The Diamond Frontier (Simon Fonthill Series) by Wilcox John

Author:Wilcox, John [Wilcox, John]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: Headline
Published: 2010-12-09T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

Alice and Dunn rode into Middelburg with some apprehension. As they neared the outskirts, Alice’s fear that she had lost precious days and that Wolseley would have begun his advance became more intense. From the stern visage presented by Dunn as he rode beside her, it was obvious that the Natalian harboured his own concerns - had he done the right thing by throwing in his lot with this young woman? Was this the way to free his daughter? It was in silence, then, that they let their tired mounts pick their way along the rutted outer suburbs of this small farming town.

But as they neared the centre, it became clear that Alice’s concern at least was unfounded. The army’s presence was obvious: waggons and limbers being loaded with tents, cooking utensils and boxes of ammunition; platoons of British troops in scarlet serge and white helmets marching ‘at ease’ towards the centre; mounted colonials in brown serge with carbines in their saddle holsters trotting to and fro; and, everywhere, black levies carrying spears and, sometimes, rifles being drilled by pink-faced British non-commissioned officers, who screamed in frustration at the incompetence of their charges.

‘Gawd,’ murmured Dunn.

‘What?’

‘Your General has got himself a motley crew here, all right.’ He eased himself forward in the saddle and gestured towards the black troops. ‘He’s got all sorts. Look: there’s Swazis, Knobnoses, Mapock’s Kaffirs, blacks from Zoutpansberg . . . He must have promised ’em all the cattle and women in the Transvaal to get ’em to come and fight for him. Hasn’t he got enough redcoats of his own?’

Alice shrugged. ‘It’s the great colonial trick, Mr Dunn. We are a small country with a big empire. We don’t like big standing armies and we don’t have enough troops to go round. The idea is to get the people of the country you’ve colonised to soldier for you - to be indigenous policemen, if you like. The Romans started it, of course, and we have developed it to a fine art in India.’ She could not keep a note of disapproval from her voice, and Dunn shot her a sharp glance.

They reached what was obviously a central square, and Alice stopped a young subaltern to ask the way to the Commander-in-Chief’s headquarters.

He gave her a puzzled but approving smile. ‘Just opposite you, ma’am,’ and gestured with his cane towards a two-storeyed building on the edge of the square. A pennant fluttered from a flagstaff at its door.

‘Of course,’ smiled Alice. ‘How stupid of me. I see Sir Garnet’s standard now. Thank you.’

The officer was about to stride away when Alice leaned down from her saddle and put a hand on his shoulder. ‘Do tell me,’ she said, ‘what on earth are you wearing on your cap?’ She gestured to a small piece of animal fur attached to the front of his headwear.

‘Ah, that.’ The young man looked a trifle sheepish. ‘That, ma’am, is a meerkat’s tail. All of the officers on this campaign are wearing it.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.