Sketches of life and sport in South-Eastern Africa. Edited by F. G. H. Price. Illustrated by P. Mêjanel

Preface

. As Editor of this little work, I desire to say a few words in my preface, stating how such a volume happens to be laid before the public. Mr. Charles Hamilton had, upon many occasions, narrated to me his personal intercourse with, and observations upon, the Kaffirs during his wanderings in South-Eastern Africa. This greatly interested me> as the course he took was different to that commonly pursued by Europeans, who keep as much as possible to the beaten track, and make towns their head quarters. Our author became a Kaffir for the time being, and lived with the natives for many months. He entered

PREFACE.

. VI into their pursuits, and threw off all European dress, satisfied to be clothed with the skin of a leopard, or of any other animal, as shown in the frontispiece. His adventures appeared so original that many of his friends, myself among the number, requested him to work up his notes and publish them, as they were likely to prove of great interest to the public, and serviceable to those wishing to settle in the colony of Natal. Mr. Hamilton, however, declined to accede to our request, but he authorized me to take notes of his adventures, and gave me a full viva voce explanation of his travels. I have thus been enabled to lay before the reader the facts and incidents of his life among* the Kaffirs. I trust that any errors in the orthography of Zulu names will be leniently passed over, as I had to write most of them from sound ; Mr. Hamilton being only acquainted with the language through constant inter course with the natives, and not from the actual study of it. I have, however, had reference to an English-

PREFACE.

. VII Zulu dictionary, that was kindly lent me by the Anthropological Society of London, which renders it approximately correct. My thanks are due to the Rev. Charles Carlos Clarke for his valuable assistance rendered me in this work, and for his careful revision and enlargement of the original notes which were entrusted to him. F. G. H. Price. Loxdon, January, 1870. CONTENTS. CHAPTEE I. PAGE Arrival at D'Urban. — "Waggons. — Hottentot Driver. — En route for Pietermaritzburg.— Night Attack. — Description of Kaffirs. — Their great Speed. — Hair-cutting. — Kaffir Costume. — Snuffing. — Disaster -with our Oxen. — Game. — Scenery and Fertility of the Soil. — A Kraal Mode of Cooking. — Arrival at Pinetown 1

Chapter II

Pietermaritzburg. — Chief Goza and the Nakedness of the Land. — Fashionable Promenade.— Bishopsto we. — Kaffir School. — Gaol. — Flogging. — Kaffir Postmen and Messengers. — Assagais. — Kaffir Town Boys 21 CHAPTEE III. Horse-breeding in Pietermaritzburg. — Richmond. — Hunting. — Pig-killing. — Accident to a Waggon-load of Beer. — Visit from a Chief.— "War Dance 29 CHAPTEE IV. A Fog. — Giant Kaffirs. — A Green Imamba. — Hunting. — My Nickname. — Adventures with Snakes on the Zwaart Kop. — Visit from Tetelago. — Edendale. — Lahungu. — The Queen's Likeness 50 b CONTENTS. X CHAPTEE V. PAGE Lynch Law. — A "Trek" into the Far Interior. — Colonists' Motto. — A Caravan of Dutch Waggons. — Tooth extracting. — A favourite Song. — An Ant-Bear. — A Night with a Dutch Boer 64 CHAPTEE VI. Kaffir Doge. — Iguanas. — Tiger-cat Hunt. — Hyenas. — A Thunder-storm. — Ostriches 75 CHAPTEE "VŒ.

The Dutch. — Kaffirs. — Treatment of Servants. — Missionaries. — Lion Hunt. — Snake-birds. — Vultures 87 CHAPTEE VTH. A few Words on Missionary Labours 99 CHAPTEE IX. Return to Pietermaritzburg.— My House on the Zwaart Kop. — Sausage-making. — Preparations for a Trip to Coast Country. — Oxen break away.— Attacked by Kaffirs. — Difficulties of getting Cattle through a River. — Lower Umlazi River. — Toads, &o. — Steep Mountain. — A Night at a White Settler's . 107 CHAPTEE X. Capital. — Snakes. — Ilovo River. — Alligator.— Fresh Arrivals. — Imbooboo. — Sugar Cultivation. — Pig Hunting. — Visit to a Chief. — American Missionaries. — Umkomanzi River. — Fish. — Murder and Suicide by a Sidar. — Coolies 124 CHAPTEE XL Kaffir Magistrate. — Visit from a Settlor. — How a Wifo is punishod CONTENTS. XI CHAPTEE XII.

PAOE The Umzinto. — Emigration and Settlers. — An Indian Village. — Umzinto Races. — Oysters. — Crocodiles. — Fight with Eagles. — Pig Hunt. — Leopard Hunt. — Chilies. — Hunting the Buffalo. — A Rhinoceros Fight _ . . . 148 CHAPTEE Xin. The Umzimkulu. — I live as a Kaffir. — Bathing — Hair-dressing. — A Marriage. — Missionaries. — Superstitions. — Burials. — A Trial.— Witchcraft.— Kaffir Doctor 173 CHAPTEE XIV. Fight between a Kaffir and an Alligator. — Green Imambas. — Monkeys in Mischief. — Hyena Trapping. — Porcupine. — Use the Kaffirs make of the Quills.— Inoculating Cattle. — An Englishman carried off by a Leopard. — Ants. — Hottentots. — Baboons searching for Roots. — Desirable Spot for Settling. — A War Dance. — Lover's Pastime. — Kaffir Philosophy . . . 198 CHAPTEE XV. A Sugar-planter on the Ifafa. — At Sunset. —Hippopotamus Trapping. — Storks. — Ipiti-bok. — Blesbok. — Up the Ifafa River. — Escape from an Alligator. — Bees. — Moths. — Butterflies. — Sheep. — Danger of Ant-heaps. — Ants. — Kaffir Doctor. — A Picnic. — A Shark. — Attack on a Python. — Accident to a Sugar "Waggon. — Kaffirs' treatment of Coolies. — An Alligator Hunt. — Laid up with the Zulu Fever. — Exclusive Christianity 211 CHAPTEE XVI.

The Upper Umzimkulu. — The Dutch. — Kaffir Circumcision. — Domestic Animals trained to quick Movement. — Goats. — Chegoes. — Dogs. — Fight between a Bull-dog and a Leopard. — Nomans-land. — Kaffir Life. — Their kindness to a Friend in Affliction. — Ant-eggs. — Candle-making. — Immense Spiders:- — A Boy killed by a Puff-adder. — African Griffins shooting Goats. — Kaffir Good-nature. — Visit to Baboons CONTENTS. XII CHAPTEE XVII. PAGE The Basuto Country. — The French Bishop and Sisters of Mercy. — Female Butchers. — A Fight between two Women. — Ostriches. — Thaba Bosigo. — My reception by Moshesh. — A Hunting Expedition. — Immense quantity of Game. — Lions. — A Fight. — Hunt for the wounded Lion. — Ostrich Eggs. — Gnu Hunting. — Ostrich Nest. — Giraffes. — Bloemfontein. — Zebras. — An Ostrich Hunt. — Fighting Buffaloes. — A Dance. — Conclusion The pori end us the Author iiltieh ia iiicidantiii 'a the, Pnfaee has been cancelled, ami nnoiher Fe' • ut i $1 1 ft ti ■ xit hst itttted. SKETCHES OF LIFE AND SPOET IN SOUTH-EASTERN AFEICA.

CHAPTER I.

Arrival at D'Urban. — Waggons. — Hottentot Driver. — En route for Pietermaritzburg. — Night Attack. — Description of Kaffirs. — Their great Speed. — Hair-cutting. — Kaffir Costume. — Snuffing. — Disaster with our Oxen. — Game. — Scenery and Fertility of the Soil. — A Kraal Mode of Cooking. — Arrival at Pinetown. In the latter end of the year of 1863, 1 determined upon making my way to the south-eastern coast of Africa. My first object was, by personal inspection to verify the accounts which have been published of our colonies in that part of the world, and to guide and instruct others who, like myself, may be induced to look for amusement or sport in little-cultivated regions. My second, to ascertain, in the interests of enterprising travellers, the amount of convenience or the reverse with which such a journey could be undertaken.

I had been assured that my labours would not be thrown away, if I sought only amusement ; for that the wide difference between the most civilised phases of African B life and anything I had seen in my own country could not be imagined ; and I left home with a full determi nation not to be deterred by fear of fatigue or prospect of danger. I have been so far and so well repaid for my labour, that I wait somewhat impatiently for further opportunities of pursuing my investigations. I was not bound to the most inviting part of the South African coast, nor expecting the repose which Capetown and its society offers after the confinement and inconveniences of a voyage. I had started with the intention (if not the object) of " roughing it ;" a process which varies very materially with the part of the world in which it is practised.

I have heard of " roughing it " in Ireland and in Scotland upon loch and moorland, in a comfortable cottage, unadorned by Turkey carpets, and where butchers' meat was not procurable above five days in the week ; where grouse and salmon was all that could be got to eat, and that washed down with claret so much the worse for its four hundred miles journey, that occasional whiskey and water had to be substituted for it. The "roughing it " for which I was prepared was such that, if I enjo3*ed an advantage in climate over the perpetual rains of the one and the impenetrable mists of the other, the butchers' meat and the grouse were consider ably more exceptional, and the use of knives and forks at all equally doubtful with what they were likely to be employed upon. I knew something of the country to which I was NATAL 3 going ; not indeed accurately, but with that sort of general knowledge which belongs to men more anxious to ascertain something for themselves than dependent upon others' labours for information.

I had heard of Mocaranga and Zanzibar, of the River Quilimane, and of Mozambique ; of mixed populations of Negroes, Hottentots, and Arabs ; of Kaffirs and Koussis (which is only another name for these powerful people) ; and, above all, of occasional leopards, lions, wolves, rhino ceroses, jackals, springbocks, and black eagles, which held out to me a far greater inducement than the de scendants of the Dutch and Portuguese, or intercourse with our own enterprising colonists. I was bound for the country which extends inland from Natal. Between the Cape of Good Hope and the states which form the country or empire of Mocaranga, or Monomotapa, there is a vast extent of country not yet explored, belonging to various tribes of savages, pro bably of one race and language, governed independently by separate chiefs, and not, strictly speaking, either Negroes or Hottentots.

The extreme south-east of this tract of country is Natal, a British colony, and so called, .as is reported, from the fact of the Portuguese having visited this coast on Christmas Day. The traffic in the teeth of the hippopotamus is said to be very extensive at this port, and proves a highly com mercial spirit in the natives ; traffic at all in the teeth of such a beast showing an indomitable disregard of obstacles. Natal is bounded on the south-west by the river Umtumfuna, on the north-east by the River Tugela, on the north-west by the Quathlamba or Drakenberg Mountains, and on the south-east by the Indian Ocean. This colony lies between 29° 20' and 31° south lati tude, and in 31° 25' east longitude ; covering alto gether an area of 20,000 square miles ; and in 1867 contained a population of 263,000, of which 250,000 were natives.

It has the reputation of being parti cularly healthy, as it is free from many virulent diseases which affect our own climate. There is, however, one prevalent disorder, so far as I know, peculiar to it, called the Zulu fever ; which is a kind of ague, and not of a very severe character. It appears to be dependent entirely upon atmospheric influences. The average temperature of this climate along the coast during the summer months is about 75° Fahren heit, although it has been known to considerably exceed this. It is, however, very much cooler in the mountain districts ; and in winter the temperature seldom falls below 62° or 63° Fahrenheit. The rainy season generally begins in March and ends in September. In January, 1864, I reached the well-known town of D'Urban, which is the only seaport in Natal.

It is situated in a bay in 29° 56' south latitude and 30° 43' east longitude, and it forms a good harbour for ships. From this point my travels maybe said to have com menced ; and I shall now endeavour briefly to narrate, ARRIVAL AT D'URBAN. 5 with a few observations and personal experience of every-day life, the results of my wanderings. May they at some future time prove useful to others travel ling with the same object and the same resources as myself, or serve as an amusement to those who have neither time nor inclination to leave the beaten track. I may as well state at once my impressions of the facilities of travel in some of these regions. Obstacles there are, though not impossibilities, to be overcome. People desiring comfort and luxury I should therefore recommend not to visit this country, as neither one nor the other can possibly be obtained ; but they who seek adventure, and who are not frightened by personal intercourse with a very extraordinary, though semi barbarous, race, could not do better than make an expedition to South Africa.

D'Urban being a most uninteresting town, I remained but one night. A fellow-countryman," whose acquaintance I made during our passage across, volun teered to join me for a short time, to which proposal I gladly acceded ; for the most enthusiastic feels some compunction at quitting civilised life ; and only those who have experienced it know the lonely, desolate seeling of first setting foot in a foreign land without guidance or sympathy. The first thing, next morning, after taking a general survey of the place and its inhabitants, was to find a means of transit to the interior, and my companion with myself went to seek a waggon, which was readily obtained, this being the only mode of travelling, or " trekking," as it is here called. This conveyance costs about £100 sterling to buy, so we only hired it.

The wheels are made of the famous Natal wood called "umsimbiti," or iron-wood, from its strength and durability. It sometimes is polished so highly as to look even brighter than steel ; and it amazed me to see how this wood could be worked to such perfection. The truck, or body, is composed of "umkoba," or yellow-wood, which is likewise of a hard, durable nature, and stands the climate well. The top is formed of arched laths of a lighter description of wood, covered with a rough, coarse canvass ; under this hammocks are strung up ; for it is necessary either to sleep in the open air, or avail yourself of one of these hanging beds. They are not, under the circumstances of the case, at all uncomfortable ; and while the waggon is in motion, give a dreamy, soothing sensation to an otherwise rough pillow.

I do not mean that they are as pleasant as a hammock on board-ship — one of the most luxurious beds a man can get into ; enough indeed to " Seal up the ship-boy's eyes, and rock his brains In cradle of the vast imperious surge." But it is a cradle not to be despised over a South African highway, and a worse compromise might be made \ry a traveller than for a night's rest in the slings of a " trekking " waggon while camping out on expeditions of pleasure or of sport. HOTTENTOT DRIVER. 7 The roads or passes usually are of the roughest description, as may easily be supposed ; sometimes with ruts so deep as entirely to cover up the smaller wheels, it is therefore necessary to have a substantially-built conveyance, and not to be particular about the springs. The vehicle is naturally of great weight : indeed, some idea may be formed of this, when I refer to the fact that it took sixteen oxen to draw it, and another span was driven behind by some Kaffirs to serve as a relay for the morrow.

The drag is so great upon these unfortunate animals, they can only work every alternate day. Our coachman was a Hottentot, who was perched upon a high sort of shelf in front of the waggon ; and if Mr. Peters would have been astonished at the carriage, Captain Bastard would have been equally surprised at the driver. A small seat served for this man, as he wore little or no clothing, judged by our standard of fashion or comfort. He had a fur cap upon his head, two-thirds of a cloak thrown over one shoulder, much tattered and in large holes, and two leather aprons, likewise in shreds. The one was worn in front, and the other behind. They were fastened round his waist by numberless straps, intermixed with beads of every description. It was a digagee sort of toilet, and looked inexpensive. The man himself was excessively ugly ; and would have borne a little more clothing without detriment to his personal appearance ; but he was not black, merely of a ver}- S.E. AFRICA. dark and sallow complexion.

He did not condescend to drive the oxen, as we understand the word, with reins. A small boy ran in front of the first two, which he guided to the best of his ability, and the driver kept the rest of the animals well up to their work by con stantly cracking his whip. These whips are made of rhinoceros hide, and long enough to reach even the sixteenth ox ; it is so cutting as often to make open gashes in the flesh as though a knife had been used. No one could govern this unwieldy whip excepting a Hottentot ; and a French or German postillion would have dropped out of his boots with envy at the noise, to say nothing of the execution. In this manner we "trekked" for Pietermaritzburg. The usual distance travelled in a day is about twenty miles ; we only accomplished twelve, in consequence of a Dutchman, who acted as our servant (a luxury I allowed myself out of compliment to declining civilisa tion), foreboding a heavy storm.

We thought it most expedient to take his warning, and to look for shelter at the first hostelry. Fortunately there were not many steps to go before coming to one. It was certainly more like a barn or shed than inn ; however, " any port in a storm — even South African," said we. At the best of times, we were not over particular ; and we had no cause to regret our determination on beholding the cheerful smiling countenance of the hostess, who, seeing Europeans, and, above all, Englishmen, approaching, presented herself at the door to give us a EN ROUTE FOR PIETERMARITZBURG. g hearty welcome. She was a Dutchwoman ; and her natural characteristic of cleanliness prevailed through out the house, though everything was of the most rude and primitive description. We were not without company, for three or four of her own countrymen were already being cared for by this woman in the house ; and we were not many minutes in their society before we entered into con versation and partook of a cheerful cup of tea together.

It was served in a large gourd or calabash, with a wooden spout put in to represent a tea-pot, and all other articles upon the table had the same unpromising appearance. The prediction of the Dutch servant was but too true ; for scarcely were we under shelter when the most violent storm of wind, thunder, and lightning began to rage that I ever witnessed. I shall not attempt here to describe it, as I was assured that I should have many future opportunities of witnessing the same natural phenomena in increased intensity. The Dutchmen were right, as the reader will see. About ten o'clock the tempest lulled, but the rain continued in torrents ; notwithstanding which we re turned to the waggon to pass our first night under canvass — a hazardous and, as it proved, unprofitable experiment ! Being excessively fatigued after our day's jolt, each one quickly got out his blanket, climbed into his hammock, and fell asleep.

Not for long, however, was he allowed to enjoy this peaceful repose. I suppose I might have been asleep some half-hour or more — I was barely in the land of dreams — when one of our party, not satisfied with having the sport entirely to himself, gave an alarm that somebody or something was endeavouring to effect an entrance by the canvass roof of the waggon. Not knowing the country, nor the nature of its inhabitants, nor its wild beasts, and being certainly impressed with the notion that the police were as much absent here as they are in Belgravia or St. Giles's when they are wanted, I aroused myself sufficiently to take part in the fray. I may be forgiven for my nervousness, which ranged in thought from a body of Kaffirs to a lion, upon the grounds that I did not then know how hospitable and humane are the former, and how difficult to be found arc the latter.

I sat up in bed ; I rubbed my eyes, and felt for my arms. There could be no doubt about it. An attack by the roof was intended, but whether it was a savage or an animal I could not distinguish, nor could my friend, nor any one of the rest of the party. The canvass was no less agitated than we were. The beast or man was hanging over our heads, like the sword of Damocles, and I had just begun to wonder when it would fall, when my friend solved my doubts. It might have been a leopard, a tiger-cat, a Kaffir, or a missionary seeking shelter — which we did not stop to inquire ; but assuming it to be the former, my friend drew forth his revolver and fired. The enemy died hard ; but he did die ; and after some struggles, which DESCRIPTION OF KAFFIRS. 11 we were unwilling or unable to witness from the blinding rain, he sunk to a longer sleep than we calculated on.

It proved to be neither more nor less than a wild cat. But if we had freed ourselves from one enemy, another assailed us through the same quarter. The rain came pouring down through the hole which my friend had made by his highly successful shot in our canvass roof. We were soaked through and through, wet to the skin as unconditionally as if we had been dragged through a river, and our clothes, that we had with us, were in some danger of being spoilt. This sounds like a great misfortune ; but we were in a country where clothes are a luxury, not a necessity, and where no discredit attaches to a scanty wardrobe. But food is another matter ; and a round of boiled beef, which we had kept for an emergency, was utterly ruined. We were unable to balance the lost beef by the tiger-cat. This was my first night in real Kaffirland.

The inconvenience of not being able to speak the Kaffir language was very great. They do not understand English, so that everything had to be expressed by signs, which they frequently would not comprehend ; and as they are naturally indolent, we could not get them to work. The Kaffirs inhabiting Natal and the neighbourhood are a remarkably fine race of men. Their skin is rather coppercoloured than black ; their height is usually from five feet ten inches to six feet three ; very muscular and graceful in all their movements, with an agility which is surprising. As an illustration of their speed of foot I shall relate the following fact : — I was upon a Cape horse, and put it to full gallop ; a Kaffir ran on either side, and, after a run of some miles, the horse began to blow. It is true that the horse was not in condition, and that the Kaffirs were ; which, indeed, makes all the difference ; still it says some thing for the power of endurance and pace of these men that the horse was obliged to be stopped from motives of humanity, and that the Kaffirs won their trial.

As specimens of power and activity it would be difficult to beat them. I may not in the course of this narrative have a better opportunity of describing the marked characteristics of this race ; and as their connection and relative intercourse with ourselves must of necessity increase, a few minutes devoted to their mere physical quali ties and most obvious customs will not be thrown away. The hair in both male and female is short, very crisp and coarse, sometimes inclined to be woolly, but not so woolly as that of the Negro ; the lips are thick ; the nose broad and flat. They wear very little clothing ; the married man wears merely an apron, composed of the tails of some native animals, strung together, and fastened round the loins. A ring, formed of clay, made very hard, is fixed upon the head so tightly that it can never be removed.

HAIR-CUTTING. 13 The ring is considered a mark of honour and dis tinction ; " Indunas," or ministers of the chief, generally wear three or four. But previously to the fix ing of any ring, the head must be shaved by a process which is not very agreeable. I speak from experience, having undergone it several times myself. A man, who acts as hair-dresser, places the customer's head between his knees, and, with a piece of glass in his hand, scrapes all the hair off. The operation gives the operator such intense satisfaction that he grinds his teeth, and indulges in such contortions as to remind the uninitiated of Hanwell and the pleasures of being shaved by a dangerous lunatic. The young man, or " boy," as he is termed, never puts on apparel of any description, or any ring on his head. For a war dance, or festival, the men and boys adorn their heads with feathers, arranged with the utmost care, forming a most imposing head-dress.

Like the most civilised of ancient nations, they prepare a grease, which is made from the berry of the castor-oil plant. With this they rub themselves over every day, making their bodies shine like bright bronze. They are particularly partial to snuff, also a characteristic ofthe highest refinement; all the highest class men have a box, which is carried in the ear, by cutting a hole in it sufficiently large to admit the box or horn, as it happens to be. Their ears are always limp and mutilated, owing to the custom of making them a receptacle for little odds and ends. There is a peculiar ceremony in snuffing. They seldom take it while standing, or even alone. Kaffirs, being of a sociable nature, prefer company ; and, in order to indulge in this luxury without interruption, they sit, or rather squat, upon the ground ; nor will they allow themselves to be disturbed when in the act of pushing it up their noses, which they literally do by means of an ivory spoon.

Some use these snuffspoons made of horn or wood, curiously carved and fashioned by them selves. Having endeavoured thus far to describe the ex ternals of the Kaffir, I will proceed with my narrative. To add to our misfortunes the oxen broke away ; no joke in a wild country like this, where perhaps for fifty miles one would never meet with a human being. Two whole days were spent in searching for them ; and had it not been for the assistance of the Kaffirs, we should never have recovered them. We, however, succeeded in our quest on the third day, and found that the animals had strayed as far as thirty miles from the waggon. We were greatly pleased at recovering them, and it happily proved a wholesome lesson to our men, as they were more attentive to their duty for the rest of the journey. We saw an immense quantity of game, including partridges, bustards, and other birds of which I did not know the nature.

We devoted some time to shooting it, making very fair bags each day; and it was upon this that we principally sub sisted, as we preferred it to "junk." The partridges FERTILITY OF THE SOIL. 15 were similar to English ones ; the bustards gave good sport, and were excellent eating ; we likewise killed a large number of hawks and crows, which we did not eat. The scenery of the country we traversed was most lovely ; undulating in hill and dale, and exquisitely wooded, and luxuriant with tropical growth. Here I first saw a beautiful plant, called the coralodendrum, or Kaffir boom, which struck us very much. It bore a flower of a deep red hue, in shape and colour similar to a large cactus. And some idea may be formed of the extreme fertility of the soil, by the fact that if a tract of grass be burnt up accidentally or by design, it will be covered in a few days' time with a carpet of the mosses, and most beautiful flowers, of the season.

No ordinary description can give an idea of the luxuriance of vegetation ; and language fails when an attempt is made to convey any notion of the rapidity of floral growth in this country. Scenes like these made me regret that I was no botanist, that I could carry back no specimens of all the splendid plants I here saw ; and though the opinion is a strong one, I believe the Brazils themselves to be less rich in a brilliant Flora than the country of which I am now writing. It was in such a spot of natural beauties we halted, to make preparations for dinner, and to encamp for the night. A fire was soon kindled, and we proceeded a short distance to a Kaffir kraal, to purchase some fowls, by way of variety, for we had had a surfeit of game since leaving D'Urban. Like my Scotch friends I had been "roughing it."