Chapter Twenty Three.An Interference with Washing, and the Result.“Oh,” cried Jack, “we both missed, and he has drawn the poor thing in.”“I don’t believe I missed,” said Dick. “No: look, Jack!”For at that moment they saw a movement amongst the undergrowth behind where the antelope had been kneeling; and the poor beast, with bleeding nostrils and starting eyes, staggered down to the water’s edge, drank with avidity, and then bounded back as another or the same crocodile half leaped out of the water to catch it.But the antelope, weak and exhausted though it was, escaped, and bounded away into the dense reeds, while Jack as he coolly reloaded his rifle-barrel said,—“Nice place this, Dicky. Let’s take our clothes off and have a bathe.”“Ugh!” shuddered Dick. “The monsters!”“What have you shot, boys?” said Mr Rogers, hurrying up. “I was afraid it was an accident, the two rifles went off like one.”They told him, and being eager to see if there was any trace of the crocodile, they went round the shores of the little lake to the other side of the point, for the river wound so that the incident took place on their own bank; but for a few minutes they could see nothing but muddy water.“I’m afraid you did not kill him, boys,” said Mr Rogers.“But we frightened him off,” cried Jack; “and that’s something.”“Chicory find him; look!” cried the boy, pointing where he stood.They went to his side, and there sure enough, with its light underparts showing, lay a great crocodile, its tail moving feebly to and fro, and, most satisfactory sight of all to the boys, a couple of threads of blood rising slowly from the monster’s head through the clear water.“Hah!”It was Chicory who shouted, and as he did so he struck back his young masters. For his quick eyes had seen what looked like a dark shadow in the river; and his effort was just in time, for a huge crocodile threw itself half out of the water, disappearing again with a sullen plunge as it missed its prey.“I think that will do for to-day, boys,” said Mr Rogers. “Let’s get back to the waggon. For my part I feel disposed to spend the rest of our time shooting crocodiles, so as to try and rid the country of a few of the pests.”“Only all we could kill would be as nothing, would they, father?” said Dick.“No, they would hardly count,” replied Mr Rogers; and they made the best of their way back to the waggon, only too glad of the meal Dinny had ready for them, roast and boiled.Chicory turned a rough kind of somersault as he caught sight of his brother sitting up and doing that which was dear to Chicory’s own heart—eating; and as there was a good share of food beside Coffee, the tired brother made no scruple about going to join him and help him eat.It was wonderful what that boy could eat when he was thoroughly hungry. Dinny would stare at him, rub his ears, and screw up his face with a look of disgust, while the very dogs seemed envious of his powers. Rough’un would wait patiently for some time bearing it all apparently as he abided his own time; but when he saw Chicory keep steadily on he began to bark furiously, as if such behaviour were not to be borne.“Shure, Masther Dick, it’s my honest belafe,” said Dinny, “that if you put down enough mate before them two Sooloo boys they’d kape on aiting till they got to be hungry again.”In spite of the heat of the weather, the performances of Dick and Jack upon strong venison essence and roast gazelle were enough to startle any housekeeper of small income and an anxiety about the state of the butcher’s bill. But of course the outdoor life and constant exertion produced a tremendous appetite; and as Mr Rogers noted the change in Dick, whose palate had to be tempted only a short time back, he felt thankful to see the difference.Dinny had outdone himself that day in the matter of cookery; and a hearty meal having been eaten, the boys spent half-an-hour with their pets, the leopard being so far particularly docile, and their horses whinnying with satisfaction as soon as they heard their masters’ steps. Then there were the cattle to look at, all of which were sleek and well; and lastly, the various specimens to arrange before going to rest.The sun was getting low by this time, and the stillness of the wilds was only broken by the twittering of a little flock of birds in the adjacent trees, when Dinny came running from the river-side—“Hoi, sor! bring the roifles, an’ ye plaze. Here’s Pater being swallowed down by one of thim great crocodivils!”“Quick, boys!” cried Mr Rogers; but there was no need to speak, for the rifles had been already seized, and away the little party ran, towards the river.The water was not visible till they were close upon it, on account of the conformation of the land; but when they did come in sight, the scene was so curious that they halted with cocked pieces, gazing down from the rocks at black Peter the driver.Peter being a particularly cleanly man had taken a pair of his linen drawers down to the stream to wash, with Dinny sitting on the edge of the rock smoking his pipe, and looking-on.All had gone well till Peter was beating the garment about in the water for a final rinse, when suddenly the jaws of a huge crocodile were protruded from the surface, not a yard away.As might have been expected, Peter dropped his drawers, and darted back, while the crocodile remained staring at him, and Dinny rushed off shouting for help.They learned afterwards that what they had now seen had been repeated several times. For just as they paused, Peter was creeping cautiously forward towards where his drawers lay upon the sand, stooping with outstretched hand to seize them, when there was the slightest disturbance possible in the water, and the head of a monstrous crocodile appeared.Back darted Peter, and the head of the crocodile sank slowly beneath the water, when, unaware that help was at hand, Peter waited a minute or two, and then once more stole gently and on tiptoe towards his much-coveted garb.This time his hand was almost upon it when out came the crocodile’s head, and Peter nimbly darted back, but only to come on again as quietly as possible, apparently quite ignorant of the fact that it was by the eye that the reptile distinguished his coming, and not by ear.Twice more was this watched, when Mr Rogers, feeling alarmed lest the driver should be too venturesome, whispered to his sons to shoot.“No, father,” whispered back Dick; “we want to see you shoot this one.”Mr Rogers hesitated a moment, and then lying down upon his chest he rested the barrel of his rifle on the edge of the rock where it went perpendicularly down to the little strand, and waited for the next appearance of the dangerous monster.He had not long to wait, for Peter seemed to be determined this time to make sure of his garment, and cautiously stealing forward he had almost touched it, when out came the crocodile’s head once more, and as Peter darted back it remained stationary, its hideous eyes watching the black driver, when Mr Rogers’ rifle spoke out, and Peter fell upon his back, yelling for help; while the stream, that had quietly rippled over where the crocodile lay, was suddenly beaten by the monster’s struggles into a tempest of foam.“Are ye kilt, Pater, ma black bouchal?” cried Dinny piteously, as he leaped down to the aid of his fellow-servant.“Mind the crocodile, Dinny,” shouted Dick maliciously.“Oh! murther!” roared Dinny; and he scrambled up the rock again, and sat there panting, as the boys roared with laughter. “Ah, and it’s moighty funny, I’ve no doubt, Masther Dick, sor, but how would you fale yourself if one of the great crocodivils had got hold of ye?”“Very bad, Dinny,” said Dick. “There, go and help Peter; he isn’t hurt, only frightened.”“Thought boss shot me,” said Peter, making a rush, and then triumphantly waving his drawers over his head, before withdrawing to a place of safety, where he could watch with the others the dying struggles of the crocodile, which grew weaker and weaker, and then ceased; and the stream flowed calmly on, sweeping away the mud and sand, and revealing the body of the monster, apparently quite dead, at the bottom of the shallow water.Generally speaking these reptiles get away into the depths of the rivers, or into some deep hole beneath the banks, but this one had apparently been hit so badly that it had not had time to get away, and the sight of the monster so excited the boys, that they begged hard to have it dragged out on to the strand.“But it is of no use, and its musky odour will be very offensive,” said Mr Rogers.“But we want to see it, father—to measure it, and see how long it is, and how big round.”“Very well,” said Mr Rogers, “then you shall. Peter, get one of the oxen and a rope, and we’ll drag the brute ashore. Dinny, go and ask the General to come.”The Zulu chief, and Peter with his ox, arrived at about the same time, when no sooner did the former hear what was wanted than he made a big loop, waded into the water, and slipped the noose over the monster’s head.This noose was pulled tight, the rope attached to the yoke of the ox, the word given, and the crocodile drawn not only out of the water on to the strand, but through an opening in the rock and on to the firm ground above.Here the General proceeded to unfasten the rope, Mr Rogers curiously examining the mark made by his bullet just behind the creature’s eye, when, to the astonishment of all present, the reptile made a tremendous snap with its awful jaws, and as the General darted aside, the creature began to thrash the air with its tail, sweeping it from side to side, and snapping its jaws as it began to move off towards the edge of the little cliff.Both Dick and Jack stood there paralysed for a few moments, for they had believed the reptile dead; but Dick soon recovered, and as the crocodile was slowly progressing, snapping its jaws menacingly as it went, the boy went close up and fired at its eye.There was a terrible convulsion; then the monster levelled shrubs and herbage in all directions, after which it suddenly seemed to succumb, when getting Peter to help him, the Zulu thrust one of the reptile’s legs beneath it, got hold of the other, and the crocodile was hauled over upon its back, and the keen knife of the Zulu cut its head nearly off, and ripped it open from end to end.“He’ll never get over this,” said Jack. “I dare say this wretch has killed hundreds of innocent creatures in its day, and I’m glad it’s done.”They were not disturbed by lions that night, but the mosquitoes and sand-flies made up for it, tormenting them so that morning was gladly hailed, and Jack and Dick went off with a measuring tape to get the length and girth of the great reptile as a trophy.“I say eighteen feet long,” said Jack decidedly, as they walked along.“Do you remember what father said about the travellers’ measurements?” said Dick drily. “No, Jack, he is not eighteen feet long, nor sixteen. I should say fifteen feet.”“But I read that they grow to twenty-five and thirty feet long,” said Jack.“Perhaps they do,” replied Dick, “but our one hadn’t time to grow so long, and—hallo!”“Hallo!” said Jack.“Hallo!” said Dick again.“Father must have had it dragged back into the stream, so let’s go back. Pah! how busy the vultures have been.”They had evidently been gorging themselves upon the crocodile’s vitals since daybreak, and a perfect flock of them flew sluggishly away as the boys made sure that the reptile was not where it had been left, and then went back to ask their father about the monster.“No,” he said, “I have not had the creature touched. I’ll go with you. Here, General.”The Zulu strode up, and Chicory followed; and thus strengthened they went back to the place where the crocodile had been left, and the General pointed out the exact spot where it had lain. Then bending down, he pointed with his finger to certain marks leading to the edge of the little cliff, and then showed that it was evident that the crocodile had struggled to the edge, and fallen over some six feet on to the sand and stones below.“But he couldn’t have gone down there,” cried Dick. “Father shot him dead, and then I did.”“Was that you speaking, my boy, or Dinny?” said Mr Rogers, smiling.“Ah, but you know what I mean, father,” cried the boy; and then they all looked down on to the strand, but not without keeping a watchful eye upon the water.Here the General showed the impression made by the crocodile in the sand, and also the marks of its claws and tail as it crawled into the river, and then they all stared at each other.“Why, it must have come to life again,” said Jack.“No kill some crocodiles,” said the Zulu solemnly; and then, after a little more examination of the spot, Mr Rogers turned back towards the camp, Dick and Jack remembering that it was breakfast-time, and feeling quite ready for another hearty meal.“But could the crocodile come to life again, father?” asked Jack.“Certainly not, my boy. It could not have been killed; and horrible as its injuries were, it seems to have had life enough to enable it to crawl back into the river, where probably it now lies dead at the bottom amongst the mud.”
“Oh,” cried Jack, “we both missed, and he has drawn the poor thing in.”
“I don’t believe I missed,” said Dick. “No: look, Jack!”
For at that moment they saw a movement amongst the undergrowth behind where the antelope had been kneeling; and the poor beast, with bleeding nostrils and starting eyes, staggered down to the water’s edge, drank with avidity, and then bounded back as another or the same crocodile half leaped out of the water to catch it.
But the antelope, weak and exhausted though it was, escaped, and bounded away into the dense reeds, while Jack as he coolly reloaded his rifle-barrel said,—
“Nice place this, Dicky. Let’s take our clothes off and have a bathe.”
“Ugh!” shuddered Dick. “The monsters!”
“What have you shot, boys?” said Mr Rogers, hurrying up. “I was afraid it was an accident, the two rifles went off like one.”
They told him, and being eager to see if there was any trace of the crocodile, they went round the shores of the little lake to the other side of the point, for the river wound so that the incident took place on their own bank; but for a few minutes they could see nothing but muddy water.
“I’m afraid you did not kill him, boys,” said Mr Rogers.
“But we frightened him off,” cried Jack; “and that’s something.”
“Chicory find him; look!” cried the boy, pointing where he stood.
They went to his side, and there sure enough, with its light underparts showing, lay a great crocodile, its tail moving feebly to and fro, and, most satisfactory sight of all to the boys, a couple of threads of blood rising slowly from the monster’s head through the clear water.
“Hah!”
It was Chicory who shouted, and as he did so he struck back his young masters. For his quick eyes had seen what looked like a dark shadow in the river; and his effort was just in time, for a huge crocodile threw itself half out of the water, disappearing again with a sullen plunge as it missed its prey.
“I think that will do for to-day, boys,” said Mr Rogers. “Let’s get back to the waggon. For my part I feel disposed to spend the rest of our time shooting crocodiles, so as to try and rid the country of a few of the pests.”
“Only all we could kill would be as nothing, would they, father?” said Dick.
“No, they would hardly count,” replied Mr Rogers; and they made the best of their way back to the waggon, only too glad of the meal Dinny had ready for them, roast and boiled.
Chicory turned a rough kind of somersault as he caught sight of his brother sitting up and doing that which was dear to Chicory’s own heart—eating; and as there was a good share of food beside Coffee, the tired brother made no scruple about going to join him and help him eat.
It was wonderful what that boy could eat when he was thoroughly hungry. Dinny would stare at him, rub his ears, and screw up his face with a look of disgust, while the very dogs seemed envious of his powers. Rough’un would wait patiently for some time bearing it all apparently as he abided his own time; but when he saw Chicory keep steadily on he began to bark furiously, as if such behaviour were not to be borne.
“Shure, Masther Dick, it’s my honest belafe,” said Dinny, “that if you put down enough mate before them two Sooloo boys they’d kape on aiting till they got to be hungry again.”
In spite of the heat of the weather, the performances of Dick and Jack upon strong venison essence and roast gazelle were enough to startle any housekeeper of small income and an anxiety about the state of the butcher’s bill. But of course the outdoor life and constant exertion produced a tremendous appetite; and as Mr Rogers noted the change in Dick, whose palate had to be tempted only a short time back, he felt thankful to see the difference.
Dinny had outdone himself that day in the matter of cookery; and a hearty meal having been eaten, the boys spent half-an-hour with their pets, the leopard being so far particularly docile, and their horses whinnying with satisfaction as soon as they heard their masters’ steps. Then there were the cattle to look at, all of which were sleek and well; and lastly, the various specimens to arrange before going to rest.
The sun was getting low by this time, and the stillness of the wilds was only broken by the twittering of a little flock of birds in the adjacent trees, when Dinny came running from the river-side—
“Hoi, sor! bring the roifles, an’ ye plaze. Here’s Pater being swallowed down by one of thim great crocodivils!”
“Quick, boys!” cried Mr Rogers; but there was no need to speak, for the rifles had been already seized, and away the little party ran, towards the river.
The water was not visible till they were close upon it, on account of the conformation of the land; but when they did come in sight, the scene was so curious that they halted with cocked pieces, gazing down from the rocks at black Peter the driver.
Peter being a particularly cleanly man had taken a pair of his linen drawers down to the stream to wash, with Dinny sitting on the edge of the rock smoking his pipe, and looking-on.All had gone well till Peter was beating the garment about in the water for a final rinse, when suddenly the jaws of a huge crocodile were protruded from the surface, not a yard away.
As might have been expected, Peter dropped his drawers, and darted back, while the crocodile remained staring at him, and Dinny rushed off shouting for help.
They learned afterwards that what they had now seen had been repeated several times. For just as they paused, Peter was creeping cautiously forward towards where his drawers lay upon the sand, stooping with outstretched hand to seize them, when there was the slightest disturbance possible in the water, and the head of a monstrous crocodile appeared.
Back darted Peter, and the head of the crocodile sank slowly beneath the water, when, unaware that help was at hand, Peter waited a minute or two, and then once more stole gently and on tiptoe towards his much-coveted garb.
This time his hand was almost upon it when out came the crocodile’s head, and Peter nimbly darted back, but only to come on again as quietly as possible, apparently quite ignorant of the fact that it was by the eye that the reptile distinguished his coming, and not by ear.
Twice more was this watched, when Mr Rogers, feeling alarmed lest the driver should be too venturesome, whispered to his sons to shoot.
“No, father,” whispered back Dick; “we want to see you shoot this one.”
Mr Rogers hesitated a moment, and then lying down upon his chest he rested the barrel of his rifle on the edge of the rock where it went perpendicularly down to the little strand, and waited for the next appearance of the dangerous monster.
He had not long to wait, for Peter seemed to be determined this time to make sure of his garment, and cautiously stealing forward he had almost touched it, when out came the crocodile’s head once more, and as Peter darted back it remained stationary, its hideous eyes watching the black driver, when Mr Rogers’ rifle spoke out, and Peter fell upon his back, yelling for help; while the stream, that had quietly rippled over where the crocodile lay, was suddenly beaten by the monster’s struggles into a tempest of foam.
“Are ye kilt, Pater, ma black bouchal?” cried Dinny piteously, as he leaped down to the aid of his fellow-servant.
“Mind the crocodile, Dinny,” shouted Dick maliciously.
“Oh! murther!” roared Dinny; and he scrambled up the rock again, and sat there panting, as the boys roared with laughter. “Ah, and it’s moighty funny, I’ve no doubt, Masther Dick, sor, but how would you fale yourself if one of the great crocodivils had got hold of ye?”
“Very bad, Dinny,” said Dick. “There, go and help Peter; he isn’t hurt, only frightened.”
“Thought boss shot me,” said Peter, making a rush, and then triumphantly waving his drawers over his head, before withdrawing to a place of safety, where he could watch with the others the dying struggles of the crocodile, which grew weaker and weaker, and then ceased; and the stream flowed calmly on, sweeping away the mud and sand, and revealing the body of the monster, apparently quite dead, at the bottom of the shallow water.
Generally speaking these reptiles get away into the depths of the rivers, or into some deep hole beneath the banks, but this one had apparently been hit so badly that it had not had time to get away, and the sight of the monster so excited the boys, that they begged hard to have it dragged out on to the strand.
“But it is of no use, and its musky odour will be very offensive,” said Mr Rogers.
“But we want to see it, father—to measure it, and see how long it is, and how big round.”
“Very well,” said Mr Rogers, “then you shall. Peter, get one of the oxen and a rope, and we’ll drag the brute ashore. Dinny, go and ask the General to come.”
The Zulu chief, and Peter with his ox, arrived at about the same time, when no sooner did the former hear what was wanted than he made a big loop, waded into the water, and slipped the noose over the monster’s head.
This noose was pulled tight, the rope attached to the yoke of the ox, the word given, and the crocodile drawn not only out of the water on to the strand, but through an opening in the rock and on to the firm ground above.
Here the General proceeded to unfasten the rope, Mr Rogers curiously examining the mark made by his bullet just behind the creature’s eye, when, to the astonishment of all present, the reptile made a tremendous snap with its awful jaws, and as the General darted aside, the creature began to thrash the air with its tail, sweeping it from side to side, and snapping its jaws as it began to move off towards the edge of the little cliff.
Both Dick and Jack stood there paralysed for a few moments, for they had believed the reptile dead; but Dick soon recovered, and as the crocodile was slowly progressing, snapping its jaws menacingly as it went, the boy went close up and fired at its eye.
There was a terrible convulsion; then the monster levelled shrubs and herbage in all directions, after which it suddenly seemed to succumb, when getting Peter to help him, the Zulu thrust one of the reptile’s legs beneath it, got hold of the other, and the crocodile was hauled over upon its back, and the keen knife of the Zulu cut its head nearly off, and ripped it open from end to end.
“He’ll never get over this,” said Jack. “I dare say this wretch has killed hundreds of innocent creatures in its day, and I’m glad it’s done.”
They were not disturbed by lions that night, but the mosquitoes and sand-flies made up for it, tormenting them so that morning was gladly hailed, and Jack and Dick went off with a measuring tape to get the length and girth of the great reptile as a trophy.
“I say eighteen feet long,” said Jack decidedly, as they walked along.
“Do you remember what father said about the travellers’ measurements?” said Dick drily. “No, Jack, he is not eighteen feet long, nor sixteen. I should say fifteen feet.”
“But I read that they grow to twenty-five and thirty feet long,” said Jack.
“Perhaps they do,” replied Dick, “but our one hadn’t time to grow so long, and—hallo!”
“Hallo!” said Jack.
“Hallo!” said Dick again.
“Father must have had it dragged back into the stream, so let’s go back. Pah! how busy the vultures have been.”
They had evidently been gorging themselves upon the crocodile’s vitals since daybreak, and a perfect flock of them flew sluggishly away as the boys made sure that the reptile was not where it had been left, and then went back to ask their father about the monster.
“No,” he said, “I have not had the creature touched. I’ll go with you. Here, General.”
The Zulu strode up, and Chicory followed; and thus strengthened they went back to the place where the crocodile had been left, and the General pointed out the exact spot where it had lain. Then bending down, he pointed with his finger to certain marks leading to the edge of the little cliff, and then showed that it was evident that the crocodile had struggled to the edge, and fallen over some six feet on to the sand and stones below.
“But he couldn’t have gone down there,” cried Dick. “Father shot him dead, and then I did.”
“Was that you speaking, my boy, or Dinny?” said Mr Rogers, smiling.
“Ah, but you know what I mean, father,” cried the boy; and then they all looked down on to the strand, but not without keeping a watchful eye upon the water.
Here the General showed the impression made by the crocodile in the sand, and also the marks of its claws and tail as it crawled into the river, and then they all stared at each other.
“Why, it must have come to life again,” said Jack.
“No kill some crocodiles,” said the Zulu solemnly; and then, after a little more examination of the spot, Mr Rogers turned back towards the camp, Dick and Jack remembering that it was breakfast-time, and feeling quite ready for another hearty meal.
“But could the crocodile come to life again, father?” asked Jack.
“Certainly not, my boy. It could not have been killed; and horrible as its injuries were, it seems to have had life enough to enable it to crawl back into the river, where probably it now lies dead at the bottom amongst the mud.”
Chapter Twenty Four.Jack Rogers and the Runaway Herds.The General found a shallow fording-place, when the Limpopo itself was reached; and no little excitement was displayed by Dinny at the thought of recklessly plunging into a river that was as full as a Pay shuck, he said, of crocodivils.But the river had to be crossed; and when all was ready the order “Trek!” was given, Peter’s whip cracked, and the team went down a slope into the river at a trot, Dirk bravely walking by the side of the foremost oxen on finding Jack and Dick, on horseback, ready to lead the way.Dinny groaned, and crept into the waggon unseen by any one; while Coffee, Chicory, and the General took over the horses side by side with Mr Rogers.The stream ran fast, but it was very shallow, and the bottom was hard, so that the waggon was got over in safety, the oxen dragging it well up on the other side before they were allowed to halt; and so successful had the passage been that there might not have been a crocodile in the river.The fact was of course that the trampling and disturbance of so many hoofs kept the reptiles at a distance; but as the waggon was halted, and Mr Rogers gave a glance under to see that all was right, the dogs began running and snuffing about amongst the reeds and grass at the side, when Pompey suddenly uttered a hideous yell, and bounded away, careering over the plain with his tail between his legs, having had a very narrow escape from a small and active crocodile, which had literally thrown itself out of the water in its endeavour to catch him.The land presented an entirely different aspect now, vast plains running away towards the horizon; and in places it looked rather ominous, for it was parched and dry. Plenty of good grass and water were absolute necessities for the success of their expedition, so Mr Rogers paused to consult with the General, who pointed to the fact that there were great herds of game upon the plain, a sign which indicated that there must be pasture and water, and as he expressed his thorough conviction that plenty of grass would be found on in advance, the order was given once more to trek.“But where’s Dinny?” cried Mr Rogers; “surely we have not left him behind.”“No, sor,” said a whining voice; “shure I was putting things a bit sthrait in the waggon. Are we safe across the wather yet?”“Safe?” cried Dick contemptuously; “no! not a bit. Look out, Dinny, or we shall have one of the crocodiles pursuing us on horseback on purpose to have a snap at you.”“Shure an’ ye’s joking,” said Dinny thrusting his head out of the back of the waggon; “and maybe he’d prefer you, Masther Dick, as being tinderer to his teeth and more gintale.”The journey during the next few days was more laborious than interesting. It was intensely hot; water was scarce, so was pasture; and but for the wise provision of the couple of goodly-sized tubs strung behind the waggon, there would have been a great deal of suffering. Nobody knew the position of those tubs better than Pompey, Caesar, and Crassus, unless it was Rough’un, for no sooner did they become thirsty, and fail to discover water, than they took their places behind the waggon and watched the barrels, “dhrinking ’em dhry wid their eyes,” so Dinny said, and barking loudly whenever a drop was drawn.The plains they crossed seemed to be endless, so did the herds of various kinds of game; and one evening the party separated in search of something for the larder, which had become low.The General went in one direction with Dick, Mr Rogers went in another with Chicory, and in a very independent spirit Jack shouldered his rifle, and went off by himself to see what he could bring down.About a mile from the bank he came upon what promised to be a capital place for stalking one or other of the herds grazing on the plain, namely, the bed of a nearly dried-up river, dotted with pools of water, one which had cut its way in stormy seasons through the rocky soil, leaving on either side a steep well-marked bank of about four feet high.The bed of the little river was dotted with tall clumps of feathery-flowered grass, which with the bank would form excellent cover, so that the hunter could go for miles either way in a natural trench, towards whose water pools the antelopes would most probably graze.It was a great advantage, but the place had its disadvantages as well, and Jack found them out before long.At first he started full of hope, congratulating himself on the fact that he had on his high riding-boots, and could wade dry shod through some of the pools. But before he had gone far he began wishing that he had brought the dogs, to search the different clumps of high grass, every one of which looked to be a certain lurking-place for a lion; and knowing now full well what capital stalkers they were, he kept glancing over his shoulder at the various clumps, fully expecting to see an enemy.There were two or three rushes and rustling noises to make him start, but as they only proved to be made by water-lizards Jack grew more confident, and creeping cautiously along, he began to make for a couple of herds feeding upon the plain—one, the gnu, or wildebeeste as the Boers call them; the others, the graceful, shapely blessbok.The appearance of the fierce shaggy gnu is not such as to give promise that he will prove good eating, so Jack naturally turned his attention to the blessboks, creeping cautiously along so as to get within shot; but though he was perfectly certain that he had not shown so much as the barrel of his gun, the blessbok suddenly took alarm, and went off like the wind.Their very first dash alarmed the gnu, some thirty strong, and they dashed off in another direction.“And I was so careful!” cried Jack passionately; but the next instant, just as he was about to show himself, and get out of the cramped position he had occupied close to a clump of grass, he had the satisfaction of seeing that the blessboks had not been alarmed at him, for they had suddenly wheeled round, and were coming right for him as hard as they could gallop.“Well, I shall get one this time,” cried Jack, bringing his rifle to bear, and waiting for an opportunity as the beautiful animals galloped along; when a heavy beating noise behind him caught his ear, and turning he found that the gnus had also altered their course, and were coming back, with their heads down, tails up, and their horns half pointed, as if to charge the young hunter where he crouched.There was no mistake about it; the gnu herd was coming straight for him, and in another minute they would have leaped down into the half dry watercourse, and trampled him into the sand.It was a time for displaying a little presence of mind, and to show the power of man—in this case, boy—over the beasts of the field. If the gnus had kept on, they would have crushed Jack on the instant, each one being in strength much more than a match for a man; but on seeing him start up on one knee, and shout and wave his gun, they swerved off to the right, and thundered by, just as a lighter beating noise of feet was heard; and as Jack turned, there to his disgust was the last of the little herd of blessboks, almost close to him, galloping by.Running round to the other side of the patch of grass he went down on one knee and fired; but the excitement had disarranged his nerves, and the bullet went over the last blessbok’s back; while before he could get in another cartridge and climb out of the watercourse, his chance was gone.
The General found a shallow fording-place, when the Limpopo itself was reached; and no little excitement was displayed by Dinny at the thought of recklessly plunging into a river that was as full as a Pay shuck, he said, of crocodivils.
But the river had to be crossed; and when all was ready the order “Trek!” was given, Peter’s whip cracked, and the team went down a slope into the river at a trot, Dirk bravely walking by the side of the foremost oxen on finding Jack and Dick, on horseback, ready to lead the way.
Dinny groaned, and crept into the waggon unseen by any one; while Coffee, Chicory, and the General took over the horses side by side with Mr Rogers.
The stream ran fast, but it was very shallow, and the bottom was hard, so that the waggon was got over in safety, the oxen dragging it well up on the other side before they were allowed to halt; and so successful had the passage been that there might not have been a crocodile in the river.
The fact was of course that the trampling and disturbance of so many hoofs kept the reptiles at a distance; but as the waggon was halted, and Mr Rogers gave a glance under to see that all was right, the dogs began running and snuffing about amongst the reeds and grass at the side, when Pompey suddenly uttered a hideous yell, and bounded away, careering over the plain with his tail between his legs, having had a very narrow escape from a small and active crocodile, which had literally thrown itself out of the water in its endeavour to catch him.
The land presented an entirely different aspect now, vast plains running away towards the horizon; and in places it looked rather ominous, for it was parched and dry. Plenty of good grass and water were absolute necessities for the success of their expedition, so Mr Rogers paused to consult with the General, who pointed to the fact that there were great herds of game upon the plain, a sign which indicated that there must be pasture and water, and as he expressed his thorough conviction that plenty of grass would be found on in advance, the order was given once more to trek.
“But where’s Dinny?” cried Mr Rogers; “surely we have not left him behind.”
“No, sor,” said a whining voice; “shure I was putting things a bit sthrait in the waggon. Are we safe across the wather yet?”
“Safe?” cried Dick contemptuously; “no! not a bit. Look out, Dinny, or we shall have one of the crocodiles pursuing us on horseback on purpose to have a snap at you.”
“Shure an’ ye’s joking,” said Dinny thrusting his head out of the back of the waggon; “and maybe he’d prefer you, Masther Dick, as being tinderer to his teeth and more gintale.”
The journey during the next few days was more laborious than interesting. It was intensely hot; water was scarce, so was pasture; and but for the wise provision of the couple of goodly-sized tubs strung behind the waggon, there would have been a great deal of suffering. Nobody knew the position of those tubs better than Pompey, Caesar, and Crassus, unless it was Rough’un, for no sooner did they become thirsty, and fail to discover water, than they took their places behind the waggon and watched the barrels, “dhrinking ’em dhry wid their eyes,” so Dinny said, and barking loudly whenever a drop was drawn.
The plains they crossed seemed to be endless, so did the herds of various kinds of game; and one evening the party separated in search of something for the larder, which had become low.
The General went in one direction with Dick, Mr Rogers went in another with Chicory, and in a very independent spirit Jack shouldered his rifle, and went off by himself to see what he could bring down.
About a mile from the bank he came upon what promised to be a capital place for stalking one or other of the herds grazing on the plain, namely, the bed of a nearly dried-up river, dotted with pools of water, one which had cut its way in stormy seasons through the rocky soil, leaving on either side a steep well-marked bank of about four feet high.
The bed of the little river was dotted with tall clumps of feathery-flowered grass, which with the bank would form excellent cover, so that the hunter could go for miles either way in a natural trench, towards whose water pools the antelopes would most probably graze.
It was a great advantage, but the place had its disadvantages as well, and Jack found them out before long.
At first he started full of hope, congratulating himself on the fact that he had on his high riding-boots, and could wade dry shod through some of the pools. But before he had gone far he began wishing that he had brought the dogs, to search the different clumps of high grass, every one of which looked to be a certain lurking-place for a lion; and knowing now full well what capital stalkers they were, he kept glancing over his shoulder at the various clumps, fully expecting to see an enemy.
There were two or three rushes and rustling noises to make him start, but as they only proved to be made by water-lizards Jack grew more confident, and creeping cautiously along, he began to make for a couple of herds feeding upon the plain—one, the gnu, or wildebeeste as the Boers call them; the others, the graceful, shapely blessbok.
The appearance of the fierce shaggy gnu is not such as to give promise that he will prove good eating, so Jack naturally turned his attention to the blessboks, creeping cautiously along so as to get within shot; but though he was perfectly certain that he had not shown so much as the barrel of his gun, the blessbok suddenly took alarm, and went off like the wind.
Their very first dash alarmed the gnu, some thirty strong, and they dashed off in another direction.
“And I was so careful!” cried Jack passionately; but the next instant, just as he was about to show himself, and get out of the cramped position he had occupied close to a clump of grass, he had the satisfaction of seeing that the blessboks had not been alarmed at him, for they had suddenly wheeled round, and were coming right for him as hard as they could gallop.
“Well, I shall get one this time,” cried Jack, bringing his rifle to bear, and waiting for an opportunity as the beautiful animals galloped along; when a heavy beating noise behind him caught his ear, and turning he found that the gnus had also altered their course, and were coming back, with their heads down, tails up, and their horns half pointed, as if to charge the young hunter where he crouched.
There was no mistake about it; the gnu herd was coming straight for him, and in another minute they would have leaped down into the half dry watercourse, and trampled him into the sand.
It was a time for displaying a little presence of mind, and to show the power of man—in this case, boy—over the beasts of the field. If the gnus had kept on, they would have crushed Jack on the instant, each one being in strength much more than a match for a man; but on seeing him start up on one knee, and shout and wave his gun, they swerved off to the right, and thundered by, just as a lighter beating noise of feet was heard; and as Jack turned, there to his disgust was the last of the little herd of blessboks, almost close to him, galloping by.
Running round to the other side of the patch of grass he went down on one knee and fired; but the excitement had disarranged his nerves, and the bullet went over the last blessbok’s back; while before he could get in another cartridge and climb out of the watercourse, his chance was gone.
Chapter Twenty Five.Nearly a Waggon-Wreck.There were no temptations to tarry much upon these plains, where there were certainly plenty of antelopes, quagga, and zebras, but little else to interest them. Lions were pretty common, but somehow they did not trouble the travellers much, being pretty well supplied from the herds of antelopes and the like; but the hyaenas proved to be a perfect pest, howling about the cattle-kraal of a night, and harrying the oxen so that they could not rest in peace. Upon two successive nights it was hard work to save the cattle from making a regular stampede, for the poor creatures were so alarmed that they broke down the thorn fence and would have galloped over the plains but for the efforts and voices of their drivers and the Zulus.So bad did the hyaenas become, that the first moonlight night it was resolved to lie in wait and try and shoot two or three.The boys were delighted with the idea, but the sole result was the loss of the night’s rest, for though they could hear the ugly brutes uttering their dismal howl all round the camp, not one was seen; and Dick at last declared that they were ventriloquists, and lay in a hole and sent their voices all around.The next day’s trekking was very arduous, for the ground was dry and sterile, awkward pieces of rock, each big enough to wreck the waggon, protruding from the sand in all directions. The dryness, too, was excessive, and they seemed to have got into a most terribly sterile tract, which now and then was cut by great deep crevices, which were as if the ground had cracked, each of these cracks being big enough to swallow waggon and team if they had inadvertently gone in.The poor beasts suffered terribly from thirst; but as evening was coming on, the black clouds gathered, and it soon become evident that before long there would be a perfect deluge of rain.It was upon them before they knew it, almost literally streaming down, and soaking everything; but in spite of the discomfort it was delightful to see the thirsty oxen stop to drink with avidity from the great pools that the rain soon formed. In fact, the storm was so cooling and refreshing that Chicory seemed to revel in it, his dark skin shining with moisture; and the boys themselves did not seem to mind getting wet; but as the night came on intensely dark, and in addition to the pitiless rain there set in a tremendous thunderstorm, with deafening peals, and vivid lightning cutting the black clouds in all directions, the position of the travellers began to get uncomfortable.The General promised a good halting-place further on; but the darkness grew so intense that the foremost oxen had to be led, and Mr Rogers, and the General, armed with a long pole, went on in advance.If they could have halted where they were they would gladly have done so; but it seemed madness to stop in that wretched wilderness, and so they crept slowly on, drenched, depressed, and miserable, the thunder deafening them with its peals, and the lightning seeming to crackle as it fell in jagged lines from the skies.Even the oxen seemed to participate in the general depression, for they went on very slowly, step by step, as if helping their leaders to find a suitable track, so as not to overturn the waggon against some piece of rock.Suddenly the General gave a warning cry, one that was echoed by Mr Rogers, and the bullocks were pulled up short just as they touched the leaders.The warning was needed, for as he felt his way onward with the pole the General had suddenly felt it go down into a rift stretching right across their road; and as it proved to be bottomless as far as he could tell, and went to right and left for some distance, there was nothing to be done but to camp just as they were, and wait through the cold wet night for morning.It was a pitiless and a bitter night, and those who believe in Africa being a land of intense heat would have felt their preconceived ideas shaken had they sat and shivered in that waggon, through whose double tilt covering the wind seemed to pierce as though it was so much open canvas. Far worse was it beneath, where, sheltering themselves as best they could, the black servants, Dinny, and the Zulus huddled together for mutual warmth. Even the dogs refused to be excluded, and, in spite of Dinny’s rather unmerciful kicks, kept crawling under the waggon, till Chicory took pity upon them and curled up in company, forming such a knot that it was hard to make out which was Chicory and which was dog. But the Zulu boy said it was nice and warm, all but one little place where there was no Pompey, and one leg which he couldn’t get under Crass.Fortunately the roar of the elements was sufficient to keep the predatory beasts in their lairs, or they would have had an easy task to seize upon oxen or horses, for it was as impossible in the darkness to find thorns and build a kraal, as it was in the wet to get a fire to burn.Dick said the night was “as miserable as mizzer,” and that Jack got all the blanket; but, like all other things, that miserable night came to an end, and as the sun rose up warm and bright, up sprang the spirits of all with it; and as the steam reeked from the soaked waggon, they turned from it to look with a curious sense of shrinking at the narrow escape they had had.For where the foremost oxen had been checked, consequent upon the General’s warning, there was a great crack right across their path, some twenty feet wide, double that distance deep, and running for several hundred yards right and left.But for the General’s timely warning the whole team would have gone in, dragging after them the waggon, and the horses which were haltered on behind, producing such an awful wreck that the expedition must have stopped; and then there would have been the problem to solve, how should they get back to Natal.As the sun grew warmer, and a fire had been lighted, food cooked, and a hearty breakfast made, the troubles of the past night were forgotten, and in the best of spirits they went on again, after a detour to avoid the chasm, the moistened earth smelling delicious, and the birds twittering and singing joyously in every tree.So far they had avoided the kraals or villages of the various peoples of these parts of Africa, but now the General announced that they were at last approaching the big river, where they would have to ask the black king’s permission to hunt, and make him a present for his concession.For in his land there were the giraffe, rhinoceros, hippopotamus, and elephant—huge beasts, the names of which made the boys’ pulses throb with excitement.There were crocodiles too in plenty in the big river, so the General said; and it was there that the river fell.The idea of seeing the wondrous falls of the Zambesi had long been nurtured in Mr Rogers’ heart; and as they had in their many months’ journey come so far, he determined that they would if possible reach that part of the river, and see the falls, even if they did not go farther.There seemed to be no reason why they should not, for every one, thanks to his care and management, was in the best of health, the change in Dick being wondrous. Certainly there was poor Coffee: but he was growing stronger day by day, and vowing vengeance against every lion in the land.That they were approaching a more inhabited tract they soon had warning in the increasing scarcity of the game. In place of the vast herds they had so often encountered, the herds were small, and so shy that it was only by lying in ambush, while the others went miles round to show themselves and make the antelopes take flight in the direction of the hidden hunters, that a sufficiency was obtained for the daily needs.The boys, however, managed to supplement the animal food with the birds that were shot, or knocked down with kiris; and fishing became a favourite pursuit in some one or other of the rocky pools in the river-beds that they had to cross, silurus and other kinds being frequently captured with a hook and line.They were curious fish these silurus, and, of course in happy ignorance of the meaning of angling, readily took the bait thrown to them in the deep pools; but when hooked their behaviour was almost startling, from the tremendous rushes they made in all directions. Being very much of the same configuration as the eel, they partook of that long, lithe fellow’s strength in the water; so that it was no uncommon thing for one that was hooked, and had been played for some time, to break away and carry with it half of a good line. Several were lost, but many were taken, and found famous when cooked, though Dinny avoided them as “avil-looking bastes.”Game grew scarcer still; and Mr Rogers, the boys, and Chicory were sitting in the long grass, partaking of some lunch they had brought, after a long toilsome walk in search of hartebeeste, a herd of which curiously-formed animals had been seen from a distance, when Chicory suddenly pricked up his ears, leaped to his feet, and then signed to his white companions to look.About a mile away, but coming on at a tremendous rate, was a little herd of zebras, whose beautiful forms and clearly-marked stripes could easily be distinguished as they ran through the long grass.Just about the size of an ordinary donkey, but with the build and sturdy shapeliness of a well-bred pony, they literally spurned the ground with their hoofs in their efforts to get away, for after them in swift chase came three Kaffirs, well-mounted upon sturdy cobs, and armed with assegais.As they came abreast of Jack and Dick, the pursuers were close upon the tail of the herd, the speed and stride of the horses telling in a long race; and as they passed, the boys could see that the Kaffirs were nude all but a loin-cloth, and that in place of a saddle they used for their horses merely a small skin.The pace was tremendous. And growing excited at what they saw, Dick and Jack, while longing for their own cobs, so as to join in the chase, set off at a run, followed by their father and Chicory.As they ran on they saw one of the Kaffirs overtake the hindmost zebra, ride alongside for a few moments, and then spear it, the unfortunate beast stumbling as the assegai was driven home, and then falling headlong to the ground.The Kaffir’s companions kept on the chase, singling out two more of the zebras, one of which was directly after brought down by a well-directed spear-thrust, but the other managed to escape, the hunters being content with their success.The approach of the party of whites was looked upon as dangerous, and getting together, spear in hand, the three hunters seemed to be preparing to meet the white strangers as men of war.Seeing this, Mr Rogers sent Chicory on as an ambassador to assure the strangers of their friendly feelings: and on seeing the Zulu boy advance alone, they waited, heard what he had to say, and then cantered up, holding out a hand in token of friendship.They were fine manly-looking young fellows, and said through Chicory that they had come many journeys after zebras; and they smiled with delight on being presented each with a common pocket-knife.The coming of the General somewhat disturbed their equanimity; but on hearing his friendly words they readily accepted his help in skinning the zebras, whose hides, with some of the choicest portions of the meat, they packed in front of them upon the horses: and after a little conversation respecting the town upon the river to which they were bound, the three Kaffirs rode off; and the great flap-winged vultures swept down, one after the other, attacking the unfortunate zebras: and shortly there was nothing left but a few scattered bones.
There were no temptations to tarry much upon these plains, where there were certainly plenty of antelopes, quagga, and zebras, but little else to interest them. Lions were pretty common, but somehow they did not trouble the travellers much, being pretty well supplied from the herds of antelopes and the like; but the hyaenas proved to be a perfect pest, howling about the cattle-kraal of a night, and harrying the oxen so that they could not rest in peace. Upon two successive nights it was hard work to save the cattle from making a regular stampede, for the poor creatures were so alarmed that they broke down the thorn fence and would have galloped over the plains but for the efforts and voices of their drivers and the Zulus.
So bad did the hyaenas become, that the first moonlight night it was resolved to lie in wait and try and shoot two or three.
The boys were delighted with the idea, but the sole result was the loss of the night’s rest, for though they could hear the ugly brutes uttering their dismal howl all round the camp, not one was seen; and Dick at last declared that they were ventriloquists, and lay in a hole and sent their voices all around.
The next day’s trekking was very arduous, for the ground was dry and sterile, awkward pieces of rock, each big enough to wreck the waggon, protruding from the sand in all directions. The dryness, too, was excessive, and they seemed to have got into a most terribly sterile tract, which now and then was cut by great deep crevices, which were as if the ground had cracked, each of these cracks being big enough to swallow waggon and team if they had inadvertently gone in.
The poor beasts suffered terribly from thirst; but as evening was coming on, the black clouds gathered, and it soon become evident that before long there would be a perfect deluge of rain.
It was upon them before they knew it, almost literally streaming down, and soaking everything; but in spite of the discomfort it was delightful to see the thirsty oxen stop to drink with avidity from the great pools that the rain soon formed. In fact, the storm was so cooling and refreshing that Chicory seemed to revel in it, his dark skin shining with moisture; and the boys themselves did not seem to mind getting wet; but as the night came on intensely dark, and in addition to the pitiless rain there set in a tremendous thunderstorm, with deafening peals, and vivid lightning cutting the black clouds in all directions, the position of the travellers began to get uncomfortable.
The General promised a good halting-place further on; but the darkness grew so intense that the foremost oxen had to be led, and Mr Rogers, and the General, armed with a long pole, went on in advance.
If they could have halted where they were they would gladly have done so; but it seemed madness to stop in that wretched wilderness, and so they crept slowly on, drenched, depressed, and miserable, the thunder deafening them with its peals, and the lightning seeming to crackle as it fell in jagged lines from the skies.
Even the oxen seemed to participate in the general depression, for they went on very slowly, step by step, as if helping their leaders to find a suitable track, so as not to overturn the waggon against some piece of rock.
Suddenly the General gave a warning cry, one that was echoed by Mr Rogers, and the bullocks were pulled up short just as they touched the leaders.
The warning was needed, for as he felt his way onward with the pole the General had suddenly felt it go down into a rift stretching right across their road; and as it proved to be bottomless as far as he could tell, and went to right and left for some distance, there was nothing to be done but to camp just as they were, and wait through the cold wet night for morning.
It was a pitiless and a bitter night, and those who believe in Africa being a land of intense heat would have felt their preconceived ideas shaken had they sat and shivered in that waggon, through whose double tilt covering the wind seemed to pierce as though it was so much open canvas. Far worse was it beneath, where, sheltering themselves as best they could, the black servants, Dinny, and the Zulus huddled together for mutual warmth. Even the dogs refused to be excluded, and, in spite of Dinny’s rather unmerciful kicks, kept crawling under the waggon, till Chicory took pity upon them and curled up in company, forming such a knot that it was hard to make out which was Chicory and which was dog. But the Zulu boy said it was nice and warm, all but one little place where there was no Pompey, and one leg which he couldn’t get under Crass.
Fortunately the roar of the elements was sufficient to keep the predatory beasts in their lairs, or they would have had an easy task to seize upon oxen or horses, for it was as impossible in the darkness to find thorns and build a kraal, as it was in the wet to get a fire to burn.
Dick said the night was “as miserable as mizzer,” and that Jack got all the blanket; but, like all other things, that miserable night came to an end, and as the sun rose up warm and bright, up sprang the spirits of all with it; and as the steam reeked from the soaked waggon, they turned from it to look with a curious sense of shrinking at the narrow escape they had had.
For where the foremost oxen had been checked, consequent upon the General’s warning, there was a great crack right across their path, some twenty feet wide, double that distance deep, and running for several hundred yards right and left.
But for the General’s timely warning the whole team would have gone in, dragging after them the waggon, and the horses which were haltered on behind, producing such an awful wreck that the expedition must have stopped; and then there would have been the problem to solve, how should they get back to Natal.
As the sun grew warmer, and a fire had been lighted, food cooked, and a hearty breakfast made, the troubles of the past night were forgotten, and in the best of spirits they went on again, after a detour to avoid the chasm, the moistened earth smelling delicious, and the birds twittering and singing joyously in every tree.
So far they had avoided the kraals or villages of the various peoples of these parts of Africa, but now the General announced that they were at last approaching the big river, where they would have to ask the black king’s permission to hunt, and make him a present for his concession.
For in his land there were the giraffe, rhinoceros, hippopotamus, and elephant—huge beasts, the names of which made the boys’ pulses throb with excitement.
There were crocodiles too in plenty in the big river, so the General said; and it was there that the river fell.
The idea of seeing the wondrous falls of the Zambesi had long been nurtured in Mr Rogers’ heart; and as they had in their many months’ journey come so far, he determined that they would if possible reach that part of the river, and see the falls, even if they did not go farther.
There seemed to be no reason why they should not, for every one, thanks to his care and management, was in the best of health, the change in Dick being wondrous. Certainly there was poor Coffee: but he was growing stronger day by day, and vowing vengeance against every lion in the land.
That they were approaching a more inhabited tract they soon had warning in the increasing scarcity of the game. In place of the vast herds they had so often encountered, the herds were small, and so shy that it was only by lying in ambush, while the others went miles round to show themselves and make the antelopes take flight in the direction of the hidden hunters, that a sufficiency was obtained for the daily needs.
The boys, however, managed to supplement the animal food with the birds that were shot, or knocked down with kiris; and fishing became a favourite pursuit in some one or other of the rocky pools in the river-beds that they had to cross, silurus and other kinds being frequently captured with a hook and line.
They were curious fish these silurus, and, of course in happy ignorance of the meaning of angling, readily took the bait thrown to them in the deep pools; but when hooked their behaviour was almost startling, from the tremendous rushes they made in all directions. Being very much of the same configuration as the eel, they partook of that long, lithe fellow’s strength in the water; so that it was no uncommon thing for one that was hooked, and had been played for some time, to break away and carry with it half of a good line. Several were lost, but many were taken, and found famous when cooked, though Dinny avoided them as “avil-looking bastes.”
Game grew scarcer still; and Mr Rogers, the boys, and Chicory were sitting in the long grass, partaking of some lunch they had brought, after a long toilsome walk in search of hartebeeste, a herd of which curiously-formed animals had been seen from a distance, when Chicory suddenly pricked up his ears, leaped to his feet, and then signed to his white companions to look.
About a mile away, but coming on at a tremendous rate, was a little herd of zebras, whose beautiful forms and clearly-marked stripes could easily be distinguished as they ran through the long grass.
Just about the size of an ordinary donkey, but with the build and sturdy shapeliness of a well-bred pony, they literally spurned the ground with their hoofs in their efforts to get away, for after them in swift chase came three Kaffirs, well-mounted upon sturdy cobs, and armed with assegais.
As they came abreast of Jack and Dick, the pursuers were close upon the tail of the herd, the speed and stride of the horses telling in a long race; and as they passed, the boys could see that the Kaffirs were nude all but a loin-cloth, and that in place of a saddle they used for their horses merely a small skin.
The pace was tremendous. And growing excited at what they saw, Dick and Jack, while longing for their own cobs, so as to join in the chase, set off at a run, followed by their father and Chicory.
As they ran on they saw one of the Kaffirs overtake the hindmost zebra, ride alongside for a few moments, and then spear it, the unfortunate beast stumbling as the assegai was driven home, and then falling headlong to the ground.
The Kaffir’s companions kept on the chase, singling out two more of the zebras, one of which was directly after brought down by a well-directed spear-thrust, but the other managed to escape, the hunters being content with their success.
The approach of the party of whites was looked upon as dangerous, and getting together, spear in hand, the three hunters seemed to be preparing to meet the white strangers as men of war.
Seeing this, Mr Rogers sent Chicory on as an ambassador to assure the strangers of their friendly feelings: and on seeing the Zulu boy advance alone, they waited, heard what he had to say, and then cantered up, holding out a hand in token of friendship.
They were fine manly-looking young fellows, and said through Chicory that they had come many journeys after zebras; and they smiled with delight on being presented each with a common pocket-knife.
The coming of the General somewhat disturbed their equanimity; but on hearing his friendly words they readily accepted his help in skinning the zebras, whose hides, with some of the choicest portions of the meat, they packed in front of them upon the horses: and after a little conversation respecting the town upon the river to which they were bound, the three Kaffirs rode off; and the great flap-winged vultures swept down, one after the other, attacking the unfortunate zebras: and shortly there was nothing left but a few scattered bones.
Chapter Twenty Six.How Dinny heard a Lion wid a Bad Cowld.“They’re avil-looking birruds thim vultures, Masther Dick,” said Dinny, as he saw the great flap-winged birds sailing slowly through the air, some of them always being in attendance upon the waggon, knowing, apparently by instinct, that the companionship of the hunting-party meant food for them.They kept at a respectful distance, though; not on account of the guns and rifles, for they seemed to know that they would not be molested, but because of the dogs, who resented their attendance as an insult, and as likely to deprive them of many a pleasant bone.Pompey, Caesar, and Crassus would make a dash at the great birds whenever they saw them upon the plain, charging down upon them open-mouthed, while Rough’un went at them in a way full of guile, hanging his head down, and keeping his nose close to the ground, as if in search of something he had lost. He never seemed to be taking the slightest notice of the vultures, even turning his head away, but all the time he was sidling nearer and nearer, till feeling that he was within easy reach, he would make a dash at the nearest bird.But Rough’un succeeded no better than Pompey and his brethren, for the vultures would take a few hops, spread their wings, and float up in the air, as the dog rushed under them, leaving him barking most furiously at the birds as they went.“Ah, they’re avil-looking birruds, thim vultures,” said Dinny, “and we’d never suffer ’em in ould Oireland. Shure, Saint Pathrick would have dhruv out ivery mother’s son of ’em before he’d set his foot in the counthry. They’re avil-looking bastes. I’ll be asking the masther to lind me a gun, and I’ll go out shooting of ’em.”“I don’t think father will let you, Dinny,” replied Dick. “They’re very useful in their way, and clear off all the foul decaying carcases of the animals that die on the plains.”“Shure and the flies would do all that a dale nater and claner,” cried Dinny. “And, oh, murther, Masther Dick, but it’s hard work to keep the flies off the mate out here. They come in shwarms, and I’m doing nothing all day but kill ’em. I say, Masther Dick, dear, whin are we going back?”“Going back?” cried Dick. “I don’t know. Not yet for months, I hope.”“Oh, murther, an’ what’ll become of us all? Sure we’re never going near any more of thim rivers, Masther Dick?”“But we are, Dinny, we’re trekking straight for one now.”“Not one with thim murthering crocodivils in it, Masther Dick?”“Yes, Dinny; the Zambesi swarms with them, I believe, and they run very large.”“Och, mother, mother! and it’s a good thing ye don’t know where yer poor boy is all among black haythens, and lines, and crocodivils, and other foreign bastes of prey. I niver thought I’d come to such a thing as this. Shure it’s a horrid counthry altogether.”“I think it a grand country, Dinny,” cried Dick; “and I shall ask father to stop out here for long enough.”“Ah, be aisy, Masther Dick, dear, and don’t demane yerself to stop out here among the dirty blacks. Shure ye’re meant for better things. Jist think of it, darlin’, out here in the wildherness all these long months, and never once tasted mutton or beef.”“But you’ve been living on prime venison and other game, Dinny.”“An’ is it living ye call it—aiting thim bucks and doe things, like a black, or a wild baste?” said Dinny in tones of contempt. “Not so much as a pitaytie even or a pay. Shure I call it shtarving,” grumbled Dinny. “Look at that now.”“That” was poor Coffee, who was so much better that he had been out once or twice upon short hunting expeditions, and was now tramping behind the waggon with his brother, engaged in what cannot better be described than as a game of romps with the dogs.For these welcomed the advances of the Zulu boys with delight, racing and careering round them, making fierce attacks, and allowing themselves to be seized and thumped and rolled over, in what at times was a regular tangle of dogs and boys, after which there was a run to overtake the waggon.Dinny, in spite of his grumbling, was a good deal pleased upon this day, for the route of the waggon took them by several salt-pools, whose waters the dogs rushed to lap, but came back shaking their heads and barking furiously, growling at Dick and Jack, who laughed at them, as if they were resenting a trick that had been played at their expense.These salt-pools were very interesting, the salt forming in quite a crust, like ice, some inches below the surface; while to the surprise of Mr Rogers, he found beautiful palm and the queerly-shaped baobab-trees, flourishing in the salt-impregnated soil.The long weary trek brought them in sight of the fine broad river along whose banks they had now to journey till they reached the black king’s town; and they had not gone far before they saw in the distance a couple of canoes upon the water, while directly afterwards they passed a clump of trees and came upon a fishing-party, three of the number being in a large dug-out canoe, the other upon a mass of rock surrounded by reeds.So intent were the fishermen upon their work amongst thegreat water-lilies that dotted the quiet surface of the river close in shore, that they did not see the approach of Dick and Jack, closely followed by Mr Rogers to protect them from harm. The sight was so novel that the young Englishmen stood still amongst the reeds watching the blacks, one of whom managed the canoe by means of a pole, while the others watched their opportunity, and then darted their long slender fish-spears down into the transparent water, and several times over brought up a good-sized fish.They were strong, well-built savages, whose belief in clothing went as far as a little apron; and one of them had his hair carefully twisted, and tied up into an absurd-looking pigtail, which stood straight up from the back of his head.The English party stood watching them for some minutes, and then advanced towards the shore, making signs. But the moment their presence was discovered the men in the canoe uttered a shout, and their companion on the shore plunged into the water to join them, the whole party paddling rapidly off as soon as their companion was hauled in to the bottom of their canoe, a feat not performed except at great risk of overturning the heavy clumsily-formed boat.The General was beckoned up to join them by Mr Rogers, but they paid no more heed to him than to the Englishman, their sole thought being how best they could make their escape.“They’ll go and announce our coming as that of enemies, I suppose,” said Mr Rogers, who longed for a better knowledge of the people’s tongue.There was no help for it; and as decidedly the best plan was to journey through on to the royal city, the waggon was kept going, and that night they camped at a short distance from the river, hearing no lions. But as they sat by their watch-fire, there was a peculiar hoarse loud bellowing noise, evidently coming from the river-side.As very often happened to be the case when there was anything unusual heard, Dinny was sitting with Jack keeping the first watch, and a good blazing fire.“Hark at that now!” he said. “Hark at that, Masther Jack!”And he half rose and made as if to flee to the shelter of the waggon.“Yes, I heard it, Dinny,” said Jack quietly. “It was pretty loud wasn’t it?”“Loud, Masther Jack? It was horrid, shure! And why don’t ye shoot?”“Because there’s nothing to shoot at.”“Nothing to shute at? Jist hark at him! Why, there it is again.”As Dinny said, there it was again; and certainly the noise was terrible and awe-inspiring, heard in the stillness of the night by the crackling of the great fire, whose glow lit up waggon and trees around in a strange way, casting grotesque shadows behind.“Well, it’s ever so far-off; and I don’t know what it is. Perhaps it’s an elephant,” said Jack.“An illephant!” said Dinny, in tones of disgust; “jist as if an illephant ever made a noise like that! Why, it’s a lion, Masther Jack.”“Nonsense, Dinny! Lions don’t make a noise like that.”“Shure, an’ arn’t we close to the river, where it’s mortial damp?”“To be sure we are; but it isn’t damp here, Dinny.”“Shure, but it is!” cried Dinny. “There’s a hoarse roar for ye!”The peculiar noise came again, and was repeated from a distance, and again in the other direction.“That’s no lion, Dinny,” said Jack.“Not a lion? Bedad, and I’d bet me head that it is, and a lion that’s hoarse wid a horrid bad cowld—jist the same as meself, and a sore throat in the bargain, after that wet night we had the other day.”“No, that can’t be a lion,” said Jack again. “Hulloa! who’s there?”Theclick-clickof Jack’s gun was heard as a dark form was seen approaching. But the familiar voice of Mr Rogers made the boy lower his piece.“I thought I’d come and have a look at you, my boy,” said Mr Rogers. “Do you hear the hippopotamus?”“Shure, no, sor; but there’s a great big lion wid a terrible cowld, roaring away for his mate; and I’d thank ye kindly if ye’d shute him at once. There he goes, sor!”“That’s not a lion, Dinny. That’s a hippopotamus,” replied Mr Rogers, smiling.“Shure, an’ if he can roar like that, he’ll be worse than a lion, sor,” said Dinny, “so hadn’t ye betther shute at once?”“Dinny doesn’t want you to shoot at the hippopotamus, father,” said Jack, laughing. “He wants you to shoot at shadows!”Mr Rogers laughed, and after staying a little while by the fire, listening to the distant noises of the huge amphibious animals that abounded in the great stream, he quietly went back to the waggon.The departure of his master was the signal for the renewal of Dinny’s fears, which he showed in a very peculiar way.Jack had just thrown a few more pieces of wood upon the fire, which blazed up directly; and then, taking his place again, he was making himself comfortable, when there was a tremendous hollow roar, made by a hippopotamus, apparently pretty close to them.Dinny immediately shifted his position, getting close up to Jack, who did not say anything, but feeling uncomfortably warm dodged a little farther off.That was of no avail, for Dinny followed him, getting closer still, with the result that in the course of the next hour Jack was driven right round the fire; and he was just about to commence a second tour when the General came, with Dick, to relieve the watch, and Jack went off to bed.
“They’re avil-looking birruds thim vultures, Masther Dick,” said Dinny, as he saw the great flap-winged birds sailing slowly through the air, some of them always being in attendance upon the waggon, knowing, apparently by instinct, that the companionship of the hunting-party meant food for them.
They kept at a respectful distance, though; not on account of the guns and rifles, for they seemed to know that they would not be molested, but because of the dogs, who resented their attendance as an insult, and as likely to deprive them of many a pleasant bone.
Pompey, Caesar, and Crassus would make a dash at the great birds whenever they saw them upon the plain, charging down upon them open-mouthed, while Rough’un went at them in a way full of guile, hanging his head down, and keeping his nose close to the ground, as if in search of something he had lost. He never seemed to be taking the slightest notice of the vultures, even turning his head away, but all the time he was sidling nearer and nearer, till feeling that he was within easy reach, he would make a dash at the nearest bird.
But Rough’un succeeded no better than Pompey and his brethren, for the vultures would take a few hops, spread their wings, and float up in the air, as the dog rushed under them, leaving him barking most furiously at the birds as they went.
“Ah, they’re avil-looking birruds, thim vultures,” said Dinny, “and we’d never suffer ’em in ould Oireland. Shure, Saint Pathrick would have dhruv out ivery mother’s son of ’em before he’d set his foot in the counthry. They’re avil-looking bastes. I’ll be asking the masther to lind me a gun, and I’ll go out shooting of ’em.”
“I don’t think father will let you, Dinny,” replied Dick. “They’re very useful in their way, and clear off all the foul decaying carcases of the animals that die on the plains.”
“Shure and the flies would do all that a dale nater and claner,” cried Dinny. “And, oh, murther, Masther Dick, but it’s hard work to keep the flies off the mate out here. They come in shwarms, and I’m doing nothing all day but kill ’em. I say, Masther Dick, dear, whin are we going back?”
“Going back?” cried Dick. “I don’t know. Not yet for months, I hope.”
“Oh, murther, an’ what’ll become of us all? Sure we’re never going near any more of thim rivers, Masther Dick?”
“But we are, Dinny, we’re trekking straight for one now.”
“Not one with thim murthering crocodivils in it, Masther Dick?”
“Yes, Dinny; the Zambesi swarms with them, I believe, and they run very large.”
“Och, mother, mother! and it’s a good thing ye don’t know where yer poor boy is all among black haythens, and lines, and crocodivils, and other foreign bastes of prey. I niver thought I’d come to such a thing as this. Shure it’s a horrid counthry altogether.”
“I think it a grand country, Dinny,” cried Dick; “and I shall ask father to stop out here for long enough.”
“Ah, be aisy, Masther Dick, dear, and don’t demane yerself to stop out here among the dirty blacks. Shure ye’re meant for better things. Jist think of it, darlin’, out here in the wildherness all these long months, and never once tasted mutton or beef.”
“But you’ve been living on prime venison and other game, Dinny.”
“An’ is it living ye call it—aiting thim bucks and doe things, like a black, or a wild baste?” said Dinny in tones of contempt. “Not so much as a pitaytie even or a pay. Shure I call it shtarving,” grumbled Dinny. “Look at that now.”
“That” was poor Coffee, who was so much better that he had been out once or twice upon short hunting expeditions, and was now tramping behind the waggon with his brother, engaged in what cannot better be described than as a game of romps with the dogs.
For these welcomed the advances of the Zulu boys with delight, racing and careering round them, making fierce attacks, and allowing themselves to be seized and thumped and rolled over, in what at times was a regular tangle of dogs and boys, after which there was a run to overtake the waggon.
Dinny, in spite of his grumbling, was a good deal pleased upon this day, for the route of the waggon took them by several salt-pools, whose waters the dogs rushed to lap, but came back shaking their heads and barking furiously, growling at Dick and Jack, who laughed at them, as if they were resenting a trick that had been played at their expense.
These salt-pools were very interesting, the salt forming in quite a crust, like ice, some inches below the surface; while to the surprise of Mr Rogers, he found beautiful palm and the queerly-shaped baobab-trees, flourishing in the salt-impregnated soil.
The long weary trek brought them in sight of the fine broad river along whose banks they had now to journey till they reached the black king’s town; and they had not gone far before they saw in the distance a couple of canoes upon the water, while directly afterwards they passed a clump of trees and came upon a fishing-party, three of the number being in a large dug-out canoe, the other upon a mass of rock surrounded by reeds.
So intent were the fishermen upon their work amongst thegreat water-lilies that dotted the quiet surface of the river close in shore, that they did not see the approach of Dick and Jack, closely followed by Mr Rogers to protect them from harm. The sight was so novel that the young Englishmen stood still amongst the reeds watching the blacks, one of whom managed the canoe by means of a pole, while the others watched their opportunity, and then darted their long slender fish-spears down into the transparent water, and several times over brought up a good-sized fish.
They were strong, well-built savages, whose belief in clothing went as far as a little apron; and one of them had his hair carefully twisted, and tied up into an absurd-looking pigtail, which stood straight up from the back of his head.
The English party stood watching them for some minutes, and then advanced towards the shore, making signs. But the moment their presence was discovered the men in the canoe uttered a shout, and their companion on the shore plunged into the water to join them, the whole party paddling rapidly off as soon as their companion was hauled in to the bottom of their canoe, a feat not performed except at great risk of overturning the heavy clumsily-formed boat.
The General was beckoned up to join them by Mr Rogers, but they paid no more heed to him than to the Englishman, their sole thought being how best they could make their escape.
“They’ll go and announce our coming as that of enemies, I suppose,” said Mr Rogers, who longed for a better knowledge of the people’s tongue.
There was no help for it; and as decidedly the best plan was to journey through on to the royal city, the waggon was kept going, and that night they camped at a short distance from the river, hearing no lions. But as they sat by their watch-fire, there was a peculiar hoarse loud bellowing noise, evidently coming from the river-side.
As very often happened to be the case when there was anything unusual heard, Dinny was sitting with Jack keeping the first watch, and a good blazing fire.
“Hark at that now!” he said. “Hark at that, Masther Jack!”
And he half rose and made as if to flee to the shelter of the waggon.
“Yes, I heard it, Dinny,” said Jack quietly. “It was pretty loud wasn’t it?”
“Loud, Masther Jack? It was horrid, shure! And why don’t ye shoot?”
“Because there’s nothing to shoot at.”
“Nothing to shute at? Jist hark at him! Why, there it is again.”
As Dinny said, there it was again; and certainly the noise was terrible and awe-inspiring, heard in the stillness of the night by the crackling of the great fire, whose glow lit up waggon and trees around in a strange way, casting grotesque shadows behind.
“Well, it’s ever so far-off; and I don’t know what it is. Perhaps it’s an elephant,” said Jack.
“An illephant!” said Dinny, in tones of disgust; “jist as if an illephant ever made a noise like that! Why, it’s a lion, Masther Jack.”
“Nonsense, Dinny! Lions don’t make a noise like that.”
“Shure, an’ arn’t we close to the river, where it’s mortial damp?”
“To be sure we are; but it isn’t damp here, Dinny.”
“Shure, but it is!” cried Dinny. “There’s a hoarse roar for ye!”
The peculiar noise came again, and was repeated from a distance, and again in the other direction.
“That’s no lion, Dinny,” said Jack.
“Not a lion? Bedad, and I’d bet me head that it is, and a lion that’s hoarse wid a horrid bad cowld—jist the same as meself, and a sore throat in the bargain, after that wet night we had the other day.”
“No, that can’t be a lion,” said Jack again. “Hulloa! who’s there?”
Theclick-clickof Jack’s gun was heard as a dark form was seen approaching. But the familiar voice of Mr Rogers made the boy lower his piece.
“I thought I’d come and have a look at you, my boy,” said Mr Rogers. “Do you hear the hippopotamus?”
“Shure, no, sor; but there’s a great big lion wid a terrible cowld, roaring away for his mate; and I’d thank ye kindly if ye’d shute him at once. There he goes, sor!”
“That’s not a lion, Dinny. That’s a hippopotamus,” replied Mr Rogers, smiling.
“Shure, an’ if he can roar like that, he’ll be worse than a lion, sor,” said Dinny, “so hadn’t ye betther shute at once?”
“Dinny doesn’t want you to shoot at the hippopotamus, father,” said Jack, laughing. “He wants you to shoot at shadows!”
Mr Rogers laughed, and after staying a little while by the fire, listening to the distant noises of the huge amphibious animals that abounded in the great stream, he quietly went back to the waggon.
The departure of his master was the signal for the renewal of Dinny’s fears, which he showed in a very peculiar way.
Jack had just thrown a few more pieces of wood upon the fire, which blazed up directly; and then, taking his place again, he was making himself comfortable, when there was a tremendous hollow roar, made by a hippopotamus, apparently pretty close to them.
Dinny immediately shifted his position, getting close up to Jack, who did not say anything, but feeling uncomfortably warm dodged a little farther off.
That was of no avail, for Dinny followed him, getting closer still, with the result that in the course of the next hour Jack was driven right round the fire; and he was just about to commence a second tour when the General came, with Dick, to relieve the watch, and Jack went off to bed.
Chapter Twenty Seven.Marked down by Vultures.They were still many miles from King Moseti’s town, and the larder being again low, consequent upon the impossibility of keeping meat, a hunting-party was instituted, and Mr Rogers was about to go off with the boys; but on second thoughts, as they had been seen by the people on the river, no doubt the news of their coming was known all through the country, and it was possible that some of the natives might come down.This he felt would be unsatisfactory if he was away, so he decided to stop; and then feeling that it would be better to have some trustworthy man to help guard the waggon, and not feeling that either Dinny, Peter, or Dirk, was that man, he decided to tell the General to stay.So the hunting-party consisted of the four boys, who were warned not to go too far, but to be sure and get something in the shape of meat as soon as they could.They went off in high glee, Coffee being delighted to be able to take his place in the party; and nothing would do but he must perform all sorts of feats, to show how strong he had grown once more.Acting upon Mr Rogers’ advice, they made straight for the high, open, park-like land, about a couple of miles south of the river; and here Coffee soon showed his talent as a tracker, by pointing out some footprints in a patch of soft earth and mud close to a clear pool of water.“Lion!” he said, pointing to the great round impression: and he spat and stamped, and then struck the ground fiercely with his kiri.“Elfant!” cried Chicory just then; and his discovery so far transcended his brother’s, that there was a rush to see the huge round footprint, that looked as if some one had been standing portmanteaus on end all over the bog, and leaving their impressions there.Then there were buffalo tracks, and the footprints of innumerable other beasts that had been to drink, or else gone on, making a complete roadway in the direction of the big river.Just then Coffee pulled Jack’s sleeve and pointed to quite a freshly-made series of footprints.“Why, that’s some kind of antelope,” cried Jack.“Yes, big bok—eland,” cried Coffee. “Come along.”This was as good as saying that the animal had lately been there to drink: and in fact its tracks looked surprisingly fresh, so much so that the boys, after glancing at their guns, followed Coffee as he trotted on ahead with his eyes fixed upon the footprints, which were here and there so clearly-marked in the soft earth that he followed them at a run.Knowing what he did of the habits of animals, and that the great antelope might be many miles away by this time, Dick was about to protest against such an exercise of speed, feeling that a slow and sure progress would be the safest: but Coffee proved to be right, for before they had gone half-a-mile, he slopped short and made signs to the others to close up.They were in a wooded tract of land sprinkled with bushes and fine timber trees; and as the boys came up, there, about a hundred yards in front, was a magnificent eland, and so great was the surprise of both as they saw the size of the animal, equal in bulk as it was to an ox, only longer and more gracefully-shaped, that they forbore to fire; when the great antelope, catching sight of them, went off at full speed, and they had to renew the chase.Quite an hour elapsed before a sign from Coffee announced that he could once more see the game.This time both Dick and Jack were more upon the alert; and creeping cautiously up through the bushes, they caught sight of the eland grazing, just at the edge of a patch of forest about a hundred and fifty yards away.This they felt was a long shot at so large an animal; but it was impossible to get nearer on account of the intervening open ground; so kneeling together they took careful aim at the shoulder, and fired almost simultaneously.“Hit,” cried Jack, as he jumped up and ran forward beyond the reach of the smoke; but there was no eland lying in its tracks; and as the Zulu boys came up, they made out that it had dashed through a patch of dense growth, and there its footprints were lost in a broad trail made by thousands of animals on their way to and from the river.Both Coffee and Chicory exerted themselves to the utmost; but their efforts were in vain, and at last they turned to Dick shaking their heads.“No good gun,” said Coffee. “Ought to shoot um dead.”“It’s a bad job,” said Jack; “but it’s of no use to grumble. Come, boys, we must hunt out something else.”“I wish we had brought the dogs, Jack,” said Dick.“Coffee find him soon—that way.”He pointed with an exultant look in his face at a great flap-winged vulture flying directly over his head, and for a moment both Jack and Dick were puzzled; but seeing the boys both set off at a run, they followed, recalling as they went what they had seen and heard about the vultures tracking the wounded or sickly game, and it was evident that the bird they had seen was on the track of the wounded eland.An hour’s tramp decided the point, Coffee and Chicory coming up with the wounded beast, defending itself with its horns against the attacks of the vultures that were collecting round and making furious darts at its eyes.A merciful bullet ended the poor creature’s miseries, and as the animal was so fine it was decided to load up with as much as they could conveniently carry, then place sticks about the carcase, and leave it to be fetched in by Peter and Dirk with a yoke of oxen.All this was done, and they were about half-way back when, to their utter astonishment, a party of about half-a-dozen blacks, armed with assegais and clubs, rushed out from behind some bushes, and began to advance with fierce and threatening gestures.“I say, Dick, what’s to be done?” said Jack. “Shall we throw down the meat and run away?”“No,” said Dick, who looked very pale.“Shall we offer them our guns and ammunition if they will let us go?”“No,” replied Dick. “If we do that they will strip us to the skin.”“What shall we do then?”“Show fight,” said Dick. “I don’t want to, but we must.”“But they are big fighting men, and we are only boys,” said Jack.“But we are English boys, and they are only savages,” retorted Dick; “so come along.”Meanwhile the Matabele warriors—for such it afterwards proved they were—kept on advancing, shouting savagely, while Coffee and Chicory had been watching their masters attentively, waiting to see what course they would take.They took their dues from the behaviour of the young Englishmen, and in place of cowering behind, they ran to the front, flourishing their kiris, striking the ground with them, and shouting in their own tongue the while.“Out of the way, black dogs!” cried Coffee. “Let my lords the big lion-killers with their wonder-guns, come by.”Feeling that they must put on a bold front, the two boys advanced with rifles ready; and, seeing this, and hearing the words of Coffee and Chicory, which they understood, the black warriors stopped short, spoke to one another for a few moments, and then, changing their tone, began to beg for some of the meat.“Say they’re very hungry. Want meat,” said Chicory.Dick spoke to Jack, and then told Coffee to be the interpreter of their wishes, explaining to him what to say.Coffee jauntily flourished his kiri, and with a bold, defiant bearing, marched close up to the warriors, and showing them the scars made by the lion’s claws, told them that they were made by the biggest lion in the world, and his young masters went and killed it with their wonder-guns.“And now the young kings say you may go and eat the big eland they shot, and fill yourselves full.”The men set up a shout, flourished their weapons, and began to dance, after which they threw themselves upon the ground, as if they wanted to make themselves into black door-mats, Dick said; and ended by taking up and turning back on the little hunting-party’s trail till they found the eland.“Yes,” said Mr Rogers, as they related their experience; “you were quite right. These people seem to me more like children than men, and a good bold front will generally make them respect the white man; especially, my boys, if he is firm and, above all, perfectly just.”
They were still many miles from King Moseti’s town, and the larder being again low, consequent upon the impossibility of keeping meat, a hunting-party was instituted, and Mr Rogers was about to go off with the boys; but on second thoughts, as they had been seen by the people on the river, no doubt the news of their coming was known all through the country, and it was possible that some of the natives might come down.
This he felt would be unsatisfactory if he was away, so he decided to stop; and then feeling that it would be better to have some trustworthy man to help guard the waggon, and not feeling that either Dinny, Peter, or Dirk, was that man, he decided to tell the General to stay.
So the hunting-party consisted of the four boys, who were warned not to go too far, but to be sure and get something in the shape of meat as soon as they could.
They went off in high glee, Coffee being delighted to be able to take his place in the party; and nothing would do but he must perform all sorts of feats, to show how strong he had grown once more.
Acting upon Mr Rogers’ advice, they made straight for the high, open, park-like land, about a couple of miles south of the river; and here Coffee soon showed his talent as a tracker, by pointing out some footprints in a patch of soft earth and mud close to a clear pool of water.
“Lion!” he said, pointing to the great round impression: and he spat and stamped, and then struck the ground fiercely with his kiri.
“Elfant!” cried Chicory just then; and his discovery so far transcended his brother’s, that there was a rush to see the huge round footprint, that looked as if some one had been standing portmanteaus on end all over the bog, and leaving their impressions there.
Then there were buffalo tracks, and the footprints of innumerable other beasts that had been to drink, or else gone on, making a complete roadway in the direction of the big river.
Just then Coffee pulled Jack’s sleeve and pointed to quite a freshly-made series of footprints.
“Why, that’s some kind of antelope,” cried Jack.
“Yes, big bok—eland,” cried Coffee. “Come along.”
This was as good as saying that the animal had lately been there to drink: and in fact its tracks looked surprisingly fresh, so much so that the boys, after glancing at their guns, followed Coffee as he trotted on ahead with his eyes fixed upon the footprints, which were here and there so clearly-marked in the soft earth that he followed them at a run.
Knowing what he did of the habits of animals, and that the great antelope might be many miles away by this time, Dick was about to protest against such an exercise of speed, feeling that a slow and sure progress would be the safest: but Coffee proved to be right, for before they had gone half-a-mile, he slopped short and made signs to the others to close up.
They were in a wooded tract of land sprinkled with bushes and fine timber trees; and as the boys came up, there, about a hundred yards in front, was a magnificent eland, and so great was the surprise of both as they saw the size of the animal, equal in bulk as it was to an ox, only longer and more gracefully-shaped, that they forbore to fire; when the great antelope, catching sight of them, went off at full speed, and they had to renew the chase.
Quite an hour elapsed before a sign from Coffee announced that he could once more see the game.
This time both Dick and Jack were more upon the alert; and creeping cautiously up through the bushes, they caught sight of the eland grazing, just at the edge of a patch of forest about a hundred and fifty yards away.
This they felt was a long shot at so large an animal; but it was impossible to get nearer on account of the intervening open ground; so kneeling together they took careful aim at the shoulder, and fired almost simultaneously.
“Hit,” cried Jack, as he jumped up and ran forward beyond the reach of the smoke; but there was no eland lying in its tracks; and as the Zulu boys came up, they made out that it had dashed through a patch of dense growth, and there its footprints were lost in a broad trail made by thousands of animals on their way to and from the river.
Both Coffee and Chicory exerted themselves to the utmost; but their efforts were in vain, and at last they turned to Dick shaking their heads.
“No good gun,” said Coffee. “Ought to shoot um dead.”
“It’s a bad job,” said Jack; “but it’s of no use to grumble. Come, boys, we must hunt out something else.”
“I wish we had brought the dogs, Jack,” said Dick.
“Coffee find him soon—that way.”
He pointed with an exultant look in his face at a great flap-winged vulture flying directly over his head, and for a moment both Jack and Dick were puzzled; but seeing the boys both set off at a run, they followed, recalling as they went what they had seen and heard about the vultures tracking the wounded or sickly game, and it was evident that the bird they had seen was on the track of the wounded eland.
An hour’s tramp decided the point, Coffee and Chicory coming up with the wounded beast, defending itself with its horns against the attacks of the vultures that were collecting round and making furious darts at its eyes.
A merciful bullet ended the poor creature’s miseries, and as the animal was so fine it was decided to load up with as much as they could conveniently carry, then place sticks about the carcase, and leave it to be fetched in by Peter and Dirk with a yoke of oxen.
All this was done, and they were about half-way back when, to their utter astonishment, a party of about half-a-dozen blacks, armed with assegais and clubs, rushed out from behind some bushes, and began to advance with fierce and threatening gestures.
“I say, Dick, what’s to be done?” said Jack. “Shall we throw down the meat and run away?”
“No,” said Dick, who looked very pale.
“Shall we offer them our guns and ammunition if they will let us go?”
“No,” replied Dick. “If we do that they will strip us to the skin.”
“What shall we do then?”
“Show fight,” said Dick. “I don’t want to, but we must.”
“But they are big fighting men, and we are only boys,” said Jack.
“But we are English boys, and they are only savages,” retorted Dick; “so come along.”
Meanwhile the Matabele warriors—for such it afterwards proved they were—kept on advancing, shouting savagely, while Coffee and Chicory had been watching their masters attentively, waiting to see what course they would take.
They took their dues from the behaviour of the young Englishmen, and in place of cowering behind, they ran to the front, flourishing their kiris, striking the ground with them, and shouting in their own tongue the while.
“Out of the way, black dogs!” cried Coffee. “Let my lords the big lion-killers with their wonder-guns, come by.”
Feeling that they must put on a bold front, the two boys advanced with rifles ready; and, seeing this, and hearing the words of Coffee and Chicory, which they understood, the black warriors stopped short, spoke to one another for a few moments, and then, changing their tone, began to beg for some of the meat.
“Say they’re very hungry. Want meat,” said Chicory.
Dick spoke to Jack, and then told Coffee to be the interpreter of their wishes, explaining to him what to say.
Coffee jauntily flourished his kiri, and with a bold, defiant bearing, marched close up to the warriors, and showing them the scars made by the lion’s claws, told them that they were made by the biggest lion in the world, and his young masters went and killed it with their wonder-guns.
“And now the young kings say you may go and eat the big eland they shot, and fill yourselves full.”
The men set up a shout, flourished their weapons, and began to dance, after which they threw themselves upon the ground, as if they wanted to make themselves into black door-mats, Dick said; and ended by taking up and turning back on the little hunting-party’s trail till they found the eland.
“Yes,” said Mr Rogers, as they related their experience; “you were quite right. These people seem to me more like children than men, and a good bold front will generally make them respect the white man; especially, my boys, if he is firm and, above all, perfectly just.”