Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England The Young Yagers A Narrative of Hunting Adventures in Southern Africa By Captain Mayne Reid Published by Ticknor and Fields, Boston, USA This edition dated 1857 The Young Yagers, by Captain Mayne Reid. ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ THE YOUNG YAGERS, BY CAPTAIN MAYNE REID. CHAPTER ONE. THE CAMP OF THE YOUNG YAGERS. Near the confluence of the two great rivers of Southern Africa--the _Yellow_ and _Orange_--behold the camp of the "young yagers!" It stands upon the southern bank of the latter stream, in a grove of Babylonian willows, whose silvery foliage, drooping gracefully to the water's edge, fringes both shores of the noble river as far as the eye can reach. A tree of rare beauty is this _Salix Babylonica_--in gracefulness of form scarce surpassed even by the palms, the "princes of the forest." In our land, as we look upon it, a tinge of sadness steals over our reflections. We have grown to regard it as the emblem of sorrow. We have named it the "weeping willow," and draped the tomb with its soft pale fronds, as with a winding-sheet of silver. Far different are the feelings inspired by the sight of this beautiful tree amid the _karoos_ of Southern Africa. That is a land where springs and streams are "few and far between;" and the _weeping_ willow--sure sign of the presence of water--is no longer the emblem of sorrow, but the symbol of joy. Joy reigns in the camp under its shade by the banks of the noble Orange River, as is proved by the continuous peals of laughter that ring clear and loud upon the air, and echo from the opposite shores of the stream. Who are they that laugh so loudly and cheerfully? _The young yagers_. And who are the young yagers? Let us approach their camp and see for ourselves. It is night, but the blaze of the camp-fire will enable us to distinguish all of them, as they are all seated around it. By its light we can take their portraits. There are six of them--a full "set of six," and not one appears to be yet twenty years of age. They are all boys between the ages of ten and twenty--though two or three of them, and, maybe, more than that number, think themselves quite men. Three of the party you will recognise at a glance as old acquaintances. They are no other than Hans, Hendrik, and Jan, our _ci-devant_ "Bush-boys." It is several years since we saw them last, and they have grown a good deal since then; but none of them has yet reached the full stature of manhood. Though no longer "Bush-boys," they are yet only boys; and Jan, who used to be called "little Jan," still merits and receives that distinctive appellation. It would stretch Jan to his utmost to square off against a four-foot measuring-stick; and he could only manage it by standing upon the very tips of his toes.