The latter news made me have but a poor opinion of the lady’s temper; yet I thought if I were compelled to accept her as my drudge—for the Kaffir’s wife is little more,—I might at least make the girl’s life happier by making her duties light.
To change the subject, I then told Tugela that, as my European garments were no longer worthy the name, I should much like to procure some skins of any kind to make myself others. He said he would see to it, and the next day got permission to take me out hunting, when I was fortunate enough to kill an eland, out of the skin of which I managed, after a fashion, only having an assagai-head for a knife and fibre for thread, to construct a garment something similar to that often seen in pictures upon ancient Britons—that is, a narrow skirt reaching from the waist to the knee, while a broad strip of the same material came over the right shoulder, and fastened again to the skirt behind.
Had any one in my native village seen me in that strange costume, with arms and legs burnt to a dark brown, as was my face and neck, and my black hair grown till it fell over my shoulders, while my beard and moustache, all in one, formed a flowing appendage over my breast, they would never have recognised Richard Galbraith, the once neat, trim, clean-shaven, but for the framework of short whisker and beard, English sailor.
Chapter Fourteen.
A Talk about Marriage—Zenuta, my Servant—Kaffirs and Fish.
I must now, with the reader’s permission, pass over a period of nearly six months; for to relate minutely my mode of life during that time would be but an useless recapitulation, interspersed by koodoo and fan-elephant hunting, which would become monotonous.
In respect to Metilulu’s protégée, Zenuta, unpleasantly for me, Tugela had prophesied correctly. She speedily brought me again to the chief’s remembrance, and this time he spoke to me in propria persona, and desired me to accept her.
Making my reply as respectful as I possibly could, I immediately answered, as I had to Tugela, that my religion forbade me taking another wife, as I had one living already in England, and that were I to do so, I should, in my own eyes and those of my countrymen, commit a great crime. The reason of my refusal seemed to create unbounded surprise to Metilulu, who gave utterance to many Kaffir ejaculations. Then he said gravely—