Family of the Empire by Sheelagh Kelly

Author:Sheelagh Kelly
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Canelo Books
Published: 2017-08-14T04:00:00+00:00

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The punishment was to continue for the best part of a week, during which Boney, having grown footsore, was to spend as much time in the saddle as his master. Striking out at daybreak, following the route of the twinkling heliograph, making camp to the whirring of crickets and the eerie call of a night bird, they pursued their goal over parched open veld, dry and stony river beds, under scorching sun and freezing nights. The oxen became ever weaker due to lack of water; consequently the troops were permitted to outspan more often, which was of vast relief to Greatrix whose muscles were only now becoming attuned to the torture.

Alas, when one torment ceased another began, this one shared by all. The rains broke. From being parched the veld suddenly became a quagmire, wagons, oxen and horses all becoming bogged down in the waterlogged sand and delaying the column to a chronic pace. At least, opined Greatrix, rain dripping from his pith helmet, they could be glad of one thing: the twinkling star of the north no longer beckoned, the heliograph being ineffective in cloudy weather. With no idea of how much further there was to go they could just settle down and get on with things at their own pace.

But the instant the sun came out to mop up the deluge the major was urging them on again.

New life began to burst its way through the yellow matted grass, the veld slowly turning a brilliant green. As difficult to manoeuvre as the rains had made it, they had also brought benefit in that the water wagons were constantly full and there was now no need to scrabble about to win a capful of water from a dried-up hole.

On the eighth day after starting out they reached Gaberones, a big kraal with many hundreds of inhabitants. They had come just over eighty miles.

Told of this and congratulated by Probyn for his endurance, Greatrix admitted that he was rather pleased with himself. ‘You know, I’d never have envisaged a week ago, that I’d grow so used to life in the saddle.’

‘See, it’s as I told you,’ replied Probyn. ‘You come to regard the horse as a mere extension of yourself, don’t you?’

Greatrix readily agreed. ‘Aye. Like a huge wart on your arse.’

Forced to laugh, Probyn admitted that he too was relieved to be stopping here for a couple of nights, especially as they had been received with much hospitality from the natives.

The headman sent enough sheep to the camp to provide a delicious meal for all plus other offerings in beautifully woven baskets, though there was no alcohol, for the King of Bechuanaland strictly forbade its sale even amongst white men.

They were to receive other visitors besides the natives. A missionary couple named Gower and their son and daughter were to join the column when it resumed its quest for Bulawayo. The arrival of a young white woman caused quite a stir amongst the soldiers, all eager to

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