the days of my life

第29部分 (第3/7頁)

esponsibility　I　find　it。　Indeed　it　is　no　joke。　I　am　not　hard　worked；　but　my　brain　is　continually　on　the　stretch　to　prevent　the　wily　Zulu　getting　the　better　of　me。　Any　mistake　might　cause　endless　plications。　My　pay　is　1300　pounds；　and　a　suitable　Residency　is　to　be　built　at　once　for　me　by　the　Government。　I　correspond　only　with　the　High　missioner　direct。　I　had　not　forgotten　you　when　the　appointment　was　made；　but　there　was　nothing　at　all　beyond　an　ordinary　clerkship　which　I　could　offer　you；　and　this　was　certainly　not　in　your　line。　There　is　however　a　good　prospect　of　something　worth　having　turning　up　in　six　months　from　this；　and　then　you　will　hear　from　me　again。　Between　us　I　have　to　report　in　extenso　on　the　whole　question　connected　with　Zululand　and　the　additional　officers　required　to　assist　me　in　managing；　for　the　Secretary　of　State’s　consideration；　but　this　I　will　do　only　after　I　have　been　three　months　in　the　country；　and　tomorrow　the　first　month　will　expire。　I　think　however　you　will　not　like　it　here　—　too　lonely；　and　you　should　not　e　if　you　could　get　anything　else。　You　can　form　no　idea　of　my　grandness　here　—　in　the　eyes　of　the　chiefs　and　people　I　am　a　great　king。　They　are　submissive　and　civil　to　a　degree。　Almost　every　day　a　fine　fat　ox　is　presented　to　me　for　my　dinner　that　day　by　some　Zulu　swell　that　es　to　pay　his　respects；　and　hundreds　e　up　to　my　camp　daily　with　“Bayete”　salutes　thundered　forth　so　as　to　make　the　hills　ring　again。　Most　of　the　chiefs　and　headmen　knew　me　personally　when　I　was　a　border　magistrate；　and　others　by　repute；　so　that　I　am　not　quite　a　stranger　to　them。

I　did　not　at　first　feel　inclined　to　take　the　office　when　Sir　Gar　offered　it　to　me；　but　after　four　weeks’　consideration　of　the　pros　and　cons　I　concluded　to　take　it。　。　。　。　Please　convey　to　your　f