Копи царя Соломона
I Meet Sir Henry Curtis
Atanyrate,Iwasbornagentleman,thoughIhavebeennothingbutapoortravellingtraderandhunterallmylife. WhetherIhaveremainedsoIknownnot,youmustjudgeofthat. HeavenknowsI’vetried. Ihavekilledmanymeninmytime,yetIhaveneverslainwantonlyorstainedmyhandininnocentblood,butonlyinself-defence. TheAlmightygaveusourlives,andIsupposeHemeantustodefendthem,atleastIhavealwaysactedonthat,andIhopeitwillnotbebroughtupagainstmewhenmyclockstrikes. There,there,itisacruelandawickedworld,andforatimidmanIhavebeenmixedupinagreatdealoffighting. Icannottelltherightsofit,butatanyrateIhaveneverstolen,thoughonceIcheatedaKafiroutofaherdofcattle. Butthenhehaddonemeadirtyturn,andithastroubledmeeversinceintothebargain.
Well,itiseighteenmonthsorsoagosincefirstImetSirHenryCurtisandCaptainGood. Itwasinthisway. IhadbeenupelephanthuntingbeyondBamangwato,andhadmetwithbadluck. Everythingwentwrongthattrip,andtotopupwithIgotthefeverbadly. SosoonasIwaswellenoughItrekkeddowntotheDiamondFields,soldsuchivoryasIhad,togetherwithmywagonandoxen,dischargedmyhunters,andtookthepost-carttotheCape. AfterspendingaweekinCapeTown,findingthattheyoverchargedmeatthehotel,andhavingseeneverythingtherewastosee, includingthebotanicalgardens,whichseemtomelikelytoconferagreatbenefitonthecountry,andthenewHousesofParliament,whichIexpectwilldonothingofthesort, IdeterminedtogobacktoNatalbytheDunkeld,thenlyingatthedockswaitingfortheEdinburghCastledueinfromEngland. Itookmyberthandwentaboard,andthatafternoontheNatalpassengersfromtheEdinburghCastletranshipped,andweweighedandputtosea.
Amongthesepassengerswhocameonboardweretwowhoexcitedmycuriosity.
