Neither the advance; nor rear-guard would carry any loads beyond their
knapsacks and a small bag of flour. Five of the sniders with me would
also be exempted from carrying loads; but every other soldier, and every
woman and boy, would carry either one of the metal boxes or some other
package.
I explained to the men that they would be attacked throughout the route
at a great disadvantage, but that success would depend upon the strict
observance of orders for the march combined with the utmost coolness.
Each man was to keep just near enough to be able to touch with his
outstretched hand the knapsack of the man before him, and upon no
account to widen this distance, but to keep the line intact. Should it
be broken by the sudden rush of the enemy, we should at once be lost.
Should the attack be made simultaneously on both sides, alternate files
would face to right and left, place their loads upon the ground, and
fire low down in the grass, as the natives always crouched after
throwing a spear from covert.
A bugler would accompany the colonel commanding the advance-guard, in
addition to buglers with myself and the rear-guard; thus we should be
able to communicate along the line, which would be concealed from view
by the high grass.
On arrival at water, and in crossing either swamps or streams, no man or
woman was to stop to drink unless the bugle of the advance-guard sounded
halt.
No woman would be allowed to speak during the march, as profound silence
must be observed.
The officers and men received their instructions, merely declaring that
wherever I should lead them, they would follow and obey.
I at once divided the effects that could be carried, into the requisite
number of loads, which were carefully packed in metal boxes by my wife
and her black maids. It was hard and anxious work. The strongest men
were selected to carry the boxes of snider cartridges, which weighed 64
lbs. each.
All the rest of the baggage I arranged in piles, and distributed in the
government divan and the various houses. I spread my large tent over the
luggage in the divan, and poured over it a quantity of nitrous ether,
spirits of wine, lamp-oil, spirits of turpentine, and all the contents
of the large medicine-chest.
I filled up my small chest, and took a good roll of adhesive plaster, a
number of bandages, and a packet of lint.
Upon the tent-cloth, rendered highly inflammable by the saturation of
spirits and oil, I laid about sixty rockets.
My two horses and three donkeys would be loaded with baggage.
I gave orders for the march early on the following morning. The
rear-guard was to set fire to the station; this was the sad result of
our industry and labour in a land of detestable savages.
CHAPTER XXII
THE MARCH TO RIONGA.
On the morning of the 14th of June, 1872, at 9.30, the advance-guard
filed along the gravel path, and halted at the extremity of the station
at Masindi. The line was complete, according to the orders for the
march. Not a word was spoken. A light, drizzling rain fell, and the sky
was a dull grey.
I looked back, and waited for the destruction of my favourite station.
In our little house we had left pictures of my own children, and
everything that was not absolutely necessary to our existence. Even the
Queen and the Princess of Wales were to perish in the conflagration,
together with much that was parted with in this moment of exigency.
The smoke now curled in thick, white folds from the government divan and
our own private house.
Lieutenant Baker's new house was ignited. O ne by one every hut was
fired. The rear-guard, having done their duty, closed up in the line of
march.
I did not give the word "Forward!" until the flames had shot up high in
the air, and the station was in the possession of the fire. At this
moment a loud report announced that all the rockets had exploded. The
advance-guard moved forward, and the march commenced.
We soon entered the high grass, which was reeking with the light rain,
and we were wet through in an instant.
My wife was walking close behind me with a quantity of spare ammunition
for the "Dutchman" in her breast. She had a Colt's revolver in her belt.
Lieutenant Baker was heavily loaded, as he carried a Purdy rifle slung
across his back, together with a large bag of ammunition, while he held
a double breechloader smooth-bore in his hand, with a bag of heavy
buckshot cartridges upon his shoulder.
Suleiman and Mohammed Haroon (our servants) were close by with my two
breechloading No. 8 elephant rifles. These carried picrate of potash
shells that were immensely powerful. Very little would have been left of
the body of a man had one of such shells struck him in the chest.
The cattle began to cause much trouble as soon as the march commenced,
and we slowly descended the knoll upon which the station stood, and in
single file entered the extremely narrow path which led down to a small
swamp.
Crossing the swamp, through deep mud, we arrived on firm ground, and
continued to march slowly, on account of the cattle. I felt sure they
would have to be abandoned. The cows strayed to the right and left, and
Morgian the Bari, and Abdullah Djoor the cook, who were the drovers,
were rushing about the grass in pursuit of refractory animals, that
would shortly end in being speared by the enemy.
We thus marched for about a mile before a hostile sound was heard. We
then distinguished the tumultuous voices of the natives in the rear, who
had been attracted to the station by the general conflagration.
