The Vee-Boers: A Tale of Adventure in Southern Africa Page 4

  CHAPTER FOUR.

  THE TULP.

  Meanwhile the waggons had been left standing just as they drew up, theoxen still under yoke. And now came the question, whether to "outspann"[Note 1], or not.

  It was but of short debate, however, as all were convinced of theuselessness of remaining there. Indeed more than useless; since theywould only be wasting time; and, thirsting as they were, that meanteverything. Besides, their guide knew of another vley some milesfarther on, where he had still better hopes of finding water--now theirgreatest want. The heat no longer discomforted them, as the sun had gotlow, and the atmosphere become as cool as they cared for. They mightexpect moonlight, too, as on the night before, which would also be intheir favour. So, tired though they were, it was determined to trek on.

  While this resolve was being arrived at, an incident occurred which wascalculated to make them thankful they had not already out-spanned.Indeed, as they soon after came to know, it was rather a fortunatecircumstance their finding the vley dried up. Had there been water init, they would surely have stayed there all night, to discover nextmorning that their horses and oxen would not be worth taking farther--even unable to take themselves. Their milch kine would also have beensacrificed, as in reality were their sheep, to the last hoof. Luckilyall but the sheep escaped, though with the driven cattle, milk cows, andtheir calves, it was the closest of shaves. In that grove--for it was awood of only a few score acres in extent--there was a something evenmore dangerous than lions, at least to grass-eating animals. A plant itwas which grew under the mopanes, green as a leek, and not unlike one inits leafage, covering the ground thickly, as onions in a garden bed.The Vee-Boers knew the plant well--too well--and, but for theirattention being absorbed by the encounter with the lions, would longbefore have observed it. As it was, they only became aware of itspresence on seeing their sheep--that had been left for a time tothemselves--greedily browsing upon it. The _lanigers_ were hungry aswolves, and would have eaten anything green that chanced in their way;so the whole flock, as soon as getting up to the wood's edge, had rushedin among the trees, open-mouthed at what seemed a tempting morsel.

  It was the _baas_ of the travelling party--Jan Van Dorn himself--whofirst perceived the danger, and sounded the alarm, crying out--

  "Oh, brothers! We've lost our sheep! See what they're feeding on; it'sthe _tulp_!" [Note 2.]

  They thus addressed, needed no further explanation of a word which tothe reader may be unintelligible. For there was not a man of them butknew what the _tulp_ was, and its poisonous nature--possibly not onewhose herds and flocks had not some time or other been decimated by it.

  Soon as it was seen how things stood, there was a rush in among themopanes, a surrounding of the sheep, and a chorus of shouts, as theywere driven out again to open ground. But all too late, as every oneseemed to be aware; and when at length the forward movement was aboutbeing resumed, it became a subject of discussion whether it would beworth while taking these animals along.

  Still there was a hope that, however faint, some of them might survive,and leaning upon this, along were they taken; their owners making allhaste to depart from a spot alike dangerous in its _flora_ as its_fauna_.

  Once more was there a cracking of whips, and the oxen, straightening outalong the _trek-touw_ [Note 3], moved reluctantly on.

  And now the moon, as had been anticipated, giving a bright light, thetravellers made good way; before midnight arriving at the second vley,where fortunately there was still a _soupcon_ of water. It was notvisible above the surface of sand that formed the vley's bed; but onexamination, several cavities were discovered in which appeared the muchwished-for element, that had been hollowed out by the hoofs of quaggasand zebras. Writers talk of instinct teaching these animals to digtheir own drinking wells; but the teaching in reality comes from aprocess of reasoning-intelligence, as that of man himself. Allnaturalists know that, as indeed ought every one who owns dog or cat,and has observed either spring up to a door-handle, making attempt withmanifest design to draw the door open.

  Now, thirsting like sponges, the travellers out-spanned, and speedily.All hands that could be spared from looking after the cattle set aboutsinking a pit in the sand; into which, soon came water enough for alltheir needs.

  It required caution, however, with much shouting, and wielding ofjamboks, to keep the animals out of it. The scent of the water hadreached their nostrils, an attraction irresistible, and horses neighed,yoke-oxen bellowed, cows groaned in chorus with their bawling calves,all madly eager to wet their muzzles, and quench their thirst that hadso long tortured them.

  But the Vee-Boers, accustomed to such display, knew the precautions tobe taken; so kept the impatient creatures under restraint and aloof, atlength giving them to drink, from the "rush-buckets" [Note 4], whichwere part of their _impedimenta_.

  Their own thirst satisfied, then that of their stock, supper was eatenheartily, and they retired to rest and sleep. Not all, however; nearlya third of their number remaining awake, and on the alert, as guards ofthe camp. They had no fear of their animals wandering away, fatigued asthese were. Even had it been otherwise, and ever so fresh, theirstraying would have been little apprehended. For _on trek_, horses andcattle--in short all domesticated quadrupeds--regard the great waggonsas they would the houses of a homestead, and will return to them justthe same. Instinct--or, from what has been said above, rather reason--admonishes them that beside these is their best place, safest from theattack of predatory beasts--above all, from the lion, the real_bete-noir_ of South African cattle.

  Those of our travelling party had been sufficiently frightened at theirlast halting-place, to keep them cowed, and tame, for at leasttwenty-four hours after; and just so were they, starting and tremblingat every cry of wild creature that reached their ears--even at that ofthe cowardly hyaena.

  And here they heard lions too, though none came near. At this vley,still affording enough water to attract fat quaggas, zebras, andgemsboks, the tawny monsters needed not whetting their teeth on tamecattle, lean and tough as those of the Vee-Boers had got to be.

  So the night passed by without further disturbance or adventure; daybroke again; breakfast was eaten; the oxen invoked; and the journey overthe _karoo_ continued.

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  Note 1. "Outspann." The word has a general meaning, and refers notonly to detaching the animals from the vehicles, but making halt eithertemporarily or for the night.

  Note 2. "Tulp." The Dutch name for "tulip," of which it is but anabbreviated form. The plant itself is so called from its resemblance tothe tulip, both in leaf and flower. It is of the iris family, and thegenus _morosa_.

  Note 3. "Trek-touw." The long cable-like rope of raw hide continuingthe "tongue," or pole, of the waggons, and to which the forward pairs ofoxen are attached. They are also made fast to it at night, when thereis any fear of their straying from the camp.

  Note 4. The "milk-baskets" of the Caffres are frequently in use amongthe Vee-Boers, when on trek, their lightness making them more convenientthan vessels of a heavier kind. They are made of the stems of a speciesof "cyperus," a rush allied to the "Paper-reed," sewed so closelytogether that when dry they will hold water. The Caffres use them asmilk pails, and, when emptied, their dogs are allowed to lick themclean. The cleaning is still further carried out by an insect--aspecies of cockroach (_Blatta_), which eats what remains of the milkfrom the interstices between the rushes. So important are these roachesregarded for this purpose, that a Caffre on erecting a new hut, willtake his milk-baskets into an old one, and, as soon as a sufficientnumber of the insects have entered them, will carry the vessels back towhere their services are required.

  The Vee-Boers--by Captain Mayne Reid