About a mile below this camp I came upon their spoor, in the long grass, and from the beaten path they made, over two feet in width, there must be many of these monsters about. We have been out several times at night to look for them.
The largest snake I shot, next to the python, was when walking along a bank of sand, where there were several large holes. He was moving in the grass a short distance from me, a most vicious-looking reptile, quite black, and measuring nearly thirteen feet; there are others nearly as large in the Kalahara desert. I have killed many puffadders, but none exceeded in length three feet six inches. The long, thin yellow snake is mostly found in trees, after birds; they stretch themselves along the branches, and look like a portion of them. Those I have killed measured nearly five feet. When the little birds see them they fly round and near, making a great noise. I was walking along a river-bank that had several snake-holes in it; a short distance ahead was a small bird fluttering about in one spot. Standing to watch it for some time, and finding it still kept on in the same way, I walked up almost close to it, when I saw the head of a large snake sticking out of a hole; but on my making ready to fire he retreated into it, and the bird flew away. This was the first time I had seen a snake charm a bird. The variety I have killed may be called legion. Of several the names are unknown.
The iguana grows to a large size in these rivers; I have only seen the black one in this district. My boys killed one measuring five feet seven inches; they cooked and dished him up for their supper, and told me it was very good. The hedgehog, ant-bear, and armadillo are plentiful, as also many kinds of earth-animals, generally found in the more open parts. But the most disgusting thing, and which I have a horror of, are those tree-toads. Some trees seem to swarm with them; they fix themselves in the fork of a branch, and remain quite still all day, and at night they chirp like a bird—it may be called the singing-tree, I suppose the same kind mentioned in ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’—their colour so resembles the bark that it is difficult to distinguish them from it. I have stated in a former chapter that several dropped into my waggon when on my way up to Matabeleland.
Early the next morning, after my lion adventure, I prepared for a day’s shooting up-river, ready for any and everything that came within range of our rifles. My driver and a Cape boy, both very good shots, and myself with shot-gun, after an early breakfast, started soon after sun-up along the right bank of the river. We had not proceeded many hundred yards before a large flock of guinea-fowl flew up, when both barrels brought down five. This was a good beginning; they were sent back to the camp at once. It is no use pursuing these birds when they have been disturbed, they run like a race-horse, and keep to the ground. If you have a good dog to chase them they are compelled to find shelter in the trees, when they can be shot. My last dog was bitten by a puffadder and died.
Continuing along the bank for some little distance I came upon a deep pool in the river, where we could distinguish, just out of the water, part of the head of a large hippopotamus; but as we neared him to get a shot he prudently sank. On the opposite bank two half-grown crocodiles were enjoying the morning’s sun, and they also thought it desirable to clear for the water, but not before one of them received a bullet in the side, which made him turn and twist about, lashing his tail as he made for the water, where we lost sight of him. The river was too wide and deep, and too dangerous for any of us to cross, to attempt to follow him up; but we saw by his motion in the water he must have received a mortal wound. The river appeared about 200 yards wide, with thickly wooded banks, and fine timber trees. As we were watching his movements, several ducks flew past down stream; two I shot, but they fell in the water, and no one dare go in to get them, as our friends the sea-cows and crocodiles might lie there. Consequently, we left them floating on the water, but had not moved many paces away before they had disappeared, a dainty morsel for one of these monsters.
As we advanced along the bank we became aware that large game occupied the other side of the river. The dense forest prevented our seeing them, but there was no mistaking the sounds. Elephants were near, by the breaking of branches and the constant rumbling sound of their bowels. The river was too deep and dangerous to cross, therefore I had no choice left but to remain quiet and concealed in the shadow of the beautiful trees, the branches of which overhung the river. We knew they were approaching the river to drink. After waiting some twenty minutes, one by one they pushed themselves through the undergrowth that lined the steep bank, and made for the water, standing in a row close together, sucking up with their trunks the water into their immense throats, an operation that looks ridiculous, a sight seldom to be seen in daylight. To have fired upon them would have been cruel, as there was no possibility of getting their tusks even if we had killed them; we therefore watched with intense interest this interesting sight.
After satisfying their thirst, they walked into the river until they were half submerged, throwing water over their backs, and flapping their immense ears against their sides, making a peculiar noise, evidently enjoying the bath immensely, pawing the water with their huge legs; and then returned to the forest, to browse on the young and tender branches of their favourite trees. There were thirty-seven full-grown, and eleven young ones of various sizes. It was with difficulty I could restrain my boys from giving them a shot. To see elephants, the largest of all animals, in their native wilds roaming undisturbed, and note their habits and actions, is most interesting.
These gigantic animals care very little for crocodiles or hippopotami; but the rhinoceros often kills them. Their long legs, being six feet in length, and nearly three feet round, are very formidable when used in their own defence, either on land or water, without the aid of their five feet of tusks. At the present time these splendid animals are never seen in these parts, where formerly they were so plentiful. Mr John Viljoen, the Boer who came north after the Bloomplaats fight in 1848, thirty-seven years ago, and settled in Marico, told me that the whole of that district swarmed with elephants and every other kind of large game, as also in the neighbourhood of Rustenburg, Pretoria, and other localities more south; now they are seldom seen south of the Limpopo, except in the country to the east, under the chief Umzela.
In the trees on the opposite shore, and in the forest behind us, large grey monkeys, with black faces, were busy watching us. There appeared to be hundreds, and as they swung from branch to branch, with the young ones following their mothers, they made the forest look lively. They travel on the tops of the trees faster than you can run below.
As it was now getting on towards noon we pushed on up-stream, making excellent bags of guinea-fowls, pheasants, and ducks. In addition to this dainty food, my boys shot a quagga, which the black man prefers to any other game. It was now time to return, being pretty well loaded with provisions to last several days; but what avails that with a hunter, when surrounded by so many tempting opportunities of having a shot at animals or large reptiles, never to be met with out of these primeval forests? We wanted sjamboks, so much sought after by the colonists; the best are made from the skin of the hippopotamus, so we must bag some, if possible, before we left this fine and undisturbed hunting-ground.