letters from the cape-第3部分

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iful；　and　we　made　so　much　lee…way　that　we　lost　ten　days；　and　only　arrived　here　yesterday。　　I　recommend　a　fortnight's　heavy　gale　in　the　South　Atlantic　as　a　cure　for　a　BLASE　state　of　mind。　　It　cannot　be　described；　the　sound；　the　sense　of　being　hurled　along　without　the　smallest　regard　to　'this　side　uppermost'；　the　beauty　of　the　whole　scene；　and　the　occasional　crack　and　bear…away　of　sails　and　spars；　the　officer　trying　to　'sing　out'；　quite　in　vain；　and　the　boatswain's　whistle　scarcely　audible。　　I　remained　near　the　wheel　every　day　for　as　long　as　I　could　bear　it；　and　was　enchanted。

Then　the　mortal　perils　of　eating；　drinking；　moving；　sitting；　lying；　standing　can't　be　done；　even　by　the　sailors；　without　holding　on。　THE　night　of　the　gale；　my　cot　twice　touched　the　beams　of　the　ship　above　me。　　I　asked　the　captain　if　I　had　dreamt　it；　but　he　said　it　was　quite　possible；　he　had　never　seen　a　ship　so　completely　on　her　beam　ends　come　up　all　right；　masts　and　yards　all　sound。

There　is　a　middy　about　half　M…'s　size；　a　very　tiny　ten…year…older；　who　has　been　my　delight；　he　is　so　completely　'the　officer　and　the　gentleman'。　　My　maternal　entrails　turned　like　old　Alvarez；　when　that　baby　lay　out　on　the　very　end　of　the　cross…jack　yard　to　reef；　in　the　gale；　it　was　quite　voluntary；　and　the　other　newcomers　all　declined。　　I　always　called　him　'Mr。　…；　sir'；　and　asked　his　leave　gravely；　or；　on　occasions；　his　protection　and　assistance；　and　his　little　dignity　was　lovely。　　He　is　polite　to　the　ladies；　and　slightly　distant　to　the　passenger…boys；　bigger　than　himself；　whom　he　orders　off　dangerous　places；　'Children；　come　out　of　that；　you'll　be　overboard。'

A　few　days　before　landing　I　caught　a　bad　cold；　and　kept　my　bed。　　I　caught　this　cold　by　'sleeping　with　a　damp　man　in　my　cabin'；　as　some　one　said。　　During　the　last　gale；　the　cabin　opposite　mine　was　utterly　swamped；　and　I　found　the　Irish　soldier…servant　of　a　little　officer　of　eighteen　in　despair；　the　poor　lad　had　got　ague；　and　eight　inches　of　water　in　his　bed；　and　two　feet　in　the　cabin。　　I　looked　in　and　said；　'He　can't　stay　there　…　carry　him　into　my　cabin；　and　lay　him　in　the　bunk'；　which　he　did；　with　tears　running　down　his　honest　old　face。　　So　we　got　the　boy　into　S…'s　bed；　and　cured　his　fever　and　ague；　caught　under　canvas　in　Romney　Marsh。　　Meantime　S…　had　to　sleep　in　a　chair　and　to　undress　in　the　boy's　wet　cabin。　　As　a　token　of　gratitude；　he　sent　me　a　poodle　pup；　born　on　board；　very　handsome。　　The　artillery　officers　were　generally　well…behaved；　the　men；　deserters　and　ruffians；　sent　out　as　drivers。　　We　have　had　five　courts…martial　and　two　floggings　in　eight　weeks；　among　seventy　men。　They　were　pampered　with　food　and　porter；　and　would　not　pull　a　rope；　or　get　up　at　six　to　air　their　quarters。　　The　sailors　are　an　excellent　set　of　men。　　When　we　parted；　the　first　lieutenant　said　to　me；　'Weel；　ye've　a　wonderful　idee　of　discipline　for　a　leddy；　I　will　say。　　You've　never　been　reported　but　once；　and　that　was　on　sick　leave；　for　your　light；　and　all　in　order。'


Cape　Town；　Sept。　18。


We　anchored　yesterday　morning；　and　Captain　J…；　the　Port　Captain；　came　off　with　a　most　kind　letter　from　Sir　Baldwin　Walker；　his　gig；　and　a　boat　and　crew　for　S…　and　the　baggage。　　So　I　was　whipped　over　the　ship's　side　in　a　chair；　and　have　come　to　a　boarding　house　where　the　J…s　live。　　I　was　tired　and　dizzy　and　landsick；　and　lay　down　and　went　to　sleep。　　After　an　hour　or　so　I　woke；　hearing　a　little　GAZOUILLEMENT；　like　that　of　chimney　swallows。　　On　opening　my　eyes　I　beheld　four　demons；　'sons　of　the　obedient　Jinn'；　each　bearing　an　article　of　furniture；　and　holding　converse　over　me　in　the　language　of　Nephelecoecygia。　　Why　has　no　one　ever　mentioned　the　curious　little　soft　voices　of　these　coolies？　…　you　can't　hear　them　with　the　naked　ear；　three　feet　off。　　The　most　hideous　demon　（whose　complexion　had　not　only　the　colour；　but　the　precise　metallic　lustre　of　an　ill　black…leaded　stove）　at　last　chirruped　a　wish　for　orders；　which　I　gave。　　I　asked　the　pert；　active；　cockney　housemaid　what　I　ought　to　pay　them；　as；　being　a　stranger；　they　might　overcharge　me。　Her　scorn　was　sublime；　'Them　nasty　blacks　never　asks　more　than　their　regular　charge。'　　So　I　asked　the　black…lead　demon；　who　demanded　'two　shilling　each　horse　in　waggon'；　and　a　dollar　each　'coolie　man'。　　He　then　glided　with　fiendish　noiselessness　about　the　room；　arranged　the　furniture　to　his　own　taste；　and　finally　said；　'Poor　missus　sick'；　then　more　chirruping　among　themselves；　and　finally　a　fearful　gesture　of　incantation；　accompanied　by　'God　bless　poor　missus。　　Soon　well　now'。　　The　wrath　of　the　cockney　housemaid　became　majestic：　　'There；　ma'am；　you　see　how　saucy　they　have　grown　…　a　nasty　black　heathen　Mohamedan　a　blessing　of　a　white　Christian！'

These　men　are　the　Auvergnats　of　Africa。　　I　was　assured　that　bankers　entrust　them　with　large　sums　in　gold；　which　they　carry　some　hundred　and　twenty　miles；　by　unknown　tracks；　for　a　small　gratuity。　　The　pretty；　graceful　Malays　are　no　honester　than　ourselves；　but　are　excellent　workmen。

To…morrow；　my　linen　will　go　to　a　ravine　in　the　giant　mountain　at　my　back；　and　there　be　scoured　in　a　clear　spring　by　brown　women；　bleached　on　the　mountain　top；　and　carried　back　all　those　long　miles　on　their　heads；　as　it　went　up。

My　landlady　is　Dutch；　the　waiter　is　an　Africander；　half　Dutch；　half　Malay；　very　handsome；　and　exactly　like　a　French　gentleman；　and　as　civil。

Enter　'Africander'　lad　with　a　nosegay；　only　one　flower　that　I　know　…　heliotrope。　　The　vegetation　is　lovely；　the　freshness　of　spring　and　the　richness　of　summer。　　The　leaves　on　the　trees　are　in　all　the　beauty　of　spring。　　Mrs。　R…　brought　me　a　plate　of　oranges；　'just　gathered'；　as　soon　as　I　entered　the　house　…　and；　oh！　how　good　they　were！　better　even　than　the　Maltese。　　They　are　going　out；　and　DEAR　now　…　two　a　penny；　very　large　and　delicious。　　I　am　wild　to　get　out　and　see　the　glorious　scenery　and　the　hideous　people。　　To…day　the　wind　has　been　a　cold　south…wester；　and　I　have　not　been　out。　　My　windows　look　N。　and　E。　so　I　get　all　the　sun　and　warmth。　　The　beauty　of　Table　Bay　is　astounding。　　Fancy　the　Undercliff　in　the　Isle　of　Wight　magnified　a　hundred…fold；　with　clouds　floating　halfway　up　the　mountain。　　The　Hottentot　mountains　in　the　distance　have　a　fantastic　jagged　outline；　which　hardly　looks　real。　　The　town　is　like　those　in　the　south　of　Europe；　flat　roofs；　and　all　unfinished；　roads　are　simply　non…existent。　　At　the　doors　sat　brown　women　with　black　hair　that　shone　like　metal；　very　handsome；　they　are　Malays；　and　their　men　wear　conical　hats　a…top　of　turbans；　and　are　the　chief　artisans。　At　the　end　of　the　pier　sat　a　Mozambique　woman　in　white　drapery　and　the　most　majestic　attitude；　like　a　Roman　matron；　her　features　large　and　strong　and　harsh；　but　fine；　and　her　skin　blacker　than　night。

I　have　got　a　couple　of　Cape　pigeons　（the　storm…bird　of　the　South　Atlantic）　for　J…'s　hat。　　They　followed　us　several　thousand　miles；　and　were　hooked　for　their　pains。　　The　albatrosses　did　not　come　within　hail。

The　little　Maltese　goat　gave　a　pint　of　milk　night　and　morning；　and　was　a　great　comfort　to　the　cow。　　She　did　not　like　the　land　or　the　grass　at　first；　and　is　to　be　thrown　out　of　milk　now。　　She　is　much　admired　and　petted　by　the　young　Africander。　　My　room　is　at　least　eighteen　feet　high；　and　contains　exactly　a　bedstead；　one　straw　mattrass；　one　rickety　table；　one　wash…table；　two　chairs；　and　broken　looking…glass；　no　carpet；　and　a　hiatus　of　three　inches　between　the　floor　and　the　door；　but　all　very　clean；　and　excellent　food。　　I　have　not　made　a　bargain　yet；　but　I　dare　say　I　shall　stay　here。

Friday。　…　I　have　just　received　your　letter；　where　it　has　been　hiding；　I　can't　conceive。　　To…day　is　cold　and　foggy；　like　a　baddish　day　in　June　with　you；　no　colder；　if　so　cold。　　Still；　I　did　not　venture　out；　the　fog　rolls　so　heavily　over　the　mountain。　　Well；　I　must　send　off　this　yarn；　which　is　as　interminable　as　the　'sinnet'　and　'foxes'　which　I　twisted　with　the　mids。



LETTER　II



Cape　Town；　Oct。　3。

I　came　on　shore　on　a　very　fine　day；　but　the　weather　changed；　and　we　had　a　fortnight　of　cold　and　damp　and　S。W。　wind　（equivalent　to　our　east　wind）；　such　as　the　'oldest　inhabitant'　never　experienced；　and　I　have　had　as　bad　an　attack　of　bronchitis　as　ever　I　remember；　having　been　in　bed　till　yesterday。　　I　had　a　very　good　doctor；　half　Italian；　half　Dane；　born　at　the　Cape　of　Good　Hope；　and　educated　at　Edinburgh；　named　Chiappini。　　He　has　a　son　studying　medicine　in　London；　whose　mother　is　Dutch；　such　is　the　mixture　of　bloods　here。

Yesterday；　the　wind　went　to　the　south…east；　the　blessed　sun　shone　out；　and　the　weather　was　lovely　at　once。　　The　mountain　threw　off　his　cloak　of　cloud；　and　all　was　bright　and　warm。　　I　got　up　and　sat　in　the　verandah　over　the　stoep　（a　kind　of　terrace　in　front　of　every　house　here）。　　They　brought　me　a　tortoise　as　big　as　half　a　crown　and　as　lively　as　a　cricket　to　look　at；　and　a　chameleon　like　a　fairy　dragon　…　a　green　fellow；　five　inches　long；　with　no　claws　on　his　feet；　but　suckers　like　a　fly　…　the　most　engaging　little　beast。　　He　sat　on　my　finger；　and　caught　flies　with　great　delight　and　dexterity；　and　I　longed　to　send　him　to　M…。　　To…day；　I　went　a　long　drive　with　Captain　and　Mrs。　J…：　　we　went　to　Rondebosch　and　Wynberg　…　lovely　country；　rather　like　Herefordshire；　red　earth　and　oak…　trees。　　Miles　of　the　road　were　like　Gainsborough…lane；　on　a　large　scale；　and　looked　quite　English；　only　here　and　there　a　hedge　of　prickly　pear；　or　the　big　white　aruns　in　the　ditches；　told　a　different　tale；　and　the　scarlet　geraniums　and　myrtles　growing　wild　puzzled　one。

And　then　came　rattling　along　a　light；　rough；　but　well…poised　cart；　with　an　Arab　screw　driven　by　a　Malay；　in　a　great　hat　on　his　kerchiefed　head；　and　his　wife；　with　her　neat　dress；　glossy　black　hair；　and　great　gold　earrings。　　They　were　coming　with　fish；　which　he　had　just　caught　at　Kalk　Bay；　and　was　going　to　sell　for　the　dinners　of　the　Capetown　folk。　　You　pass　neat　villas；　with　pretty　gardens　and　stoeps；　gay　with　flowers；　and　at　the　doors　of　several；　neat　Malay　girls　are　lounging。　　They　are　the　best　servants　here；　for　the　emigrants　mostly　drink。　　Then　you　see　a　group　of　children　at　play；　some　as　black　as　coals；　some　brown　and　very　pretty。　　A　little　black　girl；　about　R…'s　age；　has　carefully　tied　what　little　petticoat　she　has；