Every day we were attacked, and the enemy was repulsed many
times. "Co-co-me! Co-co-me!" was now well understood by the troops; and
although we had men wounded, the enemy invariably got the worst of the
encounter. Up to the present we had been most fortunate in bringing on
all our people, but I was anxious lest some should receive wounds that
would actually incapacitate them from marching. Should a man be killed
outright, how much soever he might be regretted, still there was an end
of him; but there was no end to the difficulty of transporting wounded
men in our helpless condition, without carriers.
We had rather hot work during this day's march, and four soldiers had
been wounded by spears.
My wife was dreadfully tired, and sometimes the pace was too severe for
her. At length she was so fatigued that she declared she must rest, if
only for a few minutes. It was impossible to halt in the thick jungle
and grass; therefore, as I had observed a large grove of plantains on
the crest of the hill before us, I gave her my hand to assist in the
ascent, and we shortly entered the dark forest of bananas, which was, as
usual, clear and free from grass.
All the women were glad to rest, as the poor things were carrying heavy
loads.
