The sound of drums and horns was now heard throughout the country, as
the alarm spread rapidly from village to village. We could hear the
shouts of natives, and drums that were now sounding in the forest upon a
hill on our right. These people were evidently in possession of a path
unknown to us, which ran parallel to our route.
For seven hours the march continued with such frequent halts, owing to
the straying of the cattle, that we had only progressed the short
distance of ten miles, when, at 4.40 P.M., we entered the valley of Jon
Joke. We saw before us the hill covered with plantain groves where we
had slept when upon the march to Masindi.
The grass was very high, and the path hardly a foot wide, only
resembling a sheep run. Suddenly the advance-guard opened a hot fire,
and the bugle sounded "halt!"
A few paces in front of me, my favourite sailor and fisherman, Howarti,
was in the line, carrying a metal box upon his head. In addition to his
musket, which was slung across his shoulders, I had given him one of my
double breechloading pistols, which he carried in his belt.
The word was suddenly passed that "Howarti was speared!"
Lances now flew across the path, and the line opened fire into the grass
upon our right, according to orders.
I immediately went up to Howarti. I found him sitting upon the ground
by the side of his box, in the act of reloading his pistol with a Boxer
cartridge. A lance had struck him in the fleshy part of the right arm,
just below the point of junction with the shoulder, and, passing through
his body, it had protruded from his stomach. Upon feeling the wound,
Howarti had dropped his load, and drawing his pistol, he shot the native
dead, as he leapt from his ambush to recover the lance which was
sticking in the poor fellow's body.
Here was another of my best men sacrificed. Howarti had always been a
true, good man, and he had just exhibited his cool courage. He had
himself pulled the spear from his body.
My wife had followed me immediately upon hearing that Howarti was
injured. He had reloaded his pistol, but in reply to my question whether
he could sit upon a donkey, he fainted. I roughly bandaged him for the
present moment, and we laid him upon an angareb (stretcher-bedstead),
but the men were so heavily laden that it was difficult to find
supporters. Lieutenant Baker kindly took one end upon his shoulder, and
with the assistance of the guard, we carried him forward. The bugle
sounded the "advance."
Again the lances flew across the path, but a few shots with the sniders
cleared the way, and leaving the narrow route, we broke our way through
the tangled grass, and ascended the slope to the plantain forest. Here,
thank goodness, there was no grass. The bugle sounded "halt" in the
middle of the plantains.
Sentries having been posted, every man was now employed in felling the
tall plantain trees, and in arranging them to form a wall around the
camp.
One blow of a sharp, heavy sabre will cut through the stem, thus in a
short time, as we all worked, a clearing of about an acre was made, and
by sunset we had piled them so as to form a tolerable protection from
lances.
Throughout the day it had never ceased raining, thus every one was
soaking and miserable. Of course we had no tent, but some invaluable
mackintosh camp sheets. I had examined Howarti's wounds, which I knew
were mortal. The air as he breathed was rattling through the gash in his
stomach. I washed and bandaged him carefully, and gave him a dose of
brandy and laudanum.
No one had a drop of water to drink, neither did any one know the
direction of the well; but, as all were cold and wet through, no person
suffered from thirst. Fortunately, we had matches in a small silver case
that had resisted the damp; and after some difficulty and delay, fires
were blazing through the little bivouac, and the soldiers and women were
crouching round them.
We were comfortable that night, as we had beds to lie upon; but I felt
sure it would be for the last time, as it would be necessary to destroy
much luggage, the men being too heavily laden.
All was at length still; the soldiers, who were tired, went to sleep,
with the exception of the sentries, who were well on the alert.
As I lay on my bed, I thought of the morrow. I knew we should have a
trying time, as the whole country would now be thoroughly organized
against us. Our start from Masindi had taken them by surprise - thus we
had not met with much resistance; but to-morrow would be a fighting day,
and I made up my mind to leave the cattle to themselves, as it would be
simply impossible to drive them.
The night passed without an attack.
On the following morning, 15th June, poor Howarti was evidently about to
die, but the plucky fellow faintly said that he could ride a donkey if
assisted. It was impossible to carry him as the path was too narrow for
four people to walk beneath a stretcher. He was placed upon a donkey,
and supported with difficulty by a man at his side.
I was obliged to pile upon the fire a number of things that we could not
carry, including the large oaken stand of the astronomical telescope.
It was 7.30 A.M. before we started.
The troublesome cattle at once began to stray, and I immediately ordered
them to be abandoned.
