In Cornwall and Across the Sea With Poems Written in Devonshire. By Douglas B. W. Sladen |
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 | In Cornwall and Across the Sea |  |
A LETTER FROM GORDON.
[Dated Sept. 9th 1884—quoted in the Despatch from
Lord Wolseley to Sir E. Baring, dated Nov. 29th
1884.]
Dated the ninth of September—Khartoum—
A letter from Gordon—what had he to say?
It reads like a presage of coming doom,
“While you are all feasting and sleeping away,
With us it is nothing but watch and fight,
Both soldiers and servants, by day and night.”
A letter from Gordon—what had he to say?
It reads like a presage of coming doom,
“While you are all feasting and sleeping away,
With us it is nothing but watch and fight,
Both soldiers and servants, by day and night.”
“Yes! we can hold out four months—and then?
‘Why our hearts are weary with this delay:’
How many times have we written for men?
How many times have ye—not said nay,
But thought not of answer to those who fight
For Egypt—aye England—by day and night.
‘Why our hearts are weary with this delay:’
How many times have we written for men?
How many times have ye—not said nay,
But thought not of answer to those who fight
For Egypt—aye England—by day and night.
244
“A handful of English,—and war will cease,
The Arab return to his tents again,
And the fellah from here to the sea have peace;
If you send them not now, you must send them then:
A handful of English—without delay—
O ye who are feasting and sleeping all day.”
The Arab return to his tents again,
And the fellah from here to the sea have peace;
If you send them not now, you must send them then:
A handful of English—without delay—
O ye who are feasting and sleeping all day.”
| In Cornwall and Across the Sea | |