letters from the cape-第16部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


　pomegranate　groves！　　It　is　of　no　use　to　describe　this　scenery；　it　is　always　mountains；　and　always　beautiful　opal　mountains；　quite　without　the　gloom　of　European　mountain　scenery。　　The　atmosphere　must　make　the　charm。　　I　hear　that　an　English　traveller　went　the　same　journey　and　found　all　barren　from　Dan　to　Beersheba。　　I'm　sorry　for　him。

In　the　morning　of　Sunday；　early；　I　walked　along　the　road　with　Sabaal；　and　saw　a　picture　I　shall　never　forget。　　A　little　Malabar　girl　had　just　been　bathing　in　the　Sloot；　and　had　put　her　scanty　shift　on　her　lovely　little　wet　brown　body；　she　stood　in　the　water　with　the　drops　glittering　on　her　brown　skin　and　black；　satin　hair；　the　perfection　of　youthful　loveliness　…　a　naiad　of　ten　years　old。　When　the　shape　and　features　are　PERFECT；　as　hers　were；　the　coffee…　brown　shows　it　better　than　our　colour；　on　account　of　its　perfect　EVENNESS　…　like　the　dead　white　of　marble。　　I　shall　never　forget　her　as　she　stood　playing　with　the　leaves　of　the　gum…tree　which　hung　over　her；　and　gazing　with　her　glorious　eyes　so　placidly。

On　Monday　morning；　I　walked　off　early　to　the　old　DROSDY　（Landdrost's　house）；　found　an　old　gentleman；　who　turned　out　to　be　the　owner；　and　who　asked　me　my　name　and　all　the　rest　of　the　Dutch　'litanei'　of　questions；　and　showed　me　the　pretty　old　Dutch　garden　and　the　house　…　a　very　handsome　one。　　I　walked　back　to　breakfast；　and　thought　Worcester　the　prettiest　place　I　had　ever　seen。　　We　then　started　for　Paarl；　and　drove　through　'Bain's　Kloof'；　a　splendid　mountain…pass；　four　hours'　long；　constant　driving。　　It　was　glorious；　but　more　like　what　one　had　seen　in　pictures　…　a　deep；　narrow　gorge；　almost　dark　in　places；　and；　to　my　mind；　lacked　the　BEAUTY　of　the　yesterday's　drive；　though　it　is；　perhaps；　grander；　but　the　view　which　bursts　on　one　at　the　top；　and　the　descent；　winding　down　the　open　mountain…side；　is　too　fine　to　describe。　Table　Mountain；　like　a　giant's　stronghold；　seen　far　distant；　with　an　immense　plain；　half　fertile；　half　white　sand；　to　the　left；　Wagenmaker's　Vley；　and　further　on；　the　Paarl　lying　scattered　on　the　slope　of　a　mountain　topped　with　two　DOMES；　just　the　shape　of　the　cup　which　Lais　（wasn't　it？）　presented　to　the　temple　of　Venus；　moulded　on　her　breast。　　The　horses　were　tired；　so　we　stopped　at　Waggon…maker's　Valley　（or　Wellington；　as　the　English　try　to　get　it　called）；　and　found　ourselves　in　a　true　Flemish　village；　and　under　the　roof　of　a　jolly　Dutch　hostess；　who　gave　us　divine　coffee　and　bread…and…butter；　which　seemed　ambrosia　after　being　deprived　of　those　luxuries　for　almost　three　months。　　Also　new　milk　in　abundance；　besides　fruit　of　all　kinds　in　vast　heaps；　and　pomegranates　off　the　tree。　　I　asked　her　to　buy　me　a　few　to　take　in　the　cart；　and　got　a　'muid'；　the　third　of　a　sack；　for　a　shilling；　with　a　bill；　'U　bekomt　1　muid　28　granaeten　dat　Kostet　1S。'　　The　old　lady　would　walk　out　with　me　and　take　me　into　the　shops；　to　show　the　'vrow　uit　Engelland'　to　her　friends。　　It　was　a　lovely　place；　intensely　hot；　all　glowing　with　sunshine。　　Then　the　sun　went　down；　and　the　high　mountains　behind　us　were　precisely　the　colour　of　a　Venice　ruby　glass　…　really；　truly；　and　literally；　…　not　purple；　not　crimson；　but　glowing　ruby…red　…　and　the　quince…hedges　and　orange…　trees　below　looked　INTENSELY　green；　and　the　houses　snow…white。　　It　was　a　transfiguration　…　no　less。

I　saw　Hottentots　again；　four　of　them；　from　some　remote　corner；　so　the　race　is　not　quite　extinct。　　These　were　youngish；　two　men　and　two　women；　quite　light　yellow；　not　darker　than　Europeans；　and　with　little　tiny　black　knots　of　wool　scattered　over　their　heads　at　intervals。　　They　are　hideous　in　face；　but　exquisitely　shaped　…　very；　very　small　though。　　One　of　the　men　was　drunk；　poor　wretch；　and　looked　the　picture　of　misery。　　You　can　see　the　fineness　of　their　senses　by　the　way　in　which　they　dart　their　glances　and　prick　their　ears。　　Every　one　agrees　that；　when　tamed；　they　make　the　best　of　servants　…　gentle；　clever；　and　honest；　but　the　penny…a…glass　wine　they　can't　resist；　unless　when　caught　and　tamed　young。　　They　work　in　the　fields；　or　did　so　as　long　as　any　were　left；　but　even　here；　I　was　told；　it　was　a　wonder　to　see　them。

We　went　on　through　the　Paarl；　a　sweet　pretty　place；　reminding　one　vaguely　of　Bonchurch；　and　still　through　fine　mountains；　with　Scotch　firs　growing　like　Italian　stone　pines；　and　farms；　and　vineyard　upon　vineyard。　　At　Stellenbosch　we　stopped。　　I　had　been　told　it　was　the　prettiest　town　in　the　colony；　and　it　IS　very　pretty；　with　oak…trees　all　along　the　street；　like　those　at　Paarl　and　Wagenmakkers　Vley；　but　I　was　disappointed。　　It　was　less　beautiful　than　what　I　had　seen。　　Besides；　the　evening　was　dull　and　cold。　　The　south…easter　greeted　us　here；　and　I　could　not　go　out　all　the　afternoon。　　The　inn　was　called　'Railway　Hotel'；　and　kept　by　low　coarse　English　people；　who　gave　us　a　filthy　dinner；　dirty　sheets；　and　an　atrocious　breakfast；　and　charged　1L。　3S。　6D。　for　the　same　meals　and　time　as　old　Vrow　Langfeldt　had　charged　12S。　for；　and　had　given　civility；　cleanliness；　and　abundance　of　excellent　food；　…　besides　which；　she　fed　Sabaal　gratis；　and　these　people　fleeced　him　as　they　did　me。　So；　next　morning；　we　set　off；　less　pleasantly　disposed；　for　Capetown；　over　the　flat；　which　is　dreary　enough；　and　had　a　horrid　south…easter。　　We　started　early；　and　got　in　before　the　wind　became　a　hurricane；　which　it　did　later。　　We　were　warmly　welcomed　by　Mrs。　R…；　and　here　I　am　in　my　old　room；　looking　over　the　beautiful　bay；　quite　at　home　again。　　It　blew　all　yesterday；　and　having　rather　a　sore…throat　I　stayed　in　bed；　and　to…day　is　all　bright　and　beautiful。　　But　Capetown　looks　murky　after　Caledon　and　Worcester；　there　is；　to　my　eyes；　quite　a　haze　over　the　mountains；　and　they　look　far　off　and　indistinct。　　All　is　comparative　in　this　world；　even　African　skies。　　At　Caledon；　the　most　distant　mountains；　as　far　as　your　eye　can　reach；　look　as　clear　in　every　detail　as　the　map　on　your　table　…　an　appearance　utterly　new　to　European　eyes。

I　gave　Sabaal　1L。　for　his　eight　days'　service　as　driver；　as　a　Drinkgelt；　and　the　worthy　fellow　was　in　ecstasies　of　gratitude。　Next　morning　early；　he　appeared　with　a　present　of　bananas；　and　his　little　girl　dressed　from　head　to　foot　in　brand…new　clothes；　bought　out　of　my　money；　with　her　wool　screwed　up　extremely　tight　in　little　knots　on　her　black　little　head　（evidently　her　mother　is　the　blackest　of　Caffres　or　Mozambiques）。　　The　child　looked　like　a　Caffre；　and　her　father　considers　her　quite　a　pearl。　　I　had　her　in；　and　admired　the　little　thing　loud　enough　for　him　to　hear　outside；　as　I　lay　in　bed。　　You　see；　I　too　was　to　have　my　share　in　the　pleasure　of　the　new　clothes。　　This　readiness　to　believe　that　one　will　sympathize　with　them；　is　very　pleasing　in　the　Malays。

March　15。

I　went　to　see　my　old　Malay　friends　and　to　buy　a　water…melon。　　They　were　in　all　the　misery　of　Ramadan。　　Betsy　and　pretty　Nassirah　very　thin　and　miserable；　and　the　pious　old　Abdool　sitting　on　a　little　barrel　waiting　for　'gun…fire'　…　i。e。　sunset；　to　fall　to　on　the　supper　which　old　Betsy　was　setting　out。　　He　was　silent；　and　the　corners　of　his　mouth　were　drawn　down　just　like　…'s　at　an　evening　party。

I　shall　go　to…morrow　to　bid　the　T…s　good…bye；　at　Wynberg。　　I　was　to　have　spent　a　few　days　there；　but　Wynberg　is　cold　at　night　and　dampish；　so　I　declined　that。　　She　is　a　nice　woman　…　Irish；　and　so　innocent　and　frank　and　well…bred。　　She　has　been　at　Cold　Bokke　Veld；　and　shocked　her　puritanical　host　by　admiring　the　naked　Caffres　who　worked　on　his　farm。　　He　wanted　them　to　wear　clothes。

We　have　been　amused　by　the　airs　of　a　naval　captain　and　his　wife；　who　are　just　come　here。　　They　complained　that　the　merchant…service　officers　spoke　FAMILIARLY　to　their　children　on　board。　　QUEL　AUDACE！　When　I　think　of　the　excellent；　modest；　manly　young　fellows　who　talked　very　familiarly　and　pleasantly　to　me　on　board　the　ST。　LAWRENCE；　I　long　to　reprimand　these　foolish　people。

Friday；　21st。　…　I　am　just　come　from　prayer；　at　the　Mosque　in　Chiappini　Street；　on　the　outskirts　of　the　town。　　A　most　striking　sight。　　A　large　room；　like　a　county　ball…room；　with　glass　chandeliers；　carpeted　with　common　carpet；　all　but　a　space　at　the　entrance；　railed　off　for　shoes；　the　Caaba　and　pulpit　at　one　end；　over　the　niche；　a　crescent　painted；　and　over　the　entrance　door　a　crescent；　an　Arabic　inscription；　and　the　royal　arms　of　England！　　A　fat　jolly　Mollah　looked　amazed　as　I　ascended　the　steps；　but　when　I　touched　my　forehead　and　said；　'Salaam　Aleikoom'；　he　laughed　and　said；　'Salaam；　Salaam；　come　in；　come　in。'　　The　faithful　poured　in；　all　neatly　dressed　in　their　loose　drab　trousers；　blue　jackets；　and　red　handkerchiefs　on　their　heads；　they　left　their　wooden　clogs　in　company；　with　my　shoes；　and　proceeded；　as　it　appeared；　to　strip。　Off　went　jackets；　waistcoats；　and　trousers；　with　the　dexterity　of　a　pantomime　transformation；　the　red　handkerchief　was　replaced　by　a　white　skullcap；　and　a　long　large　white　shirt　and　full　white　drawers　flowed　around　them。　　How　it　had　all　been　stuffed　into　the　trim　jacket　and　trousers；　one　could　not　conceive。　　Gay　sashes　and　scarves　were　pulled　out　of　a　little　bundle　in　a　clean　silk　handkerchief；　and　a　towel　served　as　prayer…carpet。　　In　a　moment　the　whole　scene　was　as　oriental　as　if　the　Hansom　cab　I　had　come　in　existed　no　more。　　Women　suckled　their　children；　and　boys　played　among　the　clogs　and　shoes　all　the　time；　and　I　sat　on　the　floor　in　a　remote　corner。　　The　chanting　was　very　fine；　and　the　whole　ceremony　very　decorous　and　solemn。　　It　lasted　an　hour；　and　then　the　little　heaps　of　garments　were　put　on；　and　the　congregation　dispersed；　each　man　first　laying　a　penny　on　a　very　curious　little　old　Dutch…　looking；　heavy；　iron…bound　chest；　which　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　room。

I　have　just　heard　that　the　post　closes　to…night　and　must　say　farewell　…　A　RIVEDERCI。



LETTER　XI



Capetown；　March　20th。

Dearest　mother；

Dr。　Shea　says　he　fears　I　must　not　winter　in　England　yet；　but　that　I　am　greatly　improved　…　as；　indeed；　I　could　tell　him。　　He　is　another　of　the　kind　'sea　doctors'　I　have　met　with；　he　came　all　the　way　from　Simon's　Bay　to　see　me；　and　then　said；　'What　nonsense　is　that？'　when　I　offered　him　a　fee。　　This　is　a　very　nice　place　up　in　the　'gardens'；　quite　out　of　the　town　and　very　comfortable。　　But　I　regret　Caledon。　　A…