We present this picture to the reader as a subject of contemplation.
It was in the first quarter of the present century that the youth referred to—Charlie Considine by name—rode thus meditatively8 over that South African karroo. His depression was evidently not due to lack of spirit, for, when he suddenly awoke from his reverie, drew himself up and shook back his hair, his dark eyes opened with something like a flash. They lost some of their fire, however, as he gazed round on the hot plain which undulated like the great ocean to the horizon, where a line of blue indicated mountains.
The truth is that Charlie Considine was lost—utterly lost on the karroo! That his horse was in the same lost condition became apparent from its stopping without orders and looking round languidly with a sigh.
“Come, Rob Roy,” said the youth, gathering9 up the reins and patting the steed’s neck, “this will never do. You and I must not give in to our first misfortune. No doubt the want of water for two days is hard to bear, but we are strong and young both of us. Come, let’s try at least for a sheltering bush to sleep under, before the sun goes down.”
Animated10 by the cheering voice, if not by the words, of its rider, the horse responded to the exhortation11 by breaking into a shuffling12 canter.
After a short time the youth came in sight of what appeared to be a herd13 of cattle in the far distance. In eager expectation he galloped14 towards them and found that his conjectures16 were correct. They were cattle in charge of one of that lowest of the human race, a Bushman. The diminutive17, black-skinned, and monkey-faced creature was nearly naked. He carried a sheepskin kaross, or blanket, on his left shoulder, and a knobbed stick, or “kerrie,” in his right hand.
“Can you speak English?” asked Considine as he rode up.
The Bushman looked vacant and made no reply.
“Where is your master’s house?” asked the youth.
A stare was the only answer.
“Can’t you speak, you dried-up essence of stupidity!” exclaimed Charlie with impatience18.
At this the Bushman uttered something with so many klicks, klucks, and gurgles in it that his interrogator19 at once relinquished20 the use of the tongue, and took to signs, but with no better success, his efforts having only the effect of causing the mouth of the Bushman to expand from ear to ear. Uttering a few more klicks and gurgles, he pointed21 in the direction of the setting sun. As Considine could elicit22 no fuller information he bade him a contemptuous farewell and rode away in the direction indicated.
He had not gone far when a dark speck23 became visible on the horizon directly in front.
“Ho! Rob,” he exclaimed, “that looks like something—a bush, is it? If so, we may find water there, who knows—eh? No, it can’t be a bush, for it moves,” he added in a tone of disappointment. “Why, I do believe it’s an ostrich24! Well, if we can’t find anything to drink, I’ll try to get something to eat.”
Urging his jaded25 steed into a gallop15, the youth soon drew near enough to discover that the object was neither bush nor ostrich, but a horseman.
The times of which we write were unsettled. Considine, although “lost,” was sufficiently26 aware of his whereabouts to understand that he was near the north-eastern frontier of Cape27 Colony. He deemed it prudent28, therefore, to unsling his gun. On drawing nearer he became convinced from the appearance of the stranger that he could not be a Kafir. When close enough to perceive that he was a white man, mounted and armed much like himself, he re-slung his gun, waved his cap in token of friendship, and galloped forward with the confidence of youth.
The stranger proved to be a young man of about his own age—a little over twenty—but much taller and more massive in frame. He was, indeed, a young giant, and bestrode a horse suitable to his weight. He was clad in the rough woollen and leathern garments worn by the frontier farmers, or boers, of that period, and carried one of those long heavy flint-lock guns, or “roers,” which the Dutch-African colonist29 then deemed the most effective weapon in the universe.
“Well met!” exclaimed Considine heartily30, as he rode up.
“Humph! that depends on whether we meet as friends or foes31,” replied the stranger, with a smile on his cheerful countenance32 that accorded ill with the caution of his words.
“Well met, I say again, whether we be friends or foes,” returned Considine still more heartily, “for if we be friends we shall fraternise; if we be foes we shall fight, and I would rather fight you for love, hate, or fun, than die of starvation in the karroo.”
“What is your name, and where do you come from?” demanded the stranger.
“One question at a time, if you please,” answered the youth. “My name is Charles Considine. What is yours?”
“Hans Marais.”
“Well, Mr Marais, I come from England, which is my native home. In the coming I managed to get wrecked34 in Table Bay, landed at Capetown, joined a frontier farmer, and came up here—a long and roughish journey, as probably you know, and as my garments testify. On the way I lost my comrades, and in trying to find them lost myself. For two days nothing in the shape of meat or drink has passed my lips, and my poor horse has fared little better in the way of drink, though the karroo-bush has furnished him with food enough to keep his bones together. So now, you have my biography in brief, and if you be a man possessed35 of any powers of sympathy, you will know what to do.”
The young Dutchman held out his huge hand, which Considine grasped and shook warmly.
“Come,” he said, while a slight smile played on his bronzed countenance; “I have nothing here to give you, but if you will come with me to yon koppie you shall have both meat and drink.”
The koppie to which he referred was a scarce discernible knoll36 on the horizon.
Hans Marais seemed to be a man of few words, for he turned and galloped away, without for some time uttering another syllable37 to his companion. As for Considine, the thought of once more feasting on any sort of meat and drink was so fascinating, in his then ravenous38 condition, that he cared for nought39 else, and followed his guide in silence.
Soon the herbage on the plain became more luxuriant, and in half an hour the two horsemen found themselves riding among scattered40 groups of mimosa bushes, the thorns of which were from three to five inches long, while their sweet fragrance41 scented42 the whole atmosphere.
On reaching the ridge43 of one of the undulations of the plain, Hans Marais drew rein5 and gazed intently towards the distant horizon. At the same time Considine’s horse pricked44 up its ears, pawed the ground, and exhibited unwonted signs of a desire to advance.
“Hallo, Rob!” exclaimed its master, “what’s wrong with you?”
“Your horse has been gifted by his Maker45 with a power,” said Hans, “which has been denied to man. He scents46 water. But before he shall taste it he must help me to procure47 fresh meat. Do you see the boks on that koppie?”
“Do you mean those white specks48 like ostrich eggs on the hillock to the right of the big bush?”
“The same. These are springboks. Ride away down by that hollow till you get somewhat in their rear, and then drive them in the direction of that clump49 of bushes on our left, just under the sun.”
Without waiting for a reply Hans rode off at a gallop, and Considine proceeded to obey orders.
A few minutes sufficed to bring him close to the springboks, which beautiful antelopes50 no sooner observed him than, after one brief gaze of surprise, they bounded away in the direction of the bushes indicated by Hans,—conscious apparently51 of their superior fleetness, for they seemed in no great haste, but leaped about as if half in play, one and another taking an occasional spring of six feet or more into the air. As they passed the bushes towards which Considine drove them, a white puff52 was seen to burst from them, and the huge roer of Hans Marais sent forth53 its bellowing54 report. It seemed as if the entire flock of boks had received an electric shock, so high did they spring into the air. Then they dashed off at full speed, leaving one of their number dead upon the plain.
When Considine came up he found that Hans had already disembowelled the springbok, and was in the act of fastening the carcase on his horse behind the saddle. Remounting immediately, the hunter galloped towards a mound55, on the top of which the bushes formed a dense56 brake. Skirting this till he reached the other side, he pulled up, exclaiming—
“There, you’ll find good water in the hollow; go drink, while I prepare supper on the koppie.”
Considine went off at once. Indeed, he could not have done otherwise, for his impatient horse took the bit in its mouth and galloped towards a small pool of water, which was so yellow with mud that it resembled thin pea-soup.
Thirsty though he was, the youth could not help smiling at his new friend’s idea of “good” water, but he was not in a condition to be fastidious. Jumping out of the saddle, he lay down on his breast, dipped his lips into the muddy liquid, and drank with as much enjoyment57 as if the beverage58 had been nectar—or Bass59. Rob Roy also stood, in a state of perfect bliss60, in the middle of the pool, sucking the water in with unwearied vigour61. It seemed as if man and horse had laid a wager62 as to who should drink most. At last, the point of utmost capacity in both was reached, and they retired63 with a sigh of contentment, Rob Roy to browse64 on the plain, and his master to betake himself to the encampment on the knoll, where Hans Marais quickly supplied him with glorious steaks of springbok venison.
“Isn’t it an enjoyable thing to eat when one is hungry, eh?” said Considine, after half an hour’s silent devotion to the duty in hand.—“Why, where got you that?”
He referred to an ostrich egg which his companion had taken from a saddle-bag, and in one end of which he was busy boring a hole.
“Found it in the sand just before I found you,” said Hans. “Did you ever eat one?”
“No, never.”
“Well then, you shall do so now, and I’ll show you how the niggers here make an omelet.”
He planted the huge egg in the hot ashes as he spoke65, and kept stirring its contents with a piece of stick until sufficiently cooked.
“Not bad,—eh?”
“Glorious!” exclaimed Considine, smacking67 his lips.
Both youths continued to smack66 their lips over the egg until it was finished, after which Charlie pronounced it not only a glorious but a satisfying morsel68. This was doubtless true, for an ostrich egg is considered equal to twenty-four hen’s eggs.
Returning to the springbok steaks, the half-starved youth continued his repast, while Hans Marais, having finished, extended his huge frame beside the camp-fire, leaned upon his saddle, and smoked his pipe in benignant contemplation of his companion.
“This is pleasant!” said Charlie, pausing, with a sigh, and looking up.
“Ja, it is pleasant,” replied Hans.
“Ja!” repeated Charlie, quoting the Dutch “Yes” of the other; “are you a Dutchman?”
“I am; at least I am a Cape colonist descended69 from Dutchmen. Why are you surprised?”
“Because,” replied his companion, while he prepared another steak over the embers, “you speak English so well that I could not have known it. How came you to learn the language so perfectly70?”
“My father, being wiser than some of his friends and neighbours,” said Hans, “sent me to Capetown to be educated. I suppose that is the reason. We dwelt in the western part of the colony then, and I was the eldest71 of the family. When a number of us Dutchmen left that part of the country—being disgusted with the Government,—and came up here, my brothers and sister had to be taken from school. This was a pity, for education taught me to know that education is an inestimable blessing—the want of it a heavy misfortune.”
“True,” remarked Considine. But being still too busy with the steaks to pursue the subject he merely added—“Does your father live near this?”
“About seven hours’ ride, which, as I daresay you know, is forty-two miles. You shall go home with me to-morrow.”
“How many are there of you?” asked Considine, looking at the young Dutchman over a bone. “Excuse my being so impolite,” he added, “but d’you know, one feels horribly like a tiger after a two days’ fast.”
“Don’t stand on ceremony,” said the other, with a laugh. “When you are satisfied we can converse72. There are fifteen of us: father, mother, sister, and eleven boys besides myself. I’ll tell you about them all after supper; meanwhile I’ll go fetch the horses, for there are lions about, as I daresay you know, and some of them are nearly as ravenous as yourself.”
Hans rose, put his pipe in the band of his broad-brimmed hat, and sauntered heavily out of the thicket73.
In a few minutes he returned, leading the horses, and then busied himself in surrounding the camp with an almost impenetrable wall of mimosa-thorn branches, the spikes74 of which were so tremendous that it seemed as if nothing smaller than an elephant could force its way through. This done, he sat down and quietly refilled his pipe, while Considine, having at last finished his meal, drew the embers of the fire together, disposed his limbs comfortably on the ground, lay back on his saddle, and prepared to enjoy a contemplative gaze at the cheering blaze and an interrogative conversation with his new friend.
“Do you smoke?” asked Hans.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because it makes me sick, and I don’t like it.”
Hans looked surprised. This was a new idea to him, and he sat for some time pondering it; indeed, we may say with truth that he “smoked it” In a few minutes he looked earnestly at the youth, and asked why he came to the Cape.
“To make my fortune,” answered Considine.
“Fortunes are not easily made at the Cape,” was the grave reply. “My father has been making his fortune for the last quarter of a century, and it’s not made yet.—Why did you choose the Cape?”
“I didn’t choose it.”
“No?” said the Dutchman, with a look of surprise.
“No,” responded the Englishman; “my coming here was not a matter of choice: it was necessity. Come, I will make a confidant of you and relate my history. Don’t be alarmed, I won’t keep you up all night with prosy details. My life, as you may see, has not yet been a long one, and until this year it has been comparatively uneventful.”
He paused a few moments as if to recall the past, while his companion, picking his pipe with a mimosa thorn, settled himself to listen.
“Father, mother, brothers, and sisters I have none,” began Considine as he whittled75 a stick—a pastime, by the way, which is erroneously supposed to be an exclusively American privilege. “Neither have I grandfathers, grandmothers, aunts, nephews, nieces, or anything else of the sort. They all died either before or soon after I was born. My only living relation is an uncle, who was my guardian76. He is a sea-captain, and a good man, but tough. I bear him no ill-will. I would not speak disrespectfully of him; but he is tough, and, I incline to think, no better than he should be. Infancy77 and boyhood with squalling and schooling78 I pass over. My uncle ordered me to study for the medical profession, and I obeyed. Wishing to see a little of the world before finishing my course, I sailed in a vessel79 bound for Australia. We touched at Table Bay in passing. Obtaining leave, I went ashore80 at Capetown. The ship also went ashore—without leave—in company with six other ships, during a terrific gale81 which sprang up in the night. Our vessel became a total wreck33. The crew were saved, but my effects went with the cargo82 to the bottom. Fortunately, however, I had carried ashore with me the little cash I possessed.”
“I found the Capetown people very kind. One of them took me by the hand and offered me employment, but I preferred to proceed into the interior with a trader and work or shoot my way, in order to save my money. No trader being about to start at that time, I was obliged to accept the offer of a frontier farmer, who, for a small sum, agreed to allow me to accompany his waggons84, on condition that I should make myself generally useful. I grudged85 the cash, but closed with the offer, and next day started on our journey of six hundred miles—such being the distance we had to go, according to my employer or comrade, Jan Smit.”
“Who?” exclaimed Hans, with sudden energy.
“Jan Smit,” repeated Considine. “Do you know him?”
“Ja—but go on,” said Hans, with a nod and a smile.
“Well, I soon found that my Dutch comrade—”
“He’s only half Dutch,” interrupted Hans. “His mother was Dutch, but his father is English.”
“Well, Dutch or English, he is the most unmitigated scoundrel I ever met.”
“Ja,” muttered Hans, “he is.”
“And I soon found that my trip of pleasure became a trip of torment86. It is true we shot plenty of game—lions among the rest—but in camp the man was so unbearable87 that disgust counterbalanced all the pleasure of the trip. I tried hard to get the better of him by good-humour and jollity, but he became so insolent88 at last that I could not stand it. Three days ago when I asked him how far we were from his farm, he growled89 that it wasn’t far off now; whereupon I could not refrain from saying that I was glad to hear it, as we should soon have the pleasure of parting company. This put him in a rage. He kicked over the pot containing part of our breakfast, and told me I might part company then and there if I pleased. My temper does not easily go, but it went at last. I jumped up, saddled my horse, mounted, and rode away. Of course I lost myself immediately, and for two days have been trying to find myself, without success, mourning over my fate and folly90, and fasting from necessity. But for my opportune91 meeting with you, Mr Marais, it might have gone hard with me and my poor horse, for the want of water had well-nigh floored us both.”
“You’ll never make your fortune by doctoring on the frontier,” said Hans, after a few minutes’ silence. “Nobody gets ill in this splendid climate—besides, we couldn’t afford to waste time in that way. People here usually live to a great age, and then go off without the assistance of a doctor. What else can you turn your hand to?”
“Anything,” replied Considine, with the overweening confidence of youth.
“Which means nothing, I suspect,” said the Dutchman, “for Jack-of-all-trades is proverbially master of none.”
“It may be so,” retorted the other, “nevertheless, without boasting, I may venture to assert—because I can prove it—that I am able to make tables, chairs, chests, and such-like things, besides knowing something of the blacksmith’s trade. In regard to doctoring, I am not entitled to practise for fees, not yet being full-fledged—only a third-year student—but I may do a little in that way for love, you know. If you have a leg, for instance, that wants amputating, I can manage it for you with a good carving-knife and a cross-cut saw. Or, should a grinder give you annoyance92, any sort of pincers, small enough to enter your mouth, will enable me to relieve you.”
At this Hans smiled and displayed a set of brilliant “grinders,” which did not appear likely to give him annoyance for some time to come.
“Can you shoot?” asked Hans, laying his hand on his companion’s double-barrelled gun, which lay on the ground between them, and which, with its delicate proportions and percussion-locks, formed a striking contrast to the battered93, heavy, flint-lock weapon of the Dutchman.
“Ay, to some extent, as the lions’ skins in Jan Smit’s waggon83 can testify.—By the way,” added Considine quickly, “you said that you knew Smit. Can you tell me where he lives? because I still owe him the half of the money promised for permission to accompany him on this trip, and should not like to remain his debtor94.”
“Ja, I know where he lives. He’s a bad specimen95 of a Dutch farmer in every respect, except as to size. He lives quite close to our farm—more’s the pity!—and is one of those men who do their best to keep up bad feeling between the frontier-men and the Kafirs. The evil deeds of men such as he are represented in England, by designing or foolish persons, as being characteristic of the whole class of frontier farmers, hence we are regarded as a savage96 set, while, in my humble97 opinion, we are no worse than the people of other colonies placed in similar circumstances—perhaps better than some of them. Do you know anything of our past history?”
“Not much,” replied Considine, throwing away the remnant of the stick he had been whittling98, and commencing on another piece. “Of course I know that the Cape was first doubled by the Portuguese99 commander Bartholomew Diaz in, I think, 1486, and after him by Vasco de Gama, and that the Dutch formed the first settlement on it under Van Riebeek in 1652, but beyond this my knowledge of Cape history and dates is hazy100 and confused. I know, however, that your forefathers101 mismanaged the country for about a century and a half, after which it finally came into possession of the British in 1806.”
“Humph!” ejaculated Hans, while a shade of displeasure flitted for a moment across his broad visage. “’Tis a pity your reading had not extended farther, for then you would have learned that from 1806 the colony has been mismanaged by your countrymen, and the last fruit of their mismanagement has been a bloody102 war with the Kafirs, which has only just been concluded. Peace has been made only this year, and the frontier is now at rest. But who will rebuild the burned homesteads of this desolated103 land? who will reimburse104 the ruined farmers? above all, who will restore the lost lives?”
The young Dutchman’s eyes kindled105, and his stern face flushed as he spoke, for although his own homestead had escaped the ruthless savage, friends and kindred had suffered deeply in the irruption referred to, which took place in 1819, and one or two of his intimate comrades had found early graves in the wild karroo.
Considine, sympathising with his companion’s feelings, said, “I doubt not that you have much to complain of, for there is no colony under the sun that escapes from the evil acts of occasional bad or incompetent106 Governors. But pray do not extend your indignation to me or to my countrymen at large, for few of us know the true merits of your case. And tell me, what was the origin of the war which has just ended?”
The young farmer’s anger had passed away as quickly as it came. Letting his bulky frame sink back into the reclining position from which he had partially107 risen, he replied—
“Just the old story—self-will and stupidity. That domineering fellow Lord Charles Somerset, intending to check the plundering108 of the colony by Kafirs, chose to enter into treaties with Gaika as paramount110 chief of Kafirland, although Gaika himself told him plainly that he was not paramount chief. Of course the other chiefs were indignant, and refused to recognise such treaties. They did more: they made war on Gaika, and beat him, whereupon Somerset, instead of leaving the niggers to fight their own battles, must needs send a great commando of military and burghers to ‘restore’ Gaika to his so-called supremacy111. This was done. The chief T’slambi was driven from his villages, and no fewer than 11,000 head of cattle were handed over to Gaika. While this was going on at the eastern frontier, the Kafirs invaded the colony at other points, drove in the small military posts, ravaged112 the whole land, and even attacked the military headquarters at Grahamstown, where, however, they were defeated with great slaughter113. After this a large force was sent to drive them out of their great stronghold, the Fish River bush. This was successfully accomplished114, and then, at last, the right thing was done. The Governor met the Kafir chiefs, when it was agreed that they should evacuate115 the country between the Great Fish River and the Keiskamma, and that the territory so evacuated116 should form neutral ground. So matters stand at present, but I have no faith in Kafirs. It is their pride to lie, their business to make war, and their delight to plunder109.”
“But is it not the same with all savages117?” asked Considine.
“Doubtless it is, therefore no savages ought to be trusted, as civilised men are trusted, till they cease to be savages. We trust them too much. Time will show.—By the way, I hear that a new move is about to be attempted. Rumour118 says that your Government is going to send out a strong party of emigrants119 to colonise the eastern frontier. Is this true?”
“It is,” replied Considine; “I wonder that you have not heard all about it before now.”
“Good reasons for that. For one thing, I have just returned from a long trip into the north-western districts, and I have not been in the way of hearing news for some time. Besides, we have no newspapers in the colony. Everything comes to us by word of mouth, and that slowly. Tell me about this matter.”
“There is little to tell,” returned Considine, replenishing the fire with a thick branch, which sent up a magnificent display of sparks and scared away a hyena120 and two jackals that had been prowling round the camp-fence. “The fact is that there is a great deal of distress121 in England just now, and a redundant122 population of idlers, owing to the cessation of continental123 wars. This seems to have put it into the heads of some people in power to encourage emigration to the eastern part of this colony. In the House of Commons 50,000 pounds have been voted in aid of the plan, and it seems that when the proposal was first made public, no fewer than 90,000 would-be emigrants applied124 for leave to come out here. Of these I believe 4000 have been selected, and twenty-three vessels125 chartered to convey them out. This is all I could learn before I left England, but I suppose we shall have more light on the subject ere many months have gone by.”
“A good plan,” said the Dutchman, with a grim smile, “but I pity the emigrants!”
As Considine’s head drooped126 at this point, and his eyes winked127 with that owlish look which indicates the approach of irresistible128 sleep, Hans Marais rose, and, spreading a large kaross or blanket of leopard129 skin on the ground, invited his companion to lie down thereon. The youth willingly complied, stretched himself beside the Dutchman, and almost instantly fell sound asleep. Hans spread a lighter130 covering over himself and his comrade, and, with his head on his saddle, lay for a long time gazing tranquilly131 at the stars, which shone with an intensity132 of lustre133 peculiar134 to that region of the southern hemisphere, while the yelling cries of jackals and the funereal135 moaning of spotted136 hyenas137, with an occasional distant roar from the king of beasts, formed an appropriate lullaby.
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1
solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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dangling
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| 悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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reins
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| 感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带 | |
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rein
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| n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治 | |
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dangle
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| v.(使)悬荡，(使)悬垂 | |
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7
slung
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| 抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往 | |
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meditatively
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| adv.冥想地 | |
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9
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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animated
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| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
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exhortation
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| n.劝告，规劝 | |
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shuffling
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| adj. 慢慢移动的, 滑移的 动词shuffle的现在分词形式 | |
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herd
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| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
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galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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conjectures
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| 推测，猜想( conjecture的名词复数 ) | |
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diminutive
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| adj.小巧可爱的，小的 | |
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impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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interrogator
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| n.讯问者；审问者；质问者；询问器 | |
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relinquished
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| 交出，让给( relinquish的过去式和过去分词 )； 放弃 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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elicit
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| v.引出,抽出,引起 | |
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speck
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| n.微粒，小污点，小斑点 | |
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ostrich
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| n.鸵鸟 | |
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25
jaded
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| adj.精疲力竭的；厌倦的；（因过饱或过多而）腻烦的；迟钝的 | |
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26
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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27
cape
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| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
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28
prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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29
colonist
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| n.殖民者，移民 | |
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30
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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31
foes
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| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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32
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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33
wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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34
wrecked
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| adj.失事的，遇难的 | |
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35
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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36
knoll
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| n.小山，小丘 | |
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37
syllable
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| n.音节；vt.分音节 | |
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38
ravenous
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| adj.极饿的，贪婪的 | |
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39
nought
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| n.／adj.无，零 | |
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40
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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41
fragrance
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| n.芬芳，香味，香气 | |
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42
scented
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| adj.有香味的；洒香水的；有气味的v.嗅到(scent的过去分词) | |
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43
ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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44
pricked
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| 刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛 | |
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45
maker
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| n.制造者，制造商 | |
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46
scents
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| n.香水( scent的名词复数 )；气味；（动物的）臭迹；（尤指狗的）嗅觉 | |
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47
procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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48
specks
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| n.眼镜；斑点，微粒，污点( speck的名词复数 ) | |
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49
clump
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| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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50
antelopes
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| 羚羊( antelope的名词复数 )； 羚羊皮革 | |
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51
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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52
puff
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| n.一口(气)；一阵(风)；v.喷气，喘气 | |
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53
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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54
bellowing
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的现在分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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55
mound
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| n.土墩，堤，小山；v.筑堤，用土堆防卫 | |
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56
dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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57
enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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58
beverage
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| n.(水，酒等之外的)饮料 | |
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59
bass
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| n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴 | |
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60
bliss
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| n.狂喜，福佑，天赐的福 | |
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61
vigour
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| （=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力 | |
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62
wager
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| n.赌注；vt.押注，打赌 | |
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63
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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64
browse
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| vi.随意翻阅，浏览；(牛、羊等)吃草 | |
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65
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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66
smack
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| vt.拍，打，掴；咂嘴；vi.含有…意味；n.拍 | |
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67
smacking
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| 活泼的，发出响声的，精力充沛的 | |
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68
morsel
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| n.一口，一点点 | |
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69
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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70
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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71
eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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72
converse
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| vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反 | |
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73
thicket
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| n.灌木丛，树林 | |
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74
spikes
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| n.穗( spike的名词复数 )；跑鞋；（防滑）鞋钉；尖状物v.加烈酒于( spike的第三人称单数 )；偷偷地给某人的饮料加入（更多）酒精（ 或药物）；把尖状物钉入；打乱某人的计划 | |
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75
whittled
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| v.切，削（木头），使逐渐变小( whittle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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76
guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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77
infancy
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| n.婴儿期；幼年期；初期 | |
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78
schooling
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| n.教育；正规学校教育 | |
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79
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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80
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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81
gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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82
cargo
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| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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83
waggon
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| n.运货马车，运货车；敞篷车箱 | |
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84
waggons
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| 四轮的运货马车( waggon的名词复数 )； 铁路货车； 小手推车 | |
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85
grudged
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| 怀恨（grudge的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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86
torment
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| n.折磨；令人痛苦的东西(人)；vt.折磨；纠缠 | |
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87
unbearable
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| adj.不能容忍的；忍受不住的 | |
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88
insolent
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| adj.傲慢的，无理的 | |
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89
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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90
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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91
opportune
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| adj.合适的，适当的 | |
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92
annoyance
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| n.恼怒，生气，烦恼 | |
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93
battered
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| adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损 | |
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94
debtor
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| n.借方，债务人 | |
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95
specimen
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| n.样本，标本 | |
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96
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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97
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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98
whittling
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| v.切，削（木头），使逐渐变小( whittle的现在分词 ) | |
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99
Portuguese
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| n.葡萄牙人；葡萄牙语 | |
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100
hazy
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| adj.有薄雾的，朦胧的；不肯定的，模糊的 | |
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101
forefathers
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| n.祖先，先人；祖先，祖宗( forefather的名词复数 )；列祖列宗；前人 | |
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102
bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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103
desolated
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| adj.荒凉的，荒废的 | |
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104
reimburse
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| v.补偿，付还 | |
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105
kindled
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| （使某物）燃烧，着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 )； 激起（感情等）； 发亮，放光 | |
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106
incompetent
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| adj.无能力的，不能胜任的 | |
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107
partially
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| adv.部分地，从某些方面讲 | |
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108
plundering
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| 掠夺，抢劫( plunder的现在分词 ) | |
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109
plunder
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| vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠 | |
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110
paramount
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| a.最重要的，最高权力的 | |
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111
supremacy
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| n.至上；至高权力 | |
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112
ravaged
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| 毁坏( ravage的过去式和过去分词 )； 蹂躏； 劫掠； 抢劫 | |
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113
slaughter
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| n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀 | |
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114
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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115
evacuate
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| v.遣送；搬空；抽出；排泄；大(小)便 | |
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116
evacuated
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| 撤退者的 | |
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117
savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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118
rumour
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| n.谣言，谣传，传闻 | |
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119
emigrants
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| n.（从本国移往他国的）移民( emigrant的名词复数 ) | |
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120
hyena
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| n.土狼，鬣狗 | |
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121
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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122
redundant
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| adj.多余的，过剩的；(食物)丰富的；被解雇的 | |
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123
continental
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| adj.大陆的，大陆性的，欧洲大陆的 | |
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124
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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125
vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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126
drooped
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| 弯曲或下垂，发蔫( droop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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127
winked
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| v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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128
irresistible
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| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
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129
leopard
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| n.豹 | |
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130
lighter
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| n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级 | |
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131
tranquilly
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| adv. 宁静地 | |
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132
intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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133
lustre
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| n.光亮，光泽；荣誉 | |
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134
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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135
funereal
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| adj.悲哀的；送葬的 | |
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136
spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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137
hyenas
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| n.鬣狗( hyena的名词复数 ) | |
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