第32部分(第2/7 頁)

ly　surprised　and；　speaking　from　a　personal　point　of　view；　delighted　to　get　a　telegram　from　Jack　＇my　brother　who　afterwards　became　Consul　at　Madagascar；　etc。　—　H。　R。　H。＇　the　other　morning　announcing　his　arrival　at　the　Cape。　We　thought　he　had　given　up　all　idea　of　ing。

Perhaps　you　will　hardly　have　been　surprised　at　my　letter　to　my　father　telling　him　that　we　are　seriously　debating　clearing　out　of　this　part　of　the　world。　I　am　sorry　to　say　that　every　day　that　has　elapsed　since　I　wrote　has　only　strengthened　my　conviction　that　henceforth　we　can　look　for　no　peace　or　security　in　South　Africa。

I　fear　our　property　will　suffer　from　this　business。　A　little　while　since　we　could　have　easily　got　3000　pounds　for　the　farm。　I　don’t　know　if　we　shall　be　able　to　do　so　now。　。　。　。　I　cannot　tell　you　how　sorry　I　shall　be　if　we　have　to　leave　this　place；　as　I　repeat　I　think　is　probable。　After　a　two　years’　struggle　we　were　just　beginning　to　do　well；　and　had　there　been　no　war　I　think　this　would　have　developed　into　a　very　thriving　concern。　Latterly　we　have　been　clearing　at　the　rate　of　over　2000　pounds　a　year　。　。　。　。

In　a　letter　to　my　mother；　dated　May　4；　1881；　my　wife　says：

The　High　missioner；　to　whom　we　have　let　the　house；　is　also　expected；　so　I　fear　Jack　will　arrive　to　find　us　in　rather　a　muddle。　We　shall　have　to　live　in　a　kind　of　picnic　fashion；　I　expect　for　about　a　fortnight；　as　our　house…room　will　consist　of　a　bedroom　and　two　tents！　—　one　of　which　we　shall　convert　into　a　kitchen　and　the　other　into　a　room　for　Jack。　Mr。　Cochrane　and　George　Blomefield　＇a　ward　of　my　father’s　who　had　bee　our　farming　partner。　—　H。　R。　H。＇　are　going　over　to　the　mill；　where　they　will　have　to　get　on　as　best　they　can。　Happily　the　rains　seem　to　have　e　to　an　end　for　this　season　and　we　are　now　havin