The river defended the east face: thus we were only
open on two sides, one of which was commanded by the camp of "The
Forty."
On 28th June it rained steadily during the night. The Baris considered
that our sentries would be under cover, or would most likely not expect
an attack; they therefore resolved to attempt a surprise. Their advanced
scouts approached warily in the dark, but long before they had reached
the sentries, they passed within a few feet of a party of guards
concealed behind a white-ant hill. A shot from a musket stretched one
Bari dead. The guards pounced upon another and seized him by the throat.
This was a native of Belinian; he was accordingly hanged on the
following morning to a tree in the pathway by which the Belinian Baris
arrived through the forest to attack the camp. This it was hoped would
be a warning that might deter others. (Throughout the expedition this
was the only native who was hanged. Neither was any native shot or
otherwise executed when taken prisoner, except a spy at Belinian.)
On 5th July the natives made an attempt on the cattle, and shot a sentry
with an arrow.
On 7th July the Baris attacked the camp during the night.
On 8th July I sent a company to take possession and to hold the island.
They met the natives; and Monsoor and Achmet Bash Choush had a narrow
escape from lances. The Baris lost three killed and two prisoners.
On that day the river rose four feet six, which was the highest flood
during the wet season.
On 10th July, at mid-day, several hundred Baris, having cautiously
approached the grazing cattle unobserved, made a sudden rush from the
bushes upon the guards, killing one soldier and wounding another. The
soldiers belonged to the line, and must have behaved badly, as the
musket and cartouche-box and belt were stolen and carried off from the
dead man. The shots from the guard immediately alarmed the camp. The
horses were saddled, and, attended by Lieutenant Baker, I rode hard in
pursuit. The natives had gained the forest and had scattered, but we
rode a red-painted savage to bay, who fought to the last, shooting two
arrows at me, which I avoided by dropping quickly on my horse's neck,
and a third arrow stuck deeply in Mr. Baker's saddle as he escaped the
well-aimed shot by spurring his horse across the line of sight. These
arrows were shot at a distance of a very few yards. The native was
killed.
On 12th July the Baris attempted to surprise both my station and the
camp at head-quarters.
On the 13th the natives repeated the attempt; but one was shot dead by
the sentry at Gondokoro; also another met the same fate at my station.
