CHAPTER XXX.
HANS CHASED BY THE WILDEBEEST.
"Well," began Hans, "you had not been gone more than an hour, when aherd of wildebeests was seen approaching the vley. They came on insingle file; but they had broken rank, and were splashing about in thewater, before I thought of molesting them in any way.
Of course I knew what they were, and that they were proper game; but Iwas so interested in watching their ludicrous gambols, that I did notthink about my gun, until the whole herd had nearly finished drinking.Then I remembered that we were living on dry biltongue, and would benothing the worse of a change. I noticed, moreover, that in the herd ofgnoos there were some young ones--which I was able to tell from theirbeing smaller than the rest, and also by their lighter colour. I knewthat the flesh of these is most excellent eating, and therefore made upmy mind we should all dine upon it.
I rushed up the ladder for my gun; and then discovered how imprudent Ihad been in not loading it at the time you all went away. I had notthought of any sudden emergency,--but that was very foolish, for howknew I what might happen in a single hour or minute even?
I loaded the piece in a grand hurry, for I saw the wildebeests leavingthe water; and, as soon as the bullet was rammed home, I ran down theladder. Before I had reached the bottom, I saw that I had forgotten tobring either powder-horn or pouch. I was in too hot a haste to go backfor them, for I saw the last of the wildebeests moving off, and Ifancied I might be too late. But I had no intention of going any greatdistance in pursuit. A single shot at them was all I wanted, and that inthe gun would do.
I hastened after the game, keeping as well as I could under cover. Ifound, after a little time, that I need not have been so cautious. Thewildebeests, instead of being shy--as I had seen them in our oldneighbourhood--appeared to have very little fear of me. This wasespecially the case with the old bulls, who capered and careered aboutwithin an hundred yards' distance, and sometimes permitted me toapproach even nearer. It was plain they had never been hunted.
Once or twice I was within range of a pair of old bulls, who seemed toact as a rearguard. But I did not want to shoot one of them. I knewtheir flesh would turn out tough. I wished to get something more tender.I wished to send a bullet into a heifer, or one of the young bulls whosehorns had not yet begun to curve. Of these I saw several in the herd.
Tame as the animals were, I could not manage to get near enough to anyof these. The old bulls at the head always led them beyond my range; andthe two that brought up the rear, seemed to drive them forward as Iadvanced upon them.
Well, in this way they beguiled me along for more than a mile; and theexcitement of the chase made me quite forget how wrong it was of me togo so far from the camp. But thinking about the meat, and still hopefulof getting a shot, I kept on.
At length the hunt led me into ground where there was no longer anybush; but there was good cover, notwithstanding, in the ant-hills, that,like great tents, stood at equal distances from each other scatteredover the plain. These were very large--some of them more than twelvefeet high--and differing from the dome-shaped kind so common everywhere.They were of the shape of large cones, or rounded pyramids, with anumber of smaller cones rising around their bases, and clustering liketurrets along their sides. I knew they were the hills of a species ofwhite ant called by entomologists _Termes bellicosus_.
There were other hills, of cylinder shape and rounded tops, that stoodonly about a yard high; looking like rolls of unbleached linen setupright--each with an inverted basin upon its end. These were the homesof a very different species, the _Termes mordax_ of the entomologists;though still another species of _Termes_ build their nests in the sameform.
I did not stop then to examine these curious structures. I only speak ofthem now, to give you an idea of the sort of place it was, so that youmay understand what followed.
What with the cone-shaped hills and the cylinders, the plain was prettywell covered. One or the other was met with every two hundred yards; andI fancied with these for a shelter I should have but little difficultyin getting within shot of the gnoos.
I made a circuit to head them, and crept up behind a large cone-shapedhill, near which the thick of the drove was feeding. When I peepedthrough the turrets, to my chagrin, I saw that the cows and younger oneshad been drawn off beyond reach, and the two old bulls were, as before,capering between me and the herd.
I repeated the manoeuvre, and stalked in behind another large cone, closeto which the beasts were feeding. When I raised myself for a shot, I wasagain disappointed. The herd had moved off as before, and the brace ofbulls still kept guard in the rear.
I began to feel provoked. The conduct of the bulls annoyed meexceedingly, and I really fancied that they knew it. Their manoeuvreswere of the oddest kind, and some of them appeared to be made for thepurpose of mocking me. At times they would charge up very close--theirheads set in a menacing attitude; and I must confess that with theirblack shaggy fronts, their sharp horns, and glaring red eyes, theylooked anything but pleasant neighbours.
I got so provoked with them at last, that I resolved they should botherme no longer. If they would not permit me to shoot one of the others, Iwas determined they themselves should not escape scot-free, but shouldpay dearly for their temerity and insolence. I resolved to put a bulletthrough one of them, at least.
Just as I was about raising my gun to fire, I perceived that they hadplaced themselves in attitude for a new fight. This they did by droppingon their knees, and sliding forward until their heads came in contact.They would then spring up, make a sudden bound forward, as if to getuppermost, and trample one another with their hoofs. Failing in this,both would rush past, until they were several yards apart; then wheelround, drop once more to their knees, and advance as before.
Hitherto I had looked upon these conflicts as merely playful; and so Ifancy most of them were. But this time the bulls seemed to be inearnest. The loud cracking of their helmet-covered foreheads againsteach other, their fierce snorting and bellowing, and, above all, theirangry manner, convinced me that they had really quarrelled, and wereserious about it.
One of them, at length, seemed to be getting knocked over repeatedly.Every time he had partially risen to his feet, and before he could quiterecover them, his antagonist rushed upon him, and butted him back uponhis side.
Seeing them so earnestly engaged, I thought I might as well make a sureshot of it, by going a little nearer; so I stepped from behind theant-hill, and walked towards the combatants. Neither took any notice ofmy approach--the one because he had enough to do to guard himself fromthe terrible blows, and the other because he was so occupied indelivering them.
When within twenty paces I levelled my gun. I chose the bull whoappeared victor, partly as a punishment for his want of feeling instriking a fallen antagonist, but, perhaps, more because his broadsidewas towards me, and presented a fairer mark.
I fired.
The smoke hid both for a moment. When it cleared off, I saw the bullthat had been conquered still down in a kneeling attitude, but, to mygreat surprise, the one at which I had aimed was upon his feet,apparently as brisk and sound as ever! I knew I had hit himsomewhere--as I heard the 'thud' of the bullet on his fat body--but itwas plain I had not crippled him.
I was not allowed time for reflection as to where I had wounded him. Notan instant indeed, for the moment the smoke cleared away, instead of thebulls clearing off also, I saw the one I had shot at fling up his tail,lower his shaggy front, and charge right towards me!
His fierce eyes glanced with a revengeful look, and his roar was enoughto have terrified one more courageous than I. I assure you I was lessfrightened the other day when I encountered the lion.
I did not know what to do for some moments. I thought of setting myselfin an attitude of defence, and involuntarily had turned my gun which wasnow empty--intending to use it as a club. But I saw at once, that theslight blow I could deliver would not stop the onset of such a strongfierce animal, and that he would butt me o
ver, and gore me, to acertainty.
I turned my eyes to see what hope there lay in flight. Fortunately theyfell upon an ant-hill--the one I had just emerged from. I saw at aglance, that by climbing it I would be out of reach of the fiercewildebeest. Would I have time to get to it before he could overtake me?
I ran like a frightened fox. You, Hendrik, can beat me running uponordinary occasions. I don't think you could have got quicker to thatant-hill than I did.
I was not a second too soon. As I clutched at the little turrets, anddrew myself up, I could hear the rattle of the wildebeest's hoofs behindme, and I fancied I felt his hot breath upon my heels.
But I reached the top cone in safety; and then turned and looked down atmy pursuer. I saw that he could not follow me any farther. Sharp as hishorns were, I saw that I was safe out of their reach."