LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 477, 28 December 1875, Page 3

LITERATURE.

A WARM CORNER IN AFRICA. The Mooi dropped anchor in Dugele Roads early in the evening, and shortly afterwards what wind there had been died away, and there was not a breath to stir the sultry air. The smooth unbroken waves were enormous; one seemed to be in the centre of a chain of hills seething in earthquake, when standing, or rather seeking to stand, on the deck. For the little Mooi rolled till she dipped her yarm-arms, and there was no foothold at such au angle for any creature without suckers. You had to hold on tightly by shrouds or bulwark to prevent sliding across from starboard to port, or port to starboard. It was like being in a swing which is conscientiously impelled ; or on a really good see-saw, with a long plank, and the fulcrum some height above the ground. From the coast there was borne to the ear a continuous muffled roar, and if you looked for the cause of it, you saw that a line of white vapour veiled the woods and hills in that direction. The roar was the voice of the surf, and the mist hung over the bar. After gazing in this direction for about an hour, I caught a glimpse of something long and dark between two liquid mountains, which hid it in a moment. Again it reappeared, seemingly nearer, and vanished. (Jould it be a sea-serpent ? There it was again, certainly approaching, aad soon I distinguished a canoe with two Hottentots in it. In half an hour they were alongside. ' Is Massa Potts on board ?' My name being Potts, I said so. ' All right,' replied the blackie, 'Massa Thompson send us. You come shore slap bang ; marchic morrow morning; jine Massa Thompson at Jigajig in two days. This is best things.' What! I was to go ashore in that canoe ? If I said that I liked the idea of it I should be a boasler. I was fortunately in light marching order, my luggage being upcountry with Thompson and the wagons. Saddle bags, stout and capacious certainly, a bundle consisting of a waterproof sheet and blankets, a little bag containing ammunition, and a double-barrelled ride comprised my whole kit. How these things wore transferred to the canoe is a great mystery to mo ; how I ever followed them myself is a greater. I only know that I was a passive instrument, and can take no more credit for the performance than is due to the rest of the baggage. The t*ny craft would appear close to the ship's side for one short moment: the next, a broad green valley lay between. However, I was deposited somehow, and sat with my rifle between my knees, seriously impressed with the probability of being pegged and worried to death presently by sharks. But the ease and dexterity with which my Hottentots wielded their paddles soon gave me confidence, and by the time we reached the bar I positively hoped to survive the passage of it. Yet the attempt certainly looked, to an unaccustomed eye, like deliberate suicide. The rush of water formed a series of rapids trying enough to shoot, had the water flowed smoothly up to the edge; but here with

gigantic waves bursting, rolling, boiling over the shallows, the nerves were thoroughly tested. Happily the ordeal did not last long, for the canoe soon glided into smooth water, and I found myself under shelter, and in the mouth of the river. The hut where the horses sent for me had been left, under the charge of a third Hottentot, was some ten miles up stream; but the current was sluggish, and we made good progress against it. The heat was very oppressive: a damp, sticky, lung-clogging atmosphere, something like what you may experience in the Victoria Regia House at Kew Gardens. But the excitement arising from the prospect of at last enjoying the sport I had always dreamed of, combined with the charming novelty of the scene through which we were passing, served to dispel the sense of lassitude. The Arab merchant, at whose abode the horses had been left, certainly sustained the. reputation of his race for hospitality, but I only had the advantage of it for a few hours. At daybreak the Tots brought my horse, and we plunged into the forest. At last then the aspiration of my boyhood was realised; my dream had come to fruition. I had always felt that yearning for woods which some other lads have for the sea ; and, fond as I was of boating, cricket, and football, I would steal away from my schoolfellows to pore over a volume of Fenimore Cooper, or the 'Life of Robin Hood,' or any other story of forest life.

What a wonderland it was! It seemed difficult to believe that the rich luxuriance of vegetation was due to unassisted nature, so great a variety appeared to indicate artificial collection from many lands. There were toddy palms, with long graceful leaves and rich clusters of fruit; wide-spreading tamarinds, every tree a study for an artist; the seringa; the tambootie, a sort of mahogany ; groves of sandal-wood trees, filling the air with perfume. On first starting I made inquiries concerning provisions. Blossom showed me a small bag of biscuit and some salt; and seeing, I suppose, that I did not look satisfied, he pointed to my rifle and said—- ' Plenty beast; massa shoot'um dinner.'

I knew, of course, when I agreed to join Thompson in his expedition, that we should depend upon the game we shot; yet when the fact came before me in this very practical manner, I certainly felt a trifle nervous. For the sustenance of three men besides my own to depend upon my woodcraft and accuracy of aim, seemed a serious test for a comparative tyro. But several small antelopes flitted across our path, or brushed through the bushes to right and left, in the course of the first hour's march, and gave me confidence ; for though they afforded me no fair shot as I rode along, I did not doubt that, if I dismounted and went stealthily to work, I should be easily able to stalk one. At all events; when we came to our first day's halting-place, I lost no time about trying. My third Tot, Millyflor (probably a corruption of Millefleurs, a name given him on the Incus a non Incendo principle), was left to light a fire, take charge of the horses, gather vegetables and fruit, and make any other arrangements conducive to comfort which might occur to him, while Jeremiah and Blossom plunged with me into the bush. At the end of about an hour matters assumed a serious aspect, for dinner depended on my getting a shot at something. So I halted, and turned to consult with my companions. ' Something drive away the buck. S'pose we wait a litt'e here and see; this good place,' said Blossom in an undertone. We were stationed at the edge of a little open space; in front ihere was a gronp of large timber trees, beneath which stretched a glade where any object could have been distingui-hed for forty or fifty yards, an unusually advantage >us range for observation. To the right and left the underwood was thicker than the average. For at least ten minutes I watched this gl de, with both hammers cocked, and my forefinger along the trigge 1 -guard. Not a leaf stirred; all was dead silence, save for the occasional cry of a bird or chatter of a monkey. At least that was all my duller senses could catch, but the Hottentots perceived something, for with a low ' Hist!' they crouched down so as to conceal themselves amongst the brushwood, and motioned me to do the same. Presently the sounds which had caught their ears reached mine also : first a slight distant crackling and tearing on my left front, as of some creature forcing its way through the brushwood ; then those sounds approached, extended, till it seemed as if whole herds must be rushing towards me. Then I saw the bushes wave, and something brown dash across the glade thirty or forty yards in front, and disappear. Again and again this was repeated ; here—there—before—behind, the game tore past, but without affording me a fair mark; and as for taking a snap-shot at an animal going at racing pace, and only partially visible for a fraction of a second amongst the trees, that is all very well in woodcock shooting; where a single corn brings down the quarry ; but when your weapon is a rifle, and your game must be struck in a vital part—when an ineffective shot will spoil your chances, and four men's dinners depend upon your success—it is obviously such very bad policy that even I, excited greenhorn as I was, held my hand. At that moment I perceived something else coming out from the left into the glade, and I was about to empty my second barrel at a venture, when Blossom called out—- ' No fire ; let'um go !' I lowered my rifle, and looked; the animal came more into the open, affording an excellent shot. It was a lie n !

I understood the meaning of Blossom's caution ; with only one barrel loaded, and on foot in the bush, to draw the attack of a lion by a shot which, even if mortal eventually, might probably not disable him, would be rash. Yet how I had longed for such a moment as this, when I should have the monarchs of beasts within range of my rifle ! The temptation was wellnigh irresistible, and the butt stole again to my shoulder. But fortunately, before 1 fired, I perceived that he was not alone ; a second lion, then a third, followed close on his traces. Blossom and Jeremiah disembowelled an antelope, slung him on a pole, and carried him to the spot where we had left Millyflor and the horses ; I following in the rear, with a wary eye to the left and right, expecting to see savage yellow eyes glaring through the bush. But we reached our bivouac fire unmolested, and Millyflor cooked a venison steak, which I thought delicious. Then a sup from my flask, and I lay down to rest, thoroughly tired, and thankful for a merciful deliverance.