e was a just one. I was a little surprised to
see so many, for the population of the Blue Mountains is never accredited
in books of geography as a large one. When I made inquiry as to how the
frontier guard was being for the time maintained, I was told:

"By the women mainly. But, all the same, we have also a male guard which
covers the whole frontier except that to seaward. Each man has with him
six women, so that the whole line is unbroken. Moreover, sir, you must
bear in mind that in the Blue Mountains our women are trained to arms as
well as our men--ay, and they could give a good account of themselves,
too, against any foe that should assail us. Our history shows what women
can do in defence. I tell you, the Turkish population would be bigger
to-day but for the women who on our frontier fought of old for defence of
their homes!"

"No wonder this nation has kept her freedom for a thousand years!" I
said.

At a signal given by the President of the National Council one of the
Divisions moved forwards. It was not an ordinary movement, but an
intense rush made with all the _elan_ and vigour of hardy and
highly-trained men. They came on, not merely at the double, but as if
delivering an attack. Handjar in hand, they rushed forward. I can only
compare their rush to an artillery charge or to an attack of massed
cavalry battalions. It was my fortune to see the former at Magenta and
the latter at Sadowa, so that I know what such illustration means. I may
also say that I saw the relief column which Roberts organized rush
through a town on its way to relieve Mafeking; and no one who had the
delight of seeing that inspiring progress of a flying army on their way
to relieve their comrades needs to be told what a rush of armed men can
be. With speed which was simply desperate they ran up the hill, and,
circling to the left, made a ring round the topmost plateau, where stood
the King. When the ring was complete, the stream went on lapping round
and round till the whole tally was exhausted. In the meantime another
Division had followed, its leader joining close behind the end of the
first. Then came another and another. An unbroken line circled and
circled round the hill in seeming endless array, till the whole slopes
were massed with moving men, dark in colour, and with countless
glittering points everywhere. When the whole of the Divisions had thus
surrounded the King, there was a moment's hush--a silence so