December 25.—Christmas Day! 'Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth, peace and goodwill1 towards men.' So no great shells were fired into the Boer entrenchments at dawn, and the hostile camps remained tranquil2 throughout the day. Even the pickets4 forbore to snipe each other, and both armies attended divine service in the morning and implored5 Heaven's blessing6 on their righteous causes. In the afternoon the British held athletic7 sports, an impromptu8 military tournament, and a gymkhana, all of which caused much merriment and diversion, and the Boers profited by the cessation of the shell fire to shovel9 away at their trenches10. In the evening there were Christmas dinners in our camp—roast beef, plum pudding, a quart of beer for everyone, and various smoking concerts afterwards. I cannot describe the enemy's festivities.
But since that peaceful day we have had desultory11 picket3 firing, and the great guns in the naval12 battery have spoken whenever an opportunity presented itself. The opposing outpost lines are drawn13 so far apart that with the best intentions they can scarcely harm each other. But the long range of the smallbore rifles encourages fancy shooting, so that there is often a brisk fusillade and no one any the worse. On our side we have only had one infantry14 soldier wounded. We do not know what the fortunes of the Boers may have been, but it is probable that they lose a few men every day from the bombardment, and certain that on Monday last there were three burghers killed and several wounded and one horse. It happened in this wise: beyond the strong Infantry pickets which remain in position always, there is a more or less extended line of cavalry15 outposts, which are sprinkled all along the kopjes to the east and west of the camp, and are sometimes nearly three miles from it. On the Monday in question—New Year's Day to wit—200 Boers set forth16 and attacked our picket on the extreme right. The picket, which was composed of the South African Light Horse, fell back with discretion17, and the Boers following without their usual caution did not observe that eight troopers had been dropped behind among the rocks and ledges18 of a donga; so that when twelve of them attempted to make their way up this natural zigzag19 approach in order to fire upon the retiring picket they were themselves received at 400 yards by a well-directed sputter20 of musketry, and were glad to make off with five riderless horses, two men upon one horse, and leaving three lying quite still on the ground. Thereafter the picket continued to retreat unmolested.
Indeed, the New Year opened well, and many little things seem to favour the hope that it is the turning point of the war. Besides our tiny skirmish on the right, Captain Gough, of the 16th Lancers, on the left, made his way along a convenient depression, almost to the river bank, and discovered Boers having tea in their camp at scarcely 1,800 yards. Forthwith he opened fire, causing great commotion21; hurried upsetting of the tea, scrambling22 into tents for rifle, 'confounded impudence23 of these cursed rooineks! Come quickly Hans, Pieter, O'Brien, and John Smith, and let us mend their manners. What do they mean by harassing24 us?' And in a very few minutes there was a wrathful rattle25 of firing all along the trenches on the hillside, which spread far away to the right and left as other Boers heard it. What the deuce is this? Another attack! Till at last the Maxim26 shell gun caught the infection, and began pom, pom, pom! pom, pom, pom! and so on at intervals27. Evidently much angry passion was aroused in the Boer camp, and all because Captain Gough had been trying his luck at long range volleys. The situation might have become serious; the event was, however, fortunate. No smoke betrayed the position of the scouting28 party; no bullets found them. A heavy shower of metal sang and whistled at random29 in the air. The donga afforded an excellent line of retreat, and when the adventurous30 patrol had retired31 safely into the camp they were amused to hear the Boers still busy with the supposed chastisement32 of their audacious assailants.
But these are small incidents which, though they break the monotony of the camp, do not alter nor, each by itself, greatly accelerate the course of the war. Good news came in on New Year's Day from other quarters. Near Belmont the Canadians and Queenslanders fell on a raiding or reckless commando, took them on at their own game, hunted them and shot them among the rocks until the white flag was upon the right side for once and hoisted33 in honest surrender. Forty prisoners and twenty dead and wounded; excellent news to all of us; but causing amazing joy in Natal34, where every colonist35 goes into an ecstacy over every crumb36 of British success.
Moreover, we have good news from East London. General Gatacre is stolidly37 and patiently repairing the opening misfortune of his campaign: has learned by experience much of the new conditions of the war. Strange that the Boers did not advance after their victory; stranger still that they retired from Dordrecht. Never mind whether their stillness be due to national cautiousness or good defensive38 arrangements. Since they don't want Dordrecht, let us go there; and there we go accordingly. Out of this there arises on New Year's Day a successful skirmish, in the account of which the name of De Montmorency is mentioned. In Egypt the name was associated with madcap courage. Here they talk of prudent39 skill. The double reputation should be valuable.
And, perhaps, the best news of all comes from Arundel, near Colesberg, where Generals French and Brabazon with the cavalry column—for it is nearly all mounted—are gradually sidling and coaxing40 the Boers back out of the Colony. They are a powerful combination: French's distinguished41 military talents, and Brabazon's long and deep experience of war. So, with this column there are no frontal attacks—perhaps they are luckier than we in respect of ground—no glorious victories (which the enemy call victories, too); very few people hurt and a steady advance, as we hear on the first day of the year, right up to Colesberg.
Perhaps the tide of war has really begun to turn. Perhaps 1900 is to mark the beginning of a century of good luck and good sense in British policy in Africa. When I was a prisoner at Pretoria the Boers showed me a large green pamphlet Mr. Reitz had written. It was intended to be an account of the Dutch grounds of quarrel with the English, and was called 'A Century of Wrong.' Much was distortion and exaggeration, but a considerable part dealt with acknowledged facts. Wrong in plenty there has been on both sides, but latterly more on theirs than on ours; and the result is war—bitter, bloody42 war tearing the land in twain; dividing brother from brother, friend from friend, and opening a terrible chasm43 between the two white races who must live side by side as long as South Africa stands above the ocean, and by whose friendly co-operation alone it can enjoy the fullest measure of prosperity. 'A century of wrong!' British ignorance of South Africa, Boer ignorance of civilisation44, British intolerance, Boer brutality45, British interference, Boer independence, clash, clash, clash, all along the line! and then fanatical, truth-scorning missionaries46, experimental philanthropists, high-handed jingo administrators47, colonial ministers who disliked all colonies on the glorious principles of theoretic liberalism, bad generals thinking of their own reputations, not of their country's success, and a series of miserable48 events recalled sufficiently49 well by their names—Slagter's Nek, Kimberley, Moshesh, Majuba, Jameson, all these arousing first resentment50, then loathing51, then contempt, and, finally, a Great Desire, crystallising into a Great Conspiracy52 for a United Dutch South Africa, free from the flag that has elsewhere been regarded as the flag of freedom. And so inevitably53 to war—war with peculiar54 sadness and horror, in which the line of cleavage springs between all sorts of well-meaning people that used to know one another in friendship; but war which, whatever its fortunes, certainly sweeps the past into obscurity. We have done with 'a century of wrong.' God send us now 'a century of right.'
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1
goodwill
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| n.善意，亲善，信誉，声誉 | |
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tranquil
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| adj. 安静的, 宁静的, 稳定的, 不变的 | |
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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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pickets
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| 罢工纠察员( picket的名词复数 ) | |
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implored
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| 恳求或乞求（某人）( implore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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6
blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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athletic
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| adj.擅长运动的，强健的；活跃的，体格健壮的 | |
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impromptu
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| adj.即席的，即兴的；adv.即兴的(地)，无准备的(地) | |
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9
shovel
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| n.铁锨，铲子，一铲之量；v.铲，铲出 | |
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10
trenches
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| 深沟，地沟( trench的名词复数 )； 战壕 | |
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11
desultory
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| adj.散漫的，无方法的 | |
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12
naval
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| adj.海军的，军舰的，船的 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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14
infantry
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| n.[总称]步兵(部队) | |
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cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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16
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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ledges
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| n.（墙壁，悬崖等）突出的狭长部分( ledge的名词复数 )；（平窄的）壁架；横档；（尤指）窗台 | |
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zigzag
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| n.曲折，之字形；adj.曲折的，锯齿形的；adv.曲折地，成锯齿形地；vt.使曲折；vi.曲折前行 | |
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20
sputter
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| n.喷溅声；v.喷溅 | |
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commotion
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| n.骚动，动乱 | |
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scrambling
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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impudence
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| n.厚颜无耻；冒失；无礼 | |
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harassing
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| v.侵扰，骚扰( harass的现在分词 )；不断攻击（敌人） | |
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rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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maxim
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| n.格言，箴言 | |
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intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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scouting
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| 守候活动，童子军的活动 | |
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29
random
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| adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动 | |
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adventurous
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| adj.爱冒险的；惊心动魄的，惊险的，刺激的 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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chastisement
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| n.惩罚 | |
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33
hoisted
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| 把…吊起，升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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natal
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| adj.出生的，先天的 | |
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colonist
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| n.殖民者，移民 | |
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36
crumb
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| n.饼屑，面包屑，小量 | |
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stolidly
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| adv.迟钝地，神经麻木地 | |
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defensive
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| adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的 | |
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39
prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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40
coaxing
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| v.哄，用好话劝说( coax的现在分词 )；巧言骗取；哄劝，劝诱；“锻炼”效应 | |
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41
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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42
bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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43
chasm
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| n.深坑，断层，裂口，大分岐，利害冲突 | |
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44
civilisation
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| n.文明，文化，开化，教化 | |
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45
brutality
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| n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮 | |
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46
missionaries
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| n.传教士( missionary的名词复数 ) | |
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47
administrators
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| n.管理者( administrator的名词复数 )；有管理（或行政）才能的人；（由遗嘱检验法庭指定的）遗产管理人；奉派暂管主教教区的牧师 | |
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48
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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49
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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50
resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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51
loathing
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| n.厌恶，憎恨v.憎恨，厌恶( loathe的现在分词)；极不喜欢 | |
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52
conspiracy
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| n.阴谋，密谋，共谋 | |
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53
inevitably
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| adv.不可避免地；必然发生地 | |
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54
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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