Before retiring to rest, the young yagers had resolved upon a pleasant
performance for the morrow--that was, a "surround" of the ostriches.
They had planned it that Hendrik and Groot Willem should go first, and
ride a large circuit around, so as to get far beyond the nest. Arend
and Hans would start shortly after taking different sides, while Klaas
and Jan should cover the direction towards the camp. In this way the
six, widely separated from each other, would enclose the birds in a
circle; and when the latter became alarmed and started to run, they were
to be "headed" by whoever was nearest, and turned back to the opposite
side. This is the mode practised by the South African hunters, and is
the only way by which the ostrich can be tired out and run down, for on
such occasions, if the "surround" be well managed, the bird becomes
confused, runs from one side to the other, and at length suffers itself
to be captured or shot. It is a dangerous matter, however, to approach
too near the game even when "blown" or wounded. A wounded ostrich has
been known to send the hunter sprawling, and break a leg or an arm, or a
pair of ribs, by one fling of its muscular limb! Hans, in his usual
prudent way, had cautioned his companions to beware of this danger.
They all went to rest with feelings of pleasant anticipation for the
morrow. They had high hopes they would either kill or capture the old
cock, and pluck his snow-white plumes to add to their "trophies."
The only drawback upon their plans appeared to be their number. They
had doubts whether six could surround the ostriches, so as to head and
turn them--especially as of the six two were little boys mounted on
small ponies, for the chargers ridden by Klaas and Jan were of this
character.
It was resolved, however, that Congo and Swartboy should help to form
the circle. They had no horses, but both were active afoot, and either
could run quite as fast as the ponies. The one armed with his assegais,
and the other with his tiny bow and poisoned arrows, they would be well
worth a place in the ring; and the ostriches would thus have eight,
instead of six, points in the compass closed up against them. Add to
this, that there were the six buck-dogs to assist them, and it will be
acknowledged that their prospect of capturing the ostriches was not so
bad.
Sad to say, their hopes of a brilliant day's sport ended in complete
disappointment. All their fine plans were frustrated by a singular
occurrence.
A hyena during the night had stolen into camp, and had eaten up the
girth and part of the flaps of Hendriks saddle; and before the damage
could be repaired the ostriches had gone off from the nest.
They were still around it when the hunters arose, but the delay in
mending the saddle was fatal to the plan of a "surround." The morning
was a hot sultry one, and the birds leaving their business to the sun,
went early away. Just as the boys were mounting, they saw them move off
in long strides towards the opposite side of the plain.
They were soon out of sight of the naked eye; but Hans followed them
with his glass, until that also failed to keep them in view.
It was a great disappointment to everybody, just as it would be to a
field of fox-hunters, who, after getting into the saddle, had found
themselves driven back to their stables by frost and snow. Hendrik was
particularly out of temper, on account of the ill luck that had befallen
his saddle; and if a hyena had shown itself at that moment, it would
have stood a fair chance of getting a bullet into its body. All the
others, though in a less degree, shared Hendrik's uncomfortable
reflections.
All six sat chafing in their saddles, not knowing what to do.
"Let us ride out to the nest," proposed Arend. "At all events, the eggs
have not `stole away.' We'll get them, and, by the way, I shouldn't
object to an omelette for breakfast," (they had not yet breakfasted:)
"I'm tired enough of venison and dry biltong. What say you?"
"By all means," rejoined Groot Willem; "let us bring in the eggs, and
breakfast on them--that is, if they're not too far gone. I should like
an egg for breakfast myself. Come on then!"
"Stop!" cried Hans; "stop a moment, yagers! Perhaps we'll not be
disappointed--we may have a chase yet."
Hans had the glass to his eye as he spoke.
"What!" inquired several; "are they coming back?"
Hans made no reply for a moment. He could not be looking after the
ostriches. His telescope was pointed in the direction of the nest. The
birds were not there!
"It is it!--it is! the very creature itself!" exclaimed Hans, in a
half-soliloquy.
"What is it? what creature?" demanded the boys.
"The fox!" replied Hans.
"What fox!"
"Why, the fennec--the same I saw last night--yonder it is, though you
can't see it with the naked eye. I can barely make it out with the
glass. It is up close by the nest of the ostriches, and appears busy
about something."
"The eggs, I warrant," suggested Groot Willem.
"A fox-chase! a fox-chase!" exclaimed Hendrik, partially recovering
temper.
"A fox-chase!" echoed Klaas and Jan.
"A fox-chase be it then," assented Hans; and all six set their horses in
motion, whistling to the buck-dogs to follow.
They headed directly for the ostriches' nest. They were not going to
make a circuit for such an insignificant creature as the little fennec.
They knew that it could only escape them by getting to a hole, as they
had dogs that could trail and run it down go where it would. It was
probable that its burrow was not very near. It had evidently strayed
away from home, and "dogged" the ostriches to their nest, so as to get
at their eggs. Swartboy alleged that such was its habit--that it was
fonder of eggs than any other food--and that the eggs of the great bird
were its particular favourites. That it was constantly roving about in
search of ostrich-nests; and as these are very difficult, even for a fox
to find, the fennec, when it suspects that the ostriches are laying,
will follow them for miles to discover the nest--just as Hans had seen
this one do.
Swartboy had given all this information on the preceding night, which,
of course, explained the mystery of such a small creature running upon
the trail of the great ostriches. It was not _them_, but _their eggs_,
it wanted.
Now there was still a mystery Swartboy had not explained; and that was,
how this animal, when it found the eggs, was able to _get at their
contents_? The shell of the ostrich-egg is thick and strong. It
requires a considerable blow with some hard weapon to break it, and how
a puny creature, like the little fennec, could effect a breach was a
mystery to all, but especially to the naturalist Hans. The fennec was
no stranger to him. He had seen many of them in captivity. He knew
something of their anatomy. He knew that their skulls were destitute of
the ridge in which the temporal muscles are inserted, and that
consequently they were weak-jawed animals--much more so than the common
fox. It was not possible for them to have broken the shell of an
ostrich-egg with their jaws. He knew that it was equally impossible for
them to effect that purpose with the claws of their feet--the soles of
which are covered with soft wool, as in the Arctic fox--a peculiarity
considering that the fennec is an inhabitant of the hottest climes, and
one quite unexplained by naturalists!
From the strength and structure of the animal, Hans believed it could no
more have got at the contents of an ostrich-egg than it could have eaten
its way into the heart of a bomb-shell.
Swartboy was here at fault. He only knew that it _did_ get at the
contents, white and yolk; but _how_ he had never observed. He could not
tell. He could not solve the mystery.
They had not long to wait in doubt about this matter. In less than ten
minutes after, the fennec himself presented the solution before the
astonished eyes of the young yagers.
When they had ridden up within some three hundred yards of the nest the
little animal came under the view of all, and they pulled up to watch
his manoeuvres. He was so busy about his own affairs, that he had not
perceived their approach. The ground was covered with soft sand, so
that the hoofs made no noise, and with all his keen sense of hearing--
for he possesses that in proportion to his large ears--he had not caught
a sound. He was hard at work, and never looked towards them. In fact,
he was seen to raise his head at intervals, and look towards the point
whither the ostriches had gone, and all his gazing was in that
direction. The party had, therefore, a good view of the animal without
being observed by him; and they watched his manoeuvres with interest.
Swartboy and the Kaffir held the dogs in their leashes, and all remained
silent as statues.
Now what was the little fennec doing?
At first the spectators were puzzled to make out, but presently all was
explained.
When they first saw him he was at a distance of several yards from the
nest, and going farther from it, on the opposite side to that where the
hunters had halted. His tail was towards them, and the fore-part of his
body appeared to be raised as if his paws rested upon something. This
something was seen to be an ostrich's egg. He was pushing it before him
along the ground, using his feet alternately, and forcing the _egg_ to
turn. This action was similar to that of some unfortunate fellow on the
tread-mill, except that it was voluntary on the part of the fennec.
Now why was he rolling the _egg_? Did he mean to transport it in that
way to his burrow? It would have been an arduous task, as it was not
likely his subterranean dwelling was anywhere in that neighbourhood.
But he had no such design. His intention was to eat his breakfast on
that very spot, or at all events very near it; and the spectators soon
saw where his table was to be spread, for some of them now remembered an
odd story they had heard of the caama, and already suspected his design.
About three or four yards from his snout lay a stone. It was a boulder
of small dimensions, some twelve inches in height, but quite large
enough for the fennec's purpose. It was evident that he had a purpose
with this stone, for he was rolling the egg directly towards it. Those
who had guessed his design were not disappointed. When his snout was
within about three feet of the stone, the fennec made a sudden rush
forward, carrying the egg along by a rapid motion of his feet, until the
hard shell came in contact with the harder rock.
A "crash" reached the ears of the hunters, and, looking attentively,
they saw that the egg was broken into "smithereens!"
The breakfast of the fennec was now before him, and he at once set about
eating it, but the hunters were hungry too, their patience could hold
out no longer, and spurring their horses and letting slip the dogs, they
galloped forward.
It was a short run for a fox to give. The creature had hardly made good
a couple of hundred yards, before the buck-dogs threw him; and it was
just as much as Swartboy could do, aided by his jambok of
hippopotamus-hide, to save his beautiful skin from their jaws.
The eggs were soon collected. Those in the nest had "gone too far," as
Groot Willem had feared: some contained chicks, and others were addled.
But of the ones scattered about several turned out quite fresh, so that
the hunters had omelette for breakfast, as they had wished.
Swartboy showed them how to cook the eggs to perfection. This mode was
to set one end in the ashes, break a hole in the other, and then with a
little stick keep stirring the contents until they were sufficiently
broiled. That is an omelette of ostrich-eggs.