The Rim Valley Kids: The Lone Dog, The Cave And The Stone Frog
Please try your request again later. Since small, reading always inspired Erasmus to write, and music always made him want to write songs. When he was fifteen years old he wrote a book of over pages about three friends crash-landing in a jungle and having to make their way home. The story involves a white man and a black man becoming blood-brothers. He still has it, and it is likely to remain the only copy in the world.
He loves wilderness survival stories. His present novel, pages long, is an inspiring story about a little girl returning a caracal cub to a mountainous wilderness. Three boys go to look for her, followed by a muscular horse-trainer who is experienced in the ways of the wild, in a spectacular wilderness setting which the author knows well.
www.newyorkethnicfood.com: Ben Erasmus: Books, Biography, Blogs, Audiobooks, Kindle
Erasmus was in Mounted Infantry, and horses somehow work their way into most of his novels. He took up flying lessons for a while inspired by the incomparable Biggles. There was hardly money for an occasional pie, so he gave up flying in favour of travelling for a bank. He travelled extensively throughout South Africa, evaluating workloads at the branches. He was a branch administrator of two branches before leaving the bank to join a family business. He had a variety shop for ten years and a guest-house for six years.
He loves being in small business. He sold his house and guest-house business so that he could publish the books now on Amazon, and to have original songs recorded. Apart from the books now on Amazon, he has other novels in various stages of completion and will be publishing them in due course. Erasmus was born in in the town of Welkom, South Africa, and grew up in Johannesburg.
He presently lives in Mokopane, a large town the Limpopo Province. He is divorced with two beautiful children twins, a boy and a girl. He has travelled to Europe, Australia and the neighbouring countries of South Africa. He loves Africa, her people, nature and wildlife, and frequently camps in the Kruger National Park. Are you an author? Help us improve our Author Pages by updating your bibliography and submitting a new or current image and biography.
Learn more at Author Central. Popularity Popularity Featured Price: But I wonder how a bird can make that roaring noise! One would think it was an ox, it is more like lowing than braying. As for example, how loud is the song of the nightingale and the little canary bird. Some people say that the bittern booms with his long bill partly thrust into the boggy ground, which increases the hollow muffled sound of its very peculiar cry.
Franz was very anxious that the first trophy of his gun should be so rare a bird as the bittern; the dogs were sent into the wood, and we waited some distance apart, in readiness to fire. All at once there was a great rustling in the thicket. Franz fired, and I heard his happy voice calling out:. I see you remember the agouti! Perhaps it is not a hog at all, but one of our little pigs from the farm. What will the old sow say to you, Franz? I soon joined my boy, and found him in transports of joy over an animal certainly very much like a pig, although its snout was broad and blunt.
It was covered with bristles, had no tail, and in colour was a yellowish grey. It was difficult to carry it home, but he very sensibly proposed that we should open and clean the carcase, which would make it lighter—and then putting it in a game-bag, he carried it till quite tired out; he asked if I thought Bruno would let him strap it on his back.
We found the dog willing to bear the burden, and reached Woodlands soon afterwards. There we were surprised to see Ernest surrounded by a number of large rats, which lay dead on the ground. He chattered and gnashed his teeth, and the creature hissed and squeaked, and running up, I found he had got a big rat by the tail; he would not let go, and the rat could not turn in the narrow entrance to bite him, but I soon pulled it out and killed it with my stick.
Some I killed, but many plunged into the water and escaped. I hit away right and left, but began to repent of my audacity when I found the whole community swarming about in the wildest excitement, some escaping, but many stopping in bewilderment, while others actually attacked me. Knips liked it as little as I did, and skipped about desperately to get out of their way, though he now and then seized a rat by the neck in his teeth. This account excited my curiosity, and I went to examine the place Ernest described: They have, you see, webbed feet and flattened tails, and we shall find that they carry two small glands containing the scented substance called musk.
The sooner we strip off the skins the better, they will be useful for making caps. We went back to the house, and met Fritz and Jack just returned from their excursion, reporting that no trace of serpents, great or small, had been met with. Jack carried in his hat about a dozen eggs; and Fritz had shot a couple of heath fowls, a cock and hen. We sat down to supper, Franz eager to partake of his capybara.
Even he himself made a face at the peculiar flavour of the meat. This odoriferous substance is secreted, i. The animal is very quick and elastic in its movements, and having sharp teeth it is not pleasant to handle. So it is put into a long narrow cage in which it cannot turn round, a horn spoon is then introduced, and the perfume, a thick oily stuff something like butter, is coolly scraped from the pouch, the plundered civet being then released from strait durance, until the supply is re-formed.
The Ballad of Robert Moore and Betty Coltrane by Nick Cave
Presently Jack ran for his game-bag, producing some fruit which he had forg e o tten. Several pale-green apples, quite new to us, excited general attention. I took one and cut it in two, remarking that it contained a circle of seeds or pips, instead of the stone of the manchineel. At that moment Knips slyly came behind me, and snatching up one half, began to munch it with the liveliest satisfaction, an example which the boys were so eager to follow that a general scramble ensued, and I had some trouble in securing a couple of the apples for myself and their mother.
Everyone seeming wearied by the fatigues of the day our mattresses and pillows were arranged, and the inmates of Woodlands betook themselves to repose. With early light we commenced the next day's journey, directing our course to a point between the sugar-brake and the Gap, where we had once made a sort of arbour of the branches of trees; as this remained in pretty good condition, we spread a sail-cloth over the top of it, instead of pitching the tent, and made it very comfortable quarters for the short time I proposed to stay there. Our object being to search the neighbourhood for traces of the boa constrictor, or any of his kindred, Fritz, Jack, and Franz went with me to the sugar-cane brake, and satisfied ourselves that our enemy had not been there.
It was long since we had enjoyed the fresh juice of these canes, and we were refreshing ourselves therewith, when a loud barking of dogs and loud rustling and rattling through the thicket of canes disturbed our pleasant occupation, and, as we could see nothing a yard off where we stood, I hurried to the open ground, and with guns in readiness we awaited what was coming. In a few minutes a herd of creatures like little pigs issued from the thicket, and made off in single file at a brisk trot; they were of a uniform grey colour, and showed short sharp tusks.
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My trusty double-barrel speedily laid low two of the fugitives; the others continued to follow the leader in line, scarcely turning aside to pass the dead bodies of their comrades, and maintaining the same steady pace, although Fritz and Jack also fired and killed several. I felt certain that these were peccaries, and recollected that an odoriferous gland in the back must be removed immediately, otherwise the meat will become tainted, and quite unfit to eat.
This operation, with the help of my boys, I accordingly performed at once. Presently hearing shots in the direction of the hut where we had left Ernest and his mother, I sent Jack to their assistance, desiring him to fetch the cart, that the booty might be conveyed to our encampment, employing the time of his absence in opening and cleaning the animals, thus reducing their weight. Ernest came back with Jack and the cart, and told us that the procession of peccaries had passed near the hut, and that he, with Juno's help, had secured three of them.
I was glad to hear this, as I had determined to cure a good supply of hams, and we made haste to load the cart; the boys adorned it with flowers and green boughs, and with songs of triumph which made the woods ring they conveyed the valuable supply of game to the hut, where their mother anxiously waited for us. After dinner we set to work upon our pigs, singeing and scalding off the bristles; I cut out the hams, divided the flitches, bestowed considerable portions of the carcase on the dogs, and diligently cleansed and salted the meat, while the boys prepared a shed, where it was to be hung to be cured in the smoke of fires of green wood.
While the younger boys made ready the oven, Fritz singed and washed his peccary, stuffing it with potatoes, onions, and herbs, and a good sprinkling of salt and pepper. He then sewed up the opening, and enveloped the pig in large leaves to guard it from the ashes and dust of its cooking place. The fire no longer blazed, but the embers and stones were glowing hot; the pig was carefully placed in the hole, covered over with hot ashes, and the whole with earth, so that it looked like a big mole heap.
Dinner was looked forward to with curiosity, as well as appetite; my wife, as usual, distrusting our experiments, was not sanguine of success, and made ready some plain food as a pis aller. She was well pleased with the curing-hut, which was roomy enough to hang all our hams and bacon. On a wide hearth in the middle we kindled a large fire, which was kept constantly smouldering by heaping it with damp grass and green wood. The hut being closed in above, the smoke filled it, and penetrated the meat thoroughly: Great excitement prevailed as he removed the earth, turf, and stones, and a delicious appetising odour arose from the opening.
It was the smell of roast pork, certainly, but with a flavour of spices which surprised me, until I thought of the leaves in which the food had been wrapped up. The peccary was carefully raised, and when a few cinders were picked off, it looked a remarkably well-cooked dish.
Fritz was highly complimented on his success, even by his mother. The fruit is a species of nut, possessing the scent of the leaves in a more delicate degree, and from it an oil or essence is distilled, which is highly valued in native cookery. During the process of curing our large supply of hams and bacon, which occupied several days, we roamed about the neighbourhood in all directions, finding no trace of the serpent, but making many valuable acquisitions, among which were some gigantic bamboos from fifty to sixty feet in length, and of proportionate thickness.
These, when cut across near the joints, formed capital casks, tubs, and pots; while the long sharp thorns, which begirt the stem at intervals, were as strong and useful as iron nails. One day we made an excursion to the farm at Prospect Hill, and were grievously provoked to find that the vagabond apes had been there, and wrought terrible mischief, as before at Woodlands.
The animals and poultry were scattered, and everything in the cottage so torn and dirtied, that it was vain to think of setting things right that day.
We therefore very unwillingly left the disorder as we found it, purposing to devote time to the work afterwards. When all was in readiness for the prosecution of our journey, we closed and barricaded the hut, in which, for the present, we left the store of bacon; and arranging our march in the usual patriarchal style, we took our way to the Gap, the thorough defence of which defile was the main object we had in view. Our last halting-place being much enclosed by shrubs, bamboos, and brushwood, we had during our stay, opened a path through the cane thicket in the direction we were about to travel; this we now found of the greatest assistance, and the loaded cart passed on without impediment.
The ground was open and tolerably level beyond, so that in a few hours we arrived at the extreme limit of our coast territory.
We halted on the outskirts of a little wood behind which, to the right, rose the precipitous and frowning cliffs of the mountain gorge, while to the left flowed the torrent, leaving between it and the rocks the narrow pass we called the Gap, and passing onward to mingle its waters with the sea. The wood afforded us pleasant shelter, and standing high, and within gunshot of the mouth of the rocky pass, I resolved to make it our camping place.
We therefore unpacked the cart, and made our usual arrangements for safety and comfort, not forgetting to examine the wood itself, so as to ascertain whether it harboured any dangerous animals. Nothing worse than wild cats was discovered. We disturbed several of these creatures in their pursuit of birds and small game, but they fled at our approach. By the time dinner was ready we felt much fatigued, and some hours of unusually sultry and oppressive heat compelled us to rest until towards evening, when returning coolness revived our strength.
We pitched the tent, and then occupied ourselves with preparations for the next day, when it was my intention to penetrate the country beyond the defile, and make a longer excursion across the Savannah, than had yet been undertaken. All was ready for a start at an early hour; my brave wife consented to remain in camp with Franz as her companion, while the three elder boys, and all the dogs, except Juno, went with me. We expected to find it somewhat difficult to make our way through the narrowest part of the pass, which had been so strongly barricaded and planted with thorny shrubs, but found on the contrary that the fences and walls were broken down and disarranged.
It was thus very evident that the great snake, as well as the herd of peccaries, had made an entrance here. This barricade was the first check that had been placed by hand of man upon the wild free will of nature in this lonely place. With one consent storms, floods, torrents and the wild beasts of the forest, had set themselves to destroy it. We resolved to make the defences doubly strong, being convinced that the position was capable of being barricaded and fortified so as to resist the invaders we dreaded.
The prospect which opened before us on emerging from the rocky pass was wide, and varied. Swelling hills and verdant wooded vales were seen on one hand, while a great plain stretched before us, extending from the banks of the river towards a chain of lofty mountains, whose summits were rendered indistinct in the haze of the distance. We crossed the stream, which we named East River, filling our flasks with water, and it was well we did so, for in continuing our journey, we found the soil become more arid and parched than we had expected; in fact we soon appeared surrounded by a desert.
The boys were astonished at the altered appearance of the country, part of which had been explored when we met with the buffaloes. I reminded them of the difference of the season; that the expedition had been made directly after the rains, when vegetation had clothed with transient beauty this region, which, possessing no source of moisture in itself, had become scathed and bare during the blazing heat of summer. We were all glad to repose beneath the shade of the first over-hanging rock we came to, although by pressing further upwards, we might have attained to a pleasanter spot.
Looking back towards the Gap, we marked the strange contrast of the smiling country bordering the river, and the dreary, monotonous plain we had traversed. After gazing on the distant scene, we produced our store of provisions, and were busily engaged, when Knips our constant companion, suddenly began to snuff and smell about in a very ridiculous way; finally, with a shriek which we knew was expressive of pleasure, he set off at full speed, followed by all the dogs, up a sort of glen behind us.
We left them to their own devices, being far too pleasantly engaged with our refreshments to care much what fancy the little rogue had got in his head. When hunger was somewhat appeased, Fritz once more cast his eyes over the expanse of plain before us, and after looking fixedly for a moment, exclaimed—. Can they be wild Arabs of the desert? We shall have to be on our guard, whatever they are! I could fancy them wild cattle, loaded carts, wandering hay-cocks, in fact almost anything I like.
The spy-glass passed from hand to hand; Jack and Ernest agreed in thinking the moving objects were men on horseback; but when it came to my turn to look, I at once pronounced them to be very large ostriches. As the ostriches approached, we began to consider in what way we should attempt a capture.
I sent Fritz and Jack to recall the dogs, and placed myself with Ernest behind some shrubs which would conceal us from the birds as they came onwards. The boys did not rejoin us for some little time; they found Knips and the dogs at a pool of water formed by a small mountain stream, which the monkey's instinct had detected; his sudden departure was thus accounted for, and they availed themselves right gladly of his discovery, filling their flasks, and hastily bathing before their return.
The ostriches continued to come in our direction, varying their pace as though in sport, springing, trotting, galloping, and chasing each other round and round, so that their approach was by no means rapid.
I could now perceive that of the five birds one only was a male, the white plumes of the wings and tail contrasting finely with the deep glossy black of the neck and body. The colour of the females being ashen brown, the effect of their white plumes was not so handsome. The enterprising hunter is thus enabled to get among a flock of ostriches, and to shoot them with arrows one after another.
But let us take up our positions, and keep perfectly still, for the ostriches are at hand! We held the dogs concealed as much as possible; the stately birds suddenly perceiving us, paused, hesitated, and appeared uneasy. Yet as no movement was made, they drew a few steps nearer, with outstretched necks, examining curiously the unwonted spectacle before them.
The dogs became impatient, struggled from our grasp and furiously rushed towards our astonished visitors. In an instant they turned and fled with the speed of the wind; their feet seemed not to touch the ground, their wings aiding their marvellously rapid progress. In a few moments they would have been beyond our reach, but as they turned to fly the eagle was unhooded. Singling out the male bird the falcon made his fatal swoop, and, piercing the skull, the magnificent creature was laid low. Before we could reach the spot the dogs had joined the bird of prey, and were fiercely tearing the flesh and bedabbling the splendid plumes with gore.
These melons, however, do not constitute his entire diet; he feeds freely on grasses, dates, and hard grain, when he can obtain them. But what does Jack mean by waving his cap, and beckoning in that excited fashion? What has the boy found, I wonder!
We all hastened to the spot, and in a slight hollow of the ground, be held more than twenty eggs, as large as an infant's head. The idea of carrying more than two away with us was preposterous, although the boys, forgetting what the weight would be, seriously contemplated clearing the nest. They were satisfied when a kind of landmark had been set up, so that if we returned we might easily find the nest. As each egg weighed about three pounds, the boys soon found the burden considerable, even when tied into a handkerchief and carried like a basket.
To relieve them, I cut a strong elastic heath stick, and suspending an egg in its sling at each end, laid the bent stick over Jack's shoulder, and like a Dutch dairy-maid with her milk-pails, he stepped merrily along without inconvenience. We presently reached a marshy place surrounding a little pool evidently fed by the stream which Knips had discovered. The soft ground was trodden and marked by the footsteps of many different sorts of animals; we saw tracks of buffaloes, antelopes onagas or quaggas, but no trace whatever of any kind of serpent: By this brook we sat down to rest and take some food; Fangs presently disappeared, and Jack, calling to his pet, discovered him gnawing at something which he had dug from the marsh.