CHAPTER FIFTEEN.
ATHLETICS--A NEW ACQUAINTANCE TURNS UP--AN EXPEDITION UNDERTAKEN,FOLLOWED BY A RACE FOR LIFE.
Energetic and exhilarating exercise has sometimes the effect of drivingaway sickness which doctors' stuff and treatment fail to cope withsuccessfully. In saying this we intend no slight either to doctors'stuff or treatment!
After the troops had been some time at Suakim the effect of the climatebegan to tell on them so severely that a very large proportion ofEuropeans were in hospital, and many who strove hard to brave it outwere scarcely fit for duty.
Great heat did not, however, interfere with Miles Milton's health. Hewas one of those fortunates who seem to have been made of tougher claythan the average of humanity. But his friend Armstrong was laid up fora considerable time. Even Robert Macleod was knocked over for a briefperiod, and the lively Corporal Flynn succumbed at last. Moses Pyne,however, stood the test of hard work and bad climate well, and so, for atime, did Sergeant Hardy. It was found generally that the abstainersfrom strong drink suffered less from bad health and unwholesomesurroundings than their fellows, and as there were a good many in theregiment, who were constantly endeavouring to convince their comrades ofthe advantages of total-abstinence, things were not so bad as they mighthave been.
It was about this time that one of the generals who visited Suakiminstituted athletic games, thereby vastly improving the health andspirits of the men. And now Miles Milton learned, for the first time,what an immense power there lies in "scientific training!"
One evening, when out walking with Stevenson, he took it into his headto race with him, and, having been a crack runner at school, he beat himeasily.
"Why, Miles," said his friend, when the short race was over, "I had noidea you could run so well. If you choose I will put you in trainingfor the coming sports. You must know that I have run and walked andcompeted in the track many a time at home, and have trained and broughtout runners, who had no notion of what was in them, till I proved it tothem by training. Will you go in for it, and promise to do as I bidyou?"
"I have no objection," replied Miles, with a light laugh.
If he had known what his friend intended to do he might not have agreedso readily, for, from that hour till the day of the sports, Stevensonmade him go through an amount of running--even after being made stiff byprevious runs--that he would never have agreed to undertake unlessforced to do so. We say _forced_, because our hero regarded a promiseonce given as sacred. His was a curiously compound nature, so thatwhile in some points of conduct he was lax--as we have seen--in othershe was very strict. He was peculiarly so in regard to promises. Hiscomrades soon came to know this, and ultimately came to consider him avery reliable man.
Having, then, promised his friend to keep sternly to his work, he didso, with the result that his strength increased wonderfully. Anotherresult was that he carried off the first prize in all the races.
In order to make the most of time and avoid the evils of noonday heat,it was arranged that the races, etcetera, for the Egyptian soldiers andnatives in Government employ should come off in the morning, and thatthe British troops should run in the later and cooler parts of the day.With the temperature at 120 degrees in the shade it would have beendangerous for Europeans to compete. The sports, including our familiarcricket, were greatly enjoyed, and the result was a decided improvementin the health of the whole force.
Boat-races were also included in these sports. At the conclusion of oneof these, Miles, to his great surprise, encountered his old acquaintanceof the _Sailors' Welcome_, big Jack Molloy.
"Why, Jack!" exclaimed Miles, as the hearty tar wrung his hand, "who'dhave expected to see _you_ here?"
"Ah, who indeed? an' I may say ditto."
"I'm _very_ glad to see you, Molloy, for, to say truth, I thought I hadseen the last of you when we parted in the troop-ship. I've oftenthought of you since, and of our first evening together in the--the--what was its name?"
"The _Sailors' Welcome_--man alive! I wonder you've forgot it.Blessin's on it! _I_ ain't likely to forget it. Why, it was there,(did I ever tell you?) the wery night arter I met you, that a messmatetook me to the big hall, back o' the readin'-room. It's no use metryin' fur to tell you all I heard in that there big hall, but when Icome out--blow'd if I didn't sign the pledge right away, an' I ain'ttook a drop o' grog since!"
"Glad to hear it, Jack, for, to say truth, I never saw the evil of grogso clearly as I have since coming out here and seeing strong stout mencast down by it in dozens,--many of them kind-hearted, right-thinkingmen, whom I would have thought safe from such a thing. Indeed I havemore than half a mind to join the Good Templars myself."
"Young man," said Molloy, sternly, "if it takes the death of dozens o'stout kind-hearted men to force you to make up half your mind, how manyd'ee want to die before you make up the whole of it?"
"But I said that my mind was _more_ than half made up," returned Miles,with a smile.
"Now lookee here," rejoined the sailor earnestly, "it's all wery wellfor milksops an' nincompoops and landlubbers to go in for half-an'-halfwork like that, but you're not the man I takes you for if you ain't gamefor more than that, so I ax you to promise me that you'll sign thepledge right off, as I did, first time you gits the chance."
"But you forget I'm only a landlubber who, according to you, is fit foronly half-an-half measures," said Miles, who, not being addicted to muchwine, felt disinclined to bind himself.
"No matter," returned the sailor, with deepening earnestness, "if you goin fur it you'll _never_ repent it! Take my word for that. Now, I axye to promise."
"Well, I _do_ promise--the very first time I get the chance; and thatwill be to-morrow night, for our new parson has started temperancemeetings, and he is a great teetotaller."
"An' you promise to stick to it?" added Molloy.
"When I give a promise I _always_ stick to it!" returned Miles gravely.
"Right you are, lad. Give us your flipper!"
The foregoing conversation took place at the harbour, a little apartfrom the noisy group of soldiers and sailors who were discussing thecircumstances of the recent boat-race.
Immediately after it Molloy returned to his ship in the harbour, and ourhero to his post in the line of defence.
One of those who had been conspicuous that day in arranging and startingthe races, acting as umpire at the cricket, and, generally, puttingheart and spirit into everything by his quiet good-nature andself-denying activity, was the young officer of Engineers, who has beenalready mentioned as the manager of the mines that were laid aroundSuakim. Poor fellow! little did he imagine that that was to be his lastday on earth!
Every morning, as before mentioned, this young officer went out alone toperform the dangerous work of disconnecting the mines, so that theinhabitants of the town might go out and in and move about during theday-time in safety. Again, a little before sunset every evening, hewent out and reconnected them, so that the enemy could not approach theplace without the risk of being blown to pieces. At the same time thegates were closed, and no one was allowed to leave or enter the town.
On this particular evening the lieutenant went out as usual on hisdangerous mission just after six o'clock. He had not been long gonewhen a loud explosion was heard, and a cloud of smoke was seen where oneof the mines had been laid down. A party at once sallied out, andfound, as they had feared, that the brave young fellow had perished. Hehad been literally blown to pieces, his head being found in one place,while other portions of his body were scattered around.
This melancholy incident cast a gloom over the whole place. The remainsof the heroic young engineer were buried next day with military honours.The garrison was not, however, left long in peace to think over his sadfate, for the very next night a determined attack was made all along theline. The annoying persistency of these attacks seemed to have stirredthe indignation of the general in command, for he ordered out a smallforce of cavalry to carry the war into the
enemy's country.
Critics say that this act was ill advised, and that the cavalry shouldnot have been despatched without the support of infantry. Critics arenot always or necessarily right. Indeed, we may venture to say thatthey are often wrong! We do not pretend to judge, but, be this as itmay, the cavalry was ordered to destroy the village of Handoub aboutfifteen miles inland on the caravan route to Berber, and to blow up theenemy's magazine there.
The force consisted of a troop of the 19th Hussars, and another ofEgyptian cavalry--about fifty men all told--under command of CaptainApthorp. Our intemperate friend Johnson was one of the little band. Hewas sober then, however, as he sat bolt upright on his powerful steed,with a very stern and grave visage, for he had a strong impression thatthe duty before them was no child's-play.
A four hours' ride brought them to the village. The few Arabs who dweltin it fled at once on their approach, and in a very short time the placewas effectually destroyed, along with a large quantity of ammunition.
But no sooner had the soldiers finished the work, and begun to preparefor their return, than they discovered that a large force of the enemywas assembling to cut off their retreat.
No time for thought after that! At least six thousand of the foe,having heard of the expedition, had crept down through the thick bushfrom the direction of Hasheen, thirsting for vengeance. Two miles onthe Suakim side of Handoub they formed a line and opened fire on theleading cavalry scouts.
Seeing that the Arabs were in such force, Captain Apthorp at once madefor their flank, in the direction of the sea-coast. At full speed, withhorses fatigued by a fifteen miles' journey, they had to ride for life.It was neck or nothing now! The Egyptian cavalry, under CaptainGregorie, and accompanied by Captain Stopford of the Grenadier Guardsand other officers, followed closely.
As they went along at racing speed, with more than a dozen miles ofwilderness to traverse, and death behind them, Private King of theHussars fell from his horse wounded. Captain Gregorie came up with him,stopped, and took the wounded man up behind him. It was a generous butdesperate act, for what could be expected of a double-weighted horse insuch a region and with such a race before it?
For about half a mile he carried the wounded trooper, who then swoonedand fell off, dragging the captain along with him, the freed horserejoining its troop, while the Arabs came yelling on not a hundred andfifty yards behind.
There would have been but little chance for Captain Gregorie at thatterrible crisis if self-denying courage equal to his own had not dweltin the breast of Private Baker of the Hussars. Seeing what hadoccurred, this hero coolly rode back, took the captain up behind him,(see frontispiece,) and, regaining his troop, enabled the latter tocapture and remount his own steed. Of course poor King--whether dead oralive they could not tell--had to be left to his fate.
Heroism would seem to feed upon itself and multiply, for this samePrivate Baker, soon afterwards, saw two more troopers, and shouted to acomrade to turn back with him to their rescue. The comrade, however,did not see his way to do so. Perchance he did not hear! Anyhow hegalloped on, but Captain Gregorie hearing the summons, at once answeredit, turned, and galloped back with Baker.
They were only just in time to take up and rescue the two men. At thesame time Captain Stopford performed a similar gallant act in rescuing adismounted trooper.
It is deeds of self-sacrifice and heroism such as these--not thestorming of a breach, or the fighting against overwhelming odds--thatbring out the noblest qualities of our soldiers, and arouse theadmiration of mankind!
The race for life was so close run that when the force at last reachedthe sea-shore it was little more than sixty yards in advance of the foe,and so exhausted were the horses that eight of them fell, and theirriders were captured--four being Englishmen and four Egyptians. It isright to add that one of the Egyptians also displayed conspicuouscourage in rescuing a comrade.
While these stirring incidents were taking place on the plain, Miles andsome of his comrades were seated on the roof of the redoubt, looking outanxiously for the return of the cavalry. At last, in the afternoon, acloud of dust was seen on the horizon, and the officers who had glassescould soon make out that the men appeared to be racing towards the townat full speed, while the enemy, on camels and horses, and on foot, wereracing down to the sea to cut off their retreat. No sooner was thisunderstood than our men rose with an uncontrollable burst, seized theirrifles, flung on ammunition-belts, and rushed out to the rescue,regardless for the moment of the officers shouting to them to come back.The news spread like wildfire, and the men ran out just as they were--some in white jackets, some in red, others in blue; many in theirshirts, with their sleeves rolled up; cavalry, artillery, marines,infantry--all going helter-skelter towards the enemy. Fortunately theysaw from the ships what was going on, and quickly got their guns tobear, so that the moment our men had escaped clear of the enemy theyopened fire. But for this more men would certainly have been lost, forthe overtaxed horses were beginning to give in and lose ground. Hadthey been a few minutes later in reaching the sea, it is probable thatnot a man of that force would have returned to Suakim.
As it was, the men came in pale and terribly fatigued. The horses couldscarcely walk, and two of them died on the following day.
Note.--Since the foregoing was written, we have learned, with profoundregret, that the gallant Captain Gregorie was killed by his horsefalling with him in 1886.