What the camel is in Northern Africa--the ship of the desert--so may be
considered the waggon in the southern part of the dark continent. It
may be likened indeed to a huge, deeply laden merchantman, steadily
making her way amid the rolling waves of the ocean.
Some time had passed, not reckoned by months only, but by years, since
the events narrated in the previous chapters occurred, when one of those
lumbering vehicles, dragged by a span of fourteen sturdy oxen, was
rolling along through the eastern part of Natal towards the Zulu border.
A short distance ahead rode our old friend Hendricks the hunter,
scarcely changed since we first knew him, except that his beard might
have become slightly more grizzled, and that here and there a wrinkle
had deepened on his open countenance. Occasionally a shade of
melancholy passed over it, as he spoke to a companion who rode at his
side on a light, active little horse.
"It was His will who rules all things, Lionel, to take her; but I would
rather you had remained some time longer under her fostering care,
instead of commencing the rough life you will have to lead with me. But
she has done you justice. You are better fitted morally and physically
for what you may have to go through, than I might have ventured to hope.
You will be of great service to me, as I can rely on you in a way I
cannot even on Umgolo, or certainly on the rest of our Kaffir and
Hottentot servants."
"Thank you, uncle, for your good opinion of me," answered Lionel, who
had learnt to call his kind protectress, Mrs Jansen, by the name of
aunt, and very naturally in consequence addressed her brother, the
hunter, as uncle. "I will do my best to show my gratitude to you, and
to Aunt Susannah for all her kindness to me. Though I shall never see
her again, I cannot help fancying that she will know what I am about.
It was a sad day when she was taken from us so suddenly, and I thought I
should have broken my heart if you had not arrived. I was so happy with
her, that I never wished to be away, though I used to like going out
with Mangaleesu, and shooting with the little fowling-piece you gave me,
as long as he lived in the neighbourhood. Did you know that a short
time ago he and his wife disappeared without saying where they were
going? When I last went to see them, what was my dismay to find their
hut burnt to the ground! At first I was afraid that they had been
murdered; but Denis Maloney, who accompanied me the next morning, and I
could discover no remains of anything belonging to them, and he is of
opinion that they had some reason for going off. If they hadn't been in
a desperate hurry, they would, I am sure, have come to bid us good-bye."
"I have no doubt that Mangaleesu was summoned by a superior chief to
whom he owes allegiance for some special object--probably to take part
in an attack on another chief. We shall hear about it when we get into
Zululand," replied Hendricks. "You were speaking just now of young
Maloney. I am glad to hear so good an account of him; he appears to
have acted the part of a true friend to you."
"Indeed he has, and I am much obliged to him. It was fortunate for me
that he remained in Maritzburg so long, for he taught me a great many of
the things I know. Still he declares that he hates books, and would a
hundred times rather be shooting elephants and lions than studying.
Poor fellow! he has become very anxious about his father. Still he does
not give him up, though everybody else in the town thinks he is dead."
"I do not agree with them, though I confess that I am very anxious about
my old friend," answered Hendricks; "I still hope that he pushed, as I
know he intended doing, far away to the northward, and that though he
may probably have got into difficulties, he has escaped with his life.
I think it very likely, however, that he has lost his waggon and
servants, or he would have managed to communicate with me during my last
long trip. I made every possible inquiry, and sent out messengers in
all directions; but could hear nothing of him. It is strange that he
should have so totally disappeared, without leaving any trace to show
the direction he took. I am inclined to believe that he was entrapped
by some treacherous chief or by some rebel boers who have often vowed
that they would allow no Englishman to come near the territory they
claim."
While Hendricks was speaking, Denis Maloney, now a well-grown lad, rode
up. He had previously been forming one of a party of three following
the waggon at a little distance. All traces of sickness had
disappeared, his muscles were well knit, and his countenance bronzed by
the heat of the sun to which he had been exposed during a trading
expedition dispatched by his uncle into Zululand. He had gone in the
capacity of clerk or accountant to the leader of the expedition, his
duties being similar to those of a supercargo on board ship. He had
acquitted himself in the most satisfactory manner, and had thus gained
experience both as a hunter and a trader. His uncle was so much pleased
that he promised before long to fit him out with a waggon and team on
his own account, that he might try his fortune in trading, chiefly for
cattle, among the Zulus.
"Mr Crawford and young Broderick asked me to come on and inquire when
we are likely to outspan, for they complain that they are both hungry
and tired, as they are not well accustomed to our style of travelling,"
he said, addressing their leader.
"Tell them we shall camp in an hour or in less time perhaps; and if they
can't hold out, do you get some biscuits from a box in the hinder part
of the waggon," answered Hendricks.
Young Lionel was inclined to feel something like contempt for those so
much older than himself, who were not ashamed to acknowledge that they
were hungry and tired after travelling somewhat under twenty miles in a
broiling sun. Denis, who had, it must be confessed, spoken one word for
them and two for himself, soon got out the biscuits, and keeping a
portion, distributed the rest between his two companions. One of them,
Percy Broderick, was a lad about his own age, fair and good-looking, and
well-grown, not having the appearance, however, of a person particularly
well fitted for a life in the wilderness. The other, Harry Crawford,
though much older, looked at the first glance still less fitted for
roughing it. Not that he wanted breadth of shoulders, strong muscles,
or stout limbs; but that his countenance betokened intellect and
refinement, rather than firmness, resolution, and the other qualities
requisite for a person who has to go through the hardships of a
settler's existence.
"Faith! I wonder what brought you two fellows out here, and I doubt
much whether you'll like the country now you have come. It's a mighty
fine one, there's no doubt about that, for those who have a fancy for a
wild life, and shooting rhinoceroses and buffaloes, not to speak of
elephants and lions," exclaimed Denis. He had as yet had but little
conversation with his fellow-travellers, they having only that morning
joined the waggon party from a farm at which they had been staying. All
Denis knew was that they had come out together from England, and were
now bound in the same direction.
"As to that, I was born in the colony, and have only come back to my
native land," answered Percy. "Haven't you heard of my father, Captain
Broderick, who is settled at Falls Farm on the borders of the Transvaal
country? I suppose I can endure what my father and mother, and my
brothers and sisters have to go through, and I shall soon get accustomed
to it. I can't say I know much about it at present, as I was sent to
school in the old country, when I was a very little chap under the
charge of an uncle, with whom I spent my holidays, and who looked after
me all the time I was in England; but he died some months ago, and as my
father could not send money to pay for my schooling, I was shipped off
to return home, and Mr Piatt, the owner of the Cloof Farm, where we
were staying, was good enough to ask your friend Mr Hendricks to let us
accompany him as far as we were going, as he said that he expected to
pass close to my father's house."
"You are very fortunate to find so good a man to travel with," said
Denis. "He is the most noted hunter in the whole colony, and a capital
fellow besides."
"I was much pleased with him," remarked Crawford, "and should greatly
like to accompany him throughout the whole of the expedition; but as I
came out to farm, I must lose no time in endeavouring to learn. Half a
year ago I had no notion of doing such a thing. I was at Oxford,
intending to become a barrister; but the small fortune I expected to
inherit disappeared, and as it might be several years before I could
obtain a brief, I thought the wisest thing I could do with the remainder
of my possessions was to come out to this country, of which I had heard
glowing accounts. I cannot say exactly that I am disappointed; but were
I to purchase a farm, and attempt to commence operations by myself, I
should feel remarkably like a fish out of water, for I confess I have
not the slightest idea what I should do."
"Faith! there are a good many young gentlemen like you, Mr Crawford,"
observed Denis, "only they haven't the wisdom to keep their money in a
bank while they are learning something about the business they wish to
engage in. In most instances they are so eager to begin, that they buy
land, and very soon find all their money gone, long before their crops
have grown, or what they have laid out in other ways has given them any
return. When I was in the office of my uncle, Mr Walker, in
Maritzburg, numbers of young gentlemen used to come and ask for
employment, just for their food and lodging. Those who have friends at
home who can pay their passage money return, others have to turn their
hands to digging and delving, or road making, though a few occasionally
get to the surface. Now if they, as I was saying, had kept their money,
and begun by working on a farm, either for wages or even for nothing,
they would have been able in time to set up for themselves."
"As to that, I must not boast too much of my wisdom," answered Crawford.
"My capital hasn't yet been sent out to the colony, so that I could not
invest it even if I wished to do so. Percy assures me that I shall
receive a warm welcome from his family, and that I may besides have an
opportunity of seeing how farming operations are carried on. He tells
me also that I shall obtain an easy introduction to every description of
wild beast: elephants, rhinoceroses, lions, gnus, black and brindled,
blessbocs, hartebeests, reitbocs, not to speak of others of smaller
size, and birds innumerable."
"Faith! you'll not find any want of them, but you'll remember it's not
always pleasant to meet a lion or a black rhinoceros in a morning's
ramble, and you will have reason to be thankful if you don't, for I can
assure you that they're rather troublesome acquaintances. I came to
that opinion not many years ago, when I had to spend some hours up a
tree, waiting for my breakfast, while a couple of lions and their cubs
were watching below, eager to breakfast off me;" and Denis told, with
much _naivete_, his adventure on his first journey with his father.
Besides the white persons who have been mentioned, the waggon party
consisted of three Hottentots, whose duty was to drive and attend
especially to the cattle; and six Kaffir hunters, among whom Umgolo was
the chief. Hendricks intended to obtain others who had before served
under him on the way. There were three spare horses, which followed the
waggon, fastened by riems or thongs of hide, the general substitute for
rope in the colony. Five dogs may also be counted as forming part of
the expedition, rejoicing in the names of Spout, Growl, Pincher, Fangs,
and Raff. The latter belonged to Denis, who so called the animal after
the name of a countryman, Paddy Rafferty, who had given it to him. The
"baste," he boasted, did credit to the "ould counthry:" for although no
beauty, he was the cleverest and bravest of all the dogs, and much
attached to him.
Each of the fourteen oxen had a Dutch name, to which it answered, well
knowing when the driver shouted out, that if it did not exert itself, it
would presently feel the effects of his long whip on its hide.
Travelling in Africa needs the exercise of a large amount of patience.
Even when the ground is level, the huge machine moves leisurely along;
but when rough hills have to be surmounted, the progress is still
slower.
The "trek," as the day's journey is called, had been far from a pleasant
one. A dry scorching wind blew in the faces of the travellers, while
the country presented a vast stony plain, burned and arid, with here and
there a few small round hills breaking the line of the horizon. Harry
Crawford and Percy looked about them with dismay.
"I hope the country ahead is not all to be like this," said the former.
"No fear of that," answered Denis. "We shall have, to be sure, a few
stony mountains to climb over, and now and then, in parts, it's hard to
find a tree, but that's only here and there; for there are forests, and
grassy meadows, and streams, and beautiful valleys, such as are to be
found in no other part of the world, or, at all events, none superior to
them, in my opinion. Look out there ahead, you'll see, just rising
above the plain, what I daresay you took to be a cloud, but it is a
range of mountains; when we get over them, we shall have fine scenery
enough to satisfy you. We shall then meet also with what you fellows
from the old country call adventures, but which we out here are so
accustomed to that we do not think much about them."
Dreary as was the scenery in other respects, it was enlivened by
numberless gorgeous flowers, the beauty of which Harry Crawford was well
able to appreciate, although ignorant of the names of most of them.
"We should value these in our hot-houses at home," he said.
"For my part I'd sooner have plenty of green grass," observed Denis,
"and so would the cattle, I've a notion. To say the truth, I've seen so
many of these things that I no longer pay any attention to them,
although they are mighty fine, I'll acknowledge, now that I come to
examine them more particularly."
Percy, who admired the flowers as much as his friend did, every now and
then got off his horse to pick some of them, until he had collected a
large bouquet, greatly to the amusement of Denis.
"Take care, my boy, not to catch hold of the tail of a puff adder," he
exclaimed, as Percy again dismounted. "They are pretty numerous
hereabouts, and you may chance to put your hand close to one of their
holes while you are picking those flowers."
Percy, without making any remark, threw himself into his saddle again,
satisfied with the collection he had already made.
As they advanced the country improved. They passed the ruins of several
farms, the owners of which had "trekked" to the Transvaal republic.
Hour after hour the waggon proceeded on through the same monotonous
style of country, until towards evening, no other more convenient spot
being found, a halt was called near one of the mounds which have been
described, and close by which ran a small "spruit," or stream, affording
the weary oxen sufficient water to quench their thirst. As no trees or
shrubs grew near, a quantity of dry dung was collected to serve as fuel.
This, when once lighted, threw out an intense heat, quickly boiling all
the pots placed over it; but as it produced little or no flame, it was
not so well calculated to serve as a watch fire to scare away wild
beasts as one formed of wood. It was necessary, therefore, to keep a
stricter watch than usual at night, lest a lion might visit the camp
with the intention of making a feast off one of the oxen or horses.
While the party were seated at supper, Denis amused himself by telling
all sorts of terrible tales of the way a lion had occasionally leapt
into a camp and carried off a man before his companions had time to
rescue him.
"Come, Denis, don't be trying to frighten our young friends with your
wonderful stories, and to make them wish that they were out of the
country again," said Hendricks. "The lion is not so very formidable a
beast, after all. I've never been troubled by one in my camp, although
I have not unfrequently had half a dozen roaring round it at night; but
then I have always kept up a good fire, and had men on the watch, ready
to shoot the brutes, should they come near; so their instinct, I fancy,
has told them that it would be prudent to keep at a distance."
The horses had been knee-haltered, the usual way of securing them from
straying, and had been turned out with the cattle to pick up as much
sustenance as they could obtain from the withered grass, with one of the
Hottentot boys, old Dos, to watch them. The Hottentots, like
postilions, are always boys to the end of their days. Dos, though near
sixty, was so small and wiry, that at a little distance he might have
been mistaken for a boy.
As Hendricks intended to start at daylight, he ordered all hands to lie
down at an early hour, and obtain as much rest as they could, with the
hard ground for their beds, and the starry heavens overhead. A piece of
canvas let down from the side of the waggon served somewhat to screen
the young Englishmen--who were supposed to be more luxuriously inclined
than the rest of the party--from the chilly night air, while the mound
also contributed to protect the camp.
Denis and Lionel did not disdain to creep in beside them, while
Hendricks occupied his usual berth inside his waggon. In a few minutes
all voices were hushed, but though Crawford and Percy did not speak, the
strangeness of the scene prevented them from going to sleep. Some time
had passed, and they were at length beginning to get a little drowsy,
when they were startled by a terrific roar, which seemed to come almost
from above them. Starting up, and knocking their heads against the
bottom of the waggon as they did so, in a very unpleasant fashion, they
scrambled out from their sleeping-place, their impulse being to meet the
danger, whatever it might be, on their feet, and to look about them.
They were followed by Denis and Lionel, who had naturally been awakened
by the roaring.
"What is it? Where is it?" asked Percy Broderick.
"Look there," answered Denis, pointing to the top of the mound, where,
in the dim light, the outlines could be seen clearly defined against the
sky, of two lions. The monsters, placing their heads to the ground,
again sent forth a roar, which sounded fearfully loud in the silent
night air. The hideous uproar they made at length aroused Hendricks,
who, turning out of his berth, seized his gun, ever ready at hand, and
stepped a few paces from the camp towards them. The rest of the men in
camp had sprung to their feet, and held their rifles ready for instant
action, while the dogs, rushing to the front, continued barking in
varied tones, though they showed no inclination to venture beyond the
protection of their masters. The lions, however, did not advance, but
continued standing in the position in which they had at first been seen,
contenting themselves with uttering an occasional roar, as if to terrify
the occupants before making a final rush into their midst. The hunters,
however, were too well accustomed to encounters with lions to be
alarmed, let them roar ever so loudly; still a fight with a couple at
night would not be free of danger, should either of them be wounded and
not killed outright. It would indeed be no easy matter to bring them
down at the distance they were off.
"We must send these brutes away, or they'll give us no time for sleep,"
said Hendricks, and he summoned Umgolo and another experienced hunter to
his side. Ordering the other men to keep back the dogs, he slowly
advanced with his two companions towards the foot of the mound. Denis
and Lionel, who was well able to use the small rifle his friend had
procured for him, with Percy and Crawford, kept behind as a reserve, but
Hendricks had ordered them on no account to fire, unless by chance the
lions should break through and come down upon them.
Slowly the hunters advanced up the mound: the lions, however, not
appearing to have noticed them, continued roaring as loudly as before,
till suddenly they seemed to become aware that enemies were at hand,
when, instead of springing boldly forward, Percy and his companions, to
their astonishment, saw them retiring as cowardly dogs are apt to do
after barking, then finally turning round, they trotted off until they
were lost to sight at the other side of the mound.
"The brutes often prove poltroons, if courageously met, and so these
have shown themselves," exclaimed Denis. "We shall not be troubled
again to-night by their sweet voices, though we may hear them in the
distance growling and muttering over their disappointment."
In a short time the camp was again quiet, and Denis and Lionel,
accustomed to such adventures, quickly went to sleep, but Percy and
Crawford could not, as before, close their eyes. Every now and then, as
they listened, they heard a low muttering sound coming from a distance.
"What can that curious noise be?" asked Crawford. "I should fancy it
was made by deer; I have heard something like it in England."
"I don't fancy any deer would remain in the neighbourhood with a couple
of hungry lions roaming about," answered Percy. "Perhaps it is made by
monkeys. I'll ask Denis. He was awake a few minutes ago. I say,
Denis, what creatures are making those curious sounds? Just listen for
a minute." Denis was asleep, but on hearing himself called, awoke in an
instant, fancying that something was the matter.
"What curious sounds?" he asked. "Sure I only hear a couple of lions
muttering away as the beasts have a fancy for doing at night when they
want their suppers, and haven't yet found anything to eat. There now go
to sleep, and don't be bothering a fellow by waking him out of his first
nap; you'll soon get accustomed to stranger noises than those." And
Denis covered his head up again with his blanket.
The rest of the night passed quietly by, but at early dawn there was a
great hubbub among the Hottentots and Kaffirs. The horses had
disappeared; either the lions had put them to flight in spite of their
being knee-haltered, or they had gone in search of greener pastures.
Old Dos had not seen them go. He had been herding the cattle, and had
taken little note of them, thinking that they could take care of
themselves. The consequence was, he and another Hottentot boy, Tan,
were sent off in search of them as soon as daylight had increased
sufficiently to enable their spoor to be seen. The party had therefore
to remain encamped until they were brought back.
"I should have preferred more picturesque scenery to spend the day in.
I wonder our leader takes the matter so coolly," observed Crawford.
"It's just this, that he's accustomed to it," answered Denis. "A man
who travels in this country must have a vast amount of patience. He
must not value time as you do in the old country."
Hendricks, however, did not let his people remain idle. They were
employed in repairing or strengthening the harness, cutting thongs,
collecting fuel, and doing other odd jobs, while he and Umgolo went out
with their guns in search of a pallah or other game. Crawford and his
younger companions amused themselves in camp, for the heat was too great
to enjoy exercise. Before noon the horses were brought back, and the
hunters returning with a springboc, no time was lost in inspanning, and
the waggon proceeded on at a faster pace than usual, to make up for lost
time. A drift or stream was forded, the waggon sticking as it reached
the opposite bank, and much more time was lost in dragging it up, as the
oxen obstinately refused to pull all together. In vain the Hottentot
boys rushed in among them, endeavouring by soft blandishments to induce
them to move. The Kaffirs swore in strange-sounding tones, and Denis
flew here and there, poking one, lashing another, hauling at the head of
a third, his example being followed by the other Englishmen. Their
leader rode forward, merely observing--
"You must make haste, boys, for we have a worse bit than this to cross,
and cross it we must, before we outspan for the night."
Scarcely had he disappeared in the distance than the oxen, suddenly
pulling together, hauled the waggon out. Denis uttered a loud shout of
triumph, and away it went rumbling after them.
The promise of their leader was soon fulfilled. After moving on for
three miles or so, the foot of a hill was reached. The driver knowing
what was before him urged on the oxen, hoping that by pulling together
as they were then doing, he might urge the waggon up without a stop.
For the first two-thirds of the way they did very well, but at last
coming to a steep pitch, suddenly the whole span stopped, and refused to
budge an inch farther. Frantically the driver lashed and lashed, and
cracked his whip, the reports resounding like a sharp fire of musketry
amid the hills. It was of no avail, and had not two of the men rushed
up with two huge masses of rock, which they placed behind the wheels,
the waggon would have gone backwards, and dragged the animals after it
to the bottom of the hill. In vain the driver shouted and yelled;
forward they would not go; but began twisting and turning round in their
yokes, some facing one way, some another; some dropping down on their
knees, others rolling over with the risk of being strangled by the riems
which secured them to the yoke. To Crawford's eye they appeared in a
state of confusion, from which it would be impossible to extricate them.
The Hottentots shouted, the driver leapt from his box, and with the
other boys rushed here and there, uttering yells, shouts, and
execrations while they plied their tough waggon whips with a vehemence
which brought blood at every stroke from the backs of the obstinate
brutes. Now they seized the animals' tails, twisting them round and
round, some actually seizing them with their teeth, while they
endeavoured to get them back into line, all the time shouting "Juk!
juk!" to make them start, or "Om! om!" whenever they wanted them to turn
round, generally at the same time hitting them on their noses with the
butt ends of their whips. Crawford and Percy could do nothing, but
Denis and Lionel exerted themselves fearlessly. At last old Dos,
dragging at the leading oxen with a riem, the whole span "trekked" at
the same moment, and in a few moments the waggon was again moving
forward at a slow pace.
"All our difficulties are not over yet," observed Hendricks to Crawford,
as they were walking ahead, leading their horses. "See, there's an ugly
spot yonder, which it will require all the skill of old Dos to surmount.
I'll leave the drivers, however, to their own resources. If I
interfered, they would simply follow my directions, throwing the
responsibility upon me, and take no further trouble about the matter.
If they get into a fix, I try and get them out of it."
The ugly spot was reached. The path was sufficiently broad for the
waggon to pass, but it sloped down to the edge of a steep precipice, not
however quite perpendicular, as the tops of tall trees could be seen
rising out of its side, but sufficiently steep to cause a waggon to turn
over and over, and of a depth which would ensure its being crushed or
smashed to fragments when it reached the bottom. The Hottentots gazed
at it with uneasy glances. They first examined the harness, to see that
all was secure, they then fastened four riems of stout buffalo hide to
the side of the waggon opposite to the precipice. The whole of the
party were next summoned to lay hold of the other ends of the riems, and
the driver fixing himself on his box with his whip ready for action, Dos
went ahead, and the waggon started. The ground was of clay, excessively
slippery, and the party holding on to the riems and running alongside
the waggon, found it no easy matter to keep their feet. Every moment it
appeared that the waggon must slip down the steep incline. Lionel and
Denis worked as hard as any one, although their united weight did not do
much to keep back the heavy vehicle. All the party were slipping,
hauling, scrambling along, shouting at the top of their voices, now and
then one of them coming down in the mud, but still holding on to the
riems. The fear was that the oxen would come to a standstill. So long
as they kept moving, the danger was not so great; but there appeared
every probability, should the waggon once fetch way, that not only it
and the oxen, but the whole party, would be dragged over the precipice.
Hendricks, assisted by Crawford, had taken charge of the horses, and
rode on ahead, too well accustomed to similar adventures to feel
especially anxious about the matter.
"The waggon will get over it," he remarked; "if it does not, it will be
provoking; but I always make up my mind for an occasional accident,
although on the present occasion I should regret it very much, as it
would delay the search for my friend Maloney: for in spite of what
others think, I have hopes that he is still alive."
"Denis thinks so too, and frequently alludes to the subject. He could
not be as merry as he is if he believed that his father was really
lost," remarked Crawford.
Meantime old Dos and the other Hottentots were shouting and shrieking in
shrill tones, the Kaffirs roaring in deeper bass, while Denis, Percy,
and Lionel were halloing and laughing as they tugged away at the thongs.
The oxen, encouraged by the voices of their drivers, were doing their
part. The difficult spot, which the Dutch settlers called a squint
path, was passed, and the waggon gained the top of the height, when at
some distance a broad river was seen flowing to the southward.
"There is the Tugela; we must cross that to-morrow morning, to get into
Zululand," said Hendricks to Crawford. "To-night we must encamp midway
between it and the foot of the hill."
The waggon at once began its descent, as there was but little time to
spare before darkness came on. The riems were now secured to the hinder
part to prevent its slipping down too rapidly in the steeper places.
The scenery from the top of the hill was wild and picturesque. Beyond
the river lay several cloofs or valleys, containing numerous fine timber
trees, and rich in the variety of their foliage and gorgeous flowers. A
carpet of green clothed the side and foot of the berg, as well as the
borders of the broad river, although the intermediate space was dry and
parched by the summer heat.
The waggon reached the bottom of the mountain in safety, and soon
afterwards the travellers camped by the side of a small stream flowing
down from the berg they had crossed, a thick wood near at hand affording
them abundance of fuel.
While the camp was being formed, Hendricks and Umgolo, according to
their usual custom, hastened out with their guns, and each before long
returned with a klipspringer, which were forthwith cut up and prepared
for supper. The abundance of good meat restored the spirits of the
Kaffirs and Hottentots, which the toils of the day had somewhat
depressed. The night passed without any unusual incident. Lions might
have been heard roaring or muttering in the distance, and occasionally
the camp was surrounded by musically-inclined jackals or hyenas, but the
brutes did not venture near enough to disturb the slumbers of the
travellers, and at daylight every one was on foot ready to commence the
trek which was to carry them into Zululand.