"In the morning we found everything right. Totty again milked the cow;
and we had breakfast. The flock was let out upon the grass, and so were
the cow and the two horses.
"Just about midday I began to think what we were to have for dinner, for
the breakfast had cleared up everything. I did not like to kill another
sheep, if it could be helped. So bidding Jan and Truey stay close by
the wagon, and leaving Totty to look after the flock, I took my gun and
started off in search of game. I took no horse, for I thought I saw
springboks out on the plain; and I would stalk them better afoot.
"Sure enough, there _were_ springboks. When I got out of the valley
here, and had a better view, I saw what astonished me, I can assure you.
"I could scarce credit my eyes. The whole plain, towards the west,
appeared to be one vast crowd of animals; and by their bright yellow
sides, and the snow-white hair on their rumps, I knew they were
springboks. They were all in motion, some browsing along, while
hundreds of them were constantly bounding up into the air full ten feet
high, and leaping a-top of each other. I assure you all it was tone of
the strangest sights I ever beheld, and one of the pleasantest too; for
I knew that the creatures that covered the plain, instead of being
fierce wild beasts, were nothing but graceful and beautiful little
gazelles.
"My first thought was to get near them, and have a shot; and I was about
to start off over the plain, when I perceived that the antelopes were
coming towards me. I saw that they were approaching with considerable
rapidity; and if I only remained where I was, they would save me the
trouble of stalking in upon them. I lay down behind a bush and waited.
"I had not very long to wait. In less than a quarter of an hour the
foremost of the herd drew near, and in five minutes more a score of them
were within shot.
"I did not fire for some time. I knew they would come still nearer; and
I lay watching the motions of those pretty creatures. I took notice of
their light handsome forms, their smooth slender limbs, their
cinnamon-coloured backs, and white bellies, with the band of chestnut
along each side. I looked at the lyre-shaped horns of the bucks, and
above all, at the singular flaps on their croup, that unfolded each time
that they leaped up, displaying a profusion of long silky hair, as white
as snow itself.
"All these points I noticed, and at length, tired of admiring them, I
singled out a fine-looking doe--for I was thinking of my dinner, and
knew that doe-venison was the most palatable.
"After aiming carefully, I fired. The doe fell, but, to my
astonishment, the others did not run off. A few of the foremost only
galloped back a bit, or bounded up into the air; but they again set to
browsing quite unconcerned, and the main body advanced as before!
"I loaded as quickly as I could, and brought down another,--this time a
buck--but as before without frightening the rest!
"I proceeded to load for the third time; but before I had finished, the
front ranks had passed on both sides of me, and I found myself in the
midst of the herd!
"I saw no need for covering myself any longer behind the bush, but rose
to my knees, and, firing at the nearest, brought it down also. Its
comrades did not pause, but ran over its body in thousands!
"I loaded again, and stood right up on my feet.
"Now for the first time it occurred to me to reflect on the strange
conduct of the springboks; for, instead of making off at my appearance,
they only bounded a little to one side, and then kept on their course.
They seemed possessed by a species of infatuation. I remembered hearing
that such was their way when upon one of their migrations, or
`trek-bokens.' This, then, thought I, must be a `trek-boken.'
"I was soon convinced of this, for the herd every moment grew thicker
and thicker around me, until at length they became so crowded, that I
began to feel very singularly situated. Not that I was afraid of the
creatures, as they made no demonstration of using their horns upon me.
On the contrary, they did all they could to get out of my way. But the
nearest only were alarmed; and, as my presence in no way terrified those
that were an hundred yards off, the latter made no attempt to give
ground. Of course the nearest ones could only get a few paces from me,
by pushing the others closer, or springing up over their backs--so that
with the ones thus constantly bounding up into the air there was all the
time a ring around me two deep!
"I cannot describe the strange feelings I had in this unusual situation,
or how long I might have kept my place. Perhaps I might have loaded and
fired away for some time, but just at the moment the sheep came into my
mind.
"They'll be carried away, thought I. I had heard that such a thing was
common enough.
"I saw that the antelopes were heading towards the valley--the foremost
were already into it, and would soon be on the spot, where I had just
seen our little flock feeding!
"In hopes of yet heading the springboks, and driving the sheep into the
kraal, before the former crowded on them, I started towards the valley.
But, to my chagrin, I could get no faster than the herd was going!
"As I approached the creatures, to make my way through their mass, they
leaped about and sprang over one another, but could not for their lives
open a way for me as fast as I wanted one. I was so near some of them
that I could have knocked them down with my gun!
"I commenced hallooing, and, brandishing the gun about, I was making a
lane more rapidly, when I perceived in front what appeared to be a large
open space. I pushed forward for this, but the nearer I came to its
border the more densely I found the creatures packed. I could only see
that it was an open space by leaping up. I did not know what was
causing it. I did not stay to reflect. I only wished to get forward as
rapidly as possible, thinking about our flock.
"I continued to clear my way, and at length found myself in the position
I had coveted; while the lane I had made, in getting there, closed
instantaneously behind me. I was about to rush on, and take advantage
of the bit of clear ground, when, what should I see in the centre, and
directly before me, but a great yellow lion!
"That accounted for the break in the herd. Had I known what had been
causing it, I should have fought my way in any other direction but that;
but there was I, out in the open ground, the lion not ten paces from me,
and a fence of springboks two deep around both of us!
"I need not say I was frightened, and badly too. I did not for some
moments know how to act. My gun was still loaded--for, after thinking
of saving our little flock, I did not care to empty it at the antelopes.
I could get one, thought I, at any time when I had secured the sheep in
the kraal. The piece, therefore, was loaded and with bullets.
"Should I take aim at the lion, and fire? I asked myself this question,
and was just on the point of deciding in the affirmative, when I
reflected that it would be imprudent. I observed that the lion, whose
back was turned to me, had either not seen, or as yet took no notice of
me. Should I only wound him--and from the position he was in I was not
likely to do more,--how then? I would most likely be torn to pieces.
"These were my reflections, all of which scarce occupied a second of
time. I was about to `back out' or back in among the springboks, and
make my way in some other direction, and had even got near the edge,
when, in looking over my shoulder, I saw the lion suddenly halt and turn
round. I halted too, knowing that to be the safest plan; and, as I did
so, I glanced back at the lion's eyes.
"To my relief, I saw they were not upon _me_. He seemed to have taken
some fancy in his head. His appetite, perhaps, had returned; for the
next moment he ran a few yards, and then, rising with a terrific bound,
launched himself far into the herd, and came down right upon the back of
one of the antelopes! The others sprang right and left, and a new space
was soon opened around him.
"He was now nearer than ever to where I stood, and I could see him
distinctly crouched over his victim. His claws held its quivering body,
and his long teeth grasped the poor creature by the neck. But, with the
exception of his tail, he was making not the slightest motion, and that
vibrated gently from side to side, just as a kitten that had caught a
tiny mouse. I could see, too, that his eyes were close shut, as though
he were asleep!
"Now I had heard that under such circumstances the lion may be
approached without much danger. Not that I wished to go any nearer--for
I was near enough for my gun--but it was this recollection, I believe,
that put me in the notion of firing. At all events, something whispered
me I would succeed, and I could not resist trying.
"The broad blind jaw of the brute was fair before me. I took aim, and
pulled trigger; but, instead of waiting to see the effect of my shot, I
ran right off in an opposite direction.
"I did not halt till I had put several _acres_ of antelopes between
myself and the place where I had last stood; and then I made the best of
my way to the wagon.
"Long before I had reached it, I could see that Jan, and Truey, and
Totty, were safe under the tent. That gave me pleasure, but I also saw
that the sheep and goats had got mixed up with the springboks, and were
moving off with them as if they belonged to the same species! I fear
they are all lost."
"And the lion?" inquired Hendrik.
"Yonder he lies!" answered Hans, modestly pointing to a yellow mass out
upon the plain, over which the vultures were already beginning to hover.
"Yonder he lies, you could hardly have done it better yourself, brother
Hendrik."
As Hans said this, he smiled in such a manner as to show, that he had no
idea of making a boast of his achievements.
Hendrik was loud in acknowledging that it was a most splendid feat, and
also in regretting that he had not been on the ground to witness the
wonderful migration of the springboks.
But there was no time for much idle talk. Von Bloom and his party were
in a very unpleasant situation. His flocks were all gone. The cow and
horses alone remained; and for these not a blade of grass had been left
by the antelopes. Upon what were they to be fed?
To follow the spoor of the migratory springboks with the hope of
recovering their flock would be quite useless. Swartboy assured them of
this. The poor animals might be carried hundreds of miles before they
could separate themselves from the great herd, or bring their
involuntary journey to an end!
The horses could travel but little farther. There was nought to feed
them on but the leaves of the mimosas, and this was but poor food for
hungry horses. It would be fortunate if they could be kept alive until
they should reach some pasture; and where now was pasture to be found?
Locusts and antelopes between them seemed to have turned all Africa into
a desert!
The field-cornet soon formed his resolution. He would remain there for
the night, and early on the morrow set out in search of some other
spring.
Fortunately Hans had not neglected to secure a brace of the springboks;
and their fat venison now came into general use. A roast of that, and a
drink of cool water from the spring, soon refreshed the three wearied
travellers.
The horses were let loose among the mimosa-trees, and allowed to shift
for themselves; and although under ordinary circumstances they would
have "turned up their noses" at such food as mimosa-leaves, they now
turned them up in a different sense, and cleared the thorny branches
like so many giraffes.
Some naturalist of the "Buffon" school has stated that neither wolf,
fox, hyena, nor jackal, will eat the carcass of a lion,--that their fear
of the royal despot continues even after his death.
The field-cornet and his family had proof of the want of truth in this
assertion. Before many hours both jackals and hyenas attacked the
carcass of the king of beasts, and in a very short while there was not a
morsel of him there but his bones. Even his tawny skin was swallowed by
these ravenous creatures, and many of the bones broken by the strong
jaws of the hyenas. The respect which these brutes entertain for the
lion ends with his life. When dead, he is eaten by them with as much
audacity as if he were the meanest of animals.