letters from the cape-第9部分

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utch　boers　keep　their　money　by　them；　in　coin。

Jan。　3d。　…　We　have　had　tremendous　festivities　here　…　a　ball　on　New　Year's…eve；　and　another　on　the　1st　of　January　…　and　the　shooting　for　Prince　Alfred's　rifle　yesterday。　　The　difficulty　of　music　for　the　ball　was　solved　by　the　arrival　of　two　Malay　bricklayers　to　build　the　new　parsonage；　and　I　heard　with　my　own　ears　the　proof　of　what　I　had　been　told　as　to　their　extraordinary　musical　gifts。　　When　I　went　into　the　hall；　a　Dutchman　was　SCREECHING　a　concertina　hideously。　　Presently　in　walked　a　yellow　Malay；　with　a　blue　cotton　handkerchief　on　his　head；　and　a　half…bred　of　negro　blood　（very　dark　brown）；　with　a　red　handkerchief；　and　holding　a　rough　tambourine。　The　handsome　yellow　man　took　the　concertina　which　seemed　so　discordant；　and　the　touch　of　his　dainty　fingers　transformed　it　to　harmony。　　He　played　dances　with　a　precision　and　feeling　quite　unequalled；　except　by　Strauss's　band；　and　a　variety　which　seemed　endless。　　I　asked　him　if　he　could　read　music；　at　which　he　laughed　heartily；　and　said；　music　came　into　the　ears；　not　the　eyes。　　He　had　picked　it　all　up　from　the　bands　in　Capetown；　or　elsewhere。

It　was　a　strange　sight；　…　the　picturesque　group；　and　the　contrast　between　the　quiet　manners　of　the　true　Malay　and　the　grotesque　fun　of　the　half…negro。　　The　latter　made　his　tambourine　do　duty　as　a　drum；　rattled　the　bits　of　brass　so　as　to　produce　an　indescribable　effect；　nodded　and　grinned　in　wild　excitement；　and　drank　beer　while　his　comrade　took　water。　　The　dancing　was　uninteresting　enough。　　The　Dutchmen　danced　badly；　and　said　not　a　word；　but　plodded　on　so　as　to　get　all　the　dancing　they　could　for　their　money。　　I　went　to　bed　at　half…past　eleven；　but　the　ball　went　on　till　four。

Next　night　there　was　genteeler　company；　and　I　did　not　go　in；　but　lay　in　bed　listening　to　the　Malay's　playing。　　He　had　quite　a　fresh　set　of　tunes；　of　which　several　were　from　the　'Traviata'！

Yesterday　was　a　real　African　summer's　day。　　The　D…s　had　a　tent　and　an　awning；　one　for　food　and　the　other　for　drink；　on　the　ground　where　the　shooting　took　place。　　At　twelve　o'clock　Mrs。　D…　went　down　to　sell　cold　chickens；　&c。；　and　I　went　with　her；　and　sat　under　a　tree　in　the　bed　of　the　little　stream；　now　nearly　dry。　　The　sun　was　such　as　in　any　other　climate　would　strike　you　down；　but　here　COUP　DE　SOLEIL　is　unknown。　　It　broils　you　till　your　shoulders　ache　and　your　lips　crack；　but　it　does　not　make　you　feel　the　least　languid；　and　you　perspire　very　little；　nor　does　it　tan　the　skin　as　you　would　expect。　　The　light　of　the　sun　is　by　no　means　'golden'　…　it　is　pure　white　…　and　the　slightest　shade　of　a　tree　or　bush　affords　a　delicious　temperature；　so　light　and　fresh　is　the　air。　　They　said　the　thermometer　was　at　about　130　degrees　where　I　was　walking　yesterday；　but　（barring　the　scorch）　I　could　not　have　believed　it。

It　was　a　very　amusing　day。　　The　great　tall　Dutchmen　came　in　to　shoot；　and　did　but　moderately；　I　thought。　　The　longest　range　was　five　hundred　yards；　and　at　that　they　shot　well；　at　shorter　ranges；　poorly　enough。　　The　best　man　made　ten　points。　　But　oh！　what　figures　were　there　of　negroes　and　coloured　people！　　I　longed　for　a　photographer。　　Some　coloured　lads　were　exquisitely　graceful；　and　composed　beautiful　TABLEAUX　VIVANTS；　after　Murillo's　beggar…boys。

A　poor　little；　very　old　Bosjesman　crept　up；　and　was　jeered　and　bullied。　　I　scolded　the　lad　who　abused　him　for　being　rude　to　an　old　man；　whereupon　the　poor　little　old　creature　squatted　on　the　ground　close　by　（for　which　he　would　have　been　kicked　but　for　me）；　took　off　his　ragged　hat；　and　sat　staring　and　nodding　his　small　grey　woolly　head　at　me；　and　jabbering　some　little　soliloquy　very　SOTTO　VOCE。　There　was　something　shocking　in　the　timidity　with　which　he　took　the　plate　of　food　I　gave　him；　and　in　the　way　in　which　he　ate　it；　with　the　WRONG　side　of　his　little　yellow　hand；　like　a　monkey。　　A　black；　who　had　helped　to　fetch　the　hamper；　suggested　to　me　to　give　him　wine　instead　of　meat　and　bread；　and　make　him　drunk　FOR　FUN　（the　blacks　and　Hottentots　copy　the　white　man's　manners　TO　THEM；　when　they　get　hold　of　a　Bosjesman　to　practise　upon）；　but　upon　this　a　handsome　West　Indian　black；　who　had　been　cooking　pies；　fired　up；　and　told　him　he　was　a　'nasty　black　rascal；　and　a　Dutchman　to　boot'；　to　insult　a　lady　and　an　old　man　at　once。　　If　you　could　see　the　difference　between　one　negro　and　another；　you　would　be　quite　convinced　that　education　（i。e。　circumstances）　makes　the　race。　　It　was　hardly　conceivable　that　the　hideous；　dirty；　bandy…legged；　ragged　creature；　who　looked　down　on　the　Bosjesman；　and　the　well…　made；　smart　fellow；　with　his　fine　eyes；　jaunty　red　cap；　and　snow…　white　shirt　and　trousers；　alert　as　the　best　German　Kellner；　were　of　the　same　blood；　nothing　but　the　colour　was　alike。

Then　came　a　Dutchman；　and　asked　for　six　penn'orth　of　'brood　en　kaas'；　and　haggled　for　beer；　and　Englishmen；　who　bought　chickens　and　champagne　without　asking　the　price。　　One　rich　old　boer　got　three　lunches；　and　then　'trekked'　（made　off）　without　paying　at　all。　Then　came　a　Hottentot；　stupidly　drunk；　with　a　fiddle；　and　was　beaten　by　a　little　red…haired　Scotchman；　and　his　fiddle　smashed。　The　Hottentot　hit　at　his　aggressor；　who　then　declared　he　HAD　BEEN　a　policeman；　and　insisted　on　taking　him　into　custody　and　to　the　'Tronk'　（prison）　on　his　own　authority；　but　was　in　turn　sent　flying　by　a　gigantic　Irishman；　who　'wouldn't　see　the　poor　baste　abused'。　The　Irishman　was　a　farmer；　I　never　saw　such　a　Hercules　…　and　beaming　with　fun　and　good　nature。　　He　was　very　civil；　and　answered　my　questions；　and　talked　like　an　intelligent　man；　but　when　Captain　D…　asked　him　with　an　air　of　some　anxiety；　if　he　was　coming　to　the　hotel；　he　replied；　'No；　sir；　no；　I　wouldn't　be　guilty　of　such　a　misdemeanour。　　I　am　aware　that　I　was　a　disgrace　and　opprobrium　to　your　house；　sir；　last　time　I　was　there；　sir。　　No；　sir；　I　shall　sleep　in　my　cart；　and　not　come　into　the　presence　of　ladies。'　Hereupon　he　departed；　and　I　was　informed　that　he　had　been　drunk　for　seventeen　days；　SANS　DESEMPARER；　on　his　last　visit　to　Caledon。　However；　he　kept　quite　sober　on　this　occasion；　and　amused　himself　by　making　the　little　blackies　scramble　for　halfpence　in　the　pools　left　in　the　bed　of　the　river。　　Among　our　customers　was　a　very　handsome　black　man；　with　high　straight　nose；　deep…set　eyes；　and　a　small　mouth；　smartly　dressed　in　a　white　felt　hat；　paletot；　and　trousers。　　He　is　the　shoemaker；　and　is　making　a　pair　of　'Veldschoen'　for　you；　which　you　will　delight　in。　　They　are　what　the　rough　boers　and　Hottentots　wear；　buff…hide　barbarously　tanned　and　shaped；　and　as　soft　as　woollen　socks。　　The　Othello…looking　shoemaker's　name　is　Moor；　and　his　father　told　him　he　came　of　a　'good　breed'；　that　was　all　he　knew。

A　very　pleasing　English　farmer；　who　had　been　educated　in　Belgium；　came　and　ordered　a　bottle　of　champagne；　and　shyly　begged　me　to　drink　a　glass；　whereupon　we　talked　of　crops　and　the　like；　and　an　excellent　specimen　of　a　colonist　he　appeared：　　very　gentle　and　unaffected；　with　homely　good　sense；　and　real　good　breeding　…　such　a　contrast　to　the　pert　airs　and　vulgarity　of　Capetown　and　of　the　people　in　（colonial）　high　places。　　Finding　we　had　no　carriage；　he　posted　off　and　borrowed　a　cart　of　one　man　and　harness　of　another；　and　put　his　and　his　son's　riding　horses　to　it；　to　take　Mrs。　D…　and　me　home。　　As　it　was　still　early；　he　took　us　a　'little　drive'；　and　oh；　ye　gods！　what　a　terrific　and　dislocating　pleasure　was　that！　　At　a　hard　gallop；　Mr。　M…　（with　the　mildest　and　steadiest　air　and　with　perfect　safety）　took　us　right　across　country。　　It　is　true　there　were　no　fences；　but　over　bushes；　ditches；　lumps　of　rock；　watercourses；　we　jumped；　flew；　and　bounded；　and　up　every　hill　we　went　racing　pace。　　I　arrived　at　home　much　bewildered；　and　feeling　more　like　Burger's　Lenore　than　anything　else；　till　I　saw　Mr。　M…'s　steady；　pleasant　face　quite　undisturbed；　and　was　informed　that　such　was　the　way　of　driving　of　Cape　farmers。

We　found　the　luckless　Jack　in　such　a　state　of　furious　drunkenness　that　he　had　to　be　dismissed　on　the　spot；　not　without　threats　of　the　'Tronk'；　and　once　more　Kleenboy　fills　the　office　of　boots。　　He　returned　in　a　ludicrous　state　of　penitence　and　emaciation；　frankly　admitting　that　it　was　better　to　work　hard　and　get　'plenty　grub'；　than　to　work　less　and　get　none；　…　still；　however；　protesting　against　work　at　all。

January　7th。　…　For　the　last　four　days　it　has　again　been　blowing　a　wintry　hurricane。　　Every　one　says　that　the　continuance　of　these　winds　so　late　into　the　summer　（this　answers　to　July）　is　unheard　of；　and　MUST　cease　soon。　　In　Table　Bay；　I　hear　a　good　deal　of　mischief　has　been　done　to　the　shipping。

I　hope　my　long　yarns　won't　bore　you。　　I　put　down　what　seems　new　and　amusing　to　me　at　the　moment；　but　by　the　time　it　reaches　you；　it　will　seem　very　dull　and　commonplace。　　I　hear　that　the　Scotchman　who　attacked　poor　Aria；　the　crazy　Hottentot；　is　a　'revival　lecturer'；　and　was　'simply　exhorting　him　to　break　his　fiddle　and　come　to　Christ'　（the　phrase　is　a　clergyman's；　I　beg　to　observe）；　and　the　saints　are　indignant　that；　after　executing　the　pious　purpose　as　far　as　the　fiddle　went；　he　was　prevented　by　the　chief　constable　from　dragging　him　to　the　Tronk。　　The　'revival'　mania　has　broken　out　rather　violently　in　some　places；　the　infection　was　brought　from　St。　Helena；　I　am　told。　　At　Capetown；　old　Abdool　Jemaalee　told　me　that　English　Christians　were　getting　more　like　Malays；　and　had　begun　to　hold　'Kalifahs'　at　Simon's　Bay。　　These　are　festivals　in　which　Mussulman　fanatics　run　knives　into　their　flesh；　go　into　convulsions；　&c；　to　the　sound　of　music；　like　the　Arab　described　by　Houdin。　　Of　course　the　poor　blacks　go　quite　demented。

I　intend　to　stay　here　another　two　or　three　weeks；　and　then　to　go　to　Worcester　…　stay　a　bit；　Paarl；　ditto；　Stellenbosch；　ditto　…　and　go　to　Capetown　early　in　March；　and　in　April　to　embark　for　home。

January　15th。　…　No　mail　in　yet。　　We　have　had　beautiful　weather　the　last　three　days。　　Captain　D…　has　been　in　Capetown；　and　bought　a　horse；　which　he　rode　home　seventy…five　miles　in　a　day　and　a　half；　…　the　beast　none　the　worse　nor　tired。　　I　am　to　ride　him；　and　so　shall　see　the　country　if　the　vile　cold　winds　keep　off。

This　morning　I　walked　on　the　Veld；　and　met　a　young　black　shepherd　leading　his　sheep　and　goats