"It has not risen at all since I came here!" The teamsters had taken
their station on the outside waggons, and continued to talk and shout to
the oxen, exhorting these to be patient and quiet, as if the animals
were capable of understanding every word they said.
For three hours there was no change in the situation. Then all thought
that there was a slight decrease in the height of the torrent of water
pouring from the defile, and half an hour later a slight but distinct
subsidence in the level of the water could be perceived. In another
hour it had fallen a foot, and after that the fall was rapid and steady.
The deep roar caused by the rushing torrent and the rumbling of the
huge boulders and rocks swept along in the narrow defile, gradually
subsided, and soon the bullocks were again standing on their feet.
The natives set to work to wash away the thick sediment which the flood
had left on the floor of the waggons, and before nightfall the goods
were all repacked. But few signs of the recent flood now remained in
the valley. A stream still rushed through the centre. Trunks and
branches of trees lay here and there, as the water had left them, and
the bodies of some twenty or thirty natives were lying amongst the
rocks. In some places shallow pools remained; in others were sheets of
glistening mud.
"We shall have no more trouble with the natives," Mr Harvey said; "the
fighting-men of that tribe must have been nearly annihilated."
"Do you think that those below were caught, as well as those above?"
"Certainly," Mr Harvey answered; "the water went down with the speed of
a race-horse; they had only a few minutes' start, and would have been
overtaken before they could have even gained the lower bed of the gorge.
We can journey on peacefully now. We have been fortunate indeed; we
have only lost one man, and the three who were hit with stones are all
likely to do well. We have not lost a single bullock, nor a bale of
goods."
"We shall have hard work to get the waggons up that place where the
natives made the stand tomorrow."
"It is quite likely," Mr Harvey said, "that the obstacle there no
longer exists. A flood like that of to-day would carry away anything.
Look at those great blocks, some of which must weigh more than a hundred
tons. Likely enough some of them have formed part of that great pile.
I have already sent Tony and Blacking up the defile to see how the flood
has left it, and in an hour they will be back to report."
The hunters on returning brought the good news that the great block had
been removed, and so far as they had explored no other of any importance
had been found. They said indeed that the defile was now more open than
either of the two gorges they had already passed through.
This was very satisfactory, for all had had enough of lifting and
heaving rocks. Their hands were all cut and wounded, and every limb
ached with the strains which they had undergone.
The next morning at daybreak the caravan started. The hunters' report
of the state of the roads was fairly borne out, and although some
difficulties were met with it was unnecessary to unyoke the oxen,
although of course many boulders had to be cleared away to allow them to
pass. On emerging at the upper end of the defile they found they were
in a valley which opened out to a great width, and rose in gradual
slopes at its head to the crest of the hills. As the only egress at the
lower end was by the defile, it was clear that the whole rainfall must
make its way by this exit, which fully accounted for the tremendous
torrent they had witnessed.
Two days' travelling brought them to the foot of the slopes on the other
side of the range of hills, and they were soon engaged in carrying on a
considerable trade with the natives there.
For another three months they travelled slowly through the country, by
the end of which time they had disposed of all their goods, and the
waggons were filled to the tilts with skins and bales of ostrich
feathers.
They now turned their faces to the south. After journeying for a
fortnight they perceived one day, far across the country, the white
tilts of another caravan. The three whites at once started at full
gallop, eager to hear news of what had taken place in the colony during
their absence. As they neared the caravan two white men rode out to
meet them; both were known to Mr Harvey, and hearty greetings were
exchanged.
The new-comers were halting for the day, and Mr Harvey and the boys
were soon seated in tents, with three bottles of beer in front of them,
a luxury which they heartily enjoyed, having been many months without
tasting it.
"And now what is the news in the colony?" Mr Harvey asked, after
having replied to their questions as to the state of trade, and the
route which they had followed, as the new-comers would of course take
another line, so as not to pass over the same ground.
"Things don't look well," they answered; "the Boers are growing so
insolent that there is no getting on with them. Several English have
been shot down in various places, without the smallest cause. They
openly declare their intention of recovering their independence. The
English stores are for the most part tabooed, and things altogether look
very threatening. There is a mere handful of British troops in the
Transvaal, and only a regiment or so in Natal. Those wretched duffers
at home hurried every soldier out of the country the instant the
fighting was over, and if the Boers really mean business we shall have
no end of trouble. You see, we have crushed their two enemies, the
Zulus and Secoceni, and now that we have done the work for them they
want to get rid of us."
"I thought we should have trouble with them," Mr Harvey said; "they are
an obstinate, pig-headed race; they never would pay taxes to their own
government; they would not even turn out and fight when Secoceni
threatened to overrun the country; and now, as likely as not, they will
fight desperately for the independence they were glad enough to
relinquish in the hour of danger. What you tell me is a nuisance. I
had originally intended to go down through Kimberley to Port Elizabeth;
but I changed my mind and decided to go back again through the
Transvaal, and I have come so far to the east that I do not like to
change my plans again. However, I don't suppose we shall be interfered
with. They can't very well quarrel with us, if we won't quarrel with
them."
"Perhaps not," the trader said; "but I tell you I have found it precious
difficult to keep my temper several times. The insolence and swagger of
those fellows is amazing."
The two caravans halted near each other for the day, and a pleasant
evening was spent. The next morning each resumed its way.
No further adventure was met with until the Limpopo was reached; this
was crossed on rafts. The natives who had accompanied them were now
paid off, receiving a handsome present each, in addition to the sum
agreed upon, and the caravan proceeded on its way.
At the first Dutch village at which they arrived, a week after leaving
the Limpopo, they had evidence of a change of demeanour in the Boers.
As they passed through the streets a group of five or six men were
standing at the door of a store; one of them in a loud and insolent
voice made a remark to the others, that before long they would not have
any of these English dogs going through their country--a remark which
was received with boisterous approval by the others. Mr Harvey's face
flushed, and he was on the point of reining in his horse, and riding up
to chastise the insolent Boer, but the thought of the distance of
country yet before him checked him. It was clearly the intention of the
man to force a quarrel, and in this the English were sure to get the
disadvantage finally. He therefore rode quietly on with the insolent
laughter of the Dutchmen ringing in his ears. The lads were equally
indignant, and it was only the example of Mr Harvey which had
restrained them.
"Things have come to a pretty pass," Mr Harvey said, as he dismounted,
"that Englishmen should be openly insulted in this way. However, I
suppose it will not do to resent it, for these scoundrels would clearly
be only too glad of an excuse to shoot us down; but if this sort of
thing is going on at every village we pass through, we shall have hard
work in keeping our tempers until we are fairly out of the Transvaal. I
pity our countrymen who have bought land or setup stores in this
country. I was never fond of the Boers, though I am willing to allow
that they are a splendid set of men, and that they are magnificent
riders and good shots. I question if we shall ever retain them against
their will. Of course if we had a government which worked with energy
and decision it would be a different matter altogether. There are a
considerable number of English and Scotch settlers already here, and the
natives would rise against the Dutch to a man if called upon to do so;
and if a couple of dozen of their ringleaders were promptly seized and
shot, there would be an end to the whole matter. But I know what it
will be: the natives will not be encouraged or even allowed to rise, our
soldiers, who can hardly hit a haystack at a hundred yards, will be shot
down at a distance by the Boers, and, likely enough, we shall meet with
a serious disaster, and then the English government will get frightened
and make any terms these fellows demand."