"Look out! look out!" and the brave buffalo, catching sight of the
horses, and probably fancying that they were fresh enemies, came dashing
through the underwood towards them. Denis had only just time to throw
himself from his horse, Gozo having already dismounted, when the enraged
animal was close upon them. Percy galloped off on one side and Lionel
on the other. Denis fired, aiming at the buffalo, as did Gozo
immediately afterwards, but Denis's bullet flattened against her hard
skull, and although Gozo wounded her in the neck, she came on. Denis
fully expected to be tossed into the air or trampled to death, when
Lionel's horse standing stock still, he raised his rifle and pulled the
trigger. The bullet struck the buffalo, and must have entered her
heart, for she at that instant fell so close to Denis, that he narrowly
escaped an awkward prong from her horns directed towards him.
"Bravo, Lionel! you did that well, and many thanks to you for it," he
exclaimed. "Hendricks will be as delighted to hear of it, as I am that
you took so true an aim."
"I am very glad I brought the beast down," said Lionel, "though I would
rather she had shown her discretion by keeping clear of us. Poor brute,
she deserved a better fate."
Gozo, however, who was influenced by no such feelings, immediately set
to work to cut up the buffalo, and to preserve some of the more valuable
parts of the meat, but Denis suggested that in consequence of the state
of irritation the creature had been in, it could not be wholesome.
The Kaffir, however, laughed at this notion, and declared that it would
make no difference. Denis begged that he would be quick about it, as
Percy especially was suffering from thirst.
The Kaffir suggested that he should drink some of the blood, but Percy
naturally shuddered at the idea, and declared that the very thought of
it made him feel less thirsty.
"A proof that you are not dying of thirst," observed Denis. "However,
you are perfectly right. The chances are, had you followed Gozo's
advice, you would have been made very ill."
The Kaffir having secured a portion of the meat in a tree, and covered
it over with part of the hide, some boughs being placed on the top of
all, they rode on as fast as their tired horses could go in the
direction of the stream. They carried some of the meat, both of the
buffalo and wildebeest, with them, but to eat it would have been
impossible until they had quenched their thirst.
At last Gozo shouted out, "See, see! there is the water!" and they
caught sight below them of a stream glittering in the sun as it wound
its way through the broad valley. Their horses appeared to have seen it
also, for they moved forward with more alacrity than heretofore.
Presently, as they rounded a thicket, up sprang just before them a herd
of waterbok.
"Whollop-a-hoo!" cried Denis, his usual hunting cry, and he dashed
forward. "Venison will be better than tough wildebeest or heated
buffalo meat."
Reining in, as he was close to the animals, he fired, and brought one of
them down.
"Hurrah!" cried his companions.
"We must have another!" he exclaimed. "Lionel, see what you can do.
Gozo, stop and look after the beast I have shot;" and he rode forward,
loading as he went.
Lionel got ahead of him, and also pulling up fired, and stopped the
career of another of the herd.
"Capital!" cried Denis. "If we kill nothing else to-day, we shall have
done very well."
There was certainly no chance of their catching the rest of the
waterbok, which, dashing down to the river, swam across, and were
half-way up the opposite bank before the horsemen had reached the brink.
A little higher up was a ford, and they might have crossed at once, but
neither they nor their horses were inclined to do so without drinking.
Their steeds rushing in, soon had their noses in the refreshing liquid.
They all three dismounted, although they had to step into the water; but
as the bottom was hard, no mud was raised, and they lapped up the liquid
in their palms. They were soon joined by Gozo, who had thrown the
second waterbok killed by Lionel across his horse. As he had no shoes,
and his legs were bare, he walked farther across the ford, and he and
his horse followed their example. Presently he shouted out in Kaffir,
and Lionel exclaimed--
"He says that he sees a crocodile, and there may be more near. We had
better get out of the water as fast as we can, or one of us or a horse
may be caught hold of."
Percy, who, although as brave as any fellow, had a great horror of the
voracious creatures, quickly led his horse out of the water.
"Come away, come away!" he shouted. "I see one of the brutes on the
opposite side eyeing us, and he'll be making a dash in this direction
presently, if we don't get on shore."
Lionel and Denis laughed, and deliberately led their unwilling steeds to
the shore.
"Tell Gozo to make haste. The crocodile is moving--it is coming towards
him. I'm sure it is!" cried Percy.
Gozo, looking round, seemed to think the same, for throwing himself on
horseback, he urged on his animal to the bank. He was only just in
time, for the crocodile came on rapidly.
"Shout, shout!" cried Denis, and they all shouted together.
He took also still more effectual means of stopping the animal by firing
at its head; with what effect he could not tell, except that the
creature swerved from its course, and away it went swimming down the
stream, probably frightened as much by the shouts as by the tap of the
bullet on its skull.
"Now I vote we have some dinner," cried Denis. "We have plenty of food,
that's a good thing to be thankful for; but we will be prudent, and not
pitch our camp close to the stream, or one of those gentlemen may take a
fancy to interrupt us while we enjoy our meal, and make a meal of us."
Matches having been introduced in those days, and there being an
abundance of dry wood about, a fire was quickly lighted, a couple of
hundred yards or so from the bank, on a stony spot where there was no
risk of igniting the herbage. The horses were knee-haltered and turned
loose, and the young hunters set themselves diligently to work to cook
their venison and warm up some mealy cakes which they had brought in
their saddle-bags; a small kettle was put on to boil, and tea was made.
Pepper and salt were not wanting, and although they had no milk, they
agreed that they could very well dispense with that luxury, especially
as they had plenty of sugar.
"Well, this is what I call jolly," cried Percy. "Although my throat now
feels as if a flowing stream had run down it, pleasanter than being like
a dust bin, I'll trouble you, Denis, for another cup of tea."
They were too hungry to wait until their meat was cooked, so they
nibbled their cakes and sipped their tea while waiting, till Denis
pronounced the venison fit for the table. It was very juicy, and
certainly not overdone. Gozo had in the meantime disposed of a couple
of slices before they were well warmed through.
"I say," said Percy, "we must not spend much time here, if we are to get
back before dark. I had no idea how fast time had gone by; it is two
o'clock already. Fortunately we have more game than we can carry home
on our horses, and we need not be ashamed of ourselves."
"I should like first to knock over another wildebeest, or an elephant,
if one were to come in our way," said Denis. "The tusks would be of
more value than all the meat we have obtained, as I have no doubt
Hendricks will have brought in more than we shall."
As he spoke, he leant back to enjoy that rest which a hunter can best
appreciate.
"Still I advise that we should not delay," said Percy. "Hendricks told
us to get back before dark, and we promised to do so. It would be no
valid excuse to say that we were tempted to stop longer than we
intended, for the sake of hunting even the most valuable game."
"Your are right," answered Denis. "Just hand me another cup of tea,
there's a good fellow. I don't feel I have had quite enough liquid to
supply the amount evaporated during the morning."
"That was a curious story you were telling me of yourself, Lionel,"
observed Percy; "I am more interested than you may suppose. Should you
like to find your real father and mother?"
"Indeed, I should," answered Lionel; "for young as I was, I fancy I
remember my mother. I have often in my sleep seen her standing by my
bedside and watching over me. I was very fond of Aunt Susannah. Still
I never looked upon her as my mother. She was very different to the
lady I remember."
"Then you think your mother was a lady?" asked Percy.
"I am certain of it," answered Lionel; "and a very charming lady, too.
I am as sure of that as I am of my own existence."
While they were speaking, Gozo, who had been looking about him, cried
out in a low voice, pointing to the river, "See, see!"
As they sat up, they observed a troop of elephants approaching the ford
from the opposite side.
"We must try and get a shot at one of those fellows," exclaimed Denis,
looking round to ascertain where the horses were feeding. Satisfied
that they were well away from the track the elephants were likely to
take, he began creeping along towards some bushes close to the river, at
no great distance from the ford.
"The young master knows what he is about," whispered Gozo to Lionel, as
they followed behind Percy, who had kept close to Denis.
They reached the bush without the elephants having observed them. The
animals came on, and arranged themselves along the bank, some going into
the ford, while others kept on dry ground, near enough to dip their
trunks into the water. Having satisfied their thirst, they commenced
squirting the water over their backs, so as to give themselves a
pleasant shower bath that hot day, appearing to be in no hurry to
proceed. The party in ambush began to fear that they would move back
the way they had come, and that there would be no chance of getting a
shot at them.
"The time is passing, and we ought to be on our way to camp," whispered
Percy. "Would it not be better to give up the chance of killing an
elephant to-day? We could not carry home the tusks, and it would be a
long distance to send for them."
"Hendricks won't mind that. We might carry them between us part of the
way, and they are too valuable to be lost," answered Denis; "but see,
what is that fellow about?"
He pointed to one of the elephants who had gone farther into the ford
than the rest. He was slowly moving across; now he stopped and looked
back at his companions, then he went on again: from the way he lifted
his legs it was evident that he was dragging something attached to one
of them. Another elephant followed the first, the largest in the herd.
As the former got into the more shallow water, near the bank where the
young hunters lay concealed, what was their astonishment to perceive
that he had a huge crocodile clinging to his leg, just below the knee!
The saurian seemed to have fixed its sharp teeth so securely in the
tough skin of the elephant that it could not withdraw them. At all
events, it made no attempt to get free. Perhaps it held on under the
idea that it would be able to bring the elephant to the ground and feast
off its body. If so, it was greatly mistaken. The elephant seemed in
no way alarmed, but went on dragging the creature along with it. When
it reached the bank, it uttered a peculiar cry and stood still. On this
the largest elephant came hurrying up, and winding his trunk round the
body of the crocodile, which he pressed against his tusks--he dragged it
by main force from the leg of his companion, then lifting it in the air,
walked with stately pace--the creature vainly struggling to free
itself--till he reached a stiff forked, thorny tree of moderate height,
and without more ado, raising the crocodile as high as he could, he
brought its body down with a tremendous crash on the pointed branches,
where he left it impaled, struggling, but ineffectually, to free itself.
Its escape was as hopeless as a poor cockchafer pinned by a cruel boy
to a board.
The elephants regarded its struggles with evident satisfaction. They
were little aware of the danger they themselves were in from the bullets
of the hunters. The leader at length gave vent to a triumphant
trumpeting, and moved on, followed by his companions, at a leisurely
pace; but instead of coming near the bush where the hunters lay
concealed, they turned in the opposite direction. To fire would have
been utterly useless. The tough hide of an elephant will turn a bullet,
unless discharged at a short distance, and even then it can only
penetrate at certain parts with any chance of killing. The hunters
waited still hoping that one of the hindermost elephants might turn
aside and come nearer to them. But the last went by, following the
footsteps of the leader, and all chance of getting a shot was over,
unless they were to start up, and by going ahead of the herd, have time
to conceal themselves in another ambush until the animals came past
them.
Denis wanted to do this, but Percy reminded him that they were already
late, and that after all they might miss the elephants.
"I suppose you are right," answered Denis, reluctantly; "but I vote,
before we start, that we take another slice of venison. I have scarcely
had enough, and it may be a long time before we get any food in these
wild regions. It is always better to eat when we can, in case we should
have nothing to put into our mouths later. You will see that Gozo
follows my principle."
The fire had kept burning, and probably caused the elephants to turn
aside away from it. As there was no necessity for further concealment,
the party returned to their camp. Gozo proved that Denis was right, by
cutting off some huge slices, which in spite of the quantity he had
before eaten, he quickly stowed away in his inside. The horses were
feeding at no great distance off, so that they could keep watch over
them. They had hitherto been perfectly quiet, notwithstanding the
proximity of the elephants, cropping such tufts of grass as they could
find here and there, or the tender shoots of trees. Suddenly they began
to move about uneasily. First one lifted up its head and gazed around,
then another and another did the same Gozo observing them looked anxious
and said something to Denis. At that instant, before they could rise to
their feet, a dozen Zulus, who had crept up unperceived, suddenly sprang
up as if from the ground, holding their assegais poised in their hands,
and completely surrounded them.
Lionel, who was rapid in all his movements, lifted his rifle to fire.
"Don't do that!" cried Denis, in time to stop him; "it would be the
signal to them to kill us. We are in for it, and must try to make
friends with them."
Percy, who was looking towards the horses, cried out,--"They have got
hold of them all."
Several Zulus had in the meantime caught the animals, and were now
leading them up towards the camp.
It was evident that an attempt to escape would be useless, so the young
hunters sat still, as did Gozo, who looked very much astonished, not
being able to make out why the Zulus had captured them. They were
fierce-looking fellows, some of them being apparently chiefs, for they
wore kilts of monkey or cat skins round their waists. Their breasts and
backs were covered with ox-tails, while their heads were adorned with
caps of monkey skins, in which were stuck tall plumes composed of
ostrich and crane feathers. The rest of the men had very little
clothing beyond a small kilt of skins round their waists. They all
carried shields on their arms and a bundle of assegais in their hands.
Denis was the first to recover from his astonishment, and turning toward
one who appeared to be their leader, he asked in as quiet a tone as he
could command--
"Why have you thus come suddenly upon us, while we were enjoying our
repast? Such is not the way the Zulus behave towards their friends the
English."
"We knew not whether you were English or boers, and we found you hunting
in our territory," answered the chief.
"The English have never been prevented from hunting wherever they choose
throughout Zululand," answered Denis.
"That matters not at present," said the chief. "You are our prisoners;
you must accompany us to our king, and beware that you make no
resistance or attempt to escape."
Denis interpreted what the chief said to Percy, who was naturally
anxious to know the result of the conversation.
"We must put the best face we can on the matter," he added, "and I only
hope that they'll let us keep our guns."
This seemed very doubtful, for from their looks the Zulus certainly did
not regard their prisoners with any affectionate feeling. Lionel had
not hitherto spoken, and as they found that Percy was unacquainted with
their language, they supposed that he was so likewise.
"Don't speak to them, Lionel," said Denis. "I'll act as interpreter,
and then you may be able to find out why they have taken us prisoners,
and what they intend to do to us."
"It will be wise to do so," answered Lionel; "and if I am able to get
away, I will let Uncle Hendricks know what has happened, and he will
very soon be down upon these gentlemen, and rescue you."
"A good idea, and I hope that you may succeed," said Denis. "In the
meantime the best thing we can do is to pretend to be as much at our
ease as possible. I don't think the fellows intend to kill us, or to do
us any harm."
"They look fierce enough," said Percy. "I only hope, Lionel, that
you'll be able to carry out your plan; but you must run no unnecessary
risk. I should think that Hendricks is sure to search for us, when he
finds that we do not return; whereas, should they find you trying to run
away, they might, in very wantonness, send an assegai through you."
"If I try to run, it will be at night, when there will be very little
chance of being discovered," answered Lionel; "I hear the men saying
that they are about to carry us off. Should we be separated, we must
keep up our courage, remember that."
As he spoke, two Kaffirs seized each of the lads somewhat roughly by the
arms, to make them get up, and at the same time snatched their rifles
out of their hands. This done, the chiefs, squatting down, appropriated
the remainder of the venison, which they quickly ate up, while their
followers stood holding their prisoners at a little distance. The
chiefs then rising, ordered the men who had charge of the horses to
bring them up, and mounting, rode forward, while the rest of the party,
holding fast the young Englishmen, followed behind.
They first ascended the hill, down which Denis and his companions had
come, but they soon altered their course, and proceeded first to the
south, and then turning due west continued their march.
"I can't say that I quite like the way they are treating us," said
Denis. "It shows that they are not animated by any friendly spirit, or
they would not have ridden our horses while they make us walk. It
puzzles me to say to what party they can belong. I am nearly certain
that King Panda and his son Cetchwayo would not treat us in this
fashion, as they have always shown a tolerably friendly feeling towards
the English."
"I have been trying to listen to what the men have been saying, but I
cannot make out what they intend to do with us," observed Lionel.
"At all events, it is a comfort that we are allowed to keep together,"
said Percy. "It strikes me that perhaps their object is to hold us as
hostages for some purpose or other, but what purpose that is I can't
even guess."
Poor Gozo looked very crestfallen, as he was led along at some distance
from his young masters; he, apparently, fully expecting to be put to
death.
They proceeded for some way at a rapid rate, which, active as the three
friends were, they found it very difficult to keep up with.
Occasionally the chiefs looked back to see that they were coming, and
Denis thought he saw them laughing and casting scornful looks at him and
his companions. They went on without stopping to rest or take any food;
sometimes up hill, sometimes down, across valleys, and over rocky
ground, until, as evening was approaching, the hum of human voices was
heard. Some little distance ahead a kraal was seen on the side of a
hill, while in the valley below were assembled a large concourse of men
employed in various ways; some formed into regiments were marching here
and there, others collected round fires were engaged in cooking, while a
considerable number were employed in putting up huts.
"Who can they be?" asked Percy.
"I suppose that they must be Cetchwayo's followers, and if so we shall
find him there. He, at all events, is not likely to do us any harm, if,
as is generally supposed, he wishes to be friends with the English. I
know that he sometimes holds a sort of court by himself, away from the
king, although he is said to have almost as much power in the country as
his fat old father," answered Denis. "I'll try and find out from our
guards."
When Denis, however, put the question to the Zulus, they, not
understanding, or not wishing to give him information, made him no
answer.
"Never fear, it will be all right," said Denis. "When Cetchwayo finds
that we belong to Hendricks, whom he knows well, he will set us at
liberty, and soundly rate our captors for carrying us off."
They were still, however, left in doubt as to how they were to be
treated. The chiefs on horseback proceeded down the hill, and directed
their course towards one end of the valley, where a large hut had been
put up, before which was seated a tall, rather stout personage, with
several chiefs standing near him.
"That must be Cetchwayo," said Denis, pointing him out to Percy. "I
never saw the black prince, but he answers his description."
On reaching the neighbourhood of the hut, the chiefs dismounted, and
giving their horses to some attendants, advanced on foot. After going
through the usual ceremonies, they stood on one side, and their leader
making a sign to his followers to come forward with their prisoners, the
prince cast a frowning glance at them; perhaps it was habitual to his
countenance.
"Can either of you speak the Zulu tongue?" he inquired in a gruff voice.
"I can," answered Denis in the same language, stepping forward. "What
does the Prince require of us?"
"To whom do you belong?" was the next question.
"To Hendricks the hunter and trader. He is well known to you," answered
Denis.
"I care not for your relatives or friends. Whom do you hold to be the
chief person in Zululand?"
"Surely who else but King Panda and his son Cetchwayo?" replied Denis,
in a confident tone.
"In that respect you have not answered wisely. Panda is king it is
true; but Cetchwayo, who is he?"
"I thought that you were Cetchwayo," said Denis.
"In that you are mistaken, young Englishman; I am Umbulazi, a better man
than Cetchwayo, and have more right to be the prince than he has."
"I beg your pardon," answered Denis, in no way abashed.
"Understand, Prince, that we are travellers through the country, that we
have come to trade and to hunt, but we do not pretend to have more
affection for one ruler than another. We were on a hunting expedition
to obtain some meat for our camp when your followers seized us and
brought us here. All we now ask is to be set at liberty, and to be
allowed to return to our friends who are anxiously waiting us."
"Such cannot be allowed," answered Umbulazi. "You will carry
information of what you have seen to Cetchwayo, who will then be induced
to attack us before we are ready for him."
"We promise to give no information which will in any way injure you,"
said Denis.
"I shall take very good care of that," answered Umbulazi. "Whether the
English intend to be friends to me or not, it matters little. I have
many followers, some of whom you see here, and many more will join me
ere long; so that we shall soon drive Cetchwayo out of the country, and
Umbulazi will some day be king of Zululand."
Denis had heard that a son of King Panda, Umbulazi, had been supplanted
by a younger son, Cetchwayo, and that, being destitute of talents and
ability, he was not likely to attempt to interfere in the affairs of
state, but to remain quietly at his kraal, attending to his herds, and
cultivating his mealy grounds. It was now evident that he was in open
rebellion, and it was very important not to offend him; for, like other
Zulu chiefs, he was utterly regardless of human life. Denis therefore
feared that should he say anything to excite his anger, he might order
his guards to cut him and his companions to pieces, or might give them
leave to amuse themselves by throwing their assegais at them. He
therefore assumed as humble a manner as he could, and replied, "When
Umbulazi is king, all Englishmen who come into this country will pay him
reverence, and abide by his laws, as I and my friends now wish to do.
Again I ask that we may have permission to proceed on our way, as our
leader, Hendricks, the great hunter, is waiting for us; and as we shall
in a short time pass the borders of Zululand, we cannot trouble Umbulazi
by our presence."
The prince said something not very complimentary to the speaker,
signifying that he was talking nonsense. He then ordered some of his
attendants to carry the three prisoners to a hut close by, and to place
a guard over them until he had determined how they should be disposed
of.