The War of the Axe; Or, Adventures in South Africa

by J. Percy Groves

his hand; "don't getexcited, or I shall have to withdraw my permission."

  Tom looked very crestfallen.

  "Now, listen to me both of you," continued his father. "Do you see thatcurious-shaped hill looming in the distance?"

  "A little to our right, and about five miles off?" asked George Weston.

  "Five!" exclaimed Major Flinders. "It is nearer five-and-twenty! Butthat is the hill I mean. Well, that is Kudos Kop, and we shall thisevening encamp on the banks of the Gamska, about seven miles this sideof it; so now if you lose sight of us, as you're pretty sure to do, youwill know in what direction to steer."

  "I have my pocket-compass," said Tom, producing one from hisbreast-pocket.

  "That's right! Now, see that your water-bottles are full, and put apound or two of biscuit and some `biltong' [pieces of beef, venison, orother meat dried in the sun] into your wallets; then you'll beindependent for the next forty-eight hours. Bear in mind one thing!never when attacking any animal have both your rifles unloaded at thesame time; always be prepared for danger, as that is the readiest way ofescaping it. Be very careful of your horses; don't over-ride them, andlook out for sore backs."

  "All right, father, we'll not come to grief if we can help it," rejoinedTom, tightening his girths. "Now, Patrick, hand us over the `grub'--there, that'll be plenty. Are you ready, George?"

  "Yes, quite ready," was the reply. "Come along!"

  "Mind you approach the herd to leeward," shouted the Major, as the boysgalloped off.

  A smart "scurry" over the yielding turf soon brought our young sportsmenwithin three or four hundred yards of the unsuspecting hartebeest, whenTom called to his companion to pull up.

  "We mustn't go at them with a rush," said he. "In fact, I almost thinkour best plan would be to tether the horses to these trees and stalk theherd on foot. What do you say?"

  "I agree with you, old fellow," replied young Weston. "You see we'renot much accustomed to shoot from the saddle." And so they bothdismounted, tied up their horses to separate trees (for Tom's nag wasrather given to using his heels), and having unslung and loaded theirrifles with more than usual care, they advanced towards the hartebeest.The hartebeest--generally supposed to be the _Bubalus_ of the ancients--is one of the commonest breed of deer in Southern Africa. It standsfrom four to four-and-a-half feet at the withers, the form of its bodybeing something between that of a red-deer and a heifer; the tailreaches nearly to the hocks and is terminated by a tuft of coarse hair.The head of the hartebeest somewhat resembles that of an ox, but theears are "asinine" in shape, and the eyes are placed very high; beloweach eye is a pore from which exudes a matter: this matter theHottentots preserve as a rare and valuable medicine, but what diseasesit is supposed to cure we cannot say. The hartebeest is furnished witha pair of strong black horns, embossed with rings; the horns are quiteclose together at the base, diverging upwards, and at the tops bendingrearwards in a horizontal direction almost to the tips, which areseveral inches apart. The colour of this animal is a dark cinnamon,except the hind-quarter and inside the thighs, which are of a yellowishwhite; the face and the fore-part of the legs are marked with black.

  When galloping, the hartebeest appear to go heavily with a donkey-likeaction; but nevertheless they get over the ground quite as fast as otherlarge deer; if, when followed, they manage to get ahead, they are apt tostop short and gaze at their pursuers. When hard pressed, this animal--like the wood-antelope and nil-ghau--drops on his knees and shows fight.

  Cautiously the two boys crept up to the herd, keeping well under coverof the bushes and tufts of karoo-grass.

  "Now, Tom," said George, who, by the way, was much the best shot; "we'rewell within range. I'll take that big fellow standing near those mimosabushes."

  "All right, old boy," replied Tom. "I shall aim at the buck grazingdirectly in front of us; it is the easiest shot of the two, I think."

  Bang! bang!

  "Missed, by all that's unlucky!" cried Tom. "Here goes again!" He thendischarged his second barrel with no better effect; and the herd,alarmed by the report of the rifles, galloped off towards the hills.George Weston had wounded his buck slightly, but not sufficiently toprevent him from following his companions.

  The boys at once doubled back to the spot where they had left theirhorses, and untethering them, sprang in the saddle.

  Away they raced after the herd, but the latter had got a splendid startand kept well ahead, until they reached some low, forest-clad hills,which crossed the plain from north to south. Beyond these hills theground was covered with trees and tangled brushwood. The hartebeestascended the nearest hill and disappeared from sight, and the boys thenpulled up their distressed and panting horses and looked at each otherwith inquiring eyes.

  "What's to be done?" asked Tom. "The nags are pretty well pumped, Iguess."

  "Yes, indeed," assented his companion; "we came the last mile or so atracing pace. I should never have thought the hartebeest could travel sofast! Shall we go back?"

  "What! empty-handed?" cried Tom. "Not if I know it, old chap. At anyrate we might overtake the beast you wounded. I'm sure you hit himhard."

  "Well, we can't gallop up those hills, that's certain," returned youngWeston. "Suppose we make for that ravine; no doubt we shall meet theherd again, if we have patience. But it's no use making a `stern chase'of it; we must try and get round him."

  Tom nodding assent, they rode forward at a gentle pace, to allow theirhorses to recover wind, and presently they entered a narrow ravine, theprecipitous sides of which were covered with arboreous and succulentplants.

  George Weston was some four horses' lengths in advance, when of a suddenhe gave a shout of delight, as a magnificent female tree-leopard boundedacross his path, and turned up the ravine. Tom saw the brute, too; andunslinging their rifles, the boys gave chase--George maintaining hisposition ahead.

  The tree-leopard of South Africa (though called by Africanders the"Cape-tiger") is to all intents and purposes identical with the _Felisleopardus_ of the naturalists; in plain English, is an ordinary leopard,and partakes of all the characteristics of that beautiful, but dangerousanimal--the terror alike of the timid Hindoo, the Chinee, and the savageislander of Sumatra.

  Now though the leopard will rarely attack a full-grown man, unlessdriven into a corner, he is a very awkward customer to deal with when hedoes turn; and many fatal encounters have been chronicled.

  [Some of our readers may remember the sad fate of Captain Bowlby, 94thRegiment, who, shortly before the Transvaal war broke out, was fatallyinjured by a "Cape-tiger."]

  Our readers will now be able to form a fair idea of the sort of "game"Master Thomas Flinders and George Weston thought fit to go in chase of.Finding herself hotly pursued, the leopard at first endeavoured toescape by clambering up the precipice on her left, but at that momentyoung Weston pulled up, and let fly with both barrels, inflicting asevere wound in the fleshy part of her shoulder. Maddened with pain andmingled rage and terror, the hard pressed and well-nigh frantic bruteturned, and springing upon George dragged him out of the saddle.

  Now, Tom Flinders knew well enough how savage and dangerous a leopardcould be if once brought to bay, so when he saw his friend struggling onthe ground, he uttered an involuntary cry of horror; then, regardless ofthe consequences, he jumped off his horse and rushed to the rescue.

  Taking aim at the leopard's flank, Tom gave his two barrels at once; butowing to his natural agitation as well as his fear of injuring George,he missed with both shots. The leopard then abandoned her prostrate andsenseless victim, and darted upon Tom with redoubled fury. In spite ofthe suddenness and ferocity of this onset, the boy was not takenunawares; and clubbing his rifle he swung it round his head, and bygreat good fortune caught the terrible brute a swashing blow whichbrought her to the ground. The butt of the rifle was shivered tosplinters, but our young hero drew his long hunting-knife and threwhimself on the leopard before she could regain her feet. Deep into thebrute's throat Tom pre
ssed the keen blade; with one convulsive effortshe shook herself clear of her antagonist and at the same time stunnedhim with a blow of her powerful paw; then, fatally wounded, she boundedoff a few yards and fell dead.

  That night, the moon rose upon a curious scene! Upon the bright greenturf the two lads were stretched senseless and bleeding, and near themlay the carcass of their four-footed foe.

  CHAPTER TWELVE.

  MISSING!--THE SEARCH--HOW TOM WAS BESIEGED IN A CAVE--THE RETURN HOME.

  "Why, here come the boys!" exclaimed Major Flinders, as he and hisfriend Weston sat round the camp fire, on the banks of the Gamska River,smoking their