the days of my life

第17部分 (第2/7頁)

e　others　still　live　they　must　be　very　old　men。

At　Fort　Weber　I　think　we　separated　from　the　Boer　mission；　also　that　Clarke　left　us　to　attend　to　business　elsewhere。　Osborn　and　I　trekked　day　and　night　in　an　ox…waggon　to　Middelburg　—　trekked　till　the　oxen　fell　down　in　the　yokes。　It　was　a　fearful　and　a　sleepless　journey。　At　some　period　in　it　we　were　left　quite　without　food。　Only　a　single　pot　of　jam　remained。　We　opened　the　tin　and　helped　ourselves　to　the　jam　with　our　knives；　sitting　one　on　either　side　of　it　in　the　vasty　veld；　till　we　could　eat　no　more　of　the　sickly　stuff；　hungry　though　we　were。

While　we　were　thus　engaged　an　eagle　sailed　over　us　with　a　koran　or　small　bustard　in　its　claws。　I　shouted　and　it　dropped　the　koran；　which；　thinking　that　it　would　serve　for　supper；　I　secured　and　tied　to　my　saddle；　unfortunately　by　its　head；　not　by　its　feet。　We　rode　on　and　I　noticed　that　the　eagle　and　its　mate　followed　us。　In　the　end　the　jerking　of　the　horse　separated　the　koran’s　head　from　its　body；　so　that　the　bird　fell　to　the　ground。　In　a　moment　the　eagle　had　it　again　and　sailed　away　in　triumph。

By　the　way；　I　still　possess　that　knife　with　which　I　ate　the　jam。　It　was　given　to　me　by　my　brother　Andrew　when　I　was　about　twelve　and；　except　for　a　month　or　two　when　it　was　lost　upon　the　veld；　from　that　day　to　this　it　has　been　in　my　pocket。　It　is　wonderful　that　an　article　in　daily　use　should　have　lasted　so　long；　but　I　hope　that　it　may　remain　to　the　end　of　the　chapter。

Chapter　5　THE　ANNEXATION

Doubtful　attitude　of　Boers　towards　Mission　—　H。　R。　H。　attends　debates　in　Volksraad　—　Paul　Kruger　—　H。　R。　H。‘s　projected　journey　home　—　Which　was　given　up　—　Transvaal　annexed　—　H。　R。　H。　delivers　copies　of　Proclamation　and　hoists　British　flag　with　Colonel　Brooke。

Life