Their gunners were shot down as fast as they touched their weapons, and when the German field battery at Newman's End, which had been advanced several hundred yards, suddenly opened a flanking fire of shrapnel upon them, it was found absolutely impossible to serve them. A gallant2 attempt was made to withdraw them by the Harlow Road, but their teams were shot down as soon as they appeared. This enfilade fire, too, decimated the Grenadiers and the remnant of the Scots, though they fought on to the death, and a converging3 attack of a battalion4 from Down Hall and another from Sheering drove them down into the grounds of Durrington House, where fighting still went on savagely5 for some time afterwards.
Von der Rudesheim had all but attained6 a portion of his object, which was to establish his guns in such a position that they could fire on the main body of the British troops when they entered Sawbridgeworth by the Cambridge Road. The place where the four guns with the Grenadiers had been stationed was within 3,000[139] yards of any part of that road between Harlow and Sawbridgeworth. But this spot was still exposed to the rifle fire of the Seaforths who held Quickbury. Von der Rudesheim therefore determined8 to swing forward his left, and either drive them back down the hill towards the river, or at least to so occupy them that he could bring up his field-guns to their chosen position without losing too many of his gunners.
By six o'clock, thanks to his enormous local superiority in numbers, he had contrived9 to do this, and now the opposing forces with the exception of the British Grenadiers, who still fought with a German battalion between Durrington House and Harlow, faced each other north and south, instead of east and west, as they were at the beginning of the fight. Brigadier-General Lane-Edgeworth, who was in command of the British, had been sending urgent messages for reinforcements to the Dunmow Force, but when its commanding officer finally decided10 to turn his full strength in the direction of the firing, it took so long to assemble and form up the Volunteer regiments11 who composed the bulk of his command, that it was past seven before the leading battalion had deployed12 to assist in the attack which it was decided to make against the German right. Meantime, other important events had transpired13.
Von der Rudesheim had found that the battalion which was engaged with the Grenadiers could not get near Harlow village, or either the river or railway bridge at that place, both of which he wished to destroy. But his scouts14 had reported a lock and wooden footbridge immediately to the westward15 between Harlow and Sawbridgeworth, just abreast16 of the large wooded park surrounding Pishobury House on the farther side. He determined to send two companies over by this, their movements being hidden from the English by the trees. After crossing, they found themselves confronted by a backwater, but, trained in crossing rivers, they managed to ford17 and swim over, and advanced through the park towards Harlow Bridge. While this was in progress, a large force was reported marching south on the Cambridge Road.
While Von der Rudesheim, who was at the western end of Sheering hamlet, was looking through his glasses at the new arrivals on the scene of action—who were without doubt the main body of the Royston command,[140] which was retiring under the personal supervision18 of Lord Byfield—a puff19 of white smoke rose above the trees about Hyde Hall, and at top speed four heavily loaded trains shot into sight going south. These were the same ones that had brought down the Regular British troops, with whom he was now engaged. They had gone north again, and picked up a number of Volunteer battalions20 belonging to the retreating force just beyond Bishop's Stortford. But so long a time had been taken in entraining the troops in the darkness and confusion of the retreat, that their comrades who had kept to the road, arrived almost simultaneously21. Von der Rudesheim signalled, and sent urgent orders for his guns to be brought up to open fire on them, but by the time the first team had reached him the last of the trains had disappeared from sight into the cutting at Harlow Station. But even now it was not too late to open fire on the troops entering Sawbridgeworth.
Things were beginning to look somewhat bad for Von der Rudesheim's little force. The pressure from the north was increasing every moment, his attack on the retreating troops had failed, he had not so far been able to destroy the bridges at Harlow, and every minute the likelihood of his being able to do so grew more remote. To crown all, word was brought him that the trains which had just slipped by were disgorging men in hundreds along the railway west of Harlow Station, and that these troops were beginning to move forward as if to support the British Grenadiers, who had been driven back towards Harlow. In fact, he saw that there was even a possibility of his being surrounded. But he had no intention of discontinuing the fight. He knew he could rely on the discipline and mobility22 of his well-trained men under almost any conditions, and he trusted, moreover, that the promised reinforcements would not be very long in turning up. But he could not hold on just where he was. He accordingly, by various adroit23 man?uvres, threw back his right to Down Hall, whose copses and plantations24 afforded a good deal of cover, and, using this as a pivot25, gradually wheeled back his left till he had taken up a position running north and south from Down Hall to Matching Tye. He had not effected this difficult man?uvre without considerable loss, but he experienced less difficulty in extricating26 his left than he had anticipated, since the newly arrived[141] British troops at Harlow, instead of pressing forward against him, had been engaged in moving into a position between Harlow and the hamlet of Foster Street, on the somewhat elevated ground to the south of Matching, which would enable them to cover the further march of the main body of the retreating troops to Epping.
But he had totally lost the two companies he had sent across the river to attack Harlow Bridge. Unfortunately for them, their arrival on the Harlow-Sawbridgeworth Road synchronised with that of the advanced guard of Lord Byfield's command. Some hot skirmishing took place in and out among the trees of Pishobury, and finally the Germans were driven to earth in the big square block of the red-brick mansion27 itself.
Here they made a desperate stand, fighting hard as they were driven from one storey to another. The staircases ran with blood, the woodwork smouldered and threatened to burst into flame in a dozen places. At length the arrival of a battery of field guns, which unlimbered at close range, induced the survivors28 to surrender, and they were disarmed29 and carried off as prisoners with the retreating army.
By the time Von der Rudesheim had succeeded in taking up his new position it was past ten o'clock, and he had been informed by despatches carried by motor-cyclists that he might expect assistance in another hour and a half.
The right column, consisting of the 39th Infantry30 Brigade of five battalions, six batteries, and a squadron of Dragoons, came into collision with the left flank of the Dunmow force, which was engaged in attacking Von der Rudesheim's right at Down Hall, and endeavouring to surround it. Sir Jacob Stellenbosch, who was in command, in vain tried to change front to meet the advancing enemy. His troops were nearly all Volunteers, who were incapable31 of quickly man?uvring under difficult circumstances; they were crumpled32 up and driven back in confusion towards Hatfield Heath. Had Von Kronhelm been able to get in the bulk of his cavalry33 from their luckless pursuit of the Ist and Vth British Army Corps34, who had been driven back on Brentwood the evening previous, and so send a proportion with the 20th Division, few would have escaped to tell the tale. As it was, the unfortunate volunteers were[142] shot down in scores by the "feu d'enfer" with which the artillery35 followed them up, and lay in twos and threes and larger groups all over the fields, victims of a selfish nation that accepted these poor fellows' gratuitous36 services merely in order that its citizens should not be obliged to carry out what in every other European country was regarded as the first duty of citizenship—that of learning to bear arms in the defence of the Fatherland.
By this time the greater portion of the retreating British Army, with all its baggage, guns and impedimenta, was crawling slowly along the road from Harlow to Epping. Unaccustomed as they were to marching, the poor Volunteers who had already covered eighteen or twenty miles of road, were now toiling37 slowly and painfully along the highway. The regular troops, who had been engaged since early morning, and who were now mostly in the neighbourhood of Moor38 Hall, east of Harlow, firing at long ranges on Von der Rudesheim's men to keep them in their places while Sir Jacob Stellenbosch attacked their right, were now hurriedly withdrawn39 and started to march south by a track running parallel to the main Epping Road, between it and that along which the covering force of Volunteers, who had come in by train, were now established in position. The 1st and 2nd Coldstreamers, who had formed Lord Byfield's rearguard during the night, were halted in Harlow village.
Immediately upon the success obtained by his right column, General Richel von Sieberg, who commanded the 20th Hanoverian Division, ordered his two centre and left columns, consisting respectively of the three battalions 77th Infantry and two batteries of Horse Artillery, then at Matching Green, and the three battalions 92nd Infantry, 10th Pioneer Battalion, and five batteries Field Artillery, then between High Laver and Tilegate Green, to turn to their left and advance in fighting formation in a south-westerly direction, with the object of attacking the sorely-harassed troops of Lord Byfield on their way to Epping.
The final phase of this memorable40 retreat is best told in the words of the special war correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph," who arrived on the scene at about one o'clock in the afternoon:
"Epping, 5 p.m.[143], September 9.
"Thanks to the secrecy41 preserved by the military authorities, it was not known that Lord Byfield was falling back from the Royston-Saffron Walden position till seven this morning. By eight, I was off in my car for the scene of action, for rumours42 of fighting near Harlow had already begun to come in. I started out by way of Tottenham and Edmonton, expecting to reach Harlow by 9.30 or 10. But I reckoned without the numerous military officials with whom I came in contact, who constantly stopped me and sent me out of my way on one pretext43 or another. I am sure I hope that the nation has benefited by their proceedings44. In the end it was close on one before I pulled up at the Cock Inn, Epping, in search of additional information, because for some time I had been aware of the rumbling45 growl46 of heavy artillery from the eastward47, and wondered what it might portend48. I found that General Sir Stapleton Forsyth, who commanded the Northern section of the defences, had made the inn his headquarters, and there was a constant coming and going of orderlies and staff-officers at its portals. Opposite, the men of one of the new irregular corps, dressed in dark green corduroy, blue flannel49 cricketing caps, and red cummerbunds, sat or reclined in two long lines on either side of their piled arms on the left of the wide street. On inquiry50 I heard that the enemy were said to be bombarding Kelvedon Hatch, and also that the head of our retreating columns was only three or four miles distant.
"I pushed on, and, after the usual interrogations from an officer in charge of a picket51, where the road ran through the entrenchments about a mile farther on, found myself spinning along through the country in the direction of Harlow. As I began to ascend52 the rising ground towards Potter Street I could hear a continuous roll of artillery away to my right. I could not distinguish anything except the smoke of shells bursting here and there in the distance, on account of the scattered53 trees which lined the maze54 of hedgerows on every side. Close to Potter Street I met the head of the retreating army. Very tired, heated and footsore looked the hundreds of poor fellows as they dragged themselves along through the heat. It was a sultry afternoon, and the roads inches deep in dust.
"Turning to the right of Harlow Common, I met[144] another column of men. I noticed that these were all Regulars, Grenadiers, Scots Guards, a battalion of Highlanders, another of Riflemen, and, lastly, two battalions of the Coldstreamers. These troops stepped along with rather more life than the citizen soldiers I had met previously55, but still showed traces of their hard marching and fighting. Many of them were wearing bandages, but all the more seriously wounded had been left behind to be looked after by the Germans. All this time the firing was still resounding56 heavy and constant from the north-east, and from one person and another whom I questioned I ascertained57 that the enemy were advancing upon us from that direction. Half a mile farther on I ran into the middle of the fighting. The road ran along the top of a kind of flat ridge7 or upland, whence I could see to a considerable distance on either hand.
"Partially58 sheltered from the view by its hedges and the scattered cottages forming the hamlet of Foster Street was a long, irregular line of guns facing nearly east. Beyond them were yet others directed north. There were field batteries and big 4·7's. All were hard at work, their gunners working like men possessed59, and the crash of their constant discharge was ear-splitting. I had hardly taken this in when 'Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!'—four dazzling flashes opened in the air overhead, and shrapnel bullets rattled60 on earth, walls, and roofs with a sound as of handfuls of pebbles61 thrown on a marble pavement. But the hardness with which they struck was beyond anything in my experience.
"It was not pleasant to be here, but I ran my car behind a little public-house that stood by the wayside, and, dismounting, unslung my glasses and determined to get what view of the proceedings I could from the corner of the house. All around khaki-clad Volunteers lined every hedge and sheltered behind every cottage, while farther off, in the lower ground, from a mile to a mile and a half away I could distinguish the closely-packed firing lines of the Germans advancing slowly but steadily62, despite the gaps made in their ranks by the fire of our guns. Their own guns, I fancied, I could make out near Tilegate Green to the north-east. Neither side had as yet opened rifle fire. Getting into my car I motored back to the main road, but it was so blocked by the procession of waggons63 and troops of the retreating army that I could not turn into it.[145] Wheeling round I made my way back to a parallel lane I had noticed, and turning to the left again at a smithy, found myself in a road bordered by cottages and enclosures. Here I found the Regular troops I had lately met lining64 every hedgerow and fence, while I could see others on a knoll65 further to their left. There was a little church here, and, mounting to the roof, I got a comparatively extensive view. To my right the long dusty column of men and waggons still toiled66 along the Epping Road. In front, nearly three miles off, an apparently67 solid line of woods stretched along the horizon, surmounting68 a long, gradual and open slope. This was the position of our lines near Epping, and the haven69 for which Lord Byfield's tired soldiery were making. To the left the serried70 masses of drab-clad German infantry still pushed aggressively forward, their guns firing heavily over their heads.
BATTLE of HARLOW FINAL PHASE BATTLE of HARLOW
FINAL PHASE
"As[146] I watched them three tremendous explosions took place in their midst, killing71 dozens of them. Fire, smoke, and dust rose up twenty feet in the air, while three ear-splitting reports rose even above the rolling thunder of the gunfire. More followed. I looked again towards the woodland. Here I saw blaze after blaze of fire among the dark masses of trees. Our big guns in the fortifications had got to work, and were punishing the Germans most severely72, taking their attack in flank with the big 6-inch and 7·5-inch projectiles73. Cheers arose all along our lines, as shell after shell, fired by gunners who knew to an inch the distances to every house and conspicuous74 tree, burst among the German ranks, killing and maiming the invaders75 by hundreds. The advance paused, faltered76 and, being hurriedly reinforced from the rear, once more went forward.
"But the big high explosive projectiles continued to fall with such accuracy and persistence77 that the attackers fell sullenly78 back, losing heavily as they did so. The enemy's artillery now came in for attention, and also was driven out of range with loss. The last stage in the retreat of Lord Byfield's command was now secured. The extended troops and guns gradually drew off from their positions, still keeping a watchful79 eye on the foe80, and by 4.30 all were within the Epping entrenchments. All, that is to say, but the numerous killed and wounded during the running fight that had extended along the last seven or eight miles of the retreat, and the bulk of the Dunmow force under Sir Jacob Stellenbosch, which with its commander, had, it was believed, been made prisoners. They had been caught between the 39th German Infantry Brigade and several regiments of cavalry, that it was said had arrived from[147] the northward81 soon after they were beaten at Hatfield Heath. Probably these were the advanced troops of General Fr?lich's Cavalry Brigade."
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1
swarms
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| 蜂群，一大群( swarm的名词复数 ) | |
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2
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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3
converging
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| adj.收敛[缩]的，会聚的，趋同的v.（线条、运动的物体等）会于一点( converge的现在分词 )；（趋于）相似或相同；人或车辆汇集；聚集 | |
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4
battalion
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| n.营；部队；大队(的人) | |
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5
savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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6
attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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7
ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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9
contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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10
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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11
regiments
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| （军队的）团( regiment的名词复数 )； 大量的人或物 | |
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deployed
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| （尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用 | |
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13
transpired
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| （事实，秘密等）被人知道( transpire的过去式和过去分词 )； 泄露； 显露； 发生 | |
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14
scouts
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| 侦察员[机，舰]( scout的名词复数 )； 童子军； 搜索； 童子军成员 | |
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15
westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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16
abreast
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| adv.并排地；跟上(时代)的步伐，与…并进地 | |
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Ford
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| n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过 | |
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18
supervision
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| n.监督，管理 | |
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puff
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| n.一口(气)；一阵(风)；v.喷气，喘气 | |
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battalions
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| n.（陆军的）一营（大约有一千兵士）( battalion的名词复数 )；协同作战的部队；军队；（组织在一起工作的）队伍 | |
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simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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mobility
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| n.可动性，变动性，情感不定 | |
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adroit
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| adj.熟练的，灵巧的 | |
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24
plantations
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| n.种植园，大农场( plantation的名词复数 ) | |
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pivot
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| v.在枢轴上转动；装枢轴，枢轴；adj.枢轴的 | |
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extricating
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| v.使摆脱困难，脱身( extricate的现在分词 ) | |
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mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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survivors
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| 幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 ) | |
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29
disarmed
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| v.裁军( disarm的过去式和过去分词 )；使息怒 | |
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30
infantry
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| n.[总称]步兵(部队) | |
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31
incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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32
crumpled
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| adj. 弯扭的, 变皱的 动词crumple的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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33
cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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34
corps
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| n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组 | |
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35
artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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gratuitous
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| adj.无偿的，免费的；无缘无故的，不必要的 | |
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37
toiling
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| 长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的现在分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉 | |
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38
moor
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| n.荒野，沼泽；vt.(使)停泊；vi.停泊 | |
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39
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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40
memorable
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| adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的 | |
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41
secrecy
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| n.秘密，保密，隐蔽 | |
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42
rumours
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| n.传闻( rumour的名词复数 )；风闻；谣言；谣传 | |
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43
pretext
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| n.借口，托词 | |
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44
proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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45
rumbling
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| n. 隆隆声, 辘辘声 adj. 隆隆响的 动词rumble的现在分词 | |
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46
growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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47
eastward
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| adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部 | |
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48
portend
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| v.预兆，预示；给…以警告 | |
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49
flannel
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| n.法兰绒；法兰绒衣服 | |
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50
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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51
picket
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| n.纠察队；警戒哨；v.设置纠察线；布置警卫 | |
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52
ascend
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| vi.渐渐上升，升高；vt.攀登，登上 | |
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53
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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54
maze
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| n.迷宫，八阵图，混乱，迷惑 | |
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55
previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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56
resounding
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| adj. 响亮的 | |
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57
ascertained
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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58
partially
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| adv.部分地，从某些方面讲 | |
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59
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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60
rattled
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| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
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61
pebbles
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| [复数]鹅卵石； 沙砾； 卵石，小圆石( pebble的名词复数 ) | |
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62
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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63
waggons
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| 四轮的运货马车( waggon的名词复数 )； 铁路货车； 小手推车 | |
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64
lining
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| n.衬里，衬料 | |
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65
knoll
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| n.小山，小丘 | |
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66
toiled
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| 长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的过去式和过去分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉 | |
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67
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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68
surmounting
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| 战胜( surmount的现在分词 )； 克服（困难）； 居于…之上； 在…顶上 | |
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69
haven
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| n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所 | |
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70
serried
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| adj.拥挤的；密集的 | |
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71
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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73
projectiles
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| n.抛射体( projectile的名词复数 )；（炮弹、子弹等）射弹，（火箭等）自动推进的武器 | |
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74
conspicuous
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| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
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75
invaders
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| 入侵者，侵略者，侵入物( invader的名词复数 ) | |
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76
faltered
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| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
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77
persistence
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| n.坚持，持续，存留 | |
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78
sullenly
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| 不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地 | |
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79
watchful
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| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
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80
foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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81
northward
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| adv.向北；n.北方的地区 | |
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