Hunters three: Sport and adventure in South Africa

by Thomas Wallace Knox

When I rode up to the kraal the after-rider informed me that the ladies were at home and would see me presently. I dismounted and looked about the kraal while waiting. The camp seemed very well arranged, and I was obliged to admit to myself that the appearance of things about it was much more orderly than that of our own. The kraal was constructed of palisades and large thorn-bushes, the whole forming a fence about ten feet high, and with an outwork of thorn-bushes sufficient to deter the approach of the most enterprising lion or other African beast.

One end of the kraal was fenced off and contained the wagons and tents; the rest of the space was assigned to the cattle when they were driven in at night, and also to the huts of the natives who formed a part of the expedition. The entrance-way was sufficiently large to admit of free ingress and egress during the daytime; at night it was securely closed, so that coming in or going out was a matter of no small moment. Before passage could be obtained the mass of material blocking the entrance had to be removed, and consequently it was necessary for every one to be inside the kraal when the gate was closed for the night.

An intelligent Dutch Boer joined me soon after I dismounted, and entered into conversation. He was the foreman or manager of the expedition, and confidentially told me that he had been up-country a good many times, but never before with women. He said their trip had been very pleasant thus far and the ladies seemed to be enjoying themselves. "They haven't killed a great deal of game," said he, "but much more than I expected they would. Women don't go hunting in this part of the world," he remarked, "except for antelope and some other small things; but I've heard they do so sometimes in other countries."

I made an evasive reply to this remark, which seemed to be put in the form of an inquiry. While not saying so, I left him to infer that it was the most ordinary thing in the world for women to go on hunting-expeditions in the country I came from, and the size of the game made no difference to the hunters.

Then he told me of some of the difficulties of their march thus far, and he dwelt on the fact that they had repeatedly been short of fresh provisions. He did not say for what reason, but I readily guessed that he meant because his fair employers were not as diligent or skilful in obtaining game as male hunters usually are. In an African expedition the hunters are expected to keep a supply of food on hand by the active use of their weapons, and with the various attendants attached to the caravan a good deal of shooting is required.

Fifteen or twenty minutes after my arrival a servant came to ask me to step into the tent, or rather into one of the tents. I followed him and was ushered into a very comfortable dwelling of canvas, which evidently served as dining-room, parlor, reception-room, library, and the like.

Mrs. Roberts was the only occupant of the place, and she greeted me cordially. A circular table was in the middle of the tent, cut in halves, so that it could be placed against the center-pole. Four iron camp-chairs afforded seating-facilities, and some boxes and trunks around the outer edge of the tent would accommodate others in case of a rush of visitors. The floor was spread with skins and rugs, and it was elevated somewhat above the ground outside, in order to keep off dampness as much as possible. Before entering the tent I observed that a ditch had been dug around it and a drain led off to one side—a very wise precaution in South Africa, especially in the season when rains are not infrequent.

The hostess said that Miss Boland would join us in a few minutes. "We were intending," said she, "to go on a hunt to-day, but were out yesterday, and when breakfast was served we concluded to put off our excursion until afternoon. I am very glad we did so, as it has given us the pleasure of a call from you."

I bowed my acknowledgments and assured her that my pleasure at their abandonment of their morning excursion was quite as great as their own. I added that I hoped they had excellent luck the day before.

"We were not very fortunate yesterday," she replied. "We went out into the open country in pursuit of elands, koodoo, or anything else we could find there. I am frank to say that I bagged nothing, while Miss Boland was fortunate enough to bring down an eland and a hartbeest. She had a sharp ride for the eland, and stalked the hartbeest. The ground was very favorable for stalking, and she approached him with comparative ease. I tried a little stalking at the same time, but the animals took fright and ran away before I could get within range. I told you I was not much of a hunter and that the honors of our expedition belonged to Miss Boland. Here she comes."