The War of the Axe; Or, Adventures in South Africa by J. Percy Groves
theseunpleasant attentions, they had best "grin and bear them." On thefourth morning after the friendly chief's departure, the old Caffre whohad been told off to attend on the prisoners and bring them their dailyfood, informed Frank Jamieson that he and his companion in misfortunewere to be taken under escort to one of the principal Caffre strongholdsbeyond the Bashee River, and there to become the slaves of Untsikana'sfather--a chief of no small importance.
"Never more shall you see your people," said the old fellow with amalicious grin; for, true to the instincts of his savage nature, he felta cruel pleasure in attempting to strike terror into the hearts of hisprisoners. "Our brave and invincible warriors have eaten up the `redsoldiers' of the island-queen, and are now sweeping before them thehated white men. Not one shall be left alive in this land except youand this boy, and you will end your days in slavery!"
"What does the old rascal say?" asked Tom, to whom the Caffre tongue wasquite unintelligible. "Something unpleasant, I'll wager a dollar; helooks so precious satisfied with himself. Ugh, you hoary-headed,hardhearted old sinner!" he added, as the man left the hut.
"He says that Colonel Somerset's troops have been totally defeated, andthat the Caffre warriors are driving our countrymen into the sea," Frankreplied with a slight smile.
"Oh, hang it all! You must tell that to the marines!" exclaimed Tom;though at the same time a feeling of uneasiness came over him lest thereshould be a spice of truth in their jailer's report. "I don't believe aword of it! It cannot possibly be true, you know."
"And you and I are destined for transportation beyond the Bashee River,where we shall become the bondmen of the great chief Umbodhla--myfriend's father," continued Frank. "A bright look-out, truly!"
"Very," ejaculated Tom. "But the beggars haven't got us there yet, andif we get the chance of giving them the slip, why--"
"We'll do so," interrupted Frank. "But, my dear fellow, if we wish tosucceed in making our escape we must keep quiet and submit to anyaffront they may put upon us. Our chief endeavour must be to throw themoff their guard, and thus lead them to imagine that we are boththoroughly cowed. Now, do you remember this, Tom! for our successdepends upon it. Don't you show your teeth, old chap--unless you have agood chance of using them."
"I understand," growled Tom. "A nod is as good as a wink to a blindhorse!"
They had no time to say more to each other, for at that moment theirjailer came back, and was followed into the hut by three brawny savages,who, seizing Frank roughly, proceeded to fasten his arms behind him,after which they placed a long "reim" with a running noose round hisneck; they then served Tom in a similar fashion.
"Hamb'uye ngapandhle (Get outside)," said the Caffre who appeared to bethe leader, striking Tom Flinders a pretty smart blow across theshoulders with the staff of his assegai.
"You uncivilised brute!" shouted Tom, the hot blood mounting to hisface. "If my hands were only free--"
"But they're not, old boy," interrupted Frank; "so take it quietly, likea sensible fellow. It may be our turn by and by." And without a murmurhe followed the guards out of the hut.
The instant the white prisoners appeared outside the hut the entirepopulation of the kraal--from the grey-headed "indoda" [indoda, man;inkwenkwee, boy; inkosikazi, chief's wife; intombi, girl] to thewoolly-pated, chubby "inkwenkwee;" from the lean and repulsive-looking"inkosikazi" to the plump little "intombi"--set up an awful andprolonged howling and caterwauling, such as would have done credit to anelection mob engaged in the pleasing pastime of hooting an unpopularcandidate. With this charming chorus ringing in their ears Tom and hisfriend were conducted by their sable guards through the midst of thekraal.
This was really the first time that Tom had seen the interior of aninhabited kraal (for it was dark when he was brought in after hiscapture), and in spite of his unpleasant position he cast curiousglances round as he passed through. The kraal--which was but a smallone--consisted of a number of beehive-shaped huts constructed of canes,wattled and filled in with clay, and thatched with reeds and long grass;the space upon which these huts were erected was inclosed by a wall orlofty hedge, formed of the branches of the "mimosa" strongly and tightlyinterlaced. The hut in which our friends had been kept in durance vilestood in the very centre of the inclosure, and was not above a quarterthe size of the others. "About half as big, and twice as dirty as anEnglish pig-sty, and as full of fleas as a gypsy's van," was TomFlinders' after description of his uncomfortable prison.
The party told off to escort the white prisoners to Umbodhla'sstronghold beyond the Bashee River consisted of five invalided warriors,who had received wounds during the attack on Campbell's column on the17th April; but although their injuries were of such a nature as toprevent their taking part in a "pitched battle" or a hard day's bushwarfare, these warriors were by no means in a weakly condition, and wereperfectly capable of marching twenty or thirty miles between daylightand dark, and of resisting any attempt on the part of the prisoners toescape from their custody. The leader of the party--a mostferocious-looking savage, with a sinister and forbidding cast ofcountenance--was armed with an old-fashioned flint-lock "roer" of Dutchmake; but his comrades carried only the usual bundle of assegais andtheir formidable knobkerries. The leader's name was Waishlahla, and he,too, was a chief, but of much lower rank than Untsikana.
Quitting the kraal by a narrow opening in the inclosure wall, barelywide enough to allow of three persons passing abreast, the Caffresconducted their prisoners across some cultivated ground by which thekraal was surrounded, and ascended to the summit of the Amatolas.Traversing the range in a northeasterly direction, they presently hitupon a path that, passing down a rocky ravine, led over an extensiveplain stretching far away from the base of the Amatolas to the banks ofthe Kei River.
Down this precipitous and dangerous path the escort proceeded at a rapidpace, forcing their prisoners to keep up with them by repeated blows,and even prods of their assegais, until they reached the mouth of theravine; they then left the path and struck straight across country inthe direction of the Kei River.
Through broken scrub and thorny mimosas, and over rough stony ground,Tom Flinders and Frank Jamieson were hurried at a pace that waswell-nigh killing (for when on the march Caffres move over the ground ata sort of double stride or trot, which is terribly trying to thoseunaccustomed to such rapid travelling) until at length their guards cameto a halt on the banks of a small stream. Worn out with heat andfatigue, and suffering intense pain from their bleeding and swollenfeet, the weary prisoners--after a long refreshing draught of coolwater--sank down on the veldt with a sigh of relief; but one of theescort immediately seized Frank by the collar and dragged him up again,and Waishlahla, severing the thongs that bound his arms, ordered him tostrip. Frank hesitated for a moment, and was about to remonstrate, whena sharp blow over the shoulders reminded him that resistance was worsethan useless; and so, gulping down his wrath, he threw off all hisgarments, his shirt excepted, and flung them on the ground.
"Now you may lie down," said the chief with a savage grin. "You canhave an hour's rest, and then we go on again;" and picking up theclothes he distributed them amongst the escort, whilst Frank, with anexclamation of disgust, stretched himself beside his friend, who hadbeen watching these proceedings with surprise and indignation.
"We're in a pleasant fix, and no mistake," whispered Tom as they layside by side; "why are they treating you in this manner? I thought theyintended to leave you your clothes, but now it appears we're to farealike!"
"I suppose it is the Caffres' nature to maltreat those who fall intotheir power," answered Frank in the same low tone. "You see as long asUntsikana was present this fellow Waishlahla dared not annoy us, butnow--well, you ought to remember the good old nursery rhyme, `When thecat's away the mice will play!'"
"Precious rough play," growled the other. Then after a pause he said,"I'm afraid we shall not have much chance of getting away from thesebrutes; they're a deal too wide-awake."
"They wer
e not wide-awake enough to fasten my arms again," his friendrejoined, "and that is something in our favour! Never say die, oldfellow! Remember the yarn John Richards spun us; he was in far greaterstraits than we are, nevertheless he managed to escape from two hundredRed-skins, every one of whom was eager to get his scalp. But turn yourback, Tom," he went on, "and let me see if I cannot loosen your bonds;you will be more at ease then."
"But I say, Frank, did you take in all that yarn?" asked Tom, as theother cast loose the thongs round his arms. "I
"Never more shall you see your people," said the old fellow with amalicious grin; for, true to the instincts of his savage nature, he felta cruel pleasure in attempting to strike terror into the hearts of hisprisoners. "Our brave and invincible warriors have eaten up the `redsoldiers' of the island-queen, and are now sweeping before them thehated white men. Not one shall be left alive in this land except youand this boy, and you will end your days in slavery!"
"What does the old rascal say?" asked Tom, to whom the Caffre tongue wasquite unintelligible. "Something unpleasant, I'll wager a dollar; helooks so precious satisfied with himself. Ugh, you hoary-headed,hardhearted old sinner!" he added, as the man left the hut.
"He says that Colonel Somerset's troops have been totally defeated, andthat the Caffre warriors are driving our countrymen into the sea," Frankreplied with a slight smile.
"Oh, hang it all! You must tell that to the marines!" exclaimed Tom;though at the same time a feeling of uneasiness came over him lest thereshould be a spice of truth in their jailer's report. "I don't believe aword of it! It cannot possibly be true, you know."
"And you and I are destined for transportation beyond the Bashee River,where we shall become the bondmen of the great chief Umbodhla--myfriend's father," continued Frank. "A bright look-out, truly!"
"Very," ejaculated Tom. "But the beggars haven't got us there yet, andif we get the chance of giving them the slip, why--"
"We'll do so," interrupted Frank. "But, my dear fellow, if we wish tosucceed in making our escape we must keep quiet and submit to anyaffront they may put upon us. Our chief endeavour must be to throw themoff their guard, and thus lead them to imagine that we are boththoroughly cowed. Now, do you remember this, Tom! for our successdepends upon it. Don't you show your teeth, old chap--unless you have agood chance of using them."
"I understand," growled Tom. "A nod is as good as a wink to a blindhorse!"
They had no time to say more to each other, for at that moment theirjailer came back, and was followed into the hut by three brawny savages,who, seizing Frank roughly, proceeded to fasten his arms behind him,after which they placed a long "reim" with a running noose round hisneck; they then served Tom in a similar fashion.
"Hamb'uye ngapandhle (Get outside)," said the Caffre who appeared to bethe leader, striking Tom Flinders a pretty smart blow across theshoulders with the staff of his assegai.
"You uncivilised brute!" shouted Tom, the hot blood mounting to hisface. "If my hands were only free--"
"But they're not, old boy," interrupted Frank; "so take it quietly, likea sensible fellow. It may be our turn by and by." And without a murmurhe followed the guards out of the hut.
The instant the white prisoners appeared outside the hut the entirepopulation of the kraal--from the grey-headed "indoda" [indoda, man;inkwenkwee, boy; inkosikazi, chief's wife; intombi, girl] to thewoolly-pated, chubby "inkwenkwee;" from the lean and repulsive-looking"inkosikazi" to the plump little "intombi"--set up an awful andprolonged howling and caterwauling, such as would have done credit to anelection mob engaged in the pleasing pastime of hooting an unpopularcandidate. With this charming chorus ringing in their ears Tom and hisfriend were conducted by their sable guards through the midst of thekraal.
This was really the first time that Tom had seen the interior of aninhabited kraal (for it was dark when he was brought in after hiscapture), and in spite of his unpleasant position he cast curiousglances round as he passed through. The kraal--which was but a smallone--consisted of a number of beehive-shaped huts constructed of canes,wattled and filled in with clay, and thatched with reeds and long grass;the space upon which these huts were erected was inclosed by a wall orlofty hedge, formed of the branches of the "mimosa" strongly and tightlyinterlaced. The hut in which our friends had been kept in durance vilestood in the very centre of the inclosure, and was not above a quarterthe size of the others. "About half as big, and twice as dirty as anEnglish pig-sty, and as full of fleas as a gypsy's van," was TomFlinders' after description of his uncomfortable prison.
The party told off to escort the white prisoners to Umbodhla'sstronghold beyond the Bashee River consisted of five invalided warriors,who had received wounds during the attack on Campbell's column on the17th April; but although their injuries were of such a nature as toprevent their taking part in a "pitched battle" or a hard day's bushwarfare, these warriors were by no means in a weakly condition, and wereperfectly capable of marching twenty or thirty miles between daylightand dark, and of resisting any attempt on the part of the prisoners toescape from their custody. The leader of the party--a mostferocious-looking savage, with a sinister and forbidding cast ofcountenance--was armed with an old-fashioned flint-lock "roer" of Dutchmake; but his comrades carried only the usual bundle of assegais andtheir formidable knobkerries. The leader's name was Waishlahla, and he,too, was a chief, but of much lower rank than Untsikana.
Quitting the kraal by a narrow opening in the inclosure wall, barelywide enough to allow of three persons passing abreast, the Caffresconducted their prisoners across some cultivated ground by which thekraal was surrounded, and ascended to the summit of the Amatolas.Traversing the range in a northeasterly direction, they presently hitupon a path that, passing down a rocky ravine, led over an extensiveplain stretching far away from the base of the Amatolas to the banks ofthe Kei River.
Down this precipitous and dangerous path the escort proceeded at a rapidpace, forcing their prisoners to keep up with them by repeated blows,and even prods of their assegais, until they reached the mouth of theravine; they then left the path and struck straight across country inthe direction of the Kei River.
Through broken scrub and thorny mimosas, and over rough stony ground,Tom Flinders and Frank Jamieson were hurried at a pace that waswell-nigh killing (for when on the march Caffres move over the ground ata sort of double stride or trot, which is terribly trying to thoseunaccustomed to such rapid travelling) until at length their guards cameto a halt on the banks of a small stream. Worn out with heat andfatigue, and suffering intense pain from their bleeding and swollenfeet, the weary prisoners--after a long refreshing draught of coolwater--sank down on the veldt with a sigh of relief; but one of theescort immediately seized Frank by the collar and dragged him up again,and Waishlahla, severing the thongs that bound his arms, ordered him tostrip. Frank hesitated for a moment, and was about to remonstrate, whena sharp blow over the shoulders reminded him that resistance was worsethan useless; and so, gulping down his wrath, he threw off all hisgarments, his shirt excepted, and flung them on the ground.
"Now you may lie down," said the chief with a savage grin. "You canhave an hour's rest, and then we go on again;" and picking up theclothes he distributed them amongst the escort, whilst Frank, with anexclamation of disgust, stretched himself beside his friend, who hadbeen watching these proceedings with surprise and indignation.
"We're in a pleasant fix, and no mistake," whispered Tom as they layside by side; "why are they treating you in this manner? I thought theyintended to leave you your clothes, but now it appears we're to farealike!"
"I suppose it is the Caffres' nature to maltreat those who fall intotheir power," answered Frank in the same low tone. "You see as long asUntsikana was present this fellow Waishlahla dared not annoy us, butnow--well, you ought to remember the good old nursery rhyme, `When thecat's away the mice will play!'"
"Precious rough play," growled the other. Then after a pause he said,"I'm afraid we shall not have much chance of getting away from thesebrutes; they're a deal too wide-awake."
"They wer
"But I say, Frank, did you take in all that yarn?" asked Tom, as theother cast loose the thongs round his arms. "I