第31部分(第1/7 页)

e　refugees；　some　of　them　people　I　had　known　in　the　Transvaal；　who　came　with　their　tales　of　woe　and　ruin；　asking　for　shelter　which　we　were　unable　to　give。　Then；　to　our　dismay；　we　learned　that　on　the　very　day　of　our　arrival　Colley　had　moved　out　to　attack　the　Nek。

Two　days　later　we　heard　the　sound　of　firing；　and　getting　back　to　Hilldrop　I　received　the　following　note　from　Beaumont；　the　Resident　Magistrate　of　Newcastle；　who　was　an　old　friend　of　mine；　now　one　of　the　Natal　judges。

28_1_81。

I　am　sorry　to　say　the　troops　failed　this　morning　in　their　attack　on　the　“Nek”　and　had　to　retire　to　their　waggon　laager；　after　heavy　loss。　We　have　no　further　particulars。　I　do　not　think　that　Newcastle　is　in　any　danger。　The　signal　for　alarm　in　town　is　a　bell；　but　should　I　think　there　is　any　occasion　for　it　I　will　send　out　a　runner　to　warn　you。　I　wish　I　could　give　you　a　wele　under　better　circumstances；　but　we　must　make　the　best　of　things。　With　my　kindest　regards　to　Mrs。　Haggard；　upon　whom　I　hope　Mrs。　Beaumont　will　soon　be　able　to　call　。　。　。　。

W。　H。　Beaumont。

On　the　following　day；　January　30；　I　wrote　a　letter　to　my　father；　which　I　have　just　recovered　with　the　others。

You　will　see　from　the　address　that　we　have　reached　this　in　safety　after　a　rather　difficult　journey　owing　to　the　villainous　state　of　the　roads。　Old　Gibbs　shot　straight　out　of　the　carriage　twice　but　came　to　no　harm。　Louie　is　well　and　expressed　herself　very　pleased　with　the　place。　。　。　。　We　have　e　out　in　very　troublous　times。　When　for　various　reasons　we　made　up　our　minds　to　e　up…country；　Newcastle　was　looked　upon　as　one　of　the　safest　places　in　the　Colony；　owing　to　the　large　body　of　troops　concentrated　there。　Nobody　dreamed　that　Sir　George　Colley　could　be　mad　enough　to　try　and　force　the　passe