Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub

DESERT SPORTS OF AFRICA.

(Continued from page 425, vol. vi.)

"I FOUND our camp pitched upon a little stream called the Bloom Spruit, near a small party of Dutch emigrants. These people, on hearing of my prolonged absence, had kindly volunteered their services in prosecuting the search after me. The plains in which I had spent the night of the 4th, they represented to be overrun with lions and hyenas, against which a party had only recently proceeded by the very road that conducted us to the scene of our bivouac on the night in question.

"Crossing the False River, we travelled, for some hours, over a succession of bleak plains, destitute alike of wood and water hearing terrible accounts of the lions in this quarter, we halted somewhat earlier than usual, to form a pen for the better security of the cattle. After considerable difficulty, a sort of enclosure was made, into which were thrust, pell-mell, oxen, horses, sheep and goats, who, by their continual starting, kicking, and rushing to and fro, kept every soul in camp sufficiently watchful, till the gradual approach of day relieved us from all apprehension of being attacked by wild beasts. Pursuing our route over the same description of country, we halted, on the afternoon of the 10th, on the bank of a partially dry rivulet. Close to the spot was the fresh print of a lion. Thompson stumbled upon his majesty in the evening, attended by his avant-couriers, the jackals, but, being quite alone, he considered it prudent not to disturb him.

"On the 12th of July, we reached the Vaal River, a noble stream that takes its rise about 150 miles west of Delagoa Bay, and joins the Orange River a few miles below the Missionary station of Campbellsdorp, in lat. 18° 30' south. We had not been many minutes on the ground, before we were visited by some Boors, whose pertinacious inquisitiveness respecting our movements, prepared us to expect some more decided opposition to our farther advance than any that had hitherto been offered to us. The result showed that we had not judged incorrectly, for scarcely had the day broke, the next morning, when two Dutchmen were observed riding towards the camp, who, after the customary salutation of the day, proceeded to inform us that they had strict orders not to allow any wagons to pass the river during the absence of the commando, that had taken the field against the Zoolahs, and of which nothing had been heard for six weeks. Having completely gained the hearts of our visitors, by that never-failing charm, a soopsee of the real cognac, we returned to solicit their advice, representing that our leave of absence was limited, that our stock of provisions was rapidly diminishing, and that any further delay would completely defeat the end of our long journey. They suggested our applying to the Lendroost De Clerk, who resided forty miles off, for permission to cross the river, and they promised us a letter and a guide to that functionary; it was accordingly decided, that Fitzgerald, under the guidance of a Bushman Hottentot, should proceed, the next day, to the residence of the Lendroost. Having, with some difficulty, got rid of our guests,

[blocks in formation]

whose troublesome familiarity increased in exact ratio with the quantity of brandy they swallowed, we mounted the after riders, and took the field for a hunt. I rode down a couple of zebras, having previously half exhausted my little horse, in a fruitless gallop of half an hour after a pair of ostriches: my companions were not so successful, owing either to the worthlessness of their horses, or to their being over weighted.

66

Before daylight, the next day, I was awakened by the firing of guns from the opposite side of the river. Scarcely knowing what to make of it, I had slipped on my clothes, and was proceeding to awaken our people, when my apprehensions were set at rest by one of the drivers, who had discovered that it was only a salute firing in honour of the safe return of the commando. Shortly afterwards, several wagons were seen moving in different directions, on their return home. From one party, that halted near us, we learnt that the expedition, after penetrating some twenty marches into the interior, had come suddenly upon a party of Raad Caffers, by whom they were informed that Moselikatse, together with his son, had both been destroyed, some months since, by a powerful tribe to the N.E., with whom they were at war at the time. How far this statement may be true, remains to be seen; but the fact of the present expedition having penetrated so far as 500 miles into the Zoolah territories, without finding any traces whatever of sheep or cattle, and without encountering any of their foes, excepting a small number in a solitary kraal of eight days from the Dutch camp, if it does not confirm the correctness of the story, would, at least, lead to the conclusion, that Moselikatse and his tribe have suffered some great reverses, and that they will never again be in a position to annoy the emigrants on the Vaal River. None of the Boors really credit the story of Moselikatse's death; they only affected to believe it, because they were tired of an expedition that presented to them no prospect of ultimate success, and were glad of an excuse to return to their homes. Following in the wake of one of their wagons, I observed a little Bushman, and some Kafers of both sexes, who were being hurried away from the land of their birth, to become slaves for the rest of their lives. The head of the emigrant party on the Vaal River, is one Henry Potgeiter, a man well calculated for the post of leader, by courage, skill in the field, and by a thorough acquaintance with the character of the barbarians with whom he has to deal. The chief of the other great party at Port Natal, is 'Petorius,' who, since the defeat and death of Dingan, has been studying how he may best increase his power, and extend his influence in this quarter. This was the authority to whom 'Fitzgerald' was to have proceeded this morning, when the sudden return of the army induced us to alter our plans, and send a deputation to Potgeiter instead. It was accordingly arranged that my two companions should ride forthwith to the head quarters of the emigrants on the Mooe River. On the third day after their departure, I received a despatch from my friends, enclosing a pass for the free passage of the camp across the river, of which I hastened to avail myself without further loss of time.

"Sunday, the 19th, we entertained a select party at dinner, consisting of the commandant, his brother, and one or two other members of the council, together with some half dozen others, who were not

invited, amongst which latter number was one gentleman who, possessing no particular feature, I should have passed over altogether, but for two remarkable peculiarities, one of which was his using the carving fork as a tooth-pick, and the other, his dining in his night-cap. The party seemed much pleased with their reception, notwithstanding our limited establishment rendered it impossible to give every guest a chair and a plate: everything was eaten up in no time, each succeeding dish being pronounced to be more likkur (delicious) than the preceding one; after dinner, came tea, coffee, and tobacco, under the combined influence of which the commandant perpetrated some jokes, which appeared to give much satisfaction to the gentleman wearing the head dress. During this stage of the entertainment, the atmosphere of our little tent had assumed a colour and consistency not unlike to peasoup, out of which I was not sorry to see our distinguished guests make their exit a little before the clock struck nine.

6

"Early on the morning of the 20th, we were once more under way, and crossing the bubbling stream whose exceeding purity has obtained for it the name of the Mooe River,' we soon lost sight of the emigrants' camp. Our road, if the faint impression of a few cattle and a wagon-wheel can be said to constitute one, ran over vast plains, which were terminated, to the eastward, by the round, blue hills, in which the River Vaal takes its rise; on every other side the hideous expanse was only bounded by the distant horizon, and, as if to complete this dismal picture, the whole country, as far as the eye could reach, had recently been burnt, which gave to the landscape an appearance of almost an unearthly devastation. Emerging from this gloomy scene, on the following morning, we found ourselves entering a more wooded country, the blackened waste being now varied by occasional groups of the Doorn tree; but, as we advanced still farther, the country again began to present the same features of utter desolation, and it was now becoming but too evident, that the grass had purposely been fired, in order to obstruct our advance, by the Maetatees, a tribe of crafty savages that infests the country between the Vaal River and the Cashan range.

"On the 4th day, as we were sailing over this blackened waste, three lions were descried at a short distance from the wagons: speedily saddling our horses, my companions and myself, headed by our Dutch allies, advanced to give them battle. They were two lionesses and a lion; the former, not relishing the smell of gunpowder, made off immediately on perceiving us, to some heavy thorn-bushes; the latter, however, disdaining flight, took up his position on a stony eminence, where he boldly awaited the attack. As the balls began to play about him, he showed every disposition to charge, but he had enough in hand in repelling the attacks of the dogs, that were worrying him from behind; and, before he could gather himself up for a rush, a ball from the Dutchman's long 'Rover' had taken effect in his ribs, and put it out of his power to assume the offensive. Advancing now quietly, we arrested his spring with a well-directed volley, and he fell from his lofty position, to rise no more. He was a fine specimen of the male lion, measuring eleven feet six inches. The same day we saw, for the first time, the largest and most beautiful of the antelope tribe, the graceful eland. Some of those elegant animals were observed within a few hundred yards of the wagons, quietly grazing under the shade of

straggling thorn trees. Startled at our approach, they soon broke into a long gallop, but at the end of a mile and a half their race was ended, and a single ball, discharged at arm's length, terminated the career of three of these beautiful creatures. The flesh of the eland is infinitely superior to that of any other animal in South Africa, it possesses all the properties of the finest beef, whilst it retains the flavour of the fattest and most delicious venison. The three specimens were female, and measured about fifteen hands; the bull not unfrequently attains the enormous height of eighteen and nineteen hands. These animals are furnished, by nature, with a most formidable weapon of defence, in the shape of a pair of magnificent straight horns, pointed backwards, varying from two to three feet in length, which they are not slow to make use of when wounded, or when too closely pressed by the huntsman. A melancholy accident occurred recently, to a young Dutchman, who was with the late commando. He was hunting an eland that he had wounded, and, having ridden alongside of the animal, was in the act of delivering his second shot, when his horse tripped, and he fell within a few paces of the wounded beast, who, turning instantly upon its pursuer, gored him to death before any assistance

could be rendered.

"The 7th day we entered Cashan Mountain, and transporting our heavy vans, with difficulty, down an almost impracticable descent, we found ourselves at once in a picturesque country, abounding with wood, water, and grass. On the 27th two more elands were seen and ridden down by Thompson and myself, in a few minutes; the next day three rhinoceros were seen, one of which I followed, with the younger Potgeiter, over several miles of infamous ground, but was obliged to give up the pursuit, after wounding the animal twice in the neck, in consequence of my companion's horse getting away from him. On the 28th we were joined by a large party of savages, under whose guidance we threaded our way, through a hilly and thickly wooded country, to the banks of the 'Clerkling.' Here we viewed four more elands : whilst in hot pursuit after one of these, I was charged by a huge rhinoceros, who was under my horse's nose before I was aware of his approach; another of these beasts was observed standing about 100 yards from the camp, amongst some straggling thorn trees, cautiously creeping up against the wind. We had arrived within fifty paces of him, when the sudden snapping of a lock attracted the animal's attention towards us. He was immediately saluted with three shots, with which he made off; we followed on the bleeding trail, and soon found the animal at bay, and the Dutchman's dogs hanging on his tail. Under cover of some low bushes, we approached to within twenty-five yards, when we despatched him with a couple of shots behind the shoulder.

"On the 31st, whilst encamped on the banks of the 'Folaan,' we were in some danger of having our further hunting operations brought to a sudden close, through the carelessness of a stupid servant of Thompson's, who thought fit to light a fire to windward of the wagons, when it was blowing half a gale. Instantly communicating itself to the long grass with which we were surrounded, the fire spread with fearful rapidity, when the opportune arrival of some fifty savages, bearing branches, which most fortunately they had at that moment cut down for the construction of their temporary huts, enabled us to get

the fire under before it had reached the wagons. Early the next morning, having received intelligence that a large herd of elephants had passed to the westward during the night, we saddled our steeds, in order to follow the trail. A few hours' diligent search through a densely wooded country, brought us in sight of the herd on the banks of the River 'Moriqua.' A noble sight now opened upon our view; a hundred wild elephants, in all their native majesty, and in all the dignity of unfettered freedom, stood within a few paces of us, indolently fanning themselves with their huge ears, and ever and anon uttering the faint cry that is peculiar to these extraordinary animals. Our stealthy approach was observed ere we had advanced many steps, and the alarm being speedily communicated, the whole troop rushed madly along the wild wood, sweeping everything before them in their resistless course. The ground was peculiarly unfavourable for us, owing to the density of the forest, which prevented our following the herd on foot without considerable danger; nor were we much better off when mounted, as all the horses showed symptoms of fear on being confronted with these gigantic brutes. The consequence was that, though several of the troop were severely wounded, only one was bagged, a female, who, with an old-fashioned calf, was rash enough to quit the security of the wood for the open plain. On the death of her mother, the little one seemed quite to comprehend the nature of its loss, and to understand from what quarter it would have henceforth to look for protection; by a kind of instinct, it became at once perfectly tractable, and followed the horses quietly to camp, where it continued several days, when it suddenly pined away and died.

"The scene of our encounter with the elephants being upwards of twenty miles from the wagons, we were forced to bivouac for the night in the plain, with the starry heavens for our tent, and our saddles for our pillows. Notwithstanding such high authorities as Le Vailliant and Captain Harris, we preferred going to bed supperless, to venturing on broiled elephant ears, which delicate part, as well as all the other choice morsels of the animal, we abandoned to the stronger digestions of the savages. Leaving the wagons to proceed to a spot previously agreed upon, we took the field early on the 3rd to hunt the giraffe, some of those extraordinary animals having been observed by the savages, about sunrise on that day. An hour's ride over a brown grassy plain, brought us to the edge of an extensive mimosa grove, where we immediately descried the objects of our long search, the stately cameleopard. There were three; the bull, readily distinguishable by his dark chestnut coat, his mate, and their young calf. Putting spurs to our horses, we were soon in hot and eager pursuit after the magnificent trio, who, startled at our approach, were sailing, with incredible velocity across the plain, like ships over the ocean, bending their swan-like necks, ever and anon, as they gracefully glided between the groups of trees with which the landscape was enriched.

The ground was treacherous in the extreme, being full of rents and fissures, concealed from the view by the high rank grass with which the country was covered: putting his foot into one of these holes, Potgeiter's horse came down suddenly, and rolling upon his rider, left him in no condition to continue the chase. Thus far had the giraffes kept together, and thus far had my two companions

« AnteriorContinuar »