Still we marched on
through high forest and the interminable grass. My wife was dreadfully
fatigued. The constant marching in wet boots, which became filled with
sand when crossing the small streams and wading through muddy hollows,
had made her terribly foot-sore. She walked on with pain and difficulty.
I was sure that we had passed the village of Koki, which was surrounded
by much open ground and cultivation; and I now felt certain that the
broad road, which had been constructed to mislead us, had taken us by
the rear of Koki, which we had thus over-shot.
We were marching forward in perfect silence, when I heard a bird cry
"Co-co-me! Co-co-me"!
That instant the spears came among us, and the rifles replied as quick
as lightning!
The bugle of the advance-guard sounded "halt". I never liked to hear
that order, as something must have gone wrong.
I immediately walked forward, and found that Lieutenant Mohammed
Mustapha had been wounded. The spear had struck him just behind the
shoulderjoint of the left arm, and had passed over the blade-bone and
spine previous to making its exit by the right arm. This was a very
nasty wound, and he was bleeding profusely. I made a couple of pads,
and, placing one upon each hole, we bandaged him tightly.
I now went up to my poor old horse, "Zafteer". The unfortunate animal
was carrying a heavy load, and a large hunting spear had struck him just
behind the saddle. The weapon was so sharp and heavy, and had been
thrown with such force, that it had penetrated a double blanket, and had
not only passed clean through the horse's body, but had also cut through
a blanket-fold upon the other side.
A large portion of the bowels protruded, and were hanging a foot below
the horse's belly. The intestines were divided, thus death was certain.
As the old horse could still walk, and did not know its own danger, I
ordered the advance. I intended to halt at the first convenient point.
In about a quarter of an hour we saw increased light in the distance,
and we presently emerged upon a large open vale surrounded by forest.
This cheerful space extended over about ten acres, in the centre of
which was a well of good water, about fourteen feet deep, and so wide
that a man could descend by steps hewn out of the gravel. This was a
grand place for the halt.
My first duty was to remove the load, together with the saddle, from my
good old horse. I returned the bowels, and having placed a strong pad
over the wounds, I passed the roller round his body, and buckled it
tight over the pads.
This operation was hardly completed, when a severe shivering fit seized
the poor animal, and he fell to the ground to die.
With great sorrow I placed my pistol to the forehead of the faithful old
Zafteer, and he died, having carried and laid down his load, together
with his life, at the end of the day's march.
I was much distressed at this loss. It seemed that I was to lose all my
best and most faithful followers - the good Monsoor, whom to this hour I
regret as a brother; the ever-ready and true Howarti; Ferritch Baggara;
the unfortunate Ramadan, besides others who were very valuable; and now
my old horse was gone.
We slept that night by his body, and warmed ourselves by a fire that
consumed his load - for there was no one to carry it. My despatch-box
helped to cook our scanty dinner. We had marched sixteen miles.
My troops had behaved remarkably well. The scolding that I had given
them had produced a good effect. Very little ammunition had been
expended, and the firing had been exceedingly steady.
Although we had not been attacked at night, I never omitted the
precaution of a defence of strong thorns and branches of trees.
Had this march through a frightful route of forest and high grass been
made in the Bari tribe, we should not have had a night's rest.
We started at 6 A.M., with sunrise, on 18th June. The weather had been
fine since the first day of soaking rain on the start from Masindi: we
were thankful for this blessing, as there was no shelter for any one.
It would be fatiguing to narrate the incidents of the continual
ambuscades. Every day we were attacked, and the enemy was repulsed many
times. "Co-co-me! Co-co-me!" was now well understood by the troops; and
although we had men wounded, the enemy invariably got the worst of the
encounter. Up to the present we had been most fortunate in bringing on
all our people, but I was anxious lest some should receive wounds that
would actually incapacitate them from marching. Should a man be killed
outright, how much soever he might be regretted, still there was an end
of him; but there was no end to the difficulty of transporting wounded
men in our helpless condition, without carriers.
We had rather hot work during this day's march, and four soldiers had
been wounded by spears.
My wife was dreadfully tired, and sometimes the pace was too severe for
her. At length she was so fatigued that she declared she must rest, if
only for a few minutes. It was impossible to halt in the thick jungle
and grass; therefore, as I had observed a large grove of plantains on
the crest of the hill before us, I gave her my hand to assist in the
ascent, and we shortly entered the dark forest of bananas, which was, as
usual, clear and free from grass.
All the women were glad to rest, as the poor things were carrying heavy
loads.
