The Mission

by Frederick Marryat

  CHAPTER IX.

  The plans of our travelers had been well digested. They had decided thatthey would first prosecute the object of their journey by proceedingstraight through the Caffre country to the borders of the Undata River,near or whereabout it was reported that the descendants of the whiteswould be found located; and as soon as Alexander had accomplished hismission, that they would cross the chain of mountains, and returnthrough the Bushmen and the Koranna country. Their reason for makingthis arrangement was, that throughout the whole of the Caffre country,with the exception of lions and elephants in the forest, and hippopotamiin the rivers, there was little or no game to be found, the Caffreshaving almost wholly destroyed it.

  This plan had been suggested by Major Henderson, and had been approvedby Alexander and Mr. Swinton,--Alexander being equally desirous as theMajor to have plenty of field-sport, and Mr. Swinton anxious to increasehis stock and knowledge of the animal kingdom. There was little to befeared in their advance through the Caffre country, as the missionarieshad already planted two missions, one at Butterworth and the other atChumie; and the first of these Alexander had decided upon visiting, andhad, in consequence, several packages in his wagon, which had beenentrusted to his care.

  It was on the 7th of May, 1829, that the caravan quitted Algoa Bay forGraham's Town. The weather had been for some weeks fine, the heavy rainshaving ceased, and the pasturage was now luxuriant; the wagons proceededat a noiseless pace over the herbage, the sleepy Hottentots not being atall inclined to exert themselves unnecessarily. Alexander, Swinton, andHenderson were on horseback, a little ahead of the first wagon.

  "I don't know how you feel," said the Major; "but I feel as if I were aprisoner just released from his chains. I breathe the air ofindependence and liberty now. After the bustle, and noise, and crowdingtogether of the town, to find ourselves here so quiet and solitary isfreedom."

  "I had the same feeling," replied Alexander; "this wide-extended plain,of which we can not yet discern the horizontal edge; these brilliantstars scattered over the heavens, and shining down upon us; no sound tomeet our ears but the creaking of the wagon-wheels in the slow andmeasured pace, is to me delightful. They say man is formed for society,and so he is; but it is very delightful occasionally to be alone."

  "Yes; alone as we are," replied Swinton, laughing; "that is, with aparty of thirty people, well armed, in search of adventure. To be clearof the bustle of the town, and no longer cooped up in the fort, ispleasant enough; but, I suspect, to be quite alone in these Africanwilds would be any thing but agreeable."

  "Perhaps so."

  "Neither would you feel so much at ease if you knew that your chance ofto-morrow's dinner was to depend wholly upon what you might procure withyour gun. There is a satisfaction in knowing that you have fourwell-filled wagons behind you."

  "I grant that also," replied the Major; "but still there is solitudeeven with this company, and I feel it."

  "A solitary caravan--but grant that there is some difference betweenthat and a solitary individual," rejoined Swinton; "however, we have notcome to solitude yet, for we shall find Dutch boors enough between thisand Graham's Town."

  "I think, Wilmot," observed Henderson, "that I should, if I were you,proceed by slow stages at first, that we may get our men into some kindof order and discipline, and also that we may find out whether there areany who will not suit us; we can discharge them at Graham's Town, andprocure others in their place, at the same time that we engage ourinterpreters and guides."

  "I think your plan very good," replied Alexander; "besides, we shall nothave our wagons properly laden and arranged until we have been out threeor four days."

  "One thing is absolutely necessary, which is, to have a guard keptevery night," said Swinton; "and there ought to be two men on guard at atime; for one of them is certain to fall asleep, if not both. I know theHottentots well."

  "They will be excellent guards, by your account," said Alexander;"however, the dogs will serve us more faithfully."

  "I do not mean my remark to include all Hottentots; some are veryfaithful, and do their duty; but it comprehends the majority."

  "Are they courageous?" inquired Alexander.

  "Yes, certainly, they may be considered as a brave race of men; butoccasionally there is a poltroon, and, like all cowards, he brags morethan the rest."

  "I've a strong suspicion that we have one of that kind among ourhunters," replied Henderson; "however, it is not fair to prejudge; I maybe mistaken."

  "I think I know which you refer to, nevertheless," said Alexander; "itis the great fellow that they call Big Adam."

  "You have hit upon the man, and to a certain degree corroborated myopinion of him. But the day is dawning, the sun will soon be above thosehills."

  "When we stop, I will have some grease put to those wagon-wheels," saidAlexander.

  "I fear it will be of little use," replied the Major; "creak they will.I don't know whether the oxen here are like those in India; but this Iknow, that the creaking of the carts and hackeries there is fifty timesworse than this. The natives never grease the wheels; they say the oxenwould not go on if they did not hear the music behind them."

  "Besides, the creaking of the wheels will by and by be of service; whenwe are traveling through grass higher than our heads, we shall not beable to stop behind a minute, if we have not the creaking of the wheelsto direct us how to follow."

  "Well, then, I suppose we must save our grease," said Alexander.

  "In a very few days you will be so accustomed to it," said the Major,"that if it were to cease, you would feel the loss of it."

  "Well, it may be so; use is second nature; but at present I feel as ifthe loss would be gain. There is the sun just showing himself above thehill. Shall we halt or go on?"

  "Go on for another hour, and the men can thus examine the traces and thewagons by daylight, and then, when we stop, we can remedy any defects."

  "Be it so; there is a house, is there not, on the rising ground, as faras you can see?"

  "Yes, I think so," replied the Major.

  "I know it very well," said Swinton; "it is the farm of a Dutch boor,Milius, whom we saw at Algoa Bay. I did not think that we had got on sofast. It is about three miles off, so it will just be convenient for ourbreakfast. It will take us a good hour to arrive there, and then we willunyoke the oxen. How many have we yoked?"

  "Ten to each wagon. The other sixteen are following with the sheep andhorses; they are as relays."

  "Let us gallop on," said the Major.

  "Agreed," replied the others; and putting spurs to their horses, theysoon arrived at the farmhouse of the Dutch planter.

  They were saluted with the barking and clamor of about twenty dogs,which brought out one of the young boors, who drove away the dogs bypelting them with bullock-horns, and other bones of animals which werestrewed about. He then requested them to dismount. The old boor soonappeared, and gave them a hearty welcome, handing down from the shelf alarge brandy-bottle, and recommending a dram, of which he partookhimself, stating that it was good brandy, and made from his own peaches.

  Shortly afterward the wife of the boor made her appearance, and havingsaluted them, took up her station at a small table, with the teaapparatus before her. That refreshing beverage she now poured out forthe visitors, handing a box, with some sugar-candy in it, for them toput a bit into their youths, and keep there as they drank their tea, byway of sweetening it. The old boor told them he had expected them, as hehad been informed that they were to set out that day; but he hadconcluded that they would arrive in the afternoon, and not so early.

  We may as well here give a description of a Dutch farmer's house at theCape settlement.

  It was a large square building, the wall built up of clay, and thenplastered with a composition made by the boors, which becomesexcessively hard in time; after which it is whitewashed. The roof wasthatched with a hard sort of rushes, more durable and less likely tocatch fire than straw. There was no ceiling under the roof,
but therafters overhead were hung with a motley assemblage of the produce ofthe chase and farm, as large whips made of rhinoceros-hide, leopard andlion skins, ostrich eggs and feathers, strings of onions, rolls oftobacco, bamboos, etc.

  The house contained one large eating-room, a small private room, and twobedrooms. The windows were not glazed, but closed with skins everynight. There was no chimney or stove in the house, all the cooking beingcarried on in a small outhouse.

  The furniture was not very considerable: a large table, a few chairs andstools, some iron pots and kettles, a set of Dutch teacups, a teapot,and a brass kettle, with a heater. The large, brass-clasped, familyDutch Bible occupied a small table, at which the mistress of the housepresided, and behind her chair were the carcasses of two sheep,suspended from a beam.

  Inquiries about the news at the Cape, and details of all the informationwhich our travelers could give, had occupied the time till breakfast wasput on the table. It consisted of mutton boiled and stewed, butter,milk, fruits, and good white bread. Before breakfast was over thecaravan arrived, and the oxen were unyoked. Our travelers passed awaytwo hours in going over the garden and orchards, and visiting thecattlefolds, and seeing the cows milked. They then yoked the teams, andwishing the old boor a farewell, and thanking him for his hospitality,they resumed their journey.

  "Is it always the custom here to receive travelers in this friendlyway?" observed Alexander, as they rode away.

  "Always," replied Swinton; "there are no inns on the road, and everytraveler finds a welcome. It is considered a matter of course."

  "Do they never take payment?"

  "Never, and it must not be offered; but they will take the value of thecorn supplied to your horses, as that is quite another thing. Onepeculiarity you will observe as you go along, which is, that the Dutchwife is a fixture at the little tea-table all day long. She never leavesit, and the tea is always ready for every traveler who claims theirhospitality; it is an odd custom."

  "And I presume that occasions the good woman to become so very lusty."

  "No doubt of it; the whole exercise of the day is from the bedroom tothe teapot, and back again," replied Swinton, laughing.

  "One would hardly suppose that this apparently good-natured andhospitable people could have been guilty of such cruelty to the nativesas Mr. Fairburn represented."

  "Many of our virtues and vices are brought prominently forward bycircumstances," replied Swinton. "Hospitality in a thinly-inhabitedcountry is universal, and a Dutch boor is hospitable to an excess. Theircruelty to the Hottentots and other natives arises from the prejudicesof education: they have from their childhood beheld them treated asslaves, and do not consider them as fellow-creatures. As Mr. Fairburntruly said, nothing demoralizes so much, or so hardens the heart of man,as slavery existing and sanctioned by law."

  "But are not the Dutch renowned for cruelty and love of money?"

  "They have obtained that reputation, and I fear there is some reason forit. They took the lead, it must be remembered, as a commercial nation,more commercial than the Portuguese, whose steps they followed soclosely: that this eager pursuit of wealth should create a love of moneyis but too natural, and to obtain money, men, under the influence ofthat passion, will stop at nothing. Their cruelties in the East are onrecord; but the question is, whether the English, who followed the pathof the Dutch, would not, had they gone before them, have been guilty ofthe same crimes to obtain the same ends? The Spaniards were just ascruel in South America, and the Portuguese have not fallen short ofthem; nay, I doubt if our own countrymen can be acquitted in manyinstances. The only difference is, that the other nations who precededthem in discoveries had greater temptation, because there were moreriches and wealth to be obtained."

  "Your remarks are just; well may we say in the Lord's Prayer, 'Lead usnot into temptation,' for we are all too frail to withstand it."

  At noon they again unyoked, and allowed the cattle to graze for aninterval; after which they proceeded till an hour before dark, when theymustered the men, and gave them their several charges and directions. AtAlexander's request the Major took this upon himself, and he made a longspeech to the Hottentots, stating that it was their intention to rewardthose who did their duty, and to punish severely those who did not. Theythen collected wood for the fires, and had their supper,--the first mealwhich they had taken out of doors. Mahomed, the Parsee servant of MajorHenderson, cooked very much to their satisfaction; and having tied theoxen to the wagons, to accustom them to the practice, more than from anydanger to be apprehended, the watch was set to keep up the fires: theythen all retired to bed, the gentlemen sleeping in their wagons, and theHottentots underneath them, or by the sides of the fires which had beenlighted.

  It will be unnecessary to enter into a detail of the journey to Graham'sTown, which was performed without difficulty. They did not arrive thereuntil eight days after their departure from Algoa Bay, as they purposelylost time on the road, that things might find their places. At Graham'sTown they received every kindness and attention from the few militarywho were there and the landroost. Here they dismissed three of the men,who had remained drunk in the liquor-houses during their stay, andhired nine more, who were well recommended; among these were twoperfectly well acquainted with the Caffre language and country; so thatthey were serviceable both as interpreters and guides. The day aftertheir arrival, when they were out in the skirts of the town, Mr. Swintonperceived something moving in the bushes. He advanced cautiously, anddiscovered that it was a poor little Bushman boy, about twelve yearsold, quite naked, and evidently in a state of starvation, having beenleft there in a high fever by his people. He was so weak that he couldnot stand, and Mr. Swinton desired the Hottentot who was with him tolift him up, and carry him to the wagons. Some medicine and good foodsoon brought the little fellow round again, and he was able to walkabout. He showed no disposition to leave them; indeed he would watch forMr. Swinton, and follow him as far as he could. The child evidentlyappeared to feel attachment and gratitude, and when they were about todepart, Mr. Swinton, through the medium of one of the Hottentots whocould speak the language, asked him if he would like to stay with them.The answer was in the affirmative, and it was decided that he shouldaccompany them, the Major observing that he would be a very goodcompanion for Begum.

  "What name shall we give him?" said Swinton.

  "Why, as my baboon is by title a princess, I think we can not create himless than a prince. Let us call him Omrah."

  "Omrah be it then," replied Mr. Swinton, "until we can name him in amore serious way."

  So Omrah was put into the wagon, with Begum to amuse him, and ourtravelers took their departure from Graham's Town.

  THE BUSHMAN BOY.]