Hair-Breadth Escapes Part 14

"You don't mean that, Charles! How could these Hottentots know anything about the matter?"

"They are much keener, and take a stronger interest in these things than you fancy. They have always bitterly regretted the restoration of the colony to Holland, and the idea of the English again a.s.suming the government is very acceptable to them. It appears that an American frigate brought the news on Christmas Day of the approach of an English squadron with troops on board, and the news flew like wildfire through the country. The Hottentots heard of it nearly a week ago; but I must do Omatoko the justice to say, that he did not know it."

"Well, go on. That, I suppose, is one of the circ.u.mstances which has induced Umboo to treat us so civilly?"

"Well, perhaps, in some degree that may be so. But Umboo is not at all sure that the English will get the better of the Dutch, and he won't commit himself to either side, until he sees which is likely to gain the day."

"Ah, I see. If the English win, he will make a merit of sending us safe to Cape Town; and if the Dutch get the upper hand, he'll hand us over as prisoners to the Governor."

"That's very nearly it, I judge, Ernest. Well, as soon as Omatoko learned about the English fleet, he suggested that we should remain in the kraal, while a messenger was sent southward to ascertain the exact position of things in the colony; and meanwhile a hut should be a.s.signed us, and he and his nephew would keep a careful eye on us."

"How kind of them!" said Nick.

"It's the way of the world, Nick," said Lavie; "in England, I am afraid, as much as in Namaqua-land. Well, that being settled, the matter about the Bushmen came up next. It appears Omatoko knows where they are to be found. He overheard them talking of their plans. They took no trouble indeed to disguise them, considering him to be as good as dead already."

"What are they going to do?" asked Wilmore.

"Going to attack and exterminate, if possible, the Bushmen. Spies are to be sent to make sure of their whereabouts, and then a chosen party of warriors will go against them."

"They don't expect us to accompany them, I hope," said Warley.

"Well, from what was said, I am afraid they do--that is, they mean to urge it. You see, they know the immense advantage our rifles have over their bows and arrows, and our presence would enable them to effect their purpose with certainty."

"Well, I suppose you will refuse, Charles, won't you? You don't want us to become mercenary cutthroats for the benefit of these savages?"

"That is putting it rather strong," observed Gilbert. "These fellows have attempted murder--murder of the most cruel kind, and deserve punishment--remember that."

"They have done us no wrong, at all events," said Warley; "it cannot be our business to punish them. Besides, shooting these unhappy savages down is not the way to teach them better."

"You are right, Ernest," said Lavie. "I, for one, will have nothing to do with any attack upon them. They may oblige us to accompany them, to prevent our escape, but I will take no part in the fighting."

"Nor I," said Frank, "I am not going to kill these poor helpless wretches to please any one."

"Very good," added Nick; "I have no wish to do it, either."

"Well, then," said Lavie, "we are agreed. We will stay quietly here until the answer comes from the Cape. Five to one our fellows have thrashed these Dutchmen as soundly as they did before, and the colony is ours again by this time; in which case Umboo will be our humble servant.

If the messenger doesn't return before the party set out to attack the Bushmen, we will go with them, if required, but only as spectators. Is that agreed?"

"Agreed, _nem. con._," said Frank. "And now, here, I suppose, comes dinner. We are not to have the honour of seats at the royal table, then!"

"No, that will be reserved for us when Umboo has learned of the defeat of the Dutchmen," said Gilbert.

The food served up to them was better and more palatable than they had expected. It consisted chiefly of the flesh of one of the koodoos, and was partly broiled and partly sodden.

"Not bad this," exclaimed Gilbert, as a third slice was handed to him, which he disposed of after the same fashion which prevailed in the time of Adam and Eve, viz., by the help of his fingers and teeth. "They haven't so bad an idea of cooking after all."

"And these figs and pomegranates are not to be despised either,"

observed Frank. "They would go down well at a West End dinner!"

"But whatever are these?" cried Nick, digging his hands into a basket of what seemed to be burnt almonds, being a heap of oval substances, about the size of a filbert, and partially roasted. "Hum! a strange sort of taste, but rather nice, too. Have some, Charles, you'll find them rather good eating."

"Thank you, Nick," returned Lavie, gravely, "I am not fond of insects, or I would have a few."

"Insects!" repeated Gilbert, in a tone of mingled surprise and disgust.

"You can't mean that, to be sure!" He dropped the handful to which he had just helped himself, and looked at the doctor with mouth and eyes wide open.

"They are locusts, if I don't mistake," said the latter. "Hand them up here, Frank, and I'll take a closer look at them. Yes, they are locusts. These Hottentots consider them a great dainty."

"The nasty wretches!" cried Nick, starting up and throwing away the viands he had been consuming. "To think I should live to sup on beetles! Hand us the bowl of milk there, Ernest. I suppose _that's_ all right, isn't it? That comes from a cow, and not a crocodile, or something of the sort?"

"Yes, that's all right, Nick," said Lavie, laughing; "and, after all, there are many other people who eat locusts besides these Hottentots."

"Every one to his taste," said Gilbert, setting down the bowl after a long draught. "Mine doesn't incline to roasted insects. However, that milk has pretty well taken the taste out. And now, I suppose the next thing is to go to bed. I was up very early this morning, and have had a hard day of it. What do you say, Frank?"

"I say ditto to you," said Wilmore. "I shall just roll myself up in one of these skins to keep off the flies, and shut up for the night. Good night, Lion, old boy; I wish you a sound repose."

The two boys accordingly wrapped themselves in the deer-hides which were scattered on the floor, and lay down, each with a roll of matting for a pillow. In two or three minutes their regular breathing announced that they were fast asleep. But Ernest and Charles did not follow their example. They sat near the entrance of the hut, smoking their pipes, and conversing on subjects which had but little interest for their companions.

"These Hottentots are a strange race," observed Warley. "I suppose nothing is really known of their origin and history."

"Nothing, I believe, with any certainty," returned the doctor. "They seem to have no traditions on the subject, which is a rare circ.u.mstance in the history of any people. Their very name is uncertain. Europeans call them Hottentots, or Namaquas, but they themselves do not acknowledge either t.i.tle. Neither word, in fact, exists in their language. They call some of their tribes 'Oerlams,' meaning new-comers in the land, and others 'Topnars,' or the ancient aboriginal inhabitants. But the early history of these latter is quite unknown."

"And what do you imagine to be their origin, Charles? They look very much like Chinese or Tartars. They have been supposed to be of Chinese origin, have they not?"

"I believe so; but on no intelligible grounds that I ever heard. I have a theory of my own about them; but I don't suppose many would share it."

"What is your theory?"

"Well, I connect them with that strange story in Herodotus, of the circ.u.mnavigation of Africa, nearly 2500 years ago. You know the story, I suppose?"

"I remember reading it. I think Herodotus says that Necos, or Pharaoh Necho, sent some Phoenicians to circ.u.mnavigate Africa. They set out from the Red Sea, I suppose, and sailed through the Straits of Babel-Mandeb. In the third year of their voyage, they returned through the Pillars of Hercules, along the northern coast of Africa to Memphis."

"Yes, that is right. They reported, if you remember as a circ.u.mstance accounted by Herodotus as incredible, that when they had sailed some distance along the eastern sh.o.r.e of Africa, they had the sun on their right hand."

"Just so. And I have always regarded that statement as an unanswerable proof that they really did make the voyage as they a.s.serted."

"I quite agree with you. Well, their story was that in the autumn of _their_ year, but the spring in South Africa, they went on sh.o.r.e, sowed some land with corn, and waited till the crop was gathered in, when they stored it on board, and resumed their voyage. They did this twice, but in the third year reached home."

"That was their report, exactly, I believe. But what then?"

"Why, I think the Hottentots must be the descendants of some of the Egyptians who went on that voyage; for though the ships were navigated by Phoenicians, the crews were in all likelihood Egyptian. If you divide the coast-line from the Red Sea to Gibraltar into three equal parts, the spots which make one-third and two-thirds of the distance, are the mouth of the Zambesi river, and the coast of great Namaqua-land.

Now, the Phoenicians and Egyptians, who made up the expedition, must have remained several months at each place. What more likely that they would intermarry with any native women they might find there; nay, is it improbable that some one or two remained behind, and became the progenitors of the Hottentots and Bushmen?"

"It is what often happens in such expeditions, no doubt. But is there any resemblance between the old Egyptians and these Hottentots?"

"Yes, several very curious resemblances. Their personal appearance is exactly like that of the ancient Copts, who still inhabit some parts of Egypt; and there is one very remarkable peculiarity, which anatomists say is to be found only in these two races. The Coptic nearly resembles the Hottentot language, a good many roots and some words being the same in both. They have several customs in common; as for instance, they will not eat swine's flesh, and they worship a kind of beetle, which I believe no other nations do. Lastly, the Bushmen, who are believed to be a more degraded branch of the same race, ornament walls and flat slabs of rock with mural paintings, in which travellers have recognised a likeness to those of ancient Egypt."

"Well, that is curious, certainly. I should like to see those paintings. But, supposing your theory as to the Hottentots being of Coptic descent to be true, they might have made their way southwards in successive ages through Central Africa, might they not?"