AT ANERLEY HUBERTA RECEIVES A DEITY

Huberta had a wonderful time feeding and damaging the vegetable gardens of the Indian market gardeners.  Surprisingly instead of harming her she was proclaimed to be the 'Protector of the Poor' possibly because the gardeners wished her a safe journey away from their vegetable gardens.  Huberta was not only a celebrity and world famous but part of folklore.

MBOTYI NEAR LUSIKISIKI

About 20km from Lusikisiki was a trading store called Mbotyi and owned by Mr Jack Barber.  This area that Huberta had reached was also known as the Wild Coast and not too far from the wreck of the Grosvenor.  The Grosvenor was closely linked to Huberta and a legend of the Mpondo's of Pondoland.  They believed she was the reincarnation of a famous rainmaker or the spirit of a great traditional healer, who was a descendant of one of the survivors of the wrecked Grosvenor.

Len Stirk tells of his close encounter with Huberta in this area.  He and three friends set out one Saturday afternoon after hearing that Huberta was in the vicinity.  We had been following her journey down the coast in the newspapers and were very excited about the possibility of seeing her.  We set up camp in thick bush bordering the coastline.  That night we had a heavy downpour of rain, the next morning we woke up to lovely sunshine.  What we discovered was Huberta's footprints in the sea sand.  She must have passed our camp early in the morning.  We had breakfast and packed up camp.  We walked along the coast to the trading store, meeting some Mpondo men who told us that Huberta was in some bush not far from Mbotyi store.

"There were about 200 Mpondo's looking for me and then

one of Len Stirk's friends took a long stick and pocked me in my stomach.  That made me so mad.  Since I left home these two legged creatures were always poking sticks at me.  I had, had enough.

I charged them and you just saw them all running, some climbed in trees."

After this happened the Mpondo's were not happy with Len Stirk and his friends, to them she was the reincarnation of their ancient chief.  The Mpondo's always sang the praises of Huberta feeding her with mealies and pumpkins from the fields in the area.They protected Huberta and she was less harassed on her journey when travelling through their lands.

TCHAIKOVSKY'S 1812 CALLS HUBERTA

After Huberta's West Street visit and Sydenham to have a swim in the water-works dams she disappeared again and two weeks later turned up in the Umkomaas River Valley where one of her most amusing escapade took place.

Looking at the google map this Huberta style escapade must have happened somewhere on the banks of the river.  We do know she was ambling around near a large building, she heard strange sound echoing from within.  It has been said that the band was actually playing Tchaikovsky's 1812.  Whichever, it was a brass band playing loud music and this attracted Huberta.

"They forgot to tell that it sounded to me like one of my own calling, so I followed the sound.  I was very lonely at that time and thought wow I am going to have company.  I answered the call with a loud bellowing sound just inside the door.  Those two legged creatures jumped up from their seats and disappeared into the night outside."

Huberta was dissapointed as only one young lady remained behind, she was too frightened to move.  The young lady took one look at Huberta peering at her, and her courage returned.  In a flash she picked up the large brass musical instrument called an euphonium and threw it at Huberta!  Huberta left the scene in disgust - dragging the euphonium with her, damaging it beyond repair. 

She had had about enough of these strange two-legged creatures who insisted on either disturbing her meals, or who chased her when she was investigating interesting things along the way!

PORT ST JOHNS

Walking from Mbotyi Huberta had to walk inland, then half way to Port St Johns move to the coast line.  Zooming in on the google map will show just how rugged the coastline is from Mbotyi, nearer to Port St Johns it changes.  Huberta's stay in Port St Johns was interesting with lovely stories and experiences that people related.

"I am an experienced traveller, I know the best hippo

 restaurants and accommodation"

An aerial view of the town, the river

and the market place with trees can

be seen.  Huberta was close to the 

water and the market place had delicious

grazing..  Here is the story.

In the early hours of the morning she was found in the Market Square making a meal of the green grass which grew there.  As soon as she was discovered, she dashed off into the darkness - but the next night the determined Huberta was back.

As she was happily grazing, torch light shone on her.  Huberta hating the blinding shafts of light which were like evil eyes peering out of the blackness of the night at her, she charged at the people holding the torches before making her escape!

Exactly the same thing happened on the third night when she came back once again to feed on the sweet grass in the Market Square - but this time, when the lights of the torches were turned on her, she simply sat down on her haunches like a dog would do!

There she sat, staring back at all the bright, unblinking "eyes".  Then, slowly she heaved herself to her feet and casually trotted back to the river which was her temporary home.

Una Blomefield a young lady of 13 years was living in Port St Johns at the time of Huberta's visit to the area.   Una's father was the bank manager of the town.  She remembers that some of the townfolk did not believe that Huberta was there at first, until she was sighted.  Farmers complained of their crops of mealies being trampled and would not leave their huts at night for fear of meeting up with Huberta.  Una tells her story:  "Huberta always seemed to go wandering at night, very little during the day.  One evening friends and myself were sitting on the bottom step at the jetty talking, it was dusk and not easy to see very much.  Suddenly, only a few feet away, Huberta surfaced and blew out her breath across the water.  We got an awful fright, jumped up and ran home."  She told her father what had happened and he shook his head and said: "Lassie you have just missed a golden opportunity to see Huberta.  She could not have climbed the steps anyway."

Another funny story was about a Mr Ramsay, who was a very short man.  He was going home late one night from the pub when he met Huberta along his path.  He got such a fright that he clambered up the first tree he could find.......it happened to be a thorn tree!

The market place and the jetty as seen today 

WHY HUBERTA LEFT HER HOME

There are many theories of why Huberta left her home St Lucia Estuary to take on a long journey that was always heading south.  Actually it is interesting to note that the route that Huberta followed coincided with that taken by Dick King during his memorable ride on horseback from Durban to Grahamstown, eighty-seven years before Huberta travelled south!

An attendant at the Kaffarian Museum (now the Amathole museum)in King William's Town where Huberta has a permanent home, has come up with a reason for the hippo's itchy feet and journey she undertook.  The attendant a pensioner had lived in the King William's Town district for most of his life and was present when the carcass of Huberta was brought from the river.  His theory was that Huberta left home because she was neither male or female.  He claimed that it could not be determined whether the hippo was bull or cow, as there were no sex organs visible.  He further claimed that, that was the reason the hippo left home, it was ostracised by the others.  The loneliness became too much and Huberta, decided to leave.  Fact is we really don't know, that is her secret,  She gave us the most amazing animal stories of humour, adventure, admiration and hope.

2016 and 75 years later Huberta lives on in the Amathole museum King William's Town 

SEA COW LAKE BIRTHPLACE OF HUBERTA?

Huberta was seen in the Blue Lagoon at the Umgeni River mouth.

A Mr. A Townsend a Natal sugar planter in 1931 believed that Huberta was looking for her birthplace Sea Cow Lake, which had silted up and a settlement was made there by Indians.  He said that in 1896 he and his brother bought land adjoining Sea Cow Lake and planted sugar.   At that time a big herd of hippo's roamed the area.   The herd caused damage to the crops.  Mr Townsend said the hippo was a dainty eater, and ate only the most tender shoots.

Well let us hear what Huberta has to say about this theory?

"Ridiculous, I was not born in Sea Cow Lake.  Mr Townsend

failed to tell you that they shot some of my ancestors.  A young bull, an old cow and the leader of the herd, an old bull which is now in the Durban museum.  A naturalist said he was 140 years old!  Now that was wanton killing."

While Huberta was in this area it was reported that she charged young Leslie Carter and bit him.  He was admitted to hospital with torn leg muscles and a variety of cuts and bruises. Conservationists pleaded for Huberta's protection and two policemen were assigned to watch over Huberta and stop frightening her.  Huberta was often the target of sticks and stones, trying to lure her out of her hiding place.

At that time the Natal Provincial Council received suggestions

that Huberta, who was now near Springfield in Durban, should

be destroyed.   The council refused and suggested capturing

her for a zoo.  Johannesburg and Bloemfontein were bidders

without success.

"Now you know why I trampled the policeman's hat."

A MAP SHOWING HUBERTA'S ROUTE

The route Huberta traveled was mapped in Google Earth with the help of a cartographer.  Working on this route I discovered even more how unique and wonderful this hippo really was.  She traveled through some difficult territory.  Here is a rough map showing the route she traveled.

If you have the Google Earth app you can download the file containing the journey, with notes on the places where she was seen, using the link below.

Instructions: Download the .kmz file to your device. After the file is downloaded you can just click on it to open the route in Google Earth:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/7drht8epzm1afpp/Huberta%20backup%20google%20earth.kmz?dl=0

CAMPING AT UMHLANGA AND THEN TO MT EDGECOMBE

Huberta spent a month at Umhlanga February 1929.  A lovely area with a lagoon where today the M4 highway crosses over the lagoon.  Huberta had come from Verulam and went down to the coastline along the Umdloti River, then along the coastline to Umhlanga, clever hippo.

"I enjoy the sea and the coastline, I also enjoy the golf estates so I am planning to see what is available at Mt Edgecombe, then I will attempt the concrete jungle of Durban.  Life is so interesting,  I'm glad I started this journey, just need to remember to keep travelling south.  Somehow my destiny lies south."

"Wow what a beautiful area, water and food I need no more."














Huberta was seen in this area which later years became the Mt Edgecombe Country Estate and yes you quessed it.......another golf course!

LET'S START THE JOURNEY

"My name is Huberta, originally they called me Billy then thinking I was a male named me Hubert.  Later years it was discovered I was a female and was re-named Huberta.  I know as you follow me on my journey you will make some wonderful discoveries, meet some interesting people, visit some beautiful places and realise just how precious life really is.  Whenever you see the silhouette hippo, that's me talking, from the hippo's mouth." 



  

ST LUCIA ESTUARY

Area where many hippo's are seen, possible birth place of Huberta

The red line indicating Huberta's journey

Possible route along the coastline

HIPPO NEWS

"The daily newspapers have a lot to say about me, well here is some facts that they may not know about us hippo's"


Hippo's spend most of the day either submerged or dozing on sand bars or rocks.  Hippo's are capable of moving extremely fast through the water either swimming or walking, submerged under the water along clearly defined paths for about six minutes.

Hippo's are mainly freshwater animals, they can however sustain themselves in saline conditions, provided they have free and regular access to fresh water.  This explains how Huberta was able to walk along the coastline.

When food is scarce and not available near the resting pool, a hippo may move as far as 30 km per night feeding.

Hippo's normally emerge from the water at night grazing along rivers, estuaries and wetlands.  If no food is available near the water they will move inland to feed.

In undisturbed areas hippo's wander about to graze during the cooler hours of the day. They prefer open areas of short grass crop, an adult can eat up 30kg of grass in a night. 

This explains what happened on the 3rd June, 1929 in Sydenham, close to Durban.
A mule was asleep in a stable nearby.  When he sensed
something strange outside, he made such a noise that some of the farm workers woke up and rushed to see what was causing the commotion.  Huberta was calmly enjoying her supper of fresh cabbages and as usual, she did not like to be disturbed while she was eating her meal.  Angrily she rushed towards the three men who, at the sight of the huge beast approaching them, ran away in terror....,.straight into a barbed wire fence!

                                                                                                  

Hippo's can submerge for 6 minutes

                                           The cabbage patch supper                                                                   

 

                             

TRAPPIST MONASTERY A HAVEN OF TRANQUILITY

"I need to find a haven of tranquility away from the hustle

 and bustle of  city life.  I heard of a Monastery at Marianhill."

Trappist Monastery at Marianhill

Huberta was amazing in how she could survive.  From the busy streets of Durban city to the tranquil countryside of Marianhill.  She seemed to know where she was going well at least it was always heading SOUTH.  It is alleged that she even went as far as Pinetown and stayed at the water works for awhile.

Although only speculation, this picture of a disused causeway that leads to the original Mbilo waterworks could have been where Huberta walked.

THERE IS A HIPPO IN WEST STREET

After Huberta left Umhlanga lagoon she headed south for the Umbilo River mouth, today this is the Durban harbour.  Interesting fact is that in 1830 hippo's were plentiful in this area.  It was reputed to have been the grazing grounds for hundreds of the giant ampohibians, now Huberta was nearing the place of her ancestors.  Would she stay here?  Well let's see she seems to be heading for West Street in Durban city.

"I made it to West Street, Durban.  The X marks where I was seen in front of Whysall's Rand Pharmacy.  I had a huge hippo headache and needed to buy aspirin."

Whysall's Rand Pharmacy, West St, Durban

o

Today  the sight where Whysall's Pharmacy  was in West St,
  now Dr Pixley Kasembe Str.

Durban Rickshaw Puller

In 1902 there were around 2000 registered rickshaw pullers who provided Durban's primary mode of transport around the city centre and harbour.  1928 Huberta was in that area and the story is told that a rickshaw puller saw Huberta the umvubu.  The rickshaw puller sped away at a speed never seen before or again.

INTERNATIONAL CELEBRITY

Huberta had left her birthplace around 1928, now in around March 1929 she was the topic of the day, the hope, the joy, the laughter.  Huberta gave reason to start the day.  Times were tough, work was scarce, many were depressed but reading about this spunky hippo put a smile on peoples faces. It was announced that she was protected under the Royal Game Act 1909, not only that she was protected by folklore.  The Zulu people saw her as the spirit of their mighty warrior King Shaka, the Indian people as a deity and both children and adults just loved her.  The media watched her every move, wrote about what she was doing, for everyone she had personality.  Being in the area around Durban she decided to visit the Beachwood Golf course.  













"The reporters have written that I am about to buy a plot of land on the golf course.  I have been there and left my footprints. Buying land?  Not sure about that." 

Stories were written about her from Canada to London, in South Africa she became the National pet, her name no longer Billy but Herbert.  There was nothing particularly magical about her, but she became a magical figure.  It is recorded that she was seen at the Trappist Monastery Marianhill.  Before her visit to the monastery she was seen at Umgeni River and at another golf club the Durban Golf Club.

Huberta attended a pajama party when the residents came out to see her in their jarmies.  True to Huberta news, the next morning the newspapers both nationally and internationally told the story.

"I am really having fun."

In 1929 the area was already a built up urban area and, did not have the tranquility of a nature reserve.  Huberta was able to wander around, be mischievous and get worldwide attention via the media   She allegedly bit a young boy, danced on a sergeants hat yet was loved and forgiven and her journey was followed with keen interest.

ENCOUNTER ON THE VERULAM BRIDGE

"You will enjoy this encounter I had, this happened near Tongaat."

January 1929 a Mr Ellett who owned a garage at Shaka's Kraal, was driving into Stanger..  As he approached the Verulam Bridge, he saw in front of him something huge which was not a vehicle.  Turned his truck lights to bright, and then he saw Huberta.  She was waddling ahead of him at a hippo's pace, not in the least perturbed that she was holding up the traffic.  After this Huberta moved south again, this time to Umhlotik where she spent some time in the lagoon.  Here wild-life experts were able to study her more closely estimating her weight to be about two tonnes.

Verulam Bridge

                                                                                    

"I love this area especially the delicious sugar cane, of course I am still followed with those flashing cameras and pocking sticks at me.  I need to find a quiet spot, think I will head down towards the sea."

Umghlanga Lagoon Area

It was February 1929 and Huberta decided to walk along the coast towards the Umhlanga lagoon.  It is not sure what length of time she spent in this area, she then went inland and was seen at Mt Edgecombe in June 1929.  She had plenty of water as she could hide in the Umhlanga River taking her to Mt Edgecombe.