the days of my life-第37章

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arfully　hot。　We　got　to　our　first　stage；　Howick；　last　Friday；　which　luckily　for　us　was　a　very　pretty　place　with　a　fortable　hotel。　I　say　luckily；　because　we　were　detained　there　by　the　rain　till　Monday。　We　then　started　at　about　9：30　A。M。　for　Mooi　River　（a　distance　of　thirty　miles）；　which　we　did　not　reach　until　about　8　o’clock　in　the　evening。　The　roads　were　in　a　positively　fearful　state：　we　could　only　go　very　carefully　at　a　foot’s　pace　the　whole　way；　and　even　then　we　got　into　some　very　nasty　places。　I　walked　a　good　part　of　the　way；　in　fact　we　all　did；　as　it　was　quite　as　hard　work　hanging　on　driving　as　walking。　Yesterday　we　came　on　here；　which　was　not　half　such　a　tiring　day；　as　the　roads　were　paratively　very　good；　and　we　are　told　that　they　will　be　so　now　for　the　rest　of　the　way；　which　is　a　fort。　If　we　are　not　detained　by　rain　or　other　mishaps　we　expect　to　get　to　Newcastle　next　Saturday。　I　quite　forgot　to　tell　you　that　the　unhappy　Gibbs　came　to　sad　grief　on　the　way　from　Maritzburg　to　Howick；　and　all　on　account　of　her　devotion　to　Bob。　She　was　nursing　the　said　spoilt　animal　on　her　knee　when　suddenly　the　carriage　went　into　a　hole；　gave　a　lurch　and　nearly　sent　Bob　flying。　In　her　efforts　to　save　him　out　fell　Gibbs　right　between　the　wheels；　but　marvellous　to　relate　she　was　not　a　bit　hurt；　only　bruised　her　arm　a　little　and　got　a　good　shaking。　。　。　。　At　almost　every　stage　we　meet　fugitives　from　the　Transvaal；　but　they　all　seem　to　look　upon　Newcastle　as　safe。　。　。　。　With　much　love　from　us　both　to　you　all；
Your　affectionate　daughter…inlaw；
M。　L。　Haggard。
Truly　this　was　an　awful　journey；　especially　as　my　wife　was　in　a　state　in　which　great　exertion　was　undesirable。　The　roads；　as　she　says；　were　terrible；　being　cut　up　by　the　passage　of　guns　and　troops。　Indeed；　there　were　no　roads　—　simply；　in　that　wet　season；　breadths　of　mud…holes　sometimes　a　hundred　yards　wide；　of　which　holes　you　might　take　your　choice。　It　was　into　one　of　these　that　poor　Gibbs　fell　with　the　beloved　terrier；　Bob。　Never　shall　I　forget　the　splash　she　caused。　The　spectacle　of　an　elderly　British　lady’s…maid　in　that　hole　still　clasping　Bob　to　her　bosom　was　almost　weird。　The　hind　wheels　of　the　“spider”　went　over　her；　grinding　her　deeper　into　the　mire。
“Good　God！”　I　said　to　Stephen；　“she　is　done　for。”
My　further　remarks　were　interrupted　by　a　series　of　piercing　yells。
“Lord　bless　you；　sir；”　answered　Stephen；　“if　she　can　screech　like　that　there　ain’t　much　the　matter。”
Nor　was　there；　except　mud　and　Gibbs’　voluble　views　upon　South　African　roads。
A　day　or　two　after　this　we　galloped　in　front　of　a　fearful　thunderstorm；　of　which　the　flashes　kept　striking　behind　us；　and　at　last　reached　shelter　just　in　time。　On　another　day　we　ploughed　through　sodden　peat　flats；　in　which　our　wheels　sank　to　the　axles；　to　the　edge　of　a　river　—　I　forget　which　river。　On　the　farther　bank　was　the　inn。　The　night　was　ing　on　and　the　river　was　in　full　flood。　What　could　we　do？　To　get　back　across　those　flats　was　impossible；　to　sleep　in　the　rain　in　the　open　carriage　was　impossible；　to　attempt　to　cross　the　flooded　river　was　very　dangerous。　My　wife；　as　usual；　made　up　her　mind　at　once。　“Let’s　try　it；”　she　said。
I　felt　bound　to　give　Gibbs　her　choice。
“Don’t　you　go　a…asking　of　her；　sir；”　said　Stephen；　“or　we　shan’t　never　do　nauthing。　If　we’ve　got　to　drown；　she　may　as　well　drown　too。”　Stephen；　I　may　observe；　lacked　affection　for　Gibbs。
So　we　“tried　it；”　two　brave　and　brawny　Zulus　wading　into　the　water　with　us；　and　hanging　on　to　the　sides　of　the　“spider”　in　order　to　prevent　it　from　overturning。　A　transport　rider　on　the　bank；　who　had　warned　us　against　the　attempt；　shouted　valedictory　messages：　“When　you　are　all　drowned；　don’t　blame　me。　Remember　that　I　told　you　so！”
I　answered　something　appropriate　to　the　occasion　and　my　feelings；　and　in　we　went。
The　stream　was　ing　down　like　a　mill…race　and　rising　every　minute。　Soon　the　horses　were　off　their　legs；　but　they　were　plucky　beasts　and　struck　out　for　the　farther　shore　of　the　drift。　The　water　ran　through　the　bottom　of　the　carriage；　which　began　to　float；　but　the　brave　Kaffirs　hung　on；　although　they　were　up　to　their　arm…pits　and　could　scarcely　stand。　Gibbs　wailed　softly　in　the　background　and　clasped　Bob　to　her　breast。　There　were　a　few　fearful　moments　of　doubt；　then；　thank　God！　the　horses　got　their　feet　again；　and　we　dragged　through；　damp　but　safe；　and　slept　that　night　in　fort　in　the　inn。
Such　were　some　of　the　incidents　of　that　extremely　arduous　journey。　At　length　we　reached　Newcastle　safe　and　sound；　and　drove　out　to　our　house　on　the　farm　Rooipoint；　about　a　mile　and　a　half　from　the　town。　This　house；　which　was　named　Hilldrop　（the　Mooifontein　of　“Jess；”　where　it　is　actually　described）；　was　and　no　doubt　still　is　a　very　pretty　place；　built　by　Osborn　for　himself　when　he　was　Resident　Magistrate　at　Newcastle。　It　is　backed　by　a　rocky　hill；　and　its　broad　verandah　mands　a　wide　and　charming　view。　Round　about　it　stood　orange　trees　—　I　believe　these　died　after　we　left　—　and　to　the　right　was　a　plantation　of　black　wattles。　For　a　colonial　dwelling　it　was　spacious；　having　a　good　drawing…room；　and　altogether　the　home　was　one　where　English　folk　could　live　in　decency　and　fort。　Moreover　our　furniture　had　arrived；　and　for　the　most　part　had　been　arranged　by　the　indefatigable　Cochrane　—　“that　man　who　calls　himself　Mr。　Cochrane；”　as　Gibbs　once　described　him　after　some　difficulty　which　interfered　with　her　fort。
I　wish　I　could　remember　more　of　the　sayings　of　Gibbs；　for　they　were　worthy　of　preservation。　Only　one　returns　to　my　mind；　however。　It　was　after　our　flight　before　the　thunderstorm；　a　terrific　thunderstorm；　I　admit；　which　had　reduced　Gibbs　to　a　perfect　jelly　of　terror。
“Don’t　be　so　foolish；　Gibbs；”　said　my　wife；　“and　make　an　exhibition　of　yourself。　Look　at　me；　I’m　not　frightened。”
“No；　ma’am；　I　see　you　ain’t；”　answered　the　gasping　Gibbs；　“and　I　tell　you　straight　I　don’t　call　it　ladylike！”
In　short；　by　contrast　with　all　we　had　undergone；　the　place　seemed　a　perfect　haven　of　rest。　This；　however；　it　was　not　destined　to　remain　for　long。　First　there　were　the　refugees；　some　of　them　people　I　had　known　in　the　Transvaal；　who　came　with　their　tales　of　woe　and　ruin；　asking　for　shelter　which　we　were　unable　to　give。　Then；　to　our　dismay；　we　learned　that　on　the　very　day　of　our　arrival　Colley　had　moved　out　to　attack　the　Nek。
Two　days　later　we　heard　the　sound　of　firing；　and　getting　back　to　Hilldrop　I　received　the　following　note　from　Beaumont；　the　Resident　Magistrate　of　Newcastle；　who　was　an　old　friend　of　mine；　now　one　of　the　Natal　judges。
28_1_81。
I　am　sorry　to　say　the　troops　failed　this　morning　in　their　attack　on　the　“Nek”　and　had　to　retire　to　their　waggon　laager；　after　heavy　loss。　We　have　no　further　particulars。　I　do　not　think　that　Newcastle　is　in　any　danger。　The　signal　for　alarm　in　town　is　a　bell；　but　should　I　think　there　is　any　occasion　for　it　I　will　send　out　a　runner　to　warn　you。　I　wish　I　could　give　you　a　wele　under　better　circumstances；　but　we　must　make　the　best　of　things。　With　my　kindest　regards　to　Mrs。　Haggard；　upon　whom　I　hope　Mrs。　Beaumont　will　soon　be　able　to　call　。　。　。　。
W。　H。　Beaumont。
On　the　following　day；　January　30；　I　wrote　a　letter　to　my　father；　which　I　have　just　recovered　with　the　others。
You　will　see　from　the　address　that　we　have　reached　this　in　safety　after　a　rather　difficult　journey　owing　to　the　villainous　state　of　the　roads。　Old　Gibbs　shot　straight　out　of　the　carriage　twice　but　came　to　no　harm。　Louie　is　well　and　expressed　herself　very　pleased　with　the　place。　。　。　。　We　have　e　out　in　very　troublous　times。　When　for　various　reasons　we　made　up　our　minds　to　e　up…country；　Newcastle　was　looked　upon　as　one　of　the　safest　places　in　the　Colony；　owing　to　the　large　body　of　troops　concentrated　there。　Nobody　dreamed　that　Sir　George　Colley　could　be　mad　enough　to　try　and　force　the　passes　with　such　a　handful　of　men；　and　I　believe　he　was　again　and　again　warned　of　its　impossibility。　However；　the　day　we　got　here　he　started；　and　a　few　evenings　afterwards　we　heard　the　guns　going　on　the　mountains。　Next　came　the　intelligence　that　we　had　met　with　a　crushing　repulse。　It　appears　that　the　Boers　beat　the　troops　back　without　difficulty；　and　from　what　I　can　judge　it　will　take　5000　men　and　a　great　expenditure　of　life　to　force　their　position。　Nearly　all　the　officers　actually　engaged　were　killed；　including　poor　young　Elwes　（Norfolk）　whom　I　sat　next　to　at　dinner　the　other　night。　He　was　talking　to　me　about　you；　and　said　that　he　saw　you　the　other　day　at　Lynn　station　talking　to　the　barmaid。　It　is　all　very　sad。　I　do　not　think　that　this　place　is　in　danger；　but　still　these　are　anxious　times　for　us　all。　Our　men　have　retreated　into　laager　near　the　top　of　the　mountain；　and　the　Boers　are　in　laager　on　the　top。　When　the　reinforcements　e　there　will　be　a　fearful　engagement　and　many　officers　will　be　picked　off。　All　the　Boers　are　in　rifle　pits　behind　stone　walls。　I　think　they　will　have　to　send　more　troops。
We　have　got　all　our　things　up　here　safely　and　have　made　the　place　quite　pretty；　but　somehow　one　can　take　no　pleasure　in　anything　just　now　with　blood　being　shed　like　water　all　round。　Every　time　one　sees　a　Kaffir　runner　ing　to　the　house　one　feels　anxious　lest　he　should　be　the　announcer　of　some　fresh　ev