the days of my life-第27章

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er　in　the　stream　strands　them。　I　am　very　sorry；　often；　for　him；　and　I　＇think＇　that　if　it　were　not　for　his　sense　of　loyalty　to　the　Government　at　home　he　would　throw　up。　。　。　。　I　have　had　a　serious　illness　since　I　came　back　from　England；　congestion　of　liver；　but　am　well　again。　With　much　love　to　you　both；
T。　Shepstone。
Can　anything　be　more　piteous　than　the　tale　the　aged　statesman　tells　in　the　above　epistle？　He；　of　all　men　the　most　spotless　and　upright　in　character；　to　have　reflections　made　upon　his　“personal　honesty；”　and　by　the　servants　of　the　Government　which　he　had　served　with　such　signal　faithfulness　throughout　a　long　life！　Only　a　very　little　while　before　this　letter　was　written　those　who；　or　whose　masters；　were　seeking　to　brand　him　as　a　mon　thief　had　e　to　him　for　help　in　their　difficulties；　asking　him　once　more　to　visit　Zululand　and　further　their　tortuous　and　wretched　policy　by　carrying　out　the　restoration　of　Cetewayo。　I　believe　that　the　annexation　of　the　Transvaal；　which　cost　a　million　to　surrender　and　two　or　three　hundred　times　that　sum　to　reconquer；　was　effected　at　an　expense　of　about　10；000　pounds　in　all。　It　was　this　paratively　insignificant　sum　that；　nearly　seven　years　subsequently　to　its　disbursement；　was　subjected　to　the　microscopic　examination　of　the　Treasury　clerks。　Vouchers；　as　he　says；　were　lost　or　destroyed　during　a　prolonged　siege；　and　here　was　a　great　opportunity　of　throwing　mud　at　an　honoured　name；　and　of　causing　its　owner；　already　sinking　towards　the　grave；　to　spend　his　last　years　in　poverty　by　depriving　him　of　the　pension　that　he　had　earned。
Now；　as　I　am　involved　in　this　matter　—　to　the　extent　of　45　pounds　sterling　—　I　had　better　defend　myself；　lest　in　due　course　reflections　should　be　made　upon　my　honesty　as　well　as　upon　that　of　my　Chief。　The　25　pounds　was；　I　believe；　given　to　me　to　cover　certain　out…of…pocket　expenses；　I　being　at　the　time　totally　unpaid。　The　20　pounds　was　pensation　for　a　horse　of　more　than　that　value　which　died　when　I　was　serving　with　the　Secocoeni　mission　upon　a　somewhat　arduous　business。　In　after　years　the　Treasury　wrote　to　me　direct　about　this　said　horse。　I　answered　that；　so　long　a　time　having　elapsed；　I　could　not　carry　the　details　of　the　loss　in　my　mind；　but　that　to　save　the　trouble　of　further　correspondence　I　should　be　happy；　if　they　wished　it；　to　send　them　a　cheque　for　the　amount。　To　this　proposal　I　am　still　awaiting　a　reply。
Such　is　the　treatment　that　the　greatest　Empire　in　the　world　can　mete　out　to　its　servants　if　their　services　chance　to　have　proved　inconvenient　to　the　political　prospects　of　the　party　in　power。　Well；　as　Gunnar　said　in　the　immortal　Saga；　when　one　whom　he　trusted　refused　to　help　him　in　his　uttermost　need　and　gave　him　to　his　death；　“Every　one　seeks　honour　in　his　own　fashion。”　It　would　appear　that　the　fashion　of　party　hacks；　however　exalted　or　successful；　does　not　always　agree　with　the　tradition　and　practice　of　the　average　English　gentleman。　But　over　such　a　matter　it　is　easy　to　lose　one’s　balance　and　write　without　a　desirable　moderation。　So　I　will　leave　the　facts　to　speak　for　themselves。　It　seems　to　me　that　no　words　of　mine　can　make　them　blacker　than　they　are；　nor　indeed　do　I　wish　to　dwell　upon　them　more。　To　me；　at　least；　they　are　too　painful。　Let　history　judge。
After　the　Zulu　disaster　a　mounted　corps；　which　was　christened　the　Pretoria　Horse　and　posed　for　the　most　part　of　well…bred　men；　was　enrolled　in　that　town。　In　the　emergency　of　the　times　officials　were　allowed　to　join；　a　permission　of　which　I　availed　myself。　At　a　preliminary　meeting　of　the　corps　I　was　elected　adjutant　and　one　of　the　two　lieutenants；　the　captain　being　a　Mr。　Jackson；　a　colonial　gentleman　of　great　experience。
I　was；　and　indeed　still　am；　very　proud　of　the　pliment　thus　paid　to　me　by　my　rades　while　I　was　still　so　young　a　man。　We　were　ordered　to　proceed　to　Zululand　with　Weatherley’s　corps。　As　it　chanced；　at　the　last　moment　these　orders　were　countermanded；　which　perhaps　was　fortunate　for　us；　since　otherwise　in　all　human　probability　our　bones　would　now　be　rotting　beneath　the　soil　of　Zululand　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　L