Perils in the Transvaal and Zululand

willingly accept you as a suitor for my sister's hand, and, to beperfectly frank, do not much doubt that she would receive youfavourably, but for a circumstance which is perhaps to be regretted, butcannot be set aside. My father entertained a still stronger resentmentagainst the English than ever I have felt. The idea of being connectedwith them in any manner was odious to him. Above all, the notion thateither I should ever marry an Englishwoman, or an Englishman become thehusband of Annchen, was one against which he was determined to guard byevery means in his power. She is seven or eight years younger than Iam, and was indeed not more than twelve years old at the time of hisdeath. He thought her too young to be spoken to on the subject. But heput a clause into his will, by which she forfeited her whole inheritanceif she married an Englishman, and he also laid his solemn commands on menever to allow such a marriage. I gave him my promise, and nothing canever release me from it."

  He again paused. But George only once more bowed, and Henryk went on."I have never told Annchen of my interview with my father, which tookplace only a few days before his death; nor is she aware of the clausein his will of which I have told you. When I perceived your attentionsto her, I warned her against entertaining any reciprocal feelings, butonly on the ground that I could never consent to such an union. I didnot wish to bring in my father's name, if I could help it. Nor shall Ido so, unless it becomes absolutely necessary. May I not hope, MrRivers, that you, seeing what the consequences of a marriage with herwould be, will prevent the occurrence of this necessity by abstainingfrom any further persistence in your suit?"

  George was silent for a minute or two, and then replied, "You havespoken frankly, Mr Vander Heyden, and in a manner that does you honour.I do not fear poverty myself, but I ought not to reduce her to it,unless at her own expressed wish. We should not, in England, think itright for a parent to exercise so extreme an authority over a daughteras a prohibition to marry a person of any particular nation, be he whoor what he might, would amount to. But under the circumstances of thecase, I am willing to respect your joint wishes, and will not, unlesswith your permission, ask Annchen to be my wife."

  "I thank you, Mr Rivers. You will observe that my father's command wasnot addressed to her, forbidding her to marry an Englishman, but to me,requiring me to forbid it. If I could think it right to set my father'sinjunction aside, she doubtless would feel no scruple. But that, Ifear, can never be the case."

  There was a further pause, and then Vander Heyden again spoke. "Havingtold you this, I have no hesitation in asking your help in the presentcondition of things. This man Cargill, or Bostock, or whatever he maychoose to call himself, does not pursue us in this manner only becausehe bears me a deadly hate. He has an equally deadly passion forAnnchen. I had no idea till last night of the length to which he hadgone. Even on board the ship, he had the insolence to speak to her. Onthe day when we left the Cape he contrived to find her alone, and warnher that there would probably be mutiny and danger to the captain andofficers and passengers, but she might trust to him to preserve her fromall harm."

  "Why did not Miss Vander Heyden warn you?" exclaimed Rivers, greatlystartled.

  "He timed it well. It was only just before the ship struck. Moritz andI were asleep in our cabin, and the captain was asleep in his also. Heknew that there would be no possibility of warning us. Again, as Ilearn, while she was at the Swedish pastor's house, just after ourencounter on the banks of the Blood river, she received a letter whichhe contrived to have handed to her, telling her of his unalteredaffection, and that he was still resolved she should be his. I learnthat he was seen in Luneberg making inquiries as to the route we were topursue, accompanied by some of the mutineers and one or two othernotorious ruffians. There is, I am afraid, no doubt that some attemptwill be made to carry her off during this journey to Zeerust."

  "It sounds like it, I fear," said Rivers. "Well, Mr Vander Heyden, youmay command my services to the utmost in averting so dreadful acalamity."

  "I thank you; I knew I might reckon on your generous help. I think, ifwe can reach Standerton in safety, as with great exertion may be doneto-morrow, we may engage more men to accompany us. Our party may bemade so numerous, that Cargill will not venture on any violence. We areat present ten in number, but two or three of them cannot be relied on.If we could engage five or six stout fellows, and arm them well withrifles and revolvers, they would not dare to attack us. I propose tohave a watch kept throughout the night, as well as two or three menriding always in advance, and they may follow in our rear by day."

  "I think you could not do more wisely," said George; "and until we reachStanderton we will undertake the duty ourselves. Margetts and I willkeep one watch, you and Hardy another, and Matamo and Haxo the third.And the same with the parties in advance and in the rear."

  "I thank you heartily," said Vander Heyden. "I will speak to Mr Hardyand the two servants, if you will do so to Mr Margetts."

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

  The dawn was only just beginning to dapple the skies, when the voice ofHenryk Vander Heyden was heard rousing his Hottentots and superintendingthe inspanning of the oxen and the saddling of the horses. The sun washardly above the horizon before the party had set out, Vander Heyden andHardy riding two or three hundred yards in advance with their guns andrevolvers loaded, keeping a keen lookout as they advanced, and two ofthe Hottentot servants following in the same manner in the rear. Inthis manner they advanced for three hours or so, through a countryresembling in character that which they had passed yesterday, with thedifference that the ground was harder and drier, so that the progress ofthe waggons was less interrupted. About nine o'clock they halted forthe first meal of the day on the edge of a dense mass of shrubs andunderwood, through which nothing but the woodman's axe or a herd ofelephants could have forced their way. Here occurred an incident whichwas remembered by one of the party, at all events, long afterwards.Redgy Margetts had alighted, and was about to take his place at thebreakfast table, if the rough boards taken from the cart, on which theviands were spread, could be so designated, when he saw what he took tobe the end of a long green plantain among the stems of the cacti. Theyare very delicious eating; and, thinking to add to the attractions ofthe meal, he took hold of one end to draw it out. To his surprise andalarm, he felt it move and writhe in his grasp, and the next moment ahideous green head made its appearance from the bushes, and would havesprung on him, if Matamo, who was calling out to Margetts to warn him,had not dexterously flung the large knife which he was holding in hishand, wounding the snake in the neck and disconcerting its aim. Itmissed Redgy's face, at which it had darted, and fell on the groundclose to him, and Haxo, who had caught up an axe, struck its head off.

  "A lucky escape, Mr Margetts," said Matamo. "A big mamba, that; he isseven or eight feet long. I never saw a bigger."

  "The brute?" exclaimed Redgy. "I took him for a big cucumber, orsomething of that kind. Is he poisonous, Matamo?"

  "Yes, Mr Redgy, very poisonous. A man, if he was bit by him, would diein an hour, perhaps in less. I've known one die in three-quarters of anhour."

  "You must be careful, Mr Margetts," said Annchen, who had witnessedwhat had passed with a shudder of horror. "I have been learning a gooddeal about the African snakes. They are the worst things in thecountry. We newcomers cannot be too careful."

  "You are right, miss," said Matamo. "Some of them look like sticks orgreen stalks or stems of trees lying on the ground. Strangers sometimesdon't find out that they are snakes, till they are bitten."

  "But, as a rule, they won't harm you unless you provoke them," saidVander Heyden. "They have the cobra in India as well as here. In whichcountry do you think it is the most venomous, Hardy?"

  "It is bad enough anywhere," answered Hardy; "but I think it is worst inIndia. Its venom is very rapid in its action there. I remember CaptainWinter's Hindoo cook being bitten by one. She used to keep her money ina hen's nest near the kitchen door. One night she heard a noise in thenest, and
thought some one was stealing her money. She crept down inthe dark and put her hand into the nest to feel if the money was safe.The noise had been caused by a cobra which had crept in to eat thechickens. It bit her, and she was dead in less than half an hour."

  "Yes, no doubt it was in a state of great irritation, and the biteunusually venomous," observed Vander Heyden; "but I consider both thepuff-adder and the cerastes to be quite as dangerous as the cobra, andthe mamba yonder is almost as bad as any. But with proper care there isnot much danger. If they do bite you, as a rule, the only thing to bedone is to cut or burn the flesh out."

  The meal was now eaten, and the waggons were soon once more in motion,the same