Hair-Breadth Escapes: The Adventures of Three Boys in South Africa

by H. C. Adams

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

  THE STRANGER'S STORY--GEORGE SCHMIDT--IMPORTANT NEWS--THE COMMANDOSYSTEM--THE ROOT OF THE MATTER--A BAND OF MARAUDERS.

  "Have you practised your profession in this country for very long?"asked Nick of their visitor, as they sat over their supper an hour ortwo later in the evening.

  The latter smiled. "Yes," he answered, "for nearly fifteen years. Butare you sure you know what my profession is?"

  "Are you not a doctor?" rejoined his questioner.

  "Well, I suppose I may call myself a doctor," was the reply, "but aphysician of the soul, not of the body--though, as you have seen, I havepicked up a little knowledge of body-curing too, in the course of mytravels."

  "A missionary!" exclaimed Warley. "I am so glad. I have been so hopingthat we might fall in with one. But we were told that there had neverbeen more than a very few in Southern Africa, and even they had now leftit."

  "I am sorry to say you heard no more than the truth," said the stranger."But I trust there is a better prospect now."

  "I am glad to hear it," observed Lavie. "I guessed what your employmentwas, and was afraid you might be in trouble, if not in danger. When Ileft Cape Town two years ago--"

  "Ah, you have resided in Cape Town. Then you will know something ofwhat our trials and discouragements have been. But no one but themissionaries themselves can really enter into them."

  "I wish you would give us your experiences," said Lavie. "As you say,in the colony there is a very confused and imperfect knowledge of yourproceedings: and there is, besides, so large an amount of prejudice onthe subject, that even those most favourably inclined towards you, haveheard, I doubt not, a most unfair version of it."

  Warley eagerly seconded this proposal, and the stranger, who seemedwilling enough to comply with their wishes, began his recital.

  "I should tell you first," he said, "what perhaps you have guessed--thatI am, by descent, half English and half Dutch. Our family name wasBlandford, and we were owners of large property in one of the southerncounties; but it was forfeited in consequence of our determinedadherence to the house of Stuart. After the unfortunate issue of theattempt in 1745, we were obliged to leave England, and took up ourresidence in Holland; where my father married the daughter of a Dutchmerchant, named De Walden, whose name he thenceforth adopted.

  "As the hopes of the restoration of the exiled family grew ever less andless, my father entered with more interest into his father-in-law'sbusiness. The latter carried on a brisk trade with the Cape of GoodHope, and thither I was sent, when barely twenty-one, as one of thejunior partners in the house. I resided for many years at Stellenbosch,occasionally passing months together at Klyberg, a large farm in thenorth of the colony, not far from the Gariep, or the Orange river, as ithas since been named."

  "Not very far from where we are now, in fact," observed Lavie.

  "It was nearer to the west coast than this," said De Walden, "by somehundreds of miles, and the country was very fertile. Both atStellenbosch and Klyberg we employed a great number of Hottentots asslaves. Our treatment of them I shall remember with shame and grief tothe last day of my life!" He paused from emotion. And Lavie said--

  "You were not different, I suppose, in your treatment of them from yourneighbours?"

  "Unhappily, no. But that is small comfort. It seems wonderful to menow, with my present feelings, how I could have accepted withoutquestioning, as I did, the opinions of those about me on the subject.We entertained the notion that the natives were an inferior race toourselves, intended by Providence to be kept in a condition ofservitude, as the sheep and oxen were; to be kindly treated if they weredocile and industrious; to be subdued and punished if refractory."

  "That is, of course, a perverted view," said the doctor, "but still noone, who has seen much of these races, can doubt their inferiority, orthe necessity of their being instructed and kept in control by thewhites."

  "Granted," said the missionary. "The whites had, in fact, a mission oflove and mercy entrusted to them. They ought to have taught thenatives, and raised them gradually to a level with themselves. But wenever taught or raised them. On the contrary, our persistentdetermination was to keep them down. We dreaded their acquiringknowledge; and looked with jealousy and dislike upon some earnest anddevoted men, who had come from Europe for the purpose of enlighteningthem."

  "Did you come across George Schmidt, sir?" inquired Warley, with aneagerness of manner which attracted De Walden's attention. "I have readabout him, and have been anxious to meet some one who knew him."

  "Yes," said De Walden, "to my shame, I did. One of the first things Iremember, after my arrival at Klyberg, was an outburst of anger becausethe good and holy man you name had baptised one of his converts. Youmay well look surprised, but so it was. By the law of the Cape, nobaptised person could be a slave; so that the baptism of a Hottentot hadthe effect of manumitting him. Of course the law was a mistake, andought to have been altered. A slave, as Saint Paul has emphaticallytaught us, may be as true a Christian as his master. But the Dutch hadno thought of altering the law, and were resolved rather to keep theirslaves in heathen darkness than lose their services."

  "That is much what I read," said Warley; "and Schmidt was obliged toleave the colony, was he not?"

  "He was, and never returned to it, though he earnestly longed and prayedthat he might. His prayer was heard after his death, and his spiritreturned in the faithful band of servants, who were raised up to carryon his work. I never saw _George_ Schmidt while in Africa. I had nowish to do so. His name was a by-word of reproach on my lips. Butafterwards, while I was in Holland, during a three years' absence fromthe colony, I did encounter him."

  The speaker paused for a few minutes, and then resumed. "I shall neverforget our meeting. I was passing through one of the towns on theRhine, when I saw a notice that George Schmidt would deliver a discourseabout South African Missions, and endeavour to raise funds for carryingthem on. I determined to go to the meeting, expose the falsehood andcalumnies which I should be sure to hear, and raise such a tumult aswould put a stop to him and his doings. I went and I heard him. Whatwe read in the Bible of men forsaking all and following Christ--whichhad always seemed so difficult to be believed--came home to me in allits vividness. I was carried away by his simple eloquence. I washumbled, conscience-stricken, filled suddenly and for ever with a newpurpose in life. I went to him as soon as the meeting was over, toldhim who I was, and asked his forgiveness for what I and mine had done tothwart and grieve him."

  "And he welcomed you kindly, doubtless?" said Lavie.

  "Yes, like himself I remained in Holland, and used every means in mypower to obtain the leave to renew his mission, which he was seekingfrom the Government. My family remonstrated against the course I waspursuing, and finding that I was not to be moved, renounced allconnection with me. I cared little for that; but the failure of myapplications to the authorities distressed me much more than it didSchmidt; who closed his eyes, in extreme old age, fully assured that theprayer of his life would soon be granted."

  "And it was, was it not?" asked Warley.

  "Yes. In 1792 we obtained the long-desired permission. I was one ofthose who accompanied Marsveld and his colleagues to South Africa. Iwell remember the day when we visited Bavian's kloof, which had been thescene of George Schmidt's labours, broken off nearly fifty years before.There were the remains of the school he had built, and the cottage inwhich he had dwelt--all in ruins, but sacred in our eyes as the homes inwhich we had been born. There was the pear tree which he had planted,now a strong and lofty tree. Above all, there were the remains of theflock he brought into the Redeemer's fold--one or two aged servants ofChrist whom he had instructed in the faith, and who had retained thememory of his lessons through fifty years of darkness!"

  "The Dutch did not interfere with you any further, did they, sir?" askedErnest.

  "Not as they had done before, but they discouraged us indirectly inevery
possible way. They would never suffer us to build a church, inwhich to carry on our worship; and it was not until the English tookpossession of the Cape that we were able to do so."

  "You were not interfered with during the time of the English occupation,I believe," said Lavie.

  "No, if anything, helped and encouraged. When the colony was restoredto the Dutch three years ago, another attempt was made to turn us out ofthe colony. But English rule had produced its effect on public opinion,and nothing open was attempted. The system pursued by the Dutch farmerswas, nevertheless, so obstructive, that I thought it better to give upmy mission to the Hottentots, and betake myself to a different part ofthe colony, where I have been living for the last two years."

  "And where are you going now?" asked Warley.

  "Back to the Hottentots. The English Government will protect me,doubtless, as it did before, and I shall have every reasonable hope ofsucceeding."

  "The English Government!" repeated Nick, hastily. "Have the Englishretaken the colony!"

  De Walden looked at him with surprise. "Do you not know," he said,"that on the 10th of January last, Cape Town was surrendered to theEnglish? By this time, I should imagine, the whole of the Dutch troopshave left the colony."

  "No," said Lavie, "we did not know it, though we are not much surprisedto hear it. When we left England, there was some talk of sending out anexpedition to recover the Cape. But the Government kept theirintentions very secret. The Hottentots, among whom we have been livingfor several weeks, had heard of the approach of a British fleet, butknew nothing as to the issue of the expedition. So the Dutch have lostthe colony again, have they?"

  "Yes," said the missionary; "and they will never regain it. The trusthas been reposed in their hands for many generations, and they havebetrayed it, and the colony is handed over to another people. For theirown sakes, may they fulfil it better!"

  "You are right," said Lavie; "as the New World was given to Spain, andwhen Spain abused the gift, it was taken from her; so have the Dutchreceived, and so have they forfeited, their South African dominions."

  "You speak well," said De Walden. "The parallel you suggest is verymuch to the purpose. One's blood boils when one reads of thebarbarities practised on the defenceless Indians by Cortez and hisfellows; on the monstrous violations of justice, mercy, and good faithwhich Pizarro displayed in his dealings with the simple-heartedPeruvians. But neither Cortez nor Pizarro ever perpetrated more unjustor inhuman deeds, than have the Dutch boors during the century and ahalf of their possession."

  The doctor shook his head as he heard this assertion. "That is stronglanguage, Mr De Walden," he said. "I go along with you in nearly allthat you have said, but not that. You refer, I suppose, to the commandosystem?"

  "Mainly to that, but not entirely."

  "Very well. I speak under correction, but I understand the commandosystem to be this. When property is continually and persistently stolenby the Hottentots and Bushmen, and no peaceable measures can secure itsrestoration, the whites in the neighbourhood are summoned to assist atan armed attempt at its recovery. They march into the domains of therobbers, seize the cattle or other property which has been plundered, oran equivalent, punish the robbers, according to the amount of theoffence, and then return home. Is that a correct statement?"

  "Theoretically, very fairly correct."

  "Well, where is the injustice? Those who will recognise no law butforce, must take their first lesson under that law. A savage has tolearn that he must respect the rights and feelings of others. That isthe foundation of all social order. Until he has learned it, you cannotcivilise him."

  "Granted. But the means you take are not the right ones. In the firstplace, who gave the Dutch settlers the right to the land or the cattle?They found the Hottentot and Bushman in possession. What equivalent didthey give them for their land? They were savages, you will say, andcould not appreciate its value. True, but the Dutchmen could. Did theynot take advantage of the ignorance of the aboriginals to gainpossession, on ridiculously cheap terms, of their property. If so, therights of which you speak are founded on fraud and extortion, and are,in fact, no rights at all, but simply wrongs."

  "Do you mean that there can be no dealings at all between civilisedraces and savages?"

  "By no means. If the civilised trader is an honest man, he willappraise the land at its true value, and hold it in trust for thevendor."

  "How hold it in trust?"

  "He will remember that he cannot pay the fair purchase-money down, andtherefore hold it for the seller, till he can pay it. He will remember,that the seller was supported off the land previously to its sale, andought to be supported still by it, or its proceeds, or the bargaincannot have been a fair one. He will therefore supply the natives withfood, if in need; will help them to live; will feel bound to furnish themeans of instructing them; will show infinite forbearance, until theyare instructed. He will be sensible that he cannot wash his hands clearof them as he might, in a civilised country, of men, who had sold himland at market price."

  "And what, if such forbearance produced no other result than increasedlawlessness and treachery?"

  "You have, first, to show that it would produce it. And you would havesome difficulty in doing that. When that mode of dealing withaboriginals has been fairly tried and has failed, then you may ask yourquestion. But when has it ever been tried? I have striven to impressthe truths of the Gospel on the Hottentots and the Bushmen, and I havefailed; but why? Not because they could not understand the Gospel, orbecause they hated it; but because those who professed it did notthemselves act up to it--did not, in fact, themselves really believe it.Look you here. A tribe of Bushmen have been in the habit of rangingover a large tract of country, and killing game, wherever they could,for their support. They regarded that as their natural right; and whoshall say it was not? Well, some persons, of whom they have neverheard, make some bargain with some of their neighbours orfellow-countrymen, and they find themselves suddenly deprived of therights which they and their fathers have enjoyed from immemorial time.They traverse their old hunting-grounds and kill the first cattle theyfall in with, as they have been ever wont to do; and for so doing, theirvillages are attacked by night, their huts burnt, their propertydestroyed, themselves, their wives and children, enslaved or murdered!Whatever sense of natural justice they may possess, must be outraged bysuch acts."

  "I think I see. The natives have a right to be taught and cared for, inreturn for their possessions."

  "Yes. And if this is not done, the settlers have no justification forpossessing themselves of their land at all. By settling in the country,they make themselves the fellow-citizens of the aboriginals, and arebound to treat them as such. If they cannot fulfil the duties ofcitizens towards them, rather let them give up their lands and quit thecountry, than provoke God by high-handed violence and injustice. Thepolicy of continually driving the heathen further and further away, isonly one degree less detestable than exterminating them at once."

  "And you think the natives could be converted to Christianity, if yourprogramme were followed? I have heard men doubt it, whose reputationfor wisdom stands high."

  "I dare say. But what is man's opinion worth in such a matter? Has notGod made mankind all of one blood? Did not Christ die for all? Are weto believe that He did not understand His own work? We must do so, ifwe believe that there is any nation on the face of the earth, whichcould not accept the Gospel But it is growing late. I will visit mypatient once more before lying down to rest. He may want another dose,but I hardly think it."

  They repaired accordingly to Wilmore's bed, and were glad to find him ina calm deep sleep, which they did not disturb. The fire was thenreplenished, and Warley having undertaken to keep watch during the firstpart of the night, the others lay down under the shadow of the palmtrees and were soon sound asleep.

  Ernest sat over the fire, with his rifle in his hand, buried in deepthought. Always of a grave turn of mi
nd, the events of the last fewweeks had made him a man before his time. His life during that time hadbeen one of continual peril, and three times at least he had had thenarrowest possible escape from a dreadful death. He felt--as all men ofany strength of character always do feel under such circumstances--thathis life had been preserved for some high and worthy purpose, and theconversation of the stranger missionary had impressed the same truthmore forcibly upon him. He had always had an inclination for the lifeof a clergyman; its only objection in his eyes being the dull routine ofcommonplace duties; which, however worthy in themselves, did not satisfyhis longing for enterprise and action But in Mr De Walden's career, allthat he thirsted after seemed to be realised. He felt that if thelatter would consent to take him as a helper in the work he had now inhand, he should prefer it to any other lot that life could offer him.But then there was the difficulty about money. He must have some meansof living, and the life of a missionary in Africa would not supply any,not even the barest necessaries. Mr De Walden, it was evident, didpossess some private income; but it might not be enough to support two;and even if it should be, he could hardly ask him, a total stranger, tobestow it on him. There was his brother, who might allow him justenough to start him in business. So at least he had intimated. But itwas unlikely that he would give him a farthing if he turned missionary--a calling especially odious in the eyes of the residents at Cape Town atthat time. Besides, Ernest had always felt the greatest repugnance totaking Hubert's money. No, he feared he must give it up--for thepresent at all events. He must take the Indian clerkship, which Laviehad told him he thought he could get for him. He might save money, andthen later in life perhaps--

  As he sat brooding over these thoughts with his arm resting on some pineboughs which he had gathered, he was startled by seeing a dark objectcrawling out of a bush at no great distance. It passed across thepathway, and was hidden in the scrub on the other side before he hadtime to look fixedly at it. It occurred to him at once, that it mightbe one of the large black snakes which infest that country, and whosebite was said to be extremely dangerous. He paused a moment in doubt.He could still distinguish the black mass in the shrub though veryimperfectly. Should he fire at it and take the chance of killing orcrippling it. Well, he might miss, and if so, there would be a shotthrown away; Frank would certainly be woke up, and it was most importantfor him to get a sound night's rest. At all events he would see theobject, whatever it might be, by a clearer light before firing. Hecocked his gun and rested it against his knee. Then taking a handful ofdry fir leaves, he threw them on the fire which had sunk somewhat low.A bright blaze sprung up, and showed in strong relief the stems of thepalms and the thickets of scrub around them. But the black mass onwhich his eye was fixed was hidden by the shadow of a large tree, and hecould not determine with any certainty its outline, before the blaze hadsank again. Presently he felt something creep stealthily past him, andLion stirred uneasily in his sleep. He seized another and a larger heapof pine leaves; but before he could throw it on the fire, he felt hisgun seized in a gentle, but firm, grasp by the muzzle, and graduallydrawn away from him. Before he could recover from his surprise, thelock caught against a tuft of weed and exploded. The report wasfollowed by a yell of rage and pain, and at the same moment Lion sprangforward. All the party, except Frank, were instantly on their legs, andDe Walden, with ready presence of mind, caught up a pine bough andthrust it among the embers. It soon burst out into a flame and showed adark-skinned savage extended on the ground, a second struggling in thegrip of Lion, while several more were hurrying away in all directions.

  "Those Kaffirs have tracked me, after all," he muttered. "I thought Ihad got rid of them, but it is next to impossible to do so. Well, letus see whether they are much hurt."

  Lavie and Warley had by this time obliged Lion to relax his hold, and itwas found that the man he had seized had only sustained a few slightinjuries from the dog's teeth. The other was bleeding from a gun-shotwound, but that too was not dangerous.

  "They are neither of them really hurt," said Lavie; "but we mustquestion them to-morrow, and meanwhile take care they don't escape." Hetook some strong leathern thongs, which De Walden handed him from hiswallet, and with these dexterously tied their hands and legs. Thendesiring Lion to watch them, he lay down again and was soon fast asleep.Warley followed his example, but the other two kept watch till sunrise.