按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
and appointed my old friend and neighbour； Captain Meade of Earsham Hall； to act for me when I was away。 I was touched at this evidence of their regard and confidence。
In 1895 the mittee did me the honour to elect me to the Athenaeum Club under Rule 2； and in the following year I was chosen Chairman of mittee of the Society of Authors； a post which I held until 1898。
About this time I made the acquaintance of one of the most interesting of all my friends； Major F。 R。 Burnham； D。S。O。； concerning whom and whose career I should like to say a few words。 Burnham is an American； born among the Indians on the frontiers of Minnesota in 1861； and one of the best specimens of that great people whom I have ever met。 Indeed； taking him altogether； I am not sure that when the circumstances of his upbringing and life are considered； he is not the most remarkable man whom it has been my privilege to know。 He belongs to the seventh generation of pioneers； as his family went to America from England in 1635。
In personal appearance he is small and quiet…mannered； with steady； grey…blue eyes that have in them a far…away look such as those acquire whose occupation has caused them to watch continually at sea or on great plains。 He does not smoke； fearing； as he told me； lest it should injure the acuteness of his sense of smell； and he drinks less liquid perhaps than anyone else。 One wineglass of water； or perhaps claret； is the amount he will consume during a long meal。 He has trained himself to this abstinence in order that； when scouting or travelling where there is no water； he may still be able to exist； with the result that on one occasion at least he survived when all or nearly all of his panions died； I think in the deserts of Arizona。 He is not at all municative； indeed I remember his telling me that I was one of the very few people to whom he had imparted any information concerning his many adventures。
When he was in England Charles Longman was very anxious that he should write his Life； but although he offered him a handsome sum on account and； to my knowledge； Burnham at the time was not too well supplied with money； in spite of my entreaties and offers of assistance； this； to my lasting regret； he absolutely refused to do。 Therefore； if he still lives； as I believe to be the case — although somewhat to my surprise I have heard nothing from him for the last three or four years — when he dies the record of all his extraordinary adventures； of which he has experienced more in fact than Allan Quatermain himself in fiction； will； I fear； perish with him。 Of those adventures； of course； I can only repeat a few specimens from memory； as he has told them to me walking about the land or sitting together over the fire in this house。
His first recollection is of being carried away by his mother when the savage Indians attacked the place where they lived； somewhere on the Mexican border。 He was then about three years old； and at last his mother； unable to bear him any farther； hid him in a shock of maize； telling him that he must keep quite silent。 From between the stalks of the maize presently he saw the pursuing Indians pass。 Next day his mother returned and rescued him。
Later on； as a married man； he found his way with some members of his family to Rhodesia； attracted by the magic name of Cecil Rhodes； and took part in the settlement of that colony。 Prospecting and the management of mines were their occupations。 Here his little girl was born； the first white child that saw the light in Buluwayo。 He named her Nada after the heroine of my Zulu tale。 Poor infant； she did not live long； as the following dedication to one of my stories shows：
To the Memory of the Child
NADA BURNHAM
who “bound all to her” and； while her father cut his way through the hordes of the Ingubu Regiment； perished of the hardships of war at Buluwayo on May 22nd； 1896； I dedicate this tale of Faith triumphant over savagery and death。
Burnham was with Wilson when he was wiped out on the banks of the Shangani； together with all his panions； except Burnham himself and his brother…inlaw； Ingram； who had been sent back to try to bring help from the column。 All that tale I have told in the “Red True Story Book” （Longmans）； so I need not repeat it here。 I shall never forget Burnham’s account of how he tracked the missing men in the darkness； by feeling the spoor with his fingers and by smell； or of how； still in the darkness； he counted the Matabele impi as they passed him close enough to touch them。
Subsequently Burnham took service as a scout under our flag in the Boer War。 Indeed I believe that Lord Roberts cabled to him in the Klondike。 Here many things befell him。 Thus he was out scouting from Headquarters at the time of the Sannah’s Post affair； saw the Boers post their ambuscade； saw the British walking into the trap。 He rode to a hill and； with a large red pocket…handkerchief which he always carried； tried to signal to them to keep back。 But nobody would take the slightest notice of his signals。 Even the Boers were puzzled by so barefaced a performance； and for quite a long while did not interfere with him。 So the catastrophe occurred — because it was nobody’s business to take notice of Burnham’s signals！ Ultimately some Boers rode out and made him a prisoner。 They led him to a stone…walled cattle kraal where a number of them were ensconced； whence he saw everything。
When the British were snared a Boer lad took some sighting shots at them； and at length said laconically； “Sechzen hondert！” whereon the Boers sighted their rifles to that range and began to use them with deadly effect。 A whole battery of English guns opened fire upon this kraal。 The air screamed with shells。 Some fell short and exploded against the wall； some went high； some hit upon the top of the wall。 The result of that terrific bombardment was — one horse blown to bits。 The practice was not bad； but those behind the fortable。
When everything was over Burnham was taken off as a prisoner。 A change of guard enabled him to pretend a wound； so he was placed on an ox…waggon。 He sat on the fore…part of the waggon； and just before day the guards nodding in their saddles gave him the chanc