the days of my life-第35章

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land　in　pany　with　those　of　the　ill…fated　Weatherley’s　Horse。
The　reason　for　this　change　of　plan　was　that　of　a　sudden　the　Boers；　seeing　the　difficulties　of　the　English　Government　and　knowing　that　the　Zulus　were　not　now　to　be　feared；　as　their　hands　were　full；　began　to　threaten　rebellion　so　vigorously　that　it　was　deemed　necessary　to　retain　us　for　the　defence　of　Pretoria。　To　the　number　of　about　three　thousand　men　they　assembled　themselves　upon　the　high　veld　at　a　distance　of　thirty　miles　from　Pretoria　and　here　formed　a　semi…permanent　armed　camp。　I　was　sent　out　in　mand　of　six　or　eight　picked　men　to　an　inn　that　I　think　was　called　Ferguson’s；　situated　a　few　miles　from　this　camp。　We　were　unarmed　except　for　our　revolvers；　and　the　object　of　my　mission　was　to　watch　the　Boers。　I　had　my　spies　in　the　camp；　and　every　night　one　or　other　of　these　men　crept　out　and　reported　to　me　what　had　taken　place　during　the　day　and　any　other　information　he　could　collect。　This　I　forwarded　to　Pretoria；　by　letter　if　I　thought　it　safe；　or；　if　I　had　reason　to　fear　that　my　messenger　would　be　stopped　and　searched；　by　means　of　different…coloured　ribbons；　each　of　which　had　a　prearranged　significance。　At　different　points　along　the　road　I　had　horsemen　hidden　day　and　night；　and；　as　my　messenger　galloped　up；　the　relief　emerged　to　meet　him；　took　the　despatch　or　the　ribbon；　and　in　his　turn　galloped　away　to　the　next　relief。　In　this　fashion　I　used　to　get　in　news　to　the　military　authorities　very　quickly；　covering　the　twenty…five　miles　of　rough　country　in　about　an　hour　even　on　the　darkest　nights。　Cochrane；　I　remember；　was　nearly　killed　by　his　horse　falling　with　him　in　the　blackness　when　engaged　upon　this　dangerous　and　exciting　duty。
I　gather　from　the　following　document　scribbled　in　pencil　by　my　captain；　but　undated；　that　somehow　has　survived　to　this　day；　that　my　letters　were　very　hurriedly　written。　Here　it　is：
Dear　Haggard；　—　Your　last　safely　to　hand。　The　only　thing　meant　in　my　last　about　writing　clearly　was　that　we　could　hardly　make　out　some　of　the　words。　Colonel　Lanyon10　said　he　could　see　that　you　had　written　in　too　great　a　hurry。　It　is　better　to　take　a　minute　longer　in　writing　to　prevent　any　word　being　misread　here；　which　might　lead　to　fatal　results。　Would　you　like　me　to　send　a　good　stock　of　food？　It　was　no　fault　of　mine　that　it　was　not　taken　with　you。　The　Landdrost’s　instructions　were　imperative　that　the　men　should　take　nothing。　Parents　are　wiring　into　me　now　and　say　they　hear　their　sons　are　starving。　Would　you　like　any　of　the　men　relieved？　I　should　not　ask；　but　do　it；　only　they　seem　to　have　got　so　very　nicely　into　the　thing　that　I　would　prefer　them　staying　on　unless　you　think　I　should　send　some　fresh　ones。　I　think　that　for　the　next　few　days　it　will　not　be　necessary　to　send　very　often。　However　I　leave　this　to　you。　We　are　not　having　all　beer　and　skittles　here。　What　with　guards　and　fortifying；　our　time　is　well　taken　up。　I　have　sent　down　for　your　letters；　also　Cochrane’s。
Yours　very　sincerely；
E。　Jackson。
10　Colonel　（afterwards　Sir　Owen）　Lanyon　succeeded　Sir　T。　Shepstone　when　he　went　home。
After　a　while　the　Boers　in　the　camp　got　wind　of　my　proceedings；　and　a　large　party　of　them；　from　thirty　to　fifty　men　I　should　say；　rode　to　the　inn　fully　armed；　with　the　avowed　intention　of　shooting　us。　In　this　emergency　I；　as　the　officer　in　mand；　had　on　the　instant　to　make　up　my　mind　what　to　do。　To　attempt　flight　would；　it　seemed　to　me；　betray　the　truth　as　to　the　reason　of　our　presence。　Moreover　we　should　almost　certainly　have　been　captured。　So　I　determined　that　we　should　stop　where　we　were。
They　came；　they　dismounted；　they　stormed　and　threatened。　I　on　my　part　gave　orders　that　no　man　was　to　suffer　himself　to　be　drawn　into　a　quarrel　or　to　do　anything　unless　we　were　actually　attacked；　when　all　had　liberty　to　sell　their　lives　as　dearly　as　they　could。　I　can　see　them　now；　standing　about　and　sitting　round　the　large　room　of　the　inn　with　their　rifles　between　their　knees。　I　sat　in　my　little　room　surveying　them　through　the　open　door；　pretending　to　understand　nothing　and　to　be　engaged　in　some　ordinary　occupation；　such　as　reading　or　writing。
After　an　hour　or　two　of　this　things　came　to　a　climax；　and　I　began　to　wonder　whether　we　had　another　five　minutes　to　live。　It　was　then　that　the　ready　resource　of　one　of　my　sergeants；　a　fine　young　fellow　called　Glynn；　saved　the　situation。　One　of　the　Boers　paused　in　a　furious　harangue　to　light　his　pipe；　and　having　done　so　threw　the　lighted　match　on　to　the　floor。　Glynn；　who　was　standing　amongst　them；　stepped　forward；　picked　up　the　match；　blew　it　out；　and　exclaimed　in　tones　of　heartfelt　gratitude　and　relief；　“Dank　Gott！”　（Thank　God）。
The　Boers　stared　at　him；　then　asked；　“For　what　do　you　thank　God；　Englishman？”
“I　thank　God；”　answered　Glynn；　who　could　talk　Dutch　perfectly；　“because　we　are　not　now　all　in　small　pieces。　Do　you　not　know；　Heeren；　that　the　British　Government　has　stored　two　tons　of　dynamite　under　that　floor？　Is　this　a　place　to　smoke　pipes　and　throw　down　matches？　Do　you　desire　that　all　your　wives　should　bee　widows；　as　would　have　happened　if　the　fire　from　that　match　had　fallen　through　the　boards　on　to　the　dynamite　beneath？　Oh！　thank　the　Lord　God。　Thank　the　Lord　God！”
Now　the　Boers　of　that　day　had　a　great　terror　of　dynamite；　of　the　properties　of　which　they　were　quite　ignorant。
“Allemagte！”　said　one　of　them。　“Allemagte！”　echoed　the　others。
Then　they　rose　in　a　body；　fearing　lest　we　had　some　devilish　scheme　to　blow　them　up。　In　a　few　minutes　not　one　of　them　was　to　be　seen。
Shortly　after　this　dynamite　incident　I　was　relieved　by　my　co…lieutenant；　a　very　nice　fellow　whose　name；　I　think；　was　Fell。　I　returned　to　Pretoria　on　a　beautiful　stallion　which　I　had　named　Black　Billy。　I　remember　that　Black　Billy　took　me　from　the　inn　to　the　town　in　very　little　over　the　hour。　Here　with　the　rest　of　the　corps　I　was　stationed　at　the　Government　mule　stables；　not　far　from　the　nek　through　which　I　believe　the　Natal　railway　now　runs。
A　few　nights　later　things　grew　more　serious。　Our　pickets　and　scouts；　to　say　nothing　of　natives；　announced　that　the　Boer　laager；　which；　by　the　way；　was　now　pitched　much　nearer　to　the　town　and　practically　besieging　it；　had　broken　up；　and　that　the　Boers　to　the　number　of　several　thousand　were　marching　on　Pretoria。　So　indeed　I　believe　they　were；　but　something；　probably　the　news　that　we　were　more　or　less　prepared　to　receive　them；　caused　them　to　change　their　minds　at　the　last　moment；　with　the　result　that　the　attack　was　never　actually　delivered。　Of　this；　however；　we　knew　nothing　in　our　mule…stable。　All　we　knew　was　that　at　any　given　moment　we　must　expect　to　bear　the　first　brunt　of　the　onslaught　of　several　thousand　men；　which　would　first　impinge　upon　our　position。　For　some　reason　which　I　cannot　recollect；　my　manding　officer；　Captain　Jackson；　was　away　that　night；　I　think　that　he　had　been　sent　on　a　mission　by　the　Government　and　taken　the　other　lieutenant　with　him；　leaving　me　in　mand　of　the　corps。
Well；　I　did　my　best。　A　few　candles　were　all　that　I　allowed；　set　at　intervals　on　the　floor　of　the　long　building；　that　they　might　not　shine　through　the　loopholes　and　draw　the　enemy’s　fire。　I　posted　my　best　shots；　Cochrane　among　them；　upon　the　upper　platfor