Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England
The Young YagersA Narrative of Hunting Adventures in Southern AfricaBy Captain Mayne ReidPublished by Ticknor and Fields, Boston, USAThis edition dated 1857
The Young Yagers, by Captain Mayne Reid.
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________________________________________________________________________THE YOUNG YAGERS, BY CAPTAIN MAYNE REID.
CHAPTER ONE.
THE CAMP OF THE YOUNG YAGERS.
Near the confluence of the two great rivers of Southern Africa--the_Yellow_ and _Orange_--behold the camp of the "young yagers!"
It stands upon the southern bank of the latter stream, in a grove ofBabylonian willows, whose silvery foliage, drooping gracefully to thewater's edge, fringes both shores of the noble river as far as the eyecan reach.
A tree of rare beauty is this _Salix Babylonica_--in gracefulness ofform scarce surpassed even by the palms, the "princes of the forest."In our land, as we look upon it, a tinge of sadness steals over ourreflections. We have grown to regard it as the emblem of sorrow. Wehave named it the "weeping willow," and draped the tomb with its softpale fronds, as with a winding-sheet of silver.
Far different are the feelings inspired by the sight of this beautifultree amid the _karoos_ of Southern Africa. That is a land where springsand streams are "few and far between;" and the _weeping_ willow--suresign of the presence of water--is no longer the emblem of sorrow, butthe symbol of joy.
Joy reigns in the camp under its shade by the banks of the noble OrangeRiver, as is proved by the continuous peals of laughter that ring clearand loud upon the air, and echo from the opposite shores of the stream.
Who are they that laugh so loudly and cheerfully? _The young yagers_.
And who are the young yagers?
Let us approach their camp and see for ourselves. It is night, but theblaze of the camp-fire will enable us to distinguish all of them, asthey are all seated around it. By its light we can take theirportraits.
There are six of them--a full "set of six," and not one appears to beyet twenty years of age. They are all boys between the ages of ten andtwenty--though two or three of them, and, maybe, more than that number,think themselves quite men.
Three of the party you will recognise at a glance as old acquaintances.They are no other than Hans, Hendrik, and Jan, our _ci-devant_"Bush-boys."
It is several years since we saw them last, and they have grown a gooddeal since then; but none of them has yet reached the full stature ofmanhood. Though no longer "Bush-boys," they are yet only boys; and Jan,who used to be called "little Jan," still merits and receives thatdistinctive appellation. It would stretch Jan to his utmost to squareoff against a four-foot measuring-stick; and he could only manage it bystanding upon the very tips of his toes.
Hans has grown taller, but, perhaps, thinner and paler. For two yearshe has been at college, where he has been very busy with his books, andhas greatly distinguished himself by carrying off the first prizes ineverything. Upon Hendrik there is a decided change. He has outgrownhis elder brother both in length and breadth, and comes very nearlooking like a full-grown man. He is yet but eighteen years old,straight as a rush, with a decided military air and gait. The last isnot to be wondered at, as Hendrik has now been a cornet in the CapeMounted Rifles for more than a year, and still holds that commission, asmay be learnt by looking at his forage-cap, with its golden embroideryover the peak. So much for our old acquaintances the "Bush-boys!"
But who are the other three that share with them the circle of thecamp-fire? Who are their companions? for they are evidently on terms ofcompanionship, and friendship too. Who are they? A word or two willtell that. They are the _Van Wyks_. The three sons of Diedrik Van Wyk.
And who, then, is Diedrik Van Wyk? That must also be explained.Diedrik is a very rich boor--a "vee-boor"--who every night shuts upwithin his spacious _kraals_ more than three thousand horses and hornedcattle, with five times that number of sheep and goats! In fact,Diedrik Van Wyk is accounted the richest vee-boor, or grazier, in allthe Graaf Reinet.
Now the broad _plaatz_, or farm, of Diedrik Van Wyk lies contiguous tothat of our old acquaintance, Hendrik Von Bloom; and it so chances thatHendrik and Diedrik are fast friends and inseparable companions. Theysee each other once a-day, at the least. Every evening Hendrik ridesover to the "kraal" of Diedrik, or Diedrik to that of Hendrik, to enjoya smoke together out of their ponderous pipes of meerschaum, or a"zoopje" of _brandewyn_ distilled from their own peaches. They are, infact, a pair of regular old comrades,--for Van Wyk in early life hasseen military service as well as Von Bloom,--and, like all old soldiers,they love to repeat their camp stories, and "fight their battles o'eragain."
Under such circumstances it is not to be wondered at, that the childrenof both should be intimate acquaintances. But, in addition to thefriendship of their fathers, there is a tie of relationship between thetwo families,--the two mothers were cousins,--so that the children arewhat is usually termed second cousins,--a very interesting sort ofaffinity. And it is not an unlikely thing that the relationship betweenthe families of Von Bloom and his friend Van Wyk may one day becomestill closer and more interesting; for the former has for his daughter,as all the world knows, the beautiful flaxen-haired cherry-cheekedTruey, while the latter is the father of the pretty brunetteWilhelmina--also an only daughter. Now there chance to be three boys ineach family; and though both boys and girls are by far too young tothink of getting married yet, there are suspicions abroad that thefamilies of Von Bloom and Van Wyk will, at no very distant day, beconnected by a double marriage--which would not be displeasing to eitherof the old comrades, Hendrik and Diedrik.
I have said there are three boys in each family. You already know theVon Blooms, Hans, Hendrik, and Jan. Allow me to introduce you to theVan Wyks. Their names are Willem, Arend, and Klaas.
Willem is the eldest, and, though not yet eighteen, is quite a man insize. Willem is, in fact, a boy of very large dimensions, so large thathe has received the _sobriquet_ of "Groot Willem" (Big William)therefrom. All his companions call him "Groot Willem." But he isstrong in proportion to his size,--by far the strongest of the youngyagers. He is by no means tidy in his dress. His clothes, consistingof a big jacket of homespun cloth, a check shirt, and an enormously widepair of leathern trousers, hang loosely about him, and make him looklarger than he really is. Even his broad-brimmed felt hat has aslouching set upon his head, and his _feldtschoenen_ are a world toowide for his feet.
And just as easy as his dress is the disposition of the wearer. Thoughstrong as a lion, and conscious of his strength, Groot Willem would notharm a fly, and his kindly and unselfish nature makes him a favouritewith all.
Groot Willem is a mighty hunter, carries one of the largest of guns, aregular Dutch "roer," and also an enormous powder-horn, and pouch fullof leaden bullets. An ordinary boy would stagger under such a load, butit is nothing to Groot Willem.
Now it may be remembered that Hendrik Von Bloom is also a "mightyhunter;" and I shall just whisper that a slight feeling of rivalry--Ishall not call it jealousy, for they are good friends--exists betweenthese two Nimrods. Hendrik's favourite gun is a rifle, while the roerof Groot Willem is a "smooth bore;" and between the merits of these twoweapons camp-fire discussions are frequent and sharp. They are nevercarried beyond the limits of gentlemanly feeling, for loose and slovenlyas is Groot Willem in outward appearance, he is a gentleman within.
Equally a gentleman, but of
far more taste and style, is the secondbrother of the Van Wyks, Arend. In striking appearance and manly beautyhe is quite a match for Hendrik Von Bloom himself, though in complexionand features there is no resemblance between them. Hendrik is fair,while Arend is very dark-skinned, with black eyes and hair. In fact,all the Van Wyks are of the complexion known as "brunette," for theybelong to that section of the inhabitants of Holland sometimesdistinguished as "Black Dutch." But upon Arend's fine features the huesits well, and a handsomer youth is not to be seen in all the GraafReinet. Some whisper that this is the opinion of the beautiful GertrudeVon Bloom; but that can only be idle gossip, for the fair Truey is yetbut thirteen, and therefore can have no opinion on such a matter.Africa, however, is an early country, and there _might_ be something init.
Arend's costume is a tasty one, and becomes him well. It consists of ajacket of dressed antelope-skin,--the skin of the springbok; but this,besides being tastefully cut and sewed, is very prettily embroideredwith slashes of beautiful leopard-skin, while broad bands of the sameextend along the outside seams of the trousers, from waist to ankle,giving to the whole dress, a very rich and striking effect. Arend'shead-dress is similar to that worn by Hendrik Von Bloom, viz: a militaryforage-cap, upon the front of which are embroidered in gold bullion abugle and some letters; and the explanation of that is, that Arend, likehis second cousin, is a cornet in the Cape Rifles, and a dashing youngsoldier he is.
Now the portrait of Klaas in pen and ink.--Klaas is just Jan's age andJan's exact height, but as to circumference therein exists a greatdifference. Jan, as you all know, is a thin, wiry little fellow, whileKlaas, on the contrary, is broad, stout, and burly. In fact, so stoutis he, that Jan repeated two and a half times would scarce equal him indiameter!
Both wear cloth roundabouts and trousers, and little broad-brimmed hats;both go to the same school; and, though there is a considerabledifference between them in other respects, both are great boys forbird-catching and all that sort of thing. As they only carry smallshot-guns, of course they do not aspire to killing antelopes or otherlarge animals; but, small as their guns are, I pity the partridge,guinea-hen, or even bustard, that lets either of them crawl within reachof it.
Now it has been hinted that between the hunters Groot Willem and Hendrikthere is a slight feeling of rivalry in regard to matters of _venerie_.A very similar feeling, spiced perhaps with a little bit of jealousy,has long existed between the bird-catchers, and sometimes leads to alittle coolness between them, but that is usually of very shortduration.
Hans and Arend have no envious feelings--either of one another or ofanybody else. Hans is too much of a philosopher: besides, theaccomplishment in which he excels, the knowledge of natural history, isone in which he is without a rival. None of the rest make anypretensions to such knowledge; and the opinion of Hans on any matter ofscience is always regarded as a final judgment.
As to Arend, he is not particularly proud of any acquirement. Handsome,brave, and generous, he is nevertheless a right modest youth,--a boy tobe beloved.
And now you know who are the _young yagers_.