This open space was well adapted for the exercise of a company of
troops. I therefore ordered the men on parade, and I accompanied them
myself together with Lieutenant Baker.
The band played, as usual, at the head of the company, and we marched
through the town to the open square.
Here the troops were put through their musketry drill, and commenced
various evolutions.
To my astonishment, I saw the natives hurrying off in all directions. I
was perfectly unarmed, as were also the officers (excepting their side
arms) and Lieutenant Baker.
Almost immediately the huge war-drum sounded in the house of Kabba Rega,
and the dull hollow notes continued to beat the alarm!
In less than ten minutes, horns were blowing and drums were beating in
all directions, and with extraordinary rapidity, some five or six
thousand men came pouring down from every quarter, fully armed with
spears and shields, in a state of frantic excitement, and at once
surrounded the troops. Fresh bands of natives, all of whom were in their
costume of war, continued to concentrate from every side. The crowd of
warriors leapt and gesticulated around my little company of men as
though about to attack.
I immediately gave the order to form a square with fixed bayonets. This
manoeuvre puzzled the natives extremely.
They danced around the square, within a few feet of the glistening row
of bayonet-points, which were lowered so as to form an impenetrable
fence.
The officers were of course inside the square. I gave the men strict
orders not to fire under any provocation, unless I gave the word of
command, and attended by Lieutenant Baker and Monsoor, the latter with
his sword drawn, I left the square, and walked into the middle of the
crowd, towards the three chiefs, Rahonka, Kittakara, and Matonse, who
were all standing with lances in their hands, and apparently prepared
for action.
Although the situation was full of meaning, I thought the best policy
was to appear amused. At this moment Monsoor struck up with his sword, a
lance, which one of the frantic warriors, in the midst of his wild
gesticulations, had advanced within a few inches of my back.
The interpreters (many of whom I knew well) were all armed with muskets,
and the bonosoora were dressed in their usual fantastic manner when
prepared for war; a considerable number were provided with guns.
The slightest accident would have caused a general outbreak of
hostilities. I had eighty men on the ground; the remainder of the force
were at the station, about three hundred yards distant, where Lady
Baker, and all stores and ammunition, would have been in extreme danger,
had an attack become general.
