第20部分(第3/7 頁)

his　version　of　the　affair　with　which　we　were　already　acquainted；　and　on　being　stopped；　remarked；　“I　have　spoken；　I　am　ready。”

In　the　grey　morning　light　he　was　then　led　to　the　scaffold　erected　in　the　prison　yard。　He　walked　to　it　and　examined　the　noose　and　other　arrangements。　The　executioner　proved　to　be　hopelessly　drunk；　a　black　Christian　preacher　wearing　a　battered　tall　hat　prayed　over　the　doomed　man。　The　High　Sheriff；　Juta；　overe　by　the　spectacle；　retired　into　a　corner　of　the　yard；　where　he　was　violently　ill。　The　thing　had　to　be　done；　and　between　the　drunken　executioner　and　an　overe　High　Sheriff　it　devolved　upon　me。　So　I　stood　over　that　executioner　and　forced　him　to　perform　his　office。　Thus　died　this　brave　Swazi　gentleman。

Pretoria：　Sunday；　March　31；　1878。

My　dear　Father；　—　Very　many　thanks　for　your　long　and　kind　letter　of　20th　Feb。　1878　and　all　the　advice　it　contained。　With　what　you　say　I　to　a　very　great　extent　agree。　I　had　some　idea　of　shifting；　but　recent　events　have　considerably　altered　my　plans。　I　think　that　unless　something　unexpected　occurs　I　am　now　certain　of　the　Master　and　Registrarship　here；　which　will　be　worth　400　pounds　a　year　—　with　a　probable　increase　of　pay　in　two　or　three　years。　It　will　also　make　me　a　head　of　Department；　which　at　the　age　of　twenty…one　is　not　so　bad。　However；　experience　has　taught　me　that　it　is　foolish　to　count　one’s　chickens　before　they　are　hatched；　so　as　I　have　not　actually　been　appointed　the　less　said　about　it　at　present　the　better。　Even　supposing　I　do　not　get　it　I　am　not　sure　that　I　should　change　unless　I　got　the　offer　of　something　very　good。　This　is　a　new　country　where　there　are　very　few　above　me；　and　a　country　which　must　bee　rich　and　rising　—　also　the　climate　is　good。　However；　I　shall　of　course　be　guided　by　cir