登陆注册
5234900000015

第15章 CHAPTER IV MY JOURNEY TO THE WINTER-VELD(1)

A reply came from Colles, addressed not to me but to Japp.

It seemed that the old fellow had once suggested the establishment of a branch store at a place out in the plains called Umvelos', and the firm was now prepared to take up the scheme. Japp was in high good humour, and showed me the letter. Not a word was said of what I had written about, only the bare details about starting the branch. I was to get a couple of masons, load up two wagons with bricks and timber, and go down to Umvelos' and see the store built. The stocking of it and the appointment of a storekeeper would be matter for further correspondence. Japp was delighted, for, besides getting rid of me for several weeks, it showed that his advice was respected by his superiors. He went about bragging that the firm could not get on without him, and was inclined to be more insolent to me than usual in his new self-esteem. He also got royally drunk over the head of it.

I confess I was hurt by the manager's silence on what seemed to me more vital matters. But I soon reflected that if he wrote at all he would write direct to me, and I eagerly watched for the post-runner. No letter came, however, and I was soon too busy with preparations to look for one. I got the bricks and timber from Pietersdorp, and hired two Dutch masons to run the job. The place was not very far from Sikitola's kraal, so there would be no difficulty about native helpers. Having my eyes open for trade, I resolved to kill two birds with one stone. It was the fashion among the old-fashioned farmers on the high-veld to drive the cattle down into the bush-veld - which they call the winter-veld - for winter pasture. There is no fear of red-water about that season, and the grass of the plains is rich and thick compared with the uplands. I discovered that some big droves were passing on a certain day, and that the owners and their families were travelling with them in wagons. Accordingly I had a light naachtmaal fitted up as a sort of travelling store, and with my two wagons full of building material joined the caravan. I hoped to do good trade in selling little luxuries to the farmers on the road and at Umvelos'.

It was a clear cold morning when we started down the Berg.

At first my hands were full with the job of getting my heavy wagons down the awesome precipice which did duty as a highway. We locked the wheels with chains, and tied great logs of wood behind to act as brakes. Happily my drivers knew their business, but one of the Boer wagons got a wheel over the edge, and it was all that ten men could do to get it back again.

After that the road was easier, winding down the side of a slowly opening glen. I rode beside the wagons, and so heavenly was the weather that I was content with my own thoughts.

The sky was clear blue, the air warm, yet with a wintry tonic in it, and a thousand aromatic scents came out of the thickets.

The pied birds called 'Kaffir queens' fluttered across the path.

Below, the Klein Labongo churned and foamed in a hundred cascades. Its waters were no more the clear grey of the 'Blue Wildebeeste's Spring,' but growing muddy with its approach to the richer soil of the plains.

Oxen travel slow, and we outspanned that night half a day's march short of Umvelos'. I spent the hour before sunset lounging and smoking with the Dutch farmers. At first they had been silent and suspicious of a newcomer, but by this time I talked their taal fluently, and we were soon on good terms.

I recall a discussion arising about a black thing in a tree about five hundred yards away. I thought it was an aasvogel, but another thought it was a baboon. Whereupon the oldest of the party, a farmer called Coetzee, whipped up his rifle and, apparently without sighting, fired. A dark object fell out of the branch, and when we reached it we found it a baviaan* sure enough, shot through the head. 'Which side are you on in the next war?' the old man asked me, and, laughing, I told him 'Yours.'

*Baboon.

After supper, the ingredients of which came largely from my naachtmaal, we sat smoking and talking round the fire, the women and children being snug in the covered wagons. The Boers were honest companionable fellows, and when I had made a bowl of toddy in the Scotch fashion to keep out the evening chill, we all became excellent friends. They asked me how I got on with Japp. Old Coetzee saved me the trouble of answering, for he broke in with Skellum! Skellum!* I asked him his objection to the storekeeper, but he would say nothing beyond that he was too thick with the natives. I fancy at some time Mr Japp had sold him a bad plough.

*Schelm: Rascal.

We spoke of hunting, and I heard long tales of exploits - away on the Limpopo, in Mashonaland, on the Sabi and in the Lebombo. Then we verged on politics, and I listened to violent denunciations of the new land tax. These were old residenters, I reflected, and I might learn perhaps something of value. So very carefully I repeated a tale I said I had heard at Durban of a great wizard somewhere in the Berg, and asked if any one knew of it. They shook their heads. The natives had given up witchcraft and big medicine, they said, and were more afraid of a parson or a policeman than any witch-doctor.

Then they were starting on reminiscences, when old Coetzee, who was deaf, broke in and asked to have my question repeated.

'Yes,' he said, 'I know. It is in the Rooirand. There is a devil dwells there.'

I could get no more out of him beyond the fact that there was certainly a great devil there. His grandfather and father had seen it, and he himself had heard it roaring when he had gone there as a boy to hunt. He would explain no further, and went to bed.

Next morning, close to Sikitola's kraal, I bade the farmers good-bye, after telling them that there would be a store in my wagon for three weeks at Umvelos' if they wanted supplies.

同类推荐
  • 二隐谧禅师语录

    二隐谧禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 注华严经题法界观门颂引

    注华严经题法界观门颂引

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 医病简要

    医病简要

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 唐玄宗御制道德真经疏一

    唐玄宗御制道德真经疏一

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 普贤金刚萨埵瑜伽念诵仪

    普贤金刚萨埵瑜伽念诵仪

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 秘密背后的秘密

    秘密背后的秘密

    本书是由两本启发世界级畅销书《秘密》的经典《万能金钥:心想事成的24堂课》和《失落的致富法则》组成。如果没有《失落的致富法则》,就不可能有超级畅销书《秘密》的出现!《万能金钥》在《秘密》一书中共被提到19次!本书讲求实务,而非哲理;是一本实战教本,而非理论专著。本书专为迫切需要用钱的人撰写、本书也特别为一些至今仍没有时间、方法或机会去仔细探究形上学,但却希望运用这些研究结果、科学结论作为行动基础的人撰写,他们并不需要亲身参与导出这些结论的过程。
  • 儒家的处世之道

    儒家的处世之道

    《儒家的处世之道》讲述儒家思想以其对生活和生命的深刻认知,提出了解决人与自然、人与社会、人与他人以及人与自我关系的一系列方案。
  • 大方等大集月藏经

    大方等大集月藏经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 联邦法师

    联邦法师

    在圣迪亚大陆存在着五个联邦,每个联邦都有特定的守护法师。享用来之不易的和平才逾百年,癸门的势力又蠢蠢欲动。而正邪对抗又牵出多少兄弟情义,儿女情长。请跟随作者的创新笔触寻找深入你内心不一样的情感吧。
  • 星空门

    星空门

    浩瀚的幽云大陆,古老的邢氏家族,神奇的道家门派,将上演怎样的传奇故事?当东方修真遇上西方魔法,是斗争?是妥协?还是融合?生在这乱世的刑云和启山又将要怎样去演绎自己平凡抑或华丽的人生,精彩故事,敬请期待。
  • 幼科心法要诀

    幼科心法要诀

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 相恋在左,心痛在右

    相恋在左,心痛在右

    Angel以为爱情是个美丽神话,原来所谓的爱情终究会输给回忆,最后惟有一片唏嘘,和相恋在左、心痛在右的传说……爱恨情仇,尽在其中。
  • 故事会(2015年7月下)

    故事会(2015年7月下)

    最近读到一个故事,故事虽短小,却令我久久咂摸,反复玩味。一名专栏作家同一个多年不见的老同学会面,喝到微醺时,两人聊起了从前的学校生活。老同学呷了一口酒,红着脸说起了一个秘密。他说,那一年,同班的一个女孩,偷偷给他送过一封情书。这事儿,他没和任何人讲过。他记得,女孩把情书夹在了他数学课本的第15页和第16页之间。因为前一天的数学课,老师讲到第14页,而第15页,正好是第二天要学的。
  • 王爷何必太绝情

    王爷何必太绝情

    天啦,不小心来到这个奇怪的国度,立刻就要背负起生娃的痛苦,什么?她的娃是皇室血脉?可为什么还要被追杀?好哇,神秘幕后人,也不用这么绝情啊!谁说长得花容月貌就一定要温柔善良?哼哼,别以为你长得帅我就不打你,什么?你是王爷要给你留点面子?好吧,把脸打肿了,面子会更大吧?(本故事纯属虚构,请勿模仿!)。
  • 诸天万界剑神

    诸天万界剑神

    诸天万界,且从最弱开始的无敌之路。万界升级,直至登临巅峰。他是一个时代的传说。一个时代的标志,万千少女所往。