第28章

coulddistinguishthenativescollectingfromallpartsandevidentlysurroundingourposition。Ithereforepostedmenasskirmishersaroundthecircleabouteightyyardsdistantfromthestockade，facingoutwards，whilethesmallpartyforcedthegateway。

Thefireofthesniderriflesandthesteadyshootingofthe”FortyThieves”quicklyreducedthenumberofarrows，andthenatives，findingthatitwasgettingtoohot，suddenlymadeadashbyasecretentranceandrushedthroughthetroops，nowofnecessitywidelyscattered，andtheygainedtheforest。

Atthesametimethegatewaywasforced，andwefoundaprizewithinofupwardsofsixhundredcows。Thestockade，orzareeba，wasimmenselystrong，formedofmassivelogsofironwooddeeplyimbeddedintheearth，andarrangedsocloselytogetherthatnotonebulletoutoftenwouldhavefounditswaythroughthecrevicesiffiredfromadistance。Theproperwaytoattackthecircularstrongholdsistomakeasuddenrushcloseuptothedefence，andtolaytheriflebetweentheopenings；thestockadethenbecomesaprotectiontotheattackingparty，asthereisnoflankfiretoenfiladethem。

Thenativeswerenowgatheringonallsides；butwewereinpossession，andalthoughourpartyconsistedofonlyseventymen，wehadanimpregnableposition，whichIcouldholduntiljoinedbyTayibAgha。I

accordinglytookafewofthe”FortyThieves”toadistanceofabout150

pacesawayfromthecentre，andconcealedthemassharpshooters，whereverIfoundaconvenientcover。Thefireofthesniderskepttheenemyatarespectfuldistance。

TherewerenosignsofTayibAgha。Thesunwasrisen，andcloudsofsteambegantorisefromthewetgroundandthedrippingtrees。I

orderedsomegrasshutstobefired，asthevolumeofsmokemightattracttheattentionofTayibAgha’sdetachment，whichhadevidentlygoneastray。Ifnear，theymusthaveheardthesoundofourrifles。

Thehutsweresooninflames，andthesmokerosehighinair，whichwouldbeasignaltobeseenfromagreatdistance。

Isenttwobuglerstothetopofatalltree，fromwhichelevatedposttheyblewthecallforthelieutenant-colonelandhisthreecompaniescontinuallyforabouthalf-an-hour。

Wewerehungry，thereforeafatcalfwaskilled，andcookingimmediatelycommenced。Ihadalittleboxofsaltandpepper，togetherwithsomebiscuits；thuswewereinluxury。MygoodMonsoorwasafaircook；

thereforethefat，kidneys，andliverhavingbeencutintopiecesabouttwoinchessquare，andarrangedonasteelramrod，werewellsaltedandpeppered，andlaidonthered-hotemberswhentheflameandsmokehadsubsided。Thereisnothingsogoodaskabobsthussimplyprepared：theramrodisthenstuckuprightintheground，andyousitdownandcutoffthepiecesasrequired。Saltshouldalwaysbecarriedmixedwithblackandredpepperinproperproportions；itsavesmuchtrouble。

Wewereenjoyingourbreakfast；thecowslatelycapturedgaveplentyofmilk，whichourservantshadboiledintheBaris’earthenpots，andwewerediscussingthepossibilityofTayibAghahavinglosthisway，whenwehearddistantshotsfiredontheopenhillsatthefootofBelinianmountain，aboutamileand，ahalftoourright。Weshortlydistinguishedsmoke，whichwasareplytooursignal。ItwasevidentthatTayibAghahadstrayedfartothesouth，butitwassatisfactorytoknowthathehadseenourposition。

Wecouldnowdistinguishthetroopswiththetelescope，andevenmakeoutthegunthatwasdraggedbyabouttwentymen。Theywereontheirdirectwaytojoinus。

Mymenhadcapturedthreeyounggirls，whomtheybroughttome。Theoldestwasaboutfifteen，andwasprettyandintelligent：shehadformerlybeenaslaveofthetraders，andwasmarked，accordingtotheircustom，byseveralscarsoneithercheek。ThegirlspokegoodArabic，anddidnotappeartoshowtheslightestalarm。

IaskedherwhytheBelinianBarishadattackedus，andtakencattlefromthestationatGondokoro，withouttheslightestprovocation?Sherepliedthattheyhadbe

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