Hendricks the Hunter; Or, The Border Farm: A Tale of Zululand Read online

  CHAPTER THREE.

  LOST AND FOUND.

  Hendricks was awakened by the voice of Maloney shouting--

  "Do you know what has become of my son Denis? The boy is not in hisberth, and none of my people can tell where he has gone. They alldeclare that they did not see him leave the camp, and though I have beenshouting to him for the last ten minutes, he has not replied to me."

  The hunter, springing out of the waggon, answered--

  "As I have been fast asleep I cannot tell you, but the chances are thathe has taken his gun to show his skill as a sportsman, and hopes tobring back a pallah or springboc for breakfast. We must ascertain inwhat direction he has gone. Perhaps some of my Hottentots who went downwith the oxen to the stream may have seen him."

  Neither of the Hottentots, however, could give any account of themissing boy. The men who had been on guard were also questioned, butnone of them had seen him, and from the answers they gave it seemed morethan probable that they had been nodding at their posts. One of them atlast acknowledged that he had caught sight of a figure, just beforedaybreak, some little distance from the camp, going to the northward.

  Further search was made, and Denis not appearing, his father andHendricks determined to set off in quest of him, in the direction he wassupposed to have gone, leaving orders with their followers to getbreakfast ready and to prepare for inspanning directly they returned.

  "I fancy that my first suspicions are correct, and that your boy wantsto prove how able he is to accompany you," observed the latter. "If heappears loaded with venison, it will be difficult to persuade him to thecontrary."

  "Faith! the young rascal has spirit enough, but his strength is notequal to it," answered Maloney. "If I take him with me, he'll begetting into mischief; whether, therefore, he appears loaded withvenison or empty handed, nolens volens, I'll send him back with you."

  While they were speaking, the sound of footsteps was heard coming upbehind them. They both turned expecting to see Master Denis; butinstead, little Unozingli the white boy, or Lionel, as Hendricks calledhim, came running up to them.

  "What brings you after us, boy?" asked Hendricks in Zulu.

  "To help the masters find my white brother," answered the boy. "I knowthe way he has taken, for I saw his footsteps on the grass, though themaster may not have discovered them. We shall find him in time, but hemay already be some distance away."

  "I will trust you, boy, and am glad you came," said Hendricks. "But howis it you are so confident of finding him?"

  "Because I have often gone out with my Zulu masters to search for game,and sometimes to follow their enemies, and I know the signs on theground which guided them. Here the grass pressed, there a twig brokenoff, or a stone moved, or the mark of feet on the sand or soft earth."

  "You understand what is wanted, I see. Come with us," said Hendricks.Then turning to his companion, he added, "The boy's wits have beensharpened by his life with the blacks. I have always noted that when awhite man has the same necessity for acquiring knowledge as savages, healways surpasses them. In course of time, had that boy continued withthe Zulus, he would have become a great chief among them, and wouldprobably have made himself a terror to the settlers, had any cause ofquarrel arisen. It's an ill wind that blows no one good, and it'sfortunate for him as well as for the settlers, that the kraal wasdestroyed and that he was liberated."

  The boy, on obtaining permission to accompany his new friends,immediately took the lead, with his eyes fixed on the ground, at a pacewith which they found it somewhat difficult at times to keep up. Thetrail, or as the Dutch call it, the spoor, when an animal is beingtracked, must have been remarkably clear to the eyes of the littlefellow; for he did not hesitate a moment, though the white men, with alltheir experience as hunters, were unable to distinguish any of the marksby which he was guided. Several animals were seen as they went along.Now a buffalo would dash out of a thicket, and go rushing at a rapidrate across their path. Now a herd of peewas were caught sight of,making their way towards the stream to take their morning draught.Presently a flock of Guinea fowl would rise from the tangled underwood,and fly hither and thither, filling the air with their discordant notes.Then suddenly a white rhinoceros would appear strolling along, until,seeing the strangers, he would break into a gallop similar to that of awell-bred horse; notwithstanding his heavy body, showing a splendidaction, with his head well up, and moving at a pace few horses couldrival. But these occurrences did not for a moment draw off the boy'sattention. The heat as the sun rose became excessive, beating down witha force which only those accustomed to the wilds of Africa could haveborne without complaining.

  After going a considerable distance the boy stopped and examined theground. What was the horror of Hendricks and Maloney to see the grassstained with blood! It was too probably that of Denis.

  "The poor boy must have been struck down by a lion, and has been carriedoff into the thicket," exclaimed his father.

  "I am not so sure of that," answered Hendricks. "What is it,Unozingli?"

  "The white boy shot a pallah, which galloped off away out there, and hefollowed," answered the little fellow, pointing to the north. "We shallfind him before long. He thought to get another shot, but he had littlechance of that."

  Scarcely had he spoken when a roar was heard coming from the directiontowards which he pointed. He looked anxious; it was the voice,undoubtedly, of a lion.

  "Come on!" he said; "but be ready to fire."

  Presently another roar was heard, but this time there were the voices oftwo lions--the sound, however, came from a considerable distance. Thehunters pressed on. They were too well accustomed to encounter themonarch of the wilds under ordinary circumstances to have any feeling ofalarm for themselves, but they became intensely anxious about Denis;still it was not likely that the lions would be roaring had they seizedhim. They hurried on even faster than before, though they had severaltimes to turn aside to avoid the thorny thickets in their path, throughwhich even their young guide did not attempt to make his way. Thesounds grew louder and louder. They were approaching the spot where thelions would be discovered. For their own safety it was necessary to becautious. Their great hope was that Denis had turned aside, and thatthe beasts were roaring over the body of the wounded pallah which theyhad brought down. Still Lionel, though he slackened his pace, did nothesitate, but went on, his eyes peering about in every direction. Heseemed to place perfect reliance on the power of his companions'firearms. For some time the roaring ceased. Could the brutes have goneoff, or were they watching the approach of the strangers? Suddenlythree lion cubs burst out from a thicket. Maloney was instinctivelyabout to fire, but Hendricks stopped him. "Take care! the old ones arenot far off. Those little brutes were sent out by the lion and lionessto watch us."

  As he said this, the cubs, turning round, galloped off to the left upthe hill. Cautiously the hunters advanced. It was well they did so,for scarcely had they gone fifty paces more when a lion and lionesssuddenly bounded out with rapid strides, their heads and tails up.

  "You take the lioness, I'll take the lion," said Hendricks calmly, whilethe boy, showing no signs of fear, stepped behind his friends. All atonce the lion stopped, then gazing a moment at the intruders, gallopedoff after the cubs, but the lioness still came bounding on. Hendrickson this refrained from pulling his trigger. Maloney fired, the ballstruck the savage animal in the neck, but notwithstanding on she cametowards him, and in another instant would probably have laid him low onthe ground with a blow from her powerful paw. It was fortunate thatHendricks had not thrown his shot away. He stood as firm as a rock, andraising his rifle aimed at the lioness's chest. She made one bound intothe air, and fell close to his feet. She was still not dead, and he,grasping the boy by the arm, sprang to a distance on one side whileMaloney leapt to the other. She made several efforts to reach them,crawling along for some distance on the ground, but in vain attempted torise, and after giving a few convulsive struggles, s
he fell over on herside dead.

  "My poor boy, my poor boy! If he has encountered those brutes, whatchance of escape can he have had?" exclaimed Maloney.

  "We'll hope for the best. Come on," was the answer. And not stopping,as they would otherwise have done, to skin the lioness, they hurriedforward, led by their young guide.

  "He's not far off, he has not been killed," he said, in answer to aquestion Hendricks put to him.

  Presently a shout reached their ears, and looking up, there, to theirintense relief, they saw Master Denis seated amidst the branches of atree, well out of reach of the lions. Below it lay his gun.

  "Have you settled the brutes?" he shouted out. "I'm glad you have come,for I'm desperately hungry. They seemed inclined to keep me here allday. If I hadn't had to leave my gun on the ground, I should soon havedriven them away. I saw the brutes just in time to scramble up here."

  "You may thank heaven that you were not torn to pieces by them," saidHendricks.

  "Come down, Denis," cried his father, thankful that he had escaped, andtoo glad to find fault with him just then.

  The boy made his way down, but would have fallen on reaching the ground,had not his father caught him. He looked paler even than on theprevious evening, but that was not surprising, considering the alarm hehad been in, and that he had had no breakfast. It was important thatthey should get back to the camp as soon as possible, and the twohunters, each taking an arm, helped him along, for by himself it wasvery evident that he would have been unable to walk even a shortdistance.

  "You have given us a pretty fright, Denis," said his father. "What madeyou take it into your head to start off alone from the camp, withoutletting any one know where you were going?"

  "Faith! for the sake of showing you what I could do," answered Denis."Besides, I just honestly confess that I thought you would haveinspanned and come along this way, when I hoped you would not haverefused to take me with you."

  "I thought as much, but you've gained nothing by the move," observed hisfather. "You have shown me more clearly than before that you areutterly unfit to go through the fatigues of a hunter's life. You'lljust take advantage of the kind offer of our friend here, and go backwith him to Maritzburg."

  Poor Denis looked very crestfallen, but said nothing, for he did notfeel just then well able to enter into a controversy with any one.Indeed, he was growing weaker and weaker, and it seemed more thanprobable that he would be unable to get back to the camp unless he wascarried. Little Lionel had picked up his gun, and was staggering aheadwith it over his shoulders. He kept his eyes looking about him as if onthe watch for something or other. Presently he cried out in Zulu, "Beon your guard, white chief. See, see! there they come!" and Hendrickscaught sight of the lion, followed at a distance by the cubs, stealingdown the hill towards the spot where the lioness had been shot. He kepthis eye on the animal, to watch its movements. Both he and Maloney hadloaded with ball, and they now halted until the lion came within rangeof their weapons.

  The brute moved slowly on, and then suddenly sitting up on its haunches,surveyed them at a distance.

  "The lion has no stomach for a fight. We may go on," said Hendricks.They walked on supporting Denis, while the boy kept close to their sideuntil they had passed the body of the lioness, the lion all the timeretaining its position, conscious probably that its duties were toprotect its cubs. They went on and on until they got out of sight ofthe lion, which, when they last saw it, had not moved from its post.Very frequently, however, Hendricks looked back to ascertain whether theanimal was following them. "After all, they are cowardly brutes," heobserved. "They will seldom attack a man when they see he is preparedfor them, unless hard pressed by hunger. I have never found themotherwise."

  A rhinoceros, a panther, and several deer were seen, but they had nofurther interruptions to their progress, and at length the camp wasreached. They found breakfast ready for them. From the appearance ofDenis, who scarcely ate a morsel, it was more than ever evident that hewould be unable to accompany his father. It was doubtful indeed whetherhe would be able to start with Hendricks the following morning, unlessroom could be found for him in the waggon. In the meantime a bed wasmade up for him in the shade beneath it, consisting of a blanket andkaross, the latter being a robe composed of jackal skins sewn together.Hendricks, although anxious to get to Maritzburg, agreed to wait untilthe following morning, when it was hoped that Denis would be able to sithis horse, and benefit by the fresh air of the early day.

  His father was very grateful to their friend for his kindness.

  "Don't talk about it," answered the sturdy hunter. "Our oxen willbenefit by having another day's rest and good feeding, which neitheryours nor mine are likely to obtain for some time to come; for when onceI inspan, I shall let nothing stop me until I get to the end of myjourney, and you, of course, will have to traverse the barren country Ilately passed over."

  The young chief, however, showed great impatience at the delay. Heevidently feared that his countrymen would discover him and drag himfrom the protection of the English. He expressed this idea toHendricks.

  "They will have to fight pretty hard to do that, and you must not beslow to defend yourselves," observed the hunter.

  The black chief flourished his assegai with a fierce look. "Mangaleesuhas shown what he can do, and he will not yield while life lasts," heexclaimed.

  "Those who are ready to fight for themselves merit assistance," observedthe hunter. "Rest assured, we will not deliver you up."

  During the hot hours of the day the Kaffir and Hottentot servants layabout in whatever shade could be found, some smoking, others spinninginterminable yarns, but the larger number passing the time fast asleep,stretched on the ground with a few boughs or pieces of blanket overtheir heads. Occasionally the Hottentots were roused up to take thenturn in watching the cattle, on which, even during the day, it wasnecessary to keep a bright look-out lest a lion might pounce down uponthem, or a black rhinoceros charge into their midst and put them toflight. At length Hendricks called out the hunters, and sent them insearch of game. While they took one direction, he himself, withMaloney, accompanied by Umgolo, proceeded higher up the mountain-side,his object being to discover if there was any more practicable routethan the one by which the latter had come, as also to ascertain if therewere any native kraals in the neighbourhood. The summit of the hill wassoon reached.

  "It is as I thought," said Maloney, after they had surveyed the country."You'll not find a better road to the east or west, bad as it is; ifyou make the attempt, you'll very likely get out of the frying-pan intothe fire."

  On either side were seen a succession of tree-covered heights, throughwhich no waggon could force its way, unless preceded by a party ofpioneers to cut down the trees and bridge the ravines. In the fardistance were a few kraals with open spaces marking the mealy grounds ofthe inhabitants, but in other respects the whole country was a perfectwilderness.

  As they were descending they caught sight of a graceful animal which atthat moment had leapt on a rock not far from them. In colour andappearance it resembled the common roe, but was considerably smaller.On seeing the strangers, it was on the point of turning to escape, whenHendricks, raising his gun in a moment to his shoulder, fired, and thelittle klipspringer fell from the projecting rock on which it wasstanding, down on the smooth side of the hill, where it lay motionless.The klipspringer is one of the most active of antelopes, differing fromothers of its species in having small hoofs and somewhat short legs forits size, thus adapting it to its roaming mountainous life, while thehair is so loose in the skin, that even in the short distance the animaljust shot had fallen, a considerable part had been knocked off. Umgoloat once shouldered it, and without difficulty carried it off to thecamp. Had it been a load of any other description, he would havedeclined to demean himself by lifting it on his shoulders. On their wayback, the hunters shot several dassi, or rock rabbits, which thus paidthe penalty of their curiosity as they came out of thei
r holes to lookat the passers-by. Their flesh, although not so highly flavoured, wasmore likely to prove tender than that of larger game, and they were thusan acceptable addition to the store of meat.

  Poor Denis made his appearance at supper-time, somewhat revived by along sleep. Although he tried to be cheerful, and declared that he wasfit for anything, it was still very evident that he would be unable toaccompany his father.

  Except that there was a continual serenade of hyenas and jackals, withthe occasional low mutterings of lions in the distance, the night passedquietly by. Before dawn the next morning both camps were astir. Aftera hurried breakfast the oxen were inspanned, and Denis was placed in thehomeward-bound waggon. His father having taken leave of him, and partedfrom Hendricks with a hearty shake of the hand, the two vehiclescommenced their journeys in opposite directions. Mangaleesu and Kalindawalked together close to the waggon, and it had been arranged thatshould any natives appear, she was to get inside, while the young chief,who had put off the insignia of his rank, and was dressed like one ofthe other natives, would then, it was hoped, pass without discovery.Little Lionel, whose wound was slighter than at first supposed, and whoseemed to look upon it as a mere scratch, some times trotted alongsidethem, and at others clambered up by the side of the driver, to whom hetook an especial fancy. Denis frequently called him to sit in thecorner at the other end of the waggon, and amused himself by trying toteach him English, which the boy acquired with wonderful rapidity, itbeing scarcely ever necessary to tell him twice the name of a thing.

  "I'm sure the little chap is English," said Denis to Hendricks, whenthey outspanned for the night. "Had his parents been Dutch, he wouldnot have recollected the names of things so uncommonly fast as he does.When I put my hand to my head, and said head, he immediately repeatedthe word after me, and when I asked him again ten minutes afterwards hehad not forgotten it. When I touched my cap, without telling him thename, he at once said `cap.' If he goes on at that rate, he'll be ableto talk English before we get to Maritzburg, and I shouldn't besurprised if he will then be able to give us a more clear account ofhimself than he has hitherto done."

  "That's right, Denis; go on and try to make him talk as much as you can.I have got some books, and you may be able to teach him his letters,and perhaps even to read before the journey is over," said Hendricks."He is a sharp little fellow, no doubt about that, and will do credit toyour instruction."

  Denis looked well pleased at this remark. He was flattered at theconfidence placed in him, and was thus reconciled to sitting quietly inthe waggon all day, instead of mounting his horse. He was really unfitfor hard exercise, though, had he not found this employment, he wouldprobably have been restless and discontented, and would have insisted onmounting his horse, and exposing himself to the hot sun.

  Day after day the waggon moved on, generally only ten miles wereaccomplished, frequently even less, and seldom much more, except whenthe ground was level and hard. Occasionally the men had to put theirshoulders to the wheels to help on the oxen where the ground wasunusually steep. On these occasions the young chief made himselfuseful, not disdaining to labour with the other men. He appeareddesirous, indeed, of showing his gratitude to Hendricks for theprotection afforded him. He still, however, did not seem to be at hisease. Whenever a height was reached, his eye ranged anxiously over thecountry, as if he expected his enemies to be coming in search of him.Hendricks inquired one day who he supposed was the leader of the attackagainst the kraal. Was it Cetchwayo? he asked. "No, but Mapeetu,another chief, a great friend of his. He had seen Kalinda, and wishedto make her his wife, but she ran from him because she loved me, and shebecame mine. He knew that he could not get her back, because I kept toostrict a watch over her, and would never allow her to go out of thekraal without going myself, with a strong party; so in revenge, when oneof the king's wives fell ill, he bribed the doctor to declare that I hadbewitched her. I heard of this, and so, when the king sent for me,knowing that I should be murdered on the way, I refused to go. Mapeetuwas cunning, and appeared to have forgotten all about the matter. Thisthrew me off my guard, or I should have moved with my people and cattle,as soon as our crops had been gathered in, to another part of thecountry. Thinking that all was secure, I kept no watch at the kraalthat night, but the moment I heard the sounds outside, I knew what wasabout to happen, and resolved to fight, not so much to preserve my ownlife, as to prevent Kalinda from falling into the power of Mapeetu. Hadshe been killed, I would have sought him out, and followed him throughthe country until I had satisfied my revenge."

  "I am glad that you both escaped. And now tell me; how are you going tosupport yourself in Natal?" asked Hendricks.

  "Where game is abundant one need never be anxious on that score,"answered Mangaleesu. "When I have provided for my wife, I intend toreturn to Zululand and punish Mapeetu for the slaughter of my people.Cetchwayo will not dare to kill me, for it will be acknowledged that achief so brave as I have proved myself could not have been guilty ofwitchcraft. Then, when I have gathered some people round me, and havebuilt another kraal, I will go back for my Kalinda."

  Hendricks, though suspecting that the young chief would probably losehis life in endeavouring to carry out his plan, was well aware that toattempt dissuading him from it would be useless; he therefore simplyobserved, "You have a good many things to do first, and perhaps you willnot find it as easy as you suppose to obtain a livelihood in Natal."

  The chief looked somewhat disconcerted at this remark, but the nextmoment drawing himself up proudly, he answered--

  "Mangaleesu's strong arm and rifle will supply him and his wife with alltheir wants. The Zulus are not like you white men, they can live whereyou would starve."

  "You are a brave young man, but you have no rifle and ammunition tobegin with," said Hendricks. "However, I will supply you, and willpurchase the skins you bring me at a fair price. In that way, if youhunt diligently, you will be able to support yourself and your wife."

  The chief appeared well pleased with this arrangement, and did not forthe remainder of the journey again talk of returning to Zululand torevenge himself on his enemies. When the waggon was passing in theneighbourhood of kraals, the natives on several occasions paid Hendricksa visit, supposing that he had come to trade with them; but, as hisgoods were exhausted, and his waggon already fully loaded, he told themthat he could do no business, and they soon again took their departure.None of them appeared to recognise Mangaleesu, and as Kalinda alwayscautiously crept inside she was not seen. It was therefore hoped thatMapeetu had no suspicion of how the young chief and his bride hadescaped, and that the party ran no risk of being molested. Several notvery important adventures were met with. Game, which was everywhereabundant, was killed to supply the travellers with food, and at lengthdescending from the high ground they reached the colony. They had aconsiderable distance to travel, but all danger from hostile Zulus wasover. A journey of about ten days brought them in sight of the highblack hills, devoid of a single tree, which bound Maritzburg on thenorth and north-west. Soon afterwards the town itself appeared,situated on a large knoll or plateau, rising out of a natural basin, andalmost surrounded by "little Bushmans" river. Crossing the stream, thewaggon passed along a broad road bounded by green hedges of pomegranate,enclosing nicely kept gardens, in which stood neat little whitewashedcottages with verandahs in front, round whose posts were twinedbeautiful and luxurious creepers. By the side of the water-courses bywhich the gardens were irrigated, coming from the main stream, grewweeping willows and lilac trees, with several other water-loving andrapidly growing shrubs. The streets of the town were at right angles;the houses uniformly white, few of them being of more than one story,but all looking very neat and clean, as did the streets themselves, withchannels of clear water flowing on either side, affording theinhabitants an abundant supply for all their wants. Indeed, it couldnot but be acknowledged that the site of Pieter Maritzburg had beenadmirably chosen for a colonial town.

  He
ndricks having outspanned in an open place at the entrance of thetown, left Umgolo to look after the waggon, and took Denis and Lionel todispose of them as he had arranged. Denis was kindly received by hisuncle, who, thanking Hendricks for having brought him back, promised togive him employment until his father should come or send for him. Denisseemed very sorry to part from Lionel, who had been so long his pupil.

  "Don't you be after forgetting all I have taught you, Lionel," he said.

  "No fear, me no forget," answered Lionel, laughing. "Soon talkeeEnglish well as Den 'self."

  The little fellow, as he walked alongside his tall friend, gazed withastonishment at all he saw, and when he came near the public buildings--which though unpretending edifices enough, were of gigantic sizecompared with any structures he had seen--he opened his eyes andinquired how men could ever manage to put them together.

  Mr Hendricks led him through the town, until they reached a neat littlecottage standing in a nicely kept garden surrounded by a pomegranatehedge, and full of gay flowers. In front of the house was a porch,round the posts of which were trained several luxuriant creepers, so asto hang in festoons from the roof. The floor was paved with Dutchtiles, kept as polished and clean as a dinner-table.

  As they entered through the wicket gate, a fair, portly-looking dame, ofa comely and cheerful countenance, her white cap concealing her smoothlight hair, appeared at the door.

  "What, do my eyes deceive me? or do I really see my dear brother safeand sound in limb and body?" she exclaimed, sticking herknitting-needles and balls of cotton into one of her ample pockets,ready for the affectionate embrace she was prepared to give and receive.

  "Yes, indeed, you see me as strong and hearty as ever, and richer than Ihave been since I first started off from home as a younker, with a packat my back and a rifle in my hand. Never have I made a more successfultrip; for I have returned with the waggon so loaded that I sometimesfeared the stout wheels would give way under the weight they carried."

  "What young stranger have you brought here?" asked the dame, after thefirst salutations were over. "A fine little child, by my troth!"

  Hendricks briefly described how Lionel had come into his hands. "And Iwant you, my good sister, to take charge of him, and bring him up, untilby some means we may discover his parents. He will repay your troubleif I judge rightly of his disposition; and although he has no largeamount of English at his command at present, he will soon chatter awayfast enough to afford you plenty of amusement."

  Kind Mistress Jansen, taking the boy by the hand, and drawing himtowards her, answered, "That I'll do with all my heart, and we shall begood friends at once, shall we not, my boy?"

  The little fellow did not answer, but looked up at Hendricks as ifasking him to reply. The hunter spoke a few words in Zulu, on hearingwhich the child's eye brightened.

  "I have told him that you will be a mother to him Susannah, and he seemswell pleased at the thought."

  That matter being settled, the hunter having taken a cup of tea with hisgood sister, and enjoyed a little further conversation, left his young_protege_ with her, and returned to where his waggon and followers wereencamped to make arrangements for the disposal of his cargo. Finding,however, that it would be well worth his while to proceed to D'Urban, hethe following day set off for that town, to dispose of the produce ofhis hunting, and to procure fresh goods for his next journey. Accordingto his promise, he made a present of a good rifle and stock ofammunition to the young chief Mangaleesu, giving him authority toprocure a further supply of powder and shot when that was exhausted.

  Lionel was soon perfectly at home with Mistress Jansen. He showed anamiable disposition, and willingly obeyed her, but at the same time shediscovered that he had several savage habits and customs to be cured of.Young as he was, he showed a fearless and independent spirit, but sheendeavoured by kind and judicious treatment to keep him in good order.He paid almost a daily visit to Denis Maloney to be taught his lessons;but Mistress Jansen took upon herself to give him instruction inreligious truth, of which very naturally he was totally ignorant. Hehad no idea that there was a God in heaven, or how the world had beenformed, or of a future state, and it was some time before he couldcomprehend the plan of salvation, while he exhibited a woeful ignoranceof what was right and wrong. Had he been older, the task of instructinghim would have been more difficult, but as it was, his mind in mostrespects was a perfect blank. He was ready enough, however, to receivethe impression his kind instructress endeavoured to make. As he gainedknowledge himself, he felt very anxious to impart it to Mangaleesu, whohad built a hut on the nearest piece of wild land he could find to thetown. Here he lived with the independence of a Zulu chief andgentleman, his wife attending to household affairs of a very primitivedescription, while he, gun in hand, hunted through the neighbourhood,and never failed to obtain an ample supply of food. The agent ofHendricks also was always ready to make advances on the skins of theanimals and the feathers of the birds he shot, which afforded him andhis wife all the other necessaries of life. Though he listened to whatLionel had to say, he had always a ready answer to excuse himself fornot following his advice. At the same time he assured the boy that heshould be very glad to see him whenever he would come to pay him avisit. By this means Lionel kept up his knowledge of the Zulu language,which there would have been a risk of his forgetting while he wasacquiring that of English.

  When his guardian returned from D'Urban, he was greatly surprised at hisproficiency, not only in speaking, but in general knowledge.

  "If you continue as you have begun, Lionel, you will soon be able toaccompany me on my journeys, and make yourself very useful in a varietyof ways," he said.

  "Then I'll make great haste," answered Lionel. "I'll go with you assoon as you will take me, and learn how to shoot lions and elephants,and Zulus too, if they try to treat us as they did the people inMangaleesu's kraal."

  Lionel had still need of further religious instruction, as his lastremark showed, and good Mistress Jansen endeavoured to give it byteaching him "to love our enemies, to bless them that curse us, to dogood to them that hate us, and to pray for them which despitefully useand persecute us."