IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I ItiK* |2.s U£ 1^ |2.2 - 144 ™^ i-o 111112.0 1.8 1.25 ||.4 ||.6 ■« 6" ► Hiotographic Sciences Corporation ■y ^4 4> \ ^ 23 WIST MAIN STREiT WEBSTER, N.Y. US80 (716) 872-4503 f?-« ^!»«S&??i?- A^:4>^ f/. fA i CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques # \ \ ;\ ■ ■ i ^ibmry. -cf the ^ntLrior- t'-' ^ .'^^ ,1 A IB i sa: ^Sf^EA i^ «wf«iw»annnB«MHI^ , I h'lfUOUUlI THE KAI.AIF.VIM DKSEIIT J NARRATlVh OF A JOURM-.Y WITH (iUN CAMJiRA, AND XOTE-BOOK TO LAKE N'CAMl AND HACK BT G. A. I'AJllXI FORTY-SIX ILLUSTRATIONS (MOSTLY FROM PHOfOORAPHS), DIAGRAM, AND MAP ^ibmiy, ^epartmenfi '•..,. V-oiilion SAMPSON LOW, MAKSTOX, SKAHLK, S: KIVJN'GTOX CROWN HUILDINOS, 188, FLEKT aTllERT •V . 1HH6 , iMi»Slii»SKB«W^3SBSie&ST«.<*MiSWS«^ V\>\U^ M0^ i \\ :< it ■a *1 f the ^nterifit. ,f'- S ,« •MK^.tf*^«;:^-i*'^*>=^^*«*»'* ''*»?*'- ^^v3?d****r.5(»i;«?aM«tee^'»*«r?ire they have had to make many calls upon the indul<,^enco of the publie, something of this sort is necessary. IJut, as this is my first infliction of the kind, I hardly think an a])olof?y is required. In fact, were I put to it, I doubt if I could discover any adequate excuse for my presumption. So I shall leave the reader to find all the fault, instead of doini? it for him, under the guise of an (ijjuhtijid. A statement, however, of the reasons which prompted me to undei'take the journey of which this book is a record, and an introduction to my travelling com- panions, are the reader's due ; so I shall now proceed to accomplish that task. A year or so ago I brought under the notice of the public a party of Earthmen from the Kalahari. These ])eople were accompanied by an old half-breed hunter, Kert by name, who, having acquired a smattering of their language, which bears a strong resemblance to that of the Bushmen, acted as interpreter. Kert's account of the grass-covered plains and .f: gM«ij|tut^ filu-WL'^ilM^ u 'v I yj Introditction. fertile savannas and ibrosts, tc-n.ing with -ame of all govts, ..rave the Kalahari th(> charaotcr of a hunter's paradise, insteaw a certain place where he had found diani.uids— on.' weighin.sr 1S8 carats. At first f did not quite credit this statement, but later on gonig through souK^ of the Earthmen's things, looking for poison, I found seve)-al diamonds, a fact which, to a certain extent, corroborated ol.l Kert's tale. A chang( of climate being necessary to recoup my health, 1 decided to go to Africa and take old Kert with me and test his story. But such an expedition could not well be undertakci without the aid of a trustworthy companion, and knew of but one upon whom I could rely with iraphci confidence. This was the person who figures in th following pages under the name of " Lulu." The publ'c requires no introduction to " Lulu," wh some years ago startled them with several novel feat of skill and daring; and who is now following h profession of portrait painter and photographer i Bridgeport, America. At the time when I determined on my trip, Lu was with me in America ; and it was with mu( difficulty that I persuaded him to agree to accompai me. When, however, I represented to him wh splendid opportunities he would have of obtainii new photographic views and effects, he -!f*'Smm^'fm^^SKm*i wn. eeniing with f?ame of all charactcv of a hunter's •on desert which it has , 1)0. Fiirthorinore, he rtaiii place whore ho had itr 1S8 carats. At first f Miieiit, but later on going nen's things, looking for londs, a fact which, to a )ld Kert's tale. A change to recoup my health, I 1 take old Kert with me, xld not well be undertaken ,vorthy companion, and I I could rely with iraphcit lerson who figures in the imo of "Lulu." roduction to " Lulu," who n wnth several novel feats ^ho is now following his iter and photographer in ermined on my trip, Lulu ; and it was with much iim to agree to accompany represented to him what would have of obtaining i effects, he -mtered heartily all the latest improvements iphances, sketch-books, &c.; lutroduciiou. Ml and wo sailed without delay for England, and thence j'ov Cape Town. Before leaving America I visited my cattlo-ranche, when one of my partners hearing me repeat Kert's udowing description of the Desert, suggested that I might do worse than secure a large tract of land there for''cattlo-i-!iiiching ])nrposes. Here, then, was a fresh inducement to visit the country ; and diamonds and Cattle-ranches thus became the motive of my journey and the basis of this book. We ol)tained letters of introduction to all the leading incMi of the colony, including Sir Hercules Robinson, K.C.M.G., Sir Charles Warren, G.C.M.G., Colonel Schermbrucker, and others ; but, finding that somehow (.r other Kert's story about the diamonds had leaked out, we took our passage under assumed names. This expedition afforded us the further advantage that it gave us an opportunity of hearing very frank expressions of opinion about ourselves from different passengers on board the itJoN/Z/i Cn>t%-BS»^»!!*jeft 1 \ i if ^jjj Introduction. „,.nclation from Sir CharloH Mills, K.C.M.a tbo AgcMU-Goneral for Cap. (^olony in London an.l who gave UH an open letter of introdnction to all the Com- Lssioners and Magistrates of the districts we nngh pass through, requesting them to afford us all the assistance in their power. Our few days' stay in (^ape Town was spent mos pleasantly. Dinners were eaten and visits were paul everywhere. The drives were very enjoyahle when the « south-easter" did not blow . One of the most pleasant WIS over the ironstone road to Constantia, to pay a visit to Mr. Cloete, the celebrated wine-grower-one of the old-style Dutch, and a most charming host.--who has the best kept and cleanest place I saw in all Africa. Another delightful drive was along the foot of the Li(m's Back Mountain to the residence of Captain Morrison, tlie jolliest Scotchman I ever met, and one of the institutions of " MalayviUe," Cape Town. Meantime Luln spent many days on Table Mountain, and obtained some very beautiful views, which along with many others taken during the trip, were exhibited at the recent Photographic Exhibitiou in London, and afterwards at the meeting of the Berhn Geographical Society, on November 7th, 1885, when I read a paper, in Gei-man, on my journey through the Kalahari, as well as before the Royal Geographical Society ot England, on March 8th, 1880, when my paper was read, with the Marquis of Lome in the chair. The whole of the illustrations in this book are from . photographs taken by Lulu, with the single exception of that showing the great "Hercules" Fall, on the Introdiiclion. IX C.M.O., the on, and who all the Com- ets wo might d us all the s spent most iits were paid ahle when the most pleasant ntia, to pay a rower — one of ng host,— who ,v in all Africa. 10 foot of the ice of Captain r met, and one e Town, 'able Mountain, s, which, along , were exhibited in London, and in Geographical I I read a paper, ;lie Kalahari, as ical Society of I my paper was e chair. is book are from single exception s" Fall, on the Orange River, at high water, which, as explained in the ]iroper place, is from a drawing made by him under the most extraordinary circumstances. I may, perhaps, be ])ermitted to add that, besides resulting in the performance of the great gymnastic and photographic feat of taking views of the largest and most inaccessible Falls in the world — the Hunilred Falls on the Orange lliver — my expedition has com- pletely disproved the long-prevailing notion that the Kalahari is a barren Avilderness. The satisfaction with Avhich I am enabled to record these two principal results of my journey more than repay all the risk and trouble with Avhich it was accompanied. In conclusion, in order not to make the book too dry for the general reader, I have put into an appendix description of the fauna and flora of the Kalahari, together with a key to the accompanying map. G. A. Farini. M(nr//, 188G. «ss»es8«te ■giJSiSH^S®^**^ i! n i 1 1 V CONTENTS. ISTItODUCTIOX PA OR V ClIAl'TKH I. I'.y rail from Capt' Town — Over the liills — I)rou;,'l)t in tlic (treat Karroo — No rain for tlirec yoiirs — ^An ostrich farm — A wpll-liui!t railway— The Oran^'d llivor torniinus — Close jmckint,' — ('rossinj; tlif ( >rangi' llivor -Tfum-ilrivinj^ in South Africa — '■' I)ii fx nv' Imtel nif" — Fronde's "Honest Ikier" — ^An oasis — iJisappointing "mine host" — Fording the ^lud Kiver — Tin-can houses — "Tin Town," alim Kim- iM'rlev .......... CHAPTER II. Laying in .stock — The story of the first diamond — How the mine was discovered — Shady customers — Ciieating the revenue — "Diamond cut diamond" — Welcoming the ladie.s — The " l.D.li." — r.uhhle conijianies — I'vils of tiie detective .sys- tem — Martyrs to civilization ...... 17 CHAPTER III. The blasting of the l)lue — Down the crater — Searching the blacks— The wa.shing-grounds — How the diamonds are un- earthed — The sorting-tables — Jtulging the weight of a stone— Who are the diamond thieves? — Life in Kimber- ley — lt.> cliniiite and its moral atmosphere —The mining pioneer .......... 30 W ,S»?|K*'aji»I*#*rf*a*!^**ft^?'< i xu Conlcnis. i. ; a 'A CIlArTKK IV. r V .lan.'..rnns ..xi.uri..H.ut-A .ni.nic vnlcau.. in ..vupti.m-rark- ,:. u,>-S;.uli..g fur tl... Kaluhari-A J'.usUnl ..>u.:uni.. Jnt-Al.iKl.:iM..f ,,avtn.l,..s-Makin,' fn-u.ls w.tli Iho . r,.,,,s_A j,'ooa iuv.stUH.i.t-A South African C nisoo- " Lots of trc's "—A luassaMT of tlio iniioc.nts . ClIAlTi:U V. Soau-thin;^ like a hot Jay-Uow it rains i,, Sonth Africa-Our , ,st ant..lop.-At Can,phell-An a^.a C.r.qua ..hn.ft:un..ss l\u: r-arllott-s .ard.n-" I'.oru Tin.a"-A talk M.th Mr. Yi;,l,i.._Kannors' trouhlos in 8outli Afnca-Shootn.j^ a koran--Aft..r the- sprin-hok- Sunday n.onnng at Orniua i,,,,i-A Boer's hon)est.aa-Intorvi.wiM;,' the Lonums- ,i.,„,,._The ex-Chief of the (Jriquas-We visit the ohk-st inhal.itant"— Theeountryilryin-"!' . • • \1 ^r. ib Jan Lortl CIIAITKK VI. KilUn.' two steiu-hok at one shot-Tl.e " Honest IWr " a.-ain ^-KeinforcenK-nts-])ining a la r.astard^ Watering «t Al.raui'.s Dam-Jan is lost-Stuck fast in th., sand-A terrible road-Water at last-A " ereamery at Khe.s- How to harness an ox-teani-l>oliee duty m Korannaland On the verge of the Kalahari-Oxen /;. muIes-An ungrate- ful nude- Ki'i't among his relations 79 Lii CHAPTER VII. \ liastard's family-A Bushman's tent-Jan returns half (lead _The story of his adventure-Botanizing in the de ert- The sama, or wild water-melon-liushman's riee-A Omne- i„«,.//.- CoUeeting insects-Stuck in a sandhill-A dream of (lohH.iida-Searching for diamon.Is-Shoot.ng pheasants •uid wil.l .^eese-Latest Bans fashi-ms-Natur.. s dres.s-im- \,yoxev-A Mantalini of the desert-A primitive pmnp.ng- pnia»^ .'jET^ r»t^;V .*la^•-•.:ai*^A -^.^. A*- ^«W*!Mail. Contcut^. Mil rnAiTKif VIII. (Ill — ViK'k- il cnciunii- s with th(! Cvusoo — ^t'lii-'ii— Our chicftaiiicss Ik with Mr. -Shoot iiij; ii y at (Jiiiiuii lie CoiuiniM- t the " (lUk'st l'.oov " a<,'aiu Watering at th(! sand — A " at Kheia— Korannalaiul —An ungrate- irns lialf deatl 11 tlio desert — - rice — A Imnw- Ihill— A dream oting pheasants tare's dress-iiu- utivc puniping- 79 99 .Ian gels into trouhU- — My best iiorse, is (howned— llurriih for life on the desert! — Stmk again 1—Swai>|mig niul.'s fur (ixcii — News from Khiirtuuni — A "clever" trader Riding on Ox-hack — A visit from the Hill lUishmen— A sculptured cave — A native dance and concert— Hunting and eating the hyena —A ilay among the wild fo\vl--A floral "desert" — Digging for water— AVi; organize a big hunt — Chasing an ostrich 1 lose my way — A supper of ostrieh-nicat — A night in the desert with Death for a bcd-fellnw . - 117 ClIAl'THR IX. Lost on the desert — Death from starvation and fatigue — Mating a poisonous root — Tlie agonies of death — A prey to wild beasts — 1 am given up for dead — A funeral [irocession — A runaway knock at death's door— !Milk-and- water — Cafe a la Kalahari —Delicious water — Grass and sama in plenty — Kuis— The chief " Make llasto " — An extortionate chief — Adventures of a desert trader — I enter into partnership witli two Bastard hunters — How to cook sama . . .137 CHAPTER X. Lion's spoor — K^rt astonishes the natives — Making a night kraal — A novel manger — A grass-covered "desert" — Col- lecting grass-seeds— A herd of gcms-bok attacked l)y lions — Dirk and Klas run away — In pursuit of Leo — A narrow escape — We find the lion impaletl on the gems-bok's liorns — Skinning our booty— A lonely inght-watch — A strange intruder — I uui called on a mysterious errand . ' . .153 CHAPTER Xr. Rescuing a dying man — The sick Crerman tells his story — Trea- cherous Hottentots — Left to die on the desert— The ever- lasting sama— A wihlerness of Iteautiful flowers — Spring- qa ,ri ^ \ Contents. XIV p \ ft r. ,^l,,,,n- A visit fr-.m a party .'f 1-'" ''"•''"' "' ^o tasticnl wil.'h-tU'flov CHAPTKK Xll. . ' , 'IMin evade v"'<'l'l»''*''''' «"""* ^"'■'^~" Tuvning tho tables on ^L -^M- -^ ^ ^ _^ ,,.„,,kahl. .,or-(>n the. tj'>i'U-rs of the K„un„ ^ ^^^ ? , . f \ tcnibl*' (lisapiwmtiiieut— MaKin„ uio Unls'-ncst-A ^;"' ' .__y ,i,,„,te.\ I'-alala camp-A lion ,nt-l)iK«"^sfor -tu A.i^ natives .mko leatlu-v- Mapaai— Our tiist bath . • • • CHAPTER Xm. • •♦,. the cliief-A royal l.oggar-Marriago made All interview with the clml i J ^^^^^^^,,^ bcverages- ,,y_.A visit to ^^'^^,,,...^^.Am\^^ Map^mrenjoyBaannkofeaae^C^^^^^^^^ «piaor-Mapaarinvitesii.o W ^^^^^.^^^^^^^,,^^^^^^^ 15ea«ty-How to nmke thick n i Uv ,^^ ji . __Tlicaisappointcapl.otographei-l)..stnhu „ IM •207 CHAI'T1-:U XIV. weati.er-prc.phet-An awK ^ ^^^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^,.^^^.„ *::r'^s Wlu^ enas ..U-FareWltoHapaar-m Ihe forest-On the lions' track. • • CHAPTKK XV. \ l.ul V shot -A aelicious shower- -ti;:i^«s;tr- "* -'" -^"^ ""'"'*^ •225 aB»»S»»W«»WS*«** e^^>-,V^iti.iie-)?.r.'^*'»»>^ Contents. XV rs— A fi()isoncil iirnnvs — A visit tt) their canip — Tiie ilwiirf.s piomiso to come with U8 to Kughiml •2.19 ;ooil lufk — ug tho nig- . rcniavkahlR ug the btwt amp— A lion kc leathiT — present from i«y larriago made s beverages— louse-buililing nd my T'hiek ' the geius-bok ting the spoil . •207 fence— Verdict he lire — I t"rn A bag of teal— nics too true — logic with Ma- to Mapaar — In 225 elicious shower- i-ink to bursting CIIAI'THK XVr. An elephant hunt — A beautiful tree — Simie realistic music — In ambush for the elephants— Charged by the pachyderms — -A wounded elephant (h)ctoring himself — A c[ore frightened than hurt— A grand cattle-grazing country — In luck again ! — A herd of zebra — A fi)rtune waiting to bo caught — A ptizzle for an antiquary — A substitute for po- tato — Evidence of the gradual elevation of i\\v country — Curious customs of the Damnras ..... 257 (JHAl'TKli XVII. Through the lion'.s territory — From Ochimbunde to Kerses — Another way of nmking thick milk — An Englishman in- (•(iij. — A city of huts — Dirk Verlander the i;hicf of the llastards — In a quandary — How Verlander became "cap- tain " — Time reckoning ami money equivalents among the Dastards — Dastard customs— A cattle raiiche — doing to mcctin' — Master-beggars — The private secretary — We start on a hunting expedition — A twilight reverie — Trapping a jackal .......... CHAPTER XVIII. Defying the poison-berries — A ride after a giralfe— A tdl boast — Hints on giraffe hunting— Ch.irming away the lions and vultures — A de.sert delicacy— I spend a night aloni; in a tree — A descent of vultures in force — A monster vulture — Nocturnal visitors — The "lion's soavenger" versus "lion's 273 I* if ? k. XVI Conit'iits. :::;;::;,„:y'T,:vu....;.,.,.™. "■::::.;::;;::;-;::. i,,. I al.om. -A fnolhanlv .•N,H.nn..nt ( .iM.M,, ,Min l»'i>th of 111'' l<'"^' A linn's U'lM. qni »'r.rrm<' »'"•'•['■'•■[ ClIArTKK \IX. Wiit.hiiiK th.' \viia''l'''''>'t'' ,,«!..■. )"'-P'- I,.,,,,,,., ,i,„|ki„s 11,0 »trM... A tuiv 11, ,w the i)i>is(iiii ■>-:"""-;^ '",;;:"! 'V,._A t.k.. »l..rn,-A .»«,c ........1 ." •!■■ ';-' ^j,| Fiifntls not .•m'luw.-' • • • ' CllArTl-li XXI. 1' 44 a tvil,,. - \ " Chiistiun '■ Kiiflir— ^Vl>it.'- _nilL-u by a snak.-S/»H7/« sr»»7<7./^' -"vo./.r . • '^l' CHAPTKR XXII. At MuT «^-;-^ ;^ ;U-rnhle 'couf-ssions-A tvustwoMhy .^^^'^^ .Mrt*'-Si«>#£'Jbi«S\ 308 willl.'llffStc .l'liot.'i4nii>li- — Cuttin;^ up ostvii'lifx -A unial advi'ii- 31( CHAI'TKH XXlir. Hown the lianks iif tlif Oraii^'ti Iiivi-r— A settler fidiu Canada — Till' wa>,';,'nii (iviTturiii'd -Smx<'i'y under ilitKenlties — Kngineeriii^' tlie n>ad — Kxplnrin;,' the river-lianks — Ci'dss- iiij; the rapiils — First glinipso of the Falls — A waterfall out of the solid nick — A whirlpool — A lieaiitiful seene — A tlowi'ry howiv — Prith- has a fall — rhoto;,'raphiiij,' the rapids — I'lfaks of nature — Ifeooiuioitriii'' the Hercules Falls 3(.<3 pdison-iiot - ,1,. _» Uoney- Ilouey t^'iitl"''- ,,. — A druiik(;n , the feast— ■Mo\ KaiVir— White- Kattca liunt— e-niarket — I'p- , new mountain ovcry — Colleel- -Our laundry — noonlight scene "Lady Anna" rantiir contidential — A ,__A trustworthy ■oil— The " »>c>ru- 31'.' CHAITKU XXIV. An acrobatic enterjirise — I'lioto^traphinj,' the Hercules Falls — A sudden rise in the river — We make a raft — Plieasants, guinea-fowls, and rock-pigedus — Discn-tion the better part of valour — Descending the precipice — Farini Towers and Fulls — A magnificent sight— A narrow escape — Mudlarks — A well-earneil supper — An underground stream — Tlie Diamond Falls — Surprised by the Hood — "The Hundred Falls" CIIAPTKR XXV. Imprisoned by the flood — A night in mid-stream — A baboon for breakfast — Escaping from prison — We are welcomed with smiles — A visit from a poetical litxstard — Bushman I'recipice — Hippopotamus-shooting extraordinary — A civi- lized dinner — An enterprising .settler — A tobacco factory— An island estate — Hottentot doctors .... CHAI'TER XXVI. At Upington — The pleasures of civilization — A fair ganlenor and agaixleu fair — A notable irrigation work — A Bushmau'a 399 419 ^mi XV 111 Contents, hmttii .Iniiiflii — A hfippy funiily — A iliiii^iiTuiix f ,\\\ — I'uii. incr ui»l iMTHCMTiiiu'c — A >'lmi|i tnidi r — A ;,'iiini| tca-iuirty A I'liicr wiililiiij; |)iirty — ('iitcilii/cil aliout tlif (,Mu'tii — I'lii.nkii — Hard liiu's fur tlic Huxhiin'ii — KmhiIm'h "lutiu'st ItiM'r" at luHt I Hiipr Tiiwii a;;aiii — A wil'' I'V amtii'ii— HdlirHt Itui'IH^" Illt'l vil'Wl'il " — licHrial (nlitlllHiiiiij^ t.U APPENDIX. Flora of till' Kalaliavi Ki|itilrs of the Kalahari Iiixeets of till- KalalKiri . I'linlH of tiic Kalaliari Maninialia of the Kalaliari (!i'oloj,'y of the Kalaliari Till lie of nistaiici'K . , 417 450 4.'».» 4r»« 4<;i 4G7 4(!f< Index 471 ipTuiiH f lid — Puti- — A ^;r;iiiil tiirty IllmUt till' (jMU'tll — — Kriiiulii's "httiit'Ht fill'' li_v aui'tii'ii— itl ('i>iiclii>'i(in>i 1.1 1 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. I'U.I . 447 . 4r»o Tl,.' Author 1 i.ulii, till' Aitiht j Frnnd Kpiecc . 4r.;i View of KiinlitTlcy In far,' 18 . 4r.(; Th'' Diiiiiiniiil mini' . . . • • 1» 44 . 4(11 IImiisc where Liviiij;sti>in' tirst saw Miirv Mntlat .')8 . 4G7 Ml. liartlett's lioiisp at Caiiii>bcll . .v.* . 4(iH A liocr's liuiiicsti'ail . . . . • nlil Mission Hdiisc, (iriqua Town . iilil KtTt, my K"'"'fl . . . . • 77 •••7 . 471 • lossinj,' tho Kalahari ..... Ridinj^ on Ox-back 'Villi (IrawinK^ in lIill-l5uslinicn'.-< Cave . Sninc Kalahari wild fowl Viiw of the Ih'sPi'tni'ar K\iis 108 12.$ 124 129 146 liirk and Klas ...... til /ac 150 A ;;rou]i of Kalahari flora .... 180 Nrst of Grosbeak ...... 196 King Mapaar and wifi' ..... VM.iljions ....... til /lire 223 2.17 I'jimping by thc> way 241 ill.' M'Kabba dwarfs to fact 2.15 • iiir laundry on the Desert .... . • * 270 I'irk VerlandtT 276 I'cathof the Girafle . 293 "If XX L ist ofllliistrations. Lions oatinj; tin- (Jirafft; . Shontiii)^ ii Giriitl'i' . Dryiiif,' luoiit . StalkingtliH Ostrich Kiittt-a tribe .... Kniiis on the Kalahail Dfst-rt . The first bath for many months Dirk Vcrlaniler ami his " ^'root-nu-n Watorins the cattle by moonlight A Dastard family . K'Abiam pool Kock Drift . Gorilla Hock . Lulu Falls ami Chasm . liook Rock and Falls Farini Falls and Towers . The Anna Falls The Scott Gor<,'e and Falls The Diamond Falls The Schermbriicker Falls The Hundred Falls Tlie Hercides Falls at half flood ri.AX of The Hundred Falls of the (Jran Map of the Author's route . fofwe fii fare ge River to fare t" fare fn fare tn face .^^^^sm»>^-^^' -•^'i^i^»M'^i^i^^«i»ii»Mmm^SSm^ i lliistrations. I' 101 iitfai-e .■io: :i.-m 30 1 en " . . . in face :5»i'j t . ' »' 377 37S 3M 391 to fwe 397 • 397 t'} fw'.a 39S II 40.1 4o;> ti> t'ni't' 4l:l >i 414 »> 41.-> 411') 42.^ the Orange River ti> face 42S JUN 4 \888 DflH^'iiiiuHHTKKIlJH THROUGH THE KALAHARI DESERT. « • CHAPTER I. r.y rail from Cape Town— Over the liills-I)ro»i}rlit in the Great Kiirroo— No rain for three years— An ostrich farm— A woll- huilt railway— The Orange River terminus— Clo8e packing- Crossing the Orango River— Team-driviug in South Africa— '^ iJet ('■•i nie hotel M(e"— Froiule's "Honest I5ocr "— An oasis- Disappointing "mine host "— Fording the ^luil River— Tin- can houses—" Tin Town," aliaa Kimberley. The evening of Fntlay the 2nd June, 1885, found a crowd of people, travellers with heaps of friends to see them off, and the usual proportion of idlers fluttering themselves that they were making good use of their time doing nothing, and of curious onlookers interested iu everybody else's business because they had none of tlioir own to attend to, on the platform of the Capo Town Railway Station. Tlie " mail express," destined to carry inland the letters from home that had arrived on the previous evening, was about to start, and there was the inevitable excitement which the departure of a favourite train always creates. Among, the pas- songers were Dr. Sauer, Mr. Caldecott, Lulu, and my- self, bound for Hope Town, then the nearest station to Kimberley, but now united by rail with that city of diamonds. When I heard that there was a Pullman *" PI ( ! 1 ;■ J i 1 I !i s if 1 • 1 y %v !« J A South African Skc/'ing-Car. Bloening-car attaehc.l to tl.o train, I Mt myself =,t ,„u e alai,,, a,ul trio.l to i.naRino tl.at tbo cvowcl ..I Malay, "vc,-; only no.™.,, an,! to l,n,ovo tlu. hem.t.c oature, of the .najority of tl,o loaf.TS on , uM.lattorn,. Bat on olo»er acquaintance tl,o " Valhnan l,o,-o qu, e „s distant a ■■osen,l,lanoo to the sU.e,nng-cav of l.o An.oican railroads as the yellow sls of the Mal,,j boys di.l to the ebony face of Samho. On one s.de o the gangway was a row of seats for one person an.l on tt other side a row of wider seats to hold two Over each of these latter tho attendant-or" steward as he is callod-snspended from the roof of the car a niece of canvas, on which he placed a thn., dn-ty Ta res ; and this constituted the " bed." There was "o covering whatever ; and as I had stowed all my rngs away in the Inggage-van, there was no alternat.ve bat r-'turn in aflsL.ding;" for by this time the tran, was some miles out of Cape Town. However, 1 ,„anaged to step pretty soundly in n,y novel hammoel till the train slackened speed as ,t approached the summit of the Hexe Jtonntains, near the Hexo R.ve,. Havin.- heard much of the beauty of the scenery here- "bouts: 1 "turned out" to look at it, but was d,s. "ppoin e,l to see nothing but a series of rugged r,mtai„ spurs. Although it was bright njoonhght no details were visible. By this tnno, at such hei-bt above the sea-level, it was gettmg very coM, and" the rugs would have been welcome; but when tl, day dawned we were well down on the other s.de o ■ ,he niountains, and rapidly advancn,g mto he Gre,.l kLoo and then we began to feel what .t ,s hke when ri,e s .n tries to make up for lost tin,e. The heat was te..se; the eye became tirod of the perpetualtrem- .a,>ixi.^~iiit^mi^iiiwm^tr£^!^^^f^i^^^i'^^^'^' II C- Car. , I felt myself !it thiit the crowd of iijnovo the Semitic rs on tlie platform. lUmau " bore quite ileeping-car of tli(> skins of the iMalay )o. On one side of 3r one person, and seats to hohl two. hint— or "steward" le roof of the car a ilaced a thin, dirty " bed." There was I stowed all my rugs IS no alternative but y this time the train [own. However, I II my novel hammock s it approached the near the Hcxe River. of the scenery here- t at it, but was dis- a series of rugged as bright moonlight, his time, at such a as getting very cold, ?lcome ; but when tlic on the other side of ancing into the Great el what it is like when b time. The heat was of the perpetual trem- A Terrible Drottght. 3 bling appearance which every object assnmed in the j)arched air; and it seemed impossible to keep cool even when standing on the platform at the end of the cars ia the rush of air caused by the motion of the train. Xot a cloud in the sky: the very atmosphere was parched and kiln-dried, causing a peculiar mirage which made distant hills look near, and magnified them to twice their siz(^ ; and yet so intensely clear was the atmosphere that the smallest td)ject stood out in sharply-defined detail. Hotter and still hotter it became as the sun rose higher : and beneath such a brazen sky as this the people had existed for the last two years ! Not a drop of rain for four and twenty months ! As far as the eye could reach nothing but a weary expanse of parched-np clay, the monotony broken ovdy by a few stunted, leafless bushes, and by a succession of stony, flat-topped hills (or koiipjra) from fifty to one hundred feet high. Such was the Karroo, when I saw it first, after a two years' drought : the most terrible, arid, parched-np, kiln-dried, scorched, baked, burnt, and God-forsaken district the sun ever streamed down upon : not even excepting the Sahara ; for there there is nothing but sand, no object to serve as a foil to the solitude ; while here the sense of desolation is intensified by seeing here and there a farmer's hut. What ! farmers in this country ? Yes, three years ago these huts, miles apart as they are, and standing out in gaunt desolation, were surrounded by numberless flocks and herds ; their in- mates, now beggars, were then owners of ten or twenty thousand sheep apiece. And still they look forward to the advent, too long deferred, of the refreshing rains, which in a few days— hours almost— will transform this B 2 n! J ) . Rivers of Rock. 4 desert into a snnling expanse of rich P«f "J^^'^"'^. ,^ ca.n,ot, of course, decline to beheve what 1 a.n tdl on tlie best possible authority ; but it seetns uu-redibU. that the (h-eat Karroo can ever be other tmn ,t .s now -an apparently hopeless desert. Tsot a blade of gia^s .ot a \L, visible; not even the bejvstsot the ao^, the khp-bok (rock buck), or steni-bok (stone buck), .vhich make their homes among the flat-topped koppjcs are to be seen : the only living creatures are here and there huge heavy-winged aa^ro^U, or vultures, iBakmg riot an.ong the carcases of the horses and oxen that iairlv stivw the tracks used by the transport-dnvers. Is'ow and then the railway crosses a deep ^'jVH^e ot-a wide gor-e,.vhich, in the rainy season, avouUI be filled with watu-. Splendid rivers, many of them, but now as innocent of water as of whisky. , , , , Suddenly the train stopped close to a broad channel, which once was known as the (lamka River, but the bed of which is now heated rock. The station-master said one of the wells had run dry, and the other showed si-ns of giving out, while the water in the large dam would not last more than a fortnight longer A glass of water at the refreshment-rooms cost 3r . It was hardlv surprising therefore that a " dnnk of spirits should cost Ls-., and a bottle of beer 3.. OJ. ih proprietor of the restaurant, a fat brown Boer, said !vll Ins sheep were dead, and he had not a cow or an ox left • vet he still hoped for better times, and he was a lair specimen of the general run of the in- habitants. Sometimes a Boer farmer would come to 1 Th. .onl l'.o..r. roally moans " fanuov," but l.as conK- to W rc-,.ua..a as .ynony.nou. with uu Africander, i.e. a person of Dutch descent born in Africa. . ■^fu-^tws'r-P'Vc---"^'--*-^'^*'**^*'"***^''' paaturc-land. I o what 1 am told b seoins incrtHliblf her tliau it is now 5t a blade of ^rass, asts of the desert, bok (stone buck), at-topped koppjes, tares are here and )r vultures, making •ses and oxen that ran sport-drivers. 5 a deep ravine or a jon, would be filled of them, but now to a broad channel, uka River, but the The station-master id the other showed iv in the larg-e dam ht longer. A glass is cost dd. It was " drink " of spirits beer 'Sk. OJ. The 6 brown Boer, said lad not a coav or an etter times, and he eral run of the in- iner ' wovdd come to .r," but lias come to lie er, i.e. a person of Dutch A Place ivJicrc it Never Rains. 5> the station, with an anxious, Avistful look on his face, which seemed to say he wished he could go away with us and leave his "farm" to itself; but in answei* to (|uestions there was always the same forlorn hope that the rain would fall some dav ; the same assurance that when it did fall it Avould bi'ing better times. It is a common opinion that the colony will never do much good as long as the Boer element predominates; but I could not help thinking that if it wei-e not for them the Karroo, at any rate in its present statc^, would be uniidiabites — was the railway. ; in thoroughly good itted of a good rate whole distance was eluding stoppages — ng the gradients in in forty. station called De Aar, beth line. Here we r things out on the »rt^!a»it^ig-a«fc>»»»ar A Tight Fit. 7 platform in the dark, had an hour to wait for the train from Middleburg to convoy us to the north. Travellitig all night, we arrived at Hope Town — or rather the " Orange liiver Terminus," about nine miles from the river and the same from Hope Town — at 1 a.m., and here we had to exchange the railway for the coach to Kimberley, a distance of seventy miles. The mail-cart was sent off without delay, passengers having their choice of two regular coaches, one ** run " by the mail contractors, Messrs. Gibson, and the other by the old South African pioneer, Mr. De Witt. The ordinary fare for the distance is 2/. 10,s'. for each passenger, and 4(Z. per lb. for all baggage over 25 lbs. Mr. Caldecott had his own trap waiting for him, and was off next. The two coaches Avere soon filled to overflowing, so some of us went shares in hiring a special mule-waggon, which Mr. De Witt offered to "conduct" himself. There was just room for eight of us, and we were congratulating ourselves on getting a conveyance " made to order," when two ladies begged to be allowed to join. Of course we could not refuse, and had all got nicely packed together when a young lady — Miss PuUinger, the daughter of the principal owner of the Dutoitspan Diamond Mine, and her little sister and brother — came up in great baste, having received an urgent telegram to go to Kim- berley at once. Tlere was no other conveyance; Avould we make room just for three little ones ? Mr. De Witt made no objection on behalf of the mules, so we made none on behalf of ourselves ; and with a little judicious squeezing we packed ourselves in somehow. The banks of the river are so steep that great care has to be exercised in driving down ; if anything goes '\. $ Crossing the Orange Rkcr. 1 : !'■ wrong Avith the break, there is notliiiig to prevent you going stniight into the water. So on reaching the edge we dismounted, while the coaeli was driven down to tho7)o»i {Aii'jUrr, ferry, or floating bridge)— ii flat -bottomed scow, attached by a pulley-l)lock to :i wire stretched tightly across the river. AVhen wo were " all aboard," the bow of the scow was tiu-ned a little up-stream, and the force of the current took us across to the opposite shore— or rather to the edge of a sandltank about fifty feet wide, over which the male passengcM's were carried on the shouhlers of a stalwart Zulu, while the ladies had the privilege of resuming their seats in the coach. After the succession of waterless river-beds, the sight of the noble Orange lliver was (piito a treat. The stream was only half-full, but the wide shelving banks of deep white sand, through which the mules laboriously dragged the coach, showed what a grand volume of water nmst roll down during the rainy season. Slaking our thirst with ginger-beer— bought in a little shanty of corrugated iron, the inside temperature of which was that of an oven j\ist ready for the bread to be put in — we resumed our seats on the coach, and the " slasher " began his work. It takes two coachmen to drive a team in South Africa, one man holding the reins, and another using the whip— a stout cane with a hide lash, some six yards or more in length, more like a clumsy fishing-rod-and-lino than a whip. Out of the whole team only the leaders and wheelers are under the direct control of the driver, the reins being merely passed through a loop in the harness of the intervtuiing pairs ; but the driver's efforts are quit(3 ivcy. Taking French Leave. tiling to prevent So on reaching ;oacli was driven oating bridge)— II pulley-l)lock to a river. AVhen "\v(> cow was turned a ! current took us lier to the edge of ■r which the male Iders of a stalwart llego of resuming ;s river-beds, the as quite a treat, the wide shelvuig which the mules red what a grand during the rainy jeer — bought in a hjsido temperature idy for the bread to the coach, and the kes two coachmen man holding the -a stout cane with [•e in length, more haa a whip. Out and wheelers are rer, the reins being >he harness of the 8 efforts are quit(3 sm-pnssed by those of the slasher, who, taking his weapon of tortnn> In l)oth hands, rends the air with his shouts ami with the swishes and cracks and snaps of his whip. After some hours of this ear-splitting performance we outspanned opposite a Boer's house — a structure of sun-dried niud-i)ricks, somewhat similar to the houses I had seen in Mexico, where they are called iuluhi's. It was a relief to be able to get down and stretch one's legs, after being packed thirteen — not counting tlic drivers— in a waggon constructed for eight. On attempting to alight I found my legs so inextricably mixed up with Miss PuUinger's that I hardly knew whether to jump down on hers or on my own; but everybody took the scjueezing in good ])ai't, ^liss Pullinger especially exciting our admiration by the plucky manner in which she bore the discomfort, holding, as she did, her two little charges on her lap all the time, but never complaining, and declining every offer of relief with a pleasant smile. It seemed a shame that such a treasure should have her lot cast in this country, instead of enjoying the comforts of England. Knocking at the door, through which we could see the family at dinner, with a minister occupying the seat of honour, and finding the table Avas well filled, I asked in my bad Dutch if we could have dinner. " Nein," replied the farmer ; " det es nie hotel nie." But I was particularly hungry, so I walked in and shook hands all round, which I was told was the proper thing to do, and called the old Boer and his wife " uncle " and " aunt," and the younger ones •' nephews " and " nieces." Then spying a pail of milk with a dipper in it I took a long drink, and asked, I ! n \ \ ^ Ah Oasis. Mlow much?" One of tl.e cjirk ansNvevca.;' Six- ponce." So I called the others in, and th.> pail was Lon en.pty ; an.l then, shaking hands ami layn>g our sixpences on the table, we tUe,l o.U, an.l took our de- mrture 1 don't think the old Boer quite l.ked it, l/ecause we were " English ;" but. if we were glad to get his milk, he wa. glad enough to receive onr corns And he was not particular al)out the manner m which these latter got into his possession ; for. unless 1 do the worthy man great injustice, ho was the richer by a good many more sixpences than we had bargained foi, for we had not gone more than half a mile on our ioiirnev when Miss Pullinger discovered that lior purse las gone. She was certain she had it when she pmcl her sixpence, and she must have dropped it at the house. ' So we all voted that De AVitt should wid back after it, which ho at onco agree.l to do. IJut „dd-day march through the burning sand-with the thermometer at 140^-was in vain. The purse .js nowhere to bo found, and the unanimous verdict wa. that Froude's " honest Boer " had annexed it. About 1 p.m. we arrived at Thomas's Farm where we found dinner awaiting us, the coach ahead of us having happily given warning of our approach. Ihc L-m tvas quite an oasis in the desert. A large aam. fed bv a spring, was used to irrigate a garden of about a quarter of an acre, the outer boundary of which wa. a thicket of fig-trees laden with fruit, with an imiei- fence cf grape-vines from which hung luscious bunche . Tee were! besides, peach-trees, the fruit of whic was however insipid, a plentiful stock of well-flavoured melons, and various vegetables, specimens of which graced our dinner-table. . the OIK Wll ita lai St( pa lie I til hi tl tl b >s.»r!|(Bli*S*«-i'«»*««a ia!a«f^mMammmeimi*mi*!iisemmr>sm<-' The Benefits of Water Storage. 1 1 3 answered, " Six- and the piiil wa^< kIk ami liiyi^f? our -, and tt)ok our do- Jocr quite liked it, wo were glad to get receive our coins. Ke manner in whicli 1 ; for, \ndess I do was the richer by a • had bargained for, half a mile on our vered that hor purso ad it when she paid ■ dropped it at the 3 AVitt should walk reed to do. But his ning sand — with the liu. The purse ws uiimous verdict was I annexed it. lomas's Farm, where coach ahead of us our approach. The esert. A large dam, ;ate a garden of about oundary of which was II fruit, with an inner lung luscious bunches. js, the fruit of which 5tock of well-flavoured s, specimens of which Wliat astonished mo more than anything else was the fact that the goats and cattle drinking at the dam WL>r(^ actually fat ; not like the transparent, kiln-dried, living skeletons that had ai)i)eared here and th.-re like .^l.os'ts amid the desolation of the country rouiul alunit. No grass, no loaves on the stunted bushes, how could the " lay up thoso stores of tlesh and fat ? Mr. Thomas explained that he had IIOO hor.ses, 2(K> goats, ',00 cattle, and mm sheep, and that it re(iuired all liis extensive range of 40,000 acres to keep them in conditio." (hiring the drought. Even then, although ilioy ha<1 water every day by means of his irrigation systen;, some of them had died ; but not many more tiian he lost every year from "lung-sickness," and the disease known as " stiff-sickness." His water supply was the salvation of his stock. Leaving this oasis, we were soon passing through the same monotony of a parched-np landscape. At I one spot, going down a slight slope, at the foot of I which there was probably a little moisture, we saw ;.alf a dozen of the graceful and gorgeously plumaged largo crested ci-ane ; and |n-esently old Kert esjiied a stein-bok, and got iiuite excited because his rifle was packed up in the bottom of the waggon, and lie could not shoot it. Our mules were getting tired, and were gradually slackening speed, notwithstanding the blandishments of the whip. But : Jt, towards evening, we overtook Mr. Caldecott's turn'out and the coaches, botii of which had outspanned for a change of "horses." We followed their example; but for the worse : for we had given to us the mules that had been left by the down-waggon, and had already done thirty miles that day. So after an ,, // Ihnl I'd. »h„,,,Ji-. ,."t "1- '■"••""• "'"'I';;. '; 7'".';:;; ,luti„n«,.s„ nl,. I'Mst ..kss, l.'„-,t of „11 w.; 1.." a ,lini,..l(v will, .1.,. l„.,.ll..nl, wlu> \M I-;'" ..v.Tj.n-... l„ liM.I an' ,.Mn> pnrty of lifl..',, ..li-M at Ihh ,loor, „u, |„„| .,,,,,,,,,,1 «„,,|»T „™.nliM:_-lv, Ina wl,o.,. pl,v.*,nt, ,„„„;,„,'..v,. «:,y f« ..n onUM„..t of :..,.,■>• oxpos n n- n„ns ulw.M only l,uUMnMl n^vHoU' vnt, .n ,H, n,'l''-' " " ,„,„1,U.. Ilul ll.is.li.l not spoil our ,MM'"t"''^-""!' t 1. I. «- n,.. Hrst .in,,. 1 Innl ,as,o,nln., . "• "v,.niMm"ortl„.eou„,n-,nmll ouno lo llm concln- «ioMtln.l il wasll.o lios, n«.i.t I l.n.l onion. Mo.,uvl,il.., ovo,,-.,o.ly oUo l,n,l ..■,«.,! tho oppo - tnnilvof snnflon^'n low Uon.V Moopj for v,. « ■■ - :,.■,.., n,.nin jnst l.ofovo ,n i.bt. H ^.,1 wm, pom'.d.. el, on, ,,f son.. sn..ks ol wool . ,a y . ,.o„t ,>r .1,.. shop, cxpo,..|i.,- the . Invcv. t., ol 9 whon Ihcv inspanno,!. lint wla... I "oxt opem..l .>.y *" ins ',Kvli«l.t. 1 Innl boon .Ironn,,,,, .>ml „„-oko with a s.urt, wonaoring whore on onrth I wns t; ,0 n,nrk '.) of corrngatoa iron, ^'^^f^^^^'^ vi,h her hule sister and brother snuggled close to he f„ asleep. Close l.v, on the ground, were scattered e ,^ of onr party : all hut the two ..nm.nmg lad.e, who trvin^ to sleep iu their seats in the waggo,,, had ■!,,,;d ; n^d,t of alternate nods and starts, and were Crefresh".d than anybody. I ^^^ ^'^::^ of coffee f.>r the h.dies, and m less than twenty ?nin des we were onco n,ore packed in our -"l"-^"; rwheels, and off on the next stage, to thejnncfon of First CotHC, First Scncii. 13 3 ?r/(i/.v7, or country t. TllC llCC'OtlllllO- Kirst of all wt' lut'l liul IxM'M ovcvjoytxl ;lit at his tloor, and lit \vl\o>*o |)l('a>*ant f anlH'aranco ir iipix'titi's, and wo r.hok was especially ■mI tasted this, the cMMie to the conclu- id eaten. I seized tho oppor- Hh>ep; for w<> were ■ht. It still wanted ' Lidii and I exteni- s of wool that lay in I drivers to call ns 1 I next openeil n\y been dreaming, and here on earth 1 was. ne. There, on a sheet on,layMissVullinger, snuggled close to her, round, were scattered s two remaining ladies ts in the waggon, had and starts, and were managed to get a cup in less than twenty ked in our sardine-box tage, to the junction of the ^fodder, or Mud River —a natne it sell deserved — with another sti'eam whost» name I forget, but Avhich did not deserve a name at all, •^iucu it contuinod no wati'r, and even its uiud was dry. Heru we had breakfast, consisting (»!' mitton, parched up like the country that gi'ew it, and cotlee as nuiddy as the river. Price, half a crown. To wash tho breakfast down, some of us had a Uottlo of lager beer, for which ;{.s. i')il, was charged, and tlie beer was voted clieaper than the breakfast. Fording tho river was a pretty easy task : tho difHculty was not tho water, but the stones, for tho bed was a jumble of loose rocks, with hero aiul tliero a ])ool of nuid. Just below the ford is a handsomo bridge, in course of construction by the (Ji'vernment ; for a Iiridge is sorely needed when the river is fidl. At such times as many as ;>0U teauis of oxen — some of them with twenty in each team — jiiay i)i' seen accumulated over tho bauks of tho river, waiting for the water to subside. Col. Schermbriickor told me that on one occasion ho was about to cross tho river at this ])lace, with a nund)er of other teams, Avlien the water suddenly came down so heavily that they had to wait for it to subside, and before the flood was over there were about 200 teams collected on both sides. He was about ninetieth in order of crossing, and the ride of " first coiuo first served " is always observed. Hoping to save time, he paid 10/. for the right of crossing in place of team No. 10, but tho river fell as suddenlv as it rose, and by the time his turn came the i-iver was fordablo in sevenal places, and No. UO got across as quickly as he di.l. 1 li .■^«u*tfi».-f«fisii»,--if-^».3(*'v -;*:.^Via^SSejWi«^*8•**-S'!»KfaM^i'i,^l!fe.»»*^^ Nearino- Kimberky. 14 After lo.vins the junction, tl.o noxt -K" "f f ^;^;^. drivinittcue .lo.e„ or two yonn,- ostncl.os, accona- ninicd bv tlioir luotlicr. . ^"hI^o was the Hr,t syn,pton, of o,.r ^^"^ bcrlev in tho sl.apo "f tho wire fencing ^^Mx ^M id the Ir ii-»on,o 00 s,,i.aro miles-was siirrounilcl Thict . les of tliorn, of every ii^ginahle s lape and si. s s ,,,,orted an eqnaUy varied a..ori,„en o. ho - ontal wires, of all tiiicknesscs-sonie vieccs 01 mng a solid rod of tliree-quarters of an •™' "^ ;2n^^^ -xvliicl. had evidently seen service la the diamond "Tfrw miles farther wo ontspanned to water the , ! ^ ., ,hm which, the driver tol.l ns was said c t™; thoiLid times more than the whole counti, ""irh^r later we came in sight of a great embank „et oreen clay, which I took to he part o th work, for the construction of the Kimberley railway perched ..p so high, probably, to bo out of the way c "" No"'- 'the driver explained, " that is the blue eart that hi'is been brought out of the u tfon - mond-mines. We are ^ .;^'^,^; :;':„k: Yonder is tlie reservoir of tlie KunDtuey nv< le wlter is brought from the Vaal Eiver. abo. fifteen miles away." ^^^ ^^,^ ,t„v ■af tlt'H ™, of " stpes and sizes: in sor r,:^ es c h Ips of them that we could hardly pa; S were million, of these tins, the contents of wh, iberley. \\G next sign of life was where v;e saw a Kaffir p\ing osti-ichos, accom- of onr ai^proacli to Kini- nvQ fe.K'inj,' with which niiles— was surrounded, ry imaginable shape and ried assortment of hori- j9-_somo pieces forming ? of an inch in diameter service .u the diamond- 3nts]ianned to water the driver tohl ns was said to a year— which I thonght , than the whole country sight of a great embank- took to be part of the of the Kimberley railway, y, to be out of the way of 3d, •* that is the blue earth It of the Bultfontein dia- close to the Du Toit's Pan. 3 Kimberley water-works : the Vaal River, about Tin Houses. '•5 le in ,rley the roads were strewn shapes and sizes: in some that we could hardly pass, e tins, the contents of which had at one time formed the sole food of the miners. Here and there, out of the abundance of this waste mate- rial, some ingenious individual had utilized some of the larger cans, by spreading them out flat, joining them together, and, with the help of a sheet of corrugated iron, a gunny-bag or two, and a few pieces of hoop- iron, constructed most comical-looking huts, which formed the dwelling-phvces of the native labourers. After all it was quite appropriate, after a])[)lying the contents of the tins internally, to reserve the tins themselves for " outward application." Through this street of tins we entered " Tin Town," as Kimberley is popularly known, from the array of corrugated galvanized iron shanties which sun'ound the market square. Here we arrived about 3 p.m., and put up at the Transvaal Hotel, Avhere ^fr. Con- stable, the courteous manager, specially informed us that the rooms allotted to us were those Avhich Lady Floi'enee Dixie had occupied. The sitting-rooms were built of mud, fiicing the street, with separate structures of galvanized iron at the back for bed-rooms, which felt like ovens, compared with which the mud-built apartments were deHciously cool. In this respect old Kert had the advantage of us ; for, although it was against the rules for a black man to live anywhere but in the stable, I got leave for him to sleep on the floor of the sitting-room. A batli, a good dinner, and a comfortable bed were unspeakable luxuries, after the discomfort of the long journey ; and needless to say we made the most of each of them. Lulu was in especial need of a " wash and brush up," for finding the interior of the waggon a trifle too crowded, he had performed the latter part .iE:5>.;.v.yt*'*ii ;terte'i^^ i8 The First Diamomi. so, but T intcTul ilicn to take Kimbcrloy and the Kalahari per steamer to Loudon. Ju^^t you bring your cMtnoi-a out, and take tho town.' and to-tnorrow we will ^'o and got a look at tho bowels of the earth, and vou shall ' take' them too." I knew [.uIu'h weakness for piiotographing anything, f!-oni the moon to a monkey, would soon make him forget all his troubles : and half an hour afterwards hehadseeured several "platens," from one of which the aeeompanying view of Kimberley is taken. Next day, Dr. Saner introduced us to Mr. Steib, tho manager of tho French Diamond Mining Oomi)any, who took ns to the mining board, introduced us to the secretary and all the members, and i)rocured for ns a l)a>s to go over any part of the mine and take photo- grajihs of it. [ should, perhaps, here explain tV.at what is called the " Kimberley Mine " is owned principally by three companies— the Central, the French, and the Standard —which have bought up nearly the whole of the small " claims " into which the mine was divided when the first " rush" of diamond diggers took p'ace thither in 1872. . The story of the first diamond having been picked up by a Boer on the banks of the Orange River, ami of its having been a child's plaything for years before its value was recognized, is well known. This led to further search being made, and numbers of stones were picked up in the sand and gravel of the banks and bed of the Orange, and afterwards of the Vaal River, whei-e there are still many diggers working the alluvial deposits. Gradually, however, diamonds were found in dry gravel patches at some distance nbcrley and tlie J'ib*t vou bring 1,' and to-tnovrow vols of the earth, \'iphin^,' anything, soon make him hour aftcrwarils im one of which is taken. to iMr. Steib, the lining Company, rodnced us to the )rocured for us a Q and take photo- iat what is oaUod 'incipally by three and the Standai-d kvholo of the small divided when the )k p\ice thither in aving been picked )ran; men coming from Coleshnrg, who first discovered diamonds there. " Coksbnrg Koppje " was originally, to outward ap- pearance, a layer of pebbles and sand, aniong which tho gems lay scattered; but all this gravelly liiiiiii,' th(! side of the mine slipping' in, and coveiinj,' nearly all the workinj^'s and machinery. At ahont seven o'clock in the morning the rtMif Avas seen to start, and in less than five hours most of the workings were smothered. The Frencii and Standard Com- panies managed to save part of their plant ; but the workings were tVjft!«iieas*«»i«i««aia»-MMS9««!ar'^i*fe4»iia««^ ■.*KB6rl{4JK****f>St«-T £t-'»*s-- 30 ll'/h-n the Pixmomh arc found. bottom, nt the rate of about ono in fivp, so tlint a vertical st-ctiou of tlu' inim> would bo somotliing like a V sliapo. , , Sud.l.'Mly the dry, sandy gravel, in whieh tiio dianionils were found, gave way to a Htratum ol hard blue ground, which the miners thought to be bed rock. Claims were sold for what they would fetch, and abandoned as worthless, and the diamotuUiields seemed to have lost their lustre in the eyes of all but those whose gravel woi-kings still held out. Presently, however, some men sinking a well in this blue ground at Ibdtfontein noticed a diamond tumble out of the bucket, and it soon became evident that the blue flint- like grouml contained diamonds in greater al>undance than" the superincumbent gravel, though, strungely enough, not a stone was found outside the hunts of the " reef." The price of claims rose rapidly; the ' knowing ones " who had sold what they thought an exhausted claim for a song, sang small ; the lucky ones were jubilant. In less than a, year there were 10,000 people crowded together, all anxious to make their fortunes. Owners had to be very careful not to leave possession of their claims, or they would be "jumped" by the 1.uri.>a, in some cases to a .Iq.th of niuety feet.with worthless reef. This l,as b,.en partly re.nove.l hy the Stan.lard Co.npany ami Messrs. btuart r.ruthers, but the French Cnnqmny have ahan-hmed the attempt to remove the falh.n .Uh'k ^^sV^.^^ has slipped dowu twice since ou their claims after ihev had pulled up ^f^^f^^ f \'^'^^ ';;?; are now sinking a deep shaft, distant about 1000 leet, an, 1000 i^ t aeep, from which they will drive adits to reach their chums Th. Central Company, though it has not abandoned the surface woi^ings is following this example, and the race between the two compames is being watched w th great interest. found. I flV(^ po that a Roinc'tliiiii,' like , ill wliicli tiio stratum of hard it to be bed rock, oidd fetch, and [)iid-tielils seemed of all but those out. l^-esently, this blue ground nnble out of the hat the blue flint- reater abundance hough, strangely ;siile the limits of ' ; the " knowing ic-ht an exhausted hick J onea were rere 10,000 people ,ke their fortunes. 3 leave possession 'jumped" by the ith worthless reef. Tliis [)iiny and Messrs. Stuart iiuUmcd tlif atleinpt to down twice since ou 1 loads of it,— and they )00 feet, and 1000 feet ach their claims. The d the surface workings, sn the two companies is Chcat'uio the Rcvctiuc. 31 new-comers; and it became n(>cessary to have regular surv(\vs made and otHcial nygisters of ownership kept, a fee' beimr cliarged by (iovernment on every transfer as well as on every lieiMice. (Quarters, eighths, ami sixteentli^i liecaine as valuable as n whole claim Ix'fore, and the business of sharebrokiM' and diamond-mer- chant became more prolitalde than that of diamomJ- digging, the numlter of persons engaged in it being al- most as large as that of actual diggers. The " broking" business passed principally into the liaiids of Jews, who, from the age of tifteen to sixty, mustered in great strength. The knowledge of diamonds on the part of many of tlu' diggers did not extend beyond the fact that* they ai-e used to cut glass, and they fell an easy prey to tlie descendants of Isaac and Moses. Besides this, it was so easy for a hired digger to secrete a stone, and dispose of it surreptitiously, that the owners of claims were fleeced of a large sliare of their projierty ; but they were powerless to protect themselves, till a law was passed (in 1873) to the effect that no person or firm could, under a penalty of twelve months' imprisonment, buy a diamond without first taking out a trading licence— for which a fee of 10/. was charged —and then only from a licensed dealer or broker, or from a registered digger or owner of mining property. But this law was easily evaded. A trading licence was issued to a " firm" at the same price as to an individual, and a good story is told of an Israelite making a bet of 10/. to 1/. with a Christian that ho could purchase a licence for 1/. The bet was accepted, and then it was found that the wily Jew was a " partner" in a "company" of ton " Koppje wallopers," to whom a single licence was issued on payment of ^e^^^ ieia:f-^.-'^s^ii^i^^^' ,.T: -*^5^«^S««ei****' 32 Piamouti cut Ih'(ViioiitL 10/., or 1/. por Lead. This Jew, Imwcvcr. nvon'oaclu'd Ijimsclf for oiic(>, for f)ii this anonialy coiiiiii^ to the kiiowh'dijc of the (rovcrmiicut, the law was altcl'i'il, makiiitj^ it compulsory For rvcry iiuliviiliial, wln'thcr a nu'iahiM* of iv " (irm " or not, to pay his !<>/. Tlu> scrpud was that thi' in in who had mado tho hot was mohhrd Itv his brother dcaUM's. " Diainond cut diamond" was the motto among these Tnodcrn Israditt's. *• Partnerships " wore I'n- torod into for otlicr jmrposcs besides cheat iiif^ the rovenne. A pfood story is told of a Hebrew named I , a well-known dealer, and of j^ood repiit(> as the possessor of a conscience. Now the diamond buyers of those days did not know much of the value of th(> gems that wei-o offered to them, and they fi^augcil their worth by what other people wore said to havt> oft'{>red for them ; and when old I could not t his price for a stone, ho Avould swear that he had been offered that price for it by another dealer. Xow, it is always an accepted fact that when a Jew take-} his oath he may be believed, at any rate, by his co-reli<^ionists, and many a wavering customer was induced to give the sum named on the assurance that it was a legi- timate figure. But after a time it was found that I 's prices were a great (Unil more than the market price, and the buyers could not realize any profit on their transactions with him, so several of them agreed together to price his diamonds but not buy, and they found that he asked very m\ich more than any of them cared to give, telling each of them the same old tale that he had been offered his price by " a person in the trade." Who this mysterious person in the trade was, who was always ready to give high prices but never k'cr, ovorrracliod ' cotuin)^ to the i\v was altct'ctl, iliial, wlK'tlicr a • his |(>/. Tlu> ido the l)L't was 3 inotto ninotig lips " woro iMi- os clicatiiif^ the TTeld'cw naiiMnl i()(l i'C'|»iit(> as the (liaiiiond buyers lu' value of thi> loy ji;aug('(l tlieir I to liavo offorod not t liis price lad been offered row, ifc is always ko4 his oath he 3 co-reli<^ionists, induced to give it it was a legi- was found that than the market AC any profit on il of tiiein agreed )t buy, and they than any of thera he same old tale " a person in the in the trade was, prices but never ScarcUy of Women in Kinikrlcy. 93 bought, they coulil not iui;vgiiu' ; so they at last roundly toh'l him that they would not believe him uidess'he i-rodueed the indiviilual. In fact, they boy- cotted him; until he had to confess that he at. d his wife were partners, and that it was she who had priced his wtones for him. This exi.lauation cleared him of l)erjurv, but lost him a groat deal of custom, and he used ti) complain that no one but a Jew would have found him cmt. Uui, still the illicit buying and selling continued. «' VigihiMce (Committees" were ai»pointed by the miners, yet some of these self-elected detectives used their position rather to do a little business on their own account than with the object of discovering illicit (k'aling. Every other house in Kimberley was an hotel or a " anteen," the proprietors of which were often the greatest ofTenders. At that time a white woman in Kimberley was scarcer than a black swan in London, and when such a ran, oris was seen she was greeted with shouts and war-dances, while the diggers gathered around her and not infreciuently presented her with diamonds. But among the few "ladies" in the place was a Afrs. Pound, proprietress of the Rich- mond Hotel, which was a favourite resort of diamond buyers and diggers, under whose patronage mine hostess waxed rich, bank-notes becoming as plentiful as leaves on the trees. At last, however, she became so notorious that the Government was obliged to appoint her to the office of female inspector of the inside of the prison for a term of three years. At that time, natives as well as whites were per- mitted to hold claims, but this right was taken away from them in 1875, when the Government took this ,Jc-\*Tft:»q«eJ-"-i:JW>tt.ti-.i|'i -n'Wi-«^»AbW>r..,> iJl^^tiKMt.Z:S.%i^.3lSh^.4f^'--- 24 Float ius^ Hubble Companies. matter out of the hands oP tlic A[i hits' Committee, and appointed an ofHcial Mininf; Hoard, with a duly quali- tied surveyor. In the foUowinj^ year this board, with the object of abohshing the itinerant diamond-buyer, caused the penalty on buying without a Hcence to be raised from one to three years' imprisonment, with the addition of a fine of 500/. But the illicit buying still throve, and the penalty was soon afterwards raised to five years' impi'isonnient. In 1 HSl the " share " mania set in, and companies were floated for as much as lour times the value of the mines they were supposed to buy. Useless and vabudess clain)S were put in for fabulous prices, some of which had never been diamond grounds. The public cauo-ht the infection, and bogus comi)anies were floated, the shareholders in which, according to the proprietors, would soon realize enormous profits. But it was all imagination, and in less than a year over half of those comi)anies were bankrupt — the working capital being completely swallowed up by the purchase of too expensive machinery, or in the vain endeavour to find diamonds where no diamonds had ever existed. Conse- (juently the deluded shareholders cried out that the prospectuses were fraudulent, and attacked the pro- moters. But the promoters were equal to the occasion, and declared that the companies would have paid handsome dividends had it not l)een that the diamonds were stolen. This was a splendid defence, and, as some of the promoters were members of the board for tlie protection of the mining interest, they demanded further legislation ; the result being that every dealer is compelled to keep a register of each diamond bought and sold, with particulars of its weight and of the Companies. Elinors' Committee, and loard, with a duly quali- !<; voar this board with tineraiit diamond-buyer, without a licence to be ' imprisonment, with the ut the illicit buying still 3on afterwards raised to I set in, and companies four times the value of II to buy. Useless and )r fabulous prices, some md grounds. The public s companies were floated, )rding to the proprietors, profits. But it was all a year over half of those e working capital being y the purchase of too e vain endeavour to find lad ever existed. Conse- ders cried out that the , and attacked the pro- ere equal to the occasion, )anies would have paid t. l)een that the diamonds plendid defence, and, as lembers of the board for interest, they demanded t being that every dealer ' of each diamond bought ' its wei ■%.. ■r«*4.%l."-vV.i- *. 'h-^-ML-^i:: a6 Evils of the Detective System. his cart to drive into Capo Colony, with 3 lbs. weight of diamonds neatly secured in his overcoat; but for one cauj-ht there are scores in the enjoyment of liberty. The chief of the suspects is a rich man who is a registered elaim-owner and broker. A favourite plan among the fraternity is to form a company, and buy a cheap claim, or to work up some of the old stuff that was only hand-sorted in the early days of the industry, and put their stolen diamonds into their " wash up ;" sometimes, however, they have been too eager to get rich, and have been found out by Avashing too many diamonds out of ground which was known to be poor.- The Detective Department claims to have been successful not only in overtaking thieves of diamonds and receivers of stolen diamonds, but in ca])turing no less than lC,474i carats weight of diamonds, valued at 32,471/. 12.S. 3(/.; but seeing that it costs 40,000/. a year, or 4/. per head on a population of 10,000, this is not a very magnificent result. It is admitted, how- ever, on all hands that the captures represent but a small proportion of the diamonds successfully " run," as may be seen in the fact that a parcel in possession of one Joseph Jacobs, weighing 7162| carats, and valued at 12,0007., had to be returned in consequence of a legal difficulty. But if the I.D.B.'s escape them, it is generally believed that the detectives make use of their powers in a reprehensible practice of trump- ing up cases, and endeavouring to trap people into purchasing diamonds illegally. Half of the time of 2 Tlio avcra-.' value cf a ton of good " blue " ground is al.out 30«., and tlie cost of getting it about 2s. M. When the mines are in lull swing, each of them will draw up 1000 loads a day. ^ - stem. I 3 lbs. weight of ercoat ; but for le cujoyinont of I ricli 111 all wlio is A favourite plan Diupaiiy, and buy of the old stuff arly days of the iinto their "wash been too eager to by Avashiug too ill was known to IS to have been ieves of diamonds t in cajituring no atnonds, valued at costs 40,OOOL a of 10,000, this is is admitted, how- 5 represent but a .ccessf ully " run," Tcel in possession 162| carats, and sd in consequence ,B.'s escape them, tectives make use u'actice of trump- ) trap people into ilf of the time of " ground is alwut 30»., riieu the iiiinea are in lads a day. Treatment of the Kaffir. a? the police is taken up in finding out some individual whom they may choose to "suspect," and in getting up evidence to support their theory. Having marked down their prey, they will supply a nigger with diamonds, and tell him to go and " sell " them to you taking care to search him beforehand to see that he has no money on his person. The nigger knocks at your door, and, while asking if you want to buy a horse or a cow, drops a stone on the door-mat, m payment for which he has already been told that he will find some money on the window-sill, or verandah, where the detective has accordingly secreted it. You do not want a horse or a cow, and order the nigger to be off. As he retires to pick up the money, another policeman at once searches him, finds he now has money on his person, and you are charged with having bought the diamond, which is of course found lying on the floor. On this evidence the smartest lawyer will not prevent you getting five years' hard labour. One effect of such operations has been to encourage the natural craftiness of a native who has just been brought into touch with the " seamy side" of civiliza- tion. The Kaffir cannot understand the mixed treat- ment to which he is subjected. Those interested in encouraging the illicit diamond-trade employ him as a purveyor of stolen goods. Those interested in putting down the illegal traffic employ him as a spy to get innocent people convicted. And yet if a Kaffir happens to come into a town looking for work, and knowing nothing of the white man's laws innocently enters the streets " naked, and not ashamed," he is imme- diately arrested and " fined." Seeing that he wears no clothes, he cannot have a pocket, and, as he is I I »-«-iS»«»^Bs*««»**^f?sii»we«Si«a»*^^ 38 Afartyts to Civilization. innocent of eitluM- current coin or a clieq)ie-l)Ook, lu> is locked up for a month in default of payment. AVhen he comes out he profits by his lesson so far as to cover his legs with a pair of old pants, and civilization is satisfied ; but, if ho does not find a master the same d!'*'*«*»*-"i*- ~f ■•T!™"=-- *» ^ih.^mi^t'l^JiemtH'i- jcquo-l)Ook, ho is laymont. AVheii o far as to cover 111 civilization is iiaster the same ,n'ant," and j?ots h is bewildered, white man and omebody to give le is in a situa- iie Kaffir friends into a compound, 'mission, or witli d, and eventually g served his time, aster," bnt finds Dave " for a week )us ronnd of the ner's cell begins lization he hardly bund, whether in id laughing — an rues much more of any kind. p««S^^ ■•■ 30 CHAPTER HI. Thotlivstingof til.- MiK— Down tlu! cnit.T— SciUThinj^ the blacks— Tlie wa.sliing-j;roim(ls— How tin- (liiuuonds uie uiifiirlhed— Tlii^ sortiiiK-tabl.ts-.hid^nn^' tlw weight of a stoiie-Wlio lU'o the (UiuiuHul tUi..'V.'s!-LitV in Kimberley— Its climate and its moral atmosphere— The mining pioneer. Onh day Mr. English, the manager of the Standard Company, took us to see the " blasting of the blue." Wo took our place in a large iron bucket big enough to hold a ton of earth, suspended by four grooved wheels, two on each side, from two stout iron wires, which, supported at each end by wooden props, ran in a straight line down the steep slope for the distance of some 150 yards. The shots are fired at dinner-time, when all the men are out of the mine, and it was a curious sight to see a long line of naked blacks clambering up a narrow, steep path from the lowest depths, 350 feet below: they looked at the distance like an army of ants in single file, or rather, with their shiny skins, like a stream of black water pouring up-hill. " I wish I had my camera here," said Lulu ; " I should like to have a picture of that human tide." "I would nuich rather have what those black thieves are bringing out with them," said Mr. English. " Naked as they are, and closely searched as tliey will be before they leave the workings, they will carry oti' some hundreds of pounds' worth between them." ,rtsB»«iMRiSas!»«t«a>>^«WiKB««s*»fwi^««.'^'«*' .,„j5,j,„,H(««ai!««»»»*"l!**"4'*'*»- Diamond Sx^>a//oK'i)ij^. 3» lucliiiig the l)lucks — uiu uiitiirlliLMl — Tlic jtoiie— Wlu> iv'-j the I climuto and its moral of the St.iiidarcl If? of the bhie." ucket big enough by four grooved stout iron wires, den props, ran in for the distance le, when all the J a curious sight clambering up a depths, 350 feet ;e like an army their shiny skins, up-hill. • said Lulu; "I human tide." rhat those black said Mr. English, •ched as tliey will hoy Avill carry oti" ween them." " But how can they secrete the stones, if tlu^y have no clothes?" " Their hair will be searched, their cars examined, and every man will open his mouth for inspection, and perhaps not a single stone will be found : they carry them in a pretty safe place, for they swallow them. It is as much as a man's liberty is worth to have a diamond in his possession without a jjermitora licence to purchase ; but the temptation is too great. I once knew a man to have a forty-carat stone in his possession: he was arrested and searched, but it could nut be found. lie had swallowed it, and so was put into prison under strict surveillance, and when there managed to swallow it a second time ; but on dejecting it a second time he was detected, ar.d is now doing ins ten years on Cape Town breakwater. " Sometimes the overseers are in league with the black diggers, so that it is most difficult to detect the thieves. Once we tried convict labour, which seemed to work admirably, till one day the gun of one of the overseers was found loaded with a full charge of diamonds for shot. A tavourite trick of the I.D.B.'s was to commit a trivial offence so as to get into gaol for a day or two, when they had splendid opportunities of buying from the convicts and the overseers." By this time the bell was ringing as a signal that the shot was ready to be fired. In a few minutes after- wards a lurid flash was seen amid a great discharge of dust and stones mingled with smoke, followed by a long, low reverberation ; then two, three, four blasts followed one another in rapid succession, and some tons of hard l^lue clay were loosened ready to be carried to the " floors." » iK.£,»*ftW*«9*>J*««^»*»f-''^i*^-''*^ ■***3HW«l\!a»**MS ■•«: ^'« ^l***W«W5t. * :.-si«eMB6S«gt^M^(M*»*^^«»*^^^«'^^-^^!'**^*' ?i 33 Diamond Farming. " Whiit a ^M-and picture tliiit Avould hiivc inado!" criod Lulu. " If I coidd oidy get a i.liotogmpli of an exi)losi(>n like tliat * taken from life ' ! " " Wliv, the concussion would smash your i)lates, if not your lens," I replied. " You might as well sit on the top of Vesuvius and wait for an eruption, and exi)ect to get safely down again." Presently the black labourers came back, and began loading the earth that had been loosened ])y the ex- plosion into the big iron buckets, in which it was hauled up the wire tramway, one bucket going up full and another coining down empty. We returned the same way we had come—in one of these big buckets— the usual method of ascent and descent. Sometimes a mistake is made in the signals and the passengei-s are dumped like dirt down a shoot some twenty feet deep. I was determined not to be thus ignominiously treated if 1 could help it, and took the jirecaution of making myself as conspicuous as possible, and of seizing the wire as we approached the summit; butfortiniately we were served with the respect due to animated earth, and the brake put on in good time. The hard, flinty clay cannot bo treated at once. It is left exposed for a time to the atmosphere on the «« floors." Some of these are ten or fifteen acres in extent, and each company has altogether hundreds of acres for the treatment of the earth. In the wet season the rain assists disintegration; but in the dry weather the process is hastened by frequent spknklin«/s with water from a hose; and when the lumps begin to get soft a harrow is run over the mass. It is just like irrigating and cultivating a farm, only the seed is gold and the crops are diamonds. - - . » *H M Bgjaft^MsJ^-i VsSeS*ljS^8«tJ*-sy«»*S***^' ^.t^SM^r^r* ^.:>>r«'«,n*«.ika.wf>!fM>i)i9M^*^«S!^SiAa^^'^' Diamond Washing;. .U Id liavr inado! " li(jtogni[)li of ail di your jHivtcs, if rht as well sit on an eru})tion, and ! back, and began iened l)y the ex- liicli it was hauled oing up full and turned the same big buckets — the it. Sometimes a e passengers are twenty feet deep, miniously treated lution of making id of seizing the )ut f oi'tiniately we I animated earth, treated at once, itmosphere on the r fifteen acres in igrether hundreds arth. In the wet ion ; but in the }ned by frequent ;e ; and when the ^ is run over the and cultivating a [•ops are diamonds. It takes about three months before tiie stuff is Ht to wash, when it is loaded into iron boxes running on a narrow tramway, and hauled away by horses up an incline to the washing-machine. Here each little trolly dumps its load into a hopper, from which it is passed over a grating just narrow enough to retain the large stones. H(>re a man stands with a hose, and gives the " blue " a good dosing, so tliat it falls away in the form of liquid mud into the "washers" underneath. These are circular pans about eighteen inches deep, in which revolve four paddles armed with teeth, driven by steam-power. All the gravel and stones sink to the bottom, and the mud flows off, carry- ing with it the lighter debris, into a small canal, which conducts it to a reservoir where a bucket-pump lifts the muddy water to the upper level, where it is again utilized, while the preciintated mud k carried away by trams, and goes to swell the size of the great embank- ment of (h'hrli< outside. As the rotary workers get fill(?d with stones a little iron tram-car is drawn underneath them, and the con- tents emptied into it. The car is then locked up, run up another incline to another hopper, where it deposits its precious burden, which undergoes a second washing in another water. This consists of a long cylinder formed in sections, each about six feet long, and com- posed of wirework, the meshes of each section gradu- ally increasing in size. Above the cylinder runs a pipe, perforated with quarter-inch holes two inches apart, through which water constantly flows. As the cylinder rotates the smallest stones fall through the first section, the next size through the second, and so on till the largest stones only are left to reach the M ■ J. «0*#**»*keBBKSi:*WJp* ^irtE«»Pf'* ss^asrr^ma-ffifH-'h-M^miii'rsfm^i^i^'-^^'^'^^ 34 Scrtiiii! the Sloiics. fm-llar v\n\, where two men are on the wateh for the hi|X diamonds. The stones, tlms rou,L,'hly soi-tiul aceordin^' to si/.e, fall IVnmthceylir.dcr into a row of l.oxcs ealh-d the " p.dsator." in'to which watc>r is forced throu^rh a valve i„ the bottom, tluis caminjr ,.IY all li.ixht r.'fuse matter, l,,,vin^^ the diamonds and oravel at the bottom, whenco flu V are ].eriodicaIlv dropi).-d into an iron box with a sirve bottom, in which they are carried by two blacks to SI hvdrant and snbjected to a final cleansing by a strong' stream of water, Ix'forebeinjr taken to the sorting-shed adjoining. . Here, at a row of tables, sit the sorters, scrapmg th(> heai.s of gravel towarils them with a piece of tin, pick- i„g out the diamonds and putting them into the bottom ,,n. broken beer- bottle at their side. The very small stuff— that which passes through the finest part of the cylinder -is sorted three or four tinie-^ and even then all the stonw are not secured, so Muau'are thev. I took up a handful from a refuse hei.p, and picked out two tiny crystals— both perfect (x'tidiedrons, though hardly visible. It would be a great advantage if some method could l)e devised for treating the blue earth as soon as it is \,lasted, and the inventor will make a fortune who con- structs a machine that will obviate the necessity for haidin..- the stuff backwards and forwards to and from the vast irrigation rtoors. These are too extensive to be fenced in, and have to be. watched night and day; iu.d the cost of this, ad.led to the cost of haulage, is one of the principal items of expense. Some steps towards concentrating the various pro- cesses have already, been taken, the Central Company iVj'iJ ■" *• ~it'^^^i»ti-a,tl^'% m:: ;.t»!«i^r*r«^r-H5r-^';V'-^ .■,',SA^.|«j-»iv/'-'''i u' watch for tlio cording to si/.f, Itoxcs C!ill«'»l tlie tlirou<,'li a Viilvc lit rotuse matter, 'bottom, wliciico 1 iroi) box with a I by two blacks to using by a stroiij^ the sorting-shed ers, scraping the piece of tin, pick- n into the bottom liasses through •toil three or four ■e not secured, so ■ul from a refuse Ills — both perfect )mo method couhl li as soon as it is , fortune who con - the necessity for yards to and from i too extensive to ■d night and day ; ost of haulage, is g the various pro- Central Compau)' / ha tuflUffs Ciass ij'uii. 35 liaving n machine in which the rotary wasluT and th«' " pulsator" are comhim-d ; bnt the* great desideratum is a means of doing away with what I call the '* irri- gatioii tlooi's." When the wash-uj) is finished, tlit> manager coTues along, picks up the broken bottles, tui'iis the contents out into ins hand, and ))uts them into his pocket, to take them to the office, where th(\v are sorted and classed according to the following order: — 1. Crystals (perfect octahedrons). 2. Cape whites. 3. First by-waters (light yellow). 4. Second by-waters (dark yellow). 5. JMeiees (mixed, from two carats down). (). ^fackerel (flat stones). 7. Cleavage (stones with flaws, spots, &c.). 8. Chii)s (broken pieces). {). Fancies (stones that are neither white nor yel- low, but brown, pink, grey, or black. H(nne of them are valuable, when perfect, because of their rarity. 10. Refections (rubbish). 11. Boart (a kind of compound diamond, nearly black, used for cutting and polishing other stones). There is a stone called " smoky diamond," which nearly always breaks to pieces when exposed to the light. 1 saw one break m the sorter's hands. All sorts of means have been tried to preserve them — such as putting them into potatoes, etc. — but without effect. The average value of the stones as thev como from the mine is about 1/. per carat. The crystals, some of which are equal to the best Brazilian stones, are worth from 3/. to 8/. in the rough ; others from 5». to 3/. per carat. Picking ujy'onq_3iBJWWff*pi'^'^ 1^ asked their JUN'^ 24 1888 I DfiHTfjimuUITEHlOR > .(^.■^■f*»iy,Uj6"fti. ''■^<-t-* >' 36 //'//,) S/ftf/s the Piiiiiioiuls wci-lil nn.l val.u', nn.l tlu>n K'"'^^^"> <'"' ^^'''-'^'^ ,"* ..tlu-rs, hittin- it ofT 1.. tl... sixt.rntli of a canit-to thr „st..tnKl.Mu-Mt ui the inMMa-er, uho sai.l tluMv wr.v t.ot two.lral.TS..Mtl..'ru-l.U thatcoul.l -u.-ss the wcMf^ht 8() flost'lv. Ill n •♦You'd lu'ttiT not l)c too cl.-vcr," said Lulu, or you'll 1»' laid up for an I.D.IV next." Tlu'n.inutiu' of the system of diainond-diiTKin.;- at KiinluTlev nu.N in'rhaps not I..- so inteivstin.L? to my readers as t.. me: on." of my ..Ejects m eonun^r to South Africa was to discover a ,liam..n.l-uum«— Nvlnit succe'^s attend.MJ mv s.'iuvh Nvill be related further on- ,u,d it was necessary f..r me to know how to work my u.ine when I discovered it. Whatever else 1 nnj^d.t ,1„ I felt competent to "run" a nu.ie wlien I came across it, and I fancie.l I could deal even with the l.D B. dilficnltv(iuite easily. Havinj^caretully watclied tiie blacks at work in the mine and on the washm from the ni-htmare of " I.D.H." Of course, the or^- )»>li('V(' tluit thi-y on stcrliuf? worth 1 yearly. I trio>n't believe it's the nijxu'ers ; so it seems difficult to undei'stand how anytliin^ like a million's worth of diamonds can lie stolen yeai'ly. Neither can I under- stand tliat in the titYcen years of Kiinberley some 4.'>,( »()(),( MM I/, have bet'u dut,' out of the ^M'ound, an(i yet thei'(> are not three wealthy peoph* in the town. The evil of the l.D.U. vill no doubt be to some extent checked by tho tendency of tho cotnpanies to amalgamate under pressui'c of tho reef diffieidtyand of the peculiarities in the natural formation of the mine. The result of amalgamation would be that the diamonds would pass through fewer hands, and that there would consecjuently be fewer facilities for the operations of the I.I). H.'s. Concentration, however, means mono- poly, and monofjoly means a diminution of that com- petition which has made Kimberley what it is. It has been said that " God made the country ami man tho town," to which may be added that diamonds made Kimberley, for I cannot conceive of anybody making Kimberlev his home who was not attracted thither by the lustre of its reputation as a sort of Tom Tiddler's ground. Not that 1 mean to say that I.D.B.'s are a desirable, or even a necessary, institution ; but that, when the whole business of diamond-mining and dia- mond-sellintr is under the absolute control of a small body of monopolists, the money that is eventually realized will change hands elsewhere than at Kimberley, 38 Price of Provisions. and wluit tlii.t town gains in respectability she will lose in importance and population. The climate, as a climate, may not be nnhealthy, but tlie country, waterless and almost treeless, has no charms in itself. In the summer the thermometer is frequently as high as 140" in the sun, and has been known as high as 150^ The streets are in a state of nature, and when a trek-waggon, with its four-score hoofs, ])loughs through the dust, you might as well be in a sandstorm on the Sahara at once. When the wind blows across the heaps of >\ehrh from the mines, the town is filled with clouds of white dust like a petrified London fog, that fairly blinds and chokes you. As for houses, the tin-kettle establishments reflect the rays of the sun outwardly, and bottle them up inwardly, so that it is hard to say whether the stifling heat of the interior or tlie blinding glare of the exterior is the worse. As for provisions, the following is a list of some of the prices ruling when I was there :— Potatoi^s, 22.S. por bag. Oats. 32s. pLT baj,'. Maize, l^'lx. per bag. Liivge sac'ks ..f straw, used as forage (ciUIc.l cliall). weighing 1601bs.,2U-. drapes, 1«. per lb. Melons, from \s. to Z*. Ofi. each. Tobacco, 2,v'. 6'/. a roll of 2.^ lbs. Wheat, 36s. per sack of 200 IVxs. Onions, 22.s. jier Vtag. . Small fowls, iVom 2,^-. 6 ?. to .Is'. Wood was dearer than all else. A loa.1 of aVwut 1000 lbs. .sold for 18/. to 20/., and at one time would have fetched 40/. As to the moral atmosphere of Kimberley, what I have said will sufficiently show that it cannot be classed as very first-rate. It may be said that there 'i"«, «-*^^ -A«-.>aiii,»Sf«*v'a.'iia«i5i*.e»sa^^^ SlOflS. pectability she will lose lay not be \inhealthy, ilmost treeless, has no ?r the thermometer is the sun, and has been :reets are in a state of 3n, with its four-score b, you mij^ht as well be i. at once. When the di'brifi from the mines, i of white (lust like a rly blinds and chokes n-kettle establishments rardly, and bottle them > say whether the stifling ing glare of the exterior IS, the following is a list ien I was there : — .ra<,'e (called clialt), weighing T/ie Morah of Kiinhcrley. 39 loa.1 of about 1000 lbs. sold for ve fetched 40/. re of Kimberley, what I show that it cannot be may be said that there arc but three really flourishing institutions in the town — the Detective Department, the cemetery, and the gaol ; but, notwithstanding that I would sum up the character of the place in that way, I must join issue with the sweeping statements made by a recent writer on the subject. Mr. Stanley Litth>, in his book on " South Africa," says of Kiinberley, that " from beginning to end the diamond-fields of South Africa have been the hot-beds of rowdyism, and all that is revolting in human nature may be found there. The libertines, forgers, bird-catchers, and outcasts of Europe have found an asylum there, as in Alsatia of old. The Houndsditch Jew and the London rough reign supreme. . . . The bully is in tlu^ ascendant, ho lords it over all. As to the n\oncyed men on the fields, is it a libel to say that most of them owe their wealth either to illicit diamond-buying or to taking advantage of the necessities or inex- perience of unfortunate diggers ? . . . The social life of Kimberley has become so utterly low and repugnant, that the decent man at length flies from it in disgust, as he would from the confines of a lazar-house. The vices of drinking, swearing, cursing, bullying, lying, cheating, and all kinds of utter abomination permeate society, I was going to say from ton to bottom, but in such a community one can scarcely say which is the top and which is the bottom." Like Denver or Leadville, San Francisco or Ba- thiu'st, and other great mining centres which have held out the hope of sudden wealth to the digger, Kiml)er- ley has attracted numbers of the very scum and dregs of mankind; but, in applying \q above expres- sions t.) Kimberley in its present state, I am bound ^,wa<»*?.':/. ^;;^j.!^isi««Rrt?*«-^i'^'^>'' »-->^*^""- 40 The Minim: Pioneer to siiv tliiit ^\\\ Little somewhat lets liis zeal outrun liis (I'ir^ci-etiou— or rather his ima<,nnntion ride \o\v^\\- sluxl over faets. The desci-iption given by hira may hnv(> been true onou<,'h in the first days of diamond- di«;-f,nn*r. The class of desperado that he i)ictures as the"soie denizen of the fields is the pioneer of all nn- ai)propriated lands whose mineral riches hold out the pi-ospect of immediate fortune to the first-comer. The better class of people will not rough it, or take the desperate chances of a great rush. But as the popu- lation increases, and the mining population is suc- ceeded by provision-dealers, builders, engineers, and so forth, as the success of the " rush " is perma- nently established, laws l)ecome necessary, rooting out tiie extreme rough and making the place tolerable for a better class of people, who come to invest as well as to dig. The single digger, working on his own luck, is tempted to surrtnider his claim for ready cash, and the claims get into fewer hands ; the provident digger, who sees a prospect of making a profit by steady work, remains ; whilst the " last chance " man rushes off on another forlorn hope ; and so order is gradually evolved out, of chaos. Hence, whatever kimberley may have been, its present condition is not so bad as is pictured by Mr. Little. It is true that the extraordinary opportunities of theft which a diamond-mine must always offer cannot fail to attract an unusual number of blacklegs and vagabonds with an eye to the off-chance. A valuable pebble can be easily secreted on the person, or even swallowed at a pinch, and hence Kimberley may be expected to always have more than its fair proportion of dregs among its humanity. But I have met there some of *^^we«(^,S4«H^ >ie-^«i,;*' . ^f«!S*t«t'f '^ Temptations. lis zeal outrun ion ride voujz:li- ;n by liira may rs of diamond- he pictures as ueer of all un- ;s hold out the ■st-comer. The it, or take the Lit as the popu- lulation is suc- engineers, a-nd sh " is perma- jessarv, rooting J place tolerable to invest as well insr on his own 1 for ready cash, 1 ; the provident iug a profit by st chance " man and so order is lence, whatever condition is not It is true that theft which a tot fail to attract vagabonds with le pebble can be even swallowed ay be expected to portion of dregs let there some of the kindest, most straightforward, hospitable, and educated gentlemen, who are doing all they can to improve the tone of the place. Not that there is not room for such efforts. In the anxiety to become rich even the finest consciences become dulled, the most delicate susceptibilities are blunted — and tiie more delicate and the finer a thing is the more likely it is to suffer from contact with the rough and the rude. " Evil communications corrupt good manners," and though a man with gentlemanly feelings and delicate instincts is horrified at the sur- roundings of a newly developed "diggings," yet constant contact — even constant warfare — with them can hardly fail to have a baneful effect on his normal standard of morality. Yet to apply to such men the opprobrious epithets quoted above is a libel — none the less serious because promiscuous and not individual. *.. 42 CHAPTER IV. A (laiiKorous experiment— A iiiiini" volonno in ernptidn— rackinf; up — Startiii},' for the ]\nlnliari— A T.astanl encanipmont— A lii^' La-; of ].artviaj,'es— Making fiionds with the lioers— A good investment— A South African Crusoe—" Lots of trees"— A nmasaere of the innocents. Going back to the hotel our day, after spending the morning listening to Mr. English's explanation of the ins and outs of diamond-mining, I missed Lulu and his camera. It was about noon, the hour at which the dinner-bell rings. "He's off after that mad scheme of photographing the blast," I thought ; and, htirrying out, met the overseer, who told me that my surmise was correct. He had warned Lulu of the danger of making the attempt; but the impetuous youth had made up his mind, and nothing could stoD him. Hastening down to the mine, I reached the e»' of the reef just as the first discharge took place, a. the air was so fidl of smoke and dust that I could not see to the bottom of the crater. As the air cleared, I turned my glasses down the pit, and there, right away at the bottom, looking at that distance not much biffger than a child, stood Lulu, holding the tripod. » Boom ! " went another explosion ; and a perfect hail of gravel, mingled with huge chunks of clay, fell around him. When next I feaw him he was on one knee, still close to the camera. " He must be hurt," I thought. " Why did he not take shelter in one of those 11 fi tl f( n t h 11 d r li a s a t \ I 1 I ] ^«»si(J.JISI»lKiB.«aa»ie9ll« .iSiS«*WS*W*i i«iS(««,rt«j'a»is**a»>»*'****''*'*-*****"***"'*'***^ Photographiiig an Explosion. 43 iiptloii— racking up 'iicnnipinoiit — A Im^' llic I'.dPrs — A Kond Lots of trt'i's" — A ter spending the planation of the lisscd Lulu and liour at which after that mad I thought ; and, old nie that my led Lulu of the it the impetuous ithing' could stoo reached the e^ 3 took place, ai ; that I could not the air cleared, I there, right away ;tance not much )lding the tripod, and a perfect hail iiks of clay, fell a he was on one 3 must be hurt," I Iter in one of those iron tramcars into which the men who fire the time- fuse retire ? " 1 was about to run down to him, when out thundered the roar of another charge. Once more the storm of dust and stone, rising some .'^00 or 400 feet into the air, concealed him from my view for some moments. Then I could see that one of the legs of the tripod was broken. Yet, holding it with one hand, he was changing the plate with the other. I ad- mired his pluck — which I had never doubted — but I did not think any picture in the world worth such a risk. There was a pile of timber beside him. Surely ho would try and take shelter behind this before another explosion occurred ? But no ! There he stood, patiently waiting for the discharge, as calmly as if he were in his studio at home. Another tongue of flame, another cloud of dust and drhriti, another thundering roar, and a fresh charge, apparently heavier than all the others, was fired. I could wait no longer. Without stopping to see the result, I hurried down, fearful for his safety if regardless of my own. But fortunately this was the last discharge. He was unhurt ; only the tripod was broken. "You see that big rock there," he said, pointing to a piece about as big as a table. " That was among the lot that fell when the leg of the tripod was smashed. I thought the whole camera was gone, and what a fix we should be in, for we could not get another in this country." " Never mind the camera," I said. " If it had hit you, what a fix I should have been in. I couldn't get another Lulu in this country, or any other." " Ah, well ! never mind that. Just hold this while I take the camera off" the stand. I think I've got jt^i^^^^i^ifr/iimmM' ms • AMt m ■j T«>i » t I l i trfk^tiliiimi^' *< !^ Wg i .H wClt) tW - ' •*' i';« ' .-,-i;i 4^ Climbing out of the Mine, Homo si)l(Mi.lid views, osi)Ocially after tlio last shot, with all the (lust and stufT in the air. In this stron^r li^dit it ought to come out s])lenai(lly. It is the only picture of the kind, and was worth a leg— let alone a tripod — to s(>eure." It was terril)ly hot, standing in that artificial crater, the sides of wh'ich reflected the burning rays of the red-hot mid-day sun. The " trucks " would not be run- ning for an hour, and lunch would be waiting for us before then ; so there was nothing for it but to shoulder the camera and plate-holders and to scramble up the steep sides, following the tracks which the barefooted Kaffirs had ti-odden in their journeys up and down. " I'm frying ! " exclaimed Lulu, as, half-way up, he threw himself on a rock. " We shall be quite roasted before we get to the top." » But think of the pictures," I replied, trying to look cool, tliough I confess to never having felt hotter outside a Turkish bath. That night the waggon was finished, and brought round to t^ie market square, and directly afterwards the message came that the mules had been newly shod, and were all waiting at the farm, with their di-iver " Jan." Jan was a half-breed " boy," formerly in the employment of Mr. Caldecott, from whom I " bought " him along with the mules. This " boy " was flat-nosed, bald-headed, round-shouldered, of the mature age of about forty-five, small of stature, with big brown eyes set in a wrinkled face, which was fring(id with lanky, unkempt black hair. He was a native of St. Helena, and at a short distance so nearly resembled a European as to clearly indicate the existence of European blood in his veins. Everything ' **fa»iw»j ii ' i«»-«aaa'a3iaB^aaMcit- .,m!lt>iri'i''^>M^^'*'lf^^^^^'^'''''^'^'^'^*''*^^ c. :• tlio last shot, In this stroiiIIM., I':l ■■ U. '■*..«K6*eS3»«E,ta4*»!»s^jbab8l*,fe'"»«i<^»*i»^ i;M«i*S*a65**«^V,^'«»W.*J*iaM«^^ J\}ikitii^ our U'tii^i^on. 45 beiiip; ready, wo detcfiniiKMl to bci^iji ])iK'kiM<^ at oiieo, }Uh1 to start for the Kalahari to-inorro\v. l)o/(Mis of idlers tliroiijicd round tlic wnirt^on as \\v ])a{'l\L'd our tifoods and dialtel-s, askinjjf all kinds of (|ui's- lions, making all sorts of suggestions, and generally getting as nuieli fun out of tlie performance ai:* possililo. Lulu took cliai'ge of the paeking arraTigenieiits, being a good hand at it, from having travelled so much — thouirh under different circumstances from the present. His leading pi'inci])le was to pack everything on the top, so that it would be handy ; but with all his skill he found that something had to go to the bottom tirst. Some of the articles, indeed, went below the bottom; for tho pots and pans, kettles and pails, shovels and picks, I't hoc (jenus omnv, wereliung to rings underneath the waggon. A kind of boot, called a traj), hung down behind, one end being fastened to the axle-tree, and the other by a chain to the platform or Haj) at the back. Here wo stowed a bag of corn and ehafl', or what is called chaff in the colony, that is, plain wluat straw, which tho mules eat when mixed with mealies. It would be usofid in case wo came to a ])lace where there was no grass. On the platf(jrm was fastened a tin box, with a surplus stock of utensils and other articles not immediately wanted, with my saddle on to\i ; and beside itwere strapped the bags of blankets, and two bundles of clothes belonging to Kert and the nude- drivers. The interior was devoted to our more valuable possessions, such as Lulu's camera and parai)hernalia, our drug-chest, provisions, guns, and ammunition. The box of cartridges took four strong men to lift— 8000 or 9000 rounds altogether; but yet I did not think we had any too nnich, so I telegraphed to Cape riiIi.«*«r',A*tN*«>*«tS^ jG Slardir; for tlu k'auihan. Town for a iMTMiit t.) l)uy l(KH) inoiv. flcttinfr tio iiusNviT, I tsolii'itod Dr. Siiiut'8 lu'lp, and ho and time iVionds kindly Kot IHTinits fi)r 'j:)0 racli, which thry handed ..vn- to me. At hiat ..'V-.Tytlun;; was ready, und, inountiii-r my maiv, I «,'avo tho word to start. Slash went the tish-|k)les, and away went tho mnlos ; what with the shouts of the bystanders, and what witli •lan's vi^'orous whippiny, tho spirited animals went off at a living; pace round tho market eoi'ner. " There p) six splendid mules," I heard one mnn exclaim as 1 rode after them; an.l they well deserved tho compliment. With such willing beasts tho whip- hand would surely find ho had (pdte an unaccustomed sinecure. JJefore wo had gone many miles I began to feel soro, not having bceti on horseback for so many years, and,' dismounting, tied tho maro to the tail, and took my seat insido the waggon. Presently wv jiassod a Kaf^ii — not a very unusual circumstance in this Kaflir-peoplod country ; but Jan somehow thought there was something suspicious in the wav ho sai}>pj<' close by, which wo took ^o be pretty fair presumptive evidence of his guilt. We now kept a sharp louk-out for a light, foi'. ■■.l.im!Vx--f^--J-^ei.^fi.'^SiS^mif^^^^^'''^-'-'''' iiJ.Z%i- ^fe.-,..'^T^a^*>^S'fa'^'-fc "''- ''^^ ^^ ^*^ in. ore. netting tu) \\\{\ ho and tlinr I'acli, wliicli tlit'V iliiti;; was ready, 10 word tu stai't . went the tnuK>s ; rs, and what with animals went i)lT rner. I lieard one man ley well deservi'd beasts the whip- an unaccustomed I began to feel or so many years, the tail, and took )t a very unusual country; but Ja!i ling suspicious in day), and in tho as it was getting xpected from tho 1 to see that evory- Vaw hide straps) isj box aro cut ! spoke we saw the for a kopjiji' close fair presumptive t for a tight, for, // /ntstard littcampmcnt. 47 ii-^Til^ifc^ttv^nBi^r^-JW*^ though tli(^ nudes ki>pt well to the i"oad, dark as it was, wo were anxious to get settN'd fin* our fii'sf night before it got much later. Presently Jan cried, " There's a light, boss." As we neared it we heanl voices singing with considerabh' harmony, ami fouiul it was a party of Uastards camping by the roadside : four nu-n and tivo women, making (piite a pietures(pu' gi-oup as they sat around tho fire, their dark fai-es shining in the ruddy light, and tin* bright colours of the women's garments roliuvingtho black background of the night. "(j(jeii daag, in f uud iiecliey (good day, nephew and inece); how far is it to Steyno's farm?" Strangers, if your infeiiors, are always nephew and niec(( in South Africa; while your supei'iors, or those whom you wish to treat as such, ai'o your uncle ami aunt. '' About half an hour farther on ; but there is no grass there, so you had better outspan before y(ni reach the farm." And so, with "Thank you," and "Good night," wo left them to their hynnis again, their clear voices rising melodious over tho plain as we rattled along. After riding a couple of nnlea or so wo came in sight of another light, w liich we took for that of the farm- house, and outspanned, cooked our supper over a fire made of dried cow's-dung, made our beds inside tho waggon, by laying four ])lanks across from seat to seat, with tho cushions and blankets over them, and slc])t as soundly as if wo wore in tho most luxurious hotel in London or New York ; while Kort and Jan made themselves equally coudbr.tablo on the ground- floor — underneath tho waggon. It was too warm at first to need aviy covering; but towards morning it ^8 First Bag of Partridges. turned very cool, and we were glad to put our blankets over instead of under us. • n j The first rays of daylight awoke me, and i walked over a large flat with my gun, but saw nothing, and returned just in time for a breakfast of chops and coffee— the latter made with coffee essence and con- densed milk. I often wonder how travellers managed to get along in the olden days before the invention of " tinned" this, " condensed " that, and " essence" or " extract " of the other. Leavino- the others to inspan, I walked on ahead with my shot-gun, and not far from the farm came to a water-hole, at the roadside, in which sometlnng was moving which looked hke snipe. SteaUng along under cover of the bushes till within easy range, I was just about to fire, when a loud screaming broke out m the air above, and in a few minutes a large flock of birds circled round and round directly overhead and ahghted in the road. For ten minutes they sat there, and then, as if urcred on by a common impulse, ran to the water and commenced drinking as if they had had "O water for days. Thev were Namaqua partridges, of which J had seen specimens in an aviary at Kimberley. Un- sportsmanlike, I emptied my first barrel at them as they drank, and then let fly the second as they rose While picking them up, Kerfc joined me. He had hearc my shots, and ran forward to help. "Boss kaanbangeskit" ("Boss can shoot well ), h( said with delight as we counted the bag. There wer( twenty-three of them. Goino- up to the house, a Boer met us and put ou his hand, as a Boer will always do, even if he meeti you a dozen times in a day. vammiMsmiiiiiiii^^'^)^^^^^^'^^^^^***'^^^'^^^^''*^^'*^''*^' artridges. I glad to put our blankets iwoke me, and I walked n, but saw nothing, and breakfast of chops and coffee essence and con- • how travellers managed i before the invention of ' that, and " essence" or pan, I walked on ahead ir from the farm came to , in which something was pe. Stealing along under in easy range, I was just (reaming broke out in the tes a large flock of birds itly overhead and alighted 3 they sat there, and then, impulse, ran to the water if they had had no water jua partridges, of which I ;viary at Kimberley. Un- j first barrel at them as the second as they rose, joined me. He had heard 3 help. Boss can shoot well "), he ted the bag. There were , Boer met us and put out rays do, even if he meets A Boer Farmer. 49 l,*Si»**M««^*iSS*t^««i''*»**w''* " Goen daag, horn." " Goen daag, horn," I replied, grasping his hand. " Es joe naam Steyne ?" " Na, ek es Van Moop. Who are you?" *• I am an American, come to see your country, and to shoot." But I found it necessary to explain where and what America was — that it was on the other side of the big sea; and when I added that it was once an English colony, but that the people fought against the English and beat them and gained their independence, I Avas certain of a wc'ioome. To insure their friendship it was enough to talk of " independence" and " beating the English." Their love of the one and their hatred of the other were equally strong, and, it may fairly be added, equally unmeaning. I did not tell them that " independence " in America meant progress, and not stagnation, or worse ; or that, having beaten the English once, we could be friendly with them afterwards. The Boer's one desire for the future is to be left alone in his dirt and sloth; his one retrospective glance at glory is at the battle of Majuba Hill; his one hero is the leader of the Boer forces at that light, Joubert, whose portrait liangs in the place of honour in every Africander's house. My new friend. Van Moop, took us into the house, where we shook hands all round ; and then began a string of questions. How about the war ? Had the Boers left Rooi Grond ? Had they defeated General Warren ? Were the Enghsh going to make war in the Transvaal ?— for if they did, he added, there would be a general uprising of Boers all over South Africa. But we were more in Avant of water than of political vapourings. So as water was -carce here, we were o-lad E W^! go Meeting Two Cockneys. to move on again towards Scholtz Dam. On the road we passed an ostricli-farm, with about twenty birds, old and young, feeding on the open flat, without any attempt at enclosure. Close by we overtook the party of Bastards whom we had passed the night before, with a light spring-waggon, like our own, but drawn by a team of twelve oxen, and arriving at the Dam found nearly a dozen teams all outspanned together, on their way to Kiraberley with timber from the other side of the Vaal River. While watering the mules and cooking our dinner, a couple of rough-looking fellows came up, whom I took for Boers, and addressed in my bad Dutch. « We can't talk that stuff," they replied in Cockney English, " although we've been two years in Kimberley. We got sick of the dust and heat, and have been up to the Vaal, with these wood-trekkers, to spend a week under the trees and enjoy a swim. You don't know what water is till you've been baked in an oven like Kimberley for a year or two ! " I gave them a drink of Cango brandy, which they seemed to relish — internally— quite as much as the water externally, and for which they expressed their everlasting obligations. In the m?antime the Bastards had gone on ahead of us. and though we followed them within an hour, we did not catch them till near the Vaal River. At Smidt's Drift, or Ford, Jan, standing on the edge of the river, cracked his whip several times as a signal to the man in charge of the pont, and in about an hour we were on the other side of the Vaal, at a cost of three half- crowns. For a good investment commend me to a "pont" in a good situation. An old scow and a i-Mnim '^^":t^' ' ■^"' -'^^H i ^ ^'^- r'^^f«^ s. im. On the road lut twenty birds, flat, without any k^ertook the party the night before, p own, but drawn dng at the Dam panned together, iv from the other tering the mules of rough-looking jrs, and addressed splied in Cockney ears in Kimberley. d have been up to to spend a week You don't know d in an oven like randy, which they 3 as much as the ?y expressed their I gone on ahead of hin an hour, we did liver. At Smidt's ) edge of the river, I signal to the man t an hour we were cost of three half- commend me to a n old scow and a Crossing the I 'aal. 51 length of stout wire do not cost much to fix up, and the wages of two Kaffirs are not much in the way of " working expenses." iSmidt's " pont " often clears as much as 20/. a day when the river is high ; and al- together he must have made a good thing of it since ho came here, fifteen years ago, quite a poor man. Now he is quite a prosperous landed proprietor. Besides his "pont," he owns a winkel, or store, in which you can buy nearly everything, and an hotel, "replete with every comfort," of course. Sometimes the river rises to such a height that the " pont " is unworkable, and then the hotel comes in very handy, both to mine host and his guests. When Mr. Rhodes, Mr. H. S. Orpen, M.L.A., Mr. N. C. Hinton and others were here in 1881 to open the present road, the river became full to overflowing, so that the house stood on an island, and they were kept prisoners for some days. The event is celebrated in the following verses, written by Mr. Rhodes at the time, and religiously preserved by the hero of them : — "On an island quite small, In the midst of the Vaiil, We found William Smidt like a Crusoe. . We thought that confounded He'd be when surrounded, Because the Vaal River it grew so. " But we lived on the best, In his isle of the blest, You may wonder now liow we could do so. If you want to know why, You have only to try, For old Smidt is a wonderful Crusoe." Besides his other undertakings, Mr. Smidt has a farm, irrigated from a large spring, which bursts out E 2 ^tgi^ ; r J^tf^^fear^fe^^^P '>! ^2 " ^o/s of Trees'' on the top of a rise and waters the lower lands, where grapes and melons groAV to perfection. AVhen we left, the jolly old Hollander loaded ns with the choicest speci- mens, and in the midst of that barren desert, with every blade of grass eaten off close as far as you can see— as is the caso at every outspanning place— we all agreed that we had never seen finer or tasted more delicious fruit. Perhaps the feature of the place is the church which Mynheer has built— as a set-off, I suppose, to his ex- orbitant " pont " toll. Having patronized the store to the extent of pur- chasing 10 lbs. of coffee— which we saw ground, in order to make sure that it was all coffee— and some onions to flavour our partridge soup— for we found that to eat our game broiled required too much jaw- exercise,— we started at daylight, and about 11 a.m. outspanned again at Tweefontein, where is a small dam, fed by a tiny rivulet about six inches wide and two inches deep, springing from a rock. The whole country hereabout is very rocky and stony, with here and there a camel-tree {camel hoom), the timber of which is known as stink-wood, and a very good name too, as I found on crtting a bullet out of one. This tree takes root wherever there is a httle sand, and will remain green for years without rain — showing, I think, that there must be underground water. It is very unsociable in its habits, not growing in clumps, but singly ; and I could not help laughing when my old Bushman cried out, " Look ! what lots of trees ; here is plenty of wood." What the old man would say were he to see an American forest it is difficult to tell, but his innocent exclanuition boro striking tcsti- :53i®f^'i»a^;fis»S(»sSJ^5i^??s^"'" mi^^msa^ A Batluc. 53 er lands, where AVben we left, D choicest speci- >sert, with every pu can esee — as —we all agreed L more delicious be church which pose, to his ex- 3 extent of pur- saw ground, in )ffee — and some — for we found too much jaw- \ about 11 a.m. here is a small inches wide and )ck. The whole stony, with here ), the timber of very good name t of one. This le sand, and will showing, I think, iter. It is very \ in clumps, but ig when my old ;s of trees ; here man would say it is difficult to >ro striking testi- mony to the general scarcity of wood in this part of Africa. On the opposite hill were tlireo tents of wood- cutters from Kimberley, who will soon have to go further and further away to supply that market. Aa it is, when we were in Kimberley wood was selling at 20/. a load. While talking to the owner of the dam, whose small mud house with the curious little huta of the Kaffir servants stood close to the water, Liilu called out to me to look at the partridges : and there, over the hill, were covey after covey of them, from six to a hundred birds each, evidently coming down to the water. Aa I ran to the waggon for my gun and some No. 8 cartridges the whirr of their wings quite filled the air. '* They are coming here to drink," sa'd the Boer, "thousands come every morning. You get behind that big bush and watch ; the water is so narrow that they will line both sides of it, and if you wait a bit you can shoot a great many at once." These people have an eye to the economy of powder and shot; but I had already tried my hand at the " massacre " business and would have preferred to take the birds on the wing. It was as much as I could do to resist so many splendid shots as the birds flew towards me and dropped in the open among the loose stones. There they sat sometimes four or five minutes before creeping up to the edge of the water which was getting so thickly lined with them, that I was beginning to lose patience. " Wait till I tell you to fire," said the Boer, " there are more coming. That big covey will soon join;" and so to please him I waited. " Now fire! "- -" Bang " went one barrel I'ight down ij^^ttiS^^iicJwi^fiii^S 54 rarirido;cs in Thousands. tlie line of drinking birds ; " Bang," again, went the other barrel at them as, with a sharp screech and a loud whirr of the wings, they rose in a dense cloud. From those two shots wo picked up fifty-two dead and wounded birds ; and yet directly afterwards they came back, covey after covey, every few minutes. This time I fired at them as they came, and would knock down sometimes four or five, sometimes only two, or one, at every shot; only failing to kill three times. In an hour and a half I had killed 260 alto- gether. Giving half the " bag" to the Boer, 1 went to breakfast, which was waiting, more hungry than the proverbial hunter, and spoiled at least three ordinary London appetites before crying, " Hold ! enough ! " ncis. 55 " again, went the harp screech and in a dense cloud, up fifty-two dead f afterwards they [jry few minutes. came, and would e, sometimes only iling to kill three d killed 260 alto- the Boer, 1 went aore hungry than }d at least three crying, *' Hold ! CHAPTER V. Somethin-,' like a hot day-Iiow it rains in South Africa— Our first unti-lupe-At Ciunp1)oll-An a^c-.l Ori.iua chief tnincss— Mr. linrtlett's garden— "Born Tirod"— A talk with Mr. Virtue- Farmers' troubles in South Africa— Shooting a koran— After the spring.bok— Sunday morning at (Jri(iua Town--A IJoer's homestead— Interviewing tlie Commissioner— The ex-Chief of the Griquas-Wc visit the "oldest inhabitant "—The country drying up. All hands commenced picking the birds, and the ground looked as if a feather-bed had been emptied out of a fourth-storey window, as the wind caught the feathers and carried them out among the rocks and stones. The whole of the partridges had to be cleaned and slightly salted before we started, otherwise they would soon go bad. The heat was terrific. I told Kert to lay a few of the birds on the baked rock, for they would surely cock there, without a fire. Two places on my hand were burned to a blister. Not in Cuba nor in the East Indies had I ever experienced such a scorching blaze of sunlight. The wind was blowing pretty strong, yet hardly seemed to temper the heat, which, but for it, would have been absolutely unendurable. But suddenly the clouds began to roll up from the west ; the lightning flashe^-. j^.^^y^|6s^tjai^jaa*s»6j baMa > w» i r 56 A DvcnchiuQ; Rain. bncks to tho storm. But hardly had tlicy finished when down came tho rain in torrents. Luhi and I jumped into the Ava^jgou, and it required all our strength to hold down the curtain to keep the rain from blowing in and spoiling everything. For a (piarter of an hour the storm of Avind and rain raged with the utmost fury. It was as if a waterspout had burst up(m us. Presently we peeped out and saw Kert and Jan at the mules' heads, holding them in to prevent them from bolting to seek shelter behind some rocks ; the poor fellows Avere drenched to the skin. The ribbons and feathers in old Kert's hat, of which he was very proud, were dreadfully woebegone and bedraggled; but Avhen I called out to him, " What ;vill you do?" he replied quite cheerfully, — ■ " Ek es ehi man, oons meet loop." (" I am a man, we must go on.") And so he proposed that, as the m\des would not drive against the storm, he would lead them while Jan kept their spirits up with the whip. " It's only seven miles," he said, " to Campbell (pro- nounced Camel), and we cannot get any Avetter than we ai'e." As there was no gainsaying that philosophy, and nothing to gain by staying, we started, Lulu and I sitting: in the Avaggon with our guns between our logs, and holding up a Avaterproof apron to keep us dry. The roads Avere a little rough in places, but in good condition compared Avith the usual country-roads in America. Here and there the grades Avere pretty stiff and slippery, owing to the recent raina, but the six little mules stuck gamely to their work, and it was wonderful to see the way they pulled their heavy load, especially Avhen Ave came to a steep kloof or 1 The First Antelope. 57 lad tlicy fiiiislicd its. Lulu ;ni4Cb>± fje^i^rs?; : j.-ia'»^#w^«:i^*e»l^';*P^»«** ■' ^-^**^^^ 58 At C,ini/>in'N. mnst 1)0 Vfv{ throuirli ! " Tlio brnndy wns strnnfjr oiioiij^li to straiiii^lc me — -tlioii^li its odour, liko that of innscjitL'ls, Wiis really (It'lic'ious — but (licy drank it m'iit, and considered it (juito a set-olT to tliuir long tramp tlirough the rain. Having seen a fire lighlod, and some steak set to cook, I wont to the okl man I liad first spoken to, and offered to buy some milk. lie had no cows, ho said ; but referred me to his lu'ighbour, whose dark skin, crinkly hair, and little tuft of board and 'itrF''- ■ ,«*> ■i>t:%' -5.£S4=** t*6i»i»^ iloiir, liko that oF hey (Inink it lu'iit, I tliuif longtiiunp 501110 steak set to st spoken to, and ul no cows, lie hour, whoso dark t of board and A l\iitp(r Omen. 50 .7•^»v;I UABY MOFFAT. II his veins. His ms son of the first built tlie house in e built theinission- im for the purpose •mer chief of the Livingstone and year I860, and it Moffat's daughter m, and who after- wards nearly ]iorislu'd from thirst on the way to I/iko N'duTui. Of JM.tli those liistorio luuldings Lulu took ])hotographs, which uro reproduced iu the accompany- ing cuts. There is no missionary or minister here now, as the society rocpiires the missions to b(^ solf-sup])orting after a time, and when a certain nuuibor of converts ha\o been made the missionaries move on to now JIK. BABTI.BTT'8 house AT CAMPBKLI., AND I'AirKU QIEEN'S HUT. districts, so that those who require a " sky-pilot " liave to pay for one. So far as 1 could find in the places I passed through, nobody ever seems to want one so badly as that. Returning to the waggon I ]iassed a miserable little hut, without a door, into which curiosity tempted mo to peep, and I was astonished to find it was inhabited. A haggard old woman lay crouched in a corner on a Imndle of skins, and hastily covered her face as she 6o r/ivV to the Ex-Qmcn. saw me 1«.ok in; ;0 I hurried iiwny, and found on n,v return that the men vv.«ro still Hittin<; iu then- wet ch^ihes. Knowing they Loth had a change, I asked why they had not put on their dry things; hut they did not tinnk it necessary, an.l it was oidy when 1 ordered them to do so that they consented. Kveu then old K.rt, though changing everything else, returned with l.=s wet trousers on I After su])i)er s.o were visited by a man who in- troduced himself us thu keeper of a general store, Hai rison l)y name, and who invited us to his house— a room at the back of his winkel— where he brought out some very good sherry, ami entertained us with the news of the place. Business, he said, was very un- settled, and would be until General Warren had made terms in Bechuanaland. On my inquiring who the old womar was in the dilapidated hut opposite, Mr. Harrison said she was no less a personage than the widow of the lato Cornelius Kok, the Gricjua chief. " She is eighty-nine years of age, and the Govern- ment allow her daily rations, wluch it is my duty to dole out to her." " Does she object to visitors ? " I asked. " If not, i should like to call upon her, and present lier with a few partridges shot in her former domains." " By all means. I will prepare her for your visit." So next morning I presented myself at the hut, and, after paying the feeble old body due homage, offered her a few birds, besides a little coffee and sugar. She accepted my gift very majestically, and then asked where the cup was to make the coffee, and drmk it out of. Nob being acquainted with her domestic Lly in. ly, iitnl foun'l on I sitting; ill tlioir il a cliiingo, I askt'd ■ tilings ; but they was only whoii 1 consented. Kve\i everything else, y a man who in- f a general store, U8 to liis house — a ero ho brought out ained na with tli-:* said, was very un- Warren had mado ironiaB was in the ■ison said she was ridow of the hito e, and the Govern - h it ia my duty to asked. " If not, I present her with a omains." ler for your visit." jelf at the hut, and, hie homage, offered 'ee and sugar. She y, and then asked coffee, and drink it with her domestic ^%. i>. .SK W IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) V /. // A ^'., ..V' A z 1.0 UiKi |2.5 •^ 1^ |2.2 kUl. I.I U 1 1.6 1.25 6" V] <^ /i / Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.y. M580 (716) 872-4603 ■i%i\:,--^^-,.-,^^.^j!.^m'^fl'^f*^^^9i9-^V^f^^&^^^ CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques m^mmx^mmmmm^'smmfi^- Mr. BartlctCs Garden. 6i urrangemcnts, and never having seen as much as the inside of her kitchen, 1 could not answer the question ; 80 hastened to bow myself out of her presence. Just then Air. Bartlett came and asked if I would like to buy any nuisk-melons {j^imnAiwd:), figs, pome- granates, or mealies, and offered to send his son to show me over his garden, where I might get a shot at some doves and partridges as they came to drink at the spring. The garden was surrounded by fig-trees and pomegranates, the latter in the perfection of beauty as the morning sun kissed their scarlet cheeks. Near the centre was the grave of Mr. Bartlett, senior, and wife, beneath the shadow of a giant fig-tree, which was laden with fruit, both green and ripe, and whoso trunk was so large that I could only just reach round it Avith both arms. A few mealies and squashes (which they call "pampoons") completed the stock of a garden which, with a little most ordinary care, might be nuide a perfect paradise ; but the extreme economy t)f labour prevented any attempt to assist Nature. Seeing some tall reeds growing in a cluster— which I took at first for sorghum— I asked what they were. "Oh, that is the eye of W\q I'mie'ux, the place where the water from the spring bursts out ! Come this way and I will show you. But be careful of snakes, for there are often some of the hooMi slaruje here, and they are very poisonous." Pushing aside the reeds, the water could be seen bubbling up as clear as crystal from a hole fully six inches in circumference. " Why don't you clear these weeds out and get your drinking-water here ? It would be pui-e, and free from all vetictable matter." .^rts'^^fSwiWG.S^*'****'*^^**^^"^''^^*^**'''^***'^^ a^-feTWE- K.s«*a*«?-^#« «^i^"^ 1 ^,-?!Vi?*(;--'^*(rti' 132 " ^«''" 'rin the "'m the last moment, when we can,e to inspan, fonr of the mules and the horse eonhl not be fonnd ; they 1 wandered off unobserve.l, and were not recovered or nearly three honrs. When at last wo were off, the •outTl/ along the edge of a tWjj or marsh, and wo ral'ltUe along ,m to avoid the hnv gronn on tho one hand and the steep places on the other Kghteen miles of a winding road b-ght ns to Virtue's Far,n. While wo were on spannmg, I aw a W„e ,««.» out in tho open, and talung n,y sm^al m- ZJ& Winchester rifle (a Whitney Kennedy), crept r", behind a bush and fire.1. The sight was set for "L y rds, and I eonhl see by the sand flyn,g up bevon hi n that n.y elevation was too Ingh. Lowenng the s!lt to 200 yards I ftred again, and agan> m.ssed ; but still tho bird never moved. Once more lowern.g to 150 yards, I was taking aim. when he rose and I le fly after him •, but all he did was to turn Ins head, as d to make sure that I was really tryn>g to h.t him 0, my return to the waggon the Are was ahght and «-"- already -^^^^^^f^, 'l™ ''^^ ::;f ?: ;::^i;ire l""' "urd!" without eg, or Z^ A irurning stick was said to be a goo Unng, but this was tried without success. No belter attended the addition of a dash of cold water ; so as a lilt resort, I .trained it through a linen pockct-hand- A Virtue's Farm. 63 3ro it lias always yards nearer the CSS. These people something iu the me to inspau, four lot be found ; they ,ere not recovered ist wo were off, the or marsh, and wo the low ground on ,ces on tho other, lad brought us to itspanning, I saw a aking my small im- ey Kennedy), crept ) sight was set for h'j sand flying up too high. Lowering , and again missed ; Once more lowering len bo rose, and I let o turn his head, as if ing to hit him. le fire was alight and ;d my hand at coffee- affee. The difficulty ds" without egg or id to be a good thing, 53. No better result ,f cold water ; so, as a a linen pocket-hand- kerchief, and had the satisfaction of finding that tho result— attributable, of course, solely to the patent- strainer — was a beverage as good as the best French coffee T ever drank. Then, after looking round to see that tlie horse and nudes were ])roperly fastened \ip, to avoid a repetition of the morning's delay, I turned into bed— if lying down with all your clothes on, some cushions under you, and a blanket over you can be so called— and slept with an easy conscience. Next morning was Sunday, but I did not know it till reminded by an old farmer— an Englishman— who came out of a house close by. I gave him a nip of " Cango," over which he smacked his lips, and then he informed me that ho was the owner of the ground we were on and 40,000 acres besides, on which roamed some 300 cattle, 200 horses, and 12,000 or 15,000 sheep, all the property of himself and his sons. After that it did not need the further information that his name was Virtue. " Virtue's Farm" was one of tho landmarks of the country. I asked what price he got for his stock, and where the market was ; to which he replied that tho market was on tho farm. Speculators came along and ))ought what they wanted, giving generally from 6/. to 91. for an ox, 1/. to 306'. for a sheep, and from 10/. to 25/. for a horse. " Surely, with these prices, a man might make a fortune in a very short time ? The capital invested is not large, and the labour of a few Hottentot or Griqua Bushmen, as herdsmen, does not cost much." " That's true. We give a Katfir herdsman a sheep or a buck per month for wages, and board him, when he is content to eat the otTal of the animals kdled. But .^^.''^--ii^ll,* --.«>ri«'!ivB.-ai-«i-. ■ Ch CiXttlc ixnd Horse Ih'scascs. the drons not die it is rendered unfit for use for some time aflei. A horse that has had the disease, and has recovered, will often sell for as much as 80/. or 100/.; for it is supposed that he will not be attacked uses. . True, I liavo a 11(1 eveti when the ly well ; but then 1 herds to coiitciul ;ickiu>ss, and then ho hitter a very ,' a few years ago. !rs, till after a few dly dwindle away overnmcnt sent a oit; but all ho did 1 go awiiy, without as if he had cured Government send- cure r disease ? " Transvaal. They year, and most of I May. There are paarde z'wU (horse u'ld (new sickness), gilt running at the quently the horses attacked. In the same, accompanied i sometimes by hard suppurate. If the ifit for use for some bhe disease, and has ; much as 80/. or all not be attacked Jhcaiu'iig the Sali/hU/i. 65 a second time. l*]v('n it' he is, howevci-, lie will not die, and ho is thou called a 'salted' hurst'." " The first disease seems to be the result of inflam- mation of the lungs, for it ajtpears to attack the horses oidy in the wet weather. Did you never attempt to doctor one, or try to find out the otfoct of keeping them in a stable? " " Oh, they generally cure themselves, or else die ! It would never pay to kee[) them in a stable; with mealies at ;}/. per nuiid (2()0 lbs.), they would eat their lieads off in a ^\oek. They live on the veldt in all weathers : when one is wanted he is caught, and when he is done with he is turned loose again. Their kee{) costs nothing." While we were thus conversing the men had in- spanned, and Mr. Virtue rode with us as far as his house, where ho introduced us to Mr. Newman, the sheriff, who had a district half as big as England to rido over, serving writs, and otherwise aiding in the administration of the law ; a genial, jovial fellow, in whose presence even parchments would h)se half their stiffness, sealing-wax would melt, and red tape relax its strangulating coils. Hia horse had gone lame, so he readily accepted my offer to give him a lift as far as (iriqua Town; nor was he proof against a tot of C'ango, and another after that, as a — shall I say, stirrup-cup ? On the way down we spied a large bird— called a " koran "—sitting on an ant-hill, and I suggested that if it was not against the law to shoot on Sunday I might try and add him to the larder. " Shoot away ! " said Mr. Newman, " never mind the Sabbath. A traveller has tbc right to shoot any »=?'KifcS>..Vi^ ^=1. »rt.r*i3^-t .^;.taa»£.^f,*®^<&=s»^r*»«-^f'a««fe**^ 56 Shoot iiiii a Koran. ^amo ho sees on the road for his own uso. ^ But I'm afraid you can't put the konin to much use. The mules stopped, and 1 tired, cutting the grass close to his back. He crept a little more into the open, and ban- went the Martini again. At the^samo moment old Kert cried out, " Die vogel is dooed ; and Newman ran over and picked the bird up. H.s neck Avas cut completely through, as if by a knife. It was, of course, (piite a fluke. I might have tried a do.en times to hit the bird in that particular spot, and have mi'^sed it-perhaps missed the bird altogether-at every shot ; but the peculiarity of the wound sufficed to establish my reputation as a marksman, and when we got to Griqua Town the story was repeated from mouth to month. We measured the distance ; it .wis iust 100 yards, and after that Mr. Newman and I went on and practised judging distances, pacing them out afterwards, to verify our estimates. I found 1 Avas always-sometimes a good deal-over the mark, es- necially at long distances ; but after a little practice I Inanaged to keep fairly within the truth. I afterwards found this little lesson of great service; for, atter all. to get the range is the most important tlung in hunt- ing You may hold a gun as straight as a die but if your elevation is wrong you may as well fire at the Bun outright. . , . . Mounting a slight rise, we saw some moving objects about a mile ahead, which at first I took for natives, but which the glass revealed as sprmg-bok ^^ " You will be sure to get a shot at them, said Newman ; " they will let the waggon get quite close.'' So Lulu and 1 each got a rifle ready, and waited till near the crest of the next ridge, when the mules were n us(\ But I'm 'Iv use. uttin<,' the grass Ic inoiv into the in. At the same ;cl is (loocd ;" and rd up. His neck a knife. It was, ive tried a doi'XMi lar spot, and have ;ogetlier— at every wound sufficed to nan, and Avhen vre as repeated from 5 distance ; it ^\;as 3wnian and I went , pacing tliom out . I found I was v^er the mark, es- r a little practice I ■utli. I afterwards /ice ; for, after all, tant thing in hunt- ight as a die, but as well fire at the )me moving objects I took for natives, ing-bok. lot at them," said ;on get quite close." ady, and waited till ^hen the mides were A/y Iuys.1 S/yrinj^-/Hh{\ f>7 ordered to hidt. But th(>y seemed to prefer going on to standing still, and went on too far. The bok saw us, and made a start, .lumping out of the waggon wo ran on to the veldt to head them olT. It was some time before we managed to get sight of them again, when suddenly 1 spotted them al)OUt what sivmed to me 4(t0 yards off. Setting my sight for that distance J fired, and had tiie satist'aetion of seeing the Smid fly up far away over their backs. ( )ver-estimated the distance ;»(rainl It was so curious that, in an atmosphere through which every object was seen so clearly that it seemed to be much nearer than it i-eally was, 1 should always make this fatal mistak(> of thinking my game was farther ofl' than it actually was : the opposite mistake seenu'd so much the more liki;ly. But 1 didn't stop to moralize ; I thought all this in a second, and in the same second I had fired another shot at them as they ran. This time the bullet struck the ground just in front of one of them, and he jumped and sprang at least ten feet perpendicularly into the air. These animals are well named spring-bok. Had I not seen my bullet make the sand fiy I siiould have felt certain he was hit ; but he ran with the rest some two or three hvuidred yards, and then they all paused again. We both fired to- gether; once more my bullet struck just : ."erneath one of them, and once more the bok junii,. .: up into the airhke a bird; but at the same time one of his companions tumbled over on to his knees. Lulu had drawn first blood. This time they ran away like the wnnd, the wounded one trying to keep up, but falling behind at every stride. We marked him down beside a bush, and then, with a war-whoop, Kert was off after him as fast as he could go— which, to us at least, V 2 X ,,. -s »-^ ii.:*A*-u:,»^v#>«»«ft»**u- ►. 6S ./ Niur throuj^h the Jins/i Wldt. ,11.1 not S...MU vrry .,Mic-k. Ho y\M.^\ ..-u l>ow. iiuiiMiil ffll ; i^Mit l)i.'liiiitl tlu) IT all. TiikiM'^' vitU its fciilliors ocks, and tluMi mos witli his liat 1 then tluM'c was Two thousand buslios, with tho 10 joke ; but wo \ close together, wly, being short- ad' ahvatly bogmi ■ buck — with tho mal butcher, and , Each shoidder- the waggon, and not sorry to riilo ilcs into Griqna dinner. Luhi, [IS obliged to de- s hospitality, and out of the court- 3r's former palace, he buck round to and the quickest ' This was quite 1 the country, and carcely to be had ; to perfection, and My. Commissioiicy Christie. 69 served with the best of all sauces, ac(iiiired a flavour it had never j)ossessed before. Aftei- dinner Mr. Xewnian proposed that we shouM call upon Mr. Christie, th(^ Uesi(U'nt ConiiMissioiiei', and practically the nionai-eli of this vast disti'ict. I sug- gested, that as it was Sunday perhaps he W(juld not bke a stranger to call. "Like it! Sunday! Ho will be no less pleased A BOEH'a IIOMESTKAU. to see you on Sunday than on ^Monday." So wo went round to his house. Unfortunately he was out ; but I had tho satisfaction of seeing the first house in Griqualand that was worthy of the name. Tho ordinary stylo of dwelling in this country is a one-storey building, with walls of mud plastered with cow-dung, and floors of the same, placed in tho centre or by the side of a sq\iaro enclosure, or kraal, fenced 70 A Jiocr's l/ousc. i„ ,vith u wall nf sun..ln.Ml \mvV^. <'f "»'>';^'' ,,,,,.aun,^ or lunn.s nl' ston.s whirl. sH-vr. MS ;, toM lor ,l„.l.ors.'-ifonrisk.l.t- MU.ltorlhr.-;,lv..s,.M.Ilan.».s,.t, ni.ht. NotnUla llorks .. slu.T aiul nittl./as tlu^v an. anv.M out to ^M^i/o ana b,ou'^l,t l.oim- to uat..r; for n..ho.ly tlm.ks ot l)M,..ln.Ka l.ousr sav.ntlu.i'.-u l.lac..swlK>,vwat..M.an iH.lm.l; ,nHl a .lanu uril, .MMvat.M--lw)l.M.t' som. sort, IS always ,„,„. ,-.M„„l close l.y tl... South AtVican tarnuT s iv- ...hMHv/' lonnintr a nu.rr or h-ss vah.abl.. sourco ot .vvcMnus accordi..- as it li.s on or otT th., tnulors tru'k Th.. interior of a Dutch liocr's hous,. is usually ns.lrvoid of rctHu-imM.t as thooutsi.Us the .U-ret> ^^f elcaulinoss, or of dirtin.'ss, varying according to tho „,aureof tho housowifo. The domestic servants arc KMlirs the herdsmen us.ially Bushmen and (Iruiuas; their pay bein- a sh.n.,. or a -oat per month, besides. their food. e \ c Mven Mr. Virtu..'s honse-tho residence of ])erhaps the lar-est lan.led proprietor in the country-consisted of, me or tNVo rooms, with floors of mnd or cow.dun,t,% an.l with bare walls of dri.ul mud, as plain and sort, is always nil farmcf's " rc- aluablc soiUTO of ■ otT tli(* traders' 's house is usually idc; the dogrot"of accordiuf;^ to tlio cstic S(>rvants arc ncn and (lri(iuas; (>r month, besides iidiMice of ])erha])S ;ountry— consisted mud or cow-dunuf, IS plain and desti- nally as externally; !ourtosv a prarden, it thorn stuck into attempt at orderly 1, as the house. I V liouse on wheels han the permanent 3ases wealthy — pro- iMi tlic Daiimras and Naniaqiias had put an end to tlic'ir Inintini^. For this reason, ostriclios at any rate would be plentiful, as they were ])ractieally independent of water, and would return to their old haunts as soon as the hinitins:^ ceased. Mr. ('hristie, who had spent some time in i>amaqna- land and Dainaraland as private secretary to Piil- grave on a f);overninent e.\|)etlition, confirmed what liad been told me by others, that there was a tract of country in Groat Namaqualand where it never rained, and which was inhabited by Hottentots — a lazy lot of thieves, who in two years had stolen over 90,000 head of cattle from the Ilerreras, or cattle-raisinjr Damaras. The nearest water to Walwich Bay is about sixty miles itdand, and what trade there is is carried on by means of the little Namacjua oxen, which have to travel the distance down to the coast and back a a greater love of drink than of liberty, he sold his birthright, and has since lived a life of (-^^nu »\ne (liyni'tntr, alternating with fits of remorse and a desire to compound for his treachery to his own people by treachery to the English. In the last war with the Xamaquas he was inclined to join the insurgents, and would most likely have done so if the authorities had not put him out of the way of temptation by sending him down to Cape Colony. Of course this was mag- nanimous on the part of the authorities, who would have saved their 1000/. a year if the king had turned traitor ; but 1000/. a year was cheaper than a war, and no doubt old Waterboer's influence, had he joined the rebels, would have prolonged hostilities. The old man lives in a round military tent, at the lower end of the town, near the ruins of the first chinx'h that was built here, surrounded by his sons and daughters and nephews and nieces. When I was ushered into his august presence, he was seated on a wooden bench, placed at the foot of a bedstead of deal boards roughly put together, and covered with spring-bok skins and bright-coloured blankets. The ground also was strewn with skins for carpets. Mr. Newman introduced me, and told him I had come from America, and was anxious to take the portrait of the former chief of Griqualand. Taking his pipe ouo of his mouth— which he did not seem to have breath enough left to "pull" — he answered in a kind of half-whisper, '* Ek es ziek in mij borse " (" I am sick in my chest"), and then looked to his son to continue the conversation. The jattpr — a sickly, yellow, effeminate-looking man, who had the appearance of having tried to carry too heavy 74 The Oldest Inhabitant. a load of Can.sro, uiulov wliich liis U«gs had given way, when ho liail tried to walk on his face among the j^lones— explained, in a niixtnre of broken Dutch and English, that his father had not slept all night, and could not come out of his tent. He seemed to under- stand what was meant by taking his photograph, for he nrged that it would bo too hot for his father to come out into the sun. I explained that this was not necessary ; all that need bo done would be to open tlio tent and group his family around him as he sat on his bcTich, and then it would be over in a minute. He was evidently suspicious, and turning to one of his people, said something in the Griqua language, which Kert, who was with us, afterwards interpreted as : " They wish to laugh at us and make fools of us by taking our portraits, to show how poor wo are ;" but at last he assented to this arrangement, but said that it must be to-morrow. So we took our departure, and called upon another notability, in the person of John Hendrik ]\Iichael Fartein, the oldest living settler m Griqualand, Avho looked quite patriarchal as he sat up in his bed, with a covering of skins on his legs, his snowy, crinkly hair hanging over his broad forehead, and looking all the whiter by contrast with his wrinkled, leathery face. Born with the century, he was given by his father, when five years old, to Janssen, the missionary, who, in company with Anderson and Kramer, had come to this part of the country from Rielfontein, at the end of the last century, in search of water, and who, finding a spring here, had founded Griqua Town in 1802. Having been taught by the missionaries to read and write, Fartein became a teacher and preacher, under nt. 'j?s had given way, IS face among tho broken Dutch and lept all night, and p seemed to iinder- lis photograph, for } for his father to I that this was not onld be to open tho ,im as he sat on his a minute. He was ) one of his people, Tuage, which Kert, •preted as : " They of us by taking our e ;" but at last he laid that it must be ure, and called upon of John Ilendrik ?ttler in Griqualand, 3 sat up in his bed, , his snowy, crinkly sad, and looking all wrinkled, leathery riven by his father, lie missionary, who, ramer, had come to ontein, at the end of er, and who, finding lua Town in 1802. onaries to read and vnd preacher, under Ko Missionaries fi07v. 75 the au'^pices of the :Missionavy Society, of his connec- tion with which he spoke very proudly. He remem- bered Janssen being married here and his death, about twentv-five years later; the successive departures of Aii.lerson and Kramer for Euroi)e; Helm, who 8ucceed(>d them ; and MoiTat, wlio came soon afterwards and worked for two vears with Helm before going to Kuruman ; and, finally. Helm's departure and Wright's appointment. " Hut we have no missionary hero now at all, no sorrowfully added. " I am too old to preach or teach, and there'^is no one to look after the people, though a minister is needed more than ever. Now we have a larn-e town, ^vith many people, and shops, hotels, courts, and craols ; but no one at tho mission-hoiise. I have tried" to induce the people to pay for a ministers services, but they decline to do so, saying they cannot afford it, and that they can do well enough without one ' L e 1 I could quite believe the venerable missionary when he said the people needed instruction more than ever. The black man is not improved by a veneer of civi- hrition. The real "savage," who has never been m contact with the whites, has a certain amount of honour and chivalry about him, and one cannot help admiring him • but the half-Christianized black is a lying, lazy scou'ndrel, without a spark of self-respect, and com- nanding no admiration on the part of others. From this sweeping statement I must except some o the Bastards, especially those who in America would be called octoroons. , . . i Turning from things spiritual to things temporal, Mr. Fartdn gave me some interesting intormat.on 76 The Country drying up. about tlio ruinfall. Ho said thiit heavy rains fell for many years after tlie time when the missionaries first camo and found water hei-e ; and that there used to be a river from here to the Orange River, and ([uite a hirge hike in the flat near the town. But after a time the rainfall became less and less, so that the lake began to dry u]), causing a great deal of fever, from which half tho population of the town died. Then a terrible drought ensued, lasting from 188-") to 1810, and during those five years not a drop of rain fell, the sprmgs ceased, and the people had to dig down many feet to obtain water. To this succeeded a period of partial rains, a small quantity of rain falling in the summer months, between January and March; but in 1873 another drought occurred, the springs dried ' up again, and once more the people had recourse to wells. "But have you not had rain recently?" I inquired. "Well, yes; we had a little rain a year ago, and some the year before that ; but compared with the quantity of water that used to fall fifty years ago and more, when a big river ran from here to the Orange, it would hardly be an exaggeration to say that we have had perpetual drought ever since." During my interview with Mr. Fartein, Lulu took a photo of the old mission-house in which Moffat had lived, as well as of tho former residence of Waterboer. Next morning we kept our appointment with the ex-chief himself, and, after some persuasion, ho agreed to let us group his family round the tent, with the up. oavy rains fell for ) mi^'sioiiaric's first at tlu?re used to bo ■r, and «iuito a large t after a time the t tho lake began to 2r, from wliieh half Then a terrible 18 k), and during n fell, the springs down many feet to 1 period of partial nsr in the summer irch ; but in 1873 springs dried ' up 3 had recourse to n recently?" I rain a year ago, mt compai'ed. with to fall fifty yeai'S ran from hero to 5 an exaggeration tual drought ever Fartein, Lulu took ,0 in which Moffat jrmer residence of )ointment with tho n'suasion, ho agreed the tent, with the Rx-Chicf rcfitsdi to be Photop-aphcd. 77 ruins of the ehurch for a background. Three of his sons and one nephew came out, but as only the latter was aeeompanied by his wife an.l children, we sent tho others back for their better halves. As tliey were a long time returning i.ulu suggested that the ladies were lu-obably arranging their toilets; but, after waiting some twenty minutes, Mr. Xewnian offered to goand hurry them "up, and found that the old num OLD MISSION nOVSE, oniQUA TOWN. had forbidden them to put in an appearance. As tho ex-chief still sulked like Achilles in his tent, I went forward and lifted tho side so as to let a little light in, but it was too dark to get a portrait. It would not do, however, after all this fuss, to let him think he had disappointed us, so, carefully arranging his camera, Luhi attracted his attention with " Kijk je dar," and made believe it was done. A shadow of displeasure passed over his face as T thanked him, but he did not € 7S Jh-iink ami imapixbU-. ivply, iuul it iiftorwanls appeared that lie was in that state of " !. ; tlio I/., and liaU" that the diffcronco." in tliat light ; so I and I wonhl keep ;anic back a second bargain if 1 wonld The mare had tho otters on her hip, after a yonng lady ing regard ; then, 10/., and a set of not her 8/., 1 gave art for AVittewater, ittewater, and find- ules, hobbled them hen fastening their held their logs, and night. Next day, :'e was to bo seen ; the road in search, jtions. Abont two lid a brown horse, 1 hour before, so I } of it. At a farm- 1 where they started Los/ fix' our Mules. 8 1 I found three of the mules drinking at a dam, and two others wei'o brought along while I was there by a Kafhi' bov who was driving oxen. Telling him to tai', or gigantic natural stone-heaps, I pidlod out my glasses, and saw old Kert ami Lulu cooking breakfast — a sight which made me feel more hungry than befoi'o — and then, lowering the glasses, swept the sides of a hill to the right of mo, where, among tho bushes about 150 yards off, I saw some- thing move. It was stein-bok. Six of them were play- ing about, jumping into the air, and Imtting each other just like kittens. When I thought they had played long enough I took aim at two that stood side by side. Immediately following the report I distinctly lieard a thud, as the bullet struck, and instantly the whole herd was out of sight. I searched the bushes and rocks carefully with my glasses, but could see nothing of them ; so, shouldering my rifle, I quickly ])icked my way down the sharp rocks to where they were. There were drops of blood on the stones, between which their trail was quite distinct — one to the right, tho other to the left; the latter marked by quite a stream of blood. Knowhigthat an animal bleeding like that coidd not go far, I took the other spoor, and followed it for 82 K'ii/iii_i^ /u>(> Sli-iii-f>ok u'/V// one S/iof. about h{M) yards, koopin.L,' n <,'0()(1 look-out, tliinkirij? T iiii',^lit f^cl iiMotlicr sliot. Tlicro wciv tniirks of blood here, too, iiuMvasiii^' as I adviinct'd ; so tlmt my b\dlet Timst. have vomidcd two bok at one sliot. Climbing' a hi^di rock I {'arciully scanned every nook, iind had the pleasure of seeing? a bok's head about lUiO yards farther on. Feeling sure that the animal was wounded, and remendK'ringa hint \(\\cn me by old Kert, I deter- Tuiiu-d not to disturb it : the lonj>-er it was leR the more stiff and faint it would become ; Avhereas, if fol- lowed up at once, it niij^ht <>:et up out of range, and run, ])erhaps u mile or more, Ix'fore being exhausted. So, marking the spot where it lay, I retraced my steps, and followed up the other trail, at the end of which lay a dead buck, with a bullet-hole right through his body from shoulder to shoulder, (^lickly disem- bowelling him, 1 laid him on my shouldei's— his legs hanging over on either side of my neck — and carried him to the rDck from which I had seen his late playnuite, Avho, however, was not now visible; so I followed up his track, intending to give him the coup ile (jrdeo, and, in the same spot in which I had marked him down, found him, no longer sitting, but lying stone dead. :My bullet had pa3s,ed through the two ! It was not till next day, at noon, that Jan came back with the horse, and accompanied by a Boer, on whose farm the animal had formerly grazed, but who would not tell where he was till Jan promised to pay him a sovereign. He was one of Froude's honourable, blackmailing, religious, sanctimonious, up- right, thieving scoundrels, who would keep the break- fast Avaiting with his long-winded family prayers, and then go out and "annex" his neighbour's property; utc S/iof. ik-out, thinking T (' murks of blootl so tliiit my l)\ilU't pliot. ('liml>iiit'(/. «:> and 1 had tlio satisfaction of giving him — mit tin- Hovei'oign, bnt — a full and particular account of uiy opinion of him. AVc made another start that afternoon, and [lasscd AVitlewater, where there was a spring fi'oni which wi; replenished our water-vessels, having been dejjendent for the last two days upon a puddle in ihe I'oad. Pushing on from there towards Cope's Farm, sixteen miles ahead, we were caught in a tremendous down- ])oui'of rain, and, cam])ing alongside a sheep kraal, had to go supperless to bed, for it rained so hai-tl that it Avas impossible to make a fire. Tlu' kicking and snorting of the nudes, which 1 had taken good care to SCO securely tied to the waggon, awoke me about '] a.m. The storm had passed, and the moon was shining brightly — so brilliantly that 1 could easily discern a nund)ei' of goats making an early breakfast off the mules' harnes.!, which had been hastily thrown on the ground. Having driven them away, I was soon asleep again, and awoko soon after daybreak from a happy dream of lands where there was always water. On starting again we fell in with a Bastard — one of Kei't's friends, by name Al)raham — who had been to Ciriqua Town to buy necessaries, but having si)ent all his substance on a cart and harness, had nothing Avitli him to eat. He asked to be allowed to travel with us as far as Klieis, where he lived, and said if Ave would buy a sheep and share it with him, lie would give us another when he got home; to this avo of course assented, and the slcaap Avas soon bought, caught, and slaughtered, and thrown into the Avaggon, and off wc started again. G 2 S4 A Pa si a yd and his A'".CC'"' >'•'";'. ()„r urxt (.i.mpii.K-pl'n'o wns in a vi.ll.-y with sovovnl n.M.ls ..f WIVt.T, .m tl... .m1^^> nf ..t... ..f wll.ch 1 SMW t WO l;„.,n. c.vst.xl ..nuM's, which I twicu fiml at, nn.l .>i.rh tinu> n.iHS.Ml,huvin^'-as usu,.l-ovv.-(«sti.Mat,..l tho .hs- tancc ll.'iv wo , an.l then tho feast b..gan. Hohling one end o the b.>n.. in each han.l the skin and gristle were gnawed off with the teeth, and, when an unusually tough piece of sin(>w d..fied thecombine.I f.)rces of jaws and hands, a knife was passed betwe.u the lips and the bone, an.l the recah-itrant niors..l severed from its origmal abubng- place. Though inelegant, this meth.xl of discussing \ " joint " is practical ; for once between the teeth the nu,utl,ful cannot well escape, while the remaining por- tion is lu.l.l erpiallv safely in the other hand. I must confess to having often put the system to a practical trial, in the case of a more than us-adly tough steak, and can recomnien.l it as a safe remedy agamst an unfortunate " slip betwixt the-kinfe and the lip. Our next stage was to Abram's Dam, a sandy •ii Hoy. s-iillcy witli S(>V('vnl ' wliifb I s;\\v two iircd at, inxl «>iicli .('stiiiuitctl till' (lis- V nc»iiiir»'(l sliiM'i> ; •liiiiL^ tilt' liri'wood Kt'ft skiniH'tl iiikI I'iil for tlio 1130 <>t" m-pavi'd by simply 'ii- liiiiuU, rinsin^^ il tln'ii volHii.i,' '111' do tlx' linger, and :, skin, and all, into " trotters," one by itli a Htono replaced ■sufficiently cooked, ])y a blow from a Holding one end of i^ristlc were gnawed Hisually tough piece of jaws and hands, ^ and the bone, and its original abiding- Dthod of discussing jtween the teeth the > the remaining por- tlier hand. I must ^stem to a practical isr.ally tough steak, remedy against an nife and the lip." m's Dam, a sandy Abt'i\»i*s Pivn, «5 hole, the lower end of wldcll \\ is tilled up by a wall. The only thin/ lackinif wa§ water. ( -lose by, howevi'i", was a well, from **. hich some /urn were drawing water by means of a priintliv" contrivance, the *' bucket " consisting of a conieal t-anvas bag, about .^ix feet long and a foot in «liuineter at the top, tapering to four inches at the bottom, which was closed by a string. This was lowered into tlu well, a weight being tixed at the top of the bag to insure its sinking into the water, and then the; I'ojie was made fast to a horse, and it was hauled nj) full. Tlie string at the lower end of the bucket being slackened, the water ran into a stone tank about eight feet stpiare ami four feet deep, and thence into a trough at which the horses and cattle drank. A man standing by regulated the nund)er of animals admitted to drink at a time, to pre- vent blocks. How the eager, ]»anting, thirsty creatures ran for their lives, and, plunging their heads up to their eyes into the cooling litpiid, sucked it in as if they could not get it fast enough! VV^e had to wait nearly an hour for our turn, for which the moderate fee of \h. was paid to the owner of the well — a Mr. Solomon — whose facial expression proclaimed his descent even more clearly than his name, and who advised ns to camp a short distance away, where there was grass for the mules, to stay until 2 p.n). next day, and then, starting with the animals well fed and watered, travel that evening across the first heavy sands, outspan again for an hour or tAvo on a patch of hard ground, and then continue our journey till we came to the Orange River, at a place called Zechobaar. Early next morning I was awakened by the screaming of the partridges as they flew overhead, and jumping S6 Cart-vicudiuf^. out of 1)0(1 and drossin.t; myself— i.e. putting on my ],.it_I shot iiwny foi- an hour or so, and soon luid all hands busily engaged in picking up, and then picking, the birds, 'it took three hours to clean and salt them ; and the rest of the time was occupied in repaii-ing th(> Bastartl's ricketv old cart, which had l)roken down, the bolt that fastened the spring to the box Imvmg given way. 1 hapi)ened to have sr.me (>xtra bolts, and managed bv dint of hammering, pulling, and swearing to get" one fixed that was many sizes bigger than the one that it replac(Ml. The old man was very pleased, saying, " Die Amerikaaner isslim " (" The Americans are knowing"). At two o'clock wo started, and shooting partridges all alcng the road, with an occasional koran, got on the first"sand-])atch just as it was dark, and outspanned in a drizzling rahi. After supper we resumed, and rode on till eleven o'clock, when rahi came down m torrents. Kert strongly advised our outspanning, as such a rain would till the pans; so coming to an abandoned kraal, which would afford us plenty of fuel, we did so. Waking up in the middle of the night, I looked out and found Kert and the rest all fast asleep, —some under the waggon, others under the cart— with the rain coming down in bucketsful, and the fire nearly out. Putting on my rubber coat, I got down and made up the fire, and then woke Jan and asked where the mules were. " Over there," he replied, half-asleep. But " over there " might mean anything ; so I aroused old Kert and repeated my inquir3^ He jumped U]) like a shot, and went out into the darkness, while I stayed to keep up the fire, so that he might not lose himself, and in half an hour he returned, like " Little . Jan is Lo^i. 87 ,c. putting on my , and soon liiid all and tlien pickinjr, L'an and salt tlioni ; ?(1 in repairing tlio liad l)roki'n down, to the box iiaving ne extra bolts, and ling, and sv/earing es bigger than the 1 was very ])loased, ' (" The Americans ihooting partridges onal koran, got on irk, and outspanned r we resumed, and rain came down in )ur outspanning, as ; so coming to an rd us plenty of fuel, ddle of the night, I ; rest all fast asleep, nder the cart — with 1, and the fire nearly got down and made id asked where the replied, half-asleep, thing ; so I aroused ry. He jumped U]) ae darkness, while I it he might not lose turned, like "Little Bo-Peep," bringing the mules behind him. I ordered him to make them fast, and look after tlieiii ; but after breakfast, when we came to insj)an, two hor.ses and a mule were missing again. Jan Avcnt after them ; and as he did not return for an honr, E became anxious, and ask(^d the Bastard to saddle his horse and follow the track. This he did, returning about two Lours later with the animals, but without Jan. We waited patiently all that day, and kej)t a big fire burning all night, but still no Jan. AVhere could he be? Kert said he wouhl bo all right, and we need not trouble ourselves ; if he was delayed very long he would know that we should not wait, because if we did not get on at once the pans would be dried up, and we should get no water. Already all trace of the recent heavy ruin had vanished, and we should do him no good by waiting, and run great risk ourselves. Fiut I was loth to move on, uncertain of the ''boy's " fate; so 1 got the Bastard to ride out again in search of hiin, while, with tUo double object of attracting his attention in case he might have lost his way and be anywhere nejir, and of rei^\mishing oar larder. Lulu and I shot at the partridges for some time, and afterwards went out and mounted some of the higher sand-dunes, with one eye after Jan and the other after stein-bok. Li the after- noon the Bastard returned without news of Jan. Old Kert, who was always quarrelling with him, now suggested that the " boy " had run away and would not return. 1 did not think this; but if we waited any longer we might all run the risk of starvation, so leaving a note for Jan, fastened to a stick stuck in the ground on the site of our camp, telling him to follow us to Kheis, we resumed our journey. i 88 A Break-down. Kcrt said that by leaving Zecbobaar to the left, wo should save two hours of bad road ; but if the road that we avoided was worse than that which we followed, it deserved to have a "big, big D" put before the " bad." Our track lay through a stretch of country on which sand-dunes and stone koppjes seemed to have been tossed in the most admired confusion. One pair of the waggon wheels would sink into the sand, while the other pair would be mounted on huge stones ; a steep stony rise, not quite perpendicular, would be scaled only to expose to view am equally steep slope of sand on the other side. It was wonderful how the mides pulled up such heavy slopes ; in fact, it was marvellous how they found a foothold in such places at all. Jan being absent, the position of Jehu fell to my lot; and never did the responsibilities of that position seem so heavy. If it was bad to go on, it was worse to stop ; for I felt sure that if a waggon-wheel got stuck in the sand, or jammed in a crevice in the rocks, we should never extricate it. At last, snap went the singletree under the strain, and we Iwid to pull up. While Kert went to cut a small tree to make a new one. Lulu and I took our guns and went after some of the rock-rabbits — called "dossi," or " klip-haas "—little coney-like creatures which arc only to be found in the crevices of cliffs. We could hear them screeching among the rocks, but unfortunately did not manage to hold the shooting-irons straight enough to bring any back to the waggon. Having made good the damage, we started again, much to the regret of the Bastards, who made the remarkable excuse that we should get to the water too early if we went on too fast ! We had not gone far Stuck in the Sand. 89 r to the left, we but if the road that which avo i?'™'%^^'^ A^^^-^S V-,;----^.^-* -' s shaq) ns if just table t(ips ; otluM-s some with ja.ujged, cd by tlie aetiun of wiis not inviting-. : : wliat should we L an impracticable Kert, just to see he replied. "You [en are the best for liavc done better. iTiy horse and i*ide ; meantime I will can do." to have his superior a rode off, while all a^gron. This done, nd pulled it out of ' the Devil's Kloof the wheels jumped 3k to boulder, from ish into a heap of eked the animals off nely, holding on by bump, we are half- 11 the waggon hold ind what awaits us sdieel into a hole, •oked for a smooth k another rock and C/p Hill by lustaJnicnts. 91 partly right(>d. It was like a ship tossed about on a petrified S(>a. Threc^ parts of the way safely accom- plished ! but now came a very steep bit. The mules were right in front of us and above us, hanging on like flies. It seemed a miracle that the waggon did not pidl them down instead of their pulling the waggon up. No horses could have done it. They seemed to understand their own danger, and to know that to pause would l)e fatal, and at last they reached the top in safety, and nothing smashed. After that I w%'is satisfi(>d the waggon Avould stand anything, lint how about the Bastard's old rickety cart ? Would it not break down of its own weight, without a load of goods ? Howx^ver, I must try it, so putting in a light load, I brought the mules back, and for the second time accomplished the passage in safety. Four times the cart returned for a fresh load, and four times more completed the steep ascent. But before we could get the things packed a heavy thunderstorm came on, and we had to hurriedly cover them up with pieces of canvas, rul)ber rugs, and so on. Dead-beat I crept under the Avaggon, leaving the mides to browse on the ragged rocks. I would not move for all the rain in a South African sky. It soon ceased, however, and then we finished loading, collected enough water from the hollows in the rocks to fill the small water- Ijarrel — all we had had since leaving camp, and the first clear w^ater for days,— spanned the mules in, and started downhill. Old Virgil had never been in Griqualiind, or he would never have expressed such a decided opinion about Farilis dcsce^ism Arrrni The slope to Avcrnus might have been well graded, but the best carnis,rhedavius, or carruca in ancient Rome, ^^ ■ ^..\\ir^^*^^--> 92 The Bottom reached safely loiultnl with lu'iivy linpeiJlnirnta, would havo come to grit'f ^oiiig over such a road as we had. It was not ridiii;^, it was simply bouncing down. We leapt from one rock to another, in a series of heavy bumps, the loose rocks sometimes giving way under us, and threatening to follow us and overwhelm us. Twice the wheelers went down as the pole was thrown from one side to the other, one forewheel striking a rock l)efore the other; but by pulling with all my might on the reins I managed to save their knees. As we reached the bottom, Lulu drew a sigh of relief, exclaiming, "Who would stay at homo in a comfortable house when there is such pleasure in store here ? Of all the wretched, miserable, desolate, sandy, rocky, dried-up patches on the face of tliis ])lanet, I think this is the best. If I could control an earthquake for five minutes, there would be a sea here, and I would sail quietly home to my wife and child." I could not contradict him, so I held my peace, answering only with a smile ; and the next minute he was whistling a snatch from "Patience." To the rocks succeeded a long stretch of deep orange-coloured sand, through which the waggon laboured heavily, but save for the groaning and squeaking of the grinding wheels all was still as death. Paushig now and then to give the panting mides five or ten minutes' breathing-time, we almost lost sight of the old Bastard, who was leading the way with his shandrydan, obscured in the dark shadow of a distant mountain, behind which the sun had hidden. With the approach of darkness I began to wonder what had become of poor Jan. K id he gone back to Abram's Dam, finding no water elsewhere? or had ■T'V'fl •s^-"-v^y-/T>'^*^j^'^^i^^S^-f?'^'-^ ^.-■•:-!i,.r'-~ SSiit,.'fi>yy 1(1 have come to lad. It was not . We leapt from loavy blimps, the y iimler us, and lielia us. Twice was thrown from 1 8trikini'-4ff^ ■^-^^■3^'fJ-- -j;Xote,> !? - i-i-r^S^'" =-^- i*''«'Ji'.' '- i let my liorscs and VG 1 had K'ft them, JO seen. IIo soon •out after tliem, but (^ found tliiMU seven ists had had their ,sh, and Avero well ) were on the point Lady Anna." Ho , havinjj: taken the 3 kloof ; but seeing } across with true [, was, leaving the However," said he, 1, wo shall haxb to " and so lio rode 3 off to Kheis, the art, and Kert and ;ho horses. \frica are straight Iders of the oxen, liicli seems to have nt the yoke from lie yoke is fixed a }le more than lialf- which are fastened ics round the neck, t boosts when pidl- ) common thing to nty or twenty -four >rous fashion, their I each other's way, ; blocking the road. Mules Gratiiii^ on Sluncs. 95 SonuHimes these useless ornamcMits nunisnre as nuu'li as twelve feet across, and tho animals have to learn to pass their horns ujuler each other's neeks to keep them out of the way. Pulling up at the barracks, I jinvsented luy letter from Mr. Ciiristie to the head (»f police, Mr. Davis, who gave me permission to outspan in the enclosure, and then invited me into u little round hut of mud-plastered sticks, where we had tea. Ho apologized tor tho absence of milk, but laughingly offered nu* as a sub- stitute a jug of "cream," consisting of pui-e, undiluted river-water. "We all drink cream here when we can get no milk — horses, cattle, and all; and that's what your nudes are after " — tho i)Oor thirsty brutes were hurrying across tho barren kraal as fast as their legs could carry them; — "the river runs close to those huts." " Talking about water," I interrupted, " is there any pasture about here ? ^ly horses and mules have been grazing on stones for the last three days ! " " The nearest is on tho veldt, six miles away, past yonder beacon ;" and ho pointed to a high heap of stones some three or four miles off. " That beacon marks the boun(hiry between British territory and the Kalahari, or Korannaland. You will find a little karroo-bush on the border, but nothing but sand till you get there. Just beyond this beacon you will find a collection of huts, belonging to a lot of Bushmen, who have had to be put over the border because their ideas of W('M/« and tmim did not correspond Avith ours. Tho southern part of the Kalahari is supposed to be par- tially within our jurisdiction, but it is only inhabited ' by a few Bastard cattle- and sheep-farmers, who are g6 A Sva of Rid Sand. p.M-mitt.Hl to manajro their own afVair.s ao lon^' as tlu'ir Iv.Milations tlou't conflict witii clonial vu'ws. IJnt that's i.rottv often. I have only just -ot back to- ay ,Vom a Ion- ri.h' after a thievin- liushnian. T iia.l Ins trail all ni-ht, but lost it at .laybreak among the stones." liivitin" Mr. Davis to conio over and have straw- berri.>s-"vith ns, we dn.ve across in the chrect.on indicate,!, and al.ont an lun.r befo.e snn.low.j we out- snanne.1 in Korannaland, on the ver-e of the Kalahari. The Avhole way was thronj^di deep red sand, which lay about in waves, each hi-her than the otlu>r, with now and then some white limestone cioppm^' ont, which hoi.ditened the reseml)lance which tho country bore to a sea-a veritable lied Sea-who.e waves hero uml there were tossed by th(, wind into white foam. Throu oxen at the fi|st iiat one of the mides , either thron<;h the i)le on the hard road it wonhl heal better held up his foot to appreciation of my d with his hind-hoof, not taken his shoes It was certainly very i been very kind to Viiapt^rc dated FamiHtully. 97 him, and ha.l often prevented .Ian from slo^-inj,' him ith his tish-pohs an.l this was my reward. I have wavs heard that familiarity breeds contempt ; bnt I w al mustsav I had more respect f..r the mnle's hoof, if less respect for the nude, than 1 had before. The .-y V.' 01.1) KEBT, Mr QPIDE. distance which suddenly intervened between us, how- ever, prevented me from giving him any evidence of the change in my feelings; and in the meantmie Lulu and Kert ran to pick me up, antl began to feel my bumps. I^Iy head still had hair on it, and Avas nob much injured, but the knuckle of my right forefinger ,iiii*»iw,aa«*«^ (i:«»i>«>*!ii->''"i- 98 Kcrt and the lUtshticn. WHS biil.l, aii.l the Bocoiul nnj,nn- ru>arly 7/i//mm a uftil. KoH c..ns.»U'a me by sayinj? I must not ixprct iU.ytlM.ij,' better rn)m n mule, us he is neitl.era m:in nor n bors.>; and I eertainly came to tlie eoncbision that kinaness uas wasted on the liybrid. Wi> weiv soon surrounde.l by some fifteen or twenty Ib.shmen and women-sueh a ta^rmjJT and bobtad h)t ! one Nvon.an, more "dressed" than th(^ rest, wearm- an oUl g.)wn, in whieh holes predonunated ; the rest mik.'d. save for a i.iece of sheepskin or an ohl ra- fastened round tlioir waists, over whieh then- lom,^ bosoms huuK like leather baj^a, reaching almost to then- thi.rhs; th(^ men ]>resenting a mor<' respeetablo ap- pem-anee, havin- fewer rags to hide their nakedness, but what they had being, if possible, dn-tier stdl. It was here that Kcrt had hired the oxen, from the father-in-law of the Bustard whom wo had picked up on the road ; and hand-shaking, accompanied by m- iinmerablo " clicks," went on for some minuies. Old Kert had arrayed himself in an old admiral's uniform, to make himself look grand, and was quite the " swell." Suddenly the crowd dispersed, as if by magic. "Zien je," said Kert proudly; '* ek es groot man hier. Det es mej men. (3ons sal krije houdt und water." (" Sec, I am a great man here. These are ray people. We shall soon have wood and water.") And then he went otf to pay for the oxen, and see if wo could hire again as far as AVilkerhout's Drift. In half an hour the people returncd-thongh the river was a mile away-laden, some with wood, some with water, put down their loads without speaking, and walked away. ten. 99 ; sion tlmt kintlni'ss 10 fiftfon or twenty i»r and bobfiiil lot ! 1 tilt' rest, wcaviuii: i)ininiiti'(l; tlio rest kin or an old raj^ whii'li their U>nt( bing almost to their )re respeetablo ap- \e their nakedness, k', dirtier still. the oxen, from tho I wo had pieked up iiccompaniod by in- come niinuies. Old li admiral's uniform, lis quite tho " swell." if by magic. " ek es groot man sal krije houdt und iin here. These are wood and water.") tho oxen, and see if kerhout's Drift. In d— though tho river ith wood, some with thout speaking, and ClTAPTKIl Vir. .\ r.a4.vr.l's faiiulv-A r.ii«l.ni.>irH lr.,l-.I.in rrlun.s half .l.ul -Tl..' Mory ..f lii^ a.lvrntuiv - iSntimizing in tl.-' ,1..s.tI-'11.o .,itnu, ur wiM w.it.'.-in.lnn-llusl,i,.au's ric— A fco««.-/.o».A,— C'oU l.Mtii.K iuM..i.ts~Stu.k ill aHaM.l-liill-A .Ir.-am of (Jol.oii.l.i- Sranlun- fnr .liai.iuii.ls Sl.ontin- ,.h.'asai.t.s aiul ssWA -.■..so— I,atc4 Paris fashiniis -Natmv's ,l.vss-iiui..nv..r-A Manlalim of tho .l..sort-A i.riiiiitivi. puinpinji-eiiKino— Apurli-coloumlfuiuily. KiiKT was away so long that T wont to see what ho was about, in company with an Irishnuin who iuid :v trading-waggon outsi)anned close by, and who was nbout to return to the drift, where he lived, lie saul he had hired oxen for sixpence a day each— the regular tariff-so I proposed to him to go together and to pay half his hire if ho would pull us out in case 1 got stuck in the sand. To this ho readily assented, so I hurru'd on to and Kert before he had struck a bargain, and found him at the tent of a trader named Roolf, who was sitting beside a smouldering fire in front of his wrrf (i.e. residence) smoku»g his pipe in company with two sickly yellow-faced sons, each fomlling a huge dog— a cross between a bulldog and a greyhound,-whdo his wife, an obese old lady, was cutting up a sheep and putting the pieces into a pot, and the two daughters, with babies slung at their backs, were carrying water, feeding the fire, &c. Close by were more girls milking the cows— tho'hind-legs of the animals being strapped together to prevent them kicking over the pails. ^ u 2 ,oo /< llaslani CallU Farmer. Tl,o first .,u<.s.ion »A»\ wns about t.lio wnr, ai,.l wl.nt tl,« i;n.>lisl, wouM ,lo. So far, cvorvbcly who Imcl e n oa'anv imerost in the cfernto b,.twoen lioevs a",! K.Khs'h had shown a partiality for the fonaor 1 hc^o ,x.oph. prcferrd tl.c En.lisl, ; the Boers annical'troJtment of then, an,l their like haU .nacle L.nMvith go„,lcanse, as strong haters of the Boers as „ 1 oors, "vith less reason, were haters o the Engl.sh. They .li,l not ,lis,,lay their affeetion for the Enghsh- for \o then, I was an E„glish„,an. not henig a Boe,- by any lavish hospitality; and when I ventured to ask f,^. a little n,ilk, they said they had none, ">;i"'«<'f ' » „,i,k,„aids only a few yard, off; but when I offered to ™,V for it their n,e,no,ies br.gbtened up a ht le, aiul r y thought tl,..y eo,d.l spare us a little " .f they ha,l it" and then fonnd so,ne "left f,-o,n the ,norn,ng. ^'hilc they boiled it I got the.n to g,ve me so,ne ^',„ars' about their n,ode of life. They bad ,t appeared, some 5000 sheep, 800 cattle, and I00« go ts, with which they waudered over *« country »ith lotbin^ but a tent to shelter them, w.th a few k,t a a blanket or two for beds. For the last seven yl-s they h,vd been "trekking" from Carnarvon employing Kaffirs and Bushmen as herdsmen, who took heir flois and herds n.des away on the veldt and returned every other day-or, if water was very d,stan every four days-to the family tent. They bved ,„„i,;.ly on meat, d,-i.,king the ,-ain.w,^er just as they found 'it, with a httle occasional coffee for a tr^^,t ,vhich they drank, .h-egsand all, w,thout sugar. They were thaulful to get sixpence for about three pmts of milk and I took my loiivo. it was quite da?k, the sky clouded and the moon rmcr. t tlip war, and wliat ,'orvbo(ly who had to between Boers y for the former; iglisli ; the Boers' their like had made ters of the Boers as ters of the English. 1 for the English- not being a Boer— 'n I ventured to ask none, in spite of the ufc Avhen I offered to ned up a little, and a little " if they had from the morning." in to give me some life. They had, it lO cattle, and lOO'^ (d over the country, er them, with a few 3. For the last seven " from Carnarvon, 5 herdsmen, who took ay on the veldt, and ater was very distant, y tent. They lived In-water just as they al coffee for a treat, without sugar. Tiiey .r about three pints of loaded and the moon y/ Bus/itfians Tent. iOI not vot «|. an.l on rcturninj; to tlu. wai-'K™' ™ , I o„l.\v.y, ..oin. .t..ractc,. >,v the m.. o,,UuK, a B,.lnn.u-. tont-n ,,vi,ni,ivo ^tmctutc ■-•"-'«" a few slicks stuck in t!.c gronrul w.tl. a tow xvccUs t,iW on tt,on> here .n,l tl.ere, alTonl.nK ,.lonty of "ik^L,, bnt vcy UttU. s>,cUc,.-nonc '^ ^^ .u • ..r,,! «fni Ipss from wdd beasts; ^^ liiic, as loi :::: iuuswnao not, , koto ^^ „at, but sit outside .11 day b.sku.g m «-'« ''>;„,. A ,otl.e,- nunnte-s walk, lunvove., •"ongkt u to on ..,,„,,,■" (it the Buslunan's tent deserved the sty o and ti eof "residence," surely our waggon d,d), where I fo™d that Mr. Davis had ridden over, and wa s.ttn.g ttl Lu u and the men over the 6re ; but not a horse or a m k wa to bo seen. After all our recent e.Kper.enco T.l.B w-.™iu.'s the men had had, this was too much and tne ■waiuiiir,» i^" «,. „f +1,0 Tinshman for me My temper was up. I let fly at the U>«.l" ''"' with ray most refined Afrikander-Dutch and ,n ro- Tc d my bootraaker to the boy's-well he never had 17 while I christened Kert w,th several new ;:■:':;. . ^d „ever ^^^ ^^^ '"" t'and' g^r T; he lomil of Iheir L among rst: s;o^ tnd'them, and tied them up for the the good news that a Kaffir h,,d ";™ ° ],,„,i,,tion Tt Peter Smidt's house to get somethmg to eat. 1 i ,„ed,ately -^^^, ^ ^^^^,, ,,,, ,,a a hard time the waggon. 1 001 ooy, ■-^^{^pU^^sCi^^* ■oa^^^yii-"-^'*^-^''- 102 Jan is fount/ again. of it ; when he arrived in about two hours and a half lie could hardly ^ct off his horse, so weak and stiff was he. AVo were all anxious to hear liis story, but I would not let him speak till he had had some brandy and water and a little boiled cracked-wheat, the " litrhtest " thing I had for his famished stomach. This revived him, and he soon be-^an to talk, prefacing Ids story by a very repentant expression of regret at his neglect of the horses, which had caused all this trouble. " If you will forgive me this time, I will watch day and night; I have been punished enough by nearly dying of starvation out on the veldt. " At first I lost my way through following a spoor a long way across the sand, thinking it was the s^ioor of the missing horses and mule ; but I found it was two mares and a foal belonging to sonu- Boers ; and l)y this time I was close to the mountains, so 1 climbed up in order to get a better viesv of the country, when a heavy thunderstorm came on and I took shelter under some rocks. Here some bovians (large monkeys, a species of ojiiorrphah'^^) attacked me, coming quite close and showing their great teeth, and I had to drive thera off with stones. As soon as the storm was over I started to come back to the waggon, and walked till night, but could see nothing of it. Knowing I was lost in the mountains, I climbed a hill, and watched in the hope of seeing the camp-fire, but could see nothing. 1 had no food, no water, and not even a bit of tobacco to console myself with, so I lay down under a bush to sleep. I could not sleep, however, because the monkeys kept up such a barking, and presently another heavv storm came on, drenching me through, but I n. D hours and a half weak and stiff was 11- his story, but I 1 had some brandy n-ac'ked-wheat, the ishod stomach, an to talk, prefacing i-ession of regret at iwd caused all this no, I will watch day )ugh by nearly dying I following a spoor njr it was the sboor but I found it was some Boers ; and by ntains, so T climbed if the country, when I I took shelter under s (large monkeys, a le, coming quite close I I had to drive thera 10 storm was over I '•QTon, and walked till it. Knowing I was I hill, and watched in )ut could see nothing. even a bit of tobacco lown under a bush to , because the monkeys 1 presently another g me through, but I Frightened by Monkeys. \ox was Ma.l of tins a, I managed to catch a Mtlo wa or r .,; hat. Presently the moon beffm to shmo and I „ked about ro,-s„,ne watcv-pool.. batcoaUl ftml „on ^ T,e,.e were no rock, with holes to hold the wat^-r and ; , „l was so d,.y that ,he rain had a 1 soaked .,.. '"m\ that I conld see was a nnmber of '■'•■g" ""' ; kovs sitting on the roeks, and then I ™'';*""''," "^ ; . , trf to walk again. All next d.y I walked away trom staitLUiow. o ,,rtefnoon met some tho mountanis, and late m tlie , k «oers who had lost their horses. Tbey a=k d ,n„ , I had seen then,, bnt my tongne was so dry that I co d not speak, and made signs to them, ask.ng fo • d k „f water Thev gave me a httle, and then 1 told 1 am \ :s lost, and'afked how far it was to ^^^^ tlnnkinc I must be near there. They sa.d I w,v» t« eWe nr from the dam, and only two hours tro.n the O rage River. One of then, then rode ;>-y — .Im hiUs and carao back with a cow s-ho.n tu 1 or ,^te' I it had not been for that I could never have "ctod the river; my feet were bUstered, and was starving, and the Uoers could not g.ve me anythmg to '"*■. It seemed an age before I saw the green trees on the rive Xks. anS then, although it was nearly dark I scra'nWed do vn to the water, walked into ,t up to n,y Wdrank Ittastedbetter than any Cape w.ne iunTLtr ThUensation w^^ ' -n^tiwtrnr'- :d anTfeiii::: X..;. Imt very hungiy. fetun, ^j^.^j^ thought might be good to eat, 1 cut some .. ^- .^n>^ -^ »»ft?=^?T**^^ fi- : ■" 104 Jau Poisoned. leaves and l)eg:in to chew it ; it tasted bitter, but was nice and cool, l)ut just as 1 was <,^oiuj,' to swallow it it betjan to burn my inoutli. 1 spat it out and ran to tlio river to wash my mouth out, but my tonj^iie ami lii)3 were ijuite blistered, and my mouth and throat felt as if they were skinned, and began to swell. I sat by the river and ki'pt tilHug my mouth with water, l)ut it was a long time before it ceased to burn. 'I'hen 1 got up and walked along the bank of the river, till a Kaffir on a horse overtook me and gave me some mealies, which I was obliged to eat, though it luu't me to swallow them, my mouth was so sore. At night I slept on the sand again, and walked on all next day till I met a Boer, and asked him if he had seeu you. He said, ' Yes ;' a waggon had camped on his land the night before, ^nd was going to Kheis, which was only four hours' distance from there ; so I struggled on till I came to Peter Smidt's house, who told mo he had heard you asking after me, and gave me some milk, and offered to lend me a horse to ride on here, as he knew you were camping near the beacon." Such was Jan's story, told with many breaks, owing to his sore mouth and his hall-famished condition. But ho seetfted to forget everything in his pleasure at being safe once more, and in the anxiety to know that he was forgiven and that we had not sutiered by waiting for him. Poor .Jan ! lie had paid for his experience, and I was oidy too relieved to see him safe and sound again to think of saying one word of blame. ^It was quite late at night before Jan had finished relating his adventure ; so Mr. Davis, who had stopped to listen, stayed all night, making himself quite at homo under our waggon, with a couple of rugs for Jialing R(n.< Entrails. 105 ied bitter, but was \tr to swallow it it out au»l rau to tUo 13' tougiie ami lips iiul throat folt as if ,vcll. I sat by the 1 water, but it was Then Igot up and , till a Kaffir on a le mealies, which I e to swallow them, slept on the sand till I met a Boer, He said, * Yes ;' a B night before, ^nd -o\ir hours' distance [ I came to Peter \ heard you asking \\m\ offered to lend V you were camping many breaks, owing iimished condition. r in his pleasure at ixiety to know that suffered by waiting I for his experience, liitn safe and sound of blame. e Jan had finished is, who had stojiped ig himself quite at couple of rugs for bed-elothos, and a taste or two of our Cape brandy— a thhig not often seen tluTC^as a " nightcap." Tho Irishman was going to Wilkerhout's Drift next day, so we arranged to make an early start together; but iust at daybreak, on going round to stir up my men, 1 found one" of the nudes and Mr. Davis's mare missn.g. Kert took up their spoor, and tracked them both to the veldt, but did not return till nearly noon, so that our earlv'start was km)cked on the head. Meanwhile, ohl Abram, having been remimled by Kert of h^, promise to crive us a sheep, drove up his flock, from which we selected one, which was soon caught, killed, cut uito strips, peppered and salte.l, and rolled up in a sack. The skin and head and offal were given to the principal Bushwoman, who had brouglit us wood and water, and she and her companions quickly ate up the entrails raw, after simply stripping them through their fingers. The Irishman had been gone an hour before we were readv, and as soon as the runaways were captured we started, being anxious to catch him up in case his help should be necessary if we got stuck m a sand-lull, ot which there were several high ones in sight. Iho httle mules pulled splendidly, and we soon left the beacon behind us, and came to a couple of miserab e wattle-and-daub huts, standing amid some thousands of acres of stone ; not a blade of grass or a bush to be seen. Outside the huts stood the proprietor, a fine- lookin^, goodnatured old man, Kert Van Veys by name, holding the office of " veldt cornet," a kind ot magis- trate among the Bastards. After the usual hand-shaking and inquiry about •' the war," he offered us coffee— a mixture of coffee- -grounds " and -grouml" of another kind, to wit. ',Tr?3> i-^^ii;^'^'' io6 Sama, or IVihi IVa/er Melon. clay. A cup of cold wator would have been far more acceptable, but I shut luy eyes, and by dint of a powerful draft upon the iina<,Mnation swallowed tlio nauseous licpior as if it were nectar. The nearest pasturage to the barren wilderness which this squatter had selected was about three miles off, and we outspauned amid quite a variety of vege- table growths. There was the " Bushman's potato,'" a bulbous plant, with green leaves spotted with brown, which contained a good deal of water. I tasted the root, and fouiid it a little bitter, but not unpleasant. Then there was another bulb, with an oblong, dark- green, glossy leaf, which Kert said was the principal food of the monkeys. Next we found a leaf re- sembling that of the lily of the valley, which Kert said was very poisonous. Here also we came across the first sama I had seen. This plant is invaluable to both man and beast on the desert. It is the " wild water-melon," resembling the cultivated variety in appearance, both internally and externally, and serves both as food and drink for human beings as well as cattle and horses, its fleshy body containing a quantity of watery juice, and its seeds a considerable proportion of oil. It yields two crops in the year, and the second crop was just now beginning to appear through the yellow sand, while the first crop, hard and dry, with ripe black seeds, still lay on the ground. The ripened fruit will lie for a year without decaying, provided there is no rain. I tasted one of these wild melons- just to get my hand in, for we mij.'ht have to live almost entirely on them as we advanced into the desert— and found it very bitter. Kert, however, said that when young they were generally sweet, getting i Melon. ivo boon far more find by dint of a on swallowed tlio barren wilderness s about three miles a variety of vege- iishnmn's potato,* potted with brown, ter. I tasted the it not unpleasant, h an oblong, dark- was the principal found a leaf re- alley, which Korfc we came across int is invaluable to It is the " wild Itivated variety in ernally, and serves 1 beings as well as •ntaining a quantity jiderablo proportion ear, and the second ippear through the lard and dry, with 3und. The ripened decaying, provided hese wild melons — might have to live advanced into the Kert, however, said n-ally sweet, getting Bushman s Rice. 107 more bitter as they got older; but that this flavour would not be so strong when cooked. While 1 was making these gastrononiical expen- menis, Kert went into a transport of joy at hn.img some " Bushman's rice "-a species of ant, with broad black heads and long fat bodies, looking like gentles with feet. Taking a handful of these he poured them i„to his mouth and chewed them with the greatest gusto, smacking his lips as they disappeared down his throat. , , -r Having thus passed from botany to entomology, i bethought me of some paper boxes I had brought on purpose to collect insect specimens. Most ot tho insects we saw were coleoptera, no doubt well-known ; but I thought of my old friend, Jenner Weir, who was an enthusiast in such matters, and would appreciate any attempt to gratify his passion for insects, and any addition, however trifling, either to his collection or to his knowledge. Then I found some wdd bees, ot which I was anxious to send some specimens to my brother (a bee-keeper and bee-scientist), and alto- gether we had quite a campaign among the wealth ot insect-life. Not the least interesting of our hnds were the ants, of which I collected thirteen distinct species that afternoon, on a space not twenty fcH)b square We broke open one of the tall houses of tho iermites,or "white ants," little insects which can hardly be termed ants, for they have neither the shape nor the colour of Sir John Lubbock's little, ruddy, slender-waisted friends,-unless, indeed, they are so called on account of their industry. The tall, cornea mounds which they erect, binding the grains of sand by means of a kind of gum, which exudes trom their i»A«,» i.^HV'A:*'*.--^.'' -'je^iac^STr^'-' icS Giani Ant-Iiilh. round, transparent lioad, into a solid, compact mass- so hard that in dry weather it takes a pick to bivak its house open— are to be met with in thousands ; yet one wouhl think it must take a century to buihl one of them, every grain of sand being first (pnirried, as it were, undtiground, and brought to the surface through innumerable tunnels before being added to the struc- ture. These paragons of industry— no " eight hours CBOSSISO THK KALAllAUI. a day " among these masons— are food for the ant- eater, for the koran, for the partridge and other birds, and last, but not least, for the Bushman. We inspanned about G p.m., and drove over hill and y-viiey— the latter in the shape of hard patches of limestone, the former soft heaps of sand— until about nine o'clock, we came to the very worst sand-dune we had yet encountered. The wheels were up to the hubs, and the mules up to tlieir knees, in the loose, dry Si lie /c oil " ^''""^ IVai'c. TOO 1, compact mass — }8 a pick to bivak in tliousands ; yet uiy to build om' of irst (inarrit'd, as it tlu' surface through dded to the struc- — no "eight hours ^tj^'- .« .^ . iKOfl^lW<«£l»'' 3 food for the ant- (Ige and other birds, ihinan. 1 drove over hill and )f hard patches of Df sand — until about ry worst sand-dune heels were up to the lees, in the loose, dry ,„„,!, ,m.l it wa» ull nphill ; but «-o .»..,.. .1 o o the 1..V01 ..f the »..K0". "» »■ t''<'y ';■"' "'"'"T^ ken it into .heiv 1 i. to ascen ^^^^ heavenwnnl, bnt «cro l.el.l .lown by tbo w.^l.t of th. waggon " \Vo are rtnek, Jan," I sai'l; " it's no nso b,» nnn the ,,oor brutes; tbey will ,-"11 till |U,lbnK « usel,.. ana ben they won't move. We willou.span an,! n,ake : lo eoffee.' I'erh»,« »on,e one «ill '''^X^\ mornin.' and ^'ive us a lift. Hark ! what « that i 1 Cli a whip c;,ek ! There is a waggon eonnng aevoss to our left. We must be right oft the track. I » > 1 ■m and see who it is while y.m outspan. ^o say.uf,, I ma,le for the direction in which I ha.l heard the sound, and luckiW fell in with a team and an empty waggon :lg tow;rds Kheis. They agreed io he p us out of nr .Ufficulty, and after .some little deh.y u.d tr,njsf..^d their team to our waggon. Kort and I e,«h hung on to a «.;«. attached to the leading oxen to steer them towards the road, and then the slaslnng and !wing con.mer.ed. After mneh plung.ng and snort- nTwe advanced a tew paces, "hen the strap broke n m; hand, imd my ox stopped, wh.le I fell headlong 1 the sea of sand. The d.nage repa.red wo made another attempt, and had pulled up about ten feet when the driver called, " Whoa 1 " A ew mmntes br^thing-space and we trie,l again. T us tune n,y o'pun-ed so that ho came to grief, and ro led over near yon to old Kert; but. a.nid shouts and smacks of tl>e whip, he got up again ; and tb™ i.uln who w standing aside holding the mules, cr.ed, Hu.r..h. she comes ; keep them going till you're over the nse 1 I lO Dreams of Aladdin i Cave Pull ! snort ! vt'U 1 crack ! stumble ! and tlio loaders aro over tlio riilgo. " (Jood ! she's over ! " shouted Lulu, aiul away we went down the opposite slope, Kert aiul I justnianujfiut,' to keep ourselves from under the feet of the excited l)easts. What a piece of luck ! We should jj^et to Wilkerhout's Drift to-night after all, instead of being left benighted on a sanddiill ! Those oxen— or theii- owners— well deserved the 2x., which was all that was asked for their servi(;es ; but when it carao to begging colTee, tobacco, and bramly in addition, I left to Kert the nnpleasant but necessary duty of refusing. The old liuslnnan would rather give his heart's blood than see the brandy doled out to strangers. This he loved better than anything on earth, and ho nearly broke his heart the day before when I gave his old friend Abrara a little in a bottle. So our friends had to be content with the florin, and with the hearty " good- nights " and expressions of heartfelt thanks with which we parted from them ; and, taking care not to get off the track again, we reached Wilkerhout's Drift about the witching hour of midnight. The mules were made fast, and a group of tired, played-out men fell asleep. If the genius loci had any influence on a sleeping man's mind my dreams ought to have been of Situlbad the Sailor, and Aladdin's Lamp, of " marble halls," and " diadems rich and rare," of Golconda and El Dorado ; for the ground on which we lay was the possible depository of wealth untold. It was in this neighbourhood that Kert had found the 180-carat diamond, of which ho had so often talked in London, and which had been one of the lures that had led me to undertake this journey. But even the i Cave. V ! aiul tlio k'adorf* iiA over ! " slioiitcd llic opjxisito slojH', ursjolves from under I jret to Wilkerliout's beiiij^ left beiiiglited their owners — well tliiit was asked for e to be«jr|L,nn<^ cofl'ee, I left to Kert tlio f refusing. The old eart's blood than seo 2rs. This he loved Lnd ho nearly broke trave his old frieiul ir friends had to bo 1 the hearty " good- 3lt thanks with which g care not to got off erhout's Drift about d a group of tired, 3 genins loci had any iid my dreams ought ailor, and Aladdin's " diadems rich and [lo ; for tho ground depository of wealth rhood that Kert had vhich he had so often been one of the lures jurney. But even the On the Spot. II I «' potentiality of wealth beyond the dreams of avarice did not disturb my rest; it was sleep, and not diamonds, that I was then most in need of, an.l "Nature's soft nurso" soon "laid tnine eyeh.ls down and steeped my senses in forgetfubiess " alike of stones and sand, of diamonds and desert. Next nuu-ning, at break of day, we luxuriated m a swim in tho river while breakfast was cooking, and that meal tinished wc sent Jan olf to the v(>ldt to timl tho horses and mules, while Imlu, Kert. and I went prospecting. Taking us up a hill covered with small peV)bles, Kert point(.d out a ichUhaai boom (white ass tree) • " There," said he, " that's Avhere I found tho 180-carat diamond, close to that tree." We searched and searched, and scratched the surface over and over, and most carefully ; but no diamond was to bo seen. Then we began to doubt the old IJushman just a little bit Lulu took him apart and (piestion(>d him, to seo if ho would still tell the same story; and whdo doing so an old man came up to them, and addressed Kert:— i .•, tt "What, Kert, looking for more diamonds.-' Uavo you found any more ? " . . , Kert was shrewd ; he dissembled. " I am going with these white men shooting on the Kalahari," said ho. " Ah ! hunting is better than looking for diamonds. Come, Kert, where was it you found that big stone? " Evidently the fact was pretty well known that Kert had found a diamond ; but he averred that he had never told any one but us the exact spot. Our faith m him began to revive ; but it would not do to go scratching about any more just now, so we deferred further operations till to-morrow. I 12 ^^r n hole sevend feet sijuare, and a foot or two deep, but no diamonds re- warded (.nr laltonrs. Oin* bands were l)b'^t.'red, and our backs aehed, and we eanie to the unanimous opinion that wo wi-re not constitutionally lit ted to bi' diainon mouth of tho richest diamond-mine in the worM. lint I would not stay hero to work it for tho bigijest gem in creation. What aro riches compared to comfort? To como 12,000 miles to roast under this broiling sun ; to got half-blinded with dust; to drink mud out of the puddles in the road ; to sloop in a waggon on a hard board ; to never take your clothes off, except to wallow in tho dirt, for you cannot call it swimming;— do you call this comfort. I'll bet I've swallowed moro than my allotted pock of dirt in tho last three weeks; so give mo a cottage, and yon shall have tho jh;iiiond-nnno." " Never mind, my boy ; if you como diamond-hunting you must make tho best of it. But make yourself happy ; though I'm satisfied there are diamonds hero, it is^inother matter to prove that they are in paying (piantities; wo can't prove ^t by digging holes, so u/s. ii hole scviM'iil t'o't I 110 »liainoiuls rc- iTc hlistiTi'd, and uniiiiiiuous opinion Unl to br diainon stnfT aj:;uin moi'o on the ('d «5 -f,iSt9Ci*_^ 1 1 1 was a Bastard, Miliarly light com- ' as a blonde, and 11 ; at any rates lie ere, though only a hand, also a half- curious to notice orted pair. One r as woolly as any , with wavy white oured. They were (xposed their skins covered them; and lorae of their Kaffir >iece of cloth round CHAPTER VIIT. J.„ got. into tvouLl..-My l.st l.ovso is ^-^^^--f^::^;^:^ lied-fi'Uow. ArrEP. listening to some of Wells's stories of tho Korala war, wo walked back to our waggon by toonligbt, in ti,ne for a supper of «te-^ P^^ ;„'°^ which we took our best appetites. The hrst person we saw was Jan, sitting alone a "^^^^^^^^'""^ '^' w„ *1,n„<,l.t he had had a tiff with Kert, as supper Kert said Jan was m trouble. MVhat's the matter? Have you and he fallen out?" , ^ 11 • '» " No ; but the horse has fallen m. " The horse has what ?" " Has fallen into the river." I looked round and saw only the mare-- Lady Anna"-tiedup. It was the best of the two that was missing. ^^ " Tell Jan to come here. S ,JJJ^»*.«S*Si»i|S^ ..s^e^^j^^t . , • '-^s — .p.-ij-X-^ft^SS^a."^ -;„- »,„i«-»H.*»B.'**=S«^--V »*,V.I*..iWS»>'.- iiS My be si tlorsc droi^'ucd. And JiUi presmtly Ciunc, hauginfjf down liis head, iin> «' > Yaas, maister — no, maister. " Jan, you are lying. You have been told lots of times never to take the horses and mules to drink knee-haltered. They run into the water when they are very thirsty, and though the water may be shallow at first, it may get deep directly. I hired you as a competent man ; you say you have driven waggons and managed mules and horses for years, and yet you are so lazy that you not only lose my horses, but you go and lose yourself, and now you have drowned my best horse, through disobedience. Y^ou promised the other day to attend to everything 1 told you; so y. ' ( Notlihii: left but Li^htnius:. 119 lown liis head, Tell me ! " run fass down do Dey all go in de dey all come out. p it, nmistcr, So die vatter. I on ould see die spoor drift to see if ean 3uld not see hiiu 1 never seed liim )or, and never st'O 1 could not swim, lie halter, or pull so quick." been told lots of d mules to drink water when they er may be shallow I hired you as a e driven waggons years, and yet you ny horses, but you have drowned my You promised the IT 1 told von ; so ''"" IHnk you, mai,ter. I will go .n.l work har.1 for uauh. ^uu,i.. • . .. T not know what you, nmistcr, till I pay, ma.ater. I nc. know Gottniakoso bad chances this tune; every d.y go '""Ifsyour owu fault; .lon't go an.l try to Uamo .,ic« Tt''^ vour own infernal laziness, anv one else. iijS}""^ "" , -i ^Ti 'a. ,i,„»b„i ., • .—' —J. ";•■;; , ; , 1 . U nrt-Mh for life on the des»^rt 1 cattle-ranches. UuiiaU toi nu T^v.^Hrid bou"-ht, That night we killed the two sheep ^^^'^t bad bou ^. and cutting them up into strips, hun. ^em out a,, inca^we should. .sh^^^^^^ J^l: smacked the long whip, and away we went, K ridincr ahead on "Lady" to scout. In two hours tn .. fiucce^«icM of very steep sand-lnHs. we came to a bucces. lo.i ^ j i There was no avoiding thcur. Mountn.g le first T »„nl- n durvcv an.l could see nothing but enunencc, 1 took a surviy.an . in(„,-venin<' billows ot sand in every direction, with an ■»'""'"""" , nclof from 50 to 150 yards of level ground between lit. The only thing to do was to give the nn^ their heads-and the whii.-and ehargo for then , ,. the beasts a little breathing-time on the mt - vci,in°r flats. These were sometimes hard ground, but I20 Trading M tiles for Oxen. often.^r o^^ sand; but I was conviiicod, however, that the sand merely served as a eoveriiit^: to a great were expanse of stony ground, and that the " dunes formed of heaps of stones, on whieh the drifting sand had aeeumuhited. lint for the sand the country' wouhl liave been impassabk; : no vehich' coidd have passed over its bare rocks. As it was, I was amazed at the phjck with whicli tlie htth* mules hauled us over the sandy waves. At last, however, we came to a slope that pi-oved too nuich for them, and w^e stuck half-way up. Not all their etlbrts could move us. I had made up my mind not to unload i-he w^aggon, for if we once began to do that at every obstacle, there would bo no end to it ; so I rode back to V^jIIs to see if I could trade my mules for some oxen. But ho would not have them. He was used to oxen, he said, and besides, if a mule died he could not eat him, while a dead ox was good beef. However, he knew a trader a few miles away who used mules, and might tak(^ them in exchange for some oxen, so he saddled his horse and rode there with me. The trader was a German Jew from Frankfort, named Hochchild— a jovial fellow, who jumped at the idea of swappiug oxen for mules. I asked him for four oxen for a mule, with yokes and chains to count ar ; ami plunged once more into Kalahari's ocean of sand. Very soon afterwards we were suri)rised to see several half-breeds come along riding on oxen. A stick through the animal's nose answered the i)urpose of a bit, to which was attached a string on either side for a bridle ; a sheep-skin and a blanket, with surcingle to hold them on, to which stirrups were fastened, answered for a saildle. The oxen ambled and trotted, and seemed easy to manage. As one of the " curiosities" of the country, Lulu took a photograph of the group. At dark we outspanned ; the oxen being tied to the chain for the night, and let loose at daybreak for a couple of hours, during which Ave shot partridges as they came to drink. Then after our matutinal cup of coffee we inspanned, drove on for about four hours, out- spanned again till five or six o'clock, and then went on • for another five or six hours. This was our usual 'iX never pulled to- utiitod slioiniiii^- o jMill the \Viie low, with a voice ch spindleshanks )reak off short or ^tej), who gave us V rather the best take ; exehanged ed once more into sui'[)rised to see f on oxen. A stick I the purpose of a on either side for :et, with surcingle |)S were fastened, nibled and trotted, if the "curiosities" iil)h of the group. I being tied to the ^t daybreak for a diot partridges as ' matutinal cup of •utfour hours, out- , and then went on lis was our usiuil A (inQi'-f>c>x />'"-^// w<7/ . '2;i daily routine, interi'u|)ted oidy by the exigencies of watering the cattle once a «liiy. The rains, however-, had been very heavy, and most of the piins were ftdl ; but as they were at irregular intervals it was difll(Mdt to time ourselves so as to reach them always at the right time. The driver preferred giving them a good drink in the morning at first starting, but not oftener ; saying that if they had water more frecjuently they would be always wanting it, whereas by getting it lUlJINa ON 0\-l)Al'K. only ojice a day they could, at a pinch, go for two days, or even three, without injury. On the fifth day, some berg — or hill — liushmen came down to us from the mountains, saying they had heard us popping at the partridges. They were tall, stalwart fellows, much bigger than the average Bush- man of the i)lains. Two of them carried guns, one a * fiint-lock, the other a nip|)le-gun ; but the rest were armed only with poisoned arrows. They all knew 124 IhislDnan Ca'iCS. Krrt, and invitt'd him and «is to pay ilioin a visit at tlicir liomc in tlu) mountains. Lnlu accoptod the invitation, and fonnd a lar<,a> party of tiicm livin«? in a cave, the sides of whicli were decorated with s*)nie very old drawing's and sc-ilptnres ; tli(> first done on th(^ smootli stone with some kind of bhiek paint— i)robably the same as that which the women nse to bedanb their cheeks —tho hitter lightly cut into the rock. Lulu WAll. DKAWIIIOS IN HlLLBraHMKS'S CAVE. made a sketch of some of these rude works ot art, which is reproduced in the accompanying block. On their return Lulu and Kert were followed by a party of some men and women, who were much interested in us and our belongings. They looked wonderingly at us when Kert showed them my selec- r tion of insects, and when Lulu levelled the camera at them, in the hope of getting their photographs, they were so frightened that the women and children ran J .-^S^-ir y*a>:*'^-^ /ins/i»hv x'-otX/'fi^' '25 »y them a visit at iiilu accepted tlie if tlu'in liviiifj: in a (irated with some le first done on the k paint— -probably se to bedaub ih(>ir ) the rock. Luhi kn's cave. rude works ot art, anying bh)ck. were followed by a I, who were much ings. They looked ,red them my selec- jlled the camera at ir photographs, they Ml and children ran ,.w„v, ,»ul it W.S «iM, .l„.«r,.,.t,.s , ,r,c 1. ■ .In K ,,.„;„.„lo,l .h,.,u U, <•..„„. iKu-k. VnUU 1.0.1, I >> . - La Ituors tl.ev ,.l.»t,vhu.a Inm. l»'f.r"i« f'"" ••"'Otl '"K that tl,..v could »«., ,.cco,.tins! wl.utcv.T wo ffwc tlu-n, with u irVsturo ..f thanks. S.nne «t the, wo,,,..,, w.-vo .,„i,., ydh,w.»ki,n,o,l, in fact, nearly wh.to; tnon an, ::,n«.n alik,. wore their hair in short t-ft'. -I"',-.;? the l.roa.1 forniatU.n of the hack ot the hoa.l. U.u. clothes consisted ..t a |.ieeo of skin about the 8..0 o yo,.r ha>.d, sns,,en,led in front, wine .ome o th , vo,nen had, in addition, a s^riag-l-ok sk,n hnnK hehn 1. Their food consisted principally ot roots, w,th an o ca- «ional feed of pune, and a special fff .« 'f'!";;^', ' ^ „,anaL'e.l to steal a few sheep or cattle n. .rup.aland. These Unslnne,. are as little known n. the colony as thcv are in 1-ondon ; and owing to their lazy, nnpro- vidl-nt n,orte of life, they are soon likely to he know, only as a tradition, for they arc evidently decreasmg i„ nun.bers. It Xatnre does not^ turn.sh tood, so t ni they can get it without t rouble, they go without, i bo onlv effort they n.akc is when stalk.ng gaine am :h;n at last thfy snoeecd in killing a bok, they wd s, and gorge till they can gorge no n,ore-m othe. words, till it is all gone, never th.nk.ng of the morrow. I even saw two Bushn.en sit down to .. " ,ri„g.bok at sundown, and never leavo .t tdl .u,on nest day, when there was none to leave. We Le our visit,>rs soa.o docha, a k,nd of wild hemp used by them as tobacco, and when they beca.no excited under its iuHuence they treated us to tbo spectacle of a dance-if the Btampn.g of '^'^ J"'^" the ground, accompanied by guttural sounds to whu.h the/kept time, could be so called. Then they gave 1 2() A //vciiii //lilt/. IIS ii (Miiicrrt, cncli pliiy*'!' Mowing a I'frd tiMH'(| lo ;i piiiticiiliir pitcli, liiit UMdaiicc hfowu inside, and it \vitli a Hat leaf, This bulb, wlncli iS looks, Hoiuotliiui^ lie country fo our arch ; that all the tu'ithei' water nor ^ thev couhl exist s came, so that the anticipated a good e the country was the saraa promised lei-ally was rapidly orcupino we found r three inches be- had been only one iushmen called out, 1 as Kert and I ran (i.e. hyena) spoor, lour, the Bushmen halt, and twisting „,,i, ,i„..,,-s over their n.nufhs as a si-nal for siloncr. „„„i.,„,.l „s to ..on.e forwanl. The.v, not s,v , -.mmIs „way, was a lar.e hvena, fast asleep. I ra.sed my Htle and tired, and the beast jump.-d up, an.i tell back dead, the ball having hit him just behind the lore-l.-. In t..n mitrntos he was nn^n. his skin, an.l thou om. of the Husluui't. f.'U to and .-ut him into strips, whtl.^ the other hurriedlv nia.lo a tire and cooked the meat. The two of them sat .h.wn to the feast, and never loft (,IY till they had placed themselves o.itside the whoh' ..t tlie carcase. , As we proce..ded, thr.n.-li a lK«lt of p^rass nonrlv knee hi had shot a curious "bird" in the shape of a lai-ge blue bull wildebeest (gnu), which had charged at him out of the water before it was hght, Avhile Kert had killed a hartebeest, besides an assortment of wild- fowl, sufficient, with all the other bags, to stock a poulterer's shop. We Avere busy all the rest of the day, plucking, salting, and peppering the birds, and cutting the venison into strips, and, after slightly salting it, hang- ing it up to dry, taking care to keep it out of the sun's rays, which, the natives say, cause it to smell bad. Directly to the west of this vley — which was called Libuschani, and was first visited by Campbell in 1813— lay Kert's old hunting-ground ; and the old fellow was very anxious for us to make a detour into it, promising us some splendid shooting. But the sama was not ripe enough, and the pans would probably be all dry, so that we were obliged to decline the tempting pro- posal. In the end, however, we made up our minds to compromise the matter by filling up with water, and making a two or perhaps a three days' trip in a north- westerly direction, which would not take us too far out of our course, and wovdd bring us within reach of Rubini, where we should be sure of getting water. So early next morning we started, Kert in high glee at finding himself once more in his old haunts, riding ahead on " Lady " as an advance-guard, and picking ~,afy.::., ^",1 ,^1 ,4,iiJi'„T.'iS*i1i *^:^:^&af55t-^3;fe*i^^i3aafe 't^e^^^-^^-^-^r: v,-.tfi % Pii^ging f^^*' ^Vater. ^^ \\\ rs ten inclu'S lonp^. and a half inches '\\ sixteen inches, itiner. While col- prickly bush, so I d floated about on e. Then, hearing or the shore, and in the shape of si ich had charged at ^ light, Avhile Kert ssortraent of wild- bags, to stock a the rest of the day, ! birds, and cutting itly salting it, hang- > it out of the sun's t to smell bad. —which was called 'ampbell in 1813 — I the old fellow was r into it, promising the sama was not probably be all dry, the tempting pro- ,de up our minds to up with water, and lys' trip in a north- take us too far out us within reach of getting water. So ert in high glee at old haunts, riding -guard, and picking out the best road— if there could be any l)est road m a sea of sand. Hill followed hill, and valley, valley, m never-en(linre a bush or stunted tree, and an occasional oasis of lovely flowers. One espi'ciallv took mv fancy— a bulbous plant, with large, tapering roots and dark-green leaves, somewhat re- sembling lily or flag-leaves, and with clusters oF white flowers, ribbed with pink, whose fragrance was watted far and wide, literally— " Wiistinj,' tlicir swiM'tiicss on the. ilestu't air. We made a long day of it, stopping occasionally to gather some of the different flowers and seeds, and to collect the roots, and did not camp for the night till eleven o'clock. Next morning Kert and the Bushmen went out to reconnoitre, not returning till 4 p.m., when they reported having seen some gems-bok and some ostrich spoor, and advised our getting on as far as possible that night, and arranging for a grand hunt on the following day. So we rode on till ten that night, constantly coming across fresh spoor, and camped on the edge of a dry pan. We had to husband our water, which was now more precious than gold, though the improvident natives would have drunk it all right off, and did not like it when I handed round a limited dole of coffee, and told them they would get no more till breakfast to-morrow. Seeing, however, that there were traces of recent water in the bottom of the pan, I called for shovels and picks, and set all hands at work to dig a pit ten or twelve feet round and six feet deep. The sand seemed a little moister the lower we went, but suddenly bang went the shovel against a K 2 i^a^^-i' =»-ini»ivAU'-s'-^- ^ , ^2 Ostric/i Spoor. rock. Taking a pick I found wo had struck a stratum of hard graveh " It's no use, Boss ; there's no wattn- there, and we had better have been sleeping all this time." It was now nearly two o'clock, so we turned in, with the understanding that wo should all start at daybreak separately, each man going in a different direction, but with the general idea of forming as wide a circle as possible, into which we were to drive whatever game we might come across. Those who had to go to form the farther side of the circle started first, and while they were gone I ran over to look at the pit we had dug, and was delighted to find about eighteen inches of water in it. I was as pleased as if I had found another diamond mine ! The cattle would have water at'any rate, and I set off to take my place in the hunt with my mind considerably relieved. It was not very long before I came across some fresh spoor of ostriches, which I instinctively followed, forgetting for th* ^Mne all about the circle of which I was supposed to m part of the circumference. The track led across a sand-hill, over the top of which I cautiously peered; no birds in sight, but straight across the fiat beneath their course could be distinctly traced. Determined not to be beaten, I followed, crossing sand-hill after sand-hill, flat after flat, till the growing heat and increasing thirst reminded me that the day was advancing. The sun, liowever, was not yet very high ; so I could rest a bit on the shady side of yon bush. After a drink of water from my flask I took out my glass and swept tht> dunes. Sand, sand, everywhere sand, but not a living creature in sight. As I sat, a feeling of lassitude crept over me, and I thought 1 might be all the better for a siesta, after If* ,.,^j_j„, ,.,-^l^^,-^,j,,,..-,j^.^-.-y. .^^ S/iootiii,!^ our first Ostrkli. 133 I struck a stratum iter there, and we lis time." It was rued in, with the most valuable, mid in another minute I was after them, noNV crawling on my stomach across the ridg(> of a sand-lnl, now vanning across the intervening flat, where I could no be seen. Fortunately, the wind was agamst me, and 1 managed, after about an hour of alternate runnmg and wri-cTling, to get within range. They were feed.ng towards me, and I let them come withit, 100 yards before I aimed at the cock-bird and fired. Off they all ran, like the wind, giving no sign of being hit, but luckilv keeping at right angles to the line of fire, so that I was able to put in another half-dozen shots before thev were out of reach. I saw them disappear over first one sand-dune, then another, all running so liahtly that they seemed as if they could not have been Idt though I felt certain I had not missed every shot. Following their spoor for about half an hour I came upon a female lying on the side of a sand-hill struggling to get np ; fc^r fear she might succeed, I gave her a shot as she lay, ran up the soft slope as fast as I could, whipped out my knife, severed the vertebraB just behind the head, and started after the others. Getting on top of a very high heap of sand, I looked round, but could see nothing of them; they mnst have stopped, or they would be visible somewhere. So spurred forward by the hope of overtaking them very soon, I followed the trail. An hour must have passed before I saw the ..j,u-f^i^=.i^:^i.'^.- r ^ ■i 134 Ostrich Steak for Supper. old cock sit till}; down, ivud stoaling' up a.s close as possible, givvo liim imotlu-r ball. As ho jumped up I tiivd ii},'!iiu, and lie 8ta},',^nnvd. My heart beat, fast with excitement ; it was nearly sundown, and I had T knew not how many miles to walk back, but I would not go away now without my (juarry It took two more balls to bring him to the ground, and then, spreading his legs out sideways, he fell all of a heapon the sand. His swift f«iet were powerless, but he could use his beak with effect, as 1 soon found out, and could tell to an ounce how hard he could pinch. Grasjiing him by the neck, however, I speedily put a muz/leonhim by cutting his throat, and then plucked out his best feathers— all " bloods," though not very long, the season being yet early. Then I began to realize how many milos 1 had to tram[) before reaching the waggon. The wlud was blowing jiretty hard, and the track by which I had hoped to find my way back would be obliterated ; but, famished ami fatigued,! took a sip of water, and lighting a fire, cooked a bit of the bird's thigh, which was very palatable, as almost anything would have been to a rnan with such an appetite. While the piece of " drumstick " was grilling I exanuned the bird and found he had been shot in the other thigh, and had three other bullets in different parts of the body ; and yet he had given me a stern-chase all these miles ! The best thing for me to do now was to find my way back to the hen ostrich, before its body got mauled by the jackals; in the first place, its skin would be \i;->eful to the Bushmen when stalkiug ostriches ; secondly, 1 should be so much nearer home ; and thirdly, I should be able to get a supper of ostrich- meat again. It took me a good two hours' hard walk- ing to get back, and I was only just in time, for the 1. ■ .=A9^.^i^4^^*i'^^kiV^^^^^''i'~>''^''-''^'^^'-^-' Vr Died of Thirst. '35 f up as close as i ho juinpcil up I >lVl'tlK'ilt. filrit witli and I biul I knew )Ut I would not go )ok two niore balls* sproadinghis legs le sand. His swift use bis beak with kl toll to an ounce y him by the nock, him by cutting his best feathers — all the season being hosv nwny mUes aggon. The wind ck by which I had obliterated ; but, water, and lighting thigh, which was ; would have been While the piece of lined the bird and ler thigh, and had :8 of the body ; and ,11 these miles ! ow was to find my 3fore its body got rst place, its skin en when stalkiug nmch nearer home ; a supper of ostrich- o hours' hard walk- ast in time, for the little crroy Kalahari foxes were already prowling arou.ul to make sure that the bird was dead, and that no one was concealed near it before coming to close (piarters. After plucking the best feathers, I lay down beside the bird, and casting care to the winds— though takii»g care to have my gun within roach, in case of a night attack-was soon fast asleep. The barking ot the jackals and hyenas woke me two or three tunes ; but with that exception I never slept more soundly. At dawn I woke, and was rubbing the sand out of my eyes, not feeling (piito sure whore I was, when my eyes lighted on a human face, only a few yards off, its gaze steadily fixed on mine. I seized my gini, but the being, whoever he was, did not flinch, and I thought I must be mistaken, and rubbed my eyes harder, but the only effect was to drive the sand more firmly ni than ever. There, straight in front of me, was a human being— a Bushman by his colour— staring and grinning at me, all but his head and shoulders con- cealed behind a bush, or beneath a slight covering of sand. I approached and called out, but the being answered not, nor moved. It would never speak acrain. It was the dead body of some poor Bush- m"an who had perished miserably while out hunting, for at his side lay his gun, and on the bush was hung a bunch of ostrich feathers— somewhat weather-worn, but still worth perhaps 20/. The desert winds had performed the last office ot burial, covering his body with a light pall of sand, leaving only his head exposed. Not an animal had molested this crrave— a sure sign that the man had died of thirst ; at feast so the natives held, asserting that nothmg will touch the body of such a man. There was no doubt that the man had lain down to . ■ ?^->'3«.nti38fe •36 A Ghaslly Trophy, rest lK'si-?ni'.*y*' &,i£-^-S«^-^Aii**-*^U'*g^4S^i'^'-^^^ "^-^ *"" ■ >37 fiili,t,ni'>,t1nrst,Mn(l A slmtltlcr wtMit >\vu fate ini«rlit not it not. Ihh'm for my t Mlrt«ady hiivo Ihmmi nidut that moment, ttlo lyin}? rmi)ty on I omittod to dose it rs away from honu', it was no use crying ist make tlu' l)Ost of )il all the -way back. s tyinp: ray feathers [•ail Bushman, when iniified skull of the with some difficulty at last 1 succeeded, Uaneous assortment iniaii's }?un on one md began my weary CTIAPTEH TX. L.M on tl..- .l..s..rl -l.yin, ^ Sanation ...1 fa.iKUo-E.tinK u 1 mil yivi'ii nil for tli-M'l -•» nn" '•" 1' ,- i i „; kI iTat ...ati-s auoi-Milk-aii-l ..U. ^r,,r ., la W^.^ l,,-,i,iuus wat...-.;>a.sa.ul sa.iia in ,.lent,y-KM.s-riu- • U. f tnuU.r-l ..nt.v into pailnnshii. will, two l•.as.anllmnt.■.s^-llo^^ to rook saiiia. I „xn .rone 'on about three hours, when the sun's rays bc'^^ame too nn,ch for .ne, and I l»ut down my burden and rested for a while. How I longed for a cup of water, for a sama, for anything to «,uench n.y thirst ! Presentlv I climbed a high sand-dune, hoping to spy some landmark, some sign by which I could steer myself btick to the waggons. Here and there I fancied I could trace my previous footsteps when m chase of the ostriches, but the nmrks were almost obliterated, and they might be the track of some other person. This thought gave me some hope, for it Inightbe that Lulu, Kert, and the rest were lookmg for me : 1 would keep as much as possible on the high ground, but it was hard work climbing up and down, ^nd the heat of the sun was stupefying. A\ hat would i not give for a drink of water ! It was now' past noon, so that I must already have walked six hours beneath the almost scorching rays of the sun ; 1 was getting faint for want of food and water and I might also add faint-hearted from anxiety. The sand-dunes f^^ s.W^^ ■"" ----.-- v'.-^'^ 13S Juiiim;^ poisonous Roots. w.-rc all nlik.s aiul 1 luid so coiiij.l.'toly lost my way that, for all I kmnv, I ini«,'lit bo walkiiij,' tiirtluT and further away, or goint; round and round in a circle, instead of ^^'Iting nearer to the wa<;Kon. In the hope of excitinjr the salivary j^'hmds, and cooling my piirchcd mo\ith, 1 had |)iit a button on my tongue ; but the sink- ing sensation, caused by want of food, made mi> feel giddy, and this tendency was increased by my growing anxiety. I felt I must rest for a bit, and try to l\nd some food. Knowing that the inchks (roots) were generally good to eat before they were in flower, I searched for some, and tried to eat them raw ; but they were so unpalatable that I had to make a little firo ami cook them in the hot sand. 1 managed to eat a few, and found they not only assuaged my thirst, but relieved mo of the dizziness that had been growing upon me ; and after sitting still for half an hour I felt bettor, and climbed up a sand-hill, on tho other side of which I could see a herd of gems-bok grazing. If 1 coidd only get near enough to kill one of the cows I might manage to get a little milk, or some blood to drink. 1 was too weak to attempt to stalk them, so waited patiently, in the hope that they might come within range, as they were grazing towards me. At last they got within about eighty yards, and, taking a steady aim at one of the cows— they are easily dis- tinguished by their horns being thinner, and more tapm-ing than those of the bucks— I fired, and shot her dead in her tracks. Sending two other shots after the flying herd, I rose to my feet, but ray head swam, and only by stopping every now and then, and leaning on my rifle for support, could I drag myself along to where the dead cow lay. My tongue and throat were on fire, and 1 longed for a drink of water, of milk, of „i«4«*i.,ii*ii,'. iiMe«i-.»i -■rfiiw.«r, 1 t tliem raw ; but ) make a little fire managed to eat a ed my thirst, but ad been growing r half an hour I hill, on the other ems-bok grazing, to kill one of the le milk, or some attempt to stalk »e that they might iziug towards me. yards, and, taking liey are easily dis- liinner, and more -I fired, and shot 3 other shots after it my head swam, then, and leaning g myself along to le and throat were water, of milk, of bh.od, (if anything to drown the seorching, choking sensation; but I was doomed to disapixiintment. I felt my hands and face begin to swell, a cold shuddev passci through my frame, and my trembling knees rofu.M'd to support me. Siuhleiily the earth seems to tip up, and all is black. 1 am falUng, but my arms drop helpless at my side, and 1 can do nothing to save myst'U" — So fiiiiil I am, luy tdttcriiiK' f«<'t Ni) iiinrf my Ivi'mblinj,' tViimi' niii \»:\\\ My siiikiiij,' lu'iiit f<«rj,'i'ts tc tivat, An drifting siimls my tniiili i>iv|iar«'. My only feeling is that of burning of the entire body. Those roots, that I thought so comforting, were poisonous, and this is the beginning of the end. T can feel a numbness growing over me, alternating now and then with the terrible burning sensation. Yes; this must be death. I had not the slightest power to move a limb, but my brain became more and more active. Past, present, and future seemed mingled in one rapid ment 1 panorama, and I began to wonder whether my body would ever be found, or whether I should become the prey of lions and jackals, while picturing to myself the dismay of poor Lulu and the others, when they found I did not return. I was seized with terrible griping pains in the stomach, and a feeling of nausea arose, and as it increased the numb- ness and burning sensation dimniished. Death was nob going to be calm and easy. Instead of a narcotic, it was°an irritant poison I had taken, and instead of quietly passing away as in a dream, 1 was to have a struggle with the grim scythe-bearer. t^-^-^i^.r .' ■■.'^-■-.•^''t*mt-:- ■ \^_i;,itn:^^-{. I4<^ S/iii// I In' i(\tcn alive 'f I triiMl t«) raise my liaiid to put my fiiij;*'!' down my tliroal.lmt lomid I still lia povvt-r of voluntary motion. Tlicn aiiotliiT sharp spasm dn-w my Ic^^^ np. and the muscles of my throat and sl(.ma'.'h lu'^'an to move. Vomiting,' took |.laec, and then I I'ldt ciisier. 'I'hc cramp pains ceased, and 1 l)>'.,'an to have hop;) that I should cheat, old Death after all. 1 hcfjan to i)reathe more easily, liut the hurniiiK sensation, in- wide and outside^ remained, ami then the t'ii«lin^' super- vened that it was only a short respite. Death wouhl claim his victim in the end, for if 1 remained here lon^^ inanimate the wihl beasts w.ndd find me before the ni^dit was over. iVrhaps it was already nii^ht. 1 could not see; I couhl not feel ; but I could think and breathe, and hear; and 1 listened, listened, listened for the sli<,'htest sound lor any stealthy footfall ; for a rustlin<,^ in the tall dry \^Y\\^i>^, for the cpdck snilT of a beast of luvy scent inj,' out its (piarry, and for the short growl of delight with whieii it welcomes its discovery. Hark ! there arc footsteps ; a (piick rustle of the grass, and then a pause; nearer it approaches, then stops again ; closer and closer comes the sound, varied now by^ a quick, short bark. Is it jackal or hyena that has thus tracked mo out ? If I am bitten, and my blood flows, perhaps this will restore me to con- sciousness, and to the power of motion. Oh, if I could but move ; if I could but open my eyes, and reach my gun ; if I could but shout, no cowardly jackal, no stieak- ing hyena should taste my tlcsh. But there may be a lion near. If so a sudden spring will soon put an end to my suspense. He will grab me by the shoulder, shake me as a dog does a rat, and carry me oflT to his lair. Shall I wake up ar.d feel the grip of his teeth, *>*. /uUlllti /h'(t;-" ^o. That is a human voice. "Hull'. M..11 ! " It is Kert . voice, calling to my dog. Now the whmmg at my side has ceased, and I can hear Hull barking, in answer to Kert's call. It was lie that was standing bi-sid.! mo ,, ,nomentago,andnow he has gone to tell him he has found me. Ho barks furi.)usly as quick footsteps ,,pp,oach, an.l then I hear Kert exclaim, '' Maak goc> ; die Sieur is dooed " (H.' quick ; master is dead ! . Will they think I am really .h«ad '^ Shall I be burie.l aliv(., instead of being torn to pieces ? He is cold, lie has died of thirst.' No- lie cannot be dea.l. This gems-bok is not cold ; he must have shot it, an.l tliose were the three shots we heard about an hour ago." • 'Yes- perhaps he wounded the gems-bok, ami, getting too near, has been killed by its horns. Let us ii o o At »iy ^^t-'" Funeral. 142 „„d Uove is his -~7;:r:oul,f not live a Cay beliove vne when I told h™ a m ^^^ ^^^ hunting on these sands without water. 'Trei'l h^ri K^t tllkin, in Bushman language; , tWVewas giving the Bushmen orders what to evidently he was giu ^ searching for me do. But where was Luln. U. p ^ _^^,^ in another 'l^f ""• ^^^'f.V^: Jgoing to bury me I was dead, and perhaps t.iey wore „ "*T V Tir:;; "ti -r ho^hrg nane ^"'* .'(W mus't cl'rry him to the waggon). I did devaar (Wemusi^ ,.u„t T ,oon heard the tramp „ot feel them toiieh "J^ ■ ^ f '^;°'',,'|^,i, ,^^ tUat'they of their feet, and ^ '« f J^™ „. ^ow all would i-nro;ni.:^^rafe.w..^^^^^ vou found him ? " ^ A lorv^n " Yah" was all the answer. ^ifhThurJ Put him down easy. What .s the "Ishetiurt. ^^p„u Kert !" Lulu called out matter with him ? bpeak, Jvcrt passionately. "Speak! No reply came. :^nHni::Bj'd:uhso"(Idon.tWnow;IthinU ^wl*/;en™rrrt. Heea„nothodead:itisnot •V in Here feel here, he is warm. •^"^ H to is te glass, sir," said Jan in a half-whispen : I wWer why'it is that every one alwa; s speaks m Coming back to Life. 14: il. jlood on tho sand ; ^. He would not jould not live a day ater. Bnt now lie Bushman language ; men orders what to ips searching for mo . now quite contain re going to bury mo him. Then in good loet hom bring nahe the waggon). I did oon heard the tramp 1 their talk that they on. Now all would ut perhaps I should 5eeraed an age before the distance, *' Have answer. easy. What is the rt ! " Lulu called out I don't know ; I think "Here, let me feel his le looking-glass, quick ! uiot be dead : it is not 3 warm." i Jan in a half-whisper, yone always speaks in a whisper in the presence of the dead. Is it that they are afraid of waking them ? Here was I only half dead, and yet they could not Avake me. '* Hold the light here ! Thank God he breathes : the glass is wet ; he is alive. Bring me the brandy ;^ we must pour some down him. Fetch me a spoon. Kert, tell those Bushmen to rub his legs and feet and hands, like this ! " and Lulu evidently showed them what to do ; but I could feel nothing. " How stiff his limbs are. I'm afraid we have found him too late. Rub away hard ! Jan, rub his hands like this. Now, Kert, lift him up while I give him the brandy. ^ "How tight his teeth are set together. I don t know how to give him the brandy. Hold his head over that way. Good; I think he has swallowed some. Give me the bottle, Jan : the spoon is between his teeth. Now he has had a good dose. Lay him down gently ; now we must all rub as hard as we can ! " That was his favourite cure for everything. Pre- sently a pricking sensation came into my hands and feet, like " pins and needles;" then I could feel the friction of their hands. Old Death had knocked at my door too soon, and would have to call again ! " Rub away ! " cried Lulu. " I can feel the flesh getting warm. Look, his lips are moving 1 He is coming to. He will not die ! " With my sense of touch, my sight also began to return, and I could see a diffused kind of light like when you look at the sunlight with your eyes shut. I tried to close my eyes, but could not. I still had no power to move, nor could I speak, though I could feel my lips trembling. Then they lifted me up again and more brandy was poured into my mouth ; this time I 144 yl/l rioht a(;;ain. co.ild feel them lifbino- me, and tried to help myself, but could not. I attempted to swallow, but tailed, thouo-h I felt the bran.ly ffoinaj down my throat ; a few minutes later, however, 1 could open and shut my eyes, and then recovered the use of my tong-ue and throat muscles. The first thing- I said was " Castor oil " which Lulu administered in the same way as the brLdv. Luckily I could not taste it. An hour or so l-tter i could move my hands and arms, andbetore day- light was able to sit up. All was dark, save for the dfm light of the lamp, by the aid of which I could see what a look of satisfaction came over Lulu s face as l 1 1 . ..rl Qowl " T'm all rifht, give me some- o-azed round and saul, i ni .lu HoHi^, h thing to eat." He had been watching me all the night, and had anticipated my want by having a tin of warm soup ready. This had such a soothing effect upon me that I fell asleep, and did not wake again till the sun was well up, to find them all sitting round me with anxious faces. « What is the matter ? " I asked. " Matter," said Lulu ; " you must tell us that. How •J >> are vou : ,. i. r "Oh ' I am all right, thanks to you all, except for a fcelino- of weakness. Give me some more soup." And then 1 told them all about it. " By-the-bye," I added, - let the Bushmen go and fetch the feathers and skin, and that gun-not forgetting the skull." ^^ " They will not touch the skull or the gun either, said Kert. " They all believe that is the cause ot vour being sick." So Jan was sent with them, and whde he was gone Lulu gave me particulars of the hunt which had like to have ended so tragically. By next day I was quite well again, and telt no Muddy Coffee-water 145 d to help myself, allow, but failed, wn my throat ; a open and shut my f my tongue and said was " Castor I same w.iy as the it. An hour or so lis, and before day- lark, save for the which I could see er Lulu's face as I rht, give me sonie- ng me all the night, ving a tin of warm ling effect upon me e again till the sun iing round me with it tell us that. How you all, except for a emore soup." And ly-the-bye," I added, o feathers and skin, skull." [ or the gun either," lat is the cause of A while he was gone iiunt which had like II again, and felt no trace of my recent adventure. The pans were now fast drying up, and we passed some that contained nothing but mud; by scooping a hole we managed to get a little liquid earth, to which we could add a little alum, in order to precipitate some of the suspended matter. This had the effect of throwing down a good deal of the mud, but did not by any means clear it, and at best it was more like clay soup thau water Even when " clarified" it looked for all the world like milk-and-water. " You might imagine yourself \\\ London," said Lulu, " with this genuine chalk-and- water— milk-ho ! "—and ho uttered an unearthly yell that would have done credit to any milk-purveyor's assistant, as he handed in the essence of clay with which we were condemned to make our matutinal coffee. Not having served my apprenticeship among the Guamo Indians, and not being afflicted, like an Irish- man, with " earth-hunger," I confess I did not Hke coffee h la Kalaliari, and could not take more than one cup at a meal. Lulu, however, thirsty soul that he was, managed to take more of it : he would even drink the water before it had been boiled. This I never would do, and, however thirsty I might be, always waited till some had been put on the fire, and left to cool. Kert called it " lecher watter " (delicious water) ; and as for the Bushmen, they would lie down on their stomach, with their face in the hole, and suck up the pure undiluted fluid extract of mother earth as easily as an English navvy in a vertical position will pour a pot of beer down his capacious throat. Whenever we were near water we filled every avail- able vessel with it, first boiling it in two large zinc L 146 A Muddy Pool. pails • but, fortuuatclv we sliould soon bo pnictically independout of water, for the sama were now as lar-o The sandv waste, now b.^o■an to be interspersed with patches of hard stony ^.roun.l ; l>ut all abke was onven with various -rasses andbushes-the latter always more or less thorny. The sanut vines became more frequent, but were not yet plentiful enou-h, or larov enouo-h for us to trust alt^ogether to them, so we made track; straijvht north for Bakaris, a pan m winch Kert said we should be sure to find plenty of water, as it always lasted three .nonths after heavy rams. But when we -ot there, days later, we found nothmg " VIKW ON THE DKsElIT NKMl Kl'IS. but a sand-hole. The o-ems-bok, with the help pro- bably of the wilde-beest had stirred it up most beauti- full/-from the clay-puddler's point of view, but that was not ours. Kek wanted us to camp here tor two days and hunt, as the game nmst be plentiful close by ; and so, to judge by the tracks all round he pan, they must be ; but the water was not " delicious enough for me, and we left the same evening for Kuis^ about half-way between Mier and Kuruman, and the only place in the desert where there is a fresh- Avater well. As we advanced we found the grass and sama growing rapidly, showing that there must have been The Chief •' Makc-hastcr 14; oil bo practically -ere now as larg-o bo interspersed but all alike was -the latter always iiios became more enou^^li, or lar^-o tlieiu, so we made a pan in which 1 plenty of water, iftcr heavy rains, we found nothing Kl'IS, with the help pro- i it up most beauti- it of view, but that . camp here for two it be plentiful close :s all round the pan, ras not " dehcious " I same evening- for Slier and Kuruman, lere there is a fresh - he grass and sama icre must have been heavy rains recently. We gathered some of the largest sama, and cooked them. They tasted to mo very much hke vegetable-marrow, which they closely re- sembled in appearance; and, seeing how popular pump- kins and scpnishes are in America, it struck me as strange that no one hiid ever thought of taking some uf the seeds and trying them in the sa^^dy wastes of the States. I determined to get sonie of the seeds when ri])e and try them. In two days we reached Kuis— a collection of Kala- hari huts, standing on a patch of limestone close to the banks of the (h-y bed of the River Kuis, in the centre of which is the well, with some largo canu-l- tre(S growing <>n both sides. We had scarcely arrived when the waggon was sur- rounded by a number of men begging for tobacco and coffee. l\hought 1 should easily g-ot rid of them by saying I hud none; but they checkmated me by asking for anything and everything that they saw, and then I had to meet them with a downright " Xo." Then we had peace for a time ; but in the afternoon the chief of the place came— Makgoe by name, which, being interpreted, means, " Bo (piick," and quite a wealthy man in his way, having cattle, sheep, and horses. He was accompanied by a white man— an Englishman— who, after thi; preliniiiiary greetings, said his name was Cann, and that he was a trader and hunter who had been tliirty years in the country. Cann kindly acted as interpreter, and to the first remark made by :Makgoc— to the effect that the old chief wanted me to give him a rifle as a present —he was good enough to add the advice, " Give him notliing. The old scoundrel would let you starve before helping vou. L 2 148 A Beggarly King. The chief had brought with him a fine-looking horse-the very thing I wanted-so I pa.d hnn out in his own coin, by replying to his question with another of similar import: "Will you make me a present of your horse ? " ^^ Makgoe shrugged his shoulders, and replied, i on must g'i've me ten oxen in exchange for my horse." I then tried argument, explaining that m my country, when a stranger came, we took care of him, and made him presents, and then, when he went away, iK' made us presents in return. Would Makgoe help me while I passed through his country ? But he had evidently been taught that " when you go to Rome you must not do as Rome does," for he quickly replied, — " That may be your custom ; but you are in my country, and my custom is for everybody who passes through to pay me." I replied by carelessly taking up a repeater and firin- at a white crow, which I luckily knocked over, and then fired it again instantly after. His curiosity was excited, and he wanted to know what kind ot a cnm that was. When it was explained that sixteen shots could be fired from it without reloading, he de- liberately said that he must have it as a present, he would take nothing else. Now, that was 3 us t what 1 wanted him to do, for I could hoist him with his own petard. . , « "You must give me fifteen oxenm exchange toi my rifle," I said ; " or, if you like, you shall have it for the horse and a cow. If not, I cannot give it you till I come back from hunting in the desert." Then, giving him a plug of tobacco, I told him the talk was ended. il .'/ Pamara Trader. 149 lini a fine-looking -80 I paid liim out hid question with ill vou make n\o a and replied, " Vou 3 for my lioi'se." aining that in my e took care of him, when he Avent away, lYould Makgoe lielp antry ? But he had in you go to Rome 3s," for he quickly but vou are in my erybody who passes up a repeater and uckily knocked over, after. His curiosity now what kind of a :plained that sixteen out reloading, lie de- ^e it as a present, he that was just wliat I list him with his oavu oxen in exchange for ke, you shall have it D, I cannot give it you . the desert." )bacco, I told him the Ilo wont, but the tnulor stayed o talk Von t,-eate,l the old ni-er nuitc nKht, ho «. d , ho always trie, to bleed us, but we uever «.ve hnu auy- thing u,oro thau a little tobacco aud cffec. \ou need have no fear of him, as he has no foUow.ug And then he went on to tell n,e that he was on h way from l)a.naralaud to the colony, alter a ho n,o,ths' iourney. He had not collected "-">{-"- aud skins : it was the old story, the wav between the Dan,aras aud Na.na.iuas had stopped al hunt.n, for the last tlu-e,. years ; but he had a lot of nama,. cattle-uioe little beasts, of medium s,.e an,l w-ell shaped; some were nearly white, w,th b ack spo.s but Istot them were specklcl either wh.t. and black, r white aud brown, aud all had very long horns, turning up at right angles to the forehead He had had son.e difficulty in gott.ng through w,t the cattle, having had to flgM 'f^' 'VlTt 4™"*! from being robbed. As it was he l>ad lost twenty ''""But that is nothing," he added. "I have had lots of worse adventures than that in my time, among both men and beasts. Twice I have ost every h.^g I possessed for want of water, bemg forced to leave n,y waggons in the sand, with all n>y go«l» ™<' « ' n,y teams, and only escaping death from thirst myself bv a miracle." ,. n „ffor. "You must kT^ow the country pretty well, attei i -, " T .nirl " T should be thankful for thirty years of it, 1 said. l suouiu anv hints vou can give me." "Yes I think I know most of the tnbes hero- about. 'l have been up as far as latitude 12°, vs.tmg everv tribe east and west, both going aud returu.ng And'a rum lot they are. The only people to be trusted &l , ro Rci)iforiCiiicii/s. ,, ,11 are tl.o liuslnncn. If a Huslunan once c^ets to know you, arul you trust hin. ^vell, ho will stick to you th,.>uj?h n.iek and tlun. But the Hottentots ure . lot of born thieves. They live by stealin- cattle fron. their neii^H.bo.u-., and are not content with that, for tl.ev carrv the w.unen.-and sometimes men, too, t.n- tl.o matter of that into slavery, and treat them worse than dc..rs : in fact, they call their slaves ' dogs. " Th.e Damaras aro jet-black, not like the Hottentots, ^^ho are a kind of copper-red colour." And he went on to give mo a lot of hmts as to tlu> country, how to treat th.« natives, what districts to avoid, \v],ere to tind game, and so on. lu i^ict, from this half.hom-'s talk [gathered more useful mforination about the cuntry than I had read in all the pubhshed books put together. -, i By Cann's advice I engaged a Bushman whom he recommended as a guide, and two Hastai;ds who wanted to join in a hunting expedition, Dirk aiul Klas by name : two little coffee-coloured specimens ot bumanUy, with ferret-like eyes, long crinkly hair, and a meagre moustache; both sharp, shix^Nol hun ers, but la ',y and cowardly to tlie last degree. Uiey had two horses and a waggon with a team of fourteen oxen, which 1 hired, giving them in addition half the skms and half the feathers of what we killed-the meat of course to be common property. The waggon was necessary to store our skins and hides in, and to carry a sufficient supply of water and meal along Avith us, as we mio-ht get plenty of game in one place and then go for days without seeing any ; and the same with water. The men were old hunters, and foretold plenty of hunting, for, although the long drought had driven the game Iway, the reports were that after the recent imiin once p:i'ts to lio will stick to you lottiMitots illV ii lot ealint^ ciittlo from ti'iit with that, fol- lies UH'U, too, for the treat them worse slaves ' dogs.' like the Hottentots, ir. )t of liiiits as to the s, what districts to on. In fact, from vv useful information . in all the published Bushman whom lie two Hastai'ds who xi)edition. Dirk and olonred specimens of ong crinkly hair, and , shrewd hunters, but ;ree. They had two ira of fourteen oxen, ddition half the skins ) killed. — the meat of f. The waggon was hides in, and to carry meal along Avith us, as me place and then go d the same with water. id foretold plenty of rought had driven the that after the recent Piiirc IM. My first Sal< '5' r.,i„. tl.-rc was ,.lf..t.v of »am,., .nul tl>" ff""" ""« „ Ik i» ilmn.i:m..,., wl.il. Uu, li,.sl,n,,.n who ft t;,..ir „„u,,Umunt,.t,o f..n.nv .1.- «nm,. Imd nol ; 1 , t., .UstuH, .iKMu. ^^ "ly ^^ '';'; , ,1. were aF,..ul or «■..,.,. Ho,. au,l M'-y «-"- ° ,,„ ,„y f,„. any cattle or horso. that n„},-la K^'t W.U.a, but. tliis 1 .Ifclinoil to 4lo. M.,k.f,.c That ni.rlat^an,, canio back to say timl .M M. k k .a „k.;in, aft,ov tbo rcpcatin« ,«,•, an,l a,ko,l . o u uW .K-otia.,. tnattcv, for mc. Hcon,,' "o-'-' outrrry, 1 a.sonte,,, an.l next .^ovnn.K t„un„ waitiM.Mbr me with the hovso an,l t.™ cow.s-amla Tix n ;,ths.ohl calf thrown into the bnrgan,-acon,,,l - Tent winch I acknowldsod by son,li„K the ch.el a .core of extra cartriagos f^r tho riflo. Il ;,er, bci,^ tln.s satisfactorily arranged, wc sfvrtcl our cavalcade consistinj; of two waggons, each ^: g twelve oxen, ri. spare beasts, two .ndch cows d calves, and four horses-not, forgett.ng fo.n- dog _an,l the attendant company of I-„ln and -y-l ; '' Kert, Jan, the two Bastards, a Kaffir, s« «-l;"'™ "^^ one Bnshworaan, who insisted on following herhnsba, d :lo of his children being in the veldt *" t";"- ^^ The conntry was of the same character as before, bn Srsal being now large enough for the catte ami horses to eat, we were not so anx.ous -^^^^^^ water In tact, we used the sama .inice as a substitute for Adam's ale, for everything but cofleo. tLc are two ways of extracting tl-^;™'- f^" the sama: one to cut them in P-«f ""f ''°'' 7"\ skimming off the solids and scum; the other-the real Chma,? fashion-to dig a hole in the sand, and budd a ftre in it, and when the Hre has been burmng some time to cow the glowing embers with a layer of sa„,l. 'ill 1 »^i«nawsS5r- ssia*«&i»i-i--"' »53 I low to cook Sama, As soon as tl.i« i« thorounrhly lu-ntcl, t-l.o liot mass i. uuslied on Olio Hi.lc, tlu' sivmu pilfd in ila place, m..! tiu'nljuiuHU)(>ncatl. it, tl>o uhol.. hrap InMnj-- covcml uitli a IVcsh layor of sand. Soni-tiines another tiro is lio-lited on ilu> top of tins. In any caso this " oven," Nx'ith its contents, is kit to cool down all ni^-lit, and next morning tlio sama arc taken out and eaten. The ta^te is not wo insipid as ono would think, especially if eaten with aUttlosuet— or, betti>r still, *> la Devonshire, with cream ; hut it suited mo better to htivo the roasted sama squeezed into a pail of water, and, leaving,' it to cool, to drink it mixed with nulk, which makes quite a refreshing l)everaj..e; in any ease the sama, whether eaten as a solid or a, Uquid, iiuenchcs the thirst better than water. Bu: beware of the bitter sama! Every now and then you will find a small fruit, (>xactly resembling the others in pvcrythinj? but the taste, which is so bitter that a couple of the smallest will spoil a whole pail- ful of water. Ono mornin^v the water was very bitter-— nndrinkable, in fact, by us— but the Bushmen drank it with a relish. This haiipened onco or twice, and then I found out that these epicures, when they began to eat a bitter sama, put it carefully aside in order to be squeezed into the pail, so that they might got coilee for breakfast ! After that 1 had every sama tasted before it was squeezed, so that " accident " could not bo ' uro-cd in extenuation. On this oleaginous seed the Bushmen, who live almost entirely on the sama in seasons of plenty, get as fat as pigs, not taking the trouble to hunt when they can find food at their feet. « (1, tlio hot mass Is I ill its ])laco, mid iciij) Immii^' covi'fcd lies jiiiothor tiro is cilso this " ()V(>ii," )wn all iiiKht, iiiid lit, and eatt'U, 'IMii' think, ('spc^cially if ill,//, la Devonshire, to htivo the roasted ■, and, leavins tl... nativ..s--M.U.n^ a m,ht k.:ul - A novel n,ang.r-A gn,ss...ov..n..l '• .l-s.,;, - ''^^-^-^^ ^^^T. seedB-A bercl of ^..n.s-bok attack...! In h„ns-l)ul au.l K . runawav-Ini.'.rsuitof L....-A nan-w ,.,.„i...-\\ .• luul .1.- lion impal.-l -m ll... ;4.nns-bok'« l.-rus -Skinuu...' ...r l.o..t.v-A l„„,.ly ni^'l.t-watcl.-A Strang.' iutru.l.T -~I an. .all..! .m, a niys- t.'viiius cnan.l. Game now became plentiful, especially gemr^-bok, which we saw oftener than anything else ; and so we kept the larder well supplied. Wc now and then came ncrossa lion's spoor, and so had to take extra precau- tions, tying all the animals together at mght, but no longer fastening the chain to the waggon, which woukl be sure to be npset in case of a stampede. One day, just a^ we had unharnessed for the night, a Bushman came up to the waggon saying he belonged to a party out hunting for gems-bok, who were camped not averv great distance away. He recognized K^a-t, who wanted me to let him guide us to their camp that mglit. But Dirk said " No ; we know the veldt better than he and it will not do to go further to-night. Besides, I know these people, and if they have been hunting so lone the game will be wild. We had better go by our- selves " So wo stayed where we were that night, and next morning moved on in an opposite direction, presently falling in with a gang of Bastard hunters- old friends of Kert's, who gave them along account ot the sights he had seen in England. He had seen iho jJ^BK5e«* V , - , Houses t/iiiiv-Jiir Storeys /i/o/i. (^leon, he said, who liad askc.l liim for a lock oflns l,:,ir, and ma in Mnu-hmd as beni-i- ],PVond all calculation. : as thick as the antsand grass- l,o,,,H'rs were on the vehlt, to say nothinjr of the animals. . , ,, "What soi-t of house does the Queen live m r '*' ''Ali,"y'>n should >ee it 1 It has thirty-five windows ,„,(• ab..ve the other ; like thirty-fivehouses put one on thr top of the other; and there are as many more uiuU'r tlu! (ground.'' " lie ! oh ! " was the oidy remark his listeners made ; l,„t when he went on to say that there are no oxen, but " the horses and wao:<(ons are so thick that you can hardlv cross the road," they K'^ve vent to audible expressions of doubt, an.l 1 had to be appealed to, to verify these statements. This being done to then- satisfaction, Kert continued,— *' You can walk for a day without seeing grass, lu.thing but stone roads and houses;" but he was pidled up short with a chorus of— "11a, Kert! we cannot believe that : how can all the horses live when the people outspan, if there is no p the lions away. To food the horses a " manger " was made on the sand, consisting of a lay(n- of grass a few inches thick, on which some sama were jnled, aiid then ])eaten with sticks. This new fodder " Lady " refused to eat, but the natives tau<,dit her to take to it l)y giving her some wild cucumbers— a short, thick, prickly thing looking hkt ' a huge caterpillar, but tasting just like our garden cucumber— and in an honr she was eating sama af though " to the manner born." \\\\v.n all was settled for the night I had a lool< round, to see that all was secure. It was a strang( sight to see the waggons and the long-horned cattl huddled np close together alongsid(s half lighted b; the fitful glare of the fire, around which flitted, like i black spectre, the figure of a naked Bushman, whil others either lay or sat near by, singing a wild, wein savage song, or telling stories of adventure. Kert wa evidently the hero of the evening, and never tired f relating the many things ho had seeti and done an heard, besides many that had never happened save i his fertile imagination. His early training in the m of the bow and arrow had evidently not been withoi its effect, for surely no traveller ever yet drew tl long-bow more skilfully than he. But even his tongi had need of rest, and after a time all was quiet, tv^ watchers being appointed to make up the fire and kei a general look-out for intruders. About 2 a.m. I was awakened by the barking the jackals, and crept softly out to see how thin were. The fires were all out and the watches aslec A large half-bred greyhound called " Prick-up" follow me as I cautiously descended and made a tour of t atif^cr. ood and grass would l)i' y. litter " was mado on tlic fi'ass a few iuclios thick, od, and then l)oaton with dy "refused to eat, but tlu> it V)y giving lier some wild )rickly tliiug looking like no- iu.st like onr garden she was eating sania as »> I. the night I had a look secure. It was a strange id the long-horned cattle^ dongsid(\ half lighted by •ound Avhich flitted, like a a naked liushman, while by, singing a wild, weird ?s of adventure. Kert Avas vening, and never tired of ! had seen and done and id never happened save in s early training in the nse evidently not been without aveller ever yet drew the in he. But even his tongue • a time all was qniet, two make up the fire and keep iders. rakened by the barking of tly out to see how things )ut and the watches asleep. 1 called " Prick-up" followed led and made a tour of the Our Camp. 157 camp. Not a soul stirring, n.)t a sound sav(> for the v.ffiug <.f the jackals outside. I made a co.nple e circuit of the camp without disturbing man or beast ; n„t even the other dogs heard us. A ho., could V^^ stolen in and grabbed a horse or a n.an as easdy as .t all their elaborate precautions had bee., left un...ade. Fortunately, however, Leo kept hisdistance that ...ght, and as I did not believe i.i the stories of l.o.isattackn.g a la.-e camp like o.irs, I refrained f.-o... dist...-bn.g the areH...s of the sleepi.ig blacks until an hour befo.-e day- li.rht, when the cattle we.-e u.doosed and a man toh. oft to watch the,n. At daylight the horses were set f .-ee, and the coffee was made. An hour after the s.m was up, we inspanned and rode u.itil eleven, when we hal ed for three hours. O.u- us.nd order of niarch was for t .e two Bastards to ride ahead to find sa.na a.,d h)ok ior .ra.ne, and select likely spots for camp.ng ; a...l )ust as tve were inspanning they came back to say they had found a la.-ge patch of sama a..d close by a troop of .oms-bok, one of which they had k.lled ; so two of the ijushmen were sent on ahead to skin and dress the am- ,„al and bri..g it up to where we should pass. Wheu we arrived they ha.l already eaten all the entrads ! ar d were cooking the feet. We were as pleased ;^« tJ^^'X ^o have a dinner of fresh meat, and the rest of the day was spent in cookh.g our di.mer, drying what meat was left, cutting bushes for the sker.n, gathei-i.ig and -brewino-" sama, and performing the hundred and one little offices attending a night's camp on the veldt. That night the sama was particularly sweet, and he Bushmen, who always made it their duty to co lect the fruit, had quite a feast till their stomachs were stretched to the last degree, and it seemed as it another mouthful would burst the skm. i=^S Cnrss, Crass, no ciifl of (irass. For tlu> next '.vi'ck nr so things went on (luict ly after the s:inie fashion as the hist few days. But sndtU'iily tli(>seeiie chunued. The ri(U>rs came baek and repcrted no sama to tlie north, and only a little to the west; tho next day we should come To hard .unround, an.l, from the distance •,ud«i-ed l)y them, it would take the waither sama, food, nor uras^, or to strike off to the east; ami, after hearinu- what they had to say, I made up my mind to ride with them across the hard ground, sli-ep there, and return next day. Our lives, and those of the cattle, depended upon knowing- exactly how matters stood. So early next mornini; I had" l^ady" saddled, :,nd rode otT. Hour after hour we passed through the same monotonous stivtch of interminrdile grass, o-rass, grass, with here and there a noi bush, or ;i Avhithaat boom. How could the Kalahari ever have been called a desert, with so much vegetation, such countless aci-es of grass, reaching now^ nearly to the horses' backs r Tho man who styled this country a "desert" must have worn sjiectacles that enabled him to see only the sand-hills— and them in an nnnatm-ally bare state— and to overlook the grass. Or was it the old stoi'N of— ('.fu^^iaphcis on Af lie's maiis AVith s;iv;i,t,'t> i)ictuivs (ill tlicir gaps ; Ami iM-r iiiiliubitalile duwiis Phu'<" I'h'phaiits for waul of towns'! Every now and then we would ride up the highes sand-hills, with tlie double object of surprising an; game that might be in the hollow on the other sidt ud of (i'r(7ss. liiii<4s went on ([iiiotly le last tow diivri. But •oportiMl no siiniii to tlic he west ; tlio next day 1, and, from tli(> vlistanco ' tlic \vau',i:;ons tlirot'days s wlu'tlicr it was l)rttt'r if lindin, tl.inu. . ^|.^^^^^|^, ,^,,^,,,, .,11,,,., '""™"H".bu ; J. I^l«. «„Hh «l,iU. 10 colled :;.;;;r'::n,.:.:u':i;ti:o..,.s u..^-iu.|.e.'.; :::i' m-^ > k'-z-x. ''--v •;;■: „: t, ;:.ili:';:n...s.n,n.a,,.Hna....on^^^^ „£aomelmll-b.»o> "U l i,,.,,^.^;,,, j,,, who had fonn.l «ab, ai> ^^ul .. _ ,■ ■ ., 1„ tlic liiinas of an onelj,'etlc umtt, . , 1 .,,i,f liore IS not so bail .is au ^iunn.. T "'tt" I tv • s it \:oM be providea .«.»- drought, in •"'> ^' ' » , ^ „ season. "y ^'"""" "■^- .^"f;: :: : :« t l4 ™nf..i, There are no nvers to cany •i4-*teSW*»*'»-»*»*'^'' ^sa3»,i»i* ;. -:i'^.^.t^-'~-'ivi^ri*'"'^-V^i'-* "'■*■!■■." '.". j>--'-.. i6o A he id of (ii-i)is-/>ok. Mild til.' watiT must soak tlir(»u^rli fo tlic litnostono suhstratutii; and wells to find tlir water, wiiidinills to ])iiiiip it, and rcMTVoii-s to store it, would eom])let(:ly alter the eharacter of the coinitry ; l>ut. without this the land nii^dit as well be, in stem ivality, what it is called — a " desert." My musings Avore suddenly cut short by tho si'jfbt of a herd of others, while T had fired six, I looked round to see why t.hey had all sto])ped, and found that not only had they .ounded the order "cease firing," but that thoy had bc>aten a retreat, and were already fifty or sixty yards distant, running over a sand-hill as though the d(.vd himself was in pursuit. " It must bo the lion, not the devil," I thought, though I could see no sign ot his tawny majesty. Turning to see if the horses were safe I found them, too, in full stampede up the hill to the riMit. Perhaps, after all, X was misjudging my faithfiU followers; and, instead of fleeing from the lion, they were in pursuit of the horses. Anyway, it was no use staying here, the gems-bok had all vanished ; those that had fallen, concealed by the long grass, and the others by this time borne on the wings (or legs) of fear far out of sight. So I followed my runaways as far as the top of the hill, where a better view of the surroundings could bo got. The dastards, with th(> horses, were half a mile away on the other side ot it. I beckoned them to come to me, and they beckoned me to go to them. For a time this signalling was without result ; indeed, instead of con.hig towards me they steadily widened the gap that separated us, so that at last I had to give way and run, in order to catch them up. At last I reached them, out of breath and out of U mper. No, not out of temper, I was in M #BAi^*:';^'Hf---f4^;i =• ' >■ :ti.. "*;!*":a(V^»<-^"^--- ^r,--';_-j.*-"^'Lji^(^^"- 1 62 " The Lions 7<>i7/ laf out- Ifoms. n full ti'iiipir, llic full hrtu'fit. of wliicli tliosr cowardly Hastards rcci'lvtMl, in my most toi{*il>k' AfrikaiidtT Dutch. They explained that they saw the horses in full stampede, «;oinj; alou.tr nf a ^'ood pace, their halters l)eiii<' very lo(»selv fastened to the knee, and two lions in pursuit ; so they had run alter the horses to save them. " Well, the lions are f'ri,t,'ht,ened olT by this time, so o(, wild fetch the saddles, so that we can got in our j^nime." " To-morrow, boss, not now. If wo go, dio loeouw vill oonser paarde fret." ("The lions will eat our horses.'') " Then take the horses to the to]) of yonder koppje. Leave them there, and wo will all go together aiul fetch the saddles." To this they assented, but so reluctantly that I was sure they would back out of it if th(;y could ; so, keeping Dirk witli me, and making him carry Klas's gun, so as to ensure both of them keeping to their word, I went slowly along the ridge of sand, in the direction of the spot where the saddles lay, keeping a good look- out for the supposed lions. Dirk tried to dissuade me from going after lions, game, saddles, or anything; but while he was spending his eloquence in vain, Klas rejoined us, and we all proceeded to recover the saddles, wiiich we secured without adventure. But nothiiif^ woidd induce them to go any further. They argued that we coidd get om- gems-bok to-morrow ; that tht lions would only eat the inside, and would leave tlu skins unhurt ; that they would be prowling around keeping an eye on their prey ; and, though postponiu(1 pace, their liiiltt'i's I ho kiu'i', and two hons lit t IT tliO horst'S to savu >ntMl off by this tinio, so tliiit wo can }^ot in our \ . If wo f^o, (lio leeoiiw ' Tho hons will eat our 1h> top of yonder kop])jo. vill all go together anil 80 reluctantly that I was if they could ; so, keeping lini carry Klas's gun, so keeping to their word, L of sand, in tho direction lay, keeping a good look- Dirk tried to dissuade me le, saddles, or anything; is eloquence in vain, Klas led to recover the saddh's, adventure. But nothing ny further. They argued jok to-morrow ; that the side, and would leave the )uld be prowling arouiuJ, ; and, though postponing undown, would take good died them. / mar/y shoot Dirk. 'f':, "Tie is a skellum lion, and the sicur must not go. The li.)n is bad-tempered, and will light ; for h(> would not have attacked tlu> grnis-bok if ho had not been disturbed in his afternoon sleep." jbit I was olxlunito. *' If you won't go, tluMi I will," Relieving Klas, as tho greater coward of the two, of his rith'?l worked my way slowly down the slope to the hollow where the gems-bok lay, carefully examining every bush and bunch of grass likely to eonc(!al a lion. Just as I got to the bottom of the sand-dum* 1 heard something moving behind me. Quick as thought 1 turned, dn.ppiug one rifle and bringing the other to the shouldei-. 'Hiere was nothing to be seen ; but I fancied 1 lur the manner of tho Bushmen, I found that the wind was blowing straight from us to the tree ; so we had to move very stealthily, for we were evidently close to M 2 — TWH^^5S,,^Jc:^>J:^5^.vr**NS^ . do«, myself. And so they slept the sleep of the just. There was no sign of fear on the,r faces as they lay snoring a duet, the sounds fortunately pa t ly smothered by the spriug-bok skins w.tU wluch they always envetoped their heads when lyu.g down o leer After remaking the fires, I looked at my watch and was surprised to find it was past two o clock. H "dnot seem midnight yet, and I rather questioned the accuracy of my watch ; but as it l>«'"--,;:,f, me a lie yet, and was ticking merrily away, I felt bound to believe'it; and called Klas and Dirk to awake might as well have called " spirits from the v,.» y deep." Not till I rolled them over with iny toot lid thev cease their stertorous music, and then they awoke in a fliirrv, snatching instinctively at their guns, wMch they ah4ys clasped under their right arm as they slept. They were somewhat unwilling to get up an! take their turn at watching and fire-making, and argued that as the first part of the night was the most dangerous, there was no need for them to keep awake tt is astonishing how often carelessness and cowardice are united in the same person. I told them they hii4 had their turn, and now it was mine; I »1'0"W '"; down to sleep, and if anything happened they were to call me: buJ if they failed in their duty, they must take the consequences. . It was broii daylight when Dirk came and wins- pered, " There is a man coming towards us. j:M?^':-rs%'^€-^^^^^ -=^- *^^- 1 68 A curious little A fan. J 11 an instant I levelled my glasses, not my gun, in the direction Dirk pointed to; and there, not a mile away, was a human form, apparently a l)()y, to judge by iiis height, and certainly a native, for he was naked : whether black or l)rown I could not clearly distinguish. lie was apparently alone, and made no attempt at concealment, for ho stopped every now and then to lay down his weapons — a bow and arrow, and stick, — and held out his bands, as if to say he was " a friend." As he di'ew nearer I stood up and motioned him to come to us ; and then there emerged from the thick grass, which had sometimes entirely hidden him, the funniest-looking little fellow I had ever seen : perched on two thin legs was a big, round ball, for a stomach, and above that another round ball, much smaller, for a head, whose wrinkled face proclaimed him a man, and an old man too. " Goen daag," I said, giving him my hand. " Goen daag," he rephed. And then the conversation abruptly ended. He had evidently reached the extremest limit of his knowledge of Afrikander-Dutch, for he went off into a series of clicks and chirrups, of which none of us could make head or tail. Dirk and Klas tried him with Koranna and Hottentot, but he understood them no better than he did me, or we him. Then he had recourse to pan- tomime. Pointing over towards the koppje, he made signs for me to go with him ; then he lay down, ami pretended to be unable to get up again. It was clear that somebody was ill, and that he wanted assistance. At the words " man zick" (" man sick"), his eyes glis- tened, and he nodded his head eagerly, repeating the words several times ; then, placing his fingers on my hand, he gave a grunt, followed by a shake of the head, [• Man. glasses, not my gun, in and tlioro, not a mile -►avontly a Ijoy, to jndg*^' ativo, foi* lie was naked : [ not cleai'ly distinguisb. I made no attempt at ery now and tlien to lay I arrow, and stick, — and say be was "a friend." p and motioned bira to imerged from tbe tbick 3ntirely bidden bim, the bad ever seen : percbed und ball, for a stomacb, ball, mucb smaller, for proclaimed bim a man, y bim my band. ibruptly ended. He had st limit of bis knowledge kvent off into a series of none of us could make tried bim with Koranna ood them no better than be bad recourse to pan- rds tbe koppje, be made ; then he lay down, antl t up again. It was clear lat he wanted assistance, man sick"), bis eyes glis- 'ad eagerly, repeating the )laciug bis fingers on my id by a shake of the head. A mystcnons Errand. 169 .s be touched bis own band. Evidently it was a win e ,„an who was ill an.l lying on tbe ground, unable b. walk. When I made signs that 1 would couie, the little old man made the utmost demonstrations ot delight and .)f impatience for me to r.-turn with hnn at oiice. Giving orders to Dirk and Klas to skin mid cut up the gems.bok, I filled my canteen with wa er •uid my " poc-k-'t-pistol" with brandy, saddled Lady Anna, and mounted. They tried to dissuade me from ..oing, suggesting that tbe little ape-bke man only Wanted to lead me into an ambush ; but, to their credit, 1 must add, offering to go with me. In this they were perhaps, as much influenced by tbe fe.ir of being left by themselves as of anything that miglit happen to nie ; but I put away their suspicions, pointing ou that the waggons could not be very '^^ ^f^ ^^^ adding that one of them might, if be liked, ride back to meet them, and bring them up without delay. I confess that, with a full recollection o the ate ot Mr. Harris, a trader who had been murdert-d by the Bushmen some time previonsly at Kang Pan, 1 had some shght misgivings myself; but it would not do to show any hesitation before my men; besides, the little dwarf seemed so earnest, and his actions all so natural, that I felt sure no treachery was intended On tbe way I let Lady Anna stop every now and then to Ret a mouthful of grass and an occasional sama. The poor beast was thirsty, having had nothing to drink since tbe day before; and it was wise, on my own account, to keep her as fresh as possibk in case of necessity. At every pause my guide looked round, beckoned me to come on quickly, and walked ahead looking pleased each time as I trotted along and caught him up. -^^^.^^=--,i.^-^,4:-;j-j;".iq.,:--^"^-'#'*'W-- 170 CHAPTER XI. Rescuiiij; a ilyiii},' man — Tlw sick Geniian tells his storv— Treacherous lliittcntnts— Left to tile on the desert — The everlustin^' satna — A wiliU'riiesH of hemitiful flowers — Si)rin},'-l)ok hewitched — Taking stock — A sea of grass — A night alarm— A visit from a party of lieehuana traders — A fantastical witch-doctor. Aftku going on about two hours in this way, the little man suddenly ran forward as hard as he could down a dune, and disappeared behind a noi-bush. I paused a moment to reconnoitre, but quickly espied the pigmy leaning over a man who lay curled up in a little space in the centre of the bush. By this time I was off my horse : the little fellow then stuck his head through a hole in the bush, and motioned me to enter that way. I tried to do so, on my hands and knees ; but the wait-a-bit thorns disputed my progress, and I was forced to wriggle through, snake-like, on my stomach. There lay a big, raw-boned white man, with pale cheeks, looking all the paler for the brown eyes that were sunken deeply into his head. Every bone stood out prominently in his gaunt frame : his parched lips tolil of fever, but his low pulse showed that a sti- nuilant was needed ; so, holding up his head, I poured a little brandy-and- water into his mouth. This revived him, and I could just hear him whisper, — "Mutter! ich bin sehr durstig." Poor fellow, in his delirium he was far away in his old German home, with his mother watching over him. Rcsciii^s: a Dying Man. i-i , XL mn tells his sturv — Treacherous I'sert — The everluslin;,' siuna — CIS — Si)i'in},'-ljok liewitched — nij,'lit alarm— A visit from a itastical witch-tliictor. hours in this way, the rd as hard as he could I behind a noi.bush. I jitre, but quickly espied n who lay curled up in a le bush. By this time I iUow then stuck his head id motioned me to enter n my hands and knees ; iputed my progress, and ough, snake-like, on my ^v-boned white man, with )aler for the brown eyes ) his head. Every bone ^aunt frame : his parched ■ pulse showed that a sti- Ing up his head, I poured his mouth. This revived m whisper, — • stig." I he was far away in his other watching over him. Ho asked for water, which I gave him, a few .Irops at a time ; and then suddenly ho broke out with,— " You black devils, you'll rob and murder mo I ^o vou won't ! I'm for you all ! I will kill you all ! Take that, and that ! " and then he raised his arms, as if in the action of shooting, and fell back exhausted. ] then prepared a dose of quinine, which 1 always carried in my pocket-book, and presently gave it to him, and sat by his side, while, in obedience to my sitly lay back quite contentedly. " I will be back pre- sentlv," I added, going out to fetch my blanket which was Strapped to my saddle. At the call, " Korap ! Korap ! " the pigmy quickly came to me ; and atter covering up the sick man, I made signs that 1 would Mi^i^i-ae'-i-Jai^^s 5Vt"='>.V"^-' •^^-^A' f^si ,^#-2 ih.=j/.^*i*?*"=""^V^""- i;2 Ih-iiii^ing the ITaj^'-gcvis to the Rescue. I'ido back to my Ciimp to got more watc>r, uiul return soon. There would l)c no danger of his being disturbed by animals in that thick bush, where he had evidently lain some days already. It seemed, indeed, as if the noi-bush was made for the purpose of protection a"-ainst wUd beasts. Nothing will ever attempt to get through it, and the bushmen have ouly to creep into a clump of trees, cut out the centre, and sleep in perfect security against any purported enemy. It did not take long to return to the camping-place of the previous night. My men had sighted the waggon, and Dirk had ridelen off to meet it, leaving Klas to cook some of the steaks into which the gems- bok had already been cut, and which were hanging out to dry. I was ravenously hungry, and steak after steiik disappeared, washed down with a drink of sama- water. Presently, " There comes the waggon !" cried Klas, ])ointing in the direction in which the sick Germai lay. This was fortunate; so quickly mounting the mare, I rode otf again, catching sight every now anc then of the top of the waggon as, like a ship in t heavy sea mounting a wave, it rose on the top of t sand-dune, to bo lost to view directly after as it rolled down the opposite slope. A few moments sufficed for explanations, and Lulu after looking out a tin of soup and a bottle of lau danum, rode off to the hospital-bush, whither th drivers were to follow as ipiickly as they could. B the time the waggon came up, we had cut down th n(»i-bush and carried the sick man out. He was in terrible plight: his hands and arms scratched an torn with the sharp thorns ; his hair matted togethe with blood ; his clothes in such rags that they fell t pieces as we lifted him. Korap looked on all the whi US to the Ri'sciic. iiioiv water, and return ?er of his bein of laudanum, which would prevent ns feeling the jolting of the waggon ; then drove carefully towar.ls the place where Dirk and Klas were left. It was a busy scene that was enacted during the ,^ext three hours, before darkness set in, on tl.it san( - ,lane in the middle of the Kalahari Desert. All hands were occupied-some enlargmg the laager; otheis skinning and cutting into strips the second gems-bok; others making flrc^s and cooking; and every now and then watching for om- patient to awake For Imn ^ e prepared some Liebig's extract of meat, with a ht le rice, which he presently ate like the starved man he was He wanted more, but he did not get it ; tor we ^ave him another dose of laudanum instead thirty drops this time, which kept him sound asleep all nifht. , 1 1 ii. °Early next morning he awoke, evidently much better. The fever had quite left him, and the only tlung to do was to help him to recover his strength. AVe had a hammock swung up, and hfted him into it, giving Inin for breakfast some porridge cooked m sama-Nvatci, a little bit of meat, and some boiled milk and coffee ; and with similar treatment he was able in three days to sit up and tell us his story-which I will translate instead of inflicting on my readers a long speech in a mixture of German and broken English. , , • ,, "My name is Fritz L , a German by nrth. For tlie last seven years I have been m South Africa as a smons (trader). My last journey was up mto Damaraland, trading powder and guns, knives beads coloured cloths, coffee, and other things ; and I had ^=S*^i*?^S®i^«*"*'=^^^^'^^'- , r1fl*jsP^''>*Jl^'-«*SSi-=-^ '- '74 Left for Dead. (lone well, mostly takiii<>; oxen in oxcIiati<,'o, as during tlif last few yi-ars tlio war bftween tlif Darnai'a.s and the Namat|iia Hottentots had beon unci'asin<,% and lew skins or feathers liad been hnnted for. I was retnrniiiu home with 2(><>oxen, besides my tean), and a few skin> and feathers, and by dint of hard ridinjjf had manat,'ed to escape the Xama»|uas and reach the Kalahari ; and when 1 had i,'ot on to the desert all dan<^er seemed past, 80 I was not so watchfnl as 1 had been. 1 had tei men with me, Hottentots, Avho seemed cpiite as anxio\b as I was to get oiit of the country ; but one niglil Korap, the little dwarf there, came to wake mo, anc pretending to fight, said, ' Hodnots ! Hodnots !' (' Hot tentots !'), motionnig me to ccmie out quickly. la once understood that there was danger, and jumpei up, gun in hand, and called my people, but they wen nowhere to l)o seen. Then I saw there was treachery " Calling out that I would shoot if the men di( not come at once, I ran to the front of the waggon and saw tha.t some of the men w^ere driving away th oxen, while othej'p were cutting the rchm. I fired a one of them, but after that I knew nothing more Somebody from behind struck me a blow on the head which stunned me, and when I recovered my senses, found myself lying on the ground, with little Kora by my side, as still and mute as a stone. I could nc make it out ; it seemed so strange for me to be lyin on the ground like that. When he saw me ope my eyes, Korap broke silence by exclaiming, ' Hodnoti vaar ! ' (' Hottentots, waggon 1'), and pointed out ovt the desert. Then I tried to get up, but found ra head was sore ; and suddenly the scene of the nigl before came back to me. I struggled to my feet, bi nearly fell with giddiness, and putting my hand t ' ■ ^fiW«t^«S^ii»-ii^^ Dead. II in cxcliivii^'o, as during t'twcLMi the Diinuu'iis iiiul been unceasing', and lew nted for. I was retnrniiijj; my U'iin), and a few skins hard lidinji; liad manat^ctl I'eacli the Kahihari ; and rtall dan<^ei' seemed past, \ 1 had been. 1 had ten seemed (jnite as anxious country ; but one nivake me, and idnots! Hodnots!' ('Ilot- 1 come out (]uickly. I at was danger, and jumped my people, but they were [ saw there was treadiery. Id shoot if the men did the front of the waggon, 3n were driving away the ing the ir litis. I fired at it I knew nothing more. ;k me a blow on the head, 1 I recovered my senses, I ground, with little Korap e as a stone. I could not trango for me to be lying When he saw me open B by exclaiming, ' Hodnots, n I'), and pointed out over to get up, but found my ily the scene of tlie night struggled to my feet, but and putting my hand to /.////<-' Korap. 1/5 my nock, while the other rested on little Korap, I found my hair all matted with blood. AFter a time 1 managed to l.)ok around, and found everything gone elean awav except my skin blanket an.l tin cup and a dciul Hottentot, lie must have been tho man I shot, and the black devils had evidently lett both ()f us f()r (U-ad. To follow the waggon was useless; in fact, it jueant certain death ; and I could get no redress. No (Sovernment woidd take up my case, for traders in this lawless district have to take their chance. Here 1 was left stranded in the desert, without food or shelter, or the means of obtaining either, hundreds of miles away from anywhere ; out of reach of water, aiul without oven a sama growing near. Only yesterday I was well- to-do, and to-day ruined and half murdered. Why hail they not killed me outright? anything would be better than to die a maddening death from thirst ! " Presently, however, with tlie cooler air of the even- ing, I felt stronger, and the hope of life became greater. Little Korap was safe and well, and would be able to find some kind of food even in the desert; and I resolved to try and get back to Quang. on the dry bed of the Little Nosob River. I knew my way about pretty well, and by going in that direction I might manage to in- tercept another trader, named Cann, who was to leave Daraaraland about a week or ten days after mo. This, too, would take me into the sama strip; so, motioning to korap the direction in which we were to go, I at once walked on a little way. " The worst of it was Korap could not understand a word of Dutch, and I did not know his language, although he had been with me two years. I bought him fi^om the Ovampos, while up there on a trading trip givino- a silk haudkerchief and a handful of beads «=»^La»'V««SS!>i^*^^ ^ r.-^ i-*:-^ ■*• "-i^a- *"'■*■' ■'■*^^''®^-"''-' 176 JuUing C/ity.ui//s. for liitn. The ()vani]ms told mo that ii tribe of tliose dwarfs, niUfd " Kara Kara," lived in a tract of country of the Hiitiio name, lyin^ to the north, and that Korap aTid a ir\r\ of about fifteen years of anf,. were the otdy ones left, out of a number they had taken prisoners durin 'ill's of fi^f were the only icy luul taken prisotuTs o\v. I took pity on tlu' ut of his horrid shivery L'iited him worse than a now be food for vultnrcs anco, wo came just before in which we managed to nonj^di to lie down. The > ])iU'd up overhead, and fter us as we crept inside, e. In this way we were of wihl beasts at night. >whng round outside, and e track, as tliey had gone "or a way in : but they r way through the prickly our first night in the bush we ate raw, and that was le evening, when Korap and some cocoons, with ve ate. We managed to d to make a small tire, in placed the sticks, with bout a minute, and then ered it to me to eat. I he had the first lot all to 1 one, and found it so good Iways ate them whenever /// Desperate Straits, >7' •• Hut ,lid you not get any otlier mec 'r There couhl „„t be much support in . "ch foo animals failed Korap nuule a bow ,„,l some pois,),ied arrows, lioping to kill some stein. Wok The poison he made out of s].iders, and gum which he collected from a small root; but, when he came to shoot, the bow-string, which was ma,le of .rass, broke, and Korap could not get any strong Enough to bear the strain. So we were reduced to livin- on roots, with an occasional samu ; and who her it w^s from eating so much of this kind of food, or whether it was from catching cold at night, 1 don t know, but 1 had a bad attack of dysentery, which made me dreadfully weak. We managed, however, to crawl to the rive^, when I was disappointed to find the fresh track of a trader's waggon going south, and I knew that Cann had passed. I was too weak to follow him np. ^"<1 t»^« '^"^^ ^^""^' ^° '^'' ^""^ \ trv and reach Lihutitung, where there is water, and wiiere Mapaar, the chief of the Bakalahari, lives. The rest you know; and I can only thank you and little Korap yonder for saving my life between ^''" But you were much too far south to reach Lihuti- tung. We are a long way from there now." "Well for once it was lucky for me that I missed my way and fell ill. Had I not, you would not have picked me up ; so that I look upon my last attack of fever as a God-send. But now I am here, the only V^f'WV' *-i->-^ws^ ^»ia-4»iVWli^"--''^-'--- ^.j(*^i.3SWn>t;»-,T="« "■-* **^* -■-■.ar.fjs&.-yft'r.i-; - .78 Cnnd xvith Hop Bitters. thiuj? 1 can do is to jret Avell and help you, unless 1 in the way." He at first seemed to gain strenpftli very slowly, with a daily dose of Hop Bitters he picked up rap and ga\o us the advantao-e of his ex])erience help with the greatest cheerfulness. As lie gii strengtli he made himself very useful, and was in i ways'than one a valuable acquisition to our party powerfullv-huilt man, standing six feet one in stockings', broad-shouldered, and with muscular iind hands, he remiiuled nu^ of the picture of the Vi Blacksmith, as he rolled up his sleeves before se to work. He was never idle, and was never so h as when doing something. He could cook well roughly understood the natives, and had a smatt of t'he Honenlot tongue, as well as of Dutch English; was fond of natural history, and h taste for entomology; and when he found tlw were travelling for pleasure and for the purpo exploring the Kalahari, and making collections fauna and flora, and especially with the obje finding out if the country was fit for cattle-ranchi a large scale, and, if so, to acquire a tract of for the purpose, he threw hl.nself heartily int project. His enthusiasm was particularly ar when I explained that we also hoped to asc the truth about the reputed pigmies of Lake N one of whom we had apparently so unexpe found in the person of his little " slave." " S did I say? Yes, slave! A human being, \ for a handkerchief and a handful of beac worth a shilling ! But that slave was happy, W( well cared for, and had greater liberty than thoi of "free and independent" dwellers in Eui j*-iri" *-'!•*»* .v*v>i-l=4j^"i> 'W«'"*W*.J(**i»%ft**«^-*««»«>'«»*^ »? h Hop Bitkrs. ■ell and lu-lp you, unless I am :ain stren in the empty water-barrels, but found that it invariably turned sour if kept over-night, and then its flavour was to us abominable. The natives, N 2 ,i •^'^sKifii'rrm-T.'fti?^'^'^-^ ■. *Mty^w*^!!>ir-=""*^*^'''*^ ,,^,-irSJi,f^-^ '•'-■■'■•■ ■■>^=««-*"^^-'"* :,'arr-s=S7'-""''»*>«"*"^'-' I So Desert Floroers. however, drank it ; and we made up our minds the next time we came into a plentiful growth of sama, to store at least a barrelful of it for their use. This was sooner than we expected, for next day we A OllOCP OF KALAHARI PLORA. .. -V got into a dense growth of ripe sama. This was quit a disappointment, for the water from the ripe plant i not nearlv so nice as that from the green ; besides, th cattle cannot eat it so easily, the rind being quite hare -.•--3 ...ris.^^sSJ^'S^n'^*-^^******" ■ 1 iiers. ladc up our minds tlic iful growth of saina, to "or their use. pectcd, for uext day we Poisoned Spring-hok. iSi UlABI FLORA ipe sama. This was quite iter from the ripe plant is om the green ; besides, the , the rind being quite hard, ™a fiUod with rtavk-l.rown soo,ls. Wl.eu in this st:,t,- the sama wiU lie to,- a j-.u- without .loeuvn.g, provded there is no rain. , Heve and there n,y attention was attracted b hun- ,lped, of n,aKnifieent hly-shal.ed flower., l.erfectlv v^dte -rowing, in thick dnster, of Hfty or s.xty on a 1 rten.,e::ch forn,in. a nu,st l.eantitul boncpu-t ; thered a nnnd,er of the finest W"-"-- ;""" ; "endins M.a „aa caused'the attack of coma which so -ariy proved fatal to me. The leaf, I now saw, was -actly bke the ki-ki leaf which the natives eat, and ni mistake for wldch I had evidently eaten some of tins potsonous nlant. The Bushmen called it i.ifvt»t '. '^%-iiJi-^'' ock. refiilly through it for a t the two Bastards who ead. Tlit'ir horses had gourds ; so, as it Avas ro no further tliat night, ning, and see which was a patch, or whether we r Lihutitiing. So next t out on horseback, and having ridden fourteen finding no sania three ridden on till they came Mapaar's town, which 3 top of a higli koppjc. loon the next day, so as st and a good feed ; and f the journey to Mapaar's would take us three days aiggon up with sama. I ihe long iialt to overhaul Our patient was by this ^in ; he had picked up ide him foreman of the gust; but the old guide ountry we were passing trol of the two Bastards, 36 on them, and still more He persisted, however, ch they as persistently had dwindled down to 1 therefore handed every- started by taking stock mlt being the following Our Inventory. 183 2 wai^'-jons. •2 scrcw-jiick. 50 oxcri. 2 cowv. •2 v'alvcs. 4 liorsosi. 4 (l(i;;s. 1*2 ox-y«ikfS. •2 tivk v\\\\w^- 40 strups f"i' '^^f""- 40 vokf stay stmi)-*. :}7 ritl.'s 1 shot-gnn. ir),00(>l.niss .ivvtvidi^fs for Ain.- ricun k"'"*- . . .... I -200 ditto f.)v Martini s. Curtis iintl HarvfV iiowilcr. 1 shnt-guu ciusc with all tools. •2r)0 cartritliji's for shot-gun. 2 bags shut. 2 tiohl-ghisses. 1 2 awls. 6 Liinvas-needU'S. 24 pocket-knivi's. 12 largi' hutchcr tlitto. 12 mouth-organs. 1 concertina. 12 brass timhT-boKcs. 40 lbs assortetl beads. 12 sheets. 15 blankets. 2 rubber rugs. 2 ditto coats. 4 cups and saucers, enanielh'd iron. 4 plates, ditto. 6 knives and forks. 18 spoons. 1 screw-hammer. 2 large tin pails. 2 small ditto. 1 pick. 1 shovel. 1 saucepan. 1 pot. 1 kettle. 1 frying-pan. 1 broiler. 1 axi". 1 liirgf dish. 1 Huiall ditto. 2 saddles. 2 liridlcs. 2 riding-whips. 2 sad Ih- bags. 2 wells for ritli". 6 oz. (juininc. 8 oz. laudanum. 10 oz. sdlplmric acid. 2 liDXt's Epsoia salts. 1 bottle I'astor oil. 1 glass droppt'V. llalf-hottlc swui'toil. Half-b(»ttl<'. gun oil. 6 till cups. 10 tin plati-s. 2 lbs. nails. 2 packets tacks. 2 balls twine. 10 lbs. soap. 2 ten-poun.l jars arsenic soap. 2 bowie-knives and belts. 1 revolver, n dozen eau-de-Cologne. 1 lantern. 8 lbs. candles. 2 cork-screws. 20 spriiig-bok skins, 1 jackal ditto. 1 "steiii-bok ditto. 1 genis-bok ditto. 4 eland ditto. 12 gcms-bok tails. 1 hen's skin. 1 ostrich ditto. 2 lbs. feathei's. 8 gems bok horns and he ids. 6 8teiu-bok ditto. 1 iguana skin. 6 snake ditto. 8 boxes of insects. 1 Iwttle vegetable poison. 115 packets seeds. I bag bulbs. Half-bag cracked wheat. Half-bag flour. 10 lbs. rice. jj ^^ay'^^'^^^C^M^Xi \is-i^. :.*',='JSii*t»tA*s. .«\ij,'iir. Half-pound tea. ■J small l)a^s,,fj)cciinensof rock. 1 largi' sail, tont top. 2 whips. 5 l.a^'s. ]() hi id skins. 1 hundlo, sainpli' of difft'ivnt l^rassi's. 1 haski.'t. •J huttles Wovci'stor sauce. () sciit cushions. I 1 )!!{,' cniiity caitridf^cs. 1 wati'i'proof lug-cdvcr on a strap. ■J hainiiiucks. 1 auj,'cr. 1 liaiiinu'r. 1 sorcw-driver. 2 dozen assorted holts. 1 lmi;ket waggon },'rease. i camera and lenses. 2 sqiiiire hoxes dry plates. 1 tripod. (■) towels. \'.\ yds. Turkey red. 2 do/cn cotton handkerchiefs. 2 lelii^ths rope. 4 Icatiier ha^s. t< planks for seats and heds. 4 ]iMir vclt scoous. •J watcr-ha<.;s. 2 shoulder-straps forcartridgi'S. i Hat liarrel of water. 1 ipiarter ditto. 1 larj^e ditto. 1 chain for hrake to wagyon. t< raw-hide straps. 2 valises. 1 toilet-bag. 2 heavy overcoats. 1 light ditto. 1 gimlet. Thread and needles. I'ens and ink. 12 lead pencils. 1 hag cut tohaceo. 12 Ihs. plug Cavendish ditto. .■5 dozen boxes matches. 100 pipes. 2 rolls lioer tobacco. 1 bag ditto. 1 hag gun-caps. 8 silk handkerchiefs. 1 case Hop r.itt(!rs. Of all the live-stock, what gtive us the greatest comfort was the two cows. If I had the journey to perform again I would take six cows at least, and strain the sjima through them before drinking it. The country gradually became more and more level. Its gentle undulations, only broken here and there by a distant Icoppje and covered with ripe grass, resembled the gently-swelling bosom of a golden ocean, the similitude being heightened c^ the ripe ears of the grasses, bowing before the breeze, flashed from their under-side ti silvery light, like .'>e inoon-lit ''.«»i»,>j(??6*r-ii4**w'^-'Ti-i5«Lf I sJrr»jr.-**:'c^-*iiat«sS.^^'»»»***^^**^ »-F«fa^-^qw» «-K *^ftg-'t:fe.a S:£^*3^E*e*'^a*^*iSV';(i«4iii.rt*<#t«=^*-^-*'^'^ mil. (5 towi'l-i. ."? yils. Turkf-y rrhed out, and was soon at close .p.arters wtth some unsee.i foe for the night was ch.tidy and we could distingu .h ,u.thin-. Guided, however, l)y the noise, Lubt Fritz, and 1, closely followed by little Korap, sem-d our guns and were making for the scene o combat, when we heard some one shouting " Ktn nach hetkong hoolab," which was transhded into " Don t shoot we are friends," by old Kert, who m reply asked how many they were and what they wante.1. Ihey saul they were four Bechuattas, hunters and traders, with two trek-oxen, and that they had seen our fire and would like to come and camp near us. As the brie parley proceeded, Kert and one or two of the 1 est vho had hitherto kept at a safe distance behind us, came forward, so I told Kert to offer the new arrivals rricoml, and calling " Bull " off , we all fell back as the latter advanced. The first distinct objects to emerge from the gloom were the heads of two oxen, with horns big enough for four and then their bod^s. laden with pots and kettles, skins and bags an odd assortment of produce, raw and manufactured Nex came two stalwart Kaffirs, as black as ebony, the firs^ sign of whose presence was the gleam of their white, ivory-like teeth, and the sparkle of their dark eyes as the firelight fell upon them. The third man o the party was dressed like the others, in rough corduroy garments ; but behind them came a copper-coloured «p» s ■ly*'?^'^^^^*'^' "^ 1 86 -^/ fantastic i^-iggcr- individual most fanta.stically arrayed. Over liis shoulders hung a large skin, which scarcely concealed the remnants of an old shirt, once probably white, but now alm(»st the same colour as himself; on his head ^vas an old felt, conical hat, on the apex of which was stuck a ])unch of ostrich feathers, while from one side of it was suspended a woollen hanging bird's- lu'st. His arms and ankles were decorated with rows of bangles of iron and copi)er wire, to the jangling of which was added at every step the rattle of strings of dried cocoons suspended from the knees. On his neck were rows of many-coloured beads, with here and there clusters of lions' claws, hyenas' toe-nads, wolves' vertel)ra% and prominent among all a b\inch of three-cornered bones, ormimented with hierogly- pliics, with a rude bone cross as a central peudant. Each man carried a knobkerry in one hand and an assegai in the other; but they soon assured \\% of their friendly intentions by shaking hands all round with every member of our party, omitting only us three " white men," and then delil)erately s(piattingon their hams, according to the custom of their country, as a sign that they wanted something to eat and to be friends. The only symptom of hostility was displayed on their side by one of two curs following at their heels, whose ear was torn and bleeding, and on our side by " Bull," who evidently was the author of the damage, and who eyed his quondam adversary a , if he would like to finish him off then and there. Call- ing " Bull " to order, I had some food given to our visitors, and then commenced a long pow-wow be- tween them and Kert. It was at least half an hour before Kert could tell me anything about them, for they ate and talked continuously, asking and answer- -^■taaitwi^twKiiisik^*' >£^«*fls!V-^^-'-tS?:«ft^^uldbeableto^ttrom them ai^thing we wanted, for they had coffee and Uacco^owder and lead, and other merdun. -, which they w..ldbe....u,st<>^^^ morning. " Above all, s.ud Jvut, ^'-^ ,. to tell lis where to get game and sama, and N>heit the little people are to be found." „ - Ask him who the old rag-and-bone nun is ^^Mividual thus i-verently alluded to turned out to be a «o.»,. Mn other word^ a w.h^h-^^o. " He will tell us whether our expeditum wd be m cessful," explained Kert, "whether the l.ons ^ U cessim, F attributed the attack our cattle — ni tact, lo power of foretelling anything and everytlung ^ Lulu suggested that we had better haul up the fetar .,.d Srpes or the Union Jack, and "annex' the ::^.^rt:ensticklnn.upasa.ca.^-^^^ side our camp every night; but, t ^f^^^^^"^^ spectful, Kert and Dirk made amends by the awe with iSS Soi'inu^ Of //"//'■//■(/('<■/('''. whicli they ("vidcntly n'<,Mnl('(l tlu> simiiin, for thoy i-!mu> imd seriously iulviscd mo to p» the first tliiiij,' in the inoniiiiLr mikI C(»nsult tliis miracli'-worker !il)oiit my futinv inovi'iiUMits. Forcsi-eiiifj: tliat 1 mif^lit bo iililc to turn such an interview to advaiita^^e, thou<,^lj iKtt periuijts in the way Kcrt and Dirk intended, I promised compliance, and spent the next half-hour with Lidu rehearsinjr tjio part I intendef*' -.JlpKHif, i-A»- ch- doc tor. 1 8c I'd the yoiiiiid, for tliey 9 to go tho Hrst tiling in s iniriicli'-woj-ker iilxmt, 'si'iititr tliat 1 might ho w to iulviiiitiige, tlioiiglj i-t jiTid Dirk iiitcndi'd, 1 pent tlio luxt liidi'-lioiir t 1 intoiidod to play at 11 tlu> iiu-aiiNvhilo 1 could Iking of tlu' wonderful iii'hKjiti, as tlii'se ini- i tongue — and even after .'d to bo asleep. I could I'ocounting the instances • own notice, where the d wonderful cures, sur- Bitters, und where their ,'vil alike, had come true. CHArTKR XII. th.. tul.l..s on tl... ..,„uun.r-No..plu.sn,.' th. ...,',.■; <«„ tl.. tmihlc ,lisai.i...iulnH.ut-M«kinK tl.e Ik-hI -f >t-lh-.nK l-. ^vat..r--A .l..M.vt..a Bali.k.um,.- A linn «pnnKS ,nto ourrum,.- llowth.. na,iv..sn>ake L.ther-Nativ.- .vaU.v-Wan.rB-At I.hu- titung-A i-r-sfnt from Mapaai— < •">• hrsl ball.. Earfa- in the n).>nnng I ^vas awakened from a con- fused dream, in which Kerr Frikoll, Dr. Lynn and a bhK-k conjurer played tho principal parts and found Kert at my side entreating me to be the first to in- terview tho witch-doctor. On our way towards the clunii. of bushes where the xonnja and his com- panions were ah-eady on tho move, skinning two ackals, which they had trapped during the night m their steel traps, and cooking them for their morning s meal, Kert confided to me that although ho knew the .vhite man did not believe in witchcraft, he and Dirk were firm believers in it. It was oou.erlch^h [onv belief), and he begged me to say nothing, but to leave l.i,„todoall the talking. To this I wdbngly con sented, and Kert took his seat quite happdy-and I am bound to add quite ^^-^^^^^^^^'^ the great fortune-teller, with a half-fnondly, half-.ub- mislve air. We found Klas and Dirk ali-eady there, squatted on their hams, and forming with the others a lllf-circle round the great man. There was dead silence for a few minutes after our arrival, bioken ic)0 i^ur Fortunes aic tohL I only by lli<^ •""♦tlo of tho old Wonos mid otluM- ('liarm>* of till' witi'li-.loctor, as ho sorted , oast thom on tho ^n-oiind. As tln'y ^v»'iit down his <^s(^' halls wont up, till nothing' hut tho whites was visible. Thou ho smiled, and, Itowin^' his head, picked up the bones and cast thom to th«» earth again, this time jiiuttoriiig some unintolligiblo gibberish as ho arranged them with his forofingor. Thou, suddoidy looking up, ho laughed— and such a laugh ! The corners of his mouth kissed his oars; his lips stood apart till nothing was visible but his great white tooth and v^A gums ; never before did T so fully realize the idea of a man " laughing all over his face." Then, suddenly relax- ing, he a(idres3od himself to Kert, who translated the utterances of the oracle into AfrikanJ^-Al=to»*.*^**%f»S*3S,««=tJ^ (vr told. ones iind otluM* c'liarm!< sorti'd i>\it tlioso iiKist Kcrt must liiivc told liim '11(1 uiiou liiiii t'(tr luh ici'. iiicss-like nir, as tlii'Ui,'li tcil by iv soU'ct party of him ilivulgo tlio dreatl lie rosy ■svciit down his oyc- t the whites was visible, his lieail, picked up tlie >. earth again, this time gibberish as he arranged len, suddenly looking up, ^h ! The corners of his )s stood apart till nothing te teeth and led gums ; I'ali/iG the idea of a man Then, suddenly relox- Kert, who transhited the Afrikan"«• ' *'^'^'! nicking one up between my right forehnger and ; S pretended to pass it mto my left ham, while really palming it, a U Dr. Lynn, in the nght ; now placing my left hand over my mouth, I made violent pretence to swallow the bone. During the spasniodic efforts to get outside the bone. I sidled up to Kert who was standing close by with eyes and nvouth and coat-pockets wide open, and, dropping the bone into one of the latter, showed him my hands, and aske piece of lead the chief of the party earned with him, and by which they all set great store as a charm. In return I asked him to describe the contents of my waggon. Whether the xovmja attributed my powers to the possession of his old bones or not, I don't know, but he was evidently uneasy about them, for, as soon as I had finished, he beggedKertto ask me to restore them to him. . J, "First let the fioeinia give me back my knife, I said, and, looking him straight in the face, held out my hand for it. With a sickly smile he protested that ho had it not. It was with his bones : for had not the Avhito man swallowed it too ? " Let the soeni/a search himself first, before he says he has it not. He says what he does not know," 1 replied, and, every eye being turned upon him, he began slowly to look for the knife. When he found it in the horn, where Lulu hud placed it, his countenance assumed an expression of the greatest wonder, and I'm positive his black face turned pale. Never did I see a nigger look so non- plussed. He seemed quite afraid to hand it to me ; but I had not quite done with him yet, so, as I reached over for the knife, I dropped a half-crown into a fold of his skin blanket, and, stepping a few paues back, produced another coin, on which I made Kert scratch a cross with the point of my restored penknife: then, making the usual " pass " from one hand to the other, held up my fist and told Kert to blow upon it. Of course, when I opened my hand the half-crown was gone. The >^oan!/a was inclined to be indignant when I told him to search himself a second time ; but, as he moved, the other half-crown rolled from his blanket to the trround. 1 smoothed him over by extolling his Wsii!S»5-;*«.?»!?i'«t«6«f*»t;.KJ- i'»rt-«'.>*iSr<»!*i«»-'*i»* . 194 Our Visitors suddenly Vanish. powers as a witch-doctor for being able to take the coin out of my closed hand, and then promised h.m his oUi bones back a-ain. Taking off ol' Fafiis/i. 'ing able to take the coin •n promised him his ohl ohl Kert's hat, I hchl t, with a few contortions placed the hat the wrong Id him to jump. As ho 1 a stick, and called the md into it. Kert was what surprised me was new that all he did hini- shown signs of real fear hand into Kert's pocket cherished charms. The Kaffirs immediately o-reat " wealth " of mor- had talked so big, con- )f green coffee, 2 lbs. of 3aps, a pound or two of about as big as a man's i rolled up separately in of the oxen, while a few iwls hanging outside, pro- , looked like the remnants after a hard winter, that breakfast was ready, 'om the Kaffirs where the was the best course for lur laager, Lulu intending i photograph the rag-and- s just before starting with hen he got back he found lying a word to any one. certained that there was nr Pan, about a day and a T/ic K'^ung-fncs. 195 half to the north-east, in the K'gung Forest, on the borders of which we had been travelling for some days. This route would take us to Lake N'gami, a little to the west of whicli there was a tribe of " little people" known as M'Kabbas. Klas and Dirk both said they knew the Pan referred to, and added that if there was any water in it we should be sure to find a wandering tribe called Balala there, gathering the large water-melons {mtUKjntan) and Kaffir corn. These hopes raised our spirits high, and in an hour alter breakfast wo were on the march again. The very oxen seemed to smell the water, or at least we imagined so and we drove on till quite late at night, merely outspanning to give the animals a rest. We were now ncaring the forest, and the trees became so plentiful that, in the bad light, great care had to be taken to avoid running against them. The soil was much the same— sand covered with thin long grass- but the prevalence of trees gave the country the appearance of an English park, many of them re- sembling an old well-grown elm in appearance, iho k'ffuncr-tree, from which the forest takes its name, is very similar to the gira..e-tree, of which a few were scattered here and there. At a distance the difference between them is hardly noticeable, but the k gung- tree has a short hooked thorn, dark in colour, while that of the mimosa is long, straight, and white. The k'gung-treo under which we outspanned con- tained a most remarkable specimen of the nest of the sociable fink, a small bird something like a sparrow, numbers of which take a joint-stock interest in a huge nest built under one roof, but divided, like work- men's model dwelling-houses, into separate tenements. Stretching from branch to branch of the tree was a 2 si.«as*tti««i«s«ii«*»'^«'****««i*»»*^* * I c)6 A niiifs nest u'cio/iino- ammmm»iMmmiiB»miiii^mmtit^i'maMB^i^e' //i,'- n Ton. her into a douse mass, iiif' more tliati a ton. jof.like structure, you lulreds of holes, from )f bright eyes. This ive been the Avork of led to year after year, Thirsly f. II lit. 10" 3EAK. built beneath the old. li of the tree, taken by iS appearance. From a mbrella. .'clock, we arrived at the st, found it had recently liout water so long, we had built crreat hopes on our arrival at tins spot but now we were worse off than ever. No water, and not a sama within miles of us, f,)r we had -ot out of tho sama belt. Disappoint.ne.>t was depicted on every face, and poor Lulu was in despair, llo^nftere.l more than any one from the want of water, for, whde tho vest of us could manage to drink the san.a juice as a substitute, he could not , hard wurk, You and I will nuvor be friumiw, was the burden of their song ; and the bulk of tho labour fell upon us three white men. A European could stand more hard work in the hot sun than half a dozen of these lazy loafers. A Bushman is a born idler ; far harder to get to work than a pure black : he is very good to fetch and carry, and will hunt well on foot, but is totally luifitted for anything like labour; in fact, does not seem to \mderstand it. However, we managed to get a pit dug, in which we let the water settle before filling our barrels, though tiie milky colour still remained; but anything was better, Lidu said, than the sticky sama mucilage. On tho other side of tho Pan wo found the deserted kraals of some Balalas, who, when the water failed, St»t.^u,f*aaB(B«HS»it«»5 ground beneath liini. A boy's toot protruding told me that it was Klas that was thus tiy-litlv held in the lion's \iy\\>. Not a moment was to be lost if the boy was to be saved, but I kjiew not what to do. On one side was the lion, on the other an impassable noi- bush ; if I moved towards the waggon, the lion would see mo ; in front was the smouldering fire. lla])pily, the sudden thought struck me that lions were afraid o^ lire. There were but a couple of half- charred sticks lying on the embers, and making one jump I seized one of these, and ranuned it right under his tail, at the same instant kicking the hot coals over the growling brute. Instantly, with a growl, the lion loosed his hold of poor Klas, and made three bounds, alighting on the shoulders of our black wheel-ox " Blombei'g " tearing him down to the ground. By this time nearly all the liushmcn had seized guns and fire- brands, and boldly rushed forward to the rescue. Bang! bang ! went hhot aftei* shot, but the lion heod^'d neither shots nor shouts, but with low growls clung tenaciously to his prey. Then I heard Lulu's voice from the waggon, calling me and asking if I was safe. " Never mind me ; shoot ! " and his second ball bowled the lion out. Quickly making some torches of dry grass, we cautiously approached, and found the lion with his claws still sticking in the shoulders and neck of the bullock, but quite dead. Lulu had shot him through the eye. We pulled him off the ox, who to our astonishment gave himself a roll «and stood quietly up. Our next thought was of poor Klas. Going back to the scene of the lion's first spriiig, we found him o ••>*B!«S«eff'«J ' nmmmmmm Alas. osc to my face, and .'ct that lay on tlu» foot protruding told HIS tii'litlv held in the \ to he lost if the l)oy not Avhat to do. On icr an impassable noi- k'arn, we carefully exami.ied him, and found his face a little scratched, some ugly wounds in his thigh, evidently from the lion's hind claws, and his. shoulder out of place, but forttmately no bones broken. The dislocation was soon set right, and then we carefully washed an.i dressed his wounds. All that he could tell us was that while he was getting a light for his pipe, sonie- thing struck him on the head, and then crushed lus face^nd chest into the sand, while tearing at his legs. He guessed from this that it was a lion, and had time to cry out once before his mouth was buried in the sand. Keeping his eyes shut, he did not venture to look up, even when the lion had left him, for he ex; pected him to return every moment. Klas was of course the hero of the evening, and came in for everybody's sympathy, but, considering the narrow escape he had had, he was really not so much hurt as frightened; and he felt sur'3 that, if the lion had nob kilted him, we had broken his shoulder, for " he felt it crack when we pulled it so." On comparing notes, it appeared that Fritz was the only one of our party who had gone to get a gun, and it was he that had fired at the lion as the bullock was attacked. Kert and Dirk simply ran off, and hid themselves in the waggon. Lulu, whose aim had proved so sure, was in the waggon asleep, but was awakened by the terrific 1 oar of the lion. But there was still something to do besides talking. Blomberg's wounds, though deep, were not past cure, and a few stitches in his shouldei-, and a mixture of 202 Sfampiik of Oxen. tiir aiul grease from tlie wafjgon-wlicels as an ointment, promised, with a few days' rest, to put liim in harness again. The rest of the catth>, however, wei-o not to be seen anywhere. Tliey had stampeded, and the rest of the night was spent, torch in hand, in searching for them. Not one did we find that night, but the constant movement kept us awake, and the lights served to keep off any more imwelcomo visitors. It was not till midday that the Bushmen succeeded in recovering the missing cattle, and two hours later wo inspanned and, christening tlie spot " Lion's Surprise," shook the dust of the place from off our feet. The Bushmen dressed Klas' wound twice a day with a pulpy kind of weed, which was very cooling and healing, and he was soon able to bear his weight ou his leg. He was looking forward to a speedy recovery, being anxious to be well by the time we reached the country where the elephants abounded, as ivory was a good price, and was the only thing besides feathera that paid to hunt. The skins of animals arc not worth the trouble of carrying, except to Bastards and natives, who have to tan thein before they are sold. The giraffe skin ia the most valuable, the thick parts, off the back and neck, being cut into strips for soles of boots, called n-ldt schooiiH, which the natives make themselves ; the other parts are cut in narrow strips, which when dried are shaped into whips. The mode of tanning is to roll the skin up as soon as it is taken off the animal, when the heat of the sun causes decomposition to set in and the hair becomes loosened and is easily pulled off. The skin is then stretched out to dry for a few days : then it is mois- )xen. -wlieels as an ointment, rest, to put him in ) C!ittl(>, however, were y Imd stampetled, and ont, torch in hand, in diivii::i' Inoiihcs. sliowin*,' tlu'ir fi^'uiva off to mlviinta},^'. Some, witli iv biilty sh-ii|)|uMl to tlioif bat-ks, wvvv partiiilly fovoi-c-a uitl'i a skill sliawl; otliiTS, cvidctitly tlio uiiiiianicd niai.lcns, wore iiotliinjjr but- a Ixiiicli of short conls, like Icatlicr slioc-st ring's lianj^'iiH^' in front from a Imo fastfiunl ronntl tlu; waist. Sonio of tlifin, on H<-oin^' ns, s(iiiattoil bcliinil a bush to bido, while others raa on in front and cTitcrt'd their hnts. As wo entered the vilhijro— if a fev scattered hnts co\dd be so called— dozens of naked children of both sexes, and of all sizes and af,'es, from two n]t to fi.nrteen, camo ontsido and gazed silently at ms, standing as still as statues, and never rei)lying by word or look when we si)oke to them. Near the centre of the ]>laco wo halted, sending K(M-t forward to annonnei- oiw arrival to the chief— Mai)aar by name— and ask permission to out span. Returning in half an hour, Kert brought with him several women, laden with ealal ashes and tortoise-shells fidl of Kaffir corn and imunded melon seeds, witli four large melons and a supply of a kind ol spirit distilled frcm the corn. With the women wen two men, appointed to show our ox-carers the way to j spring where they were to water, and point out j pan where wo could bathe. Having presented theii offerings, the women retired, and we were left to our selves "the rest of that day, not a sonl coining nea ns either to trade or, more' wonderful still, to beg. The first thing we did was to make the iii> st of ou bath— the first we had had for weeks. It was a bath t be remembered in after years. To drink sama-wate is bad enough; but to be condenmed t- wash in it i worse, and this was what we had to do for week together. After every ablution it is i cessary to xm sand to get rid of the mucilaginous Huul. The ham ':m&!V4 lvantiihice we 1 to announer oiu- arrival le — and ask permission to an hour, Kert brought xlen with cahil ashes and ;orn and ])ounded nieUui- and a 8U])ply of a kind of 1. With the women were our ox-carers the way to a water, and point out a Having presented their , and we were left to our- not a soul coming near wonderful still, to beg. a to nuike the nu st of our )r weeks. It was a bath to rs. To drink sama-water .'ondcnuied t' wash in it is we had to do for weeks tion it is i cessary to use lii"-inous fluid. The hands A Mfs/t U'iffi SaiiHi'Walcr 905 „.,, „,ns and legs will stand tins treatn.ent wU ,„ough; but tlu.taee. exposed aU day to the scorelnng .un is too tender to b. snhjeeted to the use ot th.s ,ou.du.st of rough " towels." The consequence ,s that tlu.l-aee has to go unwashed alt..g.«ther. I once trie.! ,lu. etTect of washing my face with sama-water. ^ly l,,anl, which I had allowed to grow for some weeks, ,vas glne.l into a sticky mass, which the hot^ sun ,,,„c.nte.l so fast that 1 could hardly pull it apart, lo shave it otr was impossible, th.> varnish of san.a be.ng too hard for anv ra/or to penetrate. Xo amount o ordinary bathing wo.d.l disintegrate the mass, and 1 was almost re.luced to the indignity of keeping a pan of boiling water hung under my chin for the purpose of brinIIU»HI- V ,ii0Hi msim - :fM \-m'4 2o6 A Present from the Chief. Next morning, early, an ox was brought to o waggon, and then and there slaughtered, dressed, ai hung on the branch of a tree. It was a present fro the chief, to whom we shortly afterwards sent Kert announce our intention of paying a visit. About t o'clock we were received in a small court in front the " big kraal," a thatch-roofed, circular hut, ma of poles stuck \ipright into the ground, interlac with grass and then plastered over with clay, in t centre of which sat the chief. ►sifea?a»>.cfc;;w35aia:;awe«s«i^fe%<«»**tft om the Chief. I ox was brought to our •e slaughtered, dressed, and ee. It was a present from ftly afterwards sent Kert to paying a visit. About ten L a small court in front of -roofed, circular hut, made ito the ground, interlaced :ered over with clay, in the ef. 201 CHAPTER XIII. An interview with the chief-A royal be<,-ar-Marvi.go mnaeoa^y- A visit to ;Mai)aur's gar.len— Curious hcvcra-cs-^rapaar enjoys a drink of Puu-de-ColoKne— Housc-huil.liiig spider— Mapaar m- xites us to a hunt-I offend my I5laek l!eauty-lIow to make thick milk— Hunting the gems-hok— The disappointed photo- grapher—Distributing the spoil. Not a word greeted us as we entered, Mapaar merely motioning us to sit on the skins scattered in a half- circle in front of him. Having duly squatted, I made a signal to my two Bushmen to bring forward the present I had bought for the chief— two bright- coloured striped woollen blankets, which I solemnly laid before him. Still never a word deigned Mapaar, not even a look did he condescend to cast on ray gaudy gift, and I had time to take stock of him— a big, heavy- set ebony nigger, about forty years of age, with an intelligent face, characterized by all the cunning of the Kaffir. Kert was the first to break silence; with many gesticulations, and evidently with frequent references to myself, turning half round every few minutes, as if appealing to me to corroborate him, he held forth for fully twenty minutes, and then, evidently satisfied with his effort, sat down with the air of a popidar orator resuming his seat amid the plaudits of the assembled multitude. But no sound greeted Kert's speech ; what he said might have been very beautiful and very true ; on the other hand, it might have been .i!»^SM»SM*»»JS)W?ii*' :o8 /// presence of Royalty. the reverse of trutliful ; but noithor the oncourafrinn: " hear, liear," nor the (k>liant " no, no," interrupteil its cadence. Of course I could not understand a word of it until :>[apaar addressed nio in reply, and then 1 found that Kert had been takincr u little advantage of liis position as iriterpreter and si)okesnmn,as his translation of the chief's answer showed. Mapaar was very pleased, he said, to see the great London captain, and was glad that the Queen was well, and proud to hear that she wished to hear from him and had inquired particularly after his health. My blankets were very beautiful, but he had heard that I had a lion's skin in my waggon, and he, as chief of the Bakalahari, would like to have it for his kraal. London's chief was a great man to kill the lion, and Mapaar would show it to his people when the great captain w^as gone ; and so, with many compli- ments, the royal beggar made the most of his oppor- tunity, and made it plain that he would not be denied the skin. He even went so far as to explain that it was the big lion's skin, and not the little one, that he must have. There was no help for it. If it had been my choicest possession his whim must be gratified. The skin was not of any great value, but I had wished to keep it as a " trophy." However, it must go, and so, congratulating myself that it was not my pet rifle, or my best pair of boots, I sent at once for the skin, and presented it to him with the best grace in the worhl. The chief was evidently much pleased, and handed me back my blankets, which I returned, saying I never took anything back that 1 had once given, and so the audience ended, Mapaar telling Kert that I was welcome to anything he had while I stayed here, and that he had placed a separate kraal apart for my use. 'Royalty. 'ithor the oncouraf^injr " no, no," interrupted ;tiin(l a word of it until and then 1 found that. ;lvantage of liis position IS his translation of the lar was very pleased, he ptain, and was glad that to hear that she wished piired particularly after L' very beautiful, but he skin in my waggon, and woidd like to have it for ^ a great man to kill the it to his people when the so, with many compli- ! the most of his oppor- i he would not be denied ■ar as to explain that it lot the little one, that he Ip for it. If it had been vhim must be gratified. 1 value, but I had wished [owever, it must go, and t it was not my pet rifle, ent at once for the skin, h the best grace in the ntly much pleased, and which I returned, saying lat 1 had once given, and ir telling Kert that I was while I stayed here, and kraal apart for my use. A Wife and a Honscin five minutes. 209 Two att(Mi(lants at once showed us the way to the hut which was to be my home for the t ««""*tffSi'' jio rlmly of M'hcs. her in .Tarmany sec. I am glad eef I find ano.ldor .0 But 1 Mt it wonW not do to liuniour Master Frit., at the risk of oftVnding Mapaar ; sn ^^f.^^ bianco of boing pleased, I sent for .ny blanket, and took possession of ray own donncile. Towanls evening, going over to the -ggons to se how n>y followers were doing, I found a mnnber wmne,, about, nuvking themselves quite at home, and iskod Fritz wlio they were. _ ^Vitb unfeigned satisfaction beannng from Ins face, he replied, "Gott hat nns nicht verlassen ; die Franen- ziminer sind unsere Weiber." The other men were all eqaally happy, ^vlth plenty of meat, and wives to cook it for them; they were Tuite resigned to their fate, and for once I envied them I could not accommodate myself to c.rcmn- stanc'es so easily ; - ^^^^ ^^^^ .^ ^IT.ltrk how best to act, I returned to my hut just before dark, and, with an air of great fatigue, threw myself on my blankets and feigned sleep, to avoid offending m, dusky bride, who presently stole out of the hut, at. tract'ed by the singing and revelry going on among our neighbours at the waggons. As the sun rose sh. returned, bringing some milk and mealies for m, breakfast, and seemed quite pleased when I partook o her fare. I motioned her to jo'n me, but she dre. back shocked at the idea, which the tribe will no countenance, of a woman eating with a man-eve though he were her husband ! Bi-eakfast over, I sent for Kert to ask leave of th chief to visit his gardens, being anxious to see ho thev cultivated the land, and what crops they grev Alapaar himself quickly came, with quite a retinue « IZ'CS. d eef I find anoddor so do to humour Master iapaar ; so makin.g som- it for my blaukets and micile. ir to the \vaather for the seat-another with a fan, a third with a skin, and so forth. Tiie old chief, who was in high feather, asked care- fully after my health, and laughed loud when told that I was well, and much refreshed after my fatigues, having slept soundly all niglit. The gardens, only a few yards distant, were fenced with thtck rows of noi thorn-bush, carefully laid with the butt-end inwards and the bushy side projecting outwards, and forming a perfect barrier. The gate was a large thorn-bush, which re.piirod some skill to remove without being hurt. Each chief of the tril)e had his allotted garden to cultivate. ]SIapaar's was, of course, the largest, but did not exceed an acre, which seemed scarcely sufficient to supply all his wants Acrriculture has not advanced mucli beyond the cultivation of mealies and melons, of each of which there were two crops, one nearly ripe and the other gre.-n the first crop of mealies being always at once followed bv the planting of melons, and the first crop of melons by the sowing of meahes. The "melons" included both the large round variety of squash, and the long crook-necked kind. In one corner was a small patch of 'Nheat, recently sown; and then IMapaar took me behind a row of mealies to show me what he evidently considered the gem of his garden-about two hundred stalks of tobacco, of which he was exceedingly proud. Puttincr his hand into his pocket, he pulled out a handfiriof stuff that looked like green tea; but the smell was the smell of tobacco. It ^^a. the produce of his own garden, prepared by cutting the eaf off and lettino- it wither and dry in the shade, and then, before the colour fades, slicing it into shreds, whi^h retain the p 2 ,sa»<«Ba9Biii^ass»B«" j,»oai :y^sii -.--'»- -.j..-s..j.(,;i,*i5iWy»S;'«K«5^*"^- '* as«S9»»»-t)-'»-'C«-" Drinkhur Eau-dc- Cologne 2 12 .,.«.., colour it,sto,ul ..f .•l-n.i,.K to .l.o ortWuloN \Zn. Lulu ..nokcl son,, of it, un.l ...d .t wus "■'H..xri'o l,i» rcul tobacco, Mu,,:u,r's Bpecinl euro was .U.volcl lo the cultivation of a, pate 1, ot dock,, a , cics of «iM lK.m,,,«l>icU nearly all the tr,!,.. sro« a al ,lry, au,l su.oke instead of tobacco, an, winch ha ;,. .rei, a charm for thou, as opin,n for a Clnnese, and Komethinirof the same effect. , After the insnoction of his gardens, Mapaar panl av,s,t to our laa«e,-, when T ofTe,-ed him son,o ginge,-b,'andy le H^ted " gi'^-'C'lv." but did not like ,t, and askod .;;::uaV,h,g,,ei,\stead H..didnot«.,|e,md^ Col,,..,,,.," but that was what he n,ea„ , and F.,u ,u e;s,„ding hiu,, lu-ougl,t out a bo.tle, for I had Lnna.elv hdd in a store of it, hav,,,,- been warned ' Ki.ubeHey that it was a favourite hquor w,th the ■ „ives au,ong whom it divided pop„lar,.y w,lh Pm-y , ,:•■ Vain Killer 1 The traders, having once fos- . l,he native taste for sthnulant., had to keep the pplv e.,ual to the demand so.nehow ; and when they rl out of spirit sold a "perfume," a,,d when the :,7n,ne ,an J,ort snbstitnted for it a "drug." The cork beiu- extracted from the worst bra,id of Mana F„'na M paar put the bottle to his lips, an never uiok il a,vaytill he had cnptied the contents down his throat. Au.l then he asked for more ! I ^vvs at first afraid to comply with his modest request, fearing that if it disagreed wiih h.m m any wav Iti^ people woukl hvy the bhime to us. "Don't you 'fraid," said Frit., wlu) was quite up to fhp l,u taken off the victims' bodies, with merely a rubbmg .»t arsenical soap, and I was fearful lest decomposition would have set in, especially as some of them were very fat. The first to bo exanuned was a large vulture's skin, ami my worst fears seemed bkely t(> be realized, for, notwithstanding that this specunen had had four days to dry, it was ciuite rotten wherever a piece of fat remained, and fell to pieces at the least touch ; but, strange to say, every one that had been packed away hurriedly without drying was ])orfectly sound. , . T * Leaving Lulu to do all the re-packmg, I went prospecting for specimens around the waggons. I he first thing! saw was a huge spider, conunj? out ot a hole in the ground. Kert spied it out first, and drew ray attention to it; he called it a hnar^s,u.ler (hau- cutter), and said it had a little box with a lid to it, m which it lived, a few inches beneath the sand. As we approached it retreated down the hole, so taking a shovel, we dug carefully down, and sure enough found at a short distance beneath the surface a little square box-like nest, made of spider's web, the upper side of which was suddenly pushed open, and out darted the spider, the hd falling shut behind him. In an mstant my hand was on him, and despite Kert's cries of "Don't, sieur, it is poisonous "-everything that ^,f,M^iMstimixiSimm!m4:^iBie»»<»i»i*»'aiV'^^^ ^^ii^mr.mi''9>'S*'^^^^'^''-'*^''^^'^'^'^'^'''''*^''' 214 yl;i ini'itafion to Join a Hunt. cniwh \>igif'foi/h (i)oisonous) in Kert's eyes — T miiiiacrpd to secure liim by the body. Unfortuiiiitely, in reae'liini? iiftor liiin tlio sand fell in and ruined his house; but I soon made hiui another homo in the lid of one of my collecting-boxes. His i)0\verful jaws were anned with a double pair of sharp saws, with which ho could, no doubt, have inflictod a pretty severe bite ; but luckily T had caught him just behind the head, and now his bitinsf days were over for ever. Just then a messenger came in from Mapaar, to say that some gems-bok had been seen close by, and that a hunt would take place on the morrow, some of his swiftest runners having been ordered out. Would the great captain be ready by daylight to join the sport? We might bi-ing our guns and shoot those tliat escaped ]iis hunters. I asked the messenger to explain the native mode of hunting the animal, and was surprised to find that the custom was for the hunters to run it down on foot, and kill it with the assegai. The idea of a man outpacing a gems-bok was hardly credible, as I had so often known these animals to outrun ray mare, and I was of course delighted to accept Mapaar's invitation, not only for the chance of a shot, but for the sake of seeing a hunt conducted under such novel conditions. Not so Lulu, however ; he declared that he would not take the trouble to leave the waggons for all the hunts in the world. " But think what a chance for a photograph ! The Bushmen will carry all the things, and you can have snap shots at everything without fear of ^vounding anybody." " That's another matter," i-eplied the camera- enthusiast ; " T would walk miles for the chance of a good plate. But it's all very well to talk of hurting nc v< th fo K it r ti b p c h o r 1 it. es — TmiiMiifjod My, ill reiic'luiii? •4 lioiiso ; but I I of one of my L>re iU'UK'd with ill ho couhl, no to ; but luckily (1, iiiul now his Miipaar, to say 30 by, and that vv, sonio of his at. Would tho join tho sport ? ISO that oscapod to oxplain the 1 was surprised imtors to run it ->gai. The idea, hardly credible, 5 to outrun my iccept Mapaar's a shot, but for nder such novel e declared that the waggons for itograph ! The 1 you can have ir of wounding 1 the camera- thc chance of a talk of hurting The Maidens are Shy. 215 nobody. Tloiv have I boon trying to photograph the young girls carrying the water-jars on their way from "the spring, and as soon as over I got the camera into focus ..ff thoy darted into the bush as if shot I ^^y^^ Kort to explain that I wasn't going to hurt them, but it was no use." , " You must got the rnngo of the path and tlion h.do yourself in tho waggon and have a shot at them as thoy pass yonder k'gung-troo." , , . i "Oh I'll have their photographs yot, the bashtul blacks ;' tho only thing is to have an ^"-^tra sensitive plate and tho snap-action shutter rea.ly. A\ ith that i could have taken the lion as ho jumped on poor Klas. it his majesty had only had the politeness to give notice of his intention to call upon us. What a splendid picture that would have made if it had only been day- ticrht ' But it's a shame to talk like that. I m atraiu we shall have to leave the poor boy here, for he is not^so well as when those people first doctored his wound. Towards dusk my kraal-companion sent word to say that supper was ready ; so, inviting Lulu to 30m us at the feast, I obeyed tho summons. On entering the hut, thinking to show my appreciation of her PJ^;^«^«^' / patted the "lady of the house" on the head ; but a little caress of this kind she did not understand, and only received it with the blackest of black looks. Perhaps I had again inadvertently sinned against the social code of the people ; but the thought did not trouble me much, and certainly did not spoil my appetite ; so, squatting on tho floor in the approved fashion of the country. Lulu and I did justice to the provisions usin.. fingers and pocket-knives for lack of other implements. Altogether the mmxi, was not to be despised. Pounded mealies, boiled and then cooked «WiHi»>W»«»aJ»>WS»»Mt.««»5« B««»«»»ai»»».»i«««WB0S»te»S3««»»*-f ^f/44(*WWrt»««^" 2 1 6 /)'/(/r of an lumr, the froth still on it, .piite fresh from the cow. Se.-ing a little thick milk still left in the calabash, I pointed to it and then t.) the new. Now they un.lerstoo.l, an.l one of the Abij^ails went out and brou<;ht in two little berries, about the size of a red currant, an.l n(>arly the same colour, l)ut not .luite so bri-ht. Taking thein between her thumb and fin<,'er, sh..> pricke.l them an.l squeezed a drop or two of j?reenish fliii.l a rose-bush, some of the seeds of which I secured, thinkinnr this Kaffir substitute for rennet mi*««*^»^"'*='^ ^'W^^'*^*^*' t«*wi«w^j«m'w''is?**^'*p«5^**^' i•^>^st.^>»BW^*^'-& 'W.* 91)} The Roy^il tli^nt. hill (.f s.iM.l, up wliich the hunters st(.k', lyiui,' fliit ns thoy ri'.u!li-(l the summit, iuid piM-piuj,' ciuvfuUy over tlu> top. Soon tlu-y lu'f,';iu si,L,Mi;illiii^' witli tla-ir hiimls — H si^;u that they saw piuio— iiml th(> rest of tho party Uispcrscl in (litT.Mvi.t diroctions, in ucconlam-o wilh the sijrnals of those on the look-out. Tiiis lasted for a ccaipfe of liours. Not a word was spoken, and thouj^di at first it was interesting to watch the varying' dispositions of the hunters, in obe.lience to tho si^nis from the hill-top, the proceedinj^^s after a time hecamo monotonous. At last, however, we receivi'd vhe welcome order to ascend the slope, which we hastened to do. 1 mana,L,'ed to reach the top in a.lvance of the rest, and droj.ping Hat on the grouml, scrambled alonjjside the two look-outs. About two miles away to the Teft was a herd of gems-bok, gra/inj,' in the Hat below; and about the same distance to the right could just be discovered two men, about two hnndri>d yards ai)art, on a slight rise in tho ground. Kert came and lay prone beside me, and :Mapaar next to him ; so I told him to ask the chief to explain the plan of opera- tions, so that 1 might follow them with my glass. The only answer I got was that the chief was busy directing his men, and could not be bothered; but Kert had fortunately heard all about it from the hunters the night before, and could explain their tactics to me. The herd was being gradually surrounded, the greater force of hunters being located some distance away to windward, as the geuis-bok, when distnrbed, always run up the wind. The point to which it was intended to drive tho herd was where the two men already referred to could still be seen. Nowhere else, however, could a shigle human form be discerned; )k>, Ivinu' flii^ ''IS r ciirrfully ovti* •itli tliL'if hiiiuls tli(> rest of tho I, ill uccordinico ut. Tliis lasted ivas spokini, and itch tlio vnryiiiK iico to tho si^!is v a time hecamo received vlio lich wo hastened ti advance of tho )und, scrambled vo miles away to i/iiig in the flat J the ri<,dit could hundred yards Kort came and \xt to him ; so I he plan of opera- with my f^lass. 3 chief was busy e bothered ; but out it from tho plain their tactics surrounded, tho )d some distance , when disturbed, t to which it -was ere the two men 1. Nowhere else, 'm be discerned ; Ritnnini;: do'u'n the Gems-bok. 219 hero and tlwre I fancied I could detect a num's f..rm working' itself throned, the jrrai^s", or behind the bushes; but it was dinicult to say for certain, even with the help of my ^lasses. Sm'i.lenly, however, at a si^mal from Miipa'ar, a semicircle of heads appeared above tho ^rrass, and at once bef,'an to contract round the as yet unsuspecting bok. Tho horns. .f the crescent advanced faster than tho centre, so that the semicircular Imo became elliptical, thus eiisurin.^r that tho prey should bo driven towards the ambush prepared for them. Now the lino of hunters would be ahnost invisible; now we could from our elevated position see one or more of them, or trace their movements as they cleft their wav through the dense grass, and as they drew closer ai.d closer we wondered whether the prey thus stalked down the wind could not scent their pursuers, or catch some sound of their movements. The nearer the hunters drew towards their cpiarry the more diflicult was it to trace their movements, so closely did they keep to the ground ; but still it seemed impossible for them to reach the grazing herd without alarming them. Ah ! the old bull lias scented or heard them; up goes his head, displaying to perfection his niagm- ticent pair of horns, and with two others ho trots oft. The whole herd aWU follow. No, they stop after advancing a few yards, and are (luietly grazing agam. Then, just behind them, I saw some strange object moving above the grass. Looking up at JNlapaar, to see wliat ho was doing, I found ho was waving the tail of a jackal, fastened to a stick, and then perceived that the strange object was a similar signal m answer to his— one indicating the position of tho hunters, tho other ordering the fatal rush. Before I could look round again the hunters were on their feet, behind and o o •o ^•Vt*«Ka«i-J» '^ -<'^'**- r ir,-=i^rtjr .>f^j- *^i»^ •■ 2 20 Spearing the old Bull, quite close to the herd. The bok stood their ground for ii moment as if iiartdyzed and then down \vont their hoi-ns over tiieir backs and they I'an off pell-mell, followed, almost at their own breakneck speed, by their pursuers. But surely no human bein<^ can hope to overtake them. The bok, I thought, will certainly escape after all ; when up jumped a n\au almost in front of them, and making two springs, hurled an assegai at the leading bull and another at the second, and yet another at a third. This onslaught caused the herd to swerve towards us, when up jumi)ed a second hunter in advance of the other, but on this side of the herd, and threw three or four spears, two at least of which took effect, one in the already- wounded leading bull. For a moment the frightened beasts seemed to pause in their flight, but the hunters behind, rushing after them, forced their pace, and as they still advanced they were attacked by two other spearmen, one on each side, and so the chase continued, the hue and cry being joined by the hunters who had discharged their spears, and the frantic herd being relentlessly forced to run the gauntlet of a double line of hidden spearmen, svho at frequent intervals sprang out of their ambush, first on one side and then on the other, and, after launching their assegais with uneiTing aim, darted in pursuit of the stricken prey. By this time the leading bull led no longer ; with half a dozen spears sticking into him, so that he began to resemble a huge porcu- pine, he slackened his pace, and was passed by several of his followers, who, however, rushed to the front only to share the same fate as their leader. Some of the huntsmen now began to drop out of the ranks of the pursuers, devoting their attention to the « nil. stood tlioir ground u'U down wont tlioir ' I'an off pell-moll, rcii knock spood, by man being can liope ought, will certainly 5d a n\au almost in springs, hurled an lothor at the second, )nslaught caused the up jumped a second it ou this side of the ears, two at least of Ldy-wounded leading i beasts seemed to iters behind, rushing IS they still advanced r spearmen, one on ued, the hue and cry liad discharged their relentlessly forced to of hidden spearmen, out of their ambush, he other, and, after erring aim, darted in this time the leading lozen spears sticking 5emble a huge porcu- ,nd was passed by wever, rushed to the as their leader, an to drop out of the ;heir attention to the A Fight for Dear Life. 221 most severely wounded beasts, and leaving the rest of the herd to the tender mercies of their still-auibushed comrades. The old bull and two of his companions were already loft far behiud, and wore standing at bay, each surrounded by a small group of hunters ready to take the tii-st opportunity of rushing in and giving the coni) dc i/riirc with the broad, heavy spear which is reserved for hand-to-hand coml)at after the lighter assegais have done tlieir work. There was no danger now of intorruptiug the plan of operatioiis, so Lulu ran down the slope towards the nearest bull, carrying his camera, and followed by the two Bushmen with liis other imped! iiii-iita, while I stayed to watch the fixte of the still retreating remnant of the herd ; but, by the time the last nnwounded one had received its baptism of javelins, my attention was called to the final struggle of the old bull, so recently in the pride of liis lusty strength, and now, his harem scattered to the winds, bidding a last defiance to his enemies. Game to the lust, the handsome beast faced his foes, his head now throu-n back, and his long, straight, sharp-pointed horns sweeping over his back and reaching to his hind-quarters: his neck now bent low, so that his horns came well forward and defied a direct attack. His tormentors gathered closer round him, firmly grasping their short spears in both hands; one of them made a rush at the bull's head, a movement which the animal at once met by i sidelong sweep of his horns ; the next moment another man ran in from the opposite side and thrust his spear far in behind the shoulder. The bull staggered and fell, but with a last toss of his head he reached the himter's arm with his horns, evidently wounding him, for the others gathered round the man as their prey fell at their feet. •»?M.i*a*=*f^^ rgr: -..--siiiBil:^ - ■' ii.anyin'>«efi*=W«*(M««te"l»^h«*»*»«K>t.= ,4*' :,o them, as they hico ; iind hovo r wiis rcMiiovcd, at ii tiiiu', and the |)roceediii«:fS ! recipients were Abigails, who, [ 10 chief, accom- icidation ; after ither I presently 225 CHAPTER XIV. A fnmily niisunderstaiulin^'— I am pvit on my dofi'iieo- Vfiilitt " not guilty "—Out of thi- frying-i.im into thf fire— I turn wi'uth.T- prophet— An awkward (lilt-mma— A Imx of tt^al— " Won, Ixit not wooi'd" — My prophi'cy conifa too true— -Onoo mort! 1 nin put on trial— Chopping logic with Mapaar— All'.s wull tliat ends widl— Farewell to Mapaar— In the forest — On the lions' track. When I got to my hut I was surprised to find the place full of women, old Kert being the only man among them. Squatting down on my blankets in the midst of the assembly, I awaited the disclosure of the reason for this gathering, which I could see at a glance was convened in my honour — or at least in my interest. My thick-lipped Venus sat beside her mother, who opened the proceedings by a long and evidently exciting harangue, in which frequent reference was made, first to her daughter and then to myself. She finished by looking straight at me, and repeating three times the same words, and then sat down with the self-satisfied air of a junior counsel who thought he had evidently made a strong impression on the jury. Kert then pro- ceeded to give me a version of the speech in his best Afrikander-Dutch, something after the following: — " This is the mother of the wife whom the chief gave you. Her father was Mapaar' 8 father; and their ances- tors had been chiefs ever since the Bakalahari tribe was founded. Lo, her daughter is fair to see, and has been tauo-ht to. obey her husband, to cook corn and melons, »^— ,-ei;»«i»"«-BiW. «■ 3 26 Black Beauty complains. and to make oofrco. What Ikh slic dono that sl.c 1ms otTi'iidfd liondoii's captain? ISIapaar lias lionourcd you by selecting' this <,'irl to be a wife to you during' y<)\ir stay, and has looked forward to having a son of London's for whom it was more partieulai'ly designed. '♦ The beautiful diuighler of Mapaar's father is worthy of the b(>st of husbands," I continued. " From the first moment I saw lier, her bright eyea have haunted me ; nor hits her skdl in cooking been unai)preciated. Not because! she is not worthy and beautiful i>> it that I have seemed \n their eyes to neglect her, and to ignore the honour tliat Mapaar has done me in selecting her for my wife. But know you not, O people of I iiluititung, that liondon's great captain whom you thus honour cannot do always what he would wish ? As the prin- cipal witch-doctor to England's great (^leen, ho is forbidden to marry. Were he to take the beautiful daughter of Ralala as his wife, his power of foretelling good and evil would vanish. He dare tiot do so. Yet the pleasure of seeing her near him is very great, and he will be grieved if she does not continue to take her accustomed place and to honour him with her presence as before. They must pity me, not blame mo, because I cannot treat her altogether as my wife." I confess I could not extract much comfort from a study of the countenances of my audience as I solemnly ffave \itterance to this fiction. It was a lame excuse, my readers will no doubt think ; but it was the best that suggested itself. And now, having offered my defence, I sat down and aAvaited the verdict of the jury of black matrons. For a few moments there was absolute silence, and then one of the old women jumped up and hastily left the hut. Still no one spoke, so I turned to Kert and whisperiugly asked what was the Ci 2 22S The Verdict. nrxt act in tlio dnnnii ; but hcforo ho could answer mo Miipaar hinisolf apjicarod, aceoinpaniod by two atton- dants and followod by tht^ "foivinan of tlu> jury," who liad just ^'ono out. It was quito a case of tho jud^*' boiuR summoned into court to rocoive tho verdict of a locked-u]) jury, only tliat ho had to hoar my defence by proxy instead of direct from my own lips. At last old Kort, was able to say to me, " ISIapaar is quito satisfied ; and ordains that tho f?irl must renuun with you. He thinks you have done him honour in allowing tho girl to stay in your kraal, because tho chief raelectod her for you." " But," Ma])aar asked, ** why is not an English 2ulhis being thus smoothed away, it was time to think of taking tho opportunity to " make tracks" before anything else happened. My oxen were rested, and there was no object in staying longer ; so, after acting as clerk of th.^ weather to-morrow— for I could not hope to escape that function— 1 would beg leave to depart, and ask for a guide to Lake N'gami, about fifteen or sixteen days' march from here. When I told Fritz— or " I'U-vatch-it," as we liad nicknamed him after his favourite expression— of my intention, and ordered him to have everything in readiness for an early start, he exclaimed, " Dat is de best dmgs new vat I hear for long time. I'll vatch it dat wo are ready all. I can pack in two ticks." The signs of the weather had a more than usually direct interest for me now, so I devoted the next hour to working up tho meteorology of South Africa, by means of 'an almanac published at Cape Town, from which it appeared that with the prevailing winds at this season, and the indication of the clouds, rain might be expected. Early next morning, after an anxious glance at the barometer, which had fallen steadily for the last two days, and was still going down, I paid my visit to Mapaar, in the new character O O 230 I predict immediate Rain. of rain-doctor. The chief received me in private audience — old Kert alone being present, and at once asked if I had finished my studies. Taking out of my pocket a copy of " Old Parr's Almanac," I pretended to make a careful examination of the signs of the zodiac, and, pulling out my watch, wound it up and laid it on the ground. Its " tick- tick-tick " sounded quite distinctly in the silence of the hut; and feigning satisfaction at the result of my observations, I looked up, and told the chief that before the new moon was many days old lie might expect rain and wind; that b^'fore to-morrow night there would be rain, either here or close by, and that game would be plentiful in the neighbourhood. In all this I felt I was not overstepping the limits of probability, for the hunters of yesterday had told Kert that they had seen plenty of " spoor," and that they were expecting the rains to fall, and game to be abundant in con- sequence. Mapaar seemed very pleased, and promised to give me some melons and anything else I liked to have ; so I seized the opportunity to thank him for all his kindness, and express regret that my duties would compel me to leave in the evening, saying that my oxen were ordered to be ready to-day, and that my waggons were already so full that I must not delay longer. I had to journey to Lake N'gami, to find the "little people," and get back to the sea in time to catch the steamship which was waiting for me to return to England. Then I made Kert describe a steamship, and tell him something about the ocean, in the hope of impressing him with the importance of my words ; but it was all to ro purpose, and he closed the interview by per3mptorily saying, " You can leave .:(i.ig^S^JS<.i^C^ ^^t^S^«£»hC(^^^ ksfe-i^^.?^t^\^^t^- r ^ain. In Suspense. 231 'ed me in private •esent, and at once Taking out of my lanac," I pretended : the signs of the I, wound it up and tick-tick" sounded of the hut; and )f my observations, hat before the new ht expect rain and ht there would be ,hat game would be In all this I felt I probability, for the vert that they had they were expecting Q abundant in con- id promised to give se I liked tc have; ank him for all his it my duties would ing, saying that my 0-day, and that my it I must not delay ) N'gami, to find the the sea in time to waiting for me to de Kert describe a Iff about the ocean, ,h the importance of irpose, and he closed ing, " You can leave the day after to-morrow, when your oxen and all will bo ready." Anxiety lest my weather forecasts should not turn out better than the majority of those of the Meteoro- logical Department made me desirous of getting away towards N'gami ; perhaps it was a parallel desire to see if my prognostications were correct that induced Mapaar to thwart me. It was hopeless to expect to leave without his consent, for, besides the risk of raising .lie country against us, Kert said no one would dare to bring us our oxen without orders from the chief. It looked and felt like rain ; but if the next twenty-four hours did not bring a downpour, it might prove awkward for us, and I began to feel somewhat discouraged. When " I'll-vatch-it " heard the state of the case,°he replied, with characteristic cheerfulness— " Dat's all right ; you vill vatch it ; you vill take care of dat. Come, now, dat vill rain plenty much; get your gun and shoot dose duck on de vley ; dey make de pot schmell nice." It was better to be on the move than to let my " native hiie of resolution" get "sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought;" so I mentally sentenced some of the ducks to death. A flock of them were swimming across the pool towards us ; so hiding behind a bush I waited till they came within range, and gave them both barrels, the right one on the water, the left one in the air. Little Korap waded into the water after them, and set us laughing by his frantic efforts to release himself from the tenacious clay as he stuck at every step, but he secured them all— there were eleven alto- gether to the two shots. At a distance they had looked like the little diver, which is common on the yleys and pools throughout the country ; but I was 232 // rains in torrents. supprisecl to find that they were teal — and as fat as butter — a welcome addition to our larder. That evening I spent in the society of my bride. " Won, but not wooed," thought I, as she welcomed me with bright smiles. She was quite pleasant and talkative; so, with Kert's assistance, I managed to extract a good deal of information from her. The Bakalaharis, she told me, were descended from the Matabele Kaffirs and Vaalpens— the latter were a cross between the Bechuanas and the Kalahari Bush- men, while the former were originally descendants of the Zulus. "While we sat talking I heard large drops of rain pitter-patter on the thatched roof of the hut. My prophecy then was about to come true. Presently there was a vivid flash of lightning and a terrific crash of thunder, followed by a rush of wind which threatened to unroof the hut, and then down came the rain in torrents, putting to a severe test — which it un- fortunately did not resist — the soundness of our thatch. I hardly knew whether more water came in through the roof or by way of the floor ; but by morning it was ankle deep. As on as day broke I was out. The whole plain was a lake, in the middle of which stood our waggons, up to the axles. Pulling off my trousers I waded across to them, and was surprised to find every one fast asleep. Luckily for them, they had dry beds to sleep in, which was more than the dwellers in huts had. Waking Lulu up, I told him to look out ; and he was surprised, as well he might be, at the change which had come over the scene. He asked if he was on Mount Ararat, and if this waggon was the Ark, while me he christened Noah. " Well, Noah ! " he said, " it's fortunate that the rai th es ht n( tl m P< al tl tl Ci b s —and as fat as jr. ■f of my bride, she welcomed B pleasant and I managed to . her. 3escended from 3 latter were a Kalahari Bush- descendants of ( drops of rain the hut. My 'ue. Presently a terrific crash f wind which down came the t — which it Un- as of our thatch, ime in through morning it was was out. The of which stood 1 off my trouser J irprised to find jm, they had dry [ the dwellers in :o look out ; and !, at the change asked if he was a was the Ark, 'tunate that the The Vley becomes a Lake. '■66 rain has censed, and that the waters are subsidmg ; for there is no more hay left for the elephants of the estabhshmcnt, and the lions and tigers are getting so hungry that they have eaten all the sheep." "^And you have been so sound asleep that you could not take a photograph of the interesting scene." « It's all very fine, Noah ; but the cats have killed the dove, so you'd better come and see if you can make one of those dried vulture' s-skins fly. Or perhaps you'll fly a kite." When I had convinced him that I was not Noah— although getting aged; that he was in a waggon— not the ark ; that he was in Africa-not Arabia ; and that there had been no flood— only a thunderstorm, he came out with his trousers in his hand, followed by " I'11-vatch-it," also wearing his unmentionables in the same unconventional fashion, and saying,— « Who told that some rain here never comes. You better vatch it; if dat chief's garden is drownded all, some trouble is sure." And so we waded our watery way to my hut, where they were to breakfast with me— thus acknowledgmg their inferiority to the natives, for while they gave up all hope of lighting a fire. Black Beauty prepared a sumptuous repast of hot coffee and baked mealies. About noon I had a summons to attend at Mapaar's kraal. Perhaps, as my prophecy had been so abun- dantly fulfilled, he was about to relent, and would let me go to-day instead of to-morrow. But he was m a very serious mood, evidently displeased, and I awaited with some anxiety Kert's version of his remarks. In- stead of being pleased at the result of my scientific observations, he was vexed, because I had caused so much rain to fall at once; his plantations would be (-' 234 W/iy did I make it Rain so much ? injured, and, if tlie rain continued, would be destroyed. Was I offended ? What had he or his people done that I should thus punish him ? As I replied to this inquiry I thought of Lord Beaconsfield's saying about the " melancholy " nature of " explanations," but 1 did my best to make him understand that I had nothing to do with making the rain ; all I could do was to foretell whether it was coming or not. It was a task of some difficulty to get the chief to understand the difference between fore- telling the rain and causing it, and to believe that my power was limited to the former. But hoping to convince him, I added that even in my own country the villages were sometimes completely flooded, and houses washed away, and people drowned. " Then," he asked angrily, " of what use is the pilli/ass ; the Kalahari witch-doctors are better than you." "Mapaar is a powerful chief; he can make his subjects obey him; but the people in England do not always heed the warnings of the pUhjass ; when they do so, they can prepare for the floods and protect themselves ; but the inllyass cannot force them to do so, and if they do not attend to his warnings, then the floods come and wash them away. All the pilhiass can do is to warn the people beforehand." " Then why did not the pilli/asf( warn Mapaar and his people yesterday. Did he wish to see our crops destroyed ? " The wily old chief was a better logician than I had given him credit for. He was determined to throw on me the responsibility for the calamity, and the best excuse I could offer only gave him better opportunity for putting me in the wrong. His last question was a 4., vf>i=l i;v instead of being full of water as we had expected, con- tained only a small quantity of muddy fluid, which was all the poor beasts had to quench their thirst. We a»A3 '-'■!>;i:": ■,;;(=<». n. only just com- ig: a mixture of let the Avheels b tc hold them irface. Had the they would have it day. aving proceeded by in persuading ( was very liberal neat, and profuse If, begging me to returning to the it right royal and ewing his promise cattle ranche. •e Ulster, which I it was worn, and It fitted liim a ay as proud as a of his mud palace jrs we proceeded ient, over a tract more of a forest ,s less sandy and )re like land and f in great clumps, but not so close t primaeval." It eir shade, and the ater, foi the pans, lad expected, con- [y fluid, which was their thirst. We VAALl'l.N^. Viv^e i:tr. :,^<^i # m ^-;S^ "^^i:3 Wv^c i.\7. The Vaalpcns. 337 ourselves wore reduced to what at the Aquariutu would bo called a " nip "—only a temperance one. So ^yo rested during the heat of the day, moving oii oidy in the morning and evening. In the evening of the third day we arrived at a large salt-pan called Mnrnrututlu (Bier Giraffe). At one end we found that the water was" not too brackish for the cattle to drink, so they were driven down two at a time, fastened with double straps, so that they might be held under control and prevented from drinking too much. At one side of the pan a few Bakalahari hunters were camped, having come in search of ostriches. The pan is a favourite resort of these birds at certam seasons, when they are followed by the hunters. All the feathers used by the Bangwe-Ketsi, Baralong, Bamangwato, Bakalla, Batlapin, and Bakatla tribes are killed in this district. The hunters had not collected many feathers so far, but were anxious to trade. No doubt if I had brought plenty of shirts, tobacco, lead, knives, and other exchangeable articles, and could have^ stayed here a few weeks, I might have paid all the expenses of my journey from the produce of the ostrich feathers I could have collected. After a day's rest— during which we kept the cattle in the grass, so that they might get thirsty and drink themselves full before starting— we moved on towards Koba pool, the next watering-place, distant about three days' march, meeting on the road a party of one of the nomadic tribes of Vaalpen, of a group of w^^o^ Li^^;; took a photograph. The natives told us we should find plenty of eland e?i foiiie, and particularly cautioned us to be careful of our cattle, as lions were numerous. This made us "vatch it," as Fritz would have said that the cattle and horses were well looked after while grazing, and that good fires were kept burnmg t I 238 P/cfi/y of /.ion ^, all inj,'Ut. Wo co\;l(l somotitncs hoar tlio lioiia romMnj? closol))', but not often, and T came to tlio conclusion that thoiv could !iot 1)0 so many in tho ncifrhhourhoo.l a.s wo hiul bciMi h'.l to boliovo ; for aft.-r our oxporionce at " Lion's Surprise" I doubted the elUcaey . ". fires in l.oepinj,' the beasts off, although wo r(di<,nousl.v kept Irur l)Ta/.inir away every night, uioro out of deference to the opinions of the Bastards, who had tho greatest belief in llioHi. One morning, however, Dirk and Kert canio aiul asked me to go ami soo the lions' spoor outside the camp, and there, sure enough, was (piito a circle of their footprints as they had walked up and down outside the ring of fire. I WMuted at once to go in pursuit, i^o as to nuvko sure of them before they nuule up their mind to have a spring at the cattle; but Dirk thought discretioi; tho better part of valour, and rejected the idea, saying, " Die leeouw ist rochte slim. If he lets us alone we will him." "I'11-vateh-it" was game to go, but none of the others —except, of course, Lulu ; but it was not safe for so small a party to g^ in search of a crowd of lions, for there could not have been less than half a dozen of them, judging by their spoor, so we gave up the idea of a lion-hunt in favour of stalking a small herd of eland we saw later on grazing in the distance. When quite within range of the deer, creeping on our hands and knees round a small sandhill, *' I'll- vatch-it," who was just in front of us, suddenly stopped, and cautiously but very energetically motioned ns to keep back ; then, hastily retreating himself, he came and whispered in my ear, — " Dere on de sand two leeouw sleep fast. Ve can creep up close and vatch it dat we sure of dem make all right. All right, I myself vill dem fight." «=*i-".:r.Lii,T- ^^\\-^_-,,jx*ii:-ti^j^yjfifi^i''f^s>.^m4ic^'^^^ \---^~^'i^ri::^. - tlio liona ronriti.ii' to tlio coiicliisioii 10 luif^libourliooil vr oui' oxpci'icMU'O clUoncy t '■ firca in ) n^li^ioiislv kept ) out of cU'foronco had the greivtest wcver, Dirk and je the lions' spoor oujrh, was quite a d walked up and nt*'> n. none of the others as not safe for so jrowd of lions, for [in half a dozen of gave up the idea of mall herd of eland mce. I deer, creeping on tall sandhill, *' I'll- I, suddenly stopped, lly motioned us to ; himself, he came ileep fast. Ve can sure of dem make lem fight." -■afs'jl-;t^?i*S*^,-i^:^ " • fSS?«!^w!H?lWW,-'-^W'iSSJ«iiw»''~-; ■>% ^, S^i^. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 ttitM 12.5 |50 ■^™ MflH ■ttuu m U 11.6 6" HiotDgraphic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREiT WEBSTER, N.Y. I45S0 (716) S72-4S03 !iS(&-imS!-= .<.^ Ld> CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. I CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductlons / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques 239 CHAPTER XV. Surpvi.inj,' the limi asloep-A lucky shot-A .lelicious shower-bath- Milkiii- the cows-Tlie cuttlo drink to Tmr,.tnig-poiut- CUrhiiw a scorpion— A novel cure for a scorpion stin--Char-ed l,y a rhinoceros-lJoniharaing the bahy-A sweet-smelling bug —The Kathr water-melon— The haunt of the pigmies— Tlie M'Kablu tribe— Trutllesri hi pigmy-Making poison.Ml arrows _A visit to their camp-The .Iwarfs promise to come with us to England. It did not take long to settle our plan of operations. We were to crawl up two steep sandhills close together and stalk the sleeping brutes. I would fire first, and "lU-vatch-it" put in his big shot immediately after. If they were not killed they would be sure to spring up in a fright and break away; perhaps they might chance to jump towards us, when we must be prepared for a flying shot. There was not a breath of wind to stir the sultry air so it mattered not on which side we approached our prey. There was no fear of cracking a twig or rustling the leaves of a tree, or rattling the stones under us. for the sandy space before us was clear of everything but grass. Peering at last through a thick tuft there, within half a dozen yards of us, lay two of the 'tawny monarchs of the forest-a king and his queen The lion, disdainful of everything, was lying on his back, with his head pointing straight towards us and his legs sticking most ridiculously up m the air • his companion, trusting to his guardumship, was -II' ij i' tf. Ji 1 > li |???5ff5f«J^^SKS 240 Surprising Lions Asleep. on her side, snuggling tip against him. Tl.ey wore as still as death, save for the shght heaving of their sides in re-ular pulsation, as they breathed the slow, steady breath of deep sleep. I hstened for a snort or snore, The beating of my own heart Was all the sound I heard, as thump, thump, thump it throbbed against my ribs. Silently looking at each other to see that all was ready, we raised our rifles. I took a steady aim straight between the eyes of the sleeping king, and fired. As quick as lightning the lioness sprang into the air and Tfor her life, " ni-vatoh-it " sending two shots Xr her and myself a third We dul not know whether they took effect, as the panic-stricken beast Lther stopped nor wavered in her flight. Meanwhile the lion lay there, sleeping peacefully on. Bolhng over on to his side, he gave a slight quiver but never stirred again. That sleep was his last long sleep from whidi there was no awakening. The ball had taken fatal effect in the brain, and no eoup de grace was necessary as he stretched his magmficent length ^"loS -und for " I'll-vatch-it," I found he had vanished; but directly after spied him out gmng chase in the direction in which the lioness had taken her flight ; but the pursuit did not last long, and he oon came back short of breath, but full of fight, pantin-, " De cowards ; I could dem mit mine hands kill'' 'bur eland had of course fled; but we had a lion instead, which was preferable, as our larder was still well supplied with meat. As soon as the skin was off we inspanned and started off again, being anxious to get along as quickly as possible to the Kboba pan. p- I. Tliey wore as ing of their sides the slow, steady a snort or snore, rt against my ribs, hat all was ready, ady aim straight ig, and fired. As y into the air and mding two shots "e did not know nic-stricken beast light. Meanwhile ully on. Rolling quiver, but never i last long sleep, Iff. The ball bad I no cowp de grace Magnificent length t," I found he had a him out giving lioness had taken t last long, and he but full of fight, ;m mit mine hands fled ; but we had a as our larder was uon as the skin was :rain, being anxious ) to the Khoba pan, Catchiniy Rain-i^'ntcr. 2.\\ f;>r we weiv nearly out of water ourselvc^, and the cattle had been without for some days. Our Baka ahar. guide said we might reach the pool that mght by driving late, as it was not more than eight nules off; but " ril-vatch-it " would not listen to sucli a proposal savin- the cattle would never stand so long a spel o work when they were so thirsty. " Dese tam scoundrel black, I never don't believe them ; you see de oxen a.y some ; I'll vatch dem ! Ef so dey die water don t cv r CAMl'INO IIY THE WAT. come next day. I make a hole in his Wacl< soul ca,e. He never come back no more as some.lmg like clat. As lack would have it, the rain came dow.i m torrent, that night. I was awakened by the '^''^Jf'-'^TfZ the waggon-top, and, hearing voices on sale ooked ont „„., f„,™l Luln and -ni-vateh-it" catelnng the heaven- sent liquid in the largo sail, one end of winch wa, fastened to the waggon, whde '''^y '^I'V'"; r'C, corners and directed a stream of water mto the ba.ul, R I,. 1, Fsssasfwsips^sts 242 A delicious S/ioM'r-injtL winch they hiul ph>cod beneath, (^ose by the two indiu-rubbei-eaiTiai^e.rujrs were laid in a hollow, on the rrround, ibrniinfr a couple of pools, from which the water was ladled out as they tilled. I stripped and jumped out, aiul, while helping to catch the water, had the pleasure of a most delicious shower-bath. I he torrent lasted four hours, during which we filled one barrel and two small kegs, the lazy Bastards and Bush- men and KalRrs never stirring all the while, but not forcretting to ask for a drink of water the first tlnng m the^norning. I was not much inclined to gratify them, for it was owing to their recklessness that we were so often in danger of being left altogether without water. To keep them from using it when there was no neces- sity, one wotild have to mount guard, gun in hand, over the water-vessels day and night. As soon as it was light we let the poor oxen loose to graze on the wet grass, for in the absence of water they could only eat when the dew was on the ground, and they had* consequently been on short commons since we left. All this time the cows had not been milked, for we could not expect them to bear milk for us when they had no water to drink and little to eat ; but as Klas was now able to get about again and make himself useful, I took the opportunity of seeing if we could not get our dairy to work again, especially as I found what little milk there was being appropriated by two crreat " calves," almost big enough to be inspanned amoncr the other cattle. The natives never think of weaning the calves, but let them suck, " to get the milk down." I asked Kh.n what he would do if the calf died or got lost. " The cow would be no good," he replied, "and you would have to dry her up;" and when I told him that we never let the calves suck after " /)'();-// tired'" (li^tiin. -M3 )se by tho two a hollow, on the from which tho I stripped and 1 tho water, had )wor-bath. The ch wo filled ono jtards and Bush- while, bnt not the first thing in 1 to gratify thorn, that we were so }r without water, ire was no neces- ^un in hand, over oor oxen loose to absence of water ,8 on tho ground, I short commons svs had not been I to bear milk for and little to eat ; t again and make y of seeing if we lin, especially as I g appropriated by rh to be inspanned 33 never think of :, " to get the milk uld do if the calf . be no good," he dry her up;" and calves suck after the first few days he could not make it out, but imagined that "your cow nnist be another sort of cow." So 1 had to teach him differently. The calves were condennu'd to find their own living ajiart from their mothers' apron-strings in future. I made a halter for them, ami filling the nose-piece full of tacks, with the ])oint'soutward,put themon,and let the overgrown babi(>s have the run of their mothers that night, knowing that the maternal heol would beat more responsive than the heart to tho prickly caresses of children thus armed. Next morning Klas tried to milk them, but as the milk did not come at once he pronounced it a failure. " Never mind," I said, " you sit there and milk away, even if it takes all day; and when you're tired I'll take a hand." "Whatl can sieur milk the cow?" But before I could answer him the cow yielded to his importunities, and tho little tin can was soon full. "Ye OS pitchig slim!" (" You are very clever !"), Klas exclaimed. " Wo would never have thought of that. We always dry our cows up when the calves go." This is just a sample of the lazy habits of the people. 1 tried to improve the occasion by suggesting that if the farmers— some of whom had thousands of head of cattle, many of which must be milch-cows— wouUi take the trouble to wean tho calves, and save the milk and make butter of it, the colony would bo all the richer— for butter is as scarce in South Africa as diamonds in England : all the answer I got was, " Ek tenk so, siei"r; oonsere frauen lijk nie so viel works maakon nie" ("Our women would not Uke so much work"). Klas was right. The whole population of South Africa— white, brown, or black— was born tired. Notwithstanding their feed of wet grass, we had i' Ll- li 2 244 The Cadlc bolt after the Water. great (lifliculty in insi):iiniiii<^' tlu' i>.\i'ii ; but at last got away, Kcrt and the Kallir tending the first waggon, Diik and the Hiislmien tending the loose stock, and " 1'11-vateli-it" and .Ian coming last with the second waggon, while I rode ahead on Lady Anna. "We halted every little while, to give the cattle a rest, bnt did not ontsi)an, as the inc-n said they would stampede if they smelt tiie water, which they could do a long way off. After going on for about five hours in this way, th(> leading oxen of the first wagtjfou refused to pull any further. When they were whijiped, they replied by twisting rouml and breaking the yoke-skeys ; then, with a plunge and a roar, snappeil the strap that bound their heads together, and away they trotted, a little to the left of the direction we were taking. Then the others tried to follow suit ; so seeing that it was useless to try and coerce them, we hastily unyoked them all, for fear of their smashing aTiything else, and left them to their own sweet wills. " They are after the water," said Kert ; so, culling out to him and to Dirk to saddle the other horses and folU)W me, I rode after the libe- rated beasts. They made a straight track over the rolling sandhills and through the scattered k'gung-trees, here and th(?re starting a herd of wildebeest and harte- beest, but scampering till, after about a two-hours' run, they came to a river-bed, in which lay a few pools of water. Into these the thirsty creatures plunged ; the water was only a few inches deep, but it was enough ; thev could slake their thirst and cool their weary feet. Directly afterwards I heard a shout behind me, and looking round saw Dirk and Kert beckoning to me. Tlu'y had ridden hard after me, and struck the river a little higher up, where there was a large, deep pool, on Co/Zir/hix Insects aiui Seeds, 245 ; but at last > fii'st waj^j^on, ).st' stock, and h the second »a. We halted ,t, hut did not inpede it' they , \o\\\i way off. 1 this way, the !(! to pnll any ley replied by 3-skeys ; then, fap that bound tted, a little to \\T, Then the t it was useless )ked them all, , and left them ter the ^vater," Dirk to saddle after the libe- track over the 'd k'gung-trees, »eest and harte- two-hours' run, a few pools of pluno^ed ; the it was enough ; heir weary feet, behind me, and ckoning to me. ruck the river a e, deep pool, on the banks of which 1 .luickly joined them. It was l:.cky the cattle, in their blind rush, had not hit this particular pit, for we should have ha.l ditlieulty in restrammg tlRMU from drinking too nmch, whereas in the shallower vleys they wouhl not Hnd much more than enough to slake the"ir thirst. We .h'tennin.'d, however, to whip them out ot, to the grass, to keep guard over them all i.ioht, and then let them have their till before returnn.g t.rthe waggons in the moriiing. After a goo.l feed, varied by several ineffectual eft'orts to return to th.> water, tliev lav down at last, and chewed the cud ot contentment, a.ul when the day dawned we gave them carU'-hlam-y to drink as nmch as they e.udd hold. And drink they did; it seemed as if they .nust burst ; for they became distended like poisoned puppies, or like the india-rubber elephants that are inftated as toys for children, threatening to collapse as rapidly, if touched. However, they were none the worse for their " booze, and after giving them the whole day to enjoy them- ^elves-though we had t.) fast ourselves all the tinie- xvo drove them slowlv back to the waggons at mght, inspanned early next morning, aiul reached the pool about noon. We were now fifty miles from (,Uan/.e, the next watering-place, unless we should be fortunate enough to find water en rontr. McCabe, when he came this way, was without water for nineteen days, finding none between Ghan.e and Kang Pan. Sama must have been plentiful then; but there was no sama now; so, to make sure, Kert and Dirk rode forward to " spy out the land," while we stayed to rest the cattle for a couple of days. The Bushmen and women mad.^ a skeriu, .hxn cooked, and Lulu sketched, while "I'll-vatch-it ,vud I looked for insects and flowers. We never had ■"■aawi fl i SM i W t rw ■'1 246 Scorpion-stini^s. an idle moinent, rhvays soein},' soincthiiig now; and what with siiootinj,', hnntin«,', skiniiing birds, propar- ing their skins, catching bugs, buttorHics, snakes and lizards, and gathiM-ing seeds from such grasses and flowering phmts as luippened to bo ripe, the first day ])assed away very (piickly. Among other specimens I caught a scorpion — one of the bhick-and-brown kind —which I pnt in a tin tobacco-box, where ho lived for some months after- wards, being fed daily with grasshoppers anr it, an.l that wh.M. working there he was ^tung so otten that the wound had no effect on him, save the pain of the puncture, which was not of long .lurat.on. LH,u.d ummonia is good for the relief of tho pain when hrst stung. , .11'^ Kertand Divk returned at night aiid reported haymg seen rhinoceros' spoor a day or two old : " where vou find the old spoor you are sure to find the new ; so next morning we were up early, saddled our horses and ro.le out to try and fint)/i//>, Hcndinj^' me sprawHii^ sith'ways into I lie mud. On came the rhinoceros, crashing' thronu'li the reeds, nearly on top of me. 1 crouched ihiwii, makiii«,' as litth? of myself visible ns ])ossihle, and his head and fore-lert''(/ by the Klnuoceros. :49 hilt, tllC IMiltltT in iit liis «'y<\ iulc strai^'lit lur at tlic ^imtir»>, into tho sadillc! inc sprawling tli(> rhinoceros, top of mo. 1 lysi'lf viniblo ns lit over me, but and j;ra7,('(l my le overlooked nie .smothered as I )r half a minute !^h away not to y as little noise ttentioii, when I r, then another. L'd carefully out, m\\i " ril-vatcli- , and Dirk riding tch-it" turned — rhinoceros — and after him, Kerb \ running beside nee of my joining at stood handy, F vantage. The , of range ; but mall rhinoceros ears pricked np 1, I began boni- I'ar evei'v ball go pat against his head and sides he oidy threw his hea.l up or Hwiteh.Ml his tail, seeming to pay no more atteii- ti„'n than if 1 was thn.wing peas at him. Ili.ving nh.ntv of eartrid^-es 1 fired away, trying to hit him in the eye, until the chanib..r <.f my Whitney- Kenne.y, which held sixtcn shots, was exhausted. IJetillmg the chamber, 1 was about to try again, when 1 h.'ar.l a, crash- incr noise the oth(>r side of me, and turning saw the ohi om3 coming b.'ick, apparently n..t much tluMv-or.se for ,itl,,, hunting or being hunted. About two hmi.lred var.ls in th(< rear were the three ri.lers, following up ami "sliouting out after me, asking wh(>ther I was alive or ,K.a.l. I answered them by shooting at " old horn.e, just as she-itwasalady-ontered the reeds, which "stopped her; tluMi, smelling aroun.l for a moment, she made a dash at the reeds. "Too lato, old woman; I'm up here," I said to myself, givuig her another, to which she paid no attention, walking quietly into her residence, and being met by her child half-way. While they were telling each other their grievances, T took the opportunity of exchanging my repeater f()r Kert's Martini-IIenry, to which the ohl fellow thought- fully fastened his handkerchief, full of cartridges, before handing it up to me. With this reinforceTnent I commenced the second attack on the little one. ihe first bullet struck it in the eye, and brought it to its knees ; tho st>cond rolled it over ; the dam making a rush towards me after each shot, and then returning to her young one. When 1 called out to the others that the young one was down, tho old cow came through the reeds with a rush, and made a dash at my tree, striking it with her forehead, and making every limb vibr.ite : then she tried to pull the tree down with her horn, ni.pmg the .-.-^jr*- 2^0 llors dc Combat. bark into ribbons. I literally had to hannr on with both hands to keep myself from being shaken out of the branch(>s. She was bleeding in five or six places, and iiaving exhausted her anger she retreated a bit, stood still, and looked up at me with her little shari) eye, not thirty feet from me. Now was my chance. This shot was more s\iccessful, striking hek- fair in the eye, which bi-ought her to her knees. She was up in an instant,and charged the tree again, while "I'll-vatch-it" and Kert both fired at her, the bullets making a noise on her hide like throwing a lump of wet clay against a wall. She backed up to make another attack, but in so doing heeled over backwards, made a kick or two, and all was over. Kert and the others were very careful in making their approach, fearing she was not quite dead, and I was down the tree and standing on her side before they came close. She had been hit in eighteen places, the Whitney-Kennedy rifle not sending one bullet through the skin, wa.ile the Martiui-Henrybullets all penetrated. Three bullets were buried nearly an inch into the skull, but the shot that made the aperture for grim death to enter was one that struck behind the shoulder. Kert and Dirk opened her, and took out the heart and livei*, which we cooked and ate, while the horses — Lady Anna having found her way back— were grazing. We could not remove the horn with our knives, so we saddled up and returned to the waggons, each of us carrying a piece of meat cut from the young calf. 1 was in a sorry plij^:ht, smothered from head to heels in mud, and wet through. Fortunately we all took homo sound skins (save for the bark being taken oil" my face), which was more than had at one time Sivcet-smelling Ihii^s. 251 to hanfjj on with ing shaken out of five or six places, e retreated a bit, til her little slniri) was my chance, ing hek- fair in the She was up in an liile'Tll-vatch-it" ts making a noise wet clay against a her attack, but in de a kick or two, careful in making quite dead, and I ler side before they ighteen places, the one bullet through llets all penetrated, an inch into the aperture for grim ehind the shoulder. : out the heart and hile the horses — way back — were bhe horn with our led to the waggons, cut from the young ered from head to Fortunately we all le bark being taken n had at one time seemed likely. " I'll-vatch-it " said that he expected to bo run down every minute, and that if Kert and Dn-k had not succeeded in attracting the old cow's attention at last, she would have had her horn into his horse's belly. Three days' easy going brought us to Ghanze without any notable incident. As we drove to the water the fore-wheel of my waggon crashed into a bush, which at once gave out a'poverful and delicious perfume. Jumi)ing down to examine the cause I plucked some leaves, but found they were scentless, as was also the stem of the plant. I could not make out where the pleasant odour came from till I touched a small beetle, when out came a puff stronger than ever. The little bug was an animated perfumery store, emitting this delicious scent whenever disturbed. I caught three of them, and put them into a perforated box, in which they lived for a week, the movement of the waggon affecting them sufficiently to make them give off their fragrance in such quantities as to keep the waggon perfumed like Rimmel's. When they died, the scent died with them. After leaving Ghanze, the country began to get a httle better watered, pools of water lying at frequent intervals all along the road towards Lake N'Gami : and the Kaffir v^ater-melon became abundant, growing up spontaneously in the sand just as well as in old Mapaar's garden at Lihutitung, and quite superseding the sama. The natives store it by burying it in the sand, when it keeps good for a twelvemonth, or by cutting it into slices and drying it. When cooked it is much superior to the American pumpkin, and its flavour is not bail when eaten raw, the flesh, though somewhat hard and toucrh, being so much sweeter than the ordinary water-nrelon that I feel sure sugar might easily be t- « Si , .1^ 2^2 Fiiidiiiii the Little People. made from it. I'oeliiis confident that it wonld prove a valnable fodder in Europe and America, I. collected sevo''f;l quarts of the seed to bring home with me. Five days' travelhng through a succession of sandy phiins with frequent pools, and covered with the water- melon, growing in the greatest profusion, brought us close to Lake N'Uami. Suddenly little Korap called my attention to a group of little lairs— they could not be called huts— formed by bending over the tops of two tall bunches of grass, and twisting or bending them together so that they formed a kind of tower, with the bare sand as a floor. These, he said, formed the residences of people belonging to his tribe : and true enough, for as we came close we lighted upon quite a number of pigmies, each the counterpart of little Korap himself. But they disappeared suddenly, as if by magic, hiding themselves so completely behind the tufts of grass that we had the greatest difficulty in finding out their whereabouts. We camped close by, and sent Korap to reassure them, and try and get them to come and see us. But not even presents of pocket-handkerchiefs and pocket-knives woidd induce them to come near us that night, though they sent word that they woidd pay us a visit next day. .And so, early on the following morning, we found a group of seven or eight httle brown beings carefully approaching our waggon — all stark naked. From their size they might be taken at a distance for children, but when they came closer their wrinkled faces — in feature closely resembling the Bushmen — showed that they were full-grown men and women. They were all tattooed on the cheeks, arms, and shoulders with short, straight marks of a blue colour ; and all, down to the sucking babe, had a peculiar tribal mark it would prove •ica, I. collected le with me. ession of Siuidy with the water- ion, bronglit us e Korap called -they could not over the tops of iug or bending I kind of tower, he said, formed his tribe : and ^hted upon quite terpart of little h1 suddenly, as letely behind the test difficulty in amped close by, ad try and get ven presents of es woidd induce lOUgh they sent ext day. ning, we found a beings carefully : naked. From a distance for )ir wrinkled faces iishmen — showed I women. They IS, and shoulders colour ; and all, uliar tribal nuirk N^ativc Coyness. -5?> in the ampulation of the first joint of the little fin;4vrof each hand. At first they were very shy, but this wore off atYer a time, and in a few days the chief and his family became very friendly, allowing me to measure them, and answering and asking questions cpiite freely. The tribe was called the M' Kabba. Tluy are inonoga- mous and the only tribe we had seen among wliom cir- cumcision is not practised. The chief was a little man, four feet one inch in lieight, with a wife just half an inch taller than himself, and his daughters both " favouring their father," in so far that they meas\ired exactly the same as he did. One of the daughters had two litth children and the other one. The children, with their tiny olive faces and large bright, sparkling eyes, are really quite pretty ; and they would be so, but for the comical appearance they present as they go waddling about with their great projecting stomachs— like so many dwarf aldermen of the desert. The little chief was quite a big man in his own estimation, and would not let his subjects come near us, at any rate when he was there, so that they did not get so familiar with us ; and for some days afterwards, on our suddenly coming against them— especially the younger members of the tribe— they would crouch down behind a hut and hide their faces in the sand. One day I saw a lit tie girl peering at me through a bush, and on my going quickly round she threw herself on the sand and screamed away like a pig being killed. These people seem to have fewer wants than any people I have ever met. When tlie mangatan or water- melons are plentiful, they live entirely on them, growing fat on the oleaginous seeds, which they pound up into a paste and then roast. When there are no mangatans they falfback on the sama, and, failing that, ^i^,^»«MBl«SS«BM»*W»«*™**'®***'*''**^' :-^lotBn»«*P«r:«W'MV.«S»et»'B5»S8?W*iii 254 Tru flics a la Pipny. on roots, which tho women gather, while the men go in search of small game. One especially favoiirite article of diet, is found in the truffles, which grow in thousamls, being easily found by a slight bulging in the sand. These truffles have exactly the same flavour as the French roots, and when roasted in the wood-ashes or baked in a sand-oven « la pigmy, they are nice ; fried in fat they are delicious. When hunting, the pigmies nse bows and poisoned arrows. The poison is made from the juice of a bulb with a fan-shaped leaf, which when cut exudes a whitish-brown juice of the consistence of milk, which is boiled till it becomes quite thick and sticky, when the poison of the yellow cobra is added, or failing this, the juice alone is used, the poison in either case being mixed with a little clay and smeared just behind the barb of their arrows. If the arrow pierces the skin of an antelope far enough to reach the flesh, the animal will surely die in less than an hour. Every portion of the animals killed by them is eaten, not even excluding the skin and the bones. We gave them a koodoo one day to see what theyAVOuld do with it. They soon had it skinned, and the entrails were tlie first thing they ate ; then came the flesh, Avhich was partly eaten raw, or only slightly warmed ; and after that the skin was roasted and eaten, and lastly the bones were broken fine with stones and devoured also. The gourmands did not rise from the feast until it was entirely consumed. Small as they were, they proved themselves quite the equals of the Bush- men in gourmandizing, their large stomachs— the most prominent feature in their bodies— protruding almost to bursting. After a time we prevailed npon the chief to bo r\u\Q the men go 'cially favojirite , which grow in light bnlging in actly the satne I roasted in the i la pigmy, they ,s. ws and poisoned e juice of a bulb n cut exiules a ( of milk, which is sticky, when the r failing this, the 'ither case being just behind the ierces the skin of flesh, the animal by them is eaten, bones. We gave liey Avould do with the entrails were 3 the flesh, which itly warmed ; and I eaten, and lastly ries and devoured e from the feast mall as they were, |uals of the Bush- omachs — the most protruding almost 1 the chief to bo ««aMi«si<«sia«N^MiW^' fjaew«e!iaeia»»««»«««s»»®«**«*'*'*''**" I'k -^f. h\-^f. I ■ «* fv, r:\ti i< '• ^1 ,/ \ '^S^' X ^v.r^ V 11 li s 1 t V 'J 1 .-/// imsith/aitfiti/ Pn/acc 255 ,,l,otograi)l.cul aloi.ff with Ins family. Tlioy catno witli their new liaiulkiTchiefs tied ro.nul their lieads— for like all Africans they like their heads covered— and I succeeded in grouping them round the waggon whik^ Lulu got the camera ready, with tho result shown m the accompanying photograph. After the oi)eration we distributed coffee and cracked-wheat among them. Tho latter they took kindly to, but the foi-mer they dnl not like. Thev would not touch either for fear of poison, till we ate and drank out of tho same vessels. ... Tho same evening wo paid a return visit to their camp, where we found many of the people already asleep, curled up with their knees drawn up to thou- chins, beneath a bush or between two tufts of grass. Even the chief's dwelling consisted merely of a holo scooped out of the ground, with two branching bushes to form the roof—not a very substantial protection against the cool night air and the heavy rains ; whilst against wild beasts their only protection was a series of little fires, round which they lie or squat, and into which they often tumble as they fidl asleep, many of them having their hands and faces and even then- stomachs burned, from the effects of nid-nid-nodding too long over the fire. Now that confidence was fully established between us, it was time to open the question whether any of these interesting little people would be willing to come back with us to Europe. Korap himself was quite ready to do so, and so I left it to him to broach the subject. Presently a meeting was arranged to discuss the matter, and through the double intermediation of Kert and Korap I tried to explain where England was, and what they would h' u if they came here. They had 256 C/vss ' /•'mvii ina t'n >ii . oltcii lioanl, tlu>y snid, of tlu> wliito men, nn.l i.sk.'.l a prciit iiiaiiv (|iu>sti(ms al)<)ut us and our couutry. WIrmi we told tluMU that (>ul•(^u'^u was the greatest aud ricliest iti the world, aud that slu« was K')i'>f? ♦" take ill their couutry, if she had Jiot already doue so, they could not understand that our "chief" was u woman, aud aske»l if we could not find among ua a man that could rule us ! I tried to explain the Kughsh law of inheritance, but am afraid the explanation was lost on them. They were better able to understand us when we said they would be well fed and clothed (if th(>y desired); but what impressed them nujre than anythin.' else was the promise of n present of some guns when they returned. They had never seen any guns Viefore, though they had h(>ard of them, and th(>y were delighted when wc showed them their use. After a long palaver, old Kert winding np by telling them that he was chief of a tribe also, and had been to see the Queen, and had returned all safely, T.ulu took out some bright-coloured handkerchiefs and tied them round the waists of the chief and his family, when thev retired, saying they would " think abont it." «■: 257 I'll, and iiskiMl a f {•oiintrv. kvas tho }>;rt'at('st ic was goiiij^ to ilrcady done so, " chief" was u nd anionn.-- A fu.tUM. wuiliuK tn I." .i.u^'I.t- A l.M/,.l- fur an ant.M.iary- A sulKstiluU. foriM.lalo-KviMHwo of tl.. ^-ra.lnal .■W'vatinu ...t U..- lomitry— (^'niious cuhIoiiih uf tlic jtaiiiaia-. As everything was going on satisfactorily, and I felt (inite sure of being able to let Europe; see this curious little race, I k'ft Lulu au.l " ni-vatch-.t ' in charge, and went with Klas. Dirk, and Kert on a trip to tiie lake, to see if we could not get an elephant. Starting early the next morning, and camping one nicrht, we reached the laki> the next day al)Out ten, and iuquiriu.r „f some natives, learned that some elephants had been seen the day before feeding at a large pool a little to the north. Engaging one of the natives as a guide to conduct us to where the elephants were last seen, we went after them, and towards evening came to a large marshy, reedy pool, covering some mdes square, with plenty of large trees growmg m and around it. We camped under some " anna" trees— immensely tall trees, with wide-spreading branches, bearino- lar^e fruit of a beautiful scarlet colour when opened, and no less delicious to the taste t.han attractive to the eye. The fruit is full of seeds, which are also edible. ;««»l»«»»sS»w«>*'W«'''^'^*"*"' '"' " 25« ll'iigiier oil the IhsuL As tlie evening; mcrirt'tl iiitct tin- .larkiu'ss ol" \\\^\\i till' lidisis wnc sc'ciiit'd to soino of tla- smiiUt-r tnvsi, iti wliicli we all roosted, so us to l»i' iviuly to protect thi- horses as well as ourHcivt's IVoiii tlic lions, whoso ruar w.- heard in the .listaiice all iiikI'* loi'K. <'"' jackals pla^iii^'an accoinpaninient to Leo's deep-toiied song. The whole p.rforn.aiuM' snggesteil the idea ol" Wagner's lunsic of the fntnre - only thut it was more easily ninlerstood. There could he no mistake that the chief item in the programme of the concert was tlu- felines' sonata, with variati*>ns, accompanied by tlu' performers' i)rivat(' jackal band. Thin wild operatic perfoiinance had a waki'ning etTeci on nie, which lasted until t)ld Sol's rays Icld me that it was tot) late to tiiink of sleep then. Having loosened the horses to feeti, and ilrnnk our cup of early colYeo, we mounted and cautiously followed aloiig the margin of tlie marshy ground, frequently making long detours to avoid the narrow /).»//«».s of water running out from the main pool. While we were I'ounding one of these inlets, the guide motioned to us to stop, and then disappeareil among the thick trees that fiinged the muddy bank of the lagoon. As he did so, 1 noticed the unmistakable imprint of an elephant's foot in the mud : it was the first elephant's spoor I had niet with in Africa, but being familiar with it fiom ho often seeing the circus elephants taken to the river to drink in America, I at once recognized it. But wild elephants in their native retreats and tame elephants at a fair are two different things,' and my heart beat with excitement at the thought of soon being brought face to face with a tusker. When the guide returned, I tried hard to read his face, but he was a stoic, and his imperturbable Elif^lutut-liuttliiis^. .so kiif.HS of iiif^lit I' sniiiUt'i' tivcs, I'iidy to protect Ik' lions, whoso iii,'lit long, ilu« I'o's (ll'I'p-tolU'il it I'll tliu idt'ii ol" liiit. it was more lo mistake that he foiieert was teeom|)auie(l by (I. This wild r effect on !n«', i me tiiat it was , ami tlrnnk our ami cautiously marshy ground, /oid the narrow main pool, hese inlets, the lien disappeared ! muddy bank of he unmistakable mud : it was the li in Africa, but seeing the circus in America, I at ts in their native ire two different citemeut at the ! to face with a ried hard to read is imperturbable countenance gave no sign. A) last, however he re- porte(| that there was a herd of six ejepaimts ., little distance olT, feeding down tlu^ \< ind, which hickily w.is blowing from lliem towards iis. As the treea l^ere thii^k and the undergrowth in some place impenetrable by a hoise, ho atlvised us to get as neat" as we could, and then, tying up our horses, wait near an open spot in the forest till the elephants came close enough for us to shoot. This |>laii woidd have this advantage, that while the elephants would give a warning of their approach, we should run no risk of alarming them, as we should if we attempteil to move close tip to them. Hi'sides, our horses wer«) unused to the sight of an elephant; so it would never do to trtist to them ; for they would either bolt, if a little distance away, or, if surprised at close cpiarteis, would stand stock-still, in s[)ite of spur and whip. So we advanced a few hundred yards till we came to the top of a small clearing, where the grass wsis nearly eight feet high, tind, concealing ourselviis behind a cliimj) of trees, awaited the approach of the unstispecting herd of pachyderms. I could not help feeling that it was a cowardly way of hunting them. Kven in war, an ambuscade is anything but an exhibition of pluck. ()py fifth shot into his elephant, which was" apidly coming to close quarters. TTiis pulled hiui •tm& r jt-Hii-imtt wt iwa.i i Wi l wn i ^a tfW M il WJ tf iiM H WW C/iargcd by an EUp/nint. 261 'I'hcMJ clear above ti of tlie elephants' ill, arose the shrill \v their long noses, t re(]nire(l all our The guide, who they were in the I looked for their \ was waving, they uare from catching her, 1 turned her )hind the trunk of !hind another that [ear view in front, ' the waving of the en not thirty yards loud shrill blast on I under me, while the noise of which ants, and I thought (I of which up went quite a chorus of I came ou in a line, ill young elephants, and galloped away Dst elephants turned moment and turned an opportunity of s of two of them. I before he got away Kert only managed ge-case jamming in I his eli?phant, which vs. This pulled him up short, but catching sight of me he waved h.s trunk aloft, displaying a pair of short tusks, and charged straight at me. My mare refused to move, though I drove both spurs into her, but stood stock- still,"shivering ami snorting with fright; so Hrmg a last shot at the charging elephant, I dismounted. As ray feet touche.l the ground I felt his trunk slip over my head, and mv ritie was pulled violently out of my hand, at the same moment a heavy thud sh(M)k the two trees in front of me. There was, luckily, not space between them for the elephant to get through, and he was brought up short in his mad rush by his head coming in contact with th-m, one on each ear. Snatching at the mare's bridle, 1 got her to move a few yards away, and remounted, when bang went Kcii s gun. ihis seemed to bring the dazed elephant to his senses, tor, lookincr back, [ saw him tearing after me. Laymg my head o"i the mare's neck, to keep clear of the branches, I ,u-ed her forward, but, once on the move, she seemed to know that safety lay in flight, and quickly sho.ved her heels to our pursuer. Bancr went a gun, and right-about-face went the ele- phant, chock full of lig•h^ charging in the direction of the sound, with me after him at full trot, till the mare stopped so suddenly that 1 was nearly thrown over her head, and began snorting once more. Then right in front was the pugnacious pachyderm, not four yards otf rt.4iting for his life. But this time it was death he'was in conHict with-lying on his side, and strug- gling in vain to get up. Seeing that he could not get the best of it, I did not interfere, but went in search of my 'run, which 1 found trampled into the mud, but, luckilv?not damagea. As I picked it up, some one called"' to me from the branches above, and I found it ■f'l ■tiiiwa '- i f i m ii I T"""'-—-^' I?: fr' V, 1 *'{■ !* 262 .7 looumicd Elcplinnt. was the f^uido, who had discreetly kept in a safe phico till all dan«,'er was past. On my inotioiiing to him that the elephant was dead, he "climbed down," and pointinj? in the «lire(^tion from which the elephants had oijfj^inaily cotne, made si.M>k«t0SaM«Ht A Narroxi) Escape for Kcrt. 263 , in a safe [jlaco tiofiing to him bed down," and e elephants had other one was J oil". I tried to but he adhered e better part of me, I met Kert, If an hour, fol- ist, and finding there in phices n tlie jungle, or es that came in snorting swept 3unds like thot e ing dust out of :our and get to oked for a con- ;, into which to it branches were •e all too big to ys good to me, the shape of a eaves from the •eached close to :5 reins over her ^h enough to see od the elephant, applying it to a ntly been pretty ro his right fore- lis stern towards me, so resting my rifle on a convenioivt branch, I waited till he should swerve round and give me a chance of another shot at his shoulder. A long panse followed, during which the wovinded beast eontniued to apply his surgical remedies, and then bang went the gun; away rushed the elephant; the smoke hung in the air for a moment, so that I could not see which way he went, but the crashing of the branches soon told clearly enough that he had gone oft' right away from me. In a moment the forest echoes were awakened ac^ain ; he had evidently gone from Scylla to Charybdis, and rushed into the arms of Kert. But his career was not checked, for 1 could still hear him crashing along in the distance; so, hastily slipping down, I mounted Lady Anna and followed in his wake. I had not gone far before I heard Kert shouting, " hieur ! Sieur ! " evidently in distress. " Come quick ! " Hurry- incr up, I found him in a sorry plight. " Look, ray hand is skinned ; my veldt schoon is torn off; ray leg is smashed ! I wonder I am not killed, like my horse ! and pointing over his shoulder, he showed me the body of the raare lying behind a tree. She was not quite dead, but so badly injured that we had to shoot her to put her out of her misery. After making sure that Kert was not so badly hurt as he had imagined, I made him tell me how it all happened. " You see, sieur, when you sliot, the elephant came straight to me, limping along on three legs. The horse wouldn't move, and how I fired 1 don't know ; 1 only know that the elephant drove us both against that tree, dragging me off, and crushing my leg, and smashing the^'mare, but never stopping a minute." The fright^ ened brute, quite unlike his companion, had no pluck s64 /ui/ii/o lilc /chant's feet. f i. 1 1 ' ill liirn at nil, but had rushed blindly .iwny. Howevor, it was useless to attempt to follow him single-handed, so takiuij the saddle olT the dead maro and putting it on the living one, we made oui" way back to oui' first victim. Dirk and Khis and the Katfir guide had sum- moned uf) courage to approach him, now he was dead, and had already cut off his feet, and were cooking them. We made our suppei- off them, and most delicious eating they were, in the morning we had the heart for brt>akfast, and that was voted delicious too. It is astonishing what a quantity of meat one can eat when living in the open air. An elephant's trotter Avould make a week's dinners in London, but here it was hardly too nnich for a single meal. If my appetite increa.sed at this rate, I felt [ should soon have to stop calling the Bushmen gluttons, and when I got back to London Messrs. Bertram and Roberts would be otlering me a Aveekly sum to go and dine at somebody else's table- iriu'itc. In the morning, having cut out the elephant's tusks, we took up the trail of his wounded brother, and came to a mudtly place, where there Avere marks of his foot- stej)S liavnig slipped, showing that lie had had some difficulty in getting along on his three legs. Before long we came to the tripod himself, leaning against a tree about sixty yards off. He moved his ears as we approached, but did not make the slightest attempt to move, and no doubt welcomed our volley as a means of escape from his sufferings, for as we fired he rolled over and peaceal)ly went to that bourne from which no elephant returneth. (lis tusks were very small, only just showing through the lip, and were not worth the trouble of cutting out. But the animal would not be left to waste, for the . / Ihtjjalo Hunt. 26 = say. Howevor, n single-handed, and putting it ack to our first guide had sum- »w he was dead, re conking them. most delicious .^ had the heart .'ious too. It is ne can eat when 's trotter Avould ere it was hardly ) petite increased 5 to stop calling back to London •e otl'ering me a )ody else's tahh' elephant's tusks, rother, and came arks of his foot- e had had some ee legs. Before leaning against a d his ears as we fhtest attempt to alley as a means \Q fired he rolled le from which no showing through e of cutting out. o waste, for the Kaffir guide said he would go and fetch two or three families to camp near both the carcases, where they would reuuiin until the bones had been picked clean. The natives, he said, were anxiously awaiting the time when the tuskers would congregate iier(\ and be followed bv hundreds of hunters, for then they would have as nnich eUphant-meat as they liked, without any trouble. , Taking a short cut back towards the waggons, kert s sharp eves caught sight of some buffaloes standing in a shallow, reedy pool. The old Bushman was very careful to impress upon me the fact that a buffalo is a very dangerous animal to tackU>, for when wounded an old bull will charge any one who comes within reach. So we " made a plan," as they say in Afrikander- Dutch. Dirk rode to the left, Kert to the right, and I took the centre. The forest was very open just here, and we could see one another, and at a given signal we all advanced, agreeing each to pick out his buffalo and fire at a hundred yards. Before we got within range the herd caught sight of us and bolted. I fired at an old bull, who dropped to his knees but recovered and ran towards Dirk. Kert, fired, but failed to stop him, and on trotting forward to get another shot I saw the whole herd following their leader and galloping straight at Dirk. Hurrying to got within range again, a few thick bushes hid them from our view for a moment, when we heard Dirk fire, and directly after, on mounting a slight rise, saw one buffalo on the ground, and the rest scurrying off to the left. But where was Dirk ? " There he goes," shouted Kert, " and the old bull after him. But he is safe enough. His horse is fresh and the ground is open." 266 C/iarocii by a Ihill Bujfalo. % ft "(voiiie Oil ; Iff us SCO the onri of it," said I, and 1,'iillopitijj: forward, ^-ainod rapidly on tho buffalo. j)iik was "[('ttin^ well clear of his pursuer when over rolled his horse, pitchin<( him forward about ten t'ect over his head. 'Hio old bidl was juakiiijj: straight for him when I jumped off my horse and Hred, dropping the butlalo as it seemed to me right ou top of Dirk. The buflaio had fHllcii with his nose against his chest, but with his backlume literally cut in two. He was powerless to do any harm, though had 1 missed him Dirk W(tuhl have been done for. As it was he was only a bit da/.ed, and in a few minutes was able to help turn the bufTalo into beef. After a dinner of meat, more nearly resembling the beef of old Kngland than any I had eaten in South Africa, we turned our horses' heads once more towards the waggons, licher by a couple of " robes," and a good supply of fresh beef; crossing on our way the spoor of eland. Lulu and " I'll-vatch-it," with the help of little Korap, had made great progress with the negotiations with the "little people," several of whom had agreed to accompany us, and were not only willing but anxious to visit the country of the " Great Queen," and joined our party without hesitation. Staying a day or two to rest, 1 sent the Bushmen ahead to look for sama, or mangatan, or water : and ou tlie third day they returned with the welcome intelli- gence that the mangatan was plentiful for three days' journey, and that there was a water-pan where we could camp while they went on in front once more reconnoitring. Not wishing to pass through Mapaar's count!-y again, 1 .sti'uck out in a westerly dirt :tion, where the " little peo[»le " assured us that after ". bit 0. t," said T, and n tho buffalo, supr whon over aboiit ten feot ng straight for Hred, dropping MX top of Dirk, ainst his chest, in two. He I liad 1 missed As it was he ,v minutes was Altera dinner le beef of old outh Africa, we towards the fs," and a good [• way the spoor p of little Korap, jgotiations with had agreed to ling but anxious !en," and joined nt the Bushmen 3r water : and on welcome iutelli- x\ for three days' r-pan where we iront once more litough Mapaar's jsterly dirt :tion, 1 that after ". bit Ci allien d'nrss. :67 we shouhl find water every few days, as the rains had passed over towards Dama.-ahind. Foi" four days we passed through unduhiting country, looking abnost like an Knglish corn district, covered as it was with a golden crop of Hushmau grass, which was now ripening, and was almost r.pial to oats as fodder for the horses and cattle. Tlu" spaces b.-t ween the bunches of grass were often literally covered with samii. or water-m(>lons, so that we did not trouble for water. Meat, too, was plentiful, as we got fresh elan.l and wildebeeste nearly every day. We often came across the spoor of lions, but did not see any of these animals, as the forest was getting thinner. On the fifth day we altered oiu- course to S.W. so as to strike Tunobis or Rietfontein, known to some as Ochimbunde. It was perhaps a little risky to diverge so far from the usual kmjwn route, but the catth.' were in good condition— old Blomberg, the one that the lion had torn, was as fat as butter. We had plenty of tbod for man and beast, and I trusted to my usual good 1 uck, which never deserted me. Lulu, imleed, now had so much faith in my lucky star that when discussing the probabilities of finding water in the [)ans spoken of by the " little people," he would say it did not matter whether there was water there now or not, for as soon as he (meaning me) got there they would be sure to bo full ; and certainly up to now we luul never once been disappointed. And if we had been it wouhl not have ' mattered much to me; as far as 1 was personally concerned it would not make much difference whether 1 turned to dust in the Kalahari or whether my bones went to swell the dividends of a cemetery company. Coming to a wide grassy flat, with a clutn[) of k'guug-trees in the middle, the " little people " said f ■ 268 ./ herd of /.chnts. w ' r iC that on the otlier side of tho trees wo .should find a Tniinbrr of hollow stones, which, after ruin, were full of water, and took some weeks to dry up. So ontspannnig the cattle to ad in his tracks, and then, turtiing to the quaggas, 1 wounded one, which Dirk and Klas finished. Leaving Dirk and Klas to skin them, I rode after the zebras, and in the open prairie beyond the k'gung- trees, saw them all standing on a gentle rise watching my approach, close to another herd, of whose presence, however, they took not the slightest notice, while the others seemed equally to ignore them. They looked so s beautiful that I had not the heart to kill any more, remembering how scarce they were getting ; and as I watched them 1 thought of Cross's advertisement I had seen in a Cape paper offering 75/. for a live true zebra. There stood in front of me about 1000/. worth- provided they could have been captured; but even with that important proviso satisfied, I doubt whether much profit would have been left by the time they had been taken to Cape Town, to say nothing of Liverpool. iiim»«»n«iffimiiiiiiwiii Pcculiay Stoves. :6q .slioukl fiixl a iiiii, wore full of So ontspjinning died the horses lie spot looked )nt it took two the trees, which u the spoor of lonj^ necks," we s, not Burchells quaggas. The sed at the un- g in amazcnient, them t(j SI sense leaving one of unfh we had sill d in his tracks, mdod one, which , I rode after the »nd the k'gung- ble rise watching whose presence, notice, while the They looked so 3 kill any more, etting ; and as I 'ertisement I had a live true zebra. 1000/. worth— ured ; but oven I doubt whether he time they had ling of Liverpool. So bidding them good-byr, I left the lOOO/. on the san.ls f.jr somebody else to realize, and went m search of the hollow rocks where the water was to be found. The stones were about a quarter of a mile off, looking ill the distanc^e like large rocks of granite awaiting the construction of sonu' imposing public Imilding. As we ai)proached I felt certain they nnist have been brought here at some reuiote period by human hands. Where could they have come from ? Had they ever been actually laid together, or if not, why had the workmen not completed their obvious task? There was no stoue of any kind for hundreds ()f miles ; nothing but sand ; possibly, however, they had been cpiarriiMl from the bed-rock underlying the sand, which I struck whenever digging to very great dH])th for water. There might have been a time when the country hereabouts was free from sand ; but, if so, these stones must have been piled up high on others, or they would have got smothered too. At any rate they had lain exposed to the weather for a long, long time, for their colour was a shiny black, save where chips hajiin'i'ii inciit. I ^ir U .t (Iraiik sf.iiic, antl foninl it drliciniisly cool and of pooil t1jiv(»iir. Tlicrt' Wits ii little spilimoiit at tlir bottom ; Itiit only ill oiu' ('as«! was llirrc any V('<<»'tal»lr jj^ntwtli. Hy tlu! time J n'lurno:^'-ons, I tasted sonu' ot'the qnai,',iJ:a and /.el)ra meat; the former was very tender and id delieions flaviMU'— nnieh superioi* to the zebra. Ul'K LAnKDUr ON TMK UKSKRT. We stayed her(^ two (lays, tillinsj^ nj) all our water- vessels, and washino; our linen, and bathing-. The horses enjoyed putting their noses into these ready- made drinking-tn>ughs ; but the cattle refused to drink. Dirk and Klas said they would not take water while the sama Avas plentiful. I asked " rU-vatch-it " what was his opinion of the origin of the stones. His reply was characteristic : " Vat matter dot how com dis stone dare ? How can dot Eatins; roots. 271 1)1 ami of pood lit tli«' hottoni ; I'tiildr /fbra. i'f»J&.*--**.3t(^; > all our water- batliiiig-. The ito these ready- ttle refused to I not take water s opinion of the J characteristic : •e ? How can dot difference make to some |»oo|il«'. Vat mak«Mne interest de most is dey j?*'' vater ; and vo know dot mit rain (lot vater come dai-e." '* rU-vatch-it's " phil()soi)hy was ccrtaiidy of a prac- tical kind. To pet water here was certaiidy a boon to ' be thankful for. My star was still in the ascendant ; but, given rain and hr)llow rocks to hold it, there coidd hardly fail to be a store of water f«tr the traveller who happened to be passing at the time, and that was our oood fortune. The Hushmen and the " little people" found pleidy of roots; one a very large one, as long as one's arm, and much thicker, full of strong fibres which would )nake good rope, and between the fibres a kind of starchy substance which looked and tasted very much like arrowroot. The Btishmeri called it lildh. When roasted it was not a bad substitute for potato. There was another root— also very good eating —of a bulbous nature, producing a flower very like a crocus, b«it without a stem, growing closo to the ground between several long leaves. From this point to Tunobis, a two days' jourm-y, we saw no game at all, unless a sand-tor- toise comes under that head. Tunobis is on an elevated plateau of sand, standing ;i40() feet above sea-level, or nearly ten feet higher than when Galton was here in 1851. I find the whole country is rising; and this I take it is the cause of Lake N'Gami getting gradually shallower. The natives think it is the lack of rainfall, but even after this year's heavy rainfall they admit that it is not a bit deeper than before. At Tunobis we found a number of Damaras with their cattle, watering at a running spring. These people are very different from either the Kaffirs or the desert dwellers. They are a powerfully-built, stalwart m II .•1 V 2 -2 Curious Piimaya Cuy/i'tus. race, j.'t-l)lack, lookin;^' mon' lik.' tli.- im^m-o, Imf wirli tlio splfmlul ithi/^iijiir «)f the Zulus. Sonif of til.' custoius of tlioso i)(>oi>l(' aiv very p.culiiir. Wlu'ii auy ono is very ill, and in their iR'lief past lil'i', the sou, or next nearest relation, has to help the .lyiii^' purson " shiitHe olYthis mortal coil " by strauKliui^ him. KuiuM-als and Nveddin.^'s a'-e celebrated mucirin the same fashion by plenty of danciuj? and foastin^r. Oil each occasion the eldi^st sou has to act . the paH of butcher to the cattle that arc ilestiued to form the feast; and this he does in a very curious manner. Throwing' the ox to the jrround, the youn^' man prevents tin; animal from usin^' its lej^s, plaeinir his knee on the horn that is nearest to the j,n-ouud, and then with both hands grasps the windpipe, and never lets K«> <••• tl'^' beast's stru<,'<,d(^s are terminated by sniToeation. Th.« women are not allowed to wit uess this proceediui,', nor are thoy p.M-uiitted to partake of the flesh. T heard no talk of " women's rights "among these p.M^plo, tho weaker sex accepting its position of inferiority very submissively. lV)lyi?amy is the order of the day, the uumi having as many wives as they can purchase. Their king, Kamahamahero, sets the ex- ample of taking ane^v young wife every year, choosing OTdy from the families of chiefs. He had recently married his twenty-secon»l. Kamahamahero is five feet eleven inches high, powerfully-built, and as black as jet; about forty -eight years old. He is advised and controlled by Robert Lewis, through whose re- commendation "he is arn)ing as fast as he can, to protect his people from the constant predatory mcur- sions of the Namaqua Hottentots. The Damaras are celebrated cattle-breeders, the chief's herd alone numbering sotne 20,000. ■ K m iMWunmn ii mWi tn S Kt i a miaMm iS. 273 tit'i^ro, Imf wirli I'ople uiv very 1, and in their I roliition, lias to niortiil coil " by ^.s u»'o celcbratoil of diiiiciii}? and , son liaH to act aro de.stinoil to . a vefy curious jund, tlio yonnij its lojJ^s, placinjr the lijrouiid, a«id ll)i|)(}, and ncvor » terminated by lowed to wit ncss h1 to partake of s rii>in),' a Jackal. FiioM Tunobia wo struck out in a southerly direction, picking our way between trees and steep sandhills. There was no road : so wo took it turn and turn about to ride ahead of the waggons in pairs, one exploring the route, while the other rode back to conduct tlio waggons. We had to exorcise great caution, tho country being infested with lions, so that wo had to niako a skerin every night. This gave us a great deal of work, but wo generally managed to economize time by riding on in fi-ont, and selecting a suitable spot, -where noi-bushes were in abundance. Game was plentiful, tho sand being covered with the tracks of giraffes, eland, harteboeste, geras-bok, and wildebeeste ; but wo had to leave all but tho last un- pursued, the w Udebeesto belying their name by being loss wild than any of the others, and remaining till we got close enough to get a shot at them without difficulty. In two days we arrived at Sandfontein, where we gave tho oxen a day's rest, and replenished our water- 2 74 Afal-uio thick Milk. f| vfc" t . m vessels ; and the day after leaving there, while ridinp; ahead, I found a waggon-track that looked like having been used pretty frequently at one time, but was now nearly overgrown with grass. When the waggons came np I pointed it out to " I'U-vatch-it," who re- plied, " All right ; we know dot you somedings find ; you have dot lucky too plenty." Following the track, we came in three days to a place called Anerougas. There are two places of this name, the one whore we now are, on the Nosob River ; the other IGO miles distant, further south. Here we found water ; and also met with some of the Namaqua Hottentots, who are always making raids into Damara- land, robbing the inhabitants of their cattle and taking their children into captivity. . . Three days later we reached Kerses, where an En<'lishraan resided with his coloured wife — at least, she had children who called him father ; and further proof I did not ask for. She was disposed to be very friendly, and brought us supplies of thick milk, for which I gave her in exchange some coffee and tobacco. The latter she pounded fine, and adding a few ashes, used it as snuff. The thick milk was made by putting milk fresh from the cow into a skin bag, which, as soon as fermen- tation set in, was shaken frequently. "When the milk had arrived at the proper consistency, which could be told by the sound, a small peg was pulled out from one corner and the whey allowed to escape. The bag with the " curds " w^as then trampled under foot until every drop of liquid was squeezed out, and nothing left but a thick white mass, which was either eaten as it was, or mixed with the fresh evening's milk. Lulu tasted this novel kind of " cream cheese," which he pronounced fill'. (T there, while ridinp; at looked like having le time, but was now When the waggons I'll-vatch-it," who re- yoii somedings find ; ri three days to a place places of this name, the Nosob River ; the »r south. Here we some of the Namaqua iig raids into Damara- heir cattle and taking d Kerses, where an oured wife — at least, 1 father; and further IS disposed to be very ies of thick milk, for me coffee and tobacco. I adding a few ashes, y putting milk fresh ich, as soon as fermen- utly. When the milk tency, which could be as pulled out from one escape. The bag with under foot until every and nothing left but ?ither eaten as it was, g's milk. Lulu tasted ," which he pronounced The Bastard Captain. T7 t I delicious, resembling i\\c fromage a la emne we used to get in Paris. At first 1 used a little sugar to correct the slightly sour taste, but soon got to like it a In Bastard. • ^ £ a Milk, in one form or another, was the prnicipal food of these people, and the Englishman— whoso name 1 suppress at his personal request— thoroughly enjoyed our cracked wheat when he came to sup with us one night. He was a highly educated man, of good family, and his conversation made me wonder how he could consent to live in this out-of-the-way corner of the world. We were four days' journey distant from the head- quarters of Dirk Verlander, the self-appointed chief of the Bastards, and Kert proposed to go on in advance and prepare him for our arrival. So while he went on ahead we stayed here a day or two exchangmg hospitalities with our English friend, who, on the eve of our departure, killed a two-year-old, and insisted on our accepting half of it. It was on Sunday morning that we reached Mier— a collection of huts formed of bent sticks, covered with anything that came handy, pitched on a bare stony patch, whose only recommendation is the absence of sand. In the centre of a stone kraal stands a stone house, thatched, and plastered with clay, which is the residence of the chief, upon whom we called as soon as we had outspanued on the camping-ground, which Kert had laid out near a fresii-water pit dug out of the solid rock. We were met at the gate by a tall, well- built, dark-brown mulatto, with large, handsome eyes, which twinkled as he spoke, and his face bearing a perpetual smile, the parted lips displaying a row of white, even teeth ; but a cunning expression underlying T 2 ■ ,.• - -^ . .4t" i- 'h .76 fJt'rl- Vcr lander his j^'ood looks. Ho was in his shirt-sleeves, the original colour of which could only be guessed at ; his legs hidden by a pair of corduroy trousers, and a pair oiri'Idt schoons partly covered his feet. On his fingers he wore several hoops of silver and brass. Such was Dirk Verlander, who conducted ns inside the house, Avhere stools were placed for our accommo- dation. In one corner of the square room stood a narrow wooden bedstead covered with stiff bullock-hides. The MIHK VHHI.ANIJKH. opposite corner Avas filled with blue-painted boxes de- signed to form the seats of a waggon. In the third corner stood some ox-yokes, while near the door hung a pail of water with a cup attached. Lying in the middle of the cow-dung floor Avas a heap of spring-bok skins, on which some children and young goats were playing together. On the beams of the roof sat perched several fowls. Tlie room was nearly full of men, while women of all shafles of colour, but all with their faces blackened with a paste made from a dark-coloured stone, which ..i#iiMii. u< i i iMiiniinwTT«ffw i i «'i the Bastards took the Country. 279 And 1 may as well answer that (juestion, though to do so involves a little bit of history, which, however, those who do not like it nuiy skip. The original stock from whence the i-resetit race of Bastards is sprung eame from Cape Colony, where they were slaves,' held in bondage by the first Dutch settlers. Some of these slaves having made their escai)e, wrre protected by the tribes among whom they took refuge ; but instead of appreciating their protectors' hospitality, they too often repaid it with treachery, using their superior knowledge and cunning to over- throw the chiefs and take their places. This is what Jan Africander did with the Namaqua Hottentots, after having obtained permission for himself and others to resitle with them. ^^ Dirk Verlander was one of Jan's "great-men, as they are called, and was sent eastward to establish Jan's power amongst the Bushmen on the Kalahari ; but having obtained leave from the Bushmen to settle at Anerougas, he made a pit there, and never again returned, although frequently sent for. At last, Jan Africander himself came after him, and gave him notice to "trek;" but by this time some of the Bastards had joined Verlander, who paid no attention to the order. The notice to quit having been repeated, he rei)lied that he could not at present, owing to the drought ; and by the time he received the third notice he had prepared himself for resistance, and sent word back that he would go when Jan Africander /orc«i him . These slaves were culled " yunys " or " l.oys," and to this dxy the Bastards >vhen asked what they are will say " ^A- .. .«»m a am a yung, or boy), ji.st as the term or its Lnglish enu.yalciit is still used by the colonials, so that a black, no matter how old he may be, speakiny of his employer, will say, " I am Mr. So-and-bos boy. 2 So 117/0 air the Ihistanh .' to, and not lu'forc. War was dedarcd, ondincr in tho di'tViit of Jan Africander and \\\a party, and they were foi'ccd to trek into the Veldtsehoontriio^ers country, leaving Verlander in possession. Tho latter was at once recoc?ni/-ed as chief, under tho title of " Captain of tho Emigrant Bastards." No doubt the word " Bastard " was originally employed in its literal sense, these peoi>le being the ])rogeny of tho Bush- women and their Dutch masters. But in course of time marriage ciistoms were introduced, and they called their children schnm BastanUy or clean Bastards, thus originating the type or race of people known as " The Bastards." Each year Verlander's little settlement was aug- mented by a few more half-breeds — coming across the Orange River from the colony. They lived prin- cipally by hunting on the Kalahari, and, as they increased in number, were of necessity obliged to " expand." The Ve.'landers, always taking the lead, went farther and farther north, finding water by digging pits. Traders followed them up, and fortunes were at one time made in the feather trade. But those days have gone by. Prices then were from 40/. to 70/. per pound, while to-day they are as low as from 5/. to 10/. " Cape smoke " was the principal article of barter. The Bastard is very improvident, and will purchase anything if you will give him credit ; he nearly always anticipates his hunting profits by buying on credit from the trader more stuff than his whole season's skins and feathers would be worth. There is a kind of law established, Avhich is admi- nistered by field-cornets, appointed by Verlander. Certain grounds are also iUlotted to each person, for I, ondintij in tho , and they were riisjfors country, 10 latter was at tie of " Captain loubt the word 1 in its literal ly of tho Bush- ^ut in course of luced, and they tnrdx, or clean )r race of people DiTicnt was ang- — coming across They lived prin- ri, and, as they 3ssity obliged to taking the lead, inding water by up, and fortunes ther trade. But ;n were from 40/. re as low as from ! principal article jnd will purchase he nearly always buying on credit is whole season's II, Avhicli is adnii- d by Verlander. 3 each person, for nastard mode of rLdoiiins; Time and Distamc. 2S1 which a tax, or rout, is paid to tho "Captiiiu." As there is no money in the country, tho price of every- thing is spoken of as so many goats or sheep, a yearling calf, a two-yoar-old, a largo trek ox, or a small trek ox. Time is reckoned by pointing to tho sky and saying when tho sim stands so or so, you must bo here or there. Distance is reckoned after a still more vague system. "Just over there" is half an hour; "nearby" is three hours on horseback or seven hours by ox^waggon ; " there ! " with the " r '| rolled out long, is any great distance ; " an hour is equivalent to about six miles on horseback. Tho Bastards, like their teachers the Boers, are an indolent, lazy lot, who like to smoke, drink coffee, eat, and talk. Their principal aim in life soars no higher than to fill their ever-hungry stomachs. Sooner than labour a little, by cutting and storing hay, they will allow it to be wasted, and see their cattle perish every few years from starvation. Like the Boers, they make good pioneers, but they must be eradicated before the country can be prosperous. They affect to be Christians, and tho fact that they have but one legiti- mate wife apiece may be counted as one step towards civihzation. But they rejoice in many black proxies, and at all their camps you may see them all sitting around one fire, with their children of all colours, and no shame is attached to the fact that the father of the Bushman girl's children is her master. They are all poor, both in cattle and sheep, when, under the same circumstances, they might be rich, if they only possessed a little more energy. Even when they see other people more energetic than themselves prosper around them, they cannot bestir themselves to follow their example. For example, one Rautenbach, a white »i) 282 Cattlerinuliitii:. tnuUT, came atno„Kst then to hunt, a.ul l.iro.l a great .nany Bush.n.n as huntvrs. IK' not only .nmlr money in tradh.ga.ul huntinj,', but inlettn.g Verlander have credit to the a.uount of about 1500/., more or le^^ To pay tl.is, Verlauder, Nvith tl.e ac.juiescer.ce ot his 'qrooi.wvn, K^ve him a piece of land running fron, near Mier to about sixty miles south, and as lar west into the sands as he could go until he reached the border-line of Bechuanaland. In this territory Ran- tenbach dug wells, built dams to store water in rmny sc-asons against the dry, erected a substantial stone house, and started cattle-ranching in a small way. In H few years his herd increased to 1 -.00 head, and now all the Bastards look at him with envy, blaming Verlauder for giving him the best land, where all the Avater is. One of them afterwards vent so far as to tell me " Verlauder ought to have kept all the land for his own people, and not paid the thieving Jew trader anything He for^rot that Rautenbach's property, previously to hi^ sinking wells on it, had no more value than any ot the surrounding lands, any of which might be made iust as valuable by the exercise of the same amount o energy He is the only white man that has anchored his ship on this sea of grass, and commenced cattle- farming in the proper way ; but he is bound to succeed, as others-will do who set to work in the same way. After this long parenthesis, we will return to the Just as Verlauder finished, a bell hanging on a pole outside was rung. The chief rose at once, all his iiroot- raea following suit, and taking their chairs to the end of the room, motioning me to do the same Ihis 1 did wondering what was to follow next; and we had haixlly seated ourselves when a troop of women and " GoiiC to Mcciin 2«3 nt, iind liirp'l a l(« not only inadr letting Verlander fc 1500/., more or le acquioscenco of md running from 1, and as far west il ho reached tlie hi« territory llau- »ro water in rainy substantial stone 1 a small way. Iti head, and now all blaming Verlander all tiio water is. far as to tell me le land for his own V trader anything." lerty, previously to 3 value than any of ch mi gilt be made the same amount of 1 that has anchored I commenced cattle- is bound to succeed, ,n the same way. will return to the II hanging on a pole it once, all his (jvoof- eir chairs to the end ) the same. This I w next ; and we had roop of women and ehiMreii, of all sizes and colours, slovenly-looking creatui-es, with dirty faces, came and scjuatted on tlu| floor opposite to us, those most nearly in a state of nature taking a back seat. Then came in an old man, with sore, red eyes, dressed in rags of many colours, his coat reminding me of the one that.)ose])h's brothers of.».-. b<...cred for everything they saw. Tobacco thoy did ,.rthink it worth while to ask for, but reached over and took the pouch and helped themselves, as a matter of course. They were past-masters in the art of bogging ; thev would first examine an article and then praise it ; then say with the utmost coolness, "As maistor has ,)lenty, I should like this as my present, cs horn bloet. If we had not made our negatives very plain and very strong, our waggons would have been sacked m an hour They never left us five minutes m peace, hven when wo ate, thoy would surround us, and watch every mouthful, begging us to allow them to " prue die nehor koss" (" taste the delicious food"). One or two pre- tended to be anxious to buy, offering most ridiculous prices ; but when told that we were not traders, their bei»^^«!nMffM^ ' ' 2^(y /i/(ici-Mii'7/uj;. on th<^ vcMt, iiuil as his vflilt-onu-t was ^o'xu^ ovit to Irtdi in wliiit skins hihI fcuthrrs tlu-y Imd ollcctcl, he invitc.l ns to accompany liim, mul wc Kl'i'^y aL'cc|)U>«l tljo olTcr. Hilt wc reckoncil without our liost. I'W onr iu-coptancc was nm to leave lihn halt'our su^ar :ui.l colYee, consi(lerat««ly atUliujj: that his sons wouhl re|)ay me if wo wante.l more. iJut I (lid n(.t hke trusting,' to such chances, ami declined. 'IMien he lixed his covetous eyes on our big /.inc pail, say- injr it would 1)0 useful to him to dip water from the dani- This, however, was more useful to us than almost any- thin gladly accepted t our host. For for a renewal of der asked uie to isideratelyaddiujj; anted mori'. iiut LH'S, and declined, bij; /.inc pail, say- tef from the dan>. than almost iiny- for preparing the i, it, that the veUlt- ■count to part with crthis roipiest too. off, the "private for toUage. " It any one massing vehlt to make him mong those people, nos than the black 3oth I offered him how to wind it up irned it over very o we know about Die oud Ker' moet chap must give me :ch-it" said in an • he vill die vaggon ret." Diplomatizing I said, " iJut you can't expect a man to give you a gun when he is just starting on a hunt." "Why not? "he replied. "You have six. llow- ,>ver, you can take; them with you, and when you return I will take mine." I diin his underground ly at the gorged 1 soaring high aloft leavens passed over •etfully noting, even sleek skins of our g them a supper for sun, like a great ball western bed, kissing rey mountains, and pink and crimson as ( the silver light of iturnine laugh of the til the shadow of a the jackal, and the d the lion from his over the sea of soft dely disturbed by the per's ready," and the ,he infinite variety of ght down to the level he necessity, common when' wo left the i-ivor, and struck off to the east across the sand. Four days more brougiit us to the edge of tlu) k'guug forest, whcr ■ we camped under some large trees between twc sandhills, near sonie old huts, the remains of an old i. ttea village. Sonu) of the best of these old huts wore taken possession of by the Hushmen, Avhilo the others came in handy for firewood. At night wo set some steel traps that we had brought from Mier, baiting them with pieces of gems- bok flesh, and making a trail up to them by dragging the entrails of a stein-bok in a circle of nearly a mile in diameter. No sooner liad darkness set in than wo heard the barking of the jackals all round us, and shortly after supper Kert exclaimed, " Hark ! there's a jackal caught ; you can tell by his bark." My unpractised ears could not detect any difference, but Dirk and one of the Bushmen left the fire, and in half an hour came ba(;k v/ith a large jackal, which they soon skinned, and, although they had eaten a hearty supper not an hour before, the whole party set to work to cut up and roast the carcase, which they devoured as ravenously as if they had fasted for a week. wn party, there were a-in-law (st^'aar), Pete vere distinguished as )hew), Andreas Bok, ervants. the Ki Ki mountains, stinct from the large jackal ripes down its back. t 290 CHArTER XVIII. Defying th.; poi-son-borrics— A ride after a giraffe— A tall beast— ^ lliiUs on giraffe hnnting— Charming away the lions anil vultmea —A desert tlelicacy— I spend a night alone in a tree— A de- scent of vultures in force- A monster vulture -Nocturnal visitors —The " lion's scavenger " vermis " lion's proviiler "—The hyena enters a mrf at— In dream-land— A curious bird— Three lions appear on the scene— I'liotographing Leo at home— A fooUiardy experiment— Camera vrmw gun— Death of the king. Next morning we Avere up before daybreak, to find that the Bushmen had visited the traps again and brought in four ahs. As soon as these were skinned, seven of us were mounted and riding northwards over the grassy sandhills, under the broad camel-trees, through thick clumps of dark-green k'gung-trees, by " raisin-bushes," heavily laden with ripe berries, and every now and then passing a cree completely covered with a creeping vine, full of bunches of large fruit about the size of a plum, ranging in colour from bright green to a rich scarlet. Very tempting the bunches looked, and finding that the ripe fruits were broken open, having been picked by birds, I was about to eat one when Kert called out that it was (7/^ i.e. poisonous. Thinking, however, that what the birds ■ ate, and apparently enjoyed, wouldn't do me much harm I disregarded the warning and tasted the for- bidden fruit. In flavour it much resembled the tomato, and the juice was so pleasant and cooling that I plucked another. Giraffe-hunting. 291 iraffc— A tall hcast— the lions and vultures lone in a tree — A de- are— Nocturnnl visitors provitler "—The hyena 3US bird— Three lions at home — A fooUuirdy A the king. daybreak, to find J traps again and lese were skinned, g northwards over )road camel-trees, Q k'gung-trees, by I ripe berries, and Bompletely covered jlies of large fruit cr in colour from V^ery tempting the he ripe fruits were ' birds, I was about that it was (j'fl, i.e. lat what the birds Idn't do me much and tasted the for- ich resembled the mt and cooling that " No, Sieur ! " cried Kert, and his companions cast distrustful eyes upon me, expecting to -^oc me die there and then. " If you eat them yuu will be poisoned again, and we shall bo told it is our fault." But I laughed at their fears, and proved that their knowlcilgo was not always to bo relied upon, by sur- viving the risk, and eating more. However, we soon liad something more exciting to think of; for we crossed the track of an old bull gii-affe— huge foot- prints over a foot long and nearly nine inches l)road. We took up this spoor at a jog-trot, and rode along in silence. At every step tlie spoor became fresher, and in an hour we came to the place where he had evidently lain down to sleep the night before. Just beyond here the cornet dismounted, and taking up a handfid of wet sand said, in a whisper, " It is warm : we are close upon him ; keep a sharp look-out ahead ;" then jumping into his saddle again he rode on a few yards ahead. " Gallop ! he has seen or scented us," now came the cry ; and away we all went pell-mell through the long grass, heeding not the attempts of the thorn- bushes to keep us back, although they ripped a piece out of our clothes every time they got hold. There goes Jan, the cornet's nephew, flying through the air, but his mare is out of sight ! No time to stop, for the great, tall, cream-coloured stallion now comes into full view as he turns round a thorn-bush and zigzags up a steep sandy slope. Now it's my turn to come to grief; my mare plunges into an aard-vark's hole, ploughing up the sand with her nose, but gallantly struggles up again, without spilling me, and continues as if nothing had happened. Reaching the top of the slope, we come in sight of the long-necked beauty : u 2 '4 2c,j ^/ Ciraffc at Iniy. his lu.a.l towcrin- iil.ov(3 tlm tm-s hIm.u!. a l.nn.lml vanls in front, iin-l l.riirin- off to onr vv^^xi. stnu-ht across a clear op.n s,,.co. " Don't shoot," sitid the cornet. "Hide round him iind turn him. Hu) obj.rt was to mak- him carry his own carcase towards the wa.r.n.ns, to save us the trouble of doing so ; but tliou.drtlie corn.^t and Jan rode on in front and headed him ott; he refuse.1 to change his course and actually followed them. Our horses were blown, and if the .rinitVe did not put about we should lose him. iho cornet's pace was visibly slackening, but the giraffe showed no sign of giving in. " He won't turn,'' cned Dirk • " we shall have to shoot him or h)se Inra ; and as he spoke the stilted creature came alongside the cornet, who sprang to the ground and fired. The crack of my rifle was idmost simultaneous with his ; vet still the frightened animal strode on. But only for a few yards. Stopping suddenly, he turned round and began pawing the gronnd, his long neck swaymg to and fro. Then shot after shot was hred at him and as each bullet took effect he stamped and kicked more desperately. Dismounting, I ran forward to get a nearer view. There was despair in his drooping eye and a look which seemed to say, " What harm have I ever done to you? " and as we all clustered round him in his last agony it seemed a shame that nobody attempted to give him the ,-oup-dr-grdce. Turning to the cornet, I asked, " Why not go up and shoot him in the head, and put him out of his misery ? But the only answer he made was to grasp me by the arm and shout to the rest, " Look out, or he will be on you ! " Looking up, 1 saw the cra.y creature swing- in^ his head about, his long neck looking hke the gilnt Jacomama, the South American anaconda, UMMMIIiWp The Giraffe tticasiiri's /lis l.cvolli. JO.'. iiMit. a liMiidrod r I'ij^lit, stnii;,'ht shoot," said the ni him." Tho carciiso towards t' doing so ; but rout and ht-adcd rso aud actually lowu, aiul if tho I loso hiiu. Tho but tho giraffo vou't turn," cried u or loso him ; " came alongside d and firod. The taneous with his ; do on. But only A, he turned round long lujck swaying was firod at him, ampod and kicked ran forward to get \ his drooping eye, What harm have I lustorod round him ame that nobody wncc. Turning to up and shoot him lis misery ? " But asp mo by the arm t, or he will bo on izy creature swing- le looking like the uerican anaccnda, which I had scon on my trij) up tho Amazon, as it fairly whirlod through tho air, foi'ming huge circles, while ho msido mad plunges in his desperate efforts to koop his logs under his body. W<^ all s|)rang back just in time to avoid him as ho came down with a crash, ]»itching foi'ward, and striking his head and shoiddors in tho saiul with a thud that fairly shook tho ground. Then with a kick he stretched himself out full length as dead as a stone. UKATH OP THE OIKAFFK. From the root of the tail to the shoulder he measured foot 1 inch ; from the shoulder to the tip of the nose 10 feet 1^ inches; total, H5 foot 2i inches. Tlis height from the foro-hoof to the shoulder was 1 1 fret and half an inch ; and as ho lay t here his shoulder came level to the third button of my waistcoat. His tongue was 15 inches long, and he would be able to oat from the branches of a tree 22 feet above the ground. '-^ 294 Hoiv much will he lVe(i^^h ? « What do you think ho will weigh, Jan?" I asked. "Can't say, Siciir; we know nothing about such things ; but when he is cut up it will take four men to load his hind-legs, and two will have all they can do to lift his hind-legs up to skin him. Anyway, he will make a heap of biltong." I bargained for his tail and his head, the latter remarkable for a row of large bumps just below tlie horns ; and while they were busy preparing to skin him I went to look after the horses. Dirk was un- saddling Lady Anna. " She is gciimi (done up)," ho remarked." "Two more giraffes like that and her bones will be picked by the aaS'VO(jeh. What a pity the boss is so heavy, she Avill hardly carry him back to camp." " Yes, she sttick to it bravely ;" then, looking at my watch, I added, " it is two hours and twenty minutes since we struck the camel's spoor, and at least half t'lat has been hard riding." *' Yah ! " interposed the veldt-cornet, " it's always hard on the horses if the camel sees or smells them at a distance. If you come right on them by surprise they seem to get bewildered, and afler swinging their long necks around and switching their little tail, heave ahead with a rolling gait that a horse can keep up with easily, and yet they generally tire out and stand at bay in an hour and a half. But when they get scent of you first they are off at once, and run so fast that by the time you come up with them your horses are used up, and if you don't manage to shoot them they get away. When you are riding after them, if you don't press them too hard when they slacken the> speed, you can drive them along for miles, right up to your waggons, and even this, if we could have changed his course , Jan ? " I asked, liiiig about such ill take four men 11 have all they I him. Anyway, head, the latter ps just below the )reparii)g to skiu s. Dirk was un- ui (done up)," he ike that and her U. What a pity ly carry him back then, looking at lOurs and twenty 3poor, and at least rnet, "it's always I or smells them at them by surprise [iter swinging their eir little tail, heave ie can keep up with it and stand at bay ey get scent of you so fast that by the horses are used up, lem they get away, if you don't press he.r speed, you can p to your waggons, changed his course A Bonne Bonche. 295 and our horses had been fit, would have trotted along quietly to camp like an ox. However, you will see it yet; for by the spoor we crossed while chasing this one we shall find plenty more." '« Shall we see any bigger than this ? " I asked. "Yah, Sieur; this is a zimri honf (dark spotted) ; thev are thicker and heavier than the ivitte hoiU (white spots), but not so long." Bv this time the Bushmen, having disembowelled the giraffe, were busy cutting a lot of bushes with which to cover the animal, as we should have to leave hira here and bring the waggons to him, as he declined to go to the waggons. Soon the carcase was invisible, and a piece of paper was put on the top to frighten the lions and vultures away, while a little gunpowder was sprinkled round to serve a similar office in regard to the jackals, which are said to dislike the smell of powder. " Hi 1 " shouted the veldt-cornet to some Bushmen who were busy over a fire, " is that meat cooked ? If so, bring some to the Sieur, and let him taste giraffe flesh." They gave me a piece of the liver, along with a lump of light yellow fat, the flavour of which was very similar to the smell of the animal. Being very hungry, I soon demolished it, and then Dirk asked me how I liked it. " The hver was very good. Dirk." " Oh, the liver is not worth eating ; it is too lean. I mean the piece of gut; that we call the greatest delicacy ; it is what we prize most in all game, and is always cooked and eaten before anything else." " Well, Dirk, what was it ? " « It is the laste derms (last gut). We did not tell 2C}() .1 Nil' /it in a Tree. you, fis most wliito ^x'oplo will not eat it if tlioy know wlial it is ; and W(; ost to-night. The 5 and animals may ( rae an opportunity to watch thorn, and secure some specimens. T.ions 1 am not afraid of. Tiivingstone and olh(>r travell(>rs spent many a night alone under much worse conditions, so be off, and send the waggon back as soon as you can. " If the Sieur will do so foolish a thing, then one of us must stay with him." "No! none of yon care to stay; therefore T r.h all remain alone. Mount and ride away, as it is getting late." " I don't feel right h>aving the Sienr here, so many things might happen ; the waggon might break down, and you would have nothing to eat, and no blankt'ts. Come, Sieur, you ride my horse, I'll ride my nephew's, aiul he can walk." "I am nmch obliged to you for taking so much interest in me, but here I stay just the same.'' " No, Sieur, please come along ; the little Sieur TjuIu would kill me if I came to the camp without you " "Well, Jan, I never thought of that danger— he certainly might— but you must risk it." And tliey reluctantly rode away, and were soon out of sight. Fastening a long strap to my gun, and tying the other end round my arm, I climbed up the big tree bear-fashion, and was soon perched on a big branch, my feet resting on one below, while my back was supported by a third. Hauling up my gun, I tied one of the straps around a branch above me, letting it hang down just far enough to rest my gun in the looped end, the butt resting on the limb that I sat on. Another strap was fastened to the branch behind me, passed under my arm, and made fast at the other end, so that I should have no fear of falling out of bed. I was now cpiite safe from everything excepting the *3 I 298 Vii/lnrcs appear on the Swnc. loopanl-or " tig.'r," as thoy call it in South Africa- which, however, did not often fi-e(it.ont the k gunjr. Sittini' up there, like a sailor in a crow's-nest, I could wi.tcirmy fire, where there were some sama roastinj? for nu' morning's drink, or ga/.e n,. into the clear blue sky-a soft, cloudless expanse, with a light so clear that every object stood tnit quite distinct. Soon my thoughts drifted thousands of mdes away, and I wondered what had taken place in the living, movin.', world far away b(>yond those. Ireamy sandlnUs. FrieniFs might he d.'ad, governments might have chancred, or empires might have been lost, in the last six inonths. No one can imagine what it is to bo without the morning paper until he has been buried half a year like us. in the sand. Now that I ha,l time to think of such things, how I longed for the IJarly Ti'U'qvnph! Until now I had forgotten all the luxuries of civilization, for something new and exciting was always taking pla^e. and if a lion were to appear now how quickly my day-dream would bo dispelled ! Suddenly I perceive a little speck high up m the air, not larger than a fly ; away to the right is anotli^r ; beyond it a third, and soon there are a dozen visible. As they approach slowly they gradually get bigger and bigger, until they are near enough for me to see they are vultures. Down swoop three or four, withm a hundred yards of me, closing up their huge wings as they alicrht on a tree. They have already spied out from afar the dead giraffe. After a few minutes' qmet survey, they make a descent in force upon the heap of brushwood, till the air seems full of their great, heavy, lumbering wings. First one and then another, paymg no attention to the paper which was to frighten them becrins to drag away the grass and smaller bushes, till i«@MMWMH><« thought- half ail hour ago tiiat his anticipations of a feast would bo brought to such an untimely end. What puz/lod mo niost Wiis the rai.idity with which these birds gathered round their i)rey. When I first 8aw them they wore the tiniest specks in tlu^ sky : how far off they were before^ that, it is impossddo to say ; and yot thoy had como straight for the dead giraffe— covered up as it was, and looking just liko any onlinary bush It was impossible for them to Imvc scented tlu^ blood of the giraffe from afar. The only conclusio.i 1 could c.m.o to was that they must have a kmd of telescopic adjustment of the eye-far exceeding the power of the human eye— enabling them to distmguish objects at distances which to us seem quite marvellous. Covering up the gimffo, I climbed the tree again, and, dragging the vidturo as well as my gun up after me by n?)" strap, spent, the rest of the daylight skinning the nuisky-smelling biped. The others sailed around at a safe distance, seeming loth to leave so nmch good food ; but none ventured to corao so near again, after seeing the fate of their leader. W W Wi 111 fl ue ti ft jI KN ^ A of his tribe took >ti ill once. Such I'd iM-fon-; it HO ' lie where he fell, matter with him. [ had lietter po to (< had fainted; ho len myself I went, 1 by the tip of the What a monster ! •ed from tip to tip en feet six inches. He little thouj^ht ins of a feast won Id ■ai»idity with which >rey. When 1 first •ks in tlu^ sky : how impossible to Hay ; the dead giraffe — ist like any ordinary to have scented the rhe only conclnsion ust have a kind of —far exceeding the them to distinguish em quite marvellous, bed the tree again, as my gun up after the daylight skinning >thers sailed around leave so much good 3 so near again, after '/"//<• JiU kill not the I. ions rn>ii,/cr. y^\ As the twilight sncreeded the tlay, ushering in a lovely warm evening, the bat set out «)n his awkwanl tlighi, l.mking like a great brown leal", wafted by the bree/,i«, as he struggled through the air; and the chirping //'•//./ crawled forth in search of a dainty supper of sleeping Hies and beetles. Sir >l<>liii l.iililiiirk lilt Would ^ivi' liJM ^tiii'cii I Ami lii-i aiit.H tn mt Wlml I .-^iiw up tliiil till'. Soon the jackals l)egan to bark, notifying their intention to eat the giraffe. Here [ may as well take the opportunity to correct the erroneous belief that the jackal is the "lion's provider," and all students of natural history may distinctly understaiul that the prowling jackal never i)rovidos for tlu^ lion in any way. Ho in always seen an "A >>"■''. «v ^^- ,T>-^ ' .. iS— • P/io(oi;rnphiii^i^ ti Lion. 307 AVhiit a p-iind pictinv tliis scrno woiiUl hiivf nuvtli' I As I tliought of him, I turned instinctivoly to see how hii;li the sun was— it Avas ah-eatly some distance above the sandhills, and tlio waj^gons eoidd not, surely, be far oft". Looking round in the direction from which they jvould come, I saw them approaching from the othei- side of a sand-dune, which lay some sixty yards away. Suddenly they sto)>i)ed and turned, while Lulu ran through the grass, with his camera on his back, and "I'll- vatch'it" following, and Jan ami the rest congregated round the waggon. (Nearly they had heard the lions roar, and Lulu, who would run any risk to fidfil his dream of getting a ]>ortrait of " Leo at home," had started off in order that ho might seize this chance. How anxiously I watched his movmnents, wondering if he would see the danger into which he was running and longing to be able to shout a warning to him ! At last he stopped near the crest of a sand-dnne, and then the glitter of the lens in the sun's rays told me that he was focussing the groui). Turning to tlu' lions I saw the largest of them was tearing a hole in the shoulder of the giraffe, spoiling the skin that Jan had reckoned on so much for shoe-soles. Then irlancing back at the camera I saw Lulu working as coolly as in a studio, actually changing the shield : he had evidently taken one i)icture, and was going to get another. In another half-minute he and " I'll-vatch-it" both raised their guns, and if I did not fire at once t-liey might frighten the lions away. Hastily taking aim just i)ehind the shoxdder of the big one, I was in the act of pulling the trigger, when bang! bang! went both their rifles—mine almost simultaneously with the last one. --- X 2 ..„.,it«ifc,jCKlt»*«W**S«*'*^^ * f jo8 7V„- Lkm tlK.v xav. no vi»,l,lo .ig.., of beuig wounaed. '■n ';„Uk.nU .la. old lion cla,,-..,! s,-ai,h. towanl. L „. .V, long as tdan.,1 I «."tn,.v ladles alto- hnn ,Tl\vas alVaM of lam,,,. lada or " rU-valclMt- .,,. sfad With .luick boauds, his tail between Ins legs, the hon «as close n|.o., then,, when they, too, ceased fivin.s l.nla aetnally n.aking another ..xposnre, and • •n.vatch-it" standing by hke a s.,.l.d German „,Lr awaiting orders. What ntadness'. ^ hat clonic possess then, to ran such risks: could restra„> uvself no longer, and shouted w,tn all ,ny '» >? "v" ■"You fools! l-iro! Short, or you wdl both Ik '""Heflre the words we.o out of n,y mouth, Lulu keening tl,e black cloth over his head, had rus^u-d fovva^lwith the can.era, shaking .ts long thm leg. rfront of the n.addened beast. What to„lhardu>es» . It a just like him; he never did know what fear ,.! L bad told us a few days before of a man .nee'ting a hon ami frightening him away by bonding o 4 ami running tow.ards him backwards, wavmg a W,!;!e black hat" but to deliberately try such an "^S^:tn::pi:Lhesl.is sides with his tail. „,^';S L bound turns tad. Hurrah 1 e.seommg b-,ck full tilt towards me. Bang ! goes 1 ll-»ateh it s ^;r- ban.-: bang! again and agaim and mn,e rep.es e^h'time! But the br..te never stops till ho rcches *i.. «tjeij^jjaw>rin^g<*pai''- ■C=.l^.V.»^»TCVl>U'^i» .>***«i#fcVO»SM»*«ia.'***«*»*s»fc'' ii-»^>*»:S-?*fc«'litV»W^V*WW9 the .ide of the -iraffe, where the oiher two lu.ve been uniting all this time, lie must hav.. nmeteen-let alone the feline's proverbial nhu—live. to survive such a fusillade; mv No. 40 seemed to have no more effect, upon him than pi«as fron. a pea-shooter. I here he stood, breathing detianee at us, but not se.MUing to W nble to nrake up his mind whetlun- to charge agam or to beat a retreat. I sent a shot, first at one and then at the other of his two cowardly conipamons v.-ho fled iucontin.M.tly, leaving their leader to brave it out alone all through. Meantime "I'll-vatch-it had come after the retreating lion, an.l I could hear Inn, shouthig, — "Hey! Varisdey?" . „ " \ll crone but one," I replied, "and there ho is, ompiiasiring mv wor.ls by another shot at the forsaken kiu.r, this time taking careful aim at Ins eye. fhad hardlv ha»r«i*-T!»-»>"*>»~" p.*>'j«it*^**----''^*'' .1«o CIIArTKll XIX. Ali....'sl..,,u-r^//.V..r«*.V-»/ W.it,l,i.,,tl..wil.l.1 st.-Aft-r th,. Kir.itr.. -A4..„i.lun^' til. M.,tiv..,s-l'li..t..«r;q.hii.u' tl.o -Ivmu -irttlV M'atrhii..^ ,1 l.il.y KinitV- -CuUiu« up tl. hu„t v-MaUm',' l>iltn„;.-.Stalkin.' tl... n,tn.lies--A ni.'lit of tVustiM--A two- lo^«...lli..n -A i.o.tu.Mul luhvMHuv -How thf ,.,,is,.u.aanuw,. WHik. I don't think I ov(T iMiulo a much .pucker inoveiuent thiin u-h.-n I camo .l..\vn that tivo, shouting as I wont, " Cnnw on, h.> is (h'a.l '. " In a nionuMit 1 wa.* joined by Luhi, " ni-vatch-it" vumng ulunjr close behind. Send- ino- back the Bushmen, to fetch the wag^'ons and hurry u,rth.> la/y, cowardly Bastards, who all this tune had stirred not a nuisclo to help ns, although they nuist have seen the danger Lulu was in, I turned to Lulu, saying, — '• It's the merest piece of luck that you are not inside this f(>liiu.- specimen of natural history. You are too foolliardv altogether." ], . . " No," he" replied ; " I plead guilty to the hardy, but not to the ' fool,' or perhaps I might have occupied the first floor of the royal tawny bluffer's stomach. You nuistnt talk to me, for I'll back my camera against your gun any day. You one side, and " 1 11- vatch-it" the other, both blazing away, and yet couMn t stop the lion, whereas all I had to do was to shake my three-legged stand at him, and he bolted like a shot If he had s])rung at the camera, 1 should have slipped out underneath. Where were you all this time ? " C15 CC ^'Wi.,sft»sifc»wrti«M*'i^" -" .^>vv^™«s«ftaf«»* A Lion's Leap, .V« llCfHtt! — Aft<'l- ll.^r tllC ^\\\Vi Hitv— Making tiii^;— A tw.i. lisiiiuil allow.'* • inoveiuent \ as I wont, isjoiiu'tl l>y ind. Seiul- ^ and liuvry lis tiino had I they must cd to Luhi, rou are not •y. You are :he 'hardy,' ave occupied f's stomach. ray camera ie, and " I'U- i yet couhln't to shake my like a shot, have slipped 5 time r "Upthut tree; slept th.>ro all niicht ; and shouhl have fall.Mi out if it lii.dn't l.een f..r that strap. ' ..Just like you; aUvays doin- some tool.sli hm^. You are .dd euou^jh to know Letter, ('onus and let s examine the brute, a.ul see if you did hit hnu, after all, (.f uhetiier he died of fri™ *"' the way he covered np his cowardice, so I saul "Jan I a.-ree to this under one condition, that ,s, that whe.1 tie hnnt is over, and we are on onr way tone if we come across a lion spoor, you and yonr pa"y will join me and follow them np and hunt them. Cu lose a horse, you can take mme ,„ -ts place. " Yah I Sieur, dat is better, ek vill so do. TheconLctwas sealed, and while the men mounted ,,„d "de Tway to find sama, Lulu and I walked over :' had a 100^ at the lion-skin which ^^^, ""'rnTry^'Lt^yr-now" ve staudmg by ' ^-'^; ^"^ ^^i„ ;, „,it Uoles full ; 1 nlwavs dou t SLioot raibs, um ^.t>- u^fi,. seventeen have c . it ; he is shoot every place his body °"Thlt night everything, save for the o^c-ior^l ^ark of a iackal, was as quiet as a conn ry village in En-l-mr One would have thought there were no c i;t^a w"hin a thousand miles of us. But it was :; ssible to altogether forget the even s o£ h mornino- No doubt many people sun ilaily placed 3d have found hidden terrors in the -lemn silence But custom overcomes all things, and while he Londoner who could sleep through all the rattle and tust e of busy street traffic would lie awake here, >j!SSWBiaKSIW«**'ffl"»**'**'' A Herd of Gnu. 315 iff by to- 3asily kill are worcli I moat we t, I woviltl II of dried werf." .ting voice, 3d him for said, — on, that is, 511 onr way I and your hunt them. ;S place." en mounted A-alked over now staked 'll-vatcli-it " see dat ve loles full ; 1 iace his body ?asional bark •y village in ere were no But it was rents of the lilarly placed )lemn silence, id Avhile the ill the rattle e awake here, listening for the dread lion's roar, the Bushmaii, born in the wilds amid the roar of the lion and the howl ot the hyena, and brought up to face danger and death at every turn, could lie down naked and unarmed before his fire, and forget the possibility of peril-just as the miner will go down into the bowels of the earth day after day, as light-hearted as if such a thmg as fire-damp did not exist. The next morning we were stirring early, i^e trees looked like weeping willows, as their boughs were bent under the weight of the long pieces of flesh cut from the giraffe, and hung there tc dry-some o which we had for breakfast, roasted in the ashes and washed down with the " Kalahari whie' -to wit the iuice of roasted sama. Before the great giver of light and heat was out of bed, we were on our way over a broa.l grassy plain, riding towards a hmW'^'^ which aUhough it looked "just over there," took us about two hours to reach. Just at the foot of th(.> hill, amono-st a thicket of raisin-bushes, we came upon a herd "of gnu, whose curiosity we excited very mivch. They trotted sloAvly past us, and when about htty yards away suddenly stopped, turned around, snorted and pawed up the ground. I raised my rifle and took aim at a splendid old blue bull, and was about to fire, when Jan said, " Please, Sieur, don't shoot ; we can aet them any time. Some camel (giraff"e) may be near by, and the noise would frighten them away. AYe must get amongst them to-day before they see us, and then you will see that they will not run halt as fast, and we will be able to drive them to the waggons, feo we left the provoking things standing there starmg after ns, and rode slowly up the steep sandhill. Just us our heads were level with the top we halted, taking » 8IWB W WIfa »*' 3i6 Riding down a steep SaudhilL care not to expose ourselves to any animals tliat might be on tlie other side ; and while the others recon- noitred I sat and watched the gnu, who moved a.yay a few rods and then stood watching and woadenng what we could be; when, having satisfied themselves that we were not of their sort, they turned tail and galloped away in single file until they were lost m the Vwas'so intent on watching the fleeing wildebeeste that I quite forgot my companions, till heanng my name called out, I looked around and saw them all at the foot of the hill waiting for me. To get down to them was like riding down the side of a house the mare sliding most of the way, bracing with her fore- legs, and almost sitting down. - Which way are vou going, Jan?" I said, as they moved off with that peculiar jog-trot that the horses here have. . " Straight to that mal hm>jc (grey hill),^ancl theie off-saddle for a bit to give the horses a rest." " What a pity, Jan, we did not shoot half a dozen of those o-nu They would have made as much meat as one giraffe, and perhaps we shall not see any giraffe at all." 1 • -n V. " Yes, Sieur, that may be ; but if we do it will De more than one. We are almost sure to come across the five whose spoor I cut yesterday; and when we hunt giraffe we must not look at anything else. It s the same as when you are after ostriches, they must be hunted alone, or you will no.t get any. The rest of the ride to the sandhill, through an open park-like forest, with the sheen of the bright sun streaming through the dark-green leaves of the k'gung-trees, and lighting up the tops of the rich, :,i^immm^mmSmmf»-' " / see a Giraffes head: Look ! 317 1 til at might hers recon- iioved away [ wondering themselves led tail and e lost in the ■ wildebeeste hearing my sr them all at oret down to a house, the •ith her fore- said, as they at the horses 11), and there •St." alf a dozen of nuch meat as 3e any giraffe do it will be I come across ind when we ngr else. It's les, they must 1, through an of the bright leaves of the J of the rich, ripe grass, as the gentle breeze rolled it along in oolden billows, was very beautiful. Now and then we made little detours to avoid the thorns of the thick, low-branched trees, Avhose short, sharp, hooked points would hold fast anything they touched, some- times playing pickpocket by stealing your handkerclnet Anon we parsed the spoor of gems-bok, so thick that the ground was quite covered with their hoof-marks. "What herds of them there must be I " I whispered to Jan, who rode alongside of me. "Yes Sieur, there's plenty here about, and yet sometimes when looking for them you may ride for days without finding one ; then again you wiU faucl more than you can shoot." Arriving at the hill, the horses were soon knee- haltered and turned loose to graze. I had thought- fully put some roasted giraffe-meat into ^7/^ l^^^" bao-; but the rest, like the foolish virgins, had failed tolupply their needs, though they fared better than the foolish virgins in the parable, for they were sue cessful in -borrowing" from me; and after an in- terval of " ten minutes for refreshments, 1 went with Jan and his swaar (brother-in-law) to the top of the hill and prospected for the long-necks. Mv field-glasses were the admiration of the Bush- men "What a wonderful country America must be"" said Jan to his swaar, as I handed him the glasses to'" take a sight." "They have glasses that bring things close to you, and guns full of bullets, and such knives ' Have you seen the Sieur's hunting-knife s,^aar? He must show- it to you;" but .l^e stopped short, turning to me and saying, " I see a gu-affe s head by yonder dead tree. Look, Sieur ! " and taking the ne of which, never moved, within thirty ,nd set off as 1 carry them, it full gallop, my mare had ght of him, I As it was, I me, and then tvith difficulty ened was she, up with the i them off, and Photographing the Dying Girajfc. 2>^9 in a few moments the frightened creatures, finding it impossible to get up the wind, turned round and headed straight for our waggons. How grand they looked as they rolled steadily along in a cluster ; " a sheet would have covered them," as they say of race- horses. There was a bull and a calf, keeping close to 3ort of grove xpectcd, now een at least a .0 had ridden • his mamma. the horsemen ti running out 1, as if making break through 3 then galloped and the next his horse on md struck the fore-foot, and side, knocking w^hich made us ug himself up, ilive, Nef Klas lio chaffed him. ' said one. Tightened him," *' Come here and \\k will pick you up." " His feets was too plomly, Klas," said " I'll-vatch-it." But Klas took it all quietly, and, slowly catching his horse, mounted and rode over to ns. No ])er8uasion of the sjambok could induce the horse to go near the giraffe a second time. The baby was master of the situation ; and looked down upon both horse and n.an with a pleading look in his large sad eyes, as if to say, " Only give me back my mother and I'll be happy again." Feeling sorry for the poor, innocent, harmless creature, I said to Jan, " Let him go ; ho is big enough to take care of himself." And we all turned back towards the waggons. The poor thing never tried to escape, but stood there ([uietly watching us. Jan rode up to my side, and said he thought I would like to have it alive. " Well, Jan, he's much better here, and may give you a nice run some day. It would be too much trouble to drive him all the way to Cape Town, let alone the money it would cost to transpoi't it from there to England." When we returned, all four of the giraffes lay there ready to be skinned and cut up. Lulu had photo- graphed the ox-team dragging up the old bull, having for a background to his picture an old deserted Kattea village of about twenty huts, and was now waiting to get a picture of us in the act of skinning the animal. All hands went to woi'k, some getting the dinner ready, while the others were busy with their knives. The skin, which Avas nearly an inch thick on the back and neck, and required two men to pull it up while the other cut it loose, was taken off one side at a time, by cutting it from the back of the head along the neck through the short mane, down the back to the Y 2 ^Bi^gjg*®SJFi=SS&-*» ffir^ Pryiiio the MiVt. ,oot uttluMnil,avoumlu)HlriMlu.nuMdl...ftlK.lH% ,^,„, , tlu' tl.roat. AVhcMi tlu> nkin was takc-n oil the side that lay u,.i»..rm..st, they .onnnonced to cut up the carcaso. first disc-mboweninK i,t,au.l tlu-n nMuov.u^' the meat iu h,yer. from the houes of the tov. ..n.l nm - V...; then the flesh along the l.ackl)..n,; wu- taken iM xt after which tlie ribs were cut awny. I^y tins rnea^i:^ the wei-ht was so le.senea that six ot m could turn the bolisl)- t'l'tioma of the ont litiiior to bitter than t from thirst drinking the ter taste was it was like voted to cut " in search of Iff fire to the orked by their nt 2 a.m. young giraffe 1 strong smell not till night, for the cattle to a patch of up the meat ^^ailable spot — ron-chains, till eeing festoons 'S strung in a ^>. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 7 A /- & :a 1.0 = 1^ 1^ 112.2 ? ■- !I|M 1.4 III 1.6 I.I 1.25 -— ^ ' A" ► 7J ' 'V Photographic Sciences Corporation ■y 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 87i-4503 » i=.~:'- '35, 1 i^! -: ,s.«M-**'S*«*4«>"-*-*B-<^^«iP«KllSW«l«S«»'«Sl^«^^^ 6 CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques I Ostrich-hunting. 325 Lulu took a pliotocrraph of the scene— making the last in the series of the " Camel Hunt ;" and while the meat was drvino- and the cattle resting, the hunters went out after' ostriches: the foot -hunters took one route and the horsemen another, agreeing to meet at a high /,-()^*/7V' in the distance. My mare still being very^weak i joined the party on foot, taking with me DHVINt^ MEAT, old Kert, who was an adept at ostrich-liunting, having adopted it for a living for many years. Spreading out like skirmishers, in couples, we looked stealthily over the tops of every sandhill we came to, but Avithoub result for three or four hours, till we picked up the spoor of a clump of six, of Avhich Kert said he could tell from their footprints that four were manckles (males). Signalling to the rest of our party, we crept on with redoubled caution— for no game, fur or i ■'«'■" 326 In Ambush. feather, has sharper eyes tlian the ostrich— the Bush- men reconnoitring from the summit of each sandhill so carefully that even I, who knew where to look for them, could not see them, so cunningly did they take advantage of the cover of every tuft of grass. At last we came upon the ostriches in a long .s/m(/^ or hollow, at the end of which was a v'h'dt>' hi at tree. Here the liushmen told me to go and hide myself, while they crept round to the other side of the flat and hemmed them in. It did not take me long to get alongside the tree, and then crawling along the ground between the tufts of grass, I succeeded in getting behind it un- observed. There were the birds about 500 yards from me, pecking the grass and bushes, hitching their awkward bodies along, and now and then standing still and looking round as if on the watch for any intruder. I tried hard to see Kert or the Bushmen, but they were invisible, and I almost began to think they had mistaken the flat, or had gone off after some other birds. Closer and closer the birds approached, until they were opposite me, not a hundred yards away. It was hard lines for me to see them so close and not be able to shoot— and my fingers itched to pull the trigger, as I held my rifle pointed at the leading male, ready for emergencies. Suddenly he fell to the ground, and at the same moment bang ! came the report of the gun that had knocked him down. Before I could get a bead on another bird, bang ! went another gun, followed immediately by mine. By this time the others ^xere flying off pell-mell over the rise, leaving one of their number in the dust, and followed by four or five more bullets — with what effect I could not say. hi ■/ m e Value of Ostriches. 327 \\ — the Busli- eacli sandhill jro to look for did they take vass. At last a(d^ 01- hollow, •ee. Hero the elf, while they b and hemmed get alongside round between r behind it un- ){)0 yards from hitching their then standing watch for any liraen, but they think they had ter some other proached, until yards away. It lose and not be ;d to pull the 16 leading male, L to the ground, 3 the report of Before I could it another gun, this time the he rise, leaving id followed by ; effect I could Running down to where the dead bird lay, I plucked its wing and tail feathers, and set to work to skin it, for the purpose of making a stalking-dress ; but had hardly commenced when I heanl four or five shots in (luick succession iu the direction in which the other birds had made off ; and before 1 had finished Jan and Nef Klas rode up, each with a bunch of long waving plumes iu his hat. " How many did you kill, Jan ? " I asked. " Only one, Sieur ; Kert wounded it and we finished it, so he gave us these feathers. He is now skinning it, because you wanted the skin ; but, Sieur, we will never wear a real skin any more when stalking. The dress of grass and feathers that we wear is quite good enough for the ostriches, and the real skins make us look so like a real bird that several Bushmen have been shot by mistake. When a hunter wears the ordinary dress we can tell the difference, although the ostriches cannot ; but when we wear the skin you cannot tell the hunter from the birds." "Well, we'll take this skin home anyhow. Here, Jan, put it on your horse along with the thighs, which we will eat for supper to-night." While we rode back, Jan complained that ostrich- hunting was not nearly so profitable as it used to be before they took to breeding tame birds, althougli the wild feathers are by far the best. " Why, Sieur, in one season of six months, I anil another, ' with our Bushmen, made over 4000Z. Feathers used to be worth 40/. per lb., and every bird we shot was reckoned at 25/., and sometimes was worth more. And now they are not worth more than 7/ or 8/. each when their feathers are full-grown. « But it's all our own fault. We hunters have cut ^^^m^^- 'I.5 1 .*! H ",1 ;28 A lilood Feather. our own tliroiits by catching the younff wihl birds and selling them to go to the colony. That year avc caught and sold ten broods: there Avere 120 birds altogether, and they brought us 10/. each, hard cash, gold, which you never see now. Tom Jones and his party sold over 2<>0 young birds that year, and so it went on until now the farmers in the colony su])ply the market ; and ■we get no more than two shillings a pen, although feathers from wild birds are the best, and bring a much better pi-ice than those from tame ones. They are brighter, more glossy, and have more life in them ; the difference can be seen at once, when you see a blood feather." " What's a blood feathei-, Jan ? " " One that's pulled out with blood in the pen. The tame ones are cut. If they were pulled out, they would never grow again. I know of two or throe hunters that made themselves rich in one season : they have large farms now and thousands of sheep and cattle, and I might have been like them, but I fancied tiiiioiisiiit/ (trading), and in two years I lost all I had." So we talked as we walked until we reached the camp, and soon our supper of ostrich drum-sticks was ready. Nicer game, meat, poultry — or by what- ever name it ought to be called — I never tasted than ostrich-flesh. The flavour is a kind of mixture of fowl and flesh, but better than either. I had some pieces dried, in order to bring a sample home with me, and if it retains its pecidiar flavour some of my Loudon friends shall try it— but they must bring their own sauce, i.e. a hungry stomach. f* Every one was in a happy frame of mind after the fatigues of the day, and songs .iiid dances were kept up well into the night. Bastard masters and Bushmen ^/ Roariiio; O si rich. 329 \\\{\ birds and ear avc cauglit ds altofifether, 1, j?old, which )arty sohl over went on until I market ; and pen, although and bring a 3 ones. They e hfe in them ; lien yon see a the pen. Tiie lied out, they two or three e season : tht>y of sheep and , but I fancied lost all 1 had." re reached the !h drum-sticks — or by Avhat- ver tasted than nixture of fowl ad some pieces with me, and if »f my Loudon ring their own mind after the ;es were kept up and Bushmen servants alike resiuning themselves to the jovial intiuenees ofa well-stc.ekedlarder. When i)eace and (juiet v.-ere iit last established, and the camp was as still as a country cemetery, the moon like a disc of pure ice suspended from the vast blue vault, I was startled by a loud grumbling roar, something like the bellowing of a bull, only the soimds were shorter and quicker, and very suggestive of the sharp coughing growl of a lion. HastilyTrousing the sleepers, 1 exclaimed, " There is a lion close upon us 1 " .1 ust as I spoke tlu^ sounds were repeated, but a burst of laughter greeted them, Jan explaining, " That lion won't bite, he wears feathers." " What" do you mean, Jan ? Nothing that wears feathers can make a noise like that." " Yes, Sieur, there is, and it lays eggs : it is an ostrich I " I coidd hardly believe that an ostrich could have made fh Hin^< flic Poison Acts. could see by the grass ami bushes that ho hail walked u Few feet, and then run a few yards, as if bewildered. Here his marks showed that he had begun to staggo'-, whidi Suku imitated by walking like a drunken num ; and half a mile further we found him stiff and eold : the poison had overcome life, but not without a Hght for it, as all aroimd him the grass was torn np in his final struggle with death. Neither of the arrow^ had pierced ailj^vital part, the poison having been absorbed by the blood ; but this would not spoil the flesh for eating, so, after pulling his feathers out, we each shouldered a leg and returned to camp. h c V t 333 10 luul ualktMl if l)(>\vil(UMr(l. un to stajrji^o'', Irnnkon iimn ; titf and (.'old : nthout ii fij?lit torn up in Ids ho arrows had boon absorbod the Hosh for out, wo ouch (MTAl'TKR XX. .1 1 ., Mivill.r till' l)Ois(.ll-l'"t— ^'"*^'"'''"" ,1,,. nnoNV^ -How tl..' arrows uiv iiuulf - U<'ii<> ' 'i F,„. tl,„ next to>, day., wl.ilo tlu; others were j.,^ ,untin.. Ken,*.l.ok, Lulu m>a I bu.,c,l ourselves «.tl, CO lie ti^g butterflies u.ul insects. Tl.o forn.er wot. 1 ute.l to four or five varieties, but of the latter , 'w hnnossible to search a s,inare yar,! of ground ::ia.o„t coming ...ross half a do.en fresh sorts every '"in butterfly-h,n>ting all the " heat and burden of the ilav " fell to my share. Lulu would have none of it. While I was in full chase after a large sulphnr-wmged butterfly, a gaudy beauty, looking like a flying rantbow woild eross"n>y path; but not all my entreat.es would induce Lnlu to take up the cliase. " No. thank you," he would say, '' can keep mysd ,uite warm enough witirout that They are ,n3t^; o tl shedding one drop of persp.ration, and I don t see ^ r uu"of trying to water the wilderness wi h ray nelsw al'ev^ry drop of which makes two . n..ts ml as for quenching them with sama-water it s ke ilii g out'a fire with oil. Besides, as bo.s of this elbliAment. I think you ought to have a bttle n^ore . spect for your dignity. It is quite ridiculous, m fact ."aiSi(j^5H»« 334 Caldiin}:; Ihtttcrjlics. out of |.l;ico, to 801' y(j\i nmniiig after fi litth; inotli, hat in liaiul, liko a big scli()oll)oy, puirmi,' and blowing' all to no i»uf|K)si'; for what is the use of tlu'iu wlicn you have c\\\\\^\i tlicm ? I don't niiiul si' beautiful flowers, but you tlon't cateii nu' nmtiinj,' after butterflies, or lian(llin<( the nasty evawliiiK buj^'s. The study of entomology in books is nic- enough. There the beastly things cannot crawl on you, but to put thecjry into practice in energy wasted." So I was left to bag my own butterflies and beetles, Avhile lie sat dowi\ and leisurely dug a few bidbs. But his heart was not in tluMvork; photography or sketcliing was the only thing ho would exert himself about, and Avhen there was anything to do in that lino no amount of exertion was too great for him. I had jnst fallen headlong down a sandbank while running after a large yellow butterfly, when I heard Lulu shout for me, but I did not take any notice until I had secured the s[)ecimen under my bi-oad-brimmed i^imhr^u'o, and then 1 saw him holding up something on a stick, and calling rao to come and see it. •« Look at that," he said ; " it beats anything you have found ; it crawled out of that bush, close to ray hand, and might have bitten me, but I soon stamped the life out of it. See what a strange colour it is." " Yes," I said ; " and in a minute it will be another colour. It is a chameleon, and would not have hurt you if you had caught it alive with your hands. Look, it's changing again ; it is nearly golden now." " So it is ! 1 ought to have known it was a chame- leon ; but I never thought. What are those that I crushed out of it ?" " Why, Lu, those are its eggs. Now let's measure Ci A ChamcUon. 335 fi littli! inotli, • and blowing? )f tluMii wlu'ii 1 (lijifi^in^ tlu' 1)iit you (loti't liiiiullin^' till' Mitomolo^y ill tliin^;s cannot eticc is energy PS and beetles, w bulbs. IJut. ly or sketcliin mo vour rule. NVhat a larg.> one ; it is just fil'teen aiul a half inches long. What a j.ity it is spoih'd for a specimen. Y.ui are as bad as the natives. You think (>very crawling (u- creeping thing is poisonous. Tliat puts me in mind that we were to be ])ack t(. see the Bushmen make their poison and smear their arrows with it. ('..me along, wo must not miss that for all the chameleons, though I should like to see if there isn't miother in this bush. However, we mustn't wait, but go round to the druggist's shop as (piickly as ])ossibli'." On reaching the waggons, Kert said the Bushmen had gone off to make ])reparations, and that we had betteT- follow quickly, as they were an.xious to get everything ftnished before the return of the liunters, whom they did not wish to enlighten as to the //i'"/">- opn-amli So, telling him to lead on, Ave silently fol- lowed him over one sand-dune after another, until we came to a high l^oppjr, at the foot of which was a clumi» of thick dark-grcen k'gung-trees intermixed with green thorns. To judge by their weird and weather-beaten looks these armed guardians must have been on duty for centuries keeping watch over the solemn, dark i)re- cincts. To steal by them we Avere obliged to creep on our hands and knees, their spiny branches catching us first by the arm, and then by the leg, as if to question our right to enter ; when we suddenly came out into an open space, where we discovered all our Bushmen, sitting around a fire, as if waiting for some one. Old Kert made a few clicking sounds, Avhen they all arose to receive us, but not a Avord Avas spoken ; motioning us to be seated, they pantomimed, by putting the finger at right angles with the lips, that we were to be silent. ^1 B!«aBs»tta>'« 33^ MakitiiT Poison. In front of thorn lay tliirty or forty large bulbs, ■which 1 recogui/od as the fan-leavod poison bulb that boro such a beautiful flower. The root ends were sliced ofE, and placed on the silky-looking dry skins that were removed from the outer covering of the bull), and into which a creamy liquid slowly oozed. When the iuice ceased to run another slice would bo cut off about an inch thick, and a fresh flow woidd take place, and so on, until the bidb was exhausted. As each new slice was cut the Bushmen all danced around, uttering a kind of grunt, and keeping time by stamping on the ground with their heels. Altogether about two quarts of the milky exudation were collected, the whole being put into o\ie of our round iron pots that had been used to hold grease for the waggons, and then placed on the fire. Little Korap took charge of the pot, now and then raising it up, to keep it from boiling over, while tlie others cleared a space, about a yard square, on which a hyena-skin was placed — hair side down. Each man then took from an old horn, or other receptacle, a number of dried snakes' poison- bags, which looked like bits of dirty rag, or pieces of skin, and threw them on the skin, along with two pieces of reed about six inches long. This being done, two of them disappeared in the thick bush, shortly returning with four snakes, two long yellow ones, one puff adder, and one dark cobra, all of which had the appearance of having been recently killed : these they threw down, amid clapping of hands, and then they set to work dissecting the snakes' heads, taking the poison-sacs out as dexterously as a medical student would remove a nniscle. The poison-bags were placed on the skin, around -which they all again sat, and howled a kind of weird song, in monotone, keeping A xvcird Ceremony. <> •J 7 001 Forty large bulbs, I poison bulb that ) root CMids were •looking dry skins vering of the bull), ly oozed. lotlier slice would I fresh flow would lb was exhausted, uslunen all danced id keeping time by heels. Altogether ition were collected, ir round iron pots for the waggons, ! Korap took charge up, to keep it from ed a space, about a 1 Avas placed — hair fom an old horn, or ed snakes' poison- ty rag, or pieces of in, along with two . This being done, thick bush, shortly ig vellow ones, one 1 of which had the \j killed : these they nds, and then they j' heads, taking the a medical student on-bags were placed all again sat, and monotone, keeping time to it by clapping their hands, each man keeping on as long as he could hold out without breathing, and then stopping with a jerk and a grunt to catch his breath. This ceremony was kept up for nearly an hour, and was beginning to bo very monotonous to ur, when suddenly little Korap clapped his hands. In a moment they ceased their chant, and, all grabbing what was on the skin, ran to the poison-pot, which Korap kept constantly stirring, and into which each man, standing one behind the other, stamping and grunting all the time, threw his contribution of " witch- doctor '" stuff . The one with the reeds was last but one, and, splitting them, he knocked them together until he was satisfied their contents were emptied into the pot, and then, last of all, came the man carrying the poison-ducts. As soon as they were added to the cauldron Korap hastily put a skin over the top, carried it across, and placed it on the skin, the others following. While he shook the pot the others danced around him, now shouting and gesticulating frantically, now putting themselves into all kinds of positions, re- presenting the contortions of various cTniiaals dying with poison. Their pantomime was so good that we could recognize the different animals they were imitating. This they kept up nearly half an hour, and tlien another clap, this time on the pot, fron- Korap, gave the signal for them to cease, which they in'^tantly did, dropping down on their knees, on the skin around the pot The cover was now removed, and Kert motioned us to come closer. Each of them now dipped a small twig in, and, twisting it around, pulled it out with a thread of glutinous stuff adhering, which they held up to the light, scanning its quality, like connoisseurs of Sh i n\ ^■^S Snirarhts; ( lie Arrows. wiiio in tlio London docks— only they did not taate it. All having pronounced it right, they took out of a skin bag a red-looking substance, as fine as flour, Avhich was dropped in, and stirred it until the concoction was of the proper consistency. Up to this moment not a word had been spoken, but now they began to talk, which gave me an opportunity to ask questions, for I was bursting with curiosity to know what the reeds contained, and what the powder was. ♦' What is in the reeds ? " I asked Kert. '• That, Sieur, is what the Lange Berg Bushmen use It is a spider, found in the rocks of their mountains. The colony Bushmen that I was brought up amongst never use it, but use the milk of the (n-ft boom (poison-tree) that grows on the mountains along the Orano-e River. Wo boil it down until it is thick, like the milk from thh gift hall (poison-bulb). Then we add the snake poison, as you have just seen. It is not necessary to put the spiders or the snake poison in, as the juice of the gift hall or the gift boom will kill anything if it is boiled down thick ; but it does not act so quickly when the snake poison is not added." " Well, Kert, and what is the red powder they put ?" " That is a red store they grind up fine to make ifc thicker. When it is cold it hardens, and when they Avant to put it on their arrows they warm it, which softens it, so that they can smear them. Wait a minute and you will see them smear all the arrows they have before the stufT gets cold. What is left they will roll up in balls, so that each may have some to carry with him. Sieur must look now, they are smearing the arrows." in tl IV/inf tlic Arrou'S arc made of. 339 id not taatc 3y took out , as fine as it until the Up to this ut now they inity to ask lity to know owdor was. rgr Bushmen ks of their was brought k of the (fift intains along ,il it is thick, Dulb). Then ist seen. It 3r the snake the (fijt boom ;hick; but it poison is not rder they put le to make it d when they irm it, which SV^ait a minute ws they have they will roll to carry with smearing the The poison was not so tliick as yet but what it adhered evenly to their arrow-points when rubbed on with a piece of skin. The arrow-heads are made of heavy, hard wood, about six inches long, and tipped with a flat piece of tin, let in, and fastened with gut. These points are made quite separate from the shaft, which consists of a long, light, hollow reed, feathered on one side only, into which the points are inserted when wanted. When all the arrow-points had been smeared they were laid in the sun to dry, Kert afterwards explaining to me that, though the arrow-heads were exposed to the sun's rays to dry, the poison would not be good if the sun shone on it before it was finished, and that this was one reason why they chost a secluded, shady spot for the ceremony. The mass of poison was then divided, each member of the party— myself among the number — receiving an equal portion. On our way back old Kert had ample opportunity of expatiating on the virtues of the poison first, and next of himself. " See, Sieur, Kert has kept his word, and has shown you everything, just as I promised before leaving England. Bushmen would never have let you see them mix this poison if it had not been for me ;" and he went on to explain how the process is kept a great secret, which only the heads of families are permitted to know, meeting once a year to mix the ingredients that they have collected during the interval. Even their own women are not allowed to be present on these occasions, but stay at home to prepare the honey-beer for the men to drink when their work is over. I had a shrewd suspicion that old Kert mentioned the honey-beer as a feeler— witli an eye perhaps to /. 2 'i';i I i %. i^i ^^o A Profound Secret. Canur's walk from L to pale before [iters sang very lothing except ions ; but even rhich the horse- much interest ;ing honey, at it is a bees' " Yes, Sieur, it is a bees', and there is plenty of honey. I'll show Sieur whore it is, and then he can see Lv himself. We find them in aard-vark holes, ui hollow trees, and clefts of rocks, and sometimes hanging from a bush, or a limb of a tree, or even from a projecting rock in the mountains, the comb quite open, and the bees clustering outside." This was something so entirely new to me that i made Klas take me next morning to the spot, whi o the Bushmen organized a bee-hunt. Takmg a little water in a broken ostrich eggshell, they placed it near a bunch of flowers, and watched for the bees coming to drink. The thirsty insects are always on the look- out for water, and as soon as one finds it he quenches his thirst and goes off to call his friends and neigh- bours to the spot. It was not long before first singly, and then in twos and threes, and lastly in dozens the bees came and settled on the top of the eggshell which one of the Bushmen then took up and held aloft as he slowly followed the direction in which the insects took their flight. Sometimes the eggshell was completely covered with a crowd of bees, while others clustered around, struggling to get a sip, and then darted of^ homewards. In this way we quickly discovered that there were four distinct flights, the thickest of which the water-bearer followed, while others were told off to track out the others. This was now no very difficult task, for the bees were so thick that their flight could be traced by the sound of their humming. At last we came to a wait-a-bit bush, round which clustered myriads of bees, just as if they were " swarming there ; but the Bushmen said there was a comb inside. They did not take any notice of us, so after watchmg them for a bit I took a bunch of grass and sot fire to t,!i 342 Fimiiiiii Homy in a /htsh. •3 it, causing si ilcuso siiioko to arise iindiT tlu;m. This had the desired effect. Those outside bec^ame stupe- fied and fell down, while the othei's, filling themselves with honey, offered no resistance as I reached carefully into the bush, so as to avoid disturbing them, and at the same time to prevent the terrible thorns from tearing my hands. The combs, seven in number, hung crossways from the branches, the middle ones the longest, and the others growing shorter the nearer they came to the outside. Both honeycomb and honey were as white as snow. It must have been a yoimg swarm, as there were no young boos, and the comb was new, never having had a brood in to discolour it. I gathered up some of the bees and put them into a hollow reed, but, unfor- tunately, was not able to secure the queon. One or two stung me, but they did not seem so pugnacious as the American bee, though their stings were e(|ually long, and gave quite as much pain. The Bushmen paid no attention to the stings they received as they plunged their arms into the bushes and broke down the comb, and in a very short time all four nests were robbed of their store. The honey was poured into a leather bag, but the comb containing the young bees they ate, comb and all, the juice from the chrysalides, as they crushed them beneath their teeth, running down the corners of their mouths like thick yellow cream. Korap brought me a piece, which I, in turn, handed to Lulu ; but the idea was enough for him, and he turned away, saying, " I draw the hue at maggots, although good sweet ones may not be bad." "Yes, my boy; but what about cheese-maggots? What is the odds what you eat, provided there is no unpleasant taste to it and it isn't poisonous? I'm going 11 Haling young Bees in the Comb. 343 Lhom. This Huiine stupe- r themselves led carefully iioni, and at horns from limber, hung lie ones the the nearer b and honey lero were no • having had some of the but, unfor- lon. One or Lignacious as vere ecjually le Bushmen ved as they broke down r nests were oured into a young bees chrysalides, 3th, running thick yellow h I, in turn, for him, and at maggots, se-maggots ? there is no i? I'm going to try it, and if I don't like the taste there is no law to compel me to swallow it. What do you say, ' 1 U- vatch-it'?" " Yah ' dero is no some laws here ; all mans can vat he likes do. How you likes it ? gut ? yah ! den 1 vill it ead myselfs." And we both ate it, and found no bad taste ; rather the contrary, it was very rich, some- thing like cream sweetened with honey. Lulu turned his back, and muttered something about waiting and taking his maggots, civilized and tame, in cheese when ho returned home. As soon as they got back to camp, the Bushmen commenced to get some sama boiled, to make water for their honey-beer, so I consulted Jan as to the advi- sability of taking their arms away from them, for tear of their getting drunk and quarrelsome, or what is just as bad, careless; but he did not think it necessary as he said that when they were drunk they let off the steam by singing and dancing; instead of being quarrel- some when in their cups, it was the only tinie they Avere happy and goodnatured. But I thought otherwise, and told Kert he must get theirbows and arrows and all spare cartridges and powder from them ; their guns would be harmless, if we had the ammunition in the waggon. Gathering and boiling the sama took them the best part of the night, and then, taking my large zinc pads and their calabashes, they mixed the honey and sama- water in them, and next day put them in the sun to ferment. By the evening there were signs ot fer- mentation, and at once they began drinking, fhe Bastards joined them, and it seemed an even thing who would burst first, pouring down this sickly sweet slush until their stomachs were as round and hard as drums They drank hard all that night without any mimmMmmi^ 344 Honey lUer. inebrious efffctH, ami bc^an again at simrisc on the morrow, coiitinninf? till about nine o'clock at night, when, having made a second fire just outside their own camp, they began to show signs of drunkenness. Soon they were on their feet, laughing, dancing, and singing, their drunken howls making the night hideous as they staggered around tlie fire, narrowly escaping falling into it every now and then. If there had been any hyen"8 or jackals looking on, how proud they must have felt by comparison, and how they must have laughed at the idea of man's superiority. The semi- civilized were as bad as the savage— all aUke slaves of the god Bacchus, uiuler whose brutal banner they had enrolled themselves as volunteers, and at whoso feet they became fanatical worshippers of the most beastly and cruel of the mythological gods. The strangest part about their ])roceedings was that their legs did not get drunk ! There could be no affi- nity between this intoxicant and American " tangle- leg" (whisky), for Avhen their heads lost their balance, their legs succeeded in keeping the body in equilibrimn, and they danced and stamped and yelled and gesti- culated for hours, without any signs of exhaustion or heaviness, except that they seemed to have less control of their necks, the muscles of which became more rigid as their excitement increased. The half-breeds bore the palm for strength of lung and jumping power. The savage was " not in it" with them. His was a more measured " fixity of purpose" craze, and would no doubt last longer ; but some time after midnight I thought it had lasted long enough. If they were left to finish the brew, they never would get sober, so I devised a scheme for drawing the curtain upon their drunken orgie. Calling " I'll-vatch-it" on one side, I I* ' lit A Drunken Ori^ie. 341 mrisc on the )ck at night, ;i(lo their own snness. Soon , and singing, deous as they saping falling lad been any id they must y must have T. The semi- ilike slaves of inier they had \t whoso feet ) most beastly lings was that uld be no affi- ican "tangle- their balance, n equilibrium, ed and gesti- exha\istion or re less control me more rigid If-breeds bore mping power. 3. His was a ize, and would ifter midnight they were left ^et sober, so I lin upon their on one side, I told him to go and pour out every drop of the honey- beer, while Lulu and I made a search for any arms that old Kert might have overlooked. This we dul very cautiously, in order not to excite their suspicions. "I'll-vatch-it" performed his part most cleverly, by pretending to drink with them and knocking over the calabashes with his feet as he danced around, and presently calling upon Lulu and dragging him into their midst and making him join the revels. Kert Klas Dirk, and Jan welcomed him with fervour, and insisted on his singing and dancing with them-an opportunity which he turned to the best advantage by kickin<' over every calabash that came in his way. The"old rascal Kert had never touched a bow or arrow. There they were, just as the men had left them, lying about on the ground, near the fire. Hastily gathering up the arrows, I thrust them under my coat, lcavin.r the bows where they were, so as to prevent suspicion, in case any of them should happen to go to their camp for anything. t + i. Havino- hidden the arrows in my waggon 1 took another turn, and found their guns, with plenty ot ammunition ! These being too much for me to conceal about me I dug a hole in the sand, and buried cartridge-belts, powder-horns, and all. Still the dance continued, but the voices were getting weaker, and the stamping less vigorous. Jan and Kert had quitted the circle, and searched among the empty calabashes, and finding no more beer, blamed the Bushmen for not having " drunk fair;" but they soon sank on the sand, and their example was followed by the others, one after the other, till at daybreak all was peace. There they lay, utterly exhausted, in a sort of comatose state, neither dead nor alive, for hours. Jan and Kert 1 am^^^^- 346 S/ioi (tl by Poisoned Anoios. % \v«M'e the first to recovoi', inul ciunc un is not sh()i»ting at you, Sieur, it's at old Krrt. Sw, he is under my waggon now; I'll soon stop it," sai.l Jan, as he ran towar.ls them. But before he coidd get there bang ! went another gun -from the end of Jan's waggon— and out jumped Horn Pete, and ran towards the Bushman. Wo all followed hun, and there lay the man I had shot at as dead as load. ♦' Where are the others ? " I asked, looking around, thinking it curious that wo should have been attacked by a sin.rle Bushman, and then Pete explained that it was no "enemy, but a " friend " that we had killed. The Bushmen had accused Kert of taking away their arrows and drinking their beer, and words ran high between them, until it came to blows, when Kert knocked over one of them, who immediately com- menced shooting at him with some arrows he had concealed in a bush. Kert dodged back towar.ls our wagc'on, and it was one of the arrows that had missed him "that struck our waggon. After I had knocked him over, thinking we were attacked, and wlule we were running towards Kert, the Bushman regained his feet, and fired again at Kert, who had taken refuge under the other waggon. On this, Pete, also thinking he was attacked, fired, and sent a bullet between the Bushman's eyes, putting a complete and sudden end to his revenge. , The other Bushmen quietly picked up their comrade, pushed his body into an aardvark-hole hard by, and commemorated the event by eating as hearty a meal as if nothing unusual had occurred. But I felt what a sad ending it was to their so-called pleasure. Jan was not friendly with Kert afterwards, and frequently warned me not to trust him, as he was a " bad, treacherous man." 548 .'/ Citmf> 0/ I 'lui/pcns. < i Tho man Imd Hcurcely l)oon biiriod when Dirk and tho rest n'turiuHl, and reported that tho Hinoko wo had Hccn pmcftulud from a hirj,'o Hkonn of Vaal[u'ns, or Katti>a, one of whom accompaiiiod tlieiii, in onh'r to t'otch away a dog they had sohl him in exchange' for gcma-hok skins. So 1 doterminod to break i!am|), and trek across next day, to see the3e people, whom wo h\d so receJitly suspected of hostih* intent ! 'IMiere were about a hun(h-ed of them, living in a collection of thirty semicircular huts, composed of a low sticks driven into tho ground, and covered with grass, the side facing tho east being left open. There was i)lenty of baked sama about, piled in shells of tortoises, in almost every hut, and besides scores of ostrich eggs— apparently used as wator-vossels. Hero and there a skin could bo soon on tho ground, forming a bed, but in most cases the inmates slept on the baro Hand. As wo rodo through their straggling settlement the young girls and children— who were quite naked — would either hide behind the huts, or pull anything they could get hold of over them ; but the women, who wore a narrow piece of skin, hanging in front from a belt round their waists, and in one or two cases a second piece of skin suspended behind, watched us with a vacant stare. Some of the elder ones were hideous, and all were filthy dirty. The black dirt was fairly caked all over them, though here and there, where a piece had peeled off, we could see tho natural colour of their skins — a rich cafe-au-lait tint. With all their filth they were not proof against the little feminine weakness for finery, and young and old, all aUke, wore bangles on their arms and ankles, and some cowries, hanging from their short, woolly locks, over their foreheads. 349 1 licMi J)irk and smokt? wi! Imil ViiiiliuMis, or II, ill onlcr to I'xeluingo for 3iik Ciiiup, luul whom wo hid ftn, living in a oniposod of a covered with open. Thoro [1 in shells of idea scores of vessels. Hero •ound, forniin<5 ipt on the bare ling settlement 3 quite naked — pull anything it the women, nging in front no or two cases id, watched us Ider ones were I black dirt was ere and there, see the natural ait tint. With gainst the little mg and old, all nkles, and some loUy locks, over CIIArTKR X.XI. u ar..lu.olo«i;.ul .li..ov..r,v -CoIK...,liu, wat...-n..-, t. -A m b om- l,iun.lrv-ln «lmiU f-r want of foo.l un.l DiMitli of " Liuly Anna"-l!itl<'i» ''>' 'i '*""'«" cuniiitiir. RiniN,. up to »' grove of k'Ku..(,'-t.-eo», we pitched „^r Imploneath their grateful »hade, aud where we found three black men, two of whom were dressed 1 ke Kuropeans. One of them spoke Afrikander, the other ''"t" were the „..«-owuers of this nomadic tribe whom they styled Vaalpens, though the -t.ves call d tliemselves Kattea-the name by wh.eh Jan and Ket t knew them. The thinl man. in all the majesty of h, black Wu, was their servant, a Balala, and asplemUd ™edmen too. The chief of the tribe was away w,th all rirhunting in the veldt, and tV.-o Kamrs w ro awaiting their retnrnmord^r top— ::L:ri:ree:tm'LKa«rss.^^^^^^^^ ..mmmmmmiimismmiim,': 350 A Plutoomph cf fhe Camp. The cliicf of the tribe, they added, luid three wives suul sixteen ehihireii, l)nt tlie others were only allowed one wife. While wo wore talking,' several of the women had followed us, so Lulu, hoping to got a photograph of them, set up his camera, but as soon as he put the black cloth over it, and pointed the lens towards them, they ran away. In order to restore confidence, I %- KATTKA TKIBE. walked about and presented all the women I could find with a new pipe and a piece of tobacco, which they accepted very suspiciously. Entering into conversation with them, I asked whether they would sell me a dozen of the ostrich- eggs I had seen in their tents. Hereupon one of the swell Kaffirs looked in and asked if I had any gun-caps. On my replying in the affirmative he said he woiild let me have twelve eggs for a box full of ■*-! amp. I, \\\v\ tliroo wives were only allowed f the women had , a photograph of )on as he put the ens towards them, ore confidence, I A Christian Kafir. 35 women I could find obacco, which they ig into conversation uld sell me a dozen r tents. Hereupon and asked if I had I the affirmative he fgs for a box full of caps. The women did not quite seem willing for him to sell them, but he paid very little attention to then- obiections, and the bargain was socm struck. By this time we had managed to get a few of the women grouped together, and Lulu succeeded m gettmg a picture of them. Having given me all the information ho could, tUe black proprietor of this tribe, taking a small book out of a bag, opened it and commenced to sing hymns— an accomplishment he seemed very proud of. 0» Jo^^'^^^ at the book I ascertained that it was one of Dr. Moffat s. The ow"er was one of Moffat's black Christians, and seemed to possess all the self-righteousness of white ones. To prove his Christian charity he asked us if we did not want some young girls, and actually offered me four girls and two pack-oxen for one of my repeat- ing rifles. '^ \. , With feelings of gratitude for his kind offer, we told him we were not buying girls that day, and biddmg him good-evening, ordered supper. Next day this Christian aud highly-moral Kattir came to complain that ray men had been making too free with the Vaalpen women, and foretold trouble if it came to the knowledge of their absent husbands. I then discovered that the Bushmen and Bastards, findmg the men-folk of the village did not return, had very thoughtfully offered to take their place, and had spent the ni^ht at the Vaalpen camp. This, said the virtuous Kaffir, with an air of all the righteous mdigna- tion that black clothes and hymn-books could lend, was hi-hly improper, and might lead to unpleasant consequences when it came to the knowledge of the absent and wronged husband.. Of course I could not deny the impropriety of the proceeding ; but I had my '.S ^HK WiWiiiwuiwwai • i 252 Art^r Ctipidity. doubts about the sincerity of tho warning that harm might come of it, believing that more jealousy was likely to be kindled in the breasts of the two Kaffirs by tiie fear that we should alienate the tribe from their /7»;(js/-p.llegiance than in the breasts of all the male members of the tribe put together. So I went over to the Vaalpens' camp, and found some of my men still there, on the most intimate terms of friendship with the womenkind, their attentions having evidently been received most affectionately. It was clear that there had been no coercion or threats; on the contrary, what I saw while passing one skerm showed that their advances had been rather encouraged than discounte- nanced, and satisfied me that there would be no reason for being anxious about a collision, unless the Kaffirs themselves encouraged it by poisoning the minds of the hunters against us on their return— or unless the men actually found my people dallying with their fickle- minded duskv drudges. All alike were interested in guarding against the latter contingency; and, to provide against the former, it was clearly only necessary to excite the Kaffirs' cupidity. Calling them aside, I gave them to understand that we had no intention of alienating the tribe from them, and that we would only stay a day or two longer, when we would give them a present, the value of which would depend entirely on the way we were treated. This was quite enough. The prospect of gain so completely altered their view of my men's wrong-doing, that they became Wind to the impropriety of their proceedings. On returning to the waggons after having thus satis- factorily whitewashed the dark-skins, I met two girls, each carrying an ostrich shell and a small tube made of a length of stick-grass, and bending over the gi-ass 1 Natives collecting De^v. 353 ing that harm jealousy was tie two Kaffirs •ibe from their all the male I went over to f my men still riendship with evidently been [ear that there the contrary, •wed that their ban discounte- Id be no reason ess the Kaffirs r the minds of —or unless the rith their fickle- ■e interested in and, to provide ly necessary to them aside, I no intention of ; we would only old give thera a end entirely on I quite enough, tered their view became blind to fiving thus satis- I met two girls, small tube made g over the gi-ass as if in search of something. My oHbrts to ask thorn what they were doing resulted only in their offering us ;i drink from the ostrich shells, which were about half- full of water ; and after taking a sip or two out of courtesy, I renewed my pantomimic inquiry. At first they only smiled— whether out of sheer amusement at my action, or in amazement at my unquenchable curiosity, or out of pity for my seeming ignorance, was a conundrum that 1 could not guess, so 1 " gave it up," as the '♦ end man " in the negro minstrels says. How- ever, after walking along together a little way, each maiden in turn stealing a timid, sly glance at me, which would have been quite fetching if they had only been of a paler cast of colour, and had not given off so strong an odour, they stopped and commenced their work again. Both went down on their knees, bend- ing their lithe, well-shaped bodies forward as if to show themselves off to the best advantage. Ah ! I thought, a woman is a woman all the world over. Whether savage or civilized, they all have their coy, soft, cunning, tempting ways. The sly pussies all understand how to purr and to keep their claws sheathed in velvet, until they have caught their mouse, though sometimes the mouse turns out to be a big rat, and takes them all their time to subdue him. And what do you suppose my two black Venuses were doing ? Another conundrum : and one that a whole State of Yankees could not guess, so I will tell you. They were sucking up the large drops of dew that lay between the green, fan-shaped leaves of the bulbs and other plants ; and when the tube was full they put the lower end into the eggshell, and by blowing forced the contents out of the tube into the shell. This made me wonder if the two mouthfuls I had taken when they A a gin«iiniiirn'rtiiW«i** 31'""^-:" If 354 Drinking Second-hand Wakr. hanaed mo the shell had been iu their mouths first-or only into the tube. kert had tohl mo that the Vaalpens buried ostrich egffs full of water-in hundreds-at various points, in case of drought or hick of sama. Coukl it be possible that they got all their store of water ui this way, instead of collecting it from pools or pans in the rainy season ? On further inquiry I found that as long as there is sama to bo had they never drink from their store, but the yonng people go out and collect dew every morning as industriously as a flock ot hum- „,in-birds. The twelve shells I had bought were filled-no doubt in the same manner ; but tins knowledge I kept to myself, for I knew that Lulu would be a little squeamish about drinking second- hand water. , Next day the Kattea hunters returned— nearly empty-handed-but reporting a large herd of gems-bok close to the camp. So on the morrow we jomed forces, and accompanied them on a grand hunting expedition. The attack was a well-organized, pre- concerted plan, very unsportsmanlike PcrW«. ^^^ productive of the best results so far as the butcher s bill" wasconcerned-and this was the first considera- tion A circle having been formed, the movements of the hunters were guided by signs from the Kattea chief and the belt of hunters gradually closed upon the poor bewildered animals, till they did not know which way to turn, and nearly half of them were slaughtered before they made a break through our line The Kattea never touched an animal until our people had taken what they required, and then they set to work with a will, some skinning, some makmg fires while others went after the women and children. "«i. r. Miths first — or buried ostrich 'ioiis points, in I it bo possible • ill this way, ns in the rainy ihat as long as rink from their nd collect dew flock of Inim- il bought were ner ; but this :new that Lvdu rinking second- cturncd — nearly erd of gems-bok rrow we joined , grand hunting -organized, pre- :e perhaps, but s the " butcher's I) first considera- the movements from the Kattea lally closed upon >y did not know If of them were eak through our animal until our ed, and then they ing, some making men and children. Native Gluttony. 355 who came down in a body, and in throe hours had a new city of huts built on the spot. Such feasting, such gourmaudizing, such gluttony followed as never was equalled. I have not the slightest hesitation in saying that some of them, during tl.e night, put away at least thirty pounds of meat each. Eat a while and sleep a while was their niotto; and this was faithfully practised throughout the next day. And yet all this overloading seemingly had no evil effects. Meanwhile all our party set to work to prepare a stock of biltong, and Jan s heart was rejoiced by seeing his waggon loaded as full as it would hold. My stores, however, were decreasmg very fast, owing to the constant begging of the lazy Bastards. We could not eat anything, or take an article out of our trunks, even to clothing, without their begging. Our rice was nearly all gone, but 11- vatch-it" reckoned that the coffee and sugar and the cracked wheat (if limited to us three whites) would hold out till we reached Upington. _^ The mention of Upington was like balm of bilead to Lulu's ears. It was, for the present, his pole-star. •' Now," said he, when I gave orders to inspan and make our course for that place, " now the pole of the waggon is pointing the right way. and I don t wish to see it changed until we get out of this." Just as we were preparing to leave the chief came up with one of his wives and four children-one a daughter fall grown-whom he offered me in exchange for one of my rifles. Not wishing to refuse hira, I made Kert explain that I could not spare one ]ust then, but that when we had finished huntmg, which would be in a short time, he should have one. He expressed his delight by saying he would die for me, ^ A a 2 ,*« 14 ,-5 Bitten by a Poisonous Siipear, St)ine great man's ashes designed to protect, Buried many a thousand year. A relic, may be, of a glorious past, A city once grand and sublime. Destroyed by earth.iuake, defaced by the blast, Swept away by the hand of time. It was not till three days after leaving the ruins- travelling all the way over a gentle -^-V--ffj^ came to the Ki Ki Mountain. Here we found a vky with a considerable quantity of muddy water m it, evidently the result of quite recent rains, yet, strange as it may appear, there were water-msects ^ it-one a brown bug, very quick in its motions dartmg here and there, which when caught was so shppery that it could hardly be retained in the fingers ev.m af er death. I also secured a specimen of a ^-^-\^^^ shaped animal, which was duly put into alcohol 360 S/ioo(iiio a Ihazcn Serpent. m *4 alone? with tlie brotlc All round the pool \V(> t'omul the footprints of baboons, soino as largo as the foot- marks of a ton-ycar-oUl child, for which I at first mistook thorn, ('loso by was a troo with a largo nost of the sociable fink or grosbeak. Hero Kort called my attention to a largo yellow snake, as it Inmg with its tail coiled around a branch on the roof of the nest, poking his head up into the little chambers ami stealing the eggs and yoimg bii'ds. Hundreds of tlxo little comnnniity were flying at it, pecking it, and chattering like crazed old women. After watching it for some time I saw it str'ko one of the birds that ventured too close, and which fluttered to the ground and seemed to die before it ft;ll. Then I raised my rifle and fii-ed, and down tumbled the brazen serpent, and lay under the tree on a pile of guano. It mea- sured seven feet four inches. Its head was flat, ami the body, tapering gradually from the middle to the two extremities, was at no place larger than my wrist. I found in its inside thirty-four littl'* bUOAV- white eggs, as perfect as when they were in tl:o nest. Its poisonous fangs were nine-sixteenths of an in^n long, with three others formed ready to take their place. The poison-ducts, which I preserved, were an inch and a quarter long. Was it instinct that had taught him how to rob the birds, or had he, while watching the nest from the ground, and seeing the birds fly in and out, quietly reasoned out the best way of getting at the neat, and then coolly climbed up the tree and put it into practice ? Making the most of the unaccustomed luxury of a pool of water, Ave once more enjoyed the delight of a real SAvim, after having been many months Avithout one; and in a few hours after our arrival the bushes Avere covered with our " washing." Our oxen had )()1 we fimnd as the foot- lich 1 at first [Ii a lar<^o nest Kurt calltHl it hung with b roof of the chambers and iiii(h"ods of the ecking it, and U'ter watching the birds that to the ground n I raised my trazen serpent, lano. It mea- d was flat, an6i Ix'on so long used to eating sama that they would not drink tlu! water at all, and the horses but spai'ingly ; but, alter Ix'ing kept two days without eithei' sama or water, they changed their minds and had a good fill before wo started again. Leaving the vley, we fol- lowed the dry, sandy river-bed for a couple of days. THK FIRST UATII VOll MANY MONTHS. and then struck the level, smooth road, bearing the fresh track of several waggons, which Jan recognized, by the peculiar footmarks of one of the oxen, as that of a caravan belonging to the Verlanders on its Avay l)ack to Mier. This was a bad lo«)k-out for us. We had only a hogshead of water collected from the vley at Ki Ki, and ^r 362 I.it/niif /h'(iMtofi(/s 1 ~* •it tlmt hoRsli.wl I hiul liiid to lill myself, for tlio lazy Bas- tards trf 11 sod to do so.sayiiii,' wo should bo sun^togot pU-nty of siiiuaarid find otli<«r puns on t lie way; and horo we w»'re, livo or six days from Mior, and withnomd of cattlo p.'iliaps cloariuK tip .'vcrytliinj,' in tlio shapes of drink and foddor in front of ns. I sent out .Ian and tlio Bastards as sco\its on horseback to look for sama, but two evenings they returned saying they co»dd see none. The oxen wore nearly dead beat; but, urdess they kept it up, the only alternatives before us were to abandon everything or perish : we nnght abandon everything first and perish after. The Bastards were almost mutinous when I put them on short water rations again, and T.ulu, " IMl-vatch-it," and I had to take it in turns to keej) guard over the water-barrel, gun in hand. We drove all night, outspanning every two hours to give the poor brutes time to lie down ; but sometimes they had not strength to get up again, and we had to shoot several of them as they lay. My mare Lady Anna was almost a skeleton, getting weaker and weaker every hour, but I could not bring myself to shoot her too, hoping to get water and forage yet. I gave her some oatmeal mixed with water, which she drank with despair in her drooping eyes, her weary head resting on my shotdder. For- tunately, the nights were cool, causing the humidity in the air to condense, and loading the long grass with dew-drops which sparkled like diamonds in the morning gun_Hq„id gems that wore far more valuable than all the diamonds of South Africa, for without them neither horses nor cattle could have gone on another day. On the fourth night we were labouring slowly along, the long, merciless whip cracking incessantly in the crisp night air, through which the moon shed a flood -tm mHHMWiU M Iti A'o IViitcy : //" '^aiua. 363 [• the lazy Bas- 1h' Hviro to got way; audluTO with iiot'iul of II tho shape of lit .Ian aiitl tho ; for sauia, but ;onhl see none, nless they kept I're to abandon Ion everythinfif % were ahnost Avater rations had to take it •-barrel, gnn in ling every two lie down ; bnt t up again, and they lay. My ?loton, getting 'ould not bring get water and jal mixed with I her drooping ihoulder. For- y the humidity long grass with 3 in tho morning aluable than all )ut them neither nother day. ng slowly along, jessantly in the 3on shed a flood of light •' ni-vatch-it" snoring at my .11)0^' as I sat beside the water-barrel, when myhead, whieh Im.l been nodding l.nver and lower, ca- le in nharp eontaet witli the barrel. Jn.iipiug up. I ' .rd strtnge vouvs, and shouting t,. Andreas, who was driving, asked who was there. As [ sp.»ki', (^aun. >ny old ac.pnuntane.* at Kuis. cnnie forward. • " Is there water? Is there sama? " T eagerly asked. " So little that I must move on to-niorrt.w early, he replied. " 1 have jnst come from a well at the Oup river where a Jew trader from Damarahuid, named Boll, has catnped, with 1000 oxen; they have nearly cleared the sama ont, and that's why I came this way. Worse and worse ! Was my luck gomg to forsake me at last? Was my star setting ? Not only Ver- lander's team, but a big drove of cattle in front of mo, clearing everything up ; not a bit or sup would bo loft for my weary, half-starved beasts. And. as if to mock me in my despair, Cann told mo that close to tho road wo had como along Verlander had found sama in nuantities. and had told him where to look for it. Those lazy brutes, Jan and the rest, had actually been too idle to search for the sama, or, if they ^^ad found it too pig-headed to come back and say so. At that moment Jan came along as cool as a cucumber, and asked mo for water to make a little coffee for his men. Instead of giving him water, it was with the greatest difficulty that I refrained from kicking him ; my toes itched to do it. but I didn't, giving vent to my indig- nation by using some very strong language instead, which caused him to sneak away like a dog with his tail between his legs. , 1 n » I see," said Cann, " you know how to handle them ; he deserved a thrashing, which he would have f-ff" 564 Shoot inz Oxen to save their Lives. had if I had booi; in your place. You must report him to Vorhinder, who is the oidy Bastard I ever knew that had any phick in him." Cann was off on a huntin<^ expedition with ton Bushmen hunters and some Bastards. " They are hunters," lie added significantly; " not such a cowardly lot as your fellows ;" and so, after an interchange of information and good wishes, wo parted, he going north and I continuing my journey soutliwards towards Mier. At daylight we arrived at the mouth of the Oup river, where we found Boll, with a lot of cattle, which he had undertaken to drive right across the desert to Kuruman, en route to Kimberley. Those that had taken kindly to the sama looked well, but others were skin and bone. Some he had shot that morning to put them out of their misery ; but a lot of them had stampeded, either from fear of the lions, or from a sudden desire — common among these Damara cattle — to return home. The loss of half his drove, however, had but little effect upon his good-humour, and he was very friendly and talkative. He told us that on the sands, about two days to the east, his men had found sama in abundance, and that he was going to send the rest of his cattle to feed there, while he went to Mier and procured horsemen to take up the spoor of the runaways, and recover what had not died or been eateu up by the lions. We outspanned while his men showed us where there was a little sama left — enough to save their lives — and the day's rest and food \\ ere very welcome to both man and beast, before starting through the succession of steep sandhills that ran right up to Mier. Tt was a question whether we should pull through after all, and I was delighted when Boll took a fancy to my riHes, of which he bought two in ■"^ji: qip v'r Lives. \\\ nmst report him •d I ever knew that ipodition with ten bards, "They ava lot such a cowardly r an interchange of •ted, he going north rai'ds towards Mier. li of the Oup river, jf cattle, which he ross the desert to . Those that had ;ll, but others were :)t that morning to t a lot of them had le lions, or from a !se Damara cattle — his drove, however, humour, and he was old us that on the his men had found IS going to send the lilo he went to Mier ip the spoor of the 1 not died or been nned while his men sama left — -enough rest and food were east, before starting sandhills that ran 1 whether we should delighted when Boll 1 he bought two in Shall xve abandon Everything:; 365 exchange for ten oxen each. That night we started for the sands, but about half-way up one of the sand- hills the ox(ni refused to move. It was cruel the way they were beater., and I made " Vll-vatch-it " lay the whip asi,le while they had a rest. But on trying them igain they still failed to move the waggon, so we had to inspan"somo of the newly-purchased beasts T hey had not been worked for some months— if at all— anrt were so wild that it was impossible to get them yoked in the moonlight, and we had to wait where we were till day dawned. Then by dint of shouts and whips we .rot the cattle into harness, and induced them to apply their rude, untutored strength in a scientific manner, and with frequent pauses hauled the waggons over one sand-dune after another. The sand was so deep that it was almost as hard work to pull them downhill as uphill, and in some cases it took as many as forty oxen to move each of them. This severe work told heavily against the half^starved members of our original teams, several of which refused to go any further, and had to be shot. One went mad, and rushed headlong at the waggon, making it pretty lively for us before he was killed. " _ About midnight the oxen gave out again, and Horn Pete, after out^panning, came and said that we had better leave the waggons here and drive the oxen on— or let them go altogether-and proceed on foot as fast as we could to Mier. To this proposition I said, " Nay, we will pull through if it takes every ox. Never despair, Pete, we shall manage yet." . . - Just before day, while I was sitting by the camp fire brooding over the possibilities of the morrow, one of the Bushmen came and touched me on the shoulaer, and handed me a half-grown sama, of which he had a x66 Shoolhig Lady Anna. ft." is large bunch, at the same time pointing in the direc- tion where he had found them. This was a piece of hick. Without waking any of the others, I helped him drive the oxen to it— at least as many as we could, for there were some that we could not make get up, even by resorting to the cruel device of biting the tail —and, leaving them there to feed, we collected as many as we could carry and returned to the waggons loaded with the young melons. What a pleasure it was next morning to see the astonishment pictured on every face, a^ we displayed the pile of "samas ! What a transformation scene! smiling hope gradually over- powering sad despair. All was joy again ; even the oxen lost their sad looks; but poor Lady Anna never reached the oasis of saraa. The Bushman allowed her to lie down, and no amount of persuasion could induce her to get up again, so he shot her. I had anticipated this, and when 1 saw him coming down the hill without her I involuntarily turned away, not wishing to hear what the poor thing suffered. My reason had told mo some days before that it would be less cruel to kill her than to keep her lingering on, but my heart had prompted me to put off the evil day, and now that the end had come I felt a kind of self-reproach. I had not only prolonged her misery, but had cheated the hungry vultures out of a feast, for now there was nothing but skin and bone left for them. Unluckily starvation was not the only thing that threatened us. Three of the oxen were bitten by snakes. One of the Bushmen undertook to cure them, and, taking a knife, made one or two slight incisions round the place where the bite was, which was easily seen by the swelling, and rubbed in a pow- der which he said was made from the dried poison- ^^ Curing Siiakc-biic»^ 0(^7 in the direc- was a piece of lers, I helped lyas we could, make get up, biting the tail looted as many -^aggons loaded ire it was next Dured on every nas ! What a gradually over- lain ; even the idy Anna never lan allowed her )n could induce had anticipated down the hill ly, not wishing My reason had be less cruel to n, but my heart y, and now that eproach. I had lad cheated the now there was a. jnly thing that were bitten by jrtook to cure ( or two slight bite was, which Libbed in a pow- he dried poison- .acs of another snake. In a few hours the swelling had entirely subsided, and the cattle were as well as their half-starvod state would allow them to be 1 expressed some doubt whether this " cure ' would be efficacious in the case of the more deadly kind of snake but the Bushman assured me that it would, and that he was not afraid of being bitten by any snake in the country so long as he had the poison-sac of another snake to use as an antidote. The very next day I had an opportunity of putting him to the test. t * n While walking ahead of the waggons I saw a tull- grown capell ovHjvnnjh sJange,\ymg under abank.and, calling the Bushman, said,— - ;^ " Catch that snake alive. You are not afraid of it, arc you ? " in " No, boss," he replied, "I am not afraid, and will catch it for a roll of tobacco." Not wishing to be accessory to his death, I refused to bribo him, and went to get the driver's whip to kill the snake with. I had scarcely returned when he gave it a kick with his naked foot, and the horrible reptile bit him. Coolly taking out some dried poison-sacs he reduced them to a powder, pricked h.^ foot near the puncture with his knife, and rubbed the virus powder in just as he had done with the cattle. In the mean- time I had put a stop to the snake biting any more by a blow from the whip-stock, and the Bushman, extract- ing the fangs, drank a drop of the poison from the virus-sac, and soon fell into a stupor which lasted some hours. At first the swelling increased rapidly, but after a time it began to subside, and next morning he inoculated himself again. That night the swelling had disappeared, and in four days he was as well as ever. BiBtt.a»JI>«lTmri'ii«-r>n»r 368 V CHAPTER XXn. At Mm- asain--Thp private socretary becomes Voiifidpiitial— A war ' (,i px't.erininaiion T.M-iil.lc confossinns -A truMwortliy roun- ,.ill„r-A Harden at Ali.T— A fertile soil— Tlie " l.orii-tired " .lisoase-An antidote to snake poison— An enterprisiiir; Boer— A Hastanl family— Making the calves useful— Exchange and harte.r— A raid on the water-fowl— K'Ahiani Tool. Two days after, we siglitod the habitations of Mior: those apologies for houses, hghtcd up by the golden rays of the rising sun, were more welcome to the sight than a city of palaces. The tyrant king, Sama, was dethroned : his reign of terror was over. King Water woidd now rule in his stead, and commenced his reign most ausi)iciously, all of us reveUing in his bounty. We could have passed several days very pleasantly liere, had it not been for the constant begging of Dirk Verlauder's satellites, who had organized a fearful system of bhickmail, under the guise of " presents." Feeling no obligation, I refused to accede to their re- quests, when they tried to exact it as a right, as a kind of " toll " for my having hunted on what Verlander called " his territory," and for the use of " his water." The latter claim I recognized, and offered to pay for, but repudiated the other demand, and when he saw that I was in earnest he withdrew all but his demand for " water rates," which I liquidated. Then I gave Mrs.Verlander a pair of very tine bright-coloured blankets, and we became the best of friends. ifulontial— A war rustwortliy roun- ,'lic, " linni-lired " iterjnisiiif:; Boer — 1 — ExcliiUigc and V.ol. bions of Mior: by the golden ne to the sight ng, Sain a, was King Water meed his reign in his bounty, '^ery pleasantly egging of Dirk lized a fearful of "presents." ede to their re- right, as a kind ,vhat Verlander jf " his water." offered to pay , and when he evv all but his uidated. Then bright-coloured ends. ^^:i. W ^',;? V ' '.'■■. S"*"-^ • I -f i ■ , .i!. I ■I.' ir G h o c 1 V e t t 1 Vcrlatidcrs Claims. 569 HiiUiburton still entertjuned tho idea that, 1 was sent into the country on some secret official mission from the German Government, and, acting on this assumption, he gave me a great deal of information which I should otherwise never have got out of him. He became quite confidential, and taking me into his hut one day, when 1 was introduced to his Hottentot wife and afamily ot variegated children, showed me most of his correspond- ence, particularly that in which he had endeavoured to get from tho Colonial Government an official recogni- tion of the Verlanders' right to the territory which they claim. This claim is based ])artly on the ho
n say that 1 shape looked ( com])unction lemselves had hat, having to king the trip, hem by tying lem across at n ashore they 3bed them and s now holding d to take two loners to some wet and dark, ), as they were m, letting them r, reported that :en had refused been obliged to made into the bly thought the ike a coroner's d from the very lese deeds, er's councillors bo be made be- tative of a large o- the said Renz land he claimed lenz agreeing to send him u lot of goods, including quantities of guns, powder, caps, and lead, also three thousand sheep— all to be delivered at Orange River, and Vorlander to assume all risk of getting it across. " I made that bargain," said my informant proudly ; " and I'm not such a fool as I look. Renz wants to get hold of the country, but I shall take care he does not. To let him have a slice of territory like Rau- tenbach is one thing, but to part with the whole country is another. Look here," he continued, with an access of confidential fervour. " Look at this and see if they are sharp enough to get over me. If you can induce Germany or England to take the whole of the country over, I'll sell it like a shot, and we will divide the spoils. They must not take rae for a flat. I'm not staying here for nothing. Is it a bargain; do we understand one another ? " " Perfectly," I replied ; " but you had better drop the subject, for wattle-and-mud walls may have ears as well as stone ones ; and if Verlander hears of your kind intentions, you might find that this cUmate will suddenly become a little too oppressive for one whose feelings are so very delicate." One day Halliburton took me out to look at his gar- den, a slovenly -looking affair, inclosed by a brush-fence, with here and there a sickly-looking tobacco-plant, that looked as if it had the jaundice, a scraggy cab- bage or two slowly choking to death, and a few peas trying to struggle into — or out of— existence. "Your gardener has forgotten to give them a drink," I remarked ; " he doesn't treat them well ; they will be cut off before the 'flower of their youth.'" " Yes," he replied, " we always cut them before ' B b 2 m^fsnt^i^^stmmit ' r. -^72 Pirpivins i;,roHmi for II 'lunt. tlu.y fl')W(M-, b.it. tli.'SH ivrn only t.. try l.ow tlicy will ansNViM' heforr we pliinf a lur^'c spaco." " These having' i this eoniplaint that tho information as to tho capabihtios of a country is taken, and accepted as gospel. This private secretary, though ho could not handle a >vat..rin.'-pot, knew how to nso an ink-pot. Ho could write well, and talk liko a book. Some of his elYusions ho showed me, in the form of letters that had appeared in the colonial newspapers relativ.' to the way tho country was govcM-ned, an.l its resources. From his standpoint they carried conviction with them, and no doubt answered the purpose for which they were writt^Mi, viz. to conceal the truth, with tho object of keeping the country to themselves. Seeing some people working on a plot near a big sandhill? 1 in(iuirod what they were doing. " Only a few Bastards getting tho ground ready to sow wheat. This interested me, and 1 proposed to go over and see how they did it. He tried to dissuade me by saying it was too far and too hot for either of us to walk ; but as I insisted on going he accompanied me. The sandy clay mixture had been stirred about with a very primitive kind of a plough, and was to be sown with wheat— a very slow process, as tho sowers made the .seed go as far as they could, not putting more than a peck to the acre, and taking care that two did not he near enough together to crowd one another. To m/ *"*«, ^'-immst>mmm0me' .^iw«gBaa*«feaiiiw»v i.mmm»»: A /I lie sani/>/i- oj llV/ca/. .1 /-> ow tlicy will ,ou will grow iitry, jiimI was Is liiinsi'lf, or Hiis (lisciisi! I criciitiH call it iiijr from this lO capabiliiit'S irospcl. 'V\\\A [\ot liandU* a )t.. Ho could f his t^tYiisions had appoarod the way the 3s. From his thorn, and no ich they wore the object of lot near a h\g nv were sowing had grown on the same ground the year before, and was the most beautd'ul sample T ever saw in any country— plump, white, and rv. II, with very thin skin. T managed to secure a couple of .puirts of it as a sample. Any of the Bastards were allowed to till here, ami yet there were not more than a dozen small allotments taken up, the whole area ploughed not being more than five acres. Yet they complained how hard they had to work to get a little bread-stuff. I pitied the poor, over-worked fellows. It was terrible— twelve of them being oldiged to cultivate and harvest at least five acres every year ! Hut I could not suggest any means of alleviation, and told them that if they would eat bread they must continue to suffer. It was only one more case of "born tired." On our way back the secretary said that wheat or flour was worth from three to four pounds per muid (100 lbs.), and that, excepting what little was grown here they never had any bread-stuff from one year's end to another. Save a little coffee now and then, he and his family had hved upon the milk of six cows. tm^fi' ^- 374 The N'aiiboo, each rearing a calf at the same time. Providence had indeed served him badly ; it had made no special pro- vision for his benefit ; " Cape smoke " was too dear for him to drown his troubles in it very often ; and even Mother Earth refused to furnish him with a few bushels of ordinary wheat, without being paid in advance a certain amount of labour. This was the tenor of his complaints, and he evidently thought himself an ill- used man. But he soon forgot bis troubles, to talk of some of the curiosities of the country. Among other things he asked me if I had come in contact with, or heard of, the little saurian, called the *' N'auboo." " No," I replied ; " what is it ? " " It's a specific for snake-bite, or for blood-poisoning, in case of a w^ound from a poisoned arrow. It is strange you have not heard of it, as every Bastard or native carries it, especially in the hunting veldt. It resembles one of those little lizards (pointing to one of a light-yellow colour, and about seven inches long), except that its legs are not so much developed, yet they move so quick that it's very difficult to catch. It is supposed to be the most deadly of all poisonous reptiles, save the little worm called kameroo. Several have been caught down yonder, in the old huts by the brack-pit. The natives pay a big price for them, often giving an ox for one. There is hardly a Bastard family in this part but what has some N'auboo, in case either man or beast is bitten by a snake. It has never been known to fail." " How is it used ? " " It is applied in a powdered state, by sprinkling it into some incisions, previously made, near the bite. Even in extreme cases two applications will cause the 4fi Antidote to Snake-poison. 375 Providence had e no special pro- was too dear for often ; and even vitii a few bushels lid in advance a the tenor of his it himself an ill- troubles, to talk •ountry. Among come in contact irian, called the r blood-poisoning, led arrow. It is every Bastard or unting veldt. It i (pointing to one even inches long), ich developed, yet difficult to catch, ly of all poisonous kameroo. Several he old huts by the •ice for them, often hardly a Bastard some N'auboo, in y a snake. It has te, by sprinkling it ade, near the bite, ions will cause the swelling to gradually subside, and a cure is made. It has never been known to fail." '> What do you mean by applying it in a powdered state ; what part is powdered ? " " The whole of the N'auboo is dried •: d th(Mi finely powdered, and when put into the wound it^ acts as a counter-irritant. When they have no N'auboo, the Bastards use the poison of any snake, and place it in an incision made round the bite, one poison working against another." "" Then I should think the best way would be to carry a poisonous reptile with you, and when you happened to be bitten by a poisonous snake you could immediately let your own bite you near the same place, and the two poisons would destroy one another. It's the principle of ' Like cures like '— ' H'milia slmiUhus curantur.' " " I don't know, Mr. Farini, how that would work ; in fact I would rather not try it. But I can assure you that the N'auboo will cure any snake-bite, as I have had many ocular demonstrations of it, and I have no doubt before you leave the country it will come under your personal notice." " I should be very pleased if it would. I would risk an ox to try the experiment, and I will give a sovereign for one of the little beasts. Don't you know of any one that has some ? " " I cannot recollect at present, but I will make in- quiries, and in the meantime will send two boys to try and catch you one." "Alive?" ^. ^ X " Oh, no, the boys are too much afraid of it for that, although no one has ever been known to be bitten by one. But there is another beast, called the night J<, 376 C fit a in Death to Cattle. » ?' t ? f.t « huki, which is very poisonous, though not known to be of any use as an antidote." " You said there was a small something or other that's still more poisonous : what is that like ? and where could I procure a specimen ? " " It's the kameroo, a small worra-like thing that makes a habitation for itself, close to the ground, on th(! grass, by attaching together small stones by the aid of some sticky substance. If an ox happens to eat one of these little things, it's sure death, and no help for it. When the grass is short there are hunilreds of cattle killed every year this way. We are not troul)led here with it ; but in the lower part of the Kalahari there are more than is pleasant. The Bushmen call it K'ugaa." We waited another day, in the hope of getting a specimen of the N'auboo, amusing ourselves in the meantime by taking a photograph of Dirk Verlander and his gwot-meu ; but as Jan, the veldt cornet, who had offered to accompany us as far as his werf, was anxious to get home we could not delay any longer. Just as we were leaving, an old man brought me a part of a N'auboo, carefully wrapped up in five or six old rags, and stuffed into a metal cartridge-case ; there was not much more than the head left, the rest of it having been used in curing his cattle and people of snake-bites. He asked for a little coffee in exchange, which I gladly gave him. After climbing the steepest sandbanks we had yet encountered, we reached Rautenbach's Pan, whore w^e saw good evidence of the owner's energetic efforts to make the most of the country. The pan was nothing but a dead-level flat when we crossed it; but in the rainy season it is a shallow lake, thirty-five miles long x4iim^m not known to liner or other hat like ? and ke thing that he ground, on stones by the )X happens to death, and no ort there are liis way. We 3 lower part of ►leasant. The B of getting a irselves in the 3irk Verlander dt cornet, who his werf, was ' any longer. brought TOO a p in five or six Jge-case ; there }, the rest of it and people of 3e in exchange. iks we had yet i Pan, whore we getic efforts to an was nothing I it; but in the -five miles long ^■i l/' Sa// Pans. 377 and seven miles wide, and from six inches to two feet deep. At the lower end Rautenbach is making a dam to store the water, and a cutting for irrigation piir- poses, with a view to cultivating the plain, which he hopes to make productive, though it does not now yield a blade of grass. It took us exactly one hour and forty minutes to cross the dry pan, and when we were over we met one of his waggons returning loaded with salt collected at some salt-pans lying about three days' journey to the east. One of these pans is about one mile and a half long by one mile wide, and the average depth of the salt is six feet. In the dry seasons it is easy to collect it; but in the wet seasons it is saturated with water. The next place we came to was another immense flat belonging to Mr. Verlander (son of the captain), with wells and a dam of fresh water, called Schoon Veldt Darn, which might easily be utilized after Ran- tenbach's plan. Here we watered the cattle by moon- light, the night being so brilliant that Lulu was able to take a photograph of the scene. The road then led over some very steep sand-dunes and across a hard flat, on which, near a natural dam between sandhills, there were encamped a lot of Bastards on their way into the Kalahari, accompanied by their families, including children, and by Bushmen and Hottentots, with their families and all their worldly possessions, including horses and sheep, cows and calves. ' Lulu succeeded in making a capital picture of them ; after which they clustered around our waggons, and eagerly asked all kinds of questions about the kinds of game we had shot, and how, when, and where. When we described the giraffe, which does not exist on their 'V ill .■>/ 8 A/i En(iH)ip>th'ut of Ilalt-brccds. *i|l hunting veldt, and told them we had the heads with us, their curiosity Avas so tlioroughly aroused that they begged us to outspau and show tiiem, which we did. They were disappointed with the heads, but not with the feet, and the idea of getting one ton of meat with one bullet, and soles enough to last them for years, so took their fancy that they were not satisfied till we had given them a full description of the chase. A BASTARD FAMILY. ' t !--», ,''■. f i-iii Wishing them good luck, Ave drove on to the foot of iiaother lot of sandhills, arriving at night at Anerougas dam, after having overtaken a Bastard family, who taught us a " wrinkle " in the matter oi driving over the steep sandhills. They had twelve milch cows yoked to their waggon, and, when they got stuck in '^^'il,^»i<'^' cciis. he heads with ' aroused that liem, which we heads, but not lie ton of meat last them for re not satisfied ti of the chase. FUiir-de-Lys. 379 )n to the foot of ht at Anerougas ird family, who of driving over Ivo milch cows sy got stuck in the sand, they drove their calves to the top of tiie hill, when the mothers would redouble their efforts to follow their bleating offspring. In these sands we found a trailing plant, bearmg a bell-shaped flower, with a strong smell of musk, and with roots resembling sweet potatoes, no doubt edible, but never eaten by the natives, as far as I could ascer- tain. Besides this there was an abundance of a kind of fla.', resembling a jteur-th'-h/s, which the natives said was poisonous to cattle, but which fortunately did not seem to grow where the grass and sama throve. Early next morning we reached the vley, where Jan's werf was located ; so 1 took the opportunity of reminding him that he had not yet paid for a gun he had bought of me, and that the promised cattle in exchange would be very useful to me just now, addmg that I should be leaving that same night, and should be glad if he would " settle up " at once. He professed great willingness to do this, but ex- plained that, unfortunately, his cattle were out on the sands, and might not come to water that day. He would, however, send his Sivaar for them. The gun stood at the head of his bed, so I picked it up, remarking how well he shot with it ; and saying that, as " ril-vatch-it " and I had had a dispute as to whether it or my repeater had the greatest pene- tration, I would take it over to my waggon, and test it In this idea Jan also acquiesced at once. He was in very good humour, and brought his greasy -looking squabby, macaroni-complexioned vrouw to be photo- graphed. By the time this was done, Swaar had returned with the cattle, so Jan and I went to look at them. Putting on a sickly smile, he said he was sorry that the drought had taken so many of his .-ibaifsnis* i ,1 si '1 J' tr. /t[|t 380 /:xi7iiincc afu/ Barter. cattlo, or h(« would liiivc* bfcn :il>U' to give mo the eij^'ht oxon as a^,M'(>r(l, Wiit an it was lio had only two, and tl.oso wci'o small ; but thoy wens good, and ha.l been broken as pack-oxen ; the rest lie would i»ay any one 1 woidd appoint to receive tliein when lie returned from the hunting veldt in the autinnn. " 1 am ^ure, Sieur," he continued, " you will do that, as you know tiiat when I promise! anything it is as good as done." " Yes, Jan, I know your promises to pay are good ; but I prefer the ox.mi. (lan't you make mo any other proposition ? You might borrow somo cattle of your relations here, and owe ih.mi instead of ')ne. If they will not give you credit, how can you expect m' to?" This staggered him for a half-minuto ; but he was ecpial to tlurdifficulty, and replied that the cattle his relations had were their aU. If I took them away they would not be able to plough this year. " That won't make much difference, Jan ; for the small piece you plough the lot of you could dig in two days." So I cut the matter short by telling him that if he did not pay mo ho could not have the gun, and that wo should leave in an hour; and left him talking very confidentially to his m^aar. I knew he wouhf make another desperate effort, for a gun with these people ranks before a wife ; and while we were inspanning he came and offered me, besides the two oxen, a yearling and his note for fifteen pounds. The latter he said he had arranged with Kert to take from me as part of his pay. As Kert said he was willing to accept Jan's note, we drove right away, and that night outspanned at a large pan of water. The cries of the water-fowl kept us awake half the night, so next morning we paid them out for it by shooting fifteen teal, two flamingoes, i4,*lW-'^ /\'\l/)iaiii 1*00 1. 381 » fjivo mo the had only two, f^ood, and luul would i»ay any en lie returned " I am riure, t, as you know Dod as done." pay are «i;oo(l ; ! mo any other ) cattle of your Df me. If they ixpcct iw to ? " bo ; but he was , the cattle Ins )ok thoin away ^ear. 0, Jan ; for tho »u could dig in t by telling him )t have the gun, r; and left him ar. I knew he for a gun with d while we were besides the two n pounds. Tho bh Kert to take cept Jan's note, jutspanned at a I water-fowl kept lorning we paid 1, two flamingoes, and nine avocets, which were very aeceptabh., as our ,„.„„, had not inchule more than a woc^k together, and only one werf at a tin.o is permitted, so the country roundabout wears an unusually bright appearance, with plenty ot K'ADIAM I'""!,. „rass ana wiUl fowl in abundance. We remained h four days enjoying the beautiful clear water, and the cattle luxuriating in the grass, -""^."d J^^ cuennibers, which existed in profusion, ihis being about the last place where we were likely to get sama, t gathered enough to make two bottles ot sama-water wl the intention of carrying it home as a smnple, but fearful lost it should turn sour. Shortly after leaving K' Abiam I'ool, we crossed a gjK^i^H^^aeirfei.'*****'''" .-^8 a S/t(;^ttr once more. will.' rtnt wliioh K.Mt siii.l \v!.s positively the last stn-rch of satul that \v<« should cnmn to. He was rvi.lcMtly anxious to »>ncoiiriig«' us to hurry oti, for wo difi not meet a soul who was not. in some way or other Kert's creditor, and I was pest.Ted with applieationa to pay his debts and stop the amount out of tho old Bushman's wapes ! This would hardly have been fail — either to Kert or myself, so when the old man proposed to cut across on foot to Zout Pits— a brackish wnt.M'-hole in tho bed of the river Hyob, down the course of which the so-called "road" lay, I was not unwilling to accede to this suggestion. After emerging from the sand-plain we came to a pan of clayey water, and two days later the whole country was nothing but clay, a large stretch of which is cul- tivated by a farmer from Bloemfontein, named Steyne, who also'kec[)3 a sort of shop whore wo bought sugar and collee, ' V.i\U-\ wMt.Mf.ll nut ,)f tl.o solM nvk— A wliirlpool -A iK-iiiitiful Hctv-A II -WHY Im.w.t- rn.le Ivis a fall -Pli..to-iMpl.iii- til- r.pi.U KiTik. of NiUtir..-lt..con- nnitriiifs' till' H.iviili'.-' FiiU-'. Foi.r.owiNO the banks of tho rivor, from which the sand-waves to the north were plainly visible, and passing throiij^h Zwart Modder, a place with two stone houses and sovi-ral wcrfs, wo came to a brick farm- house, the residence of a French Canadian, named Do Jay, who had come to this country many years ago, and niado his fortune hunting on the Kalahari, where, in one season alone, he cleared over 6000/.,— nearly losing his life, however, another time, and liaving to abandon his waggons and oxen in the sands— and was nmv the possessor of 40,000 morgen of land, on which he had built two large stone dams and opened out two running springs, and which carried 15*0 cattle and 10,000 sheep. Our description of our doings stirred up the old Nimrod in him, and he declared that he would go again as soon as he had delivered a trifle of 600 fat oxen which he had just sold, if only Dr. X would go with him. Dr. N was a trader, who, through the treachery of the Hottentots in Namaqualand, had lost everything he had, and now was keeping a school, having the I. •J ' l|ili.Hilii|illWI'«>- ' 384 IJoticnhils offer ins: to sell their Children. chiUlrc. (.f tl.reo or four families from some miles round. When we told them that we were going to ti.e falls in order to photograph them, they said avo should be satisfied if we so much as caught a glimpse of them. ])e Jay had not only failed to get close to them himself, but knew half a dozen others who had been no more successful. The most that could be seen in wet seasons was the mist, and at low water, during the dry weather, when tlie river divides into several channels, four or five streams had to be SAVum before anv one could get near enough to see anythmg but a series of yawning chasms, rugged rocks, rushmg rapids, and steep cliffs. But all this only whetted our curiosity and made us the more eager to carry out our plan The greater the difficulty the greater the Kvho^i so with the good wishes of the worthy pair, accom- panied by some mutton and bread and butter, we left early one morning, with full and particular instructions as to the easiest route. As we descended, the banks of the river became more rugged and the scenery grander; a good stream flowing between lofty banks broken by frequent ravines, which led away from the river on the one hand to the sandy plain on the other. Presently we came to a party of Hottentots, camped in a beautiful vallev, hemmed in by a wall of pre- cipitous brown rocks, where water and grass were abundant, and their cattle looked as sleek as moles. They offered to sell us a boy and a rather comely crivl, who with her vermicelli complexion, high cheek- bones, and almond eyes, reminded me of a Chinese— indeed all the Hottentots have a more or less decidedly Celestial expression of countenance. We dechned their offer, but purchased instead some meat and milk, in exchange for tobacco and coffee. . ' > Children. from some miles ,ve were going to liom, they said wo caught a ghmpse cd to get dose to >n others who had lost that coidd be and at Ioav water, river divides into ns had to be swum igh to see anything gged rocks, rushing lis only Avlietted our crer to carry out our le greater the kuSos; vorthy pair, accom- and butter, we left irticular instructions escended, the banks ed and the scenery between lofty banks h led away from the yr plain on the other. Hottentots, camped I by a wall of pre- iter and grass were as sleek as moles, md a rather comely iplexion, high cheek- i me of a Chinese — more or less decidedly lance. We dechned some meat and milk, se. . - - v" '"■ '•■ The Waggon turned over. 305 We camped that night in a lovely spot, beneath a high cliflF, and near some camel-trees, whose wide- spreading branches were alive with various coloured singing birds. In the middle distance was a green lull backed up by a high round-topped mountain in the distance. That night, after dinner, we were enjoymg the peaceful serenity of the scene, qualified by a ({Uiet game of cards, when the oxen, which had been listlessly chewing the cud all alone, stamped with a roar. Before we could jump out of the waggon the leaders were around to the fore-wheel, dragging the yokes and chains, '.o which they were tied, after them ; then snap went some of the rehm, and away wont three or four oxen into liberty, while the others, trymg to follow suit, cut their career short by pulling the waggon over on top of them. It took some time to set thmgs to rights again. The greatest trouble was to get the wacrcron up ; this we did at last by fixing a pau^ of ropes to the under wheels, passing them over the waggon and then attaching a span of oxen to them, by which means they " rolled " it back again. To prevent their pulling it over on the opposite side. Lulu stood with hatchet in hand, ready to cut the rope as soon as the waggon passed the balance. It was useless to attempt to follow the runaways in the darkness, and all through the night we could hear them bellowing, in alternate tones of dismay and defiance, " We are lost; where are you v.^ ? " and " We are free ; you come too ! " while the prisoners replied with a monotonous roar of " No more ; we're sore ! " In the scurry poor " I'll-vatch-it " stepped on a plant of the Euphorbia candelabra, driving tne fine, sharp, black thorns, about three-quarters of an inch long, into the soles of his feet, right through the thick, • 1* SSR'S^SSWSt! . .^umj W BiB lwu i p i i86 Acting as Surgeon. tough skin, into the quick. He was in terrible agony, both with pain and with fear, for these prickles are often poisonous, and inflict serious injury. Taking a pair of pincers I soon pulled all the thorns out excepting one in the hollow of the foot, that the pincers would not catch. Lulu was obliged to hold him whde I cut awav the flesh sufliciently to get at it, when it came out^hke pulling a French nail. To make sure of destroying anv poisonous effects I poured some dilute sulphuric acid into the places, which made the poor fellow yell. Fortunately for him there was none of the poison on the thorns, and in a few days he was all right again. Next day we recovered the missing cattle, and were soon creeping along the dry bed of one of the side- streams of the river, between high cliffs which narrowed in the distance, threatening to bar our passage. That afternoon we came to a " port," a narrow cleft not more than ten feet wide in places, whose steep sides reached upwards nearly one thousand feet. " If a huge boulder should become displaced now, said Lulu, *Svhile we are going through this pass, we should not have much chance. It would drive us into the earth." " Yes," I replied, " we should be safely buried with a mio-hty tombstone to mark the spot. But that old vulture high up above the cliffs there would make an effort to resurrectionize us." Suddenly the oxen stopped and the Bushman that was leading called out, " There is no more road." Running forward I found our passage barred by a huge fallen rock. We were in a fix ; to turn round we imist take the waggon to pieces first, for there was not space enough on either side for an ox to pass. On n o f; a t t t I ( yiist struck a Vein of Water. 387 terrible agony, e prickles are rv. Taking a 3 out excepting pincers would im while I cut , when it came make sure of ed some dilute made the poor ivas none of the days he was all attle, and were )ue of the side- vhich narrowed passage. That irrow cleft not lose steep sides feet. displaced now," ;h this pass, we dd drive us into fely buried with . But that old would make an le Bushman that 10 more road." )arred by a huge turn round we for there was not 3X to pass. On examining the rock, however, we found it split into three pieces, and, after testing the depth of the sand under it, we made up our winds to sink the rock ; so, taking turns with the shovels, we soon had it low enough for the oxen to climb over. Passing through this port we came out into the wildest scenery we had as yet beheld, putting me in mind of Switzerland at the back of Vevey. Pickmg our way around numbers of immense rocks that had fallen from the nearly perpendicular cliffs, we reached at last what seemed a ciil'de-sac, and then suddenly turning a sharp corner we came in sight of a Hottentot tending a large flock of sheep, who informed us that two mdes further on we should find a werf and some men digging a well— which we did. One of the dicrcrers vvas an Englishman named Harper ; tlie other an^Afrikander, his brother-in -law. They were in very good humour, having just struck a vein of water that ran faster than they could dip it out, and msisted on our staying to breakfast. Their fresh eggs were a treat, as was also the goats' milk. We furnished them with bread, which was as great a treat to them. In answer to our inquiries about the Falls, they said that now the water was low we could, by wading and swimming, get to the top of the fall, close to where it fell into the abyss; but that we should never be able to get below. Only one man that they knew-a Hottentot— had ever succeeded in doing so, and he had never come back again. After photographing this picturesque place, and getting the direction from our hosts, we plodded on again, coming about midday to a wattle-and-daub house, belonging to a man named Coe Smith, near one of the river branches. Here were a kraal for oxen il ,1 4 ^9 jA i c c 2 '^^m^ammssm?;^smmmmt^-^'4d!i.v^' " " ^88 ^i ^f^^ Falls. at night, a cooking skeriri, and abundance of grass close by ; everything we required at our hand ; so we deter- mined to make this our headquarters while we explored the place. We found dry willow-poles sufficient to make a raft to carry the camera and other necessaries. By utilizing the ox-reims and all our spare ropes, we made one length, sufficient to re:ich the bottom of any place not deeper than four hundred feet. Wliile Lulu was getting his camera, «&c., in order, " I'11-vatch-it " and l,°armed with a jnraping-pole and a short length of Manilla rope each, started to find the fall. After crossing one stream by wading and jumping, Ave found ourselves on an island covered with trees and flowering shrubs, most of them armed with thorns, and in places so thick that it was almost an impossibility to get through them, and we frequently had to turn back and try another place. Guided by the roar of the falling water, now creeping on our hands and knees to avoid the thorny bu>hes, now slipping over patches of wet mud, umping over or wading through pools of water, no\v .imbing over rough rocks and smooth boulders, we presently came to t'iie other side of the island, past which ran a rushing torrent, white with anger, foaming with rage, as it found its course impeded by multitudes of cold grey rocks, whose stern immobility contrasted strongly with the tempest of passion in which the waters rushed past. We sought for a likely-looking place to cross this " rapid ; " and bruised our shins and tore our clothes as we jumped from one projecting rock to another, only to find ourselves confronted when half- way across by an intervening space too wide to leap, too deep to wade, and too swift to swim. Then, in Obliged to Stoim. 389 30 of grass close (1 ; so we deter- Uile wo explored BTit to make a lecessaries. By ) ropes, we made om of any place Wliile Lulu was «' I'll-vatch-it " d a short length the fall. After imping, we found ees and flowering ns, and in places )ossibility to get to turn back and ter, now creeping e thorny bu>hes, , ■ umping over o^^ .imbing over e presently came lich ran a rushing with rage, as it ides of cold grey itrasted strongly the waters rushed lof place to cross ns and tore our rojecting rock to onted when half- too wide to leap, swim. Then, in another direction, wo wotdd come to a broad patch of roed-covered mud, too soft and slippery to give a foot- hold, and so, thwarted at every turn, we cjossed and recrossed the different channels several times, with the result of finding ourselves apparently worse instead of better off every time. At last, however, we came to a place where, to judge by the ripple-for the water was too thick to see a rock four inches beneath the ,^,foee-there was a practicable shallow, and, turmng up our pants, we carefully felt our way across Ihe blttom was a flat rock, covered with a thm ayer of crreasy mud, obliging us to " walk circumspectly for Lr of slipping : we had nearly succeeded in gettmg across whin I heard a splash behind me, -d ooking round found that " I'll-vatch-it " had lost his foothold and disappeared into a deep hole. n a moment however, he came up to the surface, blowmg like a norpoise, but out of danger. , - j . •^ "Whafs the matter?" I laughingly shouted; " taking a bath ! " , ,, i; ^ •„ "Di^ madder is plendy," he replied ;" my foot is by dat rock slip, und die vasser opens himselfs and tooks me in." ., " Never mind ; now you are wet you can try the depth of this sleepy pool in front. Be careful, or you will fall again ; that slimy clay deposit is as slippery as soft soap." ^ ., „u„„4. "Yah, I don't vant some peebles to dell me abou dat; die clay vas so slip as never vas. You must dake your clothes oud, und make swim. ^ There was no help for it. " I'll-vatch-it " could just bottom the pool, so I undressed : by holding my clothes in a bundle above my head I n^-^-g/^ to keep them dry, whde we passed a succession of pools ^.^^^^^m^^^^^^''^^'^^'^'''''''^''^^^ 390 /nii/a/iiii^ the Monkeys. nnd I'jipids. Our progress was much (quicker now, as we could keep a fairly straight course ; the rapids in some places were stcej) and strong, but were here too deep to wade through, and the only difficulty we encountered was in barking our shins against the hidden jagged rocks. At last we reached the edge of the water, and standing behind a mighty rock, whose steep sides trembled with the jarring of the water, I dressed myself, preparatory to climbing a jumble of angidar granite rocks, with here and there a deep chasm, or a ciil-di'-sac, which equally barred our further progress. At every step the roar as of rushing mighty waters grew louder and louder, till at last we had to shout in order to make one another hear ; we were clearly approaching the Falls, and suddenly we came in sight of a cloud of mist, rising like a white fog, or rather like a bank of powdered snow. Between us and the chasm down which the cataract plunged WPS a deep bed, whose precipitous sides — as smooth as polished marble — enclosed a large pool of water. The only possible way of getting at the FaW seemed to lie across this basin, which at high water would no doubt be full to overflowing, and add its quota to the general din, but which was now lying quiescent and placidly reflecting the rays of the burning sun. A troop of baboons scampered away down the rocks on our approach, and, folio wing their example, I determined to risk clambering down the face of the grey granite walls, depending upon the crevices and projecting corners to give me h and and foothold. The last bit was an incline of about forty-five degrees, without a crack or crevice or the slightest inequality. There was only one way to get down, and that was to slide. Sprawling myself out spread-eagle fashion on my baak, feet first IViindcrschon ! 39 > [luickur now, as ; the r.apids in it were hore too [y difficulty wo ns against the hod the edge of hty rock, whose of the water, I ng a jumlde of d there a deep dly barred our >ar as of rushing ;r, till at last we lother hear ; we nd suddenly we ing like a white snow. Between cataract plunged ides — as smooth pool of water. ;he B^all seemed water would no its quota to the 5 quiescent and urning sun. A yn the rocks on pie, I determined the grey granite and projecting The last bit was without a crack There was only lide. Sprawling y bajk, feet first ,„d mv head raisocl tar enough to seo in tvont o mc, t 'r ve.i in threo or tour seconds at the botto.n, Lin" part o( n.y unmentionables, but o.herw.so m "Eunuing round the pool I .a.v i.;/-"'-- >- ^'^^ deep .'or^^., which I ehristened " Roek Dr.ft, at the ™d o AvhU, about half a mile away, I eaught a ghmpse t^ " -eat waterfall halt oueircled by the halo of a beau- Md^ublerainbow. Only a part ot the eataract was BOCK DUIFT. vHible. the rest being hidden behind the projeeting ""Lrn: up Sot" rnlteh.it " to oon.e. I saw- , >*:iin/on a ledge about a >"-A-y- J^,"- and gesticulating earnestly to me ; so I clambered up .1 train as hastUv as possible. '''"VldersolLl-'exelaimed my Tenton.c compan.on as I joined him on a table rock overhangmg the dark writhing river some four hundred feet below. .■11 %\ i !!IES!igE5!B'J5rwB!»'WSS«MW»""'"* 392 First sight of the Great Waterfall. Just a glimpse of the gn^it fall could be seen in the riistiince, wreatlied in spray ; but between ua and it ran a long deep gorge, with the river flowing at the bottom, fed by innumerable cascades of water tum- bling into it from all sides. Immediately beneath us ro8e°a cloud of mist, although there was no waterfall within some distance ; so lying flat on the rock, and getting " ril-vatch-it " to hold my feet down, I pushed my body as far as possible forward, and craning my neck over the edge of the precipice saw, some thirty feet below, a huge jet of water, about the size of a main street sewer, and quite as round, rushing out of the face of the solid rock on which we stood, tumbling through the air some three hundred feet sheer, and breaking itself into myriads of snowy white particles before it lost itself in the dark surging waters beneath. It was evidently a subterranean outlet to the waters of some of the rapids we had crossed ; but the sun was getting low, and we could not trace its source just now. If we did not get back at once we might be benighted, and forced to spend the hours of darkness on the brink of this seething abyss. Being satisfied that we had crossed some of the streams more than once, we tried to avoid doing so again, by following the edge of the precipice down the river as far as we could— a difficult task, as we kept continually coming suddenly to a standstill on the edge of a lateral gorge, too wide to jump over and too steep to climb down or up. In tracing these gorges up to their starting-point, we found they invariably originated near the edge of the flowing streams, which in the rainy season would overflow into them, each of them thus forming another waterfall, all tumbling into the main gorge below the great fall. rfall. \ be seen in the roen us and it flowing at the of water iinn- itely beneath us as uo waterfall w the rock, and down, I pushed md craning my MOO saw, some , about the size round, rushing which we stood, BO hundred feet i of snowy white e dark surging a subterranean ) rapids we had w, and we could did not get back reed to spend the 3 seething abyss, sed some of the > avoid doing so recipice down the task, as we kept idstill on the edge ver and too steep bese gorges up to ariably originated ims, which in the 3m, each of them tumbling into the A Jumble of Rocks. 393 After climbing, slipping, sliding, jumpmg, and wading for nearly two hours, we struck off n.to a mass of cr,l,i square and angular rocks, that looked as if twcror three pyramids had been shot the^e, and com- pletely barred our progress. So we took to the water again, and soon after came to a whirlpool, doun which the stream disappeared bodily. Tins no doubt was the origin of the curious subterranean discharge already referred to, and we had to be very careful to prevent being sucked in by the maelstrom. Our way after this lay through open glades, carpeted with dark-green grass, relieved here and there with rich pink hly-like flowers, which bowed their beau- tiful heads gracefully to the soft breeze as if wel- coming us to their peaceful bowers; the pendent branches of the weeping willows lent an air of sadness to the scene, and served as a foil to the sterner forms of the stately camel-trees, round whose mighty trunks cluncr like a foster-child in close embrace the twmmg arms°of a climbing plant, beautifully decked in rich scarlet fruit that looked like rubies m the sunlight but whose clasp would eventually prove fatal to the sturdiest monarch of the glen. From liere we passed through a deep gully, with steep clay sides, sheltered beneath the deep shadows of overhanging trees and plants whose flowers filled the air with perfume, and emerged at the margin of a wide pool mirroring its rich border of vegetation, whose shadows gave it a ,nysterious depth. Skirting the brink o this pool, we came to an open space of bare red sandstone rock with here and there a patch of sod supporting the most beautiful flowering shrubs ^^f ^!w^'" ITI fortune to behold, completely studded with thousands of deep red flowers shaped like a folding Japanese k I 394 Beautiful FUnvcring S/irubs. lantern, but incurvo.l at tUo top. and humlmlsof frnit. pods that rosoniblod blossoms, ranging' troni light pink np to scarlet. On all sides spread the spmd y li..ht-bluo leaHoss stem and branches of the nulk-bnsh ahvavs emitting a peculiar balsamic porfume, ami (.xu.iing, when broken, larg. drops of a sticky milky substance. . , i -i-i Heyond this was a little meadow, border.'d with mimberless flowering shrubs, whose dark-green leaves contrasted beautifully Nvith the mass of sweet-scented white flowers, and with a perfume resembling that of stephanotis. So far, we had succeeded in making our way without crossing any of the side-streams but after passing a piece of rough ground, with deep interwoven gullies, every few yards with wet and slippery banks, along which it was most fatiguing to walk, we came to the stream that separated us from our wacrcron. We could hear Jan cracking the whip as a sigiml, and the dogs barking quite distinctly While searching for a fordable spot the short twilight b..ran to wane, and we had hurriedly to make up our mhids to cross. The rocks on either side were _flat^, leading ns to hope we might wade across without much difficulty ; but we stripped, for fear of accident and, holding our bundles aloft, were soon halfway across. " I'll-vatch-it" led the way : the water was only knee-deep. and the bottom quite smooth, and my companion was congratulating us on our good fortune saying, " Ah ! ven you sail have places to cross vat gut is den I take you-" when the proverb about Pride having a fall was aptly illustrated by his sudden disappearance, for the second time that day, into a deep hole. As he struck out to swim, his bundle of clothes floated gaily down the stream, and I had to unUvtls of f niit- ru\Wswwgy'^ On (he Ihiuk of a Precipice. % * next morninL' broke brilliatitly, nn«l while an early breakfast was cooking' I explore.l the riv.T hi-her up, an.l fomul a plac.. where wo could easily cross dry footed bv jumping; from rock to rock. An hour after bn>akfast wo wore safely .)u the other side, " IMl-vatch-it" carrying? tho ropes, and liulu the camera, while tho shields full of plates wore entruste.l to mo. Profiting by our experience of the previous day w.- reached tho " spout" waterfall without much dilHculty, and then foll.)wed th.; bank of tho gorge till wo came to the top of the chasm, into which tho groat fall precipitates its(,lf. On the way wo took were two more streams, and an infiuity of deep gorges, some so narrow that we could jump across, others so wide that wo had to climb down and up again; this rocpiired all our skill and strength, as tho steps maelo by Dame Nature were so irregidar and indistinct that in many cases thoy could not be traced. At last, after throe hours of such toiling, wo reached a standpoint some 130 feet above where the largest fall precipitated itself into the deep, dark, hole below. We could not see the waters take the actual plunge, but watched them as thoy tore along tho rapids above, tho waves struggling to surmount or avoid the impediments iilaced in their way by the huge angular rocks that strewed the channel, and elbowing each other m then- nervous excitement to see which should be first to take the awful leap. From this point the great « spout" was plainly visible in " full working order,' and liulu, after whom we named this freak of nature the *' Lulu Fall," took a photo of it, with tiie banks of the river stretching away on either side, the per- spective closed in by a pile of rocks resembling a group ice. wliiU' ivii oivrly river hif^'lior up, isily cr()s,4 dry rock. An hour tlu) otlu-r side, iiiid liulii tlu) 1 won; t'litrustod pnnioiis day Wf t much dilficulty, '(!•(> till wo ciuno h tho groat fall took woro two nrorin'S, «onio so , othors so wido iiiu; this required s uuulo by Dauio ict that in many last, after throo standpoint some fall precipitatod r. We could not Hire, but watched above, tho waves tho impediments [orular rocks that )ach other in their hould be first to point the groat 1 working order," is freak of nature t, with tiie banks tlier side, tho per- resembliug a group ii ii : 'I I 3 ■«a»aas« -meiss^^i^t^ssm^^^^^'^'^^'^^^^'''''''^^'' ■ •Sr!B5»*W»' 'LW'WWMKWW"" O tiOIUI.I.A liOlK. ruse 'til'- m4 1 Kaiitiiio the various Falls 397 >f a.K-i.-nt towers. Several other views of th:- rapMs were taken, slunvin.c? the various streams niul .gror-es-- ,ill of Nvliicli wouUl be hving torrents in ti.e wet seasc ■;ou- Lll-U I- ALLS AND tllASM. and the curious disposition of the roeky surface of the ground surrounding the rapids. Some ot the rocks assumed the most grotesque shapes. Hiere was one i \ I I y 398 Hanging on by our Eyebrows. great mass which bore the closest resemblance to a frorilla, and which we consequently christened Gorilla llock-" while another, from its similitude to p. book, ,ve named the " Book Rock." These views as seen on the ground-glass of the camera, made most charm- incr and characteristic pictures, and ought to give us a fi;e collection of photographs. But -^f - J/- niost anxious to do was to get a view in * " ^1'^ '' the great fall-which we named the ' Hercules Fall , as sucrgestive of its size as well as m honour of the Goverfor of the Cape Colony. It took us all our time to find a practicable way down the steep sides of the precipice In some places we had to "hang on by Z eVows"-so that, although we eo^thc earth tremble beneath the concussion of the fallmg Iss of water, and get saturated -^^h the spray, we had no opportunity of gettmg a fair view of the cataract; Tnd, as the «' shades «/ -gl^t "would soo.b " falling fast," we had to abandon the attempt to get a picture that day, and contented o^'-^^l-^^/f selecting a likely spot from which to photograph the place on the morrow. , , ^ 1 ^0= ^ Lulu made up his mind that the only best p^ace was from a point of rock about a hundred yards sheer down an almost perpendicular precipice, the face ot which was as smooth as glass, without a crevice or Irack or cranny for foot or finger hold. The only way to get down was by means of ropes, but the pieces we had were not long enough so we spent the evening in joining together all the koodoo-hide ox- straps, and testing their strength. . I 'MS. emblance to a itened " Gorilla ide to p- book, views, as seen de most charm- crlit to give us a what we were in full face of Hercules Falls," 1 honour of the c us all our time eep sides of the ,0 " hang on by e could feel the n of the falling h the spray, we 'air view of the t " would soon be B attempt to get L ourselves with photograph the ily best place was dred yards sheer lipice, the face of lout a crevice or hold. The only af ropes, but the ;h, so we spent the e koodoo-hide ox- l';l''C 'J'JS- Ai h V c T i (i.-na g« i wa ti niiw K ^JBiJiwic V^^^jii^ 399 CHAPTER XXIV. \n acrolmtic ontorpriso- -Photographing the HcreuU-s Falls-A ZLn vise in the rivor-We n.ake a vaft-1'hoa.ant., g.unea. - fowl, ana roek.pigoon.-Discretion the Letter part of valour-- k.s ending iU precipice-Farini Tu^verB and talls-A )nag. niticent .Ui-A narrow e.capo-Mu.Uarks-A >ye Learned IIprr-A^ underground stream-The Diamond Falls-Buv- prised by the flood-" The Hundred Falls. Next morning, just as bright Aurora was raising her head from her rosy piUow on the Eastern horizon, we were once more on our way to the selected site for our open-air studio. Making one end of the rope fast round a rock, and stuffing our coats underneath where it turned the sharp corner, I started first : taking the rope in my hands and twisting my leg around it, 1 shpped easily enough down till I came to the straps : the rope, I knew, was strong enough, but I had my doubts about some of the straps. However, they bore^the strain and took me safely to within ten feet of the hot- torn From the top it had seemed as if they were only a few inches too short, but now I found a gap of ten feet at least between me and the rocks. I hesitated whether to drop off or chmb back, when a happy thought struck me : I would write a note and tie it to the end of the strap before dropping off, and explain to Lulu the state of affairs, so that he could fasten the camera to the end of the rope and lower it down instead of sliding it down as arranged. In half-an- hour came the camera, which I 3ust managed to I '■ •^jgffKrrst^^nsJssmmvsniw 400 Gymnastic Photographers. 4;, 'a I I I- reach standing on tiptoe, then the sliiolds, protected by their coverinpf of blankets, &c., and histly, Lulu himself. He was delighted with the point of view, which ho said would give l)oth elevation and depth, foreground and middle distance, while the sun was just right for the shadows and high lights. The oidy drawback was that wo were so far away from the beautiful object, the fall itself; but that could not be helped : there was no other place to stand the camera, and we were lucky to find even this. "There are not many photographers who are gymnasts as well," said Lulu, " and one need be both to get a picture of the fall from this point." The focus was soon adjusted and two views taken, and then Fritz hauled up the apparatus, and we fol- lowed : putting our feet against the face of the rock, and stretching out our legs at right angles to it, we ran up, hand over hand, quicker than we had come down, for we were now sure of the rope's strength. Beaching the summit, I found that all the tan had been suddenly taken off Fritz's face. " What's the matter, Fritz : are you ill ? " " I don't know aboud dat ill, bud I vas preddy sick : I vas perspire just like die vatter, und dem cold chill creep my back up. If I don't got to I never play too much mit dead." " That's where the fun is. But you need not be afraid on our account. It's easy enough to us. You're like the rest of the world, what you cannot do yourself, and don't understand, you think wonder- ful. Come along, we must explore the chasm as far down as we can see ; I'm anxious to find out what causes those tower-like rocks to stand out so boldly at the end of the gorge. »» ! .iij!ii.v.ii,i-;'-,..',lHt. " Dnildiiig a Ra/L 401 'Idi?, protected d lastly, Luhi point of view, on and depth, the sun was lits. The only way from the it could not be nd the camera, lers who are le need be both int. ) views taken, IS, and we fol- ice of the rock, ingles to it, we we had come 'ope's strength. ,11 the tan had ill?" as preddy sick : dem cold chill [ never play too u need not be enough to us. lat you cannot I think wonder- le chasm as far find out what out so boldly at Our way lay over, un(h'r, or around, huge rocks^ and through deep gullies. A narrow cliasm wouhl now and then yasvu at our feet, comi)letely barruig our progress, and forcing ua to exercise our jumping p,.wer8°to the fidl. After about two hours of this work wo found ourselves on the point of a narrow strip of precipitous rock, not more than eightean feet wide. To our ri.'ht, some 400 feet b(^low. ran the river : to the left, "at about half that depth, wore masses of broken rocks, with pools of water botwecm, altogether as rough and wild a places as wa had yet soon. The sun had already traversed three parts of its haU'-circle, and was casting deep shadows on the rocky sides of the canon, so we deferred any further exploration till next day. Concealing the camera and ropes behind an old brown rock that had withstood tho storms and burning sun for ages, we struck out a new route to the waggons, at each turn finding some fresh beauties in the floral decorations and rock-work. But when we reached the outermost stream, which we had crossed in the morning, we wore surprised to find that the river had risen considerably ; not a stone was to be seen all the way across, and we had great difficulty in getting over, knocking elbows, knees, and toes against sharp-edged rocks. Fritz said it would all subside again before morning, as the floods were not of much account at this time of year ; but next day tho water was still so high that we were forced to build a raft of dry willow logs and poles, which wo laid six in a row and four deep, and fastened together with raw ox-hide. The raft, however, was too narrow to be safe for carrying three of us, though buoyant enough for our .clothes, &c. I tried, first of all, to see if it would D d 1 1'- utwmMmam\\'...lvi.',.,tB^--i^i' S"«r2ar**^aaB«^**«j* t, to ono side iiml niysclf \ip » wo a\>aiul<)n('cl .11(1 only used it Ml. Tlu! wjitor «)od WU3 flonfc- s added to the [iulu and Kritz croHs first, with thou hauled it taking hold of le risk or ottbrt. outs 'A'^all thre^' our i(^oth chat- wator was very i-ed with a light U the pheasants irulng was their ;aution to bring • before a couple irhioh they never isants are about 3 silver pheasant, much similar to 30 very plentiful, very seldom that lear their cry of udes. A pointer :e a good bag of by finding their ibly come every to bed. ut the size of the «a»BaaEM?^^' "" im^m^^^m^^^^^^S^^' ,'*l ^. .v'. €# IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) /. 1.0 I.I 1.25 i;^|2B 12.5 |5o ■^" Hln^sg S "^ II IL I 40 2.2 M 1.8 114 11.6 %7 ^ S ^^ '/ Hiotographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 ,=Ks!^n;;-ii«fS5 CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical l\^icroreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductlons historiques a^Sii^^^®!SWB|H»«fl«f Shooting Rock-pigeons. 403 Encrlish wood-pir^con, and mncl. tho samo m colour, save that their' wings are beautifully mottled with white dots-were all about the rocks and cliffs, or flying out on the veldt to feed. When we came to the head of tho gorge, where wo were about to descend, there were hundreds of them sitting about on the higU rocks waiting for their companions to jom them, and all cro to breakfast together. Some of them, how- ever, made a breakfast for us instead, and others that fell down into the crevices of the rocks out of our reach would be found by tho pretty small otters that inhabit this wild place, where they had been undis- tarbed for centuries, imtil we came and frightened them with the report of our guns. At every discharge, the noise of which was multiplied a thousand times, as it echoed from cliff to cliflT, hundreds of tho leathered inhabitants flew out of the recesses and fairly filled the narrow space between the nearly perpendicular walla of the deep wild gorge. . v w Our German companion did not conceal his delight at every addition to our bag, and volunteered to gather wood and make a fire to cook them for dmner. " 1 H- vatch-it dat dey viU be cooked veil," he said-much as he had said before, " I'll-vatch-it dat anyveares you sail go I vill go mit you ;" but it was easy to see that, although he had talked a great deal about his being able to climb about wherever we went, he was not unwilling to find an excuse for keeping as much as possible out of danger ; and when he saw how difficult it would be to get down to the bottom of the canon, he decided that it would be safer and easier for him to act the cook rather than the gymnast. Nearly at the outset we had to use the ropes to de- scend into a deep hole that was still muddy from the D d 2 S^W!»,^«^OTW»Sr^-SW^*S*S^^ 404 Descending:; by the aid of Ropes. stimmcr'a \\\^\\ wator. A half-inch rope was rather small to climb easily ; to go down was easy ononofh, hut wo had to think of coming back, to facilitate which we tied knots in it. Aft(>r getting safely down, we shouldered our camera, itc, and crossed a veritable sloiigh of despond, up to oin- knees in the stickiest, slipperiest, nastiest clay mud that would not even be scraped off, so we had to put our shoes on over it, the mud taking the place of socks. Then came a huge juTnl)le of great jagged rocks— some of them as large as a two-story house— that had slipped off and fallen here from the cliffs above ; climbing over some, crawl- ing on our hands and knees under others, or squeezing between some of them where there was only just room for us to pass, we every now and then disturbed in the deep shadows large heavy-winged owls, who would alight on a pointed rock and stare at us through their big eyes with wonder, for we were a greater curiosity to" them than they were to us. Then we came to a succession of places nearly perpendicular, and as smooth as glass, worn so by the water with which this deep gorge was evidently filled in the rainy season Four times we had to let ourselves down by means of ropes; the most difficult thing to do was to find places to securely fasten them. This we did once or twice by jamming a log of dry driftwood into a crevice which seemed to have been formed for the purpose. Luhi would say, " Go on ; I'll follow. You are sure to find what you require, either an easy place to climb, or something handy to fasten your rope to." At last, after four hours' hard labour, we reached the end of the gorge, and could see the main river flowing al)out forty yards below our feet. There stood a number of gn^nd granite towers, seeming to '.V. )o was rather easy onoiiofli, , to facilitate r safely down, led a veritable the stickiest, 1 not even be on over it, tlie 1 came a hnge them as large off and fallen ■r some, crawl- 's, or squeezing only just room •n disturbed in wis, who would i through their [•eater curiosity u we came to a icular, and as with which this le rainy season vn by means of lo was to find we did once or iftwood into a formed for the '11 follow. You er an easy place 1 your rope to." our, wo reached the main river ir feet. There rers, seeming to I'liL-e II'''- r r V r I Farini Falls and 7\nccrs, 405 reach to the sky, staiuling like giant sentinels keeping watch and guard over this wilderness of rocks, and pointing the way to the multitudinous streams that plunged from all directions into the deep dark chasm. Turning a sharp corner, we canie suddeidy to a beautiful waterfall hursting out beneath a rectangidar arch, formed by two gigantic rocks that had fallen against each other, and out of the crevices of which grew dark-green trees and shrubs, in beautifid con- trast with the grey and brown rocks and th(5 snow- whito water, as it danced from shelf to shelf. Lulu was delighted with the grandeur and novelty of the scene, and hastened from point to point to select the best place from which to get a picture. He was some time «leciding, for, although there seemed an rmh(in-as dc rklwm's, he had the true artistic in- stinct that refused to take a group that was not pro- perly balanced and artistically composed. When he was ready, he pointed to a rock jutting out close to the waterfall, saying, " If you could get there, without much risk, it would bo the making of the picture, and give comparative height." The task was difficult, owing to the rocks being slippery froni the spray, but the picture, which Lulu entitled "Farini Falls and Towers," will show that I managed to accomplish it. - , , r; While I was aiming, a most extraordinary thing happened. A new waterfall suddenly appeared be- tween where Lidu stood and me. At first there was a small cascade, with just water enough to wet the rocks ; by the time i had walked past it there was a stream several inches deep, fed by a considerable tor- rent; and in half an hour a big fall was tumbling into a basin two feet deep and several yards wide. The I 4o6 Clond-iappcd Towers. ri«o of tho river above was being felt, ainl various pooN that were previously dri(>(l up had run full atul overflowed. The (luostion for ua was whether it was sftfo to remain down here any longer. Lulu was bent on taking a picture of tho Tower Rocks, and did nut heed the risuig water. " Here," he cried, " try and get on that great rock out in the pools, and hand me up the camera. This is the only point high enough to take it all m." And there he was, many feet above me on the other side of a deep chasm which I had to jump in order to get near enough to hand u]i the apparatus. From where I stood, the mist-capped towers seemed lost in the sky ; the bright sunlight cast their long, dark shadows across the silver spray of the mad tor- rent and far up the face of the opposite precipice ; the deep, dark pools on their left formed a reservoir that fed tlie beautiful pool we had just photographed, while it in return was filled by a pretty torrent that burst out from beneath a huge block of granite, and leapt gaily through the air, like a shower of sparkhng diamonds. In the distance, far up the narrow gorge, the coM high cliff-tops, lighted up by the bright sunlight, looked like polar icebergs in contrast with the dark blackness of the shadowy depths below. How solemnly grand it was now ! How terribly magnificent it would be when all those gorges and crevices and channels were filled to the brim with a rushing mighty torrent, such as must pour thundering through them in the rainy season ! But there was no time to indulge in reverie just then, and Lulu's voice calling to me to " Come up and see how grand it looks from this rock ! " brought me to my senses. " No more sight-secitog or photographing to-day," 1 s a tl h y t< o t I f( h tl tl n t< tl s f( S o o c r c t The Rivcf nsfs. 407 and various run full and uthor it waH iulu was bont , and did nut at groat rouk iinora. This ill in." And 10 other side order to get owers seemed it their long, the mad tor- itc precipice ; 3d a reservoir photographed, torrent that f granite, and r of sparkling nari'ow gorge, )y the bright contrast with IS below. How terribly je gorges and 3 brim witli a )nr thundering t there was no 1 Lulu's voice grand it looks ises. piling to-day," 1 re|)lied. " If you don't pack up ami hurry back, we sludl beconiesleepingpartners of these gratul old rocks." "Why," he asked, "what's the nuitter with you all of a sudden ? " " Don't you see the river is rising ? That rock with the water ri[)pling over it was bare when we came here, and the chances are we shall Hud the road hack lull of rapids and pools, torrents and waterfalls, if wo stay here much longer." " All right ! but I want you just to go and sit on yonder rock, so that I can add your beautiful figure to this picture of the beauties of nature. There are only two or three crevices to jump over, and a pool or two to wade through, and while you are getting there I'll find the focus. 1 promise not to stay any longer, for I've feasted my eyes pretty well on the scenery here, but find it very light food for the stomach." While obeying the artist's orders, and climbing to the appointed place, the thought of the feast of Nature's grandeur — combined with visions of a meal that Fritz had no doubt long ago prepared for us — nearly gave me indigestion; but this was no place to give way to dyspepsia, and all our thoughts were now centred on the shortest way back. All went smoothly till we came to the mighty angular rock, forming a sort of archway, beneath which we had walked on our way down, but through which a swift stream of water was now gliding. We tried to get over it, but it was too steep and too slippery ; and in our explorations Ave found that, if only one of us couid get to the opposite side, it would be easy to reach the top and lot down a rope, and haul up the camera, &c. So I doflbd my clothes, and, leaving them with Lulu, took a rope, and half swam, half -* } >"■■< ■ ) Mtxl up my clothes first, and by the time the apparatus was hauled tij), and liulu had joined me, the warm sun and exercise had chasi;d the chills away. At every turn new cascades spran<; out of the gaunt rocks. One of thes(! I nan»ed the " Anna Falls," in honour of the same lady whose name I had taken tlm liberty of a pproiM'ia tin-,' to another purpose : and Lulu was only too I'eady to comply with my wish to photo- graph them, with the result shown iu the amioxed engraving. For some distance the jagged rocks and huge boulders,— more or loss covered with water where they had been (hy in the morning,— lay iu the wildest con- fusion, making our progress very slow, and diminish- ing the (pmntity and (piality of our clothing, as it increased our anxiety. Our load, too, became heavier theweight of our shoulder-packs gradually increasing as we gathered the ropes we had left hanging at different places on our way down. At last, however, wo came in sight of the last, and thinnest, and longest of thera all, the chasm down which it was suspended looking even " uglier " to get up than it had seemed when we prepared to descend. But a pool of water lay between us and it, and the question was whether we could wade through. Hastily but carefully entering, with- out stopping to take otf my shoes, I was delighted to tind that the water was^ not deeper than my middle, I- side. Tlic ■ up the burn iiicliiic ovor- isly ii Willi iiij^ ■ tlio rope, I ics tii-sl, iiiid I)), iitid liiilii ;(• hud cliiiSL'd of till' giiimt, na FiillH," in lud tivkou thn so : and Lulu v'wh to plioio- tlio iinuoxed ks and huge er where they } wildest; con- md diininish- lothing, as it ecame heavier y increasing as ng at different over, wo came ngest of the in ended looking jined when we er lay between bher we could entering, with- is delighted to an my middle, S/iuJi: ill flif-' Mud. 4n() anil .shoiitt'd nut tii.- i;<)oil lu'ws to Lulu. At that nioiufut my tVet sank deep into the slimy nuid and the water wt't ted the covering to the plates, which were Htnijiped to my back, and 1 had a narrow escape of spoiling th(< i'ruit of all our lal)t)iu's; but fortune con- tiiuu'd to smile upon us, and in tun minutes we were both on /('/•/•(( liriiiti. lint such ligures! The sticky nnid stuck to us like UK ANNA FALLrf. giun we looked like sewer navvies mliiHH the long boot. To climb up the thin rope with such a load of slime was a more difficult task than ever "greasy pole" presented, and we had to set to work to scrape one au(jther. Lidu went up first, while 1 held the rope and kept it rigid, making it easier to climb. But to land on top of the rock was not so easy. The rope lay flat on a sliglitly inclined surface, his weight and mine press- •^» ia«w „»««««,sB»»ia«»««M»aW,*M»s>;«.'«*tf^^ 410 (iyninostic JLxcniscs. ing it so closely that he coukl not get his fingers under it; but his early gyniuastic training came into play. By twisting his leg around the rope he was enabled to 8ui)port his weight on it, and then, drawing the whole of his body above the top, he threw himself forward, loosenea his leg, and accomplished what, to ordinary people, would have been impossible. Having sent up all the impcdl'mcnta, I followed ; but as the lower end of the rope was now free, it would not be so easy for me to turn the corner at the top, so Lidu ]nit his shoe under the rope, close to the edge, so as to make room for my fingers. The rope being very thin, and my hands big, it was a hard struggle for me to get up. As I reached over the edge Lulu grabbed me by the collar, at the same time pulling his shoe out from under the rope, and down Avent my knuckles against the stone, grinding the bark off them, and squeezing some hard words out of me, which I won't repeat here, for fear my readers might not understand them. " AV^hat did you pull the shoe out for. Lulu ? " I asked, when at last I gained the top. " Because I could not get my foot out from under the rope unless I did," he replied. He had forgotten to take his foot out of the shoe when he first put it under thj rope, and had borne the pain caused by the small cord cutting into it, with my weight on it, until I Avas safely round the bend. We Avere pleased to find our German companion had several rock-pigeons ready grilled. Never was food more welcome ; it was now nearly sundown and our last meal was at daylight this morning ; the long fasting, combined with the constant and sometimes violent exercise, had crt^ated in us ravenous appetites, is tiugens under iinie into play, was enabled to 1, drawing the ! threw himself )lished what, ■** 41 The River Disappears. the foatlierctl game with us for om- diimer, wo kei)t steadily on. The walking was smooth compared to what it was on the other side of the stream : now and then a small ravine with a dry watcrcourso that in wet seasons drained the mountains in the distance, crossed our path at riglit angles, tbrming here and there pretty glades and glens, partially clothed in dai'k-green foliage. Presently hearing the roar of a rapid, as the water dashed itself against the grey rocks, we hurried forward, thinking we were near the spot where the river made the downward leap ; but as yet there was no sign that we had reached the point of junction with the main stream. A little further on, Lulu, who Avas close to the banks, shouted, — " There's no more river. It has disappeared." There was a big pool, dammed up by a ledge of barren rocks, but here the river came to an abrupt end. No bend, no turn, no continuation whatever. After careful search we could not find the marks show- ing where the water overflowed when the pool became full to the brim during the rainy season, and on ffoinff some distance below this ledge Ave discovered that the Avater had a subterranean outlet from the pool through a cleft in the rocks, invisible from the npper side. On the lower side, hoAvever, hemmed in on all sides by a confused pile of rocks, Ave found a perfect Aval I of Avater, Avhich burst out of a narroAV crevice only a foot Avide and ten feet high, from Avhich it sprang several feet before spreading into Avhite spray, and tundjling doAvn a steep incline of shelving rocks, making a beautiful cascade, and finally bringing itself to rest in a series of pools encased Avith perpen- dicular walls of granitet. nier, wo kopfc compared to stream : now orcourso that the distance, ling here and y clothed in , as the water , we hurried jot where the yet there was it of junction on, Luhi, who ppearod." jy a ledge of to an abrupt ion whatever. le marks show- le pool became ;ason, and on we discovered Litlet from the sible from the er, hemmed in ks, we found a t of a narrow gh, from which ng into Avhite ne of shelving finally bringing d with perpen- i •jsaas<»tt>»sv«sa8a^^«. B-^a»9)B«r»S!«W»'K''^'~-'™*"***'' I'liijc IK! Fiiidhis; Diamonds. 4>3 In ihoso pools, which ran at ri^ht an,s(h'S to the corner of the stream, tlu> water seemed to have for- jrotten its strug^los, and to be preparing? to resume its jo\n'ney in peace ; but in an unsuspected moment it fell headlong down a dark precipice, breaking itself into myriads of particles on tho hard, polished rock fifty feet below ; then, cpiickly gathering itself toge- ther, it slid over, under, and around huge boulders, as if playing hide-and-seek. This gorge I named after the Resident Commissioner for Korannaland, Mr. John Hcott. To follow its course any farther wo haWi«SBKWBW-«»« I 4 , 4 Runiiiuii for our L ivcs. pictiiro of this, as well aa of tlio SoluM-inhriickor Falls, an' fi'om photos takon by [iulii next day, wiuni wo lovvcivd the camera with ropes in much the same wiiy as we had dot>o wlum th.( Hercules Falls were photofrraphed. lu fact, all the illustrations are taken from photographs with the exception of one, which is from a sketch drawn imder the most extraordinary circumstances. /^ We had spent several days exploring the falls, and finding each day some new gorge communicating with the main river, and had come to the cojiclusion that each of these, in the rainy season, would be full of water and contribute its quota to the va?^ flood, when we unexpectedly had practical proof of the correct- ness of this view, and of the rapidity with w hich the falls, grand as they are even at low water, assume dimensions that must exceed even the volume of Niagara. We were down at the bottom of a small gorge, near the Hercules Falls, when we suddenly heard a terrible rumbling, roaring noise. « What's that? " I said to Fritz, who looked up the rapids and said, — « Ve never some peebles vill tell, eef ve don't some plendy quicks make— dot rivare is down coming, dat's vat dat noise was. Run!" . After our previous experience we took in the situa- tion in an instant, and fled for our lives to a rock several feet higher than the surrounding ones, whence we watched the oncoming flood, the swollen river sweeping everything before it with a sullen roar. The rocks on which we were standing soon became sur- rounded by a raging torrent ; the wall of water, not taking time to follow the streamlets, burst over the •inhriickor Falls, it'xt (lay, wiKMi much the same culos Fulls vvcro •ations aro tak(Mi of one, which is >st extraordinary ig the falls, and iraunicatinf? with 3 conclusion that svould be full of va?^ flood, when f of the correct- ly with which the w water, assume the volume of small gorge, near y heard a terrible rho looked up the eef ve don't some own coming, dat's took in the situa- ir lives to a rock ling ones, whence the swollen river '. sullen roar. The soon became sur- wall of water, not >ts, burst over the i '11 J 1 I, ■J'^ ' J / #; J*^/ ,/?^' Mli: I'lAM' -'D I All ■ I'l -.; Ill I, I ;. M 11.' • hi I • '' v.^-'. .■'^siKv'^ /u'fifXC Rock. 4'5 rocka on all sidof, and rushing hoadlonpj into all tlio holes, pools, and cracks and crannies, oversowed tluMn in an instant. The main channel was soon filled, and absorbed each little windin.i? stream in the <]jcneral flood. What a astar(l— Uushman rrecipice— Hippo- potanuis-shooting extraordinary— A civilized dinner — An cnter- jnisin-,' settler — A tobacco factory — An island estate — Hottentot doctors. " Can't we manage somehow to get the camera r " said Lulu. '* There are two unused plates left in the shields, and I should like to get that Hercules Fall photograpVied now." Fitz remarked that we had better think about getting out of this as soon as we could, or we would starve, and let the camera and photographs take care of them- selves. " You may do the thinking if you like," I replied, " but I am afraid you cannot think hard enough to think us off this rock just yet." " We are safe for the night, nothing will bother us, imless some half-drowned baboon takes refuge on this rock," said Lulu. " I wish some of them would come to us, instead of howling and barking in that tree over there ; roasted baboon isn't bad, when there's nothing else ; besides, it would save you and Fritz, for I shall eat you botli if we have to stay here very long." " I'll-vatch-it," chimed in Fritz, " ve vill have some dings to talk about that ; I don't was eat up so quick. I'll-vatch-it you don't eat me." E e 2 "■■af»3W€r®-f S'^-Tr-^.'" - ,.. . ,.,-K»7„--i» J ,w t.^*J^.'-'-gr -'»^«a 8 M t » «:^«»<^^'»^^»^^^^'»*^'^^"'^ eniUwsMKt««*-'f»^'« After the Delude. 423 b be contltiuod iive much to being placed iug no gretiter ; but I would [lenco for not uld have been venient rocks, as accustomed icers and not shot at by the du. "Besides, y time without we were in the ground then, 1 now, we have f the laughing themselves for elves from the dieir branches. ly. Von leetle IS every dings monkeys, und you dinks, Mr. common chop me, and almost 3pon. Besides, her laughing or The sun was getting very warm and my eyelids were getting heavy, so 1 went to sleep in the wann sun, which was much more comfortable than the cold moonlight. • t 1 About four in the afternoon I woke, hearuig Lulu and"ril-vatch-it" saying the water had run down a yard. Such joyous news soon brought nie to my feet, when I saw a ri.lge of rocks a little to the left ot us peeping through the water. If we could reach it, we could follow it to where we had left the camera and our lunch the day before. t 1 1, 1 To .^et the latter was most important, as Lulu had eaten nothing for over thirty hours, and drinking so much muddy water might make him ill. He would not listen to my attempting to go for it that night, as " I'll-vatch-it" said the ridges of rock would be bare enough in the morning to get them without much risk, but the danger would be in crossing the rapids between us and them. That night no one slept ; we talked until daylight when " ni-vatch-it" and I, having finished the rest of the baboon, started to wade across the swift current. The water had not fallen so much as it did the day before, and the current was still strong and deep, so being much the strongest swimmer of the party, J went first. . . , ji a With clothes tied up in a small tight bundle, and strapped with my braces to the top of my head, I felt my way slowly along the rocky bottom, which was so slimy and slippery that my feet ran out from under me several times. The current soon deepened so rapidly, that 1 could not touch bottom any longer, so I struck out with all my might, making for a rock about ten yards below me on the opposite side. I strained every nerve 424 Stcimtnifig for Life. to buttle with tlio swift wiiters, ami pn-veiit tlioin from currying me past, and, just as I thought J was going by it, my breast struck a submerged rock, knocking the wind out of mo. However, 1 grabbed it, and hung on like grim death to a dead nigger. Pulling myself out on the rock, and looking down to see what made my chest smart so, I found it was not all there ; but the danger was past, and the rest of the way was through pools and holes, with but little current, so, after fetching camera, ropes, luncii, and all from their hiding-place, 1 beckoned to the others to follow mo. Lulu came first, making a dash into the torrent, and swimming tor his life, the water driving him along like a cork. Hohling the rock with Oi!( hantl and reaching out with the otiier, I caught I im by the arm, and letting the current swing him around the lower side of the rock, hauled him up. Both of us were blue and shivered with the cold, and leaving him to dry, I went to the assistance of the German, who was afraid to trust himself to " the mercy of a rude stream " that might " forever hide " him. I beckoned to him to go higher up before entering the water, so as to have more chance of getting across before the stream bore him down : ho had not gone far when be stepped into a hole and dis- appeared, but soon came up, puffing like a porpoise, and climbed out on to a rock, where he became a fixture. Fetching a rope and wading out as near to him as I could, I coiled the rope up nicely, first wetting it to make it heavier, and, swinging it around my head, hurled it hke a lasso within a yard of him. He made the quickest move T ever saw him make to catch it before the current took^^it away. Twisting it around his nui Ha stc ha % " ■ iWJWi " llWJ f ■ ! mtpaxmrnsfS A Dan^^rroiis /'. ngc- 425 piVVeilt tllLMll houglit J was iinei'fjftul rock, ver, 1 grabbed (l nigger. looking down und it was not tlio rest of the rith but little es, lunch, and to the others y a dash into ife, the water ling the rock I the otlier, 1 current .swing Ic, hauled him with the cold, } assistance of imself to " the forever hide " jefore entering ice of getting lown : he had hole and dis- a porpoise, and lame a fixture, lar to hira as I b wetting it to )und my head, lira. He made ike to catch it ting it around l,i^ ri.dit hand he plunged into the wU..mg wnt .s, ,h. two or three strokes before 1 coui." haul 1 he ;i\vav, MUUI led .•lack, and, finding that he was being ca. ^topped swimming and caught the rope wun oum. hmuls. As the line tautened the current caught huu THE UEBCFLIS TALI-S AT HALF FtOOD. and swept him round against the rocks with gre.at force, hurting his knee and elbow, but fortunately breaking no bones. With assistance he waded and floundered up to the ledge and across to where I had left Lulu, who.although he had had nothing to eat for so long.had not touched the lunchas yet, waiting for us to 426 r/h>/i\!;nr/>/iifix^ the Ihrcuh's Falls, join. But wchotli n'fiiscil.as we had catcti nrln'cakfust hrt'oiv taking' our l)atli. Wliilr lu' ato, '* lll-vatoli-it " liini)c'i.l alioiit with his wot clothi'S on, savii^gthoy would (h-y (iui('k( r, and I shppod into inino ; and o were soon as happy as couhl l)t' nniU>r tlio circuniM.incoa. Luhi insistcil on iroinK n'nl plu)t()<,M'apliin«r the Ilcrcidcs Falls lu-roiT the water jjfot any lower, thouj^h to do this WL' had to j^o down below thoni, to the rock from which we had taken them hefore. This we manaj^'ed i)y the aid of the ro|)es : and many a year will elapse before thr.o Falls will be photoj^'raphed again with so much water running over them. What lunch there was left, we ate that evenin«(. It was not much for three good feeders, but we were satisfied that it was no less, and slept that night under two rocks as soundly as if wo were in the Grand Hotel, though wo felt as if we were not far from tho North Pole when we woke up next morning, shivering with the cold. For an hour or two we did not seem to enjoy our- selves. Hunger and cold are not conducive to hilarity and pleasant thoughts. However, we had serious business in hand, and the exercise of collecting our *' traps " and recoimoitring our route soon put fresh warmth into us. The water had fallen a good deal during the night, and we wore able to get back without difficulty to " Refuge Rock," to fetch the guns we had left behind. After the guns, breakfast. After wading through several branches of the river and across several gorges which were dry when we crossed them before the flood overtook us, but down which the waters now tumbled in volume sufl&cient to make a respectable cascade, we came to an island which was covered with vegetation and filled with feathered gan dov mat any lis t all 'I ditl the era brc me tlu th( be: "] to so ini he w m w h( ti w n o tf«Hj M y«e> ?' W ^''' J ^WWjgl*-^ V^ ' J ' "■' ' ' ^ t-Li ' M . I 'T X'.' ^ ' .'W?^ 'W (.in'l)n'!ikfiist ••llUvutc'h-it " ingthcy would 1 wo were soon stances. Lulu ■ tlu> llcrcult's , tliouj^li to do tlio rock from lis we luiiiiajj^cd •car will eliipso I agiiiii with so t that oveniug. 'a, but wo wort' lopt that night ro in the Grand ot far from tho riling, shivoriug 1 to enjoy our- ucivo to hilarity re had serious f collecting our soon put fresh en a good deal ^et back without ;he guns wo had :. After wading ver and across e crossed them lown which the iient to make a sland which was with feathered Konip actually SmihiL 427 game. Wo wore not long in shooting pheasants and dovos enough for a breakfast or a dinner ; at least wo made a meal of th.-m; and without salt they beat anything I ever ate off a silver grill. To Imv.* seen us eat, you would hav.» imajriued that we were hollow all the wav down to the feet. 'IMius refrc^shed wo were better prepared for the ditlirulties of the remaining distaneo lu-tweon us and tlu> waggons. Three hours of altenuito creopmg, crawling? climbing, falling, swiunning, sliding, stiek- in.^ slipping, stumbling, tuml)ling, wading, wulkmg, bR)ught us i.i sight of " home." The dogs ran out, to meet us, barking and leaping for joy, atul Jan tollowed them with tears in his eyes ; wo could not tell whether they were tears of sorrow or joy, but gave him tho benefit of tho doubt. " If maistor had not como back to-day, ho said, " I should have gone over to Coo Smith's to-morrow, to ask for help to search for maistor, and bring maister something to eat. I was sure maister was too know- in.r to .ret washed into tho Falls ; but then I was afraid ht^would starve. 1 remember," he added, " that time when I was lost on tho desert, and I thought maistor might bo as bad as 1 was then." While we were eating our supper Korap came back with the cattle, and, for tho first time, smiled when he behold us, which richly paid us for all our risks and trouble. Next morning Coe Smith came to see us, bringing with him several gallons of milk and a quarter of mutton ; he had only just heard that wo were here on his farm, and had come to say that we were wel- come to use his werf and kraal. When we explained to him our object in visiting tho "groot waterfalls, 428 A Terrible Leap. as he called iliem, he said, " Blessed be the Lord, who sent the wind tluit blow the clouds that rained the water that made the river that ran over the rocks, and made the Falls that brong-ht yon here to see them, or I shonld never have had the pleasure of knowing yon." This speech was highly poetical for an illiterate half-breed, and I told him ho was a born diplomat, which he rather resented, until " I'11-vatch-it " ex- plained to him what it meant. He asked me if I had seen the " Bushman Precipice," and withoui waiting for a reply, said it was on the other side of the river, just below the l)ig fall. Xear there lived a Boer who was frequently losing sheep and goats, and who laid those losses at the door of the hyenas, or Avolves, as they call them. So he set a watch for them, but found instead of quadrupeds, a number of two-legged wolves in the shape of Bush- men, to whom they gave chase. The Bushmen ran towards the Falls, and, the river being very low, they crossed the outer chasms, closely followed by their pursuers, who fired at them at every opportunity. The poor Bushmen in their haste to escape the danger behind them, never noticed until too late that a fearful precipice yawned in front of them, and, running head- long over it, fell into the abyss over three hundred feet below. Needless to say they have never stolen any sheep since. " If you like to come to the other side of yon moun- tain," said Coe, " to a large flat where my cattle are grazing, you can find a clump of koodoo. The ground being so level, they will be difficult to get at, as they can see anything for mijes ; or if you prefer it, and have not had enough of the river, I will show you a :jasi55a'S«si&y.*@-'«saMarn diplomat, atch-it " ex- Lii Precij ice," was on the fj fall. Xear losing sheep le door of the So he set a quadrupeds, a ipe of Bush- iusbnien ran ^ery low, they wed by their opportunity. pe the danger that a fearful running head- 3 hundred feet er stolen any ! of yon moun- my cattle are . The ground ret at, as they prefer it, and ill show you a t#(A«»«at« I mil tifi da; tn ha Tl oV) hi] nr ta to ar w il tl aA^jB»i:^^%'» i^m^'^'^^i -^is*M«f"'*^^^^»^^*^'*^'^»^*^^-^^^*^*^^*^ Shooting Hippopotami. 4^9 r>VK.evvhore you can sl.oot hippopotamus, some twonty tZ LJv dowu. They are bo,imnng to get plon- uhx\ arrain since the Koraima war. Wo el "tea to go after UoLcmotlM ""d after sevo.^ rt.v/re'rch were rewanled at last by seemK the fresh f -1 of tt, old ones and one yonnj? one, where they ::: twc!^ r "- ont of the river that „,orn,u, T her iu the nuddle of the water, we saw rounded hippopotami taking a «pmt nm er cover of a bush or thick-branched tree, an I vk tv steady aim, >ve fired several times at them, only find that or bullets were utterly unable to make to hnd thatoui ou Our imagination, ^''' TZ^Z 1 r nr;. -d fed by th-e optical r-SrStx s:en,inl .notion to obie.s fi.^^^^^^^ the ,no„ng -ter, had conv,.t^ the ,« r w<,r„ roc.s into hippopotami ! INO ^^onucl ^v». ^ 1,0. ont of the solid stone! After re,«at.nK tto Uf ke several times, onr ardour beean>e dn led, and b : an to wish I had,>'t come, but had stayed mstead wit rlu u, who had preferred to spend the day jn makin.. a diagram of the river m the v,c,n,ty of the Mlland taking more photographs-a task much more ooncenial to his taste than Iraiitmg. , ^ , ,. men we returned we said nothing about s hoot.ng .,tro ks in mistake for behemoths, but "murder w,ll ;1° and there is the whole story in black and wh>te, for anv one to laugh at who wdl. Staving a few days longer, to make a comp lete ,dan of lifflls, we at last bade them "^ Co^ «mith happened to come agam to see us the day that we were leaving, bringing n.ore milk, and we gave Mm sle eoffee'and a silk handkerchief tor h,s wrfe, JK^ •m^^>m^^^^'^-^^ 430 ^n Oasis. with which ho was very much pleased; and, by his advice, wo stayed that ni^ht at Orange Berg Werf. The next day it rained hard all day, causing us to make very slow progress ; and it was not until tlie following day, at noon, that wo came to the river again, at Nicht Ged.aght, where there are several islands, covered with a deep, rich alluvial deposit. Here we received a real old Canadian welcome from the ]iro- prietor of the islands, Mr. Fryer, who insisted on our staving a day or two with him. We were introduced to his wife, who in a short space of time, with the help of her Bushman girls and Koranna servants, pre])ared us a dinner eciual to anything that could have been given at an English farm-house. For vegetables wo had potatoes, cabbages, tomatoes, and squash. The first we had not tasted for many months, so you can iraao-ine Avhat a treat they were. Then there was maize bread, as light and white as wheaten bread, but nnich sweeter, made from a kind of snow-white maize, which they call " brod mealies," a pile of which nearly reached the ceiling in one corner of the house — the flour being ground in a coffee-mill, by hand. After dinner. Air. Fryer piloted us over his estate. On all sides were evidences of his skill as architect and builder, as well as fanner. The house, erected by himself, was built of bricks made of claj% moulded with his own hands, and properly burnt, and put together with mortar composed of clay, with a little sand added. A few feet from the house door was a little f^hdt or canal, where a dozen quacking ducks were chattering and washing their clothes, without taking them off. Along the edge of the water, which wound in and out like an elongated pythoii, were banana-trees, fig-trees, .,->r/, a Hottentot doctor was sent for, who gave hiin a couple of pieces of gum, exti'iictecl from al»ush that they call " Wauu." This w:is to be rejieated, night and morning, for two diiys ; but in three hours after the first dose the piitient was Itetter, and the last dose of the second day was not takeu, for the lad recovered directly, and has had.no symptom of the fever since. Among other things, Mr. Fryer said that, in some seasons, the leaves of the willow-trees are sticky with a kind ol sweet substance, which the natives wash off, and ferment it into beer, aiul he was sur- prised when I told him that possibly it was the secre- tion of an aphis that infests the leaves, as the maple- trees of 2\merica -produce the same kind of thing, which the bees gather. AVhcn we took our departure, Mr. Fryer good- naturedly insisted on half-filliTig our waggon with vt^getables, which were very acceptable, alth(»ugh it was somewhat embarrassing to accept them, without in some way being able to return the compliment. As we drove away, we could not help thinking what a contrast this place presented with the best efforts of the Boers in any part of the country ; and it was not difficult to imagine a picture of these mud-formed, rock-girt islands, under the ownership of a dirty, lazy, but "God-fearing" Boer. These elect people, how- ever, have no need to work : " God shall help us " is their answer to any suggestion of the kind. The philosophy which is crystallized in the proverb that " God helps those who help themselves," and that " Cleanhness is next to GodUness," does not commend itself to their pure, innocent hearts. F f .il-;-.»T,nB„l<;|-:!li,o ;; ,^,^s;;j,(j(yB!7»awtw«N^«i«y family —A ilaii^'iToiis ford -ralii'iiiM- and iwrscvciancc A sharp tradiM' — A ;^'raiid tea-party — A IVu-r w.iddinj,' parly — ("atcrliizi'd about the (.tiieen — I'ricska -dlard lines f..r til." iliisiiMien -Kroude's " lionesl I'x.er" nt last l-llopo Town a>;ain— A sale hy aiu-tion — Honest lioors — "Interviewed" — (leneral conclusions. In tlio aft(M'ii()oii of tlio second day, after haviiif? said good-bye to the kiiid-lioarted, hospitable Mr. Fryer, we came in sight of the white church of the town of Upington — so named after the Premier of Cape CoU)ny. Seeing a new, zinc-roofed, brick liouse, surrounded by a verandah, and looking very civilized in comparison with the mud-walled houses of the Boers, and the canvas- and grass-covered huts of the natives, I inquired who lived there. A little nigger, with yellow, knotty hair, said in Afrikander, " That is Mr. Scott's, the big boss's, house." Driving up, I found the " l)ig boss," or, to speak more respectfully, the Resident Commissioner,' at home, and, having introduced myself, and delivered my letter from Col. • As Resident Conunissioncr for the Englisli Government, Mr. John Scott i.s the right man in the right place, always tempering justice Avith kindness— and thoroughly understanding the natives and half- breeds, by whom he is very much appreciated. Tlie moment they heard Korannaland was-- annexed, they sent a petition to tlie Capo Clovernmcnt, praying them to allow Mr. Scott to remain amongst them. . .1 Jack of all Trades. 435 r ;,'nrili'iit'r ami n l'iiislimim'8 hiiuin- il -I'lltil'UCt! Illl'l ■ii-liarty — A Hocr 1 — I'rit'skiv -11111(1 :•" nt liiHt :-lli)i»> < — " Interviewed " ;er bavin f? said )lo Mr. Fryer, £ the town of tiicr of Cape brick house, ' very civihzod lOuses of the xl huts of the L little nigger, nder, " That is Driving up, I '0 respectfully, }, and, having tter from Col. ernniont, Mr. John tempering,' justice natives anil half- Tho moment tliej* lition to the Capo remain amongst 1 Scherinl)riipk(>r, .Nfr. Scott kindly otTcn-il us ,} room, and insisti'd on (tur making it our lioini' as long as we liked. After finding a place to o\its|)an. and gftting ])ernii.ssion of Captain Dyerson, of tli(> iiorfliern polic^e force, whose barracks were in sight on the l»;mk-< of the Orange river, to send our oxen out on tlicir Veldt, we returned to tea, and were presented to Mrs. Scott, who made us so welcome that wo felt at home imme- diately. The kindness of our clever host and accom- plished hostess shall never be forgotten. What a |)leasure it was to ])ut one's legs once more under a table presided over by a lady — bless tluMu all ! — and to share in the delights of a civili/ed meal, garnished with the convei'sation of an Knglish family. Like most ])ioneers in a new country, Mr. Scott is jack-of-all-trades. With hisoflicial duties he mixes up doctoring, blacksmithing, carpenterijig, tinsmithing, Wi'.ggon-making, &c., &c. His newly-built, brick residence, with stables, out-houses, and garden, wouhl compare favourably with those of any African town. It stands on the high bank on the northern side of the Orange river, commantling a splendid view of the picturesque river, whose islands, covered with dense green foliage, are in agreeable contrast with the barren hills on either side. In a few years the fru... trees and vines they have planted will ])e laden with luscious fruit, to reward them for their labours in elaborating the system of irrigation which is just completed. " Mrs. Scott is the gardener, and showed mo a beau- tiful collection of native flowers which she has gathered together, and is collecting with the greatest success. One especially attracted my .attention, a liliaceous bulb, growing in profusion in the island, bearing white F f 2 ^ ^I^^i3i*t\-^ r,^**?^ >»i^vi^^Sfi«C^»'ii«l»^S?5*^Sfe^5^^*^^'^ 63?*5'*^??W^'7 4;/' / Slink-f^liVit. iiml pink flnwcis, which iMiiit :i (Iclicidiis pcrfumf. Tti coiitriist to this, M' s. Scott pointed out ii ciii'ioiis plaiil, without Ifiivt's, rc^cmhliii"; si ciictus, tin- fleshy stciiis •'fowitH' in w lumch, witli a hoivU'i" of flowers iihoiit ten indies mcioss, jitul lonkiii^^ as if cut out of purple- hntwn velvet, inarketl tlirnuj^diout with lii-ight .^n)l.ltn iiiei-oL'lvphics. This plant Mrs. Scott called the car- lion-plant, :ind well it dcsei-ved llu> name, for when (listurl>e(l it emitted an odour which was perfectly un- endurahlo. I had ali'eady come across this plant twice in the dc>crt : the first time was early one morinn<,', when my attention was called to i( hy thi" brilliant iroldep. markinurs on tli" d(>ep, rich-toned flower-luv'id. I (hej- up a specimen, intendinj^ to (,'et Lulu to photo- <,'rapli it when wo outspaniieri<,'lit <^'()Mfii alli'd till' car- ino, fni- wluMi pi'rfoctly uii- lis ])laiit twice oiu' inoi'iiiiii,', tilt' hiilliaiit 1 fl()\viT-lu>atl. iiilii to photo- lon as it was odour that I irowovei', I 1, but it soon e, and omit tod 1, the driver, halted it was I odour caused drowsy that [ ' sand. While )werful that T saw tlie plant selected some and which will 1 <^ave to the I •ed to deserves «Jii!t or canal, ■nosit that for- icco-trees and tliorn-liushes, is thirteen miles in lettu'th, and was constructed at an actual cash outlay of le.>> than liMXi/. — an absurdly small sum when its len^'th is considt n d, and especially seeing; that in many places the channel throuu;li which it is conveyed had to be bl;i>ied mil in some places, while in others aipu-ducts had to 1m; constructed. The tools ami dynamite wi-re boii^Mit out of the proci'eds of a six per cent, (jovernmetit loan for that amount which Mr. Scott ellecled, and the labour was chietlv, if nut entirely, paid for by j^nving an allotment of land to each native who completed his ((uota of work. The opening-day will be a memoralile (uie among the iidiabitants, many of whom came luiii- dreds of miles in their carts and ox-wa<;<,n)iis to witness the ceremony of divertintr the waters of the Oranj^'o Uiver throu«z:h the shiH. The success of the work ought to arouse to similar efforts the lethargic Hoer. on the t)ther side of the I'iver, who have miles of river frontage, with large flats of rich alhivial soil, oidy awaiting the hand of industry to carry to ihem this water, which would convert their parched surface into veritable Kdens. Having fished, shot the geese, ducks, and [dieasants, and hunted the monkeys that abounded along the river, and nearly worn our welcome out, we " traded " all our remaining guns, amnumition, i\:c., &c., for oxen, and bade adieu to our very kind friends, Mr. and iSIrs. Scott, and started a\ ith our caravan to Hope Town, 250 miles distant. As the evening closed in, just before dark, we wore all startled by a brilliant ligiit, like the rays from an electric arc-huup, suddenly illuminating the scene. The sky was dark and starless, and looking up I saw a beautiful white ball of fire, apparently as big as ray broad-brimraed hat, shoot in a straight line across ;'C.---',m««ifi;'H~ft'*st«J>:^f» S,«9gg«BW?«W.'®*»WSWiiaiS?«»»S335feTW~^ aw 43« A bright Afctcor. the heavens. It seemed to start about a quarter of the distance from the eartli to tlie zenith, and to travel in a straiijfht line half-way across the ai'c, lastinjjf at least twenty seco^ids, and vanishing without no' o. The natives were terribly frightened, and wanted i to turn baek to IJpington ; but wo went on, and passed the night at an old Boer's werf, where there were two families of Berg ]iushmen encamped — if the removal of a few stones that completely covered the ground, in order to nuike a soft place to sleep on, can be c".dled an encampment. Tavo of the men and one of the Avomen were tall, handsomely built, and graceful in their movements. The children, of whom there were a do/en or more, were really pretty. One of them was on his knees, in the sand, licking up the marrow that fell from some bones which an elder Bushman was knocking on a stone. The stench from it was so great we were ol)liged to walk aAvay, when the old Boer said that the bones were those of a horse of his that had died from disease, and that the Bush- men ate all kinds of putrid, diseased meat, seemingly without any injury to themselves. Next morning we were awakened before daylight by the voices of the Boer's family and native servants singing hymns — a proof, at any rate, of domestic feli- city, if not of religious fervour ; for the psalm-singing old hypocrite and his sons were all fathers to children by the same native mother; and yet they ail lived happily together in one tent. When we arrived at Wilkerhout's Drift, a Kaffir, who lived close by, said it had not been crossed for a year ; but "1'11-vatch-it" said he had crossed it several times, and knew it well, and that, at this state of the river, the watei* woul(|, not reach half-way to the rl tiarroio Squeak. 439 t a qunrter of , and to travel fii'c, lastin3g»S^^^^lB!«*«^^^^^ 440 N'o Money for the Ferry ji shrub called Irak hosch — the pulpy leaves of which liave a. stroug taste of salt. Here one of o>ir oxen strayed, and, not being able to find it, wo made a present of it to old Billy Welles — -wlio keeps a winkel, and does a little " smousing," Besides this, ho works the ferry, for which, he told us, he had had only one customer in two years, who, when he was half-way across the ferry, said he had no money. " Your hat will do for me," said old Billy, who, suiting the action to the word, took possession of it. After crawling along a rough, rocky road, which began to make our oxen's feet tender, we came, after dark, to a little grass, and outspanned our hungry beasts. All hands had to help keep them from straying, while they fed, and we built largo fires for the sake of the light to see them by, until the moon rose. Luna seemed as if she Avould never make her appearance. Our suppers had been prepared some time, but it was past ten o'clock before we dared leave our posts, for fear of losing some of the cattle. Hard and long drives, and no grass, began to tell on our oxen — the four best of which had just come from grass-land and did not take kindly to the bushes; ))ut in a few days we came to Carboom, where a sergeant of police, and a few natives under him, were stationed. He was very pleased to see some one from England— where he longed to get back — and invited us to dinner ; while we, in return, invited him to tea. To do honour to the entertainment, I was cook. Having procured some eggs from the native police, and some goat's milk of the proprietor of the farm, I essayed to make a custard. Putting the beaten-up eggs and milk into our t^in drinking-cups, I placed the 'avcs of which ; of o\ir oxen it, wo inado a ecps a winkel, tliis, ho works 1 lind only one was half-way . " Yonr hat ting the action :y road, which ive came, after id our hungry 3p them from lari^o fires for until the moon 1 never make prepared some we dared leave cattle. began to tell lad just come kindly to the to Carboom, natives under ied to see some get back — and n, invited him I was cook. native police, ' of the farm, the beaten-up s, I placed the Hoiv mauy Cattle has the Queen ? 44 1 whole in the kettle, and set it on the coals, covei'ing the lid as well with the hot embers ; and, by the time Jan had the meat and coffee cooked, a custard was ready which would have taken a prize at Bertram and Roberts' cookery exhibition. Not far from Prieska, we stopped at the house of a Boer, one of whose daughters was being married. The farmers of the whole district were present, with their families. Finding I was not a trader, they thought I must be an Englishman, and resented my intrusion by ordering me off . It was with some diffi- culty that I convinced them that I was not English, when they became very familiar— for them. On ascer- taining that I had come to Africa by way of England, they asked me if I had seen the Queen. What did sin look like? — how many soldiers had she ?— and how many rooms in her house? After answering them according to their understanding, I told them that tlie Queen had several palaces, each containing, perhaps, 100 rooms. " How many rooms did you say ? " saul the host, looking knowingly at his solemn neighbours. " One lumdred," I replied. " Then how many cattle has the Queen ? " This was a poser — I did not know Avhat to jJnswer —so I said, " About fifty, perhaps." Whereupon the old pastoral patriarch's face actually assumed a slight air of intelligence, as he came close to me, his hand uplifted, saying, — " You are lying to us Boers. How^ can the Queen have so many rooms and so few cattle ? They would not make dung enough to keep the floors in repair, let alone to make them." My veracity was doubted, even after " I'11-vatch-it " ^5-,«^«5»**fe -->*.■- fS «»"BWhWS!WJ «.;^«a«S*M^*^«SflpSi*«*iM%^^ 442 CiviiizatioH v. Barbarism. explaincil that tlio floors were tnade of boards, and not of cow-dung, which, to men who had lived all their lives where timber was so scarce, and whose know- ledtro of the world extended no fin'ther than their own •• werfs," seemed very unlikely. Prieskii was our next stopping-place — a little town near tlie Orange river, where there is a ferry. The fertile flats are vratered by a running spring — which is led out thrcjugh the public square, in one corner of which is a new brick church, close to which, of course, are the police-station and the prison. Several shops, owned by that most persevering of all trades- men, the Israelite, and an hotel, comjdete the list of buildings. At the baker's shoj) we ordered enough bread to last us to Hope Town — for which we had to wait until they baked the ncjxt day ; at another we pur- chased some tins of Italian butter, as sweet and as fr(!sh as the day it was first put up. I was only sorry I had not known of it some months before. To any one going into the interior, I strongly recommend it. AVe were entertained that evening, by the Inspector of Police, the Clerk of the Court, and the Magistrate, and I was presented with the bow from which the arrows were shot that had killed, first a Boer, and then the policeman who i-ried to arrest the murderer, a Bushman, who was now in jail awaiting his trial. The police themselves say the poor Bushman is hardly dealt wnth. The big game is driven from the country by the Boers and their flocks ; the small game he cannot hunt, as his poisoned arrows and bows are always taken from him ; so he is obliged to steal some of the f;ocks to exist, for which he is punished by depriving him of his liberty which he loves so well. Is it a wonder he \^esists capture so desperately ? W( ail us ti( E F: a ei tl o\ P S( s. n d h f c A '* Funny Siory'' 443 boards, and not lived all their I whose know- tlian their own ! — a little town a ferry. The spring — which I one corner of to which, of risen. Several ST of all trades- (lete the list of ardered enough ,'liich we had to another we pur- 3 sweet and as was only sorry efore. To any ' recommend it. y the Inspector the Magistrate, from which the a Boer, and then he murderer, a g his trial, or Bushman is driven from the the small game vs and bows are ed to steal some is punished by J loves so well, so desperately ? But the march of civilization has no ears for the cries (»f those poor wM-etches whom it crushes if they stand in its way. Near the lirak river we met the first friendly Boer we had seen in the country. He was really sociable, and condescended to come into our waggon and help us eat our supi)or, and actually asked us more ques- tions about the Kalahari than about the verdomde J'JmjJander. Here at last, I thought, we have found Fronde's honest, unbigoted, intelligent Boer. He was a sheep- and ostrich-farmer on a large scale, and employed a good number of Hottentot servants, aiul the conversation presently turned on the position of the black races, of whom I felt sure this Boer, so phenomenally free from Anglophobia, would have something fresh and interesting to say. " They are a worthless lot of lazy, lying thieves," he said. And then the grim look on his countenance relaxed as he seemed to repent of so wholesale a denunciation of them. " I will tell you a funny story," he continued, " which will make you laugh ;" and his face beamed with pleasure as he related the following charming anecdote : — " I served one of the rascals out the other day. He came here and asked for a drink, saying he had been looking for his master's, my neighbour's, horses, for three days, and could not find them. The lazy brute had never looked for them, he had been sleeping on the Veldt, as I had seen them, not one hour from here, that very day. * You sleepy headed liar,' I said to myself, ' I will pay you,' so I handed him half a glass of • Cape Sixioke,' and told him to drink. " ' No, Boss,' he said, ' me no drink before de old Boss.' I v.r^ ■ ^.■.n^^.~««»v«^aBB««S«R•»ISS«S^<«SH•iWtS*■^«•i!W'^^ 444 S/uncrs or Sn/n/s / " ' Go oil,' I ivplictl ; ' swnllow it down quick,' wliicli tlio black rascal did. "'What!' r shoutcl, 'you Idack devil! you daro to drink heforo a Boci ,' and, catcliing him by the nock, I took this sjambok md cut him at every blow. You would have lau<,died to have heard liim howl and l)e<^ ' I'll teach you to daro to drink before a Boer,' 1 said, as I kicked him out of the door." Next mornin(]:, after i)ayin«,' oui- kiiul-hearted, face- tious Boer a half-crown for the privilege of outspanning and watering, wo started, and before noon found some di'ied grass that the cattle licked up with avidity. At every stage the country became greener, and the grass better. Evidently rain had fallen recently, as the dams and pools were full of water. On arriving at Hope Town we outspanned near the church, and sending our oxen to the Town Veldt, made arrangements to sell our oxen, waggons, &c., by auction on the following Saturday, when all the Boer farmers from the neighbourhood would come in for NarhmaU, or communion service, on Sunday. The principal shopkeeper told me that the customers coming out of the church had to be watched to keep them from stealing. When any culprits are caught, all the shopkeepers do is to " charge them "—not at the Police Court, but in their l)ill— for what they have stolen, and they usiudly pay it without any demur. How little like their honest, industrious, bulb-growing, ditch-digging forefathers in the Netherlands ! Saturday came slowly along in this quiet town. Lulu was afraid I should lose patience, and take it into my head to trek all the w^ay to Cape Town, and was delighted when, one day, we drove to the Railway Station to leave ou^ collection in charge of the t down quick,' devil ! you dare ing liiui l)y the L iit every l)lo\v. d liini howl and before a Boer,' r." iid-hearted, face- eof outspaiming 3re noon found up with avidity. li greener, and fallen recently, iter. ;panncd near the )wn Veldt, made ggons, &c., by hen all the Boer idd come in for uuday. at the customers svatched to keep irits are caught, em " — not at the I they have stolen, demur. How , bulb-growing, 'rlands ! :his quiet town, nee, and take it Cape Town, and e to the Railway charge of the Covipavini^ Notes. 445 station-master. On the way wo passed an ostrich- liirm of some thousands of acres, enclosed with a wn-e fenCv-. At last the auction took place ; the property fetch- ing about one-fourth of what we should have had to pay to buy it again next day, and at noon on Sunday we left Hope Town, arriving at Cai)e Town on the Tuesday morning. The steamer, the Drnmmond GiuiU', left on the fol- lowing day, so that I was unable to call upon the manv'friends whose hospitality I had received on my fornier visit. I had, instead, to go through the ordeal of being "interviewed" by a representative of the nape Argas, who published a flattering statement of the benefit that w^ould be conferred on the Colony by the new light which my journey " through the Kalahari " had thrown on that part of South Africa. On the voyage home I was fortunate enough to meet on board the steamer no less an authority than i^lr. George Baden Powell, C.M.G., M.P., who, I was glad to find, agreed entirely with my high opinion of the natural advantages of the country, and with my very different opinion of the character of the Boers. Mr. Baden Powell did not pass through the Kalahari ; but his description of the adjoining country of Bechuana- land has been given not only in the recent admirable letters from this country, published in the Times, of which it is an open secret that he is the author ; but in the paper read by him before the London Chamber of Commerce, on the occasion of their reception of Sir Charles Warren, G.C.M.G. So far as the Boer is con- cerned,! can go a little further than Mr. Powell, and say, so far as I can judge from those I came in contact with, .i.ix^sfxim,vmi^^'^sf*ia!'Bfr3ejmx»'j>s>!!i'v^ 446 Finis. that he is a non-pronffcssivo, sclfisli, illitorato, Eii«,'lish- hating hypocrite. So far as tho future of the Kalahari — so-called Desert — is concerned, I can assert that it has before it, in English hands, almost, if not quite, as l)right a future as ]\Ir. Baden Powell anticipates for Bechuanaland. THE END. \ itorato, Eii<^Hsh- ^ of 1 ho Kalahari m assort that it t, if not quito, as I anticipates for APPENDIX. THE FLORA OF THE KALAHARI. With tli.- -xcepti.m cf a frw ^n-n-A -rasH,- whii'l. I ^'nv.- tu U..- Merlin Uotiiuic Gar.!.'!.:*, I i-n'smtcl tl.c wl.oh, of my .•Mll....tinn of llR. tlor.i ..f the Kalahari to the Royal Car.l.M.s, K.'W, rcnviii- the following aulr. graphic letter from Sir Joseph Hooker, ii. a.l.liti..i. to the iimial formal iicknowledgmunt : — " Royal Oardens, Ke\v, '' Aiujiixt '2ltli, 1H85. " Dear Sih, ,,11 "I must write a line with the enelose.l formal acknowleilg- mont, to tell yon how mndi gratified I am on receiving tlie very tine collection of most interesting plants, which you have had the good- ness to present to the Royal Gardens. " I am, my ih-ar Sir, " Faithfully yonrs, (Sd.) "Jos. I). IIOOKEU. " G. A. Farini, Esq." I also rpceived the following letter from the Curator, with a list of the names of the various seeds and plants : "Royal Gardens, Kew, "Aurjusf -24///, 1885. " My de.\u Ma. Fauisi, " According to promise, I send you a list of the fine (;ollection of bulbs and seeds you have so kindly presented to the Gardens, an.l assure you they shall bo carefidly attended to. " With kind regards, " I am, yours faithfully, ♦' Jons Smith, " Curator." The following is tlie list referred to by Mr. Smith. The first column contains the references to the various specimens ; the second to the genus as determined by Mr. Smith ; and the tlurd my ex- planatory remarks. A space has been specially reserved for them in 1 ^\Tr-i«^.'i*fti>weyk'*:-.«"s:^W5i>:^ r%^Qk^fmy*''^^^*ifi^-^'omtav^^^^'m^^^^ ,i^;^gi^j5^^.. - 448 Kalahari Flora. tin- lu'W Sii\iili Afiii'iiii House, mill till- taiiMil wlirii ih.v aiv :.'r(i\viii;,'. I tr Iniiiul iKil "lily Mriiiiiiiciital tluwcrs, 1 indiislriiil i)iiii"isi'^. 1. "J liir){o IpiiHh Criiiiitu or bu])liiiiii! 2. I „ lull'" . liiililiiiiii- \\. 1 „ ... <"riii'iini"l>. 4. :tljull)s • ••' •iiiltoiiiii f, (J I, , Criuum wp. «■ 1" .. • , .„• 7. fill „ . ScMlluHn. f<. 1 pliiiit . Knimorliiacaiiutnic llllHiU () 1 ,1 . WiilMDiiia s]!. . ID. Flower lii'ieli ('nnii)iisitie 11. 1 packet seels Moiiiordieii sp. ueeuntte niillies will lie iiHeer- iisl tliiit iiiiioiii,' tliem limy l>e lilt plilllts llsellll for edilile or HiiUooii-sliaiK'tl llower. I'oisiiii till- iirmwH. Iti'il 111 AVer, ^,M-()Ws ill saiiil. l''iliriilis seales. Siiiiill tiii^'er sliapeil. .N'eeks one fool loiiK'. narrow. Kdilile, an largo iia heii'8 uggn. ( looil stem. Kilil.le. Grows in deep valleys. Vl. 1 i:!. !• tiiliers 11. 1 tuber 1.-.. 1 ,. 16. 1 packet seeds Moinonliea sp. 'i KalaiU'hoe sp. 'raniiiii root, seut to .Museniii. 17. 1 18. 1 ,. Ki-iis** seeds l!>. 1 packet seeds .\loe up •JU. 1 •21. 1 '11. 1 •2:'.. 6 b\dl)S •24. 1 packet •25. 1 „ •2ti. 1 ., •27. 1 „ •28. 1 „ biillis seeds ISiiphaue sceda Lilium sp. Dipterocarp . Crocus sp. '2!\ 1 bull) 30. 1 packet seeds 31. 1 „ ,, . Giant vasiforin. ;V2. 1 1. gnisrt seeds ;<:}. 1 packet lierries 34. 1 „ • • • . ■ \\r,. 6 small bulbs Amorylhda sp. 3(). 1 jiacket heeds 37. 1 Biuall melon. 38. 1 packet . . . . 3it. 1 „ . Umbellifera 40. 1 „ • . . . Small fruit. Kdiblc, musk- scented. Bushman grass, the best that grows on the Kalahari. Thorn-bush seeds. Poison bulb. Kind of sorrel, pretty flower. Double - spined thorn (one straight, one hooked). Purple fox -tail grass. Seeds of liliaceous plant. Flowering shrub. Seeds taken from crop of sand- grouse. ■SVingedseeds.pdlyass, or witch- bush. Sweet-.smelling flower, musky odour. Resembling timothy (height four feet). Juieeof which will curdle milk. Cotton seeds (bush 1 ft. high). Creeper. Fine grass seeds (mixed). Tall bush without leaves. Saiiia seeds (wild melon eaten bv natives). \ The Carriou-plant. 44*' iiios will lie iiHccr- dii^' llii'iii nmy l"' isi'ful for I'llililo or \\\\«'\ flower. iirrows. ', ^rows ill siiiiil. ■llifH. fcr shiipcil. foot loll^^ narrow. Iiir^jo 118 lion's eKB**- deep vivlleyw. it. iisk- soenteil. t^rass, the l>est that n thu Kahihari. sh scuds. orrel, pretty flower. Hpined thorn (oue t, one hooked). x-tail grass, liliaceous plant. { shrub, en from crop of sand- eedsipilly ass, or witch- lelling flower, musky ng timothy (height et). .vhich will curdle milk. eeds (bush 1 ft. high). sa seeds (mixed), li without leaves, eds (wild melon eaten iives). 41. 1 packet secKlii . 4-2. 1 „ 4:i. r • 4k 1 • \'}. 1 1, .1 . . 46. 1 • • • • 47. 1 i» II • . 48. 1 . • . « 4!t. 1 .... U\ 2 packets „ . . .M. 1 packet i, . . 52. 2 packets „ . . 5:{. 1 packet ,i . Asclepiad. U\. 1 „ ■ • . . 55. 1 ,. ,. • Crinuni sp. :.6. 1 . :.7. 1 „ ■ ■ • • 58. 1 „ „ . 5!». 1 „ „ • i • • 6(t. 1 ,1 61. 1 asclepiad 62. 1 flowering shrub. 6;?. 1 packet seed 9 . . . • 64. 1 „ . Aloe sp. 6r,. 1 „ . 66. 1 II II 67. 1 „ „ 68. 1 „ 1, 69. 2 packets „ 70. 1 packet „ 71. 1 „ )• 72. 1 M 11 73. 1 „ 74. 1 „ ,. -u. 1 „ 76. 1 „ 77. 1 1. „ 78. 1 „ bull 7!». 1 stem . . Mescmbryanthemu 8t). 1 packet . 81. 1 tin,withfoi ir growing roots . Stapclia sp. . (iiuntwater-melou(niangliii;,'s. r.iiHoiinacs very lur;,'i' in coiupariwin with itH si/f. Lives |.riiiei|'ally imi li/anl". Next to tllix little snake tlie tenilile lillll-aildi'l' iH tlie llidst fr.MUlenlly well. lt« tiat liroa.l heiul, in the ^luipe «{ the iiee i>f s|iiiiles, iv,|m on il> eoiU, uH it he« tiiii>iil iintler a hush. It is slow in its movements, cMcpt in the act *'f sliikinj,', whieh is nearly as ;ht, tlioii^h il 1ms tt) U' very much initaled lief.ne it will hito a stieii, which it raivly does tlie second time. It is very dan>,'crnns to the natives, as it iievei iiins away or trit's to escape into a hole at their apitioach; they are nsiially l«itt>Mi Uy it while rnnniiiK, 'heir foot comin;,' in contact with it ; this never oicurs while walking', as thou they see its trail in the sand ami avoid it, instead of tra. kiiij,' and killin;; it. The reptile grows as Ion;,' as four feet six inches; in tlm middle il is as thick as a man's arm. It is a round, heavy, 8toiiy- uved, veiieniousdookiiig serpent, havin;,' the jiower lo intlate itself and tlatten it.-.tdf out oither way from the middle, when it suddenly tapers to the lu-ail and tail. Colour, dark and light brown, with chei kcred markings. Aloii;,' the rivers the Jlmini flniii/i' ( Di'iiifro/ihiiim-), or tree-siinke, is found, seeking its food of hirds and their eggs. It varies in colour very xnwh — green, hrowii, olive, and inotHeil, according to the colour of tlie tive.s it inhabits, thus alfording another .striking example of power to imitate nature. It is consi.lcred very poisonous by the natives, and no doubt it is, as 1 found its poi.si>n-glaiids as largo as those of the pull-adder. It i.s not a very dangerous snake, as it takes its si,\ feet of clammy, shudder-inspiring length away as soon it hears or sees you approach. The capelle, or Sjiuw/h ufamji; and iVa/i //a;», or spitting-snake, is supposed to have the )iower of spitting its poi.son .some distance — an idea which was not veritied when I irritated .several. Likt^ the Indian cobra it never runs from an adversary, being ever ready to dispute the right of way with all comers. The natives say it will be"in the attack. Kaising its head uji, it inflates itself, forming a \\ \, ai SI y SI t SntUm (Hii/ Lizardi. 45' .AHAUI. I'C. We well' fli'- llliill \* tllf " llolMi'cl (I littli' linni-^ illmvc iiic'timcf< 11 li^litish- .• ilut.i lit lilt' all-lrH larj,'c ill roiuparisoii till' iiinf«tfri.';lit, it will I'ilo u Htitk, ;v (liinjii'i'nns to tlic into It liolo at tlu'ir iiiiuiiiij,', ilii'ir flint ill' walking, lis tlu-ii ml (if ti'iii king ami I six ini'lifs ; in tlu! •iiuiiil, heavy, stmiy- viT to iiilliiti.' itsi'lf I', wlu'ii it suiMi'iily light hmwii, with w), (ir trpt'-snakc, iH vaiii's in culour very j5 to the coluur of the ( i'xmii|ile (if power iiiH l»y the niitives, is hirgo as those of ;e, as it takes its six as soon it hears or or spitting-snake, is 1 Slime distance — an several. Like the lieiiig ever ready to f natives say it will ithites itself, forming 1 B giiH'eful lurh, and iiinvr'H very slowly, hnt wlii'ii within ri'arli will ilait fniuaid, 'Hiking with tin- iMpiility of lightning. A slight hliiw on till' liink, liowi'vcr, pots in rows almig their whole length. Their shape is very tapering from their head to the tail ; their length ranges from two to lour feet. (til the veldt is oceasioiially found a ruund.greyish-hrown, pointe,d- lieiuled snake with a white lielly, ahout three feet long and an inch tiiiek, hut tapering gradually to a point for six inches from the tail. The liastards call it a I'l/'lf kIuiuji- It is poisonous. Several times while out hunting we saw a large yellow snake, that was rapid in his movements, always disappearing into a katteah or ineer-cat's hole liefore we could get near enough to dispatch it. 1 otl'ered a reward to my men if they would hring nie one (h'ad or alive, tliough there was not much likelihood of their doing the latter. They called it a Jill nliposed to be jwisonous, is something like a gecko. It comes out from its hole in tin; sand at night only, nuiking a peculiar sound like putting the tongui! against the roof of -our mouth and inhaling your breath. It is about six inches long, equally divided between body and tail ; colour, light brown with white spots. There are also .seme tree-lizards ; some a strong bottle-green colour, others a dark blue on the back with light-blue sides, and some nearly black with scarlet cheeks, all averaging about seven inches long. On the rocks at the HundnMl Falls were seen dozens of lizards about six inches long with orange-brown backs, scarlet cheeks, white between the eyes, and a shiny green tail. One s?nall lizanl, called by the natives N'anhoo, is considered very poisonous, buJ- it is highly prized as an antidote to snake-poison. I never saw one alive, but purchased ])art of one while staying at ^lier. The mode of applii'ation is describi'd in the body of the book (see pp. 367 and 374). Th(> piece I brought home would have been sutficient to make experiments with, but the ridiculous Anti-Vivisection Act prevents any steps being taken m this country to discover whether the native method of treatment is really an nr.tidote lo the virm of those snakes whose bite is known to be fatal. It is a monstrous absurdity that, while thousands of lives are lost every year in India alone from snake-Viites, the law of England should stand in the way of the 8im])lest experiment being made in order to discover whether a lemedy which, so far as my experience goes, is efficacious in the case of 8oulh African snakes is equally effi'.'ient in the case of the poisonous snakes of other countries. w V tl V t t i c c 1 ( tcs. An Act to discourage Science 453 hvtiihii', 1)ack li^,'lit I on head inul hack iiiu the i-ye on citlii'i- the hinder legs are lie top of the sand- )rown (cdfi'-au-lait), !,'h which nm four r yellow. Its great which is six inches p, while the body is i lon<,' : body black, ; scarlet. is something like a t night only, making ist the roof of -our inches long, equally vn with white spots. ; bottle-green colour, dos, and some nearly ren inchos long. On of lizards about six eeks, white between o, is considered very make-poison. 1 never ;aying at ^lier. The 10 book (see pp. 367 een sufficient to make section Act prevents r whether the native virm of those snakes ■trous absurdity tliat, in India alon<3 from 1 in the way of the discover whether a is efficacious in the it in the case of the Scorpions. I'.lack an.l brown scorpions abound all around South Africa, and when bitten bv these the natives adopt the same principle of mmilia ,u,n-Uhu.- cumnUtr, by applying the poison of one scorpion to the wound cause.! by the bite, of another. This principle is the same as that adopted by Pasteur in the case of hydrophobia, and I am con- vinced that tliere is something to be learned from the practices of these depised Dushmeii in the matter of the rirus of poisonous r.-jp- tiles. However, in the present state of the laws of England, it is impossible for any practical experiments to bo carried out in this country ; and, th.nigh there is a fair probability of discovering a means of preventing the \leaths of the thousands of people who are an- nually killed by snake-bites, I must send my X'auboo to France and Germany to be tested there ! TOHTOISES. The land-tortoise (Testwlo A/rira) fee.ls entirely on vegetation, sama and grass being its principal food. Hardly a day passes without seeing them, from the size of a penny top to thirty pounds' weight Their flesh makes a very agreeable adilition to the Kalahari menu of dried meat. Chameleons. I caught several specimens of the Chamelen vuhjaris fifteen inches long, and kept them in the waggons for weeks, where they climbed about in perfect freedom. When I attempted to catch them they would open their mouths and blow at me, frightening the half-breeds and the guide very much, as they thought they were poisonous. The colour they assumed most frequently was bright green. Their young arc produced from white-coloured eggs, nearly spherical, and about the size of a hedge-sparrow's eggs. THE INSECTS OF THE KALAHARI. The appendix would be too long to name all the different kinds and describe them. Out of the many specimens I collected and which I presented to Mr. J. Jeiiner Weir, F.L.S., &c. <^c., to add to his very large collection, I will describe some of the most curious and interesting. Tho fragile character of most insects and their allies, and the fact that no nets or proper boxes for their reception had been provided, 454 DuttcrJIies and Beetles. rpmlert'J it diirKult to bring many to Englaml, yet those obtained were not wanliny in interest. Lephjoptera, Limnas rhrijmppm ; the spocnmens obtained wore of an unusually dark-red colour, and the upjufr wings more narrow than is generally the case. Acnva hnrta, liflenois meg-'nti)ia,anii nrrjM'niacriiihiawevo captured, and after a long chase the bright yellow female of Call idnjan jlorclla was on one occasion obtained ; the males, apparently, of this 8i>ecies were more common. Lijrwua tmrliiluK, a tiny buttei-fly scarcely nine lines in the expanse of its wings, also occurred. It is a remarkable fact that this minute Lejndopteron is fo\uul also in the southern parts of Europe ; this is also the case with Liinnas chri/sijijius. Rather a scarce Teracolus, which is probably T. Mahnjxiani, was once captured. Three specimens of tho widely distributed and very beautiful JJniopcia jm/chr/la were taken : this insect has occasionally l)een captured in England. It is worthy of remark that whilst on tho one hand some liCpidnptera have a very limited range, being confined to a single small island, others, as the species in question, are found over a great extent of the earth's surface. CbLEOl'TERA. Beetles were numerous both in species and specimens ; a Longicorn, allied to our musk beetle, was even more strongly scented than that species. The Duprexiuhii were very common ; some of the species were one inch and three([uartei's in length, others barely three-quarters of an inch ; some were smooth, and others had their elytra densely clothed with hairs ; this peculiarity obtains amongst many of the African Coleoptera; widely different species had a bright red tuft of hair at the outer edg(> of the elytra near the thorax. What the use of this adornment is it would be difficult to determine. Species of the families Carahiihe, Cetoniidin, Ciwnlionidce, and Bupri'Jitidi'' were obtained, but their names have not yet been determined. The tenacity of life shown by the beetles of the Kalahari, is well illustrated by the fact that a large species of Brarliijceras survived the journey to England and lived several months afterwards, and even at this date (December, 1885) one beetle is still alive. \ '^ .V JWJ l»^!V«C»!Wr*- Large Ants and Spiders. +55 , yet those obtained i'cre of an unusually w than is generally rijihiawere captured, jf Callidnjas jloreHa Mitly, of this species lines in the expanse act that this minute s of Europe ; this is T. MahnjHiani, was and very beautiful s occasionally l)een \t whilst on the one ,'e, lieing confined to question, are found imens ; a Longicorn, y scented than that the species were one three-quarters of an lytra densely clothed lany of the African red tuft of hair at ^Vhat the use of this \(p,, Citcnliomdw, and have not yet been the beetles of the t a large species of 1 and lived several ber, 1885) one beetle J Xeuiiopteba. A very large ant-lion, Palpaivs imiMiw»t, was found ; this insert, measured upwards o'f five inches in the expanse of its wings ; llie European species of Myniielcm is not more than half this size. The 80-calle'nnms is remarkabl.- ; ind"eed none but a naturalist would recognize thera as specifically identical. OnxnorTERA. Anearlyaptcrous Orthopteron,one of the Arridrii'lwoT grasshoppers, was common ; this large species, nearly three inches in length and an inch and a half in breadth, closely resembled a toad in appear- amse, and was of the same brown colour, but the hue varuid with that of the ground frequented by the insect, a good instance of response to the environment; it was either a BatraehotettU or Mdlmw^ anderMonii. . There was another largo species of grasshopper, quite three inches in length, but more slender in shape. Arachnida. The most interesting arachnid obtained was one of the SuJpmjidea, probably a species of Galcode.^ ; this large spiderdike creature was quite two inches in length, its limbs indeed extending from the end of the palpi to the end of the hinddegs, nearly five inches ; they presented a remarkable instance of hypertrophy and atrophy ; the palpi were two inches nearly in length, and performed the functi.ms of forede^s, though of course without a claw ; the real fore-legs were very slender, barely reaching an inch and a half in length, the secoiul pair of legs were even sh(jrter, and in both pairs the claws w(U-e obsolete; the third pair of legs were well developed, and like the hind pair, furnished with large claws ; they seemed in conjunction with the palpi to be the most useful to the arachnid in walking ; another peculiarity was that both the hind-legs were furnished, towards their base, with what appeared to be pulvilli or sucking disks; these may possibly enable the creature to resist the force 456 Large ** Fleas '' of tlie wind, cir to steady it on tlie sides of rocks, so few of the liiid)s l\iivin^' wtil-di'veloped daws. The jaws, lialf an inch long, working jierpcndicnlnrly, very strong and hooked at the ends, the two curious eyes planted in the centre of the head vertically, and the other peculiarities mentioned, render this arthropod — it is not strictly an insect — one of the most remarkable creatures obtiiined by the expedition. Entomosthaca. Tliese Arthropods, which form a sub-class of the Cninfarea, are well known in England as water-fleas ; but such a name would not have liei-n bestowed U[)on them if the IJritish species had been as large aa those from the Kalahari ; one l)elonging to the order Phylopoda, either of the genus, or closely alli^«4aw**J*r-i%>.^-^!' »,.«-i'JlW^5-l'"^"' '*<»** f»^»*j*' 5cV»W¥-.Vl»" White Vultures. 457 wiks, 80 few of the Kulaily, very strong ted in the centre of titioneil, render this o most remarkable Cmntarea, are well me would not have ad been as large as I order P/iylopo/la, reaches n nxjel. Colour diirk brown ; white thick down ring on its neck ; (luiU feathers of wings and tail nearly black. Can see anything from any- wher.! When full grown measures ton feet from tip to lip of wings. Its powerful, hooked l«ak will cut through the thickest hide. It does not wait, as some writers say, for putrefaction to soften the skin and make the ttesh palatable. J'.efore the carciise of an ui.telopo had time to cool, let alone become putrid, the bones would be picked "^ \hi-re is another species of Vulture, with a snow-white body, the princiiwl flight feathers being dark brown, and the second flight feathers light brown with dark edges. The head is bald, broad and and flat, an.l of a yellow colour ; beak the same, but with the point black. The upper mandible is slightly hooked. The natives call it a "white crow," and have a superstition that it cannot be killed. It is found usually near the native camjis and lives entirely on excrement. It stands twenty inches high, and the wings when outoti-etched measure forty-rive inches from tip to tip. Eagle {Spujatus helUcosm). Colour dark brown ; quills black ; breast and legs lighter in colour. Legs feathered to the toes. Feeds on small antelopes, hures, &c. Namaqua Partridge, or Sand Grouse {Fteroclea hicmctm). Wherever there is water these birds are to be found in thousands in the morning, flying to drink, filling the air with their screeching cry. Plumage dark and light buff marked with purple spots. Plover. This large red-legged species is the constant companion of the Kalahari traveller, in flocks of from three to ten. It measures twelve inches in height, and sixteen inches in stretch of wings ; its legs are seven inches long ; the wings are fawn-cloured except the flight quill the lower half of which is nearly black, and the upper half whit^ • tail white, with a dark brown bar an inch from the end and an inch and a quarter wide ; beak red, except the tip which is black ; top of head white, with a bar of black over the eyes ; neck a light-fawn colour ; breast white, with a fawn-coloured spot on the throat ; legs red. Pauw {Eiqyodotts), or Giant Koran. Colour light brown. When on the ground a full-grown one looks like a half-grown ostrich. Is very shy and difficult of approach. I 458 Curious Birds. . \ saw some acoroa, but only i)mim<;fil to get two. About the size of a turkey, and vory tiiu^ eating'. Found on tho plains and round the k'j.;ung forests. Feeds on worms, insects, and grass. Koran {(His tetrax). A smaller kind of bustard, about the size of a guinea-fowl, and quite as i,Mod eating. Feeds on coleoptera and ants. Colour black and wiiite speckled, the male having two white bars around its neck and on its tail. These birds tly up on the plains every few rods, makinj,' a cackling noise until they alight, when they run with such speed that it is imjwssible to find them unless by accident. AvocET {Recwvirodra avocetta). These birds are found wherever there is water, even in pools formed by recent rains that had been dry for a year ; their flight is very rapid, and their bright orange-coloured, fat, jilump bodies arc a great delicacy. The greater part of the plumage is pure white, with jet-black marks on tho head, back, neck, wings, and tail. Feet webbed, legs slate-coloured. Its long slender bill turns up at the end like a sewing-awl. Owl. Seen frequently in the k'gung-trees ; a little l)rownish-grey thing, about six inches high, with the feathers tipped with white. Night Hawk, or Night Jar {Caprimuhjm afi-icanm). Dark brown, with bufT, grey, white, and brown markings. Flies up when disturbed in the daytime, and seems to tumble about as if blind, but in the evening it darts about with the rapidity of the swallow after the flying insects. Seems to be tho same as in America, with the exception of the cry, which is a kind of a scream- ing whistle. Crow {Corvus africanus). Somewhat larger than the common crow. Has a white ring around his neck. Lives chiefly on insects. Their curiosity to see what is going on, cost several of them their lives during my trip. Grosbeak: Sociable Weaver Bird (P//i7e/t('rw*f Awt?«). Colour brown, mottled with pale buff. It has a strong short beak, thick at tho base. Fo\uid all over tho Kalahari, wherever there are trees. Its favourite tree to build in is the camel-thorn, an acacia, some of which present an extraordinary appearance ; the whole top of a huge tree looks like a giant mushroom, or expanded umbrella -,tu»iS^VBf'Xtl&:»'i'U^vt.w»*tt.aiV The Snakc-catcr. 459 \hout till' size of a lins uiul roiuul tlio 38. a guinea-fowl, and ints. Colour black )ars around its neck ns every few rods, len they run with s by accident. )• iter, oven in pools year ; their flight is l)lunip bodies arc a is pure white, with gs, and tail. Feet ill turns up at the brownish-grey thing, ith white. I africanvM). n\ markings. Flies > tumble about as if the rapidity of the be the same as in a kind of a scream- a white ring around iosity to see what is my trip. a strong short beak, wherever there are mel-thoin, an acacia, ance ; the whole top expanded umbrella aM much as a couple of tons of grass-still ..f a bright goid-n colour- lu-in.' woven t.>gcthcr into a ihatch from ten feet deep in the cntro to one foot at the e.lgcs ; the whole of the under surfiee uf the mass i. tlattoned and perforated witli little ro.u.d lu.les, thnu.gh which the bir.ls get accosP to their separate apartments. In <.ne such "common lodging-house" thousands of these little four-inch-long u.dustnous birds Tear their young in perfect harmony. There are other small varieties of weaver bn-d. Singing Falcon {Mclierax ?h?m(V?/«). Two feet long; greyish back and wings, with white belly and legs, barred with brown. Sings in the evening. Orey Hawk. About fourteen inches high. Grcyish-black wings and tail ; bright pink beak, and scarlet legs; redeyes with golden ring around the dark pupil. When flying looks white. Inhabits the camel-trees on Nosob River. Secretary Bird (Sn-peutai-im serrefarlu»\ About three feet high, with long legs; colour leaden grey. The Ion" wing feathers and the feathers on the thigh are black, and so arc the''crest or nmne feathers that stand out from the top of its head and neck The tail is black all but two feathers, which are grey with a white and black bar at the tip. Lives principally ot snakes. Breeds in the k'gung forests, where it makes its nest of dry sticks, a heap a yard thick, and the same in circumference. The young are two callow-looking, naked, yellow-bellied lumps of fat. Tkal. A very plump little duck, twelve to fourteen inches long, re.sembling the PtelocyaJa ctrcia, is frequently found on the pools of Kakharr in the rainy season. Colour chestnut-brown, with light mot i.gs something like the colour of what the farmers cal a "grey duck. Part of the primaries white, with a Inight green bar three inches long. Diver. " A little diver, about seven inches long, is also found witli them ; body dark brown, with ash-coloured breast; black sharp bill. Hammehkop. A wader; its big head, long neck, and short tail give it a most grotesque appearance. Its black beak, three inches long, is narrow. 460 The Giraffe Bird. witli sharp n(l;^o on the top and 11 poiutcil huok at the end. Colour, a hfimtiful hroii/c vi^lvcty hrowii ; the priniarics arc .sonicwliat darki-r than the rest of the feathers. It feeds on froj,'s and Crustacea, fish, &c. Mahou. A hird known to the natives hy this nnnie inlmhits tlio k'j,'unf,' forest. It is leu inches long. With its crested head and long, slightly curved beak, it looks like the hoopoe. The neck, brea.st, and ahdomen are a bright reddish-brown; the crest feathers, about an inch and a half long, are tipped with black ; a black bar divides till! neck feathers from the back and shoulders, and below it, for an inch, there are narrow curved bars, light brown tinged with ornnge, divided by black t)nes. Next to the tail is u white bar, extending to the tail feathers, which are a shiny iMittle-green. The wings are the sr.me colour except the inner quills, >yhich are barred with white and black tinged with light brown. Quail. The Kalahari quail is about half the size of the Virginian quail, measuring only four inches in length ; when sitting down it does not look niudi larger than a. sparrow. Wing feathers darkish brown, barred with light-ln-own spots. From the top of the head to tail the dark-brown Itarred feathers have a creamy-white centre, which looks like a sejiarate jiointed feather. Throat yellowish-brown, short black beak, and reddish legs. Camel Bibd. A kind of hornbill; eighteen inches long; tail eight inches; its upper beak a dirty yellow with black shades, about two ani|ion it, wliicli it (loos witli a roar. The lion is uotavcrsn to [iroouro a, HUppcr, if po.ssiltlc, witliotit 80 much troultlc, ami in fact wouM not n^fusi; the rcninanlH nf any putrid carcaMi!. It rarely over attacks man, ami only in oxtromo casoa of hun^,'('r will it attack a camp. TImn the Imm'ucs arc the ohjcct of its visit, as it has a i^reat partiality for Iioi'hc- Hesh. Many hiintors Hpoml months, scuin^' the Hjuwr tlaily and hearing' their roar almost ni^'htly, without cvor cati'hing sij^'ht of one, while others have Imumi attacked in their cainpH, and lost either horses or oxen. The hunters say wluiu the lion roars there is no dan),'er, as he has had his supper. Lions usually hunt in comiiany, and when they succeed in pull in;,' a ^'irafle down, their first hnn^'er is satislieil with the entrails. No doubt the blood ami entrails of the animals slake their thirst, although the nativeu say they eat the Buniu (water- melon), which I doubt. Hare (Zv.W!v:^#c^i*'*»«' Monkeys. 4''^5 inni'ss lins no matin. 11' slmiildcr, Iml tin- iihoiit flt.'Vt'U fi'ct ill lis at ni^'lit for iU 'Uth-lin;iii(l, ati'aliiij,' itiif liiiiiml U|i()ii it, to i»ri)(!ur() II Hii|)|M'r, i wmiM not I'l'fiiso T att'ickn man, and ft camp. Tliini the partiality for hoi'HC- 11! Hjioor daily and li'iiing 8ij,'lit of one, nd lostcitiior horsea urt! is no danj,'('i', as coinpany, and wlien lmn}i(!r is Katisliml ails of thu animals at thu eania (watur- iLjlisli hare in colour iig twenty-three feet spots, and the other r, while the former lid seed-pods of the "K very shy, they S or rather families, about by himself, ;nly surprised, but f he discovers the ked meat (liiltonj:;). 3 make whip-stalks used for shoe-soles, ;r been brought to rearing). at numbers on the rooky m^nntain^* b>rderiii>,' the Oraii;;.' Kiver. and a few are found on till' Villi's nf til.' dry l»'d of tlie Nosob. Sovend timea they wer« ,.,.,■11 nil th.' .l.'s.ut far away from watrr, wliiuh tli.'y air supposi'd to liiivi' til-' power of tiii.liiii,'. Tlu'y movf about in lai>,'e bands of hundreds of ;ill sizes ami a>,'.'s, living' on scor|>ioiis, insets, and roots, tlie favourite food beiiiK the kiki, the bulb of which they readily tind wlien tlie stem 1ms disapi^eared. Tiiey are v.^ry .uniiiiiK, an.l are rarely seen ex.'epl on tli.- elitls, where they make their iioiiies in the eaves. To hunt them single-handed is very .lauKerous, as the full-f,'iown ones attain the si/.e of a mastilf, and they are armed with two eanine teeth two iin^ies loiij,'. Colour a dark j,'reyisii-))iown, with black face and muzzle. lIiri'opoTAMUs (HiiipopotitviuM ami>hibiiii>\ or Kiver Horse. A native of most Afrieaii rivers, ami still to be found in the Lower Orange HiviT. The average height is about five I'eet, with very short legs, and very bulky, unwieldy bodies. Colour dark brown. The skin, which looks as' if oil was oozing from it, is covered with black spots. Amphibious; but lives mostly in the water; feeds on roots, grass, and bushes. Aakd Yaahk (Oryi-frropuH mpnmx). An ant-eater ; armed with powerful claws that will dig through the hardest dwellings of the ants, on which it ieiMls, or the hardi-st grouml to dig its hole, which is large enough for a man to crawl into. It is said to dig faster with its hoof-like claws than a man will with ft spade. Length about five feiit : the strong thick tail, about twenty inches, is thinly covered with f rents, j,'raMH, ami liush.'K. Tim imtivcM make «jaiiilM)kM (wliipH) out of tin- Hkin, lUttin^ it into HtripH, tlryiiiK it, ami then \H\y'\\v^ it ilowii to the Hhajic with u knift). Sueh a wiiip will last lor yearn. DoHHi, (ir Ki.ii' Haam (/////(ir raptiinin). Ahout a.** lar|,'e as a nililiit ; covered with noft tlark-brown fur. Inhahilrt all the rocky portious of the Kalahari, takiuK itH ahodo among tho crovict'S ami fiHsuroM of the rocks. It ha.s little hoofs liko a jiiK- I« very K"'"" I eating when yo)i can get one, which is ilitli- cull, art it in very shy. If you are discoveretl hy the sentinel on f,'uard, he warns his comrailes that there is dauKcr in the air, and you may hunt another liour without seeiuK one stick his nose out. The most e.\tra(M-dinary thing ahout this iiniocent thing is that naturalists have clasaed it as one of tiie pachydermata. Hio-Eauko Doo (Otori/oii miijiiliitin). Ahout thi" size of a small fox ; a heautiful light-grey colour, inter- spcrsed with liig hlack hairs ; the ears are longer than its head ; legs darker than the body. QuAtKiA {Asintm quwjija). Rosemblcs a wild ass anil zelira mixed, only the stripes arc not nearly as thick, nor do they reach the feet ; the rest of tho body is l)rown. Koams the Kalahari in herds, and its flesh and skin are much sought after by the natives. Zkhiia (Afinm zehra}. Tlu' most beautiful of the family of asses. Cohair creamy-white, marked regidarly with black stripes covering tbo greater paii of tho body down to the hoofs, the nuirkings strongly rt'sembling those of the Bengal tiger. The body stripes are vertical, tliose of the legs horizont^d. Knd of tail black, abdomen and between legs creamy- white. Found in herds near mountainous country and sometimes on the plains. The zebra obtained was the true zebra, not Burchell's zebra. Klepuant {Loxodonta afrknna). This huge pachyderm i^^ being rapidly driven out of South Africa, although the Government have reserved parks for its preservation in their wild state ; but tho yearly permission given to kill one is often extended to several. The depredations which it commits in the sur a I On Its am bai rui It IS sp It rii It ai Ri o n it V f%'"- M>.-JirES''V»-<«0.*«*> rc^l^f -"-^ .^^WI».»MM«»««**v»«** Antcio/^i's. 465 known to attiirk a ( liiili' will ri'MJHt II of I'lxits, ^riiHH, mill of till' Hkiii, cutting' o tilt* hIiuiii! witli u ift iliirk-brown fur, , taking itH alHulo liiis litlli- lioofii liku oiu', which if* ililli- )iy the Heiitiml on ill the iiir, and you ; his nosr' out. Thu 1^' it* thai luituruliHts it-git-y colour, inter- thuii its head ; h'gn tho stripes are not rest of tho body is tie!ai't of tho resembling tlioae of 1, those of the legs jtween legs crcamy- ry and sometimes on obra, not Burchell's a), )Ut of South Africa, ^» for its im'servation ,'iven to kill one is ich it commits in the esi**m*i^:'>mir* mirrnunding district, are another Vau^e of its gvidual deer.**-. In a few years, save in /ululai.d, it will be extiiiet south .it the Orange and (.'rocoililo Itivers. Haiitkiikkstk (AI<'''l>h an r,x A full-grown bull will measure ov.-r six feet at the shoulders. It "is simarelv built, ami often puts ..n so much fat that it can be ridden down" more easily than any other antelope on the Kalahari. Its rtesh is most juicv. The odour is a pale giey.sll-broWll. liiere ,„.e two species, varying only in colour-the one being striped. VII uf these antelopes liv.' without water, the sU.'culent leaves and gm.ss furnishing sutficiei.t moisture for their wants. I noticed on some of them we shot, a Heshv protuberance on the nose, which the natives said was a bruise, but which showed no signs of having been injured, and wliich present.-d, when -'ut open, -piite a normal state, without any intlammation. Buffalo {liitlitilii.< KajJir). One of the fiercest of South African game, and sure to attack you, especially if wounded. Its blue-black skin is hard to penetrate with an or.linarv bullet. The bases of its wide horns comi.letely cover the top of its hea.l, forming an impregnable armour to the attack of other animals. Is gregarious in its habits, feeding principally at night, and ia fond of a shady repose in tho daytime. Sphint.-hok (AmiJonax I'licliori). A most appropriate name, and one which it deserves, from the extraordinary leaps which it is in the habit of making when alarmed, H h 466 Herds of Antelope. . ft jumping straight into the air from ten to thirteen feet, and frequently leaping in the sauio way for its own amusement. It is a very graceful an.l timid animal, roaming ahout in vast her.lsof from 10 to 50,000, following up the rainfall, to get fresh pasture. When they " trek, every one turns Bi«i*- .;«teiack, l)(nng equivalent to about six miles. In the following table the tiuies arc given •' on horseback :''— From Upington to Zwart Modder, direct, 10 hours. Upiugton to Arikaap, 2i hours . llain pan. Arikaap to Rooi Jilts, U hours . lirack pits. Eooi pits to Blau Lascli, 'l hours . liaiii pan. r.Uui Bosch to ( Jrundnusc, 2^ hours „ Grundnusc to Kukuji, 2 Imurs. Kukup to Zwart Moddcr, 2^ hours , „ Zwart Moddcr to Zout Pits, \ hour „ Zout Pits to Ploaifontein, \ hour „ r>lomfontein to K' Abeam, 1 hour \, K' Abeam to Spring-bok Vlcy, 1 hour Vley. „ Spring-bok Vley to K''hamkigora, 2 liours "^'ley and pit. K'hanrkigora to Anerougas, 2i hours Dam. Anerougas to Schoon Veldt, U hours Large dam. Schoon Veldt to Rautenbachs, 3 hours Brack pit and rain lake. liautenbachs to ^lier, 2 hours . . Fresh and brack pits. ri F liain pan. Pain pan. Fresh water pit. ISrack pit. Fresh water. Large pool. From Zwart Moddee, down the Hyob, to the Hundred FAiiLs : U to 2 days horseback, 3i to 4 days ox-waggon. From Zwart Modder to X'Gous, U hoiirs . „ X'Gous to SnuiUtish, 1 hour . „ Smallfish to N'eintas U hours „ N'eintas to Harper's Gorge, 2 hours . „ Harper's Gorge to Orange Berg Werf, 2| hours . . . . . Fresh pit. Fresh pit. Fresh pit. Fresh pit. Orange River, ^ ■a*fl^»SBB"4«S,*, -««K"^->=^*'SfiHN' ^a4ws.»A«f!Siei«iW(i«»«*«^ifiaMiW>*^^ Table of Distances. 469 it the natives grind leir faces with. s. 6 or 7 (lays with B hour — each hour, ;. Ill the following s. pan. k iiits. L pan. I pan. 1 pan. li water pit. k pit. h water. ;o pool. ,' and pit. I. ;<" dam. :k pit and rain lake. ill and brack pits. Iyob, to the x-waggon. sh pit. sh pit. sh pit. sh pit. mge Eiver, From Orange Ecrg AYcrf to the Hundred Falls, U hours . • • • Orange River. From the Hundred Falls to Upington : li days on horseback, 3 days ox-waggon. One road follo^ the ,iver ; tL other saves the bends by going across country. 1 give vhe latter : — Orange Berg Werf to Lilagh Hoghta, ^^^ ^^^^^^ \\ hours .•••■* „ Lilagh Hoghta to Xuit O.'.laght, " „ ,^ . Orange Kivei. 3 hours . . ■ • Pivor Nuit (ledaght to rpington, 4 hours . Orange luvu. Traders' route from Upington to Damaraland. The distances vary considerably ^^^^ ^^^J^''^ ;! ^ - hours " beinc^ nearer ten nule>s than six, others less. \\ ater is also to Had tt^veen these places. The average distance from water to water is about 2 hours ,a.ul the greatest distance is 8 .- From Upington to Zwart Modder, 10 hours Fresh water. , Zwar^Modder to Hodap, U hours . Freshwater. Hodap to Scrap Klep, U hours Hcrap Klep to Ungas, ^ hours Ungas tcj Kheis, 2\ hours Kheis to Leo River, 7 hours . " Leo River to Warm Bakies, 3 hours . Warm Bakies to Zwart Modder, ;U hours ..••■■ Zwart Plodder to Blau, 3 hours 'I Blau to Daboras, 8 hours Daboras to Amadap, 6 hours . • ^, . " Amadap to X'arougas, or Oup, 5 hours 1. resh wate^ " N'arou.lastoZettFontein,12hours Freshwater. ;: Zett Fontein to Zwart Modder, It ^^^^^^^^^^^^ '^^'^'^^^::^^.r^.v. of Mauassa,'the chief of the Red Nation. Fresh water. Fresh water. Fresh Avater. Fresh water. Fresh water. Fresh water. Fresh Avater, Fresh water. Fresh water. 4 yo Warm Springs. From (^iiakcngns to liittcr Pits, H liours . Fi'esh water. „ Dittcr Pits to I,eckcf "Water,' 7 lioiirs Fresh water. ,, Leoker Water to Kaiikuis, 4 liours . Fresli water. ,, Kaukui.s (Abbas Mouiitaiiis)to Wiiid- liock,' 7 hours .... Fresh watin-. „ AViiulliock to liurmen, 10 hours . Fresli M-atcr. ,, ]>arnieu to KHiii liarmeu/ 2 hours . Fresh water. „ Klim IJarmeu to Kiver Pit,' -t hours. Fresh Avater. „ Kiver Pit to Ouit Drei,^ 2 hours . Fresli water. „ Ouit Drei to ( )jiiubi'i>,!J!ue, 2 hours . Fresli water. 2 Four ,sund-(luiies, not very heavy. ■' 1000 springs come out of the Aviiite liiuestoue niountain.s, forming a stream that remains warm for miles. * On the Swachob Kiver. \ ill water, ill water, ill wutor. h wat(M'. ill ■water. h wator, h Avater. li water, li water. inouiitainH, formins INDEX. Abram's Dam, 85. Africander. Jan, 27f. Agriculture among the Bakalahaii, •211. Ah, The, 288. Anerougas, 274. Dam, 378. Anna Falls, the, 400. Trees, 257. Antelopes, 57, 67, 81, 1 60, 181, 238, 317, 354, 465. Ants, Edible, 107. , White, 108, 455. ArchiBological discovery. A, 2o8, 357. Avoc.ts, 128, 130, 458. Baboox. Eating a, 421. Baden-Powell, Mr.. 445. Bakalahari, The, 210. Bakaris, 146. Balalas, The, 199. Bangweketsi, The, 187. Bartlett, Mr., The Missionary, 08. Bastard Encampment, A, 47, 99, 115, 377. families, 116, 276. Bastards, Customs of, 84, 281, 284, 295. ] History of the, 279. Bats, 301. Beer, A curious, 433. Bees, Wild, 107, 341. , Hunting, 341, Beetles, 251, 359, 456.^ Berry, A peculiar, 217. , An edible, 290. Biltong, Making, 315, 355. Bird's iie.st, A large, 197, 360. _ Birds of the Kalahari, 48, 53, 60, 86, 128, 130. 196, 231, 288, 298, 304, 402. 456, Blasting the Blue ground, 30, 42. Blue ground. The, 20, 26. 30. " Boer," Meaning of the word, 4. , The " honest," 10, 443. salutation. A, 47. 49, 105. residence, A, 9. 69. family, A, 4, 38. , Character of, 49, 82, 438, 443, 444, 445. Book rocks. 397. •' Boy," Origin of the term, 279. Brak river, 443. Buffalo hunt, A, 265. , Bulbs (see " roots " and " plants. ) Bug, A scented, 251. Bushman, Killing a, by mistake, 346. Bushman's potato, 106. rice. 107. i Bushmen, the, 98, 442. , their food, 105, 152, 438. medicines, 202. , Hill. 123,438. , Sculptures by, 124. , Gluttony of, 125, 254. ; Butterflies, 333, 454. Cactus, poisonous, 103. : Camel-bird, The (see Giraffe-bird). Campbell, 57. Carboom. 440. Caun, the trader, 147, 363. ! Carrion plant. A, 436, 449. I Cattle, Price ofi 63. I 4:^>- 472 Index. ("little ranche, A, in S. Africa, 2;36. tliseast's, 11, ti4. , Damara. 14}', -272, 'M\. Chameleon, A, .'{;{4, \U'i. (Christie, Mr., 71. Chrysalis, Eating, 1 76. Church, Going to, with the Bas- tards, 282. Colesburg Kopiije, 10. Conjnring in the Desert, lOl. Cope's F'arni, Ho. Cows, Value of, 184. Cranes, 120. Cricket, (iiant, 288. Cruelties to the Natives. :?t)0, 443. Damahas, The, 150, 271. , King of the, 272. Dams, Value of, 10, 14, 85 {necdho " Irrigation "). Davis, Mr., 06. De Aar junction, 6. Detective department, The, 26. Dews, Heavy, 362. Diamond brokers, 21 . companies, 18, 24, 37. mines. The, 18. .A big, 110. stealers, 31, 36. , The first, 18. sorting, 3.". washing, :>2. — ;— Falls, 413. Diamonds, Swallowed, 31. , Value of, 35, 37. , Hunting for, 111. Dirk, 150. Diseases of cattle, &c., 11, 64, Distances, Table of, 468. Docha, or wild hemp, 125, 212. Drought, A great, 3, 5, 76. Ducks, 129, 231. Dwarf, A, visits us, 168. Dwai-f, The, of Lake N'gami, 178, 262. EAU-nE-CotOG>'E as a beverage, 212, 321. Eland, 238. Elephant hunt, A, 257. Elevation, Gradual, of the Con- tinent, 271. Euphorbia candelabra, 385. Falls of the Orange River, 382, 380. , compared with Niagara, 417. Farini Towers, 404. Fai-tein, Michael, 74. Flamingoes, 120. Flora of the Kalahari, 103, 126, 131, 180, 212, 290, 379, 385, 436, 4-17. Forest, A, 10.5, 236. Fritz («-r " I'll-vatch-it "). Fryer, Mr., 430. Funeral customs, Curious, 272. Game, Abundance of, 71, 285, 317. Gainka Kiver, 4. Garden, King Mapaar's, 211. , A beautiful, 435. Geese, 120 {see aim " Waterfowl.") Gems-bok, 160, 317. , Hunting the, 354. Geology of the Kalahari, 417, 467. Ghanze, 245, 251. Giraffehunt, A. 291,318. , white spotted, 295, 462. bird. The, 304, 460. , Catching a young, 322. , Skinning a, 324. Gnu, or wildebeest, 130. Gordon, General, Death of, 121. Gorilla rock, 398. Grapes, 431. Grass in the Desert, 127, 131, 168, 184. Griqua chieftainess, A, 6(). Griqua Town, 68. founded, 74. Griqua land sold to the English, 72. , King of, 72. Grosbeak nest, X large, 196, 360. Groot Drink, 430. Guinea-fowl, 402. Habits and Customs of Natives, 08, 123, 215, 226, 255, 272. Halliburton, Secretary to Dirk Verlandcr, 284, 371. Harris, Mr., Murder of, 169. Helm, the Missionary, 75. Herraras, The, 72. Hercules Falls, The, 398, 414, 426. Hexe Mountains and Hiver, 2. HipjKipotamus, 429. Index. 473 e Orange Biver, 382, rcil with Niagara, -il?. rs, 404. hael, 74. e Kalahari, ]0:?, 126, 12, 290, 379, ;{8r., 436, 1.',, 236. 'll-vatch-it "). l-:w. oms. Curious, 272. dance of, 71,280,317. r.4. g Mapaar's, 211. itiful, 435. ee aho " Waterfowh") SO, 317. ig the, 354. be Kalahari, 417, 467. , 2ol. , A. 291, 318. ipotted, 29o, 462. be, 304, 460. ng a young, 322. ng a, 324. ebeest, 130. eral. Death of, 121. 398. Desert, 127, 131, 168, bainess, A, 60. 1, 68. I, 74. sold to the English, 72. f, 72. jt, A large, 196, 360. 439. 402. Customs of Natives, 5, 226, 255, 272. Secretary to Dirk , 284, 371. Murder of, 169. issionary, 75. le, 72. lis. The, 398, 414, 426. ains and River, 2. us, 429. Honey-beer and its effects, 343. Hope Town, 7. 444. Horse diseases, 64, l , My, is drowned, 118. , Buying a, 80. Horses, " Houses for," 154. Hottentot medicines, 433. Hottentots, The, l-V), 381.. Hundred Falls, The, 418 {acv. aho " Falls of (Jrange Eivcr "). Hunting among the Bakalahari, 214, 218. Hyena, The, 302, 467. , Eating a, 127. Illicit diamond buying, 22, 2.I. " I'U-vatch-it." Rescue of, 179. Insects. 107, 108, 246, 288, 341, 453. , Scented, 251. Irrigation dams, IQ, 14, 85. ^ works at Upington, 435. Jackal, The, 288, 301, 4*57. , Eating a, 289. j Jan, the driver, 44. is lost, 88, 101. ^ I Janssen, the Missionary, 74. i Judging distances, 66. K'Abiam Pool, 381. Kaffirs and civilization, 27. Kalahari, The, Birds of. 48, 53, 6.). 86, 128. 130, 196, 231, 1'88, 298, 304, 402, 456. , Flora of, 103, 126, 131, 180, 212, 290, 379, 385, 436, 447. Geology of, 417, 467. ., Insects of, 107, 108,246,288, 341,453. ^ ^ , Game in, 71, 28o, 317. . , Mammalia of, 461. , Grass in the, 127, 131. 158, Kamahamahero, King, 2^2- Kameroo, The, 374, 376. Karroo, The Great, 2, 3. Katteah, The, 177. Kattea tribe, 348. Kerses, 274. Kert, our guide, 97. adventures ot,in England, lo4. K'gung-trees, The, 195, 236. Kheis, i»4. Ki Ki mountain, The, 288, 3o6. Kiiuberley, 14, 38. Klas, 150. , .. ,. Kok, Corisi'lius, Widow ot, 59. bO. Koodoo hide, 2i K',. Koran, The, 65. 8(). Korauna. The, 114. 432. , War with, 369. Korap. Little, the tlwart, 171. Kuis, 147. " Lady Anna" bought, 80. killed. 366. Libuschaui vley 128, 130. 1 Lihutituiig, 203. I Lion impaled on gems-bok s horns, 165. , Bitten by a, 199. I , Habits ot, 305. , Photographing a, 307. , Long leap b> a, 306, 311. Lions, 153, 160, 238, 273, 461. , Hunting, 162, 239, 307. Livingstone, Dr., 58. Lizards, 451. Lost in the Desert, 135, 173. Lulu Falls, 396. Lung-sickness, 64. Makooe, the chief, 147. Mammalia of the Kalahari, 461. 1 Manners and customs of the Na- tives, 98, 123, 215, 226, 255, 272. Mapaar, the chief, 204, 207. I , his garden, 211. I Jlarriage made easy, 209. ' Marunitutlu, 237. Melon, cultivated, 211. ; wild (nee Sama). Meteor, A, 437. Mier, 275, 368. ]Mining pioneers, 40. Milk, Making thick, 216, 274. bush, The, 394. IVlilking the cows, 242. Missionaries, 75. M'Kabba tribe. The, 175, 2o2. Modder Kiver, 13. Moffat, Dr., 75. Monkeys, 102,421. Morality, Loose ideas ot, 210. Mules r. cattle, 46. , Losing the, 8(). ^W^^. Siji^^aiiagj*M#iafe»«iV'«>f..; .^5«*.Ji-- 474 Index. Namaqcm.am), No vain in, 5,7-. N'auboo, The, Wt\, M'ti, 152. Nest, A hu«e, 196, ;!00, of Hpifler, -KJ. Xewmaii, Mr., 05. Nicht CSetlaKbt, •!•:!(>. Night in a tree, A, "207. in the desert, A, lU-t. Noi buBh, The, 105. Nosob Kiver, 287. OuANGK River, The, 383. ' , ( "roHwing, H. ! , FallK of, :to2, 389. : . Terminus, 7. Ostrich i'urni, An. (i, 50, 445. I ■ hunting, 133, :i-25, 330. I eating, 134, 328. ' feathers, Vahie of, 327. - — , roaring. A, :i2!'. Ostriches, 12t), 4.J6. (.)xen y. Mules, !t4, 109,120, 3(35. Ox-riding, 122. Ox-yokes, 04. PAiiTiUDfiKS, Naiuaqua,48, 53, 85. Pheasants, 402. I'hotographing an explosion, 42. a lion, 307. the Falls, 399, 405, 426. Kimberley, 18. the Natives, 215, 223. Pillyass. 187, 230. Poisoned arrows, 254, 330. , How to make, 335. Poisonous roQts, Eating, 138. Porcupine, A, 126. Pont, A, .51, 115. Potiito, Bushmen's, 106. Precipice, Leap Oi^er a, 428. Prieska, 442. Prices of provisions at Kimberley, 38. Queen, The, and the Boers, 441. Quagga, 268. Eailavay, The, 6. Rautenbach's Pan, 281, 287, 376. Rain, Foretelling the, 229. Bain, Srnrcity of, 5, 72, 76. fall. Heavy. .55, 233, 241. Kaisin bushes, 290. Reef, Fall of, at the diamond niines, 19. Reptiles of the Kalahari, 356, 367, 374, 4.'.(). Rescue of a sick traveller, 1 79. Rhinoceros, Hunting the, 247. River-beds, Dry, l, 287. Rivers, Rapid rise and fall of, 13, .51, K»l, 405, 414. Roads in South Africa, 88. Roots, Edible, 106, 126, 176, 271. , Poisonous, 106, 181, 379. Ruins on the Kalahari, 268, 357. Salt Pans, 377. Sama, The («re ulxn Water Melon), 131, 147, 179, 267, 324, 366, 381. — , How to cook, 150. - — , Bitter, 151. water. Washing in, 205. Sand-dunes, Crossing the, 108, 119, 287. Sandfontein, 273. Scorpion, Catching a, 246. sting, 246. Schoon Veldt Dam, 377. Scott, Mr. J., 434. Falls, 413. Sculptured dwellings of Hill-Bush- men, 124. Seeds, Collecting, 131. Skins, How to tan, 202. Smidt's Pont, 51. Smith, Coe 427. Snake, Bitten by a, 356, 367. : robbing a bird's nest, 360. bite. Cure for, 367, 374, 452. Snakes, 61, 450. Snipe, 129. Soenya, A, 187. Sorting diamonds, 34. Spirits, intoxicating. Taste for, 212. Spider, A large, 212, 455. Spring-bok, 67. , Poisoned, 181. venison, 12. Stampede of oxen, 244, 385. Stein-bok, 81. Stitf-sickness, 6t. Stink-wood, 52. T T T T Index. 475 ity of, r., 72, 7il. uavy. nr,, 2;!;;, -iw. es, -290. of, at the diamond the Kalahari, 356, 367, sick tiTivt'ller, 1 70. Hunting the, 247. Dry, L. 287. id rise and fall of, 1.3, »0, 414. luth Africa, 88. le, 106, 126, 176, 271. ions, 106, 181, :i7i>. e Kalahari, 268, '6hl. ;$77. Hve ahn Water Melon), 179, 267, :V24, 366, 381. o cook, ISO. , l.M. Washing in, 205. , Crossing the, 108, 119, ;, 273. atehing a, 246. 246. It Dam, 377. ., 434. 113. Iwellings of Hill-Bush- cting, 131. to tan, 202. it, 51. 1.27. n by a, 3-56, 367. J a bird's nest, 360. lire for, 367, 374, 452. 450. 187. nonds, 34. xicating. Taste for, 212. rge, 212, 455. 67. led, 181. 1, 12. E oxen, 244, 385. 1. js. 6t. 52. Stink plant. A. 136. Stones, Curious, 268. Tanmx(j Skins, 202. 'Peal, 232. 'I'emperaturc, The. 55, 3b2. Thirst, Death from, 135. Tlinnderstorm, A, 55. Timber cutting, 5. Tree, A night in a, 296. Trial, I am put on my, 225. Truffles, 2.>l-. Turtle-dove, The, 57. UrisciTON, 434. VAALPE>s,»rhe, 237, 348,349. Vaal River, The, 51. Verlander, Dirk, 275,368. Virtue's Farm, 62. Vultures, 288, 298,457. , Range of vision of, 3W. Waogox, Packing our, 44, 182. War between Uamaras and Na- nuujuas, 149. Washing diamonds, 33. Watering the cattle, 244._ Watorkier, Orontes, 72, 76. Water-melon, The, 106, 211, 2..1 (s- fl also Sama). Water, Subterranean. 126, 132, 198. , Scarcity of, i:il, 245, 353. fowl, 128, 2:M», 380. , ;Muddy, to drink, 145. , Collecting, in egg-shells, 353. insects, 359, 456. Wells, 8.5, 147. Wheat, 211, 372. Wildebeeste, 130. Wilkerhout's Drift, 110, 438. Wire fencing, 14. Witch-doctor, A, 187. , I become a, 230. Wittewater, 80. , Women, Scarcity of, at Kimberley, 23. Zebuas, 268. Zechobaar, 86. Zwart Modder, 383. t ■.m-ammmt-'-' I.ONDOX! rilNTBD BY (.II.nKBT AND BITINGtOIT, LIlIIIltD, ST. JOIIN'H BtlDABE. 3i O a ■■A 3 I ■"^'i^mmr :i^^^;^:s»f^rmr^^^!'?s^'^^'^^^^^^^^^^^' IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) 7 ^ A A ^ V :/. 1.0 I.I ■-1^ 121 |50 "■■ 1™^ tii iU 112.2 1^ ■- IM L8 1.25 11.4 IIII1I.6 ''^^ ^ ;> 7 Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 W«T MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) $72-4503 CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHIVI/ICIVIH Collection de microfiches. 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