the days of my life

第20部分 (第2/7頁)

。　From　every　direction　we　hear　of　their　preparations；　etc。　According　to　the　latest　news　they　are　ing　in　on　the　16th　inst。；　or　else　on　the　5th　of　April；　five　thousand　strong；　to　demand　back　the　Government。　This　of　course　will　be　refused。　Then　they　are　going　to　try　to　rush　the　camp　and　powder　magazine　and；　I　suppose；　burn　the　town。　I　am　still　sceptical　about　it：　not　that　I　doubt　that　they　would　like　to　do　it。　I　dare　say　they　will　be　tempted　by　the　small　number　of　troops　here　（we　have　only　250　men）。　。　。　。　I　am　one　of　the　marked　men　who　are　to　be　instantly　hung　on　account　of　that　Secocoeni　article　I　wrote。　Some　spiteful　brute　translated　it　into　Dutch　with　ments　and　published　it　in　the　local　papers。　The　Boers　are　furious；　there　are　two　things　they　cannot　bear　—　the　truth　and　ridicule。　。　。　。　It　is　precious　little　I　care　about　them　and　their　threats。　。　。　。　The　abuse　showered　on　the　heads　of　the　unfortunate　English　officials　here　is　something　simply　awful。　You　would　not　know　me　again　if　you　could　see　me　as　I　appear　in　the　Volkstemm　leaders。　However；　it　amuses　them　and　does　not　hurt　us。　We　only　hope　that　when　the　Chief　es　back　（we　expect　him　next　Monday）　he　will　take　strong　measures。　He　has　been　too　lenient；　and　consequently　they　have　blackguarded　him　up　hill　and　down　dale。

P。S。　I　have　a　pleasing　duty　to　perform　early　tomorrow　—　go　and　see　a　man　executed。

Very　well　do　I　remember　the　experience　alluded　to　in　this　postscript。　The　individual　referred　to　was　a　Kaffir　chief　of　high　blood；　I　think　the　Swazi　who　was　responsible　for　the　killing　of　Mr。　Bell　in　order　to　avoid　the　payment　of　taxes。　I　cannot　recall　his　name。　He　was　a　most　dignified　and　gentlemanlike　person。　At　the　execution　the　interpreter　asked　him　if　he　had　anything　to　say　before　he　died。　He　began　to　repeat