bold, precipitousspurs, or shot up into craggy peaks, the summits of which shone in theAfrican sunshine almost like snow.
"On the far side of yonder hills lies Ralfontein," said the Major, "andcrossing them will prove the toughest job of the whole journey."
"That I can believe," rejoined his friend. "My admiration is nowchanged to consternation! How ever will our mules contrive to drag thecarts up such precipices?"
"As I said before, it will prove a very tough job," Major Flindersanswered; "but `where there's a will there's a way.'"
"I shall believe that when I _see_ the way," laughed Mr Weston. "Atpresent I must confess that I am sceptical, for in all my variedexperience I have never come across a quadruped that could fly!However, it is not for me to give my opinion; I am but a fish out ofwater!"
Towards noon the travellers commenced the ascent, and right toilsome itproved.
The way--for road, or even track, it certainly could not be called--wasrugged in the extreme, and full of rocks and gullies, with here andthere a narrow chasm over which the carts were dragged with the greatestrisk and difficulty.
Every one dismounted and lent a helping hand; the Major and his servantsmanaging the teams, with much cracking of whips, and loud shouts ofwarning or encouragement; whilst Mr Weston and the boys, literally "puttheir shoulders to the wheel."
"Oh, for the turnpike roads of old England!" sang, or rather gasped, MrWeston, when for about the twentieth time they halted to allow thedistressed mules to recover themselves a little. "This is desperatework! eh, boys?"
"Slightly warm," said Tom, mopping his perspiring face. "It takes thesuperfluous flesh off one's ribs."
"Shure, Misther Weston, we're nearly at the top," said Patrick Keownencouragingly, "and thin you know, sorr, we'll go down the other sidenoice and aisy."
"A little too `aisy,' perchance," muttered Weston. "Facilis descensus!"
At length the highest point of the ascent was reached; but this provedthe most hazardous part, as the track swept round a precipitous ledgejutting out from a spur of the mountain, so narrow that it hardlyallowed six inches grace to the wheels. Along this dangerous path thecarts were taken at a snail's pace; the one containing CaptainJamieson's goods and chattels leading the way; whilst the other (which,save for a few articles used when outspanning, was empty) followed at aninterval of twenty paces; the mules going very gingerly, for, surefootedthough they were, it was no easy matter for them to keep on their legs.
At this critical moment a large bird swept down from its nest in theoverhanging cliff, and with a piercing cry flew close over the tilt ofthe hinder cart. Now, as ill-luck would have it, "Kicking Jan" was oneof the four mules attached to this cart, and no sooner did that contraryand troublesome animal hear the bird's shrill call than he stopped dead;then down went his head and up went his heels. This unseemly behaviourset the other mules plunging and kicking, and before Black William, whohad charge of the team, could quiet them, the cart was upset, and fellhalf over the ledge; the wheel-mules coming down on their sides at thesame time.
Another plunge--a violent struggle--a wild snort of terror! and over theprecipice rolled the cart, carrying the wheelers with it.
The moment "Kicking Jan" and the other leader felt the traces jerked andthen tighten, they ceased kicking, and strained every nerve to retaintheir footing. But their efforts were in vain! The weight the poorbrutes had to sustain was too much for them; they were dragged over theside of the ledge, and down went the cart and its team: down--down--down; crashing through trees and bushes and striking against rocks intheir headlong descent; down they fell to the very bottom of theprecipice!
Horrified at this terrible catastrophe, the Major and Mr Weston ranback and found Black William lying in the middle of the narrow path; abroken "reim" clenched in his hand.
"Are you much hurt?" inquired Major Flinders, picking him up.
"Not mine vault, baas," blubbered the Hottentot with a frightened stare;"not mine vault."
"No, no, William," said his master; "we know that. You did all youcould. Are you hurt?"
"I got kick in mine stomach; and all mine vind go," was the reply.
"And our profits have gone with it, I'm afraid," said Mr Westondolefully. "'Pon my word, I'm a regular Jonah, and bring misfortune onall my friends!"
"Don't talk like that, Maurice," said the Major sharply. "Let us thankHeaven it is no worse--that no life has been lost."
"And it might have been the other cart, you know," put in Tom, who hadjoined them. "That _would_ have been a smash!"
"Well, Mat, I am thankful it is no worse--on your account!" Mr Westonsaid. "Let us reckon up the damage."
Major Flinders smiled, and replied:--"There's the cart, forty pounds;four mules, at, let me say, twelve pounds a head--that's as much as theywere worth!--forty-eight pounds; harness and sundries another fifteen.I think a hundred will cover everything; so we sha'n't lose all ourprofits, Maurice. And now, _en avant_!"
The travellers accomplished the descent of the mountain without furthermishap, and found shelter that night at a solitary farm situated in theplain below.
Here they remained for a couple of days, for the mules were regularlyknocked up, and required a long rest before they were in a condition totravel the last stage--a distance of forty miles.
Early on the morning of the second day they once more inspanned, and theteam being freshened considerably by their twenty-four hours "play,"they got over the ground in capital style, and reached Ralfontein anhour before sundown.
CHAPTER NINE.
RALFONTEIN--CAPTAIN JAMIESON AND HIS FAMILY--BUSINESS BEFORE PLEASURE!--THE LAST EVENING AT THE FARM--A STARTLING PROPOSAL.
Captain Jamieson's farm was situated in the midst of a fertile tract ofcountry, bounded on the north and east by ranges of lofty mountains andhills; beyond which lay vast plains and dense forests, abounding withwild animals and members of the feathered tribes, of every size anddescription--from the huge elephant to the diminutive "zenik;" from theostrich to the tiny "creeper."
The house, stables, and farm buildings stood on the summit of aneminence, which rose somewhat abruptly at the junction of two narrow,but swift streams; they were built in the form of a quadrangle, and wereadmirably planned for defence.
The pasturage in the immediate neighbourhood of the farm was remarkablyrich, wood and water were plentiful, the climate was all that could bedesired; yet this lovely district was but thinly populated, and the"Squire of Ralfontein" was practically "monarch of all he surveyed,"there being no other settlement within five-and-thirty miles, and notown or village within double that distance.
Donald Jamieson was--what our Yankee cousins would call--a "veryremarkable man." He had just turned his sixtieth year, but was ashearty and active as a man of forty. The youngest son of a poor, butproud, Scotch laird, he had taken the "king's shilling" when a lad ofeighteen, and after seeing much active service in all parts of theworld, was awarded an ensign's commission in the "Cape MountedRiflemen;" in which corps he remained until he obtained his troop, whenhe retired on half-pay, and took to farming. He was now considered oneof the most successful farmers in South Africa, and was also noted forhis knowledge of the country, his skill as a hunter, and the influencehe had acquired over the natives.
[Although a mounted corps, the junior subs, of the C.M.R. held the rankof _ensign_, not _cornet_.]
When Matthew Flinders exchanged from the --th Foot to the Cape MountedRiflemen he was attached to Jamieson's troop, and from that time theyhad been on the closest terms of friendship. Captain Jamieson was awidower; his family consisted of three sons and two daughters. Frank,the eldest boy, had just turned eighteen; his brothers, James and David,were sixteen and fourteen respectively. The girls were--but no, we mustnot divulge the young ladies' ages! suffice it to say that Miss Janet(who since Mrs Jamieson's death had acted as her father's housekeeper)was well out of her teens, whilst Miss Elsie had not long jumped intohers. A pair of bonnier lasses could not have bee
n found in the wholeof Cape Colony!
The young Jamiesons assisted their father in looking after the farm andthe men employed upon it; of whom there were between twenty and thirty--mostly Hottentots, Korannas and Griquas, or "Bastaards;" these lived indecent cottages on the estate with their wives and families, and wereall trained to the use of fire-arms; thus in the event of Ralfonteinbeing attacked, it could be defended by a well-disciplined andwell-armed garrison.
"Business first, pleasure afterwards," was Major Flinders' motto; so onthe morning after he arrived at Ralfontein he informed his host of
The War of the Axe; Or, Adventures in South Africa Page 9
