In the first burst of anger I declared I would do without them, and that I would punish them severely on my return. A moment’s reflection, however, convinced me that, both for my own sake, and by way of example for the remainder of the men, it was necessary, if possible, to bring them back to their duty. Eyebrecht was accordingly dispatched on this errand. After several days’ absence he returned with the runaways, and as they looked penitent, I thought it best to pass the offense quietly over, and say nothing.
At Twass, the head-quarters of Lambert, Amral’s eldest son—a chief of even greater importance than his father—I was joined by Piet, the Griqua, who was to accompany me to the Lake in the capacity of interpreter. He knew the Bechuana language tolerably well, and, as a matter of course, spoke Dutch fluently. Onesimus also knew a smattering of this last tongue, and was perfect in the Damara and Namaqua. Louis was pretty well versed in Portuguese and the different dialects of the countries bordering upon the settlements about the Mozambique Channel. Personally, I could make myself understood in more than one European language; and this Babel-like confusion was completed by Timbo’s patois.
The preceding year, when our steps were pointed in the same direction as at present, we traveled on the summit of the low range of hills which take their rise near to Twass, extending eastward. We were then on saddle-oxen; but, from what we saw of the country, we deemed it nearly impracticable for wagons. I therefore determined to strike through the woods at the base of the hills in question, or along the valley intervening between them and another mountain range running in the same direction. The soil proved exceedingly soft and yielding, and the bushes harassing; yet this new route was preferable to the other.
We saw a good deal of game, chiefly of the larger kinds; but the animals were wary, and I shot badly. My horse was so unsteady as to be of little or no use. His speed was great; he was a match for the swiftest antelope; but when I fired from his back, he was very apt to start on one side. If his rider, at such times, was not on his guard, the chances were in favor of his being dismounted. One day Eyebrecht begged eagerly to be allowed to try his hand on the giraffes, which abounded in this locality. His request was granted, and I lent him my horse, though we well knew what would be the result. After nearly a whole day’s absence, he returned, when the men hailed him with shouts of laughter, as his appearance too plainly indicated his misfortunes. But, notwithstanding his flushed face and torn and soiled dress, he stoutly denied having been thrown. It so happened, however, that the very next day we passed a spot where he had been chasing a herd of giraffes, and where we could distinctly see the marks of how the scared horse had been dragging Eyebrecht along the ground for a considerable distance.
On arriving at Elephant Kloof we had better success. My first prize consisted of a magnificent giraffe, which dropped dead to the first shot—the only instance I recollected of killing this animal outright with a single bullet. I never before or since (excepting, perhaps, a cow-elephant) saw so fat an animal. The flesh was delicious, and I thought my men would kill themselves by gorging. Indeed, Bonfield became seriously ill, and for a whole week was unable to take nourishment of any description, not even coffee. Every thing he tried to swallow was instantly rejected. At one time I became apprehensive for his safety. My Griqua guide also got indisposed from feeding too heartily on an oily ostrich.
From the midst of abundance we were, or rather I was, soon reduced to the other extreme. When half way to Otjombindè we encountered some Bushmen, who persuaded me to go in search of elephants, which they said abounded at no great distance. A person might visit the place they frequented, and come back the same day. Having hastily made a few arrangements, I set out, but, foolishly relying on their statements, provided myself with only one small slice of raw flesh, which, after a while, in the full anticipation of a quick and successful return, I gave to the half-starved “children of the desert.” I was sadly out of reckoning, however, for, instead of it being merely a few hours to the water in question, we traveled a whole day at a brisk pace before reaching our destination.
We were now at the beginning of the cold season, and the nights had already attained a very low temperature. The day had been oppressively hot, we had journeyed rapidly, and, in the hurry, I had come away without my coat. As evening set in I felt a deadly chill stealing over me, and though we found fuel, I deemed it necessary to do with as little fire as possible, for fear of alarming the elephants, should they make their appearance. Thrusting my head into a bush, and bundling the rest of my body in as small a compass as was possible, I spent a long and comfortless night.
At break of day we were stirring. On arriving at the water, which was not far distant from our bivouac, we had the satisfaction to discover the fresh tracks of elephants, but out of the troop that had visited the place there was only one bull. His tracks were of course selected in preference to the rest, but, though we followed them perseveringly till near sunset, all our endeavors to come up with the animal proved vain.
Hungry, disheartened, and exhausted, we retraced our steps to the bivouac, where we spent another still more cheerless night. Two days had now elapsed without my having tasted a morsel of food, nor did I obtain any until I reached my own people at the expiration of the third day.[70]