benita- 第14部分

a　revolver　for　which　she　had　not　asked。



Three　days　later　they　trekked　away　from　Rooi　Krantz　upon　a　peculiarly

beautiful　Sunday　morning　in　the　early　spring；　giving　it　out　that　they

were　going　upon　a　trading　and　shooting　expedition　in　the　north　of　the

Transvaal。　Benita　looked　back　at　the　pretty　little　stead　and　the

wooded　kloof　behind　it　over　which　she　had　nearly　fallen；　and　the

placid　lake　in　front　of　it　where　the　nesting　wildfowl　wheeled；　and

sighed。　For　to　her；　now　that　she　was　leaving　it；　the　place　seemed　like

home；　and　it　came　into　her　mind　that　she　would　never　see　it　any　more。







VIII



BAMBATSE



Nearly　four　months　had　gone　by　when　at　length　the　waggon　with　which

were　Mr。　Clifford；　Benita；　and　Jacob　Meyer　camped　one　night　within　the

country　of　the　Molimo　of　Bambatse；　whose　name　was　Mambo。　Or　perhaps

that　was　his　title；　since　（according　to　Tamas　his　son）　every　chief　in

succession　was　called　Mambo；　though　not　all　of　them　were　Molimos；　or

representatives　and　prophets　of　God；　or　the　Great　Spirit　whom　they

knew　as　Munwali。　Thus　sometimes　the　Molimo；　or　priest　of　Munwali；　and

the　Mambo　or　chief　were　different　persons。　For　instance；　he　said　that

he；　Tamas；　would　be　Mambo　on　his　father's　death；　but　no　visions　were

given　to　him；　therefore　as　yet；　at　any　rate；　he　was　not　called　to　be

Molimo。



In　the　course　of　this　long　journey　they　had　met　with　many　adventures；

such　as　were　common　to　African　travellers　before　the　days　of

railroads；　adventures　with　wild　beasts　and　native　tribes；　adventures

with　swollen　rivers　also；　and　one　that　was　worst；　with　thirst；　since

for　three　days　（owing　to　the　failure　of　a　pit　or　pan；　where　they

expected　to　find　water）　they　were　obliged　to　go　without　drink。　Still；

none　of　these　were　very　serious；　nor　had　any　of　the　three　of　them　ever

been　in　better　health　than　they　were　at　this　moment；　for　by　good　luck

they　had　escaped　all　fever。　Indeed；　their　rough；　wild　life　had　agreed

with　Benita　extraordinarily　well；　so　well　that　any　who　had　known　her

in　the　streets　of　London　would　scarcely　have　recognized　her　as　the

sunburnt；　active　and　well…formed　young　woman　who　sat　that　night　by　the

camp　fire。



All　the　horses　they　had　brought　with　them　had　been　sold；　except　some

which　had　died；　and　three　that　were　〃salted；〃　or　proof　against　the

deadly　horse　sickness；　which　they　took　on　with　them。　Their　own

servants　also　had　been　sent　back　to　Rooi　Krantz　in　charge　of　a　Scotch

cart　laden　with　ivory；　purchased　from　Boer　hunters　who　had　brought　it

down　from　the　north　of　the　Transvaal。　Therefore；　for　this　was　part　of

the　bargain；　the　three　Makalanga　were　now　their　only　attendants　who

drove　and　herded　the　cattle；　while　Benita　cooked　the　food　which　the

two　white　men　shot；　or　sometimes　bought　from　natives。



For　days　they　had　been　passing　through　a　country　that　was　practically

deserted；　and　now；　having　crossed　a　high　nek；　the　same　on　which　Robert

Seymour　had　left　his　waggon；　they　were　camped　in　low　land　which；　as

they　could　see　by　the　remains　of　walls　that　appeared　everywhere；　had

once　been　extensively　enclosed　and　cultivated。　To　their　right　was　a

rising　mountainous　ground；　beyond　which；　said　the　Makalanga；　ran　the

Zambesi；　and　in　front　of　them；　not　more　than　ten　miles　away；　a　great

isolated　hill；　none　other　than　that　place　that　they　had　journeyed　so

far　to　reach；　Bambatse；　round　which　flowed　the　great　river。　Indeed；

thither　one　of　the　three　Makalanga；　he　who　was　named　Hoba；　had　gone　on

to　announce　their　approach。



They　had　outspanned　amongst　ruins；　most　of　them　circular　in　shape；　and

Benita；　studying　them　in　the　bright　moonlight；　guessed　that　once　these

had　been　houses。　That　place　now　so　solitary；　hundreds　or　thousands　of

years　ago　was　undoubtedly　the　home　of　a　great　population。　Thousands；

rather　than　hundreds；　she　thought；　since　close　at　hand　in　the　middle

of　one　of　these　round　houses；　grew　a　mighty　baobab　tree；　that　could

not　have　seen　less　than　ten　or　fifteen　centuries　since　the　seed　whence

it　sprang　pierced　the　cement　floor　which　was　still　visible　about　its

giant　bole。



Tamas；　the　Molimo's　son；　saw　her　studying　these　evidences　of

antiquity；　and；　approaching；　saluted　her。



〃Lady；〃　he　said　in　his　own　language；　which　by　now　she　spoke　very　well；

〃lady〃and　he　waved　his　hand　with　a　fine　gesture〃behold　the　city　of

my　people。〃



〃How　do　you　know　that　it　was　their　city？〃　she　asked。



〃I　do　not　know；　lady。　Stones　cannot　speak；　the　spirits　are　silent；　and

we　have　forgotten。　Still；　I　think　so；　and　our　fathers　have　told　us

that　but　six　or　eight　generations　ago　many　folk　lived　here；　though　it

was　not　they　who　built　these　walls。　Even　fifty　years　ago　there　were

many；　but　now　the　Matabele　have　killed　them；　and　we　are　few；　to…morrow

you　will　see　how　few。　Come　here　and　look；〃　and　he　led　her　through　the

entrance　of　a　square　cattle　kraal　which　stood　close　by。　Within　were

tufts　of　rank　grass；　and　a　few　bushes；　and　among　these　scores　of

skulls　and　other　bones。



〃The　Matabele　killed　these　in　the　time　of　Moselikatse；〃　he　said。　〃Now

do　you　wonder　that　we　who　remain　fear　the　Matabele；　and　desire　guns　to

defend　ourselves　from　them；　even　if　we　must　sell　our　secrets；　in　order

to　buy　those　guns；　who　have　no　money　to　pay　for　them？〃



〃No；〃　she　answered；　looking　at　the　tall；　dignified　man；　into　whose

soul　the　irons　of　fear　and　slavery　had　burnt　so　deep。　〃No；　I　do　not

wonder。〃



Next　morning　at　daybreak　they　trekked　on；　always　through　these

evidences　of　dead；　forgotten　people。　They　had　not　more　than　ten　miles

to　cover　to　reach　their　long　journey's　end；　but　the　road；　if　so　it

could　be　called；　ran　up…hill；　and　the　oxen；　whereof　only　fourteen　were

now　left　to　drag　the　heavy…laden　waggon；　were　thin　and　footsore；　so

that　their　progress　was　very　slow。　Indeed；　it　was　past　midday　when　at

length　they　began　to　enter　what　by　apology　might　be　called　the　town　of

Bambatse。



〃When　we　go　away　from　this；　it　will　have　to　be　by　water；　I　think；

unless　we　can　buy　trek…cattle；〃　said　Meyer；　looking　at　the　labouring

oxen　with　a　doubtful　eye。



〃Why？〃　asked　Mr。　Clifford　anxiously。



〃Because　several　of　those　beasts　have　been　bitten　by　tetsefly；　like　my

horse；　and　the　poison　is　beginning　to　work。　I　thought　so　last　night；

but　now　I　am　sure。　Look　at　their　eyes。　It　was　down　in　that　bit　of　bush

veld　eight　days　ago。　I　said　that　we　ought　not　to　camp　there。〃



At　this　moment　they　came　to　the　crest　of　the　ridge；　and　on　its　further

side　saw　the　wonderful　ruins　of　Bambatse　close　at　hand。　In　front　of

them　stood　a　hill　jutting　out；　as　it　were　into　the　broad　waters　of　the

Zambesi　river；　which；　to　a　great　extent；　protected　it　upon　three

sides。　The　fourth；　that　opposite　to　them；　except　at　one　place　where　a

kind　of　natural　causeway　led　into　the　town；　was　also　defended　by

Nature；　since　here　for　more　than　fifty　feet　in　height　the　granite　rock

of　the　base　of　the　hill　rose　sheer　and　unclimbable。　On　the　mount

itself；　that　in　all　may　have　covered　eight　or　ten　acres　of　ground；　and

surrounded　by　a　deep　donga　or　ditch；　were　three　rings　of

fortifications；　set　one　above　the　other；　mighty　walls　which；　it　was

evident；　had　been　built　by　no　modern　hand。　Looking　at　them　Benita

could　well　understand　how　it　came　about　that　the　poor　fugitive

Portuguese　had　chosen　this　as　their　last　place　of　refuge；　and　were

overcome　at　length；　not　by　the　thousands　of　savages　who　followed　and

surrounded　them；　but　by　hunger。　Indeed；　the　place　seemed　impregnable

to　any　force　that　was　not　armed　with　siege　guns。



On　the　hither　side　of　this　natural　fosse；　which；　doubtless；　in　ancient

times　had　been　filled　with　water　led　from　the　Zambesi；　stood　the

village　of　the　Bambatse　Makalanga；　a　collection　of　seventy　or　eighty

wretched　huts；　round；　like　those　of　their　forefathers；　but　built　of

mud　and　thatch。　About　them　lay　the　gardens；　or　square　fields；　that

were　well　cultivated；　and　at　this　season　rich　with　ripening　corn。

Benita；　however；　could　see　no　cattle；　and　concluded；　therefore；　that

these　must　be　kept　on　the　hill　for　safety；　and　within　its　walls。



Down　the　rough　road　they　lumbered；　and　through　the　village；　where　the

few　women　and　children　stared　at　them　in　a　frightened　way。　Then　they

came　to　the　causeway；　which；　on　its　further　side；　was　blocked　with

thorns　and　rough　stones　taken　from　the　ruins。　While　they　waited　for

these　to　be　removed　by　some　men　who　now　appeared；　Benita　looked　at　the

massive；　circular　wall　still　thirty　or　forty　feet　in　height；　by

perhaps　twenty　through　its　base；　built　of　granite　blocks　without

mortar；　and　ornamented　with　quaint　patterns　of　other　coloured　stones。

In　its　thickness　she　could　see　grooves；　where　evidently　had　once　been

portcullises；　but　these　had　disappeared　long　ago。



〃It　is　a　wonderful　place；〃　she　said　to　her　father。　〃I　am　glad　that　I

came。　Have　you　been　all　over　it？〃



〃No；　only　between　the　first　and　second　walls；　and　once　between　the

second　and　third。　The　old　temple；　or　whatever　it　is；　is　on　the　top；

and　into　that　they　would　never　admit　us。　It　is　there　that　the　treasure

lies。〃



〃That　the　treasure　is　supposed　to　lie；〃　she　answered　with　a　smile。

〃But；　Father；　what　guarantee　have　you　that　they　will　do　so　now？

Perhaps　they　will　take　the　guns　and　show　us　the　dooror　rather　the

gate。〃



〃Your　daughter　is　right；　there　is　none；　and　before　a　box　is　taken　off

the　waggon　we　must　get　one；〃　said　Meyer。　〃Oh！　I　know　it　is　risky；　and

it　would　have　been　better　to　make　sure　first；　but　it　is　too　late　to

talk　of　that　now。　Look；　the　stones　are　cleared。　Trek　ontrek！〃



The　long　waggon…whip　cracked；　the　poor；　tired…out　oxen　strained　at　the

yokes；　and　on　they　went　through　the　entrance　of　that　fateful　fortress

that　was　but　just　wide　enough　to　admit　them。　Inside　lay　a　great　open

space；　which；　as　they　could　see　from　the　numerous　ruins；　had　once　been

filled　with　buildings　that　now　were　half　hidden　by　grass；　trees；　and

creepers。　This