the days of my life-第27章

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n　presses；　the　Home　Government　is　always　glad　to　set　a　thing　of　the　sort　down　as　a　scare；　and　to　let　“those　troublesome　fellows　settle　it　somehow。”　But　I　do　not　think　that　this　is　a　matter　that　can　be　settled　without　an　appeal　to　arms　and　one　last　struggle　between　the　white　and　the　black　races。　That　it　will　be　a　terrible　fight　there　is　no　doubt；　the　Zulus　are　brave　men；　as　reckless　about　death　as　any　Turk。　They　are　panting　for　war；　for　they　have　not　“washed　their　spears”　since　the　battle　of　the　Tugela　in　1856；　when　the　two　brothers　fought　for　the　throne；　and　when　the　killed　on　one　side　alone　amounted　to　9000　men。　They　will　e　now　to　drive　the　white　men　back　into　the　“Black　Water；”　or　to　break　their　power；　and　die　in　the　attempt。
I　think　I　told　you　that　their　plan　of　battle　is　to　engage　us　in　the　open　for　three　days　and　three　nights。　They　say　they　intend　to　begin　by　firing　three　rounds　and　then　charge　in　from　every　side。　It　will　be　a　magnificent　sight　to　see　about　twenty　thousand　of　those　fellows　sweeping　down；　but　perhaps　more　picturesque　than　pleasant。　However；　I　have　little　doubt　but　that　we　shall　beat　them。　Besides　the　thing　may　blow　over。　I　am　going　to　volunteer　this　afternoon。　。　。　。　I　see　that　Sir　Henry　is　getting　unpopular　in　Natal。　All　the　papers　are　pitching　into　him　for　being　too　“timid　and　cautious。”　He　will　be　in　a　terrible　way　about　this　Zulu　business　。　。　。　。
P。S。　—　I　have　just　“taken　the　shilling”　as　a　cavalry　volunteer。
Pretoria：　Feb。　11；　1878。
My　dearest　Mother；　—　。　。　。　We　are　rather　in　a　state　of　excitement　（as　usual）；　as　the　Boers　are　making　some　decided　manifestations　against　us；　and　even　talking　of　summoning　the　Volksraad。　They　think　because　we　are　quiet　we　are　afraid。　I　should　not　at　all　wonder　if　we　had　a　row；　and　in　many　ways　it　would　not　be　a　bad　thing。　Paul　Kruger　when　he　came　back　was　entirely　with　us；　but　since　his　return　has　bee　intimidated　by　the　blood…and…thunder　party　and　now　declares　that　he　considers　himself　to　be　still　Vice…President　of　the　country。　There　are　some　very　amusing　stories　told　of　him　whilst　in　London：　when　asked　what　made　the　greatest　impression　on　him　there；　he　replied　the　big　horses　in　the　carts；　and　Lord　Carnarvon’s　butler！　“He　was　a　‘mooi　carle’”　（beautiful　fellow）。
Pretoria：　March　4；　1878。
My　dearest　Mother；　—　。　。　。　At　home　you　seem　rather　alarmed　about　the　state　of　affairs　here；　and　it　is　not　altogether　reassuring。　The　Zulu　business　hangs　fire；　but　that　cloud　will　surely　burst。　Luckily　the　action　Sir　Henry　Bulwer　has　taken　has　thrown　much　of　the　future　responsibility　on　his　shoulders。　。　。　。　It　is　not　for　a　moment　to　be　supposed　that　Cetewayo　will　be　bound　by　any　decree　given　against　him。　。　。　。　Our　most　pressing　danger　now　is　the　Boers。　They　really　seem　to　mean　business　this　time。　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　his　version　of　the　affair　with　which　we　were　already　acquainted；　and　on　being　stopped；　remarked；　“I　have　spoken；　I　am　ready。”
In　the　grey　morning　light　he　was　then　led　to　the　scaffold　erected　in　the　prison　yard。　He　walked　to　it　and　examined　the　noose　and　other　arrangements。　The　executioner　proved　to　be　hopelessly　drunk；　a　black　Christian　preacher　wearing　a　battered　tall　hat　prayed　over　the　doomed　man。　The　High　Sheriff；　Juta；　overe　by　the　spectacle；　retired　into　a　corner　of　the　yard；　where　he　was　violently　ill。　The　thing　had　to　be　done；　and　between　the　drunken　executioner　and　an　overe　High　Sheriff　it　devolved　upon　me。　So　I　stood　over　that　executioner　and　forced　him　to　perform　his　office。　Thus　died　this　brave　Swazi　gentleman。
Pretoria：　Sunday；　March　31；　1878。
My　dear　Father；　—　Very　many　thanks　for　your　long　and　kind　letter　of　20th　Feb。　1878　and　all　the　advice　it　contained。　With　what　you　say　I　to　a　very　great　extent　agree。　I　had　some　idea　of　shifting；　but　recent　events　have　considerably　altered　my　plans。　I　think　that　unless　something　unexpected　occurs　I　am　now　certain　of　the　Master　and　Registrarship　here；　which　will　be　worth　400　pounds　a　year　—　with　a　probable　increase　of　pay　in　two　or　three　years。　It　will　also　make　me　a　head　of　Department；　which　at　the　age　of　twenty…one　is　not　so　bad。　However；　experience　has　taught　me　that　it　is　foolish　to　count　one’s　chickens　before　they　are　hatched；　so　as　I　have　not　actually　been　appointed　the　less　said　about　it　at　present　the　better。　Even　supposing　I　do　not　get　it　I　am　not　sure　that　I　should　change　unless　I　got　the　offer　of　something　very　good。　This　is　a　new　country　where　there　are　very　few　above　me；　and　a　country　which　must　bee　rich　and　rising　—　also　the　climate　is　good。　However；　I　shall　of　course　be　guided　by　circumstances；　and　if　I　should　do　so　I　am　sure　you　will　understand　that　it　will　be　because　I　thought　it　on　the　whole　best。
Of　course　the　lawyers　are　making　a　desperate　stand　against　my　appointment；　but　with　very　little　effect。　It　does　not　at　all　suit　their　book。　They　want　to　get　in　a　man　of　the　old　clique　who　would　not　be　above　a　“consideration。”　When　first　I　acted　one　of　them　tried　it　on　indirectly　with　me；　wanted　to　pay　me　double　fees　for　some　missioner’s　work；　but　I　think　I　rather　startled　him。
The　next　letter　runs　as　follows：
Pretoria：　April　7；　1878。
My　dear　Father；　—　I　have　to　tell　you　what　I　am　sure　you　will　be　glad　to　hear；　namely；　that　I　have　won　the　day　with　reference　to　my　appointment　as　Master　and　Registrar。　I　have　seen　H。E。‘s　minute　to　Sec。　to　Govt。；　so　I　am　certain　about　it　now。　The　last　question　has　also　been　settled　in　my　favour；　i。e。　whether　I　was　to　receive　300　or　400　pounds　per　annum。　I　believe　I　am　by　far　the　youngest　head　of　Department　in　South　Africa。　I　have　also　the　satisfaction　of　knowing　that　my　promotion　has　not　been　due　to　any　favouritism。　My　connection　with　the　Chief　has　been　against　me　rather　than　otherwise；　because　people　in　his　position　are　very　slow　about　doing　anything　that　can　be　construed　into　favouritism。　He　was　good　enough；　I　believe；　to　speak　very　kindly　about　me　when　he　settled　the　matter　of　my　appointment　this　morning；　saying　that　“he　thought　very　highly　of　me　and　was　sure　that　I　should　rise。”　This　turn　of　affairs　to　a　great　extent　settles　the　question　of　my　going　anywhere　else。　I　am　very　glad　to　have　got　the　better　of　those　lawyers　who　petitioned　against　me；　and　also　to　have　held　the　office　so　much　to　the　satisfaction　of　the　Government　as　to　justify　them　in　appointing　so　young　a　man。　When　I　began　to　act　eight　months　since　I　had　not　the　slightest　knowledge　of　my　work；　a　good　deal　of　which　is　of　course　technical；　and　what　is　more　ther