第33部分(第3/7 頁)

oughly　thinking　the　matter　over　I　have　made　up　my　mind　to　return　to　England　next　month。　This　will　probably　seem　a　somewhat　eccentric　announcement；　but　my　reasons　are　briefly　as　follows。　First　I　have　given　due　weight　to　what　you　and　Mr。　Blake　write　to　me；　and　admit　that　there　is　a　great　deal　in　what　you　say。　What　brings　me　back　in　such　a　hurry　however　is　the　state　of　the　country。

I　can　only　trust　that　I　have　arrived　at　a　wise　decision。　Of　course　you　will　understand　that；　under　the　circumstances；　if　we　are　to　go；　the　sooner　we　go　the　better。

Cochrane　is　ing　home　with　us　on　a　trip。　I　am　sorry　to　say　that　he　is　suffering　from　a　prolonged　attack　of　dysentery；　and　I　think　that　a　rest　and　a　change　of　air　is　the　only　thing　that　will　pull　him　together　again。　The　farm　will　be　left　in　charge　of　George　and　Mr。　North　（our　engineer）；　a　very　respectable　man　who　has　the　advantage　of　experience　of　the　country。　。　。　。

I　must　add　a　few　words　about　our　farming　life。　Our　estate；　Rooipoint；　covered　something　over　three　thousand　acres。　At　any　rate　it　was　a　large　property　lying　between　the　Newcastle　town　lands　and　the　Ingagaan　River；　in　the　centre　of　which　rose　a　great　flat…topped　hill；　the　Rooi　or　Red　Point；　that　gave　it　its　name。　From　the　very　crest　of　this　hill　flowed；　and　doubtless　still　flows；　a　strong　and　beautiful　spring　of　water；　though　why　water　should　appear　at　the　top　of　a　mountain　instead　of　the　bottom　is　more　than　I　can　say。　At　the　foot　of　this　mount　we　erected　the　steam…driven　grinding　mill　which　I　had　bought　in　England；　our　idea　being　that　we　should　make　our　fortunes　or　at　any　rate　do　very　well　as　millers。　Whether　this　anticipation　would　or　would　not　have　been　realised　is　more　than　I　can　tell；　as　we　did　not　keep　the　farm　long　enough　to　learn。　As　a　matter　of　f