GAME FOUND ON THE ISLANDS--WANT OF WATER--WATER AT LAST--SEA-LIONS--FISH
AND EGGS--A SHIP--RESCUED AND CARRIED TO SIMON'S BAY--THE TRAVELLER
AMONG THE COCKNEYS.
"Carry the boats up high and dry," said the lieutenant; "out with the
sails and oars; cover them with the tarpaulin; then get out the water
casks and biscuit bag. Let's see what provisions we have."
These orders were rapidly obeyed by the sailors, who never for a moment
forgot their discipline, and acted just as though they were on board
ship. The water was found to be very low, there being scarcely more
than two pints for each man. At this all looked blank, for so essential
is water that it is a matter of certain death, at least to a great many,
to be without water for many days. Having divided the biscuit into as
many portions as there were men, the lieutenant gave each his share,
saying, "We shall be able to keep this biscuit for any voyage we may
make; for on this island we shall get birds. We can shoot as many birds
as we require for food, so be careful of the biscuit." Whilst these
arrangements were being made, the Zulus had been wandering along the
shore, looking at the ground in various directions, and pointing out to
each other something which had attracted their attention. Returning to
Hans, who alone understood their language, they said, "_Amasondo m'culu
kona_" ("There are large footprints there.")
"Of what?" inquired Hans.
"We don't know," replied the Zulus. "The game lives in the water that
makes these footmarks."
Hans, guided by the Zulus, went to the shore where the footprints were
visible, and there saw a spoor which to him was quite new. Several
footprints of a large animal were to be seen, and near these some
circular cuts in the sand, as though an arc of a circle had been traced
with an instrument. Though well acquainted with the spoor of all South
African animals, yet Hans could not remember any similar to this. The
Zulus, however, with a quickness of perception often possessed by
semi-wild men, pointed out to Hans that there were only marks of two
feet, then that the circular scrapes were marked over these footmarks.
One of the Zulus then lay down on the sand, and dragged himself along by
his hands only, thus indicating that the creature must progress much in
that manner. Still, neither Hans nor the Zulus had ever seen any
creature at all like this in South Africa.
Returning to the sailors, Hans asked the lieutenant if he knew of any
creature that had only two legs, that was large and heavy, and lived in
the sea, but could come on shore.
"Yes, seals, and sea-lions," replied the lieutenant.
"Then they come here," said Hans; "there is spoor of the creatures on
the beach."
"Then we are safe for food, and that is something: for we shall not
starve as long as seals or sea-lions can be captured or shot. As soon
as all is made snug here, we'll examine the island."
In half an hour every item of the stores being safely secured, the
lieutenant left three men in charge of the boats and stores, and two
others with directions to collect all the dry sea-weed and pieces of
wood or reed that they could find. These were to be heaped together to
make a fire, for great numbers of birds were seen flying about, this
island seeming to be a favourite resort or breeding-place for many
sea-birds.
The lieutenant, with Hans and the Zulus, and the remaining men, went in
shore to examine all that was to be seen. The island was rocky and
barren, and destitute of vegetation. There seemed no stream or rivulet,
or fresh water of any description, and no living creatures except birds.
The centre of the island was elevated about three hundred feet, and
from the top of this a good view, it was expected, might be obtained all
around. Ascending to this plateau, the lieutenant and Hans were both
occupied in looking round the horizon for some signs of a vessel, and
the latter was therefore startled by hearing one of the Zulus in a loud
voice exclaim "_Amanzi_!"
"Water!" shouted Hans; "where?"
"There it is," said the Zulu, pointing to a hollow piece of ground which
they had passed, and in which there was a large rocky basin about thirty
feet across, and in which there was water. A rush was at once made to
the place by the whole party. Officer and sailors, Zulus and Hans, were
each equally interested. Upon reaching the side of this pool, or
reservoir, a clear mass of water some six feet deep was visible; it was
evidently the deposit of rain water which had drained from the
neighbouring slopes. Stooping over this, Hans reached his hat into the
pool, and bringing it up full of water, drank a few mouthfuls, and
announced it to be fresh. A loud hurrah from all the sailors answered
this statement, and several of the men immediately employed several
ingenious methods to obtain a good drink of the fresh water. A
temperance advocate would have been delighted, could he have seen these
stalwart, hardy men so anxious to obtain merely cold water, yet not one
man present would have been willing to exchange this well of fresh water
for its quantity in wine or spirits; for every experienced man knows
that there is nothing which quells the thirst so effectually as water or
tea, the latter being essentially water, merely flavoured by a herb.
"There are very heavy rains here," said Hans, "and this pool is the
result of them. We shall not want for water."
"No; we are favoured," said the lieutenant; "for there must be times in
the dry season when no water is here. We have sea-weed for fuel, we can
get birds and sea-lions for food, and thus we can live for some time.
We must then try to get to the Cape."
"Ah! I am afraid that much evil may happen before I can get away from
here and regain my people," said Hans. "They must all think me dead,
and so I am anxious to return among them as soon as possible."
"Yes, I can fancy that you are," said the officer; "and so am I anxious
to get to my ship. We shall have some more work up the coast, I expect,
with these slavers, though it does not pay when their ships are burnt.
However, we must be satisfied at having reached some land, and found
food and water. If we had not obtained water here, we might have dug
each other's graves. We will go to that peak and look round, and judge
of the size of our island. I should like to go all round it before I
return to the boats--so come along."
The whole party ascended the highest peak on the island, from which a
view was obtained all round. The island was very small, and appeared
alone. It was evidently a volcanic production, and might possibly be of
no great age. In many places the birds had congregated in such numbers
that they had covered the ground with manure, the thin soil thus
produced was merely waiting for some seeds to be brought there by
strong-winged birds which had swallowed them in distant regions, and
would then drop them in his locality, where, taking root, they would
produce the first vegetation.
After scanning the horizon with his telescope, the naval officer
examined the shore, which was visible from this peak nearly all round
the island. Scarcely had he directed it to one part of the shore nearly
on the opposite side of the island to that on which he had landed, than
giving the telescope to Hans, he told him to look at the shore and say
what he saw. Hans, taking the telescope, directed it at the spot
indicated, and immediately exclaimed, "There is _wilde_ (game) there.
What are they?"
"They are sea-lions," said the lieutenant, "and we can eat them, and can
make tents out of their skins. There are scores of them, and we must
manage to shoot them."
"Are they very shy?" inquired Hans.
"I think not. They don't know much about men on these islands, I
expect, but still we had better stalk them."
"Yes, that must be done, and let no one shoot who is not certain where
his bullet will go to at a hundred yards."
"Now shooting these creatures is more in your line than mine, as you are
an elephant hunter," said the lieutenant; "so you just arrange the
matter, and tell me what to do, and I'll direct the men."
"I don't know any thing of the animal," said Hans, "and each animal
ought to be hunted differently, so I cannot give safe advice; but I
think we must approach them along shore, for if we go down this way they
will smell us."
"That's a thing I should not have thought of, unless you had told me,"
replied the lieutenant. "Of course if we go to them from windward they
will smell us. Very well; we'll go along shore, and what then?"
"We can stalk them then, and I think at eighty yards we ought to be able
to kill them at a single shot. Perhaps, too, these creatures don't know
what the report of a gun is, and we may reload and refire before they
think of escaping."
"We'll try that plan, and so perhaps only two or three of us had better
go after them, or the others may be seen. Let us take two men, and
leave the others to gather eggs."
Hans and the officer, with two seamen, at once started after the
sea-lions, and taking the coast-line found that on the rocks there were
plenty of oysters, which were fixed to the solid rock, but could be
opened on the spot. Hans was quite at home in this stalking expedition,
but found much fault both with the lieutenant and the sailors. The
latter, especially, would speak every now and then, and seemed not to
understand in the least the signals which Hans made to them. In spite,
however, of the clumsy manner in which the sailors and their officer
practised stalking, yet the sea-lions were approached to within eighty
yards without being alarmed. At this distance the hunters were
concealed by some rocks, and Hans now signalled that the four should
fire. One of the sailors, however, stopped Hans as he was raising his
musket, and whispered--
"Them brutes, sir, can only hop, and not very fast either. Won't it be
better to board them, and shoot them at close quarters? I and my mate
can't make certain of hitting at this distance?"
Hans, who did not understand every word of this, but comprehended the
drift of the speech, replied--
"You and your companion run forward, as soon as I have fired; then you
can try your plan, I mine."
This plan being agreed upon, Hans took steady aim at a monster that was
lying apparently asleep on the beach, and fired, whilst the lieutenant
selected another victim. Upon the report of the gun being heard all the
animals raised their heads, and began with a most awkward motion
struggling to reach the water. The sailor had been quite correct as
regards the speed at which the lions could move, for without difficulty
the sailors overtook them long before they reached the water, and each
putting the muzzle of his gun close to the head of one of the lions,
killed it at a single shot. The monster that Hans had wounded had
almost reached the sea, when noting the success of the sailors' method
of attack, he ran up to this creature, and discharged his rapidly-loaded
gun into its head. Thus three lions were killed, the lieutenant having
either missed his aim, or wounded his lion so slightly that the creature
easily escaped to the water before he could again discharge his gun.
All the lions that had been shot were very large, and measured nearly
fourteen feet in length. Hans, being aware of the skill of the Zulus as
skinners of creatures, shouted to these men to come and aid him, and
shortly after they, followed by the remainder of the sailors, came down
to examine the sea-lions, and aid in carrying back the flesh to the
boats. At this work the Kaffirs were quite at home, and bore on their
shoulders huge pieces of sea-lion, enough to last any man but a Zulu at
least a week. This was borne to the shore, where the boats had been
left, and a fire having been lighted by the aid of a flint and steel,
the flesh was cooked, and though not probably affording a dish that an
epicure would select, yet by hungry men who for several days had eaten
nothing but biscuit, the solid food was relished. Having partaken of
dinner, as the lieutenant called this meal, he assembled the men round
him and said, "We can live here for a long time, as you can see, for we
have food and water, and can get tolerable shelter; but none of you
would be satisfied to live here long, so we must try all we can to
escape. To do this, we must keep a watch from daybreak till dusk upon
the top of the hill, and try to catch sight of a vessel coming from the
west, because that is the direction from which we may expect them.
Then, if we have due notice, we may pull out in the boats, and attract
her attention by firing a gun, and so get on board: so that two men must
take duty on the hill. This will come round in turn for each of you, as
I'll keep the roster. Two men must always remain with the boats, but
the others who are not on duty may go about the island; only take care
to be all ready in case a ship is signalled. You'd better take the
boat-hook and tie a handkerchief to it; the waving of that will be the
signal that a ship is in sight."
"There are fish about here, sir. If you'd like, I'll try and catch
some," said one of the sailors.
"There are turtle too, sir. I saw one when you were away: he swam past
that point."
"Catch as many fish and turtle as you can. We will share every thing
whilst we are on shore here, and each man must do his best to procure
food for the whole of us," said the lieutenant. "We can get egg; and
birds, fish and turtle, and sea-lions, and so shall have a variety of
rations."
During the remainder of the day Hans, with the lieutenant, and attended
by the two Zulus, roamed about the island. The Zulus had found some
pieces of wood on the beach, evidently the spars of some vessel, and
having borrowed a knife from one of the sailors, they had cut these into
knobbed sticks similar to their knob-kerries. With these they soon
exhibited their skill against the birds which swarmed over many parts of
the island, and which were so tame that they would allow a man to
approach within a few yards of them. The knob stick was thrown at these
birds, and in an hour the Zulus had knocked down a dozen or more birds.
As the sun drew near the horizon, the various parties of two or three
returned to the meeting-place near the boats, and exhibited their
trophies. Two moderate-sized turtle, four rock cod of goodly size, a
large sack nearly full of turtles' eggs, about two dozen sea-birds, some
of them as large as wild geese, were brought together. There was plenty
of dry sea-weed, and this served for fuel, so that the men were busily
occupied in cooking their respective prizes, and reckless as sailors
generally are, they were now as cheerful and happy as though surrounded
by plenty, and able to obtain a supply for all their wants. Immediately
after their evening meal, the men selected the most comfortable
situations, and were soon fast asleep.
Hans and the lieutenant, however, sat talking for a long time, until
they also felt disposed to rest, when they followed the example of the
sailors.
The first streaks of dawn awoke the party, and after a meal the
lieutenant and Hans walked round the island, and ascended the central
peak. Scarcely had they been there many minutes, before the naval
officer, who was using his telescope to scan the horizon, exclaimed, "A
sail in the west, and a large ship, or I am mistaken. Look, Jones!
What do you make her out to be?"
"A full-rigged ship, I think, sir. Shall I hoist the signal?"
"Yes, up with the oar. We must get the boats out at once, and pull
hard, or she will pass too far off."
The oar waved on high, with a crimson handkerchief fastened to it, was
seen by all the wanderers, who very soon assembled near the boats, and
were joined by the lieutenant and Hans. The boats were run down to the
water, launched, and manned, and in a few minutes were pulled away from
the island, impelled by the fresh and vigorous arms of the sailors, who
were now aware that there was some object in pulling. The ship, which
had been easily distinguished from the peak on shore, could not be seen
from the boat, and this fact was somewhat puzzling to Hans.
"Why is it," he asked, "that the ship cannot be seen from out boat,
though it could from the peak of the island? There is no hill to see
over."
"It is because the world is round, and we can only look straight
forward. I expect that when we are able to see that vessel's sails, she
will be nearly twelve miles off from us; so that now she is more than
that, but that will enable us to cut her off in her course."
"I never noticed this on shore," said Hans, "though we have large flats
there."
"None so level as the ocean," replied the officer: "that alone shows
every thing in its beauty. You will not, I expect, ever like your
inland life again, after having seen the real sea."
Hans looked astonished at this remark, and hesitated a minute before he
replied. He then said, "Do you mean to compare this salt, dull-looking
water, over which you creep in a boat, and fear getting drowned every
minute, to our beautiful flowery plains or forests amongst which we can
ride? Why, you cannot get on a horse here ever."
"And never want to," replied the lieutenant. "I always tumble off when
I do; but that's not often. When a man can ride over the waves. I
don't see what he wants with a horse on dry land."
"Ah! you don't know what the plains are, that is evident," replied Hans,
"or you'd be discontented with the sea."
"There's the ship," said the lieutenant; "she's coming along fast. We
must hoist a flag now. A red handkerchief must be our flag. Easy with
the oars, men; we've way enough."
The ship came steadily on, and when within about two miles of the boats
she lowered her studding sails and made indications of lying to, so that
the lieutenant at once knew his boats had been seen. The captain of the
ship was standing in the rigging, watching the boats, and on coming
within hailing distance inquired where the boats were from. The
lieutenant answered him, and pulling alongside was soon with his boat's
crew on the deck of the ship, his boats being hauled on board also.
The vessel proved to be an Indiaman bound for Madras, and was a
well-appointed vessel in every way. The lieutenant and Hans were
immediately given accommodation in the after-part of the vessel, whilst
the sailors and Zulus were quartered amongst the crew. The captain of
the Indiaman, having heard the account of the lieutenant, was surprised
to find the island was so well supplied in various ways, as was the
small rock which he had passed so often on his outward-bound voyage, and
which he had always looked upon as a mere barren rock. Having no
intention of putting into Table Bay, he asked the lieutenant whether, if
he altered his course and kept closer in to the land, he would be able
to get into False Bay, and hence to Simon's Bay by the aid of his boats.
Knowing how much value these Indian traders set upon their time, the
lieutenant at once accepted this proposition; so the captain, steering
slightly more northerly, kept a course which would bring him within a
few miles of the Cape of Good Hope, at which point, if the weather were
favourable, he proposed lowering the lieutenant's boats, and starting
him on his short voyage into the bay.
The distance which had taken the boats several days to pass over, was
run by the Indiaman in about fifty hours, and when the entrance to False
Bay was directly north of them, the boats were lowered, and the
lieutenant, with Hans and the crew, were wished a hearty farewell; and
being supplied with some provisions in case of need, commenced their few
hours' rowing expedition, and shortly pulled round into Simon's Bay,
approached a man-of-war there lying at anchor, and having gone
alongside, the lieutenant, with the systematic method induced by
discipline, went on board and reported his arrival.
No intimation having been received either of the capture of the slaver
or of her destruction by fire, the arrival of the lieutenant was a great
surprise to the admiral at the station, and Hans, from having been
captured by the slavers, soon found himself an object of curiosity and
interest. The account which the lieutenant gave of him to the naval
officers was so flattering, and the account given of his proceedings on
the island and in the boats so much to his credit, that he stood in no
need of friends. From the Indiaman he had received presents of various
articles of clothes, of which he stood much in need, and having received
invitations to dine on shore with various official people who were
interested in his adventures, he was additionally supplied with all
necessaries by the officers of the ship.
The residents of Cape Town and the vicinity are proverbially hospitable,
and many of them being of Dutch extraction, Hans' adventures, and his
experience of the Matabili and Zulu warfare, were the very subjects on
which they were deeply interested. It is sometimes surprising how
little the inhabitants of one part of the world know about the lives and
occupations of those in another part, but at the Cape, in former times,
it was more singular still to find the residents there knowing little or
nothing of the principal events occurring up the country, or if they
knew of the general facts, these were in transmission so perverted or
distorted as to be very far from the truth when they reached Cape Town;
so that Hans, both from his nationality and experiences, was sought as a
guest by many of the leading merchants at the Cape.
Having despatched to some friends in the eastern frontier letters which
he requested might be sent by the first opportunity to Bernhard and
Katrine, Hans had no objection to partake for a time of the hospitality
offered to him at the Cape. To him it was an entire novelty to sit down
to formal dinners, and to live in the ceremonial manner which it struck
him was adopted by the people with whom he now mixed; yet he was not
long before he fully appreciated the good things which were set before
him. Though Hans was deficient in many of those necessary items of
education and refinement which belong to civilised and polite society,
yet from his known wild life these were overlooked, and as he warmed
with his subject, and described in brief graphic language, either in
English or Dutch, the scenes through which he had passed, and gave in
detail his adventures in elephant and lion hunting, his hearers forgot
that he had used his knife to carry his peas to his mouth, and had
seemed unconscious he had so long delayed eating his fish that the table
had been kept waiting for him.
Very many of the residents of Cape Town and the neighbourhood were men
who had either come to settle there from Holland or England, or had been
born at Cape Town, and had never travelled far from it. Thus to these
men the wilderness of Africa was as much an unknown land as are the
Highlands of Scotland, with their sports, to the London cockney, whose
travels have been confined to Richmond, Kew, or Greenwich. As a natural
consequence, Hans was often supposed to be inventing tales when he was
stating the most sober matters of fact; and not imagining for a moment
that his hearers were doubting his veracity, he rarely gave any of those
additional details which might have smoothed the difficulties to belief;
consequently, amongst many of the fast young gentlemen of the Cape, who
had never themselves travelled a hundred miles from the Table Mountain,
Hans was termed "the lying Dutchman."
Two months were passed by Hans at Cape Town and its vicinity, when an
opportunity occurred for his reaching Algoa Bay by sea, a merchant
having a vessel which was about to sail for Port Elizabeth from Table
Bay. Some Dutch merchants, having subscribed amongst themselves,
offered Hans above one hundred pounds to enable him to purchase horses
for his journey from the colony to Natal. This sum Hans accepted as a
loan, being unwilling to be a debtor whilst he had the means when he
reached Natal of repayment; and bidding good-bye to many kind friends,
he set sail from Table Bay on the brief voyage to Algoa Bay, the port of
the eastern frontier.
After a fair-weather voyage of eight days, Hans once more set foot on
the eastern frontier, and losing no time in this part of the colony, he
at once purchased a horse which would do to carry him until he went
farther inland, where horse-flesh was cheaper and better; and having at
Cape Town purchased a good double-barrelled gun, Hans joined the waggon
of a Dutch trader who was bound on an expedition across the Orange
river, and was once more leading the life of a South African Boer.
It must often have been a subject of thought and comparison in the mind
of a man who has seen both the life of the natural and civilised man, to
compare the relative advantages and disadvantages of each. By the
natural man, we refer to one who leads a life of nature, who gains his
bread by the sweat of his brow in agricultural labours or in hunting,
who considers the necessities of life to consist in food and raiment,
and in a dwelling which is wind and water tight, and who, possessing
these, thirsts for nothing more. The majority of South African Boers
lead this life. They by inheritance are possessors of a certain
quantity of cattle and horses. These increase in the natural course of
events, and if taken care of, the horses especially soon multiply, for a
couple of horses may be counted on to produce about two foals in two
years: thus in six years the two have increased to eight. About the
sixth year the first foals may begin to produce stock, and the increase
then becomes doubled. About the eighth year it becomes trebled, and so
on. Thus, in a suitable district for horses (and many parts of the Cape
colony are admirably suited for them), a boy presented with a mare may
ten years afterwards be the owner of upwards of a dozen horses, the
produce of this one present, and his cattle having increased in like
manner, he may begin to live upon his stock. The time of the youth may
then be occupied in cultivating a certain portion of ground, in hunting
as a means of supplying food, and in watching his stock; and thus he has
but few cares or anxieties, and lives what may fairly be termed a
natural life. He is at least twelve hours a day in the open air, and
enjoys consequently most robust health.
Let us compare the daily occupations of this man with those of hundreds
of thousands of men of similar position as regards a first start in life
among civilised nations. A youth is educated, but he must gain his own
living, because his predecessors have not been able to do much more than
secure the means of living and of educating their children. The youth
is found a situation in an office in one of the cities of Europe. In
this office it is competition, a race for wealth, and none but the hard
worker can hope even to avoid ruin. A youth thus started leads a life
probably as follows. He rises early in the morning, hurriedly eats a
breakfast, walks down to the train, is carried rapidly to a smoky city,
enters an office in which the light of the sun is a rarity, labours in
this office amidst a crowd until near the hour of sunset, again enters
his train, and amidst the darkness is deposited near his dwelling, where
the remaining hours are occupied. Day after day, and year after year,
this life is passed, until the man becomes fitted for nothing else, and
cares for nothing else, even his recreations often being partaken of as
a matter of business. It seems strange to reflect that perhaps on the
very spot that is now the scene of such artificial life, our ancestors,
before Caesar had `taught them to clothe their pinked and painted
hides,' may have enjoyed the greatest freedom, may have hurled their
darts at the bounding stag, or transfixed the passing salmon, and each
day may have enjoyed sport and feasted upon their game in a manner which
few of these day-labourers are able to do.
Here, however, is the singular comparison of lives of the two divisions
of mankind, and Hans having for a time seen the civilised man's life,
and having partaken in a measure of this, could not, now that he was
once more free, imagine how any man could endure the life which he had
seen many pursue in their offices or on board their ships. The life of
the sailor he considered strange and unnatural, but that of the clerk he
could not comprehend. Long and patiently he thought over what he had
seen during his visit to Cape Town, for that locality was to him the
most advanced civilisation he had seen; but he could come to no other
conclusion than that a mistake had been made by those who selected this
life. A conversation which took place on this subject between Victor
and Hans some time after his return to his own people may well explain
his view of the subject, and though anticipating the future slightly, we
will venture to insert it here.
"What is Cape Town like?" inquired Victor. "Is it much bigger than
Graham's Town?"
"Yes, much bigger. There are many houses, and these are large, whilst
the shops are supplied with every thing."
"Do the people there want much more, then, than we do in the country,
that the shops are so well supplied?"
"Yes, Victor, that is so. We here are accounted rich if we have plenty
of horses and cattle, a waggon, or perhaps two, two good guns, a house
that keeps out the rain, and just clothes enough to change about. It is
not so in the great towns. Your house must be very large. A man is
poor who is not able to eat his breakfast in one room, his dinner in a
second, and to drink his tea in a third. You may not sit in a room
whilst your servant places the dinner plates on a table: that would show
you were poor. You must not eat your dinner either in the same clothes
that you would wear at breakfast: that would show you were a poor
fellow. There are regular clothes for eating dinner in; and, Victor,
the young frauleins come to their dinner with scarcely any clothes on."
"Is this true, Hans?"
"It is, Victor. We turn up our sleeves when we skin an eland, and we
take off our coats and turn down our collars when we are too hot. The
frauleins in the towns turn down their dresses far lower than we do, and
their sleeves are turned up higher than we turn ours."
"Cess, this is strange. And you saw all this, Hans?"
"I did, Victor, and much more."
"What more did you see, Hans?"
"I will tell you. I saw a Roebargie officer come into a room where
there were many of these frauleins. He had never seen one of them
before, but looking at one, he asked a man near to take him to her. He
went up, Victor, bent his head very slowly, then--I tell you truth--he
seized the fraulein round the waist, and as some music played he ran
round the room with her, twisting round and round like a wounded pouw."
"That, I have heard, the folks do in the towns. The Hottentots, too,
are fond of it, though they don't run about in the same manner. But
what do the men during the day? Is there much game about there?"
"This, Victor, is the strangest thing of all. The men pass all their
lives in the stores or in the shops, or they just walk about the town,
or go in parties to ride out and ride home again. There is no game at
all there, or so little that no one goes after it.
"Then, Hans, I will tell you what it is. The Mensch have no means of
proving themselves men by riding and shooting, or training their oxen
and horses, or even spooring, as we have here. We can make a mark on a
man, and we know him by his deeds. We know you, Hans; you are a safe
man to stand near one when a wounded lion is preparing to make his
spring. You can be trusted to stop an elephant in his charge, and you
can tell at a glance a buffalo's spoor from an ox's. In the towns they
can't do this, and so they amuse themselves with these trifles. And do
they not try to exceed each other in their clothes, Hans?"
"Yes, they do; and by this means they show how much money they have."
"You are not sorry to come back to the country again, Hans?"
"No, Victor, I am not. The town men, I knew, laughed at me because my
clothes were not like theirs. I should like to see some of these
spoc-karls [The Boers are fond of terming a man whom they consider a
dandy a spoc-karl.] on wilde paard, hunting an angry bull elephant. I
think we should laugh then."
"Yes, Hans; and they laughed at you because you were not clever at what
is not a manly business, and we should laugh at them because they could
not do what it requires a man with a head, heart, and hand to succeed
in. I don't think we shall ever want to live in a town."