The Wanyoro, As They Saw Us Retreating, Were Now Heard To Say,
"They Are Women, They Are Running, Let Us
At them;" whilst I kept
roaring to my men, "Keep together - come for powder;" and myself
loaded with small shot,
Which even made Kasoro laugh and inquire
if it was intended for the Wanyoro. "Yes, to shoot them like
guinea-fowl;" and he laughed again. But confound my men! they
would not keep together, and retreat with me. One of those
served with ammunition went as hard as he could go up stream to
be out of harm's way, and another preferred hugging the dark
shade of the rushes to keeping the clear open, which I desired
for the benefit of our guns. It was not getting painfully dark,
and the Wanyoro were stealing on us, as we could hear, though
nothing could be seen. Presently the shade-seeking boat was
attacked, spears were thrown, fortunately into the river instead
of into our men, and grappling-hooks were used to link the boats
together. My men cried, "Help, Bana! they are killing us;"
whilst I roared to my crew, "Go in, go in, and the victory will
be ours;" but not a soul would - they were spell-bound to the
place; we might have been cut up in detail, it was all the same
to those cowardly Waganda, whose only action consisted in crying,
"N'yawo! n'yawo!" - mother, mother, help us!
Three shots from the hooked boat now finished the action.
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