Near the confluence of the two great rivers of Southern Africa--the
_Yellow_ and _Orange_--behold the camp of the "young yagers!"
It stands upon the southern bank of the latter stream, in a grove of
Babylonian willows, whose silvery foliage, drooping gracefully to the
water's edge, fringes both shores of the noble river as far as the eye
can reach.
A tree of rare beauty is this _Salix Babylonica_--in gracefulness of
form scarce surpassed even by the palms, the "princes of the forest."
In our land, as we look upon it, a tinge of sadness steals over our
reflections. We have grown to regard it as the emblem of sorrow. We
have named it the "weeping willow," and draped the tomb with its soft
pale fronds, as with a winding-sheet of silver.
Far different are the feelings inspired by the sight of this beautiful
tree amid the _karoos_ of Southern Africa. That is a land where springs
and streams are "few and far between;" and the _weeping_ willow--sure
sign of the presence of water--is no longer the emblem of sorrow, but
the symbol of joy.
Joy reigns in the camp under its shade by the banks of the noble Orange
River, as is proved by the continuous peals of laughter that ring clear
and loud upon the air, and echo from the opposite shores of the stream.
Who are they that laugh so loudly and cheerfully? _The young yagers_.
And who are the young yagers?
Let us approach their camp and see for ourselves. It is night, but the
blaze of the camp-fire will enable us to distinguish all of them, as
they are all seated around it. By its light we can take their
portraits.
There are six of them--a full "set of six," and not one appears to be
yet twenty years of age. They are all boys between the ages of ten and
twenty--though two or three of them, and, maybe, more than that number,
think themselves quite men.
Three of the party you will recognise at a glance as old acquaintances.
They are no other than Hans, Hendrik, and Jan, our _ci-devant_
"Bush-boys."
It is several years since we saw them last, and they have grown a good
deal since then; but none of them has yet reached the full stature of
manhood. Though no longer "Bush-boys," they are yet only boys; and Jan,
who used to be called "little Jan," still merits and receives that
distinctive appellation. It would stretch Jan to his utmost to square
off against a four-foot measuring-stick; and he could only manage it by
standing upon the very tips of his toes.
Hans has grown taller, but, perhaps, thinner and paler. For two years
he has been at college, where he has been very busy with his books, and
has greatly distinguished himself by carrying off the first prizes in
everything. Upon Hendrik there is a decided change. He has outgrown
his elder brother both in length and breadth, and comes very near
looking like a full-grown man. He is yet but eighteen years old,
straight as a rush, with a decided military air and gait. The last is
not to be wondered at, as Hendrik has now been a cornet in the Cape
Mounted Rifles for more than a year, and still holds that commission, as
may be learnt by looking at his forage-cap, with its golden embroidery
over the peak. So much for our old acquaintances the "Bush-boys!"
But who are the other three that share with them the circle of the
camp-fire? Who are their companions? for they are evidently on terms of
companionship, and friendship too. Who are they? A word or two will
tell that. They are the _Van Wyks_. The three sons of Diedrik Van Wyk.
And who, then, is Diedrik Van Wyk? That must also be explained.
Diedrik is a very rich boor--a "vee-boor"--who every night shuts up
within his spacious _kraals_ more than three thousand horses and horned
cattle, with five times that number of sheep and goats! In fact,
Diedrik Van Wyk is accounted the richest vee-boor, or grazier, in all
the Graaf Reinet.
Now the broad _plaatz_, or farm, of Diedrik Van Wyk lies contiguous to
that of our old acquaintance, Hendrik Von Bloom; and it so chances that
Hendrik and Diedrik are fast friends and inseparable companions. They
see each other once a-day, at the least. Every evening Hendrik rides
over to the "kraal" of Diedrik, or Diedrik to that of Hendrik, to enjoy
a smoke together out of their ponderous pipes of meerschaum, or a
"zoopje" of _brandewyn_ distilled from their own peaches. They are, in
fact, a pair of regular old comrades,--for Van Wyk in early life has
seen military service as well as Von Bloom,--and, like all old soldiers,
they love to repeat their camp stories, and "fight their battles o'er
again."
Under such circumstances it is not to be wondered at, that the children
of both should be intimate acquaintances. But, in addition to the
friendship of their fathers, there is a tie of relationship between the
two families,--the two mothers were cousins,--so that the children are
what is usually termed second cousins,--a very interesting sort of
affinity. And it is not an unlikely thing that the relationship between
the families of Von Bloom and his friend Van Wyk may one day become
still closer and more interesting; for the former has for his daughter,
as all the world knows, the beautiful flaxen-haired cherry-cheeked
Truey, while the latter is the father of the pretty brunette
Wilhelmina--also an only daughter. Now there chance to be three boys in
each family; and though both boys and girls are by far too young to
think of getting married yet, there are suspicions abroad that the
families of Von Bloom and Van Wyk will, at no very distant day, be
connected by a double marriage--which would not be displeasing to either
of the old comrades, Hendrik and Diedrik.
I have said there are three boys in each family. You already know the
Von Blooms, Hans, Hendrik, and Jan. Allow me to introduce you to the
Van Wyks. Their names are Willem, Arend, and Klaas.
Willem is the eldest, and, though not yet eighteen, is quite a man in
size. Willem is, in fact, a boy of very large dimensions, so large that
he has received the _sobriquet_ of "Groot Willem" (Big William)
therefrom. All his companions call him "Groot Willem." But he is
strong in proportion to his size,--by far the strongest of the young
yagers. He is by no means tidy in his dress. His clothes, consisting
of a big jacket of homespun cloth, a check shirt, and an enormously wide
pair of leathern trousers, hang loosely about him, and make him look
larger than he really is. Even his broad-brimmed felt hat has a
slouching set upon his head, and his _feldtschoenen_ are a world too
wide for his feet.
And just as easy as his dress is the disposition of the wearer. Though
strong as a lion, and conscious of his strength, Groot Willem would not
harm a fly, and his kindly and unselfish nature makes him a favourite
with all.
Groot Willem is a mighty hunter, carries one of the largest of guns, a
regular Dutch "roer," and also an enormous powder-horn, and pouch full
of leaden bullets. An ordinary boy would stagger under such a load, but
it is nothing to Groot Willem.
Now it may be remembered that Hendrik Von Bloom is also a "mighty
hunter;" and I shall just whisper that a slight feeling of rivalry--I
shall not call it jealousy, for they are good friends--exists between
these two Nimrods. Hendrik's favourite gun is a rifle, while the roer
of Groot Willem is a "smooth bore;" and between the merits of these two
weapons camp-fire discussions are frequent and sharp. They are never
carried beyond the limits of gentlemanly feeling, for loose and slovenly
as is Groot Willem in outward appearance, he is a gentleman within.
Equally a gentleman, but of far more taste and style, is the second
brother of the Van Wyks, Arend. In striking appearance and manly beauty
he is quite a match for Hendrik Von Bloom himself, though in complexion
and features there is no resemblance between them. Hendrik is fair,
while Arend is very dark-skinned, with black eyes and hair. In fact,
all the Van Wyks are of the complexion known as "brunette," for they
belong to that section of the inhabitants of Holland sometimes
distinguished as "Black Dutch." But upon Arend's fine features the hue
sits well, and a handsomer youth is not to be seen in all the Graaf
Reinet. Some whisper that this is the opinion of the beautiful Gertrude
Von Bloom; but that can only be idle gossip, for the fair Truey is yet
but thirteen, and therefore can have no opinion on such a matter.
Africa, however, is an early country, and there _might_ be something in
it.
Arend's costume is a tasty one, and becomes him well. It consists of a
jacket of dressed antelope-skin,--the skin of the springbok; but this,
besides being tastefully cut and sewed, is very prettily embroidered
with slashes of beautiful leopard-skin, while broad bands of the same
extend along the outside seams of the trousers, from waist to ankle,
giving to the whole dress, a very rich and striking effect. Arend's
head-dress is similar to that worn by Hendrik Von Bloom, viz: a military
forage-cap, upon the front of which are embroidered in gold bullion a
bugle and some letters; and the explanation of that is, that Arend, like
his second cousin, is a cornet in the Cape Rifles, and a dashing young
soldier he is.
Now the portrait of Klaas in pen and ink.--Klaas is just Jan's age and
Jan's exact height, but as to circumference therein exists a great
difference. Jan, as you all know, is a thin, wiry little fellow, while
Klaas, on the contrary, is broad, stout, and burly. In fact, so stout
is he, that Jan repeated two and a half times would scarce equal him in
diameter!
Both wear cloth roundabouts and trousers, and little broad-brimmed hats;
both go to the same school; and, though there is a considerable
difference between them in other respects, both are great boys for
bird-catching and all that sort of thing. As they only carry small
shot-guns, of course they do not aspire to killing antelopes or other
large animals; but, small as their guns are, I pity the partridge,
guinea-hen, or even bustard, that lets either of them crawl within reach
of it.
Now it has been hinted that between the hunters Groot Willem and Hendrik
there is a slight feeling of rivalry in regard to matters of _venerie_.
A very similar feeling, spiced perhaps with a little bit of jealousy,
has long existed between the bird-catchers, and sometimes leads to a
little coolness between them, but that is usually of very short
duration.
Hans and Arend have no envious feelings--either of one another or of
anybody else. Hans is too much of a philosopher: besides, the
accomplishment in which he excels, the knowledge of natural history, is
one in which he is without a rival. None of the rest make any
pretensions to such knowledge; and the opinion of Hans on any matter of
science is always regarded as a final judgment.
As to Arend, he is not particularly proud of any acquirement. Handsome,
brave, and generous, he is nevertheless a right modest youth,--a boy to
be beloved.
And now you know who are the _young yagers_.