A HOTTENTOT KRAAL--THE HOTTENTOT CHIEF--UMBOO'S MESSAGE--NEWS FROM CAPE
TOWN--THE HOTTENTOT PROGRAMME--LEARNED SPECULATIONS.
The sun had hardly risen on the following morning when the quarters
where they had bivouacked were surrounded by a bevy of dark skins, whose
curiosity to see the strangers was at least equal to that of the boys to
see them. The latter were bewildered by the multitude of small
copper-coloured men by whom they were environed, their thin faces, small
sunken eyes wide apart from one another, thick lips, and flat noses,
rendering them objects as hideous in European eyes as could well be
imagined. Their conversation too--for they talked rapidly and
incessantly among themselves--sounded the strangest Babel that ever was
poured into civilised ears. It resembled the continued chattering of
teeth, the tongue being continually struck against the jaws or palate;
and for a long time the lads almost believed that the men were simply
gibbering, like monkeys, at one another. Omatoko, however, who was
either a personage of real authority in his tribe, or felt himself
entitled to assume authority under the circumstances of the case, soon
convinced them that his countrymen understood the orders which he gave
them, and were, moreover, ready to obey him. At his command two of them
took on their shoulders the basket, in which Lion had been carefully
laid on a heap of dried grass, and trotted nimbly off with it; Frank,
who had witnessed the manoeuvre, running by the side, and steadying the
litter with his hand, whenever any piece of rough ground had to be
traversed.
This part of the work despatched, Omatoko next went down to the place
where the carcasses of the koodoos had been carefully protected from
vultures and hyenas by a heap of logs laid over them. Committing each
koodoo to the care of three or four, whom he chose out of the throng for
the purpose, he sent them after the others. Then he himself,
accompanied by his nephew, whom he introduced by the name of "Toboo,"
and the son of the chief, whom he addressed as "Kalambo," prepared to
set out on the journey, as a guard of honour to the Englishmen.
In about two hours' time they arrived at the kraal, where the chief,
Umboo, was expecting them; and the three lads, who had been on the look
out for something entirely different to all that they had ever beheld
before, were, for once, not disappointed.
The village was built in the shape of a perfect oval, each cottage
approaching its next neighbour so nearly as only to allow room for
passing to and fro; and on the outer side of the ellipse were enclosures
for the cattle. The boys were somewhat surprised at this arrangement,
having been prepared to find the oxen pastured in the space enclosed by
the huts, where they would have been safe from attack until the men had
been overpowered. But they learned afterwards that the Hottentots
rather desired that the cattle should protect them, than they the
cattle. In the event of an attack from an enemy, the latter would, it
was reckoned, be unwilling to destroy the sheep and oxen--the latter,
indeed, being in general the booty which had been the inciting cause of
the attack--and thus time was gained, and the enemy taken at a
disadvantage.
The houses themselves were circular, composed of wicker-work overlaid
with matting; this latter being woven out of rushes, and further sewn
with the fibre of the mimosa. The mats supplied a twofold want. They
readily admitted the passage of air, and so secured good ventilation;
and they were of a texture so porous that rain only caused them to close
tighter, and so rendered them waterproof. Our travellers had already
had satisfactory evidence of their efficiency in this respect during
their three days' halt in the rocky defile. Like all other huts
belonging to savages in these regions, they had only one opening, which
served as door, window, and chimney.
The boys had only time for a very cursory survey of these particulars,
when they were hurried into the dwelling of Umboo the chief of the
tribe, who, they were told, was impatiently expecting them. Without
waiting therefore to wash or cool themselves, or change any part of
their dress, they passed into the royal hut, as it might be termed;
though, on examination, it was not found to be materially different from
those around it.
It was larger, certainly, and perhaps a foot higher, the ordinary huts
not being more than five feet in height. The floor was strewn with
karosses, on one of which the great Umboo was sitting when they entered.
In the background several of his wives--he was said to have nearly a
dozen--were sitting; mostly young, well-shaped women, though their
figures were almost concealed from sight by numberless necklaces,
girdles, armlets, and anklets, ornamented after a strange and bizarre
fashion with shells, tigers' teeth, polished stones, and metal spangles
of all shapes and sizes--obtained doubtless from tradings with the
whites. The chief himself was attired after a fashion so extraordinary,
that the boys, and particularly Nick, could with difficulty restrain a
shout of laughter as their eyes lighted upon him.
He was a tall and very stout man, with features which, for one of his
race, might be accounted handsome; and his dress, however anomalous in
the estimation of Europeans, was doubtless regarded with respect and
even awe by his own subjects. It consisted of a full-bottomed wig,
which had probably once graced the head of some Dutch official, though
every vestige of powder had long disappeared. The lower folds of this
headdress fell over the collar of the red coat of an English grenadier--
a souvenir probably of Muizenberg or Blauenberg--the rusty buttons and
tarnished embroidery testifying to the hard service which the garment in
question had seen. Below the coat, so far as the mid-calf, Umboo's
person remained in its natural state, always excepting the red ochre and
grease with which it was liberally besmeared, the odour from which,
under the broiling sun, was almost unendurable. The royal costume was
completed by a pair of top-boots with brass spurs attached--suggesting a
curious inquiry as to the number of owners through which the articles
must have passed, before they were transferred from the legs of an
English squire to those of a Namaqua chief.
Umboo had noticed the demeanour of the younger portion of his visitors,
but he had happily no suspicion of its true explanation, being himself
rather inclined to attribute it to the awe which his presence inspired.
He was, however, unacquainted not only with the English language, but
with the Dutch also; and Omatoko was obliged to act as interpreter
between the two parties--an office, apparently, which was greatly to his
taste.
After a long interview, in which the chief manifested the greatest
curiosity as to the previous history of his visitors, the circumstances
which had led to their presence in the country, and the course which
they now proposed to pursue, he was pleased to intimate to them that
their audience was ended, but that he had assigned a hut for their
special accommodation, and one of his people to attend on them and
provide them with food, as long as they remained in the kraal.
Having expressed their thanks and taken leave, the four friends
withdrew, and were ushered to their house by Toboo, the latter being, as
they discovered, the attendant of whom the chief had spoken. Here they
found Lion, lying in one corner on a heap of reeds, apparently none the
worse for his journey.
"Well," said Nick, as he threw himself on a bed of dried grass covered
with one or two karosses, "this is better than the desert, anyhow! I
suppose his Majesty, King Umboo, keeps a pretty good table, and a decent
cook. Are we to have the honour, by the bye, of dining at the royal
board, or is a separate cuisine to be kept up for us? In the first
instance, will it be necessary to dress for dinner; in the second, who
is to give orders to the cook?"
"And if we are to be his Majesty's guests, will the Queen be present?"
asked Frank; "and if she is, which of us is to have the honour of
handing her in to dinner?"
"You forget, Frank, there is more than one Mrs Umboo. I believe there
are as many as a dozen, if not more."
"Well, then, they won't all dine, I suppose, at least not on the same
day. I dare say they'll take it in turns, so as to have the advantage
of improving their manners by European polish," said Wilmore. "By the
bye, were those his wives or his daughters that were sitting on the
skins at the back of the tent. There was one of them who was very
nearly being handsome. If it hadn't been for her hair, which strongly
resembled a black scrubbing brush, I think she would have been!"
"Ay, I noticed her casting glances at you, Frank," said Nick. "If she
was one of Umboo's wives, it is a good job that the royal eyes couldn't
see through the back of the head to which they belonged, or his Majesty
might have ordered you both to be burned, or impaled, or disposed of
after some pleasant fashion of the like description. But we will hope
she was a princess, not a queen."
"With all my heart," said Frank, laughing. "Perhaps she was the
Princess Royal and, in default of issue male, the heiress presumptive of
the crown. It would be great promotion to become Crown Prince of the
Namaquas. But here is Charles waiting to speak as soon as he can thrust
a word in edgewise. Well, Charles, what is it?"
"Why, if you fellows have done chaffing, there is something of
importance which I have to tell you."
"Ay, indeed, and what may that be?" inquired Gilbert.
"Why, you know that I have had some conversations with Omatoko in
Dutch?"
"Yes, we all know that."
"But you, perhaps, did _not_ know that I understand something of the
Hottentot language also."
"Certainly, none of us understood that," observed Frank. "Why, Charles,
how could you ever learn it? It seems to me nothing but a series of
chicks, as though they were rattling castanets with their tongues."
"I was laid up once with an accident on a shooting expedition, and was
nursed by the Hottentots. I picked up enough of their lingo to
understand generally what they say, though I don't think I could talk
it," answered Charles.
"Why didn't you tell Omatoko so? It would have saved some trouble?"
asked Warley.
"Why, you see, Ernest, I have had my suspicions of Omatoko from the
first--that is, I have never been quite satisfied about his good faith,
though I thought it better to follow his counsel. But I knew when we
reached the village, that he would speak freely of his real intentions
to his countrymen, not having any suspicion that I understood a word of
what he was saying."
"That was very well thought of," said Warley, "and it was very wise also
to keep your intention to yourself. I am glad I didn't know it, any
way. But what did you learn to-day?"
"I learned, among other things, that the force which it was supposed the
English government would send to reconquer the Cape from the Dutch, has
actually sailed, if it has not landed; and, in my opinion, it is large
enough to render any resistance on the part of the Dutch hopeless--that
is, if its strength is correctly reported."
"You don't mean that, Charles! How could these Hottentots know anything
about the matter?"
"They are much keener, and take a stronger interest in these things than
you fancy. They have always bitterly regretted the restoration of the
colony to Holland, and the idea of the English again assuming the
government is very acceptable to them. It appears that an American
frigate brought the news on Christmas Day of the approach of an English
squadron with troops on board, and the news flew like wildfire through
the country. The Hottentots heard of it nearly a week ago; but I must
do Omatoko the justice to say, that he did not know it."
"Well, go on. That, I suppose, is one of the circumstances which has
induced Umboo to treat us so civilly?"
"Well, perhaps, in some degree that may be so. But Umboo is not at all
sure that the English will get the better of the Dutch, and he won't
commit himself to either side, until he sees which is likely to gain the
day."
"Ah, I see. If the English win, he will make a merit of sending us safe
to Cape Town; and if the Dutch get the upper hand, he'll hand us over as
prisoners to the Governor."
"That's very nearly it, I judge, Ernest. Well, as soon as Omatoko
learned about the English fleet, he suggested that we should remain in
the kraal, while a messenger was sent southward to ascertain the exact
position of things in the colony; and meanwhile a hut should be assigned
us, and he and his nephew would keep a careful eye on us."
"How kind of them!" said Nick.
"It's the way of the world, Nick," said Lavie; "in England, I am afraid,
as much as in Namaqua-land. Well, that being settled, the matter about
the Bushmen came up next. It appears Omatoko knows where they are to be
found. He overheard them talking of their plans. They took no trouble
indeed to disguise them, considering him to be as good as dead already."
"What are they going to do?" asked Wilmore.
"Going to attack and exterminate, if possible, the Bushmen. Spies are
to be sent to make sure of their whereabouts, and then a chosen party of
warriors will go against them."
"They don't expect us to accompany them, I hope," said Warley.
"Well, from what was said, I am afraid they do--that is, they mean to
urge it. You see, they know the immense advantage our rifles have over
their bows and arrows, and our presence would enable them to effect
their purpose with certainty."
"Well, I suppose you will refuse, Charles, won't you? You don't want us
to become mercenary cutthroats for the benefit of these savages?"
"That is putting it rather strong," observed Gilbert. "These fellows
have attempted murder--murder of the most cruel kind, and deserve
punishment--remember that."
"They have done us no wrong, at all events," said Warley; "it cannot be
our business to punish them. Besides, shooting these unhappy savages
down is not the way to teach them better."
"You are right, Ernest," said Lavie. "I, for one, will have nothing to
do with any attack upon them. They may oblige us to accompany them, to
prevent our escape, but I will take no part in the fighting."
"Nor I," said Frank, "I am not going to kill these poor helpless
wretches to please any one."
"Very good," added Nick; "I have no wish to do it, either."
"Well, then," said Lavie, "we are agreed. We will stay quietly here
until the answer comes from the Cape. Five to one our fellows have
thrashed these Dutchmen as soundly as they did before, and the colony is
ours again by this time; in which case Umboo will be our humble servant.
If the messenger doesn't return before the party set out to attack the
Bushmen, we will go with them, if required, but only as spectators. Is
that agreed?"
"Agreed, _nem. con._," said Frank. "And now, here, I suppose, comes
dinner. We are not to have the honour of seats at the royal table,
then!"
"No, that will be reserved for us when Umboo has learned of the defeat
of the Dutchmen," said Gilbert.
The food served up to them was better and more palatable than they had
expected. It consisted chiefly of the flesh of one of the koodoos, and
was partly broiled and partly sodden.
"Not bad this," exclaimed Gilbert, as a third slice was handed to him,
which he disposed of after the same fashion which prevailed in the time
of Adam and Eve, viz., by the help of his fingers and teeth. "They
haven't so bad an idea of cooking after all."
"And these figs and pomegranates are not to be despised either,"
observed Frank. "They would go down well at a West End dinner!"
"But whatever are these?" cried Nick, digging his hands into a basket of
what seemed to be burnt almonds, being a heap of oval substances, about
the size of a filbert, and partially roasted. "Hum! a strange sort of
taste, but rather nice, too. Have some, Charles, you'll find them
rather good eating."
"Thank you, Nick," returned Lavie, gravely, "I am not fond of insects,
or I would have a few."
"Insects!" repeated Gilbert, in a tone of mingled surprise and disgust.
"You can't mean that, to be sure!" He dropped the handful to which he
had just helped himself, and looked at the doctor with mouth and eyes
wide open.
"They are locusts, if I don't mistake," said the latter. "Hand them up
here, Frank, and I'll take a closer look at them. Yes, they are
locusts. These Hottentots consider them a great dainty."
"The nasty wretches!" cried Nick, starting up and throwing away the
viands he had been consuming. "To think I should live to sup on
beetles! Hand us the bowl of milk there, Ernest. I suppose _that's_
all right, isn't it? That comes from a cow, and not a crocodile, or
something of the sort?"
"Yes, that's all right, Nick," said Lavie, laughing; "and, after all,
there are many other people who eat locusts besides these Hottentots."
"Every one to his taste," said Gilbert, setting down the bowl after a
long draught. "Mine doesn't incline to roasted insects. However, that
milk has pretty well taken the taste out. And now, I suppose the next
thing is to go to bed. I was up very early this morning, and have had a
hard day of it. What do you say, Frank?"
"I say ditto to you," said Wilmore. "I shall just roll myself up in one
of these skins to keep off the flies, and shut up for the night. Good
night, Lion, old boy; I wish you a sound repose."
The two boys accordingly wrapped themselves in the deer-hides which were
scattered on the floor, and lay down, each with a roll of matting for a
pillow. In two or three minutes their regular breathing announced that
they were fast asleep. But Ernest and Charles did not follow their
example. They sat near the entrance of the hut, smoking their pipes,
and conversing on subjects which had but little interest for their
companions.
"These Hottentots are a strange race," observed Warley. "I suppose
nothing is really known of their origin and history."
"Nothing, I believe, with any certainty," returned the doctor. "They
seem to have no traditions on the subject, which is a rare circumstance
in the history of any people. Their very name is uncertain. Europeans
call them Hottentots, or Namaquas, but they themselves do not
acknowledge either title. Neither word, in fact, exists in their
language. They call some of their tribes `Oerlams,' meaning new-comers
in the land, and others `Topnars,' or the ancient aboriginal
inhabitants. But the early history of these latter is quite unknown."
"And what do you imagine to be their origin, Charles? They look very
much like Chinese or Tartars. They have been supposed to be of Chinese
origin, have they not?"
"I believe so; but on no intelligible grounds that I ever heard. I have
a theory of my own about them; but I don't suppose many would share it."
"What is your theory?"
"Well, I connect them with that strange story in Herodotus, of the
circumnavigation of Africa, nearly 2500 years ago. You know the story,
I suppose?"
"I remember reading it. I think Herodotus says that Necos, or Pharaoh
Necho, sent some Phoenicians to circumnavigate Africa. They set out
from the Red Sea, I suppose, and sailed through the Straits of
Babel-Mandeb. In the third year of their voyage, they returned through
the Pillars of Hercules, along the northern coast of Africa to Memphis."
"Yes, that is right. They reported, if you remember as a circumstance
accounted by Herodotus as incredible, that when they had sailed some
distance along the eastern shore of Africa, they had the sun on their
right hand."
"Just so. And I have always regarded that statement as an unanswerable
proof that they really did make the voyage as they asserted."
"I quite agree with you. Well, their story was that in the autumn of
_their_ year, but the spring in South Africa, they went on shore, sowed
some land with corn, and waited till the crop was gathered in, when they
stored it on board, and resumed their voyage. They did this twice, but
in the third year reached home."
"That was their report, exactly, I believe. But what then?"
"Why, I think the Hottentots must be the descendants of some of the
Egyptians who went on that voyage; for though the ships were navigated
by Phoenicians, the crews were in all likelihood Egyptian. If you
divide the coast-line from the Red Sea to Gibraltar into three equal
parts, the spots which make one-third and two-thirds of the distance,
are the mouth of the Zambesi river, and the coast of great Namaqua-land.
Now, the Phoenicians and Egyptians, who made up the expedition, must
have remained several months at each place. What more likely that they
would intermarry with any native women they might find there; nay, is it
improbable that some one or two remained behind, and became the
progenitors of the Hottentots and Bushmen?"
"It is what often happens in such expeditions, no doubt. But is there
any resemblance between the old Egyptians and these Hottentots?"
"Yes, several very curious resemblances. Their personal appearance is
exactly like that of the ancient Copts, who still inhabit some parts of
Egypt; and there is one very remarkable peculiarity, which anatomists
say is to be found only in these two races. The Coptic nearly resembles
the Hottentot language, a good many roots and some words being the same
in both. They have several customs in common; as for instance, they
will not eat swine's flesh, and they worship a kind of beetle, which I
believe no other nations do. Lastly, the Bushmen, who are believed to
be a more degraded branch of the same race, ornament walls and flat
slabs of rock with mural paintings, in which travellers have recognised
a likeness to those of ancient Egypt."
"Well, that is curious, certainly. I should like to see those
paintings. But, supposing your theory as to the Hottentots being of
Coptic descent to be true, they might have made their way southwards in
successive ages through Central Africa, might they not?"
"Of course, and so might the Kaffirs, who also are like the old
Egyptians in many things. But if that were so, surely some traces of
them would be found somewhere in Central Africa. They would hardly have
passed through a vast tract of country in the slow succession of
generations, and left no mark of their residence behind."