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Updated: June 22, 2025
"Inspann and trek!" he repeated, making his vast whip crack like a pistol; "yes, baas, I'll inspann;" and, having satisfied himself that his "voorslag" was properly adjusted, Swartboy rested the bamboo handle against the side of the house, and proceeded to the kraal to collect the yoke-oxen.
Hendrik and Swartboy only accompanied him, for he could not yet bring himself to leave the children with no other protection than Totty almost as much a child as themselves. Hans, therefore, remained by the camp. At first the hunters followed the little rivulet that ran from the spring and vley.
The rough thick outer coat they removed in broad sheets cut into sections; and then they peeled off several coats of an under skin, of tough and pliant nature. Had they needed water-vessels, Swartboy would have saved this for making them as it is used for such purposes by the Bushmen and other natives. But they had vessels enough in the wagon, and this skin was thrown away.
"Da am goin' roost for da nacht now we'll get 'em in bagfull," said Swartboy, with a pleased look; for Swartboy was a regular locust-eater, as fond of them as either eagle or kite, ay, as the "springhaan-vogel" itself. It was as Swartboy had stated. The swarm was actually settling down on the plain. "Can't fly without sun," continued the Bushman. "Too cold now. Dey go dead till da mornin."
This Swartboy had understood from a few words the man had muttered while under the influence of the "smoke." During the evening, the Hottentot had been called away from the hut, and Swartboy had seen no more of him, nor thought anything of what he had said.
Bushman hab no garden no maize no buckwheat no nothing for da springhaan to eat. Bushman eat locust himself he grow fat on da locust. Ebery thing eat dem dar springhaan. Ebery thing grow fat in da locust season. Ho! den for dem springhaan!" These remarks of Swartboy were true enough. The locusts are eaten by almost every species of animal known in South Africa.
You may be curious to know how he accomplished this. You would have dug a hole with a spade, and necessarily as wide as the spade itself. But Swartboy had no spade, and would not have used it if there had been one since it would have made the holes too large for his purpose. Swartboy sunk his holes by "crowing" which process he performed by means of a small pointed stick.
Although but poor flyers, they are splendid runners, swift almost as the ostrich itself. The pauw, however, had not observed the hunters as yet. They had caught a glimpse of it, before appearing out of the bushes, and had halted as soon as they saw it. How was Swartboy to approach it? It was two hundred yards from any cover, and the ground was as clean as a new-raked meadow.
He had again aroused the jealousy of his rival, and was satisfied. The elephant, which proved to be a very large bull, expired a few minutes after falling. Its tusks were over five feet in length, and to Swartboy was given the task of extracting them.
Had they needed water-vessels, Swartboy would have saved this for making them as it is used for such purposes by the Bushmen and other natives. But they had vessels enough in the wagon, and this skin was thrown away. They had now reached the pure flesh, which they separated in large sheets from the ribs; and then the ribs were cut out, one by one, with the axe.
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