who +would not be able to judge by comparison whether the existence of such +an animal was credible. Even fabulous animals have had their origin from +existing ones. The unicorn is, no doubt, the gemsbok antelope; for when +you look at the animal at a distance, its two horns appear as if they +were only one, and the Bushmen have so portrayed the animal in their +caves. The dragon is also not exactly imaginary; for, the _Lacerta +volans_, or flying lizard of Northern Africa, is very like a small +dragon in miniature. So that even what has been considered as fabulous +has arisen from exaggeration or mistake." + +"You think, then, Swinton, that we are bound to believe all that +travelers tell us?" + +"Not so; but not to reject what they assert, merely because it does not +correspond with our own ideas on the subject. The most remarkable +instance of unbelief was relative to the aerolites or meteoric stones +formed during a thunder-storm in the air, and falling to the earth. Of +course you have heard that such have occurred?" + +"I have," replied the Major, "and I have seen several in India." + +"This was treated as a mere fable not a century back; and when it was +reported (and not the first time) that such a stone had fallen in +France, the _savans_ were sent in deputation to the spot. They heard the +testimony of the witnesses that a loud noise was heard in the air; that +they looked up and beheld an opaque body descending; that it fell on the +earth with a force which nearly buried it in the ground, and was so hot +at the time that it could not be touched with the hand. It afterward +became cold. Now the _savans_ heard all this, and pronounced that it +could not be; and for a long while every report of the kind was treated +with contempt. Now every one knows, and every one is fully satisfied of +the fact, and not the least surprise is expressed when they are told of +the circumstance. As Shakespeare makes Hamlet observe very truly--'There +are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your +philosophy.'" + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + + +There was no alarm during the night, and the next morning they yoked the +oxen and changed their course to the northward. The whole of the cattle +had been led down to the river to drink, and allowed two hours to feed +before they started; for they were about to pass through a sterile +country of more than sixty miles, where they did not expect to find +either pasturage or water. They had not left the river more than three +miles behind them, when the landscape changed its appearance. As far as +the eye could scan the horizon, all vestiges of trees had disappeared, +and now the ground was covered with low stunted bushes and large stones. +Here and there were to be seen small groups of animals, the most common +of which were the quaggas. As our travelers were in the advance, they +started six or seven ostriches which had been sitting, and a ball from +the Major's rifle brought one to the ground, the others running off at a +velocity that the fastest horse could scarcely have surpassed. + +"That was a good shot, Major," said Alexander. + +"Yes," replied Swinton; "but take care how you go too near the bird; you +have broken his thigh, and he may be dangerous. They are very fierce. As +I thought, here is the nest. Let Bremen kill the bird,--he understands +them, Major. It is the male, and those which have escaped are all +females." + +"What a quantity of eggs!" said Alexander. "Is the nest a joint +concern?" + +"Yes," replied Swinton. "All those which are in the center of the nest +with their points upward are the eggs for hatching. There are, let me +see, twenty-six of them, and you observe that there are as many more +round about the nest. Those are for the food of the young ostriches as +soon as they are born. However, we will save them that trouble. Bremen +must take the eggs outside the nest for us, and the others the people +may have. They are not very particular whether they are fresh or not." + +"This is a noble bird," said the Major, "and has some beautiful +feathers. I suppose we may let Bremen take the feathers out and leave +the body!" + +"Yes; I do not want it; but Bremen will take the skin, I dare say. It is +worth something at the Cape." + +As soon as the Hottentots had secured the eggs, and Bremen had skinned +the ostrich, which did not occupy many minutes, they rode on, and +Swinton then said-- + +"The male ostrich generally associates with from three to seven females, +which all lay in the same nest. He sits as well as the females, and +generally at night, that he may defend the eggs from the attacks of the +hyenas and other animals." + +"You do not mean to say that he can fight these animals!" + +"And kill them also. The ostrich has two powerful weapons; its wing, +with which it has often been known to break a hunter's leg, the blow +from it is so violent; and what is more fatal, its foot, with the toe of +which it strikes and kills both animals and men. I once myself, in +Namaqua-land, saw a Bushman who had been struck on the chest by the foot +of the ostrich, and it had torn open his chest and stomach, so that his +entrails were lying on the ground. I hardly need say that the poor +wretch was dead." + +"I could hardly have credited it," observed Alexander. + +"The Bushmen skin the ostrich, and spread the skin upon a frame of +wicker-work; the head and neck are supported by a skin thrust through +them. The skin they fix on one of their sides, and carry the head and +neck in one of their hands, while the other holds the bow and arrows. In +this disguise--of course with the feathered side of him presented to the +bird or beast he would get near to--he walks along, pecking with the +head at the bushes, and imitating the motions of the ostrich. By this +stratagem he very often is enabled to get within shot of the other +ostriches, or the quaggas and gnoos which consort with these birds." + +"I should like to see that very much," said the Major. + +"You would be surprised at the close imitation, as I have been. I ought +to have said that the Bushman whitens his legs with clay. It is, +however, a service of danger, for I have, as I told you, known a man +killed by the male ostrich; and the natives say that it is by no means +uncommon for them to receive very serious injury." + +"Hold hard," said the Major, "there is a lion; what a terrible black +mane he has got! What do you say, Swinton? He is by himself." + +Swinton looked at the animal, which was crossing about three hundred +yards ahead of them; he was on a low hill, with his head close to the +ground. + +"I certainly say not. Let him pass, by all means; and I only hope he +will take no notice of us. I must give you the advice which an old +Namaqua chief gave me. He said--'Whenever you see a lion moving in the +middle of the day, you may be certain that he is in great want of food +and very angry. Never attack one then, for they are very dangerous and +most desperate,' If, therefore, Major, you wish a very serious affair, +and one or two lives lost you will attack that animal. But you must +expect that what I say will happen." + +"Indeed, my dear Swinton, I neither wish to lose my own life, nor to +risk those of others, and therefore we will remain here till his majesty +has had time to get out of our way; and I hope he may soon find a +dinner." + +By this time the caravan had come up with them, and they then proceeded. +The face of the country became even more sterile, and at last not an +animal of any description was to be seen. As there was nothing for the +oxen to feed upon they continued their route during the whole of the +day, and at night they halted and secured the cattle to the wagons. Wood +for fires they were not able to procure, and therefore they made one +half of the Hottentots watch during the night with their muskets to +scare off wild beasts. But, as Swinton observed, there was little chance +of their being disturbed by lions or other animals, as they were so +distant from water, and there was no game near them upon which the wild +beasts prey; and so it proved, for during the whole night they did not +even hear the cry of a hyena or a jackal. + +At the first gleaming of light the oxen were again yoked, with the +hopes of their being able to gain the Val River by night. The relay oxen +were now put to, to relieve those which appeared to suffer most. At noon +the heat was dreadful, and the horses, which could not support the want +of water as the oxen could, were greatly distressed. They continued for +about two hours more, and then perceived a few low trees. Begum, who had +been kept without water, that she might exert herself to find it, +started off as fast as she could, followed by Omrah. After running to +the trees, they altered their course to the eastward, toward some ragged +rocks. The caravan arrived at the trees, which they found were growing +on the banks of the river Alexandria, which they knew they should pass; +but not a drop of water was to be discovered; even the pools were quite +dry. As they searched about, all of a sudden Begum came running back +screaming, and with every mark of terror, and clung, as usual, to the +Major when frightened. + +"Where is the Bushboy?" said Bremen. + +"Something has happened," cried Swinton; "come all of you with your +guns." + +The whole party, Hottentots and all, hastened toward the rocks where +Omrah and Begum had been in search of water. As soon as they reached +within fifty paces, quite out of breath with their haste, they were +saluted with the quah, quah, of a herd of baboons, which were perched at +the edge of the rocks, and which threatened them in their usual way, +standing on their fore-legs, and making as if they would fly at them. + +"Now, then, what is to be done?" said the Major. "Shall we fire? Do you +think that they have possession of the boy?" + +"If they have, they will let him go. Yes, we are too numerous for them +now, and they will not show fight, depend upon it. Let us all take good +aim and fire a volley right into them." + +"Well, then, I'll take that venerable old chap that appears to be the +leader, and the great-grandfather of them all," said the Major. "Are you +all ready?--then fire." + +The volley had its effect; three or four of the animals were killed, +many were wounded, and the whole herd went scampering off with loud +shrieks and cries, the wounded trailing themselves after the others as +well as they could. + +The whole party then ascended the crags to look after Omrah--all but +Begum, who would not venture. They had hardly gained the summit when +they heard Omrah's voice below, but could not see him. "There he is, +sir," said Swanevelt, "down below there." Swinton and the Major went +down again, and at last, guided by the shouts of the boy, they came to a +narrow cleft in the rock, about twenty feet deep, at the bottom of which +they heard, but could not see, the boy. The cleft was so narrow that +none of the men could squeeze down it. Swinton sent one of them back for +some leathern thongs or a piece of rope to let down to him. + +During the delay, Bremen inquired of Omrah if he was hurt, and received +an answer in the negative. When the rope came, and was lowered down to +him, Omrah seized it, and was hauled up by the Hottentots. He appeared +to have suffered a little, as his hair was torn out in large handfuls, +and his shirt was in ribbons; but with the exception of some severe +scratches from the nails of the baboons, he had no serious injury. Omrah +explained to the Hottentots, who could talk his language, that Begum and +he had come to the cleft, and had discovered that there was water at the +bottom of it; that Begum had gone down, and that he was following, when +the baboons, which drank in the chasm, had come upon them. Begum had +sprung up and escaped, but he could not; and that the animals had +followed him down, until he was so jammed in the cleft that he could +descend no further; and that there they had pulled out his hair and torn +his shirt, as they saw. Having heard Omrah's story, and satisfied +themselves that he had received no serious injury, they then went to +where the baboons had been shot. Two were dead; but the old one, which +the Major had fired at, was alive, although severely wounded, having +received two shots, one in his arm and the other in his leg, which was +broken by the ball. All the poor old creature's fierceness appeared to +have left him. It was evidently very weak from the loss of blood, and +sat down leaning against the rock. Every now and then it would raise +itself, and look down upon the wound in its leg, examining the hole +where the bullet had passed through; then it would hold up its wounded +arm with its other hand, and look them in the face inquiringly, as much +as to say, "What have you done this for?" + +"Poor creature," said Alexander; "how much its motions are those of a +human being. Its mute expostulation is quite painful to witness." + +"Very true," said the Major; "but still, if it had not those wounds, it +would tear you to pieces if it could." + +"That it certainly would," said Swinton; "but still it is an object of +pity. It can not recover, and we had better put it out of its misery." + +Desiring Bremen to shoot the animal through the head, our travelers then +walked back to the caravan. As they returned by the banks of the river, +they perceived Begum very busy, scraping up the baked mud at the bottom +of a pool. + +"What is the princess about?" said Alexander. + +"I know," cried Omrah, who immediately ran to the assistance of the +baboon; and after a little more scraping, he pulled out a live tortoise +about a foot long. + +"I have heard that when the pools dry up, the tortoises remain in the +mud till the pools are filled up again," said Swinton. + +"Are they good eating, Swinton?" + +"Excellent." + +"Turtle soup in the desert, that's something unexpected." + +The Hottentots now set to work and discovered five or six more, which +they brought out. They then tried in vain to get at the water in the +deep cleft, but finding it impossible, the caravan continued its course. + +"How much more of this desert have we to traverse," said Alexander, +"before we come to the river?" + +[Illustration: THE TORTOISE DISCOVERY.] + +"I fear that we shall not arrive there before to-morrow night," said +Swinton, "unless we travel on during the night, which I think will be +the best plan; for fatiguing as it will be to the animals, they will +be even more exhausted if they pass another day under the sun without +water, and at night they will bear their work better. We gain nothing by +stopping, as the longer they are on the journey, the more they will be +exhausted." + +"I am really fearful for the horses, they suffer so much." + +"At night we will wash their mouths with a sponge full of water; we can +spare so much for the poor creatures." + +"In the deserts of Africa you have always one of three dangers to +encounter," said Swinton; "wild men, wild beasts, and want of water." + +"And the last is the worst of the three," replied the Major. "We shall +have a moon to-night for a few hours." + +"Yes, and if we had not, it would be of no consequence; the stars give +light enough, and we have little chance of wild beasts here. We now want +water; as soon as we get rid of that danger, we shall then have the +other to encounter." + +The sun went down at last; the poor oxen toiled on with their tongues +hanging out of their mouths. At sunset, the relay oxen were yoked, and +they continued their course by the stars. The horses had been refreshed, +as Swinton had proposed; but they were too much exhausted to be ridden, +and our travelers, with their guns on their shoulders, and the dogs +loose, to give notice of any danger, now walked by the sides of the +wagons over the sandy ground. The stars shone out brilliantly, and even +the tired cattle felt relief, from the comparative coolness of the night +air. All was silent, except the creaking of the wheels of the wagons, +and the occasional sighs of the exhausted oxen, as they thus passed +through the desert. + +"Well," observed the Major, after they had walked about an hour without +speaking, "I don't know what your thoughts may have been all this while, +but it has occurred to me that a party of pleasure may be carried to too +great lengths; and I think that I have been very selfish, in persuading +Wilmot to undergo all that we have undergone and are likely to undergo, +merely because I wished to shoot a giraffe." + +"I presume that I must plead guilty also," replied Swinton, "in having +assisted to induce him; but you know a naturalist is so ardent in his +pursuit that he thinks of nothing else." + +"I do not think that you have either of you much to answer for," replied +Alexander; "I was just as anxious to go as you were; and as far as I am +concerned, have not the slightest wish to turn back again, till we have +executed our proposed plans. We none of us undertook this journey with +the expectation of meeting with no difficulties or no privations; and I +fully anticipate more than we have yet encountered, or are encountering +now. If I get back on foot, and without a sole left to my shoe, I shall +be quite content; at the same time, I will not continue it if you both +wish to return." + +"Indeed, my dear fellow, I have no wish but to go on; but I was afraid +that we were running you into dangers which we have no right to do." + +"You have a right, allowing that I did not myself wish to proceed," +replied Alexander. "You escorted me safe through the country to +ascertain a point in which you had not the slightest interest, and it +would indeed be rewarding you very ill, if I were now to refuse to +gratify you: but the fact is, I am gratifying myself at the same time." + +"Well, I am very glad to hear you say so," replied the Major, "as it +makes my mind at ease; what time do you think it is, Swinton?" + +"It is about three o'clock; we shall soon have daylight, and I hope with +daylight we shall have some sight to cheer us. We have traveled well, +and can not by my reckoning be far from the Val River. Since yesterday +morning we have made sixty miles or thereabouts; and if we have not +diverged from our course, the poor animals will soon be relieved." + +They traveled on another weary hour, when Begum gave a cry, and started +off ahead of the wagons; the oxen raised their heads to the wind, and +those which were not in the yokes after a short while broke from the +keepers, and galloped off, followed by the horses, sheep, and dogs. The +oxen in the yokes also became quite unruly, trying to disengage +themselves from the traces. + +"They have smelt the water; it is not far off, sir," said Bremen; "we +had better unyoke them all, and let them go." + +"Yes, by all means," said Alexander. + +So impatient were the poor beasts, that it was very difficult to +disengage them, and many broke loose before it could be effected; as +soon as they were freed, they followed their companions at the same +rapid pace. + +"At all events, we shall know where to find them," said the Major, +laughing: "well, I really so felt for the poor animals that I am as +happy as if I was as thirsty as they are, and was now quenching my +thirst. It's almost daylight." + +As the day dawned, they continued to advance in the direction that the +animals had taken, and they then distinguished the trees that bordered +the river, which was about two miles distant. As soon as it was broad +daylight, they perceived that the whole landscape had changed in +appearance. Even where they were walking there was herbage, and near to +the river it appeared most luxuriant. Tall mimosa-trees were to be seen +in every direction, and in the distance large forests of timber. All was +verdant and green, and appeared to them as a paradise after the desert +in which they had been wandering on the evening before. As they arrived +at the river's banks, they were saluted with the lively notes of the +birds hymning forth their morning praise, and found the cattle, after +slaking their thirst, were now quietly feeding upon the luxuriant grass +which surrounded them. + +"Well may the Psalmist and prophets talk of the beauty of flowing +rivers," said Alexander; "now we feel the truth and beauty of the +language; one would almost imagine that the sacred writings were indited +in these wilds." + +"If not in these, they certainly were in the Eastern countries, which +assimilate strongly with them," said Swinton; "but, as you truly say, it +is only by having passed through the country that you can fully +appreciate their beauties. We never know the real value of any thing +till we have felt what it is to be deprived of it; and in a temperate +climate, with a pump in every house, people can not truly estimate the +value of 'flowing rivers.'" + +The Hottentots having now arrived, the cattle were driven back to the +wagons and yoked, that they might be brought up to a spot which had been +selected for their encampment. In the mean time our travelers, who were +tired with their night's walk, lay down under a large mimosa-tree, close +to the banks of the river. + +"We shall stay here a day or two, of course," said the Major. + +"Yes, for the sake of the cattle; the poor creatures deserve a couple of +days' rest." + +"Do you observe how the mimosas are torn up on the other side of the +river?" said Swinton; "the elephants have been very numerous there +lately." + +"Why do they tear the trees up?" said Alexander. + +"To feed upon the long roots, which are very sweet; they destroy an +immense number of the smaller trees in that manner." + +"Well, we must have another elephant-hunt," said the Major. + +"We may have hunts of every kind, I expect, here," replied Swinton; "we +are now in the very paradise of wild animals, and the further we go the +more we shall find." + +"What a difference there is in one day's journey in this country," +observed Alexander; "yesterday morning there was not a creature to be +seen, and all was silent as death. Now listen to the noise of the birds, +and as for beasts, I suspect we shall not have far to look for them." + +"No, for there is a hippopotamus just risen; and now he's down +again--there's food for a fortnight at one glance," cried the Major. + +"How the horses and sheep are enjoying themselves--they are making up +for lost time; but here come the wagons." + +"Well, then, I must get up and attend to my department," said the Major. +"I presume that we must expect our friends the lions again now." + +"Where there is food for lions, you must expect lions, Major," said +Swinton. + +"Very true, and fuel to keep them off; by the by, turtle soup for +dinner, recollect; tell Mahomed." + +"I'll see to it," said Alexander; "but we must have something for +breakfast, as soon as I have had a wash at the river's side. I would +have a bath, only I have such a respect for the hippopotami." + +"Yes, you will not forget them in a hurry," said Swinton, laughing. + +"Not as long as I have breath in my body, for they took all the breath +out of it. Come, Swinton, will you go with me, and make your toilet at +the river's banks?" + +"Yes, and glad to do so; for I am covered with the sand of the desert." + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + + +Our travelers remained very quiet that day and the next. The horses had +suffered so much, that they required two days of rest, and they +themselves were not sorry to be inactive after their fatiguing journey +over the desert. The cattle enjoyed the luxuriant pasture, and although +the tracks of the lions were discovered very near to them, yet, as they +had plenty of fuel and attended themselves to the fires, they had not +any visits from them during the night. The Hottentots had been out to +reconnoiter, and found a profusion of game, in a large plain, about two +miles distant; and it was decided that they would rest where they were +for a day or two, if the game were not frightened away. The river had +been crossed by Swanevelt, who stated that there was a large herd of +elephants on the other side, and the tracks of the rhinoceros were to be +seen on both sides of the river. + +On the third morning after their arrival at the Val, they set off, +accompanied by the Hottentots, to the plain which they had spoken of; +riding through magnificent groups of acacia or camelthorn trees, many +of which were covered with the enormous nests of the social grosbeaks. +As they descended to the plain they perceived large herds of brindled +gnoos, quaggas, and antelopes, covering the whole face of the country as +far as the eye could reach, moving about in masses to and fro, joining +each other and separating, so that the whole plain seemed alive with +them. + +"Is not this splendid?" cried the Major. "Such a sight is worth all the +trouble and labor which we have undergone. What would they say in +England, if they could but behold this scene?" + +"There must be thousands and thousands," said Alexander. "Tell me, +Swinton, what beautiful animals are those of a purple color?" + +"They are called the purple sassabys," replied Swinton; "one of the most +elegant of the antelope tribe." + +"And those red and yellow out there?" + +"They are the harte beests. I wish to have male and female specimens of +both, if I can." + +"See!" said the Major, "there is a fine flock of ostriches. We are +puzzled where to begin. Come, we have surveyed the scene long enough; +now forward,--to change it." + +They rode down, and were soon within shot of the animals, and the rifles +began their work. The Hottentots commenced firing from various points, +and, alarmed by the report of the guns, the animals now fled away in +every direction, and the whole place was one cloud of dust. Our +travelers put their horses to their speed, and soon came up with them +again, as their numbers impeded the animals in their flight. Every shot +told, for it was hardly possible to miss; and the Hottentots who +followed on foot, put those who were wounded out of their misery. At +last the horses were too fatigued and too much out of wind to continue +the pursuit, and they reined up. + +"Well, Alexander, this has been sport, has it not?" said the Major. + +"Yes, a grand battue, on a grand scale, indeed." + +"There were three animals which you did not observe," said Swinton; +"but it was impossible to get at them, they were so far off; but we must +try for them another time." + +"What were they?" + +"The elands, the largest of the antelope tribe," replied Swinton, "and +the best eating of them all. Sometimes they are nineteen hands high at +the chest, and will weigh nearly 2,000 lbs. It has the head of an +antelope, but the body is more like that of an ox. It has magnificent +straight horns, but they are not dangerous. They are easily run down, +for, generally speaking, they are very fat and incapable of much +exertion." + +"We will look out for them to-morrow," said the Major. "See how the +vultures are hovering over us; they know there will be bones for them to +pick this night." + +"More than bones," replied Alexander; "for what can we do with so many +carcasses? There is provision for a month, if it would keep. What a +prodigious variety of animals there appears to be in this country." + +"Yes, they are congregated here, because the country, from want of rain, +may be considered as barren. But within eight or nine degrees of +latitude from the Cape, we find the largest and most minute of creation. +We have the ostrich and the little creeper among the birds. Among the +beasts we have the elephant, weighing 4,000 lbs., and the black specked +mouse, weighing a quarter of an ounce. We have the giraffe, seventeen +feet high, and the little viverra, a sort of weasel, of three inches. I +believe there are thirty varieties of antelopes known and described; +eighteen of them are found in this country, and there are the largest +and smallest of the species; for we have the eland, and we have the +pigmy antelope, which is not above six inches high. We see here also the +intermediate links of many genera, such as the eland and the gnoo; and +as we find the elephant, the rhinoceros, and Wilmot's friend, the +hippopotamus, we certainly have the bulkiest animals in existence." + +Bremen now came up to say that they had discovered a rhinoceros close to +the river-side, concealed in the bushes underneath a clump of acacia. +The Major and Alexander having declared their intention of immediately +going in pursuit, Swinton advised them to be cautious, as the charge of +a rhinoceros was a very awkward affair, if they did not get out of the +way. They rode down to the clump of trees and bushes where the animal +was said to be hid, and, by the advice of Bremen, sent for the dogs to +worry the animal out. Bremen, who was on foot, was desired by the Major +to take the horse which Omrah rode, that he might be more expeditious, +and our travelers remained with a clear space of two hundred yards +between them and the bushes where the animal was concealed. The +Hottentots had also followed them, and were ordered on no account to +fire till they had taken their positions, and the dogs were sent in to +drive the animal out. + +When Bremen was but a short distance from them with the dogs, Swinton +advised that they should dismount and take possession of a small clump +of trees which grew very close together, as they would be concealed from +the animal. They called Omrah to take the horses, but he was not to be +seen; so they gave them to one of the Hottentots, to lead them to some +distance out of harm's way. + +"The vision of the rhinoceros is so limited," observed Swinton, "that it +is not difficult to get out of his way on his first charge; but at his +second he is generally prepared for your maneuver. A ball in the +shoulder is the most fatal. Look out, Bremen has turned in the dogs." +The barking of the dogs, which commenced as soon as they entered the +bushes, did not continue more than a minute, when a female rhinoceros of +the black variety burst out of the thicket in pursuit of the retreating +dogs. Several shots were fired by the Hottentots, who were concealed in +different quarters without effect; the animal rushing along and tearing +up the ground with its horns, looking out for its enemies. At last it +perceived a Hottentot, who showed himself from a bush near to where our +travelers were concealed. The animal charged immediately, and in +charging was brought down on its knees by a shot from Alexander. The +Hottentots rushed out, regardless of Swinton's calling out to them to +be careful, as the animal was not dead, and had surrounded it within a +few yards, when it rose again and fiercely charged Swanevelt, who +narrowly escaped. A shot from the Major put an end to its career, and +they then walked to where the animal lay, when a cry from Omrah, who was +standing near the river, attracted their notice, and they perceived that +the male rhinoceros, of whose presence they were not aware, had just +burst out of the same covert, and was charging toward them. + +Every one immediately took to his heels; many of the Hottentots in their +fear dropping their muskets, and fortunately the distance they were from +the covert gave them time to conceal themselves in the thickets before +the animal had time to come up with them. A shot from Swinton turned the +assailant, who now tore up the earth in his rage, looking everywhere +round with its sharp flashing eye for a victim. At this moment, while it +seemed hesitating and peering about, to the astonishment of the whole +party, Omrah showed himself openly on the other side of the rhinoceros, +waving his red handkerchief, which he had taken off his head. The +rhinoceros, the moment that the boy caught his eye, rushed furiously +toward him. "The boy's lost," cried Swinton; but hardly had the words +gone from his mouth, when to their astonishment, the rhinoceros +disappeared, and Omrah stood capering and shouting with delight. The +fact was that Omrah, when he had left our travelers, had gone down +toward the river, and as he went along had with his light weight passed +over what he knew full well to be one of the deep pits dug by the +Bushmen to catch those animals. Having fully satisfied himself that it +was so, he had remained by the side of it, and when the rhinoceros +rushed at him, had kept the pit between himself and the animal. His +object was to induce the animal to charge at him, which it did, and when +within four yards of the lad, had plunged into the pit dug for him. The +success of Omrah's plan explained the whole matter at once, and our +travelers hastened up to where the rhinoceros was impounded, and found +that a large stake, fixed upright in the center of the pit, had impaled +the animal. A shot from the Major put an end to the fury and agony of +the animal. + +"I never was more excited in my life; I thought the boy was mad and +wanted to lose his life," said Alexander. + +"And so did I," replied Swinton; "and yet I ought to have known him +better. It was admirably done; here we have an instance of the +superiority of man endowed with reasoning power over brutes. A +rhinoceros will destroy the elephant; the lion can make no impression on +him, and flies before him like a cat. He is, in fact, the most powerful +of all animals; he fears no enemy, not even man, when he is provoked or +wounded; and yet he has fallen by the cleverness of that little monkey +of a Bushboy. I think, Major, we have done enough now, and may go back +to the caravan." + +"Yes, I am well satisfied with our day's sport, and am not a little +hungry. We may now let the Hottentots bring home as much game as they +can. You have taken care to give directions about your specimens, +Swinton?" + +"Yes, Bremen knows the animals I require, and is now after them. Omrah, +run and tell that fellow to bring our horses here." + +"Swinton, can birds and beasts talk, or can they not?" said the Major. +"I ask that question because I am now looking at the enormous nests of +the grosbeaks. It is a regular town, with some hundreds of houses. These +birds, as well as those sagacious animals, the beaver, the ant, and the +bee, not to mention a variety of others, must have some way of +communicating their ideas." + +"That there is no doubt of," replied Swinton, laughing; "but still I +believe that man only is endowed with speech." + +"Well, we know that; but if not with speech, they must have some means +of communication which answers as well" + +"As far as their wants require it, no doubt," replied Swinton, "but to +what extent is hidden from us. Animals have instinct and reasoning +powers, but not reason." + +"Where is the difference?" + +"The reasoning powers are generally limited to their necessities; but +with animals who are the companions of man, they appear to be more +extended." + +"We have a grand supper to-night," said Alexander; "what shall I help +you to--harte-beest, sassaby, or rhinoceros?" + +"Thank you," replied the Major, laughing; "I'll trouble you for a small +piece of that rhinoceros steak--underdone, if you please." + +"How curious that would sound in Grosvenor Square." + +"Not if you shot the animals in Richmond Park," said Swinton. + +"Those rascally Hottentots will collect no fuel to-night if we do not +make them do it now," said the Major. "If they once begin to stuff it +will be all over with them." + +"Very true; we had better set them about it before the feast begins. +Call Bremen, Omrah." + +"Having given their directions, our party finished their supper, and +then Alexander asked Swinton whether he had ever known any serious +accidents resulting from the hunting of the rhinoceros. + +"Yes," replied Swinton; "I once was witness to the death of a native +chief." + +"Then pray tell us the story," said the Major. "By hearing how other +people have suffered, we learn how to take care of ourselves." + +"Before I do so, I will mention what was told me by a Namaqua chief +about a lion; I am reminded of it by the Major's observations as to the +means animals have of communicating with each other. Once when I was +traveling in Namaqua-land, I observed a spot which was imprinted with at +least twenty spoors or marks of a lion's paw; and as I pointed them out +a Namaqua chief told me that a lion had been practicing his leap. On +demanding an explanation, he said that if a lion sprang at an animal, +and missed it by leaping short, he would always go back to where he +sprang from, and practice the leap so as to be successful on another +occasion; and he then related to me the following anecdote, stating that +he was an eye-witness to the incident: + +"'I was passing near the end of a craggy hill from which jutted out a +smooth rock of from ten to twelve feet high, when I perceived a number +of zebras galloping round it, which they were obliged to do, as the rock +beyond was quite steep. A lion was creeping toward the rock to catch the +male zebra, which brought up the rear of the herd. The lion sprang and +missed his mark; he fell short, with only his head over the edge of the +rock, and the zebra galloped away, switching his tail in the air. +Although the object of his pursuit was gone, the lion tried the leap on +the rock a second and a third time, till he succeeded. During this two +more lions came up and joined the first lion. They seemed to be talking, +for they roared a great deal to each other; and then the first lion led +them round the rock again and again. Then he made another grand leap, to +show them what he and they must do another time.' The chief added, 'They +evidently were talking to each other, but I could not understand a word +of what they said, although they talked loud enough; but I thought it +was as well to be off, or they might have some talk about me.'" + +"Well, they certainly do not whisper," said the Major, laughing. "Thank +you for that story, Swinton, and now for the rhinoceros hunt." + +"I was once out hunting with a Griqua, of the name of Henrick, and two +or three other men; we had wounded a springbok, and were following its +track, when we came upon the footing of a rhinoceros, and shortly +afterward we saw a large black male in the bush." + +"You mention a black rhinoceros. Is there any other?" + +"Yes, there is a white rhinoceros, as it is called, larger than the +black, but not so dangerous. It is, in fact, a stupid sort of animal. +The black rhinoceros, as you are aware, is very fierce. Well, to +continue: Henrick slipped down behind a bush, fired, and wounded the +animal severely in the foreleg. The rhinoceros charged, we all fled, and +the animal, singling out one of our men, closely pursued him; but the +man, stopping short, while the horn of the rhinoceros plowed up the +ground at his heels, dexterously jumped on one side. The rhinoceros +missed him and passed on in full speed, and before the brute could +recover himself and change his course, the whole of us had climbed up +into trees. The rhinoceros, limping with his wound, went round and +round, trying to find us out by the scent, but he tried in vain. At +last, one of the men, who had only an assaguay, said, 'Well, how long +are we going to stay here? Why don't you shoot?' + +"'Well,' said Henrick, 'if you are so anxious to shoot, you may if you +please. Here is my powder-and-shot belt, and my gun lies under the tree. +The man immediately descended from the tree, loaded the gun, and +approaching the rhinoceros he fired and wounded it severely in the jaw. +The animal was stunned, and dropped on the spot. Thinking that it was +dead, we all descended fearlessly and collected round it; and the man +who had fired was very proud, and was giving directions to the others, +when of a sudden the animal began to recover, and kicked with his hind +legs. Henrick told us all to run for our lives, and set us the example. +The rhinoceros started up again, and singling out the unfortunate man +who had got down and fired at it, roaring and snorting with rage, +thundered after him. + +"The man, perceiving that he could not outrun the beast, tried the same +plan as the other hunter did when the rhinoceros charged him: stopping +short, he jumped on one side, that the animal might pass him; but the +brute was not to be balked a second time; he caught the man on his horn +under the left thigh, and cutting it open as if it had been done with an +ax, tossed him a dozen yards up in the air. The poor fellow fell facing +the rhinoceros, with his legs spread; the beast rushed at him again, and +ripped up his body from his stomach to almost his throat, and again +tossed him in the air. Again he fell heavily to the ground. The +rhinoceros watched his fall, and running up to him trod upon him and +pounded him to a mummy. After this horrible tragedy, the beast limped +off into a bush. Henrick then crept up to the bush; the animal dashed +out again, and would certainly have killed another man if a dog had not +turned it. In turning short round upon the dog, the bone of its +fore-leg, which had been half broken through by Henrick's first shot, +snapped in two, and it fell, unable to recover itself, and was then shot +dead." + +"A very awkward customer, at all events," observed the Major. "I presume +a leaden bullet would not enter?" + +"No, it would flatten against most parts of his body. By the by, I saw +an instance of a rhinoceros having been destroyed by that cowardly brute +the hyena." + +"Indeed!" + +"Yes, patience and perseverance on the hyena's part effected the work. +The rhinoceros takes a long while to turn round, and the hyena attacked +him behind, biting him with his powerful jaws above the joint of the +hind leg, and continued so to do, till he had severed all the muscles, +and the animal, forced from pain to lie down, was devoured as you may +say alive from behind; the hyena still tearing at the same quarter, +until he arrived at the vital parts. By the track which was marked by +the blood of the rhinoceros, the hyena must have followed the animal for +many miles, until the rhinoceros was in such pain that it could proceed +no further.--But if you are to hunt to-morrow at daybreak, it is time to +go to sleep; so good-night." + +At daybreak the next morning, they took a hasty meal, and started again +for the plain. Swinton, having to prepare his specimens, did not +accompany them. There was a heavy fog on the plain when they arrived at +it, and they waited for a short time, skirting the south side of it, +with the view of drawing the animals toward the encampment. At last the +fog vanished, and discovered the whole country, as before, covered with +every variety of wild animals. But as their object was to obtain the +eland antelope, they remained stationary for some time, seeking for +those animals among the varieties which were scattered in all +directions. At last Omrah, whose eyes were far keener than even the +Hottentots', pointed out three at a distance, under a large acacia +thorn. They immediately rode at a trot in that direction, and the +various herds of quaggas, gnoos, and antelopes scoured away before them; +and so numerous were they, and such was the clattering of hoofs, that +you might have imagined that it was a heavy charge of cavalry. The +objects of their pursuit remained quiet until they were within three +hundred yards of them, and then they set off at a speed, notwithstanding +their heavy and unwieldy appearance, which for a short time completely +distanced the horses. But this speed could not be continued, and the +Major and Alexander soon found themselves rapidly coming up. The poor +animals exerted themselves in vain; their sleek coats first turned to a +blue color, and then white with foam and perspiration, and at last they +were beaten to a stand-still, and were brought down by the rifles of our +travelers, who then dismounted their horses, and walked up to the +quarry. + +"What magnificent animals!" exclaimed Alexander. + +"They are enormous, certainly," said the Major. + +"Look at the beautiful dying eye of that noble beast. Is it not +speaking?" + +"Yes, imploring for mercy, as it were, poor creature." + +"Well, these three beasts, that they say are such good eating, weigh +more than fifty antelopes." + +"More than fifty springboks, I grant. Well, what shall we do now?" + +"Let our horses get their wind again, and then we will see if we can +fall in with some new game." + +"I saw two or three antelopes, of a very different sort from the +sassabys and harte-beests, toward that rising ground. We will go that +way as soon as the Hottentots come up and take charge of our game." + +"Does Swinton want to preserve one of these creatures?" + +"I believe not, they are so very bulky. He says we shall find plenty as +we go on, and that he will not encumber the wagons with a skin until we +leave the Val River, and turn homeward. Now, Bremen and Omrah, come with +us." + +The Major and Alexander then turned their horses' heads, and rode slowly +toward the hill which they had noticed, and the antelopes which the +Major had observed were now seen among the bushes which crowned the +hill. Bremen said that he did not know the animals, and the Major was +most anxious to obtain one to surprise Swinton with. As soon as they +came within two hundred yards of the bushes on the other side of which +the antelopes were seen, the Major gave his horse to Omrah and advanced +alone very cautiously, that he might bring one down with his rifle. He +gained the bushes without alarming the animals, and the party left +behind were anxiously watching his motions, expecting him every moment +to fire, when the Major suddenly turned round and came back at a hurried +pace. + +"What is the matter?" said Alexander. + +"Matter enough to stop my growth for all my life," replied the Major. +"If ever my heart was in my mouth, it was just now. I was advancing +softly, and step by step, toward the antelopes, and was just raising my +rifle to fire, when I heard something flapping the ground three or four +yards before me. I looked down, and it was the tail of a lioness, which +fortunately was so busy watching the antelopes with her head the other +way, that she did not perceive my being near her; whereupon I beat a +retreat, as you have witnessed." + +"Well, what shall we do now?" + +"Wait a little till I have recovered my nerves," said the Major, "and +then I'll be revenged upon her. Swinton is not here to preach prudence, +and have a lion-hunt I will." + +"With all my heart," replied Alexander. "Bremen, we are going to attack +the lioness." + +"Yes, sir," said Bremen; "then we had better follow Cape fashion. We +will back the horses toward her, and Omrah will hold them while we will +attack her. I think one only had better fire, so we keep two guns in +reserve." + +"You are right, Bremen," said Alexander. "Then you and I will reserve +our fire, and the Major shall try his rifle upon her." + +With some difficulty the horses were backed toward the bush, until the +Major could again distinguish where the lioness lay, at about sixty +paces' distance. The animal appeared still occupied with the game in +front of her, watching her opportunity to spring, for her tail and +hind-quarters were toward them. The Major fired, and the animal bounded +off with a loud roar; while the antelopes flew away like the wind. The +roar of the lioness was answered by a deep growl from another part of +the bush, and immediately afterward a lion bolted out, and bounded from +the bushes across the plain, to a small mimosa grove about a quarter of +a mile off. + +"What a splendid animal!" said Alexander; "look at his black mane, it +almost sweeps the ground." + +"We must have him," cried the Major, jumping on his horse. + +Alexander, Bremen, and Omrah did the same, and they followed the lion, +which stood at bay under the mimosas, measuring the strength of the +party, and facing them in a most noble and imposing manner. It appeared, +however, that he did not like their appearance, or was not satisfied +with his own position, for as they advanced he retreated at a slow pace, +and took up his position on the summit of a stony hill close by, the +front of which was thickly dotted with low thorn-bushes. The +thorn-bushes extended about 200 yards from where the lion stood, +disdainfully surveying the party as they approached toward him, and +appearing, with a conscious pride in his own powers, to dare them to +approach him. + +They dismounted from their horses as soon as they arrived at the +thorn-bushes, and the Major fired. The rifle-ball struck the rock close +to the lion, who replied with an angry growl. The Major then took the +gun from Omrah and fired, and again the ball struck close to the +animal's feet. The lion now shook his mane, gave another angry roar; and +by the glistening of his eyes, and the impatient switching of his tail, +it was evident that he would soon become the attacking party. + +"Load both your guns again," said Alexander, "and then let me have a +shot, Major." + +As soon as the Major's guns were loaded, Alexander took aim and fired. +The shot broke the lion's fore-leg, which he raised up with a voice of +thunder, and made a spring from the rock toward where our party stood. + +"Steady now," cried the Major to Bremen, at the same time handing his +spare rifle to Alexander. + +The rush of the angry animal was heard through the bushes advancing +nearer and nearer; and they all stood prepared for the encounter. At +last out the animal sprang, his mane bristling on end, his tail straight +out, and his eyeballs flashing rage and vengeance. He came down upon the +hind-quarters of one of the horses, which immediately started off, +overthrowing and dragging Omrah to some distance. One of the lion's legs +being broken, had occasioned the animal to roll off on the side of the +horse, and he now remained on the ground ready for a second spring, when +he received a shot through the back from Bremen, who stood behind him. +The lion, with another dreadful roar, attempted to spring upon the +Major, who was ready with his rifle to receive him; but the shot from +Bremen had passed through his spine and paralyzed his hind-quarters, and +he made the attempt in vain, a second and a third time throwing his +fore-quarters up in the air, and then falling down again, when a bullet +from the Major passed through his brain. The noble beast sunk down, +gnawing the ground and tearing it with the claws of the leg which had +not been wounded, and then, in a few seconds, breathed his last. + +"I am glad that is over, Alexander," said the Major; "it was almost too +exciting to be pleasant." + +"It was very awful for the time, I must acknowledge," replied Alexander. +"What an enormous brute! I think I never saw such a magnificent skin. + +"It is yours by the laws of war," said the Major. + +"Nay," replied Alexander, "it was you that gave him his _coup de grace_" + +"Yes, but if you had not broken his leg, he might have given some of us +our _coup de grace_. No, no, the skin is yours. Now the horses are off, +and we can not send for the Hottentots. They have got rid of Omrah, who +is coming back with his shirt torn into tatters." + +"The men will catch the horses and bring them here, depend upon it, +sir," said Bremen, "and then they can take off the skin." + +"Well, if I am to have the lion's skin, I must have that of the lioness +also, Major; so we must finish our day's hunting with forcing her to +join her mate." + +"Very good, with all my heart." + +"Better wait till the men come with the horses, sir," said Bremen; +"three guns are too few to attack a lion--very great danger indeed." + +"Bremen is right, Alexander; we must not run such a risk again. Depend +upon it, if the animal's leg had not been broken, we should not have had +so easy a conquest. Let us sit down quietly till the men come up." + +In about half an hour, as Bremen had conjectured, the Hottentots, +perceiving the horses loose, and suspecting that something had happened, +went in chase of them, and as soon as they had succeeded in catching +them, brought them in the direction to which they had seen our travelers +ride. They were not a little astonished at so small a party having +ventured to attack a lion, and gladly prepared for the attack of the +lioness. Three of the dogs having accompanied them, it was decided that +they should be put into the bushes where the lioness was lying when the +Major fired at her, so as to discover where she now was; and leaving the +lion for the present, they all set off for the first jungle. + +The dogs could not find the lioness in the bushes, and it was evident +that she had retreated to some other place; and Swanevelt, who was an +old lion-hunter, gave his opinion that she would be found in the +direction near to where the lion was killed. They went therefore in that +direction, and found that she was in the clump of mimosas to which the +lion had first retreated. The previous arrangement of backing the horses +toward where she lay was attempted, but the animals had been too much +frightened in the morning by the lion's attack, to be persuaded. They +reared and plunged in such a manner as to be with difficulty prevented +from breaking loose; it was therefore necessary to abandon that plan, +and trust to themselves and their numbers. The clump of trees was +surrounded by the party, and the dogs encouraged to go in, which they +did, every now and then rushing back from the paws of the lioness. The +Hottentots now fired into the clump at random, and their volleys were +answered by the loud roars of the animal, which would not, however, show +herself, and half an hour was passed away in this manner. + +At last she was perceived at one side of the jungle, by Swanevelt, who +fired with effect, for the animal gave a loud roar, and then bounded +out, not attempting to rush upon any person, but to make her escape from +her assailants. A volley was fired at her, and one shot took effect, for +she fell with her head to the ground, and tumbled right over; but +immediately after she recovered herself, and made off for the bushes +where she had been first discovered. + +"She was hit hard that time, at all events," said the Major. + +"Yes, sir," said Bremen, "that was her deathshot, I should think; but +she is not dead yet, and may give us a great deal of trouble." + +They followed her as fast as they could on foot, and the dogs were soon +upon her again; the animal continued to roar, and always from the same +spot; so that it was evident she was severely wounded. Alexander and the +Major reserved their fire, and approached to where the dogs were baying, +not twenty yards from the jungle. Another roar was given, and suddenly +the body of the lioness rushed through the air, right in the direction +where they stood; she passed, however, between them, and when she +reached the ground, she fell on her side, quite dead. It was her last +expiring effort, and she died in the attempt. Alexander and the Major, +who were both ready to fire, lowered their rifles when they perceived +that she was dead. + +"Well," said the Major, "I will say that when I first saw her tail, I +was more frightened than I was just now, when she made the spring; I was +so taken by surprise." + +"I don't doubt it. She is a very large animal, and will make a handsome +companion to the lion. If we live and do well, and get home to England +again, I will have her stuffed along with him, and put them in the same +case." + +"I trust you will, and that I shall come and see them," replied the +Major. + +"I am sure I do, from my heart, my good fellow. I am very much pleased +at our having killed both these beasts, without Swinton being with us, +as he would have been persuading us to leave them alone." + +"And he would have done very right," replied the Major. "We are two +naughty boys, and shall be well scolded when we go back." + +"Which I vote we do now. I think we have done quite enough for to-day." + +"Yes, indeed," replied the Major, mounting his horse; "enough to talk of +all our lives. Now let us gallop home, and say nothing about having +killed the lions until the Hottentots bring them to the caravan." + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + + +"Well, what sport have you had?" was Swinton's first question when he +was joined by Alexander and the Major. Replied the latter--"Pretty well; +we saw an antelope quite new to us, which we tried very hard to shoot, +but were prevented by an unexpected meeting with a lioness." The Major +then gave an account of his perceiving the tail of the lioness, and his +rapid retreat. + +"I am very glad to hear that you were so prudent, Major; it would have +been a very rash thing to attack a lioness with only three guns. So the +antelopes escaped?" + +"Yes, but we have the elands, which you say are such good eating. Do we +stay here any longer, or do we proceed up the river?" + +"You must ask Wilmot to decide that point," said Swinton. + +"It is just as you please," said Alexander; "but they say that the more +you go to the northward, the more plentiful is the game." + +"Yes, and we shall fall in with the giraffe," said the Major, "which is +now the great object of my ambition. I have killed the rhinoceros and +elephant, and now I must have the giraffe; they can kill the two first +animals in India, but the other is only to be had in this country." + +"And when you meet again your Indian friends, you wish to say that you +have killed what they have not?" + +"Certainly; what is the good of traveling so far, if one has not +something to boast of when one returns? If I say I have hunted and +killed the rhinoceros and elephant, they may reply to me, 'So have we;' +but if I add the giraffe, that will silence them; don't you observe, +Swinton, I then remain master of the field? But here come the Hottentots +with our game; come, Swinton, leave your preparations for a little +while, and see what our morning's sport has been." + +Swinton put aside the skin of the sassaby that he was cleaning, and +walked with them to where the men were assembled, and was not a little +surprised when he saw the skins and jaws of the lion and lioness. He was +still more so when the Major recounted how they had been shot. + +"You certainly have run a great risk," said he, "and I am glad that you +have been so successful. You are right in saying that I should have +persuaded you not to attempt it; you are like two little boys who have +taken advantage of the absence of their tutor to run into mischief. +However, I am glad that it has been done, as I now hope your desire to +kill a lion will not again lead you into unnecessary danger." + +"No, indeed," replied Alexander; "having once accomplished the feat, and +being fully aware of the great risk that is run, we shall be more +prudent in future." + +"That is all I ask of you," said Swinton, "for I should be unhappy if we +did not all three return safe to the Cape. I never saw a finer lion's +skin: I will arrange it for you, that it shall arrive at the Cape in +good order." + +As usual, the afternoon was by the Hottentots devoted to eating as much +as they could possibly contrive to get down their throats; the flesh of +the eland was pronounced excellent by our travelers, and there was much +more than they could possibly consume. The Hottentots were only allowed +to bring a certain quantity into the camp, that they might not attract +the wild beasts. They would have brought it all in, although they never +could have eaten it. The cattle were driven up in the evening, the fires +lighted, and the night passed quietly away. + +At daylight they turned the cattle out to graze for a couple of hours, +and then yoked and proceeded on their journey, keeping as near as they +could to the banks of the river. They saw many hippopotami, snorting and +rising for a moment above the water, but they passed by them without +attempting to shoot at them, as they did not wish to disturb the other +game. As they advanced, the variety of flowers which were in bloom +attracted the notice of Alexander, who observed--"Does not this plain +put you in mind of a Turkey carpet, Major; so gay with every variety of +color?" + +"Yes, and as scentless," replied the Major; "they are all very brilliant +in appearance; but one modest English violet is, to my fancy, worth them +all." + +"I agree with you," replied Swinton; "but still you must acknowledge +that this country is beautiful beyond description,--these grassy meads +so spangled with numerous flowers, and so broken by the masses of grove +and forest! Look at these aloes blooming in profusion, with their coral +tufts--in England what would they pay for such an exhibition?--and the +crimson and lilac hues of these poppies and amaryllis blended together: +neither are you just in saying that there is no scent in this gay +parterre. The creepers which twine up those stately trees are very +sweetly scented; and how picturesque are the twinings of those vines +upon the mimosas. I can not well imagine the garden of Eden to have been +more beautiful." + +"And in another respect there is a resemblance," said the Major, +laughing; "the serpent is in it" + +"Yes, I grant that," replied Swinton. + +"Well, I can feel no real pleasure without security; if I am to be ever +on the alert, and turning my eyes in every direction, that I may not +tread upon a puff adder, or avoid the dart of the cobra capella, I can +feel little pleasure in looking at the rich hues of those flowers which +conceal them. As I said before, give me the violet and the rose of +England, which I can pick and smell in security." + +"I agree with you, Major," said Alexander; "but," continued he, +laughing, "we must make allowance for Swinton, as a naturalist. A puff +adder has a charm for him, because it adds one more to the numerous +specimens to be obtained; and he looks upon these flowers as a +botanist, rejoicing as he adds to his herbal, or gathers seeds and bulbs +to load his wagon with. You might as well find fault with a husbandman +for rejoicing in a rich harvest." + +"Or with himself, for being so delighted at the number and the variety +of the animals which fall to his rifle," replied Swinton, smiling. +"There I have you, Major." + +"I grant it," replied the Major; "but what is that in the river--the +back of a hippopotamus?" + +"No, it is the back of an elephant, I should rather think; but the reeds +are so high, that it is difficult to ascertain. There may be a herd +bathing in the river, nothing more likely." + +"Let us stop the caravan; the creaking of these wheels would drive away +any thing," replied the Major; "we will then ride forward and see what +it is. It is not more than half a mile from us." + +"Be it so," replied Swinton. "Omrah, get the rifles, and tell Bremen to +come here. Now, Major, is it to be a regular hunt, or only a passing +shot at them; for I now perceive through my glass that they are +elephants?" + +"Well, I think a passing shot will be best; for if we are to hunt, we +must send a party on the opposite side of the river, and that will be a +tedious affair." + +"I think myself it will be better to proceed," said Swinton; "so now +then, to scatter the enemy." + +They soon arrived at that part of the river where they had at a distance +discovered the elephants bathing; but as they approached, the high reeds +prevented them from seeing the animals, although they could hear them +plainly. At last, as they proceeded a little further up the river, they +discovered a female with its young one by its side; the mother playing +with its offspring, pouring water over it with its trunk, and now and +then pressing it into the water, so as to compel it to swim. They +watched the motions of the animals for some time, and the Major first +broke silence by saying, "I really have not the heart to fire at the +poor creature; its maternal kindness, and the playing of the little one, +are too interesting. It would be cruel, now that we do not want meat, +for an eland is to be killed every ten minutes." + +"I am glad to hear you say so," replied Swinton. "Let us fire over them, +and set them all in motion." + +"Agreed," said the Major; "this is to start them," and he fired off his +rifle in the air. + +The noise that ensued was quite appalling; the shrieks and cries of the +elephants, and the treading down and rushing through the reeds, the +splashing and floundering in the mud, for a few seconds, was followed by +the bounding out of the whole herd on the opposite bank of the river, +tossing their trunks, raising up their ears, roaring wildly, and +starting through the bushes into the forest from which they had +descended. Two large males only were to be perceived among the whole +herd, the rest were all females and their young ones, who scrambled away +after the males, crowding together, but still occasionally looking +behind after their young ones, till they had all disappeared in the +forest, the cracking and crushing of the bushes in which were heard for +many minutes afterward. + +"That was a splendid scene," said Alexander. + +"Yes, it was a living panorama, which one must come to Africa to +behold." + +"I do not think that I shall ever become a true elephant-hunter," said +the Major. "I feel a sort of repugnance to destroy so sagacious an +animal, and a degree of remorse when one lies dead. At the same time, if +once accustomed to the fearful crashing and noise attending their +movements, I do not consider them very dangerous animals to pursue." + +"Not if people are cool and collected. We have had several famous +elephant-hunters among the Dutch farmers. I remember that one of them, +after a return from a successful chase, made a bet that he would go up +to a wild elephant and pluck eight hairs out of his tail. He did so and +won his bet, for the elephant can not see behind him, and is not very +quick in turning round. However, a short time afterward he made the same +attempt, and being foolhardy from success, the animal was too quick for +him, and he was crushed to death." + +Bremen now came up to them, to say that there was a party of people to +the eastward, and he thought that there was a wagon. On examination with +their telescopes, they found that such was the case; and our travelers +turned their horses' heads in the direction, to ascertain who they might +be, leaving the caravan to proceed by the banks of the river. In about +an hour, they came close to them, and Swinton immediately recognized +them as Griquas, or mixed European and Hottentot races. Of course, they +met in the most friendly manner, and the Griquas said that they had come +to hunt the elephant, eland, and other animals; the former for their +ivory, and the latter for their flesh. Their wagon, which was a very old +one, was loaded with flesh, cut in long strips, and hanging to dry; and +they had a great many hundred-weight of ivory, which they had already +collected. As soon as our travelers had explained to them their own +motions, the Griquas said that they would bring their wagon down in the +evening and encamp with them. Our travelers then returned to the +caravan. + +As they promised, the Griquas joined them late in the afternoon. They +were a party of sixteen; all stout fellows, and armed with the long guns +used by the Dutch boors. They said that they had been two months from +Griqua-town, and were thinking of returning very soon, as their wagon +was loaded to the extent that it would bear. The Major stating that it +was their intention to hunt the giraffe, the Griquas informed them that +they would not find the animal to the southward of the Val River, and +they would have to cross over into the territories of the king +Moselekatsee, who ruled over the Bechuana country, to the northward of +the river; and that it would be very dangerous to attempt so to do +without his permission; indeed, that there would be danger in doing so, +even with it. + +"Do you know any thing of this person, Swinton?" + +"Yes, I have heard of him, but I did not know that he had extended his +conquests so low down as to the Val River." + +"Who is he?" + +"You have heard of Chaka, the king of the Zoolus, who conquered the +whole country, as far as Port Natal to the eastward?" + +"Yes," replied Alexander; "we have heard of him." + +"Well, Moselekatsee was a chief of two or three tribes, who, when hard +pressed by his enemies, took refuge with Chaka, and became one of his +principal warrior chiefs. After a time he quarreled with Chaka, about +the distribution of some cattle they had taken, and aware that he had no +mercy to expect from the tyrant, he revolted from him with a large +force, and withdrew to the Bechuana country. There he conquered all the +tribes, enrolled them in his own army, and gradually became as +formidable as Chaka himself. In the arrangements of his army, he +followed the same plans as Chaka, and has now become a most powerful +monarch, and, they do say, is almost as great a tyrant and despot as +Chaka himself was. I believe that the Griquas are right in saying there +would be danger in passing through his dominions without his +permission." + +"But," said Alexander, "I suppose if we send a message to him and +presents, there will be no difficulty?" + +"Perhaps not, except that our caravan may excite his cupidity, and he +may be induced to delay us to obtain possession of its contents. +However, we had better put this question to the Griquas, who probably +can answer it better." + +The Griquas, on being questioned, replied, that the best plan would be +to send a message to the Matabili capital, where Moselekatsee resided, +requesting permission to hunt in the country, and begging the monarch to +send some of his principal men to receive the presents which they had to +offer;--that it would not take long to receive an answer, as it would +only be necessary to deliver the message to the first officer belonging +to Moselekatsee, at the advanced post. That officer would immediately +dispatch a native with the message, who would arrive much sooner than +any one they could send themselves. Bremen and three other Hottentots +offered to take the message, if our travelers wished it. This was agreed +to, and that afternoon they mounted their horses, and crossed the river. +By the advice of the Griquas, the camp was shifted about a mile further +up the river, on account of the lions. + +The weather now threatened a change; masses of clouds accumulated, but +were again dispersed. The next day the weather was again threatening; +thunder pealed in the distant mountains, and the forked lightning flew +in every direction; but the rain, if any, was expended on the +neighboring hills. + +A strong wind soon blew up so as to try the strength of the canvas +awning of their wagons, and they found it difficult to keep their fires +in at night. They had encamped upon a wide plain covered with high +grass, and abounding with elands and other varieties of antelopes: here +they remained for five days, waiting the reply of the king of the +Matabili, and went out every day to procure game. On the Sabbath-day, +after they had, as usual, performed Divine service, they observed a +heavy smoke to windward, which, as the wind was fresh, soon bore down +upon them and inconvenienced them much. + +Swanevelt stated that the high grass had been fired by some means or +another, and as it threatened to come down upon the encampment, the +Hottentots and Griquas were very busy beating down the grass round about +them. When they had so done, they went to windward some hundred yards +and set fire to the grass in several places; the grass burned quickly, +till it arrived at where it had been beaten down, and the fire was +extinguished. That this was a necessary precaution was fully proved, for +as the night closed in, the whole country for miles was on fire, and the +wind bore the flames down rapidly toward them. + +The sky was covered with clouds, and the darkness of the night made the +flames appear still more vivid; the wind drove them along with a loud +crackling noise, sweeping over the undulating ground, now rising and now +disappearing in the hollows, the whole landscape lighted up for miles. + +As our travelers watched the progress of the flames, and every now and +then observed a terrified antelope spring from its lair, and appearing +like a black figure in a phantasmagoria, suddenly the storm burst upon +them and the rain poured down in torrents, accompanied with large +hailstones and thunder and lightning. The wind was instantly lulled, and +after the first burst of the storm a deathlike silence succeeded to the +crackling of the flames. A deluge of rain descended, and in an instant +every spark of the conflagration was extinguished, and the pitchy +darkness of the night was unbroken by even a solitary star. + +The next morning was bright and clear, and after breakfast, they +perceived the Hottentots who had been sent on their message to +Moselekatsee, on the opposite bank of the river, accompanied by three of +the natives; they soon crossed the river and came to the encampment. The +natives, who were Matabili, were tall, powerful men, well proportioned, +and with regular features; their hair was shorn, and surmounted with an +oval ring attached to the scalp, and the lobe of their left ears was +perforated with such a large hole, that it contained a small gourd, +which was used as a snuff-box. Their dress was a girdle of strips of +catskins, and they each carried two javelins and a knobbed stick for +throwing. + +They were heartily welcomed by our travelers, who placed before them a +large quantity of eland-steaks, and filled their boxes with snuff. As +soon as they had finished eating, and drawn up a large quantity of snuff +into their nostrils, they explained through the Griquas, who could speak +their language, that they had come from the greatest of all monarchs in +the world, Moselekatsee, who wished to know who the strangers were, what +they wanted of him, and what presents they had brought. + +Swinton, who was spokesman, returned for answer that they were hunters, +and not traders; that they had come to see the wonders of the country +belonging to so great a monarch, and that hearing that his majesty had +animals in his country which were not to be found elsewhere, they wanted +permission to kill some, to show upon their return to their own people +what a wonderful country it was that belonged to so great a +monarch;--that they had brought beads and copper wire, and knives, and +boxes for making fire, and snuff and tobacco, all of which they wished +to present to the great monarch; a part as soon as they had received +his permission to enter his territory, and another part when they were +about to leave it. A handsome present of the above articles was then +produced, and the messengers of the king, having surveyed the articles +with some astonishment, declared that their king would feel very glad +when he saw all these things, and that he had desired them to tell our +travelers that they might come into his dominions with safety, and kill +all the animals that they pleased. That his majesty had commanded one of +them to remain with the party, and that as soon as he had received his +presents, he would send a chief to be answerable for their safety. The +Matabili then packed up the articles presented, and two of them set off +at full speed on their return to the king. The third, who remained, +assured our travelers that they might cross the river and enter the +Matabili country as soon as they pleased. + +A debate now ensued as to whether they should go with their whole force +or not. The Matabili had informed them that in three days' journey they +would fall in with the giraffe, which they were in search of, and as +there would be some risk in crossing the river, and they had every +reason to expect that it would soon rise, the question was whether it +would be prudent to take over even one of the wagons. The opinion of the +Griquas was asked, and it was ultimately arranged that they should take +over Alexander's wagon only, with fifteen pair of oxen, and that some of +the Griquas should accompany them, with Swanevelt, Omrah, and +Mahomed;--that Bremen and the Hottentots should remain where they were, +with the other three wagons and the rest of the Griquas, until our +travelers should return. + +This arrangement was not at all disagreeable to the Hottentots, who did +not much like the idea of entering the Matabili country, and were very +happy in their present quarters, as they were plentifully provided with +good meat. Alexander's wagon was therefore arranged so as to carry the +bedding and articles they might require, all other things being removed +to the other wagons. Their best oxen were selected, and eight of the +fleetest of their horses, and on the following morning, having +ascertained from the Matabili the best place to cross the river, our +travelers set off, and in an hour were on the other side. + +There was no change in the country during the first day's journey; the +same variety and brilliancy of flowers were every where to be seen. The +eland and the other antelopes were plentiful, and they were soon joined +by parties of the natives, who requested them to shoot the animals for +them, which they did in quantities even sufficient to satisfy them. +Indeed if they found them troublesome, our travelers had only to bring +down an eland, and the natives were immediately left behind, that they +might devour the animal, which was done in an incredibly short space of +time. The Matabili who had conducted them proved to be a chief, and if +he gave any order, it was instantly obeyed; so that our travelers had no +trouble with the natives except their begging and praying for snuff, +which was incessant, both from the men and women. Neither did they fear +any treachery from the Matabili king, as they were well armed, and the +Griquas were brave men, and the superiority of their weapons made them a +match for a large force. Every precaution, however, was taken when they +halted at night, which they invariably did in the center of an open +plain, to prevent any surprise; and large fires were lighted round the +wagon. + +They traveled on in this way for two days more, when in the evening they +arrived at a large plain sprinkled with mimosa-trees, and abutting on +the foot of a low range of hills. The Matabili told them that they would +find the giraffes on these plains, and the Major, who was very anxious, +kept his telescope to his eyes, looking round in every direction till +nightfall, but did not succeed in descrying any of the objects of his +search. They retired that night with anxious expectation for the +following morning, when they anticipated that they should fall in with +these remarkable animals. Their guns were examined and every precaution +taken, and having lighted their fires and set the watch, they went to +bed; and, after commending themselves to the care of Providence, were +soon fast asleep. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + + +With the exception of three lions coming very near to the encampment and +rousing up the Griquas, nothing occurred during the night. In the +morning they yoked the oxen and had all the horses saddled ready for the +chase; but they were disappointed for nearly the whole day; as, although +they saw a variety of game, no giraffe appeared in sight. In the +afternoon, as they passed by a clump of mimosas, they were charged by a +rhinoceros, which nearly threw down Alexander's best horse; but a volley +from the Griquas laid him prostrate. It was a very large animal, but not +of the black or ferocious sort, being what is termed the white +rhinoceros. Within the last two days they had also observed that the +gnoo was not of the same sort as the one which they had seen so long, +but a variety which Swinton told them was called the brindled gnoo; it +was, however, in every other respect the same animal, as to its motions +and peculiarities. Toward the evening the Matabili warrior who +accompanied them pointed to a mimosa at a distance, and made signs to +the Major that there was a giraffe. + +"I can not see him--do you, Alexander?" said the Major; "he points to +that mimosa with the dead stump on the other side of it, there. Yes, it +is one, I see the stump, as I called it, move; it must be the neck of +the animal. Let loose the dogs, Swanevelt," cried the Major, starting +off at full speed, and followed by Alexander, and Omrah, with the spare +horse. In a minute or two the giraffe was seen to get clear of the +mimosa, and then set off in an awkward, shambling kind of gallop; but +awkward as the gallop appeared, the animal soon left the Major behind. +It sailed along with incredible velocity, its long, swan-like neck +keeping time with its legs, and its black tail curled above its back. + +"Push on, Alexander," cried the Major; "if ever there were seven-league +boots, that animal has a pair of them on. He goes like the wind; but he +can not keep it up long, depend upon it, and our horses are in capital +condition." + +Alexander and the Major were now neck and neck, close to each other, at +full speed, when of a sudden the Major's horse stumbled, and fell upon +an ostrich, which was sitting on her nest; Alexander's horse also +stumbled and followed after the Major; and there they were, horses and +riders, all rolling together among the ostrich-eggs; while the ostrich +gained her legs, and ran off as fast as the giraffe. + +As soon as they had got on their legs again, and caught the bridles of +their horses, they looked round, but could not distinguish the giraffe, +which was out of sight among the mimosa-trees; while Omrah was very busy +picking up their rifles, and laughing in a very disrespectful manner. +The Major and Alexander soon joined in the laugh. No bones were broken, +and the horses had received no injury. All they had to do was to return +to the caravan looking very foolish. + +"Your first essay in giraffe-hunting has been very successful," said +Swinton, laughing, as they came up to him. + +"Yes, we both threw very pretty summersets, did we not?" said Alexander. +"However, we have got some ostrich-eggs for supper, and that is better +than nothing. It will soon be dark, so we had better encamp for the +night, had we not?" + +"I was about to propose it," said Swinton. + +"Did you ever hunt the giraffe, Swinton?" inquired Alexander, as they +were making their supper on roasted ostrich-eggs; each of them holding +one between his knees, and dipping out with a large spoon. + +"Never," replied Swinton; "I have often seen them in Namaqua-land, but +never killed one. I remember, however, a circumstance connected with the +giraffe, which would have been incredible to me, if I had not seen the +remains of the lion. You are well aware how long and strong are the +thorns of the mimosa (or kamel-tree, as the Dutch call it, from the +giraffe browsing upon it), and how the boughs of these trees lie like an +umbrella, close upon one another. A native chief informed me that he +witnessed a lion attacking a giraffe. The lion always springs at the +head or neck, and seizes the animal by that part, riding him, as it +were. The giraffe sets off at full speed with its enemy, and is so +powerful as often to get rid of him; for I have seen giraffes killed +which had the marks of the lion's teeth and claws upon them. In this +instance the lion made a spring, but the giraffe at that very moment +turning sharp round, the lion missed his aim, and by the blow it +received was tossed in the air, so that he fell upon the boughs of the +mimosa on his back. The boughs were not only compact enough to bear his +weight, but the thorns that pierced through his body were so strong as +to hold the enormous animal where he lay. He could not disengage +himself; and they pointed out to me the skeleton on the boughs of the +tree, as a corroboration of the truth of the story." + +"It does really approach to the marvelous," observed the Major; "but, as +you say, seeing is believing. I trust that we shall be more fortunate +to-morrow." + +"I have gained a piece of information from Swanevelt," said Swinton, +"which makes me very anxious that we should leave this as soon as +possible; which is, that the Matabili king had no idea that we had +Griquas in our company, and still less that we were to come into his +country with only the Griquas as attendants. You are not perhaps aware +that Moselekatsee is the deadly enemy of the Griquas, with whom he has +had several severe conflicts, and that we are not very safe on that +account?" + +"Why did not the Griquas say so?" replied Alexander. + +"Because they do not care for the Matabili, and I presume are glad to +come into the country, that they may know something of it, in case of +their making an attack upon it. Depend upon it, as soon as the king +hears of it, we shall be looked upon as spies, and he may send a party +to cut us off." + +"Have you said any thing to the Griquas?" + +"Yes, and they laughed, and said that they should not care if we went +right up to the principal town, where Moselekatsee resides." + +"Well, they are bold enough, and so far are good traveling companions; +but we certainly did not come here to fight," observed the Major. "But +does the Matabili with us know that they are Griquas?" + +"He did not; he supposed that they were Cape people whom we had brought +with us; but he has found it out by the Hottentots, I suppose. Swanevelt +says, that the very first body of Matabili that we fell in with, he sent +a runner off immediately, I presume to give the information. I think, +therefore, that the sooner we can get away the better." + +"Well, I agree with you, Swinton," replied Alexander. + +"We will try for the giraffe to-morrow, and when the Major has had the +satisfaction of killing one, we will retrace our steps, for should we be +attacked, it will be impossible to defend ourselves long against +numbers. So now to bed." + +They rose early the next morning, and, leaving the wagon where it was, +again proceeded on horseback in search of giraffes. They rode at a slow +pace for four or five miles, before they could discover any. At last a +herd of them were seen standing together browsing on the leaves of the +mimosa. They made a long circuit to turn them, and drive them toward the +camp, and in this they succeeded. The animals set off at their usual +rapid pace, but did not keep it up long, as there were several not full +grown among them, which could not get over the ground so fast as the +large male of the preceding day. After a chase of three miles, they +found that the animals' speed was rapidly decreasing, and they were +coming up with them. When within a hundred yards, Alexander fired and +wounded a female which was in the rear. The Major pushed on with the +dogs after a large male, and it stopped at bay under a mimosa, kicking +most furiously at the dogs. The Major leveled his rifle, and brought the +animal down with his first shot. It rose again, however, and for a +hundred yards went away at a fast pace; but it again fell, to rise no +more. The female which Alexander had wounded received another shot, and +was then also prostrated." + +"I have killed a _giraffe_," said the Major, standing by the side of the +one he had killed. "It has been a long way to travel, and there have +been some dangers to encounter for the sake of performing this feat; but +we have all our follies, and are eager in pursuit of just as great +trifles through life; so that in this I am not perhaps more foolish than +the rest of mankind. I have obtained my wishes--I have killed a giraffe; +and now I don't care how soon we go back again." + +"Nor do I," replied Alexander; "for I can say with you, when we arrive +in England, I too have killed a giraffe; so you will not be able to +boast over me. By Swinton's account if we stay here much longer, we +shall have to kill Matabili, which I am not anxious to do; therefore, I +now say with you, I don't care how soon we go back to the Cape." + +As they were not more than two miles from the wagon, they rode back, and +sent the Griquas to bring in the flesh of the animals; Swinton not +caring for the skins, as he had already procured some in Namaqua-land, +and the weight of them would be so very great for the wagon. On their +return, they had some conversation with the Griquas, who candidly +acknowledged that it was very likely that the Matabili king would +attempt to cut them off, although they appeared not at all afraid of his +making the attempt. They, however, readily consented to return the next +morning. That night, a messenger arrived to the Matabili chief who was +escorting them. What was the communication of course our travelers could +not tell; but their suspicions were confirmed by the behavior of the +man. When he found that, on the following morning, they yoked the oxen +and retraced their steps, he begged them not to go, but to advance into +the interior of the country, where they would find plenty of game; told +them that the king would be very angry if they left so soon; and if he +did not see them, his heart would be very sad. But our travelers had +made up their mind, and traveled back during the whole of that day. The +Matabili dispatched the messenger who had come to him, and who again set +off at all speed; at night he urged our travelers not to go back, saying +that the king would be very angry with him. But as the Griquas were now +equally convinced that treachery was intended, they paid no attention +to the Matabili chief, and continued their route, shooting elands by the +way for their sustenance. Late in the evening of the third day they +found themselves on the borders of the Val river. It was still two hours +before dark, and as the Matabili pressed them to encamp where they were, +they were satisfied that they had better not, and therefore they forded +the river, and rejoined the caravan, under charge of Bremen, just as +night closed in. + +The Griquas said, that from the Matabili wishing them to remain on the +other side of the river, they were persuaded that a force would arrive +during that night or the following morning, and that it would be +necessary to be on the look-out; although probably the enemy would not +venture to attack them without further orders, now that they were no +longer in Moselekatsee's dominions. Every preparation was therefore +made: the Griquas and Hottentots were all supplied with ammunition, and +mustered with their guns in their hands. The wagons were arranged, the +fires lighted, and four men were posted as sentinels round the +encampment. What added still more to their suspicions was, that, about +an hour after dark, the Matabili chief was not to be found. + +"My opinion is," said the Major, "that we ought to steal a march upon +them. Our oxen are in excellent condition, and may travel till to-morrow +evening without feeling it. Let us yoke and be off at once, now that it +is dark. The moon will rise about two o'clock in the morning, but before +that the wagons will be twelve or fifteen miles off. Alexander and I, +with Bremen, will remain here with our horses and wait till the moon +rises, to see if we can discover any thing: and we can easily join the +wagons by daybreak. We will keep the fires up, to allow them to suppose +that we are still encamped, that they may not pursue." + +"And also to keep off the lions," observed Alexander, "which are not +enemies to be despised." + +"I think it is a very good plan; but why not have more men with you? We +have plenty of horses, and so have the Griquas." + +"Well then, let us talk to the Griquas." + +The Griquas approved of the plan; and, having their own horses, six of +them agreed to remain with Alexander and the Major, and Swanevelt and +two more of the Hottentots were also mounted to remain; which made a +force of twelve men, well mounted and well armed. The remainder of the +caravan yoked the oxen to the wagons, and, under the direction of +Swinton, set off in a southerly direction, across the desert, instead of +going by the banks of the Val River, as before. + +This had been arranged previously to any expected attack from the +Matabili, as it would considerably shorten the distance on returning, +although they knew that they would find much difficulty in procuring +water for a few days. After the caravan had departed, it was found that +Omrah had helped himself to a horse and a gun, and had remained in the +camp; but as he was always useful, his so doing was passed over without +notice. In half an hour the wagons were out of sight, and the noise of +their wheels was no longer to be heard. + +They fastened their horses in the center of the fires, and sat down by +them till the moon rose, when they directed their eyes to the opposite +bank of the river; but for some time nothing was discovered to confirm +their suspicions. When the moon was about an hour high, they perceived a +body of men coming, down toward the banks, and the moon shone upon their +shields, which were white. As soon as they arrived at the bank of the +river, they all sat down, without making any noise. Shortly afterward, +another body with dark-colored shields, made their appearance, who came +down and joined the first. + +"We were not wrong in our suspicions, at all events," said the Major; "I +should say that there are not less than a thousand men in these two +parties which have already appeared. Now, what shall we do? Shall we +remain here, or shall we be off, and join the wagons?" + +"I really can hardly decide which would be the best," replied Alexander; +"let us have a consultation with Bremen and the Griquas." + +"If we were to go away now," said Bremen, "the fires would soon be out, +and they might suspect something, and come over to reconnoiter. When +they found that we were gone, they would perhaps follow us, and overtake +the wagons; but if we remain here, and keep the fires up till daybreak, +the wagons will have gained so much more distance." + +The Griquas were of the same opinion; and it was decided that they would +remain there till daybreak, and then set off. + +"But," said Alexander, "shall we leave this before they can see us, or +allow them to see us?" + +The Griquas said, that it would be better that the enemy should see +them, as then they would know that the fires had been kept up to deceive +them, and that the wagons were probably a long way off. + +This having been agreed upon, a careful watch was kept upon the enemy +during the remainder of the night. Although the moon had discovered the +approach of the Matabili to the party, the spot where the camp had been +pitched was in the shade, so that from the opposite side of the river +only the fires could be distinguished. A little before dawn, some one +was heard approaching, and they were all prepared to fire, when they +discovered that it was Omrah, who, unknown to them, had crawled down to +the banks of the river to reconnoiter the enemy. + +Omrah, who was out of breath with running, stated that some of the +Matabili were crossing the river, and that six had landed on this side, +before he came up to give the information. He pointed to a clump of +trees, about three hundred yards off, and said that they had gone up in +that direction, and were probably there by that time. + +"Then we had better saddle and mount," said the Major, "and ride away +gently to the wood on this side of the camp. We shall then be able to +watch their motions without being seen." + +This advice was good, and approved by all. They led out their horses +without noise, and as soon as they had done so, they went back, and +threw more fuel on the fires. They then retreated to the wood, which was +about the same distance from the camp, on the other side, as the clump +of trees where the Matabili were secreted. + +They had hardly concealed themselves, before the Matabili in the clump, +surprised at not seeing the awnings of the wagons, and suspecting that +they had been deceived, came out from their ambuscade; first crawling on +all-fours, and as they arrived at the camp, and found only fires +burning, rising up one after another. After remaining about a minute in +consultation, two of the party were sent back to the river to +communicate this intelligence to the main body, while the others +searched about in every direction. Alexander, with the Major and their +party, remained where they were, as it was their intention to cross +through the wood, until they came to the open ground, about a quarter of +a mile to the southward, and then show themselves to the enemy, before +they went to join the wagons. + +In a few minutes it was daylight, and they now perceived that the whole +body of the Matabili were crossing the river. + +"They intend to pursue us, then," said Alexander. + +Omrah now pointed to the side of the river, in the direction which the +wagons had traveled when they came up by its banks, saying, "When go +away--ride that way first--same track wagon go that way back--same way +wagon come." + +"The boy is right," said the Major; "when we start from the wood, we +will keep by the riverside, in the track by which the wagons came; and +when we are concealed from them by the hills or trees, we will then +start off to the southward after the wagons." + +"I see," replied Alexander; "they will probably take the marks of the +wagon-wheels coming here, for those of the wagons going away, and will +follow them; presuming, as we go that way, that our wagons have gone +also. But here they come up the banks; it is time for us to be off." + +"Quite time," said the Major; "so now let us show ourselves, and then +trust to our heels." + +The Matabili force was now within four hundred yards of the camp. It +was broad daylight; and, with their white and red shields and short +spears in their hands, they presented a very formidable appearance. + +There was no time to be lost, so the party rode out of the end of the +wood nearest the river, and, as soon as they made their appearance, were +received by a yell from the warriors, who dashed forward in the +direction where they stood. The Major had directed that no one should +fire, as he and Alexander did not wish that any blood should be shed +unnecessarily. They therefore waved their hands, and turning their +horses' heads galloped off by the banks of the river, keeping in the +tracks made by the wagons when they came up. + +As soon as they galloped a quarter of a mile, they pulled up, and turned +their horses' heads to reconnoiter. They perceived that the Matabili +force was pursuing them at the utmost speed: but as they had no +horsemen, that speed was of course insufficient to overtake the +well-mounted party in advance. As soon as they were near, our party +again galloped off and left them behind. Thus they continued for four or +five miles, the Matabili force pursuing them, or rather following the +tracks of the wagons, when they observed a belt of trees before them +about a mile off; this the Major considered as a good screen to enable +them to alter their course without being perceived by the enemy. They +therefore galloped forward, and as soon as they were hidden by the +trees, turned off in a direction by which they made certain to fall in +with the track which the wagons had made on their departure during the +night. + +They had ridden about two miles, still concealed in the wood, when they +had the satisfaction of perceiving the Matabili force still following at +a rapid pace the tracks of the wagons on the riverside. Having watched +them for half an hour, as they now considered that all was safe, they +again continued their course, so as to fall in with the wagons. + +"I think we are clear of them now," said the Major; "they have evidently +fallen into the trap proposed by that clever little fellow, Omrah." + +"He is a very intelligent boy," observed Alexander, "and, traveling in +this country, worth his weight in gold." + +"I wish Swinton would make him over to me," said the Major; "but, +Alexander, do you observe what a change there is already in the +country?" + +"I do indeed," replied Alexander; "and all ahead of us it appears to be +still more sterile and bare." + +"Yes, when you leave the rivers, you leave vegetation of all kinds +almost. There is no regular rainy season at all here, Swinton says; we +may expect occasional torrents of rain during three months, but they are +now very uncertain; the mountains attract the greater portion of the +rain, and sometimes there will not be a shower on the plains for the +whole year." + +"How far shall we have to travel before we fall in with water again?" +inquired Alexander. + +"Swinton says there may be water in a river about sixty miles from where +we started last night; if not, we shall have to proceed about thirty +miles further, to the Gykoup or Vet River. After that we shall have to +depend for many days upon the water we may find in the holes, which, as +the season is now coming on, may probably be filled by the rain." + +Alexander and his party rode for seven or eight miles before they fell +in with the tracks of the caravan; they then pulled up their jaded +horses, and proceeded at a more leisurely pace, so that it was not till +late in the evening that they discovered the wagons at some distance, +having passed the dry bed of Salt River ahead of them. During the whole +day their horses had had neither food nor water, and the animals were +much exhausted when they came up with the wagons. The oxen also were +fatigued with so long a journey, having made nearly fifty miles since +they started the evening before. + +The country was now stony and sterile; a little vegetation was to be +found here and there, but not sufficient to meet the wants of the +animals, and water there was none. During the day but little game had +been seen,--few zebras and ostriches only; all other varieties had +disappeared. There was of course no wood to light the fires round the +encampment: a sufficiency for cooking their victuals had been thrown +into the wagons, and two sheep were killed to supply a supper for so +numerous a party. But the absence of game also denoted the absence of +lions, and they were not disturbed during the night. In the morning the +Griquas parted company with them, on the plea that their oxen and horses +were in too poor a condition to pass over the desert, and that they must +make a direct course for the Val River and return by its banks. + +Our travelers gave them a good supply of ammunition, the only thing that +they wished for, and the Griquas, yoking their oxen to the crazy old +wagon, set off in a westerly direction. + +The route of the caravan was now directed more to the south-west, and +they passed over an uninterrupted plain strewed with small +land-tortoises, and covered with a profusion of the gayest flowers. +About noon, after a sultry journey of nine hours, they fortunately +arrived at a bog, in which they found a pool of most fetid water, which +nothing but necessity could have compelled either them or the exhausted +animals to drink. Near this pool in the desert they found several wild +animals, and they obtained three gnoos for a supply of provision; the +little wood that they had in the wagon for fuel was all used up in +cooking their supper. + +A heavy dew fell during the night, and in the morning, before the sun +rose, they were enveloped in a thick fog. As the fog dispersed, they +perceived herds of quaggas in all directions, but at a great distance. +They again yoked the oxen and proceeded on their journey; the country +was now covered with herbage and flowers of every hue, and looked like a +garden. + +"How strange that the ground should be covered with flowers where there +is no rain or water to be found," observed Alexander. + +"It is the heavy dews of the night which support them," said Swinton, +"and perhaps the occasional rains which fall." + +A line of trees to the southward told them that they were now +approaching an unnamed river, and the tired oxen quickened their pace; +but on their arrival they found that the bed of the river was dry, and +not even a drop of water was to be found in the pools. The poor animals, +which had been unyoked, snuffed and smelt at the wet, damp earth, and +licked it with their tongues, but could obtain no relief. The water +which they had had in the casks for their own drinking was now, all +gone; and there were no hopes of obtaining any till they arrived at the +Vet River, at least twenty-five to thirty miles distant. Two of the oxen +lay down to rise no more, the countenances of the Hottentots were +dejected and sullen, and our travelers felt that their situation was +alarming. + +While they were still searching and digging for water, the sky became +overcast, thunder and lightning were seen and heard in the distance, and +the clouds came rolling in volumes toward them. Hope was now in every +face; they already anticipated the copious showers which were to +succeed; their eyes ever fixed upon the coming storm; even the cattle +appeared to be conscious that relief was at hand. All the day the clouds +continued to gather, and the lightning to gleam. Night closed in, but +the rain had not yet fallen; the wind rose up, and in less than an hour +all the clouds had passed away, the stars shone out brightly, and they +were left in a state of suffering and disappointment. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + + +As our travelers were sitting together, each occupied with his own +melancholy thoughts, after the dispersion of the clouds and the +anticipated relief, the Major said-- + +"It is useless our remaining here; we must all perish if we do not +proceed, and it would be better for us to yoke and travel by night; the +animals will bear the journey better, and the people will not be so +inclined to brood over their misfortunes when on the march as when thus +huddled together here, and communicating their lamentations to +dishearten each other. It is now nine o'clock; let us yoke and push on +as far as we can." + +"I agree with you, Major," said Alexander; "what do you say, Swinton?" + +"I am convinced that it will be the best plan, so let us rouse up the +people at once. There is the roar of a lion at some distance, and we +have no fires to scare them off." + +"The creaking of the wagon-wheels will be better than nothing," replied +the Major. + +The Hottentots were roused, and the orders given to yoke: the poor +fellows were all sound asleep; for a Hottentot, when he hungers or +thirsts, seeks refuge from all his miseries in sleep. The oxen were +yoked, and they proceeded; but hardly had they gone a mile, when the +roar of three or four lions, close upon them, caused such alarm to the +horses and the oxen which were not yoked that they started off in full +gallop in a northerly direction. + +Alexander, the Major, and Omrah, who were the best mounted, immediately +set off in pursuit of them, desiring Swinton to proceed with the +caravan, and they would drive on the cattle and join him. They galloped +off as well as the horses could gallop, and perceived the stray horses +and oxen still at full speed, as if they were chased by the lions. They +followed in the direction, but it was now so dark that they were guided +only by the clatter of their hoofs and their shoes in the distance; and +after a chase of four or five miles they had lost all vestiges of them, +and pulled up their panting steeds. + +"We may as well go back again," said Alexander; "the animals must have +made a circuit." + +"I suppose so," said the Major; "but my horse trembles so, that I had +better dismount for a little while, that he may recover himself; indeed, +so had you too and Omrah, for the animals are completely worn out." + +"The clouds are rising again," said Alexander; "I trust that we may not +be disappointed a second time." + +"Yes, and there is lightning again in the horizon--may the Almighty help +us in our distress," exclaimed the Major. + +The horses, exhausted from want of water, continued to pant so +fearfully, that it was nearly half an hour before they ventured to +mount, that they might return to the caravan. In the meantime the +heavens had become wholly obscured by the clouds, and there was every +prospect of a heavy shower; at last a few drops did fall. + +"Thank God!" exclaimed Alexander, as he lifted his face up to the +heavens, to feel the drops as they fell. "Now let us return." + +They mounted their horses and set off, but the stars were no longer +visible to guide them, and they proceeded on at a slow pace, uncertain +whether they were right or wrong. This they cared little about; their +thoughts were upon the coming rain, which they so anxiously awaited. For +more than three hours they were tantalized by the lightning flashing and +the thunder pealing, every moment expecting the flood-gate of the +heavens to be opened; but, as before, they were doomed to +disappointment. Before the morning dawned the clouds had again +retreated; and when the sky was clear, they found by the stars that +their horses' heads were turned to the northward and eastward. + +They altered their course in silence, for they were worn out and +despondent; they suffered dreadfully from thirst, and it was pitiable to +see the tongues of the poor horses hanging out of their mouths. Day +dawned, and there were no signs of the caravan. A thick vapor was rising +from every quarter, and they hoped that when it cleared up they would be +more fortunate; but no, there was the same monotonous landscape, the +same carpet of flowers without perfume. The sun was now three hours +high, and the heat was intense; their tongues clove to the roofs of +their mouths, while still they went on over flowery meads; but neither +forest nor pool, nor any trees which might denote the bed of the river, +caught their earnest gaze. + +"This is dreadful," said Alexander, at last, speaking with difficulty. + +"We are lost, that is certain," said the Major; "but we must trust in +God." + +"Yes, we may now say, Lord help us, or we perish," replied Alexander. + +At this moment, little Omrah, who had been behind, rode up to them, and +offered them one of the Hottentots' pipes, which he had lighted saying, +"Smoke,--not feel so bad." Alexander took it, and after a few whiffs +found that it had the effect or producing a little saliva, and he handed +it to the Major, who did the same, and felt immediate relief. + +They continued to walk their horses in a southerly direction; but the +heat was now so great, that it became almost insufferable, and at last +the horses stood still. They dismounted and drove their horses slowly +before them over the glowing plain; and now the mirage deluded and +tantalized them in the strangest manner. At one time Alexander pointed +with delight (for he could not speak) to what he imagined to be the +wagons; they pushed on, and found that it was a solitary quagga, +magnified thus by the mirage. Sometimes they thought that they saw lakes +of water in the distance, and hastened on to them; and then they fancied +they were close to rivers and islands, covered with luxuriant foliage, +but still were doomed to disappointment; as all was the result of the +highly-rarefied air, and the refraction of the sun's rays on the sultry +plain. What would they have given for a bush even to afford them any +shelter from the noonday sun, for the crowns of their heads appeared as +if covered with live coal, and their minds began to wander. The poor +horses moved at the slowest pace, and only when driven on by Omrah, who +appeared to suffer much less than his masters. Every now and then he +handed to them the pipe, but at last even that had no longer any relief. +Speech had been for some hours totally lost. Gradually the sun sunk down +to the horizon, and as his scorching rays became less intense they to a +certain degree recovered their wandering senses. + +At night they sat down by the side of the horses, and, worn out with +fatigue and exhaustion, fell into a troubled sleep; a sleep which, if it +relieved their worn-out frames, condemned them to the same tantalizing +feelings as had been created by the mirage during the day. They dreamed +that they were in the bowers of paradise, hearing heavenly music; +passing from crystal stream to stream, slaking their thirst at each, +and reclining on couches of verdant green. Every thing that was +delightful appeared to them in their dreams; they were in the abodes of +bliss, and thus did they remain for an hour or two, when they were +wakened up by the roar of a lion, which reminded them that they were +without food or water in the desert. + +They awoke speechless with thirst, their eyes inflamed, and their whole +bodies burning like a coal, and the awful roar of the lion still +reverberated along the ground. They started on their legs, and found +Omrah close to them, holding the bridles of the horses, which were +attempting to escape. They were still confused, when they were fully +restored to their waking senses by a second roar of the lion still +nearer to them; and by the imperfect light of the stars they could now +distinguish the beast at about one hundred yards' distance. Omrah put +the bridles of their two horses in their hands, and motioned them to go +on in the direction opposite to where the lion was. They did so without +reflection, mechanically obeying the directions of the man-child, and +not perceiving that Omrah did not follow them. They had advanced about +one hundred yards with the terrified animals, when another loud roar was +followed up by the shriek of the other horse, announcing that he had +become a victim to the savage animal. They both started, and dropping +the reins of their horses, hastened with their rifles to the help of +Omrah, of whose absence they now for the first time were aware; but they +were met half-way by the boy, who contrived to say with difficulty, +"Lion want horse, not little Bushman." They waited a few seconds, but +the cries of the poor animal, and the crushing and cracking of its +bones, were too painful to hear; and they hastened on and rejoined the +other horses, which appeared paralyzed with fear, and had remained +stationary. + +They again led their horses on for an hour, when they arrived at a small +pile of rocks; there they again lay down, for they were quite exhausted +and careless of life. Not even the roar of a lion would have aroused +them now, or if it had roused them they would have waited for the +animal to come and put an end to their misery. But another and a softer +noise attracted the quick ear of Omrah, and he pushed Alexander, and put +his finger up to induce him to listen. + +Having listened a little longer, Omrah made signs to Alexander and the +Major to follow him. The noise which Omrah had heard was the croaking of +a frog, which denoted water at hand, and the sniffing of the horses +confirmed him in his supposition. Omrah led the way through the rocks, +descending lower and lower; and ever and anon listening to the noise of +the animal, till he perceived the stars of heaven above reflected in a +small pool, which he pointed out to Alexander and the Major. Down they +dropped to earth and drank, and as soon as their thirst was satisfied +they rose, and pushed Omrah forward to make him drink also; and as the +boy who had saved their lives was drinking, they kneeled down and +prayed--not loud, for they had not yet recovered their speech; but if +ever grateful prayers were offered up to the Almighty throne, they were +by our two travelers, as they kneeled by the side of this small pool. +They rose and hastened to their horses, and led them down to the water, +when the poor animals filled themselves almost to bursting, walked away, +and returned to drink more. They also repeated their draught several +times, and then lay down, and would have fallen asleep by the side of +the pool had not Omrah, who could now speak freely, said, "No, no; lion +come here for water; up the rock again and sleep there--I bring horses." +This good advice was followed, and when they had gained the summit of +the rising ground they again lay down and slept till daylight. + +When they awoke, they found themselves much refreshed, but they now +felt--what they had not done during their extreme suffering from +thirst--the craving pangs of hunger. Omrah was fast asleep, and the +horses picking among the herbage, about two hundred yards off. + +"We have much to thank God for," said Alexander to the Major. + +"We have indeed, and, next to divine aid, we have to thank that poor +boy. We have been as children in his hands, and we are indebted to him +and his resources for our lives this night. I could not speak yesterday, +nor could you; but his courage in remaining with the horse as an +offering to the lion I shall not forget." + +"He is a child of the desert," replied Alexander; "he has been brought +up among lions, and where there is scarcity of water, and he has most +wonderfully guided us in our path; but we are still in the desert, and +have lost our companions. What must we do? Shall we attempt to regain +the caravan, or push off to the westward, to fall in with the river +again?" + +"We will talk of this an hour hence," replied the Major; "let us now go +down to the pool, and as soon as I have had a drink I will try if I can +not kill something for a meal. My hunger is now almost as great as was +my thirst." + +"And mine too, so I will go with you; but we must be careful how we +approach the water, as we may fall in with some animal to make a meal +of." + +"Or with a lion, ready to make a meal of us," replied the Major; "so in +either instance we must approach it cautiously." + +As they walked to the pool, they discovered the head of an antelope just +above a rock. The Major fired, and the animal fell. The report of the +rifle was answered by a roar; three lions bounded away from the rock, +and went at a quick canter over the plain. + +"Both our suppositions have proved correct," observed Alexander, as they +walked up to where the antelope lay dead; "but how are we to cook the +animal?" + +"Any dry stuff will serve for a fire, if we can only get enough, and a +very little cooking will serve us just now. Here comes Omrah. Let us +carry the game up to where we slept last night, as soon as we have had a +drink." + +They went to the pool, and were surprised to behold the filthy puddle +which had appeared to them so like nectar the night before. They were +not sufficiently thirsty to overcome their disgust, and they turned away +from it. + +Omrah now began collecting dried grass, and herbs, and lichen from the +rocks, and had soon a sufficiency to make a small fire; they struck a +light, and cutting off steaks from the antelope, were in a short time +very busy at the repast. When their hunger was appeased, they found that +their thirst was renewed, and they went down to the pool, and shutting +their eyes drank plentifully. Omrah cooked as much of the meat as the +small fire would permit, that they might not want for the next +twenty-four hours; and the horses being again led to the water to drink, +they mounted, and proceeded to the southward, followed by Omrah on foot. +Another day was passed in searching for the caravan without success. No +water was to be found. The heat was dreadful; and at night they threw +themselves down on the ground, careless of life; and had it not been +sinful they would have prayed for death. The next morning they arose in +a state of dreadful suffering; they could not speak, but they made +signs, and resolved once more to attempt to join the caravan. + +They proceeded during the whole of the forenoon in the direction by +which they hoped to discover the tracks of the wagons. The heat was +overpowering, and they felt all the agony of the day before. At last the +horses could proceed no further; they both lay down, and our travelers +had little hopes of their ever rising again. The scorching of the sun's +rays was so dreadful, that they thrust their heads into some empty +ant-hills to keep off the heat, and there they lay in as forlorn and +hopeless a state as the horses. Speak they could not; their parched +tongues rattled like boards against the roofs of their mouths; their +lips were swollen and bloated, and their eyes inflamed and starting from +the sockets. As Alexander afterward said to Swinton, he then recollected +the thoughts which had risen in his mind on his departure from the +English shore, and the surmise whether he might not leave his bones +bleaching in the desert; and Alexander now believed that such was to be +the case, and he prayed mentally and prepared for death. The Major was +fully possessed of the same idea; but as they lay at some yards' +distance, with their heads buried in the ant-hills, they could not +communicate with each other even by signs. At last they fell into a +state of stupor and lost all recollection. But an Almighty Providence +watched over them, and during their state of insensibility the clouds +again rose and covered the firmament, and this time they did not rise in +mockery; for, before the day was closed, torrents descended from them +and deluged the whole plain. + +Omrah, who had held up better than his masters, crawled out of the +ant-hill into which he had crept; and as soon as the rain descended, he +contrived to pull the heads of the Major and Alexander, who still +remained senseless, from out of the ant-hills, and to turn their +blackened and swollen faces to the sky. As their clothes became +saturated with the rain and the water poured into their mouths, they +gradually revived, and at last were completely restored. The wind now +rose and blew fresh, and before morning they were shivering with cold, +and when they attempted to get up found their limbs were cramped. + +Soon after daylight the rain ceased, and they were glad to bask in the +then cheering rays of the sun, which had nearly destroyed them on the +day before. The horses had recovered their legs and were feeding close +to them; and the flesh of the antelope, which had been untasted, was now +greedily devoured. Most devoutly did they return thanks for their +preservation, and the hopes which were now held out to them of +ultimately regaining the colony; for they had abandoned all hopes of +reaching the caravan, as they considered the risk of crossing the desert +too great. They made up their minds to push for the Val River as fast as +they could, and proceed back by its banks. + +They had two horses, and Omrah could ride behind one of them, when he +was tired; they had guns and ammunition, and although they were fully +aware of the dangers to which they would be exposed, they thought +lightly of them after what they had suffered. They now mounted their +horses, and proceeded at a slow pace toward the westward, for the poor +animals were still very weak. At sunset they had traveled about ten +miles, and looked out for a spot to pass the night. Wood to light fires +they had none, but they hoped, if their horses were not taken away by +the lions, to reach a branch of the river by the following evening. +There was now no want of water, as they repeatedly passed by small +pools, which, for a day or two at least, would not be evaporated by the +heat of the sun. But they knew that by that time, if no more rain fell, +they would have again to undergo the former terrible privations, and +therefore resolved upon continuing their course toward the river as +their safest plan, now that they had lost the caravan. + +As they were seated on a rising ground which they had chosen for their +night's rest, and occasionally firing off their rifles to drive away the +lions which were heard prowling about; all of a sudden Omrah cried out, +and pointed to the northward; our travelers turned and perceived a +rocket ascending the firmament, and at last breaking out into a group of +brilliant stars. + +"It is the caravan," exclaimed the Major; "Swinton has remembered that I +put some rockets into my wagon." + +"We must have passed it," said Alexander, springing on his feet. "God be +praised for all his mercies." + +"Amen," replied the Major devoutly. + +Omrah ran after the horses, which were feeding close to them, for their +instinctive fear of the lions made them keep as close as possible to +their masters. They were soon mounted, with Omrah behind the Major, and +set off at all the speed that they could obtain from the animals. After +an interval another rocket was seen, and by its light they discovered +that they were not a mile from the wagons. The horses appeared to be +sensible of this, and went off at a quicker pace; and in a few minutes +they had rushed in among the cattle, and Alexander and the Major were +received into the arms of Swinton, and surrounded by the Hottentots, who +were loud in their congratulations at their return. + +As soon as Alexander and the Major had made known their perils and +sufferings to Swinton, the latter informed them that about three hours +after they had left the caravan in pursuit of the cattle, the animals +had returned, that of course, he had fully expected them to follow. + +Finding that they did not arrive, he had decided upon remaining where +he was, at all events, for another day; but that the cattle were by that +time so exhausted, that it was with difficulty they were moved, and he +could not proceed with them more than ten miles, when they lay down in +their yokes. Thirteen had died, and the others must have shared their +fate, if it had not been for the providential rain, which had restored +them. + +Swinton stated that he had been in a great state of alarm for them, and +that he had almost satisfied himself that they had perished, although he +had used every means that he could think of. When he fired the rockets +off, he had scarcely a hope of thus bringing them back to the caravan. + +"However," observed Swinton, "it shows that we should never despair, and +never leave a chance untried, even in the most desperate circumstances. +You are back again, and I thank the Almighty for it with all my heart +and all my soul and all my strength, most fervently and most sincerely. +I have been very, very miserable, I can assure you, my dear fellows. The +idea of returning to the Cape without you was dreadful. Indeed, I never +would have left the country until I had found you, or had some clew to +your deaths." + +"Our preservation has indeed been miraculous," replied the Major; "I +never thought to have raised my head out of the ant-hill again." + +"Nor I," replied Alexander; "and next to the Almighty, we certainly owe +our lives to little Omrah. There is nothing that I would not do for that +boy, if you will only give him over to my care." + +"Or mine, Swinton," replied the Major. + +"Depend upon it," replied Swinton, "I will do all for him that ought to +be done; I owe him a debt of gratitude for preserving my friends, and +will not forget to repay it." + +"Well then, you must allow us to help him as well," replied the Major. +"How far are we now from the Modder River?" + +"About forty miles, I should think, and we had better push on as fast as +we, can; for although the river will contain water, the pools in the +desert between us and the river will soon be dried up. The cattle, +however, are still very weak, and, as I have stated, we have lost all +our relays. But you must long to have a good night's rest, so go to your +wagons, and we will watch and keep off the wild beasts. We have been +obliged to fire our guns all night long since your absence, and have +burned one of the spare poles of the wagons to cook our victuals." + +Every thing is comparative. When our travelers first took up their +night's lodgings in the wagons they found their resting-places hard, +after sleeping in comfortable beds at Cape Town; but now, after having +passed their nights in the wild desert, their mattresses in the wagons +were a luxury that was fully appreciated. Returning thanks to Heaven for +their preservation, Alexander and the Major slept soundly till morning, +notwithstanding that the latter was often half roused by the +importunities of Begum, who appeared delighted at the return of her +master. + +At daylight the oxen were yoked, and they proceeded on their journey. +There was no want of game; indeed they were so plentiful, that they shot +them from the caravan as they passed. At night they had made twenty-five +miles, and before they had unyoked, a deluge of rain again fell, and +they passed a very uncomfortable night, as it was very cold, and they +could light no fires, from want of fuel. Any thing, however, was better +than the want of water; and early in the morning they again yoked their +oxen, and, after a hard day's toil, were rejoiced to perceive at a +distance the trees which lined the banks of the Modder River. The sight +was hailed with joy by the Hottentots, who shouted aloud; for they +considered their dangers and difficulties to be over, now that they were +approaching to the boundaries of the colony. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + + +As the cattle required some repose, after the sufferings they had gone +through, our travelers resolved to remain a few days on the banks of the +Modder River. The pasturage was fine and the game abundant. Gnoos and +springboks were to be seen in every direction, and quaggas, bonteboks, +and several other varieties of antelopes, were in profusion over the now +undulating country. Neither were our travelers sorry to have some repose +for themselves, although every mile that they drew nearer to the Cape +made them more anxious to return. + +As usual, the caravan was halted on a rising ground, at some distance +from the river, to avoid the wild beasts, which during the day were +concealed, and during the night prowled on its banks, to spring upon the +animals which came down for water. As there was now plenty of wood, the +fires were again lighted at night, and the oxen driven in and tied up. +During the day, the animals reveled on the luxurious pasture, and in a +week had become quite sleek and in good condition. + +Every day our travelers went out to hunt for a supply of provisions, and +never returned without more than was sufficient. Swinton was anxious to +possess one or two more specimens of the oryx, or gemsbok. This +antelope, we have before observed, from having very straight horns, +which at a distance appear as one, has given rise to the fabulous animal +the unicorn, which is now one of the supporters of the royal arms. It is +a very formidable animal; being the one that our travelers found with +its horns pierced through the lion which had attacked it. The horses +being now fresh and in good heart, Alexander and the Major went in +pursuit of this animal very often, but without success, as the chase was +continually interrupted by the herds of ostriches and other game which +fell in their way. + +One morning, having discovered with the telescope that three of these +gemsbok were some miles distant on a rising ground, they set off, +accompanied by a portion of the Hottentots on foot, who were desired to +go round, so as to drive the animals toward the camp. Bremen and Big +Adam were of the party, and they had made a circuit of three or four +miles, so as to get on the other side of the game, which now darted down +from the high ground, and, descending on the plain, stopped for a while +looking at their pursuers, while the horsemen advanced toward them in +the opposite direction. A shot from Alexander at last brought one of +these splendid animals to the ground, while the others fled off to a +distance, so as to give no hopes of again coming up with them; and the +party on foot, as well as the horsemen, now proceeded to the spot where +the gemsbok lay dead. + +As Swinton wanted the animal for a specimen, it was placed on the back +of the horse which Omrah rode as usual, and one of the Hottentots went +off with it to the camp, which was not more than three miles distant. +They were debating whether they should make an attempt to get near to +the other gemsbok, which were still in sight at a distance, or try for +some other game, when they perceived three lions not far from them on a +rising ground; and suddenly the horses, from which they had dismounted +to give them time to recover their wind, broke loose from the Hottentots +who held the bridles, and galloped away toward the camp. The cause of +the panic was now evident, for a very large male lion had detached +himself from the other two, and was advancing slowly toward the party. + +As soon as they perceived the approach of the lion, which they had not +at first, they all seized their guns; but being wholly unprepared for +such a sudden attack, there was a great deal of confusion; the Major +crying out, "Let no one fire till I tell him," only produced more alarm +among the Hottentots, all of whom, except Bremen, appeared to be at +their wits' ends. When within fifty yards, the lion made one or two +bounds, and in a moment was among them all, before they could bring +their guns to their shoulders; the retreat was general in every +direction, and not a shot was fired. + +All, however, did not escape; Big Adam had started back, and coming with +all his force against Omrah, who was standing behind him, had fallen +over the boy, and they were both flat on their backs, when the lion +made his spring. The lion was standing up, looking proudly at his flying +enemies, when Big Adam, who was close to him, attempted to rise and gain +his feet; but perceiving this, the animal, with a blow of its fore-paw, +laid him prostrate again, set its foot upon his breast, and in this +attitude again looked proudly round him, as if confident of his +superiority. + +Omrah, who had sense enough to lie still, had yet his eyes sufficiently +opened to see what was going on; and as the lion appeared to be looking +at the scattered party, in a direction away from him, Omrah made one or +two turns over, so as to get further off, hoping that he might escape +unperceived. The lion, however, heard the rustling, and turning round +growled at him, and Omrah remained still again. As Big Adam's feet were +turned toward Omrah, the lion now took up his position, deliberately +lying down at full length upon Big Adam's body, with his hind-quarters +upon the Hottentot's face, so that he not only secured his prisoner, but +watched Omrah, who lay about three yards from him. + +In the mean time the anxiety of the other party may be imagined; they +considered that Big Adam and Omrah must be sacrificed. It was proposed +to fire with good aim, so as, if possible, to bring the animal's +attention and indignation upon themselves; but Swinton cried out not to +fire on any account. "The animal is not hungry or even angry," said +Swinton. "If let alone, he will probably walk away without doing them +injury. At all events, our firing will be the signal for their +destruction." + +The advice of Swinton was considered good, especially as it was backed +by that of Bremen, who also said that the lion was not hungry, and that, +by the way in which he, moved his tail, he was evidently more inclined +to play than any thing else. + +But in the mean time the pressure of the lion, whose weight was +enormous, was not only more than Big Adam could bear, but the +hind-quarters of the animal being over his face prevented him from +breathing; and at last he was compelled to struggle to get his head +clear. The consequence of his struggling was a severe bite on the leg, +inflicted on poor Adam; not, however, in a furious manner; for the lion +merely caught at him as a cat would at a mouse, to prevent its escape, +or because it was not quite dead. However, Big Adam had so far +disengaged his head that he could now breathe; and as the party kept +crying out to him to lie still, he continued so to do, although nearly +suffocated with the enormous weight of the animal. + +Omrah, who had remained still during all this time, perceiving that the +lion was licking the blood which flowed from the wound in Big Adam's +leg, thought that he might as well try another roll over, and being on +his back, he turned over on his face away from the lion. Thereupon the +lion rose from off Big Adam, walked up to Omrah, and, to the horror of +our travelers, took up the boy by his waistcloth, and, carrying him like +a small bundle in his mouth, went back to Big Adam, and laying Omrah +close down to the Hottentot's head, again took up his position on his +body; now, however, with his paws upon the Hottentot's breast, so that +he might keep Omrah in view before him. Little Omrah had sense enough +not to move during the time that the lion carried him, or after he was +laid down. + +The change in the position of the lion occasioned our travelers and the +party to walk round, so as to be able to watch the countenance of the +animal, as every thing depended upon the temper he might be in. The +Major and Alexander became very impatient, and were for advancing to the +attack, but Swinton persuaded them not to do so until the last moment. + +The lion now put its fore-paw upon the Hottentot's mouth, and again +stopped his breath; this occasioned another struggle on the part of Big +Adam, which was followed by the animal seizing him by the arm and biting +him severely; but in so doing the lion removed its paw, and the man +could breathe again. The taste of blood appeared pleasant to the lion, +for it continued biting the arm, descending from the shoulder to the +hand, and as the blood flowed from the wounds on its paws, the lion +licked it off. Again and again it licked its paw clean, and then, with +its glaring eyes fixed intently upon the Hottentot's face, it smelt him +first on one side and then on the other, and appeared only to be waiting +for a return of appetite to commence a deliberate meal upon the poor +fellow's body. + +In the mean time our travelers were standing about seventy yards +distant, waiting for the signal to attack, when Bremen observed to +Swinton-- + +"He won't wait much longer, sir; the blood has given him an appetite. We +must now drive him away, or they will both be killed." + +"I think so too," replied Swinton; "let us first try if we can disturb +him without making him angry; that will be the best way. We must go back +out of springing distance, and then all shout together, and keep +hallooing at him." + +This advice was followed; they retreated a hundred yards, and then all +shouted at once, and after that the Hottentots hallooed and bawled to +the lion. This had the effect intended: the lion rose from the bodies +and advanced toward the party, who stood still hallooing at him, but not +attempting to irritate him by presenting their guns. The lion looked +steadfastly at them for some time, and then turned away. After +retreating a few steps, it turned back to face them; the whole party +continued on the same spot, neither advancing so as to irritate him, nor +retreating so as to let the animal suppose that they were afraid of him. +When the lion had continued for a few minutes this course of retreating +and advancing, he turned right round, and went away at a hand canter, +and our travelers immediately hastened to the spot where Big Adam and +Omrah were still lying. + +Omrah, who was not at all hurt, instantly jumped on his legs, and, if he +had been afraid, appeared to have quite recovered his courage, as he cut +all manner of capers, and laughed immoderately; but Big Adam was greatly +exhausted and could not move, as much from the immense pressure of the +lion's enormous body, as from the blood that he had lost by the wounds +which he had received. On examination, the bite in his leg was found to +be much the most serious, as the bone was injured; the wounds on his arm +were all flesh-wounds, and although very painful, were not dangerous. +He was at present unable to speak, and was carried by his comrades to +the camp. Our travelers followed the Hottentots, as they all had enough +of hunting for that day. As soon as they arrived, Big Adam's wounds were +dressed by Swinton, and the poor fellow was accommodated with a bed, +made up for him in the baggage-wagon. They remained two days more on the +banks of the Modder River, and then they forded it and continued their +journey. + +On the second day they perceived some small human figures on the summit +of a hill at some distance, which the Hottentots declared to be Bushmen, +of which people there were numerous hordes in this part of the country. +An attempt was made to open a communication with them, but in vain, as +when any of the party advanced on horseback toward them, the Bushmen +made a precipitate retreat. As they were now in the neighborhood of +these plunderers, every care was taken of the cattle, which were tied up +before dark to prevent their being stolen. + +On the following day they very unexpectedly fell in with a party of nine +of the Bushmen, who were very busy devouring a quagga, which they had +killed. They replied to questions put to them with much fear and +trembling, and, having been presented with some tobacco, they made a +precipitate retreat. On that night the fires of the Bushmen were to be +seen on several of the surrounding hills. They continued their course on +the following day, when they fell in with about twenty women of the race +we have just mentioned, who approached the caravan without fear, +requesting tobacco and food; the former was given to them in small +quantities, and a shot from the Major's rifle soon procured them the +latter. They were now without water again, and had no chance of +procuring any, except from the pools, until they arrived at the Nu +Gariep, or Black River, which they had crossed when they came out from +the Caffre Land. + +Having traveled till dark, they halted under a hill, and were soon +afterward joined by a party of Bushwomen, who continued with them in +spite of all their attempts to get rid of them. They were very small in +person, well made, and the young were rather pretty in their features, +but their ornaments were enough to disgust any one but a Hottentot; for +they were smeared with grease and red ocher, and were adorned with the +entrails of animals as necklaces. The Hottentots, however, appeared to +think this very delightful, and were pleased with their company, and as +the women showed them a pool of water, where the oxen could drink, it +was not considered advisable to drive them away. But Swinton observed, +that it would be necessary to keep a very sharp lookout, as the women +were invariably sent by the Bushmen as spies, that they might watch the +opportunity for stealing cattle. + +They now resumed their former plan; starting at a very early hour, and +traveling till afternoon, when the cattle were allowed several hours to +feed, and were then tied up for the night to the wagons. Indeed the +lions were now not so numerous as they had been, and they had more to +fear from the Bushmen and the hyenas, which were very plentiful. + +The next day fully proved the truth of this, for the oxen, having been +unyoked as usual to feed, about two o'clock in the afternoon, had been +led to a hollow of luxuriant pasture by the cattle-keepers, where they +could not be seen from the caravan, although they were not half a mile +off. Toward dusk, when it was time to drive them in and tie them up to +the wagons, it was found that the cattle-keepers, who had been in +company with the Bushwomen, had neglected their charge, and they were +not to be found. + +The keepers came running in, stating that a lion had scared the cattle, +and that the animals had galloped off to a great distance. But Omrah, +who had gone to where the cattle had been feeding, returned to the camp +and told Swinton that it was not lions but Bushmen who had stolen them; +and, bringing the horses ready saddled to the Major and Alexander, said, +that if they did not follow them immediately, the cattle would be all +killed. It was also observed that the Bushwomen had all disappeared. + +Swinton, who was well aware of the customs of the Bushmen, immediately +proposed that they should mount as many as they could, and go in chase, +as there was not an hour to be lost. In half an hour a party, consisting +of our three travelers, Bremen, Omrah, and three of the most trusty of +the Hottentots, who were all that they could mount, set off in the +direction which they knew must have been taken, so as to conceal the +cattle from the sight of those in the caravan; and it being a fine +moonlight night, the keen eyes of Omrah tracked them for more than five +miles, where they were at fault, as the traces of their hoofs were no +longer to be seen. + +"What shall we do now?" said the Major. + +"We must trust to Omrah," replied Swinton, "he knows the habits of his +people well, and they will not deceive him." + +Omrah, who had been very busy kneeling on the ground, and striking a +light every now and then with a flint and steel, to ascertain the track +more distinctly, now came up and made them comprehend that the Bushmen +had turned back upon the very track they had gone upon, and that they +must return and find where they diverged from it again. + +This created considerable delay, as they had to walk the horses back for +more than a mile, when they again found the footing of the cattle +diverging from the track to the southward and eastward, in the direction +of some hills. + +They now made all the haste that they could, and proceeded so rapidly on +the track, that in about an hour they perceived the whole herd of oxen +driven up the side of a hill by a party of Bushmen. They put spurs to +their horses and galloped as fast as they could in pursuit, and soon +came up with them; when a discharge of rifles left three Bushmen on the +ground and put all the rest to flight. The cattle, which were much +frightened, were with some difficulty turned and driven back toward the +encampment. In the mean time the disappointed Bushmen had turned upon +those near, and were letting fly their arrows from the bushes where they +were concealed and continued thus to assail them until the party arrived +at the open plain. One of the Hottentots was wounded by an arrow in the +neck; but that was the only accident which occurred to any of the party, +and this was not known to our travelers until after their arrival at +the encampment, when it was almost daybreak; and then, tired with the +fatigues of the night, all were glad to obtain a few hours' rest. + +When they rose the next morning, Swanevelt informed them that nine of +the oxen were so wounded with the poisoned arrows of the Bushmen, that +they could not live; and also, that Piets the Hottentot had been badly +wounded in the neck with one of the arrows. Swinton immediately ordered +the man to be brought to him, as he was well aware of the fatal effects +of a wound from a Bushman's arrow. + +It appeared that Piets had pulled the arrow out of his neck, but that +some pieces of the barb had remained in the wound, and that these his +companions had been extracting with their knives, and the wound was very +much inflamed in consequence. Swinton immediately cut out as much of the +affected part as he could, applied ammonia to the wound, and gave him +laudanum to mitigate the pain, which was very acute; but the poor fellow +lay groaning during the whole of the day. + +They now examined the wounded oxen, which were already so swollen with +the poison that there were no hopes of saving them, and they were +immediately put out of their pain. Several others were found slightly +hurt, but not so as to lose all hopes of their recovery; but this +unfortunate circumstance prevented them from continuing their journey +for two days; as the whole of the oxen had been much harassed and cut by +the Bushmen, although not wounded by poisoned arrows. During this delay, +the poor Hottentot became hourly worse; his head and throat were much +swollen, and he said that he felt the poison working within him. + +After many hours of suffering, during which swellings appeared in +various parts of his body, the poor fellow breathed his last; and the +next day being Sunday, they remained as usual, and the body of the +unfortunate man was consigned to a grave. This event threw a cloud over +the whole caravan, and whenever any of the Bushwomen made their +appearance at a distance, and made signs that they wished to come into +the camp, an angry bullet was sent instantly over their heads, which +made them take to their heels. + +On the Monday morning they again started with their reduced trains, for +now they had barely sufficient cattle to drag the wagons. Fortunately +they were but a few miles from the Nu Gariep, and they arrived at its +banks before evening. The next day they crossed it with difficulty, +putting all the oxen to two of the wagons and then returning for the +others. + +They were now once more in the colony, and their dangers and +difficulties were now to be considered over. It was not, however, till a +week afterward that they succeeded in crossing the Sweenberg and +arriving at Graff Reynet. At this beautiful spot they remained for a few +days, to make arrangements and to procure horses, that they might +proceed to Cape Town as fast as possible, leaving Bremen in charge of +the wagons, which he was to bring down to them as soon as he could. We +shall pass over the remainder of their journey on horseback, as there +was nothing remarkable to be related. Suffice it to say, that on the +11th of January, 1830, they arrived safe and sound at Cape Town, and +were warmly congratulated by Mr. Fairburn and their many friends, after +all the dangers and difficulties which they had encountered. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. + + +Alexander Wilmot again took possession of the apartments in Mr. +Fairburn's house, and was not sorry once more to find himself surrounded +by all the comforts and luxuries of civilization. He could scarcely +believe where he was when he woke up the first morning, and found that +he had slept the whole night without being disturbed by the roar of a +lion or the cries of the hyena and jackal: and after the habit to which +he had been so long accustomed, of eating his meals in the open air with +his plate on his knees, he could hardly reconcile himself for a few days +to a well laid-out table. The evenings were passed in narrating their +adventures to Mr. Fairburn, who was truly glad of the result of the +mission to Port Natal, as it would be so satisfactory to old Sir +Charles. + +Alexander was now most anxious to return to England, and resolved to +take his passage in the first ship which sailed after the arrival of the +wagon with his effects. In the mean time his mornings were chiefly +passed with Swinton and the Major, the latter of whom intended to go to +England by the same vessel as Alexander. In three weeks after their +return to the Cape, the four wagons arrived, and excited much curiosity, +as they were filled with every variety of the animal kingdom which was +indigenous to the country. Swinton's treasures were soon unloaded and +conveyed to his house, and our naturalist was as happy as an +enthusiastic person could be in the occupation that they gave him. +Alexander only selected a few things, among which were the skins of the +lion and lioness. As for the Major, he had had all his pleasure in the +destruction of the animals. + +Bremen reported that all the Hottentots had behaved very well, and that +Big Adam had nearly recovered, and was able to limp about a little, +although it would be a long while before he would regain the perfect use +of his leg. Alexander now sent for them all, and paid them their wages, +with an extra sum as a gratuity for their good conduct. To Bremen and +Swanevelt, who had invariably conducted themselves faithfully, and who +had been the leading and most trustworthy men, he gave to each a wagon +and span of ten oxen as a present by which they might in future obtain +their livelihood, and the poor fellows considered themselves as rich as +the king of England. The other wagons and cattle of every description +were left with Swinton to be disposed of. + +The Major pressed Swinton very hard to part with little Omrah, but +Swinton would not consent. The Major therefore presented Omrah with one +of his best rifles, and accouterments to correspond, as a mark of his +attachment; and Alexander desired that all the money which was realized +by the sale of the remaining wagons and other articles, as well as the +cattle and horses, should be put by for Omrah's benefit. As a keepsake, +Alexander gave the lad his telescope, with which he knew that would be +highly pleased. + +We may here as well observe, that, a few months after Alexander and the +Major left the Cape, Omrah, who had been placed at a school by Swinton, +was admitted into the church, and baptized by the name of Alexander +Henderson Omrah; Alexander and the Major being his sponsors by proxies. +He turned out a very clever scholar, and remains with Swinton at this +moment. He has more than once accompanied him into the interior, and has +done much in reclaiming his countrymen, the bushmen, from their savage +way of life, and has been of great service to the missionaries as +interpreter of the Word to his heathen brethren. + +About a fortnight after the return of the wagons to Cape Town, a free +trader cast anchor in Table Bay to take in water, and Alexander and the +Major secured a passage in her to England. Alexander parted with great +regret from Mr. Fairburn and Swinton, with whom he promised to +correspond, and they sailed with a fair wind for St. Helena, where they +remained for a few days, and took that opportunity of visiting the tomb +of Napoleon, the former emperor of the French. A seven weeks' passage +brought them into the Channel-and they once more beheld the white cliffs +of England. + +Alexander's impatience to see his uncle, from whom he had found a letter +waiting for him on his return to the Cape, stating that he was in +tolerable health, induced him to leave the ship in a pilot-boat, and +land at Falmouth. Taking leave for a time of the Major, who preferred +going on to Portsmouth, Alexander traveled with all possible speed, and +on the second day arrived at his uncle's. + +"Is my uncle quite well!" said Alexander, as he leaped out of the +chaise, to the old butler who was at the door. + +"No sir, not quite well: he has been in bed for this last week, but +there is nothing serious the matter, I believe." + +Alexander hastened up stairs and was once more in the arms of Sir +Charles Wilmot, who embraced him warmly, and then, exhausted with the +emotion, sank back on his pillow. + +"Leave me for a little while, my dear boy, till I recover myself a +little," said Sir Charles. "I have no complaint, but I am very weak and +feeble. I will send for you very soon." + +Alexander, who was himself much affected, was not sorry to withdraw for +a while, and sent the housekeeper, who attended his aged relative, into +the room. In about an hour a message arrived requesting that he would +return to his uncle. + +"And now, my dear, kind boy, tell me every thing. I am indeed overjoyed +to see you back again; I have not had one line from you since you left +the Cape, and I really think that the worry and anxiety that I have felt +have been the cause of my taking to my bed. Now you are back I shall be +quite well again. Now tell me all, and I will not interrupt you." + +Alexander sat down on the bed, and entered into a full detail of the +results of his expedition to Port Natal; reading over all the memoranda +which they had collected, and satisfactorily proving that the +descendants of the Europeans then existing could not by any possibility +be from those who had been lost in the _Grosvenor_ East Indiaman. + +Sir Charles Wilmot listened in silence to all Alexander had to say, and +then, joining his hands above the bed-clothes, exclaimed, "Gracious +Lord, I thank Thee that this weight has been removed from my mind." He +then for some minutes prayed in silence, and when he had finished, he +requested Alexander to leave him till the evening. + +The physician having called shortly after Alexander left his uncle, +Alexander requested his opinion as to Sir Charles's state of health. The +former replied--"He has but one complaint, my dear sir, which all the +remedies in the world are not very likely to remove: it is the natural +decay of nature, arising from old age, I do not consider that he is in +any immediate danger of dissolution. I think it very likely that he may +never rise from his bed again; but, at the same time, he may remain +bedridden for months. He sinks very gradually, for he has had naturally +a very strong constitution, I believe the anxiety of his mind, arising +from your absence, and the blame he laid on himself for having allowed +you to undertake your expedition, have worn him more than any thing +else; but now that you have returned, I have no doubt, after the first +excitement is over, that he will rally. Still man is born to die, Mr. +Wilmot, and your uncle has already lived beyond the three-score years +and ten allotted to the average age of man. Depend upon it, every thing +shall be done which can protract a life so dear to you." + +Alexander thanked the physician, and the latter then went up stairs to +Sir Charles. On his return, he informed Alexander that Sir Charles's +pulse was stronger, but something must be allowed for the excitement +which he had undergone. + +When Alexander saw his uncle in the evening, the latter again thanked +him for having undertaken the expedition, and having brought back such +satisfactory accounts. + +"I am much your debtor, my dear boy," said he; "and if it is any +satisfaction to you (which I am sure it must be from your kind heart) to +know that you have smoothed the death-bed of one who loves you, you have +your reward. I feel quite strong now; and if it will not be too much +trouble, I should like you to give me a narrative of the whole +expedition; not all at once, but a little now and then. You shall begin +now, and mind you enter into every little detail,--every thing will +interest me." + +Alexander commenced his narrative, as his uncle requested, stating to +him how they were fitted out; the names of all the people; describing +Swinton and the Major, and giving a much closer narrative of what passed +than we have done in these pages. After an hour or so, during which +Alexander had not got so far in his narrative as to have quitted the +Cape for Algoa Bay, he left off, that he might not weary his uncle, and +wished him good-night. + +For many weeks did the narrative, and the conversation produced by it, +serve to amuse and interest the old gentleman, who still remained in his +bed. But long before it was finished, Major Henderson had arrived at +the hall, and had been introduced to Sir Charles, who was much pleased +with him, and requested him to remain as long as he found it agreeable. +The Major, at Alexander's request, had the lion and lioness set up in +Leadbeater's best style, and the case had now arrived at the hall, and +was brought up into Sir Charles's room, that he might have some idea of +the animals with which they had had to contend; and there it remained, +for the old gentleman would not allow it to be taken away. + +"I must send out a present to that little Omrah," said Sir Charles, one +morning, as he was conversing with the Major; "what shall it be?" + +"Well, sir, I hardly know; but I think the best present for him would be +a watch." + +"Then, Major, order one of the best gold watches that can be made, when +you go to town, and send it out to him; and, Major,--I am sorry to give +you that trouble, but I am an old bedridden man, and that must be my +excuse,--take the keys from the dressing-table, and open the small +drawer of that cabinet, and you will find two morocco cases in it, which +I will thank you to bring to me." + +The Major did so, and Sir Charles, raising himself on his pillow, opened +the cases, which contained each a massive ring, in which was set a +diamond of great value. + +"These two rings were presented me by Eastern princes, Major, at the +time that I was resident in their country. There is little difference in +their value, but you would find it difficult to match the stones, even +in England. I will shut the cases up again, and now that I have shut +them up in my hands, take one out for me. Thank you, Major; that one is +a present from me to our friend Swinton, and you must send it out to him +with the watch for the Bush-boy. The other, Major, I hope you will not +refuse to accept as a testimony of my gratitude to you, for having +accompanied my dear boy on his expedition." + +Sir Charles put the other case into the Major's hands. + +"I certainly will not refuse any thing as a remembrance from you, Sir +Charles," replied the Major; "I accept your splendid present with many +thanks, and so will Swinton, I am certain; but he will be more pleased +with the kind attention than he will be with its great value; and I +trust you will believe me when I add that such is also my own feeling." + +"I only hope you may have both as much pleasure in receiving as I have +in giving them," replied Sir Charles; "so put them in your pocket and +say no more about them. There is Alexander coming up, I know his tread; +I hope you do not mean to desert him now that the shooting season is +coming on; he will be very lonely, poor fellow, without you." + +"I have good news, my dear uncle," said Alexander, as he entered; +"Swinton is coming home; I have a letter from him, and he will be here, +he trusts, a fortnight after his letter." + +"I shall be most happy to shake hands with him," said Sir Charles. "Pray +write for him to come down immediately he arrives." + +Three weeks after this announcement Swinton made his appearance, and we +hardly need say was most warmly welcomed. Omrah he would not bring with +him, as he wished him to continue his education; but the Major declared +that he had left the boy because he was afraid of his being taken from +him. Our travelers were thus all reunited, and they agreed among +themselves that it was quite as comfortable at the hall as it was at the +Bechuana country; and that if the sporting was not quite so exciting, at +all events it was not quite so dangerous. + +Swinton and the Major remained with Alexander till the opening of the +next year, and then they both left at the same time, and sailed in the +same ship; the Major to rejoin his regiment in India, Swinton to his +favorite locality in Africa, to obtain some more specimens in natural +history. + +As the physician had declared, Sir Charles never rose from his bed +again; but he sunk so gradually that it was almost imperceptible, and it +was not until the summer of that year that he slept with his fathers, +dying without pain, and in perfect possession of his senses. + +Alexander now came into possession of the estates and title, and +certainly he entered upon them without any reproach as to his conduct +toward his uncle, who died blessing him. And now my tale is ended, and I +wish my young readers farewell. + + +THE END + + + + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Mission, by Frederick Marryat + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MISSION *** + +***** This file should be named 13276.txt or 13276.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/3/2/7/13276/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Dave Macfarlane and PG Distributed +Proofreaders + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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