the days of my life

第10部分 (第4/7頁)

eps　to　the　Quathlamba　or　Drakensberg　Mountains；　the　sparkling　torrential　rivers；　the　sweeping　thunderstorms；　the　grass…fires　creeping　over　the　veld　at　night　like　snakes　of　living　flame；　the　glorious　aspect　of　the　heavens；　now　of　a　spotless　blue；　now　charged　with　the　splendid　and　many…coloured　lights　of　sunset；　and　now　sparkling　with　a　myriad　stars；　the　wine…like　taste　of　the　air　upon　the　plains；　the　beautiful　flowers　in　the　bush…clad　kloofs　or　on　the　black　veld　in　spring　—　all　these　things　impressed　me；　so　much　that　were　I　to　live　a　thousand　years　I　never　should　forget　them。

Then　there　were　the　Zulu　Kaffirs　living　in　their　kraals　filled　with　round　beehive…like　huts；　bronze…coloured；　noble…looking　men　and　women　clad　only　in　their　moochas；　whose　herds　of　cattle　wandered　hither　and　thither　in　charge　of　a　little　lad。　From　the　beginning　I　was　attracted　to　these　Zulus；　and　soon　began　to　study　their　character　and　their　history。

I a　letter　to　my　mother　dated　Government　House；　Natal；　September　15；　1875。

My　dearest　Mother；　—　。　。　。　You　will　by　this　time　have　got　my　letters　from　Durban　and　the　Cape。　We　left　Durban　at　10　A。M。　on　the　morning　of　the　1st　September　and　came　up　the　fifty…four　miles　over　most　tremendous　hills　in　five　and　a　half　hours；　going　at　full　gallop　all　the　way；　in　a　four…horse　wagote。　There　were　five　of　us；　the　Chief；　Mr。　Shepstone　（Secretary　for　Native　Affairs）；　Napier　Broome　（Colonial　Secretary）；　Beaumont　and　myself。　Some　of　the　scenery　was　very　fine；　but　we　were　so　choked　by　the　dust；　which　was　so　thick　that　you　could　not　see　the　road　beneath　you；　that　we　did　not　much　enjoy　it。　Our　guard　of　honour　did　not　improve　matters。

When　we　got　near　Maritzburg　crowds　of　people　rode　out　to　meet　us；　and　we　entered　in　grand　style　amidst　loud　hurra