Van der Walt Bond - Om 'n Van der Waltskoot te skiet - The Perfect Shot
Om 'n Van der Waltskoot te skiet - The Perfect Shot
Om ‘n van der Waltskoot te skiet
Die legende het ontstaan toe Johannes Petrus (b5) se seun Johannes Jacobus, ook genoem klein Piet(b5c10 - 9 jaar oud op daardie staduim) sy vader van ‘n leeu aanval gered het. Ten tye van die voorval het Johannes Petrus op twee plase geboer, Wolwekop en Elandsfontein aan die Rooiberg wat suid van Middelburg Kaap gelëe is aan die oostekant van die Renosterberg. Drie jaar later met bewys van die littekens aan sy linker dy spier het hy met trots die verhaal aan die reisende goeweneur Janssens se aide-de-camp, Paravicini di Capelli oor vertel.
In ongeveer die jaar 1802 het Johannes Petrus, sy seun en ‘n Hottentot agteryer voor sonop te perd vertrek vanaf die opstal. In ‘n dig begroeide bos het hulle plotselings op ‘n slapende leeu af gekom. Die ongedierte vlieg op en bespring die vader se perd. Die leeu slaan sy linker klou in Johannes Petrus se bo been en die regter in die perd se heup, wat tot gevolg het dat die perd verskrik op loop gaan. Die geskud van die perd in sy dolle vaart om weg te kom verhoed gelukkig dat die leeu nie sy tande op die ruiter kon gebruik het nie.
Die jong van der Walt som die situasie op in ‘n oomblik en gee sy perd vrye teuels. Hy jaag sy vader agterna en haal hom in as die se perd begin stadiger hardloop al skoppende in sy poging om van die leeu onslae te raak. Soos blits is klein Piet uit die saal en storm hy nader tot ongeveer tien tree. Hy lê aan. Sy doodskoot met sy ou kruit voorlaaier laat die leeu op die grond neerstort. Die Hottentot agterryer vuur die tweede skoot wat net ‘n blote formaliteit was.
Di Capelli skryf, en ek haal aan: “De Generaal vind de daad van dezen jongeling zoo uitermat schoon en stoutmoedig, dat hy hem een onzer beste jagtgeweeren ten geschenke gaf en hem de belofte deed van byzonder aan zyn braaf en kloeke handelwyze te zullen gedenken."
Hierdie vereering aan die jong Johannes Jacobus sou baie jare later gestalte kry toe hulle die dorp Petrusville uitlê op sy plaas Renosterville en die dorp na hom vernoem.
The story of "Om n' Van der Waltskoot te skiet" (To shoot the perfect van der Walt shot) appeared in our news letter of March 1997 goes as follows:
The expression was mistakenly connected with commandant Tjaart van der Walt. This was to increase the status of the man's legendary bravery.
The expression originates from the actions in 1802 of his younger brother's son, Johannes Petrus (b5c10) - 9 years old at the time who grew up on the farms Wolwekop and Elandsfontein, close to the Rooiberg which is on the eastern side of the Renosterberg and south of Middelburg
Exactly where the incident with the lion took place was not made clear in the contemporary records. His father, Johannes Petrus van der Walt told the story of the incident with the lion to the governor and his entourage with great pride when they visited the family on the 14th July 1803.
The Governor's aide-de-camp, Paravicini di Capelli recorded the incident and added details of the surrounding country side where the town of Middelburg was later to be established on the farm "Driefonteine" in 1852. The owner of the farm at that stage was Nicolaas van der Walt the youngest son of Tjaart (b8).
After their visit to the farm Driefonteine they arrived at the farm Wolwekop where they were treated to a delicious meal of grilled, smoked Eland's rib. The lion killer, Klein Piet (Small Piet) had shot and prepared the meal for the important guests. It was customary at that time for fathers to teach their sons to shoot using a rifle as soon as they could sit un-aided on horse back.
One morning just after sun up the father, son and their Hottentot helper were riding across the veldt on a hunting expedition. They woke a sleeping lion near a cluster of bushes when they passed close by. The lion immediately attacked burying its claws into the hind quarters of the older man's horse. The horse bolted in terror and thus prevented the lion from shifting his attack from the horse to the rider. The young van der Walt spurred his horse in pursuit and he jumped off when he reached a distance of 10 yards from the lion. He took aim and killed the lion with his first shot. The Hottentot arrived shortly after on the scene and put another bullet into the lion, but that was a mere formality.
The Governor found the story of the lad's bravery so compelling that he gave the youngster, Klein Piet one of their best hunting rifles.
Klein Piet was born on the 22nd of October 1792 (b5c10).
The town Petrusville was named in his honour in later years. The township was laid out on his farm Renosterfontein.