14 SAN JOSEF. 



seems to be a kind of imitation of the growl of wild beasts, 

 and has a most thrill inoj effect. 



" Fire now was set to a quantity of huts built for tlie 

 accommodation of African soldiers to the northward of the 

 barracks, as well as to the house of a poor black woman 

 called Dalrymple. These burnt briskly, throwing a dismal 

 glare over the barracks and picturesque town of San Josef, 

 and overpowering the light of the full moon, which illu- 

 mined a cloudless sky. The mutineers made a rush at the 

 barrack-room, and seized on the muskets and fusees in the 

 racks. Their leader, Daaga, and a daring Yarraba named 

 Ogston, instantly charged their pieces ; the former of these 

 had a quantity of ball-cartridges, loose powder, and ounce 

 and pistol-balls, in a kind of grey worsted caj:). He must 

 have provided himself with these before the mutiny. How 

 he became possessed of them, especially the pistol-balls, I 

 never could learn.; probably he was supplied by his un- 

 military countrymen : pistol-balls are never given to in- 

 fantry. Previous to this Daaga and three others made a rush 

 at the regimental store-room, in wdiich was dej^osited a 

 quantity of powder. An old African soldier, named Charles 

 Dixon, interfered to stop them, on which Maurice Ogston, the 

 Yarraba chief, who had armed himself with a sergeant's sword, 

 cut down the faithful African. When do\\Ti Daaga said, in 

 English, ' Ah, you old soldier, you knock down.' Dixon 



