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！
struck me。 It was true； I could prove nothing； having no witnesses； and
henceforward I should be a Cain among the Boers； one who had slain a man
for jealousy。 His gun was empty； yes； but it might be said that I had
fired it after his death。 And as for the graze upon my cheekwhy； a
twig might have caused it。 What should I do； then？ Drive him before me
to the camp； and tell this tale？ Even then it would be but my word
against his。 No； he had me in a forked stick。 I must let him go； and
trust that Heaven would avenge his crime； since I could not。 Moreover；
by now my first rage was cooling； and to execute a man thus
〃Hernan Pereira；〃 I said； 〃you are a liar and a coward。 You tried to
butcher me because Marie loves me and hates you； and you want to force
her to marry you。 Yet I cannot shoot you down in cold blood as you
deserve。 I leave it to God to punish you； as； soon or late； He will；
here or hereafter； you who thought to slaughter me and trust to the
hyenas to hide your crime； as they would have done before morning。 Get
you gone before I change my mind； and be swift。〃
Without another word he turned and ran swiftly as a buck； leaping from
side to side as he ran； to disturb my aim in case I should shoot。
When he was a hundred yards away or more I； too； turned and ran； never
feeling safe till I knew there was a mile of ground between us。
It was past ten o'clock that night when I got back to the camp； where I
found Hans the Hottentot about to start to look for me； with two of the
Zulus； and told him that I had been detained by accidents to the wagon。
The Vrouw Prinsloo was still up also； waiting to hear of my arrival。
〃What was the accident； Allan？〃 she asked。 〃It looks as though there
had been a bullet in it；〃 and she pointed to the bloody smear upon my
cheek。
I nodded。
〃Pereira's？〃 she asked again。
I nodded a second time。
〃Did you kill him？〃
〃No； I let him go。 It would have been said that I murdered him；〃 and I
told her what had happened。
〃Ja； Allan；〃 she remarked when I had finished。 〃I think you were wise；
for you could have proved nothing。 But oh！ for what fate； I wonder； is
God Almighty saving up that stinkcat。 Well； I will go and tell Marie
that you are back safe； for her father won't let her out of the hut so
late； but nothing more unless you wish it。〃
〃No； Tante； I think nothing more； at any rate at present。〃
Here I may state； however； that within a few days Marie and everyone
else in the camp knew the story in detail； except perhaps Marais； to
whom no one spoke of his nephew。 Evidently Vrouw Prinsloo had found
herself unable to keep secret such an example of the villainy of her
aversion； Pereira。 So she told her daughter； who told the others
quickly enough； though I gathered that some of them set down what had
happened to accident。 Bad as they knew Pereira to be； they could not
believe that he was guilty of so black a crime。
About a week later the rest of us started from Marais's camp； a place
that； notwithstanding the sadness of many of its associations； I confess
I left with some regret。 The trek before us； although not so very long；
was of an extremely perilous nature。 We had to pass through about two
hundred miles of country of which all we knew was that its inhabitants
were the Amatonga and other savage tribes。 Here I should explain that
after much discussion we had abandoned the idea of retracing the route
followed by Marais on his ill…fated journey towards Delagoa。
Had we taken this it would have involved our crossing the terrible
Lobombo Mountains； over which it was doubtful whether our light cattle
could drag the wagons。 Moreover； the country beyond the mountains was
said to be very bare of game and also of Kaffirs； so that food might be
lacking。 On the other hand； if we kept to the east of the mountains the
veld through which we must pass was thickly populated； which meant that
in all probability we could buy grain。
What finally decided us to adopt this route； however； was that here in
these warm； low…lying lands there would be grass for the oxen。 Indeed；
now； at the beginning of spring； in this part of Africa it was already
pushing。 Even if it were not； the beasts could live upon what herbage
remained over from last summer and on the leaves of trees； neither of
which in this winter veld ever become quite lifeless； whereas on the
sere and fire…swept plains beyond the mountains they might find nothing
at all。 So we determined to risk the savages and the lions which
followed the game into these hot districts； especially as it was not yet
the fever season or that of the heavy rains； so that the rivers would be
fordable。
I do not propose to set out our adventures in detail； for these would be
too long。 Until the great one of which I shall have to tell presently；
they were of an annoying rather than of a serious nature。 Travelling as
we did； between the mountains and the sea； we could not well lose our
way； especially as my Zulus had passed through that country； and when
their knowledge failed us； we generally managed to secure the services
of local guides。 The roads； however； or rather the game tracks and
Kaffir paths which we followed； were terrible； for with the single
exception of that of Pereira for part of the distance； no wagon had ever
gone over them before。 Indeed； a little later in the year they could
not have been travelled at all。 Sometimes we stuck in bogs out of which
we had to dig the wheels； and sometimes in the rocky bottoms of streams；
while once we were obliged literally to cut our way through a belt of
dense bush from which it took us eight days to escape。
Our other chief trouble came from the lions； whereof there were great
numbers in this veld。 The prevalence of these hungry beasts forced us
to watch our cattle very closely while they grazed； and at night；
wherever it was possible； to protect them and ourselves in 〃bombast；〃 or
fences of thorns； within which we lit fires to scare away wild beasts。
Notwithstanding these precautions； we lost several of the oxen； and
ourselves had some narrow escapes。
Thus； one night； just as Marie was about to enter the wagon where the
women slept； a great lion； desperate with hunger； sprang over the fence。
She leapt away from the beast； and in so doing caught her foot and fell
down； whereon the lion came for her。 In another few seconds she would
have been dead； or carried off living。
But as it chanced； Vrouw Prinsloo was close at hand。 Seizing a flaming
bough from the fire； that intrepid woman ran at the lion and； as it
opened its huge mouth to roar or bite； thrust the burning end of the
bough into its throat。 The lion closed its jaws upon it； then finding
the mouthful not to its taste； departed even more quickly than it had
come； uttering the most dreadful noises； and leaving Marie quite unhurt。
Needless to say； after this I really worshipped the Vrouw Prinsloo；
though she； good soul； thought nothing of the business； which in those
days was but a common incident of travel。
I think it was on the day after this lion episode that we came upon
Pereira's wagon； or rather its remains。 Evidently he had tried to trek
along a steep； rocky bank which overhung a stream； with the result that
the wagon had fallen into the stream…bed； then almost dry； and been
smashed beyond repair。
The Tonga natives of the neighbourhood； who had burned most of the
woodwork in order to secure the precious iron bolts and fittings；
informed us that the white man and his servants who were with the wagon
had gone forward on foot some ten days before； driving their cattle with
them。 Whether this story were true or not we had no means of finding
out。 It was quite possible that Pereira and his companions had been
murdered； though as we found the Tongas very quiet folk if well treated
and given the usual complimentary presents for wayleaves； this did not
seem probable。 Indeed； a week later our doubts upon this point were
cleared up thus。
We had reached a big kraal called Fokoti； on the Umkusi River； which
appeared to be almost deserted。 We asked an old woman whom we met where
its people had gone。 She answered that they had fled towards the
borders of Swaziland； fearing an attack from the Zulus； whose
territories began beyond this Umkusi River。 It seemed that a few days
before a Zulu impi or regiment had appeared upon the banks of the river；
and although there was no war at the time between the Zulus and the
Tongas； the latter had thought it wise to put themselves out of reach of
those terrible spears。
On hearing this news we debated whether it would not be well for us to
follow their example and； trekking westwards； try to find a pass in the
mountains。 Upon this point there was a division of opinion among us。
Marais； who was a fatalist； wished to go on； saying that