‘That’s true. But it’s changed since then. There are buildings and churches and schools, and of course, the Castle of Good Hope. Under the Devil’s Hill.’
‘The Devil’s Hill?’
‘There are many mountains and hills in the Cape. The main one is the Table Mountain, which gets its name from the flat top and the clouds which gather at its peak. Then there’s the Lion’s Hill, which has the shape of a lion, and the Devil’s Hill. If you stand on the edge of the Table Mountain you can see over the other hills, and the sea.’
‘You’ve climbed it?’
‘Yes. Below this mountain are gardens with beautiful avenues and all kinds of flowers and herbs and fruit trees.’
‘Roff will be disappointed when I tell him! He would want to know everything.’
‘Does he read?’
Vinkie brightened.
‘He likes that more than anything. Well, not as much as his stallion because Boerhaan’s like a person to him, but he reads his books over and over again.’
‘I have a newspaper from Holland.’
‘Really?’
‘Also a book that I carry with me when I travel, but I only have two copies left.’
‘You’re giving him a book?’
‘I don’t know. Will he take care of it?’
‘Oh, yes. He has a few books under his bed. No one’s allowed to touch them. What is your book about?’
‘Just some stories about the people in the Cape. Your Oupa wrote it.’
‘Oupa Krisjan?’
‘Yes.’
‘Oupa Krisjan can write books?’
‘Oupa Krisjan is well-known in the Cape.’
‘I didn’t know.’
‘This will keep your brother happy for months. Tell him he must come to the Cape. I’ll take him up the Table Mountain when he comes to visit.’
By noon the wagon was loaded with water and beskuit and biltong and a sheep Willem gave them for the journey. The family stood in a circle around the departing travellers, as Willem helped his uncle up onto the wagon.
‘Travel safely, Oom.’
Willem handed him a folded blanket when he was in his seat. ‘An extra one, for those cold nights,’ he said.
Krisjan Kloot looked down at Willem, the reins in his hand.
‘This is the last time we will see each other, Willem. I’m glad I came.’
‘I’m glad too, Oom. I’m glad you made the effort to come all this way. All the best.’
They watched as Krisjan Kloot flicked his whip, starting his oxen on the long road home. As the wagon reached the huts, they saw Karel separate from a knot of Koi-na to join it. They watched in silence as the grey canvas top bobbed slowly down the track and disappeared between the boulders at the end of the road.
‘I’m glad that’s over,’ David said, letting out a long sigh. ‘Thank goodness no one visited.’
‘Don’t you forget who that is,’ Willem Kloot shot him a stern look. ‘What he does is his own business, not yours.’
The day after their departure, Vinkie and Kleintje were helping Sanna spread out washing on the grass when they saw dust rising in the distance. They ran excitedly to Willem and David, who were heading for the kraal.
‘It’s Roff and Twa, Pa, look!’
But Willem was too upset by the scene confronting him even to look up. They had heard a commotion and rushed outside, guns at the ready, only to find half a dozen bloodied lambs lying there ripped open. The baboons had gone straight for the curdled milk in their stomachs. Three ewes lay bleeding in the dust, with bite marks on their necks and heads. The bleating was deafening.
Willem sighed and straightened up.
‘It’s them all right. I’ll be damned—he’s got the sheep!’
David squinted.
‘It doesn’t look like all the sheep.’
‘I didn’t expect to see any.’
David opened his mouth to speak, then thought better of it. His father had chosen to forget the past deeds of his younger son.
