It was impossible to carry him as the path was too narrow for
four people to walk beneath a stretcher. He was placed upon a donkey,
and supported with difficulty by a man at his side.
I was obliged to pile upon the fire a number of things that we could not
carry, including the large oaken stand of the astronomical telescope.
It was 7.30 A.M. before we started.
The troublesome cattle at once began to stray, and I immediately ordered
them to be abandoned. I felt certain that in the event of a general
attack they would have created great confusion, by probably rushing down
the line and overturning the men.
It was the greatest relief to be rid of the animals: thus we marched on
merrily at about two and a half miles an hour, through the usual narrow
path amidst gigantic grass (now about nine feet high) and thick forest.
In about an hour and a half we arrived at a descent, towards a bottom in
which there was a broad, open swamp, with a stream running through the
centre.
The advance-guard was not more than a hundred yards from the bottom, and
the line was descending the hill in close order, when a sudden uproar
broke out, as though all the demons of hell were let loose.
