 | Ballads of the War |  |
67
Another Philip Sydney
Colenso
Our selfless heroes are not dead,
The nation is at heart as one,
And wheresoe'er brave blood is shed,
We see the untarnished golden thread
First wove by Sydney's noble son.
The nation is at heart as one,
And wheresoe'er brave blood is shed,
We see the untarnished golden thread
First wove by Sydney's noble son.
Hodge here at home is simple hind,
Hodge found in war is of king's breed;
Deep down within his soldier mind
Is set the will to help his kind,
Even unto death, at comrade's need.
Hodge found in war is of king's breed;
Deep down within his soldier mind
Is set the will to help his kind,
Even unto death, at comrade's need.
And I, a surgeon in the glare
Of that ill-starred Colenso day,
There, on the ground, blood-drenched and bare
Was sudden of a true knight 'ware,
Who gave his life the royal way.
Of that ill-starred Colenso day,
There, on the ground, blood-drenched and bare
Was sudden of a true knight 'ware,
Who gave his life the royal way.
68
Shot thro' the body, and in pain
He writhed, his lips too parched to speak.
I knew a surgeon's help was vain,
Too long untended had he lain;
His breath came swift, his pulse was weak.
He writhed, his lips too parched to speak.
I knew a surgeon's help was vain,
Too long untended had he lain;
His breath came swift, his pulse was weak.
A water bearer by me ran,
I cried aloud, “for God's dear grace
Give succour to a dying man!”
He stooped to bring his water-can
Full front before the fevered face.
I cried aloud, “for God's dear grace
Give succour to a dying man!”
He stooped to bring his water-can
Full front before the fevered face.
A clenched fist waved the can away,
The sun-baked lips, nigh black with thirst,
Moved, and I heard him slowly say:
“Others will need it more to-day,
My mate must feel its comfort first.
The sun-baked lips, nigh black with thirst,
Moved, and I heard him slowly say:
“Others will need it more to-day,
My mate must feel its comfort first.
“Worse hit than I, he needs it more,
Tell him my share I gladly give,
I shall not last beyond the roar
Of battle, thirst will soon be o'er;
Bid him drink deep, thank God, and live.”
Tell him my share I gladly give,
I shall not last beyond the roar
Of battle, thirst will soon be o'er;
Bid him drink deep, thank God, and live.”
He drank and lives;—the other died,
His thirst unquenched—to save a friend;
His bones Colenso's kopjes hide,
But he who waved that cup aside
Saw Christ smile on him ere the end.
His thirst unquenched—to save a friend;
69
But he who waved that cup aside
Saw Christ smile on him ere the end.
Note.—The following little story is told by Mr. Frederick Treves, the well-known surgeon, in a letter he has sent to the British Medical Journal, detailing the battle of Colenso: “On all sides there is evidence that our soldiers behaved splendidly on the field, and I can say that when brought back wounded they were plucky, patient, and uncomplaining. Their unselfishness was many times very marked. An orderly was bringing some water to a wounded man lying on the ground near me. He was shot through the abdomen, and he could hardly speak owing to the dryness of his mouth, but he said, ‘Take it to my pal first; he is worse hit than me.’ This generous lad died next morning, but his pal got through and is doing well.”
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