Kitabı oku: «Jock of the Bushveld», sayfa 26

Chapter Twenty Eight.
Notes

Snake stories are proverbially an ‘uncommercial risk’ for those who value a reputation for truthfulness. Hailstorms are scarcely less disastrous; hence these notes!

Mamba. – This is believed to be the largest and swiftest of the deadly snakes, and one of the most wantonly vicious. The late Dr Colenso (Bishop of Zululand) in his Zulu dictionary describes them as attaining a length of twelve feet, and capable of chasing a man on horseback. The writer has seen several of this length, and has heard of measurements up to fourteen feet (which, however, were not sufficiently verified); he has also often heard stories of men on horseback being chased by black mambas, but has never met the man himself, nor succeeded in eliciting the important facts as to pace and distance. However that may be, the movements of a mamba, even on open ground, are, as the writer has several times observed, so incredibly swift as to leave no other impression on the mind than that of having witnessed a magical disappearance. How often and how far they ‘travel on their tails,’ whether it is a continuous movement or merely a momentary uprising to command a view, and what length or what proportion of the body is on the ground for support or propulsion, the writer has no means of knowing: during the Zulu war an Imperial officer was bitten by a mamba while on horseback and died immediately.

Hailstorms. – Bad hailstorms occur every year in South Africa, but they do not last long (ten minutes is enough to destroy everything that stands). The distances are immense, and the area of disturbance is usually a narrow strip; hence, except when one strikes a town, very few people ever witness them. This summer hailstorms were more general and more severe in the Transvaal than for some time past. A bad storm baffles description. The size of the hailstones is only one of the factors – a strong wind enormously increases the destructiveness; yet some idea may be gathered from the size of the stones. The writer took a plaster cast of one picked up at Zuurfontein (near Johannesburg), in November 1906, which measured 4.5 inches long, 3.5 wide and 1.125 inches thick – a slab of white ice. In the Hekpoort Valley (near Johannesburg) and in Barberton, about the same date, the veld was like a glacier; the hail lay like snow, inches deep, and during the worst spells the general run of the hailstones varied in size from pigeons’ eggs to hens’ eggs; but the big ones, the crash of whose individual blows was distinctly heard through the general roar, are described as ‘bigger than cricket balls’ and ‘the size of breakfast cups,’ generally with an elongation or tail – like a balloon. Sheep and buck were killed, and full-grown cattle so battered that some were useless and others died of the injuries; wooden doors were broken in, the panels being completely shattered; corrugated iron roofs were perforated, and in some cases the hailstones drove completely through them. The writer photographed a portion of a roof in Barberton which had suffered thus, and saw plaster casts – formed by pouring plaster of Paris into the indentations which two hailstones had made in a flower bed – in diameter equalling, respectively, tennis and cricket balls.

Near Harrismith, O.R.C., in 1903, two herd boys with a troop of about a hundred goats and calves were caught by the hail. The boys and all the stock, except one old goat, were killed.

Chapter Twenty Nine.
Glossary

NOTE. —The spelling of Cape Dutch and native names is in many cases not to be determined by recognised authority. The pronunciation cannot be quite accurately suggested through the medium of English. The figures of weights and measurements of animals are gathered from many sources, and refer only to first-class specimens. The weights are necessarily approximate.

AASVOGEL (d), a vulture (literally. carrion bird).

ANT-BEAR, AARDVARK (d) (Orycteropus jifer).

ANT-HEAP, mound made by termites or ‘white ants.’ Usually formed by one colony of ants; about two to four feet in base diameter and height, but often in certain localities very much larger. The writer photographed one this year near the scene of the Last Hunt, eighteen feet base diameter and ten feet high, and another in Rhodesia which formed a complete background for a travelling waggonette and six mules. In both cases these mounds were ‘deserted cities,’ and trees, probably fifty to one hundred years old, were growing out of them.

ASSEGAI (pronounced ass-e-guy) (n), native spear.

BAAS (d), master.

BANSELA (pronounced baan-sé-la) (n), a present.

BEKER (pronounced beaker) (d), a cup.

BILLY, a small tin utensil with lid and handle, used for boiling water.

BUCK-SAIL, tarpaulin used for covering transport waggons, which are known as buck-waggons.

BUFFALO, Cape buffalo (Bos Caffer). Height, 5 feet 6 inches; weight, possibly 1000 pounds; horns, 48 inches from tip to tip and 36 inches each in length on curve.

BULTONG, or Biltong (pronounced biltong) (n), meat cut in strips, slightly salted, and dried in the open air.

BUSH BUCK, a medium-sized but very courageous antelope (Tragelaphus scriptus). Height, 3 feet; weight, 130 pounds; horns (male only), 18 inches.

BUSH VELD, properly Bosch veld (d), bush country; also called Low Veld and Low Country.

CANE-RAT (Thryonomys swinderentanus).

CETYWAYO (see Ketshwayo).

CHAKA, properly Tshaka (n), the first of the great Zulu kings and founder of the Zulu military power.

DASSIE (pronounced daas-ey) (d), rock-rabbit; coney (Procavia (Hyrax) capensis) (literally. little badger).

DINGAAN, properly Dingan (e) (n), the second of the great Zulu kings; brother, murderer, and successor of Chaka.

DISSELBOOM (d), the pole of a vehicle.

DONGA (n), a gully or dry watercourse with steep banks.

DOUGH-BOYS, scones; frequently unleavened dough baked in coals; also ash-cakes, roaster cookies, stick-in-the-gizzards, veld-bricks, etc.

DRIFT (d), a ford.

DUIKER (pronounced in English dyker, in Dutch dayker) (d), a small antelope found throughout Africa (Cephalophus grimmi). Gross weight, 30 to 40 pounds; height, 28 inches; horns, 5.5 inches. (literally diver, so called from its habit of disappearing and re-appearing in low scrub in a succession of bounds when it first starts running).

GO’WAY BIRD, the grey plantain eater (Schizorbis concolor).

HARTEBEESTE (pronounced haar-te-beast) (d), a large antelope, of which there are several varieties, varying in gross weight from 300 to 500 pounds; height, 48 inches; horns, 24 inches.

HIGH VELD, properly Hoogeveld (d), high country; the plateau, about 5000 to 6000 feet above sea-level.

HONEY-BIRD, the honey guide (several species; family, Indicatoriae).

HONEY-SUCKER, sun bird (several species; family, Nectariniidae).

HORSE-SICKNESS, a lung affection prevalent during summer in low-lying parts; generally fatal; caused by microbes introduced in the blood by some insect.

IMPALA (n), an antelope (Aepyceros melampus); habitat, Bushveld; weight, 140 pounds; horns, up to 20 inches, straight.

IMPI (pronounced impey) (n), an army or body of armed natives gathered for or engaged in war.

INDUNA (pronounced in-doo-nah) (n), a head-man, captain, or chief, great or petty.

INKOS (pronounced in-kós – ‘os’ as in verbose) (n), chief; used as a term of respect in address or salutation.

INSPAN, properly Enspan (d), to yoke up, harness up, or hitch up.

ISANDHL’WANA, also ’SANDHL’WANA, incorrectly Isandula (pronounced saan-shle-waá-na), meaning ‘the little hand’, the hill which gave the name to the battle in which the 24th Regiment was annihilated in the Zulu War, 1879.

KAFFIR CORN, sorghum.

KAHLE (pronounced kaa-shle, corrupted in kitchen-Kaffir to ‘gaashly’) (n), gently, carefully, pleasantly, well. ‘Hamba kahle,’ farewell, go in peace. ‘Hlala (pronounced shlala) kahle,’ farewell, stay in peace.

KEHLA (pronounced keh-shlaa) (n), a native of certain age and position entitled to wear the head ring. Dutch, ring kop– ring head.

KERRIE, or KIRRIE, native sticks used for fighting, frequently knobbed; hence, knob-kerrie.

KETSHWAYO (pronounced ketsh-wy-o), incorrectly Cetywayo, fourth and last of the great Zulu kings.

KLIPSPRINGER (d), a small antelope, in appearance and habit rather like chamois (Oreotragus saltator) (literally. a rock-jumper).

KLOOF (d), a gorge.

KNEEHALTER (d), to couple the head to one fore leg by a reim or strap attached to the halter, closely enough to prevent the animal from moving fast.

KNOORHAAN, commonly, but incorrectly, Koorhaan or Koraan, (d), the smaller bustard (literally scolding cock).

KOODOO, properly KUDU (n) (Strepsiceros capensis). Habitat, rugged bushy country. Height, 5 feet; weight, 600 pounds; horns, up to 48 inches straight, and 66 inches on curve.

KOPJE (pronounced copy) (d), a hill (literally a little head).

KRAAL (pronounced in English crawl) (d), an enclosure for cattle, sheep, etc, a corral; also a collection of native huts, the home of a family, the village of a chief or tribe.

KRANS (d), often spelt KRANTZ (German) (D. krans, a circlet or crown), a precipitous face or coronet of rock on a hill or mountain.

LAGAVAAN, a huge water lizard, the monitor. Cape Dutch, lagewaan (pure Dutch, laguaan) (Varanus niloticus). Maximum length up to 8 feet.

LOOPER, round shot for fowling-piece, about four times the size of buck shot.

MARULA, in Zulu UMGANO, a tree which furnishes soft white wood, which is carved into bowls, spoons, etc; fruit eaten or fermented for drink (Sclerocarya caffra).

MEERKAT (d), a small animal of the mongoose kind (properly applied to Suricata tetradactyla, but loosely to several species).

MIDDLEVELD, properly MIDDELVELD (d), the mixed country lying between the High veld and the Bushveld.

NEK-STROP (d), the neck-strap, or reim, which, attached to the yokeskeys, keeps the yoke in place.

NIX (d), nothing (from D. niets).

ORIBI (n), a small antelope (Ourebia scoparia). Weight, 30 pounds; height, 24 inches; horns, 6 inches.

OUTSPAN, properly UITSPAN (d), to unyoke or unharness; also the camp where one has outspanned, and places where it is customary, or by law permitted, to outspan.

PAUW (pronounced pow) (d), the great bustard (literally peacock).

PANDA, properly ’MPANDE (n), the third of the great Zulu kings.

PEZULU (n), on top, up, above.

PARTRIDGE, PHEASANT, names applied somewhat loosely to various species of francolin.

POORT (pronounced pooh-rt) (d), a gap or gorge in a range of hills (literally gate).

QUAGGA, ZEBRA (correctly applied to Equus quagga, now extinct, but still applied to the various species of zebra found in South Africa).

REIM (pronounced reem) (d), a stout strip of raw hide.

REIMPJE (pronounced reempy) (d), a small reim.

RIETBUCK, properly (d) Rietbok (pronounced reet-buck), reed buck (Cervicapra arundinum). Height, 3 feet 6 inches; gross weight, 140 pounds; horns, male only, up to 16 inches.

SABLE ANTELOPE (Hippotragus niger; Dutch, zwaart witpens). Habitat, bushveld. Height, 4 feet 6 inches; weight, 350 pounds; horns, up to 48 inches on curve.

SAKUBONA (n), Zulu equivalent of ‘Good-day.’

SALTED HORSE, one which has had horse-sickness, and is thus considered immune (as in small-pox); hence ‘salted’ is freely used colloquially as meaning acclimatised, tough, hardened, etc.

SCHANS (pronounced skaans) (d), a stone or earth breastwork for defence, very common in old native wars.

SCHELM (d), a rascal; like Scotch skellum.

SCHERM (pronounced skarem) a protection of bush or trees, usually against wild animals.

SJAMBOK (pronounced in English shambok, in Dutch saam-bok) (d), tapering raw-hide whip made from rhinoceros, hippopotamus, or giraffe skin.

SKEY (pronounced skay), a yokeskey; short for Dutch jukskei.

SLOOT (d), a ditch.

SPAN (d), a team.

SPOOR (d), footprints; also a trail of man, animal, or vehicle.

SPRINGBUCK, properly SPRINGBOK (d), a small antelope (Antidorcas (Gazella) euchore). Habitat, high veld and other open grass country. Height, 30 inches; weight, up to 90 pounds; horns, 19 inches (literally. jumping buck).

SPRUIT (pronounced sprait; also commonly, but incorrectly, sproot) (d), a stream.

SQUIRREL, or TREE Rat, native name ’MCHINAAND (Funisciurus palliatus).

STEMBUCK (Cape Dutch, stembok or steinbok, from the pure Dutch steenbok, the Alpine ibex), a small antelope (Raphicerus campestais). Height, 22 inches; weight, 25 pounds; horns, 5 inches.

STOEP (pronounced stoop) (d), a raised promenade or paved verandah in front or at sides of a house.

TAMBUKI GRASS, also TAMBOOKIE, and sometimes TAMBUTI (n), a very rank grass; in places reaches 15 feet high and stem diameter half inch.

TICK, or RHINOCEROS, BIRD, the ‘ox-pecker’ (Buphaga Africana).

TIGER. In South Africa the leopard is generally called a tiger; first so described by the Dutch —tijger.

TOCK-TOCKIE, a slow-moving beetle, incapable of flight. Gets its name from its means of signalling by rapping the abdomen on the ground (tenebrionid beetle of the genus Psammodes).

TREK (d) (literally to pull), to move off or go on a journey; a journey, an expedition —eg, the Great Trek (or exodus of Boers from Cape Colony, 1836-48); also, and commonly, the time, distance, or journey from one outspan to another.

TREK GEAR, the traction gear, chain, yokes, etc, of a waggon. The Boer pioneers had no chains, and used reims plaited into a stout ‘rope’; hence trek-touw, or pulling-rope.

TSESSEBE, an antelope, one of the hartebeeste family (Damaliscus lunatus; Dutch, bastard hartebeeste). Height, 48 inches; weight. 300 pounds; horns, 15 inches.

TSETSE FLY, a grey fly, little larger than the common house-fly, whose bite is fatal to domesticated animals.

TWIGGLE, little people’s word for the excited movement of a small dog’s tail, believed to be a combination of wriggle and twiddle.

UMFAAN (n), a boy.

UMGANAAM (n), my friend.

UMLUNGU (n), the native word to describe a white man.

VELD (pronounced felt) (d), the open or unoccupied country; uncultivated or grazing land.

VLEI (pronounced flay) (d), a small, shallow lake, a swamp, a depression intermittently damp, a water meadow.

VOORLOOPER (d) (literally front walker), the leader, the boy who leads the front oxen; the pat’-intambu (Zulu for ‘take the reim’).

VOORSLAG (pronounced foor-slaach) (d) (literally front lash or skin), the strip of buck hide which forms the fine end of a whip-lash.

WATERBUCK (Cobus ellipsiprymnus; Dutch, kring-gat). Height, 48 inches; weight, 350 pounds; horns, males only, 36 inches.

WILDEBEESTE (pronounced vill-de-beast) (d) (literally wild cattle), the brindled gnu, blue wildebeeste (Connochaetes taurinus). Height, 4 feet 6 inches; weight, 400 pounds; horns, 30 inches.

WILD DOG, the ‘Cape hunting dog’ (Lycaon pictus).

WOODEN ORANGE, fruit of the klapper (a species of Strychnos).

WOLF, the usual name for the hyena, derived from tijger-wolf, the pure Dutch name for the spotted hyena.

YOKESKEY, the wooden slat which, coupled by nekstrops, holds the yoke in place.