按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
provided that they are married and； except for good reason of divorce； supported to their lives’ end。 Particularly can this be argued where natives are concerned whose very intricate laws of property and succession are closely interwoven with this custom of polygamy； to which the women are； or were； as devotedly attached as the men。
A Zulu woman does not as a rule wish to be obliged to bear all a man’s children or to do all the work of his household。 She likes to be one of a band of sisters （for； having each of them her separate little establishment； they seldom if ever quarrel） and to share in the dignity of being one of a numerous family。 Moreover their habit is； from the time that they find themselves with prospects of motherhood； to live apart from the husband until the child is weaned； say for two years； which law results in the production of a race that is physically splendid。 Further； polygamy absorbs all the women； practically none are left without husbands or fall into the immoral courses which are the scandal of civilised nations。 Such a thing as a “girl of the streets” is scarcely known among the raw Zulus。 If it were explained to these； for instance； that in this country alone we have nearly two million women who cannot possibly marry because there is no man to marry them； or fulfil their natural function of child…bearing without being called vile names； they would on their part think that state of affairs extremely wrong。 I remember a story of a well…educated Zulu who was told that the Christian law laid down that he must have but one wife。 He replied that he would like to study that law for himself； and； taking away a Bible； spent some months in reading it from end to end。 At last he returned to the missionary and said that he could find no such law therein； that； on the contrary； most of the great men in the Book appeared to have had many wives。 Oham； the brother of Cetewayo the Zulu king； made a somewhat similar reply。 He was a very powerful chief who desired to bee a Christian； and would naturally have brought many other converts with him。
“But；” said he； “these women whom you wish me to put away have been the panions of my life； and I refuse to cast them on the world in their age。”
So Oham remained a pagan； at least； that was the story I heard。
Another aspect of the case is that because of its attitude towards polygamy； as to the rights and wrongs of which I express no opinion who do but set out the other side of the argument； Christianity can scarcely hope to pete with Islam where the bulk of the natives of Africa are concerned。 Islam preaches a god and says； “You may keep your wives； but you must give up spirituous liquor。” Christianity also preaches a god but says； “You must put away all wives except one； but spirituous liquor is not forbidden。”
Among primitive peoples who are asked to abandon practices which their forefathers have followed for thousands of years； one can guess which line of reasoning is likely to be accepted； especially if they have e to the conclusion that intoxicating drink proves more injurious to the individual and the race than a plurality of wives。
Once of late years I made a speech at a big African missionary congress in London； in which I ventured to put forward these aspects of the case； or something like them。 There were； I think； five bishops on the platform； and I was rather astonished to find that out of the five two seemed to think them not devoid of sense。 The other three； however； differed strongly。
Colenso； I should add； was unpopular among many colonists； not on account of religious matters； but because he was so strong and； as they considered； so intemperate an advocate of the rights of natives。 I confess that here again I find myself more or less in sympathy with him。 White settlers； especially if they be not of the highest order； are too apt to hate； despise； and revile the aboriginal inhabitants among whom they find themselves。 Often this is because they fear them； or even more frequently because the coloured people； not needing to do so； will not work for them at a low rate of wage。 For example； they cannot understand why these blacks should object to spend weeks and months hundreds of feet underground； employed in the digging of ore； and； in their hearts； often enough would like to pel them by force to do their will。 Yet surely the Kaffir whose land we have taken has a right to follow his own opinions and convenience on this subject。
Also many white men have； or used to have； a habit of personally assaulting natives； frequently upon quite insufficient grounds。 They say or said that these would do nothing unless they were beaten。 I do not believe it。 Where Zulus are concerned at least； a great deal depends upon the person in authority over them。 No race is quicker at discovering any alloy of base metal in a man’s nature。 Many who are called “gentlemen” among us on account of their wealth or station； will not pass as such with them。 By a kind of instinct they know the true article when they see it； whatever may be the position in life held by the individual in question。 True gentility； as I have seen again and again； is not the prerogative of a class but a gift innate in certain members of all classes； and by no means a mon gift。 With it rank； station； wealth have nothing to do； it either is or is not born in a man； and still more so in a woman。 To the Zulu the rest are what he calls unfagozana； that is； low fellows。 These； by misfortune； are almost always in the majority。 Like others； savages have their gentlefolk and their mon people； but with all their faults even those mon people are not vulgar in our sense of the word。 In essential matters they still preserve a certain dignity。 Of course； however； I talk of those savages whom I know。 There may be others among whom things are different。 Also； in this respect as in others； matters in Africa may have changed since my day。 I talk of a bygone generation。
One last word about Colenso。 His native name of “Usobantu” shows the estimate that the Kaffirs formed of him。 It means “Father of the People。”
Among other remarkable Natalians of that day were the old Chief Justice （was not his name O’Connor？） and Mr。 John Bird； the Treasurer of the Colony and the piler of a valuable work called “The Annals of Natal” which in after years I had the pleasure of reviewing in the Saturday Review。 The Chief Justice has always remained in my mind because of his curious power of self…control。 I remember that when the mail came in； which at that time I believe was only once a month； he used to undo the many Times newspapers that it brought to him and arrange them in a pile。 Then； beginning with the oldest in date； on each day he would read his Times； nor； however exciting might be the news； would he suffer himself to anticipate its daily development。 He never looked at the end of the story。 Thus did he delude himself into the belief that he was still in England and receiving his morning paper wet from the press。 The drawback to the system was that he was always a month behind the Natal world and two behind that of Europe。
Mr。 John Bird； a dear old gentleman； had the most marvellous memory of any man I have ever known。 He told me that if he once read anything he liked he remembered it； if he read it twice he remembered it without error； if he read it thrice he never forgot it。 In his youth he had been a surveyor； and in the course of his long waggon journeys in the Cape he taught himself Greek。 I have heard him offer to bet anyone five pounds that he would repeat any book in Homer that might be selected without making five mistakes。 Also I heard him give a lecture on “The Pleasures of Memory” which was nearly two hours long。 In the course of this lecture he made dozens of quotations from all sorts of authors and never used a single note。
The only instance that I can recollect of parallel powers was that of a gentleman who could repeat all my romance； “She；” without a mistake。 I believe he was a South African； and I imagine he must have been a relative of Mr。 Bird。
But the most interesting man of all with whom I came in contact in Natal was one who afterwards became my beloved chief and friend； for； notwithstandi