letters from the cape-第18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！


the　Kloof；　between　Table　and　Lion　Mountain。　　The　road　is　cut　on　the　side　of　Lion　Mountain；　and　overhangs　the　sea　at　a　great　height。　　Camp　Bay；　which　lies　on　the　further　side　of　the　'Lion's　Head'；　is　most　lovely；　never　was　sea　so　deeply　blue；　rocks　so　warmly　brown；　or　sand　and　foam　so　glittering　white；　and　down　at　the　mountain…foot　the　bright　green　of　the　orange　and　pomegranate　trees　throws　it　all　out　in　greater　relief。　　But　the　atmosphere　here　won't　do　after　that　of　the　'Ruggings'；　as　the　Caledon　line　of　country　is　called。　　I　shall　never　lose　the　impression　of　the　view　I　had　when　Dr。　Morkel　drove　me　out　on　a　hill…side；　where　the　view　seemed　endless　and　without　a　vestige　of　life；　and　yet　in　every　valley　there　were　farms；　but　it　looked　a　vast；　utter　solitude；　and　without　the　least　haze。　　You　don't　know　what　that　utter　clearness　means　…　the　distinctness　is　quite　awful。　　Here　it　is　always　slightly　hazy；　very　pretty　and　warm；　but　it　takes　off　from　the　grandeur。　　It　is　the　difference　between　a　pretty　Pompadour　beauty　and　a　Greek　statue。　　Those　pale　opal　mountains；　as　distinct　in　every　detail　as　the　map　on　your　table；　are　so　cheerful　and　serene；　no　melodramatic　effects　of　clouds　and　gloom。　　I　suppose　it　is　not　really　so　beautiful　as　it　seemed　to　me；　for　other　people　say　it　is　bare　and　desolate；　and　certainly　it　is；　but　it　seemed　to　me　anything　but　dreary。

I　am　persuaded　that　Capetown　is　not　healthy；　indeed；　the　town　can't　be；　from　its　stench　and　dirt；　but　I　believe　the　whole　seashore　is　more　or　less　bad；　compared　to　the　upper　plateaux；　of　which　I　know　only　the　first。　　I　should　have　gone　back　to　Paarl；　only　that　ships　come　and　go　within　twenty…four　hours；　so　one　has　the　pleasure　of　living　in　constant　expectation；　with　packed　trunks；　wondering　when　one　shall　get　away。　　A　clever　Mr。　M…；　who　has　lived　ALL　OVER　India；　and　is　going　back　to　Singapore；　with　his　wife　and　child；　are　now　in　the　house；　and　some　very　pleasant　Jews；　bound　for　British　Caffraria　…　one　of　them　has　a　lovely　little　wife　and　three　children。　　She　is　very　full　of　Prince　Albert's　death；　and　says　there　was　not　a　dry　eye　in　the　synagogues　in　London；　which　were　all　hung　with　black　on　the　day　of　his　funeral；　and　prayer　went　on　the　whole　day。　　'THE　PEOPLE　mourned　for　him　as　much　as　for　Hezekiah；　and；　indeed；　he　deserved　it　a　great　deal　better；'　was　her　rather　unorthodox　conclusion。　　These　colonial　Jews　are　a　new　'Erscheinung'　to　me。　They　have　the　features　of　their　race；　but　many　of　their　peculiarities　are　gone。　　Mr。　L…；　who　is　very　handsome　and　gentlemanly；　eats　ham　and　patronises　a　good　breed　of　pigs　on　the　'model　farm'　on　which　he　spends　his　money。　　He　is　（he　says）　a　thorough　Jew　in　faith；　and　evidently　in　charitable　works；　but　he　wants　to　say　his　prayers　in　English　and　not　to　'dress　himself　up'　in　a　veil　and　phylacteries　for　the　purpose；　and　he　and　his　wife　talk　of　England　as　'home'；　and　care　as　much　for　Jerusalem　as　their　neighbours。　　They　have　not　forgotten　the　old　persecutions；　and　are　civil　to　the　coloured　people；　and　speak　of　them　in　quite　a　different　tone　from　other　English　colonists。　　Moreover；　they　are　far　better　mannered；　and　more　'HUMAN'；　in　the　German　sense　of　the　word；　in　all　respects；　…　in　short；　less　'colonial'。

I　have　bought　some　Cape　'confeyt'；　apricots；　salted　and　then　sugared；　called　'mebos'　…　delicious！　　Also　pickled　peaches；　'chistnee'；　and　quince　jelly。　　I　have　a　notion　of　some　Cherupiga　wine　for　ourselves。　　I　will　inquire　the　cost　of　bottling；　packing；　&c。；　it　is　about　one　shilling　and　fourpence　a　bottle　here；　sweet　red　wine；　unlike　any　other　I　ever　drank；　and　I　think　very　good。　　It　is　very　tempting　to　bring　a　few　things　so　unknown　in　England。　　I　have　a　glorious　'Velcombers'　for　you；　a　blanket　of　nine　Damara　sheepskins；　sewn　by　the　Damaras；　and　dressed　so　that　moths　and　fleas　won't　stay　near　them。　　It　will　make　a　grand　railway　rug　and　'outside　car'　covering。　　The　hunters　use　them　for　sleeping　out　of　doors。　　I　have　bought　three；　and　a　springbok　caross　for　somebody。

April　17th。　…　The　winter　has　set　in　to…day。　　It　rains　steadily；　at　the　rate　of　the　heaviest　bit　of　the　heaviest　shower　in　England；　and　is　as　cold　as　a　bad　day　early　in　September。　　One　can　just　sit　without　a　fire。　　Presently；　all　will　be　green　and　gay；　for　winter　is　here　the　season　of　flowers；　and　the　heaths　will　cover　the　country　with　a　vast　Turkey　carpet。　　Already　the　green　is　appearing　where　all　was　brown　yesterday。　　To…day　is　Good　Friday；　and　if　Christmas　seemed　odd　at　Midsummer；　Easter　in　autumn　seems　positively　unnatural。　　Our　Jewish　party　made　their　exodus　to…day；　by　the　little　coasting　steamer；　to　Algoa　Bay。　　I　rather　condoled　with　the　pretty　little　woman　about　her　long　rough　journey；　with　three　babies；　but　she　laughed；　and　said　they　had　had　time　to　get　used　to　it　ever　since　the　days　of　Moses。　　All　she　grieved　over　was　not　being　able　to　keep　Passover；　and　she　described　their　domestic　ceremonies　quite　poetically。　　We　heard　from　our　former　housemaid；　Annie；　the　other　day；　announcing　her　marriage　and　her　sister's。　She　wrote　such　a　pretty；　merry　letter　to　S…；　saying　'the　more　she　tried　not　to　like　him；　the　better　she　loved　him；　and　had　to　say；　〃Aha；　Annie；　you're　caught　at　last。〃'　　A　year　and　a　half　is　a　long　time　to　remain　single　in　this　country。

Monday；　April　21st；　Easter　Monday。　…　The　mail　goes　out　in　an　hour；　so　I　will　just　add；　good…bye。　　The　winter　is　now　fairly　set　in；　and　I　long　to　be　off。　　I　fear　I　shall　have　a　desperately　cold　week　or　so　at　first　sailing；　till　we　catch　the　south…east　trades。　　This　weather　is　beautiful　in　itself；　but　I　feel　it　from　the　suddenness　of　the　change。　　We　passed　in　one　night　from　hot　summer　to　winter；　which　is　like　FINE　English　April；　or　October；　only　brighter　than　anything　in　Europe。　　There　is　properly；　no　autumn　or　spring　here；　only　hot；　dry；　brown　summer；　with　its　cold　wind　at　times；　and　fresh　green　winter；　all　fragrance　and　flowers；　and　much　less　wind。　　Mr。　M…；　of　whom　I　told　you；　has　been　in　every　corner　of　the　far　East　…　Java；　Sumatra；　everywhere　…　and　is　extremely　amusing。　　He　has　brought　his　wife　here　for　her　health；　and　is　as　glad　to　talk　as　I　am。　　The　conversation　of　an　educated；　clever　person；　is　quite　a　new　and　delightful　sensation　to　me　now。　　He　appears　to　have　held　high　posts　under　the　East　India　Company；　is　learned　in　Oriental　languages；　and　was　last　resident　at　Singapore。　　He　says　that　no　doubt　Java　is　Paradise；　it　is　so　lovely；　and　such　a　climate；　but　he　does　not　look　as　if　it　had　agreed　with　him。　　I　feel　quite　heart…　sick　at　seeing　these　letters　go　off　before　me；　instead　of　leaving　them　behind；　as　I　had　hoped。

Well；　I　must　say　good…bye　…　or　rather；　'AUF　WIEDERSEHN'　…　and　God　knows　how　glad　I　shall　be　when　that　day　comes！



LETTER　XIII



Capetown；　April　19th。

Dearest　mother；

Here　I　am；　waiting　for　a　ship；　the　steamer　was　too　horrid：　　and　I　look　so　much　to　the　good　to　be　gained　by　the　voyage　that　I　did　not　like　to　throw　away　the　chance　of　two　months　at　sea　at　this　favourable　time　of　year；　and　under　favourable　circumstances；　so　I　made　up　my　mind　to　see　you　all　a　month　later。　　The　sea　just　off　the　Cape　is　very；　very　cold；　less　so　now　than　in　spring；　I　dare　say。　The　weather　to…day　is　just　like　VERY　warm　April　at　home　…　showery；　sunshiny；　and　fragrant；　most　lovely。　　It　is　so　odd　to　see　an　autumn　without　dead　leaves：　　only　the　oaks　lose　theirs；　the　old　ones　drop　without　turning　brown；　and　the　trees　bud　again　at　once。　　The　rest　put　on　a　darker　green　dress　for　winter；　and　now　the　flowers　will　begin。　　I　have　got　a　picture　for　you　of　my　'cart　and　four'；　with　sedate　Choslullah　and　dear　little　Mohammed。　　The　former　wants　to　go　with　me；　'anywhere'；　as　he　placidly　said；　'to　be　the　missis'　servant'。　　What　a　sensation　his　thatchlike　hat　and　handsome　orange…　tawny　face　would　make　at　Esher！　　Such　a　stalwart　henchman　would　be　very　creditable。　　I　shall　grieve　to　think　I　shall　never　see　my　Malay　friends　again；　they　are　the　only　people　here　who　are　really　interesting。　　I　think　they　must　be　like　the　Turks　in　manner；　as　they　have　all　the　eastern　gentlemanly　'Gelassenheit'　（ease）　and　politeness；　and　no　eastern　'Geschmeidigkeit'　（obsequiousness）；　and　no　idea　of　Baksheesh；　withal　frugal；　industrious；　and　money…making；　to　an　astonishing　degree。　　The　priest　is　a　bit　of　a　proselytiser；　and　amused　me　much　with　an　account　of　how　he　had　converted　English　girls　from　their　evil　courses　and　made　them　good　MUSSULWOMEN。　　I　never　heard　a　NAIF　and　sincere　account　of　conversions　FROM　Christianity　before；　and　I　must　own　it　was　much　milder　than　the　Exeter　Hall　style。

I　have　heard　a　great　many　expressions　of　sorrow　for　the　Queen　from　the　Malays；　and　always　with　the　'hope　the　people　will　take　much　care　of　her；　now　she　is　alone'。　　Of　course　Prince　Albert　was　only　the　Queen's　husband　to　them；　and　all　their　feeling　is　about　her。　It　is　very　difficult　to　see　anything　of　them；　for　they　want　nothing　of　you；　and　expect　nothing　but　dislike　and　contempt。　　It　would　take　a　long　time　to　make　many　friends；　as　they　are　naturally　distrustful。　　I　found　that　eating　or　drinking　anything；　if　they　offer　it；　made　most　way；　as　they　know　they　are　accused　of　poisoning　all　Christians　indiscriminately。　　Of　course；　therefore；　they　are　shy　of　offering　things。　　I　drank　tea　in　the　Mosque　at　the　end　of　Ramadan；　and　was　surrounded　by　delighted　faces　as　I　sipped。　　The　little　boy　who　waits　in　this　house　here　had　followed　us；　and　was　horrified：　　he　is　still　waiting　to　see　the　poison　work。

No　one　can　conceive　what　has　become　of　all　the　ships　that　usually　touch　here　about　this　time。　　I　was　promised　my　choice　of　Green's　and　Smith's；　and　now　only　the　heavy　old　CAMPERDOWN　is　expected　with　rice　from　Moulmein。　　A　lady　now　here；　who　has　been　Heaven　only　knows　WHERE　NOT；　praises　Alexandria　above　all　other　places；　after　Suez。　　Her　lungs　are　bad；　and　she　swears　by　Suez；　which　she　says　is　the　dreariest　and　healthiest　（for　lungs）　place　in　the　world。　　You　can't　think　how　soon　one　learns　to　'annihilate　space'；　if　not　time；　in　one's　thoughts；　by　daily　reading　advertisements　for　every　port　in　India；　America；　Australia；　&c。；　&c。；　and　conversing　with　people　who　have　just　come　from　the　'ends　of　the　earth'。　　Meanwhile；　I　fear　I　shall　have　to　fly　from　next　winter　again；　and　certainly　will　go　with　J…　to　Egypt；　which　see