Popular Adventure Tales

by Mayne Reid

  CHAPTER XXVIII.

  THE MISSING HUNTER, AND THE WILDEBEESTS.

  A well-known proverb says that "misfortunes seldom come single."

  On nearing the camp, the hunters could perceive that all was not rightthere. They saw Totty with Trueey and Jan standing by the head of theladder; but there was something in their manner that told that all wasnot right. Where was Hans?

  As soon as the hunters came in sight, Jan and Trueey ran down the rounds,and out to meet them. There was that in their glances that bespoke illtidings, and their words soon confirmed this conjecture.

  Hans was not there--he had gone away hours ago--they knew not where,they feared something had happened to him,--they feared he was lost!

  "But what took him away from the camp?" asked Von Bloom, surprised andtroubled at the news.

  That, and only that could they answer. A number of odd-lookinganimals--very odd-looking, the children said,--had come to the vley todrink. Hans had taken his gun and followed them in a great hurry,telling Trueey and Jan to keep in the tree, and not come down until hereturned. He would be gone only a very little while, and they needn'tfear.

  This was all they knew. They could not even tell what direction he hadtaken. He went by the lower end of the vley; but soon the bushes hid himfrom their view, and they saw no more of him.

  "At what time was it?"

  It was many hours ago,--in the morning in fact,--not long after thehunters themselves had started. When he did not return the children grewuneasy; but they thought he had fallen in with papa and Hendrik, and washelping them to hunt; and that was the reason why he stayed so long.

  "Had they heard any report of a gun?"

  No--they had listened for that, but heard none. The animals had goneaway before Hans could get his gun ready; and they supposed he had tofollow some distance, before he could overtake them--that might be thereason they had heard no shot.

  "What sort of animals were they?"

  They had all seen them plain enough, as they drank. They had never seenany of the kind before. They were large animals of a yellow-browncolour, with shaggy manes, and long tufts of hair growing out of theirbreasts, and hanging down between their fore-legs. They were as big asponies, said Jan, and very like ponies. They curvetted and capered aboutjust as ponies do sometimes. Trueey thought that they looked more likelions!

  "Lions!" ejaculated her father and Hendrik, with an accent thatbetokened alarm.

  Indeed, they reminded her of lions, Trueey again affirmed, and Totty saidthe same.

  "How many were there of them?"

  "Oh! a great drove, not less than fifty." They could not have countedthem, as they were constantly in motion, galloping from place to place,and butting each other with their horns.

  "Ha! they had horns then?" interrogated Von Bloom, relieved by thisannouncement.

  Certainly they had horns, replied all three.

  They had seen the horns, sharp-pointed ones, which first came down, andthen turned upwards in front of the animals' faces. They had manes too,Jan affirmed; and thick necks that curved like that of a beautifulhorse; and tufts of hair like brushes upon their noses; and nice roundbodies like ponies, and long white tails that reached near the ground,just like the tails of ponies, and finely-shaped limbs as ponies have.

  "I tell you," continued Jan, with emphasis, "if it hadn't been for theirhorns and the brushes of long hair upon their breasts and noses, I'dhave taken them for ponies before anything. They galloped about justlike ponies when playing, and ran with their heads down, curving theirnecks and tossing their manes,--aye, and snorting too, as I've heardponies; but sometimes they bellowed more like bulls; and, I confess,they looked a good deal like bulls about the head; besides I noticedthey had hoofs split like cattle. Oh! I had a good look at them whileHans was loading his gun. They stayed by the water till he was nearlyready; and when they galloped off, they went in a long string one behindthe other with the largest one in front, and another large one in therear."

  "Wildebeests!" exclaimed Hendrik.

  "Gnoos!" cried Swartboy.

  "Yes, they must have been wildebeests," said Von Bloom; "Jan'sdescription corresponds exactly to them."

  This was quite true. Jan had correctly given many of the characteristicpoints of that, perhaps, the most singular of all ruminant animals, thewildebeest or gnoo (_Catoblepas gnoo_). The brush-like tuft over themuzzle, the long hair between the fore-legs, the horns curving down overthe face, and then sweeping abruptly upward, the thick curving neck, therounded, compact, horse-shaped body, the long whitish tail, and fullflowing mane--all were descriptive of the gnoo.

  Even Trueey had not made such an unpardonable mistake. The gnoos, andparticularly the old bulls, bear a very striking resemblance to thelion, so much so that the sharpest hunters at a distance can scarce tellone from the other.

  Jan, however, had observed them better than Trueey; and had they beennearer, he might have further noticed that the creatures had red fieryeyes and a fierce look; that their heads and horns were not unlike thoseof the African buffalo; that their limbs resembled those of the stag,while the rest corresponded well enough to his "pony." He might haveobserved, moreover, that the males were larger than the females, and ofa deeper brown. Had there been any "calves" with the herd, he would haveseen that these were still lighter-coloured--in fact, of a white orcream colour.

  The gnoos that had been seen were the common kind called by the Dutchcolonists "wildebeests" or wild-oxen, and by the Hottentots "gnoo" or"gnu," from a hollow moaning sound to which these creatures sometimesgive utterance, and which is represented by the word "gnoo-o-oo."

  They roam in vast flocks upon the wild karoos of South Africa: areinoffensive animals, except when wounded: and then the old bulls areexceedingly dangerous, and will attack the hunter both with horns andhoof. They can run with great swiftness, though they scarce ever goclear off, but, keeping at a wary distance, circle around the hunter,curvetting in all directions, menacing with their heads lowered to theground, kicking up the dust with their heels, and bellowing like bulls,or indeed like lions--for their "rout" bears a resemblance to the lion'sroar.

  The old bulls stand sentry while the herd is feeding, and protect itboth in front and rear. When running off they usually go in single file,as Jan had represented.

  Old bulls hang between the rear of the herd and the hunter: and thesecaper back and forward, butting each other with their horns, and oftenfighting apparently in serious earnest! Before the hunter comes withinrange, however, they drop their conflict and gallop out of his way.Nothing can exceed the capricious antics which these animals indulge in,while trooping over the plain.

  There is a second species of the same genus common in South Africa, anda third inhabits still farther to the north; but of the last very littleis known. Both species are larger than the wildebeest, individuals ofeither being nearly five feet in height, while the common gnoo is scarcefour.

  The three kinds are quite distinct, and never herd together, though eachof them is often found in company with other animals. All three arepeculiar to the continent of Africa, and are not found elsewhere.

  The "brindled gnoo" is the other species that inhabits the South ofAfrica. It is known among the hunters and colonists as "blauwwildebeest" (blue wild-ox). It is of a bluish colour--hence the name,and "brindled," or striped along the sides. Its habits are very similarto those of the common gnoo, but it is altogether a heavier and dulleranimal, and still more eccentric and ungainly in its form.

  The third species is the "ko-koon" of the natives. It approaches nearerto the brindled gnoo in form and habits; but as it is not found exceptin the more central and less-travelled portions of Africa, less is knownabout it than either of the others. It is, however, of the same kind;and the three species, differing widely from any other animals known,are entitled to form a distinct and separate genus.

  They have hitherto generally been classed with the antelopes, though forwhat reason it is hard to tell. They have far less affinity
with theantelope than with the ox; and the everyday observations of the hunterand frontier boer have guided them to a similar conclusion--as theirname for these animals (wild-oxen) would imply. Observation of thisclass is usually worth far more than the "speculations" of thecloset-naturalist.

  The gnoo has long been the favourite food of the frontier farmer andhunter. Its beef is well flavoured, and the veal of a gnoo-calf is quitea delicacy. The hide is manufactured into harness and straps ofdifferent sorts; and the long silky tail is an article of commerce.Around every frontier farm-house large piles of gnoo and springbok hornsmay be seen--the remains of animals that have been captured in thechase.

  "Jaging de wildebeest" (hunting the gnoo) is a favourite pastime of theyoung boers. Large herds of these animals are sometimes driven intovalleys, where they are hemmed in, and shot down at will. They can alsobe lured within range, by exhibiting a red handkerchief or any piece ofred cloth--to which colour they have a strong aversion. They may betamed and domesticated easily enough; but they are not favourite petswith the farmer, who dreads their communicating to his cattle a fatalskin-disease to which the gnoos are subject, and which carries offthousands of them every year.

  Of course Von Bloom and his companions did not stay to talk over thesepoints. They were too anxious about the fate of the missing Hans, tothink of anything else.

  They were about to start out in search of him, when just at that momentmy gentleman was seen coming around the end of the lake, trudging veryslowly along, under the weight of some large and heavy object, that hecarried upon his shoulders.

  A shout of joy was raised, and in a few moments Hans stood in theirmidst.