the days of my life

第11部分 (第4/7頁)

　as　it　is　more　varied。　Also　you　can　make　dives　into　the　bush　in　search　of　a　little　shooting；　though　it　is　very　necessary　to　take　your　bearings　first。　I　neglected　to　do　this　the　other　day；　and　when　I　had　been　off　the　road　five　minutes　I　found　I　was　utterly　unable　to　find　it　again。

When　once　you　have　lost　your　general　direction　you　are　done　for。　I　wandered　on　and　on　till　at　length　I　saw　three　pretty；　rustic…looking　houses　on　a　hill　a　couple　of　miles　off；　for　which　I　was　not　sorry；　for　the　evening　was　very　gloomy　and　a　cold　east　wind　was　driving　down　clouds　and　mists　from　the　hill。　Thither　I　and　my　tired　horse　and　dogs　clambered　as　best　we　could；　now　over　masses　of　boulders；　now　through　deep　water…courses；　till　at　last　we　came　to　the　neighbourhood　of　the　first　house；　just　as　night　was　setting　in。

As　I　approached　I　was　struck　by　the　stillness　of　the　place；　and　drawing　nearer　yet　I　saw　that　brambles　and　thorns　were　mixed　with　the　peaches　and　pomegranates　of　the　garden；　and　that　the　fruit　had　not　been　plucked；　but　eaten　away　by　birds；　then　I　observed　that　the　front　door　had　fallen　from　its　hinges。　I　rode　in　and　found　the　place　a　picture　of　melancholy　desertion。　I　went　on　to　the　next　house　and　found　it　in　the　same　condition；　and　the　next　to　that　also。　I　was　now　pretty　well　done；　but　as　the　prospect　of　sleeping　in　the　bush　or　a　deserted　house　was　not　pleasant　I　determined　to　make　one　more　shot　for　the　road。　As　soon　as　I　had　ridden　over　half　a　mile　it　came　on　to　rain　“cats　and　dogs；”　and　I　got　ducked　through　and　through。　I　turned　to　make　for　the　houses　as　best　I　could　through　the　dark；　feeling　unmonly　cold；　when　suddenly　I　stumbled　upon　a　Kaffir　ing　through　the　bush。　An　angel　could　not　have　been　more　wele。

However　there　was　a　drawback。　I　knew　no　Kaffir；　he　k