The Sterley’s of Oakland Park, SAREJESS [best e reader for epub .txt] 📗

Papa is the happiest man in the world happy to know he is at last a grand papa, indeed the moment the message came that Lydia was confined we took the coach and rode to Morton we found George in a high state of nerves upon our arrival. Not knowing what to do with himself at one instant wishing to rush in and assist in the next fearing for dear Lydia. Papa took him in hand and retired with him to the library where they had brandy and cigars. It was most fortunate for it was not an easy birth and after five hours Lydia was all but spent one final push and the young lad came into the world. Announcing his arrival in the most dissatisfying way by yelling the roof of the house.

Of course Papa and George upon hearing the noise rushed up stairs and entered the room much too soon for the mid-wife’s liking but as you can imagine they were most anxious to make the acquaintance of the new heir to Morton.

Pray when Tom returns please give him my warmest affections and ask him to write for brother-in-law Parker is most anxious to hear the good news of his return.

Yours Mamma

Mrs. Arabella Sterley
Long Market Square
Cape Town
Cape of Good Hope

Lady Ann Sterley
Oakland Park
Surrey


Dearest Mamma,
In reply to yours I will start by congratulating you and Papa and indeed the whole family on the birth of Lydia’s baby. It has been three months now since Tom set out for the interior. I must confess that I did not ever think I would miss him as much as I do. I have had occasion to go about in society with hardly ever a chaperone, for the ladies at the Cape there is not much which can be said. They spend there days much as we spent ours at Oakland’s. For Cape Town is very provincial and all the talk is of sheep and horses. The evenings here would have been very long had I not made the acquaintance of a woman of some quality from Ireland. Mrs. Aitcheson whose husband is a general merchant here in the town. She is the most delightful woman who speaks highly of her part of Ireland of course. She has taught me a great many things about life at the Cape which I did not know. Indeed for a woman of humble birth she is remarkable in her knowledge I can only surmise that this knowledge comes from a life time of observation.

Pray give my warmest regards to the whole family at Oakland
Yours truly,
Arabella Sterley


It was a fine evening the windows were open a slight breeze was blowing the assembled company were gathered in the drawing room. The Cape at this time of the year was uncommonly warm the company of gentleman and ladies had taken the opportunity to loosen the proverbial belt. As they relaxed enjoying the fine evening “I hold certain reservations‘ about a number of officials in the colonies government” remarked Alexander Aitcheson in a slight Scots accent. “I would be happy sir if you would advise me,” replied Tom. “I have it from a certain doctor who’s name shall go unmentioned that there was an occasion where upon there was a duel fought much to his lordships displeasure,” said Mr Aitcheson. “I believe I have heard some talk of an insult upon one of the officers of his lordships staff, resulting gin the duel by a certain medical doctor,” said Tom. “It is a matter of record that lord Charles has a number of spies who are quick to hurry to the castle with any news that might provoke dissatisfaction among the population,” said Mr Aitcheson. “I think we are all aware of the notoriety of Oliver the spy” remarked Mrs. Aitcheson who had been following the conversation from a distance. “I wonder that people can be so unpopular, remarked Arabella who like the rest of the colony was aware of the person known as Oliver the spy the fact that no one knew who this person of infamy did not stop the society from wondering who he or she was for Oliver was notorious for hiding his person under various disguises.

“His lordship has always been most attentive toward me and has always listened even going so far as to add his own comments, upon the matters of my resent travels into the eastern half of the colony” said Tom

“pray Tom tell us of some of the places you saw in your journey” said Ann Aitcheson “for I hear that some of the country is very reminiscent of England” she continued.

“It is a vast country indeed I was much taken by the vast forests and plains upon which great herds of antelope roam, we chanced upon a region where a great forest extended for many days ride here the most magnificent of beasts roamed content in there occupation of feeding for the elephant is a wonderful thing to behold,” said Tom the waters of the streams is the clearest in all the land sweet the fragrance of Africa fills ones nose with expectation“ he continued.

“my dear madam you might have heard that the existent of the colony is reminiscent of England it is true that there are some places that have a certain reminiscence but far more of the country is new and unexplored we went much further then we were instructed and came at last into the kingdom of the Zulu’s a fearsome race bent on expansion of there territory. Had it not been for the murder of there king Sharka a few seasons back I believe they might even now be much closer then they now are. For there King chanced upon a new method of warfare unbeknown to those primitive tribes who fell before them.” There current King a lazy fellow of large proportions is content to count the cattle in his kraal. Thus danger has been averted for I was surprised to find a mission station in quite close to the Homestead of the king where young woman of the tribe go to be schooled and taught the glorious gospel of repentance and the love of Christ“ said Tom

It is always pleasing to find that there are those who are about the Lords business“ remarked Mrs. Aitcheson.

“I have never held with the London missionary Society gives the natives too many airs and graces” remarked Mr Aitcheson. “ I am surprised at you sir for I would have thought that as a Scot you would of all people have been more forward thinking in this regard” said Arabella.

“Then madam I am afraid I will have to remove that disillusion from your mind” replied Alexander Aitcheson. “Arabella dear my husband has been in the colony for a number of years and knows best how these things work pray consider this matter at an end,” said Ann Aitcheson. For the good woman feared she knew to well her husbands contempt for those who believed they knew best how to treat the natives. She had a long time ago learned that what ever her personal beliefs that Alexander Aitcheson son of a ancient Scots house was not to be persuaded in his beliefs that you could take the native out of the bush but not the bush out of the native.

“I think sir you are mistaken in your assumption that all natives are bad,” said Tom for in my travels I had a number in my company and they seemed to be the happiest of people with joy upon there countenance and greeted each task with vigor,“ he continued.

“Then young Tom you have been singularly fortunate for I have in my service a rouge who is like many of his fellows a vagabond who only works under the most serious supervision and is one of the laziest persons on the face of the earth” replied Alexander Aitcheson.

“Sir I wonder at your description it is like saying all Scots see but money and are concerned about nothing else” said Arabella crossly. “My dear lady let me tell you that when I first came to the colony I was like you ready to believe the best of all people but I was soon relieved of my good intentions when on the very day of my landing rouge by relived me of my purse. When caught he was dead drunk in a wine shop,” replied Mr Aitcheson. I was surprised to learn that he was a free man and not one of those poor wretches that they sell upon the block in the square,“ he continued

When brought before the magistrate what pray was his excuse?“ asked Mr Aitcheson ”I will tell you he wanted money to show his friends that he was a gentleman of means. This been said on my account“ he ended.

I believe you have been singular in your bad luck in connection with regard to the natives“ said Tom now anxious to put an end to the heated debate ” furthermore let us put aside this matter till we have been in the colony a while longer so that we might properly form our opinions‘, he ended.


Chapter Thirteen


Cape of Good Hope
20th February 1815
From
Thomas Sterley
To
Sir Thomas Sterley
Oakland Park Surrey
England

Dearest Papa,
Having recently returned from the eastern part of the country I must advise you that it was a most significant journey it is a wild place with many strange creatures the great antelope roam freely upon the plains while the elephants of which there are a great number prefer to forage in the forests.

I am sending you a few specimens of the bird life as you requested in particular I would draw your attention to the stuffed ibis which is known here as a Ha did a for its distinctive call. These creatures are indeed the most numerous of all ornithological which I have yet observed in my travels.

Of life at the Cape there is not much to say unless one counts the occasional arrivals from England or India, this very morning arrived here Captain J Aubrey you will recall I wrote to you previously of this