the days of my life

第34部分 (第1/7頁)

ould　get；　and　when　they　had　settled　and　sweetened　by　the　generated　heat；　we　sold　them　to　the　purchasers；　usually　missariat　officers　who　carted　them　away。　I　suppose　they　were　satisfied　with　the　stuff；　as　they　always　came　back　for　more。　Or　perhaps　they　could　get　nothing　else。

Further；　we　grew　mealies　or　Indian　corn；　but　here　the　trouble　was　that　stray　cattle　and　horses　would　break　in　at　night　and　eat　them。

Such　is　a　rough　outline　of　our　various　agricultural　and　other　operations　on　the　Rooipoint　farm。　Personally　they　form　my　pleasantest　recollections　of　the　place；　though；　were　I　to　start　again；　I　would　not　have　so　many　irons　in　the　fire。　On　the　whole　we　made　a　good　deal　of　money；　though　our　outgoings　and　losses　were　also　heavy。　To　farm　successfully　in　Natal　requires；　or　required；　much　capital　and；　owing　to　the　poor　quality　of　the　Kaffir　labour；　incessant　personal　supervision。　These　Kaffirs；　however；　who　were　most　of　them　our　tenants；　were　in　many　ways　our　best　friends；　moreover　they　afforded　us　constant　amusement　when　they　were　not　engaged　in　driving　us　mad　by　their　carelessness。

I　remember　one　of　them　breaking　the　best　dinner　dish　and　calmly　bringing　the　pieces　to　my　wife。　“I　have　collected　and　carried　these　fragments　to　the　Inkosikaas　（head　lady）；”　he　explained　with　a　sweet　smile；　“that　the　Inkosikaas；　being　clever　like　all　the　white　people；　may　cause　them　to　join　themselves　together　again。”

The　Inkosikaas　surveyed　him　and　them　with　speechless　indignation。　When；　however；　some　of　the　family　silver　—　I　think　it　was　spoons　—　was　missed　and　ultimately　found　in　the　stable　dust…heap；　and　when　the　best　new　table　knives　were　discovered　being　used　by　Mazooku　and　his　friends　to　dissect　a　decaying　ox　that　had　died　of　lung　sickness；　her　indignation　wa