diff options
Diffstat (limited to '21237.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 21237.txt | 9939 |
1 files changed, 9939 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/21237.txt b/21237.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ff4b3d5 --- /dev/null +++ b/21237.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9939 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Bush Boys, by Captain Mayne Reid + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. 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 Bush Boys + History and Adventures of a Cape Farmer and his Family + +Author: Captain Mayne Reid + +Release Date: April 27, 2007 [EBook #21237] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BUSH BOYS *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + + + + + +The Bush Boys +History and Adventures of a Cape Farmer and his Family + +By Captain Mayne Reid +________________________________________________________________________ +This is not quite your usual style of book by Mayne Reid. We are used +to books about the Mexican War, and similar topics, books where there +are plenty of words and expressions in Mexican-Spanish. In this book +there are equally plenty of words and expressions in Africaans, the +variety of Dutch spoken originally by the Boers (Boors in this book), +the Dutch farmers. + +The book is a very good introduction to the animals, both mammals and +birds, of South Africa. The snakes get a mention, too. Several very +tense moments are built up, and you will be wondering right up to the +very last moment how whoever is involved in the story, is going to get +out of the situation. Recommended as perhaps one of the best books by +this prolific author. NH +________________________________________________________________________ + +THE BUSH BOYS +HISTORY AND ADVENTURES OF A CAPE FARMER AND HIS FAMILY + +BY CAPTAIN MAYNE REID + + + +CHAPTER ONE. + +THE BOORS. + +Hendrik Von Bloom was a _boor_. + +My young English reader, do not suppose that I mean any disrespect to +Mynheer Von Bloom, by calling him a "boor." In our good Cape colony a +"boor" is a farmer. It is no reproach to be called a farmer. Von Bloom +was one--a Dutch farmer of the Cape--a boor. + +The boors of the Cape colony have figured very considerably in modern +history. Although naturally a people inclined to peace, they have been +forced into various wars, both with native Africans and Europeans; and +in these wars they have acquitted themselves admirably, and given proofs +that a pacific people when need be can fight just as well as those who +are continually exulting in the ruffian glory of the soldier. + +But the boors have been accused of cruelty in their wars--especially +those carried on against the native races. In an abstract point of view +the accusation might appear just. But when we come to consider the +provocation, received at the hands of these savage enemies, we learn to +look more leniently upon the conduct of the Cape Dutch. It is true they +reduced the yellow Hottentots to a state of slavery; but at that same +time, we, the English, were transporting ship-loads of black Guineamen +across the Atlantic, while the Spaniards and Portuguese were binding the +Red men of America in fetters as tight and hard. + +Another point to be considered is the character of the natives with whom +the Dutch boors had to deal. The keenest cruelty inflicted upon them by +the colonists was mercy, compared with the treatment which these savages +had to bear at the hands of their own despots. + +This does not justify the Dutch for having reduced the Hottentots to a +state of slavery; but, all circumstances considered, there is no one of +the maritime nations who can gracefully accuse them of cruelty. In +their dealings with the aborigines of the Cape, they have had to do with +savages of a most wicked and degraded stamp; and the history of +colonisation, under such circumstances, could not be otherwise then full +of unpleasant episodes. + +Young reader, I could easily defend the conduct of the boors of Cape +colony, but I have not space here. I can only give you my opinion; and +that is, that they are a brave, strong, healthy, moral, peace-loving, +industrious race--lovers of truth, and friends to republican freedom--in +short, a noble race of men. + +Is it likely, then, when I called Hendrik Von Bloom a boor, that I meant +him any disrespect? Quite the contrary. + +But Mynheer Hendrik had not always been a boor. He could boast of a +somewhat higher condition--that is, he could boast of a better education +than the mere Cape farmer usually possesses, as well as some experience +in wielding the sword. He was not a native of the colony, but of the +mother country; and he had found his way to the Cape not as a poor +adventurer seeking his fortune, but as an officer in a Dutch regiment +then stationed there. + +His soldier-service in the colony was not of long duration. A certain +cherry-cheeked, flaxen-haired Gertrude--the daughter of a rich boor--had +taken a liking to the young lieutenant; and he in his turn became vastly +fond of her. The consequence was, that they got married. Gertrude's +father dying shortly after, the large farm, with its full stock of +horses, and Hottentots, broad-tailed sheep, and long-horned oxen, became +hers. This was an inducement for her soldier-husband to lay down the +sword and turn "vee-boor," or stock farmer, which he consequently did. + +These incidents occurred many years previous to the English becoming +masters of the Cape colony. When that event came to pass, Hendrik Von +Bloom was already a man of influence in the colony and "field-cornet" of +his district, which lay in the beautiful county of Graaf Reinet. He was +then a widower, the father of a small family. The wife whom he had +fondly loved,--the cherry-cheeked, flaxen-haired Gertrude--no longer +lived. + +History will tell you how the Dutch colonists, discontented with English +rule, rebelled against it. The ex-lieutenant and field-cornet was one +of the most prominent among these rebels. History will also tell you +how the rebellion was put down; and how several of those compromised +were brought to execution. Von Bloom escaped by flight; but his fine +property in the Graaf Reinet was confiscated and given to another. + +Many years after we find him living in a remote district beyond the +great Orange River, leading the life of a "trek-boor,"--that is, a +nomade farmer, who has no fixed or permanent abode, but moves with his +flocks from place to place, wherever good pastures and water may tempt +him. + +From about this time dates my knowledge of the field-cornet and his +family. Of his history previous to this I have stated all I know, but +for a period of many years after I am more minutely acquainted with it. +Most of its details I received from the lips of his own son, I was +greatly interested, and indeed instructed, by them. They were my first +lessons in _African zoology_. + +Believing, boy reader, that they might also instruct and interest you, I +here lay them before you. You are not to regard them as merely +fanciful. The descriptions of the wild creatures that play their parts +in this little history, as well as the acts, habits, and instincts +assigned to them, you may regard as true to Nature. Young Von Bloom was +a student of Nature, and you may depend upon the fidelity of his +descriptions. + +Disgusted with politics, the field-cornet now dwelt on the remote +frontier--in fact, beyond the frontier, for the nearest settlement was +an hundred miles off. His "kraal" was in a district bordering the great +Kalihari desert--the Saara of Southern Africa. The region around, for +hundreds of miles, was uninhabited, for the thinly-scattered, half-human +Bushmen who dwelt within its limits, hardly deserved the name of +inhabitants any more than the wild beasts that howled around them. + +I have said that Von Bloom now followed the occupation of a "trek-boor." +Farming in the Cape colony consists principally in the rearing of +horses, cattle, sheep, and goats; and these animals form the wealth of +the boor. But the stock of our field-cornet was now a very small one. +The proscription had swept away all his wealth, and he had not been +fortunate in his first essays as a nomade grazier. The emancipation +law, passed by the British Government, extended not only to the Negroes +of the West India Islands, but also to the Hottentots of the Cape; and +the result of it was that the servants of Mynheer Von Bloom had deserted +him. His cattle, no longer properly cared for, had strayed off. Some +of them fell a prey to wild beasts--some died of the _murrain_. His +horses, too, were decimated by that mysterious disease of Southern +Africa, the "horse-sickness;" while his sheep and goats were continually +being attacked and diminished in numbers by the earth-wolf, the wild +hound, and the hyena. A series of losses had he suffered until his +horses, oxen, sheep, and goats, scarce counted altogether an hundred +head. A very small stock for a vee-boor, or South African grazier. + +Withal our field-cornet was not unhappy. He looked around upon his +three brave sons--Hans, Hendrik, and Jan. He looked upon his +cherry-cheeked, flaxen-haired daughter, Gertrude, the very type and +image of what her mother had been. From these he drew the hope of a +happier future. + +His two eldest boys were already helps to him in his daily occupations; +the youngest would soon be so likewise. In Gertrude,--or "Truey," as +she was endearingly styled,--he would soon have a capital housekeeper. +He was not unhappy therefore; and if an occasional sigh escaped him, it +was when the face of little Truey recalled the memory of that Gertrude +who was now in heaven. + +But Hendrik Von Bloom was not the man to despair. Disappointments had +not succeeded in causing his spirits to droop. He only applied himself +more ardently to the task of once more building up his fortune. + +For himself he had no ambition to be rich. He would have been contented +with the simple life he was leading, and would have cared but little to +increase his wealth. But other considerations weighed upon his mind-- +the future of his little family. He could not suffer his children to +grow up in the midst of the wild plains without education. + +No; they must one day return to the abodes of men, to act their part in +the drama of social and civilised life. This was his design. + +But how was this design to be accomplished? Though his so-called act of +_treason_ had been pardoned, and he was now free to return within the +limits of the colony, he was ill prepared for such a purpose. His poor +wasted stock would not suffice to set him up within the settlements. It +would scarce keep him a month. To return would be to return a beggar! + +Reflections of this kind sometimes gave him anxiety. But they also +added energy to his disposition, and rendered him more eager to overcome +the obstacles before him. + +During the present year he had been very industrious. In order that his +cattle should be provided for in the season of winter he had planted a +large quantity of maize and buckwheat, and now the crops of both were in +the most prosperous condition. His garden, too, smiled, and promised a +profusion of fruits, and melons, and kitchen vegetables. In short, the +little homestead where he had fixed himself for a time, was a miniature +oasis; and he rejoiced day after day, as his eyes rested upon the +ripening aspect around him. Once more he began to dream of prosperity-- +once more to hope that his evil fortunes had come to an end. + +Alas! It was a false hope. A series of trials yet awaited him--a +series of misfortunes that deprived him of almost everything he +possessed, and completely changed his mode of existence. + +Perhaps these occurrences could hardly be termed _misfortunes_, since in +the end they led to a happy result. + +But you may judge for yourself, boy reader, after you have heard the +"history and adventures" of the "trek-boor" and his family. + + + +CHAPTER TWO. + +THE "KRAAL." + +The ex-field-cornet was seated in front of his _kraal_--for such is the +name of a South African homestead. From his lips protruded a large +pipe, with its huge bowl of _meerschaum_. Every boor is a smoker. + +Notwithstanding the many losses and crosses of his past life, there was +contentment in his eye. He was gratified by the prosperous appearance +of his crops. The maize was now "in the milk," and the ears, folded +within the papyrus-like husks, looked full and large. It was delightful +to hear the rustling of the long green blades, and see the bright golden +tassels waving in the breeze. The heart of the farmer was glad as his +eye glanced over his promising crop of "mealies." But there was another +promising crop that still more gladdened his heart--his fine children. +There they are--all around him. + +Hans--the oldest--steady, sober Hans, at work in the well-stocked +garden; while the diminutive but sprightly imp Jan, the youngest, is +looking on, and occasionally helping his brother. Hendrik--the dashing +Hendrik, with bright face and light curling hair--is busy among the +horses, in the "horse-kraal;" and Truey--the beautiful, cherry-cheeked, +flaxen-haired Truey--is engaged with her pet--a fawn of the springbok +gazelle--whose bright eyes rival her own in their expression of +innocence and loveliness. + +Yes, the heart of the field-cornet is glad as he glances from one to the +other of these his children--and with reason. They are all fair to look +upon,--all give promise of goodness. If their father feels an +occasional pang, it is, as we have already said, when his eye rests upon +the cherry-cheeked, flaxen-haired Gertrude. + +But time has long since subdued that grief to a gentle melancholy. Its +pang is short-lived, and the face of the field-cornet soon lightens up +again as he looks around upon his dear children, so full of hope and +promise. + +Hans and Hendrik are already strong enough to assist him in his +occupations,--in fact, with the exception of "Swartboy," they are the +only help he has. + +Who is Swartboy? + +Look into the horse-kraal, and you will there see Swartboy engaged, +along with his young master Hendrik, in saddling a pair of horses. You +may notice that Swartboy appears to be about thirty years old, and he is +full that; but if you were to apply a measuring rule to him, you would +find him not much over four feet in height! He is stoutly built +however, and would measure better in a horizontal direction. You may +notice that he is of a yellow complexion, although his name might lead +you to fancy he was black--for "Swartboy" means "black-boy." You may +observe that his nose is flat and sunk below the level of his cheeks; +that his cheeks are prominent, his lips very thick, his nostrils wide, +his face beardless, and his head almost hairless--for the small kinky +wool-knots thinly-scattered over his skull can scarcely be designated +hair. You may notice, moreover, that his head is monstrously large, +with ears in proportion, and that the eyes are set obliquely, and have a +Chinese expression. You may notice about Swartboy all those +characteristics that distinguish the "Hottentots" of South Africa. + +Yet Swartboy is _not_ a Hottentot--though he is of the same race. He is +a _Bushman_. + +How came this wild Bushman into the service of the ex-field-cornet Von +Bloom? About that there is a little romantic history. Thus:-- + +Among the savage tribes of Southern Africa there exists a very cruel +custom,--that of abandoning their aged or infirm, and often their sick +or wounded, to die in the desert. Children leave their parents behind +them, and the wounded are often forsaken by their comrades with no other +provision made for them beyond a day's food and a cup of water! + +The Bushman Swartboy had been the victim of this custom. He had been +upon a hunting excursion with some of his own kindred, and had been +sadly mangled by a lion. His comrades, not expecting him to live, left +him on the plain to die; and most certainly would he have perished had +it not been for our field-cornet. The latter, as he was "trekking" over +the plains, found the wounded Bushman, lifted him into his wagon, +carried him on to his camp, dressed his wounds, and nursed him till he +became well. That is how Swartboy came to be in the service of the +field-cornet. + +Though gratitude is not a characteristic of his race, Swartboy was not +ungrateful. When all the other servants ran away, he remained faithful +to his master; and since that time had been a most efficient and useful +hand. In fact, he was now the only one left, with the exception of the +girl, Totty--who was, of course, a Hottentot; and much about the same +height, size, and colour, as Swartboy himself. + +We have said that Swartboy and the young Hendrik were saddling a pair of +horses. As soon as they had finished that job, they mounted them, and +riding out of the kraal, took their way straight across the plain. They +were followed by a couple of strong, rough-looking dogs. + +Their purpose was to drive home the oxen and the other horses that were +feeding a good distance off. This they were in the habit of doing every +evening at the same hour,--for in South Africa it is necessary to shut +up all kinds of live-stock at night, to protect them from beasts of +prey. For this purpose are built several enclosures with high +walls,--"kraals," as they are called,--a word of the same signification +as the Spanish "corral," and I fancy introduced into Africa by the +Portuguese--since it is not a native term. + +These kraals are important structures about the homestead of a boor, +almost as much so as his own dwelling-house, which of itself also bears +the name of "kraal." + +As young Hendrik and Swartboy rode off for the horses and cattle, Hans, +leaving his work in the garden, proceeded to collect the sheep and drive +them home. These browsed in a different direction; but, as they were +near, he went afoot, taking little Jan along with him. + +Truey having tied her pet to a post, had gone inside the house to help +Totty in preparing the supper. Thus the field-cornet was left to +himself and his pipe, which he still continued to smoke. + +He sat in perfect silence, though he could scarce restrain from giving +expression to the satisfaction he felt at seeing his family thus +industriously employed. Though pleased with all his children, it must +be confessed he had some little partiality for the dashing Hendrik, who +bore his own name, and who reminded him more of his own youth than any +of the others. He was proud of Hendrik's gallant horsemanship, and his +eyes followed him over the plain until the riders were nearly a mile +off, and already mixing among the cattle. + +At this moment an object came under the eyes of Von Bloom, that at once +arrested his attention. It was a curious appearance along the lower +part of the sky, in the direction in which Hendrik and Swartboy had +gone, but apparently beyond them. It resembled a dun-coloured mist or +smoke, as if the plain at a great distance was on fire! + +Could that be so? Had some one fired the _karoo_ bushes? Or was it a +cloud of dust? + +The wind was hardly strong enough to raise such a dust, and yet it had +that appearance. Was it caused by animals? Might it not be the dust +raised by a great herd of antelopes,--a migration of the springboks, for +instance? It extended for miles along the horizon, but Von Bloom knew +that these creatures often travel in flocks of greater extent than +miles. Still he could not think it was that. + +He continued to gaze at the strange phenomenon, endeavouring to account +for it in various ways. It seemed to be rising higher against the blue +sky--now resembling dust, now like the smoke of a widely-spread +conflagration, and now like a reddish cloud. It was in the west, and +already the setting sun was obscured by it. It had passed over the +sun's disc like a screen, and his light no longer fell upon the plain. +Was it the forerunner of some terrible storm?--of an earthquake? + +Such a thought crossed the mind of the field-cornet. It was not like an +ordinary cloud,--it was not like a cloud of dust,--it was not like +smoke. It was like nothing he had ever witnessed before. No wonder +that he became anxious and apprehensive. + +All at once the dark-red mass seemed to envelope the cattle upon the +plain, and these could be seen running to and fro as if affrighted. +Then the two riders disappeared under its dun shadow! + +Von Bloom rose to his feet, now seriously alarmed. What could it mean? + +The exclamation to which he gave utterance brought little Truey and +Totty from the house; and Hans with Jan had now got back with the sheep +and goats. All saw the singular phenomenon, but none of them could tell +what it was. All were in a state of alarm. + +As they stood gazing, with hearts full of fear, the two riders appeared +coming out of the cloud, and then they were seen to gallop forward over +the plain in the direction of the house. They came on at full speed, +but long before they had got near, the voice of Swartboy could be heard +crying out,-- + +"Baas Von Bloom! _da springhaans are comin_!--_da springhaan_!--_da +springhaan_!" + + + +CHAPTER THREE. + +THE "SPRINGHAAN." + +"Ah! the _springhaan_!" cried Von Bloom, recognising the Dutch name for +the far-famed migratory locust. + +The mystery was explained. The singular cloud that was spreading itself +over the plain was neither more nor less than a flight of locusts! + +It was a sight that none of them, except Swartboy, had ever witnessed +before. His master had often seen locusts in small quantities, and of +several species,--for there are many kinds of these singular insects in +South Africa. But that which now appeared was a true migratory locust +(_Gryllus devastatorius_); and upon one of its great migrations--an +event of rarer occurrence than travellers would have you believe. + +Swartboy knew them well; and, although he announced their approach in a +state of great excitement, it was not the excitement of terror. + +Quite the contrary. His great thick lips were compressed athwart his +face in a grotesque expression of joy. The instincts of his wild race +were busy within him. To them a flight of locusts is not an object of +dread, but a source of rejoicing--their coming as welcome as a _take_ of +shrimps to a Leigh fisherman, or harvest to the husbandman. + +The dogs, too, barked and howled with joy, and frisked about as if they +were going out upon a hunt. On perceiving the cloud, their instinct +enabled them easily to recognise the locusts. They regarded them with +feelings similar to those that stirred Swartboy--for both dogs and +Bushmen eat the insects with avidity! + +At the announcement that it was only locusts, all at once recovered from +their alarm. Little Truey and Jan laughed, clapped their hands, and +waited with curiosity until they should come nearer. All had heard +enough of locusts to know that they were only grasshoppers that neither +bit nor stung any one, and therefore no one was afraid of them. + +Even Von Bloom himself was at first very little concerned about them. +After his feelings of apprehension, the announcement that it was a +flight of locusts was a relief, and for a while he did not dwell upon +the nature of such a phenomenon, but only regarded it with feelings of +curiosity. + +Of a sudden his thoughts took a new direction. His eye rested upon his +fields of maize and buckwheat, upon his garden of melons, and fruits, +and vegetables: a new alarm seized upon him; the memory of many stories +which he had heard in relation to these destructive creatures rushed +into his mind, and as the whole truth developed itself, he turned pale, +and uttered new exclamations of alarm. + +The children changed countenance as well. They saw that their father +suffered; though they knew not why. They gathered inquiringly around +him. + +"Alas! alas! Lost! lost!" exclaimed he; "yes, all our crop--our labour +of the year--gone, gone! O my dear children!" + +"How lost, father?--how gone?" exclaimed several of them in a breath. + +"See the springhaan! they will eat up our crop--all--all!" + +"'Tis true, indeed," said Hans, who being a great student had often read +accounts of the devastations committed by the locusts. + +The joyous countenances of all once more wore a sad expression, and it +was no longer with curiosity that they gazed upon the distant cloud, +that so suddenly had clouded their joy. + +Von Bloom had good cause for dread. Should the swarm come on, and +settle upon his fields, farewell to his prospects of a harvest. They +would strip the verdure from his whole farm in a twinkling. They would +leave neither seed, nor leaf, nor stalk, behind them. + +All stood watching the flight with painful emotions. The swarm was +still a full half-mile distant. They appeared to be coming no nearer,-- +good! + +A ray of hope entered the mind of the field-cornet. He took off his +broad felt hat, and held it up to the full stretch of his arm. The wind +was blowing _from the north_, and the swarm was directly _to the west_ +of the kraal. The cloud of locusts had approached from the north, as +they almost invariably do in the southern parts of Africa. + +"Yes," said Hendrik, who having been in their midst could tell what way +they were drifting, "they came down upon us from a northerly direction. +When we headed our horses homewards, we soon galloped out from them, and +they did not appear to fly after us; I am sure they were passing +southwards." + +Von Bloom entertained hopes that as none appeared due north of the +kraal, the swarm might pass on without extending to the borders of his +farm. He knew that they usually followed the direction of the wind. +Unless the wind changed they would not swerve from their course. + +He continued to observe them anxiously. He saw that the selvedge of the +cloud came no nearer. His hopes rose. His countenance grew brighter. +The children noticed this and were glad, but said nothing. All stood +silently watching. + +An odd sight it was. There was not only the misty swarm of the insects +to gaze upon. The air above them was filled with birds--strange birds +and of many kinds. On slow, silent wing soared the brown "oricou," the +largest of Africa's vultures; and along with him the yellow "chasse +fiente," the vulture of Kolbe. There swept the bearded "lamvanger," on +broad extended wings. There shrieked the great "Caffre eagle," and side +by side with him the short-tailed and singular "bateleur." There, too, +were hawks of different sizes and colours, and kites cutting through the +air, and crows and ravens, and many species of _insectivora_. But far +more numerous than all the rest could be seen the little +_springhaan-vogel_, a speckled bird of nearly the size and form of a +swallow. Myriads of these darkened the air above--hundreds of them +continually shooting down among the insects, and soaring up again, each +with a victim in its beak. "Locust-vultures" are these creatures named, +though not vultures in kind. They feed exclusively on these insects, +and are never seen where the locusts are not. They follow them through +all their migrations, building their nests, and rearing their young, in +the midst of their prey! + +It was, indeed, a curious sight to look upon, that swarm of winged +insects, and their numerous and varied enemies; and all stood gazing +upon it with feelings of wonder. Still the living cloud approached no +nearer, and the hopes of Von Bloom continued to rise. + +The swarm kept extending to the south--in fact, it now stretched along +the whole western horizon; and all noticed that it was gradually getting +lower down--that is, its top edge was sinking in the heavens. Were the +locusts passing off to the west? No. + +"Da am goin' roost for da nacht--now we'll get 'em in bagfull," said +Swartboy, with a pleased look; for Swartboy was a regular locust-eater, +as fond of them as either eagle or kite,--ay, as the "springhaan-vogel" +itself. + +It was as Swartboy had stated. The swarm was actually settling down on +the plain. + +"Can't fly without sun," continued the Bushman. "Too cold now. Dey go +dead till da mornin." + +And so it was. The sun had set. The cool breeze weakened the wings of +the insect travellers, and they were compelled to make halt for the +night upon the trees, bushes, and grass. + +In a few minutes the dark mist that had hid the blue rim of the sky, was +seen no more; but the distant plain looked as if a fire had swept over +it. It was thickly covered with the bodies of the insects, that gave it +a blackened appearance, as far as the eye could reach. + +The attendant birds, perceiving the approach of night, screamed for +awhile, and then scattered away through the heavens. Some perched upon +the rocks, while others went to roost among the low thickets of mimosa; +and now for a short interval both earth and air were silent. + +Von Bloom now bethought him of his cattle. Their forms were seen afar +off in the midst of the locust-covered plain. + +"Let 'em feed um little while, baas," suggested Swartboy. + +"On what?" inquired his master. "Don't you see the grass is covered!" + +"On de springhaan demself, baas," replied the Bushman; "good for fatten +big ox--better dan grass--ya, better dan _mealies_." + +But it was too late to leave the cattle longer out upon the plain. The +lions would soon be abroad--the sooner because of the locusts, for the +king of the beasts does not disdain to fill his royal stomach with these +insects--when he can find them. + +Von Bloom saw the necessity of bringing his cattle at once to their +kraal. + +A third horse was saddled, which the field-cornet himself mounted, and +rode off, followed by Hendrik and Swartboy. + +On approaching the locusts they beheld a singular sight. The ground was +covered with these reddish-brown creatures, in some spots to the depth +of several inches. What bushes there were were clustered with them,-- +all over the leaves and branches, as if swarms of bees had settled upon +them. Not a leaf or blade of grass that was not covered with their +bodies! + +They moved not, but remained silent, as if torpid or asleep. The cold +of the evening had deprived them of the power of flight. + +What was strangest of all to the eyes of Von Bloom and Hendrik, was the +conduct of their own horses and cattle. These were some distance out in +the midst of the sleeping host; but instead of being alarmed at their +odd situation, they were greedily gathering up the insects in mouthfuls, +and crunching them as though they had been corn! + +It was with some difficulty that they could be driven off; but the roar +of a lion, that was just then heard over the plain, and the repeated +application of Swartboy's _jambok_, rendered them more tractable, and at +length they suffered themselves to be driven home, and lodged within +their kraals. + +Swartboy had provided himself with a bag, which he carried back full of +locusts. + +It was observed that in collecting the insects into the bag, he acted +with some caution, handling them very gingerly, as if he was afraid of +them. It was not _them_ he feared, but snakes, which upon such +occasions are very plenteous, and very much to be dreaded--as the +Bushman from experience well knew. + + + +CHAPTER FOUR. + +A TALK ABOUT LOCUSTS. + +It was a night of anxiety in the kraal of the field-cornet. Should the +wind veer round to the west, to a certainty the locusts would cover his +land in the morning, and the result would be the total destruction of +his crops. Perhaps worse than that. Perhaps the whole vegetation +around--for fifty miles or more--might be destroyed; and then how would +his cattle be fed? It would be no easy matter even to save their lives. +They might perish before he could drive them to any other pasturage! + +Such a thing was by no means uncommon or improbable. In the history of +the Cape colony many a boor had lost his flocks in this very way. No +wonder there was anxiety that night in the kraal of the field-cornet. + +At intervals Von Bloom went out to ascertain whether there was any +change in the wind. Up to a late hour he could perceive none. A gentle +breeze still blew from the north--from the great Kalihari desert-- +whence, no doubt, the locusts had come. The moon was bright, and her +light gleamed over the host of insects that darkly covered the plain. +The roar of the lion could be heard mingling with the shrill scream of +the jackal and the maniac laugh of the hyena. All these beasts, and +many more, were enjoying a plenteous repast. + +Perceiving no change in the wind, Von Bloom became less uneasy, and they +all conversed freely about the locusts. Swartboy took a leading part in +this conversation, as he was better acquainted with the subject than any +of them. It was far from being the first flight of locusts Swartboy had +seen, and many a bushel of them had he eaten. It was natural to +suppose, therefore, that he knew a good deal about them. + +He knew not whence they came. That was a point about which Swartboy had +never troubled himself. The learned Hans offered an explanation of +their origin. + +"They come from the desert," said he. "The eggs from which they are +produced, are deposited in the sands or dust; where they lie until rain +falls, and causes the herbage to spring up. Then the locusts are +hatched, and in their first stage are supported upon this herbage. When +it becomes exhausted, they are compelled to go in search of food. Hence +these `migrations,' as they are called." + +This explanation seemed clear enough. + +"Now I have heard," said Hendrik, "of farmers kindling fires around +their crops to keep off the locusts. I can't see how fires would keep +them off--not even if a regular fence of fire were made all round a +field. These creatures have wings, and could easily fly over the +fires." + +"The fires," replied Hans, "are kindled, in order that the smoke may +prevent them from alighting; but the locusts to which these accounts +usually refer are without wings, called _voetgangers_ (foot-goers). +They are, in fact, the _larvae_ of these locusts, before they have +obtained their wings. These have also their migrations, that are often +more destructive than those of the perfect insects, such as we see here. +They proceed over the ground by crawling and leaping like grasshoppers; +for, indeed, they are grasshoppers--a species of them. They keep on in +one direction, as if they were guided by instinct to follow a particular +course. Nothing can interrupt them in their onward march unless the sea +or some broad and rapid river. Small streams they can swim across; and +large ones, too, where they run sluggishly; walls and houses they can +climb--even the chimneys--going straight over them; and the moment they +have reached the other side of any obstacle, they continue straight +onward in the old direction. + +"In attempting to cross broad rapid rivers, they are drowned in +countless myriads, and swept off to the sea. When it is only a small +migration, the farmers sometimes keep them off by means of fires, as you +have heard. On the contrary, when large numbers appear, even the fires +are of no avail." + +"But how is that, brother?" inquired Hendrik. "I can understand how +fires would stop the kind you speak of, since you say they are without +wings. But since they are so, how do they get through the fires? Jump +them?" + +"No, not so," replied Hans. "The fires are built too wide and large for +that." + +"How then, brother?" asked Hendrik. "I'm puzzled." + +"So am I," said little Jan. + +"And I," added Truey. + +"Well, then," continued Hans, "millions of the insects crawl into the +fires and put them out!" + +"Ho!" cried all in astonishment. "How? Are they not burned?" + +"Of course," replied Hans. "They are scorched and killed--myriads of +them quite burned up. But their bodies crowded thickly on the fires +choke them out. The foremost ranks of the great host thus become +victims, and the others pass safely across upon the holocaust thus made. +So you see, even fires cannot stop the course of the locusts when they +are in great numbers. + +"In many parts of Africa, where the natives cultivate the soil, as soon +as they discover a migration of these insects, and perceive that they +are heading in the direction of their fields and gardens, quite a panic +is produced among them. They know that they will lose their crops to a +certainty, and hence dread a visitation of locusts as they would an +earthquake, or some other great calamity." + +"We can well understand their feelings upon such an occasion," remarked +Hendrik, with a significant look. + +"The flying locusts," continued Hans, "seem less to follow a particular +direction than their larvae. The former seem to be guided by the wind. +Frequently this carries them all into the sea, where they perish in vast +numbers. On some parts of the coast their dead bodies have been found +washed back to land in quantities incredible. At one place the sea +threw them upon the beach, until they lay piled up in a ridge four feet +in height, and fifty miles in length! It has been asserted by several +well-known travellers that the effluvium from this mass tainted the air +to such an extent that it was perceived one hundred and fifty miles +inland!" + +"Heigh!" exclaimed little Jan. "I didn't think anybody had so good a +nose." + +At little Jan's remark there was a general laugh. Von Bloom did not +join in their merriment. He was in too serious a mood just then. + +"Papa," inquired little Truey, perceiving that her father did not laugh, +and thinking to draw him into the conversation,--"Papa! were these the +kind of locusts eaten by John the Baptist when in the desert? His food, +the Bible says, was `locusts and wild honey.'" + +"I believe these are the same," replied the father. + +"I think, papa," modestly rejoined Hans, "they are not exactly the same, +but a kindred species. The locust of Scripture was the true _Gryllus +migratorius_, and different from those of South Africa, though very +similar in its habits. But," continued he, "some writers dispute that +point altogether. The Abyssinians say it was beans of the locust-tree, +and not insects, that were the food of Saint John." + +"What is your own opinion, Hans?" inquired Hendrik, who had a great +belief in his brother's book-knowledge. + +"Why, I think," replied Hans, "there need be no question about it. It +is only torturing the meaning of a word to suppose that Saint John ate +the locust fruit, and not the insect. I am decidedly of opinion that +the latter is meant in Scripture; and what makes me think so is, that +these two kinds of food, `locusts and wild honey,' are often coupled +together, as forming at the present time the subsistence of many tribes +who are denizens of the desert. Besides, we have good evidence that +both were used as food by desert-dwelling people in the days of +Scripture. It is, therefore, but natural to suppose that Saint John, +when in the desert, was forced to partake of this food; just as many a +traveller of modern times has eaten of it when crossing the deserts that +surround us here in South Africa. + +"I have read a great many books about locusts," continued Hans; "and now +that the Bible has been mentioned, I must say for my part, I know no +account given of these insects so truthful and beautiful as that in the +Bible itself. Shall I read it, papa?" + +"By all means, my boy," said the field-cornet, rather pleased at the +request which his son had made, and at the tenor of the conversation. + +Little Truey ran into the inner room and brought out an immense volume +bound in gemsbok skin, with a couple of strong brass clasps upon it to +keep it closed. This was the family Bible; and here let me observe, +that a similar book may be found in the house of nearly every boor, for +these Dutch colonists are a Protestant and Bible-loving people--so much +so, that they think nothing of going a hundred miles, _four times in the +year_, to attend the _nacht-maal_, or sacramental supper! What do you +think of that? + +Hans opened the volume, and turned at once to the book of the prophet +Joel. From the readiness with which he found the passage, it was +evident he was well acquainted with the book he held in his hands. + +He read as follows:-- + +"A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick +darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains; a great people and a +strong: there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more +after it, even to the years of many generations. A fire devoureth +before them, and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden +of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and +nothing shall escape them. The appearance of them is as the appearance +of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run. Like the noise of +chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a +flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in +battle array." + +"The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble; the sun +and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining." + +"How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because +they have no pasture; yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate." + +Even the rude Swartboy could perceive the poetic beauty of this +description. + +But Swartboy had much to say about the locusts, as well as the inspired +Joel. + +Thus spoke Swartboy:-- + +"Bushman no fear da springhaan. Bushman hab no garden--no maize--no +buckwheat--no nothing for da springhaan to eat. Bushman eat locust +himself--he grow fat on da locust. Ebery thing eat dem dar springhaan. +Ebery thing grow fat in da locust season. Ho! den for dem springhaan!" + +These remarks of Swartboy were true enough. The locusts are eaten by +almost every species of animal known in South Africa. Not only do the +_carnivora_ greedily devour them, but also animals and birds of the game +kind--such as antelopes, partridges, guinea-fowls, bustards, and, +strange to say, the giant of all--the huge elephant--will travel for +miles to overtake a migration of locusts! Domestic fowls, sheep, +horses, and dogs, devour them with equal greediness. Still another +strange fact--the locusts eat one another! If any one of them gets +hurt, so as to impede his progress, the others immediately turn upon him +and eat him up! + +The Bushmen and other native races of Africa submit the locusts to a +process of cookery before eating them; and during the whole evening +Swartboy had been engaged in preparing the bagful which he had +collected. He "cooked" them thus:-- + +He first boiled, or rather _steamed_ them, for only a small quantity of +water was put into the pot. This process lasted two hours. They were +then taken out, and allowed to dry; and after that shaken about in a +pan, until all the legs and wings were broken off from the bodies. A +winnowing process--Swartboy's thick lips acting as a fan--was next gone +through; and the legs and wings were thus got rid of. The locusts were +then ready for eating. + +A little salt only was required to render them more palatable, when all +present made trial of, and some of the children even liked them. By +many, locusts prepared in this way are considered quite equal to +shrimps! + +Sometimes they are pounded when quite dry into a sort of meal, and with +water added to them, are made into a kind of stir-about. + +When well dried, they will keep for a long time; and they frequently +form the only store of food, which the poorer natives have to depend +upon for a whole season. + +Among many tribes--particularly among those who are not agricultural-- +the coming of the locusts is a source of rejoicing. These people turn +out with sacks, and often with pack-oxen to collect and bring them to +their villages; and on such occasions vast heaps of them are accumulated +and stored, in the same way as grain! + +Conversing of these things the night passed on until it was time for +going to bed. The field-cornet went out once again to observe the wind; +and then the door of the little kraal was closed and the family retired +to rest. + + + +CHAPTER FIVE. + +THE LOCUST-FLIGHT. + +The field-cornet slept but little. Anxiety kept him awake. He turned +and tossed, and thought of the locusts. He napped at intervals, and +dreamt about locusts, and crickets, and grasshoppers, and all manner of +great long-legged, goggle-eyed insects. He was glad when the first ray +of light penetrated through the little window of his chamber. + +He sprang to his feet; and, scarce staying to dress himself, rushed out +into the open air. It was still dark, but he did not require to see the +wind. He did not need to toss a feather or hold up his hat. The truth +was too plain. A strong breeze was blowing--it was blowing _from the +west_! + +Half distracted, he ran farther out to assure himself. He ran until +clear of the walls that enclosed the kraals and garden. + +He halted and felt the air. Alas! his first impression was correct. +The breeze blew directly from the west--directly from the locusts. He +could perceive the effluvium borne from the hateful insects: there was +no longer cause to doubt. + +Groaning in spirit, Von Bloom returned to his house. He had no longer +any hope of escaping the terrible visitation. + +His first directions were to collect all the loose pieces of linen or +clothing in the house, and pack them within the family chests. What! +would the locusts be likely to eat them? + +Indeed, yes--for these voracious creatures are not fastidious. No +particular vegetable seems to be chosen by them. The leaves of the +bitter tobacco plant appear to be as much to their liking as the sweet +and succulent blades of maize! Pieces of linen, cotton, and even +flannel, are devoured by them, as though they were the tender shoots of +plants. Stones, iron, and hard wood, are about the only objects that +escape their fierce masticators. + +Von Bloom had heard this. Hans had read of it, and Swartboy confirmed +it from his own experience. + +Consequently, everything that was at all destructible was carefully +stowed away; and then breakfast was cooked and eaten in silence. + +There was a gloom over the faces of all, because he who was the head of +all was silent and dejected. What a change within a few hours! But the +evening before the field-cornet and his little family were in the full +enjoyment of happiness. + +There was still one hope, though a slight one. Might it yet rain? Or +might the day turn out cold? + +In either case Swartboy said the locusts could not take wing--for they +cannot fly in cold or rainy weather. In the event of a cold or wet day +they would have to remain as they were, and perhaps the wind might +change round again before they resumed their flight. Oh, for a torrent +of rain, or a cold cloudy day! + +Vain wish! vain hope! In half-an-hour after the sun rose up in African +splendour, and his hot rays, slanting down upon the sleeping host, +warmed them into life and activity. They commenced to crawl, to hop +about, and then, as if by one impulse, myriads rose into the air. The +breeze impelled them in the direction in which it was blowing,--in the +direction of the devoted maize-fields. + +In less than five minutes, from the time they had taken wing, they were +over the kraal, and dropping in tens of thousands upon the surrounding +fields. Slow was their flight, and gentle their descent, and to the +eyes of those beneath they presented the appearance of a shower of +_black_ snow, falling in large feathery flakes. In a few moments the +ground was completely covered, until every stalk of maize, every plant +and bush, carried its hundreds. On the outer plains too, as far as eye +could see, the pasture was strewed thickly; and as the great flight had +now passed to the eastward of the house, the sun's disk was again hidden +by them as if by an eclipse! + +They seemed to move in a kind of _echellon_, the bands in the rear +constantly flying to the front, and then halting to feed, until in turn +these were headed by others that had advanced over them in a similar +manner. + +The noise produced by their wings was not the least curious phenomenon; +and resembled a steady breeze playing among the leaves of the forest, or +the sound of a water-wheel. + +For two hours this passage continued. During most of that time, Von +Bloom and his people had remained within the house, with closed doors +and windows. This they did to avoid the unpleasant shower, as the +creatures impelled by the breeze, often strike the cheek so forcibly as +to cause a feeling of pain. Moreover, they did not like treading upon +the unwelcome intruders, and crushing them under their feet, which they +must have done, had they moved about outside where the ground was +thickly covered. + +Many of the insects even crawled inside, through the chinks of the door +and windows, and greedily devoured any vegetable substance which +happened to be lying about the floor. + +At the end of two hours Von Bloom looked forth. The thickest of the +flight had passed. The sun was again shining; but upon what was he +shining? No longer upon green fields and a flowery garden. No. Around +the house, on every side, north, south, east, and west, the eye rested +only on black desolation. Not a blade of grass, not a leaf could be +seen--even the very bark was stripped from the trees, that now stood as +if withered by the hand of God! Had fire swept the surface, it could +not have left it more naked and desolate. There was no garden, there +were no fields of maize or buckwheat, there was no longer a farm--the +kraal stood in the midst of a desert! + +Words cannot depict the emotions of the field-cornet at that moment. +The pen cannot describe his painful feelings. + +Such a change in two hours! He could scarce credit his senses--he could +scarce believe in its reality. He knew that the locusts would eat up +his maize, and his wheat, and the vegetables of his garden; but his +fancy had fallen far short of the extreme desolation that had actually +been produced. The whole landscape was metamorphosed--grass was out of +the question--trees, whose delicate foliage had played in the soft +breeze but two short hours before, now stood leafless, scathed by worse +than winter. The very ground seemed altered in shape! He would not +have known it as his own farm. Most certainly had the owner been absent +during the period of the locust-flight, and approached without any +information of what had been passing, he would not have recognised the +place of his own habitation! + +With the phlegm peculiar to his race, the field-cornet sat down, and +remained for a long time without speech or movement. + +His children gathered near, and looked on--their young hearts painfully +throbbing. They could not fully appreciate the difficult circumstances +in which this occurrence had placed them; nor did their father himself +at first. He thought only of the loss he had sustained, in the +destruction of his fine crops; and this of itself, when we consider his +isolated situation, and the hopelessness of restoring them, was enough +to cause him very great chagrin. + +"Gone! all gone!" he exclaimed, in a sorrowing voice. "Oh! Fortune-- +Fortune--again art thou cruel!" + +"Papa! do not grieve," said a soft voice; "we are all alive yet, we are +here by your side;" and with the words a little white hand was laid upon +his shoulder. It was the hand of the beautiful Truey. + +It seemed as if an angel had smiled upon him. He lifted the child in +his arms, and in a paroxysm of fondness pressed her to his heart. That +heart felt relieved. + +"Bring me the Book," said he, addressing one of the boys. + +The Bible was brought--its massive covers were opened--a verse was +chosen--and the song of praise rose up in the midst of the desert. + +The Book was closed; and for some minutes all knelt in prayer. + +When Von Bloom again stood upon his feet, and looked around him, the +desert seemed once more to "rejoice and blossom as the rose." + +Upon the human heart such is the magic influence of resignation and +humility. + + + +CHAPTER SIX. + +"INSPANN AND TREK!" + +With all his confidence in the protection of a Supreme Being, Von Bloom +knew that he was not to leave everything to the Divine hand. That was +not the religion he had been taught; and he at once set about taking +measures to extricate himself from the unpleasant position in which he +was placed. + +_Unpleasant_ position! Ha! It was more than unpleasant, as the +field-cornet began to perceive. It was a position of _peril_! + +The more Von Bloom reflected, the more was he convinced of this. There +they were, in the middle of a black naked plain, that without a green +spot extended beyond the limits of vision. How much farther he could +not guess; but he knew that the devastations of the migratory locust +sometimes cover an area of thousands of miles! It was certain that the +one that had just swept past was on a very extensive scale. + +It was evident he could no longer remain by his kraal. His horses, and +cattle, and sheep, could not live without food; and should these perish, +upon what were he and his family to subsist? He must leave the kraal. +He must go in search of pasture, without loss of time,--at once. +Already the animals, shut up beyond their usual hour, were uttering +their varied cries, impatient to be let out. They would soon hunger; +and it was hard to say when food could be procured for them. + +There was no time to be lost. Every hour was of great importance,--even +minutes must not be wasted in dubious hesitation. + +The field-cornet spent but a few minutes in consideration. Whether +should he mount one of his best horses, and ride off alone in search of +pasture? or whether would it not be better to "inspann" his wagon, and +take everything along with him at once? + +He soon decided in favour of the latter course. In any case he would +have been compelled to move from his present location,--to leave the +kraal altogether. + +He might as well take everything at once. Should he go out alone, it +might cost him a long time to find grass and water--for both would be +necessary--and, meantime, his stock would be suffering. + +These and other considerations decided him at once to "inspann" and +"trek" away, with his wagon, his horses, his cattle, his sheep, his +"household gods," and his whole family circle. + +"Inspann and trek!" was the command: and Swartboy, who was proud of the +reputation he had earned as a wagon-driver, was now seen waving his +bamboo whip like a great fishing-rod. + +"Inspann and trek!" echoed Swartboy, tying upon his twenty-feet lash a +new cracker, which he had twisted out of the skin of the hartebeest +antelope. + +"Inspann and trek!" he repeated, making his vast whip crack like a +pistol; "yes, baas, I'll inspann;" and, having satisfied himself that +his "voorslag" was properly adjusted, Swartboy rested the bamboo handle +against the side of the house, and proceeded to the kraal to collect the +yoke-oxen. + +A large wagon, of a sort that is the pride and property of every Cape +farmer, stood to one side of the house. It was a vehicle of the first +class,--a regular "cap-tent" wagon,--that had been made for the +field-cornet in his better days, and in which he had been used to drive +his wife and children to the "nacht-maal" and upon _vrolykheids_ +(parties of pleasure.) In those days a team of eight fine horses used +to draw it along at a rattling rate. Alas! oxen had now to take their +place; for Von Bloom had but five horses in his whole stud, and these +were required for the saddle. + +But the wagon was almost as good as ever it had been,--almost as good as +when it used to be the envy of the field-cornet's neighbours, the boors +of Graaf Reinet. Nothing was broken. Everything was in its +place,--"voor-kist," and "achter-kist," and side-chests. There was the +snow-white cap, with its "fore-clap" and "after-clap," and its inside +pockets, all complete; and the wheels neatly carved, and the well planed +boxing and "disselboom" and the strong "trektow" of buffalo-hide. +Nothing was wanting that ought to be found about a wagon. It was, in +fact, the best part of the field-cornet's property that remained to +him,--for it was equal in value to all the oxen, cattle, and sheep, upon +his establishment. + +While Swartboy, assisted by Hendrik, was catching up the twelve +yoke-oxen, and attaching them to the disselboom and trektow of the +wagon, the "baas" himself, aided by Hans, Totty, and also by Truey and +little Jan, was loading up the furniture and implements. This was not a +difficult task. The _Penates_ of the little kraal were not numerous, +and were all soon packed either inside or around the roomy vehicle. + +In about an hour's time the wagon was loaded up, the oxen were +inspanned, the horses saddled, and everything was ready for "trekking." + +And now arose the question, _whither_? + +Up to this time Von Bloom had only thought of getting away from the +spot--of escaping beyond the naked waste that surrounded him. + +It now became necessary to determine the direction in which they were to +travel--a most important consideration. + +Important, indeed, as a little reflection showed. They might go in the +direction in which the locusts had gone, or that in which they had +_come_? On either route they might travel for scores of miles without +meeting with a mouthful of grass for the hungry animals; and in such a +case these would break down and perish. + +Or the travellers might move in some other direction, and find grass, +but not water. Without water, not only would they have to fear for the +cattle, but for themselves--for their own lives. How important then it +was, which way they turned their faces! + +At first the field-cornet bethought him of heading towards the +settlements. The nearest water in that direction was almost fifty miles +off. It lay to the eastward of the kraal. The locusts had just gone +that way. They would by this time have laid waste the whole country-- +perhaps to the water or beyond it! + +It would be a great risk going in that direction. + +Northward lay the Kalihari desert. It would be hopeless to steer north. +Von Bloom knew of no oasis in the desert. Besides the locusts had come +from the north. They were drifting southward when first seen; and from +the time they had been observed passing in this last direction, they had +no doubt ere this wasted the plains far to the south. + +The thoughts of the field-cornet were now turned to the west. It is +true the swarm had last approached from the west; but Von Bloom fancied +that they had first come down from the north, and that the sudden +veering round of the wind had caused them to change direction. He +thought that by trekking westward he would soon get beyond the ground +they had laid bare. + +He knew something of the plains to the west--not much indeed, but he +knew that at about forty miles distance there was a spring with good +pasturage around it, upon whose water he could depend. He had once +visited it, while on a search for some of his cattle, that had wandered +thus far. Indeed, it then appeared to him a better situation for cattle +than the one he held, and he had often thought of moving to it. Its +great distance from any civilised settlement was the reason why he had +not done so. Although he was already far beyond the frontier, he still +kept up a sort of communication with the settlements, whereas at the +more distant point such a communication would be extremely difficult. + +Now that other considerations weighed with him, his thoughts once more +returned to this spring; and after spending a few minutes more in +earnest deliberation, he decided upon "trekking" westward. + +Swartboy was ordered to head round, and strike to the west. The Bushman +promptly leaped to his seat upon the voor-kist, cracked his mighty whip, +straightened out his long team, and moved off over the plain. + +Hans and Hendrik were already in their saddles; and having cleared the +kraals of all their live-stock, with the assistance of the dogs, drove +the lowing and bleating animals before them. + +Truey and little Jan sat beside Swartboy on the fore-chest of the wagon; +and the round full eyes of the pretty springbok could be seen peeping +curiously out from under the cap-tent. + +Casting a last look upon his desolate kraal, the field-cornet turned his +horse's head, and rode after the wagon. + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN. + +"WATER! WATER!" + +On moved the little caravan, but not in silence. Swartboy's voice and +whip made an almost continual noise. The latter could be plainly heard +more than a mile over the plain, like repeated discharges of a musket. +Hendrik, too, did a good deal in the way of shouting; and even the +usually quiet Hans was under the necessity of using his voice to urge +the flock forward in the right direction. + +Occasionally both the boys were called upon to give Swartboy a help with +the leading oxen when these became obstinate or restive, and would turn +out of the track. At such times either Hans or Hendrik would gallop up, +set the heads of the animals right again, and ply the "jamboks" upon +their sides. + +This "jambok" is a severe chastener to an obstinate ox. It is an +elastic whip made of rhinoceros or hippopotamus skin,--hippopotamus is +the best,--near six feet long, and tapering regularly from butt to tip. + +Whenever the led oxen misbehaved, and Swartboy could not reach them with +his long "voorslag," Hendrik was ever ready to tickle them with his +tough jambok; and, by this means, frighten them into good behaviour. +Indeed, one of the boys was obliged to be at their head nearly all the +time. + +A "leader" is used to accompany most teams of oxen in South Africa. But +those of the field-cornet had been accustomed to draw the wagon without +one, ever since the Hottentot servants fan away; and Swartboy had driven +many miles with no other help than his long whip. But the strange look +of everything, since the locusts passed, had made the oxen shy and wild; +besides the insects had obliterated every track or path which oxen would +have followed. The whole surface was alike,--there was neither trace +nor mark. Even Von Bloom himself could with difficulty recognise the +features of the country, and had to guide himself by the sun in the sky. + +Hendrik stayed mostly by the head of the leading oxen. Hans had no +difficulty in driving the flock when once fairly started. A sense of +fear kept all together, and as there was no herbage upon any side to +tempt them to stray, they moved regularly on. + +Von Bloom rode in front to guide the caravan. Neither he nor any of +them had made any change in their costume, but travelled in their +everyday dress. The field-cornet himself was habited after the manner +of most boors,--in wide leathern trousers, termed in that country +"crackers;" a large roomy jacket of green cloth, with ample outside +pockets; a fawn-skin waistcoat; a huge white felt hat, with the broadest +of brims; and upon his feet a pair of brogans of African unstained +leather, known among the boors as "feldt-schoenen" (country shoes). +Over his saddle lay a "kaross," or robe of leopard-skins, and upon his +shoulder he carried his "roer"--a large smoothbore gun, about six feet +in length, with an old-fashioned flint-lock,--quite a load of itself. +This is the gun in which the boor puts all his trust; and although an +American backwoodsman would at first sight be disposed to laugh at such +a weapon, a little knowledge of the boor's country would change his +opinion of the "roer." His own weapon--the small-bore rifle, with a +bullet less than a pea--would be almost useless among the large game +that inhabits the country of the boor. Upon the "karoos" of Africa +there are crack shots and sterling hunters, as well as in the backwoods +or on the prairies of America. + +Curving round under the field-cornet's left arm, and resting against his +side, was an immense powder-horn--of such size as could only be produced +upon the head of an African ox. It was from the country of the +Bechuanas, though nearly all Cape oxen grow horns of vast dimensions. +Of course it was used to carry the field-cornet's powder, and, if full, +it must have contained half-a-dozen pounds at least! A leopard-skin +pouch hanging under his right arm, a hunting-knife stuck in his +waist-belt, and a large meerschaum pipe through the band of his hat, +completed the equipments of the trek-boor, Von Bloom. + +Hans and Hendrik were very similarly attired, armed, and equipped. Of +course their trousers were of dressed sheep-skin, wide--like the +trousers of all young boors--and they also wore jackets and +"feldt-schoenen," and broad-brimmed white hats. Hans carried a light +fowling-piece, while Hendrik's gun was a stout rifle of the kind known +as a "yager"--an excellent gun for large game. In this piece Hendrik +had great pride, and had learnt to drive a nail with it at nearly a +hundred paces. Hendrik was _par excellence_ the marksman of the party. +Each of the boys also carried a large crescent-shaped powder-horn, with +a pouch for bullets; and over the saddle of each was strapped the robe +or kaross, differing only from their father's in that his was of the +rarer leopard-skin, while theirs were a commoner sort, one of antelope, +and the other of jackal-skin. Little Jan also wore wide trousers, +jacket, "feldt-schoenen," and broad-brimmed beaver,--in fact, Jan, +although scarce a yard high, was, in point of costume, a type of his +father,--a diminutive type of the boor. Truey was habited in a skirt of +blue woollen stuff, with a neat bodice elaborately stitched and +embroidered after the Dutch fashion, and over her fair locks she wore a +light sun-hat of straw with a ribbon and strings. Totty was very +plainly attired in strong homespun, without any head-dress. As for +Swartboy, a pair of old leathern "crackers" and a striped shirt were all +the clothing he carried, beside his sheep-skin kaross. Such were the +costumes of our travellers. + +For full twenty miles the plain was wasted bare. Not a bite could the +beasts obtain, and water there was none. The sun during the day shone +brightly,--too brightly, for his beams were as hot as within the +tropics. The travellers could scarce have borne them had it not been +that a stiff breeze was blowing all day long. But this unfortunately +blew directly in their faces, and the dry karoos are never without dust. +The constant hopping of the locusts with their millions of tiny feet +had loosened the crust of earth; and now the dust rose freely upon the +wind. Clouds of it enveloped the little caravan, and rendered their +forward movement both difficult and disagreeable. Long before night +their clothes were covered, their mouths filled, and their eyes sore. + +But all that was nothing. Long before night a far greater grievance was +felt,--the want of water. + +In their hurry to escape from the desolate scene at the kraal, Von Bloom +had not thought of bringing a supply in the wagon--a sad oversight, in a +country like South Africa, where springs are so rare, and running +streams so uncertain. A sad oversight indeed, as they now learnt--for +long before night they were all crying out for water--all were equally +suffering from the pangs of thirst. + +Von Bloom thirsted, but he did not think of himself, except that he +suffered from self-accusation. He blamed himself for neglecting to +bring a needful supply of water. He was the cause of the sufferings of +all the rest. He felt sad and humbled on account of his thoughtless +negligence. + +He could promise them no relief--at least none until they should reach +the spring. He knew of no water nearer. + +It would be impossible to reach the spring that night. It was late when +they started. Oxen travel slowly. Half the distance would be as much +as they could make by sundown. + +To reach the water they would have to travel all night; but they could +not do that for many reasons. The oxen would require to rest--the more +so that they were hungered; and now Von Bloom thought, when too late, of +another neglect he had committed--that was, in not collecting, during +the flight of the locusts, a sufficient quantity of them to have given +his cattle a feed. + +This plan is often adopted under similar circumstances; but the +field-cornet had not thought of it: and as but few locusts fell in the +kraals where the animals had been confined, they had therefore been +without food since the previous day. The oxen in particular showed +symptoms of weakness, and drew the wagon sluggishly; so that Swartboy's +voice and long whip were kept in constant action. + +But there were other reasons why they would have to halt when night came +on. The field-cornet was not so sure of the direction. He would not be +able to follow it by night, as there was not the semblance of a track to +guide him. Besides it would be dangerous to travel by night, for then +the nocturnal robber of Africa--the fierce lion--is abroad. + +They would be under the necessity, therefore, of halting for the night, +water or no water. + +It wanted yet half-an-hour of sundown when Von Bloom had arrived at this +decision. He only kept on a little farther in hopes of reaching a spot +where there was grass. They were now more than twenty miles from their +starting-point, and still the black "spoor" of the locusts covered the +plain. Still no grass to be seen, still the bushes bare of their +leaves, and barked! + +The field-cornet began to think that he was trekking right in the way +the locusts had come. Westward he was heading for certain; he knew +that. But he was not yet certain that the flight had not advanced from +the west instead of the north. If so, they might go for days before +coming upon a patch of grass! + +These thoughts troubled him, and with anxious eyes he swept the plain in +front, as well as to the right and left. + +A shout from the keen-eyed Bushman produced a joyful effect. He saw +grass in front. He saw some bushes with leaves! They were still a mile +off, but the oxen, as if the announcement had been understood by them, +moved more briskly forward. + +Another mile passed over, and they came upon grass, sure enough. It was +a very scanty pasture, though--a few scattered blades growing ever the +reddish surface, but in no place a mouthful for an ox. There was just +enough to tantalise the poor brutes without filling their stomachs. It +assured Von Bloom, however, that they had now got beyond the track of +the locusts; and he kept on a little farther in hopes that the pasture +might get better. + +It did not, however. The country through which they advanced was a +wild, sterile plain--almost as destitute of vegetation as that over +which they had hitherto been travelling. It no longer owed its +nakedness to the locusts, but to the absence of water. + +They had no more time to search for pasture. The sun was already below +the horizon when they halted to "outspann." + +A "kraal" should have been built for the cattle, and another for the +sheep and goats. There were bushes enough to have constructed them, but +who of that tired party had the heart to cut them down and drag them to +the spot? + +It was labour enough--the slaughtering a sheep for supper, and +collecting sufficient wood to cook it. No kraal was made. The horses +were tied around the wagon. The oxen, cattle, and sheep and goats, were +left free to go where they pleased. As there was no pasture near to +tempt them, it was hoped that, after the fatigue of their long journey, +they would not stray far from the camp-fire, which was kept burning +throughout the night. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT. + +THE FATE OF THE HERO. + +But they _did_ stray. + +When day broke, and the travellers looked around them, not a head of the +oxen or cattle was to be seen. Yes, there was one, and one only--the +milch-cow. Totty, after milking her on the previous night, had left her +tied to a bush where she still remained. All the rest were gone, and +the sheep and goats as well. + +Whither had they strayed? + +The horses were mounted, and search was made. The sheep and goats were +found among some bushes not far off; but it soon appeared that the other +animals had gone clean away. + +Their spoor was traced for a mile or two. It led back on the very track +they had come; and no doubt any longer existed that they had returned to +the kraal. + +To overtake them before reaching that point, would be difficult, if at +all possible. Their tracks showed that they had gone off early in the +night, and had travelled at a rapid rate--so that by this time they had +most likely arrived at their old home. + +This was a sad discovery. To have followed them on the thirsting and +hungry horses would have been a useless work; yet without the yoke-oxen +how was the wagon to be taken forward to the spring? + +It appeared to be a sad dilemma they were in; but after a short +consultation the thoughtful Hans suggested a solution of it. + +"Can we not attach the horses to the wagon?" inquired he. "The five +could surely draw it on to the spring?" + +"What! and leave the cattle behind?" said Hendrik. "If we do not go +after them, they will be all lost, and then--" + +"We could go for them afterwards," replied Hans; "but is it not better +first to push forward to the spring; and, after resting the horses a +while, return then for the oxen? They will have reached the kraal by +this time. There they will be sure of water anyhow, and that will keep +them alive till we get there." + +The course suggested by Hans seemed feasible enough. At all events, it +was the best plan they could pursue; so they at once set about putting +it in execution. The horses were attached to the wagon in the best way +they could think of. Fortunately some old horse-harness formed part of +the contents of the vehicle, and these were brought out and fitted on, +as well as could be done. + +Two horses were made fast to the disselboom as "wheelers;" two others to +the trektow cut to the proper length; and the fifth horse was placed in +front as a leader. + +When all was ready, Swartboy again mounted the voor-kist, gathered up +his reins, cracked his whip, and set his team in motion. To the delight +of every one, the huge heavy-laden wagon moved off as freely as if a +full team had been inspanned. + +Von Bloom, Hendrik, and Hans, cheered as it passed them; and setting the +milch-cow and the flock of sheep and goats in motion, moved briskly +after. Little Jan and Truey still rode in the wagon; but the others now +travelled afoot, partly because they had the flock to drive, and partly +that they might not increase the load upon the horses. + +They all suffered greatly from thirst, but they would have suffered +still more had it not been for that valuable creature that trotted along +behind the wagon--the cow--"old Graaf," as she was called. She had +yielded several pints of milk, both the night before and that morning; +and this well-timed supply had given considerable relief to the +travellers. + +The horses behaved beautifully. Notwithstanding that their harness was +both incomplete and ill fitted, they pulled the wagon along after them +as if not a strap or buckle had been wanting. They appeared to know +that their kind master was in a dilemma, and were determined to draw him +out of it. Perhaps, too, they smelt the spring-water before them. At +all events, before they had been many hours in harness, they were +drawing the wagon through a pretty little valley covered with green, +meadow-looking sward; and in five minutes more were standing halted near +a cool crystal spring. + +In a short time all had drunk heartily, and were refreshed. The horses +were turned out upon the grass, and the other animals browsed over the +meadow. A good fire was made near the spring, and a quarter of mutton +cooked--upon which the travellers dined--and then all sat waiting for +the horses to fill themselves. + +The field-cornet, seated upon one of the wagon-chests, smoked his great +pipe. He could have been contented, but for one thing--the absence of +his cattle. + +He had arrived at a beautiful pasture-ground--a sort of oasis in the +wild plains, where there were wood, water, and grass,--everything that +the heart of a "vee-boor" could desire. It did not appear to be a large +tract, but enough to have sustained many hundred head of cattle--enough +for a very fine "stock farm." It would have answered his purpose +admirably; and had he succeeded in bringing on his oxen and cattle, he +would at that moment have felt happy enough. But without them what +availed the fine pasturage? What could he do there without them to +stock it? They were his wealth--at least, he had hoped in time that +their increase would become wealth. They were all of excellent breeds; +and, with the exception of his twelve yoke-oxen, and one or two +long-horned Bechuana bulls, all the others were fine young cows +calculated soon to produce a large herd. + +Of course his anxiety about these animals rendered it impossible for him +to enjoy a moment's peace of mind, until he should start back in search +of them. He had only taken out his pipe to pass the time, while the +horses were gathering a bite of grass. As soon as their strength should +be recruited a little, it was his design to take three of the strongest +of them, and with Hendrik and Swartboy, ride back to the old kraal. + +As soon, therefore, as the horses were ready for the road again, they +were caught and saddled up; and Von Bloom, Hendrik, and Swartboy, +mounted and set out, while Hans remained in charge of the camp. + +They rode at a brisk rate, determined to travel all night, and, if +possible, reach the kraal before morning. At the last point on the +route where there was grass, they off-saddled, and allowed their horses +to rest and refresh themselves. They had brought with them some slices +of the roast mutton, and this time they had not forgotten to fill their +gourd-canteens with water--so that they should not again suffer from +thirst. After an hour's halt they continued their journey. + +It was quite night when they arrived at the spot where the oxen had +deserted them; but a clear moon was in the sky, and they were able to +follow back the wheel-tracks of the wagon, that were quite conspicuous +under the moonlight. Now and then to be satisfied, Von Bloom requested +Swartboy to examine the spoor, and see whether the cattle had still kept +the back-track. To answer this gave no great trouble to the Bushman. +He would drop from his horse, and bending over the ground, would reply +in an instant. In every case the answer was in the affirmative. The +animals had certainly gone back to their old home. + +Von Bloom believed they would be sure to find them there, but should +they find them _alive_? That was the question that rendered him +anxious. + +The creatures could obtain water by the spring, but food--where? Not a +bite would they find anywhere, and would not hunger have destroyed them +all before this? + +Day was breaking when they came in sight of the old homestead. It +presented a very odd appearance. Not one of the three would have +recognised it. After the invasion of the locusts it showed a very +altered look, but now there was something else that added to the +singularity of its appearance. A row of strange objects seemed to be +placed upon the roof ridge, and along the walls of the kraals. What +were these strange objects, for they certainly did not belong to the +buildings? This question was put by Von Bloom, partly to himself, but +loud enough for the others to hear him. + +"_Da vogels_!" (the vultures), replied Swartboy. + +Sure enough, it was a string of vultures that appeared along the walls. + +The sight of these filthy birds was more than ominous. It filled Von +Bloom with apprehension. What could they be doing there? There must be +carrion near? + +The party rode forward. The day was now up, and the vultures had grown +busy. They flapped their shadowy wings, rose from the walls, and +alighted at different points around the house. + +"Surely there must be carrion," muttered Von Bloom. + +There _was_ carrion, and plenty of it. As the horsemen drew near the +vultures rose into the air, and a score of half-devoured carcasses could +be seen upon the ground. The long curving horns that appeared beside +each carcass, rendered it easy to tell to what sort of animals they +belonged. In the torn and mutilated fragments, Von Bloom recognised the +remains of his lost herd! + +Not one was left alive. There could be seen the remains of all of them, +both cows and oxen, lying near the enclosures and on the adjacent +plain--each where it had fallen. + +But how had they fallen? That was the mystery. + +Surely they could not have perished of hunger, and so suddenly? They +could not have died of thirst, for there was the spring bubbling up just +beside where they lay? The vultures had not killed them! What then? + +Von Bloom did not ask many questions. He was not left long in doubt. +As he and his companions rode over the ground, the mystery was +explained. The tracks of lions, hyenas, and jackals, made everything +clear enough. A large troop of these animals had been upon the ground. +The scarcity of game, caused by the migration of the locusts, had no +doubt rendered them more than usually ravenous, and in consequence the +cattle became their prey. + +Where were they now? The morning light, and the sight of the house +perhaps, had driven them off. But their spoor was quite fresh. They +were near at hand, and would be certain to return again upon the +following night. + +Von Bloom felt a strong desire to be revenged upon the hideous brutes; +and, under other circumstances, would have remained to get a shot at +them. But just then that would have been both imprudent and +unprofitable work. It would be as much as their horses could +accomplish, to get back to camp that night; so, without even entering +the old house, they watered their animals, refilled their calabashes at +the spring, and with heavy hearts once more rode away from the kraal. + + + +CHAPTER NINE. + +A LION "COUCHANT." + +They had not proceeded an hundred steps when an object appeared before +them that caused all three to draw bridle suddenly and simultaneously. +That object was a lion! + +He was couched upon the plain directly in the path they intended to +take--the very same path by which they had come! + +How was it they had not seen him before? He was under the lee of a low +bush; but, thanks to the locusts, this bush was leafless, and its thin +naked twigs formed no concealment for so large a creature as a lion. +His tawny hide shone conspicuously through them. + +The truth is, he had not been there when the horsemen passed towards the +kraal. He had just fled from among the carcasses, on seeing them +approach; and had skulked around the walls, and then run to their rear. +He had executed this manoeuvre to avoid an encounter--for a lion reasons +as a man does, though not to the same extent. Seeing the horsemen come +that way, his reasoning powers were strong enough to tell him that they +were not likely to return by the same path. It was more natural they +should continue on. A man, ignorant of all the preceding events +connected with their journey would have reasoned much in the same way. +If you have been at all observant, you have seen other animals--such as +dogs, deer, hares, or even birds--act just as the lion did on this +occasion. + +Beyond a doubt the intellectual process described passed through the +mind of this lion; and he had skulked round to shun an encounter with +the three travellers. + +Now a lion will not always act so--though he will in five cases out of +six, or oftener. Hence very erroneous views are held in relation to the +courage of this animal. Some naturalists, led away by what appears to +be a feeling of envy or anger, accuse the lion of downright _cowardice_, +denying him a single noble quality of all those that have from earliest +times been ascribed to him! Others, on the contrary, assert that he +knows no fear, either of man or beast; and these endow him with many +virtues besides courage. Both parties back up their views, not by mere +assertions, but by an ample narration of well-attested facts! + +How is this? There is a dilemma here. Both cannot be right in their +opinions? And yet, odd as it may appear to say so, both _are_ right in +a certain sense. + +The fact is, _some lions are cowardly, while others are brave_. + +The truth of this might be shown by whole pages of facts, but in this +little volume we have not room. I think, however, boy reader, I can +satisfy you with an analogy. + +Answer me--Do you know any species of animal, the individuals of which +are exactly alike in character? Think over the dogs _of your +acquaintance_! Are they alike, or anything near it? Are not some of +them noble, generous, faithful, brave to the death? Are not others +mean, sneaking, cowardly curs? So is it with lions. + +Now, you are satisfied that my statement about the lions may be true. + +There are many causes to affect the courage and ferocity of the lion. +His age--the state of his stomach--the season of the year--the hour of +the day--but, above all, the _sort of hunters that belong to the +district he inhabits_. + +This last fact appears quite natural to those who believe in the +_intellect_ of animals, which of course _I_ do. It is perfectly natural +that the lion, as well as other animals, should soon learn the character +of his enemy, and fear him or not, as the case may be. Is this not an +old story with us? If I remember aright, we had a talk upon this +subject when speaking of the crocodiles of America. We remarked that +the alligator of the Mississippi rarely attacks man in modern times; but +it has not been always so. The rifle of the alligator-leather hunter +has tamed its ferocity. The very _same species_ in South America eats +Indians by scores every year; and the crocodile of Africa is dreaded in +some parts even more than the lion! + +It is asserted that the lions of the Cape are more cowardly in some +districts than in others. They are less brave in those districts where +they have been "jaged" by the courageous and stalwart boor with his long +loud-cracking "roer." + +Beyond the frontier, where they have no enemy but the tiny arrow of the +Bushman (who does not desire to kill them!) and the slender "assegai" of +the Bechuana, the lion has little or no fear of man. + +Whether the one, before the eyes of our party, was naturally a brave +one, could not yet be told. He was one with a huge black mane, or +"schwart-fore life," as the boors term it; and these are esteemed the +fiercest and most dangerous. The "yellow-maned,"--for there is +considerable variety in the colour of the Cape lions--is regarded as +possessing less courage; but there is some doubt about the truth of +this. The young "black-manes" may often be mistaken for the true yellow +variety, and their character ascribed to him to his prejudice,--for the +swarthy colour of the mane only comes after the lion is many years of +age. + +Whether the "schwart-fore life" was a fierce and brave one, Von Bloom +did not stay to think about. It was evident that the edge had been +taken off the animal's appetite. It was evident he did not meditate an +attack; and that had the horsemen chosen to make a detour, and ride +peacefully away, they might have continued their journey without ever +seeing or hearing of him again. + +But the field-cornet had no such intention. He had lost his precious +oxen and cattle. _That_ lion had pulled down some of them, at least. +The Dutch blood was up, and if the beast had been the strongest and +fiercest of his tribe, he was bound to be brought out of that bush. + +Ordering the others to remain where they were, Von Bloom advanced on +horseback until within about fifty paces of where the lion lay. Here he +drew up, coolly dismounted, passed the bridle over his arm, stuck his +loading-rod into the ground, and knelt down behind it. + +You will fancy he would have been safer to have kept his saddle, as the +lion cannot overtake a horse. True; but the lion would have been safer +too. It is no easy matter to fire correctly from any horse, but when +the mark happens to be a grim lion, he is a well-trained steed that will +stand sufficiently firm to admit of a true aim. A shot from the saddle +under such circumstances is a mere chance shot; and the field-cornet was +not in the mood to be satisfied with a chance shot. Laying his roer +athwart the loading-rod, and holding the long barrel steady against it, +he took deliberate aim through the ivory sights. + +During all this time the lion had not stirred. The bush was between him +and the hunter; but he could hardly have believed that it sufficed to +conceal him. Far from it. His yellow flanks were distinctly visible +through the thorny twigs, and his head could be seen with his muzzle and +whiskers stained red with the blood of the oxen. + +No--he did not believe himself hid. A slight growl, with one or two +shakes of his tail, proved the contrary. He lay still however, as lions +usually do, until more nearly approached. The hunter, as already +stated, was full fifty yards from him. + +Excepting the motion of his tail, he made no other till Von Bloom pulled +trigger; and then with a scream he sprang several feet into the air. +The hunter had been afraid of the twigs causing his bullet to glance +off; but it was plain it had told truly, for he saw the fur fly from the +side of that lion where it struck him. + +It was but a wound; and not deadly, as soon appeared. + +With long bounds the angry brute came on--lashing his tail, and showing +his fearful teeth. His mane, now on end, seemed to have doubled his +size. He looked as large as a bull! + +In a _few_ seconds time he had crossed the distance that separated him +from the hunter, but the latter was gone far from that spot. The moment +he had delivered his fire, he leaped upon his well-trained horse, and +rode off towards the others. + +All three were for a short while together--Hendrik holding his yager +cocked and ready, while Swartboy grasped his bow and arrows. But the +lion dashed forward before either could fire; and they were obliged to +spur and gallop out of his way. + +Swartboy had ridden to one side, while Von Bloom and Hendrik took the +other; and the game was now between the two parties--both of which had +pulled up at some distance off. + +The lion, after the failure of his charge, halted, and looked first at +one, then at the other--as if uncertain which to pursue. + +His appearance at this moment was terrible beyond expression. His whole +fierce nature was roused. His mane stood erect--his tail lasher his +flanks--his mouth, widely open, showed the firm-set trenchant teeth-- +their white spikes contrasting with the red blood that clotted his +cheeks and snout, while his angry roaring added horror to his +appearance. + +But none of the three were terrified out of their senses. Hendrik at +this moment covered him with his rifle, took cool aim, and fired; while +at the same instant Swartboy sent an arrow whistling through the air. + +Both had aimed truly. Both bullet and arrow struck; and the shaft of +the latter could be seen sticking in the lion's thigh. + +The fierce brute that up to this time had exhibited the most determined +courage, now seemed overcome with a sudden fear. Either the arrow or +one of the bullets must have sickened him with the combat; for, dropping +his mop-like tail to a level with the line of his back, he broke away; +and, trotting sulkily forward, sprang in at the door of the kraal! + + + +CHAPTER TEN. + +A LION IN THE TRAP. + +There was something singular in the lion seeking shelter in so unusual a +place; but it showed his sagacity. There was no other cover within +convenient distance, and to have reached any bush that would have +afforded him concealment, since the passage of the locusts, would have +been difficult. The mounted hunters could easily have overtaken him, +had he attempted to run off. He was aware that the house was +uninhabited. He had been prowling around it all the night--perhaps +within it--and therefore knew what sort of place it was. + +The brute's instinct was correct. The walls of the house would protect +him from the guns of his enemies at a distance; and for these to +approach near would be his advantage and their danger. + +An odd incident occurred as the lion entered the kraal. There was a +large window in one end of the house. Of course it was not glazed--it +never had been. A glass window is a rarity in these parts. A strong +wooden shutter alone closed it. This was still hanging on its hinges, +but in the hurried "flitting," the window had been left open. The door +also had been standing ajar. As the lion sprang in at the latter, a +string of small foxy wolf-like creatures came pouring out through the +former, and ran with all their might across the plain. They were +jackals! + +As it afterwards appeared, one of the oxen had been chased into the +house either by lions or hyenas, and killed there. His carcass had been +overlooked by the larger carnivora, and the cunning jackals had been +making a quiet breakfast upon it, when so unceremoniously disturbed. + +The entrance of their terrible king in such angry mood, by the door, +caused the fox-wolves to beat a quick retreat by the window; and the +appearance of the horsemen without had still further frightened these +cowardly brutes, so that they ran away from the kraal at top speed, and +never halted until they were out of sight. + +The three hunters could not restrain a laugh; but their tone was +suddenly changed by another incident that happened almost at the same +moment. + +Von Bloom had brought with him his two fine dogs, to assist in driving +back the cattle. + +During the short halt the party had made by the spring, these had +fastened upon a half-eaten carcass behind the walls; and, being +extremely hungry, had stuck to it, even after the horsemen, had ridden +off. Neither of the dogs had seen the lion, until the moment when the +savage brute charged forward, and was making for the kraal. The shots, +the growling of the lion, and the loud wings of the vultures as they +flew off affrighted, told the dogs that something was going on in front, +at which they ought to be present; and, forsaking their pleasant meal, +both came bounding over the walls. + +They reached the open space in front, just as the lion leaped into the +door; and without hesitation the brave noble animals rushed on, and +followed him inside the house. + +For some moments there was heard a confused chorus of noises--the +barking and worrying of the dogs, the growling and roaring of the lion. +Then a dull sound followed as of some heavy object dashed against the +wall. Then came a mournful howl--another, another--a noise like the +cracking of bones--the "purr" of the great brute with its loud rough +bass--and then a deep silence. The struggle was over. This was +evident, as the dogs no longer gave tongue. Most likely they were +killed. + +The hunters remained watching the door with feelings of intense anxiety. +The laugh had died upon their lips, as they listened to those hideous +sounds, the signs of the fearful combat. They called their dogs by +name. They hoped to see them issue forth, even if wounded. But no. +The dogs came not forth--they never came forth--they were dead! + +A long-continued silence followed the noise of the conflict. Von Bloom +could no longer doubt that his favourite and only dogs had been killed. + +Excited by this new misfortune he almost lost prudence. He was about to +rush forward to the door, where he might deliver his fire close to the +hated enemy, when a bright idea came into the brain of Swartboy; and the +Bushman was heard calling out,-- + +"Baas! baas! we shut him up! we close da skellum up." + +There was good sense in this suggestion--there was plausibility in it. +Von Bloom saw this; and, desisting from his previous intention, he +determined to adopt Swartboy's plan. + +But how was it to be executed? The door still hung upon its hinges, as +also the window-shutter. If they could only get hold of these, and shut +them fast, they would have the lion secure, and might destroy him at +their leisure. + +But how to shut either door or window in safety? That was the +difficulty that now presented itself. + +Should they approach either, the lion would be certain to see them from +within; and, enraged as he now was, would be sure to spring upon them. +Even if they approached on horseback to effect their purpose, they would +not be much safer. The horses would not stand quiet while they +stretched out to lay hold of latch or handle. All three of the animals +were already dancing with excitement. They knew the lion was inside, an +occasional growl announced his presence there--they would not approach +either door or window with sufficient coolness; and their stamping and +snorting would have the effect of bringing the angry beast out upon +them. + +It was clear, then, that to shut either door or window would be an +operation of great danger. So long as the horsemen were in open ground, +and at some distance from the lion, they had no cause to fear; but +should they approach near and get entangled among the walls, some one of +them would be most likely to fall a victim to the ferocious brute. + +Low as may be the standard of a Bushman's intellect, there is a species +of it peculiar to him in which he appears to excel. In all matters of +hunter-craft, his intelligence, or instinct you might almost call it, is +quite a match for the more highly--developed mind of the Caucasian. +This arises, no doubt, from the keen and frequent exercise of those +particular faculties,--keen and frequent, because his very existence +often depends on their successful employment. + +Huge ill-shapen head as Swartboy carried on his shoulders, there was an +ample stock of brains in it; and a life of keen endeavour to keep his +stomach supplied had taught him their exercise. At that moment +Swartboy's brains came to the relief of the party. + +"Baas!" he said, endeavouring to restrain the impatience of his master, +"vyacht um bige, mein baas! Leave it to da ole Bushy to close da door. +He do it." + +"How?" inquired Von Bloom. + +"Vyacht um bige, mein baas! no long to wait,--you see." + +All three had ridden up together within less than an hundred yards of +the kraal. Von Bloom and Hendrik sat silent, and watched the +proceedings of the Bushman. + +The latter drew from his pocket a clew of small cord, and, having +carefully uncoiled it, attached one end to an arrow. He then rode up to +within thirty yards of the house, and dismounted--not directly opposite +the entrance, but a little to the one side--so that the face of the +wooden door, which was fortunately but three-quarters open, was thus +fair before him. Keeping the bridle over his arm, he now bent his bow, +and sent the arrow into the woodwork of the door. There it was, +sticking near the edge, and just under the latch! + +As soon as Swartboy delivered the shaft, he had leaped back into his +saddle--to be ready for retreat in case the lion should spring out. He +still, however, kept hold of the string, one end of which was attached +to the arrow. + +The "thud" of the arrow, as it struck the door, had drawn the attention +of the lion. Of course, none of them saw him, but his angry growl told +them that it was so. He did not show himself, however, and was again +silent. + +Swartboy now drew the string taut,--first felt it with a steady pull; +and then, satisfied of its strength, gave it a stronger jerk, and +brought the door to. The latch acted beautifully, and the door remained +shut even after the strain was taken off the cord. + +To have opened the door now the lion must have had the sagacity to lift +the latch, or else must have broken through the thick, strong planks-- +neither of which was to be feared. + +But the window still remained open, and through it the lion could easily +leap out. Swartboy, of course, designed closing it in the same manner +as he had done the door. + +But now arose a particular danger. He had only one piece of cord. That +was attached to the arrow that still stuck fast. How was he to detach +and get possession of it? + +There appeared to be no other way but by going up to the door and +cutting it from the shaft. In this lay the danger; for, should the lion +perceive him and rush out by the window, it would be all over with the +Bushman. + +Like most of his race, Swartboy was more cunning than brave--though he +was far from being a coward. Still he was by no means inclined at that +moment to go up to the door of the kraal. + +The angry growls from within would have made a stouter heart than +Swartboy's quail with fear. + +In this dilemma Hendrik came to his relief. Hendrik had conceived a way +of getting possession of the string, without going near the door! + +Calling to Swartboy to be on his guard, he rode within thirty yards of +the entrance--but on the other side from where Swartboy was--and there +halted. At the place there stood a post with several forks upon it, +that had been used as a bridle-post. + +Hendrik dismounted, hooked his rein over one of these forks; rested his +yager across another; and then, sighting the shaft of the arrow, pulled +trigger. The rifle cracked, the broken stick was seen to fly out from +the door, and the string was set free! + +All were ready to gallop off; but the lion, although he growled fiercely +on hearing the shot, still lay close. + +Swartboy now drew in the string; and, having adjusted it to a fresh +arrow, moved round so as to command a view of the window. In a few +minutes the shaft had cut through the air and stuck deep into the +yielding wood, and then the shutter swung round on its hinges and was +drawn close. + +All three now dismounted ran silently and rapidly up, and secured both +door and shutter with strong reins of raw-hide. + +Hurrah! the lion was caged! + + + +CHAPTER ELEVEN. + +THE DEATH OF THE LION. + +Yes, the fierce brute was fairly in the trap. The three hunters +breathed freely. + +But how was the affair to end? Both door and window-shutter fitted +strongly and closely; and, although it was possible to glance through +the chinks, nothing could be seen inside--since, both being shut, it was +quite dark within. + +Even could the lion have been seen, there was no hole through which to +thrust the muzzle of a gun and fire at him. He was just as safe as his +captors; and, so long as the door remained closed, they could do him no +more harm than he could them! + +They might leave him shut up, and let him starve. He could live for a +while upon what the jackals had left, with the carcasses of the two +dogs, but that would not sustain him long, and in the end he would have +to give up and miserably perish. After all, this did not seem so +certain to Von Bloom and his companions. Finding that he was caged in +earnest, the brute might attack the door, and with his sharp claws and +teeth manage to cut his way through. + +But the angry field-cornet had not the slightest intention of leaving +the lion such a chance. He was determined to destroy the beast before +leaving the ground; and he now set to thinking how this could be +accomplished in the speediest and most effectual manner. + +At first he thought of cutting a hole in the door with his knife, large +enough to see through and admit the barrel of his roer. Should he not +succeed in getting a view of the beast through that one, he would make +another in the window-shutter. The two being on adjacent sides of the +house, would give him the command of the whole interior--for the former +dwelling of the field-cornet comprised only a single apartment. During +his residence there, there had been two, thanks to a partition of +zebra-skins; but these had been removed, and all was now in one room. + +At first Von Bloom could think of no other plan to get at the enemy, and +yet this one did not quite please him. It was safe enough, and, if +carried out, could only end in the death of the lion. + +A hole in both door and window-shutter would enable them to fire at the +brute as many bullets as they pleased, while they would be quite secure +from his attack. But the _time_ that would be required to cut these +holes--that was why the plan did not please the field-cornet. He and +his party had no time to spare: their horses were weak with hunger, and +a long journey lay before them ere a morsel could be obtained. No,--the +time could not be spared for making a breach. Some more expeditious +mode of attack must be devised. + +"Father," said Hendrik, "suppose we set the house on fire?" + +Good. The suggestion was a good one. Von Bloom cast his eyes up to the +roof--a sloping structure with long eaves. It consisted of heavy beams +of dry wood with rafters and laths, and all covered over with a thatch +of rushes, a foot in thickness. It would make a tremendous blaze, and +the smoke would be likely enough to suffocate the lion even before the +blaze could get at him. The suggestion of Hendrik was adopted. They +prepared to fire the house. + +There was still a large quantity of rubbish,--the collected firewood +which the locusts had not devoured. This would enable them to carry out +their purpose; and all three immediately set about hauling it up, and +piling it against the door. + +One might almost have fancied that the lion had fathomed their design; +for, although he had been for a long while quite silent, he now +commenced a fresh spell of roaring. Perhaps the noise of the logs, +striking against the door outside, had set him at it; and, finding +himself thus shut up and baited, he had grown impatient. What he had +sought as a _shelter_ had been turned into a _trap_, and he was now +anxious to get out of it. This was evident by the demonstrations he +began to make. They could hear him rushing about--passing from door to +window--striking both with his huge paws, and causing them to shake upon +their hinges--all the while uttering the most fiendish roars. + +Though not without some apprehensions, the three continued their work. +They had their horses at hand, ready to be mounted in case the lion +might make his way through the fire. In fact, they intended to take to +their saddles--as soon as the fire should be fairly under way--and watch +the conflagration from a safe distance. + +They had dragged up all the bush and dry wood, and had piled them in +front of the door. Swartboy had taken out his flint and steel, and was +about to strike, when a loud scratching was heard from the inside, +unlike anything that had yet reached their ears. It was the rattling of +the lion's claws against the wall, but it had an odd sound as if the +animal was struggling violently; at the same time his voice seemed +hoarse and smothered, and appeared to come from a distance. + +What was the brute doing? + +They stood for a moment, looking anxiously in each other's faces. The +scratching continued--the hoarse growling at intervals--but this ended +at length; and then came a snort, followed by a roar so loud and clear, +that all three started in airtight. They could not believe that trails +were between them and their dangerous enemy! + +Again echoed that horrid cry. Great Heaven! It proceeded no longer +from the inside--it came from above them! Was the lion upon the roof? +All three rushed backward a step or two, and looked up. A sight was +before them that rendered them almost speechless with surprise and +terror. Above the funnel of the chimney appeared the head of the lion; +his glaring yellow eyes and white teeth showing more fearful from +contrast with the black soot that begrimed him. He was dragging his +body up. One foot was already above the capstone; and with this and his +teeth he was widening the aperture around him. + +It was a terrible sight to behold--at least to those below. + +As already stated, they _were_ alarmed; and would have taken to their +horses, had they not perceived that the animal had _stuck fast_! + +It was evident that this was the case, but it was equally evident that +in a few moments he would succeed in clearing himself from the chimney. +His teeth and claws were hard at work, and the stones and mortar were +flying in all directions. The funnel would soon be down below his broad +chest, and then-- + +Von Bloom did not stay to think what then. He and Hendrik, guns in +hand, ran up near the bottom of the wall. The chimney was but a score +of feet in height; the long roer was pointed upward, reaching nearly +half that distance. The yager was also aimed. Both cracked together. +The lion's eyes suddenly closed, his head shook convulsively, his paw +dropped loose over the capstone, his jaws fell open, and blood trickled +down his tongue. In a few moments he was dead! + +This was apparent to every one. But Swartboy was not satisfied, until +he had discharged about a score of his arrows at the head of the animal, +causing it to assume the appearance of a porcupine. + +So tightly had the huge beast wedged himself, that even after death he +still remained in his singular situation. + +Under other circumstances he would have been dragged down for the sake +of his skin. But there was no time to spare for skinning him; and +without further delay, Von Bloom and his companions mounted their horses +and rode off. + + + +CHAPTER TWELVE. + +A TALK ABOUT LIONS. + +As they rode back they conversed about lions, to beguile the time. All +of them knew something about these animals; but Swartboy, who had been +born and brought up in the bush, in the very midst of their haunts as it +were, of course was well acquainted with their habits--ay, far better +than Monsieur Buffon himself. + +To describe the personal appearance of a lion would be to waste words. +Every one of my readers must know the lion by sight, either from having +seen one in a zoological collection, or the stuffed skin of one in a +museum. Every one knows the form of the animal, and his great shaggy +mane. Every one knows, moreover, that the lioness is without this +appendage, and in shape and size differs considerably from the male. + +Though there are not two _species_ of lions, there are what are termed +_varieties_, but these differ very little from each other--far less than +the varieties of most other animals. + +There are seven acknowledged varieties. The Barbary lion, the lion of +Senegal, the Indian lion, the Persian, the yellow Cape, the black Cape, +and the maneless lion. + +The difference among these animals is not so great, but that at a glance +any one may tell they were all of one species and kind. The Persian +variety is rather smaller than the others; the Barbary is of darker +brown and heavily maned; the lion of Senegal is of light shining yellow +colour, and thinly maned; while the maneless lion, as its name imports, +is without this appendage. The existence of the last species is doubted +by some naturalists. It is said to be found in Syria. + +The two Cape lions differ principally in the colour of the mane. In the +one it is black or dark brown--in the other of a tawny yellow, like the +rest of the body. + +Of all lions, those of South Africa are perhaps the largest, and the +black variety the most fierce and dangerous. + +Lions inhabit the whole continent of Africa, and the southern countries +of Asia. They were once common in parts of Europe, where they exist no +longer. There are no lions in America. The animal known in +Spanish-American countries as the lion (_leon_) is the cougar or puma +(_Felis concolor_), which is not one-third the lion's size, and +resembles the king of beasts only in being of the same tawny colour. +The puma is not unlike a lion's cub six months old. + +Africa is peculiarly the country of the lion. He is found throughout +the whole extent of that continent--excepting of course a few thickly +inhabited spots, from which he has been expelled by man. + +The lion has been called the "king of the forest." This appears to be a +misnomer. He is not properly a _forest_ animal. He cannot climb trees, +and therefore in the forest would less easily procure his food than in +the open plain. The panther, the leopard, and the jaguar, are all +tree-climbers. They can follow the bird to its roost, and the monkey to +its perch. The forest is their appropriate home. They are forest +animals. Not so the lion. It is upon the open plains--where the great +ruminants love to roam, and among the low bushy thickets that skirt +them, that the lion affects to dwell. + +He lives upon flesh,--the flesh of many kinds of animals, though he has +his favourites, according to the country in which he is found. He kills +these animals for himself. The story of the jackal being his +"provider,"--killing them for him,--is not true. More frequently he +himself provides the skulking jackals with a meal. Hence their being +often seen in his company--which they keep, in order to pick up his +"crumbs." + +The lion "butchers" for himself, though he will not object to have it +done for him; and will take away their game from wolf, jackal, or +hyena--from the hunter if he can. + +The lion is not a fast runner--none of the true _felidae_ are. Nearly +all the ruminant animals can outrun him. How, then, does he capture +them? + +By stratagem, by the suddenness of his attack, and by the length and +velocity of his bound. He lies in wait, or steals upon them. He +springs from his crouching place. His peculiar anatomical structure +enables him to spring to an immense distance--in fact, to an almost +incredible distance. Sixteen paces have been alleged by writers, who +say they were eye-witnesses, and carefully measured the leap! + +Should he fail to capture his prey at the first bound, the lion follows +it no farther, but turns and trots away in an opposite direction. + +Sometimes, however, the intended victim tempts him to a second spring, +and even to a third; but failing then, he is sure to give up the +pursuit. + +The lion is not gregarious, although as many as ten or a dozen are often +seen together. They hunt in company at times, and drive the game +towards one another! + +They attack and destroy all other species of animals that inhabit the +country around them--even the strong heavy rhinoceros is not feared by +them, though the latter frequently foils and conquers them. Young +elephants sometimes become their prey. The fierce buffalo, the giraffe, +the oryx, the huge eland, and the eccentric gnoo, all have to succumb to +their superior strength and armature. + +But they are not universally victorious over these animals. Sometimes +they are vanquished by one or other of them, and in turn become victims. +Sometimes both combatants leave their bodies upon the scene of the +struggle. + +The lion is not hunted as a profession. His spoils are worthless. His +skin sells for but little, and he yields no other trophy of any value. +As hunting him is attended with great danger, and the hunter, as already +stated, may avoid him if he wishes, but few lions would be destroyed, +were it not for a certain offensive habit to which they are addicted-- +that of robbing the vee-boor of his horses and his cattle. This brings +a new passion into play,--the vengeance of the farmer; and with such a +motive to urge on the hunt, the lion in some parts is chased with great +zeal and assiduity. + +But where there are no cattle-farms, no such motive exists; and there +but little interest is felt in the chase of this animal. Nay, what is +still stranger: the Bushmen and other poor wandering tribes do not kill +the lion at all, or very seldom. They do not regard him with feelings +of hostility. The lion acts towards _them_ as a "provider!" + +Hendrik, who had heard of this, asked Swartboy if it was true. + +The Bushman answered at once in the affirmative. + +His people, he said, were in the habit of watching the lion, or +following his spoor, until they came upon either himself, or the quarry +he had killed. Sometimes the vultures guided them to it. When the +"tao" chanced to be on the spot, or had not yet finished his meal, his +trackers would wait, until he had taken his departure, after which they +would steal up and appropriate what remained of the spoil. Often this +would be the half, or perhaps three parts of some large animal, which +they might have found a difficulty in killing for themselves. + +Knowing the lion will rarely attack them, the Bushmen are not much +afraid of these animals. On the contrary, they rather rejoice at seeing +them numerous in their district, as they are then provided with hunters +able to _furnish_ them with food! + + + +CHAPTER THIRTEEN. + +THE TRAVELLERS BENIGHTED. + +Our travellers would have talked much more about lions, but for the +condition of their horses. This made them feel uneasy. With the +exception of a few hours grazing, the poor brutes had been without food +since the appearance of the locusts. Horses do not travel well upon +soft grass, and of course they were now suffering severely. + +It would be far in the night before the horsemen could reach the camp-- +although they were pushing on as fast as the horses could travel. + +It was quite dark, when they arrived at the spot where they had halted +the previous evening. In fact, it was very dark. Neither moon nor +stars were to be seen in the sky; and thick black clouds covered the +whole canopy of the heavens. It looked as though a rain-storm might be +expected--still no rain had as yet fallen. + +It was the intention of the travellers to halt at this place, and let +their horses graze a while. With this view they all dismounted; but, +after trying one or two places, they could find no grass! + +This appeared strange, as they had certainly observed grass at that very +spot the day before. Now there was none! + +The horses put their noses to the ground, but raised them up again, +snorting as they did so, and evidently disappointed. They were hungry +enough to have eaten grass had there been any, for they eagerly snatched +at the leaves of the bushes as they passed along! + +Had the locusts been there also? No. The mimosa-bushes still retained +their delicate foliage, which would not have been the case had the +locusts visited the spot. + +Our travellers were astonished that there was no grass. Surely there +was some the day before? Had they got upon a new track? + +The darkness prevented them from having a view of the ground; yet Von +Bloom could not be mistaken about the route--having travelled it four +times already. Though he could not see the surface, every now and again +he caught a glimpse of some tree or bush, which he had marked in his +former journeys, and these assured him they were still upon the right +track. + +Surprised at the absence of grass where they had so lately observed it, +they would have examined the surface more carefully; but they were +anxious to push on to the spring, and at length gave up the idea of +halting. The water in their gourds had been used up long before this; +and both they and their horses were once more suffering from thirst. + +Besides, Von Bloom was not without some anxiety about the children at +the wagon. He had been separated from them now a full day and a half, +and many a change might take place--many a danger might arise in that +time. In fact, he began to blame himself for having left them alone. +It would have been better to have let his cattle perish. So thought he +now. A presentiment that all was not right was gradually forming in his +mind; and he grew more anxious to proceed as he reflected. + +They rode on in silence. It was only on Hendrik expressing a doubt +about the way, that the conversation recommenced. Swartboy also thought +they were taking a wrong course. + +At first Von Bloom assured them they were right: but after going a +little farther, he admitted that he was in doubt; and then, after +another half-mile's travelling, he declared that he had lost the track. +He could no longer recognise any one of the marks or bearings he had +taken. + +The proper thing to be done under these circumstances was to leave the +horses to themselves; and this all three well knew. But the animals +were suffering the pangs of hunger, and when left to themselves, would +not journey forward, but rushed up to the mimosa-bushes, and eagerly +commenced devouring their leaves. + +The consequence was, that their riders were obliged to keep them going +with whip and spur; and in that way there was no certainty of the horses +taking the right direction. + +After several hours' advancing, all the while in a state of suspense, +and as yet no appearance of either wagon or camp-fire, the travellers +resolved upon coming to a halt. It was of no use going forward. They +believed they could not be far from the camp; but they were now as +likely to be riding _from_ as _towards_ it; and they concluded at +length, that it would be wiser to remain where they were until the day +broke. + +They all dismounted therefore, and fastened their horses to the bushes-- +so that the animals could browse upon the leaves till morning--which +could not now be very far off. They rolled themselves up in their +karosses, and lay down upon the earth. + +Hendrik and Swartboy were soon asleep. Von Bloom would have slept too, +for he was tired enough; but the heart of the father was too full of +anxiety to allow repose to his eyes, and he lay awake watching for the +dawn. + +It came at length, and at the first light his eyes swept the surface of +the surrounding country. The party had by chance halted on an eminence +that commanded a good view for miles on each side, but the field-cornet +had not glanced half around the circle, when an object came before his +eyes that brought gladness to his heart. It was the white tent of the +wagon! + +The joyful exclamation he uttered awoke the sleepers, who immediately +sprang to their feet; and all three stood gazing at the welcome sight. + +As they continued to gaze, their joy gradually gave place to feelings of +surprise. Was it _their_ wagon, after all? + +It certainly looked like theirs; but it was a full half-mile off, and at +such a distance one wagon would look just like another. But what led +them to doubt its being theirs? It was the _appearance of the place in +which they saw it_. Surely it was not the same place in which they had +outspanned! + +Theirs had been left in an oblong valley between two gentle ridges--in +such a valley was this one standing. Near a small pool formed by a +spring--here, too, was the same, for they could perceive the water +shining. But in all other respects the situation was different. The +surface of the valley in which their wagon had been left was covered, +both sides and bottom, with a verdant carpet of grass; whereas the one +now before their eyes was brown and bare! not a blade of grass was to be +seen--the trees seeming to be the only things that had any verdure. +Even the low bushes appeared to be destitute of leaves! The scene had +no resemblance whatever to that where they had outspanned. It must be +the camp of some other travellers, thought they. + +They had fully arrived at this conclusion, when Swartboy, whose eyes had +been rolling about everywhere, now rested upon the ground at his feet. +After a moment's observation--which the increasing light now enabled him +to make--he turned suddenly to the others, and directed their attention +to the surface of the plain. This they saw was covered with tracks, as +if a thousand hoofs had passed over it. In fact, it presented the +appearance of a vast sheep-pen; so vast, that as far as their sight +extended, they beheld the same tracked and trampled appearance! + +What could this mean? Hendrik did not know. Von Bloom was in doubt. +Swartboy could tell at the first glance. It was no new sight to him. + +"All right, baas," he said, looking up in his master's face. "Da's da +ole wagon!--da same spring an' vley--da same place--dar hab been um +_trek-boken_!" + +"A trek-boken!" cried Von Bloom and Hendrik, in a breath. + +"Ya, baas--a mighty big one too; das de spoor of dem antelope--See!" + +Von Bloom now comprehended all. The bareness of the country, the +absence of the leaves on the lower bushes, the millions of small +hoof-tracks, all were now explained. A migration of the springbok +antelope, a "trek-boken," had swept over the spot. That it was that had +caused such a mighty change. The wagon they saw was theirs, after all. + +They lost no time, but, catching their horses, bridled them, and rode +rapidly down the hill. + +Though somewhat relieved at seeing the wagon, Von Bloom was still +apprehensive. + +As they approached, they perceived the two horses standing beside it, +and tied to the wheels, the cow also was there--but neither goats nor +sheep were in the neighbourhood. + +There was a fire burning in the rear of the hind-wheels, and a dark mass +underneath the wagon, but no human form could be observed. + +The hearts of the horsemen beat loudly as they advanced. Their eyes +were bent earnestly upon the wagon. They felt keen anxiety. + +They had got within three hundred yards, and still no one stirred--no +human form made its appearance. Von Bloom and Hendrik now suffered +intensely. + +At this moment the two horses by the wagon neighed loudly; the dark mass +under the wagon moved, rolled outward, rose up, and stood erect. Totty +was recognised! + +And now the "after-clap" of the wagon was hurriedly drawn aside, and +three young faces were seen peeping forth. + +A shout of joy burst from the horsemen, and the next moment little Jan +and Truey leaped out from the cap-tent into the arms of their father-- +while the mutual congratulations of Hans and Hendrik, Swartboy and +Totty, produced for some moments a scene of joyful confusion quite +indescribable. + + + +CHAPTER FOURTEEN. + +THE "TREK-BOKEN." + +Those who remained by the camp had had their adventures too; and their +tale was by no means a merry one, for it disclosed the unpleasant fact, +that the sheep and goats were all lost. The flock had been carried off, +in a most singular manner; and there was but little hope of their ever +being seen again. + +Hans began his tale:-- + +"Nothing unusual occurred on the day you left us. I was busy all the +afternoon in cutting `wait-a-bit' thorns for a kraal. Totty helped me +to drag them up, while Jan and Truey looked after the flock. The +animals did not stray out of the valley here, as the grass was good, and +they had had enough of trotting lately. + +"Well--Totty and I got the kraal, as you see, all ready. So, when night +came, we drove the flock in; and, after milking the cow and getting our +supper, we all went to bed. We were precious tired, and all of us slept +soundly throughout the night without being disturbed. Both jackals and +hyenas came around, but we knew they would not break into that kraal." + +Hans pointed to the circular enclosure of thorn-bushes, that had been +well constructed. + +He then proceeded with his narration:-- + +"In the morning we found everything right. Totty again milked the cow; +and we had breakfast. The flock was let out upon the grass, and so were +the cow and the two horses. + +"Just about midday I began to think what we were to have for dinner, for +the breakfast had cleared up everything. I did not like to kill another +sheep, if it could be helped. So bidding Jan and Truey stay close by +the wagon, and leaving Totty to look after the flock, I took my gun and +started off in search of game. I took no horse, for I thought I saw +springboks out on the plain; and I would stalk them better afoot. + +"Sure enough, there _were_ springboks. When I got out of the valley +here, and had a better view, I saw what astonished me, I can assure you. + +"I could scarce credit my eyes. The whole plain, towards the west, +appeared to be one vast crowd of animals; and by their bright yellow +sides, and the snow-white hair on their rumps, I knew they were +springboks. They were all in motion, some browsing along, while +hundreds of them were constantly bounding up into the air full ten feet +high, and leaping a-top of each other. I assure you all it was tone of +the strangest sights I ever beheld, and one of the pleasantest too; for +I knew that the creatures that covered the plain, instead of being +fierce wild beasts, were nothing but graceful and beautiful little +gazelles. + +"My first thought was to get near them, and have a shot; and I was about +to start off over the plain, when I perceived that the antelopes were +coming towards me. I saw that they were approaching with considerable +rapidity; and if I only remained where I was, they would save me the +trouble of stalking in upon them. I lay down behind a bush and waited. + +"I had not very long to wait. In less than a quarter of an hour the +foremost of the herd drew near, and in five minutes more a score of them +were within shot. + +"I did not fire for some time. I knew they would come still nearer; and +I lay watching the motions of those pretty creatures. I took notice of +their light handsome forms, their smooth slender limbs, their +cinnamon-coloured backs, and white bellies, with the band of chestnut +along each side. I looked at the lyre-shaped horns of the bucks, and +above all, at the singular flaps on their croup, that unfolded each time +that they leaped up, displaying a profusion of long silky hair, as white +as snow itself. + +"All these points I noticed, and at length, tired of admiring them, I +singled out a fine-looking doe--for I was thinking of my dinner, and +knew that doe-venison was the most palatable. + +"After aiming carefully, I fired. The doe fell, but, to my +astonishment, the others did not run off. A few of the foremost only +galloped back a bit, or bounded up into the air; but they again set to +browsing quite unconcerned, and the main body advanced as before! + +"I loaded as quickly as I could, and brought down another,--this time a +buck--but as before without frightening the rest! + +"I proceeded to load for the third time; but before I had finished, the +front ranks had passed on both sides of me, and I found myself in the +midst of the herd! + +"I saw no need for covering myself any longer behind the bush, but rose +to my knees, and, firing at the nearest, brought it down also. Its +comrades did not pause, but ran over its body in thousands! + +"I loaded again, and stood right up on my feet. + +"Now for the first time it occurred to me to reflect on the strange +conduct of the springboks; for, instead of making off at my appearance, +they only bounded a little to one side, and then kept on their course. +They seemed possessed by a species of infatuation. I remembered hearing +that such was their way when upon one of their migrations, or +`trek-bokens.' This, then, thought I, must be a `trek-boken.' + +"I was soon convinced of this, for the herd every moment grew thicker +and thicker around me, until at length they became so crowded, that I +began to feel very singularly situated. Not that I was afraid of the +creatures, as they made no demonstration of using their horns upon me. +On the contrary, they did all they could to get out of my way. But the +nearest only were alarmed; and, as my presence in no way terrified those +that were an hundred yards off, the latter made no attempt to give +ground. Of course the nearest ones could only get a few paces from me, +by pushing the others closer, or springing up over their backs--so that +with the ones thus constantly bounding up into the air there was all the +time a ring around me two deep! + +"I cannot describe the strange feelings I had in this unusual situation, +or how long I might have kept my place. Perhaps I might have loaded and +fired away for some time, but just at the moment the sheep came into my +mind. + +"They'll be carried away, thought I. I had heard that such a thing was +common enough. + +"I saw that the antelopes were heading towards the valley--the foremost +were already into it, and would soon be on the spot, where I had just +seen our little flock feeding! + +"In hopes of yet heading the springboks, and driving the sheep into the +kraal, before the former crowded on them, I started towards the valley. +But, to my chagrin, I could get no faster than the herd was going! + +"As I approached the creatures, to make my way through their mass, they +leaped about and sprang over one another, but could not for their lives +open a way for me as fast as I wanted one. I was so near some of them +that I could have knocked them down with my gun! + +"I commenced hallooing, and, brandishing the gun about, I was making a +lane more rapidly, when I perceived in front what appeared to be a large +open space. I pushed forward for this, but the nearer I came to its +border the more densely I found the creatures packed. I could only see +that it was an open space by leaping up. I did not know what was +causing it. I did not stay to reflect. I only wished to get forward as +rapidly as possible, thinking about our flock. + +"I continued to clear my way, and at length found myself in the position +I had coveted; while the lane I had made, in getting there, closed +instantaneously behind me. I was about to rush on, and take advantage +of the bit of clear ground, when, what should I see in the centre, and +directly before me, but a great yellow lion! + +"That accounted for the break in the herd. Had I known what had been +causing it, I should have fought my way in any other direction but that; +but there was I, out in the open ground, the lion not ten paces from me, +and a fence of springboks two deep around both of us! + +"I need not say I was frightened, and badly too. I did not for some +moments know how to act. My gun was still loaded--for, after thinking +of saving our little flock, I did not care to empty it at the antelopes. +I could get one, thought I, at any time when I had secured the sheep in +the kraal. The piece, therefore, was loaded and with bullets. + +"Should I take aim at the lion, and fire? I asked myself this question, +and was just on the point of deciding in the affirmative, when I +reflected that it would be imprudent. I observed that the lion, whose +back was turned to me, had either not seen, or as yet took no notice of +me. Should I only wound him--and from the position he was in I was not +likely to do more,--how then? I would most likely be torn to pieces. + +"These were my reflections, all of which scarce occupied a second of +time. I was about to `back out' or back in among the springboks, and +make my way in some other direction, and had even got near the edge, +when, in looking over my shoulder, I saw the lion suddenly halt and turn +round. I halted too, knowing that to be the safest plan; and, as I did +so, I glanced back at the lion's eyes. + +"To my relief, I saw they were not upon _me_. He seemed to have taken +some fancy in his head. His appetite, perhaps, had returned; for the +next moment he ran a few yards, and then, rising with a terrific bound, +launched himself far into the herd, and came down right upon the back of +one of the antelopes! The others sprang right and left, and a new space +was soon opened around him. + +"He was now nearer than ever to where I stood, and I could see him +distinctly crouched over his victim. His claws held its quivering body, +and his long teeth grasped the poor creature by the neck. But, with the +exception of his tail, he was making not the slightest motion, and that +vibrated gently from side to side, just as a kitten that had caught a +tiny mouse. I could see, too, that his eyes were close shut, as though +he were asleep! + +"Now I had heard that under such circumstances the lion may be +approached without much danger. Not that I wished to go any nearer--for +I was near enough for my gun--but it was this recollection, I believe, +that put me in the notion of firing. At all events, something whispered +me I would succeed, and I could not resist trying. + +"The broad blind jaw of the brute was fair before me. I took aim, and +pulled trigger; but, instead of waiting to see the effect of my shot, I +ran right off in an opposite direction. + +"I did not halt till I had put several _acres_ of antelopes between +myself and the place where I had last stood; and then I made the best of +my way to the wagon. + +"Long before I had reached it, I could see that Jan, and Truey, and +Totty, were safe under the tent. That gave me pleasure, but I also saw +that the sheep and goats had got mixed up with the springboks, and were +moving off with them as if they belonged to the same species! I fear +they are all lost." + +"And the lion?" inquired Hendrik. + +"Yonder he lies!" answered Hans, modestly pointing to a yellow mass out +upon the plain, over which the vultures were already beginning to hover. +"Yonder he lies, you could hardly have done it better yourself, brother +Hendrik." + +As Hans said this, he smiled in such a manner as to show, that he had no +idea of making a boast of his achievements. + +Hendrik was loud in acknowledging that it was a most splendid feat, and +also in regretting that he had not been on the ground to witness the +wonderful migration of the springboks. + +But there was no time for much idle talk. Von Bloom and his party were +in a very unpleasant situation. His flocks were all gone. The cow and +horses alone remained; and for these not a blade of grass had been left +by the antelopes. Upon what were they to be fed? + +To follow the spoor of the migratory springboks with the hope of +recovering their flock would be quite useless. Swartboy assured them of +this. The poor animals might be carried hundreds of miles before they +could separate themselves from the great herd, or bring their +involuntary journey to an end! + +The horses could travel but little farther. There was nought to feed +them on but the leaves of the mimosas, and this was but poor food for +hungry horses. It would be fortunate if they could be kept alive until +they should reach some pasture; and where now was pasture to be found? +Locusts and antelopes between them seemed to have turned all Africa into +a desert! + +The field-cornet soon formed his resolution. He would remain there for +the night, and early on the morrow set out in search of some other +spring. + +Fortunately Hans had not neglected to secure a brace of the springboks; +and their fat venison now came into general use. A roast of that, and a +drink of cool water from the spring, soon refreshed the three wearied +travellers. + +The horses were let loose among the mimosa-trees, and allowed to shift +for themselves; and although under ordinary circumstances they would +have "turned up their noses" at such food as mimosa-leaves, they now +turned them up in a different sense, and cleared the thorny branches +like so many giraffes. + +Some naturalist of the "Buffon" school has stated that neither wolf, +fox, hyena, nor jackal, will eat the carcass of a lion,--that their fear +of the royal despot continues even after his death. + +The field-cornet and his family had proof of the want of truth in this +assertion. Before many hours both jackals and hyenas attacked the +carcass of the king of beasts, and in a very short while there was not a +morsel of him there but his bones. Even his tawny skin was swallowed by +these ravenous creatures, and many of the bones broken by the strong +jaws of the hyenas. The respect which these brutes entertain for the +lion ends with his life. When dead, he is eaten by them with as much +audacity as if he were the meanest of animals. + + + +CHAPTER FIFTEEN. + +SPOORING FOR A SPRING. + +Von Bloom was in the saddle at an early hour. Swartboy accompanied him, +while all the others remained by the wagon to await his return. They +took with them the two horses that had remained by the wagon, as these +were fresher than the others. + +They rode nearly due westward. They were induced to take this direction +by observing that the springboks had come from the north. By heading +westward they believed they would sooner get beyond the wasted +territory. + +To their great satisfaction an hour's travelling carried them clear of +the track of the antelope migration; and although they found no water, +there was excellent grass. + +The field-cornet now sent Swartboy back for the other horses and the +cow, pointing out a place where he should bring them to graze, while he +himself continued on in search of water. + +After travelling some miles farther, Von Bloom perceived to the north of +him a long line of cliff rising directly up from the plain, and running +westward as far as he could see. Thinking that water would be more +likely to be found near these cliffs, he turned his horse's head towards +them. As he approached nearer to their base, he was charmed with the +beautiful scenery that began to open before his eyes. He passed through +grassy plains of different sizes, separated from each other by copses of +the delicate-leaved mimosa; some of these forming large thickets, while +others consisted of only a few low bushes. Towering high over the +mimosas, grew many trees of gigantic size, and of a species Von Bloom +had never seen before. They stood thinly upon the ground; but each, +with its vast leafy head, seemed a little forest of itself. + +The whole country around had a soft park-like appearance, which +contrasted well with the dark cliff that rose beyond--the latter +stepping up from the plain by a precipice of several hundred feet in +height, and seemingly as vertical as the walls of a house. + +The fine landscape was gratifying to the eyes of the traveller--such a +fine country in the midst of so much barrenness; for he knew that most +of the surrounding region was little better than a wild karoo. The +whole of it to the north for hundreds of miles was a famous desert--the +desert of Kalihari--and these cliffs were a part of its southern border. +The "vee-boor" would have been rejoiced at such a sight under other +circumstances. But what to him now were all these fine pastures--now +that he was no longer able to stock them? + +Notwithstanding the beauty of the scene, his reflections were painful. + +But he did not give way to despair. His present troubles were +sufficiently grievous to prevent him from dwelling much on the future. +His first care was to find a place where his horses might be recruited; +for without them he could no longer move anywhere--without them he would +be helpless indeed. + +Water was the desired object. If water could not be found, all this +beautiful park through which he was passing would be as valueless to him +as the brown desert. + +Surely so lovely a landscape could not exist without that most essential +element! + +So thought the field-cornet; and at the turning of every new grove his +eyes wandered over the ground in search of it. + +"_Ho_!" he joyfully exclaimed as a covey of large Namaqua partridges +whirred up from his path. "A good sign that: _they_ are seldom far from +water." + +Shortly after, he saw a flock of beautiful pintados, or guinea-hens, +running into a copse. This was a still further proof that water was +nigh. But surest of all, on the top of a tall _cameel-doorn_ tree, he +next observed the brilliant plumage of a parrot. + +"Now," muttered he to himself, "I must be very near to some spring or +pool." + +He rode cheerfully forward: and after a little while arrived upon the +crest of an elevated ridge. Here he halted to observe the flight of the +birds. Presently he noticed a covey of partridges flying in a westerly +direction, and shortly after, another covey going the same way. Both +appeared to alight near a gigantic tree that grew in the plain about +five hundred yards from the bottom of the cliffs. This tree stood apart +from any of the others, and was by far the largest Von Bloom had yet +seen. + +As he remained gazing at its wonderful dimensions, he observed several +pairs of parrots alighting upon it. These, after chattering a while +among its branches, flew down upon the plain not far from its base. + +"Surely," thought Von Bloom, "there must be water there. I shall ride +forward and see." + +But his horse had scarcely waited for him to form this design. The +animal had been already dragging upon the bridle; and as soon as his +head was turned in the direction of the tree, he started forward with +outstretched neck, snorting as he rushed along. + +The rider, trusting to the instinct of his horse, surrendered up the +bridle; and in less than five minutes both horse and rider were drinking +from the sweet water of a crystal fountain that gushed out within a +dozen yards of the tree. + +The field-cornet would now have hastened back to the wagon: but he +thought that by allowing his horse to browse an hour or so upon the +grass, he would make the return-journey with more spirit, and in quite +as good time. He, therefore, took off the bridle, gave the animal his +liberty, while he stretched himself under the shade of the great tree. + +As he lay, he could not help admiring the wonderful production of nature +that towered majestically above him. It was one of the largest trees he +had ever beheld. It was of the kind known as the "nwana" tree, a +species of _ficus_, with large sycamore-shaped leaves that grew thickly +over its magnificent head. Its trunk was full twenty-feet in diameter, +rising to more than that height without a branch, and then spreading off +into numerous limbs that stretched far out in a horizontal direction. +Through the thick foliage Von Bloom could perceive shining egg-shaped +fruits as large as cocoa-nuts; and upon these the parrots and several +other kinds of birds appeared to be feeding. + +Other trees of the same species stood out upon the plain at long +distances apart; and though they were all taller than the surrounding +timber, none were so large or conspicuous as the one that grew by the +spring. + +The field-cornet, as he enjoyed the cool shade which its umbrageous +frondage afforded, could not help thinking what an admirable spot it +would be to build a kraal. The inmates of a dwelling placed beneath its +friendly shelter, need never dread the fierce rays of the African sun; +even the rain could scarce penetrate its leafy canopy. In fact, its +dense foliage almost constituted a roof of itself. + +Had his cattle still remained to him, no doubt the vee-boor would have +resolved at once to make this spot his future home. But, tempting as it +was, what now could he do in such a place? To him it would be only a +wilderness. There was no species of industry he could follow in such a +remote quarter. True, he might sustain himself and his family by +hunting. He saw that game was plenteous all around. But that would be +but a sorry existence, with no promise for the future. What would his +children do hereafter? Were they to grow up with no other end than to +become poor hunters--no better than the wild Bushmen? No! no! no! To +make a home there would be out of the question. A few days to recruit +his wearied horses, and then he would make a struggle and trek back to +the settlements. + +But what after he had got back? He knew not what then. His future was +gloomy and uncertain. + +After indulging in such reflections for an hour or more, he bethought +him that it was time to return to the camp; and having caught and +bridled his horse, he mounted and set forth. + +The animal, refreshed by the sweet grass and cool water, carried him +briskly along; and in less than two hours he came up with Swartboy and +Hendrik where they were pasturing the horses. + +These were taken back to the wagon and harnessed in; and then the great +vehicle once more "trekked" across the plains. + +Before the sun had set, the long white cap-tent was gleaming under the +leafy screen of the gigantic "nwana." + + + +CHAPTER SIXTEEN. + +THE TERRIBLE "TSETSE." + +The verdant carpet that stretched away around them--the green leaves +upon the trees--the flowers by the fountain--the crystal water in its +bed--the black bold rocks towering up at a distance--all combined to +make a lovely picture. The eyes of the wayfarers were glad as they +beheld it; and while the wagon was outspanning, every one gave utterance +to their delightful emotions. + +The place seemed to please every one. Hans loved its quiet and sylvan +beauty. It was just such a place as he would choose to ramble in, book +in hand, and dream away many a pleasant hour. Hendrik liked it much, +because he had already observed what he termed "extensive spoor" about +the spot: in other words, he had noticed the tracks of many of Africa's +largest wild animals. + +Little Truey was delighted to see so many beautiful flowers. There were +bright scarlet geraniums, and starlike sweet-scented jessamines, and the +gorgeous belladonna lily, with its large blossoms of rose-colour and +white; and there were not only plants in flower, but bushes, and even +trees, covered with gaudy and sweetly-perfumed blossoms. There was the +"sugar-bush" (_Protea mellifera_), the most beautiful of its family, +with its large cup-shaped corollas of pink, white, and green; and there, +too, was the "silver-tree" (_Leucodendron argenteum_), whose soft +silvery leaves playing in the breeze, looked like a huge mass of silken +flowers; and there were the mimosas covered with blossoms of golden +yellow that filled the air with their strong and agreeable perfume. + +Rare forms of vegetation were around or near at hand: the arborescent +aloes, with their tall flower-spikes of coral red, and euphorbias of +many shapes; and _zamia_, with its palm-like fronds; and the soft-leaved +_Strelitzia reginae_. All these were observed in the neighbourhood of +this new-discovered fountain. + +But what received little Truey's admiration more than any other was the +beautiful blue waterlily (_Nympha caerulea_), which is certainly one of +the loveliest of Africa's flowers. Close by the spring, but a little +farther in the direction of the plain, was a vley, or pool--in fact, it +might have been termed a small lake--and upon the quiet bosom of its +water the sky-blue corollas lay sleeping in all their gorgeous beauty. + +Truey, leading her little pet in a string, had gone down on the bank to +look at them. She thought she could never cease gazing at such pretty +things. + +"I hope papa will stay here a long time," she said to her companion, +little Jan. + +"And I hope so too. Oh! Truey, what a fine tree yon is! Look! nuts as +big as my head, I declare. Bless me, sis! how are we to knock some, of +them down?" + +And so the children conversed, both delighted with the new scenes around +them. + +Although all the young people were inclined to be happy, yet they were +checked in their expression of it, by observing that there was a cloud +on the brow of their father. He had seated himself under the great +tree, but his eyes were upon the ground, as though he were busy with +painful reflections. All of them noticed this. + +His reflections were, indeed, painful--they could not well have been +otherwise. There was but one course left for him--to return to the +settlements, and begin life anew. But how to begin it? What could he +do? His property all gone, he could only serve some of his richer +neighbours; and for one accustomed all his life to independence, this +would be hard indeed. + +He looked towards his five horses, now eagerly cropping the luxuriant +grass that grew under the shadow of the cliffs. When would they be +ready to trek back again? In three or four days he might start. Fine +animals, most of them were--they would carry the wagon lightly enough. + +So ran the reflections of the field-cornet. He little thought at the +moment that those horses would never draw wagon more, nor any other +vehicle. He little thought that those five noble brutes were doomed! + +Yet so it was. In less than a week from that time, the jackals and +hyenas were quarrelling over their bones. Even at that very moment, +whilst he watched them browsing, the poison was entering their veins, +and their death-wounds were being inflicted. Alas! alas! another blow +awaited Von Bloom. + +The field-cornet had noticed, now and again, that the horses seemed +uneasy as they fed. At times they started suddenly, whisked their long +tails, and rubbed their heads against the bushes. + +"Some fly is troubling them," thought he, and had no more uneasiness +about the matter. + +It was just that--just a fly that was troubling them. Had Von Bloom +known what that fly was, he would have felt a very different concern +about his horses. Had he known the nature of that little fly, he would +have rushed up with all his boys, caught the horses in the greatest +hurry, and led them far away from those dark cliffs. But he knew not +the "tsetse" fly. + +It still wanted some minutes of sunset, and the horses were permitted to +browse freely, but Von Bloom observed that they were every moment +getting more excited--now striking their hoofs upon the turf,--now +running a length or two--and at intervals snorting angrily. At the +distance they were off--a quarter of a mile or so--Von Bloom could see +nothing of what was disturbing them; but their odd behaviour at length +induced him to walk up to where they were. Hans and Hendrik went along +with him. When they arrived near the spot, they were astonished at what +they then beheld. Each horse seemed to be encompassed by a swarm of +bees! + +They saw, however, they were not bees, but insects somewhat smaller, of +a brown colour, resembling gad-flies, and exceedingly active in their +flight. Thousands of them hovered above each horse, and hundreds could +be seen lighting upon the heads, necks, bodies, and legs of the +animals,--in fact, all over them. They were evidently either biting or +stinging them. No wonder the poor brutes were annoyed. + +Von Bloom suggested that they should drive the horses farther out into +the plain, where these flies did not seem to haunt. He was only +concerned about the _annoyance_ which the horses received from them. +Hendrik also pitied their sufferings; but Hans, alone of all the three, +guessed at the truth. He had read of a fatal insect that frequented +some districts in the interior of South Africa, and the first sight of +these flies aroused his suspicions that it might be they. + +He communicated his thoughts to the others, who at once shared his +alarm. + +"Call Swartboy hither!" said Von Bloom. + +The Bushman was called, and soon made his appearance, coming up from the +spring. He had for the last hour been engaged in unpacking the wagon, +and had taken no notice of the horses or the interest they were +exciting. + +As soon, however, as he got near, and saw the winged swarm whirring +around the horses, his small eyes opened to their widest extent, his +thick lips fell, and his whole face yielded itself to an expression of +amazement and alarm. + +"What is it, Swart?" inquired his master. + +"Mein baas! mein baas! der duyvel um da--dar skellum is da `tsetse!'" + +"And what if it be the tsetse?" + +"Mein baas!--all dead--dead--ebery horse!" + +Swartboy then proceeded to explain, with a loud and continuous +"clicking," that the fly which they saw was fatal in its bite, that the +horses would surely die--sooner or later, according to the number of +stings they had already received; but, from the swarm of insects around +them, the Bushman had no doubt they had been badly stung and a single +week would see all five of the horses dead. + +"Wait, mein baas--morrow show." And to-morrow _did_ show; for before +twelve o'clock on the next day, the horses were swollen all over their +bodies and about their heads. Their eyes were quite closed up; they +refused any longer to eat, but staggered blindly among the luxuriant +grass, every now and then expressing the pain they felt by a low +melancholy whimpering. It was plain to every one they were going to +die. + +Von Bloom tried bleeding, and various other remedies; but to no purpose. +There is no cure for the bite of the tsetse fly! + + + +CHAPTER SEVENTEEN. + +THE LONG-HORNED RHINOCEROS. + +Great, indeed, was now the affliction of the field-cornet. Fortune +seemed to be adverse in everything. Step by step he had been sinking +for years, every year becoming poorer in worldly wealth. He had now +reached the lowest point--poverty itself. He owned nothing whatever. +His horses might be regarded as dead. The cow had escaped from the +tsetse by avoiding the cliffs, and keeping out upon the plain; and this +animal now constituted his whole live-stock,--his whole property! True, +he still had his fine wagon; but of what use would that be without +either oxen or horses? a wagon without a team! Better a team without a +wagon. + +What could he do? How was he to escape from the position he was placed +in? To say the least, it was an awkward one--nearly two hundred miles +from any civilised settlement, and no means of getting there,--no means +except by walking; and how were his children to walk two hundred miles? +Impossible! + +Across desert tracts, exposed not only to terrible fatigue, but to +hunger, thirst, and fierce carnivorous animals. It appeared impossible +that they could accomplish such a task. + +And what else was there to be done? asked the field-cornet of himself. +Were they to remain there all their lives, subsisting precariously on +game and roots? Were his children to become "Bush-boys,"--himself a +Bushman? + +With these reflections passing through his mind, no wonder that Von +Bloom felt deeply afflicted. + +"Merciful Heaven!" he exclaimed, as he sat with his head between his +hands, "what will become of me and mine?" + +Poor Von Bloom! he had reached the lowest point of his fortunes. + +He had, in reality, reached the _lowest_ point; for on that very day,-- +even within that very hour--an incident occurred, that not only gave +relief to his afflicted spirit, but that promised to lay the foundation +of future wealth and prosperity. In one hour from that time the +prospects of the field-cornet had undergone a complete change,--in one +hour from that time he was a happy man, and all around him were as happy +as he! + +You are impatient to hear how this change was effected? What little +fairy had sprung out of the spring, or come down from the cliffs, to +befriend the good field-cornet in his hour of misery? You are impatient +to hear! Then you _shall_ hear. + +The sun was just going down. They were all seated under the great tree, +and near a fire, upon which they had cooked their supper. There was no +talking, no cheerful conversation,--for the children saw that their +father was in trouble, and that kept them silent. Not a word passed +between them, or only an occasional whisper. + +It was at this moment that Von Bloom gave utterance to his sad thoughts +in words as above. + +As if seeking for an answer, his eyes were raised to heaven, and then +wandered around the plain. All at once they became fixed upon a +singular object, that appeared at some distance off, and was just +emerging from the bushes. + +It was an animal of some kind, and from its vast size Von Bloom and the +others at first took it to be an elephant. None of them, except +Swartboy, were accustomed to elephants in their wild state,--for, +although these animals once inhabited the most southerly portion of +Africa, they have long since deserted the settled districts, and are now +only to be found far beyond the frontier of the colony. But they knew +that there were elephants in these parts--as they had already observed +their tracks--and all now supposed the huge creature that was +approaching must be one. + +Not all, Swartboy was an exception. As soon as his eyes fell upon the +animal he cried out,-- + +"Chukuroo--a chukuroo!" + +"A rhinoster, is it?" said Von Bloom, knowing that "chukuroo" was the +native name for the rhinoceros, or "rhinoster," as he called it in +Dutch. + +"Ya, baas," replied Swartboy; "and one o' da big karles--da `kobaoba,' +da long-horn white rhinoster." + +What Swartboy meant by this was that the animal in question was a large +species of rhinoceros, known among the natives as the "kobaoba." + +Now I dare say, young reader, you have been all your life under the +impression that there was but one species of rhinoceros in the world-- +that is _the_ rhinoceros. Is it not so? Yes. + +Well, permit me to inform you, that you have been under a wrong +impression. There is quite a number of distinct species of this very +singular animal. At least eight distinct kinds I know of; and I do not +hesitate to say that when the central parts of Africa have been fully +explored, as well as South Asia and the Asiatic islands, nearly half as +many more will be found to exist. + +In South Africa four distinct species are well-known; one in North +Africa differs from all these; while the large Indian rhinoceros bears +but slight resemblance to any of them. A distinct species from any is +the rhinoceros of Sumatra, an inhabitant of that island; and still +another is the Java rhinoceros, found in the island of Java. Thus we +have no less than eight kinds, all specifically differing from one +another. + +The best known in museums, zoological collections, and pictures, is +perhaps the Indian animal. It is the one marked by the singular +foldings of its skin, thickly embellished with protuberances or knobs, +that give it a shield-like appearance. This distinguishes it from the +African species, all of which are without these knobs, though the hides +of some are knotty or warty. The Abyssinian rhinoceros has also +foldings of the skin, which approach it somewhat to the character of the +Indian species. Both the Sumatra and Java kinds are small compared with +their huge cousin, the Indian rhinoceros, which inhabits only +continental India, Siam, and Cochin China. + +The Javan species more resembles the Indian, in having scutellae over +the skin and being one-horned. It is, however, without the singular +folds which characterise the latter. That of Sumatra has neither folds +nor scutellae. Its skin has a slight covering of hair, and a pair of +horns gives it some resemblance to the two-horned species of Africa. + +The natives of South Africa are acquainted with four distinct species of +rhinoceros, to which they give distinct names; and it may be remarked +that this observation of species by native hunters is far more to be +depended upon than the speculations of mere closet-naturalists, who draw +their deductions from a tubercle, or the tooth, or a stuffed skin. If +there be any value in a knowledge of animated nature, it is not to these +we are indebted for that knowledge, but far oftener to the "rude +hunters," whom they affect to despise, and who, after all, have taught +us pretty much all we know of the habits of animals. Such a "rude +hunter" as Gordon Cumming, for example, has done more to increase the +knowledge of African zoology than a whole college full of "speculating" +_savans_. + +This same Gordon Cumming, who has been accused of exaggeration (but in +my opinion very wrongfully accused), has written a very modest and +truthful book, which tells you that there are four kinds of rhinoceroses +in Southern Africa; and no man is likely to know better than he. + +These four kinds are known among the natives as the "borele," the +"keitloa," the "muchocho," and "kobaoba." The two first are "black +rhinoceroses,"--that is, the general colour of their skin is dark--while +the "muchocho" and "kobaoba" are white varieties, having the skin of a +dingy whitish hue. The black rhinoceroses are much smaller--scarce half +the size of the others, and they differ from them in the length and set +of their horns, as _well_ as in other particulars. + +The horns of the "borele" are placed--as in all rhinoceroses,--upon a +bony mass over the nostrils,--hence the word "rhinoceros" (_rhis_, the +nose, _chiras_, a horn.) + +In the "borele" they stand erect, curving slightly backwards, and one +behind the other. The anterior horn is the longer--rarely above +eighteen inches in length--but it is often broken or rubbed shorter, and +in no two individuals is there equality in this respect. The posterior +horn in this species is only a sort of knob; whereas in the "keitloa," +or two-horned black rhinoceros, both horns are developed to a nearly +equal length. + +In the "muchocho" and "kobaoba," the after horns can hardly be said to +exist, but the anterior one in both species far exceeds in length those +of the borele and keitloa. In the muchocho it is frequently three feet +in length, while the kobaoba is often seen with a horn four feet long, +jutting out from the end of its ugly snout--a fearful weapon! + +The horns of the two last do not curve back, but point forward; and as +both these carry their heads low down the long sharp spike is often +borne horizontally. In the form and length of their neck, the set of +their ears, and other respects, the black rhinoceroses differ materially +from the white ones. In fact, their habits are quite unlike. The +former feed chiefly on the leaves and twigs of thorns, such as the +_Acacia horrida_, or "wait-a-bits," while the latter live upon grass. +The former are of fiercer disposition--will attack man or any other +animal on sight; and even sometimes seem to grow angry with the bushes, +charging upon them and breaking them to pieces! + +The white rhinoceroses, although fierce enough when wounded or provoked, +are usually of pacific disposition, and will permit the hunter to pass +without molestation. + +These become very fat, and make excellent eating. The flesh of no +African animal is esteemed superior to the calf of the white rhinoceros, +whereas the black varieties never grow fat, and their flesh is tough and +unpalatable. + +The horns of all four are used by the natives for many purposes, being +solid, of fine texture, and susceptible of a high polish. Out of the +longer horns the natives manufacture "knobkerries" (clubs), and +loading-rods for their guns. The shorter ones afford material for +mallets, drinking-cups, handles for small tools, and the like. In +Abyssinia, and other parts of Northern Africa, where swords are in use, +sword-hilts are made from the horns of the rhinoceros. + +The hide is also used for different purposes, among others for making +the whips known as "jamboks," though hippopotamus-hide is superior. + +The skin of the African rhinoceros, as already stated, is without the +plaits, folds, and scutellae, that characterise its Asiatic congener, +yet it is far from being a soft one. It is so thick and difficult to +pierce, that a bullet of ordinary lead will sometimes flatten upon it. +To ensure its penetrating, the lead must be hardened with solder. + +The rhinoceros, though not a water animal, like the hippopotamus, is +nevertheless fond of that element, and is rarely found at a great +distance from it. All four kinds love to lie and wallow in mud, just as +hogs in a summer's day; and they are usually seen coated all over with +this substance. During the day they may be observed lying down or +standing under the shade of some thick mimosa-tree, either asleep or in +a state of easy indolence; and it is during the night that they wander +about in search of food and water. If approached from the lee side they +can easily be got at, as their small sparkling eyes do not serve them +well. On the contrary, if the hunter go to windward, they will scent +him at a great distance, as their sense of smell is most acute. If +their eyes were only as keen as their nostrils, it would be a dangerous +game to attack them, for they can run with sufficient rapidity to +overtake a horse in the first charge. + +In charging and running, the black variety far excels the white. They +are easily avoided, however, by the hunter springing quickly to one +side, and letting them rush blindly on. + +The black rhinoceros is about six feet high at the shoulder, and full +thirteen in length; while the white kinds are far larger. The "kobaoba" +is full seven feet high, and fourteen in length! + +No wonder that an animal of these extraordinary dimensions was at first +sight taken for the elephant. In fact, the kobaoba rhinoceros is the +quadruped next to the elephant in size; and with his great muzzle--full +eighteen inches broad--his long clumsy head, his vast ponderous body, +this animal impresses one with an idea of strength and massive grandeur +as great, and some say greater than the elephant himself. He looks, +indeed, like a caricature of the elephant. It was not such a bad +mistake, then, when our people by the wagon took the "kobaoba" for the +"mighty elephant." + +Swartboy, however, set them all right by declaring that the animal they +saw was the white rhinoceros. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHTEEN. + +A HEAVY COMBAT. + +When they first saw the kobaoba, he was, as stated, just coming out of +the thicket. Without halting, he headed in the direction of the vley +already mentioned; and kept on towards it, his object evidently being to +reach the water. + +This little lake, of course, owed its existence to the spring--though it +was full two hundred yards from the latter--and about the same from the +great tree. It was nearly circular in shape, and about one hundred +yards in diameter, so that its superficial area would thus be a little +over two English acres. It merited, then, the name of "lake;" and by +that name the young people already called it. + +On its upper side--that in the direction of the spring--its shore was +high, and in one or two places rocky, and these rocks ran back to the +spring along the channel of a little rivulet. On the west or outer side +of the lake the land lay lower, and the water at one or two points +lipped up nearly to the level of the plain. For this reason it was, +that upon that side, the bank was paddled all over with tracks of +animals that had been to drink. Hendrik the hunter had observed among +them the footprints of many kinds he knew nothing about. + +It was for the lower end of the lake the kobaoba was making--no doubt +with him an old and favourite drinking-place. + +There was a point where the water was easier of access than elsewhere--a +little to one side of where the wash or waste-stream of the lake ran +out. It was a sort of cove with bright sandy beach, and approachable +from the plain by a miniature gorge, hollowed out, no doubt, by the long +usage of those animals who came to drink at the vley. By entering this +cove, the tallest animals might get deep water and good bottom, so that +they could drink without much straining or stooping. The kobaoba came +on in a direct line for the lake; and as he drew near, they could see +him heading for the gorge that led into the little cove. It proved he +had been there before. + +Next moment he passed through the gap, and stood knee-deep in the water. + +After swallowing several copious draughts--now sneezing, and then +wheezing--he plunged his broad snout, horn and all, into the water, +tossed it till it foamed, and then lying down in it, commenced wallowing +like a hog. + +The place was shallow, and most of his huge body was above the surface-- +though there was deep enough water in the lake to have given him a bath +had he desired it. + +The first thought of Von Bloom, as well as of Hendrik, was how to +"circumvent" the rhinoceros, and of course destroy him. Not that they +simply wished his destruction; but Swartboy had already represented what +fine food the species was, and there was no stock of provision in camp. +Hendrik had another object in wishing the death of the creature. He +wanted a new loading-rod for his rifle; and he had gazed covetously at +the kobaoba's long horn. + +But it was easier to desire the death of the rhinoceros than to +accomplish it. They had no horses--at least none that could be +mounted--and to attack the animal on foot would be a game as dangerous +as idle. He would be like enough to impale one of them on his great +spike, or else trample them brutally under his huge feet. If he did not +do one or the other, he would easily make his escape--as any kind of +rhinoceros can outrun a man. + +How were they to manage him then? + +Perhaps they might get near--fire at him from an ambush, and with a +lucky shot stretch him out. A single bullet sometimes kills the +rhinoceros--but only when correctly placed, so as to penetrate the +heart, or some other of the "vitals." + +This was, probably, the best plan. They might easily get near enough. +There was some bush cover close to the spot. It was probable the old +kobaoba would not perceive them, if they approached from leeward, +particularly as he seemed in the full tide of enjoyment at that moment. + +They were about to attempt the approach, and had got to their feet for +that purpose, when a sudden fit seemed to have attacked Swartboy. The +latter commenced jumping over the ground, at the same time muttering in +a low voice,-- + +"Da klow! da klow!" + +A stranger would have fancied Swartboy in a fit, but Von Bloom knew that +by "Da klow! da klow!" the Bushman meant "The elephant! the elephant!" +and therefore looked in the direction in which Swartboy was pointing. + +Sure enough, upon the western plain, looming up against the yellow sky, +was a dark mass, that upon examination presented the outlines of an +elephant. Its rounded back was easily distinguished over the low +bushes; and its broad hanging ears were moving as it marched. All saw +at a glance that it was coming towards the lake, and almost in the same +track that the rhinoceros had taken. + +Of course this new apparition quite disarranged the plans of the +hunters. At sight of the mighty elephant, they scarce any longer gave a +thought to the kobaoba. Not that they had formed any very great hopes +of being able to kill the gigantic animal, yet some such thought was +running through their minds. They had determined to try, at all events. + +Before they could agree upon any plan, however, the elephant had got up +to the edge of the lake. Though moving only at a slow walk, with his +immense strides he soon measured off a large quantity of ground, and +advanced much more rapidly than one would have supposed. The hunters +had scarce time to exchange thoughts, before the huge creature was up +within a few yards of the water. + +Here he halted, pointed his proboscis in different directions, stood +quite silent, and seemed to listen. + +There was no noise to disturb him--even the kobaoba for the moment was +quiet. + +After standing a minute or so, the huge creature moved forward again, +and entered the gorge already described. + +They at the camp had now a full view of him, at less than three hundred +yards distance. An immense mass he seemed. His body quite filled the +gorge from side to side, and his long yellow tusks projecting more than +two yards from his jaws, curved gracefully upward. He was an "old +bull," as Swartboy whispered. + +Up to this time the rhinoceros had not had the slightest intimation of +the elephant's approach; for the tread of the latter--big beast as he +is--is as silent as a cat's. It is true that a loud rumbling noise like +distant thunder proceeded from his inside as he moved along; but the +kobaoba was in too high a caper just then to have heard or noticed any +sound that was not very near and distinct. + +The huge body of the elephant coming suddenly into "his sunshine," and +flinging its dark shadow over the vley, was distinct enough, and caused +the kobaoba to get to his feet with an agility quite surprising for a +creature of his build. + +At the same time a noise, something between a grunt and a whistle +escaped him, as the water was ejected from his nostrils. + +The elephant also uttered his peculiar salute in a trumpet note, that +echoed from the cliffs and halted in his tracks as soon as he saw the +rhinoceros. + +No doubt both were surprised at the rencontre as both stood for some +seconds eyeing each other with apparent astonishment. + +This, however, soon gave place to a different feeling. Symptoms of +anger began to show themselves. It was evident that bad blood was +brewing between them. + +There was, in fact, a little dilemma. The elephant could not get +comfortably at the water unless the rhinoceros left the cove; and the +rhinoceros could not well get out of the cove, so long as the elephant +blocked up the gorge with his immense thick limbs. + +It is true, the kobaoba might have sneaked through among the other's +legs, or he might have swum off and landed at some other point, and in +either way have left the coast clear. + +But of all animals in the world a rhinoceros is, perhaps, the most +unaccommodating. He is, also, one of the most fearless, dreading +neither man nor beast--not even the boasted lion, whom he often chases +like a cat. Hence the old kobaoba had no intention of yielding ground +to the elephant; and from his attitude, it was plain that he neither +intended to sneak off under the other's belly, nor swim a single stroke +for him. No--not a stroke. + +It remained to be seen how the point of honour was to be decided. The +attitude of affairs had become so interesting, that every one by the +camp was gazing with fixed eyes upon the two great bulls--for the +rhinoceros was also a "bull" and of the largest size known of his kind. + +For several minutes they stood eyeing each other. The elephant, +although much the larger, knew his antagonist well. He had met his +"sort" before, and knew better than to despise his powers. Perhaps, ere +now, he had had a touch of that long spit-like excrescence that stood +out from the kobaoba's snout. + +At all events, he did not rush upon his adversary at once--as he would +have done on some poor antelope that might have crossed him in the same +way. + +His patience, however, became exhausted. His ancient dignity was +insulted--his rule disputed--he wished to have his bath and his drink-- +he could bear the insolence of the rhinoceros no longer. + +With a bellow that made the rocks ring again, he charged forward; placed +his tusks firmly under the shoulder of his adversary,--gave a mighty +"lift," and turned the rhinoceros over in the water! + +For a moment the latter plunged, and blowed, and snorted, his head half +under water; but in a second's time he was on his feet again, and +charging in turn. The spectators could see that he aimed right at the +elephant's ribs with his horn, and that the latter did all he could to +keep head towards him. + +Again the elephant flung the kobaoba, and again the latter rose and +charged madly upon his huge antagonist; and so both fought until the +water around them was white with foam. + +The contest was carried on _in_ the water, until the elephant, seeming +to think his adversary had an advantage there, backed himself into the +gorge, and stood waiting with his head towards the lake. In this +position the sides of the gorge did not protect him, as perhaps he +fancied. They were too low, and his broad flanks rose far above them. +They only kept him from turning round, and this interfered with the +freedom of his movements. + +It could scarce have been design in the rhinoceros to act as he now did, +though it appeared so to those who were watching. As the elephant took +up his position in the gorge, the kobaoba clambered out upon the bank; +and then, wheeling suddenly, with head to the ground and long horn +projected horizontally, the latter rushed upon his antagonist and struck +him right among the ribs. The spectators saw that the horn penetrated, +and the loud scream that came from the elephant, with the quick motions +of his trunk and tail, told plainly that he had received a severe wound. +Instead of standing any longer in the gorge he rushed forward, and did +not stop until he was knee-deep in the lake. Drawing the water up into +his trunk, he raised it on high, and pointing it backwards, he +discharged large volumes over his body, and upon the spot where he had +received the thrust of the kobaoba's horn. + +He then ran out of the lake, and charged about in search of the +rhinoceros; but long-horn was nowhere to be found! + +Having escaped from the cove without compromising his dignity, and +perhaps believing that he had gained the victory, the rhinoceros, as +soon as he delivered the thrust, had galloped off and disappeared among +the bushes. + + + +CHAPTER NINETEEN. + +THE DEATH OF THE ELEPHANT. + +The battle between these two large quadrupeds did not continue for more +than ten minutes. During that time the hunters made no advance towards +attacking either of them--so much absorbed were they in watching the +novel contest. It was only after the rhinoceros had retreated, and the +elephant returned to the water, that they once more began to deliberate +on some plan of assaulting this mightiest of African animals. Hans now +laid hold of his gun and joined them. + +The elephant, after looking about for his enemy had got back, and was +standing knee-deep in the lake. He appeared restless and highly +excited. His tail was continually in motion, and at intervals he +uttered a piercing melancholy scream--far different to the usual +trumpet-like bellow of his voice. He lifted his huge limbs, and then +plunged them back again to the bottom, until the foam gathered upon the +water with his continued churning. + +But the oddest of his actions was the manner in which he employed his +long tubular trunk. With this he sucked up vast volumes of water, and +then pointing it backwards ejected the fluid over his back and +shoulders, as if from an immense syringe. This shower-bath he kept +repeating time after time, though it was evident he was not at his ease. + +They all knew he was angry. Swartboy said it would be exceedingly +dangerous to be seen by him at that moment, without having a horse to +gallop out of his way. On this account every one of them had concealed +themselves behind the trunk of the nwana-tree, Von Bloom peeping past +one side, and Hendrik the other, in order to watch his movements. + +Notwithstanding the danger, they at length resolved to attack him. They +believed that if they did not do so soon, he would walk off, and leave +them supperless--for they had hoped to sup upon a slice of his trunk. +Time, therefore, had grown precious, and they resolved to attack him +without further ado. + +They intended to creep as near as was safe. All three would fire +together, and then lie close in the bushes until they saw the effect of +their shots. + +Without further parley, Von Bloom, Hans, and Hendrik, leaving the tree, +crept through the bushes towards the western end of the lake. It was +not a continuous thicket, but only an assemblage of copses and clumps, +so that they required to steal very cautiously from one to the other. +Von Bloom led the way, while the boys kept in his tracks, following him +closely. + +After some five minutes spent in this way they got under cover of a +little clump near the water's edge, and near enough to the gigantic +game. Upon their hands and knees they now approached the verge of the +underwood; and having parted the leaves, looked through. The mighty +quadruped was right under their eyes, within twenty yards of them! + +He was still busy plunging about, and blowing volumes of water over his +body. He gave no sign that he had any suspicion of their presence. +They could take time, therefore, in choosing a part of his huge body at +which to aim their pieces. + +When first seen from their new position, he was standing stern towards +them. Von Bloom did not think it a good time to fire, as they could not +give him a deadly wound in that situation. They waited, therefore, +until he might turn his side, before they should deliver their volley. +They kept their eyes all the while steadily fixed on him. + +He ceased at length to "churn" with his feet, and no longer raised water +in his trunk; and now the hunters perceived that the lake was red for a +space around him! It was his blood that had reddened it. + +They no longer doubted that he had been wounded by the rhinoceros; but +whether the wound was a bad one they could not tell. It was in his +side, and as yet they could only see his broad stern from the position +in which he still continued to stand. But they waited with confidence-- +as they knew that in turning to get out of the water, he would have to +present his side towards them. + +For several minutes he kept the same position, but they noticed that his +tail no longer switched about, and that his attitude was loose and +drooping. Now and then he turned his proboscis to the spot where he had +received the thrust of the kobaoba's horn. It was evident that the +wound was distressing him, and this became more apparent by the loud +painful breathing the creature uttered through his trunk. + +The three began to grow impatient. Hendrik asked leave to creep round +to another point, and give him a shot that would turn him round. + +Just at that moment the elephant made a motion, as though he was about +to come out of the water. + +He had got fairly round--his head and forepart were over dry land--the +three guns were pointed--the eyes of the three hunters were about to +glance through the sights of their pieces, when all at once he was seen +to rock and stagger,--and then roll over! With a loud plash, his vast +body subsided into the water, sending great waves to every corner of the +lake. + +The hunters uncocked their guns, and, springing from their ambush, +rushed forward to the bank. They saw at a glance that the elephant was +dead. They saw the wound upon his side,--the hole made by the horn of +the rhinoceros. It was not very large, but the terrible weapon had +penetrated far into his body, into his very vitals. No wonder, then, at +the result it had produced--the death of the mightiest of quadrupeds. + +As soon as it became known that the elephant was dead, everybody was +seen rushing forward to the spot. Little Truey and Jan were called from +their hiding-place--for they had both been hidden in the wagon--and +Totty, too, went down with the rest. Swartboy was one of the first upon +the spot, carrying an axe and a large knife--for Swartboy had designs +upon the carcass--while Hans and Hendrik both threw off their jackets to +assist in the butchering operations. + +And what during this time was Von Bloom about? Ha! That is a more +important question than you think for. That was an important hour--the +hour of a great crisis in the life of the field-cornet. + +He was standing with folded arms on the bank of the lake, directly over +the spot where the elephant had fallen. He appeared to be wrapt in +silent meditation, his eyes bent upon the huge carcass of the animal. +No, not on the carcass. A close observer would have perceived that his +eyes did not wander over that mountain of thick skin and flesh, but were +resting upon a particular spot. + +Was it the wound in the animal's side? And was Von Bloom meditating how +the thrust had caused the death of such a huge creature? + +Neither one nor the other. His thoughts were upon a very different +theme from either. + +The elephant had fallen so that his head was clear of the water, and +rested upon a little bank of sand; along which, his soft and limber +trunk lay extended to its full length. Curving like a pair of gigantic +scimitars from its base, were the yellow enamelled tusks; those ivory +arms that for years,--ay centuries, perhaps,--had served him to root up +the trees of the forest, and rout his antagonists in many a dread +encounter. Precious and beautiful trophies were they, but alas! their +world-wide fame had cost no less than life to many thousands of his +race. + +Shining in all their magnificence lay these mated crescents, gently +curved and softly rounded. It was upon _these_ that the eyes of the +field-cornet were bent. + +Ay, and bent too with an eagerness unusual in his glance. His lips were +compressed, his chest was visibly heaving. Oh! there was a world of +thoughts passing through the mind of Von Bloom at that moment. + +Were they painful thoughts? The expression of his face told the +contrary. The cloud that all that day sat perched upon his brow had +vanished. Not a trace of it remained, but in its place could be seen +the lines of hope and joy, and these feelings at length found expression +in words. + +"It is the hand of Heaven!" he exclaimed aloud. "A fortune--a fortune!" + +"What is it, papa?" inquired little Truey, who was near him; "what were +you speaking about, dear papa?" + +And then all the others gathered around him, noticing his excited +manner, and pleased at seeing him look so happy. + +"What is it, papa?" asked all together, while Swartboy and Totty stood +eager as the rest to hear the answer. + +In the pleasant excitement of his thoughts, the fond father could no +longer conceal from his children the secret of his new-born happiness. +He would gratify them by disclosing it. + +Pointing to the long crescents he said,-- + +"You see those beautiful tusks?" + +Yes, of course, they all did. + +"Well, do you know their value?" + +No. They knew they were worth something. They knew that it was from +elephants' tusks that ivory was obtained, or, more properly, that +elephants' tusks were ivory itself; and that it was used in the +manufacture of hundreds of articles. In fact, little Truey had a +beautiful fan made out of it, which had been her mother's; and Jan had a +knife with an ivory handle. Ivory was a very beautiful material and +cost very dear, they knew. All this they knew, but the value of the two +tusks they could not guess at. They said so. + +"Well, my children," said Von Bloom, "as near as I can estimate them, +they are worth twenty pounds each of English money." + +"Oh! oh! Such a grand sum!" cried all in a breath. + +"Yes," continued the field-cornet; "I should think each tusk is one +hundred pounds in weight, and as ivory at present sells for four +shillings and sixpence the pound weight, these two would yield between +forty and fifty pounds of sterling money." + +"Why, it would buy a full span of best oxen!" cried Hans. + +"Four good horses!" said Hendrik. + +"A whole flock of sheep!" added little Jan. + +"But whom can we sell them to?" asked Hendrik, after a pause. "We are +away from the settlements. Who is to give us either oxen, or horses, or +sheep, for them? It would not be worth while to carry two tusks all the +way--" + +"Not _two_, Hendrik," said his father, interrupting him; "but _twenty_ +it might,--ay, twice twenty, or three times that number. Now, do you +understand what makes me so gay?" + +"Oh!" exclaimed Hendrik, as well as the others, who now began to +perceive what their father was so joyed about, "you think we can obtain +more tusks in these parts?" + +"Precisely so. I think there are many elephants here. I feel certain +of it from the quantity of their spoor I have already noticed. We have +our guns, and fortunately, plenty of ammunition. We are all pretty fair +shots--why can we not obtain more of these valuable trophies? + +"But we shall," continued Von Bloom. "I know we shall, because I +recognise the hand of God in sending us this wealth in the midst of our +misery--after we had lost everything. More will come by the guiding of +the same hand. So be of good cheer, my children! We shall not want--we +shall yet have plenty--we may be _rich_!" + +It was not that any of those young creatures cared much about being +rich, but because they saw their father so happy, that they broke out +into something more than a murmur of applause. It was, in fact, a +cheer, in which both Totty and Swartboy joined. It rang over the little +lake, and caused the birds about settling to roost to wonder what was +going on. There was no happier group in all Africa than stood at that +moment upon the shore of that lonely little vley. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY. + +TURNED HUNTERS. + +The field-cornet, then, had resolved upon turning hunter by profession-- +a hunter of elephants; and it was a pleasant reflection to think, that +this occupation promised, not only exciting sport, but great profit. He +knew that it was not so easy a matter to succeed in killing such large +and valuable game as elephants. He did not suppose that in a few weeks +or months he would obtain any great quantities of their ivory spoils; +but he had made up his mind to spend even years in the pursuit. For +years he should lead the life of a Bushman--for years his sons would be +"Bush-boys," and he hoped that in time his patience and toil would be +amply rewarded. + +That night around the camp-fire all were very happy and very merry. The +elephant had been left where he lay, to be cut up on the morrow. Only +his trunk had been taken off--part of which was cooked for supper. + +Although all the flesh of the elephant is eatable, the trunk is esteemed +one of the delicate bits. It tastes not unlike ox-tongue; and all of +them liked it exceedingly. To Swartboy, who had made many a meal upon +"de ole klow," it was a highly-relished feast. + +They had plenty of fine milk, too. The cow, now upon the best of +pasture, doubled her yield; and the quantity of this, the most delicious +of all drinks, was sufficient to give every one a large allowance. + +While enjoying their new-fashioned dish of roast elephant-trunk, the +conversation naturally turned upon these animals. + +Everybody knows the appearance of the elephant, therefore a description +of him is quite superfluous. But everybody does not know that there are +two distinct kinds of this gigantic quadruped--the _African_ and +_Asiatic_. + +Until a late period they were thought to be of the same species. Now +they are acknowledged to be, not only distinct, but very different in +many respects. The Asiatic, or, as it is more frequently called, the +"Indian" elephant is the larger of the two; but it is possible that +domestication may have produced a larger kind, as is the rule with many +animals. The African species exists only in a wild state; and it would +appear that individuals of this kind have been measured having the +dimensions of the largest of the _wild_ Asiatic elephants. + +The most remarkable points of difference between the two are found in +the ears and tusks. The ears of the African elephant are of enormous +proportions, meeting each other above the shoulders, and hanging down +below the breast. Those of the Indian elephant are scarce one-third the +size. In his grand tusks the former has far the advantage--these in +some individuals weighing nearly two hundred pounds each--while the +tusks of the latter rarely reach the weight of one hundred. To this, +however, there are some exceptions. Of course a two hundred pound tusk +is one of the very largest, and far above the average even of African +elephants. In this species the females are also provided with tusks-- +though not of such size as in the males--whereas the female of the +Indian elephant has either no tusks at all, or they are so small as to +be scarcely perceptible outside the skin of the lips. The other chief +points of difference between the two are that the front of the Asiatic +elephant is concave, while that of the African is convex; and the former +has four horny toes or _sabots_ on the hind-foot, where only three +appear upon that of the latter. The enamel of the teeth presents still +another proof of these animals being different in species. + +Nor are all Asiatic elephants alike. In this species there are +varieties which present very distinct features; and, indeed, these +"varieties," as they are called, appear to differ from each other, +nearly as much as any one of them does from the African kind. + +One variety known among Orientals by the name of "mooknah," has straight +tusks that _point downward_, whereas the usual habit of these singular +appendages is to _curve upward_. + +Asiatics recognise two main _castes_, or perhaps species, among their +elephants. One known as "coomareah," is a deep-bodied, compact, and +strong animal, with large trunk and short legs. The other called +"merghee," is a taller kind, but neither so compact nor strong as the +coomareah, nor has he so large a trunk. His long legs enable him to +travel faster than the coomareah; but the latter having a larger trunk +(a point of beauty among elephant-owners) and being capable of enduring +more fatigue, is the favourite, and fetches a larger price in the +Oriental market. + +Occasionally a _white_ elephant is met with. This is simply an +"albino," but such are greatly prized in many countries of Asia, and +large sums are given for them. They are even held in superstitious +veneration in some parts. + +The Indian elephant at the present time inhabits most of the southern +countries of Asia, including the large islands, Ceylon, Java, Sumatra, +Borneo, etcetera. Of course every one knows that in these countries the +elephant has been trained long ago to the use of man, and is one of the +"domestic animals." But he also exists in a wild state, both upon the +continent of Asia and in its islands; and hunting the elephant is one of +the grand sport of the East. + +In Africa the elephant exists _only_ in a state of nature. None of the +nations upon this little-known continent tame or train him to any +purpose. He is only prized among them for his precious tusks, and his +flesh as well. Some have asserted that this species is more fierce than +its Indian congener, and could not be domesticated. This is altogether +a mistake. The reason why the African elephant is not trained, is +simply that none of the modern nations of Africa have yet reached a high +enough point of civilisation to avail themselves of the services of this +valuable animal. + +The African elephant may be domesticated and trained to the "howdah," or +castle, as easily as his Indian cousin. The trial has been made; but +that it can be done no better proof is required than that at one period +it was done, and upon a large scale. The elephants of the Carthaginian +army were of this species. + +The African elephant at present inhabits the central and southern parts +of Africa. Abyssinia on the east, and Senegal on the west, are his +northern limits, and but a few years ago he roamed southward to the very +Cape of Good Hope. The activity of the Dutch ivory-hunters, with their +enormous long guns, has driven him from that quarter; and he is no +longer to be found to the south of the Orange River. + +Some naturalists (Cuvier among others) believed the Abyssinian elephant +to be of the Indian species. That idea is now exploded, and there is no +reason to think that the latter inhabits any part of Africa. It is very +likely there are varieties of the African species in different parts of +the continent. It is well-known that those of the tropical regions are +larger than the others; and a _reddish and very fierce_ kind is said to +be met with in the mountains of Africa, upon the river Niger. It is +probable, however, that these _red_ elephants seen have been some whose +bodies were coated with red dust, as it is a habit of elephants to +powder themselves with dust on many occasions, using their trunks as +"dredgers." + +Swartboy spoke of a variety well-known among the Hottentot hunters as +the "koes-cops." This kind, he said, differed from the ordinary ones by +its altogether wanting the tusks, and being of a far more vicious +disposition. Its encounter is more dreaded; but as it possesses no +trophies to make it worth the trouble and danger of killing, the hunters +usually give it a wide berth. + +Such was the conversation that night around the camp-fire. Much of the +information here given was furnished by Hans, who of course had gathered +it from books; but the Bushman contributed his quota--perhaps of a far +more reliable character. All were destined ere long to make practical +acquaintance with the haunts and habits of this huge quadruped, that to +them had now become the most interesting of all the animal creation. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY ONE. + +"JERKING" AN ELEPHANT. + +Next day was one of severe, but joyful labour. It was spent in "curing" +the elephant, not in a _medical_ sense, but in the language of the +provision-store. + +Although not equal to either beef or mutton, or even pork, the flesh of +the elephant is sufficiently palatable to be eaten. There is no reason +why it should not be, for the animal is a clean feeder, and lives +altogether on vegetable substances--the leaves and tender shoots of +trees, with several species of bulbous roots, which he well knows how to +extract from the ground with his tusks and trunk. It does not follow +from this that his _beef_ should be well tasted--since we see that the +hog, one of the most unclean of feeders, yields most delicious "pork;" +while another of the same family (_pachydermatii_) that subsists only on +sweet succulent roots, produces a flesh both insipid and bitter. I +allude to the South American tapir. The quality of the food, therefore, +is no criterion of the quality of the flesh. + +It is true that the beef of the elephant was not what Von Bloom and most +of his family would have chosen for their regular diet. Had they been +sure of procuring a supply of antelope venison, the great carcass might +have gone, not to the "dogs," but to their kindred the hyenas. But they +were not sure of getting even a single antelope, and therefore decided +upon "curing" the elephant. It would be a safe stock to have on hand, +and need not interfere with their eating venison, or any other dainty +that might turn up. + +The first thing done was to cut out the tusks. This proved a tough job, +and occupied full two hours. Fortunately there was a good axe on hand. +But for this and Swartboy's knowledge, double the time might have been +wasted in the operation. + +The ivory having been extracted and put away in a safe place, the +"cutting up" then commenced in earnest. Von Bloom and Swartboy were the +"baas-butchers," while Hans and Hendrik played the part of "swabs." As +the carcass lay half under water, they would have had some difficulty in +dealing with the under part. But this they did not design to touch. +The upper half would be amply sufficient to provision them a long while; +and so they set about removing the skin from that side that was +uppermost. + +The rough thick outer coat they removed in broad sheets cut into +sections; and then they peeled off several coats of an under-skin, of +tough and pliant nature. Had they needed water-vessels, Swartboy would +have saved this for making them--as it is used for such purposes by the +Bushmen and other natives. But they had vessels enough in the wagon, +and this skin was thrown away. + +They had now reached the pure flesh, which they separated in large +sheets from the ribs; and then the ribs were cut out, one by one, with +the axe. This trouble they would not have taken--as they did not want +the ribs--but they cut them away for another reason, namely, to enable +them to get at the valuable fat, which lies in enormous quantities +around the intestines. Of course for all cooking purposes, the fat +would be to them invaluable, and indeed almost necessary to render the +flesh itself eatable. + +It is no easy matter to get at the fat in the inside of an elephant, as +the whole of the intestines have first to be removed. But Swartboy was +not to be deterred by a little trouble; so _climbing into the interior_ +of the huge carcass, he commenced cutting and delving, and every now and +then passing a multitude of "inwards" out to the others, who carried +them off out of the way. + +After a long spell of this work, the fat was secured, and carefully +packed in a piece of clean under-skin; and then the "butchering" was +finished. + +Of course the four feet, which along with the trunk are considered the +"tit-bits," had already been separated at the fetlock joint; and stood +out upon the bank, for the future consideration of Swartboy. + +The next thing to be done was to "cure" the meat. They had a stock of +suit--that precious, though, as lately discovered, _not_ indispensable +article. But the quantity--stowed away in a dry corner of the wagon-- +was small, and would have gone but a short way in curing an elephant. + +They had no idea of using it for such a purpose. Flesh can be preserved +without salt; and not only Swartboy, but Von Bloom himself, knew how to +preserve it. In all countries where salt is scarce, the process of +"jerking" meat is well understood, and consists simply in cutting it +into thin strips and hanging it out in the sun. A few days of bright +warm sunshine will "jerk" it sufficiently; and meat thus dried will keep +good for months. A slow fire will answer the purpose nearly as well; +and in the absence of sunshine, the fire is often resorted to. + +Sun-dried meat in South Africa is called "biltongue." The Spaniards of +Mexico name it "tasajo," while those of Peru style it "charqui." In +English it is "jerked" meat. + +Several hours were spent in cutting the elephant-beef into strips, and +then a number of forked poles were set up, others were laid horizontally +over the forks, and upon these the meat was suspended, and hung down in +numberless festoons. + +Before the sun went down, the neighbourhood of the camp presented a rare +appearance. It looked somewhat like the enclosure of a yarn-bleacher, +except that the hanging strips, instead of being white, were of a +beautiful clear ruby colour. + +But the work was not yet completed. The feet remained to be +"preserved," and the mode of curing these was entirely different. That +was a secret known only to Swartboy, and in the execution of it the +Bushman played first fiddle, with the important air of a _chef de +cuisine_. He proceeded as follows:-- + +He first dug a hole in the ground, about two feet deep, and a little +more in diameter--just large enough to admit one of the feet, which was +nearly two feet diameter at the base. The earth which came out of this +hole Swartboy placed in the form of a loose embankment around the edge. + +By his direction the boys had already collected upon the spot a large +quantity of dried branches and logs. These Swartboy now built over the +hole, into a pyramid of ten feet high, and then set the pile on fire. +He next proceeded to make three other pits precisely similar, and built +over each a fire like the first, until four large fires were burning +upon the ground. + +The fires being now fairly under way, he could only wait until each had +burned down. This would carry the process into the night, and so it +turned out; but Swartboy had a foresight of this. He knew he would get +through with the more important portion of his work before bedtime. + +When the first fire had burned quite to red cinders, Swartboy's hardest +turn of duty began. With a shovel he lifted the cinders out of the +hole, until it was empty; but he was more than an hour in performing +this apparently simple labour. The difficulty arose from the intense +heat he had to encounter, which drove him back after every few moments' +work; so that he was compelled to retreat at intervals in order to cool +himself. + +The "baas," as well as Hendrik and Hans, took turns with him, until all +four were perspiring as if they had been shut up for half-an-hour in a +baker's oven. + +When the hole was thoroughly scooped clean of coals, Swartboy, assisted +by Von Bloom, lifted one of the huge feet; and, carrying it as near as +they dare go on account of the scorching heat, they dropped it in upon +its base. + +The sandy earth which had been originally removed, and which was now as +hot as molten lead, was pushed over, and around the foot; and then the +cinders were raked on top, and over that another huge fire was kindled. + +The same process was gone through with the other three feet, and all +four were to be left in the "oven" until the fires should be burned +down, when they would be found sufficiently baked. + +Swartboy would then rake off the cinders, take out the feet with a sharp +wooden spit, beat them well to get rid of the dust, scrape the sand +clear, then pare off the outside skin, when they would be ready either +to be eaten or would keep for a long time. + +Swartboy would do all this as soon as the four huge bonfires should burn +down. + +But that would not be before the morning; so all of them, fatigued by +the extraordinary exertions of the day, finished their suppers of +broiled trunk, and went to rest under the protecting shadow of the +nwana. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY TWO. + +THE HIDEOUS HYENA. + +Fatigued as they were, they would soon have fallen asleep. But they +were not permitted to do so. As they lay with closed eyes in that +half-dreamy state that precedes sleep, they were suddenly startled by +strange voices near the camp. + +These voices were uttered in peals of loud laughter; and no one, +unacquainted with them, would have pronounced them to be anything else +than the voices of human beings. They exactly resembled the strong +treble produced by the laugh of a maniac negro. It seemed as if some +Bedlam of negroes had been let loose, and were approaching the spot. + +I say approaching, because each moment the sounds grew clearer and +louder; and it was evident that whatever gave utterance to them was +coming nearer to the camp. + +That there was more than one creature was evident--ay, and it was +equally evident that there was more than one _kind_ of creature; for so +varied were the voices, it would have puzzled a ventriloquist to have +given imitations of them all. There was howling, and whining, and +grunting, and growling, and low melancholy moaning as of some one in +pain, and hissing, and chattering, and short sharp intonations, as if it +were the barking of dogs, and then a moment or two of deep silence, and +again that chorus of human-like laughter, that in point of horror and +hideous suggestions surpassed all the other sounds. + +You will suppose that such a wild concert must have put the camp in a +state of great alarm. Not a bit of it. Nobody was frightened the +least--not even innocent little Truey, nor the diminutive Jan. + +Had they been strangers to these sounds, no doubt they would have been +more than frightened. They would have been terrified by them; for they +were calculated to produce such an effect upon any one to whose ears +they were new. + +But Von Bloom and his family had lived too long upon the wild karoo to +be ignorant of those voices. In the howling, and chattering, and +yelping, they heard but the cries of the jackal; and they well knew the +maniac laugh of the hideous hyena. + +Instead of being alarmed, and springing from their beds, they lay still +and listened--not dreading any attack from the noisy creatures. + +Von Bloom and the children slept in the wagon; Swartboy and Totty upon +the ground--but these lay close to the fires, and therefore did not fear +wild beasts of any kind. + +But the hyenas and jackals upon this occasion appeared to be both +numerous and bold. In a few minutes after they were first heard, their +cries rose around the camp on all sides, so near and so loud as to be +positively disagreeable--even without considering the nature of the +brutes that uttered them. + +At last they came so close, that it was impossible to look in any +direction without seeing a pair of green or red eyes gleaming under the +light of the fires! White teeth, too, could be observed, as the hyenas +opened their jaws, to give utterance to their harsh laughter-like cries. + +With such a sight before their eyes, and such sounds ringing in their +ears, neither Von Bloom nor any of his people--tired as they were--could +go to sleep. Indeed, not only was sleep out of the question, but, worse +than that, all--the field-cornet himself not excepted--began to +experience some feelings of apprehension, if not actual alarm. + +They had never beheld a troop of hyenas so numerous and fierce. There +could not be less than two dozen of them around the camp, with twice +that number of jackals. + +Von Bloom knew that although, under ordinary circumstances, the hyena is +not a dangerous animal, yet there are places and times when he will +attack human beings. Swartboy knew this well, and Hans, too, from +having read of it. No wonder, then, that some apprehension was felt by +all of them. + +The hyenas now behaved with such boldness, and appeared so ravenous, +that sleep was out of the question. Some demonstration must be made to +drive the brutes away from the camp. + +Von Bloom, Hans, and Hendrik, laid hold of their guns, and got out of +the wagon, while Swartboy armed himself with his bow and arrows. All +four stood close by the trunk of the nwana, on the other side from that +where the fires were. In this place they were in the shadow, where they +could best observe anything that should come under the light of the +fires without being themselves seen. Their position was well chosen. + +They had scarcely fixed themselves in it, when they perceived a great +piece of neglect they had been guilty of. Now, for the first time it +occurred to them what had brought the hyenas around them in such +numbers. Beyond a doubt it was the flesh of the elephant,--the +_biltongue_. + +That was what the beasts were after; and all now saw that a mistake had +been committed in hanging the meat too low. The hyenas might easily get +at it. + +This was soon made manifest; for, even at the moment while they stood +watching the red festoons, plainly visible under the light of Swartboy's +fires, a shaggy spotted brute rushed forward, reared up on his +hind-legs, seized one of the pieces, dragged it down from the pole, and +then ran off with it into the darkness. + +A rushing sound could be heard as the others joined him to get share of +his plunder; and, no doubt, in less than half a minute the morsel was +consumed; for, at the end of that time, glancing eyes and gleaming teeth +showed that the whole troop was back again and ready to make a fresh +seizure. + +None of the hunters had fired, as the nimbleness with which the brutes +moved about rendered it difficult to take aim at any one of them; and +all knew that powder and lead were too precious to be wasted on a +"flying shot." + +Emboldened by their success, the hyenas had now drawn nearer, and in a +moment more would have made a general charge upon the scaffolds of +flesh, and, no doubt, would have succeeded in carrying off a large +quantity of it. But just then it occurred to Von Bloom that it would be +best to lay aside their guns and remedy the mistake they had made, by +putting the biltongue out of reach. If they did not do so, they would +either have to remain awake all night and guard it, or else lose every +string of it. + +How was it to be put out of reach? + +At first they thought of collecting it into a heap and stowing it away +in the wagon. That would not only be an unpleasant job, but it would +interfere with their sleeping-quarters. + +An alternative, however, presented itself. They saw that if the +scaffolds were only high enough, the meat might be easily hung so as to +be out of reach of the hyenas. The only question was, how to place the +cross-poles a little higher. In the darkness they could not obtain a +new set of uprights, and therein lay the difficulty. How were they to +get over it? + +Hans had the credit of suggesting a way: and that was, to take out some +of the uprights, splice them to the others, with the forked ends +uppermost, and then rest the horizontal poles on the upper forks. That +would give a scaffold tall enough to hang the meat beyond the reach of +either jackals or hyenas. + +Hans's suggestion was at once adopted. Half of the uprights were taken +up and spliced against the others so as to raise their forks full twelve +feet in the air; and then the cross-poles were rested over their tops. +By standing upon one of the wagon-chests, Von Bloom was able to fling +the strips of meat over the horizontal poles, and in such a manner that +it hung only a few inches down, and was now quite beyond the reach of +the ravenous brutes. + +When the business was finished, the party resumed their station under +the shadow of the tree, intending to watch for a while, and see how the +wolfish intruders would act. + +They had not long to watch. In less than five minutes the troop +approached the biltongue, howling, and gibbering, and laughing, as +before; only this time uttering peculiar cries, as if to express +disappointment. They saw at a glance that the tempting festoons were no +longer within their reach! + +They were not going to leave the ground, however, without assuring +themselves of this fact; and several of the largest approached boldly +under the scaffolds, and commenced leaping up to try the height. + +After several attempts, springing each time as high as they were able, +they appeared to grow discouraged; and no doubt would in time have +imitated the fox with the grapes, and gone quietly away. But Von Bloom, +indignant at being roused after such a fashion, from his pleasant rest, +was determined to take some revenge upon his tormenters; so he whispered +the word to the others, and a volley was delivered from behind the tree. + +The unexpected discharge caused a quick scattering of both hyenas and +jackals, and the pattering of their numerous feet could be heard as they +ran off. When the ground under the scaffold was examined, two of the +larger of these ravenous quadrupeds, and one of the smaller, were found +to have bitten the dust. + +Swartboy had discharged his arrow along with the guns, and it was he +that had slain the jackal, for the poisoned shaft was seen sticking +between the animal's ribs. + +The guns were again loaded, the party took their stations as before; +but, although they waited another half-hour, neither hyena nor jackal +made their appearance. + +They had not gone far away, however, as their wild music testified; but +the reason they did not return was, that they had now discovered the +half carcass of the elephant that lay in the lake, and upon that they +were making their supper. Their plunging in the water could be +distinctly heard from the camp, and during the whole night they +quarrelled and growled, and laughed and yelled, as they gorged +themselves on their ample prey. + +Of course Von Bloom and his people did not sit up all night to listen to +this medley of noises. As soon as they perceived that the brutes were +not likely to come any more near the camp, they laid aside their +weapons, returned to their respective sleeping-places, and were all soon +buried in the sweet slumber that follows a day of healthy exercise. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY THREE. + +STALKING THE OUREBI. + +Next morning the hyenas and jackals had disappeared from the scene, and, +to the surprise of all, not a particle of flesh was left upon the bones +of the elephant. There lay the huge skeleton picked clean, the bones +even polished white by the rough tongues of the hyenas. Nay, still +stranger to relate, two of the horses--these poor brutes had been long +since left to themselves,--had been pulled down during the night, and +their skeletons lay at a short distance from the camp as cleanly picked +as that of the elephant! + +All this was evidence of the great number of ravenous creatures that +must have their home in that quarter,--evidence, too, that game animals +abounded, for where these are not numerous the beasts of prey cannot +exist. Indeed, from the quantity of tracks that were seen upon the +shores of the vley, it was evident that animals of various kinds had +drunk there during the night. There was the round solid hoof of the +quagga, and his near congener the dauw; and there was the neat +hoof-print of the gemsbok, and the larger track of the eland; and among +these Von Bloom did not fail to notice the spoor of the dreaded lion. +Although they had not heard his roaring that night, they had no doubt +but there were plenty of his kind in that part of the country. The +presence of his favourite prey,--the quaggas, the gemsboks, and the +elands,--were sure indications that the king of beasts was not far off. + +Not much work was done that day. The heavy labour of curing the +biltongue, that had occupied them the whole of the preceding day, and +their disturbed rest, had rendered them all listless; and neither Von +Bloom nor the others had any inclination for work. So they moved around +the camp and did very little. + +Swartboy took his elephant's feet from the oven, and cleaned them; and +also let down the biltongue and arranged it so as to be better exposed +to the sun. Von Bloom himself shot the three remaining horses, having +driven them to a good distance from the camp. He did this to put an end +to the suffering of the poor brutes,--for it was plain to every one that +they could survive but a day or two longer; and to send a bullet through +the heart of each was an act of mercy to them. + +Out of all the live-stock of the field-cornet, the cow alone remained, +and she was now tended with the greatest care. Without the precious +milk, which she yielded in such quantity, their diet would have been +savage enough; and they fully appreciated the service she rendered them. +Each day she was driven out to the best pasture, and at night shut up +in a safe kraal of wait-a-bit thorns, that had been built for her at a +little distance from the tree. These thorns had been placed in such a +manner that their shanks all radiated inward, while the bushy tops were +turned out, forming a _chevaux-de-frise_, that scarce any animal would +have attempted to get through. Such a fence will turn even the lion, +unless when he has been rendered fierce and reckless by provocation. + +Of course a gap had been left for the cow to pass in and out, and this +was closed by one immense bush, which served all the purpose of a gate. +Such was the kraal of "old Graaf." Besides the cow, the only living +thing that remained in camp was Truey's little pet, the fawn of the +gazelle. + +But on that very day another pet was added, a dear little creature, not +less beautiful than the springbok, and of still more diminutive +proportions. That was the fawn of an "ourebi,"--one of the elegant +little antelopes that are found in such variety over the plains and in +the "bush" of Southern Africa. + +It was to Hendrik they were indebted not only for this pet, but for a +dinner of delicate venison, which they had that day eaten, and which all +of them, except Swartboy, preferred to elephant-beef. Hendrik had +procured the venison by a shot from his rifle, and in the following +manner. About midday he went out--having fancied that upon a large +grassy meadow near the camp he saw some animal. After walking about +half a mile, and keeping among bushes, around the edge of the meadow, he +got near enough to be sure that it _was_ an animal he had observed, for +he now saw _two_ in the place he had marked. + +They were of a kind he had not met with before. They were very small +creatures,--smaller even than springboks,--but, from their general form +and appearance, Hendrik knew they were either antelopes or deer; and, as +Hans had told him there were _no deer in Southern Africa_, he concluded +they must be some species of antelope. They were a buck and doe,--this +he knew because one of them only carried horns. The buck was _under two +feet_ in height, of slender make, and pale tawny colour. He was +white-bellied, with white arches above the eyes, and some long white +hair under the throat. Below his knees were yellowish tufts of long +hair, and his horns--instead of being lyrate, like those of the +springbok--rose nearly vertical to the height of four inches. They were +black in colour, round-shaped, and slightly ringed. The doe was without +horns, and was a much smaller animal than her mate. + +From all these marks Hendrik thought the little antelopes were +"ourebis;" and such they were. + +He continued to stalk in upon them, until he was as close as he could +get. But he was still more than two hundred yards from them, and of +course far from being within shooting distance with his small rifle. + +A thick _jong dora_ bush concealed him, but he dared not go farther else +the game would have taken the alarm. He could perceive that they were +shy creatures. + +Every now and gain the buck would raise his graceful neck to its full +stretch, utter a slight blearing call, and look suspiciously around him. +From these symptoms Hendrik drew the inference that it was shy game, +and would not be easily approached. + +He lay for a moment, thinking what he should do. He was to leeward of +the game, as he had purposely gone there; but after a while, to his +chagrin, he saw that they were _feeding up the wind_, and of course +widening the distance between them and himself. + +It occurred to Hendrik that it might be their habit to browse up the +wind, as springboks and some other species do. If so, he might as well +give it up, or else make a long circuit and _head_ them. To do this +would be a work of labour and of time, and a very uncertain stalk it +would be in the end. After all his long tramping, and creeping, and +crouching, the game would be like enough to scent him before they came +within shot--for it is for this very reason that their instinct teaches +them to browse _against_, and not _with_ the wind. + +As the plain was large, and the cover very distant, Hendrik was +discouraged and gave up the design he had half formed of trying to head +them. + +He was about to rise to his feet, and return home, when it occurred to +him that perhaps he might find a decoy available. He knew there were +several species of antelopes, with whom curiosity was stronger than +fear. He had often lured the springbok within reach. Why would not +these obey the same impulse? + +He determined to make trial. At the worst he could only fail, and he +had no chance of getting a shot otherwise. + +Without losing a moment he thrust his hand into his pocket. He should +have found there a large red handkerchief which he had more than once +used for a similar purpose. To his chagrin it was not there! + +He dived into both pockets of his jacket, then into his wide trousers, +then under the breast of his waistcoat. No. The handkerchief was not +to be found. Alas! it had been left in the wagon! It was very +annoying. + +What else could he make use of? Take off his jacket and hold it up? It +was not gay enough in colour. It would not do. + +Should he raise his hat upon the end of his gun? That might be better, +but still it would look too much like the human form, and Hendrik knew +that all animals feared that. + +A happy thought at length occurred to him. He had heard, that with the +curious antelopes, strange forms or movements attract almost as much as +glaring colours. He remembered a trick that was said to be practised +with success by the hunters. It was easy enough, and consisted merely +in the hunter standing upon his hands and head, and kicking his heels in +the air! + +Now Hendrik happened to be one of those very boys who had often +practised this little bit of gymnastics for amusement; and he could +stand upon his head like an acrobat. + +Without losing a moment he placed his rifle upon the ground, between his +hands, and hoisting his feet into the air, commenced kicking them about, +clinking them together, and crossing them in the most fantastic manner. + +He had placed himself so that his face was turned towards the animals, +while he stood upon his head. Of course he could not see them while in +this position, as the grass was a foot high; but, at intervals, he +permitted his feet to descend to the earth; and then, by looking between +his legs, he could tell how the ruse was succeeding. + +It _did_ succeed. The buck, on first perceiving the strange object, +uttered a sharp whistle, and darted off with the swiftness of a bird-- +for the "ourebi" is one of the swiftest of African antelopes. The doe +followed, though not so fast, and soon fell into the rear. + +The buck, perceiving this, suddenly halted--as if ashamed of his want of +gallantry--wheeled round, and galloped back, until he was once more +between the doe and the odd thing that had alarmed him. + +What could this odd thing be? he now seemed to inquire of himself. It +was not a lion, nor a leopard, nor a hyena, nor yet a jackal. It was +neither fox, nor fennec, nor earth-wolf, nor wild hound, nor any of his +well-known enemies. It was not a Bushman neither, for they are not +double-headed as it appeared. What _could_ it be? It had kept its +place--it had not pursued him. Perhaps it was not at all dangerous. No +doubt it was harmless enough. + +So reasoned the ourebi. His curiosity overcame his fear. He would go a +little nearer. He would have a better view of the thing before he took +to flight. No matter what it was, it could do no hurt at that distance; +and as to _overtaking him_, pah! there wasn't a creature, biped or +quadruped, in all Africa that he could not fling dust in the face of. + +So he went a little nearer, and then a little nearer still, and +continued to advance by successive runs, now this way and now that way, +zigzagging over the plain, until he was within less than a hundred paces +of the odd object that at first light had so terrified him. + +His companion, the doe, kept close after him; and seemed quite as +curious as himself--her large shining eyes opened to their full extent, +as she stopped to gaze at intervals. + +Sometimes the two met each other in their course; and halted a moment, +as though they held consultation in whispers; and asked each other if +they had yet made out the character of the stranger. + +It was evident, however, that neither had done so--as they still +continued to approach it with looks and gestures of inquiry and wonder. + +At length the odd object disappeared for a moment under the grass; and +then reappeared,--but this time in an altered form. Something about it +glanced brightly under the sun, and this glancing quite fascinated the +buck, so that he could not stir from the spot, but stood eyeing it +steadily. + +Fatal fascination! It was his last gaze. A bright flash shot up-- +something struck him through the heart, and he saw the shining object no +more! + +The doe bounded forward to where her mate had fallen, and stood bleating +over him. She knew not the cause of his sudden death, but she saw that +he was dead. The wound in his side--the stream of red blood--were under +her eyes. She had never witnessed death in that form before, but she +knew her lover was dead. His silence--his form stretched along the +grass motionless and limber--his glassy eyes--all told her he had ceased +to live. + +She would have fled, but she could not leave him--she could not bear to +part even from his lifeless form. She would remain a while, and mourn +over him. + +Her widowhood was a short one. Again flashed the priming,--again +cracked the shining tube--and the sorrowing doe fell over upon the body +of her mate. + +The young hunter rose to his feet, and ran forward. He did not, +according to usual custom, stop to load before approaching his quarry. +The plain was perfectly level, and he saw no other animal upon it. What +was his surprise on reaching the antelopes, to perceive that there was a +_third_ one of the party still alive! + +Yes, a little fawn, not taller than a rabbit, was bounding about through +the grass, running around the prostrate body of its mother, and uttering +its tiny bleat. + +Hendrik was surprised, because he had not observed this creature before; +but, indeed, he had not seen much of the antelopes until the moment of +taking aim, and the grass had concealed the tiny young one. + +Hunter as Hendrik was, he could not help feeling strongly as he regarded +the _tableau_ before him. But he felt that he had not wantonly +destroyed these creatures for mere amusement, and that satisfied his +conscience. + +The little fawn would make a famous pet for Jan, who had often wished +for one, to be equal with his sister. It could be fed upon the cow's +milk, and, though it had lost both father and mother, Hendrik resolved +that it should be carefully brought up. He had no difficulty in +capturing it, as it refused to leave the spot where its mother lay, and +Hendrik soon held the gentle creature in his arms. + +He then tied the buck and doe together; and, having fastened a strong +cord round the horns of the latter, he set off dragging the two +antelopes behind him. + +As these lay upon the ground, heads foremost, they were drawn _with the +grain of the hair_, which made it much easier; and as there was nothing +but grass sward to be passed over, the young hunter succeeded in taking +the whole of his game to camp without any great difficulty. + +The joy of all was great, at seeing such a fine lot of venison, but +Jan's rejoicing was greater than all; and he no longer envied Truey the +possession of her little gazelle. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR. + +LITTLE JAN'S ADVENTURE. + +It would have been better that Jan had never seen the little "ourebi,"-- +better both for Jan and the antelope, for that night the innocent +creature was the cause of a terrible panic in the camp. + +They had all gone to sleep as on the previous night,--Von Bloom and the +four children in the wagon, while the Bushman and Totty slept upon the +grass. The latter lay under the wagon; but Swartboy had kindled a large +fire at a little distance from it, and beside this had stretched +himself, rolled up in his sheep-skin kaross. + +They had all gone to sleep without being disturbed by the hyenas. This +was easily accounted for. The three horses that had been shot that day +occupied the attention of these gentry, for their hideous voices could +be heard off in the direction where the carcasses lay. Having enough to +give them a supper, they found no occasion to risk themselves in the +neighbourhood of the camp, where they had experienced such a hostile +reception on the previous night. So reasoned Von Bloom, as he turned +over and fell asleep. + +He did not reason correctly, however. It was true that the hyenas were +just then making a meal upon the horses; but it was a mistake to suppose +that that would satisfy these ravenous brutes, who never seem to have +enough. Long before morning, had Von Bloom been awake he would have +heard the maniac laugh closer to the camp, and might have seen the green +eyes of the hyena glancing under the expiring blaze of Swartboy's +camp-fire. + +Indeed, he had heard the beasts once that he awoke; but, knowing that +the biltongue had been this night placed out of their reach, and +thinking that there was nothing to which they could do any harm, he gave +no heed to their noisy demonstrations, and went to sleep again. + +He was awakened, however, by a shrill squeak, as of some animal in the +agonies of death; and then there was a second squeak, that seemed to be +suddenly interrupted by the stifling of the creature's utterance! + +In these cries Von Bloom, as well as the others--who were now also +awake--recognised the bleat of the ourebi, for they had heard it several +times during the afternoon. + +"The hyenas are killing it!" thought they. But they had not time to say +so, before another and far different cry reached their ears, and caused +them all to start as if a bomb-shell had burst under the wagon. That +cry was the voice of Jan, and sounded in the same direction whence came +the scream of the stifled antelope! + +"O heaven! what could it mean?" + +The child's voice first reached them in a sudden screech--then there was +a confused noise resembling a scuffle--and Jan was again heard crying +aloud for help, while at the same time his voice was interrupted, and +each call appeared to come from a greater distance! _Something or +somebody was carrying him off_! + +This idea occurred to Von Bloom, Hans, and Hendrik, at the same instant. +Of course it filled them with consternation; and, as they were scarce +yet awake, they knew not what to do. + +The cries of Jan, however, soon brought them to their senses; and to run +towards the direction whence these came was the first thought of all. + +To grope for their guns would waste time, and all three leaped out of +the wagon without them. + +Totty was upon her feet and jabbering, but she knew no more than they +what had happened. + +They did not stop long to question her. The voice of Swartboy, uttered +in loud barks and clicks, summoned them elsewhere; and they now beheld a +red flaming brand rushing through the darkness, which no doubt was +carried in the hands of that worthy. + +They started off in the direction of the blazing torch, and ran as fast +as they could. They still heard the Bushman's voice, and to their +dismay _beyond it_ the screams of little Jan! + +Of course they could not tell what was causing all this. They only +pressed on with fearful apprehensions. + +When they had got within some fifty paces of the torch, they perceived +it suddenly descend, then raised again, and again brought down, in a +rapid and violent manner! They could hear the voice of the Bushman +barking and clicking louder than ever, as though he was engaged in +chastising some creature. + +But Jan's voice they no longer heard--he was screaming no more--was he +dead? + +With terrible forebodings they rushed on. + +When they arrived upon the spot, a singular picture presented itself to +their eyes. Jan lay upon the ground, close in by the roots of some +bushes which he was holding tightly in his grasp. From one of his +wrists extended a stout thong, or _rheim_, which passed through among +the bushes to the distance of several feet; and, fast to its other end, +was the ourebi fawn, dead, and terribly mangled! Over the spot stood +Swartboy with his burning tree, which blazed all the brighter that he +had just been using it over the back of a ravenous hyena. The latter +was not in sight. It had long since skulked off, but no one thought of +pursuit, as all were too anxious about Jan. + +No time was lost in lifting the child to his feet. The eyes of all ran +eagerly over him to see where he was wounded; and an exclamation of joy +soon broke forth when they saw that, except the scratches of the thorns, +and the deep track of a cord upon his wrist, nothing in the shape of a +wound could be discovered upon his diminutive body. He had now come to +himself, and assured them all that he was not hurt a bit. Hurrah! Jan +was safe! + +It now fell to Jan's lot to explain all this mysterious business. + +He had been lying in the wagon along with the rest, but not like them +asleep. No. He could not sleep a wink for thinking on his new pet, +which, for want of room in the wagon, had been left below tied to one of +the wheels. + +Jan had taken it into his head that he would like to have another look +at the ourebi before going to sleep. So, without saying a word to any +one, he crept out of the cap-tent, and descended to where the antelope +was tied. He unloosed it gently, and then led it forward to the light +of the fire, where he sat down to admire the creature. + +After gazing upon it for some time with delight, he thought that +Swartboy could not do otherwise than share his feelings; and without +more ado, he shook the Bushman awake. + +The latter had no great stomach for being roused out of sleep to look at +an animal, hundreds of which he had eaten in his time. But Jan and +Swartboy were sworn friends, and the Bushman was not angry. He, +therefore, indulged his young master in the fancy he had taken; and the +two sat for a while conversing about the pet. + +At length Swartboy proposed sleep. Jan would agree to this only upon +the terms that Swartboy would allow him to sleep alongside of him. He +would bring his blanket from the wagon, and would not trouble Swartboy +by requiring part of the latter's kaross. + +Swartboy objected at first; but Jan urged that he had felt cold in the +wagon, and that was partly why he had come down to the fire. All this +was sheer cunning in the little imp. But Swartboy could not refuse him +anything, and at length consented. He could see no harm in it, as there +were no signs of rain. + +Jan then returned to the wagon, climbed noiselessly up, drew out his own +blankets, and brought them to the fire. He then wrapped himself up, and +lay down alongside of Swartboy, with the ourebi standing near, and in +such a situation that he could still have his eyes upon it, even when +lying. To secure it from wandering, he had fastened a strong rheim +around its neck, the other end of which he had looped tightly upon his +own wrist. + +He lay for some time contemplating his beautiful pet. But sleep at +length overcame him, and the image of the ourebi melted before his eyes. + +Beyond this Jan could tell little of what happened to him. He was +awakened by a sudden jerking at his wrist, and hearing the antelope +scream. But he had not quite opened his eyes, before he felt himself +dragged violently over the ground. + +He thought at first it was Swartboy playing some trick upon him; but as +he passed the fire, he saw by its light that it was a huge black animal +that had seized the ourebi, and was dragging both him and it along. + +Of course he then began to scream for help, and caught at everything he +could to keep himself from being carried away. But he could lay hold of +nothing, until he found himself among thick bushes, and these he seized +and held with all his might. + +He could not have held out long against the strength of the hyena; but +it was just at that moment that Swartboy came up with his firebrand, and +beat off the ravisher with a shower of blows. + +When they got back to the light of the fire they found that Jan was all +right. But the poor ourebi--it had been sadly mangled, and was now of +no more value than a dead rat. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE. + +A CHAPTER UPON HYENAS. + +Hyenas are wolves--only wolves of a particular kind. They have the same +general habits as wolves, and much of their look. They have heavier +heads, broader thicker muzzles, shorter and stouter necks, and +altogether a coarser and shaggier coat. One of the most characteristic +marks of the hyena is the inequality in the development of its limbs. +The hind-legs appear weaker and shorter than the fore ones, so that the +rump is far lower than the shoulders; and the line of the back, instead +of being horizontal, as in most animals, droops obliquely towards the +tail. + +The short thick neck and strong jaws are characteristics; the former so +much so, that in the days of fabulous natural history the hyena was said +to be without cervical vertebrae. Its thick neck and powerful jaw-bones +have their uses. It is by virtue of these that the hyena can make a +meal upon bones, which would be of no use whatever to the ordinary wolf +or other beast of prey. It can break almost the largest and strongest +joints, and not only extract their marrow, but crush the bones +themselves, and swallow them as food. Here, again, we have proof of +Nature's adaptation. It is just where these large bones are found in +greatest plenty that we find the hyena. Nature suffers nothing to be +wasted. + +Hyenas are the wolves of Africa--that is, they are in Africa the +representatives of the large wolf, which does not exist there. It is +true the jackal is a wolf in every respect, but only a small one; and +there is no true wolf in Africa of the large kind, such as the gaunt +robber of the Pyrenees, or his twin brother of America. But the hyena +is the _wolf of Africa_. + +And of all wolves he is the ugliest and most brute-like. There is not a +graceful or beautiful bit about him. In fact, I was about to pronounce +him the ugliest animal in creation, when the baboons came into my mind. +They of course exhibit the _ne plus ultra_ of ugliness; and, indeed, the +hyenas are not at all unlike them in general aspect, as well as in some +of their habits. Some early writers even classed them together. + +Now we have been speaking of the hyena, as if there was but one species. +For a long time but one was known--the common or "striped hyena" +(_Hyena vulgaris_), and it was about this one that so many false stories +have been told. Perhaps no other animal has held so conspicuous a place +in the world of mystery and horror. Neither vampire nor dragon have +surpassed him. Our ancestors believed that he could fascinate any one +with his glance, lure them after him, and then devour them--that he +changed his sex every year--that he could transform himself into a +comely youth, and thus beguile young maidens off into the woods to be +eaten up--that he could imitate the human voice perfectly--that it was +his custom to conceal himself near a house, listen until the name of one +of the family should be mentioned, then call out as if for assistance, +pronouncing the name he had heard, and imitating the cries of one in +distress. This would bring out the person called, who of course on +reaching the spot would find only a fierce hyena ready to devour him! + +Strange as it may seem, all these absurd stories were once very +generally believed, and, strange as it may seem in me to say, not one of +them but has _some_ foundation. Exaggerated as they are, they all owe +their origin to natural facts. At present I shall refer to only two of +these. There is a peculiarity about the glance of the hyena that has +given birth to the notion of his possessing the power to "charm" or +fascinate, although I never heard of his luring any one to destruction +by it; there is a peculiarity about the animal's voice that might well +gain him credit for imitating the human voice, for the simple reason +that the former bears a very near resemblance to the latter. I do not +say that the voice of the hyena is like the ordinary human voice, but +there are some voices it does exactly resemble. I am acquainted with +several people who have _hyena voices_. In fact, one of the closest +imitations of a human laugh is that of the "spotted hyena." No one can +hear it, hideous as it is, without being amused at its close +approximation to the utterance of a human being. There is a dash of the +maniac in its tones, and it reminds me of the sharp metallic ring which +I have noticed in the voices of negroes. I have already compared it to +what I should fancy would be the laugh of a _maniac negro_. + +The striped hyena, although the best known, is in my opinion the least +interesting of his kind. He is more widely distributed than any of his +congeners. Found in most parts of Africa, he is also an Asiatic animal, +is common enough throughout all the southern countries of Asia, and is +even found as far north as the Caucasus and the Altai. He is the only +species that exists in Asia. All the others are natives of Africa, +which is the true home of the hyena. + +Naturalists admit but _three_ species of hyena. I have not the +slightest doubt that there are twice that number as distinct from each +other as these three are. Five, at least, I know, without reckoning as +hyenas either the "wild hound" of the Cape, or the little burrowing +hyena (_Proteles_)--both of which we shall no doubt meet with in the +course of our hunting adventures. + +First, then, we have the "striped" hyena already mentioned. He is +usually of an ashy grey colour with a slight yellowish tinge, and a set +of irregular _striae_, or stripes of black or dark brown. These are +placed transversely to the length of his body, or rather obliquely, +following nearly the direction of the ribs. They are not equally well +defined or conspicuous in different individuals of the species. The +hair--like that of all hyenas--is long, harsh, and shaggy, but longer +over the neck, shoulders, and back, where it forms a mane. This becomes +erect when the animal is excited. The same may be observed among dogs. + +The common hyena is far from being either strong or brave, when compared +with the others of his kind. He is, in fact, the weakest and least +ferocious of the family. He is sufficiently voracious, but lives +chiefly on carrion, and will not dare attack living creatures of half +his own strength. He preys only on the smallest quadrupeds, and with +all his voracity he is an arrant poltroon. A child of ten years will +easily put him to flight. + +A second species is the hyena which so much annoyed the celebrated Bruce +while travelling in Abyssinia, and may be appropriately named "Bruce's +hyena." This is also a _striped_ hyena, and nearly all naturalists have +set him down as of the same species with the _Hyena vulgaris_. +Excepting the "stripes," there is no resemblance whatever between the +two species; and even these are differently arranged, while the ground +colour also differs. + +Bruce's hyena is nearly twice the size of the common kind--with twice +his strength, courage, and ferocity. The former will attack not only +large quadrupeds, but man himself,--will enter houses by night, even +villages, and carry off domestic animals and children. + +Incredible as these statements may appear, about their truth there can +be no doubt; such occurrences are by no means rare. + +This hyena has the reputation of entering graveyards, and disinterring +the dead bodies to feed upon them. Some naturalists have denied this. +For what reason? It is well-known that in many parts of Africa, the +dead are not interred, but thrown out on the plains. It is equally +well-known that the hyenas devour the bodies so exposed. It is known, +too, that the hyena is a "terrier"--a burrowing animal. What is there +strange or improbable in supposing that it burrows to get at the bodies, +its natural food? The wolf does so, the jackal, the coyote,--ay, even +the dog! I have seen all of them at it on the battle-field. Why not +the hyena? + +A third species is very distinct from either of the two described--the +"spotted hyena" (_Hyena crocuta_). This is also sometimes called the +"laughing" hyena, from the peculiarity we have had occasion to speak of. +This species, in general colour, is not unlike the common kind, except +that, instead of stripes, his sides are covered with spots. He is +larger than the _Hyena vulgaris_, and in character resembles Bruce's, or +the Abyssinian hyena. He is a native of the southern half of Africa, +where he is known among the Dutch colonists as the "tiger-wolf;" while +the common hyena is by them simply called "wolf." + +A fourth species is the "brown hyena" (_Hyena villosa_). The name +"brown" hyena is not a good one, as brown colour is by no means a +characteristic of this animal. _Hyena villosa_, or "hairy hyena," is +better, as the long, straight hair falling down his sides gives him a +peculiar aspect, and at once distinguishes him from any of the others. +He is equally as large and fierce as any, being of the size of a Saint +Bernard mastiff, but it is difficult to imagine how any one could +mistake him for either a striped or spotted hyena. His colour is dark +brown, or nearly black above, and dirty grey beneath. In fact, in +general colour and the arrangement of his hair, he is not unlike a +badger or wolverine. + +And yet many naturalists describe this as being of the same species as +the common hyena--the learned De Blainville among the rest. The most +ignorant boor of South Africa--for he is a South African animal--knows +better than this. Their very appellation of "straand-wolf" points out +his different habits and haunts--for he is a seashore animal, and not +even found in such places as are the favourite resorts of the common +hyena. + +There is still another "brown hyena," which differs altogether from this +one, and is an inhabitant of the Great Desert. He is shorter-haired and +of uniform brown colour, but like the rest in habits and general +character. No doubt, when the central parts of Africa have been +thoroughly explored, several species of hyena will be added to the list +of those already known. + +The habits of the hyenas are not unlike those of the larger wolves. +They dwell in caves, of clefts of rocks. Some of them use the burrows +of other animals for their lair, which they can enlarge for themselves-- +as they are provided with burrowing claws. + +They are not tree-climbers, as their claws are not sufficiently +retractile for that. It is in their teeth their main dependence lies, +and in the great strength of their jaws. + +Hyenas are solitary animals, though often troops of them are seen +together, attracted by the common prey. A dozen or more will meet over +a carcass, but each goes his own way on leaving it. They are extremely +voracious; will eat up almost anything--even scraps of leather or old +shoes! Bones they break and swallow as though these were pieces of +tender flesh. They are bold, particularly with the poor natives, who do +not hunt them with a view to extermination. They enter the miserable +kraals of the natives, and often carry off their children. It is +positively true that hundreds of children have been destroyed by hyenas +in Southern Africa! + +It is difficult for you to comprehend why this is permitted--why there +is not a war of extermination carried on against the hyenas, until these +brutes are driven out of the land. You cannot comprehend such a state +of things, because you do not take into account the difference between +savage and civilised existence. You will suppose that human life in +Africa is held of far less value than it is in England; but if you +thoroughly understood political science, you would discover that many a +law of civilised life calls for its victims in far greater numbers than +do the hyenas. The empty review, the idle court fete, the reception of +an emperor, all require, as their natural sequence, the sacrifice of +many lives! + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY SIX. + +A HOUSE AMONG THE TREE-TOPS. + +Von Bloom now reflected that the hyenas were likely to prove a great +pest to him. No meat, nor anything, would be safe from them--even his +very children would be in danger, if left alone in the camp; and no +doubt he would often be compelled to leave them, as he would require the +older ones upon his hunting excursions. + +There were other animals to be dreaded still more than the hyenas. Even +during that night they had heard the roaring of lions down by the vley; +and when it was morning, the spoor showed that several of these animals +had drunk at the water. + +How could he leave little Truey--his dear little Truey--or Jan, who was +not a bit bigger--how could he leave them in an open camp while such +monsters were roving about? He could not think of doing so. + +He reflected what course he should pursue. At first he thought of +putting up a house. That would necessarily be a work of time. There +was no good building material convenient. A stone house would cost a +great deal of labour--as the stones would have to be carried nearly a +mile, and in their hands too. That would never do, as Von Bloom might +only remain a short while at that place. He might not find many +elephants there, and of course would be under the necessity of going +elsewhere. + +Why not build a log-house? you will say. That would not be so much of a +job, as part of the country was well wooded, and they had an axe. + +True, part of the country was wooded, but in a particular manner. With +the exception of the nwana-trees, that stood at long distances apart-- +and regularly, as if they had been planted--there was nothing that +deserved the name of timber. All the rest was mere "bush,"--a thorny +jungle of mimosas, euphorbias, arborescent aloes, strelitzias, and the +horrid zamia plants, beautiful enough to the eye, but of no utility +whatever in the building of a house. The nwanas, of course, were too +large for house-logs. To have felled one of them would have been a task +equal almost to the building of a house; and to have made planks of them +would have required a steam saw-mill. A log-house was not to be thought +of either. + +Now a frail structure of poles and thatch would not have given +sufficient security. An angry rhinoceros, or elephant, would level such +a house to the ground in a few moments. + +Suppose, too, that there were _man-eaters_ in the neighbourhood. +Swartboy believed that there were, and that that region was notorious +for them. As it was not far from Swartboy's native country, Von Bloom, +who had reason to believe what the Bushman told him, was inclined to +credit this. What protection would a frail house afford against the +_man-eater_? Not much, indeed. + +Von Bloom was puzzled and perplexed. He could not commence his hunting +excursions until this question was settled. Some place must be +prepared, where the children would be safe during his absence. + +While revolving the subject in his mind, he happened to cast his eyes +upward among the branches of the nwana-tree. All at once his attention +became fixed upon those huge limbs, for they had awakened within him a +strange memory. He remembered having heard that, in some parts of the +country, and perhaps not very far from where he then was, the natives +_live in trees_. That sometimes a whole tribe, of fifty or more, make +their home in a single tree; and do so to secure themselves against +savage beasts, and sometimes equally savage men. That they build their +houses upon platforms, which they erect upon the horizontal branches; +and that they ascend by means of ladders, which are drawn up after them +at night when they go to rest. + +All this Von Bloom had heard, and all of it is positively true. Of +course the reflection occurred to him, why could _he_ not do the same? +Why could he not build a house in the gigantic nwana? That would give +him all the security he desired. There they could all sleep with +perfect confidence of safety. There, on going out to hunt, he could +leave the children, with the certainty of finding them on his return. +An admirable idea!--how about its practicability? + +He began to consider this. If he only had planks to make a staging or +platform, the rest would be easy. Any slight roof would be sufficient +up there. The leaves almost formed a roof. But the flooring--this was +the difficulty. Where were planks to be got? Nowhere, in that +neighbourhood. + +His eye, at that moment, chanced to fall upon the wagon. Ha! there were +planks there. But to break up his beautiful wagon? No--no--no! Such a +thing was not to be thought of. + +But stay! there was no need to _break_ it up--no need to knock out a +single nail. It would serve every purpose without breaking a splinter +off it. The fine vehicle was made to take to pieces, and put up again +at will. + +He could take it to pieces. The broad bottom alone should remain whole. +That of itself would be the platform. Hurrah! + +The field-cornet, excited with the development of this fine plan, now +communicated it to the others. All agreed that it was just the thing; +and as the day was before them, they made no more ado, but set about +carrying out the design. + +A ladder thirty feet long had first to be constructed. This occupied a +good while; but at length a stout rough article was knocked up, which +served the purpose admirably. It gave them access to the lowermost +limb; and from this they could construct steps to all the others. + +Von Bloom ascended, and after careful examination chose the site of the +platform. This was to rest upon two strong horizontal limbs of equal +height, and diverging very gradually from each other. The quantity of +thick branches in the great tree afforded him a choice. + +The wagon was now taken to pieces--a work of only a few minutes--and the +first thing hauled up was the bottom. This was no slight performance, +and required all the strength of the camp. Strong "rheims" were +attached to one end, and these were passed over a limb of the tree, +still higher up than those on which the staging was to rest. One stood +above to guide the huge piece of plank-work, while all the rest exerted +their strength upon the ropes below. Even little Jan pulled with all +his might--though a single pound avoirdupois weight would have been +about the measure of _his_ strength. + +The piece was hoisted up, until it rested beautifully upon the +supporting limbs; and then a cheer rose from below, and was answered by +Swartboy among the branches. + +The heaviest part of the work was over. The boxing of the wagon was +passed up, piece by piece, and set in its place just as before. Some +branches were lopped off to make room for the cap-tent, and then it was +also hauled up, and mounted. + +By the time the sun set, everything was in its place; and the aerial +house was ready for sleeping in. In fact, that very night they slept in +it, or, as Hans jocularly termed it, they all went to "roost." + +But they did not consider their new habitation quite complete as yet. +Next day they continued to labour upon it. By means of long poles they +extended their platform from the wagon quite up to the trunk of the +tree, so as to give them a broad terrace to move about upon. + +The poles were fast wattled together by rods of the beautiful +weeping-willow (_Salix Babylonica_), which is a native of these parts, +and several trees of which grew by the side of the vley. Upon the top +of all, they laid a thick coating of clay, obtained from the edge of the +lake; so that, if need be, they could actually kindle a fire, and took +their suppers in the tree. + +To make a still finer flooring, they procured a quantity of the material +of which the ant-hills are composed; which, being of a glutinous nature, +makes a mortar almost as binding as Roman cement. + +After the main building had been finished off, Swartboy erected a +platform for himself, and one for Totty in another part of the ample +nwana. Above each of these platforms he had constructed a roof or +screen, to shelter their occupants from rain or dew. + +There was something odd in the appearance of these two screens, each of +which was about the size of an ordinary umbrella. Their oddity +consisted in the fact that they were _ears of the elephant_! + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN. + +THE BATTLE OF THE WILD PEACOCKS. + +There was no longer anything to hinder the field-cornet from commencing +the real business of his new life, viz. the hunting of the elephant. He +resolved, therefore, to begin at once; for until he should succeed in +"bagging" a few of these giant animals, he was not easy in his mind. He +might not be able to kill a single one; and then what would become of +all his grand hopes and calculations? They would end in disappointment, +and he should find himself in as bad a condition as ever. Indeed worse: +for to fail in any undertaking is not only to lose time, but energy of +mind. Success begets genius, courage, and self-reliance--all of which +contribute to new successes; while failure intimidates and leads to +despair. In a psychological point of view it is a dangerous thing to +fail in any undertaking; and, therefore, before undertaking anything, +one should be well assured of its being possible and practicable. + +Now Von Bloom was not sure that the great design he had formed was +practicable. But in this case, he had no choice. No other means of +livelihood was open to him just then; and he had resolved to make trial +of this. He had faith in his calculations, and he had also good reason +to hope he would succeed; but the thing was yet untried. No wonder he +was in haste to begin the business--in haste to know what were his +chances of success. + +By early day, therefore, he was up and out. Hendrik and Swartboy only +accompanied him, for he could not yet bring himself to leave the +children with no other protection than Totty--almost as much a child as +themselves. Hans, therefore, remained by the camp. + +At first the hunters followed the little rivulet that ran from the +spring and vley. They did so, because in this direction there was more +"bush;" and they knew that elephants would be more likely to be found in +woods than in open places. Indeed, it was only near the banks of the +stream that any great quantity of wood was to be seen. A broad belt of +jungle extended upon each side of it. After that, there were straggling +groves and clumps; and then came the open plains, almost treeless, +though covered with a rich carpet of grass for some distance farther. +To this succeeded the wild karoo, stretching eastward and westward +beyond the reach of vision. Along the north, as already mentioned, +trended the line of "bluffs;" and beyond these there was nothing but the +parched and waterless desert. To the south there lay the only thing +that could be called "woods;" and although such a low jungle could lay +no claim to the title of "forest," it was, nevertheless, a likely enough +haunt for elephants. + +The trees consisted chiefly of mimosas--of several species; upon the +leaves, roots, and tender shoots of which the great ruminant loves to +browse. There were some "cameel-doorn" trees, with their shady +umbrella-like tops. But above all rose the massive heads of the nwanas, +giving a peculiar character to the landscape. + +The hunters noticed, as they went on, that the channel of the rivulet +became wider and larger and that at times--no doubt after great rains--a +large quantity of water must have run in its bed, forming a considerable +river. But as the channel grew larger, the reverse was the case with +the quantity of running water. The farther down they proceeded this +became less and less; until, at the distance of a mile from camp, the +current ceased altogether. + +For half-a-mile farther on they found water in stagnant pools, but none +running. The wide, dry channel, however, continued on as before; and +the "bush" extended on both sides without interruption, so thick that +they could only make way by keeping in the channel itself. + +As they walked along, several kinds of small game were started. Hendrik +would gladly have taken a shot at some of these, but his father would +not permit him to fire just then. It might frighten away the great +"game" they were in search of, and which they might fall in with at any +moment. On their return Hendrik might do his best; and then the +field-cornet intended to assist him in procuring an antelope, as there +was no fresh venison in the camp. This, however, was a consideration of +secondary importance, and the first thing to be done was to try and get +a pair of tusks. + +There was no objection to Swartboy using his bow, as that silent weapon +would cause no alarm. Swartboy had been taken along to carry the axe +and other implements, as well as to assist in the hunt. Of course he +had brought his bow and quiver with him; and he was constantly on the +watch for something at which to let fly on of his little poisoned +arrows. + +He found a mark at length worthy of his attention. On crossing the +plain to avoid a large bend in the channel, they came upon a glade or +opening of considerable size, and in the middle of this glade a huge +bird appeared standing erect. "An ostrich!" exclaimed Hendrik. "No," +replied Swartboy; "um ar da pauw." + +"Yes," said Von Bloom, confirming Swartboy's statement, "it is the +pauw." + +Now a "pauw" in the Dutch language is a "peacock." But there are no +peacocks in Africa. The peacock in its wild state inhabits only +Southern Asia and the islands of the Indian Archipelago. The bird they +saw, then, could not be a peacock. + +Neither was it one. And yet it bore some resemblance to a peacock, with +its long heavy tail and wings speckled and ocellated in a very striking +manner, and something like the "marbled" feathers that adorn the +peacock's back. It had none of the brilliant colours, however, of that +proudest of birds, though it was quite as stately, and much larger and +taller. In fact, its great height and erect attitude was why Hendrik at +first glance had taken it for an ostrich. It was neither peacock nor +ostrich, but belonging to a different genus from either--to the genus +_Otis_ or bustard. It was the great bustard of South Africa--the _Otis +kori_--called "pauw" by the Dutch colonists, on account of its ocellated +plumage and other points of resemblance to the Indian peacock. + +Now Swartboy, as well as Von Bloom, knew that the pauw was one of the +most delicious of fowls for the table. But they knew at the same time +that it was one of the shyest of birds,--so shy that it is very +difficult to get even a long shot at one. How, then, was it to be +approached within range of the Bushman's arrow? That was the point to +be considered. + +Where it stood, it was full two hundred yards from them; and had it +perceived them, it would soon have widened that distance, by running off +two hundred more. I say _running_ off, for birds of the bustard family +rarely take to wing, but use their long legs to escape from an enemy. +On this account they are often hunted by dogs, and caught after a severe +chase. Although but poor flyers, they are splendid runners,--swift +almost as the ostrich itself. + +The pauw, however, had not observed the hunters as yet. They had caught +a glimpse of it, before appearing out of the bushes, and had halted as +soon as they saw it. + +How was Swartboy to approach it? It was two hundred yards from any +cover, and the ground was as clean as a new-raked meadow. True, the +plain was not a large one. Indeed, Swartboy was rather surprised to see +a pauw upon so small a one, for these birds frequent only the wide open +karoos, where they can sight their enemy at a great distance. The glade +was not large, but, after watching the bustard for some minutes, the +hunters saw that it was resolved to keep near the centre, and showed no +disposition to feed in the direction of the thicket on either side. + +Any one but a Bushman would have despaired of getting a shot at this +kori; but Swartboy did not despair. + +Begging the others to remain quiet, he crept forward to the edge of the +jungle, and placed himself behind a thick leafy bush. He then commenced +uttering a call, exactly similar to that made by the male of the kori +when challenging an adversary to combat. + +Like the grouse, the bustard is polygamous, and of course terribly +jealous and pugnacious, at certain seasons of the year. Swartboy knew +that it was just then the "fighting season" among the pauws, and hoped +by imitating their challenge to draw the bird--a cock he saw it was-- +within reach of his arrow. + +As soon as the kori heard the call, he raised himself to his full +height, spread his immense tail, dropped his wings until the primary +feathers trailed along the grass, and replied to the challenge. + +But what now astonished Swartboy was, that instead of one answer to his +call, he fancied he heard _two_, simultaneously uttered! + +It proved to be no fancy, for before he could repeat the decoy the bird +again gave out its note of defiance, and was answered by a similar call +from another quarter. + +Swartboy looked in the direction whence came the latter; and there, sure +enough, was a second kori, that seemed to have dropped from the region +of the clouds, or, more likely, had run out from the shelter of the +bushes. At all events, it was a good way towards the centre of the +plain, before the hunter had observed it. + +The two were now in full view of each other; and by their movements any +one might see that a combat was certain to come off. + +Sure of this, Swartboy did not call again; but remained silent behind +his bush. + +After a good while spent in strutting, and wheeling round and round, and +putting themselves in the most threatening attitudes, and uttering the +most insulting expressions, the two koris became sufficiently provoked +to begin the battle. They "clinched" in gallant style, using all three +weapons,--wings, beak, and feet. Now they struck each other with their +wings, now pecked with their bills; and at intervals, when a good +opportunity offered, gave each other a smart kick--which, with their +long muscular legs, they were enabled to deliver with considerable +force. + +Swartboy knew that when they were well into the fight, he might stalk in +upon them unobserved; so he waited patiently, till the proper moment +should arrive. + +In a few seconds it became evident, he would not have to move from his +ambush; for the birds were fighting towards him. He adjusted his arrow +to the string, and waited. + +In five minutes the birds were fighting within thirty yards of the spot +where the Bushman lay. The twang of a bowstring might have been heard +by one of the koris, had he been listening. The other could not +possibly have heard it; for before the sound could have reached him, a +poisoned arrow was sticking through his ears. The barb had passed +through, and the shaft remained in his head, piercing it crosswise! + +Of course the bird dropped dead upon the grass, less astonished than his +antagonist. + +The latter at first imagined _he_ had done it, and began to strut very +triumphantly around his fallen foe. + +But his eye now fell upon the arrow sticking through the head of the +latter. He knew nothing about that. _He_ had not done _that_! What +the deuce-- + +Perhaps if he had been allowed another moment's reflection, he would +have taken to his heels; but before he could make up his mind about the +matter, there was another "twang" of the bowstring, another arrow +whistled through the air, and another kori lay stretched upon the grass. + +Swartboy now rushed forward, and took possession of the game; which +proved to be a pair of young cocks, in prime condition for roasting. + +Having hung the birds over a high branch, so as to secure them from +jackals and hyenas, the hunters continued on; and shortly after, having +re-entered the channel of the stream, continued to follow it downward. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT. + +UPON THE "SPOOR." + +They had not gone above an hundred yards farther, when they came to one +of the pools, already spoken of. It was a tolerably large one; and the +mud around its edges bore the hoof-prints of numerous animals. This the +hunters saw from a distance, but on reaching the spot, Swartboy a little +in the advance, turned suddenly round, and, with rolling orbs and +quivering lips, clicked out the words,-- + +"Mein baas! mein baas! da klow! spoor ob da groot olifant!" + +There was no danger of mistaking the spoor of the elephant for that of +any other creature. There, sure enough, were the great round tracks-- +full twenty-four inches in length, and nearly as wide--deeply imprinted +in the mud by the enormous weight of the animal's body. Each formed an +immense hole, large enough to have set a gatepost in. + +The hunters contemplated the spoor with emotions of pleasure--the more +so that the tracks had been recently made. This was evident. The +displaced mud had not yet crusted, but looked damp and fresh. It had +been stirred within the hour. + +Only one elephant had visited the pool that night. There were many old +tracks, but only one fresh spoor,--and that of an old and very large +bull. + +Of course the tracks told this much. To make a spoor twenty-four inches +long, requires the animal to be a very large one; and to be very large, +he should be a bull, and an old one too. + +Well, the older and larger the better, provided his tusks have not been +broken by some accident. When that happens they are never recovered +again. The elephant _does_ cast his tusks, but only in the juvenile +state, when they are not bigger than lobster's claws; and the pair that +succeeds these is permanent, and has to last him for life--perhaps _for +centuries_--for no one can tell how long the mighty elephant roams over +this sublunary planet. When the tusks get broken--a not uncommon +thing--he must remain toothless or "tuskless" for the rest of his life. +Although the elephant may consider the loss of his huge tusks a great +calamity, were he only a little wiser, he would break them off against +the first tree. It would, in all probability, be the means of +prolonging his life; for the hunter would not then consider him worth +the ammunition it usually takes to kill him. + +After a short consultation among the hunters, Swartboy started off upon +the spoor, followed by Von Bloom and Hendrik. It led straight out from +the channel, and across the jungle. + +Usually the bushes mark the course of an elephant, where these are of +the sort he feeds upon. In this case he had not fed; but the Bushman, +who could follow spoor with a hound, had no difficulty in keeping on the +track, as fast as the three were able to travel. + +They emerged into open glades; and, after passing through several of +these, came upon a large ant-hill that stood in the middle of one of the +openings. The elephant had passed close to the ant-hill--he had stopped +there a while--stay, he must have lain down! + +Von Bloom did not know that elephants were in the habit of lying down. +He had always heard it said that they slept standing. Swartboy knew +better than that. He said that they sometimes slept standing, but +oftener lay down, especially in districts where they were not much +hunted. Swartboy considered it a good sign that this one had lain down. +He reasoned from it that the elephants had not been disturbed in that +neighbourhood, and would be the more easily approached and killed. They +would be less likely to make off from that part of the country, until +they--the hunters--had had a "good pull" out of them. + +This last consideration was one of great importance. In a district +where elephants have been much hunted, and have learnt what the crack of +a gun signifies, a single day's chase will often set them travelling; +and they will not bring up again, until they have gone far beyond the +reach of the hunters. Not only the particular individuals that have +been chased act in this way; but all the others,--as though warned by +their companions,--until not an elephant remains in the district. This +migratory habit is one of the chief difficulties which the +elephant-hunter must needs encounter; and, when it occurs, he has no +other resource but to change _his_ "sphere of action." + +On the other hand, where elephants have remained for a long time +undisturbed, the report of a gun does not terrify them; and they will +bear a good deal of hunting before "showing their heels" and leaving the +place. + +Swartboy, therefore, rejoiced on perceiving that the old bull had lain +down. The Bushman drew a world of conclusions from that circumstance. + +That the elephant had been lying was clear enough. The abrasion upon +the stiff mud of the ant-heap showed where his back had rested,--the +mark of his body was visible in the dust, and a groove-like furrow in +the turf had been made by his huge tusk. A huge one it must have been, +as the impression of it testified to the keen eyes of the Bushman. + +Swartboy stated some curious facts about the great quadruped,--at least, +what he alleged to be facts. They were,--that the elephant never +attempts to lie down without having something to lean his shoulders +against,--a rock, an ant-hill, or a tree; that he does this to prevent +himself from rolling over on his back,--that when he does by accident +get into that position he has great difficulty in rising again, and is +almost as helpless as a turtle; and, lastly, that he often sleeps +standing beside a tree with the whole weight of his body leaning against +the trunk! + +Swartboy did not think that he leans against the trunk when first taking +up his position; but that he seeks the tree for the shade it affords, +and as sleep overcomes him he inclines towards it, finding that it +steadies and rests him! + +The Bushman stated, moreover, that some elephants have their favourite +trees, to which they return again and again to take a nap during the hot +midday hours,--for that is their time of repose. At night they do not +sleep. On the contrary, the hours of night are spent in ranging about, +on journeys to the distant watering-places, and in feeding; though in +remote and quiet districts they also feed by day--so that it is probable +that most of their nocturnal activity is the result of their dread of +their watchful enemy, man. + +Swartboy communicated these facts, as the hunters all together followed +upon the spoor. + +The traces of the elephant were now of a different character, from what +they had been before arriving at the ant-hill. He had been browsing as +he went. His nap had brought a return of appetite; and the wait-a-bit +thorns showed the marks of his prehensile trunk. Here and there +branches were broken off, stripped clean of their leaves, and the +ligneous parts left upon the ground. In several places whole trees were +torn up by their roots, and those, too, of considerable size. This the +elephant sometimes does to get at their foliage, which upon such trees +grows beyond the reach of his proboscis. By prostrating them of course +he gets their whole frondage within easy distance of his elastic nose, +and can strip it off at pleasure. At times, however, he tears up a tree +to make a meal of its roots--as there are several species with sweet +juicy roots, of which the elephant is extremely fond. These he drags +out of the ground with his trunk, having first loosened them with his +tusks, used as crowbars. At times he fails to effect his purpose; and +it is only when the ground is loose or wet, as after great rains, that +he can uproot the larger kinds of mimosas. Sometimes he is capricious; +and, after drawing a tree from the ground, he carries it many yards +along with him, flings it to the ground, root upwards, and then leaves +it, after taking a single mouthful. Destructive to the forest is the +passage of a troop of elephants! + +Small trees he can tear up with his trunk alone, but to the larger ones +he applies the more powerful leverage of his tusks. These he inserts +under the roots, imbedded as they usually are in loose sandy earth, and +then, with a quick jerk, he tosses roots, trunk, and branches, high into +the air,--a wonderful exhibition of gigantic power. + +The hunters saw all these proof's of it, as they followed the spoor. +The traces of the elephant's strength were visible all along the route. + +It was enough to beget fear and awe, and none of them were free from +such feelings. With so much disposition to commit havoc and ruin in his +moments of quietude, what would such a creature be in the hour of +excitement and anger? No wonder there was fear in the hearts of the +hunters, unpractised as some of them were. + +Still another consideration had its effect upon their minds, +particularly on that of the Bushman. There was every reason to believe +that the animal was a "rover" (_rodeur_),--what among Indian hunters is +termed a "rogue." Elephants of this kind are far more dangerous to +approach than their fellows. In fact, under ordinary circumstances, +there is no more danger in passing through a herd of elephants than +there would be in going among a drove of tame oxen. It is only when the +elephant has been attacked or wounded, that he becomes a dangerous +enemy. + +With regard to the "rover" or "rogue," the case is quite different. He +is habitually vicious; and will assail either man or any other animal in +sight, and without the slightest provocation. He seems to take a +pleasure in destruction, and woe to the creature who crosses his path +and is not of lighter heels than himself! + +The rover leads a solitary life, rambling alone through, the forest, and +never associating with others of his kind. He appears to be a sort of +outlaw from his tribe, banished for bad temper or some other fault, to +become more fierce and wicked in his outlawry. + +There were good reasons for fearing that the elephant they were spooring +was a "rover." His being alone was of itself a suspicious circumstance, +as elephants usually go, from two to twenty, or even fifty, in a herd. +The traces of ruin he had left behind him, his immense spoor, all seemed +to mark him out as one of these fierce creatures. That such existed in +that district they already had evidence. Swartboy alleged that the one +killed by the rhinoceros was of this class, else he would not have +attacked the latter as he had done. There was a good deal of +probability in this belief of the Bushman. + +Under these impressions, then, it is less to be wondered, that our +hunters felt some apprehensions of danger from the game they were +pursuing. + +The spoor grew fresher and fresher. The hunters saw trees turned bottom +upward, the roots exhibiting the marks of the elephant's teeth, and +still wet with the saliva from his vast mouth. They saw broken branches +of the mimosas giving out their odour, that had not had time to waste +itself. They concluded the game could not be distant. + +They rounded a point of timber--the Bushman being a little in the +advance. + +Suddenly Swartboy stopped and fell back a pace. He turned his face upon +his companions. His eyes rolled faster than ever; but, although his +lips appeared to move, and his tongue to wag, he was too excited to give +utterance to a word. A volley of clicks and hisses came forth, but +nothing articulate! + +The others, however, did not require any words to tell them what was +meant. They knew that Swartboy intended to whisper that he had seen "da +oliphant;" so both peeped silently around the bush, and with their own +eyes looked upon the mighty quadruped. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY NINE. + +A ROGUE ELEPHANT. + +The elephant was standing in a grove of _mokhala_ trees. These, unlike +the humbler mimosas, have tall naked stems, with heads of thick foliage, +in form resembling an umbrella or parasol. Their pinnate leaves of +delicate green are the favourite food of the giraffe, hence their +botanical appellation of _Acacia giraffae_; and hence also their common +name among the Dutch hunters of "cameel-doorns" (camel-thorns). + +The tall giraffe, with his prehensile lip, raised nearly twenty-feet in +the air, can browse upon these trees without difficulty. Not so the +elephant, whose trunk cannot reach so high; and the latter would often +have to imitate the fox in the fable, were he not possessed of a means +whereby he can bring the tempting morsel within reach--that is, simply +by breaking down the tree. This his vast strength enables him to do, +unless when the trunk happens to be one of the largest of its kind. + +When the eyes of our hunters first rested upon the elephant, he was +standing by the head of a prostrate mokhala, which he had just broken +off near the root. He was tearing away at the leaves, and filling his +capacious stomach. + +As soon as Swartboy recovered the control over his tongue, he ejaculated +in a hurried whisper:-- + +"Pas op! (take care!) baas Bloom,--hab good care--don't go near um--he +da skellum ole klow. My footy! he wicked!--I know de ole bull duyvel." + +By this volley of queer phrases, Swartboy meant to caution his master +against rashly approaching the elephant, as he knew him to be one of the +wicked sort--in short, a "rogue." + +How Swartboy knew this would appear a mystery, as there were no +particular marks about the animal to distinguish him from others of his +kind. But the Bushman, with his practised eye, saw something in the +general physiognomy of the elephant--just as one may distinguish a +fierce and dangerous bull from those of milder disposition, or a bad +from a virtuous man, by some expression that one cannot define. + +Von Bloom himself, and even Hendrik, saw that the elephant had a fierce +and ruffian look. + +They did not stand in need of Swartboy's advice to act with caution. + +They remained for some minutes, gazing through the bushes at the huge +quadruped. The more they gazed, the more they became resolved to make +an attack upon him. The sight of his long tusks was too tempting to Von +Bloom, to admit for a moment the thought of letting him escape without a +fight. A couple of bullets he should have into him, at all events; and +if opportunity offered, a good many more, should these not be +sufficient. Von Bloom would not relinquish those fine tusks without a +struggle. + +He at once set about considering the safest mode of attack; but was not +allowed time to mature any plan. The elephant appeared to be restless, +and was evidently about to move forward. He might be off in a moment, +and carry them after him for miles, or, perhaps, in the thick cover of +wait-a-bits get lost to them altogether. + +These conjectures caused Von Bloom to decide at once upon beginning the +attack, and without any other plan than to stalk in as near as would be +safe, and deliver his fire. He had heard that a single bullet in the +forehead would kill any elephant; and if he could only get in such a +position as to have a fair shot at the animal's front, he believed he +was marksman enough to plant his bullet in the right place. + +He was mistaken as to killing an elephant with a shot in the forehead. +That is a notion of gentlemen who have hunted the elephant in their +closets, though other closet gentlemen the anatomists--to whom give all +due credit--have shown the thing to be impossible, from the peculiar +structure of the elephant's skull and the position of his brain. + +Von Bloom at the time was under this wrong impression, and therefore +committed a grand mistake. Instead of seeking a side shot, which he +could have obtained with far less trouble--he decided on creeping round +in front of the elephant, and firing right in the animal's face. + +Leaving Hendrik and Swartboy to attack him from behind, he took a +circuit under cover of the bushes; and at length arrived in the path the +elephant was most likely to take. + +He had scarcely gained his position, when he saw the huge animal coming +towards him with silent and majestic tread; and although the elephant +only walked, half-a-dozen of his gigantic strides brought him close up +to the ambushed hunter. As yet the creature uttered no cry; but as he +moved, Von Bloom could hear a rumbling gurgling sound, as of water +dashing to and fro in his capacious stomach! + +Von Bloom had taken up his position behind the trunk of a large tree. +The elephant had not yet seen him, and, perhaps, would have passed on +without knowing that he was there, had the hunter permitted him. The +latter even thought of such a thing, for although a man of courage, the +sight of the great forest giant caused him for a moment to quail. + +But, again, the curving ivory gleamed in his eyes--again he remembered +the object that had brought him into that situation; he thought of his +fallen fortunes--of his resolve to retrieve them--of his children's +welfare. + +These thoughts resolved him. His long roer was laid over a knot in the +trunk--its muzzle pointed at the forehead of the advancing elephant--his +eye gleamed through the sights--the loud detonation followed--and a +cloud of smoke for a moment hid everything from his view. + +He could hear a hoarse bellowing trumpet-like sound--he could hear the +crashing of branches and the gurgling of water; and, when the smoke +cleared away, to his chagrin he saw that the elephant was still upon his +feet, and evidently not injured in the least! + +The shot had struck the animal exactly where the hunter had aimed it; +but, instead of inflicting a mortal wound, it had only excited the +creature to extreme rage. He was now charging about, striking the trees +with his tusks, tearing branches off, and tossing them aloft with his +trunk--though all the while evidently in ignorance of what had tickled +him so impertinently upon the forehead! + +Fortunately for Von Bloom, a good thick tree sheltered him from the view +of the elephant. Had the enraged animal caught sight of him at that +moment, it would have been all up with him; but the hunter knew this, +and had the coolness to remain close and quiet. + +Not so with Swartboy. When the elephant moved forward, he and Hendrik +had crept after through the grove of mokhalas. They had even followed +him across the open ground into the bush, where Von Bloom awaited him. +On hearing the shot, and seeing that the elephant was still unhurt, +Swartboy's courage gave way; and leaving Hendrik, he ran back towards +the mokhala grove, shouting as he went. + +His cries reached the ears of the elephant, that at once rushed off in +the direction in which he heard them. In a moment he emerged from the +bush, and, seeing Swartboy upon the open ground, charged furiously after +the flying Bushman. Hendrik--who had stood his ground, and in the +shelter of the bushes was not perceived--delivered his shot as the +animal passed him. His ball told upon the shoulder, but it only served +to increase the elephant's fury. Without stopping, he rushed on after +Swartboy, believing, no doubt, that the poor Bushman was the cause of +the hurts he was receiving, and the nature of which he but ill +understood. + +It was but a few moments, from the firing of the first shot, until +things took this turn. Swart boy was hardly clear of the bushes before +the elephant emerged also; and as the former struck out for the mokhala +trees, he was scarce six steps ahead of his pursuer. + +Swartboy's object was to get to the grove, in the midst of which were +several trees of large size. One of these he proposed climbing--as that +seemed his only chance for safety. + +He had not got half over the open ground, when he perceived he would be +too late. He heard the heavy rush of the huge monster behind him--he +heard his loud and vengeful bellowing--he fancied he felt his hot +breath. There was still a good distance to be run. The climbing of the +tree, beyond the reach of the elephant's trunk, would occupy time. +There was no hope of escaping to the tree. + +These reflections occurred almost instantaneously. In ten seconds +Swartboy arrived at the conclusion, that running to the tree would not +save him; and all at once he stopped in his career, wheeled round, and +faced the elephant! + +Not that he had formed any plan of saving himself in that way. It was +not bravery, but only despair, that caused him to turn upon his pursuer. +He knew that, by running on, he would surely be overtaken. It could be +no worse if he faced round; and, perhaps, he might avoid the fatal +charge by some dexterous manoeuvre. + +The Bushman was now right in the middle of the open ground; the elephant +rushing straight towards him. + +The former had no weapon to oppose to his gigantic pursuer. He had +thrown away his bow--his axe too--to run the more nimbly. But neither +would have been of any avail against such an antagonist. He carried +nothing but his sheep-skin kaross. That had encumbered him in his +flight; but he had held on to it for a purpose. + +His purpose was soon displayed. + +He stood until the extended trunk was within three feet of his face; and +then, flinging his kaross so that it should fall over the long cylinder, +he sprang nimbly to one side, and started to run back. + +He would, no doubt, have succeeded in passing to the elephant's rear, +and thus have escaped; but as the kaross fell upon the great trunk it +was seized in the latter, and swept suddenly around. Unfortunately +Swartboy's legs had not yet cleared the circle--the kaross lapped around +them--and the Bushman was thrown sprawling upon the plain. + +In a moment the active Swartboy recovered his feet, and was about to +make off in a new direction. But the elephant, having discovered the +deception of the kaross, had dropped it, and turned suddenly after him. +Swartboy had hardly made three steps, when the long ivory curve was +inserted between his legs from behind; and the next moment his body was +pitched high into the air. + +Von Bloom and Hendrik, who had just then reached the edge of the glade, +saw him go up; but to their astonishment he did not come to the ground +again! Had he fallen back upon the elephant's tusks? and was he held +there by the trunk? No. They saw the animal's head. The Bushman was +not there, nor upon his back, nor anywhere to be seen. In fact, the +elephant seemed as much astonished as they at the sudden disappearance +of his victim! The huge beast was turning his eyes in every direction, +as if searching for the object of his fury! + +Where could Swartboy have gone? Where? At this moment the elephant +uttered a loud roar, and was seen rushing to a tree, which he now caught +in his trunk, and shook violently. Von Bloom and Hendrik looked up +towards its top, expecting to see Swartboy there. + +Sure enough he was there, perched among the leaves and branches where he +had been projected! Terror was depicted in his countenance, for he felt +that he was not safe in his position. But he had scarce time to give +utterance to his fears; for the next moment the tree gave way with a +crash, and fell to the ground, bringing the Bushman down among its +branches. + +It happened that the tree, dragged down by the elephant's trunk, fell +towards the animal. Swartboy even touched the elephant's body in his +descent, and slipped down over his hind-quarters. The branches had +broken the fall, and the Bushman was still unhurt, but he felt that he +was now quite at the mercy of his antagonist. He saw no chance of +escape by flight. He was lost! + +Just at that moment an idea entered his mind--a sort of despairing +instinct--and springing at one of the hind-legs of the quadruped, he +slung his arms around it, and held fast! He at the same time planted +his naked feet upon the sabots of those of the animal: so that, by means +of this support, he was enabled to keep his hold, let the animal move as +it would! + +The huge mammoth, unable to shake him off, unable to get at him with his +trunk--and, above all, surprised and terrified by this novel mode of +attack--uttered a shrill scream, and with tail erect and trunk high in +air, dashed off into the jungle! + +Swartboy held on to the leg until fairly within the bushes; and then, +watching his opportunity, he slipped gently off. As soon as he touched +_terra firma_ again, he rose to his feet, and ran with all his might in +an opposite direction. + +He need not have run a single step; for the elephant, as much frightened +as he, kept on through the jungle, laying waste the trees and branches +in his onward course. The huge quadruped did not stop, till he had put +many miles between himself and the scene of his disagreeable adventure! + +Von Bloom and Hendrik had by this time reloaded, and were advancing to +Swartboy's rescue; but they were met right in the teeth by the +swift-flying Bushman, as he returned from his miraculous escape. + +The hunters, who were now warmed to their work, proposed to follow up +the spoor; but Swartboy, who had had enough of that "old rogue," +declared that there would be not the slightest chance of again coming up +with him without horses or dogs; and as they had neither, spooring him +any farther would be quite useless. + +Von Bloom saw that there was truth in the remark, and now more than ever +did he regret the loss of his horses. The elephant, though easily +overtaken on horseback, or with dogs to bring him to bay, can as easily +escape from a hunter on foot; and once he has made up his mind to +flight, it is quite a lost labour to follow him farther. + +It was now too late in the day to seek for other elephants; and with a +feeling of disappointment, the hunters gave up the chase, and turned +their steps in the direction of the camp. + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY. + +THE MISSING HUNTER, AND THE WILDEBEESTS. + +A well-known proverb says that "misfortunes seldom come single." + +On nearing the camp, the hunters could perceive that all was not right +there. They saw Totty with Truey and Jan standing by the head of the +ladder; but there was something in their manner that told that all was +not right. Where was Hans? + +As soon as the hunters came in sight, Jan and Truey ran down the rounds, +and out to meet them. There was that in their glances that bespoke ill +tidings, and their words soon confirmed this conjecture. + +Hans was not there--he had gone away hours ago--they knew not where, +they feared something had happened to him,--they feared he was lost! + +"But what took him away from the camp?" asked Von Bloom, surprised and +troubled at the news. + +That, and only that, could they answer. A number of odd-looking +animals--very odd-looking, the children said,--had come to the vley to +drink. Hans had taken his gun and followed them in a great hurry, +telling Truey and Jan to keep in the tree, and not come down until he +returned. He would be gone only a very little while, and they needn't +fear. + +This was all they knew. They could not even tell what direction he had +taken. He went by the lower end of the vley; but soon the bushes hid +him from their view, and they saw no more of him. + +"At what time was it?" + +It was many hours ago,--in the morning in fact,--not long after the +hunters themselves had started. When he did not return the children +grew uneasy; but they thought he had fallen in with papa and Hendrik, +and was helping them to hunt; and that was the reason why he stayed so +long. + +"Had they heard any report of a gun?" No--they had listened for that, +but heard none. The animals had gone away before Hans could get his gun +ready; and they supposed he had to follow some distance before he could +overtake them--that might be the reason they had heard no shot. + +"What sort of animals were they?" They had all seen them plain enough, +as they drank. They had never seen any of the kind before. They were +large animals of a yellow brown colour, with shaggy manes, and long +tufts of hair growing out of their breasts, and hanging down between +their fore-legs. They were as big as ponies, said Jan, and very like +ponies. They curvetted and capered about just as ponies do sometimes. +Truey thought that they looked more like lions! + +"Lions!" ejaculated her father and Hendrik, with an accent that +betokened alarm. + +Indeed, they reminded her of lions, Truey again affirmed, and Totty said +the same. "How many were there of them?" + +"Oh! a great drove, not less than fifty." They could not have counted +them, as they were constantly in motion, galloping from place to place, +and butting each other with their horns. + +"Ha! they had horns then?" interrogated Von Bloom, relieved by this +announcement. + +Certainly they had horns, replied all three. + +They had seen the horns, sharp-pointed ones, which first came down, and +then turned upwards in front of the animals' faces. They had manes too, +Jan affirmed; and thick necks that curved like that of a beautiful +horse; and tufts of hair like brushes upon their noses; and nice round +bodies like ponies, and long white tails that reached near the ground, +just like the tails of ponies, and finely-shaped limbs as ponies have. + +"I tell you," continued Jan, with emphasis, "if it hadn't been for their +horns and the brushes of long hair upon their breasts and noses, I'd +have taken them for ponies before anything. They galloped about just +like ponies when playing, and ran with their heads down, curving their +necks and tossing their manes,--ay, and snorting too, as I've heard +ponies; but sometimes they bellowed more like bulls; and, I confess, +they looked a good deal like bulls about the head; besides I noticed +they had hoofs split like cattle. Oh! I had a good look at them while +Hans was loading his gun. They stayed by the water till he was nearly +ready; and when they galloped off, they went in a long string one behind +the other with the largest one in front, and another large one in the +rear." + +"Wildebeests!" exclaimed Hendrik. + +"Gnoos!" cried Swartboy. + +"Yes, they must have been wildebeests," said Von Bloom; "Jan's +description corresponds exactly to them." + +This was quite true. Jan had correctly given many of the characteristic +points of that, perhaps, the most singular of all ruminant animals, the +wildebeest or gnoo (_Catoblepas gnoo_). The brushlike tuft over the +muzzle, the long hair between the fore-legs, the horns curving down over +the face, and then sweeping abruptly upward, the thick curving neck, the +rounded, compact, horse-shaped body, the long whitish tail, and full +flowing mane--all were descriptive of the gnoo. + +Even Truey had not made such an unpardonable mistake. The gnoos, and +particularly the old bulls, bear a very striking resemblance to the +lion, so much so that the sharpest hunters at a distance can scarce tell +one from the other. + +Jan, however, had observed them better than Truey; and had they been +nearer, he might have further noticed that the creatures had red fiery +eyes and a fierce look; that their heads and horns were not unlike those +of the African buffalo; that their limbs resembled those of the stag, +while the rest corresponded well enough to his "pony." He might have +observed, moreover, that the males were larger than the females, and of +a deeper brown. Had there been any "calves" with the herd, he would +have seen that these were still lighter-coloured--in fact, of a white or +cream colour. + +The gnoos that had been seen were the common kind called by the Dutch +colonists "wildebeests" or wild-oxen, and by the Hottentots "gnoo" or +"gnu," from a hollow moaning sound to which these creatures sometimes +give utterance, and which is represented by the word "gnoo-o-oo." + +They roam in vast flocks upon the wild karoos of South Africa; are +inoffensive animals, except when wounded; and then the old bulls are +exceedingly dangerous, and will attack the hunter both with horns and +hoot. They can run with great swiftness, though they scarce ever go +clear off, but, keeping at a wary distance, circle around the hunter, +curvetting in all directions, menacing with their heads lowered to the +ground, kicking up the dust with their heels, and bellowing like bulls, +or indeed like lions--for their "rout" bears a resemblance to the lion's +roar. + +The old bulls stand sentry while the herd is feeding, and protect it +both in front and rear. When running off they usually go in single +file, as Jan had represented. + +Old bulls hang between the rear of the herd and the hunter; and these +caper back and forward, butting each other with their horns, and often +fighting apparently in serious earnest! Before the hunter comes within +range, however, they drop their conflict and gallop out of his way. +Nothing can exceed the capricious antics which these animals indulge in, +while trooping over the plain. + +There is a second species of the same genus common in South Africa, and +a third inhabits still farther to the north; but of the last very little +is known. Both species are larger than the wildebeest, individuals of +either being nearly five feet in height, while the common gnoo is scarce +four. + +The three kinds are quite distinct, and never herd together, though each +of them is often found in company with other animals. All three are +peculiar to the continent of Africa, and are not found elsewhere. + +The "brindled gnoo" (_Catoblepas gorgon_) is the other species that +inhabits the South of Africa. It is known among the hunters and +colonists as "blauw wildebeest" (blue wild-ox). It is of a bluish +colour--hence the name, and "brindled," or striped along the sides. Its +habits are very similar to those of the common gnoo, but it is +altogether a heavier and duller animal, and still more eccentric and +ungainly in its form. + +The third species (_Catoblepas taurina_) is the "ko-koon" of the +natives. It approaches nearer to the brindled gnoo in form and habits; +but as it is not found except in the more central and less-travelled +portions of Africa, less is known about it than either of the others. +It is, however, of the same kind; and the three species, differing +widely from any other animals known, are entitled to form a distinct and +separate genus. + +They have hitherto generally been classed with the antelopes, though for +what reason it is hard to tell. They have far less affinity with the +antelope than with the ox; and the everyday observations of the hunter +and frontier boor have guided them to a similar conclusion--as their +name for these animals (wild-oxen) would imply. Observation of this +class is usually worth far more than the "speculations" of the +closet-naturalist. + +The gnoo has long been the favourite food of the frontier farmer and +hunter. Its beef is well flavoured, and the veal of a gnoo-calf is +quite a delicacy. The hide is manufactured into harness and straps of +different sorts; and the long silky tail is an article of commerce. +Around every frontier farm-house large piles of gnoo and springbok horns +may be seen--the remains of animals that have been captured in the +chase. + +"Jaging de wildebeest" (hunting the gnoo) is a favourite pastime of the +young boors. Large herds of these animals are sometimes driven into +valleys, where they are hemmed in, and shot down at will. They can also +be lured within range, by exhibiting a red handkerchief or any piece of +red cloth--to which colour they have a strong aversion. They may be +tamed and domesticated easily enough; but they are not favourite pets +with the farmer, who dreads their communicating to his cattle a fatal +skin-disease to which the gnoos are subject, and which carries off +thousands of them every year. + +Of course Von Bloom and his companions did not stay to talk over these +points. They were too anxious about the fate of the missing Hans, to +think of anything else. + +They were about to start out in search of him, when just at that moment +my gentleman was seen coming around the end of the lake, trudging very +slowly along, under the weight of some large and heavy object, that he +carried upon his shoulders. + +A shout of joy was raised, and in a few moments Hans stood in their +midst. + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY ONE. + +THE ANT-EATER OF AFRICA. + +Hans was saluted by a volley of questions, "Where have you been? What +detained you? What has happened to you? You're all safe and sound? +Not hurt, I hope?" These and a few others were asked in a breath. + +"I'm sound as a bell," said Hans; "and for the rest of your inquiries +I'll answer them all as soon as Swartboy has skinned this `aard-vark,' +and Totty has cooked a piece of it for supper; but I'm too hungry to +talk now, so pray excuse me." + +As Hans gave this reply, he cast from his shoulders an animal nearly as +big as a sheep, covered with long bristly hair of a reddish-grey colour, +and having a huge tail, thick at the root, and tapering like a carrot; a +snout nearly a foot long, but quite slender and naked; a very small +mouth; erect pointed ears resembling a pair of horns; a low flattish +body; short muscular legs; and claws of immense length, especially on +the fore-feet, where, instead of spreading out, they were doubled back +like shut fists, or the fore hands of a monkey. Altogether a very odd +animal was that which Hans had styled an "aard-vark," and which he +desired should be cooked for supper. + +"Well, my boy," replied Von Bloom, "we'll excuse you, the more so that +we are all of us about as hungry as yourself, I fancy. But I think we +may as well leave the `aard-vark' for to-morrow's dinner. We've a +couple of peacocks here, and Totty will get one of them ready sooner +than the aard-vark." + +"As for that," rejoined Hans, "I don't care which. I'm just in the +condition to eat anything--even a steak of tough old quagga, if I had +it; but I think it would be no harm if Swartboy--that is, if you're not +too tired, old Swart--would just peel the skin off this gentleman." + +Hans pointed to the "aard-vark." "And dress him so that he don't +spoil," he continued; "for _you_ know, Swartboy, that he's a tit-bit--a +regular _bonne bouche_--and it would be a pity to let him go to waste in +this hot weather. An aard-vark's not to be bagged every day." + +"You spreichen true, Mynheer Hans,--Swartboy know all dat. Him skin an' +dress da goup." + +And, so saying, Swartboy out knife, and set to work upon the carcass. + +Now this singular-looking animal which Hans called an "aard-vark," and +Swartboy a "goup," was neither more nor less than the African ant-eater +(_Orycteropus Capensis_). + +Although the colonists term it "aard-vark," which is the Dutch for +"ground-hog," the animal has but little in common with the hog kind. It +certainly bears some resemblance to a pig about the snout and cheeks; +and that, with its bristly hair and burrowing habits, has no doubt given +rise to the mistaken name. The "ground" part of the title is from the +fact that it is a burrowing animal,--indeed, one of the best "terriers" +in the world. It can make its way under ground faster than the spade +can follow it, and faster than any badger. In size, habits, and the +form of many parts of its body, it bears a striking resemblance to its +South American cousin the "tamanoir" (_Myrmecophaga jubata_), which of +late years has become so famous as almost to usurp the title of +"ant-eater." But the "aard-vark" is just as good an ant-eater as he,-- +can "crack" as thick-walled a house, can rake up and devour as many +termites as any "ant-bear" in the length and breadth of the Amazon +Valley. He has got, moreover, as "tall" a tail as the tamanoir, very +nearly as long a snout, a mouth equally small, and a tongue as extensive +and extensile. In claws he can compare with his American cousin any +day, and can walk just as awkwardly upon the sides of his fore-paws with +"toes turned in." Why, then, may I ask, do we hear so much talk of the +"tamanoir," while not a word is said of the "aard-vark?" Every museum +and menagerie is bragging about having a specimen of the former, while +not one cares to acknowledge their possession of the latter! Why this +envious distinction? I say it's all Barnum. It's because the +"aard-vark" is a Dutchman--a Cape boor--and the boors have been much +bullied of late. That's the reason why zoologists and showmen have +treated my thick-tailed boy so shabbily. But it shan't be so any +longer; I stand up for the aard-vark; and, although the tamanoir has +been specially called _Myrmecophaga_, or ant-eater, I say that the +_Orycteropus_ is as good an ant-eater as he. He can break through +ant-hills quite as big and bigger--some of them twenty-feet high--he can +project as long and as gluey a tongue--twenty inches long--he can play +it as nimbly and "lick up" as many white ants, as any tamanoir. He can +grow as fat too, and weigh as heavy, and, what is greatly to his credit, +he can provide you with a most delicate roast when you choose to kill +and eat him. It is true he tastes slightly of formic acid, but that is +just the flavour that epicures admire. And when you come to speak of +"hams,"--ah! try _his_! Cure them well and properly, and eat one, and +you will never again talk of "Spanish" or "Westphalian." + +Hans knew the taste of those hams--well he did, and so too Swartboy; and +it was not against his inclination, but _con amore_, that the latter set +about butchering the "goup." Swartboy knew how precious a morsel he +held between his fingers,--precious, not only on account of its +intrinsic goodness, but from its rarity; for although the aard-vark is a +common animal in South Africa, and in some districts even numerous, it +is not every day the hunter can lay his hands upon one. On the +contrary, the creature is most difficult to capture; though not to kill, +for a blow on the snout will do that. + +But just as he is easily killed when you catch him, in the same +proportion is he hard to catch. He is shy and wary, scarce ever comes +out of his burrow but at night; and even then skulks so silently along, +and watches around him so sharply, that no enemy can approach without +his knowing it. His eyes are very small, and, like most nocturnal +animals, he sees but indifferently; but in the two senses of smell and +hearing he is one of the sharpest. His long erect ears enable him to +catch every sound that may be made in his neighbourhood, however slight. + +The "aard-vark" is not the only ant-eating quadruped of South Africa. +There is another four-footed creature as fond of white ants as he; but +this is an animal of very different appearance. It is a creature +without hair; but, instead its body is covered all over with a regular +coat of scales, each as large as a half-crown piece. These scales +slightly overlie each other, and can be raised on end at the will of the +animal. In form it resembles a large lizard, or a small crocodile, more +than an ordinary quadruped, but its habits are almost exactly like those +of the aard-vark. It burrows, digs open the ant-hills by night, +projects a long viscous tongue among the insects, and devours them with +avidity. + +When suddenly overtaken, and out of reach of its underground retreat, it +"clews" up like the hedgehog, and some species of the South American +armadillos--to which last animal it bears a considerable resemblance on +account of its scaly coat of mail. + +This ant-eater is known as the "pangolin," or "manis," but there are +several species of "pangolin" not African. Some are met with in +Southern Asia and the Indian islands. That which is found in South +Africa is known among naturalists as the "long-tailed" or "Temminck" +pangolin (_Manis Temminckii_). + +Totty soon produced a roasted "peacock," or rather a hastily-broiled +bustard. But, although, perhaps, not cooked "to a turn," it was +sufficiently well done to satisfy the stomachs for which it was +intended. They were all too hungry to be fastidious, and, without a +word of criticism, they got through their dinner. + +Hans then commenced relating the history of his day's adventure. + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY TWO. + +HANS CHASED BY THE WILDEBEEST. + +"Well," began Hans, "you had not been gone more than an hour, when a +herd of wildebeests was seen approaching the vley. They came on in +single file; but they had broken rank, and were splashing about in the +water, before I thought of molesting them in any way. + +"Of course I knew what they were, and that they were proper game; but I +was so interested in watching their ludicrous gambols, that I did not +think about my gun, until the whole herd had nearly finished drinking. +Then I remembered that we were living on dry biltongue, and would be +nothing the worse of a change. I noticed, moreover, that in the herd of +gnoos there were some young ones--which I was able to tell from their +being smaller than the rest, and also by their lighter colour. I knew +that the flesh of these is most excellent eating, and therefore made up +my mind we should all dine upon it. + +"I rushed up the ladder for my gun; and then discovered how imprudent I +had been in not loading it at the time you all went away. I had not +thought of any sudden emergency,--but that was very foolish, for how +knew I what might happen in a single hour or minute even? + +"I loaded the piece in a grand hurry, for I saw the wildebeests leaving +the water; and, as soon as the bullet was rammed home, I ran down the +ladder. Before I had reached the bottom, I saw that I had forgotten to +bring either powder-horn or pouch. I was in too hot a haste to go back +for them, for I saw the last of the wildebeests moving off, and I +fancied I might be too late. But I had no intention of going any great +distance in pursuit. A single shot at them was all I wanted, and that +in the gun would do. + +"I hastened after the game, keeping as well as I could under cover. I +found, after a little time, that I need not have been so cautious. The +wildebeests, instead of being shy--as I had seen them in our old +neighbourhood--appeared to have very little fear of me. This was +especially the case with the old bulls, who capered and careered about +within an hundred yards' distance, and sometimes permitted me to +approach even nearer. It was plain they had never been hunted. + +"Once or twice I was within range of a pair of old bulls, who seemed to +act as a rearguard. But I did not want to shoot one of them. I knew +their flesh would turn out tough. I wished to get something more +tender. I wished to send a bullet into a heifer, or one of the young +bulls whose horns had not yet begun to curve. Of these I saw several in +the herd. + +"Tame as the animals were, I could not manage to get near enough to any +of these. The old bulls at the head always led them beyond my range; +and the two, that brought up the rear, seemed to drive them forward as I +advanced upon them. + +"Well, in this way they beguiled me along for more than a mile; and the +excitement of the chase made me quite forget how wrong it was of me to +go so far from the camp. But thinking about the meat, and still hopeful +of getting a shot, I kept on. + +"At length the hunt led me into ground where there was no longer any +bush; but there was good cover, notwithstanding, in the ant-hills, that, +like great tents, stood at equal distances from each other scattered +over the plain. These were very large--some of them more than twelve +feet high--and differing from the dome-shaped kind so common everywhere. +They were of the shape of large cones, or rounded pyramids, with a +number of smaller cones rising around their bases, and clustering like +turrets along their sides. I knew they were the hills of a species of +white ant called by entomologists _Termes bellicosus_. + +"There were other hills, of cylinder shape and rounded tops, that stood +only about a yard high; looking like rolls of unbleached linen set +upright--each with an inverted basin upon its end. These were the homes +of a very different species, the _Termes mordax_ of the entomologists; +though still another species of _Termes_ (_Termes atrox_) build their +nests in the same form. + +"I did not stop then to examine these curious structures. I only speak +of them now, to give you an idea of the sort of place it was, so that +you may understand what followed. + +"What with the cone-shaped hills and the cylinders, the plain was pretty +well covered. One or the other was met with every two hundred yards; +and I fancied with these for a shelter I should have but little +difficulty in getting within shot of the gnoos. + +"I made a circuit to head them, and crept up behind a large cone-shaped +hill, near which the thick of the drove was feeding. When I peeped +through the turrets, to my chagrin, I saw that the cows and younger ones +had been drawn off beyond reach, and the two old bulls were, as before, +capering between me and the herd. + +"I repeated the manoeuvre, and stalked in behind another large cone, +close to which the beasts were feeding. When I raised myself for a +shot, I was again disappointed. The herd had moved off as before, and +the brace of bulls still kept guard in the rear. + +"I began to feel provoked. The conduct of the bulls annoyed me +exceedingly, and I really fancied that they knew it. Their manoeuvres +were of the oddest kind, and some of them appeared to be made for the +purpose of mocking me. At times they would charge up very close--their +heads set in a menacing attitude; and I must confess that with their +black shaggy fronts, their sharp horns, and glaring red eyes, they +looked anything but pleasant neighbours. + +"I got so provoked with them at last, that I resolved they should bother +me no longer. If they would not permit me to shoot one of the others, I +was determined they themselves should not escape scot-free, but should +pay dearly for their temerity and insolence. I resolved to put a bullet +through one of them, at least. + +"Just as I was about raising my gun to fire, I perceived that they had +placed themselves in attitude for a new fight. This they did by +dropping on their knees, and sliding forward until their heads came in +contact. They would then spring up, make a sudden bound forward, as if +to get uppermost, and trample one another with their hoofs. Failing in +this, both would rush past, until they were several yards apart; then +wheel round, drop once more to their knees; and advance as before. + +"Hitherto I had looked upon these conflicts as merely playful; and so I +fancy most of them were. But this time the bulls seemed to be in +earnest. The loud cracking of their helmet-covered foreheads against +each other, their fierce snorting and bellowing, and, above all, their +angry manner, convinced me that they had really quarrelled, and were +serious about it. + +"One of them, at length, seemed to be getting knocked over repeatedly. +Every time he had partially risen to his feet, and before he could quite +recover them, his antagonist rushed upon him, and butted him back upon +his side. + +"Seeing them so earnestly engaged, I thought I might as well make a sure +shot of it, by going a little nearer; so I stepped from behind the +ant-hill, and walked towards the combatants. Neither took any notice of +my approach--the one because he had enough to do to guard himself from +the terrible blows, and the other because he was so occupied in +delivering them. + +"When within twenty paces I levelled my gun. I chose the bull who +appeared victor, partly as a punishment for his want of feeling in +striking a fallen antagonist, but, perhaps, more because his broadside +was towards me, and presented a fairer mark. + +"I fired. + +"The smoke hid both for a moment. When it cleared off, I saw the bull +that had been conquered still down in a kneeling attitude, but, to my +great surprise, the one at which I had aimed was upon his feet, +apparently as brisk and sound as ever! I knew I had hit him somewhere-- +as I heard the `thud' of the bullet on his fat body--but it was plain I +had not crippled him. + +"I was not allowed time for reflection as to where I had wounded him. +Not an instant indeed, for the moment the smoke cleared away, instead of +the bulls clearing off also, I saw the one I had shot at fling up his +tail, lower his shaggy front, and charge right towards me! + +"His fierce eyes glanced with a revengeful look, and his roar was enough +to have terrified one more courageous than I. I assure you I was less +frightened the other day when I encountered the lion. + +"I did not know what to do for some moments. I thought of setting +myself in an attitude of defence, and involuntarily had turned my gun +which was now empty--intending to use it as a club. But I saw at once, +that the slight blow I could deliver would not stop the onset of such a +strong fierce animal, and that he would butt me over, and gore me, to a +certainty. + +"I turned my eyes to see what hope there lay in flight. Fortunately +they fell upon an ant-hill--the one I had just emerged from. I saw at a +glance, that by climbing it I would be out of reach of the fierce +wildebeest. Would I have time to get to it before he could overtake me? + +"I ran like a frightened fox. You, Hendrik, can beat me running upon +ordinary occasions. I don't think you could have got quicker to that +ant-hill than I did. + +"I was not a second too soon. As I clutched at the little turrets, and +drew myself up, I could hear the rattle of the wildebeest's hoofs behind +me, and I fancied I felt his hot breath upon my heels. + +"But I reached the top cone in safety; and then turned and looked down +at my pursuer. I saw that he could not follow me any farther. Sharp as +his horns were, I saw that I was safe out of their reach." + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY THREE. + +BESIEGED BY THE BULL. + +"Well," continued Hans, after a pause, "I began to congratulate myself +on my fortunate escape; for I was convinced that but for the ant-hill I +would have been trampled and gored to death. The bull was one of the +largest and fiercest of his kind, and a _very_ old one too, as I could +tell by the bases of his thick black horns nearly meeting over his +forehead, as well as by his dark colour. I had plenty of time to note +these things. I felt that I was now safe--that the wildebeest could not +get near me; and I sat perched upon the top of the central cone, +watching his movements with perfect coolness. + +"It is true he did everything to reach my position. A dozen times he +charged up the hill, and more than once effected a lodgment among the +tops of the lower turrets, but the main one was too steep for him. No +wonder! It, had tried my own powers to scale it. + +"At times he came so close to me in his desperate efforts, that I could +have touched his horns with the muzzle of my gun; and I had prepared to +give him a blow whenever I could get a good chance. I never saw a +creature behave so fiercely. The fact was, that I had hit him with my +bullet,--the wound was there along his jaw, and bleeding freely. The +pain of it maddened him; but that was not the only cause of his fury, as +I afterwards discovered. + +"Well. After several unsuccessful attempts to scale the cone, he varied +his tactics, and commenced butting the ant-heap as though he would bring +it down. He repeatedly backed, and then charged forward upon it with +all his might; and, to say the truth, it looked for some time as though +he would succeed. + +"Several of the lesser cones were knocked over by his powerful blows; +and the hard tough clay yielded before his sharp horns, used by him as +inverted pickaxes. In several places I could see that he had laid open +the chambers of the insects, or rather the ways and galleries that are +placed in the outer crust of the hill. + +"With all this I felt no fear. I was under the belief that he would +soon exhaust his rage and go away; and then I could descend without +danger. But after watching him a good long spell, I was not a little +astonished to observe that, instead of cooling down, he seemed to grow +more furious than ever. I had taken out my handkerchief to wipe the +perspiration off my face. It was as hot as an oven where I sat. Not a +breath of air was stirring, and the rays of the sun, glaring right down +and then reflecting up again from the white clay, brought the +perspiration out of me in streams. Every minute I was obliged to rub my +eyes clear of it with the handkerchief. + +"Now, before passing the kerchief over my face, I always shook it open; +and each time I did so, I noticed that the rage of the wildebeest seemed +to be redoubled! In fact, at such times he would leave off goring the +heap, and make a fresh attempt to rush up at me, roaring his loudest as +he charged against the steep wall! + +"I was puzzled at this, as well as astonished. What could there be in +my wiping my face to provoke the wildebeest anew? And yet such was +clearly the case. Every time I did so, he appeared to swell with a +fresh burst of passion! + +"The explanation came at length. I saw that it was not the wiping off +the perspiration that provoked him. It was the shaking out of my +handkerchief. This was, as you know, of a bright scarlet colour. I +thought of this, and then, for the first time, remembered having heard +that anything scarlet has a most powerful effect upon the wildebeest, +and excites him to a rage resembling madness. + +"I did not wish to keep up his fury. I crumpled up the handkerchief and +buried it in my pocket--preferring to endure the perspiration rather +than remain there any longer. By hiding the scarlet, I conceived a hope +he would the sooner cool down, and go away. + +"But I had raised a devil in him too fierce to be so easily laid. He +showed no signs of cooling down. On the contrary, he continued to +charge, butt, and bellow, as vengefully as ever--though the scarlet was +no longer before his eyes. + +"I began to feel really annoyed. I had no idea the gnoo was so +implacable in his rage. The bull evidently felt pain from his wound. I +could perceive that he moaned it. He knew well enough it was I who had +given him this pain. + +"He appeared determined not to let me escape retribution. He showed no +signs of an intention to leave the place; but laboured away with hoof +and horns, as if he would demolish the mound. + +"I was growing very tired of my situation Though not afraid that the +bull could reach me, I was troubled by the thought of being so long +absent from our camp. I knew I should have been there. I thought of my +little sister and brother. Some misfortune might befall them. I was +very sad about that, though up to that time I had little or no fears for +myself. I was still in hopes the wildebeest would tire out and leave +me, and then I could soon run home. + +"I say, up to that time I had no very serious fears for myself-- +excepting the moment or two when the bull was chasing me to the hill; +but that little fright was soon over. + +"But now appeared a new object of dread--another enemy, as terrible as +the enraged bull--that almost caused me to sprint down upon the horns of +the latter in my first moments of alarm! + +"I have said that the wildebeest had broken down several of the lesser +turrets--the outworks of the ant-hill--and had laid open the hollow +spaces within. He had not penetrated to the main dome, but only the +winding galleries and passages that perforate the outer walls. + +"I noticed, that, as soon as these were broken open, a number of ants +had rushed out from each. Indeed, I had observed many of the creatures +crawling outside the hill, when I first approached it, and had wondered +at this--as I knew that they usually keep under ground when going and +coming from their nests. I had observed all this, without taking note +of it at the time--being too intent in my stalk to think of anything +else. For the last half-hour I was too busy watching the manoeuvres of +the wildebeest bull, to take my gaze off him for a moment. + +"Something in motion directly under me at length caught my eye, and I +looked down to see what it was. The first glance caused me to jump to +my feet; and, as I have already said, very nearly impelled me to leap +down upon the horns of the bull! + +"Swarming all over the hill, already clustering upon my shoes, and +crawling still higher, were the crowds of angry ants. Every hole that +the bull had made was yielding out its throng of spiteful insects; and +all appeared moving towards _me_! + +"Small as the creatures were, I fancied I saw design in their movements. +They seemed all actuated with the same feeling--the same impulse--that +of attacking me. I could not be mistaken in their intent. They moved +all together, as if guided and led by intelligent beings; and they +advanced towards the spot on which I stood. + +"I saw, too, that they were the _soldiers_. I knew these from the +workers, by their larger heads and long horny mandibles. I knew they +could bite fiercely and painfully. + +"The thought filled me with horror. I confess it, I never was so +horrified before. My late encounter with the lion was nothing to +compare with it. + +"My first impression was that I would be destroyed by the termites. I +had heard of such things--I remembered that I had. It was that, no +doubt, that frightened me so badly. I had heard of men in their sleep +being attacked by the white ants, and bitten to death. Such memories +came crowding upon me at the moment, until I felt certain, that if I did +not soon escape from that spot, the ants would _sting me to death and +eat me up_!" + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR. + +A HELPLESS BEAST. + +"What was to be done? How was I to avoid both enemies? If I leaped +down, the wildebeest would kill me to a certainty. He was still there, +with his fierce eye bent upon me continually. If I remained where I +was, I would soon be covered with the swarming hideous insects, and +eaten up like an old rag. + +"Already I felt their terrible teeth. Those that had first crawled to +my feet I had endeavoured to brush off; but some had got upon my ankles, +and were biting me through my thick woollen socks! My clothes would be +no protection. + +"I had mounted to the highest part of the cone, and was standing upon +its apex. It was so sharp I could scarcely balance myself, but the +painful stings of the insects caused me to dance upon it like a +mountebank. + +"But what signified those, that had already stung my ankles, to the +numbers that were likely soon to pierce me with their venomous darts? +Already these were swarming up the last terrace. They would soon cover +the apex of the cone upon which I was standing. They would crawl up my +limbs in myriads--they would-- + +"I could reflect no longer on what they would do. I preferred taking my +chance with the wildebeest. I would leap down. Perhaps some lucky +accident might aid me. I would battle with the gnoo, using my gun. +Perhaps I might succeed in escaping to some other hill. Perhaps-- + +"I was actually on the spring to leap down, when a new thought came into +my mind; and I wondered I had been so silly as not to think of it +before. What was to hinder me from keeping off the termites? They had +no wings--the soldiers have none--nor the workers neither, for that +matter. They could not fly upon me. They could only crawl up the cone. +With my jacket I could brush them back. Certainly I could--why did I +not think of it before? + +"I was not long in taking off my jacket. I laid aside my useless gun, +dropping it upon one of the lower terraces. I caught the jacket by the +collar; and, using it as a duster, I cleared the sides of the cone in a +few moments, having sent thousands of the termites tumbling headlong +below. + +"Pshaw! how simply the thing was done! why had I not done it before? It +cost scarcely an effort to brush the myriads away, and a slight effort +would keep them off as long as I pleased. + +"The only annoyance I felt now was from the few that had got under my +trousers, and that still continued to bite me; but these I would get rid +of in time. + +"Well--I remained on the apex, now bending down to beat back the +soldiers that still swarmed upward, and then occupying myself in trying +to get rid of the few that crawled upon me. I felt no longer any +uneasiness on the score of the insects--though I was not a bit better +off as regarded the bull, who still kept guard below. I fancied, +however, that he now showed symptoms of weariness, and would soon raise +the siege; and this prospect made me feel more cheerful. + +"A sudden change came over me. A new thrill of terror awaited me. + +"While jumping about upon the top of the cone, my footing suddenly gave +way--the baked clay broke with a dead crash, and I sank through the +roof. My feet shot down into the hollow dome--till I thought I must +have crushed the great queen in her chamber--and I stood buried to the +neck. + +"I was surprised, and a little terrified, not by the shock I had +experienced in the sudden descent. That was natural enough, and a few +moments would have restored my equanimity; but it was something else +that frightened me. It was something that moved under my feet as they +touched bottom,--something that moved and heaved under them, and then +passed quickly away, letting me still farther down! + +"What could it be? Was it the great swarm of living ants that I pressed +upon: I did not think it was. It did not _feel like them_. It seemed +to be something bulky and strong, for it held up my whole weight for a +moment or two, before it slipped from under me. + +"Whatever it was, it frightened me very considerably; and I did not +leave my feet in its company for five seconds time. No: the hottest +furnace would scarce have scorched them during the time they remained +inside the dark dome. In five seconds they were on the walls again--on +the broken edges, where I had mounted up, and where I now stood quite +speechless with surprise! + +"What next? I could keep the ants off no longer. I gazed down the dark +cavity; they were swarming up that way in thick crowds. I could brush +them down no more. + +"My eyes at this moment chanced to wander to the bull. He was standing +at three or four paces distance from the base of the hill. He was +standing sideways with his head turned to it, and regarding it with a +wild look. His attitude was entirely changed, and so, I thought, was +the expression of his eye. He looked as if he had just run off to his +new position, and was ready to make a second start. He looked as if +something had also terrified _him_! + +"Something evidently had; for, in another moment, he uttered a sharp +rout, galloped several paces farther out, wheeled again, halted, and +stood gazing as before! + +"What could it mean? Was it the breaking through of the roof and my +sudden descent that had frightened him? + +"At first I thought so, but I observed that he did not look upward to +the top. His gaze seemed bent on some object near the base of the +hill--though from where I stood I could see nothing there to frighten +him. + +"I had not time to reflect what it could be, before the bull uttered a +fresh snort; and, raising his tail high into the air, struck off at full +gallop over the plain! + +"Rejoiced at seeing this, I thought no more of what had relieved me of +his company. It must have been my curious fall, I concluded; but no +matter now that the brute was gone. So seizing hold of my gun, I +prepared to descend from the elevated position, of which I was +thoroughly tired. + +"Just as I had got half down the side, I chanced to look below; and +there was the object that terrified the old bull. No wonder. It might +have terrified anything,--the odd-looking creature that it was. From +out a hole in the clay wall protruded a long naked cylindrical snout, +mounted by a pair of ears nearly as long as itself, that stood erect +like the horns of a steinbuck, and gave to the animal that bore them a +wild and vicious look. It would have badly frightened me, had I not +known what it was; but I recognised it at once as one of the most +inoffensive creatures in the world--the `aard-vark.' + +"His appearance accounted for the retreat of the bull, and also +explained why the ants had been crawling about on my first reaching +their hill. + +"Without saying a word, or making the slightest noise, I clubbed my gun; +and, bending downward, struck the protruded snout a blow with the butt. +It was a most wicked blow; and, considering the service the creature had +just done me in frightening off the wildebeest, a most ungrateful +return. But I was not master of my feelings at the moment. I did not +reflect--only that I liked aard-vark flesh--and the blow was given. + +"Poor fellow! It did the job for him. With scarce a kick he dropped +dead in the opening he had scraped with his own claws. + +"Well--my day's adventures were not yet ended. They seemed as though +they were never to end. I had got the aard-vark over my shoulders, and +was about heading homeward, when, to my astonishment, I observed that +the bull-gnoo--not the one that had besieged me, but his late +antagonist--was still out upon the plain where I had last seen him! I +observed, moreover, that he was still in a sort of half-lying +half-kneeling attitude, with his head close to the ground! + +"His odd movements seemed stranger than anything else. I fancied he had +been badly hurt by the other, and was not able to get away. + +"At first I was cautious about going near him--remembering my late +narrow escape--and I thought of giving him a wide berth, and leaving him +alone. Even though wounded, he might be strong enough to charge upon +me; and my empty gun, as I had already proved, would be but a poor +weapon with which to defend myself. + +"I hesitated about going near him; but curiosity grew strong within me, +as I watched his queer manoeuvres; until at length I walked up within a +dozen yards of where he was kneeling. + +"Fancy my surprise on discovering the cause of his oblique movements. +No hurt had he received of any kind--not even a scratch; but for all +that, he was as completely crippled as if he had lost his best pair of +legs. + +"In a very singular manner was he rendered thus helpless. In his +struggle with the other bull, one of his fore-legs had, somehow or +other, got passed over his horn; and there it stuck--not only depriving +him of the use of the limb itself, but holding his head so close to the +ground that he was quite unable to stir from the spot! + +"At first I designed helping him out of his difficulty, and letting him +go. On second thoughts, I remembered the story of the husbandman and +the frozen snake, which quite changed my intention. + +"I next thought of killing him for venison; but having no bullet, I did +not like to beat him to death with my gun. Besides the aard-vark was my +load to camp, and I knew that the jackals would eat the bull up before +we could go back for him. I thought it probable he would be safer left +as he was--as these ravenous brutes, seeing him alive, might not so +readily approach him. + +"So I left him with his `head under his arm,' in hopes that we may find +him there to-morrow." + +So ended Hans's narrative of his day's adventures. + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE. + +THE ELEPHANT'S SLEEPING-ROOST. + +The field-cornet was far from satisfied with his day's work. His first +attempt at elephant-hunting had proved a failure. Might it not be +always so? + +Notwithstanding the interest with which he listened to Hans's narrative +of the day's adventures, he felt uneasy in his mind when he reflected +upon his own. + +The elephant had escaped so easily. Their bullets seemed to have +injured him not the least. They had only served to render him furious, +and dangerous. Though both had hit him in places where their wounds +should have been mortal, no such effect was produced. The elephant +seemed to go off as unscathed, as if they had fired only boiled peas at +him! + +Would it be always so? + +True, they had given him but two shots. Two, if well directed, may +bring down a cow-elephant and sometimes a bull, but oftener it requires +ten times two before a strong old bull can be made to "bite the dust." + +But would _any_ elephant wait until they could load and fire a +sufficient number of shots? + +That was an undecided point with our tyro elephant-hunters. If _not_, +then they would be helpless indeed. It would be a tedious business +spooring the game afoot, after it had once been fired upon. In such +cases the elephant usually travels many miles before halting again; and +only mounted men can with any facility overtake him. + +How Von Bloom sighed when he thought of his poor horses! Now more than +ever did he feel the want of them--now more than ever did he regret +their loss. + +But he had heard that the elephant does not _always_ make off when +attacked. The old bull had shown no intention of retreating, after +receiving their shots. It was the odd conduct of Swartboy that had put +him to flight. But for that, he would no doubt have kept the ground, +until they had given him another volley, and perhaps his death-wound. + +The field-cornet drew consolation from this last reflection. Perhaps +their next encounter would have a different ending. Perhaps a pair of +tusks would reward them. + +The hope of such a result, as well as the anxiety about it, determined +Von Bloom to lose no time in making a fresh trial. Next morning, +therefore, before the sun was up, the hunters were once more upon the +trail of their giant game. + +One precaution they had taken, which they had not thought of before. +All of them had heard that an ordinary leaden bullet will not penetrate +the tough thick skin of the great "pachyderm." Perhaps this had been +the cause of their failure on the preceding day. If so they had +provided against the recurrence of failure from such a cause. They had +moulded a new set of balls of harder material,--solder it should have +been, but they had none. They chanced, however, to be in possession of +what served the purpose equally well--the old "plate" that had often +graced the field-cornet's table in his better byegone days of the Graaf +Reinet. This consisted of candlesticks, and snuffer-trays, and +dish-covers, and cruet-stands, and a variety of articles of the real +"Dutch metal." + +Some of these were condemned to the alembic of the melting-pan; and, +mixed with the common lead, produced a set of balls hard enough for the +hide of the rhinoceros itself--so that this day the hunters had no fears +of failure upon the score of soft bullets. + +They went in the same direction as upon the preceding day, towards the +forest or "bush" (bosch), as they termed it. + +They had not proceeded a mile when they came upon the spoor of elephants +nearly fresh. It passed through the very thickest of the thorny +jungle--where no creature but an elephant, a rhinoceros, or a man with +an axe, could have made way. A family must have passed, consisting of a +male, a female or two, and several young ones of different ages. They +had marched in single file, as elephants usually do; and had made a +regular lane several feet wide, which was quite clear of bushes, and +trampled by their immense footsteps. The old bull, Swartboy said, had +gone in advance, and had cleared the way of all obstructions, by means +of his trunk and tusks. This had evidently been the case, for the +hunters observed huge branches broken off, or still hanging and turned +to one side, out of the way--just as if the hand of man had done it. + +Swartboy further affirmed, that such elephant-roads usually led to +water; and by the very easiest and shortest routes--as if they had been +planned and laid open by the skill of an engineer--showing the rare +instinct or sagacity of these animals. + +The hunters, therefore, expected soon to arrive at some watering-place; +but it was equally probable the spoor might be leading them _from_ the +water. + +They had not followed it more than a quarter of a mile, when they came +upon another road of a similar kind, that crossed the one they were +spooring upon. This had also been made by a number of elephants--a +family most likely--and the tracks upon it were as recent as those they +had been following. + +They hesitated for a moment which to take; but at length concluded upon +keeping straight on; and so they moved forward as before. + +To their great disappointment the trail at last led out into more open +ground, where the elephants had scattered about; and after following the +tracks of one, and then another without success, they got bewildered, +and lost the spoor altogether. + +While casting about to find it in a place where the bush was thin and +straggling, Swartboy suddenly ran off to one side, calling to the others +to follow him. Von Bloom and Hendrik went after to see what the Bushman +was about. They thought he had seen an elephant, and both, considerably +excited, had already pulled the covers off their guns. + +There was no elephant, however. When they came up with Swartboy, he was +standing under a tree, and pointing to the ground at its bottom. + +The hunters looked down. They saw that the ground upon one side of the +tree was trampled, as though horses or some other animals had been tied +there for a long time, and had worn off the turf, and worked it into +dust with their hoofs. The bark of the tree--a full-topped shady +acacia--for some distance up was worn smooth upon one side, just as +though cattle had used it for a rubbing-post. + +"What has done it?" asked the field-cornet and Hendrik in a breath. + +"Da olifant's slapen-boom," (the elephant's sleeping-tree), replied +Swartboy. + +No further explanation was necessary. The hunters remembered what they +had been told about a curious habit which the elephant has--of leaning +against a tree while asleep. This, then, was one of the sleeping-trees +of these animals. + +But of what use to them, farther than to gratify a little curiosity? +The elephant was not there. + +"Da ole karl come again," said Swartboy. + +"Ha! you think so, Swart?" inquired Von Bloom. + +"Ya, baas, lookee da! spoor fresh--da groot olifant hab slap here +yesterday." + +"What then? you think we should lie in wait, and shoot him when he +returns." + +"No, baas, better dan shoot, we make him bed--den wait see um lie down." + +Swartboy grinned a laugh as he gave this piece of advice. + +"Make his bed! what do you mean?" inquired his master. + +"I tell you, baas, we get da olifant sure, if you leave da job to ole +Swart. I gib you de plan for take him, no waste powder, no waste +bullet." + +The Bushman proceeded to communicate his plan, to which his master-- +remembering their failure of yesterday--readily gave his consent. + +Fortunately they had all the implements that would be necessary for +carrying it out,--a sharp axe, a strong rope or "rheim" of raw-hide, and +their knives--and they set about the business without loss of time. + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY SIX. + +MAKING THE ELEPHANT'S BED. + +To the hunters time was a consideration. If the elephant should return +that day, it would be just before the hottest hours of noon. They had, +therefore, scarce an hour left to prepare for him--to "make his bed," as +Swartboy had jocosely termed it. So they went to work with alacrity, +the Bushman acting as director-general, while the other two received +their orders from him with the utmost obedience. + +The first work which Swartboy assigned to them was, to cut and prepare +three stakes of hard wood. They were to be each about three feet long, +as thick as a man's arm, and pointed at one end. These were soon +procured. The iron-wood (_Olca undulata_) which grew in abundance in +the neighbourhood, furnished the very material; and after three pieces +of sufficient length had been cut down with the axe, they were reduced +to the proper size, and pointed by the knives of the hunters. + +Meanwhile Swartboy had not been idle. First with his knife he had cut a +large section of bark from the elephant's tree, upon the side against +which the animal had been in the habit of leaning, and about three feet +from the ground. Then with the axe he made a deep notch, where the bark +had been removed--in fact, such a notch as would have caused the tree to +fall had it been left to itself. But it was not, for before advancing +so far in his work, Swartboy had taken measures to prevent that. He had +stayed the tree by fastening the rheim to its upper branches on the +_opposite_ side, and then carrying the rope to the limbs of another tree +that stood out in that direction. + +Thus adjusted, the elephant's tree was only kept from falling by the +rheim-stay; and a slight push, in the direction of the latter, would +have thrown over. + +Swartboy now replaced the section of bark, which he had preserved; and +after carefully collecting the chips, no one, without close examination, +could have told that the tree had ever felt the edge of an axe. + +Another operation yet remained to be performed--that was the planting of +the stakes, already prepared by Von Bloom and Hendrik. To set these +firmly deep holes had to be made. But Swartboy was just the man to make +a hole; and in less than ten minutes he had sunk three, each over a foot +deep, and not a half-inch wider than the thickness of the stakes! + +You may be curious to know how he accomplished this. You would have dug +a hole with a spade, and necessarily as wide as the spade itself. But +Swartboy had no spade, and would not have used it if there had been +one--since it would have made the holes too large for his purpose. + +Swartboy sunk his holes by "crowing"--which process he performed by +means of a small pointed stick. With this he first loosened the earth +in a circle of the proper size. He then took out the detached mould, +flung it away, and used the point of the "crowing stick" as before. +Another clearing out of mould, another application of the stick; and so +on, till the narrow hole was deemed of sufficient depth. That was how +Swartboy "crowed" the holes. + +They were sunk in a kind of triangle near the bottom of the tree, but on +the side opposite to that where the elephant would stand, should he +occupy his old ground. + +In each hole Swartboy now set a stake, thick end down and point upwards; +some small pebbles, and a little mould worked in at the sides, wedged +them as firmly as if they had grown there. + +The stakes were now daubed over with soft earth, to conceal the white +colour of the wood; the remaining chips were picked up, and all traces +of the work completely obliterated. This done, the hunters withdraw +from the spot. + +They did not go far; but choosing a large bushy tree to leeward, all +three climbed up into it, and sat concealed among its branches. + +The field-cornet held his long "roer" in readiness, and so did Hendrik +his rifle. In case the ingenious trap of Swartboy should fail, they +intended to use their guns, but not otherwise. + +It was now quite noon, and the day had turned into one of the hottest. +But for the shade afforded by the leaves, they would have felt it very +distressing. Swartboy prognosticated favourably from this. The great +heat would be more likely than anything else to send the elephant to his +favourite sleeping-place under the cool shady cover of the cameel-doorn. + +It was now quite noon. He could not be long in coming, thought they. + +Sure enough he came, and soon, too. + +They had not been twenty minutes on their perch, when they heard a +strange, rumbling noise, which they knew proceeded from the stomach of +an elephant. The next moment they saw one emerge from the jungle, and +walk, with sweeping step, straight up to the tree. He seemed to have no +suspicion of any danger; but placed himself at once alongside the trunk +of the acacia--in the very position and on the side Swartboy had said he +would take. From his spoor the Bushman knew he had been in the habit of +so standing. + +His head was turned from the hunters, but not so much as to prevent them +from seeing a pair of splendid tusks,--six feet long at the least. + +While gazing in admiration at these rich trophies, they saw the animal +point his proboscis upward, and discharge a vast shower of water into +the leaves, which afterwards fell dripping in bright globules over his +body! + +Swartboy said that he drew the water from his stomach. Although +closet-naturalists deny this, it must have been so; for shortly after, +he repeated the act again and again--the quantity of water at each +discharge being as great as before. It was plain that his trunk, large +as it was, could not have contained it all. + +He seemed to enjoy this "shower-bath;" and the hunters did not wonder at +it, for they themselves, suffering at the time from heat and thirst, +would have relished something of a similar kind. As the crystal drops +fell back from the acacia leaves, the huge animal was heard to utter a +low grunt expressive of gratification. The hunters hoped that this was +the prelude to his sleep, and watched him with intense earnestness. + +It proved to be so. + +As they sat gazing, they noticed that his head sunk a little, his ears +ceased their flapping, his tail hung motionless, and his trunk, now +twined around his tusks, remained at rest. + +They gaze intently. Now they see his body droop a little to one side-- +now it touches the tree--there is heard a loud crack, followed by a +confused crashing of branches--and the huge dark body of the elephant +sinks upon its side. + +At the same instant a terrible scream drowns all other sounds, causing +the forest to echo, and the very leaves to quake. Then follows a +confused roaring, mingled with the noise of cracking branches, and the +struggles of the mighty brute where he lies kicking his giant limbs +along the earth, in the agonies of death! + +The hunters remain in the tree. They see that the elephant is down-- +that he is impaled. There will be no need for their puny weapons. +Their game has already received the death-wound. + +The struggle is of short duration. The painful breathing that precedes +death is heard issuing from the long proboscis; and then follows a deep +ominous silence. + +The hunters leap down, and approach the prostrate body. They see that +it still lies upon the terrible _chevaux de frise_, where it had fallen. +The stakes have done their work most effectively. The elephant +breathes no more. He is dead! + +It was the work of an hour to cut out those splendid tusks. But our +hunters thought nothing of that; and they were only the more pleased to +find each of them a heavy load--as much as a man could carry! + +Von Bloom shouldered one, Swartboy the other while Hendrik loaded +himself with the guns and implements; and all three, leaving the carcass +of the dead elephant behind them, returned triumphantly to camp. + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN. + +THE WILD-ASSES OF AFRICA. + +Notwithstanding the success of the day's hunt the mind of Von Bloom was +not at rest. They had "bagged" their game, it was true, but in what +manner? Their success was a mere accident, and gave them no earnest of +what might be expected in the future. They might go long before finding +another "sleeping-tree" of the elephants, and repeating their easy +capture. + +Such were the not very pleasant reflections of the field-cornet, on the +evening after returning from their successful hunt. + +But still less pleasant were they, two weeks later, at the retrospect of +many an unsuccessful chase from which they had returned--when, after +twelve days spent in "jaging" the elephant, they had added only a single +pair of tusks to the collection, and these the tusks of a cow-elephant, +scarce two feet in length, and of little value! + +The reflection was not the less painful, that nearly every day they had +fallen in with elephants, and had obtained a shot or two at these +animals. That did not mend the matter a bit. On the contrary, it +taught the hunter how easily they could run away from him, as they +invariably did. It taught him how small his chances were of capturing +such game, so long as he could only follow it _afoot_. + +The hunter on foot stands but a poor chance with the elephant. Stalking +in upon one is easy enough, and perhaps obtaining a single shot; but +when the animal trots off through the thick jungle, it is tedious work +following him. He may go miles before halting, and even if the hunter +should overtake him, it may be only to deliver a second shot, and see +the game once more disappear into the bushes--perhaps to be spoored no +farther. + +Now the mounted hunter has this advantage. His horse _can overtake_ the +elephant; and it is a peculiarity of this animal, that the moment he +finds that his enemy, whatever it be, _can_ do that thing, he disdains +to run any farther, but at once stands to bay; and the hunter may then +deliver as many shots as he pleases. + +Herein lies the great advantage of the hunter on horseback. Another +advantage is the security the horse affords, enabling his rider to avoid +the charges of the angry elephant. + +No wonder Von Bloom sighed for a horse. No wonder he felt grieved at +the want of this noble companion, that would have aided him so much in +the chase. + +He grieved all the more, now that he had become acquainted with the +district, and had found it so _full_ of elephants. Troops of an hundred +had been seen; and these far from being shy, or disposed to make off +after a shot or two. Perhaps they had never heard the report of a gun +before that of his own long roer pealed in their huge ears. + +_With_ a horse the field-cornet believed he could have killed many, and +obtained much valuable ivory. _Without_ one, his chances of carrying +out his design were poor indeed. His hopes were likely to end in +disappointment. + +He felt this keenly. The bright prospects he had so ardently indulged +in, became clouded over; and fears for the future once more harassed +him. He would only waste his time in this wilderness. His children +would live without books, without education, without society. Were he +to be suddenly called away, what would become of them? His pretty +Gertrude would be no better off than a little savage--his sons would +become not in sport, as he was wont to call them, but in reality a trio +of "Bush-boys." + +Once more these thoughts filled the heart of the father with pain. Oh! +what would he not have given at that moment for a pair of horses, of any +sort whatever? + +The field-cornet, while making these reflections, was seated in the +great nwana-tree, upon the platform, that had been built on the side +towards the lake, and from which a full view could be obtained of the +water. From this point a fine view could also be obtained of the +country which lay to the eastward of the lake. At some distance off it +was wooded, but nearer the vley a grassy plain lay spread before the eye +like a green meadow. + +The eyes of the hunter were turned outward on this plain, and just then +his glance tell upon a troop of animals crossing the open ground, and +advancing towards the vley. + +They were large animals--nearly of the shape and size of small horses-- +and travelling in single file; as they were, the troop at a distance +presented something of the appearance of a "cafila," or caravan. There +were in all about fifty individuals in the line; and they marched along +with a steady sober pace, as if under the guidance and direction of some +wise leader. How very different from the capricious and eccentric +movements of the gnoos! + +Individually they bore some resemblance to these last-named animals. In +the shape of their bodies and tails, in their general ground colour, and +in the "brindled" or tiger-like stripes that could be perceived upon +their cheeks, neck, and shoulders. These stripes were exactly of the +same form as those upon a zebra; but far less distinct, and not +extending to the body or limbs, as is the case with the true zebra. In +general colour, and in some other respects, the animals reminded one of +the ass; but their heads, necks, and the upper part of their bodies, +were of darker hue, slightly tinged with reddish-brown. In fact, the +new-comers had points of resemblance to all four--horse, ass, gnoo, and +zebra--and yet they were distinct from any. To the zebra they bore the +greatest resemblance--for they were in reality a species of zebra--they +were _quaggas_. + +Modern naturalists have divided the _Equidae_, or horse family, into two +genera--the _horse (equus_) and the _ass (asinus_)--the principal points +of distinction being, that animals of the horse kind have long flowing +manes, full tails, and warty callosities on both hind and fore limbs; +while asses, on the contrary, have short, meagre, and upright manes, +tails slender and furnished only with long hairs at the extremity, and +their hind limbs wanting the callosities. These, however, are found on +the fore-legs as upon horses. + +Although there are many varieties of the horse genus--scores of them, +widely differing from each other--they can all be easily recognised by +these characteristic marks, from the "Suffolk Punch," the great London +dray-horse, down to his diminutive little cousin the "Shetland Pony." + +The varieties of the ass are nearly as numerous, though this fact is not +generally known. + +First, we have the common ass (_Asinus vulgaris_), the type of the +genus; and of this there are many breeds in different countries, some +nearly as elegant and as highly prized as horses. Next there is the +"onagra," "koulan," or "wild-ass" (_Asinus onager_), supposed to be the +origin of the common kind. This is a native of Asia, though it is also +found in the north-eastern parts of Africa. There is also the +"dziggetai," or "great wild-ass" (_Asinus hemionus_), of Central and +Southern Asia, and another smaller species the "ghur" (_Asinus Hamar_) +found in Persia. Again, there is the "kiang" (_Asinus kiang_) met with +in Ladakh, and the "yo-totze" (_Asinus equulus_), an inhabitant of +Chinese Tartary. + +All these are Asiatic species, found in a wild state, and differing from +one another in colour, size, form, and even in habits. Many of them are +of elegant form, and swift as the swiftest horses. + +In this little book we cannot afford room for a description of each, but +must confine our remarks to what is more properly our subject--_the +wild-asses of Africa_. Of these there are six or seven kinds--perhaps +more. + +First, there is the "wild-ass" (_Asinus onager_), which, as already +stated, extends from Asia into the north-eastern parts of Africa, +contiguous to the former continent. + +Next there is the "koomrah," of which very little is known, except that +it inhabits the forests of Northern Africa, and is solitary in its +habits, unlike most of the other species. The koomrah has been +described as a "wild horse," but, most probably, it belongs to the genus +_asinus_. + +Now there are four other species of "wild-asses" in Africa--wild horses +some call them--and a fifth reported by travellers, but as yet +undetermined. These species bear such a resemblance to one another in +their form, the peculiar markings of their bodies, size, and general +habits, that they may be classed together under the title of the _zebra_ +family. First, there is the true zebra (_Equus zebra_), perhaps the +most beautiful of all quadrupeds, and of which no description need be +given. Second, the "dauw," or "Burchell's zebra," as it is more +frequently called (_Equus Burchellii_). Third, the "Congo dauw" (_Equus +hippotigris_), closely resembling the dauw. Fourth, the "quagga" +(_Equus quagga_); and fifth, the undetermined species known as the +"white zebra" (_Equus Isabellinus_), so-called from its pale yellow, or +Isabella colour. + +These five species evidently have a close affinity with each other--all +of them being more or less marked with the peculiar transversal bands or +"stripes," which are the well-known characteristics of the zebra. Even +the quagga is so banded upon the head and upper parts of its body. + +The zebra proper is "striped" from the tip of the nose to its very +hoofs, and the bands are of a uniform black, while the ground colour is +nearly white, or white tinged with a pale yellow. The "dauws," on the +other hand, are not banded upon the legs; the rays are not so dark or +well defined, and the ground colour is not so pure or clean-looking. +For the rest, all these three species are much alike; and it is more +than probable that either "Burchell's" or the "congo dauw", was the +species to which the name of "zebra" was first applied; for that which +is now called the "true zebra" inhabits those parts of Africa where it +was less likely to have been the first observed of that genus. At all +events, the "congo dauw" is the "hippotigris," or tiger-horse, of the +Romans; and this we infer from its inhabiting a more northerly part of +Africa than the others, all of which belong to the southern half of that +continent. The habitat of the zebra is said to extend as far north as +Abyssinia; but, perhaps, the "congo dauw," which certainly inhabits +Abyssinia, has been mistaken for the true zebra. + +Of the four species in South Africa, the zebra is a mountain animal, and +dwells among the cliffs, while the dauw and quagga rove over the plains +and wild karoo deserts. In similar situations to these has the "white +zebra" been observed--though only by the traveller Le Vaillant--and +hence the doubt about its existence as a distinct species. + +None of the kinds associate together, though each herds with other +animals! The quagga keeps company with the gnoo, the "dauw" with the +"brindled gnoo," while the tall ostrich stalks in the midst of the herds +of both! + +There is much difference in the nature and disposition of the different +species. The mountain zebra is very shy and wild; the dauw is almost +untameable; while the quagga is of a timid docile nature, and may be +trained to harness with as much facility as a horse. + +The reason why this has not been done, is simply because the farmers of +South Africa have horses in plenty, and do not stand in need of the +quagga, either for saddle or harness. + +But though Von Bloom the _farmer_ had never thought of "breaking in" a +quagga, Von Bloom the _hunter_ now did. + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT. + +PLANNING THE CAPTURE OF THE QUAGGAS. + +Up to this time the field-cornet had scarce deigned to notice the +quaggas. He knew what they were, and had often seen a drove of them-- +perhaps the same one--approach the vley and drink. Neither he nor any +of his people had molested them, though they might have killed many. +They knew that the yellow oily flesh of these animals was not fit for +food, and is only eaten by the hungry natives--that their hides, +although sometimes used for grain-sacks and other common purposes, are +of very little value. For these reasons, they had suffered them to come +and go quietly. They did not wish to waste powder and lead upon them; +neither did they desire wantonly to destroy such harmless creatures. + +Every evening, therefore, the quaggas had drunk at the vley and gone off +again, without exciting the slightest interest. + +Not so upon this occasion. A grand design now occupied the mind of Von +Bloom. The troop of quaggas became suddenly invested with as much +interest as if it had been a herd of elephants; and the field-cornet had +started to his feet, and stood gazing upon them--his eyes sparkling with +pleasure and admiration. + +He admired their prettily-striped heads, their plump well-turned bodies, +their light elegant limbs; in short, he admired everything about them, +size, colour, and proportions. Never before had quaggas appeared so +beautiful in the eyes of the vee-boor. + +But why this new-born admiration for the despised quaggas?--for despised +they are by the Cape farmer, who shoots them only to feed his Hottentot +servants. Why had they so suddenly become such favourites with the +field-cornet? That you will understand by knowing the reflections that +were just then passing through his mind. They were as follows:-- + +Might not a number of these animals be caught and broken in?--Why not? +Might they not be trained to the saddle?--Why not? Might they not serve +him for hunting the elephant just as well as horses?--Why not? + +Von Bloom asked these three questions of himself. Half a minute served +to answer them all in the affirmative. There was neither impossibility +nor improbability in any of the three propositions. It was clear that +the thing could be done, and without difficulty. + +A new hope sprang up in the heart of the field-cornet. Once more his +countenance became radiant with joy. + +He communicated his thoughts both to the Bushman and "Bush-boys"--all of +whom highly approved of the idea, and only wondered that none of them +had thought of it before. + +And now the question arose, as to how the quaggas were to be captured. +This was the first point to be settled; and the four,--Von Bloom +himself, Hans, Hendrik, and Swartboy,--sat deliberately down to concoct +some plan of effecting this object. + +Of course they could do nothing just then, and the drove that had come +to drink was allowed to depart peacefully. The hunters knew they would +return on the morrow about the same hour; and it was towards their +return that the thought of all were bent. + +Hendrik advised "creasing," which means sending a bullet through the +upper part of the neck near the withers, and by this means a quagga can +be knocked over and captured. The shot, if properly directed, does not +kill the animal. It soon recovers, and may be easily "broken," though +its spirit is generally broken at the same time. It is never "itself +again." Hendrik understood the mode of "creasing." He had seen it +practised by the boor-hunters. He knew the spot where the bullet should +hit. He believed he could do it easily enough. + +Hans considered the "creasing" too cruel a mode. They might kill many +quaggas before obtaining one that was hit in the proper place. Besides +there would be a waste of powder and bullets--a thing to be considered. +Why could they not snare the animals? He had heard of nooses being set +for animals as large as the Quaggas, and of many being caught in that +manner. + +Hendrik did not think the idea of snaring a good one. They might get +one in that way--the foremost of the drove; but all the others, seeing +the leader caught, would gallop off and return no more to the vley; and +where would they set their snare for a second? It might be a long time +before they should find another watering-place of these animals; whereas +they might stalk and crease them upon the plains at any time. + +Swartboy now put in his plan. It was the _pit-fall_. That was the way +by which Bushmen most generally caught large animals, and Swartboy +perfectly understood how to construct a pit for quaggas. + +Hendrik saw objections to this, very similar to those he had urged +against the snare. The foremost of the quaggas might be caught, but the +others would not be fools enough to walk into the pit--after their +leader had fallen in and laid the trap open. They of course would +gallop off, and never come back that way again. + +If it could be done at night, Hendrik admitted, the thing might be +different. In the darkness several might rush in before catching the +alarm. But no--the quaggas had always come to drink in day-time--one +only could be trapped, and then the others alarmed would keep away. + +There would have been reason in what Hendrik said, but for a remarkable +fact which the field-cornet himself had observed when the quaggas came +to the lake to drink. It was, that the animals had invariably entered +the water at one point, and gone out at another. It was of course a +mere accident that they did so, and owing to the nature of the ground; +but such was the case, and Von Bloom had observed it on several +occasions. They were accustomed to enter by the gorge, already +described; and, after drinking, wade along the shallow edge for some +yards, and then pass out by another break in the bank. + +The knowledge of this fact was of the utmost importance, and all saw +that at once. A pit-fall dug upon the path by which the animals entered +the lake, would no doubt operate as Hendrik said--one might be caught, +and all the rest frightened off. But a similar trap placed upon the +trail that led outward, would bring about a very different result. Once +the quaggas had finished drinking, and just at the moment they were +heading out of the water, the hunters could show themselves upon the +opposite side, set the troop in quick motion, and _gallop them into the +trap_. By this means not only one, but a whole pit-full might be +captured at once! + +All this appeared so feasible that not another suggestion was offered-- +the plan of the _pit-fall_ was at once, and unanimously adopted. + +It remained only to dig the pit, cover it properly, and then wait the +result. + +During all the time their capture was being planned, the herd of quaggas +had remained in sight, disporting themselves upon the open plain. It +was a tantalising sight to Hendrik, who would have liked much to have +shown his marksman skill by "creasing" one. But the young hunter saw +that it would be imprudent to fire at them there, as it would prevent +them from returning to the vley; so he restrained himself, and along +with the others remained watching the quaggas--all regarding them with a +degree of interest which they had never before felt in looking at a +drove of these animals. + +The quaggas saw nothing of them, although quite near to the great +nwana-tree. They--the hunters--were up among the branches, where the +animals did not think of looking, and there was nothing around the +bottom of the tree to cause them alarm. The wagon-wheels had long ago +been disposed of in the bush, partly to shelter them from the sun, and +partly because game animals frequently came within shot of the tree, and +were thus obtained without any trouble. There were scarce any traces +upon the ground that would have betrayed the existence of a "camp" in +the tree; and a person might have passed very near without noticing the +odd aerial dwelling of the hunter family. + +All this was design upon the part of the field-cornet. As yet he knew +little of the country around. He did not know but that it might contain +worse enemies than either hyenas or lions. + +While they sat watching the manoeuvres of the quaggas, a movement was +made by one of these creatures more singular than any that had yet been +witnessed. + +The animal in question was browsing quietly along, and at length +approached a small clump of bushes that stood out in the open ground. +When close to the copse it was observed to make a sudden spring forward; +and almost at the same instant, a shaggy creature leaped out of the +bushes, and ran off. This last was no other than the ugly "striped" +hyena. Instead of turning upon the quagga and showing fight, as one +might have supposed so strong and fierce a brute would have done, the +hyena uttered a howl of alarm, and ran off as fast as its legs would +carry it. + +They did not carry it far. It was evidently making for a larger tract +of bush that grew near: but before it had got half-way across the open +ground, the quagga came up behind, and uttering his shrill "couaag," +reared forward, and dropped with his fore-hoofs upon the hyena's back. +At the same instant the neck of the carnivorous animal was clutched by +the teeth of the ruminant and held as fast, as if grasped by a vice. + +All looked to see the hyena free itself and run off again. They looked +in vain. It never ran another yard. It never came alive out of the +clutch of those terrible teeth. + +The quagga still held his struggling victim with firm hold--trampling it +with his hoofs, and shaking it in his strong jaws, until in a few +minutes the screams of the hyena ceased, and his mangled carcass lay +motionless upon the plain! + +One would think that this incident might have been enough to warn our +hunters to be cautious in their dealings with the quagga. Such a sharp +biter would be no pleasant horse to "bit and bridle." + +But all knew the antipathy that exists between the wild horse and the +hyena; and that the quagga, though roused to fury at the sight of one of +these animals, is very different in its behaviour towards man. So +strong, in fact, is this antipathy, and so complete is the mastery of +the ruminant over the carnivorous animal, that the frontier farmers +often take advantage of these peculiar facts, and keep the hyenas from +their cattle by bringing up with the herd a number of quaggas, who act +as its guards and protectors. + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY NINE. + +THE PIT-TRAP. + +While they were watching the movements of the quaggas, Von Bloom rose +suddenly to his feet. All turned their eyes upon him as he did so. +They saw by his manner that he was about to propose something. What +could it be? + +The thought had just occurred to him that they should at once set about +digging the pit. + +It was near sunset--wanting only half-an-hour of it; and one would +suppose he would have done better to leave the work till next morning. +But no. There was a good reason why they should set about it at once; +and that was, that they might not be able to complete it in time if they +did not do part of it that night. + +It would be no slight undertaking to dig a pit of proper size, for they +would require one that would at least hold half-a-dozen quaggas at a +time. Then there was the carrying away the earth that should come out +of it, the cutting the poles and branches to cover it, and the placing +of these in a proper manner. + +To do all these things would take up a great deal of time; and they must +be all done against the return of the quaggas, else the whole scheme +would be a failure. Should the animals arrive upon the ground before +the pit was covered in and all traces of the work removed, they would +make off without entering the water, and perhaps never visit that vley +again. + +Such were the conjectures of the field-cornet. Hans, Hendrik, and +Swartboy, acknowledged their justice. All saw the necessity of going to +work at once, and to work they all went. + +Fortunately among the "implements," were two good spades, a shovel, and +a pick-axe, and all of them could be busy at the same time. There were +baskets in which the dirt could be sanded off, and thrown into the deep +channel close by, where it would not be seen. This was also a fortunate +circumstance; for to have carried the stuff any great distance, would +have made the job still heavier, and more difficult to execute in proper +time. + +Having marked the outlines of the pit, they went to work with spade, +shovel, and pick. The ground proved tolerably loose, and the pick was +but little needed. The field-cornet himself handled one of the spades, +Hendrik the other, while Swartboy acted as shoveller, and filled the +baskets as fast as Hans and Totty, assisted by Truey and little Jan, +could empty them. These last carried a small basket of their own, and +contributed very materially to the progress of the work, by lightening +the labours of Hans and Totty. + +And so the work went merrily on until midnight, and even after that +hour, under the light of a full moon; by which time the diggers were +buried to their necks. + +But they were now fatigued. They knew they could easily complete the +pit next day; and so they laid down their implements, and after +performing their ablutions in the crystal water of the stream, retired +to their sleeping-quarters in the tree. + +By early dawn they were at it again, busy as bees; and the pit +progressed so rapidly that before they stopped to take breakfast Von +Bloom could scarce see out of it standing on his toes, and the crown of +Swartboy's woolly head was nearly two feet below the surface. A little +more digging would do. + +After breakfast they went to work at briskly as ever; and laboured away +until they considered that the hole was sunk to a sufficient depth. It +would have taken a springbok to have leaped out of it; and no quagga +could possibly have cleared itself from such a pit. + +Poles and bushes were now cut; and the pit was neatly covered with +these, and strewed over, as well as a large tract of the adjoining +ground, with rushes and grass. The most sagacious animal would have +been deceived by the appearance; even a fox could not have discovered +the tray before tumbling into it. + +They had completed the work before going to dinner,--which, +consequently, fell late on that day--so nothing more remained to be done +but to dine, and await the coming of the quaggas. + +At dinner they were all very merry, notwithstanding the immense fatigue +they had gone through. The prospect of capturing the quaggas was very +exciting, and kept the party in high spirits. + +Each offered a prognostication as to the result. Some said they would +trap three quaggas at the least; while others were more sanguine, and +believed they might take twice that number. Jan did not see why the pit +should not be full; and Hendrik thought this probable enough-- +considering the way they intended to drive the quaggas into it. + +It certainly seemed so. The pit had been made of sufficient width to +preclude the possibility of the animals leaping over it, while it was +dug lengthwise across the path, so that they could not miss it. The lay +of the ground would guide them directly into it. + +It is true that, were they to be left to themselves, and permitted to +follow their usual method of marching--that is, in single file--only +one, the leader, might be caught. The rest, seeing him fall in, would +be sure to wheel round, and gallop off in a different direction. + +But it was not the intention of the hunters to leave things thus. They +had planned a way by which the quaggas, at a certain moment, would be +thrown into a complete panic, and thus forced pell-mell upon the pit. +In this lay their hopes of securing a large number of the animals. + +Four was as many as were wanted. One for each of the hunters. Four +would do; but of course it mattered not how many more got into the pit. +The more the better, as a large number would give them the advantage of +"pick and choose." + +Dinner over, the hunters set about preparing for the reception of their +expected visitors. As already stated, the dinner had been later than +usual; and it was now near the hour when the quaggas might be looked +for. + +In order to be in time, each took his station. Hans, Hendrik, and +Swartboy, placed themselves in ambush around the lake--at intervals from +one another; but the lower end, where the animals usually approached and +went out, was left quite open. Von Bloom remained on the platform in +the tree, so as to mark the approach of the quaggas, and give warning by +a signal to the other three. The positions taken by these were such, +that they could guide the herd in the direction of the pit by merely +coming out of the bushes where they lay concealed. In order that they +should show themselves simultaneously, and at the proper moment, they +were to wait for a signal from the tree. This was to be the firing of +the great "roer," loaded blank. Hans and Hendrik were also to fire +blank shots on discovering themselves, and by this means the desired +panic would be produced. + +The whole scheme was well contrived, and succeeded admirably. The herd +appeared filing over the plain, just as on the preceding days. Von +Bloom announced their approach to the three in ambush, by repeating in a +subdued tone the words,-- + +"Quaggas are coming!" + +The unsuspecting animals filed through the gorge, scattered about in the +water, drank their fill, and then commenced retiring by the path on +which lay the trap. + +The leader having climbed the bank, and seeing the fresh grass and +rushes strewed upon the path, uttered a snorting bark, and seemed half +inclined to wheel round. But just at that moment boomed the loud +detonation of the roer; and, then, like lesser echoes, the reports of +the smaller guns on the right and left, while Swartboy shouted at the +top pitch of his voice, from another quarter. + +A look back showed the quaggas that they were well-nigh surrounded by +strange enemies. But one course appeared open to them--the way they +were wont to go; and barking with affright, the whole drove dashed up +the bank, and crowded on towards the pit. + +Then was heard a confused noise--the cracking of the poles--the +trampling of many hoofs--the dull sounds of heavy bodies falling +together, and mingling in a continuous struggle--and the wild snorting, +as the creatures hurried forward in affright. Some were seen springing +high in the air, as if to overleap the pit. Others poised themselves on +their hind hoofs, and wheeling round, ran back into the lake. Some +dashed off through the bushes, and escaped in that way; but the great +body of the drove came running back, and plunging through the water, +made off by the gorge through which they had come. In a few minutes not +one was in sight. + +The boys thought they had all escaped; but Von Bloom, from his more +elevated position in the tree, could perceive the snouts of several +protruding above the edge of the pit. + +On arriving at the spot, to their great satisfaction the hunters +discovered no less than eight full-grown quaggas in the trap--just twice +the number required to mount the party. + +In less than two weeks from that time, four of the quaggas were broken +to the saddle, and perfectly obedient to the bit. Of course there was a +good deal of kicking, and plunging, and flinging, and many hard gallops, +and some ugly falls, before it came to this; but both the Bushman +Swartboy and the Bush-boy Hendrik were expert in the _manege_ of horses, +and soon tamed the quaggas to a proper degree of docility. + +Upon the very first occasion when these animals were used in the hunt of +the elephant, they rendered the very service expected of them. The +elephant, as usual, bolted after receiving the first shot; but the +hunters on "quagga-back" were enabled to keep him in sight, and follow +rapidly upon his heels. As soon as the elephant discovered that, run as +he would, his pursuers had the power of overtaking him, he disdained to +fly farther, and stood to bay; thus giving them the opportunity of +delivering shot after shot, until a mortal wound brought his huge body +to the earth. + +Von Bloom was delighted. His hopes were high, his benignant star was +once more in the ascendant. + +He would yet accomplish his design. He would yet be rich. A few years +would enable him to build up his fortune--to construct a pyramid of +ivory! + + + +CHAPTER FORTY. + +DRIVING IN THE ELAND. + +Of all the family Hendrik was the hunter _par excellence_. It was he +who habitually stored the larder; and upon days when they were not +engaged in the chase of the elephant, Hendrik would be abroad alone in +pursuit of antelopes, and other creatures, that furnished their usual +subsistence. Hendrik kept the table well supplied. + +Antelopes are the principal game of South Africa--for Africa is the +country of the antelope above all others. You may be surprised to hear +that there are _seventy different species of antelopes_ over all the +earth--that more than fifty of these are African, and that thirty at +least belong to South Africa--that is, the portion of the continent +lying between the Cape of Good Hope and the Tropic of Capricorn. + +It would require the space of a whole book, therefore, to give a fair +account--a monograph--of the antelopes alone; and I cannot afford that +space here. At present I can only say that Africa is the great antelope +country, although many fine species exist also in Asia--that in America +there is but one kind, the _prong-horn_, with which you are already well +acquainted--and that in Europe there are two, though one of these, the +well-known "chamois," is as much goat as antelope. + +I shall farther remark, that the seventy species of animals, by +naturalists classed as antelopes, differ widely from one another in +form, size, colour, pelage, habits; in short, in so many respects, that +their classification under the name of _Antelope_ is very arbitrary +indeed. Some approximate closely to the goat tribe; others are more +like deer; some resemble oxen; others are closely allied to the buffalo; +while a few species possess many of the characteristics of wild sheep! + +As a general thing, however, they are more like to deer than any other +animals; and many species of them are, in common parlance, called deer. +Indeed, many antelopes are more like to certain species of deer than to +others of their own kind. The chief distinction noted between them and +the deer is, that the antelopes have _horny_ horns, that are persistent +or permanent, while those of the deer are osseous or _bony_, and are +annually cast. + +Like the deer the different species of antelopes possess very different +habits. Some frequent the wide open plains; some the deep forest; some +wander by the shady banks of streams; while others love to dwell upon +the rocky steep, or the dry ravines of the mountains. Some browse upon +the grass; while others, goat-like, prefer the leaves and tender twigs +of trees. In fact, so different are these creatures in habits, that +whatever be the natural character of a district of country, it will be +found the favourite home of one or more species. Even the very desert +has its antelopes, that prefer the parched and waterless plain to the +most fertile and verdant valley. + +Of all antelopes the "eland," or "caana" (_Antelope oreas_) is the +largest. It measures full seventeen hands at the shoulder--being thus +equal in height to a very large horse. A large eland weighs one +thousand pounds. It is a heavily formed animal, and an indifferent +runner, as a mounted hunter can gallop up to one without effort. Its +general proportions are not unlike those of a common ox, but its horns +are straight and rise vertically from the crown, diverging only slightly +from one another. These are two feet in length, and marked by a ridge +that passes spirally around them nearly to the tips. The horns of the +female are longer than those of the male. + +The eyes of the eland, like those of most antelopes, are large, bright, +and melting, without any expression of fierceness; and the animal, +though so very large and strong, is of the most innocuous disposition-- +showing fight only when driven to desperation. + +The general colour of this antelope is dun, with a rufous tinge. +Sometimes ashy grey touched with ochre is the prevailing hue. + +The eland is one of those antelopes that appear to be independent of +water. It is met with upon the desert plains, far from either spring or +stream; and it even seems to prefer such situations--perhaps from the +greater security it finds there--though it is also a denizen of the +fertile and wooded districts. It is gregarious, the sexes herding +separately, and in groups of from ten to a hundred individuals. + +The flesh of the eland is highly esteemed, and does not yield in +delicacy to that of any of the antelope, deer, or bovine tribes. It has +been compared to tender beef with a _game flavour_; and the muscles of +the thighs when cured and dried produce a _bonne bouche_, known under +the odd appellation of "thigh-tongues." + +Of course the eland affording such excellent meat, and in so large a +quantity, is zealously hunted for his spoils. Being only a poor runner +and always very fat, the hunt is usually a short one; and ends in the +eland being shot down, skinned, and cut up. There is no great +excitement about this chase, except that it is not every day an eland +can be started. The ease with which they can be captured, as well as +the value of their venison, has led to the thinning off of these +antelopes; and it is only in remote districts where a herd of them can +be found. + +Now since their arrival, no elands had been seen, though now and then +their spoor was observed; and Hendrik, for several reasons, was very +desirous of getting one. He had never shot an eland in his life--that +was one reason--and another was, that he wished to procure a supply of +the fine venison which lies in such quantities over the ribs of these +animals. + +It was, therefore, with great delight, that Hendrik one morning received +the report that a herd of elands had been seen upon the upper plain, and +not far off. Swartboy, who had been upon the cliffs, brought this +report to camp. + +Without losing any more time than sufficed to get the direction from +Swartboy, Hendrik mounted his quagga, shouldered his rifle, and rode off +in search of the herd. + +Not far from the camp there was an easy pass, leading up the cliff to +the plain above. It was a sort of gorge or ravine; and from the +numerous tracks of animals in its bottom, it was evidently much used as +a road from the upper plain to that in which were the spring and stream. +Certain animals, such as the zebras and quaggas, and others that +frequent the dry desert plains from preference, were in the habit of +coming by this path when they required water. + +Up the gorge rode Hendrik; and no sooner had he arrived at its top, than +he discovered the herd of elands--seven old bulls--about a mile off upon +the upper plain. + +There was not cover enough to have sheltered a fox. The only growth +near the spot where the elands were, consisted of straggling +aloe-plants, euphorbias, with some stunted bushes, and tufts of dry +grass, characteristic of the desert. There was no clump large enough to +have sheltered a hunter from the eye of his game; and Hendrik at once +came to the conclusion, that the elands could not be "stalked" in the +situation they then occupied. + +Now, though Hendrik had never hunted this antelope, he was well +acquainted with its habits, and knew how it ought to be chased. He knew +that it was a bad runner; that any old horse could bring up with it; and +that his quagga--the fastest of the four that had been tamed--could do +the same. + +It was only a question of "start," therefore. Could he get near enough +the bulls to have a fair start, he would run one of them down to a +certainty. The result might be different should the elands take the +alarm at a long distance off, and scour away over the plain. + +To get within fair starting distance, that was the point to be +attempted. + +But Hendrik was a wary hunter, and soon accomplished this. Instead of +riding direct for the elands, he made a grand circuit--until he had got +the herd between him and the cliff--and then, heading his quagga for +them, he rode quietly forward. + +He did not sit erect in the saddle, but held himself bent down, until +his breast almost touched the withers of the quagga. This he did to +deceive the elands, who would otherwise have recognised him as an enemy. +In such a fashion they could not make out what kind of creature was +coming towards them; but stood for a long while gazing at Hendrik and +his quagga with feelings of curiosity, and of course some little alarm. + +They, however, permitted the hunter to get within five hundred yards +distance--near enough for him--before they broke off in their heavy +lumbering gallop. + +Hendrik now rose in his saddle, put spurs to his quagga, and followed +the herd at full speed. + +As he had designed, so it came to pass. The elands ran straight in the +direction of the cliff--not where the pass was, but where there was +none--and, on reaching the precipice, were of course forced to turn into +a new direction, transverse to their former one. This gave Hendrik the +advantage, who, heading his quagga diagonally, was soon upon the heels +of the herd. + +It was Hendrik's intention to single out one of the bulls, and run him +down--leaving the others to gallop off wherever they wished. + +His intention was carried out; for shortly after, the fattest of the +bulls shot to one side, as if to escape in that way, while the rest ran +on. + +The bull was not so cunning as he thought himself. Hendrik's eye was +upon him; and in a moment the quagga was turned upon his track. + +Another burst carried both game and pursuer nearly a mile across the +plain. The eland had turned from a rufous dun colour to that of a +leaden blue; the saliva fell from his lips in long streamers, foam +dappled his broad chest, the tears rolled out of his big eyes, and his +gallop became changed to a weary trot. He was evidently "blown." + +In a few minutes more the quagga was close upon his heels; and then the +huge antelope, seeing that farther running could not serve him, halted +in despair, and faced round towards his pursuer. + +Now Hendrik had his loaded rifle in his hand, and you expect to hear +that he instantly raised it to his shoulder, took aim, fired, and +brought down the eland. + +I must disappoint you, then, by telling you that he did no such thing. + +Hendrik was a real hunter--neither rash nor wasteful of his resources. +He knew a better plan than to kill the eland upon the spot. He knew +that the animal was now quite in his power; and that he could drive him +wherever he pleased, just like a tame ox. To have killed the creature +on the spot would have been a waste of powder and shot. More than that, +it would have rendered necessary all the trouble of transporting its +flesh to camp--a double journey at least--and with the risk of the +hyenas eating up most of it in his absence. Whereas he could save all +this trouble by _driving the eland to camp_; and this was his design. + +Without firing a shot, therefore, he galloped on past the blown bull, +headed him, turned him round, and then drove him before him in the +direction of the cliff. + +The bull could make neither resistance nor opposition. Now and again, +he would turn and trot off in a contrary direction; but he was easily +headed again, and at length forced forward to the top of the pass. + + + +CHAPTER FORTY ONE. + +A WILD RIDE ON QUAGGA-BACK. + +Hendrik was congratulating himself on his success. He anticipated some +pleasure in the surprise he was about to create at camp, when he should +march in with the eland--for he had no doubt that he would succeed in +doing so. + +Indeed, there appeared no reason to doubt it. The bull had already +entered the gorge, and was moving down it, while Hendrik and his quagga +were hurrying forward to follow. + +The hunter had arrived within a few yards of the top, when a loud +trampling noise sounded in his ears, as if a band of heavy-footed +animals were coming up the gorge. + +He spurred his quagga forward, in order to reach the edge, and get a +view down the ravine. Before he was able to do so, he was surprised to +see the eland gallop up again, and try to pass him upon the plain. It +had evidently received fresh alarm, from something in the gorge; and +preferred facing its old enemy to encountering the new. + +Hendrik did not give his attention to the eland. He could ride it down +at any time. He was more anxious first to know what had given it the +start backward; so he continued to press forward to the head of the +ravine. + +He might have thought of lions, and acted with greater prudence; but the +trampling of hoofs which still echoed up the pass told him that lions +were not the cause of the eland's alarm. + +He at length reached a point where he could see down the declivity. He +had not far to look--for already the animals that were making the noise +were close up to him; and he perceived they were nothing more than a +troop of quaggas. + +He was not over-pleased at this interruption to his drive; and the less +did he like it, that the intruders were quaggas--ill-conditioned brutes +that they were! Had they been game animals, he would have shot one; but +the only motive that would have induced him to shoot one of the quaggas +would have been a feeling of anger--for, at that moment, he was really +angry at them. + +Without knowing it, poor brutes! they had likely given him cause for a +good deal of trouble; for it would cost him a good deal, before he could +head the eland again, and get it back into the pass. No wonder, then, +he was vexed a little. + +But his vexation was not so grievous as to cause him to fire upon the +approaching herd; and, turning aside, he rode after the eland. + +He had hardly left the spot, when the quaggas came out of the pass, +following each other to the number of forty or fifty. Each, as he saw +the mounted hunter, started with affright, and bolted off, until the +whole drove stretched out in a long line over the plain, snorting and +uttering their loud "coua-a-g" as they ran. + +Hendrik would hardly have regarded this movement under ordinary +circumstances. He had often seen herds of quaggas, and was in no way +curious about them. But his attention was drawn to this herd, from his +noticing, as they passed him, that four of them had their tails docked +short; and from this circumstance, he recognised them as the four that +had been caught in the pit-trap and afterwards set free. Swartboy, for +some purpose of his own, had cut off the hair before letting them go. + +Hendrik had no doubt it was they, and that the herd was the same that +used to frequent the vley, but that on account of the ill-treatment they +had met with, had never since shown themselves in the neighbourhood. + +Now these circumstances coming into Hendrik's mind at the moment, led +him to regard the quaggas with a certain feeling of curiosity. The +sudden fright which the animals took on seeing him, and the comic +appearance of the four with the stumped tails, rather inclined Hendrik +towards merriment, and he laughed as he galloped along. + +As the quaggas went off in the same direction which the eland had taken, +of course Hendrik's road and theirs lay so far together; and on galloped +he at their heels. He was curious to try the point--much disputed in +regard to horses--how far a mounted quagga would be able to cope with an +unmounted one. He was curious, moreover, to find out whether his own +quagga was quite equal to any of its old companions. So on swept the +chase--the eland leading, the quaggas after, and Hendrik bringing up the +rear. + +Hendrik had no need to ply the spur. His gallant steed flew like the +wind. He seemed to feel that his character was staked upon the race. +He gained upon the drove at every spring. + +The heavy-going eland was soon overtaken, and as it trotted to one side, +was passed. It halted, but the quaggas kept on. + +Not only the drove kept on, but Hendrik's quagga following close at +their heels; and in less than five minutes they had left the eland a +full mile in their rear, and were still scouring onward over the wide +plain. + +What was Hendrik about? Was he going to forsake the eland, and let it +escape? Had he grown so interested in the race? Was he jealous about +his quagga's speed, and determined it should beat all the others? + +So it would have appeared to any one witnessing the race from a +distance. But one who could have had a nearer view of it, would have +given a different explanation of Hendrik's conduct. + +The fact was, that as soon as the eland halted Hendrik intended to halt +also; and for that purpose pulled strongly upon his bridle. But, to his +astonishment, he found that his quagga did not share his intention. +Instead of obeying the bit, the animal caught the steel in his teeth, +and laying his ears back, galloped straight on! + +Hendrik then endeavoured to turn the quagga to one side, and for this +purpose wrenched his right rein; but with such fierceness, that the old +bit-ring gave way--the bit slipped through the animal's jaws--the +head-stall came off with the jerk--and the quagga was completely +unbridled! + +Of course the animal was now free to go just as he liked; and it was +plain that he liked to go with his old comrades. His old comrades he +well knew them to be, as his snorting and occasional neigh of +recognition testified. + +At first Hendrik was disposed to look upon the breaking of his bit as +only a slight misfortune. For a boy he was one of the best riders in +South Africa, and needed no rein to steady him. He could keep his seat +without one. The quagga would soon stop, and he could then repair the +bit, and re-adjust the bridle which he still held in his hands. Such +were his reflections at first. + +But their spirit began to alter, when he found that the quagga, instead +of lessening his pace kept on as hard as ever, and the herd still ran +wildly before him without showing the slightest signs of coming to a +halt. + +In fact, the quaggas were running through fear. They saw the mounted +hunter behind them in hot pursuit; and although their old comrade knew +who _they_ were, how were they to tell what _he_ was, with such a tall +hunch upon his back? No quagga he, but some terrible monster, they +imagined, thirsting for their lives, and eager to devour one and all of +them! + +No wonder they showed their heels in the best style they knew how; and +so well did they show them, that Hendrik's quagga--notwithstanding his +keen desire to get forward among them, and explain away the awkward +business upon his back--was not able to come an inch closer. + +He did not lose ground, however. His eagerness to regain his old +associates--to partake once more of their wild freedom--for he was +desperately tired of civilised society, and sick of elephant-hunting-- +all these ideas crowded into his mind at the moment, and nerved him to +the utmost exertion. Could he only get up into the body of the crowd-- +for the herd now ran in a crowd--a few whimpers would suffice to +explain--they would come to a halt at once,--they would gather around +him, and assist both with hoofs and teeth to get "shed" of the ugly +two-legged thing that clung so tightly to his dorsal vertebras. + +It was "no go," however. Although he was so close to their heels, that +they flung dust in his face, and small pebbles in the face of his rider, +to the no slight inconvenience of the latter; although he "whighered" +whenever he could spare breath, and uttered his "couag,--couag!" in +reality calling them by name, it was "no go." "They would not stay. +They would not hear." + +And what did Hendrik during all this time? Nothing--he could do +nothing. He could not stay the impetuous flight of his steed. He dared +not dismount. He would have been hurled among sharp rocks, had he +attempted such a thing. His neck would have been broken. He could do +nothing--nothing but keep his seat. + +What thought he? At first, not much. At first he regarded the +adventure lightly. When he was about completing his third mile, he +began to deem it more serious; and as he entered upon the fifth, he +became convinced that he was neither more nor less than in a very +awkward scrape. + +But the fifth mile was left behind, and then a sixth, and a seventh; and +still the quaggas galloped wildly on--the drove actuated by the fear of +losing their liberty, and their old comrade by the desire of regaining +his. + +Hendrik now felt real uneasiness. Where were they going? Where was the +brute carrying him? Perhaps off to the desert, where he might be lost +and perish of hunger or thirst! Already he was many miles from the +cliffs, and he could no longer tell their direction. Even had he halted +then and there, he could not tell which way to turn himself. He would +be lost! + +He grew more than anxious. He became frightened in earnest. + +What was he to do? Leap down, and risk his neck in the fall? He would +lose his quagga and his saddle as well--he regarded the eland as already +lost--he would have to walk back to camp, and get laughed at on his +return. + +No matter for all that; his life was in danger if he kept on. The +quaggas might gallop twenty,--ay, fifty miles before halting. They +showed no symptoms of being blown--no signs of giving out. He must +fling himself to the ground, and let quagga and saddle go. + +He had formed this resolution, and was actually about to put it in +practice. He was just considering how he might best escape an ugly +fall--looking for a soft spot--when, all at once, a grand idea rushed +into his mind. + +He remembered that in taming this same quagga and breaking him to the +saddle, he had been vastly aided by a very simple contrivance--that was +a "blind." The blind was nothing more than a piece of soft leather tied +over the animal's eyes; but so complete had been its effect, that it had +transformed the quagga at once from a kicking screaming creature into a +docile animal. + +Hendrik now thought of the blind. + +True, he had none. Was there nothing about him that would serve as one? +His handkerchief? No, it would be too thin. Hurrah! His jacket would +do! + +His rifle was in the way. It must be got rid of. It must be dropped to +the ground, he could return for it. + +It was let down as gently as possible, and soon left far behind. + +In a twinkling Hendrik stripped off his jacket. How was it to be +arranged so as to blind the quagga? It would not do to drop it. + +A moment's consideration served the ready boy to mature his plan. After +a moment he bent down, passed a sleeve upon each side under the quagga's +throat, and then knotted them together. The jacket thus rested over the +animal's mane, with the collar near its withers, and the peak or skirt +upon the small of its neck. + +Hendrik next leaned as far forward as he could, and with his extended +arms pushed the jacket up the animal's neck, until the skirt passed over +its ears, and fell down in front of its face. + +It was with some difficulty that the rider, bent down as he was, could +retain his seat; for as soon as the thick flap of cloth came down over +the eyes of the quagga, the latter halted as if he had been shot dead in +his tracks. He did not fall, however, but only stood still, quivering +with terror. His gallop was at an end! + +Hendrik leaded to the ground. He was no longer afraid that the quagga, +blinded as he now was, would make any attempt to get off; nor did he. + +In a few minutes the broken bit-ring was replaced by a strong rheim of +raw leather; the bit inserted between the quagga's teeth, the head-stall +safely buckled, and Hendrik once more in the saddle, with his jacket +upon his back. + +The quagga felt that he was conquered. His old associates were no +longer in sight to tempt him from his allegiance; and with these +considerations, aided by a slight dose of bit and spur, he turned his +head, and moved sullenly upon the back-track. Hendrik knew nothing +about the route he should take. He followed back the spoor of the +quaggas to the place where he had dropped his gun, which after riding a +mile or two he recovered. + +As there was no sun in the sky, nor other object to guide him, he +thought he could not do better than trace back the spoor; and although +it led him by many a devious route, and he saw nothing more of his +eland, before night he reached the pass in the cliff, and was soon after +sitting under the shadow of the nwana-tree, regaling a most interested +audience with the narrative of his day's adventures. + + + +CHAPTER FORTY TWO. + +THE GUN-TRAP. + +It was about this time that the field-cornet and his people were very +much annoyed by beasts of prey. The savoury smell which their camp +daily sent forth, as well as the remains of antelopes, killed for their +venison, attracted these visitors. Hyenas and jackals were constantly +skulking in the neighbourhood, and at night came around the great +nwana-tree in scores, keeping up their horrid chorus for hours together. +It is true that nobody feared these animals, as the children at night +were safe in their aerial home, where the hyenas could not get at them. +But for all that, the presence of the brutes was very offensive, as not +a bit of meat--not a hide, nor rheim, nor any article of leather--could +be left below without their getting their teeth upon it, and chewing it +up. + +Quarters of venison they had frequently stolen, and they had eaten up +the leathern part of Swartboy's saddle, and rendered it quite useless +for a while. In short, so great a pest had the hyenas grown to be, that +it became necessary to adopt some mode of destroying them. + +It was not easy to get a shot at them. During the day they were wary, +and either hid themselves in caves of the cliff or in the burrows of the +ant-eater. At night they were bold enough, and came into the very camp; +but then the darkness hindered a good aim, and the hunters knew too well +the value of powder and lead to waste it on a chance shot, though now +and then, when provoked by the brutes, they ventured one. + +But some way must be thought of to thin the numbers of these animals, or +get rid of them altogether. This was the opinion of everybody. + +Two or three kinds of traps were tried, but without much success. A pit +they could leap out of, and from a noose they could free themselves by +cutting the rope with their sharp teeth! + +At length the field-cornet resorted to a plan--much practised by the +boors of Southern Africa for ridding their farms of these and similar +vermin. It was the "gun-trap." + +Now there are several ways of constructing a gun-trap. Of course a gun +is the principal part of the mechanism, and the trigger pulled by a +string is the main point of the contrivance. In some countries the bait +is tied to the string, and the animal on seizing the bait tightens the +string, draws the trigger, and shoots itself. In this way, however, +there is always some uncertainty as to the result. The animal may not +place its body in the proper position with regard to the muzzle, and may +either escape the shot altogether, or may be only "creased," and of +course get off. + +The mode of setting the "gun-trap" in South Africa is a superior plan; +and the creature that is so unfortunate as to draw the trigger rarely +escapes, but is either killed upon the spot, or so badly wounded as to +prevent its getting away. + +Von Bloom constructed his trap after the approved fashion, as follows:-- +Near the camp he selected a spot where three saplings or young trees +grew, standing in a line, and about a yard between each two of them. +Had he not found three trees so disposed, stakes firmly driven into the +ground would have answered his purpose equally well. + +Thorn-bushes were now cut, and a kraal built in the usual manner--that +is, with the tops of the bushes turned outwards. The size of the kraal +was a matter of no consequence; and, of course, to save labour, a small +one was constructed. + +One point, however, was observed in making the kraal. Its door or +opening was placed so that two of the three saplings stood like posts, +one on each side of it; and an animal going into the enclosure must +needs pass between these two trees. + +Now for the part the gun had to play. + +The weapon was placed in a horizontal position against two of the +saplings,--that is, the stock against the one outside the kraal, and the +barrel against one of the door-posts, and there firmly lashed. In this +position the muzzle was close to the edge of the entrance, and pointing +directly to the sapling on the opposite side. It was at such a height +as to have ranged with the heart of a hyena standing in the opening. + +The next move was to adjust the string. Already a piece of stick, +several inches in length, had been fixed to the small of the stock, and, +of course, _behind_ the trigger. This was fastened transversely, but +not so as to preclude all motion. A certain looseness in its adjustment +gave it the freedom required to be worked as a lever--for that was its +design. + +To each end of this little stick was fastened a string. One of these +strings was attached to the trigger; the other, after being carried +through the thimbles of the ramrod, traversed across the entrance of the +kraal, and was knotted upon the opposite side to the sapling that stood +there. This string followed the horizontal direction of the barrel, and +was just "taut;" so that any farther strain upon it would act upon the +little lever, and by that means pull the trigger; and then of course +"bang" would go the roer. + +When this string was adjusted, and the gun loaded and cocked, the trap +was set. + +Nothing remained to be done but bait it. This was not a difficult task. +It consisted simply in placing a piece of meat or carcass within the +enclosure, and these leaving it to attract the prowling beasts to the +spot. + +When the gun had been set, Swartboy carried up the bait--the offal of an +antelope killed that day--and flung it into the kraal; and then the +party went quietly to their beds, without thinking more of the matter. + +They had not slept a wink, however, before they were startled by the +loud "crack" of the roer, followed by a short stifled cry that told them +the gun-trap had done its work. + +A torch was procured, and the four hunters proceeded to the spot. There +they found the dead body of a huge "tiger-wolf" lying doubled up in the +entrance, and right under the muzzle of the gun. He had not gone a step +after receiving the shot--in fact, had hardly kicked before dying--as +the bullet, wad, and all, had gone quite through his ribs and entered +his heart, after making a large ugly hole in his side. Of course he +must have been within a few inches of the muzzle, when his breast, +pressing against the string, caused the gun to go off. + +Having again loaded the roer, the hunters returned to their beds. One +might suppose they would have dragged the suicidal hyena away from the +spot, lest his carcass should serve as a warning to his comrades, and +keep them away from the trap. But Swartboy knew better than that. +Instead of being scared by the dead body of one of their kind, the +hyenas only regard it as proper prey, and will devour it as they would +the remains of a tender antelope! + +Knowing this, Swartboy did not take the dead hyena away, but only drew +it within the kraal to serve as a farther inducement for the others to +attempt an entrance there. + +Before morning they were once more awakened by the "bang" of the great +gun. This time they lay still; but when day broke they visited their +trap, and found that a second hyena had too rashly pressed his bosom +against the fatal string. + +Night after night they continued their warfare against the hyenas, +changing the trap-kraal to different localities in the surrounding +neighbourhood. + +At length these creatures were nearly exterminated, or, at all events, +became so rare and shy, that their presence by the camp was no longer an +annoyance one way or the other. + +About this time, however, there appeared another set of visitors, whose +presence was far more to be dreaded, and whose destruction the hunters +were more anxious to accomplish. That was _a family of lions_. + +The spoor of these had been often seen in the neighbourhood; but it was +some time before they began to frequent the camp. However, about the +time the hyenas had been fairly got rid of, the lions took their place, +and came every night, roaring about the camp in a most terrific manner. + +Dreadful as these sounds were, the people were not so much afraid of +them as one might imagine. They well knew that the lions could not get +at them in the tree. Had it been leopards they might have felt less +secure, as the latter are true tree-climbers; but they had seen no +leopards in that country, and did not think of them. + +They were not altogether without fear of the lions, however. They were +annoyed, moreover, that they could not with safety descend from the tree +after nightfall, but were every night _besieged_ from sunset till +morning. Besides, although the cow and the quaggas were shut in strong +kraals, they dreaded each night that the lions would make a seizure of +one or other of these animals; and the loss of any one of them, but +especially their valuable friend "old Graaf," would have been a very +serious misfortune. + +It was resolved, therefore, to try the gun-trap upon the lions, as it +had succeeded so well with the hyenas. + +There was no difference in the construction or contrivance of the trap. +The gun only had to be placed upon a higher level, so that its muzzle +might be opposite the lion's heart, and the proper range was easily +obtained. The bait, however, was not carcass, but an animal freshly +killed; and for this purpose an antelope was procured. + +The result was as desired. On the first night the old male lion +"breasted" the fatal string and bit the dust. Next night the lioness +was destroyed in a similar way; and shortly after a full-grown young +male. + +The trap then lay idle for a while; but about a week after a half-grown +"cub" was shot near the camp by Hendrik, no doubt the last of that +family, as no lions were seen for a long time after. + +A great enemy to night-plunderers was that same gun-trap. + + + +CHAPTER FORTY THREE. + +THE WEAVER-BIRDS. + +Now that the beasts of prey had been destroyed, or driven from about the +camp, there was no longer any danger in that quarter, and the children +could be left by themselves. Totty of course always stayed with them; +while the four hunters went forth upon the chase of the elephant--each +mounted upon his quagga. + +They had done so many a time, and as no harm had happened to the +children in their absence, such a course became habitual with them. Jan +and Truey were cautioned not to stray far from the nwana, and always to +climb to the tree, should they perceive any animal that might be +dangerous. Before the destruction of the hyenas and lions, they had +been used to remain altogether in the tree, while the hunters were +absent. But this had been quite an imprisonment to them; and now that +the danger was not considered much, they were allowed to come down and +play upon the grassy plain, or wander along the shore of the little +lake. + +On one occasion when the hunters were abroad, Truey had strayed down to +the edge of the water. She was alone, if we except the company of the +gazelle, which followed at her heels wherever she went. This pretty +creature had grown to full size, and had turned out a great beauty, with +large round eyes that had a lovely melting expression, like the eyes of +Truey herself. + +Well, as I have said, Truey was alone. Jan was busy near the bottom of +the tree, working a new rod into his bird-cage, and Totty was out upon +the plain herding "old Graaf"--so Truey and the pet springbok went +strolling along by themselves. + +Now Truey had not gone down to the water without an object. She had +one. She had gone to give her pet a drink, and collect some blue lilies +for a bouquet. All this she had done, and still continued to walk along +the shore. + +On one side of the lake, and that the farthest from the nwana-tree, a +low spit of land projected into the water. It had once been but a +sand-bar, but grass had grown upon it, until a green turf was formed. +There was not over a square perch of it altogether, but it was not +square in shape. On the contrary, it was of oval form, and much +narrower nearest the land, where it formed a neck, or isthmus, not more +than three feet in width. It was, in short, a miniature peninsula, +which by a very little work with the spade could have been converted +into a miniature island--had that been desired. + +Now there is nothing very remarkable about a little peninsula projecting +into a lake. In nearly every lake such a thing may be seen. But about +this one there was something remarkable. + +Upon its extreme end grew a tree of singular form and foliage. It was +not a large tree, and its branches drooped downwards until their tips +almost touched the water. The pendulous boughs, and long lanceolate +silvery leaves, rendered it easy to tell what sort of tree it was. It +was the weeping or _Babylonian_ willow--so-called, because it was upon +trees of this species that the captive Jews hung their harps when they +"sat and wept by the streams of Babel." This beautiful tree casts its +waving shadow over the streams of South Africa, as well as those of +Assyria; and often is the eye of the traveller gladdened by the sight of +its silvery leaves, as he beholds them,--sure indications of water-- +shining afar over the parched and thirsty desert. If a Christian, he +fails not to remember that highly poetical passage of sacred writing, +that speaks of the willow of Babylon. + +Now the one which grew upon the little peninsula had all these points of +interest for little Truey--but it had others as well. Upon its branches +that overhung the water a very singular appearance presented itself. +Upon these was suspended--one upon the end of each branch--a number of +odd-shaped objects, that hung drooping down until their lower ends +nearly rested upon the surface of the water. These objects, as stated, +were of a peculiar shape. At the upper ends--where they were attached +to the branches--they were globe-shaped, but the lower part consisted of +a long cylinder of much smaller diameter, and at the bottom of this +cylinder was the entrance. They bore some resemblance to salad-oil +bottles inverted, with their necks considerably lengthened; or they +might be compared to the glass retorts seen in the laboratory of the +chemist. + +They were each twelve or fifteen inches in length, and of a greenish +colour--nearly as green as the leaves of the tree itself. Were they its +fruit? + +No. The weeping-willow bears no fruit of that size. They were not +fruit. They were _nests of birds_! + +Yes; they were the nests of a colony of harmless finches of the genus +_Ploceus_,--better known to you under the appellation of "weaver-birds." + +I am sure you have heard of weaver-birds before this; and you know that +these creatures are so-called on account of the skill which they exhibit +in the construction of their nests. They do not _build_ nests, as other +birds, but actually _weave_ them, in a most ingenious manner. + +You are not to suppose that there is but one species of weaver-bird--one +kind alone that forms these curious nests. In Africa--which is the +principal home of these birds--there are many different kinds, forming +different genera, whose hard names I shall not trouble you with. Each +of these different kinds builds a nest of peculiar shape, and each +chooses a material different from the others. Some, as the _Ploceus +icterocephalus_, make their nests of a kidney-shape, with the entrance +upon the sides, and the latter not circular, but like an arched doorway. +Others of the genus _Plocepasser_ weave their nests in such a manner, +that the thick ends of the stalks stick out all around the outside, +giving them the appearance of suspended hedgehogs; while the birds of +another genus closely allied to the latter, construct their nests of +slender twigs, leaving the ends of these to project in a similar manner. +The "social gros-beak" (_Loxia socia_) fabricates a republic of nests +in one clump, and all under one roof. The entrances are in the +under-surface of this mass, which, occupying the whole top of a tree, +has the appearance of a haystack, or a dense piece of thatch. + +All these weaver-birds, though of different genera, bear a considerable +resemblance to each other in their habits. They are usually +_granivorous_, though some are _insectivorous_; and one species, the +red-billed weaver-bird, (_Textor erythrorhynchus_), is a parasite of the +wild buffaloes. + +It is a mistake to suppose that weaver-birds are only found in Africa +and the Old World, as stated in the works of many naturalists. In +tropical America, birds of this character are found in many species of +the genera _Cassicus_ and _Icterus_, who weave pensile nests of a +similar kind upon the trees of the Amazon and Orinoco. But the true +weaver-birds--that is to say, those which are considered the _type_ of +the class,--are those of the genus _Ploceus_; and it was a species of +this genus that had hung their pendulous habitations upon the +weeping-willow. They were of the species known as the "pensile +weaver-bird" (_Ploceus pensilis_). + +There were full twenty of their nests in all, shaped as already +described, and of green colour--for the tough "Bushman's grass," out of +which they had been woven, had not yet lost its verdant hue, nor would +it for a long time. Being of this colour, they actually looked like +something that grew upon the tree,--like great pear-shaped fruits. No +doubt from this source have been derived the tales of ancient +travellers, who represented that in Africa were trees with fruits upon +them, which, upon being broken open, disclosed to view either living +birds or their eggs! + +Now the sight of the weaver-birds, and their nests, was nothing new to +Truey. It was some time since the colony had established itself upon +the willow-tree, and she and they had grown well acquainted. She had +often visited the birds, had collected seeds, and carried them down to +the tree; and there was not one of the whole colony that would not have +perched upon her wrist or her pretty white shoulders, or hopped about +over her fair locks, without fear. It was nothing unusual to her to see +the pretty creatures playing about the branches, or entering the long +vertical tunnels that led upward to their nests--nothing unusual for +Truey to listen for hours to their sweet twittering, or watch their +love-gambols around the borders of the vley. + +She was not thinking of them at the moment, but of something else, +perhaps of the blue water-lilies--perhaps of the springbok--but +certainly not of them, as she tripped gaily along the edge of the lake. + +Her attention, however, was suddenly attracted to the birds. + +All at once, and without any apparent cause, they commenced screaming +and fluttering around the tree, their cries and gestures betokening a +high state of excitement or alarm. + + + +CHAPTER FORTY FOUR. + +THE SPITTING-SNAKE. + +"What can be the matter with my pretty birds?" asked Truey of herself. +"Something wrong surely! I see no hawk. Perhaps they are fighting +among themselves. I shall go round and see. I shall soon pacify them." + +And so saying she mended her pace; and passing round the end of the +lake, walked out upon the peninsula until she stood under the willow. + +There was no underwood. The tree stood alone upon the very end of the +spit of land, and Truey went close in to its trunk. Here she stopped +and looked up among the branches, to ascertain what was causing so much +excitement among the birds. + +As she approached, several of the little creatures had flown towards +her, and alighted upon her arms and shoulders; but not as was their wont +when desiring to be fed. They appeared to be in a state of alarm, and +had come to her for protection. + +Some enemy certainly must be near, thought Truey, though she could see +none. + +She looked around and above. There were no hawks in the air, nor on the +neighbouring trees,--no birds of prey of any kind. Had there been one +in the willow, she could easily have seen it, as the foliage was light +and thin; besides a hawk would not have remained in the tree with her +standing so near. What, then, caused the trouble among the birds? what +was still causing it--for they were as noisy and terrified as ever? Ha! +At last the enemy appears--at last Truey's eyes have fallen upon the +monster who has disturbed the peaceful colony of weavers, and roused +them to such a pitch of excitement. + +Slowly gliding along a horizontal branch, grasping the limb in its many +spiral folds, appeared the body of a large serpent. Its scales +glittered as it moved, and it was the shining of these that had caught +Truey's eyes, and directed them upon the hideous reptile. + +When she first saw it, it was gliding spirally along one of the +horizontal branches of the willow, and coming, as it were, _from_ the +nests of the birds. Her eyes, however, had scarce rested upon it, +before its long slippery body passed from the branch, and the next +moment it was crawling head-foremost down the main trunk of the tree. + +Truey had scarce time to start back, before its head was opposite the +spot where she had stood. No doubt, had she kept her place she would +have been bitten by the serpent at once; for the reptile, on reaching +that point, detached its head from the tree, spread its jaws wide open, +projected its forked tongue, and hissed horribly. It was evidently +enraged--partly because it had failed in its plundering intentions, not +having been able to reach the nests of the birds,--and partly that the +latter had repeatedly struck it with their beaks--no doubt causing it +considerable pain. It was further provoked by the arrival of Truey, in +whom it recognised the rescuer of its intended victims. + +Whatever were its thoughts at that moment, it was evidently in a rage-- +as the motion of its head and the flashing of its eyes testified; and it +would have sprung upon any creature that had unfortunately come in its +way. + +Truey, however, had no intention of getting in its way if she could +avoid it. It might be a harmless serpent for all she knew; but a snake, +nearly six feet in length, whether it be harmless or venomous, is a +terrible object to be near; and Truey had instinctively glided to one +side, and stood off from it as far as the water would allow her. + +She would have run back over the narrow isthmus; but something told her +that the snake was about to take that direction, and might overtake her; +and this thought induced her to pass to one side of the peninsula, in +hopes the reptile would follow the path that led out to the mainland. + +Having got close to the water's edge, she stood gazing upon the hideous +form, and trembled as she gazed. + +Had Truey known the character of that reptile, she would have trembled +all the more. She saw before her one of the most venomous of serpents, +the black naja, or "spitting-snake"--the cobra of Africa--far more +dangerous than its congener the _cobra de capello_ of India, because far +more active in its movements, and equally fatal in its bite. + +Truey knew not this. She only knew that there was a great ugly snake, +nearly twice her own length, with a large open mouth and glistening +tongue, apparently ready to eat her up. That was fearful enough for +her, poor thing! and she gazed and trembled, and trembled and gazed +again. + +Angry as the cobra appeared, it did not turn aside to attack her. +Neither did it remain by the tree. After uttering its long loud hiss, +it descended to the ground, and glided rapidly off. + +It made directly for the isthmus, as if intending to pass it, and +retreat to some bushes that grew at a distance off on the mainland. + +Truey was in hopes that such was its design, and was just beginning to +feel safe again, when, all at once, the snake coiled itself upon the +narrow neck of land, as if it intended to stay there. + +It had executed this manoeuvre so suddenly, and so apparently without +premeditation, that Truey looked to discover the cause. The moment +before, it was gliding along in rapid retreat, its glistening form +stretched to its full length along the earth. The next instant it had +assumed the appearance of a coiled cable, over the edge of which +projected its fierce head, with the scaly skin of its neck broadly +extended, into that hood-like form which characterises the cobra. + +Truey, we have said, looked for the cause of this sudden change in the +tactics of the reptile. She learnt it at the first glance. + +There stretched a piece of smooth sloping ground from the edge of the +lake back into the plain. By this the little peninsula was approached. +As she glanced outward, she saw the springbok advancing down this slope. +It was the approach of the antelope that had interrupted the retreat of +the serpent! + +Truey, on first discovering the snake, had uttered a cry of alarm. This +cry had summoned her pet--that had lingered behind browsing upon the +grass--and it was now bounding forward, with its white tail erect, and +its large brown eyes glistening with an expression of inquiry. + +It saw its mistress out upon the peninsula. Had she called it? Why had +she uttered that strange cry? They were not sounds of joyful import it +had heard. Was anything amiss? Yonder she stood. It would gallop to +her and see what was wanted; and with such thoughts passing through its +brain, the bright little creature bounded down the bank towards the edge +of the lake. + +Truey trembled for her pet. Another spring, and it would be upon the +lurking serpent--another-- "Ha! it is safe!" + +These words escaped from the lips of the young girl, as she saw the +springbok rise high into the air, and leap far and clear over the coiled +reptile. The antelope had observed the snake in time, and saved itself +by one of those tremendous bounds, such as only a springbok can make. +The fond creature, having passed the danger, now ran on to its mistress, +and stood with its big shining eyes bent upon her inquiringly. + +But the cry that Truey had uttered had summoned another individual. To +her horror, she now saw little Jan running down the slope, and coming +directly upon the path where the cobra lay coiled! + + + +CHAPTER FORTY FIVE. + +THE SERPENT-EATER. + +Jan's danger was imminent. He was rushing impetuously forward upon the +coiled serpent. He knew not that it was before him. No warning would +reach him in time to stay his haste. In another moment he would be on +the narrow path, and then no power could save him from the deadly bite. +It would be impossible for him to leap aside or over the reptile, as the +antelope had done; for even then Truey had noticed that the cobra had +darted its long neck several feet upwards. It would be certain to reach +little Jan, perhaps, coil itself around him. Jan would be lost! + +For some moments Truey was speechless. Terror had robbed her of the +power of speech. She could only scream, and fling her arms wildly +about. + +But these demonstrations, instead of warning Jan of the danger, only +rendered it the more certain. He connected the cries which Truey now +uttered with that which had first summoned him. She was in some +trouble--he knew not what; but as she continued to scream, he believed +that something had attacked her. A snake he thought it might be; but +whatever it was, his first impulse was to hurry up to her rescue. He +could do no good until close to her; and, therefore, he did not think of +halting until he should reach the spot where she stood. + +Her screams, therefore, and the wild gestures that accompanied them, +only caused him to run the faster; and as his eyes were bent anxiously +on Truey, there was not the slightest hope that he would perceive the +serpent until he had either trodden upon it, or felt its fatal bite. + +Truey uttered one last cry of warning, pronouncing at the same time the +words:-- + +"O, brother! back! The snake! the snake!" + +The words were uttered in vain. Jan heard them, but did not comprehend +their meaning. He heard the word "snake." He was expecting as much; it +had attacked Truey; and although he did not see it, it was no doubt +wound about her body. He hurried on. + +Already he was within six paces of the dread reptile, that had erected +its long spread neck to receive him. Another moment, and its envenomed +fangs would pierce deep into his flesh. + +With a despairing scream Truey rushed forward. She hoped to attract the +monster upon herself. She would risk her own life to save that of her +brother! + +She had got within six feet of the threatening reptile. Jan was about +the same distance from it on the opposite side. They were equally in +peril; and one or the other--perhaps both--would have fallen a sacrifice +to the deadly cobra; but at that moment their saviour was nigh. A dark +shadow passed under their eyes--in their ears was a rushing sound like +the "whish" of a falling body--and at the same instant a large bird +darted down between them! + +It did not stay to alight. For a moment its strong broad wings agitated +the air in their faces; but the next moment the bird made a sudden +effort, and rose vertically upwards. + +Truey's eyes fell upon the ground. The cobra was no longer there. + +With an exclamation of joy she sprang forward, and, throwing her arms +around Jan, cried out,-- + +"We are saved, brother!--we are saved!" + +Jan was somewhat bewildered. As yet he had seen no snake. He had seen +the bird dart down between them; but so adroitly had it seized the cobra +and carried it off, that Jan, looking only at Truey, had not perceived +the serpent in its beak. He was bewildered and terrified, for he still +fancied that Truey was in danger. + +When he heard her exclaim, "We are saved!" he was bewildered all the +more. + +"But the snake!" he cried out. "Where is the snake?" + +As he put these questions, he kept examining Truey from head to foot, as +if expecting to see a reptile twined around some part of her body. + +"The snake, Jan! Did you not see it? It was just there, at our feet; +but now--see! yonder it is. The _secretary_ has got it. See! They are +fighting! Good bird! I hope it will punish the villain for trying to +rob my pretty weavers. That's it, good bird! Give it to him! See, +Jan! What a fight!" + +"Oh, ah!" said Jan, now comprehending the situation. "Oh, ah! Sure +yonder _is_ a snake, and a whopper, too. Ne'er fear, Truey! Trust my +secretary. He'll give the rascal a taste of his claws. There's a lick +well put in! Another touch like that, and there won't be much life left +in the scaly villain. There again,--wop!" + +With these and similar exclamations the two children stood watching the +fierce conflict that raged between the bird and the reptile. + +Now this bird was a very peculiar one--so much so, that in all the world +there is no other of the same kind. In form it resembled a crane, +having very long legs, and being about the height and size of a crane. +Its head and beak, however, were more like those of an eagle or vulture. +It had well-developed wings, armed with spurs, and a very long tail, +with the two middle feathers longer than the rest. Its general colour +was bluish grey, with a white throat and breast, and a reddish tinge +upon the wing-feathers. But, perhaps, the most remarkable thing about +the bird was its "crest." This consisted of a number of long, blackish +plumes growing out of its occiput, and extending down the back of its +neck nearly to the shoulders. These gave the bird a very peculiar +appearance; and the fancied resemblance to a secretary of the olden time +with his long quill behind his ear--before steel pens came into +fashion--is the reason why the bird has received the very inappropriate +name of the "Secretary-bird." + +It is more properly named the "serpent-eater," and naturalists have +given it the title _Gypogeranus_, or "crane-vulture." It is sometimes +also called "the messenger," from the staid solemn manner of its walk, +as it stalks over the plain. + +Of all its names that of "serpent-eater" is the best adapted to the +character of the bird. It is true there are other birds that kill and +eat serpents,--as the "guaco" bird of South America, and many hawks and +kites,--but the secretary is the only winged creature that makes +reptiles of this class exclusively its prey, and carries on a constant +war against them. It is not strictly correct to say that it feeds +exclusively upon snakes. It will also eat lizards, tortoises, and even +locusts; but snakes are certainly its favourite food, and to obtain +these it risks its life in many a deadly encounter with those of a very +large kind. The serpent-eater is an African bird, and is not peculiar +to South Africa alone, as it is found in the Gambia country. It is also +a native of the Philippine Isles. There is some doubt whether the +species of the Philippine Isles is identical with that of Africa. A +difference is noted in the plumage, though very slight. The disposition +of the crest-plumes differs in the two, and the tail-feathers are +differently arranged. In the African species the two middle ones are +the longest, while in the serpent-eater of the Philippines it is the two +outside feathers that project--giving the bird the appearance of having +a "fork" or "swallow" tail. Some points of distinction have also been +observed between the South African bird and that of the Gambia. + +The serpent-eater is, however, a very unique bird; and naturalists, +failing to class it with either hawks, eagles, vultures, gallinae, or +cranes, have elevated it, so as to form a distinct tribe, family, genus, +and species, of itself. + +In South Africa it frequents the great plains and dry karoos, stalking +about in search of its prey. It is not gregarious, but lives solitary +or in pairs, making its nest in trees,--usually those of a thick thorny +species,--which renders the nest most difficult of approach. The whole +edifice is about three feet in diameter, and resembles the nests of the +tree-building eagles. It is usually lined with feathers and down, and +two or three eggs are the number deposited for a single hatching. + +The serpent-eater is an excellent runner, and spends more time on foot +than on the wing. It is a shy wary bird, yet, notwithstanding, it is +most easily domesticated; and it is not uncommon to see them about the +houses of the Cape farmers, where they are kept as pets, on account of +their usefulness in destroying snakes, lizards, and other vermin. They +have been long ago introduced into the French West India Islands, and +naturalised there--in order that they should make war upon the dangerous +"yellow serpent" (_Trigonocephalus lanceolatus_), the plague of the +plantations in those parts. + +Now the bird which had so opportunely appeared between Jan and Truey, +and had no doubt saved one or the other, or both, from the deadly bite +of the _spuugh-slang_, was a serpent-eater,--one that had been tamed, +and that made its home among the branches of the great nwana-tree. The +hunters had found it upon the plain, wounded by some animal,--perhaps a +very large snake,--and had brought it home as a curiosity. In time it +quite recovered from its wounds; but the kindness it had received, +during the period when it was an invalid, was not thrown away upon it. +When it recovered the use of its wings, it refused to leave the society +of its protectors, but remained habitually in the camp--although it made +frequent excursions into the surrounding plains in search of its +favourite food. It always, however, returned at night, and roosted +among the branches of the great nwana-tree. Of course it was Jan's pet, +and Jan was very good to it; but it now repaid all his kindness in +saving him from the fangs of the deadly cobra. + +The children, having recovered from their alarm, stood watching the +singular conflict between serpent and serpent-eater. + +On first seizing the reptile the bird had caught it by the neck in its +beak. It might not have accomplished this so readily, had not the +attention of the snake been occupied by the children, thus throwing it +off its guard. + +Having succeeded in seizing the reptile, the bird rose nearly in a +vertical direction to a height of many yards, and then opening his beak +permitted the serpent to fall to the ground. His object was to stun the +latter by the fall; and the more effectually to do this, he would have +carried the cobra still higher, had not the latter prevented it by +attempting to coil itself around his wings. + +Upon letting fall his prey the serpent-eater did not remain in the air. +On the contrary, he darted after the falling reptile, and the moment the +latter touched the ground, and before it could put itself in an attitude +of defence, the bird "pounced" upon it with spread foot, striking it a +violent blow near the neck. The snake was still but slightly damaged, +and throwing itself into a coil stood upon its defence. Its mouth was +opened to its widest extent, its tongue protruded, its fangs were erect, +and its eyes flashing with rage and poison. A terrible antagonist it +appeared, and for a moment the secretary seemed to think so, as he stood +on the ground confronting it. + +But the bird soon began to advance upon it for a renewal of the attack, +though this advance was made in a cautious manner. With the pinions of +one of his strong wings spread broadly out for a shield, he approached +the reptile sideways, and, when near enough, suddenly wheeled, turning +upon his leg as on a pivot, and struck sharply out with his other wing. +The blow was delivered with good effect. It reached the head of the +snake, and seemed to stun it. Its neck drooped, and the coils became +loosened. Before it could recover itself it was once more in the beak +of the serpent-eater, and trailing through the air. + +This time the bird rose to a much greater height than before--as he was +not hampered by the writhing of the serpent--and as before suffered the +reptile to fall, and then darted suddenly after. + +When the snake came to the ground a second time it lay for a moment +stretched at full length, as if stunned or dead. It was not dead, +however, and would once more have coiled itself; but, before it could do +so, the bird had repeatedly "pounced" upon its neck with his spread and +horny feet; and at length, watching his opportunity when the head of the +serpent lay flat, he struck a blow with his sharp beak so violent, that +it split the skull of the reptile in twain! Life was now extinct, and +the hideous form, extended to its full length, lay lithe and motionless +upon the grass. + +Jan and Truey clapped their hands, and uttered exclamations of joy. + +The serpent-eater took no heed of their demonstrations, but, approaching +the dead cobra, bent over it, and coolly set about making his dinner. + + + +CHAPTER FORTY SIX. + +TOTTY AND THE CHACMAS. + +Von Bloom and his family had now been months without bread. They were +not without a substitute, however, as various roots and nuts supplied +them with a change of food. Of the latter, they had the ground or +pig-nut (_Arachis hypogea_), which grows in all parts of Southern +Africa, and which forms a staple food of the native inhabitants. For +vegetables they had the bulbs of many species of _Ixias_ and +_Mesembryanthemums_, among others the "Hottentot fig" (_Mesembryanthemum +edule_). They had the "Caffir bread"--the inside pith of the stems of a +species of _Zamia_; and the "Caffir chestnut," the fruit of the +_Brabeium stellatum_; and last, not least, the enormous roots of the +"elephant's foot" (_Testudinaria elephantipes_). They had wild onions +and garlic too; and in the white flower-tops of a beautiful floating +plant (_Aponogeton distachys_), they found a substitute for asparagus. + +All these roots and fruits were to be obtained in the neighbourhood, and +no man knew better how to find them, and "crow" them up when found, than +did Swartboy the Bushman. Well might he, for in Swartboy's early days +he had often been compelled to subsist for weeks, and even months, on +roots alone! + +But although they could procure a constant supply of these natural +productions, they considered them but a poor substitute for bread; and +all of them longed to eat once more what is usually termed the "staff of +life"--though in South Africa, where so many people live exclusively +upon the flesh of animals, bread is hardly entitled to that appellation. + +Bread they were likely to have, and soon. When trekking from the old +kraal, they had brought with them a small bag of maize. It was the last +of their previous year's stock; and there was not in all over a bushel +of it. But that was enough for seed, and would produce many bushels if +properly planted, and carefully tended. + +This had been done shortly after their arrival at their present home. A +fertile spot of ground had been selected, only a few hundred yards from +the nwana-tree. It had been turned up with the spade, for want of a +plough, and the seeds planted at proper distances. + +Many an hour had been given to the weeding and hoeing of it, and around +every plant a little hill of soft mould had been raised, to nourish the +roots, and protect them from the heat of the sun. The plants were even +watered now and then. + +Partly on account of this attention, and partly from the richness of the +virgin soil, a splendid growth was the result; and the stalks stood full +twelve feet high, with ears nearly a foot long. They had almost +ripened; and the field-cornet intended in about a week or ten days to +gather in the crop. + +Both he and all his people were anticipating pleasant feasts of +maize-bread, and "hominy," with "mash and milk" and various other +dishes, that with Totty's skill could be manufactured out of the Indian +corn. + +About this time an incident occurred that nearly deprived them, not only +of their whole plot of maize-plants, but also of their valuable +housekeeper, Totty. It was as follows. + +Totty was on the platform in the great nwana-tree, which commanded a +view of the corn-patch, and also of the plain beyond, as far as the +bottom of the cliffs. She was busied about "house" affairs, when her +attention was called off, by some singular noises that came from that +direction. She parted the branches and looked through. A singular +scene was before her eyes--a spectacle of no common kind. + +A body of odd-looking animals, to the number of two hundred or more, was +coming from the direction of the cliffs. They were creatures of +ungainly forms--in make and size not unlike large ill-shaped dogs--and +of a greenish brown colour. Their faces and ears only were black, and +these were naked, while their bodies were covered with harsh coarse +hair. They had long tails, which some of them carried high in the air, +and flourished about in a very eccentric manner. + +Totty was by no means alarmed. She knew what sort of animals they were. +She knew they were _baboons_. They were of the species known as the +"pig-faced" baboon or "chacma" (_Cynocephalus porcarius_), which is +found in nearly every part of South Africa where there are high cliffs +with caves and crevices--the favourite dwelling-places of the baboon. + +Of all the monkey tribe the baboons, or dog-headed monkeys +(_cynocephali_), are the most disgusting in form and features. Who does +not feel disgust when regarding the hideous mandrill--the drill--the +hamadryas--or even the chacma? And all these are baboons. + +The baboons are peculiar to Africa, and there are six well-known species +of them:--the common baboon of North Africa, the "papion" of the south +and western coast, the "hamadryas" or "tartarin" of Abyssinia, the +"mandrill" and "drill" of Guinea, and the "chacma" of the Cape colony. + +The habits of these animals are as disgusting as their appearance. They +may be tamed, and made "pets" of; but dangerous pets they are, as they +will, upon the slightest provocation, bite the hand that feeds them. + +Their great strength of body and jaw, and their long canine teeth, give +them a dangerous power which they often make use of. No dog is a match +for one, and the hyena and leopard often come off second-best in an +encounter with a baboon. + +They are not carnivorous, however, and only tear their enemy to pieces +without eating it. Their food consists of fruits and bulbous roots, +which they well understand to dig out of the ground with the sharp nails +of their hands. + +Although they will not attack man if left alone, they become dangerous +assailants when hunted and brought to bay. + +Many odd stories are told of the chacma baboon among the settlers of +Southern Africa, such as their robbing the traveller of his food, and +then going off to some distance, and mocking him, while they devour it. +The natives also say that they sometimes use a stick in walking, +"crowing" for roots, and in self-defence. Also, when a young one has +succeeded in finding a choice root, and is observed by an older and +stronger one, that the latter takes it away: but, should the young one +have already swallowed it, then the bully picks him up, turns him head +downward, and shakes him until he is forced to "disgorge!" Many such +tales are current in the country of the boors, and they are not all +without foundation, for these animals most certainly possess the power +of _reflection_ in a high degree. + +Totty from her perch saw enough to convince her of this, had she been +herself inclined to philosophise. But she was not. She was only a +little curious about the manoeuvres of the animals, and she called Truey +and little Jan up into the tree, in order that they might share the +spectacle with her. All the others were off hunting. + +Jan was delighted, and ran up the ladder at once. So did Truey, and all +three stood watching the odd movements of the four-handed creatures. + +They perceived that the troop was actually marching in order; not _in +line_, but with some understood arrangement. There were scouts upon the +wings, and leaders in front. These were baboons of greater age and size +than the others. There were calls and signals, and the change of accent +and tone would have convinced any one that a regular conversation was +going on. The females and younger ones marched in the middle for better +security. The mothers carried their infants upon their backs, or over +their shoulders. Now a mother would stop to suckle her little +offspring--dressing its hair at the same time--and then gallop forward +to make up for the loss. Now one would be seen beating her child, that +had in some way given offence. Now two young females would quarrel, +from jealousy or some other cause, and then a terrible chattering would +ensue, to be silenced by the loud threatening bark of one of the chiefs! + +Thus proceeded they across the plain, chattering, and screaming, and +barking, as only monkeys can. + +What were they after? + +That question was answered very soon. Truey, and Jan, and Totty, saw, +to their dismay, that the baboons were not out upon an idle errand. +They were after the maize-plants! + +In a few minutes most of the troop had entered the corn-field, and were +hidden from view by the tall stems and broad leaves of the plants. A +few only could be seen,--large old fellows, that stationed themselves +outside as sentinels, and were keeping up a constant interchange of +signals. The main body was already stripping the plants of their +precious fruit. + +But a singular appearance presented itself beyond the corn-field, where +a line of baboons, stationed at equal distance from one another, +extended away to the very bottom of the cliff. These had been left by a +regular manoeuvre,--a deployment--as the troop traversed the plain in +coming to the field. For what purpose? + +That was soon apparent. In less than two minutes after the crowd +disappeared under the shelter of the maize-plants, the long heads in +their husks were seen showering out towards the line, as if flung by the +hand of man! Those placed at the near end of the line immediately took +them up, pitched them to the next, and these to the next, and so on, +until, in a very short while from the time a head was plucked from the +stalk, it was delivered to the storehouse of the baboons far off among +the cliffs! + +Had this work gone on much longer the field-cornet would have had but a +poor gathering in harvest-time. The baboons thought the corn ripe +enough, and would soon have made a crop of it, but at this moment their +operations were interrupted. + +Totty knew but little of the danger she underwent, when she ran forth +with nothing but that long broom-handle to drive off a troop of chacmas. +She only thought of the loss her kind master was sustaining; and down +the ladder she hurried, and ran straight out to the corn-field. + +Several sentinels met her by its edge, grinned, chattered, screamed, +barked, and showed their long canine teeth; but they only received a +blow over their ugly snouts from the broom-handle. Their cries summoned +the others; and in a few moments the poor Hottentot was standing in the +midst of an angry circle of chacmas, that were only prevented from +springing in upon her by the expert manner in which she continued to ply +the broomstick. + +But this slight weapon would not have served much longer, and Totty's +fate--that of being torn to pieces--would soon have been sealed, had not +four horsemen, or rather "quagga-men," at that moment galloped up to her +rescue. + +These were the hunters returning from the chase; and a volley from their +guns at once scattered the ugly chacmas, and sent them howling back to +their caves. + +After that the field-cornet looked well to his maize, until it was ready +for gathering; when it was all brought home, and deposited in safety out +of the reach of either birds, reptiles, quadrupeds or _quadrumuna_. + + + +CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN. + +THE WILD HOUNDS AND THE HARTEBEEST. + +Since the taming of the quaggas the hunting had been attended with +tolerable success. Not a week passed without adding a pair of tusks-- +sometimes two or three pairs--to the collection, which now began to +assume the form of a little pyramid of ivory standing near the bottom of +the nwana. + +Von Bloom, however, was not quite satisfied with his progress. He +thought they might do far better if they only had a few dogs. + +Though the quaggas were of great service to them, and with these they +were often able to overtake the elephant, yet they as often lost their +great game, and it is more easy to do so than most persons imagine. + +But with dogs to join in the hunt, the result would be quite different. +It is true these animals cannot pull down an elephant, nor do him the +slightest injury; but they can follow him whithersoever he may go, and +by their barking bring him to a stand. + +Another valuable service which the dogs perform, is in drawing the +attention of the elephant away from the hunters. The huge quadruped +when enraged is, as we have already seen, exceedingly dangerous. On +such occasions he will charge upon the noisy dogs, mistaking them for +his real assailants. This, of course, gives the hunter a good +opportunity of delivering his fire, and avoiding the deadly encounter of +the elephant. + +Now in several elephant-hunts which they had lately made, our hunters +had run some very narrow risks. Their quaggas were neither so +manageable nor so quick in their movements as horses would have been, +and this rendered the hazard still greater. Some of them might one day +fall a victim. So feared Von Bloom; and he would gladly have given for +a number of dogs an elephant's tusk a-piece--even though they were the +most worthless of curs. Indeed, their quality is but of slight +importance. Any dogs that can trace the elephant and pester him with +their barring would do. + +Von Bloom even thought of taming some hyenas, and training _them_ to the +hunt. This idea was by no means quixotic. The hyena is often used for +such a purpose, and performs even better than many kinds of dogs. + +One day Von Bloom was pondering over this subject. He was seated on a +little platform that had been constructed very high up--near the top of +the nwana-tree--from which a view could be had of the whole country +around. It was a favourite resort of the field-cornet--his +smoking-room, in fact--where he went every evening to enjoy a quiet pull +out of his great meerschaum. His face was turned upon the plain that +stretched from the border of the _bosch_ as far as the eye could reach. + +While quietly puffing away, his attention was attracted by some animals +standing at a distance off upon the plain. The brilliant colour of +their bodies had caught his eye. + +They were of a lively sienna colour over the back and sides, and white +underneath, with a list of black upon the outside of the legs, and some +black stripes upon the face, as regularly defined as if laid on by the +brush of a painter. They had horns of very irregular shape, roughly +knotted--each curved into something of the shape of a reaping-hook, and +rising directly from the top of one of the straightest and longest heads +ever carried by an animal. These animals were far from being gracefully +formed. They had drooping hind-quarters like the giraffe, though in a +much less degree, shoulders greatly elevated, and long narrow heads. +For the rest their forms were bony and angular. Each stood five feet +high, from the fore-hoof to the shoulder, and full nine feet in length. + +They were antelopes of course--that species known among Cape colonists +as the "hartebeest" (_Acronotus caama_). There were in all about fifty +of them in the herd. + +When first observed by Von Bloom, they were quietly browsing upon the +plain. The next moment, however, they were seen to run to and fro, as +if suddenly alarmed by the approach of an enemy. + +And an enemy there certainly was; for in a moment more the herd had +taken to flight; and Von Bloom now saw that they were followed by a +_pack of hounds_! I say a "pack of hounds," for the creatures in the +distance exactly resembled hounds more than anything in the world. Nay, +more than resembled, for it actually _was_ a pack of hounds--of _wild +hounds_! + +Of course Von Bloom knew what they were. He knew they were the +"wilde-honden," very absurdly named by sapient naturalists "_Hyena +venatica_," or "hunting hyena," and by others, with equal absurdity, the +"hunting dog." I pronounce these names "absurd," first because the +animal in question bears no more resemblance to a hyena than it does to +a hedgehog; and, secondly, because "hunting dog" is a very ridiculous +appellation, since any dog may merit a similar title. + +Now I would ask, why could these naturalists not let the nomenclature of +the boors alone? If a better name than "wilde-honden" (wild hounds) can +be given to these animals, I should like to hear it. Why, it is the +very perfection of a name, and exactly expresses the character of the +animal to which they apply it--that character, which coming under their +everyday observation, suggested the name. + +It is quite a libel to call this beautiful creature a hyena. He has +neither the ugly form, the harsh pelage, the dull colour, nor the filthy +habits of one. Call him a "wolf," or "wild dog," if you please, but he +is at the same time the handsomest wolf or wild dog in creation. But we +shall name him, as the boors have done, a "wild hound." That is his +true title, let naturalists class him as they may. + +His size, shape, his smooth clean coat, as well as his colour, +approximate him more to the hound than to any other animal. In the +last--which is a ground of "tan" blotched and mottled with large spots +of black and grey--he bears a striking resemblance to the common hound; +and the superior size of his ears would seem to assimilate him still +more to this animal. The ears however, as in all the wild species of +_Canis_, are of course not hanging, but erect. + +His habits, however, crown the resemblance. In his natural state the +wild hound never prowls alone; but boldly runs down his game, following +it in large organised packs, just as hounds do; and in his hunting he +exhibits as much skill as if he had Tom Moody riding at his heels, to +guide with whip and horn. + +It was the field-cornet's good fortune to witness an exhibition of this +skill. + +The hounds had come unexpectedly upon the hartebeest herd; and almost at +the first dash, one of the antelopes became separated from the rest, and +ran in an opposite direction. This was just what the cunning dogs +wanted; and the whole pack, instead of following the herd, turned after +the single one, and ran "tail on end." + +Now this hartebeest, although an ill-shaped antelope, is one of the very +swiftest of the tribe; and the wild hound does not capture it without a +severe chase. In fact, he could not capture it at all, if speed were +the only point between the two animals. But it is not. The hartebeest +has a weakness in its character, opposite to which the wild hound +possesses a cunning. + +The former when chased, although it runs in a straight line, does not +keep long in a direct course. Now and then it diverges to one side or +the other, led perhaps by the form of the ground, or some other +circumstance. In this habit lies its weakness. The wild hound is well +aware of it, and takes advantage of it by a manoeuvre, which certainly +savours strongly of reflection on his part. + +Our field-cornet had a proof of this as he watched the chase. His +elevated position gave him a view of the whole ground, and he could note +every movement both of pursuer and pursued. + +On breaking off, the hartebeest ran in a right line, and the hounds +followed straight after. They had not gone far, however, when Von Bloom +perceived that one hound was forging ahead of the rest, and running much +faster than any of them. He might have been a swifter dog than the +others, but the hunter did not think it was that. He appeared rather to +be running harder than they, as if sent forward to _push_ the +hartebeest, while the rest saved their wind. + +This proved to be really the case; for the dog, by a desperate effort, +having gained upon the antelope, caused the latter to turn slightly from +its original course; and the pack, perceiving this, changed their +direction at the same time, and held along a diagonal line, as if to +head the game. By this means they avoided the detour which both the +antelope and their companion had made. + +The hartebeest was now running upon a new line; and as before, one of +the hounds was soon seen to head the pack, and press forward at the top +of his speed. The one that first led, as soon as the antelope turned +from its original course, fell back, rejoined the pack, and was now +lagging among the hindmost! His "turn" of duty was over. + +Again the hartebeest verged from its course. Again the pack ran +obliquely, and made a second "cut" upon him--again a fresh dog took the +lead, and on swept the chase as before--the wild hounds uttering their +yelping notes as they ran. + +Several times was this manoeuvre executed by the cunning dogs--until the +desired result was accomplished, and the antelope was completely +"blown." + +Then, as if they felt that it was in their power, and that further +strategy was not needed, the whole pack rushed forward simultaneously, +and closed rapidly upon the game. + +The hartebeest made one last despairing effort to escape, but, finding +that speed would no longer avail, the creature wheeled suddenly round, +and placed itself in an attitude of defiance--the foam falling from its +lips, while its red eyes sparkled like coals of fire. + +In another moment the dogs were around it. + +"What a splendid pack!" exclaimed Von Bloom. "Oh! that I had such an +one! + +"Ha!" he continued, as a new thought struck him, "and why not, just such +an one?--why not?" + +Now the train of reflections that passed through the mind of the +field-cornet was as follows:-- + +That the wild hounds might be tamed, and trained to hunting,--easiest of +all, to the chase of the elephant. He knew that this could be done, for +boor-hunters had often done it. True, the dogs must be taken young, but +where were young ones to be obtained? It is not so easy to capture the +pups of the wild hound. Until they are able to run well, their mothers +do not permit them to stray far from the caves in which they are +littered; and these are usually crevices among rocks quite inaccessible +to man. How could he obtain a set of them? He had already formed such +an intention. Where could be their breeding-place? + +His reflections were interrupted at this point, by very singular +behaviour on the part of the wild hounds, and which gave him a new idea +of their intelligence that quite electrified him. + +When the hartebeest stood to bay, and the hounds came up, Von Bloom very +naturally expected to see the latter run in upon their game, and at once +pull it to the ground. This he knew was their usual habit. What was +his astonishment at seeing the whole pack standing off to one side, as +if they intended to leave the antelope alone! Some of them even lay +down to rest themselves, while the others stood with open jaws and +lolling tongues, but without showing any signs that they intended +further to molest the panting quarry! + +The field-cornet could observe the situation well, for the antelope was +on his side--that is, towards the cliffs--while the dogs were farther +out upon the plain. Another circumstance that astonished him was, that +the dogs, after running up and around the hartebeest, had actually drawn +off to their present position! + +What could it mean? Were they afraid of its ugly horns? Were they +resting themselves before they should make their bloody onslaught? + +The hunter kept his gaze intently fixed upon the interesting group. + +After a while the antelope, having recovered its wind a little, and +seeing the pack so distant, made a fresh start. + +This time it ran in a side direction, apparently with the intention of +gaining a hill that lay in that way, and up the sides of which it no +doubt calculated upon gaining some advantage. But the creature had +hardly stretched itself, when the hounds struck out after it; and in +five hundred yards running, once more brought it to a stand. Again the +pack took station at a distance, and the hartebeest stood upon the plain +alone! + +Once more it essayed to escape, and started off with all the speed that +was left in its legs--the hounds as before trooping after. + +This time the antelope headed in a new direction, making for a point in +the cliffs; and as the chase now passed very near to the nwana-tree, +everybody had a fine view of it. + +The hartebeest seemed to be going faster than ever, or, at all events, +the dogs did not now appear to gain upon it; and the field-cornet, as +well as all the young people, were in hopes the poor creature would +escape from its tireless pursuers. + +They watched the chase, until they could just see the bright body of the +hartebeest afar off, appearing like a yellow spot upon the face of the +rocks, but the dogs were no longer visible. Then the yellow spot +suddenly disappeared like the going out of a candle, and they could see +it no more. + +No doubt the antelope was pulled down! + +A strange suspicion entered the mind of Von Bloom, and, calling upon +them to saddle the quaggas, he, with Hans and Hendrik, rode off towards +the place where the hartebeest had been last seen. + +They approached the ground with caution; and under the shelter of some +bushes were enabled to get within two hundred yards of the spot without +being observed. A singular spectacle rewarded their pains. + +Within a dozen yards of the cliff lay the body of the hartebeest, where +it had been "pulled down" by the dogs. It was already half-eaten, not +by the hounds that had hunted it, but by their puppies of all ages, that +to the number of more than threescore were now standing around the +carcass, tugging away at its flesh and snarling at one another! Some of +the grown dogs that had taken part in the chase could be seen lying upon +the ground, still panting after their hard run; but most of them had +disappeared, no doubt into the numerous small caves and crevices that +opened along the bottom of the cliffs. + +There was no room left to doubt the singular fact--that the wild hounds +had regularly driven the hartebeest up to their breeding-place to feed +their young, and that they had abstained from killing it out upon the +plain to save themselves the labour of dragging it from a distance! + +Indeed these animals--unlike the _Felida_--have not the power of +transporting a large mass to any considerable distance; hence the +wonderful instinct which led them to guide the antelope to the very spot +where its flesh was wanted! + +That they were in the constant practice of this singular habit was +attested, by the numerous bones and horns of large antelopes of +different kinds, that lay strewed around the place. + +Von Bloom had his eye upon the young puppies, and all three made a rush +towards them. But it was to no purpose. Cunning as their fathers and +mothers, the little fellows forsook their meal at first sight of the +intruders, and darted off into their caves! + +But they were not cunning enough to escape the snares, which were laid +for them every day for a week after; and, before the end of that time, +more than a dozen of them were safely domiciled in a little kennel built +especially for their use, under the shadow of the great nwana-tree. + +In less than six months from that time, several of them were in the +field, and trained to the chase of the elephant, which duty they +performed with all the courage and skill that could have been shown by +hounds of the purest breed! + + + +CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT. + +CONCLUSION. + +For several years Von Bloom led the life of an elephant-hunter. For +several years the great nwana-tree was his home, and his only companions +his children and domestics. But, perhaps, these were not the least +happy years of his existence, since, during all the time both he and his +family had enjoyed the most estimable of earthly blessings,--health. + +He had _not_ allowed his children to grow up without instruction. He +had _not_ permitted them to lapse into the character of mere +"Bush-boys." He had taught them many things from the book of nature,-- +many arts that can be acquired as well on the karoo as in the college. +He had taught them to love God, and to love one another. He had planted +in their minds the seeds of the virtuous principles,--honour and +morality,--without which all education is worthless. He had imbued them +with habits of industry and self-reliance, and had initiated them into +many of the accomplishments of civilised life--so that upon their return +to society they might be quite equal to its claims. Upon the whole, +those years of the exile's life, spent in his wilderness home, formed no +blank in his existence. He might look back upon them with feelings of +satisfaction and pleasure. + +Man, however, is formed for society. The human heart, properly +organised, seeks communion with the human heart; and the mind, +especially when refined and polished by education, loves the intercourse +of social life, and, when deprived of it, will always yearn to obtain +it. + +So was it with the field-cornet. He desired to return once more within +the pale of civilised society. He desired once more to revisit the +scenes where he had so long dwelt in peaceful happiness; he desired once +more to establish himself among his friends and acquaintances of former +days, in the picturesque district of the Graaf Reinet. Indeed, to have +remained any longer in his wilderness home could have served no purpose. +It is true he had grown very much attached to his wild hunter-life, but +it was no longer likely to be profitable. The elephants had completely +forsaken the neighbourhood of the camp, and not one was to be found +within twenty miles of the spot. They had become well acquainted with +the report of the long roer, and knew the dangerous character of that +weapon; they had learnt that of all their enemies man was the one to be +especially dreaded and shunned; and they had grown so shy of his +presence, that the hunters frequently passed whole weeks without setting +their eyes upon a single elephant. + +But this was no longer an object of solicitude with Von Bloom. Other +considerations now occupied his mind, and he did not care much if he +should never spoor another of these huge quadrupeds. To return to the +Graaf Reinet, and settle there, was now the ultimatum of his wishes. + +The time had at length arrived when he would be able to carry out that +design; and nothing seemed any longer to stand in the way of its full +and complete accomplishment. + +The proscription against him had been long since taken off. A general +amnesty had been passed by the government, and he had been pardoned +among the rest. + +It is true his property was not restored to him; but that mattered +little now. He had created a new property, as was testified by the vast +_pyramid of ivory_ that stood under the shadow of the great nwana-tree! + +Nothing remained but to transport this shining pile to a market, and a +splendid fortune would be the result. + +And Von Bloom's ingenuity found the means for bringing it to market. + +About this time there was dug another huge _pit-trap_ near the pass in +the cliffs, in which many quaggas were trapped; and then there were +stirring scenes, while these wild creatures were being broken to +harness, and trained to "trek" in a wagon. + +They were trained however, after a good deal of trouble--the old wheels, +still in prime condition, serving as the "break;" and then the body of +the wagon was let down from the tree, and once more renewed its +acquaintance with its old companions the wheels; and the cap-tent spread +its protecting shadow over all; and the white and yellow crescents were +stowed; and the quaggas were "inspanned;" and Swartboy, mounting the +"voor-kist," once more cracked his long bamboo whip; and the wheels, +well oiled with elephants' grease, again whirled gaily along! + +How surprised were the good people of Graaf Reinet, when, one morning, a +cap-tent wagon, drawn by twelve quaggas, and followed by four riders +mounted upon animals of the same kind, pulled up in the public square of +their little town! How astonished they were on seeing that this wagon +was "chuck" full of elephants' teeth, all except a little corner +occupied by a beautiful girl with cherry cheeks and fair flaxen hair; +and how joyed were they, in fine, on learning that the owner of both the +ivory and the beautiful girl was no other than their old friend, and +much-esteemed fellow-citizen, the field-cornet Von Bloom! + +A warm welcome met the elephant-hunter in the square of Graaf Reinet, +and, what was also of some importance, a ready market for his ivory. + +It chanced just at that time that ivory was selling at a very high rate. +Some article--I do not remember what--the principal part of which +required to be constructed of pure ivory, had come into fashion and +general use in European countries, and the consequence was an increased +demand for this valuable commodity. It was a fortunate circumstance for +the returned hunter, who was at once enabled to dispose of his stock, +not only for ready money, but at such a fine price as to yield him +nearly twice the amount he had calculated on receiving! + +He had not brought it all with him, as there was more than would have +loaded any one wagon. A second load had remained, hidden near the +nwana-tree, and this required a journey to be made for it. + +It was made in due time, and the remainder arrived safely at Graaf +Reinet, and was there delivered to the ivory-dealers, who had already +purchased it. + +The result was a splendid fortune in ready money. The field-cornet was +once more a rich man! For the present we can follow his history no +farther than to say, that the proceeds of his great hunt enabled him to +buy back his old estate, and to stock it in splendid style, with the +best breeds of horses, horned cattle, and sheep; that he rose rapidly in +wealth and worldly esteem; that the government gave him its confidence; +and, having first restored him to his old office of field-cornet, soon +afterwards promoted him to that of "landdrost," or chief magistrate of +the district. + +Hans returned to his college studies; while the dashing Hendrik was +enabled to enter the profession for which he was most fit, and the very +one that fitted him, by obtaining a cornetcy in the "Cape Mounted +Rifles." + +Little Jan was packed off to school to study grammar and geography; +while the beautiful Truey remained at home to grace the mansion of her +honoured father, and look after his household affairs. + +Totty still ruled the kitchen; and, of course, Swartboy was the +important man about the house, and for many a long year after cracked +his great whip, and flourished his jambok among the long-horned oxen of +the wealthy landdrost. + +But enough for the present,--enough of adventure for one year. Let us +hope, boy readers, that before you and I have circled once more around +the sun, we shall make a fresh trip to the land of the boors, and again +encounter the worthy Von Bloom, his Bushman, and-- + +"Bush-Boys." + +THE END. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Bush Boys, by Captain Mayne Reid + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BUSH BOYS *** + +***** This file should be named 21237.txt or 21237.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/1/2/3/21237/ + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + +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. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. 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 + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |