Donga.—River bed with high banks on either side. Generally dry, save in the rainy season.
Dorp.—A hamlet.
Dundee.—Town in Natal, north of Ladysmith. Noted for its coal-fields, which are the best in S. Africa. They produced about 1000 tons a day before the war. The locality is rich in iron, and the future of this now historic region promises to be commercially rosy.
Durban.—Flourishing port of Natal. Population about 39,245, of which over 17,700 are whites. It is twenty-nine hours’ journey by rail from Pretoria, and 6800 miles by sea from Southampton. It has several good hotels, restaurants, and clubs; and two daily newspapers are published there. Trams and electric lights form part of the attractions of the town.
Earthworks.—In fortification, all works thrown up for attack or defence in which earth enters chiefly into the construction. It is a question whether—in the defence of a place—earth be preferable to masonry. In the latter case, the defenders are liable to be injured by splinters, while in the former, repairs are more readily effected. The reason why the capture of the Mamelon during the Crimean War was so hard a task, is attributed to the fact that repairs were very easily accomplished during the night.
Elandslaagte (The Glen of the Eland).—Small and now ever memorable village near Ladysmith. See vol. ii. p. 20.
Engineers.—The duties of this branch are so numerous, it is almost impossible to define them. They are required to be jack-of-all-trades, and masters of each. The construction of works and bridges, and of military buildings—the planning and direction of the attack and defence of a fortification, and a thousand and one other duties fall to their lot. The following lines by Rudyard Kipling form a summary of the Sappers’ accomplishments:—
“We lay down their sidings an’ help ’em entrain,
An’ we sweep up their mess through the bloomin’ campaign.
They send us in front with a fuse an’ a mine,
To blow up the gates that are rushed by the Line;
They send us behind with a pick an’ a spade,
To dig for the guns of a bullock-brigade....
Now the Line’s but a man with a gun in his hand,
An’ Cavalry’s only what horses can stand.
Artillery moves by the leave o’ the ground;
But we are the men that do something all round:
For we are her Majesty’s Royal Engineers,
With the rank and pay of a Sapper!”
Epaulment.—An earthwork thrown up to conceal and protect guns and gunners from the fire of the enemy.
Esprit de Corps.—It is described in James’ “Military Dictionary” as the “feeling of attachment a soldier has for his regiment, even to the point of thinking it the best in the army. It fosters goodwill and fellowship among officers and soldiers. It produces an emulous thirst after military glory. In fact, true esprit-de-corps creates such a feeling of enthusiasm and love for all that is honourable and noble, that an officer or soldier will be careful in his conduct to do nothing which would bring dishonour or reproach on his regiment.”