Our travellers would have talked much more about lions, but for the
condition of their horses. This made them feel uneasy. With the
exception of a few hours grazing, the poor brutes had been without food
since the appearance of the locusts. Horses do not travel well upon
soft grass, and of course they were now suffering severely.
It would be far in the night before the horsemen could reach the camp--
although they were pushing on as fast as the horses could travel.
It was quite dark, when they arrived at the spot where they had halted
the previous evening. In fact, it was very dark. Neither moon nor
stars were to be seen in the sky; and thick black clouds covered the
whole canopy of the heavens. It looked as though a rain-storm might be
expected--still no rain had as yet fallen.
It was the intention of the travellers to halt at this place, and let
their horses graze a while. With this view they all dismounted; but,
after trying one or two places, they could find no grass!
This appeared strange, as they had certainly observed grass at that very
spot the day before. Now there was none!
The horses put their noses to the ground, but raised them up again,
snorting as they did so, and evidently disappointed. They were hungry
enough to have eaten grass had there been any, for they eagerly snatched
at the leaves of the bushes as they passed along!
Had the locusts been there also? No. The mimosa-bushes still retained
their delicate foliage, which would not have been the case had the
locusts visited the spot.
Our travellers were astonished that there was no grass. Surely there
was some the day before? Had they got upon a new track?
The darkness prevented them from having a view of the ground; yet Von
Bloom could not be mistaken about the route--having travelled it four
times already. Though he could not see the surface, every now and again
he caught a glimpse of some tree or bush, which he had marked in his
former journeys, and these assured him they were still upon the right
track.
Surprised at the absence of grass where they had so lately observed it,
they would have examined the surface more carefully; but they were
anxious to push on to the spring, and at length gave up the idea of
halting. The water in their gourds had been used up long before this;
and both they and their horses were once more suffering from thirst.
Besides, Von Bloom was not without some anxiety about the children at
the wagon. He had been separated from them now a full day and a half,
and many a change might take place--many a danger might arise in that
time. In fact, he began to blame himself for having left them alone.
It would have been better to have let his cattle perish. So thought he
now. A presentiment that all was not right was gradually forming in his
mind; and he grew more anxious to proceed as he reflected.
They rode on in silence. It was only on Hendrik expressing a doubt
about the way, that the conversation recommenced. Swartboy also thought
they were taking a wrong course.
At first Von Bloom assured them they were right: but after going a
little farther, he admitted that he was in doubt; and then, after
another half-mile's travelling, he declared that he had lost the track.
He could no longer recognise any one of the marks or bearings he had
taken.
The proper thing to be done under these circumstances was to leave the
horses to themselves; and this all three well knew. But the animals
were suffering the pangs of hunger, and when left to themselves, would
not journey forward, but rushed up to the mimosa-bushes, and eagerly
commenced devouring their leaves.
The consequence was, that their riders were obliged to keep them going
with whip and spur; and in that way there was no certainty of the horses
taking the right direction.
After several hours' advancing, all the while in a state of suspense,
and as yet no appearance of either wagon or camp-fire, the travellers
resolved upon coming to a halt. It was of no use going forward. They
believed they could not be far from the camp; but they were now as
likely to be riding _from_ as _towards_ it; and they concluded at
length, that it would be wiser to remain where they were until the day
broke.
They all dismounted therefore, and fastened their horses to the bushes--
so that the animals could browse upon the leaves till morning--which
could not now be very far off. They rolled themselves up in their
karosses, and lay down upon the earth.
Hendrik and Swartboy were soon asleep. Von Bloom would have slept too,
for he was tired enough; but the heart of the father was too full of
anxiety to allow repose to his eyes, and he lay awake watching for the
dawn.
It came at length, and at the first light his eyes swept the surface of
the surrounding country. The party had by chance halted on an eminence
that commanded a good view for miles on each side, but the field-cornet
had not glanced half around the circle, when an object came before his
eyes that brought gladness to his heart. It was the white tent of the
wagon!
The joyful exclamation he uttered awoke the sleepers, who immediately
sprang to their feet; and all three stood gazing at the welcome sight.
As they continued to gaze, their joy gradually gave place to feelings of
surprise. Was it _their_ wagon, after all?
It certainly looked like theirs; but it was a full half-mile off, and at
such a distance one wagon would look just like another. But what led
them to doubt its being theirs? It was the _appearance of the place in
which they saw it_. Surely it was not the same place in which they had
outspanned!
Theirs had been left in an oblong valley between two gentle ridges--in
such a valley was this one standing. Near a small pool formed by a
spring--here, too, was the same, for they could perceive the water
shining. But in all other respects the situation was different. The
surface of the valley in which their wagon had been left was covered,
both sides and bottom, with a verdant carpet of grass; whereas the one
now before their eyes was brown and bare! not a blade of grass was to be
seen--the trees seeming to be the only things that had any verdure.
Even the low bushes appeared to be destitute of leaves! The scene had
no resemblance whatever to that where they had outspanned. It must be
the camp of some other travellers, thought they.
They had fully arrived at this conclusion, when Swartboy, whose eyes had
been rolling about everywhere, now rested upon the ground at his feet.
After a moment's observation--which the increasing light now enabled him
to make--he turned suddenly to the others, and directed their attention
to the surface of the plain. This they saw was covered with tracks, as
if a thousand hoofs had passed over it. In fact, it presented the
appearance of a vast sheep-pen; so vast, that as far as their sight
extended, they beheld the same tracked and trampled appearance!
What could this mean? Hendrik did not know. Von Bloom was in doubt.
Swartboy could tell at the first glance. It was no new sight to him.
"All right, baas," he said, looking up in his master's face. "Da's da
ole wagon!--da same spring an' vley--da same place--dar hab been um
_trek-boken_!"
"A trek-boken!" cried Von Bloom and Hendrik, in a breath.
"Ya, baas--a mighty big one too; das de spoor of dem antelope--See!"
Von Bloom now comprehended all. The bareness of the country, the
absence of the leaves on the lower bushes, the millions of small
hoof-tracks, all were now explained. A migration of the springbok
antelope, a "trek-boken," had swept over the spot. That it was that had
caused such a mighty change. The wagon they saw was theirs, after all.
They lost no time, but, catching their horses, bridled them, and rode
rapidly down the hill.
Though somewhat relieved at seeing the wagon, Von Bloom was still
apprehensive.
As they approached, they perceived the two horses standing beside it,
and tied to the wheels, the cow also was there--but neither goats nor
sheep were in the neighbourhood.
There was a fire burning in the rear of the hind-wheels, and a dark mass
underneath the wagon, but no human form could be observed.
The hearts of the horsemen beat loudly as they advanced. Their eyes
were bent earnestly upon the wagon. They felt keen anxiety.
They had got within three hundred yards, and still no one stirred--no
human form made its appearance. Von Bloom and Hendrik now suffered
intensely.
At this moment the two horses by the wagon neighed loudly; the dark mass
under the wagon moved, rolled outward, rose up, and stood erect. Totty
was recognised!
And now the "after-clap" of the wagon was hurriedly drawn aside, and
three young faces were seen peeping forth.
A shout of joy burst from the horsemen, and the next moment little Jan
and Truey leaped out from the cap-tent into the arms of their father--
while the mutual congratulations of Hans and Hendrik, Swartboy and
Totty, produced for some moments a scene of joyful confusion quite
indescribable.