The Scotch immigrants at last found themselves in the wild
mountain-regions of the interior, after a weary but deeply interesting
march of nearly two hundred miles.
They had now arrived at the mouth of the Baboons or Baviaans river, one
of the affluents of the Great Fish River, and had already seen many of
the wild inhabitants of its rugged glen.
Their particular location was a beautiful well-watered region among the
mountains which had been forfeited by some of the frontier boers at the
time of their insurrection against the English Government some years
before. They had now crossed the Great Fish River, and, though still
within the old boundary of the colony, were upon its utmost eastern
verge. The country beyond, as we are told by Pringle, in his graphic
account of the expedition, [see Note 1] "for a distance of seventy
miles, to the new frontier at the Chumi and Keisi rivers, had been, the
preceding year, forcibly depeopled of its native inhabitants, the Kafirs
and Ghonaquas, and now lay waste and void, `a howling wilderness,'
occupied only by wild beasts, and haunted occasionally by wandering
banditti of the Bushman race (Bosjesmen), who were represented as being
even more wild and savage than the beasts of prey with whom they shared
the dominion of the desert."
Just before their arrival at this point, the old waggons, with the
drivers who had accompanied them from Algoa Bay, were exchanged for
fresh teams and men, and here Ruyter, Jemalee, and Booby left them, to
proceed over a spur of one of the mountain ranges to Jan Smit's farm on
the karroo. But Hans Marais, having taken a fancy to some of the Scotch
men, determined to proceed with them until he had seen them fairly
established in their new homes. Of course Charlie Considine accompanied
Hans.
In a wild spot among the mountains they were hospitably received at the
solitary abode of a field-cornet named Opperman, who said that he had
orders to assist them with an escort of armed boers over the remaining
portion of their journey, and to place them in safety on their allotted
ground. This remaining portion, he told them, was up the Baviaans River
glen, and, although little more than twenty-five miles, would prove to
be harder than any part of the journey they had yet encountered.
Remembering some of the breakneck gorges of the Zuurberg, Jerry Goldboy
said that he didn't believe it possible for any route to be worse than
that over which they had already passed, to which Sandy Black replied
with a "humph!" and an opinion that "the field-cornet o' the distric'
was likely to know what he was speakin' aboot." But Jerry never had
been, and of course never could be, convinced by reason. "Nothing," he
candidly admitted, "but hard facts had the least weight with him."
"'Ee've got hard fac's noo, Jerry," said Sandy, about noon of the
following day, as he threw down the axe with which he had been hewing
the jungle, and pulled off his hat, from the crown of which he took a
red cotton handkerchief wherewith to wipe his thickly-beaded brow.
Jerry could not deny the truth of this, for he also had been engaged
since early morning with a South African axe nearly as large as himself,
in assisting to out a passage up the glen.
Not only was there no road up this mountain gorge, but in some parts it
was scarcely possible to make one, so rugged was the ground, so dense
the jungle. But the preliminary difficulties were as nothing compared
to those which met them further up; yet it was observable that the Dutch
waggoners faced them with the quiet resolution of men accustomed to the
overcoming of obstacles.
"You'd go up a precipice, Hans, I do believe, if there was no way round
it," said Considine, as he gazed in admiring wonder at his tall friend
driving his oxen up an acclivity that threatened destruction to waggon,
beasts, and men.
"At ony rate he'd try," remarked Sandy Black, with one of his grave
smiles.
Hans was too busy to heed these remarks, if he heard them, for the oxen,
being restive, claimed his undivided attention, and the wielding of the
twenty-foot whip taxed both his arms, muscular though they were.
When the long line of emigrants had slowly defiled through the _poort_,
or narrow gorge, of the mountains from which Baviaans River issues into
the more open valley where it joins the Great Fish River, they came
suddenly upon a very singular scene, and a still more singular man. In
the middle of the poort they found a small farm, where tremendous
precipices of naked rock towered all round, so as to leave barely
sufficient space on the bank of the river for the houses and
cattle-folds, with a well-stocked garden and orchard. There was also a
small plot of corn-land on the margin of the stream.
"'Tis a little paradise!" exclaimed Kenneth McTavish, as he and
Considine joined a knot of men on a knoll, whence they had a good view
of the little farm.
"It's an unco' rocky paradise," observed Sandy Black, "an' the angelic
appendages o' wings wadna be unsuitable to its inhabitants, for it seems
easier to flee oot o't ower the precipices than to scramble intil't ower
the rocks an' rooten trees. I wonder wha it belangs to."
Hans Marais, who came up at the moment, explained that it belonged to a
Dutch boer named Prinsolo, who had been a leader some years before in a
rebellion, but had been pardoned and allowed to retain his lands.
"You've sometimes said you thought me a big fellow, Considine," remarked
Hans, "and I can't gainsay you, but you shall see a much bigger fellow
if Prinsolo is at home, for he's a giant even among Cape Dutchmen. We
call him Groot Willem (Big William), for he is burly and broad as well
as tall--perhaps he is taking his noon nap," added Hans, moving forward.
"He seldom lets even a single waggon come so near without--ah! I
thought so."
As he spoke a peculiarly deep bass yawn was heard inside the principal
house of the farm to which the party now drew near. Next moment a heavy
thump sounded, as if on the floor, and immediately after there issued
from the open door a veritable giant in his shirt-sleeves. Groot Willem
was rough, shaggy, and rugged, as a giant ought to be. He was also
sluggish in his motions, good-humoured, and beaming, as many of the
Dutch giants are. Appropriately enough, on beholding the settlers, he
uttered a deep bass halloo, which was echoed solemnly by the mighty
cliffs at his back. It was neither a shout of alarm nor surprise, for
he had long been aware that this visit was pending, but a hasty summons
to his household to turn out and witness the stirring and unwonted
sight.
It might have been supposed that a giant, whose kindred had been
deprived of their lands by the British Government, and some of whom had
been executed for high treason, would have regarded the British
immigrants with no favourable eye, but Groot Willem appeared to have a
large heart in his huge body, for he received the advance-guard of the
party with genuine hospitality. Perhaps he was of an unusually
forgiving spirit; or it may be that his innate sense of justice led him
to recognise the demerit of himself and his kindred; or perchance he was
touched by the leniency extended to himself; but, whatever the cause, he
shook the newcomers heartily by the hand, said he regarded them as next
door-neighbours, started the echoes of the precipices--which he styled
Krantzes--and horrified the nearest baboons with shouts of bass laughter
at every word from himself or others which bore the remotest semblance
to a joke, and insisted on as many of the strangers as could be got into
his house, drinking to their better acquaintance in home-made brandy.
The same deadly beverage was liberally distributed to the men outside,
and Groot Willem wound up his hospitalities by loading the party with
vegetables, pomegranates, lemons, and other fruits from his garden as he
sent them on their way rejoicing. Soon afterwards he followed them, to
aid in forcing a passage up the valley.
In return, as a slight acknowledgment of gratitude, Hans supplied the
giant with a little powder and lead, and Mr Pringle gave his family a
few Dutch tracts and hymn-books.
"Wonders'll niver cease in this land!" said Sandy Black to Jerry Goldboy
as they left the farm.
"That's true, Sandy; it's a houtrageous country."
"To think," continued the Scot, "that we should foregather wi' Goliath
amang the heeland hills o' Afriky; an' him fond o' his dram tae--Hech,
man! look there--at the puggies."
He pointed as he spoke to a part of the precipice where a group of
baboons were collected, gazing indignantly and chattering furiously at
the intruders on their domain.
The ursine baboon is not naturally pugnacious, but neither is he timid
or destitute of the means of defence. On the contrary, he is armed with
canine teeth nearly an inch long, and when driven to extremities will
defend himself against the fiercest wolf-hound. He usually grapples his
enemy by the throat with his fore and hind paws--takes a firm bite with
his formidable tusks, and tears and tugs till he sometimes pulls away
the mouthful. Many a stout baboon has in this manner killed several
dogs before being overpowered. It is said that even the leopard is
sometimes attacked and worried by baboons, but it is only collectively
and in large bands that they can oppose this powerful enemy, and baboons
are never the aggressors. It is only in defence of their young that
they will assail him.
The strong attachment of these creatures to their young is a fine trait
in their character. This quality has been shown on many occasions,
especially when the creatures have been engaged in orchard-robbing,--for
they are excessively fond of fruit and remarkably destitute of
conscience. On such occasions, when hunted back to the mountains with
dogs, the females, when separated accidentally from their young, have
been seen to return to search for them through the very midst of their
pursuers, being utterly regardless of their own safety.
The group to which Black now directed attention consisted of several
females with a number of young ones. They were all huddled in a cleft
of the precipice, looking down in apparent surprise at the strangers.
On a neighbouring height sat a big old satyr-like male, who had been
placed there as a sentinel. Baboons are wise creatures, and invariably
place sentinels on points of vantage when the females and their young
are feeding on the nutritious bulbs and roots that grow in the valleys.
The old gentleman in question had done his duty on the first appearance
of the human intruders. He had given a roar of warning; the forty or
fifty baboons that were down near the river had scampered off
precipitately, dashed through the stream, or leaped over it where
narrow, hobbled awkwardly on all-fours over the little bit of level
ground, and clambered with marvellous agility up the cliffs, till they
had gained the ledge from which they now gazed and chattered, feeling
confident in the safety of their position.
"Did iver 'ee see the like? They're almost human!" said Sandy.
"Just look at that big grandmother with the blue face and the little
baby on 'er back!" exclaimed Jerry.
"How d'you know she's a grandmother?" asked Considine.
"W'y, because she's much fonder of the baby than its own mother could
be."
As he spoke, one of the party below them fired, and the echoes sprang in
conflict from the surrounding heights, as a bullet whizzed over their
heads and hit the rocks, sending a shower of harmless chips and dust
among the baboons.
With a shriek of consternation they scattered and fled up the heights at
racing speed.
A burst of laughter from the settlers,--all the more hearty that no
damage had been done,--increased the terror inspired by the shot, and
seemed to invest the animals with invisible wings.
"Tally-ho!" shouted Considine in excitement.
"The black ane for ever!" cried Sandy.
"I'll back the grey one with the short tail," said Kenneth McTavish,
coming up at the moment, "although she has two little ones clinging to
her."
"Ten to one," cried Jerry, bending eagerly forward, "on the blue-nosed
grandmother wi' the baby on her back!"
It did indeed seem as if Jerry's favourite was going to reach the top of
the crags before any of the other horrified creatures, for she was
powerful as well as large, and her burden was particularly small. The
infant required no assistance, but clung to its dam with its two little
hands like a limpet, so that she could use her limbs freely. But an
unusually long and vigorous bound chanced to loosen the little one's
grasp. It fell off with a pitiful shriek, and, with an imploring upward
look on its miserable countenance, clasped its little hands in mute
despair.
Granny or mamma,--we know not which,--with the quick intuition of a
great general, took in the whole position like a flash of light. She
turned on the ledge she had gained and dropped her tail. Baby seized it
and clambered up. Then away she went like a rocket, and before the
little one had well regained its former position she had topped the
ridge full two yards ahead of the whole troop!
"Well done!" cried McTavish.
"Huzza!" shouted Jerry.
"Brute!" exclaimed Considine, striking up the muzzle of a gun which was
pointed at the grandmother and child by a panting young idiot who rushed
up at the moment, "would you commit murder?"
The gun exploded and sent its ball straight to the new moon, which,
early though it was, had begun to display the washed-out horns of its
first quarter in the sky.
"Confound you!" cried the so-called Brute, who was by no means a coward,
throwing down his gun and hitting Considine a heavy blow on the chest.
Charlie "returned" on the forehead and sent the Brute head over heels on
the turf, but he sprang up instantly, and there would certainly have
been a battle-royal if Groot Willem, who opportunely appeared, had not
seized Considine by the arm, while Hans Marais grasped the Brute by the
neck, and rendered further action impossible. A moment sufficed to cool
the youths, for the "Brute" was young, and they both shook hands with a
laugh and a mutual apology.
Soon after leaving the giant's farm the travellers reached a point where
the main stream was joined by a subsidiary rivulet. Its corresponding
valley branched off to the right, about eight miles in length,
containing fine pasturage and rich alluvial soil. It extended eastward
behind the back of the Kahaberg, where the settlers observed the skirts
of the magnificent timber forests which cover the southern fronts of
that range, stretching over the summits of the hills at the head of the
glen. To this valley, and the wooded hills which bound it, was given
the name of Ettrick Forest, while the main valley itself was named Glen
Lynden.
Not far from this point the apology for a waggon track ended altogether,
and thenceforth the settlers found the route difficult and dangerous to
a degree far exceeding their previous experiences or their wildest
conceptions. Jerry Goldboy had now "facts" enough to overturn all his
unbelief. The axe, crowbar, pick, and sledge-hammer were incessantly at
work. They had literally to _hew_ their path through jungles and
gullies, and beds of torrents and rocky acclivities, which formed a
series of obstructions that tested the power of the whole party,--Groot
Willem and the allies included,--to the uttermost.
Of course the difficulties varied with the scenery. Here the vale was
narrow and gorge-like, with just sufficient room for the stream to pass,
while precipices of naked rock rose abruptly like rampart walls to a
height of many hundred feet. These in some places seemed actually to
overhang the savage-looking pass, or "poort," through which the waggons
had to struggle in the very bed of the stream. Elsewhere it widened out
sufficiently to leave space along the river-bank for fertile meadows,
which were picturesquely sprinkled with mimosa trees and evergreen
shrubs, and clothed with luxuriant pasturage up to the girths of the
horses. Everywhere the mountains rose around, steep and grand, the
lower declivities covered with good pasturage, the cliffs above, of
freestone and trap, frowning in wild forms like embattled ramparts whose
picturesque sides were sprinkled with various species of succulent
plants and flowering aloes.
For five days did they struggle up this short glen; two of these days
being occupied in traversing only three miles of a rugged defile, to
which they gave the name of Eildon Cleugh. But "nothing is denied to
well-directed labour." They smashed two waggons, damaged all the
others, half-killed their oxen, skinned all their knuckles,
black-and-blued all their shins, and nearly broke all their hearts, till
at length they passed through the last poort of the glen and gained the
summit of an elevated ridge which commanded a magnificent view to the
extremity of the vale.
"And now, Mynheer," said the field-cornet in charge of their escort,
"there lies your country."
"At last!--thank God," said the leader of the band, looking round on
their beautiful though savage home with feelings of deep gratitude for
the happy termination of their long and weary travels.
The toil of journeying was now succeeded by the bustle and excitement of
settling down.
Their new home was a lovely vale of about six or seven miles in length,
and varying from one to two in breadth, like a vast basin surrounded on
all sides by steep and sterile mountains, which rose in sharp wedge-like
ridges, with snow-clad summits that towered to an estimated height of
five thousand feet above the level of the sea. The contrast between the
warm peaceful valley and the rugged amphitheatre of mountains was very
great. The latter, dark and forbidding--yet home-like and gladdening to
the eyes of Scotsmen--suggested toil and trouble, while the former, with
its meandering river, verdant meadows, groves of sweet-scented
mimosa-trees, and herds of antelopes, quaggas, and other animals
pasturing in undisturbed quietude, filled the mind with visions of peace
and plenty. Perchance God spoke to them in suggestive prophecy, for the
contrast was typical of their future chequered career in these almost
unknown wilds of South Africa.
Left by their escort on the following day--as their English brethren had
been left in the Zuurveld of Lower Albany--to take root and grow there
or perish, the heads of families assembled, and their leader addressed
them.
"Here, at last," said he, "our weary travels by sea and land have come
to an end. Exactly six months ago, to a day, we left the shores of
bonny Scotland. Since then we have been wanderers, without any other
home than the crowded cabin at sea and the narrow tent on shore. Now we
have, through God's great goodness and mercy, reached the `Promised
Land' which is to be our future home, our place of rest. We have
pitched our tents among the mimosa-trees on the river's margin, and our
kind Dutch friends with the armed escort have left us. We are finally
left to our own resources; it behoves us therefore, kindred and
comrades, to proceed systematically to examine our domain, and fix our
several locations. For this purpose I propose that an armed party
should sally forth to explore, while the rest shall remain to take care
of the women and children, and guard the camp."
Acting on this advice, an exploration party was at once organised, and
set forth on foot, as they had at that time no horses or live stock of
any kind--save one dog, which had been purchased by the "Brute" (whose
proper name, by the way, was Andrew Rivers) from Groot Willem on the way
up.
They found the region most desirable in all respects. Open grassy
pastures were interspersed everywhere with clumps and groves of
mimosa-trees, while the river, a gurgling mountain-brook, meandered
musically through the meadows. From grove and thicket sprang the
hartebeest and duiker. From their lairs among the reeds and sedges of
the river rushed the reitbok and wild hog; while troops of quaggas
appeared trotting on the lower declivities of the hills.
"A magnificent region truly!" remarked Kenneth McTavish as they returned
home at night.
"'Eaven upon earth!" said Jerry Goldboy, with quiet enthusiasm.
"What splendid scenery!" exclaimed Charlie Considine,--who was addicted
to the pencil.
"What glorious sport!" cried his former antagonist, Rivers,--who was
fond of the rod and gun.
"And what aboot the Kawfirs and Bushmen?" asked Sandy Black, who, to use
his own language, "could aye objec'."
"Time enough to think of them when they appear," said Rivers.
"I don't believe they're half so bad as people say," cried Goldboy
stoutly.
"Maybe no," rejoined Black. "The place is paradise to-day, as you
sagaciously remarked, Jerry, but if the Kawfirs come it'll be
pandemonium to-morry. It's my opinion that we should get oursel's into
a defensible camp as soon as we can, an' than gae aboot our wark wi'
easy minds. Ye mind what Goliath and Hans Marais said before they left
us, aboot keepin' a sharp look-oot."
As no one replied to this, the Scot changed the subject by asking
Considine when he meant to leave.
"Not till Hans Marais comes over the hills to fetch me," was the reply.
"He has taken upon himself to give me extended leave of absence. You
know, Sandy, that I fill the office of Professor in his father's house,
and of course the Marais sprouts are languishing for want of water while
the schoolmaster is abroad, so I could not take it on myself to remain
longer away, if Hans had not promised to take the blame on his own
shoulders. Besides, rain in Africa is so infrequent, that the sprouts
won't suffer much from a week, more or less, of drought. Your leader
wishes me to stay for a few days, and I am anxious to see how you get
on. I'll be able to help a bit, and take part in the night-watches,
which I heard Mr Pringle say he intends to institute immediately."
On the day following a site was fixed for the commencement of the infant
colony, and the tents, etcetera, were removed to it. The day after
being Sunday, it was unanimously agreed to "rest" from labour, and to
"keep it holy."
It was an interesting and noteworthy occasion, the assembling of the
Scotch emigrants on that Sabbath day to worship God for the first time
in Glen Lynden. Their church was under the shade of a venerable
acacia-tree, close to the margin of the stream, which murmured round the
camp. On one side sat the patriarch of the party with silvery locks,
the Bible on his knee, and his family seated round him,--the type of a
grave Scottish husbandman. Near to him sat a widow, who had "seen
better days," with four stalwart sons to work for and guard her. Beside
these were delicate females of gentle blood, near to whom sat the
younger brother of a Scotch laird, who wisely preferred independence in
the southern wilds of Africa to dependence "at home." Besides these
there were youths and maidens, of rougher though not less honest mould--
some grave, others gay, but all at that time orderly and attentive,
while their leader gave forth the beautiful hymn which begins:
"O God of Bethel! by whose hand
Thy people still are fed,"
and followed it with a selection of prayers from the English Liturgy,
and a discourse from a volume of sermons.
While they were singing the last Psalm a beautiful antelope, which had
wandered down the valley,--all ignorant of the mighty change that had
taken place in the prospects of its mountain home,--came suddenly in
sight of the party, and stood on the opposite side of the river gazing
at them in blank amazement.
Andrew Rivers, who sat meekly singing a fine bass, chanced to raise his
head at the time. Immediately his eyes opened to their full extent, and
the fine bass stopped short, though the mouth did not close. With the
irresistible impulse of a true sportsman he half rose, but Sandy Black,
who sat near, caught him by the coat-tails and forced him firmly though
softly down.
"Whist, man; keep a calm sough!"
The young man, becoming instantly aware of the impropriety of his
action, resigned himself to fate and Sandy, and recovered
self-possession in time to close the interrupted line with two or three
of the deepest notes in the bass clef.
The innocent antelope continued to listen and gaze its fill, and was
finally permitted to retire unmolested into its native jungle.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note 1. See _Narrative of a Residence in South Africa_, by Thomas
Pringle, late Secretary to the Anti-Slavery Society.