第34部分(第6/7 頁)

unely　published　work　on　the　subject　would　find　a　ready　sale。

The　book　is　written　in　as　interesting　a　style　as　I　can　mand　and　would　be　published　under　my　own　name。

Awaiting　the　favour　of　a　reply；

I　am；　etc。

Needless　to　say　the　reply　always　came；　but　notwithstanding　the　tempting　bait　of　“the　interesting　style；”　its　character　may　be　guessed。　Nobody　wished　to　have　anything　to　do　either　with　Cetewayo　or　his　white　neighbours。

At　length　I　was　faced　with　the　alternative　of　putting　the　results　of　my　labours　into　the　fire　or　of　paying　for　their　production　in　book　form。　A　letter　from　Trubner　and　Co。；　dated　May　18；　1882；　informs　me　that　my　MS。　will　make　a　volume　of　three　hundred　and　twenty　pages　“like　enclosed　specimen；”　and　“if　you of　50　pounds　sterling　we　will　undertake　to　produce　an　edition　of　seven　hundred　and　fifty　copies。”

I　sent　the　cheque；　although　at　the　time　I　could　ill　afford　it；　and　in　due　course　the　work　appeared。　On　the　whole　it　was　extremely　well　received　by　such　papers　as　chose　to　review　it　seriously。　Some　of　these　notices　I　still　possess；　favourable　and　unfavourable。　One　from　the　Daily　News；　which　es　under　the　latter　category；　dated　August　23；　1882；　is　amusing　to　read　today。　It　is　written　in　the　“high　sarcastic”　strain。　Here　is　a　sentence　from　it。

Mr。　Haggard　distrusts　Cetewayo　and　is　shocked　at　the　notion　of　reinstating　him　on　any　terms。　He　is　also　shocked　at　the　“retrocession　of　the　Transvaal”　and　thinks　we　have　not　yet　seen　the　end　of　the　troubles　in　store　for　us；　owing　to　our　neglect　to　persevere　in　the　work　of　exterminating　the　Boers；　and　so　forth。　These　views　have　already　been　pretty　fully　set　forth　—　so　fully；　in　fact；　that　the　necessity　for　a　further　exposition　of　them　at　this　time　does　not　seem　very　obvious