Chapter 176

Chapter 177: Grazing

After their meal, Hornfiss prepared to head out for the day's work while Maria cleaned up the dishes.

Hornfiss efficiently readied himself, checking his equipment. He inspected his gun, secured it in a wooden box with butter, ensured he had enough ammunition, and then placed it in his pocket. He wrapped the gun with a cloth belt, slung it over his back, and grabbed his straw hat from the wall.

"The water bladder is filled, and I've packed dry food and a raincoat in the bag," Maria handed him a brown leather bag.

Hornfiss kissed Maria on the forehead and said, "Honey, I'm off."

Maria nestled into Hornfiss's arms and cautioned, "I'll prepare dinner, but please be cautious when you're out and don't rush while riding."

"Understood, I'll be careful," Hornfiss assured her.

The two of them left the house together, and Hornfiss made his way to the stable, grabbed his whip, saddled his horse, and mounted it.

"Wait for me to return!" He called out to Maria before joining his colleagues.

Their village was small, consisting of just a dozen households, and soon all the villagers assembled.

Karl, the village head, counted everyone to confirm they were all present and instructed, "Let's head to the cattle pen and bring the cattle out."

The cattle pen was located nearby, and it housed over 300 head of native African cattle. Hornfiss and his companions opened the cattle pen and began herding the cattle towards the pasture.

"Move!"

...

Northern Kenya boasted expansive natural pastures. Hornfiss and his team led the cattle to an area with abundant water and grass before commencing grazing.

The cattle in northern Kenya were not the same batch imported by Ernst from the Netherlands; these were native African cattle primarily used for their labor and eventually consumed. Dutch cows, being relatively delicate, were kept closer to the coastal areas, where they were raised in captivity under careful watch.

The native East African cattle had been acquired through various means, often taken from indigenous people and then concentrated in pastures within Kenya by the East African colonies for breeding.

While there were few animals domesticated in Africa, some exceptions existed. For instance, domestic donkeys were thought to have originated from two subspecies of African wild asses: the Nubian and Somali wild asses. These wild ancestors still roamed Somalia and Ethiopia today. However, the domestication of donkeys in ancient Egypt played a significant role, and their domestication in sub-Saharan Africa is less relevant.

The origins of African domestic cattle were debated among scholars. Early archaeological research suggested that they were not indigenous but arrived in East Africa through the Nile River Basin and the Somali Peninsula. Later, archaeologists argued that African domestic cattle were indeed domesticated from native African wild cattle. Another theory posited a third center of domestication in the western desert of Egypt. Ernst leaned towards the idea of multiple domestication centers, considering that cattle domestication had occurred in various parts of the world, excluding the Americas, Australia, and Oceania.

Regardless of their origins, the existing domestic cattle in East Africa had become the possessions of the East African colonies. These cattle came mainly from nomadic tribes on East Africa's grasslands, such as the Maasai and other pastoralist communities. After losing their livestock, some were turned into slaves by the colonies, while others were displaced westward.

Apart from domestic cattle, there was also a significant population of African zebu in the East African colonies. These cattle had been brought to East Africa from the Indian subcontinent by Arab and Indian traders during the Middle Ages. They were now intermingled with the native African cattle and grazed in regions like northern Kenya.

Throughout northern Kenya, there were approximately 130,000 registered cattle in the East African colonies. While cattle were raised in other areas of the colonies, their numbers were not as substantial and were mainly employed for labor.

Hornfiss rode on his horse, keeping a watchful eye on the surroundings. Despite numerous efforts by the East African colonies to eliminate large wild animals in northern Kenya, occasional stragglers remained, necessitating armed cattle herders like Hornfiss for protection.

Before the East African colonies developed, the region had a far larger cattle population. However, when prominent states like the Sultanate of Zanzibar and the Kingdom of Buganda fled, they took most of their valuable assets with them. The domestic cattle now found in the East African colonies predominantly came from nomadic tribes in the grasslands, some of whom were turned into slaves, while others were driven westward.

In addition to domestic cattle, East Africa also harbored a substantial population of African buffalo. While wild buffalo were rarely seen in the East African colonies, they were once used as rations for East African immigrants. However, as food production developed, wild buffalo, much like lions and hyenas, were hunted extensively in the more developed regions, and today, they primarily inhabited places like the Serengeti grasslands, the Great Rift Valley, Mount Kilimanjaro, and remote forests.

As the rainy season neared its end, the light rain gradually subsided. Hornfiss and his colleagues donned their raincoats. This period of light rainfall was ideal for grazing, as it resulted in lush vegetation, making raincoats essential.

Grazing life was generally uneventful but leisurely, especially in established grazing areas like northern Kenya. Unlike American cowboys who roamed vast territories, East Africa lacked a large consumer market like the United States, which reduced the need for extensive travel.

The current cattle population in East Africa was relatively small, and exports had minimal impact; the focus had shifted towards cattle breeding in recent years.

Hornfiss was well-prepared for grazing, armed in case of emergencies. Despite previous extermination efforts, there remained the possibility of encountering wild animals, prompting the need for caution.

As time passed, the light rain ceased, and it was nearing noon. Karl invited everyone to sit down for lunch.

"Oh, I wish time would fly by faster. I miss home every day when I eat those large pancakes. Village chief, weren't you from the Far East? Share some stories about your homeland!" Shu Bo, a young man from Bavaria, urged.

Indeed, their village head, Karl, was of Chinese origin. Despite his European-sounding name, he had adapted to European life. He had studied at the Military Academy in Hechingen and later moved to Berlin due to his limited English proficiency. Over time, he had adopted a pure Berlin accent.

Karl seemed to reminisce about his days in the Far East as he began to speak, "Let me tell you about my homeland! The climate there is quite similar to East Africa, but life is more akin to Europe. It's a land of endless wheat fields, and each village is bustling with people.

However, our village is different from European ones – our houses are distinctive, and the roads are similar to those in East Africa. Before coming to Europe, I had barely seen a city. I grew up in a village and had only visited a city once before being brought to Europe. What's it like, you ask? On the day I set sail for the first time, our leader told us that the port city was called Jiaozhou, a major city in the Far East, and it was from there that I