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TrooperPeterHalketofMashonaland1TrooperPeterHalketofMashonalandByOliveSchreinerTrooperPeterHalketofMashonaland2ToaGreatGoodMan,SirGeorgeGrey,OnceGovernoroftheCapeColony,who,duringhisruleinSouthAfrica,boundtohimselftheDutchmen,Englishmen,andNativeshegoverned,byanuncorruptiblejusticeandabroadhumanity;andwhoisrememberedamongustodayasrepresentingthenoblestattributesofanImperialRule.Ourlowlifewasthelevel'sandthenight's;He'sforthemorning.OliveSchreiner.19,RussellRoad,Kensington,W.,February,1897.Aardvark-Thegreatanteater.CapeSmoke-AveryinferiorbrandymadeinCapeColony.Kopje-Littlehillock.Kraal-AKaffirencampment.Mealies-Maize(corn).Riem-AthongofundressedleatheruniversallyusedinSouthAfrica.VatjeofOldDop-AlittlecaskofCapebrandy.Veld-OpenCountry.TrooperPeterHalketofMashonaland3TrooperPeterHalketofMashonalandItwasadarknight;achillbreathwascomingfromtheeast;notenoughtodisturbtheblazeofTrooperPeterHalket'sfire,yetenoughtomakeitquiver.Hesatalonebesideitonthetopofakopje.Allaboutwasanimpenetrabledarkness;notastarwasvisibleintheblackcurveoverhishead.Hehadbeentravellingwithadozenmenwhoweretakingprovisionsofmealiesandricetothenextcamp.Hehadbeensentouttoactasscoutalongalowrangeofhills,andhadlosthisway.Sinceeightinthemorninghehadwanderedamonglonggrasses,andironstonekopjes,andstuntedbush,andhadcomeuponnosignofhumanhabitation,buttheremainsofaburntkraal,andadown-trampledandnowuncultivatedmealiefield,whereamonthbeforetheCharteredCompany'sforceshaddestroyedanativesettlement.Threetimesinthedayithadappearedtohimthathehadreturnedtotheveryspotfromwhichhehadstarted;norwasithiswishtotravelveryfar,forheknewhiscomradeswouldcomebacktolookforhim,totheneighbourhoodwherehehadlastbeenseen,whenitwasfoundattheeveningcampinggroundthathedidnotappear.TrooperPeterHalketwasveryweary.Hehadeatennothingallday;andhadtouchedlittleofthecontentsofasmallflaskofCapebrandyhecarriedinhisbreastpocket,notknowingwhenitwouldagainbereplenished.Asnightdrewnearhedeterminedtomakehisrestingplaceonthetopofoneofthekopjes,whichstoodsomewhataloneandapartfromtheothers.Hecouldnoteasilybeapproachedthere,withouthisknowingit.Hehadnotmuchfearofthenatives;theirkraalshadbeendestroyedandtheirgranariesburntforthirtymilesround,andtheythemselveshadfled:buthefeared,somewhat,thelions,whichhehadneverseen,butofwhichhehadheard,andwhichmightbecoweringinthelonggrassesandTrooperPeterHalketofMashonaland4brushwoodatthekopje'sfoot:--andhefeared,vaguely,hehardlyknewwhat,whenhelookedforwardtohisfirstlongnightaloneintheveld.Bythetimethesunhadsethehadgatheredalittlepileofstumpsandbranchesonthetopofthekopje.Heintendedtokeepafireburningallnight;andasthedarknessbegantosettledownhelitit.Itmightbehisfriendswouldseeitfromfar,andcomeforhimearlyinthemorning;andwildbeastswouldhardlyapproachhimwhilehekneltbesideit;andofthenativeshefelttherewaslittlefear.Hebuiltupthefire;anddeterminedifitwerepossibletokeepawakethewholenightbesideit.Hewasaslightmanofmiddleheight,withaslopingforeheadandpaleblueeyes:butthejawswerehardset,andthethinlipsofthelargemouthwerethoseofamanwhocouldstronglydesirethematerialgoodoflife,andenjoyitwhenitcamehisway.Overthelowerhalfofthefacewerescatteredafewsoftwhitehairs,thegrowthofearlymanhood.Fromtimetotimehelistenedintentlyforpossiblesoundsfromthedistancewherehisfriendsmightbeencamped,andmightfireofftheirgunsatseeinghislight;orhelistenedyetmoreintentlyforsoundsnearerathand:butallwasstill,exceptfortheoccasionalcrackingofthewoodinhisownfire,andtheslightwhistleofthebreezeasitcreptpastthestonesonthekopje.Hedoubleduphisgreathatandputitinthepocketofhisovercoat,andputonalittletwo-pointedcaphismotherhadmadeforhim,whichfittedsoclosethatonlyonelockofwhitehairhungoutoverhisforehead.Heturnedupthecollarofhiscoattoshieldhisneckandears,andthrewitopeninfrontthattheblazeofthefiremightwarmhim.Hehadknownmanynightscolderthanthiswhenhehadsataroundthecampfirewithhiscomrades,talkingoftheniggerstheyhadshotorthekraalstheyhaddestroyed,orgrumblingovertheirrations;buttonightthechillseemedtocreepintohisverybones.Thedarknessofthenightabovehim,andthesilenceoftheveldabouthim,oppressedhim.Attimesheevenwishedhemighthearthecryofajackalorofsomelargerbeastofpreyinthedistance;andhewishedthatthewindwouldblowalittlelouder,insteadofmakingthatlittlewheezingsoundasitpassedthecornersofthestones.Helookeddownathisgun,TrooperPeterHalketofMashonaland5whichlaycockedreadyonthegroundathisrightside;andfromtimetotimeheraisedhishandautomaticallyandfingeredthecartridgesinhisbelt.Thenhestretchedouthissmallwiryhandstothefireandwarmedthem.Itwasonlyhalfpastten,anditseemedtohimhehadbeensittingheretenhoursattheleast.Afterawhilehethrewtwomorelargelogsonthefire,andtooktheflaskoutofhispocket.Heexamineditcarefullybythefirelighttoseehowmuchitheld:thenhetookasmalldraught,andexamineditagaintoseehowmuchithadfallen;andputitbackinhisbreastpocket.ThenTrooperPeterHalketfelltothinking.Itwasnotoftenthathethought.Onpatrolandsittingroundcampfireswiththeothermenabouthimtherewasnotimeforit;andPeterHalkethadneverbeengiventomuchthinking.Hehadbeenacarelessboyatthevillageschool;