第32部分(第1/7 页)

ual　defeats　they　have　sustained；　and　that　in　the　last　engagement；　when　poor　Sir　George　Colley　lost　his　life；　the　officers　had　the　greatest　difficulty　in　getting　their　men　to　stand。　Of　course；　as　everyone　says；　it　is　not　to　be　wondered　at。　Three　times　now　have　our　men　been　sent　out　in　small　bodies　to　face　double　their　numbers　and　have　simply　been　shot　down　like　sheep　without　being　able　to　make　any　effectual　resistance。　In　spite　of　the　Boers　being　rebels　one　cannot　help　admiring　the　way　in　which　they　are　conducting　this　affair。　Their　coolness　and　pluck　are　wonderful；　and　they　have　not　made　one　false　move　yet。　Add　to　this　the　fact　that　they　are　all　splendid　shots；　and　you　will　agree　that　it　is　no　mean　foe　with　whom　we　have　to　deal；　though　this　is　what　our　officers　and　men　would　not　at　first　believe。　Hence　these　sad　disasters。　Poor　Sir　George　Colley　has　paid　dearly　for　his　rashness；　but；　humanly　speaking；　it　was　far　better　for　him　to　die　as　he　did　fighting　bravely　at　the　head　of　his　men　than　to　live　with　a　lost　reputation。　Lost　it　decidedly　would　have　been；　for　popular　feeling　was　strong　against　him　even　before　this　last　affair。

And　now　for　a　few　words　about　ourselves。　。　。　。　The　farm　is　pretty　flourishing。　We　are　now　in　the　middle　of　haymaking；　and　the　lazy　Rider　is　routed　out　about　6　A。M。　every　fine　morning　to　go　and　cut。　He　looks　all　the　better　for　it；　in　fact　I　think　we　are　both　in　better　health　than　when　we　left　England。　We　have　lost　another　ostrich；　luckily　not　a　very　good　one；　but　the　other　birds　seem　to　be　doing　nicely　and　some　of　them　have　splendid　feathers　。　。　。　。

On　May　3；　1881；　I　wrote：

My　dearest　Mother；　—　。　。　。　I　do　not　know　how　to　thank　you　all　enough　for　the　loving　interest　you　have　all　shown　towards　us　in　our　trouble。　We　were　extreme