It was at this juncture—the Christmas-tide of 1834, and the summer-time in South Africa—that a merry party was assembled under the shade of umbrageous1 trees that crowned a little knoll2 from which could be seen the blue smoke curling from a prosperous-looking homestead in the vale below. It was a party of settlers enjoying their Christmas festivities in the open air. Hans Marais and Charlie Considine were among them, but, feeling less inclined than was their wont3 to join in the hilarity4 of the young folks, they had sauntered into the shrubbery and conversed5 sadly about the departure of Conrad Marais and his family, and of the unsettled state of the frontier at that time.
While they talked, an armed band of savages7 had crept past them unperceived, and advanced stealthily towards the party of revellers on the knoll. Coming suddenly across the tracks of these savages, Hans cast an anxious look at his companion, and said quickly—
“Look here, Charlie—the spoor of Kafirs! Let’s go—”
The sentence was cut short by a wild war-cry, which was immediately followed by shouts of men and screams of women.
Turning without another word, the two friends ran back to the knoll at full speed, drawing their hunting-knives, which were the only weapons they happened to carry at the time.
On reaching the knoll a fearful scene presented itself. The Kafirs had already killed every man of the party—having come on them unawares and thrown their assagais with fatal precision from the bushes. They were completing the work of death with shouts and yells of fierce delight. Not a woman was to be seen. They had either been dragged into the bushes and slain8, or had sought refuge in flight.
With a mighty9 shout of rage Hans and Considine dashed into the midst of the murderers, and two instantly fell, stabbed to the heart. Seizing the assagais of these, they rushed through the midst of their foes10, and, as if animated11 by one mind, made for the homestead below. To reach the stables and get possession of their horses and rifles was their object.
The savages, of whom there were about thirty, were so taken aback by the suddenness and success of this onset12 that for a few seconds they did not pursue. Then, probably guessing the object of the fugitives13, they uttered a furious yell and followed them down the hill. But Hans and Considine were active as well as strong. They kept well ahead, gained the principal house, and secured their rifles. Then, instead of barricading14 the doors and defending themselves, they ran out again and shot the two Kafirs who first came up.
Well did the savages know the deadly nature of the white man’s rifle, although at that time they had not themselves become possessed15 of it. When their comrades fell, and the two white men were seen to kneel and take deliberate aim at those who followed, the whole party scattered16 right and left and took refuge in the bush.
But the friends did not fire. These were not the days of breech-loaders. Prudently17 reserving their fire, they made a rush towards the stables, “saddled up” in a few seconds, and, mounting, rode forth18 at a gallop19 straight back to the blood-stained hillock. To rescue, if possible, some of the females was their object. Regardless of several assagais that whizzed close to them, they galloped20 hither and thither21 among the bushes, but without success.
The words had scarce left his lips when a host of some hundreds of Kafirs, with the shields, assagais and feathers of savage6 warriors24, burst out of the hollow referred to. They had probably been attracted by the two shots, and instantly rushed towards the white men.
Hans Marais dismounted, kneeled to take steadier aim, fired, and shot the foremost warrior23. Then, springing on his steed at a bound, he galloped away, loading as he went, and closely followed by his friend. Having reloaded, Hans pulled up and again leapt to the ground. This time Considine, appreciating his plan, followed his example, and both were about to kneel and fire when they perceived by a burst of smoke and flame that the farm-buildings had been set on fire.
In a straight line beyond, two other columns of dense25 smoke indicated the position of two neighbouring farms, and a third column, away to the right, and further removed from the line of the frontier, suddenly conveyed to the mind of Hans the fact that a general rising of the Kafirs had taken place. Instead of firing, he rose and remounted, exclaiming—
“Home, Charlie—home!”
At the moment a shout was heard in another direction. Turning round, they observed a body of a dozen or so of mounted Kafirs making straight towards them. To have killed two or four of these would have been easy enough to first-rate shots armed with double-barrels, but they knew that those unhurt would continue the chase. They therefore turned and fled in the direction of their own home. Their steeds were good and fresh, but their pursuers were evidently well mounted, for they did not seem to lose ground.
In the kitchen of Conrad Marais’s homestead Gertie stood that day, busily employed in the construction of a plum-pudding, with which she meant to regale26 Hans and Charlie on their return. And very pretty and happy did Gertie look, with her white apron27 and her dark hair looped up in careless braids, and her face flushed with exertion28, and her pretty round arms bared to the dimpled elbows and scarcely capable of being rendered whiter by the flour with which they were covered.
“The master will be here soon,” said Gertie, wiping the flour and pieces of dough30 off her hands; “we must be quick. Is the pot ready?”
Venus responded with a “Ja,” and a grin which displayed a splendid casket of pearls.
“Why, here they come already, and in such a hurry too!” said Gertie in surprise, untying33 her apron hastily.
Before the apron was untied34, however, Hans had pulled up at the door and shouted “Gertie!” in a voice so tremendous that his wife turned pale and came quickly to the door.
“Oh, Hans! what—”
“Come, darling, quick!”
There was no time for more. Hans held out his hand. Gertie took it mechanically.
“Your foot on my toe. Quick!”
Gertie did as she was bid, and felt herself swung to the saddle in front of her husband, who held her in his strong right arm, while in the grasp of his huge left hand he held the reins36 and an assagai.
Poor Gertie had time, in that brief moment, to note that Charlie Considine sat motionless on his panting horse, gazing sternly towards the karroo, and that a cloud of dust was sweeping37 over the plain towards them. She guessed too surely what it was, but said not a word, while her husband leaped his horse through a gap in the garden wall in order to reach the road by a short cut. Double-weighted thus, the horse did not run so well as before. Considine was frequently obliged to check his pace and look back.
“Don’t be foolhardy,” cried Hans, with an anxious look as he shot past.
Without replying, Considine dismounted, knelt on a slight eminence40 on the plain, and deliberately41 prepared to fire.
The pursuing savages observed the act, and when within about six or seven hundred yards began to draw rein35.
Charlie Considine knew his rifle well; although not sighted for such a range, it was capable of carrying the distance when sufficiently42 elevated, and practice had accustomed him to long-range shots. He aimed a little above the head of the foremost rider, fired, and killed his horse. With the second barrel he wounded one of the Kafirs. At the same moment he observed that his late home was wrapped in flames, and that the cattle and sheep of Conrad Marais, which had been left in charge of Hans, were being driven off by the savages towards the mountains.
This was enough. Remounting, Charlie followed his friend, and was rejoiced to find on looking back that the Kafirs had ceased their pursuit.
“Strange,” he said on overtaking Hans, “that they should have given in so easily.”
“It is not fear that influences them,” returned his friend, with deeply knitted brows; “the reptiles43 know there is a pass before us, and they will surely try to cut us off. They know all the short cuts better than I do. Push on!”
Urging their horses to their utmost speed, the fugitives soon approached a more broken country, and skirted the mountain range through which the pass referred to by Hans led into level ground beyond. It was a narrow track through jungle, which was dense in some places, open in others. They were soon in it, riding furiously. At one of the open spaces they caught a glimpse of a mounted Kafir making towards a part of the pass in advance of them. Hans pulled up at once, and looked eagerly, anxiously round, while he pressed the light form of Gertie tighter to his breast.
“We must fight here, Charlie,” he said, as he made for a little mound44 which was crowned with a few bushes. “If you and I were alone we might risk forcing a passage, but—come; they observe our intention.”
A few bounds placed them on the top of the mound, where they took shelter among the bushes. These were scarcely thick enough to cover the horses, but among them was found a hole or crevice45 into which Hans told his wife to creep. She had barely found refuge in this place, when several assagais whizzed over their heads. Sheltering themselves behind stones, Hans and Considine looked eagerly in the direction whence the assagais had been thrown, and the former observed the ears of a horse just appearing over a bush. He fired at the spot where he conjectured46 the rider must be, and a yell told that he had not missed his mark. At the same moment his companion observed part of a Kafir’s form opposite to him, and, firing, brought him to the ground.
Seeing this the other savages made a rush at the mound, supposing probably that both guns were empty. They had either forgotten about or were ignorant of double-barrelled weapons. Two more shots killed the two leading Kafirs, and the rest turned to fly, but a gigantic fellow shouted to them fiercely to come on, and at the same moment leaped on Charlie Considine with such force that, although the latter struck him heavily with the butt47 of his rifle, he was borne to the ground. The triumph however was momentary48. Next instant Hans Marais seized him, stabbed him in the throat, and hurled49 him back among his comrades, a lifeless corpse50. Charlie, recovering himself, pointed51 his unloaded gun at the savages, who recoiled52, turned, and fled back to the cover of the opposite bush.
“Now is our time,” said Hans, dragging his wife from the place of shelter. “Mount and make a dash before they recover.”
While speaking Hans was acting53. In another moment Gertie was in her old place, Considine in the saddle, and the two men made a bold push for life.
It turned out as the Dutchman had conjectured. The Kafirs had left all parts of the surrounding jungle to join in the assault on the mound, and when the fugitives made a dash through them, only a few had presence of mind to throw their assagais, and these missed their mark. A few bounds carried Hans and Charlie once more in advance of their enemies, but the clatter of hoofs immediately afterwards told that they were hotly pursued.
There is no saying how the chase might have ended, if they had not met with a piece of good fortune immediately afterwards. On emerging from the other end of the pass, they almost ran into a small patrol of Cape54 Mounted Rifles, who, attracted by the shots and cries in the pass, were galloping55 to the rescue.
They did not halt to ask questions, but, with a hearty56 cheer and a friendly wave of the hand from the officer in command, dashed into the pass and met the pursuing savages in the very teeth.
Of course the latter turned and fled, leaving, however, several of their comrades dead on the ground.
During this early period of the war the whole defending force of the frontier consisted of only between seven and eight hundred men, composed of Cape Mounted Rifles and the 75th regiment57, with a few of the Artillery58 and Engineers, and these had to be broken up into numerous small companies, who were sent here and there where succour was most needed.
With this little patrol, Hans, Gertie, and Considine bivouacked that night, and, travelling with them, soon afterwards reached Grahamstown.
The sight of the country as they approached was a sad one. From all quarters, men, women, children, vehicles, horses, cattle, and sheep, were crowding into the town as a place of refuge. At first the settlers nearest the eastern frontier, taken by surprise, fled to temporary rallying-points. These, however, had to be abandoned for stronger places of refuge. On entering the town they found that the greatest confusion and excitement prevailed. The church had been set apart as an asylum59 for the women and children, who had to put up, however, with the undesirable60 accompaniments of fire-arms and gunpowder61. Public meetings were being held; picquets of armed citizens were being despatched to watch the main roads. All the houses were thronged62 to suffocation63 with refugees—white, brown, and black. The streets, squares, yards, gardens, and other vacant places were crowded by night, and the surrounding hills by day, with the flocks and herds64 that had been saved from the invaders66, while the lowing and bleating67 of these were mingled with the sobs68 and wails69 of the widow and fatherless.
“What misery70!” exclaimed Gertie, as she rode slowly through the crowds by the side of her husband, mounted on a horse lent her by one of the patrol, “Oh, how I dread71 to hear the news from home!”
Gertie referred to her father’s home, about the condition of which she knew nothing at the time.
“Where shall we go to seek for news?” she asked anxiously.
“To the barracks,” replied Hans.
“You need not be anxious, I think,” said Considine; “if anything very serious had happened, it is likely the patrol who rescued us would have heard some account of it before leaving Grahamstown.
“Don’t you think?” he added, turning to Hans, “that we had better inquire first at Dobson’s place?”
At that moment they were passing a large store, over the door of which was a blue board with the words “Dobson, Skyd, and Company” emblazoned in large white letters thereon.
The store itself presented in its windows and interior an assortment72 of dry goods, so extensive and miscellaneous as to suggest the idea of one being able to procure73 anything in it—from a silk dress to a grindstone. It was an extremely full, prosperous-looking store, and in the midst of it were to be seen, sitting on the counters, James and Robert Skyd, both looking bluffer74 and stronger than when we last met them, though scarcely a day older. James and Robert were the managing partners of this prosperous firm; Dobson and John Skyd were what the latter styled the hunting partners. Robert Skyd had recently married a pretty Grahamstown girl, and her little boy—then about one year old—was, so said his father, the sleeping partner of the firm, who had been vaguely75 hinted at by the “Company” long before he was born. Indeed, the “Company” had been prudently inserted with special reference to what might “turn up” in after years. At the time the firm was formed, it had been suggested that it should be styled Dobson, Skyd, and Sons, but as it was possible nothing but daughters might fall to the lot of any of them, “Company” was substituted as being conveniently indefinite. Dobson took precedence in the title in virtue76 of his having brought most capital into the firm. He had invested his all in it—amounting to three pounds four and nine-pence halfpenny. John Skyd had contributed half-a-crown, which happened to be a bad one. James brought nothing at all, and Robert entered it a little in debt for tobacco.
The great waggon77 of the hunting partners, loaded with hides, horns, and ivory, stood at the door of the store, as Gertie and her protectors passed, having just arrived from a successful trip into Kafirland, and fortunately escaped the outbreak of the war.
Fastening their bridles78 to one of its wheels, Hans, Gertie, and Considine entered. The first face they saw was that of Edwin Brook79, into whose arms Gertie ran with a wild cry of joy.
“Why, Hans Marais!” cried James Skyd, jumping off the counter and grasping his big friend by the hand, while Robert seized that of Considine, “where have you dropped from?—But I need scarcely ask, for all the world seems to be crowding into the town. Not hurt, I hope?” he added, observing the blood which stained his friend’s dress.
“Not in person,” answered Hans, with a smile, returning his cordial grasp.
“And what of property!” asked Edwin Brook, looking round.
“All gone,” returned Hans sadly. “I rose this morning a reasonably wealthy man—now, I am a beggar. But tell me, what of your family, Mr Brook?”
“All saved, thank God,” was the reply. “Junkie, dear boy, who is the most active young fellow in the land, managed to—Ah! here he comes, and will speak for himself.”
As he spoke a tall strapping80 youth of about fifteen entered, opened wide his laughing blue eyes on seeing Hans, and, after a hearty greeting, told with some hesitation81 that he had chanced to be out hunting on foot in the jungles of the Great Fish River when the Kafirs crossed the frontier, and had managed, being a pretty good runner, to give his father warning, so that the family had time to escape. He did not tell, however, that he had, in a narrow pass, kept above sixty Kafirs in check with his own hand and gun until George Dally82 could run to the house for his weapons and ammunition83, and that then the two held a hundred of them in play long enough to permit of the whole family escaping under the care of Scholtz.
“But,” said Edwin Brook, who related all this with evident satisfaction, “I am like yourself, Hans, in regard to property. Mount Hope is a blackened ruin, the farm is laid waste, and the cattle are over the borders.”
“And where is Mrs Brook?” asked Considine.
“In this house. Up-stairs. Come, Gertie is getting impatient. Let us go to see her.”
“Now, friends,” said Considine to the brothers Skyd, who had by that time been joined by the hunting partners, “there is a matter on which we must consult and act without delay.”
Here he told of Conrad Marais’s departure with the boers across the frontier, and added that if the party was to be saved at all it must be gone about instantly.
“You can’t go about it to-day, Charlie,” said John Skyd, “so don’t give way to impatience84. For such a long trip into the enemy’s country we must go well armed and supplied.”
“I will brook no delay,” said Considine, with flushing countenance85. “If it had not been for the necessity of bringing Gertie here in safety, Hans and I would have set out at once and alone on their spoor. Is it not so?”
“No, friends,” he said, turning to the brothers with decision, “we must be off at once.”
“What! without your suppers?” exclaimed Bob Skyd; “but to be serious, it won’t be possible to get things ready before to-morrow. Surely that will do, if we start at daybreak. Besides, the party with your father, Hans, is a strong one, well able to hold out against a vastly superior force of savages. Moreover, if you wait we shall get up a small body of volunteers.”
Hans and Charlie were thus constrained87 unwillingly88 to delay. At grey dawn, however, they rode out of Grahamstown at the head of a small party, consisting of the entire firm of Dobson and Skyd, inclusive of Junkie, whose father granted him permission to go. His mother silently acquiesced89. Mrs Scholtz violently protested; and when she found that her protests were useless, she changed them into pathetic entreaties90 that Junkie would on no account whatever go to sleep in camp with wet feet.
As soon as the invasion took place, an express had been sent to Capetown, and the able Governor, Sir Benjamin D’Urban, took instant and energetic measures to undo91, as far as possible, the mischief92 done by his predecessors93. Colonel (afterwards Sir Harry) Smith was despatched to the frontier, and rode the distance—six hundred miles—in six days.
Arriving in Grahamstown, he took command with a firm hand, organised the whole male population into a warlike garrison94, built barricades95 across the streets, planted cannon96 in commanding positions, cleared the town of flocks and herds, which were breeding a nuisance, sent them to the open country with a cattle guard, and prepared not only to defend the capital, but to carry war into the enemy’s country. In short, he breathed into the people much of his own energy, and soon brought order out of confusion.
The state of affairs in the colony had indeed reached a terrible pass. From all sides news came in of murder and pillage97. The unfortunate traders in Kafirland fared ill at that time. One of these, Rodgers, was murdered in the presence of his three children. A man named Cramer was savagely98 butchered while driving a few cattle along the road. Another, named Mahony, with his wife and son-in-law, were intercepted99 while trying to escape to the military post of Kafir Drift, and Mahony was stretched a corpse at his wife’s feet, then the son-in-law was murdered, but Mrs Mahony escaped into the bush with two of her children and a Hottentot female servant, and, after many hardships, reached Grahamstown. A mounted patrol scouring100 the country fell in with a farm-house where three Dutchmen, in a thick clump101 of bushes, were defending themselves against three hundred Kafirs. Of course the latter were put to flight, and the three heroes—two of them badly wounded—were rescued. Nearly everywhere the settlers, outnumbered, had to fly, and many were slain while defending their homes, but at the little village of Salem they held their ground gallantly103. The Wesleyan chapel104, mission-house, and schoolhouse, were filled with refugees, and although the Kafirs swooped105 down on it at night in large numbers and carried off the cattle, they failed to overcome the stout106 defenders107. Theopolis also held out successfully against them—and so did the Scottish party at Baviaans River, although attacked and harassed108 continually.
During an attack near the latter place a Scottish gentleman of the Pringle race had a narrow escape. Sandy Black was with him at the time. Three or four Kafirs suddenly attacked them. Mr Pringle shot one, Sandy wounded another. A third ran forward while Pringle was loading and threw an assagai at him. It struck him with great force on the leathern bullet-pouch109 which hung at his belt. Sandy Black took aim at the savage with a pistol.
“Aim low, Sandy,” said Pringle, continuing to load.
Sandy obeyed and shot the Kafir dead, then, turning round, said anxiously—
“Are ’ee stickit, sir?”
“I’m not sure, Sandy,” replied Pringle, putting his hand in at the waist of his trousers, “there’s blood, I see.”
On examination it was found that the assagai had been arrested by the strong pouch and belt, and had only given him a trifling110 scratch, so that the gallant102 and amiable111 Mr Dods Pringle lived to fight in future Kafir wars. (See Note 1.)
In another place, near the Kat River, thirty men were attacked by a hundred and fifty Kafirs. The latter came on with fury, but five of the farmers brought down seven of the enemy at the first discharge, and thereafter poured into them so rapid and destructive a fire that they were seized with panic, and fled, leaving seventy-five of their number dead.
Instances of individual heroism112 might be endlessly multiplied, but we think this is enough to show the desperate nature of the struggle which had begun.
In the course of one fortnight the labours of fourteen years were annihilated113. Forty-four persons were murdered, 369 dwellings114 consumed, 261 pillaged115, and 172,000 head of live-stock carried off into Kafirland and irretrievably lost; and what aggravated116 the wickedness of the invasion was the fact that during a great part of the year the Governor had been engaged in special negotiations117 for a new—and to the Kafirs most advantageous—system of relations, with which all the chiefs except one had expressed themselves satisfied.
Writing on the condition of the country Colonel Smith said: “Already are seven thousand persons dependent on Government for the necessaries of life. The land is filled with the lamentations of the widow and the fatherless. The indelible impressions already made upon myself by the horrors of an irruption of savages upon a scattered population, almost exclusively engaged in the peaceful occupations of husbandry, are such as to make me look on those I have witnessed in a service of thirty years, ten of which in the most eventful period of war, as trifles to what I have now witnessed, and compel me to bring under consideration, as forcibly as I am able, the heartrending position in which a very large portion of the inhabitants of this frontier are at present placed, as well as their intense anxiety respecting their future condition.”
Sir Benjamin D’Urban, arriving soon afterwards, constituted a Board of Relief to meet the necessities of the distressed118; and relief committees were established in Capetown, Stellenbosch, Graaff-Reinet, and other principal towns, while subscriptions119 were collected in Mauritius, Saint Helena, and India.
Soon after the arrival of Colonel Smith, burgher forces were collected; troops arrived with the Governor on the scene of action, and the work of expelling the invader65 was begun in earnest. Skirmishes by small bodies of farmers and detachments of troops took place all over the land, in which the Dutch-African colonists120 and English settlers with their descendants vied with each other, and with the regulars, in heroic daring. Justice requires it to be added that they had a bold enemy to deal with, for the Kafirs were physically121 splendid men; full of courage and daring, although armed only with light spears.
Note 1. The author had the pleasure of spending a night last year (1876) under the hospitable122 roof of Mr Pringle, shortly before his death, and saw the identical assagai, which was bent123 by the force with which it had been hurled against him on that occasion.
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1
umbrageous
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| adj.多荫的 | |
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knoll
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| n.小山，小丘 | |
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wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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hilarity
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| n.欢乐；热闹 | |
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conversed
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的过去式 ) | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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foes
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| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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animated
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| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
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onset
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| n.进攻，袭击，开始，突然开始 | |
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fugitives
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| n.亡命者，逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 ) | |
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barricading
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| 设路障于，以障碍物阻塞( barricade的现在分词 )； 设路障[防御工事]保卫或固守 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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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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prudently
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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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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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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thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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warrior
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warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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dense
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regale
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apron
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| n.围裙；工作裙 | |
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exertion
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retarding
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dough
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clatter
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| v./n.(使)发出连续而清脆的撞击声 | |
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hoofs
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| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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33
untying
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| untie的现在分词 | |
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34
untied
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| 松开，解开( untie的过去式和过去分词 )； 解除，使自由； 解决 | |
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35
rein
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| n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治 | |
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36
reins
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| 感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带 | |
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37
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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38
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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39
reined
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| 勒缰绳使（马）停步( rein的过去式和过去分词 )； 驾驭； 严格控制； 加强管理 | |
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40
eminence
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| n.卓越，显赫；高地，高处；名家 | |
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41
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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42
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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43
reptiles
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| n.爬行动物，爬虫( reptile的名词复数 ) | |
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44
mound
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| n.土墩，堤，小山；v.筑堤，用土堆防卫 | |
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45
crevice
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| n.(岩石、墙等)裂缝；缺口 | |
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46
conjectured
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| 推测，猜测，猜想( conjecture的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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47
butt
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| n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶 | |
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48
momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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49
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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50
corpse
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| n.尸体，死尸 | |
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51
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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52
recoiled
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| v.畏缩( recoil的过去式和过去分词 )；退缩；报应；返回 | |
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53
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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54
cape
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| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
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55
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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56
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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57
regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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58
artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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59
asylum
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| n.避难所，庇护所，避难 | |
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60
undesirable
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| adj.不受欢迎的，不良的，不合意的，讨厌的；n.不受欢迎的人，不良分子 | |
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61
gunpowder
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| n.火药 | |
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62
thronged
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| v.成群，挤满( throng的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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63
suffocation
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| n.窒息 | |
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64
herds
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| 兽群( herd的名词复数 )； 牧群； 人群； 群众 | |
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65
invader
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| n.侵略者，侵犯者，入侵者 | |
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66
invaders
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| 入侵者，侵略者，侵入物( invader的名词复数 ) | |
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67
bleating
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| v.（羊，小牛）叫( bleat的现在分词 )；哭诉；发出羊叫似的声音；轻声诉说 | |
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68
sobs
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| 啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 ) | |
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69
wails
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| 痛哭，哭声( wail的名词复数 ) | |
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70
misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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71
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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72
assortment
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| n.分类，各色俱备之物，聚集 | |
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73
procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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74
bluffer
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| n.用假像骗人的人 | |
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75
vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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76
virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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77
waggon
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| n.运货马车，运货车；敞篷车箱 | |
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78
bridles
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| 约束( bridle的名词复数 )； 限动器； 马笼头； 系带 | |
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79
brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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80
strapping
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| adj. 魁伟的, 身材高大健壮的 n. 皮绳或皮带的材料, 裹伤胶带, 皮鞭 动词strap的现在分词形式 | |
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81
hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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82
dally
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| v.荒废(时日)，调情 | |
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83
ammunition
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| n.军火，弹药 | |
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84
impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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85
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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86
assent
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| v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可 | |
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87
constrained
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| adj.束缚的,节制的 | |
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88
unwillingly
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| adv.不情愿地 | |
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89
acquiesced
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| v.默认，默许( acquiesce的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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90
entreaties
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| n.恳求，乞求( entreaty的名词复数 ) | |
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91
undo
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| vt.解开，松开；取消，撤销 | |
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92
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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93
predecessors
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| n.前任( predecessor的名词复数 )；前辈；（被取代的）原有事物；前身 | |
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94
garrison
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| n.卫戍部队；驻地，卫戍区；vt.派(兵)驻防 | |
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95
barricades
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| 路障，障碍物( barricade的名词复数 ) | |
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96
cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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97
pillage
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| v.抢劫；掠夺；n.抢劫，掠夺；掠夺物 | |
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98
savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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99
intercepted
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| 拦截( intercept的过去式和过去分词 )； 截住； 截击； 拦阻 | |
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100
scouring
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| 擦[洗]净，冲刷，洗涤 | |
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101
clump
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| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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102
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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103
gallantly
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| adv. 漂亮地，勇敢地，献殷勤地 | |
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104
chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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105
swooped
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| 俯冲，猛冲( swoop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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107
defenders
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| n.防御者( defender的名词复数 )；守卫者；保护者；辩护者 | |
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108
harassed
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| adj. 疲倦的，厌烦的 动词harass的过去式和过去分词 | |
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109
pouch
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| n.小袋，小包，囊状袋；vt.装...入袋中，用袋运输；vi.用袋送信件 | |
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110
trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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111
amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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112
heroism
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| n.大无畏精神，英勇 | |
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113
annihilated
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| v.（彻底）消灭( annihilate的过去式和过去分词 )；使无效；废止；彻底击溃 | |
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114
dwellings
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| n.住处，处所( dwelling的名词复数 ) | |
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115
pillaged
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| v.抢劫，掠夺( pillage的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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116
aggravated
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| 使恶化( aggravate的过去式和过去分词 )； 使更严重； 激怒； 使恼火 | |
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117
negotiations
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| 协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过 | |
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118
distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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119
subscriptions
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| n.（报刊等的）订阅费( subscription的名词复数 )；捐款；（俱乐部的）会员费；捐助 | |
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120
colonists
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| n.殖民地开拓者，移民，殖民地居民( colonist的名词复数 ) | |
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121
physically
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| adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律 | |
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122
hospitable
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| adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的 | |
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123
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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