The Bush Boys: History and Adventures of a Cape Farmer and his Family

In Short

This work is a survival adventure centered on a Dutch Cape farmer, Hendrik Von Bloom, and his family. Forced to flee their homestead after a devastating locust swarm, they navigate the untamed interior of Southern Africa. Part instruction manual for the aspiring naturalist and part pulse-pounding tale of survival against lions, hyenas, and lethal insects, the book documents their struggle to secure food and safety. It has endured as a classic of the genre because it blends rigorous, period-accurate biological observation with high-stakes human drama.

The Story

The narrative begins with Hendrik Von Bloom, a "boor" or Cape farmer, facing the total ruin of his livelihood due to a massive, encroaching cloud of locusts. Recognizing the impending starvation of his livestock and family, Von Bloom packs his wagon and moves his family—including his sons, Hans and Hendrik, his daughter, Truey, and their loyal Hottentot servant, Swartboy—into the deep interior. They trade their sedentary farm life for a nomadic existence in the wilderness, relying on their wits and the "roer," a heavy, traditional smoothbore gun, to fend off predators.

Life on the trek is fraught with danger. The family encounters lions, hyenas, and a massive migration of springbok that leaves the landscape stripped bare. Much of their time is spent building fortified camps, protecting their meager stores of biltong (dried meat), and mastering the art of the hunt. They also suffer setbacks, such as their horses being bitten by the lethal tsetse fly, forcing the family to adapt their methods of travel.

As the months pass, the group establishes a temporary sanctuary near a large tree, which they call the "nwana-tree." From this base, they hunt for ivory to restore their fortune. The narrative follows their encounters with various wildlife, including a dramatic struggle with a rhinoceros and a massive elephant. Along the way, the children, Jan and Truey, learn to navigate the dangers of the bush, from avoiding troop-raiding baboons to observing the complex social behaviors of gnus and weaver-birds.

The turning point occurs when the hunters successfully secure a massive haul of ivory. Returning to the town of Graaf Reinet, Von Bloom sells the tusks during a period of high market demand, securing a windfall that surpasses his greatest expectations. With this newfound wealth, he recovers his former estate and restores his status as a prominent landowner. The family’s life transitions from the instability of the wilderness to the security of prosperity. Von Bloom is appointed a magistrate, Hans returns to his academic studies, and the young Hendrik pursues a military career. The story concludes with the family well-established, their survival in the wild having forged them into resilient, capable individuals who have successfully navigated the trials of the frontier.

How It Unfolds

The locust migration Hendrik Von Bloom realizes his crops are doomed and decides to abandon his farm to save his family. They pack their wagon and begin a perilous journey into the unknown interior of South Africa.

Life in the wild The family establishes a camp under the shadow of a large tree, where they must constantly defend their food from predators. They learn to hunt, build traps, and adapt their living quarters to protect against encroaching packs of hyenas.

The tsetse threat During their travels, the horses are beset by a swarm of deadly flies, leading to the heartbreaking discovery that their vital transportation will soon perish. The family is forced to shift their strategy and find new ways to secure their survival.

The ivory bounty The men engage in a series of ambitious hunts for elephants and other game to secure ivory. These dangerous expeditions pay off, providing them with enough capital to reclaim their place in colonial society.

Return to civilization The family emerges from the wilderness, having earned enough to regain their farm and secure their future. Each family member settles into a stable, productive role in their community, marking the successful end of their trek.

The People

Hendrik Von Bloom, the patriarch, is defined by his stubborn resilience and his deep, practical knowledge of the land. His primary goal is the restoration of his family's livelihood and dignity after being stripped of his farm. His transformation is one of reclamation; he begins as a displaced, anxious farmer and ends as a confident, wealthy magistrate.

Hans, the eldest son, acts as the intellectual anchor of the group. His interest in biology and his ability to explain the phenomena they encounter—such as the migration of locusts—provide the family with a crucial edge over their environment. He grows from a student of the wild into a refined scholar.

Hendrik, the younger son, embodies the physical vigor of the family. He is the "dashing" hunter, driven by the desire to prove his mettle. His journey is one of professional maturation, leading him from a raw youth to a trained soldier in the Cape Mounted Rifles.

Swartboy, the Hottentot servant, is the indispensable guide and tracker. His deep, ancestral knowledge of the wilderness and his tracking skills are the reason the family survives their trek. Despite his subservient status, he remains the most capable individual in the bush, consistently providing the wisdom that prevents the family from falling prey to their surroundings.

Truey provides the domestic heart of the family. Her role is to maintain order and grace in the face of chaos. She does not change in the sense of shifting her values; rather, she confirms her role as the enduring, stabilizing force of the Von Bloom household.

In Its Own Voice

"The roar of the lion could be heard mingling with the shrill scream of the jackal and the maniac laugh of the hyena."

The author sets a foreboding tone during a night of forced travel as the family listens to the predatory chorus of the wilderness.

"A single week would see all five of the horses dead."

Swartboy deliveres this grim prophecy after the horses are stung by the tsetse fly, highlighting the constant threat of biological disaster in the bush.

"There is a dash of the maniac in its tones, and it reminds me of the sharp metallic ring which I have noticed in the voices of negroes."

The author reflects on the haunting, human-like quality of the hyena’s cry, demonstrating the book’s tendency to draw cultural comparisons while describing animal behavior.

What It's Really About

At its core, this is a study of human adaptation to an environment that is indifferent to human survival. It asks how a family can maintain the structures of civilization—education, farming, and social status—when thrust into a state of nature. The book argues that survival is not merely a matter of strength, but of observation and the systematic application of knowledge. It examines the tension between the "Boer" way of life and the encroaching demands of the modern world, suggesting that true mastery lies in the ability to balance the raw, practical skills of the frontier with the intellectual insights of a broader, more global understanding of the natural world.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy high-stakes survival stories will find this book deeply compelling. It feels like a precursor to the modern survival genre, prioritizing technical details—how to build a trap, how to identify animal spoors, how to handle firearms—over purely emotional beats. It is a dense, rewarding read that captures the harsh, vibrant, and unforgiving beauty of Southern Africa before the era of modern development.

However, prospective readers should be aware that the book contains mid-19th-century attitudes that are now considered offensive. The author’s descriptions of the "Boer" experience reflect the colonial perspectives of the time, including justifications for slavery and dehumanizing language toward native populations. These elements are presented matter-of-factly as part of the narrator’s worldview. Furthermore, the prose is heavy with period-specific dialect and scientific terminology that can slow the pace for a modern reader. If you can approach it as a historical artifact that documents a specific, often brutal, frontier mindset, you will find it a fascinating, if sometimes challenging, window into a bygone era of adventure writing. It lingers in the mind, specifically through its vivid descriptions of the bush and the ingenuity of the family’s daily struggles.