letters from the cape-第15部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


　of　a　post…cart；　he　tried　hard　to　be　allowed　to　pay　a　REMPLACANT；　and　to　fetch　'his　missis'；　but　was　refused　leave；　and　so　a　smaller　and　blacker　Malay　has　come；　whom　Choslullah　threatened　to　curse　heavily　if　he　failed　to　take　great　care　of　'my　missis'　and　be　a　'good　boy'。　　Ramadan　begins　on　Sunday；　and　my　poor　driver　can't　even　prepare　for　it　by　a　good　feast；　as　no　fowls　are　to　be　had　here　just　now；　and　he　can't　eat　profanely…killed　meat。　　Some　pious　Christian　has　tried　to　burn　a　Mussulman　martyr's　tomb　at　Eerste　River；　and　there　were　fears　the　Malays　might　indulge　in　a　little　revenge；　but　they　keep　quiet。　　I　am　to　go　with　my　driver　to　eat　some　of　the　feast　（of　Bairam；　is　it　not？）　at　his　priest's　when　Ramadan　ends；　if　I　am　in　Capetown；　and　also　am　asked　to　a　wedding　at　a　relation　of　Choslullah's。　　It　was　quite　a　pleasure　to　hear　the　kindly　Mussulman　talk；　after　these　silent　Hottentots。　　The　Malays　have　such　agreeable　manners；　so　civil；　without　the　least　cringing　or　Indian　obsequiousness。　　I　dare　say　they　can　be　very　'insolent'　on　provocation；　but　I　have　always　found　among　them　manners　like　old…fashioned　French　ones；　but　quieter；　and　they　have　an　affectionate　way　of　saying　'MY　missis'　when　they　know　one；　which　is　very　nice　to　hear。　　It　is　getting　quite　chilly　here　already；　COLD　night　and　morning；　and　I　shall　be　glad　to　descend　off　this　plateau　into　the　warmer　regions　of　Worcester；　&c。　　I　have　just　bought　EIGHT　splendid　ostrich　feathers　for　1L。　of　my　old　Togthandler　friend。　　In　England　they　would　cost　from　eighteen　to　twenty…five　shillings　each。　　I　have　got　a　reebok　and　a　klipspringer　skin　for　you；　the　latter　makes　a　saddle…cloth　which　defies　sore　backs；　they　were　given　me　by　Klein　and　a　farmer　at　Palmiet　River。　　The　flesh　was　poor　stuff；　white　and　papery。　　The　Hottentots　can't　'bray'　the　skins　as　the　Caffres　do；　and　the　woman　who　did　mine　asked　me　for　a　trifle　beforehand；　and　got　so　drunk　that　she　let　them　dry　halfway　in　the　process；　consequently　they　don't　look　so　well。

Worcester；　Sunday；　March　2d。

Oh；　such　a　journey！　　Such　country！　　Pearly　mountains　and　deep　blue　sky；　and　an　impassable　pass　to　walk　down；　and　baboons；　and　secretary　birds；　and　tortoises！　　I　couldn't　sleep　for　it　all　last　night；　tired　as　I　was　with　the　unutterably　bad　road；　or　track　rather。

Well；　we　left　Caledon　on　Friday；　at　ten　o'clock；　and　though　the　weather　had　been　cold　and　unpleasant　for　two　days；　I　had　a　lovely　morning；　and　away　we　went　to　Villiersdorp　（pronounced　Filjeesdorp）。　It　is　quite　a　tiny　village；　in　a　sort　of　Rasselas…looking　valley。　We　were　four　hours　on　the　road；　winding　along　the　side　of　a　mountain　ridge；　which　we　finally　crossed；　with　a　splendid　view　of　the　sea　at　the　far…distant　end　of　a　huge　amphitheatre　formed　by　two　ridges　of　mountains；　and　on　the　other　side　the　descent　into　Filjeesdorp。　　The　whole　way　we　saw　no　human　being　or　habitation；　except　one　shepherd；　from　the　time　we　passed　Buntje's　kraal；　about　two　miles　out　of　Caledon。　　The　little　drinking…shop　would　not　hold　travellers；　so　I　went　to　the　house　of　the　storekeeper　（as　the　clergyman　of　Caledon　had　told　me　I　might）；　and　found　a　most　kind　reception。　　Our　host　was　English；　an　old　man…of…war's　man；　with　a　gentle；　kindly　Dutch　wife；　and　the　best…mannered　children　I　have　seen　in　the　colony。　　They　gave　us　clean　comfortable　beds　and　a　good　dinner；　and　wine　ten　years　in　the　cellar；　in　short；　the　best　of　hospitality。　　I　made　an　effort　to　pay　for　the　entertainment　next　morning；　when；　after　a　good　breakfast；　we　started　loaded　with　fruit；　but　the　kind　people　would　not　hear　of　it；　and　bid　me　good…　bye　like　old　friends。　　At　the　end　of　the　valley　we　went　a　little　up…hill；　and　then　found　ourselves　at　the　top　of　a　pass　down　into　the　level　below。　　S…　and　I　burst　out　with　one　voice；　'How　beautiful！'　　Sabaal；　our　driver；　thought　the　exclamation　was　an　ironical　remark　on　the　road；　which；　indeed；　appeared　to　be　exclusively　intended　for　goats。　　I　suggested　walking　down；　to　which；　for　a　wonder；　the　Malay　agreed。　　I　was　really　curious　to　see　him　get　down　with　two　wheels　and　four　horses；　where　I　had　to　lay　hold　from　time　to　time　in　walking。　　The　track　was　excessively　steep；　barely　wide　enough；　and　as　slippery　as　a　flagstone　pavement；　being　the　naked　mountain…top；　which　is　bare　rock。　　However；　all　went　perfectly　right。

How　shall　I　describe　the　view　from　that　pass？　　In　front　was　a　long；　long　level　valley；　perhaps　three　to　five　miles　broad　（I　can't　judge　distance　in　this　atmosphere；　a　house　that　looks　a　quarter　of　a　mile　off　is　two　miles　distant）。　　At　the　extreme　end；　in　a　little　gap　between　two　low　brown　hills　that　crossed　each　other；　one　could　just　see　Worcester　…　five　hours'　drive　off。　　Behind　it；　and　on　each　side　the　plain；　mountains　of　every　conceivable　shape　and　colour；　the　strangest　cliffs　and　peaks　and　crags　toppling　every　way；　and　tinged　with　all　the　colours　of　opal；　chiefly　delicate；　pale　lilac　and　peach　colour；　but　varied　with　red　brown　and　Titian　green。　　In　spite　of　the　drought；　water　sparkled　on　the　mountain…sides　in　little　glittering　threads；　and　here　and　there　in　the　plain；　and　pretty　farms　were　dotted　on　either　side　at　the　very　bottom　of　the　slopes　toward　the　mountain…foot。　　The　sky　of　such　a　blue！　（it　is　deeper　now　by　far　than　earlier　in　the　year）。　　In　short；　I　never　did　see　anything　so　beautiful。　　It　even　surpassed　Hottentot's　Holland。　　On　we　went；　straight　along　the　valley；　crossing　drift　after　drift；　…　a　drift　is　the　bed　of　a　stream　more　or　less　dry；　in　which　sometimes　you　are　drowned；　sometimes　only　POUNDED；　as　was　our　hap。　　The　track　was　incredibly　bad；　except　for　short　bits；　where　ironstone　prevailed。　　However；　all　went　well；　and　on　the　road　I　chased　and　captured　a　pair　of　remarkably　swift　and　handsome　little　'Schelpats'。　　That　you　may　duly　appreciate　such　a　feat　of　valour　and　activity；　I　will　inform　you　that　their　English　name　is　'tortoise'。　　On　the　strength　of　this　effort；　we　drank　a　bottle　of　beer；　as　it　was　very　hot　and　sandy；　and　our　Malay　was　a　WET　enough　Mussulman　to　take　his　full　share　in　a　modest　way；　though　he　declined　wine　or　'Cape　smoke　Soopjes'　（drams）　with　aversion。　　No　sooner　had　we　got　under　weigh　again；　than　Sabaal　pulled　up　and　said；　'There　ARE　the　Baviaans　Missis　want　to　see！'　and　so　they　were。　　At　some　distance　by　the　river　was　a　great　brute；　bigger　than　a　Newfoundland　dog；　stalking　along　with　the　hideous　baboon　walk；　and　tail　vehemently　cocked　up；　a　troop　followed　at　a　distance；　hiding　and　dodging　among　the　palmiets。　　They　were　evidently　en　ROUTE　to　rob　a　garden　close　to　them；　and　had　sent　a　great　stout　fellow　ahead　to　reconnoitre。　　'He　see　Missis；　and　feel　sure　she　not　got　a　gun；　if　man　come　on　horseback；　you　see　'em　run　like　devil。'　We　had　not　that　pleasure；　and　left　them；　on　felonious　thoughts　intent。

The　road　got　more　and　more　beautiful　as　we　neared　Worcester；　and　the　mountains　grew　higher　and　craggier。　　Presently；　a　huge　bird；　like　a　stork　on　the　wing；　pounced　down　close　by　us。　　He　was　a　secretary…bird；　and　had　caught　sight　of　a　snake。　　We　passed　'Brant　Vley'　（BURNT　or　hot　spring）；　where　sulphur…water　bubbles　up　in　a　basin　some　thirty　feet　across　and　ten　or　twelve　deep。　　The　water　is　clear　as　crystal；　and　is　hot　enough　just　NOT　to　boil　an　egg；　I　was　told。　　At　last；　one　reaches　the　little　gap　between　the　brown　hills　which　one　has　seen　for　four　hours；　and　drives　through　it　into　a　wide；　wide　flat；　with　still　craggier　and　higher　mountains　all　round；　and　Worcester　in　front　at　the　foot　of　a　towering　cliff。　　The　town　is　not　so　pretty；　to　my　taste；　as　the　little　villages。　　The　streets　are　too　wide；　and　the　market…place　too　large；　which　always　looks　dreary；　but　the　houses　and　gardens　individually　are　charming。　Our　inn　is　a　very　nice　handsome　old　Dutch　house；　but　we　have　got　back　to　'civilization'；　and　the　horrid　attempts　at　'style'　which　belong　to　Capetown。　　The　landlord　and　lady　are　too　genteel　to　appear　at　all；　and　the　Hottentots；　who　are　disguised；　according　to　their　sexes；　in　pantry　jacket　and　flounced　petticoat；　don't　understand　a　word　of　English　or　of　real　Dutch。　　At　Gnadenthal　they　understood　Dutch；　and　spoke　it　tolerably；　but　here；　as　in　most　places；　it　is　three…parts　Hottentot；　and　then　they　affect　to　understand　English；　and　bring　everything　wrong；　and　are　sulky：　　but　the　rooms　are　very　comfortable。　　The　change　of　climate　is　complete　…　the　summer　was　over　at　Caledon；　and　here　we　are　into　it　again　…　the　most　delicious　air　one　can　conceive；　it　must　have　been　a　perfect　oven　six　weeks　ago。　　The　birds　are　singing　away　merrily　still；　the　approach　of　autumn　does　not　silence　them　here。　　The　canaries　have　a　very　pretty　song；　like　our　linnet；　only　sweeter；　the　rest　are　very　inferior　to　ours。　　The　sugar…bird　is　delicious　when　close　by；　but　his　pipe　is　too　soft　to　be　heard　at　any　distance。

To　those　who　think　voyages　and　travels　tiresome；　my　delight　in　the　new　birds　and　beasts　and　people　must　seem　very　stupid。　　I　can't　help　it　if　it　does；　and　am　not　ashamed　to　confess　that　I　feel　the　old　sort　of　enchanted　wonder　with　which　I　used　to　read　Cook's　voyages；　and　the　like；　as　a　child。　　It　is　very　coarse　and　unintellectual　of　me；　but　I　would　rather　see　this　now；　at　my　age；　than　Italy；　the　fresh；　new；　beautiful　nature　is　a　second　youth　…　or　CHILDHOOD　…　SI　VOUS　VOULEZ。　　To…morrow　we　shall　cross　the　highest　pass　I　have　yet　crossed；　and　sleep　at　Paarl　…　then　Stellenbosch；　then　Capetown。　　For　any　one　OUT　of　health；　and　IN　pocket；　I　should　certainly　prescribe　the　purchase　of　a　waggon　and　team　of　six　horses；　and　a　long；　slow　progress　in　South　Africa。　　One　cannot　walk　in　the　midday　sun；　but　driving　with　a　very　light　roof　over　one's　head　is　quite　delicious。　　When　I　looked　back　upon　my　dreary；　lonely　prison　at　Ventnor；　I　wondered　I　had　survived　it　at　all。

Capetown；　March　7th。

After　writing　last；　we　drove　out；　on　Sunday　afternoon；　to　a　deep　alpine　valley；　to　see　a　NEW　BRIDGE　…　a　great　marvel　apparently。　The　old　Spanish　Joe　Miller　about　selling　the　bridge　to　buy　water　occurred　to　me；　and　made　Sabaal　laugh　immensely。　　The　Dutch　farmers　were　tearing　home　from　Kerk；　in　their　carts　…　well…dressed；　prosperous…looking　folks；　with　capital　horses。　　Such　lovely　farms；　snugly　nestled　in　orange　and　pomegranate　groves！　　It　is　of　no　use　to　describe　this　scenery；　it　is　always　mountains；　and　always　b