General Gatacre had suffered a very heavy reverse at Stormberg on the day before Magersfontein was fought. He had made a long night march in hopes of surprising the Boers, but by the treachery or ignorance of his guides, and the fact that the Boers had been apprised7 of his intention by rebel sympathizers, he had himself fallen into an ambush8. Everything had, indeed, from the first, gone wrong. The intention of the general had been allowed to leak out two days previously9, and thus the large portion of the population who were disloyal had ample time to warn the Boers at Stormberg. The trucks in which the troops were to be[Pg 212] conveyed as far as Molteno were not assembled at the time named, and two hours were therefore lost. A portion of the column missed their way in the dark, and were miles distant from the main force when the fight began. Lastly, instead of the troops being allowed perfect rest during the day before starting on an expedition which demanded all their strength and vigour10, they had been up early, and spent hours under arms, going through the fatigue11 of a field day; and so worn-out were they when the time for action arrived; that many fell asleep while the battle was raging.
Thus, as the Boers were posted in an inaccessible12 position, the action was a massacre13 rather than a fight, and had it not been for the splendid bravery of the artillerymen, the whole force would have been killed or forced to surrender. The loss in killed and wounded was not great, the casualties being under one hundred, but six hundred men of the Irish Rifles and the Northumberlands were taken prisoners, and two guns lost. The large number of captives was due to two causes. First, in their attempt to get at the enemy, some of the troops had climbed the rock to a point where further advance was impossible, and retreat, under the tremendous fire maintained upon them, meant certain death. Secondly15, many were overpowered by fatigue and want of sleep, staggered out of the ranks during the retreat, and, dropping on the ground, slept until they woke to find themselves prisoners.
There was yet further bad news to come, for, four days after Magersfontein, Buller was defeated in his attempt to force the Boer lines, guns were lost, and there was a heavy death-roll. It was no consolation16 to the men who had fought at Magersfontein to know that they were not alone in misfortune, and that similar reverses had been encountered in Natal17 and Cape18 Colony.
The question that each asked the other was, what would they say in England? Would the same craven policy that had prevailed after Majuba be adopted, and another sur[Pg 213]render be made to the Boers? or would the nation show the energy that had in old times been evinced when danger was greatest, and rise to the occasion? Even in that case, many weeks must elapse before sufficient reinforcements could arrive from England to enable them to take the offensive again; for that another advance against the Boer position was impossible even the most sanguine19 had to admit.
The whole force were now gathered on the Modder, and they had no fear that the Boers would be able to drive them from it. But this was but a poor consolation. All were burning to retrieve20 the last defeat, and it was gall21 and wormwood to know that they would be forced to remain inactive. In the camp of the Scottish regiments the feeling was bitter in the extreme. Now that the long agony of the conflict, which had broken down the nerve of the strongest, was over, they felt that they had to some extent tarnished22 the reputation of regiments which had hitherto been without a blemish23, and the blame was thrown by them, not on the general whom they so loved, but upon Lord Methuen. The imputation24 was an unfounded one. The task before Lord Methuen was one of enormous difficulty. The point he had selected for attack was the best that could have been chosen. The only fault committed by him was, that he did not risk the lives of a few mounted men, by sending small parties out to reconnoitre the veldt to the foot of the kopjes, in order to discover the exact position of the Boer trenches26.
His instructions had been clear. The force was to advance to within attacking position of the kopjes, and there to halt until daybreak. The arrangements for the advance of the brigade were, as always, left to the discretion27 of the brigadier. It was for him to send the advance guards to feel the way, and for him to order the heavy column to deploy28 into open order. These precautions were not taken by General Wauchope. A trap had been set, and he fell into that trap without taking any of the usual precautions, and he atoned29 for the mistake with his life. To the gallant30 regi[Pg 214]ments themselves no blame can be attributable for their failure. It is true that they broke down under the strain, but it may be doubted whether any soldiers in the world could have withstood it better. The surprise had been complete, and nearly five hundred men had fallen in a few minutes under that terrible fire, to which they could make no effective reply. They had maintained themselves all day under a blazing sun, with the ground round them torn up by bullets, and the slightest movement entailing31 certain death. Their consequent depression of spirits was increased by the exhaustion32 due to want of food and water. A great proportion of their officers had fallen, and there was no one to give them orders. It was not wonderful, then, that their nerves failed them, and that, when at the end of that awful day they gathered, the bursting of a shell near should have scattered33 like sheep soldiers who, in other circumstances, would have marched up to a cannon's mouth without flinching34. It must be remembered, too, that the conduct of the Gordons, and the splendid bravery they showed, went far in itself to retrieve the high reputation of the Highland regiments.
Three days after Magersfontein, General Pole-Carew said to Yorke: "An officer with a patrol is going down the line to Graspan to see that the rails are clear for the train of wounded that will start later. I shall be obliged if you will go with them, and carry a despatch35 from Lord Methuen, giving particulars of the wounded who will come in by the train, and ordering medical comforts and fatigue parties to be in readiness; also a second despatch, with orders to the officer commanding there. After the attack they made on Belmont a few days ago, it is highly necessary to take every precaution against an attack at Graspan by the Boers from Jacobsdal. They are sure to be more active after their success here."
"Very well, sir. When does the party start?"
"In half an hour's time. The despatches will be ready for you in ten minutes. When you have received the reply,[Pg 215] you need not wait for the party to return, but ride straight back."
"Very good, sir; I will return here in a quarter of an hour."
"Yes, Master Yorke. Am I to saddle my own too?"
"No. I am only riding to Graspan with a despatch, and am joining a party who are going there to see that the line is in good order. I shall be back to dinner."
In a quarter of an hour Yorke, having received his despatches, rode off to the camp of the Lancers. The party was already prepared for a start. It consisted of an officer and twelve men. The former was already known to Yorke.
"I heard that you were going with us, Harberton," he said, as Yorke rode up. "I shall be glad of your company. It is dull work riding alone, especially when you have nothing to do but see that the rails have not been torn up in the night."
"I don't suppose there is much fear of that," Yorke replied, "for if the Boers had been there, they would have been sure to cut the telegraph wire, and they have not done so. I know that messages have been exchanged this morning."
"If they can communicate," the officer said, "I don't see why you should have been sent with a despatch."
"The lines and wires are so fully37 occupied by messages to De Aar and to the Cape, and backwards38 and forwards between the general and the home authorities, that they cannot be spared for details to Graspan; and personally, I would much rather be cantering over there and back than be idle in camp."
"That is just my feeling," the other said. "I am afraid that it will be a long time before we have much to do here. However, there is one comfort, we shall have a chance to get supplies from the base. They would not let us telegraph,[Pg 216] so we have sent a man down to Cape Town with a long list of orders. Whether or not we shall get them through, I don't know. Now, if you are ready, I will start."
"One feels quite glad to get out of camp," the officer said. "Everyone is so completely in the dumps that it is downright misery40 to remain there. However, I don't expect it will last very long. We shall cheer up a bit if we hear that the people at home are not disheartened, and are going to send out a big lot of troops and carry the thing through, whatever it costs."
"I have no doubt they will," Yorke said. "It is not often we back down because we have had a heavy blow. Look how we buckled41 to at the time of the Mutiny."
"I sincerely hope so," the officer said; "but one can never feel sure after the way we surrendered to the Boers before. It makes one sick to think of it even now. Still, three such blows as they have had in the course of a week are pretty hard to bear. However, let us hope that the whole country will harden their hearts and determine that the thing must be carried through."
So talking, they rode along until they came to a spot where the foot of one of the hills extended almost up to the line. Then there was a sudden shout. Some fifty Boers rose from behind the rocks, and a heavy volley was poured into the little party. The officer in command and seven of the troopers fell. Yorke's horse went down suddenly, shot through the head, and the other five troopers galloped43 on at full speed, the Boers keeping up an incessant44 fire upon them. Three fell, and but two rode on to Graspan. Yorke's leg was pinned under his fallen horse, and he made no effort to rise, for he knew that any motion would draw a dozen rifle-shots on him. When the firing had ceased the Boers came down.
"I surrender," Yorke said, as the first came up to him.
"Are you wounded?"
[Pg 217]
"No, except that my leg feels crushed under my horse. I would rather have been wounded myself than have lost him."
"You will have no occasion for him at present," the Boer said; and, calling two or three others to him, they raised the horse sufficiently45 to be able to drag Yorke out.
"The others are all dead," one of the Boers said. "Some of them got half a dozen bullets through them. This is an officer, isn't it?"
"Yes," Yorke replied, "I am a subaltern in the 9th Lancers, you can see the number on my shoulder-strap; and I carry a field-glass and revolver as well as a rifle."
"What is your name?"
"Yorke Harberton."
"Can you walk?"
"I don't think I can at present," Yorke said, "but I may be able to do so presently."
"That won't do," the man said. "We shall be having some of the cavalry46 from Graspan on us, as the two men who have got away will ride there with the news. However, we have got spare ponies47 behind the hill here. Two of you take this youngster, and carry him. I suppose you were not in command here?" he went on, as two men lifted Yorke from the ground and carried him off.
"No, that officer was in command."
"I see he is older than you. I suppose he was taking some message to Graspan?"
"He did not tell me," Yorke answered truthfully, "and it was not my business to ask him; but of course he must have had some orders. More troops are coming along—three or four hundred, I believe."
"Then, there is no time to lose. Hurry on, men! I will see if the officer has any despatches on him."
He rejoined the party just as they reached the ponies.
"Not a scrap48 of paper of any sort," he said. "He can only have had verbal orders. It won't do for us to carry out[Pg 218] the business we came here for, for they might be upon us before we had time to pull up half a dozen rails, and were we to try it they might catch us before we had time to get away. At any rate, we have done a good morning's work—ten men and an officer; we have got a prisoner, two pairs of field-glasses, two revolvers, and ten carbines."
Three hours' riding took the party to Jacobsdal. Yorke's leg had hurt a good deal on starting, but the pain had to a great extent gone off before reaching the town, and now he found he could walk. He had managed, as he rode, to tear up the despatches he had received, and had, one by one, chewed up the pieces and swallowed them. They could, even if discovered, have done no harm now; but had they been found at first, the Boers would no doubt have torn up the line, and might have caused an accident that would have been fatal to many of the wounded. Had he been asked the question, he must have produced them; but regarding him only as a young subaltern, they had not thought for a moment that, going with a senior officer, he would be trusted with despatches. He was, however, glad when he got rid of the last fragment, and still more so when, on being placed in the guard-room, he was searched from head to foot. He was supplied with food and treated with some consideration by the Boers, who were in high spirits at the three great successes they had gained.
"Why don't your soldiers give it up?" one of them asked him. "They must see by this time that they are no good against us. We would allow them to go down to the coast and embark49 on board ship without molesting50 them."
"There is an old saying with us," Yorke replied, "that a British soldier never knows when he is beaten; and though certainly we have been unfortunate lately, I can assure you that the idea that we are beaten for good has not occurred to any of us. We are angry at our defeats, but in no way disheartened. We consider that the war has only just begun yet, and have no doubt that twice as many men as are in[Pg 219] South Africa now, will be sent out as soon as the ships can be got ready for them."
"Poor fellows!" the Boer said. "We hear that they have to be made drunk to get them on board ship, and those that won't drink have to be ironed."
"I am afraid," Yorke said, "that you hear a great many lies, and you may be quite sure that that is one of them. I can tell you the last news we had was that the Militia51 regiments, which are only raised for home service, and some even of the Volunteers, have sent in applications asking to be allowed to come out on service."
"Ah! they don't know what is before them, poor lads! Either death, or, if they escape that, imprisonment52 till the war is over and we allow them to go away. I do not say that your soldiers are not brave. They astonished us at Belmont and Graspan. But those were mere53 skirmishes."
"But we crossed the Modder in your teeth."
"Yes," the Boer admitted reluctantly, "it looked like it; but we did not want to stop you altogether there, only to encourage you to march against our real position at Spytfontein. We knew you had no chance there, and intended to annihilate54 you."
"Yes, but you did not do it," Yorke said with a smile. "We suffered heavily from blundering up against your trenches, of whose existence we knew nothing; but there was no annihilation about it. It is the opinion of many that if we had pushed forward all along the line in the afternoon, we should have won the position; at any rate, your men were very careful not to make a counter attack."
"We are only waiting for Ladysmith and Kimberley to fall," the Boer said; "then we shall all advance into Cape Colony, break up the railways, and, joined by the whole of the Dutch people, sweep all before us to Cape Town."
"It is a good programme," Yorke agreed; "but neither Ladysmith nor Kimberley have fallen yet."
"They cannot hold out much longer," the man replied.[Pg 220] "When the people of Kimberley learn that help has failed to come to them, they will not be fools enough to starve any longer. As for Ladysmith, it is as good as taken; the garrison55 cannot hold out many days longer. Then Joubert will advance with his whole army, and drive Buller down to the ships at Durban."
"Well, we shall see," Yorke said. "We are not likely to convince each other. Where do you send your prisoners to?"
"To Pretoria. A good many of them are already there—seven or eight hundred from Natal, six hundred from Stormberg—and this is only the beginning. We have a few others we picked up here; I expect you will all be sent off in a day or two. I don't think you will be badly off at first; but when we get Buller's men and the men here, safely stowed away, you will hardly be as well off, for I should say that there will be a difficulty in getting provisions for twenty thousand men or so. But perhaps there won't be so many, for I hear that we have killed over twenty thousand, and we have only lost twenty or thirty men."
"But I should think that at least you here cannot believe the last item," Yorke said. "Something like a hundred bodies have been fished out of the Modder, and there is no doubt that a still greater number were carried off the field. I don't say that you lost as heavily as we did; but when I say that you had two hundred killed, without counting Magersfontein, I feel sure that I am under the mark."
"Oh! there may be some mistake about the thirty," the Boer said with a grim smile. "Still, you have certainly lost a great many more than we have; even at Belmont and Graspan, though you did turn us out of our kopjes, you lost at least five to our one."
"That may be true enough. But a force attacking across the open must always lose more than men who shoot them down from behind rocks, and who have their horses close by on which they can gallop42 away as soon as they find that they[Pg 221] are getting the worst of it. If we ever get you in the open I fancy that your losses will be as heavy as ours."
"We should be fools if we let you," the Boer said. "We are too slim for that. We fight on our own ground."
"Yes; but if you invade Cape Colony, as you talk about, we shall be fighting on ground of our choosing, and you will find out the difference then."
Three days later Yorke started, with some fifteen other prisoners, one of whom was an officer, for Bloemfontein. They were placed in light carts and guarded by twenty Boers on horseback. The officer, who had been captured a fortnight before, said to Yorke after they had introduced themselves to each other:
"I am glad to meet someone who can give me a true account of what has taken place since I was captured. Of course I did not believe the Boer reports, but they were serious enough to make me feel very uneasy, for if there were any truth in them, even allowing for exaggeration, it certainly seemed that we must have been awfully56 cut up."
"The casualties have been heavy, but certainly not greater than would be expected, considering that the Boers held very strong positions, from which we turned them out three times. The fourth time, however, our attack failed. I can't tell you exactly the number of casualties, but I do not think altogether they exceeded one thousand six hundred, and of these nearly a thousand occurred in the last fight."
He then gave a full account of each battle.
"Thank you. It is bad enough that we have been stopped, and shall not be able to move again until reinforcements come up; still, it is not so bad as I feared. We certainly underrated the fighting power of the Boers; and the foreign engineer, who directs the making of their entrenchments, must be a very clever fellow, for that plan of making the trench25 well out in the plain in front of their kopjes was a capital one, and as far as I know quite new."
[Pg 222]
"Yes, there never was a more complete surprise; and although poor Wauchope fell into the trap, he can hardly be blamed for not taking precautions against an entirely57 new plan of defence. If it hadn't been for that I believe we should have captured the position without heavy loss, for once among the boulders58 on the hillside our troops could have fought their way up under partial shelter; and, as far as we have seen, the Boers do not attempt to make a stand when once we get near them."
"I am afraid Kimberley must fall," the officer, whose name was D'Arcy, said.
"I do not think that there is any fear of that. They have provisions enough to last them, if pushed to it, for three months."
"That is good news. But are you sure?"
"Quite, for I was there myself ten days ago."
"You were there? How on earth did you manage to get out?"
"I will tell you that to-night," Yorke laughed. "I have been talking steadily59 for the past two hours, and what with the heat and dust I don't feel in form to begin again now. I suppose we shall get to Bloemfontein the day after to-morrow; it is about eighty miles, I think."
"Somewhere about that, I suppose. From there we shall be sent up by train to Pretoria. It will be a pleasant change, for what with these carts and the Boers' horses we might as well be living in the middle of a dust-storm, except that we can keep our hats on our heads."
They were indeed heartily60 glad when they arrived at Bloemfontein. They were taken direct to the railway-station where a number of the prisoners captured at Stormberg were confined, and on the following morning the whole party started by train to Pretoria. There were several officers, and these were all placed in a carriage by themselves. They had been permitted to buy tobacco at Bloemfontein. Having now recovered to some extent from their disgust at being[Pg 223] made prisoners, they were disposed to view things in a more cheerful light. As Yorke was the only one among them who had been with Methuen's column, all were anxious to hear his account of what had happened on that side, and he had again to repeat his story of the fights and of his journey to Kimberley.
"You were in the action at Magersfontein?" one said. "I suppose that as you were on the staff you did not see very much of it."
"Not much. But I was sent with a message to Lord Airlie, and when he ordered the two squadrons of the 12th Lancers to go forward to cover the flank of the Highland Brigade I followed them for some distance, and remained near until the Horse Artillery14 came up to the support, and the Coldstreams and Grenadiers took up the line between the Highlanders and the river. I afterwards carried messages twice to the Highland Brigade. Still, of course, I saw nothing of the early fighting, if it can be called fighting, for the Scotchmen were all lying down, and but few shots were returned on their part to the storm of bullets which passed over their heads, for every shot was sure to be answered by a dozen rifles from the Boer trenches. My escape was a miracle. My horse was grazed twice, my saddle was struck, and I had two bullet-holes through my clothes, and one through my helmet. I did not remain long, you may be sure. I saw that the Highlanders were showing no signs of giving way, and that the Boers seemed equally unwilling61 to advance. That was the principal object of my mission. As for finding out who was the officer in command, it was impossible. No man knew anything of what was passing ten yards from him. Some said they believed all the officers were killed. This, of course, was not so; but, as I afterwards learned, no fewer than forty-six officers fell, for the most part in the first terrible outburst of fire. Now, will you tell me about Stormberg?"
"There is very little to tell," the other officer said bit[Pg 224]terly. "The fact that we were going to make a night attack was known in the camp the night before, and of course the Boers heard of it; and when we arrived at daybreak—after wandering about completely worn out and exhausted62 by what was really a five or six hours' march, but seemed like a month—a tremendous fire was poured in upon us. Some of us dashed up the hill on one side, some up the other. The place, however, was inaccessible, and we were being shot down without any power to retaliate63. The order came to retreat. A great many of us were lying under the shelter of a perpendicular64 rock, which we could not leave without being exposed to the fire of the Boers above us and those on the opposite side. If the men had been fresh, the effort would have been made, but they were too worn-out and dispirited, and so we were captured. The guns and the Irish Rifles covered the retreat of the rest. But if the Boers had been as enterprising as they were crafty65 they might have cut the whole off, and not a man would have returned to Molteno to tell the story.
"It was a sickening business altogether; we made blunder upon blunder. The order for the march should not have been issued until we were paraded. The troops should have rested all day and taken food with them. The trucks should have been ready for us to entrain when we marched down to the railway. We ought to have had better guides. There ought to have been an advance-guard a quarter of a mile ahead. It was known that the Boer position was strong, and that the enemy were at least as numerous as we were, so we should have been brought up to fight fresh and in good condition, instead of being exhausted, fagged out, and dispirited by a tedious night march. Altogether our business seems to have been very much like yours at Magersfontein, where you were surprised just as we were, and where the men were already exhausted from want of food, a night spent in the pouring rain and a dispiriting night march. I hope to Heaven when the next fight takes place that there will be no[Pg 225] more of this night marching, but that the troops will have a chance of going into action fresh, well fed, and in good condition. Even in a flat country, without obstacles, a night march is always a very ticklish66 business, as you found at Belmont, where, as you say, the regiments lost their bearing and attacked the wrong hills. But in a hilly country, with bad maps and guides of doubtful honesty, it is almost certain to lead to disaster."
After twenty-four hours of tedious travelling the train arrived at Pretoria, and the officers were marched off to one prison and the men to another. The building was a small one, but some huts had been erected67 in the yard. The prison already contained the officers who had been captured at Nicholson's Nek in Natal, and the first batch68 of those taken at Stormberg, and hearty69 greetings were exchanged by their companions in misfortune, who pressed eagerly round asking for news. It took some time to exhaust the budget, and although the news was far from good, they were well satisfied, for they too had heard the most exaggerated reports of the Boer victories from their guards.
"Now," the new-comers asked, "how do you get on here?"
"We are fairly well fed, but a good deal crowded; but they are talking of sending us to the race-course. Our great difficulty is to pass the time. We have bought a few balls and play at fives. We play cards, but as no one has more than a few shillings in his pocket, we don't play for money, and that takes away a good deal of the interest. You see, we don't want to lose what little we have got, or to win anyone else's. If more prisoners come in, and the provisions begin to run short in the town—which they are likely enough to do, for there is no one to work on the fields now or to get in the crops—the money will come in very handy. Some of us were stripped altogether of our cash, but in most cases the Boers, although they took our gold or left us at most a sovereign, let us keep the silver. I suppose their theory was, that in the first place gold was better in their pockets[Pg 226] than in ours; and in the second, that it was safer to deprive us of the means of bribing70 any of our warders. They were wise there, for, judging by their appearance, the majority of the guards are unmitigated ruffians, the Irish and German scum of the place—the sort of men who would do anything for a ten-pound note."
Yorke, for the first time, regretted when he heard this, that he had as usual left his money with the paymaster. There had been nothing to buy since he had left De Aar, and he felt sure that, if suspected when scouting71, the fact of his having money about him would add to the suspicion that he was not what he seemed. He therefore handed over his money to the officer who acted as paymaster to Rimington's Scouts72, and had only two days before drawn73 it from him and handed it to the paymaster at head-quarters, retaining only some five or six shillings; as his messing account would come in only once a week, and he could then draw sufficient to pay it. He had congratulated himself on this when he was captured, but he now wished that he had made a point of concealing74 a few pounds somewhere about him. It would not have been a very serious loss if it had been taken from him, and if he now had it, it would be invaluable75 if he could find any opportunity of making his escape.
"Have there been any attempts at escape?" he asked.
"Yes. Winston Churchill managed it, but not from this prison. Two of our fellows got away, but the result is that we are looked after a good deal sharper than we were. We are all locked up in our rooms at nine o'clock; there are four fellows always on guard in the yard night and day; I believe there are others round the wall. Besides, you see, even if one could get away, one's difficulties would only then begin. A disguise would have to be got, and that cannot be bought without money. In the next place, there is not a soul among us who can speak their beastly language, and, as we should have to buy food, we should be detected at once."
[Pg 227]
"I shall escape if I can," Yorke said; "for I speak Taal well enough to pass anywhere, and once outside I could make my way across the country, even if I had to steal a Dutchman's coat. Still, after what you say, I see that an escape can hardly be managed without money to bribe76 some of the warders."
"Go by all means, if you can," the officer said. "You won't injure us, for our case is hopeless now, and until we hear our bugles77 blowing there is not a shadow of a chance of out getting away."
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dreary
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| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
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reigned
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| vi.当政，统治（reign的过去式形式） | |
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anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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highland
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| n.(pl.)高地，山地 | |
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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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doomed
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apprised
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ambush
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previously
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vigour
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fatigue
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inaccessible
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massacre
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| n.残杀，大屠杀；v.残杀，集体屠杀 | |
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artillery
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secondly
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consolation
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| n.安慰，慰问 | |
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natal
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| adj.出生的，先天的 | |
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cape
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| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
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sanguine
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| adj.充满希望的，乐观的，血红色的 | |
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retrieve
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| vt.重新得到，收回；挽回，补救；检索 | |
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21
gall
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| v.使烦恼，使焦躁，难堪；n.磨难 | |
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22
tarnished
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| （通常指金属）（使）失去光泽，（使）变灰暗( tarnish的过去式和过去分词 )； 玷污，败坏 | |
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blemish
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| v.损害；玷污；瑕疵，缺点 | |
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24
imputation
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| n.归罪，责难 | |
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trench
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| n./v.(挖)沟，(挖)战壕 | |
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trenches
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| 深沟，地沟( trench的名词复数 )； 战壕 | |
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discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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deploy
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| v.（军）散开成战斗队形，布置，展开 | |
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atoned
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| v.补偿，赎（罪）( atone的过去式和过去分词 )；补偿，弥补，赎回 | |
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gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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entailing
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| 使…成为必要( entail的现在分词 )； 需要； 限定继承； 使必需 | |
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exhaustion
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| n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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flinching
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| v.（因危险和痛苦）退缩，畏惧( flinch的现在分词 ) | |
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despatch
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| n./v.(dispatch)派遣；发送；n.急件；新闻报道 | |
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follower
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| n.跟随者；随员；门徒；信徒 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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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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40
misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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buckled
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| a. 有带扣的 | |
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42
gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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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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incessant
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| adj.不停的，连续的 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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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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48
scrap
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| n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废 | |
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embark
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| vi.乘船，着手，从事，上飞机 | |
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molesting
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| v.骚扰( molest的现在分词 )；干扰；调戏；猥亵 | |
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militia
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| n.民兵，民兵组织 | |
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imprisonment
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| n.关押，监禁，坐牢 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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annihilate
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| v.使无效；毁灭；取消 | |
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garrison
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| n.卫戍部队；驻地，卫戍区；vt.派(兵)驻防 | |
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awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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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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boulders
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| n.卵石( boulder的名词复数 )；巨砾；（受水或天气侵蚀而成的）巨石；漂砾 | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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retaliate
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| v.报复，反击 | |
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perpendicular
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| adj.垂直的，直立的；n.垂直线，垂直的位置 | |
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crafty
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| adj.狡猾的，诡诈的 | |
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ticklish
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| adj.怕痒的；问题棘手的；adv.怕痒地；n.怕痒，小心处理 | |
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67
ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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batch
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| n.一批(组，群)；一批生产量 | |
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69
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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70
bribing
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| 贿赂 | |
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71
scouting
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| 守候活动，童子军的活动 | |
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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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73
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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concealing
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的现在分词 ) | |
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invaluable
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| adj.无价的，非常宝贵的，极为贵重的 | |
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76
bribe
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| n.贿赂；v.向…行贿，买通 | |
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bugles
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| 妙脆角，一种类似薯片但做成尖角或喇叭状的零食； 号角( bugle的名词复数 )； 喇叭； 匍匐筋骨草； （装饰女服用的）柱状玻璃（或塑料）小珠 | |
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