This had evidently been recently prepared, and there
could be no doubt that it was arranged as a snare that would lead us
into some powerful ambuscade. At the same time, the compass showed that
the broad path led in the right direction.
I halted the force, and went to the front to examine the road. There was
no other path. It was therefore incumbent upon us to keep to the broad
route, although we knew that it must lead us to a trap prepared for our
destruction.
It was like walking upon ice that was known to be unsafe. We advanced.
For about half an hour we marched without opposition. This was a longer
interval than usual to be free from an attack. At length we arrived
where the broad road suddenly terminated. The advance-guard halted.
We searched for a path, and at length discovered the original narrow
route a few paces to our left.
This had been purposely concealed by grass and boughs.
We had hardly entered this path when we were suddenly attacked. A
horsekeeper was wounded by a spear, which passed through his leg, behind
the knee, and cut the sinew, thus rendering him helpless. He was
immediately placed upon a donkey. The unfortunate lad who led the horse
a few paces before me now uttered a wild shriek, as a spear passed
completely through his body. The poor boy crept to me on his hands and
knees, and asked, "Shall I creep into the grass, Pacha?-where shall I
go?" He had not another minute to live.
A spear struck another horsekeeper on the hip, and the soft iron point
turned up against the bone in a curve like a fish-hook.
A sharp fire dispersed the enemy, who retired to a distance, yelling
and blowing their whistles. The wounded horsekeeper could manage to walk
forward.
There is a peculiar bird in the forests of Unyoro which utters a shrill
cry, with these notes.
The natives imitate this cry with their whistles of antelope's horn. I
had noticed that previous to an attack from an ambuscade, we had always
heard the call of this bird.
My Baris declared that the bird warned us of the danger, and cried,
"Co-co-me! Co-co-me!" which in their language means, "Look out! look
out!"
My soldiers said that the birds exclaimed, "Shat-mo-koor! Shat-mo-koor!"
which is the order, "Make ready;" They accordingly always brought their
rifles on full cock when they heard the signal.
There was something puzzling this day respecting the distance. According
to my calculation, we should leave reached Koki. Still we marched on
through high forest and the interminable grass. My wife was dreadfully
fatigued.
