按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
beginning of the summer season； when the grass was commencing to grow；
from the Lydenburg districtan awful journey over mountains and through
flooded rivers。 After many delays； some of them months long； we reached
this place； about eight weeks ago； for I write to you at the beginning
of June； if we have kept correct account of the time； of which I am not
certain。
〃It is a beautiful place to look at； a flat country of rich veld； with
big trees growing on it； and about two miles from the great river that
is called the Crocodile。 Here； finding good water； my father and Hernan
Pereira； who now rules him in all things； determined to settle； although
some of the others wished to push on nearer to Delagoa Bay。 There was a
great quarrel about it； but in the end my father； or rather Hernan； had
his will； as the oxen were worn out and many had already died from the
bites of a poisonous fly which is called the tsetse。 So we lotted out
the land； of which there is enough for hundreds； and began to build rude
houses。
〃Then trouble came upon us。 The Kaffirs stole most of our horses；
although they have not dared to attack us； and except two belonging to
Hernan； the rest died of the sickness； the last of them but yesterday。
The oxen； too； have all died of the tsetse bites or other illnesses。
But the worst is that although this country looks so healthy； it is
poisoned with fever； which comes up； I think； in the mists from the
river。 Already out of the thirty…five of us； ten are dead； two men；
three women； and five children； while more are sick。 As yet my father
and I and my cousin Pereira have； by God's mercy； kept quite well； but
although we are all very strong； how long this will continue I cannot
tell。 Fortunately we have plenty of ammunition and the place is thick
with game； so that those of the men who remain strong can kill all the
food we want； even shooting on foot； and we women have made a great
quantity of biltong by salting flesh and drying it in the sun。 So we
shall not actually starve for a long while； even if the game goes away。
〃But； dear Allan； unless help comes to us I think that we shall die
every one； for God alone knows the miseries that we suffer and the
horrible sights of sickness and death that are around us。 At this
moment there lies by me a little girl who is dying of fever。
〃Oh； Allan； if you can help us； do so！ Because of our sick it is
impossible for us to get to Delagoa Bay； and if we did we have no money
to buy anything there； for all that we had with us was lost in a wagon
in a flooded river。 It was a great sum； for it included Hernan's rich
fortune which he brought from the Cape with him in gold。 Nor can we
move anywhere else； for we have no cattle or horses。 We have sent to
Delagoa Bay； where we hear these are to be had； to try to buy them on
credit； but my cousin Hernan's relations； of whom he used to talk so
much； are dead or gone away； and no one will trust us。 With the
neighbouring Kaffirs； too； who have plenty of cattle； we have quarrelled
since； unfortunately； my cousin and some of the other Boers tried to
take certain beasts of theirs without payment。 So we are quite
helpless； and can only wait for death。
〃Allan； my father says that he asked your father to collect some monies
that were owing to him。 If it were possible for you or other friends to
come to Delagoa in a ship with that money； I think that it might serve
to buy some oxen； enough for a few wagons。 Then perhaps we might trek
back and fall in with a party of Boers who； we believe； have crossed the
Quathlamba Mountains into Natal。 Or perhaps we might get to the Bay and
find a ship to take us anywhere from this horrible place。 If you could
come； the natives would guide you to where we are。
〃But it is too much to hope that you will come； or that if you do come
you will find us still alive。
〃Allan； my dearest； I have one more thing to say； though I must say it
shortly； for the paper is nearly finished。 I do not know； supposing
that you are alive and well； whether you still care for me； who left you
so long agoit seems years and yearsbut _my_ heart is where it was；
and where I promised it should remain； in your keeping。 Of course；
Hernan has pressed me to marry him； and my father has wished it。 But I
have always said no； and now； in our wretchedness； there is no more talk
of marriage at present； which is the one good thing that has happened to
me。 And； Allan； before so very long I shall be of age； if I live。
Still I dare say you no longer think of marriage with me； who； perhaps；
are already married to someone else； especially as now I and all of us
are no better than wandering beggars。 Yet I have thought it right to
tell you these things； which you may like to know。
〃Oh； why did God ever put it into my father's heart to leave the Cape
Colony just because he hated the British Government and Hernan Pereira
and others persuaded him？ I know not； but； poor man； he is sorry enough
now。 It is pitiful to see him； at times I think that he is going mad。
〃The paper is done； and the messenger is going； also the sick child is
dying and I must attend to her。 Will this letter ever come to your
hands； I wonder？ I am sending with it the little money I have to pay
for its deliveryabout four pounds English。 If not； there is an end。
If it does； and you cannot come or send others； at least pray for us。 I
dream of you by night and think of you by day； for how much I love you I
cannot tell。
〃In life or death I am
〃Your MARIE。〃
Such was this awful letter。 I still have it； it lies before me； those
ragged sheets of paper covered with faint pencil…writing that is blotted
here and there with tear marks； some of them the tears of Marie who
wrote； some of them the tears of me who read。 I wonder if there exists
a more piteous memorial of the terrible sufferings of the trek…Boers；
and especially of such of them as forced their way into the poisonous
veld around Delagoa； as did this Marais expedition and those under the
command of Triechard。 Better； like many of their people； to have
perished at once by the spears of Umzilikazi and other savages than to
endure these lingering tortures of fever and starvation。
As I finished reading this letter my father； who had been out visiting
some of his Mission Kaffirs； entered the house； and I went into the
sitting…room to meet him。
〃Why； Allan； what is the matter with you？〃 he asked； noting my
tear…stained face。
I gave him the letter； for I could not speak； and with difficulty he
deciphered it。
〃Merciful God； what dreadful news！〃 he said when he had finished。
〃Those poor people！ those poor； misguided people！ What can be done for
them？〃
〃I know one thing that can be done； father； or at any rate can be
attempted。 I can try to reach them。〃
〃Are you mad？〃 he asked。 〃How is it possible for you； one man； to get
to Delagoa Bay； buy cattle； and rescue these folk； who probably are now
all dead？〃
〃The first two things are possible enough； father。 Some ship will take
me to the Bay。 You have Marais's money； and I have that five hundred
pounds which my old aunt in England left me last year。 Thank Heaven！
owing to my absence on commando； it still lies untouched in the bank at
Port Elizabeth。 That is about eight hundred pounds in all； which would
buy a great many cattle and other things。 As for the third； it is not
in our hands； is it？ It may be that they cannot be rescued； it may be
that they are dead。 I can only go to see。〃
〃But； Allan； Allan； you are my only son； and if you go it is probable
that I shall never see you more。〃
〃I have been through more dangers lately； father； and am still alive and
well。 Moreover； if Marie is dead〃I paused； then went on
passionately〃Do not try to stop me； for I tell you； father； I will not
be stopped。 Think of the words in that letter and what a shameless
hound I should be if I sat here quiet while Marie is dying yonder。
Would you have done so if Marie had been my mother？〃
〃No；〃 answered the old gentleman； 〃I should not。 Go； and God be with
you； Allan； and me also； for I never expect to see you again。〃 And he
turned his head aside for a while。
Then we went into matters。 The smous was summoned and asked about the
ship which brought the letter from Delagoa。 It seemed that she was an
English…owned brig known as the Seven Stars； and that her captain； one
Richardson； proposed to sail back to the Bay on the morrow； that was the
third of July； or in other words； within twenty…four hours。
Twenty…four hours！ And Port Elizabeth was one hundred and eighteen
miles away； and the Seven Stars might leave earlier if she had completed
her cargo and wind and weather served。 Moreover； if she did leave； it
might be weeks or months before any other ship sailed for Delagoa Bay；
for in those days； o