A Secret of the Lebombo

by Bertram Mitford

“A Secret of the Lebombo” by Bertram Mitford is a novel written in the late 19th century. The book begins with the main character, Wyvern, discovering two individuals engaged in butchering one of his sheep. This act of sheep-stealing leads him into a dangerous situation where he must navigate both the threat from the sheep thieves and his own moral dilemmas regarding forgiveness and justice. At the start of the narrative, the serene landscape contrasts sharply with the tension that Wyvern faces when he spots two men—one of his own herders and an unfamiliar accomplice—caught in the act of slaughtering his livestock. As he contemplates how to confront them without being armed, chaos ensues, leading to a violent struggle that escalates when one of the thieves is bitten by a snake. The opening sets the stage for themes of survival, responsibility, and the complex relationship between fear and compassion as Wyvern wrestles with what to do with his captured herder, Sixpence, and reflects on the impending loss of his farm, which symbolizes his dwindling fortunes and future.