THE BUSH VELD
After half-an-hour’s travel, Kameelpoort was reached, and on emerging
on the other side, our friends found stretched out before them hills
and valleys covered by trees and bushes. It seemed to them, as they
stood high above these valleys and hills, that the earth appeared to
sink lower and lower the farther northward they looked. It was really
so. They were standing on a range of hills separating the high from
the low veld. The high veld is a bare, undulating plain, covered with
grass only. The low veld is covered with bush and trees, ranging from
low dwarf bushes to the high majestic yellow wood, and other large
varieties of trees. The farther north you go, the lower you descend,
and the warmer it becomes, so that in mid-winter you have a mild
pleasant climate, but in summer only natives and game can exist.
Under the trees and in the open glades a high, sweet grass
grows--splendid feeding for cattle and sheep in winter. Thus it is that
all farmers do not consider themselves well off before they have a farm
or two on the high veld for summer, and a farm in the bush veld for
winter pasturage.
After descending into the valley before them, our party reached a
stream where were encamped about ten families of farmers, some of whom
Steve knew. The usual welcome was accorded them.
We shall describe the winter quarters of one of these families, which
are all alike more or less, some better some worse.
If the family has two full tent waggons, so much the better, then they
have two bedrooms ready. In each a comfortable _Kartel_ (bedstead
without legs) is tied, and a feather bed made on it.
Between the two waggons, one or two tents are stretched, one serving as
another bedroom, and the other as a dining-room.
In front of the tents and waggons an enclosure is made of marsh or
river reeds. In the enclosure thus formed, a floor of mud and cow dung
is laid, which makes a smooth, hard floor. On one side of the enclosure
a fireplace is made, being a circle large enough to contain all the
pots of the family, enclosed by a ridge of mud three or four inches
high, to keep fire and ashes within bounds. This is the kitchen, and
also the sitting-room of an evening, when all would gather round the
fire, and the events of the day would be talked over. This enclosure is
always kept neat and clean.
Steve and his party found a good company of sportsmen in the community
here encamped. As it was still early, a party was got up to go
shooting. They started about four o’clock.
A good bag was made. We shall relate only one incident of the
afternoon. Steve found himself with the boaster of the company; he was
named William. His stories of his skill in shooting were marvellous.
Steve was considered by him as a greenhorn, and thus a suitable party
to be stuffed with yarns of miraculous shots that he--William--had
at various times made. Steve listened quietly and thought he should
like to see a few of these accurate shots. They arranged to shoot turn
by turn. The guns were all shot-guns, as they were only out after
partridge, koraan and pheasants.
The first of the two to shoot was William. He got a fine shot at
two pheasants, as they hid themselves behind a tuft of grass, or
thought they did, for they were still plainly visible. William fired
and--missed. Of course it was an accident, something the matter with
the gun. Steve’s turn came next; and a good turn he got. They came to
a pool of water; walking quietly up, four koraan were seen standing in
a line. William whispered to Steve to let him fire, as Steve was sure
to miss, and he would guarantee to bring down, at least, two. Without
answering, Steve took aim and fired--and killed all four.
William boasted no more after that in the presence of Steve.