Fortunate visitors to the Jock Safari Lodge in South Africa’s Kruger National Park may come across this sculpture of a dog challenging an antelope (see below) and wonder about the story behind it:

The depiction is of a dog named, “Jock” who lived in the 19th century in the Bushveld, the uncultivated sub-tropical woodland area of Southern Africa named after the term, veld.  Alternately described as a Staffordshire Bull Terrier or a Staffie mix, Jock was the runt of his litter who came into the possession of Percy FitzPatrick, a storeman, prospector’s assistant, and journalist who claimed the pup when no one else did.

Jock grew into a loyal, brave dog who accompanied FitzPatrick even when he became a transport rider carting supplies for the goldfields with a team of oxen.  In time, Percy would make his fortune on the gold diggings around Barberton and was subsequently knighted for his services to the new South African union in the aftermath of the Anglo-Boer War. Later, after FitzPatrick settled down to have a family, he wrote about his adventures with Jock for his children, and the stories made their way in a book he published in 1907,  “Jock of the Bushveld” which you can read on-line here.

The adventures offer a glimpse into Australia’s gold rush days have become a bedtime classic, but ultimately, they are the threads of a tapestry woven to share the story of one man’s love for his dog.

The thumbnail image is of a sculpture of Jock sculpted by Laurence Anthony Chait now located at the Johannesburg Zoo.