the days of my life

第17部分 (第4/7頁)

tervention　was　necessary；　but　this　the　more　ignorant　of　them　could　scarcely　be　expected　to　understand；　at　any　rate　at　first。

Many　threats　were　uttered　against　us。　Says　Sir　Theophilus　Shepstone　in　one　of　his　despatches　of　that　day　to　Lord　Carnarvon：　“Every　effort　had　been　made　during　the　previous　fortnight　by；　it　is　said；　educated　Hollanders　who　had　but　lately　arrived　in　the　country；　to　rouse　the　fanaticism　of　the　Boers　and　to　induce　them　to　offer　‘bloody’　resistance　to　what　it　was　known　I　intended　to　do。　The　Boers　were　appealed　to　in　the　most　inflammatory　language　by　printed　manifestos　and　memorials　。　。　。　it　was　urged　that　I　had　but　a　small　escort　which　could　easily　be　overpowered。”

Indeed　there　is　no　doubt　that　at　times　during　these　months　we　went　in　considerable　risk。　I　will　not　set　down　all　the　stories　that　came　to　our　ears；　of　how　we　were　to　be　waylaid　and　shot　on　this　occasion　or　on　that；　but　an　incident　that　I　remember　shows　me　that　Shepstone　at　any　rate　thought　there　was　something　in　them。　One　night　I　and　another　member　of　the　staff　—　I　think　it　was　Mor　—　were　at　work　late；　copying　despatches　in　a　room　of　the　building　which　afterwards　became　Government　House。　This　room　had　large　windows　opening　on　to　a　verandah；　and　over　these　we　had　not　drawn　the　curtains。　Sir　Theophilus　came　in　and　scolded　us；　saying　that　we　ought　to　remember　that　we　made　a　very　easy　target　against　that　lighted　background。　Then　he　drew　the　curtains　with　his　own　hand。

The　Volksraad　met　and　discussed　all　kinds　of　matters；　but　nothing　came　of　their　labours；　except　the　appointment　of　a　mission　to　examine　into　the　state　of　the　country　and　confer　with　H。M。‘s　Special　missioner。　I　attended　some　of　their　debates　and　remember　the　scene　well。　They　were　held　in　a　long；　low　room　down　th