EDITED BY VERNON BLACKBURN
THIRD IMPRESSION
WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS, EDINBURGH AND LONDON
MDCCCC
BY THE SAME AUTHOR
WITH KITCHENER TO KHARTUM. With 8 Maps and Plans. Twenty-first Edition. Crown 8vo, 6s.
"This book is a masterpiece. Mr Steevens writes an English which is always alive and alert.... The description of the battle of Omdurman reaches, we do not hesitate to say, the high-water mark of literature."—Spectator.
IN INDIA. With a Map. Third Edition. Crown 8vo, 6s.
"To read this book is a liberal education in one of the most interesting and least known portions of our Empire."—St James's Gazette.
THE LAND OF THE DOLLAR. Fourth Edition. Crown 8vo, 6s.
"One of the smartest books of travel which has appeared for a long time past.... Brings the general appearance of Transatlantic urban and rural life so clearly before the mind's eye of the reader, that a perusal of his work almost answers the purpose of a personal inspection. New York has probably never been more lightly and cleverly sketched."—Daily Telegraph.
WITH THE CONQUERING TURK. With 4 Maps. Cheaper Edition. Demy 8vo, 6s.
"This is a remarkably bright and vivid book. There is a delicious portrait of the jovial aide-de-camp, plenty of humorous touches of wayside scenes, servants' tricks, dragoman's English, and vagaries of cuisine."—St James's Gazette.
EGYPT IN 1898. With Illustrations. Crown 8vo, 6s.
"Set forth in a style that provides plenty of entertainment.... Bright and readable."—Times.
WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS, EDINBURGH AND LONDON.
CONTENTS.
| [MAPS.] | |
| [I. FIRST GLIMPSES OF THE STRUGGLE.] | |
| First impressions—Denver with a dash of Delhi—Government House—TheLegislative Assembly—A wrangling debate—A demonstration ofthe unemployed—The menace of coming war | 1 |
| [II. THE ARMY CORPS—HAS NOT LEFT ENGLAND!] | |
| A little patch of white tents—A dream of distance—The desert ofthe Karroo—War at last—A campaign without headquarters—Waitingfor the Army Corps | 10 |
| [III. A PASTOR'S POINT OF VIEW.] | |
| An ideal of Arcady—Rebel Burghersdorp—Its monuments—Doppertheology—An interview with one of its professors | 19 |
| [IV. WILL IT BE CIVIL WAR?] | |
| On the border of the Free State—An appeal to the Colonial Boers—Thebeginning of warlike rumours—A commercial and social boycott—TheBoer secret service—The Basutos and their mother, the Queen—Boerbrutality to Kaffirs | 28 |
| [V. LOYAL ALIWAL: A TRAGI-COMEDY.] | |
| The Cape Police—A garrison of six men—Merry-go-rounds and naphthaflares—A clamant want of fifty men—Where are the troops?—"It'llbe just the same as it was in '81" | 35 |
| [VI. THE BATTLE OF ELANDSLAAGTE.] | |
| French's reconnaissance—An artillery duel—Beginning of the attack—Ridgeafter ridge—A crowded half-hour | 43 |
| [VII. THE BIVOUAC.] | |
| A victorious and helpless mob—A break-neck hillside—Bringing downthe wounded—A hard-worked doctor—Boer prisoners—Indian bearers—AnIrish Highlander in trouble | 56 |
| [VIII. THE HOME-COMING FROM DUNDEE.] | |
| Superfluous assistance—A smiling valley—The Border Mounted Rifles—Arain-storm—A thirty-two miles' march—How the troops came into Ladysmith | 66 |
| [IX. THE STORY OF NICHOLSON'S NEK.] | |
| An attenuated mess—A regiment 220 strong—A miserable story—Thewhite flag—Boer kindness—Ashamed for England | 74 |
| [X. THE GUNS AT RIETFONTEIN.] | |
| A column on the move—The nimble guns—Garrison gunners at work—Theveldt on fire—Effective shrapnel—The value of the engagement | 81 |
| [XI. THE BOMBARDMENT.] | |
| Long Tom—A family of harmless monsters—Our inferiority in guns—Thesensations of a bombardment—A little custom blunts sensibility | 92 |
| [XII. THE DEVIL'S TIN-TACKS.] | |
| The excitement of a rifle fusilade—A six-hours' fight—The pickingoff of officers—A display of infernal fireworks—"God bless thePrince of Wales" | 106 |
| [XIII. A DIARY OF DULNESS.] | |
| The mythopœic faculty—A miserable day—The voice of the pompom—Learningthe Boer game—The end of Fiddling Jimmy—Melinite atclose quarters—A lake of mud | 114 |
| [XIV. NEARING THE END.] | |
| Dulness interminable—Ladysmith in 2099 A.D.—Sieges obsoletehardships—Dead to the world—The appalling features of abombardment | 124 |
| [XV. IN A CONNING-TOWER.] | |
| The self-respecting bluejacket—A German atheist—The sailors'telephone—What the naval guns meant to Ladysmith—The salt ofthe earth | 134 |
| [THE LAST CHAPTER] By Vernon Blackburn | 144 |
MAPS.
| [MAP OF THE COUNTRY ROUND LADYSMITH] |
| [MAP ILLUSTRATING THE SEAT OF WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA] |