A KAFIR WARRIOR.
1843, Aug.—The portrait of the Kafir warrior in the sketch represents him with his shield of leather, of which the proper height when placed on the ground is to reach to the chin; his assegai or spear is in his hand, high feathers adorn his head, and we will suppose he has left his kaross in his hut, it being the only, and the garment usually worn by the Kafirs. This sketch of an African Warrior may prove acceptable, as the war now being carried on excites so much interest in England. I heard that the dragoons were much disgusted at being forced to ride down and shoot the Kafirs; who,—although they fight well,—if they are overtaken in flight, throw themselves on the ground, and plead for life. They are tall, fine, and powerful men, and their colour a good clear brown. I have heard it asserted that the Kafirs never eat salt; if it be true, it is a most remarkable singularity. The only garment worn by them is the kaross: for one made of the skin of the wild-cat, consisting of fourteen skins, they demand in Cape Town three pounds fifteen shillings; for one of the skin of the red jackal, containing sixteen skins, and very large, four pounds. A riding-whip of the rhinoceros or hippopotamus hide, called a sjambok, costs three shillings and sixpence, which, considering that the price on the frontier is fourpence halfpenny, is a tolerably good per centage. At least, this is the price demanded from Indians, who appear to be the natural prey of the people at the Cape, who are leagued together to pluck the Hindūs. There is one price for the English, one for the Dutch, and one for the Africanders.
A KAFFIR WARRIOR.
On Stone by فاني پارکس
The manner in which the skins of the red jackals are prepared by the Kafirs is remarkable; the skin, which is originally very thick and coarse, is rubbed down with a stone until it becomes very thin, soft, and delicate; and the way in which the skins are sewed together to form the kaross or mantle is excellent, the workmanship is so neat and so good. The Kafir wears the fur of this garment next to his own skin during the winter, and in the summer he wears the fur outside for the sake of coolness.
The corassa nut, or vegetable ivory, is unknown in Cape Town. In London they told me it was brought from America, and also from the Cape; I took a specimen with me and showed it to the people, but found it was utterly unknown there.
13th.—Very cold, rainy, and windy weather,—the middle of the Cape winter—thermometer 53°,—very sharp and bitter, after heavy rains for some days; rheumatic and nervous complaints prevalent.
19th.—Collected shells off the second lighthouse at Green Point; sea eggs, of all colours and most brilliant tints, were in large quantities; the waves beat beautifully over the rocks, and the shore was delightful.
21st.—Very much warmer weather, quite the heat of an Indian hot wind,—by far too hot to venture out in the sun.
22nd.—What can be more suddenly changeable than the weather at the Cape? yesterday a burning sun, to-day a south-east wind covering the mountain with a shroud, the wind howling and roaring round the house, a heavy gale blowing, and the street filled every minute with blinding clouds of dust and fine stones, that, whirling up, cut against your face, as with shut eyes you strive to make your way. The houses are thinly built, unfitted for the climate; the chimneys smoke, and nothing can be more disagreeable than a residence here at present. The ships in the harbour had need look well to their anchors, to prevent their being driven out to sea in such a fierce gale.
26th.—A quiet day, after a south-easter that has blown for three days.
Sept. 28th.—Went to the races, which took place by the lighthouse at Green Point. Having heard a great deal respecting the beauty of the Dutch girls, I was induced to go to the race-ball to see them, and was much disappointed in my expectations.
Oct. 7th.—We quitted Cape Town, and went to reside at Newlands. This place was formerly the residence of Lord Charles Somerset, the Governor of the Cape: the house is situated in the midst of fine woods, and noble avenues of oak; the roses and geraniums are most luxuriant. The Table Mountain, seen through the avenues at the back of the house, is calm and beautiful: the view in front extends across fine woods, terminated by the Blueberg Mountains. This is a delightful place,—the avenues offer perpetual shade, and the flowers are a luxury. Newlands is well situated as a residence; the walks around are numerous and beautiful,—I enjoyed those especially around the back of the Table Mountain, where there are a profusion of wild flowers. On the road to Paradise the view of the opposite mountains and Simon’s Bay to the right is very interesting; there is still a garden at Paradise, but the house is in ruins.
11th.—The rides are most agreeable; how happy I am to be on horseback again! I look with regret on the months I lost by spending them in Cape Town, shut up in Roeland-street; it is so delicious in the country,—we are about six or seven miles from the town, an agreeable distance. Bought two handsome Cape riding horses; they carried me pleasantly at times, but were both very timid; they tell me timidity is the general fault of the horses at the Cape,—it was absurd the trouble these horses gave ere you could induce them to pass a flock of sheep. They would make a handsome pair for a carriage, and would sell well as such in Calcutta, besides paying their passage.
Nov. 26th.—Drove to Wynberg; saw an arum in Mrs. Usher’s garden that I thought remarkable. On the large bright green leaf were white transparent marks; the length of the flower thirty inches, the breadth eight inches; the inside of the flower was of a deep, beautiful, and rich claret colour. How profuse of beauty is nature to the flowers at the Cape! There was also an aloe at the same place of such enormous size, it was quite a sight,—a gigantic plant. I regret very much I did not sketch or measure it; it was the finest aloe I ever beheld.
Never did I meet with such servants as those at the Cape,—drunkards, thieves, and liars,—the petty annoyances these people give are enough to destroy the pleasure of living in this fine climate and beautiful country; had it not been for the plague of the servants I should have felt sorrow in quitting Africa. A Malay man-servant of ours, speaking of his family, said, “My father was only a lieutenant, but the father of my wife’s eldest son, he was a very great man!—he was a colonel! he gave her the cottage. Though the son is but a boy he has so much English spirit in him, that I am afraid of beating him; don’t you think the other children are very like me? The friends of many women are only captains or lieutenants; my wife’s friend was a colonel!—we are all like this!”
In India, if a man is ashamed of his poor relations, the following is applied to him: “The mule was asked, ‘Who is your father?’ He said, ‘The horse is my maternal uncle[41].’”
My Malay servant had no shame at all: “There is no physic for false ideas[42].” To have attempted to have enlightened his mind on the subject in which he took pride, would have been as useless as “To pound water in a mortar[43]”—that is, it would have been labour in vain.
We were supplied from Wynberg with most excellent bread, very good mutton and poultry, vegetables, and fruits.
1844, Jan. 6th.—For the last week we have had days of burning heat—almost Indian heat, with very chilly evenings after sunset; heavy rain has cooled the air to-day, and rendered the atmosphere delicious. Newlands is at present the property of a Dutch gentleman, Mr. Crugwagen.
The servants are very cool at the Cape; my Malay cook came to me in Christmas week, to say she could not dress my dinner on three days in the coming week, as she was going out to dinner parties herself at the houses of some of her friends. I objected to going without dinner to oblige her, and at last was forced to dine on those days at an early hour, that she might be off at 4 P.M. to her parties.
Two of my white muslin gowns came from the wash with the sleeves split open, and a very deep tuck in the skirt; I found they had been lent or hired out to an Africander, who was shorter than myself, and had very robust arms. The people are extremely fond of balls and gaieties, which they attend dressed out in the gayest colours; and you sometimes see a fine French cambric handkerchief bordered with deep lace in the black fist of a floor-scrubbing Hottentot, as she walks grinning along to join a dancing party. The Africanders are very dirty in their persons, and they rub their bodies with a vile-smelling oil; the presence of a musk-rat is quite as agreeable as that of a Hottentot in a room. They appear to have a taste for music, judging from the correct manner in which I have heard the children singing various airs on the mountain.
I do not particularly admire the shops in Cape Town. I was taken to a store, as they call it, and bought a quantity of Irish linen; as soon as the linen was washed, after having been made into jackets, it fell into holes and was useless. At a shop in the Heerengratch I purchased two pieces of mousseline-de-laine; it was quite rotten, and soon became like tinder. Perhaps the people buy damaged goods at auction, and retail them in the shops. Certainly, the Hindūs—as they here denominate gentlemen from India—meet with little mercy from the Capers of a certain class.
8th.—The “Robarts” having arrived, we determined to sail in her, and came into Cape Town, to prepare for our departure; what a contrast was the extreme heat of the town to the shade, the quiet, the coolness of the country!
11th.—Having secured the stern poop cabin below and the cabin next to it, we came on board; we were much pleased with the ship, and more so with the captain and officers,—they were anxious to render us every assistance, and save us all trouble and annoyance.
12th.—At 5 P.M. a breeze sprang up, and we quitted Table Bay. The view of the bay was beautiful, the mountains were darkly set against a bright sky, the sun streaming between the Lion’s Head and the Table Mount, shone with yellow and red gleams upon the hot dust that enveloped Cape Town; the mountains were dark and misty, the sea a deep blue, with white-crested waves; and the houses near the water standing out of a brilliant white. The wind was high, the sun bright, the clouds were flying quickly, and the white sheet was beginning to gather on the mountain.
27th.—Unpleasant weather: I cannot get over this mal-de-mer, and the attendant miserable feelings.
30th.—The native sailors celebrated the Muharram with single-stick playing, dances, and songs; Captain Elder gave them a fat sheep and a bag of rice to add to their repast, and awarded prizes of gaily-coloured handkerchiefs to the best performers. The crew were Lascars, the officers European.
Feb. 2nd.—It is very rainy and most uncomfortable; the deep sea fog creeps into every bone; long faces are in all directions.
3rd.—A most lovely day: a fair wind, which was also cold and bracing,—bright sunshine, good spirits, and happy looks around us.
4th.—Since I entered the “Robarts” I have never had cause to utter one complaint; Captain Elder is most attentive and kind to all his passengers, and the officers follow his example. The servants are attentive, the dinners and breakfasts excellent, and the steward sends to any one who is inclined to remain in their cabin all and every little luxury so acceptable to a sick person at sea. All this is done willingly and cheerfully,—no pretext that the articles are in the hold, no delay, and no grumbling. The cook is excellent; he bakes the bread, which is also excellent, and in profusion; and every plate and knife is as clean and bright as on shore,—a good proof of a good steward, who will allow of no neglect in those who are under his orders. After the miserable dirtiness and half-starvation of the former vessel, the neglect when ill, and the discomfort, I cannot sufficiently admire the excellent regulations and order on board the “Robarts.”
8th.—A calm. A native jumped overboard, and caught an albatross that was feeding on some pork; the boat was lowered, and the passengers shot five fine albatross that were in large numbers round the vessel.
9th.—Passed near the islands of Amsterdam and St. Paul’s.