the days of my life

第10部分 (第2/7頁)

　in　a　very　forcing　atmosphere　where　I　was　made　too　much　of　by　some　of　my　elders。

Four　or　five　days’　steaming　along　the　green　and　beautiful　coasts　of　south…eastern　Africa；　on　which　the　great　rollers　break　continually；　brought　us　to　Port　Natal。　At　that　time　the　Durban　harbour　was　not　sufficiently　dredged　to　admit　sea…going　vessels；　and　I　think　we　had　some　difficulty　in　landing。　There　was　a　reception　mittee　which　presented　an　address　of　wele　to　the　Lieutenant…Governor；　and　I　remember　hurriedly　copying　his　answer　as　the　ship　rolled　off　the　Point。

Sir　Gar　Wolseley　had　been　sent　to　Natal　as　temporary　Governor　to　settle　certain　matters　connected　with　its　constitution。　I　think　that　at　that　time　he　had　left　the　Colony　himself；　though　of　this　I　am　not　quite　sure；　as　I　am　unable　to　remember　when　I　first　spoke　to　him。　In　after　life　I　met　him　on　several　occasions。　Especially　do　I　remember　a　long　talk　with　him　at　a　dinner…party　at　the　house　of　the　Bischoffheims　in　London　some　time　in　the　eighties。　He　was　a　small；　bright…eyed；　quick…brained　man　who　expressed　his　views　upon　the　public　matters　of　the　day　with　a　fierceness　and　a　vigour　that　were　quite　astonishing。　We　sat　together　at　the　table　after　all　the　other　guests　had　left　to　join　the　ladies；　and　I　reflected　that　he　must　have　had　singular　confidence　in　my　character　to　say　the　things　he　did　to　me。　However；　it　was　justified；　for　of　course　I　never　repeated　a　word。

Those　of　the　Staff　whom　I　recollect　are；　or　were　—　for　I　think　they　are　now　all　dead　—　Lord　Gifford；　Colonel　（afterwards　Sir　Henry）　Brackenbury；　and　Major　（afterwards　Sir　William）　Butler。　Of　these　the　one　who　impressed　himself　most　deeply　upon　my　mind　was　Butler。　He　was　a　most　agreeable　and　sympathetic　man；　who　took　the　trouble　to　talk　a　good　deal　to　me；