the days of my life-第11部分

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


urface　of　characters　and　events；　and　of　trying　to　get　at　their　springs　and　causes。　I　liked　to　understand　any　country　or　society　in　which　I　found　myself。　I　despised　those　who　merely　floated　on　the　stream　of　life　and　never　tried　to　dive　into　its　depths。　Yet　in　some　ways　I　think　I　was　rather　indolent；　that　is　if　the　task　in　hand　bored　me。　I　was　ambitious　and　conscious　of　certain　powers；　but　wanted　to　climb　the　tree　of　success　too　quickly　—　a　proceeding　that　generally　results　in　slips。
Further；　my　eldest　sister；　Ella　（Mrs。　Maddison　Green）；　informed　me　only　a　month　or　two　ago　that　at　this　period　I　was　conceited。　Possibly　I　may　have　been；　for　I　had　been　living　in　a　very　forcing　atmosphere　where　I　was　made　too　much　of　by　some　of　my　elders。
Four　or　five　days’　steaming　along　the　green　and　beautiful　coasts　of　south…eastern　Africa；　on　which　the　great　rollers　break　continually；　brought　us　to　Port　Natal。　At　that　time　the　Durban　harbour　was　not　sufficiently　dredged　to　admit　sea…going　vessels；　and　I　think　we　had　some　difficulty　in　landing。　There　was　a　reception　mittee　which　presented　an　address　of　wele　to　the　Lieutenant…Governor；　and　I　remember　hurriedly　copying　his　answer　as　the　ship　rolled　off　the　Point。
Sir　Gar　Wolseley　had　been　sent　to　Natal　as　temporary　Governor　to　settle　certain　matters　connected　with　its　constitution。　I　think　that　at　that　time　he　had　left　the　Colony　himself；　though　of　this　I　am　not　quite　sure；　as　I　am　unable　to　remember　when　I　first　spoke　to　him。　In　after　life　I　met　him　on　several　occasions。　Especially　do　I　remember　a　long　talk　with　him　at　a　dinner…party　at　the　house　of　the　Bischoffheims　in　London　some　time　in　the　eighties。　He　was　a　small；　bright…eyed；　quick…brained　man　who　expressed　his　views　upon　the　public　matters　of　the　day　with　a　fierceness　and　a　vigour　that　were　quite　astonishing。　We　sat　together　at　the　table　after　all　the　other　guests　had　left　to　join　the　ladies；　and　I　reflected　that　he　must　have　had　singular　confidence　in　my　character　to　say　the　things　he　did　to　me。　However；　it　was　justified；　for　of　course　I　never　repeated　a　word。
Those　of　the　Staff　whom　I　recollect　are；　or　were　—　for　I　think　they　are　now　all　dead　—　Lord　Gifford；　Colonel　（afterwards　Sir　Henry）　Brackenbury；　and　Major　（afterwards　Sir　William）　Butler。　Of　these　the　one　who　impressed　himself　most　deeply　upon　my　mind　was　Butler。　He　was　a　most　agreeable　and　sympathetic　man；　who　took　the　trouble　to　talk　a　good　deal　to　me；　although　I　was　but　a　lad。　I　recall　that　with　much　graphic　detail　he　told　me　the　story　of　how；　when　he　was　suffering　from　fever；　he　was　nearly　thrown　overboard　as　a　dead　man　off　the　West　Coast　of　Africa；　where　he　had　been　serving　in　the　Ashanti　Expedition。　Recently　I　have　been　reading　his　very　interesting　and　remarkable　autobiography；　in　which　I　see　he　describes　this　incident。
Subsequently　—　but　I　think　this　was　at　Pietermaritzburg　—　I　became　well　acquainted　with　Colonel　（afterwards　Sir　George）　Colley。　He　stayed　with　us　at　Government　House　and　I　remember　a　curious　little　incident　concerning　him。
He　was　leaving　Natal　and　wished　to　sell　a　shot…gun　which　I　wished　to　purchase；　though　I　am　not　sure　whether　this　was　on　my　account　or　on　that　of　Sir　Henry　Bulwer。　We　had　a　difference　of　opinion　as　to　the　price　of　the　article。　Finally　I　interviewed　him　one　morning　when　he　was　taking　his　bath；　and　he　suggested　that　we　should　settle　the　matter　by　tossing。　This　I　did　with　a　half…sovereign；　he　giving　the　call；　but　who　won　I　forget。
Of　my　last　tragic　meeting　with　poor　Colley　at　the　time　of　the　first　Boer　War　I　may　speak　later　in　this　book。
After　a　short　stay　at　Durban　we　proceeded　to　Maritzburg；　the　seat　of　government；　in　some　kind　of　a　horse　conveyance；　as；　except　for　a　short　time　on　the　coast；　there　was　then　no　railway　in　Natal。　In　those　days　it　was　a　charming　town　of　the　ordinary　Dutch　character；　with　wide　streets　bordered　by　sluits　of　running　water　and　planted　with　gum　trees。
Of　the　year　or　so　that　I　spent　in　Natal　I　have　not　much　to　say　that　is　worthy　of　record。　The　country　impressed　me　enormously。　Indeed；　on　the　whole　I　think　it　the　most　beautiful　of　any　that　I　have　seen　in　the　world；　parts　of　Mexico　alone　excepted。　The　great　plains　rising　by　steps　to　the　Quathlamba　or　Drakensberg　Mountains；　the　sparkling　torrential　rivers；　the　sweeping　thunderstorms；　the　grass…fires　creeping　over　the　veld　at　night　like　snakes　of　living　flame；　the　glorious　aspect　of　the　heavens；　now　of　a　spotless　blue；　now　charged　with　the　splendid　and　many…coloured　lights　of　sunset；　and　now　sparkling　with　a　myriad　stars；　the　wine…like　taste　of　the　air　upon　the　plains；　the　beautiful　flowers　in　the　bush…clad　kloofs　or　on　the　black　veld　in　spring　—　all　these　things　impressed　me；　so　much　that　were　I　to　live　a　thousand　years　I　never　should　forget　them。
Then　there　were　the　Zulu　Kaffirs　living　in　their　kraals　filled　with　round　beehive…like　huts；　bronze…coloured；　noble…looking　men　and　women　clad　only　in　their　moochas；　whose　herds　of　cattle　wandered　hither　and　thither　in　charge　of　a　little　lad。　From　the　beginning　I　was　attracted　to　these　Zulus；　and　soon　began　to　study　their　character　and　their　history。
I　　a　letter　to　my　mother　dated　Government　House；　Natal；　September　15；　1875。
My　dearest　Mother；　—　。　。　。　You　will　by　this　time　have　got　my　letters　from　Durban　and　the　Cape。　We　left　Durban　at　10　A。M。　on　the　morning　of　the　1st　September　and　came　up　the　fifty…four　miles　over　most　tremendous　hills　in　five　and　a　half　hours；　going　at　full　gallop　all　the　way；　in　a　four…horse　wagote。　There　were　five　of　us；　the　Chief；　Mr。　Shepstone　（Secretary　for　Native　Affairs）；　Napier　Broome　（Colonial　Secretary）；　Beaumont　and　myself。　Some　of　the　scenery　was　very　fine；　but　we　were　so　choked　by　the　dust；　which　was　so　thick　that　you　could　not　see　the　road　beneath　you；　that　we　did　not　much　enjoy　it。　Our　guard　of　honour　did　not　improve　matters。
When　we　got　near　Maritzburg　crowds　of　people　rode　out　to　meet　us；　and　we　entered　in　grand　style　amidst　loud　hurrahs。　We　galloped　up　to　Government　House；　where　the　regiment　was　drawn　up　on　the　lawn；　and　as　soon　as　the　carriage　stopped　the　band　struck　up　“God　save　the　Queen”　and　salutes　were　fired　from　the　fort。　Then　all　the　grandees　of　Maritzburg　came　forward　and　paid　their　respects　to　the　Governor；　and　at　last　we　were　left　alone　to　clean　ourselves　as　best　we　could。
The　Government　House　is　a　very　pretty　building；　not　nearly　so　large　as　the　Cape　Government　House；　but　far　from　small。　I；　who　have　to　look　after　it；　find　it　too　large。　I　have　a　large　bedroom　upstairs　and　my　office　in　the　Executive　Council　chamber。　The　day　after　we　arrived　the　swearing…in　ceremony　was　held；　in　a　room　where　the　Legislative　Council　sit　in　the　Public　Offices　building。　It　was　a　very　swell　ceremony　indeed；　and　I　had　to　go　through　an　extraordinary　amount　of　scraping　and　bowing；　presenting　and　pocketing；　or　trying　to　pocket；　enormous　addresses；　missions；　etc。；　etc。　After　it　followed　a　levee；　which　tried　my　patience　considerably；　for　these　people　came　so　thick　and　fast　that　I　had　no　time　to　decipher　their；　for　the　most　part；　infamously　written　cards；　so　I　had　to　shout　out　their　names　at　haphazard。　However；　that　came　to　an　end　too　at　last；　and　we　drove　off　amidst　loud　hurrahs。
I　am　at　last　clear　on　one　point：　I　am　not　private　secretary。　The　Chief　was　talking　the　other　night　to　Beaumont　about　me　and　told　him　he　had　a　very　good　opinion　of　me　and　thought　I　should　do　very　well；　but　that　he　had　always　intended　to　have　an　older　man　to　help　him　at　first；　though　who　it　is　going　to　be　does　not　seem　clear。　He　wants　somebody　who　can　go　and　talk　to　all　these　people　as　a　man　of　their　own　standing；　which　I　cannot　do。　He　also　wants　someone　who　has　some　experience　of　this　sort　of　work。　I　am　not　in　the　least　disappointed；　indeed　now　that　I　see　something　of　the　place；　and　of　the　turbulent　character　of　its　inhabitants；　I　should　have　much　wondered　if　he　had　made　a　fellow　young　as　I　am　private　secretary。　Putting　the　money　out　of　the　question　I　would　infinitely　rather　be　rid　of　the　responsibility；　at　any　rate　at　present。　I　am　sorry；　very　sorry；　still　to　be　dependent　on　my　father；　but　you　may　be　sure；　my　dear　Mother；　that　I　will　be　as　moderate　as　I　can。　At　any　rate　I　shall　cost　less　than　if　I　had　been　at　home。　I　have　now　learnt　Sir　Henry’s　character　pretty　well。　I　know　him　to　be　a　man　of　his　word；　therefore　I　am　pretty　well　convinced　that　I　shall　be　his　private　secretary　sooner　or　later。　。　。　。　I　continue　to　get　on　very　well　with　him；　indeed　we　are　the　best　of　friends；　and　I　have　many　friendly　jaws　with　him。　I　should　rather　like　to　know　who　No。　1　is　going　to　be；　but　I　don’t　think　he　knows　himself；　he　is　very　reserved　on　these　matters　。　。　。　。
Of　work　I　have　plenty　here；　but　my　chief　trouble　is　my　housekeeping。　I　have　all　this　large　house　entirely　under　me；　and　being　new　to　it　find　it　difficult　work。　I　have　often　seen　with　amusement　the　look　of　anxiety　on　a　hostess’　face　at　a　dinner…party；　but；　by　Jove；　I　find　it　far　from　amusing　now。　Dinner　days　are　black　Mondays　to　me。　Imagine　my　dismay　the　other　day　when　the　fish　did　not　appear　and　when；　on　whispering　a　furious　inquiry；　I　was　told　the　cook　had　forgotten　it！　Servants　are　very　difficult　to　get　here；　and　one　has　to　pay　5　pounds　a　month　at　the　lowest。
The　next　surviving　letter　is　dated　February　14；　1876。　It　gives　an　account　of　a　buck　hunt　which　is　perhaps　worth　transcribing。
To　begin　with；　I　am　getting　on　all　right　and　have　quite　got　over　all　signs　of　liver　since　I　got　a　horse。　This　place；　if　only　you　take　exercise；　is　as　healthy　as　England；　but　exercise　is　a　sina　qua　non。　I　got　out　for　a　day’s　buck…hunting　the　other　day　to　a　place　about　twelve　miles　off；　a　farm　of　fertile　plain　（about　12；000　acres）。　The　owner　of　it；　a　very　good　fellow；　is　one　of　the　few　people　who　preserve　their　buck。
The　way　you　shoot　is　this：　three　or　four　guns　on　good　horses　ride　over　the　plain　about　fifty　yards　apart。　If　an　oribe　gets　up；　you　have　to　pull　up　and　shoot　off　your　horse’s　back；　which　is　not　very　easy　till　you　get　used　to　it。　Sometimes　you　run　them　as　I　did；　but　it　wants　a　very　swift　horse。　I　had　dropped　a　little　behind　the　others；　when　in　galloping　up　to　join　them　my　horse　put　its　foot　into　a　hole　and　came　to　the　ground；　sending　me　and　my　loaded　gun　on　to　my　head　some　five　or　six　yard