When awakened, he hastily dressed, buckled on his sword and revolver,
and taking a double-barrelled gun in his hand he endeavoured to follow
the troops, but mistook the direction, and lost his way in the dark.
We arrived at the open valley of Belinian at day-break, but native
scouts had already given the alarm of our approach. There were some
hundred villages situated in the vale and on the heights along the base
of the mountain; but at this season only the tops of the huts were
visible above the high dhurra, which was just ripened, although the
general harvest had not yet commenced.
There is no covert so much in favour of native warfare as the high
dhurra, which perfectly conceals their movements, at the same time that
it is easily passed through at speed.
The Bari drums were beating throughout the country, and their horns were
sounding in all directions. Clearing the way with skirmishers, we
marched along a good path for about four miles parallel with the base of
the mountain, until we arrived at a plain or bottom, which bore the
marks of cattle-hoofs in great numbers. This spot was about thirteen
miles from head-quarters at Gondokoro.
There was no dhurra cultivation on the right, near the base of the
mountain, as the soil was poor and sandy: we thus had a clear view of
the country. The cattle had been driven off, and we were only in time to
see them disappearing over the distant high ground. The natives had
collected in large numbers, and seemed disposed to dispute the advance
of the troops.
The ground was perfectly clean, as the cattle had fed off the grass
until it was as smooth as a garden lawn. From the position we occupied,
the country inclined upwards towards the base of the mountain, about a
mile and a half distant; this interval abounded in villages, all of
which were defended by stockades. At the base of the mountain were
broken hills, composed of huge granite rocks, the foundations of
mountains that had long since decayed. Upon all these strong positions
were the usual stockaded villages.
I ordered the troops to extend in two lines, supported by a reserve with
the field-piece and rocket-trough. With the "Forty Thieves" in the
front, we advanced along the plain towards the mountain.
The Baris now opened fire upon us from their villages, from which they
were driven in succession, until no enemy remained to oppose us except
those upon the high ground.
Our right was now protected by an exceedingly deep ravine, which was a
watercourse cut by the torrents from the mountain.
