the days of my life-第17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 there were no records； no books； indeed nothing from which I could form an idea of it； nor had I anyone to teach me。 In addition I had to deal with a lot of gentlemen whose paths were the paths of self…seeking； who did their utmost to throw obstacles in my way。 These difficulties I have； I am glad to say； to a great extent overe； and I intend to make myself thoroughly master of my position。 Of course the very fact of my rapid rise will make me additional enemies； especially the five or six disappointed candidates； but I don’t mind that 。 。 。 。
Pretoria； Transvaal： June 2； 1878。
My dear Father； — 。 。 。 I could not help being a little amused at the alarm everybody seems to be in at home about us here。 The crisis which frightened you and which was really alarming at the time has long since passed； and I remain unhung。 ＇I cannot remember to what crisis this refers。 — H。 R。 H。＇ There is however a still blacker cloud over us now。 Sir Gar’s famous thunder…cloud of thirty thousand armed Zulus is； I think； really going to burst at last。 It must e some time； so I think it may as well e now。 We shall have to fight like rats in a corner； but we shall lick them and there will be an end of it。 I do not think a Zulu war will be a long one： they will not hide in kloofs and mountains； but e into the open and fight it out。
In a letter I got from you nearly a year ago you said that if I wanted 500 pounds and the trustees would consent； you thought it might be advanced to me。 If you still think so； and it could be done without inconvenience to anybody； it would be useful to me now to invest。 I would guarantee 6 per cent。 on it。 Of course I only ask for it if it can be done without hampering you or my mother。 I am going； as I told you； to build a nice house with Cochrane。 In a place of this sort it is a great thing to have a pleasant home； and it will also be a very sound investment。 I have bought two acres at the top end of the town for this purpose； where land will soon bee very valuable 。 。 。 。
H。 Rider Haggard。
This house I built。 We named it “The Palatial；” and it has since bee well known as “Jess’s Cottage。” It was a funny little place consisting of two rooms； a kitchen； etc。； and having a tin roof。 I remember how tiny it looked when the foundations were dug out。 I believe that it still stands in Pretoria。 At any rate an illustration of it was published in the issue of South Africa dated February 4； 1911； but if it is really the same building it has been much added to and altered。 The blue gums in the picture are undoubtedly those we planted； they are very big trees now； I am told。 I suppose the vineyard we made in front of the house has vanished long ago； and indeed that streets run across its site。
The Cochrane alluded to in the letter is Mr。 Arthur H。 D。 Cochrane； who came to the Transvaal with Mr。 （afterwards Sir William） Sergeaunt； one of the Crown Agents； who was sent out by the Home Government to investigate its finances。 We struck up a close friendship which has endured unimpaired through all the succeeding years。 I am thankful to say he is still living； a man of almost exactly my own age。
During the period covered by these letters home I was overtaken by a very sore trouble。 The love affair to which I have alluded earlier in this book unexpectedly developed； not at my instance； with the result that for some little space of time I imagined myself to be engaged and was proportionately happy。 Then one day the mail cart arrived and all was over。 It was a crushing blow； so crushing that at the time I should not have been sorry if I could have departed from the world。 Its effects upon me also were very bad indeed； for it left me utterly reckless and unsettled。 I cared not what I did or what became of me。 Here I will leave this subject of which even now I find it painful to write； especially after a morning spent in the perusal of old letters； some of them indited by the dead。
In the autumn of 1878 Sir Bartle Frere； the High missioner for South Africa； had arrived in Natal； and towards the end of the year — I think it was in November — he issued his famous ultimatum to the Zulus。
Respecting Sir Bartle as I do； and agreeing with him generally as I do； and sympathising with him from the bottom of my heart as to the shameless treatment which he received from the British party politicians after his policy seemed to have failed and the British arms had suffered defeat； I still think； perhaps erroneously； that this ultimatum was a mistake。 Although the argument is all on his side； I incline to the view that it would have been wiser to remonstrate with the Zulus and trust to the doctrine of chances — for this reason： neither Cetewayo nor his people wished to fight the English； had Cetewayo wished it he would have swept Natal from end to end after our defeat at Isandhlwana。 But what I heard he said at the time was to this effect： “The English are attacking me in my country； and I will defend myself in my country。 I will not send my impis to kill them in Natal； because I and those who went before me have always been good friends
