letters from the cape-第12部分

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l　excited　or　impressed　…　just　like　a　well…bred　West…end　audience；　only　rather　more　attentive。　　The　service　lasted　three…　quarters　of　an　hour；　including　a　short　prayer　and　two　hymns。　　The　people　came　out　and　filed　off　in　total　silence；　and　very　quickly；　the　tall　graceful　girls　draping　their　gay　silk　shawls　beautifully。　There　are　seven　missionaries；　all　in　orders　but　one；　the　blacksmith；　and　all　married；　except　the　resident　director　of　the　boys'　boarding…school；　there　is　a　doctor；　a　carpenter；　a　cabinet…　maker；　a　shoe…maker；　and　a　storekeeper　…　a　very　agreeable　man；　who　had　been　missionary　in　Greenland　and　Labrador；　and　interpreter　to　MacClure。　　There　is　one　'Studirter　Theolog'。　　All　are　Germans；　and　so　are　their　wives。　　My　friend　the　storekeeper　married　without　having　ever　beheld　his　wife　before　they　met　at　the　altar；　and　came　on　board　ship　at　once　with　her。　　He　said　it　was　as　good　a　way　of　marrying　as　any　other；　and　that　they　were　happy　together。　　She　was　lying　in；　so　I　did　not　see　her。　　At　eight　years　old；　their　children　are　all　sent　home　to　Germany　to　be　educated；　and　they　seldom　see　them　again。　　On　each　side　of　the　church　are　schools；　and　next　to　them　the　missionaries'　houses　on　one　side　of　the　square；　and　on　the　other　a　row　of　workshops；　where　the　Hottentots　are　taught　all　manner　of　trades。　　I　have　got　a　couple　of　knives；　made　at　Gnadenthal；　for　the　children。　　The　girls　occupy　the　school　in　the　morning；　and　the　boys　in　the　afternoon；　half　a　day　is　found　quite　enough　of　lessons　in　this　climate。　　The　infant　school　was　of　both　sexes；　but　a　different　set　morning　and　afternoon。　　The　missionaries'　children　were　in　the　infant　school；　and　behind　the　little　blonde　German　'Madels'　three　jet　black　niggerlings　rolled　over　each　other　like　pointer…pups；　and　grinned；　and　didn't　care　a　straw　for　the　spelling；　while　the　dingy　yellow　little　bastaards　were　straining　their　black　eyes　out；　with　eagerness　to　answer　the　master's　questions。　　He　and　the　mistress　were　both　Bastaards；　and　he　seemed　an　excellent　teacher。　　The　girls　were　learning　writing　from　a　master；　and　Bible　history　from　a　mistress；　also　people　of　colour；　and　the　stupid　set　（mostly　black）　were　having　spelling　hammered　into　their　thick　skulls　by　another　yellow　mistress；　in　another　room。　　At　the　boarding　school　were　twenty　lads；　from　thirteen　up　to　twenty；　in　training　for　school…teachers　at　different　stations。　　Gnadenthal　supplies　the　Church　of　England　with　them；　as　well　as　their　own　stations。　　There　were　Caffres；　Fingoes；　a　Mantatee；　one　boy　evidently　of　some　Oriental　blood；　with　glossy；　smooth　hair　and　a　copper　skin　…　and　the　rest　Bastaards　of　various　hues；　some　mixed　with　black；　probably　Mozambique。　　The　Caffre　lads　were　splendid　young　Hercules'。　　They　had　just　printed　the　first　book　in　the　Caffre　language　（I've　got　it　for　Dr。　Hawtrey；）　…　extracts　from　the　New　Testament；　…　and　I　made　them　read　the　sheets　they　were　going　to　bind；　it　is　a　beautiful　language；　like　Spanish　in　tone；　only　with　a　queer　'click'　in　it。　　The　boys　drew；　like　Chinese；　from　'copies'；　and　wrote　like　copper…plate；　they　sang　some　of　Mendelssohn's　choruses　from　'St。　Paul'　splendidly；　the　Caffres　rolling　out　soft　rich　bass　voices；　like　melodious　thunder。　　They　are　clever　at　handicrafts；　and　fond　of　geography　and　natural　history；　incapable　of　mathematics；　quick　at　languages；　utterly　incurious　about　other　nations；　and　would　all　rather　work　in　the　fields　than　learn　anything　but　music；　good　boys；　honest；　but　'TROTZIG'。　　So　much　for　Caffres；　Fingoes；　&c。　　The　Bastaards　are　as　clever　as　whites；　and　more　docile　…　so　the　'rector'　told　me。　　The　boy　who　played　the　organ　sang　the　'Lorelei'　like　an　angel；　and　played　us　a　number　of　waltzes　and　other　things　on　the　piano；　but　he　was　too　shy　to　talk；　while　the　Caffres　crowded　round　me；　and　chattered　away　merrily。　　The　Mantatees；　whom　I　cannot　distinguish　from　Caffres；　are　scattered　all　over　the　colony；　and　rival　the　English　as　workmen　and　labourers　…　fine　stalwart；　industrious　fellows。　　Our　little　'boy'　Kleenboy　hires　a　room　for　fifteen　shillings　a　month；　and　takes　in　his　compatriots　as　lodgers　at　half　a　crown　a　week　…　the　usurious　little　rogue！　　His　chief；　one　James；　is　a　bricklayer　here；　and　looks　and　behaves　like　a　prince。　　It　is　fine　to　see　his　black　arms；　ornamented　with　silver　bracelets；　hurling　huge　stones　about。

All　Gnadenthal　is　wonderfully　fruitful；　being　well　watered；　but　it　is　not　healthy　for　whites；　I　imagine；　too　hot　and　damp。　　There　are　three　or　four　thousand　coloured　people　there；　under　the　control　of　the　missionaries；　who　allow　no　canteens　at　all。　　The　people　may　have　what　they　please　at　home；　but　no　public　drinking…place　is　allowed；　and　we　had　to　take　our　own　beer　and　wine　for　the　three　days。　　The　gardens　and　burial…ground　are　beautiful；　and　the　square　is　entirely　shaded　by　about　ten　or　twelve　superb　oaks；　nothing　prettier　can　be　conceived。　　It　is　not　popular　in　the　neighbourhood。　'You　see　it　makes　the　d…d　niggers　cheeky'　to　have　homes　of　their　own　…　and　the　girls　are　said　to　be　immoral。　　As　to　that；　there　are　no　so…called　'morals'　among　the　coloured　people；　and　how　or　why　should　there？　　It　is　an　honour　to　one　of　these　girls　to　have　a　child　by　a　white　man；　and　it　is　a　degradation　to　him　to　marry　a　dark　girl。　　A　pious　stiff　old　Dutchwoman　who　came　here　the　other　day　for　the　Sacrament　（which　takes　place　twice　a　year）；　had　one　girl　with　her；　big　with　child　by　her　son；　who　also　came　for　the　Sacrament；　and　two　in　the　straw　at　home　by　the　other　son；　this　caused　her　exactly　as　much　emotion　as　I　feel　when　my　cat　kittens。　No　one　takes　any　notice；　either　to　blame　or　to　nurse　the　poor　things　…　they　scramble　through　it　as　pussy　does。　　The　English　are　almost　equally　contemptuous；　but　there　is　one　great　difference。　　My　host；　for　instance；　always　calls　a　black　'a　d…d　nigger'；　but　if　that　nigger　is　wronged　or　oppressed　he　fights　for　him；　or　bails　him　out　of　the　Tronk；　and　an　English　jury　gives　a　just　verdict；　while　a　Dutch　one　simply　finds　for　a　Dutchman；　against　any　one　else；　and　ALWAYS　against　a　dark　man。　　I　believe　this　to　be　true；　from　what　I　have　seen　and　heard；　and　certainly　the　coloured　people　have　a　great　preference　for　the　English。

I　am　persecuted　by　the　ugliest　and　blackest　Mozambiquer　I　have　yet　seen；　a　bricklayer's　labourer；　who　can　speak　English；　and　says　he　was　servant　to　an　English　Captain　…　'Oh；　a　good　fellow　he　was；　only　he's　dead！'　　He　now　insists　on　my　taking　him　as　a　servant。　　'I　dessay　your　man　at　home　is　a　good　chap；　and　I'll　be　a　good　boy；　and　cook　very　nice。'　　He　is　thick…set　and　short　and　strong。　　Nature　has　adorned　him　with　a　cock　eye　and　a　yard　of　mouth；　and　art；　with　a　prodigiously　tall　white　chimney…pot　hat　with　the　crown　out；　a　cotton　nightcap；　and　a　wondrous　congeries　of　rags。　　He　professes　to　be　cook；　groom；　and　'walley'；　and　is　sure　you　would　be　pleased　with　his　attentions。

Well；　to　go　back　to　Gnadenthal。　　I　wandered　all　over　the　village　on　Sunday　afternoon；　and　peeped　into　the　cottages。　　All　were　neat　and　clean；　with　good　dressers　of　crockery；　the　VERY　poorest；　like　the　worst　in　Weybridge　sandpits；　but　they　had　no　glass　windows；　only　a　wooden　shutter；　and　no　doors；　a　calico　curtain；　or　a　sort　of　hurdle　supplying　its　place。　　The　people　nodded　and　said　'Good　day！'　but　took　no　further　notice　of　me；　except　the　poor　old　Hottentot；　who　was　seated　on　a　doorstep。　　He　rose　and　hobbled　up　to　meet　me　and　take　my　hand　again。　　He　seemed　to　enjoy　being　helped　along　and　seated　down　carefully；　and　shook　and　patted　my　hand　repeatedly　when　I　took　leave　of　him。　　At　this　the　people　stared　a　good　deal；　and　one　woman　came　to　talk　to　me。

In　the　evening　I　sat　on　a　bench　in　the　square；　and　saw　the　people　go　in　to　'Abendsegen'。　　The　church　was　lighted；　and　as　I　sat　there　and　heard　the　lovely　singing；　I　thought　it　was　impossible　to　conceive　a　more　romantic　scene。　　On　Monday　I　saw　all　the　schools；　and　then　looked　at　the　great　strong　Caffre　lads　playing　in　the　square。　　One　of　them　stood　to　be　pelted　by　five　or　six　others；　and　as　the　stones　came；　he　twisted　and　turned　and　jumped；　and　was　hardly　ever　hit；　and　when　he　was；　he　didn't　care；　though　the　others　hurled　like　catapults。　　It　was　the　most　wonderful　display　of　activity　and　grace；　and　quite　incredible　that　such　a　huge　fellow　should　be　so　quick　and　light。　　When　I　found　how　comfortable　dear　old　Mrs。　Rietz　made　me；　I　was　sorry　I　had　hired　the　cart　and　kept　it　to　take　me　home；　for　I　would　gladly　have　stayed　longer；　and　the　heat　did　me　no　harm；　but　I　did　not　like　to　throw　away　a　pound　or　two；　and　drove　back　that　evening。　　Mrs。　Rietz；　told　me　her　mother　was　a　Mozambiquer。　　'And　your　father？'　said　I。　　'Oh；　I　don't　know。　MY　MOTHER　WAS　ONLY　A　SLAVE。'　　She；　too；　was　a　slave；　but　said　she　'never　knew　it'；　her　'missus'　was　so　good；　a　Dutch　lady；　at　a　farm　I　had　passed；　on　the　road；　who　had　a　hundred　and　fifty　slaves。　　I　liked　my　Hottentot　hut　amazingly；　and　the　sweet　brown　bread；　and　the　dinner　cooked　so　cleanly　on　the　bricks　in　the　kitchen。　　The　walls　were　whitewashed　and　adorned　with　wreaths　of　everlasting　flowers　and　some　quaint　old　prints　from　Loutherburg　…　pastoral　subjects；　not　exactly　edifying。

Well；　I　have　prosed　unconscionably；　so　adieu　for　the　present。

February　3d。　…　Many　happy　returns　of　your　birthday；　dear　…。　　I　had　a　bottle　of　champagne　to　drink　your　health；　and　partly　to　swell　the　bill；　which　these　good　people　make　so　moderate；　that　I　am　half　ashamed。　　I　get　everything　that　Caledon　can　furnish　for　myself　and　S…　for　15L。　a　month。

On　Saturday　we　got　the　sad　news　of　Prince　Albert's　death；　and　it　created　real　consternation　here。　　What　a　thoroughly　unexpected　calamity！　　Every　one　is　already　dressed　in　deep　mourning。　　It　is　more　general　than　in　a　village　of　the　same　size　at　home　…　（how　I　have　caught　the　colonial　trick　of　always　saying　'home'　for　England！　Dutchmen　who　can　barely　speak　English；　and　never　did　or　will　see　England；　equally　talk　of　'news　from　home'）。　　It　also　seems；　by　the　papers　of　the　24th　of　December；　which　came　by　a　steamer　the　other　day；　that　war　is　imminent。　　I　shall　have　to　wait　for　convoy；　I　suppose；　as　I　object　to　walking　the　plank　from　a　Yankee　privateer。　I　shall　wait　here　for　the　next　mail；　and　then　go　back　to　Capetown；　stopping　by　the　way；　so　as　to　get　there　early　in　March；　and　arrange　for　my　voya