Hendrik Jacobus Smith

The Whites of Enkeldoorn 1880-1980 is a history of the families of European descent who settled in the area of Enkeldoorn (renamed Chivi) Rhodesia (Zimbabwe). Author - Sarel van der Walt.

SMITH 1930 Willie Smit accompanied by Hendrik Jacobus Smith (1891) parents of Barend 19-5-1922, (Ben), from Middelburg Transvaal. Hendrik Smith with 14 donkey team wagon. Willie Smit with 2 wagons, one 14 donkeys one 12 mules and cart and 2 horses. The trek arrived in June 1930

Hendrik Smith had a weak leg from an Anglo Boer war wound (Boer side). His team was mostly controlled by his 8 year old son Barend and the brakes handled by his wife Petronella Francina. The Soutpansberg(Wyles Poort) descent was a particularly difficult task with the brakes constantly applied to a greater or lesser degree as the gradient varied.

On arrival at the Limpopo river, the trek was not permitted to enter Rhodesia because the steel tyres were declared to be too narrow and the trek was delayed for some weeks while a blacksmith obtained tyres from a distant supplier.

On entering Rhodesia, being Lion country, extra precautions became necessary. Willie Smit travelled ahead with the cart and horses, looking for suitable stopping points, water being essential. The wagons had to keep moving regardless of the distance and time, till they reached the selected point. The mule wagon travelling faster would be the first to get there, followed some time later by the donkey wagons.

The animals were allowed to graze nearby , under close armed guard and overnight tied to the trek chains. The camp site was ringed with fires that had to be tended throughout the night and burning lanterns were hung under the wagons. Music was provided by Smit brother and sister Lettie / Violin and Willem / concertina

Fresh meat was obtained by regular hunting during the stops. On one occasion three Smit children, Lucas 15, Willem 14 and their older sister Betty who later married Lambert, shot a kudu. Willem was left with the rifle to guard the meat while Lucas and Betty went to fetch donkeys to carry the meat back to camp. They took a wrong direction and got lost. As dark set in the camp realised that the children were lost but a search could not start before daylight and there was no knowledge of the probable direction. They resorted to the customary practice in such circumstances by firing frequent shots. Willem became alarmed and also fired shots to indicate his position to the expected searching party. The bush muffled the sound and the children had to spend the night in the open. It was late afternoon the next day before they were found.

About 10 miles from Enkeldoorn on van Helsdingen's farm, the three year old Jacobus Smith fell off the wagon and landing under the wheels was crushed, he died a few hours later. The trek went through Enkeldoorn heading for Marandellas, from where they subsequently returne to settle at Enkeldoorn.