"Well," began Hans, "you had not been gone more than an hour, when a
herd of wildebeests was seen approaching the vley. They came on in
single file; but they had broken rank, and were splashing about in the
water, before I thought of molesting them in any way.
"Of course I knew what they were, and that they were proper game; but I
was so interested in watching their ludicrous gambols, that I did not
think about my gun, until the whole herd had nearly finished drinking.
Then I remembered that we were living on dry biltongue, and would be
nothing the worse of a change. I noticed, moreover, that in the herd of
gnoos there were some young ones--which I was able to tell from their
being smaller than the rest, and also by their lighter colour. I knew
that the flesh of these is most excellent eating, and therefore made up
my mind we should all dine upon it.
"I rushed up the ladder for my gun; and then discovered how imprudent I
had been in not loading it at the time you all went away. I had not
thought of any sudden emergency,--but that was very foolish, for how
knew I what might happen in a single hour or minute even?
"I loaded the piece in a grand hurry, for I saw the wildebeests leaving
the water; and, as soon as the bullet was rammed home, I ran down the
ladder. Before I had reached the bottom, I saw that I had forgotten to
bring either powder-horn or pouch. I was in too hot a haste to go back
for them, for I saw the last of the wildebeests moving off, and I
fancied I might be too late. But I had no intention of going any great
distance in pursuit. A single shot at them was all I wanted, and that
in the gun would do.
"I hastened after the game, keeping as well as I could under cover. I
found, after a little time, that I need not have been so cautious. The
wildebeests, instead of being shy--as I had seen them in our old
neighbourhood--appeared to have very little fear of me. This was
especially the case with the old bulls, who capered and careered about
within an hundred yards' distance, and sometimes permitted me to
approach even nearer. It was plain they had never been hunted.
"Once or twice I was within range of a pair of old bulls, who seemed to
act as a rearguard. But I did not want to shoot one of them. I knew
their flesh would turn out tough. I wished to get something more
tender. I wished to send a bullet into a heifer, or one of the young
bulls whose horns had not yet begun to curve. Of these I saw several in
the herd.
"Tame as the animals were, I could not manage to get near enough to any
of these. The old bulls at the head always led them beyond my range;
and the two, that brought up the rear, seemed to drive them forward as I
advanced upon them.
"Well, in this way they beguiled me along for more than a mile; and the
excitement of the chase made me quite forget how wrong it was of me to
go so far from the camp. But thinking about the meat, and still hopeful
of getting a shot, I kept on.
"At length the hunt led me into ground where there was no longer any
bush; but there was good cover, notwithstanding, in the ant-hills, that,
like great tents, stood at equal distances from each other scattered
over the plain. These were very large--some of them more than twelve
feet high--and differing from the dome-shaped kind so common everywhere.
They were of the shape of large cones, or rounded pyramids, with a
number of smaller cones rising around their bases, and clustering like
turrets along their sides. I knew they were the hills of a species of
white ant called by entomologists _Termes bellicosus_.
"There were other hills, of cylinder shape and rounded tops, that stood
only about a yard high; looking like rolls of unbleached linen set
upright--each with an inverted basin upon its end. These were the homes
of a very different species, the _Termes mordax_ of the entomologists;
though still another species of _Termes_ (_Termes atrox_) build their
nests in the same form.
"I did not stop then to examine these curious structures. I only speak
of them now, to give you an idea of the sort of place it was, so that
you may understand what followed.
"What with the cone-shaped hills and the cylinders, the plain was pretty
well covered. One or the other was met with every two hundred yards;
and I fancied with these for a shelter I should have but little
difficulty in getting within shot of the gnoos.
"I made a circuit to head them, and crept up behind a large cone-shaped
hill, near which the thick of the drove was feeding. When I peeped
through the turrets, to my chagrin, I saw that the cows and younger ones
had been drawn off beyond reach, and the two old bulls were, as before,
capering between me and the herd.
"I repeated the manoeuvre, and stalked in behind another large cone,
close to which the beasts were feeding. When I raised myself for a
shot, I was again disappointed. The herd had moved off as before, and
the brace of bulls still kept guard in the rear.
"I began to feel provoked. The conduct of the bulls annoyed me
exceedingly, and I really fancied that they knew it. Their manoeuvres
were of the oddest kind, and some of them appeared to be made for the
purpose of mocking me. At times they would charge up very close--their
heads set in a menacing attitude; and I must confess that with their
black shaggy fronts, their sharp horns, and glaring red eyes, they
looked anything but pleasant neighbours.
"I got so provoked with them at last, that I resolved they should bother
me no longer. If they would not permit me to shoot one of the others, I
was determined they themselves should not escape scot-free, but should
pay dearly for their temerity and insolence. I resolved to put a bullet
through one of them, at least.
"Just as I was about raising my gun to fire, I perceived that they had
placed themselves in attitude for a new fight. This they did by
dropping on their knees, and sliding forward until their heads came in
contact. They would then spring up, make a sudden bound forward, as if
to get uppermost, and trample one another with their hoofs. Failing in
this, both would rush past, until they were several yards apart; then
wheel round, drop once more to their knees; and advance as before.
"Hitherto I had looked upon these conflicts as merely playful; and so I
fancy most of them were. But this time the bulls seemed to be in
earnest. The loud cracking of their helmet-covered foreheads against
each other, their fierce snorting and bellowing, and, above all, their
angry manner, convinced me that they had really quarrelled, and were
serious about it.
"One of them, at length, seemed to be getting knocked over repeatedly.
Every time he had partially risen to his feet, and before he could quite
recover them, his antagonist rushed upon him, and butted him back upon
his side.
"Seeing them so earnestly engaged, I thought I might as well make a sure
shot of it, by going a little nearer; so I stepped from behind the
ant-hill, and walked towards the combatants. Neither took any notice of
my approach--the one because he had enough to do to guard himself from
the terrible blows, and the other because he was so occupied in
delivering them.
"When within twenty paces I levelled my gun. I chose the bull who
appeared victor, partly as a punishment for his want of feeling in
striking a fallen antagonist, but, perhaps, more because his broadside
was towards me, and presented a fairer mark.
"I fired.
"The smoke hid both for a moment. When it cleared off, I saw the bull
that had been conquered still down in a kneeling attitude, but, to my
great surprise, the one at which I had aimed was upon his feet,
apparently as brisk and sound as ever! I knew I had hit him somewhere--
as I heard the `thud' of the bullet on his fat body--but it was plain I
had not crippled him.
"I was not allowed time for reflection as to where I had wounded him.
Not an instant indeed, for the moment the smoke cleared away, instead of
the bulls clearing off also, I saw the one I had shot at fling up his
tail, lower his shaggy front, and charge right towards me!
"His fierce eyes glanced with a revengeful look, and his roar was enough
to have terrified one more courageous than I. I assure you I was less
frightened the other day when I encountered the lion.
"I did not know what to do for some moments. I thought of setting
myself in an attitude of defence, and involuntarily had turned my gun
which was now empty--intending to use it as a club. But I saw at once,
that the slight blow I could deliver would not stop the onset of such a
strong fierce animal, and that he would butt me over, and gore me, to a
certainty.
"I turned my eyes to see what hope there lay in flight. Fortunately
they fell upon an ant-hill--the one I had just emerged from. I saw at a
glance, that by climbing it I would be out of reach of the fierce
wildebeest. Would I have time to get to it before he could overtake me?
"I ran like a frightened fox. You, Hendrik, can beat me running upon
ordinary occasions. I don't think you could have got quicker to that
ant-hill than I did.
"I was not a second too soon. As I clutched at the little turrets, and
drew myself up, I could hear the rattle of the wildebeest's hoofs behind
me, and I fancied I felt his hot breath upon my heels.
"But I reached the top cone in safety; and then turned and looked down
at my pursuer. I saw that he could not follow me any farther. Sharp as
his horns were, I saw that I was safe out of their reach."