I explained to them the difficulty of fighting against an enemy whose
tactics would not permit a battle; at the same time, I should now
operate against them somewhat upon their own principle; by establishing
a series of sharpshooters who should occupy the neighbourhood, and
render it impossible for the Baris to remain in the country.
My corps was now complete, as I had brought up those who had remained at
Gondokoro; I had thus forty-eight officers and men. To this force I now
added fifty selected men from the line, and marched them away from camp.
Upon arrival at the broad bed of the river, I explained to them the
plan. The natives generally approached unperceived by means of this
winding trench, which entirely concealed them. The banks of this river
were in most places nearly perpendicular, and were about nine feet deep.
The river was about sixty or seventy paces broad, and was nearly dry, as
a very shallow stream flowed through the centre of its bed.
If the high banks were occupied for a distance of several miles by small
parties of sharpshooters concealed in high dhurra, or behind an
ant-hill, or crouched in high grass or bush, or in anything that would
serve as a protection, it would be impossible for the Baris to approach
by the favourite river-bed, without being exposed to a deadly fire from
the long line of sentries.
