CHAPTER ELEVEN.
A SUCCESSION OF DISASTERS.
In spite of the wild uproar made by the savage brutes encircling thecamp, some of the guards began to doze after they had been on the watchtwo or three hours. Crawford had undertaken to keep watch whileHendricks turned in. Now that he was getting accustomed to the country,he was anxious to take a more active part than he had hitherto done.With rifle in hand, he continued walking up and down, keeping inside thefires and watching to see that all had sufficient fuel to cause theflames to burn up brightly. Both the horses and oxen were naturallyrestless while within sound of their dreaded enemies.
He had stopped to look out, when, at the end of the waggon farthest fromthat to which the horses were secured, he heard the tramp of feet, andlooking round, by the light of the fire, he saw one of them loose andtrotting away. He instantly called to some of the men to secure theanimal, but they either did not hear, or did not understand him, and itwas some time before any of them were on their feet, when the horse haddisappeared in the darkness.
"You must go and bring it back," he shouted, and was himself about toset off in chase of the horse, when Umgolo, who had been awakened,stopped him, and gave him to understand by signs and such few Englishwords as he could speak, that he would run a great risk of beingattacked himself, and would to a certainty not recover the animal thatnight.
"If he escapes the lions, he may come back, or we may find him in themorning," said the Kaffir.
Crawford, acknowledging the wisdom of this advice, remained in the camp,looking out occasionally, however, in the hopes of seeing the horsereturn. After some minutes Umgolo touched him on the arm.
"Hark! do you hear that sound?" he asked.
Some suppressed growls reached their ears.
"The horse is dead, and the lions are gnawing his bones. They aregrowling at the hyenas and jackals who have gathered round to join inthe feast, but the lions won't let them until they have eaten theirfill."
Presently to the growls of the lions was added the howling, shrieking,chattering, and barking of the hyenas, mingled with the cries of thejackals, producing a most unearthly chorus.
"Come, let us try and kill the brutes," said Denis, and he and Crawfordwalked out a few yards from the camp; but, although they fired severalshots, no effect was produced; and Umgolo calling to them to come back,lest a lion should pounce upon them, they returned to the camp. Thesound of the shots had awakened Hendricks, which the howlings of thewild beasts had failed to do. He rated Denis and Crawford for theirfolly in leaving the camp.
"In spite of your firearms, you might have been seized in the darknessby one of those savage brutes, who would not dare to face you indaylight," he observed. "Never, if you can help it in these wilds, beaway at night from the light of a fire."
It was found in the morning that Crawford's horse was missing. Onsearching round the camp, two leg bones and a few pieces of skin werediscovered, the sole remains of the unfortunate animal, the rest hadbeen carried off by beasts of prey. As soon as the oxen had beenwatered and had had time to pick up some grass, the party inspanned andproceeded on their journey.
Fortunately Hendricks had a couple of spare horses, one of which he lentCrawford, who would otherwise have had to march on foot, or have beenindebted to his friends, who would undoubtedly have insisted on hisgetting into their saddles while they walked. For three days theytravelled on as fast as the oxen could move. Hendricks, being asanxious to get as far as possible from Cetchwayo and his warriors,instead of taking a circuitous route, as he had at first intended,through a fertile and thickly inhabited district, proceeded on a directline across a wild and barren region with which he was but littleacquainted. It abounded, however, he knew, in game, and he hoped thatwater, sufficient for the wants of the oxen and horses, would be found.Scarcely half an hour passed, that a herd of grotesque gnus, with theheads of bisons and horns of oxen, or of graceful quaggas, swiftblesbocs, or light and elegant springbocs, did not pass in sight, inhundreds, or rather in thousands, across the plain. Although it was noeasy matter to get up with them, still Hendricks was too experienced ahunter to be baffled, and he never failed, when he went out for thepurpose, to bring back an ample supply of meat for the party. Water,however, was becoming scarce. The supply which had been brought for theuse of the men was well-nigh exhausted, while the holes in which it wasexpected there would be enough for the animals, were found to be dry.The country they were traversing was level, thinly scattered over withtrees and small bushes, and there was abundance of grass; so that cattleand horses were able to obtain food, and such moisture as the grassafforded, but had had for two days not a drop of water; still, as theonly hope of obtaining any was to push forward, they moved on as fast asthe animals could drag the waggon. Hendricks, the Kaffirs andHottentots, accustomed to privations of all sorts, uttered nocomplaints, but the younger members of the party began to suffer greatlyfrom thirst.
"I'd give a guinea, if I had it, for a thimbleful of water," exclaimedDenis, "for I feel as if I could drink the Liffy dry."
Night came on, and they were compelled at length to outspan, when thepoor oxen lay down overcome with fatigue. To move during the night wasimpossible, and the whole party sat round their fires in no happy mood.They attempted to take supper, but few could swallow a particle of food.The fires had been lit to keep off the lions heard roaring in thedistance, but some time passed before any came near enough to causedisquietude to the oxen, which invariably show their dread of the savagebrutes. A vigilant watch was kept, but the night became very dark, andthe fires, which for want of fuel had sunk low, scarcely shed theirlight far enough to show the oxen lying down a short distance off. Mostof the party had turned in; but Hendricks himself, with Percy, who hadoffered to assist him, were keeping the first watch.
"How soon do you think we shall reach Falls Farm?" asked Percy.
"In five or six days, possibly, if we are fortunate enough to findwater," answered Hendricks; "but I fear that the cattle will become soweak, they will scarcely be able to drag on the waggon. If we don'tdiscover any to-morrow, we must set off to search for it in differentdirections. I propose letting Denis and you explore to the north-west,while I ride ahead with Lionel, and Umgolo, with Crawford, if he chooseto accompany him, can go off more to the north-east. We shall thus, Ihope, fall in before long with what we so much require. The waggon canin the meantime proceed onwards as fast as the poor oxen can drag it."
"We can't fail in that way, I hope, to find water," observed Percy. "SoI suppose that I may count on getting home in the time you speak of."
"Are you tired of the journey?" asked Hendricks.
"Oh, no, on the contrary," answered Percy. "But I think my father andmother will be growing anxious at our not appearing so much longer afterthe time they expected us; otherwise I should like to accompany youthrough the whole of your expedition into the interior. I like the lifemuch better than I fancy I shall being planted down on a farm, and notseeing any one for months together, except my family, though I am sure Ishall be very happy with them."
Just then one of the oxen bellowed loudly.
"Get a lantern from the waggon, Percy; we must see what is the matter,"said Hendricks.
Percy quickly brought the lantern, and they advanced towards the spot;but scarcely had they got half a dozen paces, when a rushing, tramplingsound as of many feet was heard, and three of the oxen dashed into thecamp, almost through the fire, others apparently taking an oppositedirection. At the same time stifled groans reached their ears.
"One of the oxen must be hurt," observed Percy.
"Yes, but those groans are not made by the poor beast. They are thesounds produced by the lion as he devours his prey, and I must try tointerrupt him," said Hendricks.
As he spoke, he advanced a few paces farther. At that moment Percycaught sight of an animal, certainly not an ox, springing by. Hendricksfired, and the next instant every one in the camp had jumped up, askingwhat was the matter.
"The matter is, that a lion has killed one of the oxen, and he maydestroy several others if we don't stop his career," answered Hendricks,rapidly reloading.
He now led the way to where the oxen had been lying down, while theHottentots secured the three which had come into camp. None of theother oxen were to be seen, except one, which lay motionless on theground, with its neck broken. In their eagerness to overtake them, themen, in spite of the darkness, would have set off in pursuit, had notHendricks called them back.
"It would be useless in the dark, and you would run a great risk ofbeing caught by the lion," he observed. "You must wait till morning,when we will go in search of them; and we may, perchance, find water atthe same time, as they will probably head towards it, if they escapefrom the lion."
This was the most severe disaster which had yet occurred to thetravellers; for in that wild district it would be impossible to replacethe oxen, should they not be found.
The men, on being summoned, returned to the camp, but none of them wereinclined again to go to sleep, for all were suffering greatly fromthirst, and at any moment another lion might pay them a visit.
Morning at length dawned. The body of the ox killed by the lion wasdiscovered about a hundred yards from the camp, a part of thehind-quarters only eaten, the brute having evidently been frightenedaway by the shot Hendricks fired, though whether it was wounded or notit was impossible to say.
Although they had gone supperless to bed, so parched were their throatsthat they were unable to take any breakfast. The horses had beensecured to the waggon, or they to a certainty would have gone off withthe oxen. Most of them, however, were too much knocked up to exertthemselves. To recover the cattle was of the first importance.Hendricks therefore found it necessary to alter his plan. The rest ofthe party undertaking to go on foot in search of water, he selected theonly two horses fit for travelling, and rode away with one of theHottentots to look for the missing cattle, while Crawford and Umgolo, ashad been arranged, proceeded in a north-easterly direction. It had beendecided, as soon as the oxen were recovered, should they be able totravel, that the waggon was to continue on due north, that they mighthave no difficulty in again finding it.
The morning was fresh, almost cold, and the air pure; so that had notDenis and Percy, who, accompanied by Gozo and two dogs, were the firstto start, been suffering from thirst, and very much from hunger also,they would have been able to march merrily along. As it was, by chewingsome grass which they plucked as they went on, they somewhat lessenedtheir sufferings. They kept their eyes about them for any signs whichmight indicate water. Though here and there shrubs, and even trees ofsome size, grew out of the sandy soil, yet no moisture could bediscovered. Fewer animals than usual were seen, but occasionally a herdof gnus or antelopes bounded across their path, but too far off for ashot.
As the sun rose the heat increased, but that made them still moreanxious to discover water. The poor dogs suffered even more than theydid, as they followed at their heels; for even the sight of game did notinduce them to scamper off as they would have done on other occasions.
"It will never do to give in," said Denis, as Percy proposed sittingdown under the shade of a tree to rest, where the dogs had alreadysought shelter.
"I don't wish to give in; but if we cannot find water soon, I fear thatit will be impossible to get on," answered Percy.
"Look at poor Gozo, he seems to be suffering even more than we are,though I should have supposed that he would have held out the longest."
The old Kaffir threw himself down in the shade, and lay on his backgasping. "I shall die, masters, I shall die!" he said; "I cannot gofarther."
"Don't be saying that, Gozo; you'll get up after a little rest, andwe'll find water before long; if not, we may fall in with some juicyroots: I have heard that such grow in some parts of the country wherethe soil is sandy, and so we are likely to discover them here."
"It won't do to stop here long," said Denis. "We must up and away; thesooner we set off, the sooner we shall find water. Come along, rouseup, Gozo; you will be better moving along than lying still."
The Kaffir thus incited to exertion got on his feet. The party set off,the dogs dragging themselves after their masters, for their instincttold them that there would be no safety for them alone. On and on theywent, Denis and Percy doing their best to keep up each other's spirits.Poor Gozo, however, complained more and more. He had drawn his hungerbelt tighter and tighter round his waist, until it looked as if it wouldcut him in two. His throat, he said, felt as if a hot iron had been rundown it; yet, encouraged by Denis, he staggered on. It was too evidentthat he was growing weaker and weaker, and he declared a last that hecould not carry his gun.
"But without it you will not be able to defend yourself, should we beattacked by a lion or lioness," said Denis.
"No matter: I must die then," answered Gozo.
"Well, if I carry your gun, will you come on?" asked Denis.
"I'll try, master, I'll try," answered the black as Denis took the gun.
"I must help you to carry it," said Percy. "I cannot do much to assistthe fellow along, but I hope that his weakness is more fanciful thanreal, and that now he is relieved from the weight of his gun he willmove on more briskly."
For a short distance Gozo staggered on faster than he had done for sometime previously, but again his feet moved slower and slower, untilcoming to a tree he begged that he might lie down under it in the shadeand rest.
"But rest means delay, and every minute we are becoming more and morethirsty," said Denis.
Still Gozo insisted on lying down, and Denis and Percy had to agree tohis doing so. As they could not leave him, they sat down by his side.
After remaining a few minutes, however, Denis started up. "Come, thiswill never do," he exclaimed; "push on we must; we shall be as exhaustedas he is, if we do not soon find water, and we shall not find it bysitting here."
"I am ready," said Percy; but when they tried to induce Gozo to rise, hedeclared that he was utterly unable to move.
"Leave me here, masters," he groaned out. "If you find water in a shorttime, come back, but if not go on, for it will be useless to return, asI shall be dead."
Again and again they endeavoured to induce him to get up, but in vainwere all their efforts. At last Denis said, "We must leave him, I fear,though he runs a great risk of being destroyed by some wild beast."
He then turned to the unhappy native. "We will do as you wish. We willleave you your musket to defend yourself, but I would urge you not togive in; and if you feel yourself stronger, follow us. You will easilydistinguish our spoor, and we will fire off our pieces to show you ourwhereabouts, should we find water," he said.
With much regret they left poor Gozo, having strong doubts whether theyshould find him alive on their return. They set off slightly refreshedby their rest. They had not gone far when they caught sight of a singlewildebeest, or gnu, scampering along at a great rate, and going almostin the direction they were pursuing.
"Perhaps that animal is making its way towards water," observed Percy.
"I fear not," answered Denis. "If so, it would not be alone. It hasbeen separated from the herd; and see, there are some creatures chasingit. They are wild dogs; you can just distinguish their heads movingalong the grass in single file; the leader is close at the heels of thepoor wildebeest."
As the dogs came nearer, a whole line amounting to several score couldbe seen, following exactly one behind the other. Presently the leadertook a leap, and alighted on the haunches of the affrighted gnu.Another and another followed, until, borne down by numbers, the gnu wasdragged to the ground.
By this time Denis and Percy were near enough to fire with effect.Denis knocked over one of the dogs, and the rest, frightened by thereport, turned tail and scampered off. The lads rushed forward, eagerto obtain some of the flesh of the gnu. The animal was already dead, sothey were saved the trouble of shooting it. They at once cut off someslices, whil
e the two dogs, who had refused to remain with Gozo, ate ahearty meal.
"We must take some of this back to the poor fellow we left under thetree," said Denis.
Percy agreed; and much revived themselves, they set off by the way theyhad come. They hurried on, hoping to find Gozo still alive. As theyapproached they shouted out to give him notice that they were coming.The dogs on this ran forward; but as they got near to the spot, stoppedand gazed towards it, and then came back.
"What can have happened?" asked Percy. "Surely Gozo cannot have diedduring the short time we have been absent, yet otherwise the dogs wouldhave remained."
They hurried on to find Gozo lying at full length where they had lefthim. His eyes were open, but staring meaninglessly. Denis called himby name. He made no reply. He lifted his hand, it felt cold andclammy, and fell as he let it go; his heart had ceased to beat.Notwithstanding this, he pressed some of the juice from the flesh theyhad brought, into his mouth. They lifted up his head, they rubbed hisfeet, but all in vain. They saw with sorrow that they had been too lateto save him. To remain longer would be useless, and already the journeyback had occupied some time.
"We must hurry on to save our own lives," said Denis; "if we don't findwater in an hour or two, we shall be badly off indeed."
They therefore left the body of the Kaffir where it lay, his rifle byhis side, but they wisely carried off his ammunition, in case their ownshould run short. Sometimes they thought they saw shrubs which couldonly grow near water, but on getting up to them they were disappointedat not finding the slightest signs of moisture. Although the flesh ofthe gnu had greatly revived them, still in a short time their thirstreturned. They pressed onward as before, the dogs ranging on eitherside, apparently aware of what they were in search of, or prompted byinstinct to look out for themselves. Still there were no signs ofwater. They went on for fully an hour more, during which time theycould have got over only between two or three miles, for they could notwalk very fast.
They had gone some way farther when Percy caught sight of some objectsmoving over the plain, now stopping, now going on again.
"They are small animals of some sort," said Denis, to whom he pointedthem out. "We must try and get near them without putting them toflight. Depend upon it they are not likely to be far from water."
There were some bushes at a little distance, to which the lads madetheir way, in order to get near the creatures without being seen.
"Why, I believe they are baboons!" cried Denis; "the Kaffirs call thecreature the chacma. They are hunting for babiana root, which is alwaysfull of water. We can drive them off just as they have begun to dig,and before they have got hold of the roots we shall secure as many as wewant for ourselves. Had we seen them only a few hours ago, poor Gozo'slife might have been saved."
They were now getting near to the bushes, and the baboons, being verybusy, had fortunately not perceived them. They crept on cautiouslyuntil they had got within fifty yards of the animals. There were acouple of dozen at least. Some had got hold of roots which they wereeagerly eating, others were busily digging away in the sand. The ladshad some difficulty in keeping back the dogs; for as soon as they sawthe baboons they made efforts to rush at them, and very probably wouldhave suffered severely in consequence.
"Now," whispered Denis, "I see three or four have been digging away notfar off, evidently expecting to find roots. In a few seconds we'llfire, then shout, and let slip the dogs."
They did as he proposed. The baboons, frightened at the unusual sounds,and seeing the unknown creatures coming towards them, scampered off ashard as they could go. Denis and Percy rushed forward to the holeswhich the baboons had made, and digging eagerly with their hands, eachof them soon came to a root, and rubbing off the sand which adhered tothe outsides, put them to their mouths. Perfectly refreshing and coolwas the pulpy substance, full of the purest water. The dogs eagerlygobbled up the portions they threw away. They went to another andanother hole, in each of which a root was found. The effect was almostinstantaneous; they at once felt refreshed and strengthened. Havingsatisfied their own thirst, they found two more roots, which they gaveto the dogs; but the baboons had already extracted the roots from theother holes, and after searching for some time they could find no more.Although they themselves felt revived, they did not forget the object oftheir expedition, and resolved to continue on; but it occurred to Denisthat as the baboons had come to the place to obtain roots, it was notlikely that they would find any water in the neighbourhood.
"That makes it more important that we should push on as fast aspossible," said Percy; "but I say, Denis, do you think there's anychance of our getting back to the waggon to-night? It is already late."
Denis looked at the sun, which was sinking towards the west.
"Faith! I was not thinking how time was passing," he answered; "and, tosay the truth, I'm pretty sure we shan't get back, and we must make upour minds to camp out. If we keep up a good fire to scare away thelions and other savage beasts, there will be no danger and no greathardship."
Percy, who did not like the thought of passing the night in thewilderness, proposed that they should strike away to the right, or aboutdue east, in the expectation of falling in with the track of the waggon,which he hoped might have been able to move on. Denis was of opinionthat there was no chance of their getting as far before nightfall, andthat it was very possible the oxen might not have been found, or if theyhad been found, that they would have been able to make much progresstowards the north.
"We shall be wiser if we continue our search for water, and look out forsome food; for now--thanks to the roots--my thirst is quenched, and I amgetting very peckish," he added.
"So am I," said Percy; "but I am too anxious to get back to the waggonto think much about my hunger."
"You'll not be so indifferent about food before long, let me tell you,"observed Denis. "You'll then feel that you'd rather bring down aspringboc, or gnu, or any other animal we may come across, than see thewaggon moving ever so merrily along. I know what it is to be starving,and to feel that one's life depends on bringing down the game one ischasing. Come, move on! we will keep our eyes about us on the chance offinding something to shoot. When the sun gets lower, we will look outfor a clump of trees or bushes which will shelter our camp from thenight wind, and give us fuel for our fire."
"I would rather find a stream or water hole," said Percy.
"So would I, provided we could afterwards get something to eat and fuelto cook it; but if not, we must make the best of circumstances. Manypeople have been in a worse situation than we are, so don't let us beginto complain yet," said Denis.
His indomitable spirits encouraged Percy, and they trudged on in thedirection they were before going, looking eagerly about them, both forsigns of water and for any animal which might appear near enough to givethem a chance of shooting it. Denis was sure that Hendricks, should hefind water, would at once set off on horseback in search of them in thedirection he had desired them to take, and by his experience wouldquickly come upon their spoor and follow them up, or if he could notcome himself, that he would send Umgolo. They were, of course, verysorry for the loss of poor Gozo, who would have been of great assistanceboth in obtaining food and searching for water, if any existed in theneighbourhood. Meantime the sun was sinking lower and lower, butneither game nor signs of water had they discovered. In vain Raff andFangs ranged widely on either side of them, as eager as they were tofind it.
Some way to the left there appeared a wood. The trees were not veryhigh, but they would afford them the shelter and fuel they required, andDenis proposed that they should make towards them.
"It cannot be helped; we shall have to go without our suppers, I fear;but we must hope to find something for breakfast," said Denis.
Percy groaned. He had become, as Denis guessed he would, very hungry,and the lower limb of the sun had almost reached the horizon. They knewthat soon after it had set darkness would come on, when it would b
edifficult to select a suitable spot for camping, or obtain time forcollecting fuel. They had not gone far when Percy exclaimed, "Hallo,what's that? What an enormous bird!" And Denis, looking to the right,in which direction Percy pointed, saw an ostrich scampering away acrossthe plain.
Both the dogs instantly started off in chase, but the ostrich quicklyoutstripped them; and Denis, fearing that they might lose themselves orget exhausted to no purpose, called them back.
"Did you mark the spot it started from?" he asked eagerly. "We must tryto find it. The chances are it was sitting on its eggs, and if they aretolerably fresh, they will serve us for food and liquid too."
"I think I can calculate the whereabouts of the place it rose from,"said Percy; and they hastened on, keeping a little apart, that theymight be able to examine a wider extent of ground than if they had beentogether. Denis could see nothing like a nest, and he began to fearthat the ostrich had been merely resting after being chased, and thattheir hunt would be fruitless.
"It can't be helped; we must make for the wood, or we shall not be ableto see our way," he shouted to Percy.
Just then the latter exclaimed, "Hurrah! hurrah! five magnificent eggs!"and he held up one of them with both hands.
Denis hurried to the spot. There, sure enough, resting in the centre ofa clump of dry grass, with otherwise very little protection, were fourlarge white eggs besides the one Percy had in his hand, each largeenough to afford a good meal to them both.
Their hunger would have prompted them then and there to sit down and eatthe contents raw, but Denis wisely advised that they should restraintheir appetites and hasten on to the clump of trees. They accordinglyeach secured two in their handkerchiefs and Percy carried the fifth inhis hand.
Although the sun had sunk by the time they got close to the wood, therewas still light sufficient to enable them to collect a supply of brokenbranches and leaves for their fuel.
"Take care that you do not catch hold of a snake, fancying you are aboutto pick up a stick," cried Denis. "I nearly did so just now.Fortunately the creature wriggled off more frightened at me than I wasat it."
"You may trust me for that," said Percy; "but what do you say, insteadof sleeping on the ground, to climbing up into a tree? I see one withthe branches sufficiently low to enable us to get into it withoutdifficulty. We should at least be out of the reach of lions."
"Yes, I agree with you it will be the safest place, although not themost comfortable, and we must remember to carry our guns with us, or wemay chance to be besieged there as I once was," answered Denis, comingalong with a bundle of sticks. "We'll light our fire first, and cook anegg. If that is the tree you propose, let us pitch our camp beneathit;" and he threw down the sticks, while Percy hastened to bring thosehe had collected and left at a little distance.
"Holloa! I saw one of the branches move in a curious fashion," heexclaimed, looking up at the tree in which they proposed to form theirresting-place for the night.
"A branch! why that's a boa or snake of some sort, big enough to eat usboth up, if so disposed," cried Denis.
They had fortunately not gone sufficiently close to enable the creatureto spring down upon them, or the consequences might have been serious.
"We must dislodge that fellow, if we are to get up the tree," saidDenis, raising his rifle. "I can see his head." And he fired.
The huge snake gave some convulsive struggles, trying to coil itselfround and round the branch, but its folds speedily relaxed, and its headhung down towards the ground, still it clung on by its tail, the foldsof its huge body twisting and writhing in a manner truly terrific asseen in the dim light beneath the deep foliage of the tree.
"We must put a stop to that fellow's performances, or he may be doing ussome mischief still," cried Percy; and raising his rifle he fired. In afew seconds down fell the big snake to the ground; its tail, however,still kept moving, and Denis, who had reloaded his rifle with smallshot, stepping forward, discharged it at the tail end of the body. Theeffect was instantaneous--its struggles ceased--the huge snake lay dead.
"I only hope there may not be more up the tree. You see we might havebeen in as much danger among the branches as on the ground," said Denis.
They both looked up, going round and round the tree, but could discovernothing moving, so they came to the conclusion that the boa had been itsonly occupant.
"It won't be pleasant to have this fellow close under us, as the hyenasand jackals will to a certainty collect to feast off him before long,"said Denis. "We must drag him off as far as we can. To be sure, if wehadn't found the ostrich eggs, we should have been thankful to get somesteaks off him; as it is, we may as well cut a few for ourselves, incase the eggs should not be as fresh as we might desire; while Raff andFangs will have no objection to as many as we like to give them."
"You don't mean to say that we may have to eat some of that horriblesnake!" cried Percy.
"I mean to say it is possible that we may be very glad to eat a goodjunk of it," answered Denis. "We may fancy all the time that we arebanqueting on a magnificent sturgeon."
"Oh, do let us get the fire lighted first, and cook an egg," criedPercy. "Without food I am sure I could not drag that snake a dozenfeet."
To this Denis agreed. Having match-boxes in their pouches, they quicklylighted their fire, but they had to wait till some ashes were formedbefore they could begin to cook one of the eggs. In the meantime Deniscut some slices from the thicker part of the snake's body, and somehunches which the hungry dogs very speedily disposed of. He then beganto drag it away, but alone he could scarcely move it, so that Percy, inspite of his hunger, was obliged to assist him. They did not get far,however, but hurried back, pretty well exhausted, to cook the eggs theywere longing for. Denis performed the operation in a scientific manner,by making a small hole at one end, and then putting in some pepper andsalt which they had brought with them, and stirring the inside aboutwith a stick till the egg was cooked. It was soon done in this fashion;and greatly to the satisfaction of Percy, who dreaded having to sup offthe snake's flesh, it was found to be perfectly sweet. Although theyhad no water, they were able from the liquid nature of the egg to eat asmall portion of the biscuit they had in their pouches. The mealgreatly restored their strength, as well as Percy's spirits.
Having made up the fire to give them light, they dragged the body of thesnake still farther from the camp. Denis was inclined to remain underthe tree, where he could stretch himself at full length on the ground.Percy entreated him to come up into the branches.
"But supposing we were both to go to sleep, and the fire was to go out,and a lion was to come prowling this way, what would become of us?"asked Denis. At last he agreed to do as Percy wished, and making up thefire so as to give them plenty of light, they climbed into the tree withtheir guns and four ostrich eggs.
"We must get up the dogs also, or some wild beast or other may carrythem off," said Denis. "Come along, Raff, old fellow, catch hold ofthis;" and Denis, leaning down from the lowest branch, held out hishandkerchief, which Raff, clearly understanding what he was to do,caught hold of, and was quickly hauled up. Nothing however would induceFangs to follow his example, and at last they were compelled to abandonthe attempt to get him up, he having evidently made up his mind to passthe night at the foot of the tree--probably that he might enjoy at hisleisure a further meal off the snake. Greedy Fangs, like many humanbeings, influenced by sinister motives, he was doomed to suffer severelyfor his folly.
They soon selected for themselves and Raff three tolerably secure placesamong the forked branches, where they hoped to be able to pass thenight, if not in a very comfortable manner, at all events without therisk of being pounced upon by a hungry lion.
Hendricks the Hunter; Or, The Border Farm: A Tale of Zululand Page 11
