letters from the cape-第8部分

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uite　an　honour　to　have　a　whitey…brown　child；　which　happens　at　about　fifteen；　by　which　age　they　look　full　twenty。

We　had　very　good　snipe　and　wild　duck　the　other　day；　which　Capt。　D…　brought　home　from　a　shooting　party。　　I　have　got　the　moth…like　wings　of　a　golden　snipe　for　R…'s　hat；　and　those　of　a　beautiful　moor…hen。　They　got　no　'boks'；　because　of　the　violent　south…easter　which　blew　where　they　were。　　The　game　is　fast　decreasing；　but　still　very　abundant。　　I　saw　plenty　of　partridges　on　the　road；　but　was　not　early　enough　to　see　boks；　who　only　show　at　dawn；　neither　have　I　seen　baboons。　　I　will　try　to　bring　home　some　cages　of　birds　…　Cape　canaries　and　'roode　bekjes'　（red　bills）；　darling　little　things。　The　sugar…birds；　which　are　the　humming…birds　of　Africa；　could　not　be　fed；　but　Caffre　finks；　which　weave　the　pendent　nests；　are　hardy　and　easily　fed。

To…day　the　post　for　England　leaves　Caledon；　so　I　must　conclude　this　yarn。　　I　wish　R…　could　have　seen　the　'klip　springer'；　the　mountain　deer　of　South　Africa；　which　Capt。　D…　brought　in　to　show　me。　　Such　a　lovely　little　beast；　as　big　as　a　small　kid；　with　eyes　and　ears　like　a　hare；　and　a　nose　so　small　and　dainty。　　It　was　quite　tame　and　saucy；　and　belonged　to　some　man　EN　ROUTE　for　Capetown。



LETTER　V　…　CALEDON



Caledon；　Dec。　29th。

I　am　beginning　now　really　to　feel　better：　　I　think　my　cough　is　less；　and　I　eat　a　great　deal　more。　　They　cook　nice　clean　food　here；　and　have　some　good　claret；　which　I　have　been　extravagant　enough　to　drink；　much　to　my　advantage。　　The　Cape　wine　is　all　so　fiery。　　The　climate　is　improving　too。　　The　glorious　African　sun　blazes　and　roasts　one；　and　the　cool　fresh　breezes　prevent　one　from　feeling　languid。　　I　walk　from　six　till　eight　or　nine；　breakfast　at　ten；　and　dine　at　three；　in　the　afternoon　it　is　generally　practicable　to　saunter　again；　now　the　weather　is　warmer。　　I　sleep　from　twelve　till　two。　　On　Christmas…eve　it　was　so　warm　that　I　lay　in　bed　with　the　window　wide　open；　and　the　stars　blazing　in。　　Such　stars！　they　are　much　brighter　than　our　moon。　　The　Dutchmen　held　high　jinks　in　the　hall；　and　danced　and　made　a　great　noise。　　On　New　Year's…eve　they　will　have　another　ball；　and　I　shall　look　in。　　Christmas…day　was　the　hottest　day　…　indeed；　the　only　HOT　day　we　have　had　…　and　I　could　not　make　it　out　at　all；　or　fancy　you　all　cold　at　home。

I　wish　you　were　here　to　see　the　curious　ways　and　new　aspect　of　everything。　　This　village；　which；　as　I　have　said；　is　very　like　Rochefort；　but　hardly　so　large；　is　the　CHEF　LIEU　of　a　district　the　size　of　one…third　of　England。　　A　civil　commander　resides　here；　a　sort　of　PREFET；　and　there　is　an　embryo　market…place；　with　a　bell　hanging　in　a　brick　arch。　　When　a　waggon　arrives　with　goods；　it　draws　up　there；　they　ring　the　bell；　everybody　goes　to　see　what　is　for　sale；　and　the　goods　are　sold　by　auction。　　My　host　bought　potatoes　and　brandy　the　other　day；　and　is　looking　out　for　ostrich　feathers　for　me；　out　of　the　men's　hats。

The　other　day；　while　we　sat　at　dinner；　all　the　bells　began　to　ring　furiously；　and　Capt。　D…　jumped　up　and　shouted　'BRAND！'　（fire）；　rushed　off　for　a　stout　leather　hat；　and　ran　down　the　street。　　Out　came　all　the　population；　black；　white；　and　brown；　awfully　excited；　for　it　was　blowing　a　furious　north…wester；　right　up　the　town；　and　the　fire　was　at　the　bottom；　and　as　every　house　is　thatched　with　a　dry　brown　thatch；　we　might　all　have　to　turn　out　and　see　the　place　in　ashes　in　less　than　an　hour。　　Luckily；　it　was　put　out　directly。　It　is　supposed　to　have　been　set　on　fire　by　a　Hottentot　girl；　who　has　done　the　same　thing　once　before；　on　being　scolded。　　There　is　no　water　but　what　runs　down　the　streets　in　the　SLOOT；　a　paved　channel；　which　brings　the　water　from　the　mountain　and　supplies　the　houses　and　gardens。　　A　garden　is　impossible　without　irrigation；　of　course；　as　it　never　rains；　but　with　it；　you　may　have　everything；　all　the　year　round。　　The　people；　however；　are　too　careless　to　grow　fruit　and　vegetables。

How　the　cattle　live　is　a　standing　marvel　to　me。　　The　whole　VELD　（common）；　which　extends　all　over　the　country　（just　dotted　with　a　few　square　miles　of　corn　here　and　there）；　is　covered　with　a　low　thin　scrub；　about　eighteen　inches　high；　called　RHENOSTER…BOSCH　…　looking　like　meagre　arbor　vitae　or　pale　juniper。　　The　cattle　and　sheep　will　not　touch　this　nor　the　juicy　Hottentot　fig；　but　under　each　little　bush；　I　fancy；　they　crop　a　few　blades　of　grass；　and　on　this　they　keep　in　very　good　condition。　　The　noble　oxen；　with　their　huge　horns　（nine　or　ten　feet　from　tip　to　tip）；　are　never　fed；　though　they　work　hard；　nor　are　the　sheep。　　The　horses　get　a　little　forage　（oats；　straw　and　all）。　　I　should　like　you　to　see　eight　or　ten　of　these　swift　wiry　little　horses　harnessed　to　a　waggon；　…　a　mere　flat　platform　on　wheels。　　In　front　stands　a　wild…looking　Hottentot；　all　patches　and　feathers；　and　drives　them　best　pace；　all　'in　hand'；　using　a　whip　like　a　fishing…rod；　with　which　he　touches　them；　not　savagely；　but　with　a　skill　which　would　make　an　old　stage…　coachman　burst　with　envy　to　behold。　　This　morning；　out　on　the　veld；　I　watched　the　process　of　breaking…in　a　couple　of　colts；　who　were　harnessed；　after　many　struggles；　second　and　fourth　in　a　team　of　ten。　　In　front　stood　a　tiny　foal　cuddling　its　mother；　one　of　the　leaders。　　When　they　started；　the　foal　had　its　neck　through　the　bridle；　and　I　hallooed　in　a　fright；　but　the　Hottentot　only　laughed；　and　in　a　minute　it　had　disengaged　itself　quite　coolly　and　capered　alongside。　　The　colts　tried　to　plunge；　but　were　whisked　along；　and　couldn't；　and　then　they　stuck　out　all　four　feet　and　SKIDDED　along　a　bit；　but　the　rhenoster　bushes　tripped　them　up　（people　drive　regardless　of　roads）；　and　they　shook　their　heads　and　trotted　along　quite　subdued；　without　a　blow　or　a　word；　for　the　drivers　never　speak　to　the　horses；　only　to　the　oxen。　　Colts　here　get　no　other　breaking；　and　therefore　have　no　paces　or　action　to　the　eye；　but　their　speed　and　endurance　are　wonderful。　　There　is　no　such　thing　as　a　cock…tail　in　the　country；　and　the　waggon　teams　of　wiry　little　thoroughbreds；　half　Arab；　look　very　strange　to　our　eyes；　going　full　tilt。　　There　is　a　terrible　murrain；　called　the　lung…sickness；　among　horses　and　oxen　here；　every　four　or　five　years；　but　it　never　touches　those　that　are　stabled；　however　exposed　to　wet　or　wind　on　the　roads。

I　must　describe　the　house　I　inhabit；　as　all　are　much　alike。　　It　is　whitewashed；　with　a　door　in　the　middle　and　two　windows　on　each　side；　those　on　the　left　are　Mrs。　D…'s　bed　and　sitting　rooms。　　On　the　right　is　a　large　room；　which　is　mine；　in　the　middle　of　the　house　is　a　spacious　hall；　with　doors　into　other　rooms　on　each　side；　and　into　the　kitchen；　&c。　　There　is　a　yard　behind；　and　a　staircase　up　to　the　ZOLDER　or　loft；　under　the　thatch；　with　partitions；　where　the　servants　and　children；　and　sometimes　guests；　sleep。　　There　are　no　ceilings；　the　floor　of　the　zolder　is　made　of　yellow　wood；　and；　resting　on　beams；　forms　the　ceiling　of　my　room；　and　the　thatch　alone　covers　that。　　No　moss　ever　grows　on　the　thatch；　which　is　brown；　with　white　ridges。　　In　front　is　a　stoep；　with　'blue　gums'　（Australian　gum…trees）　in　front　of　it；　where　I　sit　till　twelve；　when　the　sun　comes　on　it。　　These　trees　prevail　here　greatly；　as　they　want　neither　water　nor　anything　else；　and　grow　with　incredible　rapidity。

We　have　got　a　new　'boy'　（all　coloured　servants　are　'boys；'　…　a　remnant　of　slavery）；　and　he　is　the　type　of　the　nigger　slave。　　A　thief；　a　liar；　a　glutton；　a　drunkard　…　but　you　can't　resent　it；　he　has　a　NAIF；　half…foolish；　half…knavish　buffoonery；　a　total　want　of　self…respect；　which　disarms　you。　　I　sent　him　to　the　post　to　inquire　for　letters；　and　the　postmaster　had　been　tipsy　over…night　and　was　not　awake。　　Jack　came　back　spluttering　threats　against　'dat　domned　Dutchman。　　Me　no　WANT　（like）　him；　me　go　and　kick　up　dom'd　row。　What　for　he　no　give　Missis　letter？'　&c。　　I　begged　him　to　be　patient；　on　which　he　bonneted　himself　in　a　violent　way；　and　started　off　at　a　pantomime　walk。　　Jack　is　the　product　of　slavery：　　he　pretends　to　be　a　simpleton　in　order　to　do　less　work　and　eat　and　drink　and　sleep　more　than　a　reasonable　being；　and　he　knows　his　buffoonery　will　get　him　out　of　scrapes。　　Withal；　thoroughly　good…　natured　and　obliging；　and　perfectly　honest；　except　where　food　and　drink　are　concerned；　which　he　pilfers　like　a　monkey。　　He　worships　S…；　and　won't　allow　her　to　carry　anything；　or　to　dirty　her　hands；　if　he　is　in　the　way　to　do　it。　　Some　one　suggested　to　him　to　kiss　her；　but　he　declined　with　terror；　and　said　he　should　be　hanged　by　my　orders　if　he　did。　　He　is　a　hideous　little　negro；　with　a　monstrous…shaped　head；　every　colour　of　the　rainbow　on　his　clothes；　and　a　power　of　making　faces　which　would　enchant　a　schoolboy。　　The　height　of　his　ambition　would　be　to　go　to　England　with　me。

An　old　'bastaard'　woman；　married　to　the　Malay　tailor　here；　explained　to　me　my　popularity　with　the　coloured　people；　as　set　forth　by　'dat　Malay　boy'；　my　driver。　　He　told　them　he　was　sure　I　was　a　'very　great　Missis'；　because　of　my　'plenty　good　behaviour'；　that　I　spoke　to　him　just　as　to　a　white　gentleman；　and　did　not　'laugh　and　talk　nonsense　talk'。　　'Never　say　〃Here；　you　black　fellow〃；　dat　Misses。'　　The　English；　when　they　mean　to　be　good…　natured；　are　generally　offensively　familiar；　and　'talk　nonsense　talk'；　i。e。　imitate　the　Dutch　English　of　the　Malays　and　blacks；　the　latter　feel　it　the　greatest　compliment　to　be　treated　AU　SERIEUX；　and　spoken　to　in　good　English。　　Choslullah's　theory　was　that　I　must　be　related　to　the　Queen；　in　consequence　of　my　not　'knowing　bad　behaviour'。　　The　Malays；　who　are　intelligent　and　proud；　of　course　feel　the　annoyance　of　vulgar　familiarity　more　than　the　blacks；　who　are　rather　awe…struck　by　civility；　though　they　like　and　admire　it。

Mrs。　D…　tells　me　that　the　coloured　servant…girls；　with　all　their　faults；　are　immaculately　honest　in　these　parts；　and；　indeed；　as　every　door　and　window　is　always　left　open；　even　when　every　soul　is　out；　and　nothing　locked　up；　there　must　be　no　thieves。　　Captain　D…　told　me　he　had　been　in　remote　Dutch　farmhouses；　where　rouleaux　of　gold　were　ranged　under　the　thatch　on　the　top　of　the　low　wall；　the　doors　being　always　left　open；　and　everywhere　the　Dutch　boers　keep　their　money　by　them；　in　coin。

Jan。　3d。　…　We　have　had　tremendous　festivities　here