Part 9 (2/2)
He noticed that three or four men, probably the most experienced, led the main body of the Matabili; these uides, often enabled the main body to , or rather running, for a slow run seeh the enemy followed very accurately the spoor of the horses on which the rain had fallen, and thus seeeous circumstances, yet Hans was in hopes that when the horses were no longer used the Matabili would not be able to follow hih to render it advisable to descend at once froive the alarm to his companions below, and to seek a place of concealht observe all the e with anxiety the approach of their enemies
The Matabili followed the traces of Hans' party with the accuracy of hounds on a hot scent, and when they spied so on the trees near the carcases of the horses, their speed was increased, and they hastened to examine as the cause that attracted these carrion feeders
The nearly-consumed horses were immediately discovered, and shortly afterwards the skull of the Matabili killed by the lion The ground around was searched by the various h the horses were all dead but one, yet their late captives had by so was, therefore, to find the spoor, so as to discover in which direction they were to pursue This was a work of time, for the late heavy rain had washed out nearly every trace from the previously hard soil; but the skilled spoorers spread out in various directions, and soth found the traces of the horse that Bernhard had ridden away
The Matabili at this were delighted; they believed that the three men had started on foot and had placed one or both of the females on horseback: thus they believed their journey could be accomplished only slowly, so that there was every chance of the fleet-footed savages overtaking their escaped captives, and shortly bringing them back to their prison The whole party soon assembled round the traces of the horses and held a brief consultation No ti this spoor; and the hted Matabili were at once sent forward to trace it on before The remainder followed, and looked anxiously for the footprint of round had been passed, and no footprints were seen, the leader, an experienced and cunning savage, called on his men to halt, and explained to them that there should be some other footprints besides those which they had seen
”There were three men, and tomen; one of these has been killed and eaten by a lion,” said the Matabili chief: for he knew not that the skull belonged to one of his own people ”We can see the spoor of but one horse; on that the women would probably ride;--but where are the men's footprints? We round: there is no spoor here They round is harder Look,a mistake”
Every search was round on which was the spoor of Bernhard's horse, but with no satisfactory results
”The rain th the expressed opinion of the majority of the Matabili, and the whole party would immediately have followed the traces of the horse, had not another old Matabili agreed with the chief o on without sothened in his suspicions, decided to leave ten men behind to examine every likely place near, especially the kloofs on the hill-sides, and then to folloith all speed the itives
Hans and Victor watched the Matabili as all these proceedings were carried on They guessed what the doubts hich delayed the pursuit of the spoor, and they counted with considerable anxiety the number of the Matabili ere detailed for the purpose of exa the kloofs
From the smallness of this party both men believed that the Matabili did not consider it very probable that their captives were concealed thereabouts, and they were also inclined to think that ten Matabili were by no means a match for two Dutch Mensch arht for it, Victor,” said Hans; ”and we ought not to let one of these es down upon us before Bernhard can return with help They don't knohere we are, and so we shall have the full advantage of a surprise, and we should, if possible, shoot so as to send our bullets through twoback to our last outspan, and will there try to pick up our spoor; but even a Matabili will be puzzled to find any traces that the heavy rains have not washed out It will be good to tie up soes,” continued Hans; ”we shall want quick loading; and let us take care not to both fire at once, unless in extremities,--then we shall always have two bullets ready for them We must kill or wound four Matabili with each barrel; and I think a bullet cut into four, and two bits put on the top of each charge, will be good; thus we shall do ive one wound We must not think of the cruelty, Victor; for it is for life, and for those poor girls, we fight We shall be tortured and then killed like oxen if we are defeated Luckily the wind is not fair for the uns, and a part of the hill is between us, or the report ain”
”Katrine,” said Hans, ”keep quiet in your cave, and on no account show yourself We shall have to fire some shots soon, but never fear for our success”
”Is it the Matabili ain, Hans?” inquired Katrine ”I will pray for you, Hans; but take care of yourself, and don't run more risk than is necessary”
The Matabili ere left behind searched carefully for spoor, but without success; they therefore advanced to the nearest kloof, determined to search each of these in succession
”In that kloof,” said Hans, ”I don't think my spoor could be seen; for I merely walked once a part of the way down it; at the top, however, they may find rass”
It occupied the enemy fully half an hour to ascend the kloof and reach the summit, where Hans and Victor had a distinct view of the the top of the kloof, and exaround in all directions, and scanned the various ridges and rocks
”They do not seem to think there is an enemy here, Victor,” said Hans: ”I believe they would take more care of theh they ets of at once
This I don't think they would do if they suspected us of being concealed hereabouts Weas there is a chance of our escaping detection, for itseen, than even to kill all these men”
”We will not fire, Hans, unless ato this table-land; then it would be better to make sure of our foe See, Hans,” whispered Victor; ”they have discovered your footprints, and are co a necessity now”
”They bring it on their own heads, then,” said Hans, as he tapped his gun to secure the powder being up in each nipple: ”you fire first, Victor, and take two in a line if you can, whilst I wait for the next shot”
The Matabili had undoubtedly discovered the foot the pathhich he had trodden the day previously; but they seemed to entirely underrate their enemy, as they took no precautions for concealment As they approached the caves the rasping their spears, they waved the the white e leading to the caves, and upon the firstat this point they saw the caves and the means adopted by Hans to make these secure fronised this as the work of men, and with a yell of pleasure they dashed forward
”Nohispered Hans; and Victor, whose gun was at his shoulder, pressed the trigger, and the loud report of the heavy gun (for it was an eight to the pound that Victor used) for a moment deafened all other sounds Hans and Victor stooped low to see under the s dead, whilst a third was jue, a wound fro rendered hi Matabili, however, though daunted for a moment, beat their shi+elds and rushed forward: there was, however, only rooe, and their endeavour to precede each other caused a moment's delay
”My turn now, Victor,” said Hans; and raising his gun, a second discharge brought two round