The Bush Boys | Page 4

His comrades, not expecting him to live,
left him on the plain to die; and most certainly would he have perished
had it not been for our field-cornet. The latter, as he was "trekking"
over the plains, found the wounded Bushman, lifted him into his wagon,
carried him on to his camp, dressed his wounds, and nursed him till he
became well. That is how Swartboy came to be in the service of the
field-cornet.
Though gratitude is not a characteristic of his race, Swartboy was not
ungrateful. When all the other servants ran away, he remained faithful
to his master; and since that time had been a most efficient and useful
hand. In fact, he was now the only one left, with the exception of the
girl, Totty--who was, of course, a Hottentot; and much about the same
height, size, and colour, as Swartboy himself.
We have said that Swartboy and the young Hendrik were saddling a
pair of horses. As soon as they had finished that job, they mounted
them, and riding out of the kraal, took their way straight across the
plain. They were followed by a couple of strong, rough-looking dogs.
Their purpose was to drive home the oxen and the other horses that
were feeding a good distance off. This they were in the habit of doing
every evening at the same hour,--for in South Africa it is necessary to
shut up all kinds of live-stock at night, to protect them from beasts of
prey. For this purpose are built several enclosures with high
walls,--"kraals," as they are called,--a word of the same signification as
the Spanish "corral," and I fancy introduced into Africa by the
Portuguese--since it is not a native term.
These kraals are important structures about the homestead of a boor,

almost as much so as his own dwelling-house, which of itself also bears
the name of "kraal."
As young Hendrik and Swartboy rode off for the horses and cattle,
Hans, leaving his work in the garden, proceeded to collect the sheep
and drive them home. These browsed in a different direction; but, as
they were near, he went afoot, taking little Jan along with him.
Truey having tied her pet to a post, had gone inside the house to help
Totty in preparing the supper. Thus the field-cornet was left to himself
and his pipe, which he still continued to smoke.
He sat in perfect silence, though he could scarce restrain from giving
expression to the satisfaction he felt at seeing his family thus
industriously employed. Though pleased with all his children, it must
be confessed he had some little partiality for the dashing Hendrik, who
bore his own name, and who reminded him more of his own youth than
any of the others. He was proud of Hendrik's gallant horsemanship, and
his eyes followed him over the plain until the riders were nearly a mile
off, and already mixing among the cattle.
At this moment an object came under the eyes of Von Bloom, that at
once arrested his attention. It was a curious appearance along the lower
part of the sky, in the direction in which Hendrik and Swartboy had
gone, but apparently beyond them. It resembled a dun-coloured mist or
smoke, as if the plain at a great distance was on fire!
Could that be so? Had some one fired the karoo bushes? Or was it a
cloud of dust?
The wind was hardly strong enough to raise such a dust, and yet it had
that appearance. Was it caused by animals? Might it not be the dust
raised by a great herd of antelopes,--a migration of the springboks, for
instance? It extended for miles along the horizon, but Von Bloom knew
that these creatures often travel in flocks of greater extent than miles.
Still he could not think it was that.
He continued to gaze at the strange phenomenon, endeavouring to

account for it in various ways. It seemed to be rising higher against the
blue sky--now resembling dust, now like the smoke of a widely-spread
conflagration, and now like a reddish cloud. It was in the west, and
already the setting sun was obscured by it. It had passed over the sun's
disc like a screen, and his light no longer fell upon the plain. Was it the
forerunner of some terrible storm?--of an earthquake?
Such a thought crossed the mind of the field-cornet. It was not like an
ordinary cloud,--it was not like a cloud of dust,--it was not like smoke.
It was like nothing he had ever witnessed before. No wonder that he
became anxious and apprehensive.
All at once the dark-red mass seemed to envelope the cattle upon the
plain, and these could be seen running to and fro as if affrighted. Then
the two