The Young Yagers Part 9

Now why was he rolling the _egg_? Did he mean to transport it in that way to his burrow? It would have been an arduous task, as it was not likely his subterranean dwelling was anywhere in that neighbourhood.

But he had no such design. His intention was to eat his breakfast on that very spot, or at all events very near it; and the spectators soon saw where his table was to be spread, for some of them now remembered an odd story they had heard of the caama, and already suspected his design.

About three or four yards from his snout lay a stone. It was a boulder of small dimensions, some twelve inches in height, but quite large enough for the fennec's purpose. It was evident that he had a purpose with this stone, for he was rolling the egg directly towards it. Those who had guessed his design were not disappointed. When his snout was within about three feet of the stone, the fennec made a sudden rush forward, carrying the egg along by a rapid motion of his feet, until the hard sh.e.l.l came in contact with the harder rock.

A "crash" reached the ears of the hunters, and, looking attentively, they saw that the egg was broken into "smithereens!"

The breakfast of the fennec was now before him, and he at once set about eating it, but the hunters were hungry too, their patience could hold out no longer, and spurring their horses and letting slip the dogs, they galloped forward.

It was a short run for a fox to give. The creature had hardly made good a couple of hundred yards, before the buck-dogs threw him; and it was just as much as Swartboy could do, aided by his jambok of hippopotamus-hide, to save his beautiful skin from their jaws.

The eggs were soon collected. Those in the nest had "gone too far," as Groot Willem had feared: some contained chicks, and others were addled.

But of the ones scattered about several turned out quite fresh, so that the hunters had omelette for breakfast, as they had wished.

Swartboy showed them how to cook the eggs to perfection. This mode was to set one end in the ashes, break a hole in the other, and then with a little stick keep stirring the contents until they were sufficiently broiled. That is an omelette of ostrich-eggs.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

THE BLAUW-BOKS.

After all, the young yagers were not to be disappointed in a chase. If the fox of South Africa gives but poor sport, there are plenty of other animals, neither so weak-limbed nor short-winded; and one of this kind it was their fortune to fall in with on that same day, and almost within the hour.

On the other side of the mokhala grove from that on which the ostriches had been observed, lay a wide open plain. It was not a desert, although it approached so near to one,--separated from it only by a belt of timber. It was a prairie or natural meadow, the gra.s.s--perhaps from contrast with the broad brown expanse on the other side--having an extremely fresh green look.

It was a large plain, though not limitless to the view. In the distance could be seen a wood of the giraffe-acacia, or "cameel-doorns," bounding the horizon; and several clumps of these trees, with their umbrella-like heads and feathery fronds of pale green, stood isolated upon the plain, giving the scene altogether an interesting aspect. A very park appeared this plain, with wide open pastures between its groves and coppices, many of which were of such regular forms that one would have fancied they had been planted to adorn it.

So lordly a park, such rich pastures, could not be untenanted; nor were they. There was no mansion, no house, not a trace of a human being to be seen, but for all that the plain had its denizens. Many forms could be distinguished upon or around it, both of winged and wingless creatures. Birds and quadrupeds of rare and beautiful kinds made this fair scene their home.

Over its greensward stalks the "secretary," the true serpent-eater, hunting among the gra.s.s for his glittering prey. Even without using his wings, he need not fear any of the crouching _carnivora_, as his long legs suffice to carry him far beyond reach of either hyena, jackal, wild dog, guepard, or leopard. Swift is he, almost as the great ostrich itself,--so swift as to have earned from the Arabs the singular _sobriquet_ of the "Devil's horse."

Not far off another tall bird stands erect upon the plain, but of very different character and habits. This is the "pauw" or "wild peac.o.c.k,"-- a peac.o.c.k only in the phraseology of the boors, for the bird is a bustard, and the largest of his tribe--the _Otis kori_.

Running from copse to copse, or feeding over the plain, may be seen flocks of the pearly guinea-fowl, (_Numida meleagris_), whose constant chattering grates harshly on the ear, resembling the metallic clanking of machinery, or the sharpening of a hundred saws.

From tree to tree flutter gaudy parrots, green pigeons, and soft cooing doves, and over flowery shrubs flit numerous species of tiny "honey-suckers,"--the African representatives of the humming-birds.

Some trees carry the pensile nests of the weaver-bird, (_Ploceus_), hanging from their branches like large fruits, while many of the cameel-doorns are loaded with the vast thatch-like republican dwellings of the sociable grosbeak, (_Loxia socia_).

But birds are not the only tenants of this fair scene. Quadrupeds, as bright and beautiful as they, haunt its verdant glades, or repose under the grateful shadow of its acacia-groves.

In a few hours' ride one might see graceful antelopes of many species.

The nimble springbok--the gazelle of South Africa--might be observed trooping over the sward, or bounding high in air either in sport or alarm--the orange "hartebeest," and the purple "sa.s.sybe," might be seen--the s.h.a.ggy-maned eccentric gnoo, scouring the plain in circles-- droves of quaggas, or of the still more beautiful "zebra of the plains,"

(_Equus Burch.e.l.lii_), might be seen too, crouching around the copses, the leopard, fair but fearful to look upon; and still more fearful to behold the tawny tyrant of the scene--the lion.

All these creatures, and many more of equal interest, might come under the eye of the traveller or hunter during a single day's ride through that wild domain.

Thus full of life, what a contrast did this beautiful meadow present to the monotonous waste of wilderness, that stretched away from the opposite side of the grove to the far horizon!

Baulked in their projected "surround" of the ostriches--disappointed by the "poor sport" which the fox had afforded, the hunter-boys were determined not to be "choused" out of a chase. Some sort of one they would have, if it were only a brush after springboks, for these, they knew, they could find at any time. They were aware of the existence of the fine plain--the edge of which came up within a few hundred yards of their camp. They had pastured their cattle there on the evening before; and conjectured that it must be the haunt of many kinds of game. For this reason they now resolved upon making an excursion to that quarter, to hunt whatever might turn up.

They came to this determination, only after their return from the ostriches' nest; but as they had made up their minds to it before eating breakfast, they did not off-saddle, but kept their horses ready for being mounted.

As soon as the meal was over, they took once more to their saddles and rode off, the buck-dogs following at the heels of their horses. Congo and Swartboy stayed by the camp.

They had not far to go, before coming in view of their game; and rare game that was.

They were scarce yet a hundred paces from the camp, and just about to ride out from the timber, when Hendrik, in the advance, suddenly reined up his horse, making a sign for the others to do the same. All pulled up in a breath, and sat in their saddles, gazing out through the leaves.

Though still within the shadow of the grove, all had a good view of the open plain; and before them was a sight that would have warmed the hearts of older hunters than they.

Out upon the plain, and directly in front of them, was a herd of n.o.ble antelopes. They were neither gnoos, nor springboks, nor hartebeests, nor any of the common kinds that the party had already met with, and had hunted to their satisfaction. Indeed, they were of a species that none of the six had _ever seen_ before, and they only knew them to be antelopes from the make of their bodies, the shape of their horns, and other points characteristic of these animals.

They were antelopes of large size, standing nearly four feet high, having sabre-shaped horns curving gently backward and ringed to within six inches of their tips. Their general colour was ashy grey, tinged with raven-blue--the blue tint being caused by the deep black colour of the skin s.h.i.+ning through the hair.

Although none of the party had ever seen such antelopes before, Hans, and also the hunters Hendrik and Groot Willem, guessed what kind they were. They were of a kind that once ranged the Graaf Reinet, and even as far south as the Cape itself, though there they were never common.

That was long before any of the young yagers had ever fired a gun or mounted a horse, but as these remembered having heard their fathers talking of this animal--of its blue colour, of its long curving horns, of its fine outline of form, as well as bold fierce character--they recognised those before them by the descriptions they had heard. They could be no other than _blue-bucks_, or _blauw-boks_ in the language of the boors.

Hans, after eyeing them a moment, gave this as his opinion. The species was the blauw-bok, the _Aigocerus leucophea_ of modern systematists.

Now of the group of antelopes to which the general name _Aigocerus_ has been given there are five species--all large n.o.ble animals, and all inhabitants of South Africa, and particularly the countries adjacent to the Great Orange River.

First, there is the "waterbuck," (_Aigocerus ellipsiprymnus_), which stands nearly four feet in height, is of bluish grey colour, frequents the banks of rivers, takes the water freely--whence its trivial name-- swims well, is bold, fierce, strong, and dangerous, when bayed or wounded.

Secondly, there is the "takhaitze," (_Aigocerus barbatus_), nearly as large as the waterbuck, but distinguished by a long beard and mane. The character of the waterbuck for fierceness and daring also belongs to the takhaitze, and both are swift runners. The latter, however, is less attached to the water, and frequents a hilly region, browsing goat-like upon the leaves of the acacia.

The third of this genus is the "roan antelope," (_Aigocerus equinus_), a strong fierce animal, with horns curving backwards as in the blue-buck, but thicker, and more rapid in the curve. It is an antelope not of the plains, but a dweller in the hilly region.

The "sable antelope" (_Aigocerus niger_) is by far the most beautiful animal of the group. It is not many years since this antelope was made known to science, having been discovered in South Africa by a keen British sportsman. It is one of the largest of the race, standing four feet six inches in height, and carrying a pair of scimitar-shaped horns over three feet in length. Its colour is a deep glossy black or sable-- whence its specific appellation--though it is white underneath with white markings about the head and neck. None of the antelopes of this group are of common occurrence even in their native haunts. None of the species can be called gregarious--that is, they do not appear in large herds, like the springboks, gnoos, hartebeests, or bonteboks--though small troops of less than a dozen--families, in fact--may be seen together. Oftener they are met with in pairs, or single individuals, and they are all scarce in the regions they inhabit when compared with the vast herds of the more social kinds.

The blue-buck is now one of the very rarest of the group, so much so that some naturalists believe it to be extinct. That is not likely.

Africa is a large country.

Now all this information was furnished by philosopher Hans. He did not offer it just then--that is when they came in sight of the herd of blue-bucks; though he would, likely enough, had the others been inclined to listen to him.

But they were not. The hunters Hendrik and Groot Willem were gazing with eyes wide open, admiring the beautiful proportions of the blauw-boks, which promised them a glorious run.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

A BRUSH AFTER THE BLUE-BUCKS.

As already stated, there were seven antelopes in the herd. One, an old buck, larger than any of the rest, and having horns over three feet long, was in the advance acting as leader. When first observed, they were approaching the grove of mokhalas--perhaps to reach the water by the spring. So thought the yagers, and held a hurried consultation about it, as they watched the advance of the animals. Hurried it was, and abruptly terminated, for before they could come to any definite plan of action, one of the buck-dogs, a young and half-trained animal, sprang forward out of cover, and opened his bay right in the faces of the antelopes.

The whole seven wheeled round in their tracks, and obedient to a snorting signal of the leader, started back in the direction they had come, going at top speed.

Of course all idea of stratagem was foiled by the unexpected behaviour of the dog. A straight tail-on-end chase was the only course left the hunters to follow; and, plying the spur, all the six shot out of the timber, and rode "view halloo" over the open plain.

A splendid chase it was for several minutes--the seven blue-bucks in advance, the dogs in the middle, and the "field" following in the rear.