The Mission; or Scenes in Africa

Chapter I. Taqv

Account of Sir Charles Wilmot — Loss of the Gvosvenor — Sir Charles's doubts respecting the Survival of his Wife and Children — Alexander Wilmot — His Character — The Newspaper Pctra2:raph — Details of the Wreck of th''. Grcivenor —Surmises as to the Fate of the Passengers ... 1

CHAPTER 11.

Alexander's Reflections — His Plan — Sir Charles opposes it— His unwilling Consent — Alexander's Departure . . 15

CHAPTER HI.

Alexander's Melancholy— Finds a Friend — Sea Sickness- Mr. Fairburn — The Passengers — Conversations — The Cape — Mr. Fairburn's Account of the Treatment of the Hottentots by the Dutch .,,..... 23

CHAPTER IV.

r

Natural History discussed — Mr. Swinton's Enthusiasm — Further History of the Cape — Dutch Barbarity — Alexander's Indignation , . , , , . . 33

IV CONTENTS.

CHAPTER V.

PAiiB

Aquatic Birds — Guano — Mr. Falrbuni's Narrative contmued — Stuurman — Mokanna — The Attack — Failure of the CafFres 42

CHAPTER VL

Sharks — Their Cowardice — Attack on one by Neptune — Divers' Dangers — i\Ir. Fairburn continues his Story — Mokanna's Fate — Ditturbances amongst the Cafl're Tribes I0'

CHAPTER VH.

Mr. Swinton ag"rees to accompany Alexander — Land, ho! — Cape Town — Major Henderson — He joins the Party- Begum — Chaka's History ..,,.. 67

CHAPTER Vin.

Ni^it hi Algoa Bay — T]ie jMajor meets Maxivell — Preparations to start — The Caravan — Description of it — Tlie Departure .........

CHAPTER IX.

The Plans of the Adventurers — Big Adam's Bravery — Milius — His Refreshments — What his House contained — Speech to the Hottentots — The Bushman Boy, Prince Omrah . 89

CHAPTER X.

Wild Beasts — Insubordination of the Hottentots — Danger from Elephants^Thcir liideous Shrieks — Big Adam's Terror — Lierit(;naiit Moodio's ^^'onderful Escape — Sagacity

of the Elepliant — ^Inteiuions of tiic Party . . . 101

C0>' TEXTS.

CHAPTER XI.

VAom

Arrival at Mr. S.'s Station — The Quarrel between Hinza and Voosani— An Escort proposed— The Caffre Character — The Sabbath— Painful Position of a Missionary's Wife 115

CHAPTER XII.

The Royal Visit — Mutual Civilities — The Band of Warriors — Hippopotami— Their Carcasses — Omrah's Cunning — The Trick— Big Adam sulky — A narrow Escape — Preparations for the Hunt 12;(

CHAPTER XIII.

Look out — The Signal — The Major's Nerve — Charge upon the Camp— Hottentots drunk — Begum's Uneasiness — Signs of Danger — Lions' Sagacity — Anecdotes , . J43

CHAPTER XIV.

A Storm — Sober again — Elephant Steak — Omrah*s Tricks — Man-eaters — A horrible Adventure — The Sleepers awakened .........

CHAPTER XV.

Quah ! (^uah '. — Alexander's and the Major's Danger — A critical Situation — Omrah's Presence of Mind — Divine Worship — Instruction of Caffres — Advance of the Enemy — Panic of the Natives — Refusal to proceed — The Tables turned— The Council — Submission — Arrangements . . 1/

CHAPTER XVI.

r

An Expedition — Rumours of War — Judicious Advice — Daaka's Hut-^The Interview with Daaka — Explanations ■ — Remains of the Grosvenor — The Mystery solved — Alex-

VI CO^'T£NTS.

PAom

ander's Joy— The Waggons again— The Major's Fortress — Plans for the Future 191

CHAPTER XVII.

Quetoo's Movements — Destruction of his Army — The Return — Plenty of Sport — The Warriors rewarded — Precautions — Antelopes — The Victim — A large Meal .... 208

CHAPTER XVIII.

Conversation — Gnoos — Five Lions — Thirst quenched— Ferocity of the Hyena — Anecdotes — 'Preparations for a Chase 226

CHAPTER XIX.

A practical Joke — A lucky Escape — History of the Mantatees — Mantatee Courage— A iinal Slaughter— Discussions— Swinton's Account of Africaner . . , 242

CHAPTER XX.

Omrah's Intelligence — Lion-hunting — Silence and Caution — An unpleasant Surprise — Self-sacrifice of a Gemsbok — Swinton's Story continued — Conversation on Lions — Anecdotes — Big Adam punished 262

CHAPTER XXL

Interview -with Bushmen — A shrewd Surmise — A Herd of Buffaloes — A providential Escape — A Scene — Swanevelt in Danger — Conversation — A Story 290

CHAPTER XXII.

Overpowering Heat — Divine Serv.ice — An Intrusion — The poisoned Lion — Discussion on venomous Reptiles — Lizard shot — Swinton's Information to his Companions , . 309

* * co^'TE^'TS. vu

CHAPTER XXIir.

Page

A good Shot — Water scarce — Omrah in Trouble —Turtle Soup — Sufferings — Sufferings at an end — An earthly Paradise . , 328

CHAPTER XXIV.

Aspect of the Country—Chase of a Rhinoceros — Omrah's Plan succeeds — A Lion's Leap — Account of a Rhinoceros-Hunt — Elands shot — A Lioness attacked — The Lion's Skin awarded — An expiring Effort 344

CHAPTER XXV.

Swinton*s Astonishment — A Dialogue — Maternal Affection — An Alarm — Griquas fallen in with — The Message to

Moselekatsee — Fire ! — The Matabili King — Expectations -368

CHAPTER XXVL

Cliase of a Giraffe — Proposed Retreat — The Major's Object attained — Treachery — ■ Treachery defeated — Onirah's Scheme — Hopes of Water disappointed .... 3S5

CHAPTER XXVIL

Further Progress — The Horses and Oxen break away — The Pursuit — Hopes and Fears^ — The Ciirav^r' lost — Intense Heat — Omrah's Courage — A Temporaiy Reliei-. despair — Water at last obtained — Swinton'd Signals answered ^ 40J

CHAPTER XXVIIL

.'^anic produced by a Lion— Omrah's and Big Adam's Predicament — A Lion's Mode of stimulating his Appetite— A Meeting with Bushmen — Cattle stolen — Recovery /iV

'Ul CO.NTKNTS.

PAGS

templed — Oxen poisoned — Death of Piets— Arrival at Cape Town , 42'i

CHAPTER XXIX

Parting Scenes — Alexander and the Major embark— Alexander's Arrival at Home — He rei'ites his Adventures- Sir Charles's Health gradually declines — His Presents to Swinton and tlie Major— His Death — Ccnclusion . . 437

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THE MISSION

CHAPTER I.

THE EXPEDITION.

It was in the autumn of the year 1828, that an elderly and infirm gentleman was slowly pacing up

and down in a large dining-room. He had apparently finished his dinner, although it was not yet five o'clock, and the descending sun shone bright and warm through the windows, which were level with the ground, and from v/hich there was a view of a spacious park, highly ornamented with old timber. He held a newspaper in one hand, and had the other behind his back, as if for support, for he was bent forward, and looked very feeble and emaciated.

After pacing for some time, he sat down in an easy chair and remained in deep thought, holding the newspaper in both his hands.

This old gentleman's name was Sir Charles Wilmot. He had in early life gone out to India aa a writer, and after remaining there for a few

2 THE .MISSION ; CK,

years, during which he had amassed a handsome fortune, was advised to leave the country for a time on account of his health. He returned to England on furlough, and had not been there more than six months when the death, without issue, of his eldest brother. Sir Henry Wilmot, put him in possession of the entailed estates and of the

baronetcy.

This decided him not to return to India for his

wife and three daughters, whom he had left out there, but to write, desiring them to return home by the first ship. The reply which he received was most painful : his wife and two of his daughters had been carried off by the cholera, which had been very fatal during the previous rainy

season. His remaining daughter was about to sail, in obedience to his wishes, in the Grosvenor East-Indiaman, under the care of Colonel and Mrs. James, who were near connexions.

This Avas a heavy blow with which it pleased God to visit him in his prosperity, and was almost a total wreck of all his hopes and anticipations. But he was a good man and a religious one, and he bowed in humility to the dispensation, submitting Avith resignation to his loss, and still thankful to HeaTcn that it had graciously spared one of the objects of his affections to console him, and to

watch his decliniuo: vears.

Sir Charles AVihnot took possession of i\\^ family mansion and estate in Berkshire, in which he was still residing at the time that our history commences. By degrees he became more resigned, and waited with anxiety for the return of his only daughter, who now seemed more dear to him than ever. He employed himself in making preparations for her reception, fitting up her apartments in the Oriental style which she had been accustomed to, and devising every little improvement and invention which he thought would give pleasure to a child of ten years old.

But it pleased Heaven that Sir Charles should be more severely chastised : the Grosvenor^s time of arrival had elapsed, and still she was not reported in the Channel ; week after week of anxiety and suspense passed slowly away, and the East- India ship did not make her appearance. It was supposed that she had been captured by the enemy, but still no tidings of her capture were received. At length, however, this state of anxiety and doubt was put an end to by the dreadful intelligence ^ that the ship had been wrecked on the east coast

-■ -1

of Africa, and that nearly the whole of the crew and passengers had perished. Two men belonging to her had been brought home by a Danish East- Indiaman, and shortly after the first intelligence, these men arrived in London, and gave a more particxdar detail of what had occurred.

Sir Charles, in a state of feverish anxiety, as soon as he heard of their arrival, hastened up to town to question these men ; and the result of hia interrogatories fully eonyinced him that he was HOT? quite bereaved and childless. This was the last blow and the most severe ; it was long before

he could resign himself to the imsearchable dispensations of Providence ; but time and religion had at last overcome all his repining feelings, — all disposition to question the goodness or wisdom of his Heavenly Father, and he was enabled to say, with sincerity, " Not my will, but thine, be done."

But although Sir Charles was thus left childless, as years passed away, he at last found that he had those near to him for whom he felt an interest, and one in particidar who promised to deserve all his regard. This was his grand-nephew, Alexander Wilmot, who was the legal heir to the title and entailed property, — the son of a deceased nephew, who had fallen during the Peninsular war.

On this boy Sir Charles had lavished those

affections which it pleased Heaven that he should not bestow upon his own issue, and Alexander "Wilmot had gradually become as dear to him as it he had been his own child. Still the loss of his wife and children was ever in his memory, and as time passed on, painful feelings of hope and doubt were occasionally raised in Sir Charleses mind, from the occasional assertions of travellers, that all those did not perish who were supposed so to do when the Grosvenor was wrecked, and that, from the reports of the natives, some of them and o{ their descendants were still alive. It was a paragrapli in the newspaper, containing a renewal of these assertions, which had attracted the attention of Sir Charles, and which had put him in the state of agitation and uneasiness in which we have described him at the opening of this chapter.

We left him in deep and painful thought, with the newspaper in his hands. His reveries were interrupted by the entrance of Alexander "VYilmot, who resided with him, being now twenty- two years of age, and having just finished his college education. Alexander Wilmot was a tall, handsome young man, very powerful in frame, and very partial to all athletic exercises ; he was the best rower and the best cricketer at Oxford, very fond of horses and hunting, and an excellent shot ; in character and disposition he was generous and amiable, frank in his manner, and obliging to his inferiors. Every one liked Alexander Wilmot, and he certainly deserved to be liked, for he never injured or spoke ill of anybody. Perhaps his most prominent fault was obstinacy ; but this was more

shown in an obstinate courage and perseverance to conquer what appeared almost impossible, and at the greatr^st risk to himself; he was of that disposition that he would hardly get out of the way of a mad bull if it crossed his path, but risk his life probably, and to no purpose ; but there is

no perfection in this world, and it was still less to be expected in a young man of only twenty-two

years of age.

" Well, iincle, I 've conquered Kim," said Alexander, as he came into the room, very much heated with exercise.

" Conquered whom, my boy ? " replied Sir Charles.

" The colt ; I 've backed him, and he is now as

gentle as a lamb ; but he fought hard for two hours at least."

" Why should you run such risk, Alexander,

when the horsebreaker would have broke him just asweU?"

" But not so soon, uncle."

** I did not know that you were in such want of a horse as to require such hurry ; I thought you had plenty in the stable."

'* So I have, uncle, thanks to you, more than I can use ; but I like the pleasure — the excitement,"

** There you state the truth, my dear Alexander ; when you have lived as long as I have, you will find more pleasure in quiet and repose," replied Sir Charles, with a heavy sigh.

*' Something has disturbed you, my dear uncle," said Alexander, going up to Sir Charles and taking his hand ; " what is it, sir ? "

*' You are right, Alexander ; something has unsettled me, has called up painful feelings and reminiscences ; it is that paragraph in the newspaper."

Alexander was now as subdued almost as hi?

a uncle ; he took a chair and quietly read the jjaragraph.

Do you think that there is any foundation for this, my dear sir ? '' said he, after he had read it.

" It is impossible to say, my dear boy ; it may be sOj it has often been asserted before. The

French traveller Le Vaillant states that he received the same information, but was prevented from ascertaining the truth ; other travellers have subsequently given similar accounts. You may easily credit the painful anxiety which is raised in my mind when I read such a statement as this. I think I see my poor Elizabeth, the wife or slave to some wild savage ; her children, merciful Heaven ! my grandchildren, growing up as the brutes of the field, in ignorance and idolatry. It is torture, my dear Alexander — absolute torture, and requires long prayer and meditation to restore my mind to its usual tone, and to enable me to bow to the dispensations of the Divine will."

" Although I have long been acquainted with the general statement, my dear uncle, respecting the loss of the ship, I have never yet heard any such details as would warrant this apprehension of yours. It is generally supposed that all perished, perished indeed most miserably, except the few men who made their way to the Cape, and returned to England."

" Such was the supposition, my dear boy, but subsequent reports have to a certain degree contradicted it, and there is reason to believe that all did not perish who were accounted as dead. If you have nothing particularly to engage you at this moment, I will enter into a detail of what did occur, and of the proofs that the fate of a large portion, among which that of your axmt Elizabeth, was never ascertained."

" If it will not be too painful to you, my dear uncle, I will most gladl}^ hear it."

**I will not dwell longer upon it than is necessary, Alexander ; believe me the subject is too distressing, but I wish you to know it also, and then to give me your opinion. You are of course aware that it was on the coast of CafFraria, to the southward of Port Natal, that the Grosvenor was wrecked. She soon divided and went to pieces, but by a sudden — I know not that I can say a fortunate

change of wind, yet such was the will of Heaven, ■the whole of the crew and passengers (with the exception of sixteen who had previously attempted to gain the shore by a hawser, and one man who was left on board in a state of intoxication) were

all safely landed, even to the little children who were coming home in the vessel ; among whom

was my poor Elizabeth."

Alexander made no observation when Sir Charlefl paused for a while : the latter then continued :

" By the time that they had all gained the shore, the day v/as far spent ; the natives, who

8CEKES IN AFRICA. 9

were of the Caffre race, and who had been busy in obtaining all the iron that they could from the mainmast, which had drifted on shore, left the beach at dark. The wretched sufferers lighted fires, and having collected some casks of beef and flour, and some live stocky they remained on the rocks during that night. The next morning the captain proposed that they should make their way to Cape Town, the Dutch settlement, to which they all unanimously consented ; certainly a most wild proposition, and showing very little judgment."

" Could they have done otherwise, my dear uncle?"

" ]\lost certainly ; they knew that they were in a country of lawless savages, who had already come down and taken by force everything that they could lay their hands upon. The captain calculated that they would reach Cape Town in sixteen or seventeen days. How far his calculation was correct, is proved by the fact that those

who did reach it at last were one hundred and seventeen days on their journey. But even admitting that the distance could have been performed in the time stated by the captain, the very idea of attempting to force their way through a country inhabited by savage people, with such a number of helpless women and children, and without any

arras for their defence, was indeed an act of follv and madness, as it eventually proved."

O"

" "Wliat tlien should have been their plan :

" Observe, Alexander, the ship was wrecked not

a cable's length from the shore, firmly fixed upon

a reef of rocks upon which she had been thrown ;

the water was smooth, and there was no difficulty

in their communication. The savages, content

with plundering whatever was washed on shore,

had to the time of their quitting the rocks left them uninjured. They might have gone on board

again, have procured arms to defend themselves and the means of fortifying their position against any attempt of the savages, who had no other weapons but assaguays or spears, and then might have obtained the provisions and other articles necessary for their support. Armed as they might

have been, and numerous as they were, for tliere were one hundred and fifty souls on board at the time of the wreck, they might have protected themselves until they had built boats or small vessels out of the timber of the wreck ; for all

their carpenters and blacksmiths were safely landed on shore with them. By taking this course they might have coasted along shore, and have arrived without difficulty at the Cape."

" Most certainly, sir, it would have been the most judicious plan."

*' The captain must have been very deficient in judgment to have acted as he did. He had everything to his hand — the means — the men to build

SCE^'ES IN AFRICA, 11

the boats — provisions, arms, sails, and corclns^e, and yet he threw all these chances away, and attempted to do what was impossible."

" He was not one of those who were saved, I believe, sir?''

"1^0, he is one of those who have not been

heard of; — but to proceed : — The first day of their march from the site of the wreck ought to have been a warning to them to turn back. The savages robbed them of everything and threw stones at them. A Dutchman of the name of Trout, who had fled to the Caflre country for some murder he had committed in the colony, fell in with them and told them the attempt was impracticable, from the niunber of savage nations, the width of the rivers, the desert countries without water, and the number of wild beasts which they would encounter ; but still they were not persuaded, and went on to their destruction. They were not five miles from the wreck at that time, and might have returned to it before night."

" May it not fairly be supposed that after such a dreadful shipwreck anything was considered preferable by the major portion of them, especially the passengers, to reembarking ? "

" It may be so ; but still it was a feeling that was to be surmounted, and would have been, had they been counselled by a judicious leader ; for he might fairly have pointed out to them, — without reembarkation, how are you to arrive in England?

1^ FHE MISSIO?? ; O-R.

" Very true, uncle. Pray continue **

" From the accounts given by the seamen who

returned, before they had travelled a week they were attacked by a large party of natives, to whose blows and ill-treatment as they passed along they had hitherto submitted ; but as in this instance the natives appeared determined to massacre them, they resisted as well as they could, and, being

nearly one hundred men in force, succeeded in driving them off, not without receiving many severe ^wounds. After a few days' more travelling, their provisions were all expended, and the seamen began to murmur, and resolve to take care of themselves, and not to be encumbered with women

and children. The consequence was, that forty* th.ree of the number separated from the rest,

leaving the captain and all the male and female passengers and children (my dear EKzabeth among them), to get on as they could."

" How cruel ! "

" Yes ! but self-preservation is the first law of nature, and I fear it is in vain to expect that persons not under the influence of religious principles wiU risk their lives, or submit to much selfdenial, for the sake of alleviating the miseries of others. The reason given for this separation was, that it was impossible to procure food for so large a number, and that they would be more likely to obtain sustenance when divided. The party who thus proceeded in advance encountered the most

SCENES IN ArUTCA. 13

terrible difficulties ; they coasted along the sea-shore because they had no other food than the shell- fish found on the rocks ; they had continually to cross rivers from a mile to two miles wide ; they were kept from their slumber by the wild beasts which prowled around them, and at length they endured so much from want of water^ that their sufferings were extreme. They again subdivided and separated, wandering they hardly knew where, exposed to a burning sun, without clothing and without food. One by one they sat down and were left behind to die, or to be devoured by the wild beasts before they were dead. At last they were reduced to such extremity, that they proposed to cast lots for one to be killed to support the others ; they turned back on their route, that they might find the dead bodies of their companions for food. Finally, out of the whole crew, three or four, purblind and staggering from exhaustion, craving for death, arrived at the borders of the colony, where they were kindly received and gradually recovered."

" You now speak of the first party who separated from the captain and the passeng^^ij, do you not, uncle ? "

" Yes."

" And what became of the captain's party ? " " No tidings were heard of them ; their fate was unknown ; it was long supposed that they had all perished ; for if the sufferings of the seamen,

14 THE MTSRTON ; OR,

inured to toil and danger, had been so great, what chance was there for helpless women and children ? But after some years, there was a report that they had been saved, and were living with the savages. Le Yaillant first mentioned it, and then it died away and was not credited ; but since that, the reports of various travellers appear to give confirmation to what Le Yaillant asserted. The paragraph you have now read in the newspaper has again renewed the assertion, and the parties from whom it proceeds are by all accounts worthy of

credence. You may imagine, my dear boy, what a pang it gives me when I read these reports, — when I reflect that my poor girl, who was with that party, may at this moment be alive, may have

returned to a state of barbarism, — the seeds of faith long dead in her bosom, — now changed to a wild untutored savage, loiowing no God."

*' But, my dear uncle, allowing that my aunt is alive, she was not so young at the time of the

wreck as to forget entirely what she had been taught."

"That is possible ; but then her condition must be still more painful, or rather I should say must have been, for probably she is dead long before this, or if not dead, she must be a woman advanced in life ; indeed, as you may observe in the account given by the traveller in the paragra h you have read, it speaks only of the descendants of those who were lost in the Grosvenor, llie

SCFXES IN AFRICA. 15

idea of my grandchildren having returned to a

state of barbarism is painful enough ; I wish it were possible that I could discover the truth, for

it is the uncertainty which so much distresses me. I have but a few years to live, Alexander ; I am a very old man, as you know, and may be summoned to-morrow or to-night, for we know not what a day may bring forth. If I were only certain that my child had died, miserable as her death must have been, it would be happiness, to the idea that she was one of those whose descendants they speak of. If you knew how for the last thirty years this has preyed upon my mind, you would comprehend my anxiety on this account ; but God's will be done. Do not let me detain vou

longer, Alexander; I should prefer being alone." Alexander, at this intimation, took the proffered hand of his grand-uncle in a reverential and feeling manner, and, without saying any more, quitted the room.

Chapter II

The conversation which he had had with hia grand-uncle made a very forcible impression upon Alexander Wilmot; it occasioned him to pass a very sleepless night, and he remained till nearly four o'clock turning it over in his mind. The loss of the Grostenor Indiaman had occurred long 1>ofore he was born ; lie was acquainted with the outline of what had taken place, and had been told, when a child, that a relation of his family had perished ; but although the narrative had, at the time, made some impression upon his young mind, He had seldom, if ever, heard it spoken of since, and may have been said to have almost forgotten it. He was therefore not a little surprised when he found how great an influence it had upon his grand-uncle, who had never mentioned it to him

before ; indeed it had escaped Alexander's memory that it was his grand-uncle's only surviving daughter who had been lost in the vessel.

Alexander Wilmot was warmly attached to the old gentleman ; indeed, he would have been very xmgrateful if he had not been, for it was impossible that any one could have been treated with

more kindness and liberality than he was by Sir Charles. It was but the week before, that he had expressed a wish to travel on the continent, and Sir Charles had immediately given his consent that he should remain abroad, if he pleased, for two years. "Wlien he approved, however, of Alexander's plans, he had made a remark as to his own age and infirmity, and the probable chance that they might not meet again in this world ; and this remark of his grand-uncle left such an impression upon Alexander, that he almost repented having made the request, and had been ever since in a

State of indecision as to whether he should avail himself of his grand-uncle'a kindness and disregard

of self, shown towards him in thus having granted his permission.

The conversation with Sir Charles had brought up a new idea in his mind ; he had witnessed the anxiety and longing which his good old relation had shown about the fate of his daughter ; he had heard from his own lips how long the ignorance ol her fate had preyed upon his mind, and that to be satisfied on this point was the one thing wantin to enable the old man to die happy, — to perinit him to say with sincerity, " Lord, now lettest thou