waterfall,' and the boy jumped down to take command, while the two cars
ploughed on slowly through the sea of humanity.
'There's no fight left in them,' said Jake, looking down into the
dispirited brown faces, running with rainwater and shivering in the
cold.
'They'll fight,' answered Gareth, and he nudged the Ras.
'What do you say, Grandpa?' The Ras grinned a weary toothless grin,
but his wet clothing clung to the gaunt old frame like the rags of a
scarecrow, as Jake brought the car round the slippery, glassy hairpin
bend below the first waterfall.
'Pull in here,' Gareth told him, and then scrambled down beside the
hull, drawing the Ras down with him.
'Thanks, old son.' He looked up at Jake. 'Take the cars up to
Sardi, and get rid of these-' He indicated the sorry cargo of
wounded.
'Try and find a suitable building for a hospital. Leave that to Vicky
it'll keep her out of mischief.
Either that or we'll have to tie her up--2 he grinned, and then was
serious. 'Try and contact Lij Mikhael. Tell him the position here.
Tell him the Gallas have deserted and I'll be hard pressed to hold the
gorge another week. Tell him we need ammunition, guns,
medicine, blankets, food anything he can spare. Ask him to send a
train down to Sardi with supplies, and to take out the wounded.' He
paused, and thought for a moment. 'That's it, I think.
Do that and then come back, with all the food you can carry. I
think we left most of our supplies down there' he glanced down into the
misty depths of the gorge 'and these fellows won't fight on an empty
stomach.' Jake reversed the car and pulled back on to the track.
'Oh, and Jake, try and find a few cheroots. I lost my entire stock
down there. Can't fight without a whiff or two.' He grinned and
waved. 'Keep it warm, old son,' he called, and turned away to begin
stopping the trudging column of refugees, pushing them off the track
towards the prepared trenches that had been dug into the rocky sides of
the gorge, overlooking the double sweep of the track below them.
'Come along, chaps,' Gareth shouted cheerfully. 'Who's for a touch of
old glory!' ROM GENERAL BADOGLIO, COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE
AFRICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE BEFORE AMBA ARA DAM TO COLONEL COUNT ALDO
BELLI, OFFICER COMMANDING THE DANAKIL COLUMN AT THE WELLS OF CHALDI.
THE MOMENT FOR WHICH WE HAVE PLANNED IS
NOW AT HAND STOP I CONFRONT THE MAIN BODY OF THE ENEMY, AND HAVE
HAD THEM UNDER CONTINUOUS BOMBARDMENT FOR FIVE DAYS. AT DAWN
TOMORROW
I SHALL ATTACK IN FORCE AND DRIVE THEM FROM THE HIGH GROUND BACK
ALONG
THE DE SSI ROAD. DO YOU NOW ADVANCE WITH ALL DESPATCH TO TAKE UP A
POSITION ASTRIDE THE DESSIE ROAD AND STEM THE TIDE OF THE ENEMY's
RETREAT, SO THAT WE MAY TAKE THEM ON BOTH TINES OF THE PITCHFORK.
'forty thousand men lay upon Ambo Aradam, cowering in their trenches
and caves. They were the heart and spine of the Ethiopian armies, and
