Heilbron lies in a deep valley. About it on every side rolls the grassy1 upland country of the Free State, one smooth grey-green surge beyond another, like the after-swell of a great gale2 at sea; and here in the trough of the waves, hidden almost entirely3 from view, is the town itself, white stone houses amid dark trees, all clustering at the foot of a tall church spire4. It is a quiet, sleepy little place, with a few good buildings and pretty rose gardens, half-a-dozen large stores, a hotel, and a branch line of its own.
For a few days it had been capital of the Free State. The President, his secretaries, and his councillors arrived one morning from Lindley, bringing the 'seat of government' with them in a Cape5 cart. For nearly a week Heilbron remained the chief town. Then, as suddenly as it had come, the will-o'-the-wisp dignity departed, and Steyn, secretaries, councillors, and Cape cart, hurried away to the eastward6, leaving behind them rumours7 of advancing hosts--and (to this I can testify) three bottles of excellent champagne8. That was on Sunday night. The inhabitants watched and wondered all the next day.
On the Tuesday morning, shortly after the sun had risen, Christian9 De Wet appeared with sixty waggons11, five guns, and a thousand burghers, very weary, having trekked12 all night from the direction of Kroonstadt, and glad to find a place of rest and refreshment13. 'What of the English?' inquired the new-comers, and the Heilbron folk replied that the English were coming, and so was Christmas, and that the country to the southward was all clear for ten miles. Thereat the war-worn commando outspanned their oxen and settled themselves to coffee. Forty minutes later the leading patrols of Broadwood's Brigade began to appear on the hills to the south of the town.
Looked at from any point of view, the British force was a formidable array: Household Cavalry14, 12th Lancers and 10th Hussars, with P and Q Batteries Royal Horse Artillery15 (you must mind your P's and Q's with them), two 'pom-poms,' and two galloping16 Maxims18; and, hurrying up behind them, Light Horse, Mounted Infantry19, Nineteenth and Twenty-first Brigades, thirty field-guns, more 'pom-poms,' two great 5-in. ox-drawn20 siege pieces ('cow guns' as the army calls them), and Ian Hamilton. It was an army formidable to any foe21; but to those who now stared upwards22 from the little town and saw the dark, swift-moving masses on the hills--an avalanche23 of armed men and destructive engines about to fall on them--terrible beyond words.
'And then,' as the poet observes, 'there was mounting in hot haste,' saddling up of weary ponies24, frantic25 inspanning of hungry oxen cheated of their well-earned rest and feed, cracking of long whips, kicking of frightened Kaffirs; and so pell-mell out of the town and away to the northward26 hurried the commando of Christian De Wet.
The Cavalry halted on the hills for a while, the General being desirous of obtaining the formal surrender of Heilbron, and so preventing street-fighting or bombardment. An officer--Lieutenant M. Spender-Clay, of the 2nd Life Guards--was despatched with a flag of truce27 and a trumpeter; message most urgent, answer to be given within twenty minutes, or Heaven knows what would happen; but all these things take time. Flags of truce (prescribe the customs of war) must approach the enemy's picket28 line at a walk; a mile and a half at a walk--twenty minutes; add twenty for the answer, ten for the return journey, and nearly an hour is gone. So we wait impatiently watching the two solitary29 figures with a white speck30 above them draw nearer and nearer to the Boer lines; 'and,' says the brigadier, 'bring two guns up and have the ranges taken.'
There was just a chance that while all were thus intent on the town, the convoy31 and commando might have escaped unharmed, for it happened that the northern road runs for some distance eastward along the bottom of the valley, concealed32 from view. But the clouds of dust betrayed them.
'Hullo! what the deuce is that?' cried an officer.
'What?' said everyone else.
'Why, that! Look at the dust. There they go. It's a Boer convoy. Gone away.'
And with this holloa the chase began. Never have I seen anything in war so like a fox hunt. At first the scent33 was uncertain, and the pace was slow with many checks.
Before us rose a long smooth slope of grass, and along the crest34 the figures of horsemen could be plainly seen. The tail of the waggon10 train was just disappearing. But who should say how many rifles lined that ridge35? Besides, there were several barbed-wire fences, which, as anyone knows, will spoil the best country.
Broadwood began giving all kinds of orders--Household Cavalry to advance slowly in the centre; 12th Lancers to slip forward on the right, skirting the town, and try to look behind the ridge, and with them a battery of horse guns; 10th Hussars, to make a cast to the left, and the rest of the guns to walk forward steadily36.
Slowly at first, and silently besides; but soon the hounds gave tongue. Pop, pop, pop--the advanced squadron--Blues--had found something to fire at, and something that fired back, too; pip-pop, pip-pop came the double reports of the Boer rifles. Bang--the artillery opened on the crest-line with shrapnel, and at the first few shells it was evident that the enemy would not abide37 the attack. The horsemen vanished over the sky-line.
The leading squadron pushed cautiously forward--every movement at a walk, so far. Infantry brigadiers and others, inclined to impatience38, ground their teeth, and thinking there would be no sport that day, went home criticising the master. The leading squadron reached the crest, and we could see them dismount and begin to fire.
We were over the first big fence, and now the scent improved. Beyond the first ridge was another, and behind this, much nearer now, dust clouds high and thick. The General galloped39 forward himself to the newly-captured position and took a comprehensive view. 'Tell the brigade to come here at once--sharp.'
A galloper40 shot away to the rear. Behind arose the rattle41 of trotting43 batteries. The excitement grew. Already the patrols were skirting the second ridge. The Boer musketry, fitful for a few minutes, died away. They were abandoning their second position. 'Forward, then.' And forward we went accordingly at a healthy trot42.
In front of the jingling44 squadrons two little galloping Maxims darted45 out, and almost before the ridge was ours they were spluttering angrily at the retreating enemy, so that four burghers, as I saw myself, departed amid a perfect hail of bullets, which peppered the ground on all sides.
But now the whole hunt swung northward towards a line of rather ugly-looking heights. Broadwood looked at them sourly. 'Four guns to watch those hills, in case they bring artillery against us from them.' Scarcely were the words spoken, when there was a flash and a brown blurr on the side of one of the hills, and with a rasping snarl46 a shell passed overhead and burst among the advancing Cavalry. The four guns were on the target without a moment's delay.
The Boer artillerists managed to fire five shots, and then the place grew too hot for them--indeed, after Natal47, I may write, even for them. They had to expose themselves a great deal to remove their gun, and the limber and its six horses showed very plainly on the hillside, so that we all hoped to smash a wheel or kill a horse, and thus capture a real prize. But at the critical moment our 'pom-poms' disgraced themselves. They knew the range, they saw the target. They fired four shots; the aim was not bad. But four shots--four miserable48 shots! Just pom-pom, pom-pom. That was all. Whereas, if the Boers had had such a chance, they would have rattled49 through the whole belt, and sent eighteen or twenty shells in a regular shower. So we all saw with pain how a weapon, which is so terrible in the hands of the enemy, may become feeble and ineffective when used on our side by our own gunners.
After the menace of the Boer artillery was removed from our right flank, the advance became still more rapid. Batteries and squadrons were urged into a gallop17. Broadwood himself hurried forward. We topped a final rise.
Then at last we viewed the vermin. There, crawling up the opposite slope, clear cut on a white roadway, was a long line of waggons--ox waggons and mule50 waggons--and behind everything a small cart drawn by two horses. All were struggling with frantic energy to escape from their pursuers. But in vain.
The batteries spun51 round and unlimbered. Eager gunners ran forward with ammunition52, and some with belts for the 'pom-poms.' There was a momentary53 pause while ranges were taken and sights aligned54, and then----! Shell after shell crashed among the convoys55. Some exploded on the ground, others, bursting in the air, whipped up the dust all round mules56 and men. The 'pom-poms,' roused at last from their apathy57 by this delicious target and some pointed58 observations of the General, thudded out strings59 of little bombs. For a few minutes the waggons persevered60 manfully. Then one by one they came to a standstill. The drivers fled to the nearest shelter, and the animals strayed off the road or stood quiet in stolid61 ignorance of their danger.
And now at this culminating moment I must, with all apologies to 'Brooksby,' change the metaphor62, because the end of the chase was scarcely like a fox hunt. The guns had killed the quarry63, and the Cavalry dashed forward to secure it. It was a fine bag--to wit, fifteen laden64 waggons and seventeen prisoners. Such was the affair of Heilbron, and it was none the less joyous65 and exciting because, so far as we could learn, no man on either side was killed, and only one trooper and five horses wounded. Then we turned homewards.
On the way back to the town I found, near a fine farmhouse66 with deep verandahs and a pretty garden, Boer ambulance waggons, two German doctors, and a dozen bearded men. They inquired the issue of the pursuit; how many prisoners had we taken? We replied by other questions. 'How much longer will the war last?'
'It is not a war any more,' said one of the Red Cross men. 'The poor devils haven't got a chance against your numbers.'
'Nevertheless,' interposed another, 'they will fight to the end.'
I looked towards the last speaker. He was evidently of a different class to the rest.
'Are you,' I asked, 'connected with the ambulance?'
'No, I am the military chaplain to the Dutch forces.'
'And you think the Free State will continue to resist?'
'We will go down fighting. What else is there to do? History and Europe will do us justice.'
'It is easy for you to say that, who do not fight; but what of the poor farmers and peasants you have dragged into this war? They do not tell us that they wish to fight. They think they have been made a catspaw for the Transvaal.'
'Ah,' he rejoined, warmly, 'they have no business to say that now. They did not say so before the war. They wanted to fight. It was a solemn pledge. We were bound to help the Transvaalers; what would have happened to us after they were conquered?'
'But, surely you, and men like you, knew the strength of the antagonist67 you challenged. Why did you urge these simple people to their ruin?'
'We had had enough of English methods here. We knew our independence was threatened. It had to come. We did not deceive them. We told them. I told my flock often that it would not be child's play.'
'Didn't you tell them it was hopeless?'
'It was not hopeless,' he said. 'There were many chances.'
'All gone now.'
'Not quite all. Besides, chances or no chances, we must go down fighting.'
'You preach a strange gospel of peace!'
'And you English,' he rejoined, 'have strange ideas of liberty.'
So we parted, without more words; and I rode on my way into the town. Heilbron had one memory for me, and it was one which was now to be revived. In the hotel--a regular country inn--I found various British subjects who had been assisting the Boer ambulances--possibly with rifles. It is not my purpose to discuss here the propriety68 of their conduct. They had been placed in situations which do not come to men in quiet times, and for the rest they were mean-spirited creatures.
While the Republican cause seemed triumphant69 they had worked for the Dutch, had doubtless spoken of 'damned rooineks,' and used other similar phrases; so soon as the Imperial arms predominated they had changed their note; had refused to go on commando in any capacity, proclaimed that Britons never should be slaves, and dared the crumbling70 organism of Federal government to do its worst.
We talked about the fighting in Natal which they had seen from the other side. The Acton Homes affair cropped up. You will remember that we of the irregular brigade plumed71 ourselves immensely on this ambuscading of the Boers--the one undoubted score we ever made against them on the Tugela.
'Yes,' purred my renegades, 'you caught the damned Dutchmen fairly then. We were delighted, but of course we dared not show it.' (Pause.) 'That was where De Mentz was killed.'
De Mentz! The name recalled a vivid scene--the old field-cornet lying forward, grey and grim, in a pool of blood and a litter of empty cartridge72 cases, with his wife's letter clasped firmly in his stiffening73 fingers. He had 'gone down fighting;' had had no doubts what course to steer74. I knew when I saw his face that he had thought the whole thing out. Now they told me that there had been no man in all Heilbron more bitterly intent on the war, and that his letter in the 'Volksstem,' calling on the Afrikanders to drive the English scum from the land, had produced a deep impression.
'Let them,' thus it ran, 'bring 50,000 men, or 80,000 men, or even'--it was a wild possibility--'100,000, yet we will overcome them.' But they brought more than 200,000, so all his calculations were disproved, and he himself was killed with the responsibility on his shoulders of leading his men into an ambush75 which, with ordinary precautions, might have been avoided. Such are war's revenges. His widow, a very poor woman, lived next door to the hotel, nursing her son who had been shot through the lungs during the same action. Let us hope he will recover, for he had a gallant76 sire.
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1
grassy
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| adj.盖满草的；长满草的 | |
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gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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spire
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| n.(教堂)尖顶，尖塔，高点 | |
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cape
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| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
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eastward
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| adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部 | |
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rumours
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| n.传闻( rumour的名词复数 )；风闻；谣言；谣传 | |
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champagne
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| n.香槟酒；微黄色 | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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waggon
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| n.运货马车，运货车；敞篷车箱 | |
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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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trekked
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| v.艰苦跋涉，徒步旅行( trek的过去式和过去分词 )；（尤指在山中）远足，徒步旅行，游山玩水 | |
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refreshment
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| n.恢复，精神爽快，提神之事物；（复数）refreshments:点心，茶点 | |
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cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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galloping
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| adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式 | |
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gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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maxims
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| n.格言，座右铭( maxim的名词复数 ) | |
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infantry
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| n.[总称]步兵(部队) | |
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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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foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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avalanche
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| n.雪崩，大量涌来 | |
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ponies
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| 矮种马，小型马( pony的名词复数 )； ￡25 25 英镑 | |
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frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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northward
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| adv.向北；n.北方的地区 | |
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truce
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| n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束 | |
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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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solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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speck
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| n.微粒，小污点，小斑点 | |
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convoy
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| vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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crest
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| n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖 | |
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ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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abide
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| vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受 | |
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impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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galloper
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| 骑马奔驰的人，飞驰的马，旋转木马； 轻野炮 | |
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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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trot
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| n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧 | |
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trotting
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| 小跑，急走( trot的现在分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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jingling
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| 叮当声 | |
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darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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snarl
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| v.吼叫，怒骂，纠缠，混乱；n.混乱，缠结，咆哮 | |
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natal
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| adj.出生的，先天的 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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rattled
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| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
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mule
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| n.骡子，杂种，执拗的人 | |
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spun
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| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
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ammunition
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| n.军火，弹药 | |
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momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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aligned
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| adj.对齐的，均衡的 | |
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convoys
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| n.（有护航的）船队( convoy的名词复数 )；车队；护航（队）；护送队 | |
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mules
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| 骡( mule的名词复数 )； 拖鞋； 顽固的人； 越境运毒者 | |
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apathy
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| n.漠不关心，无动于衷；冷淡 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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strings
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| n.弦 | |
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persevered
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| v.坚忍，坚持( persevere的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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stolid
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| adj.无动于衷的，感情麻木的 | |
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metaphor
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| n.隐喻，暗喻 | |
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quarry
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| n.采石场；v.采石；费力地找 | |
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laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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farmhouse
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| n.农场住宅（尤指主要住房） | |
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antagonist
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| n.敌人，对抗者，对手 | |
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propriety
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| n.正当行为；正当；适当 | |
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triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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crumbling
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| adj.摇摇欲坠的 | |
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plumed
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| 饰有羽毛的 | |
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cartridge
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| n.弹壳，弹药筒；(装磁带等的)盒子 | |
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stiffening
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| n. (使衣服等)变硬的材料, 硬化 动词stiffen的现在分词形式 | |
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steer
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| vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶 | |
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75
ambush
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| n.埋伏(地点)；伏兵；v.埋伏；伏击 | |
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76
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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