“Something else to see, perhaps,” I thought; “I trust it will be of a more amusing character than this.”
To my joy it proved so, for he came to announce that the hunters were ready to start for the chase. This assuredly being more to my taste, I gladly quitted the isibaya, and, passing from the outer enclosure, found myself in the midst of a large number of Kaffirs, waiting with everything prepared. From the animation of their faces, especially the excited expression of the “boys,” it was very evident that with the strange race I was among, the chase was a particular feature of delight.
Their dress, if I may be permitted the term, was not in any way increased; and as I marked the free, easy, graceful manner, in which they moved, and how impervious their dark, shiny bodies were to the scorching sun, that was beginning to make even my bronzed countenance peel, I could not but, in the secret recesses of my heart, envy them. In respect to my face, however, Tugela speedily gave me relief by daubing it over with rancid fat. The operation was slightly disgusting at first to my European ideas, but this rapidly succumbed under the ease it occasioned me, and I soon found that to the skin, especially of the white man, this grease is absolutely necessary.
Three or four elder Kaffirs who, by the respect paid them, and a slight difference in the adornment of their issikoko, I divined were personages of importance—no doubt renowned hunters—took the lead; and owing to the chief’s permission, I being permitted to accompany them, we set out.
It was not to be an elephant hunt, it appeared, after all, that having been deferred for a day or two, as the chief had expressed his intention to be present at the killing of that animal himself; therefore a koodoo hunt had been substituted in its place. I have called it a hunt, but I might rather use the word “battue,” as will be seen, when I proceed with my recital.
Together we proceeded through the bush, and more splendid scenery it has never been my lot to look upon. Mountains rose afar, crowned with strange foliaged trees, while the land extended before us, undulating like billows, and covered by the brightest, greenest of vegetation. These undulations, however, on a nearer approach I found to consist of vast clefts, or ravines in the earth—called there, kloofs, through some of which silver streams flowed, while their rough, rugged sides, composed of masses of rock, trees, and bushes, interlaced together by a profusion of brilliant and luxuriant parasites, formed the safe home of numerous beasts of prey which are natives of Africa. We had proceeded some distance without anything worthy of mention having taken place, save that I now and then came across relations of my first Kaffir friend who had served me for a supper—the hyrat—and also a peculiar animal, at least, in my eyes, called the meerkat, a long-bodied thing with small ears, a pointed muzzle, long, tail and thin feet armed with claws. I enquired of Tugela respecting it; for I thought if I ever got back to dear old England again, that I should like to have as much to tell as possible. I could learn, however, little of its habits, more than that its fur was considered valuable owing to its tenacity of life, which renders it difficult to be captured.
After we had gone on for some time, we came to a halt, and I perceived the elder hunters were giving orders, which I saw, through their being obeyed, was that we should separate, for they divided immediately into parties.
The party I was among instantly set off to one of the kloofs which I have mentioned, where, separating again, the Kaffirs concealed themselves, with their assagais and knob-kerries ready to hand, behind the bushes and rocks. The other party, it appeared, had by a long détour encircled a whole herd of koodoos, elands, and others—all of the antelope species.
These animals are remarkably quick of scent—though, by the way, it does not require much sensitiveness on that head to detect a Kaffir—therefore the hunters wisely kept to the windward till they had the herd between themselves and the kloof; then suddenly they showed them to the browsing animals, which immediately fled from their pursuers in the direction of the ravine. As they would at times swerve from the right path, concealed Kaffirs started up, and with shouts headed them back. Apparently one path alone was left free to them, and on they sped till, with terrified yet graceful bounds, the poor creatures rushed into the kloof, apparently their only hope of safety.
Then truly an exciting scene commenced; from every rock, from every bush there seemed, to spring the dusky form of a Kaffir, his shield and assagais in his left hand, and his right armed with one of the spears, which he generally sent with unerring aim at the flying antelopes.