CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.
FAIRS, FIGHTS, FREE-TRADE, FACTIONS, AND OTHER MATTERS.
In the heart of the wild mountain scenery of the frontier a grim-lookingfort had been built to keep the Kafirs in check. It was named FortWilshire, and a truly warlike place it was, with its high walls andcannon, its red troops of the line, green rifles, and blue artillery.Lying remote from civilised men, it was a dreary enough place to thetroops stationed there, though, with that ready spirit of adaptation tocircumstances which characterises the British soldier, the garrisondispelled some of its _ennui_ by hunting.
At one period of the year, however, the little frontier fortressthoroughly changed its silent and solitary character. The Government,yielding at last to earnest entreaties and strong representations, hadagreed to permit, under certain restrictions, the opening of trade withthe Kafirs. A periodical "fair" was established and appointed to beheld under the guns of Fort Wilshire. The colonial traders, full ofenergy and thirsting for opportunity, took advantage of the "fair," andassembled in hundreds, while the Kafirs, in a species of unbelievingsurprise, met them in thousands to exchange wares. It was a new idea tomany of these black sons and daughters of nudity, that the horns whichthey used to throw away as useless were in reality valuable merchandise,and that the gum, which was to be had for the gathering, could procurefor them beads and buttons, and brass-wire and cotton, with many otherdesirable things that caused their red mouths to water.
On the day in which we introduce the scene to the reader some of thecolonial traders had already arrived at the fair. These were not all ofthe same calibre. Some, of small means, had commenced modestly with ashoulder-bundle and went through the new land, as peddlers and packmenin older lands had done before them. Others, with more means, had setup the horse-pack, or the cart, and all aspired, while some hadattained, to the waggon. These penetrated to every part of thefrontier, supplying the Dutch boers with luxuries hitherto undreamed of,which, ere long, became necessities, obtaining from them sheep andcattle in exchange, with a fair proportion of their hoarded_rix-daalers_. The traders then returned to the towns, sold theirstock, purchased fresh supplies, and went back to the interior. Thuswas laid the foundation of a commerce which was destined in future yearsto become of great importance not only to the colony but to the world.
The opening of trade with the Kafirs had added materially to theprosperity of the traders, and those assembled at Fort Wilshirerepresented all the different classes.
Among the crowds who encamped under the fort guns, Stephen Orpin, theWesleyan, represented those who stood on the first round of themercantile ladder. Orpin was stout of limb, broad of shoulder, strongof heart, and empty of pocket; he therefore carried a pack in which wereto be found not only gloves, neckerchiefs, and trinkets for the women,as well as gaudy waistcoats, etcetera, for the men, but New Testaments,tracts, and little books in the Dutch language wherewith Stephen hopedto do good to the souls of his customers. Orpin had come to the "fair"with the double view of trading and holding intercourse on spiritualthings with the Kafirs. He longed to preach Christ, the crucifiedSaviour, to the heathen. Of such men, thank God, there always havebeen, and we believe always will be, many in the world--men in regard towhom bigots are apt to say, "Lord, forbid him, for he followeth not withus," but of whom the Lord said, "Forbid him not, for he that is notagainst us is on our part."
Among those who had attained to the enviable ox-waggon were our friendsJohn Skyd and Frank Dobson. Possessing a remnant of their means whenthey gave up farming, two of the brothers, James and Robert, establisheda small general store in Grahamstown, while John and Frank set up ajoint waggon and took to hunting and trading on a large scale. Ofcourse they bought all their supplies of brass-wire, beads and buttons,powder and shot etcetera, from the Skyd store, and sold their ivory,etcetera, at the same place, with mutual benefit.
It was a strange and stirring sight to behold the long files of Kafirwomen, straight and graceful as Venus in body, ugly almost as baboons invisage, coming to the fair from all parts of the land with enormousloads on their heads of ox-hides, horns, gum, and elephants' tusks.Threading the narrow bush-paths in long single files, they came fromhillside and thicket towards the great centre of attraction. Graduallythe crowd thickened. Kafir chiefs with leopard-skins thrown over theirotherwise naked bodies stalked about with an assumption of quiet dignitywhich they found it difficult to maintain amid the excitement andtemptations of the fair. Swarthy groups found shelter among the treesthat fringed the Keiskamma below the post--the women resting afterhaving gladly laid down their burdens; their lords sitting on theirheels with knob-kerrie in hand, jealously guarding their property. Thegreat chief himself was there, laying seignorial taxation on his people,and even condescending to _beg_ for the white man's brandy.
"Come with me," said Orpin to a newly made Dutch friend; "I'm told youunderstand Kafir, and I want you to interpret for me. Will you?"
The Dutchman said "Ja," and went, for Orpin had a persuasive tongue andpleasant manner which induced all sorts of men to aid him. And so theytwo went down into the bush among the dark-skinned crew, and Stephenpreached in their wondering ears the "old, old story" of the Cross--astory which is never told entirely in vain, though many a time it doesseem as if the effect of it were woefully disproportioned to the effortsof those who go forth bearing the precious seed.
Meanwhile Skyd and Dobson were driving lucrative bargains in anotherpart of the field, speaking wonderful Kafir in the midst of a Babel ofDutch and English that was eminently suggestive of the ancient "tower"itself.
Besides the difficulties of language there were troubles also inreference to trade, for Kafirs, although savage, are fastidious. Themen were as particular about their necklaces as any beau could be aboutthe cut of his coat and the women were at times very hard to please inthe matter of turban-covers and kaross back-stripes. But after muchhaggling the contending parties came to terms, to their mutual benefitand satisfaction.
In another part of the market there seemed to be a tendency to riot.Either bargaining was more hotly carried on there, or spirits of apugnacious tendency were congregated. Among them was a tall powerfulKafir, who had been evidently treated to a glass of something strongerthan water. He was not tipsy, he was only elevated, but the elevationroused his ire to such an extent that he began to boast loudly that hecould fight _any_ one, and flourished his sticks or kerries in a defiantmanner. Kafirs always fight with two sticks, one to hit with, the otherto guard.
A trader from the Green Isle chanced to pass this man, and to be jostledby him. Every one knows of the world's opinion of the Irishman's lovefor fighting. Pat became nettled.
"Arrah!" says he, "yer mighty fond o' swagger, but I'll tache youmanners, you black baste! Come on!"
The big Kafir came on at once, and made a blow at Pat's head with hisknob-kerrie that would have ended the fight at once if it had takeneffect, but the Irishman, well trained in the art, guarded it neatly,and returned with a blow so swift and vigorous that it fell on the pateof the savage like a flail. As well might Pat have hit a rock. Ifthere is a strong point about a black man, it is his head. The Irishman knew this, but had forgotten it in the first flush of combat. Hebecame wiser. Meanwhile a crowd of excited traders and Kafirs gatheredround the combatants and backed them.
The Kafir made another wild swoop at his enemy's skull, but the blow waseasily turned aside. Pat returned with a feint at his foe's head, butcame down with terrible force on the inside of his right knee. TheKafir dropped his sticks, seized his knee with both hands, stood on oneleg, and howled in agony.
Scorning to strike a defenceless foe, Paddy gave him a dab on the end ofhis already flat nose, by way of reminding him that he was off hisguard. The Kafir took the hint, caught up his sticks and sprang at hisopponent with the yell of a hyena, whirling aloft both sticks at once.The Irishman had to leap aside, and, as he did so, drew from the Kafir ashriek of pain by hitting him sharply on the left shin, addin
g to theeffect immediately by a whack under the right eye that might havefinished an average ox. The Kafir fell, more, however, because of thepain of the double blow, than because of its force, for he rolled aboutbellowing for a few seconds. Then, jumping up, he renewed the fight.There is no saying how long it might have lasted had not a party oftroops chanced to pass just then, who separated the combatants anddispersed the crowd.
The "fair," however, was made use of not only as an occasion fortrading, preaching, and fighting, but for plotting. Chiefs met there inpeace, who might otherwise have failed to meet except in battle, andthese, with chiefs of banditti from the mountains, and malcontents fromall quarters, concocted and hatched designs against the well-being ofindividuals and of the public at large.
At this time the colonists, besides being troubled by savage thieves,were threatened with disturbance from the inter-tribal feuds of thesavages themselves. One tremendous Zulu monster of the name of Chaka--who excelled Nero himself in cruelty--was driving other tribes of Kafirsdown into the colony, and designing chiefs were beginning to think orhope that the opportunity had arrived for carrying out their favouriteidea of driving the white man into the sea.
In a dark forest glade, not far from the fort, and within hearing of itsbugle-calls, Stephen Orpin walked up and down with one of themalcontents.
"I tell you, Ruyter, it is in vain to join with the Kafirs," said Orpin."If all the Hottentots in Africa were to unite with them, you would notbe strong enough to crush the white man."
"Why not?" demanded the Hottentot angrily, in his broken English; "we bestrong as you, and brave."
"But you are not so well armed," said Orpin.
"Fact," returned the freebooter, "but time vill make dat all squaar.Smugglers bring guns to we, an' pooder. Ver' soon be all right."
"Listen, Ruyter, you are like a child. You know nothing. The land fromwhich the white man comes will never suffer him to be driven out ofAfrica. England is rich in everything, and will send men to fill theplaces of those who fall. Besides, I think God is on the white man'sside, because the white man in the main intends and tries to do good.Just think of the `fair.' The black man wants beads and brass wire andcotton, and many other things--the white man brings these things fromover the sea. On the other hand the white man wants hides, horns,ivory--the black man can supply these things. They meet to exchange,good is done by each to the other. Why should they fight?"
"For revenge," said Ruyter darkly.
"No doubt revenge is sweet to you, but it is sinful," returned Orpin."Besides, the sweetness does not last long; and will it, let me ask,make the black man happier or the white man more sorrowful in thelong-run? You should think of others, not only of yourself, Ruyter."
"Does Jan Smit ever tink of oders--of anybody but hisself?"
"Perhaps not, but Conrad Marais does, and so do many other men of likemind. God, the Father of all men, is a God of peace, and does notpermit His children to gratify feelings of revenge. Jesus, the Saviourof lost man, is the Prince of peace; He will not deliver those whowilfully give way to revenge."
"I no want deliverance," said the robber chief sternly.
"I know that," replied Orpin, "and it was to deliver you from that stateof mind that Jesus came. Think, Ruyter, think--"
He was interrupted at this point by the sound of an approachingox-waggon. Ruyter, being a well-known outlaw, did not dare to showhimself at the fair, although not a whit worse in any respect than mostof the Kafir chiefs who walked openly there unchallenged. He shrankback into the shelter of the jungle while the trader awaited the comingup of the waggon.
"Aha, here you are, Orpin--not kept you waiting long, I hope?" said JohnSkyd as he followed his waggon into the glade.
"Not long," answered the trader; "but we must make the most of our timenow, for the day is far spent."
"It is, but I could not manage to get away sooner. We had to lay in asupply of powder and lead for the hunt, besides many other things.Dobson will be here with the other waggon immediately--he's not fiftyyards behind,--and then we shall start fair for the elephant-ground.You're quite sure that you know the way, I suppose?"
"I would not undertake to guide you if I were not sure."
In a few minutes Dobson came up with the second waggon, and the wholeparty set forth on a hunting expedition into the interior, under theguidance of Stephen Orpin, who had already wandered so much about thecolony that he was beginning to be pretty well acquainted with a greatextent of the border line.
About the same time that Skyd and Dobson went off to the interioranother party of hunters and explorers set out on an expedition from theScottish settlement of Glen Lynden. But before touching on this, wewill turn aside to relate an incident which affected the movements ofboth parties, and has reference to a small though not unimportantpersonage of our story.