CHAPTER XIV.
SPOORING FOR A SPRING.
Von Bloom was in the saddle at an early hour. Swartboy accompanied him,while all the others remained by the wagon to await his return. Theytook with them the two horses that had remained by the wagon, as thesewere fresher than the others.
They rode nearly due westward. They were induced to take this directionby observing that the springboks had come from the north. By headingwestward they believed they would sooner get beyond the wastedterritory.
To their great satisfaction an hour's travelling carried them clear ofthe track of the antelope migration! and although they found no water,there was excellent grass.
The field-cornet now sent Swartboy back for the other horses and thecow, pointing out a place where he should bring them to graze, while hehimself continued on in search of water.
After travelling some miles farther, Von Bloom perceived to the north ofhim a long line of cliff rising directly up from the plain, and runningwestward as far as he could see. Thinking that water would be morelikely to be found near these cliffs, he turned his horse's head towardsthem. As he approached nearer to their base, he was charmed with thebeautiful scenery that began to open before his eyes. He passed throughgrassy plains of different sizes, separated from each other by copses ofthe delicate-leaved mimosa; some of these forming large thickets, whileothers consisted of only a few low bushes. Towering high over themimosas, grew many trees of gigantic size, and of a species Von Bloomhad never seen before. They stood thinly upon the ground; but each, withits vast leafy head, seemed a little forest of itself.
The whole country around had a soft park-like appearance, whichcontrasted well with the dark cliff that rose beyond--the latterstepping up from the plain by a precipice of several hundred feet inheight, and seemingly as vertical as the walls of a house.
The fine landscape was gratifying to the eyes of the traveller--such afine country in the midst of so much barrenness; for he knew that mostof the surrounding region was little better than a wild karoo. The wholeof it to the north for hundreds of miles was a famous desert--the desertof Kalihari--and these cliffs were a part of its southern border. The"vee-boer" would have been rejoiced at such a sight under othercircumstances. But what to him now were all these fine pastures--nowthat he was no longer able to stock them?
Notwithstanding the beauty of the scene, his reflections were painful.
But he did not give way to despair. His present troubles weresufficiently grievous to prevent him from dwelling much on the future.His first care was to find a place where his horses might be recruited;for without them he could no longer move anywhere--without them he wouldbe helpless indeed.
Water was the desired object. If water could not be found, all thisbeautiful park through which he was passing would be as valueless to himas the brown desert.
Surely so lovely a landscape could not exist without that most essentialelement!
So thought the field-cornet; and at the turning of every new grove hiseyes wandered over the ground in search of it.
"Ho!" he joyfully exclaimed as a covey of large Namaqua partridgeswhirred up from his path. "A good sign that: they are seldom far fromwater."
Shortly after, he saw a flock of beautiful pintados, or guinea-hens,running into a copse. This was a still further proof that water wasnigh. But surest of all, on the top of a tall _cameel-doorn_ tree, henext observed the brilliant plumage of a parrot.
"Now," muttered he to himself, "I must be very near to some spring orpool."
He rode cheerfully forward: and after a little while arrived upon thecrest of an elevated ridge. Here he halted to observe the flight of thebirds.
Presently he noticed a covey of partridges flying in a westerlydirection, and shortly after, another covey going the same way. Bothappeared to alight near a gigantic tree that grew in the plain, aboutfive hundred yards from the bottom of the cliffs. This tree stood apartfrom any of the others, and was by far the largest Von Bloom had yetseen.
As he remained gazing at its wonderful dimensions, he observed severalpairs of parrots alighting upon it. These after chattering a while amongits branches, flew down upon the plain not far from its base.
"Surely," thought Von Bloom, "there must be water there. I shall rideforward and see."
But his horse had scarcely waited for him to form this design. Theanimal had been already dragging upon the bridle; and as soon as hishead was turned in the direction of the tree, he started forward withoutstretched neck, snorting as he rushed along.
The rider, trusting to the instinct of his horse, surrendered up thebridle; and in less than five minutes both horse and rider were drinkingfrom the sweet water of a crystal fountain that gushed out within adozen yards of the tree.
The field-cornet would now have hastened back to the wagon: but hethought that by allowing his horse to browse an hour or so upon thegrass, he would make the return-journey with more spirit, and in quiteas good time. He, therefore, took off the bridle, gave the animal hisliberty, while he stretched himself under the shade of the great tree.
As he lay, he could not help admiring the wonderful production of naturethat towered majestically above him. It was one of the largest trees hehad ever beheld. It was of the kind known as the "nwana" tree, a speciesof _ficus_, with large sycamore-shaped leaves that grew thickly over itsmagnificent head. Its trunk was full twenty feet in diameter, rising tomore than that height without a branch, and then spreading off intonumerous limbs that stretched far out in a horizontal direction. Throughthe thick foliage Von Bloom could perceive shining egg-shaped fruits aslarge as cocoa-nuts; and upon these the parrots and several other kindsof birds appeared to be feeding.
Other trees of the same species stood out upon the plain at longdistances apart; and though they were all taller than the surroundingtimber, none were so large or conspicuous as the one that grew by thespring.
The field-cornet, as he enjoyed the cool shade which its umbrageousfrondage afforded, could not help thinking what an admirable spot itwould be to build a kraal. The inmates of a dwelling placed beneath itsfriendly shelter, need never dread the fierce rays of the African sun;even the rain could scarce penetrate its leafy canopy. In fact, itsdense foliage almost constituted a roof of itself.
Had his cattle still remained to him, no doubt the vee-boer would haveresolved at once to make this spot his future home. But, tempting as itwas, what now could he do in such a place? To him it would be only awilderness. There was no species of industry he could follow in such aremote quarter. True, he might sustain himself and his family byhunting. He saw that game was plenteous all around. But that would bebut a sorry existence, with no promise for the future. What would hischildren do hereafter? Were they to grow up with no other end than tobecome poor hunters--no better than the wild Bushmen? No! no! no! Tomake a home there would be out of the question. A few days to recruithis wearied horses, and then he would make a struggle and trek back tothe settlements.
But what after he had got back? He knew not what then. His future wasgloomy and uncertain.
After indulging in such reflections for an hour or more, he bethoughthim that it was time to return to the camp; and having caught andbridled his horse, he mounted and set forth.
The animal, refreshed by the sweet grass and cool water, carried himbriskly along; and in less than two hours he came up with Swartboy andHendrik where they were pasturing the horses.
These were taken back to the wagon and harnessed in; and then the greatvehicle once more "treked" across the plains.
Before the sun had set, the long white cap-tent was gleaming under theleafy screen of the gigantic "nwana."