Off to the Wilds Part 31

They were curious fish these silurus, and, of course in happy ignorance of the meaning of angling, readily took the bait thrown to them in the deep pools; but when hooked their behaviour was almost startling, from the tremendous rushes they made in all directions. Being very much of the same configuration as the eel, they partook of that long, lithe fellow's strength in the water; so that it was no uncommon thing for one that was hooked, and had been played for some time, to break away and carry with it half of a good line. Several were lost, but many were taken, and found famous when cooked, though Dinny avoided them as "avil-looking bastes."

Game grew scarcer still; and Mr Rogers, the boys, and Chicory were sitting in the long gra.s.s, partaking of some lunch they had brought, after a long toilsome walk in search of hartebeeste, a herd of which curiously-formed animals had been seen from a distance, when Chicory suddenly p.r.i.c.ked up his ears, leaped to his feet, and then signed to his white companions to look.

About a mile away, but coming on at a tremendous rate, was a little herd of zebras, whose beautiful forms and clearly-marked stripes could easily be distinguished as they ran through the long gra.s.s.

Just about the size of an ordinary donkey, but with the build and st.u.r.dy shapeliness of a well-bred pony, they literally spurned the ground with their hoofs in their efforts to get away, for after them in swift chase came three Kaffirs, well-mounted upon st.u.r.dy cobs, and armed with a.s.segais.

As they came abreast of Jack and d.i.c.k, the pursuers were close upon the tail of the herd, the speed and stride of the horses telling in a long race; and as they pa.s.sed, the boys could see that the Kaffirs were nude all but a loin-cloth, and that in place of a saddle they used for their horses merely a small skin.

The pace was tremendous. And growing excited at what they saw, d.i.c.k and Jack, while longing for their own cobs, so as to join in the chase, set off at a run, followed by their father and Chicory.

As they ran on they saw one of the Kaffirs overtake the hindmost zebra, ride alongside for a few moments, and then spear it, the unfortunate beast stumbling as the a.s.segai was driven home, and then falling headlong to the ground.

The Kaffir's companions kept on the chase, singling out two more of the zebras, one of which was directly after brought down by a well-directed spear-thrust, but the other managed to escape, the hunters being content with their success.

The approach of the party of whites was looked upon as dangerous, and getting together, spear in hand, the three hunters seemed to be preparing to meet the white strangers as men of war.

Seeing this, Mr Rogers sent Chicory on as an amba.s.sador to a.s.sure the strangers of their friendly feelings: and on seeing the Zulu boy advance alone, they waited, heard what he had to say, and then cantered up, holding out a hand in token of friendship.

They were fine manly-looking young fellows, and said through Chicory that they had come many journeys after zebras; and they smiled with delight on being presented each with a common pocket-knife.

The coming of the General somewhat disturbed their equanimity; but on hearing his friendly words they readily accepted his help in skinning the zebras, whose hides, with some of the choicest portions of the meat, they packed in front of them upon the horses: and after a little conversation respecting the town upon the river to which they were bound, the three Kaffirs rode off; and the great flap-winged vultures swept down, one after the other, attacking the unfortunate zebras: and shortly there was nothing left but a few scattered bones.

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.

HOW DINNY HEARD A LION WID A BAD COWLD.

"They're avil-looking birruds thim vultures, Masther d.i.c.k," said Dinny, as he saw the great flap-winged birds sailing slowly through the air, some of them always being in attendance upon the waggon, knowing, apparently by instinct, that the companionship of the hunting-party meant food for them.

They kept at a respectful distance, though; not on account of the guns and rifles, for they seemed to know that they would not be molested, but because of the dogs, who resented their attendance as an insult, and as likely to deprive them of many a pleasant bone.

Pompey, Caesar, and Cra.s.sus would make a dash at the great birds whenever they saw them upon the plain, charging down upon them open-mouthed, while Rough'un went at them in a way full of guile, hanging his head down, and keeping his nose close to the ground, as if in search of something he had lost. He never seemed to be taking the slightest notice of the vultures, even turning his head away, but all the time he was sidling nearer and nearer, till feeling that he was within easy reach, he would make a dash at the nearest bird.

But Rough'un succeeded no better than Pompey and his brethren, for the vultures would take a few hops, spread their wings, and float up in the air, as the dog rushed under them, leaving him barking most furiously at the birds as they went.

"Ah, they're avil-looking birruds, thim vultures," said Dinny, "and we'd never suffer 'em in ould Oireland. Shure, Saint Pathrick would have dhruv out ivery mother's son of 'em before he'd set his foot in the counthry. They're avil-looking bastes. I'll be asking the masther to lind me a gun, and I'll go out shooting of 'em."

"I don't think father will let you, Dinny," replied d.i.c.k. "They're very useful in their way, and clear off all the foul decaying carcases of the animals that die on the plains."

"Shure and the flies would do all that a dale nater and claner," cried Dinny. "And, oh, murther, Masther d.i.c.k, but it's hard work to keep the flies off the mate out here. They come in shwarms, and I'm doing nothing all day but kill 'em. I say, Masther d.i.c.k, dear, whin are we going back?"

"Going back?" cried d.i.c.k. "I don't know. Not yet for months, I hope."

"Oh, murther, an' what'll become of us all? Sure we're never going near any more of thim rivers, Masther d.i.c.k?"

"But we are, Dinny, we're trekking straight for one now."

"Not one with thim murthering crocodivils in it, Masther d.i.c.k?"

"Yes, Dinny; the Zambesi swarms with them, I believe, and they run very large."

"Och, mother, mother! and it's a good thing ye don't know where yer poor boy is all among black haythens, and lines, and crocodivils, and other foreign bastes of prey. I niver thought I'd come to such a thing as this. Shure it's a horrid counthry altogether."

"I think it a grand country, Dinny," cried d.i.c.k; "and I shall ask father to stop out here for long enough."

"Ah, be aisy, Masther d.i.c.k, dear, and don't demane yerself to stop out here among the dirty blacks. Shure ye're meant for better things. Jist think of it, darlin', out here in the wildherness all these long months, and never once tasted mutton or beef."

"But you've been living on prime venison and other game, Dinny."

"An' is it living ye call it--aiting thim bucks and doe things, like a black, or a wild baste?" said Dinny in tones of contempt. "Not so much as a pitaytie even or a pay. Shure I call it shtarving," grumbled Dinny. "Look at that now."

"That" was poor Coffee, who was so much better that he had been out once or twice upon short hunting expeditions, and was now tramping behind the waggon with his brother, engaged in what cannot better be described than as a game of romps with the dogs.

For these welcomed the advances of the Zulu boys with delight, racing and careering round them, making fierce attacks, and allowing themselves to be seized and thumped and rolled over, in what at times was a regular tangle of dogs and boys, after which there was a run to overtake the waggon.

Dinny, in spite of his grumbling, was a good deal pleased upon this day, for the route of the waggon took them by several salt-pools, whose waters the dogs rushed to lap, but came back shaking their heads and barking furiously, growling at d.i.c.k and Jack, who laughed at them, as if they were resenting a trick that had been played at their expense.

These salt-pools were very interesting, the salt forming in quite a crust, like ice, some inches below the surface; while to the surprise of Mr Rogers, he found beautiful palm and the queerly-shaped baobab-trees, flourishing in the salt-impregnated soil.

The long weary trek brought them in sight of the fine broad river along whose banks they had now to journey till they reached the black king's town; and they had not gone far before they saw in the distance a couple of canoes upon the water, while directly afterwards they pa.s.sed a clump of trees and came upon a fishing-party, three of the number being in a large dug-out canoe, the other upon a ma.s.s of rock surrounded by reeds.

So intent were the fishermen upon their work amongst the great water-lilies that dotted the quiet surface of the river close in sh.o.r.e, that they did not see the approach of d.i.c.k and Jack, closely followed by Mr Rogers to protect them from harm. The sight was so novel that the young Englishmen stood still amongst the reeds watching the blacks, one of whom managed the canoe by means of a pole, while the others watched their opportunity, and then darted their long slender fish-spears down into the transparent water, and several times over brought up a good-sized fish.

They were strong, well-built savages, whose belief in clothing went as far as a little ap.r.o.n; and one of them had his hair carefully twisted, and tied up into an absurd-looking pigtail, which stood straight up from the back of his head.

The English party stood watching them for some minutes, and then advanced towards the sh.o.r.e, making signs. But the moment their presence was discovered the men in the canoe uttered a shout, and their companion on the sh.o.r.e plunged into the water to join them, the whole party paddling rapidly off as soon as their companion was hauled in to the bottom of their canoe, a feat not performed except at great risk of overturning the heavy clumsily-formed boat.

The General was beckoned up to join them by Mr Rogers, but they paid no more heed to him than to the Englishman, their sole thought being how best they could make their escape.

"They'll go and announce our coming as that of enemies, I suppose," said Mr Rogers, who longed for a better knowledge of the people's tongue.

There was no help for it; and as decidedly the best plan was to journey through on to the royal city, the waggon was kept going, and that night they camped at a short distance from the river, hearing no lions. But as they sat by their watch-fire, there was a peculiar hoa.r.s.e loud bellowing noise, evidently coming from the river-side.

As very often happened to be the case when there was anything unusual heard, Dinny was sitting with Jack keeping the first watch, and a good blazing fire.

"Hark at that now!" he said. "Hark at that, Masther Jack!"

And he half rose and made as if to flee to the shelter of the waggon.

"Yes, I heard it, Dinny," said Jack quietly. "It was pretty loud wasn't it?"

"Loud, Masther Jack? It was horrid, shure! And why don't ye shoot?"

"Because there's nothing to shoot at."

"Nothing to shute at? Jist hark at him! Why, there it is again."