SEEKING THE DEAD ELEPHANTS--AMBUSCADE OF THE MATABILI WARRIORS--ESCAPE
OF HANS STERK AND HIS PARTY--BATTLE WITH THE MATABILI--THE SLAUGHTER OF
SIEDENBERG.
"The waggons can follow," said Hans; "that will be best. The Kaffir can
show where the dead elephants are lying, and we will ride on. Shall we
follow the spoor, Victor, or try and cut off the track?"
"Better follow the spoor, Hans, I think," replied Victor; "but what does
Heinrich say?"
"Follow the spoor from where we last saw the elephants; we are sure to
find them there."
It being thus agreed among the most experienced to follow the spoor, the
whole party mounted their horses and rode on their journey, little
expecting what was before them.
There was but little game visible to the hunters as they rode towards
the locality on which their yesterday's sport had been enjoyed; but this
they believed was due to the alarm which their firing had caused; for so
wide, is the country in Africa, that the animals can, if necessary,
journey their forty miles during the night, and yet obtain a good
grazing-ground free from interruption; so that a hunter rarely expects
to find game in any district which has been hunted on the day
previously, but looks for it some thirty miles distant. As the hunters
rode forward the sun rose, and dried up the heavy dew which had covered
the herbage during the night. The fog and mist were scattered before
his burning rays, and the country once more exhibited its tropical
appearance.
Hans, who had taken out his telescope to examine the country in various
directions, at length exclaimed, "There is one of the Kaffirs near the
elephants. How could he get there before us?"
"It is 'Nquane, perhaps; he is very quick, and may have passed us in the
fog."
"No," replied Hans; "'Nquane, like all Kaffirs, does not like going a
journey before the sun has dried and warmed the air. Can the man be a
stray Matabili?"
"No matter if he is," said one of the Boers. "Let us canter on; we
shall soon see."
The hunters increased their speed, and rode on towards their dead
elephants, but saw, as they approached, no Kaffirs; and all except Hans
began to doubt whether the figure he had seen really was a Kaffir, or
only a stump burned and blackened so as to resemble a man. The party
left the open country, and rode into the forest, being obliged to ride
in file along the paths made by the elephants. They had penetrated
about two hundred yards into the forest, when a shrill whistle was
uttered from the wood behind, and instantly from all parts of the bush
an armed Matabili warrior sprang to his feet. Two hundred men at least
appeared, forming a ring, in the midst of which were the hunters. These
warriors did not leave the white men long in doubt as to their
intentions; but beating their shields, and waving their assagies, they
rushed in towards their supposed victims.
With that readiness of expedient which a long training in such hunting
expeditions as those we have described is likely to produce, the
Dutchmen saw their only chance for escape. They turned their horses,
and firing a destructive volley at the Matabili who blocked the path in
their rear, spurred their horses, and charged at the opening which their
bullets and slugs had cleared. Each man retained a charge in one
barrel; and as each neared the enemy he fired from the saddle, and
mostly killed or disabled his foe. So sudden had been the attack, and
so rapid the retreat, that in five minutes from the first alarm the
hunters found themselves clear of the bush, and with no further loss
than two horses severely gashed by the assagies of their enemies, who
fortunately possessed no fire-arms.
"The men belong to the old villain Moselekatse," said Hans; "we must
fight them in the open and not spare a man, or our waggon and oxen will
be captured; let us halt and try to draw them out into this open bush.
Are you all loaded, men?" inquired Hans, who, though nearly the youngest
of the party, seemed at once to assume the position of leader.
"Yes, we are all, I think," replied several... "And here come the
Matabili, thinking to close with us. Now, for not wasting a single
charge, give them the bullet in the distance, buckshot when nearer, the
treacherous villains;" as he finished speaking he fired, and a dozen
bullets were discharged; immediately afterwards, the dull thud of the
bullets and the falling bodies of the enemy indicating the accuracy of
the aims. The party were waiting for the Matabili to approach within
range of buckshot and slugs; but Victor, luckily looking round, saw that
two detachments had been sent round on the flanks in an endeavour to
surround the horsemen, so that an immediate retreat was necessary.
Every one of the hunters was, however, able to load his weapon whilst
proceeding at full gallop; so that, having retreated far enough to
escape being surrounded, the Boers halted, faced about, and again
discharged their deadly weapons at the foe.
The leader of the Matabili soon saw that this system of fighting was not
likely to lead to satisfactory results, so he whistled a signal to his
men, who halted and began a retreat. The hunters however were not the
men to spare their foe, but followed on their traces, shooting down
their enemy with a fatal accuracy, until they reached the denser part of
the forest, where the hunters dared not enter on foot against at least
ten times their number, and where they could not enter on horseback. A
short council of war decided them to leave half their number to watch
the Matabili, whilst the remainder rode with all speed to the waggons,
to stop them in their advance, and to make preparations for their
defence in case an attack should be made upon them; for to defend
waggons was very much more difficult than to carry on the light cavalry
manoeuvres which had been so successful in the late attack of the black
warriors.
There are few incidents of greater interest in connexion with our
colonies than the desertion from our eastern frontier of the Cape of
Good Hope of a body of about 5000 souls, who, dissatisfied with the
Government to which they were compelled to own allegiance, departed with
wives, children, goods, cattle, and horses into the wilderness, there to
find a new home, far away from English dominion. It was in 1836 that
this singular emigration took place, and it was just previous to that
date that our tale commences.
Ruling over a large portion of country in about the twenty-sixth
parallel of latitude, there was a chief named Moselekatse, whose tribe
was termed Matabili. He was a renegade from the Zulu nation, and had by
his talents formed a nation of soldiers. Between the warriors of
Moselekatse and some Griquas, near the Orange River, several encounters
had taken place, the latter being usually the assailants, their object
being the capture of cattle, the Matabili being rich in herds. The
Griquas are a tribe of bastard Hottentots, many of them being nearly
white; and thus, in a Matabili's opinion, nearly every white man was an
enemy.
Believing that the ground on which they were hunting was too far from
the dominions of the Matabili chieftain to make the position a dangerous
one, Hans and his party had neither sent ambassadors to announce their
purpose of hunting, nor had they expected to meet any bipeds in the
district in which they had decided to hunt elephants. They probably
would not even have been heard of by the soldiers of Moselekatse, and
therefore not molested, had not a large party of the Matabili been
ordered to make a reconnaissance in the neighbourhood of Natal where the
Zulus were in force, and where it was said preparations were being made
for an invasion of the Matabili territory. These men on their return
heard the report of the white men's rifles, and at once believed it
would please their king if these rifles were brought into his presence.
Concealing themselves carefully from their intended victims, and sending
out a few spies to watch what was going on, the Matabili discovered
where the elephants had been shot, and at once knew that on the
following day the hunters would come to procure their ivory, so that an
ambuscade could be arranged and the hunters surrounded and taken at a
disadvantage. All was very carefully planned by the Matabili; but in
consequence of the rapid decision and skill of the hunters, their plot
was a failure. The Matabili were, however, formidable as enemies; they
plotted deeply before they acted; and had the hunters been aware of the
cunning of their foes, they would scarcely have felt as satisfied as
they did when they had driven their assailants into a dense cover, and
had thus compelled them to keep close, and change their attack into a
defence.
Five of the hunters remained near the bush to watch the enemy, whilst
five rode back towards the waggons; and thus the white men's forces were
divided. Following their back trail, the hunters rode at a canter in
the direction of their last night's outspan, eager to get to their
waggons, and either put them into a state of defence, or start them in a
direction away from that likely to be followed by the Matabili.
Hans Sterk, Victor, and three other Dutchmen formed the party that were
returning to the waggons. After riding at a canter for some miles, they
drew up and walked their horses, in order to allow them to regain their
wind.
"This will be a bad day's work for Moselekatse," said Victor, "for we
are too strong for him on the Orange river now; and if we make up a
commando and attack him, he would be sure to be defeated. He has enough
on his hands now with the Zulus, who will certainly make an attack on
him very shortly."
"We should have no difficulty in getting up a large party to attack the
Matabili; for they have thousands of cattle, and there would be much to
divide among those who ventured," replied one of the Boers.
"They nearly succeeded this morning in finishing us," said Hans. "Had
we not been very quick, and ready with our guns, they would have
surrounded us successfully; it is lucky they did not attack us last
night at the waggons; we should all have been slaughtered if they had
done so, as we should have been taken by surprise."
"Yes, it is lucky," said Victor; "and I don't see how we could have
escaped better than we have done, for, except that cut on your horse's
flank and a stab in Heinrich's horse's neck, we were untouched, whilst
we must have killed and wounded nearly fifty of the Matabili."
"Yes, we were fortunate," replied Hans; "but I wish we were two hundred
miles from here, with our waggons safely across the mountains. Here
comes 'Nquane, and he seems in a hurry."
No sooner did the Kaffir recognise the hunters than he ran towards them
with the greatest eagerness, making all manner of signals. As soon as
he came within speaking distance, he said--
"Chiefs, the Matabili came upon us at the waggons; they have killed
Copen and Jack, and carried off all the oxen and horses. Oh, it is bad
for us?"
Exclamations of anger and surprise were uttered by the hunters as they
heard this intelligence; for they knew that without oxen all the wealth
in their waggons was worthless, and could be carried off at any time by
Moselekatse's warriors, whenever they chose to come.
"How many Matabili were there?" inquired Hans.
The Kaffir opened and closed his two hands five times, thus indicating
there were about fifty men.
"Only fifty!" exclaimed Hans. "Let us after them at once; surely we can
beat away fifty Matabili; it is only ten apiece. You go back to the
waggons, 'Nquane, and wait there; we will soon bring you back the oxen."
The hunters immediately spurred on their horses, and rode rapidly in the
direction which the marauders had taken; and having ascended a conical
hill, Hans by the aid of his telescope discovered the oxen and their
capturers moving rapidly over the open country, and distant scarcely two
miles.
"A beautiful open country," exclaimed Hans; "just the place for a fight
on horseback, and we will give them a lesson of what we `Mensch' can
do."
Seeing that there was little or no bush before the Matabili, into which
they could effect their escape, the hunters did not distress their
steeds by too great a speed; but cantering steadily onwards they were
soon seen by the Matabili, who, leaving two of their number to drive the
horses and oxen, then spread out in open order, beating their shields
and shouting their defiance.
The horses ridden by the hunters were trained shooting horses, and were
not therefore likely to be alarmed by the noises made by these men.
Each animal also would allow its rider to fire from its back without
moving a muscle; and thus the five hunters, armed as they were, well
supplied with ammunition, and deadly as shots, were most formidable
enemies, more so than the Matabili seemed to think; for these men had
hitherto been opposed only to Hottentots and Griquas, whose courage and
skill they despised. When, therefore, the Dutchmen halted, and each,
selecting a victim, raised his rifle or smooth-bore to fire, the
Matabili uttered taunting yells, dodged from side to side to distract
their enemies' aim, and charged towards their foes.
Suddenly the five guns were discharged, and five Matabili rolled over on
the plain, each either killed or mortally wounded. The hunters
instantly turned their horses, and, galloping at speed, avoided the
charge of their enemies and the numerous assagies that were hurled after
them. Adopting the same plan as on the former occasion, the hunters
loaded as they rode away; and as soon as each man was ready, the signal
was given for a halt, when it was found that the Matabili, finding
pursuit useless, were returning after their stolen oxen. They did not
seem to suspect the style of warfare which the Dutchmen practised, as
they retreated very slowly, believing that their enemies were only
anxious to escape; they soon, however, found, their mistake, as their
enemies galloped up to within a hundred yards, and discharged their
barrels into the crowded mass, a dozen men either falling or limping
away badly wounded; for the heavy bullets and heavy charge of powder had
caused one shot, in some cases, to bring down two victims.
The Matabili, finding by experience the power and skill of their few
enemies, were now bent only on making their escape; and therefore,
separating, they ran in all directions, leaving the oxen to be
recaptured. Bent upon revenge, and upon freeing themselves from their
enemies, the hunters followed their foes, shooting them like so many
buck, until, finding their ammunition growing short, they returned to
their oxen, which had been quietly grazing, unconscious of the battle
that was being fought for their ownership. The animals being collected,
were soon driven off towards the waggons; and before the sun had long
passed the meridian, the oxen were inspanned, and the five Dutchmen and
one Kaffir were urging forward the spans in a direction the opposite to
that in which the Matabili's country lay. The two Hottentot drivers
were found dead, having been assagied by their enemies without mercy;
but few articles had been taken from the waggons, for the thieves did
not like to encumber themselves with much booty, as they hoped to escape
by speed before the hunters discovered their loss. The two parties of
Matabili had acted also in concert, one having been left to watch the
waggons and attack them as soon as the Dutchmen had started for their
morning's hunt, the remainder having been moved forward to surprise the
hunters when they were in the bush near the dead elephants. Both
attacks had been unsuccessful; and now the only danger that the hunters
feared was, that the Matabili, having been thus defeated, would return
in a day or two with a large force, and, knowing that waggons can move
but slowly, and rarely more than twenty-five miles a day, thus would
soon overtake them and probably be able to ensure their capture and to
revenge their late defeat. Before leaving the outspan, Hans wrote a few
words on a paper, which he inserted in a split stick, planting this
stick in the ground, so that it pointed at the sun. He rejoined his
companions, who had each dismounted, and was either leading his horse,
or allowing it to follow the waggons.
Hans had left a short account on the paper, of his proceedings, and had
pointed the stick at the sun, in order to let his companions know when
he had started, for they, he knew, would shortly return to the outspan,
and would then follow the spoor of the waggons; but seeing the bodies of
the Hottentots would be puzzled to account for every thing unless they
were informed by some means.
"It will be bad for us if the rivers are swollen," said Hans to Victor,
as the two followed the rear waggon; "a day's delay might cost us all
our property here."
"And our lives too," said Victor.
"Scarcely our lives," said Hans, "if we are watchful, our horses live,
and our ammunition lasts. We can fight these Matabili in any numbers as
long as they don't possess fire-arms; when the day comes that they use
guns and powder, it will be bad for us hunters, for then their numbers
will render them very dangerous."
"The English traders are supplying them as fast as they can with guns,"
rejoined Victor; "it is hard for us that they do so, for we or our
children may be shot by the guns these men supply, and yet we can do
nothing, however much we may suffer from this money-making feeling."
The oxen having treked for fully two hours, began to show signs of
distress, so the hunters agreed to halt and to dine, for they did not
consider any immediate attack was probable. They had scarcely lighted a
fire and began to prepare for cooking, than the welcome sight of their
companions greeted them. Two of the hunters were riding one horse, in
consequence of one having died from the effects of an assagy wound; but
there being five additional horses among the recaptured oxen, this loss
was not a very severe one.
The new-comers announced that the Matabili had retreated farther into
the forest, and did not appear disposed again to try their strength
against their white enemies. The whole party exclaimed loudly against
the treachery of the Matabili in attacking them when there was peace
between Moselekatse and themselves. They were not aware that a savage
is not very discriminating; and a raid having been made into
Moselekatse's country, some two months previously, by a party of
Griquas, the warriors could not distinguish any great difference between
a Dutchman and a Griqua, both being of a different colour to himself,
and both being strangers in his land. A speedy revenge was decided on
by the whole party as soon as they could collect a sufficient force for
the purpose.
That no time was to be lost in escaping from that part of the country,
was the unanimous opinion of the hunters; and so the oxen were inspanned
again, and the journey continued without any delay. Thus for two days
the party retreated without seeing any thing of an enemy. Game of
various kinds was abundant; but except to supply themselves with food
the hunters did not shoot, for they knew not how soon their lives might
depend upon a plentiful supply of ammunition being at hand. So that
each bar of lead was at once converted into bullets or slugs, the loose
powder was made up into cartridges, and every gun cleaned and carefully
loaded, so as to be as efficient as possible.
It was on the morning of the third day that the hunters observed in the
distance what appeared to be a broken-down waggon, but no oxen or human
beings seemed to be near it. Such a sight, however, as a wreck in the
desert at once excited the curiosity of the travellers, who, leaving the
waggons in charge of half the party, rode off to examine the scene on
which the waggon appeared to have broken-down. As they approached the
spot, they saw a man limp from out of a clump of bush and make signs to
them, and this man they found to be a Hottentot, who was badly wounded
in several places, and seemed almost famished with hunger.
Having supplied him with food, he informed them that he was the driver
of one of three waggons belonging to a Dutchman, who, with his wife and
two daughters, was travelling over the country in search of elands, when
they were attacked by a party of Matabili, who came upon them at
daybreak, and carried off oxen, wife, and daughters, killed the Dutchman
and another Hottentot, and would have also killed him, had he not
shammed to be dead.
Hans Sterk, who had been watching attentively the waggon and debris
around, whilst he listened to the Hottentot's remarks, suddenly and
eagerly inquired what was the Dutchman's name.
"Siedenberg," said the Hottentot.
"Siedenberg!" shrieked Hans, as he grasped his rifle like a vice; "and
Katrine was with him?"
"Ja," said the Hottentot; "the Mooi Katrine has been carried off by the
Matabili, and her little sister too."
"Men," said Hans, as he turned to his companions, "Katrine Siedenberg
was to have been my wife in two months' time. I swear she shall be
freed from the Matabili, or I will die in the attempt. Which of you
will aid me in my work, with your rifles, horses, and skill?"
"I will," replied Victor.
"And I," said Heinrich.
"And I," said all those with him; "but we must get more men."
It was immediately agreed that the journey should be continued until the
waggons and their contents were placed in safety, for the Matabili had
two days' start, and therefore could not be overtaken by the poor
half-starved horses, which now alone belonged to the hunters. Fresh
horses, more people, and more ammunition were necessary, and then a
successful expedition might be carried on against Moselekatse and his
warriors. The Hottentot was helped back to the hunter's waggons and
allowed to ride in one of them; and the onward journey was continued
with all speed, so that in three days after finding the broken-down
waggon, the hunters had crossed the Nama Hari river, and had joined a
large party of the emigrant farmers, who were encamped south of this
river.
The news of the attack on the hunters, the slaughter of Siedenberg, and
the carrying off of his daughters, scarcely required to be detailed with
the eloquence which Hans brought to bear upon it, in order to raise the
anger and thirst for vengeance of the Dutchmen. Those who could were at
once eager to bear arms against their savage and treacherous foe, whose
proceedings caused a feeling of insecurity to pervade the Boers'
encampment; and thus the expediency of inflicting a lesson on the black
chieftain was considered advisable. And also there was a strong
temptation to inflict this lesson, when it was remembered that enormous
herds of sleek cattle belonged to the Matabili, and would of course
become the property of the conquerors; and who those conquerors would be
was not doubtful, considering the relative value of assagies and
double-barrelled guns.