The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Settler and the Savage, by R.M. Ballantyne

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Title: The Settler and the Savage

Author: R.M. Ballantyne

Release Date: June 6, 2007 [EBook #21701]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SETTLER AND THE SAVAGE ***

Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England

THE SETTLER AND THE SAVAGE, BY R.M. BALLANTYNE.

CHAPTER ONE.

THE WILD KARROO.

A solitary horseman--a youth in early manhood--riding at a snail's pace
over the great plains, or karroo, of South Africa. His chin on his
breast; his hands in the pockets of an old shooting-coat; his legs in
ragged trousers, and his feet in worn-out boots. Regardless of
stirrups, the last are dangling. The reins hang on the neck of his
steed, whose head may be said to dangle from its shoulders, so nearly
does its nose approach the ground. A felt hat covers the youth's curly
black head, and a double-barrelled gun is slung across his broad
shoulders.

We present this picture to the reader as a subject of contemplation.

It was in the first quarter of the present century that the youth
referred to--Charlie Considine by name--rode thus meditatively over that
South African karroo. His depression was evidently not due to lack of
spirit, for, when he suddenly awoke from his reverie, drew himself up
and shook back his hair, his dark eyes opened with something like a
flash. They lost some of their fire, however, as he gazed round on the
hot plain which undulated like the great ocean to the horizon, where a
line of blue indicated mountains.

The truth is that Charlie Considine was lost--utterly lost on the
karroo! That his horse was in the same lost condition became apparent
from its stopping without orders and looking round languidly with a
sigh.

"Come, Rob Roy," said the youth, gathering up the reins and patting the
steed's neck, "this will never do. You and I must not give in to our
first misfortune. No doubt the want of water for two days is hard to
bear, but we are strong and young both of us. Come, let's try at least
for a sheltering bush to sleep under, before the sun goes down."

Animated by the cheerin