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

  CHAPTER FOUR.

  A JOURNEY NORTHWARD.

  What the camel is in Northern Africa--the ship of the desert--so may beconsidered the waggon in the southern part of the dark continent. Itmay be likened indeed to a huge, deeply laden merchantman, steadilymaking her way amid the rolling waves of the ocean.

  Some time had passed, not reckoned by months only, but by years, sincethe events narrated in the previous chapters occurred, when one of thoselumbering vehicles, dragged by a span of fourteen sturdy oxen, wasrolling along through the eastern part of Natal towards the Zulu border.

  A short distance ahead rode our old friend Hendricks the hunter,scarcely changed since we first knew him, except that his beard mighthave become slightly more grizzled, and that here and there a wrinklehad deepened on his open countenance. Occasionally a shade ofmelancholy passed over it, as he spoke to a companion who rode at hisside on a light, active little horse.

  "It was His will who rules all things, Lionel, to take her; but I wouldrather you had remained some time longer under her fostering care,instead of commencing the rough life you will have to lead with me. Butshe has done you justice. You are better fitted morally and physicallyfor what you may have to go through, than I might have ventured to hope.You will be of great service to me, as I can rely on you in a way Icannot even on Umgolo, or certainly on the rest of our Kaffir andHottentot servants."

  "Thank you, uncle, for your good opinion of me," answered Lionel, whohad learnt to call his kind protectress, Mrs Jansen, by the name ofaunt, and very naturally in consequence addressed her brother, thehunter, as uncle. "I will do my best to show my gratitude to you, andto Aunt Susannah for all her kindness to me. Though I shall never seeher again, I cannot help fancying that she will know what I am about.It was a sad day when she was taken from us so suddenly, and I thought Ishould have broken my heart if you had not arrived. I was so happy withher, that I never wished to be away, though I used to like going outwith Mangaleesu, and shooting with the little fowling-piece you gave me,as long as he lived in the neighbourhood. Did you know that a shorttime ago he and his wife disappeared without saying where they weregoing? When I last went to see them, what was my dismay to find theirhut burnt to the ground! At first I was afraid that they had beenmurdered; but Denis Maloney, who accompanied me the next morning, and Icould discover no remains of anything belonging to them, and he is ofopinion that they had some reason for going off. If they hadn't been ina desperate hurry, they would, I am sure, have come to bid us good-bye."

  "I have no doubt that Mangaleesu was summoned by a superior chief towhom he owes allegiance for some special object--probably to take partin an attack on another chief. We shall hear about it when we get intoZululand," replied Hendricks. "You were speaking just now of youngMaloney. I am glad to hear so good an account of him; he appears tohave acted the part of a true friend to you."

  "Indeed he has, and I am much obliged to him. It was fortunate for methat he remained in Maritzburg so long, for he taught me a great many ofthe things I know. Still he declares that he hates books, and would ahundred times rather be shooting elephants and lions than studying.Poor fellow! he has become very anxious about his father. Still he doesnot give him up, though everybody else in the town thinks he is dead."

  "I do not agree with them, though I confess that I am very anxious aboutmy old friend," answered Hendricks; "I still hope that he pushed, as Iknow he intended doing, far away to the northward, and that though hemay probably have got into difficulties, he has escaped with his life.I think it very likely, however, that he has lost his waggon andservants, or he would have managed to communicate with me during my lastlong trip. I made every possible inquiry, and sent out messengers inall directions; but could hear nothing of him. It is strange that heshould have so totally disappeared, without leaving any trace to showthe direction he took. I am inclined to believe that he was entrappedby some treacherous chief or by some rebel boers who have often vowedthat they would allow no Englishman to come near the territory theyclaim."

  While Hendricks was speaking, Denis Maloney, now a well-grown lad, rodeup. He had previously been forming one of a party of three followingthe waggon at a little distance. All traces of sickness haddisappeared, his muscles were well knit, and his countenance bronzed bythe heat of the sun to which he had been exposed during a tradingexpedition dispatched by his uncle into Zululand. He had gone in thecapacity of clerk or accountant to the leader of the expedition, hisduties being similar to those of a supercargo on board ship. He hadacquitted himself in the most satisfactory manner, and had thus gainedexperience both as a hunter and a trader. His uncle was so much pleasedthat he promised before long to fit him out with a waggon and team onhis own account, that he might try his fortune in trading, chiefly forcattle, among the Zulus.

  "Mr Crawford and young Broderick asked me to come on and inquire whenwe are likely to outspan, for they complain that they are both hungryand tired, as they are not well accustomed to our style of travelling,"he said, addressing their leader.

  "Tell them we shall camp in an hour or in less time perhaps; and if theycan't hold out, do you get some biscuits from a box in the hinder partof the waggon," answered Hendricks.

  Young Lionel was inclined to feel something like contempt for those somuch older than himself, who were not ashamed to acknowledge that theywere hungry and tired after travelling somewhat under twenty miles in abroiling sun. Denis, who had, it must be confessed, spoken one word forthem and two for himself, soon got out the biscuits, and keeping aportion, distributed the rest between his two companions. One of them,Percy Broderick, was a lad about his own age, fair and good-looking, andwell-grown, not having the appearance, however, of a person particularlywell fitted for a life in the wilderness. The other, Harry Crawford,though much older, looked at the first glance still less fitted forroughing it. Not that he wanted breadth of shoulders, strong muscles,or stout limbs; but that his countenance betokened intellect andrefinement, rather than firmness, resolution, and the other qualitiesrequisite for a person who has to go through the hardships of asettler's existence.

  "Faith! I wonder what brought you two fellows out here, and I doubtmuch whether you'll like the country now you have come. It's a mightyfine one, there's no doubt about that, for those who have a fancy for awild life, and shooting rhinoceroses and buffaloes, not to speak ofelephants and lions," exclaimed Denis. He had as yet had but littleconversation with his fellow-travellers, they having only that morningjoined the waggon party from a farm at which they had been staying. AllDenis knew was that they had come out together from England, and werenow bound in the same direction.

  "As to that, I was born in the colony, and have only come back to mynative land," answered Percy. "Haven't you heard of my father, CaptainBroderick, who is settled at Falls Farm on the borders of the Transvaalcountry? I suppose I can endure what my father and mother, and mybrothers and sisters have to go through, and I shall soon get accustomedto it. I can't say I know much about it at present, as I was sent toschool in the old country, when I was a very little chap under thecharge of an uncle, with whom I spent my holidays, and who looked afterme all the time I was in England; but he died some months ago, and as myfather could not send money to pay for my schooling, I was shipped offto return home, and Mr Piatt, the owner of the Cloof Farm, where wewere staying, was good enough to ask your friend Mr Hendricks to let usaccompany him as far as we were going, as he said that he expected topass close to my father's house."

  "You are very fortunate to find so good a man to travel with," saidDenis. "He is the most noted hunter in the whole colony, and a capitalfellow besides."

  "I was much pleased with him," remarked Crawford, "and should greatlylike to accompany him throughout the whole of the expedition; but as Icame out to farm, I must lose no time in endeavouring to learn. Half ayear ago I had no notion of doing such a thing. I was at Oxford,intending to become a barrister; but the small fortune I expected toinherit disappeared, and as
it might be several years before I couldobtain a brief, I thought the wisest thing I could do with the remainderof my possessions was to come out to this country, of which I had heardglowing accounts. I cannot say exactly that I am disappointed; but wereI to purchase a farm, and attempt to commence operations by myself, Ishould feel remarkably like a fish out of water, for I confess I havenot the slightest idea what I should do."

  "Faith! there are a good many young gentlemen like you, Mr Crawford,"observed Denis, "only they haven't the wisdom to keep their money in abank while they are learning something about the business they wish toengage in. In most instances they are so eager to begin, that they buyland, and very soon find all their money gone, long before their cropshave grown, or what they have laid out in other ways has given them anyreturn. When I was in the office of my uncle, Mr Walker, inMaritzburg, numbers of young gentlemen used to come and ask foremployment, just for their food and lodging. Those who have friends athome who can pay their passage money return, others have to turn theirhands to digging and delving, or road making, though a few occasionallyget to the surface. Now if they, as I was saying, had kept their money,and begun by working on a farm, either for wages or even for nothing,they would have been able in time to set up for themselves."

  "As to that, I must not boast too much of my wisdom," answered Crawford."My capital hasn't yet been sent out to the colony, so that I could notinvest it even if I wished to do so. Percy assures me that I shallreceive a warm welcome from his family, and that I may besides have anopportunity of seeing how farming operations are carried on. He tellsme also that I shall obtain an easy introduction to every description ofwild beast: elephants, rhinoceroses, lions, gnus, black and brindled,blessbocs, hartebeests, reitbocs, not to speak of others of smallersize, and birds innumerable."

  "Faith! you'll not find any want of them, but you'll remember it's notalways pleasant to meet a lion or a black rhinoceros in a morning'sramble, and you will have reason to be thankful if you don't, for I canassure you that they're rather troublesome acquaintances. I came tothat opinion not many years ago, when I had to spend some hours up atree, waiting for my breakfast, while a couple of lions and their cubswere watching below, eager to breakfast off me;" and Denis told, withmuch _naivete_, his adventure on his first journey with his father.

  Besides the white persons who have been mentioned, the waggon partyconsisted of three Hottentots, whose duty was to drive and attendespecially to the cattle; and six Kaffir hunters, among whom Umgolo wasthe chief. Hendricks intended to obtain others who had before servedunder him on the way. There were three spare horses, which followed thewaggon, fastened by riems or thongs of hide, the general substitute forrope in the colony. Five dogs may also be counted as forming part ofthe expedition, rejoicing in the names of Spout, Growl, Pincher, Fangs,and Raff. The latter belonged to Denis, who so called the animal afterthe name of a countryman, Paddy Rafferty, who had given it to him. The"baste," he boasted, did credit to the "ould counthry:" for although nobeauty, he was the cleverest and bravest of all the dogs, and muchattached to him.

  Each of the fourteen oxen had a Dutch name, to which it answered, wellknowing when the driver shouted out, that if it did not exert itself, itwould presently feel the effects of his long whip on its hide.

  Travelling in Africa needs the exercise of a large amount of patience.Even when the ground is level, the huge machine moves leisurely along;but when rough hills have to be surmounted, the progress is stillslower.

  The "trek," as the day's journey is called, had been far from a pleasantone. A dry scorching wind blew in the faces of the travellers, whilethe country presented a vast stony plain, burned and arid, with here andthere a few small round hills breaking the line of the horizon. HarryCrawford and Percy looked about them with dismay.

  "I hope the country ahead is not all to be like this," said the former.

  "No fear of that," answered Denis. "We shall have, to be sure, a fewstony mountains to climb over, and now and then, in parts, it's hard tofind a tree, but that's only here and there; for there are forests, andgrassy meadows, and streams, and beautiful valleys, such as are to befound in no other part of the world, or, at all events, none superior tothem, in my opinion. Look out there ahead, you'll see, just risingabove the plain, what I daresay you took to be a cloud, but it is arange of mountains; when we get over them, we shall have fine sceneryenough to satisfy you. We shall then meet also with what you fellowsfrom the old country call adventures, but which we out here are soaccustomed to that we do not think much about them."

  Dreary as was the scenery in other respects, it was enlivened bynumberless gorgeous flowers, the beauty of which Harry Crawford was wellable to appreciate, although ignorant of the names of most of them.

  "We should value these in our hot-houses at home," he said.

  "For my part I'd sooner have plenty of green grass," observed Denis,"and so would the cattle, I've a notion. To say the truth, I've seen somany of these things that I no longer pay any attention to them,although they are mighty fine, I'll acknowledge, now that I come toexamine them more particularly."

  Percy, who admired the flowers as much as his friend did, every now andthen got off his horse to pick some of them, until he had collected alarge bouquet, greatly to the amusement of Denis.

  "Take care, my boy, not to catch hold of the tail of a puff adder," heexclaimed, as Percy again dismounted. "They are pretty numeroushereabouts, and you may chance to put your hand close to one of theirholes while you are picking those flowers."

  Percy, without making any remark, threw himself into his saddle again,satisfied with the collection he had already made.

  As they advanced the country improved. They passed the ruins of severalfarms, the owners of which had "trekked" to the Transvaal republic.

  Hour after hour the waggon proceeded on through the same monotonousstyle of country, until towards evening, no other more convenient spotbeing found, a halt was called near one of the mounds which have beendescribed, and close by which ran a small "spruit," or stream, affordingthe weary oxen sufficient water to quench their thirst. As no trees orshrubs grew near, a quantity of dry dung was collected to serve as fuel.This, when once lighted, threw out an intense heat, quickly boiling allthe pots placed over it; but as it produced little or no flame, it wasnot so well calculated to serve as a watch fire to scare away wildbeasts as one formed of wood. It was necessary, therefore, to keep astricter watch than usual at night, lest a lion might visit the campwith the intention of making a feast off one of the oxen or horses.

  While the party were seated at supper, Denis amused himself by tellingall sorts of terrible tales of the way a lion had occasionally leaptinto a camp and carried off a man before his companions had time torescue him.

  "Come, Denis, don't be trying to frighten our young friends with yourwonderful stories, and to make them wish that they were out of thecountry again," said Hendricks. "The lion is not so very formidable abeast, after all. I've never been troubled by one in my camp, althoughI have not unfrequently had half a dozen roaring round it at night; butthen I have always kept up a good fire, and had men on the watch, readyto shoot the brutes, should they come near; so their instinct, I fancy,has told them that it would be prudent to keep at a distance."

  The horses had been knee-haltered, the usual way of securing them fromstraying, and had been turned out with the cattle to pick up as muchsustenance as they could obtain from the withered grass, with one of theHottentot boys, old Dos, to watch them. The Hottentots, likepostilions, are always boys to the end of their days. Dos, though nearsixty, was so small and wiry, that at a little distance he might havebeen mistaken for a boy.

  As Hendricks intended to start at daylight, he ordered all hands to liedown at an early hour, and obtain as much rest as they could, with thehard ground for their beds, and the starry heavens overhead. A piece ofcanvas let down from the side of the waggon served somewhat to screenthe young Englishmen--who were supposed to be more luxuriously in
clinedthan the rest of the party--from the chilly night air, while the moundalso contributed to protect the camp.

  Denis and Lionel did not disdain to creep in beside them, whileHendricks occupied his usual berth inside his waggon. In a few minutesall voices were hushed, but though Crawford and Percy did not speak, thestrangeness of the scene prevented them from going to sleep. Some timehad passed, and they were at length beginning to get a little drowsy,when they were startled by a terrific roar, which seemed to come almostfrom above them. Starting up, and knocking their heads against thebottom of the waggon as they did so, in a very unpleasant fashion, theyscrambled out from their sleeping-place, their impulse being to meet thedanger, whatever it might be, on their feet, and to look about them.They were followed by Denis and Lionel, who had naturally been awakenedby the roaring.

  "What is it? Where is it?" asked Percy Broderick.

  "Look there," answered Denis, pointing to the top of the mound, where,in the dim light, the outlines could be seen clearly defined against thesky, of two lions. The monsters, placing their heads to the ground,again sent forth a roar, which sounded fearfully loud in the silentnight air. The hideous uproar they made at length aroused Hendricks,who, turning out of his berth, seized his gun, ever ready at hand, andstepped a few paces from the camp towards them. The rest of the men incamp had sprung to their feet, and held their rifles ready for instantaction, while the dogs, rushing to the front, continued barking invaried tones, though they showed no inclination to venture beyond theprotection of their masters. The lions, however, did not advance, butcontinued standing in the position in which they had at first been seen,contenting themselves with uttering an occasional roar, as if to terrifythe occupants before making a final rush into their midst. The hunters,however, were too well accustomed to encounters with lions to bealarmed, let them roar ever so loudly; still a fight with a couple atnight would not be free of danger, should either of them be wounded andnot killed outright. It would indeed be no easy matter to bring themdown at the distance they were off.

  "We must send these brutes away, or they'll give us no time for sleep,"said Hendricks, and he summoned Umgolo and another experienced hunter tohis side. Ordering the other men to keep back the dogs, he slowlyadvanced with his two companions towards the foot of the mound. Denisand Lionel, who was well able to use the small rifle his friend hadprocured for him, with Percy and Crawford, kept behind as a reserve, butHendricks had ordered them on no account to fire, unless by chance thelions should break through and come down upon them.

  Slowly the hunters advanced up the mound: the lions, however, notappearing to have noticed them, continued roaring as loudly as before,till suddenly they seemed to become aware that enemies were at hand,when, instead of springing boldly forward, Percy and his companions, totheir astonishment, saw them retiring as cowardly dogs are apt to doafter barking, then finally turning round, they trotted off until theywere lost to sight at the other side of the mound.

  "The brutes often prove poltroons, if courageously met, and so thesehave shown themselves," exclaimed Denis. "We shall not be troubledagain to-night by their sweet voices, though we may hear them in thedistance growling and muttering over their disappointment."

  In a short time the camp was again quiet, and Denis and Lionel,accustomed to such adventures, quickly went to sleep, but Percy andCrawford could not, as before, close their eyes. Every now and then, asthey listened, they heard a low muttering sound coming from a distance.

  "What can that curious noise be?" asked Crawford. "I should fancy itwas made by deer; I have heard something like it in England."

  "I don't fancy any deer would remain in the neighbourhood with a coupleof hungry lions roaming about," answered Percy. "Perhaps it is made bymonkeys. I'll ask Denis. He was awake a few minutes ago. I say,Denis, what creatures are making those curious sounds? Just listen fora minute." Denis was asleep, but on hearing himself called, awoke in aninstant, fancying that something was the matter.

  "What curious sounds?" he asked. "Sure I only hear a couple of lionsmuttering away as the beasts have a fancy for doing at night when theywant their suppers, and haven't yet found anything to eat. There now goto sleep, and don't be bothering a fellow by waking him out of his firstnap; you'll soon get accustomed to stranger noises than those." AndDenis covered his head up again with his blanket.

  The rest of the night passed quietly by, but at early dawn there was agreat hubbub among the Hottentots and Kaffirs. The horses haddisappeared; either the lions had put them to flight in spite of theirbeing knee-haltered, or they had gone in search of greener pastures.Old Dos had not seen them go. He had been herding the cattle, and hadtaken little note of them, thinking that they could take care ofthemselves. The consequence was, he and another Hottentot boy, Tan,were sent off in search of them as soon as daylight had increasedsufficiently to enable their spoor to be seen. The party had thereforeto remain encamped until they were brought back.

  "I should have preferred more picturesque scenery to spend the day in.I wonder our leader takes the matter so coolly," observed Crawford.

  "It's just this, that he's accustomed to it," answered Denis. "A manwho travels in this country must have a vast amount of patience. Hemust not value time as you do in the old country."

  Hendricks, however, did not let his people remain idle. They wereemployed in repairing or strengthening the harness, cutting thongs,collecting fuel, and doing other odd jobs, while he and Umgolo went outwith their guns in search of a pallah or other game. Crawford and hisyounger companions amused themselves in camp, for the heat was too greatto enjoy exercise. Before noon the horses were brought back, and thehunters returning with a springboc, no time was lost in inspanning, andthe waggon proceeded on at a faster pace than usual, to make up for losttime. A drift or stream was forded, the waggon sticking as it reachedthe opposite bank, and much more time was lost in dragging it up, as theoxen obstinately refused to pull all together. In vain the Hottentotboys rushed in among them, endeavouring by soft blandishments to inducethem to move. The Kaffirs swore in strange-sounding tones, and Denisflew here and there, poking one, lashing another, hauling at the head ofa third, his example being followed by the other Englishmen. Theirleader rode forward, merely observing--

  "You must make haste, boys, for we have a worse bit than this to cross,and cross it we must, before we outspan for the night."

  Scarcely had he disappeared in the distance than the oxen, suddenlypulling together, hauled the waggon out. Denis uttered a loud shout oftriumph, and away it went rumbling after them.

  The promise of their leader was soon fulfilled. After moving on forthree miles or so, the foot of a hill was reached. The driver knowingwhat was before him urged on the oxen, hoping that by pulling togetheras they were then doing, he might urge the waggon up without a stop.For the first two-thirds of the way they did very well, but at lastcoming to a steep pitch, suddenly the whole span stopped, and refused tobudge an inch farther. Frantically the driver lashed and lashed, andcracked his whip, the reports resounding like a sharp fire of musketryamid the hills. It was of no avail, and had not two of the men rushedup with two huge masses of rock, which they placed behind the wheels,the waggon would have gone backwards, and dragged the animals after itto the bottom of the hill. In vain the driver shouted and yelled;forward they would not go; but began twisting and turning round in theiryokes, some facing one way, some another; some dropping down on theirknees, others rolling over with the risk of being strangled by the riemswhich secured them to the yoke. To Crawford's eye they appeared in astate of confusion, from which it would be impossible to extricate them.The Hottentots shouted, the driver leapt from his box, and with theother boys rushed here and there, uttering yells, shouts, andexecrations while they plied their tough waggon whips with a vehemencewhich brought blood at every stroke from the backs of the obstinatebrutes. Now they seized the animals' tails, twisting them round andround, some actually seizing them with their teeth, while theyendeavoure
d to get them back into line, all the time shouting "Juk!juk!" to make them start, or "Om! om!" whenever they wanted them to turnround, generally at the same time hitting them on their noses with thebutt ends of their whips. Crawford and Percy could do nothing, butDenis and Lionel exerted themselves fearlessly. At last old Dos,dragging at the leading oxen with a riem, the whole span "trekked" atthe same moment, and in a few moments the waggon was again movingforward at a slow pace.

  "All our difficulties are not over yet," observed Hendricks to Crawford,as they were walking ahead, leading their horses. "See, there's an uglyspot yonder, which it will require all the skill of old Dos to surmount.I'll leave the drivers, however, to their own resources. If Iinterfered, they would simply follow my directions, throwing theresponsibility upon me, and take no further trouble about the matter.If they get into a fix, I try and get them out of it."

  The ugly spot was reached. The path was sufficiently broad for thewaggon to pass, but it sloped down to the edge of a steep precipice, nothowever quite perpendicular, as the tops of tall trees could be seenrising out of its side, but sufficiently steep to cause a waggon to turnover and over, and of a depth which would ensure its being crushed orsmashed to fragments when it reached the bottom. The Hottentots gazedat it with uneasy glances. They first examined the harness, to see thatall was secure, they then fastened four riems of stout buffalo hide tothe side of the waggon opposite to the precipice. The whole of theparty were next summoned to lay hold of the other ends of the riems, andthe driver fixing himself on his box with his whip ready for action, Doswent ahead, and the waggon started. The ground was of clay, excessivelyslippery, and the party holding on to the riems and running alongsidethe waggon, found it no easy matter to keep their feet. Every moment itappeared that the waggon must slip down the steep incline. Lionel andDenis worked as hard as any one, although their united weight did not domuch to keep back the heavy vehicle. All the party were slipping,hauling, scrambling along, shouting at the top of their voices, now andthen one of them coming down in the mud, but still holding on to theriems. The fear was that the oxen would come to a standstill. So longas they kept moving, the danger was not so great; but there appearedevery probability, should the waggon once fetch way, that not only itand the oxen, but the whole party, would be dragged over the precipice.Hendricks, assisted by Crawford, had taken charge of the horses, androde on ahead, too well accustomed to similar adventures to feelespecially anxious about the matter.

  "The waggon will get over it," he remarked; "if it does not, it will beprovoking; but I always make up my mind for an occasional accident,although on the present occasion I should regret it very much, as itwould delay the search for my friend Maloney: for in spite of whatothers think, I have hopes that he is still alive."

  "Denis thinks so too, and frequently alludes to the subject. He couldnot be as merry as he is if he believed that his father was reallylost," remarked Crawford.

  Meantime old Dos and the other Hottentots were shouting and shrieking inshrill tones, the Kaffirs roaring in deeper bass, while Denis, Percy,and Lionel were halloing and laughing as they tugged away at the thongs.The oxen, encouraged by the voices of their drivers, were doing theirpart. The difficult spot, which the Dutch settlers called a squintpath, was passed, and the waggon gained the top of the height, when atsome distance a broad river was seen flowing to the southward.

  "There is the Tugela; we must cross that to-morrow morning, to get intoZululand," said Hendricks to Crawford. "To-night we must encamp midwaybetween it and the foot of the hill."

  The waggon at once began its descent, as there was but little time tospare before darkness came on. The riems were now secured to the hinderpart to prevent its slipping down too rapidly in the steeper places.The scenery from the top of the hill was wild and picturesque. Beyondthe river lay several cloofs or valleys, containing numerous fine timbertrees, and rich in the variety of their foliage and gorgeous flowers. Acarpet of green clothed the side and foot of the berg, as well as theborders of the broad river, although the intermediate space was dry andparched by the summer heat.

  The waggon reached the bottom of the mountain in safety, and soonafterwards the travellers camped by the side of a small stream flowingdown from the berg they had crossed, a thick wood near at hand affordingthem abundance of fuel.

  While the camp was being formed, Hendricks and Umgolo, according totheir usual custom, hastened out with their guns, and each before longreturned with a klipspringer, which were forthwith cut up and preparedfor supper. The abundance of good meat restored the spirits of theKaffirs and Hottentots, which the toils of the day had somewhatdepressed. The night passed without any unusual incident. Lions mighthave been heard roaring or muttering in the distance, and occasionallythe camp was surrounded by musically-inclined jackals or hyenas, but thebrutes did not venture near enough to disturb the slumbers of thetravellers, and at daylight every one was on foot ready to commence thetrek which was to carry them into Zululand.