letters from the cape-第6部分

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；　with　sunshine；　flowers；　and　orange…groves。　　We　got　home　hungry　and　tired；　but　in　great　spirits。　　Alas！　next　day　came　the　south…easter　…　blacker；　colder；　more　cutting；　than　ever　…　and　lasted　a　week。

The　Walkers　came　over　on　horseback；　and　pressed　me　to　go　to　them。　They　are　most　kind　and　agreeable　people。　　The　drive　to　Simon's　Bay　was　lovely；　along　the　coast　and　across　five　beaches　of　snow…white　sand；　which　look　like　winter　landscapes；　and　the　mountains　and　bay　are　lovely。

Living　is　very　dear；　and　washing；　travelling；　chemist's　bills　…　all　enormous。　　Thirty　shillings　a　cart　and　horse　from　Rathfelder　here　…　twelve　miles；　and　then　the　young　English　host　wanted　me　to　hire　another　cart　for　one　box　and　one　bath！　　But　I　would　not；　and　my　obstinacy　was　stoutest。　　If　I　want　cart　or　waggon　again；　I'll　deal　with　a　Malay；　only　the　fellows　drive　with　forty　Jehu…power　up　and　down　the　mountains。

A　Madagascar　woman　offered　to　give　me　her　orphan　grandchild；　a　sweet　brown　fairy；　six　years　old；　with　long　silky　black　hair；　and　gorgeous　eyes。　　The　child　hung　about　me　incessantly　all　the　time　I　was　at　Rathfelder；　and　I　had　a　great　mind　to　her。　　She　used　to　laugh　like　baby；　and　was　like　her　altogether；　only　prettier；　and　very　brown；　and　when　I　told　her　she　was　like　my　own　little　child；　she　danced　about；　and　laughed　like　mad　at　the　idea　that　she　could　look　like　'pretty　white　Missy'。　　She　was　mighty　proud　of　her　needlework　and　A　B　C　performances。

It　is　such　a　luxury　to　sleep　on　a　real　mattrass　…　not　stuffed　with　dirty　straw；　to　eat　clean　food；　and　live　in　a　nice　room。　　But　my　cough　is　very　bad；　and　the　cruel　wind　blows　on　and　on。　　I　saw　the　doctor　of　the　Naval　Hospital　here　to…day。　　If　I　don't　mend；　I　will　try　his　advice；　and　go　northward　for　warmth。　　If　you　can　find　an　old　Mulready　envelope；　send　it　here　to　Miss　Walker；　who　collects　stamps　and　has　not　got　it；　and　write　and　thank　dear　good　Lady　Walker　for　her　kindness　to　me。

You　will　get　this　about　the　new　year。　　God　bless　you　all；　and　send　us　better　days　in　1862。



LETTER　IV　…　JOURNEY　TO　CALEDON



Caledon；　Dec。　10th。

I　did　not　feel　at　all　well　at　Simon's　Bay；　which　is　a　land　of　hurricanes。　　We　had　a　'south…easter'　for　fourteen　days；　without　an　hour's　lull；　even　the　flag…ship　had　no　communication　with　the　shore　for　eight　days。　　The　good　old　naval　surgeon　there　ordered　me　to　start　off　for　this　high　'up…country'　district；　and　arranged　my　departure　for　the　first　POSSIBLE　day。　　He　made　a　bargain　for　me　with　a　Dutchman；　for　a　light　Malay　cart　（a　capital　vehicle　with　two　wheels）　and　four　horses；　for　30S。　a　day　…　three　days　to　Caledon　from　Simon's　Bay；　about　a　hundred　miles　or　so；　and　one　day　of　back　fare　to　his　home　in　Capetown。

Luckily；　on　Saturday　the　wind　dropped；　and　we　started　at　nine　o'clock；　drove　to　a　place　about　four　miles　from　Capetown；　when　we　turned　off　on　the　'country　road'；　and　outspanned　at　a　post…house　kept　by　a　nice　old　German　with　a　Dutch　wife。　　Once　well　out　of　Capetown；　people　are　civil；　but　inquisitive；　I　was　strictly　cross…　questioned；　and　proved　so　satisfactory；　that　the　old　man　wished　to　give　me　some　English　porter　gratis。　　We　then　jogged　along　again　at　a　very　good　pace　to　another　wayside　public；　where　we　outspanned　again　and　ate；　and　were　again　questioned；　and　again　made　much　of。　By　six　o'clock　we　got　to　the　Eerste　River；　having　gone　forty　miles　or　so　in　the　day。　　It　was　a　beautiful　day；　and　very　pleasant　travelling。　　We　had　three　good　little　half…Arab　bays；　and　one　brute　of　a　grey　as　off…wheeler；　who　fell　down　continually；　but　a　Malay　driver　works　miracles；　and　no　harm　came　of　it。　　The　cart　is　small；　with　a　permanent　tilt　at　top；　and　moveable　curtains　of　waterproof　all　round；　harness　of　raw　leather；　very　prettily　put　together　by　Malay　workmen。　　We　sat　behind；　and　our　brown　coachman；　with　his　mushroom　hat；　in　front；　with　my　bath　and　box；　and　a　miniature　of　himself　about　seven　years　old　…　a　nephew；　…　so　small　and　handy　that　he　would　be　worth　his　weight　in　jewels　as　a　tiger。　　At　Eerste　River　we　slept　in　a　pretty　old　Dutch　house；　kept　by　an　English　woman；　and　called　the　Fox　and　Hound；　'to　sound　like　home；　my　lady。'　　Very　nice　and　comfortable　it　was。

I　started　next　day　at　ten；　and　never　shall　I　forget　that　day's　journey。　　The　beauty　of　the　country　exceeds　all　description。　Ranges　of　mountains　beyond　belief　fantastic　in　shape；　and　between　them　a　rolling　country；　desolate　and　wild；　and　covered　with　gorgeous　flowers　among　the　'scrub'。　　First　we　came　to　Hottentot's　Holland　（now　called　Somerset　West）；　the　loveliest　little　old　Dutch　village；　with　trees　and　little　canals　of　bright　clear　mountain　water；　and　groves　of　orange　and　pomegranate；　and　white　houses；　with　incredible　gable　ends。　　We　tried　to　stop　here；　but　forage　was　ninepence　a　bundle；　and　the　true　Malay　would　rather　die　than　pay　more　than　he　can　help。　　So　we　pushed　on　to　the　foot　of　the　mountains；　and　bought　forage　（forage　is　oats　AU　NATURAL；　straw　and　all；　the　only　feed　known　here；　where　there　is　no　grass　or　hay）　at　a　farm　kept　by　English　people；　who　all　talked　Dutch　together；　only　one　girl　of　the　family　could　speak　English。　　They　were　very　civil；　asked　us　in；　and　gave　us　unripe　apricots；　and　the　girl　came　down　with　seven　flounces；　to　talk　with　us。　　Forage　was　still　ninepence　…　half　a　dollar　a　bundle　…　and　Choslullah　Jaamee　groaned　over　it；　and　said　the　horses　must　have　less　forage　and　'more　plenty　roll'　（a　roll　in　the　dust　is　often　the　only　refreshment　offered　to　the　beasts；　and　seems　to　do　great　good）。

We　got　to　Caledon　at　eleven；　and　drove　to　the　place　the　Doctor　recommended　…　formerly　a　country　house　of　the　Dutch　Governor。　　It　is　in　a　lovely　spot；　but　do　you　remember　the　Schloss　in　Immermann's　Neuer　Munchausen？　　Well；　it　is　that。　　A　ruin；　…　windows　half　broken　and　boarded　up；　the　handsome　steps　in　front　fallen　in；　and　all　EN　SUITE。　　The　rooms　I　saw　were　large　and　airy；　but　mud　floors；　white…　washed　walls；　one　chair；　one　stump　bedstead；　and　PRAETEREA　NIHIL。　It　has　a　sort　of　wild；　romantic　look；　I　hear；　too；　it　is　wonderfully　healthy；　and　not　so　bad　as　it　looks。　　The　long　corridor　is　like　the　entrance　to　a　great　stable；　or　some　such　thing；　earth　floors　and　open　to　all　winds。　　But　you　can't　imagine　it；　however　I　may　describe；　it　is　so　huge　and　strange；　and　ruinous。　　Finding　that　the　mistress　of　the　house　was　ill；　and　nothing　ready　for　our　reception；　I　drove　on　to　the　inn。　　Rain；　like　a　Scotch　mist；　came　on　just　as　we　arrived；　and　it　is　damp　and　chilly；　to　the　delight　of　all　the　dwellers　in　the　land；　who　love　bad　weather。　　It　makes　me　cough　a　little　more；　but　they　say　it　is　quite　unheard　of；　and　can't　last。　　Altogether；　I　suppose　this　summer　here　is　as　that　of　'60　was　in　England。

I　forgot；　in　describing　my　journey；　the　regal…looking　Caffre　housemaid　at　Eerste　River。　　'Such　a　dear；　good　creature；'　the　landlady　said；　and；　oh；　such　a　'noble　savage'！　…　with　a　cotton　handkerchief　folded　tight　like　a　cravat　and　tied　round　her　head　with　a　bow　behind；　and　the　short　curly　wool　sticking　up　in　the　middle；　…　it　looked　like　a　royal　diadem　on　her　solemn　brow；　she　stepped　like　Juno；　with　a　huge　tub　full　to　the　brim；　and　holding　several　pailfuls；　on　her　head；　and　a　pailful　in　each　hand；　bringing　water　for　the　stables　from　the　river；　across　a　large　field。　　There　is　nothing　like　a　Caffre　for　power　and　grace；　and　the　face；　though　very　African；　has　a　sort　of　grandeur　which　makes　it　utterly　unlike　that　of　the　negro。　　That　woman's　bust　and　waist　were　beauty　itself。　The　Caffres　are　also　very　clean　and　very　clever　as　servants；　I　hear；　learning　cookery；　&c。；　in　a　wonderfully　short　time。　　When　they　have　saved　money　enough　to　buy　cattle　in　Kaffraria；　off　they　go；　cast　aside　civilization　and　clothes；　and　enjoy　life　in　naked　luxury。

I　can't　tell　you　how　I　longed　for　you　in　my　journey。　　You　would　have　been　so　delighted　with　the　country　and　the　queer　turn…out　…　the　wild　little　horses；　and　the　polite　and　delicately…clean　Moslem　driver。　　His　description　of　his　sufferings　from　'louses'；　when　he　slept　in　a　Dutch　farm；　were　pathetic；　and　ever　since；　he　sleeps　in　his　cart；　with　the　little　boy；　and　they　bathe　in　the　nearest　river；　and　eat　their　lawful　food　and　drink　their　water　out　of　doors。　　They　declined　beer；　or　meat　which　had　been　unlawfully　killed。　　In　Capetown　ALL　meat　is　killed　by　Malays；　and　has　the　proper　prayer　spoken　over　it；　and　they　will　eat　no　other。　　I　was　offered　a　fowl　at　a　farm；　but　Choslullah　thought　it　'too　much　money　for　Missus'；　and　only　accepted　some　eggs。　　He　was　gratified　at　my　recognising　the　propriety　of　his　saying　'Bismillah'　over　any　animal　killed　for　food。　　Some　drink　beer；　and　drink　a　good　deal；　but　Choslullah　thought　it　'very　wrong　for　Malay　people；　and　not　good　for　Christian　people；　to　be　drunk　beasties；　…　little　wine　or　beer　good　for　Christians；　but　not　too　plenty　much。'　　I　gave　him　ten　shillings　for　himself；　at　which　he　was　enchanted；　and　again　begged　me　to　write　to　his　master　for　him　when　I　wanted　to　leave　Caledon；　and　to　be　sure　to　say；　'Mind　send　same　coachman。'　　He　planned　to　drive　me　back　through　Worcester；　Burnt　Vley；　Paarl；　and　Stellenbosch　…　a　longer　round；　but　he　could　do　it　in　three　days　well；　so　as　'not　cost　Missus　more　money'；　and　see　a　different　country。

This　place　is　curiously　like　Rochefort　in　the　Ardennes；　only　the　hills　are　mountains；　and　the　sun　is　far　hotter；　not　so　the　air；　which　is　fresh　and　pleasant。　　I　am　in　a　very　nice　inn；　kept　by　an　English　ex…officer；　who　went　through　the　Caffre　war；　and　found　his　pay　insufficient　for　the　wants　of　a　numerous　family。　　I　quite　admire　his　wife；　who　cooks；　cleans；　nurses　her　babes；　gives　singing　and　music　lessons；　…　all　as　merrily　as　if　she　liked　it。　　I　dine　with　them　at　two　o'clock；　and　Captain　D…　has　a　TABLE　D'HOTE　at　seven　for　travellers。　　I　pay　only　10S。　6D。　a　day　for　myself　and　S…；　this　includes　all　but　wine　or　beer。　　The　air　is　very　clear　and　fine；　and　my　cough　is　already　much　better。　　I　shall　stay　here　as　long　as　it　suits　me　and　does　me　good；　and　then　I　am　to　send　for　Choslullah　again；　and　go　back　by　the　road　he　proposed。　　It　rains　here　now　and　then；　and　blows　a　good　deal；　but　the　wind　has　lost　its　bitter　chill；　and　depressing　quality。　　I　hope　soon　to　ride　a　little　and　see　the　country；　which　is　beautiful。

The　water…line　is　all　red　from　the　ir