state. Ammunition we possessed in abundance,
and we made use of it with deadly effect, yet
what might have become of us is doubtful, had
not the advanced-guard of Tippu-Tib and our
land division arrived at this critical juncture,
causing dismay to the savages in the forest,
who announced the reinforcement by war-horns
to the savages in the canoes, many of whom
were, at the moment, making most strenuous
efforts to effect a landing. The river savages,
upon hearing these signals, withdrew, but as
they were paddling away they proclaimed their
intention of preventing all escape, either up river
or down river, and expressed their enormous
contempt for us by throwing water towards us
with their paddles. We saw all the canoes
mysteriously disappear behind an island, situated
about 1600 yards off, and opposite to our camp.
It was a great pleasure to greet all our people
once more, though they were in a wretched
plight. Bad food, and a scarcity of even that
during three days in the jungle, constantly losing
the road, wandering aimlessly about, searching
for thinly grown spots through which they
might creep more easily, had reduced their
physical strength so much that it was clear at
a glance that several days must elapse before
they would be able to resume their journey.
When all had arrived, I called the forty
defenders of the camp together, and distributing'
mec. ao, 1876-I A NIGHT EXPEDITION.
[ V inya-Njara. J
cloth to each of them, told them that as the
enemy had taken their canoes behind the island
opposite, they very probably intended to resume
the fight; that it was,, therefore, our duty to
prevent that if possible, by making a night
expedition, and cutting the canoes adrift, which
would leave them under the necessity of abandoning
the project of attacking us; “ besides,”
said I, “ if we can do the job in a complete
way, the enormous loss of canoes will have
such an effect on them that it will clear our
progress down river.”
Frank Pocock was requested to take his choice
of crews and man the four little canoes, which
would carry about twenty men, and, proceeding
to the south end of the islet, to spread his
canoes across the mouth of the channel, between
the islet and the right bank, while I proceeded
in the boat to the north end of the islet, and,
bearing down the channel, sought out the enemy s
canoes, and cut them adrift which floating down
were to be picked up by him.
It was a rainy, gusty night, and dark; but at
10 p .m ., the hour of deepest sleep, we set out
with muffled oars, Frank to his appointed
position, and I up river, along the left bank,
until, having ascended nearly opposite the lower
end of Mpika Island, we cut rapidly across river
to the right bank. Then, resting on our oars,
we searched the bank narrowly, until seeing a