United States or Iran ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Totty was on the platform in the great nwana-tree, which commanded a view of the corn-patch, and also of the plain beyond, as far as the bottom of the cliffs. She was busied about "house" affairs, when her attention was called off, by some singular noises that came from that direction. She parted the branches and looked through. A singular scene was before her eyes a spectacle of no common kind.
He was seated on a little platform that had been constructed very high up near the top of the nwana-tree from which a view could be had of the whole country around. It was a favourite resort of the field-cornet his smoking-room, in fact where he went every evening to enjoy a quiet pull out of his great meerschaum.
This time the antelope headed in a new direction, making for a point in the cliffs; and as the chase now passed very near to the nwana-tree, everybody had a fine view of it.
But they were not cunning enough to escape the snares, which were laid for them every day for a week after; and, before the end of that time, more than a dozen of them were safely domiciled in a little kennel built especially for their use, under the shadow of the great nwana-tree.
Hyenas and jackals were constantly skulking in the neighbourhood, and at night came around the great nwana-tree in scores, keeping up their horrid chorus for hours together. It is true that nobody feared these animals, as the children at night were safe in their aerial home, where the hyenas could not get at them.
A second load had remained, hidden near the nwana-tree, and this required a journey to be made for it. It was made in due time, and the remainder arrived safely at Graaf Reinet, and was there delivered to the ivory-dealers, who had already purchased it. The result was a splendid fortune in ready money. The field-cornet was once more a rich man!
The quaggas saw nothing of them, although quite near to the great nwana-tree. They the hunters were up among the branches, where the animals did not think of looking, and there was nothing around the bottom of the tree to cause them alarm.
The field-cornet, while making these reflections, was seated in the great nwana-tree, upon the platform, that had been built on the side towards the lake, and from which a full view could be obtained of the water. From this point a fine view could also be obtained of the country which lay to the eastward of the lake.
Now the bird which had so opportunely appeared between Jan and Trüey, and had no doubt saved one or the other, or both, from the deadly bite of the spuugh-slang, was a serpent-eater, one that had been tamed, and that made its home among the branches of the great nwana-tree.
The nwana-tree was to be felled across the bar, so as to block up the approach to the peninsula. It would form a barricade behind which an enemy could be efficiently opposed. Swartboy produced the axes, and the hunters set to work to cut down the tree, two working at a time, and in turns relieving each other. At every blow the axes were buried in the soft spongy wood.
Word Of The Day