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Thank you GMLSmit , another fascinating posting !

Ampie Espag Part 1.

Abraham Jacobus Espag was born on the farm Resiesbaan in the Alkmaar District near Nelspruit, on 18 October 1924.

Young Ampie enjoyed being out in the veldt with his friends. Very few farms were fenced in those days and neighbours had very good relationships with one another, accidental transgressions were not really problematic. This youngster and his friends often went out on camping expeditions where no one knew where they really were or would be. As the group grew braver as time went by, they camped further and further away in the unknown camping on farms of relatives and friends.

One afternoon they were quite rudely apprehended by a rather cross looking white man, upon being asked what they were doing here, he was told that they were camping. They were told that they were not allowed in the area, when they enquired why not as they were welcome everywhere else, they were told that this is the Kruger National Park, and they were to leave immediately.

They enquired about what the Kruger National Park is and were briefly told that it is a Game Sanctuary where nature is conserved, by now the tone of the grown up had softened a bit, he told them that he is the Ranger and they had to leave.

The campers packed up and left. Ampie Espag had his first experience in the Kruger National Park.

Ampie grew up and became a stoker on the railways. He did not like this and joined the South African Police. Constable AJ Espag was neat and proud and carried out his duties diligently, while out on horseback patrol his thought often went back to the encounter with the Ranger in the Kruger National Park. He imagined that looking after wild animals in nature would be much more interesting than ensuring that people are abiding to the laws of the country.

Constable Espag went to Skukuza where he enquired about a job as Ranger, the Warden Oom Lou Steyn told him that he was too young and in any case there weren’t any vacancies. Typical of his character of not being a quitter, he made a nuisance of himself with many official visits to Skukuza and then enquiring about a job as a Ranger. Eventually maybe out of desperation by the Warden, Constable Espag became Ranger Espag, a legend was born.

Green horn Ranger Espag arrived at his first posting – Malelane on 1 February 1954, not really knowing what to do or how to do it.

The large house was empty, the lights would not switch on, he was on his own, it was full moon and later the sky got overcast and a heavy rain started, he sat listening to the rain on the iron roof looking at the lightning flashes and listening to the thunder, he wondered if he had done the right thing.

Then there was a knock on the back door, the young Ranger went to have a look who it was and there stood a drenched black man. John Mhlambo introduced himself and told the surprised looking young man, that he was too old to be a “squad boy” and would therefore be his house boy and take care of all his needs.

John looked around in the empty dark house and enquired about the whereabouts of the Missus and the children, he also asked why there was no furniture and where Ampie had eaten. John was told that the missus and the children were coming with the furniture and that he had not eaten. John disappeared.

A few minutes later Ampie again heard a knock on the door and when he opened, there stood John with a three legged pot, a tin that seemed quite hot and two plates and spoons, The Ranger was told that he was fortunate as he John had not yet eaten and he thought it good to share his “pap and sheba” with this hungry looking young man.

The two sat on the floor in the dark, listening to the rain, sharing the “pap and sheba”, here a friendship was forged.

Just before leaving to his hut John told the Ranger he would go and show him where to start the generator . . . .

The following morning the new Ranger again shared a meal of “pap en melk” with his host.

After their meal Ranger Espag was taken to the orchard and the garden. He was told by John, that he was the only person allowed into the garden, should they need anything from the garden, just ask and he would get it.

Later the Missus – wife Sannie and the girls arrived at Malelane, the old Shangane immediately took charge and very soon everything was on its place and ship shape and shiny.

He was very strict the yard was wept every morning very early and no one was allowed to ruin his handy work. Sleeping after 3 o clock in the morning was very difficult as John was then cleaning the kitchen stove and lighting the fire for the new day.

John immediately decided that he would take care of the Espag girls; he taught them to ride his big no 28 bicycle with its thick tyres, these small girls riding under the frame always drew many laughs from the eager lookers on, who were then abruptly chased off by their guardian angel. John taught them what could be taken from the veldt and eaten and also what not to.

Despite their good relationship the girls were not allowed in the orchard or the garden. They sometimes used to sneak in when John was away, here they enjoyed the fist sized guavas and huge mangos and avocados, they seemed to forget that John in his early days was an excellent tracker and very soon after his return there would be a knock on the door, one of them would sheepishly open and John would ask to speak to the missus. . . . . .

Ampie and Sannie both knew that even them could not take better care of their offspring, they were in safe hands.

Ranger Ampie Espag had a very good relationship with the farmers adjoining the Kruger National Park, while the poachers knew here comes trouble.

While at Malelane Ranger Espag was informed about a rogue Buffalo that had a snare attached to it and was causing havoc to the workers in the neighbouring orange orchards. The Buffalo was tracked down where it was hiding in the reeds of the Crocodile River. The Buffalo charged and tossed the one tracker into the quick flowing river, the Buffalo was shot but the unfortunate tracker was never seen again.

Daughter Susan tells that she still clearly remembers the day they were to leave Malelane, it was 14 December 1964. Everything was loaded and dad Apie – as they called Ampie, mother Sannie and daughters Tina, Ronel and herself were just ready to leave, when Ranger Ampie Espag was called to the telephone, he returned looking very sad and told them that “Kwezi” his friend - Senior Ranger Henry Charles Wolhuter or Oom Henry as the girls had known him, had died, the end of the Wolhuter era in the Kruger National Park, had come to an end.

Susan recalls that their only telephone number they had during their stay in the Kruger National park was Lalati 3

It was sad group who arrived at their new post - Nwanetsi.

Thank you , GML Smit , it seems it was a worthwhile trip last Saturday ?

Ampie Espag Part 2.

One of the big get togethers for the Kruger Park staff was the Christmas party at Skukuza, the children got their presents, the grown ups chatted to all their friends and everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves. It was growing late and there was a storm brewing, the Espag Family had a long drive on a dirt road to Malelane.

Not far from Skukuza the rain came down in torrents, the road was muddy and the vehicle slipping and sliding, it was quite and eventful drive with first Buffalo in the muddy road and then Hippo.

Dad Apie noticed something white on the road, maybe his eyes were deceiving him, he looked away and back and there the apparition was still standing in the road.

He slowly drove closer and yes it remained. He drove up to this white image and stopped, in front of him was a black woman dressed in white rags, with a bundle on her head, sopping wet, he tried to speak to her but got no reply, wife Sannie and the girls were interested onlookers.

Ampie had a few decisions to make; he could not just leave this poor woman here in this terrible storm here in the middle of nowhere. He got out and saw that something was wrong. There was no place in the car so he opened the boot and indicated her to get in, she got in and the Espags drove off with their passenger.

Later that evening arriving at home, Ampie drove around to the area where his staff lived, some of them with their families, he called one of the staff and asked him to please take care of this poor woman, he was told that she was known to them, she was from a nearby village and had lost her mind and often left the village and wandered around in the bush.

The woman was taken to her village where she roamed and then on full moon evening she again went on a nocturnal expedition and never returned. Later a few scraps of clothing with some blood stains were found in the veldt . . . . . another sadness of the Low veldt.

While out on patrol one day Ampie and his field Rangers found a young girl in the veldt, all covered in ants, she could not remember who she was, or where she came from or why she was in the veldt. They took her to Malelane and spread the word; soon a family came to fetch her telling that she had been missing for five days. . . . . . . The little girl recovered but could never remember what had happened.

One evening Ampie was again as was his habit to go and shut the gate, to keep the wild animals from destroying Sannie’s garden, he took his torch and set off accompanied by his faithful mongrel, who kept on barking in a certain direction, in the distant dusk he noticed some Lions, they were under a Marula tree a little distance from the fence, fortunately they were on the outside. The dog kept on barking and moving around its master.

Suddenly his other dog kicked up a terrible commotion, Ampie turned around, just in time to see a yellow streak coming from around the water tank, and he was not quite sure whether it was after him or on the way out, to the gate from where she had entered.

Ampie had to get out of the way, his accompanying dog got in the way, he tripped and fell with the Lioness at his feet, he kicked with all his might and she headed for the gate, Ampie immediately changed into top gear in the opposite direction, that of the front door.

After shutting the door Ampie found that he could not put the torch down, upon inspection he found that when he tripped he must have flattened the handle and that his fingers were stuck between the handle and the battery compartment, he also then noticed that his only wound fortunately was where the handle had cut his fingers – lucky man.

The gate had to be shut, he took his rifle and called the dogs, approaching the gate, there was a charge probably by the same Lioness as previously, Ampie beat her to the gate and shut it. Ampie told his family he was sure that by the time the Lioness reached the fence, he was safely behind the closed front door.

Amazing stories gmlsmit! Thank you

Thank you gmlsmit! I have just printed the story so I can read it in bed to night and enjoy it calmly

Brilliant information coming through from your pen again, gmlsmit! Echoing that was said above - thank you for your time and effort!

Ampie Espag Part 3.

Tshokwane was different, beautiful, peaceful and close to civilization. It seemed the best place on earth.

Sannie soon had her stamp on the garden, water was plentiful and provided the gates were kept shut and the surrounding fences inspected every morning and the damage repaired everything would flourish. The song of birds and the colourful butterflies filled the day as they flitted from branch to branch or flower to flower.

Going away always was sad but coming home – always something to look forward to. Mom’s home cooking, Dad’s stories and the wonders of nature, what more could a child expect from life.

While out on patrol one day, Ranger Ampie Espag was charged by a Lioness in the from the close by thicket, she growled and pounced, fortunately the Ranger could get off a shot. The dead Lioness ended on top of him. His accompanying field staff were quite surprised to see that the blood covered Ampie was unharmed. On inspection they found that the Lioness was in milk and the group set off in search for the cubs.

Four cubs were soon found, Ampie was saddened by the fact that their brave mother had lost her life in doing what she was supposed to, defend them.

The Park rules were that no dangerous wild animals were to be kept, Ampie decided that these four were not dangerous and could not be left out in the bush after he had shot their beautiful mother. The cubs just a few hours old were caught in his hat and taken home where they were reared on a diluted mixture of condensed milk. One died soon and the other three survived.

After the diluted condensed milk they thrived on a diet of cows milk, and very soon the three cubs had the run of the house doing what young Lions were supposed to do. Playing and romping and ambushing and tearing and sleeping and playing and romping . . . . .

The Senior Ranger Rowland Jones made visit to Tshokwane and saw the cubs, although he also thought that they were beautiful and good to have, reminded Ampie about the rules, Ampie normally a stickler to rules decided that he could not get rid of these three, after all it was because he had killed their beautiful golden coloured mother that they had been orphaned.

A while later The Espags got a visit from one of the Southern Area Rangers. The evening was spent chatting and then off to bed. The following morning while Ampie was doing his rounds, he heard three shots; the visitor had done as he had been instructed by the authorities. The Espags were sad but realised that rules were rules.

Eventually Ranger Ampie Espag was transferred to Kingfisherspruit, here Wife Sannie got her garden going, all was well provided the gates were kept shut and the surrounding fences inspected every morning and the damage repaired, everything would flourish.

Ampie had two dogs Fabio and Zorba, one day one of his Field Rangers called Ampie and told him that Fabio had been killed by a Python; Petrus took the Ranger to the spot, here Ampie found the dead python and a recovering Fabio in the coils. Petrus had stabbed the Python before reporting to Ampie. Fabio soon recovered from his few cracked ribs and ended up quite again a happy dog.

Here at Kingfisherspruit during the early eighties, two greats of the Kruger National Park, met one another “Tsotsi” the kind hearted man of mischief and Phelwane; the gentleman with the long tusks.

As everyone knows Elephants have an insatiable appetite for oranges and the garden at Kingfisherspruit had plenty. One dark evening the dogs were barking and Ampie took his .375 Magnum and went to investigate, he carefully approached the sound of breaking branches and there he was calmly enjoying the ripening oranges – the Elephant with the magnificent two and a half meter long tusks. The Ranger went as close as possible and then a bit more closer and fired a few shots into the AFRICAN sky. The Elephant disappeared into the dark.

The following morning on inspection a hole was found leading into the orange orchard while a trail of digested vegetable matter indicated where there was another hole leading out of the orchard.

There were no visits for a while until one evening the dogs were again barking and running in the direction of the fruit orchard. Ampie suspected who was causing the barking.

This time he took his whip, he was going to thrash the intruder and then hide in the little brick outbuilding, Phelwane was charged with some accompanying indescribable yelling, the whip seemed to have the desired effect as Phelwane was on his way to make another hole in the fence long before Ampie could reach the close by outbuilding.

Sannie decided to replan her beloved flower garden, this time the beds hemmed the lawn at the fence.

Soon the garden was again flourishing and then again the dogs barked, Ampie knew who the visitor was, he grabbed the whip and set off he charged the intruder and laid in the whip, Phelwane still took a few fruit and then calmly started off towards to hole from where he had entered.

The following morning it was found there were no deep indentations in the flower bed he seemed to have very considerately stepped over the flower bed.

Sannie as from then called Phelwane a thorough old gentleman.

The Espags often enjoyed listening to stories told by Field Rangers and tourists who would be telling of how he would stop them and sometimes cause an adrenaline rush when he would shake his head approach with raised trunk uttering his loud “herraus”, and then turn around and innocently disappear into the bush

Sounds a bit harsh... even if rules are rules...

Ampie Espag Part 4.

After Kingfisherspruit the Espag family was posted at Mooiplaas indeed a “beautiful farm”

Here Sannie converted a hill into a luscious paradise, many loads of soil was carted in and soon the birds and the insects were colourfully and noisily doing what birds and insects were supposed to do. A little pond was painstakingly constructed by the Missus and the proud squad boy. Many happy hours were spent by the Espag family and their visitors in the cool shade of the trees enjoying the wonders of Mooiplaas.

From here they had a view of the whole of the Mooiplaas Ranger’s Section; looking west they could see to almost to where the sun sets, south almost to the Letaba, north nearly up to the Great Shingwedzi and east right up to the Lebombos.

Many late evenings were spent listening to the sounds of the AFRICAN night, the rolling thunder of the King, confirming his territory. Or the Jackal calling his mate or the spine chilling laughing and cackling of the cleaners of the veldt. Or the comforting call of a little Nightjar or a little secretive couple of Scopsies having their conversation.

From here they would follow the dust trails of the mighty herds migrating to where they knew life-giving water would be left. From here they would also see the warning smoke of a veldt fire, to where everyone would then set out and fight it until the fire was more exhausted than the men with whom the custodianship of nature had been entrusted.

From here at Mooiplaas Ampie and his staff would set out and accompany Prof. Fritz Eloff who did so much research in this area. Susan says Oom Fritz was Superior.

From here they would see the lightning flashes and listen to the thunder announcing the rains after a dry spell, and then watch the dry veldt turn to green. Here the Espags and their visiting friends would find balm for their scars

Jocelyn Oelofse the lady of Johan at Mooiplaas; appreciatively says she has the only house in the world from where she can sit and watch an Elephant breaking and stripping a branch while in her Living room. . . . .

Here at Mooiplaas on a brightly lit full moon evening, one can sit and watch and never realise that time is passing by. . . . .

From Mooiplaas the Espags were transferred to Punda Maria.

The Espag family again enjoyed the quiet life here in the most northerly of the Kruger National Park Camps.

Ampie knew that his pending retirement date was rapidly approaching. He just could not see has way clear to just one day say his goodbyes to his Field Rangers and his friends, and the Lions and the Elephants and the Kudu and the Zebra and the Wildebeest and the Steenbok and the trees and the shrubs and the birds and the insects and the rivers and the dust and the rain of this place where he had spent half his life.

He was fortunate enough that the Kruger Park Management in appreciation for the work done by this man of the veldt with knowledge gained not from books or in class rooms, but in the raw wonderful AFRICAN bush appointed him upon retirement as a Ranger on 31 October 1984, as Tourist Officer at Punda Maria for a few years until 1990 when he retired in the Hoedspruit area.

Unfortunately the Espag daughter Ronel passed away a few years ago, Tina is working at a sick bay of the SANDF, and if you ever come across Professor Susan Hattingh at UNISA, she is the Susan often referred to by me.

Maybe some of you reading this will also remember this wiry man with the greying hair, who could with a sparkle in his eye tell stories of the days gone by and afterwards you would sit and think and later remember that the name of “Tsotsi” given to him by his loving Shangane Field Staff was well deserved, although in a much different sense than possibly today. Where Ampie Espag was around you had be very ware and wide awake as whether you were the Warden or a labourer, some surprise may be awaiting you.

Next time you visit the Elephant Hall at Letaba, look around and you will find the photograph of the tusker sharing his name and also while seeing the tusks and the photograph and reading the write up of Phelwane you may remember the two nights at Kingfisherspruit.

Thank you , GMLSmit , we eagerly await the next chapter .
Wishing you a great trip to paradise - as you know I am green with envy !

thank you once again for these wonderful tales of all things Kruger

Enjoy your trip and the trail - have a lovely time

Thanks all - this is Gerhard Smit signing off. Out.

Gmlsmit thank you so much for all these wonderful stories.
I could sit for hours and read them.

I do sit for hours and read them. Thank you so much