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！
fore…part of the waggon； and just before day the guards nodding in their saddles gave him the chance to drop down between the wheels； letting the waggon trek away over him。 Then he rolled himself into a little gully near the road； and； as he dared not stand up； lay cooking there during the whole of the following day with the fierce sun beating on his back。 When night came again he walked back to the English camp； a distance of nearly a hundred miles； and reported himself。
This exploit was equalled； if not surpassed； by one of my sons…inlaw； Major Reginald Cheyne of the Indian Army。 He was posted on a ridge with a few men in one of the affairs of this war when an overwhelming force of Boers opened fire on them。 He held out until all but two of those with him were dead or wounded and the ammunition — even of the wounded — exhausted。 Then； having been shot through the face behind the nose； in another part of the head； and also cut by a bullet all along the forehead； which caused the blood to flow down into his eyes and blind him； he surrendered。 He was taken prisoner； and in this dreadful state carried off in a waggon。 At night he pretended that it was necessary for him to retire。 The Boer guard showed him his revolver； which he tapped significantly。 Cheyne nodded and； taking his risks； made a bolt for it。 In due course he； too； staggered into the British camp； where he recovered。 I hope I have given the details right； but Cheyne； like Burnham； is not given to talking of such things。 It was only after much urging on the part of my daughter that he told me the story； of which I had heard rumours from a brother officer； who spoke of him as “a hero。” He was remended； together with his Colonel； for a V。C。 or a D。S。O。 — I forget which — but； unfortunately for him； the Boers captured and burnt the despatch； so that nothing was known at home of his services until too late。 However； they made him a brevet…major。 Such are the fortunes of war。
After Pretoria was occupied Burnham was sent out to cut the railway line by which the Boers were retreating。 He exploded part of his gun…cotton and destroyed the line； and then rode over a ridge — straight into a Boer bivouac！ He turned his horse and； lying flat on the saddle； galloped off under a heavy fire。 He thought he was safe； but the Boers had got his range against the skyline — it was night — and suddenly he remembered no more。 When he came to himself the sun was shining； and he lay alone upon the veld。 The horse was gone； where to he never learned。 He felt himself all over and found that he had no wound； also that he was injured internally； probably owing to the horse falling on him when it was struck by a bullet。 Near by was a little cattle or goat kraal； into which he crept and lay down。 From this kraal he saw the Boers e and mend the line。 When night fell again he crawled upon his hands and knees — he could not walk — down to the line and destroyed it afresh； for his gun…cotton cartridges remained in a bag upon his shoulders。 I am not certain whether he did this once or twice。 At any rate in the end； feeling that he was a dead man if he remained where he was； he tore up the bag； tied the sacking round his wrists and knees； and； thus protected against the stones and grass stumps； dragged himself out into the veld； where； by the mercy of Providence； an English patrol found him。 It turned out that his stomach had been ruptured； and that； had it not been for his long abstinence from food； he must have expired。 No treatment could possibly have been better for him； and as it was the break in the tissues found time to heal。 In the end he recovered； though that was the last service which he did in South Africa。 It was rewarded with a D。S。O。 and the rank of major in the British Army。 Lord Roberts gave him a remarkable letter of thanks and appreciation： it sets forth his admiration of Burnham’s skill； endurance and ability in difficult scouting inside the lines of the enemy。
Burnham told me that during that war on many occasions he passed through the sentries of both the British and the Boer forces without being seen。 Once he perated into a Boer camp and came to a waggon where a fat old Dutchman lay snoring。 To the trek…tow were tied sixteen beautiful black oxen； no doubt that Dutchman’s especial pride。 With his knife he cut them loose and drove them away back into the British lines。 Often； he told me； he had speculated as to what the old Boer said when he woke up and found them gone for ever。 On another occasion when he was scouting he was absolutely surrounded by the Boers and could find no cover in which to hide。 With the help of an old Kaffir blanket and a stick he made himself up as a beggar and limped away between them without even being questioned。
In all such matters he seems to possess a kind of sixth sense； evolved no doubt in the course of his long training in Indian warfare。 He was one of the pioneers in the Klondike； whither he travelled across the winter snows on a sledge drawn by dogs； which for some weeks were his sole panions。 These dogs he watched very closely； and as a result of his observations informed me that he was sure from their conduct at night that they possessed some elementary instinct of prayer。 His reasons are too long to set out； but they were very striking。
In Rhodesia he discovered a large amount of treasure buried in one of the prehistoric ruins and old forts； with the skeletons of unknown ancients。 I have a gold bead from it which he gave me； mounted as a pin； also some iron arrow…heads which he found amidst the bones； showing that these men died in an attack by enemies。
Such are a few of the incidents of Major Burnham’s career。 The reader might judge from them that he is a rough and uncultured man； but this is far from being the case。 Like old Allan Quatermain； he is an extremely polished and thoughtful person； and one with an extraordinarily wide outlook on affairs in general。 I remember； for instance； that he took a most lively interest in parish councils； their constitution and business。 This； after all the vast issues of life and death in which he had been engaged for many years； struck me as strange — though； as we know； elephants are