CHAPTER THIRTEEN.
ATTACKED BY "TSETSE."
In all likelihood few of my readers need telling what is the tsetse, DrLivingstone and other travellers having given full account of thisscourge of Southern Africa.
An insect, little bigger than the common fly of England, but whose stingis deadly as the bite of rattle-snake or cobra-di-capello; fortunatelynot to man himself, but to man's best friends in the animal world--dogs,horses, cattle, and sheep [Note 1]. So when Andries Rynwald called outthe name of the venomous creature, Piet Van Dorn and his brother hadinstant and clear comprehension why the camp was being so abruptlyabandoned. The tsetse had made its appearance there; in flight lay thesole chance of saving the stock, and even this might be too late.
Only within the hour had the danger been discovered, by the presence ofthe insect becoming known. On the days before, and up till nigh noon ofthis one, nothing had been seen of it after most careful search. As acustomary precaution they had looked for it all around the mowana. Hadit been observed, no camp would have been established there, much less alaager; not even the shortest halt made. But confident of the placebeing uninfested, the wearied travellers had joyfully out-spanned withthe intention of taking a long spell of rest. Then, the alarm caused bythe buffaloes over, they had breathed freely again, and were enjoyingthemselves more than ever; for that danger, so far from resulting indamage, had proved a profit to them. The daily provisioning of such alarge party called for a goodly quantity of meat, more than was alwaysobtainable by the chase. On the Karoo, just crossed, wild animals wereso scarce and shy, that with all the skill of their hunters the larderhad run low. And no longer having their sheep to depend upon, thebuffaloes coming that way, with so many killed, had been a bit of raregood luck, seeming almost providential.
Nor did they fail to make the best of it; these animals having beenskinned and butchered; the choicest of their beef cut into thin strips,and hung over riems stretched between the trees for conversion into_bultong_ [Note 2]. There they were still hanging, like strings ofsausages; the red meat fast becoming a mahogany colour as the hot sunshone down upon it, and drew out its juices.
The _naacht-maal_ of the evening before had been a rich repast. Theant-hill kitchen-range, again called into requisition, had sent up itsappetising odour, with buffalo steaks frizzling in the pans, andtongues, the tit-bits, simmering in the pots. The same for the_morgen-maal_ of this the next day, which, withal, had been far fromcheerful. Quite the reverse to the relatives of Piet Van Dorn, as tomost of the camp people, the missing youth being a general favourite.Anxiety on his account, keen throughout all the night and morning hours,had reached its keenest when Andries Rynwald was seen coming back at agallop, and alone. He seemed the bearer of bad tidings, while inreality those he brought were of the best, relieving every one on theinstant of his arrival. Indeed, before it, as from afar off he hadshouted, to ears acutely listening, "Piet's safe!" soon to follow thejoy-giving announcement with account of why the brothers lagged behind.
Again was there gladness in the camp, greater than ever, as it always iswhen the lost are found. But, alas! it was not of long continuance.Scarce had the returned searcher dropped down from his saddle, whenthose who gathered clusteringly about him and his horse became consciousof a sound, which caused one and all to start and cry out. It was butas the buzz of a blue-bottle, but with sharper intonation andintermittent. In short, they knew it to be the "tzip" of the tsetse; atthe same instant catching sight of the insect itself, its brown colour,with yellow-banded abdomen, rendering it easily recognisable. With itslong wings in whirring play, it was flitting about over the horse'sbody, as if in search of a spot to settle on.
Eager hands were stretched forth to seize hold of, or crush it. Theysupposed it to have come along with the horse, and so the only one ofits kind there. But their efforts were idle; with the sun high and hot,the tsetse becomes exceedingly active, and as difficult to be caught asa _bombylins_ or dragon-fly. Darting from point to point, it eluded alltheir attempts; in fine, retreating from its persecutors with a bizzthat seemed to say, "Catch me if you can."
It flew off towards some of the trek oxen that chanced to be near, andseveral of the men followed in hopes of being able to kill it there.But their surprise was light compared with their alarm, when, on gettingup to the oxen, they saw not one tsetse but a score of them; ay, theremight be hundreds or thousands for aught they could tell. The pestilentinsects were flitting about everywhere, and it was evident not only thetrek oxen, but the milk cows and horses were being assailed by them.The dogs, too, as could be told by their rushing around and biting theirown bodies; some closing their jaws with a snap, like the shutting of asnuff-box lid, in their efforts to seize the creatures that weretorturing them.
It was now that the camp rang with that cry which had causedconsternation in many another, and broken many another up.
"Tsetse--tsetse!" called out half a score voices in chorus. "Gott enhimmel! They're swarming all around!"
Then followed a scene of wildest excitement; that rushing to and froobserved by Piet Van Dorn and his brother as they came within sight, andheard the racket of shouts which had so mystified them.
They understood it all now, before Rynwald came up to them; who, aftersome hurried words of explanation little needed, reined his horse round,and the three rode together to the camp.
On arrival there, Piet Van Dorn was embraced by loving, affectionatearms, and had kisses showered on his cheeks. Even a sly one got he fromhis sweetheart, in a shadowed spot under the trees. But not much wasmade of the spoils he had brought back. Just then the Vee-Boers hadother fish to fry--a great danger to get rid of--which he, as all therest, was called upon to combat.
Quickly dismounting, he lent a hand of help in the lading of thewaggons, which soon after-packed in a hurried, higgledy-piggledyfashion--were ready for the route.
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Note 1. "The tsetse" (_Glossinia morsitans_). Although the sting ofthis insect is fatal to the domesticated quadrupeds above named, themule and ass are not injured by it. Neither are any of the wild animalsthat inhabit the districts infested by it--a circumstance seemingstrange and inexplicable.
Note 2. The "bultong" of the South Africans is meat cured in a similarfashion to the _tasaio_ of the Mexicans, and _charqui_ of South America,commonly know as "jerked beef." The process is of great service incountries where salt is a scarce commodity, or does not exist.