letters from the cape-第11部分

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One　small　thing　more。　　The　first　few　shillings　that　a　coloured　woman　has　to　spend　on　her　cottage　go　in　…　what　do　you　think？　…　A　grand　toilet　table　of　worked　muslin　over　pink；　all　set　out　with　little　'OBJETS'　…　such　as　they　are：　　if　there　is　nothing　else；　there　is　that　here；　as　at　Capetown；　and　all　along　to　Simon's　Bay。　Now；　what　is　the　use　or　comfort　of　a　DUCHESSE　to　a　Hottentot　family？　　I　shall　never　see　those　toilets　again　without　thinking　of　Hottentots　…　what　a　baroque　association　of　ideas！　　I　intend；　in　a　day　or　two；　to　go　over　to　'Gnadenthal'；　the　Moravian　missionary　station；　founded　in　1736　…　the　'bluhende　Gemeinde　von　Hottentoten'。　How　little　did　I　think　to　see　it；　when　we　smiled　at　the　phrase　in　old　Mr。　Steinkopf's　sermon　years　ago　in　London！　　The　MISSIONARIZED　Hottentots　are　not；　as　it　is　said；　thought　well　of　…　being　even　tipsier　than　the　rest；　but　I　may　see　a　full…blood　one；　and　even　a　true　Bosjesman；　which　is　worth　a　couple　of　hours'　drive；　and　the　place　is　said　to　be　beautiful。

This　climate　is　evidently　a　styptic　of　great　power；　I　shall　write　a　few　lines　to　the　LANCET　about　Caledon　and　its　hot　baths　…　'Bad　Caledon'；　as　the　Germans　at　Houw　Hoek　call　it。　　The　baths　do　not　concern　me；　as　they　are　chalybeate；　but　they　seem　very　effectual　in　many　cases。　　Yet　English　people　never　come　here；　they　stay　at　Capetown；　which　must　be　a　furnace　now；　or　at　Wynberg；　which　is　damp　and　chill　（comparatively）；　at　most；　they　get　to　Stellenbosch。　　I　mean　visitors；　not　settlers；　THEY　are　everywhere。　　I　look　the　colour　of　a　Hottentot。　　Now　I　MUST　leave　off。

Your　most　affectionate

L。　D。　G。



LETTER　VII　…　GNADENTHAL



Caledon；　Jan。　28th。

Well；　I　have　been　to　Gnadenthal；　and　seen　the　'blooming　parish'；　and　a　lovely　spot　it　is。　　A　large　village　nestled　in　a　deep　valley；　surrounded　by　high　mountains　on　three　sides；　and　a　lower　range　in　front。　　We　started　early　on　Saturday；　and　drove　over　a　mighty　queer　road；　and　through　a　river。　　Oh；　ye　gods！　what　a　shaking　and　pounding！　　We　were　rattled　up　like　dice　in　a　box。　　Nothing　but　a　Cape　cart；　Cape　horses；　and　a　Hottentot　driver；　above　all；　could　have　accomplished　it。　　Captain　D…　rode；　and　had　the　best　of　it。　　On　the　road　we　passed　three　or　four　farms；　at　all　which　horses　were　GALLOPING　OUT　the　grain；　or　men　were　winnowing　it　by　tossing　it　up　with　wooden　shovels　to　let　the　wind　blow　away　the　chaff。　　We　did　the　twenty…four　miles　up　and　down　the　mountain　roads　in　two　hours　and　a　half；　with　our　valiant　little　pair　of　horses；　it　is　incredible　how　they　go。　　We　stopped　at　a　nice　cottage　on　the　hillside　belonging　to　a　CI…DEVANT　slave；　one　Christian　Rietz；　a　WHITE　man；　with　brown　woolly　hair；　sharp　features；　grey　eyes；　and　NOT　woolly　moustaches。　　He　said　he　was　a　'Scotch　bastaard'；　and　'le　bon　sang　parlait　…　tres…haut　meme'；　for　a　more　thriving；　shrewd；　sensible　fellow　I　never　saw。　　His　FATHER　and　master　had　had　to　let　him　go　when　all　slaves　were　emancipated；　and　he　had　come　to　Gnadenthal。　　He　keeps　a　little　inn　in　the　village；　and　a　shop　and　a　fine　garden。　　The　cottage　we　lodged　in　was　on　the　mountain　side；　and　had　been　built　for　his　son；　who　was　dead；　and　his　adopted　daughter；　a　pretty　coloured　girl；　exactly　like　a　southern　Frenchwoman；　waited　on　us；　assisted　by　about　six　or　seven　other　women；　who　came　chiefly　to　stare。　　Vrouw　Rietz　was　as　black　as　a　coal；　but　SO　pretty！　…　a　dear；　soft；　sleek；　old　lady；　with　beautiful　eyes；　and　the　kind　pleasant　ways　which　belong　to　nice　blacks；　and；　though　old　and　fat；　still　graceful　and　lovely　in　face；　hands；　and　arms。　　The　cottage　was　thus：…　One　large　hall；　my　bedroom　on　the　right；　S…'s　on　the　left；　the　kitchen　behind　me；　Miss　Rietz　behind　S…；　mud　floors　daintily　washed　over　with　fresh　cow…dung；　ceiling　of　big　rafters；　just　as　they　had　grown；　on　which　rested　bamboo　canes　close　together　ACROSS　the　rafters；　and　bound　together　between　each；　with　transverse　bamboo　…　a　pretty　BEEHIVEY　effect；　at　top；　mud　again；　and　then　a　high　thatched　roof　and　a　loft　or　zolder　for　forage；　&c。；　the　walls　of　course　mud；　very　thick　and　whitewashed。　　The　bedrooms　tiny；　beds；　clean　sweet　melies　（maize）　straw；　with　clean　sheets；　and　eight　good　pillows　on　each；　glass　windows　（a　great　distinction）；　exquisite　cleanliness；　and　hearty　civility；　good　food；　well　cooked；　horrid　tea　and　coffee；　and　hardly　any　milk；　no　end　of　fruit。　　In　all　the　gardens　it　hung　on　the　trees　thicker　than　the　leaves。　　Never　did　I　behold　such　a　profusion　of　fruit　and　vegetables。

But　first　I　must　tell　what　struck　me　most；　I　asked　one　of　the　Herrenhut　brethren　whether　there　were　any　REAL　Hottentots；　and　he　said；　'Yes；　one；'　and　next　morning；　as　I　sat　waiting　for　early　prayers　under　the　big　oak…trees　in　the　Plaats　（square）；　he　came　up；　followed　by　a　tiny　old　man　hobbling　along　with　a　long　stick　to　support　him。　　'Here'；　said　he；　'is　the　LAST　Hottentot；　he　is　a　hundred　and　seven　years　old；　and　lives　all　alone。'　　I　looked　on　the　little；　wizened；　yellow　face；　and　was　shocked　that　he　should　be　dragged　up　like　a　wild　beast　to　be　stared　at。　　A　feeling　of　pity　which　felt　like　remorse　fell　upon　me；　and　my　eyes　filled　as　I　rose　and　stood　before　him；　so　tall　and　like　a　tyrant　and　oppressor；　while　he　uncovered　his　poor　little　old　snow…white　head；　and　peered　up　in　my　face。　　I　led　him　to　the　seat；　and　helped　him　to　sit　down；　and　said　in　Dutch；　'Father；　I　hope　you　are　not　tired；　you　are　old。'　He　saw　and　heard　as　well　as　ever；　and　spoke　good　Dutch　in　a　firm　voice。　　'Yes；　I　am　above　a　hundred　years　old；　and　alone　…　quite　alone。'　　I　sat　beside　him；　and　he　put　his　head　on　one　side；　and　looked　curiously　up　at　me　with　his　faded；　but　still　piercing　little　wild　eyes。　　Perhaps　he　had　a　perception　of　what　I　felt　…　yet　I　hardly　think　so；　perhaps　he　thought　I　was　in　trouble；　for　he　crept　close　up　to　me；　and　put　one　tiny　brown　paw　into　my　hand；　which　he　stroked　with　the　other；　and　asked　（like　most　coloured　people）　if　I　had　children。　　I　said；　'Yes；　at　home　in　England；'　and　he　patted　my　hand　again；　and　said；　'God　bless　them！'　　It　was　a　relief　to　feel　that　he　was　pleased；　for　I　should　have　felt　like　a　murderer　if　my　curiosity　had　added　a　moment's　pain　to　so　tragic　a　fate。

This　may　sound　like　sentimentalism；　but　you　cannot　conceive　the　effect　of　looking　on　the　last　of　a　race　once　the　owners　of　all　this　land；　and　now　utterly　gone。　　His　look　was　not　quite　human；　physically　speaking；　…　a　good　head；　small　wild…beast　eyes；　piercing　and　restless；　cheek…bones　strangely　high　and　prominent；　nose　QUITE　flat；　mouth　rather　wide；　thin　shapeless　lips；　and　an　indescribably　small；　long；　pointed　chin；　with　just　a　very　little　soft　white　woolly　beard；　his　head　covered　with　extremely　short　close　white　wool；　which　ended　round　the　poll　in　little　ringlets。　　Hands　and　feet　like　an　English　child　of　seven　or　eight；　and　person　about　the　size　of　a　child　of　eleven。　　He　had　all　his　teeth；　and　though　shrunk　to　nothing；　was　very　little　wrinkled　in　the　face；　and　not　at　all　in　the　hands；　which　were　dark　brown；　while　his　face　was　yellow。　　His　manner；　and　way　of　speaking　were　like　those　of　an　old　peasant　in　England；　only　his　voice　was　clearer　and　stronger；　and　his　perceptions　not　blunted　by　age。　　He　had　travelled　with　one　of　the　missionaries　in　the　year　1790；　or　thereabouts；　and　remained　with　them　ever　since。

I　went　into　the　church　…　a　large；　clean；　rather　handsome　building；　consecrated　in　1800　…　and　heard　a　very　good　sort　of　Litany；　mixed　with　such　singing　as　only　black　voices　can　produce。　　The　organ　was　beautifully　played　by　a　Bastaard　lad。　　The　Herrenhuters　use　very　fine　chants；　and　the　perfect　ear　and　heavenly　voices　of　a　large　congregation；　about　six　hundred；　all　coloured　people；　made　music　more　beautiful　than　any　chorus…singing　I　ever　heard。

Prayers　lasted　half　an　hour；　then　the　congregation　turned　out　of　doors；　and　the　windows　were　opened。　　Some　of　the　people　went　away；　and　others　waited　for　the　'allgemeine　Predigt'。　　In　a　quarter　of　an　hour　a　much　larger　congregation　than　the　first　assembled；　the　girls　all　with　net…handkerchiefs　tied　round　their　heads　so　as　to　look　exactly　like　the　ancient　Greek　head…dress　with　a　double　fillet　…　the　very　prettiest　and　neatest　coiffure　I　ever　saw。　　The　gowns　were　made　like　those　of　English　girls　of　the　same　class；　but　far　smarter；　cleaner；　and　gayer　in　colour　…　pink；　and　green；　and　yellow；　and　bright　blue；　several　were　all　in　white；　with　white　gloves。　　The　men　and　women　sit　separate；　and　the　women's　side　was　a　bed　of　tulips。　　The　young　fellows　were　very　smart　indeed；　with　muslin　or　gauze；　either　white；　pink；　or　blue；　rolled　round　their　hats　（that　is　universal　here；　on　account　of　the　sun）。　　The　Hottentots；　as　they　are　called　…　that　is；　those　of　mixed　Dutch　and　Hottentot　origin　（correctly；　'bastaards'）　…　have　a　sort　of　blackguard　elegance　in　their　gait　and　figure　which　is　peculiar　to　them；　a　mixture　of　negro　or　Mozambique　blood　alters　it　altogether。　The　girls　have　the　elegance　without　the　blackguard　look；　ALL　are　slender；　most　are　tall；　all　graceful；　all　have　good　hands　and　feet；　some　few　are　handsome　in　the　face　and　many　very　interesting…　looking。　　The　complexion　is　a　pale　olive…yellow；　and　the　hair　more　or　less　woolly；　face　flat；　and　cheekbones　high；　eyes　small　and　bright。　　These　are　by　far　the　most　intelligent　…　equal；　indeed；　to　whites。　　A　mixture　of　black　blood　often　gives　real　beauty；　but　takes　off　from　the　'air'；　and　generally　from　the　talent；　but　then　the　blacks　are　so　pleasant；　and　the　Hottentots　are　taciturn　and　reserved。　　The　old　women　of　this　breed　are　the　grandest　hags　I　ever　saw；　they　are　clean　and　well　dressed；　and　tie　up　their　old　faces　in　white　handkerchiefs　like　corpses；　…　faces　like　those　of　Andrea　del　Sarto's　old　women；　they　are　splendid。　　Also；　they　are　very　clean　people；　addicted　to　tubbing　more　than　any　others。　　The　maid…of…all…　work；　who　lounges　about　your　breakfast　table　in　rags　and　dishevelled　hair；　has　been　in　the　river　before　you　were　awake；　or；　if　that　was　too　far　off；　in　a　tub。　　They　are　also　far　cleaner　in　their　huts　than　any　but　the　VERY　BEST　English　poor。

The　'Predigt'　was　delivered；　after　more　singing；　by　a　missionary　cabinet…maker；　in　Dutch；　very　ranting；　and　not　very　wise；　the　congregation　was　singularly　decorous　and　attentive；　but　did　not　seem　at　all　excited　or　impressed　…　just　like　a　well…bred　West