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diff --git a/38175.txt b/38175.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ea30ff1 --- /dev/null +++ b/38175.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11550 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Perils in the Transvaal and Zululand, by H.C. Adams + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Perils in the Transvaal and Zululand + +Author: H.C. Adams + +Illustrator: J. Greenaway + +Release Date: November 30, 2011 [EBook #38175] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PERILS IN THE TRANSVAAL *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + + + + +Perils in the Transvaal and Zululand +By Rev. H.C. Adams +Illustrations by J. Greenaway +Published by Griffith, Farran, Okeden and Welsh, London. +This edition dated 1887. + +Perils in the Transvaal and Zululand, by Rev H.C. Adams. + +________________________________________________________________________ + +________________________________________________________________________ +PERILS IN THE TRANSVAAL AND ZULULAND, BY REV H.C. ADAMS. + +CHAPTER ONE. + +School was just over. The boys belonging to Arlingford College poured +out into the playing fields, the juniors tumbling over one another in +haste and confusion, as though the premises were on fire behind them; +the seniors strolling leisurely out, or gathering in small groups near +the school door, to arrange their plans for the afternoon. Dr +Stansfield, the headmaster, still remained, in conversation with +Reginald Margetts, a connection of his wife's, a young man of +two-and-twenty, who was passing the Oxford long vacation at his house, +and had come in with a message from Mrs Stansfield. One of the +assistant masters also, George Rivers by name, sat at his desk, looking +over some exercises of which he had not completed the revision. He was +near about Margetts' age, a well-built young fellow with an intelligent +and pleasant face. + +"Well, that will do, Redgy," said the Doctor. "You may tell Mrs +Stansfield that I do not know, and cannot conjecture who her visitor may +have been; but if he is to return in half an hour, I shall be in the +library ready to receive him. At present I must have a little talk with +George Rivers here, before I leave the school." + +"I am going to walk with Rivers presently, sir," said Margetts. "Shall +you be long?" + +"A quarter of an hour, I daresay. George will join you when we have +done. George," he continued, as Margetts left the room, "I have looked +over the papers you have sent me. I intended to have had this +conversation, even if you had not invited it. It is time that some +conclusion was come to. You have not, I fear, received any fresh +information?" + +"I am sorry to say I have not." + +"I am sorry too; but I hardly expected anything else. You are, I think, +more than one-and-twenty?" + +"Two-and-twenty in a few months, sir." + +"Indeed. Well, there ought to be no further delay in the arrangement of +your plans for the future. Do you not think so?" + +"Yes, sir; and I believe I have made up my mind." + +"What have you resolved to do?" + +"Before I go into that, Dr Stansfield, I ought to thank you for the +great kindness you have shown me. I should be a pauper, or something +like it, but for you." + +"We need not speak of that. Go on." + +"Well, sir, I feel that I ought not to remain longer in England. I have +already trespassed too long on your bounty." + +"If that is your reason for leaving England, you had better reconsider +it. Whatever might have been the case three years and a half ago, you +are not costing me anything now. Your assistant-mastership, small as +the salary is, with what you have of your own, is enough to keep you, +and you fully earn it. You have, I believe, once or twice expressed a +wish to enter holy orders?" + +"It has been my wish for some time past, sir." + +"Very well. You could not be ordained for more than a year. Before +that I think I could arrange with the Bishop for you to be ordained on +your mastership here. There is not so much difficulty made about a +title as used to be the case." + +"You are most kind, sir. I hope you will not think me ungrateful; but I +feel it to be my first duty to find my mother and sister, if I can." + +"I cannot blame you. But I should like to know what steps you mean to +take. I understood you to say you had obtained no further information." + +"No; and I do not expect to obtain any information, so long as I am in +England. But if I were out in Australia, it might be different." + +"What do you propose to do, then?" + +"Well, in the first place, to work my passage out to Australia--to Swan +River, you know." + +"Ay, to Dalby's Plot, to which it was ascertained that your mother went +when she landed in Australia. But you doubtless remember that we +ascertained, two years and a half ago, that she had left the colony, and +had gone--some said to Tasmania, and others to Cape Town; but no one has +ever given us a clue, by which we might discover the place to which she +had really removed." + +"That is so. But if I were on the spot I think I might be able to hunt +out information, which no one, who was not as deeply interested as I am, +would be able to obtain." + +"You may be right in that. Well, suppose you went out, and succeeded in +finding Mrs Rivers--what then?" + +"Then I should like to buy land--a small farm. A little money goes a +long way out there, you know, sir. Then, when I was getting on pretty +well, I might be ordained by one of the colonial bishops, and do +clerical work combined with farming. It isn't the same kind of thing +out there, I am told, that it is in England. There are no large +populations--except, of course, in the towns--which take up a man's +whole time." + +"You are right, I believe. A number of educated and zealous men +supporting themselves by their own industry, and yet having the power of +ministering to their neighbours, would be a great boon in the colonies. +I would willingly lend you all the assistance in my power towards +carrying out your scheme; but, as I have already said, I am afraid I see +but little hope of learning what has become of your mother and sister." + +"I do not see much more; but I think it my duty to make the trial." + +"Be it so then. What money have you?" + +"Enough to pay my passage to Australia, sir,--that is, as a third-class +passenger, if I should prefer that to serving as a sailor on board one +of the steamers,--and perhaps 100 pounds over." + +"I think you must go as a passenger. It might prejudice your errand, +when you get there, if you had been before the mast. We must contrive +to get you a letter of introduction to one of the Australian bishops." + +"I'll give him one!" exclaimed a voice. "I know two or three of them as +well as I know my own brother." + +Dr Stansfield started up in great surprise. "What, Rogers!" he +exclaimed. "Are you the visitor whom Mrs Stansfield told me to expect? +I knew you were coming to England, but not so soon as this." + +"To be sure I am. I was told you would be out of school by a quarter +past twelve at latest, and now it is half-past, and you are still +there!" + +"We had forgotten the lapse of time," said the Doctor. "But tell me +what has brought you to England so much earlier than was expected." + +"The rows with the Boers and the Zulus," said Mr Rogers. "I have come +home--partly at the request of many of the leading men in Natal, partly +because my own interests were deeply concerned--to try and induce the +Government to put matters on some satisfactory footing." + +"I had better leave you, sir, had I not?" said George, rising. "You can +speak to me further at another time." + +Both the gentlemen turned and looked at the speaker, whose presence +perhaps they had forgotten. + +"Oh yes," said Dr Stansfield; "I will bear what you have told me in +mind, and speak to you about it in a day or two." + +George bowed, and left the room. + +"Who is that lad?" inquired Mr Rogers. "I don't suppose I can have +seen him before; but his face seems strangely familiar to me." + +"No; you can't have seen him before," rejoined the Doctor, smiling, +"unless it was in a dream. He has never been in South Africa, and you, +I think, have never left it since he was a child." + +"No; I have never left the Transvaal, unless to visit Cape Town, or +Zululand, or Natal, for twenty years. I wonder you knew me, Stansfield; +but, to be sure, you were expecting me before long. But as regards this +lad--has he any relatives in the Transvaal?" + +"His mother and sister may be in the Transvaal for all I can tell. They +left England some years ago, and the place where they are living is +quite unknown." + +"What is his name?" asked Mr Rogers. + +"Rivers," answered the headmaster,--"George Rivers." Mr Rogers shook +his head. "I know no person of that name," he said. "It must be a mere +chance resemblance. But I should like to know his history; for some +reason or other he interests me." + +"Well, I can tell it you now," said the Doctor. "Sophia will not expect +us until luncheon-time, and that is not for another half-hour yet. Sit +down in that chair, and you shall hear it. + +"George's father was a country doctor; he lived in this neighbourhood, +and was a very estimable man, and skilful in his profession, but very +poor. He married Farmer Wylie's daughter, a well-to-do man, and able to +give his daughter Agnes a very comfortable portion, particularly as she +was his only child. But he set himself against the marriage, forbade it +for several years, and at last only agreed because he saw nothing could +change his daughter's mind. But he would give her nothing more than a +hundred pounds, to buy her wedding clothes and help furnish the house. +A country doctor's practice is not very profitable, and Mr Rivers, +though not an extravagant, was not a saving man. They found it hard +work to live, still harder when their children began to grow up. George +was born to them two years after their marriage, and Thyrza two years +after that." + +"Thyrza, did you say?" interposed Mr Rogers suddenly. + +"Yes, Thyrza," said the Doctor. "It was an unusual name, but I believe +it was her father's fancy. Well, Mr and Mrs Rivers got poorer and +poorer. He had sent George to the college here. The lad was clever and +hard-working, and he obtained a scholarship, which went a long way +towards paying his schooling. But Mr Rivers called upon me one day, +when George was between sixteen and seventeen, and told me that he could +not longer afford to pay even the slight cost of his son's education. +He had had an interview with his son, he said, and had told him the +truth. I was interested in the lad, and told Mr Rivers that whatever +school fees there were would be remitted in the case of his son. The +poor man was very grateful; but when he reached home with the good news, +he found it had come too late. The boy had disappeared, no one knew +whither. It was not for nearly a month afterwards that a letter +arrived, saying that he had resolved he would no longer be a charge upon +his parents' scanty means. He had therefore gone on board a ship bound +for Australia. He meant to work his passage out there before the mast, +and when out there hoped to be able to find employment enough to keep +himself. As soon as he reached his destination, they should hear from +him again. Mrs Rivers brought me this letter, in the hope that I might +be able to assist her. She was wrapt up in this boy, and his departure +had nearly broken her heart. + +"`We could bear anything,' she said to me, `if he was only with us.' + +"I promised that I would write to the owners of the ship in which he had +sailed, and make arrangements for his return to England on the earliest +opportunity. But a series of misfortunes ensued, which I have often +wondered that she survived. First of all, there was a terrible fire, by +which Mr Rivers' house was burnt to the ground. No life was lost, but +there was heavy loss, and, what was worse, Mrs Rivers was severely +burned. One arm was so much injured that it was thought for a long time +she would lose the use of it, and the scars on her wrist and thumb will +never be erased." + +Mr Rogers again started, and was on the point of speaking. But he +checked himself, and allowed the Doctor to go on. + +"Before she had recovered from her wounds came the news that the +_Boomerang_, in which George had sailed, had been wrecked. The crew had +taken to the boats, some of which had landed safe on the Australian +coast; but others, it was feared, were lost. Mr Rivers could not bear +up against this continual current of misfortune. He took to his bed, +lingered some weeks, and then died. That his widow did not speedily +follow him has, as I have already intimated, always been a matter of +wonder to me. I think the necessity of living for the sake of her +daughter was the only thing that bore her up. She was left, of course, +quite penniless. I had the not very pleasant task of calling upon old +Farmer Wylie to inform him of his daughter's destitute condition. The +old man had turned more and more against the match, as it became evident +that the Riverses were not thriving in the world. Mr Rivers had felt +hurt and affronted at the language used by his father-in-law; and for +the last few years all intercourse had been broken off. But it was now +necessary to apply to him. I rode over accordingly, but found I had +gone on a bootless errand. Old Wylie himself was dangerously ill, and +died within a few days, never having recovered consciousness. When his +will was opened, it was found that his whole property had been +bequeathed to the county hospital. There was a small sum which had +belonged to his wife, which it was agreed might be made over to his +daughter. It was enough to pay her husband's debts, and leave her about +a couple of hundred pounds. She resolved with this to emigrate to +Australia." + +"That was a strange resolution, was it not, under the circumstances?" +remarked Mr Rogers. + +"I think it was, but she had a reason for it. She fancied that her +uncle Christopher, who had gone thither many years before, might still +be living there. I believe, too, that the sight of the familiar scenes +around her, associated as they were in her mind with her husband and +son, were more than she could endure. At all events she went, and +arrived safely in the colony. She wrote to apprise me of it, but I +never heard from her again. Nor have I ever been able to discover what +became of her, except that she left Australia soon afterwards." + +"And what of George, then?" asked Mr Rogers, who had become interested +in the narrative. + +"He returned to England about six months after his mother's departure. +The boat in which he had left the _Boomerang_ had been driven out of its +course, and had at last reached the Island of Timor. Thence George had +obtained a passage to Singapore, and thence again home. He came to me +in great distress. His father's death and his mother's departure from +England had been terrible shocks to him. His first thought, of course, +was of immediately joining his mother, wherever she might be. But I +pointed out to him that it would be better for him to wait until we +could learn more of her movements. All that I had heard at that time +was that she had left Australia soon after her arrival there, her uncle, +Mr Christopher Wylie, having gone somewhere else, though no one seemed +to know where. Probably, however, she would write home again. +Meanwhile, inquiry might continue to be made. George, who was now +nearly eighteen, had better re-enter the college for a year. A small +legacy left him by a relative would enable him to pay for his board, and +the school fees we remitted. He agreed to this, and continued in the +school for a year and a half, after which I found him some employment as +an extra junior master. He has continued his studies, and is now a very +tolerable scholar." + +"And he has never discovered his mother's present residence?" + +"Never. A friend in Swan River, to whom I wrote, made every inquiry, +but could only learn what I have already told you, that Mrs Rivers went +away soon after her arrival. She had discovered some clue, it was +thought, to her uncle's new place of abode. But even that is +conjecture." + +"And what does the lad propose to do with himself?" asked Mr Rogers. +"He will not, I suppose, remain here much longer." + +"No. He will go away at midsummer. He wanted to go at once, but I +urged his remaining until the end of the half-year. Indeed, there are +preparations which must be made before undertaking a long voyage." + +"He is going to Australia, then?" + +"Yes. He thinks that, although Mr Welstead's inquiries failed to +elicit the required information, he himself might be more successful. I +don't agree with him; but it would be hard to discourage him." + +"And if he finds his mother and sister?" + +"Then he would buy a little land with what remains of his cousin's +legacy, and settle in the colony with his relatives, combining farming +with a clergyman's work." + +"A clergyman's work? Has he any fancy for that?" + +"Yes, a very decided one. He is one of those who are anxious to do +good, but who combine with it an impatience of settled habits of life, +and a thirst for novelty and adventure. I do not know how to blame him. +He has all the qualities that would fit him for the course on which he +desires to enter. He is resolute, intelligent, and ready; capital at +all field sports and outdoor exercises; capable of bearing considerable +fatigue and hardships without murmuring; and withal extremely +affectionate and right-minded. Whatever purpose he might conceive, he +would be pretty sure to carry out, and, unless under very exceptional +circumstances, successfully." + +"Indeed!" said Mr Rogers. "Then he is certainly the man for the +colonies. Well, Stansfield, I have not interrupted you, because I +wanted particularly to hear the whole of this story; but you will be +surprised, I think, to hear that I not only know the place where young +Rivers' mother and sister are living, but am myself personally +acquainted with them." + +"With Mrs Rivers and her daughter!" exclaimed the headmaster in +surprise. "I thought you said just now that you knew no one of that +name?" + +"Nor do I," said Mr Rogers; "but I do know a Mrs Mansen, the wife of a +Dutch farmer, who lives at one of my farms, only a short distance from +my station. She has a daughter named Thyrza Rivers, whose age +corresponds nearly with that of the Thyrza of your story." + +"It is an uncommon name," said the headmaster. "Still there might be +two persons so called." + +"No doubt. But you said the mother had been disfigured in the hand by a +severe burn. Mrs Mansen is a handsome woman past forty; but she has +just such a scar as you describe on her wrist. But did I understand you +to say her Christian name was Agnes?" + +"Yes," said Dr Stansfield; "I am pretty sure it is. But anyway it will +be in the School Register. Yes," he added, taking a book down; "here it +is: `September 24, 18--. George, son of George and Agnes Rivers, +admitted.'" + +"Then I think there can be no doubt of the identity," said Mr Rogers. +"Mrs Mansen's name is certainly Agnes. She had occasion to sign her +name before me, as a magistrate, a twelvemonth ago, and I remember it +perfectly. Mrs Mansen, too, had lost, or rather, believed she had lost +her only son, at sea. Well, this simplifies matters, I think, +considerably. I conclude this young fellow will give up all idea of +proceeding to Australia, and betake himself to Mansen's +place--`Spielman's Vley,' as it is called--instead?" + +"Spielman's Vley," repeated the Doctor. "Is that in Natal or in +Zululand?" + +"It is in neither. My station--Umvalosa--is just on the very borders of +the three countries, Zululand, Natal, and the Transvaal; and Spielman's +Vley lies a short distance only to the north-west, in the Transvaal. It +is one of the places which my chaplain,--as I call him,--Lambert, +continually visits." + +"Ay; his visitations are rather different, I expect, from those of our +parochial clergy?" + +"Very different. There are at least a dozen places round Umvalosa, +which, but for him, would be wholly without spiritual care. He visits +these in regular order, as well as he can; but some of them only get a +service once in two months or so. Unless there is some special reason, +such as some one on his deathbed wanting him, he is unable to visit them +oftener." + +"That must cause a good deal of spiritual deadness," observed Dr +Stansfield. "They must soon forget all about his visits." + +"Ah, so you in England fancy; but nothing can be further from the fact. +If the parson's visits were looked for in England as they are in my +neighbourhood, the English Church would be in a very different position. +Our people never forget the day when Mr Lambert is due. They will +come a long distance, and in all weathers, to be present at the +services. But that is human nature after all. What a man can have for +the asking, he cares little about, let it be ever so valuable; what he +can only get by taking much trouble and incurring great risk, that he +appreciates. But this has nothing to do with young Rivers. I think I +ought to see him, and tell him my conjectures--or rather, I think I may +say, my decided convictions--as to the identity of his mother with Mrs +Mansen." + +"Of course," returned the Doctor. "He must judge for himself; but it +appears to me to be a clear case." + +"Well, but there is something further. If he is convinced that I am +right, he will, I conclude, set out shortly--not for Australia, but for +South Africa." + +"No doubt of that," assented the headmaster. + +"In that case I shall make him an offer, which I hope he will accept. I +told you it was the political aspect of things that had brought me home +a month or two sooner than I had originally intended; but I had other +reasons besides. I wanted to get one or two young men, who would take +situations as schoolmasters and readers, and who might ultimately be +ordained, and serve churches out there, which I believe I can contrive +to get built. Now this lad seems to be the very person I am looking +after. I could put him into a small farm, which he could cultivate with +the help of some natives, and there would be a salary enough to keep him +until the farm began to pay. That it would soon do if he was capable +and painstaking, as by your account he is." + +"He is all that, I can answer for it. If any young fellow is more +likely than another to succeed in such a position, it is George Rivers." + +"Very good. If he engages with me, I shall undertake to provide his +outfit, and pay his passage to Durban and from thence to Umvalosa. But +he must make up his mind at once. I must leave this place for London +to-morrow." + +"You had better see him without loss of time. He was to go out for a +short walk with his friend, Reginald Margetts; but he will be back by +dinner-time. I think he will probably accept your offer. I should +certainly advise him to do so." + +Dr Stansfield proved to be right in his anticipations. George was at +first inclined to be somewhat sceptical as to the identity of his mother +with Mrs Mansen, and also made many inquiries as to the man who, +according to Mr Rogers' theory, was her second husband. He was told +that Ludwig Mansen was a very worthy man, well educated, and much +respected. George would find him a very desirable relative. He was not +rich, but in good circumstances. He and Mrs Mansen were generally +thought to live very happily together. As regards himself, Mr Rogers +knew that his mother had never ceased to deplore his death, which she +supposed had certainly occurred, and that his reappearance would be like +new life to her. If George had had no other reason for accepting Mr +Rogers' offer, this would have been sufficient to induce him to do so; +in fact, the desire of meeting her again grew so greatly on him, that it +was with difficulty that he could bring himself to consent to the delay +of five or six weeks, which Mr Rogers had declared to be necessary for +making the required arrangements. His passage was taken in the _Zulu +Queen_,--Captain Ranken, commander,--a large vessel carrying a cargo to +Durban, and taking a few first-class passengers at a lower rate than was +usually charged by the great steam companies. + +About a week after Mr Rogers' departure for London, Redgy Margetts came +to Rivers with a letter, which he had that morning received from his +father. + +"All right," he said, "old fellow! The governor has given his consent, +like a brick, as he is!" + +"Given his consent to what, Redgy?" inquired George with surprise. + +"To my sailing with you for Durban in the _Zulu Queen_" answered +Margetts. "I hoped from the first that he would; but I said nothing +about it till I was sure." + +"You go to the Transvaal, Redgy!" exclaimed Rivers. "What should take +you there?" + +"Oh, I have always intended to go out to one of the colonies. There is +nothing for any one to do in England, you know; and it will be very +jolly having you for my messmate and fellow-settler." + +"It will be very jolly for _me_ anyway," said Rivers, shaking him +heartily by the hand. "I really think the thing is quite perfect now." + +CHAPTER TWO. + +The _Zulu Queen_ had cleared the Channel and the Bay of Biscay, and was +somewhere about abreast of Lisbon, when Redgy Margetts came on deck to +join his friend Rivers. The latter was a good sailor, and had some +considerable experience of the sea. Even the Channel and the Bay, +though they had been more than usually rough, had not discomposed him. +But the other passengers, of whom there were not more than seven or +eight on board, had had a bad time of it. Two Dutch gentlemen, whose +names he had discovered to be Vander Heyden and Moritz, had not left +their cabin, and Rivers had heard their groans very distinctly through +the thin partition of the cabin. Redgy, whose berth was immediately +under his own, had been almost as bad, and had only been comforted by +George's assurances that when they were well south of Cape Finisterre, +his troubles would be at an end. + +The prophecy seemed likely now to be fulfilled. The ship had ceased to +pitch and roll, and the bright sky and warm sun were delightful after +the confined gloom of the cabin. It was a grand sight indeed that met +Redgy's eyes as he stepped on deck. There was the vast blue dome above, +hardly flecked by a single cloud. There was the illimitable ocean +below, the waves dancing gaily in the sunshine, and in the distance the +coast of Portugal, lying like a soft cloud, through which some shadowy +outlines of the mountains were visible. + +"Well, this is jolly enough!" exclaimed Margetts, as he seated himself +by his friend's side. "If the voyage is going to be like this, there +won't be so much to complain of." + +"It _will_ be like this, only a little warmer--a good deal warmer--when +we get in the tropics," said Rivers. "But otherwise the appearance of +things won't be greatly different from this for a good many weeks to +come. How are the Dutchmen, Redgy? Have they ceased groaning?" + +"I haven't heard them this morning," returned Margetts. "I fancy they +are getting up. The lady has been the worst, I believe." + +"Lady! I didn't know there was a lady on board. What, is she the big +Dutchman's wife?" + +"No, sister. I heard the second biggest Dutchman call to the other, and +tell him his sister wanted him!" + +"Do you know their names, Redgy? I only saw them for a few minutes when +they came aboard at Plymouth. I didn't see the lady at all. I suppose +she must have gone straight down into her cabin." + +"I know nothing but their Christian names," returned Redgy. "The big +one is called Henryk, and the other Frank, or, as they pronounced it, +Vrank. The lady, I think, is Annchen. That's their way of pronouncing +the name." + +"Well, I hope they'll make themselves agreeable. As they are to be our +companions for four or five weeks at least, it will make a considerable +difference to us whether they are pleasant or not." + +"I too should like to know something about them," said Margetts. +"Here's the skipper. Perhaps he'll be able to tell us something. Good +morning, Captain Ranken," he added, as the captain came up. + +"Good morning, gentlemen. Good morning, Mr Margetts," said the +skipper; "glad to see you've got over it. Mr Rivers here is an old +salt, and doesn't mind even the Bay of Biscay." + +"We want you to tell us something about our fellow-passengers," said +George. + +"Fellow-passengers! We've very few--two Englishmen, besides yourselves. +One is Mr Whittaker, a clerk in a house at Pieter Maritzburg, the +other Mr Walters, who has some Government appointment in the colony. +There's a Portuguese too. He's in the wine trade, I fancy, but he goes +no farther than Madeira. And there's a Dutch officer and his sister-- +Mynheer Vander Heyden and his friend Moritz. They all three hail from +the Transvaal. I never had so few passengers on board before." + +"Well, you know the old proverb," said Margetts: "the fewer the better +cheer. We must try to make that good." + +"All right, Mr Margetts! Nothing is pleasanter than these voyages, +when the passengers are on good terms with one another. I will do my +best, I promise you, to make things pleasant. Here they come," he added +a moment afterwards, as the head and shoulders of a tall man came up the +hatchway. "Come with me, and I will introduce you." + +The two Dutchmen looked round them as they mounted the companion ladder, +with the air of persons who were familiar with what they saw. They were +both somewhat heavily built, but rather fine-looking men. The taller of +the two might be eight or nine-and-twenty. His figure showed great +muscular strength, and there was an alacrity in his movements which +betokened one well accustomed to bodily exertion. His features were +rather handsome, though there was an expression to be traced on them +which indicated an imperious, and somewhat irascible, temper. His +friend Moritz was of a slighter build, but still wiry and strong. His +features were not so regular, but he looked more good-natured than his +companion. It may be added that their demeanour accorded with these +impressions. + +"Mynheer Vander Heyden, Mynheer Moritz, let me introduce you to Mr +Rivers and Mr Margetts. You will have much in common with them, I +fancy, as their destination is only a few hundred miles short of your +own." + +Vander Heyden bowed distantly. "English settlers, I suppose," he said. +"Do you propose to establish yourselves, gentlemen, in Natal, or +Zululand?" + +"In neither," replied Rivers a little stiffly, for he did not like the +tone in which Vander Heyden spoke. "The place to which I am proceeding +is in the Transvaal." + +"I thought as much," muttered Vander Heyden. Rivers only half caught +the words, but there could be no mistake as to Vander Heyden's +demeanour. Some unpleasant altercation might have ensued, if Moritz had +not stept forward and said pleasantly, "The Transvaal! that is our +country, and it is a very fine one to settle in. May I ask what is the +name of your station?" + +"Dykeman's Hollow," replied Rivers. "It lies, I am told, some twenty +miles from the Zulu frontier." + +"Yes, at Umvalosa," assented Moritz. "I know where it is, and have +often been by it, though I have never visited there. I believe the land +is very good in that neighbourhood." + +"Is the hunting good there?" asked Redgy; "are there plenty of wild +animals about there?" + +"More than perhaps you would desire," returned Moritz, smiling. "The +lions and the elephants are not often to be seen; they never continue +long in any neighbourhood in which Europeans have settled. Still, in +the northern parts of the Transvaal you will meet with them-- +occasionally, at all events. But of the tigers--or rather the leopards, +for that is what they really are--and of the hyenas, there are plenty. +There is also no lack of snakes--cobras, ondaras, and puff-adders; there +is no dearth of any of them." + +"I shall enjoy the lion-hunting, at all events," said Redgy. + +"I hardly think you will," observed Vander Heyden with something of a +sneer. "You will find that a different matter from what you in England +are pleased to call sport--hunting a hare or a fox, or shooting at a +bird. Hunting in the Transvaal requires both skill and courage." + +"No doubt, Mr Vander Heyden," said George shortly; "but there is no +reason, I suppose, why an Englishman may not possess both." + +"It is possible that he may," returned the Dutchman coldly. + +Captain Ranken looked uncomfortable. He foresaw altercations in the +distance, if not open quarrels, and these on board ship were especially +to be deprecated. He saw that though George apparently was +good-tempered, he was not disposed to submit to insolence; and Vander +Heyden evidently entertained the strong dislike to the English for which +so many of his countrymen were notorious. Nothing, however, had been +said as yet which required his interference. He was looking about for +some means of diverting the conversation into another channel, when the +arrival of a new person on the scene effected his purpose for him. A +delicate white hand appeared on the top of the companion, and +immediately after a female figure issued forth. The captain stepped +forward to offer his hand. + +"I am rejoiced, Miss Vander Heyden, to welcome you on deck. This is a +charming morning for your first appearance. It is quite warm, though +there is a pleasant breeze." + +The young lady untied the woollen scarf she had wrapped round her head, +and requited the captain's civility by a bow. The latter would have +proceeded to present her to the two Englishmen, but her brother stepped +stiffly forward, and, offering his arm, led her to a seat near the +taffrail Moritz followed, and the captain turned off to give some +directions to the mate. + +"I don't like that fellow, George," said Margetts. "He seems inclined +to be insolent. I'm afraid we shall have a row with him before long." + +"I don't know about a row, Redgy," said Rivers; "that is, if you mean an +open quarrel. I don't mean to quarrel with him, or with any one else. +But he must be more civil, if we are to be on friendly terms. The other +seems inclined to be more sociable." + +"And his sister too," observed Redgy. "She looks good-natured enough, +and only look how handsome she is! Don't you think so, George?" + +"She is not bad-looking," assented Rivers; "I shouldn't call her +regularly handsome, but she is certainly both pretty and sweet-looking." + +"Her society will make the voyage pleasanter," said Redgy. + +"I should doubt that," returned George. "If I don't mistake, this +Dutchman doesn't mean us to make her acquaintance." + +"She may have something to say to that," observed Margetts. "He isn't +either her father or her husband, you know." + +"No," said Rivers; "he couldn't prevent our knowing her, if she desired +it herself. But I shall take my cue from him, and stand aloof if he +shows that he wishes it. But here come two more--and Englishmen +evidently. I don't think the Portuguese will show on deck to-day, from +what the steward told me. I suppose we needn't stand on ceremony here. +Mr Whittaker and Mr Walters, I believe," he added, taking off his hat. +"My name is Rivers, and my friend's here is Margetts. As we are to be +fellow-voyagers for some weeks, we had better make acquaintance." + +"My name is Whittaker," said the elder of the two travellers, a +pleasant-looking man of about thirty, "and I am happy to be introduced +to you, Mr Rivers. This is Mr Walters. He lands at East London, but +all the rest of us, I believe, are going on to Durban." + +"I believe so," assented Rivers. "Do you reside in Durban, may I ask?" + +"No. I am the chief clerk in the Colonial Bank at Pieter Maritzburg. I +have been home on business connected with the bank, and am now +returning." + +"Do you know these Dutchmen?" asked Margetts, looking as he spoke at the +group of three who were still seated by the taffrail. + +Mr Whittaker looked in the direction indicated. + +"Yes," he said, "I do know them; and I am not particularly glad to have +them for my fellow-passengers. I have seen them once or twice in Natal, +and I met them at the house of one of our correspondents a week or two +ago in London." + +"What do you know about them?" inquired Redgy. "I know that they have +an especial dislike to Englishmen," said Whittaker; "that is, Vander +Heyden has; I don't know about the other. If you knew the colony as +well as I do, Mr Rivers, you would be aware that there is a great +difference observable among the Dutch settlers. Some of them are kind +and friendly enough with all white men--" + +"All _white_ men?" interposed Redgy. "Not with blacks, then?" + +"No, Mr Margetts," returned the other gravely. "A man can know very +little about the colony not to be aware that every Dutchman regards the +natives as being of little more account than dogs or horses--of a good +deal less account than many horses." + +"So I have heard. But what about their relationship with other whites?" + +"As I was saying, some of them will receive kindly and hospitably all +Europeans; but others entertain a rooted dislike to all but their own +countrymen. Englishmen in particular they regard as their natural +enemies. They will not do them the slightest service, or exchange the +most ordinary civilities with them. I have known some Boers refuse even +a glass of cold water to an Englishman when he was almost perishing with +thirst." + +"And this Vander Heyden is one of that sort, hey?" asked Margetts. "By +the way, did not Captain Ranken say he was an officer?" + +"He has been some years in the Dutch service. He left the Transvaal +when his father died; but he is now returning to marry, and live on his +property with his wife and sister. Some years ago, when visiting a +friend at Maritzburg who is a merchant there, there was a quarrel with +an English officer, which attracted a good deal of attention, and made +Vander Heyden, for the time at all events, very notorious. That was +caused by his manner of dealing with the natives." + +"What were the particulars?" asked Mr Walters. + +"He was on his way to Maritzburg," said Whittaker, "and on the road he +met a servant of Captain Tarleton's, who was taking two horses belonging +to his master to Rorke's Drift. The spot where they met was at a small +spring in the middle of a long dry tract of country. They arrived +nearly about the same time; but Tarleton's servant got there first, and +was proceeding to water the horses, when Vander Heyden ordered him +imperiously to desist, and wait until his party had watered their +cattle. He took the captain's servant for a native,--a Kaffir or Zulu; +but the man really was a Sikh, and as bold and fierce as Vander Heyden +himself. He angrily refused; and, when the Dutchman thrust him +violently on one side, he drew his knife, and would have stabbed his +assailant, if the others of the party had not seized him. While the +altercation was going on, Captain Tarleton himself rode up, and, having +heard the particulars from the bystanders, took up the quarrel. The +result was a challenge; and there would have been a duel in Maritzburg a +day or two afterwards, if the matter had not reached the ears of one of +the local magistrates. He sent for the parties, convicted Vander Heyden +of an assault, and required him to find securities to keep the peace, or +leave the colony. The Dutchman chose the latter course. But the +affair, I take it, has not increased his affection for us English." + +"Well, he must keep the peace here," remarked the captain, who had again +joined them; "and I shall take care that he does. But I agree with Mr +Whittaker that he is not very likely to be over cordial with us English. +I have already seen some indications of his feelings towards us." + +"The other man--Moritz his name is, I think," observed Redgy--"appears +to be more amiably disposed." + +"The young lady too seems pleasant," said Mr Whittaker; "but I suppose +she will be in a great measure under her brother's orders." + +"No doubt," said Rivers. "Well, of course, it rests with herself +whether we are to be friendly with her or not." + +Several days passed on. Madeira was reached; and then the ship's course +was set for Saint Helena, where there was to be a delay of at least +twenty-four hours. The anticipations expressed as to Vander Heyden's +demeanour were fully verified. He stood aloof himself from all the +passengers except Moritz and the Portuguese, Martinez; and it was +tolerably plain that he only sought his society as a means of keeping +the others at a distance. At the meals, which took place in the +principal cabin, he seated his sister at the end of the table, on the +captain's right. He himself sat next to her, with Moritz immediately +opposite, and Martinez next to him. As he never addressed a single word +to the Englishmen, and the Portuguese could not speak English, all +conversation with Annchen became almost impossible; indeed, as none of +them had been introduced to her, they could hardly under such +circumstances presume to address her. Indeed, they felt too much +offended at the haughty dislike which Vander Heyden made no show of +concealing, to have any desire to do so; and the voyage to the Cape +might have been accomplished without the interchange of a word between +the young lady and her English fellow-passengers, if it had not been for +an occurrence which took place when they were some days' voyage south of +Madeira, and approaching the equator. + +All the party were on deck. Annchen, dressed entirely in white, and +wearing a large hat of the same colour,--the crown being thickened as a +defence against the sun,--was sitting on a low stool under the shade of +the companion. Rivers, Redgy, and Mr Walters were lying on the deck +under an awning which they had constructed with the help of an old sail. +A sharp wind had been blowing since daybreak, which threatened to rise +to a gale at sundown. Presently one of the sailors, carrying a load of +potatoes to the coop, came up the hatchway. He had evidently been +drinking, and was extremely unsteady on his legs. A gust of wind caught +him as he stepped on deck. He reeled, and struck against Vander Heyden, +upsetting him, and knocking him against Annchen, who was standing close +by. She lost her balance, and the wind, catching her hat, swept it +across the deck. It would have been carried into the sea, if it had not +been caught in the rigging. Rivers started up, skimmed nimbly up the +ropes, recovered the hat, and, descending, presented it to its owner. +Annchen coloured, and glanced hurriedly round at her brother, expecting +him to acknowledge the civility. + +But Vander Heyden was differently employed. He had regained his feet, +and was on the point of angrily reproving the sailor for his clumsiness, +when he suddenly exclaimed,-- + +"Ha! you here, you English scoundrel! What has brought you into this +ship? How dare you intrude yourself on me?" + +"I want to have nothing to do with you," retorted the man sullenly. "I +couldn't help the wind blowing, could I? As for my being an English +scoundrel, a Dutch coward is worse any day!" + +"Insolent hound!" cried Vander Heyden, striking him a heavy blow as he +spoke; "I will teach you to insult a Hollander." + +The man reeled and fell on the deck, knocking over another sailor, named +Van Ryk, who was passing at the moment. Their dislike of the Boer +seemed to be as great as his of them. They leaped up and rushed +together on Vander Heyden, and an angry fray would have ensued, if +Wyndham, the first mate, had not interfered. He had seen what had +occurred, and desired the combatants to desist. + +"Mr Vander Heyden," he said, "this cannot be allowed. Bostock has had +more than his allowance of grog, and I shall see that he is punished for +that; but I am pretty sure he did not mean to annoy you--" + +"Whom do you call Bostock?" interrupted the Dutchman,--"that schelm, +Cargill? I know him better than you do, I fancy." + +"I know him by the name in which he entered this ship," returned the +mate. "But it does not matter what his name is. You had no right to +strike him, and should beg his pardon." + +"Beg his pardon!" exclaimed the other haughtily; "you do not think I +shall do that! He has hurt me a good deal. I believe I have sprained +my ankle badly. But, anyway, I am not to be subjected to his drunken +insolence. If he intrudes himself on me again, he will suffer sharply +for it. Help me down below, Frank," he continued; "I must get my shoe +off, and bandage my ankle. The surgeon had better come to me." + +"Stop, sir," said the mate. "I shall send for the captain, and inform +him of what has passed. You will be pleased to wait till he comes on +deck." + +Captain Ranken accordingly was summoned, and, having heard Wyndham's +statement, asked Vander Heyden whether the matter had been correctly +reported; but the latter made no reply. + +"I must assume, then, that the thing really occurred as reported. I beg +to tell you, sir, that I command this ship; and any one who interferes +with its discipline is accountable to me. You will beg this man's +pardon, as the mate has most properly required, and give your +undertaking not to repeat your violence, or I shall confine you to your +cabin. Any repetition of your offence will be punished by your being +put into irons." + +"I shall give no promise," said Vander Heyden angrily. "Frank, help me +to my cabin, and send the surgeon to me. I suppose he will not be +forbidden to attend me." + +"Certainly not, sir," said Captain Ranken; "I did not know that you had +been hurt. Perhaps when below you will think better of this, and give +the promise I require. I hope you will forgive me, Miss Vander Heyden," +he continued, as the Dutchman was helped down the companion. "I am +extremely sorry for what has occurred; but it is necessary for the +comfort of the whole ship, that I should maintain strict discipline." + +Annchen bowed silently, and, taking her hat from George, who was still +standing by, holding it in his hand, thanked him very civilly. She then +expressed her intention of going down to her brother, to see if she +could render him any help. + +"I think you had better not," said George. "The surgeon has just gone +to him, and will do all that is necessary. Mr Moritz, too, is with +him, and there is hardly room for more in the cabin. But I will go down +and inquire." + +He went below accordingly, and presently returned with the information +that the surgeon said there was a severe sprain. But he had bandaged +and fomented the ankle, and it would be better for the patient to remain +for the present quite quiet. Moritz also returned on deck with the same +report, at the same time thanking Rivers with much courtesy for his +services. George replied; and a conversation ensued, which altogether +dispelled the awkwardness which had hitherto prevailed. Vander Heyden's +sprain was found to be worse than it was at first apprehended. It +became evident that for a week at least he would be a prisoner in his +cabin, thus rendering the captain's sentence altogether needless. His +absence from the deck and the daily meals, made an entire alteration in +the relation of the passengers to one another. Annchen passed a +considerable part of her time in her brother's cabin, but she was still +frequently on deck, and when there showed no disposition to repel the +civilities of her fellow-passengers, and the whole party soon became +extremely friendly with one another. + +One evening Captain Ranken announced that they were now within a day's +sail of Saint Helena, and that he intended to make up a party, which he +hoped all the passengers would join, to visit Longwood and Napoleon's +grave. + +"I am afraid your brother will still be a prisoner, Miss Annchen," he +said. "But that need not deprive us of your and Mr Moritz's company." + +Annchen made no reply, unless a slight tinge of colour which overspread +her cheek might be regarded as one. She knew that her brother would in +all likelihood insist on her remaining in the ship; but that she was +very unwilling to do. She was very fond of him, and always sided with +him, so far as she was able; but she was not blind to his faults, and +knew that in the quarrel which had recently taken place he was almost +entirely to blame. She had saved him from the indignity of giving the +promise required by Captain Ranken, by assuring the captain privately +that her brother would not repeat the offence, though he was too proud +to say so; and Captain Ranken, taking into consideration the confinement +which Vander Heyden had already undergone, and influenced doubtless, as +all men are apt to be, by appeals from bright eyes and arguments from +rosy lips, had agreed to make no further mention of the matter. But she +was not disposed to submit to her brother's dictation respecting her +fellow-passengers, whom she had found extremely agreeable and friendly; +against whom, too, there seemed to be no other objection than that they +were Englishmen. George Rivers in particular was a very agreeable +companion, and she was greatly diverted with the humorous sallies of +Redgy Margetts and young Walters, who kept the whole party in a state of +continual amusement. Mr Whittaker, again, was an agreeable +fellow-passenger, though graver and less communicative than the others. +She was more frank and easy with the young men, because it was generally +known that there was an engagement between her and Mynheer Moritz,--one +of those family compacts, with which both parties seemed to be +satisfied, though there was no display of ardent affection on either +side. On the whole, the party in the cabin and on the deck was a +pleasant one, Moritz appearing to enjoy it as well as herself. But +Annchen felt sure that if her brother should be told of the proposed +expedition to visit the interior of Saint Helena, he would object to her +joining it; and she was not disposed to forego the pleasure she promised +herself, to gratify his fancy. She therefore said nothing on the +subject until the captain's boat, which was to convey the party on +shore, had been made ready. Then she told Captain Ranken that she had +resolved to go on the party with the others. + +"Delighted to hear it, Miss Vander Heyden?" answered the captain; "and I +think I can promise you that you will not regret your determination. I +have already sent a message on shore to order a carriage, which will +take us to Longwood. Now then for the detested residence, and the empty +grave, of the _ci-devant_ conqueror of Europe!" + +CHAPTER THREE. + +"Nature must have intended this island for a prison," remarked Miss +Vander Heyden, as she looked up at the inaccessible precipices by which +Saint Helena is environed. "Nothing but a bird could make its way into +the interior, except by the landing-places, and the narrow paths which +lead up the mountain-sides from them." + +"True," asserted the captain; "and there are only four landing-places +which it is possible for a boat to approach, and three of them are more +or less dangerous. This one which we are now drawing near to is the +only one in the island which deserves the name of a landing-place." + +"And it would be difficult for an enemy to assail that," remarked +Rivers, as he glanced at the fortified lines, bristling with cannon, +which commanded the quay. "It would take a great many ships of the line +to silence those batteries. Even then, from the tops of those cliffs, +any force that attempted a landing might be destroyed without the +possibility of retaliation. Yes, I agree with you, Miss Vander Heyden; +Napoleon's heart, if he ever really contemplated an escape from his +captivity, must have died within him when he came within sight of these +precipices." + +"You are right, sir," said Captain Ranken. "That was his real ground of +complaint against Saint Helena. He talked of the unhealthiness of the +climate, and the badness of his accommodation, and the rudeness of the +officials in charge of him. But the true grievance was that escape was +impossible." + +"Ay," said Mr Moritz; "your countrymen made better jailors than those +who had charge of him at Elba. Small blame to you, too. If he had been +shut up in any place, which he could have got out of, he would have +lived long enough to turn Europe upside down once more." + +"Is the climate unhealthy?" inquired Mr Walters. + +"Unhealthy! no, not a bit of it," replied the captain. "I resided here +once for two years, as one of the Company's agents. I should say it was +a particularly healthy country for Europeans. It is both mild and +uniform in its temperature, never excessively hot, and never very cold. +An English August and an English January would both of them astonish the +natives of Saint Helena. The trade wind gives a succession of steady +and equable breezes, and tropical storms are almost unknown." + +"It is very bare and ungenial in its appearance, any way," remarked +Annchen. + +"Ah, Miss Annchen, that comes of trusting to first appearances," said +Captain Ranken. "You will find it greatly improve on nearer +acquaintance. But here we are, and here are our conveyances waiting for +us." + +They landed accordingly, and, after crossing the drawbridge, passed +under the arched gateway, and entered the principal street of the town. +This was not very long, not containing more than fifty or sixty houses, +but these were mostly of a handsome appearance, resembling English +houses for the most part, two storeys in height, and whitewashed. The +population seemed to be almost entirely negro; but a bronzed old +soldier, who told them that he had in his youth kept guard at Napoleon's +grave, offered himself as their guide, and his services were accepted. +Under his guidance they began their ascent, which had been constructed +with enormous labour along the side of the almost perpendicular +precipices, and which tried the nerves of some of the party, who were +not accustomed to climbing. For a long way the ascent exhibited nothing +but the spectacle of naked and barren rocks, but after the first two +miles were passed, the eyes of the travellers were relieved by the +sudden sight of wooded heights, diversified by picturesque villas and +cultivated gardens. Trees which were quite new to some of the party +grew on either side of the pathway. The Indian banyan and bamboo, the +mimosa, the aloe, and the prickly pear of Southern Africa, were to be +found side by side with Australian gum trees, and the mulberries of +Southern Europe. There appeared also to be a variety of tropical +fruits; figs, limes, mangoes, guavas, citrons, bananas, and pomegranates +grew and throve, apparently, in the gardens which they passed. The +temperature altered sensibly as they approached Longwood, which indeed +is nearly eighteen hundred feet above the level of the sea. + +"This seems a comfortable house enough," remarked Redgy, as they entered +the grounds,--"not an imperial palace, to be sure, but that was hardly +to be expected." + +"He was comfortable enough, I expect," said Captain Ranken,--"as +comfortable as he would have been anywhere. Indeed, he wouldn't go into +the big house which the English Ministry had built for him. No, it was +the being shut up at all that he didn't like." + +"You are right, sir," remarked the old sergeant with a smile. "If they +had taken the palace of Versailles over for him, he wouldn't have liked +it any better." + +"Did you ever see him?" inquired Rivers. + +"No, sir; I didn't come to the island till just before his death; but my +father-in-law, who died a few years ago, was a soldier under Sir Hudson +Lowe's command; and he told me that he had often been set as one of the +sentries round Longwood, and had seen Buonaparte again and again. It +was a troublesome duty keeping guard on him." + +"How so?" asked Walters. + +"Why, sir, they were obliged--one of them, that is, was obliged--to see +Bony with his own eyes once in every twenty-four hours--to make sure of +him, you see, sir. There was always a fancy that he was trying to make +his escape to America." + +"There was some ground for that, if what I have read is true," remarked +Rivers. + +"Maybe, sir," said Sergeant Thorpe. "Anyhow, Sir Hudson always acted as +though he believed it; and he insisted that one of the men should see +Bony every day, and make sure he was there; and nothing that he did made +Bony so angry. He would take every means of preventing it that he +could. He would shut himself up sometimes for a whole day, and allow no +one to enter his room but his own servants. They were all in the same +mind as himself about it; and even if they hadn't been, they durstn't +for the life of them let any one go into the room where he was. Some of +our chaps hung about the entrance for an hour or two, or longer than +that, before they could get a sight of him. My father-in-law told me +that one day, when he had waited for ever so long without being able to +see Buonaparte, he hid himself behind one of the curtains in the hall +and stayed there till bed-time. About ten o'clock Bony came out on his +way to bed. My father-in-law got a clear sight of him, but Bony caught +a glimpse of the end of his shoe sticking out from under the curtain. +My father-in-law was hauled out, and had to explain what brought him +there. A complaint was sent to Sir Hudson--and to the Government, I +believe, too--that an attempt had been made to assassinate him! But +there were so many stories of the same kind, none of which had any +foundation, that very little attention was paid to it." + +"No," said Captain Ranken. "The Government would have had little else +to do, if they had attended to all his complaints. So this is the house +where the great emperor lived, is it?" + +"Lived and died, sir," said Sergeant Thorpe. "This is the room where he +used to sit and dictate, and this the bedroom where he died. There was +a terrible storm on the day of his death, the 4th of May 1821. I can +just remember it, having come here when I was a young boy, a few weeks +before. The people in the island say there has never been such a storm +known before or since. All the trees about the place were torn up, and +among them the willow, under which was his favourite seat." + +"Were you present at his burial?" inquired Margetts. + +"No, sir, I was too young to be taken. I was left at home with my nurse +and little sister, but almost every one in the island was there. We +will go down and look at it now, if you please. It lies in a small +valley. The spot was a favourite resort of his, and there he had asked +to be buried." + +The party accordingly quitted Longwood, and followed the sergeant down +to the spot he indicated. It was a lovely place, but very little +attempt had been made further to beautify it. A mound of about three +hundred feet in circumference, overgrown with grass, had been surrounded +with a simple palisade. About the middle of this there was a tomb +constructed of stone enclosed by an iron railing. There was neither +inscription nor monument, the coffin having been deposited in a vault +beneath, and the roof cemented over. + +"I have stood here sentinel many a day, gentlemen," said the sergeant, +"when I was a young man. There used to be a many visitors who came to +see it--mostly old soldiers who had fought under him." + +"Do you remember the removal of the body to France?" inquired Rivers. + +"Yes, sir, I saw that myself," replied Thorpe; "it was nearly twenty +years after his burial. The son of the king of France, that then was, +came to take the body to Europe. It was a grand sight. I was one of +the soldiers on duty that day. The earth was dug away until they came +to the vault, which had been overlaid with cement, but this was found to +be so hard that the workmen's tools broke one after another, and it was +a long time before they could make the slightest impression upon it. At +last they did make their way through it, and lifted up the large white +stone, and exposed the coffin. When the lid was taken off there lay the +great emperor, not the least changed, it appeared, by all the twenty +years he had lain there. The features were not even shrunk, and there +were the orders on his breast, and the cocked hat by his side, scarcely +tarnished. After the coffin had been removed they replaced the stones +as they were before. A good many people still visit this place, but not +nearly so many, of course, as formerly." + +The party now took leave of Sergeant Thorpe, and returned to Jamestown. + +"Why didn't Whittaker make one of our party?" asked Margetts of Walters, +as they rode side by side down the precipitous path. + +"I don't quite know," said Walters. "For some reason or other, he is +very unwilling to be absent from his cabin for any long time together. +I have noticed that almost every hour he goes down to it. I suppose he +has something valuable there, which he thinks it necessary to keep an +eye upon." + +"I don't know but what he's right," remarked Rivers. "One or two of the +crew strike me as being by no means the most desirable shipmates. That +fellow Bostock, and Van Ryk, the boatswain's mate, and one or two +others, if they are honest fellows, don't look it. I spoke to the +captain about it a day or two ago, and he agreed with what I said. But +he told me that he and Wyndham kept a sharp look-out upon them, and when +the ship reached Port Elizabeth, he meant to get rid of them. It is +only a few of whom he has any suspicion; the rest are all right." + +The next day the voyage was resumed, and after rather more than a week's +run, Cape Town was reached. Here there was a delay of several days. +Vander Heyden went ashore with his sister to the house of a friend, with +whom he resided during the whole of the ship's stay in harbour. + +He had been very angry with his friend and sister for joining the +English party to Longwood, and would have broken off all acquaintance +with Rivers and his friend, if Moritz and Annchen would have allowed it. +But though he succeeded so far to prevent anything like close intimacy, +he could not prevent civilities from being offered and accepted; and +Vander Heyden had seen too much of Captain Ranken, to venture upon any +repetition of the conduct which had brought about the collision between +them a fortnight before. + +During the stay at Cape Town an unfortunate incident occurred, which +caused the captain much greater vexation than the misconduct of his +Dutch passenger. Nearly a dozen of his best men, who had been allowed +by the second mate, in the absence of his superior officers, to go on +shore, were reported missing, and all inquiries after them proved vain. +Either they had been bribed to serve on board some foreign ship, or to +join some party to the interior. Captain Ranken was obliged to supply +their place, as well as he could, with some men whom he had picked up at +Cape Town, but whose appearance he by no means liked. + +"We must keep a sharp look-out upon them, Wyndham," he said on the +morning of the day after that on which they had resumed their voyage. +"If it wasn't that it would be impossible to navigate the ship without +them, there's hardly one of these fellows with whom I would like to +sail. I shall send them adrift at Port Elizabeth, along with Bostock +and Van Ryk and Sherwin. I expect there will be no lack of good hands +there." + +"Well, it won't be very long, sir," said Wyndham,--"not above three or +four days at the outside, and there are enough of us to put down any +disturbance during that time. I'll speak to Mr Rivers and Mr +Whittaker, and the others. They'd be very useful if any disturbance +occurs." + +"I will speak to Mr Whittaker myself," said the captain. "He told me +something yesterday, an hour or two after we left the harbour, which if +he had mentioned before, I should have taken certain steps, which it +would be too late to take now. I gave him my mind on the subject, +though there was no great use in doing that." + +"What, he has something valuable on board, I suppose?" observed Wyndham; +"I have suspected as much for a long time. That was why he would not go +ashore at Saint Helena, then?" + +"Yes," said the captain; "I think under the circumstances it is quite as +well you should know, Wyndham. He has got 5000 pounds in specie, which +he is taking out to the bank at Maritzburg. Of course he was bound to +tell me--to give it into my custody, in fact--before we sailed. He +declares he did not know that. That may be true, though it seems +strange he should be ignorant of it. But, any way, it is no use +discussing that matter any further." + +"No, sir. I suppose you have it in your charge now?" + +"Yes, of course. I have put it away in the strong cupboard, and will +not deliver it up till we reach Durban." + +"And what made Mr Whittaker tell you about it this morning, more than +on any other day?" asked Wyndham. + +"That is one of the most unpleasant features in the matter," rejoined +the captain. "Mr Whittaker has always kept his cabin locked throughout +the voyage, and has never been absent from it for any considerable time. +Until this morning, he had no suspicion but what everything was +perfectly safe. But last night, after the passengers had gone to bed, +he fancied he heard a noise in the passage, and caught a glimpse of some +one hurrying away. This morning, on going into his cabin, he found +Bostock there; and on his inquiring what business the man had in his +cabin, Bostock muttered something about having gone in to clean it out. +But it is not Bostock's business to clean the cabins. Mr Whittaker was +alarmed, and came to me immediately afterwards." + +"Indeed, sir! That looks ugly, certainly. You must get rid of Bostock +when we get to Port Elizabeth." + +"I have already said that I meant to do so. Indeed, I would have +dismissed him at Cape Town, if Mr Whittaker had spoken to me in time. +All that we can now do is to keep a bright look-out. Mr Whittaker and +I are alternately to keep watch in my cabin, until we drop anchor in +Algoa Bay. You had better keep an eye on Bostock; and it would be as +well if you asked Mr Rivers to help you in doing so. Mr Rivers is, to +my mind, as stout-hearted and cool-headed a fellow as any we have on +board." + +"I agree with you in that, sir, and will see Mr Rivers at once. But I +don't apprehend much mischief from John Bostock. The man seems to me as +if he had lost his head." + +If Mr Wyndham could have been present at a conversation which had taken +place an hour or two before between Bostock, Van Ryk, Andersen, the +captain's servant, and a sailor named Sherwin, he would hardly have +expressed this opinion. John Bostock, little as Wyndham suspected it, +was by birth a gentleman. He was the son of a Lincolnshire squire of +ancient family, but very reduced means. His father was the last of a +long series of spendthrifts, who had gradually reduced a noble +inheritance to a heap of encumbrances. Langley Cargill, or, as he now +called himself, John Bostock, was one of his younger sons. He followed +in his father's steps, and was soon hopelessly involved in debt. He +tried to live by successful betting and gambling, but failed here also, +and was reduced to extreme straits, when a boon companion, a man of some +influence, obtained for him a commission in a Dutch regiment quartered +at the Hague. Here he was safe from creditors, and had an income upon +which it would have been possible to live decently, if strict economy +had been observed. But to Cargill economy had become impossible. He +fell into his old courses, and would probably have soon been expelled +from the Dutch service, if his ruin had not been precipitated by an +outrage which drew on him the punishment of the law. + +In the second year of his residence he was attracted by the grace and +beauty of a young girl, who had just made her first appearance in +public. Langley contrived to obtain an introduction, which he tried for +several months to improve into an acquaintance. The lady's friends, who +were aware of his character, interfered to prevent this. Her brother, +in particular, a haughty young officer, had forbidden all intercourse; +and on the occasion of a public ball, when Cargill was more than usually +importunate, had insisted on his leaving the room. Cargill replied by +drawing his sword on Vander Heyden. The police interfered, and Cargill +was insane enough to resist, wounding several men, and one severely. He +would have received a heavy sentence, if he had not contrived to escape +from prison, and enlist as a sailor in a ship just leaving the harbour. +After several voyages he found himself in London, and in the autumn of +1879 engaged himself, under the name of Bostock, as an A.B. on board the +_Zulu Queen_, about to sail for Durban. Here he found Jans Van Ryk, +Amos Sherwin, and Eric Andersen, old companions of his coarse debauches. +A day or two after leaving harbour, he also recognised Annchen Vander +Heyden and her brother, as the reader has heard in the previous chapter. +Annchen had no suspicion that she had even seen him before; but her +brother's memory was better, though with the scornful hauteur of his +character he paid no further heed to Bostock's presence. + +It will readily be believed that Bostock was not so indifferent to their +former relations. He had devised a scheme by which he was to revenge +himself on Vander Heyden, during the ship's stay at Cape Town. He had +resolved to follow him on shore, force him to a personal encounter, in +which, being himself a first-rate swordsman, he expected to get the +better of his antagonist, and, in event of his wounding or killing him, +make his escape to the Transvaal, which was at the time full of lawless +characters. He had been baffled by Wyndham, who had refused him +permission to leave the ship during the stay at Cape Town. Provoked to +fury by this failure, he had resolved to enter Vander Heyden's cabin on +the night of his return to the _Zulu Queen_, kill him, or be killed; +and, if he should prove the survivor, throw himself into the sea and +swim ashore. His purpose was a second time defeated--in this instance +by Mr Whittaker, who occupied the next cabin to Vander Heyden, and who, +as Bostock could see through the glass in his door, was awake and +completely dressed. Surprised as well as disconcerted, he looked +through the square of glass, and saw Whittaker engaged in counting a +number of packages, which he perceived to be rouleaus of gold. The +strong iron-bound chest was evidently full of them; in which case, he +must have a very large sum of money with him. This discovery turned his +thoughts into a different channel. He took an opportunity the next day +of visiting Mr Whittaker's cabin, to make some examination of the +chest, but was surprised by the sadden entrance of its owner. Mr +Whittaker threatened to complain to the captain, and Bostock had no +doubt he had carried out his threat. He felt at once that if he was to +execute his designs either on Vander Heyden or the chest of specie, it +must be done before the ship reached Algoa Bay. He had therefore +invited his three mates in evil to a conference in the hold of the +vessel. At this he imparted to them the discovery he had made, and the +three worthies between them had hatched a plot, which was that very +night to be put into execution. + +When Wyndham left Captain Ranken, he went immediately to George Rivers' +cabin, to whom he imparted the information received from the captain. +George at once agreed to do all that lay in his power, and promised to +join the first mate on deck, after he had taken a few hours' sleep. +Wyndham, on his part, went to take his supper, which was brought him by +Amos Sherwin, one of the quartermasters, his own servant, it appeared, +being ill. + +The night came on suddenly, as is usual in those latitudes, and the moon +was obscured by clouds. About ten o'clock the first mate came on deck +to take his watch. He complained of feeling drowsy and heavy; but was +nevertheless quite able to take his work. A steady hand was placed at +the wheel, and everything was quiet on deck. Walters and Margetts, who +had not been disposed to turn in, were seated near the taffrail, +smoking. Notwithstanding the darkness, the night was pleasant, and it +was possible occasionally to discern the coast-line,--which was distant +two or three miles,--though very indistinctly. The first mate seated +himself near them, leaning his head on his hand. A few minutes +afterwards, some one came up with a message to the steersman, and the +latter, surrendering the wheel to the newcomer, went below. The night +wore on, and after a while the moon, forcing its way through the clouds, +lit up the scene. The two young men now noticed that the ship appeared +to be a good deal nearer to the coast than it had been all day. Walters +called out to the first mate to point out the fact to him. He hailed +him once or twice, but received no answer. + +"I say," he exclaimed, "Wyndham must be asleep. Oughtn't we to wake +him, Redgy?" + +"He can hardly be asleep," returned Margetts,--"a smart hand such as he +is. But I'll go and speak to him." + +He stepped up to Mr Wyndham's side, and, finding he still took no +notice, shook him. But the mate did not bestir himself, and the two +young men perceived that he was either seriously ill, or intoxicated. + +"I say, this is serious," said Redgy; "we had better go down and bring +the captain, hadn't we? Look here, if you'll take charge of him, I'll +go to the skipper's cabin." + +He hurried to the companion accordingly, and on his way encountered +George Rivers, who was coming up, according to promise, to join the +first mate. He hastily informed him of what was going on up above; and +George, a good deal startled, hastened to the place where Wyndham was +still sitting, with Walters leaning over him. But, while crossing the +deck, he caught sight of an object which filled him with astonishment +and alarm. This was the coast-line, which was now clearly visible in +the broad moonlight. + +"What can you be about?" he shouted to the man at the wheel. "We are +more than half a mile nearer shore than we ought to be. If our course +is not immediately changed, we shall run upon a reef; and, by Heaven!" +he added, a moment afterwards, "there _is_ a reef just ahead of us! +Starboard hard!--starboard, I say! Are you drunk, or mad, that you +don't see where you are taking us?" he continued, as the man, paying no +heed to his warnings, allowed the ship to drive on straight towards the +reef. + +George rushed up, and endeavoured to wrest the helm from his grasp; but +it was too late. The next moment a grinding noise was heard, as the +ship's keel grated over a sunk rock. Then came a tremendous crash, +which shook her from stem to stern, and the _Zulu Queen_ was lodged hard +and fast on the reef. George collared the steersman; but he was a +powerful man, and shook off his assailant's hold. Pulling his cap +farther over his face, he ran down the hatchway, but not before Rivers +had recognised Jans Van Ryk, a Dutch sailor, against whom Wyndham had +warned him as one of Bostock's intimate companions. + +It was no use following the man. Indeed it would have been impossible +to do so; for in another minute the hatchway was crowded with men, who +rushed up, half-dressed and in deadly terror, to know what had happened. + +"Where is Mr Wyndham?" shouted the captain. "How can he have allowed +the ship to run on a rock after this fashion, in a light where +everything is as clear as noonday?" + +"Mr Wyndham is in a kind of fit, sir," said Margetts. "He has been +sitting there without moving for the last hour or two. You had better +go to him yourself." + +The captain stepped across the deck, and took a look at the first mate's +face. + +"Come here, McCarthy!" he cried to the surgeon. "He has been drugged, +hasn't he?" + +The surgeon put his hand to Wyndham's pulse, and, bending down, inhaled +his breath. + +"Yes, sir; he has been drugged with opium. This has been a preconcerted +thing!" + +CHAPTER FOUR. + +There was an uneasy silence for a minute or two, and then the captain +spoke again. + +"There cannot be a doubt of it," he said. "My lads," he continued, +advancing towards a number of men who were gathered in a confused huddle +on the forecastle, "I have a few words to say to you. We have traitors +on board. The ship has been run intentionally on the reef. By and by a +searching inquiry will have to be made respecting it; meanwhile I shall +take the necessary steps for preserving discipline, and I call upon all +here to help me in doing so. Let those who are willing to support me +come forward and say so." + +The men looked doubtfully at one another; and presently the greater part +of them slunk off and went below. About a dozen of the best hands +remained, and, going up to the captain, declared their resolution of +standing by him whatever might happen. + +"Thank you, my hearts," said the captain; "that's cheery! There is +nearly a dozen of you, I see. There's Radburn, Marks, Coxwell, Daley, +Rutley, Wall, Bateman, Hurd, Hooper, and Cookesley. I am obliged to you +all, and I hope your example may help to keep the others right. But we +must guard against a possible outbreak. The first thing will be to +bring out some of the arms and distribute them. I had them all stowed +away in my cabin yesterday, half expecting something of this kind. Come +with me, Mr Rivers, and we'll hand them up." + +This was soon done, and it was found that enough had been brought up to +make an ample supply for all the party. Besides the carbines, +revolvers, and cutlasses, there were several rifles belonging to the +officers and passengers. The captain had two, the surgeon and first +mate one each, Vander Heyden and Moritz, George and Margetts, also had +one each; and all these gentlemen were well acquainted with the use of +their weapons. They were a formidable party. Even supposing that all +the crew, excepting those on deck, joined the mutineers,--as the captain +evidently feared they would,--they might well hesitate to attack so +well-armed and determined a company. At all events, it looked as if +such was the case. + +"I wonder where Bostock and the others can be," remarked Walters, when +half an hour had passed, and everything remained quiet below. + +"I have no doubt where they are," said Captain Ranken. "They are +ransacking Mr Whittaker's cabin, fancying that what they want is there, +though cleverly hidden away. It is fortunate that they made that +mistake, as it has allowed us time to make our preparations. Now the +next thing is to send a boat to Mossel Bay--which is the nearest place +where any ships are likely to be found--and request that something may +be sent to fetch the crew and cargo off this reef." + +The pinnace--the most suitable boat for the purpose--was accordingly got +ready; and by the time this had been done, and the men chosen who were +to go in her, the first mate had recovered sufficiently to take charge +of her. When he was informed of what had happened, he said he had no +doubt that the opium must have been given him in a glass of grog, which +he had taken before going on deck. He had poured it out, he said, and +mixed it, when he unexpectedly received a message that the captain +wanted to speak with him immediately in the cabin. He had hastened +thither, but found the door locked. Supposing that the captain had gone +on deck, he had hurriedly drunk off the grog, and followed him. The +opium must have been put in while he was out of the cabin. He +remembered that there had been something strange in the taste; but he +was thinking of important matters, and did not notice trifles, he +supposed. + +"Do you remember who it was that brought you the message?" asked Captain +Ranken. + +"Not very clearly," replied Mr Wyndham; "but I fancy it was Sherwin." + +"Likely enough," remarked the captain. "He and Van Ryk are this man +Bostock's bosom friends. Well, all this must be gone into at a later +time. What we have to do now is to get away as quick as we can." + +"There isn't any hope of getting the ship off the reef, is there?" asked +Redgy. + +"Not the slightest. She can never swim again. But we must remember +that our chief danger is from these mutinous scoundrels. I am convinced +this plot has been hatched since we left Cape Town. I understand that +all you gentlemen are prepared to stand by me?" he continued, addressing +himself more particularly to Vander Heyden and Moritz, who had hitherto +said very little. + +"I am prepared to take my part," answered Vander Heyden, bowing somewhat +haughtily. "If we are attacked, I shall, of course, protect my sister +and property. I have no doubt Mynheer Moritz will do the same." + +"Certainly," said Moritz in a more friendly tone; "I am prepared to +stand by the captain, whatever may happen." + +"I thank you," said the captain. "Then we have twenty men on whom we +can rely. I am afraid I must reduce the number to sixteen, as I cannot +send less than three men with Wyndham in the pinnace; but sixteen will, +I hope, be sufficient for our purpose. We must keep an armed watch,-- +four of us in my cabin, and four on deck,--relieving every four hours. +I will take charge of one party; Mr Rolfe, the second mate, had better +take the other. Remember the spirit-room must be carefully watched, and +any one fired on who tries to force it." + +The dawn had broken before the work was half done, and it was morning +when the pinnace, with the first mate and his men on board, took its +departure. There was a favourable breeze inshore; and to Mossel Bay it +was only an hour or two's sail. But it was quite uncertain how long it +might be before she could return, or rather how long it might be before +another vessel could be sent, large enough to carry off the crew and +cargo. There might not be any such vessel in the bay, and Mr Wyndham +might have to go overland to Cape Town, before the required assistance +could be procured. In this event, of course, there would be a much +longer delay--several days, perhaps. If this should prove to be the +case, their situation would be far from agreeable. To say nothing of +the danger from the mutinous sailors, if a storm should come on, the +ship might go to pieces, and their only hope then would be to get on the +reef itself, and shelter themselves as well as they could until help +came. Vander Heyden suggested that such as chose it might be allowed to +get on board the three remaining boats, and make their way to Mossel +Bay, from whence they might get across the country to their destination +at Natal. But the captain would not agree to this. He pointed out that +of the three remaining boats, the launch had been so damaged when the +ship ran on the reef, that it could not swim, another--the long-boat-- +was in such a position that it could not be got at, unless with the +consent of the party below, and the remaining one would not hold more +than four or five with safety. They were but just enough as it was to +resist an attack. If they should be further reduced in numbers, the +safety of those who remained behind would be seriously imperilled. + +"And what is to become of my sister?" exclaimed Vander Heyden, "if these +scoundrels do attack us?" + +"We will all die in her defence, will we not, lads?" exclaimed Captain +Ranken, looking round him. He was answered by a cheer. + +"Nay, do not think of me," said Annchen; "I am not afraid. Any way, I +cannot allow the safety of the others to be endangered, in order to +preserve me from harm." There was a second cry of approval. + +"None of us will allow a hair of your head to be hurt," cried Margetts. + +"No," said Rivers, "you may be sure of that. But I would nevertheless +suggest that the boat should be launched, and kept in readiness for an +emergency. If we should be attacked and overpowered, that might enable +some of us at the last moment to escape. In any case, if a skirmish +appears imminent, Miss Vander Heyden and her brother might be put on +board, and lie off the reef until the result of the encounter is known." + +"Why do you propose that, sir?" exclaimed Vander Heyden angrily. "Do +you suppose I am a coward, that I should shrink from an encounter with +these scoundrels?" + +"I implied nothing of the kind, sir," returned Rivers. "I was only +carrying out your own suggestion. I suppose Miss Vander Heyden could +not be put into the boat with no one to take care of her?" + +Vander Heyden would have made an angry answer, but the captain +interposed. + +"You are quite wrong, Mr Vander Heyden, and, I must add, ungrateful +too. Mr Rivers merits our thanks for his suggestion, which I shall at +once put in force. We had better launch the boat at once, while the +deck is in our possession. As soon as she is in the water, we can put a +few provisions in her, and then she can lie off at a little distance. +We had better set to work upon that at once." + +All hands went to work accordingly with a will, and presently the gig +was lowered, and got ready for sailing. Then dinner was served, and the +afternoon passed quietly away. Bostock and his companions, if they had +intended any violence, appeared to have abandoned the idea. Probably +the captain's promptitude had disheartened them,--so it was thought,-- +and as they knew the pinnace had been sent off to Mossel Bay, they were +aware that assistance would probably come from the shore in a few hours' +time. + +Late in the afternoon the captain, who was very tired, went down to get +a few hours' sleep. He was aroused not long afterwards by Rivers. + +"Captain," said the latter, "I fear mischief is brewing." + +"What makes you suppose that?" said the captain, who had roused himself +on the instant. + +"There are two things I don't like. In the first place, the men must +have got into the spirit-room--" + +"Hasn't careful watch been kept upon it?" asked the captain. + +"Yes," said George, "most careful watch. No one has approached the door +the whole day. They must have broken into the room another way. Any +way, there is furious drinking going on on the lower deck. I clambered +round on the outside, and could see what was passing. Bostock, Van Ryk, +and Sherwin are inciting the men to drink. Half of them, indeed, are +drunk already." + +"Could you hear what they are saying?" asked the captain. + +"Not very distinctly; there was too much shouting and yelling. But I +could make out that they were inciting the men to attack us." + +"They would hardly do that," answered the captain. "They know that we +are armed, and on our guard." + +"No doubt, but they are armed too." + +"Armed? are you sure? I myself conveyed all the arms in the ship into +the cabin, on the night after we left Cape Town." + +"In that case, there is either a traitor among the men who have access +to your cabin, or they have brought their own arms on board. All the +fellows we suspect are provided with cutlasses and revolvers, and I +could see more lying about on the tables and benches." + +"Was Andersen, my servant, among them?" + +"Yes, he was one of the most forward, apparently, of any." + +"He is the traitor, then. But that is of little consequence now. Do +you think they will make their attack soon?" + +"Not for another hour or two, I should say. They may ultimately succeed +in getting the men to join them; but they are not ripe for it yet." + +"An hour or two may be time enough. Come with me, Rivers; I shall want +your help." + +The captain went on deck, and, calling three or four of his best hands +together, told them what he had learned. By his instructions, they +provided eight or ten stout spars, which they carried down below and +placed as a barricade, at the distance of about eight or ten feet from +the captain's cabin, lashing the ends of the spars, so as to make it +impossible for any one to pass. Then the other hatchways were secured, +and a man set to guard each. The captain next went down, accompanied by +Rivers and Vander Heyden, taking with him the second mate, Rolfe, as +well as Marks, Daley, Wall, and Bateman, four of the stoutest and most +trustworthy of the sailors. He placed these in positions which would +command the barricade, some inside the cabin, some in the passage. The +strictest silence was to be observed, and no one was to fire until the +word was given. The captain then lighted his dark lantern, obscuring +the light until the moment of action should arrive. Annchen had been +sent on deck under the charge of Moritz, Vander Heyden having insisted +on remaining below. But Whittaker, Margetts, and Walters had +constituted themselves her special bodyguard. + +When all had taken their places, a long silence ensued. The shouts of +the men below were now more plainly heard. It was evident that they +were fast becoming drunk, and at any moment the expected attack might be +made. Presently the noise below ceased. + +"They are getting ready," whispered the captain to George; "we shall +have them up in another moment." + +His words had hardly been uttered, before they were made good by the +sound of feet stealthily ascending the stairs. + +"They think to take us unawares," continued the captain. "They don't +suspect anything about the barricade." + +Presently there was a cry of surprise, followed by a volley of oaths. +Then a light was struck, and the mutineers were seen trying to tear down +the spars which blocked their passage. + +"You had better leave off that, and go below!" shouted Captain Ranken. +"We are prepared for you. If you attempt to remove those spars, you +will take the consequences." + +"Let fly at them," said a voice, which the captain recognised as that of +Bostock,--"let fly at them, and particularly at that Dutchman." + +Half a dozen pistols were discharged, three of them directly levelled at +Vander Heyden, who was standing close to the captain. He had a narrow +escape. One of the bullets would have struck him in the heart if +Captain Ranken had not at the moment changed his position, and it struck +his epaulet. A second grazed his temple, the third was lodged in the +partition behind him. + +"Your blood be on your own heads!" cried the skipper. "Fire on them!" +A general discharge followed, by which it was evident considerable +execution was done. Several were seen to fall, and among them Bostock +and Van Ryk; but whether these were killed or dangerously wounded did +not appear. They were either able, however, to crawl down below, or +were carried off by their companions. + +"They got that hot and strong, sir," remarked Rolfe; "I don't think +they'll try it again." + +"It depends a good deal on whether the leaders are killed or severely +wounded," returned the captain. "As for Bostock, you hit him fairly, +Mr Vander Heyden. The bullet struck him below the hip. But whether it +was a slight or a severe wound, I can't say." + +"I think it was only a flesh wound," rejoined the Dutchman. "The other +fellow--Van Ryk, his name is, I believe--was more seriously hurt, I +fancy." + +"I hope he is. If those two men should be silenced, we needn't be +afraid of the others. Well, we are safe for the night, I think, and we +must hope that help will come to-morrow." + +The captain's words were so far made good, that the rest of the night +passed in quiet. The forenoon of the next day was a time of great +anxiety, which no one felt so keenly as the captain. He knew that if +Wyndham did not return, it could be only because some accident had +happened to his boat, or because he had been unable to obtain any help +in Mossel Bay, and had been compelled to go overland to Cape Town. The +distance thither from Mossel Bay was more than two hundred miles, and +the means of getting there not easy to procure. Even if he could find +horses to carry him the whole distance, it would probably take him a day +or two to reach the town. Then, no doubt, a vessel would be fitted with +as little delay as possible. But probably two or three days more must +elapse before it could reach the reef. + +Altogether, it was not unlikely that a full week would pass, during +which they would have to remain in their present situation, unless, +indeed, they could attract the attention of some passing vessel. As the +hours went by, the captain grew more and more despondent; and at last it +became only too evident that Wyndham's speedy return could not be looked +for. + +"We are in for this, Rivers," he said, as they stood together on deck, +looking anxiously toward shore, half an hour or so before sunset; +"unless we are picked up by some ship, we may have to stay a week on +this reef, and there is no disguising that, if it should be so, our +lives are in the greatest danger." + +"Do you apprehend a storm coming on, sir?" asked Rivers. + +"I see no signs of that, though in this climate the changes of weather +are so rapid that one is never secure for six hours together; but that +is not what I am afraid of. These men will get desperate--the +ringleaders, that is. They know there is a rope round their necks in +consequence of last night's work, and they will get away from the reef +at all hazards before Wyndham's return, if by possibility they can." + +"I don't see how they can force their way on deck in the face of our +fire, any more than they did last night, sir; I don't see how they could +remove the barricade either." + +"They might contrive to cut the ropes which hold one of the spars," said +the captain,--"that is, if they could work in the dark. But I shall +take care that the passage is kept lighted all night, so they won't +attempt that I think they will try to blow up the hatchways. They have +got plenty of powder, and it would not be a difficult thing to do. They +would lose some men in forcing their way up; but their numbers so +greatly exceed ours, that, once on deck, we should have no chance with +them." + +"You think all the ship's company will go along with Bostock and Van +Ryk, then?" + +"I am a good deal afraid of it. I don't think they'd have done this of +their own heads. But these two rascals are exceedingly clever, and +will, I have no doubt, make out a plausible story. They will persuade +the poor fellows that, if they are caught, they will be charged with +mutiny for what has been done already. They'll tell them it is their +only hope to get off the reef before help comes, and they must cut all +our throats to accomplish that." + +"And we can't take to the boats, and be gone ourselves?" + +"That is what the Dutchman proposed yesterday. But I then pointed out +that we cannot get at the long-boat without exposing ourselves to the +fire of the mutineers. Nor would they, of course, let us repair the +other boat, even if she could be repaired. I only guessed then that +they would attack us. It is unfortunately only too certain now. We +should simply be playing their game. If they could overpower us, or, in +plain English, murder us, they would no doubt go off in the three boats, +or make a raft, if the boats would not hold them all. But while we +remain here, that would be impossible. + +"No," resumed the captain presently; "we must go on as we have begun. +It really looks as though the men were unable to devise any plan of +attacking us; in which case it is most probable that they will submit, +and throw themselves upon my mercy. It is only against a few, you see, +that direct mutiny can be proved. Nor have I quite given up the hope +that Wyndham may have found a ship at Mossel Bay, though her sailing may +have been delayed. Perhaps the men also are reckoning on the +possibility of that, and will not commit themselves further, until they +feel sure that he will have to go on to Cape Town for help. But all +that we can do is to keep a bright look-out, and be ready for action at +a moment's notice. I shall go and lie down now for two or three hours, +as I feel quite worn out; but I shall trust to you, Rivers, to rouse me +if there should be the slightest necessity. You are the only man on +board I can thoroughly trust, for, though Rolfe and McCarthy are good +fellows, they are not equal to an emergency. But you know what you are +about." + +They parted. George took a turn or two up and down the deck, apparently +buried in thought. Then he laid aside his cutlass and pistols, put on a +sailor's jacket that was lying on the deck, and tied a handkerchief +round his head. Having completed these preparations without attracting +notice, he disappeared below. + +It was about three hours afterwards that the captain was a second time +roused from his sleep by a hand laid on his chest. He started up +instantly, and was about to speak, when George Rivers, who was his +visitor, stopped him. + +"Don't wake the others, sir," he said. "If you will come on deck, I +have something important to tell you. I wish to say, sir," he continued +when they were seated out of the sight and hearing of any of their +companions, "that I have been down among the men, and have learned +pretty accurately what they mean to do." + +"Down among the men--among the mutineers?" exclaimed the captain. "How +did you manage that?" + +"Well, it was not so very difficult, sir. Several of the men had left +their jackets on deck, as well as a handkerchief or two. I put two of +these on, pulling the handkerchief well over my forehead, so that by the +dim light on the lower deck it was hardly possible that I could be +recognised, even if any one noticed me, which was hardly likely. Then I +untied one of the ropes, and so got through the barricade. I went to +the head of the ladder and listened. There was loud and angry talk +going on, and several of the speakers seemed to be more than half drunk. +I crept cautiously down, ready to make a bolt up again if any one +hailed me, but they were all too busy to notice me. I crept into a +corner and lay down, as if asleep, drawing a sailcloth half over me. I +lay there for a couple of hours, I should think, and learned all I +wanted to know. After that I took advantage of a violent quarrel which +broke out among them, to creep up-stairs in the same way as I had crept +down, and then secured the spar." + +"You have done nobly?" exclaimed the skipper. "And what have you +learned?" + +"I learned, first of all, that nothing will be attempted to-night, +though an attempt will be made to-morrow. In the first place, it +appears that Sherwin was one of those killed in the skirmish, though +they contrived to carry him off. Van Ryk and Bostock were wounded, +though not severely. Bostock was hit in the right leg, and is unable to +use it, though the wound is already greatly better. They won't stir +unless he leads them, and that he can't do this evening." + +"That is fortunate. They are not afraid of Wyndham's return, then?" + +"No; they seem to feel sure that he has failed to find a ship in Mossel +Bay. Indeed, one of the men said he had gone over to the bay from Cape +Town, only a day or two before the _Zulu Queen_ sailed, and there was no +ship there, and none expected." + +"I feared as much," said the captain. "Well, then, what are the men's +intentions? Do they all go along with Bostock?" + +"I am afraid they do," returned George. "Bostock has persuaded them +that there is an enormous sum of money in gold stowed away in the +cabin--enough, as he told them, to make them all rich for life. If it +hadn't been for the barricade, he said, of which no one had any idea, +this would have been in their possession already. But as it is, it is +theirs as soon as they choose to seize it. They evidently believe they +can get on deck whenever they please--" + +"Did you ascertain how?" interrupted the captain eagerly. "Not exactly, +sir, but I fancy they mean to blow a hole in the ship's side, and so get +down on to the reef, which at low water extends for several feet beyond +the ship--" + +"Yes, yes," said the captain, "I was afraid so; no doubt they could do +that. Go on." + +"Well, I expect they will make their way out in that manner, and, +although we may be able to kill half a dozen of them before they knock +us on the head, they would certainly do so, sooner or later. None of +our party are to be spared, except, I am sorry to say, Miss Vander +Heyden. Bostock means to carry her off with him." + +"The brute!" exclaimed the captain. "He shan't do that, Rivers." + +"No, sir. I would blow out her brains with my own hand sooner than +allow it?" + +"And so, to do him justice, would her brother, or Mr Moritz either-- +nay, I am persuaded she would do it herself! Well, Rivers, we are in +for this, and we must get out of it the best way we can. But I must own +I am at my wits' end. Can you suggest anything?" + +"It has occurred to me, captain, that we might possibly, if we were hard +driven, get on to the other part of the reef yonder, and take provisions +with us enough to last two or three days. They couldn't get at us +there, I imagine." + +The captain looked in the direction to which George pointed. There was +another reef, or, more properly, another part of the same reef, divided +from that on which the ship was lying by a deep channel some twenty or +thirty yards wide. It rose a good deal higher out of the water, and was +so plainly visible at all states of the tide that nothing but design, or +the most culpable carelessness, could have caused the disaster. + +"That is a good thought," he said. "If ever I command a ship again, I +must make you my first mate. That reef will be our salvation. We must +not lose a moment in getting across, and taking all we want with us. Go +and wake all the hands, and bring them on deck at once. If we wait for +the moon, the rascals may see us. It is lucky that we have Marks and +Cookesley, the ship's carpenters, among our party." + +CHAPTER FIVE. + +The sailors who had remained loyal to Captain Ranken obeyed his summons +with prompt alacrity. They were reduced to seven, three having gone +with the first mate in the pinnace. The captain gave them their orders, +which they proceeded to put into execution as rapidly and with as little +noise as possible. The boat was brought immediately under the ship's +side, and a number of articles put into it, the first being the +carpenter's chests, and a load of spars and planks from the workshop. +Then the boat returned for boxes and barrels, containing provisions to +last for a fortnight, together with all the firearms and cutlasses on +deck. Then a quantity of bedding, knives, forks, and crockery, and a +large tarpaulin which had been used to form a shelter from the heat for +the passengers. A number of empty boxes and barrels were also lowered +into the sea, which, as the tide was then running, would be washed up on +the further reef. There was a great deal to be done, but the hands were +all active and willing; and by the time when the moon rose all the most +necessary articles had been ferried over. + +As soon as the light permitted, the men, under the direction of the +carpenters, began putting up a hut at the spot indicated by the captain. +They fortunately found one or two crevices in the rock, in which +uprights could be fixed. A long spar was run across from two of these, +and the tarpaulin stretched over it. Then four shorter posts were +placed at the corners, but at two of these points there were no +crevices, and the spars had to be placed in tall barrels filled with +stones. The sides were next filled in with planks, with a door and an +opening to serve as a window at the end farthest from the wreck. The +gig continued her voyages under the conduct of Captain Ranken, George, +and the second mate, and almost everything that would be required was +brought over. Mr Whittaker's chest had been one of the first things +cared for. + +By daybreak a very tolerable hut had been constructed; and the captain +directed them, as the next job, to put up a barricade extending the +whole length of the hut on the side facing the ship. This was formed of +barrels and chests containing large stones, of which there was abundance +on the reef, the spaces between them being similarly filled. When this +had been completed, it was broad day, and it was impossible to expect +that the crew, who by this time must have slept off their drunken +debauch, could be kept any longer in ignorance of their officers' +proceedings. The second mate was sent, therefore, to inform the +passengers of the removal to the further reef, and convey them over to +it as quickly as possible. They were taken by surprise, but complied +readily enough; only Vander Heyden making some complaint that the cabin +party had been kept in ignorance of what they ought to have been told. + +While they were being ferried across in the boat, the captain and George +returned for the last time to the deck. + +"We are well out of this, sir," remarked George; "we shall be safe over +there." + +"Yes, unless they come across to attack us." + +"Come across? what, in the long-boat?" + +"Yes, in the long-boat. They can't launch it while we have possession +of the deck. But as the ship is left to them, there will be nothing to +prevent their doing it." + +"It would be a desperate thing to attempt, landing on the reef under +such a fire as we could open on them." + +"No doubt, if they attempted it by day. But in the dark they could get +ashore unseen by us, and perhaps make one or two voyages before we found +it out. Besides, the long-boat will hold a great number of men. We +must not risk it." + +"What do you propose then, sir?" + +"To destroy the boat," answered the captain. "It is easily enough done, +if you will lend a hand. But first, are all the others safely landed on +the reef?" + +"Yes. The boat, with Mr Rolfe in her, is just coming back for us." + +"Very good. Then we will go to work." + +He went below and fetched two iron pots, in each of which he placed a +heavy charge of powder, rolling a piece of rag round it to prevent its +escape. Then, motioning to George to pick up some heavy blocks of wood, +he moved noiselessly across the deck, and laid the pots in the bottom of +the boat, one at each end, with the blocks to keep them down. Next he +laid a train of powder with a slow match, the end of which he ignited. + +They now crept down to the boat, and put off. They had almost got +across, when a loud explosion, followed almost simultaneously by a +second, was heard. Immediately afterwards the men poured up on deck, +having evidently contrived some way for themselves of getting up there. +Some of them carried carbines, and they might have fired on the captain +and his two companions, if these had not hastily drawn up the boat and +made for the shelter of the shed. + +"Safe now, sir," remarked Rolfe, "unless they swim across to us." + +"They'll hardly try that on," rejoined the captain. "They would be an +easy mark for our rifles, and they know we have several and can use +them. We roust put a man to watch their movements; but I think that is +all that will be needed. If breakfast is ready, we may go to it with an +appetite." + +This had hardly been completed, when Hooper, the man set to watch, came +in with the information that a flag of truce had been hoisted on the +vessel, and three men, Gott, Shirley, and Sullivan had come down to the +edge of the water to parley with the captain. + +"Are they unarmed?" asked the second mate. + +"Yes, sir," answered Hooper. + +"Can you see anything of the other men?" inquired the doctor. + +"There are none on the reef, sir, but I thought I saw one or two peeping +over the ship's bulwarks." + +"I guessed as much," said McCarthy. "You ought to think twice, sir, +before you go to meet these men. You would be an easy mark for any one +hiding in the forecastle; and they may think that, if they once got you +out of the way, they could do anything they pleased." + +"That's possible," said Captain Ranken. "But I can't help that. There +is a chance of avoiding bloodshed, and it is my duty to go." + +"Well, any way, let us take any precautions we can," urged Rolfe. "Five +or six of us can take our rifles, and show ourselves over the top of the +barricade. They will see that if they have you at their mercy, we have +Gott and Shirley and Sullivan at ours." + +"You may do that, if you like," said the skipper. "There is never any +harm in showing that one is prepared." + +The mate's suggestion was acted on. Half a dozen marksmen, including +the two Dutchmen, Rivers, Margetts, Whittaker, and the mate, took their +guns, climbed on to the top of the barricade, and then stationed +themselves behind it, the muzzles of their rifles projecting from +between the stones. Then the captain, accompanied by McCarthy, went +down to the edge of the reef, and, hailing the three men opposite, asked +what they had to say. + +"We're very sorry," said Gott,--"sorry as you're displeased, sir. But +the most of us don't know what we've done." + +"Do you call running the ship on a reef, and then trying to plunder her, +and after that attempting to murder us, nothing?" + +"It was only one or two as did that; we didn't wreck the ship, or join +in the attack as was made on you, sir," said Sullivan. + +"I am glad to hear it. What do you want now?" + +"We want you and the others to come over here again, and we'll go back +to our duty," answered Gott. + +"And what about the mutineers?" asked the captain. + +"There was but a few of they, and they was mostly killed in the +scrimmage." + +"Indeed! were Bostock and Van Ryk killed, may I ask?" + +There was no answer. The skipper repeated his question, and then +Shirley said sullenly, "I don't know as they was." + +"Very good. Van Ryk was the man who ran the ship on the reef; Mr +Rivers saw him do it. Bostock fired deliberately at Mr Vander Heyden; +_I_ saw him do it. I don't want to inquire too closely what others may +have done, but these two are clearly guilty. If they are put into irons +and brought over here, together with all the arms in your possession, we +will return to the ship, and when help comes, no proceedings will be +taken against anybody, except the two prisoners. These are the only +terms I shall offer you. I shall expect to receive an answer in an hour +or two." + +The men, after exchanging a few words, sullenly withdrew. The captain, +and McCarthy, who had been chosen to accompany the skipper, because the +men are always unwilling to hurt the doctor, also beat a hasty retreat, +and informed their companions what had passed. + +"Do you think they will give in, sir?" asked Whittaker. + +"No," replied the captain. "I fear Van Ryk and Bostock have too much +weight with them. Besides, sailors on these occasions are apt to stick +together. If we don't get an answer within the hour, we must look for +broken heads." + +The hour passed, and then another hour or two. The after noon slipped +away, and there was no return of the deputies. The men kept quite out +of sight. But the sound of hammering and sawing and the buzz of voices +were plainly audible. + +"They are up to something, sir," said Rolfe; "making a raft, most +likely, by which they hope to reach the shore. They've plenty of +materials, and some smart hands among them. Don't you think that is +likely, sir?" + +"I think it very likely," answered the skipper; "only I am afraid they +are more likely to use it to make an attack on us than to reach the +shore--or rather, they will attempt the latter, but only when they have +carried out the former. They won't go without the money if they can +help it. But the first thing for us will be to ascertain what they are +really about, and we can do that, though not without some risk. The +boat is still lying off at the place where we moored her when we came +across for the last time. If we got aboard her we might row out to the +other side of the reef, keeping at a safe distance, and then we should +find out what they are doing." + +"No doubt, sir," rejoined Rolfe; "but would they let us do it? I am +pretty sure there are one or two fellows lying under the bulwarks, +watching us from the deck. They could pick off any one who tried that." + +"I am afraid that is only too likely," said Captain Ranken; "but it is +so important to us to know what they are up to, that I think we must +attempt it. Who will volunteer for the service?" + +He was answered by half a dozen eager voices, declaring each man's +readiness to make the adventure. + +"Very good, gentlemen; I thank you heartily," said the skipper. "The +men I want must be good divers, if possible, but certainly good +swimmers. They must also, of course, understand the management of a +boat." + +"I can't swim, I am sorry to say," cried Walters. + +"I can swim, but I am no diver," said Rolfe. + +"And I can swim and dive, but I am a poor hand at managing a boat," +added Margetts. "But look here, captain, here's your man--George +Rivers. He swims like a fish, and dives like a cormorant, and can +manage a boat first-rate." + +"He will do for one, no doubt," said the captain. "And I think, Mynheer +Moritz, you offered, did you not? You, I know, can both swim and dive, +and, I believe, understand managing a boat?" + +"Yes, sir," returned Moritz, "I believe, without vanity, I can say I do. +I shall be pleased to undertake this in company with Mr Rivers." + +"Very good," said the skipper. "That is settled, then. Now, gentlemen, +this is what you have to do. You must get into the water here, out of +the sight of the ship, and swim round, keeping under water as much as +possible. Then get under the lee of the boat, and bring her round, +sheltering yourselves under the cover of her side. Of course our fears +may be groundless. There may be no one lying in wait. But I fancy I +have seen heads looking from time to time over the ship's sides, and it +is best to take every precaution. Now be off as quick as possible, for +the daylight is dying out." + +George and Moritz complied. Going to the farther point of the reef, +they stripped, and, slipping silently into the water, began swimming +round the reef. When they got to the point where their heads would be +visible from the ship, they dived, and swam under water, neither of them +reappearing until their heads came to the surface close under the bows +of the boat. + +"Capitally managed!" cried the captain. "If they get her out from +shore, all will be safe. I really hope our apprehensions were +unfounded." + +But at this moment two or three guns were fired from the ship, and +several bullets spattered in the water. Moritz, who had incautiously +raised his head, had a narrow escape. George seized and dragged him +down, himself only just escaping a bullet which whistled over his head. +The boat, however, was by this time in motion, and they were enabled to +drag it along with them, without again exposing themselves until they +were out of shot. Then they climbed in and rowed to the place whence +they had started. Here the captain received them with many +commendations and thanks; and, while the two adventurers were resuming +their clothes, went off in the boat with two of the men to the other +side of the wreck, taking care to keep at a safe distance. He returned +in half an hour with a very uncomfortable report. + +"Have you found out what they are about, sir?" asked Margetts. + +"I am sorry to say I have. They mean mischief, and, I fear, will be +only too likely to be able to work it. They are putting together a +raft, and are getting on fast with it." + +"But may not that be only to enable them to make their escape to the +shore?" suggested Walters. + +"If that had been their intention, they would not have fired on Rivers +and Mr Moritz. There is no use in disguising facts. They mean to +attack us." + +"But how can they contrive, sir?" asked the second mate. "Neither wind +nor tide is favourable to them. A raft is a very difficult thing to +manage at all times, and they would have to approach this part of the +reef under the fire of all our guns." + +"You are right, Rolfe," replied the captain; "but unfortunately the raft +is not the only work they are engaged on. Somehow it appears that the +launch was not so much injured as I had supposed. Two or three smart +hands have been employed on it, and it looked as though it had been made +all right again. What they mean to do, I expect, is to launch both raft +and boat at nightfall, and the one will tow the other till our reef is +reached. Then they will land in the dark, and then either take up a +position behind our barricade, from which they can fire upon us whenever +we go in or out of our hut, or else make an assault upon us as soon as +the moon rises, and overpower us by superior numbers. The first would +be the surest plan for themselves, but their dread of Wyndham's return +may induce them to adopt the other. They outnumber us, remember, at +least six to one." + +"It is only too likely that you are right," said George; "but what do +you advise?" + +"I think, in the first place, we must complete the barricade round the +hut. At present we are open on two sides to a sudden rush, which would +overpower us by force of numbers. Behind, the rise of the rock is so +precipitous that they could only climb it with great difficulty, one by +one. We must place our best marksmen up there, and the others behind +our barricades down below. We must put a man, when the darkness comes +on, at the very extremity of the reef, nearest to the wreck. He will be +able to distinguish what they are doing sufficiently well to tell us +when they are launching their raft. It cannot, I know, be completed for +many hours yet. As soon as it does put off, we can burn a blue light,-- +I took care last night to bring some with me,--and that will enable us +to fire on them, while approaching and landing, with effect. We may be +fortunate enough to kill their leaders, in which case the others will +submit at once." + +"If I catch sight of that Cargill," exclaimed Vander Heyden, "he will +not trouble us any more! Ha, Vrank?" + +"No," responded Moritz; "he doesn't deserve much mercy, and I don't +imagine he would show us much." + +"None at all, I fear," assented the captain. "But I don't desire his +death on that account, but because he is leading these poor misguided +fellows into crime and ruin. But no more of him. If we mean to put up +our barricades, we must go to work at once." + +"All right, captain!" said Rolfe; "we will not delay a minute." + +A quantity of barrels and boxes, with which the reef was still strewn, +were brought up, and filled with stones, as well as some heaps of +wreck-wood, which had been thrown up above high-water mark. In two +hours' time a barricade had been erected sufficiently strong to repel +any sudden assault. Then attention was turned to the high ground behind +the hut. Large stones and pieces of wood were laid along the highest +ridge, behind which the riflemen might fire in safety. This party +consisted of McCarthy, Rolfe, George Rivers, Margetts, Whittaker, and +Walters, together with Vander Heyden and Moritz. The captain took the +command of the party below, which consisted of the seven sailors. Here +also Miss Vander Heyden was placed, under the captain's special +protection. When the hut was first erected, a space had been +partitioned off to serve as Annchen's sleeping-place, and George, during +the captain's absence in the boat, had employed his time in doubling +this partition, and filling up the space between the boards with stones, +so that even if all the other defences were carried, she would still +have a last place of shelter. + +When the job was done, the whole party sat down to rest and take some +refreshment. The evening came on before they had finished their meal, +and in a short time it was quite dark. + +"If they mean to come," remarked the captain, "it will be pretty soon +now. The noise of hammering has ceased for the last half-hour; they +must have completed their job; and now it will be seen whether they are +going to make for the shore, or attack us." + +It was an anxious moment. The whole party sat in front of their +barricade, on the stones or logs of which it was composed, listening +intently to catch any sound which might determine the momentous question +at issue. Presently the silence was broken by Coxwell, the sailor whom +the captain had stationed at the farthest point of the reef. He came up +with the information that the boat and raft were both afloat, and by the +lanterns they had lighted he could see the men getting on board. + +"We must all take our places," said the captain. "I will go down to the +water's edge and listen. Mr Rivers, be ready to put a match to the +blue lights as soon as I call to you." + +All obeyed in silence. Annchen took leave of her brother and Moritz, +and bade also a general farewell to the others; her eye, as George could +not help fancying, lighting with special kindness on him. When they had +all taken up their stations, there was a silence of some minutes, and +then the voice of the captain was heard,--"Light up! I hear them +coming!" Rivers obeyed; and a lurid flame suddenly sprang forth, by the +light of which the boat and raft were both distinctly visible, the +former with only five or six rowers aboard, the other following in tow, +and crowded with armed men. + +"The party on the rocks fire on the boat?" shouted Captain Ranken; +"those in the shed on the raft!" + +He was obeyed on the instant. Eight rifles cracked almost at the same +moment from the rocks. The steersman and two of the rowers dropped dead +in their places. The other two flung themselves into the bottom of the +boat, wounded, but not killed. Several also on board the raft fell into +the sea, or into their companions' arms, and a cry for quarter was +raised. But the next moment the voice of Bostock sounded loud and +clear. + +"Step into the water!" he cried. "We are already on the reef; it is not +above our knees." + +He sprang out himself as he spoke, and began wading ashore, followed, +after a moment's pause, by the other men. Several volleys were +discharged from the barricade and rocks, not without their effect, +though the mark was now more difficult to hit. In a few minutes the +mutineers had found refuge, as the captain had anticipated, on the outer +side of the barricade, which the besieged, if they may so be called, had +run up for their own protection. + +The riflemen were now called down from the rocks, and joined their +companions in the shed. The fire not having been returned from either +the boat or the raft, no injuries had been sustained. But the situation +of Captain Ranken and his companions still appeared to be almost +hopeless; as the fight would now be carried on on almost equal terms, +and the mutineers still outnumbered them in the proportion of four to +one. It seemed most likely now that they would try to surround the shed +on all four sides, firing through the crevices, which were as available +to them as to those within, and so soon pick off all the defenders. But +for this light was necessary, and they were therefore waiting for the +moon to rise. + +While they were still waiting in anxious suspense, a stone with a paper +wrapped round it was thrown through the open window. The captain picked +it up and read it. It had no name attached to it, but professed to come +from the whole of the crew, except those with Captain Ranken. It stated +that the hut was completely surrounded, and that the assailants had the +lives of all those within at their mercy. But they wished to avoid +further bloodshed. If the five thousand pounds which had been removed +from Mr Whittaker's cabin should be given up, together with all the +arms in the possession of the besieged party, they would go quietly away +without hurting any one. But if this was refused, an attack would be +made as soon as the moon rose, and no man's life would be spared. It +was added, that if no answer was sent before moonrise, that would be +regarded as a refusal. + +When the captain had finished reading, no one spoke for a while. At +last McCarthy broke the silence,-- + +"Have you any idea, sir, of complying with their demand? You see they +do not ask--what we could not have agreed to--the surrender of Miss +Vander Heyden." + +"No," said Mr Whittaker; "and I do not think my employers would blame +you, if you did comply. I daresay we should all agree to bear some +portion of the ransom." + +Several of the others broke in together, declaring their willingness to +pay any portion in their power. + +"What do you say, Mr Rivers?" asked the captain, observing that he had +not spoken. + +"I would pay my share, sir," answered George; "anything that is in my +power. But I fear it would be useless. The best hope these men have in +escaping the penalty of their mutiny lies in our death. If we were to +surrender ourselves to them, as this letter proposes, I think they would +murder us in cold blood--all except--" + +"You need not mention her name, sir," interposed Vander Heyden. "But +you say well. I know the villain who leads these men; he is quite +capable of that, or any other atrocity. We had better die sword in +hand, like men, than be stabbed like sheep." + +"You speak only too truly, sir," said the captain. "Our choice lies +between one kind of death or another; and I, for one, choose that of a +brave man, who will have no trafficking with villains." + +He looked round him, and read approval in every eye. "You are right, +sir," said McCarthy briefly, and the others echoed the sentiment. + +No one spoke for the next ten minutes. Each was busy with his own +thoughts; such as are likely to fill men's minds when on the verge of +eternity. The time seemed painfully protracted, and all wished that the +trial was over. Suspense was worse than death itself. At last a sudden +burst of yellow light streaming through the window warned them that +their time had come. The next moment the door was burst in, and a crowd +of men, armed with cutlasses and pistols, endeavoured to force an +entrance. They were met by a general volley, which killed or wounded +nearly all the foremost assailants. But the rush from behind was kept +up. Several forced themselves into the hut, and a hand-to-hand struggle +ensued. Miss Vander Heyden had been placed behind the screen which +Rivers had strengthened for her; and he shouted to her, when the attack +began, to throw herself on the ground, as the best chance there was of +her escaping injury. The screen caught the eye of Bostock as he entered +in the rush, and he and Van Ryk instantly made for it. Vander Heyden +threw himself in Bostock's way, and a fierce encounter began between +them; while, George in like manner interposing between Van Ryk and the +screen, they were soon engaged in deadly combat. + +By this time the hut was nearly filled with the mutineers. The captain, +with McCarthy on one side of him and Redgy on the other, was desperately +defending himself against two or three assailants. The third mate, +Whittaker, and Walters, had been all struck down, and several of the men +were mortally wounded, when suddenly there came from the sea a strange +and unexpected sound--the boom of a cannon! + +The strife was instantly suspended. Each man looked in doubt and wonder +upon his opponent's face. Then the captain's voice was once more +heard,-- + +"Throw down your arms, you mutinous dogs, and yield yourselves +prisoners, or every man among you shall swing at the yard-arm before +another hour has passed!" + +CHAPTER SIX. + +About a week had elapsed. George and Redgy were standing on the deck of +the Government steamer Wasp, leaning over the bulwarks and contemplating +the appearance of the harbour of Port Natal; which lay immediately in +front of them, with the town of Durban in the middle distance, and the +Natal country in the background. The ship could proceed no farther. +The bar across the harbour mouth, on which seething masses of foam were +breaking, presented an insuperable obstacle. + +"How are we ever to get in, George?" asked Redgy. "I suppose ships _do_ +get in somehow. Indeed it is plain they do, for there is a lot of them +lying off the quays yonder. But how they surmounted that bar, it is +beyond me to imagine. I should think even the Yankee captain, who +declared he could run his ship anywhere where there had been a heavy +dew, would be puzzled here." + +"I don't suppose Captain Deedes will take his ship in," answered George. +"He has only to deliver and take back despatches to Cape Town, and +these can be brought to him out here." + +"What, in a boat, I suppose?" suggested Margetts; "and that is the way +we shall go in, then? Well, every man knows his own business best; but +I should have thought there was a very comfortable chance of any boat +being swamped!" + +"Wait, and you'll see, Redgy. Captain Deedes told me we should be safe +ashore before twelve o'clock." + +"Did he tell you anything about what is going on at Mossel Bay?" asked +Margetts. "I know he has had letters from thence. I saw them brought +aboard half an hour ago." + +"Yes, a good deal. I am sorry to say Rolfe is dead; that is the fifth +of our party that was killed. Walters and three of the sailors were +dead before we sailed, you know." + +"I am sorry for Rolfe. How are McCarthy and the captain and Whittaker?" + +"They are all doing well. The captain's was only a slight cut across +the hand. He was much more hurt by Bostock's and Van Ryk's escape than +by that wound." + +"I don't wonder. It is certainly a pity that they were not run up to +the yard-arm, as half a dozen others may be, who were less guilty than +they were. I can't think how they managed to get off." + +"Well, I can understand it. Van Ryk and I were having a desperate +tussle, and we had been driven close to the door of the shed. When I +heard the gun from the _Wasp_, our encounter was broken off, and I +thought nothing more of my antagonist for the next ten minutes. As for +Bostock, who was, I noticed, a first-rate swordsman, he had disarmed +Vander Heyden, and would, I daresay, have run him through, if the cannon +hadn't been fired at that moment. I judge both he and Van Ryk, who had +their wits well about them, made off as fast as they could to the place +where the gig had been left, when Moritz and I landed from her." + +"Ay, just at the farthest point behind the ridge, I remember," said +Margetts. "She was almost out of sight." + +"Exactly. Well, they fell in with Sullivan and one or two other +fellows, got aboard, and rowed straight off for land. I daresay they +had reached it, before their absence was discovered." + +"Very likely. What do you think they will do, then?" + +"Most likely land on some solitary spot, scuttle their boat, and make +their way into the interior. They have their carbines, and will have no +difficulty in providing themselves with food. Perhaps they will make +their way to the diamond fields, and there change their names, and make +a pot of money; or perhaps they'll take to hunting or farming, and +you'll meet them some years hence, driving bullock waggons, or taking +flocks of sheep to the market--thriving men and respectable--at least +according to their ideas of respectability; or perhaps, once more, +they'll come across a band of criminals, who have escaped from prison, +and go about robbing and murdering travellers." + +"Nothing more likely, I should say. And what will become of the +others?" + +"Well, as you suggested, half a dozen or so are safe to be hanged-- +Shirley and Andersen, for example, who were among the leaders, though +not the main movers, of the outbreak. As for the others, the captain is +mercifully disposed. You see, the whole thing (as has been proved now) +was got up by those three villains, Bostock, Van Ryk, and Sherwin, after +the ship had left Cape Town. They persuaded the new men--Shirley and +Sullivan among them--to enlist. Only three or four in the first +instance were told about Whittaker's money. They expected to find that +in his cabin, and they would then have launched one of the boats and +gone off, leaving us on the reef. When they learned, as they did from +Andersen, that it had been locked up in the captain's cabin, they told +half a dozen more about the money, and persuaded them to join in the +attack on the officers and passengers. Then they induced the rest of +the crew to believe that their only hope of escaping hanging lay in +silencing the captain and his men, and getting away from the reef. The +men have been the victims of several clever scoundrels, and I hope the +law won't be put in force too severely against them." + +An hour or two afterwards, the bar having become practicable, the +steam-tug arrived which was to convey such of the party as desired it to +the shore. But the surf dashing over the bar was still so formidable, +that it was judged necessary to secure the passengers against damage, +after the very curious fashion resorted to on such occasions. They were +sent down below, in what would have been total darkness, if it had not +been for the glimmering light of a lantern. Then the hatches were +covered over, and the passage accomplished, with an amount of shaking +and rolling which was considerably worse than a stiff gale at sea. As +Redgy afterwards described it, it was like as though they had been a lot +of marbles thrown into a bag, and then shaken up. Happily, however, it +did not last very long; and they were presently safely landed on the +quay, and free to examine the prospect before them. Land is said always +to look attractive in the eyes of those who have just accomplished a +long sea voyage, but the scene which George and his companions beheld, +when they emerged from the cabin of the steam-tug, did not need this +consideration to enhance its beauties. + +It was indeed a lovely sight which met their eyes. The streets of the +town were spacious, and built at right angles to one another,--most of +them of a dark stone, which is said to harden by exposure to the air,-- +but some of them of brick, or wattle covered with plaster; many of them +having deep verandahs, with rows of trees in front. Along the quays, +which exhibited a busy scene of cargoes in the course of landing or +shipping, a mass of vessels bearing the flags of all nations were lying; +and on either side of the town rich forests bordered the whole coast. A +little inland were seen pastures, and plantations of sugar-cane. The +monotonous appearance which this kind of landscape usually presents was +varied by high hills, and valleys here and there intervening. The +wonderful blue of both sky and sea, which only those who have beheld it +can realise to themselves, formed a glorious background to the picture. +George and Margetts, accompanied by the other passengers, made their way +to a hotel in one corner of the principal street, and partook of a +luxurious repast, which to be duly appreciated ought to be eaten by +persons who had just landed after many weeks at sea. + +This over, they had next to obtain a conveyance to Umvalosa; and for +help in providing this they applied to Mynheer Moritz, who had always +been friendly, and more especially since the memorable day of the battle +on the reef. + +"I will help you as well as I can," he said. "I wish I could ask you to +join our party, which will pass Umvalosa on our way to Vander Heyden's +place, `Bushman's Drift.' Henryk, his sister, and myself mean to ride, +and the luggage will be conveyed in his bullock waggon, which is one of +the best in Natal. But it would be no use for me to propose that." + +"None at all," assented George drily. + +"Well, I don't defend him. He might, and ought to be, more courteous to +you. But you mustn't be too hard on him. He has his good qualities. +He is brave, and honourable, and high-minded, and capable of very warm +and strong affection. He is very fond of his sister, and there is a +lady, Lisa Van Courtland, his cousin, to whom he is almost romantically +attached, and whom he is soon to marry. As for you, it is not _you_ he +dislikes, but your country, and that feeling, I am afraid, is not +peculiar to him. A great many of our people believe that they have been +hardly used by the English. You see, the whole country once belonged to +us--was our undisputed possession for more than a century. We had done +nothing to forfeit it--so we feel, because we had nothing to do with the +quarrels of the governments in Europe; which were the only grounds on +which it was taken from us. Then, when we couldn't live under English +rule, and left the Cape to settle elsewhere, giving up the homes to +which we were so long used, in order that we might live undisturbed, the +English followed us to Natal, and we were again obliged to move +elsewhere. And now, since this annexation, many of us fear that we +shall not be left alone even in the Transvaal, and may be obliged to +break up our homes for the third time, to go to some new country; where, +even then, we may not be secure from interference. Henryk is one of +those who feel this keenly, and he's apt to show his feelings rather too +plainly." + +"No doubt of that," said George, smiling. "However, I am disposed to +make all possible allowance for him under the circumstances you have +mentioned; which are, I ought to add, but very imperfectly known to me. +I suppose, as is generally the case, there are two versions of the +story." + +"Probably there are," said Mr Moritz, returning his smile, "and perhaps +it is too much to expect that you should credit my version. However, +whatever may come of it, I hope you and I will remain friends. I could +never forget the service you have rendered me, and, indeed, Annchen +also: for she tells me that she believes she is indebted to you for +saving her life on the night of the attack." + +"I don't know how that may be," said George. "I did my best to protect +her, certainly. But as you and her brother were not so close at hand as +I was, to defend her, I do not know how I could possibly have done less. +I hope we shall be allowed to take leave of her." + +"She will wish that too," said Moritz, "but I am afraid her brother will +not permit it. She has, indeed, charged me to give you her adieux, +together with her regrets that she cannot speak them in person. But now +you want my assistance in getting to your destination. Your best +course, I think, will be to make the acquaintance of a Natal farmer, +named Baylen; who, I have learned, means to set out in a few days for +Horner's Kraal, and will therefore pass very near, if he does not stop +at, Umvalosa. He is a thriving man, and knows the country well. He is +neither wholly English nor Dutch, his father having been an Englishman +and his grandfather a Hollander, but his sympathies are mainly English. +I will give you a letter to him. I would go with you to his son's +house, `Hakkluyt's Kloof,' where he now is, but time will not allow it, +as Vander Heyden sets out in a few hours." + +George thanked him, and they cordially shook hands and parted. The two +friends then walked out to Hakkluyt's Kloof, and delivered Moritz's +letter; which at once secured a hearty welcome from the old man. He was +a fine specimen of a colonial farmer, standing more than six feet high, +and strongly, if somewhat heavily built. He introduced the young men +first to his wife, a still comely matron of fifty, and his daughter +Clara, a handsome girl of twenty, then to his sons, Stephen, the eldest, +and owner of the Kloof, Walter, Wilhelm, and Ernest. They were all +stout and sturdily-built young men, though hardly equalling their +father's height or breadth of shoulder. He readily agreed to convey the +Englishmen and their baggage to Umvalosa, naming a very reasonable sum +as their passage-money. He also invited them to take up their quarters +at his farmhouse until the day of his departure came, an offer which the +two lads were thankful to accept. George then went out to look at the +waggons in which the journey was to be made--each of which, he found, +would be drawn by no less than sixteen oxen. They were in construction +not unlike an English waggon, only a good deal stronger and more solid. +They were arranged not only for the conveyance of goods, but for the +accommodation of travellers. At one end there were seats arranged on +either side, and from the roof hammocks might be suspended, in which the +females of the party might sleep; the men usually making their beds +either under the waggons, or at the farther end. Two entire days were +consumed in loading them. As George and Redgy were not to go the whole +distance, their boxes were put in last, and then one day more was passed +in careful examination of the cattle, to make sure they were all in +sound condition. On the morning of the fourth day, however, they set +out; the party consisting of the farmer, his wife and daughter and his +three sons, three native servants, a boy, and the two young Englishmen. +The first thing was to harness, or, as it is termed in that country, to +inspan the cattle. This is a curious process for a stranger to witness. +The oxen, which in a well-trained team are fully as well experienced in +the operation as their masters, are driven close up to the wheel of the +waggon, with their heads towards it. Then the waggon driver calls each +ox by its name, which it knows as well as any English dog knows his, and +the animal bends forward to allow the yoke to be put upon its neck. +Then they are arranged in a double line--eight couple, one behind the +other, a Kaffir lad, called the fore-louper, leading the way. He +brandishes in his hand a huge whip of cameleopard's hide, which he +delivers with terrific effect on the shoulders or back of the unhappy +animals, generally towards the close of the journey, when the team are +becoming weary, or, at all events, lazy. + +The farmer and one of his sons accompanied the waggon on horseback, +while the rest of the party walked by the side, or took a few hours' +siesta in the waggons. Farmer Baylen proposed to George to ride the +first part of the journey in his and his son's company, and the latter +gladly accepted the offer. He was greatly struck with the beauty of the +scenery in the neighbourhood of Durban. The journey for the first two +days lay over Cowie's Hill, which rises to a considerable height, +affording a wide prospect of the sea-coast, with its rich line of woods; +while inland, the country for a considerable distance presents a +succession of elevated ridges, extending as far as the Umkomanzi river. +The road itself was in the highest degree picturesque. It was November, +the May of the Southern Hemisphere. Every now and then the waggons +would enter upon a thick undergrowth of shrubs, ploughing their way, as +it were, through an inland sea; the fragrance and beauty of the shrubs +far exceeding anything that an English landscape presents. When a few +miles had been accomplished, the oxen were outspanned, and allowed to +graze, while the men took their mid-day meal, and afterwards smoked +their pipes, under the shelter of some fragrant shrubs. Just as they +reached the first halting-place, George discerned in the distance some +singular-looking circular erections, which, the farmer informed him, +were a native village; and finding that George was anxious to see it, +offered to ride up and make an examination of it. The offer was gladly +accepted, and after a short canter the kraal was reached. It was +situated on one of the slopes above a rapid stream, and was built after +the design usual among the Kaffirs. There were two circular enclosures, +one inside the other, the whole being protected by a strong palisade. +The outer circle is for the Kaffirs themselves, the inner one for the +cattle. As these latter constitute the wealth of the villagers, they +are careful to secure them against theft or violence, and by this +arrangement they could only be seized after all the resistance the men +could offer had been overcome. Each hut is circular in shape, and +consists of a framework, constructed of long poles, driven into the +ground, and bent towards the top, so as to meet at one point in the +centre. Similar poles are laid horizontally at intervals one above +another, and secured to the uprights by strips of fibre, so that the +whole structure resembles a huge circular crate. The portion which +forms the roof is covered with grass pegged down and secured to the +poles, something after the way in which ricks are thatched in England. +The floor usually consists of clay, when it can be found in the +neighbourhood, levelled and beaten hard. It is sometimes even polished, +by being rubbed over with a flat stone. There is a circular elevation +in the centre of the hut similarly formed, which serves as a fireplace, +but there is nothing resembling a chimney, the smoke escaping, as used +to be the case in the dwellings of the ancient Britons, through the +framework above. There is generally a door formed of wattle-work, which +can be closed in inclement weather, and sometimes a kind of screen of +similar material can be placed to windward of the fire, when the weather +is unusually severe. George was struck with the fine proportions and +intelligent faces of the men, many of them exhibiting muscular, stalwart +frames and expressive features, which a Greek sculptor might not have +disdained to copy. The women, though some of them were not ungraceful +in figure, were not nearly equal, either in personal beauty or +intelligence, to their male companions. Their features were, indeed, +altogether too flat to satisfy the European idea of beauty, a fault +which was not observable among the men. On George's remarking this +disparity of the sexes to the farmer, he answered it was no doubt caused +by the severe and incessant labour imposed upon the women, for which +nature had not designed them. + +"They are required," said he, "to perform the entire manual labour of +the kraal--all the digging, planting, and reaping, which in other lands +is performed by the men; while the men themselves sit at home, engaged +in sewing their karosses, in which they display great dexterity, and by +which they realise considerable sums. There is, however, no lack of +manhood among them. Their bravery in the chase and in war is not +inferior to that of civilised nations." + +"If ever they should learn from us how to fight," said old Baylen to +George, "and possess themselves of the Gatling gun and Martini rifle, it +would be a bad day for the whites. They outnumber us ten to one, and +are as fearless and resolute as any European race." + +"But if they are converted to Christianity," said George, "they would +hardly rise against their benefactors, would they?" + +"Ay," said the old farmer, "so many think. But to my mind that is a +rotten reed to lean on. The nations of Europe have been Christianised +many centuries ago, but that does not prevent their going to war with +one another, when they think themselves wronged, or even when they +imagine some advantage is to be gained. How mistaken the idea is, was +to be seen in Sandilli's war, only a little time ago. Some of the +chiefs, and some of their men too, who had been baptised in their +infancy, and had lived as Christians all their lives, nevertheless took +part with their heathen countrymen in the struggle with the English. +Several of the chiefs--Dukwana among others, who had been a very zealous +proselyte--hesitated for some time as to what course they should pursue, +and did not renounce their Christianity. But they took part with +Sandilli, nevertheless; and if they could have succeeded in +exterminating the whites, and regaining possession of Southern Africa, +would not have hesitated to do so." + +"That is a very serious consideration," said George. "You say they are +greatly more numerous than the whites, do you not?" + +"There is no proportion between the two," said the farmer. "Our +European population in Natal--English, Dutch, German, and all others--is +considerably under twenty thousand; the Kaffirs number not less than +three hundred and fifty thousand; and, what is more serious still, the +Zulu kingdom, which immediately adjoins ours, is governed by a native +king, the most powerful that has ever reigned in South Africa. His army +alone contains four times as many men as our whole white population, and +every man among them is a trained warrior, as fearless of wounds and +death, as any man in your English regiments." + +"How is it they do not attack you?" asked George. + +"There are several reasons," answered Baylen. "In the first place, the +native races are not at unity among themselves. They hate one another +even more bitterly than they hate the white man, and thus the English +are enabled to array one tribe against another. The Basutos and the +Fingos will help you to put down the Gaikas and the Galekas; and these, +when reduced to obedience, would very possibly aid you against the +Zulus, if you were indeed going to war with them. That is one reason. +Another is, that so far, whenever your English troops have come into +collision with the natives, they have always had the better of them, and +there is a very general idea that the English cannot be conquered. If +any one race should ever succeed in any campaign against your troops, +the consequences would be very grave indeed. Indeed, I believe that the +general opinion entertained respecting the Zulu king, and his +irresistible military power, has already done enormous mischief; and he +will have to be put down before English supremacy in South Africa can be +effectually secured. But here we are back again, and it is time to +resume our journey." + +About nightfall they reached their halting-place, a small village about +ten miles distant from Durban, where they obtained a supply of fresh +milk and mealies, resuming their journey on the following day. + +For several hours they proceeded without any unusual occurrence; but +about noon Matamo, as the principal driver was called, came up to Mr +Baylen and exchanged a few words with him, pointing in the direction of +a small knoll, which lay at a distance of a few hundred yards. The +farmer, who had been on the point of dismounting, put his horse in +motion, and rode in company with the driver to the spot indicated. He +returned in a few minutes, and ordered the cattle to be outspanned and +carefully secured inside a small thicket which lay close at hand. + +"Have you ever seen one of our South African storms?" he asked of +George, when he had finished these preparations. + +"No," was the answer. "But surely you cannot apprehend a storm now, Mr +Baylen! It is one of the most calm and beautiful days I ever remember +to have witnessed." + +"Ay, I daresay you think so," returned the farmer. "But nevertheless we +are going to have it sharp and strong, as the saying is, and that within +a quarter of an hour. The suddenness with which storms come on, and +pass away again, is one of the peculiar features of Southern Africa. +You had better get inside the waggon, and that without loss of time. +The women have been wise enough to take shelter already." + +While the farmer was speaking, he had been engaged in carefully securing +his horse by a strong rheim, and then, climbing up after Redgy and +George into the waggon, drew down and fastened the curtain in front. +While this conversation was going on, the air had perceptibly darkened, +and there came a rush of cold wind from the north, the precursor +apparently of the hurricane. Then the storm broke out with a suddenness +and violence which fairly took George's breath away. The wind swept +down with such force that, but for the shelter of the trees, neither man +nor horse could have stood against it. The air grew so dark that they +could hardly discern each other's faces; and the hail, or rather the +blocks of ice, poured down from the skies, beating against the covering +of the cart with such violence, that George expected every moment to see +it driven in. Presently the hail ceased and a deluge of rain followed. +The men had been careful to place the waggon on a piece of ground which +was slightly raised above the rest. But for this the water would have +risen almost to the level of the floor of the waggon; and the ground on +both sides of them was soon converted into a small river, which poured +along with the fury of a mountain torrent, sweeping away shrubs and +small trees, and even large stones, as though they had been so many +straws. It was two hours good before the storm was over. Then the +clouds dispersed, the sun came out again, and no other trace of the fury +of the elements was left, but what was supplied by the uprooted shrubs +and the streams of water which continued to pour along with unabated +force. + +"We shan't be able to proceed any farther to-day," remarked the farmer. +"The ground will be too soft to travel upon for ten or twelve hours, +even under this hot sun. We must make ourselves as comfortable as we +can for the night." + +The necessary arrangements were accordingly made. The horses were +hobbled, and turned out to graze. A fire was lighted, at which supper +was cooked; and after the meal the males of the party sat down to smoke +their pipes by it, for the night air after the rain was chilly. Mrs +Baylen and Clara retired to rest in their waggon. + +"I should like to hear the history of your life in South Africa," said +George, as he threw another log on the fire. "I think you said you came +into these parts when you were quite a lad, and that, I judge, cannot be +less than fifty years ago. You must remember a great many changes, and +probably have gone through some strange adventures. If you don't feel +disposed for sleep just yet, I wish you would give us the benefit of +your experiences. Redgy and I would be greatly interested to hear +them." + +"Father won't object to that," said Wilhelm with a smile. "Nothing +pleases him better than to tell us stories about his young days." + +"And they're worth hearing too," added Ernest. "I suppose I've heard +most of 'em more than once, but I always like to hear them again. I +only wish Clarchen were with us. She enjoys them even more than I do." + +CHAPTER SEVEN. + +"Well, Mr Rivers," began Farmer Baylen, "I don't know why I shouldn't +gratify your fancy. It is certain that I and mine have been a long time +in the colony, and know pretty well all that has happened in it during +this century. And what has happened there during this century is pretty +nearly all the history it has. Between the time when my mother's +ancestors first settled at the Cape, and the time when the English +captured it, it can hardly be said to have had any history at all." + +"It was a period of a hundred and fifty years, though, wasn't it?" +suggested George. + +"Yes, but one day was just like another day, and one year like another +year, and one generation like another generation all that time. The +Dutch occupied the land, and made the natives work for them; and when +more land was wanted, they took more land, and enslaved more natives. +So they went on, spreading farther into the country, until the English +came. + +"My father--I believe his name was Andrew Bailey--was a ship's carpenter +on board one of the line-of-battle ships in Sir Home Popham's fleet. +There was very little resistance offered to the English. It was +generally believed that when the European wars came to an end the colony +would be restored to Holland, as it had been before. Consequently the +Dutch regarded the English as visitors, rather than masters. + +"A good many men got their discharge after the fighting was over, and +among them my father. He liked the country, and found plenty of +employment, and higher wages than he could get at home. He was a +skilled workman, particularly clever at house-building. An English +settler wanted a house built at Stellenbosch, and my father undertook +the job. He lodged, while employed in the work, in the house of a Dutch +farmer named Van Schuylen, and there he soon became very intimate. The +farmer was a kind and hospitable old man, as the old Hollanders for the +most part were." + +"Kind to the whites, that is," interpolated Redgy. + +"Ay, Mr Margetts, I understand what you mean, and I am afraid there is +too much truth in it. There is a prejudice against `black blood,' +which, with all the years that I've lived in this land, I cannot +understand. `Black blood!' the very words to me seem to be a denial of +what the Bible says, that `God has made of _one_ blood all the nations +of the earth.' Yes, you are right about Farmer Van Schuylen. He'd make +no more of putting a native to do the most unwholesome work, that might +kill him outright, than he would of pitching a stone into a pond. And +if they were fractious or lazy, he'd stand by and see them flogged with +the jamboks--the rhinoceros whips, that is--till their backs were cut to +ribbons. But my father was a free man and an Englishman, and Van +Schuylen had none but friendly words for him. + +"Well, as I've said, my father became intimate with his family, and by +and by fell in love with Rose, the only daughter, and she with him. The +old man did not object, but Cornelius Van Schuylen, her brother, did not +like the match. He was an out-and-out Hollander. He thought the +English had no business in the colony. They were interlopers, he said, +and jeered at our ways. He and my father had had some high words, I +fancy, about the natives, very soon after they came to Stellenbosch. +But Rose, though she was very fond of her brother, took my father's +part. He was a handsome and well-made man of five-and-twenty, and she +would have had him, I believe, even if her father had objected. +Fortunately Cornelius lived ten or twelve miles away. I say +fortunately, for there certainly would have been a hot quarrel between +him and his brother-in-law, if he had had any share in the business. My +father became a great favourite with the old man, and in a few years +nearly the whole management of the farm was left to his son-in-law, who +persisted in showing favour to the blacks. He wouldn't overwork them, +and wouldn't allow them to be flogged. What was worse, he allowed them +to attend the church services, and to have their children baptised." + +"That was no offence, I suppose, sir," said Redgy. + +"On the contrary, it was one of the greatest he could commit," said +Baylen. "By the Dutch law, all baptised Christians were free. +Therefore baptising a native was the same thing as setting him free, and +the presence of free blacks in the colony was what they could not +endure. There had been differences with the English authorities on this +subject; but little had come of them, because the English were only +holding the colony for a time. Two or three years after my father's +marriage, however, there came the downfall of Napoleon, and a general +peace. To the surprise and indignation of the Dutch, the colony was not +restored to Holland, but given permanently over to the English." + +"Well," said George, "I must say they had some right to complain of +that. I heard what Moritz said about it, and I couldn't help agreeing +with him." + +"I think the English would have acted more wisely if they had retained +simply a naval station, with a fort or two to guard it," said the +farmer. "Well, when it was seen that the occupation of the English was +to be permanent, and that the English discouraged slavery, and allowed +the baptism of the natives, there was great discontent, which +occasionally broke out into rebellion. Cornelius was among those who +were hottest against the English. It was with the greatest difficulty +he was kept from joining the rebels. But his father sent for him, and +threatened him with his curse if he did, and the Dutch mind what their +fathers say, more than any people I know. In 1834, however, when the +English Government made a proclamation absolutely forbidding slavery, he +could bear it no longer." + +"1834," repeated George. "That was the year, was not it, when they put +down slavery in the West Indies?" + +"Yes, and it lowered the value of the property there as well as here. I +don't say the English Government oughtn't to have done it. Slavery is +wrong, beginning, middle, and end, in my eyes. But it might have been +done gradually, instead of all at once. Any way, the Dutch wouldn't +have it, and they resolved to leave the country rather than submit. +Great numbers emigrated: some northwards, into what is now the Orange +Free State, and the Transvaal, but more into Natal. Cornelius was one +of those who removed to Natal, and my father went there too. He didn't +want to go, but my mother had been always so attached to Cornelius, that +he saw it would break her heart if they were parted. So, like a good +husband, he went too." + +"Wasn't it rather rash, sir?" suggested George. "Why, to say nothing of +the loss of money, Natal must be a good seven hundred miles from +Stellenbosch, and it was at that time quite a new country." + +"It is more than eight hundred, I believe, for the matter of that, and +there were very few whites in it; but the state of things wasn't so bad +as you suppose. In the first place, my father took his time in selling +his land. As he wasn't a Dutchman, people knew that he wasn't one of +those who were mad to go, and would take anything that was offered for +it. He got a very good price for it. Then, again, he knew a great deal +about Natal. Lieutenant Farewell, who had obtained a large grant of +land from King Chaka, came to Stellenbosch, and made large offers to the +farmers there. My father closed with him, and got a large farm, and +very good land, where my son is now living, for very little money." + +"Who was Lieutenant Farewell?" asked Margetts. + +"I believe he was an English officer, who had been sent to survey the +country, and had a fancy for founding a colony at Natal. He had been +murdered by the natives before we went there; but my father had got all +his information from him the previous year. Then, again, his move to +Natal was well managed. His farm lay on the south side of Stellenbosch, +only a short distance from Simon's Bay. A large vessel was lent him by +one of his friends, which took him and his family, his waggons, his +household furniture, and such of his stock as he wished to take with +him, to Natal, at a small cost, and in a few days." + +"Your father knew what he was about, Mr Baylen." + +"I think he did, sir. I remember well our arrival at Hakkluyt's Kloof. +We lived in the waggons till he and his men had run up the house and +farm buildings. We soon found we had made a very good bargain." + +"That was in King Chaka's time, wasn't it, father?" asked Walter Baylen. + +"No, Walter. It was Chaka who granted the land, or rather, leave to +settle on the land, to Lieutenant Farewell. But he had been dead a year +or two, and his brother Dingaan was king when we arrived there." + +"I have heard a good deal about Chaka," observed Margetts, "and I should +like to hear more. I suppose you know all about him, Mr Baylen?" + +"More than I can tell you to-night, sir," answered the farmer with a +smile. "You shall hear all about it another time if you like it. But +it's getting late. We must go to sleep now, as we shall be stirring +early to-morrow." + +At daybreak the journey was resumed. The ground was still soft from the +heavy rain in some places, but a few hours' hot sun dried it. The air +was fresh and balmy. It was with a sense of exhilaration that George +and Redgy mounted their horses, and scented the fresh morning air. +Nothing could be more delicious than their journey in the early hours of +the day. Aromatic shrubs, graceful sugar bushes, delicate heaths, +wild-flowers of every imaginable colour, such as in England would be +accounted the rare beauties of the conservatory, grew in profusion on +either side of the track they followed. The air was rich with a +thousand fragrant scents. In the middle distance, Kaffir hovels or +white-gabled farmhouses occasionally presented themselves, each +surrounded by orange or palm groves; and the white-peaked mountains, set +in their frame of the richest blue, formed a perfect background to the +lovely picture. + +Notwithstanding the heat, several casualties occurred, in consequence of +the recent rains. Sometimes they descended into dongas, where the sun's +rays had not penetrated, and there the wheels would sink several inches +into the ground, and it needed all the strength of the party to +extricate them. Levers had to be applied on both sides, and the unlucky +oxen were lashed with rhinoceros whips, until they presented a pitiable +spectacle. On one occasion, as they were passing along a gully between +two steep rocky banks, they came upon another ox-waggon journeying in +the opposite direction. There was not room to pass by two or three +feet. At first it seemed as if there was no mode of overcoming the +difficulty, except by taking one waggon to pieces. But at this juncture +they were met by a man, who came up riding a stout Cape horse, and who +seemed to be well known to the farmer and his sons. + +"Ah, Hardy," exclaimed Baylen, "you have come just in time to help us! +We've neglected to keep a bright look-out, and have got into this mess." + +The newcomer dismounted, and, joining the rest of the party, made a +careful examination of the banks on both sides of the pathway. +Presently Hardy's voice was heard. + +"Here you are!" he cried. "Here, Baylen, Matamo, here's a soft place in +the bank which we can dig out, and it will be deep enough to hold the +waggon. Bring the picks and spades here." + +All the party, more than a dozen in number, went to work with a will, +and presently a hollow place of three or four feet deep was dug out, +into which Baylen's waggon was drawn, just sufficient room being +obtained in this manner to allow the other waggon to go by. This +_contretemps_ caused a delay of several hours, and instead of +outspanning on the bank of the Mooi river, as they had intended, they +were obliged to stop some miles short of it. + +It was not a bad place, though, for a halt. The oxen were outspanned, +and turned out to graze on the veldt, care being taken to prevent their +straying. The fires were lighted and supper for nine got ready, Hardy +having agreed to join the party. + +As they sat down, George took a good view of the newcomer. He was a +strong, weather-beaten fellow, not much short of fifty, but still in the +full vigour of life, with a face expressing sense and resolution. He +had a good deal of the soldier in his appearance and demeanour; and +George learned from Ernest Baylen that he had served in India, and under +Lord Napier and Sir Garnet Wolseley. He had settled in South Africa as +a land-surveyor and architect, though he combined some farming with it. +He was a friend and frequent visitor of the Baylens, who were evidently +pleased at his arrival. As soon as the supper was finished, and the +pipes lighted, Margetts asked the farmer to give him the promised +account of King Chaka. + +"I want to learn all I can about him," he said; "I have heard some +strange stories of him." + +"I don't know what the stories may have been, Mr Margetts," rejoined +Baylen, "but certainly enough might be told about him to startle any +one. He was the first person who brought the Zulus into notice. I +don't know whose son he was, or who was king before him; nobody does +seem to know. But it was about the year 1820 that he first began to +attract attention. The Zulus had been an insignificant tribe before +that. But soon after the beginning of his reign, he set about forming a +large army, which he developed and disciplined in a manner that had been +quite unknown to African chiefs before his time. There is a strange +story as to what put this fancy into his head. If I don't mistake, +Hardy, it was you who told it to me." + +"Very likely," said Hardy. "I know what I heard from some French +soldiers in India. They had been in Africa, and had known Chaka." + +"What was it, Mr Hardy, if I might ask?" inquired Margetts. + +"Why, these men told me they had been the servants of some French +officers, who, after the close of Napoleon's wars, travelled in South +Africa, and became King Chaka's guests. Chaka was fond of inquiring +about what had happened in Europe. One of the officers told him a good +deal about the Emperor Napoleon--his splendid army, the vast number of +men he had collected under his standard, the perfect discipline to which +he had reduced them, and their unbounded devotion to his service. By +their help, Napoleon had conquered nation after nation, until nearly the +whole of Europe had been subjected by him. `That was something like a +king,' Chaka had remarked, and from that day he began forming his famous +army." + +"Well, I can believe that," observed Baylen, "because his action +corresponded very accurately to it. He got together a force of nearly a +hundred thousand men, of whom fifteen thousand were always at his +immediate command. He subjected his soldiers to severe and continual +discipline. He built large barracks, in which they lived quite by +themselves, not being allowed to marry until they were elderly men. The +least hesitation in obeying his orders was instantly punished by the +most cruel of all deaths, impalement. With this army he attacked and +conquered his neighbours in all directions, until he became an object of +universal terror." + +"A black Napoleon, in fact," returned Redgy,--"what he wanted to be." + +"He was curiously like him," remarked Baylen, "allowing for the +differences of race. I have heard that Napoleon never spared any +soldier who showed want of courage in carrying out an order. That was +Chaka's policy certainly, though he pursued it after a somewhat +different fashion. After one of his campaigns, he would assemble his +soldiers, and cause every regiment to pass before him. As it halted in +front of his seat, he would call out, `Bring out the cowards,' and any +man who had not been as forward as the others was straightway dragged +out and killed. The shrub, under which he usually sat in this manner to +review his soldiers, was known as the `coward's bush.'" + +"Didn't he overrun Natal, father?" asked Wilhelm Baylen. + +"Yes, and made it a desert for the time. Before his invasion it was +densely populated, and in a most thriving condition. But the carnage +caused by his troops was so great, that the population was reduced, I +believe, to a few hundreds. That was one reason, probably, why he was +willing for the English to settle there." + +"But he was dead before you arrived in Natal, wasn't he?" asked Ernest. + +"Yes. I told you he had been dead some years, and his brother Dingaan +was on the throne. Dingaan, who was quite as bloody, and even more +treacherous than Chaka, caused him to be assassinated while he was +sitting in his kraal, and then was made king in his place. But Dingaan +was not his brother's equal in ability or force of character, and he +lost a great deal of the power which Chaka had acquired." + +"Did you ever come into contact with him, sir?" asked Wilhelm. + +"He never sent his soldiers to attack us, but he was continually +threatening us with his displeasure, and making demands, which we were +obliged to comply with as well as we could. A Zulu Impi would have been +no joke to encounter. We must have all fled for our lives, and our +houses would have been burnt and our cattle driven off at the least." + +"How long did he reign?" asked Redgy. + +"About twelve years. In the year 1836 the discontent of the Boers at +Cape Town grew so great, that they too moved off to Natal--some five or +six thousand of them. That, of course, made a great difference to our +position. We could only have mustered a few hundreds to oppose Dingaan, +if we had gone to war with him. But now it would be a few thousands." + +"And men who knew how to fight the Zulus, too," remarked Walter. + +"Yes. Dingaan found that out in 1837, when a war broke out between him +and the Boers. Then the Zulus suffered for the first time a disastrous +defeat. They rushed upon the Boers with their assegays, but the moment +they came within range they were shot down like a flight of birds. They +hardly got within hurling distance, and the stout leathern doublets of +the Dutch repelled such assegays as did reach them. Not a single man, I +believe, was so much as wounded. But it was an unfortunate victory in +some ways. It caused Dingaan, instead of using force, to resort to +treachery--treachery which was very nearly being the death of me, though +in the end things turned out well." + +"Ah, now you are going to tell us the story of how you first got +acquainted with mother," said Wilhelm, laughing. + +"Well, I daresay it will interest Mr Rivers to hear it," said Baylen. +"But, to be sure, it is a shocking history. It happened forty years +ago, or one couldn't speak so coolly of it. + +"I daresay, Mr Rivers, you have heard of Peter Retieff--any way you +have, Hardy--the man, I mean, who founded Maritzburg. I knew him well. +He was a brave, honest, kindly man--kindly even to the natives, which is +not a common feature in a Dutchman's character. There was a treaty with +Dingaan which obliged us to send back to him all the natives, who had +fled into Natal from his tyranny. There were great numbers that did +this; and all who were so returned were instantly put to death with most +barbarous cruelty. Peter Retieff would not consent to carry this out, +and paid a visit to Dingaan, to try to get him to cede Natal to the +Dutch as an independent kingdom. He knew the danger of such an attempt; +but he was a brave man, and trusted to the justice of his cause. He +invited several of his neighbours to take part in his mission. Among +others, my father and myself agreed to go. I was a lad between +seventeen and eighteen at the time. + +"We were received with unexpected civility, and my father and myself +lodged at the house of Emilius Scheren, a Dutch missionary, whom Dingaan +allowed to live at his kraal, but over whom he kept a very jealous +watch--regarding him half as a spy on his actions, and half as a hostage +for the good behaviour of his countrymen. He was a widower with one +little girl, about twelve years old, named Wilhelmine. Mr Scheren told +me some terrible stories of Dingaan's cruelty and rapacity. He had +himself, he said, long been anxious to escape from the country. But he +was most closely watched, and were he to attempt flight, would most +certainly be caught and put to death. He would not mind it so much if +it were not for his motherless little girl." + +"`No one would hurt her surely,' my father said. + +"`Dingaan would hurt any one,' Mr Scheren answered. But he was more +afraid of his kindness than his cruelty. He feared that Wilhelmine's +beauty had attracted Dingaan's notice, and before long he would insist +on having her for one of his wives. + +"`Why, she cannot be thirteen years old,' my father observed. + +"`No, she is little more than twelve. But they marry young in this +country, and in another year or so she will be thought old enough.' + +"We comforted Mr Scheren as well as we could, promising him Dutch +protection, if Retieff succeeded in his design. The next day we had our +interview with Dingaan. He was extremely friendly, and complained of +nothing but the theft of his cattle. `If these were restored,' he said, +`he would be willing to leave the Dutch settlers in possession of Natal, +provided they did not interfere with him. But if they stole his cattle, +and would not restore them, it was impossible for him to regard them as +friends.' + +"This sounded reasonable enough, and good Peter Retieff was quite taken +in by it. He agreed to recover the cattle, and we all went off with +him, nearly two hundred in number, and soon succeeded in tracing the +oxen, and obliging those who had stolen them to give them up. We +returned in a kind of triumphal procession, driving the cattle before +us. We were received with the greatest friendliness; all Retieff's +demands were conceded, and we were invited to a royal feast, to be given +on the following day to the king's Dutch allies." + +"I think I have heard what was the issue of that feast," remarked +George. "But I had thought that all who attended it."--He paused. + +"That all had been murdered, I suppose," supplemented Baylen. "You +heard right: all who attended that horrible feast _were_ murdered. But +I and my father did not go. We were just setting out when Mr Scheren +stopped us. He told us that throughout he had suspected treachery was +intended. But half an hour ago one of his converts had warned him that +all the white men would be shot or stabbed. He had returned in all +haste; but it was too late to warn Retieff and his friends, who were +already in the royal kraal. All he could do was to save us. To +convince us of the truth of his story, he pointed out to us a large +force of armed Zulus, creeping stealthily up and surrounding the kraal. +There was nothing to be done but to escape. We went into his stable,-- +where most fortunately we had kept our horses, instead of the place +provided by the king for Retieff's train,--saddling and mounting with +all possible expedition. We rode off without a moment's pause, but had +not cleared the village, when we heard yells and screams which made our +blood run cold." + +"None of Retieff's party escaped, did they?" asked Hardy. + +"Not one, unless you count my father and myself, and we had the +narrowest of narrow escapes. We were seen by an Induna, who was late in +attending the feast, and he instantly told Dingaan. He at once sent +half a dozen of his fleetest men after us. They were on foot, and our +horses, though cumbered with two riders, at first left them a long way +behind. But the Zulus are wonderfully swift of foot, and their powers +of endurance are still more surprising. When we reached the Tugela, +they were not a hundred yards behind us. The river was not high, but it +was with the greatest difficulty that our jaded horses could cross it. +The Zulus came up before we had reached the bank, and hurled their +weapons at us. One of the assegays struck Mr Scheren, who was sitting +behind my father, and he fell dead into the river. Another grazed my +horse's flank, while a third stuck in the saddle, nailing Wilhelmine's +gown to it. Fortunately for us, Dingaan's order forbade any Zulu to +pass into Natal, for we could have gone no farther, and could have +offered no effectual resistance." + +CHAPTER EIGHT. + +"What is to be our next halting-place?" asked George of Ernest Baylen, +as they rode out in the rear of the party on the following morning, +having waited behind to see that none of the articles removed from the +waggons on the previous day had been forgotten. "We have a long day's +journey before us, I expect." + +"We shall stop at Colenso," replied Ernest, "rather a neat little town, +and growing fast in size and importance. It stands near the Little +Tugela. After that our next halting-places will be Helpmakaar, then +Dundee, and lastly Newcastle. We might go farther to-day, but I expect +we shall have some trouble in passing the Mooi. It is a good deal +swollen by the heavy rain and the overflow of the Tugela. The flood, as +yet, has fallen but very little." + +He pointed as he spoke to the river, which lay at the distance of a mile +or two. George drew his rein for a moment, quite entranced by the +varied features of the landscape before him. There was a stretch of +green veldt, reaching almost from the point where they had bivouacked to +the river's banks, which were densely fringed with mimosas and +willow-trees, through which its waters glanced, here and there, bright +in the sunshine. To the right and left the ground was broken into +declivities, clothed in many places with brushwood, in others presenting +picturesque outlines of rock and shrub, while in the far distance +towered the range of the Drakenbergs, the grandest mountains of Southern +Africa. + +"What are those dark objects I see floating about in the water?" +inquired George, pointing with his whip to a broad bend in the river, +which for some distance in both directions was free from wood on either +side. + +"Sea-cows! what you call hippopotamuses, I declare!" cried Ernest in +some surprise. "They are not often to be seen in the Mooi; but I +suppose they have come down from the Tugela. Yes, they are +hippopotamuses; I can see them clearly now. If we can spare the time, +we may have a hippopotamus hunt; there are few things that are better +fun. It requires caution, though, or there may be an ugly accident." + +"What, from an attack of the animals?" suggested George. "I should have +thought they were too large and unwieldy for there to be any danger from +them." + +"Ah, but there is. The banks of the river are for the most part covered +very thickly with reeds or rushes, among which these creatures are +accustomed to lie. When they think that an enemy is at hand, they will +rush out suddenly from their covert, and their weight is so great that a +blow from them would probably be fatal. Matamo here had a narrow escape +from one of them once, which I daresay he will relate to you, if you +like to hear it. He speaks very good English, better than you would +expect; and there is nothing that he likes better than relating his +adventures, which sometimes border on the marvellous. Shall I call +him?" + +"By all means," said George. "He is there, riding on your father's left +hand." + +The Bechuana was accordingly summoned, and he at once expressed his +readiness to gratify George's curiosity. + +"A scrimmage with a sea-cow?" he said. "Oh yes, I remember it. It was +when I was a boy. I went out fishing, and I had no gun, only an assegay +with me. I caught lots of fish, but by and by I was tired, and went to +sleep on the long grass. Presently I was woke up by a great noise close +to me, and I saw a big sea-cow coming out of the river with his mouth +wide open. I thought perhaps he was going to eat the fish, or perhaps +he was going to eat me. I jumped up and ran off, and the sea-cow ran +after me. I was in such a fright that I didn't see where I was running +to, until I found I had got into a swamp, and was sinking in it. These +swamps are sometimes ever so deep, and there is nothing to hold to, to +keep you from going down. The more you struggle, the faster you go +down. I was already up to my ankles, and should soon have been up to my +knees, when I heard the sea-cow flounder in after me. _He_ couldn't +stop himself either. He was heavier than I was, and went down faster. +I caught him by his great big ear and scrambled on to his back. He +grunted, but he couldn't help it. Then I stood on his head, gave a +great jump, and just reached the bank. He grunted louder than before, +and went down into the swamp. Ho, ho, ho!--I dessay he is still going +down, and hasn't got to the bottom yet." + +"But I suppose," said George, after bestowing due praise on Matamo's +story, "there is no real danger if care is taken." + +"No, sir, no danger if you take care. There are some fine sea-cows +there. Your father sees them too, Mr Ernest." + +Mr Baylen now rode up and asked George whether he and his friend would +like to take part in a hippopotamus hunt. George expressed his +obligations, and presently the necessary preparations were made. All +the party dismounted, leaving their horses in charge of the +waggon-drivers, and took their rifles, which they carefully loaded. +Then they separated into two companies. One of these mounted to the top +of a rocky ledge covered with creepers, among which they carefully +concealed themselves; while the other, consisting of Ernest, George, and +one or two followers, crept stealthily through the long weeds and grass, +until they had reached a point beyond that at which the animals were +lying. Some of these were basking in the sun, some standing in the +water with their heads above it; others were half concealed by the long +rushes, which grew thickly on the bank. + +"She will be our best mark," whispered Ernest, as he pointed to a huge +female, whose carcase was half in, half out, of the river. "It will be +very difficult, as she is lying now, to kill her on the spot. But as +soon as she feels the shot, she will probably rush away into the reeds +or into the water. In either case my father and Matamo, not to speak of +the others, will get a good aim at her as she rises up, and will be +pretty safe to kill her. Any way, you will get your shot at her, and +mind you aim at her ear or her eyes." + +George promised acquiescence, and he and Ernest gradually crept nearer, +until they were within tolerably easy distance. Then George fired, but +apparently did not greatly injure the beast. The whole herd sprang up +with loud snortings, and those lying on the edge of the stream plunged +into it. The female whom George had wounded rushed away under cover of +the rocky ledge, which at that part bordered the stream, encountering, +as Ernest had anticipated, the fire of the party stationed above, and +the farmer's ball finished the business. The animal fell dead almost +immediately at the foot of the rock, and Redgy and the others crowded to +the edge to get a sight of the huge carcase. The farmer calmly +reloaded, and it was well that he did so; for almost immediately +afterwards there came a rushing noise from the bank above, and he caught +sight of a huge male hippopotamus rushing down upon them. It was in all +likelihood the mate of the female that had just been killed, and he was +charging down to avenge its slaughter. With the instinctive readiness +which long habit had produced, Baylen raised his rifle and fired. The +bullet was happily aimed. It pierced the heart of the monster, and was +instantly fatal. The muscular force carried it on for a few yards, and +it fell dead only just short of the spot where the party was standing. +Another moment or two, and its blind fury would have carried it and them +over the edge of the precipice, on to the rocky ledge beneath. + +"A near thing that!" exclaimed old Baylen coolly. "Lads, you should be +always on the look-out for this kind of thing in hippopotamus-hunting. +You are never safe from a charge." + +This exciting adventure would naturally have been the topic of a good +deal of discussion; but so much of the morning had now passed, that the +farmer told them they had no time to bestow on talking. Prime pieces +were cut off from both the slain beasts, and put into the cart, Matamo +assuring George that they would be regarded by their friends at Colenso +as rare delicacies. The whole party then returned to the waggons, and +prepared to cross the river; which, in its present swollen condition, it +would be no easy matter to accomplish. The quantity of sand brought +down by the flood, it should be remarked, presented a more serious +difficulty than the depth of the stream, and all the more so because the +extremely turbid state of the water made it impossible to see what the +depth of the sand was. + +The farmer and his sons, aided by Matamo and the other servants, +undertook the convoy of the larger waggon first, arguing that if that +could be got across without difficulty, the smaller and slighter one in +which Mrs Baylen and Clara were located would follow easily enough. +Both spans of oxen were fastened to it, one in front of the other; it +was hoped that the line of oxen would thus become so long that the +foremost ox would reach the opposite bank before the hindmost yoke had +entered it. But the river was so greatly swollen that this could not be +accomplished. Matamo had to cross, with a long rope tied to the front +bullock's horns, and thus guided the team, nearly all of which were +swimming, to the bank. Then with great difficulty the oxen struggled up +the opposite shore, and the big waggon was safely landed, though its +contents had been completely wetted through. + +Men and oxen now returned across the river to undertake the transport of +the second waggon. But here a terrible misfortune took place. Just as +they were approaching the water, the disselboom broke in half, and +rendered the waggon quite unmanageable. Until this disaster was +remedied, it became impossible for the oxen to draw; and, as they had +not the means of mending the breakage on the spot, the waggon must +necessarily remain there all night, until the damage could be repaired +by workmen from Colenso. Mrs Baylen and her daughter had the option of +either remaining on the bank of the river all night, or being conveyed +across the river on horseback. They chose the latter; and the two young +Englishmen, riding up, volunteered their services. They placed the +ladies in their saddles and swam by their sides, drawing their horses +after them. After this fashion Mrs Baylen and Clara reached the bank, +though almost as completely soaked through as their cavaliers. A +consultation was now held. It was proposed to procure a change of +clothes for the ladies; but it appeared that all their wardrobe was in a +smaller waggon; and even if they could have allowed the young men a +second time to encounter the stream on their account, it would have been +next to impossible to bring the clothes across in a dry condition. It +was presently agreed that the best course would be for the four who had +been soaked through to ride straight into Colenso, with Matamo as their +guide, and there procure a change of clothes, while the large waggon +followed at a slower pace. The riders accordingly set off, and arrived +in due time at the Swedish pastor's house. + +Mr Bilderjik and his wife, who were old friends of the Baylens, and +were in expectation of their arrival, were in readiness to receive them. +The ladies and the young men were soon supplied with dry clothes. +Carpenters were despatched to the banks of the Mooi to repair the damage +done to the waggon, and a message sent up to the hotel in the main +street of Colenso to provide beds for Hardy, George, and Redgy, for whom +the house of the Swedish pastor could not supply sufficient +accommodation. + +A few hours afterwards Farmer Baylen arrived with the larger waggon, and +he and his sons, as well as Hardy, who was also an old acquaintance, +were hospitably welcomed. In an hour or two after their arrival, the +whole party sat down to a comfortable repast, at which, as Matamo had +before assured George would be the case, the hippopotamus steaks formed +the chief delicacy. + +There was nevertheless, independently of these, a very appetising meal +provided. Sago soup was served up, fish from the Little Tugela river, +which ran close to the town; fowls, and pancakes, as well as abundance +of ripe fruits,--loquots, oranges, peaches, bananas, and nectarines--all +of them from the missionary's garden,--which could only be tasted in +their perfection in the climates of which they are the natives. + +All the party appeared to be contented with their quarters, except the +indefatigable Matamo, who insisted on returning to the Mooi, where he +said his presence would be needed to look after the workpeople who had +been sent to execute the repairs, and who, as he affirmed, were never to +be trusted. As soon as he had finished his dinner, he mounted his horse +and rode off. + +"You have a valuable servant in that Kaffir," remarked George. "It +would not be easy to find his match, even in England." + +"Are you speaking of Matamo?" said Mr Baylen. "Yes, he is a good +servant--good at farm labour, and better at hunting; but he is not a +Kaffir, nor a Hottentot either, but a Bechuana, though a very +dark-skinned one. You haven't been long enough in the country to be +aware of the difference, but we old residents see it easily enough." + +"A Bechuana!" said George. "I think I know where their country is--on +the other side of the Transvaal, isn't it, three or four hundred miles +away from here? What brought him into these parts?" + +"Well, I brought him," was the answer. "I brought him to Natal about +five-and-thirty years ago." + +"Five-and-thirty years!" remarked Margetts. "He couldn't have been very +old then." + +"No; he was an infant," said the farmer. "I was a young fellow of four +or five-and-twenty myself, and we hadn't been so very long settled in +Natal ourselves. My mother, who had been brought up a Presbyterian, +though she conformed to her husband's form of belief, had once heard +David Livingstone preach, and had been so impressed by him that she had +never forgotten it. After my father's death she fell into low spirits, +and there was no one near about us who could give her any comfort. +Nothing would satisfy her but that Mr Livingstone must come and see +her. We tried to pacify her by telling her that Mr Livingstone, who +was a great traveller, would some day come our way. You have heard of +him, I suppose, gentlemen?" + +"All the world has heard of him," remarked Rivers. "I should think +there is hardly an Englishman but knows his history." + +"I am not surprised to hear it. But he was a young man at the time I +speak of, and was but little known. My mother, however, was bent on +seeing him. She had heard that he was living at Barolong, and she was +sure that he would come to visit her, and she would die if he didn't. +At last I saw there was no help for it; I must travel across the +country, and find Mr Livingstone out." + +"And you went?" inquired George, as he paused. + +"Yes, I went; and a terrible journey I had; and after all I couldn't +find the gentleman. He had gone up the country, and it was impossible +to say, they told me, when he would come back. But that has nothing to +do with Matamo; and my story was to be about him. Well, I took a good +stout horse, and rode through what is now called the Orange Free State. +It was almost wild in those days. Native tribes were living here and +there, with whom I sometimes got a lodging; though, to be sure, their +kraals were not the pleasantest places in the world, even to me. Once +or twice I came across the house of a Dutchman, who had emigrated +thither from the Cape." + +"I don't expect you got much of a welcome from them," remarked Hardy. + +"As an Englishman, I did not expect that I should," said the farmer. +"But you see my grandfather, old Fieter Van Schuylen, had been a leading +man among the Dutch, and so was my brother-in-law, Cornelius. I had +only to mention their names, and they were ready to do anything for me. +I got on well enough until I was within a day or two's ride of the +village where Mr Livingstone was believed to be living; but there a +misfortune befell me. My horse, which had carried me well up to that +time,--indeed, was as quiet a beast as ever I remember to have ridden,-- +suddenly reared and plunged violently, and very nearly threw me. I got +off and tried to quiet him; but he continued to struggle, and would not +let me remount." + +"He had been bitten, I expect," remarked Hardy. + +"That is my opinion too; indeed, there was a swelling on his fore-leg, +which looked very like the bite of a snake. But I was not sure even of +that, and had no remedy at hand, even if I had known how to apply it. I +soon saw that, whatever had been the cause of his illness, there was +little or no hope of his recovery. His restlessness soon gave way to a +kind of dull stupor. He presently lay down, stretched out his limbs, +stark and rigid, and was dead in less than two hours from the time when +he had been bitten. + +"I was quite at a loss what to do. There were no trees near at hand +into which I might have climbed and slept in safety. I did not know +what wild animals there might be about. Remember this was +five-and-thirty years ago, before the settlers had driven the lions and +rhinoceroses away. The country consisted of long undulating downs, +covered with tall grass, which might shelter any number of poisonous +snakes; and a bite from any one of them could hardly help being fatal, +seeing how far I was from any place where a remedy could be applied. So +I resolved to keep on. The darkness was rapidly gathering, and the moon +wouldn't rise, I knew, for several hours. But there was just enough of +a glimmer in the sky to enable me to distinguish the track. So I went +on, holding my double-barrelled rifle ready cocked." + +"Dangerous work," remarked Margetts. + +"No doubt; but it was the least danger of the two. Well, I went on, +walking slowly and cautiously, and by and by I got clear of the jungle, +and came into some high rocky land, in the midst of which there was a +Bechuana village. If it had been daylight, I should have gone in at +once and claimed their hospitality as an Englishman, whom I knew they +would receive kindly. But by that light I was afraid of being mistaken +for a Boer, and then my reception would have been very different. It +was as likely as not that I should have been speared, before I could +explain the mistake they had made. I resolved to find a shelter +somewhere for the night, and make my appearance among the Bechuanas in +the morning. + +"After looking carefully about, I took up my quarters in a cavern in the +side of a long ridge of rock which overhung the village. It was +December, and the night was warm, so I did not hesitate to lie down as I +was on a heap of dead leaves, with which the cave was half filled. + +"I was tired out, and soon fell asleep, and, I suppose, must have lain +for two or three hours, when I was awakened by the noise of guns firing +and men shouting immediately over my head. I started up and looked out. +The dawn had just broken, and diffused a light which made it almost as +easy to distinguish anything as if it had been broad day. I perceived +that the village was surrounded by an armed enemy, and on a high bank on +the opposite side of the village I could see a line of men armed with +the long gun which the Boers then carried, while at the two ends of the +village strong parties--also of Boers, for they had no black allies with +them--were stationed. These, too, were armed to the teeth. I knew in a +moment what had happened. The Boers had attacked the village by night, +and were shooting the men down as they rushed in alarm out of their +huts. There was no possibility of resistance or escape. The rocky +ridge over my head was too high to have been stormed, even by trained +soldiers, and these poor naked half-armed savages could not approach +within ten yards of it. The bank opposite was almost as impossible to +attack; but I did see two or three of the Bechuana warriors make the +attempt. Some spears were flung, but they did no execution. It was +simple wholesale murder, and lasted, I should think, fully an hour; by +which time every male Bechuana in the village was either dead or +mortally wounded. It was the most shocking sight I have ever +witnessed." + +"Horrible indeed, sir?" exclaimed Redgy. "What provocation do you +suppose they had given the Dutchmen?" + +"Most likely none at all," was the answer. "The Bechuanas in general +are peaceable enough, but the Dutch--the Boers, that is--are bent on +having slaves to work for them; and if they can't get them by what they +consider fair means, will get them by foul." + +"What do they call fair means?" asked Redgy. + +"Buying them of their parents," answered Baylen. "They will go to a +village and demand the help of a number of women to work in their fields +or gardens. These women, who dare not refuse, take their children with +them, and then they will try to bargain for these, in order to make +slaves of them. But the Bechuanas are a very affectionate people, and +can very seldom be induced to sell their children. Therefore, as the +Boers would tell you, they are obliged to take them by force." + +"You are joking with us, sir, are you not?" said George. + +"Indeed I am not. They think that not only is it fair and right that +the natives should work without pay for them, but that it is their duty +to oblige them so to work." + +"On what possible grounds, Mr Baylen?" + +"Because they are an inferior race, over whom the Boers have a natural +right. This is no pretence. They really think so. The Boers are, +after their fashion, a very religious people. They believe Almighty God +has given the black races to be their servants, and that they are only +carrying out His will when they reduce them to slavery. Some of them +even believe that it is their mission to kill all except those who are +thus kept in bondage. They liken themselves to the Israelites when they +entered the Promised Land, and the natives to the Canaanites, whom they +were to exterminate." + +"And their quarrel with us really is that we won't allow them to carry +out this idea?" asked Margetts. + +"At the bottom I am not sure it is not," replied Baylen. "It is certain +that they would carry it out, if it were not for the English. Their +usual practice is to do what they did on the occasion I have been +telling you about. They circulate a rumour that an attack is going to +be made upon them by some tribe. The rumour is almost certain to be +false, for the Bechuanas are a very peaceable people. But as soon as +the report has taken wind, they march out in force, generally taking +with them a number of native allies. These surround the village, +keeping the men back with their assegays, while the Boers fire in safety +over their heads, until all the males have been destroyed. They then +carry off the women, children, and cattle." + +"Horrible!" exclaimed Redgy. "I shall hate these Boers like poison. +Why, they must be the most awful cowards, as well as hypocrites!" + +"I don't know about that, Redgy," remarked George. "They don't want to +encounter danger, if they can help it, no doubt. But it doesn't follow +that they wouldn't fight, if there was the necessity for doing so. They +are like Wilkin Flammock in _The Betrothed_; you remember what he says. +He was `ready to fight for life or property, if it was needed; but a +sound skin was better than a slashed one, for all that.' But I thought +you told us, sir, that the Boers in your story attacked the Bechuana +village without allies." + +"So I did," answered the farmer. "But they knew the ground, and were +aware that it would be impossible for the Bechuanas to attack them, so +that there was no need for the natives to accompany them on that +occasion. But to go on with my story. I told you it was a bright +morning, and so it continued for nearly an hour. But after that thick +clouds came up, and it grew almost dark. The Boers remained in the +position they had taken up till the forenoon. But about half an hour +after the firing had ceased, I heard a noise as if some one was moving +somewhere near me. I looked out, and could just make out that a +Bechuana woman, who had been mortally wounded by a bullet, had crawled +to that spot, with an infant of a year old in her arms. I suppose she +had some idea of concealing herself in the hollow of the rocks, not +knowing that her hurt was to death. I crept down and took the child +from her arms. She was just at the last gasp, but I think she gave it +over to me willingly, fancying that I should treat it kindly. I took it +back with me into the cave, and remained in concealment until the Boers +had departed, which they did about the middle of the next day. I was +fortunate enough to reach the farm of a friendly Hollander, who sold me +another horse, and provisions enough to carry me through the most +dangerous parts of the journey. The infant (which I called Matamo, from +the name of the Bechuana village which I had seen destroyed) proved +strong and healthy and we both reached Hakkluyt's Kloof safe and sound." + +"And your mother?" asked Margetts. + +"My mother was at first terribly disappointed about Mr Livingstone. +But when she heard the tale of the destruction of the Bechuana village, +and the rescue of the infant, she was so moved by pity for it, that I +think she forgot everything else. She took it under her special charge. +Up to the time of her death, three years afterwards, Matamo was her +chief care and delight. The boy grew up strong and healthy, and has, as +I told you, been an invaluable servant to us." + +"And you have well deserved that he should," remarked Mr Bilderjik. +"You have had him baptised and educated, and brought up in the Christian +faith; you should add that. I would that many masters in South Africa +could say the same." + +CHAPTER NINE. + +A general assent followed Mr Bilderjik's remarks, to which, however, +the farmer made no reply. A silence of some minutes ensued, which was +broken by George. + +"Mr Baylen," he said, "I was much interested in the history you gave us +the other day of the colony, and King Chaka and his brother Dingaan. +But all that you told us occurred forty years ago. I should like to +know something of what has happened since." + +"Well, the last thing I told you of, was the murder of Pieter Retieff +and his followers," said Mr Baylen, "wasn't it? Well, the natural +consequences ensued; there was war for some years between the whites and +the blacks. The English settlers invaded Zululand, and carried off a +quantity of women, children, and cattle. But they were attacked by ten +thousand Zulus, and a hot fight followed. The English shot them down in +such numbers, that they formed high banks over which their comrades had +to climb. In spite of this, they advanced and overpowered their enemies +by mere force of numbers!" + +"Ah," interposed Hardy, "and it would be a good job if our English +generals remembered that fact. They persist in despising their enemies, +and may take a lesson from the Dutchmen, who are too wise to do so. But +go on, Baylen; I beg pardon for interrupting." + +"The Zulus," resumed the other, "drove the English beyond the Tugela, +overran Natal, and for the second time turned it into a desert. The +colonists took refuge in an island in the Bay. There they were +personally safe, but their houses and goods were utterly destroyed, and +their cattle driven off. We had contrived to take away with us +everything of value that could be carried off to the island, and no +great injury was done to the farmhouse and buildings. But all the +cattle, horses, oxen, sheep, and goats were driven away. If we had not +recovered them a few months afterwards, I should have had to begin life +again." + +"How did you manage to recover them, sir?" asked Margetts. + +"Through my brother-in-law, Cornelius Schuylen. He had joined the main +body of Dutch settlers from the Cape, and was a leading man among them, +and a friend of the Dutch General, Praetorius. They found it necessary +to go to war with Dingaan, and there was a pitched battle, in which the +Dutch were the conquerors. I agree with Mr Rivers, that the Dutch are +no cowards; but that they think that a whole skin is better than a +slashed one, and they conduct their campaigns accordingly. I was +present at the battle myself, having gone up to the Boer camp about my +cattle. The natives outnumbered us, ten to one, I should think, and +they fought as bravely as men could fight. But we gained a decisive +victory, with very little loss." + +"How did you manage it, sir?" inquired George. "I have heard that the +Dutch have very little discipline in their armies." + +"Very little, but their tactics are the thing. When they knew that a +battle was imminent, they laagered their waggons together, and stationed +their foot-soldiers in and behind them. The mounted men, of which their +force principally consisted, waited at some distance until the Zulu +assault on the waggons had begun. Then they opened a fire upon them +with their rifles, which killed great numbers, and at last obliged them +to turn off and attack them. They waited until the Zulus were almost +but not quite within what was called assegay distance, and then fired +volley after volley into them. When the Zulus advanced nearer, they +galloped off to a little distance, and fired as before, repeating the +manoeuvre until the blacks were obliged to retire, with immense loss of +killed and wounded, while hardly a man on their own side was touched. +It wasn't much better with the Zulus on their attack on the laager. +They managed to fling a few assegays into, and under, the waggons; but +the Boers fired upon them, under almost complete shelter, and shot them +down by hundreds. Dingaan was obliged to make peace, and restore the +cattle, mine among the rest." + +"That must have been near about the end of Dingaan's reign," observed +the Swedish clergyman. + +"Yes, in less than two years afterwards the Dutch deposed Dingaan, and +made his brother Panda king. Dingaan fled to the Amaswazis, and they +put him to death. Panda had a long reign of more than thirty years, and +during that period there was very little fighting with the European +settlers. He was a different kind of character altogether from his two +brothers, and loved ease and quiet. But I believe his disposition was +almost as cruel as theirs." + +"You are right, sir," said Mr Bilderjik. "He was as bloodthirsty as +either of them, though he shed the blood of his own people only. He +would inflict the most frightful penalties for the smallest offences. +If one of his oxen was over-driven or hurt, he would order the cowherd +to be impaled. Even for slighter offences than this, if the smallest +thing occurred to annoy or cross him, he would sentence the offender to +death, and his soldiers were always ready to execute his commands +without hesitation. His barbarity drove his subjects away in such +numbers, that Natal was almost peopled with them. He was a weak ruler, +however, and for the last twenty years of his reign his son Cetewayo, +who is now on the throne, was virtually king." + +"Cetewayo!" observed George. "Ah, I want to know about him! We hear +plenty in England. There is great alarm, is there not, that he will +invade this country? I heard them talking of it at Maritzburg." + +"There is great alarm, no doubt," said the farmer, "and it is no great +wonder, seeing that Natal has twice been invaded and devastated by the +Zulus. But I do not myself believe that he will ever cross the Tugela, +unless he himself is first attacked, and drives his enemies before him. +But I should like to know what you think about him, Hardy. Living so +near to him as you once did, your opinion must be valuable." + +"Yes, I lived in Zululand for several years after I left the army," said +Hardy, "and I saw and heard enough of Cetewayo during that time, to form +a decided opinion about him." + +"And what was that opinion, Mr Hardy?" inquired George. + +"If I remember right, the English agreed to place him on the throne, on +condition that the lawless and indiscriminate shedding of human blood +should be put a stop to, and that no one should be put to death, until +after a trial and sentence. There are those that say that this compact +was faithfully kept to." + +"And it was," said Hardy, "so long as Cetewayo was insecure of his +throne. At first this was the case, and he knew that the best hope of +establishing his power lay in the support of the English. For the first +few years of his reign, therefore, he did, as a rule, loyally carry out +the promises he had given. But those who watched him most closely know +that he never intended to be a tributary sovereign to any one. From the +first he revived and developed his uncle Chaka's military policy. He +reinstated the old regiments, and formed new ones, carefully choosing +men to lead them who were qualified to carry out his designs. He +rebuilt the military kraals, and obliged his soldiers to live unmarried, +as his uncle had done." + +"Ay," interposed George, "as Sultan Amurath did, when he instituted the +Janissaries." + +"I daresay you are right, sir," said Hardy, "though I never heard of +him. Well, the only difference Cetewayo made in his dealings with his +men was that he armed them with guns. In all other respects it was the +reproduction of Chaka's army--the same enormous numbers, the same close +and jealous discipline, the same absolute devotion to the king's will, +without hesitation or question. If Cetewayo had ever intended to be +faithful to his engagements with the English, of what use could this +enormous and costly army have been to him? It is ridiculous to say it +would be needed to put down the Tongas or the Swazies, or even to resist +the aggressions of the Boers. There is but one use to which he could +have intended to put it, and that is to drive the white man out of the +land." + +"Well, there are many, at all events, that think that," observed Mr +Baylen. "You think, then, that he is going to declare war." + +"I doubt his doing that," said Hardy. "But I think he will provoke the +English to attack him--to invade Zululand, in fact." + +"Why should he want them to do that?" asked Redgy. + +"He will then fight greatly at an advantage," said Hardy. "In fact, he +thinks that he sees his way to victory. I don't say I agree with him in +that--indeed, I don't. But there is a good deal to be said on his side. +Zululand is a difficult country for an army to traverse. He knows +every inch of it, and they do not. The climate is often very unhealthy +to white men. Disease would probably break out among them, if he could +keep them any time there, whereas his own men are thoroughly inured to +it. His numbers, again, are vastly in excess of theirs, and if he could +attack them when off their guard, he might inflict frightful loss upon +them. All these chances are in his favour, and he knows them well." + +"In fact, he is trying to pick a quarrel," said Redgy. + +"And he may succeed," added Hardy. "Indeed--" He checked himself and +went on, "Then as to his natural disposition--you asked me what I +thought about that too. I think he is just like his ancestors, quite as +merciless and bloodthirsty, and even more crafty. It was said that +during the first few years of his reign he _never_ put any one to death +unless he had really been guilty of some great offence, and that there +was always a regular trial and conviction. How much truth there is in +that, you may judge from what I am now going to tell you. + +"When I first settled in Zululand, there was a Wesleyan missionary +living near me, whose name was Garnett. He was a very good man, and the +people about there respected him much. He had made several converts, +amongst others an Induna named Usumanzi, a man of means and some local +importance. Now it is certain that Cetewayo did not like the +missionaries--one can very well understand why. The entire submission +to his pleasure, right or wrong, which was the first thing he insisted +upon, was a thing which no Christian could fall in with. Is it not so, +Mr Bilderjik?" + +"Of course he could not," assented the clergyman. "A Christian's first +law is obedience to God's commandments, not man's. If the two came into +collision, the obedience to human authority must give way." + +"Exactly so, sir," pursued Hardy. "Well, then, there is no difficulty +in understanding Cetewayo's aversion to the missionaries. But at the +same time he knew that the missionaries were strongly upheld by the +English, and that any persecution of them on religious grounds would be +sternly resented. Cetewayo therefore sent a message to Mr Garnett, +desiring him to pay a visit to the royal kraal. He wanted, he said, to +talk to him about the good things which he taught the people. Mr +Garnett was only half deceived. The king really might have been moved +by some desire to know the truth. But it was far more likely that he +was only pretending such a feeling, in order to get him entirely into +his own power. Usumanzi earnestly advised him not to go. He said he +knew that the king had been greatly provoked by his conversion, +regarding him, as he did, as a valuable servant lost to him. Cetewayo +would either banish him from the country, or, what was more likely, +accuse him of some imaginary crime, and put him to death for it. + +"But Mr Garnett resolved to go. He said there was a hope of doing a +great work for his Master, and he was not to be deterred by the danger +to himself. I offered to accompany him, as I thought my presence might +be some protection. You see, though I was living in Zululand, I was +employed by the Natal Government to collect taxes from the native chiefs +every year. As an agent of the British Government, I knew Cetewayo +would treat me with consideration, and possibly Mr Garnett on my +account." + +"Well, you were right, I expect," observed Baylen. + +"I was to some extent," assented Hardy. "As soon as I made it +understood that I was an officer in the employ of the Governor of Natal, +there was a difference in the demeanour of the councillors towards me, +and Mr Garnett too. A civil reception was given us, and a good hut +assigned for our accommodation. Then there followed a long delay, and +at last I was told I was to be sent with letters to Sir Henry Bulwer; +and the next day I set out, attended by two of Cetewayo's soldiers. I +suspected at the time--and subsequent events confirmed my opinion--that +the king wanted to get rid of me, because I stood in the way of his +carrying out his designs against Mr Garnett. I was no sooner gone than +he was informed there was an accusation made against him of practising +witchcraft. The king would inquire into the matter himself. This I +learned from the Zulu who was sent with me. But what ensued I could +never learn with any certainty. Mr Garnett, I believe, underwent a +kind of mock trial, being charged with bewitching several persons. He +was found guilty, and was sentenced to be banished from the country. +Cetewayo had possibly thought that it would be dangerous to put him +publicly to death. But it came eventually to the same thing. Mr +Garnett set out, in company with two Zulus, who were directed to convey +him to Delagoa Bay, whither his wife and children had already been sent. +But he never reached his destination. His guides came back with the +story that he had been killed by a lion. The general belief was that he +had been murdered, and his body left to be devoured by the hyenas. + +"But that was not the worst," resumed Hardy after a pause. "There was +something like a trial in his instance, and, besides, he might really +have been killed by a wild beast, though the circumstances were full of +suspicion. The usage of Usumanzi was a much grosser outrage. No charge +was made against him, nor did he receive so much as a hint that the king +was displeased with him. But the Isamisi, or prophets, whom, to do them +justice, both Chaka and Dingaan had discouraged, had gained considerable +influence with Cetewayo, and they resented Usumanzi's conversion, and +more particularly when they found that he still adhered to his new creed +after Mr Garnett's disappearance." + +"I wonder he didn't leave the country," remarked Ernest Baylen. + +"He was advised to do so," said Hardy, "but he was a brave man, and said +he had done no wrong, and that he put his trust in the God he had newly +learned. Nothing was heard about him for some time. But one morning, +quite early, I was roused by a number of Zulus living in an adjoining +kraal, who told me that the king had sent an Impi to eat up Usumanzi. +His house had already been surrounded, and himself, and every one +belonging to him, even to the infants in arms, assegayed. The cattle +were being driven off at that moment. In an hour or two Usumanzi's +kraal had been entirely destroyed by fire, and the ashes scattered in +all directions. In a short time not a trace was left of his +habitation." + +"And was no complaint made of such an outrage?" asked Margetts. + +"Who was there to make it?" inquired Hardy. "Usumanzi's relatives, if +there were any of them left, were too thankful to have escaped notice, +and were little likely to do anything that might cause them to share his +fate. Perhaps you think that I might have made some representations to +the Governor of Natal; but I had already incurred suspicion, and +received a hint to keep quiet. The Government were unwilling at that +time to come to a rupture with Cetewayo. I knew, too, that I should be +required to produce witnesses; and not one of the Zulus, who knew the +facts, could have been induced, by love or money, to say a word on the +subject. Most probably they would have said, if they had been brought +into a court of justice, that Usumanzi's kraal had caught fire +accidentally. No. He knew in this instance that he was safe, and you +may be assured that, let him profess what he will, there is no +possibility of inducing Cetewayo to respect the rights of his own +subjects, or those of other nations, except by putting him down by force +of arms. And as for that--" He appeared to be about to add something +more, but checked himself, and addressed his host. "It must be time for +us to go to bed, Mr Bilderjik," he said. "We have a long day's work +before us to-morrow, and must start early. I suppose you mean to set +off for Helpmakaar the first thing in the morning?" + +"Helpmakaar?" repeated the farmer. "No, I shall not set out for that in +the morning, if I do it at all to-morrow. You have forgotten that we +have left one of our waggons in a damaged condition on the other side of +the Mooi." + +"To be sure, so I had. How stupid of me! But if we are not going to be +fellow-travellers to-morrow, I should like to have a little talk with +you, Baylen, before we turn in for the night. Will you walk with me to +the hotel in the village; I can say what I want while we are on the way +there." + +Mr Baylen assented. They said good-night to their host, and stepped +out into the porch, and thence passed through the little garden into the +wide street of the picturesque little town, with its white houses--each +shaded by its green verandah--and its double row of fruit trees already +beginning to spread a pleasant shade. At that hour it was quite +deserted, and Hardy presently began,-- + +"I thought it better not to tell you my reason for riding over from +Umvalosa to meet you. I did not want to alarm the ladies." + +"What has happened?" asked Baylen anxiously. + +"No injury has been done to your property or your servants," said Hardy. +"But beyond Umvalosa, from a little distance outside the town, as far +as Utrecht, or nearly as far, there is nothing but ruin and +destruction." + +"The storm two days ago, do you mean?" suggested Baylen. + +"No; this storm has been of man's making," said Hardy. "Umbelini--you +know him?" + +"Every one knows him too well," was the answer. "If he fell into my +hands, I should be disposed to make short work with him." + +"He wouldn't come off much better in mine," said Hardy, "if I caught him +`redhanded,' as the saying is. He pretends to act independently of +Cetewayo; but nobody doubts he is really under his orders. Well, he has +made a raid on the district we have been speaking about, with a large +force of Zulus. They have burnt to the ground every house in it; driven +off the whole of the cattle, and murdered every man, woman, and child +that came in their way." + +"The district between Utrecht and Umvalosa?" said Baylen. "What can +have made Umbelini, or rather Cetewayo, choose that? Why, that is the +very district which was in dispute, and which the English have awarded +to him! That is strange!" + +"Well, the English have awarded it to him, no doubt," assented Hardy. +"But they didn't give it to him out and out, as he expected perhaps. +The rights of the settlers living in it were to be respected. Probably +Cetewayo wishes to show his contempt for their decision. At all events, +there is no doubt that he is showing studied disregard of Sir Henry +Bulwer's demands. There is this business of the violation of the +English territory, and the murder of the two women by Sirayo. His +answers about that amount really to an insult. It is what I have long +supposed, that, although he will not himself attack the English, he +wants to provoke them to attack him." + +"I suppose it must be so; and the English will be driven to declare war. +But about this raid by Umbelini. How far has it spread? Is it likely +to spread further? Will it reach Umvalosa?" + +"It has not got there yet, and I don't think it will. The place is +incapable of resisting an attack; but I think Umbelini has already got +as much spoil as he can carry away. Besides, the English forces are +advancing to Rorke's Drift, and he will avoid any collision with them." + +"If Umvalosa is not attacked, we might rest as usual on our way there. +It is one day's journey, you know, from Horner's Kraal." + +"Rest? What, at Rogers' station, Dykeman's Hollow?" + +"Yes; we always rest there. I know Mr Rogers is away in England. But +we should be made welcome all the same." + +"Not a doubt of it. But you would find his station deserted. When they +heard of Umbelini's approach, his head men packed his waggons with his +household goods and valuables, and drove away his cattle." + +"And where have his waggons and cattle been driven to?" inquired Mr +Baylen. "To my station--to Horner's Kraal?" + +"No; Rogers' men thought of going there; but the cattle and the contents +of the waggons would be a tempting plunder. Umbelini, who is notorious +for his rapacity, might have sent some of his men in pursuit. No; they +have gone off to Rorke's Drift, to be under the protection of the +British force assembling there. And that is where Mrs Baylen and all +your party and waggons must go, if you take my advice--as soon, that is, +as you have recovered the one which has been left on the bank of the +Mooi." + +"The troops assembling at Rorke's Drift! Ah, so you said just now. +Then what we heard at Durban must be true; and an ultimatum has been +sent to Cetewayo." + +"So I am told; and that thirty days have been allowed him in which to +send an answer. If he does not do so, Zululand is to be invaded at +three different points. One column, under Colonel Pearson, is to cross +the Lower Tugela, and move on by Ekowe. A second, under Colonel Evelyn +Wood, is to enter by crossing the Blood river, near Kambula. The third, +commanded by Lord Chelmsford himself, will set out from Rorke's Drift, +and penetrate to the interior by Isandhlwana Hill. If Cetewayo falls +back, as they expect, before them, the columns will meet at Ulundi. +There he must fight them or surrender. That is what I am told; but of +course it is only rumour." + +"Well, Cetewayo certainly intends to fight us, and I hope the plan of +operations may be successful. But it does not concern me, and I am +anxious to be out of it. Can't we go on, resting at any place where we +can find shelter,--at Umvalosa or elsewhere,--and get to Horner's Kraal? +There we shall be well out of it all." + +"I really don't think you can, Baylen. I don't think you'd be troubled +by Umbelini and his Zulus. As soon as Wood and his men move to their +station on the Blood river, he is sure to take himself off, and will not +return while Wood and his troops remain in that neighbourhood. But the +country is full of lawless characters of all kinds,--escaped convicts, +bush robbers, and adventurers who have lost everything at the diamond +fields. There is no legal authority to keep them in control--no +sufficient authority, at all events, and they would murder any one for +the value of a tobacco pipe. It would not be safe for the ladies of +your party, at all events, to attempt the journey, unless with a +military escort, until order has been restored." + +"And I suppose there is a general flight to Rorke's Drift?" + +"There were a great many on their way there yesterday. I passed young +Vander Heyden and his sister, accompanied by Frank Moritz, as I rode +out." + +"Vander Heyden and Moritz! Why, they were in Durban a week or so ago!" + +"Yes; but they travelled faster than you. They reached Vander Heyden's +house--Bushman's Drift, as it is called--just in time to see it all in a +blaze, and the Zulus plundering and killing every one they encountered. +Henryk and the others had just time to escape. If they had got there a +few hours earlier, they would have been shot or assegayed too." + +"And they have gone now to Rorke's Drift?" + +"Yes; I exchanged a few words with Moritz. He was hot enough about what +he had witnessed. But he was calmness itself to Vander Heyden. _He_ +did not say a word; but he looked like a man who meant to do something +terrible, when the time came. I fancy some one, of whom he was very +fond, must have been killed. But I did not like to ask. I gathered, +however, that he was not going to Rorke's Drift for protection, but for +revenge on those miscreants. Bitterly and notoriously as he dislikes +the English, he means to join their army as a mounted volunteer. The +Lord have mercy on the Zulus that come in his way, for he will have +none. He is an experienced soldier, and will be a valuable recruit." + +"Well," said Baylen, "I don't know that I can greatly blame him. I +shall not be at all surprised if a great many should be found to follow +his example. It is certainly high time that a stop should be put to +these atrocities. Well, Hardy, I shall follow your advice. I shall +send off the waggon with Mrs Baylen and Clara, with Matamo to take care +of them, to-morrow morning, and I shall follow with the other as soon as +we have got it out of the Mooi. I suppose the road to Rorke's Drift is +open and safe, is it not?" + +"Well, for it to be that, Umbelini and his Zulus must have withdrawn. I +expect to hear with certainty about that to-morrow morning, and will +come down and tell you about it before I start. Mrs Baylen must not +set off until the road is safe." + +"Many thanks. By-the-bye, I forgot to ask whether you have suffered +much loss yourself from this Impi?" + +"Not very much, thank you. I had fortunately sold off my stock a short +time ago, and I had the money with me. My servants also got notice in +time, and made their escape, with most of the articles of any real +value. The house has been burnt and wrecked; but I daresay I shall get +compensation when the war is over. Meanwhile, I mean to follow Vander +Heyden's example, and take service with the mounted volunteers." + +CHAPTER TEN. + +Baylen returned to the pastor's house too late to impart any of the +information he had received to the rest of the family; and, besides, he +judged it better that they should all get a sound night's rest, +undisturbed by perplexities and alarms. He was up, however, by +daybreak, and soon afterwards Hardy arrived with the information that +Umbelini and his warriors had all returned to their mountains without +having approached Umvalosa. No doubt this was due to the fact that some +of Colonel Evelyn Wood's men were on their way to the Blood river. But +the condition of the Transvaal, between Umvalosa and Horner's Kraal, was +even worse than he had described it. If Mr Baylen could obtain an +escort of soldiers for the first ten miles or so, it might be safe for +him to go, but not otherwise. + +"Very well," said Mr Baylen. "I shan't be able to get that--not for +some time, at all events. And I am more likely to get it at Rorke's +Drift than anywhere else. So the plan I agreed on with you last night +shall hold good. I shall send Matamo to get the waggon ready as soon as +possible. When I have seen that off, the boys and I will go down to the +Mooi. Mr Rivers, what will you and Mr Margetts like to do? It will +be of no use your going to Mr Rogers' station, after what Hardy has +told us, and I don't think it will be any better if you went to +Spielman's Vley. It is very improbable that you would find the Mansens +there." + +"True, sir," said George; "so I was thinking myself. But I should learn +there what had become of them, and I am most anxious to join my mother +as quickly as possible." + +"Spielman's Vley?" interposed Hardy. "What, Ludwig Mansen's old +station, do you mean, near Landman's Drift, where I live?" + +"Yes," answered George. "Mrs Mansen is my mother." + +"Really! ah, and Mrs Mansen's daughter is named Rivers, and you are +like her. I have been puzzling my head for a long time who of my +acquaintances it was whom you were so like. I know Mrs Mansen and her +second husband very well. But I thought that her only son had been lost +at sea." + +"So she believes," said George. "I was wrecked, and nearly all hands +were lost." + +"She will be very happy when she learns the truth. But it will be no +use for you to go to Spielman's Vley to find her. Six months ago, +almost immediately after Mr Rogers' departure, there came news that +Mrs Mansen's uncle, who lived near Zeerust, had died, and bequeathed +all his property to her. It is a valuable and productive farm, I am +told, and I fancy Mansen did not like the look of things in these parts, +and resolved to move to Zeerust. He sold Spielman's Vley, and moved off +as soon as he could to his new place. He has been gone a good many +weeks. He has probably before this settled down at Umtongo, as +Christopher Wylie's farm was called." + +"And where is Zeerust?" asked George, a good deal disturbed at these +tidings. "Zeerust! wasn't that the place you were saying something +about last night, Mr Baylen?" + +"Yes," answered the person addressed. "I believe I mentioned Zeerust, +in the story I told you about Matamo. It is a long way there--three or +four hundred miles, I should think. And it was, in the days when I was +speaking about, a very dangerous journey. But I have no doubt it is +much easier now. You mustn't be cast down, my lad," he continued +kindly, observing how much George appeared to be distressed. "You are a +stout young fellow, with a head on your shoulders, and a brave heart to +boot. You will get there, I have no doubt, quite safe. Don't you think +so, Hardy?" + +"I have no doubt of it," answered the person addressed. "The only thing +is that I don't think Mr Rivers can attempt the journey just now." + +"Why not?" asked George. "I heard what you said about Mrs and Miss +Baylen, and I quite agreed in it, but there will be no ladies in our +party, and I can make my hand guard my head. At least, I have never +failed to do so yet." + +"I don't doubt it, Mr Rivers," said Hardy. "But the danger to you +would not be only from ruffians and robbers; there would be risk from +wild animals to any one not acquainted with the country. There are not +many lions or rhinoceroses or elephants in those parts, no doubt; you +seldom or never meet with them about there in these days. But there are +plenty of leopards and buffaloes, and, what is more dangerous, deadly +serpents--puff-adders, ondaras, cobras, and the like. And you may catch +marsh fever any day, if you sleep in the swamp neighbourhood. You would +require one skilful guide at least, and it would be better if you had +two or three. Now these are not to be had at present. You must wait +till this war is over, which we may hope will not be a long one. Then +perhaps Mr Baylen here will lend you Matamo and Utango. They would +take you across safely enough." + +"I think that might be managed," assented Farmer Baylen. "Hardy's +advice is good. You will do wisely to wait till this war is ended." + +"I have no doubt of his kindness, or of yours either, sir," said George; +"but I own that this delay, coming after so many months of expectation, +does vex me. How long do you think it will be before the war is over, +Mr Hardy?" + +"That is hard to say," answered Hardy. "It depends on how our troops +are handled, and how quickly they may be able to force on a battle." + +"You have no doubt as to what will be the issue of the battle, when it +does take place?" suggested Redgy. + +"Well, no. Against disciplined English troops, unless there were great +incapacity or great cowardice, the blind courage of these Zulus would +avail little. But there can hardly be incapacity, for Colonels Wood and +Pearson are undoubtedly able officers, and Lord Chelmsford has the name +of being a good general--though that has not been so clearly proved. +And such a thing as cowardice in English soldiers is unheard of. I am +not so sure, however, about the Natal contingent. There is such a +terror of Cetewayo among the natives, that, but for the presence and +example of English troops, I do not feel certain that they could be got +to face the Zulus. However, the chances are that a few weeks will see +the Zulu king defeated and put down." + +"Well, I don't think I can do better than take your advice," said +George. "I suppose Redgy and I had better go with your party to Rorke's +Drift, if you will allow us. Perhaps I may be of some use there." + +"Perhaps you may indeed," suggested Hardy. "Why, you and Mr Margetts +had better join the mounted volunteers, as I mean to do. They would be +delighted to have you, and in a few weeks' time--before the fighting +begins at all events--you will have had nearly all the drilling that +would be required." + +"That is not a bad idea," returned George. "I wonder I did not think of +it before. What do you say to it, Redgy?" + +"Why, that it has been running in my head all the morning," said +Margetts. "You see you and I have been taught to ride pretty well. +They won't require of you to have a seat like a life-guardsman in +Piccadilly, with the tips of your toes in the stirrup, out here. And we +know how to shoot too, and are pretty good hands at single-stick, and +will soon learn the use of our swords. We should soon be qualified for +the rough and ready work out here. I should like to see these Zulu +fellows bowled over, I must say." + +"Very good! then that's settled," said George. "We'll ride over with +the waggon to Rorke's Drift this morning, and offer ourselves as +volunteers; and I think we had better go and saddle our horses at once, +as I see they are inspanning the oxen already. We have only to take our +leave of Mr and Mrs Bilderjik, and thank them for their hospitality." + +"You need not take leave of me yet, Mr Rivers," said the Swedish +pastor. "I am going, with Mr Baylen's leave, to make one of the party +to the Drift, and Mrs Bilderjik will accompany me." + +"I hope you don't imagine there is any danger here from the Zulus," +remarked Hardy. "As I have told my friend Baylen, the Zulu Impi has +been already withdrawn, nor is there the least chance of its return." + +"I do not imagine there is," said Mr Bilderjik. "Nor has Umbelini +anything to do with my movements. But I think my brother pastor at +Rorke's Drift and his wife will have more on their hands for some time +to come than they can manage, and that they will be glad of our help. I +can be better spared here, where my schoolmaster will do all that is +required in ordinary, and I shall ride over occasionally myself. I am +going to fetch my horse, and will ride with you. You may be glad of my +presence as a guide, and also, it is possible, to answer questions that +may be asked. There are a great many suspicious characters about, and +the officers in command require explanations before they allow any one +to pass." + +"I forgot that," said George, "and so, I suppose, did Mr Baylen." + +"No, I imagine he reckoned on your riding by the side of the waggons, in +which case you would of course have passed as belonging to his party. +But you would find it very dull work, keeping by the side of the waggon +the whole way." + +In another half-hour they had all set out--Baylen and his sons to the +Mooi, and Hardy to Umvalosa. The large waggon jolted off with the +ladies seated in it. The missionary and the two young Englishmen +cantered off in advance, Haxo, the Hottentot groom and stableman, +following on a Kaffir pony. + +"Have you been long settled in this country, Mr Bilderjik?" asked +George, as they drew rein after a sharp ride of half an hour. + +"Do you mean in South Africa, or in Natal?" + +"I mean in Africa generally. How long is it since you left Europe?" + +"A great many years--five-and-thirty or so. It is certainly nearly that +time since I landed at Cape Town, and was sent up to Namaqualand." + +"Ah, you have been there, among the Hottentots?" + +"I was about five years there." + +"Were you settled in one place, or did you travel about?" + +"My residence was always in the same place, but I and my wife made +continual excursions into different parts of the country." + +"Did you find the people willing to receive you?" + +"That is a question which it is not easy to answer," said the Swedish +minister. "They showed no dislike to us; indeed, they were willing +enough to listen, but, I fear, to very little purpose. For the first +two or three years, I continually fancied that I was making some +progress, getting some hold upon them. But I am afraid it was nearly +all fancy." + +"What stood in your way?" + +"In the first place, the profound ignorance of the people, and their low +intellectual capacity. They could understand all that was necessary for +supplying their wants, averting dangers, relieving pain, and the like. +If Christianity consisted in the proper discharge of duties like these, +one might have made good Christians of them without any great +difficulty. They might have been taught to be diligent, and kind, and +truthful, and forgiving--though those last two qualities were not so +easy to teach. But when any one tried to impress upon them the notion +of an Unseen Power watching over them, to whom they owed obedience, one +entered upon an almost impossible task. They couldn't understand that +any being could exist whom they could not see, much less that he could +have power or authority over them. Where was any evidence of so +extraordinary a thing, beyond my bare word? It was useless, again, to +tell them that their relatives, who had been taken away from earth, were +not dead, but living elsewhere. They had seen them die, they said, and +knew that they turned to dust, and there was no more left of them than +there was of the wood they had burned for their fire yesterday. They +were on the whole a kindly race, and had received such hard usage from +the Dutch that they appreciated in proportion the kindness shown to +them. But it was impossible to lift their minds--so at least it +seemed--from the degradation to which they had sunk." + +"Had you not a better chance with the children, sir?" asked Margetts. + +"That is every missionary's hope," answered Bilderjik. "Yes, we +succeeded in teaching some of the children to read and write, though, to +be sure, not very efficiently; and they could take in some very simple +teaching on plain subjects, as, for instance, natural history, or +geography. I suppose this might have been further developed, until, in +process of time, the intellect was fully awakened. But it would be a +long and difficult task, extending probably over more than one man's +entire life." + +"But to have accomplished any part of such a work would be worth the +labour of a life," said George. + +The missionary looked pleased. "You are right, Mr Rivers," he said. +"That is the true way in which to view it. A man's work is often to be +estimated--not by what he himself does, but by what he enables others +after him to do. `One soweth and another reapeth,' is truer, I think, +of the work of the gospel than of anything else. Have you any idea of +giving yourself to it?" + +"I have come out to South Africa mainly with that intention," said +George. "It has struck me, since we left Colenso, that entering the +Volunteers, as I declared my intention of doing, may not be quite +consistent with it. What do you think?" + +The clergyman smiled. "A minister of the gospel is a man of peace," he +said. "But war is sometimes absolutely necessary to the preservation of +peace. And that, I am inclined to believe, is the case in the present +instance. If you were actually an ordained minister, I think you ought +not to take part in any violent proceedings, unless for the purpose of +preventing some actual deed of violence. But you are at present a +layman, and the cause is one which every right-minded man ought to +uphold. Situated as you are, I don't see why you should not enlist. +Did I not hear you say that you were going to Umvalosa?" + +"Yes, to Dykeman's Hollow--Mr Rogers' place." + +"Oh ay, I know him," said Mr Bilderjik. "He is a good and worthy man, +and so is his chaplain, Mr Lambert. He often visits me. We agree that +there is very little difference between our churches, in respect either +of doctrine or discipline--very little even at home, none at all, it may +be said, out here. Are you to be one of Mr Rogers' schoolmasters?" + +"Yes," said George; "one of his schoolmasters for some time, and +afterwards one of his chaplains." + +"You will be doing a good work. He has several at Umvalosa, and at +Pieter's Kop, and Spielman's Vley, and Landman's Drift, and several +other places. Mr Rogers is one of those who make a good use of the +means entrusted to them. I wish we had many like him." + +"I wish so too," said George. "But we have got away from what we were +talking of, the Hottentots. I had heard that they are as a rule +untruthful and sensual, but also that they are kind-hearted and +affectionate. What is your experience on this point, I should like to +know?" + +"In all countries, so far as my experience extends," answered Mr +Bilderjik,--"in all countries of the world, I believe, parents are +affectionate to their children, unless where some strong motive +influences them to be otherwise. It is little more, in fact, than a +natural instinct that prompts their affection. But where there is this +strong motive, the parental instinct is soon disregarded. In countries, +for instance, where boys are a source of profit, and girls a burden and +a cost, as in China, female child-murder becomes a common practice. In +lands, again, where food is with difficulty obtained, and every +additional mouth deprives others of their full supply of sustenance, +infants are killed without scruple. The Hottentots are no exception to +this. This is the case even where the natural affection of parents +might have influenced them to make sacrifices for their own children. +Where the children of others are concerned, there is the most absolute +indifference to suffering. That Hottentot groom of mine, Haxo, is an +evidence in his own person of it." + +"Your Hottentot groom yonder? What of him?" + +"I have had him ever since he was a baby," said the Swede. "This is the +way in which I came by him. While we were on our way to the upper part +of Namaqualand, and were a mile or two from the Hottentot village where +we meant to pass the Sunday, we fell in with a tribe of Hottentots, who +were emigrating to a different part of the country. We sat down to rest +at the spring at which the Hottentots had been drinking. We soon got +very friendly with them, making them presents of a few toys which we had +brought with us, to their great delight. They listened very attentively +to all I had to say to them, and we parted with them having formed a +very favourable impression of them. There was one family in particular +that took our fancy. It consisted of a fine handsome man, a rather +delicate wife with an infant, not yet weaned, and two lads almost grown +up. They went off in the cool of the evening, taking the same path +which we meant to take on the Monday. We passed the Sunday as we +intended, and the next day set out. After a journey of an hour or two +we came upon a woman who lay under the shadow of a rock with an infant +in her arms, evidently dying of exhaustion and hunger. We gave her some +nourishment, but it was plain that she was too far gone to be restored. +She appeared to know us, and with some difficulty we recognised her as +the young mother we had so greatly admired. It appeared that after the +party had proceeded some distance, it was reported to them that there +was a lion in an adjoining donga, which would probably attack them if it +was not destroyed. All the men had gone in pursuit of it and killed it. +But before this could be done, the woman's husband had been struck by a +blow from the lion's paw, and died in a few minutes. There was a debate +held as to what was to be done with the family. The two boys were +strong and active, and would soon become useful as hunters. It was +worth while keeping them, but they could not, or would not, support +their mother. No one was willing to take her as a wife, she being +notoriously weak and sickly. She tried hard, she told us, to induce one +of the women to take her child, and save its life. Her own, she knew, +would soon come to an end. But the baby was to all appearance as sickly +as herself. After an hour's talk, the whole party went on, leaving her +and her infant to die in the wilderness. I should much doubt whether +her boys ever gave her another thought." + +"Shocking!" said Margetts. "I suppose the poor thing died, did she +not?" + +"Yes, died in a few hours. We gave her what sustenance we had with us, +and did what we could for her. But she was dying when we fell in with +her, and I do not suppose that the most skilful physician in Europe +could have restored her." + +"And you took the baby and brought it up?" suggested George. + +"Yes, that was the only thing that gave her any comfort. We promised +that we would take charge of it, and see that it was cared for. She +died quite contentedly, when she had seen it go to sleep in Mrs +Bilderjik's arms, and we buried her in the same grave to which the +remains of her husband had been committed on the previous day." + +"How has the boy turned out?" asked Margetts. + +"Very well," said the Swede. "He makes a good farm servant, and +thoroughly understands the management of horses. But he is better at +hunting than anything else. He has all the instincts of his race. I +frequently send him out with his pony into the wild country, and he is +pretty sure to come back before long with a springbok or two, or a +hartebeest, or eland; what we don't eat we can dispose of to our +neighbours. Mr Baylen spoke in high praise of his Bechuana Matamo. +But I think Haxo is pretty nearly his match." + +"Any way, he will be so by the time he reaches Matamo's age," said +George. "He must be a good deal younger." + +"Yes, Haxo is not much more than thirty. By-the-bye, you were speaking +of making an expedition to Zeerust, when this miserable war is over. I +did not hear clearly what was passing, but I thought I understood that." + +"Yes," said George. "They tell me that my mother has removed there; and +my first object in life is to find her." + +"Ah, I thought so. Well, I daresay I can lend you the services of Haxo. +In fact, it would be as much to my advantage as yours that he should +accompany you. There is a message I must send to Kolobeng, and I had +thought of sending Haxo with it. If he travelled across the Transvaal +with your party, it would be an advantage both to him and to you." + +"To us certainly," said Rivers. "And I thank you for the offer. But I +have not yet done with my inquiries about the natives. You have told me +about the Hottentots, but not about the Kaffirs and Zulus; I want to +know more about them than any other of the natives. I am in no way +surprised that you found it difficult to make any way with the Namaquas +and Bosjesmans. They are by all accounts the very lowest types of +humanity. But from what I have seen of the Kaffirs, the case must be +quite different with them. They strike me as being a highly intelligent +race--as intelligent, I should say, as the lower classes in any European +country. The same obstacles that stand in the way of the conversion of +the Hottentots cannot surely exist in their instance." + +"You are right, Mr Rivers," returned Mr Bilderjik. "There are not the +same obstacles. But, unfortunately, there are as bad, or, as some would +say, worse obstacles. The Hottentots have, strictly speaking, no +religious ideas at all. They are simply intelligent animals, and not +too intelligent either. But the Kaffir has a religion, though one so +wholly false as to render him in a great measure incapable of conceiving +the true one. He believes in a God, and even, in a wild, confused way, +in a Creator of the universe. But these are in his view only _men_. +The dead, according to his ideas, become potent spirits, which must be +propitiated, or they will do the living the most terrible injuries. +There is no sense of love or of benefits conferred, but only the power +of working evil. If the seasons are mild and genial, and the crops +productive, that is the ordinary course of nature, and there is no need +to be thankful for it. If there comes tempest, or blight, or wasting +disease, it is because the spirits are angered at neglect shown, or +insult offered them; and sacrifices, often of the most bloody and cruel +kind, must be offered, or the vengeance of the angry gods will fall +still more heavily on the people. In short, it is a religion of fear +and hate, instead of being what it should be, a religion of love." + +"Are they not thankful, sir, to any one who will deliver them from such +a yoke of bondage?" asked George. + +"One would certainly expect that they would be. But the gospel does not +make the progress that might be looked for. It is in direct opposition +to two of their ruling passions, their thirst for revenge and their +sensuality. The preachers of the gospel especially forbid bloodshed and +polygamy; and these are the two things their chiefs live for." + +"Polygamy! Ay, I was going to ask you about that. I can understand +that you would find yourself in a difficulty there. But I do not quite +know what your practice is. If a Kaffir chief, who has a number of +wives, is converted, would you oblige him to put them all away but one, +as a condition on which you will admit him to baptism?" + +"It is a point on which Christian ministers are not fully agreed. I see +a difficulty myself. A man has solemnly promised to take and keep a +woman for his wife, and she has been faithful to him. If he puts her +away, she may not only be distressed for the loss of her husband, whom +she loves, but may be placed in very painful and degrading +circumstances, which she has in no way merited. It seems contrary to +the genius of Christianity, which is replete with justice and mercy, +that she should so suffer. The Scripture no doubt allows but of one +wife, that being God's primary institution of marriage. It cannot, +therefore, permit any to _contract_ polygamy, but that hardly meets the +case. Scripture also commends the man `who swears unto his neighbour +and disappoints him not.' It is a great difficulty." + +"How do you yourself meet it, sir?" + +"I do not lay down any hard and fast rule. I make a point of talking +the matter over with the husband and with the wives, and try to induce +them voluntarily to separate, in every case but that of the wife first +married. But if I cannot succeed in this, I do not refuse baptism. We +must remember that, though polygamy has always been a thing contrary to +the divine intention, it was tolerated `for the hardness of men's +hearts,' until the truth in all its fulness was bestowed upon men." + +"It is not the first time that the difficulty has occurred," said +George. "The French Church, after the conversion of the northern +barbarians, was long embarrassed by the same question." + +"True; and the custom gradually died out, and was heard of no more, as +Christian light grew stronger," said Mr Bilderjik. "We must hope that +the same result will follow in Southern Africa. But here I think we are +at last. If I do not mistake, that is the Buffalo river that we see +glancing in the distance, and those small specks are the houses at +Rorke's Drift." + +"Yes, that must be the place," said George. "See the baggage-waggons, +and the horses and men on either side the ford. But there is nothing +even resembling a village, that I can see." + +This opinion was confirmed as they drew nearer. There was a stone +kraal, and a storehouse near it, and at a distance of a hundred feet or +so another building, which, as they afterwards learned, was used as an +hospital for thirty sick soldiers. Nearly a quarter of a mile off, in a +hollow between two hills, stood the house in which Mr Bilderjik's +brother minister resided. + +CHAPTER ELEVEN. + +Mr Bilderjik rode up to his brother pastor's abode, by whom he and his +young friends were very kindly received, and they were all invited to +enter his parlour; where, considerably to George's surprise, he +encountered his old companions on board the _Zulu Queen_, the two Vander +Heydens, and Mynheer Moritz. Annchen came forward with a smile and a +blush to welcome George and Redgy, and Moritz was extremely cordial in +his greetings. Vander Heyden also, though somewhat stiffer in his +demeanour, saluted them with courtesy, expressing his satisfaction at +meeting them again. He explained what, however, the young men had +already been informed of, his intention to join as a volunteer the force +which was to be sent for the purpose of putting down Cetewayo's lawless +rule. "It is not only," he said, "that I have the barbarous murder of a +near relative to avenge, but I feel that there will be neither law nor +justice in this land until his power is destroyed. I do not know what +brings you here, Mr Rivers; but I should be glad to think that our aims +and intentions are the same." + +"That is so," said George cordially. "I am persuaded that, whatever may +have been said of former wars which England may have waged with this +country, the one she has now undertaken is the cause of justice and +right. I am glad to think we shall be fellow-campaigners in it. I +suppose there is no doubt that they will accept our services." + +"None indeed," answered Vander Heyden. "You may assure yourself of +that. There will be few recruits that they will welcome more readily." + +Vander Heyden's words proved true. George and Redgy were admitted +without any demur, as was also Hardy, who arrived two or three days +afterwards. He was a more valuable recruit than any of the party, +having served many years in various campaigns under Havelock, Napier, +and Wolseley. His advice and help were most serviceable to George and +Redgy, and a close intimacy soon sprang up between the three. Their +example proved catching. About a fortnight after their arrival at +Rorke's Drift, the three young Baylens and Matamo made their appearance, +having persuaded their father, after many entreaties, to allow them to +enter the same company as their friends, in the Mounted Volunteers. +George was surprised to see them, for the Baylens had been gone more +than a week. A message had been sent to the President of the Orange +Free State, and it was thought necessary, in the disturbed state of the +country, that the messenger should have a military escort. As they +would pass very near Horner's Kraal, Farmer Baylen had obtained +permission to accompany it. But it now appeared that, as soon as they +reached home, the young men had made such urgent representations, as to +wring from their father a reluctant consent. He had insisted, however, +that Matamo should accompany them, upon whom he laid both his commands +and entreaties to keep a careful watch on his sons. + +The eight friends, for so they soon became, found the time pass +pleasantly enough, while the preparations for the campaign were going +on. There was the morning drill and parade, the mess-table, at which +the six English and the two Dutchmen sat next each other, and there were +sword-exercises, and practices with the rifle, which filled up the time, +so as to allow of little leisure. In the evening they would commonly +adjourn to a neighbouring seat under the trees, where they beguiled the +time with narratives of past adventures, and speculations as to the +approaching struggle. Hardy was a particularly pleasant companion. His +anecdotes of the Indian Mutiny, the Abyssinian and Ashantee expeditions, +had a great interest for young soldiers who had never yet encountered +the enemy. He told them of the relief of Lucknow, and how he had stood +by the terrible Well of Cawnpore; how he had accompanied Sir Garnet +Wolseley in his march to Coomassie; and how he had witnessed the final +discomfiture of King Theodore. He regarded the Sepoys, he told them, as +more dangerous enemies, than either the Abyssinians or the Ashantees. +But none of them could, for a moment, compare with the Zulus. It was +not merely the brute courage of these last-named savages that rendered +them so formidable, for almost all barbarous nations are indifferent to +danger. It was their discipline, their devotion to their king's +commands, and their contempt for Europeans, that made them so +formidable. They could not be cowed or terrified. Nothing but +downright hard blows would quell them; and they would endure an amazing +amount of hard blows, before they would knock under. + +"Were you ever in very great danger during the Ashantee campaign?" asked +Redgy, at one of these evening seances. + +"Not more than any one must encounter, who goes on a campaign, I +believe," answered Hardy. "No; the greatest danger I was ever in, I +think, was during the Abyssinian war, and the danger did not come from a +man, but an elephant." + +"Tell us about it, Hardy," said Walter Baylen. "I did not know King +Theodore used elephants in his army." + +"No, it was not in battle, it was during the march," was the rejoinder. +"Ours was the advanced guard of the army, and we had entered Abyssinia, +and were passing through a very wild country, partly covered with long +grass, partly with dense forest, when suddenly an enormous elephant +rushed out of the bush upon us. He was the biggest elephant I ever saw. +I don't think he could have stood less than some inches over eleven +feet." + +"I thought they were found much larger than that," said Margetts. + +"Ah, so people say," said Hardy. "They talk of their being fourteen, +fifteen, and sixteen feet high, but that is all fancy. Matamo here, who +has shot plenty of them, would tell you so. How high was the largest +elephant you ever shot, Matamo?" + +"The bull-elephants are mostly nine or ten feet," said the Bechuana. +"Some stand eleven feet, but not many. I once saw one eleven and a half +feet high, but never bigger." + +"Just so," said Hardy. "Well, this chap, I should think, might have +been eleven and a half. He was, I fancy, what they call a rogue +elephant--an elephant, that is to say, who has been sent to Coventry, +for some offence, by his companions. They are always extremely +dangerous, and will sometimes attack a man without provocation; which +elephants, as an ordinary rule, will not do. He had the most +magnificent tusks I ever saw; I suppose our commanding officer, Captain +Sparrow, noticed this, and thought they would sell for a lot of money in +Magdala. He gave the order for all of us to fire upon him, and kill +him. I was aware of the danger, and ventured to step up to him, and ask +him to recall his order. I knew how difficult the elephant is to kill, +except to experienced hunters. It was before the days of the +Martini-Henrys, you will remember. I suppose the captain thought that +out of a hundred shots one must be mortal. The men fired before I could +get his attention; and, I suppose, considering the size of the mark, +every one must have hit him. He staggered under the shock, and his +sides streamed with blood, but he did not fall." + +"No, Mr Hardy," said Vander Heyden, smiling; "no more than a man would +fall if he was pricked with a hundred needles. Well, what next?" + +"The next thing was that he recovered his legs," said Hardy, "and glared +round at us with an angry eye, as much as to ask, who was to pay for +this outrage? I was nearest to him, and I think he had seen me move out +to Captain Sparrow, and had an idea that I might have been the author of +the attack. Any way, I felt for a minute or two very uncomfortable; +but, if he had suspected me, he changed his mind, and made a rush +straight at Captain Sparrow. The captain ran for it, and dodged behind +his men. It was no good. The elephant soon caught him with his trunk, +whirled him into the air as if he had been a shuttlecock, and, when he +came down again, trampled upon him again and again, till he had trodden +all human likeness out of him. Then he looked round upon the ranks +again, as much as to say, `That's enough for this time, but you'd better +not try this again.' After which he turned quietly round and went into +the bush. We dug a grave, and scraped together, as well as we could, +the bloody and mangled remains. I shall never forget the look the +elephant gave me. It was as much as to say, `If I thought you had +anything to do with it, I'd give it to you too.'" + +"Ha! that was a narrow escape, Mr Hardy," said Moritz; "but I think my +friend Henryk's here was narrower still. I daresay he will tell it you +himself." + +The others joining in the request, Vander Heyden complied willingly +enough. + +"It occurred some years ago," he said. "I was staying at the time at +Pretoria, with my relative Pieter Uys, and we had gone out for some +bok-shooting in the wild country that runs up towards the Limpopo. It +was generally believed that the wild beasts had left that neighbourhood; +but I imagine that a hunt must have been going on somewhere near the +Limpopo, and a number of elephants, some of them wounded, were making +their way south. At all events, they broke upon us without our having +had any suspicion of their being in our neighbourhood, bursting through +the thick mimosas round us, as though they had been so many bulrushes. +We were three in party--Frank, myself, and a Hottentot named Kololo. +One of the largest of the herd came so suddenly upon us that we had no +time to think of escaping. We did the only thing there was to do: we +levelled our rifles and fired, hoping to strike him in the heart or +brain. Kololo, poor fellow, aimed right enough; but the elephant tossed +his head at the moment, and the ball struck his tusk and glanced off. +The movement distracted my aim also, and my bullet only inflicted a +flesh wound. Frank's rifle, luckily for him, was at the moment empty. +The elephant glared at us, then ran up and caught Kololo round the waist +with his trunk and flung him up a great distance into the air, so that +he fell among the Tambookie grass. Then he charged me, caught me, as he +had Kololo, round the waist, and pitched me up as he had him, as easy as +a boy shies a stone into the air. Fortunately for me, there was great +motjeerie close at hand. I was thrown across one of the great branches, +and was jammed into a fork of the tree, so tight that I could not +release myself. The elephant stopped below and waited for me to fall, +but, seeing that I did not, he rushed after Kololo, who was still lying +half stunned in the Tambookie grass, and trampled him, very much as Mr +Hardy describes, into powder. Then he came back to the tree where I was +still lying insensible, and, seeing that I was out of his reach, twisted +his trunk round the bole and tried to tear it up. Then he put his +forehead against it and tried to push it down. Big as it was, it +cracked under his enormous weight. But by this time Frank had reloaded +his rifle, and got a clear sight of him, as he stood pushing at the +tree. The ball passed through his heart, and he fell dead instantly. +If Frank had taken a bad aim, I shouldn't have been sitting here to tell +the story." + +"Well, I think your escape was narrower than Hardy's," said Ernest +Baylen. "Halloo, Willikind, what now?" + +This question was addressed to his brother Wilhelm, who at this moment +approached, accompanied by Sergeant Long. + +"Your services are required, Mr Vander Heyden," said the latter. "Our +colonel wishes to obtain some information from Mr Pieter Uys, who has +joined Colonel Wood as a volunteer at Bemta's Kop. The colonel has been +told that you are well known to Mr Uys." + +"Yes," said Vander Heyden; "he was my guardian, and I have known him all +my life." + +"So he was informed. He wishes to send a verbal message, and receive a +verbal answer, as any writing might, by some accident, fall into the +hands of the enemy. Will you and Mr Moritz go to the colonel, who is +waiting for you at his quarters?" + +The two Dutchmen rose, put on their swords and helmets, and went off in +the direction indicated. + +"The colonel thinks I ought to take eight or ten with me," continued +Sergeant Long, looking round him, "as the roads are said to be beset by +a number of lawless fellows, both black and white, who would show no +respect for the British flag. Will any of you gentlemen volunteer to +accompany me?" + +He was answered by a general cry of assent. Pleasant as their camp life +was, there was something of monotony in it, and the young men were glad +of a little variety. "I will," and "I will," was the cry on every lip. + +"A ride to Bemta's Kop will be some fun," remarked Margetts. "Drill and +sword-exercise are very well in their way, but there may be too much +even of them." + +"You will soon see plenty of fun, sir," observed Sergeant Long. +"Cetewayo's time will be up in two or three days now, and there is no +chance of his knocking under." In another quarter of an hour the party +had set out. It consisted of ten persons--there was Sergeant Long, who +was in command, the two Dutchmen, George, Margetts, and Hardy, the three +young Baylens, and Matamo. The last-named had been very urgent to be +allowed to accompany the party, and, as he was a strong, alert, and +active fellow, Sergeant Long had made no objection. + +The road lay for some distance along the bank of the Buffalo river, and +was at first quite open and safe to travel. Knowing that the whole +neighbourhood, except within the immediate contiguity of the camp, was +full of dangerous characters of all kinds, Sergeant Long had impressed +on the party the necessity of keeping a bright look-out Matamo, in +particular, whose long training particularly qualified him for such +duties, was told to report to the sergeant anything suspicious that +might present itself to him. But for some time there was nothing that +could occasion uneasiness. There was neither rock nor wood for a long +distance on either side of the road, which could possibly afford shelter +to an enemy. But after an hour's ride the character of the country +began to alter. Ridges of rock appeared rising one above another, until +their height became sufficient to shut out the view beyond. Farther on, +these ridges began to be clothed with thorns and shrubs of various +kinds, presenting places from which it would be easy to fire unobserved +on any one passing by. The farther the road ran, the more dangerous did +it appear; and at last, when they were approaching Bemta's Kop, Sergeant +Long drew rein, and called up Matamo. + +"I don't like this," he said. "Do you know this road? Have you often +travelled by it?" + +"I know the road pretty well," answered Matamo. "But if the Zulus or +the white robbers hide in the bank, it will not be possible to see them +till they fire." + +"Just so. Are there many bad places before we reach Bemta's Kop?" + +"Plenty of bad places--as bad or worse than these. But I chance to know +a way round. It is a mile or two longer, but we shall be safe from the +robbers there." + +"We should lose time by taking that, but I really think it would be +safer. What do you say, Mr Hardy?" he continued, drawing him aside. +"I don't like the look of the road; and if it is true that there are +large gangs of ruffians of all kinds about, it is not safe to proceed +farther in a route like this." + +"I am quite of your mind, sergeant," said Hardy; "I know Matamo is +entirely to be trusted." + +"Very good; so be it. Show us the way, Matamo, and we will follow." + +The Bechuana complied. Turning back about fifty yards, he urged his +horse between two almost perpendicular masses of rock, and then made his +way among the boles of the trees for perhaps a quarter of a mile. Then +he turned sharp to the right, and followed a similar course, appearing +to know his way, as if by instinct, among the yellow woods and +oomahaamas, of which the wood chiefly consisted. A bare, open country +followed, along which they rode for a long distance without seeing so +much as an animal or a bird the entire way. Presently Matamo again +turned sharply to the right, and after a short ride through some +thickets of scrub, the summit of Bemta's Kop, and soon afterwards +Colonel Evelyn Wood's encampment, came in sight. + +On arriving there, Sergeant Long presented himself at the quarters of +the commanding officer and stated his errand. Mr Uys, it appeared, was +in the camp, and Vander Heyden and Moritz were immediately conducted to +him. The others were invited to sit down to refreshments offered them. +It was seen at once that they were not common soldiers, and the officers +entered into friendly conversation with them. + +"You are fortunate in having got along that road in safety," observed +Captain Forester to George. "It is not everybody who does. Only two +days ago some waggons bringing in supplies were attacked by a lot of +these fellows in open day, and several of our men were wounded. They +got the worst of it, however, and perhaps that has induced them to sheer +off. I believe one or two of them were killed--certainly hurt." + +"Well, we were not in charge of any valuables," remarked George. "There +was nothing to be got from us but our guns, and perhaps our horses." + +"Just so; unless they thought you were carrying despatches. Cetewayo +would pay them well for any information that might be brought him." + +"Well, I suppose no white men would carry any information against their +own countrymen to him," remarked Margetts. + +"Oh, wouldn't they!" exclaimed Captain Forester. "You have much too +good an opinion of our countrymen, Mr Margetts. I am afraid they would +not only give information, but supply them with Martini-Henrys and +Colt's revolvers, and Gatling guns too, if they could get hold of them, +always provided they could make fifty per cent, by the bargain. +However," continued the captain, "if they had meant to stop you at all, +they would have done so on your way here. Most probably the losses they +sustained the other day have given them such a lesson that they won't +meddle with our men again." + +In another hour the two Dutchmen returned, having had a satisfactory +interview with Mr Uys, and received the reply which was to be carried +to Rorke's Drift. A consultation was then held, and it was agreed that +they had better set out immediately, as it would be possible, by sharp +riding, to reach the camp before dusk. It was thought better to follow +the same road on their way back, as that by which they had come, it +being plain that it was a route known to very few, if to any but Matamo +himself. They set out accordingly, and arrived without adventure at the +point in the road whence Matamo had turned off. Considering now that +all danger was over, they set off at a round trot by the way which ran +along the river-side; when suddenly, as they were passing a mass of +rock, the top and sides of which were hidden by foliage, a puff of white +smoke issued from a bush, and a bullet was fired which would have struck +Vander Heyden in the chest, if it had not happened that Walter Baylen's +horse plunged forward at the moment, so that the ball intended for the +Dutchman entered Walter's shoulder. Hardy instantly fired his revolver +at the spot whence the smoke had issued; and all the party, putting +spurs to their horses, galloped through the first opening that presented +itself into the broken ground which lay on the other side of the rock. +Half a dozen rough-looking fellows, alarmed by their approach, were just +springing on their horses, and making off in all directions, as they +came up. One of the party, who had been wounded, doubtless, by Hardy's +shot, was leaning against a tree unable to move. By the sergeant's +direction, Hardy and Matamo alighted from their horses, and proceeded to +secure him, at the same time tying up a wound in the thigh which he had +received. The two Baylens and Margetts lifted Walter from his horse, +and proceeded to examine his hurt. The sergeant and Moritz went off in +pursuit of one knot of fugitives; George and Vander Heyden after +another. The latter were not above two hundred yards ahead, and there +was a long stretch of down country without shrub or stone to break the +prospect. As their horses were evidently better than those of the +robbers, they expected to overtake them. After a gallop of half an +hour, they had approached within fire, and George, discharging his +pistol, wounded one of the horses in the leg. Perceiving that he could +go no farther, the man sprang from his saddle, and confronted his +antagonist. An expression of surprise broke from George, as he +recognised the leader of the mutineers on board the _Zulu Queen_, John +Bostock. Vander Heyden also appeared surprised, though he made no +remark. + +"You here?" exclaimed Rivers. "I did not expect it, but I am glad you +will not escape the punishment you so richly deserve. I suppose you +will surrender yourself our prisoner, or we shall fire upon you at +once." + +"You are two to one, Mr Rivers," said Bostock, "and you are both armed. +But I call upon Mr Vander Heyden here, if he is not a coward, to meet +me in fair fight. He knows that I am entitled to it. My birth is as +good as his own, I have served in the same army as himself, and I have +twice challenged him. He is fond of saying that the English would be no +match for the Dutch, if it wasn't for the advantages that their position +in the colony gives them. Does he dare meet an Englishman now, without +advantage on either side? Mr Rivers, here, may stand by, and see that +there is fair play." + +"Mr Vander Heyden, surely you will not think of allowing this," said +George, as he saw the Dutchman alight from his horse, and proceed to +secure him to a solitary thorn which grew on the down. "Let him say +what he likes, he cannot be entitled to a meeting at your hands." + +"It may be he is not, Mr Rivers," said Vander Heyden. "He is no doubt +by birth a gentleman, and has held a commission in our army. I agree +with you that he has so lowered and degraded himself, that he cannot +claim his privilege, either as an officer or a gentleman. But let that +be as it may, no soldier, and, above all, no Hollander, can refuse to +meet him face to face. You must act for both parties, Mr Rivers, and +see that everything is fair. No Englishman shall ever say I refused his +challenge." + +"If you insist upon it, I suppose I must," said George, who, though +greatly vexed and disgusted, knew enough of Vander Heyden to be assured +he would not give way on the point. "If this duel is to take place, it +had better be immediately. What weapons do you propose?" + +"What he pleases," replied Vander Heyden shortly. + +"Pardon me, Mr Vander Heyden," said George, "but if I am to have the +management of this affair, I cannot allow that. You are the challenged, +and, by a rule everywhere acknowledged, have the choice of weapons. I +choose pistols for you, and twelve paces is the distance at which you +are to fire. I presume no objection is raised to either point." He +looked at Bostock, who, though somewhat disappointed, as George fancied, +at the proposed arrangement, answered sullenly, "Choose what weapons you +like." + +"Very well," said Rivers. "Then here is my revolver and Mr Vander +Heyden's; they are by the same maker, and as nearly equal as two pistols +can be. Take your choice of them, and stand, if you please, on that +spot. Now, Mr Vander Heyden, in what manner will you fire--alternately +or at the same moment?" + +"Alternately; that is the usual practice here," said Vander Heyden. "We +can toss for who is to have the first fire." + +A florin was accordingly flung up, and it was found the right of +shooting first fell to Vander Heyden. + +The signal was given, he fired, and his bullet tore a button from +Bostock's breast. The Englishman then discharged his revolver, and the +bullet struck Vander Heyden's helmet, through which it cut a furrow, +without wounding him, though he reeled under the blow. + +"I presume that is enough," said George. "He cannot claim more at your +hands." + +"Does he demand more?" asked Vander Heyden. + +"I do," said Bostock. "I claim a second shot." + +"Let him have it," said the Dutchman. + +"If you must, you must," exclaimed Rivers. "But take notice that I will +allow no more. If you persist after this, I shall ride off the ground." + +Vander Heyden bowed stiffly, and, raising his revolver, delivered his +second shot. It evidently struck his antagonist, who raised, and then +dropped his arm, as if in pain. Hastening up, George discovered that he +had been hit in the right wrist. The wound did not appear to be a +dangerous one, but it was obviously impossible for Bostock to hold a +pistol. + +"I cannot have my revenge to-day," he exclaimed sullenly, when the +bleeding had been stopped, and the wound bound up. "But the day will +come when I shall return your fire." + +"When you please, sir," answered the Dutchman haughtily. "After an +affair of this kind, you must be allowed to go free. If we meet again, +it will be different. I shall not feel obliged to answer your challenge +a second time." + +They parted, Bostock leading away his wounded horse, and the other two, +remounting, rode back to their companions. + +"Mr Rivers," said the Dutchman when they had ridden, a short distance, +"I thank you for your friendly offices. Will you add to them by being +entirely silent about this adventure?" + +"Certainly," returned George; "it would not be desirable on many +accounts to speak of it." No more was said until they rejoined their +companions, who were somewhat impatiently awaiting their return. + +"Did you kill either of those fellows?" asked the sergeant. "I fancied +I heard several shots fired." + +"No, they got off," said George vaguely. "I hope Walter is not much +hurt." + +"Only a flesh wound, George," said Walter Baylen. "The worst of it is +that I am afraid it will prevent me from joining the other fellows when +they march. They tell me I shan't be able to stir for three weeks to +come." + +"Well, we had better start now, and lose no time," said Rivers. +"Matamo, you have got the prisoner safe, I see. Why, I declare it is +Van Ryk! a good job too!" + +CHAPTER TWELVE. + +"Up and bestir yourself, Redgy!" cried George, entering the tent, which +Margetts shared with Wilhelm Baylen, a few days afterwards. "Cetewayo's +time was up last night, and he has made no sign. The order to march has +been given, and every one is already on the move. The mounted +volunteers are to cross first, and our horses must be taken down to the +Drift at once." + +"I am sorry to say Wilhelm and I are to be left behind," said Margetts. +"It's an awful nuisance, but there's no help for it." + +"Left behind!" repeated George. "Why, what is that for?" + +"I don't know, I'm sure; but last night, after you had left, there came +an order that half a dozen of us would be required to stay on service +here. Green didn't know how to settle it to any one's satisfaction, and +it was determined at last to ballot for it. You are always in luck, +George, and so are Ernest and Hardy, and the Dutchman Moritz. But +Wilhelm and myself, and Vander Heyden--" + +"Vander Heyden, eh?" interrupted George. "Has _he_ got to stay behind? +How did he take that?" + +"Rather worse than we did," answered Margetts. "And we took it bad +enough. Here we shall have to kick our heels, while you are having all +the fun. By the way, what is to be done with Van Ryk? His trial took +place yesterday, but I haven't heard the result." + +"He is to be hanged," said George. "Not only you and I, but Vander +Heyden and Moritz also swore positively to him. You'll have the +pleasure of being his executioners after we are gone." + +"I am not sure of that," said Redgy. "They allow a fellow three weeks +now,--at least I suppose so,--and I should think you would have chawed +up Cetewayo before three weeks are past." + +"Hardly that," said George, "though I daresay it won't be very long. +Well, I'm sorry for you, Redgy, but I can't stop here. You had better +get up and see us off." + +The banks of the Buffalo presented a busy and animated scene that +morning. This river and the Tugela are often, in the later months of +the year, so reduced in volume that a horse may cross them without the +water rising higher than his knees. But in January, February, and March +they are generally in deep and rapid flood, and difficult, and, except +to experienced riders, impossible to ford. The mounted soldiers did +contrive to cross, and so did one battalion of the Native Contingent, at +a shallow spot a quarter of a mile or so up stream, and the 24th +regiment was got over on ponts. When these were in position to repel +any attack that might be made by the Zulus, the rest of the force was +conveyed across, and lastly the waggons. + +This was the heaviest part of the work, and occupied a long time. The +waggons were dragged by the oxen to the edge of the bank; then the +cattle were outspanned, and driven into the river to swim across, while +the waggons were dragged on to the ponts by hand. This occupied the +entire day; but by nightfall they had nearly all been got across, and on +the following morning the march began. + +"We are to move first on Sirayo's kraal," said George to Hardy, as they +grasped hands. "He is the fellow, you know, that made the foray into +Natal and carried off the women, whom he afterwards murdered. Cetewayo +wouldn't give him up. He is in a strong position, I am told, by the +Ingutu hill, about four miles from here." + +"And he probably has a pretty large force with him," observed Hardy. +"Cetewayo is said to have sent his prime troops against our column. +Well, now, George, you'll see what these fellows fight like." + +The order to move was presently given. The advance was necessarily slow +through the broken and perfectly wild country on the north side of the +Tugela; through which there was not so much as a path to be traced, +except where the waggon of some trader had passed, and deep ruts had +been left by the wheels. The ground was for the most part woodland, +broken, however, continually by ravines, with deep and high fissures +intersecting them--as difficult a country for a hostile force to +traverse as could well be imagined. + +After an hour or two of tedious advance, they came on the banks of the +Bashee, a small mountain stream, running at the foot of the Ingutu +mountain. Presently Sirayo's kraal came in sight. + +"There is the kraal, George," exclaimed Hardy, "and there are a lot of +Zulus ready to defend it. Now you may have a good sight of these +fellows in fighting array." + +George looked up at the crags above him, and saw a number of +dark-skinned warriors, whose appearance was in the highest degree +striking. On their heads they wore head-dresses, apparently of +leopards' skin, surmounted by feathers, the dark plumes waving after a +most picturesque fashion against the sky. Round their wrists and ankles +they wore rings of ivory or burnished copper, while their waists were +encircled by the tails of wild animals bound together. On their left +arms they carried oval shields, large enough to protect the entire body +from neck to ankle, proof against the sharp and dangerous assegay, but +no protection from the rifle bullet. Their defensive weapons were +rifles and assegays; the latter long spears cut from the wood of the +tree which bears the same name, with an iron head and a barbed point, +and which these savages hurl with great dexterity and force. As soon as +the English soldiers came within hearing distance, they began to taunt +and jeer them after their barbaric fashion, inquiring, "What were the +white men riding there for?" + +"What did they want in the land of the Zulus?" + +"Were they looking out for some place to build a kraal in?" + +"Would they ascend the rocks, and receive the greeting they were ready +to bestow upon them?" and the like. + +Presently the order to advance was given, and the men of the 24th began +climbing the westward side of the hill, on which Sirayo's kraal stood. +A fire was instantly opened upon them by the Zulus, from behind the +various points of vantage where they had stationed themselves, by which +a dozen men or so were struck down. But in a short time, in spite of an +obstinate resistance, the enemy were driven out of the kraal, and fled +in confusion along the hillside, followed, as soon as they reached +tolerably level ground, by the cavalry, who cut down a considerable +number in the pursuit. + +"So much for the first brush with these rascals!" exclaimed Hardy as he +sheathed his sabre. "Certainly these are gallant fellows, very +different from either the Ashantees or the Abyssinians. But, +nevertheless, savages, however brave, cannot stand against disciplined +troops, and this is only one more proof of it. Well, I suppose we shall +go no farther to-day." + +Hardy's words were fully verified. Not only was the march not resumed +that day, but more than a week passed before the troops were again in +motion. It was found to be impossible for the waggons to make their +way, without constructing for them what really was a new road; or +rather, a road of some kind, the old waggon tracks being all but +useless. In some places the rains or the overflow of the brooks had +made the ground swampy, and here the wheels would suddenly sink up to +the axles, and it was only after long and severe exertion that they +could be extricated, to fall into a similar pitfall, perhaps, before +another ten yards of the way had been surmounted. So slow was the +progress, that it was not until the 20th of January that the column +resumed its route, through a bare country, hardly exhibiting a tree or +shrub, and reached on the evening of the same day, the base of the lofty +eminence known as Isandhlwana, or "the Lion's Hill." + +"This is to be our camping ground, then?" said Ernest Baylen as the +order to halt was given. "Well, I have often heard of Isandhlwana hill, +and have seen it from a distance. It doesn't look a bad sort of a place +to pitch one's tent in." + +"By no means," assented George, looking round him; "and it will be a +strong position too, if it is properly secured from attack. What say +you, Hardy?" + +Hardy cast a scrutinising glance round him, and then expressed his +assent. It was indeed a striking scene. On the west side the rock rose +steep and rugged, and in some places precipitous, to a considerable +height, sloping downwards towards the east until it reached the +water-side. Ridges of rock and grassy mounds everywhere broke this +descent, so that it was rendered very difficult to traverse. On the +south there was a long platform of rock covered with grass overhanging +an extensive valley. The whole ground chosen for the camp was a kind of +sloping plateau, overlooked by an inaccessible eminence. The scene soon +became lively and picturesque, as the white bell-tents were pitched in +long rows, the fires lighted, and the men, in their scarlet jackets and +white helmets, gathered in groups round them, or moved hither and +thither on their various errands. + +The companions, now reduced to four, for four had been left at Rorke's +Drift, sat down to their meal in a somewhat dissatisfied humour. They +were terribly tired of their long inaction, and it did not look as +though matters were going to be any more expeditious as regarded the +future. They had been more than ten days going five or six miles, and +the waggon tracks, it was said, were to be no better. At this rate, +when would they reach Ulundi? Not, at all events, until long after the +other two columns under Evelyn Wood and Colonel Pearson had come into +contact with the main force of the enemy, and probably reaped all the +laurels that were to be gained. They were rejoiced when they were +informed that Lord Chelmsford meant to send a force to reconnoitre on +the following morning, and Ernest Baylen and Moritz were to accompany +it. + +"I envy you fellows," said Hardy. "Dartnell, who is to lead you, is a +smart officer, and by all accounts the Zulus are mustering pretty thick +in the neighbourhood, so that you will run the chance of some sharp +fighting." + +"Lonsdale is to make a reconnaissance with the Natal force in the same +direction, I am told," said Ernest; "and Lord Chelmsford also means to +take a party out, they say. There will be plenty of fighting to-morrow, +I expect." + +"Won't the withdrawal of all these detachments leave us rather a small +force to defend the camp with?" suggested George. + +"Oh, they will fortify it, of course, the first thing to-morrow," said +Hardy. "I rather wondered that something of the kind wasn't done last +night, seeing that the enemy are in force near us. But the men were +very tired, and it was too dark to do much. But no doubt they will +laager the waggons and throw up breastworks as soon as it is light." + +With the break of day, Moritz and Ernest, attended by Matamo, rode off +with Major Dartnell's force. And not long afterwards the Natal troops +followed, taking the road, as they afterwards learnt, to Matejan's Kraal +and Malatoko hill. But after this no further movement occurred during +the day. The men busied themselves with the routine of camp duty, or +were gathered in groups, talking, and smoking, and playing games. The +scene was romantic and lively. In the foreground were the white +bell-tents, making a forcible contrast to the scarlet of the uniforms +scattered about; farther off were the waggons belonging to the different +corps, each remaining in the place where it had been unpacked; and in +the background was the wild uncultivated landscape--forest, and mountain +ridge, and sandy ravine, and rocky boulder, mingled together in +picturesque disorder. + +"They don't seem inclined to fulfil your prediction," observed George to +Hardy on the following morning, as they sat upon a large stone under the +shadow of the great Isandhlwana hill. "No order seems to have been +given for fortifying the camp. Look, there's Colonel Pulleine, who is +now in command, and has been so since Lord Chelmsford and Colonel Glyn +left. He is reading some letters, or papers of some kind. He does not +seem to have an idea that the camp wants fortifying." + +"He ought to know best," said Hardy, "and for the matter of that, I +suppose he must have had the general's orders about it. And he, and we +also, have nothing to do but to obey. All I can say is, that if the +camp were to be attacked by any large force, as things now are, I don't +see how it could be defended. What is there to stop the Zulus? The men +might, of course, form into a square, if they had time to do it, with +the ammunition in the middle; and as long as powder and shot lasted, I +don't suppose the Zulus could break in. But look at them, scattered up +and down and everywhere. Suppose there came a sudden rush of these +black fellows from under cover, what time would the men have to form and +collect the ammunition? The niggers might pour in by hundreds and by +thousands, and cut our fellows up into small bodies, which might be +destroyed in detail." + +"It looks so, certainly," said George; "but our officers are men well +used to campaigning, and, what is more, to campaigns with the natives. +They can't have overlooked this, unless they knew that there was no +risk." + +"Well, all I can say is, no commanding officer under whom I have served +before ever left a camp undefended, as this is," rejoined Hardy. + +"Here comes Colonel Durnford," said George, as a fine soldierly-looking +man rode up, attended by a force of mounted Basutos. "I knew he was +expected about this time. He is senior to Colonel Pulleine; I daresay +he will order the camp to be fortified. I suppose it would not be a +very long job, would it?" + +"No, not to put it into such a state as would be sufficient to repel an +attack of these Zulus," assented Hardy. "Look at those waggons yonder. +The oxen are already inspanned. If they were simply drawn together in a +circle, the infantry and the ammunition collected and placed inside, the +Zulus couldn't force their way in against one-half of the numbers that +we have here. No, not if Cetewayo sent his whole army. Of course they +might pillage the rest of the camp, and drive off the oxen. But they +couldn't get inside,--not in a week,--and they would probably lose +thousands in making the attempt. Look at those two guns there, too! If +they were drawn in front of the waggons, they would shoot down any +attacking force--whole heaps of men at every discharge. And they +couldn't be taken under the fire of the laager. See there, Colonel +Dumford is giving some orders. I hope he sees the danger, and is going +to take some precautions against it. Let us move up nearer." + +On approaching the spot, however, they found the colonel's thoughts were +otherwise occupied. News had just come in that the Zulus were +retreating in all directions, and would escape unhurt if they were not +pursued. The colonel therefore was on the point of going after them, +accompanied by his mounted Basutos and the rocket battery which he had +brought with him, leaving the camp once more under Colonel Pulleine's +command. + +"I don't like it," said Hardy when this was reported to him. "I don't +see what there has been to make these Zulus retreat. It is certain that +they are in great force, and they can hardly be said to have been +attacked. I hope this retreat is not a mere feint to draw more men out +of the camp. I suppose, however, Lord Chelmsford must be returning to +it, and Colonel Durnford knows that he is close at hand." + +As he spoke, Colonel Durnford and his Basutos went past at a rapid pace, +the rocket battery, under Captain Russell, following. + +For some time after his departure there was no further movement in the +camp. But presently the idea spread, and gained ground, that an attack +from a large force of the enemy was to be looked for. The six companies +of the 24th were drawn up--three of them in extended order on the left +front, where the principal attack might be looked for, two more on the +side where the waggons were posted, while one company (that of Captain +Younghusband) was held in reserve. Close to the companies the artillery +was stationed, and a little farther off a detachment of the Native +Contingent. + +About one o'clock heavy firing all round announced the approach of the +struggle, and presently the Basutos, who had encountered an overwhelming +force of the enemy, were seen falling back on all sides, pursued by +large bodies of Zulus, who came rolling like a sable wave over the crest +of the opposite hill. As soon as they came in sight, the artillery +opened upon them, mowing them down with terrible havoc. But they +continued to advance, hesitating now and then when the fire from the +guns came among them, then rushing on more resolutely than ever. +Presently they came near enough for the fire of the 24th to open, and +this for the time checked their advance. Desperate as the courage of +the blacks was, they could not face the storm of lead thus showered upon +them. + +"They won't stand this very long, Rivers," said Hardy, as they watched +the battle from the flank, on which the volunteers were stationed. +"They have wonderful pluck, certainly; but, unless the ammunition fails, +it is impossible they can approach nearer. Even now I see signs of +wavering among them. We shall soon be at their heels, I expect. +Merciful Heaven!" he exclaimed a moment afterwards in an altered voice, +as, chancing to turn round, he caught sight of some object behind him. +"The Zulus have got into our rear! It is all over with us!" + +Rivers glanced round, and a thrill of dismay shot through him, as he +beheld the head of a Zulu column making its way round the precipitous +hill in the rear of the camp, and pouring on in large and +ever-increasing volumes to attack the English from behind. At the same +moment the assailing force in front caught sight of their countrymen, +and rushed forward with redoubled fury. Struck with terror, the native +contingent broke its ranks and fled, leaving a wide gap in the fighting +line, through which the black warriors burst like a raging torrent, and +the whole camp in a moment became a scene of wild confusion. The +various groups of white soldiers were cut off from their ammunition and +from one another, presenting the appearance of an island here and there, +encompassed by the overwhelming flood of the enemy. A fierce rush +carried the guns, which had hitherto inflicted such deadly loss on their +host. A desperate attempt was made by those in charge of them to force +their way through the enemy. But the gunners were assegayed on the +limbers, and the drivers in their seats. One gun was upset, the other +was dragged off by the wounded horses. All was confusion, distraction, +despair. + +"Ride for it, George!" shouted Hardy. "The only hope is to reach Lord +Chelmsford, if he is anywhere near at hand, as I hope he is, and bring +him to the rescue. Some of our fellows may hold out long enough for him +to come up. Ay, that is right!" he exclaimed, turning on his saddle as +they galloped off; "there is Captain Younghusband retiring against the +steep side of the hill. He, at all events, will hold out a long time +there. All depends on how near Lord Chelmsford may be." + +Urging their horses to the utmost speed, they broke their way through +some scattered groups of combatants, and had got clear of the camp among +some bushes, when they came upon two horsemen riding, at the top of +their speed, in the opposite direction. George recognised them as +Ernest Baylen and Matamo. + +"Stop, Ernest!" he shouted; "do not make for the camp. The Zulus have +broken in there. Where are our fellows? Where is Lord Chelmsford?" + +Baylen reined in his horse. "Broken into the camp!" he exclaimed; "the +Zulus! Then all is lost! Dartnell's men are dispersed or killed. +Moritz has been assegayed. I was riding to bring help." + +"Where is Lord Chelmsford?" interposed Hardy. "Is he anywhere near at +hand?" + +"No, miles off, I believe, but I can't say where." + +"Then there is nothing for it but to make for Rorke's Drift. We may +warn them in time to prepare for attack." + +He was just turning his horse when half a dozen Zulus came rushing up, +hurling their assegays as they advanced. One of these grazed George's +cheek. Another pierced Ernest in the chest, who fell on the instant; +while a third mortally wounded Matamo's horse. The Bechuana leaped from +his saddle, and was instantly struck down by a blow from a club. George +cut down the man whose assegay had narrowly missed him, and Hardy shot +two more with his revolver. The others drew back for the moment; and +the two Englishmen, taking advantage of their hesitation, galloped off. + +"To the left, to the left!" shouted Hardy; "make for the thicket there. +I know a path through it that runs down to the Buffalo. The pursuit is, +fortunately, in another direction." + +In a few minutes they reached the cover of the trees, followed only by +the three or four Zulus from whom they had just escaped. + +Once inside the wood they were tolerably secure. Elated by the signal +success they had obtained, the news of which spread like wildfire in all +directions, the Zulus were hurrying to witness the overthrow and +slaughter of the white men, and get their share of the spoil, and the +fugitives did not encounter a single enemy, while their pursuers were a +long way in the rear. Hurrying along a path, which Hardy had often +traversed when a resident of the country, in half an hour's time they +found themselves on the banks of the Buffalo, at a part which was +entirely out of sight of either friends or enemies. + +"Will our horses carry us across?" asked Hardy as he looked at the +swollen and roaring stream, which at that point ran with extraordinary +speed. + +"They must," said George. "Not our lives only, but those of our friends +at Rorke's Drift depend upon it." + +"You are right. We must cross at once." + +The horses, which had somewhat recovered their wind during the passage +through the wood, were extremely unwilling to enter the stream; and it +was only by sharp use of the spur that they could be compelled to breast +it. For about a third of the distance the water was comparatively +smooth, and they made their way, though with difficulty. But as they +approached the mid-current they found its force quite irresistible. +Both horses were swept down the stream, and soon lost all power of +resistance. George threw himself from the saddle, and, striking out +with all his force, broke clear of the current and slowly made his way +to the shore, while his horse, which had ceased to struggle, was carried +down the torrent. George scrambled with difficulty up the bank, and, +looking round for his companion, saw him a hundred yards lower down, +clinging to the long, projecting branch of a large yellowwood. His +horse too had disappeared, and he himself appeared to be quite +exhausted. Shouting to him to hold on to the branch, George hurried to +the spot, and, climbing into the tree, was able to approach him near +enough to throw one end of his belt to him, while he drew him upwards by +the other. After a quarter of an hour of great peril and exertion, they +both stood safe on the farther shore of the Buffalo. + +"We are saved, Rivers," said Hardy as soon as he had recovered his +breath sufficiently to thank his preserver; "but I am afraid not in time +to warn our friends at Rorke's Drift. We have come direct enough so +far, no doubt. But Rorke's Drift lies some considerable distance off, +and I am so much exhausted that it would take me a long time to reach it +on foot. I am afraid you are not much better." + +"Hush!" said George; "I hear some one moving close at hand. We have +lost our revolvers, but we still have our sabres. Can these Zulus have +followed us?" + +They drew cautiously back under the cover of the reeds and rushes, and +listened intently. Presently the tramp of horses' feet was distinctly +heard, and two mounted volunteers came riding by at an easy trot, +attended by two or three natives. + +"It is some of our own fellows," exclaimed George; "how fortunate! By +all that is lucky," he added a moment afterwards, "it is Redgy himself, +and Wilhelm Baylen! Hullo, Redgy, what has brought you here? Stop a +moment, and take us with you." + +Margetts reined in his horse in great surprise. "I may return your +question, I think," he said. "What brings you here? And, good heavens! +what a condition you are in. You have swam the river, and are covered +with blood besides! What has happened?" + +"It will take a long time to tell that," answered George, "and we must +not stop here to tell it. Every moment is of incalculable importance. +Give me your horse, Redgy. I think I can contrive to sit in the saddle, +and Wilhelm must ride by me. You and Hardy must make your way as well +as you can on foot. He will tell you all about it." + +He spurred the horse to its speed, and he and Baylen were soon lost to +sight. + +CHAPTER THIRTEEN. + +The morning of the 22nd of January broke calm and clear on the valley of +the Buffalo. At one end of this, as the reader has heard, was situated +the ford of Rorke's Drift, to which the occurrence of that day has given +a world-wide celebrity. But for the fact that there are shallows close +to it, by which cavalry may almost always cross, there is nothing that +could cause it to be chosen as a military station. The valley indeed is +open for some considerable distance above the Drift; but below it there +rise rocky hills, which would enable an enemy completely to command it. +On the north bank again, which is in Zululand, the ground is level; but +on the Natal side there is high land, sloping abruptly down to the river +at the point where the ford is shallowest. From this point, as well as +from that before mentioned, the camp could be easily attacked, and +probably with disastrous effect. It could therefore only be from that +contempt of the most obvious dangers, which seems to be an inevitable +feature in the English character, that a military storehouse and +hospital could have been built in such a situation. It must have been +evident to every one that, if a Zulu invasion--a thing which had already +twice occurred, and which was now again apprehended with grave reason-- +were really to take place, and Cetewayo pour his dusky thousands across +the Buffalo, the stores and the sick men must be, at once and without +hope of deliverance, at his mercy. + +In any case, one would have supposed that this consideration would cause +some anxiety in the minds of the slender garrison left in it, when the +three British columns had passed the frontier of Zululand to attack its +renowned and dreaded king. All over Natal, if not all over Southern +Africa, it was considered as, at all events, very doubtful, whether he +would not prove too strong--not indeed for the power of England to cope +with, but for the number of troops now sent against him. And if he +obtained even a temporary triumph, and forced Glyn's column back over +the river, what would all their lives be worth? Did not common prudence +require the throwing up defences of some kind, which might keep the +enemy off, for some time at least, until succour might arrive. The +grand feat of arms, which averted a second disaster, has induced the +world to disregard the strange imprudence exhibited here, as at +Isandhlwana. But had the result been different, and had the garrison +experienced the same fate as those who fell in the fatal battle on the +morning of the same day, the outcry would in all likelihood have been +quite as loud and quite as justifiable. + +But no thought of danger disturbed the equanimity of the slender force +left to garrison their untenable post. The men, when the necessary camp +duties had been discharged, appeared to be sorely at a loss to know in +what manner to employ their time. The day was warm and bright, and +early in the forenoon it became oppressively hot. Some amused +themselves by fishing in the adjoining river. Some strolled up and +down, or sat smoking and chatting in the verandah, or under such shade +as could be found. + +At a little distance, in front of the Swedish pastor's house, Vander +Heyden and his sister were walking up and down, engaged in earnest +conversation. + +"I wish you would think better of this, Annchen," he said. "Mr +Bilderjik returns this morning to Colenso. He finds there is nothing to +be done here, which the pastor himself cannot do, nor is there likely to +be anything. He will take you with him to his house, and thence you +will find easily enough the means of conveyance to Newcastle, where a +temporary residence has been engaged. There all the waggons and the +goods which were saved from the wreck at Bushman's Drift have been +conveyed. There, too, you can make the necessary preparations for the +journey across the Transvaal, which cannot be made here." + +"You are resolved on settling at Pieter's Dorf, then?" + +"Have I not told you so already? Bushman's Drift was completely +destroyed by those fiends of Umbelini's. It would take a great deal of +time and money to restore it; and even were that otherwise, I could +never endure the sight of the place again." + +"I know, I know," murmured Annchen, as she laid her hand pityingly on +his arm. + +"And Pieter's Dorf," resumed Vander Heyden, "is the place at which I +have always wished to live, since it came into my possession. Additions +to the house and farm buildings are needed, and these Hardy, the most +competent man in these parts, has promised to undertake. We shall +certainly set out as soon as I am free to travel." + +"That is, as soon as Cetewayo has been put down, I suppose. But if you +are to have no hand in putting him down, why wait for that?" + +"I mean to have a hand in putting him down. As a soldier, I know I must +obey orders, and therefore I have stayed here. But I have been promised +that I shall take the place of the first officer that is killed or +disabled. Every day I am expecting to hear that a battle has been +fought and I am free to draw my sword. I must stay here." + +"But, Henryk, may I not be as anxious to obtain the earliest information +as yourself?" + +"Of the safety of Frank Moritz?" suggested her brother, turning a +scrutinising look on her; "or perhaps of some one else?" + +Annchen coloured. "You have no right--no reason for asking me that," +she said. + +"I hope I have no reason," he answered. "As for right, that is a +different matter. Let us understand one another. It was never supposed +that there was any romantic affection between you and Frank, though you +liked one another well enough to marry. But I have fancied once or +twice that you were getting romantic about this young Englishman, +Rivers. He is a fine fellow, I allow, and I admire and like him. But +you shall never marry an Englishman with my consent. And though my +control over you will cease after a time, you would no longer be a +sister of mine if you were to marry one." + +"I repeat you have neither right nor reason to speak thus to me," she +rejoined. "Neither Mr Rivers nor myself have said or done anything +that could justify it. And I really think it _would_ be better for me +to leave Rorke's Drift. I have no doubt Mr Bilderjik will give me +permission to accompany him, and, as he means to set out very soon, I +will go and prepare for my journey. Good-bye, Henryk; let us part +friends." + +They took leave of one another, and not long afterwards she was seen +riding off in the Swedish pastor's company. Vander Heyden lounged up to +the camp and joined some of the officers, who had gathered in a group +near the storehouse, listening intently to some distant sounds borne by +the wind from the eastern quarter. + +"That is firing, I am sure," said Evetts, one of the volunteers; "but it +is a long way off." + +"Yes, that is firing," said the experienced Vander Heyden; "but it is +not volley firing. It is only some skirmishing, I expect. How long has +it been going on?" + +"I should think it began about an hour ago," said Evetts, "but it was +very faint and irregular then. It has been getting more distinct for +the last twenty minutes. It is just half-past twelve now." He looked +at his watch as he spoke. "But, ha! what is that?" he added a moment +afterwards, as a deep, hollow boom came across the river. "That is +cannon. There is a battle going on at Isandhlwana." + +"A good job too," said Vander Heyden; "it is time there was some +fighting. People had begun to think there never was to be any." + +They continued to listen for a considerable time to the roar of the +cannonade, which presently ceased, and the desultory firing was again +heard. + +"The action is over," observed Evetts. "The Zulus never can face the +guns very long." + +"Where is Margetts?" inquired another officer after another hour's +conversation. + +"He and Baylen have ridden out to the ford on the Lower Tugela," +answered Evetts, "with some letters which were to be forwarded to +Pearson's camp. I have been on the lookout for them for some time." + +"And here they come," said Lieutenant Bromhead, the officer in command +of the garrison; "I know Margetts' horse even at this distance." + +"It is the horse, sure enough," said Vander Heyden, as they drew nearer, +"but I don't think it is the man. No," he added a minute afterwards, +"it is Rivers, not Margetts." + +"Rivers!" repeated Bromhead. "And so it is! He must come from +Isandhlwana. Depend upon it, he brings us the news of a victory. Well, +Rivers, what is it?" + +"I am sorry to say, Mr Bromhead," said George, saluting the officer in +command, "we have suffered a terrible defeat. The Zulus have broken +into our camp and massacred nearly the whole of the companies of the +24th, the police, and the volunteers. All the guns, ammunition, and +waggons have been taken. I should fear that nearly a thousand men have +been slaughtered." + +"Good Heaven! you cannot mean it!" said Evetts. "Where is Lord +Chelmsford? How can it have happened?" + +"It is no use asking either question now," said George. "The Zulus are +in immense force--ten or twelve thousand of them at the least. They are +already, I expect, on the march to attack you. You must instantly +retreat, or prepare to defend yourselves." + +"We cannot retreat," said Bromhead. "It will be impossible to remove +the wounded men, and we cannot let them fall into the hands of the +Zulus. Besides, it is of the utmost importance to maintain this post, +if it be possible. We must throw up what defences we can, and, rather +than surrender them, die behind them." + +He was answered by a general cheer and a cry of determination to defend +the place as long as there was a cartridge left, or a man to fire it. + +As has already been intimated, a worse position for defence than Rorke's +Drift can hardly be imagined. The two small frail buildings were more +than a hundred feet apart from one another. The walls were thin, the +doors weak, the roofs thatched, and easily set on fire. On two sides +there was rising ground, from which they could be completely commanded. +On a third they could be approached under cover within a few yards' +distance. There was neither wall nor breastwork nor trench--nothing, in +fact, to keep an enemy back. The attacking party would probably consist +of some thousands of desperate and well-armed savages, flushed with +victory. The defenders were one hundred and four in number (for the +native contingent withdrew before the approach of the enemy), and they +were cumbered with the care of thirty-five sick men. + +They went to work, however, with a will, and for more than two hours +employed themselves in loopholing the walls and constructing barricades +between the two houses. These consisted of two waggons, which had +fortunately been left at the station, and of piles of sacks filled with +mealies and biscuit-boxes, the parapet thus formed being only a few feet +high. It looked more like a mock fortification, put together for a +schoolboy's game, than for the purposes of a real battle. The rude +defences were still incomplete, when the dark masses of the enemy were +seen crowding the rising ground to the south, and the foremost lines +made a sudden charge down the hill, intending to carry the place by a +_coup de main_. But when they had approached within fifty yards, they +were met by a fire so heavy, as to check even their triumphant advance. +Instead of continuing their rush, they withdrew into whatever cover they +could find, and fired from behind hollows in the hillside, trees and +shrubs and garden wall, every now and then rushing forward and trying to +force their way in, until driven back by the weapon they dreaded most of +all--the British bayonet. + +"These fellows fight desperately," said George to Hardy, who had arrived +an hour or two previously, as, aided by him and Vander Heyden, he drove +back half a dozen Zulus, who had forced themselves half over the wall of +mealie-bags; "yonder big fellow actually clutched the barrel of my +musket as I fired it into him, and, though he was mortally wounded, +attempted to tear it from me. If his strength hadn't failed him pretty +quickly, he'd have got it, too!" + +"Well, the fighting has gone on for four or five hours," said Redgy, who +was close by, "and they have not gained an inch yet." + +"Ay, but if they _were_ to gain an inch, it would be all up with us," +said Hardy. "Put those mealie-bags back again, Wilhelm. That last rush +nearly had them down." + +"Look out, here is another lot coming!" shouted George, as he +indistinctly caught sight of a dark mass advancing towards them. A +moment afterwards a dozen blacks vaulted nimbly on to the parapet, but +were instantly hurled back by a volley of musketry, which carried death +among the assailants. Three only had made their entrance good. George +shot one with his revolver, Hardy bayoneted a second, and Vander Heyden, +clubbing his rifle, brained the third, all falling dead within the +enclosure. + +"Safe once more!" exclaimed Hardy; "but how long is this to go on?" + +At this moment a shout was raised that the enemy were forcing their way +into the hospital, and the sick must be moved, or they would fall into +the hands of the savages. With the utmost difficulty this task was +accomplished, the soldiers fighting from room to room, and guarding the +doors by turns, while their sick comrades were carried out under the +very eyes of a crowd of swarthy savages, pressing on them with +brandished weapons and yells of fury. Presently the hospital was set on +fire, and the flames, rising high and catching the thatch, lit up the +terrible scene with a lurid splendour. It guided the bullets of the +defenders, who continued to pour volley after volley into the midst of +the dense array of their assailants, heaping the ground everywhere round +the entrenchments with their corpses. + +Who can relate the achievements, who can recount the horrors, of that +long night of trial? It was like a succession of hideous dreams, from +which the sleepers were continually being awakened, only to renew them +in sleep again. About midnight the little garrison, forced back on +every side by overwhelming numbers, had to retire within an inner +circle, formed, like the outer one, by mealie-sacks; and here the same +scenes were, hour after hour, renewed in endless succession--of black +warriors pouring in to the attack, and being driven back by volleys of +musketry and charges with the bayonet. + +At last the dawn broke. The Zulu fire ceased, and the dense array of +the enemy was seen retiring over the heights by which they had +approached. The garrison, diminished still further by the casualties of +the night, stood triumphant in their citadel. The scene which the +rising sun revealed was one of the most terrible and striking on which +the eye of man has ever rested. There were the handful of defenders, +with their faces blackened with powder or clotted blood, their uniforms +ragged with bullet-marks and charred by fire, leaning exhausted against +the walls, or stretched on the ground; and all round the camp the bodies +of the assailants, scattered singly here and there, or piled on heaps +upon one another, in some places six and seven deep. There they lay, in +every conceivable attitude of repose or agony, some struck with sudden +and almost painless death, others torn by gaping wounds or forced into +hideous contortions by acute and protracted torture. + +"What a night it has been, Vander Heyden!" exclaimed George, as he +leaned on the stalwart Dutchman's arm, giddy with exhaustion. "A +hundred times over I have given myself up for lost. I can hardly +believe that it is over, and we are safe! It was like a horrible +nightmare!--those interminable black faces and whirling spears and +ferocious shouts! I think I shall never cease to hear them!" + +"It has indeed been a tremendous struggle," said the Dutchman. "Ha! +what is that shout? They are not returning to the attack, are they, Mr +Bromhead?" he continued, addressing that officer, as, grim with dust and +blood, he passed them on his way to the flagstaff. + +"No, some of our fellows are in sight, and coming this way--escaped from +Isandhlwana, I suppose. They raised a cheer when they saw that our flag +was still flying, and our men returned it." + +George and Vander Heyden followed him, just in time to see the remnant +of Glyn's column coming up, headed by Lord Chelmsford himself. The +commander-in-chief rode forward and looked with approval and admiration +on the frail and slender defences, which a handful of brave men had +converted into an impregnable fortress, on the vast multitude of black +corpses heaped on every side, and on the gaunt and war-stained figures +of the few defenders. Then he asked,--"Where is the officer in +command?" Lieutenant Bromhead advanced and saluted. "You have done +nobly, sir,--you and your gallant followers,--and England owes you her +warmest thanks. Your brave defence has probably averted the mischief I +had feared, and saved the colony from invasion." + +The days which followed this fierce and protracted struggle were, as is +usually the case, dull and inactive, the defenders being in truth too +much exhausted to do more than lounge through the day and recover their +strength and energies. It was some relief to George to find that Farmer +Baylen had returned some time before to Horner's Kraal, so that it was +impossible to send him immediate news of Ernest's death. Vander Heyden +rode over to Colenso as soon as he was able, to break the news to +Annchen that her lover had fallen at Isandhlwana. Walter Baylen was +nearly convalescent, and it was agreed that as soon as he was +sufficiently restored he should ride over to his father's house and +inform him of their loss. There had been at first some apprehension +that, notwithstanding the repulse at Rorke's Drift, Cetewayo might be so +elated by his success at Isandhlwana as to send his dark-skinned +warriors over the Tugela to overrun Natal. But the more the Zulu king +learned of the event of the memorable 22nd of January, the less he felt +inclined to be elated. He had killed a thousand of his enemies, no +doubt, but they had probably killed nearly three times that number of +his best soldiers. He had gained a battle at Isandhlwana, but he had +lost one at the Inioni river; and presently he discovered that not only +had another action been fought and lost at Rorke's Drift, but that his +favourite regiment, the Tulwana, had been half destroyed in it. More +red soldiers, he learned, were coming up "out of the sea" to supply the +place of those lost. He had no means of filling the vacancies that had +been caused in his own army. It was no time for sending troops out of +Zululand. He would want all he had for its defence. Day after day did +the garrison look across the waters of the Buffalo towards the fatal +Lion Hill, but they beheld none coming that way, except now and then a +wounded soldier, who had escaped by some marvel from the fatal field, +crawling slowly and painfully over the broken ground to the friendly +shelter where his wounds would be cared for. + +It was one of the last days of January, when George and Redgy, who were +sitting under shelter of the kraal wall, saw on the river bank what +seemed to be a wounded Zulu, who was making his way with toil and pain +to the camp. + +"Do you see that darky there," said Margetts, "creeping up this way, and +keeping out of sight as much as possible? He is up to no good, I +expect." + +"He seems to me to be wounded," said George, "or rather to be recovering +from the effects of a wound. Perhaps he has been lying hurt by the +river's bank, and has just recovered strength to crawl up here." + +"Well, if so, we oughtn't to refuse to give the poor beggar shelter, I +suppose," said Redgy. "But we had better not go near him until we have +made sure. These black fellows take it for granted that you are going +to assegay them, and generally try to anticipate the compliment. Here +he comes, crab fashion! Hallo, darky, what may you please to want at +Rorke's Drift?" + +"I want your help, Mr Redgy," was the reply,--"yours and Mr Rivers'. +You haven't forgotten Matamo, have you?" + +"Hey, what!" exclaimed both the young men, starting up. "Matamo!" +continued George. "Why, you don't mean it! I declare it is he! Why, +we all thought you were dead, if not buried!" + +"No, sir," returned the native, grinning and showing his white teeth. +"I am not dead, nor buried. There is nobody buried yet at Isandhlwana. +But I am almost dead with hunger. Please to give me some food, and I +will tell you all about it." + +Interested and astonished, the young men took Matamo to their tent and +supplied him with food; after which he told his story. + +"Mr George, you saw me knocked down by a blow from a knobkerry. I was +stunned, not killed. I lay for some time, and then came to. I tried to +get up, but the big Zulu you killed had fallen over me, and the dead +horse lay on the other side of me. I was fast jammed in, but I could +see under the Zulu's arm what was going on." + +"What did you see? Tell us. No one seems to know the exact details," +exclaimed Rivers eagerly. "Was the fighting still going on?" + +"It was still going on; but there was no chance for the red soldiers. +They were nearly all killed. There were half a dozen here, a dozen +there, two dozen there, with hundreds of Zulus round them. Most of them +were standing back to back, and stabbing with their bayonets. They were +dropping one after another, but killing at least three men for every +one. I saw one tall man kill five blacks without stopping, but the +bayonet stuck for a moment in the ribs of the fifth, and then they +assegayed him. The red soldiers died out, one by one, like the sparks +in tinder. But none of of them ran away, and none called out for +mercy." + +"Could you distinguish who held out the longest?" asked Margetts. + +"Yes, sir. One company had moved back against the steep rock and stood +in three sides of a square. They were the last." + +"Ay; that was Younghusband's company. I saw them retreating to the base +of the precipice just as Hardy and I rode off the ground. They kept the +Zulus _off_ the longest, did they?" + +"Yes, sir. They stood side by side, and couldn't be attacked from +behind. They shot the blacks down by twenties at a time, till there +were great heaps of dead in front of them. The Zulus kept back at last, +and only threw at them from a distance. By and by all their cartridges +were used up. Then the blacks rushed at them again. But the soldiers +kept them off ever so long with their bayonets. At last the Zulus +picked up the dead bodies and threw them on the bayonets, and so broke +into the square and killed all." + +"And how did you manage to get off yourself?" inquired Redgy. + +"I contrived to pull off my uniform, bit by bit, and hid it under the +horse's neck. Then I took the big Zulu's feathers and bracelets and put +them on, and tied his cowtails round my waist. No one came near the +part of the field where I was lying while I was doing it. Then I got +up, took the Zulu's assegay, and nobody guessed that I was not a Zulu. +I went first to Mr Ernest, meaning to bury his body. But he was alive, +and did not want to be buried!" + +"Ernest alive!" exclaimed George. "Why, I saw the assegay pierce him +through and through?" + +"No, it only grazed his ribs, and the handle remained in his side, so +that the blood had stopped. As soon as it got dark, I carried him into +the wood, to a cave which I found there. There he has been lying ever +since, and I have nursed him. I got some supply of food from the camp +before the Zulus took it all. But it was all done yesterday, and Mr +Ernest would have died of hunger, so I came here." + +"And you would have died of hunger too, you good fellow, though you +never seem to think of that," said Redgy. "Where have you left Ernest +now?" + +"He is still in the cave, Mr Margetts. He is much better, but not able +to walk yet. But he might be brought here quite safely." + +"I'll go and speak to the lieutenant, or to Evetts, whichever of them I +can find first," said George. "I have no doubt he will send out a party +to fetch Ernest in. But tell me, Matamo, are the Zulus still in great +numbers about there? Would they attack our fellows if they went out to +bring him here?" + +"The Zulus have been gone from Isandhlwana a long while ago," said +Matamo. "If they had remained about there, they must have discovered +Mr Ernest. No; they have carried off the cannon and the rifles and the +revolvers, and everything they fancied. There are nothing but dead +bodies there." + +"Very well. As soon as you are rested, a party shall set out. I will +go with it myself." + +"Thank you, sir, I want no rest. I can go at once." + +CHAPTER FOURTEEN. + +A long interval had passed since the occurrence of the events recorded +in the last chapter. It was now July, the depth of the southern winter. +Although Zululand is on the border of the tropics, there is often at +that season damp and chilly weather, which is extremely trying to +Europeans. When our story re-opens, George, Vander Heyden, and Redgy +were lying on some tiger-skin karosses, under the shelter of a Cape +waggon, enjoying the warm beams of the sun, which in the forenoon had +considerable power. + +The scene was very different from that surrounding Rorke's Drift, being +extremely picturesque and beautiful. A rich undulating plain was spread +out before them, terminating in woody heights. The green surface was +varied by patches of mimosa scrub and groves of acacias and date palms. +Under the hills to the right, which were mostly covered with thorns, the +course of the noble Zulu river, the White Umvalosi, was distinctly to be +traced, now lost between graceful masses of feathery foliage, now +flashing out from behind its screen into the full sunlight. + +"Do you know what that mound is yonder?" inquired Margetts, pointing to +a vast green tumulus, conspicuous in the distance in the direction of +the north-east. "Has a battle been fought there, or what?" + +"That is King Panda's tomb!" said Vander Heyden,--"Cetewayo's father, +you know. He was interred there in a sitting attitude, as is the custom +of the country. The meaning of it, I suppose, is to signify that he is +still ruling the land, as they have a sort of superstitious belief that +he does. They are very particular about their funeral ceremonies. They +have an idea that the spirits of the dead will punish severely any +omission of them!" + +"And they have an unpleasant custom of killing some hundreds of people +to do honour to the dead, haven't they?" inquired Redgy. + +"Yes, they have," assented Vander Heyden; "but to do your English +Government justice, they would not allow that. One reason why I +resolved to follow this out to the last, is because I know Cetewayo's +barbarity has only been kept within any bounds by the power of the +English. Were he to be able to defy that, the horrors of the past would +be revived." + +"Shall we pass Panda's tomb on our way to attack Ulundi to-morrow?" +asked Margetts. "I am not sure that even now I know the exact position +of the royal kraal!" + +"It is there," said Vander Heyden, pointing with his hand, "in the +centre of those masses of the mimosa scrub. It is as much as fifteen or +sixteen miles from here. If we are to march to attack it to-morrow, as +you say, Margetts, and as is generally believed in the camp, it will be +a long day's work over a country like this." + +"I agree with you," said George; "but, nevertheless, the attempt will be +made. In a very few days, perhaps in a single day, the opportunity will +be lost to Lord Chelmsford of recovering the laurels he lost at +Isandhlwana. Sir Garnet Wolseley has already arrived from England, and +may take the command over any day." + +"I don't suppose we shall ever get very near Ulundi without having a +brush with these black fellows," observed Margetts. "They are about in +great numbers, and will never allow the royal kraal to be taken, if they +can prevent it." + +Much had happened during the last few months of public interest, as well +as affecting the personal concerns of the characters of our story. In +the first place, hostilities had altogether been broken off after the +action at Rorke's Drift. Lord Chelmsford, over-estimating perhaps the +gravity of the situation, as he had before certainly underrated it, +resolved not to recommence operations until he was in command of a force +sufficient to bear down all resistance. He argued, and perhaps rightly, +that, after his experience at Isandhlwana, the native troops could not +be relied upon in any action with the Zulus; and without them the forces +at his command were insufficient to face the vast multitude still under +Cetewayo's orders. Pearson had had to intrench himself at Ekowe, where +he would be obliged to defend himself, until troops sufficient for his +relief could be got together. Colonel Wood was in like manner under the +necessity of fortifying a camp on Kambula Hill, unable to advance; +though the terror in which his name was held, and his own extreme +vigilance, rendered any attack upon him too dangerous to be attempted. + +Lord Chelmsford's demands for powerful reinforcements were promptly +granted. Two regiments of cavalry, five of infantry, two field +batteries of artillery, and a company of engineers, were sent out in +large and powerful steam-vessels, placing, with those already in Natal, +not less than twenty-two thousand men at his disposal. + +But, notwithstanding all the exertions made, a long delay ensued, during +which the prestige of England seemed to be continually on the wane, and +the terror inspired by Cetewayo continually on the increase. The +general belief throughout Natal--it might be said throughout the whole +of Southern Africa--was that if Cetewayo, leaving a sufficient force to +keep Wood and Pearson within their camps, were to lead say thirty +thousand of his braves into the colony, no resistance could be offered. +The inhabitants would have to shut themselves up in the towns, which had +been fortified in anticipation of such a danger, leaving their villages, +their farm and country houses, their cattle and their crops, an +undisputed prey to their invaders. + +The anxiety was in a great measure relieved when, early in April, the +battle of Ginghilovo was fought and the relief of Ekowe effected. But +the disaster at Intombi, occurring at nearly the same time, which proved +only too plainly how completely the blacks were masters of the country, +and not long afterwards the melancholy death of the Prince Imperial, +saddened all hearts. The universal feeling throughout the country was +that, if the lustre of the British arms was to be vindicated, it must be +by some brilliant achievement, which would throw all previous disasters +into the shade. + +All our friends, George and Redgy and Hardy and Vander Heyden, had been +embarrassed by the untoward course of events. George had obtained leave +of absence from camp duties. The Mounted Volunteers indeed had been +reduced to a mere handful, and though he and Margetts and Vander Heyden +all intended to accompany the British forces to the end of the campaign, +they had to wait until they were drafted into some other corps. Rivers +and Margetts proceeded to Dykeman's Hollow, where they learned that Mr +Rogers was still detained in England by business connected with Cape +politics. He had written, however, to George, of course in ignorance of +Umbelini's raid and the disastrous issue of the invasion of Zululand, +and George proceeded to carry out his instructions, as far as he was +able. All the waggons and farm stock had been brought back, and nearly +all the native servants had returned to their work. George commenced +his duties as a Sunday school teacher, and though he felt somewhat +strange and awkward in the discharge of them, he was not on the whole +dissatisfied. His house was convenient enough, though curiously +different in many respects from an English house. There was room enough +for Redgy to be lodged in it also; and George took upon himself to +engage him as an assistant at the farm, until he could hear from Mr +Rogers, to whom he had written on the subject. The two young men had +agreed that, although the present delay was extremely inconvenient to +them,--Redgy being anxious to find some settled work, and George to set +out in search of his mother,--their honour was pledged to accompany the +British troops in accomplishing the overthrow of Cetewayo, and they must +persevere. George had written to his mother, and a trader going up the +country had promised to deliver his letter. But the weeks and months +went by, and no reply was received, and he could not but be aware how +slight the likelihood was that his letter had reached its destination. + +The delay was equally embarrassing to Henryk Yander Heyden. He was not +only weary of the enforced inactivity and anxious to set in order his +new home, but his relations with his sister distressed him. He and +Annchen had removed to Newcastle, to which town such of his goods and +possessions as had escaped destruction at the hands of Umbelini had been +conveyed. There he had found a tolerably comfortable abode, but there +was nothing to employ his time, and inaction was particularly trying to +him. If he had not felt himself bound by the vow he had made not to lay +down his arms until Cetewayo had been deposed or slain, he would have +set out for Zeerust without further concerning himself in the war. But +he was a man who, when he had once taken a determination, persisted in +it till the last. And when day after day passed, and the English +troops, for reasons which it seemed impossible to understand, still +delayed their march into Zululand, he only chafed and fretted, and made +his comments on the English commander-in-chief in terms which were +perhaps just, but not flattering. + +As for Annchen, the present period of inactivity was even more trying to +her. She had mourned sincerely for the loss of Frank Moritz, of whose +good qualities she had been fully sensible. But along with this there +was a sense of relief; for which she reproached herself, perhaps too +severely. She had never been in love with him, in the real sense of +that expression; and as time went on, the conviction stole upon her that +she _was_ falling in love, if she had not already done so, with some one +else. The scenes during the wreck had brought Rivers before her in a +very striking light; and she could not but be sensible (though nothing +could be more respectful and reserved than his demeanour) of his +devotion to herself. She saw that it was her brother's opposition alone +which prevented his coming forward, and she rebelled against her +brother's prejudices as unreasonable and even ungrateful. The mutual +embarrassment that had for some time been felt increased during her +residence at Newcastle. It was the nearest town of any size to +Dykeman's Hollow, and George, who had temporarily assumed the management +of Mr Rogers' property, had continual occasions of riding in thither on +matters of business. Sometimes they met in the street and exchanged +greetings, and some conversation passed. Sometimes it was the brother +he encountered, and Vander Heyden was always cordial and courteous, +though he never spoke of his sister or invited Rivers to his house. +Considering that George must necessarily need refreshment after his long +ride, and the hospitable habits of the Dutch, Annchen could not but feel +that this was ungracious and marked. Once or twice she tried to express +this to him, but stammered and hesitated so much over it that she was +obliged to desist. If Vander Heyden had known much of feminine nature, +he would have been aware that, if he wished to check the growth of an +attachment on his sister's part for Rivers, he was taking the most +likely means possible of defeating his object. + +At last, one day about the middle of June, Henryk encountered his friend +in the street at Newcastle, with an expression on his face which had +long been absent from it. + +"We are summoned to headquarters," he said, "at last. The march to +Ulundi is to begin immediately. We are to set off to-morrow. We are to +advance to Luneberg, where a junction will be effected with Sir Evelyn +Wood; and then the whole army will proceed to Ulundi for what will be, I +trust, the final struggle." + +On the following morning, accordingly, the three adventurers set forth, +and on reaching Lord Chelmsford's quarters, found Hardy already there. +The three Baylens and Matamo, remained at Horner's Kraal, though the +farmer adhered to the promise he had given of lending them Matamo for +their expedition across the Transvaal. + +In a few days more the march began. George was interested and almost +amused at noticing the extreme caution which was now observed in +securing the troops against the attacks of the enemy. Whenever any spot +was approached where a ledge of rocks or a wooded hillside might afford +protection to an assailing force, scouts were always sent forward to +make the most careful examination of it. Immediately after a halt, the +camps were always strongly fortified, and even surrounded by lines of +galvanised wire, which the soldiers humorously called "Cetewayo +catchers." The heliograph, too, was invariably set up, by which +messages in cases of emergency could be despatched. The change from +reckless indifference to danger, and unbounded contempt for the enemy, +to the most extreme and jealous caution, was curious to notice. + +On the 3rd of July, as the reader has heard, the English force had +approached so near to Ulundi that an action was evidently imminent. The +broad, open plain which extends between Nodwengu and Ulundi seemed to +have been chosen by mutual consent to determine what might be called the +decisive encounter between civilisation and barbarism. On the day +following the conversation between George and his friends, the English +army formed in square and marched on the royal kraal. It was an unusual +order for a march, but one which rendered a surprise impossible. The +infantry formed all four sides of a square; the cavalry, mounted +infantry, and volunteers protected the front and flanks; the Basutos +covered the rear. The cannon were placed at the angles; the ammunition +and waggons in the centre. + +The march proceeded past the green tomb of King Panda already mentioned, +steadily moving onwards towards Ulundi. Presently there was visible in +the distance a vast array of oval-shaped shields, above which rose +multitudes of feathered head-dresses and the blades of glittering +assegays, where the interminable host of Cetewayo's warriors were +advancing to commence the battle. + +The order was now given to halt, the ranks were formed in close order, +four deep,--the two in front kneeling as though to repel a charge of +cavalry, and the two behind firing steadily over their heads. + +"They mean it," exclaimed George to Redgy, as they sat side by side on +their horses, watching the movements of the enemy; "Ginghilovo hasn't +frightened them after all." + +"No," said Hardy, who was next to George on his other side. "I don't +expect that any of these fellows were there, and it isn't an easy matter +to cow them at any time." + +"And look what multitudes of them there are!" said Redgy; "the whole +plain seems full of them. They outnumber us, four or five to one, I +should say." + +"Quite," assented Hardy. "But if there were forty to one, it would not +affect the result, if our fellows stand firm. It is impossible for them +to approach the line of fire." + +"They don't think so, though," observed Redgy. "Here they come." + +As he spoke the dark columns were seen moving forward, the men advancing +with a kind of springing step, holding their shields before them on +their left arms. After firing their carbines, they did not stop to +reload, but pressed forward, brandishing their assegays in their right +hands. A stern silence was observed in the British line until they were +within rifle fire. Then the word was given, and the fusillade began. +The effect was terrific. The Gatling guns opened whole lanes in the +advancing masses, and the leaden storm from the rifles struck down +hundreds at every discharge. The ground was almost instantly heaped +with bodies, so that the rearward file had to struggle over the piles of +slain. They continued, however, to press forward with fierce shouts and +undaunted valour to inevitable death, though the fire only grew heavier +as they struggled nearer to it. + +"What splendid fellows!" said George admiringly; "it really seems a +shame to massacre them after this fashion, though no doubt there is no +help for it." + +"They are stopping now, though," said Hardy. "They have advanced nearer +than any other troops in the world would, I think, have done, but they +are wavering and recoiling now. Ha! there is the signal to charge," he +added, as the bugle sounded. "Now for it, then, George?" + +As he spoke, the cavalry darted forth from either flank, and swept down +with the force of a hurricane on the disorganised and disheartened +masses. In an instant the whole body of Zulus broke and fled in all +directions, the horsemen with their sabres plunging among them and +mercilessly hewing them down. Even in this extremity the gallant blacks +turned again and again on their pursuers, pouring in desultory volleys +or hurling assegays, which cost the conquerors many a life. Nor did +resistance entirely cease till tracts of broken country were reached, +where it was impossible for the cavalry to follow farther. Then they +halted, recalled the stragglers, and slowly returned over the scene of +the long encounter, the whole route being heaped with the dead and dying +with a sad and terrible sameness. + +"Well, Vander Heyden," said Rivers, as they lay on their karosses that +evening, too much exhausted with their day's work to raise their heads +from their pillows, "our vows are fulfilled at last. Cetewayo is +completely crushed. His army is destroyed, or too widely scattered to +be gathered together again. He will never fight another battle nor +summon another council. Now at last we may think of our long-delayed +journey to Zeerust." + +"I do not know what the terms of _your_ vow were, Rivers," answered the +Dutchman, "but mine remains to be fulfilled Cetewayo is neither slain +nor captive yet I grant his power is to all appearance broken. But he +is a brave and resolute savage, and his people are still devotedly +attached to him. So long as he is alive and at liberty, _my_ vow is not +accomplished. You of course can do as you will. But I am not free to +depart at present." + +George looked disappointed. "My own resolve," he said, "no doubt, was +to see an end of Cetewayo before I left, and I should not like to set +out without you,"--possibly George may have added inwardly, "or without +Annchen." But if this was his thought, he kept it to himself. "I +suppose," he added a moment afterwards, "Hardy also will wait to +accompany you." + +"No doubt," assented the Dutchman; "and besides, Rivers, I ought to tell +you that, anxious as I am to set out, I should not like to do so at this +season of the year. Even here the weather is extremely trying,--trying +even to those who have lived as long in the country as I have. But in +the camp here we have sufficiency of food and firing and shelter, as +well as medical attendance close at hand, if we should want it. None of +these things are to be had with any certainty in the Transvaal. It +would be unwise, for you and Mr Margetts at all events, to make the +attempt for five or six weeks to come. One of the things that vexed me +most last April, when that extraordinary delay occurred, was that I knew +that we could not then set out until the beginning of September. But by +that time, I have no doubt, Cetewayo will have been killed or be a +prisoner in our hands." + +"I suppose you are right," said George reluctantly. "Well, if I must +remain, I shall try to make part of the force that is sent to catch him. +I only hope there will not be as long a delay about this part of the +affair as there was about the march to Ulundi." + +The feeling expressed by George was one generally entertained throughout +the camp. But nevertheless the search after the Zulu king seemed to +partake of the same inactivity which had prevailed from the first. +Rumours were brought in that Cetewayo, who had refused all the offers +made him, in deep distrust, no doubt, of the good faith of the English +in making them, had fled into the recesses of a wild primeval forest on +the borders of the Black Umvalosi, known as the Ngome Country. Here it +was almost impossible to pursue him. The scenery was wild, broken, +covered with rock and wood, presenting innumerable fastnesses, which +could only be approached with the utmost caution, and great numbers of +Zulus were still lurking in the neighbourhood, quite capable of +exterminating any party which they might surprise unawares. A cordon +was drawn round this district, and the circle gradually contracted; but +for a long time, notwithstanding the rewards offered, and the fact that +numbers of Cetewayo's bitterest enemies were on his trail, no certain +intelligence of his lurking-place could be obtained. At last, on the +26th of August, information came in, which indicated exactly where the +fugitive was to be found. Major Marter of the Dragoon Guards was +ordered to take a squadron of his men, together with some of the native +horse and a few mounted infantry, to effect the capture. With some +difficulty, Rivers and Vander Heyden were included among the latter. + +On the morning of the 27th they set out, the mounted infantry acting as +scouts, and the others following. They made their way through wild and +picturesque scenes, where the foot of civilisation seemed never to have +trodden. Here and there the rude pathway was interrupted by mountain +streams, leaping over rocky heights. The horsemen passed under groups +of date palms, mimosas, and euphorbias, the giant trailers dropping from +branch and crag in tropical luxuriance round them; overhead jays and +parrots, exhibiting the brightest hues, screamed and croaked; and troops +of monkeys chattered. Every now and then a watchful eye could see +venomous snakes creeping off through the brushwood or making their way +along the boughs of trees, scared by the sight of the scarlet tunics or +the tramping of the horses' hoofs. It was a strange, bewildering +journey. + +At length they reached a mountain height, from which, at the distance of +a mile or two at the most, a small kraal was to be seen, in which, as +the spies confidently assured Major Marter, the royal fugitive had taken +refuge. + +It was a difficult point to approach. The wooded valley in which it was +situated lay at a great depth, more than a thousand feet, it might be +twice that distance, below; and if the party should be seen before they +were close to the kraal, escape would be possible into a tangled +wilderness, where pursuit would be extremely difficult. + +The major made his arrangements accordingly. He caused the dragoons to +lay aside their scabbards and all the rest of their accoutrements, which +would make a rattling noise as they advanced. Then he sent some of the +native contingent and volunteers, among whom George and Vander Heyden +were included, to creep down the mountain-side, keeping carefully out of +sight, and making no noise, until they reached the edge of the stream on +the banks of which the kraal stood. Arrived there, they were to conceal +themselves among the dense bushes which fringed the stream, until the +major himself with his dragoons were seen coming up on the opposite +side. Then they were to cross the stream, which a good leap would be +sufficient to surmount, and surround the kraal. Marter himself led his +Dragoon Guards to a point three miles distant, where the slope of the +hills was sufficiently easy to allow of their riding down. + +George and his companions accomplished the difficult descent +successfully, clinging to the baboon ropes,--as a species of long +trailer is called, and swarming down the date palms, all in profound +silence. The chief danger arose from the incessant screaming of the +monkeys, which rose in such a chorus that the adventurers were afraid +that the attention of the occupants of the kraal might be attracted by +it. But Cetewayo and his followers either felt confident in the +security of the place of their retreat or were over-wearied by their +recent exertions. George and his companions succeeded in reaching the +bank of the stream unobserved. They could see a Zulu soldier or two +moving about, and now and then a woman coming out and going back into +the kraal. But all was listless and dispirited. The alert and watchful +activity of the Zulus seemed completely to have deserted them. +Presently the sound of hoofs was heard, and the Dragoons, sabre in hand, +came galloping up. At the same moment George and his comrades rushed +from their concealment and cleared the little stream at a bound. + +The Zulus offered no resistance. It might be that they felt that the +struggle would be hopeless, but it seemed as though all heart and hope +had deserted them. They raised a feeble cry. "The white soldiers are +here, my father! You are their prisoner." + +There was a moment's pause, then the door opened, and the huge and +sinewy figure of Cetewayo came forth. He looked worn and over-wearied, +but he still retained something of his native dignity. George and +Vander Heyden stepped up on either side, as if to arrest him, but he +waved them off. + +"Lay no hands on me," he said, "white men. I am a king; I surrender not +to you, but only to your chief." + +CHAPTER FIFTEEN. + +The waggons had stopped for the night, the oxen were outspanned, and the +native servants were engaged in knee-haltering their masters' horses, +which were then turned into the veldt to graze. They had not yet +advanced far enough into the Transvaal country for any danger to be +apprehended from wild animals. George and Margetts, assisted by Hardy, +were engaged in lighting two large fires, partly to cook the supper, +partly to dispel the chill which they felt creeping over them; for, +though winter was now past, and the early spring was usually mild and +balmy, yet after nightfall it is apt to become extremely cold. There is +no country in the world, it may be remarked, more liable to sudden and +rapid changes from cold to heat, and again from heat to cold, than that +which they were now traversing. + +They had left Zululand--that is, Vander Heyden, George, and Redgy had +left it--a day or two after the capture of Cetewayo, and proceeded +straight to Luneberg, whither the waggons had been despatched from +Newcastle to join them. Annchen had travelled under the charge of her +brother's two chief Hottentot servants, Koboo and Utango. Matamo and +Haxo had been despatched by their respective masters to join the party +at Newcastle, and Hardy arrived the following day from Landman's Drift. +The whole party being assembled, they set off about the end of the first +week of September. + +There were two waggons, each with its full team of oxen and four +servants attached to each. All these belonged to Vander Heyden, and +contained valuables of all kinds, household furniture, farm implements, +guns and ammunition, and a considerable supply of provisions, it being +difficult and sometimes impossible to procure even the commonest +articles at various places on their route. They were to proceed first +to Heidelberg, by Elandsberg and Standerton; afterwards journeying north +of Potchefstroom to Lichtenberg, and so to Zeerust. Supposing them to +be able to travel every day, and no casualties to delay them, it would +probably be five or six weeks before they would reach their destination. +But there might be obstacles of all descriptions to encounter. Heavy +rains might oblige them to remain inactive for days together. Disease +might attack the cattle, especially the lung disease, of which mention +has already been made, to which horses were so liable in that country. +There was also a risk from wild animals. The more dangerous beasts, the +lion, the rhinoceros, and the like, had become very scarce of late years +in all the southern portion of the Transvaal, unable to endure the +vicinity of the white man and his rifle. Still they might be met with +at various points of their route, and the tiger (that is, the African +leopard, which is so-called in that country) and the hyena were still +numerous. Annchen and her attendant were accommodated in the best +waggon. Vander Heyden and Hardy usually slept in the other, as did the +others indeed also, Vander Heyden having courteously offered sleeping +berths to George and Margetts. The native servants usually made their +bed on the ground outside. + +It was now the end of the second day of their journey, and they were +beginning to make their way into the wilder country of the Transvaal, +leaving the more civilised parts behind them. The road during the +greater part of the day had lain across lonely tracts of country--such +kraals and farmhouses as they had fallen in with being few and far +between. The main features of the scenery had been long undulating +downs, over which the tall coarse grass was growing up in abundance, +diversified now and then by masses of rock rising abruptly into sharp +eminences, and crossed occasionally by deep watercourses overgrown with +weeds. These were, in general, difficult and sometimes dangerous to +pass. Every now and then herds of springboks came by, bounding straight +up into the air, as they caught sight of the travellers, like +Jacks-in-the-box, to an astonishing height, and then rushing away with +the fleetness of the wind. More rarely elands and hartebeests appeared, +and once a number of gnus--these strange animals, which seem to be +something half-way between the horse and the ox--went by at their +awkward gallop. George and Matamo rode in pursuit and succeeded in +killing a hartebeest and two springboks, the more dainty parts of which +were cooked for the evening meal. + +Annchen took her supper with the rest of the party, but soon afterwards +retired to her waggon; and the four Europeans, sitting round the largest +fire, for the night was unusually cold, began to converse together. + +"This is near the place where that disaster occurred--Intombe--isn't +it?" asked Margetts, knocking the ashes out of his pipe. + +"Yes," answered Hardy; "the spot where the massacre took place is down +on the bank of the river, only a little way from this. One would have +thought that Isandhlwana would have been enough to teach even our +countrymen common prudence. But I suppose nothing ever will." + +"It looks like it, certainly," said George. "But it does not often +happen that three such instances of carelessness, followed by such +terrible results, follow in the course of one single campaign, as +Isandhlwana, Intombe, and the death of the Prince Imperial." + +"That last was rather cowardice than carelessness, wasn't it?" asked +Margetts. + +"I don't think so," said George. "The Prince Imperial was an entirely +raw and inexperienced officer. The country was known to be in a most +dangerous state, full of armed Zulus, who are among the most stealthy +and cunning of all enemies; and he was allowed to go out in command of a +party with no one competent to advise him. They tried to make out that +he was not in command of the party, but nothing could be plainer than +that he was; and that it was his total ignorance of the Zulus and the +Zulu country that caused the disaster." + +"The troopers might have stopped to help him," suggested Margetts. + +"They were told to mount and ride," said George, "and they did what they +were told. How can you blame them for obeying their officer's orders? +Don't you think so, Hardy?" + +"Most certainly," assented Hardy. "It does not appear that any of them, +except his own French attendant, knew that the Prince was in any more +danger than the rest of the party, until it was too late to do anything +for him. The attempt to make out that that unfortunate Lieutenant Carey +had the command of the party and was answerable for the loss of the +Prince, was one of the most dishonest things I ever remember. The +person really to blame was the officer who sent out the party under the +Prince Imperial's charge. But I suppose it was necessary to have a +scapegoat, and this poor young Carey was the most convenient person to +select." + +"What will become of Cetewayo?" suggested Vander Heyden. "Will they +send him to Robben Island, along with Langalabalele and a lot of +others?" + +"Most likely," said Hardy; "and there he will enjoy himself along with +his wives, and grow fat, and die an old man most likely." + +"Yes, if a party in England don't take him up," said Rivers. "I am told +there are persons in England who are raising a great clamour and making +out that he has been shamefully used." + +"I wish they could be made to come out and live under his rule in +Zululand," suggested Hardy. "What is that?" he exclaimed a moment +afterwards, starting up. "There is something in the bush there, +creeping near us. Take your rifles. We must see to this." He caught +up a long burning stick from the fire and threw it down among a number +of dry canes and reeds which lay at a short distance. A bright flame +sprang up and showed some dark figures moving off into the scrub at a +little distance; but the shadows fell so confusedly that it was +difficult to make out whether they were men or animals. A minute +afterwards Matamo passed them on horseback, cantering off in the +direction of the scrub. + +"That's all right," said Vander Heyden; "he's sure to truck them, if any +one can. We may sit down again. I suppose you couldn't see what they +were, Hardy?" + +"It was something crawling on four legs," said Hardy, "and I caught a +momentary glimpse of a spotted skin, but whether it was the kaross of a +Zulu, or a real tiger, I can't say." + +"The tigers are very bold," said Vander Heyden, "in this country. I +suppose they are not such formidable beasts as the tigers of Bengal, +though." + +"No, indeed," said Hardy. "If you had ever come into contact with them, +you would know the difference." + +"Did you ever kill a tiger in Bengal?" asked Margetts. + +"Why, no, Mr Margetts, but one very near killed me." + +"Did he? Tell us about it," said Redgy. + +"Well, it was very soon after I went to India, when I was quite a young +man. There was a letter of importance to be taken to the officer in +command at Meerut; there was no one at hand who could take it, and they +were obliged to entrust it to me. I was to travel by what they call +dak,--travelling all night in a palanquin on men's shoulders, and +resting during the hot hours of the day. We were travelling in the +wildest part of the country, when one of the bearers put his head in +between the curtains. `Would massa like to see a tiger?' he said. + +"I had been dozing, but I started up. `No,' I said; `there are few +things I should like to see less.' + +"`Massa see one if he like it. Very big tiger yonder!' + +"I looked out, and there, sure enough, about two hundred yards ahead of +us there was a big tiger, trotting along in advance; I could see his +striped skin clearly in the moonlight. + +"`Won't you stop?' I inquired of the bearers. + +"`No good stop!' was the comforting reply; `tiger see us before we see +him. If he mean to eat us, he eat us; if he don't, he leave us alone.' + +"I looked carefully to the loading of my gun, and lay back in the +litter, watching our fellow-traveller, who jogged on, apparently +entirely regardless of us. Presently he turned into the jungle and +disappeared. + +"`Well!' I said, `to be sure you are not going to pass the spot where +he very likely is laying wait for us?' + +"`If he mean to have us, he have us,' was the only answer I got. + +"I had a strong presentiment that he _did_ mean to have us, and I was +half inclined to get out of the litter and leave them to make the +experiment in their own persons. But at this moment there was a ringing +noise heard in the distance, and a troop of native horsemen, who had +been sent on some errand, came riding up. I informed the officer in +command of our predicament, and he gave us an escort of his men to the +nearest station. We heard afterwards that the tiger in question had +been for many weeks past the terror of the neighbourhood, having killed +great numbers of men. I was exceedingly glad to hear, when I returned +that way a week or two afterwards, that he had been tracked out and +shot." + +"I know they are formidable beasts," said Vander Heyden. "I saw some of +them when I was in England, and also at the Cape. The so-called tiger +of this country is an awkward beast to come into contact with, though. +But I consider the buffalo, if he is wounded, a much more dangerous +animal." + +"I agree with you," said Hardy. "A full-grown buffalo is pretty nearly +a match for a lion, and a herd of them can put a lion to flight at any +time." + +"Yes, I have seen that myself," said Vander Heyden. "I remember once, +when I was out hunting in the country near the Crocodile river, I came +upon a lion who had just seized a buffalo calf, which had strayed, I +suppose, for none of the herd were in sight. He was carrying it off to +his lair probably. I fired, and my bullet struck one of his legs. It +was a bad shot, and only inflicted a flesh wound. The lion turned, and +I suppose would have rushed upon me. But at that moment a trampling was +heard, and a troop of buffalo came in sight, headed probably by the +mother. The lion left the calf and galloped off as fast as he could to +the jungle, which lay a mile or so off. He would have got clear of +them, I have no doubt, if it hadn't been for the wound I had given him. +But that crippled him so much, that the herd presently overtook and +charged him. He turned and sprang upon one of them. But they had him +down in a minute, and gored him to death with their horns, without his +being able to make any resistance." + +The sound of horses' feet was now heard, and Matamo came up. "Well, +Matamo," cried Redgy, "what was it then? was it a tiger, or a hyena, or +a wild dog, or what?" + +"I am not sure," said Matamo, "but I think it was a bush thief?" + +"A bush thief?" repeated Hardy; "do you mean a native or a white man?" + +"A white thief, Mr Hardy," answered the Bechuana,--"the same who +attacked us before." + +"What! on the banks of the Blood river, you mean--before Isandhlwana, +eh?" said George. + +"Yes, Mr Rivers,--the man you rode after and did not catch." + +"What makes you suppose that? Colonel Wood is believed to have cleared +the country of the gang by whom we were attacked," observed Margetts. + +"The colonel did not drive him off," said Matamo. "_I_ remember him +quite well; I saw him in Luneberg the day before we left. He was +looking at the waggons and asking questions. He thought I did not know +him, but I did." + +"Then you think he is dogging us?" suggested Rivers. + +"He is certainly after us, and means us harm," rejoined the Bechuana. +"I saw him long way off to-day. I knew his horse." + +"Horse! was he on horseback when you saw him just now--that is, if you +did see him?" + +"He was creeping through the bush on his hands and knees when I first +saw him," was the answer. "When I first got on my horse and rode after +him, I saw him a long way off, on the edge of the wood, he and one or +two more. They got on their horses and rode off before I could come +up." + +"Well, they won't come back to-night, anyhow," observed Rivers; "and +to-morrow we must devise some means of circumventing them." + +No more was said, and presently the party turned in to their +sleeping-places for the night. + +Rivers tapped Vander Heyden on the shoulder, and the two moved off a +short distance out of hearing. + +"What do you think of this, Mr Vander Heyden?" inquired George when +they were out of hearing distance. + +"I am afraid Matamo is right," answered the Dutchman. "I know more of +this man Cargill, or, as he chooses to call himself, Bostock, than I +have cared to say. He was once in the Dutch service, and was received +in society as a gentleman. At the Hague he fell in with my sister, to +whom he offered very marked attentions--indeed, once made her an offer +of marriage." + +"But she repelled him?" said George. + +"Yes, so decidedly that he had no pretext for intruding further on her. +But he would not desist, and my sister appealed to me for protection. I +called at his quarters, and the result was a quarrel and a challenge, +which I accepted. But the same night, at the burgomaster's ball, he was +so insolent in his demeanour to Annchen, that I insisted on his leaving +the ballroom. A fracas with the police ensued, and he was lodged in +prison, from which he made his escape. I never heard what had become of +him until I saw him on board the _Zulu Queen_. But he had sent a notice +to me, while in prison, that the defiance which had been exchanged +between us still held good, if I dared to meet him. I answered that I +stood prepared to do so when and where he might demand it. I could not +then foresee that he would fall to his present level. He reminded me of +my words when we met that day near the Blood river. I daresay you +wondered that I should condescend to a duel with such a fellow. But my +word had been given, though at that time I did not like to tell you +all." + +"I see," said George; "but you are not bound to meet him again." + +"No, nor have I any intention of doing so. Indeed, I told him so. But +you heard what he said,--`he would find his opportunity of returning my +fire,' or some such words. He is quite ruffian enough to shoot at me +without further warning." + +"If I thought that," exclaimed George, "I declare I would fire upon him +without ceremony! What, do you think he was creeping up through the +reeds with that intention when Matamo saw him?" + +"I cannot say. But if it was really he that Matamo saw, I don't think +it unlikely." + +"Well, we must be on our guard of course. It is a pity we haven't a +good dog with us. We must see if we can't get one at one of the houses +we pass. There is nothing for it but to go to sleep now. I think we +are safe for to-night." + +The night passed as had been anticipated, without further disturbance. +In the morning the route was resumed, the place appointed for that +evening's halt being Elandsberg. They were able to proceed with greater +speed than on the previous day, the long, level plain being rarely +interrupted by watercourses. The only drawback was that the veldt, +though to all appearance level and firm, was in many places undermined +by the burrows of the ant-bears which abound in this district, and which +the long grass renders invisible. The horses were continually plunging +into these fetlock deep, and sometimes almost to the knee. The greatest +care was necessary to prevent a dangerous accident. This formation of +ground lasted through the whole of the morning's ride, so that Vander +Heyden had no opportunity of resuming the conversation with George which +he had held on the previous evening. But when the mid-day halt had been +made, the Dutchman, who had been seated near him under the shade of a +large oomehahma, asked him to take a turn with him into the wood, while +the drivers were engaged in inspanning the cattle. + +"Mr Rivers," he said, "I think I ought to tell you what I have heard +from my sister about this man Cargill, of whom we were speaking last +night. I suppose she had overheard something from the Hottentots, which +induced her to suppose that he had been seen in the neighbourhood. But +it certainly is necessary that some steps should be taken to prevent the +mischief which may otherwise not improbably follow. You will perhaps +think it strange that I should speak to you, of all men, about her. I +know the light in which you regard her. You have never, indeed, made +any secret of it." He paused and hesitated, looking at George in an +embarrassed manner. + +Rivers bowed rather distantly. "You are right, Mr Vander Heyden," he +said; "I have said and done nothing secretly. But I am aware of your +feeling on the subject. You must allow me to say that you have made no +secret of _your_ feeling either." + +"That is true, Mr Rivers, and is one reason why I wish to speak to you +now. I will not deny that when we first met, on board the _Zulu Queen_, +my feeling was one of simple dislike to your countrymen. That may be an +unreasonable prejudice; but if you knew my family history, you would not +wonder at it. But the events which ensued on board the ship, and +afterwards during the campaign in Zululand, have, permit me to say, +completely altered my feeling. I have learned your true character, and +honour and esteem you." + +George again bowed, and put out his hand, which the other took frankly. +"I, too, Mr Vander Heyden, have had prejudices to get over," he said, +"and may say with truth that I have surmounted them." + +"I am glad that you can say so," resumed Henryk. "To proceed--I would +now willingly accept you as a suitor for my sister's hand, and, to be +perfectly frank, do not much doubt that she would receive you +favourably, but for a circumstance which is perhaps to be regretted, but +cannot be set aside. My father entertained a still stronger resentment +against the English than ever I have felt. The idea of being connected +with them in any manner was odious to him. Above all, the notion that +either I should ever marry an Englishwoman, or an Englishman become the +husband of Annchen, was one against which he was determined to guard by +every means in his power. She is seven or eight years younger than I +am, and was indeed not more than twelve years old at the time of his +death. He thought her too young to be spoken to on the subject. But he +put a clause into his will, by which she forfeited her whole inheritance +if she married an Englishman, and he also laid his solemn commands on me +never to allow such a marriage. I gave him my promise, and nothing can +ever release me from it." + +He again paused. But George only once more bowed, and Henryk went on. +"I have never told Annchen of my interview with my father, which took +place only a few days before his death; nor is she aware of the clause +in his will of which I have told you. When I perceived your attentions +to her, I warned her against entertaining any reciprocal feelings, but +only on the ground that I could never consent to such an union. I did +not wish to bring in my father's name, if I could help it. Nor shall I +do so, unless it becomes absolutely necessary. May I not hope, Mr +Rivers, that you, seeing what the consequences of a marriage with her +would be, will prevent the occurrence of this necessity by abstaining +from any further persistence in your suit?" + +George was silent for a minute or two, and then replied, "You have +spoken frankly, Mr Vander Heyden, and in a manner that does you honour. +I do not fear poverty myself, but I ought not to reduce her to it, +unless at her own expressed wish. We should not, in England, think it +right for a parent to exercise so extreme an authority over a daughter +as a prohibition to marry a person of any particular nation, be he who +or what he might, would amount to. But under the circumstances of the +case, I am willing to respect your joint wishes, and will not, unless +with your permission, ask Annchen to be my wife." + +"I thank you, Mr Rivers. You will observe that my father's command was +not addressed to her, forbidding her to marry an Englishman, but to me, +requiring me to forbid it. If I could think it right to set my father's +injunction aside, she doubtless would feel no scruple. But that, I +fear, can never be the case." + +There was a further pause, and then Vander Heyden again spoke. "Having +told you this, I have no hesitation in asking your help in the present +condition of things. This man Cargill, or Bostock, or whatever he may +choose to call himself, does not pursue us in this manner only because +he bears me a deadly hate. He has an equally deadly passion for +Annchen. I had no idea till last night of the length to which he had +gone. Even on board the ship, he had the insolence to speak to her. On +the day when we left the Cape he contrived to find her alone, and warn +her that there would probably be mutiny and danger to the captain and +officers and passengers, but she might trust to him to preserve her from +all harm." + +"Why did not Miss Vander Heyden warn you?" exclaimed Rivers, greatly +startled. + +"He timed it well. It was only just before the ship struck. Moritz and +I were asleep in our cabin, and the captain was asleep in his also. He +knew that there would be no possibility of warning us. Again, as I +learn, while she was at the Swedish pastor's house, just after our +encounter on the banks of the Blood river, she received a letter which +he contrived to have handed to her, telling her of his unaltered +affection, and that he was still resolved she should be his. I learn +that he was seen in Luneberg making inquiries as to the route we were to +pursue, accompanied by some of the mutineers and one or two other +notorious ruffians. There is, I am afraid, no doubt that some attempt +will be made to carry her off during this journey to Zeerust." + +"It sounds like it, I fear," said Rivers. "Well, Mr Vander Heyden, you +may command my services to the utmost in averting so dreadful a +calamity." + +"I thank you; I knew I might reckon on your generous help. I think, if +we can reach Standerton in safety, as with great exertion may be done +to-morrow, we may engage more men to accompany us. Our party may be +made so numerous, that Cargill will not venture on any violence. We are +at present ten in number, but two or three of them cannot be relied on. +If we could engage five or six stout fellows, and arm them well with +rifles and revolvers, they would not dare to attack us. I propose to +have a watch kept throughout the night, as well as two or three men +riding always in advance, and they may follow in our rear by day." + +"I think you could not do more wisely," said George; "and until we reach +Standerton we will undertake the duty ourselves. Margetts and I will +keep one watch, you and Hardy another, and Matamo and Haxo the third. +And the same with the parties in advance and in the rear." + +"I thank you heartily," said Vander Heyden. "I will speak to Mr Hardy +and the two servants, if you will do so to Mr Margetts." + +CHAPTER SIXTEEN. + +The dawn was only just beginning to dapple the skies, when the voice of +Henryk Vander Heyden was heard rousing his Hottentots and superintending +the inspanning of the oxen and the saddling of the horses. The sun was +hardly above the horizon before the party had set out, Vander Heyden and +Hardy riding two or three hundred yards in advance with their guns and +revolvers loaded, keeping a keen lookout as they advanced, and two of +the Hottentot servants following in the same manner in the rear. In +this manner they advanced for three hours or so, through a country +resembling in character that which they had passed yesterday, with the +difference that the ground was harder and drier, so that the progress of +the waggons was less interrupted. About nine o'clock they halted for +the first meal of the day on the edge of a dense mass of shrubs and +underwood, through which nothing but the woodman's axe or a herd of +elephants could have forced their way. Here occurred an incident which +was remembered by one of the party, at all events, long afterwards. +Redgy Margetts had alighted, and was about to take his place at the +breakfast table, if the rough boards taken from the cart, on which the +viands were spread, could be so designated, when he saw what he took to +be the end of a long green plantain among the stems of the cacti. They +are very delicious eating; and, thinking to add to the attractions of +the meal, he took hold of one end to draw it out. To his surprise and +alarm, he felt it move and writhe in his grasp, and the next moment a +hideous green head made its appearance from the bushes, and would have +sprung on him, if Matamo, who was calling out to Margetts to warn him, +had not dexterously flung the large knife which he was holding in his +hand, wounding the snake in the neck and disconcerting its aim. It +missed Redgy's face, at which it had darted, and fell on the ground +close to him, and Haxo, who had caught up an axe, struck its head off. + +"A lucky escape, Mr Margetts," said Matamo. "A big mamba, that; he is +seven or eight feet long. I never saw a bigger." + +"The brute?" exclaimed Redgy. "I took him for a big cucumber, or +something of that kind. Is he poisonous, Matamo?" + +"Yes, Mr Redgy, very poisonous. A man, if he was bit by him, would die +in an hour, perhaps in less. I've known one die in three-quarters of an +hour." + +"You must be careful, Mr Margetts," said Annchen, who had witnessed +what had passed with a shudder of horror. "I have been learning a good +deal about the African snakes. They are the worst things in the +country. We newcomers cannot be too careful." + +"You are right, miss," said Matamo. "Some of them look like sticks or +green stalks or stems of trees lying on the ground. Strangers sometimes +don't find out that they are snakes, till they are bitten." + +"But, as a rule, they won't harm you unless you provoke them," said +Vander Heyden. "They have the cobra in India as well as here. In which +country do you think it is the most venomous, Hardy?" + +"It is bad enough anywhere," answered Hardy; "but I think it is worst in +India. Its venom is very rapid in its action there. I remember Captain +Winter's Hindoo cook being bitten by one. She used to keep her money in +a hen's nest near the kitchen door. One night she heard a noise in the +nest, and thought some one was stealing her money. She crept down in +the dark and put her hand into the nest to feel if the money was safe. +The noise had been caused by a cobra which had crept in to eat the +chickens. It bit her, and she was dead in less than half an hour." + +"Yes, no doubt it was in a state of great irritation, and the bite +unusually venomous," observed Vander Heyden; "but I consider both the +puff-adder and the cerastes to be quite as dangerous as the cobra, and +the mamba yonder is almost as bad as any. But with proper care there is +not much danger. If they do bite you, as a rule, the only thing to be +done is to cut or burn the flesh out." + +The meal was now eaten, and the waggons were soon once more in motion, +the same precautions being observed during the remainder of the day. No +enemies, however, were sighted, or, indeed, any living creatures at all, +except some koodoos, which Haxo and George pursued and were fortunate +enough to overtake, killing one and bringing the prime parts home for +supper. + +About five o'clock they reached Elandsberg; which had never been more +than a tolerable-sized village, and had been sacked and burned by the +Zulus some months before in one of their incursions. It was now +deserted; and it was fortunate that the koodoo had been killed, or the +party might have had but a slender supper to partake of. But as it was, +they soon made themselves comfortable. All the cottages had been +wrecked, and the furniture broken to pieces or carried off; but the +walls of some were still standing, and one of the largest--a farmhouse +apparently--had suffered less than the others. The roof, of corrugated +iron, over two of the rooms was still almost whole, and even the windows +of one, the principal bedroom, had escaped. This room was got ready for +Annchen and her Hottentot. Her bed and box were brought in, and a rug +spread on the floor for the servant. In the other room, which had been +the kitchen, the men of the party took up their quarters. A fire was +lighted on the hearth, at which the koodoo's flesh was roasted; a half +shattered table was rescued from the debris outside and propped up with +boxes, and the party presently sat down to an appetising supper. Two of +the servants were left to keep guard outside, their places being taken +by others at midnight. Then the rest of the company wrapped themselves +in their rugs and lay down round the fire. + +The night was undisturbed, and the route resumed with the first glimmer +of daylight, Vander Heyden being particularly anxious to reach +Standerton that night; where, he believed, his anxieties would be at an +end. It was a most delicious day, and everything went smoothly until +after the halt for the mid-day meal. Then it was arranged that Margetts +and Haxo should form the advanced guard, while Matamo and Hardy followed +in the rear. + +Redgy rode on, thoroughly enjoying the delicious afternoon. The sky was +beautifully blue, and for a long time not flecked by a single cloud. + +"How lovely the afternoon is!" he exclaimed half to himself, as they +paced leisurely along. "I wish our halting-place was farther off. I +shall be quite sorry when this comes to an end." + +"It is quite far enough off, sir," replied Haxo, to whom this remark +appeared to be addressed. "It is about half a mile on, and I wish it +wasn't a quarter." + +"Why do you wish that, Haxo?" asked Redgy, turning in surprise to his +companion, whose presence he had almost forgotten. + +"Because the river is between us and Dolly's Kop, sir," answered Haxo; +"and I am not sure whether the waggon will get across." + +"Get across! Why not? I suppose it is like the other rivers we have +passed to-day,--so I understand at least. We have had no difficulty +about crossing them." + +"Just so, Mr Margetts. The rivers about here are nearly all sand, with +just a little water. But after an hour's rain they look different." + +"Rain! Yes, but we've had no rain." + +"We are going to have it, though, and that pretty soon. Do you see +those clouds?" He pointed as he spoke to a thick bank of black vapour +which was creeping over the sky. "See, they're hurrying on the oxen as +fast as they can. They may get across, but I don't think it." + +They turned round and rode up to the waggon, where, indeed, the +giraffe-hide whips were in full requisition, and the waggons proceeded +at a pace which would soon have brought them up to the river-side had it +continued. But they were presently obliged to moderate their pace, and +before long it became difficult to proceed. The sky grew so dark as +almost to obscure the track--indeed, but for the lightning, which +repeatedly burst forth with a vividness which illuminated the whole +scene, they would not have been able to distinguish their way at all. +Then there came a cold, biting rush of wind, and suddenly the rain burst +forth in torrents, which soon drenched every one to the skin, while the +animals became almost unmanageable. It was well they had experienced +drivers, or some serious disaster must have ensued. + +At length, after a fierce struggle with the elements, the banks of the +river were reached. But it became evident at a glance that all hope of +crossing it must for a long time to come be abandoned. The narrow +streamlet had risen to a roaring torrent, not only filling its sandy +bed, but expanding into wide lagoons on either side, and filling up +hollows which in some places were fifteen or twenty feet deep. +Fortunately for the belated wanderers, the ground at the point which +they had reached was high and rocky; and they were glad to avail +themselves of Matamo's local knowledge, who ordered the oxen to be +turned aside from the track, and presently drew the waggons into a +cavern, running far enough back into the rock to afford a shelter from +both wind and rain. The horses were now stabled in an adjoining cavern, +and the oxen turned out to find what food they could. The condition of +the party was in some degree improved. But they were sufficiently +miserable nevertheless. The deluge of rain had not only soaked the men +to the skin, but had forced its way into the waggons, and Annchen and +her maid, and the beds and wraps and every other article inside, except +the solid chests, were as completely drenched as though they had been +plunged into the river. Some wood, with which the floor of the cave had +been strewn, was heaped together and a fire lighted, but it would +evidently be hours before anything like warmth or comfort could be +restored. Our travellers were greatly relieved when they saw a +horseman, wearing a heavily flapped hat and leggings and boots of +untanned leather, together with a thick cloak wrapped round his person, +suddenly draw up at the mouth of the cave and ask in intelligible +English who they were, and whether they required any help. + +"We are mostly English travellers," replied George. "We have been +caught in the storm, and are almost wet to the skin. The lady who is +with us, in particular, may suffer from the effects of the exposure. We +should be thankful to you to show us any place where we can obtain +warmth and food and shelter." + +"English!" repeated the stranger; "my countrymen. I do not often come +across them in these regions, and shall be pleased to offer them such +hospitality as I can. You have horses, I think; you had better mount +and ride with me. My house lies at the distance of about a mile from +here, though the wood lies between it and us." + +All complied without hesitation; even Vander Heyden, though unwilling to +be indebted for any services to an Englishman, felt that, for his +sister's sake, it would be impossible for him to refuse. The servants +were left behind under Matamo's and Haxo's charge, there being plenty of +food for their wants, as well as accommodation quite as good as they +were used to. + +The party rode off, following a path evidently well known to their +conductor, though indistinguishable by them. The rain had now entirely +ceased, though the sky was still clouded. After a quarter of an hour's +ride they reached the house; which stood, as well as they could discern, +on the edge of a wide, deep hollow, which the floods had converted for +the time into an inland lake. There was light enough to distinguish +clearly the outlines of the building. It was externally like the houses +of the Dutch; but the internal arrangements were different. The kitchen +was at one end, and there was a sitting-room adjoining it, and two or +three separate bedrooms at the other end. The furniture, too, was +different, the articles being less massive and solid than is usually the +case with the Boers. There was even a bookcase in the parlour, +containing it might be thirty or forty books, articles rarely to be seen +in the houses of the Dutch. + +Annchen was immediately shown to one of the spare bedrooms, and some +clothes brought her by one of the Hottentot women, while her own were +taken out to be dried. The males of the party were similarly +accommodated, and in an hour's time all the travellers were assembled +round the stranger's board, with the exception of Vander Heyden, who, +having seen his sister made comfortable, took a courteous farewell of +his host, and expressed his intention of returning to the cavern, not +considering it safe, he said, to leave the waggons and cattle entirely +in charge of the natives. + +"You may be right, sir," said the Englishman. "Natives, unless you have +had long experience of them, cannot safely be left in charge of valuable +property. More particularly is that the case at the present time." + +"Indeed!" said Vander Heyden, delaying his departure as he heard his +host's words. "To what do you more particularly refer?" + +"The whole country has been for a long time past overrun with ruffians +and outlaws of every description," was the answer. "Zulus and Kaffirs, +whom the recent war has driven out of their own country; Hottentots, who +will not work, and live by pillage and pilfering; rogues from the +diamond fields, who have been expelled for their knavish tricks, as well +as convicts, who have broken loose from their confinement, have for +years past formed a sort of banditti, against which one has perpetually +to be on one's guard. After the annexation, our Government almost +entirely put them down; but the events of the last half-year have +renewed the mischief almost as bad as ever. I have no doubt, however, +that now that the struggle has come to an end, quiet and security of +life and property will be reestablished. But you need not be afraid, I +think, for your waggons. You do not seem to be aware that a bridge over +the river has been recently made, and there is a good road from it all +the way to Standerton. I shall be pleased to show it to you to-morrow. +It is one of the boons for which we have to thank the English +Government." + +Vander Heyden made no reply, but once more bowed and took his leave. + +Rivers and Hardy looked at one another and smiled. + +"What a pity it is that he dislikes the English so!" said the latter. +"He really is a fine fellow--brave and generous and honest, and full of +kindness to every one, except an Englishman." + +"We ought to feel it all the more a compliment that he is so civil to +us. I suppose there must have been some very great wrong done to his +father by our countrymen," said George. + +"To his grandfather first, and then to his father," said Hardy. "His +grandfather was one of those who rebelled when they found that the +country had been permanently handed over to the English after the fall +of Napoleon. He was taken prisoner with arms in his hands, and was +hanged like any highwayman. His son migrated to Natal, and was again +driven out by the English, when they annexed the colony. Proceedings +were taken against him which were extremely harsh, and he died, as I +have heard, of a broken heart. His son, our friend Henryk, got together +all he could of his father's property, and withdrew into the Transvaal; +where he bought a farm, but left it in charge of an agent, while he +himself served in the Dutch army for several years. The annexation of +the country by the English, three or four years ago, was the last drop +in the cup of his indignation. He had returned to the Transvaal, having +become wealthy again, partly by his deputy's successful farming, partly +through money left him by his uncle, Van Courtlandt. He went again to +Europe, to try if he could not procure the repeal of the Act of +Annexation. He has come back now, bitterly disappointed at his failure. +It is no wonder, I must say, that he cannot endure the English." + +The host now informed them that supper was ready, and they took their +places at the table. After the meal Annchen withdrew for the night, and +the rest of the party, gathering round the hearth, for the rain and wind +had made the air chilly, smoked their pipes and drank their host's +Schiedam at their ease. + +"If you would excuse my curiosity, sir," said Hardy after a while, "I +should like to know what brought you into these parts. You are, I think +you said, an Englishman. But--" + +"But I don't look as though I had lived in England,--that is what you +mean, I think? Well, I'll tell you my history. It illustrates what we +were talking of at dinner,--as to what is the truth respecting the +treatment of the natives by the Boers. My father and mother were +English. They came out to the Cape Colony somewhere about 1830, and +they settled on a farm in Namaqualand. It didn't pay. Their cattle +were continually driven off by the bushmen, and their fruit plundered +and their guns and hoes and the like stolen by the Hottentots. Nothing +they could do would prevent it. The native servants were often as not +in league with the thieves. Every now and then they would run off and +take anything of value with them." + +"As for the cattle-stealing," remarked George, "that is an old story. A +man must be a good deal wiser than I am who can say how it is to be +prevented. But I wonder, I must say, if you treated the Hottentots +well, as I have no doubt you did, that they didn't stay with you." + +"Perhaps they might," said Prestcott, which they afterwards found to be +their host's name,--"perhaps they might, if they had been left to +themselves. But there were always a lot of Hottentots going loose about +the country; and they threatened our servants with their vengeance if +they didn't give them food and drink. They didn't dare refuse, and then +they expected to be severely punished, and ran off. Anyhow, they +couldn't keep any servants, and their property was continually pillaged. +They must have left the country if they had lived. But one day my +father was speared by a party of bushmen, whom he had caught driving off +a bull. My mother, who had seen the transaction, ran screaming out, and +they speared her too. They then entered and pillaged the house. I was +a child of eight years old, and they no doubt would have killed me along +with my parents, if it hadn't occurred to them that old Potgieter, a +Boer farmer a few miles off, would give them something handsome for me. +They took me to him, and he did buy me." + +"You don't mean that he bought you of them, knowing how they had come by +you?" exclaimed Redgy, horror-stricken. + +"No, sir. They were too clever to tell him that, and he was too clever +to ask. They merely said they had found me, and they believed my father +and mother were dead." + +"And they had excellent reasons for believing so," remarked Redgy. + +"True, sir. Well, old Herman Potgieter took pity on me, as he was +pleased to express it. He took me over to the field-cornet's house, and +apprenticed me, after their fashion, to himself, until I should be +one-and-twenty years old." + +"Ay, I have heard of that before I left England," remarked Margetts. +"But I thought the age was five-and-twenty, and it was further remarked +that it was astonishing how long these apprentices are in reaching their +five-and-twentieth year." + +"Just so, sir. The natives seldom know how old they are; indeed, they +are seldom able to keep any account of time; and they are obliged to +prove that they are five-and-twenty before they can claim their freedom. +I have known a native kept in service until he was nearly forty. But +though I was not nine years old before I was taken before the +field-cornet, I knew something of their ways, having heard my father +talk about it. I produced a Prayer-Book he had given me on my eighth +birthday, insisting upon it that in a little more than twelve years' +time I should be free. I suppose when they found out I was really an +English boy, on my father's side at all events, they were a little +frightened, and thought it best to be cautious." + +"I have no doubt of it," assented Hardy. "I suppose you took good care +of your Prayer-Book?" + +"Old Potgieter contrived to get hold of that," said Prestcott; "but I +was not to be beaten. The house where my father had lived stood only a +few miles off, or rather had once stood, for no one had lived there +since it had been wrecked by the Hottentots, and it was a mere ruin. +But I knew my father had buried a box under the stone paving in one +corner of the room, and that it contained among other articles my +baptismal certificate. One day, when I wanted but a few weeks of +becoming one-and-twenty, I took a pick-axe with me, went over to my old +home, and dug up the box. There was my baptismal certificate, sure +enough, and a good bit of money besides, as well as shares in an English +company at Cape Town. I put these back into the box, which I buried +again, but I took the certificate with me, and on my twenty-first +birthday went over to the field-cornet's again. Old Potgieter thought +he had destroyed the evidence of my age, and was dumb-foundered when he +saw the signatures to the papers, and durst say no more. + +"I repossessed myself of my money and shares, and sold the latter at +Cape Town, where they fetched a good price. Then I bought this land +here and built this house, where I have lived ever since. I married, +but never had any children. A few years ago my wife died, and I have +never cared to marry again." + +"What became of old Potgieter, the old wretch?" inquired Redgy. + +"Poor old Potgieter!" said Prestcott. "He wasn't unkind to me after +all; and when I heard how barbarously he had been murdered, I was as hot +as any one to punish his slayers." + +"How was he murdered?" inquired Hardy. + +"He was making a journey somewhere, I forget where. It was only for +trading purposes, but I suppose the Kaffir chief, near whose kraal he +halted for the night, thought otherwise. And it can't be denied that +there was some reason for his thinking so. Old Potgieter had been on a +great many commandos, and had killed more natives than he would find +easy to reckon up. Makapan, as the chief was called, attacked the camp +by night and killed them all. I have been told that they flayed him +alive, and the story was generally believed, though I have great doubts +whether it was true. The Dutch, when they heard of it, ordered a +general commando, which was joined by a large party of Potgieter's +relatives and friends, and I, as I told you, went with them. We were +several hundreds in number, with waggons containing military stores, and +a cannon or two. Makapan and his tribe were quite unable to resist. +They retired into the broken country adjoining the kraal, and there +assailed us with arrows and assegays from behind their rocky fastnesses. +But we continually forced them back; and at last they retired into a +cavern, which was some hundred yards in depth, and so dark that it was +impossible to see anything, except close at hand." + +"It wouldn't have done to have followed them there," said George. "You +would have been an easy mark for their poisoned arrows." + +"No doubt, and we might have fired as many rounds of ammunition as we +pleased and hit nothing but the rocks. Praetorius and the others knew +better than to try that." + +"What did they do?" asked George. + +"They first tried to blast the rocks, but that had no effect but that of +wasting powder. Then a sort of blockade was established. Guards were +set at every opening, and nothing allowed to come out or go in. But +either the Kaffirs had collected large stores of food, or they had some +way of going out and getting in which we could not detect. At last the +Dutchmen came to the conclusion that the only thing to be done was to +build them in." + +"Build them in! What, build a wall in front of the cave, do you mean?" + +"Build up the mouth of the cave itself. They had pretty clearly +determined that there was but one mouth,--the fact that the cave ran +deeper and deeper into the hillside seemed to prove that,--and if so, +there could be no way out." + +"Why, that is very much what I remember reading in my history of +Scotland," said Margetts, "that a very barbarous Highland tribe did to +another. It was in prehistoric times, so that there was only a legend +about it." + +"As for barbarity, Redgy," observed George, "I don't fancy the Boers of +the nineteenth century are much behind the McLeods of whom that story is +told. And the French performed nearly the same feat in Algeria forty +years or so ago. Only they, I believe, smoked the Arabs like bees in a +hive." + +"That would have been much more merciful," observed Prestcott. "These +Kaffirs died of hunger, the most dreadful of all deaths, and no quarter +was given them. Whenever any of them made their appearance at the mouth +of the cave, they were shot down. More than a thousand were killed in +that way. The blockade was maintained for nearly a month. After that +no Kaffirs appeared, and there came so dreadful a stench from the cave +that the Dutch could endure it no longer, and made their way in. I had +gone away some time before that, not being able to endure the horror of +it. But I am told that they found no living thing. The whole tribe had +been destroyed." + +"Then, I suppose, they went home and celebrated their victory," said +George. + +"Yes, and boast that peace has been maintained in that district ever +since," replied Mr Prestcott. + +"Solitudinem faciunt pacem appellant," said George, who had not +forgotten his classics. "I did not know the Boers were as bad as that!" + +CHAPTER SEVENTEEN. + +"I should like to ask you, sir," said Margetts after a pause, "the +rights about the presence of the larger animals--wild animals, I mean-- +in these parts. In Zululand, which is very nearly on the same parallel +as this, they were certainly to be found. Some of the horses were +attacked by lions while we were actually in the country. We had been +informed that it was very much the same state of things in the +Transvaal. But here we have been journeying several days, and we have +not come upon the slightest trace of elephant, or lion, or giraffe, or +rhinoceros. We did hear a roaring one day, which we thought was that of +a lion, but it turned out to be only an ostrich,--so Matamo said, at all +events." + +"If you heard the roaring by day, Mr Margetts," said Prestcott, "it was +pretty sure to be that of an ostrich. As a rule, the lion only roars by +night. The two roars are certainly very much alike, though a practised +hunter could distinguish between them easily enough. As for the great +game of which you speak, it has certainly left the lower parts of the +Transvaal. If a solitary specimen here and there is to be met with, the +animal in question has been driven southward by some accident. It is a +different thing in Zululand from what it is here. The natives do not +hunt the lion or the rhinoceros, as the European settlers do. After +they have once begun to people a land, the big game soon disappears. We +have, however, still herds of antelopes of all kinds, springboks, +gemsboks, elands, koodoos, hartebeests, and gnus. The lion preys upon +all these, and where they are to be found in great numbers he might be +looked for also. But the white hunter is too much for him, I expect." + +"They are old acquaintances of yours, I perceive, sir," suggested +George. "Have you ever had any perilous encounters with them?" + +"Well, sir, I have had one or two brushes--narrow escapes they may be +called. I had one in Namaqualand some years ago--no one ever had a +narrower, I may say." + +"Please let us hear it, sir," said Redgy. "If one can't see the lions +themselves, as I had hoped, at all events one may hear about them." + +"Well, I'll tell you my adventure, sir, if you like it," said Mr +Prestcott, who had evidently no disinclination to relate his personal +experience. "I had gone to Walfisch Bay, where some English traders had +settled, with whom I wished to establish business relations. I had to +pass through the Hottentot country. At that time there were a good many +villages scattered about, and there I could procure food and lodging. +There were few or no white men at that time in the country, and the +lions had never been disturbed in their occupation. One evening I +reached a kraal on the Fish river, and there I found all the Hottentots +in a terrible state of alarm about a very big lion, which was lurking +somewhere in their neighbourhood and had taken to man-eating. I daresay +you may have heard that when a lion once does that, the only chance is +to kill him at once. He gets so fond of human flesh that he won't eat +any other, and he will lie in wait near one of the villages for days and +weeks together, hiding himself in one place or another, and springing +suddenly out on some unwary traveller." + +"Isn't that fact disputed, Mr Prestcott?" asked Hardy. "I have met +with old hunters who say that the man-eating lion is merely an old +animal, who has become too stiff in the joints to run his victims down, +and that he only preys on men in the way you have described, because +they can't run away from him in the way that an antelope or a gnu +would." + +"Yes, I have heard that," assented Mr Prestcott, "and think it may very +possibly be true. Certainly such man-eating lions as I have seen killed +were very wretched, mangy-looking creatures. That was attributed to the +fact of their living on human flesh, but I don't know why that should +cause such a result. Their appearance is certainly consistent with +their being old, worn-out animals. Any way, the Hottentots were in a +state of great disquietude about this lion. No less than five victims-- +two men and three children--had been killed and carried off into the +long jungle grass, where he principally took up his abode, within the +last week or two. Several times the whole of the men had gone out to +spear him. But though they had seen him at a distance, they could not +get near enough to wound him with their shots or arrows. They implored +me so earnestly to deliver them from this terrible pest, that I agreed +to remain for a day or two and see what I could do for them. Well, I +stayed with them a week, and made several excursions, but could see +nothing of him. At last it was supposed that he had been killed or had +left the neighbourhood. I had delayed there longer than I liked, so I +took my leave one morning, and, having loaded both barrels of my gun, I +set off on my way for Walfisch Bay. About a mile from the Hottentot +village there was a clear spring of water. As the day was very hot, I +resolved to bathe my hands and feet and take a good draught before going +farther. I took off my coat and shoes and stockings and laid them at +the foot of a large mootjeeri that almost overhung the pool, but I +retained my gun in my hand. I was just stooping to take a draught of +water, when I heard a stealthy movement in the long tambookie grass, +like that of a large animal creeping towards me, and at the same moment +my horse, which I had fastened to the bough of a small tree, broke away +and rushed off at full speed I sprang up and swung myself round the +mootjeeri, only just in time to escape the spring of a large lion, which +struck against the tree and was thrown by the shock on its side. Before +it could regain its legs I had dropped my gun and skimmed up into the +tree, the lower limbs of which were only six feet or so from the ground. +I seated myself on a branch, and took a good look at my assailant, who +was now standing only a few feet below me, eyeing me with a hungry look, +and every now and then giving vent to his impatience at being kept from +his supper in short, angry roars. There could be no doubt that it was +the man-eater, and that he had tracked me, waiting his opportunity. It +was a good job for me that the mootjeeri was so close at hand, and that +lions cannot climb, or he would have made short work with me. But +though I thanked Heaven for my escape so far, I was by no means out of +the scrape. If I had been able to take my gun up into the tree with me, +I could soon have rid myself of him, but it was lying on the brink of +the spring. Nor could I even recover my coat and shoes, which I had +placed at the foot of the tree, a couple of yards below the branch. I +could only reach them by hooking them up with a long stick. I did try +this. I cut a long wand with a crook at the end, and let this down. +But the lion instantly seized my coat in its teeth and tore it away. It +was the same with my shoes, and I was presently obliged to give up the +attempt. He instantly clutched anything which I attempted to move. + +"I was obliged to remain quite passive, but my condition was getting +very uncomfortable. My arms and feet were bare, and the leaves of the +mootjeeri afforded me a very insufficient shade from the blazing heat of +the sun overhead. I also became very hungry as the evening came on. +What food I had had with me was all in the bags attached to my saddle. +My only chance, I felt, was that the lion might get tired of waiting for +me and go off to seek food elsewhere. But I was sensible that this was +not worth much. It was clear that he wanted me, or he would have sprung +on my horse when he first made his attack; and I knew how eager the +craving of the man-eater is for human flesh. He would wait as long as +nature would allow him to hold out, in the hope of making his meal on +me, and he would probably be able to last out much longer than I could. + +"Presently he left the foot of the tree and went back to the spring, +where he took a long draught, and then lay down on the grass under the +shrubs, keeping his red and angry eye still fixed on me, and every now +and then displaying his terrible teeth. The whole afternoon passed +thus. I was in hopes that some of the Hottentots might pass that way, +and repeatedly shouted at the top of my voice for help. + +"By and by it grew dark, and some of the smaller animals which were +accustomed to resort to the fountain to drink made their appearance in +the distance, and again I hoped that he would pursue and make his supper +on one of them. But no, it was quite plain that he had made up his mind +to have me and nothing else. At last it grew quite dark, only a few +stars being visible in the sky, and the lion, so far as I could make +out, was sound asleep. I attempted to creep stealthily down from the +branch, but the moment I moved he started up with a short roar, and +rushed up to the tree so quickly that I had only just time to regain my +former position. + +"Daybreak came at last. I was worn out for want of sleep and ravenous +with hunger. I foresaw that I should soon get weak and dizzy and drop +from my perch into the jaws of my enemy. Suddenly it occurred to me, +that although my supply of tobacco, was in my saddle-bags, I might have +a small quantity in my belt, which would for the moment relieve my +hunger. I felt accordingly, and drew out--not, alas! any tobacco, but +my match-box. I usually carried this in my coat pocket, but by good +luck I had thrust it into my belt at starting. The matches were of an +unusually good kind, and when once ignited would burn for two or three +minutes quite to the very end. The moment I saw them, I felt I had +found a mode of deliverance if I could only accomplish it. I took my +powder-flask, which was fortunately quite full, and dropped some loose +powder on the ground. I then took one of the matches and fastened it to +the end of the long stick by which I had endeavoured to hook up my coat +and shoes. Having firmly secured it, I lighted it, and then dropped the +flask on the heap of powder which I had scattered below. The lion, as +before, rushed instantly up and put his head down to lay hold of the +flask. Quick as lightning I thrust the stick down and applied it to the +powder. The flask exploded directly in the lion's face, setting his +mane and whiskers on fire and severely scorching his mouth and nose. +With a yell of terror and pain, he galloped off at the top of his speed, +while I crawled down so exhausted that a long draught from the fountain +and a feast of some wild medlars, which I fortunately found growing by +the fountain, only restored me so far as to enable me with a great +effort to get back to the Hottentot village, where I had to rest several +days before I was fit to resume my journey." + +"What became of the lion?" asked Redgy. + +"Nothing more was, I believe, ever heard of him. I inquired about him +on my way back, but the Hottentots said he had entirely disappeared from +the neighbourhood. They fancied that the fright he had had prevented +his returning to his old haunts. But my opinion is that his eyesight +had been completely destroyed by the explosion, and that, being rendered +unable to provide himself with food, he had soon died of hunger." + +"Well, sir, that was a near touch, certainly," said Hardy. "But I think +what happened to my old comrade Robson may match it. He and I were in +the same regiment in the war with the Ashantees. He told me the story, +I remember, one night on our march to Coomassie, when the mosquitoes and +the heat made it impossible to sleep. Robson had been servant to an +officer who was very fond of field sports. He and two or three others +who had got a short leave were resolved to pass it in some genuine +African hunting, as they called it, going quite beyond the usual resorts +of white men. They started from Graham's Town, and travelled northwards +across what is now the Orange Free State and the Transvaal, till they +came within a short distance of the Limpopo. The country was wild +enough even for them. They fell in with a number of savage tribes, and +here and there a Dutch settler. But there had been nothing to scare +away the wild beasts. When they encamped for the night, Robson said +they could hear the lions roaring about them to their heart's content. +They were obliged at night to light two large fires, one on each side of +the space enclosed by their waggons. The oxen were all placed in the +middle, so that they couldn't get out, or the lions get in, otherwise +they would certainly have been seized and devoured. Sometimes the lions +were so bold, that they were obliged to cut long stout poles and lash +them to the spokes of the wheels to prevent the animals creeping in +under the waggons. One or two always kept watch, and the others slept +with their loaded rifles by their sides. Robson said that if any of the +oxen had contrived to slip out, they would have been seized and devoured +in no time. By the light of the moon, he had sometimes seen three or +four lions stalking about, trying to find some way in. Till he got used +to it, their roaring was the most terrible sound to him that could be +imagined, and he used to lie quaking with terror. It seemed to fill the +whole air in all directions, he said." + +"Ay," remarked Prestcott; "that is because the lion when he roars puts +his head close to the earth, so that his voice rolls along the ground +and echoes among the rocks. Go on with your story." + +"Well," resumed Hardy, "what the party wanted above all things was to +fall in with a herd of elephants. They had been told how they went +about everywhere in that country in large herds, breaking their way +through the thick forests like a fleet of men-of-war through the waves. +They were a good deal disappointed that several weeks passed without +their meeting so much as a single elephant. Robson said that he was as +much disappointed as the rest. But one day he had his wish, and +something over, as the saying is. There had been a great hunt among the +Matabeles to the north, and a large herd had been driven some way south +of the Limpopo. One evening the scouts came hurrying in with the +information that the whole forest a few miles to the north of them was +full of elephants. They were resting for the night, the blackies said, +but in the morning they would be pretty sure to make for a piece of +water which lay about a mile to the south of us. They would pass +through the very glade where we now were, in which there were some very +large trees. If we climbed up into these, we should get some capital +shots as they passed. But not a moment was to be lost in placing the +waggons and oxen in some secure spot. The elephants would pass down the +middle of the glade, trampling everything to powder that came in their +way. + +"The oxen were inspanned accordingly, there being just daylight enough +for the purpose. Fortunately one of the party had seen some high steep +cliffs about half a mile off, which the elephants could not get down if +they tried. Thither the waggons and oxen were conveyed, and were placed +in a shady nook immediately under the precipice, leaving some of the men +in charge of them. The rest returned to the glade, and, after taking +their supper, climbed up into the largest trees they could find, taking +care to be fully eighteen or twenty feet from the ground. Robson made +himself as comfortable as he could, but he could not sleep. The air was +full of insects of one kind or another, and their bite was very +annoying. Besides this, he kept continually fancying that he heard +noises of one kind or another in the distance. Now it was a low +rumbling, which he presently discovered to be the wind, now a shrill cry +for help, which, after intense listening, he recognised to be the call +of some bird. Repeatedly, too, he imagined he was falling out of the +tree, in a fork of which he had fixed himself. At last he resolved to +descend and lie down to rest on a heap of long grass which lay near the +foot of the tree. He was convinced that his slumbers would be but +light. Anyhow the crash of the advancing herd would be enough, he +argued, to wake the dead. Two minutes would be enough to enable him to +regain his station on the branch. + +"He descended accordingly, and having made a careful examination of the +grass, to make sure there were no snakes in it, he lay down with his +rifle in his hand, and almost instantly dropped asleep. He did not know +how long he slept, but it was probably several hours, for it was broad +day when he awoke. The crash and din he had anticipated were fully +realised. Babel itself seemed to have broken loose, but it was not the +herd of elephants that created it. They were no doubt in motion. He +could see, indeed, from the excited gestures of his companions in the +great nowana above him, that the leaders were already in sight. But it +was a crowd of frightened animals of all descriptions that had awakened +him. They had been driven from their lairs by the approach of the +monsters, and were flying in confusion from them. There were herds of +buffaloes crowded so close together that it was with difficulty they +could advance, whole legions of boks of every variety, a few jackals, +hyenas, wild pigs, even here and there a lion or a rhinoceros, hurrying +through the forest paths, in terror of being trampled under the feet of +the elephants, which would have crushed them into atoms, scarcely aware +of their presence. Among the runaways were crowds of monkeys, which did +not join the crowd below, but sprang from branch to branch, along the +lower parts of the trees immediately over his head, making it impossible +for him to climb to his former perch. He would have been knocked off, +gun and all, before he had mounted a dozen feet. + +"It was evident to Robson that he must find some other place of refuge, +and that without loss of time, for even he could now see, about a +hundred yards off, the heads of the great bull-elephants which always +marched in advance of the others, tearing and forcing their way through +the dense forest as a man would through a field of standing corn. In a +few minutes more they would be close upon him, and the crowd of animals +still prevented him from escaping. The only chance that presented +itself to him was creeping into the hollow of a huge nowana, close to +which he was standing. The roots of this were above ground, and there +was a huge cleft in them which was at all events large enough to hide +him from sight. He forced his way through the opening in the bark +accordingly, though with great difficulty, and found the hole inside +larger than he had expected, though he could not distinguish how far it +extended, for the climbing plants outside almost covered the entrance. +But he had not been in his hiding-place five minutes before the leading +elephants came up. On strode the giants, some of them appearing to +Robson to be fully fourteen feet high, the large trees giving way before +them and the very ground trembling under their feet. Just as the +leaders came in front of the hole in which he was lying, a shot from +above struck one of the largest behind the ear and passed into his +brain. It was instantly fatal. With a loud roar the huge beast fell +dead, and his head blocked up the lower part of the opening through +which Robson had entered. It was impossible for him now to make his way +out; but then, on the other hand, he was now safe from intrusion--so, at +least, he fancied. + +"He resolved to wait until the herd had passed, and then to shout to his +companions for help. The tremendous noise for the present prevented the +possibility of being heard, if he had shouted ever so loudly. There was +nothing for it but to remain quiet. By and by the light became better, +or rather, I should say, Robson's eyes became used to the darkness, and +he perceived that he was not the only occupant of the cave. There was +something indistinct and shapeless in the farthest corner, a slight +quivering motion showing that it was alive. It was probably some wild +animal which in its terror had taken refuge in the hollow of the tree, +as he had done. It might be something quite harmless, a stray goat, +perhaps, from a herd,--there were plenty kept in the neighbourhood, and +underground caves and hollow trees were favourite places of retreat for +them. It was as well, however, for him to be on his guard. He took up +his rifle and brought it to his shoulder. As he did so, there came a +rustling sound from the dark corner, and two fiery eyes were visible +against the light. Instinctively, rather than with any settled purpose, +he drew the trigger, there was a loud hissing noise, the light from the +eyes disappeared, a writhing motion which lasted for several minutes +followed, and then the dark mass, whatever it was, lay motionless. +Robson told me that a sickening sensation came over him, and he supposed +that he must have fainted. When he came to, some time afterwards, he +was in the hands of his friends. They had been engaged in cutting out +the tusks of the great bull elephant, and had heard a shot fired inside +the tree. In great surprise they searched the hollow, and dragged +Robson out, to all appearance more dead than alive." + +"And did they pull out his companion too?" inquired Redgy eagerly. + +"Yes, sir, they had pulled it out, and it was the first thing he saw +lying on the ground near him when he came to his senses, and it didn't +improve his spirits." + +"What was it?" exclaimed several of the party together. + +"A cobra, seven feet long, sir," answered Hardy. "It had crept in there +out of the noise, I suppose, and had been as much frightened as the +other creatures were; that was no doubt the reason why it did not fly at +Robson the first moment he entered. When he levelled his gun, the +creature's instinct probably warned it of its danger, and it had spread +its hood and raised itself for a spring, when the bullet struck it +between the eyes and killed it on the spot. If the shot had gone +anywhere else, Robson would never have told me the story." + +"That was enough to shake a fellow's nerves, certainly," said George. + +"Yes, sir; Robson could never endure the sight of even harmless snakes, +and used to shake all over when he saw one, like a man with the ague. I +used to joke him about it, and I think he told me his adventure to +prevent me from doing so any more. Well, I suppose it is time that we +go and lie down, isn't it? We are to set off, I believe, as early, or +rather earlier than usual to-morrow." + +"Are you going on to Standerton the first thing in the morning?" +inquired Mr Prestcott; "and does the Dutch gentleman intend to accept +my escort? He didn't say positively." + +"I have no doubt he will," replied George with some hesitation. "And +you must accept," he added more confidently, "our thanks for your kind +and hospitable reception of us. Mr Vander Heyden is, as you have +noticed, a Boer, and, like some of his countrymen, does not love the +English." + +Mr Prestcott smiled. "We English settlers here," he said, "understand +all about that. This annexation of the Transvaal, though they were glad +enough of it at the time, when their country was in the greatest danger +of invasion, to which they could have offered no resistance, is not at +all to their mind now. I hear they are trying to induce the new +governor to get it rescinded; and if they are rebuffed, as probably they +will be, they will get more and more discontented. But it has occurred +to me, since speaking to Mr Vander Heyden, that there is an opportunity +for him to travel in safety as far as Heidelberg, at all events. There +are a number of waggons containing Government stores on their way to the +town which are resting for the night a few miles from this. I have no +doubt he might obtain leave to travel in their company. There is a +military escort, which of course would make the journey quite secure. I +have some acquaintance with Lieutenant Evetts, and would give Mr Vander +Heyden an introduction to him, if he would condescend to make the +acquaintance of a British officer." + +"Lieutenant Evetts," repeated Rivers. "What, of the Mounted Volunteers, +do you mean, who was present at the attack at Rorke's Drift?" + +"Yes, the same, only he now holds a commission in the Natal Mounted +Police." + +"There is no need of any introduction to him," said George,--"not for +me, at all events. We knew one another for some weeks, before the +advance into Zululand. And even if we had had no previous introduction, +that night at Rorke's Drift would have been introduction enough." + +"Were you there, Mr Rivers?" asked Prestcott eagerly. "And do I +understand you that Mr Vander Heyden was there too?" + +"Yes, he and I and Evetts were all three there, and saved each other's +lives at least half a dozen times during those nine or ten hours of +fighting." + +"I am glad to have had you under my roof, Mr Rivers, and I must forgive +Mr Vander Heyden his dislike to the English. No, sir, no introduction +to Lieutenant Evetts can be required. I should as soon think of +introducing one twin brother to another." + +"I say, Hardy," said George, as they went off to bed, "that was a pretty +good one about the cobra in the hollow tree, wasn't it?" + +"I wasn't going to be beaten by him," answered Hardy; "though his wasn't +a bad one about the lion, I must admit that." + +CHAPTER EIGHTEEN. + +Nearly a week had passed, and the cortege was again setting out from +Heidelberg, where it had arrived three days previously. Lieutenant +Evetts greeted his old companions in arms with much cordiality, and they +had travelled in great comfort as well as safety under his escort. He +had expressed his great regret that he could not accompany them with his +men to Lichtenberg. The distance between these two towns was much +longer than between Luneberg and Standerton, or between Standerton and +Heidelberg. The country, too, was wilder and more sparsely inhabited. +His presence, and that of half a dozen of his men, would have made +everything smooth. But he was under orders to leave immediately for +Newcastle, as soon as he had performed his errand. All efforts to +engage trustworthy men at Heidelberg had proved vain; and they were +obliged to set out at last with the same party which had started from +Luneberg. It was with equal surprise and satisfaction that they +overtook, a few hours after leaving Heidelberg, some soldiers belonging +apparently to the Natal Contingent, with a corporal at their head, who +were escorting some prisoners, chiefly natives. These were handcuffed, +as well as linked together by lashings round their arms. The soldiers +were all white men. George, who was riding in advance of his party, +moved up and spoke to the corporal. He introduced himself as Mr +Rivers, late of the Mounted Infantry, and stated that his companions had +belonged to the same corps. + +The man answered civilly enough, though with rather a confused manner, +that he remembered Lieutenant Rivers and his friends quite well, having +been present at the action at Ulundi. George then inquired whither he +was conveying his prisoners, and heard with much satisfaction that it +was to Lichtenberg. It appeared that there had been a riot there. +Houses had been plundered and murders committed, and these men, who were +believed to have been concerned in the riot, had been arrested on the +frontiers, and were on their way to Lichtenberg to be identified and +tried. George again expressed his satisfaction, and proposed that the +two parties should travel together for mutual convenience and security. +To this the corporal rejoined that he should be quite satisfied with +such an arrangement; and George rode off well pleased to give the +information to Vander Heyden and Margetts, who were acting as rearguard. +The Dutchman at once expressed his satisfaction, as did Margetts, +though in a more guarded manner, and George noticed, with some surprise, +that he scrutinised very closely the corporal and his men when he rode +up to speak to them. He made no remark, however, and George, riding +back, resumed his place by Margetts' side. It was still quite early. +Desirous of avoiding the mid-day heat, which for the last day or two had +been very great, they had started two hours before daybreak, and the +whole landscape had hitherto been wrapped in a gloom through which they +could not do much more than distinguish their way. But the dawn now +began to dapple the skies, and with the first light appeared a scene so +startling, that our two travellers drew rein to gaze with wonder on it. + +As they had approached Heidelberg a few days previously, they had +noticed how dull and uninteresting the landscape appeared. The ground +had been rising continually for a long time past, until it had attained +the height of some hundreds of feet, and then a long undulating level +had succeeded, extending as far as the eye could reach, without rock or +forest or scrub to break the monotony. Nor were there, for vast +distances together, traces to be found of the hand of man. There were +few enclosures or habitations, and even flocks of sheep were of rare +occurrence. They had expected to find the country on the other side of +Heidelberg very nearly the same in appearance as that which they had +encountered before reaching it. But the landscape which they now beheld +formed the most striking contrast to it. In place of the sparse and +barren plain, varied only by dried clumps of dull vegetation and bare +heaps of sand or stone, there appeared a scene which might have vied +with that of fairyland. Rich forests, with a most picturesque variety +of outline, were seen environing the shores of a lake whose deep blue +surface was studded with verdant islets. In the foreground rose castles +and abbeys and picturesque ruins, grouped with a skill that no landscape +painter could have surpassed, and the distant view was closed by +mountain ridges, presenting the most striking effects of light and +shade. + +"Pretty to look at," remarked Matamo, who had just ridden up, as he +noticed George's admiring gaze. "Pity it is not real." + +"Not real!" returned George. "What do you mean?" + +"You'll soon see," was the brief reply; and, sure enough, almost +immediately afterwards the brilliant landscape melted away like a +dissolving view in a magic lantern, and a long stretch of barren down +and rock and scrub was all that could be discerned. + +"A mirage!" exclaimed George. "Well, I have often heard of them, but I +could not have believed the delusion was so perfect." + +"Wonderful country for cheats of that sort," remarked Matamo; "it often +looks like that before sunrise." + +The mid-day halt was made under some high cliffs, which threw a long +shadow and afforded some protection from the heat. Here Vander Heyden +had some conversation with the corporal, and agreed with him that, as +his party could not proceed beyond a certain distance every day, all of +them, except the corporal himself, being on foot, the soldiers should be +allowed occasionally to change with the mounted men of Vander Heyden's +party, while the prisoners were permitted to take their seats in the +waggon. Margetts uttered a hasty exclamation when this arrangement was +reported to him, but he said nothing more, and everything went on +prosperously till the halt took place. They sat down in three parties-- +the corporal and his men by the side of one waggon, Matamo, Haxo, and +the Hottentots by the other, while the third, consisting of what might +be termed the gentry of the party, took their places under some mimosas, +on the brink of a small fountain, almost immediately under a high and +steep rock. + +The meal was half over, when suddenly there was heard a loud jabbering +noise above, and the party, looking up, saw several hideous faces +peering over the ridges of the rocks. + +"Bushmen!" exclaimed Redgy. "I have been expecting to fall in with them +for some time. We are not so very far from their country, I believe. +Hallo up there?" he continued, as a number of large stones came rattling +down from above. "Stop that, do you hear, or you'll find two can play +at it." He raised his gun as he spoke, and pointed it at the rocks. + +"It is no use talking to them," observed Hardy, laughing; "I don't +suppose they would understand you if they _were_ Bushmen. But they are +not. They are baboons--mandrils, I believe, is their exact name. There +are great numbers of them in this part of the country. I wonder we +haven't fallen in with them before." + +"Baboons, hey!" cried Redgy. "The mischievous brutes!" he added a +minute or two afterwards, as another large stone passed over his head, +which it very narrowly missed. "I say, I am not going to stand this +sort of thing! I'll just give them a shot or two to improve their +manners." + +"Stop, Mr Margetts, don't fire!" cried Vander Heyden. "They are the +most revengeful and malicious creatures in the world, and as strong and +fierce as tigers. There are hundreds of them, and they'll attack us in +a body if you provoke them." + +His warning came too late. Redgy had already fired, and a yell of pain +from above announced that his aim had been successful. The next moment +a dozen huge mandrils had sprung over the rocks and began to descend the +cliffs, leaping from point to point as nimbly as squirrels. + +"Run for it!" shouted Hardy. "Take shelter in the waggons. We may keep +them off there, but it is about our only chance." + +There was no need of further warning. Matamo, Haxo, and the Hottentots, +the corporal, his men, and his prisoners, though they had been too far +off to hear what was passing, no sooner saw the baboons coming down the +rocks, screaming and gesticulating with fury, than they became aware of +the danger of the situation, and made straight for the waggons as the +only haven of shelter. Nor were they a moment too soon. The front and +back boards of the waggons were only just secured, when they were +surrounded by a multitude of infuriated brutes, endeavouring to pull +down the tilt and boards of the waggons. Others climbed on to the top +and tore away the tarpaulin covering from the ribs, endeavouring to +wrench out the ribs themselves with their strong, sharp claws. They +became, however, in this manner an easy mark for the party inside. +These at first only loaded their guns with powder, hoping to scare their +assailants without further rousing their fury. But they were soon +obliged to try sterner measures. The brutes, some of which were nearly +five feet high and extremely strong and agile, succeeded in loosening +more than one of the ribs of the waggon, and would soon have forced +their way in, if the bullets which followed one another in rapid +succession had not laid assailant after assailant in the dust. But +undeterred apparently by the deadly shower, they continued their attack, +gibbering and screaming with fury. The whole of the covering of the +waggon was now torn away, and the baboons, thrusting down their long +sharp claws, endeavoured to clutch their enemies within, rendering it +almost impossible for them to continue to load. + +"I say, George," exclaimed Redgy, as he rid himself with difficulty from +a huge baboon which had seized him by the hair, firing his revolver +directly into his chest, "these brutes are worse than the Zulus. I wish +I had my bayonet here. That would have been the thing for them." + +"You are right, Redgy," answered George. "I am just going to use my +wood-knife. My revolver is empty, and I have no time to reload. The +knife isn't as good as the bayonet, but it is the next best thing." + +The others followed his example--all excepting Hardy, who, with the +coolness of an old campaigner, had lain himself down on the floor of the +waggon out of the reach of the assailants, and from thence took aim with +his revolver, bringing down one baboon after another, and always +singling out those which seemed to be the most likely to break in. But, +notwithstanding the vigorous resistance offered, it seemed as if the +strong ribs of the roof must speedily give way, when suddenly there +burst forth a volume of flame which enveloped for a minute or two the +whole waggon. Screaming, not with rage now, but with fright, the +mandrils leaped down and rushed away, scrambling up the sides of the +rocks more quickly than they had come down. At least twenty were left +on the ground, either dead or too severely wounded to effect their +retreat; while several others limped in the rear of their companions, +scarcely able to accomplish the ascent. + +"Stop, Mr Margetts," cried Hardy, as he saw Redgy raise his rifle; +"don't fire at them. You may provoke them to come back. Well, that was +as near a thing as I remember to have seen. How did you manage it, +Matamo?" + +"Koboo and Utango and I had been piling a big heap of reeds to make +fires of," answered the Bechuana. "It was lucky we made the heap so +large. When we saw Mr Margetts fire at the baboons, we knew what would +happen, and we heaped the reeds round the waggon while the brutes were +coming down the rocks. I dropped a match among the reeds as soon as +they began the attack, but for a long time it wouldn't catch. Lucky it +did catch at last, or we should have been torn to pieces!" + +"Well, you managed famously, Matamo," said Hardy, "and we all owe our +lives to you." + +"Yes, sir, and your dinners too. Very good eating is baboon, and there +is enough for a great many dinners." + +"Eating!" repeated Redgy in great disgust. "You don't suppose any one +would eat these brutes, do you?" + +"Wall, Redgy, I agree with you,--the idea isn't pleasant," said George. +"But they can be eaten, I believe. An old messmate told me that when +his ship was at Gibraltar, many years before, the colonel of one of the +regiments there sent Captain Waters the haunch of a large ape, which had +been shot a few days before. The captain didn't see the haunch, but +invited all the officers of the ship to dine off it. The colonel, who +had only intended a joke, sent a note explaining it. But somehow it +wasn't delivered until just as the haunch was being removed from the +table, having been declared to be excellent. The captain put the note +into the fire, and said nothing about the matter." + +"He was a wise man," said Hardy, "and we shall be wise to follow his +example, and make a good dinner off our late enemies." + +His advice was at once followed. Fresh fuel was collected and fires +lighted, and presently the cooks were busily engaged over their roasting +and frying. + +"Come and take a look at the soldiers," suggested Margetts to Vander +Heyden and Rivers. "I wonder how they came off in their waggon." + +"They were much luckier than we were," said Rivers. "Either the baboons +didn't take any notice of their waggon, or they were bent, like Hardy's +elephant, on punishing the culprit who fired on them. The soldiers were +not attacked at all." + +"I am very sorry, I am sure," said Redgy; "I'll promise to be good +another time, that is all I can say. But they made their preparations +against attack, I suppose." + +"Yes," said Vander Heyden, "they took off the prisoners' handcuffs of +course. They couldn't have left them in that helpless state to the +mercy of those ferocious brutes. But I see they are going to put the +handcuffs on again now." + +They moved nearer to the prisoners, and stood for a while watching the +replacing of the handcuffs. Then Rivers called out to Margetts, who was +standing at a short distance, and asked him and Vander Heyden to ride a +little way on the road by which they had come that morning, to search +for his revolver, which he must have dropped. The other two assented, +and they went away together. + +About half an hour afterwards, when the dinners were nearly ready, +Vander Heyden and Rivers returned, looking a good deal put out. + +"Corporal Sims," said the Dutchman, riding up to the person named, "this +is vexatious, but I am afraid we must stay here to-night. Mr Rivers +cannot find his revolver, and thinks he must have dropped it a long way +back--at the first stream which we crossed. Mr Margetts has offered to +ride back, and look for it, and I am afraid we shall, in consequence, be +obliged to remain here all night. As some repairs must be made to our +waggon, perhaps it is not of so much consequence. But are you able to +stay?" + +The corporal hesitated a moment, apparently a good deal surprised. Then +he answered civilly that he saw no reason why they should not remain, as +there was plenty of food and a good spring of water, and there was no +particular need for haste. + +"Very well, then," said Vander Heyden, riding on, "we will stay here +till to-morrow." + +Nothing was said until the two horsemen were out of hearing. Then one +of the prisoners said in a guarded tone,--"Do they suspect anything, do +you think, Andrewes?" + +"No," answered Andrews, "I am pretty sure they do not. Why do you ask +that, Bostock?" + +"I have been uneasy all day," was the answer, "lest either Rivers or +Vander Heyden should recognise us. It is quite true that I am stained +as dark as any Zulu in the country, and so are Gott and Sullivan. And +our beards and whiskers have been shaved, and our hair frizzled and dyed +black, so that we could hardly recognise ourselves in the glass. But +they are both of them wide-awake fellows, and I shouldn't like this kind +of thing to go on long. I suppose our intention holds good, to make the +attack to-night, doesn't it?" + +"I don't see why not," answered the pseudo-corporal. "It was agreed +that we should, all of us, approach the waggon together as soon as the +moon sets, and that will be before twelve o'clock. They keep a watch +all night, I know. One of them stands sentinel at the fire near the +waggon. But a rifle bullet will quiet him. Then we rush up and shoot +the others. We shall have only four to deal with instead of five now. +The Hottentots are sure to run off at the first shot." + +"Margetts may return," remarked Gott. + +"If he does, he'll hardly reach the camp," returned Bostock. "Some one +had better be on the look-out for him a mile or so on the Heidelberg +road. There will still be twelve of us left. That will be enough to +settle four men, won't it, even if they should not be asleep." + +"You forget the women," said the corporal with a smirk. + +"No, I don't forget them, Andrewes," answered Bostock angrily. "But you +had better do so--forget Miss Vander Heyden, at all events. You will +remember that she is to become my wife as soon as we can reach Doomberg, +where the missionary has promised to marry us. You had better all keep +that in your heads, or you may chance to find an ounce of lead there." + +"Well, you needn't be so cranky about it, John Bostock," said Sullivan. +"Will Andrewes and the others have been your pals ever since we came +into the country, nigh upon a twelvemonth ago, and Jem Gott and I was +your pals long before. And we've never done nothing but please you, and +we ain't going to now." + +"Well, that's as it should be, Sullivan. We need have no more words +about that. And now dinner's ready, I see, so we had better fall to at +that." + +Meanwhile Vander Heyden and his two friends had no sooner completed +their meal than they hastened to the waggon, and summoned Matamo and +Haxo to assist in repairing the damage sustained. Their first step was +to renew the canvas covering, which had been torn down. Then they +nailed thick boards all round the lower part of the waggon, and +constructed a kind of citadel in the middle, consisting of four strong +boxes, about three feet high, inside which two persons might take +refuge. + +"I wish you would not think so much of me," urged Annchen, from whom it +had been impossible to conceal the approaching danger. "My life is of +no more value than any one of yours. And you are neglecting, I am sure, +your own safely. Henryk, will you not listen to me? Mr Rivers, will +not you?" She blushed deeply as she spoke. + +"Say no more, Annchen," returned her brother sternly, though with +evident tenderness of feeling. "We shall all do our best for ourselves +as well as for you. And there is every hope that Margetts will return +before these scoundrels even begin their attack. It cannot be more than +a two hours' ride to Heidelberg. I could myself do it in little more +than one; but then, unfortunately, I was only on terms of distant +civility with Lieutenant Evetts." + +"It will take Margetts at least two hours," observed Hardy; "and then +there may be difficulty in finding Mr Evetts and in getting his men +together. It was three o'clock when Margetts rode off. If he is back +by ten, it is as early as can reasonably be hoped." + +"Ten will be time enough," remarked Rivers. "They will wait for the +moon to set, or they would be an easy mark for our bullets." + +"And the moon does not set till eleven," said Vander Heyden. "Besides, +even if they do make their attack, it remains to be seen whether we +cannot keep them off. It can hardly be worse than it was at Rorke's +Drift, when we three stood side by side together. But I think we have +now been as long at work in the waggon as it is safe for us to be. We +might awaken suspicion if it was thought that we were fortifying it. We +must get out, and not return to it until after the moon has set. +Annchen, I shall wish you good-bye now. You must be in your place of +shelter when we return." + +He folded her in a warm embrace, and then leaped from the waggon, +forgetting that George still remained, or unwilling perhaps to witness +his adieux. + +George took her hand and looked earnestly into her face. "This may be +the last time we shall meet," he said. "I know I can never have my +wish, but I should like you to know how fondly I love you." + +The tears rose in her eyes and streamed down her face. "I do know it," +she murmured,--"I do know it, George; I prize and I return it." + +Their lips met for a moment, as if by a mutual impulse, and then Rivers +leaped down and joined his companions, who had taken their places by the +fire. + +The night came on clear and bright, as is the night of those regions,-- +the moon, a dazzling globe of crystal; the stars studding the sky with +brilliant specks of light. The three friends affected to converse +carelessly together, intermingling their talk with bursts of merriment. +But every ear was in reality strained to catch the distant tramp of +horses' feet--the more keenly because the hour had now indeed come when +Margetts' return was not only possible, but might be reasonably looked +for. Anxiously they watched the moon as it sank slowly down the heaven, +disappearing at last behind the distant mountain range, and comparative +darkness succeeded, which under the shadow of the cliffs rendered +objects even at a little distance scarcely distinguishable. Then they +rose, and somewhat noisily bade the Hottentots good-night, desiring them +to keep a careful watch. Moving off to their own waggon, they crept +stealthily behind and round under its cover to the other which was +reserved for Annchen and her attendant, and got inside, joining Matamo +and Haxo, who were anxiously expecting them. They had lighted a +lantern, whose light just showed the interior of the waggon. + +"Hark! what was that?" exclaimed Hardy, as a sound resembling that of +the discharge of a gun was heard at some distance. "Can that be +Margetts' signal?" + +"It is most unlikely that he would discharge his gun," said Rivers. "It +would have the effect of putting these ruffians on their guard. He +knows that we have no need to be warned." + +"True," said Hardy; "but if he is coming at all it ought to be soon. It +is nearly half-past eleven. These fellows will make their attack almost +immediately now. Ha! listen! Yes, I hear them coming!" + +Even as he spoke, a hand was laid on the shutter by which the back of +the cart was closed, and attempt made to pull it open. + +Vander Heyden put his head out. "What are you doing here?" he asked. +"This is my sister's sleeping-place." + +"I know that, Mr Vander Heyden, and I know you, and you too know me. I +am Langley Cargill, of the Nassau Regiment--your equal by birth and +station. I design your sister no harm, but to make her my wife. Give +her up to me, and I will ensure her safety and the most honourable +treatment." + +"_I_ would as soon give her into the hands of Satan!" cried Vander +Heyden fiercely. "You and your ruffians will do wisely to move off at +once, or we will fire on you without mercy." + +"Then take the consequences of your own folly. Fire into the waggon, +boys!" he shouted; "we'll soon make an end of this." + +A dozen guns were discharged, and the leaden hail came rattling between +the ribs of the tilt above them. It did not produce much effect, as all +those within had thrown themselves on the floor, where the solid sides +of the waggon, strengthened by the recent defences, prevented the +bullets from penetrating. The next moment the fire was returned with +more effect. Two of the pretended soldiers were shot dead on the spot, +Bostock and one of his men were severely wounded. + +"Rush up and smash the shutters in before they can load again?" shouted +Bostock, regardless of his wound. He caught up a heavy piece of timber, +which shattered the stout boards at a blow, and was about to mount to +the attack, followed by his comrades, when a volley of musketry was +suddenly poured in, which stretched two or three more of the banditti on +the ground, and a voice was heard calling them to surrender, or no +quarter would be shown. + +Vander Heyden and his companions leaped from the waggon to shake hands +with Margetts and Evetts, who, with a couple of dozen of his men, had +now completely surrounded the robbers, nearly all of whom indeed were +either killed or wounded. But the danger was not entirely at an end, as +they had supposed. Bostock had been pierced by a second bullet, and it +was plain that he had received his death-wound. But his fierce spirit +still bore him up. He heard Evetts' challenge with a scornful laugh. + +"Surrender?" he cried. "Not I, at all events. I believe I am done for +this time, but there is still some fight left in me. Henryk Vander +Heyden, I told you I should one day return your fire; there is time to +do so yet." + +He raised himself with difficulty, and, levelling his revolver, fired at +his antagonist, who was only a few feet from him. With fell +satisfaction he noted that the shot had taken effect. Then he fell back +and expired without a groan. + +CHAPTER NINETEEN. + +"Are you much hurt?" cried Rivers, rushing up to Vander Heyden and +raising him, while Hardy supported him on the other side. + +"I don't know, I hardly felt it," he answered. "I don't think it struck +the ribs." + +"We must get his coat off and stop the bleeding," said Hardy. "If you +will hold him, I will unfasten the coat. Bring the lantern closer." + +"Leave him to me, sir," said a voice behind. "I know something of +surgery, as a man has need to do who lives in this country." + +Both Rivers and Hardy turned round in great surprise. The speaker was +Mr Prestcott. + +"Ah, you wonder to see me here! I had no intention of leaving home when +we parted, but I was summoned to Heidelberg two days afterwards, and was +on my way to Mr Evetts when Mr Margetts met me. We must cut the coat +away. If the wound is where I suspect, it would give him great pain to +take it off his shoulders. Ah, I thought so," he continued when the +sleeve had been cut away and the shoulder had been laid bare. "You have +had a narrow escape, sir. The bullet struck the cartridge-belt which +was hanging round your neck, and glanced off, passing out through the +fleshy part under the arm-pit, just missing the rib. But it is a nasty +wound too. You will have to lie quite quiet for some time, and be +careful that the bleeding does not burst out again. There must be some +proper person to nurse him." + +"His sister, Miss Vander Heyden, is here, sir," said Rivers. "She is in +the waggon yonder. She does not know anything about this yet." + +"You had better go and warn her," said Mr Prestcott; "then we will +carry him to the waggon." + +His instructions were obeyed. Annchen was of course terribly +distressed, but repressed her emotion, and instantly set about the +necessary preparations. The boxes were removed from the waggon, and as +soft a bed as possible made upon the floor of dried grass and reeds, +over which several rugs were laid. The waggon fortunately stood in a +sheltered place under two large trees, whither it had been moved to +render it as secure from attack as possible. Annchen and Rose undertook +the nursing; and Mr Prestcott engaged to send over the necessary +medicines from Heidelberg. + +"He must be kept as quiet as possible, remember. I suppose there are +enough here," glancing round as he spoke at the Hottentot servants, as +well as at Matamo and Haxo, "to secure him against disturbance or +attack." + +"There will be no further fear of attack," said George, to whom this +remark appeared to be addressed. "This wretched Bostock is dead, and +all the rest of the gang have either been killed or are prisoners. +Stay, though," he added; "I see Gott is prisoner, and Van Ryk was hanged +at Rorke's Drift; but I am afraid Sullivan has escaped." + +"It will be a pity if he has," remarked Lieutenant Evetts. "I hear at +Heidelberg that the whole gang has been for months past the pest of the +neighbourhood." + +"Sullivan has not escaped," said Margetts; "I can account for him. He +had been set to watch for me as I returned to the camp, and pick me off, +I suppose; but he fell into his own trap." + +"Ha, that must have been the shot, then, that we heard," said Rivers. +"What made you so long in returning, Redgy? We were getting alarmed." + +"Well, I missed the track," said Margetts, "and had ridden past +Heidelberg. By good luck I met Mr Prestcott, who was riding in to see +Mr Evetts, and he took me with him. It was after all no loss of time, +I believe, for he knew where to find Evetts, which I did not. And +during our ride to Heidelberg, he told me something, George, which you +will be interested to hear. But first I will tell you about Sullivan. +Evetts got his men together, and Mr Prestcott volunteered to come with +us, wanting to identify some of the gang, who had more than once stolen +his property. When we got within a mile or two Evetts scattered his +men, and told them to move up with as little noise as possible. One of +them in this manner got past Sullivan without being seen by him. He +chanced to look back, and saw Sullivan just levelling his gun at me, and +he anticipated the shot by sending a bullet through the back of his +skull. He was lying dead by the roadside when I passed, and I +recognised him as Sullivan, notwithstanding his disguise." + +"Talking of his disguise," observed Rivers, "I wonder where they got the +soldiers' uniforms from. I know there are fellows among them who are +clever enough at staining Europeans so as to look like natives; but how +did they come by the uniforms?" + +"That is a question easily enough answered," remarked Lieutenant Evetts, +who had now joined the party. "The Zulus stripped soldiers enough at +Isandhlwana to fit out a regiment or two, and for months afterwards they +were to be had for anything the Zulus could get for them. But I must +say the get-up, on the whole, was not bad." + +"No," assented Hardy; "and the fellows who wore the uniforms had all, I +fancy, been really in the army at one time or another. Certainly the +corporal had." + +"Yes," said Rivers. "When I first spoke with the man I thought I knew +his face, and probably I had seen him in the ranks. That was one of the +circumstances that for a long time prevented me from entertaining any +suspicion." + +"By-the-bye, George," said Margetts, "I have forgotten to ask you how +you discovered Bostock. I thought, as I told you, there was something +strange about the party, but did not suspect Bostock was among them, and +his disguise was so perfect that I can hardly believe he is the fellow +lying dead yonder. There was no time to ask you when you sent me off to +Heidelberg; but I should like to ask you how you recognised him." + +"It was your remark and his limp that first made me suspect him," said +George. "He has always limped since he received the wound on board the +_Zulu Queen_. I happened to know he had received another wound a few +months since--a bullet-wound on the wrist. I went and stood close at +hand while the pretended corporal was putting the handcuffs again on the +prisoners' wrists; and there was the scar of the wound plain enough. I +saw Bostock glance suspiciously at me, as he saw I was scrutinising his +wrist, and I had some trouble to keep myself from showing that I had +discovered him. But you were saying, Redgy, that Mr Prestcott had told +you something which I should be interested to hear. May I ask what it +was?" + +"Well, Mr Rivers," said Prestcott, "it was simply that I am well +acquainted with your mother. In the course of my business I make +frequent journeys to Zeerust, and know old Ludwig Mansen and his family +quite well. I was there not many weeks ago. It is odd that his name +did not come up in the course of our conversation about Zeerust. I did +not particularly notice yours, or it would certainly have done so. You +wrote to her some time ago, did you not?" + +"Yes," said George, "eight or nine months ago; but I have never received +any reply to my letter." + +"Ah, I supposed so. The man to whom you gave it was several months in +getting to Umtongo, which was the name of Mansen's farm. Then she could +get no messenger to carry her reply for several weeks, and it must have +reached Rorke's Drift somewhere about the beginning of June. But it +appeared you had left the Natal Volunteers, and it was thought you were +going to join some other corps; but that was not known for certain. She +is in a terrible state of alarm now, that you have been killed at +Ginghilovo, or Ulundi, or one of the smaller battles." + +"Well, her anxiety will soon be relieved now," observed Margetts. + +"I trust so. But in that case Mr Rivers must not wait to accompany Mr +Vander Heyden to Zeerust Mr Vander Heyden cannot be moved for three +weeks, and then he must travel very slowly. I do not suppose he can get +to his destination under a month, at the very earliest." + +"Of course I shall not wait for that," said Rivers. "I shall ride +across country, if I can find a guide. I suppose it will not occupy +very long, Mr Prestcott?" + +"No, sir. Your horse, if that is your horse yonder, would take you +there in four days--probably in three, but certainly in four." + +"And as for a guide," interposed Hardy, "you will not find a better in +all the Transvaal than Matamo. He knows the whole of this country as +well as I know the paths about my own farm. I am sorry that I myself +cannot remain here; I have another engagement to fulfil at Newcastle. +But I will undertake to return before Mr Vander Heyden can reach +Zeerust. Meanwhile Mr Margetts will stay here and look after the +party." + +"Must that be so?" asked George. "I should have liked Redgy to +accompany me." + +"It must be, I am afraid," said Hardy. "I am sorry that my engagement +must be kept." + +"I am sorry too," said Margetts; "but of course we cannot leave Vander +Heyden here alone. When shall you set out, George?" + +"To-morrow, if Matamo is prepared," was the answer. "But we must lie +down now and take some rest. The dawn must be close at hand." + +"I shall return with my party and the prisoners at once," said +Lieutenant Evetts; "and I suppose you also, Mr Prestcott, will +accompany me." + +"Yes," said Mr Prestcott. "The medicines and lint ought to be sent out +at once." + +They parted, and our travellers, lying down, took some hours' repose. +Then George summoned Matamo, and inquired of him whether he knew the way +to Umtongo, and would undertake to guide him thither. + +"The way to Umtongo," repeated Matamo. "I know it quite well. I have +been there two, three times. I could ride it in the dark." + +"That's all right, then," said George. + +"Yes, sir; we can get there in three days,--Koodoo's Vley one day, +Malapo's Kloof two days, Umtongo three days. But they will be long +days." + +"Then had we not better start at once?" + +"Yes, sir, or we shall not reach Koodoo's Vley to-night. I will go and +get everything ready." + +In two hours they set off, the Bechuana appearing to be in high spirits. +The track he pursued led through a country wilder than any George had +yet seen. It ran for some miles along the banks of a small but most +picturesque stream, the banks of which were clothed with trees of every +variety. The mimosa predominated, but it was intermingled with +date-trees and Kaffir plums and huge cacti, with their swordlike leaves, +and acacias already coming into flower. Overhead hoopoes and parrots +kept up a never-ending chorus, while countless tribes of monkeys and +squirrels leaped and chattered among the branches. Occasionally there +sprang up, with the whirring noise so familiar to the sportsman, a covey +of red-brown partridges. Notwithstanding that they were well supplied +with provisions, George's instinct could not forego the opportunity. He +let fly right and left with both barrels. Two partridges dropped dead +just in front of them, while others flew off wounded. Matamo dismounted +and secured them, and they proved a most appetising addition to their +supper when they halted a few hours after. + +"How far are we from Koodoo's Vley?" said Rivers, as he leaned back +against the sloping bank, after having made a delicious meal. + +"Koodoo's Vley? About three hours' ride. Give the horses a long rest, +and we shall get there before the moon goes down." + +George relapsed into thought. The excitement of the last few hours had +left no time for reflection, but now the recollection of what had passed +between himself and Annchen came vividly back. He had long felt assured +that, notwithstanding the distance at which he had always been kept from +her, she was not indifferent to him, but now he had had a distinct +assurance to that effect from her lips. For a moment the doubt crossed +him whether, in the few hurried words he spoke to her before the attack, +he had not in some measure broken his promise to Vander Heyden. There +had been little time for reflection, and his had been dictated by a +sudden impulse. But no. He felt sure it had not been so. His promise +to Vander Heyden had been that he would not ask her to be his wife, and +he had not asked her. Doubtless she would expect him to follow up his +declaration by a formal offer, but it must rest with her brother whether +that must be made. On the whole, he had good hope, when he recalled the +particulars of Vander Heyden's interview with him, that he would +withdraw his opposition. At all events, there was no need to be +down-hearted about it, and perhaps the less his thoughts rested upon it +the better. + +He turned to Matamo, who was sitting on the other side of the fire, +sorely disturbed, apparently, at the long silence to which George's +reverie had consigned him. He responded at once to George's advances, +who inquired of him whether he had known Mr Prestcott before he met him +a few days previously. + +"Do I know Mr Prestcott? Yes, sir, I have known him a long time. Very +good Baas, is Mr Prestcott. He tells pretty stories." + +"More pretty than true, hey, Matamo?" suggested George. "Did you hear +his story about the lion and the powder-flask?" + +"Yes, sir; I have heard that more than once. It gets nicer every time +it is told. Mr Hardy, too, he tells a nice story about the cobra in +the tree, but not so nice as my story about the big boa." + +"Your story--an adventure of your own, like the leap off the +hippopotamus's head, eh? Let us hear it by all means, Matamo." + +"Yes, sir. It happened a great many years ago. I had been sent on an +errand to the Kasal Mountains. A fat old Dutchman seized me, and would +not believe my story, but made a slave of me. If I said a word, he tied +me up to the cart-wheel and flogged me with the jambok. One day he sent +me after an ox that had strayed. He was always afraid that I should run +away, and if I was any time out, came to meet me with the jambok ready +in his hand. I couldn't find the ox anywhere, but I thought I saw +something moving in a thick bush, and I fancied it might be the stray +beast. I forced my way inside, and trod on what I thought was the end +of a log. But it was a great boa, not a log. The boa put up its head +and was going to spring; but I ran like a springbok, and the boa after +me. I never went so fast in my life, but the boa went faster. Just on +the edge of the wood, I saw the fat Dutchman coming with the whip. When +the Dutchman saw the boa, he too turned and ran. But I ran faster than +the Dutchman anyhow. The boa thought he was better eating than a lean +Bechuana boy, and he caught him round the waist and twisted himself all +about him. The Dutchman was so big that the boa only went twice round +him. He bellowed for help so loud that every one could hear him, so +there was no need for me to tell them." + +"What did you do then, Matamo?" + +"I ran away as fast as I could, and went home to Mr Baylen." + +"I suppose the Dutchman was killed, wasn't he?" + +"Yes, sir. The big snake ground him up like corn in a mill,--jambok and +all," added Matamo significantly. + +"Well, you must tell that story to Mr Prestcott and Mr Hardy. I don't +think either of them could beat it." + +"Ah, but I had another escape, from a rhinoceros, closer than that," +said the Bechuana, evidently much gratified at George's approval. + +"Closer than that!" said George. "It must have been a near one, then, +indeed. Let us hear it, by all means." + +"It was in the rocky country above Standerton," said Matamo. "I was +hunting, and had to climb some steep crags two or three hundred feet +high, and in some places as steep as a wall. I got to the top, and sat +down to rest under a small tree that grew close to the edge of the +precipice. Presently I got up and went on to the wood, where there were +plenty of elands and antelopes. All of a moment a big female rhinoceros +broke out and ran at me. I put up my gun and hit her just in the right +place, and she dropped. I was going to load again, when I saw close +behind her the male rhinoceros, and he made a rush at me. There was no +time to load. I threw my gun away, and ran for it as hard as I could. +But the precipice was right in front, and no room to turn to the right +or the left. The rhinoceros is very swift of foot. He was close behind +me as I approached the edge. I thought we should both go over together, +but just at the last moment I seized the bole of the tree and swung +myself round. The rhinoceros couldn't catch hold of the tree, and +couldn't stop himself. Over he went in a moment, and I heard him strike +the ground three hundred feet down. I went below and took a look at +him. He was smashed to atoms." + +"That was a close shave too," said George. "But come, Matamo, it is +time we were off again. The horses must be fully rested." + +They remounted, and proceeded for several hours. But for some reason +they did not make good progress. The horse ridden by the Bechuana +appeared to be completely tired out, and could with difficulty be urged +to an easy trot. The moon had set while they were still fully three +miles from Koodoo's Vley, and Matamo declared it would not be safe to +proceed further that night. + +He off-saddled his horse with more care than usual, and, instead of +knee-haltering and turning him out to graze as usual, secured him by a +headstall under the shelter of some trees, and brought him some grass +and water. But the animal, though it drank thirstily, seemed unable to +eat, and presently lay down, too much exhausted, apparently, by its +day's journey to stand. + +"Bad job this, Mr Rivers," said Matamo, after carefully noting the +horse's condition. + +"What do you think is the matter with him?" inquired Rivers. + +"The horse-sickness, sir. I've been afraid of it for an hour or two, +but there is no doubt of it now. It is less common at this time of the +year, but it happens sometimes." + +"Can't anything be done?" asked George. "I know this horse-sickness is +a strange malady, which no one seems to understand. But is there really +no cure for it?" + +"None that I have ever heard of," was the answer. "Yes, he's getting +worse. He'll die; nothing can cure him." + +"Has he been bitten by the tsetse, do you think?" asked George. + +"The tsetse? no, sir. The tsetse is not found here; there is no mistake +about it, where it is found. I know it well, and its buzz too. It is +certain to kill any horse it attacks, or ox either." + +"Doesn't it hurt a man, then?" inquired George. + +"It never bites a man, or a donkey, or a mule. But what this poor brute +has is the horse-sickness, and nobody knows either the cause or the cure +of that." + +An hour or two afterwards Matamo's predictions were verified. As the +darkness came on, the poor brute's malady got worse. Its flanks heaved; +it drew its breath with ever-increasing difficulty; its tongue lolled +from the jaws, which were tightly clenched on it. Then violent +convulsions came on, and it expired. + +"What is to be done now, Matamo? Can you go on with me on foot?" asked +George. "We could ride alternately, you know; of course we should not +go nearly as fast, but we should get there in time." + +"I am very sorry, Mr Rivers, but I can't go. Mr Baylen wants me back. +I must have returned to Horner's Kraal the very day after the party +reached Lichtenberg." + +George remembered that Mr Baylen, while they were at Colenso, had told +him that the time of the year when he could never spare Matamo was the +spring. At the time when he made George the offer of the Bechuana's +services, there had been no idea of the journey to Zeerust being delayed +so long. He felt, therefore, that he ought not to urge Matamo to remain +longer with him. But, on the other hand, if he returned to Heidelberg +with Matamo, and obtained another guide, at least a week would be lost. +Knowing his mother's anxiety and distress, he was most unwilling to +protract them. Besides, he could remain only a certain time at Umtongo, +and he would not cut that any shorter, if he could help it. + +"Do you think I could find my way by myself, Matamo, if you gave me full +directions?" he asked. + +"I am not able to say that, sir. I will tell you the way as well as I +can. But if you go on to Koodoo's Vley, you will find the Kaffirs' +kraal, which is close to it, and they will show you the way to Mansen's +farm, if you pay them money. The Kaffirs will go anywhere for money, +and they know the place well." + +With this George was obliged to be contented, and, having obtained the +most minute directions as regarded the road to Koodoo's Vley, which lay +only two miles off, he said goodbye to the Bechuana on the following +morning and rode off alone. There was no difficulty in finding his way, +Matamo's directions having been very clear, and the landmarks easy to +find. He proceeded, however, cautiously, and in about two hours reached +the Vley, which he clearly enough recognised, as well as the Kaffir +kraal, standing, as Matamo had described it, on the banks of a small +stream and in an open glade surrounded by a wood. But, to his great +disappointment, it was wrecked and deserted. Either there had been a +quarrel with some hostile tribe, or a Dutch commando had been sent +against it. But, whichever may have been the case, all its inhabitants +were gone. George searched all round, but could nowhere find one single +Kaffir. + +He was now greatly troubled. Relying on Matamo's assurance of meeting +with a guide, he had not even taken any instructions from him as to the +way to his mother's house. He only knew in a general way that it lay to +the north-west. He would at once have ridden back and endeavoured to +overtake Matamo, but he reflected that the Bechuana, being now on foot, +would probably take a shorter way to Heidelberg, which he had been +unable to follow while on horseback. There was only, in fact, the +alternative of going on, in what he knew must be at least the right +direction, or return to the town. After a long debate, he determined on +the former course. He took out his pocket compass, and turned his +horse's head directly to the north-west. + +He rode on for seven or eight hours, and presently the aspect of the +country changed. An open stretch of veldt succeeded to the mingled +forest and scrub and jungle through which he had been passing. The +grass grew up to his horse's hocks, and in some places up to its +shoulder. Suddenly there came a rush through the grass, and a +hartebeest, closely pursued by a pack of wild dogs, rushed by him George +had not hitherto come much into contact with these creatures, which, +however, are to be found in large numbers in these regions. They are +curious animals, more resembling hyenas than dogs, though the specially +distinctive mark of the hyena, the drooping off at the hind-quarters, is +not to be found in them. But in the stripe, and the bushy tail, and the +peculiar-shaped ear, they closely resemble the hyena. They are not so +cowardly as the last-named creatures, and are in consequence more +dangerous to encounter. + +The hartebeest was evidently almost exhausted. It was not likely that +it could run another mile; and George, who had omitted to take any +provision with him, expecting to get his dinner at the Kaffir kraal, +resolved to follow and rescue the carcase from the wild dogs, whom a +shot from his rifle would probably disperse, or, at all events, keep at +a distance, while he cut off the meat he required. He spurred his horse +accordingly, and started in pursuit. But the ground was soft, and for +some time he gained but little on his quarry. The hartebeest held on +with more vigour than he had expected, and at last, when he had got +within distance, a sudden stumble of his horse caused him altogether to +miss his mark. He was obliged to stop and reload, and the ground thus +lost was difficult to regain. It was not until after a full hour's +pursuit that he saw the hartebeest, unable to go any further, at last +turn round in despair and face his enemies. Rivers had now sufficient +time to take aim at the leader of the pack with his first barrel, and +the hartebeest with the second. Both shots were successful. The +hartebeest dropped instantly, with a ball through its heart, and the dog +rushed off with a yell of pain, falling dead before it had gone a +hundred yards. But the rest of the troop did not take to flight, as +George had expected. Probably the pursuit of the prey had been +stimulated by hunger, which now rendered them insensible to danger. +After a moment's hesitation they rushed on the carcase, while one or +two, bolder than the rest, sprang on his horse, from which he had +alighted to drive off the dogs with his hunting-knife. Terrified at the +attack, the steed broke loose from George's hold, galloping off at full +speed, and pursued by the greater part of the pack. George shouted and +endeavoured to follow, but became instantly aware of the hopelessness of +the attempt. The horse was already a hundred yards off, galloping at +the utmost of its speed, in the hope of distancing its pursuers. The +darkness, too, was rapidly coming on. It would plainly be impossible +for him to recover his horse that night, as it would presently be too +dark to discern any objects at a distance. He must provide himself as +well as he was able with food and shelter for the night. Hastily +reloading, he first rid himself of the two or three dogs that were +busily engaged in mangling the body of the hartebeest. Next with his +hunting-knife he cut down a quantity of bushes, part of which he piled +up as a shelter against the wind, which began to blow with some +sharpness as the dusk came on. The rest of the wood he set alight by +the help of the matches in his belt, and presently succeeded in kindling +a tolerable fire. Then he cut off some meat from the carcase of the +hartebeest, of which there was a good deal left, notwithstanding the +ravages of the dogs. By these means, and by obtaining water from a +clear rivulet, which he found flowing at a little distance, he contrived +to satisfy his hunger and thirst. He sat down in the shelter which he +had provided for himself, and looked up at the sky above him. It was a +delicious night. The constellations of the Southern Hemisphere are not +in themselves as beautiful, as those with which we of the northern +regions are familiar. But their liquid brilliancy, seen against the +background of the deepest blue, renders the general aspect of the +heavens far more lovely and imposing. The sense also of entire +loneliness came upon him with profound solemnity. He was here far--he +knew not how far--from all human help and sympathy. Whatever good or +evil fortune might befall him was his concern and his only. The utter +helplessness of man so situated impressed him painfully. We seldom +realise the full meaning of passages of Holy Writ until some striking +circumstance of our lives bring them home to us, and George felt for the +first time how profound a meaning was contained in these words: "It is +not good for man to be alone." + +CHAPTER TWENTY. + +George awoke chilled and cramped with the night air, and was preparing +leisurely to get up and commence the search after his missing steed, +when his eye lit on an object a few feet of him, which caused him +instantly to leap to his feet. A snake, which had probably been +attracted to the spot during the night by the warmth of his fire, was +just raising its head, as if preparing to dart upon him, spitting venom +at the same time from its open jaws. His rapid backward spring just +enabled him to avoid its fangs. But some of the poison had been spurted +on to his face, and he instantly felt a sharp sting of pain. His first +act was to crush the head of the reptile with his heel, and then to +sever its neck with his knife. It was of a dark brown, almost a black +colour, and six or seven feet long. George had never seen one of the +kind before, but recognised it from the descriptions that had been given +him as the picakholu, the most venomous, it was said, of any known +serpent, and called by the natives the "spitting snake." George noticed +that the fangs were still distilling poison in a considerable quantity, +notwithstanding that the neck had been completely severed. He felt a +good deal of pain in the places where the poison had fallen, and +especially in the white of the left eye. He hurried to the spring, +which was fortunately only at a short distance, and, kneeling down, +plunged his head again and again into the water, hoping in that manner +to get rid of the painful smart. This gave him some slight relief, and +he hoped that, as no poison could have mixed with his blood, the pain +would gradually wear itself out. + +The first thing, of course, was to find his horse. He had hoped that if +it had succeeded in shaking off the wild dogs, it would return to the +spring to drink. But though he did not doubt that it would soon +outstrip them, they having been evidently completely exhausted by the +long previous chase, there might be water nearer to the point at which +the animal found itself after its escape, and in that case of course it +would make for it. Taking up his gun, he began following the track of +the animal's hoofs, which were clear enough to be traced in the soft +grass of the veldt. After an hour's search, the grass was exchanged for +a long arid stretch of sand, diversified by scrub and stone. Here the +hoofs of the horse and the lighter prints of the dogs' feet were still +more plainly to be distinguished. The sand became looser and looser as +he advanced. It was evident that the horse must have grown rapidly more +exhausted, as its feet plunged almost to the fetlock at every step. At +last he came upon the carcase of the animal itself, which had evidently +been torn down by the pack and devoured. There had plainly been a +furious struggle, one or two of the dogs having been killed by the dying +efforts of the horse. + +Rivers was now seriously alarmed. He must retrace his steps as well as +he was able to the spring, and seek again to relieve the burning pains +in his face, which under the scorching heat of the sun stung him more +sharply than even at first. Then he must make his way on foot, keeping +as before to the north-west, and hope to fall in with some traveller, or +reach the shelter of some friendly habitation. He was well aware that, +if all these chances failed him, his life on earth would soon be ended. +He began his return across the sandy waste, and, after several hours of +painful exertion, succeeded in reaching the spring, by the side of which +he sank down completely exhausted. Long and copious draughts somewhat +restored him; and as the cool of the evening came on, he got up and +resumed his journey, making another meal before he started on what +remained of his morning's repast. He walked on for a mile or two, +leaning on his gun, and hardly sensible of the objects round him. At +last he got to a part of the wood where the trees seemed to have been +cut away, and a broader path, almost approaching to a road, cut out. He +staggered for some distance along this track, and then his senses +completely deserted him, and he dropped to the ground, his gun going off +as he fell, though happily without injury to himself. + +When he opened his eyes again, he looked around him with great surprise. +He was lying on a comfortable bed, in a tolerable-sized room; which, +though different in many respects from any chamber he had hitherto +occupied, was nevertheless evidently of European construction. There +was a sash window, looking out, so far as George could distinguish, upon +a garden. The walls were of plank, planed and fitted together with some +neatness; the floor of mud, beaten hard and smeared with cow-dung. +There were no tables or chairs, no chests of drawers, or washing +apparatus, but there was a bench and one or two solid chests. The bed +itself was tolerably clean, and there were sheets, but of coarse +material. By his side, on a shelf, were a tea-cup and spoon and several +bottles. + +With some difficulty he recalled the incidents which had taken place +previously to his fainting fit,--the poison spirted on his face by the +snake, his search after his horse, and his subsequent journey through +the wood. But all seemed dim and confused, and as if it had taken place +a long while ago. He lay thinking for a long time, or rather in a state +of half consciousness, in which dream and reality were blended together. +Then he closed his eyes and again fell asleep, waking up a second time, +also to his confused fancy after a long period of inaction. He found +himself lying on the same bed and in the same room, but this time he was +not alone. There was an old man sitting by his bedside and watching him +apparently with some curiosity. He was a Dutchman,--that was plain from +his physiognomy alike and his dress,--and probably a man of some +substance. His clothes were of the usual material, but of a good +quality, and had not been much worn. His features were rather harsh, +but not repulsive, and his demeanour quiet and self-possessed. He +noticed the change in George's appearance, and proceeded to express his +satisfaction in English, which was not quite idiomatic, but nevertheless +was intelligible. + +"The Englishman is better; is he able to talk?" + +"Thank you, I feel much better," said George. "Will you please to tell +me where I am, and how I came here?" + +"I heard your gun, and found you in a swoon. This is my house; it is +called Malopo's Kloof." + +"I am very thankful," said George. "How long have I been ill?" + +"It is more than five weeks since I found you--five weeks last Monday." + +"Five weeks!" repeated George, becoming dimly conscious of strange, wild +scenes, among which he seemed to have passed an immeasurable period of +time,--gallops over interminable plains, struggles with armed assassins, +writhings of wounded snakes, and the like phantasmagoria of a sick +fancy, succeeding and intermingling with one another. "Five weeks! +Have I had a fever?" + +"A marsh fever, and a very bad one. I thought several times the +Englishman would die," said the old man. + +"And who has been my doctor?" inquired Rivers, only able to recall two +figures that were not quite shadowy and unreal,--the figure of the man +before him, and another younger than he. "Who have been my doctor and +my nurse?" + +"You have had no doctor: there is none in these parts. Rudolf and I +nursed you," was the answer. "We put on cool bandages and gave you cool +drinks--nothing else." + +"And I have to thank you for my life then!" exclaimed George, feebly +stretching out his hand, and becoming aware for the first time how thin +and wasted it had become. + +"We could not let the Englishman die," said the old man simply. "But +you must be quiet--you are not strong enough to talk." Putting a glass +containing some mixture which tasted deliciously cool and refreshing to +his lips, the Dutchman now withdrew, and Rivers was soon once more +buried in slumber. + +He woke again after a long interval, feeling stronger, and so went on +for a week or two more, gaining strength continually, until at last he +was permitted to get up and sit for an hour in the garden, which was now +in the prime of its beauty and luxuriance. Mynheer Kransberg--that he +presently discovered to be his host's name--had been one of the earliest +settlers in the Transvaal, long before the country bore that name, and +when it was only inhabited by the native tribes. He had been quite a +young man, though possessed of good means, when the Dutch first broke +out into resistance to the English rule. Aware of the hopelessness of +rebellion, and unwilling to take part against his countrymen, he had +withdrawn with a considerable following of his own dependants into the +then unknown regions lying to the north of the Orange river. Here he +had purchased land of one of the native chiefs, built his house, and +enclosed his farm, and here he had lived ever since, through all the +numerous changes which the country had undergone, paying as little heed +to them as if he had belonged to another planet. He had never married, +or felt any inclination to do so. He had ridden about his fields, and +reared his cattle and sent them to market, and brewed his Dutch beer, +year after year, with a placid contentment which is rarely witnessed, +even in a Dutchman. If he was indolent he was at all events extremely +good-tempered, and his oldest servants scarcely ever remembered to have +seen him ruffled. + +He had lived alone until within the last few years, never seeming to +experience the want of a companion. But about two years since his +solitude had been broken in upon by the arrival of his nephew, Rudolf +Kransberg, a tall, gawky youth of two-and-twenty, who came to claim his +help and protection. His father, a merchant in Graham's Town, had died +insolvent, and his son, calling to mind for the first for a great many +years his uncle in the Transvaal, had made a journey hither, in the hope +of gaining a kind reception. In that he had not been disappointed. The +old man heard of his arrival, and of the misfortunes which had befallen +his brother, without exhibiting the smallest emotion, but at the same +time he gave the young man shelter and maintenance, allowed him, in +fact, to live in his house, treating him in all respects as though he +had been his own son. Rudolf, who in many respects resembled his +relative, accepted the situation with equal complaisance, and they had +now lived together two years in perfect contentment, not a word having +been exchanged between them as to the older man's disposal of his +property or the younger one's prospects in life, till within the last +few weeks, when Rudolf had consulted his uncle on the subject of a +marriage which he was anxious to contract. + +The two were sitting in the garden in a Dutch summer-house which old +Kransberg had run up with his own hands some forty years before. It was +generally thought that the old man liked the society of his nephew, and +especially during the smoking of the evening pipe, though he never +expressed any feeling to that effect, or, indeed, to any effect +whatsoever, unless compelled by absolute necessity. He was therefore +somewhat surprised when one evening Rudolf took his pipe from his lips, +and after rolling out a long puff of smoke, addressed his uncle. + +"My uncle, there is something I would ask you. May I speak?" + +The old man similarly removed his pipe, emitting a corresponding puff, +and then answered briefly, "Ya." + +"My uncle, I am four-and-twenty." + +He paused, but his uncle not considering this to require a verbal +acknowledgment, only nodded. + +"My uncle, it is time I was married." + +This apparently was regarded as calling for a reply. The pipe +accordingly was again removed, and Mynheer inquired "Whom?" + +"Thyrza Rivers." + +Another long silence followed this communication, after which the old +man remarked, "Englishwoman." + +"True," assented the nephew, roused by his feelings to unusual prolixity +of speech; "but she has always been bred up in our ways. And her +father-in-law is a good man." + +Old Kransberg again gave an affirmative nod. "Go over and ask her," he +said. + +Rudolf nodded in his turn, and so the conversation ended. + +It was on the day following this that Mynheer Kransberg, as he was +proceeding after supper to smoke his usual pipe in the summer-house, was +startled by the discharge of a gun at a short distance. As the reader +has heard, the country had been for some time infested by bands of +ruffians, who committed great depredations in the neighbourhood. The +old man's first idea was to summon his servants and send them out to see +after the marauder, but, casting his eyes along the road, he saw the +figure of a man lying prostrate, having apparently been shot. +Straightway he summoned two of his Hottentots and desired them to bring +the wounded man or his body, as the case might be, into the house. It +was soon discovered that there was no wound, but the stranger had a +dangerous attack of fever of some kind, and was in imminent danger of +his life. Without more words he had him consigned to the bed in his +guest-chamber, where he and his nephew nursed him with all possible +kindness, until he had recovered his consciousness, as the reader has +heard, and appeared to be in a fair way of recovery. George soon made +acquaintance with both uncle and nephew. No great effort, indeed, was +necessary to form such an acquaintance. All that was required was to +sit still and smoke, exchanging, it might be, two words in the course of +every hour. During all this time Rudolf's courtship had been held in +abeyance. As it was necessary for him to stop at home and assist his +uncle in nursing, it was not possible he could be spared to ride over +twenty miles to Umtongo. If the swain had been a Frenchman or an +Italian, or even an Englishman, it might have been argued that his +attachment to the lady was not a very ardent one. But that would have +been to mistake the case. Rudolf was very sincere in his devotion, and +was anxious that his visit should not be delayed any longer, and he had +ordained in his own mind that he would set forth on his errand the +following day, when he was greatly startled by a question which his +guest put to him. + +George had been sitting, as the reader has heard, in his host's garden, +enjoying the scent of the delicious flowers, when he saw Rudolf +Kransberg advancing towards him. The young Dutchman bestowed a nod upon +him, his usual greeting, and then, sitting down on the bench beside him, +lighted his pipe and began to smoke. Presently George inquired whether +Rudolf could tell him of a farmhouse in that neighbourhood called +Umtongo, the residence of a farmer named Ludwig Mansen. + +Rudolf was so startled that he actually dropped his pipe. He stooped, +however, to pick it up again, before he repeated the words, "Umtongo! +Ludwig Mansen!" + +"Yes," said George, supposing that his companion did not understand him. +"I was on my way to his house when I was taken ill. The farm must lie +at no very great distance. Perhaps you may be able to tell me where it +is." + +"You going there!" ejaculated Rudolf with more animation. + +"Yes, I was going there, and I want to go there now." + +"It will not be fit for you to go for a long time yet," returned the +Dutchman, relapsing into silence, from which he could only be roused to +make monosyllabic replies. A minute or two afterwards, indeed, chancing +to see his uncle in the distance, he got up and went to join him. + +George was perplexed, but the demeanour of his hosts had puzzled him +from the first. He saw, however, that they meant kindly by him, and +supposed that Rudolf was simply afraid that he might bring on a relapse +by venturing on a long ride in his present weak condition. He knew, +indeed, he was not fit to make the attempt yet. Impatient, therefore, +as he was to rejoin his mother and sister, he resolved to remain quiet +for a few days more. He was more ready to do this, because he felt his +strength returning to him every day, and it was evident from Rudolf's +manner that his stepfather's house lay at no great distance. + +He was a good deal surprised when, on the following evening, Rudolf +Kransberg, who had been absent all day, returned to Malopo's Kloof, but +with a companion. He was sitting alone in the arbour, the time for old +Kransberg's pipe having not yet arrived, when a well-known figure +suddenly presented itself, and the voice of Redgy Margetts greeted him. + +"Hooray, old fellow! this is glorious indeed! Why, here have we been +scouring the country for you for weeks past, and your mother and +Thyrza--your mother and your sister," added Redgy, correcting himself, +"have put off going into mourning for you day after day, only because +they couldn't bear to think you were dead. And here have you been alive +all the time, only twenty miles from us. Old Kransberg, they say, never +holds any intercourse with his neighbours, and it must be so, or he must +have heard of the hue and cry that has been raised. Matamo had gone +back to Horner's Kraal, and we only heard from some people in Heidelberg +of his having parted company with you somewhere near Koodoo's Vley. We +searched the whole country, Hardy and Haxo and I, and some of Ludwig +Mansen's men, and we found at last the skeleton of your horse; we knew +it by your saddle. And by the spring, where it was quite clear you had +camped for the night, there were the remains of one of the most venomous +snakes in the country. We were afraid you had been bitten by it, and +had staggered somewhere into the bush and died. There would have been +small chance for you, they said, if it had bitten you. But it doesn't +matter, happily, what we thought, only I should like to know if you are +able to tell me the true history of the matter." + +"You shall hear presently," said George. "But first of all I want to +know about my mother. Is she looking well?" + +"Well, I never saw her before, you know," said Redgy, "and of course she +has been in great distress about you; but as regards looks, I'm sure +she's an extremely handsome woman, and she will soon now be at her best +again. You should have seen what a difference there was in her when we +found out all about you from young Kransberg." + +"Young Kransberg," repeated George. "I supposed he guessed the truth, +then, from what I told him yesterday, and rode over to tell you about +me." + +"Hem! no," said Margetts shortly; "that wasn't the object of his visit. +He didn't know that you were in any way connected with Mrs Mansen-- +didn't know what your name was indeed. He only mentioned quite casually +at dinner that a young Englishman had been found close to his uncle's +house, nearly two months ago, who had been seized with a bad attack of +marsh fever. We all caught at it at once, and felt almost sure, from +his description, that the person of whom he had been speaking must be +you. But Mrs Mansen couldn't bear to be kept in suspense a moment, and +I offered to ride over here the moment dinner was over; and Rudolf +Kransberg," added Redgy with something of a chuckle, "was obliged to +accompany me." + +"Well!" said Rivers. "But there's plenty more I want to know. I +haven't seen my sister since she was quite a child. She must be grown +up now." + +"Yes, she is grown up," assented Redgy shortly. "And she promised to be +pretty?" + +"That's a matter of opinion," said Redgy with evident embarrassment. +"Some people, I believe, do think her so." + +"But you don't, eh?" said George, glancing at him in some surprise. +"But never mind that, I shall soon be able to judge for myself. There +are other things I want to know about. What has become of--of the +Vander Heydens?" + +"Oh, they are all right," said Margetts. "Vander Heyden recovered +rapidly, and got home in three weeks after the time you left us. Their +place is only a few miles from Umtongo. They have been continually over +there to see your mother and sister. Miss Vander Heyden and Miss Rivers +have struck up a very close friendship, and I must do Vander Heyden the +justice to say that nobody has been more active in the search after you +than he was." + +"He's a good fellow," said George, "though he is a Dutchman, and hates +the English, and is as proud as Lucifer into the bargain. Well, and +Hardy--what of him?" + +"Hardy is at Pieter's Dorf--that's the name of Vander Heyden's place. +He has designed a capital house, which they have already begun building. +It will go on all the faster now that the search for you is happily +over. Well now, it's my turn, George, to ask questions. Do you think +you are strong enough to be moved? Mr Mansen proposes to send over his +light bullock waggon for you. Of course you couldn't sit in the saddle +for twenty miles, and won't be fit to do so for some time yet. But you +might be able to bear the motion of the waggon. You look quite as +strong as Vander Heyden did, and you haven't so far to go." + +"I should think I certainly might," said George. "I don't know whether +it is in consequence of seeing you and hearing your good news, but I +feel ever so much better than I did this morning." + +"Very good," said Margetts. "Then I will ride back at once and tell +them to send the waggon. It will take one day to come here, then you +can go back the next. That will be the day after to-morrow, you know." + +"Very good. I must of course consult my kind host. But I don't fancy +he will make any difficulty. We shall have to arrange, also, what I am +to pay him for my lodging and nursing. I must have been a considerable +expense, as well as trouble to him." + +Margetts took his leave, and George went in quest of Mynheer Kransberg, +whom he found in his usual seat in his summer-house. He listened in +silence to George's proposed arrangements, as well as to his thanks for +the great kindness shown him. But when his guest inquired how much +money was due for the lodging and attendance he had received. Mynheer +Kransberg answered quietly,-- + +"There is nothing due. This is not an inn." + +"I am aware of that," returned Rivers, colouring a little, for he had +entertained the idea that all Dutchmen were eager to make any profit in +their power, and had spoken accordingly. "But I must have occasioned +some considerable outlay, and besides have given your servants and +yourself and nephew, a great deal of trouble," he pursued. + +"We do not, any of us, grudge it," said the old man in the same tone as +before. "We do not want money for doing a simple act of Christian +charity. You have rendered me your thanks--that is enough." + +"I do indeed render them most heartily," said Rivers, "and I shall never +lose the recollection of your generous kindness." + +During the journey in Farmer Mansen's ox-waggon, which occupied nearly +the whole of the day, he had time to reconsider the opinion which he had +formed respecting the Boers, and which had been very much the same that +is entertained by Englishmen generally. There is undoubtedly a strong +prejudice felt against them. They are believed to be selfish, +cold-blooded, and cowardly,--harshly oppressive to the helpless, but +descending to falsehood and trickery in their dealings with those whom +they dare not openly defy. A good deal of disgust also is felt at the +strictness of their religious profession, which is thought to be +inconsistent with their harsh and worldly conduct. + +That there is some truth in these censures is not to be denied. They +have been for many generations slaveholders, and no nation ever yet +escaped the degradation which that most odious of all customs entails. +Slaveholders become inevitably selfish, unjust, and brutal, and incline +to become cowardly also. It is the coward only that oppresses the weak, +and they who habitually oppress the weak cannot but become cowards. But +the Boers have virtues to which justice has not been done. They are +kind-hearted and generous to all except the blacks. No nation exceeds +them in industry, in simplicity of life, and in the practice of domestic +virtues. The profound respect rendered to parents, the faithful +affection subsisting between husband and wife, the anxious care bestowed +on their children, the loyal attachment and devotion to their country, +might put to shame many who are their severest censors. And their +religious profession is sincere enough, however blinded their eyes may +have become as regards some obvious Christian duties. + +Prayer is offered in almost every Dutch household morning and evening to +Almighty God. The Sunday is given up to the strictest religious +observances; the periodical communions are punctually and reverently +attended. If the curse of slavery could be torn out by the roots, and +the natives recognised by them as of equal value with themselves in the +sight of Heaven, there would be few worthier races to be found on the +face of the earth than they. + +CHAPTER TWENTY ONE. + +"Here is a letter for you, George," said Mrs Mansen, as the former +entered the parlour at Umtongo, about three months after his arrival at +his mother's house. "It looks like Mr Rogers' handwriting. But I +believe Mr Rogers is still in England." + +"It is from him, though," said George when he had finished reading the +letter. "He has returned to Dykeman's Hollow--has been there about a +fortnight, he says." + +"What has made him come back so much sooner than he had intended? He +wrote us word that his business in England was prospering, but he would +be obliged, he thought, to remain another twelvemonth." + +"Ah, but there is, it appears, a total change of things in England. +Another Government has come in, and is likely to reverse altogether the +policy of the old one. He says, too, that a lot of people have taken up +Cetewayo's cause, and declare that he is a very ill-used man, that he +never hurt or wronged anybody, and if we had left him alone, he would +have left us." + +"Do they?" said Mrs Mansen. "I wish some of them had been Cetewayo's +neighbours, as we were." + +"Well, the upshot is, that Mr Rogers thought it was of no use for him +to stay any longer in England, so he has come back. And now he wants me +to go back to Dykeman's Hollow, and take up my old work as schoolmaster +and teacher." + +"Well, I hoped you were going to settle here," said Mrs Mansen. "There +is as much need for your services here as there could be at Dykeman's +Hollow. And my husband would be willing, as you know, to give you a +part of this farm to look after,--quite as large as you could manage,-- +and to build you a house to live in, or rather, I should say, enlarge +the small house at Droopsdorf. Two more rooms would make it a +comfortable house." + +"He and you are very kind, mother. But, you see, I engaged myself to +Mr Rogers, and I ought to keep to my engagement." + +"Yes, but that was a year and a half ago, and things have happened since +then which make all the difference. Mr Rogers didn't know that we had +removed from Spielman's Vley, and that you, by engaging yourself to him, +would be, not half an hour's ride from us, but a good week's journey at +least, and you didn't know it, and couldn't guess it, either." + +"No doubt that is true, mother; and I must allow that if I had known +that there would be all the width of the Transvaal between you and me, I +shouldn't have made the agreement. But, you see, I did make it." + +"Yes, but I don't think Mr Rogers could refuse to cancel it. It would +be very unhandsome of him if he did. Then again, I don't suppose he has +heard of your long illness. He thinks you have been living with us +nearly six months, as Mr Margetts has; whereas for three months, or for +two at all events, you didn't come here at all, and for a good month +more you were quite an invalid. I haven't had more than two real months +of you yet, my dear boy, and after so long a separation,--I may say +after what seemed like a recovery of you from the grave--I can't afford +to part with you. Isn't that reason, Thyrza?" + +"Yes," answered Thyrza. "I think Mr Rogers would at least give you a +longer holiday, if he didn't consent to your staying here altogether. I +know father thinks so too." + +"I am sure I don't want to leave you," said George, looking +affectionately at his mother and sister. "I have never been made so +happy by anything as by finding you." + +Mrs Mansen and her daughter were indeed two relatives of whom any one +might be proud. The mother was a little past middle age, but was still +strikingly handsome, and though her dress differed in some particulars +from that of an English lady, she would have passed muster, both as +regards appearance and manners, in good English society. Her daughter +nearly resembled her in height and feature; and if the reader could have +seen her, he would not have been surprised that even the ponderous +Rudolf Kransberg should have been captivated by her charms. She was a +lively girl in her nineteenth year, and, as yet, fancy-free. It had +never occurred to her that Mynheer Rudolf had viewed her with any +sentiment of admiration; and we are afraid that, if the idea had entered +her head, it would have had no other effect than that of affording her +unmixed amusement. + +"And it isn't father only," pursued Thyrza, "who wants you to remain at +Umtongo. There's another person--" + +"Redgy Margetts, I suppose," interrupted George. "I have no doubt he +likes his quarters well enough--" + +"Mr Margetts!" broke in Thyrza hastily, and with a little accession of +colour; "I wasn't thinking about him. I don't suppose he knows his mind +on that subject or any other. No, it is a different person +altogether--" + +"My dear Thyrza," interposed Mrs Mansen, "there is your father out in +the garden, beckoning. He wants you, I am pretty sure. Go out and +speak to him." + +Thyrza departed, and Mrs Mansen, after a pause of a minute or two, +addressed her son in a tone of some embarrassment. + +"I am sorry you said that about Mr Margetts," she said--"sorry for two +reasons. In the first place, I fancy--if indeed it is only fancy--that +he is attracted by Thyrza." + +"Redgy is as easily attracted by a handsome girl as a bee is by a +honeysuckle," said George; "but his attachment does not generally last +much longer." + +"I hope you may be right," returned his mother; "but I own I think +otherwise. I grant Thyrza either does not see, or does not much care +for, his preference. But how long that might continue, I do not know." + +"Well, mother, even if it were so, what objection is there to Redgy +Margetts? He is a gentleman by birth, well educated, and a capital +fellow every way. Thyrza might do much worse." + +"No doubt. But he is, I understand, in no position to marry. He is a +younger son, with no fortune, only a precarious allowance, and his +family would probably be opposed to such a marriage." + +"That is true," assented George; "but then Redgy is too honourable a +fellow to engage Thyrza's affections, if he did not see his way to +marrying her." + +"Very likely. He would not intentionally make her fond of him. But he +might do so, nevertheless. No, George, it is certainly better that _he_ +should leave Umtongo; and my idea is that he should go and take your +place at Dykeman's Hollow." + +"We had both better go," said George. "There is a reason--" + +"Yes, I think I understand it," interrupted Mrs Mansen. "And I was +going to say I was sorry you introduced Mr Margetts' name, because it +led to Thyrza's remark. You would not like her to speak to you on the +subject. But may not I do so?" + +George again coloured and walked once or twice across the room. Then he +spoke. + +"I do not affect to misunderstand you, mother. I know to whom Thyrza +meant to refer. But--" + +"But hear me for a moment, George. I can understand your unwillingness +to address Miss Vander Heyden, knowing, as you do, her brother's rooted +dislike to the English. But you do not know all that I know. When the +brother and sister reached their home, several months ago, we were just +beginning to be seriously anxious about you. Rumours reached us, first, +that you had been one of a party attacked near Heidelberg, and secondly, +that you had left your friends on the day after the attack, and had set +out for Umtongo. What had become of you during the last month? Of +course we were anxious and alarmed, and the alarm soon spread. Miss +Vander Heyden herself came over here to inquire. Her distress had +completely broken down all the barriers of reserve. She did not, +indeed, tell us of her attachment to you, but it was impossible for us +not to see it. After another month of continual inquiry, we were all +convinced that you must have perished in the bush. Then Annchen spoke +to me--she could not, in fact, keep it to herself. Considering you as +no longer belonging to this world, she told me of the vows of affection +which had been interchanged between you." + +"They never ought to have been," said George. "I was to blame. But I +should be still more culpable if I allowed myself to be influenced by +what you have told me. It cannot be, and that is all I have to say. + +"Yet," he resumed a few minutes afterwards, "I am not sorry that we have +had this conversation, painful as it has been. You know now my main +reason for wishing to return to Dykeman's Hollow. It has been very nice +being with you and Thyrza. But Umtongo is too near Pieter's Dorf for me +to fix my residence there. Perhaps, by and by, when she has married and +gone away--" + +"There is but little chance of her marrying any one, unless it is +yourself, George," interposed Mrs Mansen. + +"That may be so--I cannot say. But as our wishes can never be +fulfilled, it is unwise--indeed, it would be cruel in me, were I to +reside where my continual presence must needs be continually thrust upon +her." + +"Only one word more, George. Is your scruple founded on your want of +money? Do you know that Umtongo is my property, not my husband's, and +that it will of course one day come to you? I have already said that we +would provide you with a house and an income at once. But the future +also would be provided for. Mr Vander Heyden could not allege--" + +"My scruples, as you term them, have no connection with money. You must +urge me no more. I must go, and at once. I shall speak to Margetts +without delay," he continued. "He, too, will be sorry to leave Umtongo. +But I shall be much surprised if he does not fall in with my suggestion +at once." + +Meanwhile Thyrza, who had joined her stepfather in the garden, was +having an interview with him which altogether took her by surprise. Old +Ludwig Mansen--he was always called _old_ Ludwig, though he wanted a +year or two of fifty--was a man very generally respected and beloved. +To the shrewdness of the Dutchman and his placid temper, he added a +generosity and unselfishness which are not so common with that people. +He was particularly fond of his stepdaughter, and was just now greatly +pleased at a piece of information imparted to him a few days before, +which he considered to be the best possible thing for her, and of which +he was now going to apprise her. + +On the previous Monday he had ridden into Zeerust, to attend a meeting +convened for the purpose of protesting against the annexation of the +Transvaal, which had taken place several years previously, but which had +become every year more odious in the eyes of the Boers. At Zeerust, to +his great surprise, he had met old Kransberg, who also had ridden in +from Malopo's Kloof. Mansen knew that his neighbour cared no more about +the annexation than he did himself. Influenced probably by his English +connections, he did not regard the rule of Queen Victoria with any +aversion, and knew that, although the English might administer the law +with little regard to Boer prejudices, they would at least administer it +justly. As for old Kransberg, he had seen too many changes of +government to care much who governed the country, so long as they +maintained law and order. This was so well known to Ludwig, that he +could hardly believe his eyes, when, on turning from a bridle path into +the road near Zeerust, he fell in with Kransberg leisurely riding along +in the same direction. + +Zeerust is one of the loveliest spots in the whole of the Transvaal. It +lies in a valley nearly surrounded by hills, which rise to a +considerable height on the north, east, and south, while towards the +west the level plain extends into the far distance, beyond the range of +human vision. It differs from many other valleys of the same country in +being supplied abundantly with water throughout the entire year. The +vegetation is in consequence always of the freshest green, and every +kind of tropical fruit and grain is cultivated, and yields a rich +return. + +The town, into which the neighbours rode, is not large, but consists of +solid, substantial houses, with the great Dutch Presbyterian +meeting-house towering in its centre. In the market place adjoining, +the horses and waggons of the Boers from the neighbourhood were grouped +together, while their owners were flocking in to take part in the +meeting. Mansen and Kransberg did not join them. At the request of the +latter they betook themselves to the principal inn, where, with much +solemnity, but no unnecessary expenditure of words, he made his +communication to his neighbour. His nephew Rudolf, it appeared, had +arrived at the conclusion that a marriage between himself and Ludwig's +stepdaughter would be a desirable arrangement, if it could be arrived +at, and he desired permission to pay formal addresses to her if +agreeable to her parents. Old Ludwig replied, with equal gravity, that +he would inform his wife of the proposal, and answer to it should be +sent in due season. The two Gerontes then adjourned to the Town Hall, +and listened with imperturbable stolidity to the speeches delivered. + +Ludwig rode home, as has been intimated, much pleased with what he had +heard; but he did not proceed, immediately on his arrival at Umtongo, to +pass on the news, as an English parent would probably have done. He +took an opportunity, a day or two afterwards, when there was nothing of +importance to attend to, of communicating it to his wife. A debate was +held, at which it was agreed that a message should be sent to Malopo's +Kloof, inviting young Rudolf Kransberg to pay a visit at Umtongo on the +following Monday, and that, shortly before his arrival, Thyrza should be +apprised of his visit and its purport. + +Mrs Mansen therefore had had a twofold object in sending her out of the +room: first, to stop her malapropos remarks about Annchen Vander Heyden, +and secondly, that she might be informed respecting Rudolf's visit. +Thyrza herself, however, did not anticipate any more important +communication than that possibly her stepfather had purchased a new +dress for her in Zeerust. She was a good deal surprised when he +inquired of her what might be her exact age. + +"Nineteen last December, father," she answered. + +"Nineteen," he repeated gravely; "it is an early age at which to marry." + +"I daresay it would be," she answered, somewhat startled; "but then, I +am not going to marry." + +"You do not know that," he observed gravely. "An offer of marriage has +been made for you--in most respects a suitable one." + +"An offer of marriage to me!" repeated Thyrza in astonishment. + +"I did not say _to_ you, but _for_ you," he replied; "the offer will not +be made to you just yet." + +"And who is to make it?" inquired the damsel hastily. + +"You know my neighbour, Mynheer Kransberg of Malopo's Kloof?" + +"Yes, but I suppose _he_ doesn't want to marry me?" cried Thyrza. + +"Why, no, my daughter," returned Ludwig with a broad smile; "he is +somewhat past the age of matrimony. Nay, it is his nephew Rudolf." + +"Rudolf Kransberg!" again exclaimed Thyrza; "_he_ wishes to marry me!" + +"Even so," rejoined Ludwig. "Does the idea surprise you?" + +"I should as soon have expected the wooden soldier outside your +summer-house to make love to me!" + +"Nay, Thyrza," said Mansen in a displeased tone, "this does not become +you. He is a worthy youth, and deserves due consideration." + +"Well, but I may tell him, as soon as he comes--I suppose he _is_ +coming?" + +"He comes to-day," answered Ludwig. + +"Well, then, I may tell him I can't marry him, and there will be an end +of it." + +"By no means; matters cannot be settled so hastily. Do you remember +that he came over here about three months ago?" + +"Oh yes, when we found out that George was at his uncle's house. I +remember that quite well." + +"Well, it appears that he came over with credentials from his uncle +then, intending to address you. But Mr Margetts, not suspecting his +purpose, insisted on riding back with him at once. If he had known the +object of his visit, Mr Margetts would not have so taken him away." + +Not feeling quite so sure of that, Thyrza remained silent for a minute +or two, and then rejoined-- + +"But if he has put off any renewal of his visit for more than three +months, he cannot be very much in earnest about this." + +"You do not understand our ways. We do not do things in a hurry. No, +Thyrza, you must receive him with all consideration, and must not, at +all events, reject him before he makes his offer." + +"And how long will it be before he makes it?" + +"I cannot say; probably some months. He will come over occasionally, at +intervals, and then you will receive him in the proper manner." + +"And what is the proper manner?" inquired Thyrza, who was growing more +and more discomposed at every fresh detail. + +"Why, when he arrives, you will of course shake hands with him, and then +he will probably say no more to you till after supper. Then he will +remain in the parlour; and then you will wait till we are gone to bed, +and then go to him--" + +"Gracious, father, you are not serious!" + +"Perfectly so, Thyrza. The room will be dark, but you will take a piece +of candle with you, which you will light; and the interview between you +will last until the candle has burned out. Then you will retire to bed, +and he will ride home. That is the usual custom." + +"And who is to provide the piece of candle?" + +"You must do that. But stop a moment, Thyrza. The candle must be +sufficiently long to allow of a proper interview. I have heard of young +women taking not more than half an inch of candle--" + +"I shouldn't have taken a quarter of an inch--" muttered under her +breath--"if it had rested with me." + +"I must insist that a proper-sized candle is used--not less than three +inches long. Your mother will provide it, and place it on your table. +And here is the young man coming," he added; "I hear his horse's steps +outside." + +Thyrza fled to her room, resolved, at all events, not to encounter her +swain before supper-time. Meeting George and Redgy an hour or two +afterwards, she confided to them her troubles, and implored them at all +events to keep her unwelcome suitor engaged until she was obliged to +meet him at supper. + +"See him while a bit of candle is burning!" exclaimed Margetts, to whom +the custom seemed as _outre_ as it had to Thyrza. "Why don't you take a +bit of candle as thin as a crown-piece? You'd soon have done with him +then." + +"Ah, I thought of that," said Thyrza; "but they won't allow it. My +mother has looked up a piece of candle long enough for an hour and a +halfs interview and laid it on my dressing-table. I must take that with +me; and however I am to endure an hour and a half of it I cannot think." + +"Well, you must make the best of it," said Redgy. "George, I think you +had better take her out for a walk till supper-time. I'll go in and +entertain the enamoured gentleman, if he requires entertainment." + +On entering the parlour, however, it did not appear that the _soupirant_ +for Thyrza's favour either expected or desired any entertainment. He +had duly arrived, looking very stiff and solemn in his new leather and +buckram suit, and, after shaking hands with everybody all round, had +seated himself in the corner, where he had remained ever since without +speaking a word to any one. So he continued the entire afternoon and +evening, until the supper-hour arrived, and he took his place at the +table with the others, but carefully keeping the whole length and +breadth of the table between himself and the object of his affection. +Not a syllable did he utter during the meal; and Thyrza had come to +believe that he had changed his mind and did not intend to address her, +when suddenly, a few minutes before the party broke up for the night, he +moved across the room and whispered in her ear, though loud enough for +every one to hear, "I say, we'll sit up to-night!" + +The dispersion of the party delivered Thyrza from the necessity of +replying, and presently every one had retired to his chamber, excepting +Rudolf Kransberg, who remained in the parlour, which was now pitch dark, +and George and Redgy, who lingered in the passage. + +"I say, George," said Margetts, "shouldn't you like to see the +courtship?" + +"Well," answered Rivers with a smile, "I must say I should. But of +course that is impossible." + +"No, it is not," rejoined the other. "Look here: the big dresser runs +right through the wall, and there is a cupboard behind that communicates +with it, through the cracks in the door you can see everything that +passes." + +"Wouldn't Thyrza dislike it?" suggested George. + +"No. I'll be bound she would be as much amused as we are. It isn't as +though she cared a straw for him." + +"Well, that is not unlikely," rejoined Rivers. "Come along then. I +must own I am curious to see it." + +"Creep in here," said Margetts, opening a door in the wall, "and mind +you don't make any noise. There are some holes in the dresser through +which we shall be able to see." + +Almost as he spoke, the door of the parlour opened, and Thyrza was seen +standing on the threshold, with the bit of candle in one hand and a +match-box in the other. She proceeded to light the former, and placed +it in an empty candlestick on the table, and then seated herself--not, +as her swain had probably hoped, on the large heavy, wooden-legged sofa +which ran along one side of the table, but in the large arm-chair, +usually occupied by her mother. + +Rudolf, though somewhat disappointed at the position thus taken up, +glanced, nevertheless, with approbation at the bit of candle provided, +which, in his view of the matter, intimated that the lady was not +disposed to abridge the length of the interview. He seated himself in a +chair, as near as he could contrive to his inamorata, and looked +admiringly at her. + +"I say," he said, after a silence of some ten minutes or so,--"I say, I +think you are very nice. I admire you greatly." + +"You are very obliging," said Thyrza demurely. + +There was another pause, after which Rudolf spoke again. + +"I say, I mean to come over here very often to see you." + +"Indeed?" replied Thyrza with a glance at the candle. Alas! not a +quarter of it had yet been expended. + +"You don't dislike me, do you, Miss Rivers?" inquired her suitor, after +a third and still longer interval. + +"I don't know why I should," was the answer. + +Deriving some confidence, apparently, from this extremely guarded +expression of opinion, Rudolf made a further venture. + +"I should like to give you a kiss," he said. + +Not meeting with any response, and proceeding perhaps on that most +delusive of all proverbs, that silence gives consent, he rose from his +place and leaned over her chair, out of which she started with very +evident alarm. Believing this to be only feigned reluctance, he pressed +forward to urge his entreaty, when suddenly there came a loud explosion. +The candle flew all to pieces out of the socket, scattering the tallow +in all directions, and the room was left in complete darkness. George +and Margetts could hear Thyrza making her escape through the door, while +the unlucky lover, wiping the grease from his clothes, made his way to +the stable, and rode off as fast as his horse could carry him. + +"Redgy, you villain!" exclaimed George, after they had retreated to +their room and given vent to their laughter,--"Redgy, you villain, that +was your doing!" + +"It was the plug of gunpowder, not I," pleaded Redgy. "Mrs Rivers +oughtn't to have left the candle all that time on Thyrza's +dressing-table." + +"Did Thyrza know anything of the trick?" asked George. + +"On my honour, she did not." + +"Well, it is a good job we are going to-morrow, or there might be a +serious row about this." + +CHAPTER TWENTY TWO. + +It was a Sunday evening late in December, about nine months after the +departure of George Rivers and his friend from Umtongo. George, who +wore a suit of clerical black, had just returned from a long ride to +Spielman's Vley, where he had passed the day. He was now a deacon, +having been ordained by the Bishop of Praetoria a month or two +previously. The weather was delicious, but very warm, and George was +glad to sit down by his friend's side in a charming little summer-house +which they had built under the shade of a tall eucalyptus planted by Mr +Rogers when he first came to the Transvaal, forty years before. + +"Well, George, what sort of a congregation had you?" inquired Margetts; +"and how did you get on with your sermon?" + +"I had a very good congregation," was the reply. "The farmer who bought +Spielman's Vley of my stepfather is an Englishman, an emigrant from a +Berkshire village. He and his wife and grown-up children were all +there, and so were nearly all the farm-servants whom he had brought with +him. He told me very earnestly how it delighted him to hear the Church +service. It was like a voice from Old England, he said, and he couldn't +tell me how glad they all were that a clergyman would come over from +Umvalosa every alternate Sunday now, instead of once a month." + +"And I daresay, when he was in Berkshire, he didn't think much of the +Church service," suggested Margetts. + +"No, he often didn't go, he told me, and cared very little for it when +he did. And it was the same with his labourers. They seldom miss the +service here. Well, it is to be hoped that they will not come to +neglect it again, now it is once more within their reach." + +"But how about the `natives' service'?" asked Redgy. "Could you get on +with that?" + +"I am afraid I made a good many blunders," said Rivers, "especially in +the sermon. However, nothing but practice will set that right." + +"You think an interpreter doesn't answer?" + +"No, I am pretty sure it doesn't. You know what Lambert told us about +his interpreter, when he first went to preach to the Kaffirs in the +Knysna." + +"No, I didn't hear the story." + +"Lambert said he was puzzled how to address them, when it occurred to +him that `Children of the Forest' was a title that would be sure to take +their fancy, and he accordingly began his discourse to them in that way. +He thought he had done it rather well, until one of his friends, who +had heard him, and who was a good Kaffir scholar, told him that the +interpreter had rendered his `Children of the Forest' as `Little men of +big sticks.' That story determined me never, anyhow, to employ an +interpreter." + +Redgy laughed. "I think you are right," he said, "and your Kaffir +certainly improves. By-the-bye, did you see Hardy? His house is only +seven or eight miles off from Spielman's Vley, and I am told he always +goes over when there is service there." + +"I believe he does, but he was not there to-day. Mr Bacon told me he +had gone to Durban--went about a week ago." + +"Indeed. Do you know what took him there?" + +"I fancy he was sent for to make some report of the state of things in +this neighbourhood. You know he now holds an official position of some +importance." + +"Yes, which you might have had if you had liked it, George. He has the +credit of having given them warning at Rorke's Drift in time to prepare +themselves for the defence of the place. But it was you who brought +them that information." + +"I did not want the post, Redgy; and, if I had, Hardy was the person +really entitled to it. I did not know the way from Isandhlwana to +Rorke's Drift, and could not have found it. And to say the truth, I +should not have thought of the garrison at Rorke's Drift, if he had not +reminded me of it. No, he fully deserved his appointment, and I am +heartily glad he got it. But I believe, when he gets to Durban, he will +warn the Government that the Transvaal is not merely in a condition of +discontent and disloyalty, but on the verge of an armed outbreak." + +"Do you think it goes so far as that, George? An armed outbreak means a +war with England, remember. What possible hope can they have in +succeeding in that?" + +"No reasonable hope, of course. The hundredth part of England's power +would be enough to crush them. I don't suppose the Boers could bring +5000 men into the field, and England could easily send five times that +number, or twenty times that number, if she chose. The Boers have but +little discipline or material of war, or knowledge of strategy. England +is a first-rate power in all those respects. It would be as absolute +madness for the Transvaal to go to war with England, as it would be for +a terrier dog to provoke a lion to fight with it. But, however great +the madness, it does not follow that they will not do it." + +"What can induce them?" + +"Their profound ignorance of the relative strength of the two countries. +I was talking with a Boer of some intelligence, who, I found, really +believed that Holland was one of the Great Powers in Europe--the equal, +if not the superior of England. He knew nothing of history, apparently, +since the times of Van Trompe and Admiral Blake. He fancied Isandhlwana +had only been redeemed by a desperate and exhausting effort, which would +make it impossible for us to engage in any other war for a generation to +come. The accidental circumstance that a quantity of newly-coined money +had been sent out here to pay the troops was enough to convince him that +England was bankrupt, and driven to expend its last guinea. People who +know no more than that of the true state of things may perpetrate any +act of folly." + +"No doubt, George; and I daresay also they argued that the disasters at +Isandhlwana and Intombe proved that the English were not so formidable +in the field as their own troops had always been. They had repeatedly +fought these Zulus, remember, and always with complete success." + +"Exactly; no doubt they did, and do, so argue. They were always on +their guard, and we were taken off ours, and that made all the +difference. But though the Dutch might practise their rude tactics with +success on the natives, they will hardly get the English to approach +them and be shot down after the same fashion. That is reckoning rather +too much on even an Englishman's contempt for his enemy. But they mean +mischief, these Boers. They are flocking down this way from all parts +of the Transvaal. Whom do you think I saw to-day, of all people in the +world?" + +"I don't know, indeed--not old Kransberg, I suppose?" + +"Not _old_ Kransberg, but I did meet the young one--our friend Rudolf. +What should bring him here, or Gottlob Lisberg, or Hans Stockmar, or +Julius Vanderbilt, or half a dozen other fellows from near Zeerust, whom +I have seen about in the course of the last week, unless what they say +is true, and they are going to rebel against the English Government." + +"It looks like it, I'm afraid. But about Rudolf Kransberg--did you come +to speech of him? How did he receive you?" + +"I didn't come to speech of him, as he didn't say a single word. He +received me as Dido did Aeneas in the infernal regions." + +"What! he bears us some grudge for the trick played on him at Umtongo?" + +"I am not at all sure that he realises the fact that any trick was +played on him. From what Lisberg told me,--Lisberg is very intimate +with him, you know,--he fancies the explosion was the work of the Evil +One, and that we are in league with him. You know Thyrza wrote us word +that he had never turned up at Umtongo again. My mother thought it very +odd, but she apparently still believes he is a suitor for Thyrza's +hand." + +"I suppose Thyrza herself has a pretty shrewd suspicion of the truth." + +"I suppose she has, but if she guessed that Rudolf had taken up that +notion, she would be quite content to let him entertain it. But the +upshot, I fancy, is that Rudolf owes us one, and will pay it if he has +the opportunity. He is as thorough a specimen of the sullen Boer as I +know, and your sullen Boer is not a pleasant article. But, Redgy," he +added, after a few minutes' silence, "there is a matter which I have +once or twice wished to speak to you about, but have always put it off. +I have a fancy that you really do care for Thyrza, notwithstanding your +chaff about her. We are very old friends, and out here, cut off from +all the rest of the world, we are like brothers. I wish you would tell +me the plain truth about this matter." + +"Well, old fellow, where is the use of telling it? I don't see how any +one could live as long as I did in your sister's society, and not care +for her. She is simply the sweetest and most beautiful creature I have +ever seen. But where is the good of my saying this, George? I can't +ask her to marry me; I have nothing but a precarious allowance of a +hundred pounds a year, and I am not likely to have anything more, unless +I can make it myself out here." + +"But if Thyrza likes you--" + +"I don't know that she does," broke in Margetts. "I have fancied once +or twice that she does. But most likely it was all fancy." + +"I am only saying, if she _does_ like you, she will have something. +Umtongo belongs to my mother, not to Mr Mansen." + +"But Umtongo will come to you, George," said Margetts, surprised. + +"I shall not want it. I shall never marry; and this life here suits me +much better than such a farm as Umtongo, though, no doubt, that is a +very good farm." + +"No doubt," assented his friend. "I see what you mean, and I believe I +understand you, when you say you won't marry. But, in the first place, +I hope you are mistaken there; and, in the next, supposing everything +else arranged as you wish, Thyrza and I could never deprive you of your +inheritance. No, George; I mean to stay here and work as I am doing +now. I shall never make a parson; I'm not cut out for that. But I +think I shall do well enough at farming and teaching; and, by and by, if +your sister doesn't marry a Boer, I may be in a position to ask her." + +"Be it so, Redgy. I believe you are right, and this had better not be +mentioned again. And here, in good time, comes Mr Rogers. He is back +from Newcastle earlier than I had expected." + +Mr Rogers, whose acquaintance the reader made in the first chapter of +this story, was an extremely worthy man. It would have been well for +both England and South Africa if there had been more like him. Left an +orphan when quite young, and possessed of a considerable fortune, he had +always disliked the ordinary round of English social life, and desired +the freer air and habits of a new country. As soon as he could overcome +the reluctance of his guardian to the step, he had visited the colonies, +and chosen out from among them the border country of Natal and the +Transvaal. There he had bought a large farm,--large even for farms in +that country,--and built two or three different stations on various +parts of it. Spielman's Vley and Rylands were two of these, and here he +placed men whose views accorded with his own. Ludwig Mansen, though a +Dutchman, had been one of these; and it was with considerable regret +that he heard, soon after his arrival in England, of Mrs Mansen's +succession to her uncle's property near Zeerust and their removal +thither. Notwithstanding his affection for colonial life, he was an +Englishman to the backbone, and the blunders made by Colonial +Secretaries, one after another, sorely disturbed him. In particular, +the gigantic mistake of the annexation of the Transvaal so troubled him, +that he made an expedition to England in the hope of persuading the +Government to reconsider that disastrous measure. There was no doubt it +was, for the moment, advantageous to the Boers, as a sentence of penal +servitude would be less unwelcome to a convicted prisoner than a +sentence of death. But when the danger of being hanged had passed away, +it was not likely that penal servitude would be cheerfully accepted. +Foreseeing the inevitable mischief that would ensue, Mr Rogers had +urged the repeal, or, at all events, some modification of the decree. +But the new Government could not be induced to pay any heed to South +African matters, being completely absorbed by domestic and Continental +questions; and Mr Rogers went back to Umvalosa, to do the best he could +under the circumstances of the case. + +On the present occasion he had not returned from Newcastle (whither he +had gone, as was his practice, to help in the church services on a +Sunday) in the happiest frame of mind. Everywhere he saw the plainest +indications of the mischief he had anticipated. Newcastle was full of +Boers, who had come in from the more distant parts of the Transvaal, and +their feelings and intentions could not be mistaken: not only was revolt +designed, but it was close at hand. He greeted George and Redgy with +his usual kindness, but his depression and vexation were evident. + +"Did you know that your stepfather and mother, as well as your sister, +were on the way here?" he asked, addressing Rivers. + +"No, sir, I had no idea of it. I haven't had a letter for the last +fortnight; and Thyrza, from whom I heard three weeks ago, said nothing +of any such intention." + +"No; I imagine it must have been a hasty thought. But they are +certainly on their way to Newcastle, and will arrive in a day or two at +furthest." + +"Who told you of it, sir?" asked George. "Perhaps it is some mistake." + +"No, that can hardly be. It was Henryk Vander Heyden who informed me. +I met him in the street at Newcastle, where he arrived two days ago. +Mansen, with his wife and daughter, were to follow him very shortly. +Miss Vander Heyden is to travel in their company. Her brother thought +it better." + +"What are all the ladies coming for?" inquired Redgy. "They are not +going to fight the English, anyhow." + +"No," said Mr Rogers; "but it may not be safe for them to stay behind. +Nearly all the able-bodied men among the Boers will take part in the +rising. The Kaffirs and Hottentots would have it their own way, and +they might insult or injure the white women. I think Vander Heyden, and +your stepfather too, George, are quite right to bring their ladies with +them." + +"I suppose Vander Heyden is very hot about this," suggested Rivers. + +"Yes, he is determined enough, and he is a dangerous opponent to the +English. He is a good officer; especially, he understands his +countrymen's mode of fighting, and knows from experience what are the +faults into which our officers are likely to fall. And he is a +desperate man into the bargain." + +"How so, sir? I do not understand you." + +"Don't you know the story of the girl who was killed by the Zulus not +long before the battle of Isandhlwana?" + +"Yes; I heard something about it, I believe, from Mr Baylen or Hardy, I +don't remember which. Some female relative of his was killed in a very +brutal manner. But they are always brutal, these Zulus." + +"It was too sad a matter to be much spoken about. The lady, Lisa van +Courtlandt, had been engaged to him for some years, and he is said to +have been greatly attached to her. She had been murdered just before he +came up, and the sight of her mangled corpse drove him, they said, +almost mad. It wasn't merely for the purpose of avenging her death that +he enlisted in our army--at least, so it is thought. He wanted, poor +fellow, to get knocked on the head himself." + +"Well, that explains what I couldn't understand before," said +Margetts,--"why he was so terribly vexed when it was settled that he was +to remain at Rorke's Drift. He was for a time almost beside himself." + +"And that, too, may account for his desperate exposure of himself during +that night of the encounter with the Zulus," added Rivers. "I never saw +a man so utterly insensible to danger; and he hardly seemed rejoiced the +next morning at his escape. Poor fellow, he has had a hard lot in life! +Well, I agree with you, Mr Rogers; I have no doubt he will fight +desperately enough in this outbreak, if it really is going to take +place." + +"That, I am afraid, there is no doubt of. Vander Heyden told me as +much. He wanted to know whether you and Margetts meant to volunteer +again to serve in the English army. If you did, he said, you should +leave the Transvaal immediately, or you might be arrested. He offered +to give you a pass which would carry you across the frontier. That was +very kind and generous." + +"What did you tell him, sir?" asked Rivers. + +"Oh, I said that you were now in orders, and, of course, would not think +of fighting; as for you, Mr Margetts, I said I did not know what you +might do, but I would ask you, and let him know if you required his +help." + +"I am obliged to him," said Margetts; "but I have no idea of +volunteering again. I consider this to be quite a different matter from +the Zulu war, where it was a question whether barbarous or lawless +cruelty should be put down. Unless I am myself interfered with, I shall +not interfere in this business." + +"I am glad to hear you say so," said Mr Rogers. "Then we shall all +remain quietly here. I shall invite the Mansens to come and stay at +Dykeman's Hollow, and I think they will come. It will be quieter and +more comfortable for them than Utrecht or Newcastle, which are +overcrowded. I have no doubt Vander Heyden, who has a high command, +will be able to secure us from molestation." + +Mr Rogers was not disappointed in either expectation. In a few days +Mrs Mansen and Thyrza arrived; while Ludwig joined the assembled +council of Boers which was now sitting at Heidelberg, exerting himself +to prevent the rising which was evidently on the point of taking place. +Simultaneously with the appearance of the ladies came a note from Vander +Heyden, endorsing a protection from Praetorius for all the inmates of +Mr Rogers' household. Not long afterwards the standard of rebellion +was openly displayed, and Ludwig joined his family at the Hollow. The +Boers in all parts of the Transvaal now took the field with their +Westley Richard rifles, and all through the Transvaal the English were +obliged to fly for refuge to towns or villages, where they were besieged +by the Boers. + +Resolved not to provoke the animosity, or even the distrust of his +neighbours, Mr Rogers kept himself and all his employes within the +bounds of his own domains, not even sending a letter or a message to +Newcastle, lest it might be supposed to have some political purpose. He +advised his guests also to observe the same prudent demeanour. No doubt +Mynheer Mansen was a Dutchman, and one very generally respected; but his +wife and stepdaughter were English, and they were the guests of an +Englishman; and at this time national feeling, as it might be termed, +ran so high that the merest trifle might be enough to cause a general +outbreak. The Mansens would have had no inclination to act otherwise +than as he advised, even if their sense of what was due to him as their +host had not forbade them to do so. They regarded the strife that was +in progress as a vexation and a calamity; and whatever might be the +issue of it, they were anxious to see an end put to it. + +But the ladies felt the time hang heavily on their hands; and when one +day had been expended on a visit to George and Redgy's cottage and +garden and an inspection of their farmyard and stock, and another to the +church and school where he ministered and taught, they were at a loss +how to employ themselves, until their host, by a happy inspiration, one +day late in January suggested a visit to Kolman's Kop, a most +picturesque spot on the very edge of Mr Rogers' estate, from which a +wide prospect might be obtained of that part of the Orange Free State +known as Harrismith. The road from Bloemfontein to Newcastle ran close +beside it, and was visible for a long distance from the summit of the +Kop, though the latter was so thickly wooded as to screen any visitors +to it from being themselves seen by passing travellers. + +To this spot it was agreed that an expedition should be made on the +following day; and the whole party, inclusive of Mr Rogers, who acted +as guide, set out after breakfast, on horses and mules, having sent some +Kaffirs on before them to make the needful preparations. + +Kolman's Kop was situated on one of the spurs of the Drakensbergs, not +ascending so high as to be bleak or chill, yet high enough to command a +magnificent view of the landscape beneath, and there are few countries +in the world in which so vast a panorama is visible from the higher +lands as in the Orange Free State. It is not, indeed, an unbroken +level, like the low country of the Netherlands, being continually varied +by hill and ridge. But these hardly anywhere rise to any considerable +height, so that from the slopes of the Drakenberg the eye may range in +every direction, until the horizon line melts into the distance. It is +a fertile and picturesque territory, watered by noble rivers, whose +banks, for the most part, are fringed with foliage, rich with corn lands +and fruit orchards, and pastures where sheep and oxen and horses are +bred abundantly. The land on that side of the Drakensbergs being +considerably more elevated than on that of Natal, the climate is cooler +and more agreeable to European residents. A general cry of admiration +broke from the visitors as they caught sight of it, and sitting down on +the trunk of a fallen tree, they proceeded more leisurely to examine its +beauties. + +"Well, sir, the Dutch have not much to complain of here, at all events," +observed Redgy after a lengthened survey of the scene. "No wonder they +halted here when driven from their homes by the English. I should have +thought, for my part, that they might have been very thankful to the +English for driving them here!" + +"Well, so they might, Margetts," remarked Mr Rogers, "if they had +thought that the English had been anxious to find out pleasant quarters +for them. But I am afraid the English thought of one thing only, and +that was clearing them out of their old abodes. + +"Yes," he resumed; "the Dutchman has made himself comfortable enough +here, if John Bull will only leave him alone. But that John Bull is too +philanthropic to do--ha, Mansen?" + +"There is no talk of annexing the Free State, is there?" asked old +Ludwig with a smile. + +"Why, no, Ludwig. The annexation of the other hasn't proved an +encouraging experiment, or I think it likely that it would have been +proposed." + +"Well, sir," observed George, "that annexation took place with the free +consent of the Boers, and it was designed in kindness to them." + +"Was it?" returned Mr Rogers; "I have my doubts about that latter. No +doubt the Boers agreed to it, or rather didn't object to it, at the +time. But it was very much like pulling a drowning man out of the +water, on condition of his being your bond-servant for evermore. He +would agree rather than be drowned, but I doubt whether you could call +that his free consent. It was rather his forced consent, to my mind." + +"What would you have had England do, sir?" asked Redgy. + +"Help the Transvaal out of its difficulties, without insisting on +annexation," answered Mr Rogers. "The policy would have been as wise +as it would have been kind." + +"And you would have given them their independence back when they asked +for it after the Zulu war, I suppose?" said Margetts. "Would you give +it them now?" + +"I should certainly have given it on the occasion you name, when they +asked for it. It had then become clear that they did not really desire +the annexation; and the only reasonable ground there could have been for +it was shown by that request not to exist. I think compliance would +have been as wise as it would have been just, and would have gone far to +smooth away all difficulties. It is, of course, a very different thing +now. England cannot give to armed menace what she has refused to +peaceful entreaty. Compliance would be even worse than the previous +refusal." + +"Well, sir," urged Margetts, "no one, to be sure, could think that the +Boers would ever really get the upper hand in a regular war with +England. I speak with all possible respect to Mr Mansen, but that is +surely impossible." + +"No one who understands the strength and resources of the two countries +could think it possible," returned Mr Rogers. "But the Boers possess +very little information on the subject, and the coloured races still +less. They would all think that England yielded now, because her +weakness, not her magnanimity, obliged her. But I still trust there +will be no war. Enough of this. What is it you have been looking at so +intently, Thyrza, for the last ten minutes?" + +"I think it is a man on horseback," said Miss Rivers; "but the object is +so far off that I cannot distinguish what it is." + +She pointed as she spoke to a black speck, on the road that led from +Winberg to Newcastle, which was moving towards them. + +They all watched it for several minutes, and then Mr Mansen said, "You +have a long sight, Thyrza. It _is_ a horseman, and he is riding fast. +He will pass almost close to us." + +"It is an English soldier, or a man who has been one," exclaimed Rivers +presently; "there is no mistaking his seat on horseback." + +The rider continued to approach until he had arrived almost immediately +under the spot where they were sitting. Then George and Redgy started +up, simultaneously exclaiming, "It is Hardy, I declare! let us go down +and speak to him." + +CHAPTER TWENTY THREE. + +Rivers and Margetts hurried down the steep descent without pausing to +pick their way, and reached the bottom just as the traveller, whose +horse was evidently tired out, passed them at a broken-winded canter, +which was the utmost speed, apparently, to which the unlucky animal +could be urged. + +"Hallo!" shouted George,--"hallo, Hardy, if it really is you! Here are +two old friends of yours, who would like to have some talk with you, if +you can spare them the time." + +The horseman drew his rein in evident surprise. + +"What! Rivers, Margetts!" he exclaimed. "Well, this is a piece of good +luck. I was just thinking that the best thing I could do would be to +ride round by Dykeman's Hollow and ask you to help me. What brings you +here?" + +"Oh, we have been confined within the bounds of Rogers' property for +several weeks, and we made up a party to-day to come here, more for +something to do than anything else." + +"And why are you confined within the bounds of Dykeman's Hollow?" asked +Hardy; "and who has confined you?" + +"Well, it is more prudence than necessity," said George. "We don't want +to provoke the Dutchmen to attack us." + +"You talk riddles," said Hardy, "but I have no time to solve them. Can +you tell me where Praetorius,--the great man among the Boers,--can you +tell me where he is to be found?" + +"I don't know with any certainty," said George; "I expect he has gone +southward with the others." + +"Southward! what do you mean?" exclaimed Hardy hastily. "What can he +have gone south for?" + +"Well, he didn't tell me," said Redgy, "but I think I can form a pretty +good guess for what he has gone. It is to attack the English troops." + +"English troops!" repeated Hardy in evident anxiety and alarm; "what +English troops? I did not know that there were any in this +neighbourhood." + +"We hear that Sir George Colley is marching to the relief of Praetoria +with, some say 1000, some 1500 men. Mr Rogers thinks he has got as far +as Newcastle, if not still farther north," said Rivers. + +"The relief of Praetoria!" again cried Hardy. "Is Pretoria besieged? +Do you mean that the rebellion has actually broken out?" + +"No doubt of that," replied Margetts; "that is an old story now. The +English have for two or three weeks past been besieged by the Boers in +all the large towns,--Praetoria, Potchefstroom, Standerton,--and there +has been sharp fighting in several places. About the end of December, +250 men belonging to the 94th Regiment were killed or taken prisoners at +Bronker's Spruit, near Middelburgh." + +"How did that come about?" asked Hardy. + +"Well, I suppose Colonel Anstruther didn't know that there was any +chance of his being attacked,--didn't know, in fact, that any outbreak +was likely to take place,--or his neglect of precautions would seem to +be of a piece with what we remember. He was marching, with a number of +waggons and 250 men, as Redgy said, along the road, his train being half +a mile long, when, at a place called Bronker's Spruit, two Dutchmen rode +up to him and handed him a paper, which was found to be a letter from +Joubert, who calls himself the Boer General. It stated that war had +been declared between the Republic of the Transvaal and England, and +called on him to surrender his men and waggons. I suppose Colonel +Anstruther hardly thought that the summons was seriously meant; at all +events, there was no superior force visible, to which he would be unable +to offer resistance, and he only replied by forming his men in column +and desiring them to move on, but--" + +"But Joubert had planted his sharpshooters under cover everywhere round, +and they opened their fire on the soldiers before they knew of their +presence." + +"That was it, certainly. In ten minutes half the men had been shot +down. They were entangled in a marsh, and had not been able to get +sight of any enemy to shoot at in return." + +"Exactly; and then, I suppose, Colonel Anstruther surrendered?" + +"Precisely; that is what he did, and he and his surviving men were taken +prisoners." + +"He could do nothing else. But I am afraid this will prevent any good +being done by my mission. You say this occurred some weeks ago?" + +"Yes," said Margetts; "the catastrophe near Middelburgh took place on +the 28th of last month, and this is the 28th of January." + +"Why, the 28th of last month was just about the time when I set out for +Bloemfontein!" cried Hardy. "It is most extraordinary that I never +heard this before!" + +"What have you been to Bloemfontein for?" asked Rivers. + +"I was sent there by the authorities at Natal," answered Hardy, "in +consequence of a message from the Colonial Office in England. The +Colonial Secretary wanted to come to terms with these Boers. I suppose +he thought (as every one else thought) that the annexation had been a +most foolish procedure, and that it would be better to come to some +reasonable understanding with the Boers than keep up an irritating +quarrel with them." + +"Small blame to him for that," said George. "Well, go on." + +"He thought that Brandt, the President of the Orange Free State, would +be a good person to mediate between us and the Boers, and he sent me +with a letter to him." + +"Did you see him?" asked Margetts. + +"Yes; I had two or three very satisfactory interviews with him. He +seemed quite sincere in the desire he expressed of preventing bloodshed, +and I am the bearer of a letter from him to Praetorius, which, as I was +in hopes, would prevent any outbreak of hostilities. He certainly did +not know, when I left Bloemfontein, that fighting was going on. I +should be almost afraid it will be too late now." + +"Is it not extraordinary that no message was sent either from Durban or +London, to stop any proceedings until the result of the negotiations +with Mr Brandt were known?" asked Rivers. + +"It seems so to me, certainly," replied Hardy; "but very likely there +are reasons for it, of which I know nothing. Well, anyhow, I had better +carry President Brandt's letter to Praetorius. It is only carrying out +my orders, and cannot do any harm." + +"Not to any one but yourself, Hardy," said Margetts; "but I am not sure +it would be safe for you to put yourself in the way of these Boers. The +leaders among them seem to behave well enough, but many of the +subordinate officers, if one may call them so, are rude and brutal, and +might shoot any Englishman who approached them, without inquiry and +without listening to any representations." + +"You are right, Redgy, I am afraid," said Rivers. "I think Hardy had, +at all events, better go with us to Dykeman's Hollow and consult Mr +Mansen. He might go with him to Praetorius, and he is so well known to +the Boers--indeed, he is one of them himself--that there could be no +danger in his company." + +"Are the Mansens at Dykeman's Hollow?" asked Hardy. + +"Yes, they are Mr Rogers' guests; but they are nearer to us than that. +They are up on the Kop yonder, though the trees hide them from our +sight. Leave your horse here in Redgy's keeping, and I will go with you +up to the Kop." + +Hardy accordingly dismounted, and he and George were just commencing the +ascent, when three or four men, whose uniform showed that they belonged +to the 58th Regiment, came running down one of the narrow passes at the +utmost of their speed, close to the spot where the three friends were +standing. They had evidently just escaped from some great danger. +Their trousers were covered with mud, so that the regimental stripe +could hardly be distinguished; their jackets were cut and stained with +blood; two of them had lost their caps, and all had thrown away their +arms, which would have impeded their flight. As they reached the corner +of the road, they came in sight of George and Hardy, and would have +turned another way, if the last-named had not called to them. + +"Hallo, my lads!" he shouted; "what has happened, and where are you +running to?" + +Hearing themselves addressed in English, the fugitives stopped, and one +of them, a corporal from his dress, answered,-- + +"There has been a brush with the enemy at Laing's Nek, if you know where +that is." + +"I know it well enough," returned Hardy; "it is a narrow defile, filled +with rocky boulders--just the sort of place where these Dutchmen would +take up a position, quite out of sight, and shoot down our soldiers at +their leisure. You don't mean to say, I suppose, that you attacked the +Boers there?" + +"Yes, we did, sir," answered the corporal, "and to our cost. Half our +men were killed or wounded in no time, and we couldn't see a single +Dutchman to fire at in return. The rest contrived to retreat to the +camp, or there wouldn't have been a man left alive. We were cut off by +a party of mounted Boers, and offered to surrender to them. But they +paid no heed, and fired on us, killing all but two or three. They are +after us still, I expect. They couldn't follow us on horseback up the +mountain paths, but they are riding round, I believe, by another road. +Can you shelter as?" + +"I suppose in strictness we oughtn't to," said Margetts. "But we can't +see our countrymen shot down in cold blood; I'd rather take the chance +of being shot myself. Come along with me, my lads; you can hide in the +caves under Kolman's Kop. The Boers, unless they come from this +neighbourhood, won't know anything about them; and they will hardly +venture in there after you, if they do. Only we must make all possible +haste." + +He mounted Hardy's horse and rode off at a trot, the men following him +as well as they were able. + +Rivers and Hardy watched them as they hurried along under the side of a +steep cliff, and then turned into a narrow defile. + +"He is right, I suppose," said George; "we are bound not to interfere; +but if the laws of civilised warfare are set aside, as it seems they are +by these Boers, they cannot expect us to observe them so rigidly as +giving these poor fellows up to be shot would amount to. Don't you +think so?" + +"We have only their word that the Boers would give no quarter," said +Hardy, "and it may be that they didn't understand what our fellows said. +Still, I can't blame Margetts, if that is what you mean. But we had +better make our way to Dykeman's Hollow, hadn't we? I suppose your +friends will have gone home by this time." + +"All right!" said Rivers; "come this way." + +They began climbing the steep path, and were nearly half-way up when +they heard voices calling to them, and looking down saw a party of +mounted Boers, who were levelling their rifles at them and shouting to +them to descend. + +"What do you want with us?" called out Hardy in Dutch. "We are not +soldiers, and have nothing to do with this war!" + +"You are English--I can tell that by your speech," answered the man who +had hailed them. "I want to ask some questions of you, to which I mean +to have an answer. You had better come down at once, or we will send +some bullets to fetch you." + +This was evidently no idle threat Half a dozen Boers had already taken +their aim, and the path at the point at which the Englishmen had been +stopped was without shelter of any kind. There was no help for it. +They had to retrace their steps, and presently found themselves face to +face with the leader of the Boers, who proved to be no other than +Rivers' old acquaintance, Rudolf Kransberg. + +"Ha! it is you, Mynheer Rivers?" he remarked with a scowl. "You are an +English soldier, I think, though your companion said you were not." + +"I _was_ an English soldier in the Zulu war," returned George; "but I +left the army at its conclusion, and am now a clergyman of the Church of +England." + +"I don't care for that. I want to know whether you have seen some +runaways from the battle that has been fought at Laing's Nek. We are in +pursuit of them, and they must, I think, have passed this way." + +"We have told you that we are not belligerents," replied George; "you +have no right to question us." + +"Ha! I see you will not answer, because you have seen your countrymen, +and know where they are. As to having no right, we will see about that. +We are at war with the English, and the English are our enemies, though +they may choose to say they are not. I shall make you my prisoner. And +this person," he continued, turning to Hardy, "who is he?" + +"I am an Englishman, like Mr Rivers," answered Hardy; "like him, too, +not a belligerent. Your President, Mynheer Praetorius, would not, I am +sure, approve your proceedings." + +"You think so, hey? Well, you may see him at Laing's Nek, and find out +how much respect he will have for your rights?" + +"We are quite willing to be taken before him," said Hardy. "We will +accompany you to the camp, and answer, without objection, any questions +he may put to us." + +Rudolf appeared to be somewhat puzzled by this suggestion, but saw no +reason why he should not agree to it. Indeed, it had already occurred +to him that George Rivers was the stepson of Ludwig Mansen, a man well +known to, and respected by, the Boer leaders. Any violence used towards +a near relative of his would probably be condemned by his superiors. +And he further reflected that he had no kind of evidence that these two +Englishmen had really encountered the soldiers, or knew where they were. +It was also evidently no use to attempt any further pursuit of the +runaways, every trace of whom had disappeared. + +"Very well," he said, after a few minutes of silence, "you shall go with +us to Laing's Nek, and if the President is still there, and chooses to +see you, he will do so. You can ride on the saddles of two of the men, +but, I warn you, you will be shot without mercy if you make the +slightest attempt to escape." + +They mounted accordingly, and the party rode off. George, who +understood Hardy's manoeuvre, by which he would get access to Praetorius +without attracting general attention, which it was his special object to +avoid, made no demur to the arrangement. He further reflected that, as +soon as he reached the Boer camp, he could ask for an interview with +Vander Heyden, who would, no doubt, at once set him at liberty and grant +him an escort to Dykeman's Hollow. Nothing worse, therefore, was likely +to happen to either of them than a ride to the Dutch camp and a few +hours of detention there; and to this he was so far from objecting, that +he was particularly anxious to learn from an authentic source what had +really taken place and was likely to ensue. + +They rode in profound silence, the Boers being habitually taciturn, and +George and Hardy anxious under present circumstances to say as little as +possible. Presently the narrow defile running between lofty rocks and +along the margin of mountain streams was passed, and they entered the +broken and wild country which extends between Newcastle and the border +of the Transvaal. After an hour's ride, which would have been +protracted to twice that length but for the Boers' knowledge of the +ground, they reached the camp, where some five or six thousand men had +established themselves. George was at once struck with the difference +between it and the camps to which he had been accustomed. There was an +utter absence of the military discipline to which he had been used. It +bore more the appearance of a great camp meeting, at which every person +provided for his own lodging and maintenance; and yet there was a +readiness to carry out the orders of the general officers in command, +which seemed to take the place of the regular routine of a camp. As +they rode over the ground where the battle had been fought that morning, +they passed numbers of men employed in the melancholy duties which +follow only too surely on an armed encounter. Wounded men were being +conveyed on stretchers to the farmhouses and inns, which had been turned +into temporary hospitals; others, whose injuries were too severe to +permit of removal, were being ministered to on the ground as well as +circumstances allowed; while several parties were engaged in digging +graves to receive the dead bodies which lay scattered in all directions. +One of these companies was working under the direction of Henryk Vander +Heyden; and the latter no sooner perceived the two Englishmen than he +rode up to them, and, after a friendly salutation, inquired what had +brought them to Laing's Nek. + +"This gentleman, Mynheer Kransberg,--I am not aware of his military +rank,--but he has brought us here as his prisoners," replied Rivers. + +"Prisoners! You have not been--" + +"We have not been interfering in military matters at all," interposed +George. "We had given you our parole not to do so, and, I need not say, +have not broken it. We told Mr Kransberg so." + +"Then how comes this, Lieutenant Kransberg?" said Vander Heyden +haughtily. "Mr Rivers holds a protection which at my instance was +granted to him by the President, which exempts him from all interference +on the part of the military authorities." + +"He did not produce it," said Kransberg sullenly. + +"He had no time to do so," interposed Hardy. "But if you would grant me +one moment, Commandant Vander Heyden,--that, I believe, is your proper +title,--I will explain why the protection was not shown to Mynheer +Kransberg. It was because I wished to avail myself of his escort +hither. I am the bearer of a letter from Mr Brandt, the President of +the Orange Free State, to your President, Mynheer Praetorius, which he +was in hopes would prevent the outbreak of war. I regret to find I have +arrived too late for that." + +"I regret also, Mr Hardy, to say that you have. We have been attacked, +and we have driven back our enemies with heavy loss. But we should have +preferred to gain our object without spilling of blood." + +"Just so," said Hardy; "and you would prefer to gain it now without +further bloodshed?" + +"Undoubtedly," assented Vander Heyden. + +"Then will you obtain me an audience with the President, at which I can +still present this letter? If the terms it proposes should be +acceptable to him, an armistice may be agreed on, and the question of a +settlement between the English Government and that of the Transvaal may +be discussed." + +"I would take you to him this instant," returned the Dutchman, "were it +in my power to do so. But he is not at present in the camp. He has +to-day gone northwards on business of urgent importance, nor can I say, +without inquiry, when he will return. In his absence I fear the +Vice-President and the Commandant-General Joubert could not discuss-- +certainly could not decide--a question of this importance. But if you +will come with me, I will take you to General Joubert's quarters." + +"I will go at once; but I should like to ask Rivers what he proposes to +do, or rather, what you advise so far as he is concerned." + +"He can, of course, return to Dykeman's Hollow if he wishes it, and I +will send an escort with him. But I believe they are greatly in want of +clergymen to attend the sick and dying in the English camp. Perhaps, if +he knew that, he would prefer going there. I need not say he will be at +full liberty to do so. But we can speak to him after you have seen +Mynheer Joubert. We had better lose no time in going thither." + +Hardy accordingly followed Vander Heyden across the rugged and stony +ground on which the action had been fought that morning, to a tent--it +was the only one in the camp--where the Commandant-General had fixed his +quarters. No difficulty was made about obtaining an interview, and +Hardy almost immediately found himself in the presence of the rebel +leader, as well as in that of another bearded and grave-looking +personage, who, he was informed, was Kruger, the Vice-President of the +newly-proclaimed Republic. + +Hardy looked with interest at the Boer general, who, although he had not +at that time attained all the celebrity now attaching to his name, had +already achieved some brilliant successes. His family, as Hardy +subsequently learned, was of Huguenot extraction, having migrated to the +Cape at the time of the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes. But +intermarriages with the Dutch in succeeding generations had had their +effect, and Joubert had all the appearance of a genuine Boer. Like his +fathers, he had followed the calling of a farmer, and had had no +experience of warfare, except with native tribes. But he was possessed +of rare military ability, and if he had had the advantage of +professional training, would have made a great general. + +In personal appearance he was of middle height and powerful frame, with +an unusually dark complexion, a beard and moustache, and features +expressing intelligence and good humour. He was apparently somewhat +advanced in years, though he had not passed the vigour of life. He +received Hardy with civility, and, after he had heard his story, +expressed his regret, as Vander Heyden had done, that the President was +not in the camp, so that the matter might be immediately dealt with. +Praetorius was expected back very shortly, and then instant attention +should be given to it. + +"Meanwhile, be assured," he said, "that we desire peace with England, +and are willing to concede everything to her, except our national +independence. You may not, perhaps, be aware that when the Volksraad +declared that the Transvaal Republic was again established, it passed +several resolutions, which may well form the basis of negotiations with +the agents of the British Government." + +"I have only just arrived in the country after an absence of several +weeks," said Hardy, "and have therefore had no opportunity of learning +what those resolutions were." + +"They are soon recited," said Joubert. "The first proclaimed a general +amnesty for all past offences. The second ratified all the acts of the +British Government up to the date of the proclamation, and the third +declared that questions relating to foreign policy might be made matter +of special discussion. I think you will allow that these resolutions +are not framed in any spirit hostile to your Government." + +"I must allow that they are not," replied Hardy. "I should certainly +hope that they might form the basis of negotiations satisfactory to both +parties. That was also the opinion of the President of the Orange Free +State." + +"I may add, it is also the opinion of our countrymen in Holland, who +have sent an urgent entreaty to the Queen of England that our national +independence may be restored to us. The same sentiment has been +expressed in other European countries. But I should hardly have thought +that such a petition would require foreign support, when it had once +been submitted to the English people. They have ever been the first, +the most uncompromising of all nations in the assertion of their own +liberty. Why should they grudge to others that which they value so +highly themselves?" + +"You speak well, sir," said Hardy. "I am unable to deny the force of +your appeal. We may hope that when the President returns, +communications may be opened with the English Government which may lead +to a settlement honourable and satisfactory to both parties. But +meanwhile, ought not all hostile operations to be suspended? They could +not facilitate any negotiations that might be set on foot, but they +might seriously impede them." + +"If the English general proposes an armistice, it will certainly be +agreed to," said Joubert. "On our side we have no need to make any such +proposition. If we are not attacked, we shall not ourselves make any +attack. The British have only to do the same, and all fighting will be +suspended. But, of course, if we are assailed, we shall repel the +assault." + +Hardy bowed and took his leave. On returning to the place where he had +left George Rivers, he found that the latter had already taken his +departure for the British camp, where, as the reader has heard, his +services were greatly needed. A few days passed without any resumption +of hostilities, when, on the 8th of February, Sir George Colley +unexpectedly sallied out of his camp, and the action at Hooge's Chain, +between Laing's Nek and Newcastle, on the banks of the Ingogo, was +fought, with a result as discreditable and damaging to the English arms +as that of Laing's Nek had been. + +"What has come to our generals and soldiers I cannot think," said Hardy +to George, when he encountered him after the battle on the field, +whither both had gone to minister to the wounded and dying. "They seem +to me absolutely to court defeat. The only comfort is, that they will +hardly make a third attempt after two such calamitous failures." + +CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR. + +It seemed as if Hardy's anticipations were going to be fulfilled. For +more than a fortnight after the disaster on the banks of the Ingogo, +both armies remained quietly in their camps, though both were largely +reinforced. Negotiations had been opened with the English Government, +which bore every appearance of an amicable solution of difficulties. On +the afternoon of the 26th of February, Hardy went down to the British +lines, with a white flag despatched by Joubert with him, to take some +letters to George which had arrived from Dykeman's Hollow. It was some +time before he could find his friend, the whole camp being in a state of +extraordinary bustle and confusion. Officers and men were hurrying +about; one of the guns had been brought out, the horses already +harnessed, and the gunners and drivers belonging to it were all in +readiness, it appeared, for some immediate movement. Every face bore +token that something of grave importance was about to take place. + +"What does this mean, George?" asked Hardy as they shook hands. "Sir +George Colley cannot anticipate an attack. Everything in the Boer camp, +which I have only just left, is quite quiet, and the peace negotiations +are proceeding prosperously." + +"I cannot tell you, Hardy, what it does mean," answered George. "I hear +vague rumours, but they are not to be trusted. One thing, however, is +certain, and that is that Sir George Colley cannot get over his defeats +by these Boers. I fancy he at first entertained the same contempt for +them which English people generally feel. He thought that they were a +race of cowards, who would shoot down helpless savages from a safe +distance, but dared not face soldiers in a field of battle." + +"We have already agreed that that is a mistake," observed Hardy. "Their +mode of fighting is quite different from ours. They have no disciplined +troops, as we have; and if they were to face us, as Sir George expects, +on a field of battle, must inevitably suffer defeat. But they are brave +and resolute men, and fight after their own fashion; which is as +dangerous and disastrous to our troops as our mode of lighting would be +to them." + +"Exactly," said Rivers; "and Sir George has chosen to fight after their +fashion instead of ours, and these disasters have been the consequence. +But that does not reconcile him to them. He is afraid that peace will +be made before he has any opportunity of redeeming his military +reputation, which he thinks has been terribly damaged by Laing's Nek and +the action on the Ingogo. He wants to give them one tremendous +thrashing before peace is concluded and the opportunity is lost." + +"I can well understand that," said Hardy, "though I think he is quite +wrong. But do I understand you to mean that the preparations which I +see going on are for another attack on the Boers? Really I do not think +that would be a defensible proceeding. If there has been no formal +suspension of hostilities, there is a tacit understanding to that +effect, which the Boers have most faithfully adhered to." + +"I am afraid the preparations do mean that," answered George, "though, +of course, I have made no inquiries, nor has any one volunteered the +information. I think Sir George means to attack the Boer camp again, +though probably he will choose a different quarter from which to assail +it." + +"It is to be hoped he will, at all events," rejoined Hardy, "unless he +wishes exactly the same results to follow as before. Well, we shall +soon know what is going to happen, for here come Sir George and his +staff. They are evidently about to set out somewhere." + +"Come to the high ground on the west of the camp," suggested Rivers. +"You can see the whole road to the Dutch lines from it, and some of the +waggons immediately under Amajuba hill." + +"Amajuba hill," repeated Hardy. "Is that the name of that steep hill +yonder, with a flattish top, which completely overlooks the camp? I +wonder the Dutch have not occupied it, I must say. Sir George's +position here wouldn't be tenable if they did. But then, to be sure, +they have no cannon. Well, I may as well go with you as you propose, +for, of course, if your conjecture is correct, I should not be allowed +to leave the English camp." + +They took up their position accordingly, and presently saw the troops, +seven or eight hundred in number, move out with the gun which Hardy had +seen an hour or two before, the most complete silence being observed. +The darkness was already coming on when they set out, and before long it +became impossible to distinguish any object, except those close at hand. + +"Sir George must intend a night attack," said Hardy; "but, independently +of all other considerations, the Boers are less likely to be thrown into +confusion by that than our own troops are. They are taught to fight +independently of one another. Every man takes up his own position and +shifts for himself. If they are disturbed in the middle of the night, +they will simply get up,--ready dressed, for they always lie down in +their clothes,--take their rifles, pick out the securest spot they can +find, and open fire on any enemy they see. Well, George, we had better +stay here awhile and see what comes of this. If night fighting is +intended, we shall soon know all about it." + +Rivers assented. They were as conveniently placed as they could well be +for learning what was going on. There was a hollow in the rock large +enough to shelter them from wind and rain, if either should come on, and +a quantity of moss and heather would make a comfortable bed, if they lay +down to sleep. They agreed that they would keep alternate watch through +the night, so that nothing that might occur should escape their notice. + +The night, however, passed without disturbance, and when the morning +dawned it revealed an unexpected spectacle. The British force was +clearly to be discerned, by the first beams of the sun, stationed on the +top of the Amajuba hill, the ascent of which must have occupied the +hours of darkness. It must have been a most difficult and perilous +undertaking, and it seemed wonderful that it could have been +accomplished in the dark, and without arousing the vigilance of the +Boers, who were encamped in the immediate vicinity. There they were, +however,--the scarlet uniforms forming bright spots against the +background of rock and sky,--and the brass gun, which, by a marvel of +engineering skill, had been dragged up the precipitous steeps, sparkling +in the sun, as it was fixed in its position, commanding the camp of the +sleeping Boers below. + +"How in the world can they have managed that?" exclaimed Rivers. +"Nothing but a bird, I should have thought, could get up there. The +gun, of course they must have hoisted up after them. It is a most +daring exploit; but I suppose Sir George has got the upper hand of them +now." + +"I am not so sure of that," rejoined Hardy. "I grant you this is as +bold and venturous a feat as ever has been attempted in war. But I +don't know that it will succeed against these Boers. You see, though +they have taken possession of the heights, they have not intrenched +themselves. The broken masses of rock furnish a cover behind which +sharpshooters may hide themselves while they fire on the enemy. But the +Boers will be able to fire up at them quite as securely as they will be +able to fire down at the Boers. And if the Boers, whose numbers greatly +exceed theirs, clamber up on all sides, under cover of the fire of their +friends, there is nothing to keep them back. Our men will be +overpowered by weight of numbers. I wish I could see them begin to +intrench themselves, but there is no sign of it. I hope we are not +going to see the Isandhlwana disaster acted over again." + +"I suppose they must have been too tired, when they got up there last +night to throw up intrenchments," remarked George. + +"Very likely indeed," returned Hardy, "but they do not appear to be too +tired this morning. If they are wise, they will not begin firing until +they have made their position safe." + +Meanwhile on the summit of the hill there was triumph and rejoicing. +The soldiers had felt keenly the defeats which they had again and again +sustained at the hands of an enemy for whom they had entertained a +traditional contempt, and who, they were persuaded, if they could once +bring them to a fair encounter, would fly before them. But they had +been shot down from behind cover, without the chance being given them of +returning their adversaries' fire. But here, at last, the tables were +turned. They occupied now the vantage-ground from which the foe might +be assailed without the risk of suffering retaliation. A genuine +British cheer broke forth as the gun opened on the slumbering Dutchmen +below, followed by bursts of merriment as the sleepers started up in +alarm and confusion, rushing in all directions to find protection from +the deadly hail from above. But they did not take to immediate flight, +as their assailants had expected. Niching themselves in the hollows of +the rocks or behind the mountain ridges, they opened a fire from all +directions on the occupants of the hill, obliging these to keep close +behind the cover of the rocks as the only mode of escaping the storm of +musketry that continued to be poured upon them. No attempt, however, +was made to dislodge them, and it was obvious that, if they retained +their position on the crest of the hill, the Boer camp must be broken +up, leaving the way open for the British troops to enter the Transvaal. + +But the English had been once more deceived by the skilful manoeuvring +of their enemies. Under cover of a tall cliff which interposed between +them and Amajuba hill, the Boer leaders were determining their plan of +operations. + +"I am sure one of the paths is practicable," Vander Heyden was saying. +"It is on the opposite side to that by which the English made their way +to the top, and I think it most likely that they know nothing of it. It +is completely sheltered from their fire until you are close to the top, +and there is a hollow near that where a number of men may be massed. +Our adversaries, with their usual contempt for their enemies, have +omitted to intrench themselves or fortify their position. There would +probably not be more than half a dozen men keeping guard at the point in +question. A rush of a dozen or twenty would force the way in, and then +the others would follow. As there is no shelter or means of escape +except down the steep sides of the hill, they must all surrender or be +killed." + +"Do you yourself know the way up the path, Vander Heyden?" asked the +Boer general. + +"Yes," answered Henryk; "I have twice been up to the top that way to +make an examination of the English camp." + +"Then I think you are the man to lead the assault. What say you?" + +"I desire nothing better," returned Vander Heyden, the dark light, which +had become habitual with him at seasons of danger, flashing in his eyes. + +"Good. Who is there prepared to follow you?" + +There was no lack of volunteers; and Vander Heyden's only difficulty +consisted in his unwillingness to reject any. Presently the number was +made up. Orders were given to the sharpshooters in ambush to pour their +fire more hotly on every crevice of the rocks above, so as to engage as +much as possible the attention of the garrison. + +Then Vander Heyden, rifle in hand, crept cautiously and silently up the +rocky ladder, pausing continually to allow those behind him to approach +closely to him, until the hollow place, of which he had spoken, was +reached, and a dozen of his most trusted followers assembled in it. +Then the word was given. The foremost of the party rushed round the +corner of the rock, poured in a close fire, and pressed on to force the +passage. For the moment they succeeded, but the next a shout was +raised, and a bayonet charge met the assailants, bearing them back and +almost forcing them down the rocky descent. But more of the Dutchmen +had now come on the scene. A second volley cleared the way, and the +assailants rushed in in ever-increasing numbers. Presently the whole +plateau had become a battlefield, and the English, outnumbered and borne +back by the overwhelming mass of Boers, were either shot down, or made +their escape by the steep mountain paths, followed by their victorious +enemies, who stabbed and shot them down without mercy. If the guns from +the camp had not opened their fire and checked the pursuit, it is +probable that scarcely any of the British soldiers who had climbed those +heights on the previous evening would ever have descended them again, +unless as corpses carried to interment. + +About the centre of the plateau a group of Boers were gathered round an +English officer, who had been struck by a bullet which apparently had +instantly killed him. Vander Heyden directed them to take off the +leather helmet which partially concealed his features. + +"It is he!" he exclaimed, as his order was obeyed. "That is the English +general; that is Sir George Colley." + +He had scarcely uttered the words when a stray bullet struck him in the +breast, and he fell to the ground beside his prostrate enemy. His +companions raised him in their arms and earned him down the hill to a +room in an adjoining farmhouse, where his wound was examined by a +surgeon. The latter shook his head after a brief inspection. The +bullet had not touched either heart or lungs; but the internal +haemorrhage could not be stopped, and life could not be long protracted. +Vander Heyden himself was aware of his condition. He made no other +request than that a flag of truce might be sent to the English lines, +asking permission for the Reverend George Rivers, who was serving, he +was informed, as a chaplain in the camp, to visit him on his deathbed. +The request was granted; and in an hour's time after the conclusion of +the fight Rivers entered the chamber where he was lying. + +Vander Heyden raised himself as well as he was able to greet him, and +desired that the room might be cleared. + +"George," he said when this had been done, "I am glad you have come. +There is no time to lose, for I feel that death is very near. You +remember our conversation about my sister many months ago near Intombe." + +"It is not likely that I should forget it," answered George. + +"I told you two things--first, that my father had forbidden me to give +her in marriage to an Englishman; and secondly, that if she did marry +one, she would forfeit the whole of her inheritance." + +"That is what you said." + +"And I said no more than the fact. But I thought even then, and I am +now more fully persuaded of it, that my father was mistaken in the +resolution to which he came. The English had been harsh and unjust to +us. But every Englishman is not harsh and unjust; and if my sister has +chosen--as in my heart I believe she has--a generous and upright man, it +is hard that she should be denied her wish merely because he was an +Englishman." + +He paused a moment to recover breath, and then went on. + +"Men alter strangely. A twelvemonth ago I thought it impossible I could +ever feel as I do now. And if I had married, and had children to follow +in my steps, I do not think I could have so altered. But that hope died +out and could never be revived, and Annchen's future was all I had to +care for. She does not know my change of feeling. When I took leave of +her last night, I felt assured that I was parting from her for the last +time, though I could not tell her so; but this letter will convey to her +my dying wishes. I have drawn up a fresh will, by which everything is +left to her and to you. Give me your hand." + +They exchanged a cordial grasp. "Now, Rivers," he continued, "we will +speak no more of this. But you must remain with me to the end." + +There is no need to dwell on what followed. Vander Heyden lingered for +an hour, and then passed away quietly, without pain, remaining conscious +to the last. When all was over, George gave the order, as his friend +had desired him to do, for the conveyance of the body to the +burying-ground at Utrecht, where the remains of the hapless Lisa van +Courtlandt had been deposited. He himself accompanied the corpse as +chief mourner, and saw the funeral rites performed. Then he proceeded +to Newcastle, and sought an interview with Annchen, with whom his mother +and Thyrza were now staying. They had gone over, by his request, to +convey to her the melancholy tidings, and had remained at her earnest +entreaty to comfort her. + +She did indeed feel unutterably desolate. Her brother and Frank Moritz +had been her only near relatives, and of both these she had been +bereaved; and the man who, she felt, might have been nearer and dearer +than any, was hopelessly separated from her by Henryk's decree. His +wishes had always been law to her while he lived; and, now that he had +been taken from her for ever, her only satisfaction in life would be to +fulfil his pleasure. When the message was brought to her that George +desired an interview, she was at first unwilling to grant it. It was +possible that he might renew his suit, considering all obstacles to +their union as being now removed; and if so, their meeting would be +needlessly painful. It was only when Thyrza told her that her brother +was the bearer of a letter, which Henryk had sent her from his dying +bed, that she consented to receive him. + +She was sitting near the window when he entered. Her black dress +rendered the dazzling fairness of her complexion more remarkable. Even +the look of unutterable sadness seemed to enhance her beauty. He went +slowly up to her, took her hand and pressed it to his lips, and then +without speaking, placed the letter in her hands. Her tears fell fast +over it as she opened it, and it seemed as if they must have prevented +her from deciphering its contents; for she twice read it through without +appearing to understand its purport. At last a faint flush on her cheek +and a strange light in her eye told him that she had realised the +meaning of her brother's words. She sat for a few minutes with her eyes +fixed on the ground, and then looked up into her lover's face, as if +seeking there a confirmation of the wondrous joy that had broken thus +suddenly upon her. His smile seemed to satisfy her. She rose and threw +herself into his arms. + +"Oh, George," she exclaimed, "is it wicked, at a time of sorrow like +this, to feel so happy?" + +"It is what he wished," answered Rivers. "It was the thought which +comforted him at the last." + +A few days afterwards, Annchen joined the family circle at Dykeman's +Hollow, when it was found that she was not the only bride to whom +congratulations were due. George had taken an early opportunity of +explaining to his mother and stepfather--to whom the former referred +him--the change that had taken place in his circumstances. He was now, +or would shortly be, the owner of Pieter's Dorf and Vander Heyden's +other property, and, for a resident in that country, a very wealthy man. +It was his wish to surrender all interest in his mother's estate in +favour of Thyrza. At the same time he pleaded the cause of his friend +Redgy Margetts. He had known, he said, for some time past that he was +deeply attached to Thyrza, and had reason to believe that she was not +indifferent to him. If that should prove to be the case, might not a +second marriage take place? Mr Rogers had been consulted, and had +declared himself so well satisfied with Margetts, that he was willing to +put him into the farm hitherto occupied by George--which was already in +a thriving state, with every prospect of improvement. Here he and +Thyrza might live, until the time came when Umtongo would be their own. + +Farmer Mansen heard his stepson to the end,--he had never, indeed, been +known to interrupt any one,--and then answered that he and his wife had +already spoken together on this subject, and had no fault to find with +Mr Margetts. But it would be impossible for them to accept him as a +suitor for Thyrza, because Mynheer Rudolf Kransberg had been received in +that capacity, and no decisive answer had as yet been given him. To +this George replied that he had had some conversation with Thyrza on the +subject, and she had informed him that young Kransberg had never visited +her since the day when he himself had left Umtongo, and as that was +fully nine months ago, Thyrza had concluded he had abandoned all idea of +seeking her as his wife. + +"She is too hasty," remarked Ludwig. "Nine months are no unreasonable +time for a Dutch suitor to delay; we do not do things in this country in +a hurry. She cannot allow the addresses of a new suitor, until the old +one has been formally dismissed." + +"But, good gracious! how long is that to go on?" pleaded George. "He +may pay another visit six months hence, and another a twelvemonth after +that. And Thyrza may be an old maid before she has the opportunity of +relieving herself from the attentions of her admirer by refusing him." + +"You do not understand our customs," said Ludwig sedately. "We do +everything deliberately." + +This reply George was obliged to transmit to Margetts, by whom, it needs +not to say, it was not received with much satisfaction. Redgy, in fact, +propounded a variety of schemes for bringing Rudolf von Kransberg up to +the scratch, the mildest of which was lassoing him after the fashion of +the South American hunters and conveying him in that condition to +Thyrza's presence, when she would avail herself of the opportunity of +giving her inamorato his _conge_. All these were rejected by George and +Thyrza, and the dissatisfaction of the baffled suitor every day waxed +more grievous to behold, when one day he chanced to encounter Hardy in +the street at Newcastle, and learned from him that Rudolf Kransberg was +not only paying his addresses to Gretchen Groetweld, the plump and +comely daughter of the Landrost of Lichtenberg, but, it was generally +believed, had been accepted by her. + +"I met him riding down the street," said Hardy, "dressed in his best +holiday suit, and a large nosegay in his buttonhole. He was mounted on +a showy horse,--`the courting horse,' as they call it,--which he made +amble and prance down the street to the great admiration of the +spectators. Presently he drew up at Mynheer Groetweld's door, when the +worthy burgess greeted him with ceremonious politeness and requested him +to enter. I heard from the Landrost, who delayed a few minutes to speak +to me, that Mistress Gretchen is well satisfied with her sweetheart, and +the formal betrothal is straightway to take place." + +This intelligence, which was presently confirmed by Mynheer Groetweld +himself, overcame even Ludwig Mansen's punctilio; and Reginald Margetts +and Thyrza were allowed to plight their troth to one another. + +Mr Rogers, who had always felt a warm interest in the Mansens, and who +latterly conceived a still warmer regard for Rivers and Margetts, was +much pleased at the course which events had taken. Notwithstanding the +recent death of Henryk Vander Heyden, it was not thought advisable to +postpone for more than a few weeks Rivers' and Annchen's wedding; and +the Mansens agreed that Redgy and Thyrza should be married on the same +day, the chapel attached to Mr Rogers' house being chosen as the place +where both ceremonies were to be performed. + +The guests were limited to the near relatives of the brides, the only +exception being Hardy, who arrived on the wedding morning, bearing the +intelligence that the terms between the English Government and the Boers +had been finally arranged. The suzerainty of the Queen was to be +maintained, but, apart from this, the most complete independence was +conceded to the Transvaal Republic, all the terms for which they had +stipulated being fully granted. + +"Well," said Mr Rogers, "I never thought I should live to regret the +reversal of that most mischievous and ill-judged of measures, the +annexation of the Transvaal, but I have lived to regret it nevertheless. +It appears to me that every blunder that was possible has been made. +First of all, advantage is taken of a temporary reverse to impose on a +nation a yoke which they are supposed to desire, but which they really +dislike. Then, when reasonable and respectful petitions are presented, +pointing out that the step is to the injury of both countries, and +praying that it might be undone, they are curtly refused. Then, when +the aggrieved citizens take up arms to compel the recognition of their +rights, an attempt is made to crush them by force of arms, but the +campaign is conducted in such a manner as to give them an easy and +certain victory. I don't suppose the Tenth Legion of Caesar, or the Old +Guard of Napoleon, or Wellington's Peninsular veterans, could have done +anything but stand to be killed, if they had been led into action as our +soldiers were. And lastly, when the prestige of England has suffered so +seriously that a victory (which could easily have been gained) has +become imperatively necessary for its restoration, all that had been +refused to moderate entreaty is granted to defiant and almost insolent +demand! I don't suppose the injury that has been done to British +ascendancy in South Africa will be undone in less than fifty years, if +it is undone then! Well, things are at their worst now; and when they +have come to the worst, then the proverb says they will begin to mend! +That must be our comfort, for I am afraid we have no other!" + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +THE END. + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Perils in the Transvaal and Zululand, by H.C. 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