PS 3513X2612""""'™"'"-"'"^ 
 Tales from the veld. 
 
 3 1924 012 667 295 
 
The original of tliis book is in 
 tine Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924012667295 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
NOVELS BY ERNEST GLANVILLE. 
 
 THE LOST HEIRESS. Crown 8vo. cloth, with Frontispiece 
 by Hume Nisbbt, 3^. 6d. ; post 8vo. illustrated boards, 2s. 
 
 ' Mr. Glanville's tale of adventure has features which place it far above 
 the usual level of its kind. The plot is of considerable interest, but the 
 strong point of the book lies in its pictures of warfare in Zululand. These 
 are painted with the vivid realism only to be attained by a personal know- 
 ledge of the country described. '—Morning Post. 
 
 ' The local knowledge displayed is considerable, and there is enough 
 "love, battle, and adventure" to furnish forth many a less conscientious 
 caterer to youthful curiosity.' — AtheNjEUM. 
 
 THE FOSSICKER : a Romance of Mashonalaod. Crown 
 8vo. cloth, with Frontispiece by Hume Nisbet, 3^. 6ii. ; post 8vo. 
 illustrated boards, 2s. 
 
 ' A story of exceptional power. ... As full of enchantment as any- 
 thing in romance. We cannot believe that anyone fairly launched on the 
 way could put the book down for a minute, so enthralling is the spell the 
 author has created.'— Saturday Review. 
 
 ' The encounter with the " trek Boers" is one of the most powerful 
 and life-like pieces of description we have ever met with. Mr. Glanville 
 paints these ruthless Dutchmen with a distinctness and frankness that the 
 masters of the Dutch school might have envied. . . The fascination of the 
 story is chiefly due to a strong leaven of literary and pictorial power. . . . 
 It will be read, not once, but many times.' — Spectator. 
 
 A FAIR COLONIST. Crown 8vo. cloth, with Frontispiece 
 by Stanley Wood, 3^. 6<i ; post Svo. illustrated boards, 2s. 
 
 ' Mr. Glanville's latest story is as exciting as anything of Rider 
 Haggard's. His weird Witch-man is a genuine creation. Indeed, the 
 Witch-man and African birds and beasts are so interestingly delineated, 
 that the reader, like Oliver Twist, " asks for more." ' — Idler. 
 
 ' Not only readable, but interesting. . . . Anyone who wishes to obtain 
 a good deal of information about life on a fruit-farm in South Africa can 
 find it here, wrapped up in the pleasant guise of an excellent story of love 
 and adventure.' — Speaker. 
 
 THE GOLDEN ROCK. Crown Svo. cloth, with Frontispiece 
 
 by Stanley Wood, y. 6d. 
 
 ' The sea romance is brilliantly related, and Mr. Clark Russell seems 
 
 at last to have a rival in his own line. Altogether Mr. Glanville adds to 
 
 his reputation by this exciting and well-written story .'—Glasgow Herald. 
 
 _ ' For variety and sensationalism in adventure it would be hard to beat 
 
 this story. ... No story, indeed, could well be cleverer or more exciting.' 
 
 , T, J . . , . , Academy. 
 
 ' For good, stirring, and sustained mterest it would be difficult to beat 
 " The Golden Rock." . . . The improbabilities are so fascinating, and 
 the escapes so thrilling, that it would require an effort to put the book 
 down when once it has been taken up,' — SUN. 
 
 • Breathlessly exciting from the first page to the last.' 
 
 Manchester Guardian. 
 
 London: CHATTO & WINDUS, iii St. Martin's Lane, W.C. 
 
HE STOOD UP ON HIS HIND LEGS. 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 BY 
 
 ERNEST GLANVILLE 
 
 AUTHOR OF 'THE GOLDEN ROCK' 'THE FOSSICKER' ETC. 
 
 WITH TWELVE ILLUSTRATIONS BY M. NISBET 
 
 LONDON 
 
 CHATTO & WINDUS 
 
 1897 
 
The earlier stories in this volume have preruionsly been 
 published in a small collection entitled 'Kloof Yams' 
 
TO 
 JOHN NOBLE, ESQ. 
 
 C.M.G., J.P. 
 
 CLERK OF THE CAPE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY 
 18&S— 97 
 
P REFACE 
 
 The tales here set forth are, subject to a 
 generous allowance for Uncle Abe's gift of 
 imagination, true to the animal life and the 
 scenery of a district in the Cape occupied by 
 the British Settlers of 1820 — a tract rich in 
 incidents of border warfare, hallowed by the 
 struggles of that early band of colonists, 
 saturated with the superstitions and folk lore 
 of the Kafifirs, and thoroughly familiar to the 
 author — who passed his boyhood there. 
 
 E. GLANVILLE. 
 
 Streatham : September 1897. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER 
 
 I. ABE PIKE'S POISON BARK .... 
 
 II. UNCLE ABE'S BIG SHOOT .... 
 
 III. UNCLE ABE, THE BABOON, AND THE TIGER 
 
 IV. ABE PIKE AND THE WHIP 
 
 V. THE SPOOK OF THE HARE .... 
 
 VI. THE BABOON AND THE TORTOISE . 
 
 VII. THE JACKAL AND THE WREN 
 
 VIII. ABE PIKE AND THE HONEY-BIRD 
 
 IX. UNCLE ABE AND THE WILD DOGS 
 
 X. THE BLACK MAMBA .... 
 
 XI. HOW THE MELONS DISAPPEARED 
 
 XII. ABE PIKE AND THE BIG FISH . 
 
 XIII. THE BLACK TIGER AGAIN .... 
 
 XIV. BUFFALO BULL AND THE SHORTHORN 
 
 XV. THE END OF THE TIGER .... 
 
 XVI. WHERE THE QUAILS CAME FROM . 
 
 XVII. ABE PIKE AND THE GHONVA 
 
 XVIII. ABE PIKE AND THE KAFFIR WAR . 
 
 XIX. A BLACK CHRISTMAS 
 
 XX. TRACKING THE KOSA CHIEF . 
 XXI. THE BOOM OF THE DRUM .... 
 
 XXII. THE RED DIAMOND 
 
 PACE 
 I 
 
 8 
 IS 
 25 
 31 
 39 
 45 
 49 
 60 
 70 
 81 
 88 
 
 99 
 106 
 III 
 116 
 124 
 130 
 137 
 143 
 ISO 
 160 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 CHAPTER- PAGE 
 
 XXm. ABE'S DIAMOND MINE 1 70 
 
 XXIV. HOW ABE LOST HIS WATER BARREL . . 181 
 
 XXV. ABE PIKE SCOUTING 19I 
 
 XXVL END OF THE SCOUTING 1 98 
 
 XXVII. ABE AND THE TIGER TRAP 207 
 
 XXVIII. ABE AND THE EAGLES 21 5 
 
 XXIX. ABE'S BILLY GOAT 223 
 
 XXX. A KAFFIR'S PLAY 232 
 
 XXXI. A BUGLE CALL 239 
 
 XXXIL THE 'RED' KAFFIRS 25 1 
 
 XXXIII. OUT OF THE DEEP SEA 272 
 
 XXXIV. THE YOUNG BURGHER 28 1 
 
 XXXV. UNCLE ABE AND THE SNAKE . . . . 294 
 
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 ' HE STOOD 'UP ON HIS HIND LEGS' . . Frontispiece 
 
 I FOUND HIM LEANING OVER A WATER BUTT . tofocep. I 
 
 'HE WERE GETTIN' READY TO FIRE' ... « 37 
 
 ' HE SAW ME COME IN WITH THAT BUCKET 
 
 FULL' „ 54 
 
 'I LOOKED AT THEM, WITH THE BLOOD IN ME 
 
 LIKE WATER' ,,77 
 
 'I SPOTTED THAT BLACK DEVIL' . . . . „ I03 
 
 'THERE WAS THE TWO OF 'EM DEAD' . . „ "7 
 
 'I SEED A PASSING OF A MANY SHADDERS' . . „ I28 
 
 'HER ROVING EYE, SEARCHING THE VELD' . „ 133 
 
 'HE CAME DRIFTING OVER THE RAND OUTER 
 
 THE SEA' „ 185 
 
 'A YOUNG KAFFIR LEAPT OUTER THE BUSH' . „ 20$ 
 
 •harry came IN AS COOL AS YOU PLEASE' . „ 266 
 
I FOUND HIM LEANING OVER A WATER BUTT. 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 I 
 
 ABE PIKE'S POISON BARK 
 
 ,Abe Pike — Old Abe Pike, or Uncle Abe as 
 he was variously called — lived in a one-horse 
 ' shanty in the division of Albany, Cape Colony. 
 I won't locate his farm, for various reasons, 
 beyond saying that there is a solitary blue- 
 gum on the south side of the house and the 
 rudiments of a cowshed on the north. Uncle 
 Abe was not ambitious ; he was slow, but he 
 was sure. So he said. One blue-gum satisfied 
 him, and as for the cowshed he meant to com- 
 plete it during the century. I don't introduce 
 him as a tree planter, but as a narrator of most 
 extraordinary yarns. He called them facts — 
 but of the truth of this the reader may judge. 
 
 Riding over one warm afternoon, I found 
 him leaning over a water-butt examining the 
 little lively and red worms therein, which would 
 soon hatch out into livelier mosquitoes. 
 
 ' Well, Uncle, how d'ye fare ? ' 
 
 ''J I B 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 ' Porly, lad, porly ; pumpkins is scarce.' 
 Uncle Abe took a very old pipe from his 
 pocket, and showed the emptiness of it by 
 placing a very gnarled little finger into the 
 black bofwl. 
 
 I held out my pouch. 
 
 • I'll jest take a little dry to put on the top,' 
 he said, as he deliberately filled the pipe. ' We 
 want a little " dry on the top " to start us, but 
 if there's nothin' deown below, why, it's a puff 
 and out it goes. Yo'll never get a crop from 
 that bottom land o' yours until you put some 
 dry on the top in the shape of manure. See ! ' 
 Now, of all the laziest, shiftless beings there 
 was no one who could start level with old Abe 
 Pike, and this advice from him was rasping, but 
 still he had his points. 
 
 ' I've heard say there's a powerful heap o' 
 money in portents,' he ventured presently. 
 ' It depends on how you interpret them.' 
 'Well, that's so. I've got a portent here 
 in this very coat ; that's some small pumpkins, 
 I tell you. It'll kill any sort o' vermin, rats, 
 skeeters, wild-cats, jackals, quicker'n winkin'. 
 See ! I found it out myself come next Friday 
 fortnight.' 
 
 'You mean you interpreted the portent.' 
 ' Well, now, is that so ? I tole you I got it 
 in my pocket, and ef I didn't find it, how did it 
 get there ? That's what I wont to know.' 
 
ABE PIKE'S POISON BARK 
 
 'All right, Uncle, what is it?' 
 
 'That's my portent. I diskivered it, and 
 I'm gwine to work it under my name — Abe 
 Pike's Sure Killer.' 
 
 ' Is it a patent medicine you're talking of.-*' 
 
 ' Of course ; that's what I said. There it 
 is,' and out of his pocket he produced a strip of 
 bark. 
 
 ' Sneeze-wood bark, isn't it ? ' 
 
 ' Looks like it, don't it ? But there's bark 
 and there's bark. This is Abe Pike's Bark, 
 possessing properties which will alleviate the 
 sufferings of the human race by putting a 
 lightning end to the enemies of the human 
 kind. That's what I've studied out to put in 
 the papers in big letters. There's money in it, 
 now ; ain't there ? ' 
 
 ' I don't see it, Uncle.' 
 
 ' Ah ! the limitations of knowledge, my boy, 
 is accountable for a pot of ignorance. You think 
 that's plain ordinary bark, but that's where 
 your limitations run dry. I'll jes tell you how 
 I diskivered this great and marvellous killer of 
 the centry. Come Friday fortnight I sot out 
 with the axe to chop out a pole for the cow- 
 shed — t'other on' been eaten thro' by those 
 plaguy ants. Well, I knew of a tree way down 
 in the kloof that had been growin' for that shed 
 o' mine ever since the seed dropped on the 
 'xact spot where nature had provided a bed for 
 
 3 =^ 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 ' it, When you come to think of it, everything 
 has got its purpose all smoothed out from the 
 start, and that little seed spread itself out from 
 the beginnin' to build up a pole for ole Abe 
 Pike's cowshed. I sot down on a fallen tree 
 and thought that all out, while the trees round 
 about made a whisperin' with their leaves over 
 the head o' that there sneeze 'ood that was 
 doomed so to speak, by reason o' my cows, and 
 the necessity of keepin' 'em out o' the rain in 
 the winter. Well, I sot there thinking all these 
 thoughts until it was too dark, and I went away 
 home 'thout having cut the tree. Next 
 mornin' I took up my axe and went down into 
 the kloof and took off my coat. I gave two 
 blows a;nd stopped.' 
 
 ' Too much work ? ' 
 
 'Jes you wait. I tole you there was a 
 fallen tree ; well, in that tree was a snake. 
 The first blow of the axe woke him, and he 
 popped his head out. The second blow sent a 
 chip that hit him square between the eyes. 
 Out he came biling with rage, and hissin' like a 
 kettle o' water, and I just had time to dodge 
 behind the tree when he let out. His fangs 
 stuck right in the wood, and with a clip I cut 
 his head off. I stood away back looking at 
 his writhing body and at his wicked head 
 sticking there in tlhe tree jes where I had made 
 
 4 
 
ABE PIKE'S POISON BARK 
 
 the wedge. As I looked in, there came to 
 pass a remarkable circumstance. 
 
 ' Yes ? ' 
 
 'Yes; that tree began to lose coloQr. It 
 was a healthy tree, sound as a bell, with a heart 
 o' iron and a crown o' green leaves ; but as I 
 stood there in the space o' maybe one minit, or 
 a minit and a half, it begun to turn pale and 
 sickly.' 
 
 ' Turn pale ! ' 
 
 ' Yes, sir, that's what I said. First the 
 leaves shuddered and rustled, and grew moist ; 
 then they slowly turned yeller, curling up as 
 if they'd been frost-bitten, only sadder. It 
 s'prised me, that did, for there was somethin' in 
 the way the leaves went that struck a shudder 
 through me, 'twas so human like in the manner 
 o' it. But that was nothing — the bark suddenly 
 cracked and peeled off — then the white trunk 
 itself standin' there, exposed in its nakedness 
 began to swell — until it split with a groan — 
 aye, a groan, a moaning shivery gasp o' pain. 
 ' ' Twas so like life, I turned and ran, thinkin' 
 that dead snakes was after me — so that as I 
 ran the fear grew upon me till I came out inter 
 the open. After looking around keerfully I sat 
 on a stone an' steadied my thinking machine. 
 When I got the fear out o' me I went back 
 and there was that tree dead as tho' it had 
 
 5 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 been struck by lightnin' and bleached by the 
 rain an' sun.' 
 
 'Well?' 
 
 ' That tree was pisened ! It died o' snake- 
 bite — its system chock full o' pisen. I cut it 
 down and took it home, where I planted it 
 under the shed.' 
 
 ' And your portent ? ' 
 
 ' I'm comin' to that, if you'll give me time. 
 That night I couldn't sleep for a procession of 
 ants. They came out of a hole in the floor, 
 crept over my bed — which you may know is 
 on the floor for convenience — and marched out 
 thro' the crack under the door. All the ants 
 in the country were there — red ants, black ants, 
 working ants, soldier ants, and the soldier ants 
 nipped me whenever I moved. In the morn- 
 ing, when they had passed away, I went out- 
 side, and in the shed there was thousands an' 
 thousands o' dead ants, not to speak o' flies.' 
 
 'All dead?' 
 
 ' They had been nipping that pisened pole, 
 and those that didn't bite got the news and 
 moved off for other scenes. I tell you, you 
 may speak o' telegraph wires, but lor' bless 
 you, news travels faster among the creatures. 
 Why I've knowed ' 
 
 ' Yes ; but you've not told me about your 
 discovery.' 
 
 ' Well, now, the limitations of your know- 
 6 
 
ABE PIKE'S POISON BARK 
 
 ledge is great. I've told you enough to put two 
 and two together. If not, I'll just make the 
 plain plainer. Seeing what the tree had done, I 
 though o' the bark an' the leaves left there 
 behind in the kloof, and went for 'em. It was 
 jus' as I thought. They was deadly pisen, and 
 when I laid some leaves about the house they 
 killed all the flies, and a piece o' bark laid in a 
 rat-hole brought all the rats out corpses. 
 
 ' Yes sir, that's ole Abe Pike's Vermin De- 
 stroyer, and if you're setting pills for jackals, 
 why, don't you forget to come to my shop.' 
 
 ' Are you opening a shop ? ' 
 
 ' That's what I said. Abe Pike's vermin 
 pisen poles, warrented to stand the ravages o' 
 time an' insects, and Pike's bark ; no other 
 genuine. So long ! ' 
 
 ' Well, so long ! ' 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 II 
 UNCLE ABE'S BIG SHOOT 
 
 I HAD ridden out one day to the outpost, 
 where a troop of young cattle were running, 
 when the horse rode into a covey of red-wing 
 partridges, a brace of which I accounted for by 
 a right and left. Picking up the birds, and 
 feeling rather proud of the shot, I continued on 
 to Uncle Pike's to crow over the matter. 
 
 The old man was seated outside the door 
 ' braiding ' a thong of forslag or whip-lash. 
 
 ' Hitch the reins over the pole. Ef the shed 
 was ready I'd ask yer to stable the hoss, but 
 there's a powerful heap o' work yet to finish it 
 off nice an' shipshape — me being one o' those 
 who like to see a job well done. None o' yer 
 rough and ready sheds for me, with a hole in 
 the roof after the fust rain. A plump brace o' 
 birds — you got 'em up by the Round Kopje.' 
 
 'Yes, Uncle; a right and left from the 
 saddle. Good shooting, eh ! ' 
 
 ' Fair to middling, sonn^ — fair to middling 
 — but with a handful o' shot an' a light gun 
 what can yer expect but to hit. Now, ef you'd 
 
 8 
 
UNCLE ABE'S BIG SHOOT 
 
 bagged 'em with one ball outer an ole muzzle- 
 loader, why I'd up ah' admit it was praisable.' 
 
 ' Why Uncle, where's the man who would 
 knock over two birds with a ball ? It couldn't 
 be done.' 
 
 ' Is that so ? Well, now yer s'prise me.' 
 
 ' You're not going to tell me you have seen 
 that done ! ' 
 
 ' Something better. That's small potatoes.' 
 
 He rose up, went indoors, and returned 
 with an ancient single muzzle-loader, the stock 
 bound round with snake skin. ' Jes yer handle 
 that wepin.' 
 
 I handled it, and returned it without a 
 word. It was ill-balanced, and came up awk- 
 wardly to the shoulder. 
 
 ' That wepin saved my life.' 
 
 ' In the war .''' 
 
 ' In the big drought. You remember the 
 time. The country was that dry, you could 
 hear the grass crackle like tinder when the 
 wind moved, an' every breath stirred up 
 columes of sand which went cavorting over 
 the veld round and round, their tops bending 
 over to each other an' the bottoms stirring up 
 everything movable, and the whole length of the 
 funells dotted about with snakes, an' lizards, an' 
 bits of wood. Why, I see one o' em whip up a 
 dead sheep, an' shed the wool off o' the carcase 
 as it went twisting round an' round.' 
 
 9 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 ' And the gun ? ' 
 
 ' The gun was on the wall over my bed. 
 Don't you mind the gun. Well, it was that 
 dry the pumpkins withered up where they lay on 
 the hard ground — an' one day there was nought 
 in the larder, not so much as a smell. There 
 was no breakfast for ole Abe Pike, nor dinner nor 
 yet tea, an' the next morning 'twas the same story 
 o' emptiness. I took down the old gun from 
 the wall an' cleaned her up. There was one 
 full charge o' powder in the horn, an' one bullet 
 in the bag. All that morning I considered 
 whether 'twould be wiser to divide that charge 
 inter three, or to pour the whole lot of it in 't 
 once. When dinner-time came an' there was 
 no dinner, I solumnly poured the whole bang 
 of it inter the barrel, an' listened to the music 
 of the black grains as they rattled on their way 
 down to their last dooty. I cut a good thick 
 wad from a buck- hide and rammed it down, 
 " Plunk, plenk, plank, plonk, ploonk," until the 
 rod jumped clean out o' the muzzle. Then I 
 polished up that lone bullet, wrapped him 
 round in a piece o' oil rag, an' sent him down 
 gently. " Squish, squish, squash, squoosh." I 
 put the cap on the nipple, an' sent him home 
 with the pressure o' the hammer. Then I took 
 a look over the country to 'cide on a plan o' 
 campaign. What I wanted was a big ram 
 with meat on him ter last for a month, if 'twas 
 
 xo 
 
UNCLE ABE'S BIG SHOOT 
 
 made inter biltong. There was one down by 
 the hoek, but it warnt full grown. He was 
 nearest, but there was one I'd seen over yonder 
 off by the river, beyond the kloof, an' I 
 reckoned 'twas worth while going a couple o' 
 mile extra to get him.' 
 
 ' You were sure of him ? ' 
 
 ' He was as good as dead when I shouldered 
 the gun an' stepped off out on that wilderness 
 o' burnt land. The wind came like a breath 
 from a furnace, an' the hair on my head split 
 an' curled up under the heat. Whenever I 
 came across a rock with a breadth of shade I 
 sot there to cool off, panting like a fowl, an' 
 also to cool off the gun for fear 'twould explode. 
 By reason o' this resting the dark came down 
 when I reached the ridge above the river, an' 
 I jest camped where it found me, after digging 
 up some insange root to chew. The fast had 
 been with me for two days, an' the gnawing 
 pain inside was terrible, so that I kept awake 
 looking up at the stars an' listening to the 
 plovers,' 
 
 ' It must have been lonesome ! ' 
 
 ' 'Twas not the lonesomeness so much as 
 the emptiness that troubled me. Before the 
 morning came, lighting up the valley, I was 
 going down to the river on the last hunt. 
 'Twas do or die that trip — an' it seemed to me 
 I could see the gleam o' my bones away down 
 
 II 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 there through the mist that hung over the sick 
 river. I made straight for the river, knowing 
 there was a comfort an' fellowship in the water 
 which would draw game there, an' the big 
 black ram, too, 'fore he marched off inter the 
 thick o' the kloof for his sleep. By-and-by, 
 as I went down among the rocks an' trees, I 
 pitched head first' — ker smash — in a sudden fit 
 o' dizziness, but the shock did me good. It 
 rattled up my brain — an' instead o' jest plung- 
 ing ahead I went slow — slow an' soft as a cat 
 on the trail — pushing aside a branch here, 
 shoving away a dry twig there, an' glaring 
 around with hungry eyes. I spotted him ! ' 
 
 ' The ram ? ' 
 
 'Aye, the ram. The very buck I'd had in 
 my mind when I loaded the old gun. He 
 stood away off the other side o' the river, 
 moving his ears, but still as a rock, and black 
 as the bowl of this pipe, except where the 
 white showed along his side. He seemed to 
 be looking straight at me — an' I sank by inches 
 to the ground with my legs all o' a shake. 
 Then, on my falling, he stepped down to the 
 water, and stood there admiring hisself — his 
 sharp horns an' fine legs — an' on my belly, all 
 empty as 'twas, I crawled, an' crawled, an' 
 crawled. There was a bush this side the 
 river, an' I got it in line. At last I reached it, 
 the sweat pouring off me, an' slowly I rose up. 
 
 12 
 
UNCLE ABE'S BIG SHOOT 
 
 The water was dripping from his muzzle as he 
 threw his head up, an' he turned to spring 
 back, when, half-kneeling, I fired, an' the tiext 
 moment the old gun kicked me flat as a 
 pancake.' 
 
 ' And you missed him ? ' 
 
 ' Never ! I got him. I said I would, an' I 
 did. I. got him, an' a 9 pound barbel.' 
 
 'Uncle Abe!' 
 
 ' I say a 9 pound barbd, tho' he might a 
 been 8^ pound, an' a brace of pheasants.' 
 
 ' Uncle Abe ! ' 
 
 ' I zed so — an' a hare an', an',' he went on 
 quickly, ' a porkipine.' 
 
 ' Uncle Abe ! ' 
 
 ' Well — what are you Abeing me for ? ' 
 
 ' You got all those with one shot. Never ! ' 
 
 ' I was there — you weren't. 'Tis easy ac- 
 counted for. When I pulled the trigger the 
 fish leapt from the water in the line, and the 
 bullet passed through him inter the buck. I 
 tole you the gun kicked. Well, it flew out o' 
 my hands, an' hit the hare square on the nose. 
 To recover myself, I threw up my hands, an' 
 caught hold o' the two pheasants jest startled 
 outer the bush.' * 
 
 ' And the porcupine ? ' 
 
 ' I sot down on the porkipine, an' if you'd 
 like to 'xamine my pants you'll find where his 
 quills went in. I was mighty sore, an' I could 
 
 13 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 ha' spared him well from the. bag. But 'twas a 
 wonderful good shot. You're not going ? ' 
 
 ' Yes, I am. I'm afraid to stay with you.' 
 
 ' Well, so long ! I cut this yere forslag from 
 the skin o' that same buck.' 
 
 ' Let me see — it's nine years to the big 
 drought.' 
 
 ' That's it.' 
 
 ' That skin has kept well.' 
 
 ' Oh, yes ; 'twas a mighty tough skin.' 
 
 ' Not so tough as your yarn, Uncle. So 
 long ! ' 
 
Ill 
 
 UNCLE ABE, THE BABOON, 
 AND THE TIGER 
 
 Abe Pike was one of those men who would 
 walk ten miles to set a trap without a murmur, 
 while he thought himself badly used if he were 
 called upon to hoe a row in the mealie field. 
 So when, for the third time within one week, 
 a calf was killed by a tiger, and our attempts 
 to shoot, poison, or trap the thief had failed, I 
 rode over to Uncle Abe's to secure his aid. 
 
 ' I can't do it,' he said, when I had stated 
 my business. 
 
 ' Too busy ? ' 
 
 ' No ; 'taint that, sonny, 'taint that — tho' 
 there's a powerful heap o' work to do on that 
 shed,' 
 
 ' I'll put in a couple of days and help you 
 finish it right off, as soon as the tiger is laid by 
 the heels ' 
 
 Thank ye kindly ; but I've got to finish 
 that there shed offun my own bat. ' It's a job 
 that wants doin' keerfly.' 
 • ' Well, Uncle, I'll plough up your old land 
 15 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 by the hoek, and put in two muids of corn. 
 How will that do ?' 
 
 ' 'Twont do, my lad ; that land's full o' 
 charlock.' 
 
 'Then, Uncle, the day you show me the 
 dead body of that tiger, the red heifer with the 
 white patch on the hump is yours.' 
 
 He heaved a sigh, and knocked the bowl 
 of his pipe on his thumb, but he did not accept 
 the offer, though I knew he admired that 
 heifer. 
 
 ' Why, Uncle, what is the matter } You're 
 not ill?' 
 
 ' 'Tain't that, either — not 'xactly — tho' 
 there's such a thing as illness o' the mind.' 
 
 ' I'm very sorry,' as I unhitched the bridle 
 and prepared to mount, 'for I'll have to go to 
 Long Sam, and from the hairs I've seen I 
 shouldn't be surprised if this is a black tiger.' 
 
 This was the last shot — Abe Pike had not 
 yet trapped a black tiger, and Long Sam was 
 his rival in bush lore. 
 
 ' That settles it, ' he said, with a groan. 
 
 ' Come along then,' I said, with a smile at 
 my success in breaking tshrough his obstinacy. 
 
 Abe rose up and laid his gnarled hand on 
 the mane of the horse. ' 'Tis the same one,' he 
 muttered, ' the same one, sure.' 
 
 ' Why, of course ; you know the old horse. 
 Black Dick.' 
 
 16 
 
THE BABOON AND THE TIGER 
 
 ' Black Nick,' he said slowly, and, drawing 
 his hand across his forehead ; ' my boy, you'll 
 never trap that animile ; he's a witch tiger.' 
 
 ? A witch tiger ? ' 
 
 ' That's so : he's given a lodging to some ole 
 Kaffir. Abe Pike ain't going arter any black 
 tigers, not he.' 
 
 'What are you driving at now, you old 
 buffer.?' 
 
 ' Buffer, is it ; well — well— buffer — oh, yes, of 
 course ; an' me that has passed through sich a 
 three weeks as ud have scared many another 
 into his grave.' 
 
 I felt remorse at the thought that for three 
 weeks I had not called on the lonely old man, 
 and concluded that he was paying me out for 
 this neglect. 
 
 ' I am very sorry,' I said eagerly, ' I have 
 not been over ; but the truth is the work has 
 been very heavy. It must have been very 
 lonely.' 
 
 ' I've had kempany.' 
 
 ' Oh, I see ; and perhaps they've engaged 
 your services ? ' 
 
 ' That's it. On 'count o' 'em that's been 
 callin' here I can't go catching any black tigers.' 
 
 ' I should like to know who it is has set you 
 against doing a service for a neighbour ? ' 
 
 ' There's kempany an' kempany. This yer 
 kempany ud turn your hair white.' 
 
 17 c 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 ' Ah ! ' I said, sniffing a story. 
 
 ' Yes, 'twould that. There were some 
 baboons away over by the big kloof. A family 
 party — ole man, wives, middle-aged, an' pick- 
 aninnies. They came there for the Kaffir plum 
 crop, an' were mighty lively, not to say noisy, 
 three weeks ago, when they began to drop. I 
 yeai'ed 'em dropping off.' 
 
 'Off the trees?' 
 
 ' No ; offun this mortal spear. As they 
 droppfed off in the dark, the others howled an' 
 whooped like mad. It was a tiger that did the 
 droppin'.' 
 
 ' A tiger ? ' 
 
 ' You hold on to him. At last the ole man 
 were left alone, an' he had a mighty anxious 
 time looking all around at onct, while he hunted 
 for grubs for fear the enemy 'ud spring on him. 
 He used to come over yonder in the lands for 
 kempany. I've sot here on the door-step an' he 
 sot over there, glaring at me from his little grey 
 eyes. Arter a time we got to know each other, 
 an' I found out he went to sleep on the roof 
 alongside the chimney.' 
 
 ' He was the company ? ' 
 
 ' One on 'em. An' seein' him about 
 reminded me o' the Kaffir plums, so one morn- 
 in' I took up the can an' went away off to the 
 big kloof where the plums are red an' juicy. 
 Well — my boy— that ole man baboon, he up 
 
 i8 
 
THE BABOON AND THE TIGER 
 
 an' come along with me, an' when he found I 
 were goin' to the kloof he jabbered most like 
 a human. I could see he were excited — any- 
 body could a seen that — an' I sot down on a 
 rock to argy the point with him. He wouldn't 
 argy, but he started back for the house. Well, 
 you know me, when Abe Pike sots out to do 
 a thing he does it, an' arter I had smoked two 
 pipes, I resoomed my way, jest as unconcarned 
 as you are, for all the plain meanin' o' the 
 baboon that I should go away home. ^Vhen 
 he saw that I were sot on it he came along at 
 a canter, with his hind-quarters slewed round 
 an' the hair all standing up on his neck. He 
 looked ugly, but 'xcept he lifted his eyebrows 
 very quick, he said nothin', and went along 
 very quiet, with the same anxious look on his 
 face I had noticed prev'ous. As I went into 
 the kloof he swung into the trees, an' kept 
 along overhead. When we came to the thick 
 o' the wood, he going along all the time 
 scarcely moving a leaf, he made a soft noise, 
 an' looking up I saw him bobbing his head up 
 an' down to make you giddy. I know by that 
 he saw somethin', an' I jes slipped behind a 
 tree to take stock. I yeerd a yawn, an' what 
 d'ye think I see thro' the leaves stretched out 
 on a rock, not twenty foot away ? ' 
 
 ' A black fellow ? ' 
 
 'Yes; a black feller, with four legs an' a 
 
 19 C2 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 tail, an' a red mouth all agape, wide enough to 
 take in my head, hat an' all.' 
 
 ' A black tiger ? ' 
 
 ' Yes ; an' me with only a tin can. I jes 
 sank down inter my boots. All o' a sudden 
 his jaws come to with a snap. -Then he riz 
 his head and stired straight fer me, his eyes 
 gitting flamier as he looked, an' his tail all on 
 the jerk. He moved his round head about, 
 then shot out his neck an' growled" in his 
 stumrflik as he peered under the leaves. Just 
 then that baboon let out a " baugh — baugh — 
 bok-hem," an' dropped down beyond the tiger. 
 There were a roar, a leap, a scramble, an' Abe 
 Pike were shooting on his tracks for the open 
 veld. He didn't stop running till he got home 
 — he didnlt — not me.' 
 
 ' And the baboon ? He wasn't killed, was 
 he?' 
 
 ' You wait — jes you wait. Before you get 
 the end o' the journey you've got to pass the 
 half-way house. This is a solitary place — this 
 mansion — and beyond the ole Gaika-Bolo I 
 have no visitors — an' he only when he's 
 doctorin' the Kaffirs down these parts. So 
 that night, when there were a tap at the door, 
 I were skeered a little from the shake I got 
 when I saw that black critter staring at me 
 with them wicked eyes of hisn. " Come in ! " 
 I sed, an' the tap came agin, soft an' gentle, 
 
 20 
 
THE BABOON AND THE TIGER 
 
 like as if a child or a woman were standin' 
 there — timid — tho' it's many a year since a 
 female brushed the door-post with her dress — 
 a many years, my lad.' 
 
 ' Yes, Uncle ; who was it ? ' 
 
 ' " Come in ! " I sed, laying hold o' a piece 
 of wood. "Jes pull the string," I sed. Believe 
 me, the string were pulled — the upper half o' 
 the door swung open, an' he stepped in.' 
 
 ' Who ? ' 
 
 ' The old man baboon ! He pul^ the 
 string, the door swung open, an' he hopped in.' 
 
 ' Good gracious, Uncle ! ' 
 
 ' Yer s'prised. Well, jes think how it 
 took me — an' on top o' what I saw that day. 
 I jes sot there an' looked, an' when he turned 
 an' shut that door, an' moved the wooden 
 button to secure it, I were fairly paralysed. 
 " Ho-hoo," he sed, an' blinked his eyes. He 
 jes sed "ho-hoo " in a friendly way, an' planked 
 hisself down before the fire, with the black 
 palms o' his hands to the coals, his head 
 turned over his shoulder, an' his little grey 
 eyes takin' stock o' everythin' in the room.' 
 
 ' He must have escaped from captivity.' 
 
 ' That's the first thought that struck me 
 when I steadied my brain pan. Thinks I, he 
 b'longed to some man, an' I looked at his waist 
 for signs of the chain, but there were no sign. 
 I noticed he looked empty, an', remembering 
 
 21 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 how he'd saved me by leading the tiger off 
 another way, I got out a mealie cob. He 
 snatched it quick, raised his eyebrows at me, 
 then begun to eat as ef he'd been hungry, for a 
 week. There we sot — he one side, eating, me 
 t'other, smoking. All o' a sudden he quit 
 eating : then he stood up on his hind legs an' 
 looked outer the winder. "Wot's up now ? " 
 sezs I to myself. There he stood looking 
 outer that window ; then he gave a jump into 
 the^ inkers, crowding hisself under the slope. 
 It gave me a sort o' creepy crawl to see him 
 do that, an' I took down the ole gun, Bymby 
 I yeard a sniff under the crack of the door as if 
 a dog were taking a smell. Then there were a 
 space o' stillness that was terrible trying. I 
 stood there looking at the door, 'xpecting to 
 see it fly open, when I chanced to give a glance 
 at the winder, and my blood froze.' 
 
 ' What did you see ? ' 
 
 ' What did I see ? A pair o' green eyes 
 fixed on nie. Then the gleam o' white teeth 
 an' a sort o' dim outline o' a big round head. 
 I let out a yell, an' fired. If you look you'll see 
 where the winder's smashed.' 
 
 ' The tiger had tracked the baboon ? ' 
 
 • Very like 'twas jes that.' 
 
 ' And then ? ' 
 
 ' Then I jes jumped inter the pantry an 
 shut myself in till daybreak.' 
 
 22 
 
THE BABOON AND THE TIGER 
 
 ' Yes, Uncle Abe ; and what happened 
 then ? ' 
 
 ' I jes opened the door gently, an' looked 
 out.' 
 
 'Well?' 
 
 ' Well ! The door were open. I yeerd 
 the cracking o' the fire an' the humming o' the 
 kettle.' 
 
 ' Someone had called ? ' 
 
 ' Perhaps so ; perhaps not. 'Tany rate the 
 fire were lit. And when I looked out t|j|front 
 door there were the old man baboon plucking 
 the feathers from the grey hen.' 
 
 ' Humph ! ' 
 
 ' Yes. An' when he done plucking he 
 popped the old fowl inter the pot.' 
 
 ' Ha ! I suppose the tiger was lying 
 dead ? ' 
 
 ' Who — the tiger ? Not he. The darned 
 critter pulled the plug outer the water barrel, 
 then turned the barrel over an' let all the water 
 out. Arter that he pulled the roof offun my 
 shed.' 
 
 ' I don't see the baboon around.' 
 
 ' He ain't around. Arter breakfast he went 
 When I come to think o' it, he took the road to 
 your place, an' it's my b'lief, sonny, he's on the 
 spoor o' the same tiger.' 
 
 ' And you won't come over, then ? ' 
 
 ' I'm waitin' for that ole man baboon to 
 23 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 come back. If he conies back an' finds me 
 gone I reckon he'd be disappointed. I tell yer 
 I'd be mighty keerful how you treat that tiger.' 
 
 ' Everything happened as you have related, 
 Uncle Abe?' 
 
 ' That's so, sonny.' 
 
 ' How did the baboon light the fire ? ' 
 
 ' He jes used the bellers, I 'xpect, used the 
 beller, an' puffed the embers. Tell me how 
 yer get on. Sorry I can't go ; but I dasn't. 
 So lofl ! ' 
 
 24 
 
IV 
 ABE PIKE AND THE WHIP 
 
 I don't know what degree of truth there was 
 in old Abe's account of his adventure with the 
 black tiger, but I certainly learnt to rri^ cost 
 that whether the brute had or had not given a 
 domicile to a witch doctor, it was too cunning 
 for any efiforts on my part to get even with it 
 for the heavy toll it levied on the young cattle. 
 I was driven once more to seek out his assist- 
 ance, but I thought I would get him over to the 
 homestead on some other pretext, being firmly 
 persuaded that once he was there his hunting 
 instincts would lead him on the tiger's spoor. 
 One afternoon, therefore, I drove over in the 
 ' spider,' and found him busily engaged waxing 
 a stout fishing line for ' kabblejauw,' a very 
 large, but coarse sea fish, which loved to 
 venture up the Fish River with the tide. 
 
 ' Holloa, sonny ! ' he cried ; ' climb out an' 
 make yerself at home. Got any baccy ? ' 
 
 I stepped out, and handed him a cake of 
 golden leaf, which he just smelt, then turned 
 over and over. 
 
 25 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 ' Sugar stuff,' he growled, with a queer look 
 of disgust, wrinkling up his nose. 
 
 ' Good American leaf, Uncle.' 
 
 ' Well, well ; what's the race comin' to ? 
 Sugar^all sugar. Sugar with tea, sugar- with 
 coffee, so that the spoon stands up ; sugar with 
 pumkins, sugar with grog, sugar with baccy, 
 until the stummick which nature givesus revolts 
 an' cries out for salt an' the bitterness o' whole- 
 some plants. Bitterness 'ardens, my boy — bitter- 
 ness m food, bitterness in life — an' sugar softens. 
 Jes you hole on to that as you plough the 
 furrer thro' the ups an' downs o' your caryeer.' 
 He cut a slice from the cake and stowed it away 
 in his cheek. ' Well ! ha' yer cotched that tiger 
 yet ? ' 
 
 ' He's prowling around yet. Uncle.' 
 
 ' Soh ! An' you want ole Abe Pike to 
 settle 'im, eh ! — but 'taint no use.' 
 
 ' I want, you to " ride " a load of wood to 
 the house. The "boys" have gone off to a 
 beer dance, and I'm short-handed. The wood 
 is cut and shaped.' 
 
 ' But l'm~ goin' a fishin.' Lemme see. 
 It's full moon next ,week. Well I'll come 
 along.' 
 
 He coiled up his line, stowed it away in his 
 skin bag, locked his door, and climbed in. 
 Next morning the old chap went off with the 
 wagon for the wood, and returned late at night 
 
 26 ^ 
 
ABE PIKE AND THE WHIP 
 
 He had a peculiar way of humming to himself 
 whenever he was pleased, and I caught the 
 sound as he came in through the kitchen to the 
 dining-room, where the evening meal was on 
 the table. With a nod to me, he sat down to a 
 hearty meal, then, filling his pipe, he leant back 
 and laughed silently. 
 
 ' Seen anything, Uncle ? ' 
 
 ' I don't know that I have seed anythin' 
 outer the common, but I've learnt somethin' 
 that's given me a better understandin' ©' the 
 spread o' kindness overlaying things.' 
 
 ' What was that ? ' 
 
 ' You know where the wood were stacked ? ' 
 
 I knew the place very well, for that brute of 
 a tiger had killed a foal there only two days 
 before, and I had directed Abe there in the 
 hope that he would drop across its tracks. 
 
 The old man, still chuckling, went out of the 
 room and returned with a long bamboo whip- 
 stick, deprived, however, of the twenty-foot 
 thong made from buffalo hide. 
 
 ' What's become of the thong ? ' I cried. 
 
 ' That's it. It's on account of the missin' 
 thong that I'm telling you o' this remarkable 
 cirkumst'nce. There's a clump o' trees 'long 
 side the path 'way over yonder, where the 
 wood were stacked, an' the thong flew off in the 
 dusk o' the evening thereabouts. You see there 
 were a stick fas', and when I lammed into the 
 
 27 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 oxen that ere thong flew off— whizz ! — whang ! 
 — into the dark o' the trees. I lay the stick 
 down an' searched fer it up an' down, in an' out 
 — the oxen standin' there knockin' their horns, 
 an' the stars poppin' out. Well, I guv it up, 
 an' picked up the stick, an' the thong came 
 through my fingers.' 
 
 ' You said the thong flew off.' 
 
 'So it did ; but there it were fast on the 
 stick— long, smooth, round, an' taperin' off inter 
 a fine lash, as thick about the middle as my 
 little finger, an' as tough as steel.' 
 
 ' I know it. You couldn't match that thong 
 in the Colony. But where is it ? ' 
 
 ' That's what I'm tellin' yer about. The 
 thong flew off — whizz! — whang! — ^but when I 
 picked the stick up, there it were. I jes stood ' 
 there ponderin' over the strangeness o' this, 
 when a breath o' wind come up the valley with 
 a sigh on it — one o' those quiverin', mysterious, 
 solumnelly sounds that makes you look over 
 yer shoulder an' start at a shadder. " Hambaka 
 — trek," I cried, an' whirling the whip around, 
 touched up the fore-leaders, then brought the 
 forslag down on the achter ox. I told you them 
 oxen had stuck fas'. Well ! at the touch o' the 
 whip they jes laid their shoulders agin the 
 yokes, an', with a low groan, they yanked the 
 wagon up that stiff bit— up an' up, without a 
 pause, to the level veld. I tell you, sonny, I 
 
 28 
 
ABE PIKE AND THE WHIP 
 
 never seed oxen lay themselves down like that 
 span. 
 
 ' Where does the kindness come in ? ' 
 
 ' Hole on. The tortoise gets to the end o' 
 his journey same as the hare, only samer. On 
 the level I called to the oxen to whoa ! — whoa ! 
 — whoa ! — and, arter a time they whoa'd, tho' 
 somehow 'twas ag'inst their will. They were 
 that active they could have trotted home — they 
 could so, I lay down that whip an' filled my 
 pipe.' 
 
 ' Yes ? ' 
 
 ' Then I took the stick up, an' the thong 
 were gone agin.' 
 
 • What ! ' 
 
 ' Clean gone, sonny ! Clean gone ! ' 
 
 'Did it fly off?' 
 
 ' No, sonny ; it crawled off.' 
 
 'Crawled off?' 
 
 'That there thong were a whip-snake. It 
 jes gripped on ter the bamboo with its jaws to 
 help me outer that stick fas', an' when we got 
 to the level it unhitched. It knew as well as I 
 did the oxen didn't want any more whip when 
 the flat were reached, and it unhitched.' 
 
 ' Uncle Abe Pike ! Do you expect me to 
 believe that ? ' 
 
 ' I have my hopes, my lad. But when yer 
 gets older you'll get more faith. Why, man, 
 an' I yeared that snake move off. It give a 
 
 29 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 sort o' friendly hiss as it slid away thro' the 
 grass, an' it cracked its tail in sport like a whip. 
 The oxen yeared it, too, and they moved off 
 'thout waitin' for my call. I tell you there's a 
 heap o' goodness among animiles an' reptiles^ 
 tho' this is the fust time I 'xperienced the 
 though tfulness o' a snake. It jes snapped its 
 tail — ker — rack — as it moved off.' 
 
 When the old man prepared himself for 
 sleep I saw the lash off my whip projecting from 
 the mouth of his skin bag. 
 
 30 
 
V 
 THE SPOOK OF THE HARE 
 
 The next day was hot and drowsy, and old 
 man Pike simply lazed around, with his 
 smasher hat tilted over his eyes and his hands 
 in his pockets. He could not, however, be 
 tempted to roam any distance from the house, 
 and he showed not the slightest curiosity about 
 that fiend of a black tiger, which in the night 
 had killed a goat belonging to one of the 
 ' boys.' The kill was made out of sheer lust of 
 blood, for he had eaten nothing, the body 
 being untouched, except for the festering 
 marks about the throat. I had the carcase 
 brought up for Abe's inspection, since he would 
 not walk down to the kraal, and he held an 
 inquest upon it, sitting on an upturned ' vatje,' 
 or small water barrel. 
 
 ' That goat,' he drawled, ' were killed ! ' 
 
 ' There seems proof of it,' I said mildly. 
 
 ' Yes, killed by a ole tiger.' 
 
 ' Why old ? ' 
 
 ' Well, you see, this yer goat died o' a 
 31 
 
TALES FROM THE |VELD 
 
 broken shoulder an' shock — mostly shock. 
 The tiger just patted the shoulder in his spring 
 with the open paw. I see there are four 
 scratches, an' the hook of the dew claw over 
 here, a span away from the fore claws. The 
 middle an' end scratch is shaller. Why ? Cas 
 the claws a been worn down. Now take these 
 yer wounds in the throat. These two deep 
 holes here's where his fangs went in, but on 
 the top side there's jest the marks o' his small 
 teeth. The upper fangs is missing or worn 
 down. Consekently, 'tis a ole tiger.' 
 'And you will catch the old tiger .■*' 
 ' Not me ! Bein' ole, he's cunnin', an' bein' 
 black, he's naturelly fierce ; and bein' ole an' 
 black he's more'n a match fer me. See that 
 big blue fly ? I swear there warn't a blue fly 
 around here ten minutes ago, an' now there's 
 a whole cloud o' 'em followin' the track, an' 
 buzzin' like a telegraph wire ! Little things is 
 like big 'uns. That there fly is like the first 
 aasvogel sailin' away from the limits o' the sky 
 on the taint of a dead ox, an' behind him a 
 whole string o' vultures, with their wings out- 
 stretched like the sails of a ship, an' ther bald 
 heads bent down to spot the 'dead heap of cor- 
 ruption miles away below.' 
 
 I bade the Kaffir take away the dead goat, 
 which formed the principal dish at the feast 
 that night, and, getting my double-barrelled gun, 
 
 32 
 
THE SPOOK OF THE HARE 
 
 whistled up the dogs, and went off on the spoor 
 of the tiger, leaving Abe listlessly whittling at 
 a stick. 
 
 The scent was good, and the dogs went on 
 it still-mouthed, except for an occasional growl, 
 a;nd they led me through the large ostrich 
 camp, over a ridge, across an open strip of 
 veld, to a deep and dark kloof, where the trees 
 grew so thick that underneath it was twilight in 
 the glare of mid-day. The dogs went on, with 
 bristling hair, into the heart of the kloof, when 
 a singular thing happened. The shrill, pierc- 
 ing cry of a ' dassie,' or rock coney, arose from 
 out the deep silence, and the dogs stopping, 
 howled dismally, then suddenly turned and 
 slipped away, disappearing like shadows among 
 the trees. The noise I knew must have 
 aroused the tiger, but I pushed on cautiously, 
 hoping to get a shot at him as he slunk off. I 
 reached the krantz which rimmed in the kloof 
 without sight of him, and, hunting around, 
 found his lair, still warm in a small cave. 
 Retracing my steps, I had almost reached the 
 edge of the trees, when in the way lay the 
 body of one of the dogs, an old and favourite 
 buffalo dog of the mastiff breed, his throat torn, 
 and the mark of claws on his shoulder and 
 flank. 
 
 ' It's lucky for you,' said Abe when I 
 reached home, ' that it were the dog he took.' 
 
 33 D 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 ' How do you know he got the dog ? ' 
 
 ' You went out with five, an' you come 
 home with four, an' a look "on your face 's if 
 you'd seen a ghost. I'm gwine back in the 
 mornin'.' 
 
 ' Ygu're no friend of mine, Abe Pike, if 
 you don't help destroy that brute ! ' 
 
 ' I seed the ole man baboon makin' tracks 
 for my place this arternoon — an' mebbe that 
 ther' tiger would be quittin' too.' 
 
 ' Hang you and your baboon ! ' 
 
 ' All serene, sonny — all serene. I'd rayther 
 be hanged than 'ave my wizened open'd out 
 by a blood-sucking four-footed witch. What 
 happened in your hunt ? ' 
 
 I told him curtly enough. 
 
 ' My gum ! You believe me : that dassie 
 cried out to warn the tiger. He were put 
 there to watch while his master slep'.' 
 
 ' Nonsense ! His cry was an accident.' 
 
 ' Soh ! Then tell me why the dogs scooted. 
 You don't know ! O' course you don't know. 
 But I know. I've had 'xperience o' the same 
 thing. Animiles have got a sense which is 
 missin' from folk, or mg.ybe lost for want of use, 
 I don't know which, tho' myself I think it's lost. 
 What we call a presentment is the remains o' 
 that missin' sense, an' animiles is got the full 
 sense. Those dogs knew the meanin' o' that 
 dassie's yell — that's so.' 
 
 34 
 
THE SPOOK OF THE HARE 
 
 ' And what was your experience ? ' 
 ' It were all along o' a spring hare hopping 
 along in the night — without enough solid body 
 to put a shot in. It were away back in the 
 sixties, when I were younger nor I am now, an' 
 a sailor chap, knockin' around doin' odd jobs, 
 happened across my house. He were a good- 
 hearted critter, tho' terrible lazy, 'xcept it were 
 shootin' spring hares at night by lamp-light, 
 which came 'xpensive by reason of his usin' up 
 the oil an' powder. Well, one night the wind 
 came off the seas, bringing up a great stack of 
 clouds, makin' it that dark you couldn't tell 
 which were solid yearth an' which were sky ; 
 but this sailor chap he would go out, an' I had 
 to go along to hold the lamp, he not bein' 
 keerful enough to carry it in the strap of his 
 hat. Well, soon's I got outer the door I knew 
 there were somethin' wrong. The black night 
 were full o' the roar o' the surf breakin' six 
 miles away, an' yet there were the same sort of 
 shivery stillness you find in a great cave while 
 the echoes are tossin' about the Sound of a 
 dying shout. In the stillness behind the holler 
 growl o' the sea I could tell there were some- 
 thin' watchful an' bad. I wanted to turn back, 
 but he yelled out he yeard the spring hare 
 gruntin', an' I were obliged to foller him inter 
 the black, with a sickly sort o' fan-shaped light 
 streaming from the lamp. " Hist ! " says he. 
 
 35 °^ 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 I histed, an' peering ahead seed a big bright 
 eye glancing out o' the dark, not mor'n twenty 
 paces off — fer the lantern couldn't throw a 
 reflection farther than that. " Take him an 
 inch below the eye," says I, an' he let rip. We 
 went forrard to pick the hare up, but he warn't 
 there — not a hair o' him. The grunt o' him 
 come jest ahead agin — an' steadyin' the lamp, 
 we caught his eye full an' bright. "I'll blow 
 his head off," said the sailor chap, and taking a 
 long aim, he banged off. There warn't no 
 dead spring hare. No, sonny ; but while we 
 gazed around his grunt come to us onct more. 
 I took the ole gun an' loaded her up. " You 
 take the lantern," says I, " an' lets stop this 'ere 
 foolishness." A step or two we took, an' sure 
 enough that eye blazed out onct more. I jes 
 knelt down under his arms, an' taking full aim 
 at the eye, was dead sure I had the long-tailed 
 crittur, fer he sat still as a rock, an' as onsus- 
 picious as a tree trunk. An' I missed him. His 
 body warn't there, but his grunt came jest as 
 lively as ever. The sailor chap were laughing 
 at me fer missin', but Abe Pike warn't doing no 
 giggling. He smelt somethin' onnatural.' 
 
 ' You had been taking grog, perhaps, that 
 evening ? ' 
 
 ' Not a sup nor a sip. We stood there, he 
 laughin' and me listenin' to the moan in the air, 
 an' lookin' roun' at the black wall o' night. 
 
 36 
 
' HE WERE GETTIN' READY TO FIRE.' 
 
THE SPOOK OF THE HARE 
 
 " Blow me ! " says the sailor chap, " if the swab 
 ain't come back," an' with that he took out his 
 jack knife an' flung it at the flamin' eye, which 
 had moved back inter the light from the 
 lantern. That eye never winked, an' it made 
 me shiver. " Come on," says the sailor, " I'll 
 foller him to the devil," says he. "Poller him," 
 says I, "but I'm goin' back;" and back I 
 went ; and he, not havin' the lantqrn, had to 
 come along too, which he did cheekin' me the 
 ole time. Well, before we'd gone a hundred 
 paces, ther' were that eye ahead, an' he says, 
 " Let us get nearer." We went closer, when 
 all on a sudden that eye went out like a burnt 
 match. Jes then I yeard a rustlin' noise 
 behind, an' whipping roun', saw there were a 
 pair o' sparkles shining green. He seed 'em too. 
 " Don't shoot," says I, " it's a shadder." 
 " Shadder be blowed," says he, " yer a ole 
 fool," He were gettin' ready to fire, when I 
 gripped him by the arm, while the hair riz on 
 my head, for I saw what was behind those 
 green eyes. " Let me go," he says, hissin 
 through his teeth. "If you fire," I says 
 speakin' solumn, "yere a dead man." "You're 
 silly," he says, pulling hard. , " How can a 
 little hare hurt me ? " " That hare," says I, "is 
 a tiger." ' 
 
 ' Was it ? ' 
 
 ' You wait. You know's well as I do a hare, 
 37 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 by reason of his eyes bein' wide apart, only 
 shows one eye to the light, an', moreover, he sits 
 with his head sideways. Well, these two eyes, 
 when I looked ag'in, were close together, an' 
 they gave a green light. "A tiger," says I, an' 
 with my hand on his arm we went back to the 
 house. As I shut the door I yeared that grunt 
 ag'in — an' ag'in as we sat down listenin'. Well, 
 that sailor chap, he warn't satisfied. He must 
 open the door an' look out. " Come here," he 
 says, an' looking out over his shoulder there 
 I seed that hare sitting up, an' the light shining 
 thro' his body, "Tis a white hare/' he says. 
 "It's a sperrit," says L " Sperrit or no 
 sperrit," he says, snatchin' the gun, " I lay him 
 out ! " With that he stepped out into the 
 darkness, an' the lantern went out. Then it 
 happened.' 
 
 ' What happened } ' 
 
 ' Something 'twixt the sailor lad and the 
 tiger. As I searched aroun' fer a match I 
 yeard the gun, there were a roar and- a shriek, 
 an' when I got the light started an' went out 
 there were only his old hat an' the gun. I'm 
 not fooling with any o' yer tigers that's got 
 sperrits watchin' over 'em. I'm going home in 
 the mornin'.' 
 
 38 
 
VI 
 THE BABOON AND THE TORTOISE 
 
 I HAVE referred to Bolo, an old Kaffir medicine 
 man, who, on his professional tour round the 
 country, always remained a day or two with 
 Abe Pike, in his way, a great doctor with a 
 valuable fund of information about the medi- 
 cinal properties of plants and roots. Bolo 
 turned up in the evening, fresh from a beer 
 dance, and the manner of his coming was that 
 of a ravenous lion. He charged down upon 
 the house in the dusk, with his necklet bones 
 rattling, the horsehair mane flying, and the 
 bellow of his deep voice setting the dogs off 
 into a fury of barking, up he came — leaping, 
 bounding, hurling himself forward with in- 
 creditable swiftness, whirling his knobbed 
 kerrie, his eyes glaring and his features 
 twitching, the dogs snapping around him — 
 right up to the door, as if he meant to burst in 
 and brain everyojie he met. Then he stopped, 
 smiled in a wide vacuous way, took snuff, and 
 squatted down, while the dogs as suddenly 
 
 39 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 ceased their clamour and walked sheepishly 
 away. 
 
 ' Well, you clatterin' ole heathen,' said Abe, 
 seating himself on the door-step, and shaving 
 slices of tobacco against the ball of his thumb ; 
 ' what mischief have you been up to ? ' 
 
 ' Yoh,' said Bolo, resting his long arms on 
 his knees ; ' I have heard tales of the black 
 tiger and the white man's fear. But my 
 medicine has sent the black evil away back 
 again to the big kloof.' 
 
 ' To the kloof on my farm ? ' 
 
 ' Eweh ! Why not .'' The white man is a 
 great medicine man. Has he not a familiar in 
 the old baboon — who is the most cunning of 
 familiars ? ' 
 
 ' That's so,' said Abe gravely ; ' the baboon 
 is cunnin', but he don't know every thin'. Did 
 I ever tell you the yarn o' the baboon an' the 
 tortoise ? ' 
 
 ' No. Fire away, Uncle.' 
 
 He hitched himself up against the door- 
 post and related his story in Kaffir for Bolo's 
 benefit, though I prefer to render it in English. 
 
 ' The ole skelpot, one day hunting aroun' 
 nosed out a store o' yearth niits. He raked 
 the yearth over an' flatten' it down, an' he jes 
 crawl aroun' till the dry weather sot in, when 
 he took'd up his quarters near the hidden store. 
 One day he meet ole man baboon searching 
 
 40 
 
THE BABOON AND THE TORTOISE 
 
 fer grubs. "Things is mighty dry,' says the 
 baboon. " Might be drier," says the skelpot. 
 " Food is skerce," says the baboon. " Might 
 be skercer," says the skelpot. " Ho ! ho ! " 
 says the baboon, mighty sharp," " you don't 
 seem to be troubled in your shell. There's a 
 shine on your shell, ole man skelpot," he says. 
 " Shell shine when the stummick don't pine," 
 says the skelpot.' 
 
 ' Er-umh ! ' grunted Bolo. 
 
 ' " Shell shine when the stummick don't 
 pine," said the skelpot. " Baugh," says the 
 baboon, " p'raps you got some food, skelpot," 
 says the baboon. "I'm gwine to sleep," says 
 the skelpot, an' he drew his head into his house, 
 so the baboon couldn't ask him any more 
 questions.' 
 
 ' Er-umh ! ' said Bolo, politely signifying 
 his sustained interest. 
 
 ' The ole man baboon he make sure the 
 skelpot's got some store o' food, so he hid 
 hisself in a tree an' kep' watch. There ain't 
 no hurry about a skelpot, an' this yer skelpot 
 he kep' on sleepin' all through the day, an' the 
 baboon got that hungry he were obliged ter 
 gnaw the bark from the tree. But he jes kep' 
 on watchin', an' in the dusk he seed the skelpot 
 pop out his head.' 
 
 ' Er-umh ! ' said Bolo. 
 
 ' Then the baboon climbed down softly, an' 
 
 41 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 when the skelpot move off, he foUow'd. Arter 
 a time the skelpot begin to scrape up the yearth, 
 an' the baboon look over his shoulder. He 
 can't see nothing, but he smelt the yearth nuts, 
 an' he makes a grab. " So ! so ! " he says 
 chuckling, "you got a fine pantry these dry 
 times. Now you'll have to go shares, or I'll 
 give the news out." Well, the .skelpot he sees 
 he were fairly caught, an' so he take ole man 
 baboon inter partnership, an' the baboon show 
 him where he's 'ole is, though it were empty 
 now.' 
 
 ' Er-umh ! ' grunted Bolo. 
 
 ' Well, the baboon got a bigger stummick 
 than the skelpot, an it were not long afore he 
 took two nuts to one ; then he began ter take 
 some away to his private 'ole in a Kaffir plum 
 tree ; then he break the agreement by taking 
 three meals a day to the skelpot's one.' 
 
 ' Er-umh ! ' said Bolo. 
 
 'Well, about this time the skelpot smell'd 
 out the baboon.' 
 
 ' Eh-umh ! ' said Bolo. 
 
 ' So he made a plan. He roll hisself in the 
 mud, an' crawl up near the store, where he 
 draw his head in. Bymby ole man baboon 
 come up, an arter takin' some nuts, he sot 
 down on ole skelpot to make his feast. " Poor 
 ole skelpot," says the baboon, " three meals to 
 his one, an' a heap o' nuts in my store 'ole by 
 
 42 
 
THE BABOON AND THE TORTOISE 
 
 the ole ant hill." -" Too-loo-loo ! " says the 
 skelpot. " What's that noise ? " said the baboon. 
 " Tdo-loo-loo ! " says the skelpot. " Hist ! ' 
 says the baboon, knockin' his stummick. " Too- 
 loo-loo ! " says the skelpot ; then drawin' in his 
 breath he let it out ag'in, " Hiss ! puff ! " like a 
 great big snake. O' coorse the baboon's dead 
 scared o' snakes, an' droppin' the nuts he jest 
 scooted fer the woods.' 
 
 ' Er-umph ! ' said Bolo. 
 
 ' He jest up an' scooted fer the woods, an' 
 the skelpot arter eatin' the nuts, he went back 
 to the 'die, scooped the yearth away, an' 
 crawled in. The baboon were very scared, 
 but when the hunger come back he went for 
 some more nuts. No sooner did he pop his 
 hand in than the skelpot grab him by the little 
 finger and hold on.' 
 
 ' Eh ! eh ! ' said Bolo. 
 
 ' Grabbed him by ther little finger. The 
 baboon nearly jumped outer his skin. "Who's 
 got hold o' me ? " he yelled, but the skelpot he 
 can't talk, fer his mouth's full. " Let me go ! " 
 howled the baboon, an' he pull and he pull, and 
 bymby he draw the skelpot's head outer the 
 'ole. Well, the skelpot he's got a head like a 
 puff-adder when yer don't see his shell, an' 
 when the baboon see'd that yellow head glued 
 onter his finger, he jest went green, and turned 
 over in a fit. Bymby the baboon shivers, then 
 
 43 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 he sot up. "Hiss! poof!" says the skelpot, 
 an' the baboon lit out with a shriek, never to 
 come back to that part ag'in, " Hiss ! poof ! " 
 says the skelpot, an' the baboon lit out fer the 
 nex' country.' 
 
 44 
 
VII 
 THE JACKAL AND THE WREN 
 
 ' Now, Bolo ! let us hear something from you.' 
 The old Kaffir took a pinch of snuff, and 
 began about the jackal and the netikee,' the 
 smallest of all South African birds, and a mem- 
 ber of the' wren family. 
 
 ' The jackal one day was boasting. Said 
 he, " When we go on the hunt all the animals 
 are still. We — the lion and I — we rule the 
 forest. When we growl the trees shiver, when 
 we roar the earth shakes, when we strike the 
 biggest goes down before us. Even the elephant 
 turns out of our path." So he shook his tail 
 and loped off to tell the lion that a fat eland 
 was drinking at the vlei. Then up stood the 
 lion, and crawled on his stomach to the shelter 
 of a rock, while the jackal went round beyond. 
 " Look out, eland," said the jackal ; " here 
 comes the lion." So the eland ran, and he ran 
 straight for the lion, who rose through the air 
 and broke the eland's neck. The lion ate, and 
 the jackal sat on his tail, licking his chops and 
 
 45 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 whimpering. But the lion ate, and ate — ^first 
 the hind legs, then the stomach, and the jackal 
 ran up to take a bite. " Wait," grunted the lion, 
 and the jackal sat on his tail and howled. 
 Bymby the lion went off to the vlei to drink, 
 and the jackal snap at the carcase, but before 
 he gets a mouthful down swoop the ring crows 
 and the aasvogels. " Away,'' said the jackal, 
 " away — this food is mine and the lion's." 
 
 ' " Tell the lion we are obliged to him for 
 giving us a meal," said the chief aasvogel, and 
 with his big wing he hit the jackal, ker-bluff — 
 long side the head, and the black crow dig him 
 in the back. So the jackal run away, and jump, 
 and howl.' 
 
 ' " Why don't you roar ? " said the netikee. 
 
 ' The jackal looked up, and there he sees 
 the netikee on a thorn tree. 
 
 ' " Growl," says the netikee ; " growl, and 
 the tree will shake me off," and he laughed. 
 
 ' " What are you laughing at ? " 
 
 ' "At you.' 
 
 ' " Why," said the jackal, looking back over 
 his shoulder at the bag of bones that the birds 
 had cleaned. 
 
 ' "'Cos you're afraid of the birds, though 
 the elephant gets out of your way and you can 
 strike down the biggest," and the netikee laughs 
 again. 
 
 ' " Who's afraid ? " said the jackal. 
 46 
 
THE JACKAL AND THE WREN 
 
 ' " You are." 
 
 '"What! me!" 
 
 ' " Yes, you ! I make my nest from your 
 fur." 
 
 ' The jackal he bite, and snap, and howl, 
 and then he say he'd only wished he had a 
 chance of a fight with the birds. 
 
 ' " What's that spot I see in the sky ? " said 
 the netikee, looking up. 
 
 ' The jackal look up and see the eagle 
 swooping down, and he bolt into the earth. 
 Bymby he poke his head out. " Is he gone .■' " 
 he said. "You see, me and the eagle had a 
 dispute over a lamb which I took away from 
 him, and I thought he would feel uncomfortable 
 if he saw me. What did he say ? " 
 
 ' " The eagle said he willing to fight if the 
 lion leads the animals ; but he's not going to 
 demean himself against any jackal trash." 
 
 ' The jackal grinned. " Well," said he, " the 
 lion won't fight, he's just been feeding, and the 
 eagle needn't trouble about it. You get all the 
 partridges, the pheasants, ducks, knorhaan, 
 guinea fowl — the more the merrier, and I'll 
 bring the red cats, the muishorrden, the wild 
 dogs, the tiger-cat, and we'll meet here to- 
 morrow." ' 
 
 'The netikee flip his tail about, and say, 
 " Yes, he's willing to have a battle," and the 
 jackal with a grin he run off to call all his friends 
 
 47 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 to a big feast off the birds. The netikee just 
 bunch up his feathers, tuck his head under his 
 wing, and go to sleep. Next morning before 
 sunrise he fly to the bush, and he hear the 
 jackal making a plan. 
 
 ' " You keep your eye on my tail," said the 
 jackal. " Watch my tail," said the jackal, " I 
 will hold it up straight like a banner, and you 
 must follow it into the thick of the fight." 
 
 ' The netikee flew away off to a honey tree, 
 and he had a word with the bees : then he fly 
 back to the thorn bush with a clump of bees 
 with him. 
 
 ' Bymby here comes the jackal with his 
 bushy tail held up straight like a banner, and 
 behind him come a green-eyed, silent, swift, 
 cruel pack of wild cats, red cats, grey cats, and 
 wild dogs. 
 
 '"There they come," said the nekitee ; 
 " see the jackal, with his tail up. Stick his tail, 
 creep into his hair, and make him yell." So 
 the netikee left his perch and flew to meet the 
 animals all by himself, for they could not see 
 the bees ; but the bees they swarmed into the big 
 bushy tail, and the next minute there was the 
 jackal scooting off across the veld with his tail 
 between his legs. Next thing you know the 
 animals is all scuttling home. 
 
 ' That's why the netikee is so perky.' 
 
 ' Jes like little men,' says Abe Pike. 
 48 
 
VIII 
 ABE PIKE AND THE HONEY.BIRD 
 
 In the night we heard the loud barking of a 
 baboon, and next morning Uncle Abe, accom- 
 panied by the witch-doctor, Bolo, started back 
 for his solitary homestead, saying that he had 
 received a call from his familiar. This I re- 
 garded as an excuse, and judged that the two 
 old men were bent, like boys, on some fishing 
 excursion. Strangely enough, however, the 
 black tiger disappeared at the same time, leav- 
 ing the live stock free from his ravages — though 
 human thieves as mischievous were afoot, and 
 during the week paid a visit in the night to the 
 cattle kraal, ' lifting ' a fine cow with a young 
 heifer calf 
 
 The spoor led away towards the dense bush 
 of the Fish River to the east, and setting a 
 .knowing old dog upon the scent, I followed on 
 horseback. The thief I judged had probably 
 five hours' start, and allowing for the feeble 
 strength of the calf, I reckoned he was from six 
 to ten miles ahead, when, if surprised by day- 
 
 49 E 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 light at any distance from the cover of the bush, 
 he would probably turn into a kloof. At inter- 
 vals of about a mile I came on spots which, 
 from the numerous hoof marks, indicated that 
 the thief had stopped to let the calf rest and 
 take milk, then, after the third such resting, he 
 went right ahead at a sharp pace directly to- 
 wards the big kloof on Abe Pike's farm. If 
 the beasts had been driven in there I made sure 
 of recovering them, but I presently noticed that 
 the spoor led away along a ridge to the left, 
 skirting the kloof, and descending to a wide 
 wooded valley which ran into the bush. I 
 followed without much hope into the valley, to 
 find the spoor obliterated by the tracks of a 
 troop of cattle which had been on the move 
 since sunrise. After questioning the native 
 herd without success, I turned back towards 
 Pike's house, reaching it just as he came out 
 from his breakfast. He took a long glance at 
 me and my horse. 
 
 ' Soh,' he said, ' been spooring a stock thief, 
 eh ? You've got to get up early to catch that 
 sort — earlier than bedtime. I seed you go over 
 the brow of that rand yonder with a dog nosing 
 on in front, and I said to myself, " Abe Pike, 
 there's the young baas with the hope springing 
 up in him that he's got the glory of catching a 
 cattle thief." The young has got all the hope 
 and the old all the experience, and I'd swaap a 
 
 50 
 
ABE PIKE AND THE HONEY-BIRD 
 
 whole lot of experience for a glimmer of 
 hope.' 
 
 All this time he had been attending to the 
 horse, rubbing its back and legs with a wisp of 
 straw. 
 
 ' Who said I had been after a cattle thief? 
 
 ' What are words, sonny ; words is nothing 
 — nothing but a slower way of saying a thing 
 you have already made plain enough by your 
 actions. Says I , " Abe Pike, the young baas 
 has lost a beast, maybe a cow and calf, and 
 bymby he'll be looking as black as thunder and 
 as hungry as a mule." ' 
 
 'Uncle Abe, you know something about 
 this robbery. It is true I have lost a cow and 
 calf Have you seen them ? ' 
 
 ' What ! me ? Where is they ? You know 
 well if Abe Pike had seen them they'd a been 
 right here waiting for you. No, lad ; but I saw 
 you follering straight on the spoor, and if there'd 
 been several beasts some on 'em would have 
 broke from the track, making the spooring bend 
 and twist. So I reckoned there were only one 
 beast, maybe a cow and calf. There's a dough 
 cookie under the coals and some good honey, 
 with a couple of fresh aigs and a roast mealie, 
 not to say a cup of as- good coffee as you can 
 get. Help yourself, lad ; help yourself.' 
 
 I sat down to this simple fare — after raking 
 the ' cookie ' from the fire-place, whence it 
 
 51 ^' 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 came baking hot with wood cinders embedded 
 in its steaming crust ; while Abe leant against 
 the door-post, pulling reflectively at his pipe. 
 
 ' What has become of Bolo ? ' I asked. 
 
 ' He quitted last night. No, he ain't gone 
 off with your cow. He was skeered.' 
 
 I nodded an inquiry, being engaged with 
 the mealie cob, the eating of which occupies the 
 mouth too fully for speech. 
 
 ' Old Bolo were skeered. Try some of 
 that honey — it's real good. None of your 
 euphorbia juice in it to burn your mouth out, 
 but just ripe sweetness from the hill flowers 
 and sugar bushes.' 
 
 The old man held his pipe away, and his 
 lips were drawn in as I placed a piece of gleam- 
 ing yellow comb on my plate. 
 
 ' Yes,' he chuckled, ' old Bolo were skeered, 
 and he lit out for home. You see, him and 
 me were sitting away yonder, under the tree in 
 the shade, talking about things, when up comes 
 a honey-bird. " Chet-chet-chet-chee ! " he said, 
 sitting up there in the branches, with his head 
 on one side and then the other as he fussed 
 about with his news. " Chet-chet-chet-chee ! " 
 he said — which is his way of saying as how 
 he'd found a honey-tree and wanted someohe 
 to go shares with him. 
 
 ' " Shall we foller him ! " says I. 
 
 ' Bolo he grunted. For a heathen he's 
 52 
 
ABE PIKE AND THE HONEY-BIRD 
 
 spry, but it was his lazy time, and for another 
 thing he was in • the middle of a long-winded 
 story, which he was bound to finish, being a 
 born talker, and very strong ag'inst being 
 interrupted. 
 
 ' " Chet-chet-chet-chee ! " said the honey- 
 birdj jumping from one branch to another all in 
 a quiver of impatience. 
 
 '"Come on," says I, "let's see what sort 
 of a nest he's got." 
 
 ' " That bird is a mischief bird," said Bolo ; 
 " he will lead us to a snake or a tiger. Eweh ! 
 to the black tiger." 
 
 ' " How ? " says I. 
 
 ' " Why," says he, " if he were a good bird 
 he would sit away over there on that thorn 
 bush and wait till we have finished our talk. 
 This bird is too anxious." 
 
 ' Just then that bird flew away, off to the 
 thorn tree, and there he sat dumb, 
 
 ' " By Jimminy," says I, "that's funny." 
 
 * Bolo he. took a pinch of snuff, and he 
 drove on with his story, with his " congella 
 wetu," and his " ke-ke-lo-ko-ke," jes's if nothing 
 had happened, while I sat with my eyes fixed 
 on that there bird. 
 
 ' Well, the longest river reaches the sea 
 some time, and at last Bolo finished that yarn, 
 and what it was about I couldn't tell you, 
 sonny. " Now," says I, " let us investigate 
 
 53 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 this matter," and hang me ef at that precise 
 moment of the ending of that yarn, the bird 
 didn't come back, all agog with his news. 
 
 ' Bolo he shook his head. " That bird is no 
 bird," he says, " it's a familiar." 
 
 ' " Whose familiar ? " says L 
 
 ' " It belongs to that dog of a Fingo," 
 naming a rival medicine man, " or else 'tis a 
 slave of the black tiger sent to lead us into 
 a trap." 
 
 ' " Well," says I, " honey is sweet, though 
 it gives a man a bad pense, as the Royal 
 motter says, and I'm for follering him." So 
 up I got, and that bird he jes flew off, lighting 
 here an' lighting there, so as I could keep up, 
 and after a mile he sot still as death, on a thorn 
 bush. 
 
 ' " Is this the place ? " says I. 
 
 ' The honey-bird kep' quiet, but he jes turn 
 his eye on me all of a sparkle. 
 
 ' Well, I jes sniffed aroun' and squinted 
 aroun', and in a brace of shakeis I spotted the 
 honey nest in a hollow ant-hill. Well, I 
 scooted back to the house for a bucket, and 
 after smokin' the bees, got out fifty pound 
 weight of the finest sealed honey, not forgetting 
 to set a piece of comb with young bees in it 
 for the bird. 
 
 ' Well, Bolo was pretty sick when he saw 
 54 
 
'HE SAW ME COME IN WITH THAT BUCKET FULL.' 
 
ABE PIKE AND THE HONEY-BIRD 
 
 me come in with that bucket full, and he was 
 standing there saying he knew all along that 
 bird was a good bird, but he didn't want to find 
 the honey seeing as it was on my farm, and 
 he'd be sure to find it first, whereby he could 
 claim half, which was agaihst hospitality. Right 
 there, sonny, that there bird come and perched 
 on the roof. " Chet-chet-chee ! " says he, as 
 excited as if he hadn't had a meal for a month. 
 I see it was the same bird, for there was a 
 stickiness about his head. 
 
 '"Oh, aie ; " says Bolo, then he shouted 
 from his chest. " My little friend in the grey 
 suit, lead on ! " 
 
 ' Well, the bird flew off, and Bolo, he went 
 after, whistling and calling it good names. I 
 jest pottered about by the house into the after- 
 noon, looking out every now and ag'in to see 
 if Bolo were coming back, when of a sudden 
 I see him tearing acrost the veld. He shot by 
 me into the house, and hang me if he didn't 
 bang the door in my face, and at the same 
 time that honey-bird lighted on the roof. You 
 never see sich a sight as that bird. He 
 opened his mouth, spread his wings-, rolled 
 about and laughed fit to bust himself. Bymby 
 he flew away with a final screech, and Bolo 
 opened the door, his natrally black face being 
 green, his lips curled back from his teeth, and 
 
 55 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 his eyes rolling. I up with a beaker of water 
 and threw it in his face to cool him off — and 
 he came round. 
 
 ' " Did you find the honey- tree ?" says I. 
 
 '" Honey -tree ! " says he, and his eyes 
 began to roll ag'in, as though he were trying 
 to look inside his head. " There were no 
 honey-tree. It was a bad bird I knew it, I 
 told you, and you would not believe the words 
 of the wise man. I am going — where are my 
 kerries ? " 
 
 ' " What happened ? " 
 
 ' " This. Listen. I followed the evil 
 thing. It led me across the veld and a thorn 
 caught me by the leg. It was a warning, but 
 I did not heed, I went on across the ridge to 
 the kloof, and into the kloof to a hollow tree. 
 I heard the owl cry, the night-bird calling in 
 the day, giving another warning, but I was 
 deaf I smelt honey, and there were no bees 
 flying in the hole ; but the smell of honey was 
 strong. Into the hole I was about to thrust 
 my arm when I saw on the bark long scratches. 
 I looked up through the plume on my head, so, 
 without turning my facq, and up above on a 
 branch I saw a black form .stretching out and 
 yellow eyes fixed on me ; at the same time out 
 of the hollow of the tree there came a low 
 laugh, strange, fearful, not of man, and with 
 a spring backwards and a bound sideways, I 
 
 56 
 
ABE PIKE AND THE HONEY-BIRD 
 
 was off like the deer, with the roar of the black 
 tiger in my ears." 
 
 ' So said Bolo, and without further words 
 he took his kerries and his bag, and he went 
 away over the hill to the north, running. Yes, 
 lad, he quit at a gallop.' 
 
 ' And what do you think of this story. Uncle 
 Abe?' 
 
 ' I've done a lot of thinking about it. I 
 thunked that there wooden shetter for the 
 window as a protection.' 
 
 ' Surely you don't believe that Bolo was led 
 deliberately by the honey-bird to the tiger ? ' 
 
 ' Maybe I do. Maybe the bird led him to 
 a sure enough bee- tree. Maybe Bolo happened 
 on the black critter. Maybe he were skeered 
 at a shadder. I dunno ; but I tell you I see 
 the bird laf fit to bust, and there's more in the 
 ways of these animiles than we can catch hold 
 of — a jolly sight more.' 
 
 ' Well, then, bring your gun along and we'll 
 put the dog on the tiger's spoor.' 
 
 ' Not this child ! No, no, sonny ! You 
 leave me to get the blind side of that tiger; 
 but I've got my own plan, and it's not 
 tracking him I am when he's on the watch. 
 Not me.' 
 
 ' What plan. Uncle ? ' 
 
 ' There's a powerful thinking machine in a 
 honey bird, said the old man slowly, so dis- 
 
 57 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 missing his plan from the talk ; ' and when you 
 come to think of it, the first bird that led a 
 man to a nest must ha' been a great diskiverer 
 — a greater diskiverer in his way than was that 
 Columbus chap who smashed the egg. That 
 bird must a reckoned the whole thing out, an' if 
 he could a reckoned way back in the years, why, 
 it stands to reason his children, after all the 
 experience they've larnt, must reckon a lot 
 more. One day one of these birds called me, 
 and I picked up a bucket and a chopper, and 
 followed after him at a run, for he was in a 
 mighty hurry, being, as I thought, hungry. It 
 warn't that, sonny. He was jes mean, and he 
 knew it, for the bee-tree he were leading me to 
 belonged to another bird. I found that out 
 when that bird come along. The two of them 
 had a argument — the new one expostulatin', 
 the other one jes ansering in a don't-care way. 
 The second one he flew off — yelling threats, 
 and the other one, after bunching himself up, sud- 
 denly lit out ag'in with me after him. I found 
 the tree, took out the honey, and gave the bird 
 a piece of comb. Then, as I was sittin' down 
 with the pipe, up came a hull lot of birds, with 
 a black-headed, white-throated fiscal — the chap 
 with a hooked beak who sticks the grass- 
 hoppers on thorns out of sheer devilment. 
 Well, sonny, believe me, those birds they jes up 
 and tried that honey-bird, the other chap giving 
 
 58 
 
ABE PIKE AND THE HONEY-BrRD 
 
 evidence. The jury, which were composed of a 
 yellow oriole, a blue spreuw, and a mouse-bird, 
 they found my bird guilty, and a old white 
 ringed crow, who was the jedge, pronounced 
 sentence of death. My bird didn't say nothing. 
 He jes sot there with a piece of honey in his 
 mouth, and a set, gloomy look in his eye. 
 After the verdict that fiscal he swooped down, 
 fixed his claws in the prisoner's breast, and 
 yanked his head off his neck with a twist. It 
 was summery justice on that bird for taking 
 possession of the other bird's honey-tree. Yes, 
 the fiscal he just yanked the prisoner's head off, 
 and the body fell to the ground. Then the 
 jedge he buried the bird.' 
 
 ' How was that ? ' 
 
 ' He jes ate it. He jes flopped down, give 
 a caw, and swallowed the corpse. 1 went home 
 then, thinking as how they might try me for 
 aiding and abetting a crime.' 
 
 59 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 IX 
 
 UNCLE ABE AND THE 
 WILD DOGS 
 
 There can be no denying that we were reaping 
 a plentiful crop of misfortunes, to which farmers 
 in South Africa are especially exposed. The 
 cattle thieves had mysteriously come and 
 swiftly gone, taking with them a few head of 
 stock into the dense cover of the Fish River 
 Bush, thence to slip them at favourable oppor- 
 tunities into Kaffraria. Then, one morning the 
 news was brought in that a pack of wild dogs, 
 issuing from the Kowie Bush on the west, had 
 sallied out on a rush over the intervening belt 
 of well-stocked cattle country into the Fish 
 River Valley, and there were few farms on the 
 route that had not suffered. At one place a 
 heifer had been pulled down and eaten ; at 
 another, a cow had been attacked and so 
 mauled that death from a rifle-ball was a happy 
 release ; and on my place the pack had stam- 
 peded a mob of young cattle, ran down and 
 killed a steer, besides leaving their marks on 
 
 60 
 
UNCLE ABE AND THE WILD DOGS 
 
 many others. In one night they had covered 
 fifteen miles from one wooded fastness to the 
 other, kilHng as they went, and when in the 
 morning the angry farmers fingered their guns 
 the brutes were resting secure in the distant 
 woods. The wild dogs hunt in packs when 
 after game, and according to a well arranged 
 plan. Thus, one part of the pack will head the 
 quarry in a certain direction where other 
 members are lying in wait, but when on a wild 
 rush across the veld they keep together, and on 
 coming across cattle or sheep they bite or kill 
 out of sheer lust of blood, seldom stopping to 
 eat. Their jaws are enormously powerful, and 
 with a snap and a wrench they tear away 
 mouthfuls of flesh — so that if a pack gets 
 among a flock of sheep they do a vast deal of 
 mischief, and though they cannot pull down an 
 ox, they will cause the death of a cow by 
 tearing at her udder and belly. Fortunately 
 their raids into the comparatively open veld 
 are not frequent, and they prefer to keep in 
 the shelter of wide stretches of bush until game 
 becoming scarce they shift quarters, when they 
 may sometimes be caught in an isolated kloof 
 and shot or poisoned. 
 
 Uncle Abe had something to say when I 
 met him next at the monthly meeting of 
 our Farmers' Association — an organisation of 
 six paying members and fifteen members who 
 
 6i 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 never had enough cash to pay, but who 
 regularly attended on the chance of getting a 
 square meal from any one of the five whose turn 
 it was to give up his largest room to the meeting. 
 Uncle Abe did most of the orating, and it 
 frequently happened indeed that the formal 
 business would he forgotten, while Abe from 
 his usual seat on the door-step held forth on 
 the peculiar gifts of 'animiles.' His idea was 
 that all branches of animal life acted under a 
 stringent code of laws and regulations. 
 
 'Take these yer wild dogs,' he said, point- 
 ing the stem of his well-chewed pipe at the 
 President, who sat at the end of the dining- 
 room table waiting patiently for a nervous 
 young farmer to read his painfully prepared 
 paper on the vexed question of ' Inoculation 
 as a Cure for Lung-sickness.' 
 
 ' Take these yer wild dogs. Haven't they 
 got a leader .'' They have. Of course they 
 have, and wha' jer think they've got a leader 
 for if it isn't to follow him or her — for more 
 often than not the leader's a she ; and wha' jer 
 think they foller him or her if it ain't because 
 they've got rules and regilations which are be- 
 known to that leader ? ' 
 
 ' Don't they follow the leader because he 
 happens to be the strongest in the pack ? ' 
 asked the nervous member anxiously, bent on 
 shirking his task. 
 
 62 
 
UNCLE ABE AND THE WILD DOGS 
 
 ' We ain't going to follow your lead this 
 afternoon on that score,' said Abe caustically. 
 'No sir, they follow the leader not because he 
 is the strongest, but for the reason that he 
 knows the rules and regilations.' 
 
 ' Have you seen a printed copy, Abe ? ' 
 asked one member shyly. 
 
 ' No, sir. It's only human beings that ain't 
 -got sense enough to know what they are setting 
 out to do unless they put everything in print. 
 A human being wants to know everything, and 
 he don't know nothing ; but a animile he 
 calkalates to know what's necessary for him, 
 and when he learns his lesson he don't want 
 any noospaper to tell him about it — you jes put 
 that in your pipe. Now take your case ' 
 
 ' Have some baccy. Uncle,' said the inter- 
 rupting member eagerly. 
 
 ' Don't mind if I do. Lemme see. I were 
 jes going to tell ye a yarn about some wild 
 dogs, but I see the President's waiting for our 
 young friend to 'lighten us about 'noculation, 
 which is good on his part, considerin' there's 
 some here as were curing lung-sick cattle before 
 he were born.' 
 
 ' My paper can wait,' said the young farmer, 
 hastily stuffing his notes into his pocket. ' Let 
 us have your story.' 
 
 ' Drive ahead, ole man.' 
 
 ' Well, if it's the wish of the meeting, I'm at 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 your service. If I remember, 'twere away back 
 in the sixties, when game were pretty thick in 
 these parts, and a pack took up lodgings in the 
 big kloof over yonder. I was mor'n ordinarily 
 busy building my shed, and hadn't much time 
 to give any heed to them, though I yeard 'em 
 often giving tongue as they went after buck, 
 and saw one of 'em sneaking along right up to 
 the old tree afore my door in the mealie garden. 
 The brute were on the spoor of a big black ram, 
 which had taken that track from the big kloof 
 to a smaller shelter for a constitutional. I 
 yapped at him, and after looking at me with 
 his big ears cocked and the round muzzle of his 
 dirty head held up, the yellow critter turned 
 and went nosing back. Two days after I seed 
 three of 'em stealing up across the veld, and 
 blow me if they didn't come right up to the 
 mealie patch. One of 'em lay down at the 
 bottom, the other come up to the top corner, 
 and the third, a big chap with a round belly, 
 he stood back of the tree squinting round 
 the trunk. Thinks I, what's up ? and lighting 
 the pipe, I jes pluniped down behind a bush, 
 with the ole gun over my knee. The air was 
 still, with the drone of the sea, coming like the 
 hum of a big bluebottle, and bymby, through 
 the stillness I yeard the sudden excited yapping 
 of the pack, followed after a spell by a loud 
 bark, I looked at the three dogs, and they was 
 
 64 
 
UNCLE ABE AND THE WILD DOGS 
 
 all looking across the veld with the water 
 running from their mouths. Casting my eye 
 acrost the veld, there I seed a black spot in the 
 distance. It was the ram, sure enough, who 
 had been put up in the kloof and were now 
 making for his second hiding-place. He were 
 taking it easy, though the wind was coming 
 straight to him from the pack behind. He 
 came right on, with his head up, then he 
 slowed down to a walk, and looked back over 
 his shoulder. Away back there were something 
 moving, a dark in-and-out patch, the pack on 
 the spoor, and I seed the ram shake his head 
 and stamp with his hoof. Then he gave a 
 short bark, sort of defiant, and on he trotted 
 again ; but this time he turned away to the left, 
 as if he'd got a sudden fancy for the scattered 
 bush clumps about a mile over the ridge that 
 way. Well, sir, he hadn't covered more'n fifty 
 yards when a yeller dog rose up and yapped 
 at him. The ram, he stood still, with his head 
 up, looking at this oudacious critter, when the 
 pack behind gave tongue altogether, and the 
 sound of it made him skeered, for he wheeled 
 round and came at a smart pace right for the 
 big tree and the mealie garden. I turned my 
 head, biting through my pipe, I was that 
 excited, and I seed those two corner dogs 
 creeping nearer to the big one, who was stand- 
 ing back of the tree, with his teeth showing 
 
 65 F 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 and his tail twitching. Then I yeard the steps 
 of the ram, and there he were saiHng along 
 over the bushes, and the ant-hills, his eyes full 
 and bright with the light o' courage in 'em — for 
 you know, gentlemen, that the bush-buck 
 carries a stout, and gallant heart in his great 
 chest.' 
 
 ' Aye, aye, Uncle ; so he does.' 
 
 ' There he came, his sharp hoofs pricking 
 into the ground, his legs slender and shapely, 
 his great haunches gathering up as he cleared 
 everything in his way, and the points of his 
 short, strong horns catching the sparkle of the 
 sun. Right for the tree he went, then on a 
 sudden he stopped and looked full ahead, his 
 ears turned backward, but his gaze fixed on a 
 pair of gleaming eyes that glared at him. As 
 he stood there, as big as a year-old calf, with 
 his side to me, I could ha' driven a ball through 
 his heart ; but I didn't as much as go beyon' 
 closin' my grasp on the rifle. I wouldn't a shot 
 him — no, not in them cirkumstances. There 
 were a duel of staring between those two for a 
 full half-minute, and in that time those other 
 two yellow critturs were slinking through the 
 long grass bordering the mealies. Nex' thing 
 they'd a been on him from each side, with that 
 other cur comin' up from behind, not to speak 
 of the pack hurrying up and of the big chap 
 behind the tree, when I gave a shout : " Look 
 
 66 
 
UNCLE ABE AND THE WILD DOGS 
 
 out ! " say I, jes as if he were a human, " Look 
 out ! " says I, and the chap that was nearest me 
 he rose up outer the grass and jumped for the 
 ram. You never seed sich a thing. For all 
 the ram had got his eyes on the big chap, he 
 slewed his head round quicker'n lightning, his 
 horns went down, and the next thing that yeller 
 critter was lying on his back yelping, with a 
 hole in his neck. 
 
 ' The ram shook his head, and a tiny red 
 mark went winding down the furrows of his 
 horn nearest me. Eh ! you should a seen him 
 and I jes held my breath, while my legs shook 
 so I was obliged to stand up. Back of him 
 came the pack — silent now, and the speediest 
 of 'em slipping along like shadders, while two 
 of the critters stood each side of the ram 
 watching him, and the big one standing clear 
 of the tree, staring at the great blazing eyes 
 with his mean little yeller peepers. Suddenly 
 the big chap gave a few orders, sharp and 
 snapping, and four leaders from the pack shot 
 out, two going one side and two the other. 
 They were surrounding the ram, and he knew 
 it. He made a bound forward, and the same 
 minute the two dogs nearest him sprang open- 
 mouthed, one of 'em taking a clear mouthful 
 outer the haunch. The ram swerved, and the 
 big chap waiting for him went for his belly, 
 but the ram bounded into the air, and when he 
 
 67 F2 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 came down he wheeled round with his back to 
 the tree. The dogs they jes drew off and sat 
 in a ring staring at him, one and another open- 
 ing his big jaws and bringing the white teeth 
 together with a snap, but the sight of that circle 
 didn't shake the nerve of the buck, for he 
 shook his head at 'em and stamped his hoofs. 
 One of the young critters growing impatient 
 ran in, but got a stroke from the pointed hoof 
 for his pains. Well, I were that 'xcited I 
 moved towards the tree, the pack jes giving me 
 one look, then closed in a step or two. Three 
 times the circle were drawn closer, and the 
 sight of those staring eyes from outer those 
 ugly round heads fairly made me shudder. I 
 up with the gun and let 'em have a charge of 
 slugs. In the confusion the ram went off full 
 slick this time, and the dogs, with a whimper, 
 scattered after him ; but 'twas no use, he give 
 'em leg bail, and believe me them critters come 
 sneakin' back and s'rounded me. They did 
 that.' 
 
 ■ Did they think you were good to eat ? ' 
 ' 'Pears so, for they sat on their tails 
 regarding me with loving looks. I shoo'd to 
 them, but they didn 't shoo a inch. I went for 
 'em with the gun clubbed, but while those in 
 front give way, those ahind came perilously 
 near my legs. I heerd the snap of their steel 
 jaws, but when I turned there they were sitting 
 
 68 
 
UNCLE ABE AND THE WILD DOGS 
 
 down with their heads on one side. Each 
 time I tried that it were the same ; and when I 
 give up, there they sat in a ring round me. 
 Then I jes swung up into the tree and snapped 
 my fingers at 'em, 
 
 ' If I were to tell you what them ere wild 
 dogs did, you 'ud up and say the old man were 
 a liar.' 
 
 ' You hurt our feelings, Uncle.' 
 
 ' Well, that big leader he up and made a 
 speech — not a oration like our gifted young 
 friend here can make, but a few yaps and 
 growls. After he had finished they give him a 
 cheer, and fell to scooping a big trench round 
 the tree. Then they gnawed the roots through. 
 Then they boosted the tree down. Yes, 
 gentlemen, them wild dogs which you would 
 call unthinking critters, deliberately dug up 
 that big tree with their teeth, so's to get hold o' 
 me.' 
 
 ' Hum ! Did they eat you, Uncle .'' ' 
 
 ' They boosted the tree down ; but while 
 they stood away off, I lit on my feet and were 
 inside the house 'fore you could say Jack 
 Robinson. Yes, that's so.' 
 
 69 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 X 
 
 THE BLACK MAMBA 
 
 We were talking about snakes at the little road- 
 side winkle — a composite shop, where you could 
 buy moist black sugar, tinned butter, imported ; 
 tinned milk, also imported; cotton, prints, 
 boots, ' square face,' tobacco, dates, nails, gun- 
 powder, cans, ribbons, tallow candles, and the 
 ' Family Herald.' We always did talk about 
 snakes when other topics failed, and no ojie had 
 been fishing for some time, and the big pump- 
 kin season had passed. 
 
 ' Man,' said Lanky John, the ostrich farmer, 
 ' I killed a snake, a ringhals, yesterday morning 
 back of the kraal, and in the evening when I 
 went by there was a live ringhals coiled round 
 the dead one.' 
 
 ■ There's a lot of love among snakes,' said 
 Abe Pike, who had swapped a bush-buck hide 
 for a pound of coffee and a roll of tobacco. 
 ' They don't talk much, but they think a lot, 
 and you can't plumbthe feelings of silent folk ; 
 they're that deep.' 
 
 70 
 
THE BLACK MAMBA 
 
 ' Ever been in love, Uncle ? ' asked Lanky 
 John, popping a big lump of black sugar into 
 his mouth, 
 
 ' I guess it won't take more'n a foot measure 
 to get to the bottom of your feelings, tho' you 
 are long enough to be a telegraft pole,' snorted 
 Uncle Abe. 
 
 ' Snakes haven't got any brain,' said Lanky 
 John, after an awkward pause. 
 
 ' No more has a whip-stick,' said the old 
 man, with a contemptuous glance at Lanky's 
 long, thin limbs. 
 
 ' That's true,' replied John, with a wink 
 at us; 'though I've heard of a snake that 
 glued on to a whip-stick all for love of you. 
 Uncle.' 
 
 ' Snakes,' said Abe, ' knows when to speak 
 and when to keep shut, which is more than 
 some folk can do. If you come unexpected on 
 a snake in a path, and he sees your foot coming 
 down on him, he lets you know he's about, and 
 that foot of yours is jest fixed in the air. Well, 
 suppose that snake is not in the path, but jest 
 stretched out 'longside, he don't call out. For 
 why ? 'Cos he knows it's safer for him and for 
 you that he should keep quiet. I tell you there's 
 not a man here who hasn't time and again passed 
 in the dark within a few inches of a snake.' 
 
 A listener, who was seated in a dark corner, 
 moved out into the sunshine. 
 
 71 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 ' Did I ever tell you that yarn about the 
 black mamba ? ' 
 
 ' You never did, old man, so shove along.' 
 ' You may thank your stars there's no 
 mambas down in this country, for of all 
 critturs that crawl, or fly, or walk, there's not 
 one for nateral cussedness and steady hate to 
 come up to a black mamba. Why! thunder! 
 if there was a mamba in these parts, and he'd 
 a grudge against me, I'd move off a hundred 
 miles to where my sister 'Liza lives.' 
 
 ' A hundred miles ! That's a good step.' 
 ' Maybe it wouldn't be fur enough neither. 
 You wait ! Ten years ago I was riding goods 
 to the Diamond Fields, and after one trip I 
 was starting back with the empty wagon, there 
 being no produce to load up with, when a chap 
 came up and offered three guineas for his 
 passage. Well, a man's wagon is his home, 
 and you don't want to give a fellow the run of 
 your tent for a month without knowing some- 
 thing about him. So I jes looked him all 
 over — saw that his boots were worn out, and 
 that he kep' looking over his shoulder, when 
 he climbed into the wagon and drew the 
 blanket over him — though the sun was fierce 
 enough to light your pipe. He gave me sich a 
 look when he went in that I had not the heart 
 to drag him out, and off I trekked. He didn't 
 join me at the fire that night, and when I 
 
 72 
 
THE BLACK MAMBA 
 
 climbed in, thinking he was asleep, he was 
 shiverin' as though he had the ague. Well, I 
 gave him a glass of Cango and went to sleep. 
 At sunrise I trekked again, and bymby I see 
 him draw the canvas aside and look back over 
 the veld, which was as flat as the palm of my 
 hand. Thinks I, he's expecting the police, 
 but I let him be, and at dinner he came out, 
 looking as skeered as a monkey with a candle. 
 First he took a walk round the wagon, then he 
 shaded his eyes as he glanced over the veld, 
 then he took a bite and a look, then a sip and 
 a look. 
 
 ' " What are you looking for ? " says I. 
 
 ' He let the beaker fall out of his hands and 
 turned white. 
 
 ' " Have you seen it?" he whispered, with 
 a sort of choke. 
 
 ' " Seen what ? ' I said. 
 
 ' " I don't feel well," he answered, with a 
 twitch for a smile, and climbed back into the 
 wagon. 
 
 ' I tell you his looks made me feel queer, 
 and I slept that night under the wagon. Well, 
 I made a long skoff the next day, crossed the 
 Modder River, and no sooner'd we get across 
 than the river came down with a rush, brimming 
 full with a boiling yeller flood right up to the 
 lip of the steep banks. That coon spent the 
 whole day on the bank watching the other side, 
 
 11 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 and fixing his eyes on every tree and branch 
 that went sailing down. 
 
 ' " It's a grand flood," he said, rubbing his 
 hands together ; " 'twould sweep a whale away 
 like a piece of straw." 
 
 ' " Yes, and a policeman too, eh ? " said I, 
 looking at him hard. 
 
 ' He noticed the meaning in my words, and 
 a human smile broke over his face, chasing 
 away the worried look that seemed carved into 
 it. " Policeman," he said. " I've no cause to 
 fear a policeman, or any man. Good God ! " 
 he cried, catching me by the arm, "what's 
 that?" 
 
 ' "Where?" said I, fit to jump out of my 
 skin for the terror in his face. 
 
 ' He stood there with his eyes glaring at 
 the water, and a shaking finger pointing into 
 the very heart of the yeller flood. There stood 
 out the root of a tree, and clinging to the root 
 the coils of a snake, with his gleaming head 
 moving like a branch. Jest a moment it 
 showed, then the water swirled over it again. 
 
 ' " Let go of my arm," I said, for his fingers 
 were biting into me, and the look of him made 
 me afeard, so that I talked grufily. 
 
 ' " Did you see it ? " he said, and then he 
 jest collapsed like a bundle of clothes. I had a 
 good mind to leave him there, but, instead, I 
 histed him on to my shoulders, and poured 
 
 74 
 
THE BLACK MAMBA 
 
 enough Cango into him to make him ^get his 
 name. He wasn't fit to stand until a couple of 
 days after, and then wha' jer think he did ? 
 Cut up his clothes into shreds and laughed fit 
 to kill himself when I found him at it. Of 
 course, I thought he was clean daft, but he 
 weren't, and for the first time, with my old 
 corduroys on him, he sat by the camp fire, 
 sipping his coffee, and talking — talking mainly 
 about snakes and bloodhounds, and things that 
 made my backbone whang like a broken fiddle- 
 string. He frightened himself, too, so that 
 when he saw the long achter-oss sjambok 
 quivering on the ground where the driver had 
 thrown it, his jaw got rigid, and moved up and 
 down without any words coming from his 
 mouth. Then, with a sort of sob, he snatched 
 up the axe, and I'm blowed if he didn't cut that 
 sjambok into a thousand bits. It was a good 
 sjambok, too, made of rhinoceros hide, as thick 
 as your wrist at the butt and going off" to a 
 point, and when I told the idiot what he'd done, 
 he jes went off" into another unnateral fit of 
 wild laughter, after which he paid me a guinea 
 and went to bed. Putting this, that, and the 
 other together, with the Cango brandy, I guessed 
 my man had got snakes in his head, and I kept 
 the demijohn under lock. That calmed him 
 down, and he was all right until we came to the 
 Orange River, where we had to camp while the 
 
 75 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 water went down. About fifty wagons were 
 there waiting to cross, and there was quite a 
 stir with all the fellows moving about visiting. 
 When we had outspanned, I joined a group to 
 hear about the state of the roads, the condition 
 of the veld for grazing, and all them things that 
 transport riders talk about, when one chap 
 asked if I had heard the news. " What news ? " 
 says L " About that snake," says he ; "he was 
 seen at the Riet River drift last week." " Yes," 
 says another, "and two days before he was at 
 Aliwal North." " I heard from the mail coach 
 driver," says a third, " that the snake overtook 
 his coach, stopped the horses, and took a steady 
 look at all the passengers, after which he went 
 across the veld, leaving 'em all frozen with 
 terror. It was twenty feet long, and its eyes 
 were like black diamonds." 
 
 ' Of course, I wasn't swallering that, but 
 when I told my traveller the sweat gathered in 
 big- drops on his forehead, and the old hunted 
 look came into his face. " You don't believe 
 this silly yarn ? " says I, placing my hand on 
 his shoulder. " Believe it, man ! " he said. 
 " Good heavens ! that snake is after me." " After 
 you," says I. " Yes," says he, .making an 
 effort to swallow something. "It has chased 
 me up and down over a thousand miles for two 
 months." " Nonsense ! " I said ; " you're nervous 
 and fanciful." "Listen," he said. "Two 
 
 76 
 
""-■W 
 
 ,<?. 
 
 
 ^ ^ ' 
 
 m.^ 
 
 'I LOOKED AT THEM, WITH THE BLOOD IN ME LIKE WATER.' 
 
THE BLACK MAMBA 
 
 months ago I was hunting in the Zulu country, 
 and one day, ten miles away from my camp, I 
 shot a mamba. I took the body back with me 
 to skin it ; but when the two blacks I had with 
 me saw it, they cried out to me to take it away, 
 or the mamba's mate would come in the night. 
 I left them sleeping by the fire, and the next 
 morning they were still sleeping — ay, they were 
 sleeping the last sleep, for the mamba had been 
 in the night. 
 
 ' As I looked at them, with the blood in 
 me like water, I heard a heavy breathing, and 
 saw my horse on the ground, his eyes glazed 
 and his nostrils fighting for breath, while, rest- 
 ing on his body, was the awful head of a 
 mamba, his eyes fixed on mine, and his forked 
 tongue darting in and out. I fired at him with 
 the rifle barrel, but clean missed in my flurry ; 
 then I ran until my courage came back. I 
 found that I had left the powder behind, and 
 slowly turned back. I had not gone a hundred 
 paces when I met him on my track, slipping 
 like a black streak through the grass, and I 
 thought of nothing then but escape. After a 
 time I met a party of Zulus, but when I asked 
 for their assistance, they fled with loud cries of 
 alarm, and at a Zulu kraal, where I stopped to 
 ask for thick milk, they drove me out when they 
 learnt why it was I fled. That night as I slept 
 that snake coiled by my side." 
 
 n 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 ' " What ! " 
 
 ' " Yes ; he could have struck me then, but 
 he preferred to have full vengeance. I woke 
 at the flicker of his tongue on my cheek, think- 
 ing it was a fly — a fly ! good Lord ! and my 
 hand fell upon his cold, sinewy fqlds, and his 
 head was resting on my shoulder. Ever since 
 he has been after me, with a deadly hate that 
 is slowly driving me mad. Sometimes he 
 disappears, but I never escape from the glint of 
 , his unwinking eyes, and one day he will strike, 
 unless — unless ' ' 
 
 '"Well.-*" said I, looking at his drawn 
 face. 
 
 ' " Unless," he said, " I forestall him." 
 
 ' " No my lad," said I, " for that would be 
 a sin, and when you are stronger this dream of 
 yours will go." 
 
 ' He looked so fallen in, so weak, all of a 
 sudden, that I took him for a walk to the river, 
 and the rush of the waters seemed to comfort 
 him. He sat on a big boulder looking across, 
 and the whiteness presently went from his 
 cheeks. 
 
 '"I've got an idea," he said, "if I could 
 reach the other side I'd be all right again." 
 
 ' We sat there in a sort of a dream for an 
 hour or two, when I happened to look round, 
 and right there on the flat of the ground was 
 stretched out the biggest and the ugliest snake 
 
 78 
 
THE BLACK MAMBA 
 
 I ever saw, black as night, with a great vicious 
 diamond-shaped head, and a pair of eyes that 
 glowed all colours. He looked as if he'd 
 travelled ; his scales, instead of being glossy, 
 were dull with scratches here and there, and 
 his skin had a sort of bagginess as if he hadn't 
 eaten for weeks. As soon as he saw me turn 
 he raised his head about five feet from the 
 ground, and from his eyes there shot a look 
 that jest kept me fixed like a stone. Then that 
 poor young feller on the stone began to speak 
 again, in a soft way, of the river and its journey 
 to the sea. 
 
 ' "I wish," he said, "I could look on the 
 sea again." Then I heard him move, and I 
 knew he was looking into the eyes of his 
 enemy, for that snake began to sway his head 
 to and fro, to and fro, while his tail went twist- 
 ing in and out, sending. his body nearer and 
 nearer. Suddenly there was a shriek, and a 
 splash, and the snake went by me — streamed 
 over the rock into the water, and when I leapt 
 to my feet with a yell that startled the whole 
 camp, I saw an arm thrust above the yeller 
 flood, and above the arm the bend of that black 
 snake, his head turned down looking into the 
 water, and a coil of his body round the elbow. 
 Ole Abe Pike has swound away once, and that 
 was the time. Yes ; there was his black body 
 gleaming with the water on it, and his head 
 
 79 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 turned towards the face of the enemy — that 
 poor young chap he had follered over three 
 countries for one thousand miles — one thousand 
 English miles.' 
 
 ' That a true story, Uncle Abe ? ' 
 ' Ain't I told it ? That's why I gave up 
 transport riding; I darsn't go near that Orange 
 River again.' 
 
 80 
 
XI 
 HOW THE MELONS DISAPPEARED 
 
 I THINK I have said that Uncle Abe knew 
 everything there was to be known about 
 fanning, but he was content with his knowledge 
 and never put it to practical use, unless it was 
 in the- growing of water-melons. His melons 
 were the. biggest and the sweetest, with the 
 reddest hearts and the smoothest rinds in the 
 district. His patch was on the sunny side of 
 the slope, and when the big glistening globes 
 were coming to fruition, the old chap would 
 sit on the worn sod bank above them and 
 watch them 'drinking in the sunshine,' as he 
 said. I went over one morning to collect six 
 melons, previously selected, in exchange for a 
 sack of meal, and found him seated on a bank, 
 the picture of misery^ 
 
 ' What's the matter, Uncle ? ' 
 
 ' A go-hoppin' ghost's been around here 
 eating my melons.' 
 
 ' A what } ' 
 
 8i G 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 ' A spook, and he's walked off with the 
 very six melons you set your mark against.' 
 
 I dismounted, and walked into the melon 
 patch, the old man silently pointing out to me, 
 with the stem of his pipe, the severed stems of 
 my melons. 
 
 ' They're gone — you see.' 
 
 ' Yes,' I answered dryly, ' and the man 
 who gathered them used a very clean-cutting 
 knife.' 
 
 ' What man ? ' 
 
 ' Come, Uncle, you have parted with my 
 melons to someone else, and I consider you 
 have behaved shabbily.' 
 
 ' That's it — go on. It isn't enough that- 
 my hair should turn white in the loneliness of 
 the dark at the dog-hopping terror that came 
 out of the deep pool down below there, ' midst 
 a fearful groaning in the air and a splashing 
 in the water, but you must turn on me.' 
 
 'What became of those melons, you old 
 shuffler ? ' 
 
 ' I ain't had a smoke for six days, and, on 
 top of that, each morning I woke up with an 
 empty pipe to find a melon missing.' 
 
 I handed him my pouch, and waited for 
 explanations. 
 
 ' Yes,' he said, ramming the tobacco down 
 with his little finger ; ' six days ago when I 
 came over here to watch them melons mopping 
 
 82 
 
HOW THE MELONS DISAPPEARED 
 
 in the sunshine I saw at once one was gone — 
 and gone, too, without so much as leaving any 
 sign but a straight cut through the stem to 
 show how it went, not a footprint, nor a bruised 
 leaf, nor anything. Yes, that was the smallest 
 of the six ; and next . morning another was 
 gone, the next biggest, and there was no mark 
 on the ground. I tell you that want of sign 
 made me queer, and when that night I yeard a 
 splashing down there in the pool — and there's 
 no sound, mind you, that comes so mysterious 
 as the sudden splash -of water out of the night — 
 I wondered if the Kaffir's devil was climbing 
 out of the pool, or if the little brown man, the 
 Tikoloshe, was up to his mischief. There was 
 that splash, loud and sudden, as if the big tail 
 of a monstrous snake had come down smack 
 on the water ; then there was a humming all 
 around me in the air. Have, you got a 
 match ? ' 
 
 He struck the match on his corduroys, 
 lifting his knee to stretch the breeches taut, 
 and his hollow cheeks nearly met inside as he 
 puffed, then he held the glow of the expiring 
 match before me. 
 
 ' There was a humming in the air all 
 around me, and my skin tingled all over jes'sif 
 the wind were whipping- the sand against my 
 wet body when coming from a sea bathe, and 
 in the centre of that melon patch I seed a 
 
 83 G2 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 spark of fire like that dying match, jes one 
 dull spark of fire without any ray from it. 
 That was all. Next morning the third melon 
 was gone — clean gone.' 
 
 ' Yes ; and you ate it.' 
 
 ' I grow melons — I don't eat 'em. The 
 next day I set a spring-gun with the string 
 from the fourth melon to the trigger, and in 
 the middle of the night I woke up with a start 
 to the report of the gun and to a long terrible 
 wail, that seemed to come out of the depth of 
 the sky and from the heart of the earth. It 
 just went soughing and sighing and wailing 
 through the house, and round it and over it, so 
 that your eyes would follow it up and down 
 and round, as though there was some living 
 person there screeching. I tell you an ole 
 rooster that was perched on the foot of my 
 bedstead fell down in a dead faint, so that I 
 had to pour a teaspoonful of brandy down his 
 throat.' 
 
 ' The melon must have given you indi- 
 gestion.' 
 
 ' Look here, sonny ; if you play any longer 
 on that string you'll wear it out. In the morn- 
 ing there was one melon left, the spring-gun 
 having blown the fourth one to smithereens — 
 pieces of it being scattered all over the ground 
 — though there was not a fragment of skin or 
 hair or feather to show what sort of thing it 
 
 84 
 
HOW THE MELONS DISAPPEARED 
 
 was had carried off the fifth melon. There 
 was one left. The biggest of the lot — a great 
 dark-green ball of liquid fire and honey, that 
 would ha' fetched first prize at any show. I 
 made up my mind to save that orte, so I built 
 a kraal round it with stakes driven in a foot 
 deep, and roofed in with saplins, and over all 
 a fence of thorns. And when the dark came 
 on I sat out there with the gun and the bull's- 
 eye lantern. I tell you I've suffered a lot in 
 trying to keep those six melons of yours — and 
 that night there was a stillness in the air that 
 brought out all my sufferings on the stretch 
 like fiddle-strings. It was dead quiet far into 
 the night, with the stars blinking, and the 
 voice of the sea appearing to pass overhead, 
 when of a sudden there came that splash from 
 the pool, loud and startlin'. I stood up to look 
 down into the valley, then I slipped inside.' 
 
 ' What did -you see ? ' 
 
 ' See ! nothing ; but I felt there was some- 
 thing crawling up that hill — and through the 
 air all around there came that humming. Yes, 
 I slipped inside ; but on the bank I left that 
 lantern glaring like a great eye over the melon 
 patch. I could not sleep for a melancholy 
 sound in the air, half whistle, half moan ; and 
 when I went into the middle room to look out 
 of the window, I'm gummed ef that bull's-eye 
 lantern wasn't standing on the table with the 
 
 85 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 slide shut. That very same lantern I'd left all 
 ablaze on the bank — and in the room there 
 was a smell of crabs, a damp, muddy smell, and 
 beyond the window was a smoulderin' fire — the 
 same dull spark-like point I had seen on the 
 first night.' 
 
 ' Your pipe is out ; do you want another 
 match ? ' 
 
 ' A match is not much good without baccy. 
 Thankye, sonny. So I clirribed into bed again, 
 or rather — for I'm not ashamed of being afraid 
 — under the bed, and there I was when I yeard 
 the old rooster say good-morning to the sun. 
 The first thing I did was to look at the melon 
 patch, and — what'jer think-^ — ' 
 
 ' Go on, you wretched old fabricator.' 
 ' I seed that last water-melon sliding down 
 the hill.' 
 
 ' Sliding ? Wasn't it walking ? ' 
 ' Yes, sliding — not rolling, as you'd expect 
 a round thing to do down a steep like that, but 
 jes gently sliding, as though it were resting on 
 a coat. There was nothing by it, nothing at 
 all, and it was the most surprisin' sight I ever 
 seed to watch that fine melon softly skimming 
 over the grass and dodging all the stones. I 
 was so lost, flabbergasted, unbalanced by this 
 sight that I never saw what was awaiting the 
 melon, down by the pool, until the last thing, 
 when it slid, all of a sudden, into a dark hole, 
 
 86 
 
HOW THE MELONS DISAPPEARED 
 
 Into a dark hole — a sort of tunnel level with 
 the take-off into the pool — and that hole, that 
 tunnel, sonny, was the throat of the big devil- 
 snake. All in a moment I saw that. The 
 melon disappeared, the jaws of the snake came 
 together, and a column of water shot into the 
 air as he slid back into the pool.' 
 
 ' So ; and that's where the six melons 
 went ? ' 
 
 ' Five, sonny ; five — one of 'em was blown 
 to smithereens by the gun. The five of 'em 
 were swallowed by that devil-snake.' 
 
 ' And how did he cut the stems so clean ? ' 
 
 ' That's where the mystery comes in, sonny. 
 I expect you'll have to take six of the best that 
 are left, sonny ; and I'm going into town next 
 week to get some dynamite to blow the bottom 
 outer that pool. That devil-snake might take 
 it into his head to swallow me one of these 
 fishing nights.' 
 
 87 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 XII 
 ABE PIKE AND THE BIG FISH 
 
 The Fish River was 'down.' It generally 
 was down, in the sense of being low, but 
 colonial rivers run by contraries — when they 
 are down they are up. There had been a 
 heavy fall of rain ' up country,' and the water 
 rushing off the sun-baked surface poured like a 
 flood between the high banks, sweeping, as we 
 afterwards heard, a stone bridge away, and 
 catching in its career a wagon and span of 
 eighteen oxen at a drift which, at the time of 
 crossing, had scarcely water enough to wet the 
 feet. For many a mile the banks of the river 
 are of red soil, and as the flood eats into the 
 banks its waters are stained a dull brick colour, 
 which hue is imparted to the Atlantic itself for 
 miles along the coast as the red waters pour out 
 into the sea, bearing with them a wonderful 
 collection of flotsam in the shape of timber, 
 dead stock, and live reptiles. Of late, railway 
 sleepers formed no small part of the flotsam, 
 
 88 
 
ABE PIKE AND THE BIG FISH 
 
 and if work was slack we sometimes, when the 
 river was down, spent a sloppy day on the banks 
 fishing for these floating items. On hearing 
 the news I rode off to pick up Uncle Abe, but 
 finding him out, went to a spot on the bank 
 which he particularly favoured, where a wide 
 flat rock stood at the base of a krantz. He 
 was not there, however, and the rock itself was 
 covered by the flood, which reached half-way up 
 the krantz, but it was evident he had been 
 there, for from a cave in the rock, just above 
 the lap of the waters, there issued a thin line of 
 smoke, and on climbing along a ledge I saw 
 signs of his occupation in a skin kaross, a dark 
 lantern, a gun, and a few well-known traps 
 which he always carried with him when after 
 kablejauw, the great hundred pounders which 
 come up as far as this point in the spring tides. 
 Now thoroughly alarmed for his safety, I rode 
 down towards the sea, from which, six miles 
 away, there came the continuous roar and 
 thunder of the surf, and, to my great relief, 
 met him in a bush path, with a full-grown otter 
 on his back, and the water oozing from his top 
 boots and from his clothes, which, clung to 
 his lank body. 
 
 ' Halloa ! Uncle ; I thought you were 
 drowned.' 
 
 'That's me,' he said, sweeping the water 
 from his eyes ; 'I've been drowned twice over. 
 
 89 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 Got a pipe and baccy ? I'm jest perishing for 
 a smoke.' 
 
 I saw now that his knuckles were skinned, 
 and that his face was pinched and blue. 
 
 ' Get up,' I said dismounting, 
 
 ' Not me. I'd spoil the saddle. Lemme 
 catch hold of the stirrup — so. Now get along 
 quick, for I want to boil this yer soaking of 
 water outer my bones and body.' 
 
 We went along, and presently I had a 
 bright fire going in the cave, and the kettle 
 singing, while Abe, stripped of his clothes, sat 
 shivering still in his skin kaross, his eyes fixed 
 on the red torrent, which stretched across for a 
 mile. 
 
 A tin beaker of boiling coffee soon brought 
 back the warmth to his body, and when he had 
 my pipe between his teeth he began to talk. 
 
 ' I believe I'm getting old, sonny ; and I've 
 lost my fishin' tackle.' 
 
 ' Not the kablejauw tackle ? ' 
 
 ' Jest that. It's stood by me, man and boy, 
 for twenty-five years. 'I've waxed it and waxed 
 it, and wired it about the shank, till it were 
 strong enough to haul in a shark, and now it's 
 gone — all along of this yer flood. I don't like 
 loosing old things, and the loss of it pains me 
 as tho' you'd pulled the sinews outer me.' 
 
 ' How did it happen ? ' 
 
 ' Yesterday I came here to fish, and in the 
 90 
 
ABE PIKE AND THE BIG FISH 
 
 afternoon — when the tide crept whispering along 
 the rushes — I cast in from the big rock. 'Twas 
 as quiet as Sunday, with a fringe of bubbles 
 right across the river marking when the tide 
 moved up. On the mud bank, jest below where 
 the big fish would soon be routing up the mud 
 like pigs, there was a blue crane dozing on one 
 leg, with his head bunched between his 
 shoulders ; on a dead tree above sat a big 
 black and white kingfisher, with his red beak 
 pointing up, and on the top of the krantz a 
 white-headed eagle was all huddled up. After 
 a smoke, I built up the fire in the cave, then 
 made another cast with the line, for the fish 
 were coming up, and the tide had reached up 
 so high that the crane had to quit. I heaved 
 the lead out about thirty yards, and was draw- 
 ing her in when there comes a tug, and I was 
 into a steinbrasse. That same moment the eagle 
 started into the air, sailing roun' and roun', and 
 letting go screech after screech ; and when I 
 looked up at him, surprised at the racket, I 
 yeard a hollow murmur, like an echo that comes 
 from a cave. I knew what it meant. 
 
 ' 'Twas the river comin' down, and in a 
 hurry I began hauling in that line, when, with 
 a rush that parted the water, a big kablejauw 
 took the steinbrasse, and, with a swirl of his 
 tail, made for mid-stream to bolt his food. I 
 dunno how it happened, but a coil of the line 
 
 91 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 whipped roun' my leg, and I was yanked on to 
 the broad of my back into the river, with that 
 eagle 'twixt me and the blue sky. That fish 
 pulled me right into the middle, then he paused 
 to take bearings, and when the strain slackened 
 I took a breath, and reached along to get hold 
 of the line. But it was beyond me to slacken 
 the knot without a knife, and I turned over to 
 swim to the rock. 'Twas easy enough till I 
 tautened the line, when the fish made another 
 struggle. 'Twas pull devil, pull saint, and the 
 line wouldn't break. First he'd gain, then I'd 
 gain ; but most of the time we just stuck there 
 — he facing to the sea, me to the rock, and that 
 eagle ripping out up above. And then ! ' 
 
 ' Well, Uncle ? ' 
 
 ' Lord love you, lad. There were a roar in 
 the air ; I seed the tree tops above the bend 
 swaying ; then there shot into the air a great 
 tongue of water, and round the corner, from 
 side to side, there came a wall — the face of it 
 curved in, the top hissing in foam, and the sides 
 of it running right up the banks, so high it shut 
 out the valley beyond. I gave a yell, then 
 turned over on my back, with my hands clasped 
 behind my head to protect it from the shock, 
 and the next minute I were scooting down the 
 river for the sea, with that wall howling behind 
 me like a thousand thunders.' 
 
 ' I don't understand.' 
 92 
 
ABE PIKE AND THE BIG FISH 
 
 ' That kablejauw did. 'Twas a race between 
 him and the flood, and the way he flashed 
 along showed he'd only been fooling with me 
 before. And the line didn't break, and over- 
 head there sailed the eagle, with his black wings 
 outspread and his white head looking down at 
 me. We flew so fast that in a few minutes I 
 saw the white lines one above the other, which 
 showed where the waves' were breaking, and 
 then with a snap like a pistol-shot, the line 
 snapped. 'Twasn't my weight that broke it, 
 but a snagged tree, into which, with the way 
 on me, I went feet foremost. No sooner'd I 
 clung to a mud greasy branch than, with a roar 
 like a fallen mountain in my head, the red flood 
 tossed the big tree into the air, and, when we 
 come down, we were in the thick of it — rushing 
 on, at a height of twelve feet above the blue 
 waters of the tide. Phew ! how we did go ; and 
 in a .minute there was the mouth of the river, 
 the big waves solemnly rolling in, and beyond 
 them the heaving blue of the ocean. With a 
 fierce rush, like a live crittur, the flood threw 
 itself at the sea. We just footed it over the 
 small waves, then we cut the top off the first 
 roller, throwing up columns of spray high as 
 the church steeple, and then the fight began. 
 Behind us there was a hundred miles of flood ; 
 before us was the tide with the Atlantic at the 
 back, and the sea after the first shock jes gave 
 
 93 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 a sort of surly roar, and away back of the outer- 
 most breaker I seed a dark line coming along 
 steady and unbroken. 'Twas the last of the 
 seven brothers, of the seven big waves that roll 
 in with the tide at intervals, and it was bigger 
 than all. Nearer it came, dark at the base, 
 with a glistening curve, and a light line along 
 the top. We in the front had made a track for 
 the flood behind. For a little we stopped — then 
 my tree was flung forward, and a red, angry 
 column shot forth to meet the big wave. My ! 
 sonny ! The music of that meeting ! The two 
 waters coming together would neither give in, 
 and they piled up, and up, and up, until there 
 was built up a wall of water high as a hill, red 
 on my side, blue on the other, and up this wall 
 my tree was forced by the flood behind. Up 
 we went, until we were balanced on the very 
 ridge, with a black gulf on the other side of 
 smooth water. A breath we poised there while 
 the fresh and the salt were straining against 
 each other, then a heaving mass out of the sea 
 swiftly smote the great wall, and we went head- 
 long — ^the tree and me — into the biggest toss-up 
 you ever see. I dunno why it was I kept a- 
 hold, but I think the weight of the waters 
 jammed me- into a cleft branch. Anyhow, the 
 life kept in my body, and when I took a breath, 
 the next minute it was dark, the stars were 
 blazing, and the tree was a-rocking up and down 
 
 94 
 
ABE PIKE AND THE BIG FISH 
 
 away out on the ocean beyond the fighting 
 whirl-about of river flood and tide. In that one 
 second between the time I went headlong from 
 the curling top of that hill-high wall of water 
 into the roarin' jumble some hours had gone — 
 the tide had flowed and turned, and the old 
 tree, with me on it, hanging like a withered 
 apple, had floated miles. I must have been 
 drowned over and over, and reg'lar pickled with 
 salt. I tell you it was lonesome out there on 
 the sea — and wet.' 
 
 ' It was a wonderful escape. Uncle.' 
 ' But it warn't over. Bymby the tide turned 
 again, and the tree made again for the shore, 
 where the fighting was going on jes the same 
 from the roar, and when the sun broke I saw 
 we would strike the mouth of the river again. 
 I dunno, sonny, how it is, but it seemed to me 
 the ole sea was entering into the fight, for 
 there was a sort of rush in the great heaving 
 masses that began to pile in out of the blue, 
 and when I came near the beat of the surf 
 where the sea was all red, the breaker that 
 carried the tree on his round back rose higher 
 and higher, as he swept on until he reached 
 the flood water, when he let the head of him 
 curl and plunge with a force that swept every- 
 thing away, and in the wall of his foam we were 
 shot right into the river. That's when I was 
 drowned again ; and when I came to I found 
 
 95 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 we were settled in the still centre of a great 
 circle of waters under the left bank, outer the 
 main current. Everything that came into that 
 circle went roun' and roun' till it came gently 
 into the centre, to drift up against the big tree. 
 Already there were three goats against the 
 tree, legs up, an' a sheep were drifting up, 
 while in the circle sailin' roun' was a straw hat 
 and a pair of trousers. On the tree there was 
 fifteen snakes — all alive, but sluggish, mostly 
 puff-adders, with some long yeller boomslangs, 
 and three or four ugly looking black snakes 
 that must er come way down 200 miles from 
 the karoo veld. While I was looking at these 
 ugly lodgers coiled round the branch, there was 
 a swirl in the water, and the sheep that were 
 drifting along suddenly went under. *Twas a 
 shark took him. That made things lively, but 
 when three more sharks come up, and after 
 eating the goats, the straw hat, and the trousers 
 began butting at the tree with their shovel 
 noses, I felt there was a lot of excitement in 
 this world if you only look for it patiently. 
 The rolling of the tree stirred the snakes, and 
 the whole fifteen of them began crawling up. 
 If there'd been two I'd kicked 'em off, but being 
 so many I sot and took 'em. When they had 
 settled down again there was one round my 
 neck, a yeller boomslang, making a very fine 
 collar, there were a pair of black snakes on each 
 
 96 
 
ABE PIKE AND THE BIG FISH 
 
 of my arms, a brown boomslang round my 
 waist, and no less'n six big puff-adders coiled 
 about my legs. I tell you I kept my mouth 
 shut less one should crawl in by mistake, an' if 
 my hair hadn't been so scant and wet it would 
 ha' stood up straight.' 
 
 ' That was a tight fix, Uncle.' 
 
 ' Tight ! By gum ! The pressure of that 
 six foot o' collar on my neck tilted my chin up 
 in the air, while the chap above my waist nearly 
 broke my ribs. The worst of it wer' I was 
 freezing.' 
 
 ' Freezing ! and the sun at io8.' 
 
 ' That's so ; but fright turns a chap cold, 
 and them snakes were drawing all the remainin' 
 warmth outer me. And ther' were those sharks 
 promenadin' roun' and roun' the tree, every now 
 and again givin' it a lazy shove. Jes then the 
 tide turned, and the tree began to move on 
 another cruise. This time I knew it would be 
 all up with me. I couldn't live through another 
 fight with the surf, and if I moved there was 
 the snakes and the sharks. Soon as the tree 
 moved those snakes woke up and began hissing 
 an' pufiing an' swaying their heads about, while 
 their eyes got bright and brighter. Suddenly 
 the collar chap crept up over my face and 
 took a twist round my head with the end 
 of his tail in my ear ; then one by one the other 
 snakes crawled up over my face, each one of 
 
 91 H 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 'em giving me such a look as threatened my 
 life in case I moved. I wondered what they 
 were about, for I couldn't see, but the pressure 
 on my neck was terrible, when, after the last 
 one had gone, I heard a hiss, a whizz, and a 
 thud. What jer think ? ' 
 
 ' I suppose they flew away.' 
 ' They jest piled on top of each other, tail 
 round the other's neck, till they made a column 
 that would reach the bank ; then the topmost 
 one bent forward, and there was a line of snakes 
 from the tree to the bank. A big. puff-adder 
 was at the far end, and he hitched his fangs 
 over a tree stump. Right there I spotted my 
 chance. I softly hauled on the line, and drew 
 the tree ashore, when I jumped to the ground 
 and cut.' 
 
 ' And where did you find the otter ? ' 
 ' Picked him up, sonny. And to think that 
 I lost my line.' 
 
 ' That's a wonderful story. Uncle.' 
 ' Eh ! but it's so. You can see yourself I'm 
 soaked through and through, and if you look oiit, 
 there's the river in flood plain enough, and here's 
 the otter which will make a good weskitt.' 
 
 98 
 
XIII 
 THE BLACK TIGER AGAIN 
 
 -Abe suffered for several days from an attack of 
 rheumatism in his shoulder, brought on by his 
 immersion in the flood waters, and he applied 
 himself steadily to the manufacture of a 
 wonderful lotion, in which camphorated oil was 
 the main stock, with a dash of turpentine, a 
 strong trace of eucalyptus, aild a few drops of 
 the powerful euphorbia juice, together with 
 extracts from sundry potent herbs. When I 
 visited him this concoction was brewing in a pot, 
 the steam from which filled the house with an 
 extremely pungent smell. 
 
 ' There,' said he, holding up a wooden ladle 
 full of the mixture, 'jes take a sniff of that. 
 That's the sort to sift right through you, and 
 yank out rheumatics from the knuckle joints.' 
 
 ' It certainly is strong.' 
 
 ' Yes, sonny ; but it lacks one thing.' 
 
 ' What's that ? ' 
 
 ' Jes a lump, as big as your fist, of fat from 
 a tiger's inside,' 
 
 99 H3 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 ' Is that so ? ' - 
 
 ' 'Tw'd give substance to it ; bind all these 
 yer scents together, and make 'em settle down to 
 their work instead of fighting against each other. 
 This euphorby juice is mighty cantankerous, 
 and is given to blisterin' unless it's toned down 
 by tiger fat.' 
 
 ' Well, Uncle, that black tiger is still alive.' 
 
 ' Hum ! I don't know that the black tiger 
 is good for this purpose. What do you say ? ' 
 
 ' I know nothing about it ; but, if any 
 tiger is good, I should say a black tiger, by 
 reason of his greater strength, should suit best, 
 and, if you remember, you said you had a plan 
 for trapping him. I believe he's still in the big 
 kloof.' 
 
 ' Yes, he's there. That ole man baboon's 
 been aroun' here, and maybe he's got some 
 notion of showing me where the black fellow 
 takes his snooze. I'll jes think over it.' 
 
 ' If you want any help I can bring along 
 some dogs and a couple of guns ? ' 
 
 ' Dogs, eh ! Seems to me that tiger's too 
 smart for dOgs. He chawed up one of yours. 
 I don't want no dogs, sonny, and if this tiger is to 
 be downed, he's got to be downed by cunning. 
 You leave him to me.' 
 
 After the lapse of a week I rode over to see 
 how the old man had succeeded, and found him 
 peacefully employed boiling down wax berries 
 
 lOO 
 
THE BLACK TIGER AGAIN 
 
 for the manufacture of candles for his own 
 lighting — the rheumatism, apparently, having 
 been vanquished. 
 
 ' Hallo ! Abe,' I said, taking a look round 
 the room, ' where' s the tiger skin ? ' 
 
 ' I speck it's on the tiger.' 
 
 ' So your plan didn't succeed ? ' 
 
 Abe solemnly skimmed a ladle full of melted 
 wax from the water, and poured it into a bamboo 
 mould. 
 
 ' Berries is terrible skerce this season. 
 Time was when a body could gather a bagful in a 
 day from the bushes above the beach ; but now 
 —lor', everything's different now. This yer 
 earth's agoing downhill — it's getting played 
 out.' 
 
 ' Are you mixing any tiger fat with that 
 wax. Uncle, to bind it ? ' 
 
 ' Maybe goose fat would be better, sonny ; 
 have you got any to spare ? ' 
 
 ' That tiger must be a cunning beast if he's 
 got the better of you. Uncle ! ' 
 
 He shook his head gravely. ' He's no tiger. 
 He's jes a ole witch prowling aroun', that's 
 what he is.' 
 
 'Eh?' 
 
 'Yes. You believe me, that's what ole 
 Black Sam is. I worked out a plan to catch 
 him, supposin' I could find where he put up in 
 the daytime, and what path he took on setting out 
 
 lOI 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 in the night, for you know these critturs in the 
 woods don't go along anyhow, but follow paths 
 jes as you or me would, and some of these 
 paths they're more fond of than others. Well, 
 I kep' watch on that ole man baboon, and when 
 I see him strolling along outside 'the kloof I up 
 and follered him. He knew, bless you, what I 
 was after, and the way he led me into the dark 
 of that kloof was a caution ; so silent he went, 
 and so careful to take the proper track. 
 Bymby he stopped and pointed — yes, pointed 
 with his finger at the ground — then he jumped 
 for a bough, and there he sat grinning an' 
 working his eyebrows. Well, blow me, ef there 
 wer'n't a spoor of the tiger where he pointed, 
 and squinting along through the underbush I 
 see a clean walk which the tiger had made — 
 the sides of the trees worn smooth and the 
 ground jes trodden down. That was enough. 
 So I went home and made a pill of meat, with 
 enough poison in it to kill a museum full of 
 stuffed critturs. Nex' morning I went down, 
 and if that baboon hadn't a almost stopped me 
 by force I'd a run bang into that tiger.' 
 
 ' Was he dead ? ' 
 
 ' Dead ! Thunderation ! he was jes lying 
 full-stretched for a spring from a tree branch 
 jes above where I laid that pill, awaiting for 
 me to come along. The baboon jes invited 
 me to climb a tree, and looking through the 
 
 I02 
 
'I SPOTTED THAT BLACK DEVIL.' 
 
THE BLACK TIGER AGAIN 
 
 leaves, I spotted that black devil, with his tail 
 a-switching and a-jerking. I jes climbed down, 
 and slipped off like a shadder, with my heart in 
 my boots. Well, I did some thinking. You 
 know cats is fond of certain smells, so is dogs — 
 only dogs is not so dainty as cats. It's jes the 
 same with a tiger, and he's got a nose for a 
 partickler herb which he rubs his head into. 
 I dug up one of these year herbs, and I fixed it 
 up fine, jes over the spring of a big man trap. 
 Then, it being near dusk, I climbed into a 
 yeller wood, and waited for Black Sam to walk 
 up and put his foot into the jaws of that trap ; 
 but the dark came, before he did, and then 
 I wasn't going to trust myself in the wood — 
 so there I stuck, with the stiffness in all my 
 bones, till the morning. By gum ! it were 
 skeery work, sittin' up there with the wind 
 moaning over the tree, and sounds of creeping 
 things all aroun'. Then, blame me ! the first 
 thing I clapped eyes on in the morning was 
 that black crittur standing there in the path, 
 staring at that scent bush 'sif it were somethin' 
 to be suspicious about instead of a nice smellin' 
 bottle. There he stood like a dark shadder, 
 working his nose for maybe half an hour, when 
 he walked all around, finally sitting down on 
 his tail with a pucker between his eyes jes'sif 
 he were thinking. Yes, he sat there working 
 his brain ; then up he stood, looked about for a 
 
 103 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 spell — then, I'm hanged, if he didn't pick up a 
 dry stick in his mouth and poke it at that 
 bush.' 
 
 ' What's that ? ' 
 
 ' Yes, . sir. He jes sprung the trap. Of 
 course, soon's he poked the bush the spring 
 give, and the jaws flew together with a stiap 
 that bit clean through the stick. Then that 
 there witch reached for the bush with his claw, 
 and fetched a grin that spread all over his face 
 like a gash in a water-melon. Then he smelt 
 that trap all over and began to switch his tail, 
 and with a growl in his stummick off he went 
 slinking on my trail, taking long strides with 
 his ears flattened. Luckily he went on the 
 long trail leading from the house, and soon's 
 he'd gone I lit out for the top of the krantz, 
 where I could see the veld right up to my 
 door.' 
 
 'Well?' 
 
 ' Well, after a time, I saw him crossing the 
 veld, making himself small when he was on the 
 level, and running when he got in a holler. 
 Right up near the house he went and hid him- 
 self in a clump of wild cotton, waiting and 
 watching for me to come out o' the door. I 
 tell you he stopped there till the sun was right 
 over head, then suddenly he ran right up to the 
 house and looked in at the winder. I never 
 was so glad at being not at home to a visitor. 
 
 104 
 
THE BLACK TIGER AGAIN 
 
 He walked all round the house and got on the 
 roof ; then he came back, full lick, having 
 made up his mind I was in the kloof. Yes, 
 then I made a bee line for home, and shut 
 myself in.' 
 
 ' And that ends it ? ' 
 
 ' No, sonny, it's the "beginning of the chapter. 
 He's jes scheming to get me ; but the ole 
 baboon's on the watch and maybe I'll have the 
 black skin yet.' 
 
 105 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 XIV 
 
 BUFFALO BULL AND THE 
 SHORTHORN 
 
 In one of the kloofs near the Fish River, an 
 old buffalo bull had taken up his quarters, and, 
 like all solitary males, he was suspicious and 
 savage. 
 
 ' And I don't wonder at it,' said Abe Pike, 
 when discussing the bull's points. ' Trouble 
 sours the best of us, and he's had his share of 
 trouble — what with his struggles as a youngster 
 to get a footing in the herd, and his struggles, 
 when he became leader, to guard his position 
 against enemies without in the shape of tigers 
 and .hunters, an' against enemies within in the 
 shape of younger bulls, not to speak of the 
 jealousy of his wives ; and then on top of 
 all this, the trouble of being driven from the 
 family when his powers were failing, maybe by 
 a own son of his. Yes, sir, that lonely animile, 
 for all -he's so savage, an' a'most knocked the 
 life outer me, has my sympathy in his proud 
 old age. Proud he is, you believe me. He 
 might a stayed with the herd ef so be he 
 
 1 06 
 
THE TWO BULLS 
 
 choose to behave himself and foller with the 
 calves, but once a king always a king. Ef he 
 can't rule in the herd, he'll rule all alone in that 
 kloof — nursing his pride and his memories — and 
 going scatter — dash — on sight for any critters 
 mad enough to enter his domain.' 
 
 ' Did you run against him, Uncle ? ' 
 'Well — I'd put it the other way — that he 
 run against me. I tole you often how he fit 
 and killed my rooi bonte bull. Red Prince, that 
 old red and white chap with a cross of short- 
 horn that was so masterful you couldn't keep 
 him in any kraal if he wanted to move out. 
 I've seen him fix his horns under a heavy pole 
 that took two men to place across the gate, and 
 jest hoist it as tho' it were a straw, and if he 
 set out to go into the mealie patch why he'd go 
 in, an' there was an end of it, bellowing all the 
 time fit to drown the roar of the sea.' 
 ' Did the old solitary kill your bull ? ' 
 ' You know that, sonny, for you saw his 
 body with the rip that went to his heart. I 
 yeared ole Prince bellow one morning, and, 
 lookin' over the veld, I saw him away off yonder 
 on the ridge slowly moving, with his big head 
 swaying from side to side, and as I watched 
 him he would, every now and again, stop to 
 paw the ground and toss his horns. I thought, 
 maybe, there was some stray cattle beyond, and 
 I set off after him with the sjambok. After he 
 
 107 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 topped the ridge I could still hear the rumble 
 of his challenge, and when I reached the divide 
 there he was down below raking up the earth 
 with his hoof, but there was no sign of a horn or 
 hide beside him. I ran down to him, and at 
 the sound of my running he turned his head, 
 showing the red of his eyes. He blew through 
 his nostrils at me, and he looked that wicked 
 that I dodged away behind a big rock, and 
 soon's I peeped out I saw he was looking at 
 the kloof with his ears pricked forward. So I 
 scanned the edge of the wood, which was about 
 fifty paces off, and there, poking out of the 
 shadows, was the head of that buffel, his black 
 muzzle held high, and the sharp curved tips of 
 his horns showing above the great mass of bone 
 on his forehead. The foam was dripping from 
 his muzzle. I saw, then, that red crittur of 
 mine had got the scent of the buffel, and here 
 he had come to do battle. out of the love of a 
 fight. I called to the old fool to come back, 
 but, with another dig of his hoof and a shake 
 of his head, he went forward with that slow, 
 steady stride of a crittur that knows no fear. 
 From the wood there came a menacing growl, 
 and at the hoarse rumble of it the red bull sunk 
 his crest and let out a beller that went rolling 
 over the kloof. Then the old solitary stepped 
 out, big and black, with white scars showing on 
 his shoulders and his head held high and 
 
 io8 
 
THE TWO BULLS 
 
 threatenin'. There the two of them stood face 
 to face with twenty yards between, their ears 
 twitching and the tails jerking against their 
 sides, Red Prince looking heavier with a 
 mightier neck, the crest arching like the neck 
 of a horse, and the dewlap hanging down be- 
 tween his wide knees. Bigger and stronger he 
 looked than the buffel, but my heart went weak 
 within me for him when I saw the wild gleam 
 of the buffel eyes, and dwelt on the pile of 
 rugged bone that spanned his forehead. Slowly 
 they walked up to each other, muttering deep 
 threats, then their horns clashed, and their fore- 
 heads were pressed closer and closer to the 
 strain of heaving quarters. A minute they 
 stood so, the breathing coming heavily, so that 
 the dust. below was blown about — then my old 
 red chap turned the buffalo right round, and 
 with a snort and a sidelong blow, he ripped a 
 long red streak in the black thigh. The buffel 
 sprang a step aside, then his tail went up over 
 his back, and he rushed forward. Right round 
 on his pins as nimble as a yearling the old red 
 went, and catching the buffel between the fore- 
 legs-, he heaved him up and sent him with a 
 thud, on to his side. If he had only known, poor 
 old chap, he would never have let his enemy reach 
 his feet again, but he curled his nose up and jest 
 stood there watching the black devil gather 
 himself together. The buffel was up — phew 
 
 109 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 — and then, with a savage roar, his eyes gleam- 
 ing like a tiger's, he jest leapt at the big red 
 body standing there so proud, and the next 
 moment — 't\yas done so quick — I saw the blood 
 running from his side. I wept, lad, at the 
 sight. There stood the buffel, with his muzzle 
 up — and the foam dripping from it — watching 
 the red bull, whose legs were planted wide 
 apart to steady himself. While the life was 
 flowing from that terrible wound in his side the 
 old chap shook his head again. So they stood 
 silent, eyeing one another, then Prince lurched 
 forward — dead — and the buffel went up and 
 smelt him, with his back toward me. I had 
 moved round the rock to watch the fight, and 
 as I stood there tremblin' from the excitement, 
 that old black devil suddenly whipped round, 
 and with a most hair-rising roar, came straight 
 at me. The outer curve of his horn caught me 
 on the shoulder, and sent me spinning till I 
 tripped over a rock, and when he turned I 
 squeezed tight against the shelter of the stone. 
 Then that ole brute came and stood by with 
 his nose a few inches off, and his bloodshot eyes 
 glaring at me, and every minute or so he'd try 
 to chop me with a hoof, or hook me out with 
 his horns. And three times he trotted off" to 
 smell the red bull — the which times I'd try to 
 squeeze closer to the rock, and then at the third 
 time he cleared off to the left at a gallop. 
 
 no 
 
XV 
 THE END OF THE TIGER 
 
 I HAD been busy all day ' branding ' the' young 
 cattle, and returning hot, dusty, and tired to 
 the house, found Abe Pike comfortably seated 
 in the cane chair, with the veldshoens of his 
 outspread feet resting on the top bar of the 
 verandah rail, and his lined face looking up at 
 the thatched roof, whence came the loud zing 
 of a bluebottle fly caught in the meshes of a 
 spider web. A jar of my Transvaal tobacco 
 was on the ground by his side, and a large jug 
 of buttermilk near it. 
 
 ' Don't disturb yourself, Uncle ! ' 
 ' I'm not agoing to. Mind how you step, 
 else you'll obset that buttermilk — not that it 
 would matter much, for it ain't been rightly 
 made. Should ha' been kep' in a calabash 
 with a drop of old milk in the bottom, to 
 flavour it with a taste of biled leather and 
 smoke that belongs to the proper article. But 
 all the old arts is dying out, and insects and 
 
 III 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 beasts is the only critturs that keep up the old 
 customs. Conservatism is a law of nature — 
 among men who have broken away from 
 nature it's a blind, unreasonin' protest against 
 change. Conservatism is the preserving wisdom 
 of the aged, the salt of experience, and change 
 is born of the rashness of youth. I'm a Con- 
 servative — I'm old. I should be presarved for 
 the edification and guidance of the young. 
 Give me the buttermilk.' 
 
 As he would not move, I tilted his chair 
 over by kicking the legs away, and passed 
 over his recumbent body to the bedroom. 
 After a wash down I found him still outspread 
 on the ground, his long legs hooked over the 
 chair, and his head resting on his arm, while 
 the glow of his pipe showed that he was still 
 calmly smoking. 
 
 ' What's brought you over here. Uncle ? ' 
 
 ' Well, I 'spect I walked. Have you ever 
 observed, sonny, that the human body is so 
 built that it will fit itself to any position ? This 
 is comfortable and the tobacco is fair to mid- 
 dlin', fair to middlin', with a touch of sulphur 
 in it.' 
 
 I sat down on the stone steps to listen to 
 the most delightful of all sounds — those made 
 by the domestic animals and birds settling to 
 rest ; while from the deep black of the sky the 
 stars shot out with a sudden blaze, and the 
 
 112 
 
THE END OF THE TIGER 
 
 cool night wind came softly whispering through 
 the acacias. 
 
 Uncle Abe gathered himself up, and bunched 
 upon the rail, his back bent like a sickle to 
 keep his balance, ' What's acrost over yonder?' 
 he said. 
 
 ' My boundary ridge.' 
 
 ' Your boundary ridge ! An' a euphorby 
 tree, and a sprinkling of white thorn acacias, 
 with the gum drops glistenin' on the rough 
 bark, and a few grey stones all covered with 
 moss and a stretch of grey veld. Go 'long ; 
 there's more than that under the curtain of the 
 dark, for if there weren't why would you an' 
 me sit here and look away off, an' look an' 
 look, as ef behind the curtain was all the 
 mysteries of the unknown world. The dark 
 makes a wonderful difference.' 
 
 ' So it does — when you're five miles from 
 home and hear the " gurr " of a tiger.' 
 
 ' Sonny, I 've downed that black tiger. 
 
 ' You have ! ' 
 
 ' That's so. Ole Abe Pike has come out 
 on top — and soon's I skinned him I lit out to 
 tell you the news. You see it was my wits 
 against his. Traps was no good, so I deter- 
 mined to set my skin against his and trust to 
 the ole gun. I calculated to tackle him right 
 close up to his lair.' 
 
 ' In the kloof ? ' 
 
 113 I 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 ' Eweh ! in the dark of the big kloof, where 
 it's that still you can hear the sap moving in 
 the trees. You see that crittur was more'n 
 ordinary cunning, and he'd seen how he was 
 feared, so he'd settle it down to a certainty 
 that no man would ever dare tempt death near 
 his sleepin' place. Therefore, though deadly 
 risky, the best plan would be to go to that very 
 spot. Next thing was to give him a good feed 
 far away — and yet not too far. Ef the kill was 
 too far he wouldn't come back to his roost, and 
 ef it was too near he wouldn't eat before return- 
 ing. So I built a little bush kraal near the 
 kloof an got a brandzickt goat from Ned Amos 
 to turn in.' 
 
 ' Why not have tied the goat up in the 
 kloof?' 
 
 ' No good, sonny, with an 'xper'enced tiger. 
 He'd a suspected a plant, 'cos his understand- 
 ing 'ud tell him that goats don't grow in 
 kloofs. The kraal he would take as a piece of 
 man's foolishness. Before this I filed down a 
 whole sixpence, and the filings I melted into a 
 good round bullet, with some clean lead. Two 
 charges I put in behind that bullet, and seed 
 that the powder was well up in the nipple with 
 the shiniest cap well pressed down. Then I 
 killed a stink-cat — I'll tell you why afterwards. 
 I got the goat down to the kraal an hour before 
 sundown, and then I slipped into the kloof, 
 
 114 
 
THE END OF THE TIGER 
 
 treading like a shadder, with the bleat of the 
 old billy buck calling loud. I pulled up, an' 
 waited till that ole man baboon, who had 
 watched all proceedings, gave me the sign that 
 the Black Sam was on the move. I felt my 
 way on up to his lair under a shelving rock at 
 the foot of the precipice that hems in the kloof 
 on the top side. It was that dark I couldn't 
 see my hand, and I knew at once my plan 
 would land me with a split throttle if I waited 
 for his coming back. I was that skeered, too, 
 with the whisperin' in the trees, that I was just 
 making ready to run when I see a firefly dodg- 
 ing around.' 
 
 ' And you thought it was the tiger's eye ? ' 
 ' You wait. I seed a firefly making circles 
 of flame against the blackness — and I cotched 
 him gently — so's not to spoil his lantern. I 
 fixed him in the bark of a tree that stood near 
 the den — and two others I fixed in line — one 
 above, one below. The top was three feet 
 above the ground, the middle was two and a 
 half, and the bottom one a foot high. Next thing 
 I threw that stink-cat in the den, and the smell 
 of him came out thick, covering up all taint of a 
 man. Then I settled down opposite the tree 
 with the gun fixed on the little spark where I'd 
 fixed the middle fly. I reckoned when the ole 
 chap came home and smelt that cat he'd stand 
 in disgust — and as the smell would strike him 
 
 115 12 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 just by the tree his body would blot out the 
 flies and give me a mark.' 
 
 ' And he didn't come back that way ? ' 
 ' He did that, as it was the easiest way ; 
 but before he came the feeling grew in me that 
 he was just behind watching me where I lay. 
 I tell you, sonny, that long watch in the still- 
 ness of the dark, with a drop of water minute 
 by minute falling into a little pool, and a sort 
 of queer stirring noise among the trees, gave 
 me the ague. But he came at last. It may 
 have been three, or two o'clock ; but without 
 a sound he was there before me. My eyes 
 had grown tired of watching those three dots 
 of fire, and I'd been shutting them tight for a 
 spell every now and again, and when I opened 
 them the last time I saw the light was there, 
 but altered. I looked away a second, then 
 back, and there was three lights ; but two of 'em 
 were close together, and bigger. Jimminy ! it 
 was the ole man himself looking at me. I pulled 
 the trigger, and the gun flew outer my hands. 
 Then I rolled over and over, with a roaring, 
 scuffling, and screaming in my ears as ef the 
 gun had woke a whole crowd of devils and 
 brought them howling outer the rocks. I 
 rolled against a tree, and I was up it before I 
 knew where I was, an' all the time there 
 was that scuffling an' growlin' and awful scream- 
 in' going on down below. Bymby it got 
 
 ii6 
 
'THERE WAS THE TWO OF 'EM DEAD.' 
 
THE END OF THE TIGER 
 
 weaker and weaker, until it died off in gurglings 
 and deep breathing, and by the grey light of 
 the morning there was the two of 'em dead, the 
 black tiger and the ole man baboon. The 
 baboon had got his two long teeth in the big 
 throat, and there he had held while the tiger 
 with his hind claws raked the stomach clean 
 out of him.' 
 
 ' And where did your bullet strike ? ' 
 ' It struck the tree, and smashed the top 
 firefly to smithereens. The other two had 
 dropped off.' 
 
 ' Then you didn't kill the tiger ? ' 
 ' I reckon I did ; at any rate, I've got his 
 skin and the skull of the ole baboon. He was 
 the biggest tiger you ever see, and old as the 
 hills, with his teeth worn down. I'm sorry for 
 the baboon, but I'm glad he was there.' 
 
 I have reason to believe that Uncle Abe 
 maligned himself for the sake of the yarn. On 
 examining the tiger's skin subsequently, I 
 found no traces of the baboon's teeth, but 
 exactly between the eyes was a bullet-hole. 
 The old man had held his gun straight in the 
 dark kloof 
 
 117 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 XVI 
 WHERE THE QUAILS CAME FROM 
 
 In the spring the quails come in from the west, 
 and one September morning I went out into 
 the standing oatcrops with two other guns, each 
 one of us attended by a little Kafifir lad to 
 retrieve the birds. By noon we had traversed 
 and re-traversed in line the upper lands and 
 low lands, bagging 98 brace, and then in the 
 glare of the mid-day we took shelter in the 
 shade of a yellow-wood tree. There we argued 
 the ever-recurring theme of the coming of the 
 quail. 
 
 In August there is not a quail to all seeming 
 in the land, but suddenly, as the spring advances, 
 there comes from every thicket of grass and 
 square of growing corn on the coast the whist- 
 ling call of the male bird — ' phee — phe — yew ' 
 calling in bird language, 'where are you ? — 
 where are you ? ' and the answering cry of the 
 modest mate — ' phee — phee ' — ' here — here.' 
 Whence do they come — these thousands of 
 birds that throng along the coast ? On that 
 point regularly as September came round, as 
 
 118 
 
WHERE THE QUAILS CAME FROM 
 
 the i2-bore gun was taken down, and the 
 cartridges filled with No. 6, we talked greatly, 
 setting forth many theories. Silas Topper was 
 of opinion that the quails spent their time in 
 travelling round the continent of Africa in four 
 huge armies, covering 500 miles, from front to 
 rear, and that while one was passing along the 
 southern coast, the second army would be going 
 north somewhere above the Zambesi, while the 
 third would be traversing the shores of the 
 Mediterranean, and the fourth skirting of Gold 
 Coast. We all agreed that was a very good 
 theory, and one deserving more credence than 
 the crude, but positive, assertion of Amos 
 Topper that the quail was originally a frog. 
 
 ' It stands to reason,' Amos would say, 
 ' that a quail is developed from a frog. If 
 tain't so, what becomes of all the frogs ? — tell 
 me that. Take a caterpillar. A caterpillar 
 comes from an egg, and a cocoon comes from 
 a caterpillar, and a butterfly from a cocoon.' 
 
 ' But a quail isn't a butterfly.' 
 
 ' Chuts ! A tadpole comes from an egg, 
 doesn't it ? Well, a frog comes from a tadpole, 
 and a quail comes from a frog. That's clear 
 enough, ain't it ? ' 
 
 Then, of course, the argument would start, 
 and this particular September morning we had 
 got well into the frog theory when old Abe 
 Pike came along. 
 
 119 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 ' I don't mind if I do,' he said, as he sat 
 down and selected a plump bird that Amos had 
 carefully prepared for his own eating. He had 
 opened it out by a cut down the breast bone, 
 laid the broad bare back on the wood coals, 
 and in the cup-like cavities of the breast had 
 placed a pat of butter, with pepper and salt. 
 The juices of the bird had gathered in these 
 cavities, and Amos had just cut off a slice of 
 bread to serve as a plate when old Pike fore- 
 stalled him. 
 
 ' That's my bird,' said Topper, fiercely. 
 
 ' Just yeard you say 'twas a frog,' grunted 
 Abe, as he dug his knife into the earth to clean 
 it. 
 
 ' I said it was a frog, but it's a sure enough 
 bird now — blow you ! ' 
 
 ' Go slow, sonny, go slow,' said Abe, between 
 the mouthfuls. ' Stick to one thing at a time. 
 Once a frog always a frog.' 
 
 ' Humph,' said Amos, as he picked out 
 another bird from the heap. ' I s'pose -you 
 never heard frogs whistling of a night .■' ' 
 
 'Well, of course.' 
 
 ' What do they whistle for, eh, if they're not 
 fitting themselves for the bird life — tell me 
 that ? ' And Amos looked at us triumphantly. 
 
 ' They whistle for the rain, you donderkop.' 
 
 ' P'r'aps, then, you can tell us where these 
 birds come from, as you're so mighty clever.' 
 
 1 20 
 
WHERE THE QUAILS CAME FROM 
 
 ' To be sure, sonny, to be sure ; they come 
 from the clouds.' 
 
 ' Oh, thunder ! ' 
 
 'Yes ; from the clouds, or maybe higher. 
 I s'pose you yeard of the people of Israel and 
 how they were fed in the wilderness with manna 
 and quail. Where d'you expect those birds 
 came from ? Frogs ! No ; they just dropped 
 from the sky, and they've kep' on droppin' ever 
 since in the spring.' 
 
 ' Go along ! There's no people wandering 
 in the wilderness in these days.' 
 
 ' I seed 'em.' 
 
 ' The Israelites .'' ' 
 
 ' No ; the quail a-falling out the roof of the 
 world. I'll tell you how it came about that I 
 diskivered this secret that's been kep' locked 
 up all these hundreds of years. I'd been a- 
 fishin' off the great rock that stands out of the 
 breakers over there yonder by the Kasouga, 
 an' the spring tide, rolling in with a great 
 heave, rnade a boilin' foam 'twixt me an' the 
 beach. I were fixed there for the night, sure 
 enough ; an' I tell you what, sonny, when a 
 man is brought face to face in the black of the 
 night with the leaping sea, he don't forget the 
 time. Noise ! by gum ! You know what it is 
 to be waked all of a sudden out of a sleep a full 
 mile from the sea by the smacking crash of a 
 great wave, and there I was in the very thick of 
 
 121 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 the thunderation, with the big black breakers 
 swishing out of the dark like a movin' wall, and 
 jus' leapin' agin the rock as though they were 
 bent on sweeping it away. The white foam 
 went flying above, drenching me through and 
 through — and it grew so slippery up above on 
 that table size top, that I was obliged to lay full 
 stretched on my back with my heels agin a 
 crack, and my arms outstretched — and my eyes 
 fixed on the stars above whenever I could see 
 them through the flying scud. Even a spring 
 tide turns — and in the darkness before the early 
 morning I could feel the rock under me growing 
 firmer. I was just thinking o' getting to the 
 shore to dry myself in the white sand when I 
 yeard a queer sound from the sky. There's 
 just one thing wanting to this yer quail.' 
 
 ' What's that ? ' 
 
 ' Just a dash of Dop brandy.' 
 
 I passed him over the stone demijohn, and 
 we listened to the cluck of the liquor as it 
 poured into the tin komeky. 
 
 ' Yes ; out of the black of the sky there 
 came a sort of sound that goes before a storm ; 
 and, boys, it licks me how such a shadder of a 
 noise can come on in advance.' 
 
 ' It's the way with shadows,' said Amos, 
 drily. 
 
 ' Soh ! but it's a queer thing to hear the 
 hum of a wind-storm before the wind comes 
 
 122 
 
WHERE THE QUAILS CAME FROM 
 
 along ; jes' 'sif th're messages going ahead to 
 warn critturs and trees to stand firm. Well, I 
 squinted around, and bymby, as the light grew, 
 far above I seed a something movin', and the 
 noise of its coming grew. 'Twas no bigger'n a 
 umbrella when I fixed it ; but it soon spread 
 out, wider and wider, and what was the curiosest, 
 it lengthened out behind like my old concertina. 
 I tell you, I begun to get skeered, for I thought 
 maybe 'twas one o' them water-spouts. Then 
 the light grew stronger and there was a twinkling 
 from the growing column jes' if thousands and 
 thousands o' poplar leaves was stirred by the 
 wind. " 'Tis alive," I said, jumping to my feet, 
 and I scaled down that rock and scooted 
 through the pools, and up over the sand hills 
 to the shelter of the woods. I thought it was 
 one o' them here sea-serpents.' 
 
 ' But it was not ? ' 
 
 ' No sonny ; it was a heaven-high column 
 of quail. That's what it were.' 
 
 ' Falling from the moon, eh ? ' 
 
 ' When, the head of the column reached the 
 ground, which it did, on the beach the whole 
 length just collapsd like a falling tree, and the 
 whole lot were just scattered along the coast in 
 a twinkling.' 
 
 123 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 XVII 
 ABE PIKE AND THE GHONYA 
 
 Old Abe had strolled over to my place to see 
 a new Harvester tried on a good crop of 
 wheat. In the previous reaping season I 
 had been left suddenly in the lurch by my 
 Kaffirs, who had silently vanished in the 
 night for other scenes without a word of 
 explanation, or a single regret for the loss they 
 would put me to, and I determined to be 
 prepared in future for such another vagary. 
 Hence the Harvester, which reaped the corn 
 and bound up the sheaves, aided only by one 
 man and a boy. We were just sweeping clear 
 the last square in the small field when Abe 
 came up and hung himself on the fence, with 
 his back bent like a bow, and his toes hitched 
 under the lower wire. There, all bunched up, 
 he eyed the machine in silenpe. 
 
 ' Well, Uncle, what do you think of it ? ' I 
 said, with some pride, as the last sheaf was 
 tossed on one side by the human-like grippers. 
 
 He looked at me vacantly, then climbed 
 124 
 
ABE PIKE AND THE GHONYA 
 
 slowly down, examined the sheaf and the 
 tie, and then took a look all round the country. 
 
 ' Things is changing,' he said. 
 
 ' Yes ; this is the age of progress and 
 electricity.' 
 
 ' And snorting steam engines and that 
 there man machine — that thing without a 
 heart, or a stomach, or eyes to see. Where's 
 the good ? ' 
 
 ' It is a labour-saving machine, and enables 
 me to produce more.' 
 
 ' 'Tis all vanity, an' foolishness, an laziness 
 — that's what. Laziness and pride,' and the 
 old sinner, who never did a fair day's work in a 
 month, wore an air of virtuous indignation as 
 he resumed his seat on the fence. 
 
 ' Things is changing — that's so ; and man- 
 kind's on the down track. Time was when a 
 reaper would take his sickle and harken to the 
 rustlin' of the yaller corn as he cut his way 
 along, with the smell o' the yearth in his 
 nostrils, and the sight of all manner o' living 
 insects below him. And bymby he would 
 straighten his back and look away over the 
 land, or at the shining layers behind, and then 
 he would stoop to it again with the thoughts 
 busy in his mind as bees about a comb con- 
 cerning the going out of the wheat in waggons 
 an' trains, an' ships across the sea to the feed- 
 ing of the nations. An' look at this yer cast- 
 
 125 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 iron reaper ; what's it good for but to work for 
 a cast-iron man ? That's what's the world's 
 comin' to, with all the people cast in a mould. 
 I'm gwine home ! ' 
 
 ' Nonsense ; come back with me and try 
 the new lot of rolled tabak from the Trans- 
 vaal.' 
 
 For all his disgust with the Harvester, 
 Uncle Abe did not mind 'riding,' to the house 
 on the driver's seat ; neither was he cast down 
 after supper when he sat out on the stoep. 
 The day's work was done for man and beast 
 and the great quiet of the evening brooded 
 over the place. There we sat and smoked in 
 silence, until the glow died out of the sky, when 
 the night creatures began to stir, sending forth 
 inquiring notes as if to assure themselves that 
 the time was really at hand for the starting of 
 the wonderful orchestra of the insect band. 
 And, as we listened, there rang out above the 
 shrill drummings and chirpings and whistling, 
 the weird, mournful cry of the ' ghon-ya,' 
 calling ' ghon-ya ! ' ' ghon-ya ! ' at regular 
 intervals, until the melancholy of its far-reach- 
 ing cry stilled the other noisy voices. 
 
 Abe stirred uneasily. ' There's the lost 
 'sperrit,' he muttered. 
 
 ' Why, that's the night locust ! ' 
 
 ' Soh ; jes' a locust.' 
 
 'Yes, with a transparent drum in place 
 126 
 
ABE PIKE AND THE GHONYA 
 
 of a body which he blows out when he 
 wishes to make that noise, and rubs his legs 
 upon the drum.' 
 
 ' How big is this yer drum ? ' 
 'About as large els a hen's egg.' 
 ' So ; and with such a small thunder-bag 
 he can send out a noise that booms further than 
 the greatest drum in the British army. Don't 
 tell me. That's no insect ; it's a cry that comes 
 from beyond.' 
 
 ' Beyond where? ' 
 
 ' Beyond the dark. I tell you, sonny, when 
 the ghon-ya cries he ain't bothering himself 
 about any glass-eyed beetle-hunter who's just 
 hankering to label all the critturs in this yearth ; 
 he's not thinkin' about you nor me, but he's jes 
 wailing in that shudderous voice to the 
 shadders that pass by in the night ; whether 
 it's to comfort 'em, or to put 'em on the right 
 track, or to warn 'em of danger, I can't say. 
 One night I had taken the short cut past the 
 big krantz, being late from the shop where I'd 
 been for a tin of o' black sugar, and thinkin' of 
 nothin' at all when I yeard the ghon-ya's cry 
 passin' overhead. There was nothin' more'n 
 ordinary solemn in the wail of it, but when I 
 came to the thick of the wood it seemed to me 
 there was a queer whisperin' going on among 
 the trees. Have you ever marked a bee 
 against the shadder? Of course you have, 
 
 127 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 and you'll know how he moves like a drop o' 
 light as the sun strikes on his wings against 
 the dark of the hill behind. Well, I happened 
 to look back over my shoulder to the other side 
 of the valley where 'twas as black as black; and 
 in the glance of my eyes,: with the blue and 
 red light snapping from 'em as it does some- 
 times when you blink, in that very moment 
 of turning, I seed a passing of a many 
 shadders. ' 
 
 ' Tree shadows ? ' 
 
 ' Shadders of dreams, sonny, I tell you. 
 Jes' in a flash I seed 'em moving up, and then 
 all was black groups of trees ; but I knowed 
 where that whisperin' come from. Yes, a many 
 shadders hurryin' on up that valley with the 
 cry of the ' ghon-ya ' pealin' out ahead. Well, 
 I got outer that valley pretty quick, and were 
 hurryin' by the top of the krantz overlooking 
 the big kloof when the ' ghon-ya ' cried jes'; 
 ahead o' me. A locust! Lor,' sonny, right 
 afore me there was a something shaddery — -a ; 
 darker patch on the blackness, standing on the 
 brink of the krantz overlooking the deep kloof 
 that" lay below stretching , towards the sea, and 
 the ' ghon-ya,' loud, long, mournful as the 
 solitary toll of the death-bell, went out on the 
 air, an' I jes' went to the ground as if the bones 
 had all been drawed out. Looking along the 
 top, with my eyes to the light that was in the sky 
 
 128 
 
'I SEED A PASSING OF A MANY SHADDERS,' 
 
ABE PIKE AND THE GHONYA 
 
 over the sea, I seed them shadders from the 
 valley file down into the kloof. A many 
 shadders, sonny, come out of the valley — passed 
 by that dark patch, and jes' floated down into 
 the kloof — whispering as they went. What 
 sort o' shadders they were I couldn't tell you, 
 my lad ; but they belong, sure enough, to the 
 other world beyond the dark. Many a time I 
 yeard them same things in the kloof, when the 
 dead quiet has been broken by a movement in 
 the air, and a sort o' creepin' sound 'sif some- 
 thin' were peepin at you from behind a tree. 
 You've felt it, too, of course. The dogs they 
 know, 'cos they're not so cock-sure as we are 
 about knowin" everything jes' bekose we can 
 make a cast-iron reaper.' 
 
 The ghon-ya from the darkness called again, 
 as if the sorrows of the world were in the cry. 
 
 ' A locust ! ' cried Abe scornfully ; ' that's 
 no locust. It's calling the sperits of the woods 
 together, and the ghostses of animiles — that's 
 what ; and that's why all the other noises is 
 hushed.' 
 
 129 K 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 XVIII 
 
 ABE PIKE AND THE 
 KAFFIR WAR 
 
 ' Were you ever in the wars, Abe ? ' I asked the 
 old chap on one of my off-days, when I had 
 called on him to go out after rhea-buck. 
 
 ' Were I ever in the wars ? Did I ever 
 grow pumpkins ? There's some fellows go 
 through life asking questions about things that's 
 as plain as plain — why, blow me, I've known 'em 
 ask ef 'twdn't be a fine day when there's bin no 
 rain for a month and not a stir o' wind.' 
 
 ' So you have been in the wars ? ' 
 
 Grunt. 
 
 ' I suppose,' said I, unmoved by Abe's in- 
 dignation, ' you never got into a fix — always 
 kept with the rear column ? ' 
 
 'What, me ! Jes' you look here,' and_ cock- 
 ing up his chin; he showed a long scar under 
 his beard. ' Assegai ! ' he said. 
 
 ' Must have been a close shave ! ' 
 
 "'Twarntno barber held that wepin I tell 
 you, sonny. No, sir ! I jes' seed the whites of 
 his eyes and the gleam of his teeth, and whizz ! 
 — whough ! — the assegai darted like a serpent's 
 tongue. He was painted red, he were ! ' 
 
 130 
 
ABE PIKE AND THE KAFFIR WAR 
 
 ' Who ? ' 
 
 ' The Kaffir, you blind eyed calabash. It was 
 in Blaauw krantz in '45. You don't remember 
 those days, 'cos you weren't born, but Blaauw 
 krantz were jes' where it is now, and the red 
 Kaffirs had suddenly got back their old idea they 
 could drive us into the sea. Wonderful how sot 
 they are on getting us into the salt water ; and 
 that time they was partikler keen on making us 
 take to the sea without so much as a plank. Of 
 course we knew there was something in the 
 wind. When Kaffirs mean to fight they don't 
 fire off blank cartridges in the papers ; they jes' 
 keep dark, uncommon dark an' sulky, but for 
 all that they can't keep down the human nature 
 that's in 'em, and they have a way of giving 
 you the shoulder when you order them about 
 that means mischief When a Kaffir clicks at 
 you with his tongue you don't want him to tell 
 you in plain words that he's quaai and would 
 like to belt you over the head. Well, I tell 
 you, you dursen't order a boy -to step a yard 
 but he'd click, an' some of the chaps with 
 families took the hint and shifted into Grahams- 
 town ; but, lor' bless yer, the Government didn't 
 take any notice. Oh no ; the Government 
 knew the Kaffirs and it knew the whites, and it 
 believed in the Kaffirs. Look here, sonny, 
 Government's a ass'— alus was a ass, and alus 
 will be a ass. Alus so darned cock-sure, 
 
 131 K2 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 and so blamed ignorant that any Kaffir chief 
 could best it every time. You know, sonny, 
 the chief he would jes' come along — simple an' 
 humble— and pitch in a yarn about how he 
 loved the " great white ox," how he wished to 
 herd his cattle in peace, and how thankful he'd 
 be if the great white chief would send him a 
 little white chief to keep the wicked white men 
 from his kraals. All he wanted was peace — 
 since he had listened to the words of wisdom 
 from the Government. Then the chief would 
 say : " That is my speech," and the Government 
 would up and pat him on the back ; an' when 
 the farmers said the Kaffirs meant to fight. 
 Government would tell 'em they was a passel 
 of fools. Oh, I tell you. Government is vain as 
 a boy in a new weskit, an' as easily humbugged. 
 Well, about 1845 *^he Government was laced 
 up and smoothed down by the chiefs, with their 
 tongues in their cheeks, and on a sudden the war 
 smoke rose on the frontier.' 
 
 ' The war smoke ! ' 
 
 ' Aye, bossie ; the heaven-high columns of 
 smoke going up blue and round in the still 
 air, as a sign to the Kaffirs waiting silently 
 in the bush and the kloofs. At the sign out 
 they came, slipping from the bush paths stealthy 
 as leopards on the trail, and one morning the 
 hill-sides yonder were red, as though the aloes 
 had blossomed.' 
 
 132 
 
'HER ROVING EYE, SEARCHING THE VELD.' 
 
ABE PIKE AND THE KAFFIR WAR 
 
 ' What — with fire ? ' 
 
 ' Neh ! karel with red clay smeared thick 
 over the black faces, and with the red blankets 
 carried by the bearers. Then there was in- 
 spanning, of horses, hurrying of women after 
 their children, and the trail of dust about each 
 flying cart. The red Kaffirs ! Aye, lad ! many 
 a mother an' wife has gone white at times of 
 peace at the sight of a Kaffir in his paint — 
 squatting, maybe, like a tame dog at the back 
 door, waiting for his women-folk in the kitchen 
 to hand him out a bone — for in the smouldering 
 eyes of him she can see the leaping flames of a 
 burning homestead and assegais runnin' red, 
 and if it's so in peace what must she feel when 
 her roving eye, searching the veld for the little 
 ones to bid them to breakfast, lights on the far- 
 off streak on the border hills, and when her ear 
 catches a murmur that is not from the sea — 
 the murmur of fighting-men singing of death ? 
 The sun was level when it shone upon the 
 red Kaffirs, and when the shadder was close 
 up to my heels in the mid-day the country was 
 empty of whites, except maybe a solitary cuss 
 like me, hating to leave his home, and lurking 
 in the bush close to his belongings.' 
 ' And the cattle ? ' 
 
 ' It's the horned beasts that you think of — 
 well, why not ? they're meat and drink and a 
 roof over your head. A few there were who 
 
 ^33 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 saved their herds, but the bulk were swept 
 in the net of the robbers. There was not 
 a many human fish caught in that net that 
 time, 'cept old Dave Harkins, an' his five sons 
 who fell all in one spot by Palmiet Fontein 
 fighting to the last grain o' powder, and ole 
 Sam Parks. Poor ole Sam. He found re- 
 ligion, did ole Sam, and many the day I've a- 
 harkened to him holdin' forth on his stoep, where 
 he would sit for the rheumatism kep' him from 
 moving. Well, ole Sam, when they told him 
 that he must fly, he said, " Lift my chair to the 
 stoep. The Kaffirs will not harm me." They 
 placed him there with his face to the east, and 
 there the Kaffirs found him. I. passed the 
 house the next day, and he was leanin' back 
 lookin' so peaceful that I hailed him. But he 
 were dead, sonny, with a gash in his heart. 
 Aye, they struck him as he sat, but they left 
 the house standing and when I peeped in at 
 the window there was the table set with all the 
 chiney in the house. The Kaffirs did that. 
 One on 'em had been about a white man's 
 house, and he showed his friends how the white 
 man prepared his table. A little one's vanity 
 and the blood dropping from the assegai.' 
 
 ' What were you doing all this time, Uncle 
 Abe ? ' 
 
 ' Shiverin' and hidin', sonny ; for a party on 'em 
 swooped down on my place led by a thunderin' 
 
 134 
 
ABE PIKE AND THE KAFFIR WAR 
 
 ole thief I had once lammed with a sjambok for 
 stealin' my sugar. There was a fine bedstead 
 in the house and a whole shelf o' crockery, for 
 I had some idees then of marryin', and, blow 
 me, if they didn't smash the lot, besides break- 
 ing all the winders and burning the thatched roof. 
 Then they killed an ox, a fine rooi bonte, 
 roasted him whole, and ate him — by gosh. 
 After that they slept with their bellies full ! 
 Yes, they did that ; slep' with me a watching 
 'em from an ant bear hole. I nearly spiflicated 
 'em, but somehow I didn't. Then they moved 
 off all but three, including that ole thief, which 
 gathered my cows an heifers an' calves an' oxen 
 together, and druv 'em off. 'Twas like partin' 
 with my heart strings, and I followed 'em up. 
 That evenin' I druv the lot inter the big kloof.' 
 
 ' You recaptured them ? ' 
 
 ' I s'pose so, sonny ! ' 
 
 ' And the three Kaffirs ? ' 
 
 ' I speck they ate too much beef, sonny, I 
 speck they did. Any way they died. They 
 did so — and after I had druv the cattle into the 
 kloof I sot off for Grahamstown, passing ole 
 Sam Parkes on the way. I came pretty nigh 
 close to parties o' Kaffirs, but 'twas when I 
 came to Blaauw krantz that" I got the shivers. 
 I were goin' along mighty keerful, I tell you 
 jes' 'sif I were " still huntin' " but ne'r a sound 
 o' a Kaffir I could hear. Well you know 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 one side the road there's a yellow bank 
 with a bush on the top. I had turned a corner 
 on the listen, with my eyes every way, when I 
 caught the move of a insect, or something like 
 that, on the left. Blow me, sonny, there was 
 a big Kaffir standing agin' the bank, all naked, 
 but red with clay. What caught my eye was 
 the roll of his eyes, for he were jes' like a part of 
 the wall. He'd been walking down the road 
 when he must a' yeard me comin' for all I went 
 so soft. My ! I jes' give a jerk o' my head 
 as he launched out with his assegai. Then 1 
 gave him a charge o' buck-shot in the stummick 
 and jumped back inter the bush on the lower 
 side. I yeard a shout from other Kaffirs, and, 
 you b'lieve me, I dodged through the bush like 
 a blue-bok until I got right under the big 
 krantz, where I crep' inter a cave. I seed then 
 the blood running down, and like a streak I 
 were out o' that cave inter a pool o' water until 
 I got under a thick " dry-my-throat " bush 
 where I hid. The Kaffirs they followed on the 
 blood-spoor right up to the cave, but they 
 missed me where I lay in the dark o' the pool, 
 an' next evenin' I were in Grahamstown, where 
 the doctor stitched up the wound.' 
 
 'A very close call, Uncle.' 
 
 ' Oh, I've been in many tight places, sonny 
 — a many, an' maybe I'll tell you about 'em.' 
 
 136 
 
XIX 
 A BLACK CHRISTMAS 
 
 ' How is it you never married ? ' I asked of Abe 
 on an evening after the mealie cobs had been 
 shelled, and we were too dead tired to brush 
 the husks from our hair. 
 
 ' Me ! Well, you see this yer cob. It's 
 worth nothin,' 'cos all the mealies been shelled 
 off. That's me — I'm a shelled cob, and 
 wimmen folk isn't got any use for that sort of 
 bargain.' 
 
 'But you told me the other day that you 
 were thinking of marriage once. That time, 
 you know, when the Kaffirs smashed your furni- 
 ture.' 
 
 ' Jes' so — the critturs. They broke a fine 
 four-posted bed and a hull lot o' chiney.' 
 
 ' And the lady. 
 
 ' You see, bossie, she was gone on that 
 four-poster and the chiney. 'Twasn't me she 
 was thinkin' of nohow.' 
 
 ' Nonsense, Abe; you're too modest' 
 
 ' Well, she forgot me, an' took up with a 
 
 137 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 armchair an' a copper kettle which belonged to 
 young Buck Wittal, son to ole Bob. A arm- 
 chair an' a shiney kettle, that's what cut me 
 out, sonny ; but Buck went up the gum 'cos she 
 would have a swing lookin'-glass. That's so ! 
 Wimmen is mighty keen on the look o' things, 
 an' that kettle fetched her. Them was times ! ' 
 
 ' Courting times ? ' 
 
 ' Fighting times, sonny ; all up an' down the 
 country, in an' out the kloofs, an' over the 
 mountains, by gum. I tole you about that 
 chief — how I spoored him a full forty mile from 
 the Chumie after Black 'Xmas ? ' 
 
 ' Black 'Xmas ! ' 
 
 ' You mean by that raising o' the voice you 
 never yeard o' Black Xmas! Well, well, the 
 ignorance an' the vanity o' learnin' which takes 
 no account of the great happenings in your own 
 country, and you come swaggerin' about with 
 your Greek turnips.' 
 
 ' I assure vou I never heard of Black 
 'Xmas.' 
 
 ' Never yeard of the soldier settlers away 
 up by the Chumie — them as were planted 
 there by Sir Harry Smith^of their wives and 
 children, making merry on Christmas Day, 
 1850 — making merry with the old custom, and 
 the sounds of the laughing going out into 
 the dark kloof, where the Kaffirs crouched, 
 eyeing them as they fingered their assegais. 
 
A BLACK CHRISTMAS 
 
 Lor' love you, lad : when the poor little children 
 were running at their games, and the women 
 were talking over their washing up, and the 
 men at their pipes in the quiet of the afternoon, 
 the war shout broke suddenly from the wood. 
 There was stabbing, and a blaze, a great gasp, 
 and the life went out of them all that Christmas 
 Day. That was Black Xmas — men, and 
 women, and children, and dogs, and every 
 crawlin' crittur given to the assegai. I were on 
 my way there after stray cattle, and I yeard the 
 cry of a little child, sonny, and the sand went 
 out o' young Abe Pike that day. I seed it all 
 — yes — lad, and I see it now in the nights, the 
 stabbing of the women and little ones.' 
 ' And what did you do, old man ? ' 
 ' What did I do ? I dunno, sonny — I 
 dunno ! I must a walked an' walked all through 
 the night, for the nex' morning I were away 
 beyond the Chumie in a deep kloof, without 
 knowing how I came there. Then the cry of 
 the little one went out o' my ears and out of my 
 eyes with the sight of them leapin' devils about the 
 burnin' houses, an' I saw the rifle in my hand — :for 
 ther' came boomin' through the trees the sound 
 of a Kaffir singing from his chest. I found 
 him in a clearin', stampin' with his feet and 
 swingin' his kerrie before the chief and his 
 headmen seated all aroun' against the trees, 
 with their long pipes all agoin'. The blood was 
 
 139 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 still caked on his arms, an' I plunked him in' the 
 breast.' 
 
 ' You shot him ? Good old Abe ! ' 
 
 ' It were a ole muzzle-loader — one smooth, 
 one rifle — and I shifted, but it weren't long 
 afor' they picked up my spoor, and in the fust 
 rush I could hear the rattle of assegaies as they 
 follered. Then it was quiet in the kloof, an' I 
 knew what a animile must feel when the hunter's 
 after him, or the tiger's tracking him down. 
 Bymby I yeard the call of the bush-dove every 
 side, and I gave the call too at a venture, 
 keepin' my eye on a dark spot where the last 
 cry came from. Sure enough I seed the leaves 
 tremble, and there was a show of red paint 
 where the Kaffir stood. That were the bush- 
 dove, and he called again ; then he came steppin' 
 along to the fern chump where I were hid, 
 movin' like a shadder with the whites of his 
 eyes showin' as he glanced around. By gum, 
 lad, I thought it was all over, but another dove 
 called an' he moved off. I yeard' the calls 
 growin' softer an' softer, and I made a move 
 to slip away ; but there's no gettin' to the 
 bottom of a red Kaffir's cuteness.' 
 
 ' How is that ? ' 
 
 ' Why, sonny ; that chap never went off 
 when he made as if he would. He jes' slipped 
 behind a tree, and when I ris my head out of 
 them ferns he druv his assegai at me, and it 
 
 140 
 
A BLACK CHRISTMAS 
 
 clean pinned my left arm to my side. See, 
 here's the scar ; ' and the old man rolled back 
 the sleeve of his worn shirt until a white scar 
 was revealed on the fleshy part of the upper 
 arm. 
 
 ' I fetched a groan, and he sprang out to 
 belt me over the head, but I kep' my senses, 
 an' knocked the wind clear outer him with a 
 straight thrust of the muzzle. As he stood 
 gasping, I give him back his own assegai.' 
 
 'You killed him?' 
 
 'Maybe he died ; but Kaffirs is tough, and 
 at the thrust he gave his cry, standin' there 
 with his legs wide apart, afore he sank among 
 the ferns. I turned an' ran, keeping down the 
 little stream till I come to a krantz, with the 
 water slidin' down, an' I swung over, holdin' 
 fast to a monkey tow. I slid down fifty feet, 
 and then let go, holdin' the rifle high over 
 head, and fell feet first inter a little round pool 
 at the bottom. It was a chance, sonny, but I 
 kep' my bones sound and the powder dry. 
 I did that. I tell you. young Abe Pike was 
 some pumpkins. Then I pushed on an' on till 
 I went over a ridge into another kloof, an' 
 through that to another kop, standing up above 
 the wood in a mass of stone. I sat down in a 
 cleft, and the weakness came on me from the 
 loss of blood and the want of food. Well, I tell 
 you, sonny, I fit ag'inst the weakness, an' with 
 
 141 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 a spread of shirt, holdin' one end in my 
 teeth, I bound up the wound after plugging it 
 with dirt. Right away I looked over the 
 country, an' I see'd to the right the smoke 
 rising and across a stretch of veld I seed a black 
 patch movin'. 'Twere Kaffirs on the march, 
 an' following the directshun they were taking, 
 I seed a white speck to the left ; a farm-house, 
 sonny, with a thin trail of smoke going up from 
 the one chimney.' 
 
 ' The Kaffirs were on their way to sack the 
 place.' 
 
 ' They were that, and I set off to beat 'em. 
 But look here, I said when I started talking, I 
 was going to tell you how I trekked the Kosa 
 chief, and here I been a' spinnin' on about 
 another thing.' 
 
 ' Did you get to the house first ? ' 
 . ' What — me ! I did that, sonny. I got 
 there fust, an' there was nobody in — not a one 
 though the pot was on the fire. I went off with 
 the pot into a patch of mealies, and when the 
 Kaffirs came up an' smashed things I were eatin' 
 pap outer the pot, yes, that's so.' 
 
 ' And did they find you ? ' I ventured after 
 a long pause. 
 
 ' That pap were good, but it wanted salt — 
 it did that. So long, sonny, so long,' and the 
 old man moved off to bed. 
 
 142 
 
XX 
 
 TRACKING THE KOSA CHIEF 
 
 ' I TOLE you all about it, and, what's more, 
 I ain't got no time to jaw along when 
 that shed o' mine wants mendin',' and Abe 
 resolutely re-filled his pipe, unheeding my 
 request for the completion of his last yarn. 
 
 ' Leave the shed alone. It will keep — 
 besides, this is resting weather.' 
 
 ' Sonny, listen to me. Restin' weather's 
 been the ruin of this yer country. That so. 
 When a man should span in and plough, when 
 he should take the hoe and skoffel the lands, 
 what does he do .'' Why up and say at the 
 first touch of the warm wind, that it's restin' 
 weather. I can't stand such laziness, and I ast 
 you, sonny, where'd I been to-day, if I'd taken 
 notice of the weather ? ' 
 
 I glanced round at the neglected lands, at 
 the solitary gum tree, at the old water-barrel 
 on its tree sledge, at the tumble-down shed, 
 and shook my head, for there really was 
 nothing to say. 
 
 143 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 Old Abe followed my look, and then 
 shoved himself back with his heels into a 
 breadth of shade. 
 
 ' That's it, my lad,' he said with a queer 
 smile, ' cast your eyes round and see what can 
 be done by one man if his heart's in his work. 
 Forty years agone this yer land were wilderness, 
 and now look at it^ with that there shed, them 
 pumpkin lands, and this yer tree standin' up 
 like the steeple of a church as a token of honest 
 labour.' 
 
 ' Wonderful ! ' I said. 
 
 ' That it are. I watched that old gum 
 grow since it were no higher than my knee. 
 I watered it an' tended it, an' measured it by 
 the buttons on my shirt till it topped my head, 
 and now, blow me, you could send a hull 
 regiment with the band in the shadder of it.' 
 
 ' I suppose you have seen regiments on 
 the march ? ' - 
 
 ' What, me ? Well, now, I was tellin' you 
 of that time I give the slip to the Kaffirs 
 beyond Chumie and took hiding in the mealie 
 field. Well, that time I came on a regiment 
 in Pluto's Vale, when ,a Kaffir poked his 
 assegai in the big drum, and the Colonel he 
 give me a big knife for what I did.' 
 
 I said nothing about the shed or the rest- 
 ing weather, and Uncle Abe, sprawling in the 
 shade, went on with his story. 
 
 144 
 
TRACKING THE KOSA CHIEF 
 
 ' Yes, sonny, there I were in the mealies, and 
 there were the Kaffirs about the house banging 
 at the windows because there was nobody at 
 home for 'em to kill. They were mostly young 
 bucks, and they all jawed together, 'cept 
 two or three who started singin' about what 
 big potatoes they was. Well, after knocking 
 around an' smashin' things, they set off in a 
 cluster anyhow, on the back trail. And as I 
 watched 'em go, blow me ef one of them in 
 the rear didn't drop his assegai on puppose. 
 On they went out o' sight behind the bush, 
 but Abe Pike he jest kep' where he were. I 
 tell you, Kaffirs is mighty stuck on their 
 assegais, and bymby, sure enough, back came 
 that chap lopin' along. When he reached the 
 house he shouted out to his friends that it was 
 all right and he'd foUer. Well, they gave him 
 the answer back, saying they would go on. 
 He were a young chief this, with an ivory ring 
 round his wrist, and a feather sticking out 
 behind his ear, and as springy on his feet as a 
 young ram. I spotted him well, for I were 
 wondering what his game were, and marked 
 the look in his eyes, and the smooth sweep of 
 his jaws. He picked up his wepin and then 
 he giv' a sharp look all roun', and nex' he 
 went steppin' roun' the house with his head 
 bent. I saw it then, sonny. He were lookin' 
 for spoor, and, by gum, he found it sooner you 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 could snap your fingers. I yeard him give a 
 grunt, and nex' thing I see him sailin' along 
 over the veld with his head down on a trail 
 quite away from that taken by his friends.' 
 
 ' He was spooring the people who had 
 escaped from the house ? ' 
 
 ' Don't jump over a gate when you can 
 open it, bossie. I crep' out of the mealies and 
 cast round the house; but for all I'd seen 
 where that young Kaffir went it were many 
 minutes afore I saw the spoor — then it were as 
 slight as a brush of a hare's tail. But there it 
 were — the spoor of a man in veldschoens. You 
 know, there's no heel to a veldsckoen, and it 
 leaves little sign ; but this yer chap had a 
 habit of stickin' his toes into the ground, and 
 here and there he had kicked up a tuft o' grass. 
 Well, I laid down to that spoor, marking the 
 direction the Kaffir had taken, and went at a 
 trot, thinking all the time it were mighty queer 
 for one Kaffir to leave his friends. When I 
 reached the wood it was easier going, for in 
 the bush path the naked spoor of the chief was 
 plain enough in the dust. The spoor led 
 deeper into the wood, crossed a stream where 
 the white man had drunk, for there was the 
 print of his corduroys where he had knelt, and 
 then climbed a hill, when I went slow. The 
 darkness was coming on, and I reckoned that 
 the chief couldn't be but a mile ahead. Neither 
 
 146 
 
TRACKING THE KOSA CHIEF 
 
 he nor me could spoor in the dark, so I guessed 
 he would pull up, an' I didn't want to run in 
 on his assegai. Turnin' away from the trail I 
 pegged out under a rock until the spreuws 
 whistled before sun up, when I crept once 
 more on the trail. ' Twere very faint now, but 
 bymby I come on fresh spoor — so fresh I jest 
 squatted behind a tree. Then, after a time, I 
 marked where this new sign entered the path, 
 and follering it back came on the spot where 
 the chief had slept. The beggar had turned 
 back on his trail a matter o' fifty paces, and if 
 so be I'd follered him in the evening he'd a 
 had me sure.' 
 
 ' He was up to his work ! ' 
 
 ' Him — I guess so, lad. He were a caution 
 for cunnin' and bush learnin', were the chief.' 
 
 ' What chief was he ? ' 
 
 ' This ain't the place to bring in his name, 
 for I didn't know him then. I tell you it was 
 smart work tracking him through the woods, 
 over the hills, inter the kloofs, but Abe Pike 
 did it sure enough, and he tracked the white 
 man, though he were half starved and lamed 
 in the arm, by gosh. Many a time that day, 
 when my back ached from the bending of it, 
 and my stummick was jammed together for want 
 of something to eat, many a time I thought' of 
 the three of us strung out in the dark woods like 
 tigers on the scent. Hungry, by gum ! I jest 
 
 147 L2 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 chewed leaves as I went along ; and sore — 
 thunder — I kin feel now the throbbing of the 
 wound in my arm. But I kep' on. I tell you, 
 young Abe Pike was ' tough as foreslag, and 
 he wern't going to cave in while that red Kaffir 
 boy was keepin' up. The chap in the lead, 
 the man in veldschoens who was escaping, must 
 a been made o' iron too, I reckon, for he only 
 stopped once the second day, when he ate 
 some bread. There was some crumbs on 
 the yearth among the grass, with the ants 
 over 'em where he'd sat and ate, and the dry 
 skin from a piece o' biltong. I took a chew 
 o' elephant leaves, and bymby in the afternoon 
 I seed little balls of pith, which showed the 
 Kaffir had cut off a insengi root to chew. The 
 white man kep' on for twenty miles, keeping to 
 the woods all the time where he could, and the 
 Kaffir kep' on arter him, and Abe Pike he kep' 
 on arter the Kaffir. If it hadn't a been for 
 that insengi root I'd a lost the spoor clean, for 
 there were a big stretch of rock veld where 
 they passed over, and all I could follow was 
 white balls of chewed root. I dunno how the 
 Kaffir picked up the trail on that stretch. He 
 must ha' smelt it. There were a bit o' hill to 
 climb, and when I reached the top my head 
 swam, an' I pitched down like a log. When I 
 opened my eyes it were dark, and my bad arm 
 was doubled up.' 
 
 148 
 
TRACKING THE KOSA CHIEF 
 
 ' You gave up ? ' 
 
 ' Sonny ; you didn't know young Abe — no, 
 you didn't. But I did. And I tell you, for 
 all his emptiness, he jes' kep' on. Yes, sir — 
 he did that. I said the darkness were down, 
 but when I looked aroun' I seed the glimmer 
 o' a spark down below, an' I kep' my eyes on 
 it whiles I crawled down the steep of the 
 hill to the kloof below. Things happen 
 sometimes, sonny, in a way that makes you 
 very quiet an' thoughtful. A bird flew up — 
 a grey-wing partridge, I guess, from the 
 whirr — and, searchin' around, I found its 
 eggs. They put life into me, and I steadied 
 up — but what's all this I'm telling you about .'* 
 There's work to be done, and if you don't 
 stir 'twill be sundown and too dark. As for 
 me, I'm going to boil the kettle.' 
 
 ' But you've not finished telling about the 
 spooring.' 
 
 ' Ah, well, it can wait, sonny ; but it's time 
 the kettle were put on and the mealies roasted.' 
 
 149 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 XXI 
 THE BOOM OF THE DRUM 
 
 ' Oh, ghoisters ! ' said Abe, ' there's the blamed 
 bung come outer the vaitje and not a drop of 
 Dop left, and all the buchu collected for the 
 soaking.' 
 
 ' Do you soak the buchu in brandy ? ' 
 
 ' The brandy brings out the goodness from 
 the yerb, and I tell you a dose of it gets home 
 every time. But what's the good — the 
 brandy's gone, there's not a tickey in the 
 stocking, and not a man in the country would 
 offer ole Abe Pike so much as half-a-pint — 
 not a one. The old people's gone and the 
 new ones, blow me — the new ones drink cold 
 tea.' 
 
 ' What about the" Kaffir chief you were 
 following Abe ? ' 
 
 ' I ain't foUering no Kaffir chief, not me — 
 and look here sonny, you get along home, see, 
 'fore it gets dark.' 
 
 ' I think I could spare a gallon of brown 
 Cango, Abe, if you come over in the morning.' 
 
 150 
 
THE BOOM OF THE DRUM 
 
 ' Cango, eh ! Stay right here, sonny- — I've 
 marked down a fine porkipine — and we'll hunt 
 him to-night. In the morning I'll go over 
 with you, arter showing you something as'U 
 surprise you, I bet.' 
 
 'What's that?' 
 
 ' A horn-bill sitting on her nest in a hollow 
 tree, and the entrance built up with mud, so 
 she can't get out, and the cats can't git in, by 
 gum, an' the ole chap a feeding her. Lor' love 
 yer, there's no matchin' animiles an' birds for 
 cunnin'.' 
 
 ' Yet I remember you saying that young 
 chief was very cunning.' 
 
 ' So he were ; lad, he were born smart ; an' 
 them gleamin' eyes of his'n could read the 
 writin' on the ground, the signs of weather, 
 and the ways of fightin' men better'n you could 
 read a big print book. That's so. I tole you 
 how I foUered him, and how he follered a chap 
 in veldschoens all the way from the Chumie. 
 Well, in the dark of the second evenin' I seed 
 a red light, and were blunderin' on towards it, 
 being pretty well dazed from the hunger and 
 weakness and pain o' my bad arm, when some- 
 thin' in the steady glow of it brought me up 
 with a jerk. Says I, that fire's been long lit, 
 there's nothin' but coals blazing, and whoever 
 lit it must feel safe. Says I, who can feel safe 
 in this yer place ? Why, a Kaffir. So I 
 
 151 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 slowed down to a crawl, and blow me, when I 
 got within hearin' distance, I seed a man 
 by the fire. Sonny, he were the man in 
 veldsckoens.' 
 
 ' The white man the chief was after.' 
 ' 'Twas a blanged half-caste, lad, that's 
 what he were. I saw that in the fust look by 
 the red doo^ he wore roun' his greasy head, 
 and by the spread of his flat nose, and the 
 sight of him kept me still, I tell you. Half- 
 castes is mean. And to think I'd been goin' 
 hungry to save a thing like that, and him a 
 sitting there with his mouth all smeared with 
 black coal from the bried meat he were eatin'. 
 The smell of it came to me where I lay in the 
 shadder, an' I tell you it made me sick with 
 longing for a bite, but I jes' kept there sniffin' 
 till the faintness left me. Well, all ov a 
 sudden' I seed his jaws stop, and his eyes had 
 that sort o' fixed look which they has when a 
 man's listenin'. Then, without movin' his 
 body, he reached out for his gun. Yes, sonny, 
 he reached out for his gun with his eyes starin' 
 straight for me, and I kivered him. While I 
 was gettin' ready to shoot, outer the darkness 
 behin' him there come a voice callin' in greetin', 
 "Guniela vietu ! " I giv' a start, but that ere 
 half-caste he never stirred. The hand that was 
 reachin' out for his gun stopped, his jaws began 
 to move, but his voice were a bit shaky when 
 
 152 
 
THE BOOM OF, THE DRUM 
 
 he said " Gumela inkose ! " and there was a 
 sort o' hunchin' of his shoulders as tho' he felt 
 the assegai going in. For a spell there was 
 silence, then from the wall o' blackness there 
 stepped to the fire the young chief hisself. I 
 see the gleam o' his ivory bracelet. With his 
 toe he moved the gun away. Then he reached 
 down, took up a length of roasting flesh, caught 
 hold of a mouthful and saw off the chunk with 
 the blade of his assegai 'twixt his hand and his 
 lips. He jes' ate and ate, an' the smell o' the 
 meat made my stummick heave an' grumble 
 most horrible.' 
 
 ' They were friends, then, after all ? ' 
 ' You wait, sonny — ^jes' keep still an' wait. 
 Arter a time they began to -talk. Then it came 
 out that the half-caste was on some mission 
 from the head chief, and the young chap was 
 mighty curious to know all about it ; but the 
 half-caste he were too slim. They jes' paced 
 roun' each other like a couple o' strange dogs. 
 At the end the chief he up and say, ' I know 
 where you're going.' "Soh?"said the half- 
 caste. " Yes," said the chief, "you're going to 
 the white man's camp to give the white chief 
 news of our coming," Well, the half-caste he 
 spat in the fire. " You are a boy," he said ; 
 " your place is at home with the women." 
 " My place is with you," said the young chief, 
 speaking soft, so that the other laughed in his 
 
 153 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 throat, and called the chief quedin — " boy " — 
 again, which you know is the easiest word to 
 rile a Kaffir. " I know, in your heart," said 
 the boy, "you will sell us for the white man's 
 money." The half-caste spat, again. "Oh, 
 yes," he said, " the white men are in terror of 
 you — a warrior like you would be worth a 
 whole goat to them." " I am Sandili," said 
 the lad, " son of the head-chief, and one day 
 the Amakosa will do my bidding." The half- 
 caste giv' a start ; then he grew soft all of a 
 sudden. " I was but trying you," he said. 
 " Oh, chief, forget my words, and take the 
 path with me in the morning. We will find 
 out where the red-coats are, how many of 
 them, and what road they take, so that we 
 can report to your father, and plans can be made 
 to trap them." I could hear the hiss of a snake 
 in the man's speech, sonny ; and it struck me 
 then he had, in his heart, determined to 
 take the young chief Sandili to the English 
 colonel.' 
 
 ' It was really Sandili.''' 
 
 ' It were, an' no mistake. I could a' shot 
 him then, an' put a stop to two wars ; but a good 
 many things could be done, sonny, if only we 
 could see ahead. Well, for all they'd made 
 friends, those two didn't trust one another 
 — not a bit, not they — they jes' sat there 
 glancing acrost the coals, nodding, an' wakin' 
 
 154 
 
THE BOOM OF THE DRUM 
 
 up with a start, and when one on 'em moved 
 t'other would have his eyes wide open. Long 
 before sun-up they moved off, an' I crep' outer 
 my hidin' place to the fire, where I found jes' 
 a coal,-blackened strip o' meat that jes' made me 
 hungrier than afore. Eor, love you, a human 
 is a helpless crittur. There was animiles about 
 an' birds, but as I darn't use my gun I couldn't 
 get one. I cotched a salamander and ate him, 
 an' a land crab by the stream, an' ate him — an' 
 I ate some berries, an' a clutch o' young birds 
 from the nest, and I had a bathe — and took up 
 the spoor of the two of 'em. 'Twas easier 
 spoorin' now, for they was going slow, and at 
 mid-day I had 'em in sight, and so kep' 'em till 
 the last. In the afternoon we were climbing a 
 ridge among the bushes, when boomin' along 
 there came the sound of music that brought the 
 three of us to a dead stop. Never had young 
 Abe yeard any sound like that afore or since 'cept 
 once — it went through my worn-out body until 
 I trembled like a leaf — yes, sonny — and the wet 
 ran down my cheeks. 'Twas the soun' of a big 
 drum.' 
 
 ' There's not much music in that, Abe.' 
 'Isn't there, sonny ? Not when you've been 
 three days in the woods, skeered of every 
 shadder ; not when you've yeard the war-cry of 
 the red Kaffir ; not when the cries of the little 
 ones waitin' for the assegai are ringin' in yer 
 
 155 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 head. Only the soun' of a drum. One, big 
 boomin' note, rolling clear an' far with a message 
 of help. The tiredness an' the sickness fell from 
 me, sonny, an' I could a-run up that hill. The 
 other two they crept up presently, and bymby I 
 foUered and hid behind 'em. They was 
 crouchin' by a rock, lookin' down, and I forgot 
 'em in lookin' at the picture. Far below in the 
 valley was the white tents, an' the cattle, an' a 
 line of red where the soldiers were drawn up, 
 bayonets flashing. Then a troop of men on 
 horseback rode down the line, and again the 
 drums beat and the bugles rang out. It was a 
 picture, sonny, that I could a-looked at all day, 
 but I were jes' jerked out o' my spell o' 
 dreamin' by the chief talkin.' " Yoh," he said, 
 "they are few, but what noise is that .-' " " 'Tis 
 their witch-music," said the half-caste ; " 'tis kep' 
 in a big box, and when the man hits the top of 
 it with a stick the witch cries out what they should 
 do." " Yoh ! " said the chief, " I will kill the 
 box ! They are great warriors, these, but they 
 are foolish to wear a red *so bright, that no man 
 of them can hide. " " They do not hide, " said the 
 half-caste, and he shifte4 his gun as he looked 
 at the chief from the corner of his eyes. " Let us 
 go." " Nay," said the chief, " it is a good sight 
 this — stay a little while. Why do they move 
 about so?" " It's their war-dance, and he on 
 the white horse is the chief. At his words they 
 
 156 
 
THE BOOM OF THE DRUM 
 
 turn and stop, break up, and come together." 
 The young chief watched like a dog straining 
 at the leash — and, by gum, he yeard the 
 colonel's commands, though never a sound 
 reached me. A smart Kaffir can smell, and see, 
 and hear like a animile. "Yoh!" he said; 
 " listen to his words ! " — and in his excitement 
 he raised his head, and the half-caste he stood 
 back and lifted his gun. But he measured his 
 distance to the camp, and he said, " Let us get 
 nearer " — for why, the cuss wanted to be near 
 help when he went for the chief. The chief 
 looked round, and, ghoisters ! he seed my face 
 stickin' outer a bush. He jumped to his feet 
 and drew back his arm to fly the assegai, but 
 the half-caste, after one glance at me, dropped 
 his gun, seized the haft of the assegai with one 
 hand and hooked his other arm round the chief's 
 neck. " It was a good word you spoke, quedin," 
 he said, hissing as he struggled with the boy. 
 " I will sell you to the white man." Seein' how 
 it was, I stepped out, and as I went up I seed 
 the chief's eyes rollin', while his nostrils were 
 blowed out like a horse. " I am a boy," he 
 said ; "I give in." The half-caste he laughed, 
 turnin' to me whiles he called out in Dutch that 
 it was he who took the quedin prisoner, but he'd 
 give me somethin' if I helped him — the skunk, 
 the blanged, mangy, yeller dog. Well, sonny, 
 that Kaffir were shamming. Soon's he give in, 
 
 157 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 the half-caste he loosed his hold, when, with a 
 grunt, the Kaffir yanked his assegai away, and 
 with a wriggle o' his naked body he got a 
 length and struck the half-caste under the 
 armpit. " Dog," he said, and druv' his assegai 
 in over the blade. The half-caste he jes' went 
 green. " Ek 'es dood" he said, lookin' at me ; 
 then he sat down all of a heap. The young 
 chief he stood there eyein' me like a tiger, with 
 his lips curled back and his chest heavin'. It 
 was the first man he'd killed, I guess. Well, I 
 lifted the gun, but the left hand gave out and the 
 barrel wobbled — ^then, I dunno why, but I begin 
 to laugh in a foolish way, an' I kep' on laughin' 
 whiles the Kaffir came crouchin' up with his 
 assegai held back. Nex' thing I seed the 
 half-caste roll over, and then sit up and point 
 his gun at the boy's back. " Pass op," I said 
 'mid the laughin', while the sweat was drippin' 
 off my nose ; and the chief he jumped aside as 
 tho' there was a snake in his way, and the bullet 
 whizzed by him. The half caste gave a groan 
 and rolled over dead, out of hate and disappoint- 
 ment, 'cause he'd missed. That's so. The 
 chief he looked at me, an' he looked at the 
 soldiers who were hurrying up from down 
 below, then he jes' turned and walked away ; 
 yes, he jes' walked away with his head up, and 
 I could a' shot him — for the laughin' fit had 
 passed away. But before he could ha' killed me 
 
 158 
 
THE BOOM OF THE DRUM 
 
 easy as sticking a pig, so I watched him go ; an' 
 when he reached the bush he said, lookin' over his 
 shoulder, " Grow fat, man who laughs, an' you 
 will be food for my assegai." The cheek of 
 these young bucks ; but I reckon, sonny, if he'd 
 a' known I'd killed two of his men in the 
 Chumie he wouldn't a-waited, for all I was like 
 a shadder.' 
 
 ' Is that all ? ' I said, when the old man 
 paused. 
 
 ' Well, it were enuff, wern't it ? ' 
 
 ' What did the Colonel say ? ' 
 
 ' Oh, the Colonel ! He said, " Who the 
 devil are you, an' where the blazes you come 
 from .'' " That's what he said, that time ; but 
 'twern't long afore he changed the tune of his 
 remarks. " Who the deyil are you, and where 
 the blazes you come from ? " he sed, sittin' in 
 his tent with his officers by him ; an' I jes' 
 reached over to a black square bottle that was 
 ahind him and put the neck to my mouth.' 
 
 159 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 XXII 
 THE RED DIAMOND 
 
 Our big Christmas hunt was in full swing. In 
 a smooth, well-carpeted glade, surrounded by- 
 forest trees and bush, the three tent wagons of 
 the party were outspanned, drawn up in a 
 hollow square which formed a capacious outside 
 room, roofed in by a wide stretch of canvas. 
 From the spreading branches of a yellow-wood 
 hung the last day's 'bag,' consisting of seven 
 bushbucks, two duikers, three blaauwboks, one 
 jackal, and a wild dpg. Beyond the wagons 
 was the servants' fire, and the ' boys ' them- 
 selves were ' brying ' meat and talking, as only 
 Kaffirs can talk when the day's work is over 
 and food is plentiful. In our ' scherm ' one 
 lantern swung from the centre pole, its light 
 just sufficient to mark out the position of the 
 brown demijohn on the box that served as a 
 table ; while across the breadth of darkness, 
 where the ' scherm ' opened to the wood, fire- 
 flies crossed and circled. The quiet of the 
 night was over the bush, intensified by the deep 
 
 1 60 
 
THE RED DIAMOND 
 
 undertone from the sea, and the brooding spirit 
 in time reduced us to silence, even stilling Long 
 Jim's concertina, whose lugubrious notes had in 
 the early hours of the evening wailed complain- 
 ingly over ' The Old Camp Ground,' ' Poor Old 
 Joe,' and other old favourites. 
 
 ' I envy you fellows,' said Mr. Strong, a 
 crack shot from the town ; ' we don't get such 
 nights as this.' 
 
 ' The boot's on the other foot,' said Long 
 Jim, making his instrument moan. ' We've got 
 poverty and pumpkins. You've got comfort 
 and a pianny." And he pumped out ' Hard times 
 come again no more ' till a dog pointed its nose 
 to the sky and howled in sympathy. 
 
 ' There's no chance of making a pile in the 
 country,' said Amos Topper, who raised ten 
 acres of ' forage ' regularly every season, and 
 ' rode ' firewood for a living in the balance of 
 the year. ' 'Tis all hard work and disappoint- 
 ment—ticks in the cattle and rust in the corn.' 
 
 ' Soh ! ' said Abe Pike. 
 
 ' Well ; so it is ! ' 
 
 ' Yet,' said Abe, ' there's chances.' 
 
 ' Meanin' pine-apples and bananas, which 
 Dick Purdy made a fortune out of through 
 growing them on the slope of a valley. ' 
 
 ' No ; meanin' diamonds.' 
 
 ' There's no diamonds down here.' 
 
 ' Is that so ? Well, I seed one right here, as 
 i6i M 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 big as a plum an' as red as the eye of a coal 
 gleamin' outer the dark. Yes, sir.' 
 
 ' Of course. 1 1 belonged to some digger from 
 the field. For the matter of that, I've seen a 
 whole bucketful of them, but then they was 
 white, and the sight of 'em never made me any 
 the richer.' 
 
 ' Your head was alius too big for your hat, 
 Amos. I expect that's why there's a hole in 
 the crown of it for your hair to grow through — 
 but it so happens this yer diamon' I'm speakin' 
 of could ha' been gathered by anyone who had 
 the pluck to grab it.' 
 
 'Fire ahead, old man,' I said, seeing that 
 Abe was preparing the way for a yarn. 
 
 ' You've hit it, sonny,' said Abe solemnly ; 
 ' it was fire-ahead, and no mistake. Lemme 
 see ; you know ole Harkins, the mad trader ? ' 
 
 ' I remember him,' said Mr. Strong, ' a 
 fine hunter in his youth, who returned from 
 his last trip into the interior broken by 
 the Zambesi fever. He had a suspicion 
 that everyone was watching him, and I believe 
 he died in the bush after leading the life of a 
 hermit.' 
 
 ' That's him,' said Abe, pulling at his pipe 
 until the glow lit up his lined face. ' Yes, he 
 went into the bush — and for three years he 
 hunted for that same red diamond. Some 
 people thought he was crazy — so he were crazy 
 
 162 
 
THE RED DIAMOND 
 
 after a fortune, but lor' bless yer, he'd got all 
 his wits about him, and the fortune was big 
 enough to buy up the whole side of this district 
 — houses, land and stock — which is a big enough 
 haul to turn the minds of most of us. One 
 night, many years ago, I was still-huntin' buffel 
 by the Kowie bush, when from the thick of 
 the wood I yeard a noise that sent me up a 
 tree in a jif — a shrill sort o' scream that I 
 couldn't fix — an' whiles I was up the tree I seed 
 ole Harkins slippin' along through the moon 
 light. He stood under the tree listenin', and 
 then he began talkin' to hisself in jerks. " That's 
 him, I swear ! " he said, " and by God I'll have 
 him or die ! " 
 
 ' I jes' kep' quiet, for I tell you I didn't like 
 the look o' him, with his long hair, and his lean 
 fingers, and burnin' eyes, but wheft he slipped 
 along inter the wood like a shadder — for there 
 the no boots on his feet — I skimmed down and 
 let out after him with my heart in my mouth. I 
 guess I hadn't got much sense, and when I'd 
 gone no more'n fifty paces inter the dark of the 
 trees he grabbed me by the throat — afore I 
 knew where he were. Oh, lor ' ! He jes' 
 grabbed me by the throat and shook me 
 " You're follerin' me ! " he hissed." 
 
 ' Of course, I couldn't speak, but I kicked 
 and spluttered, and he loosened his hold. 
 " You're follerin' me ! " he said, stickin' his face 
 
 162 M 2 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 close up. " I ain'ti" I said ; " I'm after bufifel." 
 You yeard it," he hissed ; " and you meant to 
 rob me." Well, I laughed. The idea of rob- 
 bing a scarecrow like him was too much, and I 
 couldn't help laughing, not though he looked as 
 savage as a starved tiger. All the property he 
 carried were a big-bore elephant gun, and I noticed 
 the trigger were cocked. " Clear out," he said ; 
 " and if I see you after me I'll kill you." By g^m, 
 he meant it, and I cleared out smart with him after 
 me over the ridge, when once ag'in there came 
 that- strange cry from the woods, so near this 
 time that I jumped inter a bush. Well, there 
 were a smashin' o' trees, aijd afore I knew what 
 was up a bit of the country rose up and came 
 rolling down through the moonlight. Man 
 alive — it were a thunderation bull elephant, and 
 I slipped outer the bush and bolted for hum 
 with Harkins's yell a:ringing in my ears. Well, 
 sir, whiles I was sittin' in the room gettin' back 
 my wind, up along, in a flurry, came Sam Dale. 
 " It's true," said he, with a gasp, as he flung open 
 the door. " What's true ? " "Yes," he said, " I 
 seed it. I were crossing the drift in Euphorby 
 Valley when I yeard a .splash in the pool, and 
 out of the dark end beneath the krantz I seed a 
 glow of red. First I thought it were a eye, 
 but then I noted how it sparkled, and all in a 
 breath it struck me it were ole Harkins's diamond. 
 Then there was a splash in the water, and I 
 
 164 
 
THE RED DIAMOND 
 
 ran on here to ask you to help me kill the crittur." 
 "Hoi' on," I said; "what the blazes are you 
 talking about ? I never yeard of any diamond, 
 and I'm not killing any crittur to-night," I said. 
 Well, Sam Dale he up and tole me how 
 Harkins had courted his sister years before, and 
 how his sister had told him, unbeknown to 
 Harkins, how she had seen the big red diamond 
 he kep' in his pocket, which he had bought 
 from a Kaffir chief. And Sam, he told me a 
 most surprisin' story, how Harkins being one 
 night cornered by a animile in the wood had 
 loaded his big rifle with that same diamond 
 instead of a bullet — and how he had fired it into 
 that animile — and how he went crazy in con- 
 sequence. That's what Sam tole me that very 
 night arter I had met Harkins hisself, and it 
 wern't more'n a minute afore I seed that if there 
 was any truth in that yarn the red diamon' was 
 in that bull elephant. Sam and me we talked 
 and talked, until in the early morning we fixed 
 up a company.' 
 
 ' What did you do .-" ' 
 
 ' We made a company — that's what — the 
 Dale-Pike Diamon' Mining Company, but lor' 
 bless yer, in the morning the whole thing 
 seemed so blamed ridiklus that we guv up the 
 idea. All the same, Sam he went down to 
 Euphorby Drift, and I smoused over to the old 
 spot where I seed the elephaht, and blow me — 
 
 165 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 there was ole Harkins flattened out. Yes, sir. 
 He were.' 
 
 'What ailed him?' 
 
 ' He were dead — that's all. That bull 
 elephant must have charged him down soon's I 
 cleared off. We reckoned, Sam and nie, that 
 as Harkins were dead that diamon' mine 
 b'longed to us, and we started that company- 
 over again. It was quite reg'lar. Sam he 
 studied up a prospectus, and fixed up a capital, 
 he subscribin' two trek oxen, an' me a cow, a 
 bull calf, and a pair o' gobblers. The hull lot 
 came to £i6, and with that we laid in a stock 
 o' powder, lead, blankets, boots, coffee, sugar, 
 tabak, an' a demijohn o' Cango. Then we shut 
 up our homes, both on us being bachelors, and 
 started after that ere blasted bull elephant.' 
 
 ' I thought you were after a diamond ? ' 
 
 ' You ain't got any more thinking machine 
 than a biled rabbit, Sam Topper. That bull 
 elephant were the diamon' mine, in course.' 
 
 ' How was that ? ' 
 
 ' Ain't I tole you ? Why, when Harkins 
 made that mistake and fired off that diamon' it 
 went plump into the ole bull. I seed that as 
 soon's Sam Dale told me the yarn, and we 
 started after that property of ourn. That was 
 forty-five year ago, and I guess from the size of 
 his right tusk, the left been broken off, he were 
 then about one hundred years old. I tell you 
 
 i66 
 
THE RED DIAMOND 
 
 what, chaps, that diamon's still knocking aroun' 
 in the Addo bush.' 
 
 ' The company didn't come into possession, 
 then ? ' said Mr. Strong. 
 
 ' Well, do I look as if I had a fortune of 
 one hundred and fifty thousand golding sove- 
 reigns, which we reckoned was the value of that 
 stone ? Not much ! No, sir.' 
 
 ' Well, did you ever see the diamond ? ' 
 
 ' I'll tell you. Sam and me we struck the 
 spoor at Euphorby, follered it fifteen miles in an' 
 out of the Kowie bush, away over to the 
 Kasouga, and ten miles to the Kareiga — in an' 
 out of the thickest bush — sleepin' out o' nights 
 Back ag'in to the Kowie bush, over into the 
 Fish River, without settin' eyes once on the 
 blanged thing. One month we were on the 
 spoor, and the food run out, so's we'd got to 
 raise more capital, which we riz by selling Sam's 
 plough and my harrow — the two of 'em bringing 
 in twenty-five shillings. Then we ran ag'inst the 
 mine after Sam had taken a horn o' Cango — and 
 his ribs were broken in. Yes, the fust thing we 
 knowed one night thet bull charged us out of a 
 patch of bush in the open. Well, I took Sam to 
 a farm house, and picked up the spoor, and two 
 nights after came on the bull standin' in a vley 
 on the flats over yonder. My ! he were jes' 
 standing there shooting the water over his 
 mountain-high body, with his big ears flapping, 
 
 167 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 when he turned his head, and I seed that 
 diamon' shinin' in his forehead Jike a blood-red 
 star. I tell you that mine Ht out a yell and 
 came arter me like a rock hurled from the hill- 
 top. The land was as flat as the palm of your 
 hand, and the only thing was ter double. Well, 
 I did that, and slipped into the vley, and the 
 ole bull, arter ramping around, stood there on 
 the brink listenin', while his trunk went twistin' 
 about to catch my wind. He kep' me there 
 till the cold got into my bones, and then, when 
 the dawn was breaking, off he made for the 
 Kareiga again. Arter that Sam and me we 
 called in fresh capital, an' Jerry Wittal joined 
 us with a piebald mare and twenty-five sheep. 
 Part o' the money was paid to mend Sam's ribs, 
 and then we went arter the ole bull ag'in. This 
 time he went west, through the Addo and on 
 to the Knysna. Six months we kep' on arter 
 him, sometimes he came arter us ; and at last 
 he smashed up the company one morning by 
 takin' us as we slep'. Yes, sir. That crittur, 
 he waited till the cold of the mornin', when we 
 couldn't see for the sleep, and he pounded Jerry 
 into the groun'. He did that, and ef he hadn't 
 a screamed in his joy he might a done for us ; 
 but Sam and me, we dodged roun' a tree an' 
 blazed inter him. Sam right there said the 
 company must go inter liquidation, an' he 
 worked his way back home as a handy-man 
 
 1 68 
 
THE RED DIAMOND 
 
 from farm to farm. Poor Sam ! His nerves 
 went, and in less than a year he was dead, sure 
 enuf. Of course all this huntin' got about, and 
 a chap from Port Elizabeth said he would help 
 me re-float the company ; but when I giv' him 
 all the facts blow me if he didn't try to "jump " 
 the claim.' 
 
 ' How was that ?' 
 
 ' Why, he went off on the hunt with a couple 
 o' niggers, and afore I knowed about it he'd 
 been out three days in the bush. It makes me 
 laugh now. Wha' yer think ? I came across 
 him without his gun, or his hat, or his kit, 
 making tracks for home. He found the bull 
 sure enough, but the bull chased him up a 
 yellow-wood tree and kep' him there one day 
 and a night.' 
 
 ' Did he see the diamond ? ' 
 
 ' Oh, yes ; he seed too much of it ; but he 
 didn't want any more of that sort o' minin' — 
 and 'tweren't long afore I chucked the job, 
 too.' 
 
 ' How was that ? ' 
 
 ' Well, you wouldn't believe me if I tole 
 you. At any rate it's bed-time ; and if you 
 young ones don't roost now you'll never hold 
 your guns straight in the mornin'. So long ! ' 
 
 169 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 XXIII 
 ABE'S DIAMOND MINE 
 
 Wb were still at the camp near the bush by the 
 sea, and the week's hunt was ended. The 
 ' boys ' had gone off to a neighbouring kraal to 
 dance and eat and drink throughout the night, 
 and we were left in the great quiet of a South 
 African evening. As usual, Long Jim had 
 squeezed from his concertina all the melancholy 
 airs he knew, and Amos Topper had trotted 
 out all his well-worn arguments against the 
 Ukolobola — the Kaffir system of selling girls into 
 wedlock in exchange for cattle ; a system which 
 he warmly contended was the root of all the 
 stock-thieving. 
 
 'A darned good system,' said Abe; 'one 
 that's based on reason and justice ; that's 
 so.' 
 
 ' Hear the old boomer ! ' said Amos scorn- 
 fully ; ' anyone would think he'd got a parcel o' 
 daughters to marry off fer cattle.' 
 
 ' Go slow, Amos Topper, and maybe you 
 won't stumble. A good system, says I ; 
 
 170 
 
ABE'S DIAMOND MINE 
 
 and why ? 'cos it's lasted all these centuries 
 — since and before Jacob he collected a heap 
 o' goats for his wife. See yer, when a white 
 man marries a girl he don't give nothin' for her, 
 but he asks her father how much he's going to 
 give the girl. That's what a white man does, 
 and lor' lov' yer, more often than not he 
 swallows up all her money, and then beats her, 
 the skunk. Now a black man is different. 
 When he goes courtin' he don't ask the father 
 how much the girl's goin' to bring to the hut — 
 not he. What he does is to ask the father 
 how much he wants for the girl. " Five 
 cows," says the father ; " for the girl is nice an' 
 fat." Well, the young buck he's got to get 
 them five cows, and if he takes one outer a 
 white man's kraal that's due to his impatience 
 — it don't prove the system is wrong. Well, 
 the five cows is paid over, an' the girl goes to 
 the young buck. As usual, the pair has 
 children — and the cows has calves. Maybe 
 the husband beats his wife. What then ; why, 
 sir, the wife takes her children and goes back 
 to her father. "I've come back," she says, 
 "and I'm going to live on them cows and 
 calves." The father he can't say nothin' ; 'cos 
 why, 'cos he took those same cows in trust for 
 his daughter 'gainst she should come back to 
 him on account of her husband's bad treat- 
 ment. That's so. The Ukolobola is better'n a 
 
 171 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 magistrate for keeping the peace 'twixt husband 
 and wife. That's why I say 'tis a good system, 
 an' a just system.' 
 
 ' 'Tis well known,' said Amos, 'that Abe 
 Pike's got no cause to kick against Kaffir 
 customs, because he keeps no cattle worth 
 havin' — nor nothin' else, for that matter.' 
 
 ' By the way, Uncle Abe,' I said quickly, to 
 prevent the coming storm ; ' you promised to 
 tell us how it was you gave over searching for 
 that diamond mine.' 
 
 ' Meaning that bull elephant,' said Amos 
 Topper, still aggressively ; ' and I do say this, 
 of all the yarns I heard there's none to beat 
 that for downright contrariness to what is 
 reasonable. Who ever heard of a bull elephant 
 rampaging round with a red diamond stuck in 
 his forehead ? ' 
 
 ' Humph ! ' grunted Abe. ' If we was to 
 believe nothin" you never yeard on we'd be a 
 pack o' blamed jackasses, and no mistake. 
 Now, I tell you that same elephant is a- 
 tramping around now over yonder in the Addo 
 bush, with that same red diamond a-gleamin' 
 in his forehead, if so be the hide ain't growed 
 over it.' 
 
 ' Why don't you get a permit from Govern- 
 ment and shoot him, then ! ' 
 
 ' Not me : not Abe Pike. Oh, no ! I tole 
 you how he flattened out ole Harkins, an' stove 
 
 172 
 
ABE'S DIAMOND MINE 
 
 in my partner's ribs, an' laid out another chap 
 what j'ined the company with a yeller horse, 
 an' skeered off that Port Elizabeth fellow what 
 tried to " jump " my claim. Well, that showed 
 this yer walkin' diamond mine were dangerous, 
 but, lor' bless yer, the schreik he gave me was 
 somethin' that sent the everlastin' shivers up 
 an' down my backbone. I'll tell you how 'twas. 
 When the company was busted up I was the 
 only chap what held shares, an' as there was 
 no market for 'em I calkerlated to do the 
 prospectin' myself. So I went on a reg'lar 
 expedition into the bush with a new castin' o' 
 bullets, a horn o' powder, a tin box o' caps 
 — them being muzzle-loading days — an' a kit o' 
 one sheepskin kaross, with a roll o' tobacco, 
 five pounds o' coffee, an' sugar, an' as much 
 Boer meal as I could buy, with a pot an' cometje. 
 I reckoned to shoot my own meat an' pick up' 
 berries, besides gettin' a square meal at a farm- 
 house now an' ag'in. So I sot out into the 
 Addo, an' gettin' to the middle of it, planted 
 my kit in a holler tree. That was a Sunday. 
 Then I scouted aroun'. Monday I seed nothin'. 
 Tuesday I came on a family party o' two tigers 
 an' their cubs. The ole woman, steppin' on her 
 toes, marched me off the premises, an' I darsn't 
 shoot for fear o' skeerin' the elephant. I had 
 to march back'ards, an' the thorns they jest had 
 a picnic with my shirt, I tell you; an' I got 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 sich a cramp in my stummick that I couldn't 
 hunt any more that day. Wednesday I came 
 on elephant spoor — fresh spoor — and foUered 
 it for four hours without ever seein' a patch o' 
 the animile. Thursday I came on spoor ag'in 
 within twenty yards o' where I camped. Yes, 
 sirree ; that crittur had come up as near as that, 
 and he'd stood there for a long time, maybe 
 watchin' me. Well, I lit out on the tracks and 
 follered 'em in an' out an' roun' about all 
 through the mornin' into the afternoon, the 
 tracks keeping so fresh that I kep' on with the 
 trigger at full cock. In the evenin' the spoor 
 led me right back to my holler tree, and blow 
 me if that crittur hadn't been overhauling my 
 goods. Yes, that's so. The kettle it were hung 
 twenty feet from the ground. The kaross it 
 were peppered all over with holes, where he'd 
 drove his tusk through. The Boer meal were 
 all eaten up, except for a sprinkle here and 
 there ; and the tobacco were chewed up and 
 spat out. I dried it and smoked it, and it had 
 a flavour of boots most terrible. Well, I tell 
 you, this made me quei, but when I seed, arter 
 looking more carefully, that this- yer fool 
 elephant were my diamon' mine itself I jes' 
 picked up. 'Cos, what's the loss of a few 
 shillin's worth of things when that diamon' 'ud 
 bring in enough to buy up a whole street full o' 
 grocers' shops.' 
 
 174 
 
ABE'S DIAMOND MINE 
 
 ' How did you know it was the elephant you 
 wanted ? ' 
 
 ' How did I know ! 'Cos I seed, that's how, 
 by the size of his hoofs and the plain writin' 
 that he'd only one tusk, same as my bull. 
 That's how ! Friday I up and follered ag'in 
 afore sunrise, and 1 tell yer I hadn't gone mor'n 
 half-an-hour before I diskivered that he were 
 follerin' me. Yes. I were standin' to listen, 
 and I yeard the rumbling of his stummick. I 
 yeard it plain — and jes' crawled along so's not 
 to crush so much as a dry leaf. I yeard that 
 rumble ag'in — but blow me if I could see him, 
 an' I crawled an' crawled, poking the big gun 
 afore till the sweat it run down my back. 
 There was the spoor and there was the rumble, 
 but — there was no elephant. I began to feel 
 shivery, and looked over my shoulder like a 
 man does in the dark, and — by gosh ! — I seed 
 that red diamon' gleamin' out of the leaves be- 
 hind me. An' jes' below it and on each side 
 were two other gleamin' objects — the eyes of 
 the bull hisself. Well, he giv' a scream, I rolled 
 over — an' the next I yeard he were thundering 
 by, smashing down the trees and yelling out 
 most horrible. Abe Pike didn't stop there, I 
 tell you. He jest sneaked off, and when he 
 yeard the bull stand — which was plain to hear 
 from the stillness — Abe he stopped to. I did 
 that. 
 
 175 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 ' Why didn't you go back and shoot him ? ' 
 ' Sonny, you never- had a railway engine 
 runnin' arter you, did you ? Well, you try, 
 and then settle with yourself whether your 
 nerves would be worth much for a spell. No, 
 sir ; I didn't go back to shoot him, but I 
 found the biggest yellow-wood and I climbed 
 up. That's what I did, and that bull he found 
 out. Yes, sir, he picked up my scent and he 
 tree'd me. But, by gum, d'ye think he'd show 
 hisself? No, gentlemen, he jes' kep' away in 
 the thick o' the bush, goin' roun' and roun' 
 an' stopping sometimes for a blow. Once I saw 
 the sparkle of the diamon', when he was doin' 
 a spell o' listenin' and watchin', and I pulled 
 straight at it. I hit him hard, the ole cuss, an' 
 he fetched a yell an' went smashin' off. The 
 sound o' him runnin' away did me good. I 
 loaded up and picked up the blood-trail, and 
 was goin' so hot on that that I'm blowed if I 
 didn't a'most run inter him. I were slippin' 
 along, and from the corner of my eye I sawthe 
 point of his tusk on my left. The ole chap had 
 turned on his spoor ; but his tusk saved me, for 
 I dodged roun' a big tree and brought the gun 
 up. D'ye think he'd charge ? He jes 'slipped 
 back by inches and stole away as silent as a 
 hare, whiles I had my eyes gummed on the 
 thick cover where he'd' stood. He jes' slipped 
 away and made a circle to come on me from 
 
 176 
 
ABE'S DIAMOND MINE 
 
 the rear. He did" that, and if I hadn't edged 
 away to see better inter the cover he'd a nabbed 
 me — for bymby I saw he'd gone,' and on foUering 
 on the spoor I seed where he'd turned back. I 
 tell you that gave me the creeps, and I made off 
 for a small krantz near by where there's a stream. 
 I crawled inter a cave there and went off ter 
 sleep, because of the tiredness in my bones ; and 
 Saturday mornin' I woke up hungry an' stiff in 
 the j'ints, and I laid off for the camp. Blow 
 me, if that blamed bull hadn't been there ag'in. 
 The kettle were clean gone this time, and all 
 the other things was smashed to nothing — so 
 there wasn't a smell, let 'lone a mouthful. I 
 were that savage I jes' went hot-foot on the old 
 boomer's spoor ag'in, an' this time he were 
 travellin'. He went straight on for fifteen miles, 
 over the ridge, inter a deep kloof — where he 
 laid in grub — and then set off, nose on, for 
 another five mile towards Alicedale, where he 
 had a bathe in a pool. All this time I hadn't 
 seen even the flap of his ears, and I were still 
 on his spoor, when I just flung myself inter a 
 hump o' grass and chawed on to a stick o' 
 biltong. Then I went to sleep, 'cos I couldn't 
 keep my eyes skinned, but the morning cold 
 woke me in the small hours, and the fust thing 
 I seed were a blazing eye looking at me outer 
 the dark. It sparkled and flickered and 
 blinked, with the red heart of it contractin' an' 
 
 177 N 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 expandin'. I n the drowsiness I lay there, thinkin' 
 'twas the mornin' star, when I yeard the 
 rumble of a elephant's inside, an' I knew that 
 ole bull were a standing over me ; maybe had 
 been stand in' there for hours waitin' for me to 
 wake so's he could enjoy seein' me shake, 
 
 ' Afraid ! Well, I think so. And the shakes 
 went scooting up an' down my back-bone, an' 
 my heart nearly stopped and I could skasely 
 breathe. Then I felt about for my gun with one 
 hand, then with the other, and then with each 
 foot ; but, by gosh ! the wepin weren't there, an' 
 the cole chills were chasing each other up 
 an' down my bones, an' the ole bull laafed in 
 his stummick, while that busted red diamond 
 glowered at me. I thought o' poor ole Harkins 
 flattened out, an' I jest pulled the plug outer 
 the powder-horn, then I got out the flint an' 
 steel, an' lay there watching the outline of the 
 ole cuss come clearer an' clearer out of the 
 darkness an' saw the shine of his wicked little 
 eyes. He laafed in his stummick ag'in, and 
 the coil of his trunk came out. I got the flint 
 ready over the powder, and the stir of my body 
 made him suspicious. His big ears went out 
 like sails, and he made a step forrard. Then J 
 struck with the steel, an' turned over on my 
 back. He brought his trunk down 'ker — 
 whack,' on my sitting place, rolling me over 
 an' over — and when I rubbed the dust outer my 
 
 178 
 
ABE'S DIAMOND MINE 
 
 eyes I yeard him smashin' through the trees. 
 The puff and flame of the powder must ha' 
 skeered him bad, but I didn't wait beyond a 
 second to search for my gun, and I seed the stock 
 one side of a tree and the barrel bent up a yard 
 away. He had moved it away, and were waitin' 
 for me to wake. Then I lit out for the water 
 an' hid away. That was Saturday. On Sunday 
 I took the back tracks, without a wepin or 
 any thin', and blow me ef that bull didn't reg'lar 
 hunt me. He did that, an' in the afternoon he 
 caught me up and druv me inter a big tree. I 
 jes' managed to reach the first bough when, ker 
 — blunk ' he came up ag'inst it an' nearly shook 
 me off. By gum ! the way that bull went on 
 was a caution. He let off' steam through his 
 nose, stamped his feet, dughis tusk in the ground, 
 twisted his little tail, and butted that tree till its 
 roots heaved up the ground. In his walk he wore 
 down a circle as big as a cattle kraal, smashin' al' 
 the trees down, and trampling the leaves and 
 branches and trunks inter a mass. And every 
 now and then he'd wheel round and come smash 
 ag'inst my tree till he started the wound in his 
 forehead where my bullet struck, an' the 
 blood poured down his face. I never seed 
 such wickedness an' temper, never, and I 
 crawled up to the top branch, for the sight of 
 him made me queer. All through that Sunday 
 afternoon he kep' up that smash-jamble, an' 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 in the night he fetched up some water outer his 
 stummick an' washed his face ; then, with that 
 diamon' shinin' red outer the dark, he stood 
 there, still as a rock, keeping guard. That 
 night I went empty in my head, an' got back 
 my senses in starts when I were slippin'. In 
 the mornin' I jest gave him my trousers. 
 
 ' It was a inspiration, that's what. A flash 
 came inter my brain from the blue sky, an' I 
 gave him my trousers. Lor', the scream he 
 gave when he fell on 'em, trampled 'em, knelt 
 on 'em, jabbed his tusk inter 'em, and then 
 danced 'em outer sight through the mass o' 
 leaves into the yearth beneath. Then he kep' 
 on going away and comin' back with a rush, 
 till I got giddy, and fin'ly jest slithered to the 
 ground. That time he didn't come back, and 
 I krept away outer the Addo bush, living on 
 roots and leaves like a animile. That's so. I 
 got on a Wednesday to a Kaffir clearing, most 
 like a wild beast, all kivered with ticks and 
 sores.' 
 
 ' And what became of the diamond ? 
 
 'Well, the Abe Pike Diamon' Mining 
 Company went to smash. That diamond's 
 still in the Addo bush, and if any o' you would 
 like to float the company I'm not sure but I 
 -wouldn't jine you again. I guess that ole bull's 
 a hundred an' fifty years old, an' maybe he's 
 not so blamed active. So long ! ' 
 
 i8o 
 
XXIV 
 
 HOW ABE LOST HIS 
 WATER BARREL 
 
 Abe Pike was laying a new floor to his shed. 
 He had at last, after many years, brought 
 that wonderful structure to some semblance of 
 a covered shelter, and now he was stamping 
 down the red earth taken from anthills. This 
 earth makes a firm floor, as it binds well and 
 grows harder from use. 
 
 ' Yes, sonny,' said the old man, ' when 
 animiles or insecks take a work in hand they 
 do it better'n men. See this yer earth. Well, 
 every grain of it's been worked up by the jaws 
 of a ant, and covered with a nateral mortar. 
 It's been all milled month in and month out, 
 mostly after a fall o' rain, each tiny pellet 
 mined out o' the smoking ground and carried 
 by the little chaps way up the tunnels out inter 
 the sunlight and glued to its place on the risin' 
 mound. An' in the buildin' of the dome them 
 critturs don't forget the chopped straw, and 
 when they've carried their temple high above 
 
 l8i 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 the groun' they don't forget, too, to narrow the 
 circle till they come to the finish in' peak. Yes, 
 sir, I tell you, there's more wonder in one of 
 em ord'nary anthills than there is in the 
 biggest cathedral ever built, an' yet here I be 
 spreading the remains of such works over the 
 floor of this yer shed.' 
 
 ' But ants always keep to the same designs, 
 Abe.' 
 
 ' Not they. In diffrent countries they 
 have diffrent kinds o' hills ; but when they find 
 the sort that's best fitted for the climate they 
 sticks to it, which is mor'n men do. No, sonny; 
 the animiles an' the insecks know what they 
 start out to learn without goin' to school for 
 sixteen years, same as some young ones do 
 that I know of, and then can't tell, a field of 
 wheat from a barley crop. As for me, I've 
 had no schooling ; but I know how to do what 
 I want to do.' 
 
 ' How long have you been over this shed, 
 Abe?' 
 
 ' Lemme see. I laid the fust pole at the 
 time of the big drought, maybe thirty years 
 ago.' 
 
 ' And when it's finished ? ' 
 
 ' Finished ! ' Abe left off stamping the red 
 earth, and looked around with a strange 
 expression. ' I ain't goin' to finish it, sonny ; 
 no, what's the use .'' When I begun that shed 
 
 182 
 
ABE LOST HIS WATER BARREL 
 
 Abe Pike were a young man, and I seed under 
 the roof of it when the work were done sacks 
 o' yellow wheat, piled up. The lands were 
 young, I had a team o' young oxen, there were 
 young cows in the kraal, a good flock o' sheep, 
 an' a crop of hopes in my head. That were 
 thirty years ago, sonny, an' the shed ain't 
 finished yet, and the cows is dead, the lands 
 are poor, and Abe Pike don't hope no more. 
 I ain't goin' to finish this yer shed, not me ; it's 
 all that holds me together. There's a man 
 buried in this yer shed.' 
 
 ' What ! ' 
 
 ' Yes, lad, that's so. Young Abe is here — 
 in the four corners, and under the ground, an' 
 in the roof, and the sides. Yes, young Abe 
 hisself, an' his sorrows, an' his hopes, an' his 
 pride and laziness. I've worked him in these 
 thirty years in loneliness, with the sound of the 
 sea groanin' in the air, an' the hills lookin' on, 
 and the sky stretched abuv, workin' him in 
 slowly with nery an eye to watch, and what's 
 lef of him is this yer sundried karkus that's 
 standing afore you. That's all.' 
 
 Abe Pike straightened himself and looked 
 round at the drab veld, the grey hills, and the 
 dark of the kloof where the forest trees were 
 massed. Then he rested his hands on the 
 handle of his stamper, and, so standing, gazed 
 with a vacant expression before him, and 
 
 183 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 watching him I seemed to see a long line of 
 shadowy reflections of him, standing so with 
 the same fixed look fastened on the empty 
 veld. The hollow booming of the great waves 
 solemnly breaking in endless succession alone 
 broke the heavy silence. 
 
 ' Did ever anything come out of the sea, 
 Abe ? ' I asked, idly, as I gazed, like him, in a 
 sort of spell, scarcely knowing what I meant. 
 
 ' A many things,' said he, without moving. 
 ' Yes, sonny,' he continued, after a long pause ; 
 ■ a many, many things. When the evenin' 
 wind comes off the sea, and I been a-sittin' 
 outside . the door, listenin' to the waves and 
 the different voices of 'em all blendin', with 
 now and ag'in a mighty bass note from the 
 biggest of the seven brothers, as he rolled 
 his shining crest — I've seed things come over 
 the randt yonder, seed 'em come an' melt away, 
 often an' often.' 
 
 ' What things ? ' 
 
 ' All manner o' things, sonny ; but I allow 
 you won't see 'em, as you ain't had the trainin'. 
 Night after night, year in year out, you must 
 sit alone listenin' in the stillness, and maybe 
 you'll year the voices I year an' see what I see. 
 But you couldn't go through it — no, sonny ! I 
 bin frightened many a time so that I've got up 
 and fetched the gun to make a noise — yes, that's 
 so ; for there's some things you can't see, only 
 
 184 
 
'HE CAME DRIFTING OVER THE RANDT OUTER THE SEA.' 
 
ABE LOST HIS WATER BARREL 
 
 feel, an' they hard to bear. I seed a little boy 
 once. Maybe he was young Abe Pike afore I 
 knew him. A little chap with brown legs an' 
 curly hair an' big eyes. He came drifting over 
 the randt outer the sea, when its waves was jes' 
 murmuring sof and low, and I yeard him laugh 
 as I watched him come, thinking he were a 
 wild fowl. He lighted over there where that 
 railed-in moss is a-growin' — see how green it is 
 in the dry of the yearth. That's where his 
 little naked feet touched the ground, and where 
 he stood eyeing me with his big eyes and a 
 sort o' dew on his forehead where the curls 
 came down. Then he laughed, and with his 
 head on one side he came up to my knee an' 
 looked up at me. Yes, a little chap ; an' he 
 came outer the sea to ole Abe Pike, sitting 
 lonely out there on the doorstep. Maybe if I'd 
 a married I might a had a son like that, for he 
 seemed to b'long to me, as he eyed me with a 
 smile. Only onct he came, only onct ; but, 
 sonny, I feel the touch of his hands now, on' by 
 that touch I know I will meet him ag'in. He 
 may a bin young Abe afore I knew him come 
 back to see what I'd made o' him, an' but for 
 the smile on his face I'd think he were grieved 
 to see what a blamed failure I'd made outer 
 him. Many a time I watched for him, Yes, 
 sonny; I've sat in the quiet of the afternoon, 
 listen in' to the sea, and when I year the 
 
 185 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 murmuring same as then I look for that little 
 chap to come floatin' up over the randt, an' I 
 keep the moss there wet when I have to go with- 
 out water to drink in the drought. You ain't 
 laughing ? ' 
 
 ' No, Abe, no. One of these wretched flies 
 has got into my eye.' 
 
 ' I made a boat for the little chap, 'gainst he 
 came again, and a fishin' line, and a reed pipe. 
 We could 'a played many games together, him 
 and me, but he only came onct' Abe turned 
 his face to the sea and stared wistfully. He 
 was not yarning now, and I wondered at him. 
 
 'Yes,' he said; 'I could a showed him 
 many a bird's nest if he'd a come, but maybe 
 the white woman has kep' him away. She's 
 bin here off an' on for maybe six years. She 
 came outer the sea, too, footin' her way through 
 the air — comin' like a cloud or one o' these big 
 sea birds that sails on the wind without a flap of 
 his long, narrer wings. White, my sonny ! — I 
 never seed anythin' so white, not even the sails 
 o' a ship with the sun on, or the inside o' one o' 
 them shells folk use for tooth powder. She 
 comes on me all o' a sudden, and all I see is the 
 gleam o' her eyes — then she's gone, leavin' me 
 here with my heart beatin'. Maybe she looks 
 after the little ones, for when she comes there's 
 a queer noise in the waves over yonder 's if a 
 heap o' girls were at play. Oh, yes ; many 
 
 i86 
 
ABE LOST HIS WATER BARREL 
 
 things come outer the sea besides fish an' otter 
 an' sich Hke — many things, sonny'; an' when 
 I'm buildin' this yer shed I stop workin' to look 
 for their comin'. Of late I bin expectin' some- 
 thin' mor'n ord'nary, but ' it ain't come. Yes, I 
 bin waitin' for that little chap to take me by the 
 hand. Got any tabak ? ' 
 
 I handed over the pouch, and saw that Abe 
 had come out of the spell that had been on him. 
 
 ' That water bar'l o' mine's all broken up.' 
 
 ' How was that ? ' 
 
 ' I'll tell you how it happened. The dry 
 weather druv the field-rats to the bar'l for water, 
 which they fetched but by dipping their tails 
 in. Many a time I seed 'em at it, an' it 
 weren't long before a ringhals spotted the 
 performance ; so what's he do but get inter the 
 water, tail fust, through the bung, and watch 
 for the rats to come an' drink. My ! he guv 
 me a schreik when I went for a drink an' saw 
 his eyes gleamin' up outer the green bough 
 I poked in the hole to cool the water an' 
 prevent it shakin' out. I lef him there, for 
 I couldn't see how to fetch him out ; but, 
 whiles I were sittin' quiet in the evenin', 
 waitin' for him to crawl out, up came along a 
 percession of rats, with a ole grey-whiskered 
 chap leading. He took a look at me, movin' 
 his nose, but I kep' still, arid he reared hisself 
 against the bar'l. Next rat he run up, and the 
 
 187 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 next over the two of 'em, till the third got over 
 the swell of the bar'l and scooted to the bung- 
 hole, backed round and popped in his tail, 
 unsuspicious of that vicious crittur inside. 
 Nex' minit that rat were hollering out blue 
 murder, for the snake grabbed him by the tail, 
 and the other rats, they jes' lit out for hum. 
 Well, that snake he let go, but the rat he jes' 
 curled up and fell down in a kickin' fit. Then the 
 ringhals crawled out — the ugly five feet length 
 o' livin' death — and there and then gorged the 
 rat. Well, I let him be. Snakes is bad, and 
 rats is bad. I let him be, and three days arter 
 there were the blamed ringhals in my bar'l 
 again. Blow me, if the same performance 
 didn't happen over ag'in, and some days arter 
 I seed that partickler tribe o' rats was gettin' 
 smaller, and, believe me, sonny, that ringhals 
 had guv the news to another snake, for one 
 evenin' I seed two o' their wicked-lookin' 
 heads jes' inside the bung on the twigs. I 
 were watchin' for the tragedy — same as us'al — 
 when — same as us'al— up come that ole grey 
 chap on his own hook. He came to the bar'l, 
 and sat up on his behind legs like a hare, 
 twiddling his moustaches and twisting his nose. 
 Then he backed off, and give a whopping 
 sprihg, which landed him on a swell of the 
 bar'l. Well, he weren't takin' any water, he 
 weren't ; oh, no ! He jes' walked on his hind 
 
 i88 
 
ABE LOST HIS WATER BARREL 
 
 legs and took a peep inter the bunghole. I 
 guess he seed something, for he turned a back 
 sumersault, jes' as a vicious head came with a 
 hiss at him. Well, I tell you that ole chap 
 he scooted off, squeaking like a forty-shillin' 
 kettle. I sat there laughin' at the skeer of 
 that 'ere rat, but, by gum ! I soon dropped 
 grinnin', for up along caxne the ole feller ag'in 
 with a 'ole lot o' rats behind him. When they 
 drew near he gave them the word to stop, 
 whiles he examined the bar'l all round. Then 
 he spoke a few words, and the entire gang they 
 went to the lower side of the bar'l and began 
 to scratch away the yearth. Yes, sir, that's 
 what they done. They scratched away the 
 yearth. Then the ole chap guv another word, 
 an' they got roun' on the top side o' the bar 'J. 
 Then they begun to shuv.' 
 
 ' Nonsense ! ' 
 
 ' I tell you ; them rats they jist put their 
 backs ag'in the bar'l and shuved for all they 
 were worth ; but 'twarn't no go. They was too 
 light. D'ye think they guv up the job — not they ! 
 The ole chap led 'em roun' the bottom side, 
 and they set to scraping more yearth away till 
 the bar'l were almost undermined. Then roun' 
 they came ag'in, all squeaking, and one of the 
 snakes popped his head out ter see what the 
 noise were about. Nex' minute he'd abin 
 among 'em, but the 'ole parcel o' rats, maybe 
 
 189 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 one hundred, guv another mighty shuv, and 
 'fore I could start up to prevent it that bar'l 
 gave a list over, and then started. Once it 
 started it jes' flew down the slope, and went to 
 pieces at the bottom with a smash. The snake 
 that were hangin' out were flattened dead, and 
 the way them rats fell on his body were a 
 caution. They were tearin' it to pieces when, 
 bilin' with rage an' hissin' most furious, up 
 came the other riptile. The rats then scooted — 
 that's so ! ' 
 
 190 
 
XXV 
 ABE PIKE SCOUTING 
 
 ' Yes ! ' said Abe, one afternoon, after he had 
 been helping threshin' wheat ; ' these new- 
 fangled machines bin smashing up all the good 
 old customs that were the salt of country life. 
 This yer thresher of yours may get through 
 the sheaves with a lot of dust an' rattle an' 
 smoke, but give me the old floor, an' the oxen 
 tramping out the ear, an' the neighbours coming 
 to the supper. Oh, yes ! the old customs they 
 brought the people together and made 'em 
 soshiable and talk. Lor' bless you, there ain't 
 no talking nowadays — only grunting.' 
 
 ' Is that so ? ' said I, as I brushed the dust 
 from my eyes. 
 
 ' It are. No one talks now, 'cos of these 
 yer machines, which does everything. Why, 
 blow me ! you can shoot a man with these 
 new guns without ever seeing him.' 
 
 ' I don't know that it is any more satis- 
 faction for the man shot to die with the 
 knowledge that he knows who shot him.' 
 
 191 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 ' Well, I do know. Take these yer talking 
 machines I year on. What's the good squeak- 
 ing through a machine to a man, or maybe a 
 girl, in the nex' street when you can't see the 
 eyes of her, or the shape of her lips, or the 
 expression, without which talking's no account. 
 Look here, sonny, you listen to what I tell you ; 
 these yer machines goin' to turn out people 
 same as pins, all o' one pattern.' 
 
 ' You're a great talker yourself, Abe .'' ' 
 ' I'm not talking when I ain't got nothin' to 
 say. When I seed the Colonel of the 94th up 
 by Pluto's Vale — " Who the blazes are you," he 
 said, " and where the devil you come from .•* " — 
 I weren't saying much, but I took a pull at his 
 black bottle. He were one of the ole sort 
 were the Colonel — grey an' peppery, an' stiff in 
 the upper lip 's if his face bin fixed in a iron 
 mask. That's the sort of man he were. " The 
 Kaffirs is laying a trap for you,'.' I said to him. 
 " They darn't do it," he said. " Lay a trap for 
 the 94th! I never yeard o' sich blamed im- 
 pertinence," he said, twisting his grey mous- 
 taches, an' glaring at me 's if I'd insulted him. 
 " All right," I said, " if yure too proud to take 
 advice, go an' walk inter the trap like a 
 blunderin' porkipine, an' you'll get stuck full o' 
 assegais," I said. " You're too free with your 
 tongue," he said, gettin' red in the face ; so I 
 walked out, but bymby he came over to where 
 
 192 
 
ABE PIKE SCOUTING 
 
 I sot by the fire,' an' he sot down 'longside o' 
 me. He talked an' I ate, but at last he up an' 
 came to the point. " Can you scout ? " he said. 
 " Mejum," says I. " Oh," he said, " I've got a 
 mejum scout with me. What I want is a fust- 
 class scout." Well, sonny, I jes' lit my pipe 
 and took a puff. He looked at me under his 
 eyebrows. " My scout tells me the Kaffirs 
 have retreated," he said. " Soh ! " says I, and 
 went on smoking. " Yes," says he, gettin" angry 
 aller a sudden, " and you've been giving me 
 false news for the sake of getting a reward." 
 Well, I jes' pulled up my sleeve and showed 
 him where I'd been stabbed. " I beg your 
 pardon," he said, and riz up to go back to his 
 tent. " Colonel," says I, laying hold of his sash, 
 " if you want me to scout I'll scout, and you can 
 send a man along with me." " Leave to-morrer," 
 he said, "if you feel well enough"; and he 
 marched off jes' as stiff an' unconcerned 's if 
 he'd asked me to supper. Soon after a young 
 chap came up to my fire. "I've received orders 
 to go on scout duty with you," he said, eyeing 
 me up an' down 's if I'd been some kur'ous 
 kind o' inseck. " When do we start ? "" says I. 
 " Oh, furst thing in the morning, if you're 
 awake." "Oh!" says I, "so's the Kaffirs can 
 see us?" "There ain't no Kaffirs," says he; 
 "'t any rate I ain't seen any." " I'm startin' at 
 midnight," I says, and with that turned over to 
 
 J93 o 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 sleep. Well, at midnight I woke up and 
 prepared to leave, thinking that young fellow 
 wouldn't be about. But, blow me, there he 
 were, sitting by the fire watching me. "I'm 
 ready," he said, standin' up. "What for?" 
 " Why, to scout, of course." " Orright," says I ; 
 " take off that sword then, and that white hat, 
 and that red coat. You ain't anxious for the 
 Kaffirs to see us furst, are you ? " He jes' 
 opened his mouth to cheek me ; then he ran 
 off", and bymby he came back ^vithout them 
 things, with a grey shirt and soft hat. "Is that 
 right ? " he said, fetching a grin. I jes' nodded, 
 an' off" we stepped inter the dark of the night. 
 Slipping by the sentries without givin' 'em 
 good evenin', we marched along outer the 
 side of the valley where the camp were pitched 
 to where it narrowed into a poort, between big 
 krantzes, with a kloof running down on the left 
 side. By sunrise we were on the divide 
 between the poort and the nex' valley, jest 
 about where the road led over the neck ahead 
 of the troops. We took cover and looked 
 around. " There's a Kaffir," said I, "over 
 yonder on that rock above the far krantz, 
 watching the camp." The young chap fetched 
 a laugh. " That Kaffir," said he, " is a vidette, 
 and there's a whole string of 'em on the heights. 
 None of the enemy can get inter the poort 
 without being seen." Well, this was up against 
 
 194 
 
ABE PIKE SCOUTING 
 
 me, an' I kep' quiet, looking away down inter 
 the next valley where the road track twisted 
 along the steep aside of the thick bush. " That's 
 the place for an ambush," said the young chap, 
 " down in that ravine. If there are any Kaffirs 
 about they will be there. Let us go down." I 
 jes' sot there watchin', an' bymby he began to 
 fidget ; then he up an' tole me that if I would 
 not scout, he would. " There's no Kaffirs in 
 the far valley," I said. " I'm tired of you," he 
 said, in one o' them sort o' drawn tones that 
 always reminds me o' a sword glinting out o' 
 the scabbard ; "I came out to scout, not to lie in 
 cover ; you may stay here by yourself ; I'm going 
 inter the valley below." I nearly got angry, 
 but then I thought what's the use, so I jest 
 explained matters. " There's no Kaffirs down 
 there," says I, " but there is Kaffirs down here 
 in the poort in that big kloof, an', what's more, 
 them pickets o' yours will be assegaied before 
 long. I'll tell you why. See them birds 
 flying over that kloof.'' They've been startled, 
 an', what's more, when they settled jest now 
 they started off ag'in on a new flight, an', what's 
 more, I seed a jackal an' a ram slip away over 
 the rise. That's good enough for me, an' when 
 it's dark I'll slip back to the camp to tell the 
 Colonel." " Are you sure .'' " he said, lookin' at 
 me hard. " Certain," I said. " Then," said he, 
 "we must go back to the Colonel at once." 
 
 195 02 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 " You might start to go back," I said, " but you'd 
 never reach half way. Where's the picket ? " 
 I said. He took a look at the krantz where 
 we'd seen the figgur of a man, and he seed the 
 poor beggar was gone. "Yes," I said, "he's 
 been assegaied ! " " My God ! " he said, " can't 
 we do anything to save the others ? " " It's no 
 go," said I, pulling out my pipe. " Haven't you 
 got any heart ? " he said, fiercely, then he 
 began to move off. Well, that wouldn't do, so 
 I pulled him back. " Keep still," says I ; "the 
 pickets must look after themselves; we've got 
 to save the camp." Well, blow me, that made 
 him worse, and he struggled to get free, saying 
 the 94th didn't want to be saved from any 
 Kaffirs, and all that — but I jes' hung onter him, 
 an' while we were struggling in a holler behind 
 a rock, up there came the sound of a bugle. 
 " Hark ! " he said, lettin' go his hold ; " the 
 regiment has struck camp — that's the order to 
 advance." "The blamed fool," I said, "he'll 
 march straight inter the trap." " Soh," says he, 
 then he made a bolt, saying as he ran, " I must 
 warn them." I seed it were no use, an' I let 
 him go. By gosh ! he jes' bounded down from 
 rock to rock, without taking any cover, straight 
 for the track that ran down the poort past the 
 kloof to the regiment. At the same time I 
 seed a black figure running down the slope 
 from where the picket had been, then another 
 
 196 
 
ABE PIKE SCOUTING 
 
 an' another, all of 'em crouchin'. Of course, 
 there were Kaffirs there, an' in course they 
 seed him, an' they were runnin' down to stop 
 him.' 
 
 ' And what did you do ? ' 
 
 ' What did I do ? Well I jes' sat an' looked, 
 an' bymby I edged away over the randt away 
 from the Kaffirs. Then I sot- off at a run 
 round to get to the back of the krantze where 
 the picket had been killed.' 
 
 ' You didn't know he had been killed.' 
 
 ' Well, according to all that was goin' on 
 he oughter bin killed, and 't any rate I made 
 round that way — but if you're going to talk to 
 me like that I'll jes' shut up. I'm gwine to 
 supper now.' 
 
 197 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 XXVI 
 END OF THE SCOUTING 
 
 The next morning Abe was stamping mealies 
 with a wooden pestle in a wooden mortar made 
 from a tree trunk. It was a piece of unusual 
 labour on his part, and I complimented him on 
 his early industry. 
 
 ' Industry be blowed — it's my teeth ! They're 
 worn down, and not equal to chewing hard 
 mealies. You take pattern by me, sonny, and 
 keep your teeth. Lor' love yer, when I sees 
 young boys and gals with half their teeth missin', 
 I'm jest thinkin' that there's no ignorance like 
 that of the civilised man. Take me, or take an 
 ord'nary raw Kaffir turned sixty, and look at 
 his mouth. Teeth as white and soun' as a 
 animile's — 'cos why ? — 'cos he ain't loadin' his 
 inside with all sorts o' hots an' colds, an' sweets, 
 and thingammies painted 'yeller an' red — an' 
 'cos he polishes up his grinders with a bit o' 
 wood and heaps o' water. Toothache — man 
 wasn't born to have toothache — o' course not ; 
 nor to have his jawbone broken with steel 
 
 198 
 
END OF THE SCOUTING 
 
 pincers ; but there, he ain't got sense to know- 
 when he's well off^ and so he starts undermining 
 his teeth from the day he's old enough to chew 
 tofifee,' 
 
 ' I've known a Kaffir to have toothache.' 
 
 ' And I've known a Kaffir to drink off a 
 bottle of Worcester sauce. But why ? 'Cos 
 some blamed white man invented the sauce to 
 help out his finicking appetite, and if the Kaffir's 
 fool enough to drink white man's mixtures, why 
 there's an end to him. When you start . to 
 civilise a Kaffir you give him toothache, and fill 
 him as full o' wickedness an' sickness as a white 
 man. That's so ! ' 
 
 ' I didn't know you were such an admirer 
 of Kaffirs.' 
 
 ' Ghoisters ! You're like a ramrod ; you 
 can't see your way unless it's straight. I'm 
 not in love with the black because his teeth is 
 good.' 
 
 Abe scooped up the broken maize, and 
 proceeded to make his morning pap, after which 
 he lit his pipe and was at pfeace. 
 
 ' What was the end of your scouting, Abe ? ' 
 
 ' I ain't scouting.' 
 
 ' I mean at Pluto's Vale, when the young 
 officer left you.' 
 
 ' Is that so ! Lemme see. I left him 
 running like a blind hoss at a precipice, straight 
 for the path by the kloof which I reckoned 
 
 199 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 were full o' Kaffirs, and with three chaps runnin' 
 down to cut him off. That weren't me. No ! 
 I jest skipped round back o' the krantz opposite 
 the kloof, an' crawled up to where I'd seen the 
 vidette. It were as I thought. Stone dead 
 he were, with his face to the sky and his arms 
 stretched out, assegaied through the back and 
 then turned over by them as stabbed him — and 
 who was sneaking down the hill to do the same 
 for my partner. I jest peeped over the rock — 
 and far down the valley to the lef I see the 
 regiment on the march, with the waggons in 
 the centre and the Colonel riding ahead 's if he 
 were going on parade. Sonny, them rooibaaitjes 
 can fight, but they're foolish. They're too stiff 
 in the lip to ask questions, and too proud to 
 learn. That's so ! There were the Colonel 
 marching his men straight into the tightest 
 kind o' fix without waiting for me to report the 
 lay o' the land. I looked down below, and 
 there were that young chap booming along like 
 a rock rolled from the top, leaping like a buck, 
 an' jes' ahead o' him, in a turn in the road, 
 crouch in' behin' bushes, was them three red 
 Kaffirs waitin' to stab him. A hundred paces 
 he had to cover afore he came up to the fust 
 of 'em, and I seed in a flash he were a gone 
 coon, unless somethin' happened. I tell you, 
 sonny, I did some quick thinking while he 
 were running them hundred paces. S'pose \ 
 
 300 
 
END OF THE SCOUTING 
 
 fired! The report would jes' boom from side 
 to side o' that valley and wake up every darned 
 Kaffir in the kloof — s'posing Kaffirs was there. 
 The Kaffirs would be on the watch, the Colonel 
 would hear, an' rush up his men, leaving his 
 waggons unprotected. Then there'd be a 
 awful kind of a mess — s'pposing the Kaffirs was 
 in that kloof. I thunked all that, and that 
 young chap had gone half-way. If I fired he 
 couldn't a pulled up in time, so I jest fetched a 
 yell in Kaffir. From the bottom o' my throat 
 I fetched up one of them deep Kaffir shouts. 
 " Look out ! " I yelled ; " the soldiers^run ! " 
 The words fell on them Kaffirs like the lash of 
 a whip. The three of them jumped to their 
 feet, run across the road, an' slipped inter the 
 kloof. The young chap seed 'em cross his 
 track, and' pulled up, then I'm darned if he 
 didn't keep on again. Well, I give him another 
 chance. I cried to him in English to keep to 
 his left, but he jes' lifted his hand and kep' on. 
 Nex' moment he were running along the fringe 
 of the kloof where the dark wood came down 
 to the road, and then he gave a lurch, and 
 rolled over an' over, his gun flying from his 
 hand. I could hear the tinkle of the metal 
 against the stones. The roll carried him to a 
 rock, and over that he went with a splash inter 
 a pool o' water, and as he went in a Kaffir 
 darted from the kloof with his shield and 
 
 20I 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 assegai. I knew then the kloof were full of 
 Kaffirs, for none of the other three carried a 
 shield. All this yer happened in a breath 
 almost, and then I ran along the krantz to where 
 a corner of it stood out bold, an' standing there 
 I shouted to the regiment, which lay out- 
 stretched down below, the head of it no further 
 than 300 paces from the beginning of the 
 kloof on that side. The Colonel were riding 
 ahead, then followed the pioneers, with their 
 axes and spades sheathed in shiny black leather, 
 and on their chests big black beards, behind 
 them a company of the 94th with the bayonets 
 glittering like running fire, back o' them the 
 band, and ahind. them the waggons in the long 
 line, and far behind, a full mile from the Colonel, 
 the balance of the regiment. Sonny ! in ten 
 minutes the hull biling of 'em would 'a been in 
 the narrer of the valley without room to turn, 
 and they'd a bin assegaied to a man, I tell you ! 
 But Abe Pike were there ; and I tell you he 
 gave a shout that went ekering down that 
 valley from side to side. " Halt ! " I said. 
 The Colonel he pulled up. I seed him shade 
 his eyes with his hand as he took a look, and I 
 seed some of the soldiers point up at me. The 
 Colonel he shook his reins, and rode on. 
 " Halt ! " I said ; but he jes' kep' on, calm as 
 possible. " You blamed fool," I shouted ; 
 " stop ! There's Kaffirs ahead." He pulled 
 
 203 
 
END OF THE SCOUTING 
 
 up, and turned in his saddle. " Ninety-fourth," 
 he said — and his voice came up clear — " halt ! " 
 All along that mile o' men and oxen the order 
 ran down, and the moving column came to a 
 stand. "No. i company," he said, "leading 
 files from your left, two paces to the right. 
 Rear ranks, two paces to your front.' The 
 leading company jest stretched out like a con- 
 certina, across the road. " Prepare to fire,'' 
 he said, and down came that shining stretch o' 
 bayonets to the level. Then I'm darned if the 
 Colonel didn't walk his horse round the turn in 
 the road till he came to the kloof, and seed the 
 track wind up through the narrer poort up to 
 the ridge beyond, with me on his right far 
 above him. He seed nothin', of course ; 'cos 
 why, he couldn't see through the dark o' the 
 woods on his left ; but there was hundreds of 
 black eyes glaring at him through the leaves. 
 He looked up at me, as if to say, " Where are 
 the Kaffirs?" "They're in the bush," I 
 shouted ; then I slid down the krantz by a 
 monkey tow, and after making my way through 
 the tumbled mass of boulders and thorn scrub 
 at the base, started to run down, when I yeard 
 the beat of the drum, and the next minute seed 
 the pioneers come round the bend, then the 
 first company, and nex' the band, with the 
 Colonel 'twixt the pioneers and the company. 
 The old fire-eater were determined to get inter 
 
 203 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 the trap after all, and when I reached him he 
 were half-way by the kloof, " For God's sake," 
 I said, putting my hand on the bridle, " stop the 
 waggons, and get your men outer this. Turn 
 back ! " I said. He were jest going to rap me 
 over the head for mutinous conduct, or some 
 sich nonsense, when the Kaffir yell rang out. 
 They couldn't wait any longer. Whew ! My 
 gum, sonny ! talk o' yellin' an' cussin' an' gruntin'. 
 Them red Kaffirs were into us. They jumped 
 this way, and that, their eyes rollin' in their 
 heads, their assegais vifhizzing and kerries flying, 
 with a noise like a flight o' partridges. Then 
 the rifles snapped out, and the big drum boomed 
 onct. Only onct. Then I seed the drummer 
 throw up his sticks an' roll over, drum up, man 
 up, turn an' turn. I didn't know which way to 
 turn at first ; then I seed a Kaffir raising his 
 kerrie to smash the Colonel, who were lying on 
 the ground, and I shot him. I helped the 
 Colonel up, and he roared out " Bayonets." 
 The soldiers were too mixed up to use their 
 bayonets. I seed five of them — one after 
 another — assegaied. The Kaffirs, they jes' 
 grabbed the poor Johnny by the belt, pulled 
 him outer the thick of the jam, and then asse- 
 gaied him. I seed how things would go if the 
 soldiers couldn't get ground to fight, so I, 
 jumped for the drum, and, cutting it free from 
 the poor drummer chap, I banged on it and 
 
 204 
 
'A YOUNG KAFFIR LEAPT OUTER THE BUSH.' 
 
END OF THE SCOUTING 
 
 marched across the stream to the far slope. 
 Some of the fellers seed me and foUered. 
 " Steady," says I, " take your man — fire." 
 Well, they did jes' so, and I banged the drum. 
 The ole Colonel he got the pioneers with him — 
 there was eight of them — and, my gum ! — they 
 jest swished their way through the Kaffirs with 
 their axes. Then up come some more men. 
 follering the drum, and we peppered the Kaffirs 
 till they were obliged to get back inter the 
 wood. Then the Colonel he looked for the 
 wounded. There were nary one, but seventeen 
 men lay dead. "There's one here," says I, 
 and led the place to where the young officer had 
 tumbled in the water. There he were among 
 the rushes, bleeding to death from an assegai 
 wound, and one of . them pioneers, his arms all 
 bloody, lifted the young chap up and carried 
 him to the waggons. I guessed it were time 
 to go before them Kaffirs got up steam — so I 
 banged the ole drum and marched back. 
 " Where you going ? " says the Colonel. " Back 
 to the camp," I says. "That ain't the way," 
 he says ; " we camp over the ridge to-night," 
 pointing the other way. " The Kaffirs will 
 never let the waggons through," I said. " The 
 Kaffirs is beaten," he says ; and just then a 
 young Kaffir leapt outer the bush and rammed 
 his assegai into the big drum. " I have done 
 it," he cried and T seed it were Sandili hisself. I 
 
 205 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 tole you how Sandili he said he would bust the 
 drum, and by gosh ! he bust it. He was back 
 inter the wood in a wink, and then he shouted 
 how he had killed the white man's war-god, and 
 from all parts of the kloof the Kaffirs they began - 
 shouting. You could hear 'em comin'. The 
 Colonel he looked round and said "Retire!" 
 So he had to turn back after all. He shelled 
 the kloof all that afternoon ; and the Kaffirs 
 they just moved on.' 
 
 ' And what did the Colonel say to you ? ' 
 ' He said he'd half a mind to tie me up for 
 givin' orders to the regiment, and he went on 
 most horrible ; then when he cooled down he 
 give me a huntin' knife, with five blades and a 
 corkscrew, and said he would mention me in 
 despatches. I dunno whether he did ; 't any- 
 rate I never were called to account again, so I 
 guess he 'were only skeering me. Well, so 
 long ! ' 
 
 206 
 
XXVII 
 ABE AND THE TIGER TRAP 
 
 I HAD got a new tiger trap, and was displaying 
 its beauties to some members of our Cat Club — 
 not that this was the official name, which in full 
 dress proclaimed itself as the Round Hill 
 Society for the Destruction of Vermin. The 
 mouth of the trap had a span of fifteen inches, 
 and the steel spring almost required the weight 
 of a twelve-stone man to flatten it down to the 
 catch. There was a stout chain to the shank 
 end, which could be secured to a log, and the 
 iron lips had no teeth. 
 
 ' There's a power of grip in the toothless 
 gums of that 'ere grinning mouth,' said old Abe 
 Pike, who was President of the Club, by virtue 
 of which office it was his right to point out the 
 spots for the setting of traps. , "I don't hole 
 with teeth nohow.' 
 
 ' Quite so,' remarked Amos Topper, sourly ; 
 ' your tongue's long enough to get a clinch 
 round anything. What I say is, give me a 
 
 207 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 trap with teeth a inch long that will drive 
 through a tiger's shin-bone.' 
 
 ' Yes ; and maybe cut the foot of him right 
 off, and leave ole dot-and-carry-three to go 
 limpin' away growlin' vengeance. You ain't 
 got no exper'ence, Amos ; and talking about 
 tongues, if you shut "your teeth down tight you 
 might pass for a wise man.' 
 
 Amos opened his mouth wide for a retort, 
 but nothing came out but a cloud of smoke and 
 a grunt. 
 
 ' I shot a trapped tiger once,' said Long 
 Jim, ' that was cayght only by his toe. Yes, 
 sir, by his toe ! and the danged crittur jes' 
 lay there and took the bullet 'thout even 
 standing up. He jes hissed like a room full o' 
 kettles.' 
 
 ' Ever been caught in a trap ? ' asked Abe 
 quietly. 
 
 ' I ain't had any occasion to,' said Jim 
 severely. 
 
 ' Well, I have ! ' 
 
 ' Gwine after anybody's pumpkins ? ' asked 
 Amos, thinking this was a good opportunity to 
 work in his belated retort.' 
 
 ' Some folk's talk,' said Abe slowly, ' is like 
 burrs — never wanted and alius spoilin' good 
 material, with this difference on the side of the 
 burr-weed — that you can root up the weed when 
 
 you find it.' 
 
 208 
 
ABE AND THE TIGER TRAP 
 
 ' It would take a better man than you to dig 
 me up,' said Amos, shaking himself. 
 
 ' We ain't discussin' weeds,' said Abe, 
 looking his lanky opponent up and down ; ' we're 
 discussin' the points o' traps — especially teeth. 
 I bin caught, an' that's why I'm sot against 
 teeth.' 
 
 ' When did it happen, Abe ? ' 
 
 ' Well, I'll tell you. You know ole Hill's 
 garden, which held more different kinds o' fruit- 
 trees than I have seed in the whole country. 
 There were a thick quince hedge down one side, 
 and the wild pigs had made a path through it 
 big enough to let a stoopin' man -through. 
 Well, I were going short cut to the house one 
 night, and I rerhembered this yer pig-track.' 
 
 ' You always had a weakness for fruit, Abe ! ' 
 remarked Amos. 
 
 ' I remembered this yer track, and, follering 
 the hedge down, I felt where the path had been 
 worn, and, parting the quince luikeys with my 
 hand, made a stoop forrard. My gum ! — there 
 were a click, and a yell which I ripped out, and 
 nex' thing I knowed somethin' got me sore fast 
 by the right leg in the thin of the ankle. It 
 were a tiger trap — that's what, and sot with 
 teeth. Lor' love yer ! I can feel the pain of it 
 in my leg now when I think of it, though it 
 were over twenty-seven year ago. One iron 
 fang scramped my shin-bone, and the back one 
 
 209 p 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 druv clean through the flesh, while the sides of 
 the mouth pressed in so that the blood were 
 stopped, and the foot seemed to belong to 
 someone else. I tell you all the blood in my 
 body jes' run down to the tight place to find out 
 what the trouble was, and came rushing back 
 with the news up to my head with a touch of 
 fire all along. Then that held-fast leg began to 
 throb and throb, and a hundred thousand little 
 hammers began a-hammering all up my back- 
 bone, while cold spasms went quivering through 
 me and outer the top of my head. I jes' let go 
 yell on yell, until a faintness came over me, 
 and the sound leg which had been all on a 
 tremble gave way, and I sot down. The 
 wrench were terrible, and I jes' grit my teeth, 
 and held on till the weakness went off, when I 
 shifted the trap a bit.' 
 
 ' Why didn't you ease the spring ? ' 
 'Why don't a bird fly when its wing's 
 broken ? Ease the spring ! Jes' you put your 
 foot in this yer trap, and see if you can get the 
 spring down with thirty pound o' iron at the 
 end of your foot and your muscles all turned to 
 water — to liquid fire — with the pain of the hold. 
 All I could do was to rub my knee and yell 
 and bite at the quince leaves, and dig my 
 fingers inter the flesh. After a time I found 
 my voice ain't got no carrying power ; it came 
 out in a hoarse whisper, and I seed if the 
 
 2IO 
 
ABE AND THE TIGER TRAP 
 
 people at the house hadn't yeard my first call 
 they wouldn't catch any cry for help I could 
 give now ; so I jes groaned for comfort, same's 
 if I were a trapped tiger growling through the 
 night. My head were tossing about from side to 
 side like the pendulum of a clock, and one of these 
 side swings I noticed the glg^re of something 
 bright close by. I jes' noticed it as if 'twere 
 something of no account ; for, if all the stars in 
 heaven had taken to swinging at the ends of 
 golden threads it wouldn't have mattered to me 
 as much as the flame of a tallow candle 
 sputtering in a horn lantern. Well, each time 
 I swung my head I seed these yer bright spots 
 without seeing them — if you know what I 
 mean ? — when I were held still for a moment 
 by a sound. I looked, and I saw then that 
 they were eyes staring at me, which blinked as 
 I stared, and turned away, then sought my face 
 ag'in, and, narrering to a thin green slit, so 
 looked at me. What do ye think it were ? 
 
 ' A pig, of course, waiting for you to move,' 
 said Topper. 
 
 ' You can tell a pig by his grunt,' said Abe, 
 pointedly. ' Who ever seed a pig with green 
 eyes flaming through half-closed lids ? It were 
 a tiger,' and Abe took his pipe out and im- 
 pressively spat at a blackbeetle that was fussily 
 moving on a ball of earth with its hindlegs. 
 
 'A tiger?' 
 
 211 ^2 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 ' Yes, sirrees ! It were that — sitting down 
 on his hams like a big dog within two yards of 
 me. No, I were not skeered, for the burning 
 pain in my head and the throbbing in my shin- 
 bone didn't give room for fear of that kind — 
 and the tiger, he seemed to know what were 
 up, for after a while he stretched himself out 
 on his stummick, and yawned till I could see 
 the gleam of his teeth. Well, I went on 
 groanin' and tossin' my head, and rubbin' my 
 knee-cap, and chewin' up the quince leaves, 
 every now and then taking a look at the big 
 crittur lying stretched in the dark with his eyes 
 openingand shutting like 's if you moved theslide 
 over a bull's-eye lantern when he rolled over on 
 his back and reached out a claw for me, like a 
 kitten playing with a leaf. He hooked a claw 
 inter the trousers of my well leg, and the jerk 
 on it gave him a schreik, for he let out a growl 
 and jumped away, looking back at me over 
 his shoulder. Then he slunk away, but bymby 
 when I looked ag'in he were standing up 
 against the fence with his nose jes' peeping 
 round, and his near eye squintin' at me 
 through a hole in the leaves. That give me a 
 queer feeling— for the beggar'd come up so sly, 
 and I lit out a yell this time which stuck in my 
 throat. The pain made me feel faint inside, 
 an' I jes closed my eyes. Soon's the tiger saw 
 I wern't looking he jes' poked his nose up 
 
 212 
 
ABE AND THE TIGER TRAP 
 
 ag'in the trap, and I yeard him licking the iron 
 where the blood had run. Then I felt on my 
 sound leg the pressure of his body, and yeard 
 the snarly purr of him. Then he began licking 
 at my trousers where the trap held fast, 
 and I opened my eyes. The weight of his body 
 held my leg down, and one of his paws were 
 right into my weskit ; and, blow me, if he didn't 
 begin shovin' it inter my body, and opening and 
 shutting his claws like a pleased cat, while the 
 jar of his purring ran up through my bones, and 
 his big tongue were rasping at my trousers. A 
 sort o' stupor, don't-care-what-he-does feeling 
 come over me, and with it the burning in the 
 pain left my brain, and the hammering at my bones 
 dropped away inter jes' a sort of tired feeling. 
 Nex' minute I felt his tongue on my flesh — for 
 he'd worn a hole right through them cord 
 tweeds I were wearin'. At the taste of the blood 
 then he purred louder than ever, and shuved his 
 paw quicker and harder into my stummick, until I 
 gasped for breath. Then he drew fresh blood, 
 and his purr went inter a savage growl, while, 
 the weight of his body lightened on my leg. I 
 tell you, that growl brought back my luv for 
 life in a moment. I saw that crittur would in 
 his eagerness take a bite at my leg — then the 
 game would be up, What d'ye think I did ? ' 
 ' Began to jaw,' said Topper ; 'and he bolted 
 with his tail down.' 
 
 213 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 ' Jobbed him with a knife back of the head,' 
 suggested Long Jim. 
 
 ' No ; what I did was a cirkimstance which 
 only one man would think of, and that's ole 
 Abe Pike. I jes' took out my ole pipe, wriggled 
 a length . of straw down the stem till it were 
 black with nicotine, then laid it across his 
 tongue. My ! you should 'a seen him. He shook 
 his head, tried to wipe his tongue with his paws, 
 then give a roar, and make lightning tracks 
 for the nearest water. His growl set the dogs 
 going tremenjus, then I yeard ole man Hill 
 whistlin' 'em, and I fetched a yell that brung 
 him up at the double. By gum ! In being 
 saved I were nearly killed ! ' 
 
 ' How was that ? 
 
 'Why, them dogs took me for the tiger, 
 and they tore the coat offin me, beside some 
 skin, 'fore ole Bill see who were in the trap and 
 took me out. That's why I say I'm dead sot 
 against traps with teeth.' 
 
 214 
 
XXVIII 
 ABE AND THE EAGLES 
 
 I HAD not seen old Abe Pike for some weeks, 
 having been on rinderpest guard on the 
 Orange River, but on my return to the coast I 
 rode over to Gum Tree Farm, where the lone 
 blue gum threw its pillar of cloud, in the blazing 
 afternoon, across the doorway. Uncle Abe was 
 lounging, as usual, by the doorway, looking 
 listlessly at the sea. 
 
 ' Well, oud baas ! How goes it ? ' 
 ' Is there no more cattle to kill ? ' he said, 
 straightening his back and propping himself 
 against the wall. ' Think you'd be ashamed to 
 look a beefsteak in the face after the way you 
 been shooting them pore animiles ! ' 
 
 ' The plague must be stamped out, Abe.' 
 ' Oh, yes ! I yeard that story before ! It's a 
 good way to save a crittur's life by shooting 
 him ! What beats me is why you don't up and 
 shoot all children sick with tyfust and grown 
 people ailing with influenza! My gum! I'm 
 ashamed of you ! ' 
 
 215 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD. 
 
 ' Well, so long ! ' 
 
 ' You ain't goin' ? 
 
 ' I think so ; the work of shooting cattle is 
 not pleasant, but it is less pleasant to be re- 
 minded of it.' 
 
 ' Oh, go along ! Put your horse in the shed 
 and come right in. The place ain't been the 
 same sii;ice you've been away, sonny ; 'sides, 
 there's been no one along for weeks, and I'm 
 jes' bu'sting with talk. You wouldn't like to 
 see old Abe die of untold yarns.' 
 
 So I off-saddled and knee-haltered the horse, 
 for there was no oat-hay in the shed for him, 
 and he had to get what picking he could from 
 the old lands, yellow with charlock. 
 
 Abe made up the fire, and put on the kettle 
 to boil, while from the larder he produced a slab 
 of pork and a half-loaf — very black on the 
 outside and very soft within. 
 
 ' The last batch of baking,' he said, ' was not 
 up to the mark. The yeast gave out, and I 
 were obliged to get a rise out of a handful of 
 rub-rub berries. As for the pork, that came 
 from a pig that was catched.' 
 
 ' What sort of pig .'' ' 
 
 ' Well, sonny, it was this way, You know 
 the eagles' nest on the old yellow-wood in the 
 big kloof ? I got the pig out of there.' 
 
 ' Oh, you did, did you ! As far as I re- 
 member, the tree is a hundred feet high, and the 
 
 216 
 
ABE AND THE EAGLES 
 
 nest quite sixty feet up. The pig climbed up, I 
 presume ? ' 
 
 ' You presoom morn's good for you, sonny. 
 Don't suppose 'cos you bin to the Orange River 
 you know everything. The pig didn't climb 
 up ; he jes' dropped in on passin' ; paid a sort 
 of flying visit. That nest's as big as a cart 
 wheel, and if you stand below and look up the 
 trunk it shuts out the sky, while down below 
 there's bones enough, and of sorts, to build up 
 the skelingtons of a entire museum. That pair 
 of eagles used that nest going on for fifteen 
 years, and each year when the young hatch out 
 they kill off more dassies and cats and blue 
 boks than you could eat in a year.' 
 
 ' You are welcome to the cats, Abe.' 
 
 ' Yes, sir. Them eagles have buried, I 
 reckon, as many as two thousand animiles in 
 that leaf- mould cemingtary below the big tree. 
 Well ! Grub being sk«rce, I had a fancy to 
 bury them young squabs of eagles, by way of 
 satisfying my own yearning for food, and giving 
 the ole hook-beaked pirates a hint that they 
 hadn't the sole right over the earth and air. 
 Sonny, that's a big tree, and it took me a fort- 
 night to climb up.' 
 
 ' That was quick ! ' 
 
 ' I've seen quicker climbin', but taking the 
 size of the tree and the height. of it — maybe, 
 five hundred feet ! ' 
 
 217 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 ' I thought the height to the nest was about 
 sixty feet ? ' 
 
 ' Have you clomb that tree ? ' 
 
 ' No, Abe.' 
 
 ' Well, I have ; and if it's not a mile high, 
 it's high enuf when you're up aloft, with nothing 
 to keep you from adding your bones to the pile 
 below but an iron spike no bigger'n a nail. I 
 camped out one day at the bottom of the tree, 
 and it was mighty lonesome, when the wind 
 came whisperin' round the trees, and dark 
 shadows peeped from behin' the rocks, while up 
 above the she-eagle would hiss at her mate. 
 For about two days they took no heed of me, 
 but the fifth day, when I was sprawling half 
 way up, with a looped rkeim round the tree, the 
 ole she-bird took a squint at me over the nest, 
 and flopped down to the lowest bough, where 
 she watched me under her brows drive in a 
 three-inch nail. Two inches I druv it in, and 
 when I lowered myself for another, she jes' 
 dropped down, clawing to the tree with her long 
 hooked toes, and yanked that nail out.' 
 
 ' Abe Pike ! ' 
 
 ' Yes, sir ; she jes' grabbed hole of it, give it 
 a wrench, and out it come. Then she fetched 
 a yell loud enough almost to split the tree, and 
 went off. Nex' mornin', believe me, there was 
 that nail, and five others, outside the door! 
 Them eagles had fetched them up to give 
 
 218 
 
ABE AND THE EAGLES 
 
 notice it was no good. They're mighty strong 
 in the beak, is eagles,' said Abe, pouring put 
 the coffee. 
 
 ' But truth is stronger, eh ? ' 
 
 ' That's so, sonny ; you take hole o' that, 
 and it'll do you a heap of good. That day I 
 druv in them nails deeper, and they held good, 
 by reason that the ole she-bird had got lockjaw, 
 and sot up there nursin' her beak, with her red 
 eyes glowing like coals. About the fifth day I 
 were near up, when the ole man dropped a 
 coney's head, and by luck it took me over the 
 head. Well, you'd hardly believe me when I 
 tell you, that no sooner the ole girl seen this 
 than she gave a hiss, and began scraping out of 
 the nest all the rubbish, bones, and skin, and 
 feathers, and sich. Whew ! I tell you I had to 
 scuttle and leave off. Well, next day she were 
 looking out for me, and soon's I got up dropped 
 a full-grown blue-bok — ker-blung — and if I had 
 not been prepared, would ha' sent me tumbling. 
 I climbed down, an' roasted that there bit of 
 venison while the two of them watched. Of 
 course, after that meal I went home, and next 
 mornin', when I opened the door, blow me ! if 
 there weren't a rock rabbit, fat as butter, jes' 
 outside. I ate him and stopped at home. 
 Next mornin' there was a brace of partridges, 
 so I ate 'em, and stayed quiet. Next morning 
 a big hare, an' I ate him and stayed at .home. 
 
 219 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 So on till the eleventh mornin', when there was 
 only a black cat, with the musk of him smellin' 
 most awful. Of course, I wasn't eating any 
 such vermin, but I thought the eagles meant 
 well, and I wasn't blaming them. I buried 
 that crittur two feet deep, and went hungry to 
 bed. Next mornin' I was outer the door before 
 I was awake, expecting to fin' a plump lamb, or 
 maybe a kid or a turkey, but there was nothing, 
 sir, but the smell of that stink cat hanging 
 around most dreadful. Sonny, the feelings of 
 them two eagles had been hurt. They took it 
 as a slight that I hadn't eaten that skunk, so I 
 sot off to the kloof to explain matters. When 
 I got there the ole he was sailing above the 
 tree, with his .claws tucked up, and his head on 
 one side. When he seed me he jes' fetched a 
 screech like a railway engine divin' into a tunnel, 
 and then he settled on the tree, where, bymby, 
 he were joined by the ole she. They jest sot 
 there and looked, making no sign to drop any- 
 thing, so I begun to climb ; but they took no 
 notice, and bymby I come to the end of the 
 nails, and the nearest bough was six feet away. 
 I had to give it up that day, leaving them two 
 birds all ruffled up and mighty cold and stand- 
 offish. It was hard next mornin' to find nothing 
 outside the door, and I seed there was nothing 
 left but to finish the job, and catch them young 
 squabs. I went off to the kloof, bitter against 
 
 220 
 
ABE AND THE EAGLES 
 
 the ingratitood of them stingy birds, which were 
 ready to let a human bein' starve when they 
 had a larder jes' stuffed with hares and things 
 — and my hares, too ! Them birds was waiting 
 for me — throwing their beaks back and scream- 
 ing like mad, while the squabs in the nest 
 squealed till my head split. They had sense 
 enuf to see I were angry, and they sot up that 
 racket to starve me off ; but a hungry man don't 
 stop to listen to speeches when his dinner is 
 callin' out loud for him, so I went up with my 
 mouth full of nails. Very soon I were over the 
 bough, and the screeching and squealing were 
 terrible to listen to.' 
 
 ' Didn't the eagles attack you ? ' 
 
 ' No, sonny ! They were jest helpless with 
 laughing ! ' 
 
 ' Laughing ? ' 
 
 ' When I threw my leg over the bough, I 
 got the hammer ready to strike, but I seed them 
 shakin' all over, till some of the wing feathers 
 dropped out, and tears were running down their 
 beaks and droppin' off the sharp point of the 
 hook. It was not fear — you never seed a eagle 
 afraid — he couldn't be if he tried — an' I seed at 
 once they were laughin' fit to die. I sot there 
 in a tremble at the unnatural circumstance, and 
 then began to climb till I could look into the 
 nest. Sonny, d'you know what they were 
 laughing at.' 
 
 221 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 ' The pig in the nest.' 
 
 ' Who told you ? ' 
 
 ' Oh, I just guessed.' 
 
 ' Well, I'm blessed ! Ghoisters ! You 
 never seed a pig in a nest up a tree seven 
 hundred feet high ? ' 
 
 ' Not that I remember, Abe.' 
 
 'Gum ! Yes, sir ; there were a pig in that 
 nest. Them birds, sonny, had kept me off till 
 their squabs could fly, and then they played 
 that joke on me. I chucked the pig out, and 
 when I got down he were as dead as bacon. 
 Come to think of it, sonny, it were a kind 
 thought of them eagles to put it up there, and 
 it makes me smile every time to think of the 
 way them birds laughed till they shook their 
 feathers out.' 
 
 The old man fixed his abstracted gaze on a 
 cloud of tobacco smoke. 
 
 ' I hope to train 'em next year,' he said, ' to 
 keep me in venison and lard. Going ? Well, 
 so long ! ' 
 
 ' So long, Abe ! ' 
 
 222 
 
XXIX 
 
 ABE'S BILLY GOAT 
 
 Our Poison Club was in a flourishing condition. 
 During the past year the members had "killed off 
 1,500 red cats, wild dogs, jackals, seven leopards, 
 and 500 baboons. This represented a good 
 round sum — each tail being equivalent to a five- 
 shilling demand on the exchequer of the country 
 — and the chairman had called a meeting to 
 distribute the awards. 
 
 ' I have pleasure in announcing, gentlemen,' 
 he said, 'that Mr. Si Amos is the champion. 
 poisoner — having placed to his credit 360 cat 
 tails, seventy-five jackal tails, fifty-four baboon 
 tails, and one leopard tail. In addition to the 
 dues which are rightly his, he is entitled to the 
 silver medal presented by the club,' 
 
 ' Well done, Si ! Step up ! ' 
 
 Silas pulled his lank figure together, hitched 
 up his trousers, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, 
 and lumbered up the narrow passage. 
 
 ' Give him pizen ! ' said someone in a loud 
 voice, whereat there were cries of ' Shame ! ' 
 
 223 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 Silas paused, balanced himself uncertainly 
 on one leg, and searched the audience. 
 
 ' It's that Abe,' he said. ' What he says 
 don't amount to nothin'.' 
 
 ' Mr. Pike,' expostulated the chairman ; ' I'm 
 astonished at you.' 
 
 ' Look here, Jim Hockey,' said Abe, rising 
 up from a back seat, and pointing his pipe- 
 stem at the chairman ; ' I don't keer if you give 
 that thing there a whole string o' silver buttons 
 — and Lord knows he wants 'em, to keep him- 
 self from falling to pieces — but I tell you, you're 
 opsettin' the laws of nature goin' about killing 
 the animiles off the face of the yearth. It's not 
 the mean, sneaking way you've got inter of 
 dropping pizen pills all over the place that riles 
 me so much as the killin' of 'em off by the 
 thousan' without takin' any thought of what's 
 coming. Take baboons ' 
 
 ' Are we here, Mr. Chairman, to listen to a 
 speech from Mr. Pike, or are we not ? ' asked 
 one member, who was credited with having 
 opened a market in jackals' tails. 
 
 ' Take baboons,' said Abe, pointing his pipe- 
 stem insultingly at his interrupter. ' I allow 
 they're mean, I allow they eat your mealies, 
 steal your fruit, kill a sheep or two, and frighten 
 your wives ; but if it warn't for the baboons 
 there'd be a scorpion under every stone and a 
 centipede in every ole stump. The baboons 
 
 224 
 
ABE'S BILLY GOAT 
 
 eat them vermin. Take cats — if it warn't for 
 cats the lands would be swarmin' with mice. If 
 it warn't for the jackals there'd be a hare in 
 every grass clump,' 
 
 ' If it warn't for Abe Pike,' said Silas, with 
 a look of disgust, ' there'd be a durn sight less 
 jaw.' 
 
 ' Hear, hear ! ' 
 
 * Year away,' said Abe, 'and listen to this. 
 When you're done killin' all these critturs, the 
 scorpions, an' the centipedes, an' the rats, an' 
 the snakes, an' the spiders '11 swarm all over you. 
 What yer got ter do is to set Nature ag'in 
 Nature. The wild buck can look after hisself ; 
 teach the tame goat and the sheep to do the 
 same.' 
 
 'The laws of Nature, Abe, have covered 
 your lands with weeds.' 
 
 ' Yes ; and reduced his mangy live stock to 
 one goat,' added Si. 
 
 ' Laugh ! yer yeller-eyed, big-footed, long- 
 legged, two-headed, freckled-faced duffers — 
 laugh ! — but I bet you that ole goat '11 knock 
 the stuffin' out of your club, and purtect hisself 
 ag'in any wild crittur, from a stink cat to a 
 tiger.' 
 
 'You're jawing,' said Si; 'otherwise I'd 
 hold you to your bounce.' 
 
 Abe took from his pocket a skin purse, 
 225 Q 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 tightly bound with a long thong, unwound this, 
 emptied out into his yellow hand, which shook 
 with excitement, two bright sovereigns. 
 
 ' That ain't any wild cat tail money,' he 
 said ; ' it's the saving of sixty yeai"s' hard work 
 — and I stake that.' 
 
 ' What's the wager .■• ' asked the chairman. 
 
 ' That my ole goat proves to this yer club 
 that Nature provides a way outside of pizen- 
 ing by holding his own ag'inst anything on two 
 feet or four feet, 'cept a elephant or a steam 
 roller.' 
 
 ' The club takes the bet,' said the chairman, 
 in a solemn voice and a winking eye. 
 
 ' Well ; jes' take keer o' that money until 
 your nex' meeting, when I'll turn up with the 
 ole Kapater. So long ! ' 
 
 ' You'll lose that money, Abe,' I said follow- 
 ing him as he slouched away. 
 
 'It's a heap of money,' he said ; 'a glitter- 
 ing pile that I been saving up for my ole 
 age.' 
 
 ' Call the bet off, Abe.' 
 
 ' You think the ole man's a blasteratious ijiot, 
 sonny ? Well, well ! maybe. Let him stand at 
 that till nex' meeting.' 
 
 In three months the meeting was called, and 
 due notice served on Mr. Abe Pike and his 
 goat. It was a full house that met in the drowsy 
 
 226 
 
ABE'S BILLY GOAT 
 
 afternoon in the big shed on Mr. Hockey's farm, 
 and the discussion turned at once on the disposal 
 of Abe's money-^the general opinion being that 
 it should be given back. 
 
 ' I object,' said Si Amos, who had brought 
 with him a huge and hideous half-breed 
 between a boarhound and a mongrel. ' That 
 ole man's been throwing slurs on this club, 
 and it's my opinion he ought to pay for it. 
 Anyhow, I'll "psa" my dog on to his goat.' 
 
 Last of all, Abe Pike himself entered the 
 shed, wearing an expression of profound 
 despondency. 
 
 ' Anyone got a pipe of tobacco ? ' he said, 
 looking around gloomily. 
 
 There was no tobacco hospitably forth- 
 coming, everyone being too disgusted at the 
 thought that all the fun was off. 
 
 Abe leant wearily against the wall. ' Time 
 was,' he said, ' when a man would hand you 
 his tobacco bag, as he said " Good morning." 
 There's a natural meanness in pizening animiles, 
 and it's jes' oozing out of yer.' 
 
 ' Where's your goat, you old humbug ? ' 
 
 'Gentlemen, I'm very sorry, but that goat's 
 woke up with a most awful temper, and I jes' 
 drop in t' ask you voetsack all the dogs outer 
 the place 'fore I bring him in.' 
 
 ' Yah ! ' said Si Amos ; ' I knew he'd back 
 227 
 
 Q2 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 down. It was part of the bet that dogs was to 
 be brought.' 
 
 'That's so,' said Mr. Hockey. 
 ' You won't turn out your dogs ? ' 
 ' No sir ! But this yer dog '11 eat your goat, 
 and I give you fair warning ! ' said Si, stirring 
 the big mongrel with his toe. 
 
 Abe looked round, gave me a wink, and 
 went out. 
 
 When he reappeared he was leading one of 
 the biggest goats — a great blue ' Kapater,' 
 with a long beard, massive horns, and a boss 
 of leather and brass over his forehead. 
 
 'Well I'm jiggered!' said one member, 
 getting behind the table. 
 
 Someone — I don't know who the rash 
 individual was — said ' psa,' and the big mon- 
 grel stood up, showing his teeth and growling 
 in his throat. 
 
 Abe smiled sadly, let go his hold of the 
 goat, pinched his ear, and then the great rout 
 of the Poison Club began. The goat walked 
 briskly up to the dog, reared up, brought his 
 head down, and sent the mongrel smash under 
 the table, where he remained whimpering; 
 then in a brace, at a whistle from his master, 
 the unnatural billy cleared the shed with the 
 effectiveness of a battering ram. At the 
 outset the strong man of the country tried to 
 seize him by the horns, but he evaded the 
 
 228 
 
ABE'S BILLY GOAT ^ 
 
 grasp and shot his massive enemy over a form; 
 and when the others fled, he butted them from 
 behind so that each man flew out headlong, 
 helping to swell the struggling pile at the 
 doorway. After this feat he amused himself 
 by reducing the table and chairs to splinters, 
 then he came to the door and stood scratching 
 his ear with his left hind foot, while chewing 
 the remains of the minute book. 
 
 ' Fetch me a gun,' yelled Si Amos, with his 
 hand pressed to his waistcoat. 
 
 ' What will you take for that thunder- 
 storm, Abe ? " asked Mr. Hockey, tenderly feel- 
 ing his elbow. 
 
 ' You don't want to buy him so 's you can 
 shoot him ? ' 
 
 ' No ; I want him as a watch dog.' 
 
 ' Well, seeing' s how it's you, you can have 
 him for a pair of blankets and a bag of 
 meal.' 
 
 'It's a swap, Abe. What do you call 
 him?' 
 
 ' I calls him " Peaceful William." I s'pose 
 the club admits it's lost the bet ; 'cos, if not, 
 William will purceed to further business.' 
 
 ' The bet's yours, Abe. Take the money, 
 for Heaven's sake ! ' 
 
 'All right, then; I'll kraal the goat for 
 you.' 
 
 229 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 The goat was penned up, and Abe loaded 
 his meal on to his horse and went off. 
 
 The club watched the old man out of sight, 
 each member absently rubbing himself, and all 
 of them remarkably. silent. 
 
 ' Oh !-l ' said someone, in a tone of unmis- 
 takable dismay. 
 
 We all, as one man, faced round to the 
 kraal, and then we simultaneously skurried up 
 to the barn roof. From this position of safety 
 we saw Peaceful William, in a shower of dust, 
 carefully demolish the walls of the pen and the 
 poles that supported the thatched roof, and we 
 fearfully gazed down upon him as he walked 
 steadily round and round the barn, stopping at 
 intervals to rear against the wall, to eye us 
 threateningly. I don't know when he left, but 
 he was not there next morning, when, at the 
 break of day, Abe's voice greeted us. 
 
 ' I thought I'd tell you Peaceful Billy is at 
 my place ; and he's there when you care to 
 fetch him. Fine sunrise, ain't it ? Nice place 
 to see it from. Nature's better than pizen if 
 you take her early.' 
 
 There was a strange gurgling sound of 
 suppressed laughter. 
 
 ' I say ! ' It was Abe again. 
 
 ' Well ? ' 
 
 ' Goat fat 's mighty good for bruises ! So 
 long ! ' 
 
 230 
 
ABE'S BILLY GOAT 
 
 ' Darn you and your goat ! ' growled the 
 chairman. ' Boys, I vote we descend to 
 business.' 
 
 We descended, and while we ate our break- 
 fast the women of the house giggled till they 
 almost choked. 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 XXX 
 
 A KAFFIR'S PLAY 
 
 The red Kaffir is a man with a good deal of 
 character, which he does his best to destroy. 
 The pure kraal Kaffir, who lounges negligently 
 in his red blanket or squats on his loins by the 
 fire at night, telling interminable stories about 
 nothing in particular, has many points which 
 mark him from the 'town boy' — the spoiled 
 child of civilisation, who treads tenderly in his 
 hard ' Blucher ' boots, and covers his corduroy 
 trousers with bright patches of other material ; 
 who has to support his weary frame against 
 every pillar and post and corner he comes 
 across, and who is generally shiftless, saucy, and 
 squalid. 
 
 The kraal Kaffir is lean, long, and tough, 
 dignified in his movements, courteous to his 
 friends, given over to long spells of silence 
 broken by fits of noisy eloquence, his sullen, 
 solemn face seldom lit up by a smile, and his 
 black smoke-stained eyes smouldering always 
 
 232 
 
A KAFFIR'S PLAY 
 
 with an unquenchable fire, that flames out when 
 he meets a Fingo on the highway, or when the 
 fire-water runs through his veins at the beer- 
 ^ drinking. 
 
 The red Kaffir is a warrior. He is also a 
 lawyer. I am not certain whether he most 
 prefers to settle a dispute by argument or by 
 the kerrie, but I think his idea of greatest 
 happiness would be a long disputation extend- 
 ing over a week, to be rounded off with the 
 clashing of kerries. Some people, who have 
 seen the wide smile on the face of a West Coast 
 negro, accept that all-pervading grin as the 
 main feature of the entire black race, and argue 
 from it that all blacks are good-tempered 
 children, prone to every impulse. That is not 
 true of the KafiSr. He is of the Bantu stock, 
 which includes the Zulu and the Basuto, whose 
 chief sentiment is stern pride of race, whose 
 ruling expression is one of sullen reserve, and 
 whose national impulse is to fight. They were 
 cradled somewhere in the valley of the Nile, the 
 hot nursery of fierce races ; their remote ancestors 
 swept South, destroying as they went, and the 
 southernest fringe are Amaxosa of the Cape 
 frontier, the men who have waged five separate 
 wars with the red coats of England and the 
 sure-shooting border settlers. Pringle has, in 
 these lines, given a vivid picture of the Kaffir : 
 
 233 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 ' Lo ! where the fierce Kaffir 
 Crouches by the kloof's dark side, 
 Watching the settlers' flocks afar — 
 Impatient waiting till the evening star 
 Guides him to his prey.' 
 
 Under the fierce ordeal of war the Kaffir 
 thrived. His limbs were free and straight, his 
 step springy, his eyes far-seeing, his nostrils 
 could sniff the taint in the air, his deep melodious 
 voice could boom the war-cry Dr the message 
 across the wide valleys. As a man of peace he 
 looks squalid in his broken clothes ; he moves 
 stiffly in his boots ; he sings hymns in a queer, 
 high note, with great melancholy but little 
 meaning ; goes reeling home from dirty canteens, 
 and is a hopelessly casual labourer. He is the 
 victim of civilisation, of strange laws, and in the 
 confusion of many counsellors his only hope is 
 the goal which has been offered to the already 
 civilised labourer of a more favoured race — three 
 acres and several cows, with a title of his own. 
 There lies his salvation. If he could get his 
 title to a plot of land sufficient for his wants, he 
 may retain some of those characteristics which 
 made conquerors of his warrior ancestors, if not 
 he will go under in the struggle in a pair of un- 
 comfortable boots, with a bottle of brandy in 
 his hands, and strange oaths of civilised man on 
 his lips. 
 
 ' Yes,' said Abe ; ' the Kaffir can use two 
 234 
 
A KAFFIR'S PLAY 
 
 things better'n a white man, easy — his tongue 
 and his stick, I seed a Kaffir onct get the 
 better of a fencing master. 
 
 ' I were sitting in the schoolyard, away up 
 in town, where a sergeant from the barracks 
 were showing the big boys how to use a single- 
 stick. There were a Kaffir, leaning his chin on 
 the top of the gate, looking on, with no more 
 life in his face than a chip of mahogany. 
 
 ' Bymby the sergeant he spotted the Kaffir, 
 and he sed, sed he, " Now, you boys ; I'll jes' 
 show you what single-stick play is," and he 
 called to the Kaffir to come in. 
 
 ' Well, the black feller, he came in — very 
 slow, pulling his blanket up to his chin, and 
 looking like a young horse all ready to bolt in a 
 minnit. The end of his long kerrie peeped 
 out below his blanket, and the sergeant touched 
 it with his ash stick, then stood on guard. 
 
 ' " You keep your eye on my wrist-play, boys," 
 sed the sergeant, swellin' out his chest till the 
 brass buttons nearly popped off " You keep 
 your eye on me," he sed, " and you'll see how I 
 get over his guard every time." 
 
 ' The Kaffir he jes' stood there, looking 
 solum, and the sergeant poked him in the 
 stomjack. 
 
 ' " Yinnie ! " sed the Kaffir, backing off an' 
 snappin' fire from his eyes. You see he didn't 
 know what the sergeant were about, and though 
 
 235 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 he wern't fool enough to strike a rooibaaitje in 
 the town, his dander got up at that poke. 
 
 ' " Do you want to fight this chap ? ' sed L 
 
 '"I want to show these boys what real 
 wrist-play is," sed the sergeant, making an 
 under-cut with his stick ; " and this Kafifir will 
 do well as a block. Tell him to put up his 
 kerrie." 
 
 ' I jes' tole the Kafifir, and had a quiet larf. 
 To think of anyone bein' sich a simple ijiot as to 
 play at sticks with a Kafifir. I tole the " boy," 
 and he said, " Yoh ! " in surprise. Then a sort 
 of smile flickered about his mouth, and his 
 black eyes began to shine. He let slip the 
 blanket ofifen his shoulders, and caught it on 
 his left arm. Then he took his kerrie by the 
 end, and held it out the full length of his arm, 
 with his head forrard and his toes apart, and 
 back so that he leant forward. You know 
 the fighting kerrie, about five feet long, and 
 tough as steel. 
 
 ' The sergeant — he smiled — threw forrard 
 his right foot, balanced hisself on his left, 
 crooked his elbow, and pointed his stick slant- 
 ing. 
 
 ' " You see, boys," he sed ; " you must stand 
 naturally, with your body nicely balanced, ready 
 to advance or retreat. Look at me, and look 
 at the Kafifir," he said. " He stands on his toes, 
 
 236 
 
A KAFFIR'S PLAY 
 
 and if he lost his balance he would fall on his 
 face. Watch me get over his guard." 
 
 ' " Ready ! " he sed, and they begun. 
 
 ' Well the boys watched, I tell you. 
 There were a grunting, a clatter and a whirl- 
 wind of sticks — outer which whizzed chips of 
 ash and bits of the basket-hilt. They didn't 
 see nuffing of the sergeant's wrist-play, I tell 
 you. No, sir, all they seed was that whirling of 
 sticks like the spokes of a wheel, and bymby 
 outer the dust come the sergeant. 
 
 ' He didn't look the same man. His face 
 were red an' angry, his basket-hilt was all 
 smashed in, his knuckles were raw, and there 
 were no more'n but a foot left of his stick. 
 
 ' The Kaffir stood there, solum as a judge, 
 with jes' a touch of fire in his eyes. There 
 were not so much as a mark on his smooth skin, 
 as he slipped the blanket over his shoulder, 
 and waited for more. 
 
 ' The sergeant fished up sixpence, and gave 
 it to the boy, without a word. 
 
 ' " You'd better go," I sed. 
 
 ' " Yoh," sed the Kaffir, looking at the 
 sixpence ; " is he done .'' Let him take another 
 stick ; we were but playing, and no one's head 
 is broken.' 
 
 ' " You go," I said ; and he went, looking 
 mighty troubled. 
 
 ' I tell you what, sonny ; the Queen should 
 
 237 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 take a thousand of these yer red Kafifirs, and 
 make soldiers of 'em for service in a hot country. 
 Not here, of course, but away off in Injia, It's 
 a pity to waste 'em, and they'd do more good 
 scouting than drinkin' Cape brandy, lifting 
 cattle, and loafin' around, A black battalion of 
 Kaffirs and Zulus would be no small pumpkins, 
 an' they could be officered by Colonials who 
 know the language.' 
 
 238 
 
XXXI 
 A BUGLE CALL 
 
 ' HuLLOA, Bassie ! I thought this fine morning 
 would bring you over. The sap's running 
 strong, and the quail are gathering thick in the 
 young wheat. Hear to them whistling. 
 Where's your gun ? ' 
 
 ' I did not come to shoot.' 
 
 ' Soh ! Well, you don't look like shooting. 
 Been eating too much green fruit ? ' 
 
 ' I've passed the green fruit stage, Abe.' 
 
 ' I ain't ; there's nothing better'n a pie of 
 green apricots with cream, and green mealies 
 is better'n kissing. You're not in love, are 
 you?' 
 
 ' I have been writing poetry,' I said, with 
 an air of unconcern ; ' and I want to take your 
 opinion of it.' 
 
 ' Fire away,' said Abe, fetching up a judicial 
 expression ; ' it's many a year since I learnt 
 poetry, my boy — many a year. The ok mum 
 
 239 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 onct, in the moonlight, when I were knee high, 
 read to me outer a torn sheet she had, and 
 these words I remember : 
 
 ' " He prayeth best who loveth best 
 All things, both great and small ; 
 For the dear God that loveth us, 
 He made and loveth all." 
 
 ' Long years agone the old mother read that 
 outer a torn slip of paper, and I know it yet, 
 sonny. I'd like to year some more.' 
 
 ' I don't think I'll read it you, on second 
 thoughts,' I said, with sudden doubt. 
 
 'You bet you will, sonny. A man that's 
 got the gift of making poetry has no occasion 
 to stand back in the corner.' 
 
 'Well it's only a little thing I dashed off 
 the other night. Here it is : 
 
 ' " Oh, frog, that sits on the garden seat 
 
 (Croak, croak ! where the trees hang low), 
 
 Have you ever swum in the ocean deep. 
 In the waves where the wild winds blow, 
 Where the red crabs crawl on the rocks below, 
 
 On the rocks where the dead men sleep ? " ' 
 
 ' It's kind o' buttery,' said Abe slowly, 
 ' but I don't see no sense in it. What's a frog 
 on a garden seat got anything to do with dead 
 men? And crabs ain't red.' 
 
 ' Oh, that's a poet's licence.' 
 
 ' It are, eh ? Well, I won't go to your 
 shop for spirrits. Is there any more ? ' 
 
 240 
 
A BUGLE CALL 
 
 ' This is the second verse, I said, rather 
 discouraged : 
 
 " ' Oh, speckled toad, did you ever dream 
 (Croak, croak ! there's a snake on the wall), 
 Did you ever dream of my lady dear, 
 Who sometimes walks in the garden here 
 (While the milk in the pan is making cream), 
 And sings when there's no one near ? " ' 
 
 ' How does it sound ? ' 
 
 ' It sounds like treacle,' said Abe, with a 
 puzzled look ; ' but I don't see what the podder's 
 got to do with it, anyhow; and the young 
 woman's got no business to be wasting her 
 time waiting for the milk to set. Why don't 
 she use the cream separator ? ' 
 
 ' I couldn't write about a machine. 
 
 'Why not — hum — er — hum — why not say 
 this : 
 
 ' After she turned the cream separator. 
 She sat and ate a cold pertater ' ? 
 
 ' There is no sentiment in that ! ' I said 
 indignantly; 'and the words have no rhythm.' 
 
 ' What's rhythm ? ' 
 
 ' Why, tone, modulation, music ; you 
 know ! ' 
 
 ' Sonny ! is there any music in the croak of 
 a frog — is there ? In course not ! Now listen — 
 what do you hear ? ' 
 
 I listened, and heard nothing but the drowsy 
 hum and hollow drone of the surf. 
 
 241 R 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 ' I can hear nothing.' 
 
 ' Soh ! Well, now jes' cock yer ear, and 
 hearken to the voice of the sea — rising and 
 falling, soft and melancholy. Dying away to a 
 whisper, then swellin' up as the big wave rolls 
 in, swinging to and fro in a great song of quiet 
 and peace. That's music, sonny ; and when the 
 wind rises, and in the dark of the night, the 
 spring-tide, coming in with the power of the sea 
 behind, thunders on the beach, there's music 
 there — wild and grand — and when the clouds 
 pile up outer the sea higher and higher, and the 
 yearth waitin' in silence, when there is no breath 
 of air, shakes to the rollin' crash of the thunder 
 — there's music then. Where's your potery be- 
 side them sounds and the lightning flash and 
 the rush of the wind, and the splashing of water 
 risin' suddenly ? ' 
 
 I thrust my paper back into my pocket. 
 
 ' There's music, sonny, in the veld and 
 bush, and in the night cries of the wild animiles 
 and birds ; but I yeard onct a sound I shall 
 never forget, and I guess there was in it a 
 whole book of potery. But you ain't finished 
 about your podder.' 
 
 ' Never mind the frog, the snake has swal- 
 lowed him by, this. Tell me the story.' 
 
 ' Well it were in the Boma Pass, time of the 
 Kaffir War, and the ole 94th were halted in the 
 jaws of the pass, waitin 'for the cool of the after- 
 
 242 
 
A BUGLE CALL 
 
 noon before they marched. I recomember it 
 well — the dark woods in the narrow pass rising 
 up till they 'most shut out the sky ; the red coats 
 down by the water; the smoke rising in tall 
 columns from the cooking fires ; the horses 
 standing in a bunch switching the flies offen 'em ; 
 the oxen knee-deep in the water ; and a silence 
 born of the hot sun over all. It were as quiet 
 as Sunday down in the mouth of the pass, with 
 the sun running up and down the bayonets like 
 fire, and no red to stain them, for there was no 
 news of Kaffirs within a day's march. 
 
 ' I yeard a honey-bird call outer the black 
 of the wood, and I jes' moved off with nothin' 
 mor'n a pipe and a clasp-knife. 
 
 ' " Where you going, Abe ? " said a little bugler 
 chap, lookin' up from the shade of a bush. 
 
 ' " Bee huntin', sonny." 
 
 ' " I'll come along o' you," he sed ; " as there 
 ain't no bloomin' Kafs to hunt, bees'll do." 
 
 ' He were a little chap, with his lips all 
 cracked by the sun, and a little nose that you 
 couldn't see for the freckles, and brown eyes like 
 you see in a bird or a buck— clear and bright. 
 Always he were on the move, like a willey-wag- 
 tail, and him and me were chums. Ah yes ; 
 many a story I tole him by the camp fire, him a 
 sitting with his chin in his hands staring at me 
 with his big round eyes, and they called him 
 " Abe's kid," 'cos I downed a fellow for boosting 
 
 243 R2 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 him with a leather belt. I tole you how a little 
 dream lad had come to me one night outer the 
 sea ; that were he, my son — that were my little 
 boy.' 
 
 'Did he die ? ' I said, looking at the old 
 man. 
 
 ' He went away, sonny, but he said he'd 
 wait for me, and he'll keep his word.' There 
 was a wistful look in the old man's face as he 
 looked towards the sea for some time in silence. 
 ' Yes ; we slipped inter the wood, the honey- 
 bird calling — the only sound outer the great 
 stillness of the woods, 'cept for the crushing 
 of the dried leaves under our tread, and the 
 bird, flitting like a shadder from tree to tree, led 
 us on deeper and deeper into the heart of the 
 Boma Pass, till I pulled up to take bearings. 
 
 ' " We must get away back, little chap," I 
 said. 
 
 ' " Then it's not true what you tole me 
 about the honey-bird ? " and he looked at me 
 askance. 
 
 ' " Why not ? " said L 
 
 ' " 'Cos there he is a calling like mad, same 
 as ever. I don't believe he's a honey-bird, and 
 I don't believe any of them stories you've 
 been tellin' me. You're no pal of mine," 
 he^ said, looking at me with a wrinkle 'tween 
 his eyes. 
 
 ' " I'm thinkin we're gettin too far from the 
 244 
 
A BUGLE CALL 
 
 lines," I sed, " and you ain't used to the bush if 
 Kaffirs were to come.' 
 
 ' " You're afraid," he sed ; " that's what." 
 
 ' " Come on," I sed, like a fool ; and I went 
 on, stooping through the bush, going mighty 
 quick, and him panting after me. " I can smell 
 honey," I sed, stopping short, and noticin' that 
 the bird had done his flight. 
 
 ' " Garn ! " he sed, wrinkling up his little 
 nose. There was a holler tree standin' up in a 
 little clearin' no bigger'n a room, and the hum 
 of the bees came to us as we stood. 
 
 ' " I see 'em," he says ; " look at 'em 
 streaming in ! What a lark ! Cut a hole with 
 your knife," he says, " 'an I'll carry some honey 
 back in this bugle," and he laughed. 
 
 • " Well," says I, " who's been tellin' lies ? " 
 
 ' He laughed again. 
 
 ' " I takes it back, Abe," he says. " Oh my 
 eye I Jes look ! " 
 
 ' I seed then we'd clomb high up on the left 
 side of the pass, and from the clearin' there 
 was a sight of the hanging woods over against 
 us, of the narrow path below, and the soldiers 
 away down to the left. 
 
 ' " Now you've seed the bee-tree," I says, 
 " we mus' go back." 
 
 ' " Jes' a little honey, Abe," he says ; "jes' 
 a little to take back, else that Jimmy '11 never 
 b'lieye I been up here." 
 
 245 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 ' I were looking across at the dark wood, 
 and I said to him quietly, " Get behind the 
 tree," for I'd seed a Kaffir stretched out on a 
 grey rock that stood outer the bush. 
 
 '"What's the row?' he says, looking a 
 little scared. Maybe 'cos I looked the same. 
 
 ' " Take off that coat," I sed ; for the red 
 showed up plain. 
 
 ' " Take off the Queen's coat .■* " he sed, 
 going red and white ; " not me ! " 
 
 ' "My lad," I sed to him quiet ; " there are 
 Kaffirs in the; bush." 
 
 ' " What larx," he sed in a whisper, and his 
 eyes opening wide as he stared at me. 
 
 ' " And if you keep your coat on they'll see 
 you. 
 
 ' " Let 'em," he said, swallering his throat. 
 ' ' " Take it off," I said. 
 
 ' " Not me." 
 
 ' " Then I leave you." And with that I 
 slipped away, but turned on my tracks and 
 come back softly to peer at him. He were still 
 standing behin' the tree, looking away off at 
 the soldiers, but his coat were buttoned up 
 tight to his throat. I went up to him tip-toe 
 and touched him on the soldier, and he gave a 
 low cry and jumped aside with his fists up. 
 When he seed who it were, the tears came into 
 his eyes. 
 
 '"Abe Pike," he sed, tremblin', "that's a 
 246 
 
A BUGLE CALL 
 
 mean trick to play on a boy — a mean dirty 
 trick." 
 
 ' I allow it were mean, but I thought I'd 
 skeer him into taking off that red rag. Then 
 I give it up. " Come on," I sed, " foller me ; 
 stop when I stop, run when I run, and keep 
 quiet." 
 
 ' So we sot off tenderly through the bush, 
 and we hadn't gone mor'n fifty paces when I 
 smelt the Kaffirs. I sank down ; he did, too, 
 and I peered through the shadders. A sound 
 came to us — the sound of naked feet, of moving 
 branches — and I knew the pass were full of 
 men. 
 
 ' He touched me on the arm as the bugle 
 call to "fall in " rang along into the still pass, 
 ekering as it went from side to side. 
 
 ' I put my mouth to his ear to tell him the 
 Kaffirs were swarming, and that we could not 
 go on, but must go up the ridge and work round 
 to the troops. 
 
 ' " What are the Kaffirs doing ? " he sed. 
 
 ' " They are making an ambush." 
 
 ' " And the General doesn't know ? " 
 
 ' " No, sonny, he doesn't." 
 
 ' " And they'll march in and be stabbed," 
 he whispered, with his eyes round and staring. 
 
 ' " Oh, they'll fight their way out," I sed. 
 " Come on after me." 
 
 247 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 • " Good-bye," he said, sitting down. " You 
 go on^-I'm tired," 
 
 ' " I'll carry you, little chap," says I, and I 
 picked him up, but he was heavy for his size, 
 and the bush was thick, and more than that, he 
 kicked, 
 
 '" So I sot him down, and I yeard a Kaffir 
 calling out to his friends to know what the noise 
 was, I motioned to him to come, but he sot 
 there, with his face white, and shook his head ; 
 then he altered his mind, " Go on," he said, 
 " I'll foller— go quick ! " So I sot off up the 
 ridge through the wood, slipping from tree to 
 tree, thinking he were coming, when all of a 
 -sudden outer the wood, ringing out clear and 
 loud, a bugle sounded the alarm, I looked 
 round and the boy were not there, I ran back, 
 and saw him with the bugle to his lips, and his 
 cheeks swelling as he blew another blast, I 
 can hear it now — the call of that little chap, 
 with the muttered cries of the Kaffirs, and the 
 sound of their naked feet running, as they 
 came up, 
 
 ' " You litrie devil," I yelled ; " they'll kill 
 you. Run ! " 
 
 ' He gave me one look over his shoulder, 
 and he put his' life into that last blow. As the 
 last note went swinging away, there came an 
 answering note from the regiment — to form 
 square, 
 
 248 
 
A BUGLE CALL 
 
 ' " That'll be Jimmy," he said. And the 
 next minnit an assegai struck him on the neck, 
 and he fell into my arms.' 
 
 Abe stopped, and looked away. 
 
 ' What, then ? ' I said, touching him on the 
 shoulder. 
 
 ' I don't know, sonny, what happened, till I 
 laid him down afore the General.' 
 
 ' You carried him out ? ' 
 
 ' I s'pose so — I g'pose so — seeing as we 
 were both there ; and my clothes were in rags 
 from the thorns, and my head cut open with a 
 kerrie. Yes, I laid him afore the General. 
 
 ' " What's this ? " he says. 
 
 ' " General," I said, " this boy has saved 
 the regiment ; he could 'a run — but he didn't." 
 
 ' " Who sounded the alarm ? " he sed. 
 
 ' " It was him, and the pass is full of 
 Kaffirs." 
 
 'The General stooped down, and looked 
 into the little feller's face. 
 
 ' " Damn you, man,' he said, turning on 
 me ; " what did you take him into the wood 
 for ? " 
 
 ' The little chap opened his eyes, and they 
 were fixed, all glazed, on the General, and the 
 officers stood around, looking, and the soldiers 
 in the square. 
 
 ' The General brought his hand to his cap, 
 249 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 then he wheeled round: " Ninety- fourth — 
 present — ^arms ! " 
 
 ' The ranks came to a salute, and the officers 
 brought their heels together and their swords 
 up. 
 
 ' The little chap let his eyes scan the lines. 
 
 ' " They are saluting you, my brave boy," 
 said the General. 
 
 ' I felt him move in my arms, and I lifted 
 his hand to his head to salute. Then he sighed, 
 then he smiled, and his eyes closed. "I'll wait 
 for you, Abe," he said, and he was dead. 
 
 • " Ninety-fourth," said the General, " the 
 enemy's in the pass." 
 
 ' They came by in columns, and as they 
 passed, they looked at the little chap and 
 saluted, and they went on in silence with their 
 mouths shut. 
 
 ' They clean frightened the Kaffirs that 
 time ; and next day — they buried the little chap 
 — the band playing — and all the regiment in 
 full dress. My little chap - my little chap ! ' 
 said Abe, ina whisper — ' " I'll wait for you, Abe," 
 he sed. And when he sounds the bugle ole 
 Abe '11 go. Yes, I sit and listen for it' He 
 sat still, looking toward the sea, and I went 
 quietly away. 
 
 250 
 
XXXII 
 THE 'RED' KAFFIRS! 
 
 I FOUND Abe Pike one afternoon poring over a 
 newspaper, tracing each word with a horny 
 finger, and laboriously spelling out the long 
 words. 
 
 ' Getting hints about pumpkin-growing, 
 Abe?' 
 
 ' No, sonny ; jes' studying how to give 
 spoon-food to infants, and you've come in time.' 
 
 The old man looked vexed. He suddenly 
 rolled the paper into a ball, and threw it at a 
 lizard. . 
 
 ' It's mean ! ' he said ; ' danged mean ! ' 
 
 ' What ? ' 
 
 He held out his hand, and I mechanically 
 gave him my tobacco pouch. 
 
 ' Ever been to England ? ' he said. 
 
 ' Yes ; you know I have.' 
 
 ' Soh ! Is the people there white ? ' 
 
 ' Of course ! ' 
 
 ' Same as you and me ? ' 
 
 251 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 ' A little whiter, I stould say, Abe. What 
 are you driving at ? ' 
 
 ' Look here, sonny ! I've been in this 
 country, man an' boy, ever since I were born ; 
 and, you b'lieve me, I never get hole of a paper 
 from the Ole Land but there's some abuse of 
 us colonists. That's why I ask you is they 
 white.' 
 
 ' What have they been saying now ? ' 
 
 ' Saying ; why the same old story — that 
 we're a hard lot, always driving the Kafifirs, an' 
 killing 'em, an' stealing their lands, an' 'busin' 
 their women folk, and grindin' 'em down.' 
 
 ' Well ; what does it matter ! ' 
 
 ' It matters the hull sackful. Look at me 
 — I've never been to England, but all the same 
 it's my home. I love the ole flag, and cry 
 "Hurrah" for the Queen; an', ole as I am, 
 I'd boost anybody over the head as 'ud up 
 an' say England was not the best and the 
 biggest and the grandest country in the world. 
 Yessir ! ' 
 
 ' She's not very big, Abe.' 
 Soh ! Well, she's big enough to spread 
 her arms all round the yearth, 'and fetch any- 
 body on the other side " ker-blum " with a 
 man-o'-war's big gun. We give her all — it 
 ain't much, maybe — an' we get back a crop of 
 suspicions. That's why I ask, is the people in 
 the Ole Land white ? ' 
 
 252 
 
THE 'RED' KAFFIRS! 
 
 ' We are all of one family, Abe, and rela- 
 tions don't compliment each other.' 
 
 ' Who's crying out for compliments ? I 
 leave 'em to the chaps over in England, who 
 praise each other to their face in the halls, and 
 tell each other what fine fellows they are to 
 save the Kaffirs from them cruel, savageous 
 colonists. May the Lord look up and down 
 'em for the mischief they've done.' 
 
 ' You seem very bitter, Abe.' 
 
 ' Well, the reading in that paper has lef a 
 bitter taste. You see, sonny, I recomember 
 the wars of the " thirties " and the " forties," 
 when your father were a boy — and his uncles 
 and brothers, and sisters and wives — the whole 
 lot of us — were raw to the land — when the 
 country all round were wild — and the Kaffirs 
 hangin' on the frontier like a great dark wave 
 way out on the sea — ready to rush in and 
 sweep us offern the land. Three times they 
 rushed in — three times we had to leave our 
 homes, our flocks, our crops, and make for the 
 posts. Then we had to fight 'em back, and 
 those people away over in England each time 
 'ud fetch a howl that reached across the sea 
 about the cruelty of the colonists — with never 
 a word about the burnt houses, and the cattle 
 • swept off, and the women and children. 
 
 ' Look here, sonny,, said Abe, his face 
 growing dark; 'I'll tell you somethin' I seed 
 
 253 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 when I was a grown boy — somethin' about one 
 of these very wars the people at home have 
 blamed us for making for our own gain. 
 
 ' The Kaffirs were over yonder ; about 
 twenty miles away across the Chumie, and the 
 farmers were scattered all about, thinkin' of 
 nothin' at all but the mealie crop, and the 
 wheat nearly ripe, and the pumpkin patches — 
 for they had been through hard times, and the 
 season were good. Jes' away back of this 
 place, where the three springs of the Kleine- 
 monde rise out of the flats, there were a little 
 valley no bigger 'n ten acres, set around with 
 small hills, and the water runnin' through and 
 round it under big yellerwood and Kaffir plum 
 trees ; while in the water stood clumps of 
 palmeit and tree ferns, yeller and green, and 
 rustlin' to * the wind. Beyond the hills the 
 grass veld rolled away to the Fish River bush, 
 over here towards the Kaffirs, and the Kowie 
 bush 'way back. On the grass veld were a 
 many herd of bucks — springbok and bles-bok — 
 while in the thick bush were koodoo and 
 buffel — aye, an' elephant ! 
 
 ' It is a mooi place now, that little valley ; 
 but I tell you then it were a spot to make a 
 man look and long. But it were risky. The 
 Fish River bush were a leetle too close, in case 
 the Kaffirs raided. 
 
 ' Howsomdever, there were one man who 
 254 
 
THE 'RED' KAFFIRS! 
 
 took the risk. He were ole Mr. Tolver — a 
 farmer from Devonshire, and with him were 
 seven sons — two on 'em born here, the rest 
 away in the ole country. My gum ! you should 
 a seed 'em. .The ole man hisself were not so 
 big, though he were broad an' deep ; but four 
 of his boys were over six feet, and the other 
 three were growing fast. Ole Mr. Tolver druv 
 his stake into the little valley. " This is my 
 settlement," he sez to the Government officer 
 who came riding round, and tried to persuade 
 him to give it up, because of its aloneness. 
 " Here I am," he sez, "and here I stays, and 
 durn the Kaffirs ! " 
 
 ' " You're a stubborn man, Tolver," sez the 
 officer, " but I have warned you. If the Kaffirs 
 come they would cut you off before you could 
 reach Grahamstown. " 
 
 ' " Jes' cast your eyes over my boys," sez 
 Tolver ; and the boys laughed, and stood in a 
 jrow. 
 
 ' " There was Jake at the top, six-foot-four, 
 with a yeller beard, and eyes blue as a bit of 
 sky. Slow he were and heavy in his tread, 
 with a hand like a leg o' mutton and a heart 
 soft as a woman. He were courtin' a girl over 
 at Clumber. I seed him offen there, but all the 
 time you'd a thought he were there to play 
 with the little girl, and not her big sister. Nex' 
 to him were Oil, with a smooth face and a bull 
 
 255 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 neck, and brown eyes that were always 
 laughing. He took arter his mother. Arter 
 him come Seth — long and thin and solum, with 
 a habit of croonin' to hisself. And nex' him 
 were Harry — the devil of the family ; straight 
 as a ramrod, handsome, and hot-tempered. He 
 were a fine young chap, and the girls ran when 
 he came in sight to put their hair straight. 
 Then come one below six foot — young Willie, 
 who took after his brother Jake, and jes' 
 follered Harry like a shadder. Nex' him were 
 barefooted Jimmy — a boy that was a born 
 hunter, and knew more about animiles and 
 how to cotch em' than any man ; an' last of all 
 were the baby Tom. Tho' they called him 
 " baby," he were as big a'most as you, with the 
 hair sticking through a hole in his felt hat, and 
 bare brown legs. 
 
 ' There they stood in a row — the seven 
 sons ; and the officer threw his eye along 'em. 
 
 ' " By God ! " he sed, " they're fine chips from 
 the ole country. Well, you'll do as you like, 
 Tolver ; but take my advice — build a house 
 with stone walls out in the clearing, and don't 
 have a thatch-roof." 
 
 ' Well ; he rode off, and Tolver squatted in 
 that little valley, clearing out the bush from the 
 centre, and growing a'most anything. Many a 
 time I went over there to climb the trees for 
 plums with Tom, or go off bee huntin' with 
 
 256 
 
THE 'RED' KAFFIRS! 
 
 Jimmie, and in the quiet of the evenin' I've sot 
 outside with the others, while Seth he played 
 on his concertina bellers, making the saddest 
 music, fit to make you roll over an' cry. 
 
 ' One night I went over, so to be ready to 
 go on a long hunt nex' day with Jimmie, and 
 down the hill there came a Kaffir, with his kerrie 
 across his shoulder, and his arms resting on the 
 stick by the wrists, after their way of walking. 
 
 '"Gumela!" he sed, and stood near by, 
 waiting, drawin' his red blanket round him, and 
 his face set like a block o' wood. 
 
 ' Ole baas Tolver he jes' grunted, and the 
 Kaffir he stood there lookin'. 
 
 ' Arter a time the ole baas up and sed — 
 " Jake, fetch him a stick o' tobacco ! " 
 
 ' Jake riz up, and there seemed no end to 
 him, and he reached out a long arm with a yank 
 of black tobak. 
 
 • " Yoh ! " sed the Kaffir. 
 
 ' " OH," said the ole baas ; " step inside for a 
 strip of meat. Seth, put another stick on the 
 fire. You, Harry, draw a bucket o' water from 
 the spring." 
 
 ' As, one arter the other, these big chaps riz 
 up from the ground, and went striding off about 
 their jobs which the ole man had set them 
 a-purpose, the Kaffir looked more an' more 
 s'prised. 
 
 '" Sit and eat," sed the ole baas. 
 
 257 s 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 ' " Inkosi," sed the Kaffir ; and he squatted, 
 down to the fire, with his hands out to the 
 blaze, and his black eyes half-closed ; while the 
 meat spluttered on the coals, giving off a fine 
 smell. 
 
 ' " Willie," sed the ole man ; " fetch out the 
 guns and give 'em a clean up." 
 
 ' Willie sprang up — nearly six foot of him — 
 and the Kaffir looked roun' the fire at the other 
 two boys. 
 
 ' " Yoh," he said, " these men are like trees " ; 
 and his eyes shone in the light, and on his 
 breast there gleamed white a string of tiger 
 claws. 
 
 ' So he sot and eat, and then he said he 
 were going on to the Kasouga to see his 
 brother, who was herding cattle for a white 
 man. 
 
 ' When he went the ole man laughed in his 
 beard. " I guess," he sed, " he'll see we're too 
 much of a mouthful in case they mean trouble.' 
 
 " ' I hope we haven't frightened him,' sed 
 Harry ; "things are gettin' too quiet." 
 
 ' " The quieter the better," sed Jake ; "we 
 don't wan't any Kaffirg swooping down here. 
 I didn't like the look of that fellow ; he said 
 too little." 
 
 ' " Phooh ! " said Harry, " I'd take him with 
 one hand." 
 
 ' " I'll jes walk over to Clumber," sed Jake, 
 258 
 
THE 'RED' KAFFIRS! 
 
 stretching hisself, " and fetch the sweet pertaters 
 for sowing to-morrow." 
 
 ' Harry laughed. 
 
 '"You're getting nervous, Jake," he sed, 
 " now you're in love. There's somethin' 
 sweeter'n pertaters over yonder." 
 
 ' Jake laid Harry on his back — not so's to 
 hurt him, and swung off inter the dark, while 
 me and Jimmie and Tom reckoned that Harry 
 was the chap if there was any trouble. 
 
 ' Early next morn, me and Jim stretched 
 away across the veld, towards the Fish River, 
 carrying a tin for the honey and a hunk of black 
 bread. 
 
 'We'd gone about six miles when Jimmie 
 stubbed his toe, and sit down, with a holler, to 
 nurse it. 
 
 ' " My gum ! " he sed, " it's bad ; I guess 
 we'll go back and leave this trip for nex' week. 
 There's a honey-tree near home, and we'll go 
 there." 
 
 ' I were 'leven and he were sixteen, and 
 what he sed I'd got to do, so we turned back, 
 and he limpin'.' 
 
 ' All o' a sudden, when we got in a dip, he 
 give over limpin'. " Abe," he says, breathin' 
 hard, " there were a Kaffir watching us. Now 
 you go along home — quick ! Don't say nothin' 
 to father. Maybe the chap's up to no mischief, 
 but if he is, I'll find out." 
 
 259 ^^ 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 ' " Come back witli me," I sed, skeered. 
 
 ' " Do what I tell you," he sez ; and when I 
 started to go, he slipped away to the left, up 
 the hill. Well, I went on, gettin' more and 
 more skeered, till I saw the house, then I jes' 
 hid away and waited for Jim. Bymby, in the 
 afternoon, here he came running, and I run to ' 
 meet him when he slowed down. 
 
 ' " Whatjer see ? " I asked him. 
 
 ' " Nothin," he sez. 
 
 • " Whatjer run for, then ? " 
 
 '"To keep warm," he sez, though the sweat 
 were running off him. 
 
 ' Well, when we got to the clearin' we met 
 Jake hauling on a big stump. 
 
 ' " Well, youngsters," he says ; wiping his 
 forehead with the back of his hand ; " had a 
 good time ? ' 
 
 ' " Jake," said Jimmie, " there's Kaffirs over 
 yonder." 
 
 ' " What's that ! Are you joking ? ' 
 
 ' " There's Kaffirs over yonder," sed Jimmie, 
 staring at his brother ; " and the chap as was 
 here last night is with 'em. I heard them call 
 him. His name's Tyali." 
 
 ' " My God ! " said Jake, going white. 
 " Tell father," he sed, and then he ran. 
 
 ' I laughed, sneering at Jake, and Jimmie 
 hit me in the side, though his mouth were 
 twitching. 
 
 260 
 
THE 'RED' KAFFIRS! 
 
 ' " What the row ?" sed Harry, coining up. 
 
 ' " Kaffirs ! " sed Jimmie, scowling after Jake. 
 
 ' " Hurrah !" sed Harry, and threw up his hat. 
 
 ' " What's all this I yere from Jake.-*" said 
 ole man Tolver, striding up. " So," he sed, 
 when Jimmie tole him, putting the ends of his 
 beard into his mouth, which were a trick he 
 had when thinking. " So ; they're coming. 
 Well, let 'em come ! I tole that Guv'ment 
 chap I'd stay here, and here I'll stay. If any of 
 you boys would like to go, you'd better clear now." 
 
 ' They were all of them together — all but 
 Jake, and he had gone running into the house. 
 
 ' " It's too much trouble to run," said Oil, 
 biting on a piece of grass. " 'Sides, I ain't 
 finished 'scoffling' the mealies. I'll stay." 
 
 ' The ole baas he jes' grunted. 
 
 • " So'U I," said Seth.' 
 
 ' " Ef you all went," said Harry, with his 
 eyes shining, "I'd stop." 
 
 ' The ole baas he jes' grunted ag'in. 
 
 "'An' me," said Willie ; "and me too"— 
 " and me," said Jim and baby Tom. 
 
 ' " Thank you, my sons," sed Tolver, softly, 
 and jes' then Jake came outer the house — Jake 
 the biggest and the oldest, and the kindest of 
 the brothers. In his hand he carried a big 
 chopping axe, which were like a little stick in 
 his grasp. He looked at his brothers, and his 
 father looked at him." 
 
 261 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 '"I'm going over to Clumber," he sed. 
 
 '"So," sed his father ; and they all stood 
 silent. 
 
 ' " Yes," sed Jake after a time, " I'll give 
 'em warning." 
 
 ' " And take yourself out of danger," sed 
 the ole baas quietly. 
 
 ' Jake looked at his father rather sadlike, 
 and then he said : " Shall I take Jim and Tom 
 with me ? " 
 
 ' "I won't go," sed Tom, turning red. 
 
 ' Jimmie sed nothin', but his lip trembled. 
 He thought a heap of Jake, and here he seed 
 him turnin' tail. 
 
 ' " Abe," said Jake, speaking quietly ; 
 "you've got no part in this — come with me." 
 
 ' " I'm not running away," I sed. " I'll stay 
 with Harry." 
 
 ' Jake opened his mouth as if he'd speak, 
 then he turned on his heel and strode away 
 with his axe over his shoulder. 
 
 ' His brothers turned to look after him, and 
 ole Tolver, he called out in a hard voice, 
 " Don't you come back here again. You're no 
 son of mine." Jake he gave no sign, and I 
 seed Jimmie's face working. 
 
 ' " Yah ! you're afraid like him," I sed. 
 
 ' "You lie," he sed, and hit me 'longside the 
 jaw. 
 
 262 
 
THE 'RED' KAFFIRS! 
 
 '"Be quiet, boys," said Oil Tolver, ketching 
 Jim by the arm. 
 
 ' " Seth," said the ole baas, speaking short 
 and firm. " Get ter the top of that hill, and 
 keep a sharp look-out, Willie and Jim, bring 
 the cows into the kraal. Oil and Harry, fill the 
 water-barrel, and put it inside the house. Tom 
 and you, Abe, move all the things outer the big 
 room, and get the guns ready." 
 
 ' Seth sot off up the hill at a lope, and the 
 other boys all went about their work, and got 
 things to rights in no time. Then we hung about 
 fidgettin' — picking things up and putting them 
 down, and looking up to Seth all the time. 
 
 ' Arter a long time Seth lifted up his hand, 
 and we all stood in a bunch watching him till 
 our eyes ached — then here he come down the 
 hill like a cart-wheel, while the big chaps 
 grabbed their guns, and I bolted inter the 
 house. 
 
 ' " Are they coming ? " shouted Harry. 
 
 ' Seth nodded as he ran. 
 
 ' " How many ? " 
 
 ' " One," said Seth, with a gasp, 
 
 ' " Good lord ! " said Harry, throwing his 
 rifle down, 
 
 ' " I say," sed Seth, drawlin' out his words 
 — his neck was that long ; " you fellows jes' 
 slouch around 's if you were at work, I'm goin' 
 to meet this chap. Maybe he's a spy." 
 
 263 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 ' " Seth's right," said the ole baas ; and the 
 boys put the guns away, and scattered about as 
 if they were restin'. 
 
 ' Seth slipped a naked hunting-knife inside 
 the band of his trousers, and lounged away up 
 the path ; and bymby, when he nearly got to 
 the top, a Kafifir came over the ridge, stood 
 a moment looking, then come down. He 
 carried his blanket over his right shoulder. 
 
 ' When they met, the Kaffir he took snuff, 
 and Seth he gave him a bit of tobacco. Then 
 they talked and talked, and the Kaffir, he kep' 
 his eye on the house, and arter a time he kep' 
 movin' around — 's if he'd like to get behind 
 Seth — and Seth all the time he kep' his face to 
 the t'other. Then the Kaffir went away back, 
 and Seth went up to the ridge again, and there 
 was another spell of waiting. 
 
 ' Then Harry sed he weren't going to fool 
 about any more, and he made tracks for the 
 little wood above the clearing, and Willie 
 follered. No sooner 'd they got clear than here 
 comes Seth again, like a streak. 
 
 ' " It's all right," he sed ; " they're comin' 
 thick. The veld's red with 'em." 
 
 ' They gave a hail for Harry and went in- 
 side, and each one looked to see the shiny, brass 
 caps were hard down on the nipple — while 
 Tom, he laid out the round bullets, and the 
 greased rags for wroppin' 'em in, and the slugs . 
 
 264 
 
THE. 'RED' KAFFIRS! 
 
 handy. Seth were tellin' how the Kaffir ast 
 him questions, and how he seed the assegai 
 under his blanket — then there came a deep 
 sound rolUng along the ground, which made 
 me hide away in the barrel churn, and made 
 the brothers all go silent. It were the war 
 song of the red Kaffirs, deep from their chests, 
 slow and boomin', and solum, and in between 
 there were the shrill crying of the women, foller- 
 ing behind the fightin' men with the mats and 
 the pots. 
 
 ' Ole baas Tolver stood at the door looking 
 for Harry, and he give a shout for him to 
 hurry ; and the Kaffirs came over the crest of 
 the hill. Jimmie pushed his rifle through a hole 
 in the wall, with a gasp in his throat. 
 
 ' " Don't shoot ! " sed his father ; and he 
 looked away to the woods for his two sons. 
 And so they stood, waiting and watching. 
 
 ' I crept out of the barrel to see what they 
 were looking at so set, and there I seed the 
 Kaffirs slipping down the hill, from rock to rock, 
 edging all the time towards the wood, and 
 others coming up over the ridge, their bodies 
 stripped and oiled for war, and their faces 
 smeared with red clay. 
 
 ' " My God ! " sed the ole man under his 
 breath ; then he bellered out " Run ! " 
 
 ' I looked between his legs, and seed Harry 
 265 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 and Willie comin' up from the wood, and walkin' 
 jes' 's if they were comin' in to dinner. 
 
 ' The Kaffirs yelled when they seed them, 
 and started running. Harry threw up his gun, 
 and they dropped down, hiding away behind 
 nothing. I yesird Harry laugh. Well, they 
 came on at that fool pace, and all on a sudden 
 the Kaffirs came leaping and dodging down. 
 The two brothers they stood still, with their 
 rifles up and fired ; then they come on loading, 
 and fired again. 
 
 ' " Run, Willie," sed Harry ; " let's see who 
 can get in first," and with that he made to run, 
 and Willie let out full speed, with the Kaffirs 
 yelling like mad. When he got near the door 
 he looked round and seed Harry walking back- 
 wards with his rifle ready, and the Kaffirs 
 hanging away back and whizzing their assegais. 
 He made 's if to start back, but the ole man 
 caught him by the arm and yanked him in. 
 
 ' " Fire ! " sed the ole baas, and he and the 
 three boys blazed away, Jimmy letting rip a 
 handful of slugs. 
 
 'Well, the Kaffirs they dropped, crawling 
 for shelter, and Harry came in as cool as you 
 please, with an assegai in his hand that he 
 picked up. Then he seed me crouching down, 
 and laugh' d a' most till he cried, for I were 
 covered with the leavings of the churn. 
 
 ' They took their places inside the room, 
 266 
 
'HARRY CAME IN AS COOL AS YOU PLEASE.' 
 
THE 'RED' KAFFIRS! 
 
 each one at a hole, and began firing by fits and 
 starts, Tom standin' ready with a charge of 
 powder from the horn each time. 
 
 ' " They're going to rush the cattle," sed 
 OH ; " and we can't prevent 'em from here. 
 Some of us had better get into the shed.' 
 
 ' " Well, three of them boys went out — Oil, 
 and Harry, and Willie — and there were a 
 terrible how-de-do out there, shoutin' an' whist- 
 lin', and bangin' ; the dogs barking fit to bust 
 themselves, the ole red bull bellering, and the 
 fowls that had flew to the roof cackling all 
 together. My ! I were skeered, and Tom, he 
 looked if he'd bolt inter the tub along with me, 
 but he jes' kep on pouring out the powder. 
 
 ' Then I yeard " Hurrah," and ole Tolver 
 tore open the door, and Tom most split his 
 throat. 
 
 ' The Kaffirs were on the run, and when I 
 crep' out, I seed Harry a tearin' up the hill arter 
 them, with Will at his heels-, then^oh, lad ! — 
 oh, lad ! — from the wood there came out, swift 
 and silent, a party of Kaffirs led by the chief 
 Tyali, and they cut between the three boys 
 and the house. 
 
 ' I yeard Oil shout, " Back ! Turn back ! " . 
 then again, "Together, brothers!" — and the 
 three, clubbing their rifles, went straight at the 
 chief and his men, an' ole Tolver dancing about 
 at the door, fearing to shoot, and Tom staring 
 
 267 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 with his eyes wide, and the powder running 
 from the horn on the floor. 
 
 ' Then there were a whirling crowd of men, 
 and the smack of sticks — and the " thud — thud 
 — thud," — and groans — and out of the pack 
 Oil lurched, carrying Willie, whose head lay 
 back limp. 
 
 ' He came along like a tipsy man — rolling 
 — with his mouth fixed in a smile, and the blood 
 running from his head. 
 
 ' When he were near the door a Kafifir 
 stabbed him in the back, and the ole baas shot 
 the Kafifir. 
 
 ' Then Oil reeled back, and he spoke in 
 gasps, " I can't — go — any — further — father — 
 take Will — he's hurt " — then he jes' sank to the 
 ground, and rolled over. 
 
 ' Seth brought Willie in, and laid him down 
 on the floor. 
 
 ' And ole man Tolver stood outside the door 
 calling for a loaded gun ; and then he sprang 
 at a Kaffir who were stooping to stab Oil, and 
 broke the stock of his gun. 
 
 ' I were by the door, 'cause I had no strength 
 to move, and I seed someone pass. 
 
 ' "Get into the house, father," he sed, "and 
 hold it." 
 
 ' It were Jake ; and in his hand he held the 
 axe he took away in the morning. 
 
 ' He put his hand on his father's shoulder a 
 268 
 
THE 'RED' KAFFIRS! 
 
 moment. "Get back," he sed, "for the sake 
 of the boys," and then he ran up to where the 
 Kaffirs still swarmed around Harry. He opened 
 a lane with his axe. I tell you I thought it were 
 like splitting water-melons, and I laughed, and 
 Jimmie, he cried. The Kaffirs gave way, 
 crouching and holding their shields up. Then 
 Jake lifted Harry, who were on his knees, and 
 carried him down. As he came, the whole lot 
 of them — maybe five hundred — came with a 
 rush ; then Jimmie dashed out, and took Harry 
 from his brother, and Jake stood out alone. 
 
 '"Shut the door!' he shouted loud and 
 stern ; "do you hear — shut it ! " 
 
 ' The old baas looked wildly at Seth ; and 
 Seth he shook his head. 
 
 ' " Shut it," sed Jake ; "in the name of our 
 mother ! " and the ole man with a sort of groan 
 pulled the door to, jamming my fingers. 
 
 'Outside were the noise of that fight, and 
 inside were silence, and white set faces, and the 
 tears running from Jimmie's eyes. 
 
 ' " Let me out ! " he cried ; " let me out! " he 
 kep' on cryin' — " let me out ! " and then he 
 struggled to open the door. 
 
 ' Then we heard Jake againi 
 
 ' " Good-bye," he sed ; and we held our 
 breath, till the fierce shout rose higher and 
 higher, and we knew Jake were dead. 
 
 ' Then the ole man's beard curled up. He 
 269 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 forgot about his other sons. He opened the 
 door, and with a roar he ran into the Kaffirs, 
 and Jimmie with him. Seth were follering, too, 
 when an assegai whizzed into the room, and a 
 Kaffir stood at the doorway, when Seth jabbed 
 him in the stomach with the muzzle, and druv 
 his fist into the face' of another ; then he puUed-to 
 the door, and there were only him and Tom 
 and me, with Willie dead and Harry gasping. 
 
 ' Then Seth began to sing. He'd stop to 
 shoot, then he'd sing again ; and the sound of 
 his singing were worse than the yelling of the 
 Kaffirs swarming all round the house. Tom he 
 stood up in the room tremblin' and loadin', his 
 face black where the smoke stuck to the tears, 
 and once and again he'd jump to a hole and 
 shoot. 
 
 ' And at last an ole pot leg struck Seth on 
 the head and he sot down. 
 
 ' He put his hand to his head and looked at 
 the blood ; then he shook his head and laughed 
 a strange laugh. 
 
 ' " It's all over," he sed— " dang it." Then 
 he saw Harry, and he said softly : " Poor chap " 
 then he stared at Willie, and his eye came on 
 to me watchin' him. 
 
 ' " Abe," he sed, " you'll find my concertina 
 hanging up ; jes' hand it to me." 
 
 ' Well, I gave it him, and bolted back into 
 the tub, and he began to play. 
 270 
 
THE 'RED' KAFFIRS! 
 
 ' The Kaffirs stopped, and I yeard one call 
 out " Yinny ! " and others said " Yoh ! " and you 
 could hear them trying to peep in. 
 
 ' " Tom," he said soft. 
 
 '"Yes, Seth." 
 
 ' " You and Abe get into the mealie pit in 
 the pantry. Maybe, they'll not see you." 
 
 ' Tom he shook his head, and banged the 
 gun — and the Kaffirs came hard at the door. 
 
 'Seth he went on playing, and Harry rolled 
 over. "I've got a pain," he muttered ; "mother, 
 I've got a pain," — and Seth he went on playing 
 softer and softer. 
 
 ' Then I crawled away inter the dark of the 
 pantry — inter the mealie hole,' 
 
 Abe stopped, and his face looked grey and 
 aged, 
 
 ' Well, Abe ? ' 
 
 ' That's all sonny. They did not find me.' 
 
 ' And what became of Tom ? ' 
 
 ' He went with his brothers, sonny. Seven 
 better boys you'd never want to meet, and 
 seven finer men you could not. They all went 
 — in that one day — and the Kaffirs swep' on 
 over the land.' 
 
 271 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 XXXIII 
 OUT OF THE DEEP SEA 
 
 ' I SEE that the magistrate at Port NoUoth has 
 seen the sea-serpent. It was a mile out at sea 
 — raised its head ten feet from the water, and 
 remained in sight for an hour.' 
 
 ' Is he partickler about the ten feet ? ' said 
 Abe Pike. 
 
 'Yes, he is explicit on that point.' 
 
 ' Seems to me it's difficult to judge that 
 height at a distance of a mile,' said Abe ; ' but, 
 come to think of it, there was a magistrate at 
 Mossel Bay who had the same luck about two 
 years ago. He seed the serpent sporting 
 around for a hour off the coast, and the crittur 
 raised its head somewhere about ten feet. So 
 I guess it's the same that's cruising off Port 
 Nolloth.' 
 
 ' Ever been to Port Nolloth ? ' asked Long 
 Jim. 'Well, I have; and the country's that 
 lonesome and sand-blown, and gen'rally lost 
 to all sense of what's fittin' for human beings to 
 
 272 
 
OUT OF THE DEEP SEA 
 
 admire, that I'm not surprised the magistrate 
 thoughthe saw something.' 
 
 ' Don't you believe in sea-serpents, Jim ?' 
 
 'What, me! Well onct I spent a whole 
 hour trying to smash a sea-serpent with rocks, 
 and at the end of that time I found the thing 
 were sea-bamboo — round and smooth, and taper- 
 ing away to a point like a moving tail. No, 
 sir ; give me something I can see and feel.' 
 
 ' 'Cording to all accounts,' said Abe, drily, 
 ' if you did feel the crittur, it would be when 
 passing down his throat.' 
 
 ' Of course you've seen one, Abe ? ' said Si 
 Amos with a slight sneer. 
 
 ' I have,' said Abe, quietly, as he reached 
 over for the demi-john of Cango. 
 
 ' Did he lift his head ten feet from the sea ? ' 
 asked Long Jim. 
 
 ' I see what it is,' said Abe ; ' you fellows 
 been listening to my exper'ences so long that 
 you think I'm lying ; and I'm not gwine to 
 sacrifice my self-respeck by telling you things 
 you don't believe. That's so ! ' 
 
 There was a long pause, as no one felt 
 disposed to make the needed sacrifice to Abe's 
 exacting honour. 
 
 ' Was it a big snake ? ' asked Long Jim 
 presently. 
 
 ' Pretty big,' said Abe, shortly. 
 
 ' Twenty feet ? ' asked Jim, anxiously. 
 273 T 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 Mr. Pike smiled, 
 
 • Not so much ? ' said Jim. 
 
 ' About a quarter of a mile long,' said Abe, 
 rising. 'Well, I guess I'll go. So long.' 
 
 ' Stay a moment,' said Jim, firmly ; ' I can't 
 let you go without saying that Abe Pike's 
 word's as true as steel. A quarter of a mile, 
 you said ? ' 
 
 ' Might a been a yard shorter,' said Abe, 
 carelessly, as he paused at the door. 
 
 ' Come back, old man,' said Jim. ' Take 
 this chair — and there's more in the jug. So ; 
 that's good. A quarter of a mile,' he muttered. 
 ' Well, that's good enough for a stretcher.' 
 
 ' If you come along with me, Jim,' said 
 Abe, ' I'll tell you about it. But I'm not laying 
 myself open to words from them as is full of 
 suspicion as a family of jackals.' 
 
 'That's not fair to me,' I said. ' I've swal- 
 lowed — I mean I've accepted — all your stories 
 without question.' 
 
 ' And me, too, said Si, with a gulp. ' Try 
 some of this Transvaal tabak — it's first rate.' 
 
 Abe permitted himself to be appeased. He 
 filled his pipe, and as he leant back in the chair 
 with his heels up on the chimney, and a glass 
 in one hand, a reminiscent look overspread his 
 rugged face. 
 
 ' This yer exper'ence happened to me 
 away back 'fore you younkers wore shoes — but 
 
 274 
 
OUT OF THE DEEP SEA 
 
 I never told it, as I were afraid of skeering the 
 wits outer you. That's so. The Little Kleine- 
 monde over yonder were a blind river, same 
 as now, with a stretch of beach about 200 yards 
 wide 'tween its lip and the sea-foam hissing along 
 the hard sands where the little tumble-crabs 
 swarm in their shells, and the air comes bubbling 
 up outer the sea-worm's holes. It were more 
 lonely than now — for there's town families 
 as pic-nic there for weeks in their tents — and 
 you can hear the little children laugh-— and 
 sometimes see a string of girls holding 
 hands and jumping up in the foam. There was 
 never a soul then on the wide, white beach, that 
 stretched away miles east and west — with black 
 rocks running out into the breakers — and back 
 of the beach the high white sandhills, rimmed 
 on the top with thick berry bushes. It were 
 that lonely that sometimes I could have a run 
 away, and the birds' that flitted along, hunting 
 for what the tide cast up — the oyster catcher 
 and the curlew made it lonelier with their wild 
 cries. And the river lay back, still and quiet, 
 without a current — between the dark woods — 
 quiet and still — crouching down behind the 
 stretch of beach sand — as if it feared the roar- 
 ing surf — always tossing and thundering jest 
 across that narrow riband. And the waves 
 came always rushing in, as though they would 
 like to wash away the sand strip and pour their 
 
 275 T3 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 waters over the silent river — and in the spring 
 tides I seed the outermost fringe of foam sweep 
 a'most up to the Hp of the river — and go back 
 and come up again — swinging to and fro — till 
 sometimes a little trickle of the salt water would 
 fall into the dead stream, where a many fishes 
 gathered, hoping to get out at last into the 
 great wild waters. I caught fish there at them 
 times — going into ten pounds — springers and 
 steinbrasse. Well, one day there came a great 
 storm of rain — like a cloudburst — and every 
 cattle track and footpath were a running stream 
 — and every river bed were filled to the brim. 
 And in the night I yeard the thunder of the 
 waves at the fall of the spring tide. My ! how 
 they roared through the night — and crashed as 
 the big waves curled over and smote the water 
 with the blow of a falling rock. The night were 
 that wild that I could get no sleep — and went to 
 the door to look out. The ground was wet and 
 steaming, and the sound of running water came 
 fromevery dip and hollow. I sed to myself the 
 dead river will be alive, and the tide and flood 
 will cut a passage deep and wide through the 
 beach, and there will be a litter heaped along 
 the tide mark all down the beach, with good 
 pickings for the first man. So I put a sack 
 over my head, and taking the old muzzle-loader, 
 stepped out into the slushy dark, and squelched 
 away over the sodden veld towards the Kleine- 
 
 276 
 
OUT OF THE DEEP SEA 
 
 monde. I struck the ridge above the river 
 jest about sunrise, and the light coming through 
 the mist showed up the wildest sight of tossing 
 waters and a beach all strewn with trees and 
 litter of seaweed. As I thought, the dead river 
 was alive and roaring into the seas through a 
 broad channel cut deep into the sand. I went 
 down to the beach and watched the flood pour 
 out, while the spray from the waves druv sting- 
 ing against my face. I tell you, it was a sight 
 to stand and watch, not heeding the wind or 
 the wet — and the savageness of it gripped hold 
 of me. Bymby I crept along the beach, in and 
 out the piled masses o' rubbish — finding a many 
 dead birds and sich things — then about noon I 
 was back ag'in at the river — where the incoming 
 tide, all red with the wash from the land, was 
 rolling back the river water and damming up 
 the channel ag'in with tons of sand and sea- 
 weed. I made a fire under the shelter of the 
 wood and cooked a fat duck I picked up, and 
 when I finished him off I dried myself by the 
 fire while I watched the river. Jes then I seed 
 something in the river that made me jump 
 behind a tree— the black fin of the biggest 
 shark you ever seed, standing out maybe a 
 yard high — and raking back maybe twelve feet 
 — with spikes all along. " Lord luv me ! " thinks 
 I ; " what in thunder's that ? " And I let drive 
 with both barrels, and the thing darted off with 
 
 277 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 a rush that sent a wave up both sides of the 
 banks among the trees — and. far up the river 
 I seed the sun shine on the curve of his body 
 as he turned to come down — and I cut my 
 stick. When I got home I set to and bent a 
 fish-hook outen a steel stable rake — lashing on a 
 line of buffalo rheims. I went back, baited the 
 hook with a sea-bird that I had picked up, and 
 let it run out, taking a bend round the tree with 
 the rheim. The crittur I reckoned was still 
 there — for why, he couldn't get out by reason 
 of the silting up of the channel — though I could 
 see no sign of him — and he paid no heed to 
 the bait. Well, I were getting tired, when I 
 noticed some cattle at the bend on the other 
 side, where there's a bit of the flat with a ' salt 
 lick ' — that's a favourite place for them, by 
 reason of the salt in the soil. They were jest 
 capering around with their tails up, then stand- 
 ing to stare at something in the river, with a 
 ole black bull nearer than the rest, pawing at 
 the ground. I could tell there was some .crittur 
 there that they didn't like — maybe a tiger— but I 
 could see nix beyond a rock or tree stump. As I 
 watched, wondering what could ha' disturbed 
 them, the ole bull shook his head, then fetched 
 a deep beller and rolled on a few yards — while 
 the cows and young stock behind came together 
 in a bunch. Then the bull stood ag'in — pawing 
 
 278 
 
OUT OF THE DEEP SEA 
 
 the wet ground — and Lord sakes! — jes then 
 that rock riz out of the river.' 
 
 'What's that?' 
 
 ' Yessir ! ' and Abe wiped the perspiration 
 from his forehead. ' My sakes ! I jes sunk inter 
 the rushes in a tremble, and the ole bull, with 
 a beller that rolled down the river, turned to 
 run. He never got mor'n ten yards when he 
 were caught by the neck, and I yeard his bones 
 crunch,' 
 
 ' What caught him ? ' 
 
 ' A mouth ! It were a mouth that caught 
 him, set in a head like a water barrel, with a 
 neck behind thick as a blue-gum tree, blue 
 along the top and white below. Shaped like 
 a snake it were. It caught the bull by the 
 neck, and lay outstretched, sucking his blood, 
 while the four legs of the poor crittur beat the 
 air, and the cows standing off rushed about 
 lowing. Eighty yards he was distant, and for 
 all I were in a lather from fear, I plunked a 
 bullet jes back of the opened jaws. Believe 
 me, at the sound of the gun them cows, with 
 their tails up, charged down on that sarpint. 
 Yessirs, they went for him like a troop of 
 bosses. Some of them took the neck flying, 
 without attempting any mischief, but two old 
 cows went slap at the body with their horns 
 down, druving them in till the blood spurted 
 high. Then he let go o' the bull, swept the 
 
 279 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 cows off their feet, and with a snort slid into the 
 river, and came charging down like a steam 
 tug for the mouth — his head lifted high up, and 
 the waves streaming as he went. I let drive 
 at him as he went by, clean into the head — and 
 at the shot he towered up like a column — and, 
 so lifting himself, flung half his length onto the 
 sand bar. Then he wriggled and writhed till 
 the bulk of his middle lay high and dry, and 
 the tail of him, twenty yards up the river, 
 lashed the water with blows that sounded like 
 cannon — till the swell of the waves he raised 
 floated him off, and I saw him cut through the 
 waves out into the deep sea beyond.' 
 ' Is that all ? ' 
 
 ' Yessir, that's all ; and if you'd a been 
 there 'sted of me, Si Amos, I guess you'd a 
 said it was too much — a darn sight too much 
 for your nerves. As for me, I niver went 
 near the place for a year, and when there's a 
 spring-tide I keep indoors. One thing I seed, 
 and that was a growth of barnacles and sea- 
 weed on his back, which explains why it is 
 that some folk say the sea-serpent has got a 
 mane like a hoss.' 
 
 280 
 
XXXIV 
 THE YOUNG BURGHER 
 
 The little Dutch village was astir, where 
 almost hidden by the trees of the orchards and 
 quince hedges grown high, it stood beneath 
 the bare rock-bound hills beyond Kambula, 
 
 The Zulus had lifted the cattle when they 
 grazed homewards at dusk amid the thin 
 scattering of dark mimosas on the grey plain. 
 The herdsman lay, with his face to the sky, 
 unburied yet, with a terrible wound in his 
 breast, and the long, ugly slit downwards 
 through the abdomen that told of Zulu work. 
 
 And the Commando was turning out. 
 
 Ten men, sitting loosely in their saddles, 
 were all there were — big, gaunt men with shaggy 
 beards and lined faces of the colour of smoked 
 leather. Of untanned leather, too, were their 
 trousers and veld schoens. Each one carried 
 his food in the small saddle-bag of ' rattel ' skin, 
 food of the scantiest — a strip of biltong, a 
 pound or two of ' ash cookies ' — and slung from 
 
 281 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 each bent shoulder was the powder-flask and 
 bullet-bag. 
 
 Ten men and a boy — and he alone showed 
 excitement in the brightness of his brown eyes 
 and the firm set of his mouth. A boy so brown 
 that you would have said he was of coloured 
 origin, and with clothes so worn that no street 
 boy would have envied him. A sullen boy and 
 dull of wit you would have thought from his 
 narrow forehead and bent brows, but there was 
 one who did not think so. 
 
 'Oh, my kind!' she said, standing by the 
 gate in the quince hedge ; ' they do not want 
 one so young. And there is the wood to be 
 brought in.' 
 
 ' Ja ! ' said one burgher, taking his pipe from 
 his mouth ; ' he is altogether too young for this 
 work. Let him stay.' 
 
 ' Hear to Oom Jan,' cried the woman, 
 stepping across a tiny stream that gurgled 
 pleasantly in its narrow bed beside the road ; 
 and she laid a restraining hand on the old 
 rheim that did service for the boy's reins. 
 ' Come, my son — my little one.' 
 
 The boy looked steadily at his mother. ' I 
 am not little any more,' he said. 
 
 ' It is true,' said the big man who led the 
 little band, turning slowly in his saddle. ' He 
 is no longer little. He must come ! ' 
 
 The woman let go her hold and stood back 
 282 
 
THE YOUNG BURGHER 
 
 humbly, while her tear-stained face was turned 
 appealingly at the man — her own man ; and 
 the burghers, smoking, took advantage of the 
 pause to look back at their own wives and 
 children, who stood out in the solitary street, 
 drawing comfort from each other. 
 
 ' We must all give,' he said. 
 
 ' Why should I give all ? ' she cried with 
 renewed hope. ' My husband and my son. 
 Let him stay. Oh ! let him stay ! ' 
 
 ' Ride ! ' said the Commandant, sternly ; then 
 he sighed, and rode on in silence, never turning. 
 
 The boy kept his eyes fixed on his father's 
 broad back ; then a lump came into his throat. 
 
 Oom Jan touched him on his shoulder, and 
 the boy started. 
 
 ' Do not leave her so, neef,' he said. 
 
 The boy looked back and waved his ragged 
 cap. ' I will come 'gain soon, little mother,' he 
 shouted. 
 
 ' If the Groot Herr wills,' muttered Oom 
 Jan. 
 
 The boy looked at him sharply, then rode 
 on with his head up and his hand firmer upon 
 the stock of his long rifle, as long almost as 
 himself. Already his keen young eyes swept 
 the veld for signs of the Zulus — and he had 
 forgotten the little house and the little patient 
 mother. 
 
 The village soon was left behind, and the 
 283i 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 little band went slowly over the ridge and down 
 the long slope, into a narrow valley, and at 
 dusk reached the broken veld that stretches up 
 to the frowning height of Hlobane. It was 
 very silent. The burghers smoked, but talked 
 not ; and very plain, and seeming very near, 
 came the dismal baying of a Zulu dog from a 
 Ipfty kraal on Zunguin Nek, where a fire 
 gleamed red through the dark. 
 
 ' There are men there,' said the Comman- 
 dant in a guttural whisper. ' We must ride 
 hard in the morning when we return.' 
 
 ' Ja ! ' said Oom Jan ; else they will cut us 
 off. I hope they will eat and drink much this 
 night, so that they sleep fast.' 
 
 The other burghers glanced up at the red 
 fire and round into the darkness, as if calcula- 
 ting which way they would ride in case they 
 were cut off. 
 
 Young Piet Uys breathed hard. He had 
 often looked at the steep height of Zunguin's 
 Kop from afar — and now the dark mass that 
 seemed to shut out half the sky oppressed him 
 with the sense of hidden danger. Moreover, 
 he was hungry and cold. . They had been four 
 hours in the saddle, and it was surely time they 
 stopped ? Why didn't they tell his father that 
 the horses would grow tired, and that men 
 couldn't go on all night without feeding and 
 warming themselves ? 
 
 284 
 
THE YOUNG BURGHER 
 
 'There is water here,' he ventured, 'and 
 good grass.' 
 
 , ' Ja ! ' growled Oom Jan. 
 
 ' Perhaps we will stop soon,' said the boy 
 timidly. 
 
 A burgher on his left grunted, and young 
 Piet felt that he had said something stupid. 
 There was deeper silence now, for they were 
 riding in a hollow, and he heard the sound of 
 eating. Why were they eating ? Perhaps they 
 would not stop ! 
 
 ' If we stop,' said Oom Jan, as if answering 
 his thoughts, ' we shall not get there before 
 sun-up.' 
 
 Young Piet sighed heavily and thought of 
 his rheim bed at home, and then of the little 
 mother. He felt now why it was she cried 
 when he left. This was weary work— this 
 blundering on over rocks and through cold 
 streams, with none of the rush and excitement 
 he had pictured. 
 
 'And if we do not get there before sun-up,' 
 continued Oom Jan, in his slow way, ' we lose 
 the cattle and all.' 
 
 ' Hold still ! ' came a muttered command 
 from the leader. 
 
 The men drew up, and the horses shook 
 their heads, then pricked their ears, as out of 
 the darkness ahead came the murmur of a 
 
 285 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 chant, swelling up to a deep boom, and sinking 
 again till almost inaudible, 
 
 'They dance and make merry,' said the 
 leader. ' Ride ! ' 
 
 Once more the horses moved on, picking 
 their way, while each man unslung his rifle and 
 held it with the butt on his thigh. And louder 
 rose that monotonous chant, mounting to the 
 shrill notes of the women's voices, and sinking 
 to the menacing bass of the warrior's deep 
 chest notes ; and presently there suddenly 
 started out of the gloom a score of gleaming 
 fires in a circle at the base of a vast bulk that 
 stood for Hlobane. 
 
 ' Pipes out ! ' said the leader. ' Groot 
 Andries, and you Dick Stoffel, and you Piet 
 Uys, will stand here, keeping out of sight, and 
 fire on the Zulus if they follow. The rest — 
 ride ! ' 
 
 The two burghers and the boy remained, 
 and the others filed out of sight. Slowly the 
 time passed to these three as they crouched 
 behind rocks, with their horses tethered in a 
 hollow, and the cold wind of the early morning 
 numbing their fingers and biting their poorly- 
 clad bodies, till the grey of the dawn appeared 
 and threw the mountain of Hlobane into relief. 
 The singing had died away as the wind rose, 
 the fires were dim, and the silence of the early 
 morn was over the land. 
 
 286 
 
THE YOUNG BURGHER 
 
 ' Look ! ' said Groot Andries, pointing a 
 huge hand, and a mile off on the buttress of 
 the mountain young Piet saw a dark mass in 
 motion, with a few moving specks behind. 
 
 He drew his breath in sharply, and the 
 misery left his face. 'They are driving the 
 cattle,' he said. 
 
 ' Ja ! ' said Andries, moving in his lair to 
 get more comfortable, and sighting along his 
 rifle. 
 
 How quickly they come. Piet could see 
 the gleam of tossing horns — and then he 
 counted the riders, with his father riding last. 
 ' They have not been seen,' he whispered. 
 
 ' Oh, ja ! ' growled Stoffel, ' the verdomde 
 folk come.' 
 
 Piet raised his head, and his heart almost 
 stopped, as on the left of the cattle he saw 
 Zulus running like greyhounds, speeding to 
 reach a kopje by which the cattle must be 
 driven, and his startled glance roaming further, 
 marked a thin grey whisp of smoke curling up 
 the mountain's dark side, while his ear caught 
 the hoarse sound of the Zulu horn spreading 
 the alarm. 
 
 Groot Andries turned his head and looked 
 long, 
 
 ' Alle magtij ! ' he cried ; ' they sleep not up 
 there. May the Groot Heer help us out for 
 our wives sake.' 
 
 2&7 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 Young Piet stared at the big man, then 
 glanced back up Zunguin's rock-rimmed summit, 
 and saw tiny dark figures like ants hurrying 
 amid the huge rocks. He moistened his lips, 
 and looked at his horse. 
 
 ' Mount and ride, neef,' said Andries, softly. 
 ' Keep towards the Blood River over by Kopje 
 Alleen. Go, little neef.' 
 
 ' Ja ! ' growled Stoffel, who was smoking 
 furiously ; ' loop, little one ! ' 
 
 Young Piet stared at them wildly, then he 
 looked ahead and saw the cattle coming on in 
 a mass, with his own red heifer leading. He 
 saw, too, his father stand alone, looking back, ' 
 while the other burghers rode hard behind the 
 cattle, and the Zulus poured- along untiring. 
 Why did his father stop ? Could he not see 
 the warriors ? 
 
 ' Father,' he screamed ; ' ride ! ' 
 
 He would have risen, but a heavy hand 
 was laid upon him. 
 
 ' Remember the order,' growled Stoffel—^ 
 ' to keep ourselves hid.' 
 
 ' I will be still,' said Piet, quietly. Then he 
 saw his father throw yp his gun and shoot, 
 while another burgher halted and wheeled 
 round with his rifle ready. With a rush the 
 cattle swept by — the burghers after. 
 
 Not one drew rein. Not even the Com- 
 mandant, who simply glanced at the three 
 
 288 
 
THE YOUNG BURGHER 
 
 forms as he went by, last of all, saying briefly, 
 ' Shoot straight, and follow fast ! ' 
 
 ' Wait, little neef,' said Andries, ' and don't 
 fire anyhow, but single out your man. Then 
 load, mount, and gallop.' 
 
 Piet was calm now that he was called upon 
 to act. He dropped a warrior in his stride, 
 loaded quickly, making the ramrod spring, and 
 was waiting by his horse with the reins of the 
 other two all ready for their riders. 
 
 'Good neef,' said Andries, as he swung 
 into the saddle, and having momentarily checked 
 the enemy's advance, they dashed after their 
 comrades, A quarter of a mile further on they 
 passed an ambush, where three other burghers 
 were lying in readiness, and then they dashed 
 up to the cattle with a whoop. Young Piet, 
 flushed with his act, looked for approval from 
 his father, but the Commandcint's gaze was 
 fixed anxiously ahead on a column of dark 
 figures leaping like antelopes down Zunguin's 
 side. Froni the rear, too, came the loud slap 
 of three rifles, and the angry war shout of the 
 Hlobane warriors. 
 
 ' They will head the cattle off,' said Stoffel ; 
 ' and we will be caught between two fires. Let 
 us leave the cattle and ride to the left, when 
 they will let us go free.' 
 
 ' That is a bad word,' said the Commandant, 
 289 U 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 sternly. ' We go back with the cattle or not 
 at all.' 
 
 They rode, then, into a stretch of donga- 
 worn country, where they had to slow up ; and 
 the cattle, no longer hard pressed, stood to get 
 their wind, with their heads down and tongues 
 lolling out. 
 
 It was only a brief rest ; but the Zunguin 
 warriors profited by it, and their fleetest men 
 were already rounding the cattle to turn them 
 up the hill. There rang out the sharp crack of 
 a rifle, and one of the black warriors pitched 
 forward on his face. 
 
 ' Keep your fire,' said the Commandant, 
 sternly, as he looked round at his son. ' Was 
 that you, Piet? It was a good shot, my little 
 one.' 
 
 Piet hung his head, and looked askance to 
 see whether any of the men were laughing at 
 him, but they were never so far from laughter 
 as then. Several were hedging away to the 
 left, looking at the Commandant out of the tail 
 of their small eyes, ready for the bolt across 
 the rolling plain to the Blood River. 
 
 ' We must turn the cattle,' said the leader. 
 ' Come, all together,' and he moved on up the 
 hill. But no one followed. 
 
 'If we are killed,' said Oom Jan, slowly, 
 ' our wives and children will suffer more than 
 if we return not with the cattle.' 
 
 290 
 
THE YOUNG BURGHER 
 
 'Ja, ja! that is altogether true,' said the 
 others, eagerly. 
 
 The Commandant glanced back and saw- 
 that he was alone. 
 
 ' Keep the Kaffirs back,' he said, without 
 any anger, 'and I will myself turn them.' 
 
 So he urged on his great horse up the hill, 
 while the others faced about and fired, not 
 recklessly, but only when they were sure. 
 
 Young Piet looked after his father and 
 feared, and urged his hOrse forward, and drew 
 back as he saw dark figures crouching low along 
 the hillside, and flitting swiftly from rock to 
 rock. Up the hill his father went, menacing 
 now one warrior, now another, with his rifle, 
 getting at last above the cattle, then with a roar 
 he turned and swept the herd before him down 
 on to the rolling grass veld again. 
 
 All would have been well if the burghers 
 had stood fast a moment longer, but seeing the 
 cattle safe they galloped after, and the Zulus, 
 fearing to be baulked of their prey, made their 
 last effort. 
 
 ' My Gott ! ' cried the Commandant, ' why 
 do you run ? Hold them back ! ' But the 
 men had got the madness of flight in their 
 blood now, and nothing would hold them, 
 though the Zulus were now out on the plain 
 and without shelter. So once again he stood 
 alone, checking the rush of the foe with his 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 menacing rifle before he galloped on. Assegais 
 whizzed by his head ; then his horse reared 
 with a shrill scream of pain, and he was hurled 
 headlong. 
 
 When he presently sat up with a ringing 
 in his head, he saw the Zulus standing away off 
 with the assegais poised, and he attempted to 
 rise. 
 
 ' My leg is broken,' he muttered. 
 
 ' Lay still, my father. Oom Jan will come 
 for you.' 
 
 The big man looked round and saw his 
 son standing behind, with his rifle ready, facing 
 the warriors, alone. ' Oh, Heer ! Oh, Heer ! ' 
 he groaned. ' My son, why are you here .-' ' 
 
 ' Oom Jan will come,' muttered the boy, 
 huskily. 
 
 'Anything but this,' cried the big man. 
 Then he said sternly, ' Give me your rifle, Piet, 
 and run — run for your mother's sake. Run, you 
 are untired and the Kaffirs have come miles. 
 Your rifle — quick ! ' 
 
 Young Piet shook his head. ' Oom Jan will 
 come,' he whispered. 
 
 The Zulus, silent with quivering nostrils and 
 gleaming eyes, drew in closer. 
 
 The veld echoed the sound of rapid hoof- 
 beats. 
 
 Old Piet Uys raised himself on his arm and 
 looked over the veld. He saw his burghers 
 292 
 
THE YOUNG BURGHER 
 
 coming ; but they were far, and he faintly heard 
 Oom Jan's voice ring out in encouragement. 
 
 ' Run, my little one,' he repeated ; ' run, I 
 order you ! Your father tells you,' and the 
 man looked sternly at his son. 
 
 The boy shook his head, his lips parted, 
 but the words never came. The next instant 
 his rifle spoke its last message, and the Zulus 
 rushed in. 
 
 They found them both ; the boy lying 
 across his father's broad breast. And the little 
 mother sat tearless through the night, crying that 
 ' The Groot Heer was good, but he had taken 
 all — all,' while Oom Jan wept like a child. 
 
 293 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 eyes on the stranger, he launched into a 
 long yarn about some impossible incident. He 
 was not, however, up to his usual form, being 
 suspicious of our nods and winks, and the 
 stranger was not astonished. 
 
 ' It's a curious thing,' he said, ' that people 
 are slow to believe in things which have not 
 come under their own observation unless they 
 read of them in print. Now this very morning 
 I met with an experience which may seem to 
 you incredible.' 
 
 ' Go ahead,' said Long Jim. 'If you've got 
 a story, tell it, and we'd be thanklul to you, after 
 the stuff we've been obliged to swallow from 
 Mr. Pike there.' 
 
 ' If I may say so,' said the stranger, ' his 
 story was fair, but it lacked circumstance. 
 There is an art in building up a story which 
 perhaps my friend on the counter has missed.' 
 
 ' Fire away,' said Abe, grimly. ' I'm not 
 too old to larn.' 
 
 ' Thank you. Of course, you all know the 
 long descent into Blaauw Krantz, and the 
 sharp elbow bend in the wood near the bottom 
 before the steep fall into the river. Of course. 
 Well, I have been in the habit of riding out on 
 Saturday evenings to visit a farmhouse on this 
 side, and, as a precautionary measure, I ring 
 the bell continuously while riding down the 
 
 slope.' 
 
 296 
 
UNCLE ABE AND THE SNAKE 
 
 Abe arrested the narrative by a gesture^— 
 ' Whatjer carry a bell for ? ' he asked, suspici- 
 ously. 
 
 ' To warn people ahead. You see,' with 
 a slight movement of the eyelids, ' I travel 
 so fast that I am obliged to herald my 
 approach.' 
 
 ' Better carry a trumpet,' growled Abe. 
 ' Well, ring along.' ' 
 
 ' You are doubtless aware,' continued the 
 stranger, with a keen look at the old man, ' that 
 snakes are sensitive to the influence of music' 
 
 ' I've marked that circumstance,' said Abe, 
 with a lingering on the word. ' Why there's a 
 snake in our Chapel as beats time to the " Ole 
 Hundred," and many a time I've ' 
 
 ' Oh ! shut up,' said Long Jim. ' You were 
 saying, sir 
 
 ' My bell,' continued the stranger, speaking 
 more rapidly and keeping his eye on Abe, ' has 
 a most melodious tinkle, and on the second 
 occasion of my visit to the house I have 
 mentioned I noticed just at the elbow bend 
 what appeared to be the head and neck of a 
 large snake thrust out from the bush. On my 
 next visit I observed the same spot more 
 carefully, and saw that I had not been mistaken. 
 On three separate occasions that snake was 
 there, evidently attracted by the music of the 
 bell.' 
 
 297 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 ' Why ' began Abe. 
 
 ' I understand what you mean,' exclaimed 
 the stranger. ' Why did I not stop ? Because 
 I was travelling too fast ; and whenever I 
 returned up the hill, going naturally slower, I 
 could never see the slightest trace of the snake. 
 To come to the climax, this morning I sounded 
 the bell as usual, and on nearing the bend I 
 saw that there were two snakes, and that one 
 of them, in order probably to hear the music 
 more distinctly, had glided partly into the road 
 with his head raised about three feet. To 
 take the bend I was obliged to keep on the 
 outer edge, which brought me closer to the 
 snake than I could wish — and evidently too 
 close for his comfort — for as I whizzed by he 
 lost his presence of mind, and, instead of 
 retreating, advanced, with the result that his 
 head and neck went through the spokes of the 
 front wheel.' 
 
 ' Front wheel ! ' said Abe with a snap. 
 
 ' Certainly — the front wheel of the bicycle.' 
 
 ' A bysticle ! ' ejaculated Abe, with a snort 
 of disgust that would have sent us into an 
 explosion of laughter if we had not been too 
 much absorbed in the story. 
 
 ' Of course, the revolution of the wheel 
 swung the remainder of the body clear of the 
 bush, and the tail whizzed by my head. To 
 my fear and horror, the next instant my left wrist 
 
 298 
 
UNCLE ABE AND THE SNAKE 
 
 was seized as in a grasp of iron by the tail. 
 The head, after one or two sickening thuds on 
 the hard road, which must have temporarily 
 stunned the creature, slipped out on the left 
 side, when the momentum of the wheel im- 
 mediately strung the entire body straight out 
 behind me, where it streamed with all its twenty 
 pounds weight acting as a brake.' 
 
 ' A brake ? ' said Long Jim, 
 
 ' Yes, sir. As the tail seized my wrist, the 
 curve of it took a bend also round the handle 
 bar. To that circumstance I owe my life. The 
 slackening in the speed of the machine, over 
 which I had lost control, owing to the dead 
 weight of the serpent, prevented what would 
 most certainly have been a fatal smash among 
 the boulders in the river bed. As it was, the 
 bicycle narrowly missed a large rock, and ran 
 straight into deep water, where it was, of course, 
 brought to a stop. You notice that my clothes 
 are wringing wet still. I was, of course, thrown 
 out of the saddle by the jerk of the sudden 
 stoppage, but as my wrist was manacled to the 
 handle bar I was in danger of suffocation by 
 drowning.' 
 
 The stranger paused, and Abe observed 
 him with an admiring glance. 
 
 ' How did you escape ? ' asked Long Jim. 
 
 ' Why, sir, owing to the gratitude of that 
 serpent. The cold bath revived him, and 
 
 299 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 when he realised the situation, he swam ashore 
 and drew me out with the machine. Yes, 
 gentlemen, I assure you that was the case. 
 Then he unwound his tail and moved his 
 wounded head, while regarding me with a 
 bright, but rather disconcerting, stare. I 
 realised in a flash what he was waiting for, and 
 I rang the bell for five minutes, when he slowly 
 moved off into the wood, looking very sick 
 from the severe bashing. I do not ask you to 
 believe the story, gentlemen, but I am convinced 
 that if the next time you come down Blaauw 
 Krantz on a ticycle you ring your bell you will 
 credit me with keeping to the exact facts.' 
 
 ' That beats your yarns, Abe Pike,' said Si 
 Amos, who had often been the butt of the old 
 man ; 'beats them to smithers.' 
 
 ' Jest does, and no mistake,' said Long 
 Jim. 
 
 'Why, Abe couldn't tell, a story like that, 
 with " circumstance " in it, to save his life,' said 
 a third. 
 
 Abe shook his head sadly, and left the 
 store, the stranger bidding him good-bye very 
 politely, then turning to join in the laugh. He 
 was a very pleasant young fellow, and he 
 received our open flattery with a quite affable 
 air. 
 
 Old Abe, however, had not retired van- 
 quished from the scene. When we trooped 
 
 300 
 
UNCLE ABE AND THE SNAKE 
 
 out of the store we saw him lost in solemn 
 contemplation of the stranger's bicycle. 
 
 ' A good horse, is it not ? ' said the stranger 
 slyly. ' Like to mount ? ' 
 
 ' Sir,' said Abe, ' allow an old man to shake 
 hands with you. I'm thankful for your offer, 
 but I won't mount now.' The boys laughed. 
 ' No, sir, not now ; but, if you're coming down 
 Blaauw Krantz next Saturday week I'll meet 
 you at the top and ride down.' 
 
 ' Can you manage a bicycle ? ' 
 
 ' I can't now ; but I'll larn. Is it a go ? ' 
 
 ' Let him,' said Long Jim, ' and we'll all be 
 at the bottom to pick him up.' 
 
 The stranger at last consented, very re- 
 luctantly ; and it was agreed that on the day 
 named we should be at the ' drift.' Abe disap- 
 peared for several days, returning at the end of 
 that time with several scratches on his hands 
 and a decided stiffness in his legs. He would 
 say nothing to satisfy our curiosity beyond the 
 simple remark that he had been ' Larning to 
 steer a lightning wheel-barrer down a hill.' 
 
 On the appointed day, having satisfied our- 
 selves that Abe Pike meant to stick to his 
 contract, we all rode off to the ' drift ' to await 
 the descent and pick up the pieces. 
 
 The stranger kept up his side of the 
 agreement ; and, as it turned out, he gave up 
 his machine into the shaky control of Uncle 
 
 301 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 Abe, after much advice upon the art of steering 
 round a corner on a slope. 
 
 Precisely at noon we heard, far up the hill, 
 coming out of the dense wood which hid the road 
 and the curve from our view, the silver tinkle 
 of a bell rung continuously. Clear and sharp 
 the sound came to -us as we waited in silence, 
 for the space of a minute, growing -louder, till 
 suddenly it ceased. After waiting a minute 
 we all mounted and galloped up. At the great 
 elbow bend we saw the stranger tearing down 
 on foot, but there was no sign of Abe or of the 
 machine. 
 
 On the road, however, there was the track 
 of the wheel in the dust — a: track that faded 
 away up the road, but stopped short at the 
 bend, 
 
 ' Where the blazes ! ' said Long Jim, looking 
 around and up into the sky. 
 
 ' What's that in the trees? ' said Si, pointing 
 down into the forest below the bend. 
 
 ' It's my cycle ! ' gasped the stranger, as he 
 came up. ' What a mad fool I was to let him 
 ride.' 
 
 ' Damn your cycle!' said Jim ; ' where's the 
 old man ? ' 
 
 We peered over the edge, and saw him in a 
 thicket blinking up at us. 
 
 We had him out and up in no time, while 
 two men climbed the tree to recover the 
 
 302 
 
UNCLE ABE AND THE SNAKE 
 
 machine, the stranger dancing about as if he 
 were on hot bricks. 
 
 ' Is it injured ? ' he kept on crying. 
 
 ' Injured beblowed,' growled Si Amos ; ' it'll 
 be injured sharp enough if the old man's 
 hurt' 
 
 ' Who said I was hurt,' said Abe suddenly, 
 sitting up and feeling his body. 'I'm all right ; 
 but, boys, my sakes, you'll never b'lieve me, 
 never ! ' 
 
 ' What's happened ? Are you all right ? 
 Sure?' 
 
 Abe slowly rose and felt himself. 'Yes. 
 You listen,' he said, solemnly. ' The stranger's 
 right about them snakes — dead right.' 
 
 ' It's no time to joke,' said the stranger, 
 looking ruefully at the bent spokes and twisted 
 handle-bar. 
 
 ' You're right there ; no man would joke who's 
 jest escaped from death. No, sir ; I tell you, 
 jes as I came to this yer bend I looked out for 
 the snake, but instead of the snake I seed — 
 and my heart jumped into my throat at the 
 sight — a thick rope stretched right across the 
 road from the bank on this side to the tree on 
 the other, raised about two feet from the level. 
 The next instant I went smash into it.' 
 
 ' Who could have done that trick .'* ' said 
 Long Jim, with a dangerous look. 
 
 ' The snake,' said Abe, with a croak. 
 303 
 
TALES FROM THE VELD 
 
 ' The snake ! ' 
 
 ' Yessir. I seed the glisten of his scales jes 
 as I went flying into the bush.' 
 
 ' The snake ! ' said the stranger. ' Absurd ! 
 Rot!' 
 
 ' It were the snake — the friend "of the crittur 
 you hurt,' said Abe with a groan. ' You see as 
 I allow he were determined to have revenge, 
 and when he heard the bell he hitched his jaw 
 to that root hanging down the bank, and he 
 stretched his tail round the bough of that tree 
 on the other side. A twenty-foot rock snake 
 he were. I guess he's got the stomach-ache 
 from the hit I give him.' 
 
 For a moment there was intense silence as 
 the boys grasped the situation, then they 
 laughed till they sat down. 
 
 ' Whatjer laughing at ? ' said Abe, solemnly, 
 though his lips twitched either with fun or 
 pain. 
 
 The stranger smiled sadly, then he laughed 
 too. ' Old man,' he said, ' let us shake again. 
 You have beaten me. I confess I was lying, 
 and you have taken a strong measure to punish 
 me.' 
 
 ' You was. lying ! said Abe, opening his 
 eyes and looking the picture of astonishment. 
 ' Then why did that durned snake upset me ? ' 
 
 Then he fell back in a swoon, for he had 
 304 
 
UNCLE ABE AND THE SNAKE 
 
 been sore hurt — and we carried him to the 
 nearest homestead, while Si Amos rode 
 furiously for a Doctor, and Long Jim went about 
 on tiptoe from the room to the door and back 
 in a state of restless anxiety. 
 
 THE END 
 
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 TblB Mortal OoiL 
 
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 Chaplain of the Fleet. 
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 VhB Captilns' Room, 
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 Dorotaiy Forster. . 
 
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 WcltThen. , r 
 
 ChUdtenc^Glbeon. 
 Berr Faulos. 
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 A LlTlne Lie. 
 
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 Shadow Of the Sword. ""- "" '^-'— 
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 God land the Man. 
 Martyrdom of Madeline 
 Love Me for Ever. 
 Annan Water. 
 Foxglove Manor. 
 ROB. BUCHANAN & HY 
 
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 i Iwior Chord. _ 
 
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 Lady Eilpatrlck. 
 
 MURRAY. 
 
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 'I Say Ho.'' 
 Little Novell. 
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 BUnaLove. 
 
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 From Midnight to Ui4U 
 
 nl^t. 
 Ton Play me False. 
 
 COOPER. 
 
 Transmigration. 
 Blacksmith ds Scholar. 
 The Village Comedy, 
 
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 Geoflory Hamilton. 
 
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 Two Girls en a Barge. 
 
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 His Vanished Star. 
 
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 Romances of the Old Seraglio, 
 
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 Diana Barrlngton. 
 Proper Pride. 
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 Pretty Miss Neville. 
 ABlrdofFasiage. 
 'To Let.' I Bb. Jervls. 
 Village Tales A Jungle 
 Tragedies. 
 
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 Hearts of Gold. 
 
 By ALPHONSE DAUDET. 
 
 The Evangelist ; or, Fort Salvation. 
 
 By H. COLEMAN DAVIDSON. 
 
 BCr. Sadler's Daughters. 
 
 By ERASMUS DAWSON. 
 The Fountain of Youth. 
 
 By JAMES DB MILLE. 
 A Castle In Spain. 
 
 By. J. LEITH DERWENT. 
 Our Lady of Tears. I Circe's Lovers. 
 
 By DICK DONOVAN. 
 Tracked to Doom. I The Mystery of Jamaica 
 Man from Manchester. | Terrace. 
 The Chronicles of Michael Danevitch. 
 
 By RICHARD DOWLINQ. 
 Old Corcoran's Money. 
 
 By A. CONAN DOYLE. 
 The Firm of Glrdlestone. 
 
 By S. JEANNETTE DUNCAN* 
 A Daughter of To-day. I Vernon's Aunt. 
 By G. MANVILLE PENN. 
 The New Mistress. I The Tiger Lily. 
 
 Witness to the Deed. The White Virgin, 
 
 By PERCY FITZGERALD. 
 Fatal Zero. 
 
 By R. E. PRANCILLON. 
 One 1>y One. I Bopee of Sand. 
 
 A Dog i.nd till Sbadov. I J' '"■ -— ■ - — 
 A Real Queen. 1 
 
 Prefaced by Sir BARTLE FRERE. 
 Fandnrsng H«n. 
 
 BY EDWARD QARRETT. 
 The Capel Sirli. 
 
 By PAUL OAULOT. 
 The Bed suite. 
 
 By CHARLES QIBBON. 
 Bobln any, I 01 HiEll Dener 
 
 Lovlag a Dream. ^ ^ I Tlw GoldeiTBhi 
 
 I Jack Doyle'i Daughter. 
 
 By B. OLANVILLB 
 
 - 16( ._-... 
 
 The Golden Rock, 
 lalea from tise VUdt 
 
 Tbe Loit HeireM, 
 
 A Fair Colonlft. 
 
 The JoHleker. i 
 
 By B. J. QOODMAN. 
 Tbe Fate of Herbert Wayne. 
 
 By Rev. S. BARING aOULO. 
 Bed Spider. I Eve. 
 
 By CECIL QRIPPITH. 
 
 CorlBtUa MarasloB. 
 
aft 
 
 CHATTO & WnNPUS,. Ill St. Martin's L^e, London^ W.C. 
 
 The Piccadilly (stSiiimMis'-coHtinued* 
 ^ „ By SYPNEX^GRUJNPY. 
 lite Days of hli Vkiilty. «i' 
 
 ^ ^ By OXfHfi nXUh, 
 vht Track of a Btorm. - 1 Jjstxam. 
 
 {^'.THOMAS HARDY. 
 Under tiirflreenwodd T^ea., ':,..' 
 
 ^By BRETHARTE^ 
 
 AWalfpfthalplaini. - - ■■ - 
 
 A Ward 67 the QQidfii:; 
 
 Gate. [Spriogi. 
 
 A Sappbo of Green 
 Ooi. Starbottle'i Client. 
 Buy. I Sally Dowa. 
 Beu-Rlngei; of Angel'g. 
 
 A Frcit^Kee o) Jack 
 . H»mUn'B. . 
 Clarence. 
 Barker'! Luck. . 
 Dei^li I!ord.' [celilor.' 
 The OruBade of the ' Ex- 
 Three' Partiien. 
 
 By JULIAtN HAWTHORNE. 
 
 h. "-.. • Beatrix Itandolph. 
 
 Ijfjnll Colnde3(ter'i Sii- 
 'tfha "fee'cfiro" "Trf . tht 
 
 '^%i>e'cfiro ■' 
 Camera. 
 
 Garth. 
 
 Etiice Qnentln. 
 
 Behaittan Strom*. 
 
 Dnit. 
 
 Fortune's Fool. 
 
 By Sir A. HELPS. 
 Ivan de Blron. 
 
 By I. HENDERSON. 
 Ac»tha Page. 
 
 By Q. A. HENTY. 
 Knjnb the Jnsgler. I The Qaeen'i Gup. 
 Dorotby'f Double. • f -• - ' 
 
 By JOHN HILU 
 The Common Anceitor. 
 
 By Mrs. HUNdERFiORD. 
 Lady Verner's Flight. I Nora C«in». - 
 The Red-House Myetery AnAnxloni Moment* 
 The Three Grace*. , I Aprjl'a Lady. . 
 ProfcMor's Experiment, j Peter's Wile. 
 A Point of CoiiBclence4 | 
 
 By Mrs. ALFRED HUNT, 
 The leaden CMtket^ : ['Self-Condemned. 
 That Other Ferion. | Mri. JuUetr - 
 
 By C, J. CUTCLIPFE HYNE. 
 Honour of Thterei. ' 
 
 By R. ASHE KING. 
 A Drawn Game.- - * •» - .-- -- 
 
 By EDMOND LEPELLETIER, 
 Madame Sins-Gene. 
 
 By HARRY LINDSAY. 
 Bhoda Roberts. ■ ^. 
 
 By HEN£RV W. LUCY. 
 Gideon Fleyce. 
 
 By E. LVNN UNTON. 
 
 Patricia ICemball. 
 Under which Lord 7 
 'HyLovel' I Itntei! 
 Paston Carew. 
 Sowittff the Wind. 
 
 By JUSTIN 
 A Fata- Saxon. 
 Ualey Bochford. 
 Dear Z»ady Disdain. 
 Camiola. 
 
 Waterdale Neighbours. 
 JItr Enemy's Daughter, 
 Miss Misanthrope. 
 
 The Atonement of Learn 
 
 Dimdas. 
 ThelTorld Well tost. 
 The One Too Many. 
 Dulcf a EvOrton. 
 
 McCarthy. 
 
 Doiai&;Qnlxote. 
 -Maid of Athens. 
 The Comet of a Season. 
 TheJDlcl^tor. 
 Red Diamonds., 
 The Riddle King. 
 . The Three Disgraces. 
 
 Br JU3TIN H. McCarthy. 
 
 A London Legend. | The Roy id Christopher. 
 
 By aEORQE MACDONALD. 
 Heather and Snoiv. I Phantastej. 
 By L, T. MEADE. 
 A Soldier of Fortune, t The Voice of tb* 
 In an Iron Grip. v Charmer. 
 
 By L. T. MEADE and CLIFFORD 
 HALIFAX, M.D. 
 Dr. Rnmsey's Patiedt. . _ . 
 
 By LEONARD MERRICK. 
 This Stage of Fools^ . | Cynthia. 
 
 By BERTRAM MITFORD. 
 The Gun-Ronner. I The King's AEsegal. 
 
 The Luck of Oeralrd Renshav Fanning's 
 Bldgeloy. ... Quest. 
 
 By J. B- MUDDOCK- 
 Hald Marian andBobb) Rood. 
 BasUe the Jester. - ' i T&ung LbcldnyAr, 
 
 By D. CHRISTIE MURRAY. 
 
 A Life's Atonement, 
 Joseph's Coat: 
 Coals ofFure. - 
 Old Blazer's Hero. 
 Tal Strange. \ Hearts. 
 A Model Father,' 
 By the Gate of jtbe Bsa.- 
 A Bit of Human Nature. 
 First Person Singular. 
 
 Cynic Forti^se. 
 The Way«ftheWorifl. 
 BobMartln's Little Qlrl, 
 Time's Revenges. 
 A Wasted Crime, 
 In Direst Peril 
 Kouht Despair. 
 A CaiiCol ft' Halts. 
 Tales anj\.^pems. 
 
 By MURRAY and HERMAN. 
 
 The Bishops* Bible. I'PaulfJonsi'A-AlUs. 
 One Traveller Returns'. | 
 
 By HUME NISBET^ 
 ' Ball Up r i 
 
 By W. E. NORRIg. 
 Saint Ann's. ( Billy Beilev. 
 
 By 0. OHNETi 
 A Weird Gift. 
 
 By Mrs. OLIPHANT* 
 
 The Sorceiess. 
 
 By OUIDA, 
 
 Held in Bondage. 
 Strathmore, 
 Chandoi. 
 Under Two Flags. 
 Idalia. [Oagb. 
 
 Cecil Castlemalne'i 
 Trlcotritt. I Puck." 
 Polle Farlnfllr 
 ADogofFlanden. 
 Faicarel. | Signa. 
 Princess Napraxine. 
 Ariadne. ' 
 
 Two Little. Wooden 
 
 In a WinterClty,,Bho«f 
 
 Friendship. 
 
 Moths, r RnfBno. 
 
 FipistreUo. 
 
 A village Commane. ': 
 
 Blmbi. - I 'Wanda. 
 
 .Frescoes.. t.Othmar, 
 
 In Marenuna. 
 
 Byrltn, I GuUdoroji 
 
 Banta Barbf.ra. 
 
 Two Offenders. 
 
 By MARGARET A. PAUL. 
 
 Gentle and Simply. 
 
 By JAMES' PAYN. 
 
 Lost Sir Massingfierdt- 
 Less Black thwi ytv'n 
 
 Painted. 
 
 Hlgh^ Spirits.;. 
 Under One Roof- 
 Glow worin Taiel. 
 The Talk of the Toink 
 Ho^idayTaAs,. 
 For Cash only. 
 The Burnt Million. 
 The Word andthe WilL 
 Bunny Stories. 
 A Trying Patient. 
 
 A Goafldentlal Agent. 
 A Grape from a Thpm. 
 In Peril and Privation.- 
 The Mystery of Mir- 
 By Proxy. [bridge. 
 The Canon's Ward, 
 Walter's Word. 
 
 By WILL PAYNE. 
 Jerry the Dreamer. " 
 
 By Mrs. CAMPBELL PRAED. 
 
 Outlaw and Lawmaker, t Mrs. Tregasklss. 
 Christina Chard. .1 
 
 By E. C. PRICE. 
 
 Valanttna. | Foreigners. | Mrs. Lancaster s Rlvak 
 
 By RICHARD PRYCE^ 
 
 Miss Maxwell's Affections. 
 
 By CHARLES READE: 
 
 Peg Wofflngton; and '-^- "- '" 
 
 ChrUtie Johnstone.. 
 Hard Cash. 
 Ctoister ft the Hearth. 
 Never Too Late to Mend 
 The Course of True 
 
 Love Never Did Run. 
 
 Smooth ; and Binglff 
 
 heart andDoubleface. 
 Autobiography , 'Of - a 
 
 Thief; Jack of aU 
 
 Tiadtis; A Hero and 
 
 a Martyr ; and The 
 
 Wandering Kdlr. - 
 Griffith Gbnni' ' 
 
 Love Me Little, Love 
 
 Me Long.' r 
 nie Double Marrlaje. 
 Fo,ul play. 
 Put Yourself In His 
 
 Place. 
 A Terrible TemptaUoa 
 A Siimpleton. 
 A Womatf-Hater. 
 The Jilt, & otbcrS cries'; 
 
 & Good Stories ot Man 
 and other Animals. 
 A Perilous Secret. 
 Headlan^; and' "Blbla 
 
 'Characters. 
 
 By Mffl. J.'H. RIDOELL^ 
 
 Weird Storle^r ' - 
 
 « K^ By^AMELm^lUVES^ ; : 
 
 BATbira 'Denii£. , ...^ 
 
 By F. W.T ROBINSQN. < 
 
 The Hand, of JiuUce. ) WomuiiD th. Sirk. 
 By DORA RUSSELU 
 
 A CoiBtfy ^wotluait. I Th« Drift oi r^u.. 
 
CHATTO & WINDUS, in St. Martln»8 Lane. London, W.C- a^ 
 
 The Piccadilly (3/6) Novels— coM(i«««rf. 
 -,„„ By W. CLARK RUSSELL. 
 Sf??'*^^25*y*y-^*'«* My Shipmate lonlM. 
 bi th« Klddlfl Watdt. Alone onWWeWlde Sea. 
 On the Fo'k'ile Hriad. The PhantAm Death. 
 S 7?^*8* *» ti» Cape. !■ He the Uan ? 
 BpokfortheHamtniock. Good ShlO 'Mohock,' 
 Mysteryof 'Ocean Star' The Convict Ship. 
 The Bomance of Jenny Heart of Oak. 
 
 Kwlowe. The Tale of the Ten. 
 
 Aa Ocean Tragedy. The Last Entry. 
 
 By BAYLB ST» JOHN. 
 A Levantine Family. 
 
 By JOHN SAUNDERS. 
 Guy Waterman. I The Two Dreamers. 
 
 Bound to the Wheel. | The Lion In the Fatb. 
 
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 BlargaretajidEU»i1)eth I Heart Salvage. 
 Gideon'! Bock. Sehaitian. 
 
 The High HIII1. | 
 
 By ADELINE SERGEANT. 
 Dr. Endfcott's Experiment. 
 
 By HAWLEY SMART. 
 Without Love or Licence. 1 The Outsider. 
 TheUaetsTofBathkeUy. Beatrice * Benedick. 
 Long Odds. I A Baclng Babber. 
 
 By T. W. SPEIGHT. 
 A Secret of the Sea. I TheMasterof Trenince. 
 The Grey Monk. | A Minion of the Moon. 
 
 By ALAN ST. AUBYN. 
 
 In Face of the World. 
 Orchard Damerel. 
 The Tremlett Dlamonda. 
 
 A Fellow of Trinity. 
 The Junior Sean. 
 Master of St.Benedict'f, 
 To hi* Own Master. 
 
 By JOHN STAFFORDc 
 Doris and I. 
 
 By RICCARDO STEPHENS, 
 The Cruciform Mark. 
 
 By R. A. STERNDALE. 
 The Afghan Knife. 
 
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 The Suicide Club. 
 
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 proud Mawe- I Th^ VioUn-Flaver, 
 
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 The Way we Live Nov. I Bcarkoroaeh's Family. 
 Fran Frohmajig. | The Land-Leaguera . 
 
 By FRANCES E. TR01.L0PE 
 
 Like Ships upon the I AAne Fnmesi. 
 
 Sea. I Mabel's Progress. 
 
 By IVAN TURGENIEFF, &c. 
 
 Stories from Foreign Novelists. 
 
 By MARK TWAIN. 
 
 Tom Sawyer, Detective. 
 Pndd'nbead Wilson. 
 The Glided Aap. 
 Prince and the Pauper. 
 Ufe on. the Mlssisslppf. 
 The Adventures ox 
 
 Huckleberry Finn. 
 A Yankee at l^e Court 
 
 of King Arthur. 
 Stolen White Elephant. 
 £1,000,000 Banknote. 
 
 Mark Twain's Choice 
 
 Works. 
 Mark Twabi'B Library 
 
 of Humour. 
 The Innocents Abroad. 
 Boughlng It; and The 
 
 Innocents at Home. 
 A Tramp Abroad. 
 TheAmerican Claimant. 
 AdventnresTomSawyer 
 Tom Sawyer Abroad. 
 
 By C. C. FRASER-TYTLER. 
 Mistress Judith* 
 
 By SARAH TYTLER. 
 
 Lady Bell. I The Macdonald Lass. 
 
 Buried Diamon<s. The Witch- Wife. 
 
 The Blackball bXistfl. | 
 
 By AL^EN UPWARD. 
 The Queen against Owen r The Prince of Balkiataa 
 
 By E. A. VIZETELLY. 
 
 The Scorpion : A Romance of Spain. 
 
 By WILLIAM WESTALU 
 
 Sons of Belial. 
 
 By ATHA WESTBURY. 
 
 The Shadow of Hilton Fembrook. 
 
 By C. J. WILLS. 
 An Easy-going Fellow. 
 
 By JOHN STRANGE WINTER, 
 Cavalry Life and Beg^ental Legends. 
 A SoliUer's Children. 
 
 By MARGARET WYNMAN. 
 My Flirtations. 
 
 By E. 
 
 The Downfall. 
 The Dream, 
 Dr. Pascal.' 
 VTonoy. 1 Lourdes. 
 By ■ 
 
 A Nineteenth Century Miracle. 
 
 zola; 
 
 The Fat and the Thin. 
 His Excellency. 
 The Dram-Shop. 
 Bome. j Pari!. 
 
 z. z.' - 
 
 CHEAP EDITIONS OF POPULAR NOVELS. 
 
 post 8vO| illustrated boards, ^s. each. 
 
 By ARTEMUS WARD. 
 
 ArtemuB Ward Complete. 
 
 By EDMOND ABOUT. 
 
 The Fellah, 
 
 By HAMILTON AIDE. 
 
 Carr of Carrb-on. J Confldences. 
 
 By MARY ALBERT. 
 Brooke Finchley'B Daughter;. 
 
 By Mrs. ALEXANDER. 
 Hald, Wife or Widow V 1 Talerie's Fate. 
 Blind Fate. 
 
 By GRANT ALLEN, 
 
 PhlllBtia. 
 Strange Stories. 
 Babvlon. 
 
 For Malmfe's Sake, 
 In all Shades, 
 ^e Beckoning Hand, 
 The Devil's Die. 
 
 The Tents of Shem. _ _ 
 
 By E. LESTER ARNOLD. 
 FhrathePhcenlelui. ^...„™- 
 
 BY FRANK BARRETT. 
 
 The Oroat Taboo. 
 Dumare&q's Daughter. 
 Duchess of Fowysiand. 
 Blood Royal. [piece- 
 Itran Oreet'B Master. 
 The Scallywag. 
 Thii Mortal Coll. 
 At B^rket Value. 
 
 Fettered for Life. 
 Little La4y Linton. 
 Between Idfe dC Death. 
 The Sin of Olga Zasson- 
 
 Ilcb. 
 FoUy Morrison. 
 Lieut. Barnabas. 
 j^oQOBt Davi^, 
 
 A Frodisars Progress. 
 Found Cralltv. 
 A Beeolllng vengeance. 
 For Love andHonour, 
 John Ford; and His 
 
 Helpmate. 
 The Woman of the Iron 
 
 Bracelets, 
 
 By SHELSLEY BEAUCHAMP. 
 
 Grantley Grange. 
 By Sir W. BESANT and J. RICa 
 
 Ready- Money Mortlboy 
 My Little GJj-l, 
 with Harp and Crown. 
 This Son of Vulcan. 
 The Golden Butterfly. 
 The Monks of Thelema. 
 
 By 
 
 Sorts 
 
 By Cella's Arbour. 
 Chaplain of Uie Fleet. 
 The Seamy 61d%. 
 The Case of Mr. Lueraft. 
 In Trafalgar's Bay. 
 The Ten Tears' Tenuit. 
 
 Sir WALTER BESANT. 
 
 All Sorts and Condi-; 
 
 tlons of Men. 
 The Captains' Boom. 
 All in a Garden Fair. 
 Dorothy Forster. 
 UnbleJack. 
 The World Went Very 
 
 Well Th«n. 
 Children of Glbeon. 
 Eerr Faulns. ' 
 For Faith and Freedom. 
 
 By 
 In the Mi<Ut of Life. 
 
 By FREDERICK BOYLE. 
 
 Chronicles of No man't 
 
 To CaU Her Mine. 
 The Bell of St. Fanl'a. 
 The HqIv Rose. 
 Armorel of Lyoneise. 
 S.Etktherlne's by Tower, 
 Veibeha CamcUla Ste- 
 
 phanotls. 
 The Ivory'Gate. 
 The Rebel Queen. 
 Beyond the Dieanu of 
 
 Avarice. 
 
 By 
 
 Camp Notes, 
 Savage ufe. 
 
 BY BRET HARTE. 
 
 Califomlan Stories. 
 
 Gabriel Cohroy. 
 
 The Lock of Roaring 
 
 Camp. 
 An Heiress of Bed Dog. 
 
 Land. 
 
 Fflp. 
 
 Maruja. 
 
 A PhyJOisof the Sierras. 
 
 A WarA of th« Golden 
 Gat*. 
 
so 
 
 CHATTO & WINDUS, in St. Martin's Lane. London, W.C. 
 
 Two-Shilling Novels— con^iw wed. 
 By HAI^OLD BRYDQES. 
 rncle Bam at Home. 
 
 By ROBERT BUCHANAN. 
 
 BliAdow of the Sword. ~^' *-— -. — -. — 
 
 A Child of Natnra, 
 
 God and the Nasi, 
 
 Icove Me for Ever. 
 
 Fbxglove.Manor. 
 
 The Master of the Bflne. 
 
 The Martyrdom of JSor 
 
 deline. 
 The Bew Ahelard. 
 Matt. 
 
 The Heir of linne. 
 Woman and the Man^ 
 Bachel Dene. 
 
 Annan Water. 
 
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 The Shadowof aCi;im0. 1 The Deemster. 
 A Son of Hagar. { 
 
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 Decaiverg Ever. | Jallet's .Guardian. 
 
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 For the Love of a Lasi. 
 
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 Fanl Ferroll. 
 
 Why Fanl FerroU KiUed Us Wife. 
 
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 Sw«et Anne Page. 
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 Sweet and Twenty. 
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 Frances. 
 
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 Miss or Mrs.? 
 
 Tha New Magdalen. 
 
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 The Law and the Lady 
 
 The Two Destinies. 
 
 The Haunted HoteL 
 
 Algae's Life. 
 
 By M. J. COLQUHOUN. 
 t% try* Inch a Soldier. 
 
 By DUTTON COOK. 
 Leo; I Faul Foster's Daughter. 
 
 By C. EGBERT CRADDOCK. 
 
 TheJProphet of the Great Smoky Mountains. 
 
 By MATT CRIM. 
 The Adventures of a Fair Kebel. 
 
 By B. M. CROKER. 
 Pretty Miss NevlUe. A Family Likeness. 
 Diana Barringtou. Tillage Taleis and Jungle 
 
 'To Let.' Tragedies. 
 
 A Bird of Fassaga. Two MasterB. 
 
 Proper Pride. Mr. Jervis. 
 
 By W. CYPLES. 
 Hearts of Oold. - . 
 
 By ALPHONSB DAXJDfiT. 
 Tbo Evannllst: or. Port Salvation. 
 
 ^ ERASMUS DAWSON. 
 The Fountain of TonUi. 
 
 By JAMES DE MILLE. 
 A Castle in Spain. . _ _ _ 
 
 By J. LEITH DERWENT. . 
 Our Lady, of Tears. | Circe's Lovers. 
 
 By CHARLES DICKENS. 
 rk^^hes by Box, 
 
 By DICK DONOVAN. 
 
 In the Grip of the Law. 
 Ptom Information &•• 
 
 ceived. 
 Ttacked to Doom. 
 Link by Link 
 Suspicion Aroused. 
 Dark Deeds. 
 Kiddles Bead. 
 
 The Man-Hunter. 
 
 Tracked and Taken*' 
 
 Caught at La«t I 
 
 Wanted! 
 
 Who Poisoned ''Betty 
 
 Duncan 7 
 Man from Manchester. 
 A Detective's Triumphs . _ _ 
 
 The Mystery of Jamaica Terrace, 
 
 By Mrs. ANNIE EDWARDESj 
 
 A Point of Honour. | Archie Lovell. 
 
 By M. BETHAM-EDWARD5. 
 
 Felicia. 1 Kitty. . 
 
 By EDWARD EGQLESTON. 
 
 Rqxy. 
 
 By O. MANVILLB FENN, 
 
 The New Mistress. t The Tiger Lily. 
 
 Witness to the Deed. t ^e White Virgin. / y 
 
 By PERCY FITZGERALD. 
 Bella Donna. | Second Mrs. Tillotson.^ 
 
 Never Forgotten. Seventy - five Brooko' 
 
 Polly. I Street. 
 
 Fatal Zero. ' | The Lady of Brantome 
 
 By P. FITZOERALD and others. 
 
 Strange Secrets. 
 
 By ALBANY DE FONBLANQUE. 
 Filthy Lucre. 
 
 By R. E. FRANCILLON. 
 
 King or Knave 7 
 Romances of the Law. 
 Ropes of Sand. 
 A Dog and his Shadow.' 
 
 Olympia. 
 One by One. 
 A Real Queen. 
 Queen Cophetna, 
 
 By HAROLD FREDERIC. 
 Seth's Brother's Wife. I The Lawton Girl. 
 Prefaced by Sir BARTLE PRE RE 
 Pandurang Harl. 
 
 By HAIN FRISWELL. 
 One of Two.- 
 
 By EDWARD GARRETT. 
 The Capel Girls. 
 
 By GILBERT GAUL. 
 
 A Strange Manuscript. 
 
 By CHARLES GIBBON. 
 
 Robin Gray. 
 Fancy Free. 
 For Lack of Gold. 
 What will World Say ? 
 In Love and War. 
 For the King- 
 In Paatores Green. 
 Queen of the Meadow. 
 A Heart's Problem. 
 The Dead Heart. ^ 
 
 In Honour Bound. 
 Flower of the Forest 
 The Braes of yarrow. 
 The Golden Shaft. 
 Of High Degree. 
 By Mead and Btreun. 
 Loving a Dream. 
 A Hard Knot. 
 Heart's Delight, 
 Blood-Money. 
 
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 Dr. Austin's Quests, i The Wizard of the 
 James Duke. I Mountain. 
 
 By ERNEST GLANVILLE- 
 
 The Lost Heiress. I The Fossicker. 
 
 A Fair Colonist. | 
 
 By Rev. S. BARING GOULD 
 Red Spider. | Eve. 
 
 By HENRY GREV1LL13. 
 A Noble woman. | Hikanor. 
 
 By CECIL GRIFFITH. 
 Corinthla Marazion. 
 
 By SYDNEY GRUNDY. 
 The Days of hU Taalty. 
 
 By JOHN HABBERTON. 
 Braetott's Bayou. I Country Luck. 
 
 By ANDREW HALLIDAY. 
 Every day Papers. 
 
 By Lady DUFFUS HARDY. 
 Paul Wynter's Sacrifice. 
 
 By THOMAS HARDY. 
 Under the Greenwood Tree. 
 
 By J. BERWICK HARWOOD. 
 The Tenth Earl, 
 
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 S«:ih- . Beatrix Randolph. 
 
 Elllee Qaentln. — " 
 
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 Mln Cadogna. 
 Sebaatlan litrom*. 
 Cut. 
 
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 Ivan de Blron. 
 
 By a. A. HENTY. 
 
 Rnjab the Jnjsgler. 
 
 By HENRY HERMAN. 
 
 A Leading Lady. 
 
 By HEADON HILU 
 
 Zamhra the Detective. 
 
 By JOHN HILL. 
 
 Treaion Felony. 
 
 By Mrs. CASHEL HOEY. 
 
 Tht LoTer'i Creed. 
 
 By Mrs. GEO ROE HOOPER. 
 
 The Boue of Raby. 
 
 By TIGHB HOPKINS. 
 
 Twixt Love and Duty. 
 
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 The Three Oracea 
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 Lady Fatty. 
 
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 Karrel. 
 
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 A Uodem Circe. 
 
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 Thomlcroft'a Model. I Self-Condemned. 
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 Fated to be Free. 
 
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 My Dead Self. 
 
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 Colonial Factg and Fictions. 
 
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 A Drawn Game. I Panlon s Slave. 
 
 * The Wearing of the Bell Barry. 
 Green.' | 
 
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 Madame Sani Gene. 
 
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 The Undeayi. 
 
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 Fatrleia Xemball. 
 The World Well Loit, 
 ITnder which LordT 
 Faaton Carew. 
 • My Love I ' 
 
 lone. 
 
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 Oldeon Fleyce. 
 
 By JUSTIN McCarthy. 
 
 The Atonement of Learn 
 
 Dundaa. 
 With a SUhen Thread. 
 Rebel of the Family. 
 Bowing the Wind. 
 The One Too Many. 
 
 Camiola. 
 Donna Quixote. 
 Maid of Athena. 
 The Comet of a Seaion. 
 The Dictator. 
 Red Diamendi. 
 MACCOLL. 
 
 Dear Lady Disdain. 
 Waterdale Neighbours. 
 My Enemy's Daughter. 
 A Fair Saxon. 
 Unley Rochford. 
 lOfs UJsaathrope. 
 
 By HUGH 
 Mr. Stranger's Sealed Packet. 
 
 By GEORGE MACDONALD. 
 Heather wad Snow. 
 
 By AGNES MACDONELL. 
 Quaker Cousins. 
 
 By KATHARINE S. MACQUOID. 
 The Evil Eye. I Lost Rose. 
 
 By W. H. MALLOtfK. 
 A Romance of the Nine- 1 The New R*onbHc. 
 teenth Century. \ 
 
 . By FLORENCE MARRYAT. , 
 
 Open iSesamet I AHarresfrofWildOats. 
 
 Fighting the Air. | Written In Fire. 
 
 By J. MASTE^tMAN. 
 Half-a-dozen Daughters, 
 
 By BRANDER MATTHEWS. 
 A Secret of the Sea. 
 
 By L. T. MEADE. 
 A Soldier of Fortune. 
 
 By LEONARD MERRICR. 
 The Man who' was Good, 
 
 By JEAN MIDDLEMASS. 
 Touch and Go. | Mr. Dorillion. 
 
 By Mr*. MOLESWORTH. 
 Hathercourt Rectory. ' 
 
 By J. E. MUDDOCK. 
 Stories Weird and Won- 1 From the Bosom of the 
 
 derful. Deep. 
 
 The Dead Man's Secret. I 
 
 By D. CHRISTIE MURRAY. 
 '*'■ ••-'^— By the Gate of the Sea. 
 
 A Bit of Human Nature. 
 First Person Singular. 
 Bob Martins Little Girl 
 Time's Revenges. 
 A Wasted Crime. 
 In Direst Peril. 
 Mount Despair. 
 
 A Model Father, 
 
 Joseph's Coat. 
 
 Goals of Fire. 
 
 Tal Strange. | Hearts. 
 
 Old Blazer s Hero. 
 
 The Way of the World. 
 
 Cynic Fortune. 
 
 A Life's Atonement. 
 
 By MURRAY and HERMAN. 
 
 One Traveller Returns. | The Bishops' Bible, 
 Paul Jones's Alias. | 
 
 By HENRY MURRAY. 
 A Game of Bluff. I A Song of Sixpence. 
 
 By HUME NISBET. 
 ' Ball ITpI ' I Dr.BernardSt.Ylacent. 
 
 By W. E. NORRIS. 
 Saint Ann's. 
 
 By ALICE 0*HANLON. 
 The Unforeseen. f Chance 7 or Fate T 
 
 By GEORGES OHNET. 
 Dr. Rameau. I A Weird Gift. 
 
 A Last Love. 
 
 By Mrs. OLIPHANT. 
 
 Whiteladies. | The Greatest Heiress in 
 
 The Primrose Path. I England. 
 
 By Mrs. ROBERT O'REILLY. 
 
 Phoebe's Fortunes. 
 
 By OUIDA. 
 
 Held in Bondage. 
 
 Strathmore. 
 
 ChandoB, 
 
 Idalia. 
 
 Under Two Flagi. 
 
 Cecil Castlemalne'sGage 
 
 TrlcotrlB, 
 
 Fuck. 
 
 FoUe Fuine. 
 
 A Dog of Flanden. 
 
 Fascarel. 
 
 Blgna. 
 
 Pnnceu Hapraxine. 
 
 In a Winter City. 
 
 Ariadne. 
 
 Friendship. 
 
 Two Lit. Wooden Shoes. 
 Moths. 
 Bimbl. 
 FlplsttOllo. 
 A village Commnne, 
 Wanda. 
 Othmar 
 Frescoes. 
 ZnHaremnu, 
 Gnllderoy. 
 Rufflno. 
 Syrlin. 
 
 Santa Barbara. 
 Two Offenders. 
 Oulda's Wisdom, Wit, 
 and Pathos. 
 
 By Margaret agnes pauu 
 
 Gentle and Simple. 
 
 By C. L. PIRKIS. 
 
 Lady Lovelace, 
 
 By EDGAR A. POB. 
 
 The Mystery of Marie Roget. 
 
 By Mrs. CAMPBELL PRAED. 
 The Romance of a Station. 
 The Soul of Countess Adrian, 
 Outlaw and Lawmaker. 
 Christina Chard. 
 
 By E. C. PRICE. 
 Valentlna. j Vbs. Lancaster's RlvaL 
 
 The Foreigners. I Gerald, 
 
 ^ By RICHARD PRYCB. 
 Xiu ICazwell's Affectleiu, 
 
3a CHATTO & WINDUg, : Martin is Laiie. L6ndod. W.t. 
 
 Twq-Shilling fiovKLSrHiojitinut ' '-' '''■'- 
 - „ ^. By JAMBS PAYN. 
 SKiSSi.AT?.^'^* 5.*'?.?»*Ko' <*e Town. 
 
 Unrpby'i Master. 
 
 A Coauty Family. ' 
 
 At Her Mercy. 
 
 Caeil'i Tryct. 
 
 TheClyffarda'ofClyffe. 
 
 The frntta Brothen. 
 
 Fonnd Dead. 
 
 Tbe Best pf Hnibasds. 
 
 Walter's Word 
 
 Halves, 
 
 Fallea Fortunes. 
 
 Hnmoroiu Stoxlea. 
 
 £200 BBward. 
 
 A Marine Residence. 
 
 Hlrk Abbey 
 
 By Proxy. 
 
 Under One Roof. 
 
 High Spirits. 
 
 Carlyon's Tear, 
 
 From Exile. 
 
 For Casta Only. 
 
 Kit, 
 
 Ttae Canon's Ward. 
 
 Holiday Tasks. 
 ATerfeet Treasure. 
 What HeCost Her. 
 A CohfldehtialAgent. 
 Glow-worm Tales. ** 
 Tbe Bnmt Million. 
 Sonny Stories. 
 Xost Sir Maasingberd. 
 A Woman's Vengeance. 
 The Family Sjcaiiegrace. 
 Gwendoline's Harvest. 
 Uke Father. £lke Son. 
 Married Beneath Him. 
 Not Wooed, but Won.. 
 Less Black than We're 
 
 Painted. 
 Some Private Views. 
 A Grape Crom a Thorn. 
 The Mystery of Mir- 
 
 bridge. 
 The Word and the Will. 
 A Prince of the Blood. 
 A Trying Patient. 
 
 ,w » ^y CHARLES READS. 
 
 It_i8 Never Too Late to A Terrible Temptation. 
 
 Mend. 
 Christie Johnstone. 
 The Double AUrriage. 
 mt Yourself la His 
 
 FhUw 
 Love Me Little, Love 
 
 Me Long. 
 The Cloister and the 
 
 Hearth. 
 The Cburaa of True 
 . Love. 
 The jut. 
 The Autobiography of 
 
 a Thief. 
 
 Foul Play. 
 
 The Wandering Heir. 
 
 Hard Cash. 
 
 Slngleheartand Double- 
 face. 
 
 Good Stories of Man and 
 other Animals. 
 
 Peg Woffington. 
 
 OrifBth Gaunt. 
 
 A Perilous Secret. 
 
 A Simpleton. 
 
 Readlana. 
 
 A Woman-Hater. 
 
 By Mrs. J. H. RIDDELL. 
 
 Tbe Uninhabited House. 
 The Mystery In Palace 
 
 Gardens. . 
 The nun's^ Curse. 
 Idle Tales. 
 
 Weird Stories. 
 Fairy Water. 
 Her Mother's Darling. 
 The Prince of Wales'lS 
 Garden Fiirty. 
 
 By AMELIB RIVES. 
 
 Barbara Dering. 
 
 By F. W. ROBINSON. 
 
 Women are Strange. | The Huids of JusUce, 
 
 By JAMES RUNCIMAN. 
 Skippers and Shellbacks. | Schools and Scholars. 
 Grace Baluajgn's Sweetheart. 
 
 By W. CLARK RUSSELL. 
 
 The Romance of Jenny 
 . Harlowe. 
 An Ocean Tragedy. 
 Hy Shipmate Louise. 
 Alone onWideWide Sea. 
 The Good Ship 'Mo- 
 hock.*' 
 Tbe Phantom Death, 
 
 Round the Xf alley Fire. 
 
 On the Fo'k'sle Head. 
 
 In the Middle Watch. 
 
 A Voyage to the Cape. 
 
 A Book for tbe Ham- 
 mock. , 
 
 The Mystery of the 
 
 'Ocean Star.' 
 
 By DORA RUSSELL. 
 
 A Country Sweetheart. 
 By OEORGE AUGUSTUS SALA. 
 
 Gaslight and Daylight. 
 
 By JOHN SAUNDERS. 
 
 Guy Waterman. - . I.- The Lion in the Path. 
 
 The Two Dreamers. ) 
 
 By KATHARINE SAUNDERS. 
 
 Joan Merryweather, I- Sebastian. 
 
 The High Mills. [Margaret and Rliza- 
 
 Heart Salvage. I beCb. 
 
 By QGORGE R. SIMS. 
 
 The Ring o' Bells. 
 Mary Jane's Memoirs, 
 Mary Jane Married. 
 Tales of To day. 
 Dramas of Life. 
 Tlnkletop's Crime. 
 
 My Two Wives, 
 
 Zeph. 
 
 Memoirs of a Landlady. 
 
 Scenes from the Show. 
 
 Tbe 10 Commandments. 
 
 Dagonet Abroad. 
 
 By ARTHUR SKETCHLEY. 
 
 A Match in the Dark. 
 
 ^,^^ By HAWLEY SMART. 
 
 Without Love or Licence. 
 The Plunger. 
 Beatrice and'^enedick. 
 
 By J^ W. SPEIGHT. 
 
 The Mysteries of Heron 
 
 Dyke. . 
 The Golden Hoop. 
 Hood winked. 
 By Devious Ways. 
 
 Back to Life. 
 The LAudmiterTragedyi 
 Bnrgo's Romsnce. 
 Quittance In Pall. 
 „-. AHosbandfromtheSea 
 
 By, ALAN ST. AUBYN. 
 A Fellow of Trinity. I To Bii Own Matter. 
 The Junior Dein. Orchard Bamerel. 
 
 Maiterof St.Benedtct'8 i IntheFaceoftheWorlit 
 
 ^ . By R. A. STERNDALB. 
 
 The AfgliBn KnifeT 
 
 By R. LOUIS STEVENSON. 
 
 New Arabian Kighte: 
 
 „ ,^ By BERTHA THOMAS. 
 
 S.'"^-.-,^ IllieViolinPlnyer. 
 
 Froud Maisie'. | 
 
 _ , By WALTER THORNBURY, 
 
 Talea for the Marinei, | Old Stories Setold, 
 __ By T. ADOLPHUS TROLLOPE. 
 
 Diamond Cat Diamond. 
 
 ,.,By F. ELEANOR TROLLOPE- 
 
 Like Ships upon the I Anne FnrneUi 
 
 Sea. ) Mabel's Progress, 
 
 ^ By ANTHONY TROLLOPE. 
 
 Fran Frohmann. _ The Land-Leagubrs. 
 
 Marion Fay. | 
 Kept in the Dark. 
 John Caldlgate. 
 The Way We Live Nov. 
 
 The American Senator. 
 Mr. Scarborough's 
 
 Family. 
 GoldenLion of Granpere 
 
 „ „.By J. T. TROWBRIDdE. 
 
 Farnell's Jolly. 
 
 ^^ By IVAN TURGENIBFF, &c. 
 
 Stories from Foreign Novelists. . \ . 
 By MARK TWAIN. 
 
 A Pleasure Trip on the- "■" "' "" 
 Continent. 
 
 The Gilded Age. 
 ~ ■ Hnn. 
 
 Huckleberry 
 
 MarkTwaln's Sketches. 
 Tom Sawyer. - 
 A Tramp Abroad. 
 Stolen white Elephant. 
 
 By C. C..PRASER-TVTLER. 
 
 Mistress Judi^. -. 
 
 By SARAH tVTLER. 
 
 Life on t^e MisaissippL 
 The Prince and the 
 
 . Pauper.. 
 A fankee at the Court 
 
 of King Artbnr. 
 The £lTd0Q,OQa Bank- 
 
 Note. 
 
 The Bride's pass. 
 Buried Diamonds. 
 St. Mungo'B City< 
 
 The Huguenot Family. 
 
 The Blackball Ghosts. 
 
 What SheCameThrough 
 
 Beauty and the Beast, 
 
 Citoyenne Jaqueline. 
 
 Noblesse Oblige. 
 DisappeareU. 
 
 By ALLEN UPWARD. 
 The Queen against Owen. | Prince of BalUstab. 
 ' God Save the Queen I ' 
 By AARON WATSON and LILLIAS 
 
 WASSERMANN. 
 The Marquis of Gapabas. 
 
 By WILLIAM WESTALL. 
 Trust-Money. 
 
 By Mrs. V. H. WILLIAMSON. 
 A ChUd Widow. 
 
 By J. S. WINTER. 
 Cavalry Life. ; j Regimental Legends. 
 
 By H. F. WOOD. 
 The Passenger from Scotland Yard. . 
 Tbe EoglUhman of the Rue Cain. 
 By Lady WOOD. 
 Sablna. 
 By CEL1A PARKER WOOLLEY^ 
 
 Rachel Armstrong ; or, I.ove and Theolo^i-. 
 
 By EDMUND YATES. 
 
 The Forlorn Hope. I Castaway. 
 
 Land at Last. 
 
 Ghetto Tragi 
 
 ^ By I. ZANGWILL. 
 
 redles.^ 
 
 OGDENf SUALE AND CO. LIMITED, PRINTERS, GREAT SAFFRON HILL, B.C.