No One Would Have Suspected That The Entire Neighbourhood Was Occupied
By Sharpshooters, For A Distance Of Some Miles.
The wily Baris had
delighted in their leopard-like tactics, which had given them several
opportunities of inflicting loss upon the troops.
They now commenced
their daily occupation, and started in small but numerous parties from
their distant villages, for the purpose of waylaying any stragglers. The
sun rose, and with my telescope I observed natives about half a mile
distant on the other side of the river; sometimes these people
disappeared in the high dhurra; every now and then they reappeared; then
again they were lost to view. They were stealthily approaching for the
purpose of occupying their positions for concealment. These wily Baris
imagined that we were, as usual, keeping on the alert around the camp,
but they had no idea that the leopard was himself so near the hidden
snare.
Suddenly a puff of white smoke shot rip from the bright green grass on
the other side of the river-bed - then another, followed by the reports
of two rifles! I saw natives running at full speed to the left. Another
and another puff of smoke issued from a different quarter, as the
astonished Baris in their hasty retreat stumbled over the next
ambuscade. I now saw a native running like a deer, but chased like a
good deerhound by one of the "Forty Thieves." The native was so hard
pressed by this good runner, who was encumbered with clothes, rifle, and
ammunition, that he had been obliged to throw away his bow and arrows,
together with his lance.
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