Having given up all hopes of blowing
up the bridge, Chris and his comrades turned their whole attention to the
lines of waggons. The train that had come in on the previous evening had
added to the number, although it had taken some of them away with it up
country. They now made out that there were eight waggons piled with cases,
that almost certainly contained rifles; six with tarpaulins closely packed
over them, and these they guessed contained ammunition boxes; four, each
with two large cases that might contain field guns; while the two with what
they were sure were big guns still remained on the siding.
"I should say that about four or
five pounds of dynamite would be an abundance for each of those ammunition
waggons; less than that would do, as we could, by slitting the tarpaulins,
put a pound among the cases, and if one case were exploded it would set all
the others off. There is no trouble about them. I will just take a note.
They are on the second siding; there are eight other waggons in front of
them and six behind, so we cannot make any mistake about that. There must be
a good heavy charge under the rifle trucks, for we shall have to blow them
all well into the air to bend and damage them enough to be altogether
unserviceable. As for the guns, and especially the heavy ones, it is a
difficult question. Of course, if we could open the cases and get at the
breech-pieces, and put dynamite among them, we could damage all the
mechanism so much that the guns would be useless until new breech-pieces
were made, which I fancy must be altogether beyond the Boers; but as there
is no possibility of opening them, we must trust to blowing the guns so high
in the air that they will be too much damaged for use by the explosion and
fall. We have got altogether two hundredweight; now two pounds to each
ammunition waggon will take twelve pounds. What shall we say for the
rifles?"
"Ten pounds," Brown suggested.
"That would take eighty more
pounds," Willesden objected, "which would make a big hole in our stores."
"We must have a good charge," Chris
said. "Suppose we say nine pounds to each, that will save eight pounds;
fifteen pounds apiece ought to give the eight cases which we suppose hold
field-guns a good hoist; that will leave us with over a hundred pounds,
fifty for each of the big guns. Now that we have seen all that is necessary,
we may as well be off and begin to get ready."
The covers were taken off the boxes
of dynamite, and these were unscrewed, and the explosive was with great care
divided into the portions as agreed upon. Two of the cases furnished just
sufficient for the ammunition waggons and the two big guns, the other two
for the smaller cannon and the trucks with the rifles. The charges were sewn
up in pieces of the canvas, the smaller charges for the ammunition boxes
being enclosed in thinner stuff that had been sewn under the canvas used in
packing; the fuses and detonators were then cut and inserted. Chris was
perfectly up in this work, having performed the operation scores of times in
the mines. The length it should burn was only decided after a discussion.
There would be in all nineteen
charges to explode, and these were in three groups at some little distance
from each other, all the cannon being on the same siding. It would be
necessary, perhaps, to wait for some time till all these were free from
observation by natives or others who might be moving about the yard, then a
signal must be given that they could all see. It would not take long to
light the fuses, for each of them would be provided with a slow match, which
burns with but a spark, and could be held under a hat or an inverted tin cup
till the time came for using it. The question was how far must they be away
to ensure their own safety, and Chris maintained that at least four or five
hundred yards would be necessary to place them in even comparative safety
from the rain of fragments that would fall over a wide area. Finally it was
agreed to cut the fuses to a length to burn four minutes; this would allow a
minute for any hitch that might occur in lighting them, and three minutes to
burn. It was of course important that they should be no longer than was
absolutely necessary, as there existed a certain risk that one of the little
sparks might be seen by a passing Kaffir, or, as was still more probable,
the smell of burning powder should attract attention. It was agreed that
Chris should light the fuses at the cannon, which were farthest from the
others, that Peters should see to the six rifle trucks, and Willesden and
Brown attend the eight trucks with the ammunition, one to begin at each end
of the line.
When each had finished his work, he
was to run straight away in the direction of the encampment, and all were to
throw themselves down when they felt sure that the time for the explosions
had arrived. As soon as all was over they were to meet at their place of
encampment. Tents and all stores were to be removed before the work began to
the ravine where the horses were, the men with them being charged to stand
at the animals' heads, as there would be a great explosion, and the horses
might break loose and stampede. The matter that puzzled them the most was
how, when they reached their respective stations--separated from each other
by lines of waggons, and in some cases by distances of a couple of hundred
yards--they were to know when the work of lighting the fuses was to begin.
It could not be done by sound, for this would reach the ears of any awake in
the yard or the sentries at the bridge. Chris at last suggested a plan.
"When we start, Jack shall be
stationed at a point on the hillside high enough for us to see him from all
points of the yard. We will show him the exact spot while it is light. When
we start he shall go down with us to the edge of the yard, and as we
separate will turn and go up to the point we had shown him. He will be
ordered to walk up quietly, and not to hurry; that will give us ample time
to get to our stations before he reaches his. We must all keep our eyes
fixed on that point. He will take the dark lantern with him; when he gets
there he must turn the shade off, so as to show the light for a quarter of a
minute. That will be our signal to begin. It is most unlikely that anyone
else will see it, but even if they did they would simply stare in that
direction and wonder what it was. Of course, only a flash would be safer;
but some of us might not see it, and would remain waiting for it until the
other explosions took place."
All agreed that this would be a very
good plan. Chris crawled up with Jack until he reached a spot where he
commanded a perfect view of the yard, and explained to him exactly what he
was to do. He had already been told what was going to take place. Knowing
that the Kaffirs have very little idea of time, he said: "You will hold it
open while you say slowly like this, 'I am showing the light, baas, and I
hope that you can all see it.' You will say that over twice and then turn
off the light, and lie down under that big rock till you hear the explosion.
Wait a little, for stones and fragments will come tumbling down. When they
have stopped doing so make your way straight to where the horses are; you
will find us there before you. Now, repeat over to me the words you are to
say slowly twice."
Jack did so, and finding on
questioning him that he perfectly understood what he was to do, Chris went
back with him to the encampment, where they remained quietly until the sun
set and darkness came on. Then, according to arrangement, the four natives
came in and carried all the things back to the ravine, and laid them down
ready to pack the horses as soon as their masters returned.
The day passed slowly to the lads.
All were in a state of suppressed excitement, an excitement vastly greater
than they had felt during their two fights with the Boers.
"How they will wonder who did it
when they hear the news down in Natal!" Peters said.
"I don't expect they will hear much
about it," Chris said. "You may be sure the Boers will not say much; they
make a big brag over every success, but they won't care to publish such a
thing as this. Probably their papers will only say: 'An explosion of a
trifling nature occurred on the Portuguese side of Komati-poort. Some
barrels of powder exploded; it is unknown whether it was the result of
accident or the work of spies. Due precaution will be taken to prevent the
recurrence of the accident. Beyond a few natives employed at the station, no
one was hurt.'"
The others laughed. "I suppose that
will be about it, Chris. However, I have no doubt that that commando from
Barberton will keep a very sharp look-out for us as we go back."
"Yes, but they won't catch us. We
won't venture into Swaziland again, but will make our way down on the
Portuguese side, following the railway till we are fairly beyond the
mountain range. We can ride fast now that we have got rid of the dynamite.
It will be some time before they get the news about what has happened here,
for the telegraph wires are sure to be broken and the instruments smashed. I
really think that our best way will be to ride straight down to Lorenzo
Marques. When we get there we can very well state that we had been ordered
to leave Johannesburg, and that, as the trains are so slow and so crowded
with fugitives, we had ridden down. I don't suppose that we shall attract
the least notice, for we know that a great many of those who had intended to
stay have been ordered off. That way we shall get back to Natal in a few
days and avoid all danger." The others agreed that this would be a capital
plan; and the distance by the road, which they had crossed a few miles to
the south, and which runs from Lorenzo Marques up to Ladysdorp and the
Murchison and Klein Lemba gold-fields, would not be above seventy miles.
They would wait till daybreak showed them the amount of damage that had been
done, and then start, and would be down at Lorenzo Marques in the evening,
when, even if the news of the explosion reached the town, the Boers'
suspicions that some Englishmen were in the hills, and that it was probably
their work, would not be known. Not until ten o'clock was a move made. Then
they took up the packages of dynamite, and, accompanied by Jack, made their
way noiselessly down to the railway yard.
Here they separated. Chris, aided by
Jack, carried the big packets for the large guns and for the eight smaller
ones. They met no one about, and depositing their packages in the right
position under them--the fuses had been already inserted--they returned to
the spot they had left. In a minute or two they were joined by the others.
Peters had placed his parcels under the eight trucks with rifles; Willesden
and Brown had cut holes in the tarpaulins of the ammunition trucks, and
thrust down their charges well among the boxes. All was ready. While the
others stood closely round him Jack opened the lantern just widely enough
for them to light their slow matches.
"Now, you are not to hurry back to
the place, Jack; we shall all be on the look-out for you by the time you get
there. You know your instructions; you are to turn round, open the slide of
the lantern, say the words I told you over twice slowly, then shut the
lantern and get under that great boulder lying against the rock. You will be
perfectly safe in there."
"I understand, baas," he said, and
at once turned and went off. The others hurried to their respective posts,
and then turned round and gazed at the spot where the light would be shown.
In their anxiety and excitement the time seemed interminable, and each began
to think that the native had somehow blundered; at last the light appeared,
and they turned at once to their work. Half a minute sufficed to light the
fuses, and then they hurried away cautiously until past all the waggons, and
then at full speed along the hillside, their thickly-padded shoes making no
noise upon the rocks. Knowing that they were sure to be confused as to the
time, they had calculated before the sun had set how far they could run in
three minutes, which should be, if all went well, the time they would have
after leaving the yard. They thought that even on the rough ground, and in
the dark, they could make a hundred and fifty yards a minute, and at about
four hundred and fifty from the waggons there was a low ridge of rock behind
which they would obtain protection from all fragments blown directly
outwards.
Chris was the first to arrive, for
the trucks with the cannon were those farthest away from the bridge, and he
was able to run for some distance along the line before making for the
elope, and therefore travelled faster than his companions, who had farther
to run on broken ground. In half a minute they rushed up almost together.
"Throw yourselves down," Chris
shouted; "we shall have it directly."
Twenty seconds later there was a
tremendous roar and a blinding crash, and they felt the ground shake. Almost
simultaneously came eight others, then in quick succession followed six
other reports, and mingled with these a confused roar of innumerable shots
blended together. There was a momentary pause, and then a deafening clatter
as rifles, fragments of iron and wood came falling down over a wide area.
Several fell close to where the lads were crouched against the rock, but
none touched them. For a full half-minute the fragments continued to fall,
then the boys stood up and looked round. It was too dark to see more than
that the yard was a chaos; the long lines of waggons, the huts and
buildings, had all disappeared; loud shouts could be heard from the other
side of the bridge, but nearer to them everything was silent. There was no
doubt that the success of the attempt was complete, and the lads walked back
quietly until they were at the spot where the horses had been placed, Jack
overtaking them just as they reached it.
"It was terrible, baas," he said in
an awed voice. "Jack thought his life was gone. Things fell on the rock but
could not break it."
"Nothing short of one of those big
cannon would have done that, Jack. Well, we shall see in the morning what
damage is done."
The four natives, although they had
been warned, were still terribly frightened. The horses had at the first
crash broken away and run up the ravine, but they had just brought them down
again, still trembling and lathering with fear. For some minutes the boys
patted and soothed them, and accustomed to their voices and caresses they
gradually quieted down, but were very restless until day began to break. The
boys had no thought of sleep. The lamp was lit and tea made, and each of the
Kaffirs was given a glass of spirits and water, for they had brought up a
bottle with them in case of illness or any special need; and it was evident
from their chattering teeth and broken speech that the natives needed a
stimulant badly. Before it became light the horses were saddled, and the
five natives told to take them along the hill a mile farther. When they had
seen them off the lads returned to their former post above the station. They
had several times, when they looked out during the night, seen a great light
in that direction, and had no doubt that some of the fallen huts had caught
fire.
[Illustration: "THERE WAS A
TREMENDOUS ROAR AND A BLINDING CRASH."]
Prepared as they were for a scene of
destruction, the reality far exceeded their expectations. All the waggons
within a considerable distance of the explosions were smashed into
fragments, their wheels broken and the axles twisted. The ammunition trucks
had disappeared, and many close to them had been completely shattered. Those
in which the muskets had been were a mere heap of fragments; the rest of the
trucks lay, some with their sides blown in, others comparatively uninjured.
Some were piled on the top of others three or four deep; their contents were
scattered over the whole yard. Boxes and cases were burst open, and their
contents--including large quantities of tea, sugar, tinned provisions in
vast quantities, and other stores--ruined.
Some still smoking brands showed
where the huts had stood, and the dead bodies of some twenty natives and
several Portuguese officials, were scattered here and there. The bodies of
eight Boers were laid out together by the bridge, and forty or fifty men
were wandering aimlessly amid the ruins. A huge cannon stood upright nearly
in the centre of the yard. It had fallen on its muzzle, which had penetrated
some feet into the earth. They could not see where its fellow had fallen.
Five others, which looked like fifteen-pounders, were lying in different
directions, the other three had disappeared. Rifles twisted, bent, and
ruined were lying about everywhere.
"It is not as good as the bridge,"
Chris said after they had used their glasses for some time in silence, "but
it is a heavy blow for them, and I should think it will be a week before the
line can be cleared ready for traffic. Even when they begin they will feel
the loss of so much rolling-stock. There were five engines in the yard.
Every one of these has been upset, and will want a lot of repairs before it
is fit for anything again. I wish I had a kodak with me to take a dozen
snap-shots, it would be something worth showing when we get back. Well, we
may as well be moving. The Boers look as if they were stupefied at present,
but they will be waking up presently, and the sooner we start for Lorenzo
Marques the better."
Half an hour later they had mounted
and were on their way, travelling slowly till they came upon the road, and
then at a fast pace. Jack rode the spare horse, the other natives rode the
ponies in turn, those on foot keeping up without difficulty by laying a hand
on the saddles. Sometimes they trotted for two or three miles, and then went
at a walk for half an hour, and stopped altogether for four hours in the
heat of the day, for they were now getting on to low land, being only some
three hundred feet above the sea. They reached Lorenzo Marques at about nine
o'clock in the evening, and failing to find beds, for the town was full of
emigrants from the Transvaal, they camped in the open. In the morning they
sold the two ponies, and were fortunate in finding a steamer lying there
that would start the next day. Being very unwilling to part with their
horses they arranged for deck passages for them, taking their own risk of
injury to them in case of rough weather setting in. Every berth was already
engaged, but this mattered little to them, as they could sleep upon the
planks as well as on the ground.
They found that there was some
excitement in the town, as there was a report that there had been an
explosion and much damage done near Komati-poort. No particulars were,
however, known, as the railway officials maintained a strict silence as to
the affair. It was known, however, that the telegraphic communication with
the Transvaal was broken, and that three trains filled with Kaffir
labourers, and accompanied by a number of officials and a company of
soldiers, had gone up early that morning. Among the fugitives strong hopes
were expressed that the damage had been serious enough to interrupt the
traffic for some little time, and to cause serious inconvenience to the
Boers, and some even hazarded the hope that the bridge had suffered. This,
however, seemed unlikely in the extreme.
Fortunately the weather was fine on
the run down to Durban, and the passage of three hundred miles was effected
in twenty-four hours. It was now just a month since they had left
Maritzburg, and as soon as they landed with their horses and followers they
learned that much had taken place during that time.
They had started on the 10th of
November. The Boers were then steadily advancing, and so great did the
danger appear, that Durban had been strongly fortified by the blue jackets,
aided by Kaffir labour. On the 25th Sir Redvers Buller had arrived, and by
this time a considerable force was gathered at Estcourt. The British advance
began from that town on the following day. The place had been entirely cut
off, Boers occupying the whole country as far as the Mooi river. General
Hildyard, who commanded at Estcourt, had been obliged to inarch out several
times to keep them at a distance from the town, and one or two sharp
artillery engagements had taken place, the Boers being commanded by General
Joubert in person. They had always retired a short distance, but their
movements were so rapid that it was useless to follow; and the troops had
each time fallen back to Estcourt. On the 28th the Boers had blown up the
bridge across the Tugela, and our army was moving forward, and a great
battle was expected shortly. On landing Chris rode at once to the address
given by his mother, and found that she had sailed for Cape Town a week
before. Riding then to the railway, he found that the line was closed
altogether to passenger traffic, but that a train with some troops and a
strong detachment of sailors was going up that evening. Learning that a
naval officer was in command, as the military consisted only of small
parties of men who had been left behind, when their regiments left, to look
after and forward their stores, he went to him. He had, before landing,
donned his civilian suit.
"What can I do for you, sir?" the
officer, who was watching a party loading trucks with sheep, asked.
"My name is King, sir. I have just
returned from an expedition to Komati, I and three friends with me, and we
have succeeded in blowing up a large number of waggons containing a battery
of field artillery, two very heavy long guns, which, by the marks on the
case, came from Creusot, some eight or ten thousand rifles, and six
truck-loads of ammunition."
"The deuce you have!" the officer
said, looking with great surprise at the lad who told him this astonishing
tale. Then sharply he added: "Are you speaking the truth, sir? You will find
it the worse for you if you are not."
"What I say is perfectly true,"
Chris said quietly. "We only arrived an hour since from Lorenzo Marques.
This open letter from General Yule will show you that the party of boys of
whom I was the leader, have done some good service before now."
The officer opened and read the
letter. "I must beg your pardon for having doubted your word," he said, as
he handed it back. "After adventuring into a Boer camp, and giving so heavy
a lesson to a superior force of the enemy, I can quite imagine you capable
of carrying out the adventure you have just spoken of. Now, sir, what can I
do for you?"
"I have come to ask if you will
allow myself and my three friends to accompany you."
"That I will most certainly. And
indeed, as you have a report to make of this matter to General Buller, you
have a right to go on by the first military train. Is there anything else?"
"Yes, sir; I should be greatly
obliged if you will authorize the station-master to attach a carriage to the
train to take our five horses."
"I will go with you to him," the
officer said. "I can't say whether that can be managed or not."
The station-master at first said
that it was impossible, for his orders were for a certain number of
carriages and trucks, and with those orders from the commanding officer he
could not add to the number.
"But you might slip it on behind,
Mr. Station-master," the officer said. "There are four gentlemen going up
with a very important report to Sir Redvers Buller."
"I would do it willingly enough,"
the station-master said, "but the commanding officer is bound to be down
here with his staff, and he would notice the horses directly."
"They might be put in a closed van,
sir," Chris urged. "And as there are so many full of stores, it would
naturally be supposed that this was also loaded with them."
The official smiled. "Well, young
gentleman, I will do what I can for you. As the officer in command of the
train has consented, I can fall back upon his authority if there should be
any fuss about it. The train will start at eight this evening; you had
better have your horses here two hours before that. Entrain them on the
other side of the yard, and I will have the waggon attached to the train
quietly as soon as you have got them in. The general is not likely to be
down here till half an hour before the train starts, and it is certainly not
probable that he will count the number of carriages."
It was now half-past five, and Chris
joined his friends, who were waiting with the horses and Kaffirs near the
station. They had hardly expected him so soon, as they did not know that his
mother had left.
"Good news," he said. "There is a
through train going up this evening, and I have got permission for us and
the horses to go; but they must be put in a truck by half-past six, and we
may as well get them in at once. We still have our water-skins; the Kaffirs
had better get them filled at once, and a good supply of mealies for the
horses on the way; there is no saying how long we may be. Willesden, do you
run into a store and get a supply of bread and a cold ham for ourselves; a
good stock of bread for the Kaffirs, and a jar of water, and a hamper, with
a lock, containing two dozen bottles of beer, the mildest you can get, for
them. We are sure to get out for a few minutes at one of the stations, and
can then unlock the hamper and give them a bottle each. It would never do to
leave it to their mercy; they would drink it up in the first half-hour, and
then likely enough quarrel and fight. For ourselves, we will have a small
skin of water and, say, three bottles of whisky. The carriage is sure to be
full, and it will be acceptable in the heat of the day tomorrow. The
remainder of our supply of tea and so on, and the lamp and other things, had
better all go in with the horses, and everything we do not absolutely want
in the train with us; there will be little room enough. Get an extra kettle,
then we can not only make ourselves a cup of tea or cocoa on the road, but
give some to any friend we may make; besides, it is sure to come in useful
when we get to the front."
"I will see to all that."
"If you will, take Jack with you to
carry the things you buy."
"I had better take two of them; it
will be a good weight."
"Very well, take one of the Zulus;
the other can lead the spare horse, and likely enough we shall have some
trouble in getting them into the waggon."
That work, however, turned out more
easy than he had expected. The station-master pointed out the waggon that he
was to take, which was standing alone on one of the lines of rails. They all
set to work, and were not long in running it alongside an empty platform,
from which the horses were led into it without trouble, being by this time
accustomed to so many changes that they obeyed their masters' orders without
hesitation. They had, too, already made one railway journey, and had found
that it was not unpleasant. The station-master happened to catch sight of
them, and sent two of the porters to take the waggon across the various
points to the rear of the train, where it was coupled. The water-skins had
been filled and the horses given a good drink before entering the station,
and the stores, waterproofs, and other spare articles stowed with the
horses. The shutter was closed, and the Kaffirs told that on no account were
they to open it or show their faces until the train had left the station.
In a few minutes Willesden came up
with the two natives heavily laden. As soon as the stores and natives were
all safely packed away and the door of the van locked by one of the porters,
the lads went out and had a hearty meal at an hotel near the station. When
they returned a large number of soldiers and sailors were gathered on the
platform. Their baggage had already been stowed, and they were drawn up in
fours, facing the train, in readiness to enter when the word was given, the
officers standing and chatting in groups. The station was well lighted, as,
in addition to the ordinary gas-lamps, several powerful oil-lamps had been
hung up at short intervals. The naval men were in the front part of the
train, and on Chris walking up there the officer in command beckoned to him.
"I will take you in the carriage
with me, Mr. King. We want very much to hear your story, and there is plenty
of room for you. Your three companions will go in the next two compartments,
which will contain junior officers and midshipmen, and I am sure that they
too will be very welcome. Before we board the train I will get you all to go
and sit at the windows at the other side. If you will bring your friends up
I will introduce them to their messmates on the trip. As soon as we have all
entered, we shall be at the window saying good-by to our friends, and no one
will catch sight of you. It is just as well, for although I feel perfectly
justified in taking you on to make your report to the commander-in-chief, my
senior might fuss over it; and although he might let you go on, there would
be a lot of explanations and bother. Have you got your horses in?"
"Yes, sir; we were able to manage
that capitally."
"Then you had better bring your
comrades up at once, Mr. King, and I will introduce them to those they will
travel with." Chris brought up his three friends and introduced them to the
officer, who then took them to the group of youngsters.
"Gentlemen," he said, "these three
gentlemen will travel in your compartment. They have seen a great deal of
the war, and belong to one of the mounted volunteer corps. They have a
wonderful story to tell you, and I am sure you will be delighted with their
companionship. They will take their seats just before the men entrain. They
must occupy the seats near the farther window, and as you will no doubt all
be looking out on this side, they will probably not be noticed, which would
be all the better, as it is a little irregular my taking them up."
By this time a considerable number
of people were crowded in the station, friends of the officers and comrades
of the sailors, who looked enviously at those going forward, while they
themselves might possibly not get a chance of doing so. A quarter of an hour
later the officer said:
"I am going to give the order to
entrain. This is my compartment. You and your friends had better slip into
your places at once."
As soon as they had got in the order
was given, and with the regularity of a machine the three hundred men
entered the train. As soon as they had done so the officers took their
places. The crowd moved up on to the platform, and there was much shaking of
hands, cheering, and exhortations to do for the Boers. Suddenly there was a
backward movement on the part of the spectators, and the commanding naval
officer on the station, with several others and a group of military men,
came on to the platform. They were received by the officers in command of
the sailors and soldiers, and walked with them along the platform talking.
This was evidently a matter of ceremony only. The usual questions were put
as to the stores, and after standing and chatting for eight or ten minutes
the officers took their places in the train, the engine whistled, and the
train moved on, amid loud cheering both from those on the platform and the
men at the windows. As soon as they were fairly off, Chris's friend said:
"I have already introduced you to
these officers, Mr. King, but I have not told them any of your doings. I can
only say, gentlemen, that this young officer is in command of a section of
Volunteer Horse, and has done work that any of us might be proud indeed to
accomplish. The best introduction I can give him, before he begins to tell
his story, is by reading a letter with which General Yule has furnished
him."
