第35章

Iexplainedtothemthedifficultyoffightingagainstanenemywhosetacticswouldnotpermitabattle；atthesametime，Ishouldnowoperateagainstthemsomewhatupontheirownprinciple；byestablishingaseriesofsharpshooterswhoshouldoccupytheneighbourhood，andrenderitimpossiblefortheBaristoremaininthecountry。

Mycorpswasnowcomplete，asIhadbroughtupthosewhohadremainedatGondokoro；Ihadthusforty-eightofficersandmen。TothisforceInowaddedfiftyselectedmenfromtheline，andmarchedthemawayfromcamp。

Uponarrivalatthebroadbedoftheriver，Iexplainedtothemtheplan。Thenativesgenerallyapproachedunperceivedbymeansofthiswindingtrench，whichentirelyconcealedthem。Thebanksofthisriverwereinmostplacesnearlyperpendicular，andwereaboutninefeetdeep。

Theriverwasaboutsixtyorseventypacesbroad，andwasnearlydry，asaveryshallowstreamflowedthroughthecentreofitsbed。

Ifthehighbankswereoccupiedforadistanceofseveralmilesbysmallpartiesofsharpshootersconcealedinhighdhurra，orbehindanant-hill，orcrouchedinhighgrassorbush，orinanythingthatwouldserveasaprotection，itwouldbeimpossiblefortheBaristoapproachbythefavouriteriver-bed，withoutbeingexposedtoadeadlyfirefromthelonglineofsentries。

Ithereforeselectedapositioncommencingfarbeyondmylineofposts，andentirelycommandingtheriver-bedforadistanceofseveralmiles。

Thesoldiersweredelightedwiththeplansuggested。Iarrangedthatbeforedaylightonthefollowingmorning，theyshouldoccupythepositionsassignedinpartiesoftwomenifsniders，orthreeifmuskets，atintervalsofonehundredpaces；thusthecountrywouldbeprotectedbyachainofguardsperfectlyconcealedfromview。

Igaveorderstotheofficerscommandingthetwostockadestocarryoutthissystemthroughouttheneighbourhood，sothatitwouldbeimpossibleforanyenemytomovewithoutfallingintoanambuscade。

AtdaybreakIwasup，andasusualdrankmycoffeeandsmokedthemorningpipe。AtthattimemywifeandIoccupiedatentoutsidethestockade，beneaththemostmagnificenttamarind-treethatIhaveeverseen。Fromthisspotwehadaclearviewofthecountry。Onthewestoftheplain，twomilesdistant，rosethemountainofBelinian。Ontheeastwaspark-likelandinterspersedwithfineornamentaltimber，throughwhichtheriverwinded。Foraboutahundredacresaroundthecamp，thehighdhurrahadbeencutdown；thereforetheviewwasuninterrupted。

Everythingwasperfectlystillatthisearlyhour；thebirdswereonlybeginningtochirp，andthevultureswerejustlazilyassemblingtoseeiftheycoulddiscoveronemoremorselattheslaughtering-placeoftheprecedingday。

Noonewouldhavesuspectedthattheentireneighbourhoodwasoccupiedbysharpshooters，foradistanceofsomemiles。ThewilyBarishaddelightedintheirleopard-liketactics，whichhadgiventhemseveralopportunitiesofinflictinglossuponthetroops。Theynowcommencedtheirdailyoccupation，andstartedinsmallbutnumerouspartiesfromtheirdistantvillages，forthepurposeofwaylayinganystragglers。Thesunrose，andwithmytelescopeIobservednativesabouthalfamiledistantontheothersideoftheriver；sometimesthesepeopledisappearedinthehighdhurra；everynowandthentheyreappeared；thenagaintheywerelosttoview。Theywerestealthilyapproachingforthepurposeofoccupyingtheirpositionsforconcealment。ThesewilyBarisimaginedthatwewere，asusual，keepingonthealertaroundthecamp，buttheyhadnoideathattheleopardwashimselfsonearthehiddensnare。

Suddenlyapuffofwhitesmokeshotripfromthebrightgreengrassontheothersideoftheriver-bed——thenanother，followedbythereportsoftworifles！Isawnativesrunningatfullspeedtotheleft。Anotherandanotherpuffofsmokeissuedfromadifferentquarter，astheastonishedBarisintheirhastyretreatstumbledoverthenextambuscade。Inowsawanativerunninglikeadeer，butchasedlikeagooddeerhoundbyoneofthe”FortyThieves。”Thenativewassohardpressedbythisgoodrunner，whowasencumberedwithclothes，rifle，andammunition，thathehadbeenobligedtothrowawayhisbowandarrows，togetherwithhislance。Henowgaineduponthesoldierslightly，buttheywerenotfivepacesapartwhentheydisappearedinthehighdhurra。

ThatsoldierwasAliNedjar，ofthe”FortyThieves，”thestrongestman，thebestshot，andthefleetestrunneroftheforce。PresentlyIheardashot。

Throughoutthatdayoccasionalshotswereheardineveryconceivablequar

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