Threading his way among the streets of “Settlers’ Town,” and pushing vigorously through the crowds of excited beings who peopled it, George Dally2 led his new acquaintances to a tent in the outskirts3 of the camp—a suburban4 tent, as it were.
Entering it, and ushering5 in his companions, he introduced them as the gentlemen who had been capsized into the sea on landing, at which operation he had had the honour to assist.
There were four individuals in the tent. A huge German labourer named Scholtz, and his wife. Mrs Scholtz was a substantial woman of forty. She was also a nurse, and, in soul, body, and spirit, was totally absorbed in a baby boy, whose wild career had begun four months before in a furious gale6 in the Bay of Biscay. As that infant “lay, on that day, in the Bay of Biscay O!” the elemental strife7 outside appeared to have found a lodgment in his soul, for he burst upon the astonished passengers with a squall which lasted longer than the gale, and was ultimately pronounced the worst that had visited the ship since she left England. Born in a storm, the infant was baptised in a stiff breeze by a Wesleyan minister, on and after which occasion he was understood to be Jabez Brook8; but one of the sailors happening to call him Junkie on the second day of his existence, his nurse, Mrs Scholtz, leaped at the endearing name like a hungry trout9 at a gay fly, and “Junkie” he remained during the whole term of childhood.
Junkie’s main characteristic was strength of lungs, and his chief delight to make that fact known. Six passengers changed their berths10 for the worse in order to avoid him. One who could not change became nearly deranged11 towards the end of the voyage, and one, who was sea-sick all the way out, seriously thought of suicide, but incapacity for any physical effort whatever happily saved him. In short, Junkie was the innocent cause of many dreadful thoughts and much improper12 language on the unstable13 scene of his nativity.
Besides these three, there was in the tent a pretty, dark-eyed, refined-looking girl of about twelve. She was Gertrude Brook, sister and idolater of Junkie. Her father, Edwin Brook, and her mother, dwelt in a tent close by. Brook was a gentleman of small means, but Mrs Brook was a very rich lady—rich in the possession of a happy temper, a loving disposition14, a pretty face and figure, and a religious soul. Thus Edwin Brook, though poor, may be described as a man of inexhaustible wealth.
Gertrude had come into Dally’s tent to fetch Junkie to her father when Sandy Black and his friends entered, but Junkie had just touched the hot teapot, with the contents of which Mrs Scholtz was regaling herself and husband, and was not in an amiable15 humour. His outcries were deafening16.
“Now do hold its dear little tongue, and go to its popsy,” said Mrs Scholtz tenderly. (Mrs Scholtz was an Englishwoman.)
We need not say that Junkie declined obedience17, neither would he listen to the silvery blandishments of Gertie.
“Zee chile vas born shrieking18, ant he vill die shrieking,” growled19 Scholtz, who disliked Junkie.
The entrance of the strangers, however, unexpectedly stopped the shrieking, and before Junkie could recover his previous train of thought Gertie bore him off in triumph, leaving the hospitable20 Dally and Mrs Scholtz to entertain their visitors to small talk and tea.
While seated thus they became aware of a sudden increase of the din1, whip-cracking, and ox-bellowing with which the camp of the settlers resounded21.
“They seem fond o’ noise here,” observed Sandy Black, handing his cup to Mrs Scholtz to be refilled.
“I never ’eard such an ’owling before,” said Jerry Goldboy; “what is it all about?”
“New arrivals from zee interior,” answered Scholtz; “dere be always vaggins comin’ ant goin’.”
“The camp is a changin’ one,” said Dally, sipping22 his tea with the air of a connoisseur23. “When you’ve been here as long as we have you’ll understand how it never increases much, for although ship after ship arrives with new swarms24 of emigrants25 from the old country, waggon26 after waggon comes from I don’t know where—somewheres inland anyhow—and every now an’ then long trains of these are seen leaving camp, loaded with goods and women and children, enough to sink a small schooner27, and followed by crowds of men tramping away to their new homes in the wilderness28—though what these same new homes or wilderness are like is more than I can tell.”
“Zee noise is great,” growled Scholtz, as another burst of whip-musketry, human roars, and bovine29 bellows30 broke on their ears, “ant zee confusion is indesgraibable.”
“The gentlemen whose business it is to keep order must have a hard time of it,” said Mrs Scholtz; “I can’t ever understand how they does it, what between landing parties and locating ’em, and feeding, supplying, advising, and despatching of ’em, to say nothing of scolding and snubbing, in the midst of all this Babel of bubbledom, quite surpasses my understanding. Do you understand it, Mr Black?”
“Ay,” replied Sandy, clearing his throat and speaking somewhat oracularly. “’Ee must know, Mrs Scholtz, that it’s the result of organisation31 and gineralship. A serjeant or corporal can kick or drive a few men in ony direction that’s wanted, but it takes a gineral to move an army. If ’ee was to set a corporal to lead twunty thoosand men, he’d gie them orders that wad thraw them into a deed lock, an’ than naethin’ short o’ a miracle could git them oot o’t. Mony a battle’s been lost by brave men through bad gineralship, an’ mony a battle’s been won by puir enough bodies o’ men because of their leader’s administrative33 abeelity, Mrs Scholtz.”
“Very true, Mr Black,” replied Mrs Scholtz, with the assurance of one who thoroughly34 understands what she hears.
“Noo,” continued Sandy, with increased gravity, “if thae Kawfir bodies we hear aboot only had chiefs wi’ powers of organisation, an’ was a’ united thegither, they wad drive the haul o’ this colony into the sea like chaff35 before the wind. But they’ll niver do it; for, ’ee see, they want mind—an’ body withoot mind is but a puir thing after a’, Mrs Scholtz.”
“I’m not so shure of zat,” put in Scholtz, stretching his huge frame and regarding it complacently36; “it vould please me better to have body vidout mint, zan mint vidout body.”
“H’m! ’ee’ve reason to be pleased then,” muttered Black, drily.
This compliment was either not appreciated by Scholtz, or he was prevented from acknowledging it by an interruption from without; for just at the moment a voice was heard asking a passer-by if he could tell where the tents of the Scotch37 party were pitched. Those in the tent rose at once, and Sandy Black, issuing out found that the questioner was a handsome young Englishman, who would have appeared, what he really was, both stout38 and tall, if he had not been dwarfed39 by his companion, a Cape-Dutchman of unusually gigantic proportions.
“We are in search of the Scottish party,” said the youth, turning to Sandy with a polite bow; “can you direct us to its whereabouts?”
“I’m no’ sure that I can, sir, though I’m wan32 o’ the Scotch pairty mysel’, for me an’ my freen hae lost oorsels, but doobtless Mister Dally here can help us. May I ask what ’ee want wi’ us?”
“Certainly,” replied the Englishman, with a smile. “Mr Marais and I have been commissioned to transport you to Baviaans river in bullock-waggons40, and we wish to see Mr Pringle, the head of your party, to make arrangements.—Can you guide us, Mr Dally?”
“Have you been to the deputy-quartermaster-general’s office?” asked Dally.
“Yes, and they directed us to a spot said to be surrounded by evergreen41 bushes near this quarter of the camp.”
“I know it—just outside the ridge42 between the camp and the Government offices.—Come along, sir,” said Dally; “I’ll show you the way.”
In a few minutes Dally led the party to a group of seven or eight tents which were surrounded by Scotch ploughs, cart-wheels, harrows, cooking utensils43 fire-arms, and various implements44 of husbandry and ironware.
“Here come the lost ones!” exclaimed Kenneth McTavish, who, with his active wife and sprightly45 daughter Jessie, was busy arranging the interior of his tent, “and bringing strangers with them too!”
While Sandy Black and his friend Jerry were explaining the cause of their absence to some of the Scotch party, the young Englishman introduced his friend and himself as Charles Considine and Hans Marais, to the leader, Mr Pringle, a gentleman who, besides being a good poet, afterwards took a prominent part in the first acts of that great drama—the colonisation of the eastern frontier of South Africa.
It is unnecessary to trouble the reader with all that was said and done. Suffice it to say that arrangements were soon made. The acting46 Governor, Sir Rufane Donkin, arrived on the 6th of June from a visit to Albany, the district near the sea on which a large number of the settlers were afterwards located, and from him Mr Pringle learned that the whole of the Scotch emigrants were to be located in the mountainous country watered by some of the eastern branches of the Great Fish River, close to the Kafir frontier. The upper part of the Baviaans, or Baboons47, River had been fixed48 for the reception of his particular section. It was also intended by Government that a piece of unoccupied territory still farther to the eastward49 should be settled by a party of five hundred Highlanders, who, it was conjectured50, would prove the most effective buffer51 available to meet the first shock of invasion, should the savages52 ever attempt another inroad.
Mr Pringle laid this proposed arrangement before a council of the heads of families under his charge; it was heartily53 agreed to, and preparations for an early start were actively54 begun.
On the day of his arrival Sir Rufane Donkin laid the foundation of the first house of the now wealthy and flourishing, though not very imposing55, town of Port Elizabeth, so named after his deceased wife, to whose memory an obelisk56 was subsequently erected57 on the adjacent heights.
A week later, a train of seven waggons stood with the oxen “inspanned,” or yoked58, ready to leave the camp, from which many similar trains had previously59 set out. The length of such a train may be conceived when it is told that each waggon was drawn60 by twelve or sixteen oxen. These were fastened in pairs to a single trace or “trektow” of twisted thongs61 of bullock or buffalo62 hide, strong enough for a ship’s cable. Each waggon had a canvas cover or “till” to protect its goods and occupants from the sun and rain, and each was driven by a tall Dutchman, who carried a bamboo whip like a salmon63 fishing-rod with a lash64 of thirty feet or more. A slave, Hottentot or Bushman, led the two front oxen of each span.
Like pistol-shots the formidable whips went off; the oxen pulled, tossed their unwieldy horns, and bellowed65; the Dutchmen growled and shouted; the half-naked “Totties” and Bushmen flung their arms and legs about, glared and gasped66 like demons67; the monstrous68 waggons moved; “Settlers’ Town” was slowly left behind, and our adventurers, heading for the thorny69 jungles of the Zwartkops River, began their toilsome journey into the land of hope and promise.
“It’s a queer beginning!” remarked Sandy Black, as he trudged70 between Hans Marais and Charlie Considine.
“I hope it will have a good ending,” said Considine.
Whether that hope was fulfilled the reader shall find out in the sequel.
Meanwhile some of the English parties took their departure by the same route, and journeyed in company till points of divergence71 were reached, where many temporary friendships were brought to a close, though some there were which, although very recently formed, withstood firmly the damaging effects of time, trial, sorrow, and separation.
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1
din
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| n.喧闹声，嘈杂声 | |
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dally
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| v.荒废(时日)，调情 | |
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outskirts
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| n.郊外，郊区 | |
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suburban
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| adj.城郊的，在郊区的 | |
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ushering
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| v.引，领，陪同( usher的现在分词 ) | |
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gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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strife
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| n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争 | |
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brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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trout
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| n.鳟鱼；鲑鱼(属) | |
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berths
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| n.（船、列车等的）卧铺( berth的名词复数 )；（船舶的）停泊位或锚位；差事；船台vt.v.停泊( berth的第三人称单数 )；占铺位 | |
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deranged
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| adj.疯狂的 | |
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improper
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| adj.不适当的，不合适的，不正确的，不合礼仪的 | |
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unstable
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| adj.不稳定的，易变的 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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deafening
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| adj. 振耳欲聋的, 极喧闹的 动词deafen的现在分词形式 | |
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obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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shrieking
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| v.尖叫( shriek的现在分词 ) | |
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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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hospitable
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| adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的 | |
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resounded
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| v.（指声音等）回荡于某处( resound的过去式和过去分词 )；产生回响；（指某处）回荡着声音 | |
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sipping
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| v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的现在分词 ) | |
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connoisseur
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| n.鉴赏家，行家，内行 | |
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swarms
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| 蜂群，一大群( swarm的名词复数 ) | |
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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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waggon
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| n.运货马车，运货车；敞篷车箱 | |
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schooner
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| n.纵帆船 | |
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wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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bovine
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| adj.牛的；n.牛 | |
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bellows
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| n.风箱；发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的名词复数 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的第三人称单数 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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organisation
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| n.组织，安排，团体，有机休 | |
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wan
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| (wide area network)广域网 | |
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administrative
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| adj.行政的，管理的 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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chaff
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| v.取笑，嘲笑；n.谷壳 | |
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complacently
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| adv. 满足地, 自满地, 沾沾自喜地 | |
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scotch
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| n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的 | |
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dwarfed
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| vt.（使）显得矮小（dwarf的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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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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evergreen
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| n.常青树；adj.四季常青的 | |
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ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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utensils
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| 器具，用具，器皿( utensil的名词复数 )； 器物 | |
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implements
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| n.工具( implement的名词复数 )；家具；手段；[法律]履行（契约等）v.实现( implement的第三人称单数 )；执行；贯彻；使生效 | |
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sprightly
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| adj.愉快的，活泼的 | |
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acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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baboons
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| n.狒狒( baboon的名词复数 ) | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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eastward
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| adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部 | |
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conjectured
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| 推测，猜测，猜想( conjecture的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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buffer
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| n.起缓冲作用的人(或物)，缓冲器；vt.缓冲 | |
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savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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actively
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| adv.积极地，勤奋地 | |
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imposing
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| adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的 | |
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obelisk
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| n.方尖塔 | |
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ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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yoked
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| 结合（yoke的过去式形式） | |
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previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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thongs
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| 的东西 | |
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buffalo
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| n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛 | |
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salmon
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| n.鲑，大马哈鱼，橙红色的 | |
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lash
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| v.系牢；鞭打；猛烈抨击；n.鞭打；眼睫毛 | |
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bellowed
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的过去式和过去分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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demons
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| n.恶人( demon的名词复数 )；恶魔；精力过人的人；邪念 | |
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monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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thorny
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| adj.多刺的，棘手的 | |
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trudged
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| vt.& vi.跋涉，吃力地走（trudge的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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divergence
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| n.分歧，岔开 | |
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