The Young Yagers Part 26

Hans pointed out a very singular bird that was flying about the meadow, and was every now and then uttering a note that sounded like the word "edolio." From this note the bird derives its name, just as in England the "cuckoo" is named from its peculiar call, and in France "coucou."

Now the _edolio_ of South Africa is also a cuckoo; and although differing from our cuckoo in some respects, it has a great resemblance to it in others. It has the same parasite peculiarity of depositing its eggs in the nests of other birds, and leaving them to be hatched there; and its other habits are very similar to those of the common cuckoo.

But there are some very curious points in the history of the "edolio,"

which it does not share with its European congener. Among the boors of South Africa it is known as the "New year's day bird," (Niuwe jaars vogel,) and these simple people ascribe to it some wonderful characteristics. They say that it appears only at the beginning of the year--whence the name "new year's day bird"--and that whenever it is hungry it commences to cry out, and then all the little birds in the immediate neighbourhood fly towards it, carrying food, which they give it to eat!

Now all the young yagers, as well as Congo the Kaffir and Swartboy the Bushman, were well acquainted with this story; and all, with the exception of Hans, believed it to be true. Hans, however, knew the explanation of the marvellous matter, and proceeded to give it to his companions.

He stated that the bird known among the farmers as the _Niuwe jaars vogel_, was no other than the young of the "edolio" (_Cuculus serratus_)--though the farmers would not believe this, because, although full fledged, it differs a good deal from the parent birds both in size and colour, and is therefore taken for a distinct kind. That the mystery of its appearing always on the first day of the year, was scarce a fable after all, as it was _about_ that time that young edolios obtained their full feathers, and commenced flying about. That the further statement, of its crying out when hungry, was perfectly true; but that _all_ the small birds in the neighbourhood were summoned by its cry, was not correct, although _some_ would be, viz: the step-mother and father that had brought it into life; and that these having been often seen in the act of feeding the young edolio had given origin to the fable. This was certainly a very good explanation.

Hans further stated that a similar belief existed among the natives of India, in relation to the large-billed cuckoo, (_Eudynamis orientalis_), and that the belief had a similar origin.

"The edolio," continued Hans, "like the cuckoo, deposits its eggs in the nest of many species of small birds; and that it places them there with its beak, and not in the ordinary way, has been satisfactorily determined by naturalists."

CHAPTER FORTY TWO.

ROOYEBOK.

As our travellers advanced up-stream, the wide level plains became narrowed into mere stripes of meadow that lay along both sides of the river. On both sides, and not a great distance off, wood-covered mountains trended parallel to the course of the stream. Sometimes their spurs approached very near to the banks--so as to divide the bottom land into a series of valleys, that rose like terraces one above the other.

Each of these was a separate plain, stretching from the river's bank to the rocky foot of the mountain.

Nearly every one of them was tenanted with game of one sort or another-- such as had already been met with on the route--but beyond killing enough to keep their larder supplied with fresh meat, our party did not make any stay to hunt here. The guide had informed them, that beyond the mountain where the river took its rise lay the country of the elephant, the buffalo, and the giraffe; and in hopes of reaching this long-expected land, the sight of a herd of springboks, or gnoos, or blauw-boks, or even elands, had little more interest for the young yagers than if it had been a drove of tame oxen.

Ascending into one of the upper valleys, however, they came suddenly in view of a herd of antelopes whose forms and colours distinguished them from any our hunters had yet met with. This at once decided them to halt the wagons, and prepare for a chase.

That the animals seen were antelopes, there could be no mistake. They had all the grace and lightness of form peculiar to these creatures; besides, their horns were conspicuously characteristic. Their appearance bespoke them to be true antelopes.

They were large ones too--that is, of medium size--about as large as red deer; but of course small when compared with such species as the blauw-bok or the huge eland. Each would have measured nearly three feet and a half in height--and even a little more, over the croup--for although there are some antelopes, such as those of the _acronotine_ group--the "hartebeest," "sa.s.sabye," and "bekr-el-wash"--that stand lower at the croup than the shoulders, the reverse is the case with other species; and those now before the eyes of our hunters possessed the latter characteristic. They stood high at the croup.

None of the yagers had ever seen one of the kind before; and yet, the moment they came under view, both Hendrik and Groot Willem cried out--

"Rooyebok!"

"How know you that they are rooyebok?" demanded Hans.

"From their colour, of course," replied the others.

The colour of these antelopes was a deep fulvous red over the head, neck, and upper parts of the body; paler along the sides; and under the belly pure white. There were some black marks--such as a stripe of black down each b.u.t.tock, and also along the upper part of the tail--but the general colour of the animals was bright red; hence their being taken for "rooyebok," or "red-bucks," by Hendrik and Groot Willem.

"The colour is not a good criterion," remarked Hans. "They might as well have been 'grysbok,' or 'steinbok,' or 'rooye rheebok,' for the matter of colour. I judge by the horns, however, that you are right in your guess. They _are_ rooyebok, or, as the Bechuanas call them, 'pallah,' and, as naturalists style them, _Antilope melampus_."

All looked at the horns as Hans spoke, and saw that these were full twenty inches in length, and somewhat like those of the springbok, but more irregularly lyrate. The two nearly met at their tips, whereas at their middle they were full twelve inches apart. This was a characteristic by which they could easily be remembered, and it had enabled Hans at once to p.r.o.nounce upon the species.

Strange to say, there was but one pair of full-grown horns in the whole herd, for there was but one old buck, and the does of the pallah are hornless. A "herd" is hardly a proper term; for this species of antelope cannot be called gregarious. What our hunters saw before them was a _family_ of rooyeboks, consisting of the old male, his wives, and several young bucks and does--in all, only eleven in number.

Our hunters knew, from what they had heard, that the rooyebok is both a shy and swift antelope--difficult either to be approached or run down.

It would be necessary, therefore, to adopt some plan of proceeding, else they would not succeed in getting one of them; and they had fixed their minds most covetously on the large knotted horns of the buck. They halted the wagons to await the result of the chase; though the oxen were not to be outspanned, unless it should prove successful. If so, they would camp upon the ground for the night--so as to enable them to dress the meat, and preserve the "trophies." With such resolves, they made ready to hunt the pallah.

Upon first coming in sight of the rooyebok, the hunters were upon the crest of a high ridge--one of the mountain-spurs, that divided the valley they had just traversed from that in which the red antelopes were feeding. From the eminence they occupied, they commanded a view of this valley to its farthest border, and could see its whole surface, except a small strip on the nearer side, which was hidden from them by the brow of the ridge on which they stood.

Around the sides of the valley there were trees and bushes; though these did not form a continued grove, but only grew in detached clumps and patches. All the central ground, where the pallahs were feeding, was open, and quite dest.i.tute of either bush or cover of any kind. Between the bordering groves there was long gra.s.s; and, by the aid of this, a skilled hunter might have crept from one grove to another, without attracting the attention of the antelopes.

It was decided, therefore, that Hendrik and Groot Willem should steal round to the other end of the valley, keeping under cover of the thickets and gra.s.s. Then the pallahs would be between two fires, as they must either go up or down the valley in trying to escape. On the right lay the steep mountain; on the left, the deep rapid river. They would not likely attempt to move off on either hand. So this design to intercept them was good enough.

The horses were now tied to trees and left on the back of the ridge, while the hunters moved forward upon the brow that overhung the valley.

They had not advanced far before that part of the valley hitherto unseen came under their eyes, and there, to their astonishment, another herd of animals appeared; not of antelopes--although, from their colour, they might have been mistaken for such. No--the short round heads, elongated bodies, thick ma.s.sive limbs, and long tufted tails, told at a glance, that it was no herd of peaceful ruminants the hunters were gazing upon, but an a.s.semblage of dreaded _carnivora_--a troop of lions!

CHAPTER FORTY THREE.

FOUR-FOOTED HUNTERS.

There were twelve lions in the troop--old males, females, and whelps of different ages! A terrific spectacle to look upon, in any other way than through the bars of a cage, or out of a third story window. But our young yagers beheld them on an open plain, and at the dangerous proximity of three hundred yards!

It is needless to say that a sudden stop was put to their advance, and that every one of the six was more or less alarmed. Although they knew that, as a general rule, the lion will not attack man without provocation, it might be different where such a number were together.

Twelve lions would have made short work of them, one and all. No wonder the young hunters trembled at sight of such a troop, and so near; for the brow of the ridge, running abruptly down to the plain, was all that lay between them and the dreaded a.s.semblage. A few bounds would have brought the lions to the spot on which they stood!

After the first moments of surprise and alarm had pa.s.sed, the yagers bethought themselves how to act. Of course, the pallahs were driven completely out of their mind, and all ideas of a hunt given up. To have descended into that valley, would have been to have encountered twice their own number of lions: older hunters than they would have shied off from such an encounter. They did not think for a moment of going farther, nor, indeed, of any thing but retreating; and it cannot be said that they _thought_ of that, for it was the instinct of the moment.

"Back to our horses!" whispered they to one another, the moment they set their eyes on the lions; and, without staying to contemplate the fearful group, all six stole back; and, in less than two minutes' time, were seated in their saddles.

Their presence had not been discovered by the lions. Two circ.u.mstances had favoured the boys, and prevented this. The ridge over which they were pa.s.sing was covered with underwood, and the "bosch," reaching as high as their heads, had sheltered them from view. The other circ.u.mstance in their favour was that the wind was blowing _down_ the valley, and therefore, _from_ the lions and towards themselves. Had it been otherwise, they would have been scented, and of course, discovered.

Still another circ.u.mstance--the hunters had been advancing in silence, on account of the design they had formed of stalking the pallahs. The lions, therefore, still remained ignorant of their proximity. Once on horseback our party felt secure, and soon got over their little "flurry." Each knew that the n.o.ble creature that carried him, could give any lion the heels. Even the ponies of Klaas and Jan could run away from the fastest lion in Africa. Once mounted, all felt that the danger was over.

The hunters, Hendrik and Groot Willem, were not satisfied to retreat in this way. They were resolved on at least, having another "peep" at the dangerous game; and, therefore, prepared to return to their former point of observation, of course this time on horseback. Hans also felt a similar inclination--from the desire to study a chapter of natural history--and Arend would go out of curiosity. It was not deemed safe to take Klaas or Jan along; so these two youngsters were unceremoniously sent back to the wagons, that had been halted in the lower valley near the bottom of the hill.

The other four rode slowly and silently forward, until they came once more in view of the valley, the herd of pallahs, and the troop of lions.

The antelopes were still feeding quietly near the centre of the open ground. The lions were as yet on the ground, where they had been first observed. That the pallahs knew nothing of the proximity of their dangerous neighbours was very evident, else they would not have been moving so sedately along the sward. They had no suspicion that an enemy was near. The lions were in the lower end of the valley, and therefore to leeward of them--for the wind was blowing fair downstream, and came right in the faces of the hunters. A thicket, moreover, screened the lions from the eyes of the herd.

It was equally evident that the beasts of prey were well aware of the presence of the rooyeboks. Their actions proved this. At short intervals one trotted to the edge of the "bosch," in crouching att.i.tude, looked out to the open plain, and after a moment or two returned to his companions, just as if he had been sent to "report." The old males and the lionesses stood in a thick clump, and seemed to be holding a consultation! The boys had not a doubt but that they were doing this very thing, and that the subject of their deliberation was the rooyebok herd.

At length the "council" appeared to break up. The troop separated, each taking a different direction. Some went along the bottom of the valley, while several were seen to proceed towards the mountain foot.

When these last had reached the groves before mentioned, they turned upwards; and one after another were seen crouching from clump to clump, crawling along upon their bellies, as they pa.s.sed through the long gra.s.s, and evidently trying to shelter themselves from the view of the pallahs.

Their object now became clear. They were proceeding to the upper end of the valley, with the design of driving the game upon those that had remained below--in fact, carrying out the identical plan which the hunters themselves had projected but the moment before! The boys marvelled at this singular coincidence; and as they sat in their saddles they could not help admiring the skill with which their _rivals_ were carrying out their own plan.

Those--three there were--that had gone skulking up the edge of the valley, were soon out of sight--hidden under the "bosch" that grew at the opposite end, and which they had been seen to enter. Meanwhile, the other nine had spread themselves along the bottom of the valley, each taking station under cover of the bushes and long gra.s.s. The trap was now fairly set.

For a few minutes no movement was observed on the part either of lions or pallahs. The former lay crouched and stealthily watching the herd-- the latter browsed peacefully along the sward, perfectly unconscious of the plot that was "thickening" around them.

Something at this moment seemed to render them suspicious. They appeared to suspect that there was danger threatening. The buck raised his head; looked around him; uttered a hiss, somewhat like the whistling of deer; and struck the ground a smart rap or two with his hoof. The others left off browsing, and several of them were seen to bound up into the air--after the very singular manner of springboks.

No doubt they had scented the lions, now at the upper end of the valley--as the breeze from that quarter blew directly towards the herd.